Rebirth of a Stunning Beauty (Complete) - 20

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

~Chapter Nine: Dragon's Roar and Tiger's Howl, Section Six~

The Third Young Master felt the voice was vaguely familiar. Turning his head by the light of the burning lantern, he patted his chest, let out a long sigh, and said, "So it's you!"

Qin Feng also recognized the person, saying, "So it's Miss Hua! Why are you out alone so late at night?"

This person was none other than Hua Rong, the youngest daughter of the Crown Prince's tutor, Hua An. Although the Third Young Master had just arrived in the capital, he had met her once before and even traveled in the same carriage for a while. Qin Feng, having spent three years in the capital, had interacted with many princes and ministers, and naturally knew Hua Rong as well.

Hua Rong's bright and sweet face had turned pale. Although Qin Feng was wearing a black mask, she recognized him when she saw him standing with the Third Young Master and recognized his familiar voice. She stammered, "Brother Qin, Third Brother Qin, you...you...how come you look like this...how come you have...so much blood on you?"

The Hua family and the Qin family were related by marriage, so calling him "Brother" and "Third Brother" wasn't unreasonable.

The Third Young Master said, "It's hard to explain in a short time, Miss Hua. You mustn't go out now; it's chaotic outside!"

Qin Feng said, "Third Brother, stop talking nonsense. Time is of the essence; let's hurry and leave so as not to cause Miss Hua any trouble."

Hua Rong hurriedly said, "Rong'er sees you two in such a hurry; could it be that you have some formidable enemy chasing you? You two don't need to panic. You can come to my residence for a while to take refuge. I doubt any ordinary thieves would dare to cause trouble at Rong'er's house."

Qin Feng didn't want to trouble Hua Rong and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Miss Hua. But in the capital, what enemy would dare to openly chase me, Qin Feng, and make us brothers flee in disarray? Actually, it's nothing; it's just that it's too chaotic outside, and we brothers must hurry home." After saying that, he pulled the Third Young Master away.

The Third Young Master said, "Boss, I think we should go to Miss Hua's house for a while! It's chaotic outside, and Xuanwu Street is directly north of Zhuque Street. If we want to get home, we'll have to take a long detour. Even though we haven't done anything, if we run into those soldiers, it'll be troublesome to explain."

Both the Third Young Master and Qin Feng were covered in blood, and Qin Feng was dressed in black; anyone with eyes could see something was amiss. No one would believe they hadn't done anything. However, Hua Rong didn't care about the Third Young Master's blatant lie and nodded, "Yes, Brother Qin, you should stay at my house for a while. Oh, right, Rong'er has something she'd like to ask Brother Qin for help with!" Qin

Feng thought for a moment. Xuanwu Street and Zhuque Street were separated by the Tiansheng Palace, and the Third Young Master's house was located outside the north gate of the Tiansheng Palace. If the two of them really wanted to go there, they would have to take a long detour, and if they ran into the Imperial Guards along the way, it would be difficult to deal with. He nodded in agreement, and the two of them followed Hua Rong into the Grand Tutor's residence.

Hua Rong closed the front door and led the two brothers into the living room, saying as they walked, "Brother Qin, Rong'er heard my elder sister mention that besides your official duties as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, you also hold a secret post. Are you dressed in such a clandestine manner tonight, on a secret mission?"

Qin Feng, having already removed his black veil, replied calmly without changing his expression, "Please forgive me, Miss Hua, but this is a secret and cannot be disclosed."

Hua Rong chuckled and said, "What crime has Brother Qin committed? It's just that I've been too talkative. Since it's a secret post, the fewer people who know, the better. Brother Qin, Third Brother Qin, you don't need to call me Miss Hua anymore. Our families are related by marriage, just like my elder sister and brother-in-law. Just call me Rong'er."

The Third Young Master grinned and said, "That's very good, Rong'er. Then I'll respectfully accept your offer."

As they spoke, the three of them entered the living room. Hua Rong personally brewed hot tea for the three brothers, saying, "Brother Qin, Third Brother Qin, your clothes are torn in many places and stained with blood. You must be feeling quite uncomfortable. I'll go find some of my father's clothes for you to change into." She then apologized to the brothers and went to fetch clothes from Grand Tutor Hua's room.

A short while later, Hua Rong returned with the clothes and said to the two brothers, "These two sets of clothes are my father's usual casual wear. Although they're a bit old, I washed them myself, so they're quite clean. I hope you won't find them offensive."

The third brother and Qin Feng stood up to take the clothes. The third brother said, "Sister Rong'er, it doesn't matter if the clothes are old. It's better than wearing blood-stained clothes, isn't it? Please show us where we'll be changing."

Hua Rong nodded and led the two brothers to a side hall next to the main hall, letting them go in to change while she waited outside. After the brothers came out, she led them back to the main hall to sit down.

The Third Young Master sat down, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. He found the tea extremely bitter, even worse than some fine restaurants. He couldn't help but wonder how the Crown Prince's tutor's home could be so shabby. By the dim light of the oil lamp, he carefully examined the living room, finding its furnishings extremely simple and lacking any elegance.

The Third Young Master shook his head and asked, "I wonder what brings Rong'er out alone so late?"

Hua Rong's pretty face showed worry. She replied, "Two hours ago, the Crown Prince sent someone to my house and summoned my father. I don't know why. Later, I heard a commotion on Zhuque Street, so I sent my family out to inquire. We learned that an assassin had appeared in the palace, and all the Imperial Guards on Zhuque Street had been transferred to Tiansheng Palace to capture him. I wondered, what kind of assassin was so powerful that even the Imperial Guards and the palace guards at Tiansheng Palace couldn't capture him, and even the Imperial Guards patrolling Zhuque Street had to be targeted?" "Have Lin Jun been transferred away?" Rong'er thought that her father had been gone for two hours and had not returned even though it was late at night. Fearing that something might have happened to him, she decided to go to the Crown Prince's residence in the Eastern Palace to check on him herself. "

Third Young Master said, "Rong'er, why do you have to go out yourself? Why not just send a few servants to inquire? It's chaotic outside. What if you, a young lady, were to run into an assassin? Luckily, you ran into us two brothers. If you had encountered..." At this point, Third Young Master noticed that Qin Feng was glaring at him. He realized he had misspoke and dared not continue. He hesitated for a long time without saying anything.

Hua Rong asked curiously, "Third Brother, what did you say? What?"

The Third Young Master said, "Those vicious, ruthless assassins, the kind that even the Imperial Guards patrolling Zhuque Street had to be dispatched to deal with, aren't they dangerous? Look at the blood all over my and my brother's bodies, it's from fighting those assassins!"

Hua Rong asked, "There was a whole group of assassins?"

The Third Young Master said seriously, "And a whole group! At least ten thousand people, otherwise why would they have to dispatch so many Imperial Guards? We brothers only encountered a small group of them, and killed about a hundred of them." "Assassins, but they outnumber us and we brothers have no choice but to temporarily avoid them."

Hua Rong immediately said nervously, "What if my father encounters those assassins when he returns? My father has always been honest and upright, and our family is very poor. Apart from Uncle Hu, we have no other guards who know martial arts. We only have three servants in total, and they are all elderly. Uncle Hu was taken away by my father when he left. How can I send them out to look for him?"

The Third Young Master asked curiously, "Rong'er, "That's not very kind of you! The carriage you rode in the other day looked extremely luxurious!"

Rong'er said somewhat shyly, "That carriage was a birthday gift from my maternal grandfather; it's the only one in the family. Father went out today in that carriage."

Qin Feng said, "Third brother, Grand Tutor Hua is a well-known pillar of the state, extremely honest and upright. He even refused the tea eggs his students offered him, and most of his annual salary is used to help the poor. How could the family have any extra money? I, Qin Feng, admire him most..." "I admire people like this, so honest and upright,"

Hua Rong said. "On behalf of my father, I thank Brother Qin for his praise. Brother Qin, I have a favor to ask..."

Qin Feng said, "Rong'er, there's no need for such formalities. Just tell me what you need help with!"

Hua Rong said, "I would like to ask Brother Qin to go to the palace for me. I've heard that Brother Qin moves freely in and out of the palace, making it much easier for him than for me. So I would like to ask Brother Qin to go to the East Palace to check on my father and see if he is still with the Crown Prince."

Qin Feng's face immediately showed difficulty, and he pondered, "Rong'er, the palace is currently conducting a large-scale search for assassins. The Imperial Guards have probably already blocked all passages in and out of Tian Sheng Palace, and they will likely search Zhuque Street soon. Even if Brother Qin wanted to enter the palace now, he probably wouldn't be able to. Hmm, if your father, the Grand Tutor, is with the Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace, he should be fine."

Hua Rong said anxiously, "But what if my father has already left the palace and encountered assassins on the way? The assassins are numerous and powerful, and my father only has Uncle Hu as his guard. I'm afraid he won't be able to defeat them..."

Just then, a knock sounded on the door. Rong exclaimed in surprise, "Could it be that group of assassins coming to chase you two?"

The Third Young Master shook his head, "Rong'er, don't worry. Assassins wouldn't come so openly. Besides, have you ever heard of an assassin knocking on a door? If they were truly assassins, they would have already scaled the wall and started attacking."

Hua Rong felt somewhat relieved and said, "Then please rest here for a while. Rong'er will go open the door."

Qin Feng said, "We brothers will go too. Knocking on the door in the middle of the night, we might run into robbers taking advantage of the chaos."

The two brothers accompanied Hua Rong to the gate. Hua Rong asked crisply, "Who's outside?"

"Rong'er, it's Father!" A strong, hoarse voice, clearly indicating internal injury, came from behind the door.

Hearing her father's voice was different, Hua Rong immediately cried out, "Father, what's wrong? Did you encounter assassins and get injured?" As she spoke, she quickly opened the door. The sight that greeted Hua Rong and the three brothers stunned them.

Before the gate lay Hua An, the Crown Prince's tutor, with a full head of white hair, a thin frame,

and a stern expression. Dressed in a simple blue robe, his heels were bleeding profusely, and blood trickled from his mouth. Behind him, Hua Rong's carriage sat silently at the foot of the steps. The coachman, a man of the Hu family, leaned against the carriage, his eyes wide open, his face covered in deep, crisscrossing wounds, and his body also riddled with injuries. He had been dead for some time.

"Father!" Hua Rong cried out, rushing to Hua An's side, tears streaming down her face. She helped Hua Taifu up, choking back tears, "Father, what...what happened to you? What happened to your foot? Uncle Hu...who did this?"

Seeing Hua Rong swaying in grief, the Third Young Master tried to help Hua Taifu up, but she herself seemed about to collapse, needing the old man, who was half-lying on the ground, to support her. He couldn't bear it and said, "Brother, go and help bring the carriage in. I'll help Rong'er help Master Hua inside."

Qin Feng nodded and went to drive the carriage, while the Third Young Master quietly comforted Hua Rong as he helped Hua Taifu up and supported him as they walked into the Hua residence.

As the young master walked, he said, “Grand Tutor Hua, I am Qin Ren, the third brother of Qin Feng, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice. Tonight, my elder brother and I chased the assassin to your residence and happened to encounter Rong’er who wanted to go to see Lord Hua alone. My brother and I persuaded Rong’er to go back and stayed at your residence for a while.”

