Gate of God

Chapter 473: You’re not fit! Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

“It was Shan Ling all along!” Fang Zhengzhi never believed in coincidences. There was no way Shan Ling rushed over on such short notice…

Definitely not with hundreds of man in tow.

The only explanation was that Shan Ling was nearby. 　　 However… 　 That was quite the despicable method. 　　 If Fang Zhengzhi was in his position, he would definitely not have planned something like this. It was much too despicable and boring. 　　 It was equivalent to seducing someone with a pretty lady before having a group catch them in the act and extort the man thereafter. 　　 How lame… 　 But Fang Zhengzhi had fallen for it… 　 Shan Ling had not seduced Fang Zhengzhi using Princess Shan Yu. Shan Ling exploited Fang Zhengzhi’s weakness – his love for good food… 　　 There was no way Fang Zhengzhi could have thought of it. 　 Fang Zhengzhi never expected that Princess Shan Yu would poison him, much less poison the lamb that so many would want to taste. 　　 But now, he could be sure that Shan Ling had slipped in the poison into the spices when Princess Shan Yu wasn’t looking… 　　 Okay then… 　　 There was only one way out of this… 　　 Ordinarily, the man being extorted would cave in to any requests in order to protect his reputation. 　 However, Fang Zhengzhi wasn’t afraid of that.

Shan Ling could spread this everywhere! 　　 Fang Zhengzhi couldn’t be bothered. 　　 However, this was a different scenario altogether. In this case, he could simply charge Fang Zhengzhi with a crime.

Barging into Princess Shan Yu’s room!

That was punishable by death! 　　 Fang Zhengzhi knew what Shan Ling was about to do. 　 Shan Ling had already ordered the remaining servants and soldiers to wait outside. 　 Then… 　 He entered the room. 　　 Was he about to strike? 　　 If Shan Ling struck now, he could say that he lost control when he saw Fang Zhengzhi and killed him on the spot.

Would the Great Xia pursue the matter? 　　 Fang Zhengzhi didn’t know. 　　 But the fact was that the Great Xia would not go to war with the Southern Region because of this. His death would be meaningless…

At the very most, they would compensate the Great Xia with some jewels and gold. 　 “Sister, I made a mistake. I didn’t expect that this shameless fella would come here after failing to win you over at the banquet. I will now…” 　 “Brother, are you trying to kill him?” Princess Shan Yu interrupted Shan Ling with icy words. 　 “Should he not be killed?” Shan Ling asked, visibly shocked.

“Brother, if you want to kill him, you will have to do so over my dead body!” Princess Shan Yu stood in Shan Ling’s way. 　 “Haha… I don’t really understand what you mean.” Shan Ling stopped in his tracks. 　 Fang Zhengzhi heaved a sigh of relief. It was a good thing Princess Shan Yu was smart. 　　 However… 　 Even with her protection, Fang Zhengzhi wasn’t confident that he could survive. 　 Shan Ling was much more powerful than Princess Shan Yu. 　 “You want to kill him to void the contract of the 10 gold mines, am I right? However, you are willing to sacrifice my innocence for those mines. Brother… you are vicious!” Princess Shan Yu also heaved a sigh of relief when she saw Shan Ling stop. 　　 “Sister, that is simply not true! You have misunderstood me!” 　　 “Hmph!”

“Okay then, since you have been so blunt, I will be honest with you! We cannot give control of the gold mines to an outsider!” Shan Ling spoke up after some hesitation. 　 “Is that so? Then let me make this clear to you. As long as I am here, no one can harm him!” Princess Shan Yu asserted. 　　 “Are you really going to be at odds with me over an outsider?” Shan Ling’s tone was filled with fury. 　 “You? You are not fit to be my brother!” Shan Yu’s voice was filled with anger as well. 　 “Aish… sister, you know that I have loved you since you were a little girl. You are my closest family member. You may not understand my actions now, but I am doing this all for the good of the Southern Region. With Fang Zhengzhi’s reputation, we cannot possibly reclaim the 10 gold mines. Without those gold mines, how will we ever grow? Sister, what would you do if you were in my shoes?” Shan Ling sighed. 　 “At least I won’t do something so despicable! I can’t believe you are willing to sacrifice me for those 10 gold mines!” 　 “Despicable? Did you forget who signed that deal? It was you! The Princess of the Southern Region!” 　 “You…” Princess Shan Yu could not find the words to express herself. 　　 “As your brother, I helped you to correct your errors and stem the bleeding. I am trying to build up the Southern Region! What have I done wrong?” Shan Ling added. 　 “No matter what you say, you can forget about hurting him today!” Shan Yu asserted. 　 “Are you really going to protect him with your life?” 　　 “Yes!”

“Why?” 　 “Because there would be no Southern Region without him!” 　 “Okay then, I will kill all the soldiers at the door!” 　　 “Shan Ling, those are our citizens, what are you trying to do?” 　　 “Sister, you are a smart girl. You should know what I am doing? There is a stranger in your room at night. If news of this got out, how will we still maintain our standing?” 　 “But this…” 　 “Enough, now that things are at this stage, we either kill Fang Zhengzhi or the soldiers outside. There is no other choice!” Shan Ling repeated. 　　 Princess Shan Yu was silent. 　 She knew what Shan Ling was saying. However, she had to choose between innocent citizens and Fang Zhengzhi. 　　 There was no good option here.

But Shan Ling was right… 　 It didn’t matter how it happened. The fact was that it happened. The reputation of the royal family couldn’t be sacrificed. She had to make a decision. 　　 “What if… he’s not an outsider?” Princess Shan Yu bit her lips as she looked at Fang Zhengzhi. 　　 “Are you really going to marry him? You should be able to tell that he doesn’t like you! Furthermore, he is a dead man walking!” Shan Ling’s tone was icy. 　 “I don’t mind. I am willing to marry him even if he can only live for a day!” 　　 “Just because of what he did in the war?” 　　 “No, because… because I like him!”

“Sister, this is not the time for jokes! How can you possibly like this shameless fella?” Shan Ling couldn’t believe his ears. 　 “I also thought that I would never like him, but you know me well. If I didn’t like him, then based on what happened today, he would be dead!” Princess Shan Yu said with determination.

“Sister, you…” Shan Ling’s expression changed.

As someone who had watched Princess Shan Yu grow up, Shan Ling could tell that Princess Shan Yu was serious.

With her character, she would never have let Fang Zhengzhi live if she didn’t like him.

And just now…

When he tried to enter… 　 Princess Shan Yu’s first reaction was to close the door.

The only possible explanation was that Princess Shan Yu liked Fang Zhengzhi.

“What do you have to say?” 　 “This is a serious matter. If you are to marry him, then you will have to get the King’s approval!” Shan Ling responded after some hesitation. 　　 “Okay then, we will let father decide!”

“Carry Fang Zhengzhi to the throne room! The King will deal with him!”

…

… 　 The throne room was lit up…

The King, Crown Prince Lin Tianrong, as well as the settlement chiefs, generals, and Great Xia candidates were gathered there.

However, in comparison to the banquet before… 　 It was significantly more somber. There were no food or drinks, much less music. Two rows of soldiers lined the sides of the room. 　 In the middle of the throne room… 　 Fang Zhengzhi lay ‘comatose’.

Shan Ling was quite barbaric in his handling of the situation. He didn’t even dress Fang Zhengzhi…

This was to ‘preserve the evidence’.

“Crown Prince, how do you think we should deal with this?” The King of the Southern Region asked solemnly.

No one could blame him.

No father could smile and laugh when his daughter’s room had been broken into in the middle of the night.

Furthermore, Princess Shan Yu was his favorite daughter. 　　 “Father…” Princess Shan Yu spoke up. 　　 “Sister, you can rest assured that father would make the right decision. Don’t you think so?” Shan Ling interrupted. 　　 “You… Father!” Princess Shan Yu appealed. 　　 “Shan Yu, you can say your piece later, but let’s listen to Crown Prince Lin Tianrong first!” The King of the Southern Region waved Shan Yu off. 　　 Princess Shan Yu’s mouth twitched but she didn’t speak. 　　 All of the other candidates stared at the comatose Fang Zhengzhi, their eyes about to pop out from their sockets. 　　 Who would be that audacious? 　　 How dare he barge into Princess Shan Yu’s room and get in her bed? How could someone be that shameless? 　 That was ridiculous! 　　 I wonder… 　　 If he succeeded? 　 This was the question that flew through the minds of the candidates. The settlement chiefs and generals felt conflicted. 　　 They knew how important Fang Zhengzhi’s contributions to the war were. 　　 If not for the fact that Fang Zhengzhi could die anytime, they would have accepted him as a Prince even if his cultivation was ruined. 　　 But now… 　 What was this? 　 “Ahem… I never expected something like this to happen. Ordinarily, we would execute him and all his relatives, but…” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong was in a difficult position. 　　 The throne room was silent. 　 Everyone looked at Lin Tianrong, waiting for him to continue. 　 “However… Fang Zhengzhi’s contributions to this war… even though they’re undeniable, but…” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong hesitated as he looked at the King. 　 “I understand what you’re saying. Without Fang Zhengzhi, I couldn’t possibly be sitting here today. Since that is the case, let’s forget it!” The King of the Southern Region hesitated before speaking. 　 “Forget it?!” 　 The candidates of the Great Xia looked at each other in shock when they heard this. 　 All of the settlement chiefs and generals were in shock as well. 　 However, there were also traces of exasperation and humiliation. It was almost as if they had been slapped in the face. 　 “The King is mistaken, that wasn’t what I meant.” Lin Tianrong explained. 　　 “Then what do you mean?” The King of the Southern Region asked. 　 “By barging into Princess Shan Yu’s room, he had committed an unforgivable sin. However, I just received orders that he is now the assistant minister of the Minister of Rites. He is the acting Minister of Rites as well. As such, the punishment cannot be decided by me.” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong explained. 　 “Assistant minister?!” 　 “Rank three official? Acting Minister of Rites?!” 　　 “My god… this has never happened before! How old is Fang Zhengzhi? He is already a rank three official! Furthermore… the Minister of Rites is a rank two post! 　 All of the candidates were shocked to hear this. 　 They knew that Fang Zhengzhi would be handsomely rewarded, but this bordered on the ridiculous. 　 A promotion was definitely warranted. 　 But Acting Minister of Rites was too big a jump. 　 The Six Ministries! 　 That was a powerful position! 　 He had just been promoted from a rank four Sword Envoy to Minister of Rites. This had never happened in the history of the Great Xia. 　 This only meant one thing. The Emperor valued Fang Zhengzhi greatly!

Chapter 474: The blade falls

Fang Zhengzhi heard what Crown Prince Lin Tianrong said.

Rank three official? Acting Minister of Rites? Isn’t that a little underwhelming? I thought I was going to be a rank two official?

Perhaps Ping Yang’s words were exaggerated.

Would I still be given land?

Fang Zhengzhi really wanted to ask someone to give him an antidote! He didn’t want to stay silent on this matter.

However…

No one could hear him.

Shan Ling would never offer up the antidote because that would implicate him.

He would never admit to his actions!

Even though he had come clean back in Princess Shan Yu’s room, he would never confess to them here.

Most importantly, he did not want to let Fang Zhengzhi speak.

When the settlement chiefs and generals heard Lin Tianrong, they finally understood how thorny this issue promised to be.

