My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion-Chapter 72 - 57 Unimaginably Good

"He wants to investigate the Grand Secretary Case? Who gave him the audacity of a bear and the nerve of a leopard?!"

Within the Prince Mansion of Jing, the Prince’s expression was as dark as water.

Grand Secretary Huang’s eyes looked at his nose and his nose at his heart, unmoved.

Seeing the Prince of Jing agitated and restless, Grand Secretary Xu continuously tried to persuade him:

"Your Highness, if he wants to investigate, there must be someone backing him to do so."

The Prince of Jing countered:

"Grand Secretary Xu, then tell me who is backing him? It can’t be the Lin Party. Grand Secretary Lin wasn’t clean back then either; he ascended to the position of Grand Secretary by betraying Zhang Xiangguo... So who else could it be, unless..."

Grand Secretary Xu uttered five words,

"It is Her Majesty the Empress Dowager."

The Prince of Jing turned pale, losing his composure:

"She’s gone mad! That woman of the An family has gone mad! Where does she place the Heavenly Family’s dignity?! No, she doesn’t even have royal heirs, she isn’t even truly part of the Heavenly Family!"

The late Empress ceased in the nineteenth year of Celebration and Prosperity. The following year, Lady An entered the Heavenly Family as Empress. At that time, the late Emperor sought longevity through Taoism, and thus there were rumors that despite their grand wedding, Lady An never consummated the marriage with the late Emperor, and she remained childless.

Ordinarily, even within the Prince Mansion, the Prince of Jing would never utter such reckless words, for they involved the dignity of the Heavenly Family. Yet, the Grand Secretary Case had vast implications, throwing him entirely off balance.

Grand Secretary Xu repeatedly tried to persuade:

"Your Highness, when the late Emperor was reigning, he explicitly promised to protect your safety for life. Presumably, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager would also consider the dignity of the Heavenly Family. Monarchs do not speak lightly."

The Prince of Jing paused for a moment, then suddenly erupted:

"Grand Secretary Xu, ’Monarchs do not speak lightly’ is the greatest lie of all!"

Such insolent words from the Prince of Jing shook the entire hall, even Grand Secretary Xu was momentarily stunned, not expecting the normally refined Prince of Jing to lose composure so dramatically.

At this point, Grand Secretary Huang finally spoke:

"It seems... Grand Secretary Xu is unaware of certain matters."

Grand Secretary Xu furrowed his brow, questioning: "What matters?"

Grand Secretary Huang glanced at the Prince of Jing. The latter exhaled heavily twice, forcing himself to regain some composure, and said:

"Grand Secretary Xu is one of us; speak without concern."

Grand Secretary Huang then spoke:

"In the twenty-sixth year of Celebration and Prosperity, the late Empress Dowager prayed at Chunbo Temple for the peace of Great Yu and its people, but due to illness, she passed away there. The late Emperor mourned deeply, cried for three days, and observed mourning for three years."

Grand Secretary Xu nodded in acknowledgment, replying:

"I am aware of this."

"But Grand Secretary, you do not know why the late Empress Dowager chose to pray at Chunbo Temple. She originally had another choice, but... it was at the pitch of His Highness that she went to Chunbo Temple."

Grand Secretary Huang, as he spoke, carefully observed the Prince of Jing’s expression.

Upon hearing this, Grand Secretary Xu was thoroughly shocked; he instantly understood why the Prince of Jing would lose composure to this extent.

The late Empress Dowager’s passing at Chunbo Temple had an inseparable connection to the Prince of Jing. Thinking further, was it not the Prince of Jing who ultimately orchestrated her demise?!

"If the Grand Secretary Case is reopened, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager will surely strip His Highness of titles and rank, reducing him to a mere commoner. The Grand Secretary Case, no longer implicating the late Emperor nor the Heavenly Family, will inevitably bring disaster upon His Highness, who has been stripped of nobility!"

Hearing this, even the always composed Grand Secretary Xu grew anxious and asked:

"What now... Does His Highness have a decision?"

The Prince of Jing swallowed hard, his eyes sharp like an eagle’s as he said:

"Act swiftly. If Chen Qianhu is intent on suspending his sword to slay the flood dragon, then let him. But act during that moment; any later, and there will be no chance."

