Chapter 172: Section 173: I am the Real Zhenjin!
Everything happened too suddenly.
Only a few breaths later, Lord Zhenjin died before everyone’s eyes.
Zi Di’s heartrending calls, the big guy who made a desperate attempt and then fell to the ground, motionless…
The crowd fell silent for a moment, and then exploded in an uproar.
“Let go of me!” Zi Di struggled fiercely to shake off Hei Juan’s grip, but he held fast to her arm, looking grave.
“Damn it, damn it all!” Zong Ge fought off the attacking Magic Beasts, gnashing his teeth in anger, his face full of rage.
...
“Master!!!” Lan Zao roared, also rushing toward the body of Lord Zhenjin.
“Be careful!” Zi Di’s heart was in her throat as she cried out a warning once again.
But this time, when Lan Zao flung himself beside Lord Zhenjin’s body, he didn’t get struck by lightning.
“Master…” Lan Zao embraced Lord Zhenjin’s corpse, wailing in agony.
Tears streamed down his red eyes. Previously injured, he had retreated to the rear of the formation, waiting for Divine Healing, so when Lord Zhenjin charged, Lan Zao hadn’t even realized what was happening in time.
And by the time he acted, it was all too late.
Bent over, Lan Zao clutched Lord Zhenjin’s body tightly. In that moment, he felt the light of his life fade away, his existence plunging once more into boundless darkness.
An abyss of endless pain and confusion seemed to engulf him.
At the same time, a vast regret and hatred for Jia Sha grew rapidly in the darkness, gathering strength fiercely!
“Lord Zhenjin! You killed our Lord Zhenjin!” Many people bellowed in rage.
Some held their heads in their hands, standing stiff like statues, unable to believe the scene before them: “Lord Zhenjin is dead? He was actually killed by one of our own?”
“No!” Bai Ya screamed, snapping to his senses and rushing toward Zi Di, “Miss Zi Di, potions, quickly, let’s bring him back to life!”
Yet those words struck Zi Di like lightning, leaving her stunned and speechless as tears ran down her face.
“Get out of the way!” Seeing Bai Ya lunging forward, looking wild with desperation, Hei Juan grasped Zi Di’s arm with one hand and with a raise of his foot knocked Bai Ya to the ground.
“Hei Juan, what are you doing?!” Cang Xu shouted sternly.
“Quick, let go of our Chairman!” Fat Tongue advanced threateningly.
“Kid, you’d better release Lord Zhenjin’s fiancée. You’re out of line here!” Sanda warned, daggers in hand, eyes filled with caution.
“Heh, hehehe, hehehehe…” Hei Juan laughed eerily, looking at everyone with a taunting, disdainful gaze, showing no fear.
“All of you ignorant fools, blinded idiots!” Hei Juan stood tall and shouted, “I am Zhenjin! I am the real Zhenjin!”
The crowd was shocked, quickly followed by outcries of anger.
“What did you say?”
“Are you insane?!”
“Have you cracked under pressure?”
However, at that moment, Jia Sha’s voice came through again: “He indeed is the real Zhenjin, the Holy Temple Knight, the sole heir of the Hundred Needle Family, the man you all wished to follow.”
“Did you hear that, idiots!” Hei Juan glared.
The crowd fell into silence once again, then erupted in chaos.
“These two have gone mad!”
“Jia Sha must have gone mad, no wonder he did that!”
“Perhaps it’s not the priest’s fault but the doing of the Tower Spirit.”
“No, maybe that Divine Artifact—the Mermaid’s Fairy Tale—is having its effect; we have all been deceived! All of this is fake.”
Cang Xu fell into silence, his gaze drifting over Zi Di and Hei Juan, before settling on the corpse of Zhenjin, his face reflecting deep contemplation.
“Who told you,” Jia Sha said with a voice dripping with sarcasm, “that the criminal I just slew is the real Zhenjin? Or do you really think I would be so foolish as to, in the identity of a priest of the Holy Order, openly murder a Holy Temple Knight? If I did that, what good would it do me to have any more merit?”
“And don’t you think Zhenjin’s behavior just now was impulsive and strange?”
“Why did he rush to the fourth floor? It’s because my words just now made him realize that his identity had been exposed.”