Fang Zhengzhi’s actions were known to everyone.

If they executed Fang Zhengzhi now, they would be hard-pressed to explain it to the Great Xia and their citizens.

Furthermore, Fang Zhengzhi had just been promoted.

This was a man who was highly valued by the Emperor. They could not sentence him to death so easily.

As such…

The only way was to let the Emperor handle it.

But how would the Emperor handle it?

The King of the Southern Region frowned. He had to balance his options. Ordinarily, Fang Zhengzhi would not be able to escape the death sentence.

However, to be honest, he didn’t want to kill Fang Zhengzhi…

After all, Fang Zhengzhi was a key factor in their victory. If he killed him just to preserve the royal family’s reputation

It would be slightly too vicious.

But if he didn’t kill Fang Zhengzhi…

How could the Shan Family hold their head up high?

If Fang Zhengzhi was a dead man walking, then it wouldn’t matter. But what if he wasn’t? How was Princess Shan Yu going to find a mate in the future?

Anyone who married her would have to live with this fact.

As Fang Zhengzhi progressed up the ranks in the Great Xia, this would only become more and more embarrassing.

To kill or not to kill?

The King of the Southern Region frowned.

“Father!” Princess Shan Yu’s voice interrupted his train of thought.

“Shan Yu… speak your mind.” The King shuddered as he looked at Princess Shan Yu, his eyes filled with guilt.

As a father…

As a King, he could not possibly let his daughter be humiliated in this manner and do nothing about it.

“Sister, just let father…” Shan Ling wanted to interrupt.

“Father, according to Southern Region traditions, you held this banquet to find me a partner. Fang Zhengzhi had eaten the meat I prepared. Normally, that would mean that I can now make a choice, right?” Princess Shan Yu interrupted.

“Erm…” The King’s expression changed.

He could tell where Princess Shan Yu was going with this. To be completely honest, having Fang Zhengzhi marry Shan Yu…

Was the best solution to all these…

But…

When he recalled that Fang Zhengzhi could die at any moment, he became extremely conflicted. He didn’t want his daughter to be a widow.

The King of the Southern Region hesitated.

Shan Ling noticed the hesitation.

“Father, since this issue concerns a rank three official of the Great Xia, the Great Xia court would have jurisdiction. Why don’t we have the Crown Prince bring Fang Zhengzhi back and have the Emperor himself decide!” Shan Ling suggested.

“Mm, what you say is reasonable, but…” The King of the Southern Region nodded. He still did not like this idea. He valued peace above all else.

As such…

Even if Fang Zhengzhi was about to die, he could still accept Princess Shan Yu’s suggestion. Furthermore, Fang Zhengzhi’s lifespan was still up in the air.

Furthermore, Fang Zhengzhi could very well give him a grandchild before he passed on. That would not be a bad thing.

“Father, rest assured. I will accompany the Crown Prince to the Great Xia and I will ensure that your opinions are heard!” Shan Ling added.

“You want to go to Yan Capital?” The King of the Southern Region was tempted.

Shan Ling, the Crown Prince of the Southern Region, knew his influence and position well. The King also knew what Shan Ling meant.

Since Fang Zhengzhi was a key factor in this victory…

Without this incident, he would be fast-tracked through the courts of the Great Xia.

If he were to be forced to stay in the Southern Region, his heart may not be in the right place.

However, if the Great Xia had given him a grave punishment…

Then…

They could come in and provide a better offer. They could offer Fang Zhengzhi Shan Yu’s hand in marriage. Fang Zhengzhi would be grateful for such an offer.

“Yes, this concerns the reputation of the Shan Family. Now that we are in the midst of rebuilding after the war, you will be busy with domestic affairs. I think it is appropriate that I tag along.” Shan Ling added.

Princess Shan Yu pursed her lips. She wanted to speak, but she saw her father shake her head at her.

“Okay then, it is great that you are willing to go to the Great Xia for this. Crown Prince, what do you think?” The King of the Southern Region nodded. He didn’t know what Shan Yu was thinking, but he knew that he couldn’t send her.

Shan Ling was his best option.

“No problem at all!” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong nodded.

“Since that is the case, I will have to trouble you to take care of my son!” The King of the Southern Region replied.

“You are too kind. The Crown Prince’s abilities are clear for all to see. He would be the one taking care of me.” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong smiled.

The atmosphere in the throne room relaxed.

Yet, it was also slightly awkward.

The settlement chiefs and generals didn’t speak. After the battle they had just been through, they were not willing to start another one anytime soon.

The candidates of the Great Xia wanted to say something as well. However, when they felt the atmosphere in the room, they swallowed the words at the tip of their tongue.

However…

When they looked at the ‘comatose’ Fang Zhengzhi, their eyes were filled with envy and jealousy.

How could he possibly be sleeping so soundly after climbing into Princess Shan Yu’s bed?!

…

Before dawn…

The convoy heading to the Great Xia set out. After something like that happened, there was no point in carrying on the celebrations.

The candidates of the Great Xia were in the vanguard. They rode their horses and cleared a path with their Southern Region soldier guides.

Crown Princes Lin Tianrong and Shan Ling were in the back.

As Crown Princes of their respective regions, they had a squad of guards protecting them. The squad was eight strong.

These were not soldiers, they were hangers-on.

Hangers-on.

This was a common thing amongst the noble households of the Great Xia. Every family would have a few hangers-on.

Each of these people had special abilities. They had no official position, but they could do many things for the family.

The courts had rules governing the hangers-on.

Different families could have different numbers of hangers-on. However, even the most influential families did not have many hangers-on.

Furthermore, each one had to be registered with the courts.

The reason…

Was security…

The eight of them were in their fifties. These were the guards for the two Crown Princes. Furthermore, Shan Ling was already in the advanced Rebirth State.

Su Qing followed behind Crown Prince Lin Tianrong.

So long as they did not go up against the lord of the beasts, there should be nothing that could stand in their way.

As such…

Bringing along a ‘comatose’ Fang Zhengzhi was no problem at all.

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong closed his eyes throughout the entire journey, completely relaxed.

Shan Ling seemed to be thinking about something.

They traveled for hours before stopping for lunch. By sunset, they were already some distance from the Sagely Mountain City.

The setting sun was a beautiful sight to behold.

It went through the flaps of the carriage and stained Fang Zhengzhi’s face red.

At that moment, the convoy stopped. Shan Ling reined in his horse and Lin Tianrong followed suit.

“Your Highness, do you still remember our deal?” Shan Ling asked.

“Of course I do.” Lin Tianrong nodded as he looked at the figure inside the carriage.

“Okay then, we will hold to our agreement and maintain peace for 10 years. However, I have one condition!” Shan Ling continued.

“How do you want to deal with Fang Zhengzhi?” Lin Tianrong smirked.

“Kill him. I will not let my sister marry someone like that!” Shan Ling’s voice was icy.

“If so… please go ahead.” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong smiled. He had expected this to happen.

“If I kill Fang Zhengzhi, how will you report to the Emperor?”

“Fang Zhengzhi was unwilling to return to the capital because he knew he couldn’t escape the death sentence. He kidnapped you so I had no choice but to agree to let him stay. Then, he took the chance to escape. However, because his cultivation was ruined, he was killed by beasts. By the time I got there, it was too late… what do you think?” Lin Tianrong replied.

“That’s great!” Shan Ling nodded.

“If that is so, then it should occur in the bushes, not on the road, am I right?” Lin Tianrong looked at the forests by the side of the road.

“That’s right!” Shan Ling nodded.

“Please.” Lin Tianrong pointed to the forest.

“Okay, let me clear a path for you.” Shan Ling walked into the forest.

Lin Tianrong and his eight hangers-on followed behind. Su Qing led the carriage carrying Fang Zhengzhi into the forest as well.

The sun was setting.

Darkness fell…

The candidates were already some distance away. Seeing that night was approaching, they stopped and set up a camp, waiting for Lin Tianrong to join them.

Safety…

Was already taken care of.

What they didn’t know was that there were more than 10 figures and a carriage in the woods around them.

The flaps were opened.

Fang Zhengzhi could be seen…

He was dressed, his expression calm. However, his body was still paralyzed.

“What a great move.” Lin Tianrong commended.

“You too!” Shan Ling nodded.

“Are you not going to let him die a more honorable death?” Lin Tianrong smiled as he looked at the comatose Fang Zhengzhi.

“I never drag my feet when I work. Furthermore, the medicine that I gave him allows him to remain conscious despite his paralysis. He heard everything from the beginning.” Shan Ling shook his head.

“I see.” Lin Tianrong stiffened.

Shan Ling didn’t say anything else.

He walked forward and stepped onto the carriage. He unsheathed his sword.

“Fang Zhengzhi, you can only blame yourself for being too greedy. When you asked for 10 gold mines, you should have seen this coming!” Shan Ling pursed his lips.

His voice was not loud and his arms were stable. His blade radiated an icy aura as he glared at Fang Zhengzhi like a ravenous predator.

He raised his sword…

Blood…

Blood splattered all over the carriage in that instant…

• – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ? ?

Chapter 475: Accident!

Shan Ling looked at the blood and the blade in his hand in disbelief.

“Why?” Shan Ling looked behind him. He knew that this was a stupid question because the blade that pierced his chest told him all he needed to know.

But…

He asked the question anyway.

He simply couldn’t understand why someone would do this! Furthermore, they had the audacity to attack him in the Southern Region!

“Can’t you figure out what’s happening?” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong squinted as he looked at Shan Ling.

He loved Shan Ling’s expression.

The greater the disbelief in his opponents face, the greater his satisfaction.

Shan Ling looked at Lin Tianrong.

Shan Ling had never felt such rage in his life. Not even when he felt threatened by Fang Zhengzhi in The Vast World.

“Why? Could it be that you don’t want him to die? That’s impossible. I am very sure that you want him dead!” Shan Ling’s face was flushed.

He knew for a fact that Lin Tianrong wanted Fang Zhengzhi dead.

There are no eternal enemies, only eternal benefits. When their goals were the same, they could work together.

That was why he believed Lin Tianrong.

However…

He never expected that Lin Tianrong would try and save Fang Zhengzhi by stabbing him in the back when he was trying to kill Fang Zhengzhi.

He needed a reason.

“Crown Prince, you are right. I do want Fang Zhengzhi dead, but I also want you dead!” Lin Tianrong chuckled icily. His body was shaking with joy. He pulled his sword out.

Blood splattered everywhere.

The eight hangers-on rushed to Lin Tianrong’s side. Their robes flapped in the wind.

“You want me dead?” Shan Ling shuddered, blood flowing from the open wound in his chest. He glared at Lin TIanrong.

“To be honest, there was a small detail that I left out from the story… when Fang Zhengzhi had kidnapped you, he killed you!” Lin Tianrong explained.

“Haha, you expect that useless person to be able to kill me? Do you think the King will believe that story?” Shan Ling’s eyes were icy, blood trickling from the edge of his mouth.

“Does it matter? Fang Zhengzhi and yourself would both be dead by then. Whatever I say, goes.” Lin Tianrong chuckled.

Shan Ling remained silent.

Lin Tianrong was right. Dead men couldn’t speak. They would have no choice but to believe Lin Tianrong.

Even if…

The King didn’t buy it… he couldn’t do anything about it.

Wage war with the Great Xia?

Demand that the Great Xia hand over the Crown Prince to be tried for murder?

