I have Immortality In The Cultivation World

Chapter 557: Chapter 312: Afflicted with Severe Poison

“Your Grace, the Tang family was annihilated by an army of a different ethnicity!” Zhou Ping’an recalled the scene of his family’s destruction, the screams of his clansmen still ringing in his ears, hate evident on his face.

“His late Majesty had granted the Tianlang Kingdom as a fief to the King of the Northern Defense, yet the land was populated by people of a different ethnicity, and there were remnants of the defeated Tianlang soldiers roaming about; even the King of the Northern Defense’s own clansmen were unwilling to settle there.”

“To establish his foundation, the King of the Northern Defense drove the people of Daqing to migrate to the grasslands.”

“At first, using the guise of land distribution, he enticed refugees to take up the journey, but as the pace was too slow and the numbers too few, he collaborated with local officials to traffic humans.”

“Local officials sold villages to the King of the Northern Defense, who would then dispatch soldiers to forcibly drive the people to the grasslands. According to the Tang merchant caravan manager, the people of Daqing living with different ethnicities often engaged in large-scale brawls and killings!”

As Zhou Ping’an narrated, Zhou Yi’s expression grew increasingly solemn.

...

The Inspectorate had a slight inkling of the King of the Northern Defense’s population migrations from Daqing, and the Imperial Court had turned a blind eye as long as the numbers were limited.

Some even thought that by moving refugees out of Daqing, it naturally heralded a peaceful and prosperous era!

Little did they expect that the King of the Northern Defense was so heartless and crazed as to actually allow his soldiers to abduct people—his actions no different from those of the Tianlang Kingdom of yore. Local officials, either fearful of the King of the Northern Defense’s power or greedy for the money from human trafficking, dared to hide this from the Imperial Court.

“How could such a major event have caused no stir in the Capital…” Zhou Yi’s thoughts raced. The north must have completely fallen. The King of the Northern Defense ruled unchallenged, and even if one’s martial arts reached the pinnacle in this world, being surrounded and attacked by a large army would still spell certain death!

When his life was at stake, Zhou Yi would rather abandon the authority of the Inspectorate than take such a risk.

“Ping’an, the Tang family was renowned in Yangchang Prefecture, what do they have to do with the King of the Northern Defense’s abduction of people?”

“Father, I do not wish to conceal from you that the Tang family also trafficked humans with the King of the Northern Defense, buying refugees and slaves from various prefectures in Daqing, and transporting Daqing’s people to the grasslands through our caravan in exchange for cattle, sheep, and their hides and furs,” Zhou Ping’an said, without any sign of remorse or pity.

Daqing’s laws only protected the people of good citizenship; other lowborn populations could be traded freely, requiring only a payment of Tax Silver at the government office, after which the people became goods to be transported and sold at will.

“The King of the Northern Defense threatened the Tang family with this matter, for the entire clan to move north. Using the Tang family’s thousand-year reputation in Yangchang Prefecture, he aimed to attract even more people and even gentries to migrate to the grasslands.”

“Our clan leader spoke out in refusal, stating that the Tang family was loyal to Daqing and would never betray our ancestors and leave our homeland.”

“Afterward, the army of a different ethnicity sneaked into Yangchang Prefecture and annihilated the Tang family. As a child, I hid in a chimney for three days and nights until the officials searching the place had left.”

“As Zhou Ping’an spoke, “The Tang family was not an isolated case. The King of the Northern Defense gathered the remnants of different ethnicities under his command. Any family or village that didn’t follow his orders would be slaughtered in the blink of an eye!”

Zhou Yi’s eyes were cold as he glanced at the Zhou family members, now pale with fear.

“Let’s pretend you never heard any of this. Don’t speak of it to anyone. If word gets out, there’s no need for our family to take action—the King of the Northern Defense will send someone to exterminate our Nine Clans!”

Everyone nodded repeatedly, not daring to speak of such shocking news.

“Ping’an, I can’t agree to help you take vengeance.”

Zhou Yi said, “However, as long as His Majesty is alive, our family will be the mortal enemy of the King of the Northern Defense. You must work a hundred times harder. The old partisans of the thousand-year Tang family are countless; you must also keep in close contact with them.”

“Thank you, Father!” Zhou Ping’an’s goal had been to leverage this situation; he must take personal action for his revenge.

“Let’s not dwell on these disheartening matters, let the feast begin!”

Zhou Yi got up and personally poured wine for Father Zhou, instantly bringing joy and smiles to his face, sweeping away the fear brought on by the King of the Northern Defense.

Once the banquet was over.

Zhou Yi, using the excuse of being drunk, did not return to the Inspectorate but stayed at the Zhou residence.

The mansion had prepared accommodations well in advance, located in the most central position, with servants cleaning all year round, the interiors and items used were all of the highest quality from the National Dynasty.

Merchants aspiring to be included in the tribute list painstakingly selected their finest wares to offer Zhou Yi for his enjoyment before they could even reach His Majesty.

In a half-sleep, half-awake state.

Night fell.

A shadow leapt and darted across the Zhou residence.

The Nightwear merged with the darkness. And when coupled with the exquisitely skillful Qinggong, the night watchmen didn’t notice anything amiss.

Moments later.

The shadow arrived outside the door to the main house, spat on a peephole to clear it, and peered inside with one eye.

The even sound of breathing indicated that Zhou Yi was fast asleep.@@novelbin@@

True Qi was channelled into the window frame, unlatching the bolts from inside, then slipping through the window gap and slithering across the floor like a boneless black snake.

The shadow approached the bed, confirming that the sleeping man was the head of the Eastern Depot, and then flicked out more than a dozen poison needles from his hand.

Dual blades slipped from his sleeves, aiming for Zhou Yi’s neck.

The instant the first poison needle penetrated his body, Zhou Yi woke with a start. His True Qi surged forth like a vast ocean, congealing into a nearly tangible circular shield that deflected all the remaining poison needles.

The blades struck the Qi shield, vibrating slightly but failing to make even a small gap.

“What…” The shadow gasped in shock, never having heard of such True Qi in the world, utterly terrifying.

He immediately executed his Qinggong to retreat swiftly outwards.

“Our family must see who this thief is, and will ensure that your Nine Clans are utterly exterminated!” Zhou Yi used the Capturing Dragon Technique to yank the shadow back and lifted the cloth covering the face to reveal a handsome face with sword-shaped eyebrows and starry eyes.

“Hehehe, turns out it’s a pretty boy!”

“An eunuch deserves death by all.”

The shadow shouted angrily, aware of the horror of the Inspectorate’s dungeons, and biting at a poison capsule to commit suicide during the heat of the moment.

“Want to die? Not so easily done!” Zhou Yi flicked his fingers, striking the shadow’s pressure points with his True Qi.

From the shadow’s entry to the present, the whole encounter lasted but a few breaths. When the guards heard the commotion and rushed inside, they found the assassin standing still, rigid in place.