201: Chapter 70: Repay kindness with kindness 201: Chapter 70: Repay kindness with kindness Outside the Great Chu Imperial City.
Wilderness and rugged mountains.
A portal of star fire opened there.
Drenched in blood, Qing Sun staggered through the portal, heavily falling to the ground.
His body was soaked with sweat, he tried with all his might to stand, but in the end, he couldn’t even move a finger.
Qing Sun lay there in the muddy mountain path, gasping for breath.
“Clip-clop…clip-clop.”
The sound of horse hooves approached from afar, eventually coming to a slow stop.
Half of his face was submerged in a filthy, muddy puddle.
Qing Sun struggled to open his eyes wide, trying to see who was approaching…
But his vision ultimately blurred.
The figure on horseback grew more and more indistinct.
“I’ve warned you before, to remove the ‘Fire Qilin Armor’ and be cautious of Fire Devouring,” Yuan Jimo sighed softly, patted his steed, and dismounted.
He took a pouch from his chest…
the same one he had prepared for Qing Sun when they parted, spreading it open to reveal a thick stack of talismans.
The tall man curled up in the muck, let out an angry growl.
If it were possible, he would have pushed Yuan Jimo away.
But this time.
He couldn’t even lift a finger.
“Don’t move, be good,” Yuan Jimo crouched in front of the mud pit, placing the talismans one by one on Qing Sun’s shoulders, back, and limbs.
While applying the talismans, he spoke softly, “Did I not also say…
that the masters of Da Sui Sword Palace are not to be trifled with, and once your identity is exposed, your end would be miserable?”
These talismans emitted a faint crimson glow.
The heavy breathing of Qing Sun gradually slowed and became steady…
Due to the Fire Devouring.
His skin had scorched his robe to tatters, with sparks of light breaking through the fabric, like a bundle of kindling that could ignite at any moment.
After the talismans were applied, the “Fire Devouring” was suppressed, and the dappled skin began to return to its normal color.
The modestly sized mud pit had been scorched nearly to boiling, emitting wafts of filthy, scalding mist.
Qing Sun turned over.
He lay spread-eagled, watching the densely packed leaves that covered the sky above.
After a long while.
Qing Sun’s voice was hoarse, “Thanks.”
One thing at a time.
Even though he detested Yuan Jimo, hated him, after all…
Yuan Jimo had just saved his life.
“You don’t need to thank me, you should thank Her Majesty,” Yuan Jimo stood up and leaned against an ancient tree, “The one who truly saved your life…
is not me, it’s Her Majesty.”
“…”
Qing Sun closed his eyes, then suddenly let out a low chuckle.
When leaving the palace.
Her Majesty gave him an Imperial City Jade Talisman, telling him that if he encountered an insurmountable crisis at Da Sui Sword Palace, he should crush the talisman to save his life.
Indeed, after crushing the talisman, he had saved his life.
But everything that happened afterward…
was not quite what Qing Sun had imagined.
Assassinating a Cave Heaven Realm, what unsolvable crisis could there be?
The only ones in Da Sui Sword Palace who could prompt true fear in him, whom he couldn’t confront, were those two Yang Gods.
Qing Sun never expected that the talisman was linked not to the Holy Empress but to Wu Zhexian.
To be precise, the one behind Wu Zhexian…
that Qin Ancestor.
So.
The real purpose of sending him into Da Sui Sword Palace was to draw out Zhao Chunyang, to let Qin Ancestor confront Zhao Chunyang…
On the one hand, it could confirm the rumors that had circulated outside over the years, and on the other hand, it could test the strength and realm of the Sword Palace Master.
As for himself, as a pawn, once he entered the game, being able to keep his life was already fortunate amidst misfortune.
“Splash, splash…”
The mud sloshed.
Qing Sun recovered a bit of strength, he tried to lift the palm that Zhao Chunyang had crushed.
Forget about the palm.
