Chapter 161: White Dragon Sect Arrives

Heaven Star City.

The death of Prince Shun Zhu Natian did not cause a major stir.

It seemed someone was blocking the spread of the news.

Inside the Investigation Bureau, Shen Qing was reading several secret letters sent by the Shadow Guard.

Shen Qing had been thinking these days that, given Zhu Natian's cultivation and power, rebelling basically had no chance of victory.

Even if he absorbed some martial arts sects into the Peace Association, that would only add a slim chance, the success rate likely going from one in ten million to two in ten million.

Then why would he still rebel?

Shen Qing checked the Embroidered Uniform Guard's case archive and found no records of imperial princes rebelling; it seemed someone had covered up these matters.

The Ministry of Justice was the same.

Only the Shadow Guard sent Shen Qing the files.

After reading them carefully, he really discovered some different things.

Throughout history, many imperial princes were like Zhu Natian—mediocre talent and average intelligence.

But they all rebelled, all built up forces, and at the moment their rebellion peaked—or just after they failed—they vanished, leaving no record even in the files.

Combining the black-robed man who devoured dragon energy that Shen Qing had killed, he understood: these imperial princes were all captured and had their dragon energy drained.

The imperial dragon energy cultivation method is closely tied to fortune; thus, when princes rebel, the greater their power and fortune, the stronger their cultivated dragon energy becomes.

Therefore, these princes' rebellions were all forced by the Zhu family's old things, aiming to devour their dragon energy when it reached its peak.

Looking at it this way, even if Shen Qing did not interfere with the Peace Association, Zhu Natian's death date was approaching; when he truly persuaded the martial arts sects to rebel, that was when his dragon energy peaked, and the Zhu family's old things would come to reap the harvest.

No wonder Zhu Lingyue would tell Shen Qing, thanking him for giving Zhu Natian a dignified exit.

Otherwise, being seized by those Zhu family old monsters would make a dignified end difficult.

Shen Qing closed the files and let out a scoffing laugh.

"Is the Zhu family raising gu?"

"Whoever survives becomes the gu king, right?"

Immediately after, Shen Qing laughed, and unbidden, Prince Rong Zhu Gaowang came to mind.

Only a prince like Zhu Gaowang, lacking both talent and wit, could live carefree.

Just then, the scholar knocked on the door.

"Boss, someone's looking for you outside."

"It's General Xu Ying of the Azure Prefecture Golden Warrior Guard."

"Good."

Shen Qing gathered up those secret letters.

Shen Qing couldn't be bothered with what the Zhu family's old things wanted to do; anyway, the grudge was already set.

One by one, as long as they were senseless, he'd chop off their heads.

Stepping out of the room, Xu Ying was already waiting in the courtyard, followed by nine Golden Warrior Guards holding boxes.

"General Xu Ying greets Young Master Shen."

Shen Qing waved his hand: "Why are you here again?"

Xu Ying smiled: "Young Master Shen, I'm here to deliver gifts; His Majesty said he wanted to properly thank you this time, so he ordered me to bring these precious pills."

As Xu Ying waved his hand, the nine Golden Warrior Guards behind him immediately stepped forward with their boxes, and only after confirming with Shen Qing that the boxes were intact did they open them one by one.

Xu Ying came over to introduce them one by one to Shen Qing: "This time, the gifts His Majesty gave are truly enviable—everything is top-notch."

"Dragon claw fruit, dragon blood grass, dragon strength pill...."

Xu Ying recited nine dragon-character precious fruits and pills in a row.

Shen Qing had thought Zhu Lingyue's thanks were just words, but he hadn't expected a substantive gift—this person was quite straightforward.

Moreover, the gifts were not low in value; among precious pills of the Grand Master realm, they were top-grade.

This raised Shen Qing's opinion of Zhu Lingyue by another notch.

Shen Qing waved his hand, a thread of true qi shot out, and snatched the nine precious pills over.

"Then I won't keep you for a meal."

"Let's do it again when we have time."

