Shangguan Jianyi was like a slippery fish, circling the bait on the hook, but refusing to bite .

The first batch of victims of a.s.sa.s.sination were not Dugu Xian or the Princess but three high-ranking military officers from Xiaoyao Lake . Just a few days ago, these people were still helping him to harbor a spy, but now they were dead .

The a.s.sa.s.sination took place before midnight, and just as the chaos was contained after much effort, another two soldiers from the Land of Fragrance were killed .

Only one set of a.s.sa.s.sina ran into the guards during their escape . Having struggled for a while, one a.s.sa.s.sin was killed on the spot . His accomplice, however, took the opportunity and managed to run away . No one came to his partner's rescue .

The Dragon King sent people to remove the dead bodies on the scene, but did not go there personally .

He chose to take no action . Chasing after a group of ordinary killers was insignificant, he wanted to go all the way up until he reached Shangguan Jianyi .

Before that, he had to bear with the misunderstandings for a while .

Around daybreak, rumors began circulating that the Dragon King was rendered helpless by a bunch of a.s.sasins . "He hid so well that even his own men couldn't find him . We, on the other hand, are worse off . The a.s.sasins from the Golden Roc Fort kill whoever they get their hands on . "

No matter what, the murderers were fewer in number and had to carefully pick their targets when faced with a huge army of 20,000 soldiers . The fear that they created, however, pervaded throughout their enemy's camp . Army deserters began to appear . To prevent soldiers from running away, the swordsmen had to patrol day and night .

Gu Shenwei sent out a large number of men to uncover the killers' nest covertly, as well as to pay close attention to the reactions of his troops . Before the soldiers' morale fell to rock bottom, he must find a proper moment to fight back . He also hoped that he would be able to ensnare Shangguan Jianyi along with the other a.s.sasins .

He faced many matters which disturbed him, the upcoming imperial wedding was among them .

The news that the Dragon King was marrying two wives at the same time gave rise to much debate . The people of Xiaoyao Lake felt that this was a little demeaning toward the princess, while the swordsmen from the Great Snow Mountain were extremely excited . They claimed that she descended from the most ancient family and her status was higher than the princess's .

To show that she was of the same standing as the princess, chief Long Xiaos.h.i.+ sent people to take Jiang out of the royal palace and arranged for her to stay in the camp of the Great Snow Mountain army .

Gu Shenwei returned back to his tent in the evening, after a busy day . Entering the tent, he found that Jiang, with a flush on her face, stood there nervously . She was too shy to utter a word .

Gu Shenwei frequently changed his quarters, but his most trusted guards came from the Great Snow Mountain . As such, his movements could not confuse the chiefs .

Jiang was a beautiful maiden . By the standards of Jade City, she may not have been slender enough, and she was also overly shy, but she was healthy and pure . There was also a liveliness behind her shyness which was seemingly inextinguishable . Such a character could only come out from the Great Snow Mountain .

"All . . . allow me serve you, Dragon King," Jiang said shyly . Her voice was too low to be heard, which seemed toput her at a loss .

"She should have known her fate much earlier on", Gu Shenwei thought, "When the old chief Long Qinying sent her here, he must have told her what to do . This is probably why she always blushed in my presence . "

"Very well," he replied . He could think of any complicated plot in an instant, but at this moment, he didn't what to do with her . "Do you have something to tell me?" he continued .

"No, no," Jiang replied, shaking her head hurriedly . "I, I'm very pleased . "

Gu Shenwei could not sense any happiness from her words . Jiang was even more simple-minded than the average swordsman from the Great Snow Mountain . It was always crystal clear when she was lying .

"Rest," he told her . He did not continue interrogating her . Right now, he had no time to worry about the matters of young women .

In the past, Jiang always slept on her own small bed when she served Dragon King . This time, however, the chiefs had either overlooked that detail or had other intentions; they had sent her to the Dragon King's tent without any other place to sleep .

Gu Shenwei walked toward the sleeping mat and Jiang unconsciously stepped back . She lowered her head and looked like a small deer caught in the claws of a lion . She was in a panic! She had already given up the idea of resisting, because she knew it wouldn't work .

Gu Shenwei picked up a bedroll from the mat and laid it out near the entrance of the tent . "Go to sleep . Don't get up if there's any sound at night," he told her . Then, he blew out the candles .

Jiang remained standing before the mat in the darkness, her breath quickened and then steadied again; she seemed to be undergoing some kind of internal struggle . After a long while, she lightly took a step toward the entrance of the tent .

After hearing Dragon King snoring, Jiang retreated back to the mat and lay down, fully clothed . She gave off a small birdlike sound; it sounded as if either a huge burden was lifted from her or she was controlling her sobs .

