Volume One, Chapter Six: Legalists, Sorcerers, and Warriors

Qin Zheng stood at the entrance of the secret chamber, feeling unsettled. So many Imperial Guards had rushed straight in; if things went according to plan, then...

"Do not worry!" Yang Fengqing, observing Qin Zheng’s expression, said in a tone that suggested, "You know nothing of my power." He added, "Once you ascend to the rank of a high-level martial artist, you will understand. Close-quarters combat in confined spaces is the authority granted to us warriors by the Lord of War!"

*You should really watch where you boast,* Qin Zheng thought. *We have a disgraced Legalist scholar and a sorcerer from the Astrological Bureau right here...*

Qin Zheng didn't engage, instead repeating his earlier concern: "I am merely worried that the killer’s elusive methods might have something to do with light."

Yang Fengqing nodded slightly, but then suddenly drew his Embroidered Uniform Saber and roared, "With the blade drawn, ghosts and gods must yield!"

Amidst the shout, he stepped into the entrance. His feet didn't touch the ground; he trod upon the very air, which solidified beneath his steps with a series of rhythmic *thuds*. In his next stride, he surged past the other Imperial Guards, disappearing into the depths of the passage as the vanguard.

Qin Zheng’s eyes brightened. *Is this the authority the Lord of War granted you? Charging in like a tank to trigger every trap in advance?*

At this moment, Cui Guangyuan, as if performing a show of skill, pressed his index and middle fingers to his brow and whispered, "The net of justice is vast; it misses nothing!"

He then swept his hand forward, pulling a brilliant golden net from his forehead. Majestic and imposing, the net rotated in the air, expanding until it seemed to fill the entire space. As he pointed toward the chamber entrance, the net spun and shrank rapidly. Bathed in sacred golden light, it zipped into the chamber and neatly sheared a corner off the stone slab at the entrance.

*Good grief, you’re hacking, sir...*

Qin Zheng glanced at the stone slab and hesitated. "Sir, our own men are inside!"

"My law is the King’s law, my path is the Heavenly path—how could I possibly injure my own?" Cui Guangyuan’s expression was solemn, his presence radiating authority as he utilized his "Boasting Technique" to march directly into the secret chamber.

As he entered, a large number of Dali Temple officials followed suit, leaving only about a dozen guards behind.

Qin Zheng swallowed hard and looked at Xie Qingluan, who stood beside him, calm and composed as she examined the chamber. His feelings were complicated. Although Yang Fengqing’s movement technique was overbearing and his posture supreme, there was no harm without comparison. The Legalist had used a net to scout and then teleported in, the sorcerer could fly for short distances, but he—the martial artist—had simply run!

Just then, a "toot... toot... toot..." sound emanated from the chamber entrance, like the feeble chirping of a cicada.

Qin Zheng didn't understand the meaning, but Xie Qingluan gracefully moved to his side and chuckled. "What are you afraid of? The Imperial Guard signal merely says they’ve found something; there is no danger!"

Qin Zheng was stunned for a moment. "How do you know the Imperial Guard signals?"

"The Imperial Guards monitor the world, and the world monitors the Imperial Guards in return." Xie Qingluan’s expression was serene. "If you truly become an Imperial Guard lackey, you’ll find yourself being watched by others soon enough."

*Fine. So, when you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back?*

Qin Zheng glanced at her and sighed. "But I am a warrior. If I don't join the Imperial Guards, where else can I go? The Confucian scholars at the Imperial Academy shut me out, and the Astrological Bureau only accepts disciples based on destiny..."

"Are you well-read, including knowledge about the growth of plants and herbs?" Xie Qingluan tilted her head slightly, feigning indifference. "I mean... if you were willing to share that with the Astrological Bureau, you wouldn't need to pledge loyalty to the Imperial Guards just to trade for cultivation resources..."

Her eyes flickered, sparkling as she looked at Qin Zheng with an indescribable sense of anticipation.

*The Astrological Bureau wants to recruit me too? Am I really a genius at solving cases? Yes, I am. From now on, my surname is Qin, my name is Zheng, my courtesy name is Conan, and I am the Hermit Sherlock!*

Qin Zheng couldn't help but feel a bit carried away, though he put on a troubled face. "I would be happy to share, but this is ancestral knowledge from the Qin family. My mother said it can only be passed down to her daughter-in-law..."

Xie Qingluan’s face stiffened, and she stomped her foot in anger. "Shameless..."

She then looked guarded, her expression complex. "What do you mean? What do you know?"

Qin Zheng was taken aback, not quite following.

But as the copper whistle sounded again from the entrance—"Toot! Toot! Toot!"—he had no time to think. This time, the sound was urgent and sharp, like the piercing cry of a nightingale.

Xie Qingluan’s body flashed as she pulled Qin Zheng away, her tone grave. "Retreat, quickly! There is danger!"

At that same moment, the lawn ahead, which had yet to be excavated, suddenly exploded from the center, creating a breach between the interior of the secret chamber and the grass outside!

Cui Guangyuan, who had just entered with his "Boasting Technique," was ejected through the breach like a cannonball. He slammed into the ground in front of Qin Zheng, lying stiff and twitching, his life or death unknown.

Immediately after, a grey silhouette leaped out from the breach. It had powerful limbs and a ferocious air. With a twist of its head, its scarlet gaze locked directly onto Qin Zheng.

Qin Zheng stared at the grey figure, his mind reeling. *How is it this thing?!*