Chapter 239: Chapter 239: Chaos Arises from the Palace, A Little Bit of Kindness

"For the next few days, no matter what happens, do not leave the Cyan Yuan Pavilion."

"Unless we tell you to leave, stay within the Cyan Yuan Pavilion."

Elder Ji Feng addressed everyone from the Cyan Yuan Sect, including the Servant Disciples and Tributors.

Evidently, Elder Ji Feng and the others had sensed the approaching crisis. This was why they made such arrangements and gave this second, more solemn warning. It represented the stance of Elder Yan, Elder Ji Feng, and the other leaders.

"We shall heed the Elder’s words."

Yang Chan and the others replied in unison. They could sense the urgency from Elder Ji Feng and the rest—or more accurately, their anxiety.

The group then dispersed.

Back in his quarters, Yang Chan recalled the news from that morning. He guessed something major was about to happen in White Jade City.

This major event would likely change the situation in White Jade City, perhaps drastically.

The affairs of White Jade City felt far more complex than those in Tan City or Taiyu City. Even though he wasn’t the target this time, he would still be caught in the fallout just by being here.

Yang Chan activated his Meditation and Breath Holding Technique, forcing himself to calm down. Being in White Jade City was an unchangeable fact. All he could do was stay inside the Cyan Yuan Pavilion and keep a low profile. He could at least listen for any passing intelligence, so he wouldn’t be completely in the dark.

He glanced at his status panel. His Cultivation Techniques and Profession were all improving steadily. The only problem was his location.

To him, White Jade City had bad feng shui.

’If my luck were any good, this mess would have started after I left. Instead, I’m caught up in it, unable to leave White Jade City. Or, to be more precise, within this city, the Cyan Yuan Pavilion is already the safest place there is.’

’Sigh! Enjoying that Soft Jade Warm Fragrance really comes at a price. Next time, I should let that fellow Zhao Yi have a taste. We’ll see if he still rambles on about the Capital City’s Twelve Floors all day.’

Yang Chan pursed his lips and leaned back in his chair.

...

White Jade City was lively all year round. With no curfew, it was a paradise for many men, making it convenient to visit brothels or arrange nightly rendezvous.

Of course, certain places were off-limits, protected by soldiers on guard.

The Imperial Palace, for instance, and the residences of high-ranking officials and nobles, were all heavily guarded.

Meanwhile, at night, the Six Gates patrolled the darkness, safeguarding White Jade City. They cracked down on troublemakers and investigated serious crimes like murder.

As the common folk would say, the members of the Six Gates were all night owls.

This wasn’t meant as a jab, but as a simple description of their duties.

Thanks to the Six Gates’ protection, the nights in White Jade City were relatively peaceful. If widespread chaos did erupt, it would mean the situation was beyond their control, spelling even greater trouble.

Tonight, the Four Divine Constables of the Six Gates were out in White Jade City as usual. They had also been tasked by the Dali Temple with investigating the previous night’s incident and finding the assassins.

However, the positions of the four Divine Constables—Jin Feihua, Tie Zexin, Dongfang Hong, and Leng Xiu—were rather strange tonight. Instead of meticulously investigating, they were stationed at the four corners of the Imperial Palace, as if waiting for something.

The Four Divine Constables of the Six Gates didn’t move until the clang of close-quarters combat erupted from within the Imperial Palace. The sounds of chaos and strife quickly spread throughout the palace grounds, followed by the thick stench of blood drifting out from within.

They ordered their Six Gates subordinates to guard the four exits of the Imperial Palace, barring anyone from entry.

Numerous ministers and generals with their troops were stopped outside the Imperial Palace, forbidden from entering.

This included Kou Gui, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice—the nominal superior of the Six Gates.

Kou Gui furiously ordered the men from the Six Gates to stand down, but no one moved. They only obeyed the commands of the Four Divine Constables.

Anyone who tried to force their way through was struck down without mercy.

The atmosphere grew increasingly explosive.

...

「Inside the Cyan Yuan Pavilion.」

As Yang Chan waited for midnight to arrive so he could continue allocating points to his Cultivation, he heard a commotion from the direction of the Imperial Palace.

’Things are escalating much faster than I predicted,’ Yang Chan thought, slightly surprised.

’Then again, a swift and decisive strike is exactly how things are done in White Jade City.’

’The Crown Prince and the other Princes of the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty certainly moved quickly. The Old Emperor must be truly unpopular. But what does any of this have to do with me?’

Though he told himself he didn’t care, his senses as an Inner Master were already scanning his surroundings, wary of anyone trying to take advantage of the chaos.

He also noticed the hidden guard disciples spring into action. They appeared outside the Cyan Yuan Pavilion, clearly to prevent any faction from using the chaos as a cover to attack the Cyan Yuan Sect’s outpost.

After all, an attack on the Cyan Yuan Pavilion amidst such chaos would be difficult to investigate, and could even be used to further muddy the waters.

Seeing them deploy made Yang Chan feel a little more at ease. It was an extra layer of protection, another small measure of safety.

However, the guards stationed outside his own quarters were all converging on Yan Jinfeng’s residence. The corner of Yang Chan’s mouth twitched. They were focusing all their defensive power on Yan Jinfeng, clearly showing how important they considered him.

As for him? It seemed no one cared.

No, to be precise, one person did come over.

"Pharmacist Yang, it’s a little chaotic outside. Just stay in your room and don’t come out."

Cai Kun’s voice drifted over, but it was only a brief warning.

"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother Cai, I..."

Yang Chan felt a flicker of warmth. But just as he started to speak, he heard Cai Kun’s footsteps receding. He was clearly heading toward Elder Yan’s place as well.

’So I really was just an afterthought.’

At this, the corner of Yang Chan’s mouth twitched again.

’They really did concentrate all their defenses on Elder Yan. My warning was just a courtesy.’

Sigh.

Yang Chan sighed.

’It’s the thought that counts, I suppose. Not that there was much of it.’

He had no intention of going over there anyway. Too many people were gathered in one spot. If someone were to attack the Cyan Yuan Sect now, they would surely target the largest group. His own area was deserted. Furthermore, with his Meditation and Breath Holding Technique active, his aura was faint to the point of being almost nonexistent.

Even a passing Inner Master wouldn’t notice him unless they conducted a careful search.

’I should probably move to the next room,’ he initially thought, but then reconsidered. ’I’ve kept a low profile since arriving in White Jade City; no one should be paying attention to me. Besides, with everyone gathered at Elder Yan’s place, any attacker would head straight there, not to my quarters.’

With that thought, Yang Chan relaxed, focused on his Concealing Breath technique, blew out the candle, and sat down in a corner, melting into the darkness.

The combination of the two made his concealment even more effective.

’This isn’t like Taiyu City, where people were specifically targeting me. Here in White Jade City, I’ve never offended anyone. I’ve been the very picture of a Mr. Nice Guy. I should be perfectly safe.’