Unstoppable Martial Arts: Starting with brother's wife and young sister Chapter 861 - 467: Duke Qin (3)

He continued to believe the culprit was the mastermind pulling the strings from the shadows.

"Show you mercy?"

"The Great Yu decimated the Sect Leader of Hidden Kill, and now is the moment to extract our due interest."

"Hidden Kill!?"

Upon hearing those two chilling words, Bu Gu’s gaze flooded with profound terror, and a cold sense of hopelessness washed over his soul.

He had assumed he was dealing with the secret orchestrator, never expecting to cross paths with Hidden Kill instead.

There was truly no escape this time.

"Oh? You seem to have accepted your inevitable end; that makes things simpler. It is time for you to depart."

With those words, his spiritual power surged, and he hoisted Bu Gu into the air with a single motion. An instant later, scarlet sword qi erupted.

"Bang bang bang...."

Under the relentless barrage of sword qi, Bu Gu’s frame was riddled with wounds the size of a finger.

Almost immediately, a deluge of blood poured down from the heavens.

The commotion drew the attention of nearby martial artists, but upon witnessing such a terrifying aura, they retreated into the shadows without hesitation.

A Dao Realm expert!

Only the common folk stared up at the sky, watching the raindrops that had morphed into Bu Gu’s crimson blood.

"Ah——"

"Murderer...."

....

Cries of panic echoed as bedlam consumed the vicinity of the inn.

Seizing the moment, the clone unleashed a final surge of spiritual power into the gasping Bu Gu.

"Bang!"

A gruesome floral pattern of blood bloomed in the sky.

Without pause, the clone soared toward the east gate, departing from Fanhua County in a grand display.

Meanwhile, across the various counties of Molan Mansion,

Under the orchestration of Yuan Qing, multiple Dao Realm experts were systematically executed, though one solitary survivor managed to flee.

"That was too close for comfort!"

The elegant man, draped in vibrant red robes, appeared with hair in utter disarray and a countenance ashen white, his former composure entirely shattered.

It was only by invoking a desperate secret technique that he had managed to cling to his life.

Several days later!

News regarding the Hidden Kill's successful elimination of numerous Great Yu Dao Realm experts swept across the Hundred Mansions like wildfire.

The revelation left Duke Liu consumed by rage.

Deep within the Imperial Palace, inside the Qixuan Hall,

Emperor Yu sat upon his throne, eyes shut in contemplation.

A middle-aged man adorned in purple robes occupied the lower left seat, with Duke Liu standing close by.

Below them sat Liu Sheng, his expression betraying a hint of unease.

The quartet awaited the arrival of Zhan Tian.

The consecutive deaths of so many Great Yu Dao Realm experts were unprecedented, particularly given the involvement of a fourth-tier Dao Realm powerhouse.

Before long, heavy, rhythmic footsteps echoed from the corridor.

Shortly after, Zhan Tian stumbled into the chamber.

He bowed respectfully toward the throne, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Emperor Yu slowly opened his eyes, his demeanor inscrutable as he gave a curt nod, "Take a seat."

"I am grateful, Your Majesty."

After bowing once more, Zhan Tian settled into the chair beside Liu Sheng.

"Be vigilant. Duke Qin is present, and this situation masks layers of complexity far deeper than it appears," Liu Sheng whispered via secret transmission.

Zhan Tian remained silent, merely offering a faint, knowing smile in return.

"Your Majesty!"

With the primary figure finally in attendance, Duke Liu leaped to his feet, "Great Yu has suffered the loss of over ten Dao Realm experts due to Hidden Kill, an atrocity unseen in centuries. This failure demonstrates a grievous dereliction of duty by the Three Judicial Departments. I implore Your Majesty to impose a severe punishment!"

"Hmph!"

Zhan Tian sneered inwardly, casting a cold, detached glance toward Liu Daoxin.

The man hadn't even let him settle into his seat before escalating his agenda, unable to restrain his thirst for blood for even a moment.

It seemed the recent casualties were far more painful than they pretended.

Emperor Yu remained mute, his gaze fixed expectant upon Zhan Tian.

He awaited a proper explanation for these events.

"Ah!"

Zhan Tian let out a heavy, weary sigh. Rising slowly, he walked to the center of the hall and performed three deep bows toward Emperor Yu.

The gesture left the entire assembly stunned.

No one could fathom his intent.

They had anticipated him to launch into a fiery defense, to argue until his face turned red, yet he remained poised.

His calm was entirely out of character for him.

Nonetheless, the corner of Liu Sheng’s mouth twitched into a subtle smile before he regained his composure.

He understood the depth of Zhan Tian’s resolve far better than the others.

"Your Majesty, this servant is weary with age. This tragic ordeal has weighed heavily upon my spirit, and I find myself utterly drained. Therefore, I formally tender my resignation from the position of Minister of the Three Judicial Departments."

"I humbly beseech Your Majesty, in light of the years I have dedicated to this nation, to permit me my retirement for the remainder of my remaining days."

The declaration caused a sudden, chilling silence to descend upon the Qixuan Hall.

Resignation from the head of the Three Judicial Departments?

None dared believe their ears, and even Emperor Yu displayed genuine shock.

Yet, inwardly, he began to chuckle.

"You remain a vital pillar of the Great Yu, currently in the very prime of your strength. Neither Great Yu nor the Three Judicial Departments could function without you."

Zhan Tian sighed again, his voice trembling with feigned frailty, "Your Majesty, this old subject truly carries the weight of his years. I have struggled internally for too long, and with Hidden Kill striking time and again, I am shamed by my own incompetence before the Empire and Your Majesty himself."

"The sudden influx of these elusive experts makes the limited resources of the Three Judicial Departments appear stretched thin. Such a reality is understandable, is it not?"

"Am I correct, Duke Liu?"

As he spoke, his gaze locked with Liu Daoxin’s, carrying a silent, heavy warning.

In the current state of Great Yu, how could they possibly permit Zhan Tian to walk away and abandon the Three Judicial Departments? A Dao Realm eighth-tier late stage expert—there were few such individuals in the whole of Great Yu. Him retiring to live a life of comfort? It was nothing but a fool's errand.

Feeling the overwhelming pressure radiating from Emperor Yu, even the fuming Duke Liu dared not push the matter further.

After all, when measured against the threat of losing Zhan Tian, the death of a few minor Dao Realm subordinates was insignificant.

"Yes, of course, Your Majesty's assessment is entirely correct!"

It was clear that Duke Liu remained deeply dissatisfied, yet in the current climate, he could not propose an alternative, forced instead to offer such a hollow response.

"It is not about whether my words are correct; it is simply the stark reality!"

Recognizing the Duke's hidden resentment, Emperor Yu pivoted his attention to Duke Qin.

As the leader of the Three Dukes and a member of the imperial lineage, he was obligated to declare his stance.

"Indeed!"

Duke Qin spoke slowly, "Hidden Kill operates with unpredictable malice; this tragedy cannot be laid at the feet of Zhan Tian alone. Everyone is well aware of the accomplishments the Three Judicial Departments have achieved over the long years. None could have foreseen such a disaster."

"Zhan Tian... let this discussion reach its conclusion here!"

Unlike Duke Liu, he did more than merely echo the Emperor; he actively lauded Zhan Tian, granting Emperor Yu a graceful path forward.