Master of the Fishpond

Lianshan Xin admitted that, in that moment, he had been a little impulsive.

Complex problems had no simple solutions-Lianshan Xin had understood that in his previous life.

But of two evils, one had to choose the lesser.

He understood even better that failing to act when the time came would only let the chaos turn against him.

Marrying a princess and slaying a princess each had their advantages and drawbacks, but Dai Yueying had courted death herself, utterly bankrupting his trust in her.

He was no Lao Ai. He had no confidence he could bed an empress dowager into submission, nor a princess of the Immortal Dynasty who came from the Demon Cult and already dared to scheme against his parents.

Rather than face all the future troubles of marrying a princess, Lianshan Xin chose to raise the blade and let it fall.

For those who would accomplish great things, indecision was the greatest taboo.

Even if some of your choices were wrong, once you reached the summit, great scholars would appear to argue your case.

His only regret was that he had not squeezed every last bit of value out of Dai Yueying.

He could have, in fact.

"You targeted my parents, so I killed you to advance my cultivation. That fits my values. If I'd slept with you before killing you, I would have fallen completely. Even in pursuit of power, I can't sacrifice every shred of humanity for it. That would make me power's slave."

Lianshan Xin felt the energy within him swell, rapidly growing stronger. Most importantly, as it surged, its destructive power increased in tandem, until even his already fully opened whole-body meridians began to ache faintly again.

This should not have happened. The true qi gathered in the Qi Condensation Realm should not have harmed the cultivator himself.

Qi Shiyun's words rang in Lianshan Xin's ears once more:

"Marry the princess, and your path to Grandmaster will be assured. Slay the princess... and you can swiftly break through to the True Intent Realm, comprehending our lineage's most lethal and most taboo 'Dragon-Slaying True Intent.' Then your Nine Clans will be exterminated!"

Lianshan Xin understood now. The true qi in my body is transforming into Dragon-Slaying True Intent. Dragon-Slaying True Intent is too powerful, too destructive, and I've only just advanced, yet suddenly condensed it. My advancement hasn't kept pace with the evolution of my true qi. In simple terms, I've suddenly gained the power of the True Intent Realm while still in the Qi Condensation Realm, and I can't quite control it.

This was a side effect of breaking through too quickly.

Few people ever encountered such a happy problem.

In his eighteen years, Lianshan Xin had never experienced it either.

But choices truly did determine fate.

To become suddenly rich, one had to strike a windfall.

Just as he had now.

After glancing at the neatly reunited Dai father and daughter, Lianshan Xin turned and left.

Princess or demoness, it was all in the past.

His immediate priority was to enter secluded cultivation, raise his cultivation to the True Intent Realm as soon as possible, and fully master Dragon-Slaying True Intent.

And he had to do his best to persuade Qi Shiyun not to report him.

If possible, he could also bed Qi Shiyun into agreement, but he doubted she would give him the chance.

At that thought, Lianshan Xin's heart grew heavy.

He had already reaped the benefits of slaying the princess on the spot, and they would continue flowing to him afterward.

But the dangers of slaying her also officially began now.

"Young master."

When Du Jiu and Qi Wenbin saw Lianshan Xin emerge from the room, they bowed together.

Lianshan Xin nodded and asked directly, "Brother Jiu, Brother Qi, did you bring Corpse-Dissolving Water?"

"Of course."

"Dissolve Teacher Dai and Dai Yueying, then."

Lianshan Xin actually knew how to make Corpse-Dissolving Water himself-Lianshan Jingcheng had taught him.

Divine physicians were generally good at killing people, including cleaning up afterward.

Extra skills were never a burden. Lianshan Xin had studied medicine under Lianshan Jingcheng since childhood, though he had spent less time on it than on martial arts.

That was mainly because Lianshan Jingcheng had said his talent for medicine was limited and had not forced him to follow in his father's footsteps.

Naturally, Lianshan Xin had gladly taken that advice. After all, he had known in his previous life that "anyone who urges others to study medicine deserves to be struck by heavenly lightning."

Lianshan Xin's medical skills were only on par with an ordinary Jiangzhou physician's. But in areas such as "Corpse-Dissolving Water" and "plausibly treating people to death," Lianshan Jingcheng had "praised" him for being the blue dye that surpassed the indigo it came from.

