Chapter 51: Ambition

A Human Life

“I remember that the Jade Palace was built by the founding emperor of the Great Sui Dynasty. This place was originally the imperial palace of the previous dynasty, but it was later burned to the ground by a large army.”

Qin Sang looked at the Eldest Princess. Seeing her nod slightly, he continued, “The Great Sui Dynasty has lasted five hundred years, with over thirty emperors. A monarch, enjoying all the glory, ultimately cannot escape a handful of yellow earth, yet the Jade Palace still stands.”

The Eldest Princess seemed to understand something. “You…”

Qin Sang impolitely interrupted the Eldest Princess, pointing to the tall black silhouette in the distance. “Look at Mount Chasheng again. It has witnessed the Jade Palace’s transition from new to old, and the destruction of the former imperial palace. Before that, there were dynasties upon dynasties, generations upon generations.”

He then pointed to the sky. “Up there, there might be immortals who witnessed Mount Chasheng rise from the seabed to the plains, growing inch by inch into this tall mountain. And perhaps one day, when Mount Chasheng collapses, that immortal won’t even bother to glance at it.”

“My ambition is great,” Qin Sang chuckled self-deprecatingly. “I want to live forever and witness immortals from birth to death.”

The Eldest Princess sighed deeply. “I understand… But have you considered what will happen to Wu Chuanzong, Zhou Ning, and Zhang Wenhui after you leave? The Crown Prince hates you to the bone. If he can’t catch you, he’ll take out his anger on them. Will they be able to endure it?”

Qin Sang turned to look at the Eldest Princess, whose eyes were sparkling.

The second day of the Lunar New Year, night.

The Marquis of Jiangzhou’s residence.

All the personal guards had been dismissed by Qin Sang. He was the only one in the residence, sitting with his eyes closed in the main hall.

The deep night was silent. A rustling sound of footsteps came from outside the residence. Qin Sang suddenly opened his eyes, picked up the satchel beside him and slung it over his shoulder, then drew a sword and walked out to slowly push open the main gate.

Torches blazed, illuminating the entire street, which was filled with elite soldiers. They had surrounded the Marquis’s residence, with countless crossbows and arrows drawn and pointed at the gate.

Seeing this scene, Qin Sang chuckled self-deprecatingly.

The tables had turned. Three years ago, he had surrounded Xuanji Temple with crossbowmen; now it was his turn.

As soon as he stepped out of the residence gate, he heard a high-pitched voice from a pale-faced, beardless man shouting, “The Marquis of Jiangzhou is a treacherous wolf, colluding with his subordinates, attempting rebellion! Now that your conspiracy has been exposed, surrender immediately! The Crown Prince has ordered that anyone who resists will be killed without mercy!”

Qin Sang was expressionless. His gaze swept over the soldiers, finding the Crown Prince.

There were four other people beside the Crown Prince.

A seductive-looking woman, leaning close to the Crown Prince, was none other than Hong Xiuniang, whose martial arts were no less than those of the White-Clothed Scholar, making her a top master in the martial arts world.

On the other side of the Crown Prince stood an old monk with a long beard that almost reached the ground, carrying a precious sword on his back. Qin Sang had seen him at Xuanji Temple; it was the patriarch of Xuanji Temple, who had used sword light to slay cultivators. He was probably over a hundred years old now.

This was for revenge.

Next to the old monk stood a scholar whom Qin Sang had never met, but he knew this person was the contemporary master of Yanlan Villa, another sacred place of martial arts in the Great Sui, and a Xiantian master.

Finally, in the darkness, there was a black-robed figure whose face seemed shrouded in shadow, as if always in the dark, never appearing in public: Black Crane, the Master of the Blood-Clothed Tower.

There were three Xiantian masters. The Crown Prince truly thought highly of him.

The Crown Prince probably felt invulnerable with so many masters protecting him. He had the soldiers part, stepped forward, and looked at Qin Sang with a smile, saying remorsefully, “General Qin, you were a commoner, yet you earned the Eldest Princess’s trust and were elevated to a marquis. What more could you be dissatisfied with? To secretly conspire with generals and attempt rebellion! Are you worthy of the Eldest Princess? Are you worthy of Father Emperor?”

