Book 2 Chapter 73: Night Murmurs - Martial God

**Chapter 73: Night Murmurs** The night breeze gently whisked by, causing the grand flag atop the royal palace to flutter wildly. As it passed, the breeze swept through countless guards, gliding past unseen into the royal estate itself. No one saw it, nor could anyone sense it; what had just passed by was not merely wind, but a person—a human-shaped gust. He Yi Ming felt incredibly at ease, as if he had tasted the celestial sweetness of an Immortal Fruit, a sensation so delightful it seemed to burst forth from all 38,000 of his pores. His movements were exceedingly nimble, as if he had become one with the wind, smoothly entering this heavily guarded royal estate. Abruptly, he stopped his movements; in a secluded corner, there lay a clean stone bench. Even here, in such a hidden spot, the stone bench was spotless, wiped clean. He Yi Ming couldn't help but sigh internally, recalling the household staff at the He family estate; their standards could scarcely compare to the colleagues within these royal grounds. Gently, he sat upon the stone bench, his ears twitching slightly. This time, his ears did not enlarge exaggeratedly as before; they merely twitched lightly, akin to the subtle stretching of a person's ears when they tug at their scalp. In the early stages of training with the ability known as the “Wind Listening Ears,” true energy would stretch and elongate the ears to maximize its effect. However, upon grasping the true essence of the wind's power, everything would revert to simplicity; even when channeling energy to the ears, there would be no outward change. This marked the peak mastery of this skill. Through a moment of epiphany, He Yi Ming not only truly integrated the clouds and rain but also grasped the essence of the wind’s power. His achievements in this skill surpassed even Shui Xuan Jin, a master who had indulged in it for over a century. This level of insight was the ultimate dream of innate experts, attainable only by chance. Subtle sounds drifted into his ears—breeze, air trembling—no sound could escape. Quickly, a vivid virtual world unfurled within his mind, encompassing everything within the royal estate; he heard and "saw" it all. Standing in a courtyard was Cheng Fu, encountered earlier at the royal banquet. He gazed upwards as if pondering something profound. His expression was uncharacteristically solemn, eyes filled with perplexity, suggesting unresolved dilemmas. Despite his scrutiny of Cheng Fu’s every move, He Yi Ming felt relieved that this master hadn't detected him. Finally, understanding dawned upon him: this was the reason why, during his secretive observations of Yuan Li Xun transcribing a manuscript, Shui Xuan Jin had gone unnoticed. The ability of the "Wind Listening Ears" truly was astonishingly powerful. Nevertheless, its efficacy was limited to observational settings rather than combat situations. Unexpectedly, two figures approached side by side. In this strictly guarded royal estate, only those close to Cheng Fu could so casually get near him. Though the pair hadn’t yet spoken, He Yi Ming had already "heard" their identities from the air’s whispers. Third Prince Zhan Zhi Chao and Fifth Princess Zhan Zhi Yan of the Kai Rong Kingdom. “Master Cheng...” Zhan Zhi Yan's melodious voice rang out. Cheng Fu finally lowered his gaze to meet the princess’s lovely face, responding, “Princess, is there something you need?” Zhan Zhi Yan bowed deeply, saying, “Master Cheng, I’ve heard from the guards that you’ve been standing here since this afternoon, skipping dinner as well.” Cheng Fu chuckled softly, replying, “Thank you for your concern, Princess. I am fine.” Glancing at one another, Zhan Zhi Chao stepped forward, his respect obvious, almost adopting the demeanor of a disciple. “Master Cheng, were you contemplating enlightenment?” “No,” Cheng Fu shook his head. “Entering such a state of enlightenment is no simple task,” he sighed, raising his head abruptly, “Have you found out anything about that person?” He Yi Ming was puzzled, unsure who Cheng Fu was so concerned about, until he heard Zhan Zhi Chao declare, “Master Cheng, I’ve sent men to investigate. The one accompanying Shui Xuan Jin today is a newly emerging innate master from the Linglang County. Supposedly, he’s been an innate master for less than a year. And...” he hesitated, then skeptically added, “It seems… he might not even be twenty.” Cheng Fu’s expression turned unexpectedly intriguing, his face twitching slightly. “Who did you send? A twenty-year-old innate master might