The day after Zeng Ningbing's death, while her bones were barely cold.
Lianshan Xin opened his eyes and immediately felt pain wracking his entire body. As his consciousness swiftly returned, he recalled how he had fainted yesterday right after showing off. He promptly asked, "How are Zhuo Biyu and Tian Ji?"
"Look at you, actually possessing a conscience."
Tian Ji's voice rang out.
Lianshan Xin turned his head and discovered Tian Ji lying in the hospital bed right beside him.
Looking further, Zhuo Biyu was lying in the bed behind Tian Ji, glaring furiously at him at that very moment.
Lianshan Xin grinned. "It is wonderful that Miss Zhuo and Brother Tian are all right—cough, cough—"
Before he could finish two sentences, Lianshan Xin broke into a coughing fit.
Coughing seemed to be contagious, as Tian Ji and Zhuo Biyu also coughed up blood.
One room, three patients.
While coughing, Lianshan Xin used his eyes to convey his apologies.
By now, his wits were largely restored, and he was completely certain that he bore joint responsibility for Zhuo Biyu and Tian Ji's injuries.
"All right? Does this look like we're all right?" Tian Ji fumed.
After spitting up blood, Zhuo Biyu remarked faintly, "We'll have to lie in bed for at least three days this time."
"What a loss," Tian Ji said resentfully. "Had I known it was Thousand Faces, you couldn't have beaten me into charging forward."
Just as Lianshan Xin had only recognized Thousand Faces at the very end, Tian Ji hadn't known it was Thousand Faces at the start either.
So upon hearing Lianshan Xin's warning, Tian Ji had charged right in.
With Heavenly Sword holding the line anyway, Tian Ji hadn't felt the slightest fear.
Why would a noble lord from the capital fear Demon Cult fiends in Jiangzhou?
And then Tian Ji had ended up flat on his back.
Zhuo Biyu had found herself in roughly the same situation.
"I thought it was merely an expert under Thousand Faces disguised as Kong Ningyue. Has Thousand Faces lost his mind? Delivering himself right to our doorstep to seek death!" Zhuo Biyu was exasperated by the madness of it.
Had she known it was Thousand Faces, nothing could have persuaded her to cover Lianshan Xin's retreat.
If two Grandmasters truly wanted to flee, they would certainly have run much faster than Lianshan Xin.
Lianshan Xin ignored the complaints of his two Yixin Society comrades. Since the lives of their nine clans were tied together anyway, what did a couple of grumbles matter?
Young Master Xin was magnanimous.
He repaid their grievances with virtue: "Miss Zhuo, Brother Tian, the fact that you managed to escape with your lives when Thousand Faces struck with full force proves your extraordinary strength."
"Bullshit. It's because the bastard didn't strike to kill," Zhuo Biyu said, showing remarkable self-awareness.
Tian Ji also laughed self-deprecatingly. "Thousand Faces probably guessed my identity. If he truly wanted to kill me, that palm strike would have been enough to end my life, but he didn't dare. If he killed me, with my master having arrived in Jiangzhou, he would be the one to die. It wouldn't matter if I died at the hands of the Demon Cult's younger generation, but dying to Thousand Faces would cause him massive trouble."
At that, Tian Ji looked at Lianshan Xin. "The target Thousand Faces truly wanted to kill this time was you."
Lianshan Xin grew indignant. "Isn't that bullying the weak and fearing the strong? Just because I don't have a Great Grandmaster backing me, Thousand Faces dares to kill me?"
"What else? You expect Old Demon Thousand Faces to bully the strong and fear the weak?" Tian Ji retorted.
Lianshan Xin had no rebuttal.
Thousand Faces truly understood the balance between bloodshed and worldly sophistication. Toward the disciples of Great Grandmasters, he played politics; toward a bumpkin like Lianshan Xin, he resorted to killing.
The reason Tian Ji and Zhuo Biyu had charged forward so bravely was that they were fully aware of their own backing—the confidence of second-generation elites of the Nine Heavens.
Of course, even so, Lianshan Xin remained deeply grateful for Zhuo Biyu covering the rear and Tian Ji rushing to his aid.
Without them, Lianshan Xin likely wouldn't have survived until Zhang Aniu drew his sword.
"Things went too smoothly for me these past two days. I forgot that a monster like Thousand Faces is lawless by nature, slaughtering people like grass," Lianshan Xin reflected.
Tian Ji and Zhuo Biyu refrained from kicking him while he was down. Having just narrowly escaped death, they were still shaken by lingering fear.
"I will etch your assistance into my heart. Miss Zhuo, whatever trouble you face in the future, as long as you need me, I will definitely repay the favor of those two saber strikes," Lianshan Xin stated with utter solemnity.
Zhuo Biyu was surprised by how earnest he sounded. "A gentleman's promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold. I shall hold you to it."
