Night Raid—Chen Chuanshan's Death

Night Raid—Chen Chuanshan's Death

"You insolent fool! Is this a place for you to speak?" Prince Qing glared furiously.

Li Changyan craned his neck and said, "Was Grandson not telling the truth? I don't know what method he used to deceive Grandfather, but Grandson investigated everything about him in the Gu Family. More than a year ago, during the Gu Family's martial competition, he did not even dare step onto the stage. In just one short year, does Grandfather truly think he has become a Grandmaster?"

Prince Qing also harbored doubts, but the battle scene from that day remained vivid in his mind. The pressure of a Grandmaster, the sword flying through the air—every detail proved that Gu Yuanqing was a Grandmaster. He rose to his feet and roared, "You still dare spout nonsense? Kneel!"

Li Changyan dropped to his knees, his eyes reddening. "Grandson insists on saying it! Even if he truly is a Grandmaster, when faced with monsters from the Crimson Dragon Cult who have extinguished all humanity, he repeatedly made excuses and refused to act. What kind of Grandmaster is that?"

Prince Qing seemed enraged beyond measure. With a sweep of his long sleeve, invisible True Qi burst forth. Li Changyan was struck as though by a heavy blow and sent flying backward, spitting out blood in midair.

He slammed into the wall, rolled to the ground, and was left in a miserable state.

Prince Qing's face reddened with fury. "Go kneel outside! Without my order, you are not to rise. If you speak such nonsense again, get back to the Prince's Manor and remain confined for three years!"

Li Changyan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, shot Gu Yuanqing a vicious glare, then rose and went outside to kneel heavily.

Gu Yuanqing opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly glanced at Prince Qing. He calmly took a sip of tea. If this had happened some days ago, he might truly have been fooled by the scene before him. But after his Mountain Observation state of mind had broken through, as long as he was within North Spring Mountain, his heart was like a clear mirror reflecting all things. Prince Qing appeared furious, yet his thoughts were hidden beneath the surface. Perhaps bringing Li Changyan here had been for precisely this scene.

"That insolent fool has been spoiled since childhood. He is arrogant, reckless, and sees no one as worthy of his notice. I have made Young Master Gu witness a joke." Prince Qing sighed as though disappointed that iron could not become steel.

Gu Yuanqing smiled faintly. "The Young Heir was born into nobility, yet he has retained a child's pure heart. Why speak of making me witness a joke?"

Prince Qing revealed a slight smile. "Young Master Gu flatters him. There is no need to say more about that fool. I will discipline him properly after returning. As for what we discussed just now, what do you think...?"

Gu Yuanqing pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "I have received the Imperial Decree and may not leave North Spring Mountain. If Your Highness can force them into North Spring Mountain, this junior will naturally take action."

Prince Qing gazed at Gu Yuanqing for a moment, then smiled. "Good. Since Young Master Gu has agreed to act, I can rest at ease."

After some idle conversation, Prince Qing left with Li Changyan.

Li Changyan followed behind him in silence. His anger had faded, leaving only unease in his heart.

The guards followed at a distance farther behind.

"Do you know where you were wrong?"

"Grandson should not have disobeyed Grandfather and spoken without permission."

Prince Qing glanced back before slowly saying, "Wrong. Your mistake was that you are too weak."

Li Changyan stopped, stunned for a moment. Then he hurriedly caught up and could not help asking again, "Grandfather, does Gu Yuanqing truly possess the strength of a Grandmaster? How is that possible? In such a short year, even if he ate Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, he could not have made such progress."

Prince Qing fell silent for a moment before speaking. "I am not certain either. That is why I wanted to take another look this time. If it is truly so, then I will heed His Majesty's words and help him establish the position of Crown Prince."

"What? Grandfather said you would help Gu Yuanqing become the Crown—" Li Changyan was greatly shocked.

"What nonsense are you saying? How could the Li Family's realm be placed in an outsider's hands?" Prince Qing glared at Li Changyan.

"But just now you..." Li Changyan saw the look in his grandfather's eyes and did not dare say more.

Gu Yuanqing withdrew his gaze. Prince Qing's words just now had confirmed the feeling in his heart.

"Something may truly have gone wrong with the Seal of the Demon Realm Passage, but it should not be as serious as he claimed. Otherwise, I would have noticed the differences in those sect disciples on the mountain long ago."

"But it does not matter. If they can truly force those demonic cult monsters onto North Spring Mountain, I would not mind taking action and killing them!"

"Only, what did Prince Qing mean by helping him establish the position of Crown Prince? What does that have to do with whether I am a Grandmaster?"

Gu Yuanqing could not figure it out, so he cast it aside. Every day, he observed the mountain and heard countless secrets. If he investigated every single one, he would have no time for anything else.

He called Feng Tao in to clean the room, then closed his eyes and began cultivating once more.

His cultivation progressed by leaps and bounds. True Qi surged through his meridians like a roaring river, passing through the major Acupoints and being tempered by the Profound Martial Secret Treasure until it became even more refined.

Part of this pure True Qi spread through his sinews, bones, and muscles, tempering them without pause.

Ordinary people needed to strike a balance between nourishing and increasing their True Qi and tempering their bodies, but he had no such concerns at all.

