Chinese martial arts! Grandmaster

Toyotomi Hidekawa also seemed to recall the Battle of the East Sea twenty years ago.

He sighed deeply and said:

"Twenty years have passed in the blink of an eye! But in retrospect, we are lucky, at least we are still alive."

"Qianye Hui, Situ Wushang, and the others, including the 'Sword Master of Jingyun,' are all dead!"

"As long as you're alive, there's still hope! Once you're dead, you're just dust to dust, ashes to ashes, and nothing remains!"

Upon hearing this, Song Zhong picked up the teacup beside him, took a small sip, and said calmly:
"Even a genius like the 'Sword Master of Startling Clouds,' who appears only once in a century, is dead. Alas—!"

Next,
Song Zhong looked up at Toyotomi Hidekawa and said, "Toyotomi Hidekawa, you summoned me to Baiyun Mountain in Guangfu City to plot something big, did you want me to help you kill someone?"

Tokugawa Ihide stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said:
“That’s right! Mr. Song, it seems you already knew.”

Song Zhong put down his teacup and said:
"With such a strong killing intent emanating from you, anyone can tell what you're up to."

"I've killed people for fifty years and am known as the number one assassin of the Great Qian Dynasty. How could I not sense your killing intent?"

"However, I haven't killed anyone for thirty years, and I've forgotten many of the methods I used back then!"

"I no longer have the killing intent, nor the youthful vigor I once possessed!"

"Most importantly, my life potential is almost gone, and I can't kill anymore!"

"Are you looking for the wrong person?"

When he said 'murder,' it was as if he were talking about a noble profession, a supreme art.

That's right,

For him, killing was indeed a proud career.

Because his name was 'Song Zhong'!
Before becoming the leader of the Brotherhood, Song Zhong was known as the number one assassin of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Countless powerful individuals have died by his sword.

He was a figure who could make any powerful person lose sleep and feel terrified at the mere mention of his name.

"No! We know your strength!"

Tokugawa Hideaki, the chief military attaché of the Eastern Empire, took a deep breath and said:
"Master Song, the reason you sheathed your sword and stopped attacking back then was because there was no one worth your effort!"

But things are different now!

Song Zhong's eyes turned cold, emitting a sinister light, and he said calmly, "Oh? Tell me about it."

"Your life potential is nearing its end, but the person who can change your destiny has already appeared!"

Toyotomi Hidekawa was silent for a moment, then said in a deep voice:
"We are all old and frail, with little time left. If we want to defy fate, the only way is to absorb the life force of young and powerful individuals through a secret method to enhance our life potential!"

"The essence blood of ordinary young powerhouses is of no use to powerhouses of our level!"

"But this person is completely different. He is very young, and his combat power is comparable to that of a 'god-proof'! If we can kill him, the power of his essence and blood will be enough to extend our lifespan by thirty years."

"Of course, even if we don't kill him, dying at the hands of such a prodigy would make our lives worthwhile!"

Toyotomi Hidekawa spoke very slowly, each word ringing out with force.

Something like Song Zhong can't move him.

Money, beautiful women, power—!
Nothing held any appeal for him.

To get him to take action, you have to cater to his desires—lifespan!
really,

Upon hearing this, Song Zhong's eyes lit up, and he said in a deep voice:
"Toyotomi Hidekawa, after all this talk, you want me to help you kill the leader of the Ximen Hall of the Great Qian Dynasty—'Prince Qian' Chen Jie, right?"

"This person is indeed a prodigy. At such a young age, he was able to kill Qianye Hui and Situ Wushang and become the most powerful person in the Great Qian Dynasty."

"However, he has already taken control of the two inner palaces, and behind him is a million-strong army of Ximen Hall."

"This man has already established his momentum. He is favored by the 'great trend of the world' of the Great Qian Dynasty and protected by 'divine mandate'. I alone cannot kill him!"

Upon hearing Toyotomi Hidekawa's tone, he understood that the person the other party wanted him to kill was Chen Jie, the "King Qian" of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Only the Qianwang Chen Jie could inspire such fear in the Japanese.

