Slaying Zhen Xu and Unexpectedly Obtaining the Heaven-Reaching Chart

Two days later, Qin Yu arrived at the prefecture city of the Three Prefectures of the Eastern Region. He concealed his tracks, changed into a set of black tight-fitting clothes convenient for movement, stored the Yan Chi Longsword and Yan Chi Dagger within his body, and suppressed the Xiantian True Fire throughout his frame. Like an ordinary wandering cultivator of the pugilistic world, he quietly slipped deep into the city. The private residence of Zhen Xu was located in a secluded area on the east side of the city, featuring high blue-brick walls and vermilion lacquer gates. The perimeter walls were covered with hidden sentries, and guards patrolled every ten paces inside the courtyard; the severity of the security far exceeded Qin Yu's expectations.

Taking advantage of the night, Qin Yu circled to a quiet corner behind the residence. His figure leaped up like a civet cat, his toes lightly touching the wall. Relying on his solid light-body techniques, he vaulted over the high wall without a sound and landed in the shadows within the courtyard. He lowered his posture and held his breath, using the faint light from the courtyard lanterns to observe the layout—the main hall was brightly lit, and the faint sound of conversation drifted out. It was the voice of Zhen Xu, and besides him, there were two slightly effeminate voices, which were surely his personal guards, those two early-stage Xiantian cultivators.

Qin Yu's heart stirred, knowing that opportunity must not be lost. He immediately suppressed all his aura, moving like a meteor in the dark night, silently creeping toward the main hall. He avoided the patrolling guards, his footsteps light and soundless, reaching the window of the main hall in just a few breaths. He slowly lifted a corner of the window paper and peered inside.

Inside the main hall, three people sat around a table laden with tea and intelligence dossiers. The leader, dressed in brocade robes with a sinister face and sharp eyes, was none other than Zhen Xu. He toyed with a pair of ink-black claw-shaped weapons; the tips of the claws glinted with a cold, eerie light, faintly exuding a bloodthirsty aura. Standing on either side of Zhen Xu were a man and a woman. The man wore black with a cold expression, holding a curved blade; the woman wore purple with an exotic, bewitching look, toying with a silver chain. Both possessed steady auras and were early-stage Xiantian cultivators—they were Zhen Xu's sworn siblings, Nalan Feng and Nalan Dan.

"Big Brother, the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion has been secretly mobilizing cultivators recently. Judging by the movements, they seem to be stockpiling troops at the borders of the Three Prefectures of the Eastern Region." Nalan Feng's voice was low as he spoke slowly, "The informants we planted have already found some clues, but we haven't yet figured out the specific troop numbers or deployment locations."

A sinister smile curled the corners of Zhen Xu's mouth. He rubbed the tips of his Blood Soul Claw and said coldly, "That old fox Qin De is certainly impatient. But it doesn't matter; as long as we keep a close watch, we will eventually uncover his secrets. This Blood Soul Claw is made from the claws of the Great Wilderness beast, the Blood Soul Beast, refined through dozens of processes. It is incredibly hard and can absorb blood energy to amplify its power. Once I gather enough clues, I will take this Blood Soul Claw and the intelligence back to the capital to see His Majesty. I will definitely make that old fox Qin De suffer the consequences!"

Nalan Dan chuckled, her voice bewitching, "Big Brother is right. With this Blood Soul Claw in hand, and with the help of us siblings, let alone Qin De's secret department, even if Qin De came himself, he might not be Big Brother's match. It's just that Mr. Yun Ce of the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion is rumored to have profound cultivation; we should still be on our guard."

"Yun Ce?" A trace of wariness flashed in Zhen Xu's eyes, but he immediately gave a disdainful laugh, "He is just a reclusive cultivator. Even if his cultivation is profound, he might not necessarily interfere in court affairs. Furthermore, I have His Majesty's backing and high-grade weapons like the Blood Soul Claw at my side; why should I fear him?"

Outside the window, Qin Yu heard their conversation, and a sharp murderous intent flashed in his eyes. Zhen Xu was not only ambitious but also incredibly arrogant; today, he would make him pay the price for that arrogance. Qin Yu did not hesitate. His fingertips moved slightly, and the crimson dagger at his waist instantly unsheathed. A flash of red spiritual light streaked by like a meteor cutting through the night sky. He slammed the window open, his figure darting into the main hall like an arrow, shouting coldly, "Zhen Xu, your time of death has arrived!"

