Chapter 50: Rainstorm Slaughter

“Lord Song, why don't you tell me then—just how 'extraordinary' is this prince who has been wandering in a remote small town for fifteen years?”

Zhang He asked with narrowed eyes. Song Shanyue frowned and pondered for a moment, but soon shook his head.

“It is hard to say.”

Seeing this, Zhang He let out a sneer and said, “I fear you are overthinking it this time, Lord Song. How extraordinary can a mere twenty-year-old brat be?”

“Is he a先天 (Xiantian) expert? A Grandmaster? A Great Grandmaster? Surely he isn't a Celestial Being?”

As he spoke, Zhang He casually straightened his robes and continued, “It is normal for you to be cautious, Lord Song, but do not be so paranoid. And... what you might not realize is that we are not the only ones who want to kill that prince!”

Hearing this, Song Shanyue looked up at the profligate young nobleman before him. He heard the man continue

“There are far too many people who hate the Great Li Imperial Court. There will always be those who share our heroic vision; after all, an opportunity this good is rare.”

“The rumors regarding the true and false princes have long since spread throughout the martial arts world. Heaven knows how many eyes are watching this Great Li capital. If someone were to sever the true prince's head at this moment and hang it high upon the battlements of Shangyang City, tell me, wouldn't that be a satisfying vengeance?”

“I reckon that even if Emperor Yuanwu isn't heartbroken, he'll be scared to death by the rage. Haha...”

As Zhang He spoke, he burst into laughter, seemingly finding the mere thought of it immensely gratifying.

Song Shanyue remained silent. Only after the other man stopped laughing did he speak.

“He is already heading toward the General Headquarters of the Tianjin Guard accompanied by Sun Changyu. I cannot guarantee I can kill him, nor can I guarantee that I will be the one to do it personally.”

Upon hearing this, the youthful, decadent face of Zhang He instantly turned indifferent. He said, “Opportunities like this are rare. Even if you don't consider your own interests, Lord Song, you should think of your son. You must do your utmost!”

“Furthermore, Lord Song only needs to know one thing: the process does not matter. I am a man who only looks at results.”

Just then, a roll of muffled thunder echoed across the sky. Zhang He turned to look out through the hollow-carved window lattice, and a sinister smile spread across his face.

“It is about to rain. It is the perfect time for killing. You had better hurry, Lord Song.”

With that, Zhang He walked out the door holding his head, cursing under his breath and shouting about going to find his uncle, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

Song Shanyue watched his departing figure with a dark gaze, slamming a palm down onto the desk behind him.

In the next instant, the desk collapsed silently into a pile of dust. Before long, the entire hall fell into a profound silence, completely empty.

...

Dark clouds rolled across the sky of the entire capital, as if shrouded by a massive sheet of ink. The carriage carrying Li Musheng traveled along streets where pedestrians were becoming increasingly sparse.

A bolt of lightning slashed through the sky like a sharp sword, momentarily illuminating the long street in a ghastly white. Immediately following was a thunderclap that roared so violently it seemed as if it would shatter heaven and earth.

Dense raindrops began to pelt the roof of the carriage with a rhythmic pattering. The few commoners remaining on the road scattered instantly, running toward the eaves of nearby shops to seek shelter.

In an instant, the sky seemed to have breached its banks; the rain poured down in torrents. The howling wind blew the rain sideways, causing the banners hanging outside shop entrances to sway violently.

Li Musheng sat bored within the still-moving carriage, the wheels churning up large splashes of water.

The long street, which had been bustling moments ago, had become incredibly desolate under the raging storm, leaving only the sound of rain and intermittent thunder.

As the carriage turned into an even more deserted alleyway, the elderly Grand Eunuch Sun Changyu, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly snapped them open.

He looked at Li Musheng, who appeared to have noticed nothing, and said with a grave expression

“There is killing intent.”

With that, his figure flashed like a soaring red swallow, darting out from the carriage window.

In the next heartbeat, Sun Changyu’s figure spun through the rain, landing lightly upon the back of the leading horse.

Seeing this, the driver, who was whipping the horses, understood immediately. He pulled hard on the reins, bringing the galloping steeds to a sudden halt.

He then reached out and pulled a long saber wrapped in oilcloth from beneath the seat.

With a light flick, the oilcloth burst and scattered, and the driver gripped the hilt and leapt up. The cold glint of the sharp blade emerged, radiating a sudden, intense murderous intent.

The entire process was seamless, as if it were etched into the driver's very bones.

At this moment, the surroundings were filled with the sound of rain lashing against shop eaves and the bluestone streets. A thick mist hung several feet high, blurring the scenery in the curtain of rain.

Grand Eunuch Sun Changyu and the driver stood silently. Both were projecting their true qi outward; the rainwater of heaven and earth seemed to flow around them, leaving their robes completely dry from start to finish.

Simultaneously, a figure slowly approached from the rain-drenched street ahead.

The person wore a bamboo hat and a straw raincoat, tapping a bamboo staff against the ground with a "tap-tap" sound that was exceptionally clear amidst the noise of the falling rain.

Behind the carriage, two swordsmen in green, mounted on tall horses, galloped through the splashing water.

They only came to a sudden halt amidst a long, piercing whinny when they were several yards away from the carriage.

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

Two more masked figures in black suddenly leaped from behind the shops on either side of the long street, their movements creating whistling gusts of wind that pierced through the rain as they landed silently upon the rooftops.

...

“Five people!”

“And every single one of them is at the realm of a Great Grandmaster of Martial Arts.”

The driver spoke in a raspy voice, his eyes dark and inscrutable, while Grand Eunuch Sun Changyu’s face was grim.

Standing atop his horse, he scanned the five individuals and shouted sternly

“This is the capital of Great Li. I advise you to retreat immediately; do not throw your lives away!”

His feminine voice pierced through the dense curtain of rain, echoing within a ten-yard radius.

At the same time, a wave of frigid true qi expanded outward, sweeping up the rainwater and crashing toward the five attackers.

However, the five surrounding figures remained unmoved; the powerful force that could easily overturn a carriage dissipated silently before them.

“No rush. Before you die, this old man must let you know whose hand is taking your lives. That way, my half-month of traveling and my old bones running this far won't have been in vain.”

The elderly man in the straw raincoat ahead coughed and spoke slowly, his face weathered and covered in age spots.

His words seemed to receive silent assent from the other four.

However, the two masked figures on the rooftops merely nodded slightly in silence.

One of the two green-clad swordsmen laughed loudly and said

“Killing the son of that dog emperor in this capital is a grand event that will shake the martial arts world. If we do not leave our names behind, wouldn't that be a waste of such a beautiful affair?”

As soon as he finished speaking, the other green-clad swordsman spoke coldly

“Remember, the ones who kill you are the Two Heroes of the West Wind!”

(End of Chapter)