Chapter Fifteen: The Dagger Revealed (Part Two)

“Is the Commander drunk? Why is he starting to speak nonsense?” Su Qing tried to maintain his composure, his tone deliberately calm, betraying no tension.

Those who had just pretended to be drunk and slumped over the table now “awoke,” standing behind Hua Wenkai.

Suddenly, Hua Wenkai let out a sharp laugh. “Heh, is Marshal Su frightened?” His gaze was full of mocking amusement. “The illustrious Marshal of the Western Garrison, Su Qing, afraid of a nobody like me? Just half a month ago, didn't you say, right in front of me, what you wanted to do to me?”

Feigning contemplation, then as if enlightened, Hua Wenkai declared, “Oh! That's right—tear me apart! Marshal Su, one mustn’t forget the words they've spoken!”

As he said this, the cold light in his eyes intensifed, a formidable aura of malice almost tangible, rushing straight toward Su Qing. The entire second floor of the relay station seemed on the verge of collapse, everything within shaking violently as if an earthquake had struck.

“Hah!” Su Qing crossed his arms to shield his chest. He hadn’t brought any weapons, since an audience with the Emperor would never allow them.

A sudden crash rang out, and the second floor exploded apart. Dozens of elite Embroidered Guard landed firmly before a single man, forming a tight protective circle.

A violet gleam flashed in Hua Wenkai’s pupils, as if piercing through the thick fog to see within. He folded his arms across his chest, watching the figure in the mist with relish. “You know, for this assassination, I brought the fifty best men from my Embroidered Guard. They're here to see you off. What do you think? I’m quite considerate, aren’t I?”

“Hua Wenkai! I’ll kill you!” A furious roar echoed from the mist, the soundwaves crashing violently into Hua Wenkai and his men.

The sudden assault left the Embroidered Guard reeling; some couldn’t shield themselves in time, blood streaming from ears and noses. As the smoke cleared, a half-naked, muscle-bound giant appeared before them.

“Marshal Su truly is a once-in-a-century martial prodigy. Even the Shaolin Lion’s Roar technique—impressive! You’ve reached seventy or eighty percent mastery, I’d say.” Hua Wenkai’s insight was sharp, immediately discerning the origin of Su Qing’s skill.

Stealing martial arts was among the greatest taboos in the martial world; discovery usually meant destruction of one's skills, or even death. But such rules applied only to those who hadn’t mastered their art. For someone like Su Qing, a peak master and the Western Prince, no sect dared provoke him. It was already a blessing if he didn’t trouble others.

Hua Wenkai’s lips curled into a lazy smile. “Since that's the case, let me spar with you, Marshal Su. These old bones haven’t seen action for decades.”

Before his words finished, a shadow streaked through the crowd, appearing before Su Qing. With a muffled boom, Su Qing was sent flying, smashing through massive trees as if they were paper, only stopping after twenty or thirty yards.

Landing, Su Qing clutched his chest, quickly pressing several acupoints to stem the bleeding. But the blood seeping from his lips betrayed the severity of his injury.

Recalling Hua Wenkai’s attack, Su Qing hadn’t even truly seen the blow coming. He’d instinctively shielded his chest, lucky to be wearing the bracers gifted by Yu Nianci years ago. Without them, surviving that strike might have been impossible.

From afar, Hua Wenkai brushed dust from his shoulder, eyeing Su Qing’s bracers with interest. “Who would have thought the talented woman of Dayan Sect had skill in crafting as well? I underestimated your wife.” With that, he prepared to kill Su Qing.

Seeing this, Su Qing knew he couldn’t match him. He warned, “If you strike me on the road, aren’t you afraid the Emperor will investigate?”

Hua Wenkai laughed. “I thought you were clever, but you’re simply foolish. Can’t you see? Me acting here is by imperial command. Ridiculous that you still try to use the Emperor as a shield against me.”

“Does the Emperor not fear that my death will cause rebellion at Xiguan, and the Su household to revolt?”

Su Qing attempted to play his final card to shift the balance.

