Chapter 168: Assassination (Requesting Subscriptions)

The residence of Vice Mayor Zi Shuo was still very easy to find.

This was the second-largest mansion in Huomucheng, and its location was also convenient.

The hierarchy within the Zi Yi royal family remained extremely strict.

But then again, hierarchies in the present world were also very strict—just not as obsessed with superficial formalities as the Zi Feng Star Region.

When combined with powerful soul-force, the Hidden Star Art produced an astonishing effect.

Xu Jin moved through the vice mayor's mansion as if it were empty.

He circled inside and out several times, thoroughly mapping out the mansion's layout and defenses.

Zi Shuo was severely wounded and currently recovering in his meditation chamber; he had taken an elixir, and his injuries were healing rapidly—but full recovery would likely take ten days to half a month.

Aside from him, the strongest individual in the vice mayor's mansion was merely at the peak of Star Refining Ninth Layer.

There were twelve Star Refining late-stage experts, and at all times, two of them guarded outside Zi Shuo's meditation chamber.

That made it difficult to strike.

But Xu Jin wasn't in a hurry.

If he was going to act, he needed not only a clear attack route but also a pre-planned escape path.

Within the city, there were still five Star Condensing early-stage experts.

Facing one—or even two—alone, Xu Jin had a chance to escape alive; but if he encountered three, he was finished.

When planning his escape route, he had to avoid their positions entirely.

Xu Jin left the vice mayor's mansion and circled through Huomucheng—but strangely, he found only four Star Condensing early-stage Zi Yi royals; one was missing from the city.

He infiltrated the missing man's residence to gather information and learned that this Star Condensing early-stage Zi Yi royal had quietly departed early that morning, destination unknown.

A traitor!

Xu Jin immediately reached his conclusion.

The missing Star Condensing early-stage expert was likely going to warn someone, unwilling to let Zi Shuo conceal his rise to power.

According to the timeline, he had been gone for nearly two hours.

"Looks like if I want to take advantage of the chaos, I'd better hurry. Reinforcements could arrive any moment."

Although he decided to act quickly, Xu Jin still carefully planned two escape routes.

This couldn't be rushed.

Better not act at all than risk his life.

This was about grabbing benefits, not fighting to the death.

After circling the city, Xu Jin slipped into the mayor's mansion—the residence of Zi Yang, the Star Condensing Seventh Layer expert Xu Jin had slain.

Inside the mayor's mansion, the scene was entirely different.

It had already been seized.

To prevent leaks, Zi Shuo's trusted aides had placed the entire household under guard.

Especially the family members!

But for some reason, they had not yet confiscated property or conducted a search—only guarded them.

Many family members had received the devastating news at dawn, then been confined, exhausted from fear and shock.

A thought surfaced in Xu Jin's mind.

This mayor must have a private vault, right?

But private vaults—except for the mayor himself—were known to only his most trusted confidants.

Who could it be?

This didn't stump Xu Jin.

Xu Jin immediately used the Dreaming Star Pattern to pull the steward into a dream.

In the dream, Xu Jin appeared as Zi Yang, the Star Condensing Seventh Layer expert he had slain.

Quickly, he got his answer: the steward didn't know.

Xu Jin then pulled Zi Yang's sleeping son into the dream—he was a Star Refining mid-stage Zi Yi royal.

The answer was still no.

The chief wife didn't know either.

This was strange—did only Zi Yang himself know about the secret vault, or was there no vault at all?

Logically, there should be one.

He questioned all seven concubines—none knew.

This left Xu Jin deeply puzzled; Zi Yang, a Star Condensing Seventh Layer expert, was truly cautious.

But given his methods, it made sense.

If he'd been reckless, Ji Hongli would have been dead long ago!

After thinking, Xu Jin changed his approach—he used the Dreaming Star Pattern again to question the steward, the eldest son, and the chief wife—but this time, he didn't ask directly about the secret vault. Instead, he asked in another form: Was there any forbidden area in the mansion?

Or any place Zi Yang forbade them to enter?

There was one!

The meditation chamber!

In the mayor Zi Yang's mansion, there was a strict rule—anyone who entered the meditation chamber would be killed!

After confirming the direction of the meditation chamber, Xu Jin soon found Zi Yang's meditation room.

In the past, whether or not anyone was inside, elite Star Refining experts always stood guard outside the mayor's meditation chamber.

Now, no one was there.

Xu Jin slipped in effortlessly.

His faint soul-force flowed like water, probing for hidden entrances.

Beneath the table in the meditation chamber, he discovered a secret compartment.

Pulling it open revealed the entrance to an underground passage.

The moment he stepped inside, Xu Jin froze—there was still a warning mechanism.

A very thin curtain of lightning energy.

Anyone entering would have to pass through this curtain.

But passing through it would almost certainly trigger an alarm.

