Chu Jiubian held the gun steady with both hands, his gaze passing through the guards and assassins locked in combat, toward the distant silhouettes of the trees behind the high wall.

He remembered which trees, and which branches, contained the crouching archers.

The rain had stopped completely around noon today, and the sun was currently shining brightly, with a beautiful rainbow on the horizon.

His target was no longer a bullseye or a dummy, but a real, flesh-and-blood person.

The veins on the backs of Chu Jiubian’s hands bulged.

If he didn’t kill them, they would kill him.

He must abandon the civilized laws of modern society and use overwhelming force to deter those prying eyes in the shadows.

His index finger slowly bent.

Another arrow shot between the trees, and Chu Jiubian simultaneously pulled the trigger.

Bang—

Without a silencer, the muzzle of the gun emitted an almost deafening sound in the quiet surroundings.

A sharp ringing echoed in Chu Jiubian’s ears, and the whole world seemed to fall silent.

The bullet had grazed the arrow before striking the archer one hundred meters away at lightning speed, hitting him in the throat.

Chu Jiubian’s light-hued eyes reflected the swaying silhouette of the distant tree.

He pulled the trigger again.

Another loud bang, and the branches of another tree began to shake violently.

He picked up his binoculars and saw that two of the archers had disappeared, leaving behind only splatters of blood.

Outside the sedan chair, the two sides seemed to have paused, their eyes focused on the sedan chair in the center.

They were all dressed in tight-fitting black garments, and dark masks covered their faces, revealing only pairs of eyes filled with shock and fear.

What was that?

What were those thunderous roars just now?!

Before they could react, there was another loud bang.

An assassin holding a short sword fell to the ground with a thud, eyes wide open. A gruesome hole the size of a thumb had appeared between his eyebrows, gushing blood.

The bodyguard who had previously been fighting the assassin took a few steps back, moving away from the corpse on the ground.

Deeply shocked, he stared at the corpse in disbelief, then turned to look at the sedan chair one hundred meters away.

He seemed to have seen something shoot out of the sedan chair and hit the assassin between the eyebrows.

But it wasn’t an arrow, nor was it any kind of hidden weapon. He had never seen anything capable of hitting someone in the head from so far away.

Due to the limited weapons and materials available in this era, even the most capable archers couldn’t shoot through a person’s skull from one hundred meters away.

Other guards and assassins with exceptional eyesight had also noticed the abnormality with the distant archers.

Perhaps it was the thing that shot out of the sedan chair which had taken the lives of those archers.

So what exactly was it?

It was so fast that it was almost invisible to the human eye.

And why was there such a terrifying, thunderous sound?

The person inside the sedan chair…..

Everyone simultaneously thought of the rumors circling in the capital. Other than being a court official, Chu Jiubian was also said to be…..an immortal.

This person was really an immortal!

Everyone was utterly astonished.

Suddenly, one after another, the thuds of bodies hitting the ground could be heard.

The guards all took a few steps back, disregarding everything else as they stared warily at the corpses of the assassins.

“They took poison,” someone said after realizing what had happened.

The other guards rushed to check the bodies, and confirmed that they had all committed suicide by poison.

But they seemed to understand why they had committed suicide – they had come here to assassinate a god!

The heavens were watching. What a terrible sin it must be to attempt to murder a god!

So before things got out of hand and the situation became more complicated, it would be better to die to atone for their mistakes.

The four sedan-bearers remained stationed around the sedan chair, never more than two meters away from it. For this reason, they were the ones most affected by the gunshots.

When the first thunderous blast sounded from within the sedan chair, they were terrified, and even thought that lightning had struck the top of the sedan chair.

But they soon discovered that this was not the case – it was the person inside the sedan chair controlling the thunder.

And with each clap of thunder, an assassin died.

To control thunder – how terrifying!

The sedan-bearers had previously heard that Chu Jiubian could accurately predict the weather, even knowing when the rain would start and stop. Thus, it only seemed natural that he could control thunder as well.

But was this really something a mortal was capable of?

No!

Absolutely not.

Jiu-gongzi in the sedan chair must genuinely be a deity who had descended to earth!

Muffled claps of thunder on a clear day had startled those in the nearby offices of the Six Ministries. Many officials went to the courtyards to stare up at the sky in bewilderment, but there were no dark clouds to be seen.

“How can there be thunder in broad daylight?”

“I fear someone made a false oath and was struck down by lightning.”

