Breaching the Door

“……” The man in the purple eunuch uniform paused, somewhat puzzled as to why the Third Young Master of the Prime Minister’s Manor would suddenly ask such a question. Noticing his expression, Xu Yuan glanced at Yun Xiu behind him. The woman seemed to hesitate, looking as though she wanted to warn the eunuch in front of her, but in the end she kept her mouth shut. Seeing this, Xu Yuan figured she probably had not sent a voice transmission either. Admitting why she had botched an assignment was thoroughly humiliating in front of a superior, so she might as well let her superior experience it firsthand. Only then, to cover his own incompetence, might he also let her off the hook. Silence lingered in the corridor for a moment, scented only by the incense. The purple-robed eunuch answered quickly: “In reply to the Third Young Master, this servant is surnamed Mi, single name Tian.” Xu Yuan stared at him and gave a meaningful nod. “Mi Tian… A fine name.” The purple-robed eunuch chuckled softly. “Third Young Master, why this sudden curiosity about this servant’s name?” “Can’t I just ask?” Xu Yuan shook his head and strolled toward another wall on his own. His white inner robe fluttered lightly in the breeze, his tone gentle: “To tell you the truth, this young master didn’t really want to get involved in your master’s secret plot with Qingyan. When Qingyan dragged me along at first, I refused. After all, we all know this is internal imperial business. It’s somewhat awkward for the Third Young Master of the Prime Minister’s Manor to show up.” “……” Watching the disheveled young man walk away, the purple-robed eunuch suddenly felt things growing thorny. Although his godfather’s order was to keep anyone from entering the secret chamber, it was truly aimed at this very Xu Changtian. Considering the youth’s cultivation, he had thought it would be an effortless assignment. But why could a mere Soul Condensation cultivator see through an illusion array woven with Dao Charm? Seeing the youth steadily approach the door, the purple-robed eunuch’s voice lowered slightly: “So to speak, Third Young Master, you do not intend to go?” Stopping in his tracks before the doorway, Xu Yuan turned halfway around with a smile: “Go? Of course I’m going. Now that I’m here, how could I not?” The purple-robed eunuch gave a faint smile and replied respectfully: “Then please accompany this servant, Young Master.” Xu Yuan chuckled and pointed a finger at him through the air. “You lot really are masters at playing dumb. I’m already standing right in front of the door—do you still have to put on an act?” The purple-robed eunuch’s expression did not waver in the slightest. Gathering his broad sleeves slightly, he bowed: “Third Young Master, this servant does not understand what you mean.” “Doesn’t matter if you don’t.” Ignoring him, Xu Yuan placed a hand directly against the door in front of him and exerted a little force. *Crack!* A faint, crisp sound echoed through the quiet corridor. To ordinary eyes, the wall was still just a wall, but in his spiritual vision, the door had already been pushed open. Xu Yuan scoffed. “Since you don’t understand, I’ll just go in myself.” With that, he stepped forward to walk straight into the wall. Just then, the purple-robed eunuch abruptly appeared at his side and raised a hand to block him, exceedingly deferential: “Third Young Master, there is only a wall ahead.” “……” Looking at the purple sleeve embroidered with intricate mythical beasts, Xu Yuan sighed inwardly. When he turned his gaze, his eyes were piercingly cold. “What are you doing?” The purple-robed eunuch lowered his eyes and his hands, his voice growing even more respectful: “Third Young Master, you seem to have taken the wrong path. Your person is of noble stature—do take care not to bump yourself.” “Heh, heh…” Xu Yuan chuckled under his breath, then turned toward the eunuch beside him with a grin: “Can I take this to mean you are dead set on keeping me out?” The purple-robed eunuch lowered his head even further, murmuring: “If this servant has offended you, Third Young Master, I will personally plead guilty before the Crown Prince afterward to offer you a satisfactory answer.” “Plead guilty?” Xu Yuan glanced down at his palm as a flash of blood-red light flickered over his chest. “No need. If the Crown Prince can’t discipline his own dog, this young master will gladly do it for him.” “……” Hearing that, a trace of a sigh flickered in the purple-robed eunuch’s lowered eyes. It seemed the Third Young Master was intent on making a move. However, given the youth’s noble status, he could not harm him, so he would simply let him strike— Before the thought could finish, a palm slammed over his face at a speed nearly invisible to the naked eye. A look of shock and disbelief instantly flashed in Mi Tian’s eyes. *Isn’t this Xu Changtian in the Soul Condensation Realm? How could he—* While his mind was still reeling, the overwhelming, irresistible force behind the palm strike sent his world spinning wildly. Then— *BOOM!