Volume One: The Youngest Among Three Hundred Chapter Forty-One: Half a Month?

When the brilliance of the fireworks finally faded, it became clear that Chen Chang'an had driven a green bamboo skewer straight down into Master Fenyang's forehead. At the same time, Master Fenyang's right hand had plunged directly into Chen Chang'an's chest, tearing through flesh and bone to reach his organs.

Faced with the searing pain from the bamboo skewer, Master Fenyang felt as if his entire being—body and soul—were about to be annihilated. It was a pain that transcended the flesh, an assault on a higher plane of existence. Yet he gritted his teeth and bore it, a trace of triumph curling at his lips.

"Chen Chang'an, I don't know how you've suddenly grown so formidable, able to oppose a Life-Reaper with nothing but your flesh and blood. But my hand is inside your body—I can crush your organs at will!"

Before he finished speaking, a blast of energy erupted with a sharp whistle. Chen Chang'an's face twisted in agony. Even the mighty effect of the Great Pill could not shield him from such a close-range assault by a Life-Reaper; it was impossible to resist.

He cried out to the heavens and collapsed, his body erupting in bursts of blood like firecrackers. Heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys—all suffered grievous wounds from within. Bones shattered, sinews snapped, and the pain drove his hands deep into the earth.

Master Fenyang burst out laughing, surging his inner force to force the bamboo skewer from his forehead with a bang, sending it spinning in the opposite direction to embed itself in the doorpost.

"Damn it!" he cursed, working to suppress the internal injuries left by the bamboo skewer as he caught his breath and approached Chen Chang'an.

Nearby, the eagle-clawed man, similarly battered, sneered. "Chen, I told you—today, you won't escape death." He paused. "Master, finish it!"

Master Fenyang's earlier attack had exhausted all his willpower; he no longer had the strength to unleash the original Life-Reaping technique. Instead, he picked up the craftsman's knife that Mao Ji usually used for his work, aimed it at Chen Chang'an's heart, and said, "I never imagined there would come a day when I'd be driven to this point by a blind man with no martial foundation."

"That sword technique you used just now, falling from the heavens, was quite impressive. Even Su Dingfeng would have to yield to its edge. It seems my decision was right—I should have dealt with you sooner."

"I don't know how a blind man like you could perform such a fearsome sword technique, but it hardly matters now."

With that, he lifted the knife, blade vertical, and stabbed downward.

Almost at the same moment, a radiant point of light appeared in the distant night, bright as a star, growing rapidly larger as it whistled through the air with the force to split the wind.

Whoosh!

Faster than thought, a silver spear shot forward, closing in with overwhelming force.

"Not good!" Master Fenyang looked up in shock, but it was too late. The tip of the silver spear pierced his shoulder bone with a sickening thud, its unstoppable power driving him back. His feet gouged two wide trenches in the ground before man and spear alike slammed into the wall, finally coming to a halt.

From the shadows, following the trajectory of the silver spear, a woman appeared. She wore a snow-white fitted uniform, her long ponytail swinging with a spirited air, arms crossed behind her back, her eyes shining bright as stars. Landing before Chen Chang'an, she stood as his unwavering shield.

"You... Cao Wu... how did you know what was happening here? The Black Garbed Guards don’t usually pay attention to the goings-on of common neighborhoods, do they?" Master Fenyang's face was ashen.

The eagle-clawed man pushed himself up, ready to flee.

Cao Wu smiled faintly. "Chen Chang'an carries a Black Garbed Token I gave him. Through it, I can sense his presence."

As she spoke, waves of energy rippled around her, and the glint in her eyes turned deadly. "Last time at Princess Changning’s manor, I let you both go. Yet here you are causing trouble again. Don't expect the Jade Pendant of Qionghua to buy you much mercy."

With a flick of her finger, she deftly retrieved the silver spear from Master Fenyang’s shoulder, spinning it into her hand and leveling it at his throat. "Scoundrel, prepare to die!"

Yet just as Cao Wu was about to strike, her eyelid twitched involuntarily. She didn’t hesitate—snatching up the gravely wounded and unconscious Chen Chang'an, she flashed away at blinding speed. In the very next instant, the ground where they had stood split open with a thunderous crack. A massive pillar of fire and light surged skyward from the ruptured earth.

Cao Wu retreated step by step, activating the original technique "Compassion for the World," divine radiance shielding Chen Chang'an, Mao Ji, the two young servants hiding under the bamboo basket, and every living thing within a hundred paces.

The pillar of fire expanded relentlessly, reducing everything unshielded by her divine light to dust.

Planting her silver spear in the ground, Cao Wu's expression grew grave. "Eleventh Original Technique: Earth Repository!"

Amidst the crimson glow, a tall black shadow swept past Master Fenyang and the eagle-clawed man, seized them both, and vanished into the night.

