Nightwatcher-Chapter 408: Third Rank?

# 408. Third Rank?

*According to Ji Qian, before the fortune is extracted, the vessel must remain intact. In other words, if the ‘vessel’ is shattered, does that mean the fortune will return to Great Feng?*

*If I tell Duke Wei about all this, how would he treat me?*

Xu Qi’an blew out the candle and lay on the bed, when this question suddenly surfaced in his mind.

He could filter the information and only tell Duke Wei about the existence of the First Jianzheng and the lost royal branch of the Great Feng, without mentioning the fortune.

The problem was, he had no idea which level Wei Yuan was on, just like how he couldn’t see through which level the Jianzheng was on.

If he shared this information with Wei Yuan, and Wei Yuan combined it with the knowledge and intelligence he already had, deducing the truth about the fortune…

Oh, so the reason Great Feng’s national power is declining, the people are living in misery, and the court is plagued with corruption — all of it stems from the loss of the fortune, which now resides within Xu Qi’an.

As a man with ambition and aspirations, a true statesman devoted to ridding the nation of its ills, would Wei Yuan sacrifice personal ties for the greater good, or would he choose to shield him and turn a blind eye?

*This isn’t me overthinking. Based on the finesse and reputation Wei Yuan has displayed, if I’m on the eighteenth level, then he’s probably on the ninety-ninth…* Xu Qi’an sat up and pondered in the darkness.

Suddenly, he had a creeping sense that the trees and grass were all enemies, as if the whole world was out to get him.

The First Jianzheng and the current one couldn’t be trusted. The dependable and powerful leg he had been clinging to — Wei Yuan — might turn against him upon learning the truth about the fortune.

“What should I do?”

In the dark, Xu Qi’an murmured to himself.

“If I had third rank, or even second rank power, I could walk sideways and step out of the board to become a player. But I’m only a Rank Six martial artist.

“The First Jianzheng is like a sword hanging over my head. Even if it doesn’t fall soon, I have a sense that it won’t be long. I fear I won’t be able to reach the peak of martial arts in a short time.

“In that case, the best course of action is to set a tiger against a wolf, using my enemies’ enemies to deal with my enemies. But neither the first nor the current Jianzheng are decent sorts…”

After a long, long time, a quiet chuckle echoed in the silent room.

“I’ve thought of a way.”

“First, secure the lotus seed and advance to fifth rank as quickly as possible… Then return to the capital and play a round of truth or dare with Duke Wei…” РåNɵ𝐛ÈS

…

At dawn, as the first rays of sunlight spilled down, black-robed spies transported more than twenty cannons, moving slowly along the main road at the foot of Yue Clan Manor’s mountain.

Tianji and Tianshu stood by the roadside, hands behind their backs, watching their subordinates arrange the cannons in a line.

The spies carried out the pre-firing preparations in an orderly manner. They weren’t worried about enemies from the villa coming out to disrupt or destroy the cannons, because not far from the artillery unit were the Lotus Daoists of the Earth Sect and their disciples.

Also present were the experts of the Wulin Alliance, led by Cao Qingyang. Though relations between the two sides were strained, they shared the same goal. If Yue Clan Manor attempted a sneak attack to sabotage the cannons, the Wulin Alliance would certainly intervene.

“You were too impulsive last night. You shouldn’t have used the Emperor’s gold token to threaten the Wulin Alliance,” Tianshu said coolly.

Her voice was clear and magnetic, with the charm of a mature woman.

“It was just to test the Wulin Alliance’s stance. Cao Qingyang may be impervious to persuasion, but the Wulin Alliance ultimately stands opposed to Yue Clan Manor,” Tianji snorted.

The attitude shown by the Ink Pavilion and the Shenquan Gang last night had put him on high alert. If large numbers within the Wulin Alliance voiced opposition, this juggernaut of Jianzhou would lose much of its power, even if it didn’t outright defect to the Yue Clan Manor.

Thus, he had to probe the Wulin Alliance’s true position. Of course, part of it was also genuinely to hold them to account. If Cao Qingyang had bowed to the authority of the court, then his gamble would have paid off.

