Thousand Faces exchanged a glance with Le Yu, but did not linger for a moment before swiftly moving on.

Yet Le Yu knew, he had truly recognized him.

As for when Thousand Faces had helped him, Le Yu couldn't recall at all; there were too many possibilities. Perhaps when he went to the cafeteria and the lady gave him extra brisket, extra sauce, and extra noodles, it wasn't because she was charmed by Le Yin's beauty, but because she was Thousand Faces in disguise.

"Malaka!" The Female Elf Zongtaiji's expression turned extremely grim: "An outsider has infiltrated? And for half a month?!"

"Yes." Thousand Faces revealed a smile: "I've already submitted the intelligence report, and by my calculations, the army should be arriving soon. Your strength doesn't seem weak; let's see how long you can withstand in the storm of bullets."

He looked at the president and advised: "President, stop now. It's all martial columns outside."

"You'd better pray they come later, because their arrival will hasten your death!" Shi Pantu fiercely kicked Thousand Faces' head, knocking out his teeth.

Thousand Faces spat blood, laughing like a gibbon monkey: "Shi Pantu, have you wanted to fight Hanuman for a long time now? That kick sure was fierce."

"You..." Shi Pantu glared angrily, but with Thousand Faces' reminder, he looked at his familiar old friend's face and lowered the foot he had raised.

The faces of the foreigners turned grim — mere gunfire might not pose much threat to them. They could use light explosions to block flying projectiles, but if Yanjing martial columns were also harassing nearby, it would be like someone shaking your arm while playing a bullet hell game, leading to the downfall of many Peak of Perfection martial artists in recent decades.

However, as they watched the president and the Demon Race member smile without any reaction to Thousand Faces' words, even maintaining a smile as if reassured, they eased up.

Thousand Faces seemed to understand something, sighing: "I thought the Grand Minister was a righteous courtier."

"The Minister of Revenue Nan Liu Jing is indeed an upright person," the president smiled. "Unfortunately, the tiger father has a dog son, and Nan Liu Jing is a kind elder who loves his children, so he had no choice but to accept our price."

"So, when I handed over the intelligence to the Grand Minister, it was destined that tonight it would fall into your hands." Thousand Faces continued: "How many people in the court belong to you?"

"You'll know tomorrow." The president glanced at the Demon Race member and Shi Pantu: "If you survive until tomorrow."

The Demon Race member smiled and spoke: "The Water of Mutation is very useful to us."

"You've sacrificed a martial column; the Water of Mutation should be yours." The president nonchalantly declared Thousand Faces' fate: "Since everyone is here, let's start now. Except for the sword sheath, please stay five steps away from me. Anyone who crosses the circle of protection, don't blame me for being ruthless."

"That is only right," everyone said in unison: "We will protect the president from outside."

"This is the Yanjing of the Glorious People, this is the country of the Glorious People!" Thousand Faces sneered: "When the light of righteousness shines upon the earth, your schemes will be nothing but illusions easily extinguished! Don't underestimate us Glorious People!"

"Shut up, beast!" Shi Pantu stomped on Thousand Faces' nose, flattening it. Thousand Faces continued to laugh wildly, even provocatively saying: "Go ahead and kill me if you dare, savage scum! Hahaha, you know how many golden silk-mantled monkeys I skinned that were just like you when I served in Summer Twilight? Your flawless fur is worth a gold coin!"

But at this moment, Shi Pantu instead calmed down, sneered: "When you're useless, I'll let you know that death will be the most merciful end for you. There's plenty of time after the ceremony until daylight; I've learned many interesting 'techniques' from humans and won't let you die."

"I'm quite looking forward to it, after all, I haven't skinned a Peak of Perfection monkey before... No wait, I have, but Hanuman had its heart pierced by me, so the heart has some flaws, probably won't sell for a high price." Thousand Faces laughed.

The Demon Race member waved a hand, sending Shi Pantu flying to the edge of the hall, not giving him a chance to burst out.

He glanced at Le Yu: "Wu Zhiqi, hold Shi Pantu down. Shi Pantu, learn from Wu Zhiqi, don't be lured by this boring provocation."

Le Yu nodded, stepping in front of Shi Pantu. Shi Pantu was so enraged by Thousand Faces' words that he trembled, and if the Demon Race member hadn't knocked him away in time, he really might have killed Thousand Faces.

Just as monkey brains are Wu Zhiqi's taboo, skinning is Shi Pantu's Achilles' heel. Because the golden silk demon monkeys' fur is beautiful, smooth, and striking, it's always a popular side gig among the Beiwei Army. Anytime a golden silk demon monkey is killed, the skin is usually skinned for profit. 'Summer Twilight Golden Coat' is all the rage among the Glorious People, and Dongyang Silver Blood people would be embarrassed to go out in winter without one — Le Yu owned one himself, warm and stylish.

"Oh great deity of heavens, all sovereign, merciful and compassionate, heed our prayers: may blessings be bestowed, protecting all people, may grace shine, saving the distressed..."

The president stood before seven sword sheaths, the stone knife pierced their hands, and blood stained their Holy Sword. Then the president opened the Book of the Dead, seemingly reciting the hymns from it. Strangely, these hymns were all blessings, sounding not like an evil ritual but rather a bright ceremony.

And as the president recited, Le Yu could see strands of golden thread slowly extracting themselves from the stone coffin's sword sheath, converging before the president, weaving a pure light Holy Sword.

