I Grind to Martial Saint

The night was deep and still.

The vast Cui Mansion was plunged into darkness, with only the occasional sight of a patrol of guards passing by with lanterns.

A figure silently vaulted over the high walls of the Cui Mansion, dropping into the grand courtyard within.

Han Yuan had just spent some time listening from outside the wall.

He knew that a patrol of guards would pass through the grand courtyard about every quarter-hour.

He had to hurry and leave this courtyard immediately.

Though he had spoken of it lightly, the Cui Mansion was full of hidden masters. He couldn’t afford the slightest carelessness.

’After all, if I’m discovered and Du Qiuxu doesn’t arrive in time...’

’That old fox Cui Jiushan would surely find some excuse to have me killed.’

’So I must not be discovered.’

Han Yuan used the Seven Stars Step, his speed astonishing. He quickly left the grand courtyard and headed deeper into the Cui Mansion.

Despite his large frame, his practice of the Seven Stars Step made his Body Technique exceptionally agile. He also had quick reflexes and keen senses.

He easily evaded the patrolling guards along the way.

In reality, security at the Cui Mansion hadn’t been increased just because Miao Yan was staying the night. It was the same as always.

Because no one would have ever thought that Han Yuan would actually sneak into the Cui Mansion to commit an assassination.

One couldn’t blame Cui Jiushan.

Anyone else would have had the same blind spot.

They simply never imagined that Han Yuan would do the unthinkable and slip right in.

After passing through several more courtyards, Han Yuan reached the guest area of the Cui Mansion.

And Miao Yan was most likely in one of the dozen or so rooms in this area.

Han Yuan was in luck.

He had originally thought he would need to spend some time investigating.

But a casual glance revealed that out of the dozen or so rooms, only one was lit by candlelight.

Just yesterday, Miao Yan had been the all-powerful leader of the Blood River Gang. With nearly a thousand men under his command, he could call the shots at the Cangshui Pier.

But he had never imagined...

That in less than a day, he would become a beaten dog, forced to hide away miserably in this room.

That was why he couldn’t sleep tonight, his heart filled with a nameless agitation.

Normally, he would have gone to a brothel to blow off some steam.

But now, he didn’t dare take a single step outside the Cui Mansion.

He didn’t dare touch any of the women here in the Cui Mansion, either.

All he could do was endure it.

The candle in the room burned slowly.

Miao Yan was utterly overwhelmed by frustration.

The room felt incredibly suffocating.

So he stood up, wanting to step into the courtyard to clear his head.

The moment he pushed the door open.

SHLICK!

A cold glint of light flashed past with a whistle.

Impossibly fast.

Miao Yan’s eyes widened, his gaze fixed on the shadowy figure in disbelief.

He couldn’t understand.

’I hid inside the Cui Mansion, so why am I still going to die?’

’Why?!’

With this question on his mind, Miao Yan’s life came to an end.

Before his head hit the ground, a large hand grabbed it by the hair and hoisted it up.

Han Yuan caught the headless corpse with his other hand.

He quickly placed the headless body on the bed, covered it with a quilt, and then blew out the candle.

He then found some clothes in the room, wrapped the head up tightly, and slipped away from the Cui Mansion.

.....

「The next day.」

Cui Jiushan had just leisurely stepped out of his room, intending to get breakfast.

A guard rushed in, his expression frantic. "Patriarch, something has happened!"

Cui Jiushan frowned. "What is it?"

"Miao Yan... He..." The guard was stammering so badly he couldn’t get the words out.

"Spit it out."

"What happened to Miao Yan!"

Cui Jiushan shot him a fierce glare.

"Miao Yan is dead in his room! All that’s left is a headless body—his head is gone!"

the guard blurted out.

"What!"

Cui Jiushan’s expression changed drastically.

He couldn’t believe Miao Yan had been killed even while under the protection of the Cui Family!

’Moreover, this is a vicious slap in my face!’

Without another word, Cui Jiushan strode toward the guest area.

The guest area was already surrounded by guards.

Seeing Cui Jiushan approach, they all lowered their heads, not daring to meet his gaze.

Cui Jiushan didn’t bother blaming anyone; he walked straight into Miao Yan’s room.

A headless corpse lay on the bed.

Blood had soaked the quilt a deep, dark red.

The stench of blood filled the air.

’A clean cut...’

’No sign that Miao Yan fought back.’

’If he’d made any move and caused a disturbance, I definitely would have sensed it.’

’Which means he must have been killed instantly.’

’But Miao Yan was a Martial Artist at Inner Breath Great Perfection. Who could possibly kill him in a single, instantaneous strike?’

’Could it have been Nie Jing himself?’

Cui Jiushan simply couldn’t figure it out.

He didn’t even consider Han Yuan as a suspect at first.

After all, in everyone’s eyes, Han Yuan’s Cultivation was only at Inner Breath Great Perfection; he had not yet entered the True Qi Realm.

Even if he could sneak into the Cui Mansion, killing Miao Yan in a single blow seemed utterly fantastical.

Just as Cui Jiushan was lost in thought, another guard reported from outside, "Patriarch, Nie Jing has sent someone to invite you to the Observatory! He says he has urgent business to discuss with you!"

’Nie Jing?’

’Could it really have been him?’

A glint flashed in Cui Jiushan’s eyes.

He ordered a carriage to be prepared at once and rushed toward the Observatory.

As they passed a marketplace, however, the street was blocked by a crowd of people, and the carriage couldn’t get through.

"What’s going on?"

With all the trouble piling up, even a man of Cui Jiushan’s temperament was about to lose his patience.

"Patriarch, something seems to be happening up ahead. The road is completely blocked!" the driver hurriedly explained.

Cui Jiushan frowned, stepped out of the carriage, and leaped.

Despite his portly figure, his Lightweight Skill wasn’t half-bad. He landed easily atop the carriage and gazed toward the market.

There, he saw a blood-drenched head hanging from the market’s main archway.

It was, unmistakably, Miao Yan’s head.

Upon seeing this, Cui Jiushan let out a cold snort.

Soon, some of the gawking Martial World Wanderers in the crowd spotted Cui Jiushan on the carriage roof and scattered in fright.

Anyone who had spent any time in Cangshui County knew.

The true power behind Miao Yan was the Cui Family.

Now that his patron had arrived and seen Miao Yan’s head, he was surely furious. No one dared to cross him.

"Go and take Miao Yan’s head down."

"I’m going to the Observatory myself!"

After saying this, Cui Jiushan gathered his energy and leaped away, his portly figure bounding from eave to eave.

The driver looked at Miao Yan’s head and could only sigh in resignation.

But Cui Jiushan had given his order, and he had no choice but to obey.

.....

Meanwhile, it didn’t take Cui Jiushan long to reach the Observatory.

As the nominal Vice Director of the Observatory, he naturally swaggered right in.

He soon arrived in a dim, shadowy great hall.

Nie Jing was sitting cross-legged in meditation deep within the hall, seemingly unaware of Cui Jiushan’s arrival.

Seeing this, Cui Jiushan sneered inwardly.

But in the end, his rank was lower than Nie Jing’s. He could only cup his fist and say, "Cui Jiushan, paying respects to Director Nie!"

Only then did Nie Jing open his eyes, a faint smile on his face. "Vice Director Cui, you are prompt indeed."

"Come to think of it, I haven’t seen you at the Observatory in a long time."

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