High above, the shadow raced across the night sky, dropping the eagle-clawed man atop a distant manor before carrying on, finally descending into a dense forest. There, it gazed down at Master Fenyang, slowly raising a hand. From its palm surged a torrent of energy, enveloping him.

Bathed in this power, Master Fenyang's wounds healed at a visible rate. Within moments, he opened his eyes, fully conscious, and bowed. "Master, your disciple has failed and owes his life to your intervention."

The shadow's voice was devoid of emotion. "This time you acted too rashly. With Cao Wu’s experience and vigilance, it was easy for her to guess you’d seek vengeance on Chen Chang'an—she was bound to be on guard."

Master Fenyang bowed his head. "Yes. I only just learned that she left a Black Garbed Token on Chen Chang'an. Master, do you think Cao Wu intends to recruit him into the Black Garbed Guards? Though he’s blind, he excels at investigation and is astute. If the court were to use him against us, he could become a real problem."

The shadow waved a hand dismissively. "Regardless of Cao Wu’s intentions, you’re not the only one who wants to seize the Grand Min River for yourself. Let them stir up some trouble—we’ll reap the benefits when the time comes. After the Longevity Festival, I must seclude myself to break through to the Eighth Rank Profound Realm. You should lie low as well."

"Yes, Master!" Master Fenyang nodded, then ventured, "What about the Bai family? What should we do there?"

The shadow replied indifferently, "Keep in touch from time to time, but don’t sever contact with that pawn."

At the manor, the wounded eagle-clawed man collapsed to the floor, leaning against a stone lantern to catch his breath. After a long rest, he staggered toward the main hall, pausing at the door to compose himself.

The door creaked open.

Inside, the master of the house sat poised, tapping the rim of his teacup with the lid. Catching sight of the bloodied man, his expression changed sharply. "What happened? You two went to kill Chen Chang'an and came back injured?"

"He's nothing but a blind, useless son-in-law—how could he be so formidable?"

The eagle-clawed man swallowed the blood rising in his throat and replied weakly, "Chen Chang'an... he must have some powerful artifact on him, and he has some skill of his own. I was careless and got badly wounded!"

The manor master’s voice rose. "Wasn’t Master Fenyang with you? Doesn’t he command the Life-Reaping Technique? Surely he could kill Chen Chang'an!"

The eagle-clawed man sighed. "He... could have killed him, but then Cao Wu appeared."

The manor master was astonished. "If Cao Wu intervened, how did you even escape?"

The eagle-clawed man recalled the scene. "Yes, if it had been just Cao Wu, we’d be dead. But at the critical moment, a mysterious person appeared and saved us. From what I observed, he seems closely connected to Master Fenyang."

"Oh?" The manor master sounded intrigued.

The eagle-clawed man nodded. "Yes, I think he came specifically for him, and just happened to take me along."

He hesitated, then asked, "My lord, I’m curious—how did you come to know this Master Fenyang? Though he works with us, I always feel he has his own agenda."

The manor master set down his cup. "Of course he has his own motives. He’s just a pawn. But I never expected someone behind him strong enough to rival Cao Wu."

"Then... what should we do next?" The eagle-clawed man bent slightly.

The manor master gazed into the endless night outside. "You go and rest. For now, watch and wait. I’ll let you know when there’s a plan."

"Yes, sir!"

The eagle-clawed man bowed, clutching his wounds as he retreated. At the door, he paused. "Oh, one more thing, my lord. Chen Chang'an carries a Black Garbed Token from Cao Wu. She may be thinking of bringing him into the Guards."

"He’s ruined our plans twice. If he does join, he’ll be a real obstacle."

At this, the manor master frowned but waved for silence. Taking the hint, the eagle-clawed man withdrew. Once his battered subordinate had gone, the manor master took out a sheet of paper and wrote: "Should Chen Chang'an seek to join the Garbed Guards—kill him!"

He sealed the message, summoned a white pigeon with a whistle, tied the note to its leg, and sent it off into the night.

...

Midnight. A brilliant moon hung high, its silvery light draping the tall building at the end of the alley. In a second-story room, Chen Chang'an opened his eyes, enduring the pounding pain in his skull. He patted his chest, then turned his stiff neck, only to be startled to find Su Wanqiu lying beside him.

"What the hell!" he yelped, leaping from the bed. As he turned, he saw Cao Wu, dressed in fitted white, her ponytail hanging down her back. Only then did he recall that at the moment between life and death, it was she who had saved him.

Bowing respectfully, Chen Chang'an spoke earnestly. "Thank you, Lord Cao, for saving my life."

Cao Wu turned and allowed the faintest trace of a smile to touch her lips. "I wouldn’t call it saving your life. At most, you have fifteen days left—half a month."

"Wha... what?" Chen Chang'an's knees went weak, his teeth chattering in shock. "Half... half a month?"