I am invincible, that's why I lie down. You're using your entire clan to rebel?

Chapter 59 Xu Longxiang personally sent a message, and Jiang Qingxue burst into tears.

Outside the Sword Tomb, atop the Absolute Sword Peak.

When Qin Mu emerged from the cave, the sky was already beginning to lighten.

The night passed, and dawn was approaching.

The seven elders followed behind him, their expressions respectful, showing no trace of distance or wariness.

Having witnessed His Majesty break through the Nine Extremes Sword Formation and revive the old sect leader, any resentment they might have felt had long since vanished.

Instead, there was a deep sense of awe, and... a hint of excitement.

Your Majesty is a celestial being on land!

The Azure Sword Sect has found a powerful patron!

Qin Mu stood atop the peak, gazing at the dawn breaking on the horizon, his hands clasped behind his back.

The morning breeze lifted his robes, and his moon-white casual clothes shimmered faintly in the dim light.

"Sword, come!"

He suddenly spoke.

Jianlai quickly stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Disciple is here."

"From this day forward, you will be the ninth sect master of the Qinglan Sword Sect. With the support of Elder Xiao and the assistance of the elders, I hope that you... will not disappoint my expectations."

Jian Lai knelt down with a "thud" and kowtowed heavily:

"Swords come, swearing to serve His Majesty to the death! To serve the Sword Sect!"

Qin Mu nodded, said nothing more, and started walking down the mountain.

The seven elders bowed as they saw him off until his figure disappeared at the end of the stone steps.

As the sun rises, golden sunlight bathes Qinglan Mountain.

A new day has begun.

For the Azure Sky Sword Sect, a new era has begun.

An era led by "Sword Comes" and protected by terrestrial deities.

But no one knows where this era will ultimately lead.

At this moment, Qin Mu had already returned to the Tian Shu Palace.

Instead of resting, he walked to the window, looked at the distant, rolling mountains, and a deep light flashed in his eyes.

The Azure Sky Sword Sect is now in our grasp.

Next, it's the North's turn...

Xu Longxiang, are you ready?

My game of chess has only just begun.

And you are merely a rather interesting piece on the chessboard.

He curled his lips into a cold smile.

In the morning light, that moon-white figure stood tall and straight like a sword, as if it could pierce through the sky.

........

Night fell.

At the foot of Qinglan Mountain, in the town of Linshan, lies Yuelai Inn.

Inside room number one, the candlelight flickered uneasily in the copper lamp, distorting the shadows on the walls.

Xu Longxiang sat in a rosewood armchair by the window, his all-black outfit seemingly blending into the deep night outside.

He held an empty celadon teacup in his hand, the cup reflecting his ashen face and bloodshot eyes.

It had been almost two hours since he returned from Qinglan Mountain, and he sat there motionless.

What keeps replaying in my mind are those scenes from the White Sun Heavenly Sword Peak—

Qin Mu leaned lazily against the rosewood chair, his arms around the figure in light green.

He affectionately pinched Jiang Qingxue's nose and announced that she would be conferred the title of Consort Xue.

A forced smile appeared on Jiang Qingxue's pale face, with tears welling up in her eyes.

And then there's the bizarre victory of that second-rank disciple named "Come Quickly," and Qin Mu's unfathomable methods...

Every frame was like a poisoned dagger, repeatedly piercing his heart.

"Your Highness."

Sikong Xuan's old, hoarse voice pulled Xu Longxiang back to reality from the vortex of pain.

The old man stood three steps away, his gray robe appearing even more withered in the candlelight, but his deep-set eyes, sharp as an eagle's, held an unprecedented solemnity.

"Our informant planted in the Sword Sect has just sent a secret report."

Sikong Xuan took out a small roll of silk from his sleeve and presented it with both hands, "His Majesty went to the Sword Tomb tonight."

Xu Longxiang suddenly looked up: "Sword Tomb? The place where Xiao Tiannan secluded himself?"

"That's right." Sikong Xuan lowered his voice even further. "According to my informants, His Majesty... broke through the Nine Extremes Sword Formation."

"What?!"

Xu Longxiang abruptly stood up, the teacup in his hand shattering with a "crack." A shard of porcelain cut his palm, and blood mixed with tea dripped onto the carpet, but he remained completely oblivious.

"The Nine Extremes Sword Formation...that's a peak-level Celestial Phenomenon Sword Formation set up by Xiao Tiannan! No one has been able to break it for thirty years! How could he possibly..."

"The informants dared not approach, only seeing the sword formation blaze brightly from afar, and then... abruptly extinguished."

A look of horror flashed in Sikong Xuan's eyes. "His Majesty entered the Sword Tomb for about half an hour. When he came out, the seven elders' attitudes changed drastically, and they became extremely respectful."

Xu Longxiang took a step back and bumped into the back of the chair with a dull thud.

Break through the Nine Extremes Sword Formation

This is beyond what can be described as "unfathomable".

This is simply... beyond human capability!

"A terrestrial immortal..."

Xu Longxiang forced out those four words through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse as if grinding sand, "Could there really be a terrestrial immortal by his side?...

Fan Li stepped forward, waving his feather fan, his brows furrowed: "Your Highness, if that dog emperor really has a terrestrial immortal by his side, then all our plans... will become a joke."

The difference between celestial beings and terrestrial deities is like the difference between clouds and mud. Even if we control an army of 300,000, the Imperial Guard, and the imperial court… before terrestrial deities, we are nothing more than ants.

Tie Tu slammed his fist on the table, and several cracks immediately appeared on the mahogany surface.

"Are we just going to give up like this?! We've planned this for years, are we really going to abandon it just because he has a celestial being by his side?!"

