Chapter 33: Kill

Qin Sang’s face lit up with joy. "Is that not perfect? Brother Liu might not know, but I just received a pigeon message from General Wang Liu outside the city. Due to the difficult mountain paths, he will be delayed for two days. In that case, let us proceed as you suggested: send someone to notify General Mu to act according to plan the day after tomorrow, and open the city gates at dawn the following day."

Seeing Liu Ji and his subordinates grow suspicious and uncertain because of his single sentence, Qin Sang sneered inwardly.

The Blood Clothing Pavilion was not a monolithic entity. Its leader, the Black Crane True Person, had four Great Protectors under him: Elder Yue, the Grassland Immortal, the White-Robed Scholar, and the Red Embroideress. The four operated independently and harbored mutual animosities.

He and Elder Yue only took orders from the Princess of Dongyang.

The Red Embroideress was the confidante of the Heir Apparent. Qin Sang had met her once and suspected that this woman, whose flirtatiousness was ingrained in her very bones, was likely the Heir's mistress.

The Grassland Immortal belonged to the faction of the Third Prince of the Prince's Mansion and was the weakest faction within the Blood Clothing Pavilion. In Qin Sang's view, this position seemed more like a way to appease the Third Prince.

The White-Robed Scholar was a close confidant of the Black Crane True Person, and this Liu Ji was one of the White-Robed Scholar's men.

A single sentence had successfully baited Liu Ji into revealing his true colors. The fact that Wang Liu and Liu Ji were in collusion suggested that the Black Crane True Person was likely leaning toward the Heir Apparent, which was bad news for the Princess's faction.

Within the Dongyang Prince's Mansion, there were four princes with the eligibility to usurp the throne. The Heir Apparent went without saying, and among the other three, the Third Prince was the strongest, though he could not pose a threat to the Heir's position.

However, there was an anomaly in the Dongyang Prince's Mansion: the Princess of Dongyang.

The Princess's real name was Princess Anning, the legitimate eldest daughter of the Prince of Dongyang. After the former Princess Consort Feng passed away from illness, the Prince, consumed by grief, grew increasingly doting toward Princess Anning.

As the Princess grew older and revealed an intelligence far surpassing ordinary people, she gained even deeper favor from the Prince, who granted her every wish and even bestowed upon her the title of Princess of Dongyang.

Backed by the power of the former Princess Consort's maternal family, her strength was not inferior to the Heir's. However, she was a woman after all, and the Heir held the mandate of righteousness; it was only natural that the Black Crane True Person would side with him.

With the grand scheme undecided, various factions had begun to harbor their own small schemes.

Unsuspecting, Liu Ji took the opportunity to retreat gracefully. "Hall Master Qin is wise. The mountains and forests of Jiangzhou are treacherous; a delay of a day or two is normal... Then please ask General Mu to march slowly. This way, the timing will be perfect. Truly, heaven is helping me!"

"There is no rush," Qin Sang waved his hand. "General Mu is already close. It will be in time to send someone out of the city with a message tomorrow. Tonight, let us review the plan once more. Tomorrow, you will take me to familiarize myself with the county town to avoid any panic when the time comes."

The curfew in Hening County was strict, and as newcomers, it would not be easy for them to go out at night.

"Understood!"

...

It was not until the sky grew dark the following day that Qin Sang, Liu Ji, and the others returned to the inn. They had swaggered around Hening County several times, primarily observing the city defenses and the residences of the County Magistrate, Chu Dazhuang, and others. Qin Sang also carefully inquired about their daily movements.

"You stay outside and keep watch."

After giving his orders to Water Monkey, Qin Sang pointed at Liu Ji. "Please, Mr. Liu, bring one person here to collect my token and deliver a message to General Mu outside the city."

Liu Ji hurried away and returned quickly, leading a person inside and knocking on Qin Sang's door.

"Come in, and close the door."

The two men pushed the door open gently. Just as they turned to close it, their vision suddenly went black, and they lost consciousness.

