Bloodline of God Part 5

"This...they were all sent by General Kong Huai of the Inner Palace Department. Their duty is to ensure His Highness's safety. As for other matters, I can only discuss them with them..."
At this moment, a guard at the door came in to report: "Guard Bai requests an audience."
Bai Shu, one of the eight court guards, was one of the guards Kong Huai had left with the Sixth Prince. Bai Shu and another guard named Luo Simian had stayed by Su Mingyan's side closely. Now, in the room at the post station, after finally getting rid of them, they wanted to see him again. Su Mingyan frowned. He dared not use the same methods he had used on Fang Jingchuan on Bai Shu and Luo Simian. Their strong martial will made Su Mingyan respect them even more. After all, Bai Shu and Luo Simian's cultivation was only one level lower than You Xi's, and he would rely on them a lot in the future. He couldn't afford to offend them now.
Su Mingyan waved his hand impatiently and said, "Let him in." Seeing Bai Shu and Luo Simian walk in together, Su Mingyan was slightly taken aback, thinking to himself: Could they be here on behalf of those eight people to exert pressure? He suspiciously sized up Bai Shu and Luo Simian, letting out a soft snort, but remained silent.
Bai Shu and Luo Simian were originally palace guards in the Emperor's chambers, knowing more about the palace's secrets than others. If Consort Changye hadn't fallen out of favor, how could the Sixth Prince have? Although the Sixth Prince had no hope of ascending the throne, his position in the Emperor's heart was not low. The Emperor's decision to send the Sixth Prince to Canaan as a hostage had a hidden purpose: to protect him.
The Sixth Prince had humiliated Fang Jingchuan in front of the Canaanites, acting arrogantly and domineeringly. If he truly wanted to take Fang Jingchuan's life, they would have no choice but to obey. If the Sixth Prince dealt with Fang Jingchuan now, it would be their turn sooner or later. It was better to take the initiative now and make the Sixth Prince his confidant.
Bai Shu remained silent for a moment, and everyone in the hall also fell silent, creating a tense atmosphere. You Xi coughed lightly and asked, "Guard Bai, what are you doing here so late?"
Bai Shu also felt the oppressive atmosphere. He looked up at the Sixth Prince's bright eyes, took a step forward, knelt down properly, and said loudly, "The Inner Palace sent Bai Shu to protect Your Highness's safety. I forgot to give you a word of advice, so I've come to tell Your Highness that if there's anything I can do to help, please let me know."
Su Mingyan looked at him . Looking at Jiang Caili, then at Youxi, he patted the armrest of the walnut chair, wanting to burst into laughter, but then felt it inappropriate. His happy expression was like that of a child, which made Ade nudge him from behind. He quickly got off the chair, went down to help Bai Shu and Luo Simian up from the ground, and said, "We're in Canaan, so let's not stand on ceremony."
Fang Jingchuan wiped the sweat from his nose, only then realizing that he was the most foolish one. He wanted to say something flattering, but felt it was inappropriate. From now on, he would be all alone, and life would be difficult.
He understood in his heart: their fates were now tied to the Sixth Prince's as hostages in Canaan. No matter which of the Sixth Prince's brothers ascended the throne in the future, those who served the Sixth Prince would be suspected and ostracized. Initially, thinking that the Sixth Prince had no chance of ascending the throne, and harboring resentment at being demoted, he inevitably looked down on this prince who was not yet an adult. He never expected that the Sixth Prince, who was only eighteen years old this year, would be so powerful! For some reason, the former commander of the guards was now completely devoted to the Sixth Prince, wholeheartedly protecting him rather than out of a sense of duty; and Jiang, the seemingly random guard commander, was a cunning and resourceful figure. All these people, who should nominally be under his command, were now utterly loyal to the Sixth Prince—it was regrettable that he had only just realized this.
Su Mingyan didn't care what Fang Jingchuan was thinking; Bai Shu, Luo Simian, and others were all willing to obey his orders, leaving Fang Jingchuan with no choice in the matter.
If those around you aren't truly convinced, what great things can you talk about? But the journey to Canaan had been so smooth so soon after setting foot on Canaanese soil that Jiang Caili was pleasantly surprised. She stood up and smiled, "Your Highness, it's not advisable to be overly ostentatious in Canaan. Just keep a few men around you, and arrange the rest into the caravan. What are your plans?"
Su Mingyan said, "Bai Shu will be You Xi's deputy. Leave eight guards behind, and Luo Simian will lead the other guards to reinforce the caravan."
Liu Jing'an was only twenty years old; having Luo Simian as his deputy would be a loss of face and wouldn't earn him any respect. Jiang Caili said, "Caravan affairs can be divided into two parts: one for trading, and the other for escorting along the way. This way, the caravan's manpower will be divided into two groups. One group will specialize in trading, and the other will be the caravan's guards. Jing'an has been with me for many years, so he will be in charge of trading. The caravan's guards will need to be handled by Guard Luo."
Luo Simian knew that from... From this moment on, fate was completely tied to the Sixth Prince. He said, "It is my duty."
Jiang Caili continued, "I hope that Guard Luo... oh, I should call you Steward Luo now, regarding the training of the caravan's men in martial arts. Steward Luo will have to put in a lot of effort in training them."
Su Mingyan said, "No matter which of my brothers ascends the throne in the future, none of us will have a good life, so we must work together now..." He glanced at Fang Jingchuan, "Lord Fang, don't you think so?"
Fang Jingchuan quickly replied, "Yes, yes... Your Highness, please still use my humble name."
Su Mingyan smiled slightly, ignoring him, and said to You Xi, "Everyone should work together. Don't hold back. Sparr with Bai Shu and the others more. We don't know how many years we'll be in Canaan, but if we still don't have anyone suitable to serve when we return to Qinglan, it will be too embarrassing."
The boy's face was still childish, but when he spoke these earnest words, he had a certain authority.
Seeing You Xi nod in agreement, Su Mingyan secretly regretted that he couldn't openly ask him to teach him martial arts.
For Bai Shu and the others, the Sixth Prince's instruction to You Xi was of real benefit, and they quickly rose with Luo Simian to express their gratitude.
Su Mingyan said, "Youxi and Baishu will accompany me into the mountains. The rest of the men will follow Jiang Caili's arrangements."
At the banquet, the Sixth Prince mentioned wanting to go into the mountains with Chunjiang Minghu to investigate the mutation of the Crimson-Skinned Demon race. Baishu initially thought the Sixth Prince was just using this as an excuse to dampen Fang Jingchuan's spirit, but he hadn't expected him to actually want to go. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "The mountains are fraught with danger; Your Highness's safety is paramount."
Su Mingyan knew that Baishu's advice stemmed from concern for his safety, and smiled slightly, saying, "Youxi knows I've encountered danger three times in Yujia, Shangtang, and Suiye. Even the tightest protection wouldn't have been enough. A few injuries are nothing serious; you don't need to worry too much." Baishu
then understood that the Sixth Prince's insistence on going into the mountains was to hone his skills in actual combat, unwilling to remain under constant protection. If the Sixth Prince's martial arts skills improved rapidly, the guards wouldn't have to live in constant fear. Bai Shu, having served as a guard in the imperial palace, knew that the Sixth Prince's diligence was rare among royal children. He exchanged a glance with Luo Simian, both agreeing they hadn't made the wrong choice. They decided not to dissuade him further, only thinking of taking good care of him once they reached the mountains.
You Xi said, "Let's bring the Purple Suan Beast into the mountains too. It hasn't been sleeping much lately."
The little Purple Suan Beast, perched on Cai'er's feet, seemed to understand You Xi's words. It opened its eyes, rolled over, turned its little head to look at everyone present, then pawed at the ground, barked softly, and pounced onto Su Mingyan's chair.
The little Purple Suan Beast was only a foot tall, but as a king-level wild beast, even in its infancy, it possessed considerable strength and speed. Judging from the purple trail it left in the air, very few people or wild beasts could evade its attack.
Volume 2: Chapter 4, Exploring the Mysteries of Junheng Mountain (1)
Looking around at the dark, sunless forest, the dense foliage blocked out all the sunlight, filtering only sparse rays through the gaps in the branches. Dust in the forest danced in the tiny beams of light.
Chunjiang Minghu, Su Mingyan, and the others avoided the high-altitude areas occupied by the Crimson-skinned Demons. After leaving Mirror City, they traveled eastward along the undulating mountains for a hundred miles, turning off the edge of a swamp into the deep forests of the eastern foothills of Junheng Mountain.
The edges of terrain changes are often also the edges of wild beast activity, so the group, led by Cang Jin, embarked on this rather dangerous path.
Besides Chunjiang Minghu, Youxi, Baishu, Sumingyan, Yi Feitian, Shichuan Hua, Xiao Feiyun, Xueji, and Zangjin, Mirror City also transferred six skilled warriors from the army to serve Chunjiang Minghu and his group.
Youxi was a sixth-tier warrior, Baishu was fifth-tier, and Chunjiang Minghu's mastery of magic made him almost on par with those on the Heavenly Ranking. The six Mirror City soldiers were all equipped with standard military crossbows. Sumingyan, Yi Feitian, Shichuan Hua, Xiao Feiyun, and Zangjin all had third to fourth-tier cultivation. Xueji possessed extremely high talent in light-based magic; an eighteen-year-old girl who could cast fourth-tier light-based magic could only be described as a genius. As
darkness gradually fell, only faint light penetrated from outside the dense forest. Zangjin held up the pearl given to him by Sumingyan for illumination, and he and two other warriors scouted ahead.
Such a group should be safe as long as they didn't venture deep into the heart of Junheng Mountain or confront large groups of wild beasts head-on. However, Chunjiang Minghu remained unusually cautious. Besides Cangjin scouting ahead, the other youths walked in the middle of the group, with Xueji closely following Su Mingyan, as Youxi and Baishu stayed close to him. The little purple lion, now back in the mountains, was full of energy, weaving back and forth in the middle of the group. Few in the group recognized the purple lion; Baishu had only recently learned of it, initially assuming it was a gift from Yujia's officials to the Sixth Prince. Chunjiang
Minghu, however, remained skeptical and uncertain. After all, humans only had the chance to see an adult purple lion king; who would have thought this little purple dog would grow to be as tall as a human? As
the group advanced along the edge of the swamp, the little purple lion's short tail suddenly stood erect. Instead of a low bark, it let out a wild, deep roar from its throat. In that instant, the little purple dog transformed into a majestic, kingly beast, shooting out like a purple lightning bolt, angrily biting a small tree root standing upright in the mud.
The four silver-horned windhorses carrying equipment and supplies at the rear of the group were the best windhorses in Mirror City, capable of fighting wild beasts. However, they were thrown into chaos by the roar of the purple suan beast, terrified and uneasy. One silver-horned horse even collapsed to the ground, foaming at the mouth.
Before the group could even react, a huge scaly tail emerged from the mud. A unicorn dragon, its head bitten by the little purple suan, was struggling violently in the mud. The unicorn dragon's body, half-wet and half-dry in black mud, resembled a withered tree fallen into the mud. Its horn on its forehead was more like a tumor, its eyes like two raging flames, and it possessed claws and teeth as hard as steel. Zang Jin was the first to react, shouting, "Watch out, it's a unicorn dragon!" He thrust his spear forward, but despite his strength, he couldn't pierce the unicorn dragon's tough armor.
The unicorn dragon was a low-level subspecies of dragon beast, but having established a relationship with a dragon beast, even a low-level subspecies was not to be underestimated.
The little purple lion bit down hard on the fleshy growth on the unicorn dragon's head, refusing to let go no matter how much it thrashed about. The unicorn dragon roared in pain, its massive tail sweeping up filthy black mud. Su Mingyan, worried about the little purple lion, rushed forward and unleashed five spear shadows with his Five-Stage Spear Technique. He couldn't pierce the unicorn dragon's armor, but he forced it ashore.
The others scattered. Chunjiang Minghu shouted to Shi Chuanhua and the others, "Go up, be careful not to let its massive tail hit you." He, Youxi, and Baishu stayed nearby, not going to help.
Taking advantage of the unicorn dragon's leaping and tail-spreading movement, Zang Jin plunged his spear into the dragon's soft belly. The force of the spear's recoil split his hand open, blood streaming down his face, and he jumped aside.
Su Mingyan shouted, "Everyone, scatter! Don't go any closer. Just wait until it bleeds out. Be careful not to let it escape into the swamp!"
Its powerful vitality allowed the unicorn dragon to struggle for a long time, sweeping away a large patch of bushes along the swamp's edge. Only when the unicorn dragon lay twitching weakly in the mud did the little purple lion release its grip, swaying unsteadily as if drunk. It turned out that the unicorn dragon had been shaken for so long that it had become dizzy.
Zang Jin pulled the short spear stuck in the belly of the unicorn dragon and looked at the little purple lion with admiration: "This is the first time I've seen such a small animal dare to confront a unicorn dragon head-on. It seems to instinctively know that the unicorn dragon's weakness is that single horn-like growth."
Shi Chuanhua pointed to the wind horse beast behind him and complained to Yi Feitian: "You said this was the best wind horse beast in Mirror City, but it foamed at the mouth and went limp when it encountered a unicorn dragon. You should be carrying these guys." "
I couldn't tell from the purple lion beast before. The wind horse beast was scared by its roar." Chunjiang Minghu walked over and looked down at the little purple lion beast lying at Su Mingyan's feet. Its purple fur was covered with black mud, but its beastly eyes were very handsome. Yes, only handsome could describe the eyes of the little purple lion beast that had awakened the kingly beastly nature within it.
“Oh,” Su Mingyan said with some surprise, looking at the terrified Wind Horse Beast behind him. “Mr. Mojie gave it to me in Yujia to cheer me up. It gave me quite a fright just now.”
Chunjiang Minghu said, “Adult king-level wild beasts are not hard to find, but cubs are truly rare. Your Highness Minghe, please take good care of it. When a cub grows up, it will be much more useful than a powerfully subdued adult king-level beast.” He glanced at Su Mingyan carefully, then turned and walked to Zang Jin’s side, casting a small spell to stop the bleeding from his shattered right hand.
The little purple lion did not restrain its wild aura, and the Wind Horse Beast remained in a state of terror, so the group camped in the dense forest by the swamp.
Zang Jin skillfully peeled off the hide of the unicorn dragon, and from the fleshy tumor of the unicorn horn, he extracted a dragon pearl the size of a pigeon egg. This was the unicorn dragon’s crystal core, which, reflecting the distant campfire, emitted a pale yellow glow.
Zang Jin presented the Flood Dragon Pearl to Su Mingyan: "Your Highness Minghe, according to the rules of the Gaoqiu hunters, this Flood Dragon Pearl belongs to Your Highness Minghe."
Su Mingyan held the Flood Dragon Pearl in his hand, feeling a strong flow of chaotic elemental power within it, and was somewhat surprised.
"Wild beasts don't use their mental power to gather the elemental power of heaven and earth like humans do. High-level wild beasts usually store elemental power in their crystal cores. When encountering an enemy, they release the elemental power from the crystal core to cast spells and skills..." Chunjiang Minghu walked over from behind, "The Purple Suan Beast has bitten the horn of the Unicorn Flood Dragon. The Unicorn Flood Dragon can only use brute force. Making it spit out scorching flames is much more troublesome."
"Then how do humans utilize crystal cores?" Su Mingyan stared at Chunjiang Minghu.
Chunjiang Minghu took the Jiaozhu and said, "Using a crystal core to condense and release elemental power isn't too difficult. This crystal core is of decent quality; it can store the elemental power needed for three or four Explosive Flame Spells, allowing the sorcerer to cast Explosive Flame Spells a few more times. However, the instincts of humans and wild beasts are very different. This crystal core will shatter after being used more than ten times." He then explained the method of condensing and releasing elemental power from the crystal core to Su Mingyan.
Spells use incantations and mental power to condense the elemental power of heaven and earth for one's own use. Now, all that's needed is to release the elemental power in the crystal core using incantations, without consuming mental power. Su Mingyan doesn't yet know how to cast complex mid-level spells like Explosive Flame Spells, but with this crystal core, he can cast Flame Arrows dozens more times.
Su Mingyan then remembered the black crystal core that Mojie Bocen had coveted. That crystal core was condensed from the body of a hundred-year-old Azure Wolf. If he wasn't mistaken, that crystal core also stored chaotic elemental power. He was unaware that releasing the remaining elemental power within the crystal core would be too costly; the backlash from the vast difference in their levels would be enough to kill him.
Su Mingyan attempted to extract the chaotic elemental power from the crystal core to create a burst of flame, which he then poured onto the Purple Suan.
"Ah," Shi Chuanhua, who was looking this way, saw the little Purple Suan engulfed in a bright flame. He quickly walked over, about to question Su Mingyan, when he saw the little Purple Suan shudder, seemingly absorbing the flame into its body. In the blink of an eye, the flame that had enveloped the little Purple Suan was reduced to a few sparks, and the little Purple Suan's mud-covered fur now looked as fresh and shiny as if it had been washed. The little Purple Suan rubbed against Su Mingyan's leg unsatisfied.
"Is the little tail not afraid of fire?" Shi Chuanhua asked.
Su Mingyan looked at Shi Chuanhua with surprise, then looked down at the little purple lion with its short tail standing upright. He then remembered that the little purple lion had been with him for more than half a year, but he hadn't given it a name yet. "Little Tail, this name is not bad." He squatted down and scratched the little purple lion's neck fur. "From now on, I'll call you Little Tail, okay?"
The little purple lion turned its head and barked softly at Shi Chuanhua, as if it was a little dissatisfied.
Chunjiang Minghu said, "The Purple Suan Beast is immune to fire damage and can eat fire as if it were food. However, the only thing that is truly beneficial to them is the purest Chaos Fire Soul. I suppose Mr. Mojie has already told Prince Minghe about this."
Su Mingyan was slightly taken aback and said, "I didn't have the patience to listen to this at the time. I just thought the little tail was cute and wanted to play with it. I will have to ask Lord Chunjiang for advice in the future."
Although Mojie Bocen had wandered to the borderlands, he was still one of the pillars of Qinglan. It was necessary to use a young Purple Suan Beast to please a prince who was not yet an adult.