Grand Tutor Hua nodded and said, “Ah, thank you both. Fortunately, you persuaded my daughter to go back, otherwise… alas…”

Hua Rong cried, “Father, what exactly happened? Tell Rong’er, Rong’er asked Brother Qin to catch the person who hurt you!”

Grand Tutor Hua sighed, “Actually… I don’t know what happened either. An hour ago, I had just come out of the Crown Prince’s residence and was about to leave Tiansheng Palace when the city gates suddenly closed, and a large number of Imperial Guards poured into Tiansheng Palace, saying they were there to capture some assassin. I was trapped for a quarter of an hour before someone informed me.” The assassin was breaking out towards the south gate and informed me to leave through the west gate. So I took a detour and left through the west gate. This detour added three quarters of an hour to the journey. When your Uncle Hu was driving the carriage to the intersection of Baihu Street and Zhuque Street in the west of the city, a strange man wearing a tiger mask and with wings suddenly pounced from the wall of an official's residence and attacked the carriage. Uncle Hu was highly skilled in martial arts, yet he was defeated by that strange man's wings... Alas, seeing that strange man indiscriminately killing innocent people, I was enraged and drew my sword to fight him to the death. But he didn't even make a move. Instead, it felt like I had been hit in the chest with a heavy hammer, and I fainted from the pain. Then I was awakened by a sharp pain in my heel. When I woke up, the strange man was gone, and the tendons in both of my feet had been severed!

At this point, Hua Rong was already sobbing uncontrollably. Grand Tutor Hua, his face also filled with grief and indignation, said, "The Qin court is now corrupt and rife with evil spirits. I never imagined that even the capital would be in such turmoil! I, Hua An, have always been upright and honest, yet today I have suffered this undeserved calamity! The most pitiful one is your Uncle Hu. He was a chivalrous man throughout his life, a true hero of the martial world

. Out of pity for my father's integrity, he voluntarily offered to protect our Hua family without pay, serving as our bodyguard for thirteen years. And now…" As he spoke, Grand Tutor Hua was also overcome with tears. The Third Young Master was horrified. He knew that the winged monster Grand Tutor Hua was referring to was Ximen Wudi. Ximen Wudi was truly ruthless; his own Achilles tendon had been severed, and he had a legitimate identity in the capital to conceal this. To cover up the fact that his Achilles tendon had been severed, he then severed Grand Tutor Hua's Achilles tendon as well.

Zhuque Street and the adjacent Baihu Street were both places where Qin Dynasty officials and nobles resided. Ximen Wudi, having infiltrated Zhuque Street, must have severed the Achilles tendons of countless officials and nobles along the way, undoubtedly creating a huge smokescreen.

Third Young Master deduced from this that Ximen Wudi's supposedly legitimate identity might also be that of a high-ranking official in Qin. However, if he truly severed the Achilles tendons of many high-ranking officials and injured their vital organs, then even if Ximen Wudi were to walk the streets in a wheelchair, Third Young Master and his companions wouldn't have to worry about arousing suspicion, because in the future, every high-ranking official walking the streets might have to use a wheelchair!

After Third Young Master and Hua Rong helped Hua Taifu into his room, they laid him on the bed. Third Young Master tore open Hua Taifu's trousers, removed his socks, and carefully examined the injuries on his feet. He saw that both heels had split open like a child's mouth; not only were the Achilles tendons severed, but the wounds had reached the bone, even carving deep cracks into the bone.

Hua Rong glanced at the scene and immediately felt dizzy, her face turning deathly pale, and she nearly collapsed to the ground. The Third Young Master quickly helped her to a chair and told her not to look anymore.

At this moment, Qin Feng arrived at the room. He drove the carriage to the courtyard and carefully examined the coachman's body, confirming that the wounds were indeed caused by Hu Xiao. Once inside the room, Qin Feng said to the Third Young Master, "The killer was none other than Ximen Wudi."

The Third Young Master nodded and said, "Lord Hua also said he was attacked by a winged monster, so it must be Ximen Wudi. Brother, could you please examine Lord Hua's wounds? I'm not very skilled at treating external injuries."

Qin Feng nodded in agreement and took over from the Third Young Master. As a swordsman, he was familiar with treating such sword wounds. He first treated Lord Hua's wounds, then applied ointment, bandaged it, and gave Lord Hua two pills for internal injuries.

Qin Feng said, "Lord Hua, your foot injury has only been simply bandaged. Although the injury has stabilized and the bleeding has stopped, we still need to call a senior surgeon to stitch it up for you first thing tomorrow morning. However, your Achilles tendon..."

Grand Tutor Hua smiled calmly and said, "I'm already very lucky to be alive. So what if I can't walk freely in the future? I've never bowed my head in my life, and even with a cane, I can walk with my head held high! Lord Qin, thank you both very much today."

Hearing that Grand Tutor Hua would be crippled in both legs, Hua Rong was heartbroken, and the tears she had just stopped flowing back up again. The Third Young Master, always chivalrous, saw this and quickly ran to her side, gently patting her trembling shoulder and softly comforting her.

Qin Feng smiled and said, "Why thank me, Lord Hua? I greatly admire your magnanimity."

Grand Tutor Hua nodded and said, "Lord Qin, as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, you are responsible for criminal cases in the capital. The person who injured me today, you just mentioned someone called Ximen Wudi. May I ask who this Ximen Wudi is?"

Qin Feng said, "Ximen Wudi is the current leader of the Demonic Sect, a most ruthless and insane person in the world. The assassins in the palace today were led by him. Tonight, when my third brother Qin Ren and I were drinking outside, we saw a large group of Imperial Guards rushing towards Tiansheng Palace. Surprised, my third brother and I went to investigate, but we unexpectedly encountered Ximen Wudi. In a fierce battle with him, my brother and I were no match for him. Although we injured him, he still managed to escape."

Hua Rong interjected from the side, her voice trembling, "Didn't Third Brother Qin just say that you encountered a group of assassins and killed more than a hundred people?"

The Third Young Master immediately replied without changing his expression, "Ximen Wudi is capable of fighting ten thousand people. Cutting him once is equivalent to killing more than a hundred assassins."

Hua Rong found the Third Young Master's words amusing, and his lie was so righteously made. She couldn't help but chuckle, but then she felt that laughing was inappropriate in the current situation. After laughing, she started to cry again.

Qin Feng, too lazy to pay attention to the Third Young Master's womanizing, said to Grand Tutor Hua, "Although Ximen Wudi was injured by my two brothers, we uncovered a huge secret while fighting him. The 300,000 Hu troops stationed at Luoling Pass were actually colluded with by Ximen Wudi. The Luoling Pass garrison commander, Gongzi Su, is now Ximen Wudi's man, and the Northern Frontier Iron Army is entirely under his control. He will unite with the Hu army to launch a counterattack against the Central Plains!" Grand Tutor Hua

was shocked upon hearing this and asked in a deep voice, "Is this news reliable?"

Qin Feng replied, "Absolutely true! Ximen Wudi's actions not only aim to destroy our Great Qin Empire, but may even exterminate our Central Plains people, making them slaves of the Hu tribes for generations!"

Grand Tutor Hua immediately struggled to sit up in bed and shouted, "Absurd! Absurd! Absurd!" "Lord Qin, as a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Justice, why didn't you immediately inform the Emperor upon receiving such important news? Instead, you're sitting quietly drinking tea in my residence. Do you still care about the Great Qin? Quickly, quickly help me up! I need to go to the palace to see the Emperor!"

Qin Feng said in a deep voice, "It's not that I'm unwilling to go to the palace to see the Emperor, but His Majesty... His Majesty has already passed away!"

Grand Tutor Hua immediately stopped struggling and said in a trembling voice, "You... what did you say?"

Qin Feng's face was full of grief as he said, "When Ximen Wudi was fighting against my brother and me, he said that he had entered the palace and stolen the national treasure, the Heavenly Soldier 'Tiger Roar'! And he used the power of 'Tiger Roar' to assassinate His Majesty! Tonight, the Imperial Guards mobilized to capture and kill the assassin, who was none other than Ximen Wudi!" Grand Tutor

Hua's face turned ashen, and his eyes glazed over. He seemed to age ten years in an instant, slowly shaking his head and muttering to himself, "Impossible...this is impossible..." Looking at Qin Feng with pleading eyes, he asked with a questioning yet certain tone, "Tell me, this isn't true, tell me quickly, this isn't true!"

Qin Feng said bitterly, "This humble official also doesn't want to believe it's true, but the winged monster that Lord Hua encountered tonight, the wings behind him were none other than 'Tiger's Roar'!"

Grand Tutor Hua was silent for a moment, then suddenly cried out to the sky, "Your Majesty—" before spitting out a mouthful of hot blood and collapsing at the head of the bed.

Hua Rong cried out, "Father!" and rushed to the bedside. Seeing the blood, she too fainted.

The Third Young Master and Qin Feng exchanged a glance, shaking their heads helplessly, and looked out the window towards the distant north.

There, the Hu tribe's 300,000-strong army and the Northern Frontier's 200,000 Iron Army awaited, and in five days, they would be at the gates of Tianjing!

The billowing smoke seemed to rise into the sky, and the cavalry of the Hu tribes seemed to have already trampled south with their iron hooves. On this epoch-making night, everything in the Great Qin Empire had undergone earth-shattering changes!

~Prologue: Lonely Invincibility, Chapter One~ On

July 23rd, the news of the death of Qin Emperor Ying Shengjun reached Luoling Pass in the northern frontier overnight through some secret and swift channel. Upon receiving the news at noon, the garrison commander of Luoling Pass, the eldest son Ying Su, threw down his rice bowl and rushed out of the garrison commander's mansion, ringing the alarm bell in front of the mansion.

The melodious and high-pitched bell sound spread throughout every corner of Luoling Pass, and even reached the vanguard camp of the 300,000 Hu tribesmen stationed outside the pass.

The moment they heard the bell, all the generals of the Northern Frontier Iron Army at Luoling Pass quickly dropped everything they were doing, donned their armor, and rode their horses to the garrison commander's mansion, gathering before Ying Su.

Meanwhile, the generals in the front camp of the Hu tribe, having heard the bell, leaped onto their horses and galloped from the front to the central camp, heading straight for the central command of the Hu tribe's commander-in-chief, Wuhar, the fiercest general of the Cimu tribe, to report the news. Wuhar

immediately ordered the entire army to break camp and prepare to enter the pass.

Countless messengers rushed out of the central command tent, leaped onto their horses, and galloped throughout the Hu army camp, their hoarse shouts echoing throughout every corner of the camp: "Break camp! Prepare to enter the pass! Break camp! Prepare to enter the pass!..."

