Banshee Family Training Record

Page 187

Both of them were pondering the same thing: the extent to which they would put pressure on the local families, and the timing of wiping out the Yellow Python family. Everything needed to be carefully balanced.

If handled well, it can be the best of both worlds; but if handled poorly, it could lead to complete failure.

The best outcome, of course, would be for the yellow pythons to first fight the Zhao people to a standstill: the snake demons would first kill Chen Shuling, then be crippled by the Zhao people's bloody retaliation, and only then would I lead my men into the fray...

But now the plans have changed. That damned Qin Haihou tomb, of all times it had to open, now Chen Shuling suddenly returned home, leaving the Huang Mang family empty-handed...

I don't know when this guy will return. If I keep them around, they're a threat, and they'll cause the local powerful families to become increasingly disloyal, and it might even damage my prestige...

We have to do something, at least squeeze the last bit of value out of the Yellow Python family, and then send them to hell...

As she pondered this, her expression suddenly changed, and she turned to look into the distance.

Over there, a figure leaped and bounded, each time covering a distance of over a hundred meters or even a height, rushing towards this side. It was none other than the local person she trusted and was closest to.

The clouds are at peace.

What is he here for?

The princess didn't know, but when she saw him, her eyes suddenly lit up, and all the pressure in her heart vanished.

Although no problems have been resolved yet, just seeing him suddenly filled her with an indescribable joy.

Over there, Yun Chu'an hopped and skipped his way to the outside of the pavilion. Sheng Linglong, with a smile on her face, stood up from her seat and greeted him, "What brings you here? Is there something you need?"

As she spoke, she blinked, her big eyes full of anticipation.

Yun Chu'an glanced at Ge Xiang, who was sitting cross-legged on a futon beside him, then knelt on one knee, bowed his head and clasped his hands: "Your Highness, I have important matters to report."

Sheng Linglong frowned, instinctively feeling somewhat dissatisfied, but then she remembered that Ge Xiang, an outsider, was watching, and she probably shouldn't act too intimately with him.

Immediately, she straightened her back, put on a stern face, coughed lightly, and said, "Rise! My dear minister, please speak freely if you have anything to report."

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Yun Chu'an stood up, then said with a worried expression, "Your Highness, recently some people with unknown whereabouts have appeared near my home. They are always looking around, and I don't know what they are doing. We can't catch them."

"I am quite worried, so I have come to report to Your Highness, hoping to receive your guidance and take precautions as soon as possible."

Sheng Linglong was taken aback upon hearing this, her gaze hardening, now truly serious: "Who is it? What exactly is going on? Sit down here and tell me in detail!"

As she spoke, she invited Yun Chu'an to sit down on a chair in the pavilion. In this era, it was customary for the emperor and his ministers to sit together and discuss matters, so Yun Chu'an sitting down in front of her was not considered a violation of the rules.

After he expressed his gratitude, he sat down with her. Beside them, Ge Xiang, who was sitting on a prayer mat, remained meditating with his eyes closed and did not react at all.

Then, Yun Chu'an said, "Actually, Your Highness, my strength is too weak to discover the traces of these people. Their tracks were discovered by my fourth and eldest sisters in my family by chance..."

He then told Sheng Linglong everything that had happened that day, but of course, he didn't go into detail about their speculations about the men in black, as those were too subjective.

Sheng Linglong's expression grew increasingly serious as she listened, until finally her expression tightened, and she made a judgment with a start.

Is there even a need to say more? This must be another spy sent by the State of Zhao!

Since she arrived in the area along the banks of Wei Lake, she has captured more than one Zhao State spy who had infiltrated the region. After severely torturing them, she has long since figured out what they were planning to do.

Upon hearing Yun Chuan'an's words, her habitual thinking immediately led her to conclude that these guys must also be spies sent by the Zhao Kingdom to gather intelligence or even do something secret!

And now, they're actually circling the Huai Shan family, investigating them day and night, refusing to leave. So, there's a high probability...

These guys know I highly value this man, so they're investigating him, observing him, researching his secrets, and even...