Volume 2: Chapter 04, Exploring Junheng Mountain (2)
When Su Mingyan left the academy, Mojie Bocen taught him the most basic Way of Contemplation and the most basic Fire Talisman Technique. The simple life of three months in the Yanyun Wilderness allowed his mental power to reach the level that only a third-level sorcerer could achieve. This could only be described as a miracle for others, but his understanding of magic was probably even worse than that of an outsider like Ishikawa Hua.
A sorcerer possesses immense mental power, granting them extremely high control over the elemental forces of heaven and earth. However, a sorcerer's strength lies not only in the level of their mental power, but also, perhaps, in their understanding of spells and precise control over their mental power.
By the standards of the Central Continent, a beginner-level Chaos sorcerer should master the most basic Fire Rune spell, as well as two beginner-level spells derived from it. Each level has basic and derived spells, and the assessment of a sorcerer's level is mostly based on mastering the two derived spells of that level. Above the seventh level, this assessment standard becomes less relevant, and a powerful sorcerer's creativity is emphasized.
By this standard, Su Mingyan doesn't even qualify as a beginner-level sorcerer; he only masters the Fire Rune spell and one derived spell—the Flame Arrow.
Martial arts are based on internal energy (dan li), but in the Central Plains, the standard for martial artists' advancement is still mastering specific skills. Take spear techniques as an example: the most basic spear technique is thrusting, a skill that increases thrusting power at the moment the spear is thrust out. If one can instantly increase their power by 10% using thrusting, they are considered a qualified beginner-level spear warrior. Advanced warriors already possess powerful internal energy, and the power unleashed by skillful thrusting techniques is enough to pierce stone and metal.
Su Mingyan only knows the beginner-level thrusting and spear force, and the second-level shock, segmented thrust, and qi shield, and the third-level condensed qi armor, barely qualifying him as a third-level warrior. However, the illusory spear he condenses from his internal energy already possesses the power of a fourth-level martial art.
The illusory spear consumes a great deal of internal energy and can only be used in extreme situations; it is not a standard spear technique.
However, with Su Mingyan's agility and combat skills honed in the harsh environment of the Yan Yun Wilderness, after recovering his internal energy, his strength is not much weaker than Bai Shu's.
He was now a member of the royal family, raised in the deep palace since childhood, and naturally lacked sophisticated combat skills. In front of everyone, Su Mingyan could only use standard spear techniques, not daring to show off too much. Even so, his combination of thrusting, shocking, and four-stage thrusting had already astonished quite a few people.
The group advanced to the central part of the eastern foothills of the mountainous region, then turned east, preparing to approach the Crimson-Skinned Demons' settlement from behind.
Located in the vast Junheng Mountains, the eastern foothills were only considered the edge of the region, frequently visited by adventurers and hunters, who were quite familiar with the distribution of wild beasts in this area. With Zang Jin as their guide, the group avoided potentially dangerous areas and successfully advanced towards the Crimson-Skinned Demons' settlement.
Apart from the unicorn dragon, the group of seventeen or eighteen leopard cats they encountered now posed the greatest threat.
The leopard cats resembled leopards, with adults only two feet tall. Their fur, adorned with golden patterns, was exceptionally beautiful. Their blood-red fangs protruded like daggers gleaming with a gleaming white light, and their claws and teeth were as hard as steel, clearly indicating that they were extremely dangerous animals. They surrounded them from the dense forest on three sides, their crystalline black eyes radiating a chilling killing intent, treating Su Mingyan and his group as their prey for the day.
Su Mingyan crouched down, trying to calm the now agitated little purple lion. Any wild beast that could provoke hostility in the little lion was extremely dangerous, let alone a group of them.
Zang Jin warned loudly, "Leopard cats are very agile; ordinary crossbow bolts can't lock them down. They specifically target the throat of their prey, so be careful."
Shi Chuanhua touched his throat; he wasn't known for his speed, and took a half-step back.
Su Mingyan's spear thrust reached five stages, his spear speed reaching the limit of a fourth-tier warrior. He lunged forward, unleashing five layers of spear shadows, trapping the two leopard cats that pounced to test the waters. While the five-stage thrust could increase the spear speed fivefold, it also dispersed the power of each strike. High-level warriors utilize the power-enhancing properties of thrusting, combining it with a five-stage thrust attack to generate immense power. Su Mingyan's skill was still lacking; his five thrusts only struck the leopard cat once, and even then, the spears felt slippery and resilient, the sharp tips grazing the leopard cat's fur without piercing it. Another leopard cat, however, slipped through the gaps in the spear shadows and pounced in front of Su Mingyan. Su Mingyan ducked and hunched his shoulders, and the little purple lion leaped from his shoulder, biting the leopard cat's nape, then violently slamming its head down, pinning the leopard cat to the ground.
The leopard cat couldn't use its sharp teeth, and its claws didn't inflict much damage on the little purple lion. Su Mingyan knew that the little purple lion needed to act this way to truly become a kingly beast, so he focused intently on dealing with the pouncing leopard cat.
Although the leopard cat was ferocious, it wasn't beyond Su Mingyan and his companions' capabilities. Chunjiang Minghu, Youxi, Baishu, and the others, as usual, remained behind to provide support.
Youxi and Baishu were now more at ease, no longer needing to stay by his side every step of the way. With Chunjiang Minghu present, even the most severe injuries could be kept alive.
Youxi believed that the Sixth Prince, having endured the hardships of Yujia and Suiye, wouldn't fall into danger so easily.
The speed of the leopard cats was unmatched among wild beasts. Su Mingyan could only use his five-stage thrusting technique to create overlapping spear shadows. With three leopard cats within his attack range, he had no time to coordinate his other martial arts skills, which allowed him to focus on improving his thrusting technique.
Yi Feitian's family secret technique included a Golden Armor skill similar to the Body Strengthening Technique, but the power of the Body Strengthening Technique was incomparable. His entire body emitted a faint golden light, as if he were wearing a layer of golden armor. The leopard cats couldn't break through his defenses at all. Yi Feitian only needed to protect his throat, eyes, and a few other vital points. He was more than capable of dealing with five leopard cats alone and had already killed one of them with his sword. Xiao Feiyun was the only person Su Mingyan had ever seen who was faster than a leopard cat. Her slender rapier unleashed cascades of silver light as she fought off the three leopard cats.
Zang Jin, experienced in dealing with leopard cats, seemed to lack a suitable weapon, taking down two of them. Only Shi Chuanhua was truly pathetic; too embarrassed to ask Xue Ji to cast a speed-boosting spell on him, he struggled even against a single leopard cat, his face slashed by its claws, leaving four or five bloody gashes.
The little purple lion pinned a leopard cat, larger than itself, beneath it. The leopard cat was already on the verge of death, its four paws weakly flailing.
Chunjiang Minghu, observing the battlefield, remarked to Youxi, "The young prince's spear technique is truly solid."
Bai Shu was secretly astonished; although he could easily execute the six-stage thrust, the subtle shifts in power between lightness and gravity were still inferior to the Sixth Prince's. The Sixth Prince's five-stage thrust was almost uninterrupted, unleashing a series of overlapping spear shadows in one fluid motion, though its power was slightly lacking.
Youxi said, "Your Highness possesses a talent for martial arts that is beyond the reach of ordinary people."
Chunjiang Minghu smiled slightly, "The Young Prince seems to be quite interested in magic as well. Last night at camp, regarding fire talismans, Minghu was also left speechless by the Young Prince's questions."
Youxi glanced at Chunjiang Minghu, thinking: You see His Highness as a potential threat to Canaan, don't you? Suppressing her worries, she thought, "Since Yu Jia, His Highness has changed his frivolous nature, becoming pragmatic and diligent, but greed always leads to loss. Several attempts to persuade him have had little effect."
The little purple lion took a leopard cat from Su Mingyan and they began to fight. Su Mingyan's pressure was greatly reduced. He added a thrusting attack to his five-stage spear attack, forcefully cracking the leopard cat's forehead. Ignoring the leopard cat convulsing on the ground, Su Mingyan retracted his spear. The remaining leopard cat pounced, leaving a black shadow trail. Su Mingyan dodged to the side, his spear lashing out, the force of the blow slamming the leopard cat deep into the mud.
Standard techniques are just for training spear skills; who says you have to strictly follow standard movements in actual combat?
Following the same method, Su Mingyan helped Yi Feitian deal with one of the leopard cats. This increased their speed, and in less than two hundred breaths, they had killed the remaining leopard cats.
Of the four leopard cats killed by Su Mingyan, except for the first one, their backs were shattered, but their fur remained intact. Zang Jin exclaimed in admiration, "Leopard cat fur is extremely valuable. A complete leopard cat pelt is worth two thousand silver coins in Mirror City. It's a pity that very few people can kill a leopard cat without damaging its fur." He drew a short knife from his waist, made a shallow cut along the leopard cat's belly, vigorously rubbed its back, and with a forceful pull, peeled off the entire pelt as easily as taking off clothes.
In the four days since they entered the mountains, His Highness's martial arts skills had improved every moment. His Highness's counter-attacks against the leopard cat's back, while not displaying any amazing techniques, showed a level of insight, speed, and control over force that seemed to have been honed through countless trials. Bai Shu was secretly shocked: Although six leopard cats died at Yi Feitian's hands, he relied on his family's secret Golden Armor Technique to protect himself, and his strength was not much different from that of His Highness.
Although Bai Shu did not witness the fatal blow at the foot of Biyun Mountain, he arrived at the scene afterward and saw that a huge crack had appeared at the bottom of the hundred-zhang Biyun Mountain cliff, which made him imagine the power of the fatal blow. He had also heard about Yu Jia and Shang Tang's affairs and thought: Some people become cowardly because of huge changes, while others can unleash unlimited potential. Is His Highness such a person?
Volume 2: Chapter 04, Exploring Junheng Mountain (3)
His Highness Minghe donated gold to solve the survival worries of the villagers who came from Gaoqiu. Zang Jin knew that his future life trajectory was to follow His Highness Minghe and repay this kindness with unwavering loyalty.
Zang Jin spread the whole skin he had peeled off in front of Su Mingyan, let him take a look at the beautiful patterns on it, rolled up the fur, and put it into his bag.
A whole skin was worth two thousand silver coins! Looking at the leopard cat's carcass, now chopped to pieces by his axe, Shi Chuanhua said, "Brother Zangjin, this pelt is still valuable."
"Only intact pelts are rare. Don't bother with this one; after all, we're not in the mountains to hunt," Chunjiang urged from behind. "We've been in the mountains for four days, and we're getting closer to the Crimson-Skinned Demons' settlement. Everyone be careful."
After burying the leopard cat's remains deep in the ground and using fragrant herbs to dispel the blood stench from everyone, they continued on their way. Along the way, the number of wild beasts decreased, and they saw almost no high-level beasts, indicating that the massive Crimson-Skinned Demon population had made even high-level beasts avoid them. The group was not far from the core area of the Crimson-Skinned Demons' settlement, with a small number of demons roaming the nearby mountains.
The group originally planned to avoid the outer Crimson-Skinned Demons and infiltrate their settlement. Just as Chunjiang Minghu had predicted, these outer Crimson-Skinned Demons were actually acting as outposts, making it impossible for the group to infiltrate silently. Alarming the Crimson-Skinned Demons would bring unexpected dangers.
With the help of Cang Jin, Youxi thoroughly familiarized herself with the terrain of the nearby mountains. Then, she cleared a patch of grass in the middle of the group and drew a simple map of the surrounding terrain: "The Crimson-Skinned Demons are not to be underestimated. With so many of us outposted like this, it will be difficult to infiltrate. Everyone should take essential items. Bury any extras somewhere, mark the spot, and come back for them later. Use the Obscurity Spell to drive the Wind Horse Beast inwards, luring away the Crimson-Skinned Demons in those areas. We'll infiltrate from here." Youxi's hand landed on the line representing a stream.
Chunjiang Minghu nodded, agreeing with his observation: "Almost all the streams near the high hills on the eastern slopes flow eastward, joining the Yamuna River. This river, however, flows westward, meandering through the towering mountains. Its flow is not large, and it eventually merges into the swamp we encountered when we entered the mountains. The source of this stream should be a high mountain near the high hills. As a humanoid race, there should already be class differentiation within them. The higher the class, the more power they have to use cleaner water sources. Rather than searching aimlessly in this mountainous area, it would be better to follow this stream to its source." Since
he and Youxi had both said so, what could the others possibly object to
? They sacrificed four Wind Horse Beasts to lure away the Crimson-Skinned Demon at the stream mouth, and the group trudged eastward along the valley.
The valley meandered, its banks lined with jagged, jagged rocks covered in lush, tall grass. Zang Jin led the way, while Shi Chuan Hua, strong and powerful, joined the fray, using a short-bladed axe to help clear away the dense thickets of thorns, bushes, and creeping vines.
Xue Ji was the weakest and least physically capable, but thanks to Xiao Feiyun's care, she managed to hold on. Chun Jiang Ming Hu seemed as energetic as You Xi and Bai Shu, while Su Ming Yan and Xiao Zi Suan strolled leisurely in the middle of the group. The
Crimson Demon had established a more formidable outpost on the outer edge, luring the demon away from the mouth of the stream. The group walked along the stream for half a day, about thirty or forty miles, before encountering the Crimson Demon again.
There lay a lake hidden deep in the mountains, its emerald green surface flanked by steep cliffs, like a piece of jade hidden in the mountains. Water seeped from the crevices of the western cliff, forming a stream that the group had followed.
The eastern shore of the lake was a valley nestled between two high hills. Su Mingyan hadn't expected such a place to exist deep in the mountains. The lake was over ten miles in circumference, and the valley was even wider. The terrain sloped down at the end of the valley, suggesting a vast area beyond.
Looking across the emerald green lake towards the valley, they saw hundreds of Crimson-Skinned Demons, all judged by their height to be at least at the level of a leader.
Su Mingyan gasped, glancing back. Chunjiang Minghu, Youxi, and the others also looked astonished.
They had already encountered Crimson-Skinned Demons, categorized into three levels. The ordinary Crimson-Skinned Demons were numerous, and there was no rush to eliminate them; their numbers didn't intimidate them. The Red-Skinned Demon-Headed Men are roughly equivalent to second-tier warriors in agility and strength, but thanks to their iron-like bodies, they can hold their own against third-tier warriors. Most troublesome of all, they possess considerable intelligence. When the Mirror City army encountered the higher-level Red-Skinned Demons, whose strength rivaled that of fourth-tier human warriors, the valley was teeming with them. There were no fewer than six hundred Red-Skinned Demon-Headed Men and higher-level Red-Skinned Demons. No wonder wild beasts avoided this place, and even dragons dared not confront such a massive horde.
Chunjiang Minghu frowned and said, "It's certain that all the Red-Skinned Demons from the mountains stretching a thousand miles east of Junheng have gathered here. What has caused such a large population?"
"About how many?" Youxi also found it strange. Humanoid races generally have simple languages and clan organizations. The reason Red-Skinned Demons are not valued is because they rarely form large populations. A population of a thousand Red-Skinned Demons is already quite rare, but the population before them was unbelievably enormous.
“No less than 100,000,” Chunjiang Minghu said thoughtfully. “If a large horde of Crimson-Skinned Demons were to emerge from the high hills, Mirror City would be unable to defend against them. Fortunately, we came to take a look.”
Su Mingyan asked, “Where are the ordinary Crimson-Skinned Demons? Even hollowing out the mountains on both sides wouldn’t be enough to accommodate so many.”
“The lakeside valley might be a Crimson-Skinned Demon population…” Chunjiang Minghu felt that the Crimson-Skinned Demons before him must have a more rigorous organizational structure than a clan, far exceeding the definition of a population. He changed his terminology, “This might be the sacred ground of the Crimson-Skinned Demon clan. Ordinary Crimson-Skinned Demons wouldn’t come in. From here to the central area of the high hills, there is a depth of over a hundred miles, which may all be occupied by Crimson-Skinned Demons.”
Youxi asked, “Crimson-Skinned Demons feed on carrion. If they all gather here, how can there be enough carrion?”
“That’s what I’m worried about. The Crimson-Skinned Demons will either kill each other and live by eating corpses, or they will surge out of the high hills…”
“Ugh…” Shi Chuanhua imagined the disgusting scene of Crimson-Skinned Demons eating each other and couldn’t help but vomit up the roasted meat he had just eaten. Su Mingyan glanced back, surprised that Ishikawa Hua was even weaker than the seemingly frail Xue Ji. However, Xue Ji and Xiao Feiyun, their faces pale from Ishikawa Hua's vomiting, couldn't help but vomit as well.
A few days ago in Gaoqiu, when they slaughtered the Crimson-Skinned Demons, leaving their limbs scattered everywhere, they hadn't reacted this strongly. Su Mingyan pursed his lips. The desert south of Yujia also had evil races that fed on corpses, posing a major threat to caravans crossing the border.
Youxi frowned and said, "The Crimson-Skinned Demons are different from the ghouls in the desert..." Turning to Su Mingyan, she said, "Your Highness, the Crimson-Skinned Demons have surged out of the high hills and are also impacting Qinshan County."
Su Mingyan glanced at Chunjiang Minghu. If he hadn't come along and seen it with his own eyes, Chunjiang Minghu might not have been so kind as to inform Qinglan. Su Mingyan didn't really agree with Qinglan, but he was currently using Tan Naminghe's identity, so he said, "Lord Chunjiang, is it necessary to investigate further?"
There were five or six hundred high-level Crimson-Skinned Demons on the other side; anyone would avoid them like the plague. Yet, the young prince of Qinglan Dynasty seemed intent on going deeper. Chunjiang Minghu glanced at everyone and asked, "What are the young prince's plans?"
Su Mingyan said, "Lord Chunjiang, you, Youxi, and Baishu will cross over from here, and the rest of you will retreat the way you came. What does Lord Chunjiang think?"
Chunjiang Minghu had originally wanted to invite Youxi to explore the Crimson-Skinned Demon's lair together. With Youxi's help, even if they alerted the Crimson-Skinned Demons, they could escape easily. He hadn't expected Tan Naminghe to have the audacity to explore as well. Chunjiang Minghu no longer thought Tan Naminghe was acting recklessly. He turned to look at Youxi and Baishu, wondering what his two subjects' attitudes were.