The three in the hall were caught off guard and startled. Zhen Xu stood up abruptly, a flash of shock in his eyes, which then turned into a sinister glare. He gripped the Blood Soul Claw tightly and said coldly, "What kind of brat dares to break into my Zhen Mansion? You're courting death!" Nalan Feng and Nalan Dan also reacted instantly, moving to block in front of Zhen Xu, one on the left and one on the right. Their eyes were locked on Qin Yu, their spiritual power surging, revealing their early-stage Xiantian cultivation.

"Heavenly Net, Meteor." Qin Yu spoke indifferently, his voice cold and devoid of unnecessary chatter. The Yan Chi Dagger in his hand lifted slightly, the crimson spiritual light growing more intense, "I am here today to take your dog life. Die!" He deliberately mentioned Heavenly Net and his codename to hide his true identity, making this look like a routine assassination by Heavenly Net, unrelated to the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion.

"Heavenly Net? Meteor?" A trace of surprise flashed in Zhen Xu's eyes, followed by a cold laugh, immediately thinking it might be an assassin hired by the Qin Family, "So it's a Heavenly Net assassin. It seems that old fox Qin De is impatient to get rid of me. Unfortunately, you've chosen the wrong opponent!" Before the words faded, Zhen Xu moved, his spiritual power surging under his feet as he lunged at Qin Yu with the Blood Soul Claw. The Blood Soul Claw lived up to its reputation; before it even got close, a thick aura of blood and coldness rushed toward him, the eerie light on the claw tips making one's hair stand on end.

Qin Yu's expression remained calm, showing no fear. His footwork was agile, his body tilting slightly to easily avoid Zhen Xu's lunge. At the same time, the Yan Chi Dagger in his hand thrust out, the crimson spiritual light like a red lightning bolt, piercing straight at Zhen Xu's wrist. Zhen Xu was shocked, not expecting Qin Yu's speed to be so fast, and hurriedly flipped his wrist to block with the Blood Soul Claw.

"Clang—" With a crisp sound, the crimson dagger and the Blood Soul Claw collided, instantly erupting with a harsh metallic screech. A shocking scene occurred—Zhen Xu's pride and joy, the Blood Soul Claw, a weapon refined through dozens of processes and made from the claws of a Great Wilderness beast, was actually gouged with a deep notch by Qin Yu's crimson dagger. The eerie claw tip shattered instantly, while the crimson dagger in Qin Yu's hand remained unscathed, its red spiritual light as intense as ever.

"How is this possible!" Zhen Xu's pupils shrank, his face full of disbelief, his hand holding the Blood Soul Claw trembling slightly, "My Blood Soul Claw is a rare treasure of the Great Wilderness; how could it be damaged by your trashy dagger?" He could never have imagined that the Blood Soul Claw he treated as a treasure would be so vulnerable in front of Qin Yu's dagger.

Qin Yu understood, a faint smile curling his lips. His Yan Chi Dagger was a High-Grade Spirit Artifact forged by Yun Ce using Stone-Embedded Yan Chi Iron, containing pure fire-attribute spiritual energy and being incredibly hard. Although the Blood Soul Claw was made from the claws of a Great Wilderness beast, it was ultimately just a mortal weapon, never tempered by spiritual fire or infused with spiritual energy. Compared to a High-Grade Spirit Artifact, they were not on the same level; this collision was essentially a dimensional strike.

"A mere mortal weapon, daring to show off in front of a spirit artifact." Qin Yu shouted coldly, his spiritual power surging and pouring into the crimson dagger. The red spiritual light flared, the blade instantly glowing with a dazzling red light, and a massive fire-attribute spiritual energy spread out, instantly suppressing the blood aura of the Blood Soul Claw. He flipped his wrist and thrust the crimson dagger again, each move ruthless, aiming straight for Zhen Xu's vitals.

Zhen Xu was shocked and furious. He had never imagined his Blood Soul Claw would be so crushed, nor that this Heavenly Net assassin codenamed "Meteor" would have such profound cultivation. He forcibly suppressed the shock in his heart, gripped his damaged Blood Soul Claw, and lunged at Qin Yu again. His claw techniques were ruthless and lethal, attempting to compensate for the gap in weaponry with his late-stage Xiantian cultivation.

But Qin Yu's cultivation was already a notch higher than Zhen Xu's, and with the aid of a High-Grade Spirit Artifact, his combat experience far exceeded Zhen Xu's. Facing Zhen Xu's lunge, Qin Yu was calm and composed. His footwork was agile, like willow catkins in the wind, easily avoiding every one of Zhen Xu's attacks. At the same time, the crimson dagger in his hand countered continuously, each strike containing rich fire-attribute spiritual energy, burning holes into Zhen Xu's brocade robes and forcing him to retreat repeatedly in a sorry state.