Qin Sang said calmly, “What is the Crown Prince saying? This subject doesn’t understand. Since entering the Imperial City, this subject has remained in the residence, hardly leaving. How could I have colluded?”

The Crown Prince snorted coldly, “You conspired with your subordinates, and the evidence is conclusive! How dare you quibble! Black Crane, bring the criminals to me!”

To everyone’s surprise, Black Crane remained motionless and respectfully said, “Reporting to Your Highness, the Blood-Clothed Tower has not found any evidence of the Marquis of Jiangzhou’s collusion or rebellion. May Your Highness clarify whom I should bring?”

At these words, everyone was in an uproar.

The Crown Prince was startled, suddenly turning his head and staring incredulously at Black Crane. “You!”

Qin Sang feigned anger, stating firmly, “This subject, honored by the Princess’s appreciation, has served as a general in the army, always diligent and devoted, expanding the territory for our Emperor without the slightest slack. I united with the King of Zhenshui, defeated Yingnan Commandery, infiltrated Hening County, burned Wuyakou, and conquered Jiuyuan Pass. My military achievements are numerous and well-known. How many in the army can compare to me? Now, Your Highness slanders me with rebellion, yet cannot produce a shred of evidence! As the saying goes, when the birds are gone, the bow is put away; when the rabbits are dead, the hounds are cooked. Your Highness forces me to rebel, and I have no choice but to rebel.”

Before his words finished, Qin Sang shifted his foot, and his figure suddenly lunged towards the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince was greatly alarmed. “What do you want to do! Kill him, quickly, kill him!”

Black Crane’s sudden defection left everyone in shock and uncertainty.

The Master of Yanlan Villa clearly hesitated, but the old monk had old grievances with Qin Sang and did not hesitate. With a gesture of his hand, the precious sword on his back unsheathed itself with a clang and flew out.

The old monk tightly gripped the precious sword, his figure like lightning. A dazzling point of sword light at the tip of the blade, accompanied by a dragon-like hum, thrust towards Qin Sang.

Just then, a jingling sound of bells suddenly rang in the old monk’s ears. At that moment, the old monk suddenly remembered something, his face changing drastically, his eyes wide with terror as he stared at Qin Sang.

He opened his mouth as if to speak, but no words came out. Qin Sang, like a phantom, crashed into the old monk’s embrace, his hand gripping the old monk’s neck, and sharply twisted it.

*Crack!*

The old monk died instantly.

Seeing this scene, not only the Master of Yanlan Villa but even Black Crane’s eyelids twitched violently. A dignified Xiantian master was no match for Qin Sang in a single exchange.

They could not hear the bell sound and thought Qin Sang’s martial arts had transcended into the extraordinary.

The Crown Prince was even more terrified. He fiercely pushed Hong Xiuniang away, turned, and ran, while loudly shouting, “Kill him! Loose the arrows! Quickly, loose the arrows!”

Qin Sang was extremely close to the Crown Prince. The soldiers hesitated, daring not to move recklessly. Several generals looked at their commander, but saw him remain silent. Were they just going to watch the Crown Prince be captured?

With Black Crane defecting and the commander remaining silent, it was as if they were shrouded in a thick fog, causing them to waver.

Even the old monk couldn’t stop Qin Sang. Hong Xiuniang, who had just been pushed out, was pierced through the heart by Qin Sang’s sword. Qin Sang moved like a rabbit and a hawk, capturing the Crown Prince amidst thousands of soldiers in the blink of an eye.

“What do you want to do…”

The Crown Prince saw Qin Sang’s chilling gaze, his face filled with dread.

Qin Sang said coldly, “How can such a harsh and ungrateful person be a monarch! I will not be the Marquis of Jiangzhou anymore. Qin Sang vows to seek justice!”

With that, Qin Sang lifted the Crown Prince by the neck. With his other hand, he swiftly drew and extended his long sword, effortlessly impaling the Crown Prince, then, with the Crown Prince’s body, deeply thrust the sword into the gate of the Marquis’s residence.

*Puff!*

Blood gushed out, staining the night sky and shocking everyone.