At this point, Su Qing had already cultivated halfway to the Mastery Level.

He felt his meridians could now handle ten Grand Circulations of Cultivation a day with no problem.

He had no idea that a single trip outside had gotten him targeted.

—

Late at night.

Su Qing was still in the middle of his Cultivation.

The faint sounds of footsteps and breathing came from outside.

Su Qing noticed them.

Then, silence.

’That’s not right.’

’It might be plausible if they were just passing by.’

’The left?’

Sensing the sound of breathing, Su Qing glanced toward the window on the left side of the house.

After a moment’s thought, Su Qing braced his feet with Spiritual Qi and launched himself forward with a single push.

He was silent, yet swift.

The cost was half of Su Qing’s Spiritual Qi, just to nullify the sound of that single push.

Without hesitation, Su Qing’s left hand formed a claw, as if to seize a Dragon. It shot through the window and clamped around the person’s neck.

"Ghk... ghk..." The man let out a faint, terrified sound.

Su Qing grabbed the man’s shoulder with his right hand and violently ripped off his other arm, which was holding a knife.

The scene was exceptionally bloody.

Su Qing used his Spiritual Qi to form a barrier, blocking the spray of blood.

The man didn’t even scream.

His eyes just bulged.

Filled with indignation.

His breathing grew ragged.

Then, he went still.

’Dead?’

Su Qing let go.

The man’s life force was gone.

His heart had stopped.

’A Death Warrior? Someone actually sent a Death Warrior to do something to me?’

’To kill me?’

Su Qing gazed down at the body on the ground.

The sound of the breaking window drew over the servant on night watch.

He was a male servant.

He knocked softly on the door.

"Young Master Su, did something happen?"

Su Qing replied, "Come around to the back window and deal with this."

Su Qing glanced at the shattered window and the frigid weather outside.

He couldn’t help but shake his head.

The blood on the ground had already begun to congeal.

The servant followed his instructions. He saw Su Qing, his expression placid, and a man in black lying in the snow. More importantly, one of the man’s arms had been torn off, leaving behind a great deal of blood.

"Please wait a moment, sir. I’ll handle it right away."

The servant was nearly scared witless by the sight.

"I’ll go get some help first."

Su Qing nodded.

A short while later.

Several more servants arrived.

Xu Ningying arrived as well.

She was wrapped in a thick robe.

"What happened?"

Xu Ningying asked, looking puzzled.

Su Qing shook his head. "I don’t know either. I haven’t interacted with a single person since I came to Shangjing."

Su Qing then turned his suspicious gaze on Xu Ningying.

Xu Ningying looked at the corpse on the ground, her expression unchanging.

"This is a Death Warrior. They’re usually raised by the powerful and have no identifying symbols."

Xu Ningying sighed. "I’ll arrange another room for you."

Su Qing nodded.

"You should investigate who is most likely to have sent someone to kill me."

Su Qing was annoyed. He hadn’t interacted with anyone since arriving in Shangjing, so why would someone send an assassin after him?

I don’t bother others if they don’t bother me.

But if someone provokes me... well, after I’ve assessed the enemy, if I can handle them, I will strike them down with the force of a thunderbolt.

And if I can’t, I’ll run. There’s always another day...

"I’ll handle it," Xu Ningying said. "I think I know who sent him."

"I will take care of this matter."

After saying this, Xu Ningying led Su Qing to another room and then silently departed.

She seemed to be lost in thought.

Xu Ningying was silent, her thoughts turning to the formal visit request from that morning.

’Could it be Qianyun Yu?’ Xu Ningying didn’t know for sure yet.

But an investigation would surely turn up some clues.

...

As for Su Qing, he was completely unaffected by the incident.

On the contrary, it only reinforced his belief that strength was the only true principle.

It was because of his strength that Su Qing had no fear of assassins; it was because of his strength that he had been able to detect the killer in the first place.