“That didn’t sound like thunder to me. It sounded more like it was coming from the main street.”

“What else could it be but thunder? The road couldn’t have been broken by something heavy, could it? Hahahaha.”

Everyone laughed, not taking it seriously at all.

Wang Pengyi stood in the courtyard, gazing toward Chang’an Street with his brow furrowed. A bad feeling crept over him. 

Could it be that his grandfather and the others had made their move?

What else could it be but a large-scale operation?

He couldn’t help but recall Jiu-gongzi’s extraordinary qualities.

Could that “thunderous” sound just now be related to him?

On Chang’an Street, the guards were at a loss for what to do next.

Qin Xiao had previously ordered them to follow Chu Jiubian’s arrangements in everything they did. As long as it didn’t harm Bai Lihong or Qin Xiao, Chu Jiubian could make decisions as he pleased.

Therefore, it was up to Chu Jiubian to decide how to deal with the bodies of these assassins.

However, the other party still hadn’t shown his face. They didn’t know if the immortal required rest after using his divine power, or if they would commit a taboo by addressing him, so they didn’t dare speak up or disturb him for the time being.

Amidst the silence, the leading guard stepped forward and bowed. He was about to voice a question when he suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure.

The newcomer wore dark brocade robes embroidered with golden python patterns. It was Qin Xiao.

Chu Jiubian had already stored the pistol in his System Space.

His eyes were downcast, his ears ringing from the explosive bangs of the gunshots. He couldn’t hear any sounds outside, only the frantic, disordered beating of his own heart.

His gaze fell on his pale, slender hands. A faint pink tinged his palms, and his hands and arms were shaking from the shock.

He had killed someone.

He had really killed someone.

It turned out that doing so was easier than he had imagined.

Something trapped behind the twisted cell door in his mind seemed to break free, gradually eroding his remaining sanity.

“Murderer!”

“You’re the same as him, you’re both murderers!”

“Why wasn’t it you who died? Why wasn’t it you?”

“You both deserve to die! You deserve to die!”

A woman’s hysterical screams echoed in his mind. Chu Jiubian seemed to see her rush over frantically, hands wrapping tightly around his throat as her empty eyes filled with moldering hatred.

A murderer.

He had the blood of a murderer in his veins. He had the genes for violence.

He watched as the madness in the woman’s eyes faded, replaced by endless grief and helplessness. She hugged him tight, apologizing repeatedly.

He reached out to touch the woman’s shoulders, but she abruptly stood, grabbed his thin arm, and shoved him toward the filthy bedside that was covered in vomit and alcohol.

A man snored loudly, passed out drunk on the bed.

The woman rushed to the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and knelt down in front of him.

She placed the kitchen knife in his small palm and made him grip it firmly.

Chu Jiubian watched the woman smile at him, so gentle and tender, even as tears streamed from her eyes.

“Baby, please kill him. Please kill him, okay?”

“Help your mama.”

“Save your mama!”

He let out a hoarse scream.

Chu Jiubian felt his hands trembling violently.

His head spun and his stomach churned.

The woman suddenly shoved him away and snatched the kitchen knife from his hands.

“You won’t kill him? Fine, I will!” The woman looked crazed. She raised the knife, then slashed fiercely toward the person on the bed.

Blood covered his field of vision.

Chu Jiubian suddenly smelled the faint scent of gunpowder.

He looked down to see his own slender hands, no longer those of a child. The lingering scent of gunpowder was coming from them.

Most of the nail on his right thumb had been torn, leaving it bloody and mangled. He raised his hand to his lips, then bit off that portion of his fingernail.

His frantic heartbeat immediately calmed.

He tossed away the nail and gently wiped the blood from his lips with a handkerchief.

He calmly bought alcohol, anti-inflammatory medicine, and gauze from the System store and skillfully bandaged the wound.

Excruciating pain spread through his flesh and bones, accompanied by the ringing in his ears, yet his mind became increasingly clear.

Ancient times were different from the modern era. He must properly disinfect and bandage the wound, lest it become infected.

Suddenly, the curtain beside him lifted up and sunlight streamed in, shining on the young man’s pale face.

Chu Jiubian was startled, and the ringing in his ears subsided.

He turned his head to look out the window.

The man’s well-defined knuckles lifted the sedan curtain, and Chu Jiubian saw his dark robes, along with an embroidered belt cinching his waist that revealed a glimpse of undulating muscles beneath the fabric.

The man leaned in slightly, revealing an incomparably handsome face.