His Spiritual Qi was like a pool, as though Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, spiritual pills, and wondrous medicines were constantly supporting him from within. His cultivation speed in the Profound Martial Realm was actually a degree faster than it had been in the Origin Scholar Realm.

Without his noticing, multicolored radiance flickered across the outer membrane of the Profound Martial Secret Treasure within his body. The Mysterious Martial Secret Treasure was gradually transforming into the Saint Martial Secret Treasure.

Around noon, True Qi burst forth from his entire body, and the North Spring Mountain Phantom outside him grew clearer.

The True Martial Eighth Layer had quietly broken through.

He sat in meditation, nurturing his cultivation as he waited for his realm to stabilize.

Feng Tao brought his lunch. Seeing this, she quietly set it aside.

The old man sensed the aura of the True Martial Eighth Layer, and his expression shifted between light and dark. He had never seen, nor even heard of, anyone cultivating at such a terrifying speed. It was simply inconceivable.

Two hours passed before Gu Yuanqing opened his eyes. Carrying his longsword, he went alone to the edge of the cliff to practice swordsmanship.

Sword Intent clung to the longsword, condensed without scattering. It no longer radiated its might as wantonly as before. His control over Sword Intent had reached another level.

As he practiced, he swiftly adapted to the changes brought by his breakthrough, gradually turning his increased strength into true combat power.

After dinner, Gu Yuanqing entered the Spiritual Mountain Trial. With his realm breakthrough, the gap between him and the Profound Martial Ninth Layer had rapidly narrowed. After fierce battles, his win rate had approached seventy percent.

Mountain Observation, the Spiritual Mountain Trial, sword practice, cultivation techniques, deducing Mental Methods, and reading in his leisure time to broaden his knowledge and experience—Gu Yuanqing only felt that the days in the mountains passed so swiftly.

In the blink of an eye, five days passed without incident. Quite a few sect disciples in North Spring Mountain seemed to have improved their cultivation.

Many more people arrived at North Spring Mountain, all wealthy young scions from the capital. They had likely received the news and wished to use Demonic Qi to temper the Qi of Heavenly Gang and Earthly Sha.

The courtyards on the mountain were already full, and even many disciples' rooms housed additional people.

Gu Yuanqing's little courtyard, which had remained empty all this time, became conspicuous. It occupied an excellent location, embraced by the mountain with an open view, yet no one had ever entered or left it.

With Prince Qing stationed on the mountain, no one dared act rashly, though everyone speculated about who this courtyard belonged to.

Li Changyan, who knew the truth, also did not dare speak carelessly. Gu Yuanqing's existence concerned the Imperial Family's dignity. The Emperor had confined him here, and now moved him to the rear mountain, precisely because he did not want others to know.

Besides, he was suspected to be a Grandmaster. Without Prince Qing's permission, how would Li Changyan dare speak recklessly?

At night, beneath North Spring Mountain, within a vast stone cave more than a hundred feet in both length and width.

Ancient stone slabs were covered in formation patterns, and the patterns were filled with Spiritual Ink compounded from rare treasures such as cinnabar and jade marrow.

Nine Grandmaster Secret Artifacts were embedded within the formation bases. Nine cultivators at the high levels of the Profound Martial Realm sat cross-legged atop them, using their own True Qi to activate the Grandmaster Secret Artifacts.

The Vital Energy of heaven and earth slowly gathered, refined by the formation into pure Vital Energy, then gradually passed through the Heaven-Mending Formation into the Seal farther below.

Farther out were the sects and Imperial Court elites assigned to duty that day. They too sat cross-legged upon a massive formation base, holding Mysterious Stones condensed from the Qi of Heavenly Gang and Earthly Sha in both hands. With the aid of the formation, they injected the dispersed Demonic Qi into the Mysterious Stones, stimulating and refining the Qi of Heavenly Gang and Earthly Sha before transforming it into wisps of aura that they absorbed into their bodies.

Farther outside stood high-level True Martial cultivators. Some sat with their eyes closed, regulating their breathing, while others released their aura and guarded against attacks that could come at any moment.

Outside the Cave, Divine Eagle Guard Imperial Guards stood in ranks, arranged according to the positions of the Divine Eagle Great Formation. Chen Chuanshan condensed Qi into his eyes, a dim light flashing in them as he inspected the surroundings.

At the four cardinal positions, experts from the Demon Suppression Division lurked in secret. Prince Qing sat quietly atop a massive rock on North Spring Mountain. Behind him, Qin Hu stood straight as a spear, holding a sword in both hands.

Such an arrangement could well be called a Heavenly Net, yet when facing the Crimson Dragon Cult, no one could afford to let down their guard.

It was already deep into the night. Many Imperial Guards could not help yawning. They had remained on alert for days. Though they took turns resting, their minds were still exhausted.

"Stay sharp, all of you! Only the last few days remain. If anyone causes a problem, military law will deal with you!" Chen Chuanshan shouted sternly.

Time passed bit by bit. Heaven and earth lay completely silent, as though another night would pass in peace. But suddenly, Chen Chuanshan, standing within the formation, clutched his throat. Blood sprayed through the gaps in his fingers. His eyes bulged wide, and though he opened his mouth, no words came out.

The soldiers around him who saw this froze for a moment, then cried out in shock and fury, "Enemy attack!"