Chapter 178: Immortal Qi

"Ning Tou'er, Brother Li, I swear on my life that Xiao Hai could never have done something like that."

Tan Hu lifted Tang Hai as he spoke.

Li Rui's heart stirred slightly.

He and Ning Zhongtian must have known.

Ever since he heard of this today, he understood it was no longer something he and Tan Hu could handle.

Gao Zhen held substantial power as Garrison Commander.

He and Tan Hu were subordinates; if they confronted Gao Zhen face-to-face over Tang Hai, they would give him grounds to accuse them of insubordination and exploit it fully.

Even if Ning Zhongtian eventually reported them, Tang Hai's fate would be uncertain.

So while rushing over, he also sent Liang He to fetch Ning Zhongtian immediately.

A superior officer's rank makes everything they say right.

Only someone of equal rank can resolve this matter.

If Ning Zhongtian hadn't been here today, the situation likely wouldn't have ended so easily.

Ning Zhongtian's gaze was icy.

He and Li Rui exchanged a glance, each understanding the other's intent.

Could Gao Zhen truly be so brutal and foolish?

Possibly.

But today's incident was most likely either deliberate or instigated by someone behind the scenes.

In short.

It was aimed squarely at Ning Zhongtian.

"Factional strife?"

Ning Zhongtian's heart sank.

Gao Zhen entered and exited Cao Wei's residence daily; anyone could see he was firmly in Cao Wei's camp.

Perhaps Cao Wei deliberately used him to strike at Jiang Lin.

After all, Gao Zhen would serve no more than three years as Garrison Commander in Anning Guard before being promoted elsewhere.

It didn't matter if he made enemies.

He was the perfect tool for this.

And given his previous reckless, spoiled behavior, people would merely think him an inexperienced newcomer, eventually dismissing it as bad luck and letting it drop.

Then he could transform into a repentant prodigal, aided by the Gao clan, and his official career would be smooth sailing.

A gentleman who does evil is forever disgraced, but a repentant prodigal is seen as having learned from his mistakes—great virtue indeed.

Ning Zhongtian sighed softly: "Hu Zi, first find a renowned physician to reattach the severed arm—it might still be usable."

Tan Hu realized Ning Zhongtian had no intention of pursuing this further.

Of course.

Gao Zhen was a Garrison Commander; Tang Hai was just an ordinary soldier, utterly insignificant.

Would they really risk offending a Garrison Commander over a single soldier?

Not worth it.

It's like a spoiled heir kicking an old man to death in the street—would the authorities dare offend a powerful family over it?

Obviously not.

Same logic.

Tan Hu looked at the severed arm in his hand, then at Tang Hai, already unconscious.

Even if reattached, Tang Hai's martial path would likely be finished.

At that moment,

Li Rui, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke: "Ning Tou'er, given how things stand today, what do you plan to do next?"

Ning Zhongtian understood the implication behind Li Rui's words.

Li Rui wasn't asking how to handle Tang Hai—he was asking how to deal with Gao Zhen.

Endure in silence?

"Brother Li, what do you think we should do?"

Gao Zhen's position was unshakable; fighting him head-on would be useless.

At best, it would cost us a hundred to wound him eighty.

Li Rui's expression turned solemn:

"Abandon illusions. Prepare for battle."

Ning Zhongtian froze, staring at Li Rui in surprise.

In the past, Li Rui always advocated courtesy first, then force, favoring conciliation—why had he suddenly changed his stance?

"Brother Li, this—"

Li Rui's eyes grew sharper: "Do you think yielding will make Gao Zhen stop?"

"No!"

"It will only make things worse. Gao Zhen isn't a fool—the more you retreat, the more weaknesses you expose, the more chances he has to seize leverage, and eventually, it may burn back to you, Ning Tou'er."

"Only by striking first can we have any chance of victory."

Ning Zhongtian listened, his expression growing increasingly grave.

Li Rui's gaze turned even sharper: "Ning Tou'er—this is factional strife."

Factional strife.

Ning Zhongtian's heart trembled.

He knew it well—he simply couldn't bring himself to make the decision.

Once made, there was no turning back; factional strife was always a fight to the death, with no other outcome.

He instinctively didn't want to place himself in such a position.

But as Li Rui said, he had no choice.

He bowed, voice low:

"Thank you, Brother Li, for your insight."

Li Rui: "You're just too concerned for your men, your mind is clouded—you could have seen it yourself."

The first two sentences were flattery, of course.

Ning Zhongtian could have seen it—but by the time he made his decision, it would already be too late!

So Li Rui's forceful stance today was meant to push Ning Zhongtian into full preparation as quickly as possible.

The official world is a battlefield.

Timing is crucial.

Once others seize the initiative, it's too late to counter.

In both past and present lives, Li Rui had seen too many examples—factional strife demands unwavering resolve; trying to please both sides or remain neutral is impossible.

"Be more careful in future—if you let someone slip away again—"

Gao Zhen glanced at the Platoon Leader behind him.

The Platoon Leader shuddered.

That look had been truly cold!

His heart tightened.

Until now, the Anning Guard had all assumed the new Garrison Commander was just a spoiled heir—but now it seemed this might have been nothing but a facade.

What spoiled heir could make a Platoon Leader, hardened by death, feel as if plunged into ice?

"Useless."

Gao Zhen shook his head inwardly.

Today's incident was arranged by his own men—he ordered them to lure the target, and he ordered them to bring weapons.

He merely denied responsibility and framed them instead.

