11: Chapter 11 The Death of Lord Shu

Just a moment ago, they were talking about how formidable Lord Shu was, and before the words were even finished, news of his injury arrived.

Crucially, he was injured by a sneak attack!

A tracking expert injured by a sneak attack—what a ridiculous outcome.

Vice General Wang Jiuxing did not feel much embarrassment; he did not side with this Lord Shu.

The skills he had praised in his speech were all based on information Vice General Wang had heard.

Within the Dashun Imperial Court, this Lord Shu was indeed quite famous.

It was said that the Emperor of Great Shun held him in high regard.

Although his martial arts strength was only at the seventh grade, his tracking and investigation skills were not inferior to those of a Ninth-Grade Mortal Immortal.

One could even say that many Ninth-Grade Mortal Immortals were not as adept at investigation and tracking as he was.

Wang Jiuxing looked at the messenger with a face full of shock.

The messenger who came to report repeated the situation once more.

"Lord Shu is already on his way back; his injuries are very severe.

The City Lord wants you, Vice General, to go over immediately to discuss a countermeasure."

Upon hearing this, Wang Jiuxing no longer hesitated.

Using his lightness technique, he hurried toward the central camp.

Li Yuan looked at the people around him; no one was gloating.

Although they didn't like this Lord Shu, no one wanted him to meet with an accident or lose his life.

There was another issue.

If he was truly extremely skilled at tracking and investigation yet still wounded by a sneak attack,

wouldn't that mean the Jin Kingdom had an even stronger assassin...

The Yingyang Pass front line, which had quieted down slightly, was about to be enveloped in danger once again.

In such peril, ordinary soldiers were the most likely to lose their lives.

Most likely dying in an instant, without causing the slightest ripple in the world.

Inside the central tent, Wang Jiuxing had just entered when he found that Lord Shu, Shu Fanzheng, had already been brought in.

His injury didn't look very severe, but there was a dagger wound on his waist.

However, Shu Fanzheng's face was pale, completely devoid of color.

By his side, the physicians of Yingyang Pass were already treating him.

This Lord Shu looked as if he had already given up on himself.

"It's useless. The poison on his dagger is something we in Da Shun cannot cure.

Yingyang Pass killed his disciple, and he came this time for revenge; he will certainly have me pay with my life..."

There was helplessness in his words, and even more so, a hint of resentment.

That Jin Kingdom assassin, Jiang Qian, was not dealt with by Shu Fanzheng.

Yet this revenge had truly fallen upon his head.

"Lord Shu, you cannot have anything happen to you; you must live..."

City Lord Liu's face was filled with panic.

This special envoy sent from the court dying just a few days after arrival—how was he to explain this?

Moreover, Shu Fanzheng was highly favored by the Emperor of Great Shun.

If he died at Yingyang Pass, would there be any hope for City Lord Liu's path to promotion?

"It was my own desire for merit and my excessive arrogance.

If I hadn't headed to the border front lines with only a few personal guards, this wouldn't have happened.

The River God of Langhe is currently at the border; dispatch troops immediately to inform the court..."

Shu Fanzheng was still speaking, but his entire being was already enveloped in despair.

The more clearly he understood, the more desperate he became.

He truly had some skill; at the moment of the sneak attack, he had already deduced the opponent's identity.

The River God of Langhe was the master of Jiang Qian, who had previously died at the hands of Li Yuan.

Jiang Qian was the successor to the next River God, yet he had died here.

This Old River God was here for revenge.

Upon first arriving at the border, he had spotted Shu Fanzheng, the Da Shun tracking expert.

In the eyes of the Old River God, he naturally took him for the culprit who killed his disciple.

Shu Fanzheng knew such assassins well; after being struck by his blade, he also knew he was beyond saving.

After another day of torment, he would die anyway.

In that case, it was better to finish saying what he wanted to say and depart with some dignity.

In front of everyone, Shu Fanzheng told City Lord Liu all the information he had on the current River God of Langhe.

City Lord Liu had the people beside him record it.

He certainly wanted to deal with this River God of Langhe, but would knowing this information make it possible?

Previously, Yingyang Pass couldn't even handle his disciple, Jiang Qian.

A tracking expert like Shu Fanzheng had fallen at the hands of this River God of Langhe.

In fact, Shu Fanzheng knew full well they didn't have the capability.

His words were constantly urging City Lord Liu to report to the court.

But City Lord Liu also had his own concerns.

Once he finished speaking, City Lord Liu asked the military physicians to provide full treatment and do their utmost to save Lord Shu's life.

Just as these words were spoken, Shu Fanzheng rolled out a pill from under his tongue.

He crushed it and swallowed.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he ended his own life.

The relevant news quickly spread through the military camp.

An enemy even more terrifying than the previous assassin, with even the tracking expert sent from the court perishing here.

The River God of Langhe's fierce reputation had terrified all the soldiers within just half a day.

If he were to carry out an assassination, who in Yingyang Pass could defend against it?

Who would dare say their anti-sneak-attack ability was stronger than Shu Fanzheng's?

Even City Lord Liu didn't dare say he could successfully evade it.

They had just pushed forward and set up camp again; was it possible they would have to retreat back to Yingyang Pass?

That would be far too embarrassing; he, as the City Lord, would lose all his prestige!

Contracting and deploying stricter sentry posts.

Shu Fanzheng's death made Yingyang Pass tense once again.

Over the past two months, City Lord Liu had arranged for his sons, daughters, and the children fostered by his cousins to be sent to cities behind Yingyang Pass.

He no longer felt at ease about the security of his own City Lord's Manor.

At the same time, Li Yuan was also pondering the current situation.

He hadn't expected that after Jiang Qian's death, an even more powerful one would come.

With the River God of Langhe here, could he still continue his cultivation peacefully?

The eyes of the Dashun Imperial Court would surely be fixed on this place.

It was time to think of a solution...

Calming himself, Li Yuan carefully calculated his own strength.

Last night, he had broken through again, entering the seventh-grade Realm.

Those above the seventh grade could be called Grandmasters.

Looking at the entire world, this level of strength could be considered that of an expert.

But the River God of Langhe before him was said to be at Martial Arts Grade 8.

Inside, Li Yuan felt a slight hesitation and uncertainty.

Li Yuan had always prioritized stability in his actions; facing an eighth-grade with seventh-grade strength, it would be difficult to achieve a crushing advantage.

Thinking this, Li Yuan looked through the experience of the two Ninth-Grade Mortal Immortals.

He had learned top-tier Cultivation Techniques like the Heavenly Thunder Blade and Cloud Mist Step, which were the unique skills of Ninth-Grade Mortal Immortals.

Li Yuan also possessed the martial arts experience of two ninth-grade experts; even facing an Eighth-Grade Expert now, there was a high probability of victory.

Furthermore, there was another very important point.

Li Yuan had obtained Jiang Qian's martial arts experience; he already understood his unique Cultivation Techniques, the Langhe Breath-Hiding Art and Langhe Cloud-Treading Steps, thoroughly.

The River God of Langhe wouldn't know that he understood his Cultivation Techniques to the core.

He could hide his presence and sneak attack Shu Fanzheng, but he might not necessarily be able to hide before his own eyes.

Thinking of this, Li Yuan began to prepare.

Perhaps he could go and encounter that River God of Langhe.

At the Hour of the Monkey, Li Yuan received a task.

He was to go and collect the body, specifically the body of Lord Shu, Shu Fanzheng.

In addition to him, he also had to find an opportunity to bring back Shu Fanzheng's personal guards who had died at the front.