Both of those options were impossible!

“Give me a reason why you have to kill me!” Shan Ling didn’t want to debate this issue. All he wanted was a reason.

“If you don’t die, there will be no peace!” Lin Tianrong added.

“I see.” Shan Ling stopped shuddering. He calmed down, realizing that death was about to come.

He finally understood.

He had told Fang Zhengzhi something just now.

He had blamed Fang Zhengzhi’s fate on his…

Greed!

Right now, the Crown Prince was giving him a taste of his own medicine.

His greed, his lust for the throne was the cause of his death!

How ironic.

He had thought that he was punishing others for their greed, never once realizing that he was even greedier.

The irony was clear.

That being said, he had to admit that Lin Tianrong was right. As long as he was alive, the Southern Region would always be a cause for worry for the Great Xia.

Shan Ling had no other questions.

He turned to look at Lin Tianrong and Su Qing, smirking as he did so.

“I am sure Official Su had already predicted this when you came to find me that day. What a great plan!” Shan Ling chuckled.

He knew whose plan this was.

It was Su Qing’s.

By convincing Shan Ling, they had secured Shan Ling’s attendance on this journey.

“You are too kind!” Su Qing replied as he bowed to Shan Ling. He instinctively took a step backward.

“Boom!”

A crack appeared beneath Su Qing’s feet, almost as if the ground had been sliced open.

It was extremely sudden.

But Su Qing managed to dodge away.

“It is no wonder you are the Crown Prince. Your attacks are swift and powerful despite your injuries. I am in awe!” Su Qing retreated even further as he saw the crack.

“Settle this within 15 minutes!” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong looked at the crack, his gaze icy. He lowered his sword and ordered the eight hangers-on to strike.

“Yes!” The eight hangers-on nodded.

“I never expected that Official Su would be this powerful. Haha… the Great Xia is saturated with talents. Today, I will like to see how powerful the Crown Prince’s hangers-on are!” Shan Ling chuckled as he radiated an icy aura.

This was a piercing aura.

The blood flowing out of Shan Ling’s wound froze. It glistened like a ruby…

“Die!”

“Go to hell!”

“…”

The shouts echoed through the air.

The eight hangers-on sprang into action like specters in the night. They were within striking distance in the blink of an eye.

Shan Ling leapt into action.

He swung his blade as he charged the group of eight.

His sword glistened.

The icy aura enveloped the area and caused a layer of ice to form over the grass. The leaves also began to freeze over.

Within moments, all eight hangers-on were injured. One of them even had a limb amputated. Blood spattered from the open wound, but their gazes were determined.

Advanced Rebirth State…

Despite his injuries, Shan Ling was still a force to be reckoned with.

Shan Ling was the top cultivator amongst the Southern Region youths.

However, this battle didn’t last very long. The eight hangers-on seemed to have no regard for their lives. They were willing to die just to inflict damage!

Broken branches and leaves mixed with the ice and blood. There were cracks all over the floor. This was a bloody battlefield.

After 15 minutes…

The battle was over.

Shan Ling leaned on the carriage, his sword broken. He looked at the stars in the sky.

He wasn’t willing to accept this end. He had worked so hard to get the position of Crown Prince. His plan to work with the demons, and then the Crown Prince was almost perfect.

Yet, his last two plans had failed completely. He thought that he was the smart one but in truth…

He wasn’t.

It might be Yun Qingwu, or even Chi Guyan and Fang Zhengzhi. Now, there was one more contender – Crown Prince Lin Tianrong.

Shan Ling didn’t want to die.

However, he showed no trace of fear. He simply accepted his fate. This was something that he couldn’t fight.

When the death god came to claim him, he would not be scared. He would simply look into the sky and allow the blood to stain his feet…

“Congratulations, your highness!” Su Qing spoke up after some pause. He fell to his knees.

“Oh? What are you congratulating me for?” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong glanced at Shan Ling in scorn.

As the Crown Prince of the Great Xia.

He had been revered by many.

However, since he entered the Southern Region, he had to tolerate Shan Ling’s temper. He had always wanted to take his revenge.

This was the perfect time to do so. He could eliminate a threat to the Great Xia whilst taking revenge.

“Outsiders may think that Fang Zhengzhi killed Shan Ling. However, the Emperor would be smart enough to know that you did it to eliminate a threat to the Great Xia! Your efforts will be rewarded.” Su Qing explained.

“Rewarded? What do you think the Emperor would do?” Lin Tianrong asked.

“Since Fang Zhengzhi is dead, the credit for the victory cannot go to him. Even though you killed Shan Ling, he cannot reward you explicitly for the assassination…”

“So what?”

“He will give you all the credit for the victory!”

“Hahaha… well said, well said!” Lin Tianrong chuckled.

When Su Qing had told him that he would secure all the credit for the victory, he did not believe it.

But…

After Su Qing explained the plan to him, he bought into it.

A dead man couldn’t fight for credit.

“Based on your position in the palace and the work you have done here, you would have secured your position on the throne! King Duan would cease to be a threat!” Su Qing smirked.

“Cease to be a threat? I won’t be so sure of that.” Lin Tianrong squinted and shook his head.

“Do you think that King Duan still has a chance to recover after all these?” Su Qing asked.

“The capital is firmly in my control. Furthermore, I did quell the unrest here. It would be impossible for sixth brother to fight me in the courts. However, that is not where his strength lies!”

“Are you referring to the Northern Five Constabularies?” Su Qing seemed to understand.

“Exactly, the Northern Five Constabularies are controlled by the Divine Constabulary. Chi Hou has been a close friend of King Duan for a long time now. Without the Divine Constabulary’s support, King Duan would never have had control over the army!”

“What you’re saying is…”

“With your abilities and status, it would be a waste if you went to the Ministry of Rites!”

“Your Highness, are you planning to have me go to the Divine Constabulary?”

“Divine Constabulary? You won’t be able to go there, but you can fight for the leadership of the Northern Five Constabularies! What do you think?” Lin Tianrong looked at Su Qing.

“Leader of the Northern Five Constabularies?! That… would be an honor!” Su Qing shuddered as he smiled uncontrollably.

“Haha… you shouldn’t thank me so early. It is not easy to be the leader of the Northern Five Constabularies. Why don’t you consider heading up one of the constabularies first?”

“Your wish is my command!” Su Qing nodded.

…

The night was cold.

Lin Tianrong looked at the carriage, ignoring Shan Ling, who was breathing raspily.

There was one more loose end to tie.

That was…

The man inside the carriage.

This man was a dead man walking.

“If this plan is successful, your place in the Great Xia would be impossible to challenge!” Shan Ling’s voice rang out from behind Lin Tianrong.

Lin Tianrong ignored Shan Ling. He couldn’t be bothered with a defeated opponent.

“Your Highness, should I take care of this?” Su Qing looked at Lin Tianrong. He wasn’t trying to take credit…

He simply wanted to vent his anger!

“Okay.” Lin Tianrong nodded.

“Thank you, your highness!” Su Qing stood up and swept the dust off his pants. He walked towards the carriage.

Each step was slow and deliberate.

He was in control.

As such…

He wanted to savor every moment.

He was close…

When Su Qing neared the carriage, he smirked. He could hear his own breathing…

“I will make sure you die a painful death!” Su Qing chuckled. His body shuddered as he opened the flaps to the carriage.

Then…

His smile froze.

“Actually, I didn’t get to finish my sentence. Even the most perfect plan isn’t immune to hiccups! Am I right? Crown Prince? Official Su?” Shan Ling’s voice rang out.

Chapter 476: Die, he has to die

The voice…

Shan Ling was not loud. In fact, he was almost out of breath, but his voice sent a chill down Su Qing’s breath.

“Actually, I didn’t get to finish my sentence. Even the most perfect plan isn’t immune to hiccups! Am I right? Crown Prince? Official Su?”

His words echoed through Su Qing’s mind.

The smile on his face had all but disappeared. His hand froze in mid-air.

He held the flap open…

But he didn’t move.

What was happening? How could this possibly happen?

Su Qing was in disbelief. He refused to accept that this perfect plan of his could go awry.

In fact, the plan seemed to be going even smoother than he had expected.

Fang Zhengzhi’s crime had been witnessed by everyone! This, compounded with his usual demeanor…

For him to kill Shan Ling in a moment of panic…

Was definitely possible!

It wouldn’t matter even if others didn’t believe it.

The dead couldn’t speak. As long as he and Lin Tianrong continued to assert that this was the truth, then it would be so.

But…

What if Fang Zhengzhi didn’t die?!

Su Qing’s body was stiff. He turned slowly to look at Crown Prince Lin Tianrong, who was nearby.

As the Crown Prince of the Great Xia, Lin Tianrong didn’t want to entertain his defeated adversary.

However…

When he heard what Shan Ling said, his expression changed completely.

He could tell from Su Qing’s expression that something was wrong. Furthermore, he could see inside the carriage.

All this while, Crown Prince Lin Tianrong had been calm and composed. As the Crown Prince, he would never do anything unless he was absolutely certain that it would work.

But this time, he had acted even though the odds weren’t overwhelmingly in his favor.

The temptation was too great!

All the credit!

By doing this, he could stabilize his position in the courts! His work here would secure the throne for himself.

However…

The key to this plan was that Fang Zhengzhi had to die! His death was a necessity for this operation to succeed!

“You… you let him escape?!” Lin Tianrong’s stammered. He never expected that Fang Zhengzhi could escape.

He was poisoned and comatose!

Killing him would have been a piece of cake!

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong had eight hangers-on to help him! Even that was quite the overkill. Even an ordinary soldier could have done the job.

But now…

The carriage was empty!

There could only be one possibility! Shan Ling had let Fang Zhengzhi go. Only Shan Ling had the antidote.

“Hahaha, what do you think?” Shan Ling chuckled maniacally. He was paralyzed, blood flowing from his open wound. However, he was extremely happy at the result of his actions.

“Die!” Lin Tianrong lunged.

The blade in his hand morphed into a ray of light as it shot towards Shan Ling.

Shan Ling didn’t move.

He watched the blade pierce his throat, beaming radiantly even till his dying breath.

Then, the world in front of him went dark.

He was dead…

Lin Tianrong glared at Shan Ling, his heart filled with hatred. In all honesty, he could have waited for Shan Ling to kill Fang Zhengzhi before he killed Shan Ling…

But he didn’t wait.

Fang Zhengzhi was a poisoned, paralyzed individual. What was there to worry about?

He struck…

But now…

“Chase! Hunt Fang Zhengzhi down and end his life!” Lin Tianrong bellowed.

“Yes, sir!” The eight hangers-on sprung into action the moment they heard the Crown Prince. They shot off in eight different directions.

Nightfall…

The blood was stained with white snow.

“Woosh!”

The blade in Shan Ling’s throat was removed and the blood dripped onto the snow. The night was chilly.

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong’s expression was dark and solemn.

He would not allow for any room for error when it came to the fight for the throne.

He also knew how difficult it was to track someone down in these dense forests.

He looked into the dark, dense forests, then back at his bloodied blade.

“Woosh!”

He struck again.

Blood splattered everywhere!

But this time, he was not striking at Shan Ling or Su Qing. He stabbed himself in the chest.

“Your Highness!” Su Qing shuddered as he fell to his knees.