The clamorous voices of the crowd subsided.
“But he was a Divine Favored Knight; almost all his prayers received a response from the Great Emperor!” someone retorted.
“Was he a Divine Favored Knight? Have any of you seen what a real Divine Favored Knight looks like?” Jia Sha was furious. “Take a good look at the armor on his body, the sword in his hands! Do they look like the shells of gun scorpions, like the legs of Blade Spiders!!”
The crowd’s eyes focused, and their expressions changed.
Jia Sha’s voice softened, becoming gentler: “I know what you’re all thinking, and I understand you completely. In fact, didn’t anyone among you find this fake Zhenjin’s appearance suspicious? Didn’t you associate it with the shell of gun scorpions, the footpads of Spider Blades?”
“You wanted to escape, to leave this place alive, to follow Zhenjin, to see a bright future. So, you intentionally overlooked these suspicious points.”
“This fake Zhenjin indeed had means; he played on the greed and selfish desires in your hearts, making you help him deceive yourselves.”
Jia Sha paused, then solemnly announced: “You’ve all been tricked!”
The crowd was filled with doubt and suspicion. Bai Ya, who had just been kicked to the ground by Hei Juan, was now sitting there, shaking his head incessantly: “No, it can’t be true, this can’t be true.”
Hei Juan sneered, scanning the faces around him: “Look at your expressions now, truly fascinating!”
“If you don’t believe me, and you don’t believe in the priest of the Holy Order, then I have another witness here.”
“Zi Di, my fiancée, quickly tell them the truth!” Hei Juan stared at Zi Di with piercing eyes.
But Zi Di was already reduced to a crying wreck, her arm firmly controlled by Hei Juan. She stared blankly at the body of the young man, motionless, her expression overflowed with confusion as if she hadn’t heard Hei Juan at all.
Hei Juan huffed coldly, clearly dissatisfied with Zi Di, and looked around: “Are you really that naive, or are you just pretending to be? She has already conceded.”
Indeed, Zi Di’s strange manner was enough to validate the words of Hei Juan and Jia Sha.
The scene was dead silent.
Only the sounds of Magic Beasts clashing downstairs continued to filter through.
At this moment, Hei Juan felt greatly satisfied. He took a deep breath; the air hadn’t changed, but he felt an unprecedented sense of exhilaration.
Standing amidst the silent crowd, Hei Juan once again proclaimed proudly: “Now you should understand, I am the real Zhenjin.”
“I am Zhenjin!”
I am Zhenjin…
As a child, Zhenjin stood in a pool of blood, surrounded by the corpses of his brothers and sisters.
And the murderer was squatting in front of Zhenjin, her delicate face wearing a captivating smile.
The killer reached out with a slender, white hand, gently stroking Zhenjin’s hair, and softly consoled: “What’s your name, little one?”
Childhood Zhenjin’s pupils had already shrunk to the size of needlepoints, his body stiff as if dead, his whole being filled with terror.
“If you don’t answer sister’s question nicely, you’ll die, you know.” The murderer said with a smile.
Childhood Zhenjin shivered violently, opening his mouth to speak, but his teeth chattered so badly that he couldn’t make a sound.
He was terrified to the extreme, acutely anxious, cold sweat continuously rolled down his cheeks.
“Hehehe, good kid, no need to be scared, no need to be scared,” the murderer patted Zhenjin’s little head again, then leaned close to Zhenjin’s ear and whispered, “You don’t have to say it, I know your name is Zhenjin, right?”
The murderer laughed with a hehehe, “Don’t worry, your sister, I was just playing a little joke on you. Sister won’t kill you, you will live. Who let the Great Emperor choose to forgive your Hundred Needle Family?”
“According to what I desire, such a decaying Southern great nobility that continuously betrays and surrenders should be completely exterminated. Tsk tsk… what a pity.”
“Although the Hundred Needle Family has survived, it’s almost like being exterminated. The Great Emperor only allows the Hundred Needle Family to have one heir, do you know why sister chose you?”
“Because you’re too cowardly, look at these brothers and sisters around you, they are brave, they are full of hatred, they wish to revive the family… Therefore, they are dead.”
