Chapter 103 Part 1

The early summer season had just begun outside, with clusters of wisteria flowers cascading down from the trees like waterfalls, dotting the landscape with white and purple hues, creating an enchanting sight. Beneath the trees, paths were formed, flanked by rattan chairs and tables, providing a delightful setting for admiring the flowers and scenery.

However, at this moment, despite the beautiful view before him, General Hui felt no joy, only a sense of unease, as if sitting on pins and needles. He wished he could get up and pace around, but out of respect for the person sitting beside him, he refrained from being impolite.

Prime Minister Jiang Hui was eager to eliminate the entire Hui family, to the point where he couldn't wait a moment longer. Historically, executions were usually carried out in the autumn, but now, in early summer, he had already petitioned the Emperor to have the Hui family taken to the vegetable market for execution, and the Emperor had granted his request.

Today was the day of the execution.

At this time, Jiang Hui was unaware that the "General Hui" in the prison was a fake, and that the real one had already been rescued. By executing the Hui family first, he wanted General Hui to experience the feeling of being alone and helpless, witnessing his loved ones being taken away.

On the day of the Hui family's execution, the vegetable market was crowded with people, three layers deep. Although General Hui could not be there in person, he had already glimpsed the scene through Zhou Chen's Heaven Opening Mirror.

The people flocked to the execution ground out of respect for General Hui's character and his contributions to the country's stability through his eastern and western campaigns. They were prepared to help the Hui family collect their remains.

However, the situation in the court truly disheartened General Hui. After the incident, the faction of the Left Prime Minister, whom he was close to, had been completely removed from power. The Left Prime Minister, a clay bodhisattva crossing the river, could barely protect himself, let alone speak up for General Hui.

Others, in fear of Jiang Hui's tyranny, remained silent like cicadas in winter. The Dongyue court had become Jiang Hui's one-man show.

General Hui had fought on the battlefield for more than twenty years, establishing an impressive military record, only to end up in such a predicament. Even with a heart full of passion, he had long grown cold. Now, he only hoped to rescue his family and then flee to another country, living in seclusion in the mountains, spending the rest of his days in peace.

Calculating the time, it was about the hour for the execution. Zhou Yin had gone alone, intending to save people in full view of the public. Despite knowing his exceptional skills, General Hui couldn't help but worry repeatedly.

Looking at Zhou Chen beside him, he appeared completely at ease, picking up the green bean cake in his hand, taking a small bite, narrowing his eyes, and showing a satisfied expression. He then put the entire remaining piece into his mouth.

General Hui smiled bitterly, "Young Master Zhou is really..."

He couldn't find the words to continue. He had wanted to praise Zhou Chen for his composure, but in the past hour, while Zhou Yin was away, Zhou Chen had ordered from the waiter in front a plate of braised pork elbow, a plate of lotus root balls, two scallion pancakes, a bowl of beef brisket noodles, a plate of begonia cakes, a plate of honey-glazed tofu, and a plate of green bean cakes.

Looking at the stack of plates on the table, three black lines appeared on General Hui's forehead.

He naturally didn't know that Zhou Chen was the furball who had stolen his plate of chilled eel in the military camp back then. When Zhou Yin introduced them, he only said that Zhou Chen was his younger brother, so General Hui changed the way he addressed them, calling Zhou Yin "Master Zhou" and Zhou Chen "Young Master Zhou."

Zhou Chen ate a lot, but his movements were very elegant. Even with a plate of ordinary green bean cakes, he made it feel like a palace banquet, more regal than the Dongyue royalty General Hui had seen.

After finishing all the food, Zhou Chen wanted to have the waiter take away the plates before Zhou Yin returned, to avoid leaving evidence and being punished. He wiped his mouth leisurely and said, "What are you worried about? Although my family's Ah Yin's cultivation isn't the best in the world, there aren't many people who can restrain him nowadays... Why does your family have so few people, only four?"

He glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw the situation at the execution ground.

General Hui said, "My parents passed away early, and I have no concubines. I only have my wife and a son and daughter. My children were born in my middle age and are still young, not yet married, but they have been implicated because of me."

Zhou Chen patted his shoulder and praised, "Good, you're devoted, like me!"

Caught off guard by his pat, General Hui almost fell over. "..."

In the vast execution ground, there were only four prisoners, all elderly, young, or women, creating a miserable and tragic scene.

Below, a large crowd of people had gathered, but they were blocked by the Dongyue soldiers and could only watch from the outer perimeter.

The executioner sat above, glancing at the sky and then at the person beside him, "What do you think?"

That person snorted coldly, "You do your job, why look at me?"

He had come to witness the execution at the request of Prime Minister Jiang Hui, to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the situation to disrupt the execution. But as a dignified Core Formation cultivator, he felt it was beneath him to do such a thing.

If not for the sake of his sect's relationship and the conditions Jiang Hui could provide, he wouldn't have stayed a moment longer.

