Chapter 79 – Assassination

Yu Zhen considered for a moment, realizing that after tonight Zhan Changfeng might no longer be in Shenzhou, and that it was necessary to inform her of the progress of the investigation.

So he went over and told her, “The specific origins of the Jingyu Guard have not yet been fully investigated, but it is certain that the Gongsun Clan is disrupting the court’s governance. This matter has already been reported to the Bureau of Patrol’s main headquarters in Cangyun Ravine, and our superiors will conduct an investigation and handle the Gongsun Clan accordingly.”

“I am grateful for your trouble, Deputy Hall Master.” Zhan Changfeng expressed her thanks.

Yu Zhen observed her expression; she seemed completely indifferent. “Does Your Highness the Crown Prince hold no hope for the investigation and punishment of the Gongsun Clan?”

Yu Zhen had just been about to speak of the Bureau of Patrol’s firm-handed methods — that a mere noble clan could not possibly resist — when he heard Zhan Changfeng say, “I place no hope in matters that are not handled by my own hand.”

“.” He suddenly understood the frustration that Cui Gu must have always felt. How was one even supposed to continue a conversation like this?

“Ha, then let us wait and see.” Yu Zhen returned to his side of the area, only to find someone striding toward him.

“I am Qin Guan of the Gentleman’s Court, a teacher of He Yuntian. According to the report submitted by your establishment, He Yuntian became involved in a mortal rebellion incident here. This is entirely due to my lax supervision. I have come personally to take him back to receive his punishment.”

“So you are Teacher Qin. Please follow me.”

Qin Guan noticed the tight security at the scene, which was unlike previous occasions, and asked, “Has something changed here?”

Yu Zhen naturally would not be so careless as to reveal the details of the matter, and so he casually deflected with a few words before steering the conversation back to He Yuntian. “This young man has not yet reached the Prenatal realm, let alone Foundation Establishment. Why didn’t he stay in the courtyard to cultivate? Instead, he went wandering in the mortal world for an entire year — there are no cultivation resources here.”

Qin Guan smiled. “He is extraordinarily talented, but he simply cannot sit still. He is always running off somewhere, and before I knew it, he had slipped into the mortal world. I thought it might be good to temper his character — spending a year in the mortal world would do him some good.”

His words betrayed a great deal of satisfaction with He Yuntian. Yu Zhen had no reason to contradict him, and naturally offered his congratulations. “The Gentleman’s Court has found itself a fine seedling. When the day comes that his path of the Dao opens wide, your esteemed courtyard may well produce yet another disciple who enters the upper sect.”

“It is far too early to say such things. This child still has much tempering ahead of him.”

Qin Guan took He Yuntian and departed for Cangyun Ravine. But as He Yuntian ascended the Heaven-Descending Altar, he shot a glance at Zhan Changfeng — a look full of both wariness and resentment — only to quickly avert his gaze before she could look back.

That state of seeming foolishness and stupor had been an absolute nightmare. In this lifetime, he never wanted to encounter this person again.

The moon tilted westward, and the figures gradually grew fewer. Yu Zhen, seeing that Zhan Changfeng was still standing there, reminded her, “The Heavenward Path will close in another two hours. Is Your Highness not going?”

Zhan Changfeng glanced at him. “Eleven.”

“What do you mean?”

“People who want to kill me.” In truth, the word ‘kill’ wasn’t quite right — they wanted both the Dragon Scale Divine Scripture on her person and her life. But intimidated by the guards present, they had not made a move, instead feigning calm as they departed.

Yu Zhen quickly went to retrieve the registration ledger for a look. “Your Highness, might you be mistaken? Among those registered, there is no one connected to the Gongsun Clan. Furthermore, the Bureau of Patrol has already warned the Gongsun Clan — how could they possibly commit a crime at such a critical moment?”

Zhan Changfeng smiled casually. “Perhaps I am simply too outstanding, and it bothers people.”

The less seriously she took it, the more vigilant Yu Zhen became. “The matter has not yet been verified. Your Highness won’t take matters into your own hands, will you?”

“Of course not. Look at the army outside — have there been any unusual movements?”

Gao Lin hurried away from Xiling. Once the torchlight from that side could no longer be seen clearly, he cursed his bad luck under his breath. He had not expected Crown Prince Changsheng to make such a big scene. Fortunately, his primary mission was to help Li Mao seize the dragon vein. As for capturing Crown Prince Changsheng alive — that was something to do if the opportunity arose; if not, any excuse to brush it off would do. After all, there were plenty of others who would take care of it later.

In the darkness, a pair of eyes watched him intently. A dagger flashed. A struggle broke out and then quickly fell silent.

The bounty hunters had already locked onto their prey.

Back there, Yu Zhen was uneasy — not that he distrusted Zhan Changfeng; it was that he truly did not trust Zhan Changfeng at all.

