Chapter 63: Trouble Is Coming, Sword God’s Fanboy

Usually, when Li Tianyi saw Lin Ran, although he wasn’t as bossy as he was to others, he always had a high and mighty attitude.

But now, Li Tianyi was smiling and bowing, looking surprisingly humble.

“What’s going on? Why did this damn eunuch change overnight?”

Lin Ran was stunned for a moment, but he quickly realized that this old eunuch had probably been taught a lesson by the empress after she found his tai chi whisk in the closet.

A lesson was naturally not enough for this foxy old eunuch to change. What really changed him should be his fear of the unknown.

Li Tianyi set up a trap to frame Lin Ran, but it turned out that he was the one being set up.

He didn’t know how his whisk ended up in that closet, but the more mysterious the unknown was, the more terrified a person like him, who had been in a high position for a long time, would be.

“If he can replace the sword with my whisk without anyone knowing, he can take my head off without anyone knowing too. This time, the fact that my whisk is here is his warning to me.”

This was what Li Tianyi thought when he was reprimanded by the empress.

“Commander Lin.”

Li Tianyi greeted him politely.

Seeing him being so polite, Lin Ran was really not used to it. He reached out and helped Li Tianyi up. “Speak properly. I’m more used to the rude side of you.”

“Commander Lin, you must be joking!”

Li Tianyi hurriedly waved his hand and bowed again. “Why are you in Mingzhao Hall so early in the morning? Don’t misunderstand! I’m just curious. It’s fine if you don’t want to tell me.”

“Oh, I came to ask Senior Sword God for guidance last night. It was too late, so I slept here.”

Lin Ran casually made up a reason and continued, “Senior Sword God is still resting. Why is His Majesty looking for us? If there’s nothing important, don’t disturb Sword God.”

When Li Tianyi heard this, he quickly said, “His Majesty asked me to invite Sword God and said that If Sword God is not around, I need to make a journey to the barrack to invite you. Since we met here, please come with me to the imperial study.”

Only then did Lin Ran understand that the empress was summoning both him and Sword God. It was just that she did not know what identity Lin Ran would use after leaving the Hidden Sword Pavilion, so she got Li Tianyi to invite both of them.

Feeling relieved, Lin Ran pretended to bid farewell to the “Ten Miles Sword God” and followed Li Tianyi to the imperial study.

Along the way, Li Tianyi kept asking Lin Ran when he went to look for the Ten Miles Sword God yesterday, and if he had heard any rumors yesterday.

Lin Ran knew that Li Tianyi wanted to ask him if he knew anything about the trap he set up, but Lin Ran pretended not to know.

Since Li Tianyi was so terrified, let him be terrified for a few more days!

Soon, they arrived at the imperial study.

Lin Ran walked in and saw the empress writing something on a piece of cloth. From time to time, she would frown. When she saw him enter, she only took a glance before lowering her head to continue studying.

Seeing that the empress had no intention of speaking, Lin Ran did not urge her. He found a chair to sit on and closed his eyes to rest.

Too many things had happened last night, which made Lin Ran a little exhausted. Even after resting for a night, he still felt exhausted.

In the blink of an eye, an hour passed. Lin Ran heard the sound of a chair moving. When he opened his eyes, he saw the empress walking over with a piece of cloth.

“Take a look first.”

historical

The empress handed him a silk cloth. Lin Ran took it and saw that it was an invitation.

The invitation wrote that when the emperor was quelling King Zhao’s rebellion, many martial artists had helped him. Now that everything was settled, he wanted to hold a banquet in the palace to thank those martial artists.

After reading it, Lin Ran frowned and asked in confusion, “Did anyone from the martial world offer help?”

The empress chuckled and shook her head.

Lin Ran was even more puzzled. “Then why are you inviting them?”

The empress smiled faintly and said, “I want to see their attitude.”

Lin Ran thought for a moment before coming to a realization. He looked at the empress and said, “You’re giving them a chance to turn themselves in!”

Hearing this, the empress suddenly became serious. “Those who come, I will let bygones be bygones. As for those who are guilty and don’t dare to show up…”

“Those who openly supported King Zhao will be captured and killed.”

Lin Ran continued the second half of the sentence tacitly. He suddenly admired the empress’s wisdom.

The empress sighed and did not continue. She changed the topic and said, “However, I still need you to capture them personally. There are countless cultivation sects in the dynasty. I don’t know how long it will take for you to return this time.”

“Why? Are you already missing me before I even set out?”

Lin Ran raised his eyebrows and smiled. Realizing that the empress was not in the mood for jokes, he shut his mouth awkwardly.

After a few seconds of silence, Lin Ran probed, “Did something happen in the palace? If anything happens, I can set out later.”

“There is indeed something, but it’s about me. It’s about you.”

The empress looked at Lin Ran and said seriously. Her gaze was very strange and complicated. There was sadness, helplessness, and hesitance.

Seeing this, Lin Ran couldn’t help but become serious. He sat up straight and said, “Tell me about it.”

“Huo Qiyun is back.”

The empress threw out a name. Lin Ran knew that she would definitely introduce this person, so he didn’t ask who Huo Qiyun was.

“He’s a genius. Although he’s not as good as you, he’s still a rare genius.”

“After he exhibited his talent in martial arts, he wanted to become Grandpa Sword God’s disciple. However, Grandpa Sword God was about to enter seclusion at that time, so he didn’t take him in. He only taught him for about half a year before going into seclusion on Mount Sword.”

“Later on, Huo Qiyun said that he wanted to travel the world like Grandpa Sword God, but he admired Grandpa Sword God too much and didn’t allow anyone to defame him. In the last year alone, more than ten people were killed by him because of this.”

“Good lord, he’s a brainless fan!” Lin Ran nodded, then looked puzzled. “But what does his return have to do with me?”

The empress began to look at Lin Ran with a complicated and strange gaze. “You’re the Ten Miles Sword God now.”

“…”

Lin Ran was stunned for a moment before his mind went blank.

Huo Qiyun was clearly here for the Ten Miles Sword God. It was easy for Lin Ran to fool outsiders, but Huo Qiyun had been with the Ten Miles Sword God for half a year. It wasn’t easy to fool him.

If Huo Qiyun found out that someone was pretending to be his idol, how would he react?

Lin Ran couldn’t imagine it. Although with his strength, he didn’t have to worry at all, his identity as the “Ten Miles Sword God” was probably going to be exposed!