novelraw Chapter 114 : Registering Immortal Records? Want to Kill Shen Jingxiao, Little Piglet Sit Tight
Chapter 114 : Registering Immortal Records? Want to Kill Shen Jingxiao, Little Piglet Sit Tight
Chapter 114: Registering Immortal Records? Want to Kill Shen Jingxiao, Little Piglet Sit Tight
Deep in the night, all was silent.
The silver moonlight was like frost, spilling across the courtyard walls. Upon the tiles, a black cat was licking its fur, its eyes a ghostly emerald, like two luminous moon-pearls, especially striking.
Moments later, the black cat leaped down, falling into a room where a lamp was still lit. Wisps of cloud mist steamed upward as its dark fur faded away, turning into a pure-white little cloud-patterned tiger cub.
“嗷呜……”
The little white tiger cried out, then leaped directly into a warm embrace.
“The surroundings should be quite safe. There hasn’t been any unusual movement.”
Fu Yuying spoke as she stretched out a slender hand and gently stroked the little white tiger’s fur.
She sat quietly across from Shen Yanzhou, dressed in a white long robe embroidered with clouds and peach blossoms. Her willow-leaf brows and cloud-coiled hair framed jade-like skin, and her exquisitely sculpted features were unmatched. Even beneath the spacious robe, one could not hide that graceful, alluring figure of hers.
“It seemed your journey wasn’t very safe. Could it be that someone tried to stop you?” Shen Yanzhou asked.
“The situation in the Southern Border was urgent. The army was pressing near. It was already inappropriate for me to sneak away at such a time, so it was inevitable that some people would keep an eye on me. Moreover, several sects have already secretly submitted to the Demon Suppression King.” Fu Yuying sighed.
“Shen Jingxiao always repaid every slight. He would never let go of such a perfect opportunity to subdue the Southern Border.”
“At the moment, he’s simply boiling the frog in warm water. He doesn’t want to force you all too quickly. He intends to devour you piece by piece. Inside the hidden sects of the Southern Border, someone will inevitably jump out and cause internal infighting. When the time comes, he will just sit and reap the fisherman’s benefit.”
“The creation of Shen Tian’s puppet was merely a catalyst. Even without that, he would have found many ways to gradually swallow the Southern Border. You don’t need to blame yourself for this,” Shen Yanzhou said.
Fu Yuying nodded, her tone helpless. “If only I had been more firm in the sect, if I had left more safeguards when refining Shen Tian’s puppet, we wouldn’t be so passive now.”
But unfortunately, Luofu Cloud Cavern was not a place where her word alone counted.
“What exactly is the method Young Master Shen spoke of?”
Fu Yuying then asked about the important matter that brought her to the imperial capital.
“The Southern Border’s situation currently has no good solution—unless Shen Jingxiao personally orders a retreat. But even if he agreed to retreat, he could still use the excuse of a beast tide invading the borders to obstruct you everywhere. Even if you lodged a complaint before the imperial court and Emperor Mingde personally issued an imperial decree, once it reached the Southern Border, it wouldn’t have much effect. Shen Jingxiao has a hundred ways to slowly deal with you.”
“To resist the Demon Suppression Army while remaining within the legitimate framework of the Great Qian, we must involve a third force.”
“The ancestral laws cannot be changed—those were matters of the past. Now, either the sect relocates entirely from the Southern Border, or you wait for destruction to fall.”
Shen Yanzhou’s expression grew solemn.
Fu Yuying bit her lip. Naturally, she understood everything he said.
“Young Master Shen means to have us abandon our hidden-world identity, enter the mortal world, voluntarily submit to the Great Qian Dynasty, register our Immortal Records, and be brought under the Bureau of Immortal Inspection’s supervision?”
Her tone was faint, carrying helplessness and melancholy.
The ancestors of Luofu Cloud Cavern had moved the entire sect into the Southern Border, hiding within the Vast Ten Thousand Mountains, precisely to remain aloof from worldly affairs, to avoid mundane karma and pursue secluded cultivation.
If they entered the mortal world now, it would run completely counter to their original intention.
Within the sect, they likely wouldn’t easily agree.
But as Shen Yanzhou said, if Luofu Cloud Cavern registered its Immortal Records and submitted to the Great Qian Dynasty, becoming an officially recorded immortal sect of the court, then the Demon Suppression King naturally wouldn’t dare to send troops to harass or oppress them.
However, the internal environment of the Bureau of Immortal Inspection was far more complicated than that of the Demon Suppression King.
