The Eldest Daughter Returns with Power

In the deep, secluded chamber of the solemn and imposing Duke Jing's mansion, the faint candlelight flickered incessantly, its dim yellow glow illuminating the tightly furrowed brows of Yuwen Mo and Gongsun Lin, making them appear exceptionally grave. Before them lay an incredibly detailed map of the capital, densely marked with numerous mysterious locations where the Shadow Cult might be hiding, as well as the almost impenetrable defenses surrounding the palace.

“Brother Lin, based on my careful observation, the Shadow Cult’s actions this time are by no means a spur-of-the-moment decision. They must have been preparing for this for a long time, and their spearhead is aimed directly at the majestic imperial palace. We must deal with this with utmost care.” Yuwen Mo’s slender fingers lightly traced a mark on the map, which was a crucial stronghold of the Shadow Cult in the capital.

Gongsun Lin nodded solemnly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "Indeed, they've colluded with the Third Prince; there must be a much bigger scheme behind this. We must find out their true purpose as quickly as possible, and at the same time, do everything in our power to ensure the absolute safety of the palace." After careful consideration, the two decided to split up and begin their operations.

Yuwen Mo led a group of elite men to secretly infiltrate the Shadow Cult's stronghold under the cover of night, attempting to gather as much valuable intelligence as possible; while Gongsun Lin was tasked with strengthening the palace's defenses and closely monitoring the Third Prince's every move to prevent any unforeseen events from occurring.

In the stillness of the night, Yuwen Mo swiftly changed into a jet-black outfit, disappearing silently from the solemn and imposing Jingguo Duke's mansion like a ghost blending into the darkness. His agile figure moved like a whirlwind, nimbly and rapidly traversing the winding streets and alleys of the capital, finally arriving steadily near the Shadow Cult's stronghold. With his extraordinary lightness skill and astonishingly keen perception, he moved like a nimble cat, silently infiltrating the stronghold.

Inside the stronghold, the lights shone brightly, and the Shadow Cult members hurried about, each seemingly tense and anxious, making final preparations for an upcoming major operation. Yuwen Mo nimbly concealed himself in a dimly lit corner, his gaze focused and sharp, carefully observing everything around him, trying to find crucial clues useful to him from this complex scene.

Suddenly, a low, suppressed conversation broke the brief silence, instantly drawing his full attention. He cautiously approached, only to hear one person say in a very low voice, "The leader has ordered that this operation must be carried out flawlessly. We must obtain that treasure in the palace, no matter what." The other person quickly replied, "Don't worry, we have made thorough preparations. Now we are just waiting for the right opportunity to launch our operation."

A treasure? Yuwen Mo's heart skipped a beat. Could this mysterious treasure be the true purpose of the Shadow Cult's collaboration with the Third Prince? He secretly memorized this crucial information. Just as he was about to leave quietly, he accidentally triggered a hidden mechanism. "Who?!" A sharp shout suddenly rang out, and several cultists reacted swiftly, surrounding him in the blink of an eye. Yuwen Mo's figure instantly sprang up, engaging the cultists in a fierce battle without hesitation. Relying on his unparalleled martial arts skills, he fought against multiple opponents, repelling the onslaught one by one, but he also suffered a considerable injury in the process.

Just as he was struggling to break through the encirclement, a familiar figure suddenly appeared in front of him—it was the middle-aged leader of the Shadow Cult, whose sinister face sent chills down one's spine. "Yuwen Mo, you really came." The leader's lips curled up in a sneer. "Since you're here, don't even think about leaving here alive."

Yuwen Mo gritted his teeth, his gaze resolute and determined, and without hesitation engaged in a breathtaking and fierce duel with the sect leader. The two were evenly matched, the battle a stalemate, neither gaining the upper hand. However, just as Yuwen Mo was about to succumb to exhaustion and be defeated, the rapid and loud sound of approaching hooves grew louder. Gongsun Lin's reinforcements arrived just in time, instantly surrounding the Shadow Sect members and their leader.

"Brother Lin, are you alright?" Yuwen Mo asked, panting.

Gongsun Lin shook his head, his gaze firm: "I'm fine, thanks to you for discovering their plot in time. Now, it's time to teach them a lesson."

Under their leadership, the elite disciples of the Duke of Jingguo's mansion engaged in a fierce battle with the followers of the Shadow Cult. After a hard-fought battle, the Shadow Cult leader and two of his top fighters escaped under the cover of their subordinates, while the rest of his men, aside from those killed, were captured. Yuwen Mo and Gongsun Lin exchanged a glance, both understanding that the battle was far from over.

They decided to expedite the interrogation of the arrested Shadow Cult members overnight, hoping to extract more valuable information about the Shadow Cult and the mysterious treasure.

Meanwhile, Yin Feng, who was delivering a message to the Crown Prince, also arrived at the Eastern Palace.

Inside the Crown Prince's study, Yin Feng stood beside the Crown Prince and reported, "Your Highness, my master has sent me to report that some members of the Shadow Cult have been captured. They plan to interrogate them tonight and have asked if you will participate in the interrogation."

"Lead the way," the prince said, rising to follow.

…………

In the tense interrogation room of the Ministry of Justice prison, Yuwen Mo and Gongsun Lin, their expressions grim, interrogated the cult members before them with extreme severity. "Speak! What exactly is your purpose?" Yuwen Mo roared, his eyes wide with fury.

The cultists all hung their heads, their lips tightly pressed together, remaining silent, clearly unwilling to reveal anything to them. Seeing this, Gongsun Lin's face darkened, and he coldly said, "If you don't tell the truth, don't blame us for being ruthless."

The believers remained silent.

A series of heavy, hurried footsteps approached from afar, and then the imposing Crown Prince slowly walked in.

"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince," Gongsun Lin and Yuwen Mo quickly stood up and said respectfully.

"No need for formalities." The Crown Prince slightly raised his hand in greeting, then turned his gaze to the kneeling followers beside him. His face was grim, and he said in a low voice, "I am here. If you confess the truth, you may be treated leniently. But if you continue to resist stubbornly, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

"Your Highness, these martial arts practitioners will inevitably have to be tortured; that way they won't talk," Yuwen Mo said solemnly from the side.

"Then torture them and see if the instruments are harder or their bones are harder," the Crown Prince ordered the jailer expressionlessly.

The believers trembled slightly, but they clenched their teeth tightly and refused to utter a single word.

"Ah!" Suddenly, a shrill scream echoed through the cell.

"Ah! Ah! Ah!..." One scream after another rose and fell, never ceasing.

Finally, amidst increasingly heart-wrenching screams, one of the believers could no longer contain himself and blurted out in a panicked and anxious voice, "I'll talk! I'll talk!..."

"The treasure our leader desires is a legendary jade seal with extraordinary power. It is said that possessing it allows one to control the fate of the world..." Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince, Yuwen Mo, and Gongsun Lin were all shocked. They never expected that this treasure would be so crucial, enough to influence the entire world's situation.

"Summon the Minister of Justice and have him continue the interrogation. You two will accompany me to the palace," the Crown Prince said solemnly to Xiao Quanzi.