Qin Shi: I went astray in the Heavenly Sect

Chapter 125 The Jade Flower Pavilion Incident Occurs, the Human Sect Appears
"Even if I see such power again, I will still feel shocked."

Looking at the black stone suspended in mid-air, Ni Chang exclaimed in amazement and spoke slowly.

Upon hearing this, Xiu Yuan looked up at Ni Chang, a strange glint in his eyes.

The world lost its color because it was a special domain formed by the extension and coverage of his own internal energy. He was the absolute master of this domain and could freeze everything within it. He did not deliberately avoid Ni Chang when he made his move.

But now, Ni Chang is able to speak, which means that compared to when they first met, this girl's strength has improved significantly.

Seeing that Xiu Yuan was staring at her, Ni Chang said coquettishly, "Young master, don't look at me like that, I'll get shy."

Xiu Yuan narrowed his eyes, seemingly trying to see which face was the girl's true identity. After a while, he gently shook his head and released his control over her.

Hei Shi, who was standing nearby, was startled when he heard their conversation, and several thoughts flashed through his mind.

Clearly, Ni Chang and this boy had not just met, but had known each other before and had already witnessed this power.

Furthermore, the identities of both parties were not what Ni Chang had described at all. Also, the strength of this young man was just as he had guessed before—extremely terrifying, even somewhat illogical.

He searched his memory but couldn't find any information about the other party. When did the Taoist Heavenly Sect have such a young master?

Indeed, he had already guessed the origin of Xiu Yuan. Such a power that was almost like returning to simplicity was matched by only one other power in the records of various forces, and the Taoist Heavenly Sect's "All Things Lose Their Color" was the only one.

"What does the young master intend to do with him?"

Ni Chang's voice was melodious and gentle as she slowly approached Hei Shi. Looking at the seemingly clay-sculpted, sun-obscuring master before her, a cold glint flashed in her eyes.

This person just said a lot of things she didn't want to hear.

Xiu Yuan went to the window and looked at the increasingly bustling street. His gaze was leisurely. The scenery in the morning was different in different cities.

As for the expert from the Hidden Sun Sect, he didn't take him seriously.

In South Korea, no one bothered him, so he was naturally happy to have some peace and quiet. However, the situation in Zhao was quite different. Flying Tiger Village, Sun-Shielding Village, Jade Flower Pavilion—it seemed that he was involved in every single thing. This time, he was not an outsider, but an insider.

After a while, Xiu Yuan casually said, "Kill him or do as you please."

Black Stone felt a jolt in his heart, and a pleading look appeared in his eyes. Unfortunately, he couldn't speak now, so he could only frantically signal with his eyes.

Ni Chang chuckled, then reached out and ran her hand across Hei Shi's face, followed by an aura of terrifying killing intent emanating from her.

Sensing the murderous intent that almost made one's blood freeze, Black Stone's pupils constricted sharply. He found it hard to believe that the beautiful woman before him was also a master!

A peerless master lurking in a brothel!
"How about... death by a thousand cuts?"

The gentle voice sent a chill down Black Stone's spine. Before he could calm down, the voice came again.

"I've heard that Lord Blackstone enjoys mutilating other people's limbs, especially those who laugh at your homosexuality. They are often subjected to castration by you. I think this plan is quite good."

Black Stone felt his throat go dry and cold sweat trickled down his neck. This feeling of being at someone's mercy was unbearable, and the longer it dragged on, the greater the psychological torment it would cause.

Unfortunately, he himself was unable to even utter a word to vent his emotions. Despair, panic, helplessness, and a host of other complex emotions surged into his heart at this moment.

He couldn't help but think of what the boy had said earlier—"Have you ever seen darkness?"

At this moment, he really wanted to say that he had already witnessed it.

Death itself wasn't scary to him; what truly terrified him was the agony before death, the suffocation he felt on the verge of death, and the instinctive struggle against fear.

Looking at the motionless Black Stone standing there, Ni Chang shook her head rather boredly. Compared to the taciturn man, she still preferred his arrogant and domineering demeanor.

Because her shuriken is faster when it comes to killing!

"Never mind, never mind, I won't scare you anymore."

