Chapter 13

The young woman in the veil ignored the brocade-clad young man approaching her, her gaze passing over his shoulder to the tall old man who was following closely behind. Her expression was gloomy as she said, "Just now, you were ready to kill at the slightest provocation. Although you had your reasons, I don't think it's right."

The brocade-clad young man stopped a few steps away from the cold and stern young woman, his eyes sincere as he said, "My name is Gao Zhen, and I am from Yiyang County in the Great Sui Dynasty. If Grandpa Wu has offended you in any way, I am willing to apologize and make amends to the young lady."

The tall old man stood behind the brocade-clad young man, his heart complex. The so-called high-born youth from the Gao family of the Great Sui Dynasty was merely a euphemism. The Great Sui Dynasty had lasted for 1,200 years, and all the emperors were surnamed Gao, with the founding emperor rising to power in Yiyang County.

The young woman was unmoved, raising her hands to tighten the bandages, and said to the old man, "If we were outside, facing a martial grandmaster who might already have achieved 'wind-riding and distant travel,' I would not be a match. But at this moment, if I borrow a flying sword, you will surely die."

The tall old man sneered, "If the assassin knew your trump card beforehand, with his peak lesser grandmaster physique, he could protect his vital points. Even if you pierced him with ten swords, what then? He is like that, let alone me, who is two realms higher, one of which is considered a martial chasm. Young lady, I don't know where you get the confidence to say 'surely die.'"

The young woman frowned, her hand subtly resting on the hilt of her sword, "I hate trouble and dislike arguing. Otherwise, why don't we test it out? Whoever wins is right, how about that?"

The old man, rarely threatened, was somewhat irritated. If not for being in this accursed and bizarre place, with the young woman's cultivation, no matter how talented she was, the old man could crush and kill ten of her with one hand. Even if not for the important mission of protecting the young prince, who was the hope of the entire Great Sui Dynasty, the old man would have risked being heavily injured by the self-cycling Dao of this place to teach the young lady a lesson. A young bull not fearing a tiger is commendable, but it doesn't mean the tiger won't devour the bull completely.

The brocade-clad young man, calling himself Gao Zhen, quickly tried to smooth things over, "If the young lady insists on pursuing this, I am willing to offer this as compensation."

Gao Zhen lowered his head, opened the cloth bag at his waist, and took out the jade seal, holding it in one hand and extending it to the veiled young woman, "To show my sincerity, I only ask that the young lady does not hold Grandpa Wu's unintentional offense against him. He acted out of loyalty, with no intention to harm."

The old eunuch with white eyebrows and hair was instantly alarmed, kneeling on one knee, trembling with fear, "Your Highness, you mustn't! This old servant is unworthy, but this jade seal is your destiny, a rare and pure treasure that can even bear the incense of the people. How can they be compared? Your Highness, you are forcing this old servant to his death!"

The young man from the imperial family of the Gao clan had a stiff expression.

The young woman seemed somewhat impatient, sarcastically smiling, "A frog at the bottom of a well, everyone likes to treasure their own broom. Take back that jade seal. I have always liked a saying: a gentleman does not take what others value."

The young woman acted decisively, turning and walking away.

The brocade-clad young man felt a great relief, "Get up, Grandpa Wu. Kneeling is so undignified. In the Great Sui Dynasty, the twelve grand eunuchs of the Inner Court only kneel to the emperor. If the censors or the Ministry of Rites saw this, we would both be in trouble. This trip to the small town has been successfully completed under the protection of our ancestors. Let's not create unnecessary complications. Leave this place quickly, and even when we meet up with our own people outside, we mustn't be complacent. Remember, among the six pillars of the Great Li Dynasty, the Yuan and Cao families, though in opposing camps, have a deep-seated enmity with the Gao family of the Great Sui Dynasty. If anything happens to you, Grandpa Wu, and your combat strength is reduced, it will be very difficult for me to return to the Great Sui Dynasty safely."

The old man nodded, slowly rising, "This old servant understands the gravity and urgency of the situation."

As the old man said the word "urgency," the veiled young woman had already walked more than twenty steps away.

A gentle breeze blew past the brocade-clad young man, his hair and the sleeves of his brocade robe fluttering.

It turned out that the old man, who held great power in the Great Sui Dynasty, had never intended to let the young woman go. He rushed forward, his first three steps heavily stomping the ground, the sound resonating deep into the earth. On the fourth step, he leaped high and punched toward the young woman's back.

The veiled young woman's waist suddenly twisted, her left foot serving as a pivot. She drew her sword, and a brilliant white light, brighter than the sun, appeared in the alley.

The tall old man pounced with overwhelming force, his punch landing directly on the sword's edge. His hand was only cut by a shallow bloodline, and after landing, he continued to charge forward, pushing the sword-wielding young woman back. He then casually extended his palm, which seemed slow and calm but was actually as swift as lightning, pushing it against the young woman's forehead. Just as he was about to increase the force to shatter the head under the veil, he quickly moved his feet, shifting his body a foot to the side. A sharp sound was heard, and he looked down to see a sword tip piercing through his back and into his right chest.

