Chapter 160: Secret
After Chen Ming left, Mudan, veiled in a layer of light gauze, returned to the room. Watching in the direction he had departed, she closed the door.
Since she knew he possessed the Sword Intent of a Divine Repository Realm expert, she naturally had to avoid him for now.
She returned to the room and looked at Su Zhi Ning, who was sitting cross-legged on the bed. Though she had returned to normal, she remained extremely weak. Mudan didn’t know what to think.
……
Chen Ming returned directly to the Feng Residence. Upon inquiry, he discovered that Feng Siyuan hadn’t returned. Presumably, he would spend the night at Tianxiang Tower.
A seasoned frequenter of such places would surely stay the night in a pleasure house like this.
Chen Ming returned to his own tranquil little courtyard, caressed the "Sword Jade" in his bosom, and recalled the night’s events, finding them truly bizarre.
The courtesan of the brothel turned out to be a disciple of the Heaven's Path Alliance.
The core cultivation method of Heaven's Path Alliance actually had such a massive hidden flaw.
After losing to him twice, Su Zhi Ning developed a Heart Demon and nearly perished.
Then there was the Spirit-Link Jade, the Sharing the Same Bed and Dream, the Sword Intent slashing through the Heart Demon...
Chen Ming sensed the Sword Intent within the Sword Jade—it was still there. He felt a wave of relief.
“Good.”
This Sword Intent was his greatest talisman. He dared to come to Jiangzhou City and participate in the Azure Cloud Ranking competition, dared to meet Yu Haitang, dared to keep the appointment with Pan Dingqian—all because he had this to rely on.
If it had been expended just like that, he would have been heartbroken.
Chen Ming sat cross-legged on the bed, placed the Sword Jade against his forehead, and continued to comprehend the Sword Intent within.
……
In a flash, morning arrived the next day.
After freshening up, Chen Ming went next door to check on the two newly acquired maids. After a full day and night of rest, their condition had visibly improved, and some color had returned to their cheeks.
These two maids also practiced martial arts. Though their cultivation was only at the Ninth Grade, their physiques were robust, allowing for quicker recovery.
“Greetings, Young Master.”
They were both already awake. Upon seeing him enter, they immediately sat up and saluted.
Hearing their sweet voices lifted Chen Ming’s mood quite a bit. He smiled and said, “No need for formalities. Stay lying down. How are you feeling?”
“Thanks to the Young Master’s care, this servant feels much better.”
“We must also congratulate the Young Master for ranking sixth on the Azure Cloud Ranking and becoming renowned throughout Jiangzhou.”
Chen Ming smiled. “You two already heard?”
Qiuxiang said, “It spread throughout the entire residence yesterday.”
“All right, get some more rest then.”
Just as Chen Ming was about to leave, Dongxiang suddenly spoke, “Young Master, you’d best be cautious of someone.”
He asked, “Who?”
“Qin Changyuan.”
The name surprised him somewhat. He asked curiously, “Why?”
Dongxiang said, “Ever since that man laid eyes on the Young Miss, he has been utterly infatuated. He’s narrow-minded. If he learns that the Young Miss views you differently, he will surely go mad with jealousy. Who knows what he might do.”
Chen Ming recalled Qin Changyuan’s behavior from last night and knew her words weren’t false.
“Actually, I already saw this person last night. He seems to be at odds with Pan Dingqian.”
At this moment, Qiuxiang added, “The Qin Family is the foremost aristocratic family in Jiangzhou, a model of local power. No matter who is appointed Inspector of Jiangzhou, the Qin Family always opposes them.”
With that, Chen Ming understood.
The court established the Six Doors Authority to suppress local aristocratic families and sect forces.
The Six Doors Authority personnel, driven by KPIs, were destined to clash with local powers. Conflict between the two was the norm.
Places like Qingfeng City, where martial arts had declined and the local families and sects were completely suppressed by the Six Doors Authority, were extremely rare.
In Jiangzhou, there were no fewer than seven forces that possibly harbored experts above the First Grade. It would be strange if a Six Doors Authority Inspector, typically a First Grade expert, could suppress all local powers.
Thus, Qin Changyuan dared to act so arrogantly before Pan Dingqian. He wanted the people of Jiangzhou to know that the Qin Family did not fear that Inspector from the Six Doors Authority.
Chen Ming nodded and said, “I understand. You two get some good rest.”
……
Chen Ming had just stepped out of the courtyard when he saw the steward of the Feng Family waiting outside.
“Young Master, someone is here to see you, waiting in the hall.”
“All right, I’ll go over now.”
He entered the outer sitting hall and saw a beautiful young girl, dressed in light red garments.
The girl was dressed as a maid. Upon seeing him, she bowed and said, “Young Master, my mistress invites you.”
He asked, “Your mistress is?”
The girl handed over a calling card.
Chen Ming took it and saw that it was indeed from Yu Haitang. He said, “Please, lead the way.”
He was actually quite curious about the secret she had mentioned a few days ago regarding the 《Blazing Sun Divine Art》.
The maid led him out of the Feng Residence, where a carriage was waiting outside.
Once they were inside the carriage, Chen Ming asked, “What should I call you?”
“Young Master may call this servant Mei’er.”
The style of the name made it clear she was from the same group as Lan’er and Zhu’er. Plum, Orchid, Bamboo, and Chrysanthemum—there should be a Ju’er as well.
