Qin Family Crisis, Assassinating Zhen Xu

Qin Yu had been training in the Chu Dynasty for over three months under the identity of a Gold-Rank Assassin for the Heavenly Net. During this time, he accepted over a dozen contracts, all of which involved eliminating corrupt officials and wicked cultivators who had committed heinous crimes within the Chu Dynasty. Every assassination was executed with clean, swift precision. Relying on his Xiantian late-stage cultivation, solid External Martial Arts, and the enhancement of a High-Grade Spirit Artifact, he never once failed. Gradually, he carved out the reputation of "Meteor" within the Heavenly Net—so named because when he struck, the spiritual glow of his crimson dagger followed like a shadow, fast as lightning and impossible to block.

Over these three months, Qin Yu not only honed his combat skills but also gathered a vast amount of intelligence on the factions within the Chu Dynasty, gaining a rough understanding of the imperial court's structure and the distribution of cultivators. Using the resources of the Heavenly Net, he exchanged for many healing pills and cultivation materials, steadily improving his cultivation and strengthening his physical body until he was only a step away from the peak of External Martial Arts. Yet, he always kept Yun Ce's instructions in mind, concealing his identity and never exposing his connection to the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion. Even the branch master of the Heavenly Net only knew him as the Gold-Rank Assassin codenamed "Meteor," unaware of his true name or origin.

On this day, after completing a contract to assassinate a grain official of the Chu Dynasty and exchanging for a batch of cultivation resources, Qin Yu thought of his master on Cloud Mist Mountain and Xiao Hei. Wishing to take the opportunity to scout the current status of the Qin Family's preparations for the Conquest of Chu, he quietly changed his route and snuck toward the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion. Clad in simple blue cloth robes with his Gold-Rank Heavenly Net token hidden against his chest and the spiritual glow of the longsword at his waist suppressed, he looked no different from an ordinary young martial artist traveling the world. Avoiding all eyes, he successfully reached the outskirts of the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion.

Qin Yu knew well that the mansion was heavily guarded, and given his current sensitive status, it was inconvenient to appear as himself. Using the cover of night, he employed his movement techniques to slip into the mansion without a sound. Having grown up there, he knew the layout like the back of his hand. He bypassed the patrolling guards and headed toward the inner courtyard, knowing that his father, Qin De, and his two elder brothers, Qin Feng and Qin Zheng, usually held their meetings there.

As he reached the pavilion on the west side of the inner courtyard, Qin Yu suddenly heard two familiar voices coming from within—it was his eldest brother, Qin Feng, and his second brother, Qin Zheng. His heart stirred; he slowed his pace and quietly hid behind a willow tree next to the pavilion, holding his breath to listen to their conversation. The night was growing deep, and a dim oil lamp inside the pavilion cast long shadows of the two men, while a heavy, solemn atmosphere permeated the air.

"Second brother, now that that wretch Xiang Guang has sent Zhen Xu to oversee intelligence gathering in the Three Prefectures of the Eastern Region, our operations have become quite difficult." Qin Feng's voice carried a hint of agitation, his tone filled with helplessness. "That Zhen Xu has a dedicated group of men under him, all of them experts at investigation. Their methods are devious and their minds meticulous, making them far more formidable. Especially as we move forward, our actions grow larger; trying to secretly mobilize cultivators and stockpile grain without being detected by him is difficult!"

Qin Yu's heart tightened, his fingertips curling slightly. Xiang Guang was the emperor of the Chu Dynasty, a man of great ambition who had always eyed the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion with hostility. The Three Prefectures of the Eastern Region were the foundation of the mansion and a crucial stronghold for the future Conquest of Chu. Zhen Xu being in charge of intelligence there was undoubtedly a nail driven by Xiang Guang right next to the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion, specifically targeting the Qin Family's war preparations.