Ni Chang slowly walked to Xiu Yuan's side. She no longer had much interest in killing, perhaps because she was tired of it. After becoming a tool of the Luo Wang, she had killed too many people.

Upon hearing this, Blackstone breathed a sigh of relief, but the next moment, his heart, which had just settled down, jumped again.

"If you wish for things to go smoothly, young master, I think it would be better to stir up trouble in Handan and have Black Stone die suddenly in Jade Flower Pavilion. What do you think of this suggestion?"

Upon hearing this, Xiu Yuan turned around and looked over. Ni Chang gave him an innocent look. Looking into her eyes, which reflected his own image, he suddenly felt that a sword is still a sword, even if it has concealed its sharpness.

A sword that, once drawn, is ready to drink blood!
"Many people could die."

A smile suddenly appeared on Ni Chang's lips.

"Don't these people deserve to die?"

After a long while, watching the black stone's departing figure, the girl's heart skipped a beat. Although her master had finally gotten what he wanted, she was not happy at all, and even became more and more wary.

Because no one can guarantee that such methods won't be used on themselves.

She suddenly felt a pang of regret, realizing that she had unleashed a tiger she shouldn't have.

"What methods did you use, young master?"

Xiu Yuan replied softly, "The Daoist method."

Ni Chang's eyes flickered uncertainly. This terrifying method, which was almost like taking one's soul away, had no trace of Taoist magic. Even the Yin-Yang School, which took an unorthodox approach, did not have such a terrifying technique.

"Taoist methods??"

Seeing the hint of apprehension in her eyes, Xiu Yuan gave her a meaningful look.

So far, he has two girls under his command, one is Nongyu, and the other is her. Unlike Nongyu, Jingni is an assassin of the Luowang, a weapon. To subdue such a person, it is not enough to rely on gentleness alone; a combination of kindness and severity is the key.

He used the Soul Transfer Technique to control Black Stone's mind, not just to follow her wishes, but also to give her a warning.

"The Tao is bland and tasteless, invisible to the eye, inaudible to the ear, and inexhaustible in its use. The Tao is inherently mysterious, and so are its methods. When used correctly, it is correct; when used incorrectly, it is incorrect."

"Like a sword, it can slay demons and monsters, or it can bring calamity to the world; the key lies in the person who wields it."

Ni Chang remained silent. When they first met, the young man in front of her had said that she would become his sword. She wasn't stupid. This time, the methods he displayed seemed to be a warning to her.

"I will remember your teachings, young master!"

Meanwhile, in a luxurious mansion, a young man heard his subordinate's report and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

"Blocking out the sun!"

"One day, I, this young master, will uproot this malignant tumor in Handan City!!"

Then, with a grim face, he continued, "What were the losses at Wang's Grain Shop?"

"The fire was not large; it only burned down a room that was temporarily used for storing miscellaneous items."

Upon hearing this answer, the young man nodded.

After his subordinates left, the young man slowly got up and went to the backyard. There, someone was already waiting. Upon seeing him, the person spoke respectfully.

"Greetings, Young Master Jia."

Prince Jia, Prince Jia, this person is none other than Prince Jia of Zhao, the eldest son of the current King of Zhao.

"How's it going?"

Gongzi Jia nodded, then asked.

The man shook his head, a hint of anger in his voice.

"That bitch is a born scoundrel, she's completely unwilling to cooperate, and she even told our people to give up on the idea, or else we'd tip her off."

Gongzi Jia's face darkened, as if he had remembered something, and he continued to ask, "What about the fellow villager who came with her?"

The man shook his head again.

“That bitch is very vigilant. Her fellow villagers are a trump card, and she shouldn’t use them lightly unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

Upon hearing this, Gongzi Jia sighed deeply. He stood there for a while and then said slowly, "This matter needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. General Lian's matter cannot be delayed any longer."

Upon hearing Gongzi Jia's words, the man gently cupped his hands in greeting.

"I obey my orders."

Watching the other person's departing figure, Gongzi Jia looked up at the sky.

"When did the State of Zhao become so unfamiliar? Selecting virtuous and capable officials has become something that requires a lot of effort and is not guaranteed to succeed."