"Big Brother, we're coming to help you!" Seeing Zhen Xu gradually falling into a disadvantage, Nalan Feng shouted, his curved blade unsheathing with a flash of cold light as he slashed at Qin Yu's back. Nalan Dan also attacked, her silver chain darting out like a spirit snake, aiming to entangle Qin Yu's wrist and restrict his movements.

Qin Yu's expression remained unchanged, his ears twitching as he instantly sensed the attack from behind. He didn't dodge or evade; his left foot stomped the ground, his figure suddenly rising, and the crimson dagger in his hand thrust backward. A flash of red spiritual light precisely parried Nalan Feng's curved blade. With a "clang," Nalan Feng felt his wrist go numb, and his curved blade developed a notch, nearly flying from his hand. He was shocked, hurriedly retreating a few steps, looking at Qin Yu in disbelief—he hadn't expected his full-force strike to be so easily neutralized by Qin Yu.

At the same time, Qin Yu lightly tapped his right toe, his body spinning slightly in the air to avoid Nalan Dan's silver chain. His right hand flipped, and a crimson longsword instantly unsheathed. Holding a spirit artifact in each hand, the red spiritual lights intertwined like two red fire dragons, lunging toward Nalan Feng and Nalan Dan.

Nalan Feng and Nalan Dan were startled and hurriedly joined forces to defend. Nalan Feng swung his curved blade at Qin Yu's longsword, while Nalan Dan manipulated the silver chain to entangle Qin Yu's dagger. However, both spirit artifacts in Qin Yu's hands were high-grade, containing pure fire-attribute spiritual energy and infinite power. When their weapons collided with Qin Yu's spirit artifacts, they were instantly knocked out of their hands and shattered. At the same time, a massive surge of spiritual power traveled through their weapons, causing both to grunt and cough up blood, stumbling back a few steps with faces as pale as paper.

"Impossible! How can you have two weapons of such great power? And your cultivation is so high!" Nalan Dan's eyes were filled with fear, her voice trembling, a flash of greed crossing her gaze. Most Gold-Rank Assassins of Heavenly Net only had one peak-mortal weapon, and their cultivation was mostly at the early or middle Xiantian stage. But this "Meteor" before them not only had two powerful weapons but also reached the late Xiantian stage. This was not an ordinary Gold-Rank Assassin; he was even more formidable than a regular branch leader of Heavenly Net.

Qin Yu ignored their shock. His figure moved like a meteor, darting in front of Nalan Feng. The crimson dagger in his hand gave a light thrust, piercing through Nalan Feng's chest. A flash of unwillingness crossed Nalan Feng's eyes; he wanted to speak but could only spray a mouthful of blood before his body slowly collapsed, his life force completely extinguished.

Seeing Nalan Feng killed, Nalan Dan was terrified out of her wits and turned to flee. But Qin Yu's speed was far greater than hers. With a flash, he blocked her path, the crimson longsword pressing against her throat as he said coldly, "Want to run? Too late!"

Nalan Dan trembled all over, her face pale, and she hurriedly knelt to beg for mercy: "My Lord, spare me! My Lord, spare me! I know I was wrong, I will never dare to help Zhen Xu again, please, My Lord, spare my life!" She had long since lost her previous bewitching and arrogant demeanor, leaving only endless fear. In the face of death, she couldn't care about anything else.

Qin Yu felt no pity, saying coldly, "You aided the tyrant, helped Zhen Xu monitor the Qin Family, and hindered the great plan for the Conquest of Chu. You must die today!" Before the words faded, his wrist moved slightly, and the crimson longsword instantly sliced through Nalan Dan's throat. Blood sprayed out, and Nalan Dan fell to the ground, twitching a few times before her life force faded.

In just a short moment, Nalan Feng and Nalan Dan were both slain by Qin Yu, leaving only Zhen Xu in the main hall. Zhen Xu looked at the two corpses on the ground and then at the cold-faced Qin Yu before him, his heart filled with fear and despair. He knew he was no match for Qin Yu and that he would surely die today.

"Who... who exactly are you?" Zhen Xu's voice trembled, his hand holding the Blood Soul Claw shaking uncontrollably, "You are definitely not an ordinary Heavenly Net assassin. Are you one of Qin De's men?" He finally realized that this youth before him was by no means an ordinary Gold-Rank Assassin of Heavenly Net, but must be a top expert sent by Qin De.