Qin Sang's figure flashed out from behind Liu Ji, catching the two corpses. He quietly moved them to the inner room, waiting for the Yama to pull out their souls so he could begin the interrogation.

Liu Ji was indeed in league with Wang Liu, and the orders had been passed down from the White-Robed Scholar. Qin Sang sneered, but he felt no fear in his heart.

He did not seek to be an official for the rest of his life, nor did he care who became Emperor, but the Princess had promised him the right to be enfeoffed at the Holy Pilgrimage Mountain; therefore, his eyes were only for her.

Over the past year, not a few colleagues from the Blood Clothing Pavilion had died at his hands. Anyone who stood in his way was killed.

Today, let alone Liu Ji, even if the White-Robed Scholar himself arrived, he would kill if he had to.

Continuing the interrogation, Liu Ji was relatively honest; the overall plan did not differ much from what he had said before, but Liu Ji had not told the truth regarding the movements of his subordinates.

Qin Sang memorized each of these people one by one. Late at night, he changed into night-traveling clothes and went out.

Qin Sang killed Liu Ji's personal guard with a single palm strike. He took out a piece of paper and handed it to Water Monkey, saying in a grim tone, "Liu Ji has defected and is secretly siding with the pretender emperor in an attempt to betray us. I have killed him with my own hands. His subordinates are not to be trusted. These are their hiding places. Leave none alive, dispose of the bodies cleanly, and meet me at the city gate once the task is done."

Zheng Kun and Water Monkey said nothing and immediately set off to carry out the orders.

Qin Sang activated his "Shadowless Steps" and approached the county yamen alone and silently.

The County Magistrate, Li Ji, resided within the yamen. The residence of Monk Mang and Chu Dazhuang was not far from the yamen. Qin Sang's primary target was Monk Mang.

The security around the yamen was clearly much tighter than in other areas, but these militia and bailiffs could only defend against ordinary people; they could not possibly detect Qin Sang's movements.

In the vast manor, only Monk Mang and a few servants lived. Qin Sang easily found Monk Mang's quarters. Since Mang He's martial arts were not weak, Qin Sang was unwilling to take risks and stopped outside the room.

Just as he was about to let Yama in, a sudden, long whistle erupted from within the room.

"Who goes there, you little thief!"

The sound was like a bolt from the blue. Qin Sang's head throbbed, and he felt a wave of dizziness. He hurriedly bit the tip of his tongue; the sharp pain brought him back to clarity. Sensing an imminent danger, he retreated hastily.

In the next instant, Qin Sang felt an incredibly violent aura emerge from the room, surging toward him.

*Boom!*

A fiery red fist shadow violently blasted a large hole in the wall. Carrying a scorching and explosive aura, it rushed toward Qin Sang's hiding place with overwhelming force, smashing a deep pit directly into the bluestone floor.

Debris flew everywhere, and withered leaves drifted.

External projection of True Qi!

Qin Sang's expression changed slightly. Had Monk Mang already broken through to the Xiantian realm?

No, there were two people in the room!

An old monk walked out from the breached wall, followed by a tall, stout, and fat monk. This one was the real Monk Mang, Chu Dazhuang.

Qin Sang did not recognize the old monk. He appeared to be just an ordinary octogenarian, his face covered in wrinkles and his frame as withered as a dried branch. Yet, facing this man, Qin Sang felt an urgent sense of crisis, and the hair on his neck stood on end.

Within this withered body lay an astonishing amount of energy.

Qin Sang had never met anyone who could give him such a feeling; even Elder Yue and Bai Jianglan were inferior to this old monk.

Monk Mang glared at Qin Sang with tiger-like eyes and said coldly, "Master, this person may be a henchman of the rebels!"

Monk Mang's master was the Chief of the Arhat Hall of Xuanji Temple, Master Yuanjue!

A flash of realization struck Qin Sang's mind. He realized he had kicked a steel plate. Master Yuanjue was the foremost expert of Xuanji Temple on the surface; some speculated that Master Yuanjue had already entered the Xiantian realm, and it now appeared to be true.