Chapter 51: The Fish Has Taken the Bait
After leaving the station, the fifth prince glanced around then, in a hushed voice, asked, "What's going on?"
"Yuan Zhuang had been investigating a case lately that rubbed them the wrong way. One of the people involved is the Chief Pacifier Liu," Fang Chen said with a faint smile.
"Is the case significant?" The fifth prince's expression changed slightly. "Don't stir up trouble again. My body won’t be able to take it.”
"Don't worry, you don’t have to intervene. Just occasionally cooperate with me. You don’t have to worry about anything else," Fang Chen said.
The fifth prince revealed a strange expression and added, "Right. But let me give you a little reminder. His Majesty doesn’t really like you these days. You should be careful when doing whatever it is you plan to do.”
With that, the fifth prince hurriedly left with his men. Fang Chen then brought Xu Ge and went to the Hidden Courtyard. Before long, Tie Ma and others appeared one after another. In total, more than thirty Grand Xia Hidden Guards arrived, excluding those who were not free at the moment.
"These are Bone Tempering Pills. Take one each.” Fang Chen took out the Bone Tempering Pills and distributed them among them. Everyone looked at the pills in their hands with curiosity.
"Lord, what can they be used for?” Xu Ge asked.
Fang Chen shrugged. "I am not sure. But they’ll probably enhance your cultivation one way or the other."
Enhance their martial cultivation?
The group's spirits lifted. Even the stern Tie Ma couldn't help but stare at the pill in his hand. He thought back to the time he drove Fang Chen’s carriage to Dragon Ridge not too long ago. Fang Chen probably got them there, and there was no doubt that these pills possessed extraordinary effects!
"Xu Ge, deliver the pills to those who can’t make it today,” Fang Chen instructed.
Xu Ge nodded and swallowed the pill in his hand. After that, he noticed that everyone was staring at him curiously, causing him to frown. “What are you looking at? If you don’t eat it now and lose it, what then?”
Oh yeah!
Hearing his reminder, everyone tossed the pill into their mouth. Soon, the effects of the Bone Tempering Pills became apparent.
Fang Chen's divine soul emerged, and he carefully observed the entire process. He saw their qi and blood surging through their bodies, and their internal qi growing stronger.
Xu Ge, who was already at the peak of the Qi Detonation Stage, felt his internal qi increasing slowly until it reached the level of someone at the Qi Manipulation Stage. His expression changed as a surge of energy blasted out from him. "I've advanced to the Qi Manipulation Stage!?” He revealed a look of pleasant surprise and disbelief. With a thought, he controlled the energy around him, swirling it around his fingertips.
When Tie Ma noticed the change in Xu Ge, astonishment flashed in his eyes. His internal qi had also increased significantly. He advanced from the early Qi Manipulation Stage to the mid Qi Manipulation Stage. Normally, crossing that boundary would’ve taken him three to five years of training, but a single Bone Tempering Pill saved him all that hard work.
The others also experienced varying degrees of improvement. Some leaped from the mid of the Qi Condensation Stage to the peak, while others advanced from the peak of the Qi Condensation Stage to the Qi Detonation Stage.
In less than an hour, the overall strength of the Grand Xia Hidden Guards increased by at least two to three times.
Fang Chen retracted his divine soul into his body and showed them a smile. "How do you feel now?"
"My lord, we feel amazing! Our aptitudes were originally poor. That's why we never expected to break through the shackles of the Qi Condensation Stage! Now, we managed to stop into the Qi Detonation Stage with the help of just a single pill!"
"Many thanks for bestowing us with this divine medicine, my lord!"
The group was excited. Even Xu Ge danced in joy! Only Tie Ma remained calm, but a smile nonetheless appeared on his face, indicating his contentment.
"Xu Ge, you're not mute. Why are you gesturing around? I can't see it anyway," asked Fang Chen suddenly.
Xu Ge was slightly stunned and smiled apologetically. "My lord, I was just too excited. It feels like a dream. I never thought I would become a martial artist in the Qi Manipulation Stage one day."
"That’s just the Qi Manipulation Stage. You’re not even in the Qi Core Stage yet. Even then, you’ll still be in the Human Profound Realm. What's there to be excited about?" Fang Chen chuckled. "Look at Tie Ma; he's so calm. Learn from him."
"I can't learn that." Xu Ge rolled his eyes inwardly. Tie Ma's stoic face was a result of the trauma left by his stint as a Hidden Dragon. No one could act like him even if they wanted to!
"Right. Did Qin Dong exhibit any unusual behavior these days?” Fang Chen asked.
A hidden guard dressed as a small vendor was the one to answer. "My lord, besides attending court sessions and occasionally working at the ministry of rites, he spends most of his day in his manor. There's nothing unusual."
"What about Ye Qinghe?" Fang Chen inquired.
"He frequents the flower boats day and night with a group of young masters. The place he visits the most is the Jade Immortal Boat. Sometimes he brings some guests there. Other times, he goes alone. There are even times when he brings the crown prince over. By the way, his cultivation isn’t simple. Last time, he almost discovered us. He's likely already a Qi Detonation Stage martial artist."
"Good work." Fang Chen nodded. After a short pause, he added, "Look into why his cultivation has advanced so rapidly, especially considering his mediocre martial talent."
"Yes."
Fang Chen asked yet another question. "What about Li Huafeng? Is there anything unusual about him?”
"Li Huafeng took a trip over to the station of the Valiant Saber Guards in the Inner City."
Hearing that, Fang Chen fell into thought. "Li Huafeng, Chief Pacifier Liu, Deputy Minister Qin, and Xiao Shence... These are all suspicious individuals. We should be able to learn of the identities of the five cultivators from the Spirit Blood Sect from them...” he muttered under his breath.
Two hours later, after the reports were concluded, everyone began to leave one after the other. But before they left, Fang Chen assigned them each a new task.
Fang Chen also sent Xu Ge to deliver the Bone Tempering Pills to the remaining Grand Xia Hidden Guards.
With that, he was the only one in the Hidden Courtyard right now.
He took out the straw doll and imbued it with spiritual energy, transforming it into its middle-age human form.
"Go to the Deputy Minister Qin’s manor and convey my message...” After receiving the order, the middle-aged man turned to leave. Then, Fang Chen’s divine soul emerged and flew over to the manor as well.
*
Qin Dong had already finished the morning court session and was practicing calligraphy in his study. Whether it was due to preoccupation or irritability, he found the words he wrote unsatisfactory, and he crumbled many of his papers into balls that formed a heap at the side.
The door was pushed open with a creak.
Without lifting his head, Qin Dong said coldly, "I've said it before, don't disturb me when I'm practicing calligraphy."
The intruder ignored him, walking straight over.
Qin Dong's face jerked up to see a middle-aged man in front of him, and the anger on his face instantly vanished, replaced by a look of anxiety.
He yelled, "Have you heard? Fang Chen killed over a hundred soldiers and servants of Viscount Zhou Xiu from the Longdu Empire at the border of Grand Xia. Yuan Zhuang, who had been captured by the Valiant Saber Guards, was also rescued by him. If he traces his steps back to me, I’m as good as dead!” From the looks of it, Qin Dong knew the man.
"The Spirit Blood Sect has encountered some problems. We will withdraw from the Grand Xia Empire in the future. Take care," the middle-aged man said and left.
“How can this be...?” The blood drained from Qin Dong’s face. Without the Spirit Blood Sect’s support, his entire family would be executed if it were to be discovered what they had done.
Qin Dong stood still for a moment, then quickly ordered his subordinates to prepare a carriage. Seeing this, Fang Chen knew that the bait was taken. All he had to do was to wait for the results.
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