“He didn’t die? Hahaha… he didn’t die! Good… very good! I would like to see if you still dare to show your face in the Great Xia!” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong spat out a mouthful of blood.

“With such determination, the throne would definitely be yours. I am willing to die for your cause as well!” Su Qing understood what Lin Tianrong was doing.

He may have taken advantage of the Princess of the Southern Region!

But with his contributions in the war, he would not be executed. However, if he killed the Crown Prince of the Southern Region and injured the Crown Prince of the Great Xia…

He would not be able to escape death!

…

…

In the morning, the Southern Region welcomed their first snowfall of this winter.

The morning was cold and the snow added an icy silver layer on the ground.

The Sagely Mountain City was completely covered in snow.

However, there was a squad in rattan armor amidst the snow. All of them rode two-meter tall beasts.

These beasts were like wolves, and they had a single silver horn on their heads. Yet, they were at least two to three times larger than conventional wolves.

The Silver Horned Wolves Squad!

The creme de la creme of the Southern Region Army.

Ordinarily, the Silver Horned Wolves were incredibly quick. They could run on snow almost as quickly as they could run on the plains.

However, these Silver Horned Wolves were not particularly quick.

They trudged through the snow, each step deliberate and pained. They left behind deep footprints.

They were walking towards the throne room.

It was snowing heavily.

The sky was dark.

The throne room was pristine and visible in the distance. However, none of the members of the Silver Horned Wolves were excited to see it.

Their expressions were solemn.

None of them spoke. All one could hear in the air were the footsteps and snorting of the Silver Horned Wolves.

Finally…

They stopped in front of the palace.

No guards came forward to question them. Everyone watched the Silver Horned Wolves Squad patiently and quietly.

Then the doors opened.

“Creak, creak!”

The doors were heavy from the snow and the hinges were frozen, but they still creaked open.

“Aroo!”

The moment the doors opened, the Silver Horned Wolves let out a howl. The sound echoed through the city.

However, the Silver Horned Wolves didn’t move.

There was someone standing in the middle of the doors.

This was a man in a snow white leather hat and a snow white leather robe. There was a thick layer of snow over his robe. He had been standing in the snow for some time.

Behind this man…

There was a lady. She too wore a snow white leather robe which was caked in snow. She had beige skin, dark eyes, slender legs, and two daggers sheathed at her thighs.

Princess Shan Yu!

As such…

The person in front of her was the King of the Southern Region.

The Silver Horned Wolves Squad spotted the King, the Princess, as well as the settlement chiefs and generals standing behind them.

However, they did not step forward to bow, nor did they fall to their knees. They remained silent and mounted.

It was a strange sight.

At that moment, the King of the Southern Region shuddered, then fell to his knees.

“My son!”

The King of the Southern Region howled, his hair dancing in the wind, tears rolling down his cheeks.

This was an old man who had lived through many wars. He never cried, even when faced with terrifying enemies.

But right now…

Tears rolled freely from his cheeks.

“Kaboom!”

Princess Shan Yu, as well as the settlement chiefs and generals, fell to her knees. This caused the ground to shake, and snow to be sent flying in all directions.

“Woooooooo!” A solemn ring could be heard from the walls.

At that moment, the Silver Horned Wolves lay prone on the ground. However, the soldiers riding them didn’t move.

They remained still despite the wind and snow.

Because…

They carried a large black plank of wood on their shoulders.

This was a plank of wood cut down from an ancient tree. There were intricate carvings on the surface of the wood.

It was identical to the pictures on the walls of the palace.

The snow on the wood made it heavier by the second.

Most importantly, there was someone lying on the plank of wood. This man was covered by a white sheet of leather, but the blood stain was clear for all to see.

It was Shan Ling.

The Crown Prince of the Southern Region, next in line to the throne. But now, he was dead.

“Where is the Crown Prince of the Great Xia? Where is he?! Why didn’t he come back? Is he afraid that I would kill him?!” The King of the Southern Region bellowed.

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince was severely injured. He is now comatose and on the way to the Great Xia!” One of the members of the Silver Horned Wolves Squad replied.

“Injured? Comatose? What injuries did he suffer? Why is he comatose?” The King’s expression changed.

“He took a blade to the chest! It missed his heart by just a single thumb width!” The Silver Horned Wolves Squad member replied.

“A thumb width?! Hahaha… missed by the width of a thumb… hahaha…” The King laughed. He was laughing out of anger. He clenched his fists and began to tremble.

Then, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

“Sh*t!”

The blood splattered all over the snow, staining it red.

“Father!” Princess Shan Yu lunged forward and hugged the King. She was trembling as well, her eyes filled with hatred.

She did not say anything after hugging her father.

She knew what the situation was. She also knew that there were things that could be said, and things that were better left unsaid.

“My daughter, your eldest brother and second brother are both gone. Now, even your third brother…” The King looked at Princess Shan Yu, his wrinkles getting deeper by the second.

“Father, you still have a daughter!” Princess Shan Yu’s hands were covered by a thick layer of snow. No one could tell that she had balled her fists…

“Yes… I still have a daughter, a daughter who is capable of ruling the Southern Region!” The King’s eyes glittered as he stood up.

His body radiated rays of red light and the snow on his body melted away. Steam could be seen rising from his body.

“From today onwards, Princess Shan Yu will govern the Southern Region!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Father, I am still too young, and you…” Princess Shan Yu shuddered, her eyes widening.

As a Princess of the Southern Region…

She may be part of the Shan Family, but she never thought that she would have to govern the Southern Region. This was a job for the King.

“Enough has been said. I have made my decision. Where is Fiery Crow?” The King shook his head as he ruffled Princess Shan Yu’s hair.

“Your Highness, I am here!” A skinny man walked out from the crowd.

This was the settlement chief of the Fiery Crow Settlement.

“Mm, you will make a trip to the capital on my behalf. Request a gift for Princess Shan Yu as she is about to take the throne. Ask for 80,000 tons of rations, 10,000 taels of gold, silver…” The King scribbled in the snow as he spoke.

“Your Highness… we are a vassal state to the Great Xia. We have been paying them in exchange for some books. I think… they may give us the gold, but would they really give us the rations?” Fiery Crow was stunned by the numbers he saw.

He knew exactly how scary those numbers were. They were enough to build an army.

Fiery Crow was not alone. The settlement chiefs and generals behind them were equally shocked. This was unprecedented.

“Yes, they will definitely give it to us!” The King asserted as he looked at the settlement chiefs and generals.

“I understand!” Fiery Crow nodded.

“Father, you’re asking for a ton of resources from the Great Xia. Are you planning to…” Princess Shan Yu’s expression changed.

“No! My daughter, this is my gift to you as you ascend the throne. You are a lady taking the throne. You need to use these gifts to buy over the hearts of some people. The Emperor knows this, so he will definitely give these to you! However, you will still have control over how you wish to use these resources. You are the future ruler!”

The King turned to look at the settlement chiefs and generals, his body glowing red.

“We will serve Princess Shan Yu to our last breath!” The settlement chiefs and generals fell to their knees.

Princess Shan Yu shuddered. She did not kneel this time. She knew that she had a huge responsibility on her shoulders.

She had to govern the Southern Region.

She did not speak as she looked at the kneeling settlement chiefs and generals. Then, she turned to look into the distance.

The ground was covered by a thick layer of snow. The trees were slightly bent due to the wind and the weight of the snow. She was looking in the direction of the Great Xia.

Of course, there was something other than the Great Xia in that direction.

There was a major settlement in that direction. That was the Icy Monkey Settlement. There was a sword…

A sword that was embedded on the Feng Su Cliff…

More than half of the sword had been driven into the ground. The snow fell on it and the wind blew around it.

This was undoubtedly the coldest part of the Southern Region. There was a layer of ice around the blade. Yet, there was still a strange purple glow flowing across the blade…

Chapter 477: The results of the Court Examination!

…

Three weeks later…

Winter had arrived in the Great Xia.

The snow covered the ancient city, leaving behind a silver, glistening layer.

The wind was strong.

Countless citizens stood at the gates to the palace. They wore many layers of thick clothing as they waited in anticipation.

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping stood at the front, the officials standing at the side. All of the candidates looked at them.

Snow continued to fall from the sky, landing on their shoulders. However, they did not move.

They were all waiting…

They were waiting for the results of the court examinations!

Ordinarily, only the results of the theory examinations carried such unknowns. After all, the results of the combat examination were clear for all to see.

However…

This was an exception.

No one knew what the results of the court examinations were. No one knew who would take home the top spot.

Then, the doors opened.

A warm gust of air gushed out from inside as the officials and candidates tensed. They straightened their backs and lowered their heads. However, they all glanced at the doors.

There was no Minister of Rites nor a Chief Imperial Messenger. This would mean that the Emperor or the Left Prime Minister would announce the results.

However, despite the doors opening, Emperor Lin Mubai was nowhere to be seen.

At the very moment, eight soldiers in golden armor stood by the door.

Each one of them had a solemn expression as they carried a huge tablet in their hands. This was the results tablet.

“Are they just going to present the results?”

The candidates and officials looked at each other without speaking. However, the same thought was going through their minds.

The Imperial Decree Hall was where the Emperor’s held their ceremonies when they ascended the throne.

Similarly, it was the location for the announcement of the court examination results. After every announcement, there would be a tablet with the names of the candidates inscribed in gold.

This was the emphasis placed on the court examinations.

However…

Usually, the court examination results would be announced before the tablet was revealed to the masses. However, this time seemed to be different.

The tablet was being carried out.

Neither the officials nor the candidates spoke. The icy wind sent a chill down all their spines.

The eight guards’ footsteps were steady as they trudged through the snow. The snow was thick, but they didn’t wobble.

They came to a halt.

They stopped at the gates of the hall and placed the tablet on the ground.

“Reveal!”

A crisp voice rang out from inside the Imperial Decree Hall. It was not loud, but everyone could hear it clearly.

The message was relayed all the way to the entrance.

“Reveal!”

“Reveal!”

“…”

The voices echoed all the way to the entrance of the palace. Then, the message was passed all the way to the walls.

The city was bustling with activity.

Everyone, from businessmen to soldiers, stopped what they were doing and looked towards the Imperial Decree Hall.

The golden parchment was removed from the tablet.

The golden names were revealed. There were only 10 names on the tablet.

“I’m on the tablet!” An excited voice rang out.

“Me too!” Yet another candidate screamed. To be ranked on the tablet was a great honor.

Then, there was a third voice, then a fourth…

“Nangong Hao is first!”

“Indeed. Nangong Hao did great work in the Southern Region, signing a peace treaty with the Southern Region for 10 years. It is only right that he is in first place.”

“Yes, but… why is Yan Xiu third?”

The candidates looked at the top few rows of the tablet. Nangong Hao’s name was clearly inscribed at the top.

“No, there are only nine names here!”

“Nine?!”

“Look, Nangong Hao’s name is not in the center!”

“Not in the center?!”

“Yes, based on the position of his name, there is someone else to his right…”

“You’re saying that Fang Zhengzhi…”

When the candidates noticed Yan Xiu’s ranking, they also realized that there was something wrong with the tablet. However, when they spoke of Fang Zhengzhi, they all went quiet.

“The results are out. The top three candidates have the opportunity to participate in the Heavenly Dao Pavillion selections seven days from now. Nangong Hao, will you be participating?” Another voice rang out. This voice ignored the discussions happening below.

