[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign":3,"chapter-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-168":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},2270176,4432,"Chapter 168: Sending You on Your Way","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-168",168,"\u003Cp>“Li Ye, this dagger’s been melted down and needs to be reforged before it can be used.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Tiezhu didn’t notice Li Rui’s expression change, continuing to speak on his own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Melt it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Li Rui’s words,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he first froze, then turned his head and, seeing Li Rui wasn’t joking, still couldn’t help confirming: “Li Ye, this is a fine weapon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui smiled lightly: “I don’t like it. Melt it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Tiezhu inwardly sighed at the extravagance of the rich—such a fine dagger, willingly turned to molten iron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His feet stomped the bellows, whooshing loudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flames burst up instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the dagger vanished entirely, leaving only a pool of molten iron that cooled into a lump.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Tiezhu found a container, poured the cooled iron into it, and handed it to Li Rui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui took back the “dagger.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at Liu Tiezhu with satisfaction: “Good. I was right about you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d always thought Liu Tiezhu was a simpleton, but with natural talent in forging weapons—and crucially, willing to put in the work, understanding both craft and theory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was clear from how he’d understood the Dao of Four Blade Methods last time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he’d come to test his luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turned out he’d struck gold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since seeing the hooded man, Li Rui had noticed the weapon hidden beneath his shoe sole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that the hiding was unskillful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was that the spiritual substance of the dagger was unusual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since gaining the ability to see spiritual substance, and observing more and more, Li Rui had gradually drawn conclusions:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though all are spiritual substances, each individual differs greatly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, this dagger contained spiritual substance mixed with blood ice crystals—he’d never seen such a thing before. Perhaps this was the breakthrough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s when he remembered the blacksmith.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Tiezhu smiled awkwardly: “It’s my honor to serve Li Ye.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui clapped Liu Tiezhu on the shoulder: “Interested in joining Anning Guard?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Tiezhu thought he’d misheard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui repeated it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He, a lowly blacksmith, was being noticed by an official, wanted for Anning Guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was an enormous stroke of fortune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he immediately shook his head—no, no, no. Heaven doesn’t drop such a pie onto his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mind went blank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui chuckled: “No rush. If you ever decide to come, just find me at Anning Guard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying that,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he left Liu Tiezhu standing there, eyes wide, face filled with disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned and walked out of the forge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Tiezhu was a talent—and if he was a talent, he was better off under Li Rui’s command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The forge had always been entangled with Anning Guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a sixth-rank patrol commander, getting a blacksmith transferred was just a word away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stepping onto the street,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui pondered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nanliang. Zhuang family.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling how County Magistrate Zhuang had actively befriended Qu Chengfeng,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he’d already asked the madam—Qu Chengfeng’s lavish spending at Chunyan Pavilion was all paid for by Zhuang’s men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, Qu’s meager fortune wouldn’t cover even one night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though evidence doesn’t form a chain, it no longer matters.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui glanced at the iron lump tucked in his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t even plan to hand it over to Ning Zhongtian or Jiang Lin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It involved a county magistrate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Zhuang Renhe wasn’t an ordinary magistrate—he was a fifth-rank official, equal in rank to Jiang Lin and Cao Wei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d been sent by the imperial court specifically to balance Anning Guard’s power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This much evidence won’t topple him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless he could find charges of treason or similar crimes, even Jiang Lin would struggle to remove Zhuang Renhe merely by accusing him of framing Anning Guard officers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Annoying Zhuang Renhe served no purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would only alert him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And bring trouble onto himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui never did meaningless things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that he knew who was behind it, he’d simply keep watch in the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just endure it—for now, he’s two ranks above me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five days later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the night sky,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the county government office, inner courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, the men watching Chunyan Pavilion have been withdrawn.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Ting said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Withdrawn?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Renhe’s lips curled into a smile—his plan had succeeded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few days ago, he’d invited Cao Wei to dinner; their interests aligned, and they reached an understanding over wine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The enemy of my enemy is my friend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would supply charges of corruption and bribery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Wei would make the arrests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The county government office had its own methods for handling people—since they couldn’t act from within Anning Guard, they’d strike from outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How many officials have clean hands?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Yu Kingdom’s laws totaled seven thousand six hundred thirty-five articles, covering every detail—even littering could be punished with facial tattooing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some laws were so absurd even the Emperor found them ridiculous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since they were ancestral decrees, they couldn’t be deleted—only ignored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Local governments mostly did the same, especially officials: unless the offense was too egregious, they’d just give a warning and let it pass, turning big issues small and small ones nonexistent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if someone had intent, they could turn small matters into big ones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Zhongtian’s men taken to the Enforcement Camp were mostly cases like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crimes were real; Cao Wei insisted on investigating, and Jiang Lin couldn’t interfere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they met a truly clean official, they’d smear him with dirt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smearing dirt didn’t care whether the target was guilty or not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once smeared, he was dirty—then the county government office had grounds to “eliminate evil,” and with Cao Wei’s help, cutting Ning Zhongtian’s wings would be simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Renhe was a scholar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Didn’t the great scholars in court love this tactic?