"Eldest brother, don't be anxious." Qin Zheng's voice was relatively calm, though it could not hide a trace of solemnity. "Father's departure this time was not without purpose; he surely has a way to resolve this. Perhaps Father is already secretly contacting allies or has a strategy to deal with Zhen Xu. We need only follow the plan and do our part. That said, this fellow Zhen Xu is indeed troublesome. He sticks to us like a plaster, monitoring our every move. One slight slip, and our plans will be exposed."

"How can I not be anxious?" Qin Feng sighed, his tone laced with worry. "The Conquest of Chu draws near, and we are in a critical period of building strength and gathering intelligence. If Zhen Xu discovers anything and tells Xiang Guang, Xiang Guang will surely set up countermeasures in advance, and our situation will only become more difficult. Moreover, Zhen Xu is ruthless and cruel; if he catches us in a trap, he will likely strike at the Qin Family immediately, and the consequences would be unthinkable."

"Eldest brother is right." Qin Zheng was silent for a moment before speaking slowly. "However, Zhen Xu is surrounded by many guards, and his own cultivation is not weak—it is said he is already at the Xiantian late-stage. He also has many experts skilled in concealment and assassination at his side. Eliminating him is no easy task. Father is also aware of the threat Zhen Xu poses, but he has yet to find a suitable opportunity. After all, once we strike, if we fail, we will surely alert the enemy and make Xiang Guang vigilant."

Behind the willow tree, Qin Yu had already made his decision. He bore the blood feud of the Qin Family and was determined to assist them in the Conquest of Chu to avenge his mother. Now that Zhen Xu had become a stumbling block for the Qin Family's preparations, keeping a close watch on the Three Prefectures of the Eastern Region and hindering their actions, he had to be removed, or he would surely bring greater trouble to the family later. Furthermore, as a Gold-Rank Assassin of the Heavenly Net skilled in concealment and assassination, dealing with Zhen Xu was exactly his specialty.

Moreover, he was now at the Xiantian late-stage himself. Even if Zhen Xu was also at the Xiantian late-stage, Qin Yu had a High-Grade Spirit Artifact and three months of real-world combat experience from the Heavenly Net; dealing with Zhen Xu and his men would not be difficult. Even with Zhen Xu's many guards, he was confident he could use his own strength to assassinate him silently without leaving a trace, neither exposing his identity nor alerting the enemy.

A sharp, cold glint flashed in Qin Yu's eyes, and a faint killing intent emanated from his body before he instantly suppressed it. He knew it was not the time to be impulsive; he had to first ascertain Zhen Xu's movements and background before formulating a meticulous assassination plan. He continued to hold his breath, listening to the conversation between Qin Feng and Qin Zheng, hoping to glean more information about Zhen Xu.

"That Zhen Xu is currently in the capital of the Three Prefectures of the Eastern Region, occupying a private residence with over twenty guards, all of whom are at the peak of the Houtian realm, along with two Xiantian early-stage cultivators at his beck and call." Qin Feng's voice sounded again. "Furthermore, he is extremely cautious. He rarely leaves his home, and even when he does, he is accompanied by a large number of guards. Getting close to him is as difficult as ascending to heaven."

"Besides that, Zhen Xu has planted eyes and ears in every town across the Three Prefectures of the Eastern Region, closely monitoring the movements of our Qin Family. Even the cultivators we mobilized in secret have been discovered by him in large numbers." Qin Zheng added. "If Father hadn't been prepared and hidden some of our strength in advance, I fear many of our plans would have already been leaked to Xiang Guang by him."

Qin Yu committed every word to memory; Zhen Xu's movements, guard configuration, and style of operation were now clearly etched in his mind. He calculated silently: the residence in the capital of the Three Prefectures of the Eastern Region was Zhen Xu's lair, heavily guarded and unsuitable for a frontal assault. He would have to sneak in and strike with a single, fatal blow when he was off guard. As a Heavenly Net assassin, this kind of silent killing was his greatest strength, and given his knowledge of the terrain in the Three Prefectures of the Eastern Region, his chances of success were extremely high.

