Facing the flawless Grand Heir, Felix Fuller was once again defeated. He rubbed his fists, staring at William Wang Jinling's face for a long time, as if considering where to strike. Yet after all his threats, William remained completely unconcerned, smiling as always...
Felix dropped his fists in frustration. "Forget it, talking to someone like you is just pointless. What are you planning to do about Ghost Hall?"
"No particular plan. It's impossible to guard against thieves for a thousand days," William Wang Jinling shrugged, making it clear he wasn't omnipotent. Felix refused to believe it: "If you already guessed, there's no way you haven't prepared something."
"I really haven't prepared anything, nor do I need to," William stood up and turned his back to Felix. "Before Prince Nolan left, he gave me a group of men, allowing me to deploy them. Since Ghost Hall might target Lady Min, I'll use these men to protect his mother. It's simply a matter of putting people where they're needed."
William came to see Felix not to ask for advice, but simply to inform him and have him keep an eye on the Taishang Emperor. At this critical juncture, the Taishang Emperor must not stir up more trouble, or they'll all be in a bind.
Of course, the most important thing was to remind Felix to quickly get to the bottom of Prince Damien of Southlyn's situation. If he's dead, that's that. If he's alive, then Felix must keep a close watch on him, lest this venomous snake strike when they least expect it.
William didn't say it outright, but Felix understood his meaning. As they parted, Felix said to William, "I'll keep watch. I won't let anyone cause you trouble."
William nodded with a gentle smile, his expression never changing from start to finish...
When Vincent Su learned that William had mobilized the men Prince Nolan left behind, he was stunned, unable to recover for quite a while.
Ghost Hall is making moves, but why hasn't a single message come from Storm Cloud Bu?
Ghost Hall withdrew from Liancastle, and Storm Cloud Bu didn't send any news back. Vincent Su only learned about it from outsiders.
All signs point to Storm Cloud Bu having almost certainly met with trouble.
Vincent Su has known Storm Cloud Bu for many years. They've fought and brawled together, and their bond is real. He never imagined Storm Cloud Bu would betray Prince Nolan or his brothers. His first reaction is that Storm Cloud Bu must be in trouble.
Storm Cloud Bu's identity isn't hard to uncover; as master of Heaven's First Consortium, Ghost Hall could easily find out. That's why Prince Nolan originally opposed sending him into Ghost Hall, but no one expected Storm Cloud Bu would succeed.
Once inside Ghost Hall, Prince Nolan couldn't pull him out—Storm Cloud Bu disappearing would draw attention, so they let him stay and go with the flow.
Fortunately, Storm Cloud Bu did well. Prince Nolan repeatedly warned him not to get too involved in Ghost Hall's affairs, and Storm Cloud Bu followed orders, staying a minor hireling Ghost Hall barely noticed. But at this critical moment, something went wrong.
Worried, Vincent Su immediately ordered people to investigate Storm Cloud Bu's whereabouts and to send word to Heaven's First Consortium to move Bella Qin to safety. Unbeknownst to him, all messengers sent to and from Heaven's First Consortium were killed by Liancastle's forces.
Having an opponent who understands you too well is no blessing.
William Wang Jinling and Vincent Su had prepared for Ghost Hall's moves, but you needn't fear godlike enemies—it's pig-like teammates you should worry about. When William deployed Prince Nolan's men to protect Lady Min at the Imperial Temple, Storm Cloud Bu, acting in Prince Nolan's name, reassigned them so Ghost Hall could abduct Lady Min. Vincent Su and William knew nothing.
Without Prince Nolan's men interfering, Ghost Hall's operation went frighteningly smoothly. As the grand assembly began, Old Lu the Second created chaos at the city gate with a siege wagon, drawing most of the Imperial Guards away.
As the chaos at the city gate intensified and more innocent civilians died, the main city defenses and troops rushed to the gate. Everyone's attention was focused there, completely unaware of what was happening at the Imperial Temple outside the city.
When the chaos erupted outside the city gate, the Ghost King gave the order: "Attack!"
Ghost Hall's members followed the plan and stormed into the temple.
Fortunately, the temple's guards inside and out were well-trained. After a brief panic, they regained composure and skillfully blocked Ghost Hall's advance.
Ghost Hall's goal was not to kill all the guards. Their aim was to capture people, not massacre, so they focused on containment rather than slaughter.
The guards were pinned down and couldn't break free for a while. Others moved to restrain the monks and shadow guards. With everyone's cooperation, the Ghost King finally made his move...
Wearing a ghost mask, which looked even more terrifying in daylight, the Ghost King moved with astonishing lightness, leaping from the temple to a secluded cabin. Even Prince Nolan and Sean Xuan would have to admit inferiority in qinggong.
"Who dares trespass in the Imperial Temple?" The palace maids, who were officially attendants but actually monitored Lady Min, attacked the Ghost King immediately. But the difference in strength was clear—they couldn't get close.
"Imperial Temple? The Lan clan is destroyed; there is no emperor left. Just a gang of usurpers." The Ghost King's voice was low, amplified with inner force, echoing from all directions.
"How dare you!" The palace maids' faces hardened. They fell back, forming a human wall: "Protect the Grand Empress Dowager! Get her out!"
Two blue-clad shadow guards immediately responded, rushing toward the cabin where Lady Min sat calmly, as if unaware of the chaos outside.
"Your Highness, there are intruders. Please come with us at once." The blue-clad shadow guards spoke respectfully, but their eyes were sharp, ready to forcibly evacuate Lady Min if she refused.
Unexpectedly, Lady Min cooperated, standing up immediately. The shadow guards sighed in relief and supported her: "Forgive us, Your Highness."
They led Lady Min away by a side path. The same scene played out with Empress Dowager Xie and the dowager consorts: as Ghost Hall rushed in, prepared guards swiftly escorted them away, making it hard for Ghost Hall to capture them as hostages.
Ghost Hall's fighters were formidable, and the Ghost King's martial arts were bizarre and terrifying. But Eastlyn had numbers, and its people were fearless, swarming the Ghost King and slowing him down, allowing Lady Min, Empress Dowager Xie, and the others to escape.
Of course, the Ghost King didn't know this. He was still fighting the palace maids. When a purple-robed maid attacked, the Ghost King sneered, grabbed her by the neck, and snapped it with a chilling crack.
Such ruthless brutality chilled everyone. But precisely because of this, the shadow guards and maids refused to retreat: their own deaths didn't matter, but letting him reach or kill the Grand Empress Dowager would doom them to a fate worse than death.
As the Grand Empress Dowager and shadow guards escaped, a signal flare shot up into the sky. In the chaos, no one noticed it was released by the Grand Empress Dowager herself.
The Former Dynasty dead-men waiting in the hidden passage received the signal and immediately rose. Their target: Sutton Manor, the Su Clan estate.
Out at sea, Prince Nolan and Serena Feng, who had just found their bearings, knew nothing of what was happening in the capital. Even if they knew, there was nothing they could do but watch helplessly...