“I will!” A figure in white stood out from the crowd. His blade glistened in the sun.

“Mm, it is the Great Xia and Nangong Family’s honor to have you represent us at the selection!” The figure replied approvingly.

All of the other candidates were envious at such an opportunity. The Heavenly Dao Pavillion was the best place to cultivate.

“Young Master Nangong, you will definitely make it through!”

“That is a given. You had the abilities to participate in the selections four years ago. It will be a piece of cake for you now.”

“Congratulations!”

All of the candidates sent their well wishes to Nangong Hao.

Nangong Hao bowed to them, then turned and returned to the crowd, just as calm as before.

The person at the door of the Imperial Decree Hall looked out at the crowd, his gaze finally resting on an icy face.

“Yan Xiu, will you be participating in the Heavenly Dao Pavilion selections?” The voice rang out.

“Why isn’t Fang Zhengzhi on the tablet?!” A figure walked out from the crowd, his face pale. He was clearly still recovering from severe injuries.

However, his back was straight despite the chill and wind. His robe flapped in the wind.

His name…

Yan Xiu!

“Yan Xiu, he is asking you if you will be participating in the Heavenly Dao Pavilion selections! We can discuss any other matters after the selections are over!” One of the officials hollered.

“I asked why Fang Zhengzhi’s name isn’t on the tablet!” Yan Xiu ignored the official as he stared into the Imperial Decree Hall.

His gaze had never left the Imperial Decree Hall.

“Yan Xiu, this is the Imperial Decree Hall, behave yourself!” The Minister of Law’s voice rang out. He was not going to tolerate such behavior here.

“Why isn’t Fang Zhengzhi’s name on the tablet?!” Yan Xiu showed no intention of backing down.

“Yan Xiu!” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping’s voice cut through the air, his red official robes flapping in the wind.

“According to the rules of the court examination, the combat examinations ended before the battle of the Southern Region. That is at the Icy Monkey Settlement. At that time, Fang Zhengzhi was in command of nearly 50,000 soldiers. The only candidates left were Nangong Hao, Fang Zhengzhi, and I. Why is his name not on the tablet?!” Yan Xiu ignored Yu Yiping as he bellowed.

“Does a traitor deserve to be on the roll?”

“He violated the Princess of the Southern Region! That is an undeniable fact! How can he still be honored? Furthermore, he rebelled and killed Shan Ling and injured the Crown Prince. He is lucky that the Emperor hasn’t executed his entire family. What else do you want?”

“Yan Xiu, you are different from Fang Zhengzhi. You come from a noble family. Now that you have a chance at the Heavenly Dao Pavilion, you should focus on that, not stand up for a rebel!”

All of the officials were fuming.

“Innocent until proven guilty! I only have one question, why is Fang Zhengzhi’s name not on the tablet?!” Yan Xiu clenched his fists.

“Yan Xiu, you…” All of the officials couldn’t find words to express their anger.

All of the eyes of the candidates were on the verge of popping out of their sockets. They never expected that Yan Xiu would debate with all the officials.

All because…

Of Fang Zhengzhi…

“Kacha!” At that moment, the scrunching sound of shoes trudging in snow rang out.

The sound was soft.

However, all of the candidates and officials fell to their knees.

“Long live the Emperor!” They replied in unison.

Emperor Lin Mubai looked at the only youth standing. His golden robe danced in the wind.

“You asked me why Fang Zhengzhi’s name isn’t on the tablet?” Emperor Lin Mubai was calm, but everyone knew that his tone was dangerously icy.

His iciness was different from the snow and the wind. If the wind chilled one’s bones, Lin Mubai sent shivers down one’s spine and penetrated one’s heart.

“Yes!” Yan Xiu nodded, his voice equally cold.

“Okay, let me tell you this. I have already left space on the tablet for him. As long as he can prove that he had nothing to do with the crimes he was being accused of, then I will personally inscribe his name on the tablet. Is that a satisfactory answer?” Emperor Lin Mubai frowned.

“Your Highness, please calm down!”

The officials all kowtowed when they heard this.

Yan Xiu didn’t speak. He bit his lip as he looked at Emperor Lin Mubai and the empty space next to Nangong Hao’s name.

The snow was intensifying…

“Yan Xiu, the Emperor has answered your question. It is time for you to answer ours. Will you be participating in the selection?” Eunuch Wei’s voice rang out.

As the Emperor’s servant, he knew what to say and when to say it.

“I will take part when the Emperor inscribes Fang Zhengzhi’s name on the tablet!” Yan Xiu fell to his knees.

However, he stood up just as quickly. Then, he turned around and walked to the exit without hesitation.

“This…”

“This is ridiculous!”

“Your Highness, should we…”

All of the officials turned to look at Emperor Lin Mubai.

“Let him be!” Emperor Lin Mubai waved the officials off as he looked at the snow before returning to the Imperial Decree Hall.

…

…

Spring, one year later.

In a quiet residence inside the Great Xia…

Flowers were blooming and their fragrance filled the residence.

There was a lady on the swing in the yard, her white skin glistening in the sun. Her eyebrows were thin and sharp.

In the middle of her forehead was a red mark, like a red spot in a sea of white. She was gorgeous.

She kept looking at a clear lake nearby as she swung on the swing.

The lake was filled with fallen petals. There were a few tarps in the pond, making ripples as the swum around.

“Why aren’t they out yet? Could they be… stuck at the door?” The lady’s voice had traces of anger.

At that moment…

There was movement in the lake. The movement became more vigorous by the moment, forming waves on the surface of the lake. Then, a black circular rock rose to the surface.

“Oh? They’re out!” The lady’s eyes glistened as the frustration on her face was replaced with calm.

A crack appeared on the black rock. It looked as though a door was being opened from the inside.

The lady grabbed the rope on the swing and the swing came to a stop. She stared at the black crack.

The crack began to widen…

Then…

A figure walked out…

This was a bearded, aged man. He was barefoot and wore a baggy white robe. He seemed calm and unassuming. The only unique feature about him was his long, silver beard. His beard extended all the way to his waist.

“Master!” The lady jumped off the swing when she saw him. Then, she looked behind the man.

“Oh, you were waiting for me?” The old man smiled as he brushed his beard.

“Where is he?” The lady ignored the old man’s question.

“Who?” The old man asked, visibly confused.

“That fella! Why isn’t he out? Is he stuck at the door like the previous time?”

The lady smirked when she said it.

She was thinking about a previous incident.

“So you weren’t waiting for me?” The old man seemed disappointed.

“Of course I was, but where is that fella? Is he still inside?” The lady asked.

“Nope.” The old man shook his head.

“No? How could that be? Did he turn into a Fire Plume Chicken and fly away?” The lady was shocked.

“Indeed.” The old man nodded solemnly.

“Master, enough with the jokes. Without your guidance, he won’t be able to walk out of this ‘Water Demon Realm’.” The lady didn’t buy it.

“Yes, how did he exit the ‘Water Demon Realm’?” The old man nodded in agreement.

“Master, you… no way? That guy really made his way out by himself?”

“Probably!”

“Ah? Where did he go? He better not be going to the capital! I… I haven’t even finished my preparations. If we go now…”

“No, he didn’t go to the capital.”

“He didn’t? Then where did he go?”

“He said that he was inside for too long. It was suffocating. He wanted to enjoy the scenery.”

“Enjoy the scenery? Where?”

“He said he wanted to go to the Blood Shadow City!”

“Blood Shadow City? Oh… as long as it is not Yan Capital… hang on… did you say Blood Shadow City?! Isn’t that the Demon’s capital?!” The lady’s expression changed.

Chapter 478: Purple Demonic Eye

…

The Blood Shadow City was aptly named. It was given this name because of its layout and infrastructure.

Ordinarily, a city would have four gates, one in each direction. Each one would be linked by walls that allowed for better defense.

However, the Blood Shadow City was an exception.

This was a fortress. It should only be viewed from a distance. Anyone foreign and close to it would likely die.

Yet…

There was a youth standing on the walls of the Blood Shadow City. He seemed out of place, looking around in his blue long sleeved shirt.

He was clearly in awe.

To be honest, anyone who could see such an ancient city would be in awe. This ancient fortress covered the entire mountain.

Circular…

A circular wall at the foot of the mountain was the first layer of protection. It surrounded the entire city.

One mile in was another circular wall. However, this wall was more than two meters higher than the one on the perimeter.

The wall was as high as a tree.

But that was not all…

Layers of circular walls continued to surround the city, each one spaced one mile apart. Every layer was two meters higher than the previous one.

“Grand!” The youth looked at the layers of walls behind him and gasped in admiration.

It was no wonder it was known as the Blood Shadow City.

The youth looked at the red flags in the middle of the trees. He really felt like he was surrounded by a sea of red.

Of course, the grandest thing was the ‘scar’ that he was standing on…

This was a scar that extended from the outermost wall all the way to the center.

The youth was slightly confused as he looked at the scar.

It had clearly been repaired, but…

It seemed to have been done rather half-heartedly. It was not difficult to fully repair the cracks…

Yet, the crack was still visible.

It was extremely attention-grabbing.

“I guess it’s a warning to the younger generations…” The youth thought to himself. He could confirm a few things.

First, the Blood Shadow City is built on a mountain. It was not a tall one, but it covered a great amount of space. There were four gates at the outermost wall.

The second layer also had four gates.

However…

They were not aligned with the gates at the first wall. This greatly increased the time required for people to walk into the city.

It was extremely inconvenient.

However, it made for great defense!

There were only two ways this place was defended. First, the people entering could be separated by race. Every race would face different rules when entering the city.

Of course, they could also be separated by castes.

The second possibility was that there were magical formations embedded within the walls.

It could even be a combination of the two.

This would make entry extremely difficult. Not only did you have to follow the ‘rules’, you had to get past all the guards.

It was no wonder…

The easiest way was to just split the entire city. It would take ages to gain entry via conventional methods.

More importantly, one would find it even more difficult to get out than to get in.

Just as he was thinking about it, he heard a voice behind him. This voice was filled with shock.

“Freeze, turn around slowly!”

The demon soldiers on guard duty at the perimeter walls were completely shocked to see a youth standing on the wall, admiring the scenery.

Which rural clan was this person from? Is he here to visit?

Doesn’t he know the rules of the Blood Shadow City?

The demon soldier gripped his spear tightly. He didn’t strike immediately because this person seemed too relaxed, almost as if he was at home here on the wall.

This caused him to take extra precaution.

At that moment, the youth turned around, his lips twitching in displeasure.

The demon soldier loosened his grip on the spear.

He saw that there was a glittering demonic eye on the youth’s forehead. That meant that this youth was definitely a demon.

However…

His demonic eye was weird.

Hang on…

Purple… purple demonic eye?!

The soldier was stunned. He had been stationed here for decades and seen many strange things.

However, he never felt like vomiting blood as much as he did today.

“Spy, spy! Catch… catch the intruder!” The demon soldier stammered. He didn’t feel any satisfaction when he recognized this youth as an intruder.

After all, there was no such thing as a purple demonic eye.

As such, this intruder…

Was plain dumb!

That was the first thought that flashed through his mind. Then, he felt the world spinning, almost as if he had been knocked in the back of the head.

He turned around and saw a figure standing behind him.

This was a man in black clothes. His jaw was sharp and he had a demonic eye on his forehead, a red one.

