Chapter Ninety-Six: The War Begins

At night, within the imperial palace, Silver Yao stood atop a palace roof alongside Chu Su Yi, Li Su, Gu Shen Yu, and the couple Mu Ye and Ai Shuo, gazing down at Ji Mu Yu, Lie, and Yin Su on the ground opposite. From their lofty vantage, they seemed as commanding as monarchs surveying their realm.

Ji Mu Yu, emperor, could not endure such a situation. He leapt forward, lightly touching down several times like a dragonfly skimming the water, and in moments, he stood upon the roof. Yin Su and Lie followed closely behind.

“You’re quite punctual,” Silver Yao remarked, smiling at Ji Mu Yu with the effortless confidence of one assured of victory.

“Heh, you as well. But looking at your company, are you planning to overwhelm me with numbers?” Ji Mu Yu glanced at those assembled beside Silver Yao—their strength was hardly ordinary.

Silver Yao, hearing his words laced with mockery, smiled as she looked at her companions. “No, you needn’t worry. The only one who’ll face you is me. The others are here to deal with those who might try to interfere. I keep my word: our duel will be between us alone.”

She deftly returned the focus to Ji Mu Yu, implying he was afraid, that his strength was lacking, and so he feared disruption to his plans.

With this, Silver Yao had won the first exchange.

“Fine!” Ji Mu Yu spat out the word, his jaw clenched. He would remember this debt and ensure Silver Yao repaid it in full.

His gaze flickered to the ground below, noting that Ji Mu Yu had dismissed most of the palace guards. Only a handful remained visible. Silver Yao’s eyes swept the surroundings and, recalling Wan You Xue, she smiled faintly: Ji Mu Yu would not allow her to become involved, so he must have ensured she stayed away.

Indeed, Ji Mu Yu wished for as few witnesses as possible. Only a select few remained in the palace, along with the hidden disciples of Midnight Tower, poised to intervene should any unexpected event arise.

He had also slipped a calming medicine into Wan You Xue’s evening meal, ensuring she would avoid the unfolding conflict.

Thinking of Wan You Xue, Ji Mu Yu’s gaze grew shadowed. She was a woman he loved, one who brought him pain, yet fate had made them bitter enemies—how absurd.

Did he regret his actions? Perhaps. Once, Ji Mu Yu had been unwavering in his conviction, but now doubts crept in. Still, regret? Impossible. Ji Mu Yu never repented his deeds.

He found himself unusually contemplative tonight, lost in thoughts of the past. Was it because he sensed how daunting this battle would be?

Silver Yao nodded toward Li Su, who instantly understood and began to fade from sight. The others knew this was part of the plan.

“Ji Mu Yu, let’s begin,” Silver Yao declared. Behind her, the phantom of a fox coalesced, its tail swaying with wild arrogance, revealing her audacious spirit.

Ji Mu Yu, accustomed to regal authority, had to acknowledge her imposing presence. Yet, he would not yield the advantage of momentum so easily.

Suddenly, a black dragon’s shadow unfurled behind Ji Mu Yu as he rose into the air. For the first time, the others witnessed his true power—indeed, a dragon, but unlike Ji Xuan Yu’s fiery dragon, his was inscrutable, exuding a palpable aura of evil.

As Ji Mu Yu ascended, the others revealed their own strengths.

In an instant, the once pitch-black night sky brightened, ablaze with dazzling light that filled the heavens.

“In this moment, I am no longer Chu Su Yi—I am myself, Ji Xuan Yu!” A crimson dragon roared behind him as Ji Xuan Yu raised his head and shouted to the sky.

All eyes turned toward him. Ji Xuan Yu had changed his name to hide, forsaking his family name and building his power in the martial world for six years. Now, for the first time, he proclaimed before all that he was Ji Xuan Yu. From this day forth, he would neither change his name nor hide his identity. He was Ji Xuan Yu.

His declaration elicited smiles of relief and joy among many, while others’ gazes shifted, their feelings evolving. Ji Mu Yu’s eyes were deep and unfathomable as he looked upon Ji Xuan Yu, his heart stirred with myriad emotions.

If Silver Yao had not rescued him, none of this would have happened. If he had possessed enough power to stand against the martial world then, he would never have allowed Ji Xuan Yu to survive.

Everything stemmed from Ji Xuan Yu.

Ji Mu Yu’s hands dropped naturally to his sides. In the next moment, he produced a pair of identical curved hooks, wreathed in black mist—his illusion weapon: Twin Soul Hooks.