The old eunuch's expression remained unchanged, and he pinched the sword tip with two fingers, pushing it back.

He forcefully pushed the fierce flying sword, which had come at the young woman's command, out of his chest.

Due to the flying sword's obstruction, the old eunuch failed to shatter the young woman's head. The young woman, who had been thrown back and fallen in the alley, took this opportunity to catch her breath. She quickly got up, agile like a cat, and soon disappeared down a side alley.

The young man's face was terrifyingly dark, his fists clenched, his aura surging, and his face full of anger, "Grand Eunuch Wu Yue of the Imperial Stables! Why didn't you listen to my hints and insist on acting so recklessly? Do you really think you are the most invincible person in this small town? Clearly, we were the ones who made the mistake first, and afterward, she did not press the issue and was willing to let it go. Why did you have to be so ruthless, it's simply too much!"

The old eunuch, who had served in the imperial palace for over sixty years, had seen countless intrigues, both bloody and bloodless. He had no confidence in human nature. He had personally resolved more than thirty assassination attempts on the young prince. "Your Highness, the cunning and treachery of assassins and killers are beyond imagination, especially the fanatical ones who are beyond reason. Take the masked assassin and the veiled young woman, for example..."

The brocade-clad young man pointed at the old eunuch, angrily accusing him, "Shut up! You old eunuch! I don't want to hear your nonsense! You have ruined my carefully planned alliance. Even a blind person can see how talented and extraordinary the young woman who can control a flying sword is! Even among the cultivators in the mountains, she is one of the most outstanding geniuses! Such a person, not just for the Great Sui or the Great Li, but for the entire Eastern Bottle Continent, is a rare gem! I only need to cultivate her for ten years, at most twenty, and she will become the most formidable assassin in my shadow! Whether you are a terrestrial immortal or a martial grandmaster, what does it matter? In the end, I am Gao Zhen, the future crown prince of the Great Sui Dynasty! You are my servant, Old Wu!"

Strangely, the experienced old eunuch was not provoked by being called "old eunuch." Instead, his eyes became even more appreciative. When the young prince finished venting his anger, the old man looked at the panting young man and smiled, "Your Highness, although you may not have experienced certain things personally, and thus may not understand the world's complexities and the treachery of human nature, you have done one thing very well, just like the emperor in his prime."

The atmosphere was awkward.

After calming down, Gao Zhen realized he had made a grave mistake. Before being officially designated as the crown prince, he had been disrespectful to a grand eunuch of the Imperial Stables, one of the three gatekeepers of the Great Sui Palace, who was deeply trusted by both the emperor and empress. The young prince Gao Zhen opened his mouth but saw the powerful eunuch, whom he had called "old eunuch," smile and say, "Your Highness, remember, don't say 'I'm sorry' to subordinates casually. It's unnecessary and degrades your status. They may not appreciate it either. Even if you feel guilty, keep it deep in your heart. Remember, the emperor, the true dragon of the world, is the supreme ruler..."

Gao Zhen said, "Grandpa Wu, it's too early for me to say this with my current status."

The old eunuch suddenly tensed, as if facing a great enemy, pulling the brocade-clad young man behind him and looking toward the body of the masked assassin.

A tall, middle-aged scholar suddenly appeared at the end of the alley, slowly walking toward the body of the assassin, squatting down, and removing the mask. He revealed a strange face, with no eyebrows, a flattened nose, and characters carved into his face.

This person was undoubtedly a former convict.

The scholar remained silent, realizing that this was a premeditated plan, which likely began at the Confucian temple.

Gao Zhen's eyes were intense, stepping out from behind the old eunuch and bowing, "May I ask if you are Mr. Qi from the Cliff Academy?"

The scholar stood up and said to Gao Zhen, "If you hadn't seized a great opportunity first, neither of you would have been able to leave so easily today."

In the small town, when outsiders fought each other, the punishment was not severe, but it was not light either. Compared to the severe punishment for killing ordinary townspeople, which would result in expulsion, the conflict between outsiders had a "loophole" that allowed for a last-minute fix. This was why the three groups, including Gao Zhen, each brought a "bodyguard" as a worst-case scenario, to be used as a scapegoat if necessary. Otherwise, a single slot would have cost half the imperial treasury of the Great Sui Dynasty, a sum so large that it was unimaginable. Who would willingly take on such a burden?

In simpler terms, it was about buying off trouble.

But the expenses here were so high that even emptying a mountain of gold and silver would not be an exaggeration. The common saying of "spending a thousand gold coins" was like a child's play in comparison.

Gao Zhen, who had been given the order to leave, continued, "Mr. Qi, if there's a chance in the future, could you come to the Great Sui Academy to lecture? The Great Sui Dynasty is willing to offer the position of 'National Master' to you!"

The old eunuch thought for a moment but did not stop the young man's overstepping.

If they could convince this scholar to advise the Gao family of the Great Sui Dynasty, the emperor would be very pleased.

The scholar smiled but did not respond.

The old eunuch, who had been ruthless and cruel to the veiled young woman, now showed a completely different attitude toward this stabilizing force of the Cliff Academy, Mr. Qi, bowing and clasping his hands, "Mr. Qi, I have caused you much trouble, please forgive me. My actions against a junior were out of necessity, and I hope you understand the difficulties of a servant of the Gao family."

