The poorest member of the Imperial Guard, the Empress begged me to embezzle.

"Princess Anguo?"

Chu Xiu was taken aback, then took a few quick steps and arrived at the unconscious woman's side.

He had heard of Princess Anguo's reputation.

As the current emperor's sister, though a woman, she refused to lag behind the other royal men. Concealing her identity, she joined the army alone and went to the battlefield between the Southern Zhou Dynasty and the barbarians.

Three years later, after being seriously injured and recognized by a border general, the truth came to light and she was restored to her identity as a princess. However, she still chose to stay on the border to continue protecting her country.

Li Yan was both amused and exasperated: "The princess has been staying in the Southern Territory all these years. I never expected that she would be beaten half to death by you just after being summoned back by His Majesty and not even having gone to the Eastern Territory to suppress the rebellion..."

Chu Xiu reached out and removed the woman's helmet, pinched her chin and turned her head left and right to check her breathing.

"Hmm... she's not dead, that's good. Considering her foundation at the fifth level of the Profound Immortal realm isn't weak."

Chu Xiu was somewhat relieved that he had only kicked her and hadn't used a killing move on her.

After all, killing a princess who was protecting the border is a major event that is overflowing with negative energy.

Chu Xiu stood up: "I have urgent business to report to His Majesty, so I'll leave her in your care."

He patted Li Yan's pale shoulder and comforted him, "Don't worry, this is my fault. I will explain it to His Majesty and it won't affect you."

Li Yan was overjoyed upon hearing this: "Thank you, Lord Marquis."

Chu Xiu nodded, took a step, and headed towards the Taiji Palace.

In just a few breaths, they arrived at Taiji Palace.

Pei Guanyin, the female official in charge of writing at the Directorate of Ceremonial, was waiting outside the palace when she looked up and saw Chu Xiu rushing towards her.

"My lord! Congratulations, my lord..."

Pei Guanyin smiled and was about to bow when Chu Xiu stopped her.

"Lord Pei, I have urgent business to report to His Majesty..."

Before Chu Xiu could finish speaking, Pei Guanyin had already pushed open the palace door:

"If it's urgent, Your Excellency, please come in quickly!"

Chu Xiu nodded, quickly entered the hall, and arrived before Empress Murong Si's desk, where he clasped his hands in a respectful greeting.

"Your humble servant Chu Xiu greets Your Majesty!"

Jiang Wan'er was also in the hall at this time, bowing to Chu Xiu.

Murong Si had already overheard their conversation inside the hall and said to Chu Xiu, "My dear minister, there's no need for such formalities. If you have any urgent business to discuss, please speak freely."

Chu Xiu said sternly, "Your Majesty! The Heavenly Demon Sect massacred tens of thousands of people in Weiwu City, Liangzhou. I have exterminated the entire sect to avenge the people of Weiwu City!"

"Furthermore, the Embroidered Uniform Guard has already discovered that Prince Qi had indeed colluded with the Heavenly Demon Sect as early as ten years ago, training private soldiers with the intention of plotting a rebellion."

"Now that the Heavenly Demon Sect has been destroyed, apart from the private army under the Qi King, there is no longer any threat from the Liangzhou rebellion!"

A barrage of shocking information came from Chu Xiu's mouth, leaving even the Empress stunned for a moment.

From the moment Elder Blood Slaughter of the Heavenly Demon Sect Elder to Chu Xiu's annihilation of the Heavenly Demon Sect to avenge the innocent people, only a day or two had passed.

If Chu Xiu hadn't told her personally, the Empress would probably have had to wait another half a month to find out all this.

"Where is the King of Qi? Did the King of Qi participate in the massacre?"

Murong Si asked urgently.

Chu Xiu shook his head in denial: "Although King Qi conspired with the Heavenly Demon Sect, it was for the purpose of privately raising an army and intending to launch a rebellion. He did not participate in the massacre!"

Upon hearing this, Murong Si breathed a sigh of relief and said solemnly, "In that case, there is still hope for him!"

"Guanyin, Wan'er! Draft the decree!"

"Order General Zhao to lead troops to blockade all roads in Liangzhou, search for and capture the Prince of Qi, thoroughly investigate the location of the rebel army, and detain them all!"

