Chapter 268 : Heavenly Slaughter Sect
Chapter 268: Heavenly Slaughter Sect
Under the night sky, the Duke of Jingguo’s Residence was shrouded in silence, broken only by the occasional bark of a dog.
Inside one courtyard, the master of the house suddenly spoke toward the door,
“Rare indeed, Second Brother actually stepping into my Blade Sharpening Hall.”
Outside the door stood a man in his thirties, dressed in brocade robes. Handsome and refined, he smiled and said,
“Third Brother, your Second Brother is merely worried for you. There’s only half a month left before the Night Banquet of the Ghost Festival.”
The man inside spoke in a cold, hard tone,
“So what?”
“I heard,” said the Second Brother, “that Little Seventh has already broken through to the Second Grade. If he makes great contributions during the banquet, how will you hold your ground then, Third Brother?”
“Hmph. You say that as if Second Brother himself hasn’t borne grudges against that bastard.”
“That’s different. I heard that Little Seventh was ambushed on his way out of the Capital. Tell me, once he gains power, would he spare the one who plotted against him? Anyway, at worst, I’ll simply submit to him. I doubt he’d dare do anything to me then.”
“……”
The man inside said nothing for a long time.
“My words end here. Third Brother, think it over yourself.”
“Fifth Uncle sent Old Li to protect him. We won’t have a chance.”
The Second Brother smiled faintly.
“Opportunities are made, not given. Have you forgotten what day it will be in a few days? By then, Father and Fifth Uncle will both be away from home.”
After a moment’s silence, the man inside said,
“Second Brother, you’re as despicable as ever. Borrowing another’s blade to kill?”
“Third Brother, you misunderstand me once again…”
“Save your words for someone else. See yourself out.”
The man outside did not get angry. He merely shook his head, turned, and left.
A night breeze swept through, stirring the fallen leaves on the ground, as though nothing had ever happened.
……
Inside the room, Gu Zhengwu gazed intently at the pine tree outside the window. Suddenly, memories of a few years ago resurfaced—when that bastard had first been brought back to the Gu Family.
At the time, he hadn’t thought much of the child—just some talent, nothing more.
Until two years ago, when that bastard had broken through to the Fourth Grade at only eighteen.
That was when Gu Zhengwu had truly felt threatened.
All along, he had been the most gifted in martial cultivation among his generation of the Gu Family, his cultivation leagues above the rest. It was this very edge that gave him confidence to compete for the position of Heir Apparent.
His eldest brother was crippled. His Second Brother, though older, lacked aptitude—after pouring in countless resources over the years, he had barely reached the Third Grade in his thirties. He would likely never hope to touch the Divine Repository Realm in this lifetime.
That was Gu Zhengwu’s greatest advantage in contending for succession.
Until the arrival of that bastard—younger, more talented. How could he not feel dread?
He had finally schemed and maneuvered until that bastard was driven out of the Capital.
Who would have thought that the boy would turn the tables—within mere months, consecutively breaking through to the Third and Second Grades. His cultivation was already nearing Gu Zhengwu’s own.
Gu Zhengwu could not comprehend what kind of fortuitous encounter could make that bastard’s strength soar so rapidly.
In the past months, news about him kept spreading—each time leaving Gu Zhengwu both shocked and confused.
Alongside it, the dread in his heart grew heavier and heavier—until he heard that the bastard was to attend the Night Banquet of the Ghost Festival and compete for a spot in the Immortal Mansion. That anxiety reached its peak.
If that bastard succeeded and won the quota, and the Granduncle successfully condensed the “Nascent Embryo,” earning such monumental merit—what place would there be for him then?
He might as well slit his own throat.
Gu Zhengwu never believed that, once that bastard rose to power, he would just laugh off old grudges.
Now, he had no choice left.
He drew a pitch-black token from his robe, a trace of fear flickering in his eyes. If he could help it, he would never have used this token in his lifetime.
Once invoked, there would be no escape for the rest of his days.
Gu Zhengwu suddenly laughed softly to himself.
“Let’s see how much strength the Heavenly Slaughter Sect has secretly gathered over the years… whether they can kill within the Capital unseen.”
He then infused a strand of his consciousness into the token.
“Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill.”
In an instant, Gu Zhengwu’s thought appeared within a black palace. Upon the plaque above the grand gates was a single word—“Kill”, emanating a chilling, oppressive aura.
It was his second time entering this place, and he could still recall the shock from the first time he saw this palace.
This was the Life Palace of a powerhouse who had surpassed the Divine Repository Realm!
The martial path could be summarized by a single verse:
Tempering the body, refining the qi, awakening the Divine Repository, forging the Life Palace, forming the Nascent Embryo, and crossing the Sea of Suffering.
