Rebirth of a Stunning Beauty (Complete) - 26

~Chapter 5 Dragon Swimming in Shallow Water, Section 3~

"What, do you have a problem with that?" Hua Rong raised her head and glanced at Yi Jingjing.

Yi Jingjing waved her hands repeatedly: "No problem, no problem, it's just..."

"Just what?" Hua Rong said, "Don't you think highly of Qin Ren? Don't you like him?"

Yi Jingjing lowered her head and whispered, "It's just that Qin Ren is Your Excellency's man. How could Jingjing dare, how could she dare to share the same man with Your Excellency?"

Hua Rong said, "It's alright. Qin Ren is ambitious. If we let him go back, he will surely bring disaster to our sect. But if we kill him, it will be a waste of talent. We must keep him under our control and make him work for us. I have to deal with important military and national affairs every day and don't have much time to spend with him, so I can only entrust this task to you and Yi Fei." "You two are the most promising candidates for Holy Maiden in our sect. Although you haven't practiced the seductive techniques you've learned, the two of you working together should be able to bewitch Qin Ren and make him linger, which shouldn't be a problem."

Yi Jingjing said, "Does Your Majesty mean that your disciple and Senior Sister Liu should bewitch Qin Ren, making him addicted to the allure of gentle pleasures and unwilling to leave, so that he can serve Your Majesty?"

Hua Rong nodded and said, "That's exactly right. If the two of you aren't enough, you can go to the Bewitching Heart Sect to select outstanding disciples. I don't believe that Qin Ren has the ability to escape from the allure of the Bewitching Heart Sect disciples!"

※ ※ ※ ※

Dinner time.

"Why didn't you kill me?" The Third Young Master sat at the table, staring intently at Hua Rong. A table full of food and wine was laid out in front of him, but the Third Young Master didn't touch his chopsticks.

Yi Jingjing and Liu Yifei sat on either side of the Third Young Master. Liu Yifei ate her food in small bites without making a sound, while Yi Jingjing would occasionally put food into the Third Young Master's bowl. Before long, the food in the Third Young Master's bowl was piled up like a small mountain.

Hua Rong took a sip of her light wine and looked at the Third Young Master calmly, saying, "Why would I kill you?"

"Didn't you say you wanted to kill me and turn me into a medicine puppet to stay by your side?"

Hua Rong smiled. "But wouldn't it be better to keep you alive and by my side?"

The Third Young Master said, "Aren't you afraid I'll escape after I recover?"

Hua Rong said, "You won't be able to escape after you're injured. I've already subdued you with my unique method—a unique method, you know!"

The Third Young Master nodded and said, "I know. The method you used wasn't acupressure, because if it were, I have at least a thousand ways to break free. What you used must be some kind of magical restriction, right?"

Hua Rong smiled and said, "I didn't expect you to be so knowledgeable, even knowing about magical restrictions."

The Third Young Master smiled smugly and said, "Of course. I'm learned and knowledgeable; what don't I know? But have you considered that even though you've subdued my power, I still have a way to escape?"

"You can't escape," Hua Rong said confidently. "From today onwards, Yi Fei and Jing Jing will serve you closely. Although Jing Jing's martial arts are poor, Yi Fei's are very powerful. Besides, with your internal energy suppressed, even if Jing Jing's martial arts are weak, she can still beat you. You don't have the ability to escape from their surveillance."

The Third Young Master chuckled and said, "Sending two pretty girls to monitor me, are you trying to wear down my fighting spirit? Aren't you afraid I'll do something to them?"

Hua Rong said, "Oh? You can still do something to them now?" "What is it?"

the Third Young Master said smugly. "Although my martial arts are suppressed and I don't have any aphrodisiacs or sleeping pills on me, with my flirting experience and seductive skills, these two little girls might not be able to resist!"

Hua Rong nodded and said, "It's alright, Third Young Master, you can do whatever you want. Anyway, Rong'er has already decided to give these two girls to you as your concubines. Since they are your people, they will naturally be obedient to you. Apart from helping you escape, they will grant you any request you make."

"Including sleeping with me?"

Hua Rong laughed. "Of course. Although Yi Fei and Jing Jing are still virgins, the disciples of the Bewitching Heart Sect have been learning how to please men since childhood. Their skills in bed are absolutely superb, guaranteed to make you feel like you're in heaven. You'll never find the naivety of a virgin in them."

The Third Young Master sighed and said, "Rong'er, you're so good to me. How can I ever repay you?"

Hua Rong said, "I'm already satisfied as long as you don't oppose me. How could Rong'er dare to ask for anything in return?"

The Third Young Master said, "How about this, you lift my restrictions, and I'll help you fight and kill? I swear on my honor that I will never run away!"

Hua Rong laughed and said, "Does the Third Young Master think of Rong'er as a three-year-old? After lifting the restrictions, the Third Young Master will probably run away immediately." "You 're so shameless! With Third Young Master's unparalleled lightness skill, how could Rong'er possibly catch up with him? As for Third Young Master's reputation, do you think Rong'er would be foolish enough to believe someone who has never had a reputation?"

Third Young Master said with a pained expression, "Rong'er, you've misunderstood me! Actually, I'm a person of my word, I would never go back on my promise! If you don't believe my reputation, I'll swear on the reputations of my father, my eldest brother, and my second brother, how about that?"

Hua Rong shook her head and laughed, "Third Young Master, you're too fond of joking. What right does someone who has no reputation of their own have to swear on the reputations of others?"

Third Young Master shook his head dejectedly and smiled bitterly, "It seems I'm truly a failure as a person... Rong'er, how long do you intend to keep me under house arrest?"

Hua Rong said calmly, "Until you are truly willing to help me."

"What if I refuse to help you?"

"Then I'll keep you under house arrest until I pacify the world. Don't worry, if I ascend the throne, I will make you my empress."

"Heavens..." the Third Young Master groaned, "Then wouldn't I be your male concubine for life? Wouldn't I be a helpless, gigolo who lives off his wife for the rest of my life?"

"The rice is too hard; it's uncomfortable to chew. Sometimes, you have to try eating soft rice. Once you get used to it, you'll find that soft rice is actually quite delicious." Hua Rong smiled mischievously, then drank another glass of wine and said, "I'm full. You guys eat slowly."

The Third Young Master said with great pride, "No, I won't eat! Damn it, I'm the only one who supports women. How can I let women support me? I'd rather starve myself to death!"

Hua Rong chuckled and said, "Stop fooling around, Ren. You're not a child anymore; you should know how to assess the situation. Alright, I still have a lot of official documents waiting for me to review. I'll go to work now. Yi Fei, Jing Jing, after you finish eating, accompany the Third Young Master to take a bath. As for tonight's activities, let the Third Young Master arrange them."

With that, Hua Rong strode out of the dining room.

The Third Young Master glared angrily at Hua Rong's retreating figure, his face filled with grief and indignation. "I never imagined I, Qin Ren, would be... a dragon stranded in shallow water, mocked by shrimp!"

Yi Jingjing looked at the Third Young Master and asked with a grin, "Third Young Master, are you still going to eat?"

"Nonsense!" The Third Young Master angrily picked up his chopsticks, saying, "Who am I supposed to show this to if I don't eat? To you? Do you even know how to feel sorry for your young master?" While muttering indignantly, the Third Young Master ate and drank heartily.

Yi Jingjing chuckled, saying, "Weren't you so spirited just now, saying you'd rather starve yourself to death than eat? How come you're eating so heartily now?"

The Third Young Master glanced at Yi Jingjing and said, "Starving myself is never the goal, just a means. Since starving myself can't achieve my goal, I can only choose to stop and think of another way."

※ ※ ※ ※

This is a very large natural bathing pool.

This was originally a hot spring, but it was later seized by the magistrate of Dingzhou City and incorporated into the Dingzhou government office. A magnificent bathhouse was built to isolate the hot spring from the outside world, making it the exclusive property of the magistrate's family.

After Hua Rong conquered Dingzhou City, the hot spring naturally became her private property.

Now, the Third Young Master was preparing to bathe in this bath.

He stood in front of the screen beside the bath, arms outstretched, body in a cross shape, while Liu Yifei and Yi Jingjing were helping him undress.

"I've tried 1,982 times, but I still haven't succeeded," the Third Young Master suddenly said.

"Oh? What could possibly make you try 1,982 times and still fail?" Yi Jingjing asked with a smile.

The Third Young Master said sadly, "I want to make Yifei laugh, but I can never succeed. Can you tell me how to make her laugh?"

Yi Jingjing chuckled and said, "The Third Young Master has seen countless women and is the number one lecher in the world. He has a lot of experience dealing with girls. Even the Third Young Master can't make Yifei laugh, so how would anyone know?"

"But you are Yifei's junior sister, you studied under the same master, and you are also a girl. You should know a little about her feelings. You should know how to make her laugh."

Yi Jingjing thought for a moment and said, "I've only seen Senior Sister Liu laugh once, and that time was..."

"Jingjing." Liu Yifei suddenly spoke up, interrupting Yi Jingjing.

Seeing Liu Yifei's frosty expression, Yi Jingjing stuck out her tongue and laughed, "I'm sorry, Third Young Master, Sister Yifei is angry. It's her secret, and she doesn't want to tell you! If anyone tells her, Sister Yifei will cut out their tongue."

The Third Young Master said, "What can't she tell me? Jingjing, just tell me, I want to see what Yifei dares to do to you! Hey, don't forget, your sect leader has already personally promised to give you to me, to be completely obedient to me, and to listen to everything I say. If you dare to disobey me, be careful, I'll go and complain to your sect leader!"

Yi Jingjing glanced at Liu Yifei, then shook her head and said, "Third Young Master, Jingjing doesn't dare to make this decision on her own. If you want to know ..." "Why don't you go ask Sister Yifei yourself?"

The Third Young Master nodded, smiling at Liu Yifei, and said, "Yifei, you should tell me yourself. What was the reason you laughed the only time you ever laughed?"

Liu Yifei was silent for a moment, then said, "You really want to know?"

The Third Young Master nodded and said, "Of course."

Liu Yifei said, "I laughed because I personally castrated a man, slowly slicing off his genitals like cucumber slices, one slice at a time. It took a total of one hundred and eight slices to completely castrate him. Watching him die in agony made me very happy, so I laughed."