In the residence of the garrison commander of Luoling Pass, the thirty-eight-year-old Gongzi Su, dressed in black armor and with a long sword at his waist, wore a cruel and bloodthirsty smile on his refined and handsome face. He stared intently at the dozens of Iron Army generals before him with a somber gaze, drew his sword with a clang, and roared:

"Soldiers, the time to achieve glory has come! Our Emperor passed away last night, and treacherous ministers and generals have seized control of the military and political power of our Great Qin. If we do not eliminate these evil forces, the nation

will perish! "I have already reached an agreement with General Wuhar, the chief commander of the Hu tribe. The Hu tribe will lend us 300,000 troops. After we pacify the Central Plains, we only need to allocate a fertile piece of land to them, and the Hu tribe will become our friendly neighbors for generations to come, never to invade each other, and to depend on each other!

"With 200,000 Iron Army soldiers in the northern frontier and 300,000 of the most elite Hu troops, we are now the strongest army in the world!

"As long as we eliminate the treacherous ministers and generals and quell the unrest within the borders of Great Qin, we will be the pillars of the nation, remembered for eternity, and the unparalleled heroes who will create a new era! Are you willing to entrust your lives to me?"

The generals roared in unison, "If we do not eliminate this evil, our nation will perish! We are willing to follow Prince Su and entrust our lives to him!" Prince

Su pointed his longsword south and let out an even more frenzied roar, "Open the gates of Luoling Pass! Unite with our Hu brothers and build this unparalleled feat! Brothers, a brand new dynasty will surely be established by us!"

At the last minute of noon on the 23rd day of the seventh month of the 782nd year of the Great Qin Calendar, the gates of Luoling Pass, the most formidable pass under heaven, opened wide, and 300,000 troops of the Hu tribe entered. 50,000 troops stationed at other border passes in the northern frontier arrived at Luoling Pass from all directions, joining the 150,000 garrison there, bringing the total force to 500,000, supposedly a million strong. At

dawn on the 24th day of the seventh month, 100,000 light cavalry and 200,000 infantry, carrying five days' rations, led by Prince Su and the Hu tribe's high priest Amenglihu, set off first, rushing towards the capital. Another 200,000 troops and 150,000 laborers, composed of Hu civilians, escorted the provisions and supplies prepared over many days, and followed.

A life-or-death battle was imminent!

※ ※ ※ *

The story begins on the morning of July 23rd.

Just as dawn was breaking, the Third Young Master and Qin Feng left Zhuque Street and headed back to Xuanwu Street.

Zhuque Street and Baihu Street were already completely surrounded by the Imperial Guards. Countless Imperial Guards, palace guards, and imperial physicians were moving in and out of the residences of civil and military officials, and deafening cries could be heard from the mansions of some military generals.

At this time, news of the assassination of the Qin Emperor had not yet spread. Although tens of thousands of Imperial Guards already knew that the Qin Emperor had died... Empress Ye Jing, the mother of the Crown Prince and a member of the Imperial Guards, ordered a strict cover-up of the news, with anyone who leaked it to be executed.

The sudden death of the Qin Emperor, if announced before all preparations were complete, would cause immense chaos.

The Imperial Guards and the Imperial Household Department were still searching for assassins, and the Forbidden Army had closed all four gates of Tianjing, imposing a city-wide curfew and prohibiting civilians from leaving.

Qin Feng, possessing both the waist token of a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice and the dragon token of a royal secret agent, was able to move freely with the Third Young Master through the two streets.

Seeing many imperial physicians bustling about with the palace guards, the Third Young Master, out of curiosity, grabbed a fifth-rank palace guard who had just come out of a general's mansion and asked, "What exactly happened? Why are so many imperial physicians involved?"

The palace guard glanced at the Third Young Master, and seeing the Vice Minister's badge in his hand, shook his head with a sorrowful expression, saying, "Vice Minister, haven't you heard about the assassin last night? Alas, that assassin was truly ruthless. After escaping the Forbidden City, he infiltrated Vermilion Bird Street and White Tiger Street, severing the Achilles tendons of all the civil officials, and..." "They killed all the military generals. My lord, think about it! Most of the generals in the capital are high-ranking and meritorious officials. With that assassin's killing, how many of the famous generals of our Great Qin Empire are left? Apart from those generals who were visiting relatives, friends, or indulging in wine and women, all the other generals who were home last night were killed! Even Lord Longyin, Song Wu, was cruelly murdered!"

The Third Young Master feigned shock and grief, saying, "Doesn't that mean our Great Qin Empire will have no more generals leading troops?"

The imperial guard replied, "That's not what I mean. Great Qin still has generals leading troops in various regions..." "There are quite a few. Most of the generals living in the capital are older and unsuitable for the frontier or battlefield. However, they are veterans with invaluable combat experience and a lifetime of battlefield practice! All the young generals of our Great Qin still need them to lead them!"

The Third Young Master said with a face full of grief and indignation, "Truly, Heaven is blind! What a great misfortune for our Great Qin! May I ask how many generals are left in the capital?"

The imperial guard replied, "Three."

The Third Young Master immediately asked nervously, "Which three?"

The imperial guard answered, "General Wang Ben, Commander of the Imperial Guards of the capital, Guo..." General Guo, the chivalrous general; General Du Kefeng, the Grand Commander of the Imperial Guards of the Capital. If we include Lord Liang Qiluo, the Chief of the Imperial Guards, then only these four military officers remain in the capital.

The Third Young Master slapped his forehead and groaned, "Heavens… how come only these useless fools are left?"

The Imperial Guard immediately became alert and asked, "Sir, what did you just say?"

The Third Young Master hurriedly replied, "I meant that Heaven has eyes, and fortunately, the true pillars of our Great Qin have not been harmed. I have important matters to attend to; I must assist the Ministry of Justice in apprehending the assassins. I must take my leave!" With that, he abandoned the Imperial Guard and hurriedly left with Qin Feng.

The imperial guard watched the Third Young Master's retreating figure and muttered to himself, "I think I just heard the word 'useless'? Hmm, speaking of which, General Wang Ben really is a complete waste..." He suddenly covered his mouth, glanced around, and, seeing no one was paying attention, hurriedly slipped into the crowd as if by some stroke of luck.

The Third Young Master and Qin Feng walked towards Xuanwu Street, discussing in hushed tones.

The Third Young Master said, "Boss, the situation is not good! All the generals in the capital have been wiped out, and the rest are just useless cowards, who may very well be Ximen Wudi's men. I'm afraid the capital cannot be defended!"

Qin Feng nodded and said, "Ximen Wudi is truly ruthless. He severed the Achilles tendons of all the civil officials, making it impossible for us to trace his true identity. He killed all the capable military generals, even Longyin Gong. This is clearly an attempt to leave the capital without any generals to defend it. Do you think... General Wang Ben might be Ximen Wudi?"

The Third Young Master shook his head and said, "It's unlikely. The guard just said that only the civil officials had their Achilles tendons severed, while all the military generals were killed. The few who escaped death were only spared because they weren't at home. So I suspect that Ximen Wudi's true identity..." "It might be a civil official in the capital..."

At this point, the Third Young Master's eyes suddenly lit up, "But it's also possible he's not a civil official. Ximen Wudi deliberately targeted civil officials' Achilles tendons to cut, perhaps to create a false impression and mislead us! Maybe Ximen Wudi's true identity is a military general! General Wang Ben is obviously not him, and Guo Xiahuai and Liang Qiluo, who commanded the Imperial Guards and the Imperial Household Guards to capture and kill Ximen Wudi last night, couldn't have been them either. That leaves only one..."

Qin Feng and the Third Young Master exchanged a glance, and the two shouted in unison: "Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guards, Du Kefeng!"

Du Kefeng joined the army at nineteen, and through flattery and bribery, rose from a gatekeeper (a junior officer guarding the tent of the Grand Commander) to the Commander of the Imperial Guards within ten years. Later, with the secret support of the Third Young Master Ying Yu, he ascended to the throne of Grand Commander of the Imperial Guards three years ago.

Now, the Third Young Master Ying Yu manages the East China Sea Navy, and Du Kefeng is one of his confidants in the capital.

Du Kefeng's martial arts skills were barely passable, and he was completely ignorant of military strategy. Aside from his fondness for flattery and extravagant spending, he rarely showed off, preferred to follow the crowd, and never had any independent thought.

However, Du Kefeng's background was a mystery. Qin Feng had served as Vice Minister of Justice for three years and regularly interacted with the Ministry of War, yet he had never heard of Du Kefeng's past. It was as if his past was a blank slate, with no records whatsoever.

His wealth was also suspicious. Du Kefeng's money seemed inexhaustible, and no one knew where it came from. Qin Feng had secretly investigated him and found that the military funds he embezzled were insignificant compared to his extravagant spending. However, Qin Feng later discovered that Du Kefeng was secretly colluding with Gongzi Yu, assuming that Gongzi Yu was the source of Du Kefeng's money, and therefore did not investigate further.

Now, prompted by the Third Young Master, both men suspected that Du Kefeng was actually Ximen Wudi. Qin Feng immediately recalled the events carefully. Since joining the Imperial Guard, aside from the questionable origins of his background, Du Kefeng seemed to have never left the capital. As for the martial arts tournament, Qin Feng had investigated which high-ranking officials hadn't appeared during that time after returning to the capital. He discovered that several civil and military officials had been ill at home during that period, but Du Kefeng was always in the military camp.

From this perspective, Du Kefeng couldn't possibly be Ximen Wudi. However, Qin Feng immediately thought of Ximen Wudi's disguise skills. If he could transform himself into someone else, why couldn't he transform someone else into himself? Finding a substitute was incredibly easy!

After careful consideration, Qin Feng said to the Third Young Master, "Find out where Du Kefeng is immediately!"

※ ※ ※ ※

Du Kefeng was at his home on White Tiger Street.

Several guards stood watch at his door. As Qin Feng and the Third Young Master prepared to enter, the guards blocked their way, saying, "General Du is unwell and cannot receive guests."

Qin Feng pulled out his secret agent's token, flashed it in front of the guards, and said in a deep voice, "When imperial agents investigate cases, everyone must cooperate closely and no one may obstruct them. Violators will be punished for deceiving the emperor!"

The guards fell silent, watching Qin Feng and the Third Young Master swagger into the Du residence.

Du Kefeng, dressed in plain clothes, sat upright in the main hall. When Qin Feng and the Third Young Master approached, a strange smile appeared on the usually gentle face of the thirty-two-year-old Du Kefeng.

Qin Feng and the Third Young Master silently observed Du Kefeng. After a long silence, Du Kefeng slowly asked, "How did you discover this?" His voice was slightly weak, hollow, and hoarse, indicating internal injuries.

The Third Young Master chuckled softly and said, "Just a guess."

Du Kefeng smiled slightly and said, "I knew it. Even if I set up a diversion, it might still not fool you, Third Young Master. I thought it would take you and the First Young Master a while to figure things out, but I didn't expect you to come knocking so quickly."

Qin Feng sneered, "Speed is of the essence in war, don't you understand that?"

The Third Young Master shook his head and sighed, "You should have left sooner. Why didn't you leave Tianjing City sooner after breaking through last night?"

Du Kefeng smiled and said, "Killing Lord Longyin and his old friends almost exhausted my true energy. Attacking the civil and military officials on Zhuque Street and Baihu Street further aggravated my injuries. If it weren't for Tiger's Roar, I probably wouldn't have been able to go home. Last night, the Forbidden City was attacked, and the four gates of Tianjing City were tightly closed. Do you and the First Young Master still think I have the strength to climb over the city walls?"