Xu Ying hurriedly nodded: "Young Master Shen, boosting your strength is urgent."

"Then we'll be on our way."

Having said that, Xu Ying turned and headed out of the courtyard.

He had long known of Shen Qing's deeds; the precious pills that ended up in Shen Qing's hands basically wouldn't last the day.

Shen Qing turned and walked into the room.

"Scholar, I'm going into seclusion."

"As usual, while I'm in seclusion, the affairs of the Azure Prefecture Embroidered Uniform Guard are left to you to command."

"Got it, boss; leave it to me and you can rest easy."

Shen Qing shut the door and didn't dawdle.

He simply tilted his head back and shoved the nine dragon-character precious pills into his mouth.

At that moment.

The precious pills replaced his brain, true qi replaced his thoughts.

Nine Dragon Power entered his body—my fate is mine, not heaven's!

True qi, turn for me!

In an instant, a roaring sound erupted.

Boom boom boom!

This is the sound of Shen Qing's qi sea surging, the treasure medicine's potent power wildly steaming.

What the Master realm does is expand the qi sea, while what the Grand Master realm does is purify the true qi within the qi sea.

Other Grand Masters are always extremely cautious when purifying; each strand of true qi they purify is done with utmost care, fearing the purification might go wrong.

But sorry.

Shen Qing isn't afraid.

Shen Qing had long prepared a purification template for the true qi.

As soon as Shen Qing gives the order.

The true qi twists its buttocks and dives into the template; after a cleansing, it becomes the shape best suited to Shen Qing.

Moreover, the speed is not slow; others come strand by strand, while Shen Qing comes in batches.

With a turn of Shen Qing's domineering true qi,

Shen Qing's aura also begins to surge wildly.

At the same time.

In Approaching Moon City, a small building.

A group of White Dragon Sect members were hiding in the building, plotting secretly.

An ugly-looking man sat on the left; he was the Earth Ugly Star, one of the White Dragon Sect's Seventy-two Earthly Fiends. He spoke, his voice somewhat unpleasant.

"So our mission this time is to kill Shen Qing and seize back the Demon‑blade Dragon‑slayer, right?"

The leader is the Earth Dark Star, who is hidden in his hat, with a faint gray mist swirling around him.

"That's right, the Dragon‑slayer is important; it must not fall into the hands of the imperial officials."

Earth Ugly Star's face looked somewhat sullen: "I have a question: since the Demon‑blade Dragon‑slayer is so important, why didn't you originally send more people to guard it?"

"You insist on having the thing stolen, then sending even more people to take it back."

"Are you sick?"

Although you can't see the Earth Dark Star's facial expression, you can notice that his complexion is not good.

Earth Ugly Star naturally noticed as well, but he has no intention of stopping.

"I'm telling you, Earth Dark Star! Losing the Dragon‑slayer is your problem, and this matter is also your responsibility."

"Now you want me, Earth Ugly Star, to wipe your ass? I tell you, no way!"

At this moment, the Earth Complete Yin Star on the side started playing the good guy.

"Hey, stop arguing! Stop arguing!"

"It's all my fault; originally Earth Dark Star wanted me to guard the Dragon‑slayer, but I had something come up and didn't go."

"In that case, it's all my fault."

"Earth Ugly Star, as long as you help retrieve the Dragon‑slayer, you can do whatever you want."

Saying that, the Earth Yin Star twisted their waist and gave Earth Ugly Star a flirtatious look.

At this moment, the Earth Dark Star slammed the table hard.

"Earth Ugly Star, you just took a fancy to my set of hidden throwing knives, didn't you? This time, after we retrieve the Dragon‑slayer, the throwing knives will be yours."

Earth Ugly Star then showed a smile: "Good, I've been waiting for you to say that."

"Then let's plan properly."

The Earth Dark Star let out a cold snort.

"The most important point of this plan is to grasp Shen Qing's movements and lure him into our encirclement."

"I've heard that Shen Qing is either killing people or on his way to kill people."

"But why has there been no movement these past two days?"