"Rest assured, Miss Zhuo. I may not be a gentleman, but I will keep my word."
"Hey, what about me?" Tian Ji asked, dissatisfied.
Lianshan Xin smiled faintly. "Brother Tian also proved his commitment through action. Regarding the trouble I stirred up in Jiangzhou, Brother Tian truly did his best to cover for me. Although the outcome left something to be desired, I saw your effort. I am willing to say your word is worth a thousand gold as well."
"You bastard—"
Tian Ji wanted to curse, but fury rushed to his heart, and he spat up another mouthful of blood.
He and Zhuo Biyu had each taken a direct blow from Thousand Faces, suffering far more severe injuries than Lianshan Xin.
"Don't get agitated, Brother Tian. Big shots from the capital all care about face. I understand," Lianshan Xin consoled him.
Tian Ji did not want to speak.
On only his third day venturing into the jianghu, he was already beginning to miss Shenjing.
He felt the jianghu wasn't fun at all.
*Click.*
The room door was pushed open.
A middle-aged man walked in.
Seeing the arrival, both Tian Ji and Zhuo Biyu greeted him on their own initiative:
"Uncle Xu."
"Physician Xu."
Xu Shangyi nodded at Tian Ji and Zhuo Biyu, then sized up Lianshan Xin and asked, "Awake? How do you feel?"
"It hurts. Everything hurts."
"That means you're fine. Yours are blunt external injuries. After sleeping a day and a night, once you sit in meditation and circulate your cultivation, you should be mostly recovered by tonight. No medicine needed. By contrast, Xiao Tian and Xiao Zhuo's injuries are more severe—internal damage. It will probably take three days before they're bouncing around again."
Lianshan Xin sensed an aura from Xu Shangyi similar to his father, Lianshan Jingcheng, so he asked, "Are you a physician from our Nine Heavens?"
"Uncle Xu is the second disciple of Lord Heavenly Physician and has inherited his complete teachings," Tian Ji explained. "This time, all three of us owe Uncle Xu our thanks."
Lianshan Xin immediately gave thanks: "Thank you, Uncle Xu."
Xu Shangyi glanced at Lianshan Xin again and shook his head. "The two of them can thank me, but you don't need to. Your injuries would heal even without looking at them. As expected of the young hero who saw through Thousand Faces and managed to retreat intact from under his palm, you are far stronger than the two of them."
Lianshan Xin wished Xu Shangyi would speak more if he was this good at it.
However, neither Tian Ji nor Zhuo Biyu could bear listening any longer.
Tian Ji explained, "Uncle Xu, Zhuo Biyu and I each took a blow from Thousand Faces, and then Lord Heavenly Sword intervened. This guy was taking a beating the entire time."
"Is that so?"
"It is."
Xu Shangyi wondered, "Then why is the outside world spreading word that Lianshan Xin saw through Thousand Faces' disguise and, with merely a Qi Condensation cultivation, forced the Great Grandmaster Thousand Faces to suffer defeat, hailing him as another hidden dragon emerging from the Nine Heavens?"
Tian Ji: "..."
Zhuo Biyu: "..."
Both instantly remembered the roar Lianshan Xin had let out right before passing out.
At that time, everyone within five hundred paces of the Prefectural Estate had likely heard it loud and clear.
They had even seen the black smoke of Thousand Faces' escape pause for an instant.
And then Lianshan Xin had fainted in grand style.
Stories were already spreading across Jiangzhou that Thousand Faces had stumbled into the hands of a young hero.
The rise of every young prodigy was accompanied by the curtain falling on an elder. And when that elder was a Great Grandmaster renowned across the jianghu, the common folk loved spreading such tales above all else.
Tian Ji was green with envy. "Brother, did you plan all this out?"
Lianshan Xin explained, "At the time, I only wanted to dampen Thousand Faces' morale."
"I think you just wanted to claim the credit first!" Tian Ji called out his motive on the spot.
Zhuo Biyu also remarked faintly, "Stepping on Thousand Faces to make a name in the jianghu. Even if the world doesn't believe you are Thousand Faces' match, they will subconsciously rank you just beneath a Great Grandmaster, as if you were only a single step away. Lianshan Xin, fine tactics. Truly impressive. Tian Ji and I were the ones who fought, yet all the renown went to you."
Lianshan Xin demurred modestly, "I really didn't think that much at the time."
Like hell he hadn't.
If you picked a fight with the world's number one, people would default to viewing you as number two. Even if your strength fell short, it didn't matter; it was a subconscious mental intrusion.
When Lianshan Xin challenged Thousand Faces, the world would default to assuming he was only slightly weaker. And was being slightly weaker than Thousand Faces humiliating?
How could Lianshan Xin's gap from a Grandmaster be described as just 'a little'?
