C4 Burning the King Wei Palace!

In Longjing Prefecture, within the vast estate of King Wei, there lay a bamboo forest so well-hidden on the western side that only those familiar with the mansion's layout could find it.

The day was bright, the sky clear for miles, yet the air within the estate was thick with the scent of alcohol and powder. Women's exclamations and men's raucous laughter echoed intermittently.

Amidst the bamboo, a feast unfolded. A stunning dancer moved gracefully to the music, while lithe maids flitted between tables, pouring wine and serving dishes to the guests.

"Congratulations, Your Highness, on your latest romantic conquest. Who is the fortunate lady this time? Might we have the pleasure of seeing her?" A sly-looking aide, his face flushed, raised his glass in a toast to King Wei, who presided over the gathering.

The others joined in, toasting loudly in unison.

Though young, King Wei's indulgences had taken their toll on him. His weary, lackluster eyes briefly surveyed the crowd before he erupted into laughter. "Very well, I'm in high spirits today. I'll indulge your curiosity!"

With a gesture of distaste, he commanded, "Clear these commoners out!"

The music ceased, and the dancers were quickly escorted away. King Wei's advisors craned their necks in anticipation, eager to see the woman King Wei had chosen to keep so secret.

Once the attendants had departed, King Wei clapped his hands. Promptly, two elderly women brought in a veiled lady.

"Enough with the secrecy, Your Highness," the aides pressed, unable to contain their eagerness.

Seeing their anticipation, King Wei scoffed. "You're all so hopeless. Very well, prepare to be enlightened!" With that, he tore away the black cloth from the woman's face.

As the veil lifted, an exquisite visage was revealed to the onlookers.

Her skin, pale and luminous as the finest jade, glowed in the sunlight. Her arched brows conveyed a noble air, yet the beauty lay dormant, still lost in slumber.

A gasp cut through the silence. "This... This is General Long Wu, Lu Lengshuang!" someone cried out in astonishment.

Upon hearing this, the others swiftly turned their attention to the woman. They hadn't recognized her at first, as Lu Lengshuang typically donned armor. But now, upon closer inspection, they immediately identified her as Lu Lengshuang, the esteemed first female general of Great Liang!

An aide, with quivering lips, voiced his concern, "Your Highness, surely you don't intend to marry her? She's far from the meek and compliant maidens of the inner chambers. Should she become enraged, I fear none of us would stand a chance against her."

King Wei burst into laughter. "Rest assured, her true qi has been completely sealed. I've even administered a double dose of Bone Softening Powder to her. She wouldn't be able to move a muscle, even if she were a deity!"

Another aide expressed his astonishment, "I've heard that Lu Lengshuang is a formidable Houtian Realm Level Seven master. How did Your Highness manage to seal her cultivation level?"

With a smug expression, King Wei boasted, "I went out of my way to request a Xiantian Realm master from the Emperor. Subduing a Houtian Realm Level Seven is child's play."

Xiantian Realm! Despite their lack of scholarly knowledge, the aides understood the significance of a Xiantian master. Entry into the Xiantian realm meant one's true qi would solidify in the Dantian, enabling the use of more extraordinary martial arts and signifying a monumental leap in ability.

The divide between the ninth level of the Houtian Realm and the Xiantian Realm was immense. Many martial artists at the peak of the Houtian Realm could spend their entire lives trying and still fail to bridge that gap.

In Great Liang, crossing into the Xiantian realm and swearing fealty to the Imperial Court meant immediate ennoblement and the privileges of a court salary. The fact that such a distinguished expert was assigned directly to King Wei spoke volumes of the Emperor's favoritism.

"But, Your Highness, Lu Lengshuang is still the daughter of Yongping. What will we do if Yongping returns from his campaign?" inquired another advisor.

A cold smirk played on King Wei's lips. "That's the least of our concerns. Yongping, I'm afraid, will never see Longjing again."

The advisors leaned in, ears pricked, eager for more details. However, King Wei dismissed the topic with a wave of his hand, signaling he had no intention of discussing it further.

"If Lord Yongping were still around, I wouldn't dare lay a finger on this woman. But times change. I've never had the pleasure of such a fiery beauty before. Today, I've turned raw rice into a cooked meal. Even if Yongping were to return by some fluke, it would be too late." King Wei let out a sleazy chuckle, reaching out to caress the sleeping Lu Lengshuang's cheek.

The other aides bowed in agreement, their knowing smiles betraying their shared complicity.

"You're asking for death!" A furious bellow erupted from the bamboo forest.

Screams of agony followed, echoing from outside.

"Ah!"

As the cries continued, several guards from the royal residence were flung out, crashing heavily to the ground.

"Who dares to cause trouble at King Wei's estate?" the aides yelled, advancing to confront the intruder.

A young man with a dark expression emerged from the bamboo, stepping over the bodies of several guards. With a swift kick, he sent the remaining guards sprawling.

The chill in the young man's eyes sent a shiver through the crowd. It was as if they were the hunted, that prickling sensation of being in the crosshairs was enough to make their blood run cold.

"An assassin!"

"Protect His Highness!"

