Chapter 192 - 190: Prelude to Regicide
Roar!
In the Nether Sea, the shadow of an enormous fierce beast emerged, roaring and attempting to devour Song Changming’s spirit body.
However, in the next moment, the gigantic Ice Heart erupted with brilliance, effortlessly dispelling the lingering spirit will of the fierce beast.
The Nether Sea didn’t even ripple from start to finish.
Under the protection of this Ice Heart, Song Changming’s spirit body remained undamaged and unaffected.
"Huff!"
Having refined all the blood and flesh essence qi, Song Changming felt good about himself.
Apart from a considerable consumption of spiritual power, he wasn’t affected by the beast’s ferocity, nor did he feel any overwhelming negative emotions.
This seemingly mysterious Meditation Technique had excellently helped him solve this problem.
The biggest side effect of the Celestial Essence Body Refining Technique was nearly perfectly compensated after encountering this Ice Heart Purification Technique!
Now, he could basically utilize this secret technique for daily body refining, instead of the on-and-off approach.
In this way, the strengthening of his physique no longer stagnated; finally, as he had hoped, he could continue to develop and excavate the immense potential brought forth by the three major physical traits!
This unconventional path of breaking through the Body Refining Extreme Realm to continue exploring the potential of the flesh is not unheard of in Jianghu, but only a few martial artists would take such an approach.
This is ultimately not the mainstream method of training.
The current mainstream orthodox practice still focuses on Qi Refining, with Body Refinement merely serving as the foundational first stage of martial arts.
Yet Song Changming still adhered to his martial arts cultivation principle of wanting both.
The world knows the power of Inner Qi, so Inner Qi is what he must refine.
And strengthening the physique has always been his pursuit and his combat strength forte, so he must also continue with it.
Grasp with both hands, make both hands strong!
...
That day.
Song Changming had just finished a round of secret technique body refining, clenched his fists, feeling the palm’s qi power increase by a pound or two, and was extremely satisfied with the accomplishments of the secret technique body refining.
The refined fierce beast essence qi always had immediate effects.
Now having temporarily neutralized the side effects of the secret technique with the Meditation Technique, the only lingering problem that still gave him a headache was acquiring the fierce beast flesh.
Using large quantities of fierce beast flesh as material requires substantial financial resources to back it up.
As he started daily body refining, each day he needed dozens, even hundreds of pounds of strong fierce beast flesh for refining the fierce beast essence qi.
On average, this required an expenditure of hundreds of silver coins each day!
Even though he recently earned three hundred Han Gold from Guan Weijing, calculating carefully, it wasn’t enough for him to splurge for a year.
Secondly, there’s the quality of the fierce beast flesh. Given his current level of physique, even in the fierce beast flesh market across the entire Wangyue Prefecture, there wasn’t much that met his requirements.
Sometimes, it didn’t even meet his daily refining needs, forcing him to lower his purchasing standards.
Now, he not only sourced fierce beast flesh within Wangyue Prefecture.
He also commissioned Liang Zhao Long to purchase various powerful and rare fierce beast flesh from across the major prefectures worldwide and send them to him.
"Changming, take a break, come play a game of chess with me. Yesterday, the Chess Saint appeared in my dream and taught me a move, I need to test its effectiveness..."
Liu Dingsheng called out to Song Changming from the side.
"Alright." Song Changming agreed, and just as he was about to sit down, Liu Ziwen suddenly came in quickly from outside, delivering a secret letter.
"For me?" Song Changming was taken aback.
Currently, only Liang Zhao Long knew his whereabouts and corresponded with him via letters.
But they had just exchanged letters not long ago, it shouldn’t be from him.
Opening the envelope, he glanced over the letter’s contents.
"Hmm?"
It turned out to be from someone Song Changming didn’t expect.
The signature at the bottom of the letter was none other than Xiao Yanli!
In Song Changming’s mind, memories of past events flashed by.
The name Xiao Yanli, when mentioned now, was mostly unfamiliar.
The Donglai Xiao Family of those days had long vanished in the course of history, a casualty of the political struggles back then.
What he hadn’t expected was for the third son of the Xiao Family, who had been missing for years and silent, to reappear today.
And even to have found him.
"What’s wrong, you seem quite surprised by the arrival of this letter?" Liu Dingsheng asked curiously.
"Indeed, I didn’t expect it." After reading the contents of the letter, Song Changming didn’t avoid disclosing it, handing it to Liu Dingsheng in front of him to read.
"Xiao Yanli, so it’s this person." Liu Dingsheng understood.
"Senior knows him?" Song Changming asked.
When Liu Dingsheng returned to Donglai Prefecture, the Xiao Family had already perished, and the Fifth Prince had sent Li Yan Zhuang Ren and a batch of Capital City officials to take over Donglai Prefecture.
Logically, Liu Dingsheng and the Xiao Family shouldn’t have any interactions to speak of.
"Know a bit, remember last month I mentioned to you about the Second Prince’s throne possibly being unstable." Liu Dingsheng slowly explained.
Song Changming nodded, suddenly combining the content of this letter, a realization rose in his heart.
