The Cloud-Soaring Skiff glided through the night, as fast as a shooting star, crossing thousands of miles of mountains and rivers in just a few short days. This was the first time Tran Kien had truly utilized the pinnacle artifact-forging techniques from the Lac Viet legacy, and its efficacy far exceeded his imagination. This speed, compared to riding a horse or taking an ordinary boat, was a hundred times faster.
Inside the cabin, the atmosphere was incredibly heavy. Uncle Sword sat cross-legged in a corner, his eyes tightly shut, his wooden sword resting horizontally across his lap. He was not cultivating; he was nourishing his spirit, adjusting his state to the absolute peak. He knew that the impending battle in the capital would be vastly more dangerous than the grand battle at the Sacred City. The enemy was not only powerful but incredibly cunning, hiding right within the epicenter of Dai Viet's power.
Tran Kien stood at the prow, looking down at the mountain ranges and rivers flashing by like ink-wash paintings. He did not slacken his guard in the slightest. In his mind, countless plans and contingencies were being drafted and discarded. "The enemy knows we are coming," he said, without turning his head. "The commotion in Fallen Leaf Province, despite our efforts to lock down information, could never be hidden for long from the intelligence network of the Sacred Dynasty. They know I have departed."
"Then why haven't they intercepted us on the road?" Uncle Sword opened his eyes and asked.
"Because they do not need to," Tran Kien replied, his gaze profound. "The Thang Long Imperial Capital is the greatest trap they have laid. They do not want to kill us in the desolate wilderness. They want to capture Lam Vy alive, and simultaneously annihilate the entire faction of Duke Dinh Quoc right beneath the feet of the Son of Heaven. That would be a flawless performance."
On the fifth day of the journey, when they reached the outskirts of the capital, a messenger bird from the Vô Sect flew over, carrying a secret missive from Thiet Phu. The contents of the letter verified all of Tran Kien's deductions. The situation in the capital was extremely dire. After receiving news of Tran Kien leaving Fallen Leaf Province, the Sacred Dynasty no longer hid its fangs. A series of assassinations targeting officials loyal to Duke Dinh Quoc had occurred continuously. A bizarre, untraceable plague began to spread through the commoners' districts, causing extreme panic. The Six Gates, under Tao Chinh, despite utilizing their full strength, were spun around like a top. The enemy was not attacking the military. They were attacking the "hearts of the people," the very stability of the entire capital. And the ultimate target of all this chaos pointed to one single location: An Lac Temple.
"They are trying to create a disturbance large enough to serve as an excuse to infiltrate the imperial palace," Tran Kien said, his voice as cold as ice. He did not let the Cloud-Soaring Skiff fly directly into the capital. He ordered a landing in a dense forest to the north, where Thiet Phu and the twenty Blood Fiend Guards were already waiting.
"Exalted Lord!"
"What is the situation?"
"Reporting, exactly as you predicted. The enemy has cast an inescapable net of heaven and earth around An Lac Temple. They have not attacked yet; they are awaiting the opportune moment. According to the intelligence this subordinate gathered, tonight will be the night of the 'Grand Alignment of Seven Stars'—a time when yin energy reaches its absolute peak, the most suitable moment to execute wicked Shamanic arts."
"Bravo for a flawless plan," Tran Kien sneered coldly. "But they have forgotten one thing. A game of chess does not always have only two players."
He looked toward his most loyal subordinates. Twenty Blood Fiend Guards, led by Thiet Phu. Uncle Sword. And himself. A small army, yet they were the sharpest of daggers.
"The chessboard in the capital has been reset," he said, drawing the Lac Hong Saber, its blade glinting in the dark night as coldly as moonlight. "This time, I will not merely clear the board."
"I will overthrow the chess player entirely."