Embers of Sword

Chapter 575 Twenty-Four Hours (Part Twenty-One)

Jiang Qihu walked alone through the ruins of Qingyang City.

The sky was overcast, the wind howled, and the city wall of Qingyang was cleaved in two, with blood seeping from the stone ruins.

"Young Master!"

"Master Jiang!"

A sword aura shot out and landed beside Jiang Qihu.

The Jiang family members spotted the tall figure who should have been guarding the imperial city from afar.

"..."

Jiang Qihu did not respond, but continued walking silently. At this moment, the wind that swept through the ruins of Qingyang City was mixed with cries and shouts.

Jiang Qihu suddenly stopped and drew his long sword from his waist.

click!
He forcefully inserted the scabbard into a boulder over ten feet in size, using his wrist to exert force.

The boulder was pried open.

A woman's corpse lay in a crevice in the rocks. The woman was already dead... but her back was hunched over, and she seemed to be holding something in her arms.

After the boulder was pried open.

A sharp, mournful cry of a baby came from the crack.

Jiang Qihu watched this scene with a complicated expression.

"Hurry up and save people!"

"Hurry up……"

The Jiang family members nearby quickly used their magic to support the boulder and rushed forward to help.

Jiang Qihu sheathed his long sword, exhaled a long breath, and stood for a long time gazing at the shattered Qingyang City before him.

soon.

A streak of cyan light arrived beside him.

It was Elder Jiang He, who was in charge of commanding the great formation of Qingyang City.

Jiang He took out a dusty Qingzhou token and said hoarsely, "This token is usually kept by the patriarch. He just personally went into battle and handed it to me. When the demon tide attacked Qingyang City earlier, I was too busy to deal with it, so I temporarily sealed the token in my bag..."

"The supernatural power of the Eclipse Great Swamp".

Looking at the collapsed Qingyang City before him, Jiang Qihu said softly, "Within the territory of Da Chu... the Great Venerable of Eclipse has manifested."

"Yes."

Jiang He lowered his eyes: "It was done by the Chu family. Chu Xiu made a deal with the Eclipse Great Swamp and obtained an 'Eclipse Scroll' in return."

Jiang Qihu frowned slightly.

Jiang He was silent for a moment, then said, "However, the casualties in Qingyang City tonight are not too heavy... Although the great formation was broken, more than 70% of the cultivators managed to escape in time. The total number of casualties is only about a thousand."

Compared to the siege of the city by the Great Lord of Eclipse back then.

The fact that the miraculous appearance just now only caused this much damage is a stroke of good fortune amidst misfortune.

"Where's my father?"

Jiang Qihu stood silently amidst the ruins, wielding his sword.

He looked at the wounded on all sides, being helped out, and saw familiar faces from the Jiang family.

However, Jiang Lie was nowhere to be seen.

"Master of the family..."

Jiang He's voice was very slow: "When Chu Xiu used the Eclipse Scroll, the Patriarch was under the influence of divine power. He withstood the attack of the Eclipse Grandmaster."

"...?"

Jiang Qihu's heart skipped a beat, and his face turned pale.

Jiang He stopped speaking.

But the silence did not last long.

After a brief, deathly silence of two or three breaths, a low, mocking laugh echoed from the edge of the desolate ruins: "You brat, what are you thinking? Do you think I'm that easy to kill?"

Jiang Qihu turned around and saw a tall figure clad in heavy armor slowly walking towards him, supported by soldiers on both sides.

"Master, are you okay?"

Jiang He strode forward and said anxiously, "You should be resting properly, how can you wander around like this?!"

Qingyang City was destroyed by the Eclipse Divine Power.

The Jiang family's iron cavalry immediately rushed to the outskirts of the city to search for Jiang Lie's whereabouts... and then found the old man two miles away. Jiang Lie, who had withstood the full force of the Eclipse Grand Venerable's manifest attack, had his armor shattered and his "Crimson Prison" sword cracked. When the iron cavalry found him, he was lying unconscious in a crater.

Jiang He quickly sought out a doctor.

Thanks to the blessings of heaven, Jiang Lie was unharmed. This veteran general, who had fought in many battles over the years, was indeed physically robust. Despite the fierce blow, he only broke a few ribs.

but……

With such an injury, one should rest and recuperate.

At this moment, Jiang Lie not only went out for a walk, but also put on a new heavy armor.

"Alright, don't worry about me."

Jiang Lie waved his hand, indicating that the soldiers on both sides did not need to help him.

He steadied himself, slowly walked up to Jiang Qihu, and grinned.

Father and son looked at each other.

Jiang Qihu sniffed, his eyes reddening slightly.

Seeing Qingyang City cleaved in two, he thought his father... had also met with misfortune...

As the only son of the Jiang family, he knew his father's personality all too well.

When the demon tide attacks the city, Jiang Lie will definitely be at the forefront.

No matter what methods the enemy has prepared, Jiang Lie is destined to be the first to experience them.