Most importantly, he held a black metal pole in his hand.

“How dare this guy… impersonate a Rebirth State…” The demon soldier was furious, but he crumpled to the ground as the world around him turned black.

“Ah Jiu, what’s the count?” The youth shook his head as he turned away from the demon soldier frothing at the mouth.

“Master, he is the third one today. We are left with the Northern Gate, do you want to continue?” The servant replied.

As a lowly servant…

Su Jiu had enjoyed life the past two years. He had gone from Huai An County all the way to the River of Trust Province.

Right now…

He was following his master to enjoy the ‘scenery’.

He also painted a red demonic eye on his forehead to try to blend in.

“I’ve seen most of the things outside. It is time for us to go inside.” The youth took a deep breath as he closed his eyes.

“Okay.” Su Jiu nodded, unsurprised by the youth’s words. His lips twitched, almost as though he wanted to say something.

“What else is there?” The youth spotted this.

“Master, are you going to continue sporting the purple demonic eye? As far as I know, there is no purple demonic eye amongst the demons…”

“Do you think that the color is a problem?”

“No… not at all!”

“I didn’t think so. Don’t you think that this color is more noticeable than others?” The youth nodded.

“Yes, indeed… it is attention-grabbing…” Su Jiu nodded as his mouth twitched. He didn’t dare to finish his sentence.

Attention-grabbing!

Everywhere they went, they would be recognized as spies and intruders! This was the Blood Shadow City!

Shouldn’t they be keeping a low profile?!

“Okay then, let’s go inside and have a look.” The youth began his descent, using a wooden ladder that was pre-positioned.

“Yes, master!” Su Jiu followed behind the youth.

…

…

Bai Xing didn’t think that he would be able to lead a proper life after the war. However, there was nothing out of the ordinary ever since he returned.

He was still the Domain Chief of the Star Domain.

Furthermore, Yun Qingwu had given him a few more deputies to command.

Bai Xing was initially unsettled by this, but after a year, his position as Domain Chief was still secure.

Yun Qingwu was still herself and Bai Xing was still himself.

As one of the Domain Chiefs, his standing amongst the demons was naturally high. The demons had kept a relatively low profile after the war.

Other than the usual military exercises, Bai Xing spent most of his time in his residence, enjoying music whilst practicing his techniques and researching formations.

He was not relaxed…

But it was a stable and regular life.

However, this routine had just been broken in the strangest of fashions.

The person who broke this year-long routine was a youth.

This was a youth in a blue long-sleeved shirt. Bai Xing was familiar with this shirt, and he even dreamt about it sometimes.

However…

He never expected that this youth would show up on his doorstep, especially not in broad daylight.

How was this possible?

Bai Xing couldn’t figure it out.

Was the Blood Shadow City breached?

If it hadn’t, how did this youth manage to walk into his residence in broad daylight?!

His residence was located within the third layer of walls in the Blood Shadow City.

The only reason why he was so far out was that he had to train with the demon soldiers frequently

Even so…

It should not be so easily accessed by an outsider.

Most importantly, this fella had a demonic eye on his forehead. This demonic eye was purple.

What the hell?!

Bai Xing thought that he was facing a ghost. He knew that this youth had been under the radar for the past year.

It was almost as if he had disappeared from the face of the earth.

How could a youth who had disappeared for over a year appear in his residence all of a sudden? Furthermore, what was with the purple demonic eye?

Bai Xing rubbed his eyes…

When he opened them, he realized that the youth was still standing in the same position as before. To make things worse, the youth was smiling radiantly at him.

“Fang Zhengzhi?!” Bai Xing was rarely shocker. However, he could not hide his shock when he saw this youth.

“Mm, it’s me.” The youth nodded calmly.

“You… why are you in the Blood Shadow City? And why are you in my residence?” Bai Xing knew that his questions were dumb…

When a human entered his residence, he should have gathered his guards and captured this man.

However…

He didn’t do so…

He was still curious about what had happened to Fang Zhengzhi over the past year.

Even though it was a dangerous choice…

He decided to spare some time to talk to Fang Zhengzhi.

“Would you believe me if I said I came here to admire the scenery?” Fang Zhengzhi chuckled as he found himself a seat.

“Admire the scenery? Here at the Blood Shadow City?” Bai Xing’s eyes glimmered but he forced himself to calm down.

“I had wanted to make my way to the center of the Blood Shadow City. However, when I saw the sign reading “Bai Residence” on your doorstep, I couldn’t help but stop. Could it be Domain Chief Bai? As such, I decided to come in and take a look. It is you!” Fang Zhengzhi replied.

“I see.” Bai Xing nodded and squinted. He could tell that Fang Zhengzhi had entered through the main door.

However…

How did this fella do it? Were all his guards blind? Could they not see the purple demonic eye on his forehead?

Chapter 479: Trick that was impossible to fall for

Bai Xing raised his fingers and rapped them on the table. He looked around solemnly.

He didn’t believe Fang Zhengzhi’s excuse of ‘admiring the scenery’.

No one would believe that Fang Zhengzhi had stumbled upon his residence and spontaneously decided to enter.

Bai Xing didn’t believe it, but he didn’t bother asking additional questions.

He simply hollered…

“Serve tea!”

Someone dressed as a servant entered holding a teapot and two exquisite teacups.

Bai Xing frowned.

He had called for tea not because he was a gracious host. He was in the Blood Shadow City, the capital of the Demons. He was in control here. The longer he dragged this out…

The more advantageous it was for him…

If Fang Zhengzhi wasn’t in a rush, why should he be?

There was an even more important reason. He wanted to know if the demon soldiers in his residence were truly ‘blind’.

It would seem that the demon soldiers in his residence were blind beyond belief.

The tea came too quickly.

It was so quick that it felt like the tea had been prepared in advance. More importantly, Fang Zhengzhi had prepared two cups.

“He came prepared?” Bai Xing wasn’t too surprised by this. He didn’t act immediately, choosing to wait for the man to bring the tea over.

When dealing with Fang Zhengzhi…

He couldn’t possibly attack him from the get-go. However, he could definitely take action against someone who was trying to pose as one of his servants.

He would kill this imposter in front of Fang Zhengzhi and scare Fang Zhengzhi off.

He hid a ray of silver light in his palm.

He was waiting. He wanted to wait till this man was closer.

The servant carrying the pot of tea didn’t seem to notice the killing intent Bai Xing emanated. He walked over steadily…

He was getting close!

Bai Xing’s finger moved and his eyes glittered. Just as he was about to strike, he froze.

Because…

He saw a demonic eye. There was a red demonic eye pasted on the forehead of the servant. It was a stark contrast from the greenery in the yard.

“Domain Chief, sir, please enjoy the tea!” The man looked at Bai Xing calmly as he bowed and poured Bai Xing a cup of tea.

The fragrance of the tea filled the garden.

Bai Xing looked at the man and the cup of tea in front of him. His lips twitched.

This was ridiculous!

Fang Zhengzhi had waltzed into his residence with a purple demonic eye! And now there was someone with a fake red demonic eye serving him!

Bai Xing thought that he had managed to call their bluff…

But in fact…

They were simply mocking him. Purple demonic eye? Red demonic eye? Could this be any more ridiculous?

Bai Xing subconsciously clenched his fists.

“Bang!”

This was the sound of the silver light exploding in his hands. It was also a manifestation of the anger he was feeling. However, Bai Xing was still Bai Xing. After some hesitation, he took the teacup in his hand and took a whiff. He smiled.

“Great tea!” Bai Xing looked away from the man and back at the calm Fang Zhengzhi.

“Domain Chief Bai is in for a treat. I feel obliged to tell you that the tea you hold in your hand is the best spring tea this year. I have personally brewed it with my recipe and techniques. If you say that it isn’t good, then I’ll have to fault you for not knowing your tea.” Fang Zhengzhi chuckled.

Then, he waved to the man.

The man turned around and walked over to Fang Zhengzhi. He poured a cup of tea for Fang Zhengzhi, left the teapot behind, then left.

Bai Xing’s lips twitched when he saw this.

To be told that you were in for a treat in your own backyard felt like being slapped in the face.

However, Bai Xing tolerated it.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you, do you really think that by controlling the servants in my residence, you can exit the Blood Shadow City safely?” Bai Xing asked.

“Domain Chief Bai, can we have some tea first?” Fang Zhengzhi ignored Bai Xing’s question as he raised his glass and took a sip, savoring it.

“Hmph!” Bai Xing snorted in derision.

He was curious about what happened to Fang Zhengzhi over the past year, but that was about it.

He could suppress it for a moment…

But he couldn’t suppress it forever.

As for drinking the tea…

The tea was brought by Fang Zhengzhi’s man. He was not stupid enough to taste it.

“Haha, I can see that you are running out of patience. This is some of the best tea around, are you really not going to taste it?” Fang Zhengzhi advised sincerely, ignoring the iciness on Bai Xing’s face.

“Fang Zhengzhi, are you really that stupid? Do you not know where you are?” Bai Xing squinted, a silver glow flashing through his eyes.

“Let me think… if I recall correctly, I should be in the Bai Residence inside the third layer of the Blood Shadow City’s defenses. Am I right?” Fang Zhengzhi replied innocently.

“So you do know that you are inside the Blood Shadow City!” Bai Xing felt a wave of rage. He smashed the teacup into the ground.

The cup shattered.

“It is a pity… that was a good cup. I hope Domain Chief Bai isn’t trying to chase me away? I haven’t even finished exploring the Blood Shadow City! Why don’t you accompany me?” Fang Zhengzhi looked at the cup with traces of regret in his eyes.

“Accompany you? Hahaha… sure, I will accompany you!” Bai Xing chuckled out of rage.

“Thank you in advance, and sorry for taking up your time.” Fang Zhengzhi nodded enthusiastically.

“No need to thank me. However, I think you should explore this place a little differently!”

“How so?” Fang Zhengzhi asked.

“We could tie you up first, then have the soldiers gather and stand in front of you! You could take your time to see them all!” Bai Xing chuckled icily.

“Wouldn’t that be too much of a disturbance?” Fang Zhengzhi asked.

“Not at all!”

“Really?”

“I can swear on my ancestors that it is no trouble at all!”

“Since you have sworn it, please go ahead.” Fang Zhengzhi hesitated for a moment before nodding. Then, he extended his arms.

“Hahaha, Fang… hmm?!” Bai Xing chuckled as he prepared to stand up. At that moment, his smile froze.

His expression was filled with shock!

“Domain Chief Bai, what are you waiting for? I am ready.” Fang Zhengzhi urged.

“You… what did you do to me?” Bai Xing’s expression changed when he realized that he couldn’t move.

His legs felt like they had been nailed in place.

He was completely immobilized.

He was shocked when he realized this. He didn’t know what happened to him.

How is that possible?!

How could Fang Zhengzhi’s abilities have improved this much in a year?!

No!

That’s impossible!

Fang Zhengzhi’s cultivation had been ruined after the war with the Southern Region. Even if he wasn’t rendered useless, his abilities couldn’t improve this much in a year.

He had just stepped into the Supernatural State a year ago!

When he dueled Cang Yang, he had relied on the power from The Vast World, not his own abilities.

Impossible!

This was unfathomable!

Was it the tea?!

Was there something wrong with the tea?

But he didn’t drink the tea! What could have possibly gone wrong?

“What did you do to me?!” Bai Xing questioned agitatedly. He felt like he was in real danger.

