224: The assassinations continue!

In the following days, the capital city appeared calm on the surface, but the undercurrents grew increasingly turbulent in the shadows.

The An Family’s residence remained in mourning, its gates tightly shut, refusing all visitors. Yet, the suppressed grief and the lurking hatred, like a dark cloud, were palpable to everyone.

In the imperial court, the debate over how to deal with the “culprit” Lu Jiuyuan had not completely subsided, despite the Empress Dowager’s stance.

Some civil officials, led by Yang Tinghe, insisted on the principle that “princes who break the law are to be punished like commoners.” Even if An Shijing was guilty, he should have been judged by imperial law, and private vengeance by the Jianghu was a disregard for royal authority, a trend that could not be allowed to grow.

They dared not directly accuse the Empress Dowager, so they turned their spearhead to the Dragon Guard Manor and Six Doors, questioning their lax supervision and their indulgence of Jianghu individuals disturbing the capital.

Zhuge Zhengwo and Zhu Wushi jointly responded. On one hand, they presented some evidence of An Shijing refining medicinal puppets and counterfeiting currency, emphasizing his harmful activities.

On the other hand, they characterized Lu Jiuyuan’s actions as “assisting the imperial court in eliminating a great evil” and “a Jianghu righteous hero eliminating harm for the people.” They also subtly hinted at the Empress Dowager’s appreciation for Lu Jiuyuan, making the opposition hesitant to act.

Both sides engaged in fierce verbal sparring in the imperial court, a intense power struggle.

However, Lu Jiuyuan, at the center of the storm, seemed to be oblivious to it all.

He still resided in a courtyard of the Number One Estate Under Heaven, spending his days either Cultivating Three-Part Yuan Qi, perusing martial arts texts from the armory, or sparring with the estate’s eccentrics to verify his martial arts. His life was leisurely and carefree.

Although the Empress Dowager’s recognition of him as her younger brother had not been officially announced, in the imperial city, there were no impenetrable walls.

The news had already spread through various channels, causing a huge stir among the top dignitaries and major Jianghu sects.

The identity of “Imperial Uncle” served as an invisible protective charm, causing many who had originally been eager to capitalize on the An Family’s influence or curry favor with Chief Minister Yang to undermine Lu Jiuyuan, to completely cease their activities.

At least, on the surface, no one dared to provoke him easily, but in the shadows… In the bedroom of the courtyard, Lu Jiuyuan had already fallen asleep. Through the cracks of the quiet room’s doors and windows, a faint, extremely strange fragrance stealthily seeped in.

This fragrance was neither orchid nor musk, carrying a faint, sickly sweet, fishy scent. It was elusive, capable of numbing one’s nerves and corroding Internal Energy. It was precisely the “Soul-Softening Bone-Weakening Incense” secretly concocted by Demoness Ji Yaohua.

Even ordinary experts, holding their breath, would find this fragrance seeping in through their pores, unknowingly falling victim to it. Their Internal Energy circulation would become sluggish, their limbs weak, leaving them at the mercy of others.

Lu Jiuyuan slept very deeply, as if completely unaware.

Outside the window, a dark figure, almost merging with the night, clung to the wall like a gecko. It was Cao Jingxiong, one of the assassins under the Devil Woman, known as “Yin and Yang Dagger.”

He was of average height, dressed in a tight-fitting night suit, his face covered by a black cloth, revealing only a pair of sinister and cold eyes.

In his hands, he held a pair of oddly shaped daggers, one as black as ink, the other as bright white as snow. The blades were curved like swimming fish, incredibly sharp, capable of cutting through iron like mud.

These were his famous weapons, the “Yin and Yang Daggers.” They were coated with potent poison, instantly fatal upon drawing blood.

Cao Jingxiong had immense confidence in his “Soul-Softening Bone-Weakening Incense.” Seeing no movement inside the room, he knew Lu Jiuyuan had already fallen prey to it.

A smile flashed in his eyes, and his figure glided through the window with extreme smoothness, landing silently—the mark of a top-tier assassin.

He stared at Lu Jiuyuan, who was snoring in his sleep, like a lamb awaiting slaughter.

The Devil Woman had given the order: he must take this person’s life.

“Such carelessness in a young man, falling for this so easily. Truly, he doesn’t know the immensity of heaven and earth. I overestimated you,” Cao Jingxiong sneered inwardly, his figure suddenly erupting!

His left white dagger, like a venomous snake striking, thrust directly at Lu Jiuyuan’s throat, intending to kill him with one blow.

His right black dagger silently sliced towards Lu Jiuyuan’s waist and abdomen, a double killing move, vicious and cunning!

His movements were as fast as lightning, creating two streaks of chilling light.

Just as Cao Jingxiong thought he was about to succeed, with the dagger tip barely an inch from Lu Jiuyuan’s skin, a sudden change occurred!

Lu Jiuyuan, who should have been knocked out by the Incense and in a deep sleep, suddenly opened his eyes. Where was there any hint of drowsiness or confusion in those eyes?

They were clearly clear and deep, like a cold pool, with a hint of playfulness.

His fingers, placed by his side, flicked seemingly casually.

“Buzz—”

A highly condensed, invisible yet tangible finger wind broke through the air, striking later but arriving first, accurately hitting the side of Cao Jingxiong’s left white dagger.

“Clang!”

With a crisp sound, Cao Jingxiong felt his wrist violently shake, as if struck by a heavy hammer. The white dagger nearly flew from his hand, and the fatal strike aimed at the throat instantly veered off, grazing past Lu Jiuyuan’s neck and only cutting through the air.

At the same time, Lu Jiuyuan’s body, as if boneless, slid strangely on the bed, narrowly avoiding the black dagger slicing towards his waist and abdomen.

Cao Jingxiong was greatly alarmed, knowing he had fallen into a trap; the opponent had not been affected by the Incense at all!

His reaction was extremely fast. Seeing the ambush fail, he did not linger in combat, his figure retreating sharply, about to escape through the window.

“Since you’ve come, why the rush to leave?”

Lu Jiuyuan’s calm voice sounded. He still lay on the bed, only his right hand casually made a grabbing motion in the Void Realm towards the direction Cao Jingxiong was retreating.

In an instant, the air around Cao Jingxiong seemed to turn into viscous glue. A massive, immense suction force spontaneously generated, pulling him backward.

He desperately circulated his Internal Energy, but his body was like a person sinking into a quagmire. Not only could he not move forward, but he was dragged back step by step.

“This is Three-Part Yuan Qi?”

“Wrong! It’s Shaolin’s Dragon Capturing Crane Controlling Skill!”

“You weren’t poisoned?”

“Not before, but now, you should have just been poisoned!”

Lu Jiuyuan lazily sat up, yawned, and looked at Cao Jingxiong, who was struggling in the suction force with a face full of despair. His five fingers slightly tightened.

Sword Qi scattered.

“Thud!”

Cao Jingxiong’s legs went weak, and he fell heavily to his knees on the ground, the meridians in his limbs severed, blood flowing everywhere. There was no strength in his hands or feet, and the pair of Yin and Yang Daggers clanged to the ground.