Chapter 92 - 90: Imprisoned
This wave of Shui Gang members sent to infiltrate the County City, tasked with assassinating Song Changming, are all extremely powerful.
The person flying across in front of him must have reached above the Fourth Realm in the Marrow Cleansing Skill, and his Light Body Skill is even more remarkable.
It is the combination of these skills that showcased such extraordinary speed.
The opponent charged to kill, slashing a saber down, the light of the blade dazzling.
At this moment, Song Changming suddenly drew his blade, slashing upward from below.
Clang!
The blade edges collided, the opponent’s face instantly flushed red as he retreated swiftly.
The power attached to Song Changming’s blade was simply not something he could withstand.
Had he not deflected the force and retreated, his right arm wielding the saber might have snapped on the spot.
With the power of Five Bulls, harnessed by his superb sword skill, the destructive force unleashed was astounding.
If Song Changming was wielding a heavy Dragon Pattern Saber tonight, the damage from this slash would be even more significant!
"Watch out! Him!"
He was just about to alert his companion, but Song Changming was already rushing forward using his Light Body Skill, with the blade pointed directly at him.
The speed unleashed by Song Changming was equally astounding, perhaps even faster by a few degrees than this opponent!
Song Changming had trained his Marrow Cleansing Skill to the Third Realm, and more importantly, he mastered the expanded Top-level Light Body Skill, granting him an even faster speed display.
Compared to the opponent, he more resembled a nimble large swallow, flying close to the ground!
Without time to retreat, the opponent faced Song Changming’s icy, clear gaze.
Their eyes met, the long blade swept in, whipping up a wind that dazzled the eyes.
After merely three exchanges, the opponent was losing strength, leaving a large opening in front.
"Damn!" Panicking inside, he didn’t even have time to cry for help as Song Changming’s long blade had already pierced through his chest.
With the long blade drawn out, Song Changming drifted past him.
The opponent stood frozen on the spot, his breath rapidly declining, unable to react to what just happened, and fell straight to the ground dead.
Song Changming’s long blade was bloodied, his footsteps unpaused, darting towards the closest person.
This person possessed Fourth Realm of Bone Forging strength, wielding a Nine Ring Saber, intending to demonstrate wide-open-moves of sabersmanship, yet was easily evaded as Song Changming sidestepped with a swift slip.
The Top-level Light Body Skill, as it is difficult to master, naturally holds its significance.
Because it is too exquisite to be easily mastered!
The speed bursts it provides and the maneuvering techniques during combat become the most ultimate showcase when comprehended fully.
Allowing Song Changming to easily overwhelm opponents in movements during contests!
As Song Changming darted past the person, there were already three slash marks on the opponent’s chest, spraying blood like pillars.
Meanwhile, the opponent’s encirclement was effortlessly broken through by Song Changming.
Currently, Song Changming could completely withdraw if he chose to, the ambush set up by this group has already failed.
Yet now, Song Changming does not plan on letting them go.
Within the bamboo forest, the killing continues.
With Song Changming’s current strength, these Body Refining Martial Artists of Fourth Body Refining Level, even if they joined forces shoulder to shoulder, still wouldn’t stand a chance against Song Changming alone.
Only one among them, a Fifth Realm Body Refining Martial Artist, seemingly another leader from Dinghai Water Gang, had relatively decent strength.
He engaged Song Changming directly for twenty to thirty rounds, only to be severely injured and toppled with Song Changming’s Flying Swallow Knife Skill.
After approximately a quarter of an hour, the wind ceased and the bamboo forest returned to calmness.
The ambushers from Dinghai Water Gang had all fallen silent to the ground, only the leader remained in a state of serious injury, still retaining half his life.
Song Changming squatted in front of him, while wiping the almost fully crimson blade with his clothing and interrogated in a roundabout way.
Although the opponent was not very cooperative, Song Changming could basically confirm that this group did not come for the treasure map.
After wiping his blade clean, he sheathed it, casually picked up a long saber dropped unknowingly, drove it straight into the opponent’s chest, sending him on his way.
Returning to his residence, apart from a few footprints on the wall, the house and courtyard were still intact.
This group had some decency, not tearing down his home in the first wave.
Their purpose was very clear, they came solely to kill him.
If they were after the treasure map, this residence would’ve been rummaged through by now.
Early the next morning, Song Changming dispatched Patrol Guard to handle the corpses.
Between city Patrol Armor Bureau added the task of searching for other Dinghai Water Gang members possibly still infiltrated within the city.
These Dinghai Water Gang members are currently targets in the eyes of the Governor, there’s no chance of them being let go.
Afterward, following this ambush failure and the loss of trained martial artist elites, Dinghai Water Gang seemed to settle down.
Realizing that continuing to entangle with Song Changming would only add to their losses.
They did not step into Donglai Prefecture again, at least for now, they couldn’t intervene.
And apart from Dinghai Water Gang, Song Changming was more concerned with the Golden Pavilion Sect, which hadn’t shown any activity.