The Third Young Master nodded and said, "That's right. Ximen Wudi, you schemed and plotted, but in the end you still fell into our hands. If you have any last words, you can leave them now."

Du Kefeng smiled and said, "I've said everything I wanted to say, what else is there to say?"

The Third Young Master said, "What about Tiger's Roar? Wearing Tiger's Roar, you might still have a chance."

Du Kefeng laughed and said, "The Third Young Master is joking. In my current state, can I still control Tiger's Roar? The Third Young Master doesn't mean to kill me and then take Tiger's Roar, does he? Then the Third Young Master may be disappointed. I have hidden Tiger's Roar in a place that no one will ever know. After you kill me, no one will be able to get Tiger's Roar!"

The Third Young Master sneered, "Killing you is more important than taking Tiger's Roar. Prepare to die!"

~Prologue: The Lonely Invincible, Chapter Two~

The Third Young Master's hand, carrying a chilling palm wind, struck Du Kefeng. The "Overlord's Decree" palm technique was unleashed with twelve parts power from the outset, combining nine forces—fire, ice, thunder, wind, hard, soft, condensing, time-freezing, and space-transcending—to form an unprecedented and bizarre force.

Dragged by this strange force, Du Kefeng was involuntarily thrown towards the Third Young Master's palm!

At the same time as the Third Young Master attacked, Qin Feng brought his right index and middle fingers together, forming a sword, a five-foot-long pale white sword light blooming from the fingertips. With a casual thrust, the sword energy swept through the air, and with a soft hiss, the finger sword pierced Du Kefeng's heart, penetrating straight to his back.

With a muffled thud, the Third Young Master's palms struck Du Kefeng's chest. The violent force of the blows caved in his chest, while his back bulged out and split open, spewing out all his internal organs, which splattered blood onto the wall behind him.

The two men stared at Du Kefeng's corpse on the ground, momentarily incredulous.

The world's number one martial arts master, the leader of the Demonic Sect, Ximen Wudi, was dead just like that? Although he was already seriously injured, surely he shouldn't have been killed by the two brothers without even making a move? Why wasn't he using his elusive "Transformation into a Divine Void" technique? Could it be that after resting for half a night, he hadn't even recovered enough to use his lightness skill?

Qin Feng squatted down and silently removed Du Kefeng's shoes and socks, revealing thick bandages wrapped around his ankles.

Qin Feng unwrapped the bandages, revealing two shocking wounds on his heels.

The Third Young Master peered over for a while and said, "Boss, your sword aura... why is the wound so gruesome?"

Qin Feng shook his head and said, "My sword aura wouldn't leave such a large wound. Look, the flesh on both sides of the wound is completely torn open, not only are the tendons severed, but the bones are also cracked. This must have been cut by a sharp weapon like a sword or dagger."

The Third Young Master stroked his chin and said, "Why would Ximen Wudi enlarge his wound with a sharp weapon? Could it be... he's afraid you'll recognize the wound caused by your sword aura?"

Qin Feng nodded and said, "Very likely. The wounds from my sword aura wouldn't be so gruesome; they'd be easily recognizable at a glance. Ximen Wudi deepened the wound himself, probably to prevent us from recognizing him."

The Third Young Master said, "I didn't expect Ximen Wudi to be so ruthless, showing no mercy even to himself. But since the Demonic Sect has already infiltrated the capital, surely they have a place to stay here? Ximen Wudi could easily hide; why wait for us to come to him at home?" "Kill him?"

Qin Feng said, "He probably still harbors a glimmer of hope, thinking we won't suspect him. After all, if Du Kefeng disappears without a trace, then Ximen Wudi's identity will be completely exposed."

The Third Young Master shook his head, "I still can't believe Ximen Wudi will be killed so easily. It's one thing if we don't use Tiger Roar, but sitting here neither defending nor running away, just watching us kill him, isn't that a bit too absurd?"

Qin Feng smiled, "I suppose you're thinking..." "You've lost too many times to Ximen Wudi, even letting him escape last night's sneak attack. Isn't that overestimating him? Ximen Wudi used the Immortal Slaughtering Sword three times in the Forbidden City last night, and he must have used it again when he killed Longyin Gong. He's exhausted so much energy, seriously injured, and still had to attack the civil and military officials of Zhuque and Baihu Streets all night. He should be completely drained. It's normal that he was powerless against us."

Qin Feng's words were perfectly reasonable, and the Third Young Master couldn't find a reason to refute them. But he instinctively felt that something was wrong; Ximen Wudi couldn't have been killed so easily. After much thought, the Third Young Master suddenly had a flash of inspiration and said, "Brother, when you treated Grand Tutor Hua's injuries last night, did you carefully examine his wounds?"

Qin Feng replied, "Third Brother, you suspect Grand Tutor Hua? It couldn't be him. I examined him carefully last night when I treated him. His wounds weren't caused by my sword energy; they're exactly the same as Du Kefeng's wounds..."

As he spoke, Qin Feng's eyes suddenly lit up, and he said, "That's right! Even if Ximen Wudi wanted to create a diversion by severing the Achilles tendons of the civil officials, he shouldn't have made everyone's wounds look exactly the same!"

The Third Young Master nodded and said, "Besides, Ximen Wudi fled in a panic last night. Where would he have had so much time to sever all the civil officials' Achilles tendons one by one and make the wounds so similar? And where would he have had the time to kill those military generals? Although those old generals were all old and frail, most of them had fought their way up from the battlefield and were quite skilled. Plus, the guards..." "Well, Ximen Wudi was severely injured, and he also killed Longyin Gong and several of his old friends, which consumed a lot of his power. Even with Huxiao's help, it was impossible for him to kill all the old generals one by one!"

Qin Feng said, "So, Ximen Wudi must have mobilized the people of the Demonic Sect who were lurking in the capital to attack at the same time and massacre the Zhuque Street and Baihu Street! But if many people attacked at the same time, severing the Achilles tendons of the civil officials on both streets, it would be impossible for many people to have the same wound because everyone's knife technique was different. But Hua Taifu's wound is exactly the same as Du Kefeng's!"

The Third Young Master continued, "Hua Taifu once said that Ximen Wudi pounced on the wall of a high-ranking official's house at the corner of Baihu Street and Zhuque Street. Du Kefeng's house is in the middle of Baihu Street. If Ximen Wudi is Du Kefeng, why would he need to sneak into someone else's house? How come?" Why didn't he just flee back home to heal his wounds? Besides, he'd already instigated the Demonic Sect to attack officials on both streets; why would he sneak into another official's residence? Did he specifically wait for Grand Tutor Hua to pass by so he could attack him?

Qin Feng continued, "Grand Tutor Hua is the Crown Prince's tutor, renowned for his integrity and uprightness. With the Qin Emperor's death, the Crown Prince will ascend the throne. Crown Prince Ying Hai is only thirteen, and the Empress Dowager is just a woman with no power in state affairs. The Crown Prince will then have to rely on Grand Tutor Hua. Grand Tutor Hua will then hold great power. Given his past reputation for integrity, if he were to take charge of the court, Wang Ben and Hou Meng would be constantly restrained. If Ximen Wudi wanted to destroy Qin, how could he tolerate someone like Grand Tutor Hua living? Since he'd killed so many generals, why not just kill Grand Tutor Hua as well? That way, there would be no more upright figures in the Qin court, and Qin would perish even faster!"

The Third Young Master added, "Last night... " The Demonic Sect attacked the officials of Zhuque and Baihu Streets, and my brother and I happened to be on Zhuque Street, so it's impossible we didn't hear the commotion. If we had heard it, we would have intervened. Although we have become disloyal to the Great Qin, if there are no generals in the capital, who will command the army to fight against the Northern Frontier Iron Army and the Hu tribe's army? Ximen Wudi clearly knew this, which is why Grand Tutor Hua appeared in time, keeping us locked up in the Hua Mansion, completely unaware of what was happening outside, and only releasing us this morning… There's something highly suspicious about this!”

Qin Feng nodded and said, “And Du Kefeng admitting that he is Ximen Wudi and surrendering to our slaughter might be because he was afraid that making a move would expose him. We have fought Ximen Wudi several times, and with the two Demonic Sect seniors, Wei Ge and Uncle Li, we have a deep understanding of Ximen Wudi's martial arts style. If Du Kefeng were to retaliate, it would only expose the fact that he is not Ximen Wudi! That's why he offered his neck for execution!”

The Third Young Master said, "Exactly! After Du Kefeng was killed, there was no way to verify the truth. Whether he was Ximen Wudi or not, we could no longer investigate. This shows that Du Kefeng was not Ximen Wudi, but he was Ximen Wudi's man, and an extremely loyal assassin!"

Qin Feng said, "I once discovered that Du Kefeng had some secret dealings with Gongzi Yu, and Gongzi Yu also had connections with the Demonic Sect. So it's not surprising that Du Kefeng was a member of the Demonic Sect! During the Martial Arts Tournament, Du Kefeng never left the capital. I once suspected that he was a substitute found by Ximen Wudi to create a false impression. Now, thinking about it carefully, I think that Du Kefeng really never left the capital, and Ximen Wudi deliberately misled others. Du Kefeng joined the Imperial Guard at the age of nineteen, which was thirteen years ago. Ximen Wudi began to lay the groundwork thirteen years ago, placing someone in the capital with no past, seemingly flawed in every way, but whose flaws could all be reasonably explained, to act as his substitute!"

The Third Young Master asked ... "Then, among the high-ranking officials in the capital who didn't appear during the Martial Arts Tournament, was Grand Tutor Hua?"

Qin Feng asked solemnly. "Grand Tutor Hua began to feign illness in March of that year and recuperated for a full half-month after the Martial Arts Tournament before reappearing. During his recuperation, he refused to receive any guests. Everyone knew Grand Tutor Hua's temperament and assumed he didn't want anyone to use visiting him as a pretext to give him gifts. Therefore, during this period, only the Crown Prince saw him!"

The Third Young Master shook his head and said, "Hua An has been the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor for a long time, and the Crown Prince has probably long..."

Qin Feng then thought of something else and said, "Three years ago, the Second Brother was struck by a palm strike. Father said it was from the God-Slaying Hand, and the greatest characteristic of the God-Slaying Hand is its ability to imitate all palm techniques! Judging from Ximen Wudi's 'God-Slaying Heart Sutra,' the 'God-Slaying Hand,' one of the three great palm techniques that should have long since disappeared, is very likely a martial art from the 'God-Slaying Heart Sutra'! And that palm strike was from Hua Ling..." "Long did it. Although Hua Linglong was manipulated by Ximen Wudi to injure the second brother, how could she possibly possess the 'God-Slaying Hand'? Father once explained that it was possible that Ximen Wudi manipulated Hua Linglong and then channeled his own power into her body, causing her to unleash the 'God-Slaying Hand'. But now, thinking about it, there's another possibility: Hua Linglong originally knew the 'God-Slaying Hand'! And since she's the daughter of Grand Tutor Hua, where did her martial arts come from? Who taught her the 'God-Slaying Hand'?"

As they spoke, they exchanged a glance with the Third Young Master, and the two brothers said in unison, "Grand Tutor Hua might be Ximen Wudi!"