“Domain Chief Bai, why don’t you make a guess.” Fang Zhengzhi smirked.

“You poisoned me?” Bai Xing queried.

“Domain Chief Bai, you are indeed a smart man! I asked you to drink the tea and you didn’t. Now you are in trouble! There is a saying… you should never waste food!” Fang Zhengzhi walked towards Bai Xing.

“What do you mean?” Bai Xing’s eyes were on the verge of popping out of their sockets.

“Do you remember the events a year ago? You were in a bad mood and didn’t like everything around you. You had a few contractors renovate your place. Do you remember that?” Fang Zhengzhi replied calmly.

“You… knew about that? Those contractors…”

“Yes, I sent them!”

“But… I checked everything after the renovation was completed. There was nothing out of place. Furthermore, nothing has happened the past year. What did you do?” Bai Xing paid a great deal of attention to his renovation

“Flowers!” Fang Zhengzhi replied.

“Flowers? What flowers?”

“A kind of flower that only blooms in spring.”

“A flower that only blooms in spring, what… what does that have to do with me now?” Bai Xing was confused.

“Domain Chief Bai is knowledgeable. You should know that some poisons are transmitted through smell!” Fang Zhengzhi explained patiently.

“You planted poisonous flowers in my garden? That’s… that’s impossible! I am not the only one who has been here and you didn’t…”

“Domain Chief Bai, I am sure you know that some scents are not poisonous on their own. However, they become poisonous after mixing with other fragrances.” Fang Zhengzhi reminded.

“Mixed with other fragrances… the tea!” Bai Xing had a revelation.

If it was only poisonous after mixing with other fragrances…

The only factor would be Fang Zhengzhi’s pot of tea.

“Yes, I reminded Domain Chief Bai that I had brewed this tea myself. I am sure you remember that.” Fang Zhengzhi nodded.

“But you are here as well. You even drank the tea. Why are you okay?” Bai Xing couldn’t understand where he had gone wrong.

“Yes, I am in the garden, and I drank the tea. However, if I recall correctly, Domain Chief Bai… didn’t drink the tea. Am I right?” Fang Zhengzhi chuckled.

“Didn’t drink the tea? You… are you saying… the tea is the antidote?” Bai Xing felt a chill down his spine.

If this was true…

This was a method that he had never imagined was possible.

The tea’s fragrance would mix with that of the flower to form a poisonous substance. Yet, the tea was the antidote. Who would bother researching such a pointless poison?

Furthermore…

Who would be poisoned by such a ridiculous poison?

Bai Xing wanted to ask why someone would research such a pointless poison, but he stopped himself.

Because… he had been poisoned!

“I did remind you to drink the tea… it is a pity that it is too late now. You have already smashed the cup.” Fang Zhengzhi said regretfully.

“Fang Zhengzhi, how dare you poison me?! Have you been researching such underhand tactics for the past year?” Bai Xing was frustrated.

He never expected that a Domain Chief like him would be poisoned by such a pointless poison.

Was it hubris?

Or did Fang Zhengzhi read him like a book?!

Bai Xing was furious.

He didn’t like the feeling of being read like a book. He felt like he was facing Yun Qingwu.

That’s right!

Yun Qingwu!

Why did he feel like he was facing Yun Qingwu when he faced Fang Zhengzhi?

One year!

It was a short time…

Yet, this fella had already become an unpredictable, highly intelligent figure. Was it possible that he could now match up to the Young Master of the Demons?

Chapter 480: He’s back!

He wasn’t scared of talents.

There were so many talents in the world. However, when a talent was also scheming, then that talent was truly terrifying.

“I will not hide anything from you. I did spend quite a bit of time researching this over the past year. I think you’re feeling the effects now. Do you feel like you’re unable to move your legs?” Fang Zhengzhi asked caringly.

“You…” Bai Xing wanted to scream for help. Even though it would be humiliating for him to scream for help in his own residence, he still opened his mouth.

However…

The moment he did, he felt something heavy knock against his head.

When he turned around…

Bai Xing saw a pole, a metal pole which had been bent out of shape.

“What a tough head!” The man looked at Bai Xing and the metal pole in his hand, shocked at the result.

“…” Bai Xing turned to look at the man and that glowing red demonic eye on his forehead. He didn’t believe that someone would be able to sneak up behind him.

How did it happen?

Did Fang Zhengzhi distract him?

Even so, as an Intermediate Rebirth State cultivator, he should have been able to sense it if someone was creeping up on him.

Furthermore…

Why was he knocked in the head with a metal pole?

Did this man really think that he could be knocked out by a metal pole? How naive…

Bai Xing found everything a little strange. What was even stranger was that he felt as though his head had been pricked my needles.

It hurt so bad that he felt his world spinning.

“Bong!” Bai Xing froze and crumpled to the ground. Just before he hit the ground, a thought flashed through his mind.

No!

He wasn’t poisoned… to be precise, he wasn’t just poisoned…

“Hahaha, this will be a story for the ages! I knocked out a Demon Domain Chief!” Su Jiu couldn’t suppress his excitement as he looked at Bai Xing.

“So, coming to the Blood Shadow City to enjoy the scenery was your idea right?” Fang Zhengzhi replied calmly.

“Erm…” Su Jiu froze.

…

An hour later…

At the highest point of the Blood Shadow City, nine men in shining armor waited at the entrance to a black palace.

The palace was clearly aged.

Ten black pillars supported the entire palace. Each pillar was surrounded by demon soldiers in different armor.

Before long, a demon soldier walked out of the palace.

“The Young Master invites you in!”

“Okay!” The nine males nodded and entered the palace.

Before long, the nine males were in a room inside the palace.

There was a lady in the middle of the room. She wore a snow white dress, her black, silky hair falling to her waist, her eyes calm.

The lady didn’t move. She looked out the window at the rising sun. She held a yellowish piece of paper in her hand.

The paper was small.

There were few words on it.

It was just a single sentence.

“Have you eaten?”

There were no other words on that piece of paper. There was no indication as to who the author was.

The lady was Yun Qingwu.

As the Young Master of the Demons, Yun Qingwu has many things to do during the day. Such a piece of paper should not have appeared in her hands.

Yet, this was passed from soldier to soldier, all the way until it made its way to Yun Qingwu.

The reason was simple…

This was the only thing left behind in the Bai Residence.

“Greetings, Young Master!” The nine men fell to one knee when they entered the room.

“Mm, save the formalities, Domain Chiefs.” Yun Qingwu nodded as she looked down at the piece of paper.

“Young Master, about that…”

“Young Master, what are your orders?”

“There is no one in the Southern Region capable of sneaking into the Blood Shadow City and kidnapping Domain Chief Bai. Only those few people in the Great Xia…”

The nine men waited for Yun Qingwu to make her decision.

News that one of the 10 Domain Chiefs had been abducted from the Blood Shadow City had shocked the entire Demon World.

Most importantly…

The most terrifying part of it was…

This person had done it in broad daylight and without triggering any alarms! This was about sending a message! The Blood Shadow City was not as safe as they thought!

“He’s back after more than a year!” Yun Qingwu murmured to herself, ignoring the questions of the nine men.

“Him? Young Master, who are you referring to?” One of the men asked, confused by Yun Qingwu’s cryptic words.

After all, they had all seen the note. There was no indication of who the author was.

If not for the fact that it was the only clue left in the Bai Residence…

They would have thrown it away without a second thought.

“Someone who has disappeared for more than a year.” Yun Qingwu replied calmly after some thought.

“Disappeared for more than a year?!”

The men looked at each other in confusion when they heard this.

“Young Master, are you talking about Fang Zhengzhi?”

“What a joke. How is that even possible? Fang Zhengzhi may have disappeared for more than a year, but he is a crippled man. Furthermore, both the Great Xia and the Southern Region are hunting for him! He may be dead for all we know!”

“Mm, the Great Xia could have executed Fang Zhengzhi without announcement!”

The nine men guessed as they looked at Yun Qingwu.

However…

Yun Qingwu didn’t respond. She knew that even if she said it, no one would believe her.

There was no point in saying it then.

“Ying Feng.”

“Yes, Young Master!” A man stepped forward from the crowd. He was thin and unassuming.

However, when this man stepped forward, those around him instinctively took a step back.

Because…

This was Ying Feng.

He was the current Domain Chief of the Dark Domain. He was the younger brother of Ying Shan and was once promoted to Vice Domain Chief after just a single sentence from Yun Qingwu.

Just a year later, he took over as Domain Chief.

However, that was not the most important point.

Most importantly, the Dark Domain had already taken over the position of the Star Domain. It had gone from being the weakest domain to the most powerful one.

No one knew how Ying Feng had done it.

But the fact was…

He had done so without being propped up by Yun Qingwu.

“Mm, I want to make a trip to the Great Xia. Make the necessary arrangements.” Yun Qingwu replied calmly.

“Young Master, you want to go to the Great Xia?!”

“No, that must not happen! Young Master, the Great Xia already knows who you are! How can you take such a risk?”

“Yes, this matter is of great importance. Young Master, please do not act rashly. I think we should discuss this with the Demon Lord…”

The men were shocked by Yun Qingwu’s orders.

“Do you all think that I, Ying Feng, am not powerful enough to ensure the Young Master’s safety?” Ying Feng’s voice rang out.

At that moment…

The expressions of the eight men changed.

However, no one stepped forward to rebut him.

“As long as I am alive, I swear that the Young Master will be safe. Young Master, when do we leave?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? Okay, I will make the necessary arrangements now!”

…

…

Five days later… in the Southern Region’s Icy Monkey Settlement…

Even though a chilly breeze continued to caress Feng Su cliff, the stench of blood had been wiped clean after more than a year.

Grass covered the plains outside the Icy Monkey Settlement as a myriad of flowers bloomed amongst the grass, their fragrance filling the air.

Of course, to say that there were no traces of the battle left behind…

Would be an exaggeration.

Because…

There was still a sword on the cliff. It was embedded deep in the ground and covered with ice.

The sun beat down on the ice, but the ice didn’t melt despite the heat.

It was a strange sight.

What was even stranger was that there was a figure standing next to the sword. His blue long sleeved shirt flapped in the wind.

To the people of the Southern Region…

They had gotten used to seeing that blade on the cliff.

Over the past year, many courageous soldiers had come to the sword…

They had tried to pluck it out of the ground…

However…

The sword refused to budge. It remained embedded deep in the ground, encased by a thick layer of snow and ice.

It was almost as if the sword was saying, “I won’t even let you touch!”

Of course, the Southern Region warriors didn’t think that way. They were just curious why the ice around the sword had yet to melt.

Good sword!

That was their only conclusion.

Then, they began to forget about the sword. Over the past year, too many had tried and failed.

But now…

There was one man on the cliff.

He was here for the sword. He extended his hand towards the hilt, which was encased by snow and ice.

Then, a strange thing happened.

The ice began to melt at a rate visible to the naked eye. It disappeared into a white mist.

Then, his hand closed around the hilt.

He lifted the sword out of the ground!

The sword turned into a ray of purple light and landed in his hand.

“It’s been a long time.” The figure whispered as he grabbed the hilt with one hand and stroked the blade with his other hand.

“Hum!” The blade hummed.

It felt like the blade was truly happy to see this man. It was almost as though a hibernating dragon had woken up and seen the sun. Its excitement was palpable.

