After Lian Shenwei returned to the cabin, he sat by the table lost in thought the entire time.
The three assassination attempts along this route were, in his eyes, merely small skirmishes. Just the people Jingjue brought could handle them—obviously from the First Prince and Third Prince’s factions.
Their wings weren’t yet full. Their reach couldn’t extend that far.
With Jinling fast approaching, the mastermind he suspected still hadn’t made a move. Could it be… he’d guessed wrong? Or was that person planning to act on the return journey to the capital?
That would be fine too—save delaying their arrival time in Jinling, and they could stay longer.
Ming Zhu didn’t dare disturb him.
The setting sun gradually fell. Large swaths of dark clouds spread over. The light inside the cabin dimmed.
Ming Zhu lit two lamps. Seeing the time was about right, she said softly, “Master, it’s time to take medicine.”
Lian Shenwei came to his senses.
“Is it this late already?”
Ming Zhu replied, “Yes.”
She placed the medicine on the table and poured a cup of water at just the right temperature.
“The Crown Prince hasn’t returned yet?”
After Ying Jingjue tested him this morning, in the afternoon the ship docked and he went to Qingchuan Town at the border between Yunbei and Jinling to investigate the people’s conditions.
He’d done this the entire journey. Lian Shenwei was accustomed to it. However, it was already evening now—why was the fleet still so quiet?
Ming Zhu replied, “No.”
Lian Shenwei’s fingertips tapping the table suddenly stopped, a dark shadow passing through his eyes.
He stood up and pushed open the ship window. Outside, the damp river wind mixed with earthy smell rushed in all at once.
The surrounding shore was chaotic with tree shadows, not a single insect chirped—desolate and lonely.
Scattered rain threads drifted onto his hand. The subtle coolness quickly attached to his pale skin.
Lian Shenwei looked toward the tree shadows on the shore and the lake surface for a moment. The warmth in his eyes slowly dissipated as he said lightly, “Put the medicine away.”
No need to take it tonight.
As his words fell, Ming Zhu seemed to sense something and suddenly looked up. “Master, be careful!”
Whoosh—
An arrow feather broke through the air, aimed straight at Lian Shenwei’s brow. In the dark night, it flashed with fierce cold light. Lian Shenwei’s expression didn’t change as he slightly tilted his head.
That arrow feather viciously embedded itself in the pillar frame behind him, vibrating incessantly with a buzzing sound.
The next moment, the originally extremely quiet fleet instantly erupted into chaos. Someone shouted sternly, “Assassins!”
“Protect the Regent Prince!”
“Assassins—”
The lake surface wrinkled by rain resounded with continuous banging sounds. Dozens of black-clothed figures burst from the water. Their weapons varied, every move a life-or-death fighting technique—
Well-trained killers.
“Master!” Ming Zhu vigilantly watched the surroundings.
“It’s fine.”
A few strands of Lian Shenwei’s hair by his temple, severed by the fierce wind, silently fell.
He unhurriedly closed the ship window, lowering his eyes thoughtfully. “Quite a few masters of the Tianheng Realm.”
“Not capital death warriors, so someone hired jianghu people… When did the jianghu get a new assassin organization?”
About ten years ago, he’d hunted down most of the Falling Moon Stream assassins. The scattered remnants were all small fry.
Outside, the sounds of weapons clashing drew closer and closer. Ming Zhu’s heart rose.
Her strength was at the Tianquan Realm, but she’d only just entered this realm. She had no confidence in safely escaping with her master, but her master showed no intention of leaving.
“Master, these people seem to be coming for you.”
Lian Shenwei naturally knew.
The person behind this had made their move.
If they were assassinating Ying Jingjue, there was a ninety percent chance these assassins were dispatched by people inside the palace. But if they were killing him…
People in the capital didn’t have such audacity.
“No, they’re not only coming for me.” Lian Shenwei’s pupils contracted sharply. His expression instantly froze over. He suddenly stood up, his gaze penetrating through the ship partitions and layers of mountains and forests.
For the first time, Ming Zhu felt this kind of undisguised killing intent from her master.
The aura around the young man changed—cold, heavy, and oppressive, like thunder lurking beneath black clouds before a storm, not knowing when it would strike.
“Jingjue hasn’t returned yet.”
–
“Cover His Highness’s retreat!”
Under the cover of imperial shadow guards and guards, Ying Jingjue fled forward in quite a disheveled state.
The mountain valley was slippery. From high positions on both sides, the dense forest periodically released hidden weapons impossible to defend against. The instant the weapons cut through raindrops, the iron surfaces of the blades flashed with faint poisonous light.
Ying Jingjue’s martial arts talent wasn’t particularly high. He hadn’t undergone training between life and death. He excelled at handling memorials but wasn’t skilled at combat.
In the current situation, as a Kaiyang Realm martial artist fleeing for his life while being pursued, he was less useful than ordinary guards whose realms were lower than his.
“Where did so many high-realm assassins come from!”
The two people closely pursuing Ying Jingjue weren’t masked—a pair of short-statured dragon-phoenix twins. The man wielded twin curved blades, the woman held an iron umbrella.
