Yi Wenjun 6
But Yi Wenjun was only at the Great Unfettered Realm now. Zhuoqing, she had heard, had long since reached Half-Step Divine Wandering. The martial art he cultivated was said to be called the Empty Heart Art, and it was immensely powerful. She had also heard that Zhuoqing had once declared that he could destroy anyone below Divine Wandering in six palm strikes.
Moreover, Zhuoqing was not the only one stationed at the imperial mausoleum. Several other grand eunuchs were there, and it was heavily guarded by troops. With Yi Wenjun's current cultivation, even if she used formations and poison, she could not retrieve the missing Dragon Seal Scroll without alerting anyone.
She was still too weak. Yi Wenjun was deeply dissatisfied with herself. Without strength, she had no freedom and no right to speak. Now she merely wanted to take something from mortals, yet she had to rack her brains to such an extent.
Yi Wenjun did not know that Li Changsheng had long ago beaten Zhuoqing back down to the Great Unfettered Realm, and that he would remain confined to that realm for the rest of his life. Since Zhuoqing was considered one of the strongest fighters the imperial family had in the open, Emperor Tai'an kept this secret closely guarded for his own safety.
However dissatisfied she was, she could only spend more time cultivating in secret. By now, though, she had reached the third level of the Heavenly Devil Instruction, and it absorbed energy from the outside world on its own whether she moved, lay down, or walked. Only, if it absorbed energy too quickly, she would be unable to control her emotions.
Yi Wenjun first arranged for her subordinates to buy off informants throughout the imperial mausoleum, using money, medicine, their families, and all manner of other means.
She did not need them to do anything in particular, only to keep a close watch on the places Zhuoqing was most concerned about and such trivial details of his daily life as where he went each day.
As for why Yi Wenjun was also trying every way she could to obtain the Dragon Seal Scroll, it was naturally because, once Xiao Ruojin took the throne, she knew Xiao Ruofeng would not come to a good end.
She had no intention of saving Xiao Ruofeng. But if anyone asked whom Xiao Ruojin hated most, it was probably Yi Wenjun. What good could come to her once Xiao Ruofeng fell? Unless she had already broken through to Divine Wandering by then, in which case Xiao Ruojin naturally would not dare do anything to her. But who knew when Xiao Ruofeng would meet with trouble? It was better for her to hold a few trump cards.
After arranging for her subordinates to begin infiltrating the imperial mausoleum and monitoring Zhuoqing's every move, Yi Wenjun returned to her daily routine of cultivating and enjoying life.
As for her son? It was enough to know that Xiao Ruofeng treated him well. She had no intention of playing at motherly affection with this unwanted child.
Then one day, a subordinate from the Shadow Sect reported that Dark River assassins had entered Heavenly Revelations, and they were none other than the renowned Puppet and Funeral Ghost.
Yi Wenjun changed into practical clothes, picked up the pair of curved sabers she had had forged earlier, and hurried to the Shadow Sect.
When Yi Wenjun arrived, Luo Qingyang was leading his men in a confrontation with Su Changhe and Su Muyu, and Luo Qingyang had already suffered serious injuries.
"Senior brother." A gentle, lilting voice reached everyone's ears.
Su Changhe turned his head and saw Yi Wenjun approaching with a graceful, dignified bearing. Her gait was beautiful, yet she did not move slowly in the least.
Su Changhe grew wary, but said teasingly, "What good fortune, to have the chance to meet the greatest beauty under heaven. You truly live up to your reputation. But I heard that you, Your Highness, first had feelings for Ye Dingzhi, then transferred your affections to Prince Langya. I never knew you felt such deep affection and loyalty toward your senior brother as well!"
Yi Wenjun paid no heed to Su Changhe's barbed words and merely smiled. "Our Shadow Sect and Dark River are as close as family, Mr. Su. Don't let outsiders use you and make you the snipe in a struggle between snipe and clam."