Qin Xiao met Chu Jiubian’s distant eyes through the window, his gaze gradually falling upon the crimson mark on the other’s lips.

Further down, he saw the young man’s bloodstained hand.

A deathly silence fell.

Qin Xiao raised his hand and lifted the curtain to the top of the sedan chair. Reaching through the side window with both hands, he retied the bandages on Chu Jiubian’s finger.

Chu Jiubian looked down and suddenly smiled.

“What are you smiling about?” Qin Xiao asked.

Chu Jiubian looked up at him.

The two were separated by the window, but they were still so close that Chu Jiubian could see the inconspicuous little mole on Qin Xiao’s nose.

Instead of answering, he asked: “When did you get here?”

“When you were displaying your divine power.” Qin Xiao withdrew his hands and regarded him with a half-smile. “I just didn’t expect that an immortal would have to harm his body when casting spells.”

Chu Jiubian smiled as well: “It was unexpected.”

Qin Xiao straightened up and lowered the sedan curtain. He then said to the four sedan bearers: “See to your duty.”

The sedan chair was lifted again and steadily carried to the government office.

Qin Xiao stood in place, watching the sedan chair move farther and farther away until it turned onto another road and disappeared.

“My Lord, what should be done with these assassins?” the leader of the secret guards asked.

Qin Xiao: “Find An Wuji.”

“Yes.” 

When An Wuji arrived after hearing the news, Qin Xiao was no longer there.

He looked at the pile of corpses, then at the ground where there wasn’t much blood, and finally fixed his gaze on the most conspicuous pool of blood.

“My Lord, look at this corpse.”

An Wuji went over and saw that the assassin had been shot in the head.

His eyes darkened slightly, a storm raging within him.

He had been in the city just now not far from here, and had naturally heard the three loud bangs.

He had connected them to Chu Jiubian almost instantly.

Was this the work of an immortal?

How impressive.

An Wuji was already firm in his belief that Chu Jiubian was a divine immortal, and now felt even more awe.

Thank heavens.

Thank heavens that the Young Master and their Lord were of one mind. Having such a powerful deity in their camp provided a great sense of security.

“My Lord, what should be done with these corpses?”

An Wuji snapped out of his musings. There was a cold glint in his eyes as he said in a deep voice: “Return them to where they came from.”

“Yes!”

Not long after, a Xiao family guard hurriedly arrived at the main courtyard where the family head resided.

Only after his presence was announced by a servant did he enter the courtyard.

Xiao Yao sat under a long pavilion, speaking with Xiao Huaiguan, the Minister of Personnel, as they played a game of chess.

“Reporting to the Family Head and the Minister, news just arrived from Hibiscus Garden that all of the assassins we sent out have perished. Their bodies were even dumped back into Hibiscus Garden by the Imperial Guards.”

Hibiscus Garden was where this group of powerful figures had met previously to discuss important matters.

Xiao Huaiguan’s cloudy eyes fixed on the guard, and he asked in a kindly tone: “How did they all die?”

“Thirty-seven people committed suicide by poison, two died of blade wounds…..and there was one more.”

Xiao Yao placed a white piece down, forcing the black pieces into a desperate situation.

He raised his eyes and smiled at the guard.

The guard’s face drained of color and he immediately knelt down and kowtowed, saying: “One person’s forehead was pierced by an unknown object, and the other archers were nowhere to be found.”

Six archers had been sent by the Lu and Wang families. They must have either returned to the families alive, or their bodies were taken back by those families.

“What do you mean by ‘an unknown object’?” Xiao Huaiguan asked in confusion. “What sort of weapon can pierce directly through the brow?”

“This subordinate doesn’t know.” The guard began to tremble as a thought occurred to him.

Xiao Yao opened his fan and waved it gently. His voice was as refreshing as the breeze: “What is the use of keeping your tongue if you’re unable to speak clearly?”

Xiao Huaiguan glanced toward him.

The guard trembled even more violently, and said in a shaky voice: “R-reporting to the Family Head, this subordinate heard that the object was a divine weapon created by Grand Tutor Chu, which is capable of summoning heavenly lightning!”

Xiao Huaiguan chuckled: “How miraculous.”

“A divine weapon?” Xiao Yao was intrigued, and sat up straighter. “Explain it to me in detail.”

“It was Commander Xiao who told this to us subordinates. As for the rest…..”

Before the guard could continue, a middle-aged man clad in tight-fitting garments walked into the courtyard.

