Chapter 851: Killing the Emperor

Xiao Nanfeng and Yanzhi were now officially together. They had started dating in earnest.

Xiao Nanfeng's vast repertoire of cheesy romance, learned from countless dramas on Earth, now came in handy. His constant teasing and heartfelt gestures caused Yanzhi's feelings for him to deepen daily. The two of them spent as much time together as possible, often in what seemed like a little world of their own.

However, they set clear boundaries on their relationship. They only held hands or occasionally shared a hug. Yanzhi was adamant that anything further should wait until they could stand before her parents' graves and formally declare their union. She wanted to honor them first.

Xiao Nanfeng respected her wishes wholeheartedly. He adored Yanzhi and wanted to give her the grand ceremony that she deserved.

One day, Yanzhi noticed something unusual about the cultivation resources Xiao Nanfeng brought her. "Nanfeng, where did you even get all these pills and treasures? These top-grade elixirs and rare herbs are supposed to be incredibly hard to come by, especially these herbs—aren't they usually guarded by powerful beasts? Have you been taking risks?"

"Hardly. There are no risks involved. Aren't these just things anyone can grab if they want to?" Xiao Nanfeng replied nonchalantly.

Yanzhi stared at him, baffled.

"Anyway, don't worry about where they came from," Xiao Nanfeng replied with a grin. "Just know that I got them specifically for you. By the way, the main headquarters of the assassins' guild has reopened their investigation into Qingyang Zi's death. Those assassins at the headquarters are monstrously strong—I can't even assassinate them. For now, the most important thing is for us to quickly advance our cultivation. These treasures are our opportunity to do that."

"Got it," Yanzhi replied, nodding.

Though she was full of questions, she chose to trust Xiao Nanfeng as always. She joined him in using those treasures to rapidly boost their cultivation.

Meanwhile, Xiao Nanfeng's unique ability allowed him to find more and more treasures from across the world. These weren't just for their personal growth—they were also used to nurture a loyal group of subordinates.

In the military, bonds formed between comrades-in-arms on the battlefield were particularly strong. The soldiers trusted each other with their lives, creating deep connections among themselves. Yanzhi further cemented these bonds by sharing cultivation resources with them, earning the soldiers' gratitude and loyalty.

For Xiao Nanfeng, however, building his own loyal following wasn't practical. After all, once he was outside the influence of the boundary surrounding Yanzhi, people wouldn't even recognize him. Supporting Yanzhi wholeheartedly was his best option.

Fortunately, his relationship with Yanzhi continued to deepen. The two became inseparable.

Yanzhi made a name for herself within the Phoenix Army in such a manner.

Her rapid ascent was no accident. In just one year, she became a mid-level officer. By the third year, she was in the upper echelons—and this was despite the fact that Xiao Nanfeng and Yanzhi were deliberately trying not to rise through the ranks too quickly. They wanted to avoid drawing too much attention before they were strong enough to handle it.

Now that they had gathered sufficient strength, both in terms of followers and individual cultivation, they were ready to make their move.

Yanzhi had built a solid foundation in the army, gathering loyal supporters from various units under her command.

One day, Yanzhi approached Xiao Nanfeng with a document. "The assassins' guild has ordered me to assassinate the commander of the Phoenix Army no matter the cost," she said, frowning.

"It's an order from the imperial strategist of Dahuang," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"The imperial strategist of Dahuang, Xuan Kun?" Yanzhi narrowed her eyes.

"I've pieced together what happened over the past few years. When Xuan Kun joined Dahuang, your father accused him of being a malevolent force intent on corrupting the court. Xuan Kun clearly held a grudge and used his power to frame your father, leading to your family's downfall," Xiao Nanfeng explained.

"Xuan Kun..." Yanzhi's voice was ice-cold, her killing intent palpable.

"Xuan Kun is indeed a disaster for the empire. He's been seducing the emperor with beautiful women and monopolizing power for himself. Many in the court and military oppose him, including the commander of the Phoenix Army. That's why Xuan Kun wants him dead. The commander is powerful and influential, making him a challenging target. Xuan Kun has contracted the assassins' guild for this task, and the leader of the guild happens to be one of his junior brothers. Naturally, we're being forced to support his ambitions at any cost."

"Both Xuan Kun and his junior brother deserve to die," Yanzhi declared coldly.

"Indeed. Here's my plan: we'll lure the head of the assassins' guild and our other enemies into a trap."

"You want to manipulate the situation so that they kill each other?" Yanzhi asked.

"Precisely. Given our current level of strength, we can certainly orchestrate this battle to our advantage."

Yanzhi nodded. "Alright. Let's do it, then."

Days later, a battle for the ages erupted.

Following Yanzhi's arrangements, the assassins' guild sent numerous assassins to target the commander of the Phoenix Army. However, the army had been forewarned. Led personally by the commander, the army counterattacked and drove the assassins back to their headquarters.

There, the commander of the Phoenix Army clashed with the head of the assassins' guild in a brutal fight. Both sides suffered heavy losses, and both leaders were gravely wounded.

As they prepared to retreat, Xiao Nanfeng and Yanzhi appeared. Revealing their true strength, the pair overwhelmed both forces and left no survivors in their wake.

The head of the assassins' guild and the commander of the Phoenix Army both died on the spot.

After the battle, Yanzhi and Xiao Nanfeng led a purge of dissidents within the assassins' guild, solidifying Yanzhi's position as its leader.