Jiang Lie has been like this for so many years.

"All right."

Jiang Lie looked at his son, a rare look of relief in his eyes. He reached out his hand, intending to pat Jiang Qihu's head.

But now Jiang Qihu has grown up.

His outstretched hand eventually landed on his son's shoulder.

Patted it gently.

Jiang Lie raised his head and laughed heartily, "Don't worry... Take a good look, I'm fine!"

"How come everything's alright now...?"

Jiang Qihu said irritably, "You're so old, how can your body withstand so much exertion?!"

"That's nothing."

Jiang Lie grinned: "Back in the day, I've endured injuries far worse than this..."

Halfway through.

There is a dull pain in my waist.

Jiang Lie took a deep breath and swallowed the rest of his sentence.

"I am getting a bit old."

A hint of self-mockery flashed in Jiang Lie's eyes. He shook his head with a smile and comforted Jiang Lie, "But dying... isn't that easy."

"But...Dad..."

Jiang Qihu's voice was hoarse: "Qingyang City is gone."

The hour of Yin (3-5 AM) is almost over.

As the long night drew to a close, the cold wind blowing through Qingyang City carried a hint of warmth.

Those standing amidst the collapsed ruins had only bewilderment in their eyes. Just two hours ago, Qingyang City was intact; now, its streets, alleys, and buildings were completely destroyed.

The Jiang family has done everything in its power to minimize the losses.

But there are still many pitiful people... whose families were destroyed and who died overnight.

"Qingyang City still exists."

Jiang Lie remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking. His voice was incredibly firm.

"If a building collapses, it can be rebuilt."

"The dead are gone, but the living remain."

Jiang Lie silently gazed at the desolate ruins behind him… Jiang Qihu was a lucky man, never having experienced true war; Qingzhou was a peaceful land. But he was different. Years ago, he had fought bloody battles in the northern border, witnessing countless scenes like this, far more tragic than this.

Life is the greatest miracle in the world. Qingyang City...

This ancient city, which has stood for a century, is nothing more than a collection of bluestone and bricks.

Even if the bluestone bricks and tiles are broken, they can be rebuilt.

The most important thing is that the vast majority of people in Qingyang City survived.

……

……

This attack on Qingyang City shook the entire Great Chu Dynasty.

The siege launched by Chu Xiu single-handedly was an unprecedentedly heinous event in the nearly sixty years of history of the Great Chu... In less than an hour, all the cultivators of the Chu family in Qingzhou were arrested, imprisoned in the dungeon, and awaiting their fate.

The Renshou Palace urgently dispatched an order for Jiang Qihu, the deputy commander of the Imperial City Guard in Qingzhou, to investigate the truth before Chenshi (7-9 AM).

Jiang Qihu accepted the order.

Despite being advised against it, Jiang Lie, dragging his injured body, accompanied the trial.

Half an hour later.

At the end of the noisy and chaotic Qingzhou secret prison, there was an interrogation room.

As the last direct descendant of the Chu family was detained and taken away, Jiang Qihu no longer concealed his anger. He slammed his fist on the long table, shattering the candles and spilling the flames, which then ignited the pile of weeds beside him.

"..."

Grandpa Jiang, who was accompanying him, was much calmer. Before the fire could spread, he pressed it down with his scabbard, unleashing a powerful burst of energy that sent the clump of weeds flying and turning it to ashes in the air.

"These bastards!"

Jiang Qihu's eyes were bloodshot: "Sir, you were kind enough to let them go! And this is how you repay kindness with enmity?!"

In the upheaval of Carp Tide City, Youhai Wang drowned himself in the river.

Ultimately, the power to handle this chaotic situation fell into the hands of Chen Jingxuan.

Most of the traitors who followed King Youhai in his rise to power came from the Southern Frontier. These demon cultivators were naturally all killed, and the Chu family cultivators who personally participated in the Carp Tide City Tide Festival also could not escape death. However, Chen Jingxuan left some room for maneuver regarding the "direct line of the Chu family." King Youhai was away from home for many years, and almost no direct line of the Chu family participated in this tide festival.

Chen Jingxuan could sentence these people to death.

Those who participate in treason will have their entire family (up to nine generations) executed.

From then on... the Chu family was completely wiped out. Of the two great families in Qingzhou, only the Jiang family remained.

But Chen Jingxuan did not do that.

The reason is simple: the secret agents of the Book Pavilion and the Black Scale Guards have conducted a thorough investigation. The relationship between Youhai King and the direct descendants of the Chu family has been very shallow over the years. Perhaps it is because they had been preparing for the Tide Festival for a long time... Youhai King deliberately made the direct descendants of the Chu family avoid this conflict.

Chen Jingxuan lowered the guillotine that had been raised high.

In this way, the Chu family line was preserved.

The Jiang family, with whom they had a good relationship, also avoided the infamy of "exterminating the enemy."

Unfortunately.

The guillotine will eventually fall.

