Chapter 500 - 311: Bone Marrow Cleansing and Rebirth! A Belated Assassination!

"However, now that I possess the Dragon-slaying Golden Light Saber, which rivals third-class Profound Treasures, there’s no rush to refine this weapon."

A set of offensive weapons that you’re comfortable using is sufficient.

Putting away the materials, Chu Ming checked a few other treasures and then categorized them appropriately.

With that, he submerged into the Sea of Consciousness to begin the deduction of the Primordial Qi Technique.

Near midnight, Fang Xiao hurriedly arrived.

"What’s the matter?"

"Master, please look." Fang Xiao lifted the cover of a box, revealing a head inside, belonging to Zuo Yuan.

"Zuo Yuan?"

Chu Ming was puzzled.

This Prime Minister died in his mansion, said to be killed on the spot for resisting and trying to escape. How did his head end up here?

"Master, there’s also this." Fang Xiao took out a black plaque and a letter.

The plaque was engraved with "Dark Blade" on the front, and an evil ghost on the back.

"Shadow Tower?" Chu Ming recognized the black plaque.

After opening the letter to read, he finally understood why Zuo Yuan’s head was here.

Zuo Yuan previously hired the Shadow Tower to assassinate him. Now that he was listed on the Golden List, the Shadow Tower did not want to offend him, so they killed Zuo Yuan and sent the head along with the Dark Blade Order.

Therefore, Zuo Yuan did not die at the hands of the Regent’s Mansion, but rather the Shadow Tower.

Additionally, according to the letter, holding the Dark Blade Order entitles one to a free assassination from the Shadow Tower for anyone up till the early stages of the Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm.

"Early Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm... quite sincere."

How many Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm practitioners does the Great Qin Dynasty even have?

And almost all those practitioners are in the Astronomical Bureau, yet the Shadow Tower dares to offer such gestures of goodwill, indeed, it is quite surprising.

"Who delivered the items?" Chu Ming asked.

"It was a servant, sneaky, discovered by Gu Jin’s guard. The servant said a merchant supplying the kitchen offered him a hundred taels of silver to bring the items in."

"Master, should we pursue an investigation?"

Servant... kitchen... merchant...

It’s clear the Shadow Tower put considerable effort into delivering the items.

"Forget it, even if we investigate, we probably won’t find anything." Chu Ming shook his head, "Dispose of the head."

"Okay."

Fang Xiao left with the head, and Chu Ming continued immersing in deduction and cultivation.

"The Bone Marrow Cleansing technique has been deduced, there’s no need to worry about Martial Arts Techniques for a while."

"Given the current pace of cultivation, skin, flesh, muscles and bones, internal organs, meridians and orifices, three major hurdles for reshaping, achieving one every few days, it shouldn’t take too long to reach perfection."

"Meaning, I can use this time to deduce martial skills, the Primordial Qi Technique, and take care of other matters..."

"For example, the Yan Imperial Mausoleum."

"The timing should be sufficient."

"..."

...

Qin Capital, Imperial City, Hall of Exquisite Craftsmanship.

Hoong Ying sat cross-legged within the Golden Pillar, with Ji Wujiang keeping watch nearby.

Outside the hall, a crowd had gathered, led by Hoong Xiao, a Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm expert from the Astronomical Bureau, and Tang Guang from the Tang Family.

Beside Hoong Xiao kneeling were three individuals, Hoong Dan, Hoong Bin, and elder Hoong Zhuo.

Next to Tang Guang, Tang Yan was kneeling, while another person looked on with a complex expression.

"Elder brother..." Tang Bai looked at Tang Guang, his voice low, "Hoong Ying..."

Tang Guang glanced at Tang Bai, signaling him not to say more, then looked at Hoong Xiao from the Red Flame Race.

"Master Hoong, Hoong Ying is a descendant of my Tang Family..."

Hoong Xiao glanced sideways, his expression calm: "Master Tang says Hoong Ying is from my Red Flame Race, what has it to do with the Tang Family?"

"Master Hoong, Hoong Ying’s full name is Tang Hongying." Tang Bai spoke up reluctantly.

"Lord Tang," Hoong Xiao’s eyes were cold, his tone icy, "do you remember Hoong Ying’s surname as Tang now?"

Tang Bai suddenly became speechless, his heart full of bitterness.

Years ago, he was in his prime, with countless admirers among the women, but ultimately, he fell for Hoong Yin of the Red Flame Race at first sight, pledging his life to her, and lived as a couple.

Hoong Yin was Hoong Ying’s mother, and the name Hoong Ying was derived as a homophone.

Unfortunately, he was a son of the Tang Family, and Hoong Yin was from the Red Flame Race, when both families had tensions on the court, thus their love could not be made public.

Later on, his Painting Dao advanced significantly, earning him a marriage grant from His Majesty, thereby betraying Hoong Yin.

Hoong Yin returned to her race in pain but was already pregnant.

He wanted to marry Hoong Yin openly but found himself helpless.

Numerous attempts led to no avail, instead letting others discover Hoong Yin was pregnant out of wedlock...

"Alas..." The more he thought, the more painful Tang Bai felt.

Talented as he was, he hid in Wenlin Garden, and it was because of this matter.

"Hoong Xiao, Tang Guang, nothing on your hands?"

Ji Wujiang walked out from the hall.

"Junior Master Ji." Hoong Xiao and Tang Guang quickly saluted, and the others bowed respectfully.

"His Majesty instructed us to guard here." Hoong Xiao replied courteously.

Ji Wujiang’s expression was cold, glancing at Tang Bai, then Hoong Xiao and Tang Guang, saying, "You needn’t guard this place, attend to your respective matters."

"...Understood." Hoong Xiao and Tang Guang didn’t dare defy, bowing and withdrawing.

Tang Bai looked inside the hall, his white hair somewhat disheveled.

"Let’s go." Ji Wujiang waved his sleeve gently, softly pushing Tang Bai aside.

Returning inside the hall, gazing at Hoong Ying sitting in contemplation within the Golden Pillar, Ji Wujiang furrowed his brow slightly.

"Listed in the Light Poetry Competition, listed in the Artifact Refining Golden Competition, two individuals gaining insight within the pillar in a year..."

"This time’s millennial catastrophe, I’m afraid..."

"..."

...

Qin Capital, Imperial City, Jinluan Hall.

Hoong Xiao and Tang Guang returned.

"With the King of Border guarding, you indeed don’t need to go anymore." Emperor Qin sat upon the Dragon Throne, paused, then asked: "How’s the Celestial Longevity Platform?"

"Reporting to His Majesty, the Celestial Longevity Platform was completed two days ago, and it’s fully deployed."

"How about the thirteen counties?" Emperor Qin asked again.

"Master Hong, Master Pei, Master Yang, Master Luo are each protecting one or two counties, and the military forces are almost in place in each county."

"Very well, in three days it’ll be Mother’s birthday, Chang Qin Wenshuo is already on his way to Qin Capital, so the two of you will have to endure more work."