I Can Strengthen Infinitely-Chapter 214 - 166: Bearers of Destiny (Part 2)

"Hmm!" The young man suddenly opened his eyes, waking up from his slumber.

For some unknown reason, he felt a bit uneasy, as if enveloped by something indescribable.

He looked around but found nothing unusual, so he murmured drowsily and went back to sleep.

...

Jiangnan, Dangyan Mountain.

A young man was standing on the mountain peak, practicing swordsmanship, his clothes completely drenched in sweat, indicating he had been training for a long time.

"Why is it that I can’t grasp the last move of Quick Sword Twenty-Two? What am I missing? Could it be my talent isn’t enough?" The young man angrily thrust the iron sword into the ground and cried out furiously at the sky.

His hair stuck to his eyes, wet with sweat, making him feel uncomfortable. Instinctively, he swept his hand in front of his eyes, brushing his hair aside.

"Huh?!" Just then, he saw a golden meteor streaking straight toward him in the night.

"What!"

There was no time to dodge, and the meteor collided with his chest in an instant.

The young man was so frightened, he shuddered, but then he grasped his chest, "It’s okay?"

Suddenly, he felt a flash of inspiration in his mind, and the Quick Sword Twenty-Two, which had been elusive, became crystal clear. It felt as if he could wield the sword effortlessly.

The young man eagerly pulled out the iron sword, and continued practicing with high excitement.

... 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

While strange phenomena occurred in Jiangnan, far away in Chang’an.

During the founding of the Great Tang, Tang Taizu established the Seven Stars Bureau, the Astronomical Bureau, the Observatory, and the Thousand Machines Bureau.

The Seven Stars Bureau was responsible for dealing with ghosts and anomalies, ensuring the peace of the realm.

The Observatory focused on observing celestial phenomena and calculating calendars.

The Thousand Machines Bureau managed the various mechanisms and secret passages throughout Chang’an.

The Astronomical Bureau was in charge of observing the stars all around, studying geomancy, and monitoring anything that might affect the great fortunes of the Great Tang.

That night, atop the highest Observatory Tower of the Astronomical Bureau, four stargazers stood at the eastern, western, southern, and northern corners of the rooftop, their eyes unblinkingly fixed on the sky of their designated domains.

Most who entered the Astronomical Bureau were trained to keep their eyes wide open; this practice was surprisingly easy for them.

Many strange star signs and feng shui pressures often appeared in a blink, fleeting and quick. Missing them due to a blink could lead to significant repercussions.

"Look to the south!" someone stationed at the southern corner suddenly shouted.

Instantly, those not in charge turned their gaze that way, witnessing a golden dragon manifesting in the southern sky, roaring toward Chang’an.

But it didn’t last long before the golden dragon vanished abruptly, dyeing the southern sky in gold, as seven golden dragons roamed the heavens, seemingly moving north.

"A dragon vein has emerged in the south."

"No, looking like this, that dragon vein has already been severed. Now the biggest problem is those seven people tainted by dragon energy. They will be a threat to the Great Tang; they must be eliminated."

The Astronomical Bureau was highly efficient, quickly drafting a report on the matter and delivering it straight to the imperial palace.

The deserted Cyan Dragon Street of Great Tang led straight to the palace gate, where amidst the silence a messenger rode swiftly, charging towards the sealed red gate without reducing speed.

"Report from the Astronomical Bureau! Open the gate!" the messenger shouted.

In Chang’an, there’s a rule: a report from the Astronomical Bureau is invariably of great national importance, sufficient to rouse the emperor from sleep, prompting immediate investigation.

The guards hurriedly opened the gate, letting the rider rush into the imperial city.

The palace was fraught with danger, guarded not only by experts but also innumerable weapons, making it suicidal for Inner Strength masters to break in, hence none feared outsiders causing chaos within.

The messenger’s document was swiftly passed along by palace staff, reaching the Imperial Study for the emperor’s review.

However, the one seated on the dragon throne in the Imperial Study wasn’t the current emperor...

With red lips and white teeth, with sword-like brows and starry eyes.

Elegant demeanor, handsome appearance.

A man in a red robe sat on the dragon throne, resting his face on his hand as he read the freshly inked document.

Upon seeing the words "Southern dragon," he frowned immediately.

"Dragon vein? A dragon vein in the south." Slowly, he laid down the document. "Isn’t all the land under heaven Great Tang’s territory? True dragons can only emerge from Chang’an."

A young eunuch beside him promptly agreed, "Grandpa An was right."

The name "Grandpa An" was renowned throughout the imperial city.

This was none other than one of the infamous Ten Constant Attendants, An Dianlian.

Despite being a young eunuch in his twenties, his status was so high that even the old eunuchs in their sixties and seventies greeted him respectfully as ’Grandpa An’.

"Yuwen Sanzui," An Dianlian called toward the door.

Immediately, a long-limbed man strode in from outside, his eyes mere slits, completely obscuring them, yet he squinted.

"Eunuch An, I’m here."

"Take some men south, and kill off all those who bear fortune." An Dianlian casually flicked the document and it darted like a flying knife toward Yuwen Sanzui.

Splat!

With both hands clasped together abruptly, he caught the paper with an empty-handed technique before it struck his chest, nodding and striding out of the Imperial Study.

Watching him leave, the young eunuch couldn’t help but say, "Grandpa An, sending this slaughterer out will likely cause many deaths."

An Dianlian cryptically replied, "That, I’m looking forward to."

...

A shadow flitted through the forest, trees falling before him, startling many birds nesting among the branches, sending flocks flying, hastily relocating from the area.

During this venture, aside from severing a dragon vein, Qin Yuesheng made noteworthy gains, notably the Dragon-Slaying Sword.

Although Qin Yuesheng wasn’t a swordsman, the sword’s antiquity from Ancient Han and Old Qin times spoke volumes of its immense value.

To date, Qin Yuesheng hadn’t encountered anything from Ancient Han and Old Qin times.

The Dragon-Slaying Sword, hidden within the stone tablet by that mysterious dragon vein seeker, held significant research value.

As Qin Yuesheng emerged from the forest, Qin who was hiding on the carriage quickly jumped down and ran towards him.

"Yuesheng, are you alright? What happened? You’re a mess."

Seeing Qin Yuesheng now, due to his use of the Six-Armed Exoskeleton, his backcloth was entirely torn, and having escaped from the explosion underground tomb, irrespective of his speed, he couldn’t avoid gathering vast amounts of dust and dirt, rendering him filthy and disheveled, leaving one to wonder what he’d experienced on this outing.

"No worries." Qin Yuesheng waved it off, "Cousin, lend me a clean outfit from your bundle, I’ll buy one in Yangzhou Prefecture to repay you."

"Oh, Yuesheng, speaking like this is disheartening, just wear it, why mention repayment?" Qin immediately fished out a clean robe from his bundle.

Their physiques matched well, so Qin Yuesheng swiftly changed attire, feeling refreshed.

"Uncle, I’ll pay double, can we travel through the night and aim to reach that market by morning?" Qin Yuesheng asked the driver.

"Young master, we’ve traveled all day, the horse won’t make it."

"Just keep going, I’ll double the silver taels if anything happens to it."

Tempted by the wealth, the driver couldn’t resist, promptly agreeing.

The two boarded the carriage, which, urged by the driver’s whip, set off again, quickly disappearing into the night.