exist, but never in the Tian Luo Kingdom.” Zhan Zhi Chao’s face flushed with embarrassment. “Yes, I will send them out again to verify.” Despite He Yi Ming's youthful appearance, no one in their right mind would regard a twenty-year-old as an innate master, especially not anyone like Cheng Fu and his associates, who wouldn’t dare believe He Yi Ming achieved such status by twenty. Cheng Fu waved dismissively, “Enough, let’s not stir things up for now; attracting their attention wouldn’t be wise. Once we return, information will naturally surface.” After a moment’s hesitation, Zhan Zhi Chao agreed, “Master Cheng, you’re right. But speaking of this Master He, he reminds me of someone.” “Who?” “Master Cheng, do you recall the bandits on our Kai Rong and Tian Luo Kingdom border?” Cheng Fu snorted, “You mean those loyal dogs of the Second Prince.” “Precisely.” Zhan Zhi Chao respectfully replied, “We received intelligence last month; those bandits raided across hundreds of miles, attacking Tian Luo’s Taicang County. Somehow, they angered an innate master who reportedly killed two thousand with a single strike, including the five internal energy tenth-layer experts.” Cheng Fu was taken aback, exclaiming, “Slain two thousand with one blow? Preposterous.” Zhan Zhi Chao smiled wryly, “We thought it absurd too, but the bandits did vanish, and according to survivors, that innate master’s likeness matches this Master He.” He Yi Ming, intently eavesdropping, almost doubted his hearing. All along, he believed those marauding Taicang County bandits were merely local raiders. But according to Cheng Fu and Zhan Zhi Chao, they seemed tied to Kai Rong Kingdom, back even to being lackeys of their Second Prince. A chilling realization coursed through He Yi Ming as his blood seemed to freeze. Now he understood: why the Lin family, with its power, let the bandits be; why Tian Luo Kingdom, overseeing four counties with its resources, could not suppress them; why, even with an innate master like Shui Xuan Jin, these bandits thrived along the frontier. Behind it all loomed the shadow of Kai Rong Kingdom. His breath quickened, skin faintly flushing with warmth. Recollecting that ravaged county, the slaughtered townsfolk, a fierce, uncontainable murderous intent began seeping from the darkest recesses of his heart. “Humph, even if Tian Luo has a new protector master, Kai Rong boasts ten innate masters,” Zhan Zhi Yan’s voice came coldly, her eyes sparkling with a unique allure, uttering words that sent chills, “Brother, perhaps we should have our Great Ancestor intervene, demanding reparations for him slaying our Kai Rong soldiers.” “Don’t be absurd,” Zhan Zhi Chao burst out, exasperated. “Those fools attacked Taicang County unprovoked, breached its city walls, and besieged a family fortress—grave mistakes warranting their deaths. We’re scrambling to distance ourselves, not justify their demise.” Zhan Zhi Yan giggled, “Brother, it’s merely a pretext. From what I know, Master He has been in Tian Luo’s capital less than five days, and he isn’t an official protector master there yet.” She wore a proud smile, “Consider this: Master He was obscure until recently, suggesting his ascension to innate mastery is new. The Tian Luo Royal Family likely invited him to become their protector master. But if our Great Ancestor approached, offering him access to our royal treasury and precious gifts to join Kai Rong, do you think he might waver?” Zhan Zhi Chao fell silent immediately, unable to make decisions about things like the royal treasury or precious artifacts himself. Whether to invest such a huge cost to recruit someone barely entering innateness was also beyond his capacity to decide. Unexpectedly, Cheng Fu spoke up, “It’s worth it.” The Zhan siblings looked up simultaneously, their eyes filled with surprise, including Zhan Zhi Yan. She had suggested this mostly in jest, not expecting Master Cheng to decisively affirm its worth, which greatly surprised her. “Master Cheng, why do you say so?” With a solemn expression, Cheng Fu replied, “You said he’s not even twenty. Recruiting an under-twenty innate expert is worthwhile no matter the cost.” Zhan Zhi Chao laughed bitterly, “Master Cheng, didn’t you also say a twenty-year-old innate expert couldn’t appear in Tian Luo Kingdom?” “It’s unlikely, but his youthful appearance suggests he’s certainly under fifty. To achieve innateness under fifty is a remarkable feat,” Cheng Fu stated with certainty. The Zhan siblings exchanged quick glances, their interest piqued. They believed that if their Great Ancestor took