The Third Young Master immediately showed a rather strange expression. He glanced back at Yi Jingjing, who nodded firmly, her expression also somewhat strange.

"Haha, Yifei, you really know how to undress people!" The Third Young Master took a step back. Liu Yifei was responsible for helping him take off his pants, and now his pants were basically off, leaving only his underwear. "I won't trouble you with the rest, I can do it myself, yes, myself."

Holding his underwear tightly, the Third Young Master whispered to Yi Jingjing, "Jingjing, does Yifei have a penchant for castrating men?"

Yi Jingjing smiled and whispered, "No, not at all. The man that Senior Sister Liu castrated was her biological father. Senior Sister Liu's father was a rogue, extremely lecherous. When Senior Sister was nine years old, he took a fancy to her and tried to rape her. Fortunately, Senior Sister's mother desperately stopped him, and Senior Sister was able to escape. However, Senior Sister's mother was beaten to death by him. Later, Senior Sister joined our sect, and after mastering her skills, she sought revenge on her father. Those 108 cuts were truly exhilarating!"

The Third Young Master suddenly understood and said, "I see, then..." "It's not that Yifei is bloodthirsty."

Liu Yifei said coldly, "Don't think I can't hear you just because you're whispering. Jingjing, if you dare to say another word, I'll cut off your tongue!"

Yi Jingjing stuck out her tongue and said, "I wouldn't dare, Senior Sister, I still want to keep my tongue to taste more delicious food!"

The Third Young Master also said, "That's right, Jingjing hasn't even used her tongue to massage my little brother yet, how can you cut off her tongue?"

Yi Jingjing's pretty face immediately turned red, and she pressed herself against the Third Young Master, rubbing her not-too-small breasts against his smooth chest, and said softly, "Third Young Master, I like your frank lecherousness. I'll serve you well later, you can do whatever you want me to do..."

The Third Young Master laughed heartily and said, "Of course, of course. Hmm, my two beauties, come and have a good bath with me now!" After saying that, the Third Young Master put one arm around each of them and jumped into the bath, splashing water everywhere.

"Oh, Third Young Master, how can you do this? I haven't even taken my clothes off yet!" Yi Jingjing exuded seductive charm, her slender hands roaming over the Third Young Master's body. Liu Yifei remained silent

and began to undress herself .

The Third Young Master laughed heartily, splashing around in the water while taking advantage of the two women, making Yi Jingjing giggle, while Liu Yifei remained as cold as ice.

Before long, all three people in the bath were naked. The Third Young Master shamelessly admired the two women's flawless bodies, kneading them with his large hands. Under his skillful teasing, Yi Jingjing soon blushed and let out soft moans.

Liu Yifei's body was also sensitive, but her self-control was much better than Yi Jingjing's; her cheeks only slightly flushed. She gently rubbed her body against the Third Young Master, teasing his sensitive areas while simultaneously teasing his own. Her beautiful figure was extremely alluring, yet her face remained holy.

“Third Young Master, let Jingjing give you a massage…” Yi Jingjing breathed into the Third Young Master’s ear, the warm air sending a shiver down his spine.

Yi Jingjing stuck out her tongue, first lightly licking his earlobe a few times, then moving her tongue down his neck to his chest, and then to his lower abdomen. Finally, she submerged her head in the water, touching the inside of his thighs for a while, then swallowing and releasing his full scrotum several times, finally slowly moving upwards along the vibrant, erect member, taking the throbbing head into her mouth. An

electric, tingling sensation coursed through his body, and the Third Young Master let out a long, wolf-like howl: “Ah…it feels so good…”

※ ※ ※ ※

At breakfast time, the Third Young Master met with Hua Rong again in the dining room.

Breakfast consisted of lotus seed soup and osmanthus cake. The Third Young Master sipped the fragrant porridge and ate heartily the sweet, melt-in-your-mouth osmanthus cake, all the while smiling at Hua Rong.

"How did you sleep last night?" Hua Rong asked, smiling at the Third Young Master.

"Very well!" the Third Young Master laughed. "Yi Fei and Jing Jing truly live up to their reputation as candidates for Saintess; their skills are indeed superb, making me feel like I was in heaven!"

Hua Rong glanced at Liu Yi Fei and Yi Jing Jing beside the Third Young Master. One was expressionless, the other completely indifferent, even with a playful grin. It seemed that the women of the Demonic Sect viewed matters of the heart quite casually.

"Since you've been driven to ecstasy, why are they still virgins?"

The Third Young Master chuckled. "You don't understand. What I'm pursuing now isn't just simple, direct intercourse, but a higher level of enjoyment. Hmm, actually, massage is quite comfortable too. The feeling of massaging with the tongue and breasts, hey, it's indescribable. Rong'er, do you want to try it? I learned quite a few moves from them last night!" Hua

Rong said, "I'm well-versed in our sect's seductive arts, so I naturally know the wonders of it. Rong'er also wants to experience the Third Young Master's methods, but unfortunately, Rong'er is tied up with official duties and simply doesn't have the extra time."

"That won't do. You need to balance work and rest! Rong'er, don't overwork yourself, or I'll be worried about you."

"Thank you for your concern, Third Young Master." Hua Rong smiled and said, "Third Young Master, now you know all the benefits of following Rong'er, right? Rong'er will never be like ordinary women, getting jealous for no reason. If you like beautiful women, Third Young Master, Rong'er can give you countless beauties. All you need is for Third Young Master to think of Rong'er when you have free time. How about it? With such lenient conditions, would Third Young Master be willing to help Rong'er conquer the world?"

The Third Young Master thought for a moment and said, "I'd rather not. If the world were all in my hands, wouldn't I be able to take any beautiful woman I wanted? I wouldn't have to trouble you."

Hua Rong looked regretful upon hearing this, but then the Third Young Master added, "However, I could consider joining the Demonic Sect first."

~Chapter Five: Dragon Swimming in Shallow Waters, Section Four~

Hua Rong was overjoyed and asked, "You plan to join the Demonic Sect?"

The Third Young Master nodded and said, "That's right. I really want to join the Demonic

Sect now." Hua Rong smiled and said, "Sure, you can join anytime you want."

The Third Young Master said, "But let me make this clear beforehand, I'm joining the Demonic Sect purely to freeload. Hmm, because the Bewitching Heart Sect is full of beauties, I think it's very promising, so..."

Hua Rong said with a slight disappointment, "So you want to hang out with the female disciples of the Bewitching Heart Sect, right?"

The Third Young Master nodded and said, "Gathering all the beauties in the world is my lifelong wish. Hmm, you were originally the Holy Maiden of the Demonic Sect and the Sect Master of the Bewitching Heart Sect, but now you've become the Supreme of the Demonic Sect, and it would be too busy for you to also be the Sect Master of the Bewitching Heart Sect. How about this, when I join the Demonic Sect, I won't be a Vice Sect Master or a Great Protector or anything like that, you can just let me be the Sect Master of the Bewitching Heart Sect."

“But the sect leader of the Bewitching Heart Sect has always been the sect’s Holy Maiden,” Hua Rong said, somewhat frustrated.

“Isn’t the Holy Maiden of this generation yet to be chosen?” the Third Young Master said earnestly. “Rong’er, you need to learn to delegate. You can’t hold all the power in your own hands and handle everything by yourself. You must learn to cultivate the abilities of your subordinates, letting them develop the ability to handle things independently. If you always take everything into your own hands, won’t your subordinates gradually become incompetent? Losing the ability to work independently, they will only follow orders. What if one day your orders fail to be conveyed? Wouldn’t they become headless flies, bumping around everywhere?”

Hua Rong nodded and said, “What you said makes sense, but…”

"No buts," the Third Young Master said seriously. "I'm not saying it's reasonable, I'm saying it's the truth. Governing the world is not the same as governing a sect. Even if your Demonic Sect is as powerful as it is, it only has a few hundred thousand people. You can concentrate all the power in your hands, and your subordinates just need to obey orders. But governing the world still requires a bit of art. Think about it, the world is so big, can you handle all the affairs of the world? Right now, you don't have much territory or troops, so it's not too troublesome to handle things. But in the future, as your territory gradually expands and you control more and more troops and people, can you handle so many complicated official duties by yourself? I'm afraid even if you exhaust yourself, you can't handle everything properly, can you?"

"But if we follow your suggestion and delegate power to our subordinates, letting them do things on their own, what if they develop disloyal intentions?"

"Use both kindness and severity, both soft and hard tactics. Anyone who dares to harbor disloyal thoughts will be executed without mercy, as a warning to others." The Third Young Master patiently guided her: "Balance power, encourage your subordinates to form factions, incite them to compete with each other, and you will act as a balancer. Support whichever side is weaker to attack the other, and when the other side weakens, support them instead. This will ensure that your subordinates always see you as their strongest backing, and dare not and cannot sideline you. You will have an elite force that is absolutely loyal to you to handle emergencies."

Hua Rong nodded repeatedly, saying, "Your method seems quite good. Is this how emperors manage their subordinates?"

The Third Young Master replied, "Of course." Having studied philosophy in his previous life and watched many palace dramas, although he had never personally used these tricks, he spoke eloquently about the theory. While Hua Rong was exceptionally talented, her methods of managing subordinates relied more on bewitching and iron-fisted suppression, firmly grasping all power and personally handling everything, big or small.

Those who micromanage are historically prone to aging and dying young, and their subordinates are often incompetent and useless. Truly skilled emperors, on the other hand, are adept at balancing the power among their ministers, fostering competition and recognizing each minister's abilities. Ordinary matters can be handled by their ministers.

Such emperors typically live very long lives and have ample time to cultivate hobbies such as traveling, womanizing, fighting, and gambling.

Hua Rong looked at the Third Young Master warily and said, "You've said so much, just to get me to relinquish power. To be honest, are you plotting something? You want me to join the sect first, then entrust you with important responsibilities, so you can seize power and sow discord within the sect?"

The Third Young Master said with a face full of grief and indignation, "Rong'er, I meant well, how can you doubt me like this? You don't trust others, but don't you trust me? You should know that in this world, only I am truly sincere towards you!"

Hua Rong chuckled and said, "Third Young Master, in this world, only you are the one Rong'er dares not trust the most!"

The Third Young Master was speechless.

