[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign":3,"chapter-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-143":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Eternal Green Immortal Sovereign",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2270151,4432,"Chapter 143: Just Creating Opportunities to Spend Time Together","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-143",143,"\u003Cp>The next morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first rays of dawn glowed upon the window frames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui emerged from the secret passage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, he had hidden in the passage all night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blood-colored mist lasted about fifteen minutes, then dissipated; out of caution, he waited until daylight was fully bright before stepping out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who exactly was it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui frowned tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it someone even Jiang Lin and Cao Wei dared not provoke?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or was it targeting him specifically?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He fell into thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he sighed softly and pushed open the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Li, you’re finally out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yong sighed in relief as Li Rui stepped out of the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui usually rose early to practice fist techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, however, he had broken his routine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After waking up, he and Wang Zhao found Li Rui hadn’t left his room and grew deeply worried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui said casually: “Old age makes sleep light. Last night, sparrows chirped all night—annoying as hell. So I slept in a bit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yong and Wang Zhao exchanged glances:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sparrows?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They clearly remembered last night being utterly silent—no sparrow sounds at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Yong was speechless: “Old Li, are you dreaming? Last night there wasn’t a single sound.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe I dreamed it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui said lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His brow twitched slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, Yang Yong and Wang Zhao had sensed nothing of the danger last night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So… what exactly happened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an ordinary, utterly unremarkable empty house in Qinghe New City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since its construction, the house had been bought by a merchant from afar, yet strangely remained vacant, unoccupied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The neighbors had long grown accustomed to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In one room of the empty house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No wonder Jiangdong’s Sword Immortal—he truly has some skill.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Cheng removed his black robe, sneering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, this house was the doing of County Magistrate Zhuang Renhe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He, a member of the Ghost Ming  Sect, staying in the county office, risked exposure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Zhuang Renhe had bought this house under the guise of a foreign merchant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Specifically for Qi Cheng’s residence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I need to go again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last night, he infiltrated the Anning Guard Battalion, suppressing his aura to its limit—but barely escaped detection by Jiang Lin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he not used his secret technique, he might have been trapped inside the Anning Guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dare to take something from the Ghost Ming  Sect!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kill intent flared in Qi Cheng’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had already narrowed down the range; he only needed to wait for the day Jiang Lin and Cao Wei left Anning Guard—then he would strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could wait patiently. He had all the time in the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For over a year now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had secretly searched for the one who killed the Ghost Demon Zhang Hao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That person was very likely also the true thief who took the Immortal Treasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To avenge his master and complete the Ghost Ming  Sect’s mission, Qi Cheng would never let this go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bide your time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Cheng was no fool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would never dare openly storm the Anning Guard Battalion to kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t believe Jiang Lin and Cao Wei never leave!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Elder?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Qin was practicing in her courtyard when Li Rui came to her door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As an eighth-rank martial artist,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he held no actual post in the Anning Guard—most young disciples of Huaqing Sect were like this; for them, serving in Anning Guard was merely for training. Only those with no hope of promotion sought official titles within the Anning Guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though without rank, each had been assigned a separate house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui: “Young Han, do you have time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Qin nodded without hesitation: “Yes, yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just time—he had nothing but wasted hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Martial artists couldn’t train twenty-four hours a day—that would ruin them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three or four hours was usually enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what about the rest of the time?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, it was spent on missions to gather more resources. Now… it was boring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Li Rui hadn’t come to him, he would have gone to find Li Rui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was simply too idle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui: “Could you trouble Young Han to gather the others? We’ve received orders for a patrol outside the city.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Qin’s eyes lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only on missions could he earn military merit—and exchange it for resources within the Anning Guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t like those other rich second-generation kids—do nothing, and he’d starve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only half an hour passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Qin arrived with three men and two women before Li Rui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reunited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to their first meeting, they had clearly improved; though they didn’t respect Li Rui, they no longer rejected him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui smiled faintly: “All of you, we’ve received orders from the General to patrol Qinghe City. Let’s go immediately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said no more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turned and walked toward the camp’s exit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Han Qin and Jiang Yan followed at first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other four Huaqing disciples exchanged glances, then silently trailed behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui walked at the front, a faint smile on his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First step of taming:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Achieved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the General’s order—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Wei had indeed ordered patrols of Qinghe and surrounding sects, but that was a month ago. Li Rui only mentioned it now—not out of diligence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merely an excuse to get close to Jiang Yan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gazed at the mist in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As expected!