Chapter 188

【Task completed, you have received: Paradise Points ×10000, Attribute Points +4】

——

【Trial Task: Within one month, traverse the Nine Cauldrons Map to reach the Dragon Vein of Great Shuo and claim it】

【Trial Difficulty: A-rank (Hero)】

【Trial Reward: Promotion to 1st-Dimension Adept, Return Eligibility, Paradise Points ×10000, Attribute Points +4】

【Trial Failure: Forced return with all attributes reduced by 1, and all rewards revoked】

——

【Yazi Scroll · Arms】

【Type: Equipment · Scroll】

【Quality: Excellent】

【Durability: 100/100】

【Fierce Weapon's Malevolence (Passive): When attacked, reflect 30 true damage】

【Blood Rage Enshrouded (Passive): Each enemy slain causes 3 seconds of stasis】

【Equipment Requirement: None】

Chu Danqing equipped the Yazi Scroll; for other Adepts, it might be nearly useless, since killing an enemy induced three seconds of stasis.

Triggering this in combat was extremely lethal—reflecting 30 true damage paled in comparison.

In three seconds, Da Bao could twist off a man's head and kick it to Chu Danqing.

But for Chu Danqing, this threat was negligible; since acquiring Da Bao and others, he rarely fought, let alone killed.

Thus, the negative effect barely applied to him, while the reflection effect proved quite useful.

Mainly because the trigger condition was "when attacked," not "when taking damage."

Whether melee or ranged, any attack landing on his shield would activate it.

After returning to his rented mansion, Chu Danqing took out the nine scrolls of the Nine Cauldrons Map and began assembling them.

Soon, he pieced together a complete map.

"Then what?" Chu Danqing flipped through it repeatedly, unable to locate the Dragon Vein.

It was certainly not ordinary—it covered laws, nautical charts, forest and mineral resources, military tactics, and more; its detail made it a divine weapon for rebellion.

"Could it be that the Nine Cauldrons effect activates only after equipping the full set?" Chu Danqing muttered.

Chu Danqing immediately chose to equip all nine pieces.

He had already assembled the full set, resolving the previous awkwardness of being unable to unequip them.

Once all nine pieces were equipped, the Nine Cauldrons set effect activated.

The good news was it functioned like the Three Rings—merging the nine pieces into the true Nine Cauldrons Map.

The bad news was that, since they were not True Spirit equipment, synthesizing the Nine Cauldrons Map required conditions.

It could only be formed by channeling the Dragon Vein.

On the assembled map, a winding, twisting pattern emerged.

The pattern's starting point was precisely Chu Danqing's current location.

Its endpoint was the Dragon Vein.

Simultaneously, Chu Danqing faintly sensed a connection to the Dragon Vein, and this bond gradually strengthened with proximity and duration of equipment.

"This is basically a navigation system," Chu Danqing thought, half-amused, half-irritated.

Now that he understood, he tried to remove the set—only to discover a serious problem.

Once assembled, he had to equip all nine pieces—or remove them all together; he could no longer choose components individually.

The reason was simple: the Nine Cauldrons set effect had fused the nine items into one, each interwoven with the others.

And if he removed them, the sensing bond vanished instantly.

Seeing this, Chu Danqing's face darkened.

In the end, he had no choice but to endure the negative passives and keep the full set equipped.

To connect with the Dragon Vein, sufficient resonance was required—and this sensing was the path to increasing it.

"When Heaven is about to confer a great responsibility upon a man, it first frustrates his will, exhausts his muscles and bones, starves his body, impoverishes his means, and disrupts his endeavors—so as to stir his heart, toughen his nature, and augment his abilities."

"The Nine Cauldrons Map and the Dragon Vein may not directly make you a mighty sovereign, but they may grant you the opportunity."

"Yet low quality implies an additional cost," Chu Danqing realized, observing the Excellent-grade scrolls of the Nine Dragon Sons.

He suspected his Resonance · Rare Passive and his Awakening Quest required the Dragon Vein as an energy source.

Or perhaps Paradise itself needed the Dragon Vein as a transactional currency.

Whatever the case, the final phase of the trial task was clear.

The next evening, after making arrangements, Chu Danqing waited for visitors.

At dawn, the Black Flag Army entered the city; Ma Yunfeng personally welcomed General Zhao Tiechuan and hosted a banquet to honor him.

Chu Danqing did not attend, but he had watchers track Zhao Tiechuan's movements.

After the banquet, he sent word to invite Zhao Tiechuan and Li Yutang to his mansion for a private discussion.

The two arrived one after the other; Wei Chu, the attendant, wondered why Chu Danqing had gone to such elaborate lengths.

"I summoned you both to say one thing: Ma Yunfeng, Chen Jiunan, and their ilk cannot succeed."

"Their reform is not for the people—it is to consolidate the Shuo Emperor's power."

