Chance Encounter
The expressions of Chen Ling's group were incomparably wonderful.
After an unknown amount of time, Jian Changsheng finally spoke uncertainly:
"Visited By the Thief Saint... Is this Thief Saint the Thief Saint we know?"
"High probability it is." Chen Ling nodded. "There are still traces of wine liquid in the cup. The person who stole the treasured sword shouldn't have left long ago. They most likely came in with the same batch as those candidates... In this era, the only ones who can enter the Ancient Vault of the Imperial Path to steal things are the Thief Saints of the Fire-Stealers."
"Why did they come in too??"
"The commotion of the Ancient Vault of the Imperial Path appearing was so huge, it's normal for them to be attracted over... Just don't know which one or how many of the Red, Yellow, Blue, White, and Black came."
"Could it be White..."
Chen Ling, Jian Changsheng, and Sun Bumian exchanged glances. Catching a glimpse of Jiang Xiaohua secretly peeking over from the distance in their peripheral vision, they still shut their mouths.
"Hard to say, after all there are five Thief Saints."
"I've heard these five Thief Saints each have their own specialties. Some can steal memories, some can steal skills, some can steal identities... Their methods are more mysterious than the last. If they are also in these Imperial Palaces, we better be careful." Sun Bumian spoke up to remind them.
Looking at the empty sword box in his hands, Jian Changsheng threw it on the ground in some frustration, then gripped the pendant on his chest and muttered softly:
"Finally found a treasure, yet got beaten to it by someone... Why does this thing have no effect?"
"It's already taking effect. At least you found the sword box relying on yourself." Sun Bumian shrugged. "There's too much 'Ill Omen' on you. Human Luck can only help you resolve a portion. Compared to death being imminent at any turn, brushing past a sword is already very gentle."
Jian Changsheng thought about it, it seemed to really be the case. At least since he entered the Ancient Vault of the Imperial Path until now, he hadn't been besieged, hadn't been framed, hadn't been planted with evidence, hadn't been tortured in every possible way, and was surprisingly still alive and kicking... To him, this was already a kind of luck.
"It seems this Imperial Palace no longer has any valuable items."
"The Thief Saint has probably already emptied the surrounding Imperial Palaces... Where are we going next?"
"Besides this Treasured Sword, there is another thing that's quite good, at the edge of this layer." Chen Ling sensed the Ancient Vault of the Imperial Path and said, "We can directly transfer over there, we should be able to get one step ahead of them."
"Let's go!"
As Jian Changsheng and Sun Bumian dragged up Jiang Xiaohua, Chen Ling once again utilized the Imperial Fate, and the four figures instantly vanished from their original spot.
...
The edge of the second layer.
Bustling ancient streets were arranged like stars on a chessboard within the city-state. Armored figures rapidly shuttled through them, while pedestrians and vendors on the roadside swiftly hid into houses as if frightened.
A massive army of troops and horses gathered in front of the palace gates of a certain Imperial Palace, with countless bright banners dancing wildly in the wind!
"Li Shimin!! Are you really going to rebel?!"
Above the palace wall, someone shouted a question, eyes splitting with rage.
From among the sieging troops and horses, a figure slowly stepped out. Looking at the person on the palace wall, he spoke calmly:
"You forced me... I'm just protecting myself."
"Protecting yourself? Protecting yourself all the way to the gates of the Imperial Palace? Li Shimin! Do you not know who the current Crown Prince is!!"
"Crown Prince?" That person smiled slightly, taking a bow and arrow from the soldier beside him. "Kill you... and I'll be the Crown Prince."
Swords were drawn and bows were strung, a gathering of wind and clouds.
The destiny of the dynasty churned outside the gates of the Imperial Palace. An old era was about to be subverted, and the sun of a new era was slowly rising behind that figure...
At the same time, two figures calmly shuttled through this segment of the past.
"On the fourth day of the sixth lunar month, in the ninth year of Wude of Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Prince of Qin Li Shimin launched a coup d'état outside Xuanwu Gate, killing Crown Prince Li Jiancheng with a single arrow, and ascended to the throne two months later..."
Silver Snake Earrings swayed slightly in the air. Bai Ye spoke indifferently, his eyes full of emotion,
"I didn't expect to actually be able to witness history here."
Holding a Cane, Mo Lian pressed down the brim of his black Bowler Hat with his other hand. Glancing at Bai Ye beside him, he spoke leisurely: "... You sure know a lot."
"Just read a bit more books when I have nothing better to do."
"A thief is a thief, why act so scholarly? Are you going to take the civil service exam?"
"Profession is profession, learning is learning. You can actually learn a lot of things from history... Besides, I have a criminal record, I can't take the civil service exam." Bai Ye spread his hands helplessly.
"..."
"So you mean to say, when you can't be seen on normal days, you went to study?" Mo Lian sneered.
"What I do, doesn't seem necessary to report to you. Mo Lian, you're meddling too much."
"Heh."
The two took a casual step forward, crossed over the chaotic Xuanwu Gate, stepped over the palace wall, and directly arrived inside the Imperial Palace.
"Speaking of which, our luck this time is pretty good." Mo Lian strolled leisurely, as if he had come to his own backyard. "If these Imperial Remnants were holding down their respective Imperial Palaces, it probably wouldn't be easy for us to take something. I just don't know what got into them, running down below one by one..."
"There must have been some unforeseen event below, but it has nothing to do with us." Bai Ye didn't care in the slightest.
"Thanks to them leaving, we can gather so many good things..."
Mo Lian casually took out a bag from his waist, the corners of his mouth turning up. "The current owner of this Imperial Palace is Tang Gaozu, the founder of the Tang Dynasty... He must definitely have incredible treasures in his hands."
Having ransacked so many places, the two were already very familiar with the layout of the Imperial Palaces, knowing where the probability of finding treasures was highest. After circling once in the sky, they descended towards the direction of the Imperial Study.
There was no one around the Imperial Study, and the doors were tightly shut.
Mo Lian calmly walked to the door holding his Cane. Just as he was about to knock, he heard a conversation coming from inside:
"Tsk, why doesn't this Imperial Study even have a Fruit Platter?"
"Red... Lin Yan, are you sure that thing is here? I've rummaged inside and out, it's not here!"
"I can only say the probability is highest in the Imperial Study. If it's not here, we'll have to go look in the inner harem..."
"Could we have been beaten to it by that Thief Saint again?"
"... Don't know."
"Damn it, is this Thief Saint crazy for money? What's wrong with leaving one for us?"
Mo Lian's hand, halfway raised, suddenly stiffened in the air.
Hearing the familiar voices coming from inside, Bai Ye was taken aback at first, then the corners of his mouth continuously twitched, with an expression of having seen a ghost!
Bai Ye's brain rapidly processed. He caught a glimpse of Mo Lian, whose killing intent was flashing, from the corner of his eye. Steeling his heart, his fingertip made a hooking motion in mid-air towards his side...
A streak of white light instantly flashed over Mo Lian's head.