Silver Yao paused for an instant, surprised. She had heard of such weapons, but rarely seen them; she hadn’t expected Ji Mu Yu to wield them.

In her right hand was a whip, her left hand spread open, unwilling to be outdone. Ji Mu Yu recognized the unassuming colored chain in her left hand—Silver Yao had used it to command beasts, through sound. Her right hand held her signature illusion weapon: Ice Spirit, the most sentient of illusion weapons.

She shook her left hand, the bells chiming in succession, smiling at Ji Mu Yu. Her sound-commanded beasts were formidable, a skill she had spent countless hours mastering.

Aside from Silver Yao and Ji Mu Yu, the others saw Silver Yao truly wield the colored chain for the first time. Each speculated about its use, but only time would reveal who was right.

Yet someone refused to wait.

Lie, lacking any special abilities, launched a sudden attack. He glared at Gu Shen Yu, his eyes blazing with hatred. It was Gu Shen Yu who had driven his brother to suicide rather than become a burden.

Weaponless, Lie charged straight toward Gu Shen Yu’s position.

“Ah!”

With a furious roar, Lie’s hands became eagle talons, reaching for Gu Shen Yu’s throat. Gu Shen Yu, caught off guard, managed only to retreat swiftly—fortunately unharmed.

The phantom of the tiger, king of the forest, roared at Lie. Gu Shen Yu steadied himself, gripping his Tiger Roar weapon, understanding that Lie sought vengeance for his brother.

Gu Shen Yu did not evade, prepared to face Lie head-on, but Yin Su appeared between them. She turned her head to Lie and spoke, word by word: “Lie, I don’t care what grudge you have against him. All you need to know is that Gu Shen Yu will only die by my hand.”

Lie wanted to protest at Yin Su’s sudden intervention, but he remembered that from the start, Yin Su had declared Gu Shen Yu would be her sole opponent on the battlefield. She would not allow anyone else to challenge her claim.

“Don’t make me regret entrusting him to you,” Lie said, glancing at Yin Su before turning toward Mu Ye and Ai Shuo.

Ji Xuan Yu remained in place, making no move, for his involvement would give Ji Mu Yu an excuse. His role was to act only if something unexpected occurred.

Mu Ye and Ai Shuo dared not underestimate Lie’s ferocity; his recent attack proved he was ruthless and cold-blooded.

Mu Ye clasped several silver needles between his fingers, poised to strike, while Ai Shuo, pressed close, gripped several petal-shaped blades—her signature hidden weapons. The couple specialized in concealed arms.

Ji Xuan Yu watched Mu Ye and Ai Shuo, eager to see how they performed, curious what they had learned from their month with the Poison Lord and Medicine Slave.

Gu Shen Yu’s thoughts swirled as he looked at Yin Su. Since her duel with Silver Yao, when she was gravely wounded and he uttered harsh words, they had never returned to what they once were. How he wished Yin Su stood with him now, rather than opposed.

“Do you believe you’ve succeeded?” Gu Shen Yu asked, gazing into Yin Su’s eyes.

Yin Su, faced with Gu Shen Yu, felt the urge to flee, but she would not. She snorted coldly, her stubbornness obvious.

“How else will you know if you don’t try?”

“All right, I’ll accompany you.”

Few knew their story, fewer still understood the tangled emotions between them. Who could comprehend the intertwining of love and hate?

When swarms of bats appeared again, Ji Mu Yu could not help but be astonished. He struck them down, knowing Silver Yao possessed an even more remarkable technique: she could temporarily revive dead bats and mutate them.

Yet to his surprise, Silver Yao did not use this secret skill. Her left hand moved differently, but Ji Mu Yu could not decipher it—nor would it be expected that he could.

While the battle raged, Li Su had already slipped out of the palace, hurrying to a grove outside, where a young man awaited: Yang Xun. He had gathered many there.

Li Su raised a jade flute to his lips and played softly. Soon, twenty-four figures appeared—the Silver Shadow Guards. The Copper Shadow Guards and the never-before-deployed Gold Shadow Guards had already infiltrated the palace under the command of Li Yue and Yin Rou. The three were responsible for helping Yang Xun claim the throne.

Unbeknownst to all, a red-haired, red-eyed woman hid quietly in a corner, watching the combatants above. She wore a veil, concealing her features.

—Side Note—

Ahaha! The battle has finally begun!