The Heavens: Man Covers the Heavens, Refines Treasures to Become an Emperor

His sharp gaze swept across the battlefield, his eyes revealing a calmness and scrutiny unlike that of the others.

His name was Chang Henshui, and he was also a retainer of the Biguang Pavilion. His cultivation level was also at the Earthly Gang Realm, and he was more senior and held a higher position than Lu Zhong.

Strangely, despite the torrential rain, he seemed to be surrounded by an invisible wall of energy. When the rain came within three feet of his body, it was gently but firmly shaken off by a force that kept him clean and dry, a stark contrast to the disheveled pursuers around him.

Chang Henshui did not follow the crowd to pursue them, but stayed behind to investigate carefully.

He crouched down, picked up a bit of soil mixed with blood with his fingers, sniffed it, and then carefully examined the deep footprints, knife marks, spear marks, and arrow holes on the ground.

The more he examined it, the deeper the solemnity on his face became.

“The lingering traces of Lu Zhong’s thick earth-based qi… and the shockwaves from his spear cutting through the air… no, this destructive power suggests he went all out… but…”

Chang Henshui muttered to himself, his gaze sweeping over the exceptionally smooth and even break, which had been affected by Jiang Xuan's "Star-Gathering Style" artistic conception, and the corrosive hole left by Canfeng's mysterious arrow.

"Lu Zhong is probably... finished."

He came to a conclusion that horrified even himself.

Judging from the traces at the scene, it seems that Lu Zhong and the assassin Canfeng attacked Jiang Xuan one after the other. However, the result was likely that Lu Zhong died in battle, while Canfeng also failed to succeed and may have even paid a price!
"How is this possible? Lu Zhong may not be the brightest, but his strength is undeniable. He's been through the baptism of blood and fire on the front lines. Even if he encountered a mid-stage Earthly Realm cultivator, he might not be without a fighting chance... How could he have been defeated by a kid who just advanced to the Human Realm?"

A storm raged within Chang Henshui's heart; for the first time, he felt a deep sense of dread regarding the target of this ambush.

He then looked at the arrow marks hidden in the corners, strange and cunning, and frowned.

"This assassin's methods... are extremely skillful, and his timing is ruthless. He's definitely Canfeng. Even a top-tier assassin like him, working with Lu Zhong, couldn't capture that kid?"

Chang Henshui stood still, rainwater sliding down three feet around him, his expression shifting constantly.

“Jiang Xuan… Jiang Xuan…”

He kept pondering the name, an unprecedented pressure weighing on his heart.

Is he really just an ordinary genius from a poor family? The combat power, cunning, and ruthlessness he displayed are like those of an old monster who has lived for many years!

For the first time, he hesitated. Should he continue participating in this chase? Was it worth risking his life against such a strange and dangerous boy for the resources promised by the Azure Light Pavilion?
However, considering his humble origins and the immense effort he had put into reaching his current position, relying on the powerful Biguang Pavilion, he feared that if he retreated at this crucial moment, he would never be able to maintain his foothold within the pavilion again. The harsh reality ultimately forced him to suppress his unease and thoughts of retreat.

"Alright... just be careful. We can't let a kid scare us to death."

Chang Henshui took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart. With a swift movement, he floated up like a ghost, slowly and steadily heading towards the pursuers ahead. However, he always maintained a relatively safe distance, his eyes warily observing his surroundings.

……

Meanwhile, in the western district of Yanxia City, inside a magnificent palace-style building, a stark contrast to the dilapidated state of the poorer areas.

The bright lights and the warm fragrance of jade completely isolated the area from the torrential rain and deadly dangers outside.

A beautiful young woman, dressed in a gorgeous pale yellow dress, with a delicate face but a hint of meanness and arrogance in her eyes, was excitedly speaking to the young man in brocade robes sitting opposite her.

"Brother Lianfei, the news is confirmed! More than a dozen forces in Yanxia City officially made their move just a stick of incense's time ago! Right now, Jiang Xuan is probably fleeing for his life like a stray dog ​​under the city's siege!"

The girl was Yao Susu, and the "Brother Lianfei" she mentioned was naturally the wealthy young man who had a grudge against Jiang Xuan.

Upon hearing this, Lian Fei abruptly sat up on the soft couch covered with snow-white animal hides, a hint of pleasure and eagerness flashing in his eyes.

"They've finally made their move! Susu, we..."

"Brother Lianfei, don't worry."

Yao Susu interrupted him, a hint of regret on her face.

"It's a pity this isn't Yao family territory. The news was a step too slow to get through, otherwise we might have been able to participate in person and witness that bastard's execution!"

