Chapter 1087

This was precisely his Hundred Steps Flying Sword!

"Die!"

Hearing Zhang Han's sweat streamed down in rivulets, and he did not hesitate to employ a forbidden art, his speed surging once more.

The two precious swords finally caught up with Hearing Gai Nie, piercing into the sword Qi he had transformed into a white dragon.

Only three inches more, and they could strike into Hearing Gai Nie's vital point.

In Hearing Zhang Han's thinking, if Hearing Gai Nie now insisted on using the Hundred Steps Flying Sword to charge the imperial carriage,

then before his sword could reach within a zhang of Hearing Ying Zheng, it would be struck into his own vital point, leaving him heavily wounded and collapsed on the ground.

Hearing Zhang Han felt victory firmly in his grasp!

"Thank you! Vice Director Zhang!"

Unexpectedly, at this very moment, Hearing Gai Nie's voice, warm and gentle as polished jade, suddenly rang in Hearing Zhang Han's ear.

872 What are you all acting out?

"Not good!"

Hearing Zhang Han's heart trembled greatly; though he did not understand what Hearing Gai Nie truly meant, he knew he had absolutely fallen into his trap.

Sure enough, Gai Nie appeared to unleash the Hundred Steps Flying Sword toward Ying Zheng's direction, looking as though he meant to assassinate Ying Zheng before the civil and military officials of Great Qin, the Hundred Schools of Thought, and the numerous honored experts.

Yet after Hearing Zhang Han's blades pierced into his sword Qi, his Hundred Steps Flying Sword suddenly swerved midair, thrusting toward Hearing Zhang Han's face.

That dragon-like sword Qi—even before it struck, Hearing Zhang Han felt the skin of his face was about to be sliced open.

Without a second thought, he immediately reversed his twin swords and blocked fiercely before him.

Hearing Gai Nie's Hundred Steps Flying Sword tapped once on his twin swords, and by some unknown Wu Gong, drew a sliver of force from Hearing Zhang Han's swords.

Then, borrowing this force, his figure violently retreated.

By sheer coincidence, he arrived beside Miss Feixue.

"Miss Feixue, let's go!"

Under Miss Feixue's bewildered gaze, Hearing Gai Nie seized the chance to scoop her up in one arm, then tossed the precious sword in his hand.

His whole body, carrying Miss Feixue, flipped once and stood perfectly upright atop the precious sword.

At the same time, he formed a sword incantation with his hand and thrust sharply toward the high sky.

This bronze precious sword immediately seemed to come alive, under Hearing Zhang Han's shocked gaze.

Carrying Hearing Gai Nie and Miss Feixue, it transformed into a streak of rainbow light and swiftly vanished beyond the vault of heaven.

"Hearing Gai Nie…"

Hearing Zhang Han ground his teeth, yet was utterly helpless.

Although martial artists who have passed the Earthly Immortal Realm can all fly through the air,

to fly by sword like Hearing Gai Nie is truly unimaginable!

Hearing Zhang Han's face was filled with shame; he cupped his fists toward Hearing Ying Zheng not far away and said,

"Your Majesty! Hearing Zhang Han has failed in his duty and let Hearing Gai Nie escape; I beg Your Majesty to punish me."

Hearing Gai Nie charged into Xianyanggong and took Miss Feixue away.

Throughout the entire engagement, only the Shadow Guard and he, Hearing Zhang Han, had taken action.

At this moment, even though Hearing Zhang Han was ten thousand times unwilling, he could only step forward to beg punishment on his own.

"Oh! The princes, ministers, representatives of the Hundred Schools, and honored experts present just now should all have seen.

This Hearing Gai Nie is extraordinarily fierce; the Shadow Guard and Vice Director Zhang fought desperately to stop him, yet still could not hold him.

This is no fault of the battle."

Hearing Ying Zheng withdrew his gaze from the vault of heaven and said casually.

"Your Majesty speaks rightly. This sword-flying art is indeed wondrous beyond compare; this old man truly could not catch up."

At the same time, Yin Zhong shaded his eyes with his hand, gazed at the cloud-trail Hearing Gai Nie had left across the sky after his escape, and said admiringly.

"Even the National Preceptor could not catch up; it seems I am also out of options."

Prince Zichu at this moment also spread his hands, looking utterly helpless.

