Bamboo Case Chapter Twenty-Two: A Meticulous Plan

The entire city of Qianjing began to tremble violently. Everyone saw a brilliant light ignite atop the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, including Lu Yun.

The radiance was dazzling and magnificent, then it transformed into a massive glowing sphere. The sphere hovered above the pavilion’s roof, gently leapt up, and suddenly exploded into thousands of luminous swords.

Lu Yun stared blankly upward.

For the first time, he felt utterly powerless. When facing Chang Qi or Yuan Bai, he believed he could hold his own.

But beneath that sphere and the myriad of light swords, the young man finally understood the overwhelming power of the Upper Five Realms.

He couldn’t move—if he did, he would be targeted...

And he would die!

Lu Yun’s eyes widened; cold sweat trickled down his forehead.

“Don’t panic,” Shu Menzi said, placing a hand on Lu Yun’s shoulder.

In the next moment, the entire Taiping Academy seemed to vanish from Qianjing City, unaffected by the glowing sphere.

Lu Yun’s fear finally subsided. He crouched down, gasping for breath.

“Th-That… was an Ascended Realm cultivator from the Imperial Palace?!”

Shu Menzi nodded grimly. “No longer Ascended—he has fallen to Immortal Realm. Yuan Feng, on the other hand, is ascending toward the Ascended Realm.”

Lu Yun was speechless, stunned.

How dare they?!

If they fail—would the Barbaric World even still have the Baiyuan Kingdom?

“I need to go to the Imperial Palace.”

Shu Menzi looked at Sheng Ge. “Senior, can you protect our junior apprentice well?”

“Of course.”

Sheng Ge came to Lu Yun’s side.

“Then goodbye, junior apprentice. Remember, don’t leave this academy. Qianjing City is very dangerous now!” Shu Menzi’s final words were serious and earnest.

...

Stepping out onto the streets of Qianjing City, Shu Menzi heard cries for help.

A demon had already revealed his true form—a fox—and was rushing toward Shu Menzi. Behind him was a man in red.

Shu Menzi frowned and raised his hand. The slender flying sword that had been chasing the fox demon suddenly stopped, as if halted by an invisible force.

The fox demon seized the opportunity and fled past Shu Menzi.

“Was it worth it? It didn’t even say thank you.”

The man in red wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.

“Why slaughter ordinary demons so wantonly within the city?” Shu Menzi asked coldly without answering.

---

“Hahaha, why? You ask why?” The man in red laughed wildly, throwing his head back.

“This is the Barbaric World, sir of Taiping Academy! Do I need a reason to kill?”

He approached his hovering long sword and grasped the hilt.

At his feet, a crimson array rapidly spread, covering half of Qianjing City. Countless ordinary demons instantly perished.

“I’ve fought many battles outside, but I’ve never met anyone more ridiculous than Taiping Academy.”

The man in red, the famed general of Baiyuan Kingdom, sneered.

“Let me see if the renowned Taiping Academy is just a bunch of empty talk like the disciples of Haoran World’s academies!”

Shu Menzi was furious. Suddenly, a realization dawned on him as he looked into the distance.

“Master, is all of this connected to you?”

...

Dong Sangeng stepped out of the courtyard, hands behind his back, looking up at the towering Hundred Flowers Pavilion. Calmly, he said, “Come.”

As if responding to Dong Sangeng’s words, thousands of light swords swarmed from the pavilion, weaving through the streets of Qianjing City, slaughtering countless demons as they surged toward Dong Sangeng.

The one-zhang-long sword at Dong Sangeng’s waist unsheathed automatically, colliding with the flying swords.

One, two, three...

Though countless light swords shattered against the one-zhang blade, it pushed forward relentlessly.

More light swords continuously split from the massive sphere, seemingly endless.

Dong Sangeng grew weary; he extended his hand, and the blade rotated before flying back into his grasp.

“Fallen from Ascended to Immortal Realm, is that all you can do?”

He tightened his grip and swung the sword.

Overlooking Qianjing City, a blade energy slashed a straight line from a courtyard toward the Hundred Flowers Pavilion.

Countless houses were destroyed, leaving only a deep vertical crack etched into the earth.

Inside the sphere, an elder floated, shouting angrily, “Why aren’t you attacking? Are you just going to let him kill you with one sword?”

Within Qianjing City, the aura of powerful demons began to manifest.

Dong Sangeng exhaled slowly, his expression grave.

The crack on his one-zhang blade was growing more dangerous.

It turned out Yuan Feng had gambled correctly. After Dong Sangeng slew the Ascended demon from Zhicui City, he was severely injured. When he tried to return to the Sword Qi Great Wall, Zhou Mi intercepted him, forcing him to hide in Qianjing City.

And Qianjing City was Zhou Mi’s prison for Dong Sangeng.

All to kill the sword immortal who dared to ascend in the Barbaric World—or to sever his path to the Fourteenth Realm.

Why did the elder harbor murderous intent toward Dong Sangeng upon his arrival in Qianjing City?

Why did Yuan Feng pit his two children against each other?

It was all because of one person.

Zhou Mi.

“Damn Zhou Mi.”

Dong Sangeng spat, “Don’t let me catch you.”

...

Outside Taiping Academy, Yuan Mo gasped weakly, pounding on the courtyard door.

After a while, the door was cautiously opened. A young boy peeked out, and seeing nothing unusual, immediately dragged the bloodied Yuan Mo inside.

“Save me…”

Yuan Mo lowered his eyes and looked at the red-haired woman standing inside.

“Hong Yu, save me.”

Hong Yu snorted coldly. “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t have anything to do with Taiping Academy anymore?”

“If you’re willing to watch me die like this, then yes, I said that.”

Yuan Mo clutched his wound and leaned against the wall, pitiful.

Hong Yu pressed her lips together, but finally stepped forward, crouching and placing her hand on Yuan Mo’s forehead.

“I knew you’d get into trouble, so I followed my senior brother to Qianjing City. See? Not everything is under your control.”

While tending his wounds, Hong Yu scolded, “I don’t understand why you insisted on severing ties with Taiping Academy…”

Yuan Mo smiled faintly. “You shouldn’t be a student at Taiping Academy anymore either. Be my queen.”

Hong Yu’s ears reddened slightly; she quickly covered Yuan Mo’s mouth and turned to glare at Lu Yun and the others.

Lu Yun coughed, Sheng Ge turned away, but the bald big man Shan Cong watched the scene with a smile.

Hong Yu, embarrassed, shot Shan Cong a sharp glare.

“Lu Yun, Dong Sangeng seems to need you.”

Sheng Ge suddenly said.

Lu Yun was startled. “What happened to Senior?”

“He’s been injured multiple times before, and now… his situation is very dangerous.”

Sheng Ge’s expression changed. “Also, the person in the Imperial Palace seems to be on the verge of success.”