Nightwatcher-Chapter 419: Protection

# 419. Protection

Luo Yuheng’s expression was indifferent, as if she were recounting a trivial matter: “I gave Chu Yuanzhen a protective talisman.”

After saying this, she half-closed her phoenix eyes and said no more, her attitude perfectly measured.

*It was a gift to Chu Yuanzhen…* Emperor Yuanjing’s expression softened slightly. In that case, it didn’t matter who used the talisman to summon the National Teacher.

But Emperor Yuanjing didn’t entirely put aside his suspicions. He said in a low voice, “National Teacher, although you share ties with the Earth Sect as fellow Daoists, you are also the National Teacher of the Great Feng. The Human Sect is the state religion of the Great Feng. You knew that I sent people to seize the lotus seed, yet you still…”

A hint of anger showed on his face.

Facing Emperor Yuanjing’s questioning, Luo Yuheng was silent for a moment before suddenly sighing.

“To be frank, the Earth Sect has encountered trouble in recent years. The Daoist Leader of the Earth Sect has become entangled in karma and fallen into the demonic path, which has affected most of the disciples.

“Only a small number of disciples avoided this influence for certain reasons. This group of escaped disciples formed an organisation called the Heaven and Earth Society. They’ve been recuperating and gathering strength in secret, trying to cleanse their sect.

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

“To them, the Nine-Coloured Lotus is of critical importance. Not long ago, someone from the Heaven and Earth Society contacted me through Chu Yuanzhen, hoping that I would lend a hand.

“The continuation of the lineage of the three sects is a shared understanding among us. Even the aloof and emotionless Heaven Sect holds the same belief.”

She paused, then stared at Emperor Yuanjing with a half-smile. “Is Your Majesty unaware of this?”

*So that’s why she stepped in… The talisman was a gift to Chu Yuanzhen and had nothing to do with Xu Qi’an. Was I being too sensitive? As for Xu Qi’an getting involved with the Nine-Coloured Lotus, it’s probably because he owed Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozhen a favour. After all, the two of them had once stopped the Imperial Guards on his behalf…* Emperor Yuanjing’s thoughts churned, but his expression remained unchanged as he shook his head.

“The secrets of the Earth Sect—how could we possibly know?”

The conversation between the two ended there. As usual, they meditated and cultivated. Afterward, Luo Yuheng expounded on the profound principles of the Dao and the truths of immortality. An hour later, Emperor Yuanjing left Lingbao Temple.

Back in his palace, Emperor Yuanjing drank the health tea presented by a eunuch and gave instructions:

“Handle two matters for me. First, have Tianji investigate the origins of that monk—capture him alive if possible. Second, summon Assistant Minister of War Qin Yuandao to see me.”

The old eunuch nodded, then cautiously probed, “Forgive this servant’s boldness, but may I ask how Your Majesty intends to deal with that Xu Qi’an?”

He thought the emperor would likely target Xu Qi’an’s uncle, cousins, or other family members.

Emperor Yuanjing waved his hand dismissively. “He’s just Wei Yuan’s dog. We have our own plans.”

*If His Majesty isn’t saying anything, it means he either hasn’t figured out how to deal with Xu Qi’an or hasn’t made up his mind yet…* The old eunuch was somewhat puzzled. Before leaving the palace, the emperor had looked ready to exterminate Xu Qi’an’s entire clan. Now he seemed to have let it go.

…

*Holy shit!!!*

Xu Qi’an didn’t need to look in a mirror to know that his face right now was stiff, distorted, and utterly dumbfounded…

Xu Qi’an carried three secrets: transmigration, fortune, and Shenshu.

He had always been extremely cautious about hiding these three secrets. The First and Current Jianzheng were both players in the game, directly involved, so he couldn’t hide from them and didn’t need to.

Besides them, the only person Xu Qi’an had ever told about his fortune was that old bastard from the Wulin Alliance. For two reasons: the commotion caused by the Taiping Sabre was too big to conceal, and he wanted to secure a powerful backer to increase his leverage in the struggle.