All the top martial arts masters of the East have arrived, except for Miyamoto Musashi, the greatest swordsman of the East!
This is tantamount to a full-scale war between Japanese martial arts and Daqian martial arts.

Once Prince Qian, Chen Jie, is killed, the Great Qian Dynasty's "great fortune" will be interrupted and plundered by the Eastern Empire.

but,

If Prince Qian, Chen Jie, survives this assassination attempt, it will mean the complete collapse of Japanese martial arts.

Even if Miyamoto Musashi, the greatest swordsman in the East, were still alive, he could not save the East Empire from its declining fortunes!
"It would indeed be very difficult to succeed in an assassination relying solely on the strength of our major Japanese families!"

Toyotomi Hidekawa sighed and said:

"I, Tokugawa Hide, and Fujiwara Yasuyasu will make a move, but unfortunately, Chiba Teru is already dead, and the Ninja Sect lineage is completely destroyed."

"In addition, Wuyin Changkong has also passed away. Otherwise, with the two of them together, our chances of success would be much greater!"

"The martial arts lineage of the younger generation in Japanese martial arts is currently facing a shortage of successors; for more than a decade, no one has broken through to the 'Indestructible Godhood' realm!"

"Other martial artists at the 'Meridian Opening and Qi Strengthening' level would be no different from suicide if they tried to assassinate a powerful figure like Prince Qian, Chen Jie, without being able to withstand a single sword strike!"

Toyotomi Hidekawa was filled with emotion.

The "Hidden Mist in the Sky" he mentioned was the grandmaster of the Ittō-ryū style of Aikido in Japan, who passed away at the age of 123, having reached the pinnacle of martial arts.

If Wu Yin Chang Kong survives, their chances of successfully assassinating Chen Jie in the Great Qian Dynasty will be greatly increased.

"Youth is truly an advantage! To possess combat strength comparable to a 'god-proof' expert in his early twenties, Prince Qian, Chen Jie, is a once-in-a-millennium prodigy!"

"You're right. If I can refine this person's essence and blood, not only will it extend my lifespan by thirty years, but it might even allow me to break through the shackles of martial arts and reach the realm of [Martial Saint]!"

Song finally stood up.

His voice was that of a child, but the aura he exuded gave people an extremely strong sense of pressure.

A late-stage powerhouse who has achieved godhood!
Young people have abundant physical strength, formidable fighting power, and are in a terrifying state.

In a martial arts contest, with equal combat strength, it would be almost impossible for an older person to defeat a younger person.

However, assassination is not a martial arts contest; it does not require strong physical abilities or a peak physical condition.

The real kill only takes one move!
A burst of power, a single, fatal blow!

In terms of assassination skills and on-the-spot performance, Song Zhong was far superior to anyone else.

He was a former assassin, possessing countless methods of killing.

At his age, he no longer cares about the general trend of the world or the greater national cause.

If one could extend one's lifespan, or even break through to the [Martial Saint] realm, shatter the void, and step into the supreme realm of martial arts.

Then,

I would rather betray the world than let the world betray me!
So far,

The three major powers of the East and Song, the leader of the Brotherhood, finally reached an agreement and mobilized all their forces to discuss the plan to assassinate Prince Qian, Chen Jie.

At the same time, all four of them were prepared to die.

This was an assassination attempt with no way out; if you wanted to take action, you had to cut off your own escape route.

Because once you reach the level of 'seeing gods without being harmed,' you can clearly see the terrifying power of your opponent.

Even if the four of them joined forces and unleashed their strongest killing moves, they still wouldn't be able to kill Prince Qian, Chen Jie.

Then,

None of the four of them will have any chance of leaving alive!
This is a high-stakes gamble!
-

Just as the Japanese Toyotomi Hidekawa gathered a group of top Japanese experts and Song Zhong of the Goro Association to plan an assassination operation codenamed 'Destroy the Qianlong Emperor'.

Ximentang's powerful intelligence capabilities have already detected some clues.

