Ambition

"I recall that Yuyu Palace was built by the founding emperor of Great Sui. Originally, this was the imperial palace of the previous dynasty, which was later burned to the ground by an invading army." Qin Sang looked at Princess Dongyang. Seeing her nod slightly, he continued, "Great Sui has lasted five hundred years, spanning over thirty emperors to this day. Monarchs of a nation, basking in ultimate glory and wealth, yet in the end none could escape becoming a handful of yellow earth, while Yuyu Palace remains." Princess Dongyang seemed to understand something. "You..." Qin Sang impolitely interrupted her, pointing toward the towering dark shadow in the distance. "Look at Mount Chaosheng again. It witnessed Yuyu Palace turn from new to old; it witnessed the destruction of the previous dynasty's palace; and before that, dynasty after dynasty, generation after generation." He pointed to the sky once more. "In the heavens above, perhaps an immortal has witnessed Mount Chaosheng rise from the sea bed into a plain, and finally grow inch by inch into this towering mountain. Even if Mount Chaosheng were to collapse one day in the future, that immortal wouldn't bother sparing it a glance." "My ambition is great," Qin Sang gave a self-mocking smile. "I want immortality—to witness immortals go from life to death." Princess Dongyang let out a long sigh. "I understand... But have you considered what will happen to Wu Chuanzong, Zhou Ning, Zhang Wenkui, and the others after you leave? The Crown Prince hates you to the bone. If he cannot lay his hands on you, he will take his wrath out on them. Will they be able to withstand it?" Qin Sang turned to look at Princess Dongyang. Her eyes shone bright. *** The second night of the new year. The Estate of the Marquis of Jiang Prefecture. All personal guards had been dismissed by Qin Sang. He was the sole person remaining in the estate, sitting upright with closed eyes in the main hall. In the dead of night, a rustle of footsteps came from outside the estate. Qin Sang snapped his eyes open, picked up the bundle beside him and slung it over his shoulder, then drew a sword, walked out, and slowly pushed open the main gates. Torches blazed, turning the night as bright as day. The entire street was packed with elite troops completely surrounding the marquis estate, countless heavy crossbows and sharp arrows nocked and aimed at the gates. Witnessing this sight, Qin Sang gave a self-deprecating smile. How the tables turned. Three years ago, he had led crossbowmen to besiege Xuanji Temple; now, it was his turn. As soon as he stepped out of the estate gates, a pale, beardless man shrieked in a high-pitched voice, "The Marquis of Jiang Prefecture harbors wild ambitions, colluding with his subordinates in an attempt to rebel! Now that your conspiracy has been exposed, surrender without resistance! By the Crown Prince's decree, anyone who resists shall be executed on the spot!" Qin Sang remained expressionless, sweeping his gaze across the soldiers until he found the figure of the Crown Prince. Beside the Crown Prince stood four other people. One was a coquettish-looking woman clinging closely to the Crown Prince—Red Embroideress. Her martial arts were not inferior to the White-Robed Scholar's, making her one of the martial world's top masters. On the other side of the Crown Prince was an old monk carrying a precious sword on his back, his long beard nearly trailing to the ground. Qin Sang had seen him at Xuanji Temple; he was the grandmaster of Xuanji Temple who had slain a cultivator with sword-glow. By now, he was probably well over a hundred years old. He had come for revenge. Beside the old monk stood a scholar whom Qin Sang had never met, but he knew this man had to be the current master of Yanlan Mountain Villa—another sacred ground of Great Sui's martial arts world—a Xiantian master. Lastly, cloaked in black within the darkness, his face veiled in shadow as though forever dwelling in gloom and never showing himself to the world, stood the Master of Blood Cloak Tower, Daoist Master Black Crane. Three Xiantian masters—the Crown Prince truly held him in high regard. Perhaps feeling invulnerable with so many masters guarding him, the Crown Prince parted the soldiers and stepped forward. Looking at Qin Sang with a faint smile, he feigned deep grief: "General Qin, a commoner raised by Princess Dongyang's favor to the rank of marquis—what more could you possibly want? Yet you dared secretly collude with the generals to plot rebellion! Can you face Princess Dongyang? Can you face Imperial Father?" Qin Sang said indifferently, "I do not understand what Your Highness is saying. Since entering