Chapter 926: Driven to a Dead End
In the final moments of his life, Da Xingguo finally solved the puzzle that had nagged at him: when they entered the palace, they had been thoroughly searched, so where did their weapons come from? The answer lay in the crimson nails adorning their ten slender, jade-like fingers. Usually, they were captivatingly beautiful and alluring, but at the critical moment, they became lethal tools that could kill with the slightest scratch.
Da Xingguo, who had dominated his era and was hailed as the number one expert of the Great Jin Dynasty, found it utterly unbearable to die so silently at the hands of two women. He desperately tried to take at least one of them down with him, but his eyelids grew heavier, and his arms refused to obey his commands.
Thud!
The Moon Envoy raised her left hand, and a surge of sinister force—sharp as a blade, a sword, a dagger, and a chisel—pierced straight into the “Yutang Acupoint” on his chest.
The last flicker of life within Da Xingguo was extinguished.
Daiqisi’s pupils contracted, and she remarked expressionlessly, “It seems your Yin Wind Blade has advanced significantly.”
The Moon Envoy, unaware of the subtle meaning in her tone, clutched her right hand and stared at Da Xingguo with lingering fear. “That eunuch dog was truly formidable. I injected a lethal poison into his body using the Bone-Piercing Needle technique through my nails, yet he still managed to strike back and shatter my arm.”
Daiqisi ultimately dismissed the thought of attacking the Moon Envoy and let out a long sigh. “Indeed. It’s fortunate we didn’t choose to confront him head-on. Had we done so, it’s hard to say how many of us four would have survived.”
Initially, the Three Envoys had believed that no matter how skilled Da Xingguo was, he couldn’t possibly surpass Zhang Wuji, who had mastered the Nine Yang Scripture, Heaven and Earth Great Shift, Taiji Fist, and Sword Art all at once. They were confident that the three of them could handle him with ease.
However, Daiqisi strongly opposed this plan, arguing that such a direct confrontation would cause too much commotion and alert others in the palace. Moreover, defeating an expert of Da Xingguo’s caliber might be feasible, but killing him silently would be exceedingly difficult. As the Persian Ming Cult boasted a millennium-long tradition and experience in assassination, the others, deeply influenced by this heritage, acknowledged the validity of Daiqisi’s concerns after discussion. They unanimously decided to abandon the plan of a four-person attack and instead assigned the task to Daiqisi and the Moon Envoy.
While this seemed to weaken their force, it was actually strategic. In assassination, women possess inherent advantages: they can leverage their beauty and lull enemies into a false sense of security, creating opportunities to strike. The principle of the Persian headquarters was clear: do not act unless success is guaranteed, and once you strike, ensure it is fatal.
The two women first subdued Emperor Xizong, then used a special technique to induce a sudden stroke-like condition in him, diverting Da Xingguo’s attention. The moment Da Xingguo moved to save the emperor, they struck, combining their attack with a potent poison. This allowed them to successfully kill him in an extremely short time. In a fair fight, Daiqisi and the Moon Envoy together were far from being a match for Da Xingguo.
After a brief rest, the two women dressed themselves again, then called in the guards stationed outside one by one and killed them.
The Moon Envoy changed into a eunuch’s robe, took the gold token from the emperor’s person, and went to fetch the Cloud Envoy and the Wind Envoy, who had been waiting outside the palace.
Daiqisi stayed behind to dispose of the bodies in the room. Though she appeared as delicate and beautiful as a peach blossom, she was also the Purple-Robed Dragon King and the Golden Flower Madam, both notorious figures in the martial world who had killed countless people. Handling a few corpses was nothing to her.
By the time the Three Persian Envoys returned with their trusted subordinates, Daiqisi had already taken care of everything. She had the subordinates change into guards’ uniforms and stand watch outside. As for their differing appearances, it was of little concern—countless people died inexplicably in the palace every day, and swapping out a few guards was hardly a remarkable event.
Da Xingguo’s absence posed a slight problem, but they could always find a way to explain it away later. As for Emperor Xizong, he had long been drugged unconscious and thrown onto the bed, left unattended.
The Three Envoys rummaged through the room, searching every cabinet and chest, but failed to find what they were looking for. The Cloud Envoy turned to Daiqisi and asked, “Where is the emperor’s tiger tally?”
Daiqisi was startled. “It wasn’t found?”
Seeing the three of them staring intently at her, she grew furious. “What are you looking at me for? Do you suspect I hid it?”
The Wonderful Wind Envoy chuckled coldly. “Earlier, only you and the Moon Envoy were here. The Moon Envoy came out to fetch us, so she’s cleared. That leaves you alone here during the remaining time. If we don’t suspect you, who else?”
Daiqisi snorted. “I was exhausted from disposing of so many bodies. How would I have had time to look for some tiger tally? Besides, what good would hiding it do me? The leader of the headquarters is my daughter. Why would I deliberately hinder her?”
The Three Persian Envoys exchanged glances, finding Daiqisi’s reasoning sound. They hesitated. “Then where could the tiger tally have gone?”
Daiqisi pointed at Emperor Xizong lying on the bed. “Why not ask him?”
*****
Emperor Xizong was having a wonderful dream.
In it, he held Lady Taohua in one arm and Yuenu in the other, engaging in shameless activities on the dragon bed. To his delight, he felt as if he had suddenly returned to his youth—bursting with endless energy, perpetually firm and tireless.
The two women gazed at him with starry eyes, filling him with a sense of pride and satisfaction he hadn’t experienced in years.
Just as he was about to mount again, rain began to fall inside the room. Enraged, he thought, “My bedchamber is leaking! Once I find out who’s responsible, I’ll execute their entire clan!”
The rain grew heavier, eventually pouring down onto his face like a torrent. He sat up abruptly… and woke up.
There was no rain—only several people surrounding him.
Emperor Xizong’s mind was still foggy. Seeing Daiqisi, he reached out to embrace her. “My beloved consort—”
Slap!
The answer was a crisp slap.
Emperor Xizong was stunned. How long had it been since anyone had dared to strike him? Since becoming emperor, no one had ever disobeyed him let alone hit him. Now, a woman had slapped him—even if she was the devastatingly beautiful Lady Taohua, this was unacceptable. “Guards! Drag this woman out and behead her!”
He called out three times, but not a single person appeared. Finally, he sensed that something was wrong.
Only then did he notice the Cloud Envoy and the Wind Envoy. His expression changed. “Who are you people, daring to trespass into my bedchamber? Do you not know this is a crime punishable by the execution of your entire clans?”
The Wind Envoy responded with another slap. Frowning, he said, “Daiqisi, did you overdose the dr*ug? This dog emperor seems a bit dumb.”
Daiqisi said coldly, “He was never clever to begin with.”
A chill ran down Emperor Xizong’s spine. He shouted urgently, “Da Xingguo! Where are you, you dog sl@ve?”
“Silence!” Daiqisi slapped him again, feeling somewhat relieved of the depression she had felt because of the death of Prince Changsheng. “That dog eunuch is already on the path to the underworld. If you miss him so much, I can send you down to reunite with him.”