Qin Yu gave a cold laugh, not answering his question, but simply lifting the crimson longsword slightly, saying coldly, "Enough talk, die!" Before the words faded, he moved, lunging at Zhen Xu. The crimson dagger in his hand contained rich fire-attribute spiritual energy, thrusting straight at Zhen Xu's heart.

Zhen Xu was in despair but unwilling to sit and wait for death. He used all his remaining spiritual power, gripped his damaged Blood Soul Claw, and lunged at Qin Yu's longsword, attempting a final struggle. But his struggle was like throwing an egg against a rock in front of Qin Yu. With a crisp "clang," the Blood Soul Claw collided with the crimson dagger again. This time, the Blood Soul Claw was split into two by Qin Yu's longsword, the eerie claw pieces scattering all over the floor.

Zhen Xu felt a massive surge of spiritual power rush toward him. His chest tightened, and he sprayed a mouthful of blood, stumbling back a few steps and crashing into the table behind him. The tea and intelligence dossiers on the table scattered everywhere. Qin Yu did not give Zhen Xu any chance to catch his breath; with a flash, he arrived before Zhen Xu, and the crimson dagger in his hand gave a light thrust, piercing through Zhen Xu's heart.

Zhen Xu looked down at the dagger in his chest, his eyes filled with unwillingness and regret. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but could only spray a mouthful of blood as his body slowly collapsed, his life force completely extinguished. Thus, Zhen Xu, who had hindered the Qin Family's war preparations, and his two core guards were all slain by Qin Yu.

Qin Yu pulled out the Yan Chi Dagger, shook the blood off the blade, suppressed the spiritual energy and murderous intent throughout his body, and stored the dagger within himself. His gaze swept across the main hall. He intended to leave immediately to avoid attracting Zhen Xu's guards, but at that moment, his gaze was drawn to a square piece of jade scattered on the table. The square jade was engraved with complex patterns, faintly exuding an ancient aura, with tiny gems embedded along the edges. It contained thirty-six diagrams and looked extremely precious.

Qin Yu's heart stirred. He walked over, picked up the jade, and slowly unfolded it. The diagram depicted thirty-six different movements. Qin Yu examined the drawings carefully, and suddenly his pupils shrank—the patterns on these drawings were extremely similar to the Three Heaven-Reaching Charts taught to him by his master, Yun Ce!

He hurriedly recalled the complete Three Heaven-Reaching Charts taught to him by Yun Ce. Comparing them, he discovered that this piece of jade was actually one of the Three Heaven-Reaching Charts! Qin Yu was filled with surprise; he never expected that after assassinating Zhen Xu, he would accidentally obtain one of the Three Heaven-Reaching Charts.

A faint smile curled the corners of Qin Yu's lips, and he thought to himself, "Truly, one sows a bean and reaps a melon. However, since Master has already taught me the complete Three Heaven-Reaching Charts, this Heaven-Reaching Chart can only be considered a collectible for me. When I return to the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion, I will place it in the Qin Family treasury to add another treasure to the family."

He carefully put away this Heaven-Reaching Chart and collected the fragments of Zhen Xu's Blood Soul Claw along with the weapons of Nalan Feng and Nalan Dan—although these items were not as precious as spirit artifacts, they could still be exchanged for some cultivation resources, and keeping them would be useful. Afterward, Qin Yu checked the main hall, wiped away all traces he had left, and ensured no flaws remained before moving and silently leaving Zhen Xu's residence, disappearing into the night.

At this time, the guards outside the residence were still patrolling, completely unaware of the incident that had occurred inside. Qin Yu avoided detection all the way, successfully left Zhen Xu's mansion, and headed toward the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion. He was filled with joy; not only had he successfully slain Zhen Xu and removed a stumbling block for the Qin Family, but he had also accidentally obtained one of the Three Heaven-Reaching Charts. This assassination could be considered a harvest full of rewards.

Back in the small courtyard on Cloud Mist Mountain, Yun Ce sat cross-legged with a faint smile on his lips. Through his divine sense, he had witnessed the entire process of Qin Yu's assassination of Zhen Xu. Watching Qin Yu's growth, his eyes were filled with gratification. "Not bad, in just three months, he has made such progress. Not only can he easily slay the three of them, but he can also carefully wipe away his traces. It seems this Heavenly Net training was not in vain." Yun Ce whispered to himself, the pale purple True Fire at his fingertips slowly dissipating, "As for that Heaven-Reaching Chart, it is an unexpected joy; it can be considered a bonus for Qin Yu's training."