Chapter 224 The True Art of Word Spirit

At this time in the Xianyang Palace, Ying Zheng was not handling official business in the Zhangtai Palace. He was in Gongsun Li Ji's palace, looking at the hunger-striking Gongsun Li Ji with some helplessness.

However, given Ying Zheng's character, he was destined not to coax Gongsun Liji to eat. He just gave orders to Zhao Gao outside the door.

"Zhao Gao, no matter what method you use, make sure she eats and lives well."

"promise!"

Zhao Gao agreed, and Ying Zheng returned to Zhangtai Palace to continue dealing with unfinished official business.

After Ying Zheng left, Zhao Gao stood outside the palace and said to Gongsun Liji, "Your Majesty, please consider Mr. Jing Ke and don't make a mistake."

Gongsun Li Ji was stunned after hearing this. Since she was captured, she had not heard any news about Jing Ke. However, Zhao Gao's obvious hint made Gongsun Li Ji feel as if she was falling into an ice cave.

Her love for Jing Ke outweighed her fear, so she began to eat.

In the Zhangtai Palace, Ying Zheng handled government affairs in an orderly manner. It seemed that what happened just now was just an insignificant episode. But if he really didn't care, why would he go to Gongsun Liji's bedroom?

At this moment, Gongsun Ce appeared in front of Ying Zheng silently.

"Mr. Gongsun?"

"Don't make it public." Gongsun Ce picked up the cake in front of Ying Zheng to fill his stomach and ate a piece. "I came back to watch Changping Jun's drama, but I didn't expect to see your drama first.

Is Gongsun Liji really that important? To the point that she makes you lose your mind? You can't lie to me, your heart is already in turmoil."

"It's important, but it can't compare to my Great Qin."

Ying Zheng's answer was very pertinent. In his opinion, nothing could compare to his empire, except Gongsun Ce who gave him psychological hints.

"Changping Jun wants to arrange an assassination against you. Are you ready?"

"Of course. No one can successfully assassinate me under the protection of Mr. Gongsun."

Ying Zheng surpassed Gongsun Ce without leaving any trace, which made Gongsun Ce raise his eyebrows.

"If I don't return in time, how will A Zheng deal with the opponent's Grandmaster?"

There are still a few masters-level fighters around Ying Zheng, such as Zhao Gao. Although this guy does not control Luowang, his realm is indeed at the master level.

So Jing Ke’s assassination is not important, what is important is the assassination by the grandmaster.

In Qin State, only Wei Liao and Guannei Hou were grand masters. At this time, Wei Liao had already followed Wang Ben to fight in Wei State, and Guannei Hou was a otaku.

There should be no grandmaster protecting Ying Zheng at all, so Gongsun Ce was very curious about what Ying Zheng's backup plan was to deal with the grandmaster.

"Mr. Gongsun, do you know the Sun-shooting Arrow?"

"The arrow that Dayi used to shoot the sun?"

"That's right." Ying Zheng stood up, walked out of Zhangtai Palace and headed towards Xingle Palace where the court was located, "Sir, please follow me."

Soon, Ying Zheng came to his throne in the Xingle Palace and pressed a button under the armrest of the throne.

The next moment, the wall behind the throne opened, and a crossbow with a somewhat strange shape appeared behind the wall.

"The arrowhead on this object is the Sun-Shooting Arrow, which is powerful enough to kill an ordinary Grandmaster with one strike. It is one of the foundations of our Great Qin."

Gongsun Ce's figure quietly appeared beside the throne. Gongsun Ce moved closer to the Sun-Shooting Arrow and looked at it carefully. He saw cracks and special characters on the arrowhead.

"Interesting. The reason why this arrowhead has such powerful power is all due to these runes. Have you ever studied it?"

"No." Ying Zheng shook his head slightly. "Since our ancestors got this item, they have never studied these runes. Our ancestors believed that even if they studied them, there might not be any results, so it is better not to study them."

“I see.” Gongsun Ce nodded, “If I’m not mistaken, the State of Chu will soon send Jing Ke as an envoy.

Starting from the border of Qin, if you want to bypass Chu and reach Daliang of Wei, you need to pass through thirty-eight cities. Changping Jun must know this.