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mist had shifted from red to nearly pure white.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good news: the expert who infiltrated Anning Guard last night was no match for Jiang Lin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bad news: it was almost certainly targeting Li Rui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui pondered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could it be Mingguang Sect?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of late, the only group he’d angered—and capable of breaking into Anning Guard—was Mingguang Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>=9+book_bar\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Mingguang Sect wasn’t insane—why would they raid a military camp?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forget it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui glanced casually at Jiang Yan, walking beside the group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Create more opportunities to be together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeking protection directly from Jiang Lin was impossible—so he’d take the indirect route: staying near Jiang Yan was just as safe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui had his hands behind his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He led them all from the eastern city gate to the western, then from the southern to the northern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They paused here for a rest, sipped tea there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For these few, such work was hardly tiring—but what a waste of time!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Hua, the male disciple of Huaqing Sect, was the first to lose patience:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Li, what are you playing at? Are you mocking us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other three nodded vigorously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We’ve been wandering the city all day—what does this have to do with monitoring the Jianghu?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Qin slightly furrowed her brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t expected his junior brothers and sisters to have such short tempers—they couldn’t even wait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was about to counsel them, but hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, he didn’t understand Li Rui’s purpose in doing this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui smiled faintly as he walked: “You can’t even endure this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Hua snorted: “We’re here to bring peace to the Jianghu, not to entertain an old man.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bring peace to the Jianghu?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui stopped, turned to face Qin Hua and the others:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let me ask you—what did you see today?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Hua was stunned for a moment, then replied: “We just walked around the city—what else could we see?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked as if these youths were beyond teaching:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiang Elder was right to send you to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sit down. Let this old man explain it to you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui sat himself on a large stone by the roadside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though puzzled, Qin Hua and the others gathered around—though there were plenty of other stones, they all chose to stand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui didn’t urge them to sit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He continued: “Today, I led you past the outposts of three sects, seven gates, and eleven families in Qinghe County. As Night Scouts tasked with gathering intelligence, you didn’t notice even this basic information?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you expect intelligence to deliver itself to your door?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Or do you truly think we’re here for a stroll?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who’ve been spies know gathering intelligence is nothing as dramatic as novels claim—it’s all hidden in ordinary things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sneaking alone into enemy strongholds, unlocking treasure vaults—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All fairy tales for children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Qin Hua and the others flushed red, yet had no reply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d only been walking, never observing or paying attention to these clues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Qin and Jiang Yan’s eyes lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui went on: “The guards at Mingguang Sect’s gate doubled from ten to twenty—someone important is coming, or something major is afoot. More attention needed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Zhao family had over thirty people entering and leaving within an hour—mostly servants. Likely hosting a guest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiuyi Gate hung red lanterns—Deputy Gate Master Xie took another concubine. Probably surnamed Gao.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui spoke fluently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He left the Huaqing disciples stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially Qin Hua—he’d followed Li Rui all day, feeling only irritation, never imagining that this ordinary walk had revealed so many subtle details, all memorized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Remarkable!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Hua’s arrogance visibly diminished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But—but what use are these trivial, dusty old details?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui remained unperturbed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The head of Jiuyi Gate was once a major underworld boss. Their operations in Qinghe have always been dirty. We could cultivate the Gao family, then use them to gather intelligence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A pillow talk—most effective.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Qin drew a sharp breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Li Rui spoke casually, this required not only meticulous thought, but deep knowledge of every sect’s inner workings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To reach Li Rui’s level, one must have labored intensely behind the scenes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Try it yourself—recite eight hundred names in one breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Few could manage it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Li Rui remembered the conditions of every sect within the Anning Guard’s jurisdiction—not superficially, but thoroughly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your humble disciple has learned!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Qin bowed deeply to Li Rui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui helped her up, smiling at the others: “Just old experience. Listen if you wish; if not, it’s fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since he’d shown this skill,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Hua and the others grew quiet and obedient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, Jiang Yan secretly studied him far more often.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Too bad the mission is already complete.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui noticed all of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could do this because he often read miscellaneous books, had sharp insight, and an excellent memory—so he knew many odd facts others overlooked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a STEM student in his past life who loved discussing quantum mechanics with humanities majors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With an information gap,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>isn’t that just a dimension-level strike?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1726,"2026-06-19T22:01:09.077Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","e1111bda90bccf1c4dfe4a9720b0bb527a2744f4f96fbbc06a33502a61987245","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-144","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-142",866,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Feternal-green-immortal-sovereign-cover.jpg"]