Chapter 43
"Pfft!" Shin Jiao wasn't able to control himself from laughing at the thoughtless words of Prince Haulin Xi.
Hearing that he is being laughed at by a servant he glared at Shin Jiao and wanted to strangle him right at that moment, but he controls himself and won't show that bad side to Susu Ling. But then all of a sudden Qin Lou suddenly began to smile while trying to hold something in as Shin Jiao whispered something in her ears and then later on she giggled.
"You two lowly commoners dare to laugh at this royal prince? I'll show you how I teach those who insult me in front of my face." Prince Haulin Xi this time erupted like a volcano in anger which made Master Ju raised an eyebrow.
"Forgive this lowly mortal for my offense, your highness. Don't let my lowly and foolish self be hindering you from giving miss Susu Ling a good time tonight." Shin Jiao politely said.
This made Qin Lou grabbed her stomach and tried really hard to prevent herself from rolling on the floor in laughter. At first, she didn't understand what the 3rd prince is talking about, but Shin Jiao told her the meaning of the prince giving Susu Ling a good time, is a very impolite gesture of a man to a woman. But the 3rd Prince's face showed that he himself didn't understand what he just said. When Qin Lou looks at Susu Ling's angry face, she now knows the stupidity of the 3rd Prince.
Now Susu Ling felt a little angry at the situation, it was actually fine if no one understood what had happened as she could just brush it off as the prince being foolish. But because of Shin Jiao now even Qin Lou understood what has been said and even the 4th prince and master Ju are giving the 3rd Prince and her an incredulous look.
"You… you… Shin Jiao, you're a scoundrel! Come here! Let this great aunty teach you a lesson! Don't run, if you dare run I'll… I'll whip you to shreds!" Susu Ling could not hold it anymore and immediately chased after Shin Jiao who immediately ran away.
She then took out her whip and started to brandish it as she waves it in the air shouting threat to Shin Jiao who seem to run for his life. The two began to run away chasing each other from the place and away from the two dumbfounded princes and Master Ju. Qin Lou, on the other hand, bowed in respect to the three and followed the two who were chasing each other.
Not long after that they are now gone from the area and arrived near the river, where many people are washing and cleaning some stuff.
"You owe me one…" Shin Jiao said as he patted the imaginary dust on his clothes.
"Who owes something to you? Humph… I'm not talking to you. Why did you tell senior sister what that buffoon of a prince said? It's too embarrassing; I don't know what she'll think of me now." Susu Ling angrily said while glaring her eyes to Shin Jiao and feeling wronged.
"I just don't want her to not have a clue of those things." Shin Jiao shrugged his shoulder.
"You… you're too annoying! I'm out of here."
"Are you sure? Those pompous princes would be looking for you, if I were you I would hide. Haha…" Shin Jiao teased.
But Susu Ling didn't listen to Shin Jiao and just walked away.
…
As most beings in this world lived their lives as normally as chaotic as they'd be, an unknown catastrophe is slowly emerging from within the deepest part of the forest. In a deary and gloomy area of the forest where only dead trees and thorny vines can be seen anywhere, giving the place only a black and grey color, a tall and lifeless mountain stood. In that mountain, a small dark cave can be seen at the foot. And inside that cave, a dark shadow with three pair of eyes can be seen looking at a distance far away.
"It seems that someone interesting has appeared. But this aura is unlike the one that I have felt from before; this is a majestic and grand aura, an aura of a hero. If I can use what that person has on him, I can escape this prison and once again bring chaos to this slowly getting boring world. Hehe… I the shadow slayer of heroes and gods can't wait to escape and will once again reign with fire and chaos." The dark shadow said.
Afterward, the pair of three eyes slowly retreated towards the innermost part of the cave without a sound.
…
Empire of Xi, the Imperial castle…
"General, how the search is coming?" a man wearing a red and blue robe with a golden ringlet crown on his head asked.
"Reporting to your majesty, we have already gathered some possible crafters but so far none of them is able to identify a part of the item. Our researchers, on the other hand, had a breakthrough; we have found a complex rune pattern inside the weapon. Our rune experts say that they might be able to break the secret of the rune pattern but it's not that easy, at most about a year or two." The general wearing a silver armor reported.
