Chapter 5: Celestial Secrets

After what seemed like an eternity, Tianquan Li suddenly remembered something and rushed out of his office, commanding, “Go to the dungeon and bring Chengpeng Duan here!”

Just then, a trusted confidant rushed in, his face pale. Upon seeing Tianquan, he exclaimed, “Second Elder, something terrible has happened! Chengpeng Duan… he… he…”

“What happened? Speak quickly!” Tianquan felt a sense of dread.

“… he’s dead.”

Tianquan’s vision darkened, and a bitter, sweet taste rose in his throat.

Outside the base, Kuanglan Li transformed into a streak of blue light, soaring into the air. But just as he was about to accelerate, a tall, thin figure appeared before him, blocking his path.

“Young Master Kuanglan, why are you in such a hurry?” the man asked calmly.

Kuanglan’s face turned cold, and he said, “I don’t care who you are, get out of my way, or your death will be in vain!”

The man burst into laughter, saying, “Liao Mou is from a humble background, and my life is worth little. Dying at the hands of Young Master Kuanglan would indeed be in vain. However, I have spent decades cultivating strategy and martial skills. If Young Master Kuanglan wants to kill me, it will take more than just a few moves.”

Without a word, Kuanglan raised his right hand, and the Cold Moon Silk appeared in his grasp. Several beams of blue light shot towards Mister Liao.

Mister Liao flicked his sleeve, and with a long sword in each hand, he blocked all the blue beams with a swift, wind-like strike.

Kuanglan’s eyes flashed with murderous intent, and he lifted his right hand slightly. Suddenly, a sword beam like a bolt of lightning shot towards Mister Liao’s forehead! After their second exchange, Kuanglan knew that Mister Liao was a formidable foe, so he didn’t hesitate to use his quick sword.

Mister Liao, though not as skilled as Edward, parried one vital spot while slashing at Kuanglan’s leg, completely ignoring the sword beam of the Cold Moon Silk.

Kuanglan was slightly taken aback, realizing that Mister Liao was willing to trade injuries for a chance to hold him back, even if it cost him his life.

Kuanglan was unwilling to trade blows with Mister Liao, so he retaliated with lightning speed, first blocking Mister Liao’s attack and then launching a flurry of dozens of strikes in rapid succession.

Mister Liao, however, adapted swiftly, using one sword to defend and the other to attack, resorting to mutually harmful moves whenever danger arose. He managed to block all of Kuanglan’s rapid strikes, revealing his solid swordsmanship.

Kuanglan, anxious and impatient, took a deep breath, exuding a chill, and prepared to deliver a fatal blow.

At that moment, Mister Liao’s face changed, and he shifted his body eerily, moving several meters sideways. A small hand appeared in the air, striking and clawing. If not for Mister Liao’s unusual agility, he would have been hit by the small hand.

Tianqing Ji materialized from the air, saying to Kuanglan, “You go on ahead, I’ll deal with this lackey.”

To everyone’s surprise, Kuanglan did not refuse. He glanced at Tianqing and said, “After all these years, now I finally find you a bit more agreeable.”

Tianqing chuckled, saying, “I’ll help you this time, and in future duels, I can beat you half to death without guilt.”

Kuanglan’s eye twitched, and he said coldly, “Have you ever beaten me? Besides, I take back what I just said.”

As they bickered, Mister Liao grew increasingly desperate, but every attempt to attack was blocked by Tianqing, who watched as Kuanglan disappeared into the distance.

Once Kuanglan was gone, Tianqing’s innocent smile faded, and she scrutinized Mister Liao with a predatory gaze, reaching into her pocket to retrieve something.

Mister Liao was shocked; he knew many secrets, and upon seeing Tianqing reach for a weapon, he turned and fled, shouting in alarm.

A cold light flashed in Tianqing’s hand, and Mister Liao screamed as blood spurted from his back. He didn’t look back, flying at full speed and vanishing into the distant sky.

Tianqing, somewhat surprised, realized that Mister Liao had been exceptionally alert, fleeing even before she could reveal her weapon. Now, it was too late to catch him.

She sighed, muttering, “What a pity! If I could have taken his head, I could have traded it for many valuable things!”

In the Unfallen City, Jundu Zhao stood by the window, his green spear in hand, gazing at the vast night sky, lost in thought. Since Qianye’s severe injury, he had stood there, unmoving.

The woman reappeared behind Jundu, saying softly, “Young Master, you should rest.”

Jundu didn’t turn, replying calmly, “It’s not time yet.”

“The Duke of You has arrived, and the army sent by the Duke of Chengen is also here. Moreover, Miss Ruoxi is watching over Qianye; he’ll be fine.”

Jundu said, “I’m here to see the outcome. To see who still dares to make a move against Qianye at this time.”