At this time, Meng Yi had already captured several cities. As expected, the State of Chu would use the remaining cities as gifts for the envoys.

You are really deliberate in exchange for Jing Ke's chance to meet you."

If Jing Ke and the Grand Master had really succeeded, there would have been civil strife in Qin, and at this time Chu could have sent troops to recapture the city, or even further encroach on part of Qin's land.

If they failed, they would have no choice but to give up these cities to facilitate Wang Ben's attack on Daliang.

"It's a good plan, but it's destined to fail."

Gongsun Ce wrote down the rune on the arrow, then left Xianyang Palace, returned to the Taiwei Mansion silently, and began to retreat.

The runes on the arrow and the runes between Yan Lingji's eyebrows gave Gongsun Ce some inspiration. Gongsun Ce felt that he could start to replicate some of the dragon characters.

At this moment in the Chu Palace, the somewhat embarrassed Xiang Yan was meeting with the King of Chu Fu Chu.

"Old General, what a good old General Xiang! With your ability, why are you being chased and killed by a few young men in such a miserable state?"

Faced with the aggressiveness of King Fu Chu of Chu, Xiang Yan was silent for a moment, and then Xiang Yan told King Fu Chu of Chu about Changping Jun's plan.

"Changping Jun contacted me and informed me of the plan to assassinate Qin."

"Assassinate Qin?" King Fuchu of Chu was successfully misled by Xiang Yan's words. He temporarily gave up accusing Xiang Yan and said, "Tell me about it."

"The swordsman Jing Ke was sent as an envoy to Qin State with a letter of surrender of the city, and the Grand Master was also sent along. When Jing Ke saw Zhao Zheng, he took the lead in assassinating him.

After Jing Ke's defeat, the Grand Master then killed Zhao Zheng. Once Zhao Zheng died, there would be civil unrest in Qin. Then, we could send troops and take Xianyang directly."

Xiang Yan was very optimistic about the plan to assassinate Qin. In his mind, Gongsun Ce and the Demon God of War were still at the border of Qin.

There was no grand master in the Xianyang Palace at all. Even if the State of Chu could not continue to expand its territory after Ying Zheng's death, it could slow down the pace of its demise.

After listening to Xiang Yan's introduction, King Fuchu of Chu's expression changed. Then Fuchu asked Xiang Yan: "How confident are you? How many cities do you need to sacrifice?"

After hearing Fu Chu's question, Xiang Yan knew that the plan would basically be implemented.

"About 80% chance of success. As for the cities to be ceded, if Qin wants to attack Wei's Daliang from the side, it will need to bypass the 38 cities of our Great Chu. Your Majesty, you can consider how many cities to cede as appropriate."

"Okay!" Fu Chu nodded, "Then cede the city. Qin State urgently needs thirty-eight cities, so I will give him thirty-eight cities!"

At this time, the confused Jing Ke stepped into the territory of Chu State.

Jing Ke, who had searched for Gongsun Li Ji in vain in the State of Wei, continued to look for her.

However, when the Wei Wuzu abducted Gongsun Li Ji, they did not leave many traces, so Jing Ke had no idea about Gongsun Li Ji's whereabouts.

He could only use the most primitive method - questioning one person at a time. After questioning Daliang, he would leave Daliang, and after questioning Wei, he would leave Wei.

In a daze, he stepped into the border of Chu State. When he entered the small hut beside the official road, he heard a burst of discussion.

Jing Ke sat down, but his eyes were involuntarily attracted to a group of drunkards sitting in the corner.

They were discussing heatedly, and although their voices were not loud, every word struck Jing Ke's heart like a heavy hammer.

"Have you heard? King Ying Zheng of Qin recently took in a new concubine, and I heard she's a beauty!" said a drunkard with saliva flying.

"Oh? Beauty? Where is she from?" Another drunkard came over curiously.

"Hehe, you may not believe it, but it was presented by the King of Wei."

"King of Wei? The King of Qin is fighting against Wei, why would he suddenly send his concubine there?"

"You probably don't know this. I heard that this concubine was not originally from Wei, but from Wei. Later, she was captured by the King of Wei and presented directly to the King of Qin."