Baishu hesitated, looking at Youxi. Youxi said, "Since Your Highness says so, this humble servant will accompany Your Highness."
Zangjin said, "Your Highness Minghe, please allow Zangjin to follow."
Su Mingyan grew up in the treacherous Yan Yun Wilderness, and even without Chunjiang Minghu, Youxi, and Baishu accompanying him, he had the courage to explore the Crimson Skin Demon's lair. Su Mingyan glanced at Shi Chuanhua and Yi Feitian; Zangjin's experience in surviving in the deep mountains and dense forests was sometimes more useful than formidable martial arts skills.
Su Mingyan said, "You lead them out of the mountain and wait for me in Mirror City."
Shi Chuanhua was sullen, but helpless; his biggest weakness was his lack of speed. If he went along, it would only endanger everyone, since they weren't going in to eliminate the Crimson Skin Demon. Xiao Feiyun thought of the Crimson Skin Demon's remains deep in the hills and felt nauseous; getting this far was already a struggle.
Yi Feitian was somewhat unwilling and was about to ask to go with them when Chunjiang Minghu interrupted him: "Even if we return the same way, we may encounter unexpected dangers. You must be careful and take good care of Xueji and the others with Shichuan Hua and Zangjin..." Chunjiang Minghu realized that this arrangement of personnel was the most appropriate. Yi Feitian, Shichuan Hua and the others must be led out by Zangjin, who is familiar with the situation of Junheng Mountain. He glanced at Su Mingyan and thought to himself: It is a coincidence that he is also familiar with the way of using people. He instructed Yi Feitian and the others, "We should listen to Zangjin's opinion more about the situation."
Volume 2: Chapter 04, Exploring Junheng Mountain (4)
Watching Yi Feitian, Zangjin, Shichuan Hua, Xiao Feiyun, Xueji and the six warriors return along the same way and disappear into the lush green grass, Su Mingyan was sure that the little purple lion would not be angry with the red-skinned ghost on the other side of the lake. After making some preparations, he climbed up the cliff on the north bank with Chunjiang Minghu, Youxi and Baishu.
Besides the fine steel short spear in his right hand, Su Mingyan also carried a long dagger at his waist. Considering the dangers of this journey, Su Mingyan not only had Youxi carry the more decorative Dragon-Slaying Bow, but also had her carry the Red Sleeve Blade. Only Youxi could unleash the Red Sleeve Blade's power, so it was naturally given to her as a secondary weapon. Youxi carried the Red Sleeve Blade at her waist, and in her right hand, she held her usual long spear. Bai Shu used a sword, carrying a heavy sword on her back and a long sword hanging at her waist.
Before Chunjiang Minghu's mission to Qinglan, to avoid unnecessary suspicion, he left his staff in Mirror City. This time, he had placed the staff in his baggage, and now he took it out and held it in his hand. The staff was entirely azure-green, made by a special process that infused some kind of dark gold metal into the green wood, making the staff exceptionally sturdy. A purple crystal core was inlaid at the staff's head, resembling the eye of a living wild beast. The staff's head was shaped like a fist, engraved with tiny, ant-like incantations and spells.
Youxi followed behind Chunjiang Minghu, looking at the green wooden staff in his hand, and asked, "I didn't expect the Staff of Inferno to be in Lord Chunjiang's hands."
Chunjiang Minghu smiled faintly, glancing indifferently at the staff in his hand.
Su Mingyan's common sense was pitifully limited; he had never heard of the Staff of Inferno, but the moment Chunjiang Minghu held it, he could feel the surrounding chaotic elemental power seemed to have become more active. The feeling was likely even more pronounced when Chunjiang Minghu held the staff in his hand.
Su Mingyan looked at the Crimson-Skinned Demons below the mountain, thinking to himself: "He wouldn't be planning to kill all these Crimson-Skinned Demons, would he?"
The four climbed the cliff and saw that there were indeed many ordinary Crimson-Skinned Demons below. They were hunched over, stiffly moving through the grass and bushes, but their sheer numbers made them formidable. Su Mingyan and the others, like many others, lacked the courage to directly confront them. At the mountaintop, strange rocks and vines intertwined. Youxi, Baishu, and Chunjiang Minghu had far less experience surviving in these places than Su Mingyan, but Su Mingyan couldn't show it, leaving him itching with suppressed desire.
Halfway up the mountain, Youxi approached a Bloodthirsty Vine. Su Mingyan turned his face away, pretending not to see it. The instant the Bloodthirsty Vine unfurled its pale yellow tendrils, Youxi sensed a faint aura of bloodlust. His spear swiftly deflected a vine that had silently reached towards his waist. The surrounding Bloodthirsty Vine seemed to come alive, rapidly extending along the rock face and decaying mud, the soft rustling sound like countless snakes crawling.
Chunjiang Minghu held his staff horizontally in front of him, unleashing a series of bright red flames that landed in front of Youxi, instantly burning into a foot-high wall of fire. The Bloodthirsty Vine was extremely afraid of fire; its tendrils recoiled violently upon touching the fire wall.
Su Mingyan sensed the intense anger emanating from the Bloodthirsty Vine; the entire Bloodthirsty Vine forest seemed like a sentient being.
Chunjiang Minghu also sensed a strong sense of danger: "Bloodthirsty Vine!" Chunjiang Minghu frowned. This dark red plant, resembling congealed blood, was quite troublesome. There were so many of them that only a wall of flames could clear a path, but that would alert the Crimson-Skinned Demons below.
The surrounding mountain ridges were covered in these Bloodthirsty Vine, like congealed blood. The valleys were filled with Crimson-Skinned Demons, and the paths on the mountain were blocked by the vines.
As the wall of flames was about to die down, the Bloodthirsty Vine stirred restlessly. Dozens of vines stretched out along the ground. Youxi transferred her spear to her left hand, drew her red-sleeved knife from her waist, and with a swift slash, a chilling blade of energy severed the dozens of Bloodthirsty Vine. The severed vines writhed, oozing a dark red liquid.
Su Mingyan peered down the cliff. The danger in the lake was no less than that of the Bloodthirsty Vines on the mountain ridge. Looking ahead, he saw the Bloodthirsty Vines draped down the ridge, but abruptly stopped halfway up the mountain, forming a clear boundary.
"Woo..." The little purple lion stretched out its foreleg and stepped on the broken Bloodthirsty Vines. The broken vine wrapped around it, startling it. It barked softly, jumped back, lowered its head, bit the broken vine that was wrapped around its foreleg, pulled it off, and threw it aside.
Su Mingyan said, "The Bloodthirsty Vine has extremely strong vitality, so why does it only grow on mountain ridges?"
Chunjiang Minghu, touched by his words, began to observe more closely and said, "The Crimson-Skinned Demon used the Bloodthirsty Vine to seal off the surrounding mountain ridges. There must be something of interest to us in the valleys inside."
"What's preventing the Bloodthirsty Vine from spreading further down?" Youxi squatted down, rubbing the soft mud on the ground. "The Bloodthirsty Vine has an extremely strong reproductive capacity. A single broken vine can cover an entire mountain in a very short time."
“The Blood-Devouring Vines here are even stronger.” Su Mingyan stared at the broken vine that the little purple lion had thrown off. The broken vine was visibly burrowing into the ground. He grabbed it with his backhand, carefully avoiding being hurt by the barbs, and threw the broken vine into the lake below the mountain. “This also shows that there is a stronger restriction preventing the Blood-Devouring Vines from spreading further down the mountain. It’s really unexpected that the Crimson-Skinned Demon can control the growth of the Blood-
Devouring Vines.” The situation was increasingly worrying, and Chunjiang Minghu did not hide the heaviness in his tone: “The Blood-Devouring Vines entangle people and animals, piercing their bodies with barbs to suck their life essence. Qiupu County once suffered a Blood-Devouring Vines disaster. Almost no one in the hundreds of villages in the eastern mountains of Qiupu could escape. Canaan went to great lengths to eradicate these Blood-Devouring Vines. If the Crimson-Skinned Demon can control the growth of the Blood-Devouring Vines, it will definitely not be good news for Qinglan and Canaan.”
The group cautiously made their way eastward along the edge of the area where the Bloodthirsty Vines grew, inevitably clearing out several groups of ordinary Crimson-Skinned Demons who blocked their path. Reaching the eastern ridge of the mountain range, the four finally saw the situation in the valley below the lake. In the sloping valley, there stood a structure made of massive stones.
Although simple, Su Mingyan immediately recognized its purpose: a temple!
A temple of the Crimson-Skinned Demons. The temple was quite rudimentary; if it hadn't appeared abruptly in the grassy valley, they might have mistaken it for a pile of meaningless giant stones. Although it had a doorway, the walls were uneven, and the piled stones lacked even basic cutting and polishing, exhibiting a rather crude style.
Su Mingyan felt a mixture of amusement and disbelief. Even such an evil and inferior race had faith; he wondered if the evil god worshipped by the Crimson-Skinned Demons also fed on carrion like the demons themselves.
The little purple lion, which had been quiet the whole way, now showed a wary look in its eyes, staring at the crude temple, and letting out a low growl. Su Mingyan half-squatted down and gently stroked the little purple lion's neck fur to calm it down.
Chunjiang Minghu's body suddenly trembled, startling Su Mingyan. Blood seeped from the corner of Chunjiang Minghu's mouth, and it slowly opened its eyes, the divine light within them much dimmer: "There is a powerful evil aura in the stone hall. My divine sense was intercepted as soon as it entered."
Youxi asked, "The evil god worshipped by the Crimson-Skinned Demons?"
Chunjiang Minghu was not sure and said, "Not powerful enough to be unmanageable..."
Before Chunjiang Minghu finished speaking, an unusually tall Crimson-Skinned Demon emerged from the temple. As soon as it appeared, the surrounding Crimson-Skinned Demons surrounded it. In comparison, Su Mingyan truly noticed its size; it was twice the height of the surrounding Crimson-Skinned Demons.
A year ago, this Crimson-Skinned Demon was just an ordinary Crimson-Skinned Demon, crammed into a narrow stone cave with about twenty other Crimson-Skinned Demons, spending its days in a daze, hunting and sleeping. One morning, it suddenly realized it was different from the other Crimson-Skinned Demons; a memory not belonging to it revived within its body. This revived memory granted it abilities that ordinary Crimson-Skinned Demons did not possess. Its withered, wood-like body became flexible and more resilient, and an endless stream of power surged within it. This power increased daily, making it not only unrivaled among the Crimson-Skinned Demons, but also a match for the swamp rats, four-clawed tapirs, leopard cats, unicorn dragons, and feathered serpents of the nearby mountains. When it defeated the king of this mountain range, the Platinum Horned Python, the Crimson-Skinned Demons of the eastern foothills of Junheng Mountain were all mysteriously summoned and gathered around it. It discovered that it wasn't just one Crimson-Skinned Demon that had mutated; it was just that the power the other Crimson-Skinned Demons gained from their mutations was inferior to its own.
Seeing the unusually tall, red-skinned demon emerge, the four didn't hesitate any longer and immediately retreated along the path they had come from. A roar echoed through the valley behind them. Su Mingyan glanced back; dozens of red-skinned demons were climbing the cliff face barefoot and empty-handed. The demon was incredibly fast, quickly gaining a lead of seven or eight zhang over the others.
Su Mingyan glanced at Chunjiang Minghu: "It can handle it. The four of us together can barely manage it, but what about the dozens of higher-level red-skinned demons behind it?"
At this moment, the Blood-Devouring Grass on the ridge also showed abnormalities, rapidly spreading downhill and blocking the four's path. The red-skinned demons roaming the valleys on the north side of the cliff, hearing the roar from the valley, quickly gathered and rushed to intercept the four as they ran halfway up the mountain.
With an obstacle in front and the red-skinned demon behind them incredibly fast, escape was impossible. Su Mingyan shouted, "Go up the mountain!"
Chunjiang Minghu, Youxi, and Baishu stopped in their tracks, quickly understanding Su Mingyan's meaning: not all red-skinned demons were immune to the Blood-Devouring Vine.
Chunjiang Minghu raised his staff and shot out two walls of flame, burning a path through the Blood-Devouring Vine. The four of them rushed into the Blood-Devouring Vine thicket. The Crimson-Skinned Demons blocking their way ahead were indeed afraid of the Blood-Devouring Vine. Several Crimson-Skinned Demons who couldn't stop their feet were entangled by the Blood-Devouring Vine and were covered by the reddish-brown Blood-Devouring Vine in an instant.
Volume 2: Chapter 5, Linglu Academy (1)
The mountain ridge cut straight down and plunged into the lake. The upper half of the gray-white limestone cliff was covered with reddish-brown Blood-Devouring Vine.
Su Mingyan handed the crystal core of the Unicorn Dragon to Chunjiang Minghu. The Dragon Pearl played an even greater role in Chunjiang Minghu's hands. Chunjiang Minghu used his mental power to maintain a fire circle with a diameter of one zhang around him, blocking the Blood-Devouring Vine outside.
The unusually tall Crimson-Skinned Demon broke free of the Blood-Devouring Vine's entanglement and was rushing towards the mountain ridge. Fortunately, the other Crimson-Skinned Demons were blocked by the Blood-Devouring Vine.
Su Mingyan glanced at Chunjiang Minghu. Although this Crimson-Skinned Demon was incredibly powerful, it didn't seem like the evil god it worshipped.
Chunjiang Minghu frowned: "That immense evil aura seems to have disappeared from it."
The little purple lion's temper suddenly became unusually volatile, letting out a low roar from its throat, baring its teeth, and standing imposingly in front of Su Mingyan.
Su Mingyan, holding the spear in his right hand, switched the longsword to his left and said, "The Bloodthirsty Vine isn't without its effects on it, Lord Chunjiang. When it comes up, just use the wall of flames to protect the back; we'll handle the front."
Hearing Su Mingyan's words, Chunjiang Minghu sheathed his staff, and the half-circle of flames in front of the four gradually extinguished. The tendrils of the Bloodthirsty Vine flicked out like snake tongues, rapidly approaching.
The Crimson-Skinned Demon was even faster, transforming into a reddish-brown blur, crashing straight into Su Mingyan. Su Mingyan flicked his spear, the fine steel gleaming with a faint golden light. He used his thrusting skill, channeling the power of his Tan Yuan Reverse Scale Force into the spear, and thrust it at the shadow lunging at him.
Su Mingyan felt the spear tip slip against the Crimson-Skinned Demon, failing to land a solid hit, allowing the demon to dissipate the spear's force. You Xi swung her spear, attacking the Crimson-Skinned Demon from the left and right alongside Bai Shu.
This demon was covered in reddish-brown scales, like drops of congealed blood, covering its entire body except for a few areas like the eyes. Twice as tall as Su Mingyan and incredibly agile, the three of them couldn't contain it within their combined attack. Although Su Mingyan landed hits each time, he could only leave white marks, unable to inflict any real damage.
The Crimson-Skinned Demon seemed unfazed by the spear attacks, neither parrying nor defending. Relying on the strength and power of his spear, Youxi repelled the Crimson-Skinned Demon with each strike, preventing it from closing in.
The Little Purple Suan pounced, biting the Crimson-Skinned Demon's calf with a piercing "squeak, squeak..." sound, like something sharp gliding across glass. The Crimson-Skinned Demon swung its leg, sending the Little Purple Suan flying sixteen or seventeen feet away, its forked tongue and blood-devouring flesh instantly engulfing it.
Su Mingyan watched with bated breath; the Blood-Devouring Vine was trembling violently, and the Little Purple Suan was struggling fiercely inside. Su Mingyan crouched down and took a step back, about to throw his conjured flaming arrow in that direction, when countless purple needles pierced through the vine. The vine seemed to recoil in pain, quickly withdrawing, revealing the Little Purple Suan with its fur bristling purple.
Seeing that the Little Purple Suan was unfazed by the Blood-Devouring Vine, Su Mingyan hurled his flaming arrow at the Crimson-Skinned Demon's head. The Demon raised its hand to block, sending a spray of sparks flying.
Su Mingyan shouted, "It's afraid of fire! We've already stabbed it with spears, and it hasn't even parried a single blow yet!"
Upon hearing this, Chunjiang Minghu immediately conjured a wall of flames between the Crimson-Skinned Demon and Youxi. The Crimson-Skinned Demon hesitated for a moment before charging forward again.
Although the damage was minimal, it was better than nothing.
The Little Purple Suan, kicked away by the Crimson-Skinned Demon, was still shaken. It struggled out of the Bloodthirsty Vines and didn't continue charging, instead howling angrily. It
was a pity the Little Purple Suan wasn't fully grown yet; otherwise, a single burst of Chaos Fire Souls would surely have blasted the Crimson-
Skinned Demon leader beyond recognition. Chunjiang Minghu had no time to prepare high-level spells, and Su Mingyan knew that his fire arrows would have limited effect on the Crimson-Skinned Demon leader.
Su Mingyan planted his spear in the mud, switched his longsword to his right hand, and retreated behind Chunjiang Minghu, saying, "Xiaowei and I will hold off the Bloodthirsty Vines."
Chunjiang Minghu flicked a fire arrow, striking the Crimson-Skinned Demon in the forehead; the demon roared in pain.
The longsword was three feet six inches long, with the thickest part of the blade only three and a half millimeters thick. The pale purple blade was infused with refined gold during forging, making the blade as sharp as a razor. The sharp blade made a sharp sound as if it were cutting through the air, severing all the blood-devouring vines that stretched along the ground. Occasionally, one or two vines would slip through, but the small purple lions would pounce on them and tear them to pieces.
Youxi, Baishu, and the Crimson-Skinned Ghost were locked in fierce combat. The energy generated by the intense battle made everyone's hair fly wildly, preventing the blood-devouring vines from getting close. Su Mingyan only needed to protect Chunjiang Minghu, giving him time to prepare his spells.
