Shadows of the Imperial Capital

News of the battle at Soul Severing Valley had sprouted wings, reaching the Northern Frontier's main camp even before Chen Qing's Black Tiger Camp. At an even faster speed, it flew toward distant Yujing, the Imperial Capital.

"Trash! A pack of trash!"

Within the secret chamber of a grand residence in Yujing, a man in brocade robes, his face concealed in shadow, viciously hurled the intelligence report in his hand to the floor. A man in black knelt there, trembling like a leaf, not daring to lift his head.

"Two Meridian Condensing Realm experts, nearly a hundred elite Shadow Fiends, lying in ambush for a sneak attack—and they were slaughtered into a crushing defeat by him! Even Ghost Mask lost an arm and fled back! This Chen Qing has truly grown into a force to be reckoned with!" The brocaded man's voice carried barely restrained fury, along with a trace of... alarm.

"Please quell your anger, Master!" the man in black said shakily. "Chen Qing's Killing Intent has taken form. His combat strength far surpasses those of the same realm, and he possesses a strange domain power as well. He is... he is truly difficult to oppose head-on."

"Difficult to oppose?" The brocaded man sneered. "Are we simply supposed to let this baleful tiger continue growing? He is only at Meridian Condensing now. If he breaks through to the Aperture Opening Realm, or even higher... will the Northern Frontier's military authority still leave room for us to speak? Do not forget, that person may be standing behind him!"

The man in black lowered his head even further. "Master, a direct confrontation may not be the best course. This child's Killing Intent reaches the heavens and has already drawn the attention of many sides. The bald donkeys of Lanke Temple have struck a nail, and Northern Mang hates him to the marrow... Perhaps we can kill with a borrowed blade?"

The brocaded man fell silent for a moment, his gaze flickering uncertainly in the shadows. "You mean..."

"Wuwei, Northern Mang's Left Virtuous King, has offered a bounty of ten thousand gold for his head. We could reveal Chen Qing's whereabouts and weaknesses to Northern Mang. Perhaps even... when he goes into battle next time, we could lend a little 'cooperation' to Northern Mang's operation." The man in black spoke in a cold, sinister voice.

"Borrow Northern Mang's hand..." The brocaded man pondered. "That is indeed a way. But this child is cunning and fierce. Ordinary methods may not be able to do anything to him. Wuwei may not be willing to truly go all out."

He paced for a while, then abruptly stopped. "Has there been any movement at Marquis Zhenbei's Manor lately?"

"Reporting to Master, Han Wenyuan has remained behind closed doors since returning from the Northern Frontier, refusing all visitors. But our hidden agents report that Marquis Zhenbei appears to be quite... concerned about Chen Qing."

"Concerned?" The brocaded man snorted coldly. "Of course he is concerned! Black Tiger Fist, Black Tiger Saber Technique... If this child truly is that bastard's descendant, Marquis Zhenbei probably cannot sleep soundly at night! Since that is the case, then let us add more fuel to the fire!"

He walked to the desk, swiftly wrote a secret letter, sealed it with wax, and handed it to the man in black. "Find a way to deliver this letter into the hands of Northern Mang's Blood Wolf Guard. Remember, it must be absolutely secret!"

"The Blood Wolf Guard?" The man in black was startled. They were the personal guards of the Northern Mang Great Khan, as well as Northern Mang's most mysterious and terrifying intelligence organization. "Master, isn't this..."

"Do as I say!" the brocaded man said in a grim tone. "If we are borrowing a blade, then we borrow the sharpest blade! Blood Wolf King Wuzhuchi's own younger brother died at Chen Qing's hands. This blood feud is enough to make the Blood Wolf Guard take the bait!"

"Yes! This subordinate understands!" The man in black accepted the secret letter and withdrew with a bow.

Only the brocaded man remained in the secret chamber. He walked to the window and gazed northward, his eyes dark and vicious.

"Chen Qing... no matter where you came from, the Northern Frontier has no room for a baleful tiger beyond control like you."

Northern Frontier, Black Tiger Camp garrison.

Chen Qing sat cross-legged inside the main tent. Before him lay the nameless token taken from the assassin's body, along with the scroll of commendation Han Wenyuan had left behind.

Though he had not personally witnessed the undercurrents in the Imperial Capital, he could already feel that invisible pressure. The ambush at Soul Severing Valley had been no coincidence.

"Kill with a borrowed blade? Or step onto the field personally?" His fingers rubbed over the icy token, while dark red light flowed within his eyes.

He did not care who his enemies were or where they came from. So long as they dared reach out, he dared chop off their claws!

His most urgent task was to further increase his strength. Early Meridian Condensing Realm was already considered formidable on the Northern Frontier battlefield, but it was still far from enough. Whether facing Northern Mang's army or the hidden arrows of the Imperial Capital, he needed greater power.

