Chapter 312 : Killing
Chapter 312: Killing
Fang Lue stood on the street, his face devoid of joy or sorrow. He did not look at the carriage approaching from this direction, lest that boy notice him.
The intuition of a First Grade expert was extremely sharp.
Although he carried the Mirage Pearl and had already transformed into a stone, he still dared not be careless.
If he failed to kill with a single strike this time, there might never be another opportunity.
This enemy who had killed his two junior brothers and junior sister possessed talent so terrifying it was practically heaven-defying. In less than a year, he had advanced from Fourth Grade to First Grade.
Such a frightening rate of progress—even for someone like him who cultivated the Nine Nether Grand Art—was far beyond his reach.
If this boy were given a few more years, he would probably never be able to kill him again.
If possible, Fang Lue would never wish to become enemies with such a peerless figure. However, the deaths of his junior brothers and junior sister had to be avenged.
For that reason, he had risked everything to enter the capital, coming to this city filled with countless powerful experts.
He had to kill with a single strike, then flee far away.
Any delay at all, and he would not be able to escape.
The status of this enemy was far too high. If he were attacked, it would certainly attract powerful officials.
The capital was a place where hidden dragons and crouching tigers gathered. There would never be a shortage of experts above the second level of the Divine Repository Realm.
Fang Lue waited patiently like an assassin, watching the other party approach while searching for a chance to deliver a killing blow.
One hundred steps.
Fifty steps.
Thirty steps…
Finally, the carriage entered within ten steps.
Fang Lue tightened his grip on the sword in his hand—
At that moment, he sensed something was wrong. The space and time around him seemed to twist, and a familiar power appeared.
This was—
He was startled and quickly realized that a force was forcibly pulling him into some secret realm.
Not good!
Fang Lue cried inwardly. His powerful magical power erupted, but to his shock, he still could not break free from the vortex.
How could this be?
The shock in his heart was immense.
Before he could react further, his figure completely disappeared from the spot. Just before being transported away, he vaguely heard someone exclaim beside his ear:
“Quick, look! Qingwei—”
His vision blurred. When he appeared again, he had arrived in a desolate and ruined world.
Could this be—
He remembered the words he had heard before being transported.
Qingwei Heaven?
One of the legendary Ninefold Heavens.
At this moment, a voice sounded behind him.
“Finally we meet. I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”
Fang Lue suddenly turned around and saw a young man in a green Daoist robe standing behind him with his hands behind his back, possessing an extraordinary bearing.
His pupils shrank slightly.
“Gu Xianyu? You were actually able to see through my illusion?”
Chen Ming smiled.
“Thanks to Madam Zhou, I already knew that your life-bound artifact is a Mirage Pearl capable of countless transformations. Naturally, I prepared precautions.”
He continued,
“Let me introduce this place. This is Qingwei Heaven, one of the Ninefold Heavens—the Daoist field of Sovereign Xi in ancient times. Being buried here is hardly an insult to you.”
So it truly was Qingwei Heaven.
Fang Lue became even more vigilant. Qingwei Heaven was one of the Ninefold Heavens and had always held special meaning in the mortal world. To become its master required tremendous fortune.
He sneered.
“So you are the master of Qingwei Heaven. Does the emperor of the Great Jin Dynasty know about this?”
Chen Ming replied calmly,
“That is not something you need to worry about. Weren’t you planning to avenge your junior brothers and sister? Go ahead and make your move.”
Fang Lue said proudly,
“Call everyone out. No need to hide in the shadows.”
Chen Ming replied,
“To kill someone, why would I need help? I alone am enough.”
“Just you?”
Fang Lue felt as if he had heard the greatest joke in the world.
He was a Divine Repository Realm expert. Even if the Mirage Pearl’s illusion abilities were useless now, there had never been a precedent in history of a First Grade martial artist killing someone of the Divine Repository Realm.
The gap between them was like heaven and earth.
After opening the Divine Repository, one had stepped onto the path of longevity.
A First Grade martial artist was still merely mortal. How could they possibly compare?
Chen Ming said leisurely,
“If you don’t act now, you won’t have another chance.”
After speaking, his entire figure vanished from the spot, leaving behind only a streak of white lightning.
Not good!
In an instant, Fang Lue’s danger sense exploded. He instinctively dodged, and an incomparably sharp sword light brushed past the tip of his nose.
“How is that possible?”
Fang Lue retreated over ten meters. His nose felt itchy, and a drop of bright red blood seeped out.
That single sword strike had actually injured him.
He stared at Chen Ming over ten meters away in disbelief.
“What kind of movement technique is this? No… it’s the Daoist robe you’re wearing…”
A flash of memory crossed his mind as he recalled a legendary treasure—
But before he could think further, Chen Ming disappeared again.
This time Fang Lue was prepared and dodged the Taiyue Sword thrust from behind.
Relying on the astonishing intuition of a Divine Repository Realm expert, he dodged left and right. Though he appeared somewhat embarrassed, he managed to evade Chen Ming’s killing strikes again and again against all odds.
