I Can Deduce Arts by Slaying Demons

"Your servant... respectfully requests Mr. Lu to oversee the state!"

This voice was akin to a death knell, causing the entire court to bow like layers of fallen wheat.

Official hats and jade belts clattered softly on the imperial steps.

Amidst the flattering voices of the officials, Lu Jinyun gently caressed the tiger pattern on the gilded token with his fingertips.

He exchanged a glance with his three brothers.

Simultaneously, a knowing smile appeared on four faces—

Just then, the evening drum of Qian Ning City sounded, its waves piercing through the nine layers of palaces.

On the streets of Qian Ning City, a squad of black-armored cavalry was silently taking over the city gates.

This silent coup finally concluded in the most dignified manner.

Outside Qian Ning City, in the official road's post station, the five figures clad in heavy black iron armor glimmered with a dark blue chill under the daylight.

The bearded man in the lead suddenly raised his foot and with a "boom" shattered the granite bench into pieces.

"What an Emperor Qianxi!"

Veins bulged on his forehead, and the pattern of the Wanchu beast on his armor seemed to emit a faint red glow.

"Three days ago, he pledged to cede the six counties in the north, and now he can't even spare a eunuch messenger?"

"That young Emperor Qianxi really thinks our Wanchu cavalry is child's play?"

"Elder brother, you're right. The documents for the six counties that should have been handed over three days ago are still nowhere to be seen!"

The burly man on the left clenched the gilded beast-headed ring at his waist, and the moisture seeping from his armor trickled down the tiger-shaped gauntlet.

"The State Preceptor has already agreed to step in for this dog emperor, and now he dares to renege?"

With that, the man spat out a blood-tinged spittle, staining the blue bricks with a sinister dark red.

A one-eyed man nearby suddenly chuckled sinisterly, his gilded canine tooth glinting coldly.

"Why waste words on that dog emperor!"

With a flash of the blade, the black cloth wrapped around the broken blade fluttered in the wind, revealing the mottled blood rust underneath.

"We, holding the secret decree of the emperor, will confront that dog emperor directly in the Daqian palace."

"If that young emperor dares break his promise, then we..."

Before the words finished, the remaining five simultaneously drew their weapons, the cold light weaving into a net that startled the crows on the treetops.

"We will show him the might of the Wanchu dynasty!"

"Clang——"

The gleaming long knife suddenly unsheathed, reflecting the ferocious faces of the group.

The bearded leader pointed his blade toward the imperial city: "Very good."

"Today, the territory of these northern six counties will be swallowed by Wanchu, even if drawn with the blood of the Daqian royal family as the boundary!"

As the five armored figures, wrapped in the smell of iron, swept past the official road, in the rising yellow dust, the distant majestic palace walls of Qian Ning City could be vaguely seen.

Inside the palace, in a spacious side hall, the sunlight cast the shadows of Lu Jinyun and his three companions onto the dragon-entwined columns.

Over twenty trusted generals of the Guard Army stood with drawn swords, the clinking of armor mixed with their heavy breathing stirred uneasy ripples in the dead silence.

"It seems father had planned long ago."

Lu Jinyun's fingertips caressed the gilded Tiger Talisman on the desk.

"Keeping Emperor Qianxi alive is worth more than a hundred thousand elite soldiers."

Before the words ended, stifled laughter, cold as a snake's hiss, echoed in the tent.

The third son of the Lu Family, Lu Jinhua, clapped and laughed on the left: "Second brother."

"Now, we are using the emperor's decree to requisition the land's grain supplies."

"With Emperor Qianxi's orders, conscripting soldiers, when the time comes to point swords at the world—"

He deliberately prolonged his sentence, his gaze sweeping over everyone.

"The blame for defeat shall fall on that foolish emperor, and the glory of victory will all go to the Lu Family."

"Brilliant plan!" The generals in the tent unanimously applauded, their sheaths clashing against the blue bricks, resonating with a sonorous echo.

"Once Emperor Qianxi loses all popular support, we only need to raise our arms and call out..."

The words abruptly stopped, yet everyone knew the unspoken continuation—when the time comes, the throne must change hands.

"Second brother, which dynasty should we strike against first!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Jinyun furrowed his brows, his fingertips tapping on the sandalwood table, rhythm alternating between rapid and slow, as if beating war drums.

"The Cyan Heaven Dynasty has the deepest foundation, hastily going to war might mire us in a quagmire."

"The Zhu Huo Dynasty guards crucial passes, backed by numerous allies."

