Murong Tian saw that Mo Han was so insistent, so he could only nod and say, "Alright, if that's the case, then I'll go make arrangements first. You need to prepare yourself." There was a trace of worry and care in his tone.

Mo Han smiled at him and said, "Don't worry, I never do anything I'm not sure of, so there shouldn't be any problems." After saying this, Mo Han entered the Church of Light to find Elder Guanghuo, while Murong Tian left the Church to arrange what Mo Han had instructed. Time quickly moved into the evening, and the area outside the Church of Light was already packed with people.

All the personnel from the nearby Light Churches in Tianlong City were likely gathered at the Grand Cathedral of Light by now, and adding the five thousand Imperial Guards at the entrance, the total force was no less than seven thousand. It was truly a display of formidable power; even a Ming General would have to seriously assess their own capabilities when facing such a formation.

However, the time had reached midnight, yet the figure of that Ming General still had not appeared. Seeing this, some of the Church's priests began to ask Mola, "Priest Mola, do you think that man in black got scared and dared not come?

I think he saw so many of us and got frightened, so he slipped away." Mola shook his head upon hearing this and replied, "I'm not entirely certain either, but since the man in black said he would come, we had better remain highly vigilant." Although the priests inwardly disagreed, Mola was essentially the highest authority for the Church of Light in the Tianlong Empire, so they dared not say more, merely standing there in quiet anticipation. Meanwhile, within the Imperial Palace of the Tianlong Empire, outside the Emperor's private study—the very place where Emperor Long Zhantian conducted state affairs, the center of the nation—security remained extremely tight.

Besides the dozens of Imperial Guards stationed at the entrance, patrolling guards frequently passed by in the vicinity. Observing these guards, each one looked spirited and alert, clearly the elite of the Imperial Guard.

Otherwise, they would not have been assigned the crucial duty of protecting the Emperor's safety. The Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard, An Hai, stood diligently outside the private study, focused entirely on safeguarding the Emperor.

Inside the study, the lights were still brightly lit, indicating the Emperor was still awake, immersed in state matters. Gazing at the perpetually illuminated study, An Hai couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Since he became the commander of the Imperial Guard, it seemed the Emperor was always busy until late into the night, yet had to attend the morning court early, leaving virtually no time for rest. This situation had persisted for several years.

His Emperor was truly a rare and good ruler; it was a pity the princes were so disappointing, preoccupied only with schemes for power and status, with none capable of easing the Emperor’s burden. Only the Eighth Princess showed genuine promise and was deeply favored by the Emperor; regrettably, she was born female, otherwise, she would undoubtedly be the next ruler of the Tianlong Empire.

Just as An Hai was lost in thought, he heard a shout from one of the patrolling guards outside: "Who goes there! How dare you trespass into the Imperial Palace!

Surrender at once!" But before the voice faded, a piercing scream rang out, followed by absolute silence. An Hai immediately tensed, ordering, "Do not leave your posts!

Protect the Emperor!" Hearing his command, the guards at the entrance swiftly drew their weapons, watching the front with sharp vigilance. But all that followed was a continuous stream of screams from the Imperial Guards outside, with no one stepping forward to explain the situation.

It seemed the situation was far worse than he had imagined. The intruder's martial arts skill was certainly not low, and the number of assassins was unknown.

Furthermore, half of the palace guards had been redeployed to the Church of Light tonight to assist with security, leaving only half the usual complement in the palace. Could this all be a conspiracy?

An Hai’s mind raced. At this thought, his hand, gripping his weapon, began to sweat slightly.

Just then, a silhouette slowly emerged from the darkness ahead, gradually stepping into the illuminated range of the torches near the private study. Upon seeing the newcomer, An Hai involuntarily sucked in a breath, feeling a chill spread through his body, as if the surrounding air temperature had dropped in response to the figure.

The figure was entirely shrouded in black clothing, with only a face exposed. However, the face was obscured by a dense, black mist, making it impossible to discern any features.

Even the intense light of the torches could not penetrate the dark vapor around the face; everything appeared profoundly unsettling. Although An Hai was somewhat startled, he was, after all, a seasoned veteran of many battles.

He barked a challenge toward the figure, "Who are you? How dare you trespass in the Imperial Palace!

Do you know this is a capital offense? Stop right there!" The guards, who had been showing signs of fear, snapped back to attention upon hearing An Hai’s voice, all gripping their weapons tightly and maintaining sharp readiness.

The man in black, instead of halting upon hearing An Hai’s words, produced a grating, ear-piercing sound of metal scraping and spoke, "You foolish humans! Do you truly believe you can stop me?

You are courting death." The harsh, grating voice made everyone uneasy. An Hai knew the intruder was targeting the Emperor, but as the Emperor’s guard, he absolutely could not fail his duty.

With this resolve, An Hai shouted, "Seize this assassin!" The guards at the entrance immediately obeyed, and several lunged toward the black-clad figure. Their weapons emitted a faint emerald glow as they swung toward the intruder, clearly indicating that these guards had all reached the realm of Sword Master.

The man in black did not evade the incoming weapons but strode forward to meet the guards, speaking with utter contempt, "The light of a mere firefly dares to vie with the sun and moon? Seek death." Without even glancing at the weapons aimed at him, he continued forward, showing not the slightest regard for the guards' assault.

Leaping toward...