The following day, Ji Tang, the assassin from the Azure Dragon Association, made an official visit, causing Sixth Prince Feng Chaonan to feel a peculiar sense of surprise.
"Could it be that he has taken the head of that one-ard assassin?"
Feng Chaonan thought his guess was a bit unrealistic, but he couldn’t stop himself from hoping it might be true.
Ever since he narrowly escaped death that day, Feng Chaonan had been haunted as if by a nightmare, finding it difficult to sleep day or night. The mont he closed his eyes, he would see the scene from that day unfold before him.
Eunuch Wei was violently torn into pieces by iron chains, and the black spiked head, like a venomous snake, lunged toward his own skull. The image was so disturbing that he found it hard to remain calm at any ti.
Now, he eagerly looked forward to seeing the head of that one-ard assassin, to dispel this persistent fear.
And Ji Tang did not fail to et his expectations, bringing him the head of the one-ard assassin.
Only...
This head was sowhat unique.
The flesh had disappeared, leaving only a skull, split in half, and charred black from being killed.
Qing Yu had only just finished a fierce battle, relaxing after killing ng Wuchang, but in doing so, he forgot that before this, he had also taken a bonus from Feng Chaonan.
Although seeking Feng Chaonan was only a ruse to draw out ng Wuchang, the items listed in the letter were rare and precious, each one providing significant aid to Qing Yu.
Especially the "Fire Phoenix Body Tempering Dew," an esoteric elixir of the Northern Zhou Imperial Family, extrely effective in refining the body. Qing Yu was currently busy cultivating the Golden Bell Shield, a Body Refining Divine Skill, and was in urgent need of this item.
He could do without the others, but the "Fire Phoenix Body Tempering Dew" was a must-have.
Therefore, after the forest fire had been extinguished, Ji Tang led his n to dig up ng Wuchang’s charred bones.
"How do I know that this is the one-ard assassin’s skull, and not just any skull you’ve found to deceive ?"
Feng Chaonan examined the skull in his hands with a puzzled expression and said.
Had it not been for the fact that he was from the Azure Dragon Association with the support of Gong Ziyu above him, Feng Chaonan would have already called the guards to chop Ji Tang down.
To have killed the man in just one day would have been one thing, and he might have tentatively trusted the professionalism of the Azure Dragon Association, but to bring a scorched skull was going too far. Did he take Feng Chaonan for a fool?
Ji Tang himself also felt the situation was a bit odd, but he couldn’t just ignore the orders from the Dragon Chief, so he ca nevertheless.
However, even though the skull was burned to a crisp, Ji Tang still had evidence for verification.
He presented a similarly scorched and blackened chanical arm and said, "There are ways to prove it. This is the chanical arm of that one-ard assassin. Your Highness should find it familiar, right?"
Of course, it was familiar. Although Feng Chaonan had been protected by Eunuch Wei that day, he had still been able to observe many details of the conflict quite closely.
The chanical arm, though blackened by flas, bore the craftsmanship of the Mo Family and was made of materials that passed muster; Feng Chaonan could still recognize the original form of the arm.
"Not to ntion, this skull belonged to a True Pill Realm expert. Even if the True Pill was attained through Abnormal Techniques, the components of his body were extraordinary. Your Highness could ask Mr. Si Haofeng to examine it a bit, and you will know that I am not deceiving you," Ji Tang continued.
Hearing this, Si Haofeng took the skull split in two from Feng Chaonan’s hands, and upon closer examination, confird that it indeed belonged to a high-level martial artist of the True Pill Realm. The skulls of those below the Divine Origin Realm couldn’t withstand such burning by flas.
However...
"With a single stroke, the assassin with one arm had his head cleaved in two. The Azure Dragon Association’s depths are indeed profound," Si Haofeng pondered to himself.
"Uncle, Uncle..."
"Ah, oh," Si Haofeng returned to his senses, "This object is indeed the skull of a high-level martial artist of the True Pill Realm, but whether it belongs to that one-ard assassin, I do not know."
"This oversight is on the Azure Dragon Association," Mr. Ji said, taking over the conversation. "As compensation, the Azure Dragon Association will continue to help Your Highness with the previous task, eliminating so minor troubles for Your Highness."
The previous task naturally ant helping Feng Chaonan eliminate his adversaries—the families and officials who opposed him, especially those aligned with the Empress and Feng Qiwu’s faction. They were the biggest stumbling blocks to his ascension, and Feng Chaonan had long harbored a deep hatred for them.
"Alright, I will trust Young Master Yu once again," Feng Chaonan declared decisively.
"That is good. And please, Your Highness, prepare the reward soon. If you delay, the Dragon Chief might grow impatient," Mr. Ji said suggestively.
Impatience might not only affect those Feng Chaonan saw as rivals but himself as well.
Feng Chaonan understood the implication and felt a surge of annoyance, but the sight of the skull split in two dispelled the feeling involuntarily.
The Azure Dragon Association had once again proven their prowess as assassins, instilling even greater fear and vigilance in Feng Chaonan’s heart. After all, even with high-level martial artists of the True Pill Realm as personal guards, there was no guarantee against the sudden strike of these elusive assassins.
Even that one-ard assassin had been killed; Feng Chaonan didn’t think himself, being of the Innate Realm, would be any harder to assassinate.
Moreover, Feng Chaonan was currently without the protection of a high-level martial artist of the True Pill Realm!
"The protection of the True Pill Realm must be put in place quickly. Dear uncle, if you cannot make a decision, I’m afraid I might have to give a little warning," Feng Chaonan thought darkly.
His patience with the Si Family was running thin. With the situation in the Northern Zhou Court so tense, without protection from the True Pill Realm, Feng Chaonan might not live to see another day.
And so, Feng Chaonan was feeling an acute sense of urgency, incredibly so.
"So items ntioned in the letter can only be found in the Royal Secret Vault. Recently, for so unknown reason, security at the vault has been extrely tight. I ask the Dragon Chief to wait a few more days, and within seven days, I will transfer everything listed in the letter to you," Feng Chaonan said in a calm and cordial manner.
"Is that so? I will inform the Dragon Chief."
’I recall Yan Nanfei ntioning that the situation with the Imperial Palace’s Secret Vault has been very unusual lately. It seems that even Feng Chaonan is unaware of what the anomalies are,’ Mr. Ji thought to himself.
Mr. Ji did not dare underestimate Yan Nanfei, a martial artist of the Divine Origin Realm with an obscure background. Although Yan Nanfei had not yet risen to higher status, most of his words were essentially orders from the Dragon Chief. Within the Azure Dragon Association, no one dared to take the Dragon Chief’s words lightly—the consequences of such folly were beyond most people’s imagination.
"Since we’ve reached an agreent, I shall take my leave," Mr. Ji said.
"Please do. Little Li Zi, see Mr. Ji out for ," Feng Chaonan instructed.
"I dare not assu the title of ’Mr.,’" Mr. Ji replied with a laugh.
He, a man of peasant origins, could rely read and write—hardly qualifications to be called ’Mr.’ The title ’Mr.’ should more appropriately be reserved for Dragon Head Young Master Yu.
What Mr. Ji didn’t know was that in the realm of pure Confucian scholarship, Young Master Yu was not much better than him.
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