https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-167-Fear-and-Reverence-The-Thirty-Six-Heavenly-Pillar-Killers-/13688338/
Chapter 168: The Great Transformation of Ten Thousand Years, The Arrival of the Great Era
Though Qian Jia Zhu’s expression shifted slightly, he remained silent.
The Cloth-Clothed Youth didn’t mind. He continued, “It’s said that Qi Sha Lou’s Seventy-Two Disha and Thirty-Six Heavenly Pillar Killers are all masters of assassination and stealth, exceptionally formidable. Each of the Seventy-Two Disha is at least a Jin Gu Jing Xiao Cheng-level martial adept. They can reshape their bones and change their appearance, disguise themselves flawlessly, making them nearly impossible to detect. As for the Thirty-Six Heavenly Pillars—now that’s even more terrifying. Every one of them is a Nei Fu Jing-level powerhouse, each wielding secret assassination techniques. Moreover, to qualify as a Heavenly Pillar, a Nei Fu Jing adept from Qi Sha Lou must have successfully assassinated at least three peers of equal rank. The Thirty-Six Heavenly Pillars are further divided into upper, middle, and lower tiers—twelve in each. Given your current cultivation and the technique you demonstrated earlier—Huo Shen Mi Shu—I’d wager you’re one of the upper twelve.”
The more the crowd listened, the more shocked they became. Qi Sha Lou’s power was truly terrifying. As the Cloth-Clothed Youth described it, even just the Seventy-Two Disha and Thirty-Six Heavenly Pillars formed a force of immense strength. After all, the entire Cang County had scarcely a handful of Nei Fu Jing masters. Even the entire Zhou Fu might struggle to gather so many. With such power, Qi Sha Lou could sweep across an entire prefecture with ease.
Qian Jia Zhu had originally intended to stay silent, but as the Cloth-Clothed Youth spoke, he could no longer hold back.
“Not bad for a disciple of Tian Ji Lou. You’re well-informed about Qi Sha Lou’s affairs. But isn’t your sect traditionally neutral—refusing to involve itself in any factional conflicts? Doesn’t this act of yours contradict your own principles?”
“The Tian Ji Lou doesn’t owe you any explanations,” the Cloth-Clothed Youth replied coolly. “In recent years, Qi Sha Lou has grown increasingly reckless, carrying out assassinations left and right, sowing chaos between sects and feudal states. You’re already beginning to threaten the stability of the entire human realm. Do you truly believe no one can stop you?”
“Hahahaha! Don’t pretend to be so righteous. A great transformation of ten thousand years is approaching. Now, who isn’t striving for power? Can you really claim your Tian Ji Lou is so pure? Can you truly say the fate of the human world is in your hands?”
Qian Jia Zhu burst into laughter, his tone dripping with mockery.
“So you do know something,” the Cloth-Clothed Youth said, his expression darkening. He had finally confirmed what he suspected—Qi Sha Lou was indeed planning something.
“Hmph. Do you truly believe your so-called ‘righteous alliance’ can control everything? Don’t forget, Qi Sha Lou is also a millennia-old immortal sect. You think you can suppress the truth and monopolize the advantage? Do you really believe the fate of the world is in your hands, you sanctimonious hypocrites?”
Qian Jia Zhu now seemed utterly unguarded, openly revealing the secrets of his sect. After all, he’d been caught—so why not drag someone else down with him?
The Cloth-Clothed Youth felt a chill. He now realized, with grim certainty, that the situation had unfolded exactly as the Master had once foretold—descending into darkness.
The surrounding guests, however, remained utterly bewildered, unable to grasp the depth of the conversation.
Only Lu Qing stirred slightly in his mind. He realized that the “Wan Nian Bian Ju” the two men spoke of was likely tied to the resurgence of spiritual energy. It was clear now—the top powers had already sensed the coming shift and were preparing to seize the initiative.
Gazing at Qian Jia Zhu’s twisted, grim expression, the Cloth-Clothed Youth fell silent, his heart heavy with dread. If what the man said was true, then the world would soon be plunged into chaos.
“Wei Family Head, I have no further questions. Leave this man to your judgment.”
