Chapter 563: Super Grade

“The Mang Mountain Demon God!”

“The Dragon Abomination!”

The three of them set out once more, the relaxed expressions gone from their faces.

Zhu Ju spoke up, asking:

“Did Li Chengxia ever meet the Dragon Abomination?”

Back then, the Dragon Abomination had hidden within Prince Yong’an’s Mansion, disguised as a Guest Minister at the Prince’s side.

“She did.”

Ming Nianwei nodded, giving an affirmative answer.

“But at the time, Li Chengxia didn’t know he was the Dragon Abomination. She just thought he was an ordinary Guest Minister in the mansion.”

“Hmm…”

“Back then, the Dragon Abomination went by the alias Long Jue and was a Fourth-Grade Martial Artist.”

‘A Fourth-Grade Martial Artist could only be an ordinary Guest Minister in Prince Yong’an’s Mansion?’

Zhou Ruxuan was secretly astounded.

“Whether it’s the Dragon Abomination or the Mang Mountain Demon God, both are Super Grade Powerhouses who have forged Immortal Bodies.”

Zhu Ju’s voice was grave.

“The turmoil they could stir up would plague the entire edge of the East Sea, and could even endanger the mainland.”

“Taiyuan Prefecture might not be safe, either.”

From Han Tianyou, the three had learned that the root of the Black Dragon Gang’s destruction was surprisingly unrelated to the Pai Sect.

No!

Or rather, there was some connection.

The assassination of the son of the Pai Sect’s Foreign Affairs Hall Master was related to an internal power struggle within the sect.

And the mastermind behind it all was none other than the Dragon Abomination!

Now, not only had the Black Dragon Gang been annihilated, but the Pai Sect was also in utter chaos. Its Supreme Elder, who possessed a First-Grade Peak Cultivation, had vanished without a trace, the Sect Leader had met a violent end, and the resulting infighting was wreaking havoc in all directions.

“It shouldn’t be too big of a problem.”

Zhou Ruxuan said.

“The Divine Dynasty’s might extends across the four seas, and the Nine Provinces have all submitted. Suppressing a rebellion shouldn’t be difficult.”

“No!”

Ming Nianwei’s expression was grave as she gently shook her head.

“If my father… if Prince Yong’an were still alive, with him governing the realm, it wouldn’t have been difficult to suppress the Mang Mountain Demon God and the Dragon Abomination.”

“But with Prince Yong’an dead and his subordinates scattered, no power on the edge of the East Sea can face Mang Mountain directly. And while the Divine Dynasty is formidable, mobilizing troops is no simple matter. It’s common for an issue to be delayed for a year or two; even eight or ten years wouldn’t be out of the ordinary.”

Li Chengxia had once held a position in the Divine Dynasty, so she knew its internal transfers and deployments like the back of her hand.

Expecting the Divine Dynasty to send troops for suppression?

It was possible.

But don’t even think about it happening anytime soon!

“Huh?”

Zhou Ruxuan’s eyebrows raised slightly.

“Could this be a conspiracy?”

“The Dragon Abomination infiltrated Prince Yong’an’s Mansion specifically to frame Prince Yong’an and clear the way for its subsequent plans.”

“That…” Ming Nianwei frowned.

“It’s possible.”

In Li Chengxia’s memories, although Prince Yong’an was sometimes mysterious, he showed no signs of betraying the Divine Dynasty.

When he was suddenly accused by the Divine Dynasty, Prince Yong’an himself had been completely taken aback, even considering pleading guilty and accepting punishment to protect his family.

“Whoa…”

Zhu Ju suddenly yanked on the reins. The Five Elements Mountain flew into the air above them, showering them with its Five-Colored Divine Light.

“Don’t move!”

His expression was grave as he frantically channeled the Qi Blood in his body, causing the Five-Colored Divine Light to become denser than ever before.

“What’s wrong?”

Zhou Ruxuan looked astonished, summoning her long spear and scanning her surroundings.

“There’s no one here.”

“Not here.” Zhu Ju’s eyes were shut tight, sweat dripping from his forehead. In just a few moments, his face had turned deathly pale from the excessive consumption of Qi Blood, and faint cracking sounds came from his Tendons and Bones.

After a long while.

“Huuuh…”

Zhu Ju let out a long, turbid breath and recalled the Five Elements Mountain, looking as if he had aged ten years.

“Remember this.”

“Don’t mention those two names again.”

“Which two?” Zhou Ruxuan froze.