She soon fell asleep .

Gu Shenwei got up stealthily and left the tent . He snuck around the camp alone; placing himself in the shoes of a Golden Roc Fort a.s.sasin, choosing a target at this very moment .

Shangguan Jianyi's a.s.sa.s.sination targets seemed to be chosen randomly, but Gu Shenwei was sure that there was some pattern they were following . For example, they could avoid places with too much security or areas where there could be traps waiting for them, to lower the risks they were undertaking .

Shangguan Jianyi's a.s.sa.s.sination targets seemed to be chosen randomly, but Gu Shenwei was sure that there was some pattern they were following . For example, they could avoid places with too much security or areas where there could be traps waiting for them, to lower the risks they were undertaking .

The camp seemed to have no demarcated zones, but to a real killer, it was divided up into many different small 'lanes' . It would be safest for them to travel on these paths .

As it drew closer to midnight, Gu Shenwei found his targets . Three killers snuck into the camp along a safe path . Two of them kept watch outside while the third snuck into a tent . He came out very quickly, and then all three of them retreated immediately .

It took exactly 15 minutes before a cry came out from that tent .

Gu Shenwei did not interfere throughout the entire a.s.sa.s.sination; some sacrifices were unavoidable . This was a war between killers and victory would be won at the expense of many lives .

The three killers were followed upon leaving the camp .

Noting that the hidden scouts that he put in place were doing their job, he stealthily returned to his tent, waiting for news to reach him .

A guard attracted his attention .

When he snuck out of his tent, this man was standing sentry nearby . Now, though, two hours had pa.s.sed, yet no one took his place . This was contrary to his earlier orders .

This man was Lin Xiaoshan . He had returned recently after leading a group of soldiers to seal off the exits on the east side of Xiaoyao Lake .

He was a macheteman from the Tianshan Sect of Jade City and one of the people that the Dragon King trusted the most .

His hand was supported by his saber as he gazed deep into the dark night, unmoved by the shouts from afar . He acted like a wooden carving; seemingly having lost his ability to hear or move .

He would move his neck a little, after a while and s.h.i.+ft his gaze elsewhere at regular intervals, proving that no one had struck his acupuncture points or was under the influence of some spell .

Gu Shenwei entered his tent . Jiang was sound asleep and had not noticed his coming and going .

The next morning, Gu Shenwei led a group of guards into the city to visit the king of the Stone Kingdom .

The king was originally uninterested in the marriage, but he was slightly terrified after the a.s.sa.s.sinations occured .

The king was originally uninterested in the marriage, but he was slightly terrified after the a.s.sa.s.sinations occured .

Until now, the killings were limited to the camp outside the city, but everyone believed that the strike radius of the Golden Roc Fort would expand as time went by .

"The Dragon King's presence brightens up my small royal palace quite considerably," the king said flatteringly, obvious sarcasm dripping within his praise . These days, sarcasm was the only weapon he had .

"You should get some sun . "

Gu Shenwei thought nothing of the puppet sitting on the throne . He turned and spoke a few words to his guards, who immediately followed their orders and moved to surround the alarmed King .

The King trembled fearfully as he asked, "What, what are you doing? I am the King of Stone Kingdom, this is my country, my royal palace, my main hall, my . . . "

"The Dragon King invites you outside for some sunlight," replied Lin Xiaoshan coldly . He had been on sentry for the whole night yesterday and still volunteered to escort the Dragon King this morning .

The guards lifted the King from his chair and carried him out of the cold and dim hall . The eunuchs who were hiding in the corners began to frantically scamper away in all directions .

After checking the hall thoroughly, Gu Shenwei instructed 20 guards to remain behind .

The king stood in the shade at the front of the hall, his face turning purple . He did not know whether he should thank the Dragon King for increasing security in the palace or reprimand him for being so overbearing .

Gu Shenwei summoned Xu Yanwei to the Council Chamber of the palace . He pretended to ask her about the princess's condition, but in fact, he needed her to answer his other queries .

When military counselor Fang Wens.h.i.+ had plotted against Zhong Heng, Xu Yanwei had told him the relations.h.i.+p between Lin Xiaoshan and Jiang . When Gu Shenwei heard about it, he did not think much of it . Now he needed to know more .

"The princess is rejoicing, knowing the wedding will be held the day after tomorrow . She's trying on new dresses as we speak and is the most beautiful bride I've ever laid eyes on . You've such good taste, Dragon King . "

Gu Shenwei reminded himself that most of what she said could not be believed . "How about Jiang? Is she happy?" he asked .