During the chase, they were like two black panthers eyeing their prey in the rain and mist.
The man heard Ying Jingjue’s low shout. When he opened his mouth, it was a woman’s delicate voice. “Indeed, an imperial noble untouched by worldly affairs. My sister and I have hidden in the shadows for many years. Is our old title of Umbrella-Blade Ghosts now unknown?”
Ying Jingjue didn’t know what Umbrella-Blade Ghosts were. The older shadow guard beside him knew.
Ten years ago, Falling Moon Stream was the jianghu’s number one ranked assassin organization. The top ten assassins were all at Tianquan Realm. The top hundred’s abilities varied, but each had their own skilled killing techniques.
Their pavilion master was rumored to have already touched the threshold of Tianshu Realm.
Such a formidable force had rapidly withdrawn ten years ago. Their traces were rarely heard. Now that they’d surfaced, they actually dared to pursue and kill the current dynasty’s heir apparent!
And these Umbrella-Blade Ghosts—the woman was Umbrella Ghost, the man was Blade Ghost. Their combination had once ranked eleventh on the Falling Moon Stream assassin rankings. Madmen among assassins who enjoyed torturing people.
Ying Jingjue said coldly, “Since you know my identity, aren’t you afraid that afterward, throughout all Great Sheng territory, there will be no place for you to hide?!”
Umbrella Ghost’s voice was deep. “Little Highness needn’t worry. We’ve not only taken contracts from the imperial family but also killed imperial family members.”
Falling Moon Stream never concealed their killings. Moreover, with the emperor far away, they truly weren’t afraid of any imperial majesty. At worst, they’d leave and change identities—they could still live in border small countries.
Ying Jingjue’s heart surged with towering waves.
What did that mean?
Had imperial family members once died at Falling Moon Stream’s hands?
This assassination was definitely different from usual. His two incompetent imperial brothers wouldn’t have the ability to contact these assassins. Ying Jingjue’s mind rapidly eliminated suspicious candidates.
If the person who acted against Li Ningfeng was from Northern Yi, they probably couldn’t extend their reach into the jianghu. Then this assassination…
A gentle, smiling face flashed through the young Crown Prince’s mind.
Had Teacher made a move against him?
Too absorbed in thought, Ying Jingjue’s shoulder suddenly hurt. Blade Ghost’s blade edge shallowly cut a line behind his shoulder blade. Ying Jingjue stumbled but narrowly dodged it.
His entire body was soaked through. The light blue robe on his back had been dyed black by blood.
Ying Jingjue gritted his teeth and turned back, striking with his backhand, using the momentum to run farther away.
He fled forward desperately—
It would be fine once he returned to the fleet.
–
The situation at the imperial ship was completely different from what Ying Jingjue imagined. The battle was even more intense than in the mountain valley rainforest.
There were many guards staying here, so naturally many died. In just a short while, dozens of corpses already floated on the lake surface. Blood meandered into strange shapes on the water, then was scattered by the rain.
The swaying lanterns on the ship were splattered with fresh blood, shining on the wet deck amid flashing blades and swords.
Lian Shenwei had already changed into different attire.
White robes with dark patterns and wide hems, waist sash tightened, wrist wraps secured, hair tied up.
He took out the black veil that had been pressed at the bottom of his trunk and put it on, then opened the sword case.
Lian Shenwei lowered his eyes, his pale fingers caressing it.
The Cangshan Sword in the case lay there quietly. Though it hadn’t seen daylight for ten years, every inch of the pattern on the scabbard was still incomparably familiar.
Ming Zhu said tensely, “Master.”
She was clumsy with words, didn’t know what to say, and didn’t know what her master wanted to do.
Previously at the Young Marquis’s welcoming banquet, she’d been beside her master. She’d witnessed that stunning sword thrust that forced the Young Marquis to retreat. In her heart, she also understood her master had secrets—he wasn’t someone without the slightest ability to defend himself.
But now, watching her master take out this sword, her intuition surged with unease.
Moreover, in all these years by her master’s side, she’d never seen him wear such white robes like a young gentleman.
Lian Shenwei said, “I originally thought I would forget.”
Yet every scratch mark on the scabbard—he could recall the reason for it.
He sighed, concealing the reminiscence in his eyes, and said seriously, “Ming Zhu, in a moment, disguise yourself as me and go out to lure away those assassins. There should also be ambushes in the forest—try not to go that direction.”
Ming Zhu asked, “Where are you going?”
Lian Shenwei replied, “There are also assassins on Jingjue’s side.”
He removed the metal thumb ring from his left hand and gave it to Ming Zhu. This thumb ring was a symbol of his Regent Prince identity. Feng Ke had once taken it away and modified it—the inner side had a hidden weapon launcher that could fire three poison needles for protection.
“Take this and go. The assassins don’t recognize people, but they definitely recognize this.”
Ming Zhu accepted it. “Yes.”
“Go.”
“After I lure them away, I’ll come find you.”
Now wasn’t the time for lengthy discussion. Ming Zhu obeyed any of Lian Shenwei’s commands without asking why. Whatever her master said, she would do.