Facing such a master of the “Life Palace” Realm, how could he not be awed?
A figure cloaked in black sat upon the throne within the hall, wreathed in darkness so dense that no features could be seen.
The black-clad man spoke,
“Lord Gu, we meet again. The old rules still apply—tell me the one you wish dead. Once the task is done, you will perform one favor for us.”
His vast voice echoed through the Hall of Slaughter.
A glint of viciousness flashed in Gu Zhengwu’s eyes.
“I want you to kill the Seventh Young Master of the Duke of Jingguo’s Residence—Gu Xianyu. His life must be taken before the Ghost Festival. Once it’s done, I’ll be yours.”
“Deal.”
The next moment, Gu Zhengwu’s consciousness returned to his body. He put away the black token and muttered,
“I’ll see how you die this time.”
……
…………
At dawn that day, Chen Ming rode his carriage to the Celestial Prison, just as he did every day.
Upon arrival, he unexpectedly saw someone he could never have imagined, a trace of surprise flickering across his face.
Beside Tang Shouzheng stood a woman in imperial purple robes, her face covered with a white veil. Even so, he recognized her instantly—it was Princess Mingyu.
Tang Shouzheng said,
“Brother, this is Princess Mingyu of the Sea-Calming King’s Mansion. She happens to be visiting a certain prisoner, so she’ll accompany us. Your Highness, this is the Seventh Young Master of the Duke of Jingguo’s Residence—Gu Xianyu.”
“I have seen Young Master Gu.”
“I have seen Princess Mingyu.”
Thus, the two entered the Celestial Prison together.
……
Within one of the main halls of the Celestial Prison, an old man in red robes sat in the seat of honor, propping his chin with one hand, seemingly deep in thought.
To act, or not to act?
He now held the Red-Clad position of the Six Doors Authority, one of the most powerful men in the land, responsible for overseeing the Celestial Prison.
He could not help but recall the matter from forty years ago. Back then he had already reached the Second Grade, yet had remained a Fifth-Grade Constable because he had offended someone of great background and been suppressed.
Later, to remove that man, he had struck a deal with the Heavenly Slaughter Sect.
The man had indeed died.
And no one had suspected him. From that point on he rose swiftly, step by step becoming the Red-Clad of the Six Doors Authority.
During those forty years, no one from the Heavenly Slaughter Sect had contacted him.
He had nearly forgotten the affair, so he had not expected that, forty years later at night, the Heavenly Slaughter Sect would finally reach out and ask him to do something.
To do it, or not to do it?
At last, after weighing pros and cons repeatedly in his mind, he made his decision.
He pressed the armrest of his chair, and a huge map appeared before his eyes—exactly the layout of the first three levels in front of the Celestial Prison, and he possessed all permissions for the prison’s first three tiers.
All he needed to do was drag his finger lightly, and the prison’s sealing formations would slowly weaken.
……
“She won’t recognize me, will she?”
Chen Ming had been quiet the whole way, feeling somewhat guilty. Princess Mingyu kept glancing his way from time to time, as if she had sensed something.
They soon reached the entrance to the third level.
Tang Shouzheng produced an access token and led the two of them into the third level.
“Eh? Why does it feel—”
He felt puzzled; the gate seemed to have opened a little faster than usual today.
“Lord Tang.”
At that moment, a jailer approached. “Lord Wu has urgent matters to see you about; you should go at once.”
Hearing it was Lord Wu, Tang Shouzheng hurriedly said, “Understood. Brother Gu, Your Highness, I cannot accompany you any further. Have the jailer take you in.”
He had seen Chen Ming easily defeat those First-Grade prisoners in recent days and was not worried about him.
As for Princess Mingyu, the person she was to see was also extremely sensitive—if he could avoid accompanying them, that would be best. Saying so, he left at once.
The jailer said, “Lord Gu, Princess, please follow me.”
Then Princess Mingyu suddenly spoke, “Young Master Gu, may I ask you something presumptuous?”
If she already called it presumptuous, she should not ask.
Chen Ming thought that to himself and replied, “Your Highness is too courteous. May I ask who told Your Highness this?”
Princess Mingyu said, “To be frank, I met Ziyi in Jiangzhou. She suddenly vanished, and I was worried for her. I heard she had a senior sister here in the Capital, so I returned to look for her. Heaven favored the diligent—I eventually found her senior sister, Nie Hongyi.”
Nie Hongyi?
Chen Ming’s mouth twitched; he almost forgot that detail.
He asked, “So it was Nie Hongyi who sent Your Highness to look for me?”
