Volume One: The Youngest Among Three Hundred Chapter 114: Cannot Wait

Reaching the center of the area, Feng Yuan-yi raised his voice and announced, "By the Empress's decree, Commanders Cao and Cheng are summoned to the palace for an urgent matter. Pack your things and come with me!"

Cao Wu and Cheng Mu-long exchanged a glance, both reading the same confusion and surprise in each other's eyes. It had been half a year since the Empress last summoned them individually by imperial edict or oral command. This time, not only was it sudden, but it also coincided precisely with the moment they were about to lead a full-scale operation.

Cheng Mu-long walked up to Feng Yuan-yi and, without a word, slipped him two heavy silver ingots before asking, "May I ask, Eunuch Feng, what is the nature of this summons to the palace?"

Feng Yuan-yi pocketed the bribe, his voice dropping from its earlier official tone to a more measured level. "It is quite extraordinary. This morning, the Empress went hunting in the Shanglin Garden and shot a seven-colored divine deer at the foot of the mountain. We all witnessed it with our own eyes, yet when we approached, there was no trace of the deer—only a boy of seventeen or eighteen lying in the grass, an arrow through his heart, on the verge of death."

"You should understand by now that the boy must be the manifestation of that divine deer. After all, every dynasty before the Great Min has legends of the Divine Deer Boy; it is an auspicious omen for the stability of the realm and the eternal continuity of the throne."

"The Empress has brought the boy back to the palace, but the wound is severe, and the imperial physicians are helpless. Even Dong Zhong-xuan of the Yingtian Prefecture is at a loss. Only the two of you, as Life-Death Realm martial artists, might be able to turn the tide by joining forces."

"This..."

Upon hearing the situation, Cao Wu and Cheng Mu-long’s initial confusion shifted to an unspoken but profound reluctance. They had expected something of vital importance. They had heard the legend; during the reign of the Zhao clan, when the dynasty was called the Great Qi, the seven-colored divine deer was revered as a guardian beast, with temples dedicated to its worship.

Listening to Feng Yuan-yi’s account, they felt something was deeply strange, though they could not pinpoint it—a sixth sense born from their years of experience.

After much hesitation, Cao Wu tried to negotiate. "Eunuch Feng, to be honest, we have just tracked a group of rebels intending to harm the Empress's realm and are preparing to mobilize the entire force to eliminate them. This opportunity is fleeting. Since Grandmaster Dong of the Yingtian Prefecture is a master of profound arts, and Meng Qing-lian of the Celestial Masters Mansion is said to have reached the Heavenly Mystery realm, could they not provide temporary relief until we have finished our mission?"

"What did you say, Vice Commander Cao?"

Before she could finish, Feng Yuan-yi retorted with a reproachful tone, "If there were any other way than the combined manifestation of your Life-Death Realm powers to reshape his body, the Empress would not have sent me to deliver this decree."

"Does the Wuyi Guard consist only of you two? You recruit new members every year, boasting of 'Xuan' and 'Di' ranks—are they all just for show? What kind of rebels could possibly exist in Chang'an that require the two of you to personally intervene?"

"The seven-colored divine deer is an auspicious omen for the Great Min’s eternal prosperity. With it here, no rebel can shake the foundations of the nation. Do not waste more time; pack your things and follow me to the palace."

Cao Wu and Cheng Mu-long exchanged a bitter smile.

At that moment, Yue Bing-bing, a female Xuan-ranked Wuyi dressed in white, stepped forward and whispered, "Vice Commanders, if that is the case, then go to the palace. As for this mission, we of the Xuan rank will take responsibility!"

"That’s right, leave it to us; we can certainly get it done!"

"Yes, once Tan Shu-tong returns, the four of us will move together. No matter how strong the enemy is, they will crumble."

The other two Xuan-ranked members, Tao Yuan and Lu Bo-zhao, echoed her, and soon the entire Wuyi Guard was cheering with high morale. However, Cao Wu and Cheng Mu-long remained uneasy. They had decided to go only because Tao Yuan, Ruan Jing-chu, and others had encountered mysterious experts at Ganquan Village. Facing an organization with such formidable internal players, they found it difficult to leave without overseeing the field themselves.

Facing the clamor of the Wuyi Guard, Feng Yuan-yi became impatient, stomping his foot to urge them on. "What is the meaning of this? Move now! If the Divine Deer Boy cannot be saved, do you think the Empress will hesitate to disband the Wuyi Guard?"

"This..."