Chunjiang Minghu raised the Staff of Inferno high, the chaotic elemental power shattering the calm surface of the lake like a stone breaking the still water. Purple sparks crackled from the staff's tip. Su Mingyan glanced back, wondering when the Staff of Inferno's power would be unleashed, when suddenly, the staff, spewing purple sparks, unleashed a tongue of purple flame. A burst of intense light shot from the flame towards the Crimson-Skinned Demon.
The Crimson-Skinned Demon's left shoulder felt as if it had been ripped open by a tremendous force, only a small amount of reddish-brown blood seeping out, yet the demon howled in agony. Seeing an opportunity, Youxi drew her Broken-Sleeve Blade, leaping about ten feet into the air. As she rose, she spun, reaching her highest point. The Broken-Sleeve Blade in her left hand gleamed with a blinding red light, unleashing an incredibly powerful slash that struck the wound on the Crimson-Skinned Demon's left shoulder. The force of the blow scattered the Bloodthirsty Vines.
A crisp cracking sound rang out as the hard jade was shattered. The severed sleeve had sunk eight inches into the Crimson-Skinned Demon's left shoulder, but its strength gave out, and it couldn't remove the entire arm.
The Crimson-Skinned Demon roared and turned to flee, the severed sleeve still embedded in its shoulder. The Crimson-Skinned Demons below seemed to realize their leader was in danger, and they frantically charged into the Bloodthirsty Vines, tearing off the vines that had wrapped around them, and using brute force to clear a path, rushing up the mountain.
Now was the time to leave.
Chunjiang Minghu raised his staff and unleashed a wall of fire. The Bloodthirsty Vines hurriedly retracted their stems and tendrils. In the gaps between Chunjiang Minghu's spellcasting, Su Mingyan, Youxi, and Baishu used their energy to force the Bloodthirsty Vines away. The little purple lion's fur bristled like a ball of steel needles, impervious to fire, and it charged at the forefront.
Emerging from the Bloodthirsty Vines, they found themselves surrounded by hundreds of Crimson-Skinned Demons on the western side of the mountain. These were mostly ordinary Crimson-Skinned Demons on the outer perimeter, with only a few Crimson-Skinned Demon Leaders. Under the fierce attacks of You Xi, Bai Shu, and Su Mingyan, they were left with mangled limbs and splattered with blood. If it weren't for the large number of high-level Crimson-Skinned Demons chasing after them around the foot of the mountain, the four would have been willing to annihilate this group to vent their frustration.
The four didn't know how far Zang Jin and Yi Feitian had gone, and dared not follow the route they had taken into the mountains. If they were entangled by a large number of high-level Crimson-Skinned Demons, none of the four could guarantee their escape, and leading them to Yi Feitian would certainly result in casualties.
In their panic, the four frantically searched for a direction, directly crossing mountain ridges and fleeing south.
Although there were Crimson-Skinned Demons blocking their path, they were all low-level. It was dark for a long time, and the four didn't know how long they had been running, until they stumbled upon the den of a group of mountain foxes, finally confirming that they had found the territory of the Crimson-Skinned Demons.
The four men stuffed the ferocious mountain fox, its claws outstretched in death, into their bellies before finally having a moment to savor the day's perilous experience.
Youxi handed the empty sheath of her red-sleeved knife to Su Mingyan, saying with difficulty, "This humble servant made a mistake..."
Su Mingyan waved his hand, stopping him from continuing, "If it weren't for your decisive action, the four of us would probably have been entangled to death by that Crimson-Skinned Demon." He secretly feared that his outstanding performance today might arouse suspicion in the other three.
Chunjiang Minghu and Baishu hadn't had any contact with the previous Tanna Minghe, only having a vague impression based on hearsay. Although surprised by his excellent performance, they didn't think much of it. Indeed, who would have thought that the current Tanna Minghe was an imposter?
In the past six months, his behavior had astonished Youxi too many times, and she had grown accustomed to it: the Minghe Prince, having undergone a tremendous change, was bursting forth with potential unmatched by others. The awakening of innate power is always associated with miracles.
Instead of traversing the Crimson-Skinned Demons' settlement as planned, the group directly crossed mountains and valleys, emerging from the eastern foothills. Yi Feitian, Zang Jin, and the others were slower, arriving at Shule City, southeast of Junheng Mountain, two days later to reunite with them.
After hearing Su Mingyan's account of their encounter with the Crimson-Skinned Demon leader, Shi Chuanhua regretted not insisting on going to see for himself. The Crimson-Skinned Demon, twice the height of an ordinary person and whom even You Xi couldn't injure with her full strength, completely transcended any concept of the Crimson-Skinned Demon.
"A deity... do the Crimson-Skinned Demons really have their own deity?" Shi Chuanhua asked, somewhat doubtful. Even a lower-level deity was beyond human power to contend with, especially since no divine miracles had occurred on this continent for a thousand years.
Chunjiang Minghu was lost in thought for a moment before realizing everyone was staring at his face. He said, "Similar to the way talent awakens, the Crimson-Skinned Demon race is experiencing an anomaly. Some chosen Crimson-Skinned Demons have gained extraordinary abilities. There is a powerful evil aura in the Crimson-Skinned Demon's temple. I wandered my consciousness to try and find out what was in the temple, but I didn't expect to be detected. That part of my consciousness was dispersed by the evil beings inside, and my divine sense was lost. It will take more than half a year to recover..."
Using consciousness to observe external appearances, in this respect, martial artists and sorcerers have the same goal: it is an essential means to cross the limit of the Earth Rank.
Yi Feitian, with his meticulous thinking, listened to Chunjiang Minghu's words and said, "That Crimson-Skinned Demon doesn't have the ability to control the Blood-Devouring Vine..."
Chunjiang Minghu said, "Perhaps the Crimson-Skinned Demon can only control the growth of the Blood-Devouring Vine, but cannot control its behavior. After all, the Blood-Devouring Vine is between a plant and an animal; it has consciousness, but will never develop intelligence."
Youxi said, "Lord Chunjiang once said that the Crimson-Skinned Demon didn't have a huge evil aura. Is there an even more powerful being in the temple?"
The four of them had the strength of a seventh-level warrior when they encountered the Crimson-Skinned Demon, but they didn't know if it had any special skills.
Volume 2: Chapter 5, Linglu Academy (2)
The four of them had the strength of a seventh-level warrior when they encountered the Crimson-Skinned Demon. If there was an even more powerful being, the strength of the Crimson-Skinned Demon species was truly unimaginable.
Chunjiang Minghu said, "The alienation of humanoid races can be traced back a hundred years. Fusang Island is located in the sea east of Crescent Bay. The Lougara people lived there and developed a clan culture in a very short time, worshipping a low-level evil god named Amaterasu."
Su Mingyan recalled the appearance of the Lougara people in the scripture illustrations: they were about the same height as ordinary red-skinned demons, their skin was covered with bluish-black scales, and they had wings under their armpits that were the same color as their skin. Their snouts protruded outwards, like the long beaks of birds. People called them bird people.
Yi Feitian didn't want to use a refined term like "Loujialuo," and stated directly, "The mutation of the birdmen has led to the emergence of pirate groups primarily composed of birdmen in the Crescent Sea. The majority of the River Harbor Alliance's military force is being used to deal with these evil and abhorrent birdmen."
Among the boys his age, Yi Feitian probably possessed the most military wisdom. His concerns were not unfounded. The mutation of the Crimson-Skinned Demons provided ample evidence that clan culture had emerged within their species, indicating the appearance of another evil lower-level deity in the human world.
Such a situation was certainly cause for concern.
Chunjiang Minghu said, "I will immediately advise the Military Academy to increase the defenses of Mirror City. If possible, I will suggest that the King forge a closer alliance with Qinglan to deal with the dire situation on the eastern slopes of Junheng Mountain."
Su Mingyan, seeing his gaze fall on his face after he finished speaking, paused for a moment before remembering his role and said, "Minghe is also willing to facilitate this."
Canaan, facing a rebellion in the south, and Qinglan, facing an enemy state in the north, entered into an agreement to reduce border troops and exchange hostages.
The mutation of the Crimson Demon race prevents both countries from large-scale troop reductions on the border. To alleviate the pressure on the border, a closer alliance is necessary. This would greatly benefit the Sixth Prince's situation in Canaan. Youxi and Baishu exchanged glances, realizing that the Prince's insistence on going into the mountains was a wise move. Otherwise, Canaan might have diverted the dangers of the Crimson Demon race's mutation to the unsuspecting Qinglan territory.
Seven days later, the group returned to Mirror City. Youxi wrote an investigation report on the mutation of the Crimson-Skinned Demon race overnight, while Su Mingyan turned the King's Ring on his index finger. When Su Mingyan was conferred the title of Prince Yujia in Suiye, this King's Ring entered Suiye City along with the investiture document.
Su Mingyan took off the King's Ring, made of mithril, and pressed the inscription on the ring, "The power and majesty of the Prince Yujia are all bestowed by the Great God Maha," onto the lower right corner of the document, signing his name.
Legally, Su Mingyan was the true Prince Yujia; the Inner Palace Department collected a sample of Su Mingyan's signature during the investiture. Although Su Mingyan had been imitating Tan Naminghe's handwriting for several months, the official signature sample was Su Mingyan's own.
In this way, only the Emperor had the right to question the identity of the Prince Yujia.
Su Mingyan had been away from Qinglan for nearly a month and was still praising Mo Jiebocen's arrangements. Su Mingyan sat on the soft brocade couch, turning the ring on his right index finger. Its silvery-gray sheen made it inconspicuous.
Su Mingyan's solemn expression made Ade, sitting beside him, feel a pang of heartache. "Your Highness used to be so carefree, but you've matured so quickly. Ade is still getting used to it."
"Let Cai'er serve you. With you here, I can't concentrate on my studies."
"Your Highness wants Cai'er to serve you in bed, right? Cai'er is inexperienced. Should Ade help Your Highness train her first?"
Su Mingyan cupped Ade's exquisite face, gazing into the tenderness in her amber eyes. He looked up at the sculpture hanging on the ceiling of the hall with a puzzled expression. Perhaps Ade believed she was destined to be a concubine, and dared not even reveal a woman's jealousy.
"Never mind, no one else should come in. I need to think about something alone."
"Your Highness is worried about your current status, isn't he?"
Su Mingyan paused, then understood Ade's meaning.
Canaan's power was no weaker than Qinglan's, but two defeats over a century had left it a vassal state of Qinglan. The Canaanite ruler was called a king, not an emperor, and there was no such rank as prince within its borders.
Su Mingyan's appointment as Prince Yujia before his departure placed him in an extremely awkward position upon arrival in Canaan.
Chunjiang Minghu, holding several high-ranking positions in Canaan, including Grand Master, Palace Attendant, and Grand Councilor, was already among the few truly respected figures there, yet he still had to maintain only nominal courtesy before Su Mingyan.
Sending Prince Yujia to Canaan as a hostage was less like sending him to humiliate the Canaanite court. Su Mingyan was unaware of the elaborate schemes and rumors circulating in the capital.
In stark contrast to the grand reception Princess Xue Rou received in Qinglan, Su Mingyan's entry into Canaan was almost entirely silent. Su Mingyan and his entourage did not enter the royal city, but went directly to Linglu Academy located outside the southern city. Even though Su Mingyan was only a nominal king, the Canaan King could not tolerate him entering his royal city.
Linglu Mountain, three hundred feet high, is the highest mountain range in eastern Canaan. Standing on the summit, one can almost see the Yunyan Marsh to the east. Su Mingyan and his group were arranged to stay in a mansion next to Linglu Academy. Apart from Su Mingyan's accompanying guards, the mansion was filled with Canaan-sent guards, about forty or fifty in number.
"You and Baishu are enough by my side. Everyone else can go wherever they want. Are all the servants in the mansion Canaan's people?"
Youxi heard the deep resentment in his voice and smiled, "That's almost certain. But the people serving you are all our own, so Your Highness won't feel inconvenienced. Once Jiang Shi returns, we can replace them with a group of trustworthy people."
Jiang Caili, Zang Jin, and the others remained in Mirror City to handle matters concerning the caravan.
Su Mingyan sighed, waved his hand, and said, "Forget it, it's enough that you stay by my side. Even within the academy, Canaan will probably downplay my presence." "
Chunjiang Minghu's words implied that, but if the Empire can forge a closer alliance with Canaan, Your Highness's situation will be much better."
Unable to freely enter or leave Linglu Mountain, and with strict restrictions even within Linglu Academy, his life as a hostage was akin to house arrest. Su Mingyan was already under strict confinement in the academy, but now it was especially unbearable. Standing atop the mountain, gazing at the churning clouds and mist, it took him a long time to calm his turbulent emotions.
"What are Jiang Caili's thoughts on forging a closer alliance?"
"Trust gained through the exchange of hostages is extremely limited. Forging a closer alliance faces many practical difficulties."
"So that means our situation will remain like this?"
His voice was stern and calm, like a hardened whetstone under dripping water, cold yet resolute. Youxi sighed inwardly: Your Highness has truly matured.
Su Mingyan climbed the moss-covered rocks, gazing at the gnarled pines in the distance. A complex emotion welled up within him, and he couldn't help but let out a long, mournful howl, its sound sharp and lonely, lingering and echoing like the roar of a dragon or tiger atop a mountain.
Youxi, hearing this, felt a pang of sadness; His Highness was ultimately unwilling to accept loneliness.
The stone path halfway up the mountain was hidden by the lush pines. A mournful, lonely howl echoed, shaking the pine needles into a rustling rain. Yi Feitian and Shi Chuanhua stood on the path, their surprised gazes peering through the pine branches at the gallery of eaves hidden deep within the dense forest atop the mountain.
They were traveling together to the summit of Linglu East Mountain to visit Tan Naminghe, with whom they had forged a deep friendship at Junheng Mountain.
“That howl sounds so bitter,” Ishikawa Hana said, gazing at the vast clouds with a puzzled look. “Is that Prince Minghe?
” Yi Feitian was taken aback. He couldn’t discern the bitterness in the howl, only that it sounded distant and lingering. He murmured to himself, “Is it really Tanna Minghe? The one who howls must be at least a fifth-level martial artist.”
Ishikawa Hana laughed, “I don’t care how strong he is. He doesn’t have any unpleasant temper. I’m definitely going to be his friend.”
Yi Feitian’s brows furrowed slightly as he recalled something worrying: “I heard from my father that the reason the Spring River Priest would unusually request Tanna Minghe to be taken hostage was because of a secret letter from the Northwest Affairs Bureau. The letter said that Tanna Minghe was a figure that Qinglan couldn’t ignore.”
“That’s for sure. Prince Minghe’s martial arts skills are among the best of his generation, but I haven’t seen those qualities of experiencing danger firsthand, being fearless, and being resolute and decisive in the young kings of Canaan.”
"That's why Chunjiang Jijiu is glad he listened to the Northwest Affairs Institute's advice. If Tanna Minghe ascends to the throne of Qinglan, Qinglan is very likely to rise again."
Shi Chuanhua snorted coldly, did not reply, and went up the steps.
Volume 2: Chapter 5, Linglu Academy (3)
The visit of Shi Chuanhua and Yi Feitian made Su Mingyan feel a little better.
Not long after Jiang Caili and Zang Jin arrived in the capital of Canaan, Su Mingyan officially enrolled in Linglu Academy in the name of Tanna Minghe. Given his special status, Chunjiang Minghu personally served as his teacher, guiding his studies and magic.
Su Mingyan's performance in Junheng Mountain was no weaker than that of a fifth-level martial artist. Ordinary teachers in Linglu Academy could no longer give him effective guidance. The secrets of the Qinglan royal family are not to be coveted by others. In order to avoid suspicion, the academy will not arrange a martial arts teacher for him.
Chunjiang Minghu was a high-ranking official in Canaan, spending most of his time in the capital engaged in military and state affairs, leaving him with very little time at the academy. His guidance on studies and magic was merely empty talk. Fortunately, Linglu Library was the most comprehensive library in Canaan, and Su Mingyan's special status allowed him access to all the scrolls within. However, the magical system was vast and profound; without a teacher's guidance, Su Mingyan's shallow foundation in magic meant that cultivating high-level magic was merely wishful thinking.
Su Mingyan didn't mind; back in the academy, obtaining a single scroll required considerable effort, nothing compared to the exhilaration he felt now. He had a private study in the library, where he wished he could bury himself in books every day. It was only after Youxi repeatedly urged him that he and Qingling reluctantly left.
Qingling is now Su Mingyan's tutor, accompanying him to and from the academy daily.
A stone path connects the residence and the academy, and starlight filters through the dense foliage, falling on Su Mingyan, Youxi, and Qingling.
"After mealtime, Ade will be angry again."
"I told you not to wait for me. In Canaan, let's not be so formal."
"Jiang Caili is back, waiting for His Highness to return."
"Oh, why didn't you say so earlier? I prepared many questions and left them in the study, but I didn't retrieve them."
"Jiang Caili told me not to say so earlier. He said he didn't sleep well last night after returning, and His Highness's questions are beyond our capabilities. Not only Jiang Caili and Bai Shu, but I also think so."
In the past few months, Youxi has become less reserved in her speech. Su Mingyan smiled and asked, "Is the caravan arrangement settled?"
"The caravan arrangement is basically settled, with Liu Jing'an and Luo Simian in charge. Several Gaoqiu disciples who have received His Highness's favor have also come along."
“Zang Jin is inside too,” Su Mingyan said, remembering something, as he saw You Xi nod. “I’ve heard you say that Zang Jin has great potential. You should keep him by your side this time.”
You Xi bowed slightly, clearing away the branch blocking Su Mingyan’s path, and said, “I will do my best to teach him, but I dare not guarantee Your Highness’s satisfaction.”
“Not just martial arts, I have no shortage of guards. Besides, I am capable of protecting myself now.”
Stepping out of the Dongshan mansion, the dull sounds of clashing weapons echoed from within. The mansion had two walls to reinforce its defenses, and the guards in those walls were all Canaan soldiers. Su Mingyan and You Xi moved through the halls and rooms to a small courtyard.
There used to be a fishpond in the courtyard, but Su Mingyan had it filled in and the trees removed, turning it into a training ground for the guards. Bai Shu was leading the guards in sparring, while Jiang Caili, Zang Jin, and others stood in the corridor watching the sparring. Upon seeing Su Mingyan and You Xi enter, they hurried over to greet them.