Hearing this, Jing Ke's pupils shrank suddenly. Wei State? Concubine? Could it be... Gongsun Liji's figure instantly emerged in his mind.

That gentle and kind-hearted junior sister was actually captured by the King of Wei and presented to the King of Qin? This news was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue for him.

Jing Ke could no longer sit still. He stood up suddenly, slammed the table, and asked loudly, "Is the concubine you are talking about surnamed Gongsun?"

The drunkards were startled by Jing Ke's sudden action and turned around to look at him.

Seeing Jing Ke's anxious and angry expression, one of the bold drunkards sneered: "What? You know that concubine? So what? She is the favorite concubine of the King of Qin now. It's useless even if you know her!"

Jing Ke's heart sank to the bottom. He knew he couldn't just give up, but facing the powerful forces of King Qin Ying Zheng and the entire Qin State, how could he rescue Gongsun Liji?

At this moment, another drunkard stood up and challenged, "Boy, I think you are tired of living? How dare you yell here? Do you believe that we will make you leave sideways today?"

Jing Ke took a deep breath, and a cold light flashed in his eyes.

He knew that these drunkards were just common people, and although they were numerous, their strength was limited.

He must act quickly so that he can leave this place as soon as possible and find a way to save Gongsun Li Ji.

So Jing Ke no longer hesitated and rushed into the group of drunkards.

His punches and kicks were as sharp and swift as the wind, and each blow carried a strong force that went straight to the vital points.

Although the drunkards were numerous and powerful, they were unable to withstand Jing Ke's attack and soon fell to the ground, wailing.

Jing Ke ignored their wailing and turned and walked out of the tavern.

He knew that he had to find a way to rescue Gongsun Li Ji as soon as possible, otherwise she might face an even more dangerous situation.

However, facing the powerful Qin State and its King Ying Zheng, how could Jing Ke succeed? He fell into deep confusion.

Jing Ke walked alone along the official road. The breeze made his clothes flutter, but it could not blow away the anxiety and confusion in his heart.

As he walked, he was thinking about how to rescue Gongsun Li Ji.

However, he knew it was not an easy task. King Ying Zheng of Qin was the king of Qin, and Qin was strong and powerful. To rescue Gongsun Liji from him was like snatching food from a tiger's mouth.

What's more, he is now just a wandering swordsman with no soldiers or power. How can he compete with the Qin State?

Jing Ke's brows were furrowed, his heart full of struggle and contradiction.

He didn't want to give up the opportunity to rescue Gongsun Li Ji, but he also didn't want to make himself a meaningless sacrifice.

Yet choosing between the two is so difficult.

Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps broke the silence of the night.

Jing Ke looked back and saw a masked man in black rushing towards him.

His heart tightened and he quickly drew the sword from his waist and prepared to fight.

However, the masked man did not attack him but took out a letter from his arms and handed it to him.

"This is a letter for you." The masked man said coldly.

Jing Ke took the letter and opened it with confusion. He saw the words written on it: "If you want to save Gongsun Liji, come here quickly."

There was no signature on the letter, but Jing Ke could sense a familiarity in the handwriting.

He immediately understood the origin of the letter. He put away the letter and pointed his sword at the masked man and asked, "Who are you? Why did you give me this letter?"

The masked man didn't say anything, just looked at him coldly, then turned and disappeared into the night.

Jing Ke looked at his departing figure with indescribable emotions in his heart. He knew that this letter could be a trap or an opportunity, but he had to go to the place mentioned in the letter anyway.

Because only there can he find hope of rescuing Gongsun Li Ji.

Jing Ke traveled day and night to a small mountain range outside the Chu capital Yingdu.

This place is remote and easy to hide people.

This was Jing Ke's only comment on this place. His mentor was the great general of Wei State, Gongsun Yu. Naturally, it was impossible for him to only teach martial arts without teaching military tactics.

"Ji Bu! I, Jing Ke, am here to keep my appointment!"

Jing Ke's voice echoed in the mountains and forests. Just as Jing Ke's voice disappeared, rustling sounds were heard from the surrounding mountains and forests.

Then, Ji Bu appeared with a golden peony in his mouth.