Cheng Mu-long nodded helplessly. "All right... very well."

Cao Wu had to compromise, but her mind raced to find a win-win solution. Suddenly, she had an idea. "Eunuch Feng, we will go to the palace immediately to save the deer with our Life-Death Realm manifestations, but could you intervene with the Yingtian Prefecture and ask Grandmaster Dong to assist the Wuyi Guard? This mission is truly critical."

Recalling their multiple brushes with the rebel organization—the Life-Harvesting awakened one at the Princess Changning’s residence, the mysterious Di-Zang figure at the Maoji workshop, and the expert who had severely wounded Tao Yuan at Ganquan Village—she knew the enemy's strength was unfathomable. She could not risk her subordinates without a high-ranking expert present.

"Fine... fine!"

Feng Yuan-yi agreed to her request. The Wuyi Guard was the agency directly responsible for the safety of Chang'an and the royal family. Although he used the Empress's decree to pressure them, he was far from foolish; the best approach was to ease the Empress's worries while satisfying the Wuyi Guard.

He would offend neither side.

"Rest assured, I will personally explain this to Grandmaster Dong. Now, follow me to the palace!" Feng Yuan-yi flicked his whisk, his tone softening as he regained control of the situation.

"Understood!"

Cao Wu nodded and turned to the three Xuan-ranked Wuyi. "Chen Chang-an has tracked the rebel forces that previously abducted Princess Changning from Sanyuan Temple and later appeared at Ganquan Village to seize the salt mines. You will go with Lu Zhong-jin to meet him and eliminate them. Kill or capture as needed, but remember—you must wait for Grandmaster Dong to arrive before you engage."

"Understood!" Yue Bing-bing, Lu Bo-zhao, and Tao Yuan replied in unison.

"Go!"

Cao Wu turned to Cheng Mu-long. "Let's go to the palace. Let us return as soon as possible."

...

Outside the stables, Chen Chang-an remained hidden in a corner, occasionally glancing toward the Wuyi Guard. He wondered why they hadn't arrived yet. Could his judgment be wrong? Was Lu Zhong-jin actually the mole?

As he pondered this, someone tapped him on the shoulder. Chen Chang-an spun around with extreme vigilance, only to see a familiar face: Tan Shu-tong, the Xuan-ranked Wuyi who had overseen the new recruits during their trial.

"Senior Tan, why are you here alone?" Chen Chang-an asked, both excited and surprised.

Tan Shu-tong frowned, shaking the yellow gourd in his right hand. "Here for what? To buy some sorghum spirits at the tavern? If I didn't come alone for such a small thing, should I have made a grand entrance?"

"Buying spirits? Aren't we here to eliminate rebels?" Chen Chang-an vaguely suspected they were on completely different wavelengths.

Sure enough, Tan Shu-tong’s eyes widened. "What are you talking about? Rebels?"

"Exactly!"

Chen Chang-an pointed at the stable gate. "Senior Tan, don't you remember when Senior Tao was ambushed at Ganquan Village, or the Blue-Armored man who tried to seize the salt mines? My investigation confirms their base is here, and I've already sent word to the two Commanders."

"So when I saw you, I thought you had come from the Wuyi Alley specifically for this!"

"No, I’m just here to get a few measures of spirits," Tan Shu-tong said dismissively, then stared at him, suddenly serious. "You are certain their main base is inside?"

Chen Chang-an was confident. "Absolutely."

"Good, very good!"

Tan Shu-tong took a long, frantic swig from his gourd, wiped the droplets from his lip with his sleeve, and said excitedly, "What a coincidence, I happen to be here. Alright, Chen Chang-an, let’s wait for the main force of the Wuyi Guard and storm in to wipe them out!"

"Understood!"

With that, the two huddled together in their hidden corner.

Some time later, Tao Yuan, Yue Bing-bing, and Lu Bo-zhao arrived in plain clothes. Chen Chang-an immediately used his specialized whistling technique—a series of rhythmic signals—to communicate with them.

The three approached cautiously. Tao Yuan noticed Tan Shu-tong, who had been absent during the initial roll call. "Did you sneak off to the tavern for spirits again?"

"Eh..."

Tan Shu-tong quickly hid the gourd behind his back, shamelessly feigning innocence. "Who said I went for spirits? That’s slander!"

He looked around, puzzled. "The two Vice Commanders didn't come?"

Yue Bing-bing answered in her melodic voice, "The Empress summoned them; they cannot come for now!"