They're plotting to get rid of him!

As a princess from an enemy state, and one whose vast territory had been usurped by the enemy and who had almost become a subjugated slave, Sheng Linglong never hesitated to assume the worst about the people of Zhao.

Upon hearing Yun Chuan'an's words, she immediately narrowed her eyes, her pupils filled with murderous intent.

That's right. Chu'an is able to produce so many things in large quantities, which are so important to our Zhao state. How could the enemy not have their eyes on him?

It's because I've been busy balancing and suppressing the various families lately that I've neglected to protect him. It's my fault, my fault...

So, it's time to correct these mistakes and let these spies sent by the Zhao people...

Go to the Western Paradise, one by one!

Her murderous intent was palpable, and her cold expression made Yun Chu'an feel uneasy for a moment.

Then, he saw the girl nod slightly, her voice hard and cold: "I understand, Chu'an. It's alright, don't worry. I will handle this matter personally."

"Don't go back today. Safety first. Rest here for a while. Tomorrow, I'll gather the men, and we'll go back together and wipe them all out in one fell swoop."

Yun Chu'an hesitated for a moment: "Ah? Is this alright?"

Sheng Linglong chuckled lightly: "Heh, what's wrong with that? Don't worry, staying here is no big deal, just stay as long as you like."

As she spoke, she called out to the distance, "Xiao Cui, take Yun Aiqing to the side and let her rest for a while."

At her call, a maidservant dressed as a servant girl walked slowly from afar, bowing slightly to Yun Chu'an and asking him to rest aside.

Yun Chu'an did not refuse and left with her.

No sooner had he left than Ge Xiang, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them: "This is most likely not a secret agent sent by the Zhao state to overthrow our country, but rather an attempt to target the Great Jin."

"On the contrary, this is most likely an outsider who has a personal grudge against their family and intends to take revenge on them."

Sheng Linglong's expression shifted, and she turned to look at the old man, somewhat surprised: "What do you mean?"

“Based on the characteristics he just described, these people are quite different from the spies we’ve captured before, so they shouldn’t be the same group,” Ge Xiang said. “The characteristics and style of these people are more similar to members of another assassin organization that operates in multiple countries.”

Upon hearing this, the princess of Jin's expression shifted: "The First Watch Hall?"

Yigeng Hall is an assassin organization whose motto is "If we decide you die at the first watch, you'll be meeting the King of Hell at the third watch."

They specialize in assassinating specific individuals, and their efficiency and success rate are exceptionally high, thus earning them a notorious reputation.

Ordinary hermits in the mountains might not know about the existence of this assassin organization, but political figures and dukes from various countries are well aware of it, since their own names might be on the list, and they might be targets of these guys' assassination attempts.

Because of their profession of assassination, cultivators often suggest that the leaders of the righteous path should unite and wipe out the Corpse-Driving Sect just as they did back then.

However, the Yigengtang also strongly protested: they said that most of the missions they accepted were political assassinations, and that they were doing dirty work for political figures from various countries, and they could not bear the blame for this "evil".

Chapter 401 The Princess Arrives Late at Night

On the surface, this was how they operated, but in private, the people of Yigengtang also made no shortage of threats. They told anyone who really agreed to join forces to eliminate them that they should publish all the commissions they had undertaken over the years, to see which seemingly righteous cultivators had dirty minds in private, and which high-ranking ministers had violated the Zhou rites.

Therefore, although efforts to eradicate them have been raised several times, they have ultimately come to nothing. To this day, despite being listed on arrest warrants in various countries, the core members of these organizations remain at large.

As the future heir to the Duke's position, Sheng Linglong was naturally aware of this information. However, since she had not yet dealt with these people, she was unable to determine their identities immediately.

Over there, Prime Minister Ge nodded slightly and said, "Yes, it is them. But they usually only kill people and do not spy on intelligence. So, they are most likely hired to target someone in the Huai Shan family for a personal grudge, rather than targeting our Jin State."