※ ※ ※ ※

"I don't want to say, I'm very kind~~~ I don't want to say, I'm very pure..."

In the Qin Mansion courtyard of Tianjing City, Qiao Wei stood in the courtyard, slowly practicing his boxing while humming a song.

Uncle Li walked past Qiao Wei, listened for a while, and said, "Old Qiao, did you learn this song? The lyrics are awfully awful."

Qiao Wei replied, "Of course, Third Young Master taught me. I actually think the lyrics are quite good. Listen—'I don't want to say, I'm very kind~~ I don't want to say, I'm very pure…'"

Uncle Li scoffed, "Even if Third Young Master said he was pure, no one would believe him! Damn it, I think the lyrics should be changed to 'I dare not say, I'm very pure'!"

Qiao Wei thought for a moment and nodded, "That's right, it sounds much more fitting that way. Old Li, I never expected you…" "He even has some artistic talent!"

Uncle Li nodded smugly and said, "After all, before I, Old Li, joined the Demonic Sect, I did attend an art school for a few days... Alright, Old Qiao, stop rambling. You said the Third Young Master has been gone from Tianjing City for so long, without a single word these past few days, could something have happened to him?"

Qiao Wei said, "What could possibly happen to the Third Young Master? He's unparalleled in martial arts and incredibly intelligent, who could possibly harm him?"

Uncle Li said, "That's not necessarily true. Seven days ago, didn't Long Yin break free of his seal and fly south? Not long after, Long Yin flew back, and there's been no movement from him these past few days..."

"Is everything alright?" Qiao Wei asked hesitantly. "The Third Young Master summoned Dragon's Roar, which means he must have encountered a very strong enemy. But Dragon's Roar has already gone once. If the Third Young Master wears Dragon's Roar, who in the world can deal with him? After Dragon's Roar finishes killing, it will naturally fly back. These days, the Third Young Master hasn't encountered any enemies worthy of him wearing Dragon's Roar, so he hasn't summoned Dragon's Roar!"

Uncle Li said, "The Third Young Master's trip was to seduce the Nine Yin Saintess and assassinate Ximen Wudi. The day he summoned Dragon's Roar, he might have been killing Ximen Wudi. But if he really has finished killing, then the Third Young Master should have returned by now. Why hasn't he replied yet?"

Qiao Wei thought for a moment and said, "Could the Third Young Master be enjoying his time with the Nine Yin Saintess? You know his character. Once he hooks up with a beautiful woman, he'll definitely linger. In addition, the Demonic Sect's Bewitching Heart Sect is full of beauties. If he hooks up with the Nine Yin Saintess, the Nine Yin Saintess might offer the entire Bewitching Heart Sect as part of her dowry. The Third Young Master is too busy to handle it all, so..."

"A shocking secret!" A strange roar interrupted Qiao Wei's words. The two elders looked in the direction of the sound and saw Tie Jian waving a piece of white paper, leaping and bounding into the courtyard, shouting loudly, "A shocking secret!"

The two elders grabbed Tie Jian, who was acting like he was having an epileptic seizure, and asked, "What is it, young master?"

Tie Jian unfolded the paper and said, "Look for yourselves!"

Qiao Wei and Uncle Li looked closely and saw two large headlines on the paper: "Warm congratulations to Qin Ren, the third young master of Xiaoyao Manor, for joining the Holy Gate; warm congratulations to Qin Ren for being appointed as the vice sect leader, grand elder, and sect leader of the Bewitching Heart Sect of the Holy Gate."

Qiao Wei and Uncle Li exchanged a glance, and Qiao Wei said, "The Demonic Sect has changed its name to 'Holy Gate' now? Damn it, they've learned to put on a show for prostitutes?"

The text read: "Qin Ren is the third young master of Xiaoyao Manor." Qin Xiaoyao, the father, known as "The Hand That Covers the Sky," once led the righteous martial arts world of Jiangnan and was hailed as the number one master in Jiangnan, highly respected for his virtue and talent. However, in his old age, he lost his morals and went astray, becoming the prime minister of the pseudo-Qin dynasty. His mother, Tie Ling'er, is the lord of the Iron-Blooded Howling Sky Fortress, currently a general of the pseudo-Qin dynasty, and the younger sister of "Iron-Transforming Hand" Tie Kongshan. His eldest brother, Qin Feng, known as "Grandmaster of the Heavenly Sword," pioneered the Heavenly Sword style and is currently the Minister of Justice of the pseudo-Qin dynasty. His second brother, Qin Lei, known as "Invincible Overlord Blade," is currently the Minister of War of the pseudo-Qin dynasty. Renjun comes from a family with profound learning and was blessed with exceptional talent from a young age. His martial arts skills are extraordinary, and he is a person of both virtue and talent, and even more so... With a heart full of concern for the world and its people, he resolutely severed ties with his relatives, abandoned darkness for light, and joined our Holy Gate. By the grace of our Holy Gate Master, Hua Rong, he has been appointed as the Vice Master of the Holy Gate, Grand Elder, and Sect Master of the Bewitching Heart Sect, concurrently serving as Commander of the Iron Army Battalion, leading ten thousand Iron Cavalry. He vows to assist the Holy Gate Master, Hua Rong, in pacifying the world, restoring order to chaos, and bringing peace and prosperity to the people! The investiture ceremony will be held on August 15th in Dingzhou City, and we sincerely welcome guests from all directions.

Qiao Wei and Uncle Li exchanged another glance. Uncle Li murmured, "Third Young Master… his attempt at seduction failed, and he's fallen for her scheme instead!"

Qiao Wei suddenly… "No! Things might not be that simple! Look, the Demonic Sect leader isn't Ximen Wudi, but Hua Rong!"

Uncle Li asked. "What exactly happened? Could it be that the Third Young Master's assassination of Ximen Wudi actually allowed the Nine Yin Saintess, Hua Rong, to seize power and become the Demonic Sect leader?"

Qiao Wei nodded. "Very likely! But how did the Third Young Master join the Demonic Sect? There must be a hidden story!"

Tie Jian chimed in, "Isn't it simple? That brat Aren is a womanizer. He killed Ximen Wudi, but he's hopelessly infatuated with the Nine Yin Saintess. Now he's simply joined the Demonic Sect. What did he do? " "Vice Sect Master, Grand Elder, Sect Master of the Bewitching Heart Sect, Commander of the First Battalion of the Iron Cavalry."

Qiao Wei shook his head and said, "Although the Third Young Master lacks backbone, he would never submit to a woman. I believe the Third Young Master must have encountered something he can't resolve. Young Master, where did you find this notice?"

Tie Jian said, "It's plastered all over Tianjing City! It wasn't there last night, but this morning, notices like this are posted everywhere in the city."

Uncle Li said in a deep voice, "It must have been done by people from the Demonic Sect who infiltrated Tianjing City! Damn it, they're doing this to..." "Disrupting the morale of our troops and the people!"

Qiao Wei nodded and said, "Exactly! Alright, Lao Li, let's go to Dingzhou City now to investigate. Let's see if it's really as this notice says, that some ridiculous conferment ceremony will be held on the fifteenth of August."

Uncle Li thought for a moment and said, "I guess the Third Young Master might have been seriously injured after successfully assassinating Ximen Wudi and was captured by Hua Rong. He might be imprisoned in the dungeon now, suffering severe torture!"

Qiao Wei said, "That should be the case! Lao Li, let's not delay, let's move out now!"

Uncle Li said, "Wait, Lao Qiao..." "Wouldn't it be too hasty for just the two of us to go? Should we report to the master and ask him to send more men?"

Qiao Wei shook his head and said, "Tianjing City is in dire need of reconstruction. Everyone at Ironblood Howling Sky Fortress and Carefree Manor has something to do. Even girls like Xiao Ye have been assigned tasks. Even Miss Qing, who is ill, has to assist the Ministry of War in drawing blueprints for new weapons. Where would anyone have free time?"

Tie Jian suddenly pointed to his nose and said, "Isn't I very free?"

Qiao Wei glanced at Tie Jian and said, "You're too big, your appearance is unusual, and your lightness skill is poor." "It's too conspicuous. We'll be watched as soon as we enter Dingzhou City. Taking you there will only expose our whereabouts."

Tie Jian said with great frustration, "But my martial arts are superb. I've already mastered the Iron Hand Divine Skill to the thirty-first level!"

Uncle Li patted Tie Jian's shoulder and said, "A general like you is meant for conquering cities and seizing strongholds. Using you for secret infiltration is a waste of your talents."

Tie Jian nodded proudly and said, "That's right. Brother Wei, Uncle Li's art of language is far superior to yours."

Qiao Wei scoffed and said, "Alright, Old Li, let's not waste any more time. Let's pack up and get out of the city right away!"

※ ※ ※ ※

The worried Qiao Wei and Uncle Li didn't know that the Third Young Master, whom they thought was suffering torture in the dungeon, was currently lying in the arms of a beautiful woman, enjoying a full-body massage, eating fresh fruit fed to him by her cherry-like mouth, and watching the seductive dance of the Bewitching Heart Sect's female disciples.

"Is it comfortable, Third Young Master?" Yi Jingjing, with an ice cube in her mouth, massaged a certain congested area of Third Young Master's body with her tongue for a while, then looked up at him tenderly and asked softly.

Third Young Master nodded and said, "It's time to change to hot water."

※ ※ ※ ※

"Damn it, it's so hot, I really want a drink of cool water." Qiao Wei, who was traveling under the blazing sun, looked at the scorching sun overhead and said helplessly.

The water in his leather bag was empty, and there wasn't a single river within a hundred miles, so there was no way to refill his water supply. Qiao Wei and Uncle Li cursed the damned weather while urging their listless horses, hoping to find a tea stall selling herbal tea by the roadside as soon as possible.

"Hey Old Qiao, can your 'time waits for no one' turn the sky above us into winter for now?" Uncle Li suddenly had a whimsical idea.

Qiao Wei rolled his eyes and said weakly, "Old Li, are you stupid? We're practicing martial arts left behind by immortals, that's true, but we're not immortals after all! Damn it, time waits for no one, freezing time is already the limit, you want me to turn this day into winter, why don't you ask me to conjure up ice for you?"

Uncle Li shook his head and said, "Sigh, if only I had practiced the 'Mystic Ice Finger,' although I couldn't conjure up ice, I could still poke myself a few times and cool down a bit..."