After thinking, Xu Jin boldly charged into the curtain.

This curtain was almost certainly set by Zi Yang himself—meaning the alarm would most likely be sent directly to him.

Of course, it might also trigger a full-house alert.

That possibility existed.

But Xu Jin had already prepared for the worst.

If it was a full-house alert, he'd grab the mayor's secret vault and flee.

As long as he had enough time, he wouldn't be surrounded.

The key was, there were currently no Star Condensing experts guarding the mayor's mansion inside or out.

Even if the full-house alert sounded, it would take roughly ten breaths for a Star Condensing expert to arrive.

That was enough time.

In the next instant, flame light rose in Xu Jin's palm and shattered the lightning curtain before him.

The lightning curtain held little power—it broke on impact.

The moment it shattered, Xu Jin turned and sprinted out of the secret passage, listening in the meditation chamber for two breaths.

The mansion remained silent.

That proved the alarm was likely tied only to the deceased mayor.

But still, he had to move fast.

Underground vaults were easy traps—you could easily be caught like a fish in a barrel.

The vault had a door—and even a lock.

But that didn't stop Xu Jin; flame light surged and burned through the lock, and in the next instant, he rushed into the mayor Zi Yang's secret vault.

The vault was small—about fifty square meters.

It held a large quantity of rare celestial treasures.

Minerals, herbs—mostly valuable items from the Zi Feng Star Region, piled up in considerable amounts.

Unfortunately, these items were all bulky; Xu Jin couldn't carry them.

The Can Dou Platform could only carry specific star cores, star jade tablets, and similar items.

Xu Jin suddenly felt puzzled: the Grand Preceptor never carried a bag, and previously, when retrieving items, he simply pulled them from his robes—so did Master Dong Zhao and others use something to carry things on their person?

Spatial artifacts?

Or what?

He'd have to get one—otherwise, leaving behind so many valuable items was agonizing.

Suddenly, Xu Jin's gaze flickered.

Starfall Iron!

In the corner, Xu Jin spotted a pile of refined Starfall Iron—he was overjoyed.

To upgrade the Can Dou Platform to fourth tier, one jin of Starfall Iron was directly required.

In Chen Guo, this was a critically controlled military resource.

Very hard to find.

Previously, Xu Jin had planned to return and look again; if he still couldn't buy it, he'd ask someone for help.

Unexpectedly, he saw it right here.

A chunk the size of a baby's fist—definitely over a jin!

In the next instant, Xu Jin stowed the piece of Starfall Iron into the Can Dou Platform.

The starlight flickered faintly.

The requirement for Starfall Iron in the Can Dou Platform's upgrade conditions vanished.

On the Can Dou Platform, a small half-piece of Starfall Iron, roughly a few liang, fell down, its cut smooth and even.

Besides that, there were many Star Weapons, mostly second-rank, with a few third-rank.

But useless.

These Star Domains, bound by celestial rules, cannot be used outside—or if used, their quality degrades beyond recognition—unless made from raw materials.

Just look then.

Soon after, Xu Jin saw vast quantities of Star Jade Tablets: over a thousand third-rank, more than two hundred fourth-rank, and even twelve fifth-rank!

No wonder the city governor is so wealthy!

Xu Jin first stowed the fifth-rank Star Jade Tablets into the Can Dou Platform; their number now reached eighteen.

He stowed all the fourth-rank Star Jade Tablets.

He began collecting the third-rank ones, but after taking in over four hundred, he could no longer add more.

Is the Can Dou Platform full?

But when Xu Jin tried, he could still take out and put back Star Cores—yet Star Jade Tablets could only be removed, not added.

Has it reached its capacity limit?

Xu Jin felt a pang of regret.

The remaining six hundred or so third-rank Star Jade Tablets were still worth a fortune.

But he couldn't waste them—he converted them all into starlight via the Can Dou Platform.

The Can Dou Platform gained several hundred strands of third-rank starlight.

Carrying them in a backpack? How could he fight while dragging a giant hiking pack?

When Xu Jin left the governor's mansion, no one knew the secret vault of Governor Zi Yang had been looted.

Half a quarter-hour later, Xu Jin silently infiltrated Deputy Governor Zi Shuo's residence.

Outside Zi Shuo's meditation chamber, under the operation of his Ming Ji Star Pattern, Xu Jin faintly sensed Zi Shuo's aura had recovered slightly—but he was still severely wounded.

Under these conditions, sneaking in and killing Zi Shuo shouldn't be hard.

He had no interest in the deputy governor's secret vault.

What he wanted was Zi Shuo's Star Core.

The Star Protection Pattern from Governor Zi Yang's Star Core had delighted him immensely.

Here was a rare chance—a severely wounded mid-stage Condensing Star expert. Who else but him?

But two elite Star Refining ninth-rank guards stood at the door.

Killing them wouldn't be hard.