She paused, looking at Lian Fei's anxious expression, and explained.

"Don't even think about rushing there now. I've received word that although each family has sent people this time, they haven't sent their own core forces; most of them are just retainers and vassals."

"why?"

Lian Fei frowned, puzzled.

"If you're going to kill him, why not go all out to ensure success?"

Yao Susu scoffed, her expression carrying the air of superiority and calculation typical of someone from a wealthy family.

“My dear brother, how can you still not understand? What is Jiang Xuan? Just a poor peasant with a little talent.”

He secured a spot in the provincial examination, which nominally grants him a layer of imperial protection. Is it worthwhile for us, the direct descendants, to personally engage in the assassination attempt, risking our own bloodshed and potentially leaving ourselves vulnerable to attacks?

She gracefully picked up a steaming cup of spiritual tea and gently blew on it.

"Let our retainers and assassins do it. If they succeed, everyone will be happy. We'll get rid of an eyesore and deter other poor families. If they fail, or if they cause any trouble, that's just our subordinates acting on their own. What does it have to do with us? That's how powerful families do things: use others to do their dirty work and avoid risks."

Although Lian Fei was arrogant, he was not stupid. Upon hearing this, he immediately understood the key point, but his face still showed annoyance and resentment.

"Are we just going to sit here and wait? What if... what if he manages to escape?"

Yao Susu took a sip of tea, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

“Escape? It’s not that easy. But… to make sure everything goes smoothly and to put your mind at ease, Brother Lianfei, we can add fuel to the fire.”

"Oh? How do I add it?"

Lian Fei quickly pressed for more information.

Yao Susu put down her teacup, parted her red lips slightly, and uttered three words.

"Listening to the Rain Pavilion".

Lian Fei's eyes lit up.

"You mean...invite the assassins from Tingyu Tower?"

"Yes."

Yao Susu sneered.

“My Yao family has some connections with a steward of Tingyu Tower. We can use him to anonymously post a mission with a reward of 10,000 gold coins for Jiang Xuan’s head! And we must specifically state that we want to ensure that he was killed by ‘our people’.”

She emphasized the words "our people".

"Ten thousand gold coins?!"

Lian Fei gasped. This was no small sum; even for a scion of a wealthy family like him, it was a fortune. Yao Susu, however, waved her hand dismissively.

"Don't worry, I'll pay for it. As long as it helps you, Brother Lianfei, vent your anger and makes that bastard die a horrible death, ten thousand gold coins is worth it!"

A confident smile, as if she were in complete control, graced her face.

“When Tingyulou makes a move, it never fails.”

This time, let's see where Jiang Xuan can escape to!

When Lian Fei heard Yao Susu casually mention spending ten thousand gold coins to hire assassins from Tingyu Tower, he couldn't help but gasp, a clear look of hesitation appearing on his face. "Susu, ten thousand gold coins… isn't that too much of a price? Just to kill Jiang Xuan…"

Even though he came from a wealthy family, he knew what a huge fortune 10,000 gold coins was, enough for an ordinary family to live a luxurious life for several lifetimes, and even enough to buy a lot of precious cultivation resources.

Seeing Lian Fei's pained expression, Yao Susu couldn't help but purse her lips and said with a hint of disappointment.

"My dear Lianfei, you need to think long-term! Killing Jiang Xuan is important, but the key is to use this opportunity to establish connections with the real major powers in our Yanxia City!"

She stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the still torrential rain outside, as if she could see through space to witness the chase unfolding in the south of the city. "Think about it, the Azure Light Pavilion is leading a joint operation with more than ten other forces. What does that mean? It means that Jiang Xuan has become a thorn in the side of these powerful families! We are now anonymously asking the Listening Rain Pavilion to intervene and lend them a hand to ensure that Jiang Xuan is doomed."

What will these forces think afterward? They might not be able to find out exactly who invited Tingyulou, but they are well aware of this 'favor' and tacit understanding.

She turned around and looked intently at Lian Fei.

"In the provincial capital, what a rare opportunity it is to indirectly befriend so many powerful forces and establish a potential 'alliance' with just 10,000 gold coins! Compared to that, what is 10,000 gold coins? As long as we can consolidate our position in Yanxia City and obtain more resources, we will earn back more than ten or even a hundred times 10,000 gold coins in the future!"

Lian Fei opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but felt that Yao Susu's move was somewhat risky and presumptuous.

But Yao Susu didn't give him a chance to object, and said it firmly.

"That's settled then! I'll contact the people at Tingyu Tower right away. Brother Lianfei, just wait and see what happens!"

