Chapter 1 A Great Disturbance

A streak of golden light tore through the sky, its shimmering aura plunging into Fengdu City.

Immediately, it stirred up a tremendous uproar!

In the rear courtyard of the Jinyiwei Commandery, a surge of energy shot towards the heavens, like the furious roar of a celestial wolf, audible for dozens of miles around.

Many Jinyiwei knelt prostrate outside the rear courtyard, watching the dragon-emblazoned boots pacing out of the shattered house. Each and every one of them was frightened out of their wits.

Before the crowd, Yang Xuan couldn't help but raise his head.

Above the dragon boots was a crimson python robe, a tall crown, and a broad belt. The beardless face was full of gloom. Without a word, an arrogant and domineering aura enveloped the surroundings, stifling the very air.

This man was none other than Yang Lin, the Jinyiwei Commander, a first-rank official bestowed with the title of Marquis Zhǐwǔ.

"People say raising a tiger is asking for trouble. I never imagined I'd raise a wicked dragon!"

Yang Lin stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his crimson python robe moving despite the lack of wind. His voice was chillingly cold:

"Ridiculous, ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!"

Though he spoke of ridicule, there wasn't a trace of a smile in his voice.

A cold current seemed to surge through the courtyard, plunging all the Jinyiwei masters into an ice cave, with fine beads of cold sweat appearing on their foreheads.

Even Yang Xuan, his direct disciple, couldn't help but hold his breath, not daring to make a sound.

"Yang Xuan."

After a moment, Yang Lin spoke indifferently.

"Disciple is here."

Yang Xuan took a few steps forward on his knees and prostrated himself on the ground.

"Send a message to the Grand Tutor's Mansion, the Six Doors, the East and West Depots, and the Qintian Observatory..."

A flush of bright red, like someone deeply humiliated, surfaced on Yang Lin's face:

"Convey the words on the letter, truthfully!"

"Yes!"

Yang Xuan slowly rose and turned to leave.

"All of you, take my order and go to the Shenji Camp, the Tiangong Institute, and the Divine Armory to gather men, armor, and weapons!"

Yang Lin swept his gaze over the subordinates before him and instructed:

"The best!"

"Yes!"

The Jinyiwei masters were filled with doubts and suspicions, but they didn't dare ask any questions and hastily retreated.

In the now-silent courtyard, Yang Lin gazed at the dome of the sky, a trace of icy coldness flashing across his face:

"It's been so many years since I've seen such an arrogant fool. Who do you think you are?"

........

Fengdu City covered a vast area. With the royal city as its center, wide streets radiated outwards to the farthest reaches.

The Qintian Observatory.

Located three miles outside the imperial city, adjacent to the East Depot.

Compared to the grandeur of the East Depot, the Qintian Observatory seemed rather pitiful. Its area was less than one-twentieth of the East Depot's, only slightly larger than an ordinary wealthy merchant's residence.

Gui Xiaoer lazily leaned against the stone lion outside the gate of the Qintian Observatory, basking in the sun. His expression was languid, as if he were asleep.

On his face, a whip mark lingered, unhealed for a long time.

It was as if someone had whipped him severely, and the person who did it had extremely high martial skills, so much so that it couldn't be repaired for a long time.

"Huh? Horseback riding in the street?"

At a certain moment, Gui Xiaoer frowned and looked up.

He saw a chestnut horse galloping at the end of the long street, kicking up dust on the wide road. The person on it was wearing a flying fish uniform and carrying a Spring Embroidered Blade. It was actually someone from the Jinyiwei.

"Mr. Gui, please inform us, this is a letter from my Commander!"

More than ten feet away, the man leaped from the horse, his voice already arriving before he landed in front of the gate.

"A letter from the Commander?"

Gui Xiaoer's heart skipped a beat as he flipped over and stood up:

"What happened?"

"The matter is still unknown. Please inform Lord Han, Mr. Gui."

The Jinyiwei gave a wry smile.

"Wait a moment!"

Gui Xiaoer frowned slightly and strode into the gate.

He saw Huangfu, similarly bearing unhealed whip marks, slowly walking towards the gate.

"There's someone from the Jinyiwei outside, saying they have a letter from Commander Yang Lin for the Observatory Master."