After listening for a while longer, Qin Feng and Qin Zheng ended their conversation and departed. Qin Yu waited until their figures had completely vanished into the night before stepping out from behind the willow tree, his gaze fixed toward the east—the direction of the capital of the Three Prefectures of the Eastern Region. He gripped the Yan Chi Dagger tightly, the warmth of the blade seeping into his fingertips, his eyes filled with resolve.

"Zhen Xu, you hinder the Qin Family's conquest and monitor our movements. Today, I shall take your dog life and remove this stumbling block for the Qin Family!" Qin Yu said silently in his heart, his tone cold and without a hint of hesitation. He knew this assassination was not only to assist the Qin Family but also to hone his own combat prowess and test the results of his three months of training.

Following this, Qin Yu did not linger. He put on his mask, employed his movement techniques, and left the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion silently, heading toward Zhen Xu's residence in the Three Prefectures of the Eastern Region. In the night, his figure moved like a ghost, his speed immense. The crimson longsword flickered in the darkness, emitting a faint spiritual glow like a blade in the night, ready to strike at the hidden enemy.

He did not send a message to Yun Ce to inform him of this, nor did he notify Qin De or his two brothers—he wanted to complete this assassination with his own strength to prove his growth and live up to Yun Ce's trust and the expectations of the Qin Family. He knew well that this assassination would not be easy; Zhen Xu was cautious and had many guards, but he was fearless. His Xiantian late-stage cultivation, the enhancement of his High-Grade Spirit Artifact, and the combat experience from the Heavenly Net were his greatest sources of confidence.

Along the way, Qin Yu quickened his pace, traveling day and night toward the capital of the Three Prefectures of the Eastern Region. As he traveled, he formulated his assassination plan in his mind, pondering how to infiltrate Zhen Xu's residence, how to avoid the guards, how to strike with a single blow, and how to retreat unscathed. He considered every detail thoroughly, not daring to be the least bit negligent—he knew that if a mistake occurred, not only would the assassination fail, but he might also expose his identity and bring greater trouble to the Qin Family.

Meanwhile, in the small courtyard on Cloud Mist Mountain, Yun Ce sat cross-legged. His divine sense extended quietly, detecting Qin Yu's movements. A faint smile curled the corners of his lips, and a glimmer of expectation flashed in his eyes. He had long known that Qin Yu had snuck into the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion, had heard the conversation between Qin Feng and Qin Zheng, and was well aware that Qin Yu was now heading toward the Three Prefectures of the Eastern Region; he had already guessed Qin Yu's intentions.

"Zhen Xu, is it..." Yun Ce whispered to himself, a wisp of pale purple True Fire condensing at his fingertips. "A decent opponent, indeed. It is the perfect opportunity for Qin Yu to hone himself further and see just how much he has grown from his three months of training." He was not worried about Qin Yu's safety; although Zhen Xu had guards, he was ultimately no match for Qin Yu. Moreover, he had long since left a trace of spiritual consciousness on Qin Yu; should Qin Yu encounter real danger, he would intervene at the first possible moment.

In the capital of the Three Prefectures of the Eastern Region, Zhen Xu's residence was heavily guarded and brightly lit. Zhen Xu sat in his study, looking over the intelligence sent by his subordinates, a sinister smile curling his lips. He had long since sensed the unusual movements of the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion and knew that Qin De was secretly preparing for war, but he had yet to find concrete evidence. He calculated that as soon as he uncovered more clues, he would immediately report to Xiang Guang, allowing him to set up a layout in advance and completely stifle the rebellion of the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion.

Zhen Xu did not know that a fatal crisis was quietly closing in on him. In the dark of night, a young figure was speeding toward his residence, the blade in his hand already poised and ready, waiting only for the perfect moment to pierce the night sky and take his life.