The headquarters of Golden Pavilion Sect itself is not situated around Donglai Prefecture, the deaths of a few disciples in Donglai County City seemingly uninterested in them.
Unsuspectedly, the Treasure Map on that Golden Pavilion Sect Member was also privately hidden.
Neither side informed their backing forces, each wanting to quietly amass wealth, only to end up losing their lives for it.
Thinking about it carefully, this is quite normal—once you inform your backing forces, whether it’s the Treasure Map or the Martial Technique, it no longer relates to you.
Even when Song Changming obtained this doorstep-delivered Treasure Map, he didn’t tell a second person, including the government forces backing him.
In this way, the situation was indeed much better than Song Changming anticipated, saving a lot of trouble and entanglement.
...
As autumn set in, the weather gradually cooled down, and the ground was covered with yellowing leaves, giving an aura of desolation.
No message can stay sealed forever, some rumors finally spread out from the highest Imperial Palace.
The current Emperor has fallen ill!
After the news spread, all kinds of commentaries arose, causing restlessness among the people everywhere.
Song Changming was not too surprised when the rumors reached Donglai County, as he had already known about this matter from Gu Wenhui’s earlier revelations.
This only proved that what Gu Wenhui said that night wasn’t just drunken nonsense but had some basis.
"This means the peaceful days are finally counting down..."
In the Huaman Building, Zhou Sixin, Song Changming, and Liang Chuan Mountain, who hadn’t been seen for some time, gathered again.
Listening to Zhou Sixin’s words, Liang Chuan Mountain deeply agreed.
They all had quite an understanding of the history of the Da Han Dynasty.
Every generation of Emperor was fought for!
This time, if the old Emperor fails to recover, the next thing is the struggle for the throne.
"But the Imperial Court in the Imperial Capital is miles away from our Donglai County City, probably won’t affect us, right?" Liang Chuan Mountain emptied his cup and said.
"That may not be so." Zhou Sixin shook his head, looking at Song Changming.
Song Changming, while sending slices of fatty and lean meat into his mouth, took a drink to swallow, and then said: "Brother Liang, you know, our Governor started accumulating private troops and military supplies a few years ago.
This was something you reminded me of.
Now that the Emperor’s news has spread, do you think our Governor is involved in this?"
Liang Chuan Mountain nodded, sighed, and gave up on any optimistic thoughts.
The ambitionists in the world wish for more chaos, providing opportunities for them.
People like Liang Chuan Mountain, who long for stability, hope this storm is as small as possible and ends as early as possible.
They don’t want their current life to be affected by the turmoil.
September.
In the court, the eldest son of the Xiao Family, Xiao Hongyang, got into trouble.
Due to some mishandling, he committed several crimes and was thrown into prison!
Later, the third son of the Xiao Family, Xiao Yanli, fled the Imperial Capital to escape guilt and disappeared, with his crimes adding up.
When this news reached Donglai County City, the Patriarch of the Xiao Family, the Governor of Donglai, was furious to the point of spitting blood uncontrollably, almost fainting out of anger.
In just one day, the once thriving Xiao Family in Donglai County turned shaky.
A thick layer of clouds covered them, and the future became unpredictable.
That night, Xie Shihuan and other trusted officials of the Governor went to the Xiao Mansion to discuss this matter overnight.
When Xie Shihuan saw Xiao Jingchuan again, he was utterly shocked.
"My lord, what happened to you..."
The previously spirited Patriarch of the Xiao Family, now sat in his chair, his face dark, eyes dull, as if he had aged ten years overnight.
"Yang’er got into trouble..." Xiao Jingchuan took a deep breath, and said powerlessly.
"What happened to the eldest son, who is serving as an official in the court?" County Governor Ji Xuechang had already vaguely guessed but dared not think deeply.
Xiao Jingchuan recounted the newly received news and then resentfully said: "It must have been that vile person who harmed him, Yang’er acts prudently and conservatively, how could he mess up at this critical juncture!"
In his view, someone was definitely targeting his Xiao Family!
"Can we ask the Third Prince for help to get to the truth and clear the eldest son’s name?" asked Xie Shihuan immediately.
Everyone knew that if something happened to Xiao Hongyang in the court, it was undoubtedly a heavy blow to the Xiao Family.
If they could save him, they must do everything in their power to save him.
"I have already sent someone with my handwritten letter to the Third Prince, but this matter is mostly a foregone conclusion. If the Third Prince wanted to help, he would have done it already; dragging it until now means he probably doesn’t want to get involved..."
Xiao Jingchuan slapped the armrest of his chair, saying with hatred.
"This..." The group of advisors and officials looked at each other.
If even the Third Prince wouldn’t help, then Xiao Hongyang, who was far away in the Imperial Capital prison, was likely done for.
For a moment, they couldn’t think of any other countermeasures.
Standing at the outer edge of the crowd, Gu Wenhui calmly observed the already panic-stricken crowd, with his hands down and said nothing.
...