"Oh, they aren't coming?"

Tan Shu-tong wore the expression of an employee who had committed a major fireable offense, only to realize the boss had been hit by a carriage before the termination notice arrived. He brazenly pulled out his gourd again and took a deep drink. "Why didn't you say so earlier!"

Yue Bing-bing: "..."

Tao Yuan: "..."

Lu Bo-zhao: "..."

Chen Chang-an, however, felt a flash of fleeting worry. Cao Wu and Cheng Mu-long weren't coming... what was happening? The rebel organization had the Life-Harvesting mysterious person, the expert who ambushed Tao Yuan, and the powerhouse from the Maoji workshop. And those were just the ones they had seen! Who knew how many were lurking in the shadows?

And what of the Big Boss? Was Bai Wan crazy to summon them at such a time?

Chen Chang-an felt deeply insecure.

"Four... no, three Seniors, shouldn't we postpone the operation?" Chen Chang-an suggested, not bothering to hide his hesitation.

He was met with unified eye-rolls. "Postpone? Why? Do you think we can't do our jobs without the two Commanders? Little Chen, don't underestimate us!"

"Exactly. The two Vice Commanders haven't fought in ages; we've been leading the members all along. They are strong, but the four of us combined are not to be trifled with."

As they spoke, several regular members, including the three recruits Ruan Jing-chu, Ye Lin, and Song Jiu, ran over to report that the perimeter was fully secured and they were ready to move.

Ye Lin looked at Chen Chang-an and punched him playfully on the chest. "Don't worry. The debt for the injury you took at Ganquan Village a few days ago will be repaid today."

Ruan Jing-chu gripped her pale-white sword. "Yes, and the account for the ambush at the village entrance must be settled as well."

Ye Lin nodded enthusiastically, "Exactly! We'll do it together!"

Song Jiu kept his head lowered, his expression unreadable.

Facing their high morale, Chen Chang-an frowned and offered a bitter smile. He still felt uneasy.

Perhaps because she was more perceptive, Yue Bing-bing sensed his anxiety. "There is no need to worry so much. Vice Commander Cao never fights a battle she isn't prepared for. She has arranged for an expert to assist us."

"Who?" Chen Chang-an’s spirits lifted instantly.

Yue Bing-bing stated clearly, "The Head of the Yingtian Prefecture, the Imperial Grandmaster, Dong Zhong-xuan!"

"Oh..." Hearing the title, it sounded impressive. Chen Chang-an asked three questions in a row: "What is his cultivation level? Is he strong? How does he compare to the two Vice Commanders?"

Ye Lin and Ruan Jing-chu were no strangers to the Grandmaster, but they remained silent while their leaders were present.

Yue Bing-bing explained patiently, "He practices the Celestial Master lineage, a system created by the founding Grandmaster Bian Jing of the Great Qi. It is distinct from Confucian, Taoist, or martial cultivation, and he is a master of unique techniques. Therefore, he cannot be compared directly. If you must have an answer, he is at the pinnacle of his own discipline."

"That’s good, that’s good!" Chen Chang-an finally relaxed, thinking that Sister Cao was always reliable.

"Indeed!"

Yue Bing-bing stopped the idle chatter. "Let us wait patiently. Once Dong Zhong-xuan arrives, we strike."

"Understood!" everyone agreed.

Chen Chang-an agreed heartily.

A quarter of an hour passed...
Two quarters...
Three quarters...

By the fourth quarter, there was still no sign of the Grandmaster. Yue Bing-bing grew impatient, and the others began to react similarly. After a brief discussion, they decided in unison, "No need to wait. Tell everyone to get ready. We’re going in. Fire the signal flare."

"Understood!"

Ye Lin, long since impatient, grabbed a bamboo tube from his sleeve and pulled the fuse. With a "whoosh," a flare streaked into the sky, exploding in a kaleidoscope of colors even in the broad daylight.

"Everyone, attack!"

The four Xuan-ranked Wuyi took the lead, drawing their Tai'an blades.

"Wait! Wait! Hold on, you..." Ruan Jing-chu and Ye Lin followed, and Chen Chang-an couldn't stop them even if he tried.

His breathing quickened as he watched the thousand-strong Wuyi Guard storm the gates like an unstoppable tide. Chen Chang-an gritted his teeth and drew his blade, "Damn it, I’m done with Yue Bing-bing. If she was going to lie about Dong Zhong-xuan, how can she face Sister Cao?"

Cursing, he reluctantly joined the charging throng.