As for Wei Yuan, Xu Qi’an trusted him, but because he couldn’t see through this brilliant and inscrutable statesman, he never dared to lay everything bare.

But unexpectedly, Wei Yuan had already known about the monk Shenshu inside him.

“Duke Wei… how did you know?” Xu Qi’an’s voice was a little hoarse.

Wei Yuan said indifferently, “Roll the dice first.”

Xu Qi’an forced a smile. “There’s no need to roll anymore.”

Indeed, there was no need. Wei Yuan hadn’t asked about the First Jianzheng’s information—he had asked about the sealed object beneath Sangpo Lake. That was his way of saying, ‘I know all your secrets.’

Might as well lay the cards on the table.

Taking a deep breath, Xu Qi’an said, “When I was in Jianzhou, I met a young man named Ji Qian. We had a conflict, and I killed him. After questioning his spirit, I discovered that he was actually a descendant of the imperial bloodline from five hundred years ago. After Emperor Wuzong’s coup, the First Jianzheng secretly preserved their line, and they’ve been hiding ever since.

“The Battle of Shanhai Pass was orchestrated by the First Jianzheng and the head of the Heaven Gu Tribe. Their goal was to steal Great Feng’s fortune and install the five-hundred-year-old imperial bloodline back on the throne.

“They’ve been hiding in a place called Xuzhou. I suspect it’s a lawless zone, beyond the control of the court…”

He relayed the details of the spirit questioning, but deliberately concealed the fact that the fortune was placed onto him.

After listening quietly, Wei Yuan said slowly, “So the First Jianzheng collaborated with the barbarians to eliminate the Zhenbei King. Am I the next target?”

Xu Qi’an nodded solemnly. “Yes.”

Wei Yuan sighed. “The First Jianzheng is still alive—that was unexpected. You reminded me of something. After Emperor Wuzong’s coup, he secretly sent trusted agents all over the world searching for something, even dispatching ships to sail the seas. This isn’t recorded in official history, but a great scholar wrote about it in a private account.

“The First Jianzheng has been lying low all this time. First, because he hadn’t yet removed the Zhenei King and me. Second, because he hadn’t yet figured out how to reclaim the fortune inside you… Hey, why are you crawling under the table?”

Wei Yuan asked with a half-smile.

“I’m looking for your leg. Let me hug it for a bit…”

Xu Qi’an joked to cover up the storm raging in his heart.

Thud, thud! Wei Yuan knocked on the table and said seriously, “Come out!”

Xu Qi’an crawled out from under the table and sat upright. “Duke Wei, you already knew. You knew everything.”

Wei Yuan sighed.

“You’re someone I’ve chosen. If I’m grooming someone, I’ll naturally investigate and monitor them thoroughly. Your extraordinary cultivation speed, the Jianzheng’s favour, the spirit dragon’s attitude toward you, the appearance of the confucian carving knife during the Buddhist duel, the appearance of the carving knife when you killed the Protector Duke… and those dice you keep rolling for maximum points.

“There are many more. You have too many flaws. Taken individually, they don’t mean much.

“But I know you too well. When I piece together all the clues and combine them with the secrets I already know, it’s easy to figure out most of it.

“When you won the Battle of Heaven and Man and asked me about the Battle of Shanhai Pass, I asked if you had anything to tell me. I thought you would be honest with me, but you chose to keep it hidden.”

Xu Qi’an opened his mouth to explain but realised it wasn’t necessary. Looking somewhat discouraged, he said, “What about the sealed object beneath Sangpo Lake?”

“The Buddhist duel revealed both your fortune and the sealed object inside you. Of course, that alone wasn’t enough. I needed more proof—like how you killed a Rank Four barbarian leader during the northern voyage and took the princess consort.”

Wei Yuan sneered. “Once I knew you carried fortune, it wasn’t hard to guess who the mysterious expert wielding the Sovereign Sword was.”