“You should thank your cowardice and fearfulness — that’s your disposition, you must maintain it well, little friend.”
“Do you hear me?”
The child Zhenjin trembled violently once more, then began to nod his head frantically.
“Very good!” The murderer smiled and stroked Zhenjin’s little head one last time, then stood up.
She surveyed the bodies strewn across the ground, her face revealing the joy and satisfaction after slaughter. But when her gaze landed on the frantically nodding child Zhenjin, she couldn’t help but show a hint of regret.
She turned and left that place, leaving the child Zhenjin behind like a puppet, still crazily nodding his head.
…
In the bright and grand white hall, sunlight streamed through the towering stained glass windows.
A group of young boys gathered, and Zhenjin was among them.
Zhenjin and the other boys took their oaths—
I swear to love the living gods, the lord of the great Empire, the Holy Emperor!
I swear to strive to follow in the footsteps of my superiors, to forge ahead!
I swear to protect my family, undaunted by dangers!
I swear to treat my friends with sincerity, rejecting hypocrisy!
I swear to remain faithful to my loved ones unto death, never to leave nor forsake!
I swear to bravely confront tyranny, and to be kind to the weak!
I swear to uphold justice and fight against all wrongs!
From today onwards, I am a Holy Temple Knight!
“That’s amazing!” After taking the oath, the young Zhenjin’s heart was filled with excitement, “Becoming a Holy Temple Knight means our family has support, and our future will be safe!”
…
The gloomy sky poured fine rain.
Within a vast training field.
A group of young boys formed a circle, with Zhenjin lying on the ground, encircled by the boys in the middle.
The boys looked down at Zhenjin, continuously letting out jeers and mocking laughter, their faces full of disdain.
The leading young boy was burly with green hair, resembling several inches of steel needles, standing erect on his scalp.
The green-haired young boy crossed his arms, stepping on Zhenjin’s shoulders, “Zhenjin! Remember this well, your Hundred Needle Family is just a Viscount Domain, defeated! You think you can be our equal?”
The green-haired young boy suddenly lifted his foot, and fiercely stamped on Zhenjin’s head, sneering, “I’ll teach you a lesson today! From now on, whenever you see us, no matter where it is in the castle, you bow your head obediently and make way, shrinking aside!”
“Lower nobles should behave like lower nobiles. If I catch you looking at me, Qing Kui, in the eye again, I’ll beat you crippled.”
“Do you understand now?”
Qing Kui roared loudly, pressing down hard with his foot, grinding Zhenjin’s head into the muddy ground.
“Yes… I understand. Cough cough cough!” Zhenjin struggled to make a sound, his heart filled with fear.
“Hahaha.” Qing Kui threw his head back in victorious laughter, released his foot, and strode away.
Before he left, he dropped a line, “Of course, Zhenjin, if you feel aggrieved, you can challenge me anytime. I, Qing Kui, will be waiting for you anywhere, anytime!”
“Cough cough cough.” Zhenjin struggled, sitting up in his upper body.
He wanted to say he would never challenge him or something of the sort, but as soon as he opened his mouth to speak, the mud and water couldn’t help but flow back into his throat, triggering another fit of coughing.
Seeing him in such a wretched state, the young men lost interest.
“Pah, what a joke!”
“He wants to challenge young master Qing Kui? On what basis?”
“On the basis of that embroidery needle he has, hahaha.”
The rain fell harder, and the young men crowded around Qing Kui, bursting into laughter, all entering the castle.
Zhenjin sat in the mud, letting the rain beat down on him.
His teeth chattered, and he felt extremely wronged, “I’m innocent. I just wanted to make your acquaintance, Qing Kui, I never intended to challenge you!”
…
Evening in autumn.
Zhenjin found himself in a study.
The study was dim, with a narrow window opened in the stone wall to one side — the only source of light at the moment.
Zhenjin’s father, the leader of the Hundred Needle Family, was sitting behind the desk.
He was a middle-aged man, slim and pale, with two straight and slender mustaches. His brows were slightly furrowed, revealing a stern temperament, “Zhenjin, my son, don’t hang your head.”
Zhenjin lifted his head to look at his father, then quickly averted his gaze in fear.
