High Martial Arts: I Travel Through Heaven and Earth Through Dreams

Night returned to its original silence.

But amidst this silence, there was an overwhelming stench of blood.

The flickering torchlight illuminated the horrifying sight of the corpses and pools of blood scattered on the ground.

Lin Hanzhou stood quietly in the center of the square, his spotless brocade robes contrasting sharply with the corpses scattered on the ground.

Drops of bright red blood slid down the tip of the longsword in his hand, blooming into tiny blood flowers on the white jade floor tiles.

The innate master who had just been severely injured by the Third Prince's hidden weapon was now lying in a pile of corpses, not daring to breathe.

He was now incredibly grateful that he hadn't participated in the ambush because of his serious injuries.

Looking at the excessively young eleventh prince before him, a storm raged within him.

According to rumors, the eleventh prince was clearly a useless person with blocked meridians who was unable to cultivate.

The person in front of them was no trash at all; he killed a Xiantian cultivator as easily as killing a chicken, and his cultivation was unfathomable.

How could such a strong person be called a good-for-nothing? That's utterly absurd.

I don't know who spread the rumor, but if he finds out who it was, I'll skin that person alive.

Just as he was thinking this, a faint, almost imperceptible sound of footsteps came from the shadows all around.

"Shh...shh...shh..."

The sound wasn't loud, but it had a unique rhythm, like a venomous snake gliding across the sand.

This commotion naturally did not escape Lin Hanzhou's notice. He raised an eyebrow and slowly looked up.

One after another, figures clad in black soft armor appeared like ghosts, emerging silently from behind the palace pillars, beside the artificial hills, and from the shadows.

Each of them exuded a deep and powerful aura, moving silently as if they had become one with the darkness.

Their numbers were small, only about a hundred people.

However, the sharp and murderous aura emanating from him was far superior to that of the Tiger Guards or the assassins from the Green Robe Tower.

These are the legendary Dark Guards!

It was the most mysterious and elite force in the Sui Dynasty, directly subordinate to the emperor himself.

The leader of the secret guards was of medium height and had an ordinary appearance; he was the kind of person who would be easily lost in a crowd.

However, the aura emanating from him was that of a genuine third-level innate cultivator.

It was an aura that was far more solid and profound than that of the second level of innate cultivation.

The commander ignored the corpses scattered on the ground, walked straight to Lin Hanzhou, knelt on one knee, and said respectfully.

"Commander of the Dark Guards, Xuan Ya, greets Your Highness. Congratulations, Your Highness, on becoming the sole victor tonight."

He adopted a very humble posture, without the slightest arrogance befitting a third-level innate expert.

As the commander knelt down, the rest of the guards also knelt down to show their loyalty.

Seeing this, Lin Hanzhou was somewhat surprised.

He was surprised by the royal family's resources; there was actually a third-level innate expert among these secret guards.

Moreover, the secret guards also include one expert at the second level of the Innate Realm and ten experts at the first level of the Innate Realm.

This lineup is stronger than the combined forces of the Third Prince and the Ninth Prince.

After a brief moment of surprise, Lin Hanzhou spoke calmly.

"Have you been watching all this time?"

"Yes, this is His Majesty's order. We are only responsible for clearing the area and witnessing. Unless there is interference from external forces, we will never interfere in the disputes among Your Highnesses."

Xuan Ya bowed his head respectfully and spoke without hiding anything.

Upon hearing this answer, Lin Hanzhou looked thoughtful.

Just as he had thought, it was all part of the old emperor Lin Batian's plan.

This bloody and brutal struggle for the throne was a "grand test" in which he personally selected his successor!

The Third Prince, the Ninth Prince, and all the other deceased princes were merely sacrifices in this examination.

What cunning! What ruthlessness!

Thinking of this, Lin Hanzhou felt a slight ripple in his heart, but he quickly regained his composure.

He had seen this kind of imperial scheming in his previous life's history and novels quite often.

Although somewhat surprised, it was not unacceptable.

What he was more curious about now was what this cheap father, the emperor, was trying to do by setting up such a huge scheme.

Now that the Sui Dynasty is powerful, it seems there is no need for this kind of selection method of raising Gu (a type of insect).

Unfortunately, the original owner had very little understanding of the current political situation, which prevented Lin Hanzhou from making any inferences.

I will only know all this when I see that cheap father, the emperor.

"I see. Now, could you take me to see my father?"

After pondering for a moment, Lin Hanzhou spoke calmly.

"Of course, Your Highness, His Majesty has been waiting for you."

"Please come with me, Your Highness. His Majesty has decreed that the final victor will be qualified to see him in the Council Hall."

As he spoke, Xuan Ya rose and respectfully led the way.

"Your Highness, please."

Lin Hanzhou followed without hesitation.

After the two left, the remaining guards began to clean up the battlefield.

Along the way, the innate master who tried to pretend to be a corpse was unsurprisingly discovered.

The moment they spotted the other party, the eleven Innate Realm guards surrounded them.

Seeing that the surrounding area was full of experts at the Innate Realm, the already seriously injured Innate Realm expert turned pale.

Wait, buddy? How come there are eleven innate masters?

...........

On the other side, Lin Hanzhou followed Xuan Ya through a series of deep corridors.

The deeper you go into the palace, the quieter it becomes; even the sound of the wind seems to disappear.

These palaces are unique in architectural style and meticulously laid out, demonstrating the ingenuity of the craftsmen.

Finally, the black raven stopped in front of a seemingly ordinary palace that exuded supreme majesty.

The plaque above the hall bears three large characters in a flowing, elegant style: "Hall of Political Discussion."

"His Majesty is waiting for you inside; your subordinate is waiting outside."

Xuan Ya bowed and stepped aside.

Lin Hanzhou nodded, took a deep breath, and pushed open the door made of century-old agarwood.

"Squeak—"

As the door opened, a unique aroma, a blend of medicinal fragrance, sandalwood, and the scent of books, wafted out.

The interior of the hall was softly lit and simply furnished, lacking any glittering luxury, but instead exuding a sense of solemnity and grandeur.

At the deepest part of the main hall, behind a large desk, sat a figure.

He was an old man who looked like he was on his deathbed.

He was dressed in a simple yellow casual outfit, his hair was gray and sparse, his face was covered with deep wrinkles, and his body was hunched over, as if a gust of wind could blow him over.

However, his eyes exuded the majesty unique to those in power.

This aura of quiet authority seems to penetrate people's hearts and see through all the illusions of the world!

He was Lin Batian, the legendary emperor who unified the Sui Dynasty and reigned for sixty years.

Two men, separated by a generation but both standing at the pinnacle of power and influence in this world, met in mid-air.

Inside the main hall, for a moment, you could hear a pin drop.