No matter how nervous or worried, executing orders was her mission.
Ming Zhu wrapped herself tightly, disguised herself as someone fleeing, exposed the thumb ring, and flipped out. She needed to hurry—must hurry—so she could return to help.
Lian Shenwei gripped the Cangshan Sword. Not long after Ming Zhu left, he silently departed riding the wind, his aura concealed so no one noticed.
These white robes were easy to soil. In his youth, he’d loved wearing this color. Originally, he’d planned to save it for when he went to Fudu Manor after arriving in Jinling—first for mourning, second for disguise, third for reminiscence.
He hadn’t expected to encounter this assassination before entering Jinling.
To go find Ying Jingjue, among the clothes he’d brought, only this outfit didn’t look like the Regent Prince when worn.
Lian Shenwei opened a small jar. A tiny insect flew out, rapidly flying in one direction. He closely followed behind the insect.
The southern tour was dangerous after all. Fearing he wouldn’t be able to find Ying Jingjue if something happened, he’d scattered Thousand-Mile Seeker on him—a tracking incense with an extremely faint scent that ensured seven days of effectiveness with each use.
At noon today when dining with Ying Jingjue, he’d just reapplied it for the third time on him. He hadn’t expected to actually use it.
Using only qinggong was still within his tolerance range.
The damp rain and mist were blown hazy by the wind. Pine forests verdant. In the night scenery of green mountains and misty rain, the veiled young man’s figure vanished far away in the blink of an eye.
–
Ying Jingjue had never felt the road he’d taken was so long.
The guards around him had died one after another. The shadow guards barely held on.
The Umbrella-Blade Ghost siblings seemed addicted to their game, like cats playing with a mouse, cutting Ying Jingjue here with one slash, there with another.
Internal energy exhausted, even qinggong was strained.
Ying Jingjue’s vision darkened. Since birth, he’d never been this disheveled.
Focused only on fleeing forward, he was suddenly pulled by a shadow guard beside him. “Your Highness, there’s no road ahead.”
The border between Yunbei and Jinling had many natural hazards. Between Fanyun Valley and Duantian Cliff, there was a naturally broad stone road. This natural stone path spanned above a hundred-zhang deep abyss, but now it had actually broken in the middle!
Under the night’s shroud, he hadn’t noticed. If he hadn’t been pulled back, he would have stepped right off.
Ying Jingjue took a deep breath. “Can we cross?”
The shadow guard replied, “Too far.”
Ying Jingjue coldly turned around, gazing at the rapidly approaching crowd of assassins.
Blade Ghost brandished his blades. Umbrella Ghost opened her umbrella.
“Oh my, why aren’t you running anymore? We wasted quite a bit of effort breaking it for you~”
Ying Jingjue’s spine slowly straightened. Though covered in dishevelment, he showed not the slightest trace of cowardice. Between his brows was an immature yet noble bearing and backbone belonging to an heir apparent.
“The Crown Prince of the Great Sheng Dynasty, even in death, will not die at your hands.”
The young Crown Prince took a deep breath, stepped back a few paces from that broken edge, then rushed forward. At the same time, he summoned what little internal energy remained in his meridians and leaped toward the opposite side—
The shadow guard cried, “Your Highness the Crown Prince!!”
Ying Jingjue closed his eyes.
Blood loss and pain made him alternately lucid and muddled. When facing a life-death crisis, the brain becomes abnormally excited.
They say before death, people see their entire life’s experiences.
In these few seconds of life-death stimulus, what flashed through his mind were scattered, unfamiliar scenes—most from a perspective looking upward.
He couldn’t see the faces of the people in the scenes and didn’t recognize them. The emotions that surged were also varied—envy, joy, acting spoiled, fear…
[A white-robed youth lying across a tree branch, legs propped up, lazily drinking wine.]
[The silhouette of a woman holding a flower basket, slightly turning her head.]
[In a thick fog, a pair of hands gently lifting him up.]
[Blood flowing down the steps, the hem of robes embroidered with imperial patterns flashing past.]
Suddenly, Ying Jingjue felt his collar tighten. The fragments flashing through his mind abruptly vanished. He choked for a moment and suddenly opened his eyes.
A flash of white entered his vision. He froze.
The next second, someone grabbed him and threw him onto the cliff edge on this side. With a bang, the fall was very painful. Ying Jingjue struggled twice but couldn’t get up.
He inexplicably felt that the action of throwing him contained some anger.
Ying Jingjue barely lifted his head and said in a low voice, “Who are you…”
The white-robed person held a long sword, black veil hanging to the waist, tall and slender figure, bearing an air of distinction throughout. Seemed to be a jianghu figure, but his appearance couldn’t be seen clearly—only vaguely discernible as a man.
Lian Shenwei had rushed over just in time to see this boy’s suicidal action. His mood was at rock bottom. If he’d arrived one step later, he could have directly collected the corpse.
A hidden weapon from the pursuing assassins closely followed. Without using internal energy, Lian Shenwei deflected it with clever technique using the sword hilt.
His deliberately lowered voice was hoarse and indifferent.
“Jianghu person. Encountering injustice on the road.”
#
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152