If not, though he had taken some risk, his assessment was correct — Cao Qingyang hadn’t killed him.

As an Alliance Leader, no matter how unruly or arrogant, he wasn’t a lone wanderer. He had to consider far more.

It was a decent harvest, but the price was high. As a fourth rank expert and one of the chief spies, being humiliated and beaten by Cao Qingyang left a deep scar. Without a sufficiently strong mentality, it would be difficult to recover from the blow.

Tianji said in a low voice, “We only need to provide firepower support to open a breach for the Earth Sect. The subsequent fight over the lotus seed isn’t our main goal. Killing Xu Qi’an is. Understand?”

Tianshu gave a soft “mm” and smiled. “Last night, he used the One Blade from Heaven and Earth and Confucian magic techniques. There’s no way he could recover in just a few hours. If we don’t kill him now, when would we?”

As spies once under King Huai and now serving the Emperor, they knew Xu Qi’an inside out. After analysing the scene and evaluating the situation, including that mysterious young man’s shattered magical artefact.

And his sudden teleportation in front of all, using the Sword Talisman to cut down two fourth rank bodyguards in an instant.

Their preliminary assessment was that Xu Qi’an had used the One Blade from Heaven and Earth and Confucian magic. According to their intelligence, these techniques came at a great cost.

…

The Wulin Alliance, the Earth Sect, and King Huai’s spies converged. Behind them were several hundred Jianghu onlookers.

Some were solitary cultivators, while others were from minor sects looking to fish in troubled waters.

After experiencing the skirmish in the town yesterday, the enthusiasm of these Jianghu folk was significantly dampened. On the one hand, they were wary of the strength of Yue Clan Manor and recognised reality.

On the other hand, Xu Qi’an’s identity was beginning to ferment, his influence gradually deepening, making him all the more intimidating, so they dared not make him their enemy.

“I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. Pity, this isn’t our stage.” Among the crowd, Liu Hu, leaning on his bronze staff, sighed.

“There might still be a chance for an opportune gain.” A companion voiced hopeful speculation.

“I calculated the strength of both sides yesterday. Based on the forces Yue Clan Manor has openly revealed, they are far inferior to the Wulin Alliance, the Earth Sect, and that group of court experts.”

“Far inferior is an understatement. Don’t forget, the Daoist Leader of the Earth Sect has yet to appear, and that’s a Rank Two. If he comes, he’ll sweep the field.”

“If that happens, we’ll have no chance to fish at all.”

“Hey, do you think Silver Gong Xu could stand against the Daoist Leader of the Earth Sect if he brought out his Buddhist contest prowess?”

“Wasn’t it said that the Jianzheng secretly aided him during the Buddhist contest?”

“We’re just talking. I’m only referring to the might Silver Gong Xu displayed during the contest, of course I knew the Jianzheng was secretly assisting.”

Young Master Liu, sword in hand, walked towards the ladies of Wanhua Tower with a troubled look, saying, “Rongrong, my master said Yue Clan Manor is merely making a stubborn resistance — the chances of preserving the lotus seed aren’t high.”

Rongrong tilted her head, looking at the peer she had a decent rapport with, only to notice his eyes subtly glancing at the Tower Master’s graceful back.

“Whether Yue Clan Manor can protect the lotus seed or not doesn’t concern me,” Rongrong said softly.

To Rongrong, Young Master Liu’s gaze was already extremely restrained. There was no helping it — the Tower Master was too stunning. Any man who didn’t sneak a look would be the odd one out.

“We think alike,” Young Master Liu said with a smile.

That was also what most people thought, including the ladies of Wanhua Tower present. Whether Yue Clan Manor could guard the lotus seed had nothing to do with them.

As long as Silver Gong Xu was safe, that was enough.

They admired Silver Gong Xu’s righteousness but didn’t want to see him fall here, which didn’t conflict with their desire to fight for the lotus seed.

…

Inside Yue Clan Manor.

Heaven and Earth Society disciples gathered, clutching their respective magical weapons, prepared for battle.

It was meant to be a mobilisation meeting, but Daoist Bailian found that, faced with the imminent battle, the disciples’ nervousness and fear were far greater than expected.

