Green Mountain

Chapter 807 654: Empty Husk

Chen Ji darted through the narrow alley, with Wu Yun keeping pace with him on the eaves.

Wu Yun meowed, "That senior brother of yours is a bit odd."

Chen Ji panted, "If he weren't odd, he wouldn't have been expelled from the sect."

Wu Yun was curious, "I wonder why Master spared his life back then, was he being soft-hearted?"

Chen Ji turned out of Red Factory Alley, looked around, and then chose to head east along Chessboard Street: "Maybe it wasn't so simple. The Dean's account doesn't match the Master's; too much time has passed, and nobody knows what really happened back then. Besides, I still don't know when this senior brother joined the Military Intelligence Department, and what role my uncle played in all of this."

According to the Dean, the time in question was the 11th to the 12th year of Jianing, when my uncle Lu Jin was most active in the Ning Dynasty. Until the 14th year of Jianing, when he framed Qing Wentao, and there was the attempted assassination of the Minister of Revenue.

During these years, there was the Nanguang rebellion, the rebellion pacified by Prince Jing, the Tomb Dog causing chaos with the ancient texts from Changsha Prefecture. So much happened, it's unclear what role Lu Jin played, or what part Yao An had in it all.

If Yao An had already joined the Military Intelligence Department then, he could be considered one of its founding members, likely the closest to the Military Intelligence Department Chief.

Wu Yun meowed in confusion, "Why are there so many bad people around you?"

Chen Ji retorted disgruntledly, "Is that my fault?"

Wu Yun mused, "Could it be that your senior brother has already reached the Seeking Dao Realm, can we even take him on?"

Chen Ji quickly pondered, "Hard to say. The Mountain Lord cultivates at the power center, he's been wandering outside for twenty years, unable to gather enough Ice Flow, nor has he experienced the passing of an emperor. He might be stuck like I am at that last step of the Innate Realm... If he's already in the Seeking Dao Realm, then I've guessed wrong, and the Mountain Lord has another method to break through to Seeking Dao Realm."

Still, Chen Ji couldn't figure out why his senior brother would remove the Hospital Director's heart. Was it because the beasts around him preferred to eat the heart first?

What beast likes to scoop out hearts? Wolves, leopards, black bears.

These are all beasts fond of hearts, the organs are nutrient-rich, tender, and easy to eat – a natural preference for carnivores. Yet, none of these could be brought into the Imperial Capital.

As Chen Ji strode through Xuanwu Gate Street, he overheard a conversation among passersby: "If the Mountain Lord Sect's Scripture is as the teahouse claims, wouldn't that make Chen Ji a traitor? How could the court tolerate him?"

The companion jested, "Who'd believe teahouse tales? The Official Gateway has been tight-lipped for so long, what does a storyteller know? It's definitely someone spinning tales behind the scenes."

The first speaker murmured, "What if it's true though?"

Chen Ji heard the conversation clearly, but he couldn't concern himself with rumors now. As long as Yao An lived, he couldn't stop the source of these rumors.

Arriving at the Qi Mansion on Fuyou Street, the Qi family doorman saw him wielding a knife and backed away in fear, "What are you doing here? The Qi family doesn't welcome you."

Chen Ji did not force his way into the Qi Mansion nor did he pay attention to the doorman, instead standing beneath the plaque, lost in thought.

Would this be like yesterday, merely a trap? With the Imperial Inspection Office and Ministry of Rites currently impeaching the Spy Department, breaking into the Qi Mansion might escalate the situation further if nothing were to happen inside.

Yet without entering the game, how can one break the game?

Chen Ji asked the doorman, "Has the Hospital Director been here?"

The doorman was taken aback, "The Director just went in not long ago."

Not speaking further, Chen Ji barged into the Qi Mansion, striding towards the Three Gates of Shouzhuo, Yangwang, and Mingduan.

The doorman chased after him, yelling, "Someone's breaking into the Qi Mansion!"

Before Chen Ji reached Shouzhuo Gate, several Qi family death soldiers emerged from the inner courtyard, eyes red with rage at the sight of him: "Dare to intrude upon the Qi family?"

Not wanting to get entangled with them, Chen Ji shouted, "The Hospital Director is dead, the one inside the Qi Mansion is an imposter, go save the Official!"

The Qi family death soldiers disregarded him, drawing their blades to strike.

Chen Ji continued without breaking his stride, and as he passed the first gate, he flicked his thumb at the blade hilt, the five feet five-inch Whale Blade sprang forth like a streak of light, the blade moved a step ahead of him.

By the time he met the death soldiers, he had discarded the scabbard, lunging forward, gripping the hilt mid-air.

The brilliant blade gleamed through the air in an arc, with a clang, the long knives in the death soldiers' hands shattered.

Chen Ji passed through the gap created by the broken blades, quickening his pace.

Passing through the second gate, he shouted, "Get inside quickly, check on the Official's safety!"

Another four Qi family death soldiers arrived, guarding the main hall's entrance; this time someone finally heeded his words and rushed inside.

In the next moment, before the Qi family death soldiers reached Chen Ji, a loud crash sounded from the main hall, and the death soldier who had rushed in burst through a door curtain, thrown back.

Sure, here is the translated text:

Inside the empty door, the "Hospital Director" stood covered in blood under the dim light.

By his feet, there were two death soldiers who had been stealthily attacked with their throats slit, presumably they had accompanied the Hospital Director into the house, only to be silently ambushed after entering.

At this moment, the Hospital Director's gaze pierced through the corridor, staring directly at Chen Ji, and he grinned, "Junior Brother, you arrived quickly, indeed wise. No wonder I followed the Master for twelve years before receiving the Mountain Lord Sect's Scripture, while you got it in just two years, and obtained the true teachings."

