[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-star-martial-era":3,"chapter-the-star-martial-era-the-star-martial-era-chapter-190":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Star Martial Era",{"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},2275048,4448,"Chapter 190: Unmarried, Yet Aged","the-star-martial-era-chapter-190",190,"\u003Cp>September 20th, this day was destined to be remembered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A day of blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Starting at the Wei hour on September 20th, talented disciples of major factions began suffering assassinations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first victims were the recent and current True Disciples of the Cangming Star Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Xingye, the senior True Disciple of the Cangming Star Temple, was poisoned to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Xingye was hailed as a once-in-a-decade genius of the Cangming Star Temple and previously regarded as its most likely candidate to pluck a Golden Star.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following this, thirteen assassinations occurred across the Cangming Star Temple and Chen Guo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Including Yu Xingye, three succeeded, two were repelled, two talented disciples were crippled, three severely wounded, others lightly injured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just fifteen minutes later, the Tianyang Star Temple’s talented disciple Lin Xun endured two waves of assassination, both of which failed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Tianyang Star Temple had previously acknowledged that one of this year’s Golden Stars came from their temple, and Lin Xun was the disciple most likely to claim it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Guyan, last year’s top True Disciple of the Tianyang Star Temple, was assassinated and left mortally wounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within Tianyang Star Temple’s Dahong territory, sixteen assassinations occurred: four talented disciples were successfully killed, one crippled, five severely wounded, others lightly injured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assassinations in Chen Guo followed shortly after.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In comparison, Chen Guo suffered the fewest attacks and the least losses—only one disciple killed, one crippled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the Zhen’e Star Temple, as Chen Guo’s National Dao Academy disciples were attacked, over a dozen waves of assassinations occurred in succession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Zhen’e Star Temple governed the barbarian territories, so the assassinations were the most brutal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fifteen assassinations occurred; only two assassins escaped alive, the rest were either repelled or chose to die in ambush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The results were also the most fruitful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five talented disciples of the Zhen’e Star Temple were killed, three crippled, three severely wounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the barbarian territories, once an assassin was exposed, there was no chance to hide, so many began with suicide tactics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bu Gude, the barbarian youth ranked first (meaning “eagle-like warrior”), Da Hai, suffered repeated assassinations and lay mortally wounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bu Gude, the barbarian youth ranked second, Dai An, was assassinated on the spot and died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within just one or two hours, major factions acted as if coordinated, eliminating each other—though retaliation was also suspected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, panic spread like wind in the grass and cries of cranes!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the main hall of the Cangming Star Temple in Chen Guo, Star Lord Zhang Zhen stared at the battlefield reports, his face dark with rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dead!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fifth-rank Juedou sixth-layer expert assigned to assassinate Xu Jin had been killed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only was he dead, but current intelligence indicated Xu Jin had suffered not a single scratch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This surprised him greatly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the emergence of four Golden Stars, the Cangming Star Temple had issued a purge order, with its first target being Xu Jin, the top scorer of Chen Guo’s National Dao Academy autumn examination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From all current evidence, Xu Jin’s chance of plucking four Golden Stars was slim, but his potential to claim one in the future was extremely high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only because of Xu Jin’s past performance, but also due to the strange conditions in the third-rank Zifeng Star Region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately after the Selection War ended, Zhang Zhen organized thirty disciples of Lianxing ninth-layer to storm the Zifeng Star Region and investigate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had to understand what had happened in the Zifeng Star Region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They also hoped to test whether they could conquer it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the intelligence returned shocked Zhang Zhen and the Cangming Star Temple’s high command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the Zifeng Star Region, chaos had erupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their former controller, Wang Zihao, was dead, and his Thunder Feather Heart was missing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most shocking of all, the fourth-rank Ningxing-level experts within the Zifeng Star Region resisted their invasion with extreme ferocity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the Cangming Star Temple’s disciples entered, the Ningxing-level experts in the Zifeng Star Region had been divided into three factions, fighting daily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after the Cangming Star Temple’s disciples invaded, the Zi Yi clan’s experts united against the outsiders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elite Lianxing disciples summoned for this mission were drawn from the Cangming Star Temple’s Chen Guo main hall; though thirty in number, top-tier geniuses were scarce.