action, He Yi Ming would undoubtedly choose Kai Rong over Tian Luo. After all, people naturally gravitate towards better prospects, and as an innate expert, he would seek greater development opportunities. However, unbeknownst to them, their conversation had prevented He Yi Ming from losing his composure. He learned from Zhan Zhi Yan’s words that Kai Rong Kingdom boasted ten protector masters, with their Great Ancestor likely far surpassing the others. Otherwise, Zhan Zhi Yan wouldn’t hold such blind confidence. Acknowledging Kai Rong’s formidable strength, He Yi Ming curbed his thoughts and suppressed his killing intent. Yet, he etched the Second Prince of Kai Rong into his memory. He was no hero; challenging an entire kingdom openly just for Taicang’s slaughtered citizens was not his course. But given the chance, he wouldn’t hesitate to cut down that Second Prince. Taking a deep breath, he began to rise from the stone bench, prepared to leave as night deepened. His epiphany tonight bore immense gains; further eavesdropping was unnecessary. However, as he turned to leave, Zhan Zhi Yan inquired again, “Master Cheng, if you weren’t contemplating enlightenment, why spend the entire evening here?” This question made He Yi Ming pause; he, too, was curious. An innate expert wouldn’t stare blankly for no reason. Cheng Fu sighed. He seemed particularly fond of Zhan Zhi Yan, so after a moment, he divulged, “Did His Majesty mention our mission here before you came?” “Our father did,” Zhan Zhi Chao half-bowed. “Father said, the Tian Luo protector Shui Xuan Jin is aging, reportedly with little time left. We were sent to verify this; if true, Tian Luo’s tributes would double. But if it's unfounded and Shui Xuan Jin is fit, Tian Luo’s tribute would decrease by ten percent as an apology.” “Correct,” Cheng Fu nodded slightly. “I confronted Shui Xuan Jin today to test him. Trading just a few moves would reveal his weakness. Unfortunately, he outmaneuvered me, ruining my plans.” Zhan Zhi Chao tensed. “Master Cheng, did you discern his condition from today’s banquet?” Cheng Fu’s expression grew more grave. “Though I didn’t attack further, I observed Shui Xuan Jin seems genuinely ailing, confirming those rumors.” Zhan Zhi Chao’s eyes lit up. “Excellent. Over the past century, Tian Luo expanded from one domain to four. If Shui Xuan Jin passes, their power will surely wane.” Yet Cheng Fu shook his head slightly. “I thought the same initially, but…” He paused, somberly continuing, “This afternoon, from that direction surged a tremendous energy, so overwhelming that even I paled in comparison.” The Zhan siblings’ faces changed dramatically, Zhan Zhi Yan gasped, “Master Cheng, does this mean the rumor…” Cheng Fu smiled wryly. “With such strength, the rumor naturally collapses.” Blinking twice, Zhan Zhi Yan ventured, “Why would Master Shui Xuan Jin do this? Could he have discerned our purpose?” Cheng Fu sneered lightly, “No, he hasn’t guessed anything. It’s Shui Xuan Jin flaunting his power, responding to my provocation today.” He Yi Ming nearly stumbled back onto the stone bench, astounded by such sensitivity. The siblings exchanged looks, Zhan Zhi Yan queried softly, “Master Cheng, could this force be from another innate expert?” “Impossible,” Cheng Fu declared. “I sensed the wind’s power—few in the northwest wield it, Shui Xuan Jin being one. As for the master you mention, his youthful appearance indicates he recently attained innateness—stirring such force requires over twenty years of cultivation, even with enlightenment,” he coldly responded. “If your intel stated he's been innate for two decades, it’s plausible, but barely entering innateness makes it impossible.” Indeed, a typical innate expert couldn’t conjure such force within a year of their attainment. However, He Yi Ming had entered states of enlightenment repeatedly within this brief period, achieving results beyond reason. Zhan Zhi Chao nodded slightly. “Master Cheng, if Shui Xuan Jin did this, what shall we do?” “What shall we do?” Cheng Fu scoffed, “He’s thrown down the gauntlet; I won’t back down. We’ll rest seven days; during Tian Luo’s royal hunt, I’ll challenge their protector master.” His hands rose, a faint red glow forming, his voice brimming with confidence. “With the Emperor’s tribute on the line, I’ll see if Shui Xuan Jin’s wind mastery surpasses the fire enlightenment I’ve grasped.” The Zhan siblings shared fervent looks, fists clenched, brimming with belief in Cheng Fu’s eventual victory. From afar, He Yi Ming gazed skyward, realizing some events eluded his control.