Chapter 120

Shen Qing exhaled a mouthful of turbid air, sheathed the blade.

Shen Qing lowered their head to look at Zhao Ziyang, who lay on the ground severed in two, and thought, "I had thought this peak Grandmaster Zhao Ziyang would be tough to beat, but it's just like this."

They didn't even sustain an injury.

Fortunately Zhao Ziyang was already dead; otherwise, if they knew Shen Qing's thoughts, they'd probably jump up and curse loudly.

"You attack without any martial virtue the moment we meet, unleashing an instant secret technique that nearly chopped off my shoulder, then followed with successive secret techniques that made me see stars, and then you came at me even more viciously—tell me, what is that flawless meridian and sea-like qi sea of yours?"

"Even though I clearly had the upper hand, you still used a heart-attacking technique on me, a worthless old man, causing me to reveal a momentary opening, and your fist came up—you know yourself whether you held back or not!"

"Look into my eyes! Tell me! How else can I fight!"

Shen Qing examined their gains from this battle, their true qi shifted, and a hint of purple light flashed in their pupils.

【Flaw Insight (Purple): Can roughly see the opponent's true qi circulation】

Shen Qing also couldn't be bothered to say more.

Keep getting stronger!

Consumed two entry upgrade opportunities.

Flaw Insight (Purple) upgraded to: Minute Inspection (Gold) upgraded to: Illusory-Dispelling Pupil (Red)

Illusory-Dispelling Pupil (Red): Sees through the false, a pair of eyes that exist only in legend; even if the opponent isn't using true qi, you can see through them and discover their flaws.

A flash of flowing light passed, and Shen Qing's pupils turned completely light purple.

Looking at Zhao Ziyang, they instantly saw the continuously leaking true qi and several flaws on the meridians.

However, there's nothing worth seeing in a corpse; Shen Qing turned and headed toward the Zhao manor gate.

Meanwhile, on this side, the Zhao family's important figures had all been captured by the Wuwu Army; the remaining insignificant ones were either slain or killed by successive shockwaves of qi.

Cao Shen was busy bringing people to tidy the battlefield.

They felt a twist as they turned their head; Shen Qing was walking toward them, and at a glance they were drawn to Shen Qing's pair of purple pupils, simultaneously feeling a prickling sensation on their back, as if their whole body were being seen through.

Shen Qing smiled, their true qi receded, the purple light in their pupils faded, and Cao Shen finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Before Cao Shen could speak, Shen Qing smiled and said.

"General Cao, when you circulate your true qi, does the side of your Yang Linking Vessel occasionally feel a stagnation?"

Cao Shen's voice stammered: "Lord Shen... you... how do you know this?"

"This little secret is more important to them than their own life; they have never told anyone about it."

Shen Qing also didn't want to explain further, reaching out to tap three acupoints on Cao Shen's back.

"If you trust me, when you return focus on examining the cultivation methods you've practiced before, and reconsider these three acupoints thoroughly."

Cao Shen froze for a moment, immediately recalling Shen Qing's purple pupils from just now—could it be?

They swallowed a mouthful of water; Cao Shen, who rose from humble origins, had fought their way up to Wuwu Army general without any master's instruction, so their cultivation had many gaps—especially after breaking through to Grandmaster, their progress had become unusually slow; if they could find and fill those gaps, they might even have a chance to reach the Primordial Elixir Realm in their lifetime.

Cao Shen understood—Shen Qing had bestowed upon them an opportunity.

They hurriedly bowed: "Cao Shen thanks Lord Shen!"

Shen Qing waved a hand: "Alright, I see everything you do for me."

"How's the cleanup?"

"Reporting to Lord Shen! The important figures have all been captured; Zhao Wan Shang was just arrested by us, and the others have all been executed on the spot as you ordered."

Cao Shen paused, then added: "Lord Shen, if we do this, will those other prestigious families have objections? If they kick up a fuss at the imperial court..."

Shen Qing turned their head to look at Cao Shen: "Oh, thanks for reminding me—I almost forgot about them."

"Does the outside world know why we wiped out the Zhao family?"

Cao Shen shook their head: "We moved quickly the whole way; after capturing Zhao Wan Shu in Yansu City we rushed straight to Ziyan City, and no one else knew—if anyone did, it would only be from when we entered the Zhao manor and Lord Shen bellowed that shout, possibly heard by some people in the city."

Shen Qing waved their hand: "Alright, quickly pass the order down—no one in the army is to leak the news, and also seal Ziyan City for five days, forbidding all communication with the outside."

"Yes!" Cao Shen replied without thinking, but soon realized something.

"Don't leak the news? But now we should be spreading it as fast as possible to prevent outside rumors—what's the point of not leaking it? And Shen Qing's next sentence sent a chill down their spine."

All they heard was Shen Qing snort: "I just want to see which clans jump the most happily."

Wuyang Prefecture, the capital, the imperial palace.

Longyu Lake.

Zhu Lingyue closed their eyes to cultivate in silence, a chill swirling around them, even the vast nearby lake froze over.

At that moment, an old eunuch rushed in, voice trembling with panic: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

They didn't notice the surrounding frost at all, and almost instantly they were about to be frozen into an ice sculpture.

Zhu Lingyue slowly opened their eyes, gathered back the chill, and said in a flat tone: "What's so urgent?"

The old eunuch's body shook as they handed up a memorial and a secret letter: "Your Majesty, please have a look."

"Shen Qing has taken action against the aristocratic clans! And outwardly they claim the reason is merely that the Zhao family has committed countless evils, without even specifying the cause!"

"Now the capital is in utter chaos! Many clans are saying they want to come to the capital to see the emperor!"

Zhu Lingyue picked up the memorial, glanced at it briefly, then turned their gaze to the secret letter: "What is this?"

The old eunuch hurriedly said: "This is a secret letter submitted by Shen Qing."

Zhu Lingyue opened the secret letter, their gaze growing icier: "What a bold and reckless Zhao family."

"They deserve death! It seems that not only the martial sects have been living comfortably these years, but even these aristocratic clans are itching to stir."

Saying this, they slammed the secret letter onto the table with a heavy pat; the old eunuch, gathering courage, glanced at it and immediately froze.

"Colluding with the enemy? Supplying the enemy? This... this courage is too great!"

At the same time, the old eunuch had some doubts: "Why doesn't Shen Qing explain the reason clearly to the outside? This has caused these worlds to engage in great warfare, and we also find it hard to handle..."

Just then, a rare smile appeared on Zhu Lingyue's face.

"I understand what Shen Qing is thinking."

Then I'll do as Shen Qing thinks.

Let these rumors drift for a few more days.

The old eunuch only felt a chill surge up his spine, and he kept wailing in his heart.

Your Majesty, you are the most brilliant spirit pearl of the Great Wu in a thousand years!

You must absolutely not get mixed up with Shen Qing's demon pill!