Wei Yuan pondered, “The Jianzheng tacitly allowed the Yao to break the seal of Sangpo Lake. He was probably setting things up for you, using him to intimidate the First Jianzheng. As long as Shenshu remains inside you, the First Jianzheng won’t dare to make a move. Unless something unexpected happens, he’s likely trying to find a way to break the situation right now.

“As for the identity of this Buddhist heretic, I have some guesses. It’s probably connected to the Wanyao Kingdom and the Sixty-year extermination of the Yao. When you roam the Jianghu in the future, you could make a trip to the Hundred Thousand Mountains in the Southern Marches to search for the truth.”

Huh? Shenshu is connected to the Sixty-year Extermination? That was something Xu Qi’an hadn’t expected.

“So, Duke Wei, how do you plan to deal with me?” Xu Qi’an asked, testing the waters.

After asking, he stared fixedly at Wei Yuan, afraid of seeing a killing intent in his eyes.

“I’d like to kill you—if I could,” Wei Yuan said, hands tucked into his sleeves, gaze lowered as he stared at the table. His voice was low and steady:

“Caught between two generations of Jianzheng, unsure of what to do… So you simply decided to be honest with me. Your goal was to gamble for a chance at my protection.”

Right on the money!

Xu Qi’an felt a little guilty—this was indeed what he had been aiming for.

“If you’re asking whether the Jianzheng is trustworthy, I can’t give you an answer because I don’t know either. As for the First Jianzheng, you don’t need to worry about him. The game is between the current Jianzheng and the First Jianzheng—the ones making and countering moves aren’t you. What you need to do now is nothing more than advance in rank and build up your capital.”

After a pause, Wei Yuan’s gaze softened, and he said in a low voice, “I will help you.”

Hearing this, Xu Qi’an finally felt a true sense of relief, as if a weight had been lifted from his chest.

He smiled and said, “Then it’s just right—I have something to ask Duke Wei about.”

Wei Yuan nodded.

Xu Qi’an chuckled, “How do I advance to fourth rank?”

Wei Yuan’s expression froze. He asked in astonishment, “You’ve already advanced to Rank Five?”

Xu Qi’an nodded.

*In less than a year and fifth rank Transforming Force…* Wei Yuan’s gaze drifted slightly, and after a long moment, his pupils refocused. He sighed:

“Well, that makes sense. If you carry great fortune, first rank is within reach. But unfortunately, you’ll likely have to walk the same path as Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Wuzong in the future. You probably don’t know—fortune is a double-edged sword.”

“Those who possess fortune cannot attain longevity,” Xu Qi’an said.

“You know quite a bit!” Wei Yuan’s expression was complicated.

*Duke Wei, the way you’re looking at me right now makes it seem like you’re thinking: Did you secretly cram behind my back?*

Xu Qi’an laughed.

“For a martial artist, Rank Four is a very important rank—it determines the path you will walk in the future. Those who excel with the sword will comprehend sword intent, and those who excel with the sabre will comprehend sabre intent. Once you choose, you cannot change it,” Wei Yuan said.

“The core of Rank Four lies in the word ‘intent.’ Intent can also be called the Dao—it’s the path that a martial artist will walk in the future. That’s why Rank two martial artists are called _Hedao_ — union with the Dao. Xu Qi’an, have you decided what path you will walk?”

_Duke Wei, is there an intent in this world called “freeloading”…?_ Xu Qi’an tested the waters: “Cutting down all injustice under heaven—does that count?”

“That’s an aspiration!” Wei Yuan said irritably. “What, are you planning to just shout ‘Cut down all injustice under heaven!’ at people until they bow to your grand aspiration?”

“…”

“Intent relies on a martial artist’s violence—to be precise, their ability to attack and kill. Sabres, spears, swords, halberds, fists—it’s all the same. Since you use a sabre, naturally it’s sabre intent.”

“How do I cultivate sabre intent?” Xu Qi’an humbly sought guidance.