Qi Jingchun waved his sleeve, "Leave quickly."

Gao Zhen and the old eunuch had no choice but to take their leave, following the same route the veiled young woman had taken.

The young man asked in a low voice, "Is she dead?"

The old eunuch shook his head, "She won't last long. The flying sword only gave her a few more moments, but it won't change the outcome."

The young man hesitated, then asked curiously, "When did you realize that controlling the flying sword was not as easy for her as it seemed?"

The old man said, "Excess is as bad as deficiency. Her early wisdom betrayed her."

The young man was puzzled.

The old eunuch, leading the young man out of the alley, said softly, "Your Highness, if you have seen many rare and precious objects in the world, would you still be interested in ordinary porcelain from a small town?"

The young man patted his waist pocket and smiled, "Of course not. Only this jade seal or something of similar value could make me happy."

The old eunuch nodded, "Exactly. When the young woman controlled the flying sword to kill, she was as calm and composed as... a common person eating, drinking, and using the toilet. After sensing my true martial cultivation, she immediately gave up the fight, especially fearing that I would see through her bravado. She deliberately provoked us to give both sides a way out, fearing that I would kill her out of caution. She needed to break the deadlock, but in the end, she did not do well. However, for someone so young to have such thoughts is already quite remarkable. But the more remarkable she is, the greater the threat she will pose to Your Highness in the future if she is allowed to grow and thrive."

The old man sighed, "Young people, in the prime of their lives, if they kill with passion or die with valor, I wouldn't be surprised. But to calmly face death or kill without a ripple in their hearts is very unusual. This kind of temperament, shaped by experience, has little to do with talent or potential. Many talented cultivators and martial artists die young because of their obvious character flaws, which can easily lead to failure when faced with adversity."

Gao Zhen sighed, "No matter what, it's a pity."

The old eunuch half-joked, "Your Highness, if you sigh every time someone like this dies, you'll be very busy when you stand at the top of the world."

The young man laughed, "I don't believe it."

The old eunuch suddenly said, "I may be wrong, but I feel that Mr. Qi's cultivation, which is supposed to be supreme, seems to have a significant problem."

The young prince, indifferent, said, "As long as we could get this 'Dragon Gate' seal, the mission would be a success. I never expected this invaluable treasure to become a small addition to a big deal. So, we should know when to stop. Speaking of the golden carp, I can't help but think of that straw-shoed youth..."

The old eunuch smiled, "Your Highness is thinking of finding an opportunity to thank this young man?"

The young man shook his head, "Not at all. I'm just heartbroken about that bag of copper coins."

The old man laughed.

Would the Great Sui Dynasty have a frugal emperor in the future?

——

In a quiet north-south alley, only the sound of wheels could be heard.

A young Taoist with a lotus crown had stopped doing business early and was pushing his cart, thinking about returning to his residence to pack and leave. This mess, whoever got involved would suffer.

A slender figure in black suddenly staggered out from a side alley, leaning against the wall, slowly moving, one hand reaching over the veil to cover her mouth, the other pointing at the young Taoist.

The young Taoist quickly lowered his head, muttering, "I can't see you... I can't see you... By the command of Laozi, I must not... Forget it, I'll pray to the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas..."

It was quite inappropriate for a Taoist to seek help from the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas in a crisis.

Sure enough, the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas seemed unwilling to help a disciple of another religion. The veiled young woman, with her last bit of strength, staggered toward the Taoist, falling heavily but still clutching his ankle with her last hand.

The young Taoist held his head in his hands, looking miserable, as if asking the heavens, "Such a heavy karmic burden, isn't it like carving 'I want to die' on my forehead? I've traveled far and wide, sleeping rough and crossing mountains and rivers, often being bitten by dogs on the street... It's been very hard! Damn the Gao family of the Great Sui Dynasty and that old dog Wu, you'll pay for this. This karmic debt can't be settled in less than five hundred years... My cultivation is so shallow, I can't bear such a heavy burden..."

The young Taoist, almost incoherent, lowered his head, almost in tears, "Young lady, have mercy and let me go. I'll find you a beautiful place with clear water and green mountains, with excellent feng shui, to benefit your descendants... Oh, no, you're still a young maiden, so..."

The young woman had already fainted.

Seeing no one around, the young Taoist squatted down to try to pry open the young woman's fingers.

Suddenly, a flying sword hovered in the air, its tip just three inches from the young Taoist's forehead.

The young Taoist let go of the young woman's hand without showing any fear, his face full of compassion and righteousness, "Humans are not grass or trees; how can they lack compassion? I have always been upright and noble, not the kind of person who would abandon someone in need!"

The young Taoist sat cross-legged, his handsome face almost crumpled, "Where to take her next is also a problem."

The flying sword, which had been three inches from the Taoist's forehead, moved forward an inch.

The Taoist patiently explained, "To save your master, I need a helper. By the way, go to the old locust tree and bring a locust leaf. I'll use it to sustain her vital energy. Your master is special, and I don't want to save her recklessly