Qin Feng sighed and said, "Although we are only speculating, if Grand Tutor Hua really is Ximen Wudi, then... the Great Qin Empire will truly perish!"

The Third Young Master said in a hoarse voice, "Brother, during Grand Tutor Hua's illness, was anyone seen with her youngest daughter, Hua Rong?"

Qin Feng shook his head and said, "Hua Rong took care of Grand Tutor Hua at the Hua residence during his illness." "She went out several times to get medicine for Grand Tutor Hua, which some people saw. Do you suspect…?"

Third Young Master nodded and said, "I suspect Hua Rong is the Nine Yin Saintess. Although Hua Rong appeared in the capital during her stay there, she only met us twice in Dingzhou City, for a total of only two days. The distance between the capital and Dingzhou City isn't very far. If she rushed to Dingzhou City, met us briefly, and then rushed back to the capital, that would be enough time."

Qin Feng said, "That's possible. Third Brother, let's go to the Hua residence to find Grand Tutor Hua and sound him out."

The two went straight out of the Du residence. As they left, they said to the guards at the gate, "General Du was an accomplice of the assassins last night. He was killed by me for resisting arrest. You can go in and collect the body! I will take full responsibility for everything."

Having said that, they ignored the astonished expressions of the guards and swaggered away. When the Third Young Master and Qin Feng arrived at Grand Tutor Hua's residence, it was already empty. They searched the entire mansion separately, but found no one. Finally, the Third Young Master found a note hidden in Hua Rong's pillowcase in her boudoir.

Unfolding it, he read in delicate handwriting: "Dear Qin Lang: I am the Nine Yin Saintess of the Demonic Sect. Concealing my identity is out of necessity. My real name is Hua Rong, and both my sister Linglong and I are daughters of Grand Tutor Hua An. However, my father passed away thirteen years ago. The Supreme Ximen Wudi usurped his identity, and because I possess the Nine Yin Body, he trained me to be the Nine Yin Saintess of the Demonic Sect. My sister Linglong is unaware of this and still believes her father is alive." "Everything I've done to the Qin family is against my will, controlled by the Supreme One. I beg you, Qin Lang, to show mercy. I know your heart, but you do not know mine. I dare not disobey the Supreme One, for the Supreme One is now an enemy of Qin Lang, which is not my wish. When Qin Lang sees this message, it will be when my identity and the Supreme One's identity have been exposed. Whether I live or die, if you understand my good intentions , I will die without regret. Rong." The Third Young Master looked at the note; the ink was dry, indicating it had been written some time ago. He was at a loss for words, finding the whole thing utterly absurd. Although he and Qin Feng had pieced together many clues to deduce that Hua Taifu was Ximen Wudi, they had hoped that they, along with their elder brother, were mistaken. Unexpectedly, Hua Rong's note confirmed their deduction. Just then, Qin Feng pushed open the door and entered, holding a note. His face was grim. "Grand Tutor Hua is truly invincible," he said. "He left a note and has already run away." ~Prologue: Lonely Invincibility, Chapter 3~ "Young Master and Third Young Master, greetings: Please forgive my abrupt departure. It is not that I did not wish to share drinks with you, but the situation was urgent, and I had no choice but to leave in haste. Although Du Kefeng could buy me some time, with your intelligence, you will soon realize my true identity. Although you have no evidence, you two have always preferred to err on the side of caution, better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free. Once you suspect my identity, you will stop at nothing to force me to reveal it. I am currently weak and frail, and truly unable to contend with you two. I will forever remember the favor of the attack from the Forbidden City. Farewell, take care, and we will meet again in the future. Do not worry about me! Ximen Wudi." After reading the note, the Third Young Master and Qin Feng exchanged glances. After a long while, the Third Young Master finally let out a long sigh of relief and said, "That's good, Ximen Wudi has escaped!" Qin Feng carefully examined the note again, then clasped his hands together and crushed it into powder, saying, "Go ask if anyone has seen where he went. Although searching for Du Kefeng took some time, Ximen Wudi is injured and certainly can't run fast. We might still be able to catch up now." The two brothers rushed out of the Grand Tutor's mansion and grabbed a soldier of the Imperial Guard standing guard at the gate, asking, "Where did Grand Tutor Hua go? When did he leave?" The soldier replied, "Lord Qin, didn't you just go in to look for the Grand Tutor? I've been here since this morning and haven't seen him leave the mansion!" The two brothers exchanged a glance and went back into the Grand Tutor's mansion. After searching for a while, they finally found a secret passage under the bed in the room where Ximen Wudi's injuries were treated the previous night. The two brothers moved the bed aside and looked into the dark, secret passage beneath it. A chilling aura rushed towards them, and they dared not venture down to investigate. The Third Young Master said, "Ximen Wudi has been operating in the capital for over ten years; this secret passage must extend beyond the capital. Who knows how many traps and mechanisms are hidden within? If we follow it, we might be ambushed." Qin Feng nodded, saying, "We don't know where the exit is; chasing after it is pointless. Alas, Ximen Wudi really escaped this time." The Third Young Master said, "Most of the civil officials in the capital are crippled, and only three military generals remain, one of whom is notoriously greedy and incompetent. Two hundred thousand imperial guards and..." " Lin Jun is probably without a commander right now. Even if we bring in generals from elsewhere, they won't arrive in time before the enemy from the northern border besieges the city. This capital... I'm afraid it can't be defended!" Qin Feng sneered, "Including today, there are still a little over four days left. The princes and nobles of the capital have already been robbed, and there is no one left in charge of the overall situation. Crown Prince Hai is young, and the Empress Dowager has no strong support. The court power in the capital has vanished. But we have Princess Ni as a valuable card. If we use her properly, seizing power in the capital will be a piece of cake!"

The third young master's eyes lit up, and he said, "Boss, are you planning a rebellion?" His voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement.

Qin Feng said, "Father will arrive in the capital within two days, and my uncle's Ironblood Howling Sky Fortress will arrive within three days. We have enough time to plan. Rather than letting a bunch of incompetent people control the capital and let the people of the capital be ravaged by the barbarians, it's better for us to take control of the capital and lead the army to fight back! Although the Imperial Guards and the Imperial Bodyguards are numerous and powerful, they lack command. When the time comes, as long as Ni'er takes action to stabilize most of the Imperial Guards and the Imperial Bodyguards, with the strength of Xiaoyao Manor and Ironblood Howling Sky Fortress, it will be easy to take over Tiansheng Palace in one fell swoop!"

The Third Young Master said, "But if we seize power by force, the people of the world may not be convinced.

After all, the Ying family is the legitimate royal family..." Qin Feng smiled coldly and said, "What's there to be afraid of? Under the pretext of eliminating the assassin's accomplices, we will enter the palace and take control of the court, and then let Prince Hai ascend the throne. How much trouble can a thirteen-year-old emperor cause?

"When the time comes, we will slaughter all the members of the Ying family in the capital, leaving only Prince Hai, and let Ni'er assist him in governing." As long as we firmly control Prince Hai and issue orders on his behalf, who in the world would dare utter a single word against the legitimate ruler? Besides, the Ying clan already harbors immense resentment among the people; otherwise, Lingnan wouldn't have been engulfed in war. I've heard that Jiangdong has recently seen another uprising, with a fellow known as Little Tyrant Shen Chong starting with three thousand soldiers and sweeping across the three provinces of Jiangnan, already forming a powerful rebel army. Why would someone like that care about the fate of the Ying clan?

"Most officials in the capital are greedy, and there isn't a single honest man among them, causing great resentment among the people. General Wang Ben and Prime Minister Hou Meng are especially hated by thousands. If we eliminate Wang Ben and Hou Meng, why worry about the people not supporting us? As for those crippled civil officials in the capital, give them gold and silver treasures, and we'll make sure they support Prince Hai. Supporting Prince Hai is equivalent to supporting us! If they don't obey us, we can kill them. Aren't there enough capable people in the world? Are we worried about not finding people to serve as officials? Even my Xiaoyao Manor and Iron Blood Howling Sky Fortress have plenty of talented people.

"Once we have power in our hands, we can find any reason to depose Prince Hai, or force him to follow the ancient practice of the Five Emperors abdicating the throne to our Qin family. Wouldn't half of the power in the world be in our hands then?"

The Third Young Master stared wide-eyed at Qin Feng, and after a long while, he let out a long sigh, shook his head, and sighed, "Boss, what a deep mind, what ruthless methods!" "Let me ask you a question,

" Qin Feng asked without hesitation. "If Crown Prince Hai truly abdicates the throne to our Qin family as we wish, then who will ascend the throne?"

The Third Young Master continued, "Then who will be the Crown Prince? According to the order of seniority, you, eldest brother, should be the Crown Prince. But… I don't want to see this happen in our Qin family—a power struggle among brothers!"

Qin Feng chuckled, patted the Third Young Master's shoulder, and said, "What are you worried about? The Crown Prince will naturally be either you or the Second Brother. I'm focused on the sword; being emperor isn't my pursuit. Hmm, the Second Brother is a playboy; if he were emperor, he would definitely be very unhappy. So, the throne will ultimately be yours."

The Third Young Master shook his head, saying, "Eldest brother, your plan today is a ruthless scheme! Such a vicious plan… I fear that one day… alas…"

Qin Feng angrily retorted, "Third Brother, what do you mean by this?" "Are you afraid your elder brother will use the same tricks he uses on you? Don't forget, we're brothers!"

The Third Young Master said calmly, "In the imperial family, there is no kinship. All wise rulers throughout history have been ruthless."

Qin Feng was taken aback, sighed, and said, "Sigh, I give up! Third brother, do you know that the reason I resorted to any means to seize power from the Ying clan was for the sake of our Qin family and the people of the capital! The palace turmoil started because of us brothers, and Tiger Roar was also taken by Ximen Wudi because of us brothers. Even the death of Lord Longyin and the killing of the generals in the capital are inextricably linked to us. If the Hu tribe were to breach the capital, the innocent people who died unjustly would hold us accountable in the Nine Netherworld! I sought the Sword of Heaven, and Heaven values balance above all else. Since I have already created a hole in the Great Qin, I must find a way to patch it up." Whether I can seize power over the world or leave my name in history books, it's not important to me. I only seek peace of mind. Otherwise, I won't be able to continue smoothly on the path of the Heavenly Sword!"

The Third Young Master nodded repeatedly. After Qin Feng finished speaking, the Third Young Master said with a face full of shame, "Elder... I was bewitched and judged you with the mind of a petty person! You and I are brothers, bound by life and death, I really shouldn't have..."

Qin Feng said sternly, "It's good that you know you're wrong. I'm a martial arts fanatic, and the Second Young Master is a prodigal son. Neither of us is fit to be a ruler. Only you can shoulder this great responsibility. Your fickleness, despicable shamelessness, cunning and scheming nature, and suspicious vigilance are all essential qualities of a ruler! The Second Young Master is too open-minded, which is no good. As for me, I don't want to have any worries, which is also no good."