"Anyone who resists will be killed on the spot. General Zhao is authorized to execute them first and report later!"

"Furthermore, send troops from nearby prefectures and counties to Wuwei to assist the original Liangzhou garrison in searching for survivors and rescuing the wounded!"

"Regarding the search and rescue efforts in Wuwei, provide as much supplies and money as you need!"

"Yes!"

After Pei Guanyin and Jiang Wan'er left quickly with the imperial decree, Chu Xiu brought up the matter of going into seclusion.

"Your Highness, I have now taken a half-step into the ninth level of the Profound Immortal Realm and urgently need a secluded place to complete my breakthrough..."

Murong Si smiled and waved her hand, interrupting Chu Xiu's words, and said, "At this moment, Pavilion Master Liu has already informed me through telepathy that such explosive news has truly shocked me for a long time."

"Minister Chu truly lives up to his reputation as a prodigy!"

"I have already instructed Guanyin to prepare for opening the royal secret realm. You may go with her!"

"I hereby congratulate Marquis Champion in advance on becoming the number one in the world!"

"Once you emerge from the pass, I will discuss your merits and rewards with you!"

Chu Xiu clasped his hands in thanks: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"But there's one more thing..."

Murong Si smiled and said, "Is there anything else you want to tell me, Minister Chu?"

Chu Xiu smiled sheepishly: "When I entered the palace, I was stopped by a woman, and we got into a fight. I accidentally crippled her..."

"Fortunately, no one was seriously injured. The Imperial Guard Commander Li Yan has already sent him to the Imperial Hospital for treatment..."

Upon hearing this, Murong Si laughed heartily and said, "Woman? In this capital, apart from me, what woman would dare to block your path, Lord Chu?"

"..."

"Wait! A woman?"

Murong Si's smile froze as she suddenly remembered that there really was such a person in the capital.

She looked at Chu Xiu, who was blushing, and asked in surprise:

"You, you threw Princess Anguo, whom I had finally managed to bring back from the southern border, into the Imperial Hospital?!"

Chu Xiu scratched his head: "It really wasn't intentional..."

Murong Si sighed, "Never mind, I suppose this matter was caused by that girl from Anguo."

"The matter of seclusion is of utmost importance, you should go ahead!"

Chu Xiu nodded and withdrew from the hall.

Jiang Wan'er was already waiting outside the palace.

"Lord Jiang, may I ask what this so-called secret realm is all about?"

Chu Xiu asked.

Jiang Wan'er pondered for a moment, then said softly, "All Wan'er knows is that the secret realm is a relic from the previous dynasty."

"It survived several wars and remains to this day, long before the Great Zhou Dynasty was established and the capital was rebuilt here."

"Legend has it that the secret realm is the only path from the mortal world to the so-called Great Thousand World."

"But for thousands of years, no one has ever truly entered that secret realm."

"Simply because of that extremely demanding prerequisite: reaching the peak of the ninth level of the Profound Immortal Realm, half a step into the final stage!"

Jiang Wan'er looked at Chu Xiu, her eyes sparkling.

"I never imagined that Lord Marquis, having only entered the martial arts world a few years ago, would already reach a level that ordinary people could not achieve even after thousands of years of effort..."

"Truly...amazing!"

"Wan'er also strongly agrees with what Pavilion Master Liu said when he evaluated Lord Chu: 'A golden carp is no ordinary fish; it will transform into a dragon once it encounters wind and clouds!'"

"The Great Zhou Dynasty, and even this world, is just a small passerby in Lord Chu's life."

"That vast world is the only realm where Lord Chu can roam freely!"

Jiang Wan'er suddenly asked seriously, "Does Lord Chu know why the ninth level of the Profound Immortal Realm is considered the pinnacle of martial arts?"

"It's because the laws of this world cannot withstand the power of a powerhouse above the Xuanxian level!"

"This vast territory of the Great Zhou Dynasty is nothing more than a corner of the country!"

"Beyond the Great Zhou Dynasty, there is still another world!"

"A nation like the Great Zhou is but a drop in the ocean in this vast world!"