Chapter 47: Breaking an Appointment

Before the words had even left his mouth, dozens of hidden arrows flew from the dense forest, all aimed directly at Qin Sang.

Gripping his horse with one hand, Qin Sang’s other palm flashed like lightning toward the arrows, easily knocking most of them down. He caught several in his hand, while the missed ones struck him, only for him to fall to the ground in a manner that seemed highly eerie.

Then, he abruptly flung his palm backward. A few muffled thuds echoed from the forest, followed by a burst of startled cries.

"Kill!"

With a light shout from Qin Sang, his figure vanished from the horse instantly. Shui Houzi and the others also vaulted off their mounts, charging into the dense forest in groups. Wu Chuanzong and those with slightly weaker martial arts gathered their horses together, forming a defensive battle array and retaliating with crossbows.

In the darkness, Qin Sang summoned his Ice Crystal Armor. His figure moved like lightning and his momentum was like a fierce tiger; he had already summoned Yama.

Mere hidden arrows could not pose the slightest threat to him.

In an instant, over a dozen assassins met their end at Qin Sang's hands. Terrified, the remaining assassins fled deep into the forest. Naturally, their movements could not escape Qin Sang's ears. Just as he was about to pursue them, a sudden thought struck him, and he looked up toward the mountain peak.

Under the dim moonlight of the late night, a thin layer of mist shrouded the summit. Just moments ago, a figure had flashed through that mist; had his eyesight not been so keen, he might have thought he had imagined it.

Seeing that the situation was unfavorable, the person spying from the summit attempted to flee. Qin Sang let out a cold laugh, ordered Yama to pursue the enemy, and himself used his movement technique to leap toward the summit.

Upon reaching the peak, he saw the corpse of a man dressed in white slumped against a rock. Qin Sang knelt down and flipped over the man's waist token; it turned out to be an acquaintance—the White-Clad Scholar, one of the four Great Protectors of the Blood-Clad Pavilion!

This man's martial arts were not inferior to Bai Jianglan's, yet he had died here silently.

Qin Sang pondered inwardly. The White-Clad Scholar's ambush might not have been orchestrated by the Prince of Dongyang, but more likely by the Heir Apparent, driven by greed for treasures. However, since they dared to extend their claws, they would have to endure the pain of having them severed.

Shui Houzi quietly slipped to the summit. "General Qin, only one brother sustained light injuries. There are two survivors on the other side, and we have them cornered."

"Send the signal. No survivors needed. Kill them all!"

Qin Sang grabbed the corpse of the White-Clad Scholar, leaped down the mountain, and tossed it to Shui Houzi. "You and Wen Kui take half the men and return to Ming City immediately. Secretly deliver this body to the Princess. Say nothing else."

...

Entering this world for his sixth winter, Qin Sang walked into the capital of the Great Sui for the first time in his capacity as the Left Vice Commander of the Valiant Camp.

The three prefectures of the capital had suffered successive defeats, and the defending generals had surrendered at the mere sight of the enemy. The Prince of Dongyang, riding the momentum of the world, had besieged the capital with his massive army. After the capital held out for three months and ran out of both ammunition and provisions, the puppet Emperor, unwilling to flee north, hanged himself in the palace, and the defending generals requested surrender.

The Prince of Dongyang did not enter the palace immediately; instead, he went to Mount Chaosing to worship the late Emperor. The coronation ceremony was set for the first day of the New Year, leaving less than two months. The various generals and ministers were busy preparing for the sacrificial rites at Mount Chaosing; as for suppressing the rebels in the north, no one was in any hurry.

Qin Sang occupied the residence of a minister from the puppet Emperor's era, leaving only a single squad of personal guards to watch the gate. Aside from Wu Chuanzong and his men, he refused to see anyone who came to visit.

Among the various ranks of generals, beneath the two Governors, there were only a handful of Left Vice Commanders that one could count on two hands. Qin Sang's Valiant Camp had achieved brilliant military feats in Guize Prefecture alongside the Victorious Camp. Although their performance during the final siege of the capital was somewhat mediocre, it did not affect Qin Sang's status; even if he wasn't titled a Prince, a Marquisate was certainly guaranteed.

Yet, this highly sought-after general possessed such a peculiar temperament that it left people utterly perplexed.

Little did they know that after the Battle of Raven's Mouth, Qin Sang rarely focused his energy on military affairs, dedicating himself entirely to cultivation, sometimes practicing for an entire day.