Yet it didn't matter. Where strength fell short, marketing filled the gap.
Kong Ningyuan had become famous throughout Jiangzhou merely by yielding a pear. For Young Master Xin to step on Thousand Faces and become famous in a single battle was completely natural and reasonable.
It was just that the rumors were even more exaggerated than Lianshan Xin had anticipated.
"I'm already at the True Intent realm now, not Qi Condensation. If Tanhua Qi could leap realms to defeat a Grandmaster while in Qi Condensation, what's the big deal about me leaping realms to beat Thousand Faces once in True Intent?"
Lianshan Xin took full ownership of the achievement, ignoring the contemptuous glares from Tian Ji and Zhuo Biyu.
"Right, Uncle Xu, is Thousand Faces dead?" Lianshan Xin asked.
"He fled. Thousand Faces didn't engage in a direct battle with Lord Heavenly Sword at all. Once his trail was exposed, he ran, and his tracks were lost at the foot of Mount Kuang."
"Mount Kuang again." Lianshan Xin heard the name once more.
"Yes, Mount Kuang again."
Zhang Aniu's figure quietly appeared at the doorway.
He had also come to visit the three of them.
"The Six Sects of Mount Kuang are the leaders of Jiangzhou's martial world and the birthplace of the Celestial Master. For Thousand Faces to deliberately vanish at the foot of Mount Kuang is an obvious attempt to sow mutual suspicion between me and the Celestial Master," Zhang Aniu said in a deep voice.
Lianshan Xin really wanted to ask Zhang Aniu whether Thousand Faces had succeeded in provoking suspicion.
However, after some thought, he decided not to ask questions that harmed unity.
Zhang Aniu had no intention of elaborating either. He looked toward Lianshan Xin, his eyes filled with praise. "Xiao Xin, you achieved great merit this time. First, you discovered that Jiang Haoran was an imposter, and then you noticed Kong Ningyue was Thousand Faces hiding in plain sight. Without your Heavenly Eye, Thousand Faces would truly have remained concealed."
"You flatter me, My Lord. Your subordinate was merely lucky," Lianshan Xin said modestly.
Zhang Aniu shook his head. "Doing it once is luck. Discovering Demon Cult fiends repeatedly only proves that you truly possess talent. The martial intent you have grasped is the Void Penetration Intent. While you cannot bear the title of 'Heavenly Eye' for now, it may not be impossible in the days to come."
Hearing Heavenly Sword praise him so, both Zhuo Biyu and Tian Ji felt their hearts tremble.
They were still striving toward a seat among the Nine Heavens.
Yet Lianshan Xin, who was younger and weaker, was already mounting a charge, and Heavenly Sword appeared to have cast an approving vote.
Naturally, this made them feel the pressure of the rising generation.
At this point, Lianshan Xin dropped his modesty: "Your subordinate indeed has some talent when it comes to judging people. My Lord, once I recover, I request permission to continue investigating the assassination attempt against you."
"There is no need to investigate further. Thousand Faces revealed his tracks, which amounts to a confession," Zhang Aniu said.
Lianshan Xin's expression remained unchanged, but his heart stirred.
On the surface, with Thousand Faces showing up in person at the Prefectural Estate and being exposed by Lianshan Xin, the mud had fallen into his pants—whether it was shit or not, everyone would treat it as shit.
Anyone looking at it would conclude Thousand Faces had attempted to assassinate Heavenly Sword.
However, Lianshan Xin had watched hundreds of episodes of Detective Conan. He understood one thing with absolute clarity:
Coincidence did not equate to truth.
Theoretically, there was still no evidence proving Thousand Faces had assassinated Heavenly Sword.
Of course, there was no evidence proving he hadn't, either.
If Lianshan Xin were a fake master detective, he would argue vigorously before Zhang Aniu to uncover the truth.
Yet as a genuine master detective, Lianshan Xin chose to align with his superior.
"My Lord speaks truly. Thousand Faces was indeed far too arrogant," Lianshan Xin agreed. "Your subordinate once heard that culprits often like returning to the crime scene to watch the constables scramble in distress and the families weep bitterly, which fills the culprit with a sense of accomplishment. A monster like Thousand Faces is the most prone to such twisted psychology."
"There is reason in that," Zhuo Biyu agreed.
Tian Ji also nodded. "Brother, though you are young, you truly have a knack for investigating cases. When I dealt with Ministry of Justice officials previously, they said similar things."
Lianshan Xin's expression remained calm.
He didn't exchange glances with Zhuo Biyu or Tian Ji.
Nor did he ponder who the real assassin of Zhang Aniu might be.
Did that matter?
To Lianshan Xin, what mattered was killing Thousand Faces!
In his eighteen years of life, this was the first time Lianshan Xin had felt like he barely survived death.