"Senior, did you know about what Xiao Yanli was plotting?"
Liu Dingsheng nodded and said, "This remnant of the Xiao Family is not an ordinary person. Although I don’t know specifically what he will do, he has already assembled a group of Jianghu experts and even has connections with the Outer Realm Evil Cult.
Now he is lurking in the Six Prefectures under the Second Prince, given the Second Prince has a vendetta against the Xiao Family, it is easy to guess his purpose for staying in the North..."
"Even the Second Prince didn’t notice this, how did you come to know?" Song Changming suddenly asked curiously.
"My skills are not something you juniors can fathom," Liu Dingsheng chuckled, "If he hadn’t gathered that group of Jianghu experts, maybe I wouldn’t have caught wind of this, but he did, how could I not know..."
"His plans are now targeting you, probably aware of the conflict between you and the Second Prince, so, do you plan to jump in?"
"I might consider..." Song Changming did not immediately decide.
The fact that Xiao Yanli suddenly contacted him must be due to the previous Changming Association incident.
He stirred up a storm in Taiqing County City, using it as a clue to track him down, is not difficult.
Liu Dingsheng laughed and said, "If so, I will send someone to investigate the situation for you first."
He understands Song Changming, although he says he’s considering, in his heart he’s likely already thinking of going.
Hence, he first arranged the preliminary preparations for Song Changming’s departure.
And indeed, that’s how it turned out.
Regarding the years-long grudge against the Second Prince, he has long wanted to settle it.
But he hasn’t yet probed the full strength of the Second Prince’s hidden cards, to be safe, he plans to increase his personal power before taking action.
However, now Xiao Yanli suddenly appeared, becoming an unexpected variable ahead of time.
Back in the day, Gu Wenhui managed to successfully eliminate the Fifth Prince, taking his place.
Heaven knows if Xiao Yanli will become the next Gu Wenhui, who assassinated a king.
For Song Changming, failing to personally execute the Second Prince might be less satisfying, but it doesn’t matter.
But he cannot not visit the Second Prince’s treasury before handing it over to others.
Even though in these years of intense warfare, the Second Prince has depleted his treasury, it can’t be completely empty; he must have left some family assets.
Therefore, Song Changming is considering making the trip.
He is worried about being short on money and silver, perhaps after this journey, he won’t have to worry anymore...
...
December, the end of the year.
Under the rule of the Second Prince Chu Jing, within Dongcang Prefecture, in a small county city with the worst security.
An old residence that seemed abandoned long ago, several old trees that have died without care.
Mice and bugs scurrying around on the ground, while a flock of pitch-black ravens circled above the old residence, making noisy calls.
A figure wearing a bamboo hat and covering their face quickly walked into the old residence.
As the door to the room was pushed open, a group of eyes all shifted towards the figure.
The figure removed the hat and face cover, revealing his true identity.
Even after so many years, he could still be recognized as the fugitive from the Xiao Family wanted by the Imperial Court, Xiao Yanli!
At this time, he no longer had his former gentlemanly appearance, his face appeared weathered, his demeanor extraordinarily cold and hard, completely devoid of elegance, but instead, filled with strong determination that made people dare not underestimate him.
"Xiao Family kid, you called me to this place of sin and darkness, talking about planning a grand scheme, is this your hospitality? Haven’t had a sip of water yet!" An old Jianghu man snorted coldly.
"Senior, calm down, some news leaked recently, I had to be cautious, though it’s inconvenienced everyone to come here, but very soon what I promised everyone will all be realized!" Xiao Yanli reassured.
"When exactly are we moving? I can’t wait to sit my ass down on that damn Second Prince’s head and take a massive dump!" Another rough man’s voice boomed, full of curses.
"That Second Prince caused my family to be torn apart, once you’re done, I’ll do it!"
"No problem!"
This group of Jianghu experts were all carefully selected by Xiao Yanli as partners.
They either bore resentment towards the Second Prince or harbored deep hatred against the entire Imperial Family, or simply driven by pure interests.
Summoning this group of Martial Arts powerhouses was indeed not easy for Xiao Yanli, he spent a great deal of time on this matter before finally motivating these top-level experts.
In these years of disappearance, he never forgot the hatred of the Xiao Family’s annihilation, long vowing revenge, to overthrow the Second Prince’s rule and let him pay with his life!
He concealed his identity, planned step by step, until today felt more than eighty percent confident, choosing to act.
He couldn’t delay any longer, nor did he want to anymore.
"In three days! At this year’s end, that Second Prince will not make it past!" Xiao Yanli said harshly, his killing intent surging.
All the martial arts experts present also got excited!
"That’s right!"
"Should have started earlier! Letting Chu Jing live so long!"
"I want the Second Prince’s head to use as a chamber pot!"
Xiao Yanli was very pleased with their reaction, and continued, "Everyone, follow me tonight as we head to Hengyang Prefecture!"
The flame of hatred burned brightly in many people’s eyes, including Xiao Yanli, the planner.
"Just wait, father, eldest brother... I’ll avenge you all!"
...