When the middle-aged eunuch saw the intruder's face clearly, his expression changed drastically. Instinctively, he moved to shield Ji Qian, his voice sharp as he shouted, "Your Majesty, please leave first! This servant will cover your retreat!"
"Chief Eunuch, you may step back now," Ji Qian said in a deep voice.
"Your Majesty...!" The middle-aged eunuch's face was filled with worry—after all, the man before them was the Number One Bandit Under Heaven, a lawless rogue.
Ji Qian waved his hand. "Hai Lao, say no more. I know what I'm doing."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Seeing Ji Qian's insistence, the Chief Eunuch could only step aside, though his eyes remained alertly fixed on Shawn Steele. If Shawn dared make any move against Ji Qian, he would leap into action.
"Mr. Ian, what brings you here so late at night? Are you perhaps interested in serving as Grand Zhou Empire's National Preceptor?" Ji Qian asked with a relaxed smile.
Shawn Steele chuckled and shook his head. "Your Majesty, why pretend to be confused when you know exactly what's going on? Still, I am curious—how did you all figure out I'd come looking for trouble with the Ji family first?"
Ji Qian's expression shifted slightly, surprised that Ian Song could see through others' presence. However, from the moment Ian entered the Imperial Palace, he had already fallen into their calculations. Even if Ian knew, so what? Ji Qian smiled again: "Because the Grand Zhou Empire is closest to you, and besides, you're not the type to skip the near for the far!"
Shawn laughed at himself. "Looks like you all have a pretty good grasp of my personality. You're right—I don't like skipping the near for the far. Plus, I prefer solving all my problems at once!" Suddenly, his tone turned cold. "Since all you big shots are already here, why keep hiding? There's no need to skulk in the shadows and lose your dignity!"
The doors to the Imperial Study Hall swung open, and a gray-robed elder strode inside. Though he looked just past sixty, his complexion was ruddy, his energy abundant, and his eyes shone with a hidden majesty.
This was Ji Jichang, the founding emperor of the Grand Zhou Empire.
Ji Jichang smiled as he glanced at Shawn Steele, his tone full of praise: "Indeed, every generation brings forth its own talents. Young Shawn, to reach late Heaven-and-Man at your age—you're a true prodigy!"
It's true—during his year-plus journey across the world, Shawn had broken through to late Foundation Establishment, and both his dantians had advanced together.
"Thanks for the compliment, but I prefer the saying 'the waves behind drive the waves ahead; the old waves die on the shore.' So tell me, how many of you old masters will die by my hand tonight?" Shawn replied with a grin.
"Arrogant brat!" came a cold shout as another elder strode forward. This one was tall and carried a silver Fangtian war-lance, radiating a powerful, domineering aura. He was Xiang Yunlong, founding emperor of the Great Chu Empire.
Xiang Yunlong continued, "Still, for you to make the Three Great Empires, Three Holy Lands, and Nine Great Sects join forces just to deal with you—that's something. It's a shame, though. If you were allowed to grow, with your age, you might break through this world's Heaven-and-Man ceiling into a new realm!"
As he spoke, a hint of regret flickered in his eyes.
"That's right. If you weren't so unruly, we might have given you a chance to break through! But you're too arrogant—cutting off your own destiny. Such a pity!"
Yet another elder strode forward, equally tall, dressed in crimson Daoist robes and carrying a longsword on his back. Though well over a hundred years old, he radiated the vigor of youth.
"Since the ancestors of the Three Great Empires are here, it's time for the ancestors of the Three Holy Lands to show themselves!" Shawn said with a smile, showing not the slightest hint of panic.
"Fan Shijun greets Young Ian!"
"Sima Tianji greets Young Ian!"
"Jiang Yunyan greets Young Ian!"
Before the people arrived, their voices rang out. As their greetings faded, three more figures stepped into the Imperial Study Hall.
"People of the Nine Great Sects, stop hiding and come out!" Shawn called toward the outside.
Immediately, nine elderly men and women entered in succession—they were the top experts of the Nine Great Sects.
With the Three Great Empires, the Three Holy Lands, and the Nine Great Sects, there were now fifteen late Heaven-and-Man experts present.
If the world knew that these fifteen top experts had joined forces just to deal with one person, they'd be left speechless in shock.
Facing these fifteen peerless masters, Shawn still showed no fear. In fact, he looked a bit excited; after all, these fifteen stood at the very top of this world. If he killed them all, the world's overall strength would drop by at least thirty percent.
"Are you all planning to attack together, or will it be one-on-one?" Shawn suddenly asked.
"Arrogant thief, I'll take you on!" An elder with gray hair and a blue robe stepped forward, his eyes flashing with hidden resentment.
"Wait!"
Shawn raised his hand.
"Are you afraid?"
Yuan Tiangang sneered. He was the former sect master of Cloudrise Sect and grandfather of Sean Yuan. His resentment toward Shawn stemmed from Sean Yuan, whom he had carefully groomed as his successor, only for Shawn to crush him at the Jade Pool banquet.
Shawn shook his head. "Of course not. What I mean is, you're not enough. Why not add two more, or have all nine elders of the Nine Great Sects come at me together?"
"Such an arrogant thief!"
"Hmph, you don't know your place!"
"This man has already fallen into demonic ways—he must be killed!"
………
Before Yuan Tiangang could respond, the other eight elders of the Nine Great Sects spoke up first, all targeting Ian.
Facing this group of experts, Shawn pointed at them and cursed, "A bunch of old fossils! So what if I'm arrogant? So what if I'm reckless, or even demonized? If you've got the guts, come fight me! Talking big is useless!"
"You infuriate me! Count me in, Yuan!" Another elder's face turned ashen from Ian's insults and stepped forward.
"Since you seek death, I'll grant your wish!" Yet another stepped forward.
In the end, all nine experts of the Nine Great Sects stepped forward, facing Shawn from several meters away.
"Ha! Good—nine against one. Let's see how much of my power you can force out!" Shawn reached out and grabbed an ordinary refined-steel longsword, pointed it forward, and a surge of majestic sword intent erupted skyward, piercing the clouds.
"Nine old fossils, take one sword from me first!"
In the next instant, Shawn's longsword slashed out—a strike loaded with vast, awe-inspiring sword intent and eighty percent of the power from his lower dantian.
With that single slash, the wind and clouds changed, the heavens trembled, and the sheer force of sword momentum collapsed the entire Imperial Study Hall. The whole palace shook violently as if struck by an earthquake.
Sword-light—nothing but sword-light filled their eyes and minds. The nine peerless experts even felt as if they'd been plunged into a world of sword-light.
No way to dodge, no way to escape—only to muster everything they had in a desperate attempt to resist.