"Jiang? She's with you, you should know better than I do . "

"Telling the truth is beneficial to everyone, especially you . "

Xu Yanwei's eyebrows twitched and she appeared as if she was going to rebute, but she controlled her impulses for a while and decided that it would be better for her to be truthful . "There's nothing to be happy or unhappy about with marrying someone . Once you all get married, after a while, she will naturally be happy," she replied .

"Telling the truth is beneficial to everyone, especially you . "

Xu Yanwei's eyebrows twitched and she appeared as if she was going to rebute, but she controlled her impulses for a while and decided that it would be better for her to be truthful . "There's nothing to be happy or unhappy about with marrying someone . Once you all get married, after a while, she will naturally be happy," she replied .

"I want to know about what happened between her and Lin Xiaoshan . "

Xu Yanwei regretted having mentioned it . Now she couldn't pretend to be ignorant of their relations.h.i.+p . "In fact, there's nothing much to it . It's probable that I tover thought it," she said . After pausing for a while, she seemed to have thought about something and hurriedly added, "I have to declare first that they are innocent even now . "

It depended on what that 'thing' was .

The Dragon King had left the palace over eight months . Lin Xiaoshan was left in charge of guarding the royal palace . It was inevitable for him to encounter Xu Yanwei and Jiang . During their encounters, Xu Yanwei felt that there was something a little strange between them .

Lin Xiaoshan and Jiang were both followers of the Dragon King . They met each other in Jade City, but he was overly courteous with her . Every time they met, he would greet her very formally, as if she were the real princess .

They had blushed when they met each other . It was still somewhat normal for Jiang, as she would blush in anyone's presence, but not so for Lin Xiaoshan . He would appear especially shy only in Jiang's presence and was very unlike a macheteman .

Xu Yanwei had created many opportunities for both of them to stay privately, but they always treated each other very respectfully and never crossed the line .

"How would I know that Jiang was meant to marry you, Dragon King," Xu Yanwei said, trying to explain her actions . "Before you left, you should have told me, so that I could have kept a close eye on her for you . "

It was enough for Gu Shenwei . He looked at Xu Yanwei and felt that she was still holding something . "Tell me everything you know, it's your duty," he said .

Xu Yanwei had agreed to gather intelligence for the Dragon King in the past, just as did her brother . She had not expected that all the information she collected had something to do with the women the Dragon King was involved with .

"You wouldn't kill without discretion in a fit of anger right?"

Gu Shenwei remained silent . He never made promises when it came to killing .

Xu Yanwei laughed before replying, "This is even more ridiculous . It could be that I'm jealous . Yes, I'm indeed being jealous . I don't like the way Fang Wens.h.i.+ looked at the princess . Even when we were at our most intimate and romantic, he never looked at me in that way . "

Gu Shenwei grunted . These were the two women he was going to marry . It made him even less interested in the wedding .

