"So that’s how it is." People of the Holy Court hold themselves aloof; most know little of the struggles over mortal imperial power, and Tian Annan was no exception. Hearing Wu Tianxiong say this, he could no longer press him.

"Lord Tian, there’s no need to worry. It’s only one night. Tomorrow is the death date of the Yue Family. I will personally kill Mu Hanyan, and avenge Young Master Wenliang, as well as Jian Jue and the others’ blood debts." Wu Tianxiong said high-spiritedly.

Tian Annan nodded. The reason he had risked his life to sneak into the Imperial Palace to probe Lu Nianxin’s depths was not to fulfill Wu Tianxiong’s ambition, but to borrow his hand to avenge Tian Wenliang and his own five Disciples’ blood debts. After all, with Ye Lanfeng around, he absolutely did not dare to strike Mu Hanyan head-on, nor did he even dare let anyone know he was the one pulling strings from behind the scenes.

Anyway, it was just waiting one more night. Even if Lu Nianxin had a Heaven-defying stroke of fortune, there was no way she could unravel that Forbidden Technique in such a short time, so there was no need to worry too much. Thinking of this, Tian Annan instead felt that he had been overly cautious.

"Right, Jian Jue and the others originally carried a few Magic Artifacts. A few days ago, when their bodies were sent back, the Magic Artifacts were nowhere to be found. I don’t know if they fell into Mu Hanyan’s hands. When you’ve killed Mu Hanyan, search her carefully." Tian Annan said to Wu Tianxiong again.

Those Heavenly Destiny Star Plates and the Ruyi Hair Crown had been seized only after he finally managed to kill an expert from the temple; who knew that after the contest they would simply vanish. He had long suspected Mu Hanyan, but with no proof he couldn’t go to her door to demand them. More importantly, he didn’t dare let Ye Lanfeng know of his relationship with Jing Jianjue and the others, much less let him know he was secretly hoarding Divine Hall Magical Artifacts.

"Rest easy, Lord Tian, those were originally Jian Jue’s belongings. I will certainly search for them carefully." Speaking up to this point, Wu Tianxiong probed again, "Lord Tian, in case something unexpected happens at that time, could we perhaps ask you, elder, to lend a hand?"

"I’m afraid that wouldn’t be very appropriate." Tian Annan said cautiously.

All these years, the Royal Families of the various countries had long been wary of the Holy Court, which absolutely would not lightly interfere in the internal affairs of each nation. Besides, he did not wish to completely tear his face with Ye Lanfeng, nor did he want to show himself easily.

"Lord Tian is overthinking. The Zue Family’s people will naturally be handled by my Wu Family; we won’t need you, elder, to act. I’m only worried that among the Imperial City Guards, there may be commanders who don’t know what’s good for them. If any mishap occurs, I’d like to ask Lord Tian to use the identity of our Wu Family’s Tributor to intimidate them a bit, that’s all." Wu Tianxiong said.

"If it’s only that, then I’ll reluctantly help you once more." After weighing it several times, Tian Annan nodded and said.

It was merely to overawe a few commanders among the Imperial City Guards; he wouldn’t have to expose himself much. If someone didn’t know what was good for them, he would simply kill them outright with thunderous methods and then turn and leave. Others might not even see his face clearly; who would know his identity? To avenge his precious son and Jing Jianjue and the others, doing this small thing was no trouble.

...

High in the air, wind and cloud churned. The barrier of space was pried open, and two utterly different streams of Heaven and Earth Power converged at once.

But this time, following the sword move at Ye Lanfeng’s fingertips and Qian Ji’s hand gestures, the two Heaven and Earth Powers did not clash in the slightest, but peacefully coexisted.

At the same time, the aura on the two of them continuously rose—one imposing and sacred, the other mysterious and solemn.

A stream of golden qi poured into Lu Nianxin’s meridians. Almost in an instant, the Prohibition that had been hidden in her meridians was shattered, and a trace of pain surfaced on Lu Nianxin’s face.