......

Rumble.

Thunder rolled across the heavens.

In this world, flood dragons must live bound to water; they travel rivers to transform into dragons or traverse seas. It is always tied to water. On the broad northern waterways near the Capital City, stood a grand bridge beneath which the Dragon Slayer Sword had countless cracks and was on the brink of collapse.

A modest-sized wooden boat appeared on the waterway. A lamp was lit within, and at the prow stood only Chen Yi. He wore a blade at his waist and carried a Peach Wood Sword on his back, gazing distantly over the rain-drenched waterway. Over recent days, the water had risen several feet, even spilling over onto the banks.

Chen Yi took a deep breath, lifting his head to gaze at the sky. The rain after the Start of Winter was especially chilling, nearly penetrating to the bone. Amid the thunder, the waters surged violently, and glancing down, there were no longer any shadows of fish within the waters.

The water’s surface showed hints of calm, but it was merely the tranquility before a storm.

During this moment of serenity, on the vast and previously empty river, at some point several smaller boats began to drift from afar.

Chen Yi gently placed a hand on the knife hilt and counted the boats on the river. Not too many, not too few—three in total. Judging from their aura, all were fifth-grade martial artists; there were no fourth-grade ones. Could it be that the Prince Mansion of Jing could not afford to hire fourth-grade warriors? Or were they lurking in darkness, waiting for their chance?

Chen Yi merely chuckled.

As the small boats neared his wooden vessel, the water grew increasingly turbulent. The Dragon Slayer Sword beneath the bridge swayed wildly in the wind, as if about to shatter, with the evil flood dragon on the verge of breaking free.

Its origin hailed from the lineage of Suo Jieluo Dragon King, protector to the Thousand-Arm Guanyin. Within the water, faint Buddhist chants echoed—no wonder Feiyuan True Man was helpless against it. The evil flood dragon protected itself with Buddhist Law, defying the suppression of Taoist Skill.

Amid the storm-like drumbeats of thunder, the first of three small boats reached the wooden vessel’s side, and Huang Liuqing leapt onto the deck with his blade in hand. frёewebηovel.cѳm

"Long time no see,"

Chen Yi said.

"Your final move last time certainly broadened my horizons."

Huang Liuqing grinned, recalling the alley’s deadly duel from that day.

"But this time, you won’t be able to use that trump card. Right now, you’re stranded on a lone boat. If you want to flee without your blade, would you perhaps practice Daruma’s method of crossing the river on a single reed?"

"Once used, a move ceases to be a trump card."

Chen Yi shook his head and replied,

"I’ve learned something even better."

Huang Liuqing’s demeanor sobered slightly upon hearing this. Then he gestured toward the two boats slowly approaching in the distance.

"In the martial arts world, honor matters,

Today’s battle sees you fighting with your back against the water. Until you kill me, or I kill you, they won’t step onto the boat."

"Truly?"

Chen Yi’s tone carried a trace of respect.

"If they come aboard, I’ll immediately draw my blade against them."

So saying, Huang Liuqing unsheathed his long and heavy Ring Head Knife.

Chen Yi said no more, immediately unsheathed his blade, flexed his arm, and shook it out.

After limbering up, Huang Liuqing suddenly attacked.

A single blade, as heavy and forceful as a mountain, slammed down. The black blade glimmered amidst the stormy skies, resembling the murky tide of the Yellow River rushing forward.

Chen Yi countered the black tide with a horizontal slash. Instantly, the blade force split apart the surge, leaving his arm slightly numb. He followed up with a counter-step and a twisting motion of his body, seamlessly striking toward Huang Liuqing’s head.

Seeing the fiercely striking blade, Huang Liuqing retreated a step, yet still suffered a gash to his forehead. In the rain, blood splattered forth.

He reached up to touch the wound on his forehead, murmuring, "Impressive technique. It’s only been ten days, yet you’ve advanced even further."

Chen Yi responded calmly, "Just now, you held back, attempting to test me first, allowing me to borrow your force and retaliate."

In that moment when Huang Liuqing swung his blade, Chen Yi silently recited the Shangqing Heart Method, making a judgment within half a second to use the borrowed force to counter.