Just as the young master was still sighing, Black Stone left the group and came to Jade Flower Pavilion alone.

Looking at the three large characters on the brothel in front of him, Heishi's expression was somewhat strange. Then he stepped inside.

When the girls of Jade Flower Pavilion saw Black Stone, they looked at each other and none of them dared to greet him.

This master from Biyi Ri was already infamous in Handan. He was ruthless and violent, often leaving people missing limbs. Yet, he was extremely secretive in his actions, making it impossible for ordinary people to obtain evidence. With Guo Kai's protection, he had been able to remain at large until now.

"Where did all the people die?"

Upon hearing Black Stone speak, the girls from Jade Flower Pavilion reluctantly came forward.

After selecting two attractive girls, Heishi took them to a private room on the second floor.

As for the other girls, seeing that Black Stone hadn't chosen them, a hint of relief flashed in their eyes, along with a touch of sympathy for the two girls who had been selected.

Time flies, and an hour passes in the blink of an eye.

Suddenly, a shouting and cursing came from a private room on the second floor, and then two girls ran out, covering their pretty faces.

"Get out, all of you get the hell out!!"

When Chunniang, the head of Yuhua Pavilion, saw the commotion, she was about to go and check it out when she was stopped by the shouts and curses coming from inside the house.

She then quickly instructed her servants to report to their master behind the scenes, as the situation was beyond her ability to handle alone.

After an incense stick had burned a while, a young general walked in. It was none other than Commander Wang Shan, who had appeared at the Drunken Dream Pavilion earlier.

It must be said that Commander Wang and Black Stone are indeed destined to meet. They met at Zuimenglou in the morning and again as noon approached.

"Where are people?"

Wang Shan inquired about the situation from Chunniang. Chunniang casually pointed to a private room on the second floor and replied softly, "Two girls have already been injured in that private room."

Wang Shan smiled coldly upon hearing this.

He hadn't yet avenged the burning of Wang's Grain Shop, and now the other party had delivered themselves to his doorstep, committing a crime at Yuhua Pavilion. He had witnesses and physical evidence to prove it, and he wanted to see how that Prime Minister could still cover it up.

Wang Shan then tightened his grip on his longsword, strode upstairs, and arrived at the room. He coldly shouted, "Black Stone, you committed this crime in broad daylight! Now that we have both witnesses and evidence, come with me!"

After saying this, Wang Shan pushed open the door and entered.

The next moment, Wang Shan was stunned. He saw that Heishi was lying face down on the table, his eyes wide open and blood flowing from his seven orifices. He was obviously dead.

Before Wang Shan could react, a scream suddenly rang in his ears.

“Someone’s dead!!”

Upon hearing this, Wang Shan was startled and instinctively covered the other person's mouth, but unfortunately, everyone present had heard the girl's scream.

"What's wrong??"

Upon hearing this, Chunniang rushed upstairs. When she saw the scene inside the room, she gasped and pressed the handkerchief tightly to her mouth, afraid of making any noise.

Then she looked at Wang Shan again, her heart pounding. Although Hei Shi was a scumbag, Guo Kai was behind him, and she had never thought of killing him.

"It wasn't me."

Wang Shan had obviously thought of this as well. Hei Shi died in Yu Hua Ge, right in front of him. Guo Kai would not let this go easily.

Chunniang was clearly terrified. Upon hearing Wang Shan's words, she nodded mechanically.

"Sir, what should we do next?"

"This matter must be immediately communicated to the eldest son. The Prime Minister's residence must not be informed first. The Jade Flower Pavilion is temporarily sealed off, and no one is allowed to enter or leave."

Fortunately, Wang Shan did not panic. Instead, he calmly issued a series of orders. If Guo Kaixian had known about this, Yuhua Pavilion would probably be finished.

Fortunately, he was not alone this time. Wang Shan closed the door again, went downstairs, and ordered the Imperial Guards to surround the Jade Flower Pavilion from the front and back, forbidding anyone from entering or leaving. He also arranged for two people to watch over the room where Black Stone was. Finally, he rushed to Gongzi Jia's residence.

