Chapter Four: Reluctant to Kill You

“I’ve heard of you…”

After leaving the Prince of Xiang’s mansion, Yin Tingxue steadied herself and tentatively asked, “Chen Yi, the Captain of the Western Depot, backed by the Lin faction, known for his extravagant lifestyle and habitual corruption, and… his martial skills are nothing but a façade, all show and no substance?”

Chen Yi chuckled, “Truly befitting of royal blood and nobility, using four idioms in a single critique.”

Before Yin Tingxue could let out a scoff, Chen Yi turned his head and pressed close to her face. “But it’s precisely someone like me who managed to take the esteemed daughter of the Prince of Xiang as a concubine.”

Yin Tingxue’s color faded slightly. After a moment, she thought bitterly, Even so, your virtue does not match your position! Just wait, your reckoning will come sooner or later.

Chen Yi ignored her.

Turning a corner and passing through an alleyway, Chen Yi slowed his pace. Outside the narrow alley, only wide enough for three to walk abreast, scattered footsteps echoed.

Three officers in official garb of the Embroidered Uniform Guard stepped forward to block Chen Yi’s path.

This place, isolated with no village or shop in sight, was indeed a perfect spot.

“Captain Chen, summoning a suspected criminal woman without authorization, surely this is against protocol,” came a low voice.

Song Shengbao, the stern and imposing captain of the Eastern Depot, stood like a mountain. Two guards flanked him, their faces similar as if brothers.

The two Eastern Depot guards’ eyes fixed on Yin Tingxue, their gazes filled with fervent admiration; then, turning to Chen Yi, their hostility was palpable.

Chen Yi turned his face and saw Yin Tingxue wearing a look of schadenfreude.

“Revenge is coming!” she whispered.

Clearly, this saintly woman recognized the identity of these guards.

Demons in the Embroidered Uniform Guard!

Chen Yi looked up calmly and said, “By protocol, the Western Depot has the right to act beyond the Eastern Depot’s jurisdiction. As a Captain, I don’t know which rule you’re citing to block me. Step aside quickly; I’m returning to the Western Depot.”

Song Shengbao’s expression was impassive. The two Eastern Depot guards found Chen Yi’s words amusing.

Within the two depots and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, everyone knew how Chen Yi earned his rank.

Ordinarily, a Captain relies on martial skill or achievements, but he owed his position entirely to the treacherous Lin faction.

“We only want this criminal woman. You may leave. Here’s some silver as a token of respect for your rank.”

As he spoke, Song Shengbao drew a few silver notes, blending coercion with reward.

“Captain Chen, everyone knows your true weight. I advise you not to act rashly, for peace’s sake!”

Chen Yi smiled wryly, “I didn’t expect… that demon cult members would infiltrate the Embroidered Uniform Guard.”

The three men’s faces tightened; Song Shengbao responded fastest, his voice dark as water, “How do you know—”

Chen Yi interrupted with a smile, “Didn’t you just admit it yourself?”

In truth, he hadn’t guessed. From the very beginning, he had known their true identities. He had only concealed it to prepare for a thorough purge of the demon cult in the capital.

The three stiffened, a deadly gleam flaring in their eyes.

The atmosphere shifted violently.

Two guards stepped forward menacingly.

“Be wise and step back, let’s pretend nothing happened.”

The deadly aura spread. Chen Yi felt the approach of death.

Speaking calmly, he subtly infused his blade with internal energy.

[You channel your painstakingly cultivated internal energy into your sword technique, each word and sentence flowing through your meridians.]

[In your mind, the Slaying Dragon Knife Technique begins to simulate itself.]

Chen Yi’s mind conjured his image wielding the blade, striking and drawing back.

[Year three: you vaguely sense a person like a long serpent, no matter how fierce, there is always a vital spot. To slay the serpent, strike its vital spot—the Slaying Dragon Knife Technique’s beginner’s lesson.]