Just as he appeared, the petals of the golden peony suddenly scattered and flew towards Jing Ke.

Golden Peony Formation!
The petals flew towards Jing Ke under the control of Ji Bu's true energy.

The petals sparkled with golden light in the air, and flew through the air like a sharp arrow.

Jing Ke looked at Ji Bu's attack without panicking.

He knew very well that Ji Bu was a martial arts expert, but he himself was no ordinary person either.

He gently swung the sword in his hand, and a sharp sword energy instantly burst out from the tip of the sword, heading towards the petals of the golden peony.

The sword energy and petals collided in the air, making a crisp sound.

The petals scattered under the impact of the sword energy and fell on the ground like golden raindrops.

Jing Ke stood there, his expression as calm as water, as if everything that had just happened was just a passing cloud.

When Ji Bu saw this, he was shocked.

He didn't expect that Jing Ke's martial arts were so powerful that even his golden peony couldn't hurt him at all.

He is only a half-step grandmaster. The fact that Jing Ke could break his golden peony formation so easily means that Jing Ke has already reached the grandmaster level.

He knew very well that the probing mission assigned to him by Xiang Yan had not yet ended, and Jing Ke had not yet exerted his full strength.

His mission would not be over until he saw the Grandmaster's intention and the five-step killing move.

So he flashed and used his lightness skills to get closer to Jing Ke.

Jing Ke looked at Ji Bu's approaching figure, and a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes.

He knew that Ji Bu's purpose of this trip was not really to be his enemy, but to test his strength.

However, he did not show mercy. He held his sword tightly, ready to meet Ji Bu's next attack.

Just when Ji Bu was five steps away from Jing Ke, Jing Ke suddenly moved.

His figure flashed out like lightning, and the long sword in his hand drew a graceful arc, going straight for Ji Bu's throat.

This move is exactly his unique skill - the five-step killing move.

The Five-Step Killing Technique was said to be able to kill a hundred people within five steps. The power of this move was enough to kill anyone below the Grandmaster level within five steps.

Ji Bu looked at Jing Ke's sword approaching his throat, and a strong sense of fear rose in his heart.

He knew that he could not withstand the power of this move and could only watch the sword approaching him.

However, just as Ji Bu was about to die, Jing Ke suddenly stopped his sword moves.

His sword stopped at Ji Bu's throat and did not move forward.

Ji Bu looked into Jing Ke's eyes, there was no murderous intent there, only deep calmness and determination.

"You lose." Jing Ke said lightly.

Upon hearing this, Ji Bu couldn't help but feel relieved.

He knew that he had lost the competition, but what surprised him even more was Jing Ke's broad-mindedness and magnanimity.

He didn't expect that Jing Ke would show mercy at the critical moment, which made him feel a sense of admiration for Jing Ke.

"Thank you for your mercy." Ji Bu said with a deep bow.

"So, what is your plan for setting up this arrangement?"

Jing Ke had figured everything out by now. This was a series of tricks within a trick.

The King of Wei was responsible for capturing and offering people, and the King of Chu was responsible for luring him to assassinate the King of Qin.

It’s all because of his reputation for the five-step killer move and Gongsun Liji’s beauty.

Jing Ke suddenly felt a little desperate, perhaps despair of this world, or perhaps despair of his own incompetence.

"Of course it's to assassinate Qin. But there is one thing you may not know, the King of Qin has been looking for Gongsun Liji.

Even if we didn't have this plan, the King of Qin would come looking for us one day, and by then, you would also lose Gongsun Liji."

"What?" Jing Ke's expression changed and his brows knitted. "Why would the King of Qin look for my junior sister?"

"Sorry, I don't know." Ji Bu smiled with difficulty, "But I can tell you that you are not the main force in the assassination.

If you are lucky enough, after the death of King Qin, you will have the opportunity to rescue Gongsun Li Ji from the harem.

So, Jing Ke, make your choice. Whether or not you want to be part of our plan. "

"I still have a choice? Can I still refuse?"

Ji Bu patted Jing Ke on the shoulder and said helplessly: "The world is like a chess game, and the universe is unpredictable. You and I are both chess pieces. We can choose to stay away from the world, but once we set foot in this world, you and I have no way to retreat."