※ ※ ※ ※

"Hmm, the 'Mystic Ice Finger' massage is quite effective." The Third Young Master, enjoying Liu Yifei's 'Mystic Ice Finger' foot massage, sighed with great satisfaction and said, "Yifei, give me a full-body massage... Hmm, not bad, not bad, Jingjing, change the ice, I'm about to reach the realm of bliss..."

※ ※ ※ ※

It was already dark.

The Third Young Master, who was slung over Liu Yifei and Yi Jingjing, was too lazy to even move his legs, so the two women carried him to the dining room.

Hua Rong was already waiting in the dining hall. Upon seeing the Third Young Master enter, she smiled and asked, "Third Young Master, how did it feel to be the Sect Master of the Bewitching Heart Sect for a day?"

The Third Young Master nodded vigorously, "Excellent! Ah, playing with three thousand beauties a day, I wouldn't mind being a member of the Demonic Sect forever… Rong'er, you're so good to me! However, my power is limited; I can only handle seven women at most. Any more and I'll die from exhaustion. Could you consider lifting my restrictions so I can truly indulge in my desires?"

Hua Rong smiled slightly and said, "Why the rush, Third Young Master? When the time is right, Rong'er will lift the restrictions on you. Take a look, this is the announcement to the world that you've joined our sect."

The Third Young Master took the announcement, read it word by word, and after a long silence, asked, "Have you posted this announcement?"

Hua Rong nodded and said, "All important cities, all cities where our sect's disciples exist, have been plastered with announcements containing the same content overnight."

The Third Young Master said, "Is it necessary to make this known to the whole world? Is it necessary to cause such a commotion? Is it really necessary?"

Hua Rong smiled and said, "Since the Third Young Master of the Qin family has joined our sect, it's natural to make it a solemn and grand occasion. Third Young Master, this is Rong'er's way of showing you respect! Third Young Master, what do you think of the content of this notice?"

The Third Young Master nodded and said, "Very good, almost identical to the actual situation. But why did you have to drag my family into this? And why did you describe the Qin Dynasty as some kind of pseudo-dynasty? The Qin Dynasty has always been the legitimate dynasty of the Central Plains!"

Hua Rong shook her head and said, "Now no one recognizes the Qin Dynasty as the legitimate dynasty. Even..." "The common people have few hearts left for Qin. The tyranny of King Ying has completely chilled their hearts. By suppressing the Qin court, we can win over the people's hearts. Ah Ren, I'm doing this for your own good. Don't be ungrateful."

The Third Young Master revealed a smile that was more like a grimace: "How could I be ungrateful? Rong'er, look at me, am I having a good time as the leader of the Bewitching Heart Sect? It's just that ceremony, can we not hold it?"

Hua Rong said: "Of course not! On the day of the ceremony, people from your Qin family and other forces will definitely come to investigate, and they will all be experts. I will catch them all in one fell swoop!"

~Chapter Six: The First Section of the Covert War~

"Dingzhou is heavily guarded. Should we disguise ourselves before entering the city?" Qiao Wei asked, frowning, looking at the Northern Frontier Army guarding the gates of Dingzhou.

"Why bother with disguises?" Uncle Li said nonchalantly, "Not every soldier in the Northern Frontier Army recognizes us."

Qiao Wei hesitated, "But there are disciples of the Demonic Sect in the Northern Frontier Army. It would be troublesome if they recognized us."

Uncle Li thought for a moment and nodded, "That makes sense. Let's change our appearance a little!" Saying that, he grabbed two handfuls of ash from the ground, smeared one on Qiao Wei's face and the other on his own, "Alright, let's go!"

"This... is that disguise?" Qiao Wei was a little puzzled.

"What else do you want?" Uncle Li spat, "Do you want me to kill two people on the spot and peel off their skin to make human skin masks? Damn it, I've never learned disguise. This level is already pretty good. I'm quite self-taught! Damn it, you just like to complain. If you're so capable, why don't you try disguising yourself for me?"

Qiao Wei remained silent and walked with his head down. Of course, the great demon Qiao had also never learned disguise...

The two great demons arrived at the gate of Dingzhou City and lined up behind the long queue of people.

Watching the people queuing to enter the city, Qiao Wei pulled a farmer in front of him aside and asked, "Brother, why do we have to queue to enter the city?"

The farmer looked at Qiao Wei strangely and said, "Don't you know that Dingzhou City has been occupied by the Holy Gate Army? The situation is so chaotic now, of course the Holy Gate Army has to be cautious to prevent spies from infiltrating."

Qiao Wei asked again, "But how does the Holy Gate Army know who the spies are?"

The farmer thought for a moment and said, "Anyone with a shifty face, a daring gaze, a slick expression, or carrying a weapon is a spy."

Qiao Wei turned his head and looked at the farmer, carefully examining him before nodding in satisfaction.

Qiao Wei thought to himself, "I, Old Qiao, have an upright and dignified appearance, and I'm unarmed, so it seems I won't be mistaken for a spy."

Uncle Li thought to himself, "I, Old Li, have delicate features and a refined, venerable air; I look like a kind and honest elder, so of course I won't be mistaken for a spy either."

After queuing for a while, everyone in front of them went into the city, and finally it was Qiao Wei and Uncle Li's turn.

Qiao Wei and Uncle Li bowed and scraped as they approached the city gate official, their faces smeared with mud and ash, their unspoken message being: "Look closely, we are both quite good-looking, we guarantee we're not spies..."

The city gate official took a step back, frowned, and said, "What are you doing? Why are you getting so close? Are you trying to disgust me to death with your ugly faces? Step back, step back!"

Qiao Wei and Uncle Li were immediately filled with indignation. Damn it, where are we ugly? But they dared not refute him. Hundreds of thousands of troops are currently stationed in Dingzhou City. If a conflict were to break out now, the two great villains might be buried here.

"Where did you two come from? What business do you have in the city?" the city gate official asked in a bureaucratic tone, striking a pose.

"Reporting to the general, my son and I are from Qingpu County. We've come to Dingzhou City to do business," Uncle Li replied, bowing and scraping.

Qiao Wei was taken aback, thinking, "When did we become father and son? Damn it, it seems that not aging has its disadvantages; at least in situations like this, that bastard Uncle Li can impersonate my father!"

"Doing business?" The city gate official sized up Qiao Wei and Uncle Li, asking suspiciously, "You two, looking so poor, can do business? Confess, are you spies sent by some powerful force?"

Qiao Wei immediately smiled obsequiously, pulled a silver note from his pocket, and stuffed it into the official's hand, saying, "Sir, the world is so chaotic, who dares to dress lavishly and let people know they're rich? My son and I are in the jade business, and we've come to Dingzhou City to buy a batch of goods..."

The official turned around, opened the silver note in his palm, and his face immediately brightened, smiling warmly, "Haha, it seems you two are truly law-abiding citizens. Please forgive my rudeness. Well, Dingzhou City is very safe now, you two can discuss business with peace of mind. By the way, if you can't find capable bodyguards to escort your goods, I know many experts who can lend you a hand... As for the price, hehe, we can discuss it..."

"Oh, thank you so much, sir!" Qiao Wei and Uncle Li thanked him repeatedly. Qiao Wei smiled, but inwardly cursed, "Damn it, a hundred taels of silver! You, this snobbish official, just gave it to me like that! Oh well, consider it pocket money from grandpa to grandson!"

"Alright, you can go in now. Remember to talk to me if you need bodyguards!"

After Qiao Wei and Uncle Li entered the city, the city gate official's enthusiastic smile suddenly vanished. He glanced at the city wall, and with a few lip movements, he mouthed a message to one of the Northern Frontier soldiers on guard: "Report to the Emperor immediately, 'Time Waits for No Man' and 'Illusionary Demon Lord' have entered the city!"

※ ※ ※ ※

Despite being under military control, Dingzhou City remained bustling and prosperous, no less so than the capital. The streets were crowded with people, and most of the shops and stalls were doing brisk business. The petty thugs that used to be common were nowhere to be seen. Under military control, the security in Dingzhou City had indeed improved considerably.

Qiao Wei and Uncle Li walked down the street. Uncle Li was still boasting about his disguise skills with great pride: "See? I told you, my disguise skills are pretty good, right? Damn it, so many Northern Frontier soldiers, not a single one recognized us!"

Qiao Wei nodded weakly and said, "Yeah, your disguise skills are very high, but if I hadn't handed over a hundred taels of silver, we would have been arrested as spies... Old Li, speaking of which, Dingzhou City is your stronghold!"

Uncle Li's lips curled up slightly, and he smiled smugly, saying, "Of course, my Thousand Gates Thieves' headquarters is located in Dingzhou City, although we've been..." " Xiaoyao Manor has been busy in the capital lately, but I haven't had a single day off from what's happening in Dingzhou. My house has been well taken care of, so we won't have to worry about food and lodging here."

Qiao Wei said, "Your disciples and grand-disciples should be quite capable of gathering intelligence, right? They should be very familiar with the current situation in Dingzhou."

Uncle Li said, "Exactly. Let's go to my house now and gather the disciples in charge of intelligence to find out the situation in the city."

Uncle Li's house was located in the west of Dingzhou. The two headed west, and Uncle Li left his unique secret marks in some inconspicuous corners as they walked, preparing to gather his disciples.

After traversing two bustling streets, as he approached the street where his residence was located, Uncle Li suddenly had a thought. He glanced casually at the second floor of a restaurant across the street. He saw a thin, middle-aged man sitting by an open window, holding a wine cup, watching him with a half-smile.

When Uncle Li's gaze fell on the thin man, the man looked away, as if his glance at Uncle Li was unintentional.

Uncle Li quickly lowered his head and whispered to Qiao Wei, "Zhou Lingfei, the head of the Zhou family of Lianyun."

Qiao Wei nodded and looked towards the window. From his angle, besides the thin middle-aged man, he also saw a man sitting opposite him with an almost sinisterly handsome appearance, looking like a young man of twenty-three or twenty-four, but with completely white temples.

"And Zhao Ziyang, the head of the Zhao family of Beihai," Qiao Wei whispered.

