xymnovel Chapter 8 Nighttime Intrusion into the General's Mansion
Chapter 8 Nighttime Intrusion into the General's Mansion
As night deepened, the general's mansion fell silent.
Xia Bing stood on the old locust tree outside the mansion, her gaze sweeping over the layout of the mansion.
The general's mansion covered a vast area, with pavilions and towers arranged in a well-organized manner. Armored soldiers patrolled the area every fifteen minutes, maintaining tight security.
But in his eyes, these were all meaningless.
He unleashed his "Ascension to Immortality" technique, his figure as elusive as a ghost, silently descending into the mansion.
Without alerting any guards, he had already arrived at Zhao Heng's courtyard.
The light was still on in Zhao Heng's room.
Xia Bing pushed open the door and entered.
Zhao Heng was sitting at his desk drinking tea when he saw Xia Bing. His pupils contracted sharply, and he dropped his teacup, shattering it on the ground.
"You—how did you get in?!"
Xia Bing did not answer, but walked to sit opposite him, her expression calm.
"Young Master Zhao, let's have a talk."
Zhao Heng's expression shifted several times, but he finally forced himself to remain calm: "What do you want to talk about?"
"You sent someone to spy on my mother today," Xia Bing said, looking at him. "I'll give you a chance to explain."
Zhao Heng gritted his teeth and remained silent.
"Or, you could try and see if I can raze the General's Mansion to the ground."
Zhao Heng's expression changed completely.
He knew this young man wasn't joking. A master of the Innate Realm was more than enough to roam freely in Handan City. Although the General's Mansion was powerful, the consequences of truly angering him were unimaginable.
"I...I just wanted to check on your mother's condition..." Zhao Hengqian chuckled twice, "After all, I said before that I could help find a doctor..."
"Really?" Xia Bing stood up and walked to the window. "Then what was that woman you sent carrying?"
Zhao Heng's face stiffened.
"A dagger." Xia Bing turned around. "Hidden in my sleeve, poisoned."
Zhao Heng's forehead was covered in cold sweat.
"How...how did you know...?"
"She told me," Xia Bing said calmly, "when she knelt down and begged for mercy."
Zhao Heng's face was ashen.
What do you want?
"It's simple." Xia Bing walked up to him. "First, don't send anyone near my mother again. Second, tell that Chief Secretary to shut up. Third, from now on, avoid me whenever you see me."
Zhao Heng nodded repeatedly: "Okay, okay, I promise you..."
"And another thing," Xia Bing looked at him, "if I find out you're outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.
Zhao Heng shuddered: "I...I dare not..."
Xia Bing nodded and turned to leave.
Just then, a deep voice came from outside the door.
"You have quite the nerve, breaking into the General's mansion in the dead of night and just leaving like that?"
Xia Bing paused in her steps.
A middle-aged man walked in, his demeanor calm and composed, his aura restrained—late stage of the Innate Realm!
General Zhao Mu of the State of Zhao.
Xia Bing turned around and looked at him calmly.
"General Zhao."
Zhao Mu sized up Xia Bing, a complex look flashing in his eyes.
He received word that the spies he had sent out today had been discovered. He hadn't expected the young man to be so bold as to barge directly into the general's mansion.
"You're the Xia Bing my son was talking about?"
"yes."
"Early stage of the Innate Realm, sixteen or seventeen years old," Zhao Mu exclaimed. "Your aptitude is the best I've ever seen."
Xia Bing did not respond.
Zhao Mu continued, "Did you come here today to threaten my son?"
"It's about establishing his authority," Xia Bing corrected. "He had thoughts he shouldn't have had."
Zhao Mu remained silent for a moment, then sighed.
"Heng'er is indeed a bit reckless in his actions. I will teach him a lesson for this."
Xia Bing looked at him: "General Zhao, are you saying this matter ends here?"
"That's one way to understand it," Zhao Mu nodded. "The General's Mansion won't make things difficult for you and your mother. But I have one condition."
"What are the conditions?"
"If the State of Zhao faces difficulties a year from now, you must lend a helping hand."
Xia Bing squinted.
This condition sounds fair, but it hides a secret. Once you agree, you'll owe the General's Mansion a favor.