Daoist Bailian stood before the disciples, her tone gentle. “Follow the previous plan and hold your positions. Don’t be nervous or afraid. fourth rank experts aren’t for you to handle.”

The disciples nodded, but their nervousness didn’t abate.

They were still young and had hardly experienced battles of this scale — no, it could even be called a war.

Seeing this, Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozhen both offered a few words of comfort, but with little effect.

*What’s the use for shouting slogans…* Xu Qi’an came over, sabre in hand, his steps unhurried. The disciples’ tension was clear on their faces.

He stood before the disciples, leaning on his sabre, and said plainly, “For you, this is actually an opportunity.”

Qiu Chanyi and the others immediately looked at him, listening intently.

“What is the goal of the Heaven and Earth Society? You know it better than me. Who you’ll face in the future — do I even need to say it?” Xu Qi’an swept his gaze across the crowd.

The disciples nodded.

Of course, they knew. But they weren’t prepared enough, nor were they strong enough. Now being forced to confront the Earth Sect Demon Daoists ahead of time left these young disciples feeling like ducks driven onto a perch, panicked and helpless.

“When I first took over the Sangpo case, I felt much like you — anxious and uncertain, with no confidence in myself. But in the end, I solved the case. Do you know why?”

Listening to Silver Gong Xu recounting his own experiences, the disciples’ nervousness began to ease.

“Because, unlike you, I had no way out. Back then, I was sentenced to cutting at the waist for killing a superior. If I didn’t redeem myself with merit, I was dead.”

Qiu Chanyi said crisply, “You did nothing wrong, Sir Xu.”

The disciples quickly chimed in.

“This isn’t about right or wrong, try think about the core point,”

Xu Qi’an shot the little Daoist girl a glare and said sternly. “I had no way out, so I had to risk everything. Later in Yunzhou, when I faced the rebel army alone… it was the same. There was no way out. The situation was critical — if I didn’t fight with everything, the entire army might have been wiped out…”

Xu Qi’an spoke confidently, recounting his experiences. The disciples listened attentively, gradually stirred until they felt their blood beginning to boil.

Listening to the glorious exploits of someone they idolised naturally evoked a degree of emotional resonance — exactly the response Xu Qi’an wanted.

“Now you have the chance — to fight for your lives and defend the Earth Sect’s final dignity. When the sect is restored in the future, each and every one of your names will be recorded in its chronicles. Your legends will live on forever.”

Daoist Bailian was astonished to find the disciples’ emotions turning fervent, their spirits high, their fears gone.

*Indeed, when someone with prestige speaks, whatever they say is right… hmm, his rhetoric is quite clever too, tying it to his own experiences to rally their emotions…* Daoist Bailian looked at the young man standing there with his sabre, a sense of inexplicable reassurance washing over her.

It simply felt like he was someone dependable, someone trustworthy, someone who made her feel at ease.

…

Both sides waited, countless eyes fixed in anticipation. Time ticked by, minute after minute, until slowly, the sun reached its zenith.

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Around midday, deep within the Yue Clan Manor, a beam of multicoloured light shot into the sky. At the base of the light pillar, nine distinct colours flickered in turn.

The lotus seed was on the verge of ripening...

Tianji waved his hand and shouted, “Fire!”

The steel bodies of the cannons lit up with densely packed runes. In the next instant, thunderous cannonfire erupted, shaking the heavens.

The immense recoil forced the heavy iron cannons to skid backwards, sending chunks of earth flying.

Swish, swish, swish...

Amidst the shrill whistling, shells traced graceful arcs across the sky before crashing into the protective barrier surrounding Yue Clan Manor.

It was a semi-transparent azure dome covering the entire manor. The shells burst against the barrier’s surface, brilliant fireballs blossoming on impact as shockwaves swept out like raging storms.

At the formation node of the outer defensive formation, Nangong Qianrou’s face flushed red. Every explosion felt like it was detonating inside him, sending his qi and blood into turmoil and a metallic tang rising up his throat.

A divine radiance flickered over his body as streams of qi continuously poured into the formation, stabilising the barrier.