Three years ago, the Zhou family of Lianyun Mountain and the Zhao family of Beihai colluded with the Demonic Sect, plotting to overthrow Xiaoyao Manor and Tiexue Xiaotian Fortress at the Martial Arts Conference. Zhou Lingfei and Zhao Ziyang both led groups to attend the conference.

Later, Qin Xiaoyao and Tie Kongshan suddenly appeared, and Zhou Lingfei and Zhao Ziyang, along with other leaders of various forces, abandoned Ximen Wudi and made an excuse to slip away.

In recent years, almost all the forces that participated in the Martial Arts Conference and colluded with the Demonic Sect have disappeared without a trace, rarely seen in the martial arts world. Unexpectedly, today they suddenly saw the leaders of two major forces in Dingzhou City.

"This is an era of heroes vying for supremacy. The struggle for supremacy in the martial arts world is a thing of the past. They are out of touch with the times. Why are they still appearing in Dingzhou City?" Uncle Li said quietly as he and Qiao Wei quickly left the street.

Qiao Wei thought for a moment and said, "They colluded with the Demonic Sect three years ago, and then they all disappeared without a trace. It's very likely that they've all joined the Demonic Sect and are operating in the shadows!"

"Seeing them openly going to restaurants and taverns in Dingzhou City, they must be related to the Demonic Sect. Otherwise, the Nine Yin Saintess would never sit idly by and allow people from other forces to move freely in her territory." Uncle Li said in a deep voice, "They may have already discovered us, but I don't know why they didn't expose us."

Qiao Wei said, "The two of them are no match for us, so naturally they wouldn't dare to cause us trouble. Wait, it seems like someone is following us! Damn it, now that our whereabouts have been exposed, we might be in big trouble!"

"Following us? In this world, besides Ximen Wudi, who else is qualified to follow us? Besides," Uncle Li smiled smugly, "they won't find my house so easily!" As he spoke, the two exchanged a glance, suddenly flashed into a side alley beside the main street, and began to run away quickly using their lightness skills.

"We've shaken off our pursuers!" After running through the streets and alleys, scaling walls and houses, and circling most of the western part of the city, Qiao Wei said confidently.

Uncle Li nodded and followed Qiao Wei into the street where his house was located. They randomly chose a house and jumped over it, passing through several homes without disturbing anyone, and finally entered their own home safely.

Inside the Dingzhou Prefecture government office, a female disciple entered Hua Rong's study and reported, "Reporting to Your Majesty, the Second Protector and the Third Protector request an audience!"

Hua Rong nodded and said, "Please let them in."

The female disciple responded and left. Not long after, Zhou Lingfei and Zhao Ziyang entered the study side by side.

The Zhou and Zhao families had already been absorbed by the Demonic Sect after the Martial Arts Tournament. Because the two had performed poorly at the tournament, Ximen Wudi had never given them important positions. It wasn't until after Ximen Wudi's death, when Hua Rong took power, and all the original Demonic Sect protectors and envoys had died, that Hua Rong began to employ the two.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!" The two knelt down respectfully and bowed. Hua Rong did not look up at them, but instead looked at the official documents in her hand and said indifferently, "No need for such formalities, please rise!"

After Zhou Lingfei and Zhao Ziyang respectfully stood up, Hua Rong asked, "What important matter do you two protectors wish to discuss with me?"

Zhou Lingfei replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, 'Time Waits for No Man' Qiao Qitian and 'Illusion Demon True Monarch' Li Guding have entered the city. We sent men to follow them, but those two old fellows escaped and their whereabouts are currently unknown."

"I already knew about the two great demons entering the city," Hua Rong said calmly, her tone suddenly changing to a rather stern one. "I haven't even sent anyone to deal with them yet, so why did you two protectors take it upon yourselves to act on your own? Do you not take me seriously, thinking you can do whatever you want? Now, not only have you failed to catch the two great demons, but you've also alerted them, making them wary. You're more likely to cause trouble than help!"

Zhou Lingfei hurriedly said, "Your Excellency is wise! We were only doing our sect's bidding, who knew..."

"Alright," Hua Rong said calmly, "No need for further explanation. I know what's going on in this matter. I am naturally aware of the loyalty of the two protectors to our sect. I will remember your loyalty and reward you when appropriate. However, sometimes acting too hastily can be detrimental to our sect's great cause. I have my own ways of dealing with the two great demons, so you two don't need to worry about this. You two should continue to monitor the spies from other forces who have infiltrated the city. If you feel confident, make them disappear. That's all. If there's nothing else, you two may leave now!"

Zhou Lingfei and Zhao Ziyang responded with a chorus of "Yes, sir!" They bowed, clasped their hands in a gesture of respect, and retreated step by step to the door before turning and leaving.

After the two left, a door suddenly opened in the wall behind Hua Rong. The Third Young Master, fanning himself with a folding fan in his left hand and clutching a half-eaten crystal pear in his right, staggered to Hua Rong's side and mumbled, "Of the four protectors of this sect, I am the First Protector, Zhou Lingfei is the Second Protector, Zhao Ziyang is the Third Protector, and who is the Fourth Protector?"

Hua Rong smiled, "Of course, he's an old acquaintance of yours. The former head of the Rain Pavilion, and the General Manager of the Martial Arts Department, Dugu Hongjian."

The Third Young Master nodded and asked, "Then, who are the new Demon Envoys?"

Hua Rong shook her head and smiled, "I can't tell you that."

The Third Young Master said somewhat displeased, "I am now the Vice Sect Master, the First Protector, and the Sect Master of the Bewitching Heart Sect. Why can't I know the identities of the Demon Envoys?"

Hua Rong smiled, "Aren, all these titles you hold are just empty names. You might not genuinely help me. Shouldn't I keep some secrets from you?"

The Third Young Master shook his head, "Rong'er, actually, I've always felt that there shouldn't be any secrets between us." "We should be honest with each other. But you...sigh...you're still so wary of me! By the way, Rong'er, what are you planning to do about Qiao Qitian and Li Guding?"

Hua Rong looked at the Third Young Master and said with a smile, "You don't want to know my plan and then go and tip me off?"

The Third Young Master said, "Even if I wanted to, I don't have the ability! Look, you're keeping a close eye on me now. I'm always surrounded by hundreds of people when I go out shopping. How could I possibly tip you off?"

Hua Rong shook her head and said, "Aren, you have too many tricks up your sleeve. If I told you everything, I can't guarantee you wouldn't be able to inform Qiao Qitian and Li Guding."

The Third Young Master said somewhat discouragedly, "Rong'er, you're too cunning..."

Hua Rong blinked and said mischievously, "When it comes to cunning, how can Rong'er compare to Aren? When dealing with you, if I'm not a little cunning, you'll make me run around in circles! Alright, stop rambling. Aren, tell me, are Zhou Lingfei and Zhao Ziyang reliable?"

The Third Young Master replied without hesitation, “Absolutely unreliable. Three years ago, they could abandon Ximen Wudi and run away at the martial arts tournament; they could betray you at any time now. Moreover, I noticed that neither of them dared to look you in the eye when they spoke to you just now. Especially Zhou Lingfei; although his tone was extremely respectful, how could someone like him, accustomed to being the head of a powerful family and always giving orders, suddenly become so humble and subservient? They probably weren't even this respectful to Ximen Wudi back then! On the other hand, Zhao Ziyang didn't utter a word; his bowing and kowtowing were stiff, clearly showing his resentment. Although these two have been given important positions thanks to your kindness, I don't think they'll be satisfied with their current status.”

Hua Rong pondered, “I…” "I've long felt these two aren't fit for important tasks. However, my drug-man isn't fully developed yet, and I lack skilled subordinates, so I have no choice but to use them. Ah Ren, if you were willing to help me, why would I use people who might turn on me at any moment?"

The Third Young Master chuckled and said, "Don't worry, if you want to eliminate the unstable elements within our sect, I will definitely help you."

Hua Rong smiled bitterly, "Of course you'll help me. If our sect members kill each other, it will be entirely beneficial to you. It would be strange if you didn't wholeheartedly assist me. If our sect falls apart and all our capable experts are killed, you'll definitely be overjoyed."

The Third Young Master laughed, "My parents gave me life, but Rong'er understands me best! Alright, Rong'er, I won't disturb your work any longer. I'm going shopping!"

※ ※ ※ ※

“This is outrageous!” Once outside the Dingzhou government office and seeing no one around, Zhao Ziyang suddenly blurted out indignantly, “They treated us like dogs, ordering us around like that! That little brat is really going too far!”

“Alright, Old Zhao,” Zhou Lingfei said calmly, “Hua Rong has Tiger Roar under her command, with 400,000 elite troops. The entire Demonic Sect and its vast army are under her control. Even Ximen Wudi died at her hands. We must not underestimate her. Remember, we must endure this humiliation and not let her find any fault with us.”

Zhao Ziyang said unwillingly, “But how long must we endure this?”

Zhou Lingfei’s lips curled into a smile, and he said calmly, “Soon…”

~Chapter Six: The Hidden War, Section Two~

A soft sedan chair carried by sixteen men, without a roof or walls.

A wide, backless seat, large enough to accommodate two strong men weighing over 200 pounds, with the softest, most comfortable silk cushions on it.

Before him sat a small jade table, upon which were several plates of exquisite pastries and seasonal fruits from the southernmost and northernmost parts of the Great Qin Dynasty, along with a pot of century-old aged wine chilled in ice.

The Third Young Master, dressed in a black brocade robe with a snow-white sash cinched at his waist, a blood-red gem the size of a longan embedded in the center, reclined casually in the chair, his legs draped over the body of a scantily clad female disciple of the Bewitching Heart Sect. His left arm was around Liu Yifei, his right around Yi Jingjing, and he squinted, enjoying a foot massage performed by the Bewitching Heart Sect disciple, whose massage skills were remarkably adept.

Yi Jingjing occasionally fed the Third Young Master fruit and pastries; the grapes were peeled and seeded, the lychees were cleanly peeled, and the crystal pears were cut into appropriately sized pieces, ensuring the Third Young Master could take a bite without much chewing.

Liu Yifei fed the Third Young Master chilled wine at opportune moments. When he wanted a drink, a single glance was enough for her to bring the cup to his lips and feed him slowly.

The Third Young Master now lived an extremely decadent life, giving the impression of a helpless cripple.