It was only after the Left Vice Commander of the Valiant Camp committed a major error that the Princess personally came to the camp to see Qin Sang, forcing the position of Left Vice Commander upon him.

This was also why the Valiant Camp did not shine brightly during the subsequent Battle of the Capital. However, because Qin Sang delegated authority, men like Wu Chuanzong and Shui Houzi received sufficient training and were able to hold their own.

Qin Sang's own gains were also significant; not long ago, he had successfully broken through to the fifth level of the *Netherworld Scripture*.

The long-awaited sacrificial rites at Mount Chaosing were imminent, and Qin Sang grew increasingly expectant, wondering what kind of surprise that youth surnamed Han would ultimately bring him.

Before the New Year arrived, heavy snow fell for three days.

Yet, this New Year was the one in which the people of Great Sui felt most at peace in recent years. The heavy snow, which in the past would have been considered a disaster, was praised as "auspicious snow signaling a bountiful year"—a good omen.

The clouds cleared and the snow melted, leaving a bright sky.

Though the sky was still dim, the snow on the mountain paths of Mount Chaosing had been cleared overnight and sprinkled with straw and wood ash. Qin Sang climbed the mountain step by step, chatting with Governor Feng and Vice Commander Mu; those around them were all great generals or meritorious officials of the army.

At the very front, the Imperial Guards cleared the way, followed by the Prince of Dongyang, then the Heir Apparent, the Princess, and several princes.

Finally came the civil officials, the guards, and the ritual offerings of jade, silk, sacrificial animals, and grain.

Everyone proceeded on foot, leaving their carriages at the foot of the mountain as a sign of respect.

It took an hour and a half to reach the summit and see the Chaosing Palace. While the generals were robust, the physically weaker civil officials nearly fainted from exhaustion. The Heir Apparent was drenched in sweat and panting heavily, performing even worse than the Prince of Dongyang, while the Princess remained as calm as ever.

The officials of the Bureau of Sacrificial Rites stood before the gates of the Chaosing Palace. Upon seeing the Prince of Dongyang, they knelt in salutation. After a series of rituals, the Master of the Chaosing Palace brought out a brand-new dragon robe, which the Prince of Dongyang entered to change into. The people below began to bustle about.

Countless tributes flowed into the Chaosing Palace like water. Monks and Taoists chanted sutras; watching this brought Qin Sang a sense of joy, and the restlessness in his heart eased slightly.

At noon, an official from the Bureau of Sacrificial Rites held a silk scroll. Those whose names were read could not hide their excitement, yet they feigned composure as they stepped into the Chaosing Palace under countless envious and awe-struck gazes.

When Qin Sang heard his own name, he also walked in as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

He saw that giant incense was burning within the Chaosing Palace, surrounded by countless tributes. In the center sat jade tablets and scrolls. The Prince of Dongyang stood silently with his hands bound, but his tightly clenched fists made it clear he was far from calm.

In the end, only thirty-one people were qualified to enter the Chaosing Palace!

"The auspicious hour has arrived! The Holy Emperor shall receive his investiture!"

The Master of the Chaosing Palace let out a loud cry, raised his arm high, and struck the ancient bell. The bell's resonance was melodious, spreading across the wilderness.

The Prince of Dongyang recited the sacrificial text personally.

The bell tolled eighty-one times. Qin Sang grew impatient, thinking to himself that these "immortal masters" truly knew how to put on a show.

As the final toll of the bell faded into the distance...

*Skree!*

A piercing cry of a crane echoed through the vast sky. Everyone looked up, their faces filled with shock.

They saw that the cloudless, clear sky had, at some unknown moment, been filled with layers of swirling rosy clouds. The radiance surged, instantly covering the heavens. Deep within the glow, it seemed as if a celestial gate existed, mysterious beyond description.

*Whoosh!*

A massive celestial crane broke through the rosy clouds, soaring through the air. In an instant, it flew above the Chaosing Palace, opened its great beak, and a jade seal, trailing streaks of light, fell into the hands of the Prince of Dongyang.

The silhouette of the celestial crane then gradually faded away.

"Please, Immortal, enter the palace to rest," after the crane vanished, the Princess of Dongyang bowed toward the offering table. Just as everyone was filled with confusion, a figure materialized from nothingness—a plump young man appeared out of thin air.

Qin Sang's heart sank. It was not the youth surnamed Han!

(End of Chapter)