One of the aides, quick on his feet, drew his sword to shield King Wei.

No matter where this young upstart had come from, his brazenness surely hadn't escaped the notice of the palace guards.

Once the reinforcements arrived, they would undoubtedly apprehend him.

But now was the perfect moment to shine in front of King Wei, and no one was willing to let that opportunity slip by.

"Waiting for someone to run for help?" Lu Yu's voice was grave. "You're going to be sorely disappointed. Not a single guard is left standing outside this bamboo forest!"

With that, Lu Yu pulled a bloodied head from behind him and tossed it to the ground with disdain.

"This guard captain conspired with you, wreaking untold havoc. Today, I'm merely dispensing heavenly justice," Lu Yu declared coldly, as if disposing of mere garbage.

The severed head on the ground lay with its mouth agape, a look of terror eternally etched on its face.

The aides who had been shielding King Wei blanched at the sight, too frightened to utter a word.

King Wei abruptly shoved aside the person in front of him, fixing his gaze on Lu Yu with a stern voice, "Who are you, and why have you attacked my estate?"

Lu Yu remained silent. Spotting Lu Lengshuang lying behind King Wei, he stepped forward and made his way toward her.

To the onlookers, however, his movements were those of an assassin poised to strike at King Wei.

"Stop right there!"

"Bold assassin!"

Several authoritative voices bellowed from behind King Wei as figures burst forth, their eyes fiercely trained on Lu Yu.

These individuals, both young and old, radiated immense power, with wisps of purple true qi shimmering around them.

This purple true qi was incredibly concentrated, even more so than that of the Red Eunuch, with a hint of purple aura visible on their foreheads. They were vastly more formidable.

Each one was a ninth-level Houtian realm powerhouse!

The ninth level of the Houtian realm signified the pinnacle of that domain, just one step shy of leaping through the dragon's gate to ascend to the Xiantian realm.

With these formidable allies emerging, King Wei's demeanor relaxed, and his gaze upon Lu Yu turned brazen.

"Young man, I'll ask you one final time—who exactly are you?" King Wei demanded.

Lu Yu's icy stare swept over the ninth-level Houtian experts, his voice chilling, "You possess martial prowess yet choose to be the pawns of a tyrant. You deserve death!"

King Wei's face contorted with rage, and he pointed at Lu Yu, bellowing, "Execute him!"

The command was unnecessary; the Houtian ninth stage experts were already charging at Lu Yu, each unleashing their most powerful martial arts.

The sky erupted in a display of purple brilliance as the glow of purple true qi filled the air.

Amidst this overwhelming display of force, Lu Yu remained unruffled. His long sleeves billowed in the gusting wind as he channeled a stream of pale white true qi into the fabric.

Upon closer inspection, one could discern a faint white true qi swirling in Lu Yu's palm, accompanied by the eerie sounds of wailing ghosts and howling wolves emanating from within.

"So this guy is just a Houtian First Level upstart. He's clueless about the vastness of the world!"

Upon witnessing the true qi emanating from Lu Yu, several advisors burst into mocking laughter.

The Houtian First Level was merely the most elementary stage of martial cultivation, a level many novices, mere children, would attain as they embarked on their martial journey.

For such an insignificant Houtian First Level to dare wreak havoc in King Wei's estate was sheer suicide!

Swoosh! Swoosh!

In the blink of an eye, several Houtian Ninth Level masters had positioned themselves before Lu Yu.

These Houtian experts, having assessed Lu Yu's cultivation level, were significantly reassured.

Initially, Lu Yu's abrupt entrance had left them on edge, but now, they were at ease.

After all, he was just at the Houtian First Level, nothing they couldn't handle with ease!

"Kid, you've got no one to blame but your own arrogance. You've got no business being here!" A grizzled elder, sword in hand, lunged at Lu Yu with a thrust.

A glint of icy resolve flashed in Lu Yu's eyes. With a swift step forward, he effortlessly sidestepped the sword qi.

"What!?" The elder was taken aback, not expecting Lu Yu to so easily evade his strike.

As he readied to switch his swordplay, Lu Yu delivered a fierce palm strike to his abdomen.

Bang!

The palm hit the elder squarely, his protective true qi shattering like clay against Lu Yu's mere Houtian First Level force, offering no defense.

"Puff!" Blood spurted from the elder's mouth as he staggered backward.

But Lu Yu, having gained the upper hand, showed no mercy. Advancing, he hammered punch after punch into the elder.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Each blow landed with the weight of a boulder, the sound of snapping bones chillingly clear.

Despite being a Houtian Ninth Level master, the elder was so overwhelmed he couldn't muster a shred of his true qi.

"Scoundrel, cease!"

"Cough, cough, cough... stop at once!"

"Enough, I concede... Cough, cough, cough!" The elder's voice grew fainter with each word. In the end, Lu Yu's punch crashed onto the old man's forehead, and he fell to the ground like a kite severed from its string. Motionless, he lay there, breathless.

He had been beaten to death by Lu Yu!

Lu Yu turned, his gaze falling on the remaining Houtian ninth-level warriors. His voice was icy as he declared, "Don't be in such a hurry, none of you are getting away!"