Firmament Sword

The Sixth Prince’s heart felt as if it were snowing in June—he had been wronged more than anyone.

He had also been caught in the blast just now. Furious at being framed, he had desperately tried to argue back, only to cough up a mouthful of blood. Now, his spirit was at its absolute nadir.

Xu Su turned back and strode toward the Sixth Prince, while Su Qianqian ran back to check on Xu Luo’s injuries.

A group of Palace Guards, skittish as birds startled by a bowstring, watched Xu Su with terror on their faces.

”Halt!”

”Don’t come any closer!”

”You are forbidden from harming the Sixth Prince!”

The group of Palace Guards shouted their warnings one after another.

”Xu Su... what do you think you’re doing?” The Sixth Prince felt a chill creep into his heart as he stared at Xu Su’s cold face and crimson eyes. Nevertheless, he pushed aside the Palace Guards who were shielding him.

With Xu Su’s strength, killing these Palace Guards would be effortless. Rather than let that happen, he might as well gamble that Xu Su wouldn’t dare to strike him.

The Sixth Prince was also tense to the extreme. Because of today’s events, even if everyone knew he’d been framed, he had no way to explain himself!

After all, he was the one who had brought that man, and the man had been wearing a Palace Guard’s uniform. No matter what, he bore an undeniable responsibility!

Xu Su walked right up to the Sixth Prince. Seeing the trace of blood still at the corner of the prince’s mouth, he didn’t say a word. He just wound up and swung his arm, viciously slapping the prince across the face!

SLAP!

The crisp, loud sound carried far through the air.

The Sixth Prince instinctively clapped a hand to his face, staring at Xu Su in disbelief. He then opened his mouth and, with a GAG, spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, along with several pearly white teeth.

”You dare hit me? You actually dare hit me? Xu Su... you dare to strike me, a prince?” The Sixth Prince’s eyes were filled with shock, fury, and disbelief. He simply couldn’t believe Xu Su had the audacity to strike him.

SLAP!

Xu Su’s eyes radiated intense killing intent. Completely ignoring the Sixth Prince’s rage, he slapped him again.

”You sent someone to kill me and my brother. A slap is letting you off easy. Later, I’ll go and ask His Majesty what crime we brothers have committed! Was it so severe that you had to hire such a powerful expert to assassinate us?” Xu Su, like a thoroughly enraged lion, roared as he stared coldly at the Sixth Prince.

The Sixth Prince had no doubt that Xu Su’s anger was now fully ignited. If he said another word, Xu Su would actually dare to kill him!

”You know perfectly well that couldn’t have been my man!” The Sixth Prince felt incredibly wronged. At this moment, he truly wanted to burst into tears.

’It’s true that I want to kill these two brothers and take down the Xu Family, but that man really has nothing to do with me!’

”Do you even believe that yourself?” Xu Su asked coldly, then said, ”If anything happens to my brother, Huangfu Chongxiao, you’d better remember this: I will give up everything I have to kill you!”

With that, Xu Su turned and roared coldly at the Palace Guards, who looked as if they were facing a great enemy, ”Get lost!”

His voice boomed like thunder, a wave of sound that made the nearest Palace Guard cough up blood and pass out.

How could the remaining Palace Guards dare to stay? They quickly protected the Sixth Prince and made a hasty retreat.

The people on Vermilion Bird Avenue who witnessed this scene all stood frozen on the spot, like clay statues, almost unable to think.

No one had expected things to escalate to this point.

Many people looked toward the unyielding gates of the National Guardian General’s Mansion with gazes full of awe.

’The Xu Family is truly terrifying!’

...

”What did you say? Thunder Ancestor failed? He was injured and fled?” Wei Feng stared at his trusted subordinate who had returned with the news. He couldn’t help but tremble all over, his eyes filled with disbelief. His voice shook as he said, ”That’s impossible, absolutely impossible! Thunder Ancestor couldn’t have failed! Those two little bastards from the Xu Family can’t be that strong! Something must have gone wrong! It must have!”

Watching his panic-stricken master roar in a distraught state, this Wei Family subordinate’s heart was also filled with fear, because he had personally witnessed Thunder Ancestor charge the Xu brothers, only to be grievously wounded by Xu Luo.

”Are you certain... you saw it with your own eyes? Thunder Ancestor was wounded by that little bastard Xu Luo?” Wei Feng came to his senses and once again sought confirmation from his subordinate.

”This humble one is certain. I don’t know what kind of Cultivation Technique that Xu Luo used, but when he unleashed it, the very heavens and earth changed color. Thunder Ancestor was wounded on the spot. Although he injured Xu Luo in return, it looked like Thunder Ancestor got the worse end of the deal. Also...”

”Also what?” Wei Feng pressed.

”Also, that impossibly beautiful young woman from the Xu Family said a single sentence and scared the injured Thunder Ancestor away.”

”What did she say?” Wei Feng asked, his face ashen.

”This... this humble one was scared stiff at the time. I only heard the young woman seem to say the two words ’Ancient Race.’ After Thunder Ancestor heard it, he turned and left...”

”’Ancient Race’... What does that mean? Could it be some powerful entity?” Wei Feng muttered to himself, his eyes filled with terror.

Thunder Ancestor’s connection to the Wei Family traced back more than thirty years. At that time, Wei Feng’s father had accidentally saved a gravely injured young man. The youth had been on the verge of death, but Wei Feng’s father rescued him and brought him home to recuperate.

Later, after the young man recovered, he took up residence in one of the Wei Family’s other courtyards in the Imperial Capital.

The debt of saving a life is greater than all others. The young man was extremely grateful to Wei Feng’s father. He revealed a little about his origins, saying he was being pursued by enemies and had fled into the mortal world. His identity was a secret he couldn’t share, but he promised he could do one thing for the Wei Family if they were ever in a time of crisis.