This person was nearly 1.9 meters tall. Although he was almost 40 years old and sported a full beard, one could still discern a beauty to his face typical of a member of the Xiao family.

Xiao Ying dismissed the guard, then bowed to Xiao Yao and Xiao Huaiguan.

“Second Cousin, please have a seat.” Xiao Yao gestured to the stool beside him, not putting on any airs as the family head.

“Thank you, Family Head.” Xiao Ying went over and sat down.

“Have you found out what happened?”

“Yes.” Xiao Ying was the commander of the Xiao family’s 30,000 private soldiers. From the moment he heard that they were going to take action against Chu Jiubian, he had personally guarded the vicinity of Chang’an Street.

Upon hearing the three thunderous blasts, a bad feeling came over him and he rushed over, only to find that all of the assassins on the official road had committed suicide.

Fortunately, there were still four surviving archers. He stopped one of them to get a general understanding of the situation, and then instructed a subordinate to come back and notify Xiao Yao.

He stayed behind to hear the details, then hurried over.

As soon as he sat down, he began to explain everything he had heard in detail.

“You mean to say that Chu Jiubian summoned heavenly lightning and killed three assassins?” Xiao Huaiguan shook his head with a chuckle. “That is a bit absurd.”

“Absurd?” Xiao Yao regarded him with gleaming eyes. “I don’t think it’s entirely impossible.”

Xiao Huaiguan raised an eyebrow: “The Family Head believes this?”

A strange light flashed in Xiao Yao’s eyes: “With the ability to predict celestial phenomena and create so many miracles, it wouldn’t be surprising if he was able to summon heavenly lightning.”

Moreover, even if it wasn’t heavenly lightning that killed those people, it had been proven that Chu Jiubian had absolute means to protect himself.

Even without Qin Xiao’s guards, the assassins they’d sent wouldn’t have been able to do anything to him.

“It’s such a pity that this person cannot be of use to my Xiao family.” Xiao Yao shook his head as he spoke, muttering to himself: “No, how could someone like him be controlled by others?”

Xiao Huaiguan contorted his expression and coughed twice.

Xiao Yao’s eyes flickered. He quickly feigned concern, asking: “Is Great Uncle unwell?”

Xiao Huaiguan lamented: “When people get old, their brains age as well.”

“Great Uncle is joking.” Xiao Yao said with a hint of worry, “I am young and inexperienced, and our family’s great ship still requires your help steering it, Great Uncle.”

Xiao Huaiguan chuckled: “The Family Head has made this old man happy again.”

“I mean it sincerely.” Xiao Yao poured him a cup of tea and raised it toward him, saying: “Please have some tea to soothe your throat. Your assistance will be needed to make decisions from here on out.”

Xiao Huaiguan looked at him intently. There was a smile in his cloudy eyes, but instead of gentle benevolence, it exuded a sense of oppression. 

Xiao Yao’s hand did not waver, and the smile on his face remained unchanged.

After a long moment, Xiao Huaiguan finally accepted the teacup from his hand and took a sip.

Xiao Ying kept his eyes slightly lowered throughout the process, as if he hadn’t noticed the subtle atmosphere between the two.

The teacup made a crisp sound as it was placed on the table.

“This man is highly skilled. We must avoid direct confrontation with him for now,” Xiao Huaiguan said in a warm tone. “But his cooperation with Ning-wang is something that must be taken seriously.”

“Does Uncle mean that we should sow discord between the two?”

Someone as capable as Chu Jiubian, who had come to the capital and entered the vortex of power, would certainly not be satisfied with being someone else’s subordinate.

He must have a higher and more indefinable purpose.

Therefore, he wasn’t choosing to ally with Qin Xiao, but given the current situation, what Qin Xiao was offering him suited his needs best.

“Let’s wait and see,” said Xiao Huaiguan.

He picked up a black piece and placed it on the board, instantly transforming a hopeless situation into a chance for survival.

“This relationship based on mutual benefits will inevitably break down,” he said as if lamenting.

Xiao Yao lowered his gaze to the chessboard and said gently: “ This Zimei has learned much.”

Mutual benefits?

But what if Chu Jiubian was actually a god?

Then his supposed “love tribulation” with Qin Xiao would be the basis of their close cooperation.

A love tribulation.

Since it was a tribulation, it couldn’t be a good thing.

There was affection, yet also calamity. Betrayal would be the weapon that collapsed their relationship.