With his words, the Qi family's death soldiers no longer looked at Chen Ji and turned to charge into the main house: "Protect the Official!"

However, with Qi Zhong absent, these death soldiers couldn't even make a move in front of the Hospital Director. Regardless of how many rushed into the main house, all were punched and kicked out by the Hospital Director.

The Hospital Director patted the dust off his body, teasing, "See, Junior Brother, human sentiments are so realistic. The authority of the Qi family shifts, and they place all manpower around Qi Zhen, leaving not a single Seeking Dao Realm Executive Officer by the Official's side."

Chen Ji dragged the Whale Blade forward step by step: "Where is Mr. Qi?"

The Hospital Director smiled, "Mr. Qi? Naturally, I've dealt with him. Now, Qi Zhen has yet to receive the Imperial Decree, while the Dynasty's fortune remains with Mr. Qi. Once Qi Zhen receives the decree today, the fortune will no longer be with him. But you've arrived too quickly, I fear the Dynasty's fortune today might favor you."

Chen Ji looked into the courtyard; his senior brother spared the Qi family's death soldiers. Every word spoken at this moment was meant to publicly affirm the rumors of the Mountain Lord Sect's Scripture.

In an instant, he swung the Whale Blade towards the Hospital Director, but it only took a moment from its thunderous momentum to sudden stillness. The blade was caught between the Hospital Director's palms and couldn't move.

The Hospital Director first showed surprise, then blossomed into a smile, "Oh, it seems Junior Brother hasn't broken into the Seeking Dao Realm... How can this be, you've swallowed the Dynasty's fortune of Prince Jing and the Empress, how come you haven't stepped into the Seeking Dao Realm? If I had known, I should have killed you first."

Chen Ji twisted the blade, but the Hospital Director's legs were faster, imprinting on his chest and sending him flying three zhang away, with ribs snapping one by one.

Both in the Seeking Dao Realm, this senior brother's oppressive feeling was not as intense as Han Tong, but still not something Chen Ji could resist.

As the Hospital Director walked out, Chen Ji, supporting himself with the Whale Blade, stood up only to be kicked three zhang away again, coughing blood endlessly: "Is it because of lack of Silver, then why spend it on the Imperial Music Bureau? What woman in this world is more important than stepping into the Seeking Dao Realm? Once you step into the Seeking Dao Realm, you can have any woman you want."

Chen Ji rolled several times on the ground, activating the fourth stripe, massive Molten Flow spilled out from the stripe, filling his limbs, joining the fractured bones one by one.

Just before the Hospital Director's third kick came, he flipped up and narrowly avoided it, retreating quickly dragging the Whale Blade.

The Hospital Director lightly exclaimed again, "What's going on?"

Chen Ji sensed something was wrong, the other mentioned he swallowed the Dynasty fortune of Prince Jing and the Empress, with enough Silver, stepping into the Seeking Dao Realm ought to be a given.

Yet, within him, beyond just the Ice Flow of Prince Jing and the Empress, there were accumulations from the inner prisons of Luocheng City and Imperial Capital, far exceeding what was needed for the Innate step into Seeking Dao, yet all were dormant in his Dantian.

By logic, he lacked nothing, he should have long broken through into the Seeking Dao Realm, yet he was stuck at the last step, with nowhere to turn.

Now, it seemed the other was unaware of the existence of the stripes, thus puzzled why he could heal instantly.

Wait, Old Yao never mentioned stripes, never spoke of the changing colors of stove flames, nor any obstacles in stepping into the Seeking Dao Realm, it seemed there were differences between Mountain Lords.

The Hospital Director stopped his steps, carefully examining Chen Ji, "How can you heal instantly, could it be the old man held back when teaching me?"

Chen Ji probed without changing his expression, "Stepping into the Seeking Dao Realm isn't that easy."

The Hospital Director tilted his head, thought for a moment, then grinned, "Hard? Don't think so."

Speaking thus, he lunged at Chen Ji again, but in mid-air, suddenly there was a flash of light behind Chen Ji, three Meteor Arrow Rain arrows brushed past Chen Ji's clothes.

One arrow flew past Chen Ji's ear, the wind from it lifting his disheveled hair, and one arrow pierced through the Hospital Director's chest, the enormous force carrying the Hospital Director's body backward, like a tattered sack landing on the ground: "Junior Brother, the Dynasty fortune stays with you for now, foolish brother shall retrieve it another day."

With that, a massive Ice Flow surged forth, merging into Chen Ji's body.

This is... Mr. Qi's Ice Flow?

Chen Ji turned abruptly, seeing Heavenly Horse standing under Shouzhuo Gate holding a brilliant longbow, Jin Zhu rushing over, looking at the blood spilling from his chest, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Chen Ji quickly walked to the Hospital Director's side, only to see his face slowly changing shape, the old skin peeling like orange rind, revealing the face of a young man.

At this moment, Bai Long and Li Dongyan walked leisurely from outside the Three Gates, glanced at the body indifferently: "Zhang Qian. But Zhang Qian shouldn't possess such a Power Realm."

Chen Ji reached out to search the body, with sudden astonishment, he then tore open the other's shirt with both hands.

Jin Zhu gasped in shock, "What is this?"

Beneath the shirt, there was a wound running from neck to abdomen, the internal organs were all missing, like a broken empty shell, without a drop of blood... as if all the blood had dried up long ago.

Chen Ji used the tip of the blade to open the shell, discovering a heart that didn't belong to this body sewn into the chest cavity with hair.

Chen Ji was taken aback, this was the Hospital Director's heart.