He disliked that feeling intensely.
Therefore, he had to settle accounts with Thousand Faces.
Yet Thousand Faces was truly too formidable.
Even Zhang Aniu couldn't easily dispose of him.
In that case, clip his wings first.
Once he secured a few more rounds of sponsorship from his Number One Patron, the one running for his life next time might not be him.
Wait, he wasn't the one running for his life this time either; Thousand Faces was.
He had won this encounter.
It was Thousand Faces who should be seeking revenge against him.
Reclaiming his mindset of perpetual victory, Lianshan Xin decided to temporarily drop the pursuit of Thousand Faces and turn his spearhead toward the Prefectural Estate and the Kong clan.
"My Lord, the Prefect's son and daughter-in-law are both tied to the Demon Cult. This matter cannot be justified no matter how one spins it, correct?" Lianshan Xin asked.
Zhang Aniu nodded. "I have already sent a secret missive to His Majesty. It is time for a thorough investigation of the Jiangzhou officialdom."
At that point, the appreciation in Zhang Aniu's eyes as he looked at Lianshan Xin was impossible to conceal.
Lianshan Xin also realized that Zhang Aniu held an immense advantage this time, half of which was his own doing.
"Ah Xin, you have rendered great service. I reward merit without fail. Is there anything you desire?" Zhang Aniu asked directly.
Lianshan Xin did not hold back. "Your subordinate desires a high-tier martial arts manual capable of replenishing primordial yang."
*Boom × 4.*
All four people present looked at him in shock.
Tian Ji's eyes filled with pity. "Brother, you're only eighteen, and you're already running out of steam?"
Lianshan Xin glared at him and explained, "I'm asking on behalf of a friend. The technique he practiced before was overly vicious, leaving him sterile, so he came begging to me."
Hearing him say that, Xu Shangyi showed great appreciation: "Young Master Xin has rendered great merit, yet your first thought is to seek a technique for a friend. Xu is impressed."
Zhuo Biyu expressed doubt: "Physician Xu, I've heard that when many people say 'I have a friend,' they actually mean themselves. Could you check if he's inadequate?"
Xu Shangyi said placidly, "I already checked. Young Master Xin was born with blocked meridians and limited martial talent. Yet because his meridians were blocked, his primordial yang has remained unspent to this day. One could say he is extraordinarily vigorous. Of course, now that he has cleared his meridians, there is no longer any danger of being unable to release his primordial yang."
Lianshan Xin was instantly filled with awe: "No wonder I never had wet dreams—it was because my meridians were blocked! Uncle Xu is truly a divine physician."
Xu Shangyi's tone grew even calmer: "Having studied medicine for twenty years, if I couldn't even discern this, wouldn't I be failing my master's teachings? Young Master Xin, do you need me to examine your friend? If his inability to bear offspring stems from his cultivation technique, merely switching techniques may not be enough."
"I know. It also requires long-term recuperation, and most importantly, an Essence Recovery Pill concocted personally by Lord Celestial Master to eradicate the root cause," Lianshan Xin said.
Xu Shangyi was taken aback. "Are you also from our Heavenly Physician lineage?"
"Naturally not."
"Then how do you know so clearly?" Xu Shangyi asked, surprised.
Lianshan Xin explained, "My father is also a physician and has some fame in Jiangzhou, specializing in treating ailments related to fertility and marital intimacy."
"I see. A talent hidden among the common folk," Xu Shangyi nodded slowly. "Young Master Xin, if you have leisure, could you take me to meet your esteemed father? Consulting him on medical arts might benefit both of us."
"Of course."
Lianshan Xin readily agreed.
At the same time, a thought struck him.
"Uncle Xu, my father said that when he was young, he met a divine physician whose guidance he received for a period, allowing him to master medicine and acquire a craft to make a living. May I ask, did Lord Heavenly Physician ever visit Jiangzhou twenty years ago?"
"Twenty years ago?" Xu Shangyi recalled, then shook his head. "That was too long ago, and my master's whereabouts are not something I can track. Why, do you suspect your father met my master back then?"
"I indeed harbor that guess. Please forgive my presumption, Uncle Xu."
"It is not impossible. My master practiced medicine to heal the world and saved countless people. It wouldn't be strange if your father was one of them. Once I return to the capital, I will ask on your behalf."
"Thank you, Uncle Xu."
If he could establish a connection with Heavenly Physician, that would be ideal.
Even if it meant owing a life-saving favor to Heavenly Physician, that didn't matter.
What mattered was that this would provide him with a reason to befriend the Heavenly Physician lineage, and they would inevitably lean toward supporting someone who owed them a debt of gratitude.
