The Heavenly Wandering Sword

Chapter 22

Lady Bai was quite shocked, she had always thought that her status as the head of the Purple Pavilion would prefer some deterrence. “Brother Li, are all sects then truly unreliable?” Li Jian sighed a bit to himself before answering. “Junior sister, it is not that all sects are unreliable. It is that the ultimate goal of each Sect to prove themselves the most capable and more powerful. In order to do so, resources for cultivations are needed. Martial art skills, as well as anything that can help them elevate their cultivation. The Thousand Swords are a Grade 1 Sect, the only one in Baiyang. They wish to elevate to a Grade S sect or even higher, and to do so the Hidden Elder has to reach a higher realm. They are a Grade 1 Sect now because of their Hidden Elder and the strength of their various disciples. Everyone wishes for these resources so all Sects seek them and will fight to the life or death for each item.”

She nodded before sighing to herself as well and looked over at her brother. “Brother Jing, I am sorry that you had to take on the responsibility of this.” Jing Wu Die waved his hand and sighed. “It was inevitable, the Imperial Family has always had conflict with the Sects in one way or the other.” Li Jian sent a mental message to Ling Xin. “The outer elder is coming. Take care of him.” She nodded slightly. “What does the Thousand Sword sect intend to do?” Lady Bai asked, looking at Li Jian with concern. “Kill us of course.” He answered with a slight chuckle. She paled slightly and sighed, hoping that perhaps Li Jian would be enough to keep them safe. They walked a bit deeper into the forest before Li Jian stopped. He put Princess Jing down before sending a mental message to Xiao Hu. After a few minutes the powerful white tiger bounded out from another direction. Jing Wu Die almost fell on his rear while Lady Bai just blanched. The most surprised one was Ling Xin who couldn’t help but utter a shocked gasp as the white tiger came up to Li Jian and purred the way a house pet would in front of its master.

“Lady Bai, please sit on top of Xiao Hu and watch over your sister.” The woman nodded hesitantly before climbing on, patting the tiger lightly and with great care before Li Jian set Princess Jing on the back of the tiger as well. “Xiao Hu, please bring them back to my manor. “Prince Jing, please pardon my forwardness but I believe this next part will be important for your education.” The tiger sprinted off quickly, understanding Li Jian’s intentions. Jing Wu Die was about to ask a question when the Outer Elder Ching Fu landed near them with a twisted smile on his face.

“Your Highness, please don’t blame me for being impolite but I will need to check all of your storage rings.” He said with an evil grin. Jing Wu Die sighed and looked at him. “Honoured Elder, does the Thousand Sword Sect truly not wish to give me any face?” Ching Fu chuckled slightly as he stroked his long beard. “Your Highness, it is not that the Thousand Sword sect does not wish to give you any face but that the matter is too important. The treasures inside the Sword Emperor’s tomb should not be hoarded, and should be shared especially with Sects that cooperate fully with the Imperial family.” Jing Wu Die clenched his jaws slightly while Li Jian simply nodded. “Crown Prince, do you know what it means to rule?” Li Jian asked, as if the Elder was not even there.

Ching Fu looked at Li Jian with an air of dispassionate distaste. “A simple servant with no cultivation or abilities, wants to ignore this honoured Elder? How arrogant. I had considered sparing your lives if you handed over your storage rings but I think there is no need to anymore.” Li Jian continued, ignoring what the Thousand Sword Elder was saying. “Crown Prince, to rule is to dictate your will according to what you think is best for the citizens. It also means that your will must have force to back it.” Jing Wu Die looked at him questioningly, unsure of his meaning. “Ling Xin.” Li Jian simply uttered her name and the former assassin disappeared only to appear behind the Elder with a flash. The Elder barely had time to utter a surprised shout. “Leave him alive.” Ling Xu nodded as she drew her daggers, sending both straight into the mid-spine of the Elder. With her realm so high above that of the Outer Elder, the Elder collapsed onto a heap on the ground. “Dao Chasing realm?” He gasped out as Ling Xin finally let the powers of her realm out.

The daggers disappeared just as quickly as they had come out, the outer Elder paralyzed from the chest down and unable to access his dantian. “Elder Ching, I appreciate you being a lesson for the Crown Prince.” Li Jian bowed towards him rather respectfully before walking up to him. “Crown Prince, this man is also part of the Ching family, one of the big families of Baiyang City. We can kill him here quietly and without a witness but the Thousand Sword sect had sent him here so they know that if he dies, it will have been us to do it. After that, not only will the Thousand Sword sect come after you, but so will the Ching family.”

Jing Wu Die paled slightly at those words. “That’s right Crown Prince, the Ching family is powerful, your Imperial family cannot just afford to offend us.” Li Jian held up a small crystal. “This has the power to record the events that transpired. I have recorded with its spiritual force the actions that took place.” He powered it up and the crystal glowed before shooting out a mirage that perfectly replayed what had happened up to where Ching Fu spoke about not leaving the Crown Prince alive. “Crown Prince, if this was to be presented to the Ching family while we ask for an explanation, it will send a strong message to the other families that the Imperial family does not tolerate attempted assassinations.”

Ching Fu paled slightly. “What do you intend to do? The Ching family has powerful expert, even above the Dao seeking realm.” Jing Wu Die nodded at that. “He is right, Senior. All the big families have powerful experts backing them. There are those in the Immortal Realm as well as the Ancient Immortal Realm.” Li Jian chuckled slightly. “Crown Prince, the responsibilities of being Emperor far outweigh the benefits in many instances. Do you wish to become Emperor because of the death of your father? Because this is what this road will lead to if you do not take action.” Jing Wu Die could only shake his head. In fact, he had no desire to become Emperor at all.

“The grass must be cut at its roots. The Thousand Sword Sect will be a matter for later, but for now if you wish to consolidate the rule of Baiyang City, then it means that you will have to have no opposition.” Ching Fu paled at the suggestion. “Cut at its roots? Do you even know what you are saying? No matter how strong the girl is, you cannot just take on the Ching family.” Li Jian just smiled. “Crown Prince, understand this. The reason that the Outer Elder here dares to make a move against you is because the Ching family and the Thousand Sword Sect already do not consider the Imperial family in their eyes. What will happen in the future?” Li Jian said those words but he also understood the truth of the matter. He saw a good opportunity for the future of Huaxia to have a just ruler and he was not about to let him be killed over some simple treasures. Perhaps a better developed Emperor would result in him having to be involved less.

Ching Fu was now paler as Li Jian spoke more. Just who was this unknown nobody that not only dares to speak of ending the Ching family but also of going against the Thousand Sword Sect? “Demon! You must be a demon! Crown Prince do not listen to his words, he must be a demon sent here to lead you astray.” Li Jian just frowned at the Outer Elder’s words. “Elder Ching, please do not speak of things you do not understand. Demons do not advise; they coerce and threaten.” Jing Wu Die thought carefully about what Li Jian had said. “Senior, if I understand, you are saying that these two factions are already threats to the Imperial family. No matter what we do they will become enemies and seek to usurp the power of the Imperial family?” Li Jian simply nodded. “It seems that fate has dealt me an unfortunate hand then.” The Crown Prince thought carefully about the matter. “It seems I do not have a choice. I will bring him back to the capitol as a prisoner. What will happen with my sister Jing Hong?”

Li Jian restrained the Elder with a simple sleep spell powered by his Dao force. “This will keep him asleep for five days. I will treat your sister’s injuries and then what happens afterwards will be her own choosing.” Jing Wu Die nodded in agreement. Summoning a massive spirit sword, the group of them got on with their prisoner and headed back towards Baiyang City.