Chapter 70 - 62: There is an Immortal in the Black Abyss
Chapter 70: Chapter 62: There is an Immortal in the Black Abyss
"If there isn’t another Xu Ge in the pharmacy, then perhaps I’m the Xu Ge the Western Depot is looking for," Su Chen said.
"It seems he really is... Xu Ge," Yum Zhong said, his voice trembling.
Inside the ruined temple, the white-haired Prince turned his head to look, his expression unreadable.
"I am Jie of the Zhou Royal Race, grandson of His Majesty Xuanlong and seventh son of the Flame Emperor. I’ve come from the old capital. My respects."
"If you are returning to the Imperial Palace, it would be best if we traveled together."
Now that he knew Xu Ge’s identity, even General Lei was no longer arrogant, and he cupped his hands in apology.
’It wasn’t Xu Ge he respected.’
’It was the name ’Xu Ge’ and the peak power he was about to possess.’
"Alright."
"Let’s travel together."
The wind and rain howled, and the road was a muddy swamp.
In the distance, the majestic Imperial City was visible, its walls stretching for a hundred miles with no end in sight.
The rain stopped.
Inside the carriage, Yum Zhong couldn’t help but glance at Xu Ge, still feeling as if he were in a dream.
’The Magical Combat between the Military Supervision Bureau and the Seal Master.’
’I was one of the victims.’
’Exiled to the Jinjiang River.’
’Who would have thought?’
’On the Jinjiang River, I first met Master Su, then I was recalled to the Inner Imperial Palace by the leader of the Eight Tigers. Along the way, I encountered Prince Jie, and now Lord Xu’s successor...’
’My luck has finally turned.’
Su Chen, carrying Cyan Sparrow in the box on his back, followed the white-haired Prince’s convoy into the Imperial City. He stopped before a Palace Gate that was both strange and familiar.
’It feels like it’s been almost three years in the blink of an eye.’
’The Great Liang was like a dream. In an instant, it’s become the Great Zhou.’
Su Chen sighed, feeling a wave of emotion.
Yum Zhong followed respectfully behind Su Chen. Behind them, just as they were about to part ways, the white-haired Prince Jie could no longer hold back his question.
"Once you step through this Palace Gate, you can take command of the Western Depot and wield limitless power. What are your thoughts on that?"
’Just over twenty years old, and already the Captain of the Western Depot.’
’This goes beyond simply being a high-ranking official.’
’It wouldn’t be an overstatement to describe him as a young man riding high on success, as if seeing all the flowers of Chang’an in a single day after achieving his ambitions.’
Of course.
’That is, assuming he really is Xu Ge.’
’And that he can suppress the Eight Tigers!’
"I feel nothing."
"Power is as fleeting as a cloud to me."
"If I truly wanted it, what is the world itself to me?"
Su Chen walked towards the Palace Gate.
"Such arrogant words."
"If power is so fleeting to you, why come back? The realm is newly stabilized, and within the Great Zhou Palace, forces of the Old Liang and New Zhou are wrestling for control. I can see you have no cultivation. One wrong step and you will be crushed to pieces."
Prince Jie did not understand.
"And what about you?"
"You traveled thousands of miles from the old capital of Great Zhou. There is no place for you here. Why did you come?"
Su Chen didn’t answer, but asked Prince Jie in return.
At this, Prince Jie was deeply shaken. He felt as if he had been completely seen through and instinctively took a step back, bumping into General Lei’s Iron Armor.
"I came back only because, as vast as the world is, I have nowhere else to go. This is the only place that feels somewhat familiar."
"That’s all."
With that said,
Su Chen stepped through the Palace Gate.
BOOM!
The Palace Gate swung shut.
Before Su Chen, carrying the wooden box, could walk further in, a man rushed out from a passing patrol of Iron Armor Guards. Holding a crossbow, he roared and charged, intent on murder.
"Xu Ge! By coming to the Imperial Palace to take over the Western Depot, you’ve inherited the blood feud of my Eastern Depot! Now, pay with your life!"
The Crossbow Arrow tore through the air, but it missed.
The other patrolling Iron Armor Guards’ faces fell. They reacted in a flash, striking as one to put the man down.
"The nerve!"
"For an Eastern Depot spy to be so brazen."
Yum Zhong was furious.
No one could have imagined that the Eastern Depot would receive news so quickly. They had only just entered the Palace Gate. Xu Ge had no cultivation and was caught completely by surprise. If the shot had been a bit more accurate, the assassin might have actually succeeded.
"Eunuch Xu, you must have been frightened."
"To think the men of the Eastern Depot have grown so brazen."
Yum Zhong stared at the corpse of the Eastern Depot’s secret agent on the ground, wishing he could go up and stab it a few more times.
"Was it really the Eastern Depot?"
Su Chen asked, his tone heavy with meaning.
Yum Zhong was stunned.
’If not the Eastern Depot, who else could it be?’
’Could it be...’
"The Eight Tigers?"
Yum Zhong said immediately.
"Impossible."
"Xu... Eunuch Xu, you must be mistaken. The Eight Tigers are fiercely loyal to Lord Xu. Even if they don’t accept you, they would never assassinate you at the Palace Gate."
"The Western Depot has its own reputation to uphold."
Carrying the wooden box, Su Chen stepped over the corpse on the ground without a single glance and continued walking straight ahead.
The Great Zhou Imperial Palace had been built on the ruins of the Old Liang Imperial Palace, so he was quite familiar with the layout.
Soon,
He arrived at the former location of the pharmacy.
It was gone.
"The pharmacy is gone."
"His Majesty Xuanlong is benevolent. He expanded the Imperial Hospital and set up a special hall to provide medical treatment and medicine for the eunuchs and Palace Maids. And it’s almost free of charge..."
Speaking of the Xuanlong Emperor, Yum Zhong couldn’t help but feel a surge of admiration.
He, too, had started out as a Little Eunuch.
His respect for Xu Ge wasn’t entirely due to his status as the successor to the Western Depot; he also admired the stories of how Xu Ge had saved low-ranking eunuchs.
"By the way."
"Is he... one of the Eight Tigers as well?"
Su Chen was walking on a wooden bridge. He looked into the distance, saw a familiar figure, and fell silent.
The site where the pharmacy once stood had been replaced by a small lake, complete with a pavilion and a wooden bridge.
In his line of sight, in the pavilion, there stood a slender, youthful-looking eunuch. A perpetual and profound melancholy seemed to be etched between his brows.
Dressed in a red robe, he had gray hair and was staring at Su Chen. His eyes were a complex mix of emotions—joy, relief, and worry.
He started walking over.
"Why is he here too?"
"Yes."
"He is also one of the Eight Tigers, but he’s always been a loner. He isn’t one of the old guard like us, who have been with Lord Xu since the Tianwu Year."
"What? Does Eunuch Xu know him?"
Yum Zhong was a little confused.
’The Eight Tigers are all at the Second Grade, and the strongest among them are already approaching the First Grade.’
’During the Liang Dynasty,’
’Xu Ge was just a Pharmacy Eunuch with no cultivation. How could he possibly know one of the Eight Tigers?’
"Do you remember the assassination attempt at the Palace Gate?"
"It was definitely the Eastern Depot!"
"It had nothing to do with the Eight Tigers."