“Your Highness, could you point out which individuals they were?”

“Do you have portraits?”

“Please follow me.” Yu Zhen led her to a stone table beside the Heaven-Descending Altar specifically used to register arrivals from Cangyun Ravine, then placed his hand on a crystal orb. A beam of light refracted from within the orb, forming a curtain bearing the images of all those who had registered.

“Your Highness, please take a look.”

Zhan Changfeng casually pointed out several people. The light curtain was rather fun — a few casual sweeps and it could turn pages. Yu Zhen at her side couldn’t help but remind her, “You’ve gone too far. The ones below are people registered in the past.”

If it weren’t for the fact that Zhan Changfeng’s expression was perfectly serious, he would almost have suspected the Crown Prince was playing around.

Zhan Changfeng made a sound of acknowledgment, then suddenly paused and enlarged one figure. “I’ve seen this person before. Back then, he helped Yue Kun cheat in a tournament bout.”

Yu Zhen’s heart stirred. He pulled up the person’s records. “This person is named Yan Yifa, a collateral branch of the Yan family of Cangyun Ravine. He came to the mortal world of Shenzhou three years ago.”

“Yan — one of the noble clans?” Zhan Changfeng asked. “Don’t all those noble clans practice martial arts? But this person uses spellcraft.”

“Among the noble clans, there are those with exceptional aptitude for the Way of Techniques. Such individuals tend to sever their worldly ties and enter a sect for cultivation.” Yu Zhen did not generalize. “But if one’s aptitude for cultivating techniques is too low to enter a sect, they will still remain attached to their clan, contributing in exchange for resources.”

“Is it normal for a collateral branch of the Yan family to go and assist the Gongsun Clan?”

“Is Your Highness perhaps reading too much into this?” What would the Yan family stand to gain? Moreover, if this person was a technique cultivator, then this was very likely his own personal conduct. After all, technique cultivators cultivate the natural laws of heaven and earth, and are most wary of becoming entangled with family clans — organizations with such heavy karmic bonds.

Yu Zhen said, “If Your Highness is not at ease, we can take Yan Yifa in for questioning.”

“Very well.” Zhan Changfeng also felt it was unlikely. Given the degree to which the Gongsun Clan valued the Dragon Scale Divine Scripture, would they share that secret with anyone else?

But these several noble clans had all come to Shenzhou together. If it was only for the opportunity at Ghost City, that seemed a bit of a stretch.

The Heavenward Path opened once a year. Was it really possible that they would spend a year in the mortal world just for those few treasures in Ghost City — treasures that were not particularly important to cultivators?

Come to think of it, He Yuntian too, a mere Postnatal realm cultivator, had inexplicably spent a year in the mortal world. That was also quite suspicious.

There might well be a scheme at play here that she did not know about. And that scheme might already be over — or might have only just begun.

Zhan Changfeng did not dwell on it further. Most of what she had was speculation, and speculation couldn’t be counted as fact. At most, when she returned, she would search Yan Yifa’s soul and see if anything was amiss.

Another person came down the Heavenward Staircase — a thin, frail-looking man with a trace of worry and sorrow between his brows. He carried nothing on him, as though he had fallen on such hard times that all he owned was the thin, shabby garment on his back.

Zhan Changfeng and Yu Zhen stepped aside to let him pass for registration.

With an outsider present, Yu Zhen could not openly discuss the matter of the Gongsun Clan, so he casually started a different topic. “Do you know why this is called the Heavenward Path?”

Zhan Changfeng said, “I would like to hear your explanation.”

“When a mortal cultivates the Dao, are they not walking toward heaven? Going from the mortal world to the realm of cultivation — one’s circumstances change entirely. To put it grandly, isn’t that reaching heaven?” Yu Zhen smiled. “Though this is just a colloquial nickname, it does carry some meaning of striving upward. But the most direct answer is simply this: spatially speaking, Cangyun Ravine is literally above this world.”

Just as he finished speaking, an abrupt change occurred. The frail man produced a banner and used it to cut off Yu Zhen and the others, then attacked Zhan Changfeng with both palms shaped into claws.

His positioning was exquisite. As Zhan Changfeng retreated, she was driven back onto the Heaven-Descending Altar. That sorrowful face fixed its gaze on Zhan Changfeng, opened its mouth, and let out an unending, shrill wail — wretched and tearful — that caused meridians to flow in reverse. Some of the guards with weaker cultivation bled from all seven orifices.

Yu Zhen bit down and suppressed his own disrupted qi, utterly shocked. Such a secret technique was absolutely not something a Prenatal realm cultivator should possess. He had to be at Foundation Establishment, or even Transcendence of the Mortal!

Just what was so special about Crown Prince Changsheng that the enemy would dispatch a high-level cultivator to utterly destroy her?!

(End of Chapter)