The intelligence agency of the Qianbu had already been stationed in Guangfu City.

Furthermore, Ximen Tang's "Heavenly Slaughter Group" had already gone to Guangfu City.

Therefore,
When Toyotomi Hidekawa entered Hirofu Castle, Nishimon-do's secret agents had already received the news.

When Song Zhong, the leader of the Gelaohui in Sichuan, arrived at Baiyun Mountain in Guangfu City, he attracted the attention of Ximentang's secret forces.

The Qianwang Mansion in Nanjing, southern Jiangsu.

Chen Jie has been back from western Hunan for three days.

The annihilation of Da Shanyan's army in western Hunan was very successful.

Oyama Iwa was captured alive and imprisoned in a prison in Qingzhou, Shandong, awaiting negotiations with the Japanese.

Generals including Takeo Sakata, Asahi Yagyu, and Fumikane Kishibe were imprisoned.

After the Kwantung Army, which had infiltrated the Hanzhong region, was completely annihilated, the situation in the central part of the Daqian Dynasty finally stabilized.

Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, has surrendered, and the entire military power of the Shu army has been brought under the command of Ximen Tang.

Next up are the Northwest Army under Prince Ning, Li Mu, and the Guangxi Army in western Guangxi!
The regional princes dared not make any further rash moves, and Ximentang's power had firmly established itself in the central region of Daqian.

Wherever the army marches, none can stop it!

Anyone who dares to jump around at this time will suffer a terrible fate.

Before leaving Hanzhong, Chen Jie ordered Ximentang's Ninth Army to be stationed in Wuchang, Hanyang, and Hankou, and began a continuous expansion of the army.
He led the heavy equipment brigade and special operations brigade back to Nanjing.

In the morning,
He spent time with Li Lingyue and his eighth sister in the afternoons, living a very comfortable life.

Eighth Sister's due date is fast approaching!

During this time, Li Lingyue and Aunt Thirteen became increasingly impatient, wishing they could be with him every day.

There was no way they weren't worried, their bellies hadn't shown any signs of labor.

On the contrary, Chunlan, the head of the four attendants who had only shared a bed with Chen Jie a few times, was two months pregnant.

Li Lingyue was extremely depressed and spent all her time brewing herbal soups, searching for secret recipes, and even summoning the imperial physicians from the capital.

A mother's status depends on her son.

Although she was a princess of the Great Qian Dynasty, she knew better than anyone else.

If she doesn't conceive a child for the Chen family soon, her future position will be very difficult to secure.

When the eighth sister became pregnant first, she felt a lot of pressure, but not so urgent.

but,

When Chunlan also became pregnant, she became extremely anxious.

The same situation applies to Aunt Thirteen, Ji Yunsha, who is several years older than Chen Jie and is more anxious than anyone else.

However, whether or not you can get pregnant has little to do with how many times you've been together.

It's a matter of probability, and Chen Jie doesn't have any good solutions.

in the evening,
He returned to his room in the Qianwang Mansion to rest, where he was stopped by his thirteenth aunt.

“Junior brother, recently, Toyotomi Hidekawa, a top master of Japanese martial arts, has gathered a group of Japanese masters and secretly contacted the Gelaohui in Sichuan.”

"Many of our Ximen Hall's businesses, including the Qianbu and the Caobang, have been secretly monitored by the Gelaohui and the Japanese."

"During this period, our undercover unit received accurate information that a large number of ninjas from the Japanese Black Dragon Society, as well as many top experts, have infiltrated Guangfu City!"

"They seem to spare no expense in cooperating with the top masters in the martial arts world of the Great Qian Dynasty, creating quite a stir."

"Based on a series of rumors circulating in the martial arts world, it's clear that these people are likely to stir up a storm in the coming period, primarily targeting Ximen Tang, or rather—your target!"

Chen Jie sat on the sofa in the room, with Aunt Thirteen nestled beside him.

The intelligence agency of Ximentang, the Underground Division, has always been managed by Aunt Thirteen.