“I’ve told you before—starting from Rank Five, everything relies on comprehension! Your talent is good, and your perception is high. You’ve been able to fully control your body and advance to Rank Five in an incredibly short time. Some people, with poor talent, can’t even fully control their physical strength after a lifetime of effort and never advance.

“As for how to comprehend sabre intent, I can only teach you based on experience. First, you need to reach a state where you and the blade are one. To put it simply, you need to comprehend the essence of the blade. This requires you to combine your understanding of blade techniques with constant accumulation over time.

“Second, you need to merge your beliefs into the blade. The _One Blade from Heaven and Earth_ you practise reflects the belief of its creator.”

*That’s right, my One Blade from Heaven and Earth is a type of sabre intent. The belief of the predecessor who created it was: There’s nothing that one blade can’t cut down. If there is—run away!*

“Duke Wei, does that mean I’ve already comprehended half of sabre intent? Does that mean I can build on One Blade from Heaven and Earth and add my own touch to make it my personal ‘intent’?” Xu Qi’an asked excitedly.

“A child can be taught,” Wei Yuan smiled.

As the conversation drew to a close, Wei Yuan suddenly asked, “Do you remember the first time we met?”

“That time at the Stargazing Tower?” Xu Qi’an wasn’t entirely sure.

“Mm.”

Wei Yuan nodded. “That song you sang back then was quite interesting. I still remember it…

‘I stand, in the fierce wind,

Wishing I could sweep away the endless pain in my heart.

I gaze at the heavens,

The clouds stir in all directions.

Sword in hand I ask the world who is the hero?’”

He even hummed the melody quite accurately.

“What’s the rest? I really like that song,” Wei Yuan smiled.

*Ah… The thing I’ve feared most since childhood is being called up by the teacher to sing in front of the class…* Xu Qi’an said, “When Duke Wei tells me the story about you and the Empress Dowager, I’ll sing the rest for you.”

…

Leaving the Nightwatcher’s constabulary, Xu Qi’an mounted his beloved little mare and rode into the goulan. There, he used a medicinal solution to alter his appearance before getting back on the road.

After circling around for a long time and confirming that no one was following him, he finally sneaked up to the door of the side residence and knocked quietly.

“Creak~”

The courtyard door opened, revealing a plump old woman.

“??”

A string of question marks flashed through Xu Qi’an’s mind.

_Where’s my princess consort? The princess consort I worked so hard to steal away? The number one beauty of Great Feng?_

_Why has she turned into an old housekeeper?!_

“Who are you?”

The old woman stared at Xu Qi’an suspiciously, her expression rather unfriendly.

… Xu Qi’an simplified his name and said, “I’m Xu Qian. Auntie, why are you in my house?”

“Your house?”

The old woman’s eyes narrowed even more suspiciously. She said, “Wait here!”

She didn’t bother closing the door and turned to head inside.

About the time it takes to brew a cup of tea later, the old woman stormed back out, holding a broom and shouting angrily:

“You ungrateful little wretch! How dare you come here! This is the capital—you think you can run wild here, you dog!”

The old woman swung the broom at him. Xu Qi’an ducked his head, dodging it easily, and slipped into the courtyard.

The old woman screeched in anger and chased after him, swinging the broom wildly.

The door of the main house opened, and the princess consort stood leaning against the doorframe, cradling a bowl of peanuts in her delicate hands, watching the scene unfold with a bright smile.

Seeing the princess consort’s radiant expression, the old woman realised something was off. She propped herself up on the broom, looking doubtfully at Xu Qi’an, then at the princess consort.

“I really am her man,” Xu Qi’an explained, glancing at the young woman dressed in plain clothes, with a cheap jade hairpin in her hair. He walked over and flicked her forehead with a finger. “Having fun?”

The widow of the Zhenbei King, the number one beauty of Great Feng, took the hit and immediately returned to her usual cold expression.

She stubbornly ignored him and only said softly, “Aunt Zhang, you can head back now.”

Aunt Zhang muttered a few complaints, leant the broom against the wall, and left the courtyard.