“I will bring you to admire different sceneries. We will walk further and climb higher than before.”

“Hum!” The blade hummed excitedly.

…

The Southern Region. Sagely Mountain City. The Palace.

Icy Monkey, the settlement chief of the Icy Monkey Settlement, passed by layers of guards and walked to the throne room.

“Your Highness!” Icy Monkey fell to one knee respectfully as he entered the throne room.

There was a lady seated on the throne. She wore snow white leather and her beige skin glowed under the light.

Her silky black hair rested on her shoulders.

She had a golden crown on her head. The crown was adorned with three feathers and three gems of different colors.

She was Shan Yu.

The Queen of the Southern Region!

After hearing what Icy Monkey had to say, she unfurled the parchment in her hand and looked at him.

“Uncle Monkey, what is the hurry?”

“The sword, the sword is missing!” Icy Monkey replied anxiously, his voice shaking.

“Sword? What sword?” Shan Yu was slightly confused.

“The… the sword on Feng Su… it’s… it’s missing!” Icy Monkey’s expression was complicated.

“What did you say? The sword on Feng Su cliff is missing?!” Shan Yu’s expression changed as the parchment dropped to the floor.

“Yes!” Icy Monkey nodded in confirmation.

He knew exactly why Princess Shan Yu was so shocked. He also knew what the disappearance of that sword meant.

Over the past year, countless Southern Region warriors had tried their luck but to no avail.

The sword had become a badge of honor.

Anyone who could get it out of the ground would be revered by his peers.

However…

The sword had disappeared.

It had disappeared without a trace. No warrior had stepped forward and announced that he had succeeded.

This sword was no longer just a badge of honor. It signified something different altogether.

Chapter 481: Things are different now

Shan Yu’s face was flushed.

Her mind was blank. She didn’t know if she should be excited or furious. She had been waiting for this moment for far too long.

He was back…

After more than a year, he had returned to the Southern Region to reclaim the sword he lost.

But…

Why didn’t he come to see me?

What happened here a year ago? Shouldn’t he come and tell me the truth? Why didn’t he come and find me? Is he afraid? Or does he not want to?

“Your Highness, I have already sent people to lock down the exits to the Great Xia. Should we inform the Great Xia…” Icy Monkey advised.

“No need!” Shan Yu replied without hesitation as her eyes glowed. “Uncle Monkey, do you trust me?”

“Your Highness… of course I trust you!” Icy Monkey replied.

“Then please give the order for all our soldiers at the border to stand down.” Shan Yu’s eyes were filled with determination.

“Stand down? Why? Your Highness, don’t you want to know the truth about Shan Ling’s death?” Icy Monkey didn’t understand.

“I do.” Shan Yu replied.

“Then why… I know that you trust Fang Zhengzhi. Even if he didn’t do it, it must have been linked to him somehow! He still owes the Southern Region an explanation. We cannot let the Crown Prince…”

“Uncle Monkey!”

“Okay, your highness, what are your thoughts?”

“Please have someone plant a similar sword on Feng Su cliff!” Shan Yu replied after some thought.

“Plant a similar sword?” Icy Monkey was shocked.

“Yes!”

“Your Highness, are you planning to cover this up for him? But since he chose to retrieve his sword, he probably plans on announcing it soon!” Icy Monkey didn’t understand.

“I don’t know if he wants to hide it, but I don’t want news of this to get out before I reach the Great Xia!” Shan Yu replied.

“Your Highness, you’re going to Yan Capital?”

“Mm… do you think that we can capture him if we set up an ambush at the entrance?” Shan Yu queried.

“Erm…” Icy Monkey’s lips twitched but he didn’t answer.

“It’s been more than a year since I took the throne. It is about time I made a trip there.” Shan Yu continued.

“Okay then, since your mind is made up, I will make the necessary arrangements. How would you like to travel?” Icy Monkey nodded.

“The grander the better!”

“Okay then, I will have someone send a message to the Great Xia announcing your visit!” Icy Monkey bowed.

“Thank you for your help.”

…

At the foot of the Sagely Mountain City…

A figure in blue stood at the foot of the mountain. He looked up at the clouds and the fog that surrounded the Sagely Mountain City.

“Master, are you going to the Sagely Mountain City? If you are, I will make the necessary arrangements right away!” A voice rang out behind this man.

“No need for that.” The figure in blue shook his head.

“Actually, the leader told me to pass a message. I was to pass this message to you if you ever stepped foot in the Southern Region.

“Go ahead.”

“When you were set up to take the rap for killing the Crown Prince a year ago… the leader believes that the Queen doesn’t believe the story the Great Xia provided!”

“Mm, continue.”

“Furthermore, the leader had the eight hangers-on who participated in that assassination followed. However, they disappeared the moment they returned to the capital. The leader believes that the Crown Prince had them silenced, so…”

“So the only person who can testify is Su Qing.”

“Yes, but Su Qing was one of the conspirators. Furthermore, he is favored by the Crown Prince. It would be impossible to have him testify against Lin Tianrong.”

“Mm.”

“The leader feels that if you can find someone in the Southern Region to testify for you… even if the testimony was false…”

“I know.”

“So will you make a trip to the Sagely Mountain City?” The voice was filled with anticipation.

“No, I won’t.”

“Okay… okay then. Where will you be going, master?”

“The Northern Mountain Village.”

“The Northern Mountain Village?! Erm… erm, that is just not possible! The Crown Prince has had people spying on it for the past year. You will be spotted the moment you enter. And then…” The voice was filled with fear.

“What about it?”

“The leader told me repeatedly that you can go anywhere but two places!”

“The Northern Mountain Village and the Capital, am I right?”

“Why do you insist on going to the Northern Mountain Village then?”

“Because I want to. Is that reason enough?”

“Yes, it is!”

“Will you send her a message in secret?” The figure in blue asked.

“I… I wouldn’t dare!”

“Oh, why not?”

“Even though I belong to the Shadow Sect, I only managed to get where I am today because of you. As such, I will never betray you…”

“So you will betray Wu Yuer, am I right?”

“Erm…”

“You say you are loyal to me in front of me and you pledge loyalty to Wu Yuer in front of her. That’s a good thing too. I will pass your message to her without changing a word.”

“…” The person was speechless.

“Is there a problem?” The figure in blue smiled as she looked at the figure behind him.

“No problem at all. Master, please tell the leader what I said, word for word!” The voice was about to break.

“Since you have pleaded with me so sincerely, I will fulfill your request. Go on, use Wu Yuer’s name to have the nine people wait for me in Huai An County.”

“Master, you want me to forge the orders of the leader?” The voice was trembling.

“Is there a problem?”

“Nope, no problem at all. The leader is used to it.”

“Then what are you waiting for?”

“Yes, sir!”

…

Five days later…

In a quiet residence inside the Great Xia, Wu Yuer sat in the middle of her garden, visibly affected by the letter she had in front of her.

“Damn!” Wu Yuer raised her hand and shredded the letter in her hand. Her eyebrows were raised…

“Oh? Who are you mad at, Yuer?” An old man appeared next to Wu Yuer, his white robe free from any traces of dirt.

“Who else could it be?”

“Fang Zhengzhi?”

“Master, do you think that he is going overboard with this? He is just a member of the Shadow Sect. How can he summon our Shadow Sect… to Huai An County… isn’t he afraid…” Wu Yuer’s rage was clear.

“Yes, how did he manage to get all the members of the Shadow Sect to gather at Huai An County?” The old man asked.

“He didn’t! He lied to them and fooled them all into going there! He must have used my name to get them to go!” Wu Yuer asserted.

“Mm, you are correct. However, I do not understand one thing. Why do they all trust him so much? They didn’t even double check with you, aish…” The old man replied.

“Master, what do you mean?” Wu Yuer’s eyelids twitched when she saw the old man’s expression. She sensed something.

“After a year, the Shadow Sect is no longer the same. Did you not realize that?” The old man hinted.

“Master!” Wu Yuer didn’t like being talked to this way. She looked at the shredded letter.

“Go to hell!”

Wu Yuer bit her lip and stood up from her chair. She walked towards the garden.

The old man didn’t say anything as he watched Wu Yuer disappear into the garden. He smirked, almost as if he was thinking of something.

…

The River of Trust Province, Huai An County…

Everyone was in a festive mood. They were all celebrating spring with music and poetry.

It was relaxed and fun.

Of course, such enjoyment was for the poorer students.

They didn’t have enough silvers in their pockets but still wanted to enjoy themselves. As such, they simply hung around a lake and played music whilst composing poetry.

Speaking of enjoyment…

They didn’t go to the Southern Mountains. Ferocious beasts roamed the mountains and anyone who hadn’t accessed Dao would never set foot in them.

As such, the River of Trust was the best spot.

It was nearby and quiet enough. Most importantly, many ships passed through it.

Where there were yachts, there were ladies.

Where there were ladies, there were talents.

Especially…

Show-offs!

There was one such talent on the River of Trust. He wore a gold robe and had a jade green sword sheathed at his waist.

He was the number one bully in Huai An County.

Meng Yushu of the Meng Family.

It was unfortunate that he met Fang Zhengzhi in the Dao Examinations. In the end, he was accused of cheating in the Theory Examination and schooled in the Combat Examinations.

He seemed to have hit rock-bottom.

It was a good thing Meng Yushu was a determined individual.

He wasn’t going to let failure get to him!

As long as he climbed back up, he was still the master of his own fate.

In the recent Dao Examinations, he topped the Huai An County combat examinations. It was one of the best times of his life.

As such…

He decided to relax a little and show-off his skills at the River of Trust.

He was on a small but exquisitely designed boat. Golden threads adorned the boat’s body. There was a huge ‘Meng’ on the flag of the boat. This was how others could identify him.

With this small boat, Meng Yushu was confident that he could definitely board any of the passing yachts.

Of course, he was someone of influence.

No ordinary yacht could catch his eye.

Furthermore, with his reputation now, his name would stun anyone in Huai An County.

“This is the one!” Meng Yushu gripped the hilt of his sword as he looked up at the golden yacht steaming towards him.

He leapt into the sky.

Then, the small boat began to move forward with the wind. It was a gorgeous sight, and it attracted the attention of the ladies and other talents on the shore.

If the other yachts on the River of Trust were fish.

Then this yacht was a dragon! A dragon making its way through a school of fish. Intricate carvings covered its entire body and its flags were multi-colored.

Its flags danced in the wind.

Countless talents watched the yacht steam towards that small boat. They were all waiting for Meng Yushu to board it.

It was getting close…

As the yacht approached, Meng Yushu bowed and squinted his eyes. His eyes were filled with confidence.

“Huai An County, eldest son of the Meng Family, Meng Yushu! I request to come aboard your craft!” Meng Yushu had earned the right to be this confident.

After all, there was no one in Huai An County who was more influential than him right now.

Furthermore…

The people on a yacht would not be a powerful cultivator waiting to strike.

Generally, they would be ladies or rich men.

Either was good!

Meng Yushu was confident.

He was confident that they would know him since they were here in Huai An County. They would stop for him!

Haha!

Meng Yushu smirked as he thought to himself.

However, he quickly realized that something was wrong. His smile froze…

“Hey, stop, stop… stop!”

“Bong!”

With a crowd as witness, the large yacht crashed into Meng Yushu’s boat. Then, Meng Yushu fell into the river with a splash.