Chapter 109: Renewed Turmoil

Inside the Pacification Office.

Jiang Zhushen came to visit.

Zhu GaoWang found out as soon as he entered the city, but he had not chosen to come watch the fight.

Because no matter which side lost, being on site would do him no good.

So he only came to the Pacification Office after Prince Rong left.

Jiang Zhushen's voice stuttered a little: "Ah? Prince Rong was killed in one strike?"

The scholar nodded, recounting what he had seen; of course, with his eyesight he could not explain the details, and what exactly happened remained unclear.

Anyway, Prince Rong was killed in one strike, and the technique used was Ink Dragon Severing River.

Jiang Zhushen was somewhat dumbfounded; these few short sentences carried a lot of information.

Whether Prince Rong was killed in an instant, or Shen Qing really grasped the supreme skill in only half a day,

but these two things share a common point: they are not something the youngest son of Prince Qi ought to know, for the karma is too great.

Jiang Zhushen shook his head, trying to toss out what he had just heard.

Shen Qing glanced at him and couldn't help laughing: "If you keep shaking, your brains will get scrambled."

Jiang Zhushen gave an embarrassed laugh and changed the subject: "Hey, Young Master Shen, I actually have something else I wanted to tell you."

"This time, with the Wokou traitors affair, your merit is surely not small; I'm asking whether you want rewards, precious medicine, cultivation methods, weapons, or the like."

"The merit for dealing with the Wokou traitors is certainly not small; next is Captain Xu Han's collusion with the enemy—this merit is also not trivial, possibly even greater than the reward for capturing the Wokou traitors."

Shen Qing chuckled: "Can it really be like that? Shouldn't you give what you decide and I take what you give? Can I even choose for myself?"

Jiang Zhushen answered.

"In theory that's correct—superiors give what they give and we take what we get—but if you, Young Master Shen, make a request, I believe they will satisfy it."

Shen Qing nodded; being able to choose for himself would be excellent.

"As for weapons, the Crimson Sky is sufficient for now; martial arts? I've just obtained Ink Dragon Severing River and Hundred Splinter Fist Bone, and they're already overwhelmingly strong."

"Cultivation methods? That's just nonsense."

"So, all things considered, what I really need is still precious medicine."

"Precious medicine for breakthrough."

"Then prepare some precious medicine for breaking through the Grand Master Realm."

"Also, the taste should be a bit better."

Jiang Zhushen's note‑taking pen paused—"Better taste?"

"Shouldn't one ask for better quality and fewer side effects instead?"

"What kind of request is 'better taste'?"

"Nevertheless he still wrote it down in his notebook."

"Shen Qing didn't bother with all that."

"Anyway, with full‑power absorption, any medicinal potency is perfectly absorbed for you."

"You mention side effects? Sorry, with an innate poisonous constitution I actually favor large side effects—they all get converted into medicinal effect for you."

Jiang Zhushen continued looking at Shen Qing: "Anything else?"

"Just the precious medicine; nothing else is usable."

Jiang Zhushen gathered the papers: "All right! Young Master Shen, I'll head out first—I'll notify the local authorities to have the precious medicine ready and sent to you as soon as possible."

Shen Qing waved his hand: "No rush, this or that couple of hours—since you've come, have something to eat before you leave."

The sun set behind the western hills.

Night fell over North Cloud City.

North Cloud City at night was obviously less lively than Luo River City, after all most of the populace had fled.

Furthermore, these past years the populace had been terrified by the Wokou traitors, so as soon as it got dark everyone hid indoors and refused to come out.

Although Shen Qing had publicly executed some Wokou, the long‑standing habit could not be changed in a short time.

In the night, a woman was desperately fleeing, not daring to relax her breath even a bit.

She wore a red dress, but on closer look one would see it was actually a white dress merely stained red with blood.

Moreover, she could clearly hear the footsteps behind her, hurried and rapidly closing in.

She could barely hold on, and finally, upon reaching the gate of the Pacification Office, her legs gave out and she collapsed.

Just then Jiang Zhushen finished his meal and came out from inside.

The woman strained to lift her head, looking at Jiang Zhushen: "Save…"

Jiang Zhushen took a step back: "Martial‑arts folk? The affairs of the jianghu are none of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's concern."

Although the jianghu of Yongning Prefecture had been unified by Shen Qing, the Embroidered Uniform Guard elsewhere still follows the former emperor's orders; as long as jianghu folk do not harm the populace or the court, the court does not intervene in their grudges.