Sheng Linglong didn't respond, but smiled and said, "Ge Xiang seems very familiar with their way of doing things."

The old man in front of me said calmly, "Even if we don't use this kind of power, we should still know a thing or two about it, just in case."

As he spoke, he composed himself: "In short, that Yun Chu'an is probably not as honest as he appears. How could he be as harmless as he seems, managing to thrive in the Huangmang family, amass such a large fortune so quickly, and even single-handedly rescue the Weihe Dragon Prince?"

"He came here this time probably to use His Highness as a weapon and a shield to protect himself. However, he cleverly used words to get you to help him solve his troubles, so you still owe him a favor."

He said this, and being a seasoned and cunning old man, he saw through Yun Chu'an's true purpose at a glance.

However, Sheng Linglong frowned at this, and a sudden feeling of annoyance rose in her heart.

Yes, but so what?

He was very clever. After all, there were powerful families on both sides of Weihu Lake and terrifying demon cultivators in the mountains. If he wasn't clever and didn't have his own little schemes, how could he survive in such a precarious situation?

Moreover, how could he distinguish between Zhao's spies and the assassins of the First Watch Hall? Knowing these things, he felt uneasy and came to me for protection. Isn't that only natural?

She glanced at Prime Minister Ge out of the corner of her eye. In fact, with her intelligence, she could tell that what Prime Minister Ge said was correct. Since ancient times, the imperial family has been ruthless. She should treat every close minister around her with an equal and detached perspective.

However, her favoritism towards Yun Chu'an made her extremely uncomfortable with these negative comments about him.

“I understand, Prime Minister Ge,” she said, somewhat displeased. “But that won’t hinder my next steps. He is of great value to me, both now and in the future.”

"I must save him."

After saying that, without waiting for Prime Minister Ge to say anything more, she turned and left: "I'm a little tired, I'll go back and rest first. Prime Minister Ge, you can take charge of organizing the manpower."

After saying that, she left quickly without waiting for the old man to react, leaving him with only her back view, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

The old man wanted to say something more, opened his mouth, but then realized that nothing he said would make a difference, so he could only sigh, "Ah, women..."

"Always so irrational and impulsive, once emotions run high, even if the other person is a man whose future is uncertain... How can we shoulder the responsibilities of the nation if this continues?"

He was unsure, muttering to himself, his heart filled with worry, unsure of where the future of this country and the princess would lead.

At this moment, Yun Chu'an was led by the female cultivator dressed as a maid, and they walked all the way to a seemingly secluded wooden house halfway up the mountain.

The small wooden house looked rather simple on the outside and was not very big. It was far from the magnificent palace where the princess lived. However, as soon as Yun Chuan pushed open the door and entered, a refreshing fragrance quietly wafted out, which invigorated him and made him feel relaxed and happy.

It seems that this small room may look ordinary on the outside, but it is actually made of extremely precious and extraordinary materials. Even before resting here, I can already feel its many benefits to my spirit.

He admired An An in his heart. Then, the maid beside him bowed slightly and said, "Please rest here for a while, Lord Yun, and wait for Her Highness the Princess's instructions. This servant will take her leave now."

After saying that, she took small, quick steps backward and left. Yun Chu'an wasn't in a hurry, so he settled down there and sat down to rest on the wooden bed in the room.

As the sun gradually set in the west, and the earth was completely shrouded in darkness, a figure quietly approached his door and gently knocked.

dong dong dong-

A crisp sound rang out, and Yun Chu'an, who was in the room, opened his eyes and said, "Please come in."

With a soft creak, the door opened, and Sheng Linglong poked her head in. Upon seeing him, a happy smile suddenly bloomed on her face: "You haven't rested yet?"

Even she herself didn't realize that her mood had suddenly become so cheerful.

On the bed, Yun Chu'an hurriedly got out of bed, put on his shoes, and walked towards her: "What need is there for a cultivator to rest? Just meditate for a while and you'll be fine."

"Linglong, you must have a lot to do, right? It's so late, why aren't you resting?"

