Gathering Strength

At Fugui Mountain Villa's plaza, everyone under Qin Shuang's command had arrived, except Cheng Lingsu and the members of Mu Wan Qing's Section, who was out handling a case.

They had not seen one another in a long time, and everyone's martial skills had improved rapidly. Jiang Xiaoyu, Ding Ning, Gao Jian Fei, and Heng Feijing had all successfully broken through to the Innate Realm.

Huai Mie, Huai Kong, Guo Jing, and Yang Kang were also stuck at the bottleneck of the Postnatal Peak. They were only one step away from the Innate Realm.

It was said that Mu Wan Qing was in a similar situation.

The other young people had also gained in their own ways, living up to their reputation as the outstanding talents of this generation of the Dragon Guard.

Qin Shuang handed a strange red fruit to Destroy Ghost God. "Old Ghost, you injured both your eyes during the last mission. This fruit may be able to heal your injuries."

Destroy Ghost God took it casually and thanked him, but inwardly remained unconvinced. After all, both his eyes had been severely injured and blinded, and even the physician of the Cosmos Unit of the Dragon Guard had been helpless. He had long since given up all hope.

"Blood Bodhi!" Miao Changfeng had roamed the martial world in his youth and was highly knowledgeable. When he saw the red fruit in Qin Shuang's hand radiating scorching heat, he blurted out the name.

"Section Leader Miao, you recognize this fruit?" Qin Shuang asked curiously.

"General Qin, may I ask where you obtained it?" Miao Changfeng did not answer. Instead, he questioned Qin Shuang first.

"Chuanzhou, Lingyun Mountain, inside Lingyun Cave." Qin Shuang did not conceal anything and answered truthfully.

"Then that matches the legends." Miao Changfeng nodded in confirmation. "It is said that an ancient ferocious beast, the Fire Qilin, dwells inside Lingyun Cave. A peerless fruit grows wherever its blood drips. It is as red as blood and extremely fiery and hot. It is called the Blood Bodhi, and it can heal severe injuries while increasing one's cultivation if one is uninjured!"

"Are you saying that this fruit is the Blood Bodhi?" Destroy Ghost God interrupted, his voice trembling.

"That is something you should ask General Qin!" Miao Changfeng replied.

"Based on Section Leader Miao's description, I believe this fruit is undoubtedly the Blood Bodhi. I also took one earlier, and it truly had miraculous effects on healing injuries. You can try it later." Qin Shuang spoke to Destroy Ghost God.

"Thank you for giving me a new lease on life, General Qin!" Seeing hope of regaining his sight, Destroy Ghost God could no longer hide his excitement.

After exchanging a few simple greetings with the others, Qin Shuang finally turned to today's main topic.

He looked grim as he swept his gaze over everyone and said, word by word, "I have always believed that the Dragon Guard is a single whole. While safeguarding the imperial authority of Great Shang, everyone should unite, watch over one another, and offer mutual aid. Unless absolutely necessary, I would never want us to turn on one another. But in any group, once there are too many people, some rotten apples will inevitably appear and affect the entire team! In the past, I was merely the most ordinary member of the Dragon Guard. I could turn a blind eye and endure it. But this time, they directly placed Cheng Lingsu under house arrest. If we do not respond, tomorrow they will dare to lay hands on any one of us. Since they were the ones who provoked me first, I absolutely will not stand by and do nothing! I have decided to remove these tumors. Who agrees? Who objects?"

"Brother Shuang, of course we'll listen to you!" Jiang Xiaoyu was the first to voice his support.

"Brother Shuang, just tell us what you want us to do next!" Ding Ning also declared his support without hesitation.

Qin Shuang waited a little longer. Seeing that no one raised an objection, he spoke in an unquestionable tone. "Good. Then I will begin assigning tasks. From now on, all the missions assigned to our unit by our superiors will be handled by the two Sections led by Section Leaders Mu and Li. If you truly cannot manage them, come to me for more manpower."

Li Sheng Nan was taken aback when she heard this, then nodded in agreement.

Qin Shuang continued, "Xiao Ding, take the other members of your team and keep a close watch on Shi Wanchen, Murong Jingyue, Jiang Tieshan, and Xue Que. I want to know their movements from now on. Also, investigate their pasts by every possible means and dig up all the dirty things they have done!"

"Understood. No problem!" Ding Ning accepted the task without yielding to anyone.

Qin Shuang finally looked toward Shen Hu Chan. His eyes were filled with killing intent as he said coldly, "Brother Hu, lead the members of your team secretly to Miao Prefecture. I do not care what methods you use. Within a month, I want the Medicine King Sect of Miao Prefecture to disappear!"

"Good!" Shen Hu Chan was a man of few words, but anything he promised was always carried out faithfully and decisively.

Inside the small building belonging to Cheng Lingsu in the Moon Division office of the Cosmos Unit, a simple mourning hall had been arranged. It was extremely plain, without excessive decoration.

The entire building was filled with a sorrowful atmosphere that weighed heavily on the heart.

In the center of the mourning hall stood a nanmu coffin. A white cloth covered it, embroidered with a blooming red begonia that symbolized the purity and impermanence of life.

Flowers and candle stands had been placed around the coffin. The flowers gave off a faint fragrance, bringing a little vitality and warmth to the mourning hall. The candles on the stands flickered with a weak glow, illuminating the entire hall, as if also trying to light up the sorrow and longing deep within Cheng Lingsu's heart.

Cheng Lingsu knelt in the center of the mourning hall, offering her final prayers for her master and praying that karma would be settled and the dead would rest in peace.

Qin Shuang, Jiang Xiaoyu, and Mu Nianci strode into the courtyard with their heads held high. Two Dragon Guard members from the Moon Division of the Cosmos Unit, dressed in black brocade combat uniforms, immediately came over to greet them.

One of them stretched out an arm to block their way. "You..."

"Ah..."

Before he could finish a sentence, Qin Shuang's State Stabilizer saber was already unsheathed without hesitation.

A flash of cold light passed, and one of the man's arms was severed and sent flying.

"Bang! Bang!" Jiang Xiaoyu, who had not dared to act when Qin Shuang questioned him earlier and had been seething with pent-up anger, sprang forward. His legs flew in rapid succession, directly kicking both men out through the courtyard gate.

Hearing the commotion in the courtyard, Cheng Lingsu slowly walked out of the small building to see what was happening.

When she saw that it was Qin Shuang and the other two, she was surprised, yet also knew that it was entirely within reason.

She knew that with Qin Shuang's personality, once he heard about what had happened to her, he would definitely come over.

As a member of the Dragon Guard, Qin Shuang survived amid flashing blades and clashing swords, often facing trials of life and death. It was inevitable that he would sometimes commit cold and ruthless acts. But toward his brothers and friends, he had always valued loyalty and affection, placing righteousness first!

At this thought, Cheng Lingsu's eyes immediately reddened. She forced out a faint smile and pretended to look relaxed and carefree. "Brother Shuang, you're here!"

Looking at Cheng Lingsu's haggard face and vacant eyes, so unlike her usual confident self, Qin Shuang felt a faint pain in his heart. "I'm here. With me around, no one can bully you!"

Hearing Qin Shuang's words, the sorrow, grievances, helplessness... all the emotions she had suppressed for days, and all the feelings she had been afraid to reveal, seemed to find an outlet in an instant. Her tears could no longer be held back and began to fall.

Cheng Lingsu suddenly threw herself into Qin Shuang's arms, burying her entire face against his shoulder as she sobbed and wept.