Su Changhe frowned slightly. Yi Wenjun seemed to be hinting at something.
He glanced at Su Muyu. Whether or not there was some scheme at work, the arrow was already on the string and had to be loosed. He twirled the dagger in his hand and, without another word, engaged Luo Qingyang again.
Just as Su Muyu prepared to go up and lend Su Changhe a hand, a curved saber slid from its sheath within Yi Wenjun's sleeve. A blade flashed like a bright moon, and with one stroke she severed the hand Su Muyu was using to hold his umbrella.
Seeing this, Su Changhe abandoned his fight with Luo Qingyang, reversed direction, and moved in front of Su Muyu. But even with his help, that breathtakingly beautiful flash of the blade still came down without mercy, leaving a deep wound across Su Changhe's chest.
Su Changhe had managed to escape with that wound only because his ability to react, honed through long struggles on the brink of death, had allowed him to shift his body at the last possible instant. Otherwise, he would have been dead rather than gravely wounded.
No one had expected Yi Wenjun's martial arts to be so profound. The moment she struck, her intent was to kill, and in two strokes she had gravely injured two Unfettered Heaven Realm experts. Yi Wenjun's saber movements were beautiful, but her killing intent was strong, and her blade brought not only death but also a devil-like spiritual influence that corroded the mind.
Su Changhe gritted his teeth against the pain. Just as Yi Wenjun was about to strike a third time, he hurriedly called out, "We give up! Please show mercy, Miss Yi!"
Only moments ago, he had been calling Yi Wenjun "Your Highness" with barbed sarcasm. Now he had changed his tune to "Miss Yi."
Yi Wenjun actually stopped. "What benefit would I get?"
Su Changhe spat out a mouthful of blood. Sensing Su Muyu's breath growing weaker behind him, he did not dare waste words. "What do you want, miss?"
Yi Wenjun tapped a finger lightly. "I want you."
Su Changhe and Su Muyu frowned.
Yi Wenjun ignored their reaction. "Either you die here today, or you submit to me. I can spare you and even help reattach Su Muyu's arm. I'll count to five, and you'll give me your answer."
Su Changhe looked at the small white building still standing in the flames in the distance and closed his eyes for a moment. "I choose to live!"
Yi Wenjun handed Su Changhe two pills. "Then swallow these, pick up Su Muyu's severed arm, and follow me."
After seeing with her own eyes that the two had swallowed the poison, which melted in their mouths, Yi Wenjun prepared to take them away.
"Junior sister!" Luo Qingyang called after Yi Wenjun. "How did you..."
Yi Wenjun knew Luo Qingyang was wondering why she had now mastered such profound martial arts. Since the Shadow Sect was still useful, she said, "Senior brother, I merely found a path that suited me. Compared with becoming an immortal, I'm better suited to cultivating the devil's path."
Having fobbed him off with a few vague words, Yi Wenjun left with Su Changhe and Su Muyu. As for what Luo Qingyang made of it, he could think whatever he pleased, so long as he did not suspect that she had come to life by possessing another's body.
And Luo Qingyang did indeed mistakenly believe that Yi Wenjun's temperament had changed so drastically because she had suffered Qi Deviation while practicing a Devil Cultivation Method.
Yet he could not bear to reveal his junior sister's situation, nor could he bring himself to do so, and he even had to rack his brains to cover for Yi Wenjun.
Yi Wenjun brought Su Changhe and Su Muyu back to the Prince of Langya's Residence. Despite his grave injuries, Su Changhe could not resist making a cheeky remark. "You brought us back to the prince's residence. Aren't you afraid His Highness will get the wrong idea?"
Yi Wenjun took out a healing pill and had Su Changhe swallow it, then answered with a smile, "The wrong idea? How could he? My prince arranged today's grand spectacle himself! Since he planned to destroy my family, shouldn't he have to accept the consequences, whatever they may be?"