Like the scales beneath a dragon's throat, everyone has a sensitive, crucial, precious spot. And for Lin Tianrong, it was his study. Because it was the place where he had meetings with guests and discussed politics.
In other words…
The study was the heart of the Eastern Palace.
If a random building was burnt, Lin Tianrong would only lose some face. But with his study being burnt down, it was totally different. He felt as if someone had slapped him in the face.
Most importantly, the building's furniture and decoration could be bought again, but how would he purchase the books, the letters from different people, and the memorials previously in his study?
Ping Yang understood this clearly.
Hence, she did not torch his study. But never did she expect Fang Zhengzhi to target precisely that.
Wen Dabao was also dazed.
Indeed, he saw Fang Zhengzhi running off to a different direction, but never would have imagined he would burn Lin Tianrong's study.
"The study is burning? The crown prince… should be insane by now, right?"
"Definitely!" Nangong Mu nodded as he answered Wen Dabao. But he was full of doubt, too.
Because with his understanding of Fang Zhengzhi, this was not as simple as it seemed.
Fang Zhengzhi's working style seemed willful indeed, but he would not do something without reason. And more importantly, Fang Zhengzhi did not like taking risks.
But what kind of place was the study?
It was at the heart of the Eastern Palace, located right in its center. It was, without any trace of doubt, the most heavily guarded place in the Eastern Palace.
And for Fang Zhengzhi to strike at such a place, it was the riskiest thing he could do.
The study…
Why would he burn the study?
Nangong Mu ventured a guess, but he couldn't be sure.
Yan Xiu, on the other hand, seemed a little anxious. His guess was different from Ping Yang and Nangong Mu, but he also couldn't be certain of Fang Zhengzhi's intention of burning the study.
But it wasn't his concern.
For him, since Fang Zhengzhi had burned Lin Tianrong's study, he had his own reasons, and that was enough.
But now…
With the first fire creating such a huge uproar, how would he escape after lighting the second?
"I need to be there!" Yan Xiu moved as soon as he spoke.
Another figure moved, appearing right before Yan Xiu, without showing any expression.
"You cannot go." Nangong Mu's voice was as bland as it could be. He didn't bother explaining, just this simple sentence.
And Yan Xiu stopped.
His clenched his fist and revealed a cold, arrogant expression. A ball of energy was moving through his body, emanating an aura of viciousness.
Upon seeing this, Wen Dabao tensed up.
At this juncture, if Yan Xiu and Nangong Mu fought due to differing opinions, who could stop them? They would likely attract the attention of the Eastern Palace guards.
And how then would they escape?
"Young Master Yan…" Wen Dabao was about to mediate the argument when he saw Yan Xiu return to his original position.
No longer had any intention to move.
This surprised Wen Dabao because he was very clear of the relationship between Yan Xiu and Nangong Mu, yet Yan Xiu was stopped by a simple sentence from Nangong Mu.
"We shall wait here!" Yan Xiu spoke.
"Good." Said Nangong Mu.
Both didn't say much and remained silent. The argument didn't happen, everything seemed peaceful.
But Wen Dabao could tell…
Yan Xiu was obviously not at peace.
But he tolerated anyway.
…
Four special guests of the Eastern Palace rushed into the study, then split up to four different corners.
Then they saw a person.
He wore a black suit and his face was masked by a black veil.
His lanky figure projected a shadow under the moonlight. In the breeze, his fitting black suit didn't make any noise. He looked exceptionally cool.
The four guests were astonished.
They exchanged looks in disbelief. Not only did he not escape, he stood at the entrance of the study.
It was…
At the center of the inferno, the most conspicuous place to be in.
"Are you the one who set the study on fire?" One of them looked at the masked man and asked, though he was certain of his behavior.
"Even a blind man could tell. Do you really have to ask such a question?" The masked man asked mockingly.
"I understand. Are you sure you don't want to escape?" The guest nodded and asked again.
"Why would I need to run?" The masked man shot back.
"It seems you don't care about life and death anymore. The next step is surrender, shall we help you with that?" The guest nodded again as he seemed to understand the masked man.
After all…
To him, how could someone expect to live after burning the Eastern Palace?
"What do you think?" The masked man smiled.
"In that case, we shall not embarrass ourselves by asking for your identity!" The guest spoke after some thought.
A man of sacrifice!
Every generation of dynasties had such men.
And it wasn't uncommon. After all, these men were the best choice to deploy in risky battles.
In the eyes of the guests, this masked man was a man of sacrifice.
Hence, there was no point asking further.
He had been surrounded from four directions. As they did not want to kill him immediately, they waited…
Waited for Lin Tianrong to interrogate him personally.
The fire continued burning.
Winds were blowing uncontrollably, lifting sparks which were lit on trees and wooden fences.
Countless guards surrounded him.
They didn't stand calmly in their position like the four guests. Instead, they started to put out the fire, though they were also shocked to see this.
Lin Tianrong finally reached.