However, when the grand sedan chair swept through the streets, no one dared question his status. Not even a glance of disdain was dared. This

was because the sedan chair bearers were top-tier disciples of the Holy Gate Mystic Sect, skilled swordsmen with unparalleled speed.

The hundred-odd riders escorting the sedan chair were elite cavalry from the Northern Frontier Army's Iron Cavalry Battalion, all warriors who had crawled out of piles of corpses, capable of taking on a hundred men single-handedly.

Now, the Third Young Master was strolling through the streets; his procession was no smaller than this each time he went out, and the people of Dingzhou City were generally used to it. Before the procession carrying the Third Young Master even arrived, all the people consciously made way, and the vendors who had blocked the road hurriedly packed up their stalls.

Therefore, despite the large size of the Third Young Master's entourage, they were able to move freely through Dingzhou City.

In a certain restaurant, Dugu Hongjian, who was drinking, looked at the arrogant group of the Third Young Master and spat with utter contempt. He then addressed a middle-aged man opposite him, dressed in a black robe with a silver moon embroidered on his right sleeve, his hair styled in a feminine way, yet sporting a large beard: "I truly don't understand what the Supreme One is thinking. Why make this brat the Great Protector of our sect? With his extravagant and decadent lifestyle, he'll die in a woman's belly sooner or later. What great achievements can he possibly have?"

The middle-aged man opposite him slowly replied, "Protector Dugu, don't underestimate Qin Ren. His 'Heaven-Covering Hand' is unparalleled in the martial world, and he's the new master of 'Dragon's Roar.' In terms of martial prowess, perhaps only the Supreme One can rival him in this era. Besides, Qin Ren is most skilled at winning women's hearts; the Supreme One may have been bewitched by him."

Dugu Hongjian scoffed, "Qin Ren? He's worthy of bewitching the Supreme One? The Supreme One's..." "Among heroes, only the supreme being can bewitch men. What man has the ability to bewitch the supreme being?"

The middle-aged man smiled slightly and said, "Protector Dugu's resentment is probably not because Qin Ren became the deputy sect leader and the great protector, but because he became the sect leader of the Bewitching Heart Sect, right?"

Dugu Hongjian was stunned and said, "What do you mean?"

The middle-aged man laughed and said, "Protector Dugu's lust is common knowledge. If Protector Dugu were to become the sect leader of the Bewitching Heart Sect, I'm afraid Protector Dugu would be even more extravagant and decadent than Qin Ren, right?"

Dugu Hongjian pursed his lips and muttered, "Can't you watch your mouth? If you know, you know, but don't say it out loud! Damn it, never mind him, let's continue drinking and continue monitoring the suspicious people who have infiltrated the city..."

On the sedan chair, the Third Young Master had a faint smile on his face, enjoying the free service to the fullest. Although his expression was extremely intoxicated, no one, including Liu Yifei and Yi Jingjing who were standing very close to the Third Young Master, noticed that his slightly narrowed eyes held a clear and lucid gaze.

"Is it delicious?" Yi Jingjing fed the Third Young Master a grape and asked with a smile.

The Third Young Master nodded, pinched Yi Jingjing's breast, and laughed, "If you added your saliva, the taste would be even better."

Yi Jingjing said shyly, "But we're on the street now, so many people are watching..." Though her voice was shy, there was no trace of embarrassment on her face.

The Third Young Master chuckled, "So what if we're on the street? If I, the Third Young Master, want to have some fun, who dares to say anything?"

Yi Jingjing playfully punched the Third Young Master's chest a few times, making him laugh heartily.

The group gradually moved to another street lined with shops.

The street was teeming with vendors. When the Third Young Master's entourage approached, the vendors, who had blocked half the street, hurriedly packed up their stalls and scrambled to make way. However, there were simply too many stalls and the crowds were dense, and instead of clearing the road, they completely blocked it.

The Third Young Master frowned at the chaotic scene ahead and said, "Let's take another route!"

Just as the disciples of the Demonic Sect's Misty Heaven Sect carrying the sedan chair were about to turn it around, they heard a loud crash behind them, followed by shouts and curses.

The Third Young Master turned around and saw a horse-drawn carriage carrying passengers and an oxcart hauling grain had collided. The shafts of both carriages were broken, and they couldn't move. The two drivers were grabbing each other by the collar and hurling insults, while a crowd of onlookers had gathered, completely blocking the road behind them.

"Hmm, a car accident?" the Third Young Master muttered to himself. Several Northern Frontier cavalrymen who were guarding the sedan chair had already moved forward to clear the way.

"It's alright, Third Young Master, it'll only delay us a little, we'll be leaving soon," Yi Jingjing said

, snuggling against him. A cold smile appeared on the Third Young Master's lips as he slowly said, "Things are probably not simple... I've seen too many stories of street ambushes..."

Before he could finish speaking, a sharp whooshing sound rang out, and countless hidden weapons rained down from the shops on both sides of the street, heading straight for him and his companions.

Caught off guard, the surrounding Northern Frontier cavalrymen fell from their horses. The hidden weapons ranged in size from millstones, donkeys, carriages, spiked clubs, gilded halberds, and crescent shovels to small items like embroidery needles, iron lotus seeds, flying stones, and grape pits... a seemingly endless barrage.

Even more insidious was the fact that all the hidden weapons were coated with deadly poison. Some of the Northern Frontier cavalrymen were wearing armor, and the small hidden weapons couldn't penetrate their armor. However, their exposed hands, necks, and faces were only slightly grazed by the hidden weapons before they died instantly, their skin turning bluish-black.

Several Northern Frontier cavalrymen who were clearing the road suddenly heard a loud noise behind them. When they turned around and saw the situation had changed drastically, just as they were about to turn their horses back to help, the seemingly honest and unassuming peddlers, farmers, civilians, shopkeepers, children, vegetable vendors, and other people who had caused the traffic jam suddenly drew their swords and swarmed around them, hacking the cavalrymen to pieces in an instant.

"Kill Qin Ren!" a hoarse voice shouted. People with weapons at both ends of the street rushed towards the Third Young Master, while the real civilians screamed and scattered in all directions, covering their heads. Those who couldn't escape were killed by the assassins under the pretext of blocking traffic.

By this time, the hidden weapons were exhausted, and seven or eight out of ten of the Northern Frontier cavalry surrounding the Third Young Master had fallen, leaving only about twenty alive to protect him. Although the elite Northern Frontier cavalry were invincible in battle, they were like lambs to the slaughter before the assassination techniques of the martial world.

Three of the sixteen fast swordsmen from the Demonic Heaven Sect carrying the sedan chair had already fallen, and the chair had long since fallen to the ground.

As for the Third Young Master, he was still safe.

At the moment the hidden weapons were first launched, the swordsmen from the Demonic Heaven Sect carrying the sedan chair quickly put it down, leaped onto it, and formed a human wall, wielding their fast swords to block the hidden weapons. Liu Yifei, Yi Jingjing, and two other female disciples from the Bewitching Heart Sect simply pinned the Third Young Master down.

After the hidden weapons were exhausted, the Third Young Master pushed away the four girls on top of him, parted the human wall, and saw that there were probably no fewer than two hundred assassins rushing towards him from both sides of the long street!

The Third Young Master frowned and said, "What's going on? Isn't Dingzhou City already under our control? How come there are so many assassins?"

Yi Jingjing looked at the assassins with a pale face and said in a trembling voice, "The Supreme One has only controlled Dingzhou City for a dozen days. How could he have completely controlled Dingzhou City in such a short time? But... but the sudden appearance of so many assassins is really too outrageous..."

As she spoke, the remaining twenty-odd Northern Frontier cavalrymen split into two groups and charged towards the assassins on both sides.

"Sizzle sizzle sizzle..." A series of sharp sounds of weapons piercing flesh rang out. The twenty-odd Northern Frontier cavalrymen used the momentum of their horses' charge to kill one assassin each in the first exchange, plunging their spears into the assassins' chests.

But those assassins were not simple either. Those assassins whose chests had been pierced by the Northern Frontier cavalrymen held their last breath, gripped the spears that had pierced their chests tightly, and pulled with all their might, actually pulling the Northern Frontier cavalrymen off their horses! More than twenty cavalrymen, each after piercing an assassin, were pulled from their horses and then swarmed by the assassins, hacking them to pieces!

"Impressive!" the Third Young Master said solemnly, "These aren't ordinary assassins, they're death squads! Damn it, if my skills were still intact, I could kill them all even if there were twice as many. But now, if just one comes, I'll be dead!"

"Don't be afraid, Third Young Master, Yifei will protect you!" The usually taciturn Liu Yifei suddenly said this to the Third Young Master with a resolute expression.

The Third Young Master felt a surge of emotion for no reason. He looked at Liu Yifei, then at Yi Jingjing. Although Yi Jingjing was trembling with fear, she still drew a small, gleaming dagger and stood guard beside the Third Young Master.

"Damn it, could these two little girls have fallen in love with me?" At this critical moment, the Third Young Master became delusional again.

In an instant, the two hundred-plus assassins had rushed to the sedan chair. Thirteen fast swordsmen from the Misty Heaven Sect formed a circle, surrounding the Third Young Master and his companions, and began to fight the assassins with their swords.

One of the Misty Heaven Sect's fast swordsmen plunged his sword into the chest of an assassin. The assassin grinned maliciously, suddenly took two steps forward, driving the sword deeper until it emerged from the body. At the same time, the assassin swung his steel saber, cleaving half of the Misty Heaven Sect fast swordsman's head off. Both men fell to the ground, lifeless.

The Third Young Master cried out in alarm, "Don't stab them! They'll fight you to the death!"

Swords are different from sabers; sword techniques mostly involve thrusting, while sabers are mostly used for slashing.

Before the Third Young Master shouted this, at least seven of the Misty Heaven Sect's fast swordsmen were using thrusting techniques. Upon hearing the Third Young Master's words, four of the fast swordsmen quickly changed their moves, while the other three were unable to stop in time and had already plunged their swords into the bodies of the assassins in front of them.

A swordsman's throat can kill instantly, but in this critical moment, the swift swordsmen of the Mitian Sect chose to stab the larger target's chest. Therefore, the three swift swordsmen, after plunging their swords into the assassin's chest, immediately met the same fate as the first swift swordsman!