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Killing without bloodshed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far more insidious than real swords and spears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Ning Zhongtian’s men all busy saving themselves, who had time to investigate Chunyan Pavilion?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Ting bowed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, one more thing—Ah Liu is missing. Likely watched, probably dead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hooded man Ah Liu was the one he’d sent to deal with Ge Hong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Renhe frowned slightly: “Cleaned up?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t care about the death of a death-soldier—dead was dead—but he couldn’t let trouble come to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Ting: “Ah Liu was trained. He won’t leak information.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>=9+Book_bar\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah Liu was one of his trained death-soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is a death-soldier?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just someone who carries out a mission with no fear of death—but also, if captured, immediately swallows poison to leave no trace for the enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had full confidence in this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the greatest detective came, he could never trace Zhu County Magistrate back from Ah Liu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Renhe nodded in satisfaction: “Dead is dead; replace him with another. But Ning Zhongtian must never be allowed to idle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Ting said in a low voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was about to turn and leave when Zhu Renhe called him back: “By the way, what was that man’s name who exposed the succubus at Chunyan Pavilion?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Ting answered: “Li Rui.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How is he now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Ting understood: Zhu Renhe could not possibly care about the health of a Peace Guard patrolman. “We’ve sent men to watch him, but he’s cautious—lately he rarely leaves his quarters, and we haven’t found an opening yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Renhe frowned: “If you can’t handle a mere patrolman, what good are you? Deal with him swiftly!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Ting nodded repeatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He dared not utter a single complaint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Renhe snorted coldly and waved his hand: “Go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after receiving the order did Xiang Ting dare step slowly out of the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stepped out of the county government office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Ting rubbed his temples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serving a lord is like serving a tiger; serving Zhu Renhe was much the same. He had stayed by Zhu Renhe’s side for over a decade and still could not fathom the mind of this Zhu family prodigy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the harder he was to read, the more his subordinates obeyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Rui.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew full well Zhu Renhe’s first target was Ning Zhongtian, then Li Rui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Rui was still a Peace Guard patrolman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could he simply kill him at will?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others were watched by assassins he sent; Li Rui, he had watched personally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he could never find a flaw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not even an opportunity to smear him with dirt—the worst he’d done was visit brothels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Cao Wei himself wouldn’t dare use a brothel girl as leverage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Difficult.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the first time Xiang Ting had faced such a hard target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then kill him outright!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flash of killing intent crossed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui was a patrolman—he’d eventually leave the city. He’d have the Ghost Ming  Sect send experts to ambush him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t believe they couldn’t kill this seventy-year-old old man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the time came, everything would be blamed on the Ghost Ming  Sect—nothing to do with his county government office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d done this before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Killing one or two people wouldn’t provoke the Peace Guard too severely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the Ghost Ming  Sect wasn’t new to killing Peace Guard soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Ting had made his decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since you’re so cautious, so afraid of death, I’ll make sure you die!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Zhongtian’s others might lose only their official robes, but Li Rui—Xiang Ting would kill him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The smarter the man, the more he must die!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Ting’s eyes brimmed with killing intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later, he returned to his house in Qinghe County.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The house was empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No servants, no maids.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had a wife and children, but they were in Nanliang, under Zhu family care—Zhu Renhe claimed it was for their convenience, but he knew well: they were hostages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He accepted it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did Zhu Renhe’s dark deeds; if he betrayed him, Zhu Renhe would face grave trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he needed leverage to feel secure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For this reason, Xiang Ting had always lived alone in Qinghe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He feared leaking secrets and bringing Zhu Renhe’s wrath upon his family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pushed open the door, too lazy to light a candle, and in darkness began to strip off his outer robe to sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he had half-undressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body froze instantly, pupils dilating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone else was in the room!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who’s there?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Ting’s muscles tensed instantly, his right hand already gripping the hilt of his waist knife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the corner’s shadow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A figure in black robes, black shoes, and a black cloth mask stepped forward slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a deliberately altered voice, he spoke coldly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The one come to kill you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Ting’s gaze sharpened, fixed on the black-clad man, his heart stunned: “A master!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He drew a deep breath and asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who sent you to kill me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black-clad man sneered: “You’ve done so much for Third Master Zhu, and now you die not even knowing who wants you dead? How laughable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He raised his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let me make it clear.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Blame yourself—you know too much. Third Master Zhu fears you. He sent me to send you on your way!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1820,"2026-06-19T22:01:09.077Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","7e61e3c29b8a82a3f78f58af9a52715816e422fa40301f615658f65f2ab26636","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-169","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-167",866,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Feternal-green-immortal-sovereign-cover.jpg"]