Shangguan Jianyi was like a slippery fish, circling the bait on the hook, but refusing to bite . The first batch of victims of a.s.sa.s.sination were not Dugu Xian or the Princess but three high-ranking military officers from Xiaoyao Lake . Just a few days ago, these people were still helping him to harbor a spy, but now they were dead . The a.s.sa.s.sination took place before midnight, and just as the chaos was contained after much effort, another two soldiers from the Land of Fragrance were killed . Only one set of a.s.sa.s.sina ran into the guards during their escape . Having struggled for a while, one a.s.sa.s.sin was killed on the spot . His accomplice, however, took the opportunity and managed to run away . No one came to his partners rescue . The Dragon King sent people to remove the dead bodies on the scene, but did not go there personally . He chose to take no action . Chasing after a group of ordinary killers was insignificant, he wanted to go all the way up until he reached Shangguan Jianyi . Before that, he had to bear with the misunderstandings for a while . Around daybreak, rumors began circulating that the Dragon King was rendered helpless by a bunch of a.s.sasins . He hid so well that even his own men couldnt find him . We, on the other hand, are worse off . The a.s.sasins from the Golden Roc Fort kill whoever they get their hands on . No matter what, the murderers were fewer in number and had to carefully pick their targets when faced with a huge army of 20,000 soldiers . The fear that they created, however, pervaded throughout their enemys camp . Army deserters began to appear . To prevent soldiers from running away, the swordsmen had to patrol day and night . Gu Shenwei sent out a large number of men to uncover the killers nest covertly, as well as to pay close attention to the reactions of his troops . Before the soldiers morale fell to rock bottom, he must find a proper moment to fight back . He also hoped that he would be able to ensnare Shangguan Jianyi along with the other a.s.sasins . He faced many matters which disturbed him, the upcoming imperial wedding was among them . The news that the Dragon King was marrying two wives at the same time gave rise to much debate . The people of Xiaoyao Lake felt that this was a little demeaning toward the princess, while the swordsmen from the Great Snow Mountain were extremely excited . They claimed that she descended from the most ancient family and her status was higher than the princesss . To show that she was of the same standing as the princess, chief Long Xiaos.h.i.+ sent people to take Jiang out of the royal palace and arranged for her to stay in the camp of the Great Snow Mountain army . Gu Shenwei returned back to his tent in the evening, after a busy day . Entering the tent, he found that Jiang, with a flush on her face, stood there nervously . She was too shy to utter a word . Gu Shenwei frequently changed his quarters, but his most trusted guards came from the Great Snow Mountain . As such, his movements could not confuse the chiefs . Jiang was a beautiful maiden . By the standards of Jade City, she may not have been slender enough, and she was also overly shy, but she was healthy and pure . There was also a liveliness behind her shyness which was seemingly inextinguishable . Such a character could only come out from the Great Snow Mountain . All . allow me serve you, Dragon King, Jiang said shyly . Her voice was too low to be heard, which seemed toput her at a loss . She should have known her fate much earlier on, Gu Shenwei thought, When the old chief Long Qinying sent her here, he must have told her what to do . This is probably why she always blushed in my presence . Very well, he replied . He could think of any complicated plot in an instant, but at this moment, he didnt what to do with her . Do you have something to tell me? he continued . No, no, Jiang replied, shaking her head hurriedly . I, Im very pleased . Gu Shenwei could not sense any happiness from her words . Jiang was even more simple-minded than the average swordsman from the Great Snow Mountain . It was always crystal clear when she was lying . Rest, he told her . He did not continue interrogating her . Right now, he had no time to worry about the matters of young women . In the past, Jiang always slept on her own small bed when she served Dragon King . This time, however, the chiefs had either overlooked that detail or had other intentions; they had sent her to the Dragon Kings tent without any other place to sleep . Gu Shenwei walked toward the sleeping mat and Jiang unconsciously stepped back . She lowered her head and looked like a small deer caught in the claws of a lion . She was in a panic! She had already given up the idea of resisting, because she knew it wouldnt work . Gu Shenwei picked up a bedroll from the mat and laid it out near the entrance of the tent . Go to sleep . Dont get up if theres any sound at night, he told her . Then, he blew out the candles . Jiang remained standing before the mat in the darkness, her breath quickened and then steadied again; she seemed to be undergoing some kind of internal struggle . After a long while, she lightly took a step toward the entrance of the tent . After hearing Dragon King snoring, Jiang retreated back to the mat and lay down, fully clothed . She gave off a small birdlike sound; it sounded as if either a huge burden was lifted from her or she was controlling her sobs . She soon fell asleep . Gu Shenwei got up stealthily and left the tent . He snuck around the camp alone; placing himself in the shoes of a Golden Roc Fort a.s.sasin, choosing a target at this very moment . Shangguan Jianyis a.s.sa.s.sination targets seemed to be chosen randomly, but Gu Shenwei was sure that there was some pattern they were following . For example, they could avoid places with too much security or areas where there could be traps waiting for them, to lower the risks they were undertaking . The camp seemed to have no demarcated zones, but to a real killer, it was divided up into many different small lanes . It would be safest for them to travel on these paths . As it drew closer to midnight, Gu Shenwei found his targets . Three killers snuck into the camp along a safe path . Two of them kept watch outside while the third snuck into a tent . He came out very quickly, and then all three of them retreated immediately . It took exactly 15 minutes before a cry came out from that tent . Gu Shenwei did not interfere throughout the entire a.s.sa.s.sination; some sacrifices were unavoidable . This was