After more than a dozen sword strikes, Fang Lue became increasingly alarmed—and increasingly frustrated.
He, a Divine Repository Realm expert, was being forced into such a miserable situation by a mere First Grade martial artist.
“Die!”
On the fifteenth strike, Fang Lue unleashed all the magical power in his body the moment Chen Ming appeared, forming a sword domain that sealed the surrounding space.
He had been wary of potential hidden enemies all along and therefore did not wish to use techniques that consumed too much power. Originally he thought dealing with a First Grade martial artist would be effortless.
Who could have imagined he would be forced into such a situation?
At this point, he could no longer afford to conserve his strength.
The sword domain of a Divine Repository Realm expert was many times stronger than that of a First Grade martial artist. Within a radius of thirty meters, the entire space was completely sealed.
The moment Chen Ming appeared, his body was restrained, and his movements slowed drastically.
No matter how fast your movement technique was or how sharp your divine weapon—
Before the gap in realms, you could only obediently await death.
Fang Lue thrust the sword in his hand forward toward Chen Ming’s heart, intending to take his life.
At that moment, he saw a strange smile appear on the other party’s face. His heart jolted as he sensed danger.
Boom!
Terrifying lightning burst forth.
That destructive power actually shattered his sword domain.
Fang Lue suddenly felt a chill in his chest. A sword had already pierced straight through him.
“Yang… Spirit?”
He stared in disbelief at the smaller Yang Spirit that had emerged above Chen Ming’s head, holding another divine weapon.
His mouth opened slightly.
Then his body split apart, breaking into dozens of pieces of flesh that scattered across the ground.
A Divine Repository Realm expert had fallen just like that.
【You killed an enemy of LV100 and gained 5,000,000 Experience Points.】
After seeing the notification, Chen Ming waved his hand and drew a white pearl from the pile of corpses. Under the light, it shimmered with flowing brilliance.
It was the Mirage Pearl.
In truth, this man’s strength had been extremely formidable. With the Mirage Pearl’s ability to change forms, even if he could not win, he could still escape.
Unfortunately, he had encountered Chen Ming. That Ancient Mirror could see through all illusions, directly crippling his strongest method.
Combined with his underestimation of the enemy, his death was hardly unjust.
He had always believed Chen Ming was merely First Grade. Most of his attention had been on guarding against possible Divine Repository Realm experts.
He never imagined Chen Ming would be a Yang Spirit cultivator.
Caught off guard, he was killed with a single sword strike.
With the Yang Spirit combined with a magical sword, a full-power strike was enough to completely annihilate the life force of a first-level Divine Repository Realm expert.
If Fang Lue had been a bit more cautious, he would not have died so quickly.
…
Chen Ming did not linger. As soon as he opened his eyes again, he had returned to the carriage.
“Let’s go.”
He gave an order, and the carriage continued forward.
Ever since breaking through to the Yang Spirit Realm, his control over the tortoiseshell had strengthened. He no longer needed to create an Immortal-Summoning Token to drag someone into Qingwei Heaven.
As long as he could bring someone into Qingwei Heaven, he could unleash all his methods and kill them.
If he could not pull them in, then he would have to use Plan B—call for help and summon Chang Yunshan, then find a way to steal the kill.
Fortunately, everything had gone smoothly. Fang Lue had only recently broken through to the Divine Repository Realm, so killing him had not been difficult.
Chen Ming stroked the Mirage Pearl in his hand and activated the Controlling Artifact Art. Soon he understood its methods and power.
This treasure was best refined into a magical artifact. Only then could its full potential be unleashed.
However, he was currently only a first-tribulation Yang Spirit. He could refine only one magical artifact.
If he wanted to refine another, he would need to undergo another lightning tribulation.
Chen Ming put away the Mirage Pearl and closed his eyes to rest.
Before long, they arrived at the Six Doors Authority.
He stepped down from the carriage and was about to enter when he suddenly felt a tremor in his heart.
“This is—”
He suddenly turned toward the northeast, a look of surprise in his eyes.
The fluctuation just now clearly came from a Divine Repository Realm expert making a move.
What kind of day was this?
First, a Divine Repository Realm expert from the Nine Nether Sect attempted to assassinate him. Now another Divine Repository Realm expert had started fighting in the capital…
Then two even stronger forces erupted.
Alright—so it wasn’t one.
It was three.
Dong—dong dong…
At that moment, drums sounded from inside the Six Doors Authority. The beats were extremely rapid—nine beats in total—and clearly reached everyone’s ears.
Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—
Countless figures flew out from the Six Doors Authority.
At the front were several Red-Robed Officers, leading groups of purple-robed and gold-robed officers as they sped toward the northeast.
“So fast.”
Chen Ming watched them disappear before turning around and entering the Six Doors Authority.
He had not officially become a Red-Robed Officer yet. No matter how big the incident was, it had nothing to do with him.
First, he needed to meet Hall Master Hong.
