NABC Chapter 8: One against one, the Heavenly Assassin
Chapter 8: One against one, the Heavenly Assassin
After the failed assassination attempt at the ancient temple, Chu Sheng guessed that the person behind it would not let it go. If the Misty Rain Pavilion sent someone again after the death of Ghost Rakshasa, their strength would be at least above his.
Eighth-rank martial artist.
A ninth-rank martial artist.
Or a grandmaster?
Chu Sheng drove forward, looking very relaxed. With his current strength, he was invincible below the Grandmaster level, and could trade one for one with those above the Grandmaster level.
Based on his cultivation speed, he has a chance to further improve his Nine Yang Divine Skill before arriving in the capital, break through the realm barrier, and reach the Grandmaster realm.
The next two weeks passed smoothly, and the assassins did not appear. At this rate, they would arrive in the capital in another ten days.
With the escort mission halfway through, Li Kuang and Qingfeng Daoren have been quite relaxed these past few days. Victory is in sight, and they're set to receive five hundred taels of gold. Anyone would be in a great mood.
This moment.
Beijing.
Inside a magnificent palace, the man in black strode in and arrived at the palace's backyard, where an old man was fishing by the lake, with dozens of guards standing straight behind him.
"Greetings, Godfather!"
The old man, dressed in a black python robe, turned to look at the man in black. "Xuanwu is back. Is the mission complete?"
"Godfather, both assassination attempts have failed."
"The Ghost Rakshasa of Misty Rain Pavilion has been killed, and the Scholar of Life Chasing Fate has abandoned this mission." Xuanwu said in fear, not daring to look up at Zhao Jingzhong. He knew that he had failed in his duties and that his adoptive father's anger was something he could not bear.
"How could there be a mistake? Where did things go wrong? Is there a powerful person by the Princess's side?" Zhao Jingzhong asked calmly. "Ghost Rakshasa is a seventh-rank martial artist. How could he have failed?"
"Who were the martial arts practitioners who escorted the princess to the capital?"
"Father, it is Chu Sheng, a young man from the Zhenyuan Escort Agency," Xuanwu said. "Chu Sheng is a disciple of Chu Wu from the Zhenyuan Escort Agency."
Zhao Jingzhong sneered, "It's Zhenyuan Escort Agency again. Chu Wu died back then because he meddled in other people's business. Now his disciple is escorting the Princess. Are they deliberately trying to make trouble for us?"
"A mere youth fresh out of school, yet he possesses a seventh-grade cultivation level. Chu Wu has indeed nurtured a talent; what a pity..."
"Qingxuan, go and take care of this matter."
"If the people from Yanyu Tower are no good, then you should take action yourself. We only have one requirement: Li Anlan must die outside the capital."
Qingxuan remained silent, bowed, accepted the order, and left.
Xuanwu looked at Zhao Jingzhong, who gave him a look. Xuanwu then quickly chased after Qingxuan.
"Lord Qingxuan, the Misty Rain Pavilion has dispatched ten top-tier assassins this time, and they are preparing to make their move at Flying Cloud Mountain."
"Where is the Princess?"
"We've just passed Changyang City!" Xuanwu said.
"Make your move at Yanyun Mountain. Send the assassins from Yanyu Tower to see me," Qingxuan said calmly. "Also, hand over all the information you have about Chu Sheng to me."
"Yes, sir!"
Qingxuan is a man of few words, but he is meticulous in his work.
This is why Zhao Jingzhong values him so highly, because Qingxuan has never disappointed him in his work.
For many years, Qingxuan has handled almost all the matters that Zhao Jingzhong was unable to address. This time, he was asked to eliminate the eldest princess in order to put his mind at ease.
...........
"Master Chu, after we pass Yanyun Mountain ahead, we will enter the capital in three days." Li Kuang said to Chu Sheng, who was driving the carriage. "After we enter the capital, I will take you to see the world. I have heard that the wine of Zuixianlou in the capital is so good that even immortals cannot forget it. I invite you to drink it."
"The Drunken Immortal Wine you mentioned?"
"I drank it when I was nine years old, and the taste was just so-so!"