He walked towards her, and before he even got close, he smelled a fragrant breeze, the source of which he did not know, but it made him feel refreshed and happy.

The room was not short of desks and chairs. He pulled the chair over, but Sheng Linglong went over unceremoniously and plopped down on his bed.

Helpless, he, who was meditating on the bed, now had to sit in a chair.

He looked at the princess and saw that her eyes shone like stars in the night sky as she looked at him: "I don't need to rest too much either. My cultivation is even higher than yours, so I don't need to rest much at all."

"Besides, it's rare for you to come see me, and I haven't been able to talk to you privately. I can only use those official lines in public, which is so uncomfortable." She said, her tone full of dissatisfaction. "So I came here to chat with you, so we can talk more privately."

Yun Chu'an nodded slightly, agreeing: "I see."

Then, he hesitated, "But I don't really have anything more to say about those people. Anything more would just be guesswork, and we don't have any evidence."

Sheng Linglong said, "Ge Xiang and I discussed it again, and we guessed that those people might be members of a well-known assassin organization called 'Yi Geng Tang'."

Yun Chu'an's expression shifted: "The First Watch Hall?"

“Yes.” Sheng Linglong nodded, and then gave him a detailed account of the organization. “After all, there are many disputes between countries. However, it is difficult for government-appointed cultivators to infiltrate enemy countries. So if you want to assassinate enemy political figures, you have to rely on these people from all walks of life. They have more ways to infiltrate and are also good at assassinating specific targets.”

"In short, based on the current intelligence, that's roughly the conclusion. You can think back carefully: have you ever offended anyone that would make them spend a lot of money to hire the First Watch Hall to kill you like this?"

Yun Chu'an hesitated: "As for me... I've only had some business disputes with the Gongsun family? But that shouldn't be that serious..."

As he spoke, he wasn't entirely sure whether he and his elder sister had truly succeeded in killing the four members of the Gongsun family without a trace, or whether the family had discovered the truth or planned any revenge against him.

Sheng Linglong's eyes sharpened, but then her expression relaxed: "It's really not that bad. They're all too busy taking care of themselves right now. There's no reason for them to spend a lot of money to hire Yigengtang at this critical juncture."

"Besides that, is there anything else? If we have specific targets of suspicion, we will be better able to guard against them in the future."

Chapter 402 I Want You to Always Think of Me

Yun Chu'an shook his head: "I don't know much about anything else. But before that, my mother-in-law took my eldest sister from the family on a long trip. Something might have happened, but I wasn't involved, so I can't say for sure."

Sheng Linglong nodded, then suddenly became playful. Like a little girl, she lifted her foot and gently kicked his shoe: "Oh dear, why is your cultivation progressing so slowly? Hurry up and advance a few more realms. I'll be at ease once you reach the Golden Core stage!"

Yun Chu'an gave a wry smile: "Sister, can I call you sister? I just established my foundation this year. Even if I get a Heavenly Spiritual Root, I can't reach the Golden Core stage within a year, can I?"

Sheng Linglong looked at him with a smile: "Who knows? I really hope you can reach the Golden Core stage this year, then I can feel at ease."

Yun Chu'an looked at her with ill intent: "Sigh, then I'll just cultivate slowly. I'll just want the noble princess to think of me every day."

Sheng Linglong kicked him again, and feeling unsatisfied, punched his shoulder. Yun Chu'an laughed and dodged. Outside the window, the moon gradually slanted south, and midnight approached.

The next day, early morning.

Yun Chu'an, along with Sheng Linglong and some of her true subordinates, including imperial guards with swords, secretly returned to Huai Mountain to find Zhu Yunqing and Ye Jinglan, plotting to eliminate the threat.

Now, their strength is overwhelmingly superior to their opponents. Their goal now is to annihilate them completely.

Luring the snake out of its hole, then catching them all in one fell swoop, leaving no one alive.

Driven by this idea, a plan to seduce him gradually took shape...

At the summit of the mountain where Zhu Yunqing was located, several assassins dressed in black night clothes sat cross-legged on the tree branches, focusing on their cultivation.