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After only three days inside, with seven Lianxing disciples dead, the rest were forced to retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was not without gains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They gathered much intelligence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The death of the Zifeng Star Region’s king, Zi Hao, was deeply connected to a male disciple of the National Dao Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They did not know his name, but purchased his portrait using a Dingshen Golden Elixir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The portrait was poor quality, but Zhang Zhen needed only one glance to recognize it—Xu Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin, the autumn examination champion of Chen Guo’s National Dao Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Zhen naturally reported this to the Star Temple; coinciding with the Four Golden Stars incident, the high command decided to execute the purge plan, and Xu Jin was casually listed as the primary target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two fifth-rank Juedou mid-layer experts were chosen to carry it out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were still seeking an opportunity when their covert agent reported that Xu Jin had left the National Dao Academy and even exited the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They immediately dispatched two fifth-rank Juedou experts to assassinate Xu Jin outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under two fifth-rank Juedou experts, even a Lianxing disciple like Xu Jin would be obliterated—let alone a typical fifth-rank Juedou early-layer expert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But unexpectedly, during execution, the two assassins split up, each pursuing one target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one chasing Ying Ge realized something was wrong and fled back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the fifth-rank Juedou sixth-layer subordinate pursuing Xu Jin was killed outright!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Killed by Xu Jin!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This enraged Zhang Zhen beyond measure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin was the Cangming Star Temple’s primary purge target; Zhang Zhen had hoped to earn merit through this, even if exiled, he would avoid being sent to the front lines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But who could have foreseen failure?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And they lost a fifth-rank Juedou sixth-layer expert!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fifth-rank experts were core strength in any Star Temple or faction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Zhang Zhen was both shocked and furious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had gained no merit, only added the charge of incompetence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, the entire Chen Guo state apparatus sprang into full motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xu Jin within the National Dao Academy received a shockingly unexpected message.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two waves!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After inspecting the scene, the Chunyu Bureau and Danxia Guard found corpses from only two waves of assassins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The corpses of the second wave of assassins, as described by Xu Jin and Ying Ge, did not exist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this did not mean Ying Ge and the others were lying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battle traces of the second wave were present—but the corpses were gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This instantly made Xu Jin recall the hidden Ningxing mid-layer assassin he had detected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The disappearance of the corpses must be linked to that Ningxing mid-layer assassin hiding a hundred meters away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this made tracing the origin of the second wave nearly impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, the Chunyu Bureau had already identified the source of the first wave—the Bai Dou Divine Cult!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first wave consisted entirely of Bai Dou Divine Cult assassins—high cultivation, low combat skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each assassin carried dense Bai Dou star force, which was far more chaotic than the star force cultivated by normal cultivators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Additionally, each bore the unique star-god idol of the Bai Dou Divine Cult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Dou Divine Cult followers could not be easily impersonated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chunyu Bureau had already begun tracing the source, seeking to locate the cult’s branches in or around Wanyi based on identities and clues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This matter was of exceptional concern to the Chunyu Bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was simple: seven fourth-rank Bai Dou Divine Cult experts suddenly appearing outside the Chen Guo imperial capital of Wanyi spoke volumes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Investigate thoroughly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Must investigate thoroughly!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xu Jin, the commander assigned by the Chunyu Bureau to this case wishes to question you regarding the incident; the Grand Master has approved it—proceed to the Feiyan Academy.” Suddenly, Xu Jin received a star-message from his master, Liu Qingzhu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin naturally went.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, Xu Jin arrived at the Feiyan Academy, where his master Liu Qingzhu met him at the gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Say exactly what you know—don’t be afraid! To others, the Chunyu Bureau is a pack of tigers and wolves, but here in our National Dao Academy, they’re as harmless as cats and dogs,” Liu Qingzhu said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Liu Qingzhu led Xu Jin to a side hall of the Feiyan Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, a man and a woman waited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing them, Xu Jin paused slightly—he did not recognize the man with the sinister expression, but he remembered the woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guan Yiqing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman with a full, ripe figure like a peach ready to fall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had been introduced to him by Niu, a former Xunxing Guard, to purchase intelligence—yet here they met again in Wanyi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Xu Jin stare at her, Guan Yiqing rose and smiled gracefully, “Greetings, Lord Xu!