Princess Mingyu replied, “Yes. Miss Nie said you and Miss Yuan were intimate friends. If anyone in the world could know her whereabouts, it would be you.”
Chen Ming felt a headache forming.
Nie Hongyi knew what had happened at Huanshou Mountain. Once Princess Mingyu had heard from Nie Hongyi that she and “Yuan Ziyi” had been acquainted, she could easily deduce that the “Yuan Ziyi” in question was the one he had impersonated.
Great. Another person in the know.
He had taken another step toward social death.
He quickly found an excuse. “As you know, the Night Banquet of the Ghost Festival was about to begin, and I needed to focus on preparation. So when she entered the Capital this time, she lent me the Taiyue Sword.”
Princess Mingyu had already seen the Taiyue Sword in his hand and was more convinced that the relationship was no ordinary one. “I only wish to know where she is now.”
Chen Ming furrowed his brow. “I’m sorry. I promised her I would never reveal her whereabouts to anyone. So I cannot tell you that.”
Princess Mingyu looked disappointed.
“However.”
Chen Ming decided to steady her and changed tack. “After the Night Banquet of the Ghost Festival is over, I can take you to see her.”
“Is that true?” Princess Mingyu brightened.
“I would not jest.”
At that moment the jailer who had been following at a distance hurried up, “Princess, the person you wish to see is this way.”
Princess Mingyu said, “Then I shall await Young Master Gu’s good news.”
She then followed the jailer away.
“Finally sent away.”
Chen Ming breathed a sigh of relief. In any case, after the Night Banquet of the Ghost Festival he planned to change his appearance and live under a new identity.
The Taiyue Sword was hard to disguise—one look and it could be recognized.
Well, that could be dealt with later.
First, he would focus on farming experience.
Chen Ming went to the interrogation room and told a jailer, “Bring the prisoners in one by one like before.”
Then he sat in his chair and waited.
“Eh?”
While regulating his breath, he suddenly sensed something amiss. After entering the third level, his suppressed divine awareness had shown signs of recovery.
It seemed the prison’s formations had weakened.
“What is happening?”
For some reason, a sense of foreboding rose in him.
……
Elsewhere, Princess Mingyu was escorted to a special cell block. Those detained there were special prisoners—either of noble status or high rank.
Her main purpose in coming had been to see Gu Xianyu, but she also meant to pay a visit to an elder sister imprisoned here.
This elder sister was her elder sister by the same father but a different mother from before she had been adopted. Unlike Princess Mingyu, this elder sister, as the legitimate daughter of a prince, had been lavishly favored.
In the past, Princess Mingyu and her brother had received much care from this elder sister. Upon learning the sister had been imprisoned, she had rushed to the Capital to visit at once.
The cell door opened, and Princess Mingyu stepped inside, calling, “Sister!”
A palace-dressed woman sat in a chair reading. The “cell” was kept immaculately clean; the bed alone took up half the space.
Two maidservants attended her—one fanning her from behind, another peeling fruit at her side.
From appearances, it hardly looked like imprisonment.
She appeared to be a beautiful woman of about twenty, full of heroic bearing. Seeing Princess Mingyu, she smiled, “Isn’t this Fourth Sister? You’re not staying in Jiangzhou properly as its princess—why come back to the Capital?”
Princess Mingyu stepped forward. “Sister, I heard you were in trouble. I was worried and rushed to the Capital at once.”
Princess Lingyu said, “What could have happened to me? Our royal uncle is merciful; he would not truly have me killed. This confinement is only to give the Residence of the Duke of Huai an explanation.”
Princess Mingyu did not dare repeat that. She asked, “Sister, did you really kill the Heir Apparent of the Duke of Huai?”
“Yes, I killed him. That bastard bullied and assaulted women; to seize a beauty he ruined her family, and when he tired of her he threw her in a well—worse than pigs and dogs. I begged Father to cancel the engagement, but he refused. So I killed him. Better to prevent him sullying our royal reputation in the future.”
Princess Mingyu did not know what to say for a moment.
The rumor she had heard was different: people said Princess Lingyu, upon learning her fiancé had another woman, had flown into jealous rage and killed him.
By now Princess Lingyu’s reputation outside had sunk so low she had become the epitome of a jealous wife.
If their elder sister knew, she would likely be furious to the point of spitting blood.
“Eh?”
Princess Lingyu’s face showed a flash of puzzlement. She looked at her hand and said strangely, “My spiritual sense has suddenly recovered more than half. What could this mean? Could it be—”
Her expression changed. “No good. Something in the Celestial Prison is probably amiss. Fourth Sister, stay by my side; go nowhere. Do you hear me?”
“Ah?”
Princess Mingyu’s thoughts immediately turned to Gu Xianyu. What would become of him?