Then, Lu Jinyun's gaze sharpened, scanning everyone, "As for Taiyu, Jijing, Wanchu..."

"These three..."

Before the words finished, whispers started rising in the tent.

Lu Jinyun raised his hand to signal for silence and continued, "The Zhu Hu Dynasty is arrogant and its forces are extremely scattered."

"The Taifu Dynasty values literature over military, with lax equipment."

"The Jijing Dynasty is located on the frontier, making reinforcements difficult to arrive."

"These three are our breakthroughs."

As he spoke, Lu Jinyun unfolded a yellowed map heavily across the table, his fingertips tracing the junctions of the three dynasties.

"If we can first take one, not only could we establish our might, but also nibble away at neighboring realms, enhancing our army's prestige."

The generals within the tent gathered around, looking at the area circled in red on the map, their eyes ablaze with intense battle intent.

A war capable of reshaping the world order seemed to have quietly begun in this small side hall.

Before the words finished, the sound of clashing metal suddenly came from outside the side hall.

Lu Jinyun quickly pressed down the sword at his waist as the flickering candlelight reflected coldly in his eyes.

"Get out, all of you!"

"You useless wretches of the Daqian Dynasty!"

"Die!"

"Remember the name of this grandee, I am General Wei Feng of the Zhu Hu Dynasty!"

Accompanied by several furious roars, the beast-head door knocker exploded with a crash, heavy iron boots crushing the wooden debris.

Five towering figures, heavy with the scent of blood, barged into the hall.

The leader, clad in Nine-Devouring Linked Armor, wore a blood-soaked scarlet cloak, his spear tip still dripping with fresh blood.

"Qianxi brat!"

"How dare you backstab us, mock us!"

Leading the group, Wei Feng slammed his spear heavily on the blue stone tiles, cracks spreading like a spiderweb.

"I have come by the orders of Emperor Wanchu to demand the transfer documents for the six counties!"

Then, Wei Feng swept his gaze across the hall, his eyes suddenly locking onto the gilded Tiger Talisman at Lu Jinyun's waist, his pupils contracting sharply.

"Who are you?"

"Where is Emperor Qianxi? I demand to see him!"

Seeing no response, Wei Feng stepped forward abruptly, the sound of armor clashing sending tremors through the air in the hall: "I ask again—where is the Qianxi brat!"

But this time, he was answered by a sudden burst of mocking laughter echoing throughout the hall.

Lu Jinyun gently ran his hand over the Tiger Talisman, lips curving into a knowing smile.

"So you're guests from the Zhu Hu Dynasty!"

"General Wei has come a long way, but it is too bad, His Majesty is ill and unfit for guests."

Before the words finished, over a dozen trusted generals had silently closed in, their swords three inches out of their sheaths, the cold glare making Wei Feng's group tense up suddenly.

"What… what do you intend to do?"

"We are from the Zhu Hu Dynasty, you are courting death!"

Wei Feng gripped his spear tightly, his peripheral vision catching glimpses of numerous shadows flashing by outside the hall.

It seemed they were surrounded by a large army!

Lu Jinyun slowly stood up: "General Wei arrives just in time—our Daqian cavalry has been thinking of accusations under no name."

Five Grandmaster Realm warriors!

Especially the leader, Wei Feng, who is at the pinnacle of the Grandmaster Realm.

At some unknown point, Lu Jinyun had quietly taken out the golden blade bestowed by Lu Xuan.

The moment the golden blade appeared, an overwhelming aura instantly filled the side hall.

Wei Feng's eyes widened, his face full of terror, large beads of sweat rolling down his forehead.

Lu Jinyun's mouth curved into a cruel smile, his gaze icy as frost. "You think you Zhu Hu Dynasty are enough?"

"Since you've stepped into this hall today, don't think about returning to the Zhu Hu Dynasty alive."

With a deafening roar of a tiger, the golden light in the void illuminated the entire side hall,

a giant golden tiger of five meters high, with its bloodthirsty mouth open, claws shimmering coldly, leapt fiercely towards Wei Feng and his group.

The pressure emanating from the golden tiger rendered Wei Feng and the others immobile, as if restrained by an invisible force.

"Ah—"

A burly man beside Wei Feng screamed as he was swatted away by the giant tiger's paw, crashing heavily against a column, spitting blood, his breath weak.

"If you Daqian dare to offend my Zhu Hu, you will pay a terrible price."

"Is that so?"

"Take him down for heavy punishment, make him spill all of Zhu Hu Dynasty's secrets!"