The assassins' guild, with its vast intelligence network and arsenal of deadly operatives, was a significant asset. With the guild firmly under their control, Yanzhi and Xiao Nanfeng stood at the precipice of fulfilling their ultimate goal—exacting revenge on Xuan Kun and restoring honor to Yanzhi's family.

Using her formidable skills, Yanzhi quickly unified the Phoenix Army. She then submitted a report to the imperial court regarding the assassination of the commander of the Phoenix Army. Her investigation implicated none other than the imperial strategist Xuan Kun.

Although Xuan Kun wielded considerable influence over the court, the empire of Dahuang wasn't entirely under his thumb. The empire had a large number of feudal lords, many of whom despised Xuan Kun.

Armed with Yanzhi's evidence, the lords began to challenge him openly.

Despite the fact that the emperor of Dahuang was largely preoccupied with his harem, he still occasionally held sessions of court.

In the midst of these political struggles, and with the help of Xiao Nanfeng's subtle manipulation, Yanzhi was officially appointed as the new commander of the Phoenix Army and granted her own territory.

However, Xuan Kun, harboring resentment about Yanzhi's involvement in the affair, persuaded the emperor to summon Yanzhi to the capital under the pretext of bestowing rewards to her.

Yanzhi, in the meantime, had just gained control of the Phoenix Army and the assassins' guild. She consulted with Xiao Nanfeng before heading to the capital.

By then, she had removed the fake birthmark from her face, revealing her true appearance. Years of growth had transformed her appearance so much that she was no longer recognizable as the girl she had been. She was now strong enough to protect herself, and she wanted Xiao Nanfeng to see her at her best every day.

With a small entourage, Yanzhi arrived at the imperial court, where she was granted an audience with the emperor of Dahuang.

The emperor, who had inherited the throne from his father, was hardly a brilliant ruler. His pallid complexion betrayed the toll of his excessive indulgences.

"Greetings, Your Majesty." Yanzhi bowed.

Her beauty immediately captivated the court. Though they had seen many beautiful women in the capital, none could compare to the one standing before them.

Even the emperor, accustomed to the charms of his harem, was momentarily struck breathless. "How can such a beauty exist in this world? I was told you had a birthmark on your face, Commander Yan!"

"My cultivation has improved, allowing the birthmark to fade away," Yanzhi replied blandly.

"Wonderful!" the emperor exclaimed, his gaze filled with lust. "Commander Yan, you've done great service to the empire. You're not yet married, are you? I wish to make you my imperial consort. Would you accept?"

Yanzhi frowned. "I refuse."

"How bold of you!" a burly man standing nearby barked in anger. "The emperor has shown you great favor. How dare you refuse? Do you realize your place?"

Yanzhi turned to face the new speaker, her sworn enemy Xuan Kun. "Imperial strategist, what do you mean by 'my place'? Are you suggesting that you'll fabricate charges against me in the emperor's name?"

Xuan Kun narrowed his eyes, but before he could retort, the emperor intervened. He smiled indulgently. "Don't be upset, Imperial Strategist. We shouldn't force Commander Yan into a decision."

The emperor realized his mistake in acting too hastily, and temporarily dropped the subject. Instead, he lavished Yanzhi with generous gifts, which she reluctantly accepted.

After the session of court, Yanzhi settled into a residence near her old family estate in the capital. From her new home, she could see the ruins of her childhood estate, a poignant reminder of her past.

Meanwhile, in the imperial study, the emperor could hardly contain his excitement. "Imperial Strategist, you were right! She's a rare beauty. My entire harem is worthless compared to her. I must have her. She must be mine!"

𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Xuan Kun, standing nearby, smiled slyly. "Rest assured, Your Majesty. Now that she's in the capital, she won't be able to escape your grasp. Soon, she will be yours."

"Haha, excellent!" The emperor smiled in excitement. "Imperial Strategist, if you help me conquer Commander Yan, I'll grant you one wish—anything you want."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I'll do my utmost to serve you," Xuan Kun replied, bowing.

"Good!" The emperor clapped his hands in satisfaction.

After Xuan Kun left, the emperor remained in his study, his excitement mounting as he fantasized about Yanzhi.

"Commander Yan... My beauty... you will be mine!" the emperor murmured, his voice tinged with lust and madness.

Unbeknownst to the emperor, Xiao Nanfeng was standing silently in the shadows. "You won't get the chance to do so."

Before the emperor could react, Xiao Nanfeng's sword flashed.

"What?!" The emperor's face twisted in shock.

With a sickening thud, the emperor's head flew from his shoulders as blood spurted across the room. Even in death, the emperor's expression was one of disbelief. He couldn't comprehend just how he had met his end.

Xiao Nanfeng calmly sheathed his sword and strode out of the imperial study.

Moments later, a shriek pierced through the air as the sea of fortune overhead collapsed, leaving the palace in a frenzy.

A palace maiden in the imperial study had discovered the emperor's corpse.

The news of the emperor's sudden death spread like wildfire, throwing the palace into chaos. The gruesome nature of his demise sent chills down everyone's spines. All evidence pointed to Xuan Kun being the last person to meet with the emperor.

Could Xuan Kun have killed him?

Xuan Kun had just returned to his residence when he received the news. "What? The emperor's dead? So soon? I didn't kill him! He hasn't even abdicated and passed the throne to me yet. Who could have done this?!"