"Even if they succeed, they will be purged," Chu Danqing's gaze settled on Zhao Tiechuan.

Zhao Tiechuan's expression remained calm—he knew this well, having climbed to his position.

Li Yutang remained silent; in his two days of contact, he had also recognized this truth.

Even if they succeeded in purging the court, the result would merely be the Empress Dowager restoring power to the Emperor—not fulfilling Li Yutang's desire for vengeance.

"You want to rebel?" Zhao Tiechuan asked.

"I have no time for that. I'm leaving to draw away Qi Qianshan and most of the troops," Chu Danqing said.

Wei Chu's face turned pale: "Big Brother Chu, this is too dangerous! How could Ma Yunfeng do this!"

Chu Danqing gently calmed Wei Chu, then said: "I depart tomorrow."

"In my view, the Reformists and the Zhao Ming Society are merely gilding shit."

"Rather than rebuild this decaying Great Shuo, it's better to tear it down and start anew."

"Chu Young Master, I wish to support you—but I lack the strength," Li Yutang croaked.

He wanted to agree, but reality constrained him.

"I won't join. This is your three's affair."

"I only inform you: I can buy you time. Afterward, I will enter the capital and kill the Empress Dowager and the Shuo Emperor."

"If I hear no word from you, I will install another puppet to push forward reform."

Chu Danqing continued: "General Zhao and Chu Yi—you both came from poverty; you know the hardships of the common folk."

"Master Li, you've witnessed the terror of unchecked power—your daughter's death was its consequence."

"If the three of you remain true to your original hearts, perhaps you can make life better for the people."

"The imperial family lives detached from the world—how could they understand the people's suffering?"

Here, Chu Danqing sneered: "The Shuo Emperor pretends to support reform—but he uses it as a tool."

"When 'purging the court' succeeds, the first to die will be the Reformists and the Zhao Ming Society."

Li Yutang looked at Zhao Tiechuan; among the three Chu Danqing chose, if Zhao Tiechuan agreed, the plan would succeed.

Their greatest obstacle was lack of troops.

Fortunately, Zhao Tiechuan had them—and elite ones at that.

"Ma Yunfeng is no fool—he's watching me," Zhao Tiechuan spoke.

"I know," Chu Danqing replied. "That's why Wei Chu's role becomes vital."

"His intelligence network, combined with Ma Yunfeng's trust, will enable your three to seize power."

Wei Chu's intelligence network was too hated to be abandoned, and he could not simply escape.

What would become of his men if he fled?

Since he had drawn them onto this path, Chu Danqing believed he must take responsibility.

Chu Danqing had once ordered Wei Chu to disband his network and find them new livelihoods—but Wei Chu secretly continued expanding it behind his back.

Now, entangled in the scheme, escape was impossible.

Zhao Tiechuan had great ambition: as Regional Commander, he aimed to become Governor of the Two Rivers.

Success here could make him Emperor—how could he not be tempted?

In Zhao Tiechuan's eyes, his advantage was greatest.

Li Yutang sought only vengeance; Wei Chu was just a green boy.

The greatest threat was Chu Danqing—but if he assassinated the Emperor, he could never ascend the throne.

If they did nothing, Chu Danqing would resort to force.

"But I don't understand one thing," Zhao Tiechuan demanded. "Chu Young Master, you say you do this for the people."

"Yet when war breaks out, it is the people who suffer."

"This contradicts your own words."

Zhao Tiechuan was not so easily deceived by rhetoric.

"No destruction, no renewal," Chu Danqing explained. "Even if the Empress Dowager restores power to the Shuo Emperor, do you think anything will change?"

If the Shuo Emperor truly had such resolve, he would never be a puppet.

"Just another Empress Dowager." From Chen Jiunan's reaction to Deng Cheng's exposure of his vulnerability, Chu Danqing could glimpse the Shuo Emperor's true nature.

"I need some time to consider," Zhao Tiechuan said, rising.

"Fine, but if you haven't decided by tonight, you'll have to contact us yourselves," Chu Danqing replied.

"Alright." Zhao Tiechuan answered and left immediately.

Li Yutang had not left; compared to Zhao Tiechuan and Wei Chu, he was the most resolute.

His original goal had been merely to kill the Empress Dowager, but now it was different—could there be anything more satisfying than making the entire Shuo Empire die with his daughter?

"Young Master Chu, you're being foolish. General Zhao holds power and influence—he has reasons to hesitate joining our rebellion," Li Yutang said, a sinister smile spreading across his face: "We must cut off his escape routes, remove his reservations."

"Only then will he be willing to join us in overthrowing the dynasty."

Chu Danqing heard this and was at a loss for words.

"This matter doesn't concern Young Master Chu—let Chu Yi assist me. I guarantee I'll win General Zhao over to rise with us." Li Yutang had a plan forming, but he needed some help.

Wei Chu's intelligence network across Lin Yuan City was perfectly suited for the task.

(End of Chapter)