Only after Lianshan Xin and Xu Shangyi finished speaking did Zhang Aniu nod and say, "I agree to the matter of the manual. However, the manuals of our Nine Heavens are all stored in the scripture pavilion at the Shenjing headquarters. If you need it urgently, I can have someone select one and send it over. If not urgent, once the Jiangzhou affair concludes, you can go pick it yourself at the scripture pavilion in Shenjing."
Lianshan Xin thought about it; there was no great rush.
Huang Jingji had just surrendered and had yet to establish any merit. Since Lianshan Xin had already helped him realize the reality of his 'infertility while surrounded by children,' it was now time for Huang Jingji to prove his loyalty.
Rushing to deliver benefits wouldn't make sense.
Thus, Lianshan Xin said, "I shall wait until I return to Shenjing to choose it in person. That way, I can also consult my friend's wishes."
"Very well," Zhang Aniu agreed readily.
To him, this was a trivial matter.
"My Lord, there is one more thing. The Prefectural Estate requires His Majesty's decree, but the Kong clan cannot escape suspicion either. Kong Ningyue was actually Thousand Faces in disguise; whenever your subordinate thinks of it, lingering fear grips me."
Tian Ji and Zhuo Biyu nodded in unison.
Without exaggeration, facing Thousand Faces' palm yesterday had been the most perilous moment of their lives.
Zhuo Biyu said resentfully, "I always thought Thousand Faces was a man. Can the Myriad Manifestations Classic really turn a man into a woman?"
Zhang Aniu shook his head. "Do not assume whether Thousand Faces is male or female. Even I haven't figured that out yet."
"Still, the Kong clan must definitely be investigated," Tian Ji cast his vote of support. "Thousand Faces was previously at Bailudong Academy, and Kong Ningyue married into the Prefectural Estate. Why was Thousand Faces able to disguise himself as Kong Ningyue so easily without being detected? Did someone in the Kong clan collude with him?"
"These things... indeed need investigation." Zhang Aniu fixed his gaze on Lianshan Xin. "Ah Xin, do you wish to continue investigating this matter?"
"Your subordinate is willing to share My Lord's burdens."
"Very well. You shall remain in charge of it."
Zhang Aniu was clearly not very interested in the Kong clan.
"How did Zeng Ningbing die?"
Zhang Aniu's sudden question made both Zhuo Biyu and Tian Ji tense internally.
Lianshan Xin maintained his composure: "Reporting to My Lord, Zeng Ningbing was killed by Thousand Faces."
"Killed by Thousand Faces?" Zhang Aniu looked at Lianshan Xin. His calm, unrippled gaze placed immense pressure on him.
At the crucial moment, his two good brothers from the Yixin Society did not stand idly by.
"She was indeed killed by Thousand Faces. I saw it with my own eyes," Tian Ji said with great loyalty.
Zhuo Biyu supplemented the details: "Thousand Faces failed to kill Tian Ji and me with that single strike, but Zeng Ningbing was merely an ordinary Qi Condensation martial artist, fragile and unable to withstand the shockwave, dying from Thousand Faces' residual force."
Such was the bond of the nine clans.
Lianshan Xin was deeply touched internally; the Yixin Society truly lived up to its name.
Zhang Aniu's gaze swept over Zhuo Biyu and Tian Ji once more.
After looking at them until their hair stood on end, Zhang Aniu said placidly, "Write a report and submit it, signed jointly by the three of you. If the Golden Scale Alliance comes stirring up trouble, there will be an explanation."
"Yes."
All three breathed a sigh of relief.
Originally, they had planned to frame Zeng Ningbing as Thousand Faces' agent and use that to investigate the Golden Scale Alliance.
Yet plans could not keep pace with change.
Thousand Faces had actually appeared at the Prefectural Estate and attacked.
Under those circumstances, wasn't Zeng Ningbing's heroic sacrifice in battle entirely reasonable?
Who could question it?
Who would dare question it?
"If the Golden Scale Alliance refuses to believe this account..." Zhang Aniu offered a reminder.
Lianshan Xin smiled upon hearing this. "Thousand Faces is one of the Demon Cult's Four Great Elders, having slaughtered countless lives. If the Golden Scale Alliance refuses to believe a report from the Nine Heavens and chooses to believe Thousand Faces instead, I would like to ask them what they are trying to achieve. Are they still a sect under the imperial court's rule?"
Zhang Aniu had nothing to say.
"Enough, Lord Heavenly Sword. Let the three of them rest. Lianshan Xin will basically be recovered in a few hours, while Xiao Zhuo and Xiao Tian will need another two or three days, but neither is a major issue."
"Very well. If anything happens, send someone to find me."
Zhang Aniu and Xu Shangyi left the room together.
A moment later, the two exchanged glances, and Zhang Aniu took the initiative to say, "The youths are unruly. I hope Physician Xu doesn't take offense."
