Assassins

Vast City, the Royal Capital of Great Qin.

This city was the heart of the Great Qin Kingdom. Its walls towered a hundred zhang high, built entirely of obsidian that gleamed with a cold, shadowy luster beneath the sun. Buildings stood packed together like scales on a fish, and streets crisscrossed the city. Most striking of all was the majestic royal palace at its center-the Star-Seizing Hall.

Night had fallen deep, yet a secret chamber within the Star-Seizing Hall remained brightly lit.

It was an enormous hall spanning several dozen zhang, with smooth jade stone paving the floor and luminous pearls embedded in the walls, illuminating the entire space as brightly as day. At its center stood a massive sand table, more than three zhang in both length and width. Mountains, rivers, cities, and fortified passes were all rendered in lifelike detail. A closer look revealed that it depicted the terrain of the entire Great Qin Kingdom.

Around the sand table stood five elderly men dressed in lavish robes.

All five possessed golden core stage cultivation, and powerful pressure faintly radiated from their bodies. Their leader occupied the seat of honor. His hair was white and his face lean, but his eyes shone brightly, as though they could see straight through a person's heart.

He was Zhao Wuji, the chief retainer of the Great Qin royal family. With late golden core cultivation, he held an exalted position in the kingdom. Even the reigning king addressed him respectfully as "Elder Zhao."

The other four sat on either side. The two on the left were the royal family's other late golden core experts, Zhao Tianlong and Zhao Tianhu. They were twin brothers, already past seventy, yet still brimming with vigor.

The two on the right were mid golden core retainers, Sun Bofu and Li Yuanqing, both veterans who had served the royal family for many years.

A gathering of five golden core stage experts was exceedingly rare. Unless something major happened, they spent most of their time in secluded cultivation, paying no heed to worldly affairs.

Tonight, however, they had no choice but to come.

Three days earlier, word had arrived from Phoenix City that someone had established a new sect called the Divine Wind Sect on Great Bridge Mountain, at the border between Phoenix City and Buddha City.

Had it merely been an ordinary small sect, it would hardly have mattered. The Great Qin Kingdom was vast, and the occasional wandering cultivator who failed to grasp the height of heaven or the depth of earth founding a sect was nothing unusual. The problem was that the Divine Wind Sect's sect master was an outsider of unknown origins.

"Gentlemen."

Zhao Wuji spoke slowly, his voice aged but strong. "What do you think of this Divine Wind Sect?"

After a brief silence, Zhao Tianlong spoke first. "Eldest Brother, in my view, he is nothing but an ignorant junior who doesn't know how high heaven is or how deep the earth runs. Establishing a sect with late foundation establishment cultivation? Ridiculous. Didn't Mount Guan Temple already send someone to sound him out? That sect master named Chen Ming may have taken a hard line, but his strength is plain to see. He won't stir up any great waves."

"You are mistaken, Second Brother."

"I sent people to investigate Chen Ming's background. Strangely enough, he seems to have appeared out of thin air. Before three months ago, no one had ever seen him. Think about it: could someone who went from complete obscurity to founding a sect in three months be an ordinary man?"

"Third Brother has a point."

Zhao Wuji nodded slightly. "And have you noticed how interesting his choice of location is?

"Great Bridge Mountain lies right between Phoenix City and Buddha City. It is neither close to any major sect's territory nor beyond reach of either city's population. That location was certainly not chosen at random."

Sun Bofu stroked his beard and interjected, "Do you mean that this man understands the situation in the Great Qin Kingdom very well, Elder Zhao?"

Zhao Wuji rose, walked to the sand table, and placed a finger on Great Bridge Mountain.

"Look. To the east of Great Bridge Mountain lies Vast City, home to the Southern Yue Sect. To the west lies Spirit City, home to the Vast Spirit Sect. To the north lies Buddha City, home to Mount Guan Temple. These sects have always fought openly and schemed in secret, but with their strength evenly matched, none can get the better of the others.

"Now the Divine Wind Sect has suddenly wedged itself into their midst, like a nail driven into a game board. What do you think the other sects will make of that?"