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know each other?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sinister man suddenly spoke, his voice cold and low, grating on the ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Xu, this is Commander Zheng Xie, one of the Eight Commanders of the Chunyu Bureau,” Guan Yiqing quickly introduced, then added, “Commander Zheng, Lord Xu hails from Jinshan City and we met once before.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, I was a wine shop owner, and Lord Xu was merely a disciple who had just barely sparked his star.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The world is mysterious; I never expected that in just a couple of months, Master Xu had become famous throughout Wan Yi.」 Guan Yiqing said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「I pay my respects to Commander Zheng.」 Xu Jin bowed slightly, then finally took a good look at Zheng Xie—this man made him deeply uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyebrows were dark and sinister, his mouth downturned, his face shrouded in a faint, elusive glow that made him naturally hard to notice. 「Sit.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Xie pointed to a chair placed in the center of the side hall. Xu Jin’s brow twitched—this felt like an interrogation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after a moment’s thought, he decided it wasn’t worth dwelling on. Since the Grand Master had approved it, he’d simply answer their questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Xu Jin, why did you go to the Ying family warehouse at the western city dock?」 Zheng Xie asked directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「To pick up goods.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「What goods?」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Iron essence and copper essence.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Why did you pick up iron essence and copper essence?」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「For business.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「What kind of business?」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This barrage of questions made Xu Jin frown. 「Commander Zheng, is this really important?」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Very important.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「I bought a blacksmith shop and plan to reopen it.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「As far as I know, you’ve never trained in blacksmithing,」 Zheng Xie fixed his gaze on Xu Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Do you need to know how to cook to run a restaurant?」 Xu Jin leaned back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head, eyes locked sharply on Zheng Xie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Zheng Xie’s relentless questioning, Xu Jin felt more like a criminal than a victim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Xie’s eyes narrowed slightly at Xu Jin’s defiance. 「Iron essence and copper essence are military-controlled materials. I checked— you have no official documentation for them.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Commander Zheng, let me remind you—I’m the victim, not your suspect!」 Xu Jin frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Smuggling iron essence and copper essence is a grave offense. Under Chen Guo law, anyone caught smuggling over a thousand jin of either material is exiled to a First-Class Star Region for ten years.」 Zheng Xie stared at Xu Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin’s expression turned icy. He hadn’t expected the investigation to turn on him—this was truly amusing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Then go ahead and exile me!」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin was done being polite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Xie’s face darkened further. After a few breaths of thought, he spoke again: 「Xu Jin, only by revealing all relevant information can I trace the real killer. Tell me—who did you sell this batch of iron and copper essence to?」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin’s gaze flickered instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Xie’s wording was ruthless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin wasn’t stupid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The charge of smuggling iron and copper essence could be minor or major—if sold to foreign powers or hostile factions, it could be classified as treason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Xu Jin pondered, a flash of green light shot in—a green shadow like a venomous serpent slammed toward Zheng Xie. It was Liu Qingzhu bursting in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whips like mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each strike forced Zheng Xie back a step, each made him spit blood. Three lashes, three spurts of blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next instant, Liu Qingzhu gripped her waist and screamed at Zheng Xie: 「Grand Master sent you here to investigate the case, not to persecute Xu Jin! Iron and copper essence were assigned to Xu Jin by Danxia Palace! If you have the guts, go investigate Danxia Academy!」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Xie struggled to his feet, wiping blood from his lips. 「Liu Vice-Academic, Chen Guo’s law stands above all—even Grand Master must obey it! Iron and copper essence are Class-B military-controlled materials. Xu Jin’s unauthorized trafficking carries grave suspicion.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Grave your ancestor!」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Qingzhu exploded in fury, raising her whip—when suddenly, a voice echoed from the void: 「Qingzhu!」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No figure could be seen—only the voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But both Xu Jin and Liu Qingzhu recognized it instantly: the voice of Peng Lao, Chief Steward of Danxia Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Peng Lao.」 Liu Qingzhu sheathed her whip and stood at attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Qingzhu, you’ve gotten soft.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Qingzhu: 「???」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Please, Peng Lao, tell me what I did wrong.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「With a scum like this, your old self would’ve crushed him or broken him—now you’ve only made him spit blood a few times. Qingzhu, you’re aging before marriage!」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four words 「aging before marriage」 made sweat break on Xu Jin’s forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t realized Peng Lao’s tongue was so sharp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One sentence struck right at Liu Qingzhu’s weakest point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even a married woman would fight to the death if you called her old—how much more so a woman still unmarried?