Xu Shangyi shook his head. "The Heavenly Physician lineage does not concern itself with conflicts; our duty is only to treat your wounds. Lord Heavenly Sword need not mind my thoughts. I only wish to ask Lord Heavenly Sword one thing."
"What is it?"
"Has Lianshan Xin's family background been investigated?"
"Naturally."
"What was the result?"
"Immaculate. His mother, He Miaojun, is a fallen noble daughter. His father, Lianshan Jingcheng, is an orphan who survived a plague. What is Physician Xu suspecting?"
Xu Shangyi looked thoughtful: "An orphan? Meaning there are no other relatives who can verify his identity?"
Zhang Aniu looked intently at Xu Shangyi. "Physician Xu, do you suspect Lianshan Jingcheng?"
"He seems to know quite a lot. He even knows about the Essence Recovery Pill concocted by Lord Celestial Master, which indicates his medical skills must rank quite high in Jiangzhou," Xu Shangyi remarked impartially.
Zhang Aniu nodded. "The intelligence from our investigation indicates that Lianshan Jingcheng is referred to by the people of Jiangzhou as the 'Jiangzhou Healer.' His medical skills indeed rank high across the entire city. For such a skilled physician, knowing of the Essence Recovery Pill is hardly surprising."
"I see. Then it does seem quite normal," Xu Shangyi said.
Zhang Aniu looked at Xu Shangyi again and suddenly recalled something: "When did Physician Xu's senior brother go missing?"
Xu Shangyi fell silent.
Zhang Aniu asked no further, growing thoughtful instead.
If he remembered correctly, the disappearance of Heavenly Physician's eldest disciple had involved a taboo palace rumor back then.
To this day, that remained an unrevealed secret.
***
"Huh."
Inside the room, Lianshan Xin suddenly sat bolt upright in surprise.
"What's wrong with you?"
Both Tian Ji and Zhuo Biyu had their attention drawn to him.
Lianshan Xin was pleasantly surprised: "My strength seems to have improved."
Tian Ji's eyes were instantly filled with jealousy.
Zhuo Biyu was the same, saying resentfully, "You practitioners of the Heaven's Chosen lineage improve your strength faster the closer you are to the eye of the storm. Yesterday, you killed a Dayu princess and a Sakura princess, and then survived under Thousand Faces' hand. It's only normal for your cultivation to increase."
She and Tian Ji enjoyed no such treatment.
Of course, their cultivation techniques were safer and wouldn't easily result in 'suicide.'
However, seeing Qi Shiyun entering seclusion to break through to the Domain realm and Lianshan Xin chasing closely behind, Tian Ji and Zhuo Biyu found it truly hard not to feel envious.
Yet Lianshan Xin was already being considerate of their feelings.
What he didn't mention was that not only had his strength improved, but more importantly, his innate ability had finally begun to evolve.
Consecutively killing two Dayu princesses, two Sakura pseudo-dragons, and winning once against Thousand Faces seemed to have finally gathered enough experience points to upgrade his innate ability.
*Does upgrading this innate ability also require dragon qi? No, that's not right. Dragon qi is the cultivation resource for the Dragon Subduing lineage; it has nothing to do with my innate ability.*
*If I'm not mistaken, does upgrading the innate ability require fame?*
*Did I benefit from Thousand Faces' reputation this time?*
*Killing Dai Yueying before didn't trigger an evolution. Killing Mingren produced no response. Killing Yuriko and Zeng Ningbing didn't trigger anything either.*
*The variable was winning against Thousand Faces once, and making sure the entire city of Jiangzhou knew about it. The longer it spreads, the more people will know.*
*And right now, the innate ability evolved.*
*Fame? Or rather... prestige?*
Lianshan Xin thought of the games from his previous life, where one of the stats was 'Prestige.'
In games, prestige was extremely useful.
It was equally useful in reality.
If Zhuge Liang hadn't had the prestige of the 'Crouching Dragon,' Liu Bei wouldn't have made three visits to his thatched cottage.
If Liu Bei hadn't possessed the prestige of a 'benevolent lord,' a multitude of commoners wouldn't have followed him even in his direst straits.
Wang Anshi nurtured his reputation for thirty years before becoming chancellor, gaining the capital to enact reforms.
Not to mention Wang Mang's usurpation of the Han dynasty, which was tied intimately to 'prestige.'
It was just as important in this life. If Kong Ningyuan hadn't possessed the reputation of yielding a pear, why would the Kong clan's recommendation quota have gone to him, the sixth child, out of the seven in his generation?
Lianshan Xin had never seriously cultivated his reputation before—not because he didn't want to, but because ordinary commoners had no standing to do so.
Now, however, things were different.
After joining the Nine Heavens, forging ties of nine clans with three young masters, earning Heavenly Sword's favor, and defeating Thousand Faces head-on,
Lianshan Xin could be considered a young prodigy not just among Jiangzhou's younger generation, but across the entire realm.
