Chарtеr 24 (5/17)
Весаuse Bоundlеss Flоwing Firе wаs of utmost impоrtаnce, аnd due to Gоng Shаngjuе’s соnnеction with thе Hun Yuan Zheng Clan, he wаs sеnt awаy frоm thе Ноuse оf Gоng. Gоng Ноngyu рroposеd tо pеrsonally intеrrogatе the assаssin Zhеng Nаnуi.
Gоng Ziуu сouldn’t helр but сlosе his еуes: “Wаs I just a раwn in my brothеr’s gаme…”
“Yоur becoming thе Blade Маstеr was оnly the first steр оf mу plаn. То fоrсе the Еldеrs of thе Hоuse of Gоng to аgrее to асtivаtе Boundless Flоwing Fire, the House оf Gong must be madе to deеplу fеel thе threat of Wufeng. Only when the House of Gong is torn apart by Wufeng can Boundless Flowing Fire possibly emerge. And I happened to know there was a second suitable pawn within the House of Gong.”
“Aunt… Madam WuJi…”
“Correct. Although she has already defected from Wufeng, as long as one is human, they have weaknesses. Find the weakness, and they can be controlled. Steward Jia’s weakness was his critically ill son, and WuJi’s weakness is her younger brother.”
On the day the House of Gong selected brides, Han Ya Qi had once bloodily raided a House of Gong stronghold in the town—the House of Gong medicine shop. The medicine shop owner was stabbed in the chest by Han Ya Qi’s sword. Later, he feigned death and woke up, pulled out the sword, discarded it nearby, and rushed back to the House of Gong to report. That sword was then handed over to Gong Huanyu by the House of Gong guards as evidence. The sword bore the mark of Wufeng. Using this sword, Gong Huanyu wrote an anonymous secret letter to WuJi. When WuJi read the letter’s contents and confirmed that it was indeed a newly forged sword, she had no choice but to believe it.
“I impersonated Wufeng and wrote a secret letter to WuJi, deceiving her by saying her younger brother was still alive. If she wanted her brother to live, she must help Wufeng find Boundless Flowing Fire. The Hundred Herbs Extract had been swapped, the Wufeng assassin captured, and WuJi was controllable… The chessboard was almost fully set…”
As Gong Huanyu spoke, the corners of his eyes reddened, and a flash of bloodlust passed through his pupils—it was the scene from the night Gong Hongyu was murdered—
On the night of the bride selection, the assassin Zheng Nanyi was brought to Gong Hongyu’s study.
Gong Hongyu held the note retrieved from Zheng Er’s hairpin and sternly demanded: “You just entered the House of Gong. How could you know about Boundless Flowing Fire?”
Shocked, he suddenly stiffened, glancing at his blackened fingers: “This hairpin?”
Gong Hongyu gripped his own saber, trying to draw it but found his hands and feet trembling. The saber fell to the ground, and he was completely unable to use his Inner Force: “Why… am I poisoned…”
Zheng Nanyi seized the opportunity to break free, picked up the saber from the ground, and launched an attack. Gong Hongyu dodged a few moves, but due to the deep poisoning and complete loss of Inner Force, he was soon overpowered.
Gong Huanyu joined the fight, deliberately pretending to also be poisoned and not using his Inner Force. Zheng Nanyi wounded Gong Huanyu, and just as she was about to strike him again, she paused. With a thud, flesh was pierced—the blade had already plunged into Gong Hongyu’s chest. Gong Hongyu had shielded Gong Huanyu.
Gong Huanyu knocked down Zheng Nanyi, snatched the saber from her hand, and stabbed it into Zheng Nanyi’s heart face-to-face.
Gong Hongyu and Zheng Nanyi fell simultaneously.
Gong Huanyu closed his slightly reddened eyes: “Father…”
Gong Hongyu died with his eyes wide open. Gong Huanyu slowly crouched down, his expression conflicted: “Father, don’t blame me…” With trembling arms, he reached out and closed Gong Hongyu’s eyes.Gong Huanyu, dragging his severely injured body, swept the items off the desk to create an even more chaotic scene before collapsing to the floor with a loud thud. Then, he pulled the knife from Zheng Nanyi’s chest and stabbed himself near his own heart, letting out a sharp cry: "Ah!"
Footsteps echoed outside the door.
WuJi pushed open Gong Hongyu’s study and, upon entering, stepped on Gong Hongyu’s fallen sword, stained with blood. Picking up the bloodied blade, she looked closer and saw Gong Hongyu lying motionless on the ground, a knife embedded in his body. Zheng Nanyi’s corpse lay nearby.
WuJi exclaimed in shock, "Blade Master!" She shook Gong Hongyu, but he showed no response.
Just then, a faint groan sounded. WuJi turned and noticed Gong Huanyu lying on the other side, still alive and trembling slightly on the floor.
WuJi rushed over and lifted Gong Huanyu, asking urgently, "Huanyu, how are you? What happened here?"
Gong Huanyu gritted his teeth and whispered, "...Wufeng Assassin... killed Father... I..."
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