Jingni, who had been keeping a close eye on the movements at Jade Flower Pavilion, saw Wang Shan leave in a hurry and smiled slightly, saying softly, "That won't do."

She then summoned a servant, who soon left the Drunken Dream Pavilion and disappeared at the end of the long street.

The girl, who had come to the window again, sighed softly.

"Young master, the water there is very deep. Please don't blame me for being ruthless, but if I don't thoroughly muddy the water, I won't be able to see how many ferocious beasts are lurking at the bottom."

On the other side, Xiu Yuan, who had already left Zui Meng Lou, followed a scent and arrived at an alley.

Looking at a slightly dilapidated house not far away, he frowned slightly and muttered to himself in surprise, "Wan Chuan Qiu Shui??"

The Autumn Waters of Ten Thousand Rivers is a unique skill of the Taoist Heavenly Sect, and it is generally not passed on to outsiders. He was quite curious about this aura that suddenly appeared in Handan City.

So they followed the scent and came here.

After thinking for a moment, he activated the Harmony with Light and Dust technique, and his figure gradually disappeared from the spot before walking over.

"Did Master Xuanqingzi encounter any problems on the way?"

"No, but when I came here just now, I found that something seemed to have happened at Jade Flower Pavilion. Now the Imperial Guards have surrounded the entire Jade Flower Pavilion."

"Jade Flower Pavilion??"

"I've heard that the person standing behind this place is Prince Jia."

"Indeed, the corresponding establishment is the Drunken Dream Pavilion, controlled by the powerful minister Guo Kai. This man is secretly colluding with the Luo Wang organization; he is truly a wolf in sheep's clothing. It's a pity we don't have clear evidence, otherwise we could definitely use Gongzi Jia to bring him down!"

"By the way, what exactly is the purpose of Master Xuanqing summoning us all this time?"

"We have received a secret report that Guo Kai has bribed the envoy sent to Wei in an attempt to sabotage the reinstatement of General Lian Po. This matter is of utmost urgency. We must stop this envoy and replace him with one of our own. Only in this way can we ensure that the King will change his mind."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the others in the room changed. If this were true, then the plan to reinstate Lian Po would likely be nothing but empty talk.

"Guo Ze is a heartless traitor! What good can he possibly gain by betraying the State of Zhao?"

"That old scoundrel! I wish I had some divine skills, otherwise I would have torn him to pieces!"

After venting their frustrations, the others bowed and thanked them, saying, "Thank you, Master Xuanqing, for the information. Otherwise, if Guo Kai had succeeded, General Lian Po's return to Zhao to resist Qin would have been impossible."

Upon hearing this, Xuan Qingzi shook his head again.

"Qin is a tiger and wolf, slaughtering the world and causing the people to suffer. It is our duty to resist Qin!"

Upon hearing this, everyone praised it.

"The master's virtue is truly admirable!!"

After another round of discussion, they finalized how everyone would switch places with the Wei envoy before dispersing.

After everyone had left, Xiu Yuan slowly revealed himself.

There were five people at this gathering, but he didn't know any of them.

Only Xuan Qingzi knew the other party's identity because of the way they were addressed; as for the others, there was absolutely no information about them.

The matter to be discussed surprised him somewhat.

These people who lived in seclusion in Handan were actually part of an anti-Qin force, and what's even more interesting is that they seemed to be uninvolved in the factional disputes of the court.

Xuan Qingzi's internal energy was quite abundant, and his internal cultivation had clearly reached the level of a grandmaster.

Although he wasn't familiar with the masters of the Heavenly Sect, he had already met them all, so he was certain that this person was not from the Heavenly Sect of Taoism, but rather an elder from the Human Sect. As for Wan Chuan Qiu Shui, he probably learned it through other means.

Recalling how Xiaoyaozi later led the disciples of the Human Sect to resist Qin, he understood a bit more. It turned out that the Human Sect's resistance against Qin had existed long before, and it didn't just happen after Qin was overthrown and the country was unified.

The later debate between Heaven and Man seemed to have led to even greater disagreements due to the conflict between those who aided Qin and those who resisted it.

Xiu Yuan pondered these things briefly and then put them aside for the time being. At least before Qin unified the country, Qin was still worthy of recognition.