Originally, he hadn't planned to appear himself—he only intended to have his men kill and vanish.

But the little soldier from the Running Tiger Cavalry escaped, forcing him to step in and clean it up.

He was cold-blooded and ruthless—but not stupid.

He commanded four battalions, all nominally his, but each harbored secret agendas; if he didn't show up this time, the other watching Platoon Leaders would only grow even more reluctant to act.

"I really want to kill them all."

Gao Zhen returned to his quarters and rubbed his temples.

He sat cross-legged on the soft couch. In the next instant,

A wisp of green qi exhaled from his mouth.

Thin as a hair, no longer than a finger, upon close inspection, this green qi seemed utterly alien to its surroundings, detached and solitary.

A transcendent being is immune to all evil, above and beyond the mundane.

"Immortal qi."

This wisp was the Immortal qi he had obtained from his cheap master, Blood Shadow Ancestor.

A disciple of the Ghost Ming Sect with a clean background who could climb to power was hard to find.

Gao Zhen, a member of the Gao clan, was perfect.

He willingly joined Blood Shadow Old Ancestor's ranks.

In the Gao clan, he was merely an insignificant branch-line bastard.

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To others, the Gao clan lived in silk and jade, above all others.

But in truth, only the main line enjoyed such treatment; those of the branch lines were nearly indistinguishable from poor families.

If you want something, you must fight for it yourself.

So Gao Zhen simply joined the Ghost Ming Sect.

It was precisely the Ghost Ming Sect's resources that allowed him to cross the Dragon Gate before thirty.

Now he had even obtained a wisp of immortal qi.

Blood Shadow Old Ancestor's twelve disciples were euphemistically called the Twelve Blood Disciples, but in reality, they were nothing more than kept enforcers.

To gain benefits from Blood Shadow Old Ancestor, you must offer sufficient value.

Such as completing missions.

He still wanted more immortal qi.

"No rush. There's plenty of time. Everyone will die eventually."

Li residence.

"Huh~"

After completing seventy-two major heavenly cycles, Li Rui exhaled a long breath.

He opened his eyes.

His brows furrowed slightly.

In his Huiyan, the mist was deep crimson.

"Why is there so much murderous intent?"

Recalling recent events, the most likely source of rising danger was Gao Zhen.

But why would Gao Zhen want to kill him?

Though factional strife is described as life-or-death, that's merely metaphorical—it doesn't mean actual killing is required.

Generally, losing one's post or being demoted, rendering one powerless, is enough.

There's no need to drive someone to death.

Who doesn't have people they care about? Once pushed too far, no one escapes unscathed. Thus, though official struggles are cruel, they rarely threaten an official's life.

After all, no one can be certain they'll remain unshakably powerful forever.

Leaving a little room for others ensures future encounters—this is the principle.

Could it be that Gao Garrison Commander doesn't understand officialdom's rules?

Possibly.

But Li Rui always tended to assume the worst of people.

Even a lion uses full strength against a rabbit.

If you treat everyone as a fool, you are the greatest fool of all.

Gao Zhen may have other intentions.

As Li Rui pondered,

a flash of green light suddenly stirred in his sleeve.

"Hmm?"

Li Rui raised an eyebrow.

He pulled out the object from his sleeve—it was the Immortal-Seeking Stone that Yao Xue had given him.

The Immortal-Seeking Stone's function, of course, was only one: to seek immortals.

Li Rui's pupils contracted slightly.

"Immortal…"

Until now, the Immortal-Seeking Stone had always been normal, indistinguishable from an ordinary stone. Today, it had suddenly changed.

There was only one possible explanation.

It had sensed an immortal trace.

"Inside Anning Wei!"

Ever since obtaining the Immortal-Seeking Stone, Li Rui had paid extra attention whenever he read.

He hadn't expected to actually find a record about it in an ancient text.

"Immortal-Seeking Stone: can sense immortal traces within a hundred zhang, glowing with green light."

That matched the current situation exactly.

"Who is it?"

Li Rui narrowed his eyes slightly.

This was Anning Wei. His footsteps had covered nearly every corner of the garrison. If it were an inanimate object, the Immortal-Seeking Stone would have reacted long ago.

Therefore, the immortal trace had been brought into Anning Wei by someone.

Thinking of this, Li Rui's heart pounded.

He was no saint.

Faced with an immortal trace, he could not possibly ignore it.

Why did the world's great sages scour the land for immortal traces?

Surely to achieve transcendence and eternal life.

Immortality, coexisting with heaven—this was a temptation even the Emperor of the Dragon Court could not refuse.

The older one grew, the more one clung to life.

"Treasures of the world belong to those destined for them. This item is fated to me!"

He thought.

He immediately donned his outer robe, then wrapped himself in a thick, light-blocking coat before stepping out the door.

At night, the Anning Wei garrison, aside from patrolling soldiers,

had only a few drunken officers wandering outside.

"Commander Li, out so late?"

The platoon leader on duty tonight was from Geng Company—he knew Li Rui well.

Li Rui smiled and nodded: "Old age, can't sleep. Came out for a walk."

"You've got fine taste, old brother."

The two exchanged a few brief words.

The platoon leader of Geng Company led his men away. Li Rui continued wandering through the garrison.

His range was limited to within a hundred zhang of his residence.

Soon,

Li Rui stopped before a grand five-hall mansion.

The Immortal-Seeking Stone in his sleeve glowed nearly blindingly.

He looked up.

Gao Residence!

(End of Chapter)