Chen Ming had previously heard Jiang Yingxue mention Yu Haitang’s background and past. She had nearly been killed by members of her own family and had fled to Jiangzhou with her aunt to seek refuge.
It sounded quite tragic, yet she could afford such excellent maids and had even subdued a young talent like Ji Qianxing. As soon as she made a move, it was with a divine weapon like the “Mingfeng Sword.”
Moreover, judging from her tone, she seemed to have a way to learn peerless cultivation methods.
Just her aunt becoming the wife of the Sect Master of the Cangyue Sect probably wouldn’t have been enough to accomplish all that.
All in all, this woman was very mysterious.
……
This time, Chen Ming was taken to a secluded residence. Within a refined garden, he saw Yu Haitang, dressed in a long green dress.
Behind her stood another yellow-clad maid, presumably the one named Ju’er.
This was their third meeting. When Chen Ming saw her, his heart still skipped a beat—somehow, every time he saw her, he found her breathtaking.
Unconsciously, he compared her to Mudan, whom he had seen last night, and felt that Yu Haitang had the edge.
“Sit.”
Yu Haitang, unaware that he was comparing her to a courtesan, invited him to sit. The maid behind her promptly served tea.
“Your strength is much greater than I imagined.”
Yu Haitang sized him up with interest. “Even Qianxing was no match for you. You’ve truly surprised me.”
Chen Ming humbly said, “You flatter me, Miss.”
Yu Haitang said, “Qianxing said his brother Ji Baichuan’s swordsmanship at your current cultivation level was far inferior to yours. With such talent, it would be a shame not to join the Nine Extremes Sword Sect.”
He said, “Miss didn’t invite me here just to say that, right?”
“What do you want to know?”
“What do you know? Related to the 《Primordial Fire True Art》.”
Yu Haitang suddenly asked an unrelated question, “Do you know of the Eternal Life Emperor?”
Chen Ming’s gaze became somewhat suspicious. “You mean, this cultivation method is related to the Eternal Life Emperor?”
That was a bit much, wasn’t it?
The Eternal Life Emperor was the only long-living being recorded in official history.
Though the 《Blazing Sun Divine Art》 was powerful, it seemed unlikely to be connected to the Eternal Life Emperor.
Yu Haitang continued, “You’ve likely heard the rumors about the nine False Tombs of the Eternal Life Emperor. So far, five of them have emerged. What many don’t know is that the fifth tomb contains clues to the sixth one, pinpointing its location in present-day Jiangzhou.”
Chen Ming didn’t interrupt and listened quietly.
“Do you know when the fifth tomb appeared?”
He shook his head.
Yu Haitang said, “Just over five hundred years ago. At the time, in order to seize this tomb, the royal family of the previous dynasty mobilized nearly all their top experts. Though they ultimately obtained the treasure within, they suffered heavy losses and planted the seeds of their downfall.”
“Now, five hundred years later, various sects and aristocratic families have sent people to Jiangzhou in search of the tomb, but after many years, they’ve found nothing.”
“However, I was lucky. At age ten, my uncle gave me a gift—《Primordial Wood True Art》. A few years later, one night, a mysterious expert abducted me, and I unintentionally learned a secret.”
Yu Haitang paused, then said, “That mysterious expert’s surname was Mu. He hailed from a hidden clan that had guarded a location for generations. It was related to the Eternal Life Emperor.”
“Allegedly, their ancestor was a personal guard of the Eternal Life Emperor. This ancestor, along with four others, each guarded a key. Combined, the five keys could open the Eternal Life Emperor’s mausoleum.”
“These five families were each entrusted with a cultivation method by the Eternal Life Emperor—《Primordial Wood True Art》, 《Primordial Fire True Art》, 《Primordial Water True Art》, 《Primordial Metal True Art》, and 《Primordial Earth True Art》.”
Hearing this, Chen Ming didn’t even know where to begin his complaints.
The Eternal Life Emperor had existed eight thousand years ago. That’s at least several hundred generations. And they’d all obey the ancestral command to faithfully guard the key?
Surely, someone would have taken the key, sought out the other four families, and opened the Eternal Life Emperor’s tomb. Legend had it the secret of eternal life was hidden within—who wouldn’t be tempted?
Yu Haitang continued, “One of those families met with misfortune and was wiped out. Their cultivation method eventually spread and became known as the 《Blazing Sun Divine Art》. The person who learned it caught the attention of the Sea-Calming King and became his subordinate.”
Chen Ming thought, finally they’re getting to the main point.
“However, the version he learned was incomplete—missing the techniques above Third Grade. The Sea-Calming King mobilized forces to help him seek out the remainder. That Sea-Calming King was no ordinary man. Not only did he find the complete method, he also discovered the secret guarded by the family…”
Hearing this, Chen Ming couldn’t help but think—
If that were true, then the death of the Sea-Calming King was related to the False Tomb of the Eternal Life Emperor?
That actually made sense. Only a secret of that level could cause a royal prince to die so mysteriously.
Yu Haitang continued, “Unfortunately, he trusted the wrong person and met a tragic end. Twenty years have passed, and now you’ve appeared, possessing the 《Primordial Fire True Art》. Naturally, those who know of the Sea-Calming King’s past will be drawn to you.”