“I read a volume on local food and goods today, but it was all very confusing. Tell me a brief summary after dinner.” Su Mingyan glanced at Jiang Caili, who still looked travel-worn, then turned to Zang Jin and said, “Zang Jin, you should also listen to this. After you leave me, you can learn from Jiang Shili and become a private merchant, living a carefree life.” Zang
Jin bowed slightly and said cautiously, “Zang Jin swears to follow Your Highness to the death.”
Su Mingyan smiled and said, “Shi Chuanhua and Yi Feitian are thinking of you. You will come with me to the academy to see them tomorrow. After that, you can stay here. I wonder if You Xi is qualified to instruct you in martial arts.”
Zang Jin was taken aback. Looking at You Xi smiling behind Su Mingyan, he quickly knelt down and said, “Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness.” He then got up and knelt before You Xi to pay his respects.
Su Mingyan untied his brocade robe, about to toss it to Qingling, but Qingling frowned, shook off the hand, and handed the copied scroll to a nearby guard, saying, "I've been copying books for you all day, I'm starving, I'm going to find Cai'er first." Without waiting for his reply, she walked straight through the covered corridor and into the inner courtyard.
Jiang Caili took the handwritten manuscript, admiring the delicate handwriting, and exclaimed, "Qingling is perfectly suited to be His Highness's tutor." As she spoke, her expression turned serious as she carefully examined the contents of the manuscript. "Can this manuscript be lent to Caili for two days of study?"
Su Mingyan said, "The library has seven floors, and the scrolls above the fifth floor are all protected by restrictions. I painstakingly copied this; see if it's useful."
Hearing this, Youxi couldn't help but lean over, surprised, and said, "《Bloodline Deduction Preliminary Study》." With a solemn expression, she dismissed all the guards, leaving only Cangjin by her side.
Bai Shu leaned forward, a rare look of joy on his face: "It's rumored that the teachers of Linglu Academy keep manuscripts of their basic research in the academy for safekeeping. Although they're not some secret, ancient techniques, our cultivation is already complete. Even if we had secret techniques right in front of us, we couldn't possibly start practicing them again. These materials are much more valuable to us, as they will save us from many detours in our future cultivation."
You Xi suppressed her excitement and said, "I thought I would never have the chance to glimpse the Heavenly Rank in this lifetime, but thanks to Your Highness for remembering us."
Su Mingyan shook his head and said, "Many of the manuscripts above the fifth level are written in ancient palm-leaf script, which I can't recognize. I had Qingling translate them into modern language, thinking that the library must have put a lot of effort into collecting them, so they must be valuable. But at first glance, they seem quite ordinary. It was Qingling who brought them out for you to see."
You Xi said, "Your Highness hasn't encountered the bottleneck of the Earthly Rank yet, so... " Unable to perceive the value of the manuscripts, You Xi, at thirty-eight, reached the bottleneck of the sixth rank. Returning to the starting point of cultivation and re-examining its roots was the fundamental way to break through this bottleneck. For years, You Xi had cultivated alone, only seeking change in the subtleties of martial arts techniques, but had not broken through, limited by herself. These manuscripts contained the experiences and insights left by predecessors who had strived to break through the Earth rank's limitations, naturally making them invaluable
. Su Mingyan laughed and said, "You all should thank Qingling. Do any of you recognize these ancient palm-leaf scripts? I had Qingling write down the titles of books above the fifth rank. You can choose some important ones and have Qingling copy them down for you."
The matter of His Highness vying with Governor Yu Jia for Qingling had already spread throughout Qinglan, but in the minds of Jiang Caili, You Xi, and others, Qingling remained a mysterious girl, though none of them felt any ill will towards her. Su Mingyan insisted on keeping Qingling by his side; although others had concerns, they did not strongly object.
Su Mingyan knew that Qingling's status in the Black Gravel Plains was definitely not low; otherwise, she wouldn't be qualified to represent the Plains in a marriage alliance with Governor Yu Jia. Although Qingling was a descendant of the blasphemous people of the Black Gravel Plains, she was knowledgeable and fluent in the ancient palm-leaf script, which few people would spend time mastering. Half of the books in the Linglu Library were ones Qingling had read.
Su Mingyan suspected she read too much, leaving no time for cultivation, but having her as his tutor was perfectly appropriate; Qingling could answer many of his questions and doubts. Even questions that Qingling couldn't answer, Jiang Caili and others often couldn't answer either.
Fortunately, with Qingling by his side, Su Mingyan could quickly and smoothly read the books in the library. However, Qingling strictly guarded the secrets of the Black Gravel Plains, refusing to reveal a single detail despite Su Mingyan's subtle probing and persistent pleading.
Su Mingyan had heard Qingling say that Lu Di, relying on his scale armor technique, had only suffered minor losses in hand-to-hand combat with the century-old Purple Suan, and he was quite envious. Qingling, with her pure and innocent mind, had no suspicion of Su Mingyan's identity. If he wanted to cultivate advanced martial arts, he could only try to get close to Qingling.
After dinner, Su Mingyan dismissed Ade and Cai'er, leaving only Qingling to serve him in the room.
Under the orange-red lamplight, Qingling bent down, holding the little purple lion under her feet, and braiding its long neck fur. The little purple lion bared its teeth, turning its head to bite Qingling's smooth, white hand, but she pulled its ear, letting out a low whimper, hoping Su Mingyan would look over and rescue it.
Qingling inadvertently looked up and saw Su Mingyan's eyes burning brightly under the lamplight, staring intently at her. Startled, she clutched her chest and asked, "Your Highness, why are you looking at Qingling like that? Qingling was startled."
The little purple lion, relieved, shook its long purple fur and quickly burrowed to Su Mingyan's feet, lying on his soft boots.
"I've heard you mention a scale armor technique in the Black Gravel Plains. Tell me how to cultivate it."
"His Highness said he wouldn't concern himself with matters of the Black Gravel Plains." "
You don't want me to return to Qinglan to help your people escape the Black Gravel Plains?"
"His Highness is of the Qinglan royal family; how could he possibly help blasphemous people..."
Su Mingyan touched the ring on his little finger. He only recognized one line of ancient palm-leaf script, the inscription on the ring: "The power and authority of Prince Yujia are all granted by the Great God Maha Orthodox Church.
The people of Qingling are blasphemous people expelled by the Maha Orthodox Church in the name of the Great God Maha. Emperor Tan Naliu's conversion to the Maha Orthodox Church means that the legitimacy of the Qinglan royal family needs confirmation from the Holy See."
Su Mingyan chuckled: "Of course not openly, otherwise I won't be a prince. But who knows what's going on in secret? Even the Great God Maha doesn't have many eyes in the heavens."
Qingling hesitated on her exquisite face, her small head drooping as if the problem was too complicated. Su Mingyan pulled her into his arms, rested his chin on her cloud-like hair, and gently inhaled the fragrance of her hair.
Qingling pushed herself away from his chest, supporting herself with her hands: "Your Highness can want to know about the Scale Armor Technique, but you can't bully Qingling anymore." Seeing Su Mingyan's gaze licking up like a tongue, her face turned as red as if it had been stained with blood, and her breathing became a little disordered. "However, the Scale Armor Technique cannot be practiced outside of the Black Gravel Plains. In the winter of the Black Gravel Plains, there are storms that can shatter solid rocks. Xiao Hu and the others practiced their skills in the storms. The Scale Armor Technique is like the innate skill of the people of the Black Gravel Plains. It does not hinder the use of other skills at all."
Volume 2: Chapter 5, Linglu Academy (4)
Su Mingyan listened to Qingling explain the key points of the Scale Armor Technique and his face showed disappointment.
Outside of the harsh environment of the Black Gravel Plains, the Scale Armor Technique can only be considered an advanced skill of the Cyclone Qi Armor. The Whirlwind Armor transformed its qi shield into countless dense scales to protect its entire body. To Su Mingyan, this skill was utterly useless. With swift movements, a mere fist-sized qi shield could cover any openings in the body, and the solidity of the internal energy far surpassed that of the Whirlwind Armor.
Su Mingyan sighed. Pursuing high-level martial arts techniques was less worthwhile than achieving a breakthrough in the realm of martial arts.
However, the Scale Armor Technique, honed in the harsh environment of Black Gravel Plains, was undoubtedly a unique skill. Strictly speaking, Lu Di hadn't surpassed the bottleneck of the Earth Rank, but as long as the Ninefold Scale Armor Technique's defense remained unbroken, Lu Di could attack his enemies without restraint.
Su Mingyan recalled how he, Chunjiang Minghu, Youxi, and Baishu had worked together to defeat the mutated Crimson-Skinned Demon that day; he imagined Lu Di could handle it with ease.
Seeing the disappointment on Su Mingyan's face, Qingling asked curiously, "The Qinglan Royal Secret Technique is the number one martial art in the world. Emperor Liu Da became the closest person to a god in three hundred years. Why aren't you practicing it properly, but instead showing interest in other martial arts?"
Su Mingyan smiled bitterly, "The Tan Yuan Reverse Scale Force is indeed powerful, but the complete technique will only be passed on to the future emperor. With only a fragmented technique, breaking through to the Earth Rank is impossible."
This was true, but Su Mingyan didn't even have the fragmented technique. He only had the general technique and the basic cultivation technique for internal energy. Currently, apart from the authentic Tan Yuan Reverse Scale Force within his body, he didn't know any special martial arts techniques to unleash its supreme power.
Qingling remembered his status as a hostage and looked at his somewhat gloomy face. When Su Mingyan pulled her into his arms again, she didn't pull away but obediently pressed her face against his chest.
Su Mingyan was surprised for a moment, then quickly distracted himself from his thoughts of Yi Ni. He abruptly stood up, grabbed Qing Ling's little hand, and headed outside. The little purple lion shook its head, unable to shake off its heavy sleepiness. Seeing that Su Mingyan didn't intend for it to follow, it lowered its head and closed its eyes to sleep again. Jiang Caili, You Xi, and Bai Shu were captivated by the handwritten manuscript Su Mingyan had brought back and were nowhere to be seen. Only two guards stood watch outside the door.
As they passed through the courtyard, Cang Jin was practicing attack techniques with several Gao Qiu disciples. Under the light clouds, the sweat on his forehead reflected the dim moonlight. Seeing Su Mingyan and Qing Ling come out, he hurried over to greet them.
"How many of you have mastered the Whirlwind Qi Armor?"
Zang Jin asked. "I can barely use it."
"You come with us. The rest of you stay here and continue practicing."
Light clouds obscured the moon, and dense foliage let in sparse starlight. The three could barely see the stone path beneath their feet. Halfway up the mountain, they could hear the roar of water. The air was humid, and wisps of mist made the light even darker. The three reached the stone embankment of the pool. The waterfall before them was like a flowing black shadow, but the water splashing in their eyes was snow-white and transparent, giving them a cool feeling. Just
as Zang Jin was about to ask why they had come here, Su Mingyan untied his brocade robe, revealing himself wearing only a short-sleeved shirt. Using the dim light, he stepped on the underwater rocks and walked towards the crashing water.
"Your Highness..."
A pale golden light shone from Su Mingyan, reflecting the tentative and fearful expression on his face. When he reached the waterfall, the pale golden light was compressed into a thin halo by the violent water and adhered to his body, like a magnificent golden armor.
"Ah," Qingling exclaimed softly in surprise, "Your Highness still wants to practice the Scale Armor Technique?"
"Scale Armor Technique? What Scale Armor Technique?"
Naturally, the secrets of Black Gravel Plain couldn't be revealed to Cangjin. Qingling pursed her lips, thought for a moment, and said, "The Scale Armor Technique is an advanced skill of the Cyclone Qi Armor. The biggest weakness of Qi Armor is that it constantly consumes Dan Qi during use, and its defensive density is not ideal. Warriors cultivate Qi Armor only to further master the subtle changes of Dan Qi during the cultivation process; they rarely use it in actual combat..."
“Of course. Even Master Youxi’s swirling qi armor, I could easily break through. Besides, swirling qi armor prevents the use of other special techniques. Unless braving a hail of arrows, I can’t think of any other situation where I could use qi armor.” Zang Jin watched as the golden light on Su Mingyan’s body dimmed rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye. “Scale armor can overcome the weaknesses of qi armor.”
Other places naturally don’t have the violent winds that only blow in the Black Gravel Plains in winter. The storms carrying sand and gravel have unimaginable force, so much so that houses in the Black Gravel Plains have to be built in sheltered stone valleys. The warriors in the Black Gravel Plains use the force of the storms to cultivate scale armor techniques.
Qing Ling and Su Mingyan walked to the waterfall and realized that the force of the water flow could also help people cultivate scale armor techniques. Several dozen breaths later, when the light emanating from Su Mingyan's body had dimmed to almost nothing, he finally scrambled ashore, panting heavily. He said, "Even if I can't master the Scale Armor Technique, I can still solidify my internal energy under the waterfall. Zang Jin, use the Whirlpool Qi Armor to protect yourself and try it underwater."
Zang Jin's foundation was much weaker than Su Mingyan's, and the impact of the cascading water almost made him lose his footing. He couldn't unleash the same dazzling light as Su Mingyan; a faint red glow vaguely reflected his resolute and courageous face.
"With such a powerful impact, no one without the strength of a fourth-tier warrior could stand firm."
Su Mingyan turned his head. You Xi, Bai Shu, and Jiang Caili were emerging from the dense forest. The guards at the gate didn't dare stop him, but they would definitely go to report to You Xi and the others.
Su Mingyan tilted his head, pondered for a moment, and said, "Then let's tie them together with ropes and throw them into the water." He briefly explained the key points of the Scale Armor Technique, "Everyone should cultivate according to this technique..."
"This..." Youxi hesitated, "Royal secrets are strictly forbidden to be revealed. If the Inner Palace discovers this, it will be detrimental to His Highness..."
Su Mingyan glanced at Qingling and said calmly, "It's just a technique for cultivating internal energy using the impact of water flow. It doesn't count as a royal secret. There are four waterfalls in Dongshan. The water flow here is relatively weak. After three months, whoever can last a hundred breaths underwater will be taught the technique of Qi Armor Transformation." Su Mingyan didn't know if he could cultivate the Scale Armor Technique using the impact of water flow. It was better to wait until he was more confident before revealing the complete technique. He also thought that Qingling knew the cultivation techniques of other secret techniques, and secretly pondered how to get Qingling to reveal them willingly. He left Youxi and the others under the waterfall and pulled Qingling back first.
On the way back, the light was even dimmer. Su Mingyan raised his left hand, conjuring a bright purple flame that illuminated the moss-covered stone path as if it were daytime.
Looking into Su Mingyan's eyes, which shone in the night, Qingling said fearfully, "The martial arts of Black Gravel Plains require training in harsh environments. Even if I told you, it wouldn't be very useful. Your Highness can already transform into scales of qi; it's best not to be greedy."
Su Mingyan chuckled and said, "My martial arts training has reached a bottleneck, so putting it aside for now is fine. It's just that my magic hasn't improved. Does Black Gravel Plains have any magic techniques worth boasting about?"
The knowledge involved in magic is extremely vast and profound. Without the guidance of a master, it's difficult to make any progress. Su Mingyan has been in the academy for over three months and has only learned the second-tier basic Chaos magic, Fire Condensation.
Su Mingyan has very few opportunities to interact with others in the academy, usually only contacting Shi Chuanhua, Yi Feitian, Xiao Feiyun, and Xue Ji. Of the four, only Xue Ji cultivates magic, and she is a Light magic user.
The disciples who can enter Linglu Academy to cultivate all come from prestigious families. The Yi family is the backbone of the northwest forces of Canaan, and Yi Jianxing, a high-ranking general of Canaan and the military commander of the Northwest Affairs Bureau, is Yi Feitian's uncle. The Shi and Xiao families are also prestigious families in Canaan. Xue Ji is a noblewoman from the River Harbor Alliance and studied in Canaan last year.
The River Harbor Alliance has close ties with both Qinglan and Canaan, and maintains strict neutrality when Qinglan and Canaan are in conflict. To maintain close relations with both countries, the River Harbor Alliance sends several noble children to study in both nations every year. Upon reaching adulthood, these children naturally develop close friendships with high-ranking officials in both countries.
Compared to Su Mingyan, Xue Ji enjoys much more freedom within Canaan, her behavior not subject to strict control or restraint.
Xue Ji's silver-white hair contrasts sharply with her gentle temperament; anyone seeing a blushing, almost blood-red face beneath her cold, silver hair would find it strange. Su Mingyan, thinking of this, smiled, wondering if Mu Huaqiu had managed to refine a Youth-Reversing Pill.
Volume 2: Chapter 6, The atmosphere in the Dan Ying Palace of the Lougara
was as heavy as dense clouds about to unleash a storm. The court guards below the steps stood motionless like lifeless statues. Chunjiang Minghu stood on the stone steps of the Dan Ying Palace, cautiously observing the reaction of the middle-aged man on the throne. To his left stood the key figure of the Canaanite nobility: Grand Councilor Qiao Yiliang.
The Qiao Yi clan was the most prestigious family in Canaan. Qiao Yiliang, who was 48 years old at the time, had already ascended to the position of Grand Councilor, the highest official position in Canaan, six years earlier. In the same year, Qiao Yiyuran, who was then the queen, was made Queen Xiancheng. Members of the clan held important positions in both the military and political systems. Qiao Yiyuran's son, Yuan Minghao, was only 18 years old at the time, but he had already been promoted to the position of crown prince and made the title of Longxing Prince. It can be seen that the power of the Qiao Yi family had long been able to determine the deposition and establishment of the throne.
Qiao Yiliang was tall and imposing, with a ruddy complexion, a bushy beard, and double pupils in his eyes. His deep voice echoed in the empty hall: "Your Majesty, as the Spring River Libationer said, Tanna Minghe, who is being held hostage by Qinglan Kingdom this time, is not to be underestimated. However, he is young and lacks a solid foundation, so he is unlikely to achieve much in Qinglan. The Qinglan Emperor sent him as a hostage, which was truly intended to protect him. What is even more remarkable is that he harbors ambitions at such a young age..."