But Hua Wenkai’s meaningful smile already gave him the answer.

He trembled, voice weak, “Cheng Yuyan… Is he yours as well?”

Hua Wenkai drew a folding fan from his robe, the painting of phoenixes revealed with a flick.

He waved it gently. “If I recall, it was you yourself who handed Su household’s military power to him and your godson.

I had a backup plan—if you hadn’t left Cheng Yuyan behind, I would have sent Embroidered Guard to join forces with Su Ming and wipe out the Su household. But you made it easy for me, saving me much trouble. I don’t know whether to thank you or laugh at you.”

Su Qing’s face turned pale, and after a long silence, he asked, “When did Cheng Yuyan become your man?”

“When?” Hua Wenkai’s smile deepened. “He’s always been mine! He grew up in the Embroidered Guard, never recruited mid-way. During the assassination of Yu Nianci, though that bastard child survived, it was enough.

I told him to be flexible when working in the Su household. He didn’t disappoint—killed the maid Xiao Zhao who tried to assassinate Yu Nianci, gaining your deeper trust.”

He sighed regretfully. “A pity, really. That maid had great martial talent, progressing swiftly despite her age. But for greater interests, she had to make sacrifices. Lost a promising seedling for nothing.”

Su Qing laughed coldly, then with a mournful cry to the heavens, “My lady, it was my incompetence. In the end, I couldn’t save our child!”

Rain pattered on the feathered earth, the wind swept fiercely like dense arrows. Embroidered Guards clad in iron stood silently around Su Qing, awaiting the command from that folding-fan gentleman to cut him to pieces.

But Hua Wenkai delayed, quietly watching the man with nowhere left to run.

At length, he spoke. “Su Qing, if I gave you a chance, a new identity, a place in the world… would you join my Embroidered Guard?”

Su Qing slowly lowered his head, locking eyes with Hua Wenkai. If looks could kill, Hua Wenkai would have died a thousand deaths.

He roared, “A wife’s murderer is an eternal enemy! Hua Wenkai, even if I am ground to dust, I will never serve a hypocritical, vile dog like you!”

A powerful aura erupted, clearly Su Qing’s final desperate counterattack.

Yet faced with such force, Hua Wenkai’s clothes didn’t even stir. He looked on, indifferent, his lips curled in disdain.

“Unappreciative! Then let me send you on your way, Marshal Su!”

Hua Wenkai’s invitation had only been a formality. Even had Su Qing agreed, Hua Wenkai would not have spared him.

After all, how could one work for the man who slaughtered your entire household? Hua Wenkai wasn’t foolish; he was merely provoking Su Qing further, pushing him to break psychologically—making the battle easier.

When masters clash, every move is deadly. The higher their realm, the less likely they are to lose composure, for their battles require utmost focus. If one loses control, their techniques become chaotic, acting only on instinct.

Such recklessness drastically reduces fighting power. Trading life for life is a notion for peasant brawls, not martial masters. Only those who reach the realm of victory without technique can disregard such rules.

Hua Wenkai tossed his folding fan, which snapped shut and embedded itself deep in a tree trunk behind him. He swept his sleeves back. “Guard the perimeter. Within ten miles—kill all intruders.”

“Yes, sir!”

Before the others could withdraw, Su Qing suddenly exploded into action. A long blade appeared in his hand, slashing straight at Hua Wenkai. The blade cut through the air with a searing heat; even before it struck, it made the scalp tingle.

The blade wasn’t a legendary weapon, but in Su Qing’s swift hands, it was nearly overwhelmed.

The others could only watch as the blade drew ever closer to Hua Wenkai, who remained motionless, as if lost in thought.

When the blade was three feet above his head, he “slowly” raised his left hand and, to Su Qing’s astonishment, caught the blade securely. Even the blade’s sharp aura was suppressed by his powerful energy, unable to cut a single strand of his hair.

His hand was so fair and delicate it hardly seemed a man’s, but at this moment, with five fingers, he seized the seemingly unstoppable blow.