…
Chen Ming once again entered the Reincarnation Hall.
This time, he could not help wondering what mysterious powers lay within the hall.
Since the Six Halls were mentioned together, the other five halls must also hide enormous secrets.
Inside the Heaven’s Punishment Hall, the Demon Suppression Tower suppressed demons, monsters, and ghosts across the Three Realms. The secrets within the other halls surely carried equal weight.
Inside the Reincarnation Hall, Hall Master Hong sat high in the main seat.
On both sides were two rows of seats occupied by eight people. Besides them, dozens of seats remained empty.
Aside from those seats belonging to the Red-Robed Officers currently away, the rest probably belonged to Red-Robed Officers serving in other regions.
Hall Master Hong spoke.
“Today our Six Doors Authority welcomes a new Red-Robed Officer. Prince of Linjiang—whom I believe everyone here already knows.”
“Hall Master!”
Suddenly, one of the Red-Robed Officers spoke.
“Traditionally, only those in the Divine Repository Realm may become Red-Robed Officers. Prince of Linjiang has only First Grade cultivation. How can this convince the masses?”
Hall Master Hong said calmly,
“This is His Majesty’s decision. If you have objections, you may take them to His Majesty.”
The Red-Robed Officer raised his voice.
“I will.”
Chen Ming glanced at the man but said nothing, as if they were not discussing him at all.
He had long expected that some people would be dissatisfied with him becoming a Red-Robed Officer.
He did not care.
His purpose for joining the Six Doors Authority was to recruit talent. He had long been coveting this enormous talent pool.
After that brief episode, everything proceeded smoothly.
Chen Ming officially assumed his position, donned the brand-new Red-Robed uniform, received his seal and weapon, and was assigned under the Hall Master of Reincarnation Hall to work in the intelligence department as the deputy of Shang Xiangrong.
He counted the chairs in the hall.
There were forty-nine in total.
Forty of them were empty.
In other words, the Six Doors Authority might have forty-nine Divine Repository Realm experts.
The strength was truly terrifying.
Even if the Nine Great Sects combined their forces, they might not have as many Divine Repository Realm experts as the Six Doors Authority alone.
And this was only the Reincarnation Hall.
Within the Six Doors Authority there was also the Hall of Yama.
After becoming a Red-Robed Officer, the benefits were extremely generous.
The greatest benefit was that once one’s cultivation reached the required level, they could obtain a quota for a top-tier secret realm.
With sufficient Merit Points, one could even exchange that quota for an ultimate-grade secret realm.
Furthermore, after opening all five Divine Repositories and beginning to forge the Fate Palace, obtaining a quota for a Heavenly Residence would not be a problem.
It could only be said that the empire’s most powerful department truly possessed overwhelming resources.
Becoming a Red-Robed Officer meant entering the core ranks of the Six Doors Authority.
Soon the appointment ceremony ended.
The Red-Robed Officers present dispersed one after another.
Only two people approached him to offer congratulations.
One was his direct superior, Shang Xiangrong.
The other was someone he was somewhat familiar with.
Shang Xiangrong introduced him.
“This is Lord Pan Zhiyuan. He previously served in Jiangzhou and recently broke through to the Divine Repository Realm. He became a Red-Robed Officer half a month before you.”
“A pleasure to meet you. I’ve long heard of your name.”
Chen Ming had not expected to meet the mortal enemy of Yu Haitang here, and his feelings were somewhat complicated.
Pan Zhiyuan said politely,
“Greetings, Prince of Linjiang.”
He showed no contempt due to Chen Ming’s cultivation level—clearly a seasoned veteran of officialdom.
The three chatted casually as they walked out of the Reincarnation Hall.
Soon after, Pan Zhiyuan took his leave.
Chen Ming and Shang Xiangrong headed toward their workplace.
Shang Xiangrong said,
“This Lord Pan is not simple. While still First Grade, he became the governor of an entire province. During his tenure he successfully opened the Divine Repository, and he did so using a top-grade rare treasure. His future is limitless.”
Chen Ming probed,
“He must have powerful backing, right?”
“He walks the path of the Yu Family. Even the hall masters must give the Yu Family some face.”
So Pan Zhiyuan had been specifically arranged by the Yu Family to Jiangzhou to keep an eye on Yu Haitang?
Was that really necessary?
Just as Chen Ming was about to ask more questions, a deep bell suddenly rang.
The sound was extremely penetrating, as if it rang directly within his Yang Spirit.
Three consecutive bell chimes.
Shang Xiangrong’s expression changed.
“Three bell chimes—something major has happened. Hurry to the council hall.”
Something major?
Could it be related to the disturbance earlier?
Chen Ming followed him to the council hall.
Inside the vast hall, many people stood in formation. Everyone stood solemnly, displaying strict discipline.
He followed Shang Xiangrong to the front row and quickly learned what had happened.
The diplomatic delegation from the Northern Frontier Nations had been completely wiped out.
A truly earth-shattering incident.