[Year six: you have basically mastered it and are advancing to the next realm—small achievements.]

[Year eight: you attempt to reach mastery but fail, gaining profound insight.]

[Year ten: you grasp a glimmer of enlightenment; the technique is like a vast flood washing away corrupt dragons, fully entering mastery.]

Seeing Chen Yi remain unmoved, Song Shengbao’s expression darkened, calculating the consequences of killing a Captain.

This man, allied with the Lin faction, had an unstable foundation in the Western Depot. Killing him would bring an investigation, but a superficial one. With proper connections and a scapegoat, they could cover it up...

Song Shengbao’s mind raced.

But Chen Yi boldly stepped forward.

The young woman watched him pass by her and slowly draw his blade. The blade’s cold gleam unsettled her; she was perplexed.

What is he trying to do? After long bluffing, does he really think he’s a tiger?

The next moment, Chen Yi gripped the blade with both hands and lunged forward with lightning speed.

No one expected Chen Yi to strike first.

Swish—

The foremost guard felt a sharp pain in his throat as the dagger pierced through and was swiftly withdrawn.

Perhaps having faced death before, or witnessed blood-soaked hells, Chen Yi wore no trace of novice hesitation.

Blood trickled along the blade’s spine. Another guard stared in shock. When his comrade fell, he roared, eyes reddening as he drew his sword to attack.

Chen Yi was quicker. He stretched out his hand, fingers tight, and caught the guard’s sword hand.

The long blade was caught midway in its scabbard. The guard’s eyes widened in disbelief. Before he could react, Chen Yi pushed the blade forward, piercing the guard’s abdomen.

Suddenly, he twisted sharply.

Intestines spilled out through the wound. The guard clutched his gut in agony, trying to shove them back, but the slippery entrails slipped through his fingers.

In the blink of an eye, two were dispatched cleanly. Song Shengbao was horrified, cold sweat breaking out.

Earlier, he had calculated the consequences of killing, losing focus briefly. The one thing he hadn’t accounted for was that the three of them could not kill this seemingly worthless Captain!

Experienced in combat, he stepped back two paces, drew his sword, and took a fighting stance.

Chen Yi surged forward, holding the blade sideways, delivering a crescent-shaped slash of chilling light aimed straight at Song Shengbao’s throat.

Song Shengbao, long in hiding, now Captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and later transferred to the Eastern Depot, was among the top martial officers. He raised his blade in a blink, blocking Chen Yi’s.

A tremendous force radiated from the clash, pushing Song Shengbao back three steps. His eyes widened in shock as Chen Yi only stepped back half a pace.

In the brief confrontation, Song Shengbao instantly recognized Chen Yi’s blade technique—it was the Slaying Dragon Knife Technique of Min Ning, a Captain of the Western Depot!

So refined! When did he learn it?!

“How do you know… Min Captain’s Slaying Dragon Knife Technique?!”

Before the thought finished, Chen Yi struck again.

The blade’s sharpness sent shivers down Song Shengbao’s spine. He attacked proactively, swinging from the side to block Chen Yi’s blow, but the overwhelming power shattered his defensive intent.

Chen Yi relaxed briefly, then twisted both hands fiercely, forcing Song Shengbao and his sword down.

Releasing one hand, Chen Yi slammed a punch into Song Shengbao’s face.

Song Shengbao’s nose snapped, his head jerked back, and his grip faltered. Chen Yi seized the moment to slash at his throat. Song Shengbao hastily raised his blade to block.

The sword shook violently, bending sharply before snapping with a crisp sound.

“You!”

Song Shengbao clutched the broken sword and fell, panic-stricken. Seeing Chen Yi’s blade near his face, he raised the broken sword to stab in a last desperate attempt.

A bone-chilling cold wind swept through. Song Shengbao shuddered.

Chen Yi twisted his hand, driving his blade through the hand gripping the broken sword.