The assassins' attacks were fierce, employing a desperate, suicidal fighting style. Although the swift swordsmen of the Mitian Sect were each far superior in martial arts to the assassins, their swordsmanship was severely limited against these reckless fighters. Several fell in succession, and they gradually could not hold on.

Seeing that only five swift swordsmen remained, and the protective circle was shrinking, Liu Yifei gritted her teeth and joined the protective circle with two other female disciples of the Mixin Sect, fighting to the death against the assassins. Yi Jingjing was about to rush in with Liu Yifei when her arm was grabbed by the Third Young Master.

The Third Young Master looked at Yi Jingjing and shook his head, saying, "You're no match for them. Rushing in will only be a pointless death!"

Yi Jingjing's face showed gratitude, and she said, "But what about Senior Sister Liu and the others..."

The Third Young Master smiled slightly and said, "Your Senior Sister Liu's martial arts are far superior to those fast swordsmen. She's alright for now. As long as we can buy some time, someone will come to rescue us!"

Just as the Third Young Master said, Liu Yifei's martial arts were even stronger than those fast swordsmen. Her weapons were two curved swords, each only two feet long. She didn't grip the swords firmly in her hands; the hilts seemed to be held in her hands by a strange suction force, allowing them to rotate freely around her wrists.

When the two curved swords spun at high speed, they were like two sharp discs with a radius of two feet, spraying blood wherever they passed. Even if the assassins wanted to fight Liu Yifei to the death, they couldn't get close to her. Often, when they were still five feet away from her, they were already cut into pieces by the blade light emanating from the curved swords!

Two more groans rang out, and two more swift swordsmen fell, further shrinking the protective circle.

Just then, a sharp whistle suddenly rang out from a window facing the street. With this whistle, eighteen men in black suddenly leaped out of several windows on both sides of the street like ghosts, swooping down on the Third Young Master with lightning speed. Eighteen longswords, gleaming with cold light, simultaneously locked onto him!

At this moment, Liu Yifei, two female disciples of the Bewitching Heart Sect, and three swift swordsmen were already entangled by the surrounding assassins who were attacking desperately. The Third Young Master only had Yi Jingjing, whose martial arts were poor, by his side. With these eighteen black-clad assassins choosing this moment to strike, the Third Young Master was basically a fish on a chopping block, at their mercy!

The Third Young Master looked at the eighteen black-clad assassins who were shooting towards him like lightning, and secretly groaned. His power was now suppressed, and he had no strength left. Not to mention these eighteen assassins who were obviously top-notch, even an ordinary strong man with a knife could kill him with a single blow.

In an instant, the swords of the eighteen black-clad assassins were less than two zhang away from the Third Young Master. Yi Jingjing screamed and brandished her dagger, guarding him. Liu Yifei glanced up at the assassins in the air, then suddenly threw two curved blades at two of them.

As Liu Yifei threw her blades, several assassins in front of her rushed forward, attacking her with three blades and two swords simultaneously.

Liu Yifei kicked two assassins away with a series of kicks, then used her hand as a blade to cut down two more, but she didn't have time to take down the fifth.

With a soft hiss, a sharp sword pierced Liu Yifei's abdomen. Her face turned deathly pale, and her lips turned bluish-black. She gritted her teeth, grabbed the steel sword embedded in her abdomen with her right hand, twisted it with force, breaking it in two, and her hand was also cut and mangled. Then she pulled out the broken sword tip from her abdomen, threw it, and struck the assassin who had stabbed her in the throat.

The assassin and Liu Yifei fell to the ground simultaneously.

"Yifei!" "Senior Sister Liu!" Third Young Master and Yi Jingjing exclaimed in unison.

This series of actions happened in the blink of an eye. As Liu Yifei fell, the two curved blades she had thrown flew towards the two black-clad assassins. The two assassins flicked their swords, and with two clangs, Liu Yifei's curved blades were deflected, changing their flight path and landing among the assassins on the ground, cutting down two of them.

After Liu Yifei fell, the remaining two female disciples of the Bewitching Heart Sect and three fast swordsmen were no match for the onslaught of the assassins. Painful groans rang out, and the five were covered in wounds, swaying precariously, clearly on the verge of collapse!

At the same time, the swords of the eighteen black-clad assassins who had attacked Third Young Master from the air were about to pierce him. Yi Jingjing, who was shielding Third Young Master, was casually stabbed in the chest by an assassin and immediately collapsed limply to the ground.

"Jingjing!" The Third Young Master suddenly pulled Yi Jingjing into his arms, catching her limp body. With two sharp "swoosh" sounds, two swords pierced his back, but were blocked by his "Indestructible Golden Silk Armor."

"He's wearing invulnerable armor; he's aiming for his head and neck!" one of the assassins said in a deep voice. The eighteen assassins immediately changed their sword techniques, thrusting their swords at the Third Young Master's head and neck from all directions.

Seeing the eighteen sword lights close at hand, the Third Young Master wore a mocking smile, thinking to himself, "Damn it, I never thought I'd die here... God, you've played another cruel joke on me! Oh well, let me be a pair of lovebirds with Yi Fei and Jing Jing! At least I won't be alone on the road to the underworld..."

~Chapter Six, Section Three of the Dark War~

At the brink of life and death, the Third Young Master, who had never been so close to death, felt an unprecedented and intense will to survive erupt in his heart. His eyes turned crimson in an instant, and icy winds howled in his pupils. The blood-stained plains and mountains of bones reappeared, and the Blood-Handed Asura on the mountaintop, raising his hand to the sky, let out a roar of unwillingness towards the blood-red sky!

This roar resounded in the hearts of the eighteen black-clad assassins who were besieging the Third Young Master. The roar, like an avalanche, swept over each assassin like a hurricane. The eighteen assassins were simultaneously shaken by the roar, and their movements involuntarily slowed down!

The tips of the eighteen swift swords stopped just before they touched the Third Young Master's head. This soul-shaking roar was actually silent; at least, none of the surrounding assassins heard it, except for the eighteen black-clad assassins. Yet, this roar, resounding deep within his soul, froze time itself!

The Third Young Master opened his mouth, tilted his head back to the sky, and let out a silent howl.

The golden headband binding his hair suddenly snapped off, and his long hair stood on end, dancing wildly without wind. The

tightly bound internal energy within his dantian erupted like a volcano, the surging, violent energy rushing through his body like a raging torrent, flowing through every meridian! His

weak limbs suddenly burst with explosive power. Holding Yi Jingjing, the Third Young Master pushed off with his feet and leaped into the air.

He—flew—soared—to the—sky! It's better to rely on yourself

than to rely on others; it's better to save yourself than to wait for someone else to save you!

After the Third Young Master leaped more than ten zhang into the air, the eighteen black-clad assassins, who had been immobilized by the frozen time, were finally able to move again. However, when they regained their senses, they were horrified to find that the Third Young Master, who had been the target of their deadly encirclement, had vanished!

Just as they were panicking, a deep, solemn voice suddenly rang out from above: "Overlord's Command!"

The eighteen assassins simultaneously looked up at the sky. In the sky, a gigantic hand, shimmering with golden light, slowly descended. To them, the hand seemed to possess a strange magic; a visible nine-colored vortex appeared within it, its immense suction pulling away all their courage and strength.

Time seemed to slow to an unbearable degree in that instant, and space itself ceased to exist under the force of the descending hand. Although the gigantic hand appeared slow, it seemed to traverse space itself, striking the eighteen black-clad assassins almost instantly!

With a deafening boom, the eighteen black-clad assassins were struck simultaneously. Their bodies, as if crushed by a mountain, rapidly shriveled from head to toe, instantly transforming into eighteen thin patties of flesh. Then, those eighteen patties shattered at the same time, turning into eighteen pools of flowing blood.

Both their swords and their black clothing were reduced to powder before they were even crushed—a complete and utter pulverization, leaving not a trace!

The Third Young Master landed slowly, his left arm holding Yi Jingjing, his right hand still in a striking stance. He turned his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the large group of assassins surrounding him.

The gaze, filled with death and despair, made these fearless assassins tremble. For the first time, these assassins, who had long since disregarded life and death, felt fear. They realized then that some things were more terrifying than death!

The Third Young Master's gaze was more terrifying than death!

No one could meet the gaze of the Asura Demon Eye. All the assassins involuntarily took a step back, trembling and lowering their heads.

The Third Young Master's lips curled into a cold, murderous smirk. He gritted his teeth and said, each word distinct, "Dare to draw your sword against me...you will pay the price...I will not offend others unless they offend me, but if they do...I will not forgive them!"

He

declared without a trace of forgiveness or pity. Since you intend to kill me, don't expect me to repay evil with kindness like those so-called gentlemen!

The Third Young Master vanished. His lightness skill, comparable to teleportation, was pushed to its limit, exceeding the limits of human vision. None of the assassins could see his movement.

The next instant, the Third Young Master appeared in the crowd. He held Yi Jingjing in his left arm, and with his right, he grabbed the wrist of an assassin holding a knife, pulled hard, and with a snap, tore the assassin's arm off his shoulder!

The Third Young Master grinned maliciously, grabbing the severed arm and smashing it down on the assassin's head. With a loud bang, the assassin's head and half his body were smashed to pieces, bone fragments, flesh, and internal organs scattering everywhere!

The Third Young Master discarded the arm, gripped the knife he had been holding, and plunged into the crowd.

The slaughter had officially begun…

※ ※ ※ ※

“Madman… madman…” In a pavilion by the long street, someone hidden in the shadows observing the Third Young Master's slaughter began to chatter, his voice trembling.

He saw the Third Young Master pounce on a flock of sheep like a tiger, displaying his sharp teeth; he saw blood and severed limbs flying together, the sky and earth mingling in a bloody mess; he saw the Asura, stirring up a storm of blood in the crowd, laughing maniacally; he saw the knife, like a dragon stirring the sea, unleash unprecedented swordsmanship.

The knife was grinding, grinding like a meat grinder.

That ordinary steel knife was imbued with a spirit by the Third Young Master. He no longer used ordinary slashing techniques. He used the knife to shred all living beings. Every assassin caught in the Third Young Master's net of blades was instantly pulverized along with their weapon!

No one had ever wielded a knife like the Third Young Master. It seemed that he was no longer satisfied with taking the lives of these assassins; he wanted them to die without a complete corpse!

