It was not only that. Vesa kept explaining in Mingyue's mind.
[It is not just that, Queen.
If you catch them off guard when they are not protecting their bodies with qi, everyone under the immortal level can be killed.]
"That is quite a stretch, Vesa. Even I almost always used qi to protect my body.
People at higher levels will do it all the time," Mingyue said.
[True, but there are many poisons that can disrupt the qi flow, Queen.]
"Yes, but it would be hard to make them consume it, Vesa.
I am not a poison expert, so I cannot make one that is tasteless and without any smell."
[Gather some samples and give them to the King. I am sure he can provide many solutions to that.]
Mingyue wanted to ask what Alex would do with those samples, but the chariot stopped.
A knock sounded on the window, and a solemn voice followed.
"Lady Mingyue, we have arrived at Dai Ying City, but there is a problem. The city is locked down now."
Mingyue frowned.
She stepped out of the chariot and looked at the long queue in front of the city gate.
The gate was shut tight. Two guards stood there, trying to manage the crowd.
She turned to her attendant, Zan Lu, a man from a humble background.
Mingyue had discovered that he had some potential for cultivation, though not enough to be called a genius.
"Zan Lu, what happened?" she asked.
"I heard one of the family heirs had an accident in the secret realm, so they decided to close the city gate," Zan Lu said.
Mingyue frowned again.
Closing the city because someone had an accident or even died felt wrong to her.
Normally, the family would hold a grand funeral instead.
They would place many strong cultivators and young geniuses at the front to show off their strength and warn others not to have any ideas.
Mingyue was the most talented one, but that did not mean there were no other promising people in the family.
The last time she heard any news, she had a new nephew. Rumors said he had high potential like hers.
They would only be able to confirm his talent as he grew older.
Mingyue sent a telepathic message to Zan Lu and ordered him to do something.
He hesitated for a moment, but he could not disobey her.
He walked toward the guard at the gate.
"My Miss wants to go in. Can you open the gate?" he asked.
The guard saw a plain-looking commoner standing in front of him and grew angry at his boldness.
"Who do you think you are?
Do you not see everyone else also waiting here?
If you want trouble, I can give you some," the guard said.
She started to unsheathe her sword and pointed it at Zan Lu.
Fear gripped Zan Lu's heart, but Mingyue's order was absolute.
Cold sweat ran down his back, but he forced himself to move.
He put on a strong front, stepped closer, and slapped the guard across the face.
"Do you know who my Miss is? Can you take responsibility?" he shouted.
The guard was shocked by Zan Lu's sudden movement.
He was sure Zan Lu was not a cultivator, yet his movement was far from what a normal commoner could do.
Still, the guard did not back down. His rage rose even higher, turning his face red, though it only lasted a moment.
Zan Lu carried out Mingyue's next order.
He took out a shiny object that looked like a metal box. He pointed it at the guard and pressed a button.
FLASH!
A bright light burst out, surprising everyone near the gate.
It was not only the light. Those with some cultivation could feel that there was no qi involved at all.
That could only mean that the person who used it stood far above their level.
It was something beyond the range of their understanding.
A glossy piece of paper slid out from the object.
Zan Lu grabbed it and showed it to the guard.
The paper clearly showed the guard's face in perfect detail. None of them had ever seen an image that sharp.
"My Miss comes from a faraway country and wants to offer some artifacts to the Xueqi family.
If we cannot enter, we will leave now and offer them to another family instead.
As for you, guard, your soul has already been recorded now.
Remember, your life is in our hands, and we can crush it anytime we want," Zan Lu said.
The guard's legs went weak, and he dropped to his knees.
"I am sorry, I am just following my orders, master. Please forgive me," he begged.
Being called master by a stronger cultivator made Zan Lu feel proud.
He had only just started his cultivation.
He was barely at the early foundation stage, which was just enough to use a storage ring.
The guard in front of him likely had late foundation stage cultivation, or even core formation.
The only reason that guard worked here was because he had already reached his limit and had no more potential to advance.
Inside the chariot, Mingyue sat and chuckled softly.
She had already sensed a familiar presence coming toward the gate.
The gate creaked as it opened. A young cultivator stepped out.
He had a handsome face and carried a prestigious aura.
It was Jian Feng Xueqi, Mingyue's uncle.
So old but still so pretentious, as usual, she thought.
She sent another mental order to Zan Lu.
FLASH!
The camera flashed again, this time pointed at Jian Feng.
His handsome face turned pale, then covered with cold sweat. His expression became ugly.
He had heard what they said earlier, and even at this close distance, he could not sense any qi from the tool.
Jian Feng felt a strong urge to attack Zan Lu, but then he felt killing intent coming from inside the chariot.
He forced himself to calm down and bowed respectfully.
"I am sorry for our bad reception, Elder, but you came at a bad time," he said.
A clear, melodious voice came from inside the chariot.
"Do not worry, just open the gate. We can talk business then," Mingyue said.
Inside, she tried hard not to burst into laughter.
The killing intent Jian Feng felt was not from her. It came from the soul Vesa had captured.
"Isn't he your uncle? I do not understand why you want me to do this," a feminine voice said in her mind.