"The Grand Councilor seems to be praising Qinglan's hostage," Yuan You said, sitting curled up on the cold jade throne. His voice sounded faint in the empty hall. "Tanna Minghe is a hostage in Canaan, with no hope of ascending the Qinglan throne and posing no threat to Canaan. I really don't understand why you two are bringing this up so seriously."
"I believe this is a golden opportunity for Canaan," Chunjiang Minghu carefully chose her words. "Tanna Minghe, as a hostage, has not extinguished his ambition. If he has the strength to contend for the throne, one can imagine the enormous waves he will stir up in Qinglan Kingdom. This is truly a golden opportunity for Canaan." Yuan
You sensed something amiss and leaned forward.
"Tanna Minghe has been in Linglu Academy for six months now. I have followed the original agreement and ignored him. Tanna Minghe has spent most of his time in the Linglu Library. I have had all the books he has read recorded, and I request Your Majesty to review them."
Yuan You took a document from Chunjiang Minghu, unfolded it, and was startled by the densely packed book titles: "He can read so many books in just three months? If I'm not mistaken, Tanna Minghe is only eighteen years old. How can he possibly absorb so many books?"
"When Tanna Minghe encounters doubts while reading, he has a habit of jotting them down. Your Majesty, please look back. I had someone secretly copy down his questions as well. Even if Tanna Minghe reads these books in a haphazard way, his comprehension is quite astonishing. Linglu Academy currently has 376 students, and I have yet to see one who can match Tanna Minghe's aptitude," Chunjiang Minghu swallowed, glanced at Qiao Yiliang, and said, "Perhaps only Longxing Jun's aptitude is slightly better than his."
Hearing Chunjiang Minghu mention Longxing Jun, Yuan You unconsciously frowned and said, "You two mean to secretly support Tanna Minghe in order to disrupt the Qinglan Kingdom's politics?"
Qiao Yiliang nodded and said, "That is exactly what Chunjiang Nayan and I intend."
"What advice do you have?"
Chunjiang Minghu said, "The hostage exchange is for four years. After four years, Qinglan will have already secured the position of Emperor. At that time, Tanna Minghe's return to Qinglan will only increase the variables in Qinglan's politics, not become a threat to Canaan. Canaan doesn't need to deliberately promote Tanna Minghe; it only needs to relax the restrictions on him. With his and his subordinates' abilities, they will surely achieve something. Tanna Minghe intends to use the Yitian Merchant Caravan's return to Qinglan to expand his power. We can provide convenience in this regard, but we must prevent him from secretly cultivating power in Canaan."
"Please let Grand Councilor Chunjiang oversee this matter," Qiao Yiliang said with an arrogant and resolute tone, not allowing King Yuan You of Canaan to refuse. He added, "Even if a good opportunity is before us, it is futile if we cannot seize it. When Tanna Minghe returns to Qinglan, it will be a time of great chaos in Qinglan's politics. At that time, Canaan may be prepared."
"What are the Grand Councilor's thoughts?"
"Suppress the rebellion in the south as soon as possible, establish good relations with other countries, secretly build up strength, and wait for the right opportunity. To this end, we need to strengthen the authority of the Privy Council and place the Military Affairs and Metropolitan Affairs departments under its jurisdiction."
"This..." Yuan You's faint smile froze on his face. Looking at the cold glint in Qiao Yiliang's eyes, he dared not refuse immediately. He glanced at Chunjiang Minghu and hesitated before saying, "After the court discussion, this matter still needs to be decided by the upper house of nobles. We cannot be too hasty. Today, let's discuss how to suppress the rebellion."
"What's there to discuss about the rebellion? Just wipe it out."
"This..." Chunjiang Minghu hesitated for a moment and said, "General Shi led the troops to quell the rebellion. The capital need not worry, but the bloodshed is too great. It will ultimately damage the national structure of Canaan and will not help to accumulate national strength. I believe that suppression and appeasement should be combined to achieve complete success."
Qiao Yiliang glared at him and snorted twice, without reprimanding him on the spot.
Emerging from Danying Palace, the setting sun cast its golden rays. The palace's majestic eaves stretched out into the vast expanse of the setting sun, its crimson glazed tiles like the afterglow of the sunset. Chunjiang Minghu, standing on the path outside the palace, seemed to hold a deep sorrow in his eyes, bathed in the pale red glow of the sunset.
The struggle for the throne among the Qinglan princes had plunged the nation into turmoil, leading to the departure of Qinglan's renowned minister, Mojie Bocen, from the capital last year. The situation in Canaan was no better. The Qiao Yi clan held absolute power, the king's health was declining, and Longxing Jun, still young and bearing the Qiao Yi bloodline, threatened to seize power entirely. They were secretly supporting Tanna Minghe to disrupt Qinglan's politics, but Canaan lacked a capable ruler; even with a golden opportunity, it was difficult to grasp.
Chunjiang Minghu walked out of the Danying Palace alley, crossed the Jade Steps Bridge, boarded his carriage, and left the palace. As he leaned against his brocade couch, deep in thought about state affairs, his keen ears heard a soft exclamation outside: "The Grand Master's carriage!"
Chunjiang Minghu lifted the curtain and saw four young men turning away from the street. Recognizing their familiar backs, he sighed softly, lowered the curtain, and let the carriage take him to an unknown residence.
Watching Chunjiang Minghu's carriage disappear into the distance, only the echoing tracks lingering in the stone street around the corner, Su Mingyan's brows furrowed slightly. He thought to himself, "Why didn't Chunjiang Minghu say anything?" Although Chunjiang Minghu's gaze only lingered on his back for a moment, he had still sensed it.
"What a stroke of luck," Ishikawa Hua wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, clearly quite frightened; that exclamation was his. "A narrow escape from death is sure to bring good fortune. He just brushed past the Chief Minister without him noticing. He can be as unrestrained as he wants tonight."
Yi Feitian chuckled twice, ignoring his words. Zang Jin, mindful of his status, followed closely behind Su Mingyan, rarely offering his own opinions.
As a hostage and Prince of Yujia, Su Mingyan was strictly forbidden from entering the royal city. Upon his return with the treasure, Shi Chuanhua invited them to a banquet. Finding no one near the academy familiar with the extravagance of Canaan, Su Mingyan had You Xi distract his spies while he, along with Zang Jin, followed Shi Chuanhua and Yi Feitian into the royal city.
You Xi and the others were already used to his audacity; rather than trying to dissuade him, they preferred to cooperate.
Having grown up in the Yan Yun wilderness, Su Mingyan had only ever entered a handful of cities like Yujia, Xiazi, Suiye, and Jingye. Upon entering the city, he was immediately overwhelmed by the prosperity of Canaan's royal city, and the bustling crowds made him feel somewhat uneasy.
"There are four sacred sites in the royal city: the Luanfeng Tower in Zhengji Lane, the Xiaojin Pavilion on South City Street, the Yixiao Pavilion at the end of the Temple Road, and the Fengyue Pool in Huolian Lane," Ishikawa Hana said, his expression becoming unrestrained after avoiding Chunjiang Minghu. "Minghe likes excitement, so let's go to South City Street, one of the gathering places for foreign merchants. Not only are there Zulus, Seleucids, and Yagis, but you can also see the winged Rugalans. Various shops are lined up one after another, buying and selling goods from thousands of miles away. The sacred site we're heading to is at the beginning of South City Street, a vast, dark red building, accessible from the South Gate." Looking down from the building, it looked like a pool of blood staining the Jade Belt Stream. The girls at the Painted Skin Pavilion were all stunningly beautiful. The rules of the Brothel were that if you wanted to stay the night, only the girls could choose their customers; customers couldn't choose the girls. Even if you had a lot of money, if no girl wanted you, you couldn't have a good time…”
Su Mingyan listened to Shi Chuanhua's incessant rambling, his face maintaining a smile. Only after hearing his last sentence did he realize that the so-called holy place was actually a brothel. His expression darkened slightly, and before he could express his opinion, Shi Chuanhua pulled him into the South City Street. In the distance, a vast, dark red building stood out conspicuously.
Su Mingyan had heard a lot about these petty dealings when Wu Mudan was around, but he had never witnessed them firsthand. The rules of the Painted Skin Pavilion were truly bizarre. The girls were selective about their customers. If they wanted business to flourish, not every girl had to be exceptionally perceptive. It was only by choosing customers who took a liking to them that they could make them linger
and spend lavishly. Shi Chuanhua had never been to such a place before. He mustered his courage and walked towards the Painted Skin Pavilion. When he arrived at the Pavilion of Extravagant Spending, he saw no doorman or broker to greet him, and he became increasingly uneasy. Yi Feitian was more composed and said, "We've come here to drink and watch the dance. Be careful that Minghe's identity isn't exposed."
Shi Chuanhua slapped his forehead and exclaimed, "That's right! Let's drink. Why should I be nervous?"
The four of them climbed the stone steps, turned past a screen wall, and then two handsome young servants came to greet them and led them into the dark red pavilion.
Before their eyes came four or five graceful dancers in light gauze skirts, gracefully dancing on the polished marble floor of the main hall. The outside light hadn't completely dimmed yet; the bright lights in the high pavilion shone, casting beams of light onto the dancers' radiant faces. A corridor surrounded the main hall, where seven or eight people sat leaning against the railing, their gazes fixed on the dance floor. Eight narrow passageways connected to the corridor, extending deeper into the high pavilion.
A servant led the four through one of the narrow passageways to a magnificent room on the third floor. The room's furniture was made of teakwood, and the exquisite porcelain had a soft, ivory-white sheen. On the walls hung a landscape painting by the renowned artist Takakura Kawa.
Su Mingyan sat down. Before the desk was a square hall, about seven or eight paces in size, with a glass lamp on the ceiling casting a soft, pale yellow light throughout. The seating area was lit by lamps hanging on the back wall. The hall was for the dancers to perform.
Ishikawa Hua clicked his tongue in admiration, "I was worried we wouldn't be able to get in, but we're in a top-class private room. They really have a good eye; they wouldn't mistake the guests' identities."
Ishikawa Hua and Yi Feitian came from prestigious families, and Su Mingyan possessed an even more imposing aura of royalty. The waiter had led them into the extremely elegant room simply by observing their demeanor and conversation; his judgment was undeniably accurate.
It was still early, and the waiter brought in a silver tray densely covered with jade plaques. Each plaque featured a graceful figure outlined in simple lines, with the dancer's stage name written in tiny characters beside it.
Shi Chuanhua stared at the jade plaques in the silver tray, feigning composure. He casually picked up a jade plaque and placed it on the table. Su Mingyan, watching from the side, noticed his left hand trembling slightly as he put it down. Suppressing his smile, Su Mingyan picked up a jade plaque, twirling his fingers on its smooth surface, and softly murmured the name on it: "Ruan Aman..."
The waiter said, "Miss Ruan is the head performer of this establishment. She only performs. If she wishes to serve wine, it depends on Miss Ruan's own preference."
Su Mingyan pushed the jade plaque towards Yi Feitian, saying, "You can keep it as your choice."
Su Mingyan was rather thin and delicate, lacking the imposing presence of Yi Feitian.
Yi Feitian casually lifted two jade tablets, signaling a servant to go and call someone in, saying, "Let Ruan Aman choose her own people; perhaps none of the four of us are qualified to have her serve wine."
Su Mingyan, recalling the Red-Skinned Demon's mutation, asked, "Regarding the Red-Skinned Demon's transformation in Gaoqiu, I wonder what the Canaan court officials are saying?"
Yi Feitian and Shi Chuanhua had not yet entered officialdom, but as scions of prestigious families, they naturally knew about these matters.
Yi Feitian said, "There have been civil unrest in Qiupu and other counties. We are drawing troops from various places to quell the unrest. The matter of the Crimson Demons will have to be put on hold for now. We have only strengthened our defenses in Mirror City. The River Port Alliance also wants to participate in this matter. The River Port Alliance does not want the upper reaches of the Yamuna River to be controlled by an evil race. Is there any news from Qinglan?"
Su Mingyan smiled bitterly, "A plucked phoenix is no better than a chicken. Qinglan seems to have forgotten my existence. They only send some rewards during festivals. They know nothing about state affairs."
Cang Jin did not want to sit next to Su Mingyan, so he moved Jinpu back a little. The Yitian merchant caravan, led by Liu Jing'an and Luo Simian, had already established contact with Neruda and Shenghuai City in Yujia, creating a closed trade route starting from and returning to Yujia. This route passed through Yujia, Xiutu, Suiye, and Jingji counties in Qinglan, Pengyu and Huaiyang counties in the River Port Alliance, and Caishi, the capital, and Qingye counties in Canaan. Although it wasn't profitable yet, it facilitated the transmission of information to various regions.
The mutation of the Crimson-Skinned Demon race, while posing a significant potential threat to both countries, wouldn't elicit a rapid response from the cumbersome bureaucratic system until substantial casualties and losses were incurred. The Crimson-Skinned Demon race existed on the border between the two countries; Qinglan and Canaan might even hope that the Crimson-Skinned Demon race would serve as a buffer force.
Soft, clear footsteps echoed in the corridor. Four slender figures were reflected on the screen door. After a few gentle knocks, four beautiful women pushed open the door and entered. The leading beauty swept her bangs aside, her amber eyes sweeping over the four men's faces. Her ambiguous smile stirred the hearts of the four young men.
She walked directly to Su Mingyan, sat down beside him, and said softly and charmingly, "Aman, come and serve the young master wine."
The three beauties behind her paled in comparison to her radiance. Shi Chuanhua wanted to beat his chest in frustration, frowning and shouting, "Minghe always manages to pick the best!"
Su Mingyan gave a wry smile. Although the women in the Painted Skin Pavilion were beautiful, they couldn't hide their worldly airs. Ruan Aman was also quite beautiful, but her charm and looks couldn't compare to A'dai, her gentleness and obedience couldn't match Cai'er, and she lacked Qingling's natural allure. Su Mingyan sat properly behind the table, and after finishing his wine, he simply handed her a silver wine cup, asking her to pour more.
Besides the four beautiful women serving wine, a troupe of dancers gracefully danced in the main hall, accompanied by musicians.
Su Mingyan and his companions were not yet experienced enough; with the beautiful women serving wine nearby, they couldn't converse freely, making the drinking rather dull. Ruan Aman, somewhat resentful of Su Mingyan's coldness, stood up and complained, "The room is stuffy; let's open the window and see the night view of the Jade Belt Stream."
"Ah..." Ruan Aman opened the window, only to be startled by a dark shadow flashing past outside.
Su Mingyan abruptly stood up and strode to the window. Outside, a huge black shadow spread its enormous fleshy wings and flew towards the distant houses. Without thinking, Su Mingyan, the Loujialuo, flung out the silver chopsticks in his hand, piercing the bird-man's wings. The bird-man shuddered, let out a muffled groan, and plummeted from mid-air, landing on the stone embankment of the Jade Belt Stream. His face was obscured in the darkness, but a pair of slender eyes shone with a sharp light, and his dark blue wings tucked behind his shoulders, trembling slightly.
"Ah..." Ruan Aman exclaimed again.
Su Mingyan heard a hint of worry in her voice, turned around, and stared into Ruan Aman's eyes: "You know this bird-man?"
This Loujialuo had been spying from the window the whole time; if Ruan Aman hadn't opened the window, they wouldn't have noticed.
Cang Jin stood protectively beside Su Mingyan, his hand on the sword at his waist. He drew the sword a few inches from its sheath, the cold light emanating from it startling the dancer into a scream. Yi Feitian hurriedly stood up and went to the door, stopping the dancers who were about to rush out. He said in a deep voice, "It's nothing, you can stay here quietly." He and Shi Chuanhua were fine, but if Tan Naminghe's identity as a hostage was exposed, it would cause a lot of trouble.
"What happened?" Three or four servants rushed in from outside the door and were about to push open the wooden door to come in.
Ruan Aman came over and blocked them from entering, saying, "Ayi startled the guests and fell by the stream. Please bring him back." Turning to Su Mingyan and the others, she said, "Ayi is the Loujialuo warrior of the pavilion. He patrols around the eaves at night. I didn't expect him to startle you. I apologize on his behalf." She bowed and was about to greet Su Mingyan and the others.
Su Mingyan, of course, did not believe her. This Ayi did not know their identities and seemed to be spying on Ruan Aman. Su Mingyan flung out silver chopsticks, aiming for his spine's vital spot. This A-Yi managed to dodge the chopsticks the instant they touched his body; his cultivation was considerable.
"Why would a brothel employ bird-men warriors?" Shi Chuanhua, leaning on the table, was about to sit down when he asked, frowning, before pouring himself another drink, seemingly oblivious
to everyone else. Su Mingyan glanced at Ruan Aman, said nothing, took a pair of silver chopsticks from the dancer, and continued drinking and watching the dance. Once Ruan Aman sat back down beside him, he became more unrestrained, leaning against her chest, placing her small hand on his thigh, his eyes glazed with intoxication as he watched the dazzling song and dance in the hall. Suddenly, he turned sharply, asking Yi Feitian, "The Lougara people appearing in the River Harbor Alliance and Canaan are all male. Feitian, do you know what female Lougara people look like?" Su Mingyan's body turned sharply, pressing against Ruan Aman's warm, rounded thigh.
Upon hearing his question, Yi Feitian subconsciously looked up at Ruan Aman, who was covering her chest with her hands; a cold glint flashed in her eyes.
"What else can a birdman look like? Pointy beak, big wings, of course," Shi Chuanhua chimed in from the side.
Yi Feitian chuckled, "It's true that female Lougara people have fleshy wings, but they are all petite and beautiful, with gentle natures. Three hundred years ago, nobles in the Central Plains liked to buy Lougara female slaves to keep in their private residences for their amusement. Later, the Maha Orthodox Church gained power, and the Lougara people were considered heretics and expelled, disappearing without a trace. It wasn't until more than thirty years ago that a large number of Lougara people were rediscovered in the Crescent Sea. However, the merchant ships that went to sea only encountered Lougara pirates, and a large number of Lougara warriors wandered to various parts of the Central Plains. No one has ever seen those petite and beautiful female Lougara people."