His name and deeds would cross mountain after mountain, spreading across the nineteen provinces of Dayu.
*If I want to know whether my guess is correct, I have to find a way to beat Thousand Faces again,* Lianshan Xin resolved.
He realized Thousand Faces was simply too useful.
The illustrious feat of slaying princesses could also make him world-renowned, but Lianshan Xin didn't dare market that at all.
Yet stepping on Thousand Faces was something Lianshan Xin had the guts to do—plenty of guts, in fact.
*If beating Thousand Faces this time gets me onto the Hidden Dragon Rankings, it will be practically certain that upgrading the innate ability requires prestige.*
*Beating Thousand Faces once more would also prove my deduction.*
*It feels like either way, it's tied to Thousand Faces. Thousand Faces, you truly are my lucky star.*
If his deduction proved correct, Lianshan Xin was willing to crown Thousand Faces as his Number Two Patron.
His Majesty's position as the Number One Patron remained unshakeable for now.
Lianshan Xin hoped they would compete fiercely with each other to provide him with maximum support.
*The evolved innate ability will still activate randomly, but I can now actively choose a target to observe.*
Lianshan Xin naturally comprehended the state of his evolved ability.
*Actively observing a target does not guarantee a hundred percent success. If their strength exceeds mine by too much, I might be unable to see through them for now. If their strength is lower than mine, there will be no problem at all.*
*The uses are not unlimited; for now, I can only use it once.*
*It feels like it still consumes prestige.*
Lianshan Xin judged that every active activation of his innate ability required prerequisites, which was very likely prestige.
The stronger the target, the more prestige consumed.
That was why success wasn't guaranteed a hundred percent.
And currently, he had only a single opportunity to actively use it.
Lianshan Xin pondered for a moment and decided to test it on Tian Ji.
Since all of them shared the bond of nine clans, Qi Shiyun was already in the same boat as him.
He had already grasped Zhuo Biyu's secret as a double agent.
That left only this noble lord from the capital who wanted to cover for him, about whom Lianshan Xin currently knew little.
He would start with him, ensuring that everyone inside the Yixin Society was truly on his side.
He could also test the power of his evolved 'Heavenly Eye Search.'
Lianshan Xin was a man of action. Having made up his mind, he fixed his gaze on Tian Ji.
He activated the innate ability he had just named 'Heavenly Eye Search.'
Tian Ji's cultivation was a whole major realm higher than his, so Lianshan Xin was somewhat worried about failure.
Yet after three seconds, Lianshan Xin relaxed.
Through Tian Ji, he saw a familiar scene:
It was a garden ablaze with flowers of every hue.
In the garden, a man clad in black imperial dragon robes—hm?
Lianshan Xin's pupils dilated.
He confirmed he wasn't seeing things.
A middle-aged man in black dragon robes was admiring flowers in the garden.
Tian Ji stood behind him, bowing respectfully: "Greetings, Your Majesty."
The moment those words were spoken, Lianshan Xin was completely certain: this was his Number One Patron.
Thus, Lianshan Xin carefully observed the patron's appearance:
A square face, an imposing demeanor, thick eyebrows, and large eyes—an austere, regal bearing.
He truly deserved to be called a mature gentleman heartthrob.
Especially in the martial-oriented Dayu, where delicate beauty was not in vogue, a masculine and imposing man like his Number One Patron—paired with immense wealth, royal upbringing, and natural ease—made it completely reasonable that he could captivate the demonesses and holy maidens of the jianghu.
A man with wealth, looks, and likely formidable martial prowess entering the jianghu was an absolute curb-stomp across dimensions.
Lianshan Xin was curious about only one thing:
If his deductions were correct, shouldn't his Number One Patron be less masculine and imposing?
*Tsk, is this the contrast brought by bloodline?*
*Love it, absolutely love it.*
By this point, the patron had turned around, looking at Tian Ji as he spoke slowly: "Are you the successor of this generation's Heavenly Divination?"
Tian Ji was even bolder than Lianshan Xin had imagined.
A noble lord from the capital was truly a noble lord.
Facing the Number One Patron, Tian Ji showed no fear, grinning cheekily: "Your Majesty, I am the future Heavenly Secret."
A glimmer of appreciation flashed in the patron's eyes. "So arrogant at such a young age. Aren't you afraid of We reproaching you?"
Tian Ji straightened up, completely composed: "Your Majesty is wise, martial, and open-minded, renowned across the world. Naturally, you can tolerate my youthful arrogance."
"A sharp tongue indeed, completely unlike your master's gloomy demeanor," the patron chuckled. "Your master treats his words like gold."
Tian Ji said, "Master said that everyone in our lineage turns out like that when they grow old. Knowing too many secrets makes life heavy. But I'm still young and cannot relate to Master's feelings yet."