“Is there truly no other way?” Fu Yuying rubbed her brow, feeling both exhausted and powerless.
“There is another way.” Shen Yanzhou seemed to have expected her question, and his tone shifted.
Fu Yuying froze, her gaze involuntarily sharpening upon him.
“What method?”
“Kill Shen Jingxiao,” Shen Yanzhou said.
“What?”
A massive wave surged in Fu Yuying’s heart.
Even with her cultivation of mind, she could not help but feel shaken. Kill the Demon Suppression King Shen Jingxiao? He was the Great Qian’s God of War. Not to mention his overwhelming number of powerful subordinates—even he himself was a Second-Rank martial powerhouse who stood at the absolute pinnacle of the world.
Across the entire land of the Nine Provinces, the number of people capable of killing Shen Jingxiao could be counted on one hand.
“Young… Young Master Shen, are you joking?” Fu Yuying asked, unable to help herself.
“If I had no confidence, why would I tell you? As long as Shen Jingxiao is killed, the Demon Suppression Army, without its leader, naturally won’t be able to continue disturbing the Southern Border.”
“Then sects like Luofu Cloud Cavern will be able to remain peacefully hidden.” Shen Yanzhou smiled softly.
“I know that, but how can such a thing be accomplished?”
Fu Yuying still felt it was impossible. Compared to killing Shen Jingxiao, submitting to the Great Qian Dynasty was far more realistic.
“How does Tantai Yuxian of the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court compare to Shen Jingxiao?”
Shen Yanzhou asked.
“In terms of fame, status, and strength, naturally Shen Jingxiao surpasses her. No matter how strong Tantai Yuxian is, she is still only one person.”
“And behind Shen Jingxiao lies the hundreds of thousands of the Demon Suppression Army and a crowd of experts. Not to mention he is the Great Qian’s God of War, with the entire court behind him,” Fu Yuying said quietly.
“If relying solely on force, killing him is indeed difficult. But once I break through to First Rank, it wouldn’t be impossible. It would only take too long,” Shen Yanzhou replied.
Fu Yuying did not doubt Shen Yanzhou’s talent. Though she hadn’t been in the imperial capital recently, she had heard all kinds of rumors and knew his current situation well.
“Young Master Shen intends to use other methods… to lure and kill Shen Jingxiao?” she asked after thinking.
“Correct. And for this, I will need Luofu Cloud Cavern’s cooperation.”
In Shen Yanzhou’s view, this was the only valuable contribution Luofu Cloud Cavern could currently offer.
Fu Yuying fell silent.
Shen Yanzhou did not explain the details, but recalling how they had previously worked together to trap Shen Tian and drive him out of the capital—
She still trusted Shen Yanzhou greatly.
But such a matter would require the agreement of the upper echelons of Luofu Cloud Cavern, including her master.
“There is no rush for now. I will remain in the capital for the next few days. During this time, I will introduce you to someone from the Gu Family. One of their decision-makers is quite interested in the affairs of the Southern Border.”
“Use the excuse that Luofu Cloud Cavern wishes to enter the world. Negotiate with him slowly. Draw Shen Jingxiao’s attention. Leave the rest to me,” Shen Yanzhou said.
……
Meanwhile, under frosty moonlight falling upon a dilapidated courtyard in the western district of the imperial capital—
The place was overgrown with weeds, vines crawling over green-tiled brick walls. Moss coated the steps and walls. Wind seeped through the broken inner hall, producing faint ghost-like cries through the gaping hole in the roof.
Several ragged beggars huddled together, wrapped in scraps of cloth, deep in sleep—smacking lips, mumbling, snoring, teeth grinding.
“So hungry…”
One beggar rubbed his sleepy eyes and smacked his lips, getting up from the mat.
He kicked aside a companion’s broken bowl, tugged at his waistband as the urge to urinate surged, and walked out of the inner hall, intending to relieve himself by the wall.
Thud…
Suddenly, a heavy object landed, shattering the quiet night.
“What was that sound?”
The beggar yawned, rubbing his eyes as he looked toward the source.
From the weed-choked, thorn-covered dry well on the courtyard’s west side, a figure with long hair hanging down and covering the face suddenly sprang out, landing upright on the ground.
Under the moonlight, the face hidden by long hair looked as if coated in frost—pale and frightening.
The brocade robe fluttered slightly in the night wind, long hair whipping like that of a soul-reaping emissary from a ghost tale.
The beggar froze, instinctively thinking he was dreaming.