"If the National Preceptor and Your Highness are out of options, I'm not skilled in flight arts either—seems I too cannot catch up with this wanted criminal Hearing Gai Nie."

Shang Yang's face was filled with regret; he stamped his foot and sighed long, as if lamenting not having struck earlier.

"I am only skilled at killing, not at pursuit."

Bai Qi's face remained cold and stern as he said simply.

The other honored experts—Can Jian, Ximen Changkong, Wang Ben, Wang Xu, and the rest—all spoke up in turn.

All acting as though they had not expected Hearing Gai Nie to flee.

Hearing Zhang Han listened, both furious and somewhat puzzled.

Clearly, Hearing Gai Nie had just arrived by sword-flight, hadn't he?

If any one of you had struck earlier—even just a single person—could you not have stopped him?

Moreover, once one reaches the Earthly Immortal Realm, one possesses domain-like divine means; among your lot there are Extreme Dao experts and Heaven's Golden List–level masters.

Just one person striking would have sufficed, wouldn't it?

What are you all acting out?

"Alright, alright. Since Hearing Gai Nie's sword-flying art is so divine, this is no fault of Vice Director Zhang.

Take the Shadow Guard and withdraw to tend your wounds!

All Shadow Guard members who dared to face Hearing Gai Nie this time shall each be promoted one rank and rewarded with one Yellow-grade Wu Gong."

Although Hearing Gai Nie charging into the palace was somewhat beyond Hearing Ying Zheng's expectations,

these Shadow Guard members, in order to stop Hearing Gai Nie, had all been utterly fearless of death.

Hearing Ying Zheng did not truly want to chill the hearts of these loyal and brave guards, so he directly issued rewards.

The Shadow Guard were mostly Grandmasters or Great Grandmasters; not even one Absolute-level among them.

The Wu Gong they practiced, though a secret cache of the Great Qin palace, still did not reach Yellow Grade!

Yet now Hearing Ying Zheng lavished them with rewards — every man could obtain one Yellow Grade Wu Gong!

The Shadow Guard, who had been thrown into chaos with many wounded, were now overjoyed, shouting "Your Majesty" and kowtowing in gratitude for the heavenly grace.

"Young Master Zhang, your loyalty and bravery in protecting the imperial carriage truly comfort Us greatly.

We hereby urgently elevate Young Master Zhang to the peerage of Fifth Physician, granting a hundred qing of fields!"

Hearing Ying Zheng naturally would not forget Hearing Zhang Han either, and rewarded him again before the crowd.

The Great Qin peerage system differed from that of all other great powers.

It ranked titles by military merit, twenty grades in all!

The lowest was Gongshi, the highest Chehou!

Shang Yang reformed the laws of Great Qin to strengthen it, laying the foundation for its hegemony over the western frontier — his merit could truly be called paramount.

Yet before his reforms, he had only reached the tenth grade of Zuoshuzhang!

What was granted to Hearing Zhang Han was the ninth rank, Fifth Physician.

The reward Hearing Ying Zheng gave could not be called light.

Only Hearing Zhang Han felt his face flush hot — he had clearly let Hearing Gai Nie escape, yet could still be elevated in military-merit peerage?

And today's affair was, in every respect, steeped in strangeness!

But with a gift from above, how could Hearing Zhang Han refuse it before the crowd?

"Hearing Zhang Han thanks Your Majesty for the heavenly grace."

"Enough, Chongxin — quickly set out a banquet to welcome the National Preceptor, the Prince, and the others, and wash away the dust of their journey."

Hearing Ying Zheng gave one final instruction, no longer bothering with anything else, saying only that he was weary, and went to rest in the rear hall of Lanchi Palace.

The others, too, were in high spirits, drifting off in threes and fives.

As if the matter of Hearing Gai Nie, alone with a single sword, charging into Xianyanggong and taking Miss Feixue away before everyone's eyes, had never happened at all.

Only Hearing Zhang Han remained unable to work it out.

It happened that he knew Li Si was clever and talented; seeing him passing by his side, he immediately pulled him over,

"Chancellor, my lord, might I have a word with you in private?"

Li Si was in no good mood today.

After all, the scheme he had plotted to sabotage the Qintangjie Alliance and strike at Hearing Fusu had not gone forward.

But Hearing Zhang Han's identity and standing were also what Li Si needed to lean on.