Chapter 5: Exploring the Imperial Palace Alone at Night

Night fell quickly. Mo Lian opened her eyes; they were no longer those enchanting blue orbs, but a pool of black. Because her blue eyes were too anomalous, Mo Lian had been consuming a self-made medicinal juice since entering the city to change their color. Unless she took the antidote, her eyes would remain black indefinitely. It wasn't that she was afraid of trouble, but rather that she loathed all forms of hassle.

Though arrogant, she had always adhered to the principle: "I will not attack unless attacked; if attacked, I shall return it a hundredfold." She found things dirty and troublesome, so she never struck easily.

Mo Lian wore a black face mask, and her jet-black long hair was simply tucked into a hat, leaving only her eyes exposed to the air. Her black night-traveling clothes clung to her body. At this moment, clad entirely in black, Mo Lian seemed to have vanished, her presence completely undetectable; such was the depth of her internal strength. Even at only ten years old, the aura of a monarch upon her could not be ignored.

She was the Queen of the Dark Night—alluring in bone, and absolutely lethal.

Looking out the window, the darkness seemed somber.

A dark, windy night is a night for killing, yet she did not kill. The timing, the location, and the people—everything was in place.

In a few leaps, Mo Lian had already left the Yingfu Inn, leaving only afterimages racing through the night.

The petite Mo Lian was as light as a swallow, soon arriving outside the Imperial Palace. Perched on the edge of the city wall, she watched coldly at the brilliantly lit, magnificent palace and the guards patrolling everywhere. *Useless!* With a silent curse, Mo Lian rose and departed. Her speed was incredibly fast.

After a brief period of scouting, Mo Lian easily located the Emperor's sleeping quarters—the Yangxin Hall—relying on her absolute sense of direction and reasoning abilities. Looking at the palace, which appeared exceptionally quiet despite being surrounded by ambushes of hidden guards, she knew there were people inside, but Mo Lian was certain that Bei Jiqi was not among them at this moment. Mo Lian smiled; this group of people wasn't entirely stupid. As expected, Bei Jiqi was indeed as strategic as the rumors suggested. It was just...

Lost in thought, Mo Lian prepared to withdraw, but then slowed her movements. A moment later, she discovered two auras approaching; they were also high-level experts. However, in her presence, they were truly nothing to look at. Had she not suddenly remembered that she needed to enter the palace tomorrow before leaving, they would never have detected her existence. Thus, Mo Lian simply stayed still, waiting for them to come to her.

In an instant.

"Who goes there? What is your purpose? Do you know that trespassing into the Imperial Palace is a capital offense?" It wasn't that these hidden guards were trained to be particularly polite, but rather that they realized the strength of the girl before them surpassed their own; if a fight broke out, they—would have no chance of winning. They were almost certain that their appearance had been within her calculations.

"If I say I have no purpose, would you believe me?" Mo Lian stood there, cold in her black attire, her eyes containing nothing else.

"Hmph." An Yi did not believe this nonsense; the Imperial Palace was not a place just anyone could enter.

"State your purpose, otherwise, no matter how extraordinary your martial arts are, you will find it impossible to escape," An Er said fiercely, while simultaneously signaling An Yi to contact the other hidden guards.

How could Mo Lian fail to notice their little tricks? However, she did not stop them. A cold smile curled at the corner of Mo Lian's mouth. She truly did not hold this Imperial Palace in any regard.

"Tell the Emperor: Mo Lian of the Snowy Mountains will pay a visit tomorrow." Having said that, she took flight and vanished. Mo Lian did not want to be obstructed when entering the palace tomorrow; of course, if there were any accidents, they shouldn't blame her for being ruthless.

Watching Mo Lian's peerless lightness kung fu, An Yi and An Er were very glad they hadn't attacked just now, otherwise, it would have been difficult to account for the outcome.

"Snowy Mountains? To think she is from the Snowy Mountains. An Er, you guard here. When the other brothers arrive, make sure to handle this matter properly. I am going to report to the Emperor now." An Yi reacted quickly and made a decision, departing before An Er could even answer. An Er also knew very well that once anything involved the Snowy Mountains, things became far from simple.

When An Yi reached the Fengtian Hall, Bei Jiqi was in the middle of reviewing memorials.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

"Did you catch the person?" Looking at An Yi, Bei Jiqi stated the matter with extreme calm, as if nothing could threaten him.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, this subordinate has failed in his duty." An Yi bowed his head even lower.

"Oh?" Bei Jiqi did not grow angry; he merely set down the brush in his hand.

"The opponent is from the Snowy Mountains, possesses high martial arts, is ten years of age, and is a female. She intends to enter the palace tomorrow."

"Pass down the order: no one is permitted to obstruct her." Bei Jiqi waved his hand and spoke no more.

"Yes." In the blink of an eye, An Yi vanished.

A faint trace of anticipation flickered in Bei Jiqi's eyes, yet he did not dare to let his emotions show too much, ultimately letting them dissolve into a low murmur.

"Yu'er, could it be you?"

Only a sigh remained in the empty air.