Huangfu touched the whip mark on his face, wincing:

"Teacher went to the royal palace before, tell that person to leave."

Huangfu stopped, unwilling to go out.

Gui Xiaoer turned and went out the door.

But after a moment, the Jinyiwei actually forced his way in.

"Not good!"

Huangfu's scalp went numb, and he cried out, turning to run:

"Go back and tell your lord, no one is at the Qintian Observatory. My teacher and I have both gone to the palace to meet the Emperor!"

"Lord Huang! Lord Huang! You should at least accept the letter!"

Huangfu's speed was extremely fast, disappearing in the blink of an eye, causing the Jinyiwei to stare blankly, stomping his feet.

"I told you there was no one here, you didn't believe me, what can I do?"

At this moment, Gui Xiaoer slowly walked in, a look of premonition on his face.

"This, this..."

The Jinyiwei's expression changed several times. Having long known Huangfu's personality, he still found it unbearable.

He stood in place for a long time before gritting his teeth, directly throwing down the letter, and with a leap, he flipped over the wall and ran away.

While running, he shouted:

"Since Lord Huang has received the letter, then this subordinate will go and report to the Commander!"

Gui Xiaoer was speechless, bending down to pick up the letter.

"Gui Xiaoer, who told you to pick it up?"

Huangfu, who didn't know where he had popped out from, shouted angrily: "You dare touch something that can cost you your life?"

Huangfu was so angry that his scalp was tingling.

Han Changgong hadn't just come out of seclusion, but had already left the day before. It was unknown what he had predicted, but he had gone directly to the palace without even giving a single instruction.

Although Huangfu couldn't see anything, his innate intuition told him that this was definitely a big trouble.

"Otherwise, what else could I do? If this letter is picked up by someone else and spread out, wouldn't I be the one who gets hung up and beaten?"

Gui Xiaoer touched the whip mark on his face, his mouth twitching.

How painful it was to be whipped by a Divine Meridian expert. With his endurance, he had almost peed his pants. This wound hadn't healed yet, and he couldn't bear another beating.

On the contrary, if Huangfu accepted the letter, it would have nothing to do with him.

"You good-for-nothing Gui Xiaoer!"

Huangfu snatched the letter angrily, tore it open, and looked at it.

At this sight, he was stunned.

Gui Xiaoer didn't want to ask, but seeing Huangfu's dazed expression, as if he had seen a ghost, he couldn't help but feel curious:

"What's wrong?"

"Has this old Taoist gone mad?"

Huangfu came back to his senses, his body trembling, a chill spreading from his heart to his whole body:

"This is a challenge to the imperial court..."

Gui Xiaoer glanced at the letter and froze: "How, how could this be? The imperial court has already revoked the wanted order, why would the Daoist Priest, why would he do this?"

Gui Xiaoer was also a little confused.

These days, the two of them had been paying attention to An Qisheng's news, from his rising fame in front of the Xia Yi Sect to his killing of the Hongri Dharma King, shaking the world.

After killing so many imperial court experts, the imperial court could still revoke the wanted order. In their eyes, it was already an extremely incredible thing.

If it were someone else, not to mention being grateful, at least they wouldn't be hostile to the imperial court.

This one was good, he actually directly challenged the imperial court!

"Trouble, it's trouble..."

Huangfu paced back and forth, his face very ugly.

Finally, he stomped his foot:

"Xiaoer, hurry up and go, find the Daoist Priest, persuade him to change his mind, and don't come to Fengdu..."

As a high-ranking official of the imperial court.

Huangfu knew very well what kind of power the Da Feng Dynasty, which ruled over ten billion people, possessed.

In addition to the few Divine Meridian Grandmasters sitting in town, the imperial court's Shen Bing Hall, Shenji Camp, and Tiangong Institute all possessed methods that even Divine Meridians feared.

Facing the Da Feng Dynasty would be no better than facing the righteous, demonic, and unorthodox factions at the same time.

Compared to the scattered martial world, the imperial court, which had integrated all its forces, was truly invincible!

Even powers like the Huangjue Temple, Wanjian Villa, Jishen Sect, and Baiyue Villa, which possessed Divine Meridian Grandmasters, had to bow their heads. How could they be easily challenged?

"Yes!"

Gui Xiaoer gritted his teeth and turned to leave.

"This is troublesome..."