“Mang—”

She had just opened her mouth when realization dawned on her. She clapped her hands over her mouth, her face a mask of astonishment.

“We can’t even say their names?”

“I remember now.” Ming Nianwei’s beautiful eyes lit up.

“The Immortal Bodies of Super Grade beings are intertwined with the Great Dao and Legal Principles. They can perform Divine Traveling of the Six Realms and Comprehend All Directions. Anyone who speaks their names, or even just thinks of them, will be perceived by them.”

“Just now…”

“Were we discovered?”

“Yes.” Zhu Ju looked up at the vast sky, a complicated expression on his face.

“We must have said their names too many times, and touched upon their pasts, for them to have sensed us.”

“Fortunately, even a Super Grade being can’t possibly hear every single sound with perfect clarity.”

“However…”

“We must still be careful!”

Immortals!

Super Grade Martial Artists were indeed Immortals!

After the Great Dao was polluted, the path for past Cultivators was severed. To think that Martial Arts could find another way, forging a new world.

A pity…

This place was a prison forged by two eras. Even Immortals couldn’t escape it.

‘Except for me!’

No.

A glint appeared in Zhu Ju’s eyes.

‘With the methods of a Super Grade Martial Artist, they’ve probably already glimpsed this world’s secrets. It’s unlikely they haven’t thought about escaping. Perhaps someone had already escaped.’

Beside him, Zhou Ruxuan was still wide-eyed with astonishment, marveling at the power of a Super Grade being, while Ming Nianwei was lost in thought.

‘She knew how powerful a Super Grade being was, and she understood even more what it meant to be able to block the perception of a Super Grade Powerhouse. Someone of the same rank! Only the methods of someone of the same rank could accomplish that. Could it be that the Master I serve was once a Super Grade Powerhouse? Or… does that Five-Colored Divine Light possess Super Grade power?’

But no matter the case, she had made the right decision in acknowledging him as her master. As she thought this, a smile couldn’t help but appear on her face.

*

*

*

「A few days later.」

Riding hard, the trio returned to Taiyuan Prefecture. Without a moment’s rest, they summoned everyone in the mansion for a meeting.

“Young Master.”

Nursing Director Zhang said with a cupped fist salute.

“There have indeed been some rumors going around lately.”

“Things like chaos in Water City, demon soldiers attacking Changle Prefecture, and the Lii River Navy being ambushed and wiped out by Water Bandits…”

“But so far, none of this news has been confirmed, and the Cloth Workshop’s business hasn’t been affected.”

“I’ll head back to the Zhou Mansion,” Zhou Ruxuan said, standing up.

“The information there should be more up-to-date. If nothing else, the Sanhe Gang is bound to have some leads.”

“I’ll contact you as soon as I have news.”

“Okay.” Zhu Ju nodded.

“While you’re at it, keep an eye on the Mansion Master’s movements. Also… don’t neglect your Cultivation.”

“I know.” Zhou Ruxuan gave a charming smile.

“I won’t let you catch up to me.”

“Pause the Cloth Workshop’s business for now, at least the deliveries. Have our people return,” Zhu Ju said.

“Also…”

“Stockpile grain. Nursing Director Zhang, you’ll be in charge of this. The mansion needs to have at least a two-month supply of food.”

He sighed softly.

Stockpiling grain would surely drive up prices, and if a real crisis occurred, many people wouldn’t be able to afford to eat.

But in this kind of situation, he could only look after his own people first.

“Yes, sir!”

Nursing Director Zhang responded with a solemn voice.

Though he didn’t know what was happening, seeing Zhu Ju’s grave expression, he could guess it wasn’t anything good.

“Master.”

Ming Nianwei spoke up in a clear voice.

“I can take charge of security. I should be able to improve the mansion’s safety in a short amount of time.”

“Oh?” Zhu Ju turned his head.

“What do you have in mind?”

“Battle Arrays.” Ming Nianwei smiled.

“I found several Battle Array Methods in Li Chengxia’s memories. We can have the mansion guards practice them. Combined with the dozens of sets of Low-Tier Qi Blood Divine Weapons we acquired, we can muster some decent combat strength in a short time.”

“Master.”

“Battle Array Methods are actually passed down among commoners as well, but they are mostly seven or nine-person Sword Arrays. Once you exceed eighteen people, it’s considered plotting rebellion—a crime so great it warrants the extermination of one’s entire clan.”

“Back then, Prince Yong’an was deemed a traitor precisely because he maintained a private army several thousand strong.”