Within the Royal City, the night grew deep, and the stars shone brightly.
Tonight, Ji Shengyue had set aside the tedious matters of state. Her thoughts were focused entirely on the terrifying Demon Cave.
The Demon Cave was like an invisible sword hanging over the Great Jing Empire,
and the mere mention of it was enough to make one's heart clench.
Those twelve King-level women were representatives of her will and image.
If they were to meet with disaster in the Demon Cave, her throne would surely be shaken.
Therefore, she paid extremely close attention to any developments regarding the Demon Cave, not daring to relax for even a moment.
At this moment, Ji Shengyue sat in her study, toying with an exquisite jade cup in her hand. Her gaze, however, pierced through the darkness outside the window, fixed on the distant Demon Cave.
Her heart was filled with doubt and unease, but also a sliver of hope.
She hoped to hear good news, news that would finally put her mind at ease.
Just then, a secretary hurried into the study.
He walked up to Ji Shengyue, bowed, and began to report the latest situation at the Demon Cave.
"Elder Qin has been secretly following the twelve King-level women. According to his report, an eerie presence does indeed linger above the Demon Cave.
But surprisingly, the scenery there is exactly the same as what was seen on the livestream—beautiful and bright, with the singing of birds and the fragrance of flowers.
Elder Qin's analysis is that the Demon Cave's crisis may have been completely resolved."
The secretary's voice was low and steady.
Hearing this, Ji Shengyue's brow relaxed slightly.
The secretary nodded and continued, "Elder Qin also mentioned that although Chu He may have over-publicized the Demon Cave's crisis, he did indeed deserve credit for his efforts.
But later, his thinking became flawed. He kept exaggerating things, all to maintain his reputation as the National Guardian War God and reap benefits from it."
At this, the secretary couldn't help but sigh, a look of regret on his face.
Upon hearing this, Ji Shengyue had already made up her mind.
She stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the bright moon in the night sky, a confident, triumphant smile spreading across her face.
"Good! Announce this matter publicly. Let everyone know Chu He's true colors.
When I dealt with him, I was under immense pressure and took great risks.
Now, it's time for those who were secretly dissatisfied with me to see the truth.
And as for those who said I have long hair but short sight, let them open their eyes and see what kind of person this so-called National Guardian War God truly is!"
Ji Shengyue declared.
The secretary took his leave, and Ji Shengyue returned to her desk to continue dealing with the mountain of state affairs.
She knew she was on the right path,
and that the future of the Great Jing Empire would be even brighter because of it.
To ensure she could obtain the most accurate intelligence on the Demon Cave, Ji Shengyue had specially requested the services of Elder Qin, a veteran King-level expert.
Although Elder Qin had been grievously injured in a brutal battle against Evil Spirits on the front lines years ago,
and his strength was no longer what it once was, his combat power as a Ninth Grade Martial Artist Great Perfection was still a force to be reckoned with in the Royal City.
More importantly, his vast experience and keen intuition were undoubtedly invaluable for a strange place like the Demon Cave.
When Ji Shengyue had called upon Elder Qin, it wasn't for his combat strength, but for the sharp intuition he had honed through life-and-death struggles against Evil Spirits.
If there was truly something amiss in the Demon Cave, Elder Qin would surely be the first to sense it.
This was the main reason she had sent him.
"Chu He has already left the Royal City. His whereabouts are currently unknown."
Another secretary's voice was tinged with worry. "The people we sent were unable to track him.
However, rest assured, Your Majesty, we have already strengthened the Royal City's defenses to ensure your safety."
Ji Shengyue nodded, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.
She said coldly, "We must find Chu He.
That man may be a hypocrite who chases fame, but his strength is not to be underestimated.
Although our Great Jing Empire is blessed by fortune and our Martial Arts Power is flourishing, we cannot allow Chu He an opportunity to exploit.
Issue the order: if any unusual movements from Chu He are detected, you have permission to execute first and report later!"
This secretary also accepted the order and departed immediately.
「Deep within the Demon Cave, atop a lonely mountain peak.」
A stooped, elderly man dressed in brocade robes stood there, trembling.
He constantly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, a sweat born not of heat, but of deep-seated fear and unease.
As far as the eye could see, the air seemed to be filled with a kind of Mysterious Power. It was like icy blades piercing the skin and seeping into the bone.
The old man's face was pale, his eyes filled with terror.
He had only been here for half a day, yet he had already discovered a secret that could make the entire Great Jing Empire tremble.
That Mysterious Power was growing at an astonishing rate.
'This is by no means a good thing. A terrifying Evil Spirit must be dwelling here!'
What terrified the old man even more was the realization that
if it weren't for the latent injury left in his body by an Evil Spirit—an injury whose lingering presence he lived with daily—his senses would never have become so keenly attuned to this Mysterious Power.
Even a King-level expert might not have been able to detect the existence of this power.
The old man turned to the man standing beside him, his eyes filled with pleading and helplessness. "I have already lied to Queen Ji Shengyue as you instructed.
She seems to have believed me.
But if this isn't reported, and something goes wrong in the Demon Cave... if the Evil Spirits break out, it will be a catastrophe for the entire Great Jing Empire!"
The man heard this, but merely rolled his eyes and said dismissively, "Not my problem."
The old man trembled with anger, but he was helpless.
The man before him was immensely powerful, a genuine King-level expert at his absolute peak.
'Trying to kill him would be a fool's dream. Besides, he has my entire family under his control. If he wished, he could wipe out my entire bloodline at any moment.'
This was something the old man could not tolerate, an outcome he could never accept.
"You... How can you say that?"
the old man said, exasperated. "My strength is nowhere near the King-level standard right now! If the Queen finds out, there will be no place for me in the entire Great Jing Empire!"
The man sneered and said flatly, "At least your family line will continue."
With that, he took out his phone, openly dialed a number, and held it to his ear. "President Liu, I've taken care of the matter you arranged."
Elder Qin's heart leaped in shock as he secretly tried to guess the identity of this "President Liu."
'Could it be... Liu Yuzhu? Someone who could command a King-level expert must have a powerful background and immense resources. In the entire Great Jing Empire, the only person with the surname Liu and the power to do this seems to be that Liu Yuzhu.'
At this thought, Elder Qin couldn't help but feel a chill wash over him.
'I originally thought I was sent by the Queen to carry out an important mission, but I never expected to be caught up in such a conspiracy. From the looks of it, I've become a pawn in this plot, with no way to escape.'