Seeing this, Lianshan Xin glanced at Tian Ji lying on the sickbed.
He felt that this once-spirited capital lord had also grown somewhat gloomy lately.
He had no idea who had caused it.
How lamentable.
Perhaps it was the fault of the Heavenly Divination cultivation technique.
The patron sighed softly: "Your master is remarkable. The current you indeed cannot understand. Fortunately, you are young and have no need to understand. Tian Ji, do you know why We summoned you this time?"
"This subject does not know. I pray Your Majesty enlighten me."
"Your father and I were close friends in the past. Thirty years ago, we hit it off at first sight in the jianghu, traveling side by side, and nearly swore an oath of brotherhood."
At this point, a nostalgic look crossed the patron's eyes: "That period was the happiest time of My life. You may not believe it, but what I regret most in this life is becoming Emperor. I have never liked power and hold no interest in authority. If there is a next life, I will definitely be a carefree wanderer of the jianghu, just like your father."
Lianshan Xin was carefully observing Tian Ji's expression, noticing that Tian Ji's acting skills were lacking.
Tian Ji had nearly burst out laughing.
Fortunately, he lowered his head in time.
"You don't believe Our words, do you?"
"No, this subject believes you." Tian Ji had at least that much emotional intelligence, but his acting was subpar, so he hastily shifted the topic: "Your Majesty, this subject has never known of these matters."
The patron sighed: "Wanderers of the jianghu grow old in the jianghu. Your parents died in the jianghu, at the hands of the Demon Cult.
"Before dying, they sent someone to inform Me, so I sent someone to bring you to Shenjing. The person I dispatched back then was your current master."
Tian Ji nodded silently.
"Previously, you were learning martial arts. Your master said that our lineage should not enter the secular world early on, nor should you harbor thoughts of vengeance, so I did not acknowledge you or reveal your heritage. Now that you have become a Grandmaster and your master has permitted you to venture forth, I am telling you your background.
"Xiao Ji, your father was two years older than Me. We had a great friendship back then, so I view you as a nephew. There is no need to be nervous when you see Me. In the future, whether in Shenjing, the jianghu, or within the Nine Heavens, if you encounter any difficulties, you may come find Me."
At this point, the patron stood with his hands behind his back, looking around with pride: "In Dayu, there truly aren't many things I cannot resolve.
"Whatever trouble you stir up, Xiao Ji, I will cover for you."
Lianshan Xin came to a sudden realization.
No wonder Tian Ji had been so grandly confident when they first met.
He had been cosplaying the Number One Patron all along.
Truth be told, when the patron said those words, they carried far more presence and conviction.
Tian Ji had probably believed the patron's words wholeheartedly.
Unfortunately, the trouble he had stirred up was simply too enormous.
The patron might not be willing to cover for him.
***
"Lianshan Xin, why do you keep staring at me?"
Tian Ji suddenly shrank back.
"Brother, even if I liked Zhuo Biyu, I wouldn't like you."
Zhuo Biyu clenched her fists: "What do you mean, 'even if you liked me'?!"
Tian Ji glanced at her with disgust: "You have designs on that lunatic Qi. Do you think you're a normal woman?"
Zhuo Biyu reached out and gripped the saber at the head of her bed.
"Calm down, calm down!" Lianshan Xin hastily intervened to make peace.
Then he shook his head vigorously.
The vision ended, and he sensed that he had lost the ability to activate 'Heavenly Eye Search' again.
His accumulated charge had been completely exhausted.
He would have to gather it anew.
Lianshan Xin felt more and more certain that the condition for activating 'Heavenly Eye Search' was prestige.
And gaining prestige was simple: it was merely a matter of making himself famous.
For Lianshan Xin, becoming famous was a hundred times easier than practicing martial arts.
Insultingly foolish marketing schemes like 'yielding pears' or 'lying on ice for carp' were usually left to others.
Tanhua Qi's path was too perilous and unadvisable.
Young Master Xin had better alternatives.
*Dear Thousand Faces, I hope you keep up the good work.*
*If you don't put in the effort, I'll help you along.*
If he beat Thousand Faces, he would be on par with a Great Grandmaster.
Even if he lost, he would still be ranked just beneath a Great Grandmaster.
Either way, he won.
"Brother, don't smile like that. Your smile is scaring me," Tian Ji spoke up again.
Lianshan Xin let out a soft sigh: "Brother Tian, I still prefer your fearless boldness from before when you promised to cover for me. How did you end up like this?"
Tian Ji fumed: "Oh, that's such a tough mystery to solve, isn't it?!"
As a diehard, red-blooded loyalist of the Emperor, he had killed the Emperor's daughter. What could he possibly do? He was utterly desperate!
Chapter 80