Crossing the Cultivation Realm: Two Souls Coexist

After learning of Prince Zhu's defection, the emperor realized that Hu Qing might become the target of Prince Zhu's revenge.

To ensure Hu Qing's safety, the emperor decided to place him in a safe and secluded room in the palace.

The emperor gave orders to his guards:

"Come here, take Gu Yang to the side hall of the palace immediately and ensure his safety."

The guards acted quickly and took Hu Qing to a quiet room in the palace.

This room is located in the side hall of the palace, is not easy to be found, and is heavily guarded to ensure Hu Qing's safety.

After Hu Qing was settled, the emperor came to visit him in person:

"Guyang, I know you may be feeling uneasy right now, but please rest assured, I will ensure your safety. You should rest here for the time being and don't worry about what's happening outside."

Hu Qing was very grateful for the emperor's concern and arrangements: "Your Majesty, thank you for your concern and arrangements. I understand my situation. I will cultivate myself well here and will not cause you any trouble."

The emperor nodded and emphasized again: "Guyang, you have made a great contribution to exposing Prince Zhu's crimes. I will find out the truth as soon as possible and give you a fair result. In the meantime, your safety is my greatest concern."

In the room of the palace, Hu Qing began his life of self-cultivation.

He knew that although he could not directly participate in the operation to track down Prince Zhu, his safety was more important than anything else.

The spiritual energy here is more abundant than outside, so it's a good opportunity to practice here. I just don't know when Gu Yang will wake up.

After ensuring the safety of the palace and Hu Qing's protection, the emperor decided to go to Zhu's mansion in person to further investigate Prince Zhu's crimes.

He knew that there might be key evidence hidden in the Zhu Mansion, evidence that was crucial to uncovering the truth.

The emperor led a team of guards to Zhu's mansion.

His expression was serious and his eyes were determined, and he was obviously prepared to face any possible discovery.

At Zhu's mansion, the emperor ordered the commander and guards to search every corner thoroughly.

After a careful search, the commander reported an important discovery to the emperor:

"Your Majesty, we discovered a secret passage in the Zhu Mansion's study, which seems to lead to the outside of the city."

When the emperor heard this report, a sharp light flashed in his eyes.

He immediately realized that this secret passage might be the key for Prince Zhu to escape pursuit.

"Investigate this passage immediately, find out where it ends, and whether Prince Zhu used it to escape from the capital." The emperor ordered.

The guards acted quickly and began searching along the secret passage.

The passage was narrow and winding, clearly carefully designed to avoid detection.

The emperor stood in the study of Zhu Mansion, examining the entrance to the secret passage.

"The existence of this passage shows that Prince Zhu had planned it in advance. We must find out the truth as soon as possible to prevent him from continuing to cause harm." The emperor's voice was full of determination and majesty.

The emperor ordered an intensified search outside the city, especially in areas where secret passages might lead.

At the same time, he also ordered the guards to continue searching for other possible clues and evidence in the Zhu Mansion.

The emperor stood at the entrance of the secret passage in Zhu's study with a solemn expression.

Behind him, several of his most loyal guards followed closely, each of them with vigilance written on their faces.

The emperor knew that this secret passage might be the key to uncovering Prince Zhu's conspiracy, but it could also be a trap.

Their footsteps echoed in the narrow passage, and the light from the torches cast swaying shadows on the walls.

Suddenly, a strong sense of uneasiness surged into the emperor's heart. He stopped and signaled the guards to be on high alert.

However, it was too late.

A huge spiritual power came like a violent storm, and the back of the passage was destroyed in an instant. Rocks and dust fell down, completely blocking the retreat route.

The emperor's face became solemn. He did not expect that Prince Zhu would set an ambush here.

"Zhu Pei, how dare you ambush me here!"

The emperor's voice echoed in the passage, full of anger and majesty.

Zhu Pei slowly walked out from the shadows in front, with a smug smile on his face.

At this moment, Zhu Pei was no longer the gentle prince of the past. His aura was filled with an irrepressible murderous aura. Obviously, his hidden strength had reached the late Nascent Soul stage, which was equivalent to that of the emperor.

"Your Majesty, you are finally here."

Zhu Pei's voice was filled with sarcasm. "I've been waiting for this day for a long time. Today, I'll let you see my true power."

As soon as he finished speaking, the spiritual power around Zhu Pei erupted like a volcano, overwhelming the emperor.

Although the emperor was surprised at Zhu Pei's true strength, he was no ordinary person. His cultivation at the peak of the late Nascent Soul stage gave him enough capital to compete with him.

Although the emperor has not broken through the Nascent Soul realm, years of practice, coupled with the emperor's luck, have given him an extraordinary foundation.

"Overlord's tactics, shield!"

He quickly performed a defensive technique, and light shone all around him, forming an indestructible light shield that forcibly blocked Prince Zhu's first wave of attacks.

"Overlord's fighting method, Tyrannical Palm!"

"Crazy Lion Technique, boom!"

He formed seals with his hands, and a vast spiritual power surged out from his palms, colliding head-on with Prince Zhu's attack. A sharp roar erupted in the air, and the collision of the two forces caused the entire secret passage to tremble.

The battle between the two instantly turned the secret passage into a chaotic battlefield.

The collision of spiritual power caused a series of small explosions, dust and debris flew everywhere, and the entire space seemed to be shaking.

The emperor and Zhu Pei were in a stalemate for a while, and both sides were trying their best to break the other's defense.

In this secret passage, flames danced and spiritual energy surged. The confrontation between the emperor and Zhu Pei was not only a contest of strength, but also a clash of power and ambition.

Anger and unwillingness flashed in Zhu Pei's eyes, and his voice echoed in the passage, revealing his deep dissatisfaction and grievance.

"Your Majesty, you should know that my Zhu family also contributed to the founding of the nation. My eldest son is extremely talented, but because of a small mistake, he was exiled to the frontier, where he will never be able to rise to prominence."

Zhu Pei expressed his dissatisfaction while fighting with the emperor, "And those princes, their talents are far inferior to my son's, but they can stay in the capital to practice and enjoy endless resources and glory."

The emperor frowned. He could feel the anger in Zhu Pei's words, but he was not shaken.

"Zhu Pei, your eldest son is indeed talented, but he killed people in a street dispute, leaving no one alive from the thirteen members of the Qi family. This is no reason for you to betray the court."

Zhu Pei's attack became more fierce, and his spiritual power was like a storm, constantly attacking the emperor.

"My second son is extremely intelligent, but he still has to pass the imperial examination to become an official. And those princes can become officials directly without doing anything. Is this fair? Is this reasonable?

A complex expression flashed in the emperor's eyes. He knew that there was some rationality in Zhu Pei's words, but that was not a reason for him to betray.

"Zhu Pei, the imperial court has its own rules. The imperial examination is an important way to select talents. If your son is truly talented, he will naturally stand out. You should never kill those outlying candidates. Are you possessed?"