Huangfu muttered to himself.

"Lord Huang actually has times when he worries about others? I thought you would worry about your own safety! Rare, rare!"

As the erratic and gentle voice drifted, Huangfu's body stiffened.

He seemed to have been acupunctured, his face stiff, not even turning his eyes.

"Old, old, teacher..."

Huangfu turned his head stiffly.

He saw a middle-aged man in black standing quietly under the eaves behind him.

The middle-aged man had a rare appearance, his appearance was beautiful, and he stood casually, but seemed to be in harmony with the entire courtyard and feng shui, indescribably natural and unrestrained.

It was precisely his teacher, the Qintian Observatory Master Han Changgong.

"I didn't expect such subtle influences to produce such an effect, but I don't know what methods An Qisheng used."

Han Changgong stood with his hands behind his back, looking thoughtfully at his disciple.

With his divine sense, he naturally noticed the changes in Huangfu as soon as he returned, knowing that he had been tampered with.

However, although he had been tampered with, he could vaguely perceive that the biggest death tribulation that his disciple would face in the future had disappeared.

He wasn't sure if it was good or bad, so he hadn't removed the tampering.

But he didn't expect that the seemingly slight change could allow his disciple to give a message to someone behind his back.

That old Taoist priest actually had such methods...

With a thought, he spoke lightly:

"Do you know your mistake?"

"Teacher."

Huangfu knelt on the ground with a 'plop' and lowered his head:

"Disciple knows his mistake."

Han Changgong asked again: "What is your mistake?"

Huangfu did not dare to raise his head: "Disciple's mistake is that he should not have tipped off the imperial court's enemies."

"What's wrong with that? If this tip-off can make the Taoist priest turn back, wouldn't it be a great merit?"

Unexpectedly, Han Changgong just shook his head:

"Teacher is just a little disappointed."

He sighed lightly, looking at his disciple with a stern gaze:

"You have followed teacher to learn so many years of Qi Observation, but can't you see that the person who comes is unstoppable on this trip? If it can't be done, why do it?"

"Teacher..."

Huangfu's body trembled, but he slowly raised his head.

The always slippery him was rarely so solemn.

He looked at his teacher, gritted his teeth, and spat out shocking remarks:

"Then teacher, knowing that the demise of the imperial court is irreversible, why do you want to go your own way?"

The demise of the imperial court!

If these four words were heard by anyone, it would be an unforgivable capital crime!

Such words should never have been uttered from Huangfu's mouth in his life.

But at this moment, he was forced to say it.

As soon as he said it, the pressure that Huangfu had accumulated in his heart for a long time disappeared, and the whole person became very frank.

Han Changgong was not angry, but just looked at his disciple with a trace of surprise:

"Teacher underestimated you, tell me, how did you see it?"

"Disciple does not have the means to directly calculate the national fortune and military situation like teacher, and even nine out of ten times I can't see the nobles with national fortune..."

Huangfu's eyes were clear, and there was no longer a trace of the previous slipperness:

"But the national fortune is composed of ordinary people. Disciple is not talented, but in these twenty years, seemingly walking the streets and alleys every day, seeking flowers and asking willows, I have also seen the appearance of all beings!"

"Liu Erge in the front street has a long life, but also a violent death. Li's family in the back street has added a child, and the fat boy is not an extremely honorable phase, but he has the fate of a king..."

Huangfu was a little hesitant at first, but the more he spoke, the smoother he became, listing them one by one, but he said all the appearances of peddlers, old, weak, sick, and disabled.

There were as many as a hundred examples!

Han Changgong was silent at first, but as he listened, he couldn't help but show a trace of surprise on his face, which finally turned into silence.

"From this, disciple deduced that the Da Feng's national destiny is not long! The fate of a country can be determined by the phase of ordinary people, the trend of the general situation can be seen from the subtleties, and the sky can be calculated by people!"

Huangfu slowly exhaled a long breath:

"This is the experience that disciple has summarized from the Myriad Fate Qi Observation Technique and these years of face reading, it is not yet a complete system!"

After a moment of silence, Han Changgong finally faced his always unpromising disciple:

"This Qi Observation Technique, does it have a name?"

"Perhaps it can be called..."

Huangfu replied:

"Heaven-Man Qi Observation Technique."