My Martial Dao Has No Bottlenecks

Late at night. Chi Xiao Island. The Situ Family’s private villa.

A dark figure, as if melting into the night, slipped past all the visible and hidden sentries. It silently scaled the courtyard wall and landed outside the window of the Inner Courtyard’s study.

Inside, the candlelight flickered, revealing the silhouette of a seated figure.

The dark figure bent a finger and tapped lightly on the window lattice: three long, two short.

The window slid open a crack without a sound. Huang Tiancheng’s icy gaze swept over the figure. "Stop hiding in the shadows. Get in here and talk."

Qian Wanjing slipped inside and closed the window. Only then did he pull back his hood, revealing a haggard face forcing a smile.

"Elder Huang, it’s been a while."

Huang Tiancheng’s brow furrowed. "You sneak into my Situ Family residence in the dead of night. What for?"

Unflustered, Qian Wanjing sat himself down in a guest chair, poured a cup of cold tea, and took a sip before slowly saying, "Elder Huang, let’s not beat around the bush. I’ve come today to offer you a great opportunity, and also to save your life."

"Ridiculous."

Huang Tiancheng sneered. "I need *you* to save me?"

"You do."

Qian Wanjing set down his teacup and stared into Huang Tiancheng’s eyes, speaking one word at a time. "Because I know how Old Master Situ, Situ Hong, really died on that rainy night thirty-seven years ago."

Huang Tiancheng’s pupils suddenly constricted!

The air in the study instantly froze. Though there was no wind, the candlelight began to flicker violently.

A bone-chilling killing intent, so palpable it was almost physical, radiated from Huang Tiancheng and locked onto Qian Wanjing.

"What are you talking about? I don’t understand."

His voice was calm, but his knuckles had turned white from clenching his fists.

"You don’t understand?"

Qian Wanjing laughed, his smile full of mockery.

"Then let me be clearer. That year, Situ Hong went into seclusion to break through to the Core Formation Middle Stage, and you were his Guardian."

"But when he emerged, his aura was unstable and his Meridians were damaged. You seized the opportunity to strike. You mixed ’Vein-Eroding Powder’ into his Healing Elixir, crippling his Cultivation. Then you faked his death, making it look like he died from a violent Qigong Deviation."

"Oh, and right before you did it, you knelt before him, weeping, and confessed that you’d had an affair with your sister-in-law years ago. You told him you’d fathered an illegitimate son, Situ Ming, that you were ashamed of betraying his trust, and you begged for his forgiveness."

With every word Qian Wanjing spoke, Huang Tiancheng’s face grew a shade paler, and the killing intent in his eyes grew a shade thicker.

"Shut up!"

Huang Tiancheng roared in a low voice, "Where did you hear this nonsense?! Believe it or not, I can shut you up permanently right now!"

"I believe you."

But Qian Wanjing remained seated, even crossing his legs. "But Elder Huang, you should consider this: since I dared to come here, how could I not have a backup plan?"

A Memory Stone slid from his sleeve, and he placed it gently on the table.

"This contains the deathbed recording of the Pill Master who concocted the Vein-Eroding Powder for you. It also has the final, handwritten letter from Situ Ming’s birth mother, Nun Huiming—she was living as a lay practitioner at Jingxin Nunnery outside the city."

"Oh, and I also have copies of the ledgers detailing your private dealings with several influential Situ Family Elders, documenting the transfer of family resources."

Qian Wanjing’s smile grew cold. "If I don’t walk out of here safely today, then tomorrow, this evidence will appear in the Situ Family’s ancestral hall, at the Law Enforcement Hall of the Four Islands Alliance, and at the Penglai Sect’s Patrol Department."

"Tell me, when that time comes, will those old geezers from the Situ Family believe you, their ’Unparalleled Loyalty and Righteousness’ Honored Guest Elder, or will they believe this irrefutable proof?"

Huang Tiancheng stared intently at the Memory Stone, veins bulging on his forehead. The hands hidden in his sleeves trembled slightly.

After a long moment, he took a deep breath.

"What do you want?"

His voice was dry and hoarse.

Qian Wanjing immediately smiled. He knew his gamble had paid off.

"Simple. I just need you to help me kill someone."

"Who?"

"Liang Cheng."

Hearing this, Huang Tiancheng snapped his head up, a terrifying light erupting in his eyes. "Liang Cheng? The disciple from the Four Islands Alliance Headquarters?"

"The very same."

Qian Wanjing was somewhat surprised by Huang Tiancheng’s reaction, but he nodded nonetheless.

"He has already been specially recruited ahead of time by the Penglai Sect as an Outer Disciple. He will officially join after the Immortal Ascension Conference ends in half a year. Once he enters the Penglai Sect, it will be nearly impossible for us to touch him."

Huang Tiancheng immediately fell silent.

Of course he wanted to kill Liang Cheng.

Although Situ Ming was his illegitimate son, he was also his only bloodline—and the most important chess piece for his future control over the Situ Family.

Liang Cheng had killed Situ Ming, which was tantamount to destroying decades of his planning.

"But the Headquarters protects him, and the Penglai Sect has their eye on him. How can we kill him?"

"That’s why I came to you."

Qian Wanjing leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Liang Cheng is a man who values relationships, especially the debt he owes his master."

"His master, Yang Wei, is currently at the Martial Arts Academy in Lin Wu City. I’ve already made arrangements. We just need to use Yang Wei to lure him out of the Headquarters, and we can lead him to a secluded place."

At this, a crazed light flickered in his eyes.

"I’ve spent my entire fortune to acquire three ’Locking Sky Prohibition Talismans.’ They can temporarily isolate all aura fluctuations and communications within a ten-li radius."

"As long as we lure him into the ambush, I have ways to ensure he dies without a burial place. You will be my backup, just in case."

"If my attempt fails, you’ll strike. Make it quick. No one will ever know!"

Qian Wanjing didn’t know that Situ Ming had died at Liang Cheng’s hands. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have needed to say all this; Huang Tiancheng would have naturally agreed to act.

At this moment, Huang Tiancheng was tempted.

’If we can really block all outside detection... with my Breaking Mortality Core Formation Realm Cultivation, plus the death warriors and other methods Qian Wanjing has prepared, surrounding and killing a mere True Gang Realm cultivator like Liang Cheng would be a piece of cake.’

’Better yet if I don’t have to act personally and can just serve as the backup. This is a good deal.’

"And after it’s done... what about the things you mentioned earlier?" Huang Tiancheng asked in a low voice.

"I just want Liang Cheng dead."

Qian Wanjing gritted his teeth. "As long as that brat is dead, I can finally eat and sleep in peace. As for his treasures, Cultivation Techniques, and your secrets... they will all be yours. I only ask to live. Afterward, I will flee overseas and never return to the Nine Islands Territory."