“Unfortunately, my Intrinsic Flying Sword will take about half a year to reach the fourth-grade,” said Qin Yun.
Yi Xiao immediately asked, “Qin Yun, are you sure you can control a fourth-grade flying sword at the Connate False Core realm?”
In the Postnatal realm, one could at best control a seventh-grade Dharma treasure! A sixth-grade Dharma treasure could not be used even if it was placed in front of them.
And in the Connate realm, under normal circumstances, the Connate False Core realm allowed one to control fifth and sixth-grade Dharma treasures. Connate True Core realm allowed one to control third and fourth-grade Dharma treasures. As for the Connate Golden Core realm, they could control first-grade Dharma treasures. Although that was the rule of thumb, Dharma treasures were just too expensive. Most Connate True Core realm cultivators would typically use fifth-grade or sixth-grade Dharma treasures.
“My sword immortal lineage gives pure Quintessential Essence, and the Connate False Core I condensed is a lot better than sword immortals at the same level. I’ll be able to control a fifth-grade flying sword as well,” said Qin Yun confidently. “With the fourth-grade flying sword being my Intrinsic Flying Sword, it can match the power of a second-grade Dharma treasure in my hands… With the flying sword, my strength can increase by another fifty to sixty percent!”
Qin Yun was just too powerful so the aid the Dharma treasures gave him wasn’t that exaggerated either.
However, being able to have his strength increased by fifty to sixty percent alone was astonishing enough.
“I just wonder what means the Zhongli family will employ.” Yi Xiao was a little worried.
“I will adopt the necessary measures depending on the situation. Besides, whoever dares to attack me has to be prepared to be killed by me.” Qin Yun showed no fear. He naturally felt emboldened with his strength.
******
The Kong Prefecture’s Zhongli family was a thousand-year-old family clan. A provincial city had been conferred to the Zhongli family and even if the dynasty changed, the provincial city continued to be helmed by the Zhongli family. This city was also called Li City.
At night, in Kong Prefecture, in a grandiose manor in Li City, there were hordes of servants and the rules were strict.
In a hall.
“Mother, I ask for your justice.” Princess Martial Maple knelt in front of a woman as she hugged her leg and sobbed.
“All you know is cry.”
The woman waved her hand and two screens appeared in midair.
One screen was of Yi Xiao slapping Princess Martial Maple thirty times. The other one was Qin Yun spraying poison powder on Princess Martial Maple’s face.
“Stare at it and watch it carefully,” said the woman coldly.
Princess Martial Maple had no choice but to watch the two screens obediently. The scenes repeated again and again as the fury in Princess Martial Maple’s eyes grew.
“Whenever you calm down is when you can speak to me.” The woman got up and left.
Princess Martial Maple obediently remained silent.
Her mother was Patriarch Zhongli’s present wife, Matron Le. Patriarch Zhongli had several wives but as he everlasting youth, his wives died one after another. Matron Le was a female disciple that Patriarch Zhongli had taken in in the past. As they spent time frequently, she eventually became the present matron of the Zhongli family.
Matron Le had already reached the Connate True Core realm and wasn’t even a hundred years old. She wielded a lot of power in the Zhongli family.
At dawn of the second day,
Matron Le returned to the hall. Princess Martial Maple was still obediently kneeling and watching the two screens floating in midair.
“Have you calmed down?” asked Matron Le.
“Yes, I have.” Princess Martial Maple nodded obediently.
“Do you know where your fault lies?” Matron Le asked again.
Princess Martial Maple whispered under her breath, “I didn’t heed your words and attacked Yi Xiao without your permission. She is a Divine Firmament Chapter disciple after all and a child of the Yi family. By getting into trouble, I will displease Father.”
“Your father may have everlasting youth but he has to suffer tribulations too. If you can lessen the troubles he faces, do it.” Matron Le said. “As for the matter in Grand Dominance, I’m very disappointed.”
“Firstly, you were not calm and did not listen to me and directly attacked Yi Xiao.”
“Secondly, after deciding to take action, you didn’t listen to my teachings of planning before taking action!” Matron Le looked at her daughter. “Did you wonder why she was in Grand Dominance? Could she have companions? Could she have seniors from her sect? Without even thinking, you took action immediately. Do you think you are really invincible? Look at the final outcome. You got smacked in the face and disfigured. You have sullied the reputation of the Zhongli family completely!”
“Although there is one Connate Golden Core realm cultivator among your father’s disciples, even your father will find it difficult to order him to do something, much less the two of us,” said Matron Le.
At the Connate Golden Core realm, one also had their own family clan that had responsibilities weighing down on their shoulders.
They would not easily engage in life-and-death acts of revenge. After all, Qin Yun had extraordinary potential. If the assassination of him failed, it would only result in endless problems.
Princess Martial Maple obediently remained silent.