’I need to speed up my Cultivation. I hope Xu Ningying can resolve this.’

Su Qing had no mind for other matters. He only wanted to cultivate the Five Qi God Demon Technique more quickly.

Once Su Qing cultivated the Five Qi God Demon Technique to the Perfection realm, he would absolutely hunt down the person who had targeted him.

’At my current rate...’

’My limit is ten Grand Circulations a day.’

’In just five more days...’

’...reaching Minor Achievement will be no problem at all.’

’From Minor Achievement to Great Success will take 2,000 Skill Level points, which means another twenty days.’

’The main thing is, there’s still the Perfection realm after that.’

’If I keep cultivating nonstop, it will take at least two months to reach Perfection.’

’Unless my meridians are strengthened after I break through to Minor Achievement.’

’Otherwise, ten Grand Circulations a day will remain my limit.’

...

「Three days later.」

The Xu’s Trading Company had launched a direct trade war against the Qianyun Trading Company.

Caught completely off guard, the Qianyun Trading Company lost over ten thousand taels of silver in an instant.

...

「Inside the Qianyun Family estate.」

Qianyun Buseng’s brows were furrowed.

"The Third Miss of the Xu Family is here."

"Xu Ningying? What is she doing here?"

Qianyun Buseng was furious; just hearing the name Xu made him angry.

That was a loss of over ten thousand taels.

"Bring her in."

...

Xu Ningying entered.

She was just in time to see Qianyun Buseng, his brow furrowed into deep lines.

"Uncle Qianyun, the Xu and Qianyun Clans have been on good terms for generations. Why must you break the rules now?"

"You of the Xu Clan are the ones who broke the rules!"

At these words, Qianyun Buseng’s anger exploded. He roared at Xu Ningying.

His face flushed red with rage.

For the past few days, several of the family elders and members from other branches had been constantly hammering him about the issue. Now, he was taking all his frustration out on Xu Ningying.

If he hadn’t known that Xu Ningying was a practitioner of Immortal Cultivation, Qianyun Buseng might have charged forward and struck her.

Xu Ningying looked at Qianyun Buseng with an impassive gaze, her smooth face devoid of expression.

"Your eldest son tried to assassinate a distinguished guest at my residence."

"You should be thankful that I am the one here talking to you now, Uncle Qianyun."

Qianyun Buseng froze when he heard this.

’This is Qianyun Yu’s doing?’

"Are you aware that my guest is someone who can easily slay a Great Demon Fiend?"

"You should know the consequences, Uncle Qianyun. I am only giving you a kind warning."

With that, Xu Ningying turned and walked away.

Qianyun Buseng was stunned by the words "easily slay a Great Demon Fiend."

But he recovered quickly. "I’ll see Niece Xu out."

"There’s no need, Uncle Qianyun."

The thought of a Great Demon Fiend made Qianyun Buseng’s anger flare up again.

And then he thought of his own foolish son.

’Doesn’t he know to investigate his targets before trying to kill them?’

’That incompetent fool, he only knows how to screw things up!’

"Guards! Summon Qianyun Yu back here."

Someone who can easily eliminate a Great Demon Fiend is usually a high-ranking member of the Demon-Extermination Bureau.

They held more power and authority than his entire Qianyun Trading Company.

His own son was nothing but a low-level grunt in the Demon-Extermination Bureau.

The Demon-Extermination Bureau operates outside the secular world.

Its highest echelons answer to the Sects, not the Emperor.

Furthermore, upon becoming a Profound Robe Demon Exterminator, one can go directly to a Sect and become an Outer Disciple.

These facts were widely known among the upper echelons of society.

The Demon Exterminators were divided into ranks: White Robe, Silver Robe, Purple Robe, and Profound Robe.

Those who could eliminate a Great Demon Fiend were at least at the Purple Robe level. How dare his son, a mere White Robe, try to assassinate a Purple Robe?

...