The woman hesitated, saying gently, “Young Master, you know the current situation. Qianye has drawn too much attention, and although some people may have ill intentions, retaliation isn’t urgent.”

Jundu smiled wryly, turning to her, “I, Jundu Zhao, am no fool. Those people may be powerful now, but once I cross the threshold to Heavenly King, I’ll have nothing to fear. I can wait, but I doubt they can.”

The woman asked, puzzled, “But if that’s the case, why not conceal your intentions?”

Jundu replied slowly, “Why conceal? I want them to know that Jundu Zhao is a man who holds grudges. Only then will they act with caution. If they still don’t heed the warning…”

Jundu paused, his voice turning cold, “Then, when I become a Heavenly King, I will uproot them entirely!”

The woman opened her mouth to speak but couldn’t utter a word.

Suddenly, Jundu stepped back, and a wave of cold air surged through the window as Kuanglan Liu entered, standing before Jundu.

“Here,” Kuanglan handed him a box, his tone harsh.

Jundu took the box without opening it, asking directly, “Mirror Water Regeneration?”

“Yes.”

Jundu wanted to thank him, but before he could, Kuanglan stopped him, “No need for words. The Li family never owes anyone.”

With that, Kuanglan leaped out the window, disappearing in a flash, as if in a great hurry.

Jundu chuckled, shaking his head, “This fool!”

He tossed the box to the woman, saying, “Since we have it, use it on Qianye. No point in keeping it idle.”

The woman sensed something odd in Jundu’s tone, asking, “Young Master, is the Mirror Water Regeneration useless for Qianye?”

Jundu said, “It will have some effect, but that’s all.”

“Then why did you send someone to the Li family for it?”

“It belongs to Qianye, so it should be used on him. Even if it’s wasted, it’s the Zhao family’s concern.”

The woman asked, “Young Master, what about Qianye’s injuries…”

Jundu sighed, saying, “I don’t know what to do either. Perhaps someone else does…”

“Who?”

“Zining Song.”

The woman was shocked, “Zining Song? That mysterious dandy? If you can’t do it, how can he? With his puny skills, I could crush him with one hand!”

Jundu shook his head, “For Qianye, we can only rely on these mysterious characters now.”

Though reluctant, the woman accepted, saying, “Alright. Since this dandy is so crucial, I’ll keep an eye on him for the next few days and see what he’s up to.”

“Hmm, go.” Jundu turned back to the window, gazing at the night sky.

A moment later, the woman returned, saying, “The Mirror Water Regeneration has been administered, but…”

“But what?”

“Qianye seems to have shown some signs of life, but it’s unclear. Is the Mirror Water Regeneration ineffective?”

Jundu, seemingly expecting this, sighed, “The Mirror Water Regeneration can only do so much. With it, Qianye can hold on a bit longer. And what about Chengpeng? I haven’t heard any news. Go and check on him.”

“Yes, Young Master.” The woman agreed, adding, “Don’t worry, the Li family wouldn’t dare harm a Zhao family general!”

Jundu’s expression was grave, “The Li family wouldn’t, but what if it’s not the Li family? Perhaps I’ve overlooked something. Check on Chengpeng’s whereabouts immediately.”

The woman agreed, a hint of excitement and killing intent in her voice, “What if someone obstructs me?”

“Do as you see fit.”

“Understood!”

Before leaving, the woman remembered something, saying, “Young Master, I just checked on Zining Song. He locked himself in his room, doing some divination. He seemed very troubled. Should I capture and interrogate him?”

Jundu pondered, then said, “Song Qi is full of tricks, but he doesn’t fail in the big picture. Let him be.”

The woman bowed, exited, and vanished into the air.

In the central area of the Unfallen City, in a Zhao family residence, Zining Song had been locked in his room for a day and a night, neither eating nor drinking, and hadn’t even opened the door for Yuying Zhao.

On the table, the remaining divination sticks were few, most of them shattered, and the divination pattern was becoming clearer. In the air, countless sticks floated, each a transformation of a floating leaf. Together with the airborne sticks, the divination pattern was complete.

The floating leaves transformed into sticks, constantly being destroyed and recreated. Each moment, several sticks crumbled, transforming into a shower of light, and new ones appeared. Invisible currents in the air seemed to shatter the sticks.

Divining the heavens’ secrets in the void was incredibly difficult. A single misstep could lead to a confrontation with masters like Xitang Lin or the Evernight Parliament’s diviners. Despite his utmost caution, Zining was like dancing among blades, and his skills, no matter how high, left him wounded.

As more and more sticks crumbled, Zining’s face showed a fierce resolve, and he spat a mouthful of blood onto the sticks!

A thunderclap resounded in the void, and the divination pattern was complete.

Zining, his hair disheveled, a few strands falling over his face, one white hair strikingly visible.