"General Qian, that is a piece of disturbing news. Do you mean that even our brightest minds cannot fathom the intricacies of the weapon? What if this thing came from another country or empire? This would be a truly disastrous thing." The emperor said with a frown.
"Your majesty, you don't have to worry as we have reports from our spies that this thing is not present in any country or city in this land or even the land beyond. So set your heart at ease. But, we have pressing news from the front lines your majesty, the 2nd prince. It seems that he is the one showing the signs and not the crown prince." General Qian said with a look of worry in his eyes.
"What! Yan'er is the one who is showing the signs… this… this is impossible." The emperor muttered as he suddenly had a deep thought.
"Your majesty the slayer might make its move once more, we have to be prepared." General Qian reminded.
"This cannot be allowed, my ancestor has already sacrificed his life just to keep that maniac from getting loose. If it became lose once more the whole empire might fall. And the only chance we have is the guardian ancestor, but I have never heard of him for quite some time already." The emperor said as if trying to recall something.
"I can still remember that year that my brother showed the sign, four hundred years ago. That was the first time I saw that fiend, no matter how strong my father the late emperor is he was truly not a match of that evil creature. When he sucks the life essence of my brother the crown prince at that time, I felt like everything is only a dream. My brother's healthy body became all bones and his soul wasn't even spared. Now that I am much stronger than my father, I won't let Yan'er suffer the fate of my elder brother." The emperor's eyes are beaming with determination as he clenched his fist.
---
The border to the town of Haven is still miles away from the traveling caravan. It is estimated that they should be able to arrive in the town at sunset in two days if they travel non-stop. So the caravan decided to do so as they have already recovered from the previous battle.
Shin Jiao was sitting peacefully outside a carriage, his eyes are closed while is checking his dantian. He is feeling a little shocked and happy at the same time as he now noticed that in his dantian there exist around 39 spheres. He now noticed that the big sphere is actually absorbing essences in the air and anywhere Shin Jiao is, and it seem that when he was in the illusion mountain it has absorbed a lot making his cultivation shot up to 39 spheres from 31.
"Haha… I guess that's the reason I have that strength while fighting those level 4 beasts. This is awesome! But now how do I proceed from here?" Shin Jiao thought.
"I think I can now understand the sphere in my dantian, although they are not under the same law as that with the cultivators still they are under the laws of the cultivation world. I need to find a way to break through that law and make my own way." Shin Jiao began to contemplate and think of how he can be freed from bottlenecks.
Then an idea came to his mind, to change the spheres. If he has the ability to craft things outside, he should also have the ability to craft his own destiny and his own cultivation inside. To do that he needs to redefine and go against the heavens. Then Shin Jiao decided to go into seclusion when they arrive in the city of Er.
Unknown to Shin Jiao, there is a pair of eyes looking at him venomously. This pair of eyes is coming from the 3rd prince, Prince Haulin Xi. The prince is already angered when Shin Jiao interrupted his talk with Susu Ling and then every time he would come and find Susu Ling, Shin Jiao would always go between them, and of course, this is due to Susu Ling hiding behind Shin Jiao's back. Now that they are nearing the town of Haven, the prince wanted to get rid of the mortal servant without anyone noticing it.
The next day the group still decided to take a rest for the night as they will be reaching the town soon and they needed the rest for that trip. But they are not aware that it would be a prelude to something that the alchemist school would regret later.
That night, while Shin Jiao is in his tent he immediately noticed someone entering. He is not sure what their purpose is but he is sure that the target was him. Shin Jiao felt a little nervous as he didn't know if he can defeat someone with a middle-stage gold core cultivation level with his brute strength alone. Unlike when he was fighting against the level 4 beast, he had his gears and weapons. Hopefully, the person inside his tent right now would not kill him and just capture him, that way he had a chance to keep his presence secret and get rid of this danger at the same time.
"Heh… I can't believe the prince would ask me a cultivator to kill a mere mortal. This is too degrading." The man whisper under his breath, but Shin Jiao was able to pick it up with his already sharp senses.