“How… how is this possible!” Su Qing immediately released the hilt. As soon as he did, the blade was shattered by Hua Wenkai’s internal force.

He kept the pose, as if stretching leisurely, but sweat already soaked his back.

That strike had nearly been too much, likely Su Qing’s last trump card. Thankfully, he’d been cautious, holding nothing back, unleashing all his internal energy and using his cultivated protective aura. Even so, he suffered a minor internal injury, now suppressing a mouthful of blood.

Yet, Su Qing could do nothing to him. To Su Qing, Hua Wenkai seemed utterly unscathed—invincible.

Hua Wenkai held his breath, still serene. “As expected of Marshal Su. Your Wind and Fire Cloud Slash is masterful. Had I been careless, I might have fallen to your blade.”

He lowered his hand, stepped forward, each stride small yet covering the distance in only a few steps, now only yards from Su Qing. In their eyes, a few yards might as well be face-to-face.

Just as Hua Wenkai formed a claw with his right hand, ready to end Su Qing’s life, Su Qing suddenly revealed a sly smile. The hand behind his back moved, his foot pressed the ground, retreating rapidly. Hua Wenkai immediately sensed something amiss beneath his feet and sprang away.

At that instant, a thunderous explosion erupted beneath him. Within dozens of yards, the area was cleared, and where Hua Wenkai had stood, a pit five yards wide and a yard deep was blasted out.

“Cough, cough…” Though Su Qing retreated, he was still affected. With most of his internal energy spent, he hadn’t fully defended against the blast.

He’d secretly placed a thunder grenade, gifted by Yu Nianci, behind him before the relay station exploded.

Hua Wenkai had intentionally struck him far away.

While hurtling through the air, Su Qing had snatched a steel ball, shot it into the ground beneath him. The fine red wire, hair-thin and concealed by night, had gone unnoticed by Hua Wenkai—leading to his downfall.

“The Embroidered Guard will hear the explosion and return. I must leave quickly, get back to the Western camp, and plan how to counter the siege on the Su family.” Su Qing frowned, pushing himself up with both hands.

Suddenly, a shadow appeared behind him.

Su Qing’s hair stood on end; reflexively, he turned to block. A tremendous force struck his arms, followed by a piercing pain.

It was all too familiar—Su Qing was sent flying once more. But this time, his assailant wouldn’t let him go so easily.

Ten razor-sharp fingernails tore into Su Qing midair, flesh and blood showering the ground like a rain of crimson.

In mere seconds, his battered body crashed to earth. Alongside him landed a charred, barely-clothed figure—Hua Wenkai, who’d been caught by the surprise attack.

Yet Su Qing, having attained the rank of grandmaster, could survive a moment longer even after most of his body was destroyed, so long as heart and lungs remained intact.

For the first time, Hua Wenkai found himself in such a desperate state due to a trapped foe, his rage blazing, longing to tear Su Qing apart.

He stepped forward, the ground thudding, a shadow racing toward Su Qing.

Just as his bloody hands were about to end Su Qing, Su Qing whispered something, his voice faint but striking Hua Wenkai’s heart.

As Hua Wenkai tried to force an answer, Su Qing suddenly severed his own life, dying instantly.

Hua Wenkai’s anger soared, his usual composure gone. Gazing at Su Qing’s corpse, a flicker of dread appeared in his eyes.

The Embroidered Guard soon arrived, astonished by Hua Wenkai’s state.

Their commander had never suffered such humiliation before, let alone in their presence. Fearing his wrath, they shrank back.

Hua Wenkai closed his eyes, his face cold as frost. He spoke as calmly as he could, “Capture the Su family brat. He must not escape! Alive or dead—I want him found!”

As he uttered the last words, a murderous aura swept forth, stinging their faces. They dropped to one knee, replying, “We will accomplish it!”

With that, they hurried away as if fleeing a plague.

Hua Wenkai continued to glare at Su Qing, his teeth clenched, finally grinding out, “Marshal Su, you truly deserve your title! Even this you managed to discover. But don’t get complacent—if I could kill the old wolf, I’ll surely catch the cub!”