“Why? Half a month has passed, my son, and you’ve made no progress with your Concealing Breath Technique, remaining at the same level,” the middle-aged man’s voice continued.
Zhenjin shivered, not daring to make a sound.
The middle-aged man seemed to understand and said, “I know what you feel. You’ve never been interested in the Concealing Breath Technique, and you think the family’s Combat Skills are weak, don’t you?”
“You think that our Hundred Needle Family’s bloodline does not bring you exceptional physical ability, strength, or speed, and now we’re just Lower Nobles in the Empire, right?”
Zhenjin remained silent.
The nobleman sighed deeply, stood up, circled the desk, and walked over to Zhenjin, “Come, walk with me.”
The two left the study, walked down the dim corridor, past the mottled stone walls, and into the garden within the castle.
“Combat Skill — Hundred Needle Wind!”
The middle-aged man suddenly drew his sword.
This sword was not a bladed slashing sword but a slender Stabbing Sword.
The Stabbing Sword continuously thrust in the hands of the middle-aged man, so fast that it formed a blur of sword shadows. Especially at the very tip of the Stabbing Sword, enveloped with Fighting energy, at that moment, stars sparkled brightly, dazzling and splendid!
Tree Winged Butterflies were plucked up by the fierce wind, struck by the sparkling stars, and fell to the ground one by one.
A few breaths later, the ground was covered in a layer of “plane tree leaves,” with hundreds and thousands of Tree Winged Butterflies, not a single one managed to escape!
“Good, so powerful!” Lord Zhenjin was struck dumb with amazement.
“Cough cough cough.” The middle-aged man sheathed his sword, coughing continuously; his complexion turned pale, “Do you still think our Hundred Needle Family is weak?”
Lord Zhenjin vigorously shook his head.
“Every noble family has its own foundations. Not to mention, our Hundred Needle Family was once a great noble in the south! Hundred Needle Wind is the signature combat skill of our clan and part of our foundation. However, few outsiders know of this secret.”
“Managing a family requires strategy. Sometimes, we need to be high-profile, brandishing our claws and teeth like fierce beasts. But at other times, we must lie low. Like now, our Hundred Needle Family needs to appear weak, to reduce our presence.”
After a pause, the middle-aged noble continued, “Do you know what the fundamental requirement for utilizing the Hundred Needle Wind is?”
Not waiting for Lord Zhenjin’s response, the middle-aged noble promptly said, “It’s the Concealing Breath Technique.”
“Ah?” Lord Zhenjin was surprised.
“Only by enduring and accumulating strength can there be a startling burst of power. The Concealing Breath Technique allows us to conceal our aura, making it difficult for others to detect, or to underestimate our cultivation in fighting energy. Moreover, the Concealing Breath Technique also has the effect of accumulating strength. Only when this combat skill is cultivated to a profound level can one train in skills like Hundred Needle Wind. It can be said that the Concealing Breath Technique is the cornerstone of our clan’s combat skills. Lord Zhenjin, you are the successor of the Hundred Needle Family. You must practice diligently.”
“I understand. I’ll work hard, Father!” Lord Zhenjin’s eyes shone, filled with excitement.
He had found his reason.
“That’s right, I’m just biding my time. I’m not timid, nor have I ever been cowardly.”
“I am accumulating strength. I am silently bearing humiliation for the family!”
…
In an old tavern, the lights were dim, and the noise of the crowd filled the air. Sёar?h the n?vel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
“We won!”
“Let’s drink to the full!”
This was a victory celebration for the newly formed Fifth Group of the Holy Temple Knights.
The knights’ armor, cloaks, and even their bodies bore fresh scars, yet everyone was exhilarated.
Lord Zhenjin was among them.
“Squad leader, tell us about it, will you? I know you’ve been in many great battles, like the capture of Iron Flag Fortress, the extermination of the Blood Knights, the defense of Griffin Cliff. What do you think was the toughest battle?” someone asked.
The old squad leader’s remaining eye reflected the firelight, revealing a look of reminiscence.
He replied, “The toughest battle would have to be the one six years ago in Jackal Valley.”
“I know. It was the annihilation battle of the Cold Pine Knights!” someone exclaimed excitedly.