Chu Sheng spoke calmly, picked up the wine gourd in his hand and took a sip. Having lived two lives, he had drunk too much wine. The Drunken Immortal Wine, which fascinated the world, was nothing special in his eyes.
It's just a slightly higher alcohol content spirit.
When Chu Wu was nine years old, he escorted a shipment to the capital. When he returned, he brought back a pot of wine. Chu Sheng secretly tasted it but didn't find it particularly amazing.
"Master Chu has seen the world; it was my rudeness, brother." Li Kuang smiled awkwardly, recalling how Chu Wu had traveled all over the country and seen all kinds of delicious food and wine, so he would naturally bring some back for Chu Sheng.
So it's not surprising that he had tasted the Drunken Immortal Wine.
"Master Chu, now that this escort mission is complete, you'll have a reputation in the martial arts world. Do you plan to open your escort agency in the capital, or return to Qingyang City?"
"I'll take the escort mission!" Chu Sheng said calmly, "and maybe roam the martial world a bit. What are your plans, brother?"
Li Kuang seemed thoughtful. "Once I make money, I'll go back, get married, and settle down!"
Chu Sheng nodded, "You're getting on in years, it's time you got married."
Li Kuang: "?"
Just then, the horse suddenly neighed, as if it had been greatly frightened. Chu Sheng lowered his eyes and looked towards Yanyun Mountain in front of him, knowing that what was coming had finally arrived.
He reined in his horse and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, please disembark!"
Li Anlan lifted the carriage curtain and had just peeked out halfway when arrows flew like locusts from the void, hurtling towards them. Chu Sheng drew his sword to block the arrows and looked towards the valley ahead.
Hundreds of men, armed with weapons, surged forth like a flood from a desperate land.
Suddenly, everyone was on high alert, and the mountains and fields were teeming with people.
Chu Sheng frowned slightly. There were quite a few of them, but they were not strong. They were just a bunch of good-for-nothings. They were being used as cannon fodder.
The truly strong are hidden in the shadows.
"The bandits of Yanyun Mountain!"
"The three Chen brothers."
Qingfeng Daoist looked at the newcomer and said, "Master Chu, the strongest of the three Chen brothers is the eldest, a sixth-rank martial artist."
Chu Sheng said, "They are nothing to fear; the real threat lies in the shadows."
He knew very well that the bandits from Yanyun Mountain were only there to wear them down.
"I planted this tree, I built this road..." Before Chen Biao could finish speaking, a blade of light swept across, and the next second his head flew off.
Chu Sheng knew the principle of capturing the leader first and shooting the horse first. The number of bandits was not scary. They were just a rabble. After killing the three Chen brothers who led them, they were just a disorganized mob.
Chen Peng and Chen Bao stared in astonishment at their elder brother's corpse, instinctively taking a step back. "He killed my brother! Shoot him dead with arrows!"
Arrows rained down on Chu Sheng, but he charged forward with incredible speed. With his Nine Yang Divine Skill at its peak and his Vajra Indestructible Body intact, the arrows couldn't harm him in the slightest.
One man, one sword, moving as if he were in an empty field.
The slaughter left corpses strewn across the fields and rivers of blood flowing.
On the ground, Chen Peng had become Chen Peng, blood gushing from his crotch. He kicked his legs and retreated, terrified out of his wits.
He never expected Chu Sheng's strength to be so terrifying, fighting against a hundred men single-handedly, as if a god of death had descended to earth.
"This is Master Chu? He's incredibly strong!"
"Yes, with Master Chu here, we don't even have a chance to take action. Earning His Highness's commission is truly undeserved," Li Kuang said in a deep voice. The next second, he saw several dark figures rushing down from the mountaintop to attack Li Anlan.
"Such a powerful aura, they are..."
Qingfeng Daoist looked terrified and his voice trembled, "Yanyu Tower, the Heavenly-rank assassins, the leader is a ninth-rank martial artist, and the others are all upper-eighth-rank martial artists."
"The Misty Rain Pavilion came prepared; they intend to stop us here!"
"Chu Sheng, your death is near!" A chilling voice rang out. Li Anlan and the others looked in the direction of the voice and found Ye Mei standing on an ancient tree not far away, staring at Chu Sheng menacingly.