“Ghost…”
As warm, foul-smelling urine spilled over his hand, realization struck. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed stiffly onto the ground.
“……”
Zhu Chansi touched his nose, slightly helpless.
“Can’t you be quieter?”
Soon after, more movement came from the dry well behind him. A sturdier figure climbed out—his companion, Song Tiemu.
The two were members of the Nether Cult, once tasked with investigating Shen Yanzhou’s abduction. Later, outside Hidden Moon Mountain, they witnessed Shen Yanzhou subduing Tantai Yuxian. After being subdued themselves, they had since been working under his command.
The dry well behind them looked dried-up and overgrown with vines, but in truth, its interior was a hidden passage—an underground tunnel system that once connected several old strongholds of the Nether Cult.
“I didn’t do it on purpose. At least the noise was small. It didn’t wake the others.”
Zhu Chansi flicked his hand. A strand of black thread danced out, wrapped around the unconscious beggar, and he casually tossed the man toward the broken outer wall.
“Enough. Hurry and finish the task Young Master Shen assigned.” Song Tiemu urged.
“That man surnamed Liu… no matter what, he is still a Young Master of the Duke’s Residence. How could he not have guards around him? Just the two of us—can we really take him down?” Zhu Chansi doubted.
“When has anything arranged by Young Master Shen ever gone wrong? Just do it.”
“But what if the man surnamed Liu isn’t at Chunshui Pavilion right now?”
“Why do you have so many questions? Since Young Master Shen said he is there, he must be there…” Song Tiemu now treated Shen Yanzhou’s words like divine decree.
He more or less understood Shen Yanzhou’s situation. Shen Yanzhou might seem dazzling now in the imperial capital, but that was only the tip of the iceberg.
If the entire Great Qian imperial capital learned that the female Sword Immortal of the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court had been subdued by Shen Yanzhou and turned into his sword slave…
The uproar would be unimaginable—Song Tiemu didn’t even dare think about it.
……
“Zi’an, it’s not that we brothers don’t want to help you. It’s just that this problem really isn’t easy to deal with.”
“Yeah, you know the Chilin Guards’ situation. Who dares provoke them for no reason?”
“Once someone enters the Heavenly Prison, getting out is never easy. Even if he did nothing wrong, he’d still have to shed a layer of skin.”
Night had fallen. Inside a private room by the window in Chunshui Pavilion, zithers played softly and singing drifted lazily through the air.
Beautiful women, dressed in light layers, sat in the arms of wealthy young nobles, feeding them wine or serving dishes. The atmosphere was intimate and decadent.
Liu Zi’an sat opposite them, also holding a woman in his arms, but he had no mind to play with her. His face was troubled. “My grandfather and father told me not to get involved, but Brother Haoran and I are brothers in all but blood. How could I sit and do nothing while he suffers?”
Everyone in the private room was an acquaintance of his—members of the imperial capital’s youthful aristocrats. Their family backgrounds were powerful and distinguished.
Even Cui Ruifeng, who had once been humiliated by Shen Yanzhou in the Martial Institute, was present.
One could say that the people before him each represented immense influence—enough to move major affairs across the entire Great Qian.
But right now, none of them intended to intervene in Qi Haoran’s situation. Even Cui Ruifeng, who held a grudge against Shen Yanzhou, had no intention of meddling.
Qi Haoran alone was not worth making their families clash with the Chilin Guards’ Heavenly Prison just to rescue him.
Doing so would obviously also offend Shen Yanzhou and the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion.
“Brother Zi’an, if you really want to get Qi Haoran out, perhaps you could try contacting the Qi Kingdom behind him.”
“Qi Kingdom may be small, but they could offer rare heavenly treasures. Shen Yanzhou clearly has his eye on Zhao Qingchan and is taking out his anger on Qi Haoran. If some time passes and his anger fades, and the Qi Kingdom offers enough treasures, he might release him…”
“A girl like Zhao Qingchan is swan meat that isn’t easily touched. Even the Crown Prince has coveted her for years.”
Everyone offered Liu Zi’an ‘advice’—their words sounded sincere, but none actually planned to help.
Liu Zi’an sighed inwardly. He now saw clearly what kind of frivolous friends they were. True friends like Qi Haoran, who were worthy of entrusting one’s heart to, were rare.
“Forget it. I’ll think of another way.”
He rose, preparing to go downstairs to pay the bill.
The young nobles also smiled and stood to leave.
Ordinary courtesans no longer interested them. Even the talented women of Chunshui Pavilion, while pleasant, were still lacking in their eyes.