Many others cast sharp glances at Lord Zhenjin.
The old squad leader nodded and continued, “Yes, in Jackal Valley. Those southern nobles were almost all treacherous scoundrels, contemptible and shameless, fickle and volatile!”
“Our Fifth Group of Holy Temple Knights had been marching for five days. After entering Jackal Valley, we were betrayed by allied forces. Thousands of Cold Pine Knights launched a surround and kill operation on us.”
“Our Fifth Group had just been pulled back from the front line. Caught off guard by the first wave of attacks, we lost thirty percent of our men on the spot, only a little over a thousand remained, nearly all of us wounded.”
“We lost!”
“The entire Fifth Group was wiped out, leaving only me.”
“It was the Great Emperor himself who stepped in to save my worthless life. He asked me what reward I wanted.”
“I told His Majesty, I asked him to give me the number of the Fifth Group of Knights. I wanted to rebuild the Holy Temple Knights Fifth Group!”
“So, that’s how you bunch of whelps came to be, understand?”
“Otherwise, how could the Holy Temple Knights recruit new members so easily?”
“You little ones hit the jackpot. But you’re still too young; what was that last battle good for?” The old squad leader shook his head without ceasing, then said no more and simply continued to drink.
His words were brief and rough, but the young Holy Temple Knights in the pub were filled with excitement.
They began to talk excitedly.
“I know, in that battle at Jackal Valley, our Fifth Group relied on just a thousand men to eradicate over five thousand from the Cold Pine Knights, wiping out three of their formations!”
“The Cold Pine Knights had just finished cleaning up the battlefield when they were struck by lightning-fast assaults from the Holy Temple Knights’ Third Group, ultimately being wiped out in Jackal Valley.”
“The Cold Pine Knights were the first ace of the Southern Nobles Alliance. This battle, it broke the backbone of the Southern Nobles Alliance!”
“Exactly, this is our Holy Temple Knights!”
“We are unrivaled, unstoppable!”
“Even when trapped in a desperate situation, we go to our deaths with our heads held high!”
“That’s right, charge, charge, toward death with a charge!”
The atmosphere in the pub heated up again, the young Holy Temple Knights either flushed from the drink or from excitement, their faces glowing red.
The only exception was Zhenjin, sitting in a corner, sinking into silence, no longer distracted. The glory of victory seemed to have completely stripped away from him, with not even a single person willing to sit by his side.
…
The arena’s perimeter was crowded with people.
The duel in the center of the arena was also entering its final stage.
The Holy Temple Knight Qing Kui was pushed into a desperate situation, his opponent was none other than the Clan Leader of the Hundred Needle Family.
Zhenjin, amidst the crowd, screamed inwardly: “That’s it, father, kill this damn guy! In the Holy Temple Knights, he’s always been picking on me. Ever since I joined the Fifth Group, he has never stopped bullying me!”
And around Zhenjin, many familiar faces of the Holy Temple Knights were squeezed in.
“Qing Kui, if you can’t fight anymore, just admit defeat!”
“The opponent is too strong, you’re too young, there’s no shame in losing the fight.”
“Think of your sister, Qing Kui, don’t be stubborn.”
The young Holy Temple Knights were shouting.
Qing Kui’s sister was also outside the arena, her face pale without a trace of color, her delicate body trembling, like a pitiful flower in a raging storm.
Zhenjin sneered secretly: “Qing Kui’s sister? Good! Qing Kui’s death is not the end! Once I get the chance, you as his sister, will have to atone for your brother’s sins.”
Then, the last clash.
The Clan Leader of the Hundred Needle Family broke his sword-wielding hand, while Qing Kui collapsed to the ground.
“Father, Father!” Zhenjin exclaimed in shock, his voice trembling violently.
“Impossible, this can’t be! How could Qing Kui injure my father!” Zhenjin couldn’t believe what was happening before him.
“Kill him, kill him now, father!” Zhenjin wanted to shout loudly, but he never had the courage to yell out loud.
It was at this time that the old squad leader walked into the arena, declaring the duel over.
“No, how could this be!?” Cheers erupted from the surrounding crowd, but Zhenjin felt as if he had plummeted into an ice cave.