Although the direct line of the Chu family has no connection with King Youhai… it doesn’t mean that this lineage is without rebellious intentions. Secret agents from the Imperial City Bureau discovered Chu Xiu’s secret orders communicating with the Demon Kingdom, as well as letters that had not yet been destroyed, within Chu Xiu’s residence. This evidence is sufficient to prove that Chu Xiu has connections with the Demon Kingdom and is an unpardonable traitor who should not have been pardoned amidst the chaos.

If Chen Jingxuan had not shown mercy during the chaos in Qingzhou, the attack on Qingyang City tonight would not have happened.

This is why Jiang Qihu was so angry.

Renshou Palace tasked him with investigating the case and finding the real culprit.

As the investigation into this case continues, the culprit has already committed suicide.

If a name is to be given to Renshou Palace.

So, this name...

It seems that it can only be Chen Jingxuan.

"call."

Jiang Qihu slammed his fist on the wooden table, releasing much of his anger.

Looking at the swirling ashes in front of him.

He noticed that his father beside him didn't seem particularly angry and remained calm.

After all.

There's really nothing to investigate or try in the Chu family's case.

No need for Chenshi (7-9 AM).

He could close the case now, but how could he report the result to Renshou Palace? He simply couldn't bring himself to say it!
"I heard... Yuan Jimu returned alive?"

Jiang Lie suddenly spoke.

The old man was toying with the Qingzhou Token in his hand.

Although he was not in the capital, he was still the most renowned general in the Northern Prefecture, and his former subordinates had all been brought into the capital by the Empress. It wouldn't be long before the old man heard everything that was happening in the capital.

"……Um."

Jiang Qihu let out a muffled sigh.

So much happened tonight. He thought about it carefully and realized it was all too coincidental, too much of a coincidence.

Yuan Jimo appeared at the Imperial City Guard.

Qingzhou was immediately attacked.

"That strike at Qujiang failed to kill him."

Jiang Qihu said, "This guy's life... is much tougher than I imagined..."

"There's no such thing as an invincible life..."

Jiang Lie said sarcastically, "This matter is really strange. If Yuan Jimu hadn't died in Qujiang, why didn't he show himself sooner?"

Jiang Qihu was taken aback.

"Don't look at me like that. Of course, I'm an exception."

Jiang Lie said irritably, "After the battle of drinking poison, which was a near-death experience... only a few of us survived, like me. We survived because of good luck. If it weren't for the 'Crimson Prison' to resist the attack from the Eclipse Grandmaster, and the protection of the spiritual treasure armor, even I would be in hell to meet the King of Hell right now."

"what do you mean?"

Jiang Qihu frowned.

"I heard that in the battle of Qujiang, Yuan Jimu was killed by the Lotus Sword Qi."

Jiang Lie tapped on the wooden table.

He has his own sources of intelligence.

"Lotus Sword Qi..."

Jiang Qihu certainly knew what this was.

The sword energy personally forged by Zhao Chunyang!

"This thing must be even more terrifying than the manifestation of the Eclipse Emperor, right?"

Recalling his near-death experience, Jiang Lie's chest still ached slightly. He chuckled softly and slowly said, "Do you really think that kid Yuan Jimu's life... is so tough that he could withstand the Lotus Sword Qi and crawl back to the Great Chu Imperial City piece by piece? I heard that this guy was chopped into eighteen pieces."

"and many more."

Jiang Qihu quickly interrupted, his expression strange: "Nobody knows about what happened in Qujiang. How did you find out?"

As the deputy head of the Imperial City Guard, he was in charge of intelligence throughout the land.

When the incident happened in Qujiang, he asked around among many people, but received no information.

"On that day, someone went to Qujiang to clean up the remains."

Jiang Lie smiled and said, "Yuan Jimu left behind a 'teleportation jade talisman.' The person who left this talisman owes Renshou Palace a favor. Upon receiving the news, they rushed over a thousand miles to rescue him, but when they arrived at Qujiang, all they found were dismembered limbs. The matter had to be left unresolved."

Jiang Qihu narrowed his eyes, cautiously guessing, "The person you're talking about... is it Wu Zhexian?"

"Ah."

Jiang Lie nodded: "This is why the expedition to the south to subdue demons was personally led by Wu Zhexian."

Jiang Qihu looked like he had just realized something.

That jade talisman signifies a favor owed by Wu Zhexian.

This sect leader of the Martial Sect was extremely sentimental. As a prized disciple cultivated by Qin Zu, he rarely went into seclusion after attaining the Yang God realm. He personally handled many trivial matters in the Great Chu Imperial City.

Because he was unable to finish things in Qujiang, he... decided to repay the remaining favors owed to Yu Fu during this campaign to vanquish demons in the south.

That’s it, that’s it!
Jiang Qihu raised an eyebrow: "Wait, how did you find out about this?"

"idiot."

Jiang Lie sighed softly and said irritably, "What do you think?"

(End of this chapter)