"Okay. I'm in on your plan, but I also have a few requests. First, I want to drink the best wine in Chu.

Second, I want to listen to Gao Jianli’s music.

Third, I want a good sword, a famous sword."

"I can agree to all these conditions. When the time comes, I just hope you won't break your promise."

"Of course." Jing Ke patted his chest and smiled bitterly, "I, Jing Ke, always keep my word."

So Jing Ke was arranged to stay in a small tavern outside Yingdu, where he spent the whole day getting drunk and was not seen practicing martial arts.

Two months passed in a flash.

In Xianyang, Taiwei Mansion, in a secret room, a bean-sized candle illuminates the secluded room.

Gongsun Ce was surrounded by records written in oracle bone inscriptions, bronze inscriptions, and the languages ​​of seven kingdoms.

These ancient texts all contain unique wisdom and can enlighten Gongsun Ce's thinking.

Gongsun Ce knew very well that writing was not only a tool for recording history, but also the crystallization of human wisdom.

They carry the wisdom and experience of our ancestors and are a bridge between the past and the future.

Gongsun Ce has dragon bloodline, so naturally he believes that words themselves are the carriers of power and can be used as a means to exert power.

He closed his eyes, pondered the evolution of writing, and reversed the specific meaning of the words on the Sun-Shooting Arrow.

Time seemed to stand still at this moment, and countless lights flashed in Gongsun Ce's mind.

He felt the power contained in every character on the Sun-Shooting Arrow, trying to understand the mystery behind them.

These words may represent effects such as extreme cold, certain hit, destruction, divine power, etc.

You just need to match the characters to the corresponding ones to deduce the stroke rules of the characters, and then deduce the specific meaning of the special characters used on the Sun-Shooting Arrow.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration came to Gongsun Ce’s mind.

He opened his eyes, with a determined gleam in them.

Words are the medium that can mobilize the power of heaven and earth, so the words on the Sun-Shooting Arrow are no longer so important at this moment.

He picked up the pen, dipped it in ink, and prepared to put his understanding into practice.

Gongsun Ce first wrote the word "fire". As soon as he wrote this word, the temperature of the surrounding air rose slightly.

However, the word "fire" at this time was still the character between Yan Lingji's eyebrows, not the dragon character in Gongsun Ce's mind.

Word Spirit·Evolution

Gongsun Ce activated the Word Spirit, and then wrote the word "fire" in dragon script again.

The moment this word took shape, it seemed as if an invisible force was gathering and gathering the heat in the air.

Gongsun Ce felt this power and was filled with surprise.

He continued to write the word "water" quickly. As soon as the word came out, the air became moist, as if a drizzle was falling.

Gongsun Ce felt a cool breeze blowing on his face, which made him feel relaxed and happy.

Then, Gongsun Ce wrote the word "wind". As soon as he finished writing this word, a breeze blew in the secret room.

Although the wind was not strong, it carried a sharp force that made Gongsun Ce's clothes rustle.

He felt the power and was filled with awe.

Finally, Gongsun Ce wrote the word "Earth". As soon as this word came out, the whole secret room shook slightly.

It was as if a huge force was surging from underground, causing the entire space to tremble.

Gongsun Ce stood in the secret room, feeling the power brought by the words.

His heart was filled with joy and pride because he had successfully restored part of the dragon text, although only the four most crucial words: earth, fire, water, and wind.

At this moment, Gongsun Ce felt something in his heart and uttered the word "fire".

The next moment, a ball of fire appeared out of nowhere in front of Gongsun Ce.

In Gongsun Ce's perception, the dragon blood had no reaction, the true qi had no reaction, and the grand master's intention had no reaction.

Only the pure power of heaven and earth turned into a ball of fire before his eyes. It was different from the power generated by the arrangement and combination of dragon characters. This was the real power of the art of words.

But this power is still very weak, and there are restrictions on sentences.

Gongsun Ce had a feeling that only the four words earth, fire, water and wind carried incredible power when they came out of his mouth.

In other words, as long as Gongsun Ce can continue to restore the dragon text, he can make his words come true in this world.

(End of this chapter)