Lianshan Xin simply took that as Lianshan Jingcheng being modest.

He had not brought Corpse-Dissolving Water on this outing. After all, he had gone to White Deer Grotto Academy earlier, and carrying that stuff around would have made him look far too much like a terrorist. It did not fit the academy's atmosphere.

Hearing Lianshan Xin say, "Dissolve Teacher Dai and Dai Yueying, then," Du Jiu and Qi Wenbin both froze.

Even the quick-witted Du Jiu instinctively swallowed at that moment and asked in shock, "Young master, Dai Yueying... is dead?"

"Yes. Her identity as a Demon Cult fiend was exposed, and she killed herself out of shame."

Du Jiu did not believe for a moment that Dai Yueying would kill herself out of shame, but he dared not disbelieve it.

Qi Wenbin also recalled how he had worried earlier that Lianshan Xin might show softhearted mercy. Now it seemed he himself had never understood what "decisive ruthlessness" meant.

The two exchanged a glance and saw the same awe in each other's eyes.

"Is there a problem?" Lianshan Xin asked calmly.

If either said there was, he would have to replace his two personal bodyguards.

Fortunately, Du Jiu and Qi Wenbin were also qualified members of Nine Heavens and faithfully carried out their superior's orders.

"No problem."

"I'll go dissolve them right away."

Lianshan Xin nodded. "This involves Blood Guanyin, so don't report it up the chain yet. I'll report privately to Third-Place Qi and Lord Heavenly Sword."

"Your subordinate obeys. ×2"

Naturally, Du Jiu and Qi Wenbin dared not object.

Now, it was not merely Lianshan Xin's methods that inspired their awe. Even standing there, he gave them a sense of sharpness rushing straight at them, like a divine sword about to leave its sheath, its edge no longer concealable.

Their perception was correct; they had simply misunderstood the reason.

It was merely that the Dragon-Slaying True Intent within Lianshan Xin was growing increasingly powerful and uncontrollable, until some of it seeped out of his body, making him seem as though his sharp edge was fully exposed.

But paired with Lianshan Xin's age of eighteen and what he had just done, it fit perfectly with "the reckless arrogance of youth."

Outsiders would not think too deeply about it.

Lianshan Xin only worried that Qi Shiyun would.

And Qi Shiyun now... really was thinking too much.

Inside the Seclusion Room at White Deer Grotto Academy.

Qi Shiyun had originally only intended to meditate for a little while.

Although Lianshan Xin had broken through two realms in succession, she was already at the peak of Grandmaster, and the "experience points" she needed to break through were astronomical.

She did not think Lianshan Xin could help her much.

And that was indeed the case.

After absorbing the gains from guiding Lianshan Xin onto the path this time, Qi Shiyun assessed herself and murmured, "Some progress, but not much. Still, Lianshan Xin has only just entered the path. He has plenty of potential left, and a promising future... hmm?"

Suddenly, Qi Shiyun felt her fortune swell by a tenth in an instant.

Her mind became incomparably clear.

The layers of fog that had kept her from breaking through began dissipating at that moment.

She glimpsed an entirely new realm-the Domain Realm!

Boundless power of heaven and earth gradually rose from her hands, then swirled around her.

At the Imperial Library.

Heavenly Sword froze, then swiftly stepped into the courtyard, looking toward the Seclusion Room in astonishment.

"Shiyun... normally, she should have needed at least another year to break through, shouldn't she? Why is she showing signs of a breakthrough already? The Domain Realm at twenty-four? Does she have to be this terrifying? Doesn't that mean she has a chance of reaching Dharma Form before thirty?"

That was also the question on Qi Shiyun's mind.

What's going on? Who just gave me a godlike assist?

Which of my officers is this valiant?

It definitely wasn't Lianshan Xin. He's already contributed all he can.

Sure enough, I'm much smarter than Master. Casting a wide net to catch more fish is the right approach. With ninety-one Chosen One Sons of Heaven, if the east stays dark, the west will shine. Someone is bound to surprise me.

Qi Shiyun was delighted, and Young Master Xin 91 was the first person she ruled out.