“A few years ago, you did things well but in recent years, you have been touring the world and having fun with that Yi Caishi. I think you have turned dumb.” Matron Le reprimanded, “Do you think just because we are the Zhongli family clan, it permits us to do anything we wish?”
“It’s my fault.” Princess Martial Maple said obediently. “Mother, I leave everything to you.”
“Since this matter has been done, there’s no need for regret.”
Matron Le said calmly, “That Qin Yun is only a mere itinerant cultivator but he doesn’t consider our Zhongli family at all. He was even so ruthless against you! Even the Inspector Heavenly Alliance knows about it, which means many factions in the world will learn of it. Now, the one being disgraced is not only you nor me, but the entire Zhongli family! Qin Yun has to be taught a lesson on this matter or it will only let others deride us. In the future, how would our family clan exercise our authority on the masses?”
“How so?” Princess Martial Maple’s eyes lit up.
“How else? It’s too troublesome causing a din. It’s better to just straight up kill him cleanly,” said Matron Le.
“How do we kill him?” Princess Martial Maple could not help but ask. “He’s rather powerful and I can’t think of any way that has absolute certainty.”
Matron Le shook her head slightly. “Naturally, we look for something with certainty.”
She waved her hand.
Phew.
A phantom image appeared in midair. In it was a coiled flood dragon that was covered with dark-red scales. The dragon’s head was staring at the screen as the surrounding water flowed.
“Matron Le, what matter do you have to seek me?” said the blood-colored flood dragon in human speech.
“I need the Myriad Temple to kill a person,” said Matron Le.
“Who?” asked the flood dragon.
“In Jiang Prefecture’s Grand Dominance, there is a sword immortal by the name of Qin Yun,” Matron Le said. “I wish that you can rid of him as soon as possible.”
The flood dragon nodded slightly. “That is a recently promoted Azure-token Inspector Heavenly Ambassador. He had defeated Black Demon King head on and his strength is not inferior to Silver Peak Monastery’s Reverend Immense Sea. Killing him requires three Immortal Crystals.”
“Three?” blurted Matron Le.
“Yes.” The flood dragon nodded.
Matron Le hesitated for a moment before nodding. She said, “Then three Immortal Crystals it is. I wish that the Myriad Temple can kill him as soon as possible.”
“Rest assured with my Myriad Temple on the job. Please send the three Immortal Crystals as early as possible.” The flood dragon nodded slightly and the transmission was cut.
Princess Martial Maple watched all of this from the side without daring to make a sound.
After the communication ended, Princess Martial Maple asked immediately, “This is the Myriad Temple? The omnipotent Myriad Temple that encompasses all myriad phenomena?”
“Myriad Temple only cares for treasures. It does not care if they are human, fiendish demon or from the Water race.” Matron Le said. “And indeed, they are infinitely resourceful.”
“Can I get a Myriad Temple transmission mark?” asked Princess Martial Maple immediately.
Matron Le shook her head. “Myriad Temple only leaves a transmission mark with humans or demons that it acknowledges. The unacknowledged cannot contact them.”
Princess Martial Maple muttered softly, “They are deliberately putting on airs.”
“But the Myriad Temple has the strength,” countered Matron Le. “Regardless, no one can prove that it was us who took action if it’s the Myriad Temple. No evidence will be left behind. Now, all you need is to wait for news of Qin Yun’s death.”
Matron Le truly did not think much of Qin Yun.
So what if a junior that did not have any backer died? By being Patriarch Zhongli’s partner, she had previously seen truly terrifying existences in the world, such as immortals and Fiendcelestials. Even the mark used to contact the Myriad Temple was given to her by a ‘Fiend Dragon’ from Myriad Temple that matched the level of a Fiendcelestial. Matron Le naturally thought highly of herself so she was indeed furious over Qin Yun’s ruthless acts against her daughter.
As for her daughter acting against Yi Xiao? From her point of view, Yi Xiao was only a lowly child of the Yi family, while her daughter was a daughter of an immortal, so how could Yi Xiao compare with her?
“Alright, I’ll wait for news of his death.” Princess Martial Maple felt a sense of anticipation.
“Are the scars on your face removable?” asked Matron Le.
“No,” Princess Martial Maple nodded. “It’s very troublesome but if Father were to help, it would be a lot easier.”
“No rush. Wait a little longer. Find your father when he is out of seclusion. Do not disturb his cultivation,” said Matron Le.
Princess Martial Maple could not help but ask, “How long do I have to wait?”
“That I wouldn’t know. It could be as short as a day or two, and as long as a decade,” answered Matron Le. “Don’t worry. I’ll bring you to meet him the moment he’s out.”
“Alright.” Princess Martial Maple answered obediently.
The Zhongli family’s patriarch was the supreme existence of the Zhongli family clan. Princess Martial Maple was only one of his many daughters in the patriarch’s long life after all.
…
As for the Myriad Temple, it began preparing for the assassination.