Huang Liuqing’s pupils contracted.

"Indeed."

"Let’s go again."

At Chen Yi’s word, Huang Liuqing once again pressed forward; his black Ring Head Knife gleamed sharply under the night sky and struck down with great precision.

Perhaps due to youthful arrogance, his force exploded instantly, contrasting significantly with his master, You Xu, who started slow and then accelerated. The moment Chen Yi noticed his wrist turning, the blade was already inches from his face.

Meeting the oncoming blade, Chen Yi slashed downward along its side without directly colliding with the blade edge. Nearly brushing against the Ring Head Knife, he aimed his strike at the knife’s guard. Since the Brocade Spring Blade was shorter than the Ring Head Knife, Chen Yi’s blade could strike his opponent’s wrist before the Ring Head Knife could reach him!

Sensing danger, Huang Liuqing abruptly withdrew his strength and leaned backward. Chen Yi’s slash missed the knife guard, but with a reversed swing, he swatted the blade aside and immediately advanced for a horizontal strike.

Huang Liuqing reflexively contracted his abdomen; his clothing tore apart, revealing a grotesque wound across the belly. A single inch deeper, and his intestines would spill out. Grinning wickedly, he forcefully pushed away Chen Yi’s Brocade Spring Blade and retaliated with another slash.

But this retaliation was slower than before, allowing Chen Yi to withdraw a step. His strike landed nowhere but upon the rain curtain, splitting countless airborne droplets in two.

Huang Liuqing stared at Chen Yi, a chaotic mix of thoughts flickering through his gaze. His master, You Xu, had rebuked him for neglecting body techniques, to which he arrogantly retorted that all he needed was a blade. Always, all he needed was a blade. Relying solely on his extraordinary talent, far surpassing You Xu’s, he had wreaked havoc in the Capital City like Flower Guan Suo.

Unbeknownst to him, the river’s waters had grown even more turbulent.

Now the river surged violently; with the flood dragon ready to break free, he suddenly felt an intangible pressure weigh upon him.

Those adept at swimming... drown in water.

And there, standing with his back to the water, his hand raised a blade.

"Come again! All out!"

Huang Liuqing roared.

So saying, he raised the Ring Head Knife high above, his aura fluctuating violently. His garments rippled as though billowing against the wind.

Huang Liuqing planted his legs firmly onto the deck, his momentum soaring to its peak. His strength surged step by step, rendering his expression solemn. He entered a state of selflessness, his body relaxed as the rain pelted his face. Nearly all his True Qi surged backward through his meridians, crashing through one acupoint after another.

All his energy seemed to coalesce into this single strike.

Indeed, it was this strike.

On the day he completed his training, he defeated nearly thirty Jianghu martial artists consecutively with this one strike.

In the depths of his being, Huang Liuqing sensed that if he landed this one strike—if he cleaved both Chen Yi and the surging river behind him in two—he would... grasp something even greater!

Something great—unimaginably great! It was as if his entire thirty-some years of existence had all been leading to this one strike. He had been striving toward it, endlessly replaying it in his mind, repeatedly swinging the blade, repeatedly attempting to cleave everything before him in two.

Suddenly, Huang Liuqing caught a fleeting spark of insight. He stepped forward, preparing to deliver the strike. Amidst the pale line of heavens appearing in the dim night, he saw the rain curtain seemingly freeze, as crosswinds split into distinct paths, howling in opposite directions.

The blade’s force swelled, akin to the sound of thunder drums beating furiously. For a fleeting moment, he mistook this strike to be his own doing. Only upon hearing the anguished cry of his blade shattering did he finally realize his flesh had been sundered; he saw his own figure and the dark night behind him cleaved cleanly through!

That strike...

This was the strike...

Blood gushed forth as Huang Liuqing’s final thoughts flashed before him. At the moment of death, his widened gaze filled with abrupt understanding.

So this was what I sought to understand... all along it was this strike!

Magnificent...

It was simply... unimaginably magnificent!

......

After Huang Liuqing died, Chen Yi flicked his blade to shed the blood and turned to face the two slowly approaching small boats.

The river remained turbulent.

And the man standing against the water—was no longer the same as before.