Based on his current understanding of the states of Han and Zhao, there is nothing to regret; unification is an inevitable historical trend that cannot be reversed by human effort.

He didn't comment much on the matter of the current patriarch helping Lian Po return to Zhao. If possible, he would like to see the old general, "Is Lian Po old and still able to eat?"

That scene, buried deep in my memory, also stirred up some of my own recollections.

As for the Jade Flower Pavilion that Xuan Qingzi mentioned, he had his own guesses, and it seemed that the backup plan he had left behind had already come into play.

It's time to investigate the truth about that Jade Flower Pavilion.

A gentle breeze blew by, and Xiu Yuan's figure disappeared from the spot once again. Xuan Qingzi, who was covering the rear, had just stepped out of the alley when he suddenly frowned. Then he turned around and looked at the alley. He had a strange feeling that someone had been watching everything.

After standing there for a long time, Xuan Qingzi shook his head and sighed softly, "I was just overthinking it!"

He then withdrew his gaze and stepped into the crowd. With his current cultivation level, apart from a few reclusive grandmasters, probably no one in the entire world could escape his perception.

Perhaps this elder of the Human Sect would never have imagined that someone would cultivate the Harmony with the World to the highest level, and that someone who was still quite young would be doing so.

On the street, two groups surged toward Yuhua Pavilion and finally met in front of the gate.

"General Wang!"

"Master Li!"

After meeting, they greeted each other.

Both men had extraordinary backgrounds. One was Li Zaiyou, the Minister of Justice in charge of criminal law in the Zhao state, and the other was Wang Hu, the commander of the Imperial Guards.

"It's quite lively today. What wind blew Lord Sikou here?"

"General Wang, you wouldn't have come here in person if it weren't for something important, would you?"

Both old foxes were forcing smiles, pretending to be ignorant even though they knew the truth.

If they hadn't received definite news, how could the two of them have arrived here at the same time? However, the two of them tacitly refrained from revealing this secret.

"General Wang, what's going on with the Imperial Guards?"

Arriving at the gate of Yuhua Pavilion, Li Zaiyou pointed to the sealed gate and asked with a smile.

Wang Hu narrowed his eyes and then said, "This general has just arrived and doesn't know yet. Why don't we send someone over to ask?"

Lee Jae-yoo chuckled.

"Oh, General, are you truly unaware, or are you feigning ignorance?"

Wang Hu looked at the old fox opposite him, his tone pausing slightly.

"What does Lord Sikou mean?"

Li Zai said meaningfully, "I heard that someone died in the Jade Flower Pavilion, which is why the Imperial Guards sealed off the scene."

"General Wang has led troops for many years and bears great responsibility for the security and defense of Handan. Will he show any favoritism in this matter?"

Wang Hu paused, turned to look at the official in charge, and then laughed heartily.

"Since Lord Sikou has such thoughts, then produce the evidence!"

Li Zaiyou's face darkened, and he was about to enter when he was stopped by the Imperial Guards.

"General Wang, what do you mean by this?"

Wang Hu shrugged and chuckled nonchalantly.

"Since Lord Li knows what happened inside, I won't explain further. However, such a bloody scene is not suitable for a civil official like Lord Li to watch. Let me tidy up a bit before you come in!"

Upon hearing this, Lee Jae-yoo's expression froze.

The accident scene left behind the most traces. If Wang Hu really cleaned it up, what clues would he still be able to get?

"General Wang, this is against the rules! One of the suspects in this incident is your son. Logically, General Wang should recuse himself from any involvement!"

Wang Hu narrowed his eyes.

"Lord Li, I respect you as Minister of Justice, but that doesn't give you the right to spout nonsense. Before the matter is thoroughly investigated, it's best not to say anything, or don't blame me for turning my back on you!"

Li Zaiyou narrowed his eyes. He realized that Wang Hu was intentionally protecting him. However, he didn't have many men with him at the moment. If Wang Hu insisted on going his own way, he really wouldn't know what to do.

Just as Li Zai was hesitating about whether to break ties with the Imperial Guard commander, another voice came from behind him.

"I'm quite curious, what can be said, and what cannot be said?"

(End of this chapter)