Ishikawa Hua swallowed, leaned closer, and said, "They must all be on Fusang Island. Hmm, Lougara female slaves, keeping them in private residences must be so enjoyable, ah..." Just then, the beautiful waitress beside him splashed warm wine on him.
The waitress hurriedly took out a silk handkerchief to wipe the wine off Ishikawa Hua's body, most of the wine splashed on Ishikawa Hua's thighs, which was unexpectedly enjoyable. Su Mingyan's sharp eyes were fixed on the flustered waitress. He felt Ruan Aman trembling slightly behind him. Without making a sound, he supported himself on Ruan Aman's thighs, sat up straight, and pinched her thigh. Her bones were much thinner than usual, making her thighs appear exceptionally full.
"Please, young master, have some self-respect," Ruan Aman said, shifting slightly to the side, her face as cold as ice.
Su Mingyan laughed, "A brothel where a thousand pieces of gold are spent for a night. Why should a guest have self-respect and drink this cup of wine? Tell me your worth." He put his arm around Ruan Aman's shoulder and raised his cup to pour wine into her mouth.
A "crack" sounded outside the door as the wooden latticework on the wall snapped due to the external force. Su Mingyan put down his wine cup, staring coldly at the broken wall, his left hand gripping Ruan Aman's shoulder blade. The sound of struggling could be heard outside. The eavesdropper was forcibly dragged away. A waiter pushed open the door and left, then knelt before Su Mingyan. "Miss Ruan only performs; she doesn't stay overnight with guests. If you wish to spend lavishly in the pavilion, young master, please choose another girl."
Yi Feitian didn't know how Tan Naminghe had discovered the eavesdropping. He saw that Tan Naminghe's left hand was holding Ruan Aman, but the waiter's face remained calm. He quickly glanced at the dancers' faces, then suddenly stood up and said, "What a spoilsport! Minghe, let's go to Yixiaolou to continue our drinking. It seems the top performer at Yixiaolou is the highest bidder."
Su Mingyan, Yi Feitian, Shi Chuanhua, and Zang Jin left the room. The waiter led the dancers out, leaving only a middle-aged musician holding a xun (a type of ancient Chinese wind instrument) still sitting there. Ruan Aman knelt before him. "Aman almost revealed our whereabouts; please punish me, sir."
"It's all A-Yi's fault, it has nothing to do with you. But that boy is very alert. Give the order to all the clansmen in the pavilion to hide their whereabouts and not run into strangers."
"The Canaanite nobles are obsessed with the bodies of their clansmen. If they suddenly make them disappear, wouldn't that be a complete failure? We're not enemies with Canaan. After we get what we need, we'll return to Fusang Island immediately."
"It's been so long and there's still no progress. There are probably only a few people who know the real news. If you stay in the Pleasure Pavilion, A-Yi will cause trouble for me sooner or later. You should all go back to the island in a few days."
Ruan A-Man was about to say something when hurried footsteps sounded at the door. The servant who had just gone out rushed in, saying, "A-Yi, Xiao Wu, and Xiao Liu have left the building."
"They won't stop until they cause trouble," the middle-aged musician suddenly stood up, gritting his teeth and cursing angrily. "We don't know who that young man is, but he can afford to offend someone who has the sons of Shi Zhongjian and Yi Mingda by his side."
Ruan Aman said anxiously, "Sir, A Yi is ignorant of his own limitations. Not to mention Yi Feitian, that young man's cultivation is also quite strong. It's fine if A Yi handles things cleanly, but I'm afraid there will be lingering problems."
The middle-aged musician instructed the attendant, "Qi Bo, revert to your original form and go out to see what's going on. If their whereabouts are revealed, take A Yi and the others directly back to Fusang Island."
Qi Bo became solemn and serious, and dense cracking sounds burst from his body, as if his bones were growing rapidly. Something behind his shoulder blades gradually opened up, and with a "whoosh," a pair of bluish-black fleshy wings broke through the clothes and stretched out. He pushed open the window and leaped into the hazy and silent night.
Leaving the main street of Nancheng, Su Mingyan and his companions turned into a deep, narrow alley. Although the moon and stars shone overhead, the walls on both sides of the alley were high and deep, and looking up, only a narrow sliver of the starry sky could be seen, making the alley's light quite dim.
The alley was paved with large, polished stones. Cang Jin Xiaoyi walked in front, Su Mingyan walked in the middle with his hands in his sleeves, and Shi Chuanhua complained from behind that Yi Feitian had suggested changing locations just as he was getting into the mood.
As Su Mingyan was guessing Ruan Aman's identity, two people suddenly appeared on the high wall a dozen or so feet in front of him. These two people seemed to emerge suddenly from the shadows of the distant night, appearing silently on the high wall in the distance.
Su Mingyan's heart skipped a beat: the Loujialuo people were the best scouts in the Central Plains, and that was no exaggeration. Whether it was A Yi's two eavesdroppings or this interception, Su Mingyan had not been alerted beforehand. Unperturbed, he sheathed his longsword and stood beside Zang Jin, his eyes fixed on the two Lougara people standing on the high wall. A Yi was nowhere to be seen.
Yi Feitian shouted, "Minghe, come up the wall with me! Chuanhua and A Jin stay down here, watch out for their spears!"
Su Mingyan, startled by the chaotic fluctuations of elemental energy to his right, laughed, "So that's why you didn't come!" He swung his longsword fiercely at the high wall to his right. A sharp howl rang out, and the section of wall suddenly twisted, leaving a pool of blood before vanishing into thin air.
"I've locked your breath, how can you escape so easily?" Su Mingyan leaped onto a stone, his incredibly sharp longsword slashing down with a chilling, pale golden light that illuminated the narrow, dark alleyway, heading straight for the tiny, distorted space ahead.
"Awooo..." A black figure suddenly appeared in the distorted space, its wings unfurling with a whoosh, soaring into the air. Its black bodysuit was ripped in two at the chest, spilling something out. Su Mingyan casually caught it; it was a parchment scroll. Without a second thought, he tucked it into his robes, then with a backhand flick of his longsword, deflecting A Yi's spear.
"How could you see through my Shadow Escape Technique?" A Yi hovered in mid-air, his spear like a viper's tongue. Su Mingyan slashed twice at his chest, but fortunately, he dodged the fatal blows in time, avoiding being disemboweled. In his fury, he didn't even notice the thing that had fallen from his body.
Why would Su Mingyan tell him how to spot the enemy? In the distance, two more bird-men were flying in, laughing, "We chose this dark alley because we wanted you to come after us. We've been holding back for a long time, and now we're going to have some fun with you."
"Wow..." A-Yi was so angry at Su Mingyan that he almost lost his footing in mid-air. He shook his fleshy wings to dodge Yi Feitian's thrusting sword, but his wings were still cut by the force of the energy. He fell to another section of the high wall before regaining his footing. "The Canaanites are too cunning."
"You're only just realizing that now." Su Mingyan didn't want to reveal his identity. He climbed onto the high wall and, taking advantage of A-Yi's injured wings, launched a fierce attack with his sword.
Spears blocked and broken, A-Yi retreated continuously, barely managing to dodge Su Mingyan's relentless sword attacks. Just
as Su Mingyan was hesitating whether to strike hard, a powerful energy came from the right, and a short spear struck the net of swords. The two bird-men behind A-Yi finally arrived in time to come to his aid.
Su Mingyan slightly bent his body, his long halberd repeatedly striking the copper shaft of the thrown short spear, dissipating the spear's accumulated power. He caught the spear with his left hand, while Zang Jin also stepped onto the high wall, joining Yi Feitian in blocking the attacks of the two birdmen.
Shi Chuanhua, finding his silver axe cumbersome, had come out empty-handed, without a suitable weapon. Seeing Su Mingyan take a short spear, he shouted, "Minghe, give me the copper spear!"
Su Mingyan smiled, throwing down his long halberd: "You use the long halberd." He switched the copper short spear to his right hand.
"Oh no, he's going to throw the spear!" A Yi flapped his wings and soared into the sky, the two birdmen close behind.
Su Mingyan chuckled, leaning back to gather strength, his body suddenly straightening. The short spear in his right hand shot out like a meteor, emitting a sharp piercing sound, piercing the abdomen of one of the birdmen, and continued flying into the sky.
The birdman plummeted, and another birdman swooped down, catching him around the waist before returning to the sky.
"I'm so angry!" A-Yi swooped down, raising his spear over his shoulder, ready to hurl it as he swooped down. Suddenly, a bright, fiery arrow shot through the air, heading straight for his chest. A-Yi's heart skipped a beat. Forgetting about hitting someone else, he tightened his body and released his grip, his swooping motion drawing a barely perceptible arc to avoid his vitals. However, the fiery arrow pierced the flesh of his right wing, leaving a fist-sized hole.
"Agh..." Amidst A-Yi's wail, Su Mingyan fired three more fiery arrows, striking A-Yi's abdomen, foot, and right wing respectively.
Zang Jin watched as A Yi tumbled and plummeted through the air. He leaped from the high wall, his longsword poised to strike A Yi, when a dark shadow suddenly darted out from his side. Its outstretched wings, like sharp bone blades, slashed at Zang Jin's waist.
Zang Jin twisted to dodge, a burst of crimson light erupting from his body. The two clashed, sparks flying, but his newly formed scaled armor couldn't withstand the sharp bone blades. Zang Jin felt a sharp pain in his waist. Rolling over, he swung his sword to block the subsequent attack of fleshy wings, the clash producing a series of sharp metallic clangs.
Zang Jin was secretly alarmed: His Highness said fleshy wings were the birdman's weakness; this birdman could actually use fleshy wings as weapons.
Su Mingyan and Yi Feitian leaped down simultaneously, their left hands forming a shield of energy. When the shield clashed with the birdman's wings, a burst of golden light erupted, then suddenly contracted inwards, revealing a short golden spear emerging from Su Mingyan's fist, piercing towards the wing.
The birdman dodged the spear, pulled A Yi into his arms, flapped his wings, and soared into the sky.
"We're in the wrong, why are you pressing us so hard, trying to kill us?"
Su Mingyan withdrew his spear, his hands behind his back. Seeing that the birdman behind them was the servant who had led them into the brothel, he laughed, "Why don't you blame him for his reckless persistence?"
"Damn it, why did you go down again?" Shi Chuanhua laboriously climbed the high wall, only to see Su Mingyan, Yi Feitian, and Cang Jin descending again, now in the garden behind the wall.
"Leave your name, and Qi Bo will come to your residence to apologize later." Qi Bo, holding A Yi, hovered in mid-air, while another pair of bird-men spread their wings and flew over.
"You are not qualified to know. If you don't leave now, don't blame me for being ruthless." Su Mingyan raised his right hand, and a bright purple flame rose, reflecting on his pale, thin face,
making him look gloomy and cold. Qi Bo looked at the boy below the high wall, his body trembling slightly with anger at Qi Bo's arrogant words; his martial arts and magic might not be considered particularly powerful, but the fact that he could severely injure A Yi and a member of his tribe in such a short time was undeniably a testament to his extremely clever tactics. When did such a figure emerge in Canaan?
The middle-aged bird-man named Qi Bo, holding the lifeless A Yi, hovered above Su Mingyan's head, his wary eyes sharp and cold, radiating immense pressure. Su Mingyan felt a pang of regret. This place was not far from the Xiaojin Pavilion, and it was within the royal city, so it was not advisable to make too much of a commotion. Otherwise, he really wanted to test just how strong he was.
Volume 2: Chapter 7, The Starry Sky Codex
"Let's go to Yixiao Tower." Since they couldn't fight, they couldn't linger here, lest reinforcements from Xiaojin Pavilion arrive, preventing the four of them from leaving. Su Mingyan turned and leaped onto the high wall, disappearing into the night first.
Qi Bo, seeing the few shadows in the deep night, folded his wings and landed on the high wall, holding the unconscious A Yiping in his arms, checking his injuries.
"Little Six is done for." Another birdman landed carrying a cold corpse, the lower abdomen of which had been pierced by the short spear thrown by Su Mingyan, leaving a bloody hole the size of a bowl.
In the dim moonlight, four more Lougara people folded their wings and landed on the high wall. The musician from Xiaojin Pavilion was in the lead; unlike the other Lougara people, the edges of his wings emitted a metallic sheen, and as he folded his wings and landed, there was a clanging sound of armor plates lightly striking each other.
Ruan Aman rushed to Qi Bo's side, gently stroking the face of the unconscious A Yiping, her face filled with boundless pity and love.
"Lord Changqin, they've gone to Yixiao Tower." Qibo lifted Ayi into Ruan Aman's arms. "These four are ruthless. If I had arrived even a moment later, Ayi wouldn't have survived."
Changqin unfurled his left wing with a sharp, whistling sound, the protruding wing bones like gleaming swords. As he retracted it, the anger that had suddenly surged within him subsided. He sighed softly and said, "We didn't infiltrate Canaan on a whim. Finding what we need is paramount. I hope Ayi will remember this lesson."
Ayi stirred in Ruan Aman's arms, his lips moving as if trying to speak. Ruan Aman pressed her ear to his mouth, repeating the indistinct words he uttered: "...I infiltrated the secret chamber of the Grand Councilor's Office in Canaan and found a secret book..."
"What?!" Changqin jumped over, ignoring Ayi's injuries, and reached into his arms, searching him thoroughly, but found nothing. "Where is it? Where is it?" Looking at the black clothes that Su Mingyan had pierced, she shouted, "Quickly, get down the wall and search!"
Everyone jumped down from the high wall and searched the area where the fight had taken place, but they still couldn't find a single page of the book. Changqin grabbed Ayi's shoulder blades, lifted him up from the ground, and said fiercely, "Why didn't you hand over the book first?" In extreme anger, she slammed him to the ground, blocking Ruan Aman from helping him up.
Qi Bo frowned and muttered to himself, "It must have been taken by that boy from earlier. Could they be after the secret manual?"
"We didn't expect A-Yi to be able to retrieve the manual..."
"They went to Yi Xiao Lou, Lord Changqin. We must immediately gather our people and rush there. No matter the sacrifice, we must seize the manual." Ruan A-Man said resolutely.
"Qiao Yiliang will soon find out the manual is missing and will investigate Xiao Jin Ge. The most important thing right now is not to retrieve the manual," Changqin's expression turned serious. He turned to Qi Bo and said, "You take A-Yi to Xiao Jin Ge and immediately lead your people back to Fusang Island. A-Man and I will hide in Canaan and wait for an opportunity to retrieve the manual..."
"Ah..." Ruan A-Man exclaimed in surprise. In the distant night sky, Xiao Jin Ge was engulfed in a raging sea of fire. At some point, Xiao Jin Ge was surrounded by armored warriors with spears.
"Qiao Yiliang is so fast..." Changqin gasped.
From the sea of flames, only a few Lougaro tribesmen with outstretched wings took flight, only to be met with a dense rain of arrows fired from dozens of powerful crossbows. Ruan Aman watched as her tribesmen repeatedly rose from the inferno, only to fall back into it, burned to ashes. Even from this distance, their screams were clearly audible. Ruan Aman's exquisite face was contorted in agony as she spread her wings, ready to fly towards the Broken Gold Pavilion.
"Come back!" Changqin materialized in shadow, appearing before Ruan Aman and stopping her. "In Canaan, we have little strength to fight Qiao Yiliang."
"Isn't he afraid of burning the secret manual?"
"The secret manual has been passed down for thousands of years without a scratch. Can a single fire destroy it?"
Rapid footsteps approached, and a group of armored warriors surrounded the alley from both ends. A large number of warriors, armed with crossbows and bows, poured into the courtyards on either side. The commotion had already alerted the Canaanese authorities, but they had been secretly deploying troops, remaining outwardly calm.
Changqin and Qibo had been worried about Ayi's safety and had no idea that he had infiltrated the Grand Councilor's residence to steal the secret manual beforehand. Naturally, they hadn't noticed the unusual events of the night.
Changqin glared at Ayi. If he had revealed that he had obtained the manual earlier, they would have had enough time to escape the capital. Now, not only were all the clansmen left in the Golden Pavilion wiped out, but whether they could escape was another matter entirely.
Changqin glanced back at the seven clansmen. Ayi was incapacitated, and one of the clansmen had to be implicated. She said to Qibo, "Winged Formation, I'll fly at the bottom."
Qibo spread his wings, floated up from the high wall, reached out and picked up the injured Ayi from Ruan Aman's arms, and flapped his wings into the air.
"Crack, crack, crack..." A dense clatter of mechanisms echoed around the high walls. Seeing the Rugalans soar into the air, the Canaanite soldiers raised their crossbows and longbows, unleashing a barrage of arrows like a meteor shower. Changqin, positioned at the bottom of the stacked-wing formation, spread his wings, reaching a width of two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters). The clanging of metal against metal filled the air as countless iron-tipped arrows struck Changqin's wings, sparks flying. The force of the wing vibrations propelled the arrows towards the crowd on the ground.
"Damn it, if this guy had attacked from the start, we might not even survive tonight," Shi Chuanhua said, perched on a distant high wall, gazing at the seven Rugalans stacked in a vertical line, a chill running through him.
"Why would the Royal City Military Commander cause them trouble?" Yi Feitian murmured to himself.
The Xiaojin Pavilion was instantly engulfed in flames, reduced to ashes in an instant; almost no one escaped. The night wasn't deep, but there were definitely other guests inside the brothel. Those who could afford to frequent the brothel were all wealthy and powerful. How could the Royal City Military Commander so recklessly set fire to the place and then swiftly surround Ruan Aman, Qi Bo, and the others?
Su Mingyan was filled with doubt; the events of the night were too strange. The three of them hadn't gone far, remaining hidden to observe the situation, but they were still startled by the Royal City Military Commander's sudden action.
Changqin urged her wings to disperse the rain of arrows, and the seven of them flew towards them in a winged formation.
"Run! Lest they misunderstand and think we led the Royal City Military Commander's men here!" Shi Chuanhua leaped down from the high wall.