This Holy Emperor Sword Energy was indeed tyrannical. Although it shattered the Prohibition in one stroke and cleared the meridians, it also inflicted tremendous damage upon them. As the Holy Emperor Sword Energy circulated, every Prohibition was wiped out wherever it passed, but the meridians broke inch by inch. That pain was such that even a powerhouse like Lu Nianxin, in the Sword Saint Realm, found it hard to endure.

Yan Zishu did not dare slack off. The Golden Needles in his hand flashed rapidly across her body. Lu Nianxin felt the pain lighten; the already-ruptured meridians were fixed at the moment just after rupture, with no sign at all of the injuries worsening. With such injuries, she didn’t even need to take any Elixir; with her own cultivation, she would be able to heal quickly.

The Divine Emperor Sword Energy continued to circulate. When all the hidden Prohibitions in the Eight Extraordinary Meridians throughout her body had been destroyed, it finally surged into her Qi Sea.

"Crack!" Lu Nianxin heard the sound of her Qi Sea fracturing. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Though she had long seen through the ways of the world and was even unafraid of Death, at this moment, thinking that a lifetime of cultivation might thus turn to nothing, her heart still felt a trace of instinctive unease.

But very soon, she was at ease. Yan Zishu’s Golden Needles flashed in succession, firmly guarding her Qi Sea. At the instant the Prohibition broke, a faint crack appeared on her Qi Sea, yet it was actually completely unharmed.

Regarding Yan Zishu’s Medical Skill, Lu Nianxin inwardly sighed in admiration, and for his cultivation, she was all the more filled with respect. She knew very well that while Yan Zishu was applying the needles, he too was subjected to the impact of that Holy Emperor Sword Energy. If it had been any Doctor below the Sword Saint Realm, let alone saving her, he might not even have been able to save himself.

To possess such transcendent Medical Skill and such cultivation—he truly lived up to being the Family Head of the Divine Doctor Family. Lu Nianxin examined her own heart and knew that even with her talent, if she cultivated both Sword Dao and medical arts, she absolutely could not reach Yan Zishu’s level of mastery.

Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but feel worried again.

Compared to Yan Zishu, Han Yan was still too young. Even if she had some medical skills and strength, how could she be compared to Yan Zishu?

She wasn’t worried about herself, but about Mu Hanyan getting hurt by that Holy Emperor Sword Energy in a moment of reckless bravery.

"Han Yan, when you make your move later, don’t force yourself. Grandmother is already old. Even without being burdened by this Forbidden Technique, I might not live much longer. Don’t you dare harm yourself to save Grandmother." Lu Nianxin drew a breath and said to Mu Hanyan.

"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager worries too much. With Lady Mu’s Medical Skill, there is absolutely no possibility of danger." Before Mu Hanyan could speak, Yan Zishu spoke on her behalf.

Medical Dao and Alchemy Dao are originally of the same lineage. Though he had never seen Mu Hanyan’s Medical Skill, he had seen her Core Formation method for "Star Falling in Eight Desolates." With such a method, even if she might not be able to completely suppress Ye Lanfeng’s Holy Emperor Sword Energy, she absolutely would not be harmed by it. Even he, Yan Zishu, was filled with envy toward that method. The Empress Dowager was merely too anxious out of concern and was underestimating her precious granddaughter far too much.

What he did not know was that Lu Nianxin had never seen Mu Hanyan’s Alchemy Dao methods at all—if she weren’t worried, that would be strange.

As soon as the Prohibition in the Qi Sea was broken, Ye Lanfeng’s Holy Emperor Sword Energy surged toward Lu Nianxin’s Heart Meridian.

In Qian Ji’s hand, a pure white radiance flashed, and a rune formed of light and shadow, almost tangible, also flew toward her Heart Meridian through the air.

Everyone’s gaze tightened. This was the final step, and also the most crucial step.