What if I don't agree?
Zhao Mu smiled. "The General's Mansion won't make things difficult for you, but it won't protect you either. Handan City is a dangerous place; as an outsider, you'll inevitably run into trouble someday. When that happens, don't expect the General's Mansion to help you."
Xia Bing fell silent.
He knew Zhao Mu was telling the truth. The power dynamics in Handan were complex and intertwined, and the General's Mansion was just one part of it. He currently possessed the strength of the early stage of the Innate Realm, which allowed him to act with impunity, but what about later?
"Okay, I promise you."
Zhao Mu nodded in satisfaction: "It's a deal."
Xia Bing turned and left, disappearing into the night.
......
When Xia Bing got home, she pushed open the door and saw her mother still meditating.
He didn't disturb her and went straight back to his room.
Tonight's events are now considered over. Zhao Mu is a smart man; he wouldn't risk a deadly battle with a master of innate cultivation for the sake of a good-for-nothing son.
But that condition...
Xia Bing shook her head.
We'll talk about what happens a year from now. Right now, the most important thing is to improve our strength and help our mother cure her cold illness.
He closed his eyes and circulated his Sacred Heart True Qi.
The true energy within his body surged like a mighty river, repeatedly cleansing his meridians. His initial stage of the Innate Realm had just stabilized and still needed time to settle.
In his mind, the map of the treasure chest shone brightly.
There is still a silver treasure chest outside Handan City that has not been collected.
I'll pick it up tomorrow.
......
The next morning, as soon as Xia Bing got up, she saw her mother standing in the yard, her face rosy and her breathing much stronger than before.
"Mother, you've broken through?"
Xia Yufang nodded, a smile on her face: "The sixth floor."
Xia Bing breathed a sigh of relief.
The sixth level of the Bright Jade Divine Skill, with its warm jade-like radiance and perfectly contained inner energy, demonstrates that Mother's strength has already reached the first-rate level of the Acquired Realm.
More importantly, her cold symptoms will improve further.
"Mother, continue your cultivation." Xia Bing walked over. "Once you reach perfection in your cultivation, your cold ailment will be completely cured."
Xia Yufang held his hand, her eyes filled with relief.
"Bing'er, thank you for your hard work."
"It's not hard work," Xia Bing smiled. "My mother being well is the greatest reward for me."
......
In the afternoon, Xia Bing left home and headed out of the city.
The silver treasure chest mark in my mind is in a valley twenty miles west of the city.
He unleashed his "Ascension to Immortality" technique, his figure moving like lightning, covering ten miles in the blink of an eye.
The valley was overgrown with weeds and rarely visited by people.
Xia Bing sensed the location of the treasure chest and arrived at the front of a cave.
The entrance to the cave was covered by vines, and it looked like no one had been there for a long time.
He pushed aside the vines and entered the cave.
In the darkness, a silver-white treasure chest stood silently.
[Open the Silver Treasure Chest]
[Obtained: The complete version of "The Great Shift of Heaven and Earth"]
[Received: Blood Bodhi x1]
[Obtained: Xuan Tie Sword x1]
The Great Shift of Heaven and Earth!
Xia Bing's eyes lit up.
This technique can redirect an opponent's attacks, using their force against them, making it extremely powerful.
System notification: The Sacred Heart Technique has absorbed the essence of the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth, greatly enhancing the control of Sacred Heart True Qi, enabling it to deflect enemy attacks and neutralize internal force impacts.
Blood Bodhi – can enhance internal energy and cleanse the meridians.
Xuan Tie Sword – A heavy sword without an edge, its great skill lies in its simplicity.
Xia Bing swallowed the Blood Bodhi, and a surge of intense power welled up within her. Her Sacred Heart True Qi circulated wildly, absorbing the medicinal power of the Blood Bodhi.
A moment later—
System notification: Skill level increased, initial stage of innate ability stabilized.
He felt the changes within his body and nodded in satisfaction.
He picked up the Xuan Tie sword; it was heavy, weighing at least sixty jin (approximately 30 kg). An ordinary person couldn't lift it at all, but in his hands, it felt as light as a feather.
This sword will be perfect for concealing my true strength in the future.