He froze momentarily upon seeing the masked man, then his expression quickly transformed into one of extreme cruelty.
As if a predator had spotted a dying prey.
"I want him to be alive!" Lin Tianrong cut to the chase and didn't bother asking who had sent him, or if he wanted an intact dead body.
Because at that moment he saw the masked man, he wanted to torture him and make his life worse than death, even if he begged for mercy.
"Yes!" The four guests acknowledged.
One of the guests steadily stepped forward. Suddenly, a blue ray of light flashed in the corner of his eyes, and in an instant, a flame appeared on his body.
A dark blue flame!
This flame was called the "Death Flame".
Its name was derived from its properties. It was the fire of death. Besides the usual properties of fire, it could pierce through one's skin and reach into his bones. He would burn from inside, as though submerged in lava.
The Dao of all Creation was infinitely complex.
There was the Big Dao and Small Dao. Among countless Daos were a few special ones which were created by the fusion of two Daos.
And the Death Flame here…
Was one of them!
As the guests of the Eastern Palace, how could they be merely ordinary people?
The other three guests looked at him, without any intention to step forward. They had the airs of masters as they were.
Though Lin Tianrong had given his orders.
"This is the last time I'll say this. Surrender and I'll spare you the torture!" The guest said with a hint of haughtiness, a trait developed by many years of subduing his opponent with sheer power.
"Oh, stop the nonsense." The masked man replied plainly in a deep voice, his expression was calm like an underwater spring.
The guest did not continue.
Because actions didn't require speech. Furthermore, with the masked man's audacity, how could he grant any more mercy?
The dark blue flame intensified.
The flame charged at the masked man, pressing against him, while the guest transformed into a ray of light and fused with the dark blue flame.
Well, the use of force was not without brains too!
The guest appeared haughty, but he never underestimated his opponent. He was prepared to attack and defend at the same time. If his opponent overpowered him, he still had an opportunity to retreat.
But if his opponent was weaker than him…
The mighty Death Flame would torture him endlessly.
The flame attacked quickly.
In an instant, the flame appeared in front of the masked man, then wrapped around his body, with neither accidents nor resistance.
The other three guests were surprised.
Just like that?
That's it?!
Wasn't it a little too simple?
"Don't! He's deliberately seeking death!" One of the guests finally snapped back to reality and stopped the guest from attacking him.
"Don't worry!" The attacking guest nodded.
In fact, he had realized this when the dark blue flame touched the masked man. And of course, he wouldn't let himself be tricked by his opponent.
Death!
It wasn't so simple.
And he didn't wish for death upon his opponent.
The dark blue flame around the masked man didn't withdraw immediately, instead, its intensity weakened. This meant torture, one that would make him wish for a quick, painless death.
But it was a pity that…
The envisioned screams and cries, or the begging for mercy, were nowhere to be seen. The masked man seemed calm, as though nothing had happened.
After a few deep breaths…
The guest seemed a little puzzled.
He understood perfectly how painful it felt when one was burned by the Death Fire. Even the strongest man could not tolerate it so quietly. But this masked man didn't make a single noise.
He didn't even move.
He looked like…
A statue.
Or rather, a dead man!
This made the guest suspicious. His body returned to its original position and withdrew the flame from the masked man.
Then…
He saw a pair of eyes.
The eyes were revealed through the masked man's veil, and they were calm as ever. He looked at the guest quietly, with a hint of mockery.
"You… You're alright?" The guest looked at the masked man. He couldn't believe that actually happened.
"Yeah." Replied the masked man plainly.
"How is this possible? It's the Death Flame, able to burn in your bones and cause insufferable pain!" The guest's body jerked as he was completely bewildered.
"Do you want to try again?" The masked man seemed to agree with him and suggested.
"You… I'll kill you!" The guest was finally triggered. Never did he expect his mercy to be insulted.
Now he really wanted to kill.
The guest thought, if he accidentally killed the masked man in full force for his sheer arrogance, Lin Tianrong would pardon him, right?
With this line of thought, the flame rose again with thrice its prior intensity.
Then, the flame charged at the masked man once again, this time with a darker hue of blue.
It was smaller but more concentrated.
Pressing on the masked man, it wrapped around him once again. But this time, the guest would never show any shred of mercy.
Suddenly…
The masked man finally moved.
He took a slow step forward as if he had just exited a room.
And as the masked man moved, the flame around his body weakened.
He walked out from the flame!
Without a hint of injury, not even on his hair!
"You… how is this possible?!" The guest stared at him, his face ashen in disbelief. What a peculiar sight. He was so shocked he couldn't think straight.
And what followed was even stranger.
After the masked man walked out of the fire, his eyes seemed to change. A blue spark lit up from within, slowly increasing in size, concentrating, and finally encompassing his pupils.
Then…
"Whoosh!"
A flame appeared beside the masked man. It was the same dark blue flame as the guest's, but this was much stronger and powerful.