Chapter 320: A String of Bad Luck

After several days of closed-door cultivation to recuperate, Su Fan's Divine Soul had finally recovered a little, but to fully recover, he estimated it would take six to eight months.

It could be said that he really had the worst luck in eight lifetimes.

However, before he could even react, the succession of events that followed made him feel even more bitter.

During the time he was in closed-door cultivation, Gai Nie finally defected; after taking that kid Tianming away from the village, he went on the run.

No one knew why this rising star of the Empire would suddenly defect.

One must know, he was a personal guard to His Majesty the First Emperor; perhaps his official rank did not compare to those Palace Attendant Generals who guarded the imperial palace.

But he had spent years by the side of His Majesty the First Emperor and could be said to be the person closest to His Majesty; such a person, even if his rank was low for now, would certainly hold a high position in the future.

Because he was a disciple of Ghost Valley.

Such a person with a boundless future would actually defect from the Empire.

The Empire issued a wanted notice for him.

And that Tianming also became a wanted criminal; as the one who had taken Tianming in, Su Fan also had bad luck, though he did not know the reason why.

He was ordered to atone for his crimes through meritorious service and was required to pursue Gai Nie.

Upon hearing this order, Su Fan was truly dumbfounded.

He had only been in closed-door cultivation for half a month, and as a result, such a huge change had occurred; he had almost been treated as Gai Nie's accomplice.

Su Fan knew that perhaps he was able to atone for his crimes through service not just because of the papermaking craft, but also because those above might have given him this chance out of respect for Wang Jian.

Otherwise, given the Empire's harsh laws, he would definitely have had to take a trip to the Empire's prison.

Su Fan felt a mix of laughter and tears; this time, he had been implicated quite severely.

He had no desire to get involved with Gai Nie and his group at all, yet he had encountered them so coincidentally.

Now he was even being asked to pursue Gai Nie and bring them back; Su Fan really wanted to ask who exactly had issued this order.

Who was Gai Nie? The Empire's Sword Saint, ostensibly the number one sword expert under heaven.

A combat power at the Xuan Grade.

And he was merely a small fry at the Spirit Condensation realm.

Wasn't this sending him to his death?

If he really went to pursue Gai Nie, the other party would truly dare to kill.

Su Fan did not believe this was an order issued by Ying Zheng; this was simply treating human life like grass, Su Fan kept complaining inwardly.

Yet he did not know that this decree was indeed issued by Ying Zheng; he just hoped to see if Su Fan could give him an unexpected surprise.

Of all the people, the only one who knew of Ying Zheng's plan was that mysterious Imperial Uncle.

But the decree had already been issued, and Su Fan had no choice but to execute it.

And he did not know if Wang Jian really thought highly of him, but just as he was preparing to leave, a troop of thirty men arrived.

Su Fan recognized at a glance that these were the personal guards who had accompanied Wang Jian last time.

"Master Su, we have come under the order of the Great General to assist you."

The leading commander looked to be about the same age as Su Fan, but the aura emanating from his entire body made Su Fan feel solemn—a powerhouse at the Essence Transformation level.

"The Great General sent you all?"

Su Fan was still a bit bewildered.

Wang Jian sending such an elite team to help him—what was this situation? To tell the truth, his relationship with Wang Jian was at most a chance encounter.

Su Fan did not believe that a mere papermaking craft could bring that much benefit to Wang Jian or the Wang Family.

After all, Wang Jian had always insisted on the military path and would not care about the civil official faction at all, let alone Confucianism.

The appearance of white paper was beneficial for the bureaucracy and was a great boost for Confucianism.

But Wang Jian would not care at all; they had no need for the opinions of Confucian civil officials.

Therefore, Su Fan was very self-aware and did not believe that this papermaking craft alone would earn him the friendship of the Wang Family.

Even if it wasn't this, why would Wang Jian help him?

The strength of these thirty men was truly not weak; the weakest among them were at the peak of External Qi, which, in the army, was roughly at the level of a commander of a hundred men.

Although they were only acting as his personal guards temporarily, it was still very unusual.

Not just anyone could obtain the protection of these people.

Su Fan knew that these people were here to protect him.

Clearly, Wang Jian had also seen his predicament and sent people to help; with these men, even a Xuan Grade expert would likely find it difficult to assassinate Su Fan.

Regardless of what plans Wang Jian had, Su Fan was still very grateful in his heart.

With these people, at least he would not be killed in a single strike by that Gai Nie.

Moreover, through the letter brought by Wang Zhan, Su Fan also knew to some extent that his danger this time was not as great as it seemed.

The decree ordered him to pursue Gai Nie, but it did not actually require him to capture Gai Nie and bring him back.

"That's good then!"

"But there must be secrets in this, and why would he let me participate?"

Immediately, Su Fan sensed the difference in this.

"Could it be because I came into contact with Tianming, and this guy holds a great secret, and I have also entered Ying Zheng's eyes; what is he plotting?"

"In Qin Shi Mingyue, Gai Nie and Tianming escaping the Great Qin must have been something he intentionally allowed, for the sake of being able to track down more of the Empire's opposition."

"Then what is my situation? With the Great Qin's capabilities, it is impossible that my identity has not been investigated clearly; only the novelist part is something I fabricated, but this thing has no impact on the Great Qin."

Unable to figure it out, Su Fan suddenly felt that a massive secret was hidden behind this, and he had now been forced to get involved.

"Sigh! It seems I can only take it one step at a time."

Su Fan shook his head, then led the thirty men and slowly pursued in the direction Gai Nie had fled.

Of course, he would not actually make a move; after all, he was clear about Gai Nie's strength.

Just trailing far behind is enough; at worst, I can just re-familiarize myself with the plot.

This time, Su Fan left Su Pei and the others at Bai Jia Cun and did not bring them along.

Even though they have the protection of Wang Zhan and his men, it does not mean they are truly safe.

After all, Su Fan knew clearly that the enemies Gai Nie and his companions would encounter along this journey were quite numerous: Quicksand, the Yin-Yang School, and various other factions.

Although the Great Qin has unified the world, there is no telling how many hidden forces have existed over these years.

The power held in the hands of those nobles from the Six States is quite significant.

There are even remnants of military forces from the various states.

Furthermore, there are quite a few forces resisting the Empire.

All of this has the potential to threaten them.

Bringing Su Pei and the others along would only turn them into a burden; Su Fan would naturally not be so muddled, and besides, letting Su Pei and the others stay behind...

Su Fan also has his own plans.

Su Fan had only just begun implementing the agricultural planting techniques in Bai Jia Cun, so he would let them carry out the rest.

This time, Su Fan did not submit the techniques; after all, how could words compare to the impact brought by actual reality?

As long as the harvest changes in Bai Jia Cun after the autumn harvest, it will certainly attract the attention of the Great Qin government.

By then, he will likely be summoned back very quickly.

Agriculture is the foundation; by increasing agricultural yields, Su Fan believes that His Majesty will also come to value him.