Li Yuanqing said thoughtfully, "They will suspect that the Divine Wind Sect is a pawn secretly supported by our royal family?"

A sharp gleam flashed through Zhao Wuji's eyes. "That is precisely the crux of the matter.

"If we do not step forward to clarify things, the other sects will start seeing ghosts everywhere, upsetting the existing balance. But if we do clarify things, we will appear to place far too much importance on this small sect, putting ourselves on the back foot."

Zhao Tianlong frowned. "Eldest Brother, are you saying someone else is behind the Divine Wind Sect?"

Zhao Wuji shook his head. "It could simply be a coincidence. But this coincidence is far too convenient. We must take precautions."

He paused before continuing, "And do not forget that three months ago, an unusual phenomenon appeared above the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion's Star-Gazing Platform. The pavilion master personally submitted a memorial, saying that a new star had lit up over the Great Qin Kingdom, heralding the arrival of an unforeseen variable. I paid little attention then. Now, perhaps that star referred to this Divine Wind Sect."

At those words, everyone present paled.

The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion was the Great Qin Kingdom's most mysterious organization, responsible for observing celestial phenomena and divining the kingdom's fortunes. Its pavilion master's cultivation was not particularly high, but his divination was extraordinarily accurate. He had predicted major events many times and had never been wrong.

"Elder Zhao, do you mean that Chen Ming might be the variable foretold by the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion?"

Sun Bofu asked cautiously.

Zhao Wuji waved a hand. "Better to believe it exists than dismiss it outright. We need to send someone to make contact with Chen Ming and probe his background."

Li Yuanqing volunteered. "I am skilled at concealing my movements. I will not attract attention."

After some thought, Zhao Wuji nodded. "Very well. But remember, do not rustle the grass and startle the snake, and do not reveal your identity. If you can win him over, all the better. If not, do not antagonize him lightly. Anyone who draws the attention of even the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion cannot be ordinary."

"Understood."

With their discussion concluded, the five dispersed. Zhao Wuji remained behind, standing alone before the sand table and staring at Great Bridge Mountain for a long time.

He murmured to himself, "Chen Ming, where exactly did you come from?"

Meanwhile, on Great Bridge Mountain, Chen Ming was meditating in his room.

He knew nothing of what had happened in the Royal Capital, nor that the Great Qin Kingdom's foremost experts had already set their sights on him.

He knew only that he had to break through to the golden core stage as quickly as possible. Otherwise, in this world where the strong devoured the weak, someone could swallow him whole at any moment.

Chen Ming exhaled a long breath of stale air and opened his eyes.

His cultivation just now had gone well. He had already reached the threshold of the golden core stage and needed only one final step. Yet taking that step would be no easy matter.

He rose, walked to the window, and pushed it open. The night breeze drifted in, carrying the fresh scent unique to mountain forests. In the distance, the lights of Buddha City were faintly visible, and the bells of Mount Guan Temple rang softly.

"Mount Guan Temple!"

Chen Ming narrowed his eyes. "That monk Huiming came to sound me out today. He was polite on the surface, but he was really trying to gauge my strength. It seems they already consider me a potential threat."

He was not surprised. In a world with limited resources, the rise of any new power would invite vigilance and suppression from established forces. Though the Divine Wind Sect was still weak, every day it existed was a challenge to the current order.

"Still, that's just as well."

A smile curved Chen Ming's lips. "Pressure breeds motivation. If they didn't come looking for trouble, I'd feel awkward making a move against them."

He closed the window, returned to bed, and resumed meditating. He knew he had little time left.

Early the next morning, Chen Ming rose to instruct his disciples as usual. Their training had brought rapid progress, especially for the youth named Lin Xiaohu. He had already reached the threshold of the qi refining stage and would likely take his first true step into cultivation within a few days.

" Sect Master!"

A disciple hurried over. "Someone at the foot of the mountain requests an audience. He says he's a merchant from the Royal Capital and wants to discuss a business deal with us."

Chen Ming raised an eyebrow. "Invite him up."

Before long, a middle-aged man was brought up the mountain. He wore a brocade robe, was slightly plump, and bore the shrewd smile characteristic of a merchant. His cultivation was only at the qi refining stage, and he certainly looked like an ordinary wealthy businessman.