After saying that, she ignored Lian Fei and turned to walk quickly into the inner room, clearly going to use the special channels of her Yao family. Lian Fei watched her departing figure and sighed helplessly. Although he still felt somewhat uneasy, Yao Susu had made her decision, and he could only accept it.

……

In a certain part of Yanxia City, there stands an ordinary-looking pavilion, but with a completely different interior. This place is called "Listening to the Rain Pavilion," but it is not a building at all. Instead, it is the branch of an extremely secretive and powerful assassin organization in Yanxia City.

In a quiet, elegant room, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood. A middle-aged man, dressed in a blue scholar's robe, with an ordinary face but eyes that seemed to hold endless storms, sat cross-legged in front of a guqin.

His long, slender fingers gently plucked the strings, producing a sound that was not stirring, but rather carried a strange loneliness and coldness, subtly overpowering the thunder and rain outside the window, as if isolating this elegant room into another world.

He was the head of the Listening Rain Pavilion branch here, codenamed "Listening to the Rain".

Just then, a voice that was extremely respectful, even tinged with awe, came from outside the private room.

"Owner."

The music hadn't stopped, and Tingyu's gaze remained fixed on the strings as she spoke softly.

"What's the matter?"

The voice outside the door replied respectfully.

"Just received an anonymous commission. The target is Jiang Xuan, a poor scholar who is being besieged in the south of the city. The requirement is to ensure that the target is killed, and the kill must be taken by one of our people. The reward is 10,000 gold coins."

The strings were gently pressed down, and the desolate music stopped abruptly.

Tingyu looked up, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes that seemed to hold the promise of storms.

"Jiang Xuan? That kid who's causing such a stir in the city? Isn't he being besieged by more than ten forces? His fate is sealed, and now someone's offering us an extra 10,000 gold coins to help him out?"

He frowned slightly, his fingers unconsciously sliding across the strings.

"This employer... is quite shrewd. Not only do they want him dead, but they also want the title of 'killing' to fall into their hands. It seems they want to make something out of this."

Can you trace the employer's origin?

Listening to the rain, I asked.

There was a moment of silence outside the door before a reply was given.

"The flow of funds and communication channels, after several layers of disguise, ultimately point to... a force that seems to have a slight connection with the powerful cultivator in the Forbidden City, Lord Yao Tuohai."

"Yao Tuohai?"

A glint flashed in Tingyu's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure.

“Since it’s an organization that’s connected to that person, even if it’s just a little bit, we’ll take the job.”

He hesitated for a moment, then gave the instructions.

"Send Remnant Snow, Ghost Moon, and Gray Sable there. Tell them the target is Jiang Xuan, a Human Gang Realm cultivator, but he is suspected of possessing the power of intent, making his combat ability far superior to others of the same level. He once killed Earth Gang Realm cultivator Lu Zhong and the assassin Remnant Wind. Tell them to be careful and make sure to complete the mission and bring back Jiang Xuan's head."

"Yes, the host!"

The voice outside the door responded respectfully, and then the footsteps faded into the distance.

Listening to the rain, she put her fingers back on the strings, but did not play immediately. Instead, she looked out the window at the dark rainy night and murmured to herself.

"The power of intent... Human Realm... Interesting."

The waters of this Misty City seem even more murky than I imagined. It's a pity that even the most talented person, caught in such a whirlpool, cannot escape a tragic end.

……

In the southern district of Yanxia City, in an extremely secluded basement, the entrance was covered by ruins and debris.

The cramped space was filled with a faint smell of mildew and dust. Only a luminous stone embedded in the wall emitted a faint light, barely illuminating the area within a few steps.

Jiang Xuan sat cross-legged with his back against the cold, damp wall.

His face was somewhat pale, and his breathing was a bit more rapid than usual.

He quickly took out a jade bottle from his bosom, poured out a pill the size of a longan, green in color, emitting a rich medicinal fragrance and a cool aura—the Azure Jade Qi-Nourishing Pill—and swallowed it without hesitation.

The pill entered his stomach and immediately transformed into a gentle and pure medicinal power, flowing like a sweet spring to his limbs and bones, nourishing his nearly depleted meridians and dantian.

He dared not delay and immediately circulated his internal energy to guide the medicinal power and accelerate his recovery.

The continuous high-intensity escape and battle, especially the forced use of the extremely energy-consuming "Star Gathering Style" twice in succession to quickly kill Canfeng, almost completely depleted the pure spiritual energy transformed from the "Storm Millstone" within his body, pushing his physical strength to the limit. If it weren't for his foundation far exceeding that of ordinary people and his will as unyielding as iron, he would probably have collapsed long ago. (End of Chapter)