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially one like Liu Qingzhu!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The phrase 「aging before marriage」 was like a rage trigger for her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Peng Lao, you’re cruel!」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next instant, terrifying energy erupted from Liu Qingzhu—she split into four figures in an instant, each slamming into Zheng Xie from all four directions!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Xie and Liu Qingzhu were both at the peak of Fifth Realm: Gathering Stars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet their combat strength differed vastly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Qingzhu was dominating Zheng Xie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Liu Qingzhu, I’m carrying out my duty! How dare you!」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「I’m old already—what’s the harm in killing you today?」 Furious, Liu Qingzhu launched a furious assault. The next instant, Xu Jin heard a sharp, crisp snap of bone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Xie was being battered backward—within moments, one leg and one arm were broken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even this, Liu Qingzhu had held back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, with Xu Jin’s eyes, Zheng Xie would already be dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Zheng Xie also dared not fight at full strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Guan Yiqing, she was terrified—cowering in the corner of the hall like a quail, not daring to make a sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Xie, pushed to the brink, suddenly spat a mouthful of blood—which instantly transformed into a blood-shadow, latching onto Liu Qingzhu and pinning her—while he himself bolted for the exit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He meant to flee this side hall!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the Guodao Academy, he dared not retaliate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he gained a slight advantage over Liu Qingzhu, the Academy’s countless experts would make him pay tenfold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, he had no confidence he could win.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He only wanted to run!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He already regretted taking this assignment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Xie was about to escape the side hall, his foot crossing the threshold—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a massive hand of starlight descended from outside the door, slamming Zheng Xie straight to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack! Crack! Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Peng Lao’s starlight hand, bones shattered in a chorus of snaps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Come here.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This command came from Peng Lao—now revealed—directed at Guan Yiqing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guan Yiqing, trembling like a quail, shuffled forward, her pleading eyes darting toward Xu Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t want to end up like Commander Zheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Look at him—bones shattered beyond count. Even if he recovered, he’d suffer for years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Before you came here, who did he meet? Or did he behave strangely?」 Peng Lao asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, another starlight hand formed, hovering above Guan Yiqing’s head. She nearly collapsed, eyes locked on her chest—this thing coming down would blast her to pieces!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Great Elder, before arriving, Commander Zheng met a eunuch—but I don’t know his identity.」 Guan Yiqing’s ability to read the wind was top-tier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「No wonder!」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Lao sneered. 「Go. Take him back. Tell Luo Bing I gave his incompetent underlings a lesson. Is he blind? Or is his heart black? He appointed this trash as commander?」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Tell him—if this happens again, I’ll personally loosen his bones!」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「And tell him this: counting Xu Jin’s batch, Danxia Palace has shipped over one hundred thousand jin of iron and copper essence this year!」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Don’t exile him—just come and execute me yourself!」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「No! No!」 Guan Yiqing hurriedly said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Did you remember?」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Yes.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Can you deliver the exact words?」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Yes.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Good. Miss one word, and I’ll slap you. Take this thing and go!」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Lao waved his hand. Only then did Guan Yiqing dare to lift Commander Zheng Xie—only to realize he was still alive, but like a pile of mud, every bone in his body shattered!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To recover from this? He’d suffer terribly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was brutal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching this, Xu Jin suddenly realized—the Guodao Academy’s senior figures all had a fierce protective streak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Qingzhu, letting him escape the door? You’re truly getting old!」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Peng Lao vanished instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Liu Qingzhu remained, seething with rage but unable to strike, breathing heavily—her chest heaving wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same instant, Peng Lao’s voice echoed in Xu Jin’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Xu Jin, don’t worry. Focus on your cultivation. The Academy will investigate the killer. As for other minor issues, the Academy will handle them for you.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2964,"2026-06-19T23:56:29.689Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","1274f11400b7d2d149089712da48e6af532c37d1812f27a0c94d3eb2b78121d4","the-star-martial-era-chapter-191","the-star-martial-era-chapter-189",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-star-martial-era-cover.jpg"]