"I am Wang Fugui. Greetings, Sect Master Chen."

The middle-aged man cupped his hands respectfully. "I heard of the Divine Wind Sect's founding and came to offer my congratulations. Please accept this modest gift as a token of my regard."

He took a jade box from his sleeve and presented it with both hands. Chen Ming accepted it and opened it, finding a three-hundred-year-old purple spirit lingzhi inside. It was worth a considerable sum.

"You are too generous, Master Wang."

"I cannot accept a reward I have done nothing to earn. This gift is far too valuable."

Chen Ming merely opened it for a look before speaking.

"Ah, Sect Master Chen, there's no need to stand on ceremony."

Wang Fugui smiled. "I trade in medicinal herbs, and I hope to rely on the Divine Wind Sect's support in the future. Consider this little gift a gesture of friendship."

Chen Ming gave him a long, searching look, then suddenly smiled. "In that case, accepting would be more respectful than refusing. Please sit, Master Wang. Someone, bring tea."

The two sat down and began to talk. Wang Fugui claimed to be one of the Royal Capital's largest medicinal herb merchants, frequently traveling between major cities to purchase herbs. After hearing of the Divine Wind Sect's founding, he had made a special detour to visit, hoping to establish a long-term partnership.

"You may not know this, Sect Master Chen, but the Great Qin Kingdom's medicinal herb market has always been controlled by the seven great sects." Wang Fugui sighed. "Small merchants like us struggle to acquire quality goods. If the Divine Wind Sect can provide a steady supply of herbs, we can negotiate the price."

Chen Ming's interest stirred. He had been worrying about how to earn money, and trading medicinal herbs seemed a promising route. Great Bridge Mountain was thick with vegetation and abounded in medicinal herbs of every kind. Properly developed, it could indeed bring in substantial income.

"If you wish to cooperate, Master Wang, you are most welcome."

Chen Ming considered for a moment. "However, the Divine Wind Sect has only just been established, and we are short of manpower. We may not be able to supply large quantities of herbs in the near future."

"No hurry, no hurry." Wang Fugui smiled. "Business is about keeping a thin stream flowing for a long time. I can wait. As long as you are interested, Sect Master Chen, we can sign a partnership agreement first and fulfill it gradually."

After some thought, Chen Ming agreed. They drew up an agreement on the spot, stipulating that the Divine Wind Sect would supply Wang Fugui with medicinal herbs worth one thousand Spirit Stones every month, priced at ninety percent of the market rate.

After seeing Wang Fugui off, Chen Ming held the agreement and sank into thought.

"A merchant from the Royal Capital appearing at this exact moment is rather too convenient."

He murmured to himself, "And that purple spirit lingzhi he gave me was of exceptional quality, hardly something an ordinary merchant could produce. Most likely, some faction sent him to sound me out."

His guess was correct. This Wang Fugui was actually Li Yuanqing in disguise. He had posed as a merchant to approach Chen Ming and observe this mysterious sect master at close quarters.

Although Chen Ming had not seen through his disguise, he had sensed that something was amiss. He put the agreement away and silently raised his guard.

Chen Ming thought, But if you intend to harm the Divine Wind Sect, don't blame me for showing no mercy.

The next few days passed without incident. Chen Ming instructed his disciples during the day, cultivated at night, and occasionally gathered medicinal herbs in the mountains. His days were full and peaceful.

Yet the calm before the storm was always brief.

Late one night, while Chen Ming was meditating, he suddenly sensed intense killing intent rising from the foot of the mountain. His eyes snapped open. Grabbing his sword, he rushed outside.

At the mountain's foot, more than a dozen dark figures were silently creeping uphill. Each held a gleaming weapon, and even the weakest possessed early foundation establishment cultivation.

"Assassins!"

Chen Ming shouted. His sword left its sheath, sending a sweeping arc of sword qi outward.

The attackers had not expected to be discovered, and their formation immediately fell into disarray. Their leader reacted swiftly, however. He flickered aside to evade the sword qi, then struck a palm toward Chen Ming's chest.

Bang!