Then he suddenly heard a sound of sword being unsheathe.
"Oh, crap… I don't like this. I guess I have no choice but to fight them." Shin Jiao thought.
With a thought, he was able to bring out his trusty wakizashi and since he is wearing a blanket the assassin didn't notice this. And because the man is underestimating Shin Jiao he didn't use his spiritual sense.
The man moved casually but this move is very fast for a mortal. He lifted the sharp sword and when he is near the person on the wooden bed, he drops his sword in a stabbing motion towards Shin Jiao's body. As a mortal, this is enough to kill him.
When the sword enters the blanket the man had a surprised look in his face as he noticed that his sword didn't feel like it entered someone's flesh. Then he was stunned to see Shin Jiao's figure already out of bed and in a jumping motion. One of his hands supports his entire body while holding the edge of the bed while the other one is already in a thrusting motion towards the man's head.
Before the man could react his consciousness has already turned blank as a black sword enters his frontal bone (forehead) and exited behind his neck. Before the man could fall on the ground, Shin Jiao quickly caught his body. He then decided to see what the purpose of this assassin is and who sent him. And the only way to do this is to take the man's clothes and wear them himself and act as the assassin.
Then Shin Jiao uses his goggles to find a group of people who are active or acting suspiciously. And not long after he can see his target, surprisingly it's not the third prince of Xi but the 4th prince of Er, Prince Nei Er. He is standing a little distance away from the convoy with some of his personal guards.
"This is what Susu Ling brought me. Jeez… That girl is really troublesome. Anyway let's see where this goes, I'm not sure if I can handle those gold core realm guards though." Shin Jiao thought but still decided to go to the place albeit stealthily while bringing the dead assassin with him in his spatial ring.
"What's taking him too long? I thought you said he can do this quickly?" Prince Nie Er angrily pointed at the Captain of the guards.
"My prince you worry too much, that young man is only a mortal servant and is powerless. What would happen?" the Captain said.
"I need to finish this mission given to me by Prince Haulin or else he would have my neck." The 4th prince muttered.
Then while he is in deep thought a guard interrupted.
"Sir, there is a body here. I think it's a mortal's" the guard said.
"What? Where is it?" Prince Nie Er said as he frantically ran towards the guard.
He felt a little anxious and excited upon hearing that there is a mortal body, maybe the assassin was successful? And now the prince could never think of anything else other than seeing the dead body. When he arrived at the location he saw the body wrapped in a blanket and only the head is exposed, the head was that of Shin Jiao. Of course, the 4th prince is very familiar with that face as he himself would always curse it even in his sleep, for taking advantage of Miss Susu Ling.
"Haha… hey you, bring out the lure. We must make sure that this body will be consumed by the beast so that no one would suspect us." Prince Nie Er commanded.
"My prince how about we just bury it or burn it?" A guard suggested.
"Are you crazy? With Master Ju here, he can trace the body and find it. Then there would be more trouble for me. This is better! Enough talk and just follow my orders." the 4th prince commanded after losing his patience.
The soldiers didn't ask anymore and just put a lure next to the body. This lure is a special lure that they had used to start the beast tide, and if this is discovered his father would kill him. But he didn't have a choice, he needs to do this to win the 3rd Prince's favor. But after putting the lure in the body and before the guard can do anything, something happened.
The ground suddenly shook violently making all the people on the surrounding woke up immediately. All the cultivators became weary as they didn't expect that there would be another beast tide coming. But since it's here they won't chicken out and just face it.
Meanwhile, on the place where the lure was put in the body, the ground suddenly caved-in and out came a huge worm-like creature taking the body inside its mouth. Its size is like a small mountain and the hole it came out from is the size of a whole house. Upon seeing the huge beast in front of them the 4th Prince almost pees in his pants. As a pampered young master with little abilities, Prince Nie Er is never a favorite of the king and so he spends his time in debauchery.
But unknown to his father the king and brothers, Nie Er is very ambitious. And if he cannot get it through sheer strength he would use trickery. And so he allied himself to the 3rd prince of the Empire so that he could gain some power at the least.
But now it seems that he made a mistake.