“Father!” He ran over and supported the Clan Leader of the Hundred Needle Family.
The middle-aged man looked around, taking in the scene, but his expression had already returned to calm: “My son, lift your head and look at me. Tell me, what is our family’s creed?”
“Don’t overestimate people, yet don’t underestimate them either,” Lord Zhenjin struggled to raise his head, his voice choked with emotion, his heart trembling.
…
There were only two people in the archery range.
“Father, I have come as per your summons,” Zhenjin spoke.
The clan leader of the Hundred Needle Family nodded slightly, “You’ve been back from the imperial capital for a few days now. It is time I assess whether your training there has slackened. This time, we will test our archery skills. If you can beat me, I will bestow upon you the Swift Bee.”
Zhenjin’s heart trembled, and with sorrow and hesitation, he said, “But Father, your arm…”
The clan leader carelessly replied, “It doesn’t matter, you shoot first.”
Zhenjin picked up the longbow and released an arrow, but with his spirits low, he failed to hit the center of the target.
It was the clan leader’s turn.
“Watch carefully, my son.” The Hundred Needle Family leader pinched one of the White Crystal Long Needles between his index and middle finger and flicked it with a bend of his fingers.
Whoosh!
A sharp, piercing whistle that cut through the air instantly rang by Zhenjin’s ears.
At the same time, he saw the golden needle trace a luminous line through the air.
The light extended straight towards the target, striking it dead center, followed by a thunderous explosion, completely shattering the target into powder!
“What is this?!” Zhenjin’s mouth hung open in utter shock.
“This is a secret skill passed down through the generations of our Hundred Needle Family—the Piercing Needle Boom. Would you like to learn it?”
“Given your current total amount of fighting energy, you should barely be able to launch one needle,” the clan leader immediately estimated.
Zhenjin smiled bitterly, “Father, if I were to use this secret skill, wouldn’t it be a bit risky?”
The smile on the clan leader’s face slowly faded as his expression turned serious.
He looked intently at Zhenjin, profound meaning in his eyes, “My son, reality is always cruel. Whether in combat or other areas, you will always find yourself amidst risks.”
“Often, you will find that to launch a needle with all your might is precisely the wisest choice.”
“To temporarily exhaust all the fighting energy in your body is an empty and painful feeling that’s very hard to endure. But sometimes, that’s what we need to do.”
“Don’t be afraid of risk, nor fear sacrifice!”
“Sacrifice?” Just that word made Zhenjin’s heart quiver.
…
A room clearly arranged with meticulous care, opulent and extravagant. Paintings by famous artists hung on the walls, expensive perfume lingered in the air, and the pink-gold curtains were drawn, blocking out much of the daylight and casting the room in a dim, ambiguous light.
The Dancing Lady Jisi, wearing exotic attire from the northwest of the Empire and a purple veil, added an air of mysterious allure to her stunning beauty. Her figure, voluptuous and curvaceous, with a red dance costume, mainly red with interwoven gold threads, was short and form-fitting, revealing her slender arms and her pale belly button.
As the dance music ended, the three young men in the room were all spellbound.
They came to their senses and clapped one after another.
Zhenjin’s primary attention was focused on one of the youths, whose status was quite extraordinary.
Suppressing his reluctance, Zhenjin smiled and asked, “Zong Ge, haven’t you expressed the wish to see Jisi dance? What do you think? I have the authority to offer Miss Jisi to you right now. Tonight, she can warm your bed. Hahaha…”
However…
“Amazing, the temptation of beauty is truly formidable.”
“This lady holds no value for me anymore. I will not take her.”
“Our family creed is these words—’Hell lies at our feet, and downfall is but a moment away.’ It reminds us to remain vigilant, desire is an abyss, a careless step can transform us into demons, never to return to humanity again.”
“Zhenjin, you and I are colleagues. This time, you’ve helped me, so I’ll give you some friendly advice. Personal cultivation is what’s important, relentlessly pursuing connections is like a leaf fluttering in the wind.”
Having said this, Cang Xu left without regard for Zhenjin’s unpleased expression and stood up to leave.
“Damn it, hateful!” Once there were no outsiders present, Zhenjin slammed the cups and pots in the room out of anger, “They all look down on me, they all do!!”