The Third Young Master smiled humbly and said, "Elder, don't praise me like that. It makes me embarrassed! Look, my face is all red!" Qin Feng immediately pretended to vomit: "

Third brother, I beg you, stop with the 'loo-loo'! I'm about to be disgusted to death!"

The third young master laughed loudly: "Alright, boss, I'll let you off the hook! Hahaha, my grand ambition finally has a chance to be realized!"

Qin Feng asked: "What ambition?"

The third young master looked serious and solemn, left hand on his hip, right hand pointing as if surveying the world: "I will use my invincible golden spear to conquer a vast harem!"

※ ※ ※ ※

One hundred and ten li north of Tianjing City, in a mountainous area, a simple carriage drove into a small village nestled among the mountains.

The carriage stopped at the village entrance, where a group of children playing in the mud immediately rushed forward, laughing and chattering excitedly around the carriage. Guarding the entrance was an old man, seemingly too old to even open his eyes, dressed in simple clothes. He then struck a huge bronze bell hanging from a large tree beside the village.

The bell hammer was enormous, weighing at least two hundred jin (approximately 100 kg), but in the old man's hands, it was as light as a stick. With a casual strike, the bronze bell emitted a high-pitched, melodious sound that echoed throughout the mountain village and reverberated through the mountains.

Shortly after the bell rang, a group of about four hundred men and women, dressed in ordinary, rough clothing, arrived... A neatly arranged procession swiftly made its way to the village entrance.

These four hundred people were divided into eight distinct teams, each led by five individuals. One team consisted entirely of teenage girls; though dressed simply and without makeup, each possessed a graceful figure and captivating charm—truly top-tier beauties.

The other seven teams were composed of burly men with fierce expressions and gleaming eyes. Their powerful strides and imposing gait suggested they were highly skilled martial artists.

At this moment, the coachman was cheerfully handing out large bags of sweets and pastries to the children surrounding the carriage. Seeing the group approaching, he gave the sweets to the oldest child, instructing him to distribute them to the other children. After the children dispersed, the coachman solemnly announced in a respectful voice, "The Supreme One and the Holy Maiden have arrived! Those who come to greet them, please state your names and pay your respects!"

The group walked to a spot three zhang in front of the carriage and knelt down on both knees, performing the three kneelings and nine kowtows ceremony.

After the ceremony, the five leaders said in turn: "Guardian Gu Changkong respectfully welcomes the Supreme and Holy Maiden!" "

Demon Envoy Yuan Zui (Yuan E, Yuan Da, Yuan Ji) respectfully welcomes the Supreme and Holy Maiden!"

The four hundred men and women behind the five leaders said in unison: "Disciples of the Three Sects and Five Halls respectfully welcome the Supreme and Holy Maiden!"

"Rise! There is no need for such formalities." A soft voice came from inside the carriage; it was the voice of Grand Tutor Hua, and also the true voice of Ximen Wudi.

After everyone had risen, the carriage door opened, and Hua Rong, the Nine Yin Saintess, dressed simply and without makeup, gracefully stepped out. Supported by the burly driver, she lightly jumped down from the carriage and smiled slightly at everyone.

This smile was breathtakingly beautiful; everyone, even the female disciples of the Bewitching Heart Sect, couldn't help but have their eyes light up, then lowered their heads, not daring to look at her again.

A figure flashed again at the carriage door. Dressed in a long blue robe, dressed as a scholar, with neatly trimmed lips, Ximen Wudi appeared at the carriage door, exuding an air of refined elegance and handsome bearing.

His appearance was completely different from when he impersonated Grand Tutor Hua. His once bushy hair was gone, replaced by a black, glossy styled scholar's bun. While his features bore a slight resemblance to Grand Tutor Hua, he was far younger and far more handsome.

A humble, gentle smile always graced his lips, his arched eyebrows slanted sharply towards his temples, and his slightly sunken eyes gleamed with unfathomable depth.

His appearance was somewhat peculiar, not quite like that of the Central Plains people; his eyes suggested a certain non-Han ancestry.

However, this did not detract from his handsome appearance; on the contrary, those slight non-Han features added to his masculine charm.

That year, Ximen Wudi was only thirty-two years old.

Standing on the carriage, Ximen Wudi looked at his subordinates who had come to greet him and slowly asked, "What is the situation?"

Gu Changkong, the only remaining one of the four protectors of the Demonic Sect, known as "Wind Blade and Frost Sword," stepped forward, cupped his hands, and respectfully said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, Young Master Su has received news and has already assembled a large army to join forces with General Wuhar's army to enter the pass and prepare to attack Tianjing City! According to the message sent back by Young Master Su, the vanguard will pass through here in three days. At that time, all three thousand elite disciples of our sect will join Young Master Su's army to fight alongside him. In addition, the leader of the Shadow Hall has successfully infiltrated the army of Shen Chong, the Little Conqueror of Jiangdong, and has become Shen Chong's trusted and beloved general." The elite members of the Shadow Hall have infiltrated Little Tyrant's army and developed a considerable force.

Ximen Wudi nodded and said, "Thank you all for your hard work. In this battle of Tianjing City, I have obtained the Tiger's Roar, and all the generals of the capital are dead. There is no one left to lead the overall situation in the capital. We should

conquer the capital in one fell swoop, and then the army can easily march south!" After speaking, he turned to the old bell-ringer who was now dozing off with his arms crossed and said, "Lord Yuanfang, Qin Xiaoyao will arrive in Tianjing City from Iron Void Mountain soon. Your perfect opportunity for revenge has arrived!"

The old bell-ringer suddenly opened his eyes, a terrifying glint flashing within them.

~Prologue: The Lonely Invincible, Chapter 4~

Ximen Wudi and Hua Rong walked one after the other towards the back mountain of the village. Their expressions and movements were indescribably leisurely and elegant, looking like a pair of Confucian father and daughter enjoying a leisurely stroll in the mountains.

The cool evening breeze of summer carried away the heat of midsummer, and the setting sun on the mountainside gradually faded, shrouding some valleys in darkness.

The two remained silent throughout their journey. Ximen Wudi's steps appeared somewhat unsteady, but he insisted on walking on his own. Hua Rong tried several times to help him, but he silently refused each time.

Reaching a flat area halfway up the mountain, Ximen Wudi stopped and sat down to rest on a smooth rock beside the mountain path.

Hua Rong glanced at his heels and saw that they were stained with blood; his wounds had likely reopened and were bleeding.

Hua Rong finally broke the silence, her face full of heartache, "Father, why are you doing this? Your injuries haven't healed, why force yourself to endure it in front of everyone? Now you've climbed up the mountainside, reopening your wounds. How can your injuries heal quickly?"

Ximen Wudi waved his hand, chuckled, and said, "How can I not force myself? Do you know how many people are eyeing my position? If they knew I was seriously injured, who knows what kind of trouble they would cause!"

Hua Rong said, "Father, the Black Jade Bone-Mending Ointment is a top-tier medicine for mending broken tendons and bones, extremely rare in the world. Even with the best efforts of our sect, we've only managed to gather three ounces. Your injuries will require three ounces of this ointment to fully heal. But even with miraculous medicine..." "You need to rest. If you force yourself to walk like this, even if you use all the medicine, it will probably leave lasting problems. Don't push yourself anymore. There's only your daughter here, so let her help you walk!"

Ximen Wudi shook his head and said, "My injury... even with the Black Jade Rejuvenating Ointment, it can't be cured. The Heavenly Sword's energy keeps eroding my tendons, and my internal injuries haven't healed, so I can't force out the sword energy. By the time my internal injuries heal, the sword will probably have completely destroyed my tendons. The Black Jade Rejuvenating Ointment can only allow me to walk temporarily. Alas, I won't be able to walk on my own for the rest of my life. If I don't walk more while I can now, wouldn't I be leaving behind many regrets?"

After saying that, Ximen Wudi stood up again and walked forward with faltering steps. Hua Rong wanted to help him, but he politely declined with a smile.

On the platform halfway up the mountain, there were two ordinary grave mounds. Although there weren't even tombstones, the weeds around the two grave mounds had been cleared clean. A cluster of vibrant summer flowers bloomed on the grave mound, swaying gracefully in the evening breeze.

Ximen Wudi walked to the grave mounds, staring blankly at them, lost in thought.

Hua Rong glanced at Ximen Wudi and noticed a rare hint of tenderness in his eyes, while his handsome face was shrouded in an overwhelming sense of loneliness and sorrow.

"Rong'er, do you know why, after gaining power in our sect, I moved our headquarters here?" Ximen Wudi sat down on the ground before the graves, patting an empty space beside him, gesturing for Hua Rong to sit there.

Hua Rong sat down beside Ximen Wudi, looking at the two burial mounds, and asked, "Could it be because of the two people buried here?"

Ximen Wudi nodded, a gentle smile gradually appearing on his face. "As expected of the Nine Yin Saintess, so intelligent, you guessed it right away. Unlike your sister, who seems gentle and refined but is actually quite careless."

Hua Rong smiled sweetly and said, "That's because I often follow Father around and have learned a lot from him. As for intelligence, how could I possibly be even a fraction of Father's?"

Ximen Wudi laughed, "You really know how to talk, much better than your sister."

Hua Rong said, "My sister's personality is different from Rong'er's." "It's not that she's not smart enough. She has a chivalrous nature, disliking petty calculations and scheming. Rong'er, on the other hand, is petty and calculating, always weighing the pros and cons, which has gradually cultivated her calculating nature. By the way, Father, please forgive my intrusion, but who are the two people buried here? In the past, whenever Father returned to the main altar, he always went up the back mountain alone and never brought Rong'er here. Rong'er thought Father was secretly cultivating somewhere in the back mountain, but I never expected that Father had come to pay respects to the deceased."

Ximen Wudi looked at the two grave mounds, smiling gently, his unfathomable eyes filled with an indescribable emotion. Looking into his eyes, Hua Rong instinctively felt that he was looking at long-lost relatives.

"I was born beyond the Great Wall. My father was from the Central Plains, but my mother was a Hu (non-Han) woman," he said slowly. "When my father was trading with the Hu people, he met the daughter of a tribal chief. They fell in love, and the chief's daughter became my mother. My maternal grandfather had a deep sense of belonging to the Central Plains and was very satisfied with my father as his son-in-law. However, because my father married a Hu woman, he was ostracized by the people of the Central Plains. My father had no choice but to move beyond the Great Wall, so I spent my childhood there. Just when our family was living a prosperous and happy life, someone came to my father and said that my grandfather was critically ill and hoped that..." Before he died, he saw my father one last time. Upon hearing this, my father, in a panic, took my mother and me back to the Central Plains to see my grandfather. Who knew…”

A cold glint suddenly flashed in Ximen Wudi’s eyes, bursting forth with deep-seated hatred: “Who knew it was all a deception! My grandfather was perfectly fine. My father’s brothers had only set a trap to lure my father back, intending to murder him for his money! My father had been a businessman for many years and had accumulated considerable wealth. His brothers were all good-for-nothing hooligans, addicted to gambling. After accumulating huge debts, they set their sights on my father! And my grandfather, knowing this, not only did not stop them, but instead devised a plan to trick my father into returning!