Even the entire arm had lost all sensation.
This envoy of the Yin God Realm struggled to his feet, half his body swaying.
That limp arm was pale and lifeless; during the recent Fire Devouring, only this arm had remained inert…
Qing Sun’s complexion was deathly pale.
Having been caught by Zhao Chunyang, this entire arm seemed to have been shattered by Sword Qi.
He was certain.
The Sword Palace Master had held back at the time.
Otherwise, in a mere thought, his body would have been expanded into ash by the Sword Qi.
“I’ve already contacted the Refining Department,” Yuan Jimo said with some sympathy, speaking slowly, “I’ve heard that they recently forged ‘Divine Machine Hundred Arms’ using superior materials, capable of rivalling the Vajra Realm body…
Although it’s not as good as your original limb, it’s better than nothing.”
“…No need,” Qing Sun placed a hand over his shoulder, drawing a deep breath.
The next moment.
“Hiss!”
Suddenly exerting force, a burst of light fire transformed into a fierce blade, bursting forth from his shoulder, splattering blood.
With a thud.
The limp arm crashed into the mud.
“…”
Blood spattered all over Yuan Jimo’s face.
The head of the Imperial City Department sat calmly, took out a piece of brocade, and leisurely wiped his cheek, expressing slight regret as he said, “If it were just an ordinary amputation, one could heal by taking spiritual medicines of heaven and earth, and regenerating a severed limb wouldn’t be too difficult…
It’s just a pity that the other party is Zhao Chunyang.
Even with Her Majesty lending a helping hand, your arm cannot be saved.”
Sword Intent penetrating the body is already difficult to treat.
And the Sword Intent of Zhao Chunyang is even more impossible to dissolve.
Therefore, Yuan Jimo’s visit this time, besides suppressing the uncontrollable Fire Devouring within Qing Sun, also required him to amputate his arm.
He originally intended to break the news gently, using the name of the “Refining Department” to leave his old friend with a glimmer of hope…
but the other party was much more decisive than he had expected.
He cut off his arm without hesitation, saving a lot of trouble.
If they delayed for a few more days, and the Sword Intent continued to spread.
Then Qing Sun would have to sacrifice more than just an arm.
Of course.
Apart from “Fire Devouring” and “amputation,” these two issues.
Yuan Jimo had another most important purpose for his visit this time.
He was not in a hurry to speak, but instead supported Qing Sun and sat down against an ancient tree.
Flames seeped out from the amputation wound.
Cold sweat the size of beans appeared on Qing Sun’s forehead.
After a short while, his flesh stopped bleeding and the stump of his arm became encrusted.
This process took close to half an incense stick’s worth of time.
Qing Sun was close to collapsing, but he did not rest.
Instead, he smiled with dry lips, “You came to find me, not just to save me, right…”
“What exactly happened…
inside Da Sui Sword Palace?”
Yuan Jimo looked at Qing Sun solemnly.
The most important thing this time was to extract information about the Sword Palace.
Qing Sun’s mission this time in infiltrating Da Sui Sword Palace,
was to assassinate Xie Zhen, but that was only a “temporary task”.
His main mission was to investigate the residual clues of the North Sea case from years ago.
“Huh…”
Qing Sun chuckled deeply.
He was about to speak, but his smile suddenly froze.
“?”
Yuan Jimo frowned, somewhat puzzled as he looked at the man before him, not understanding why he suddenly couldn’t utter a word when it was on the tip of his tongue.
Qing Sun’s gaze became vacant, bewildered, and then turned to fear.
Before he crawled out of the gate of the little courtyard on Lotus Peak…
he desperately reminded himself in his Heart Lake that he must relay everything he saw in Da Sui Sword Palace to the people from the Imperial City, even if he was hanging on to his last breath.
Xie Zhen, Zhao Chunyang.
And that little girl who spouted Phoenix Fire.