He no longer held any luck in his heart — the Holy Sword that the Glorious Imperial Family had wielded for two thousand years was about to change hands.

Le Yu glanced at Shi Pantu, who was still gnawing his finger, muttering how to torture Thousand Faces. But Thousand Faces' provocations to Shi Pantu were not for seeking death, instead, they were pleading with Le Yu.

He hoped Le Yin would stand with the Radiant Ones and disrupt the ritual!

Actually, Le Yin wasn't worried about Qianmian knowing his secret. With the Book of the Dead and the Water of Mutation ahead, Qianmian mostly thought he possessed a Divine Weapon related to souls. But he still couldn't quite pin down whether Le Yin was the human musician Le Yin or the Demon race's Wu Zhiqi, so he only nudged him about his stance.

Of course, if Shi Pantuo ended up killing him because of this, it would be ideal.

As for why Le Yin proactively brought the stone coffin here, it was also to disrupt the Holy Sword summoning ritual. The president didn't lie just now; even without two scabbards, he still had a way of summoning the Holy Sword, which is why Le Yin didn't flee but instead penetrated into the enemy's heart, aiming to betray them.

However, with the powers of Wu Zhiqi at the Moon Position of the Demon Race, he seemed lacking the ability to backstab...

Le Yin observed the people in the hall. Beside the president were five heavily armored death warriors, their strength vaguely reaching Star Position martial columns level; there were five Jurchen elves, with only Zong Taiji at the Peak of Perfection realm; three three-eyed titans, with Sasa Jueluo at the Peak of Perfection realm; Dark Naga Sishis had yet to act, but Wu Zhiqi believed she too was at the Peak of Perfection realm; the demon race's Shi Pantuo was also at the Peak of Perfection realm and possessed the divine ability 'Clone.'

The greatest threat was, without a doubt, the silent, taciturn Demon race monarch, Smile!

He was not only the sole descendant of the ancient Demon race 'Behemoth,' more importantly, if all the 'demon blood' refined from the Blood Essence Stone were divided into one portion, he occupied eight parts, while Wu Zhiqi, Shi Pantuo, and Hanuman shared one part, with the remaining Demon race warriors sharing another part!

Yet Wu Zhiqi managed to become an 'Intermediate demon blood physique' with just 'one-third portion,' so what level did the possession of eight portions bring Smile to?

At least, just now Smile purely relied on Spiritual Power from a distance to suppress Qianmian, a feat Wu Zhiqi absolutely couldn't perform.

In other words, besides Le Yin, there were nine martial columns here, and one above martial columns, who might instantly kill him, Smile! Any reckless actions would invite a storm of violent beatings!

However, Le Yin wasn't thinking of confronting head-on either. Qianmian's recent advice was simultaneously a reminder for him to gather allies.

As for how to gather allies under the watchful eyes of many...

Le Yin held his waistband, pretending to go to the side to urinate. When passing by the Jurchen elves, he 'accidentally' stepped on Zong Taiji's foot.

What does it feel like to have a 200-plus kilogram gorilla step on your foot? Zong Taiji shoved Le Yin open, baring his teeth and cursing, "Malaca, are you looking for death!?"

Even with allied cooperation, conflicts between races still occur frequently; interactions between the Demon race, Titan race, and Elf race usually result in arguments at the slightest disagreement. Having endured the oppression under the pursuit of Radiant Ones was already sufficiently frustrating, yet when facing other races in similar circumstances, there was no empathy nor 'fellow solitudes feeling,' instead, they had to maintain the little dignity they had left, never letting these races, not even human ones, look down on them!

Zong Taiji didn't think it was a big deal; Wu Zhiqi stepped on him once, he cursed Wu Zhiqi once, his only loss. Yet unexpectedly, Wu Zhiqi's pupils suddenly filled with bloodshot, he punched with the speed and fury of wind and thunder!

"You dare insult the deceased Hanuman!"

Divine ability 'Slaughter' activated!

But Le Yin didn't choose the Water Moon Battle Technique's most lethal heavy attack but instead selected the one he was most familiar with, the Eight Martial Streams, which had the most destructive aftermath!

A sound of thunder echoed, the hall plunged into darkness, all light converging upon Le Yin's fist! He punched Zong Taiji's chin, sending Zong Taiji crashing into the ceiling, yet it wasn't enough; he jumped up to follow through with more punches!

Desolate Bite! Flood Spit! Yellow Wail!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

In just a few seconds, the five-meter-thick stratum was directly pierced through by the continuous bombardment from the Moon Position Demon race, and Zong Taiji was sent flying to the ground, exposed under the night sky!

Zong Taiji was almost knocked senseless by this series of combo punches. Yet feeling the flowing light nearby like water, he quickly reacted correctly as a Martial Artist — retaliate!

"You're looking for death!" Zong Taiji roared, raising his hand to wipe away the starlight from the night sky!

"No one can insult Hanuman!" Le Yin followed closely, extending his hand with the bright moon accompanying!

The two martial columns engaged in fierce combat, causing the nearby area to dim extensively, with stars and moon shrouded. From a distance, it looked like Yanjing under the night sky had a chunk suddenly 'dug' out.

"Hmm?"

On the Imperial Court's walls, Cha Huan casually tossed down a Curse Hunter's corpse, glanced at the distant 'blackened' area, eyebrows raised: "Are martial columns clashing?"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.