“Spare me! Captain, spare me!”

Blood spurted; agony tore through Song Shengbao as he screamed in torment.

Chen Yi, stained with blood, quietly watched the wailing Song Shengbao. In that instant, it seemed he tasted the same pleasure Yin Tingxue felt when she killed him.

He asked coldly, “You know my true weight, don’t you? Then tell me—how much am I worth?”

Song Shengbao’s face went pale as he stared in horror.

Was he not... only a Captain because of the Lin faction? Was all the favoritism and incompetence just a façade?

A chill ran down his spine as he panicked, saying, “Don’t act rashly, don’t… don’t disturb the peace. If you kill me, the Eastern Depot will investigate. I am a captain; you can’t handle that! Spare me! Let this matter drop!”

Chen Yi’s cold face twisted into a smile, edged with cruelty.

Then Song Shengbao heard a bone-freezing sentence.

“To spare you? Who spares me?”

Suddenly, a hand pressed down on his head and a blade plunged into his heart.

[Song Shengbao possessed twenty years of rare, exotic internal energy.]

Within moments of death, Chen Yi had drained all the internal energy from his body.

The alien energy clashed violently within Chen Yi, sending sharp pain surging through him. Gritting his teeth, he endured until the energy finally calmed.

Chen Yi then turned to look at Yin Tingxue, who had watched the scene unfold.

The Prince of Xiang’s daughter was pale and speechless, seeing death for the first time.

As he approached, she trembled with unease, her heart pounding wildly, regretting instinctively.

He wouldn’t… have heard what she said, would he?

Yin Tingxue clenched her hands nervously and shrank back.

“You were so gleeful just now, weren’t you?”

Chen Yi leisurely wiped the blood from his blade, smiling brightly as he asked, “Wishing me dead?”

Startled, Yin Tingxue tried to retreat, but Chen Yi grabbed her hand.

“Good girl, I’m not ready to kill you yet.”

Her arm hurt where he squeezed; tears welled in her eyes, her teeth trembling.

Chen Yi sneered coldly.

Noticing his gaze, Yin Tingxue shivered, tears shimmering as she whimpered softly.

“What do you want to do?”

She had seen this man in her dreams—he shattered her Eternal Life Bridge and aided the tyrants who destroyed her family. She hated the man who took her as a concubine.

“What do you want to do? Please don’t…”

Meeting her eyes, full of grievance and hatred, Chen Yi’s breath quickened. Her cold, pitiless face flashed through his mind.

He touched her shoulder, feeling a flicker of resistance, then grinned savagely and kissed her.

Mmm.

Yin Tingxue stiffened, trying to dodge and push him away, but Chen Yi held her fast. Her slender body trembled wildly, emitting soft whimpers—royal humiliation and despair. She wanted to resist but could not.

This first kiss was like her worst nightmare.

He reveled in her struggle and tears beneath that kiss.

After a long moment, they parted. Yin Tingxue swayed, cheeks flushed—not with love, but because her hands and feet were cold.

Chen Yi deliberately smiled mockingly and said, “You’re mine now.”

Trembling, Yin Tingxue looked at him with a mixture of fear and hatred.

Her heart was in turmoil, crying softly in pain, yet she dared not push him away.

She didn’t understand why this man had to humiliate her, why he forced her to be his concubine. She had done nothing wrong, nothing evil.

“Why do you bully me?” she asked timidly.

So weak. This mortal enemy who had killed her family was actually so fragile inside?

Regardless, she had finally kissed her enemy’s lips.

Chen Yi turned his face toward the interface.

[Negative Emotion: 80]

[Condition met: Grudge Yin-Yang Technique activated]

[Grudge Yin-Yang Technique Beginner Level: 20 years of exotic internal energy, able to absorb 30%, gaining 6 years’ worth of internal energy. Yin Tingxue’s negative emotion grants 3 years of internal energy.]

[Remaining internal energy: 9 years.]