At that moment the pursuers had also arrived outside the Pacification Office, both masked; having heard Jiang Zhushen's words, they stepped forward intending to seize the woman.

Hearing the footsteps draw ever closer, the woman anxiously said: "I am the Third Elder of the Bright Moon Sect; my senior brothers are fighting the Wokou on the front lines, yet someone has ambushed our Bright Moon Sect."

As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Zhushen took two steps forward, blocking the masked men; he now held a gold‑threaded horizontal blade and said: "You heard that? This person is serving the court—I, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, will protect her."

The two masked men exchanged a glance and intended to retreat.

Jiang Zhushen snorted: "You two had better stay a bit longer."

Having said that, he swung a sword; one masked man threw a palm, blade and palm collided, erupting in a huge blast—Jiang Zhushen staggered back two steps, and the two masked men vanished without a trace.

Jiang Zhushen frowned: "A Grand Master?"

Jiang Zhushen sheathed his blade and turned to the woman: "Tell me, what's the situation?"

At that moment the woman was also helped up by the two gate‑keeping Embroidered Uniform Guard, sitting on the steps; she looked about thirty or forty, her charm still present, yet she was still shaken from the ordeal.

"Sorry, I am Lin Yuxiu, Third Elder of the Bright Moon Sect. I've just returned from visiting my senior brothers in the south these past days, but as soon as I got back to the sect I discovered someone was slaughtering our members—I had no choice but to flee here…"

At that moment, Shen Qing also heard the commotion and came out: "What's wrong?"

Jiang Zhushen recounted what had just happened in full.

Shen Qing glanced at Lin Yuxiu.

"Next time, don't just shout for help; get to the point—if you're working for the court, say it sooner."

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard has no obligation to save you jianghu folk; if you had even spoken a moment later, those two would have caught you first, and Jiang Zhushen might not have been able to rescue you."

Although his words were a bit sharp, they were true, and Lin Yuxiu understood this as well; she lowered her head and whispered, "I understand..."

Shen Qing waved his hand: "Old Li, first take her to treat her injuries, then bring her to the court later."

Lin Yuxiu hurriedly shook her head: "No, no, no, I'm fine; the matter of the Bright Moon Sect is more urgent!"

After all, having reached the Grand Master Realm, suppressing a few injuries is still no problem.

Shen Qing nodded: "Then go ahead—what's the situation?"

"It's like this: two years ago, my senior martial brothers took the sect's disciples down the mountain to resist the Japanese pirates, while I stayed behind to guard the sect. A month ago I went south to visit my senior brothers, but when I returned I discovered a group of black-clad people slaughtering the disciples of my Bright Moon Sect."

"I went forward to fight, but with just two fists I couldn't match four hands, so I had to flee; at first I could still run, but later my pursuers became those two black-clad individuals—I was no match for them, and I gritted my teeth and ran all the way here."

Shen Qing continued asking: "Then do you know anything about those black-clad people?"

Lin Yuxiu shook her head, eyes full of fear.

The scholar came over at this point: "Boss, I've looked at the recent files in the case archive, and one file matches what Lin Yuxiu described."

"Two months ago, the Copper Hammer Sect was also wiped out; this sect likewise resisted the Japanese pirates. Boss, do you think it could be...?"

This was already quite obvious—someone is targeting these jianghu sects that resist the Japanese pirates.

Lin Yuxiu also understood, her body trembling uncontrollably, whether from anger or fear she couldn't tell.

Shen Qing then turned to Jiang Zhushen: "Just now, after our brief clash, did you discover any clues?"

Jiang Zhushen shook his head: "There aren't many clues; the person I fought was at the Great Grand Master Realm, his moves gave away no school, but I noticed one thing—his foot is slightly lame, likely one leg longer than the other, and he has a knife scar on his wrist."

Lin Yuxiu lifted her head in disbelief: "Just after exchanging a single move, you found out all that?"

Shen Qing, however, was very pleased with the scholar and Jiang Zhushen.

Having reliable teammates makes things convenient.

"Summon Pan Ruhai, Pan Ruhuan, Zhang Shan, and also Xu Dashan."

"There are jianghu sects resisting the Japanese pirates, and someone is targeting these sects; if this case is solved, it would also be a considerable merit."

"This trip is clearly no small merit, so naturally we should bring our own people."

"At most we could bring one more, someone like Xu Dashan who's still passable."

Shen Qing waved his hand.

"Set out for the Bright Moon Sect."