the Imperial Capital, this official has remained inside his estate, rarely even stepping out the door. How could there be collusion?" The Crown Prince gave a cold snort. "The evidence of your collusion with the officers and men is ironclad, yet you dare quibble! Daoist Master Black Crane, bring forth the prisoners!" Astonishingly, Daoist Master Black Crane remained motionless. He said respectfully, "Reporting to the Crown Prince, Blood Cloak Tower has uncovered no evidence of the Marquis of Jiang Prefecture's collusion or treason. This subordinate does not know whom Your Highness wishes to have brought forward. May Your Highness clarify?" At these words, the crowd went into an uproar. Startled, the Crown Prince snapped his head around, staring incredulously at Daoist Master Black Crane. "You!" Qin Sang feigned outrage and spoke with ringing force: "Favored by the Commandery Princess, I served as a general in the army, diligent and conscientious at all times, expanding the territory for our Emperor without the slightest laxity. Joining forces with Prince Zhenshui, breaching Yingnan Commandery, covertly crossing Hening County, setting Duyakou ablaze, trampling Jiuwei Pass—my battlefield achievements are numerous and known to all! How many in the entire military could match me? Yet now the Crown Prince slanders me with treason without producing a shred of evidence! As the saying goes, when the birds are gone, the bow is shelved; when the hares are killed, the hound is boiled. If the Crown Prince forces me to rebel, I have no choice but to rebel!" Before his words even faded, Qin Sang shifted his footwork and pounced toward the Crown Prince in a flash. The Crown Prince paled in horror. "What are you doing?! Kill him! Kill him now!" Daoist Master Black Crane had defected on the spot, leaving everyone startled and bewildered. The master of Yanlan Mountain Villa was visibly hesitant, but the old monk held a long-standing grudge against Qin Sang. Without hesitation, he beckoned with his hand, and the sword on his back unsheathed itself with a loud clatter, flying into his grip. Gripping the sword, the old monk moved like lightning. A dazzling point of sword-glow shone at the tip of the blade as he thrust toward Qin Sang accompanied by a dragon-like chime. Just then, the crisp chiming of a bell suddenly rang in the old monk's ears. In that instant, he abruptly remembered something; his expression changed drastically, his eyes widening in pure horror as he stared at Qin Sang. He opened his mouth to say something, but before the words could leave his lips, Qin Sang closed in like a ghost into the old monk's chest. His hand clamped onto the old monk's neck and twisted it violently around. *Crack!* The old monk died instantly. Seeing this, not only the master of Yanlan Mountain Villa, but even Daoist Master Black Crane's eyelids twitched violently. A formidable Xiantian master had failed to last even a single exchange against Qin Sang! Unable to hear the bell's chiming, they assumed Qin Sang's martial arts had transcended mortality and reached the divine realm. The Crown Prince was terrified out of his wits. Giving Red Embroideress a violent shove, he turned and fled, shrieking at the top of his lungs, "Kill him! Loose arrows! Fire now!" Qin Sang was extremely close to the Crown Prince, so the soldiers hesitated, not daring to act recklessly. Several officers looked toward the commanding general, only to find him remaining completely silent. Were they truly going to stand by and watch the Crown Prince be captured? Daoist Master Black Crane had turned traitor right on the spot, and their commanding general remained silent. A dense shroud of mystery seemed to hang over everything, leaving them paralyzed with hesitation. Even the old monk couldn't stop Qin Sang, and Red Embroideress had barely been shoved forward before Qin Sang's sword pierced her heart. Moving with the swiftness of a springing hare and a diving falcon, Qin Sang seized the Crown Prince from amidst the sea of troops in the blink of an eye. "What are you doing..." Seeing Qin Sang's chilling gaze, the Crown Prince was filled with sheer terror. Qin Sang said coldly, "How could such a petty, ungrateful man be fit to rule a nation! Forget being the Marquis of Jiang Prefecture—I, Qin Sang, swear to demand justice!" With that, Qin Sang hoisted the Crown Prince by the neck. His other arm drew back and snapped forward, and his sword shot out like lightning, cleanly piercing through the Crown Prince and carrying his corpse into the gates of the marquis estate, embedding deeply into the wood. *Squelch!* Blood spurted out, dyeing the night sky red and stunning everyone present.