“What kind of formation is this? Its defensive power is terrifying — it’s withstanding such concentrated cannonfire.”

The various factions observing the battle were left stunned.

Cannons were one of the Great Feng’s paramount military assets, the very weapons that kept Jiuzhou in check. Their destructive power was beyond question.

A full salvo from twenty cannons would leave even a Rank Four martial artist clinging to life — yet the defensive formation before them only trembled under the bombardment.

This meant its defensive power surpassed the physical body of a Rank Four martial artist.

“This reminds me of the defensive formations protecting the major border cities… How could the Yue Clan Manor possibly have such a powerful formation?”

“Wait, didn’t an arcanist join the battle last night?” someone suddenly realised.

That explained why Yue Clan Manor’s defensive formation was so formidable.

“Fire!”

Tianji calmly issued the order for a second salvo.

As one of King Huai’s spies, having served in the Northern Border for years, he could see through the formation’s strengths and weaknesses at a glance — at most, it would endure three volleys. Moreover, they had brought ample ammunition this time, enough to flatten the entire manor if needed.

“Picking the stars with the moon in hand, there are none like me upon this land!”

A deep recitation suddenly rang out, clear and distinct despite the thunderous cannonfire, reaching the ears of all present.

Startled, the crowd turned towards the source. On the southern slope stood a white-robed arcanist, his back to the gathered masses.

He lifted his foot and gently stamped it down, causing formation lines beneath him to light up.

Cannons and ballistae arranged around him automatically adjusted their angles, aiming directly at the forces below.

Tianshu’s expression shifted, and she sharply ordered, “Retreat!”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Explosions rang out in rapid succession, fireballs blooming and expanding, instantly reducing twelve cannons to scrap and turning the area into a wasteland.

Not only that — the artillery and ballistae also swept over the “spectators” present.

Yet, whether deliberate or due to poor aim, the shells only exploded near the crowd, sending the assembled martial artists scrambling in panic, trembling with fear — though none were actually harmed.

However, nearly half of King Huai’s spies were lost to the barrage, even with Tianshu and Tianji’s timely retreat order.

Fleeing in panic, Young Master Liu couldn’t resist glancing back, doubt gnawing at his mind.

That arcanist could have launched a devastating ambush, yet instead, he chose to recite poetry first — why?

“So powerful… High-rank arcanists are truly terrifying…”

“Indeed. This is power martial artists could never hope to touch.”

Having escaped the bombardment, the Wulin Alliance sects and wandering cultivators stopped to catch their breath, hearts still pounding as they looked back at the devastation.

Only then did they notice something.

“That high-rank arcanist was holding back — the cannonfire deliberately avoided the crowd.”

“Is this a warning to us?”

“Now that those black-robed spies’ cannons are destroyed and the defensive formation still stands, how do they plan to break through?”

It was indeed a tricky problem. In mid-air, Daoist Chilian stood on his flying sword and called out loudly, “Alliance Leader Cao, how long do you intend to spectate? The lotus seed is about to mature — we should join forces and break the formation at once.”

“No need for such trouble!”

A purple-robed figure streaked through the sky like a shooting star, colliding directly with the barrier.

The spherical barrier caved inward sharply, holding for barely two seconds before shattering with a boom. It dissolved into a breeze, scattering dust into the air.

Nangong Qianrou coughed up a mouthful of blood, his beautiful face full of shock.

“Hm?”

In the distance, Yang Qianhuan let out a surprised “Hm?”

The formation broke… just like that. The onlookers were left dazed — when had Alliance Leader Cao become so powerful?

With a single blow, he shattered a barrier that even twenty cannons had failed to breach.

Third rank?!

Tianji and Tianshu exchanged stunned glances. Having served under the Zhenbei King for years, they were intimately familiar with the aura of a third rank expert.

Though this aura wasn’t as deep and powerful as the Northern King’s, it was unmistakably third rank.

“Third rank?”

Daoist Chilian was momentarily stunned, hovering in the air, before he fixed his gaze on that purple-robed figure. “Cao Qingyang — when did you ascend to rank three?”

This question was like a boulder hurled into a lake, sending waves of shock rippling through the crowd.