* Wood splinters flew. The purple-robed eunuch spun through the air, the back of his head crashing heavily into the specially treated wooden floor. His purple-robed body remained outside, but his head was driven deep into the flagstones beneath. Half-kneeling on the ground, Xu Yuan looked down at this Grandmaster eunuch, gripping the man’s head as effortlessly as holding a chick, and spoke in a slow, gentle voice: “You know, I don’t actually hate people playing little tricks behind my back. In fact, I rather appreciate them. If they can successfully fool me, that’s their own capability. “As for those who fail at their little tricks and still keep babbling away beside me… “My patience has always been very limited, and you’ve already tried it.” The moment his words fell— *Creak… crunch…* The sheer, unadulterated strength in his fingers caused the Grandmaster’s rock-hard skull to emit a sickening grating sound. Pushed to the brink of life and death, Mi Tian could no longer maintain his previous attitude. Circulating his cultivation technique to its peak in an instant, he thrust a palm straight toward Xu Yuan’s chest. A vibrant green energy wrapped around his hand, carrying a potent corrosive aura. It was fast—so fast that Xu Yuan could not see it clearly at all. Not that it mattered; his sworn sister would handle it. While waiting earlier, he had already summoned her over via voice transmission. *BANG!* A muffled blast. An invisible shockwave rippled out in both directions along the corridor, with Xu Yuan at the epicenter! His long hair whipped wildly and his robes snapped in the wind, but Xu Yuan’s half-kneeling frame remained completely motionless. The green radiance on Mi Tian’s palm did not disperse; it pressed against Xu Yuan’s chest, the sizzling sound of corrosion ringing continuously as a palm-shaped hole was dissolved into the inner robe he wore. Xu Yuan glanced down, a flicker of astonishment crossing his eyes. This was his first time borrowing Luo Xiran’s power in battle, and he hadn’t expected it to be this formidable. A full-power strike from a Grandmaster had not only failed to pierce the fungal armor Luo Xiran layered over his skin, but it hadn’t even tickled. Having Luo Xiran as a portable sworn sister was vastly superior to Old Man Luo as a portable grandpa. With that thought, Xu Yuan grinned. Hoisting the eunuch up by the head, he stood and prepared to head straight behind the secret door. Instead of taking his beating quietly, this eunuch had dared to fight back. It was practically handing him a pillow just as he grew drowsy—giving him a legitimate reason to end him. Yet after a single step, Xu Yuan felt a heavy drag from his hand. Looking down, he saw that the eunuch had not given up. With his feet dug into the floor, his glowing green hands clamped around Xu Yuan’s wrist as he struggled to break free. A strange pulse rippled out from the eunuch’s palms, and a wave of dizziness suddenly washed over Xu Yuan’s mind. Sensing the shift in his body, Xu Yuan’s focus sharpened. Grandmasters truly were not to be underestimated. Without the slightest hesitation, his fungal-armored hand exerted force once more. *Crack.* With a sharp snap, his slender knuckles dug straight into the skull, threatening to crush it at any moment. At the same time, a reddish substance seeped into the sunken wounds on Mi Tian’s head. A Grandmaster’s control over their body was honed to the absolute limit. Almost instantly, Mi Tian noticed the anomaly and attempted to block it, but the strange brownish-red matter poured in like an endless tide. His cranium… His neck… His meridians… As the bizarre substance crept through every bone and vessel of his body, the glow on Mi Tian’s hands faded, and the terror of impending death flashed in the depths of his eyes. “Third… Third Young Master, you…” “Shut up,” Xu Yuan cut him off softly. “Stop struggling. With your cultivation, you won’t break free. Move another muscle and this young master will kill you where you stand, you gelding.” With that, Xu Yuan turned his gaze toward the lovely woman standing not far away. At some point, Yun Xiu had drawn a jade-boned soft sword from her sleeve, her qi flaring as she watched him with a grave expression. Seeing her combat stance, Xu Yuan’s eyes turned slightly cold. He smiled and asked: “What, you want to assassinate this young master as well?” “……” *Assassinate?* Yun Xiu glanced at Mi Tian, who was hanging half-dead in Xu Yuan’s grip. After a moment of silence, she decisively slipped the soft sword back into her sleeve and averted her eyes. “A wise choice.” The ice melted from Xu Yuan’s face, and he gave her an appreciative thumbs-up. “This man attempted to assassinate this young master. Unless his godfather protects him, he most likely won’t survive. “As for you, you simply lacked the strength and were helpless to intervene. That senior attendant shouldn’t blame you.” Without sparing her another look, Xu Yuan carried the limp, dog-like Mi Tian and stepped directly through the secret door disguised as a wall. Behind the door lay a long, narrow corridor. Compared to the bright and spacious hall outside, this secret passage was cramped and dim, illuminated only by the faint glow of night-luminescent pearls embedded in the walls. *Tap.* *Tap.