The executioner smiled awkwardly, "Then this humble official will overstep his authority."

He signaled to the guard below who was shouting, and the guard immediately called out, "Execute!"

The executioners raised their blades high, waiting for the command "Behead!" With a swift motion, four heads should have fallen to the ground.

But in that instant, they felt a lightness in their hands as their blades were simultaneously cut in half.

The four prisoners had already been untied.

On the high-flying flag beside them, a person stood, backlit, making it impossible to discern their appearance.

The Core Formation cultivator's expression turned grim. He rose into the air and only then discovered that the other party was actually a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator!

Comparing their strengths, he didn't dare to act rashly. He politely said, "I am Shi Yan from the Wanshan Sect. May I ask which esteemed cultivator you are?"

Zhou Yin replied, "Tianyan Sect, Qin Wuji."

Shi Yan was stunned for a moment, then smiled, "The Wanshan Sect and Tianyan Sect have no grudges. Is Fellow Daoist here for the prisoners below?"

The two of them were talking in midair, and no one could hear them clearly, but the people below were already dumbfounded. The executioner forgot about the execution, and the surrounding people were in an uproar, looking at them with awe.

Zhou Yin said coldly, "I'm taking those few people with me."

Shi Yan gave a bitter smile. With the gap in their strengths, he wouldn't gain any advantage if they really fought, and he might even lose his life. Thinking of this, he said, "I am also in a difficult position. Please show mercy, Fellow Daoist. You can take those people with you."

Zhou Yin slightly raised his chin, sizing up Shi Yan, perfectly imitating Qin Wuji's arrogant demeanor, angering Shi Yan to the point of smoke coming out of his seven orifices. But he had no choice but to maintain a smiling face while cursing "Qin Wuji" and his ancestors in his heart.

"You're sensible." With those words, Zhou Yin earned quite a bit of resentment for "Qin Wuji". He then leisurely took the four individuals away under the watchful eyes of the crowd.

The entire process was effortless. When General Hui saw his family at that moment, his gratitude towards Zhou Yin instantly elevated to utmost admiration and respect.

When Jiang Hui learned that the execution grounds had been raided, he had just returned from a banquet hosted by the brother-in-law of the Emperor of Dongyue.

Upon hearing the news from Shi Yan, before he even had a chance to be shocked and enraged, he thought of General Hui who was still in prison.

With General Hui's family all rescued, it was impossible for him to still remain imprisoned.

Jiang Hui had no choice but to ask Shi Yan to make another trip to the Heavenly Prison to check. As expected, he discovered that the "General Hui" inside was merely a puppet, having been secretly replaced long ago.

The frustrating part was that no matter how angry Jiang Hui got, he couldn't lash out at Shi Yan, because Shi Yan was neither his subordinate nor his guest, but a Core Formation cultivator with the backing of Wanshan Sect.

Jiang Hui had cooperated with the Wanshan Sect for many years and always maintained a good relationship. They had never encountered such a blunder. Moreover, in Jiang Hui's eyes, Shi Yan's cultivation was already high enough that few people dared to be presumptuous in his presence.

Who would have thought that this time, he had misjudged the situation? General Hui had quietly made connections with a Core Formation cultivator who came to save his life at the critical moment.

Therefore, not only could Jiang Hui not blame Shi Yan, he even had to console him with kind words. But in his heart, he felt extremely depressed and sick to the stomach. The thought of General Hui being alive, hiding in some corner, along with that cultivator who came to rescue him, made Jiang Hui very uneasy.

If the weeds are not uprooted, they will grow again in the spring breeze.

So Jiang Hui invited Shi Yan's martial uncle, Wanshan Sect elder Chang Sanyou, a Nascent Soul cultivator, as well as Wanshan Sect's top disciple Li Zhushu, a late-stage Core Formation cultivator.

With the three of them stationed, Jiang Hui could finally rest easy for a few days.

He was at ease, but Chang Sanyou was not happy.

The relationship between Jiang Hui and the Wanshan Sect was originally one of cooperation, each taking what they needed and benefiting mutually. Although Jiang Hui was the esteemed Right Prime Minister of Dongyue, second only to the emperor and wielding great power, in the eyes of Wanshan Sect, he was merely a mortal who could provide benefits for them, and there was no question of ordering them around.

Now, they were actually required to dispatch a Nascent Soul cultivator and two Core Formation cultivators to protect him. What virtues or abilities did Jiang Hui possess to deserve such treatment? Which cultivator would be so idle as to come and kill a Jiang Hui?

Therefore, after staying at the Jiang residence for three days, Chang Sanyou could no longer endure it. He left the capital to attend to some matters. Jiang Hui couldn't persuade him to stay and had to let him go, thinking that the other party shouldn't be so bold as to come knocking.

But the other party was precisely that audacious.

That night, just as Jiang Hui had lain down embracing his concubine, about to engage in amorous activities, he heard a loud explosion outside, as if something had detonated, startling him to leap up from the bed.