He recalled his battle with the masked assassin. The other man's condensed, bone-chilling Killing Intent, as well as his strange movement technique and saber intent, had given Chen Qing considerable inspiration. Killing Intent did not have only one use: violent eruption.

He tried guiding the Killing Intent within his body, no longer pursuing an ultimate burst of power. Instead, like drawing silk and peeling a cocoon, he further purified and compressed it, attempting to fuse it into the Black Tiger True Intent, making that tyrannical "intent" more condensed and more penetrating.

At the same time, he began consciously expanding the coverage of the Fierce Tiger Domain and attempting to grant it further changes—such as stronger suppression, or... faint illusory effects?

[Attempting to refine Killing Intent. Black Tiger True Intent grows increasingly condensed...]

[Expanding the Fierce Tiger Domain. Mental energy consumption intensifies...]

The road of cultivation was long and arduous. But he had the system's aid, the battlefield as the finest testing ground, and an indomitable determination to press forward.

Several days later, a personal guard reported that the Supply Camp had delivered a batch of new supplies, among which was a secret letter without a signature.

Chen Qing opened the letter. It contained only a few brief lines, stating that Northern Mang's Blood Wolf Guard might have infiltrated the Northern Frontier. It also included an approximate time and place—three days later, an important Northern Mang supply convoy would pass through Eaglebeak Gorge.

"An anonymous letter?" A cold smile curved Chen Qing's lips. The person who had sent this letter had played a fine game indeed. Did he want to use Northern Mang's hand to eliminate Chen Qing? Or did he intend to kill two birds with one stone?

A wisp of dark red baleful flame ignited at his fingertips, burning the secret letter to ash.

"Pass down my order. Ready the troops. In three days, we march with me to Eaglebeak Gorge."

"General, could this be a trap?" Old Niu asked with some concern.

"So what if it is?" Chen Qing's gaze was icy. "All the better. We will clean them up in one sweep."

He had been worrying over the slow growth of his Killing Intent, and now someone had delivered "resources" right to his door. Blood Wolf Guard? They sounded quite nourishing.

Their blood would be perfect for watering his Fierce Tiger Domain!

Three days later, Eaglebeak Gorge.

The terrain was even more perilous than Soul Severing Valley. Cliffs rose like blades on both sides, leaving only a narrow passage through the middle.

Chen Qing led the Black Tiger Camp there in advance, lying in ambush atop the cliffs.

He closed his eyes and sensed the surroundings. Sure enough, he detected a faint yet exceedingly pure and vicious Killing Intent permeating the gorge floor, utterly different from that of ordinary Northern Mang troops. Beyond that, several obscure auras also seemed to be hidden in the distant forest.

"Just as expected, there is an ambush." Chen Qing opened his eyes, a flash of excitement passing through his dark red pupils.

He gave Old Niu and Sun Quezi several quiet instructions.

The two accepted their orders, each leading a squad of men as they silently vanished into the shadows of the cliffs.

The sun climbed steadily higher.

A sizable Northern Mang supply convoy slowly entered Eaglebeak Gorge. The soldiers escorting it appeared ordinary enough, but Chen Qing's senses locked firmly onto several riders within the group. They wore plain leather armor, yet their auras were as deep as an abyss.

Blood Wolf Guard!

Just as the supply convoy reached the narrowest point of the gorge!

A sudden change erupted!

No rain of arrows came shooting from the cliffs as expected. Instead, deafening war drums and battle cries thundered from both sides, as though an army of thousands upon thousands was about to charge down!

At the same time, Old Niu led a squad of fierce Black Tiger soldiers from behind the convoy, descending like divine troops from heaven and blocking their retreat! Up ahead, Sun Quezi led men to seal off the exit as well!

"It's a trap!" The supply convoy immediately fell into chaos.

Yet those Blood Wolf Guard riders remained exceptionally calm. They exchanged glances, cruel light flashing in their eyes. Then they violently tore off their leather armor, revealing blood-red fighting garb embroidered with ferocious wolf heads beneath!

"Kill them! Leave none alive!" The Blood Wolf Guard leader at their head radiated the aura of late Meridian Condensing Realm, stronger than the masked assassin from Soul Severing Valley!

However, just as they were about to erupt into action!

A black shadow leaped down from the highest cliff like a falling meteor, aiming directly for the Blood Wolf Guard leader!

Chen Qing had made his move himself!

Before he even arrived, the purified Fierce Tiger Domain crashed down like an invisible cage! This time, the domain contained not only icy killing intent and suppression, but also a trace of Black Tiger True Intent's mental impact!

The Blood Wolf Guard leader felt his mind go faintly dizzy, his movements slowing by half a beat!

That half-beat was all it took!

Chen Qing's ring-pommel saber came crashing down, carrying black-red saber light that tore apart everything in its path!

"Blood Wolf Guard? You came at just the right time!"