* Boots struck the floor, his footsteps gentle. As he ventured deeper, a voice suddenly echoed in his mind: “Brat, isn’t barging in like this a bit too arrogant? That man is, after all, the closest attendant to your Great Yan’s Crown Prince.” Xu Yuan glanced down at the bloody light on his chest. Considering that she had just helped him out, he didn’t bother arguing over the nickname, replying with a smile: “Arrogant? From his attire, he’s nothing more than a junior fourth-rank palace attendant. Daring to attempt an assassination on me—not executing his clan down to three generations is already supreme restraint.” Luo Xiran’s tone was thoroughly indifferent as she asked casually: “Do you intend to kill him?” Xu Yuan didn’t conceal his thoughts: “That depends on whether his godfather wants to protect him. If he offers enough chips, I wouldn’t mind letting him go. But if the price isn’t right, I’ll just kill the chicken to warn the monkeys.” Luo Xiran offered a timely reminder: “He is the Crown Prince’s attendant, after all. If you arouse their suspicion…” “Xiran, you’re mistaken.” Xu Yuan chuckled and shook his head. “The Crown Prince would only be suspicious if this young master *didn’t* act like this. A spoiled playboy never swallows his rage when slighted.” After a brief pause, Luo Xiran sighed gently and asked in a delicate voice: “Once we arrive, should I leave directly?” Xu Yuan shook his head. “No need for that. After this commotion, there’s no way their secret talk can continue anyway.” Luo Xiran fell silent at that, and Xu Yuan soon reached the end of the passage. Before him stood a tightly shut stone door. Sweeping it with his spiritual vision, he could sense array patterns carved across its surface. Knowing nothing of formations, Xu Yuan lifted Mi Tian by the hair and asked with a soft smile: “Hey, Eunuch Mi, do you know how to open this door?” “……” After the long trip through the passage, Mi Tian had already recovered his calm from the terror of death. He stared back placidly, showing no intention of uttering a word. Xu Yuan let out a soft sigh. This Mi Tian was fairly sharp; opening it or keeping quiet wouldn’t change his chances of survival in the slightest. With that in mind, Xu Yuan drew back his hand holding the eunuch’s head. Then, he slammed Mi Tian’s head right into the array-carved stone door before him! *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* After three dull impacts, Mi Tian was battered and bleeding, while the formation on the stone door was left tottering on the verge of collapse. Looking it up and down, Xu Yuan drew a deep breath. Bizarre blood-red patterns surfaced along his arms, and he hurled Mi Tian’s body forward with full force! Inside the secret chamber, the space was not particularly large. The furnishings were equally simple: an inscribed lamp, a desk, a sandalwood chair, and an incense burner were all it contained. A quiet conversation rose and fell. A cool woman dressed in white sat behind the desk, her fingers lightly tapping against the wood as she observed the red-robed eunuch opposite her, contemplation in her eyes: “So to speak, this palace does indeed have a need to cooperate with Imperial Brother.” The man in red eunuch robes, embroidered with a mythical bi beast, stood respectfully before the desk, his voice deferential: “Your Highness, you may consider it carefully. The Second Prince’s actions this time have clearly crossed the line. This servant believes Your Highness understands that, given his temperament—” Before he could finish, *BOOM!* A tremendous roar rang out, shaking the entire chamber. At the disturbance, Li Qingyan glanced at the senior eunuch opposite her, narrowing her eyes: “Wang Lingchi, what is that?” “……” The red-robed eunuch, Wang Lingchi, remained completely unperturbed, keeping silent. Soon, a second and third tremor followed, the shaking dislodging specks of dust from the ceiling. Once the three thuds ceased, the chamber fell quiet for a breath. Then— *KABOOM!* A deafening explosion rang out. Amidst flying debris, a gaping hole was smashed straight through the shut stone door! A battered silhouette flew into the secret chamber like a dead dog, hurtling past Wang Lingchi and whipping up the hem of his red robe before crashing heavily into the stone wall behind Li Qingyan, leaving an indented crater! Seeing this, a flash of amusement flickered in Li Qingyan’s bright eyes, and she slowly leaned back against her chair. Wang Lingchi glanced at his godson, who lay limp like a corpse, then slowly turned his gaze, eyes clouded with a chilling gloom as he stared toward the doorway. Amidst the smoke and dust, gentle footsteps sounded. *Tap.* *Tap.* Emerging from the dust, Xu Yuan looked at the woman in white with a faint smile playing on his lips: “Hey, didn’t you say you’d bring me along?” Li Qingyan glanced at him, let out a soft huff, and sent a voice transmission: *“Someone was sleeping like the dead and couldn’t be woken up, stalling things for an entire night. Wang Lingchi said there were critical shifts at court, so I came ahead.”* With a mildly reproachful smile, she asked aloud: “Did you really have to cause such a massive scene?” Xu Yuan did not reply immediately. He turned his eyes toward the red-robed eunuch, rubbed his chin, and asked: “You are the Crown Prince’s senior attendant?” Wang Lingchi stared at Xu Yuan without offering a formal bow, merely giving a slight nod before speaking in a soft voice: “This servant indeed. Wang Lingchi greets the Third Young Master.” “Wang Lingchi… A fine name.” Xu Yuan murmured with a light chuckle, pointing toward the purple-robed eunuch embedded motionless in the wall. “Eunuch, your godson seems to be dying. Aren’t you going to save him?” Wang Lingchi glanced at the palm print burned into Xu Yuan’s chest, the corners of his lips curving upward as his effeminate voice carried a trace of a smile: “This person is likely beyond saving. To think he would be so bold as to follow someone’s instigation and attempt to assassinate you, Third Young Master.”