…
“What?! Father, you want me to compete for the position of White Sand City Lord?”
“This, this won’t do.”
“I’m only at Black Iron cultivation, a city lord should at least have Silver Level cultivation!”
Zhenjin kept shaking his head.
The Clan Leader of the Hundred Needle Family snorted coldly: “Who told you not to practice diligently on ordinary days? Look at your colleagues around you, people like Qing Kui and Cang Xu, which of them isn’t at Silver Level?”
Zhenjin lowered his head and muttered, “They all have deep backgrounds and too many cultivation resources, how can I compare?”
The Clan Leader of the Hundred Needle Family snorted again, “Although our Hundred Needle Family has declined, we won’t skimp on the support for you.”
“This time, it’s an opportunity for the revival of our family. You must seize it!”
“Because you are the only heir of the Hundred Needle Family.”
“I will dispatch elite forces, and I’ll have Biwa lead the team to help you compete for the position of the city lord.”
Zhenjin immediately showed joy, “Ah, Uncle Biwa?”
“Besides, I’ve secured an outside ally for you. Congratulations, my son. Not long ago, I selected a fine fiancée for you. Her name is Zi Di, the current Chairman of the Purple Vine Chamber of Commerce.”
“That?!” Zhenjin’s joy disappeared, “Father, she doesn’t have any noble blood at all, you want me to marry her? If we’re talking about the Purple Vine Chamber of Commerce of the past, there might be something to discuss. But now, this Purple Vine Chamber of Commerce…”
“Enough, I called you here to inform you to get ready, not to listen to your complaints. Go now.” The Clan Leader of the Hundred Needle Family waved his hand.
Zhenjin opened his mouth, clearly reluctant, but ultimately had to comply with his father’s authority and left with resentment.
…
“So you are Zi Di?” Zhenjin looked down slightly, sizing up the purple-eyed young woman before him. Although he was expressionless, her beauty stirred ripples in his heart.
“Truly a beauty!”
“Although marrying her would really be a disgrace to my status, and could even become a joke amongst my peers.”
“But just for this beauty, it seems to be worthwhile.”
“Lord Zhenjin.” Zi Di, however, looked anxious, “I’m sorry for the rush, but the situation is really urgent. The people sent by your family have all been annihilated.”
“I know.” Zhenjin nodded, his face showing a mix of shock and anger, “It wouldn’t have happened if Uncle Biwa were personally leading the team.”
Zi Di continued, “I am worried now that the other competitors will reach White Sand City ahead of us and establish an early advantage. So, I suggest that we create the illusion of staying put, but actually disguise ourselves and set out secretly, taking the Pig Kiss to set sail.”
Zhenjin’s pupils shrank, and he was inclined to retreat in his heart, but he didn’t want to appear weak in front of this beautiful woman, so he snorted coldly, “It’s a good idea, but also risky. I only have Black Iron cultivation, acting recklessly could result in being framed, rendering all plans fruitless.”
Zi Di smiled, “Please rest assured, my lord. I have measures to ensure your safety. First, we will hire a powerful Mercenary Group to guard us. Second, moving quietly, we may not be noticed. Third, aboard the Pig Kiss, there is also the presiding official for the White Sand City Lord examination, Priest Jia Sha of the Holy Emperor’s sect. Lastly, I strongly suggest that you disguise yourself as an ordinary mercenary and use a substitute in public as a decoy.”
Zhenjin was captivated by Zi Di’s smile, feeling dazzled, and he reluctantly furrowed his brow, “Will this… really work?”
“It will, my lord. The potion we’re going to use is a Transformation Potion personally crafted by Duke Aimei. After drinking it, one’s skin color, hair color can change, or it can make one’s nose more sculpted, eyes bigger, and so on. Most importantly, its effects are significant, very safe, and secretive. If we use usual Spells or Magic Tools for disguise, it would require continuous Mana consumption and there would be fluctuations in Mana,” Zi Di said softly, persuading him.
“This… seems like a good idea.” Zhenjin’s tone was hesitant, “What about my substitute?”
“Trust me, Lord Zhenjin, you will meet him soon, and you will be very satisfied!”