a war between killers and victory would be won at the expense of many lives . The three killers were followed upon leaving the camp . Noting that the hidden scouts that he put in place were doing their job, he stealthily returned to his tent, waiting for news to reach him . A guard attracted his attention . When he snuck out of his tent, this man was standing sentry nearby . Now, though, two hours had pa.s.sed, yet no one took his place . This was contrary to his earlier orders . This man was Lin Xiaoshan . He had returned recently after leading a group of soldiers to seal off the exits on the east side of Xiaoyao Lake . He was a macheteman from the Tianshan Sect of Jade City and one of the people that the Dragon King trusted the most . His hand was supported by his saber as he gazed deep into the dark night, unmoved by the shouts from afar . He acted like a wooden carving; seemingly having lost his ability to hear or move . He would move his neck a little, after a while and s.h.i.+ft his gaze elsewhere at regular intervals, proving that no one had struck his acupuncture points or was under the influence of some spell . Gu Shenwei entered his tent . Jiang was sound asleep and had not noticed his coming and going . The next morning, Gu Shenwei led a group of guards into the city to visit the king of the Stone Kingdom . The king was originally uninterested in the marriage, but he was slightly terrified after the a.s.sa.s.sinations occured . Until now, the killings were limited to the camp outside the city, but everyone believed that the strike radius of the Golden Roc Fort would expand as time went by . The Dragon Kings presence brightens up my small royal palace quite considerably, the king said flatteringly, obvious sarcasm dripping within his praise . These days, sarcasm was the only weapon he had . You should get some sun . Gu Shenwei thought nothing of the puppet sitting on the throne . He turned and spoke a few words to his guards, who immediately followed their orders and moved to surround the alarmed King . The King trembled fearfully as he asked, What, what are you doing? I am the King of Stone Kingdom, this is my country, my royal palace, my main hall, my . The Dragon King invites you outside for some sunlight, replied Lin Xiaoshan coldly . He had been on sentry for the whole night yesterday and still volunteered to escort the Dragon King this morning . The guards lifted the King from his chair and carried him out of the cold and dim hall . The eunuchs who were hiding in the corners began to frantically scamper away in all directions . After checking the hall thoroughly, Gu Shenwei instructed 20 guards to remain behind . The king stood in the shade at the front of the hall, his face turning purple . He did not know whether he should thank the Dragon King for increasing security in the palace or reprimand him for being so overbearing . Gu Shenwei summoned Xu Yanwei to the Council Chamber of the palace . He pretended to ask her about the princesss condition, but in fact, he needed her to answer his other queries . When military counselor Fang Wens.h.i.+ had plotted against Zhong Heng, Xu Yanwei had told him the relations.h.i.+p between Lin Xiaoshan and Jiang . When Gu Shenwei heard about it, he did not think much of it . Now he needed to know more . The princess is rejoicing, knowing the wedding will be held the day after tomorrow . Shes trying on new dresses as we speak and is the most beautiful bride Ive ever laid eyes on . Youve such good taste, Dragon King . Gu Shenwei reminded himself that most of what she said could not be believed . How about Jiang? Is she happy? he asked . Jiang? Shes with you, you should know better than I do . Telling the truth is beneficial to everyone, especially you . Xu Yanweis eyebrows twitched and she appeared as if she was going to rebute, but she controlled her impulses for a while and decided that it would be better for her to be truthful . Theres nothing to be happy or unhappy about with marrying someone . Once you all get married, after a while, she will naturally be happy, she replied . I want to know about what happened between her and Lin Xiaoshan . Xu Yanwei regretted having mentioned it . Now she couldnt pretend to be ignorant of their relations.h.i.+p . In fact, theres nothing much to it . Its probable that I tover thought it, she said . After pausing for a while, she seemed to have thought about something and hurriedly added, I have to declare first that they are innocent even now . It depended on what that thing was . The Dragon King had left the palace over eight months . Lin Xiaoshan was left in charge of guarding the royal palace . It was inevitable for him to encounter Xu Yanwei and Jiang . During their encounters, Xu Yanwei felt that there was something a little strange between them . Lin Xiaoshan and Jiang were both followers of the Dragon King . They met each other in Jade City, but he was overly courteous with her . Every time they met, he would greet her very formally, as if she were the real princess . They had blushed when they met each other . It was still somewhat normal for Jiang, as she would blush in anyones presence, but not so for Lin Xiaoshan . He would appear especially shy only in Jiangs presence and was very unlike a macheteman . Xu Yanwei had created many opportunities for both of them to stay privately, but they always treated each other very respectfully and never crossed the line . How would I know that Jiang was meant to marry you, Dragon King, Xu Yanwei said, trying to explain her actions . Before you left, you should have told me, so that I could have kept a close eye on her for you . It was enough for Gu Shenwei . He looked at Xu Yanwei and felt that she was still holding something . Tell me everything you know, its your duty, he said . Xu Yanwei had agreed to gather intelligence for the Dragon King in the past, just as did her brother . She had not expected that all the information she collected had something to do with the women the Dragon King was involved with . You wouldnt kill without discretion in a fit of anger right? Gu Shenwei remained silent . He never made promises when it came to killing . Xu Yanwei laughed before replying, This is even more ridiculous . It could be that Im jealous . Yes, Im indeed being jealous . I dont like the way Fang Wens.h.i.+ looked at the princess . Even when we were at our most intimate and romantic, he never looked at me in that way . Gu Shenwei grunted . These were the two women he was going to marry . It made him even less interested in the wedding .