Chapter 028: The Yin Wind Arrives

Chang'an City, the Imperial Palace.

Late at night, dozens of cultivators sat in a circle around a magnificent palace, every face etched with tension and anxiety, closely observing the movements around them.

Inside the palace, a man in a dragon robe slept peacefully.

He was the Emperor of the Great Tang.

Outside the palace, cultivators from the Tang Dynasty's Demon-Suppressing Bureau sat in an orderly fashion, cross-legged, forming a Bagua grand formation to protect the palace and the man within.

Time passed bit by bit, and the emperor's sleep within the palace grew more serene.

But the cultivators outside grew more tense.

Suddenly, the bright moonlight vanished abruptly. The crowd looked up and saw a dark cloud, appearing from nowhere, blocking the moon and obscuring the water-bright moonlight.

Then, a gust of yin wind blew in, like an invisible hand caressing the necks of everyone present.

A cultivator murmured, "Everyone be careful, they're here."

All the cultivators were greatly startled, their eyes wide as they observed every move around them.

At the same time, a faint mist drifted from afar, spreading around the palace.

"Dispel this mist."

A cultivator gave the order, and the others obeyed, forming hand seals in unison and shouting, "Wind, come! Wind, come! Wind, come!!!"

In an instant, a gale swept in, as if to scatter the pervasive mist, and everyone's robes rustled loudly in the wind.

The mist was also severely affected, seeming about to be torn to shreds and blown beyond the nine heavens.

But at that moment, the surrounding mist roiled and coalesced, forming soldiers clad in armor, wielding sharp blades, advancing through the gale.

The cultivators protecting the palace struck out, sending beams of light to battle fiercely against the soldiers formed from mist.

While everyone fought desperately, no one noticed a wisp of mist stealthily entering the palace.

This wisp of mist entered the palace and transformed into a man bearing some resemblance to the Tang Emperor. The man looked at the emperor lying on the bed, revealed a ferocious smile, and walked toward him.

But when he was still three steps away from the emperor, a beam of light suddenly rose, forming a barrier that blocked the man's path.

The man looked up and saw four talismans affixed at the four corners of the emperor's bed, forbidding him from approaching the emperor.

The man tried several times but still could not break through the barrier. His face twisted, and he roared at the emperor.

But the emperor slept soundly; the barrier seemed to have a soundproofing effect, and he did not hear the man's roar at all.

The man's face grew more ferocious. Suddenly, the mist composing his body exploded, turning into strands and wisps of invisible yin energy that seeped through the barrier.

In this process, nine-tenths of the yin energy on the man's body was annihilated.

Finally, when the man passed through the barrier and approached the emperor, his body was nearly transparent. In such a state, he could not even touch the emperor, let alone kill him.

The man gave a bitter laugh, turned into a streak of light, and entered the emperor's brow.

...

The fourth day of the sixth month, the ninth year of Tang Gaozu's Wude reign.

Li Shimin, clad in armor, his face somewhat pale, knew he had no retreat. If he stepped back, he would only face death.

Thus, to protect himself, he had to change the current situation.

He was about to do something momentous.

Taking a deep breath, Li Shimin looked around at his trusted followers—advisors and generals—who, for his sake, were willing to join him in this perilous undertaking that could cost them their heads.

So Li Shimin did not feel alone; instead, he was filled with courage and pressure.

Victory or defeat, glory or end—it all came down to this moment.

Just then, a soldier ran over, knelt on one knee, and reported, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qi are approaching."

Li Shimin nodded and said, "Pass the order: no one is to act rashly. Without my command, no one is to make a move, understood?"

"Yes."

Li Shimin dismissed the reporting soldier and stepped forward with a few trusted generals. He vaguely saw the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qi riding toward them. His heart grew more agitated.

But at that moment, the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qi suddenly stopped their horses. Li Shimin's heart skipped a beat. Why had they stopped advancing? Could they have discovered something?

Could it be that He Chang had made a mistake?

He Chang was the commander of the Xuanwu Gate guards. Originally a confidant of the Crown Prince, he had been won over by Li Shimin. Could He Chang be feigning allegiance, waiting for the critical moment to deliver a fatal blow?

Just as Li Shimin grew more anxious, he saw the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qi suddenly turn back.

Li Shimin panicked. No, he couldn't let them leave now. If they left, all his efforts today would be wasted.

So Li Shimin quickly rode after them, shouting, "Elder Brother, Third Brother, stop at once and come with me to see Father."

The Prince of Qi, seeing his second brother chasing after them, grew even more alarmed and without hesitation drew his bow and shot an arrow!

Whoosh!

An arrow flew like a streak of light toward Li Shimin.

Li Shimin was startled but did not dodge, for he realized the Prince of Qi's arrow was not meant to kill him but as a warning. The arrow flew past his side, missing him.

Nevertheless, Li Shimin understood that the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qi must have sensed something wrong and were leaving.

But he could not let them leave like this.

So Li Shimin hardened his heart, drew his bow, aimed at the Prince of Qi, and shot.

The arrow tore through the air with a sharp whistle, easily piercing the Prince of Qi's neck, killing him.

The Prince of Qi stared at his brother in disbelief before toppling from his horse.

Then, near Xuanwu Gate, a host of soldiers suddenly emerged, blocking the Crown Prince's troops and cutting off his escape route. Without a word, both sides engaged in fierce battle at Xuanwu Gate.

Unfortunately, the Crown Prince, unaware that so many soldiers were hidden inside Xuanwu Gate, had brought only a small force and was eventually eliminated by Li Shimin's men.

The Crown Prince was also shot dead by Li Shimin.

When the last resisting figure was slain, Li Shimin breathed a sigh of relief and looked toward the palace, knowing that the next emperor would undoubtedly be him.

"We have won!" Li Shimin said to his men, word by word. No one spoke, but they all looked at Li Shimin with gleaming eyes.

But soon, their eyes shifted from gleaming to panicked, then to terrified.

Li Shimin was bewildered.