Su Changqing: There Must Be a Great Tomb in This Mountain

Su Changqing watched the corpse gradually sink to the bottom, mingling with the silt, then turned and left without a word.

He came before the Thousand-Year Old Clam, which kept opening its shell, and narrowed his eyes as he searched among the pearls.

This Thousand-Year Old Clam had likely lived for far more than a thousand years. Pearls of every size shimmered with flowing light, crystal-clear and translucent, numbering no fewer than a hundred. The largest was nearly as big as a woman's fist.

Any one of them would probably fetch ten thousand gold.

No wonder Tai Long had gone so mad.

With so many pearls lodged in its flesh, the Thousand-Year Old Clam struggled to breathe and could only keep opening its massive shell.

Su Changqing quickly found the unusual pearl. The Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom was the size of a pigeon egg and difficult to locate amid the densely packed pearls.

Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom was a peculiar fruit from the Western Regions. It bore fruit once every thirty years and weighed three taels and four qian.

The first one, once consumed, could restore even the gravest injuries completely, though the person would fall into slumber.

Two would awaken and revive the person, but the third had to be taken within a year.

Only the third could bring someone back from the dead.

Su Changqing carefully put away the Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom. As for the other dazzling, priceless pearls, he felt no attachment to them whatsoever.

Today's affair had concluded perfectly.

Su Changqing turned to leave, intending to return directly to Seventh Peak and meet up with Zhou Chu and the others.

The thought of rescuing Jin Yichuan or killing Jiang Han and Jiang Xingxing had never crossed his mind.

After killing them, how could he explain swimming over a hundred li in half an hour, going from Seventh Peak to Third Peak and then to Second Peak?

Even Zuo Qianhu could not accomplish such a feat.

It was simply too shocking, enough to shake the martial world.

Even those at the Ninth Level of Xiantian needed to breathe and could not breathe underwater. They could only hold their breath longer.

Half an hour later, Seventh Peak finally came into view. Su Changqing narrowed his eyes beneath the water and saw Zhou Chu and the others waiting on the shore.

After hesitating briefly, Su Changqing leaped out of the water.

"My lord, you're back." Awe filled Zhou Chu's eyes as he hurried forward to greet him.

"Where is Zhang Chao?" Su Changqing brought his hands together and used his supreme Profound Heaven True Qi to dry his clothes, wisps of vapor rising from him.

The sight was deeply shocking, leaving Zhou Chu and the other Imperial Guards rooted to the spot.

After killing more than a hundred bandits on Seventh Peak and taking down Ji Chufeng, Su Changqing still had enough true qi left to dry his clothes.

What a luxury.

"Hm?" Su Changqing frowned slightly and looked at Zhou Chu.

Zhou Chu snapped back to his senses in panic and quickly cupped his hands. "My lord, Seventh Peak, Sixth Peak, and Third Peak have all been taken. Our Suppression Bureau Imperial Guards have suffered heavy losses, and only four peaks remain."

"Commander Zhang has gone to reinforce Second Peak. Imperial Guards there sent out a distress signal, and he took two hundred of our men with him."

"He told me to wait here for you. My lord, by the way, where did you just go?"

"I pursued the remaining water bandits. Some jumped into the lake, and all of them were skilled swimmers." Su Changqing watched him calmly.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chu nodded in understanding.

No matter how hard he thought, he could never have imagined that Su Changqing had crossed Seventh, Second, and Third Peak and returned again in less than an hour.

"Burn these corpses where they lie. Board the ship! We are going to reinforce Commander Jin." Su Changqing looked around before speaking.

Zhou Chu quickly nodded. Before Su Changqing returned, they had already gathered the corpses together and dug a large pit.

After a torch was thrown in, raging flames burned within the pit. All traces of bloodshed vanished, leaving behind only scorched ruins.

The great ship cut through the waves without restraint, heading straight for Second Peak.

The corpses on the deck had also been cleared away. Only the blood-red deck and lingering stench of blood told them that many had died here before.

Su Changqing stood at the bow, Frost and Snow at his waist, dressed in Imperial Guard flying-fish robes. His black hair fluttered in the wind as he gazed at the blue waters and rolling sky before him.

It was nearing midnight. Thick fog rolled in, and on the lonely, vast Cloud Dragon Lake, mist obscured the threads of moonlight.

Seven interlocking peaks stood here, lush green trees arching around Cloud Dragon Lake. A breathtaking ink-wash landscape unfolded before their eyes.

"There must be a great tomb in this mountain!"

Su Changqing's heart stirred. He knew nothing of feng shui, but it truly did seem that way...

"My lord, you were the first to capture Seventh Peak this time. You will surely receive a great reward." Zhou Chu slowly stepped forward and cupped his hands.

"A great reward? It will be fortunate enough if I am not stripped of my post." Su Changqing glanced at him calmly.

"How could that be?"

"We were supposed to eliminate Cloud Dragon Village within an hour today, yet it has dragged on until late at night. Four peaks have yet to be taken. How could there be any reward?"

"And there were distress signals from the Imperial Guard. Unless they faced a life-or-death crisis, why would they call for reinforcements?" Su Changqing said softly.

"Tonight, who knows how many men our Suppression Bureau will lose. By tomorrow, the Divine Constable will likely hold us accountable."

Zhou Chu stood frozen upon hearing this. Thinking it over, he realized it was indeed true.

"That Tai Long truly screwed us over! If he had not exposed our tracks, we brothers could have climbed up under cover of darkness. With our people inside Cloud Dragon Village, we could have easily taken several peaks."

Zhou Chu said resentfully.

"We're here. You men steer the ship and follow behind. I will go rescue Commander Jin first. His life is in danger." Su Changqing suddenly spoke.

"You found Commander Jin and Commander Zhang?" Zhou Chu hurriedly looked ahead, but layers of mist shrouded everything. He could not even tell which mountain was which.

Commander Su could actually see through it?

Zhou Chu was horrified.

Su Changqing narrowed his eyes. A faint golden light flowed through them as he looked toward Second Peak.

In his eyes, both Jin Yichuan and Zhang Chao were in grave danger. Jin Yichuan in particular was seriously wounded, while Jiang Xingxing and Jiang Han were unexpectedly adept at joint attacks.

He could not wait any longer. Tai Long was already thoroughly dead. If Jin Yichuan died as well, the Imperial Guard Enforcement Agency would truly be finished.

No matter how strong Zuo Qianhu was, he could not hold everything up alone.

Su Changqing did not answer. His eyes narrowed as he stopped hesitating and kicked out. The railing snapped and fell into the water.

"Bring me my saber!"

An Imperial Guard at his side hurriedly brought over the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade.

"I'll go save them first. Follow quickly!"

Holding the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade, Su Changqing leaped down and landed atop a single log. His true qi erupted, splitting the waves as he sped forward.

The Azure Dragon Crescent Blade weighed over a hundred jin. Together with Su Changqing, the total weight was three hundred jin!

Yet a single log moved with such speed. It showed just how profound Su Changqing's true qi cultivation was.

Zhou Chu looked at the blade-wielding figure in black, elegant and imposing, and could not help but marvel inwardly. Even an ordinary full Commander could probably not compare to Su Changqing.

He suddenly drew his long saber and roared, "Full speed ahead! Reinforce Commander Su!"