Liu Hongyan leaned against the window, her red dress fluttering slightly in the night breeze, her beautiful face now covered with frost.

"Give up? Do we have any way out? From the moment we started planning this, we were destined to go down a dead end. If we give up now, will that dog of an emperor let us go? Will the 300,000 soldiers in the North agree?"

The black mirage lurked in the shadows, its eerie green eyes gleaming with a sinister light, its voice like the flicking of a venomous snake:

"Even a terrestrial immortal isn't necessarily invincible. Gu techniques, poisons, curses... there's always something that can harm him. It's just... he needs time, he needs an opportunity."

Xu Longxiang closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

The pain from the wound on his palm cleared his confused thoughts slightly.

We must not act rashly.

Especially in times like these, it's crucial to stay calm and avoid making a rash decision.

He opened his eyes again, still bloodshot, but his usual coldness had returned.

"Pass down the order."

His voice was low, yet carried an undeniable decisiveness: "All plans are suspended for now. Everyone, remain still."

"Young Master!" Tie Tu cried out anxiously.

Xu Longxiang raised his hand to stop him: "What we need to do now is not to confront them head-on, but... to reassess."

He walked to the window, pushed it open, and the night breeze, carrying the coolness of early summer, rushed in, dispelling some of the heavy atmosphere in the room.

Outside the window, the lights of Linshan County City twinkled, and the silhouette of Qinglan Mountain in the distance resembled a lurking beast in the night.

And on that mountain, now lives the person he hates most, and the person he can't let go of the most.

"A terrestrial immortal..."

Xu Longxiang repeated in a low voice, a bitter smile curving his lips, "No wonder he dared to be so unscrupulous, no wonder he dared to put on that absurd show in front of all the heroes of the world..."

He turned and looked at his five advisors:

"But we are not without a chance. No matter how strong a terrestrial deity is, he is still human. As long as he is human, he has weaknesses and flaws."

"What does the young master mean..." A glint flashed in Fan Li's eyes.

"intelligence."

Xu Longxiang said slowly and deliberately, "We need more information about Qin Mu. Only by understanding him can we find a way to deal with him."

He paused, his gaze drifting towards a certain direction outside the window, his expression complex.

"And now, we have the best, and only, intelligence source that can get close to him."

Everyone understood.

Jiang Qingxue.

The woman they personally sent into the palace, who is now the Imperial Concubine Xue.

Sikong Xuan hesitated, then said, "Your Highness, Miss Jiang's current identity is special; passing messages is extremely risky. What if she's exposed..."

"We have to take the risk," Xu Longxiang interrupted him, his tone resolute. "These are our only eyes. And..."

His voice lowered, carrying a barely perceptible hint of tenderness and pain:

"I want to deliver the message myself."

"No!" The five people's expressions changed simultaneously.

Fan Li said urgently, "Your Highness, your status is so noble, how can you personally take such a risk? What if His Majesty's men discover this..."

"It's safer because I'm going in person."

Xu Longxiang shook his head. "Qin Mu's men are definitely monitoring us, but they would never expect me to personally do such a trivial task as delivering messages. Besides..."

He looked out the window, his gaze seemingly piercing through the night, and saw a figure deep within the palace, leaning against a window, gazing at the moon:

"Qingxue must be very scared and helpless right now. I must let her know that I haven't given up on her, that I've been watching over her. Only by delivering this letter in person can I put her mind at ease."

The sentiment behind these words left the five advisors speechless.

They had followed Xu Longxiang for many years and knew all too well the prince's feelings for Jiang Qingxue.

"Your Highness," Liu Hongyan sighed softly, "Have you thought this through? If you go and are discovered..."

"I know what I'm doing."

Xu Longxiang took out a green jade pendant from his pocket.

"This jade pendant is a magical artifact that conceals my presence. With it, unless a terrestrial immortal personally investigates, no one can discover my whereabouts."

He gripped the jade pendant tightly, feeling the warm, cool sensation emanating from its texture, a resolute glint in his eyes:

"I will infiltrate the palace at midnight tonight. You will meet me here. If anything goes wrong, evacuate immediately and don't worry about me."

"Your Highness!" The five men knelt down on one knee in unison.

Xu Longxiang waved his hand: "Get up, all of you. Proceed according to plan."

......

At the third quarter of midnight, all was quiet.

The city of Linshan had fallen asleep, with only the sound of the night watchman's clapper echoing through the empty streets, distant and desolate.

Cuiwei Garden, Shuying Studio.

Jiang Qingxue sat alone in front of the dressing table, her pale and haggard face reflected in the bronze mirror.

During the grand investiture ceremony that daytime, the moment Qin Mu publicly announced her as the Imperial Concubine Xue, she felt as if she had been stripped naked and thrown into the freezing snow, all her dignity and aspirations crushed to pieces.

Especially when she saw Xu Longxiang's eyes below the stage, which seemed to be spitting fire, the suffocating pain almost made her faint on the spot.

"Brother Longxiang..." she murmured softly, her fingers unconsciously stroking the white jade phoenix hairpin.

The hairpin was cold, and the ruby ​​at the phoenix eye gleamed faintly in the candlelight, like a drop of congealed blood, or like her heart, which was now riddled with holes.

She didn't know how Xu Longxiang was doing now.

His almost out-of-control demeanor during the day terrified her.

She was so afraid that he would act impulsively and rush at her without thinking...

Fortunately, he didn't.

But this "fortunate" situation also made her feel deeply guilty and sad.

She would rather he rush up to her, rather die with him, than be like this, one of them forcing a smile on stage while the other suffers in agony offstage.

"Knock knock".

A very faint tapping sound came from outside the window.

Jiang Qingxue froze.

That voice... is a secret code unique to the North!