Su Mingyan smiled slightly. He had already incurred the wrath of one Lougaroman killed and another wounded, but it wasn't wise to encounter the Royal City Military Commander's men now, so he jumped down with the other three. Seeing the seven Lougaromen flying towards them, the four were about to cross the alley to avoid them when a group of armored soldiers surged in from the opposite direction. Jumping onto the high wall at this moment would reveal their whereabouts, and they might be mistaken for Lougara people and ambushed by a hail of arrows. Yi Feitian pressed his hand back, telling Su Mingyan and the others to calm down, and walked out alone, loudly proclaiming, "I am Yi Mingda's son, and I am the leader of which general of the Royal City Military Command?"
"Crack crack crack..." In the shadows, how can one distinguish friend from foe? Su Mingyan had already drawn his long sword, ready to charge out at the slightest provocation.
A general emerged from the shadows of Fei Tian. "Fei Tian, what are you doing here?"
"So it's you, Yi Mengzhong. Brother Yi, you scared us half to death!" Shi Chuanhua stepped out from the corner. "We sneaked into the city from the academy to have some fun, but we've run into a general who doesn't recognize us. We're afraid we'll suffer a bit."
Yi Mengzhong stared at Su Mingyan and Zang Jin behind Shi Chuanhua, then suspiciously glanced at Yi Fei Tian. "Fei Tian, who are they?"
Yi Fei Tian whispered in Yi Mengzhong's ear, revealing the identities of Tan Naminghe and Zang Jin.
"Nonsense!" Yi Mengzhong scolded Yi Fei Tian, then bowed slightly to Su Mingyan with his left hand, holding his sword to his chest, as a gesture of respect.
Su Mingyan, using the dim light, sized up Yi Mengzhong. He was Yi Feitian's cousin, the then-Commander of the Royal City's Military Command, about thirty-one or thirty-two years old. His face had strong features, giving him an aura of resolute bravery. His eyes shone brightly in the darkness. Although on military duty, he maintained a restrained presence, as if he wouldn't unleash his power until the crucial moment. He carried a large bow on his back, its heavy metallic sheen immediately striking Su Mingyan.
"The rebels are flying this way," a soldier who had climbed the wall to observe reported.
Yi Mengzhong took down his longbow, drew an arrow, and nocked it. The soldiers followed suit, pointing their crossbows diagonally towards the sky.
How cunning! Yi Mengzhong had concealed his arrow, brimming with power, within the rain of arrows—truly impossible to defend against.
Faint shadows loomed over the wall. Changqin, Qibo, Ruan Aman, and seven other Loujialuo people, layered upon each other, broke through the arrow barrage in front of them, flying over the group.
"Fire!" Yi Mengzhong gave the order. Only after the rain of arrows had begun did he draw his bow and release the arrow in his hand. The arrow, brimming with power, was caught in the crossfire of hundreds of arrows and hurtled towards Changqin, who was positioned at the bottom.
"Agh..." The arrow pierced Changqin's shoulder, the intense pain causing him to instinctively fold his massive wings. The bird-men behind him, now exposed, were instantly felled by the second volley of arrows, both of them riddled with arrows and landing on the street, their bodies riddled with arrows like giant hedgehogs.
Changqin then noticed Yi Mengzhong's presence, letting out a long howl as he pulled the arrow from his shoulder and flung it at him.
Yi Mengzhong raised his sword to parry, but the force of the impact forced him back two steps before regaining his footing. The arrow had even chipped a nick in his sword.
"That birdman is incredibly strong!"
Changqin, enraged that Yi Mengzhong had tricked him into firing an arrow, let out a series of fierce cries. His wings unleashed a torrent of energy, scattering the incoming arrows and rendering them weak by the time they reached him. Changqin swept his arms around dozens of arrows, then raised his wings behind him, hovering in mid-air. He then suddenly swooped down, crashing into the ground like a meteor, using the momentum to fling the arrows he held at the dark mass of shadows on the ground.
This Loujialuo man had already surpassed the bottleneck of the Earth Rank, possessing the level of a seventh-rank warrior. His combat strength was even greater than that of the Crimson-Skinned Demon encountered at Junheng Mountain. Even the rain of arrows he unleashed with his hands was extremely terrifying in its power.
Su Mingyan, disregarding his concealment, raised his fist and charged into the barrage of arrows overhead. A golden shield of energy erupted from his fist, meeting the meteor-like arrows head-on. The dozens of arrows didn't strike simultaneously; the powerful gusts of air from the first sixteen or seventeen arrows compressed the golden light from his fist into a thin layer. Unable to stop in time, the last arrow pierced his shield and pierced his fist.
"Agh..." Su Mingyan cried out, breaking the arrow shaft and pulling his hand away. He
had blocked seventeen or eighteen arrows, protecting Zang Jin, Shi Chuanhua, and Yi Feitian in the center, while dozens more arrows struck the crowd behind them.
Shi Chuanhua, watching the heavily armored soldiers pierced by the light arrows, felt a chill run down his spine. He realized that Tan Naminghe had shielded him with his own body, fearing he wouldn't have time to dodge. He stood there, stunned, unable to utter a word of gratitude.
Changqin recognized Su Mingyan and thought bitterly, "They're truly birds of a feather." He knew that the Grand Chancellor's Office also harbored peerless masters. If they arrived, his people would likely perish. Besides, the extraordinary strength displayed by this young man was not easily dealt with, and there were so many others getting in his way.
Changqin let out a sharp cry, glared resentfully at Su Mingyan, and flapped his wings to protect his people as they fled.
Su Mingyan was worried about whether Yi Mengzhong would lead his entire army in pursuit when, in a flash, two dark figures appeared before him, chasing after the fleeing Lougara people. Their speed was so great that even Su Mingyan couldn't make out their faces.
Mojie Bocen, a figure on the Heavenly Ranking, was a great sorcerer on the Heavenly Ranking, but he didn't know how strong the warriors on the Heavenly Ranking were.
At least he was certain that these two had surpassed the bottleneck of the Earth Rank and reached the seventh rank or higher.
These two must have been stationed at the Xiaojin Pavilion first, only to find the key figure wasn't there, and then they came here. What was the purpose of summoning two peerless masters? At
this moment, Su Mingyan had Cangjin bandage his hand injury and came over to return the greeting to Yi Mengzhong, asking, "What happened that caused such a commotion?"
"Something went missing from the Grand Councilor's residence, and all six departments of the Royal City Military Command have been mobilized."
Su Mingyan gasped at the fact that Qiao Yiliang could mobilize all six departments of the Royal City Military Command so urgently. This meant that King Canaan was actually under Qiao Yiliang's control, but he had never heard of Qinglan having such a powerful minister.
"Without searching, they set fire to the building, aren't they afraid of burning what they're looking for? What is it?" Shi Chuanhua asked.
"The order to set fire to the building was personally given by Qiao Yiyunyu. They didn't say what it was, but they shouldn't be afraid of the fire."
"Was he one of the two people Qiao Yiyunyu just went over with?" Yi Feitian asked in surprise.
"Breaking through the Earth Rank bottleneck at twenty-eight, becoming one of the youngest seventh-rank warriors in Canaan's history, he might even break into the Heavenly Ranking before he's thirty," Yi Mengzhong said in a low voice. "The Qiao Yi clan's power is becoming increasingly unbreakable."
Wu Misheng's cultivation is even slightly stronger than You Xi's, so it's almost certain that he will also break through the Earth Rank bottleneck before he's twenty-eight.
Su Mingyan sensed the resentment in Yi Mengzhong's words, smiled slightly, and pretended not to understand.
Shi Chuanhua clicked his tongue and exclaimed, "Minghe is no worse than Qiao Yiyunyu. I'm the worst, so far behind. Zangjin is stronger than me now."
"Your Shi family's secret techniques emphasize foundation building. General Shi's cultivation only made rapid progress after he turned thirty," Yi Mengzhong said. "The whole city is under martial law. If you leave the city and get caught, it will only cause trouble. It would be better to take your guests home for the night. Your father has gone to Qiupu Army. Just don't alarm anyone."
Yi Feitian glanced at Su Mingyan and quietly entered the mansion. Not arranging a banquet would be too disrespectful to his status as Prince Yujia, but he couldn't make a big fuss. If others knew that the hostage Prince Yujia could freely enter and leave the royal city, the problem would be even more serious, and it might even alarm the palace.
Su Mingyan laughed, "Since we have nothing else to do, the four of us can just find another place to drink."
Shi Chuanhua glanced at his hand, pierced by an arrow, and asked, "Is your hand injury alright?"
"If there's a fight, the three of you can hold the line."
Just then, a soldier from the East City reported that several Lougara had escaped from the city, and Qiao Yiyunyu and another expert had given chase. The royal city was conducting a large-scale search for Lougara, and many Lougara warriors unrelated to the Xiaojin Pavilion were also implicated. Flames blazed on the city walls, and powerful crossbows were set up to prevent the Lougara from flying out of the city on their wings.
Yi Mengzhong led his troops to the East City to search for the Lougara, leaving only Su Mingyan and his three companions with five or six corpses behind.
Su Mingyan said to Shi Chuanhua, "The Xiaojin Pavilion is really not simple. When we went in, the people inside definitely recognized you two..."
"This is my first time going to such places..." Shi Chuanhua quickly explained.
Yi Feitian said, "It's precisely because we've never been there that they recognized us, which shows they're not simple. The Xiaojin Pavilion was so well-managed in the capital, yet it was completely destroyed with a single order from the Grand Councilor. This shows that what was stolen from the Grand Councilor's residence was truly extraordinary."
"Why don't we go after them and take a look..." Ishikawa Hua was eager to try, completely disregarding the fact that there were at least three people outside the city whose cultivation levels far surpassed theirs.
Su Mingyan yawned, covering his mouth and nose with his injured left hand: "It's impossible to leave the city now, let's find a place to drink."
Zang Jin rarely offered a personal opinion: "There are only a few dozen scions of the top families in the capital. If we go to those nightclubs where the wealthy gather, we'll definitely be recognized. It's better to go to the merchant caravan's guild hall, where we can drink and watch dancing at the same time."
"The Yitian Merchant Caravan's guild hall!" Shi Chuanhua said excitedly, "I still remember that kid Liu Jing'an, we can ask him to drink with us."
Su Mingyan knew that Zang Jin was worried about his injury, and thought that the close relationship with the Yitian Merchant Caravan would definitely not be hidden from discerning people, so spending the night at the Yitian Guild Hall was the safest option.
The four of them wandered through the streets and alleys, arriving at one even narrower than the alleyway where they fought at night. Shi Chuanhua said, "What kind of place is this? The Yitian Guild Hall doesn't need to be so shabby. I remember when Minghe was in Jingcheng, he pulled out a million silver coins without batting an eye."
Zang Jin laughed, "This is the back alley. The front is Zhengji Alley. We can go to Luanfeng Tower and hire singers and dancers to entertain us."
"That's excellent. If Minghe has nothing to distract him, he'll definitely break down and cry out in pain."
The commotion in the city was quite loud. The young men on night duty stood on the walls of the guild hall. By the dim streetlights, they saw Su Mingyan and the other three approaching and quickly sent someone to fetch Luo Simian, who was guarding the guild hall.
Luo Simian was startled when he saw the injury on Su Mingyan's left hand. He led the four into the courtyard, leaving only a few trusted guards on either side, and respectfully greeted them: "Your Highness, how did you get injured?"
The commotion in the southern city had not yet subsided when Su Mingyan smiled and said, "Something happened at Xiaojin Pavilion. We happened to be there. There was a master hiding inside, and he accidentally got shot in the palm by an arrow."
"In the past six months, some Loujialuo people have secretly infiltrated Xiaojin Pavilion. They are all quite skilled. Their leader is named Changqin, a saint from Fusang Island. It is rumored that he is a shadow warrior who is only one step away from the Heavenly Ranking. Your Highness encountered him. It seems that they came to the royal city to search for something. The commotion tonight is so great, so they may have succeeded in getting the item."
Shi Chuanhua interjected, "At least two people were killed by Minghe."
Luo Simian had long known that His Highness was a busybody. In the past six months, his martial arts skills had improved rapidly at Linglu Mountain, while Yi Feitian, Shi Chuanhua, and Cangjin had remained unscathed, making it difficult for him to imagine the scene of the fight.
"The Grand Councilor's residence has been robbed. Have you found out anything?" Su Mingyan asked.
"Recently, the Rugalans in the capital have been asking around for a secret book. The Grand Councilor's residence was robbed of this book."
Su Mingyan's heart skipped a beat, but then he thought it impossible. Although A Yi's skills were indeed impressive, and Su Mingyan wouldn't easily subdue him without resorting to trickery, with experts like Changqin and Qibo present, there was no reason to entrust such an important item to him.
Su Mingyan could never have imagined that A Yi, having just stolen the secret manual from the Grand Chancellor's Office, heard that four young men had arrived at the Xiaojin Pavilion, one of whom dared to call out A Man's name on their very first visit. Changqin, disguised as a musician, went to test the four young men's abilities and, out of curiosity, peeked through the window, only to be inadvertently exposed by A Man. Su Mingyan, never one to shy away from trouble, casually threw a silver chopstick, injuring him, and then flirted with A Man during the meal. Enraged, A Yi forgot to hand over the secret manual first and instead led Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu to intercept the men and vent his anger.
Su Mingyan concealed the scroll in his robes, unseen by anyone. Although he didn't believe the book was the secret manual that the Lougara people had fought over with Grand Councilor Qiao Yiliang, he wouldn't reveal it in front of Yi Feitian and Shi Chuanhua.
Over-reliance on light-based healing spells would undoubtedly weaken his self-healing abilities. There were low-level light-based sorcerers in the guild hall, but considering there wouldn't be any more fighting that night, Su Mingyan didn't let them come to treat his wounds. He only had the physician re-treat his injuries and asked Luo Simian to arrange a quiet room.
Faint music drifted in, interspersed with the laughter of Shi Chuanhua, Yi Feitian, Zang Jin, and others.
At this time, reliable news arrived: Changqin, Ruan Aman, Qibo, and others had successfully escaped the royal city under the protection of their clansmen. The royal city's military command was conducting a large-scale search for the Lougara people within the city.
The Lougara pirates posed the greatest threat to the River Harbor Alliance, which also determined the lenient attitude of Canaan and Qinglan towards the Lougara. Most of the goods plundered by the Lougara pirates were dumped within the borders of Canaan and Qinglan. What kind of secret text could make the Lougara people risk offending the most powerful minister in Canaan?
Su Mingyan took out the scroll; its light blue thread-bound pages were made of some kind of animal hide that had been tanned extremely thin. If A-Yi hadn't been holding the scroll to his chest, he would definitely have been disemboweled by Su Mingyan with two slashes. Su Mingyan drew the longsword that Ishikawa had returned to him and forcefully cut along the lower right corner of the page. The page remained intact; the sharp longsword hadn't even managed to cut through it.
"It must be this book,"
Su Mingyan thought, opening the book. The title page was a folded picture, about five palms wide when opened. The azure page depicted a starry sky. In that instant, Su Mingyan felt as if he were back in the monastery at night, as if he were lying on the canopy of a Kunlun thorn tree, gazing at the starry sky.
"A star chart."
Although the star chart was precious, it didn't seem worth the Lougara people's great effort. After tonight, the Lougara people's power in the royal city would surely be eradicated.
Su Mingyan quickly flipped through the pages, which were covered in ancient shell script. The pages, which even a sharp blade couldn't cut, looked worn and showed signs of age, indicating they had been passed down for a long time. Even if such a book were a secret manual, it would have been thoroughly studied long ago. The Lougara people, having obtained it, could easily have photocopied a dozen copies of this thin book in a day. It only had some collectible value to begin with; Qiao Yiliang had no reason to go to such lengths. Perhaps this wasn't the secret manual Qiao Yiliang was looking for.
Su Mingyan put the book away, gazing at the reflection of his figure in the glass window. The wound on his left hand no longer hurt. Su Mingyan got up, pushed open the door, and looked thoughtfully at the dim light shining into the courtyard.
Luo Simian walked in: "Miss Ye Ling'er, the head dancer of Luanfeng Pavilion, requests an audience with Your Highness."
"Ah..."
"To add to the festivities, I specially sent someone to Luanfeng Pavilion to invite dancers. Unexpectedly, Miss Ye from Luanfeng Pavilion came in person and requested an audience with Your Highness as soon as she arrived at the venue. I don't know how she knew Your Highness would be here tonight."
"The capital is in quite a mess tonight, and only I am still in the mood to invite dancers and drink. Ye Ling'er is also in high spirits. Do you know which side she is on?"
"The capital..."
"The capital."
"I am only guessing and have not yet verified it, so I have not reported it. However, it is rather strange that Yingdie from the capital in Canaan requests an audience with Your Highness at this time."
Su Mingyan thought so too. As a hostage in Canaan, any matters should be reported to the Inner Palace Department by the young prince's clerk, Fang Jingchuan. Even if Yingdie from the capital in Canaan encountered something she could not handle, she should not have alarmed this side. Su Mingyan quickly realized another possibility, his face turning cold, and his voice lowered slightly: "She's in the front courtyard."
"Miss Ye Ling'er disguised herself as a maid and didn't go to the front courtyard with the dancers. Apart from a few people around her, no one knows Miss Ye Ling'er is here."
Su Mingyan followed Luo Simian through the corridor and into the east courtyard. In the courtyard, a beautiful woman in plain clothes stood gracefully against a tree, gazing absently at the shadows of the flowers beneath
. Startled to notice Su Mingyan behind her, she turned around. Her beauty was striking, and a hint of surprise lingered in her clear eyes; she didn't seem like someone from the world of courtesans. "Ye Ling'er, the Shadow Butterfly, greets Your Highness, Sixth Prince."
Su Mingyan remained silent, gazing at the woman who had just recovered from her surprise.
"This is Ye Ling'er's identity ring. Please
take a look, Your Highness..." Luo Simian took the antique-style ring, examined it carefully, nodded to Su Mingyan, and handed it to him for his personal verification.
Su Mingyan waved his hand and said, "When I entered Canaan, the Inner Palace Department did not tell me about the list of Canaan Shadow Butterflies. I suppose the Shadow Butterflies' activities in Canaan have nothing to do with me..."
Ye Ling'er glanced at Luo Simian, hesitating to speak.
Su Mingyan said, "Chief Luo belongs to the Inner Palace Department and is loyal to me. Just say what you have to say."

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