“When my father, mother, and I returned home, we were greeted with food laced with sleeping potion! Fortunately, my maternal grandfather had sent two tribal warriors to accompany us. They, being strong and robust, withstood the effects of the drug and, under the siege of my father’s brothers and the more than thirty hooligans they had hired, risked their lives to rescue my mother and me. But my father… was murdered by his own brothers!”

"Those two warriors later died from their injuries, leaving only my mother and me. After fleeing with me to this small village, my mother collapsed and never woke up. Later I learned that... her heart had been pierced by a knife during the battle, but no one expected that she would carry me for over fifty miles until we were almost safe before finally dying... At the time, no one could understand what made her live so long when she was about to die. It wasn't until I grew up and met someone else that I understood the real reason.

"I was only four years old when my parents died. The villagers took pity on me and adopted me. Later, my master, the old leader, happened to pass by this village and saw me. He said I had excellent bones and was born with wisdom, so he took me back to the Demonic Sect's headquarters, accepted me as his disciple, and taught me the 'Destroying God Heart Sutra' and the 'Immortal Slaughtering Treasure Scroll'."

"After I reached a certain level of mastery of my divine skills at the age of fifteen, I left the Demonic Sect's headquarters. On that occasion, I personally killed all of my father's brothers and all those who participated in the ambush of my parents. It's a pity that my grandfather died early and I couldn't avenge him!

"After taking revenge, I returned to this small village to pay respects to my deceased mother. And in that year, I met the third most important person in my life."

At this point, the hatred on Ximen Wudi's face vanished, and his gentle expression reappeared: "That year, she was seventeen years old, two years older than me. But she looked so innocent and naive that I felt an urge to protect her the moment I saw her."

"She was the village chief's granddaughter. Her parents died early, leaving only her and her grandfather. Every year, she would come here to clean my mother's grave. Not only my mother's grave, but also the graves of any unrelated deceased in the village, she would regularly clean them. No one asked her to do this; she did it simply because she, too, was an orphan with no relatives besides her grandfather.

"That year, I met her here, and I fell in love with her. Later, she became my wife. I thought that after avenging my family and starting a family, I would be far removed from the world of martial arts and could no longer concern myself with its affairs. I even planned to spend my remaining years with her in this village, but who knew... When my son was one year old, she carried him to the stream by the village to fetch water, and she never returned."

"When I found her, she lay naked by the stream, covered in blood and wounds. Her heart had been pierced by a sword! But she wasn't dead. She held her son tightly, her eyes still open. Only when she saw me did she smile and breathe her last in my arms. She left me with only two sentences. The first was, 'Is the baby alright?' The second was, 'Live well, don't seek revenge.

' 'Heh,' as he said this, two clear tears streamed down Ximen Wudi's face. These tears, flowing from the eyes of a ruthless killer, made Hua Rong's heart tremble. These were the most precious tears of a man, the rarest of all, from heroes and villains, yet now they appeared in Ximen Wudi's eyes. But Ximen Wudi laughed, a laugh tinged with indescribable sorrow and lament:

'What a foolishly adorable woman, what a kind-hearted woman. Little did she know, her son had already died. He died even before her, his fatal wound a bullet hole piercing his abdomen.'" At that moment, I finally understood why my mother could carry me so far even after her heart was pierced. My wife made me understand the reason. Because they were both mothers, even with their hearts pierced, they wouldn't die until they were sure their sons were safe.

"I didn't listen to my wife. Ha, I was born someone who wouldn't listen to others. I recognized the bullet wound on my son and the sword wound on my wife's body—these were wounds that could only be caused by the weapons of the Qin Empire's army. The soldiers of Qin not only violated my wife but also killed her and my son. Therefore, my enemy is the entire Qin Empire, all the people of the Central Plains! My parents died at the hands of the people of the Central Plains, and my wife and children also died at the hands of the people of the Central Plains. Tell me, shouldn't the people of the Central Plains be killed? Shouldn't they be exterminated?

" "I buried my wife and children next to my mother's grave, then left the mountain again, returned to the Demonic Sect's headquarters, and assisted my master in eliminating the four great demons and regaining power for our sect. From that moment on, I began to work on destroying the Qin Empire. But at that time, the Holy Emperor Ying was not yet senile and old, so everything had to be done in secret." "Until three years ago, when King Ying Shengjun began to show signs of incompetence and tyranny, I began to vigorously develop our sect's power. Ah, my long-cherished wish can finally be fulfilled!"

Ximen Wudi sighed deeply, a sigh that made Hua Rong's heart tremble.

Hua Rong sighed and said, "No wonder Father once said that although he had been with countless women in his life, not one could move his heart. Rong'er thought that Father's standards were too high, and that ordinary women were not worthy of him. But she didn't know... that I had a mother whom Father loved dearly to this day and could not forget."

Ximen Wudi nodded and said, "Having seen the ocean, other waters are insignificant; having beheld the clouds of Wushan, other clouds are not worth mentioning." Hua

Rong carefully pondered the two sentences Ximen Wudi had recited, but only vaguely understood them. She had never heard anyone speak like this before; they seemed to contain profound truths, yet also a sense of helpless desolation. She couldn't help but wonder when Ximen Wudi had acquired such talent.

Of course, she didn't intend to delve into this question. What she wanted to know now was something else: "Father, since you intend to destroy the Great Qin, why create such a formidable enemy as the Qin family? Father had many opportunities to kill the Qin brothers, why spare them?"

Ximen Wudi lowered his head, wiping away the tears from the corners of his eyes with his sleeve. When he raised his head, a faint smile was on his face. He said, "There are many reasons. Don't you think the people of the Central Plains are quite adept at killing each other? Since I intend to destroy the Central Plains and kill all the people of the Central Plains, it's naturally more convenient to let them fall into chaos first, to let them kill each other. Since A Li entered the palace, hasn't the civil unrest in the Great Qin suddenly increased significantly?" Everywhere are refugees and bandits, the rebel army and the bandit army are indistinguishable, and countless people in the Central Plains have died at the hands of the rebel army and the bandit army. I sent the five hall masters to lead their disciples to infiltrate the various rebel armies, to turn the rebel army into a bandit army, to let them stir up trouble and kill more people first.

"As for the Qin brothers, ha, Qin Ren was born with a pair of Asura Demon Eyes, he is the person who fulfilled the prophecy of Taigong Wang, born to be calamity. Asura Demon Eyes, slaughter the world. Even if we can't control him, arouse his fighting spirit, and let him participate in the struggle for supremacy, wouldn't this war last longer, and wouldn't even more people in the Central Plains be killed?

"The most important reason, of course, is because of a sentence Qin Ren said that day." Ximen Wudi paused, and said, "Rong'er, what do you think of my martial arts?"

Hua Rong smiled and said, "Father, are you joking? Father's martial arts are invincible. Since that medicine man guard in the palace died, who can withstand a blow from Father?" Ximen Wudi chuckled and shook his head, saying, "

That's a lie. My martial arts skills are at best first-rate in the martial arts world. If it were just a matter of skill, any sect leader could easily kill me."

Hua Rong persisted in calling him "father," and Ximen Wudi unconsciously began to refer to himself as "father." Hearing this self-address from Ximen Wudi, Hua Rong was overjoyed; it meant that Ximen Wudi trusted her completely!

"Father, please don't tease Rong'er!" Hua Rong pouted, acting coquettishly, "If Father's martial arts are only first-rate, then wouldn't everyone's martial arts skills drop several levels?" Ximen

Wudi said, "I'm not lying to you. I don't have much talent in martial arts. I started practicing at the age of five, and even now, after twenty-seven years, I'm only at the level of a first-rate master in the martial arts world. But besides martial arts, I have another unique skill."

Hua Rong's eyes lit up, and she asked, "What is it?" Ximen

Wudi replied, "I won't answer you right away. I ask you, you've already seen the 'Heart Sutra of Annihilation' and the 'Immortal-Slaying Treasure Scroll,' and I haven't hidden these two supreme scriptures of the demonic sect. Any disciple of the demonic sect above the first generation can freely examine them. Have any of you truly understood those two extraordinary scriptures?"

Hua Rong shook her head, looking bewildered, and said, "In both extraordinary texts, although Rong'er recognizes some characters—they're from the Central Plains—the text recording the most profound and wondrous techniques, apart from the titles, is entirely written in incomprehensible tadpole script, like a book from heaven. It seems only Father's genius can decipher it; no one else can."

Ximen Wudi laughed and said, "What genius? Rong'er, do you believe in reincarnation?"

Hua Rong nodded and said, "I do. It's just that legend says when one is reincarnated from the Nine Netherworld, all memories are erased. Therefore, no living person in the world knows what their past life was."

Ximen Wudi... Ximen Wudi said, "What if I told you that I was actually reincarnated with memories? And that my memories came from a place called 'Earth,' where there are many countries far more advanced than the current Qin Empire, with flying iron birds and iron horses that can run on wheels and are faster than a thousand-mile horse? Would you believe it?" Hua Rong

asked in surprise, "Father, what's wrong with you? What... what are you talking about?" Ximen

Wudi shook his head and smiled, "I knew you wouldn't believe me. Actually, the God-Slaying Heart Sutra and the Immortal-Slaying Treasure Scroll are not martial arts manuals at all, but magic tomes. You don't know anything about magic, do you? It's hard for me to explain!

"Moreover, the most powerful magic recorded in these two extraordinary tomes is written in English, which is the language of a country on Earth in my previous life. I was quite learned in my previous life and knew a lot, so I naturally knew English."

"Why these two extraordinary texts ended up in the Qin Empire, and why they fell into the hands of our sect, I don't know either. As for why some of the titles are in Central Plains script, I suppose it was the people of the Central Plains on Earth who translated a portion of these texts after obtaining them! Strangely enough, the script of the Qin Empire is exactly the same as the ancient Chinese I learned in my previous life. Therefore, only I can understand these two extraordinary texts, and only I can cultivate them.

"Magic emphasizes meditation, enhancing mental strength, and concentrating magical power. Rong'er, when have I ever practiced any external martial arts while doing my daily studies? Aren't I always meditating? You all think I'm meditating to cultivate Qi, but actually I'm just practicing meditation."

"That 'Transformation into the Void' isn't a light-body technique at all, but rather 'teleportation' from magic. That 'Immortal Execution Sword' is the strongest mental attack technique. The other techniques are all different applications of magic and mental power. Have you ever seen me engage in face-to-face combat with anyone? People think it's because my martial arts are so high that I can kill enemies remotely with my inner energy without physical fighting, but the truth is, my martial arts are really lacking. If I encountered a top-tier expert, I would be dead. Grandmasters and Heavenly Dao level experts could take my head in a single exchange. Therefore, in all my years of practice, I've never engaged in hand-to-hand combat.

"Until I obtained the Tiger's Roar, and wearing it, many spells became unusable, especially 'teleportation.' Wearing the Tiger's Roar armor, I couldn't use it at all, so I resorted to hand-to-hand combat. Unexpectedly, Qin Ren attacked me from behind, severely injuring me." "Alas, to me, the Tiger's Roar makes no difference. With the Tiger's Roar, my martial arts will be enhanced, but my magic will be weakened. Without the Tiger's Roar, my magic will be invincible, but my martial arts will be lacking, and I won't be able to get close to anyone."