Xiao Yao stroked the white chess piece in his hand and lightly placed it down.

*

*

The Wang family.

Wang Huanzhi found these arguments laughable.

The common people may believe in the supernatural, but this was not necessarily the case for the wealthy and powerful.

These so-called gods, divine right to the throne, and celestial phenomena were nothing more than methods for the emperor to control the hearts of the people.

How could there possibly be gods in this world?

But his gaze involuntarily drifted toward the body of the archer in the courtyard. There was a small bloody hole in his forehead, and his eyes were wide open as if in disbelief of his easy death.

How exactly had Chu Jiubian killed this person?

Could…..could he really be a god?

Even Wang Huanzhi’s supposedly firm resolve was thrown into turmoil.

Wang Zhiyuan, Minister of Rites, along with his advisor Wang Zhang, wore solemn expressions as they stood to the side with their brows furrowed.

If Chu Jiubian was truly a god, then his close relationship with Qin Xiao was not a good thing for them.

How could mortals possibly defeat a god?

They must find a way to create discord between Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao – otherwise, they would be subservient to Qin Xiao for the rest of their lives!

It must be said that these wealthy and powerful people were all of one mind, and were all thinking the same thing.

In the study in the Lu family’s main courtyard, Lu Youwei, Minister of War, and his strategist Lu Tong both shared the same idea.

Only the Family Head, Lu Jinfeng, frowned and said: “I’ve said it before – asassination is the work of the despicable, and is a disgrace to the Lu family.”

“Yes, you are indeed upright and honest. But isn’t this vast Lu family supported by treacherous villains like us? If we relied on you —”

Seeing Lu Jinfeng’s unsightly expression, Lu Youwei sneered: “Our Lu family went along with Qin Jingzhao and his wife eight years ago.”

Lu Jinfeng rose and walked out, his face cold and grim.

But upon reaching the door, he stopped and said: “The Lu family, having persecuted loyal officials, did indeed die eight years ago.”

With that, he turned and left.

Behind him, Lu Youwei crushed the teacup in his hand with a crack.

At the same time, a cold scoff was heard from the main Qiu family courtyard.

“What supernatural abilities? They were just useless idiots who couldn’t even kill a person properly.” The Qiu family head, Qiu Xuanzheng, picked up his two large hammers and said: “I’m going to pay a visit to that Jiu-gongzi.”

“Qiu Ren! You stop right there!” Minister of Justice Qiu Heng strode forward and reached out to snatch the hammers from his hands.

Qiu Xuanzheng held onto them tightly and said with little patience: “Ge, let go. He’s just a charlatan. Laozi will kill him today so that you don’t have to worry about this and that all the time.”

“Who’s the laozi here?” Qiu Heng said angrily, “Do you understand what it means that he shot through a person’s skull from a hundred paces away? You’ll be shot dead before you even get close!”

“Don’t listen to their nonsense. How could someone shoot through a person’s head from a hundred paces away? They must have been closer than that.”

If they were closer than that, they would have been smashed to a pulp with a single blow.

A vein throbbed on Qiu Heng’s forehead: “You had better stay put and behave yourself. Whether you’re practicing martial arts or training soldiers, just don’t go out and cause me any trouble.”

Chu Jiubian’s performance today had obviously been intended to intimidate.

He was telling everyone that he was not someone to be trifled with.

Anyone who wanted to lay a hand on him should first consider whether they were qualified.

Clearly, with his own abilities and Qin Xiao’s protection, it would be extremely difficult for anyone to get close to him.

Qiu Xuanzheng had never listened to anyone since childhood, and his older brother was the only one who could keep him in check.

Now that he had been scolded by his older brother, he didn’t dare actually go and confront Chu Jiubian, and could only put down his two hammers in frustration.

Just then, the steward came from outside the courtyard.

“Family Head, My Lord, our caravans have sent word that the Mobei Army has created two new items that greatly enhance the cavalry’s strength when equipped on their horses.”

“Oh?” Qiu Xuanzheng’s interest was piqued. “What kind of objects?”

“They are said to be called stirrups and saddles, but their specific design and function in actual combat are still unknown. I expect there will be more updates in a few days,” the steward reported.

“Stirrups and saddles?” Qiu Xuanzheng frowned. “Why do these words sound familiar?”

“Ge, have you heard of them?” he turned to glance at his older brother, only to find that his expression was rather unpleasant. He quickly asked: “What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”

“There is!”

There was a big problem!

---

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Chapter 28 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 30