Their palms collided, and both retreated three steps. Chen Ming steadied himself and made out his opponent's appearance: a masked man dressed in black, with only a pair of cold eyes exposed.

"Peak foundation establishment? Who are you? Why are you attacking my Divine Wind Sect in the dead of night?"

Chen Ming fixed the black-clad man with an unwavering stare.

The man said nothing, merely making a hand signal. The other attackers immediately spread out, surrounding Chen Ming.

"Kill!"

At last, the black-clad man uttered a single word, his voice low and hoarse.

More than a dozen men attacked at once, unleashing spells and weapons at Chen Ming. He dared not be careless. His sword danced, forming a curtain of blades before him that blocked most of the attacks.

But his opponents had numbers on their side and coordinated seamlessly. They had clearly come prepared. Though Chen Ming was formidable, two fists could not contend with four hands, and he gradually fell into disadvantage.

No. At this rate, they'll wear me down until I'm dead.

Anxiety gripped Chen Ming as he rapidly searched his mind for a countermeasure.

I can't worry about anything else now!

Chen Ming bit the tip of his tongue and spat out a mouthful of blood essence, his hands swiftly forming seals.

In an instant, a faint red glow appeared over his body, and his aura surged dramatically.

Chen Ming gave no reply. His figure blurred, and he appeared before an assassin, bringing his sword down. The assassin had no time to evade and was cleaved in two.

Chen Ming repeated the same maneuver, killing five or six more in quick succession. His speed had reached its utmost limit, and every flicker of his figure claimed another life.

Seeing this, the black-clad man knew tonight's operation had failed. He gritted his teeth and barked, "Retreat!"

The survivors fled down the mountain as though granted a pardon. Chen Ming did not pursue them. He could feel his spiritual power draining rapidly, and the backlash from the Blood-Burning Secret Art had begun.

"Pfft!"

He spat out a mouthful of blood and dropped to one knee, his face as pale as paper.

"Sect Master!" Only then did the disciples come rushing over. Seeing Chen Ming injured, they were all startled.

"I'm fine." Chen Ming waved a hand. "Dispose of the bodies and tighten security. Make sure they don't come back."

The disciples hurried to work. Chen Ming was helped back to his room and lay on his bed, aching unbearably all over.

The more he thought about it, the more something seemed wrong. He had not been in the Great Qin Kingdom long and had offended no one. Why would someone go so far as to send a peak foundation establishment expert to assassinate him?

"Unless someone doesn't want me alive-or rather, doesn't want the Divine Wind Sect to continue existing."

A possibility occurred to him: one or several of the seven great sects had already deemed him a threat and wanted to strangle him in his cradle before he could grow.

"Heh. You want to kill me? It won't be that easy."

He struggled upright, took a healing pill from his Storage Bag, and swallowed it. Then he sat cross-legged and began treating his injuries.

Outside the window, the night was deep. Dark clouds veiled the moon, leaving the land in utter darkness.

On Great Bridge Mountain, the Divine Wind Sect's banner snapped in the wind, as though trying to tell a story.

Meanwhile, in the Royal Capital a thousand li away, Li Yuanqing stood before Zhao Wuji, reporting the results of his observations over the past few days.

"Elder Zhao, that Chen Ming is indeed no ordinary man."

"I sent people to test him tonight. Not only did he discover our ambush, but he also used a bizarre secret art to kill several of our men. That secret art greatly resembled the demonic cultivation methods of legend."

"A demonic cultivation method? Are you certain?"

"At least seventy to eighty percent certain."

Li Yuanqing spoke with conviction. "That method of burning blood essence in exchange for power is identical to the demonic secret arts recorded in ancient texts."

After a long silence, Zhao Wuji spoke slowly. "If he truly follows the demonic path, there is all the more reason not to let him live. But until we have conclusive evidence, do not act rashly. Keep watching him for now. We will decide what to do after I report to the king."

"Yes."

After Li Yuanqing withdrew, Zhao Wuji stood alone before the window, gazing at the stars in the night sky. He murmured to himself, "A variable indeed. I only wonder whether this variable will bring fortune or disaster to the Great Qin Kingdom."