The Wei Family was also a prominent and powerful house in the Cangqiong Empire. It was a good day when they weren’t the ones causing trouble, so who would dare to provoke them?

Therefore, the Wei Family had never once asked for a favor from the man who looked very young but called himself Thunder Ancestor.

Not even when Xu Luo caused a huge scene at the Wei Family residence had Wei Feng ever thought of using this person.

This time, however, he had been pushed to the brink. Wei Feng was dead set on eliminating the brothers Xu Luo and Xu Su, and he didn’t hesitate to use his one and only favor to ask Thunder Ancestor to act.

Thunder Ancestor hadn’t refused. Although Wei Feng had described Xu Luo and Xu Su as extremely strong, in Thunder Ancestor’s eyes, there was only one person in the entire Imperial Capital he wouldn’t provoke: Young Master Feng. Everyone else was as weak as a clay chicken or a pottery dog—utterly worthless!

Now that the mysterious Young Master Feng was gone, who could possibly stop him?

Thunder Ancestor had been very clear at the time: after he did this, he would leave the Imperial Capital, leave the mortal world, and return to his sect.

Although Wei Feng felt it was a pity, he also knew that an existence like Thunder Ancestor was not someone he could control. So, he presented a large amount of Spirit Medicine and treasures, then returned home full of confidence to await the good news.

In Wei Feng’s mind, the deaths of the Xu Luo and Xu Su brothers were a certainty. Moreover, he could pin the blame directly on the Sixth Prince.

When that happened, the thunderous wrath of the Grand General of National Revitalization could be directed at the Royal Family. It would be best if Xu Ji, in his rage, rebelled against Cangqiong... In that case, no one in the entire Cangqiong Empire would be able to shake the Wei Family’s position!

However... the ideal was plump, but reality was bony and cruel. It had dealt Wei Feng a heavy slap across the face.

Wei Feng could even imagine how furious the Emperor would be after he found out about this.

It was almost impossible to completely hide something like this from the Emperor... because for many things, the Emperor didn’t need proof!

Before, Wei Feng hadn’t cared. He knew that as long as the Xu brothers died, Xu Ji would inevitably have a falling out with the Emperor. At that point, the Emperor would have no choice but to rely on him, the most powerful minister in the court!

But now... the Xu brothers weren’t dead!

And Thunder Ancestor had left...

’What should I do?’ Wei Feng was terrified. He could almost see the Emperor’s fire-breathing eyes.

’I must find a scapegoat and pin this whole thing on them...’ Wei Feng narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. Finally, he thought of someone. He let out a long breath, and his entire body relaxed.

...

”Foolish!” Huangfu Haoran stood before the bed, looking down at the Sixth Prince’s face, still unconscious and swollen like a pig’s head. His own face ashen, he squeezed out the word before turning and leaving without a backward glance.

The Crown Prince, who was accompanying the Emperor, glanced back at the Sixth Prince on the bed, a cold smile touching his lips.

’Xiaoliu... in truth, you’re nothing more than a pawn! I’m a pawn too, but I’m more important than you are! You never understood that Father... he’s the one playing the game!’

”Your Majesty, Prime Minister Wei requests an audience!” a Guard hurried over, bowing to the Emperor as he spoke.

”Have him wait in my Imperial Study.”

The Emperor waved his hand, dismissing the Guard. He then turned his head and said to the Crown Prince, ”Why do you think Prime Minister Wei has come at a time like this?”

The Crown Prince answered without hesitation, ”Naturally, he’s come to clear his name of any suspicion.”

An appreciative look appeared on the Emperor’s face. He said lightly, ”Correct. To hide a peerless expert among the men Xiaoliu brought with him... that’s not something just anyone can do.”

”Father believes that... Prime Minister Wei was behind this?” the Crown Prince asked.

The Emperor said, ”Whether he did it or not isn’t important. What’s important is... what kind of answer he will give me.”

With that, the Emperor strode toward his Imperial Study, leaving the Crown Prince standing alone, frowning thoughtfully.

Wei Feng stood obediently in the Imperial Study, his head bowed and his eyes lowered, awaiting the Emperor’s arrival.

The moment the door was pushed open to reveal a corner of a bright yellow robe, Wei Feng immediately fell to his knees and said respectfully, ”Your subject, Wei Feng, pays his respects to Your Majesty!”

”Rise. Prime Minister Wei, you’ve come to see me. Is something the matter?” the Emperor said casually, then sat down, his face betraying no emotion.

”Your Majesty, your subject has heard... that the Sixth Prince just led some men to the National Guardian General’s Mansion, and... there was an incident...” Wei Feng said, carefully observing the Emperor’s expression as he spoke.

”Speak plainly,” the Emperor said coolly.

Wei Feng nodded and said in a low voice, ”As your subject, this old minister is deeply concerned that such a thing has happened in the Imperial Capital. I immediately launched an investigation and discovered that behind this matter, there are faint traces of a major sect involved...”

”Mm,” Huangfu Haoran said, looking at Wei Feng and gesturing for him to continue.

Wei Feng composed himself and said in a grave tone, ”Does Your Majesty know of the recent... changes that have occurred at the Fengyue Building?”

A flicker of recollection passed through Wei Feng’s eyes. He said slowly, ”Your subject, back in the day... had a... ahem, a romance with one of the proprietors of the Fengyue Building. Your Majesty might recall?”

Huangfu Haoran nodded faintly. ”I’ve heard rumors. The woman was called Leng Yu Lian, wasn’t she.”

Wei Feng nodded. ”Your Majesty’s memory is admirable. This matter... must begin with Leng Yu Lian and her sect...”