I Became an Innate Realm Assassin?

Time always passed quickly in cultivation.

After pretending for about half a month, Zhao Hongming "recovered as usual."

During this time, Chen Xuerong truly did as Zhao Hongming requested, continuously explaining to him in person the difficult problems he might face in actual combat.

Sometimes, she even demonstrated personally, benefiting him immensely.

Zhao Hongming's happiest part of every day was sitting in a stone chair and admiring Chen Xuerong's graceful demonstrations.

"Your Highness, do you understand now?"

"Miss Chen's explanation was very thorough. This Prince understands."

"Good. Your Highness should still practice diligently these days, if only to strengthen your body. Historical records once noted an Imperial Family member who was too fat and lacked stamina. When chaos broke out among the troops, he could not run fast enough, so his subordinates despised him and hacked him to death with a flurry of blades. Thus, Your Highness should practice more now, so you will be prepared for any eventuality."

Zhao Hongming withdrew his admiring gaze and said with a solemn expression, "This Prince will certainly study and train diligently."

Memorial Palace, evening.

Commander of the Palace Guards Wan Yongqing gathered the Palace Guard Division and his subordinates together.

Eight people sat around a table.

"Now that Chu, Zhao, and Han Three Countries have formed an alliance, Han Country's assassins have come out in full force. Many high-ranking officials and Martial Arts Forces in the Three Borderlands have suffered attacks from assassins."

Wan Yongqing sat in his chair, continuously stroking the long saber laid across his lap.

His gaze was sharp, like an eagle soaring through the skies and looking down upon its prey below.

"Since the Three Kingdoms have already formed an alliance, it will not be long before war breaks out between the countries. This time, Great Wei faces no small challenge."

"Han Country may send even more assassins into the Imperial Palace later."

Palace Guard Division Deputy Commander Yu Yongmin said anxiously, "When that time comes, the challenge facing our Palace Guard Division will be far from ordinary. We may even become Han Country's assassins' primary targets. One careless step, and we might end up like Old Dai and Old Miao—not even knowing how we died."

As soon as those words were spoken, everyone present fell silent.

"Let's not talk about that. At the scene of Old Dai's death last time, a third party was discovered. They say it was an Innate Realm assassin. Has Brother Wan found any clues now?" one of the men asked.

"Not yet." Wan Youqing shook his head. "That assassin was far too cunning and left too few clues. This past week, the eunuchs from the Imperial City Division and I have turned the Imperial Palace upside down, yet we have not found the slightest trace."

After thinking for a moment, Palace Guard Division Deputy Commander Yu Yongmin said, "I carefully inspected the scene again afterward. The moves used by that Innate Realm assassin seemed somewhat like the Martial Skill Heaven and Earth Severing Slash."

"Heaven and Earth Severing Slash?"

"That's right. It is a peerless art long renowned throughout the martial world. Every move seeks only to kill with a single slash. My master died beneath this Martial Skill back then, so the impression runs deep. Heaven and Earth Severing Slash came from the Heaven and Earth Gate, which has now vanished. In the palace, it seems only those martial lunatics know a little of it."

"You mean those martial lunatics might be hiding an assassin?" someone questioned.

"That possibility cannot be ruled out."

"The Martial Repository Pavilion is not somewhere just any Tom, Dick, or Harry can enter and leave. How are we supposed to investigate it?"

Wan Yongqing, who had been quietly listening to everyone speak, said, "His Majesty is currently tearing at his hair over the alliance of Chu, Zhao, and Han Three Countries. How could he have any mind left for people like us? Let this matter rest for now."

"That doesn't seem very appropriate, does it?"

Wan Yongqing said, "Let me ask everyone: how long has it been since your salaries increased?"

Once those words were spoken, the others fell quiet.

Thinking it over carefully, their salaries had not changed for at least ten years.

Wan Yongqing said calmly, "The Wei King is a ruler who preserves what has already been achieved, without any great talent. Therefore, this Three Kingdoms Campaign Against Wei will likely deal Wei Country no small blow. What will happen in the future is impossible to predict. So do you all still have the mind to chase this so-called assassin?"

Everyone could hear that Wan Yongqing had more to say beneath his words.

"We ask Lord Wan to enlighten us."

"Take one step and watch the next. I advise everyone: if you have ten parts of strength, it is best to keep three to five parts in reserve. Do not bind yourselves too deeply to the Zhao Clan's ship," Wan Yongqing said. "It may prove useful later, after all."

Everyone present became thoughtful. They could tell that Wan Yongqing likely had his own way out and his own plans, yet he was still keeping them hidden.

"As the saying goes, those who recognize the times are heroes. Brother Wan's words make perfect sense," someone immediately flattered him.

"Brother Wan, do you have some opportunity to make a fortune? Why not share it with us brothers?"

"It's nothing. I can only say that in another two months, everyone may have a chance to gamble on it. That is all I will say. Think it over carefully."

At the same time.

In a dark corner outside Memorial Palace, Zhao Hongming held a bowl of Eight-Nine Seed Soup, his face filled with astonishment.

He had never expected that simply coming out for an evening walk to aid digestion would let him overhear such shocking news.

Ever since he had tasted the benefits of the Martial Skill Eight Desolations Secret Travel last time, he often wandered about outside, eavesdropping on others' conversations and learning of movements within the palace that he did not know about.

Sometimes, he had to admit that this method was truly effective.

Which concubine had been favored, which important minister had been punished, which princes the Jian'an Emperor had been paying attention to lately, which concubine was having an affair with a eunuch whose old root had regrown...

He knew all such information.

Sometimes, their conversations were so interesting that he forgot the time and could not bear to leave, only to become terribly hungry afterward.

Having learned his lesson, he became smarter afterward, bringing food along while he listened.

After finishing dinner today, he recalled that Wan Yongqing had sought him out before but had recently gone silent, so he had come to learn what was happening.

But he truly had not expected this outcome.

Zhao Hongming took a bite from a chicken drumstick, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Since Chu, Zhao, and Han Three Countries have formed an alliance, their next move may well be to wage war against Wei. The capital, Great Liang City, lies in Pingqiu with no natural defenses to rely upon. Once the four countries go to war, the future situation will truly be rather grim."

"I wonder how the Jian'an Emperor will respond, and how he will arrange us princes and Imperial Daughters."

Zhao Hongming suddenly became weighed down with worries. Even the chicken drumstick in his hand no longer tasted as good as before.

Besides the matter of the Three Kingdoms' alliance, there was another matter that greatly surprised him.

When had he become an Innate Realm assassin?

Zhao Hongming silently sighed, then called forth Heaven's Reward Martial Arts Panel with a thought.

Name: Zhao Hongming

Cultivation Technique: Eight Desolations Eternal Youth Technique - Aperture Opening Fifth Rank (1224/3500)

Martial Skill: Heaven and Earth Severing Slash - Seventh Layer (700/700), Eight Desolations Secret Travel (2100/X)

Martial Arts Available for Breakthrough: None

Today's Cultivation Time: 6 hours

Physique: Good

Talent Enhancement: 1.6

He was clearly still just a little short of the Innate Realm.

Zhao Hongming finished the chicken drumstick in his hand, then his figure slowly merged into the darkness and disappeared.

He needed to return and seize the time to cultivate, striving to break through to the Innate Realm as soon as possible.

The news of the Three Kingdoms' alliance made him feel very unsafe.

New book seeking recommendations and continued reading~