Upon returning to Jinling this time, Aunt Thirteen was not as busy as before, but instead was extremely busy analyzing intelligence from various places.

at this time,

She became very cautious, reporting to Chen Jie on many things that had happened in the Great Qian Dynasty recently.

Although things have been outwardly very calm since Ximen Tang took over the Great Qian Dynasty.

However, undercurrents are surging beneath the surface, and a massive wave could erupt at any moment.

Although Chen Jie is the head of Ximen Hall and the 'King Qian' of the Great Qian Dynasty!
but,

He almost never managed the specific affairs of Ximentang; he was a hands-off manager who left the management to his subordinates.

He left all matters concerning the undercover unit to his thirteenth aunt to decide.

When Thirteen Aunt encounters various intelligence reports, she usually handles them herself without consulting Chen Jie.

After all, Chen Jie's image to everyone is that of a 'martial arts fanatic'!
He had virtually no time or energy to manage the intelligence department and the various affairs of the Simon Hall.

He rarely even concerned himself with matters of the imperial court.

Today, Aunt Thirteen actually reported the latest intelligence to Chen Jie, which shows that things have gotten out of Aunt Thirteen's control.

"Song Zhong of the Brotherhood is actually cooperating with the Japanese?"

After listening to Aunt Thirteen's report, Chen Jie frowned slightly.

But soon, he smiled and said:

"Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, has already pledged allegiance to our Ximen Hall, meaning that the Gelaohui, representing the land of Sichuan, has no place to stand."

"If they don't want to submit to our Ximen Hall, do they want to expand overseas, leave Daqian, and seek refuge with the Japanese?"

"Our Ximen Hall's businesses have spread throughout the Great Qian Dynasty. With such a large presence, we're bound to attract attention. It's not just the Japanese who want to sabotage us; the local lords are also keeping a close eye on us, aren't they?"

"This time, the 300,000-strong Kwantung Army under Oyama Iwao has been wiped out. It is estimated that the Russians, the Japanese, Guan Qilin, Prince Ning Li Mu and others will begin to reassess the situation."

"It's not surprising that the Japanese have infiltrated Guangfu City, likely in cooperation with Ninth Prince Li Hongyu!"

He survived several assassination attempts by Japanese.

As his martial arts skills grew stronger, he became indifferent to the assassinations by the Japanese.

Back in Xiangxi, he sensed that someone was watching him in Yongming Ridge and thought that the other party would try to assassinate him. He was just about to test his suddenly increased combat power.

but,

After Ximen Tang annihilated the Kwantung Army under Oyama Iwao and captured Oyama Iwao and the generals of the Kwantung Army alive.

The powerful aura that had been sensed suddenly vanished.

Now, after hearing Aunt Thirteen's report, Chen Jie didn't pay much attention to Toyotomi Hidekawa's appearance.

there is always a solution to a problem!

With his current strength and the Refinement of Spirit realm, he has enough confidence to face any challenge.

"No! Junior brother, I feel like something's not right this time!"

A hint of worry appeared on Aunt Thirteen's face. She took a deep breath and said:
"Since Ximentang swept through eastern Zhejiang, the number of Black Dragon Society's intelligence personnel and ninjas has decreased significantly in the Great Qian Dynasty."

"Originally, after you led the army to recover Hanzhong and Hunan, the Japanese intelligence personnel should have been even fewer."

"After arriving in Daqian this time, Toyotomi Hidekawa has been acting mysteriously, and he has brought with him a group of top masters of Japanese martial arts!"

"According to the intelligence we have received, the Iga and Koga factions of the Eastern Ninja Sect have sent at least three hundred Ninja Sect assassins to Daqian."

"Their behavior recently has been very abnormal!"

"If it were just the Kwantung Army stationed in the Northeast and the Russian Allied Army cooperating to launch a general offensive against the Daqian Dynasty, these people should be concentrated in the North."

"But they all appeared in the south. Since yesterday, our submarine force has lost track of them."

"Junior brother, I have a strong feeling that their target is likely you. You absolutely cannot get hurt!" (End of this chapter)