Absolutely cruel knife skills, absolutely insane killer. The long street was instantly stained red with blood. The splattered blood accumulated into pools of blood, spreading into rivers of crimson!

The person who was observing from the shadows could not bear it. He had never seen such a crazy person, such a brutal killer. He turned away from the bloody scene, bent over, clutching his stomach and vomiting violently until he had emptied his stomach and even his bile.

As he vomited, he looked up at a young man standing beside him, also observing from the shadows. He noticed the young man, not much older than him, had a faint smile on his lips and continued observing the scene without changing expression.

"Young...Young Master..." he said to the young man, "Please forgive my...I lost my composure..."

The young man said calmly, "This is not your fault. After all, you've never seen anything like this before. Qin Ren truly lives up to his reputation as the master of the Asura Demon Eye. 'The Asura Demon Eye, slaughtering humanity,' that saying is absolutely true."

He nodded and said, "Young Master...Qin Ren...Qin Ren is so brutal and insane...I'm afraid...I'm afraid we can't...assassinate him..."

The young man smiled faintly and said, "This young master never expected to succeed in assassinating Qin Ren this time. This young master merely wanted to try..." Was Qin Ren truly subservient to Hua Rong because of the restrictions she placed on his martial arts? Now it seems that Qin Ren was indeed initially bound by restrictions, unable to use his martial arts, but in the face of life and death, he was able to break free of those restrictions on his own. Heh, Hua Rong underestimated Qin Ren too much. How could the master of the Asura Demon Eye be so easily restrained?

He wiped the vomit from his mouth, cleaned the tears from the corners of his eyes, and felt a little better. "Young Master, what do we do now?"

The young man said, "Feifan, what do you think we should do?"

He thought for a moment and said, "Now that Qin Ren's power has recovered, according to our hidden demon..." "Our undercover agent reports that Qin Ren and Hua Rong are outwardly friendly but inwardly at odds, constantly vying for power. Perhaps we should wait until they're both exhausted before profiting from the conflict."

The young man shook his head and laughed, "That won't work. Qin Ren and Hua Rong are both intelligent. Our assassination attempt failed; they should know that a formidable enemy force has infiltrated Dingzhou City. At this point, even if they want to fight, they'll wait until they've thoroughly investigated the assassination and stabilized the situation in Dingzhou City before they unleash their full power." Right now,

the young man named Feifan hesitated ... Hesitantly, he said, "Hua Rong has the Tiger's Roar, and Qin Ren has the Dragon's Cry. If the two of them join forces, their combined roars and cries will be overwhelming..."

The young man smiled dismissively and said, "I've been cultivating for many years. Even when Ximen Wudi was alive, he couldn't fathom my true strength. Now that Ximen Wudi is dead, what can Hua Rong and Qin Ren, these two brats, do to me, even if they possess the Dragon's Roar and Tiger's Cry? You should know..."

As he spoke, the young man slowly extended his hands. A red light emanated from his left palm, quickly turning to gold, then pure white, and finally almost transparent. The skin

of his left hand then took on a faint metallic sheen. From his right palm, an indigo light appeared, turning purple, then a complex blend of blue and purple, with tiny sparks of electricity flickering within it. Finally, the blue and purple light gradually turned into pitch black, within which countless tiny blue and purple sparks danced. His right hand, however, had turned black, emitting a white mist like the chill of winter.

He clasped his hands together, and the transparent and black light merged, intertwining and fusing into one. When he separated his hands again, the light had vanished without a trace, and his hands had returned to normal.

"Young Master's divine skill is unparalleled, invincible under heaven!" Feifan knelt on the ground, respectfully praising him.

The young master smiled faintly and said, "Even the sharpest weapon is just a weapon. What if it's a heavenly weapon? How can a weapon left behind by the gods compare to the martial arts taught by the gods?"

When Hua Rong arrived at the scene with her large entourage, there was no one left standing on the long street except for the Third Young Master.

Few intact corpses could be seen on the ground; mangled limbs and broken heads were scattered everywhere. Blood, entrails, and chunks of flesh not only covered the ground but also stained the walls of the houses lining the street.

The Third Young Master, holding Yi Jingjing and carrying a broken sword with only its hilt remaining, stood amidst the sea of blood and carnage.

Hua Rong silently observed the scene before her, her expression unchanged. Zhou Lingfei, Zhao Ziyang, and Dugu Hongjian, who followed behind her, were already pale. Most of the demonic sect disciples behind the three protectors had turned their faces away or lowered their heads, unable to bear the sight. Some of the female disciples of the Bewitching Heart Sect covered their mouths, their pretty faces deathly pale as they quietly vomited.

"You've come?" The Third Young Master looked at Hua Rong with an extremely bright smile, his blood-stained face indescribably ferocious and terrifying, his disheveled hair, stained with blood, still dripping blood.

Hua Rong smiled somewhat reluctantly and said, "I'm sorry I'm late."

The Third Young Master nodded and said, "Good to know..." As he spoke, he suddenly flung the broken sword, which shot towards Hua Rong like lightning.

Hua Rong's expression changed, and she flicked her fingers, unleashing more than ten beams of light of various colors, finally shattering the broken sword into pieces.

Zhou Lingfei shouted sharply, "How dare you! You dare to commit treason and assassinate the Supreme One! Guards, go..."

Before he could finish his sentence, the Third Young Master glared fiercely at him, silencing Zhou Lingfei's words.

"Do you want to die?" The Third Young Master sneered, carrying Yi Jingjing as he walked step by step towards Zhou Lingfei.

Zhou Lingfei involuntarily took a step back, pointing at the Third Young Master and trembling, "You... what do you want to do?"

"I'm asking what you want to do." The Third Young Master smiled coldly, "Do you want to die?"

As he spoke, the Third Young Master suddenly took a large step, and in just one step, he was directly in front of Zhou Lingfei.

Zhou Lingfei was so terrified that he took three steps back, almost falling. "You...you don't come any closer...we're all protectors of this sect...you have no right...no right to kill me..."

The Third Young Master laughed and said, "Whoever I, Qin Ren, want to kill, will surely die!"

"Enough!" Hua Rong suddenly blocked the Third Young Master's path. "Ren, the assassin matter isn't over yet, don't panic."

The Third Young Master chuckled coldly, slowly nodded, and said, "Alright, I'll spare his life for now. Now...let's save the people first."

※ ※ ※ ※

After taking a bath and changing into clean clothes, the Third Young Master sat in Hua Rong's study, quietly waiting for her.

When they were cleaning up the battlefield, only three people were alive: Liu Yifei, Yi Jingjing, and a fast swordsman from the Mitian Sect. All the other demonic sect disciples were dead, and most of them were chopped into pieces.

Liu Yifei had a sword wound in her lower abdomen, had lost too much blood, and her abdominal cavity was filled with blood clots; she was in critical condition. Yi Jingjing was stabbed in the chest, the wound only two inches from her heart. Even so, she was bleeding heavily in her chest cavity and her life hung by a thread.

As for the swordsman from the Mitian Sect, although he was still alive, there was no way to save him. Several of his intestines were severed, and his lungs were pierced. With the medical level of this era, even though the Demonic Sect had the best doctors in the world, they could not save him.

The Third Young Master had no fondness for the Demonic Sect, but these past few days, Liu Yifei and Yi Jingjing had been fawning over him, unconditionally satisfying his every need. Just now, when facing the assassins, they had even risked their lives to protect him. Even the Third Young Master, with a heart of stone, was deeply moved.

After a long while, Hua Rong, looking utterly exhausted, slowly entered the study. The first thing the Third Young Master said to her was, "How are Yifei and Jingjing?"

Hua Rong smiled faintly and said, "I didn't expect the Third Young Master to still remember those two girls. Don't worry, our sect has the best doctors in the world, and Rong'er knows some healing magic. The two girls' injuries have stabilized."

The Third Young Master nodded, looked at Hua Rong, and slowly said, "My strength has recovered."

Hua Rong nodded and said, "I know."

The Third Young Master said, "Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?"

Hua Rong chuckled and said, "The Third Young Master has always been clear about gratitude and resentment. Rong'er believes she has treated the Third Young Master well these past few days, so the Third Young Master shouldn't harm Rong'er. Moreover, the Third Young Master is chivalrous and gentle, and he is very kind to Yifei and Jingjing." "Even a maid has feelings and intentions, how could she kill Rong'er?"

The Third Young Master chuckled and said, "You really know me well. Rong'er, I won't kill you, but that doesn't mean I won't leave. With my martial arts skills, if I wanted to leave, you certainly wouldn't be able to stop me, would you?"

Hua Rong laughed and said, "Aren, you're really joking. Today's assassins came to kill you. Because of you, our sect suffered heavy casualties, and Yi Fei and Jing Jing were both seriously injured. Knowing your personality, would you leave before finding out who the mastermind behind the assassins is?"

The Third Young Master said, "You're right, I won't leave for now. Have you found any clues about the assassins?"

Hua Rong shook her head and said reproachfully, "Aren, you were too ruthless." Not a single survivor was left. Not only that, most of them were dismembered, making it extremely difficult to find any clues from their bodies. The few intact heads that were found were all wearing human skin masks, pretending to be native residents of Dingzhou City. But upon removing the masks, their own faces were completely disfigured, making them unrecognizable.

The Third Young Master was slightly moved, saying, "Oh? So ruthless? No wonder they're assassins; they even disfigured their own faces before taking action."

Hua Rong nodded, saying, "Exactly. Their clothes were all ordinary garments sold in Dingzhou City, and their weapons were mass-produced goods that any blacksmith could forge, leaving us with no way to distinguish them." "Let's start the investigation."

The Third Young Master pondered, "The entire street was infiltrated by assassins beforehand, everyone on the street was a suicide squad. Such a huge commotion, and you didn't even notice beforehand… Rong'er, don't you find that strange?"

Hua Rong said, "It is indeed strange. Although I've only controlled Dingzhou City for a few days, the city is full of our sect's spies, and the Northern Frontier Army patrols everywhere. Logically, so many people shouldn't have infiltrated the city without my knowledge. I suspect… there's a spy within our sect."

The Third Young Master nodded, "And a spy of considerable rank, otherwise, it would be impossible to arrange such a large-scale operation. Who is he? And which force is so eager to take my life?"

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