But at this moment,
The instant Qing Sun opened his mouth, he suddenly realized that the memories in his mind were completely blank; only the intensely taut “vacant reminder” remained.
He remembered there was something very important.
But…
What exactly it was, he had completely forgotten.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t recall.
…
…
“There are four special envoys in the Imperial City Department’s Cloak Guard, all of them at the Yin God Realm.”
Zhao Chunyang, enjoying the cool breeze with his eyes closed, casually said, “The one who infiltrated the courtyard last night and attempted assassination with a ‘Primordial Fire Explosion’…
was none other than the Cloak Guard’s ‘Qing Sun’.”
“That Nativity Separation Fire Saint Body?”
“Exactly, it is him.
Many years ago, he had once visited the Sword Palace, claiming to pay homage and wanting to challenge Lotus Peak with his sword, but you were not there at the time,” Zhao Chunyang said indifferently, “Although he’s an insignificant character, he has been to the Sword Palace…
The Holy Empress sent him here this time to investigate the North Sea case of the past.”
The words “Holy Empress” weighed heavily on Xie Xuanyi’s heart.
“Back then, Qing Sun was also an obsessed martial artist.
He studied your sword techniques and Sword Intent from beginning to end…
The moment you use ‘Chen Ke’, he would surely recognize it.”
Zhao Chunyang smiled and said, “People often display incredible strength in desperate situations.
If he guesses your true identity, he will do everything possible to ‘survive’.
Even without that Jade Talisman, your sword strike might not have killed him.”
Now, Xie Xuanyi had only just reshaped the Sword Qi Cave Heaven.
The killing power of Chen Ke was far from what it was before.
Attempting to kill a powerful Yin God like Qing Sun with only Phoenix Fire, Fire Devouring, and Sword Intent,
Would certainly not be enough.
No matter how perfect a trap set for assassination was constructed, it could not make up for the vast gap in raw power.
“He saw Jiang Huang’s ‘Phoenix Fire’, and you just let him go?”
Xie Xuanyi asked, face set in a grave expression.
“Let him go: why not?”
Zhao Chunyang said lightly, “To kill him would be a lower tactic.
If the Holy Empress could let you leave the Imperial City alive all those years ago, why can I not let Qing Sun leave the Sword Palace alive?”
Xie Xuanyi was momentarily stunned.
“I let ‘Qing Sun’ go, not out of weakness, or compassion.”
Zhao Chunyang gazed at his disciple and spoke gently, “I just want to show the Holy Empress that there are some things in this world which she is not the only one who can accomplish.”
“Now, living with the identity of a disciple of Xie Xuanyi, countless people in the world will respect you for it, and countless others will despise you for it,” Zhao Chunyang said with a smile, “The young Chen from the library was so helpful to you, you must take a trip to the Imperial City.
If I as your teacher do not act with thunderous force, how can I make them wary and afraid afterward?”
Xie Xuanyi fell silent, understanding his master’s intention.
In the Da Chu Dynasty, there were not many forces that could intimidate the Sword Palace.
The Da Chu Imperial Family was one, the Taoist sect was another.
Beyond that, there were not many more.
The master had just fought a fierce battle with an ancestor of the Qin Family…
That battle was enough to make most people in the Imperial City hold their tongues and dare not provoke them.
But the Holy Empress was the true “Supreme” standing at the highest point of the Da Chu Dynasty.
“Give a peach, return a plum.”
Zhao Chunyang closed his eyes again and said contentedly, “She wants to send someone to the Sword Palace to look into the truth of the North Sea case…
I will give her back a ‘truth’.
Only it will be the ‘truth’ as I see it.”
…
…
(PS: 1.
The group that I created this morning filled up in a little over an hour, my apologies to those who couldn’t join.
Don’t worry; I will create another large group in the next few days.
2.
Your monthly votes are truly powerful, I’m truly grateful.
We’re only 100 votes away from breaking into the top hundred, and if we make it tonight, I will update with an extra chapter.)