Seeing Wei Xinghe step forward once more, his face cold and expressionless, Qian Jia Zhu knew he would not survive this time.
He wasn’t afraid. As a top-tier assassin of Qi Sha Lou, he had taken countless lives. He had long accepted the possibility of death should his mission fail.
But there was one thing he couldn’t die without knowing. He turned to Wei Xinghe and said, “I know I’m going to die. I don’t know who my patron is. But if you let that young master answer a few questions, I can tell you the details of this assassination. You can then deduce the identity of your enemy yourself.”
Wei Xinghe glanced at Lu Qing.
Lu Qing remained calm. “Ask,” he said simply—without confirming whether he’d answer.
“May I ask, sir, who is your master? Are you a descendant of one of the Four Secret Places?”
To Qian Jia Zhu, someone like Lu Qing—such a prodigy—could only have been nurtured by one of the legendary, mythical sanctuaries. But those places were shrouded in mystery. Even Qi Sha Lou’s intelligence network, after searching for over a thousand years, had never found them. Only when great shifts in the world occurred did the heirs of those sanctuaries emerge to restore balance and guide the course of fate. Otherwise, they might have doubted whether such places even existed.
But Lu Qing shook his head. “You’re disappointed. I have no sect, no master. My teacher is merely a wandering physician—not a descendant of any hidden sanctuary.”
“Not a secret place’s heir?!” Qian Jia Zhu stared in disbelief. Then, after a moment, he suddenly burst into wild laughter. “Hahahaha! I understand now! In Qi Sha Lou’s ancient records, there was a prophecy: when the Great Transformation of Ten Thousand Years arrives, the world’s order will shift beyond recognition. Dragons and snakes will rise from the earth, heroes will emerge in droves. Demons, titans, and peerless geniuses will flood the world, all vying for advantage and striving to become the luck-bringer—the one blessed with boundless fortune. You have no sect, yet at just a dozen years old, you’ve reached Nei Fu Jing. Your martial mastery is effortless—your fists, blades, every weapon—anything you touch reaches the Zong Shi level with ease. Such a person… must be the legendary one—the luck-bringer, the supreme genius. So I, ‘Tian Gu,’ was truly defeated by the ‘Qi Yun Dao Zi.’ It’s worth it… worth it!”
Qian Jia Zhu raved with madness, his laughter echoing through the hall. His words stirred every soul present.
After laughing long enough, satisfied with the answers he’d received, he finally calmed.
“Wei Family Head,” he said, turning to Wei Xinghe. “You wanted to know the purpose of this assassination, didn’t you?”
“Speak,” Wei Xinghe commanded, voice like ice.
“My task was simple. The employer had only one demand: to kill your most beloved son right before your eyes. To make you feel the agony of losing a loved one—experience the pain of the grieving parent, the triumph of the enemy. As for payment? Three pills. For a Nei Fu Jing master, they offer a chance to grasp the essence of completion, to reach Nei Fu Jing Wan Man, and become a Zong Shi.”
Wei Xinghe’s brow remained furrowed. He still couldn’t determine the identity of the mastermind.
But Qian Jia Zhu no longer cared. He turned his gaze to Lu Qing, eyes glowing with a strange light.
“Young master, though you’re blessed with fortune and possess unparalleled talent, the Great Era of Transformation is coming. Then, countless prodigies—equal to you—will rise, all fighting for the same fate. I advise you: don’t let yourself be swayed by these so-called righteous men, with their false compassion, their hesitation. If you do, you’ll only become a pawn, forever trapped in the game. ‘He who does not act for himself will be destroyed by heaven and earth.’ The Great Era is one of total struggle. Only those who will stop at nothing, who seize everything, will survive in the end. And only they can stand atop the world. Since you defeated me, I sincerely hope you are the one who will claim the ultimate cultivation, ascend to the peak of martial arts.”
With that, Qian Jia Zhu’s face flushed red, his aura surging violently. Then, his complexion paled, his vitality rapidly fading. His eyes lost their spark.
He had severed his Heart Meridian and died.
(End of Chapter)
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