But if he killed them, he'd lose any chance to assassinate Zi Shuo silently.

He'd have to launch a frontal assault.

A frontal assault might force him to use his last remaining cultivated Dawn Seal.

That wouldn't be worth it.

After thinking, Xu Jin turned to find Zi Shuo's chief wife.

During daylight, everyone else—including the deputy governor's steward—had cultivation and couldn't be quietly pulled into the Wen Meng Star Pattern. But this lady could.

She was merely an ordinary Casting Star-level alien woman.

And due to the deputy governor's injury, she was clearly exhausted.

After sneaking close, Xu Jin subtly activated his soul power; the Wen Meng Star Pattern pulled her into a dream.

For the next half-hour, Xu Jin entered and exited her dream four times, reinforcing suggestions through the dream.

Half a quarter-hour later, the deputy governor's wife awoke.

Upon waking, she rushed in panic toward the chamber where the deputy governor rested.

Just now, she'd had several terrifying dreams.

In them, the Star Refining guards stationed outside her husband's door were traitors.

They'd taken advantage of his recovery to assassinate him.

One dream alone only made her heart race.

But after four repetitions, she was truly terrified.

The guards must be replaced immediately!

"You two, quickly go fetch Guards Huo Yun and Huo Qian—have them wait for me directly at the governor's meditation chamber." After a few steps, she ordered her maids.

Quite cautious and clever.

She knew to summon replacements simultaneously.

But she didn't know that moments later, the maid sent to fetch them was knocked unconscious by Xu Jin and tossed into the bushes, then Xu Jin swiftly followed the deputy governor's wife.

"You two have been on duty half the day—time to rest. I've ordered wine and food for you in the flower pavilion; take a half-day break." The governor's wife said.

"But Madam, the governor's safety—" The two guards glanced uneasily at the meditation chamber.

"I've already sent for Guards Huo Yun and Huo Qian—they'll arrive shortly."

"Then we'll wait for them before leaving."

At this, the governor's wife's eyebrows shot up. "Don't you trust me? Go now—I have private matters to report to the governor."

Hearing this, the two ninth-rank Star Refining guards had no choice but to leave.

If the lady wanted to report privately and ordered them away, it clearly meant she distrusted them—why stay?

The two ninth-rank guards glanced at the chamber, bowed to the deputy governor's wife, then hurried off.

The deputy governor's wife didn't waste time—once they left, she pushed open the meditation chamber door.

Deputy Governor Zi Shuo, still recovering, tensed at the sudden intrusion—then relaxed when he saw it was his wife. Weakened by his wounds, he grew drowsy again.

The deputy governor's wife sat beside the bed, gazing at Zi Shuo—his wings gone, his body broken—and tears welled in her eyes as she gently wiped his sweat.

As she wiped, her head tilted—and she fell asleep.

So did Deputy Governor Zi Shuo.

Even Zi Yang, at Condensing Star seventh-rank, lacked a soul-cast Star Core—how much less could Zi Shuo?

In the next instant, Xu Jin revealed himself, left hand gripping a cultivated Spin Blade Seal, right hand holding a sharp blade.

Simultaneously, his Soul Star Pattern activated—Po Sha was ready!

In the next instant, Po Sha slammed into the sleeping Zi Shuo, while the blade plunged downward, piercing straight into his eyes.

The moment the blade entered, violet lightning erupted around Zi Shuo's body.

A fine layer of violet protective lightning began forming, ready to repel Xu Jin's blade.

But at that very moment, the Soul Art Po Sha struck—Zi Shuo's soul shuddered violently, suffering grave injury in an instant.

The newly formed violet protective lightning vanished instantly.

Xu Jin's blade, already embedded in Zi Shuo's eyes, drove deeper and twisted violently.

Zi Shuo's legs stiffened straight—then he went still.

Without hesitation, Xu Jin swiftly dug out Zi Shuo's Star Core from his middle palace.

It was a purple fourth-rank Star Core.

His lower palace was empty.

So far, every alien Xu Jin had encountered cultivated only a single palace.

Nothing in his arms; beside the bed lay a leather pouch.

He grabbed it casually and shoved it into his robes.

In the next instant, Xu Jin vanished again, exited the chamber, and hurried out of the deputy governor's residence.

The deputy governor likely had a private vault too—possibly findable.

But it was too dangerous, and time didn't allow.

Carrying too much into battle was suicide.

Less than a hundred breaths after Xu Jin silently slipped out of Huomucheng, the entire city erupted in piercing alarm bells—powerful auras began surging chaotically.

Especially four Condensing Star auras shot up instantly from within the city, circled the deputy governor's residence, then raced outward in search.

Seeing this, Xu Jin immediately concealed himself, motionless.

Once the four had vanished far away, he resumed movement, sprinting toward the direction where Ji Hongli waited.

(End of Chapter)