Hua Rong listened, completely bewildered. After Ximen Wudi finished speaking, she cautiously asked, "Father, is what you said true?"

Ximen Wudi nodded: "Of course it's true. Otherwise, why would I let Qin Ren go time and time again? Why not eliminate him sooner to avoid future trouble? It's because Qin Ren, like me, should also be a reincarnated person with memories. Don't forget, when I first faced Qin Ren head-on, Qin Ren said something."

Hua Rong thought for a moment and suddenly realized: "I remember! Qin Ren said something like, 'This is clearly an effect that can only be achieved by 'instant teleportation' in magic!'"

Ximen Wudi nodded with a smile: "It was that sentence that made me know Qin Ren's origin." "It was precisely because of that one sentence that I tolerated him so much. Otherwise, he would have died at my hands long ago."

Hua Rong said, "But even if Qin Ren has the same experiences as Father, so what? We belong to different camps. Since he has memories of two lifetimes, his experience, knowledge, and talent should be comparable to Father's. Such an extraordinary person will be Father's greatest enemy. If Father doesn't kill him, it will only create more trouble!"

Ximen Wudi glanced at Hua Rong and said, "Didn't you say you wanted to move him with your true feelings and make him fall in love with you? I only spared Qin Ren until now because of you. Why are you now urging me to kill him?"

Hua Rong lowered her head shyly and said, "Father, how could you be doing this for Rong'er's sake? Father clearly doesn't want to kill Qin Ren himself. He's just using Rong'er as an excuse."

Ximen Wudi slapped his thigh and laughed, "What a clever and quick-witted Rong'er! Very well, since you guessed it, I'm not afraid to tell you." "In fact, I truly didn't want to kill Qin Ren. Although he didn't know my background, I knew him. Since my beloved wife passed away, I've been unbearably lonely. Being invincible in my life is also lonely. Possessing memories of two lifetimes, yet having no confidants to share them with, adds to my loneliness. But thinking of Qin Ren, who shares the same experiences as me, and the Third Young Master, who is worthy of being my opponent, having this confidant as an enemy lessens my loneliness considerably."

Hua Rong immediately said sweetly, "Father, now you have another daughter, Rong'er, can't that lessen your loneliness even more?"

Ximen Wudi nodded and smiled, "That's right, with you as my daughter, my loneliness naturally lessens. Although I'm only thirteen years older than you, my two lifetimes combined make me sixty-six years old, enough to be your grandfather."

Hua Rong laughed, "I can't bring myself to call you 'Grandpa.' I'm used to calling you 'Father,' how can I easily change that?" "By the way, Father, would you be so kind as to teach Rong'er that magic?"

Ximen Wudi thought for a moment and said, "Very well, although you yourself are unaware of it, your charm technique is also cast using mental power, using mental power to influence the minds of others. With the mastery of 'Bewitching Dream,' your mental power is already quite strong. Although mental power is not the same as magic, mental power is the most important factor in learning magic. I will now translate the text from the two extraordinary books into Chinese characters and read them to you. With your memory, you should be able to understand it after reading it once." "

Having said that, Ximen Wudi first explained the principles of magic to Hua Rong, then taught her how to use mental power to drive magic, how to train mental power, and how to increase magic power through meditation. After that, he taught Hua Rong the magic incantations and hand gestures from the 'Destroying God Heart Sutra' and the 'Immortal Execution Treasure Register'.

Hua Rong was indeed extremely intelligent, and she learned everything immediately after being taught. Although she couldn't immediately grasp most of it, she engraved every word of Ximen Wudi's words in her mind, and she would have enough time to understand them later.

After Ximen Wudi finished teaching, the sun had completely set behind the mountains. Summer days are quite long, and although the sun had set, it hadn't immediately become dark. Although the light on the mountainside was gradually dimming, it was still possible to see the surrounding objects clearly.

Hua Rong silently recited the magic knowledge and incantations again, and practiced the hand gestures for a while to make sure she wouldn't forget them. Then she said to Ximen Wudi, 'Thank you for teaching Rong'er, Father. By the way, Father, did you also get the 'True Dragon Treasure Mirror' from the Ying family?'"

Ximen Wudi nodded and said, "'True Dragon Treasure Mirror' was hidden with Tiger Roar. When I obtained Tiger Roar, I naturally took 'True Dragon Treasure Mirror' along with it." Hua

Rong asked, "You said 'True Dragon Treasure Mirror' isn't a martial arts manual, but a formula for making medicine men. The Ying family guards are unparalleled in martial arts and are immortal monsters. If our sect could also make a batch of medicine men, wouldn't conquering the world be a piece of cake?"

Ximen Wudi shook his head and said, "Medicine men aren't so easy to make. The Ying family can only make one medicine man every ten years, and they don't live past thirty. After being made, they can only be used for seven or eight years at most. Where would we find so much time to make them now?"

Hua Rong said thoughtfully, "Oh, is that so... Then, could we use top-tier experts to refine the medicine puppets? Our sect has no shortage of top-tier experts among its disciples. If we use them to refine the medicine puppets, would it be faster?"

Ximen Wudi nodded and said, "That's not a bad idea, but it's worth a try. However, if we use our own disciples to refine the medicine puppets, it might cause dissatisfaction among them!"

Hua Rong smiled and said, "Those who achieve great things don't concern themselves with trifles. Our sect has so many disciples, and quite a few top-tier experts. We can simply have them secretly disappear and announce to the outside world that we've let..." "They've gone out on official business. Anyway, things are chaotic right now, and our disciples are lurking in various rebel armies. Who can possibly investigate them all?"

Ximen Wudi said, "Well, it wouldn't hurt to try. Even if we don't succeed, it's not a big deal. Alright, we'll do as you say. However, the requirements for the medicinal materials for making the medicine mannequin are quite demanding. Our sect's medicine storehouse might not be able to find all the ingredients, so we'll have to spend time searching. This trial medicine mannequin will probably have to wait a while. Alright, it's getting dark, let's go back!"

Hua Rong hurriedly said, "Father, let me help you!" Saying that, she stood up first and reached out to help Ximen Wudi.

This time, Ximen Wudi did not refuse her. He smiled and stood up with Hua Rong's help. As soon as he stood up, he swayed twice, his face suddenly turned pale, his pupils contracted sharply, and two drops of blood dripped from his nose.

He shook his head with a wry smile, saying, "I really... raised a good daughter!"

Hua Rong smiled sweetly, took a few steps back, turned her head to look at Ximen Wudi, and said sweetly, "If Rong'er isn't Father's good daughter, then who is? Doesn't Father always say that life is lonely? If you were here with Grandma, Mother, and Brother, wouldn't Father not feel lonely? Rong'er is only thinking of Father!"

Ximen Wudi coughed weakly twice, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. He touched his left rib, where a dagger, fully inserted to the hilt, was clearly embedded. Judging from the position, the dagger had pierced through his soft rib, breaking through Ximen Wudi's heart!

Ximen Wudi slumped to the ground, looking at Hua Rong, and shook his head, saying, "Rong'er... your scheming... is truly profound and ruthless... even my two lifetimes of experience... cannot compare to yours..."

Hua Rong laughed, "Father, please don't say such laughable things. Two lifetimes of experience? Rong'er thinks you've become confused from practicing your skills!"

Ximen Wudi said, "You don't believe me? Then... magic... how do you explain that?"

Hua Rong said, "It's just a strange skill! Magic? Hmm, perhaps it really is magic! The demon's spell, hehe, that title is quite fitting! Now Rong'er has learned your magic too. Once you die, Tiger Roar and the 'True Dragon Treasure Mirror'..." It will also fall into Rong'er's hands. The power of this sect will be easily within Rong'er's grasp. Father, please rest assured, Rong'er will fulfill your last wish. The Great Qin Empire will surely be destroyed by Rong'er's own hand. As for slaughtering all the people of the Central Plains… hehe, Rong'er is also a person of the Central Plains, so on this point, Rong'er cannot comply.”

Ximen Wudi smiled bitterly, his eyes gradually losing their light, and murmured, “After I die… bury me with… my wife and children… this loneliness… will no longer… be tasted alone…”

His voice gradually faded, Ximen Wudi sat on the ground, his head slowly drooping, his gaze finally completely dimming. A generation of heroes had finally died silently here.

Hua Rong stared blankly at Ximen Wudi's corpse sitting on the ground, a sudden, inexplicable sadness rising in her heart, her nose stinging, almost bringing tears to her eyes. But then joy dispelled that sadness; with Ximen Wudi dead, she no longer needed to use charm to bewitch people; with just the power of the tiger's roar and magic, she could control the Demonic Sect.

What could be more pleasurable than wielding absolute power? Even if she was just a woman, the experience of being an empress must be quite fascinating, right?

She circled Ximen Wudi's corpse a few times, muttering to herself, "I wonder if the 'True Dragon Treasure Mirror' can use a recently deceased corpse to create a medicine mannequin? Hmm, I remember one of the spells you taught me, which seems to keep a corpse warm and prevent decay. Anyway, those medicine mannequins are living dead, I wonder if I could also create one for you?"

※ ※ ※ ※

Tianjing City, late at night, the Song family mansion.

The Third Young Master looked at Song Qing, who sat emaciated before Song Wu's coffin, and said with heartache, "Qing'er, eat something and rest! You haven't eaten or drunk anything all day, how can your body withstand such torment?"

Song Qing ignored the Third Young Master, staring blankly at Song Wu's coffin.

The Third Young Master shook his head and sighed, "Qing'er, the dead cannot be brought back to life. What's the use of being sad? I believe your father in heaven wouldn't want to see you like this. Qing'er, if you want to cry, just cry it out. Don't bottle it up inside; it will harm your health."

Since hearing the news of Song Wu's death, Song Qing hadn't shed a single tear. No matter how loudly others cried, she remained motionless. Her state only made others more worried.

Jin Guixian, one of the surviving members of the Five Friends of Lingnan, walked sadly to the Third Young Master's side and said softly, "Young Master Qin, you've been here all afternoon. Qing'er hasn't eaten or drunk anything, and neither have you. Go and rest for a while, have something to eat, and let me keep Qing'er company."

The Third Young Master shook his head and said, "Old Master Jin, you should go and rest. I'd better stay here with Qing'er. I won't leave until she cries."

Jin Guixian sighed, shook his head, and walked out of the mourning hall. How could his feelings be any better than Song Qing's? Now that the Song family has no male heirs, as Song Wu's only surviving friend, he could only suppress his grief and help the widows with their funeral arrangements.

The Third Young Master walked to Song Qing's side and said softly, "Qing'er, you've also experienced death, why are you still so unable to let go of it? Your father was an upright man; he will surely be reborn into a good family in his next life, or even become a god. Why torture yourself like this?"

Song Qing finally moved her eyes. She turned to look at the Third Young Master and said in a hoarse voice, "Really...?"

The Third Young Master nodded and said, "You yourself have seen the judge of the underworld; reincarnation is indeed possible."

Song Qing said, "But... but... I still can't bear it..." As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes. "Lend me your shoulder..."

The Third Young Master opened his arms, and Song Qing threw herself into his embrace, bursting into tears that instantly soaked his chest.

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