Mastering Ximen Qing

Ximen Qing's words were cut off by this sudden remark, and his pupils abruptly contracted.

Chen Lin's words struck his mind like a thunderbolt—the other party actually knew about Black Tortoise's severe injury!

Black Tortoise's injury was extremely secret; it had been discovered by a patrolling soldier by chance, and the news was tightly controlled. Only Ling Cangqiong had flown into a rage and ordered a thorough investigation, while Black Tortoise remained unconscious to this day.

"Could it be... that the First Prince's men did this?" Ximen Qing blurted out in shock. When had the First Prince gained such terrifying power?

Yet, before his shock could settle, his vision blurred.

Chen Lin's figure moved faster than imagination. With a single grab, he had Ximen Qing's throat in his grip!

A suffocating sensation hit instantly. Ximen Qing was both shocked and enraged. The power of his Primordial Pill and Dharma Aspect instinctively tried to activate, but it was like sinking into a quagmire—utterly unable to stir!

Impossible! How could this be? The other party was clearly only a hundred or so years old... Unless... this wasn't the real person!?

"So it seems you acted on your own. That saves me quite a bit of trouble." A hint of knowing amusement appeared on Chen Lin's face. His tone was calm, but carried an undeniable weight.

"Let me go!" Ximen Qing's eyes were bloodshot, his breath ragged from suffocation, his voice twisted with rage. "This is the Imperial Palace! How dare you!"

But just as Ximen Qing roared, deep in Chen Lin's eyes, a fleeting, indescribable pattern flashed—like an ancient rune, terrifying in form.

The pattern vanished in an instant. Chen Lin spoke again, still calm, but his voice carried a strange, mesmerizing power that seeped thread by thread into Ximen Qing's mind:

"From now on, you are my man. Back then, I personally arranged for you to enter the palace, step by step helping you reach your current position..."

His words were gentle, yet they struck Ximen Qing's Sea of Consciousness like direct commands.

Though Ximen Qing was also in the Dharma Aspect Realm, the real gap between him and Chen Lin was like a chasm.

His eyes flew wide, pupils violently contracting. The next moment, the fury and terror faded, replaced by a hollow, vacant stare.

He began to mutter, his voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, as if confirming a long-forgotten fact.

Chen Lin turned his wrist and released his grip. Ximen Qing stumbled, steadied himself, and his gaze was already completely different.

Mind control techniques were mere trifles. With his current strength, he could only exert it on a Dharma Aspect cultivator for a short time—at most three months before the other would recover these tampered memories.

But that was enough.

Finally, Ximen Qing raised his head, a trace of confusion in his eyes, but more so reverence. He bowed in salute: "Greetings, Master."

Chen Lin smiled in satisfaction and waved his hand. "Tonight, you saw nothing. Withdraw."

Ximen Qing acknowledged and retreated.

Having done all this, Chen Lin returned to his familiar rocking chair, closing his eyes to rest.

The night deepened. He quietly awaited the arrival of dawn.

After an unknown time, the first clear chime of a bell rang out. The sky was faintly lit—it was just past midnight.

Chen Lin opened his eyes, a glint of anticipation flashing within.

With a thought, he began today's draw.

Thanks to the martial skills and techniques he had exchanged for and those gifted by Ling Tian, he now had a total of five Heaven Tier treasures in hand!

No matter which one he drew, it would be enough to push his cultivation further.

"Draw."

[Randomly drawing...]

[Draw complete!]

[Today's Great Perfection Heaven Tier Martial Skill: Nine Nether Sky Palm]

Before the words faded, a torrent of insights surged into Chen Lin's mind like a tidal wave.

He felt his Spiritual Sea overturn, transforming into a boundless, dark void.

In this deathly stillness, nine pitch-black palm prints, carrying the aura of death, slowly condensed and emerged.

Each palm print seemed to have existed since time immemorial, containing a distinct essence of the Netherworld, like nine gates leading to different abysses.

The first palm was named "Yellow Springs Pull"!

At the center of the palm, a massive reincarnation vortex slowly spun, radiating a soul-seizing attraction.

Just the brush of its palm wind was enough to extinguish all life in an instant. Those struck would have their Divine Soul forcibly dragged into the vortex; within three breaths, their flesh would wither, and their body and soul would be utterly annihilated!

The ninth palm was named "Nine Nether Annihilation"!

This was the pinnacle of the nine palms! When all nine palm prints merged, a miniature Ghost Gate Gate phantom, symbolizing death and finality, would erupt in the center of the palm!

Once this palm was unleashed, within a hundred zhang radius, space would twist, instantly transforming into a true Netherworld domain. Heaven and earth would lose their color, and all living things would perish!

In the blink of an eye, Chen Lin had fully mastered this Great Perfection Heaven Tier Martial Skill.

This Nine Nether Sky Palm was not only terrifying in power, but its sinister, domineering, all-devouring aura made him feel it was a demonic martial skill.

No matter. Demonic or righteous, it was all just a means to obtain higher methods.

Meanwhile, deep within the Imperial Palace, Emperor Ling Cangqiong was raging like a thunderstorm, his face ashen. In the Imperial Capital, in broad daylight, someone had dared to gravely wound the Imperial Guards Commander, Black Tortoise! This was utterly outrageous!

What set his blood boiling even more was that the Black Tortoise had originally been sent to intercept and kill that mysterious Shadow Assassin!

Now the Black Tortoise lay gravely wounded, his life hanging in the balance.

Had the Blood Wolf Mercenary Group discovered something and interfered halfway through?

The mere thought of the Blood Wolf Mercenary Group made Ling Cangqiong's gaze grow even more sinister.

It had to be them! And the one who struck was likely one of the three deputy leaders!

Every one of the Blood Wolf Mercenary Group's three deputy leaders was a powerhouse at the sixth level of the Dharma Aspect Realm, and even their leader had reached the ninth level of the Dharma Aspect Realm!

They had the capital to gravely wound the Black Tortoise.

"Damn it!" Ling Cangqiong slammed his fist onto the imperial desk, burning with rage.

"Since you dare to touch my people, don't blame me for being ruthless!" He snorted coldly, killing intent blazing in his eyes.

"Shadow One!" He called out in a deep voice.

"Your Majesty." A shadow appeared silently in the hall—it was Shadow One.

"Immediately send word for the local Prefect to mobilize elite troops and head straight for the Blood Wolf Mercenary Group's lair!" Ling Cangqiong's voice was icy and resolute. "You and the First Guardian will accompany the army."

"Remember, bearing my imperial decree will be enough to intimidate any ordinary ninth-level Dharma Aspect Realm scoundrels!"

Shadow One nodded silently, his figure fading once more, vanishing from the hall like a specter.

After Shadow One left, Ling Cangqiong curled his lips into a cold, sinister smile and muttered to himself, "With Shadow One and the First Guardian both dispatched... Old Nine, Old Nine, you'd better hurry up..."

At dawn, sunlight pierced through the clouds, yet it could not illuminate the gloom hanging over the lands of the Ten Provinces.

The Blood Wolf Mercenary Group sensed the unusual movements of the Prefect's army.

When the Shadow Assassin brought back the recording of the Black Tortoise Commander's confession, the entire Blood Wolf headquarters erupted in fury.

The Blood Wolf Mercenary Group struck without hesitation, ambushing and severely crippling the vanguard forces.

If you can't find the book by its title, try searching by the author—maybe it just changed names!

In response to readers' requests, we are now launching a VIP membership ad-free feature.

Click to view.