“But I heard the top courtesan of Chunshui Pavilion is exceptional. Shame I’ve never seen her. Even my cousin heard the rumors and plans to visit her when he returns to the capital.”
“Brother Zi’an, if you can somehow arrange for the top courtesan to meet my cousin, maybe he could help you pull Qi Haoran out of the Heavenly Prison.”
“My cousin can freely enter the Palace of the Yearly Rites and is greatly favored by Her Majesty the Empress. Getting the Chilin Guards to release someone is but a single word from the Empress.”
Suddenly, Cui Ruifeng’s eyes flashed as he spoke with a laugh.
The nobles who were about to leave paused, exchanged glances, then laughed together.
Cui Ruifeng’s cousin—Cui Mingyang—was the leader of the younger generation of the Martial Institute. He was the son of the current Cui Clan head.
On the day he was born, the sky was overcast. But with his first cry, a blazing sun suddenly appeared, scattering the clouds for a thousand miles.
A Daoist master had witnessed the scene: within the depths of the great sun, a wisp of purple energy rose and transformed into a streak of light that fell upon the Cui Clan’s ancestral land. Springs gushed from the earth, lotus blossoms opened in the pond, and Daoist chants echoed for three days.
Some said it was a wisp of imperial essence—a rootless divine material that enlightened the mind, forged flawless bones, and created unparalleled prodigies.
Cui Mingyang was extraordinarily intelligent from infancy. Before half a year old, he could already speak clearly. Immortal cranes and blue luan birds often descended upon the Cui Clan estate to accompany him.
At three years old, a mysterious Daoist master took him away for unknown cultivation.
At ten, he returned to the capital and entered the Dragon-Tiger Institute, formally beginning martial training. With years of accumulated insight, he surpassed most peers within three years.
Cui Mingyang was undoubtedly the foremost leader of the capital’s younger generation.
He had recently left the capital to cultivate, apparently entering an ancient ruin and gaining some form of fortune. He had not returned since.
The nobles laughed because Cui Ruifeng claimed his cousin was interested in the top courtesan, but in truth, Cui Mingyang was famously uninterested in women.
Rumor said that when the Divine Martial Marquis once brought the young Zhao Qingchan to the Cui Clan in hopes of arranging a marriage, Cui Mingyang rejected the proposal outright.
Of course, this was merely hearsay—neither the Divine Martial Marquis’s Residence nor the Cui Clan had ever acknowledged it.
“This method might work.”
Liu Zi’an knew Cui Ruifeng was joking, but he also understood the underlying meaning.
Cui Ruifeng wanted to become an intimate guest of the top courtesan. If successful, he could use his family’s influence to retrieve Qi Haoran from the Heavenly Prison.
As long as the Cui Clan requested it, the Empress only had to nod.
But… the top courtesan had her rules. She performed music only—never accompanied guests.
As young nobles of the capital, they valued their reputation. They couldn’t openly break a courtesan’s rules.
Cui Ruifeng understood this well. What he wanted was to not show his face, yet still receive a private invitation from the top courtesan.
In other words—he wanted to play with her, but without damaging his own reputation. How it happened wasn’t his concern.
“I’ll think of a solution when I return.”
Liu Zi’an’s thoughts churned. Otherwise, he himself would have to be the villain.
Whether through negotiation or coercion, a mere courtesan—would she dare refuse a Young Master of the Duke’s Residence?
“Good, good, good. I’ll be waiting for your word, Brother Zi’an.”
Cui Ruifeng laughed, patting Liu Zi’an’s shoulder before leaving with the others.
After paying the bill, Liu Zi’an headed toward the carriage waiting not far from Chunshui Pavilion.
Though the capital enforced a nighttime curfew, it was meaningless to aristocratic youths like them. Late at night, they still ate and drank as usual.
Such rules were never meant to restrain people like them.
The carriage wheels rolled over the bluestone street, heading toward the Divine Martial Marquis’s Residence. Liu Zi’an sat inside, thinking about how to make the top courtesan agree.
He remembered—Shen Yanzhou had also come a few days ago, using his identity as a Chilin Guards Hundred-Household Commander to force the top courtesan to come serve wine.
If Shen Yanzhou could do it, why couldn’t he?
Just as he was thinking, Liu Zi’an smelled a strange fragrance. It was slightly intoxicating, making his head heavy and his eyelids droop.
“Little piglet, sit tight…”
Before losing consciousness, he heard the carter let out a raspy, sinister laugh.