Chapter Ninety-Nine: The Invincible Cleaver

The next day.

The study in the Prince’s mansion.

Li Yunji sat upright before the desk, carefully examining the Qingyuan Sword in his hands.

“Eleven,” Li Yunji called softly, “why hasn’t Qingyuan woken up since it fell asleep yesterday?”

“Qingyuan consumed too much spiritual energy yesterday. To awaken it, you need to infuse it with your true qi,” Eleven replied, wiping his chipped cleaver as he spoke.

“I’ve already tried just now,” Li Yunji muttered, “but there was no response.”

Eleven stepped forward, scrutinized Qingyuan from top to bottom, and calmly said, “Your cultivation isn’t strong enough yet.”

Li Yunji’s spirit immediately deflated. He sighed softly and carefully sheathed Qingyuan.

“I see you’re quite fond of that cleaver of yours,” Li Yunji observed Eleven’s movements suspiciously. “Could it also be some kind of divine weapon?”

At this, Eleven’s eyes lit up with pride, and a slight smile curved his lips.

“Of course!” he said.

“This blade is called the Invincible Cleaver!”

“That doesn’t sound like a proper name at all,” Li Yunji scoffed. “Did the old man name it?”

Eleven nodded excitedly, his face animated. “The prince sure knows how to name things!”

“In just two simple characters, it captures the blade’s extraordinary nature!”

As he spoke, he waved the cleaver left and right, clearly very pleased with the name.

Li Yunji nearly choked on his breath. Such taste—there really was no one else like him.

“Let me see it,” Li Yunji held out his hand, signaling Eleven to hand over the cleaver.

Eleven hesitated, holding the cleaver horizontally in front of Li Yunji. “How about you just look at it like this?”

Li Yunji rolled his eyes. “It’s just a broken cleaver, not like anyone’s dying to have it.”

He reached out and gripped the handle. “Let go.”

“Oh,” Eleven mumbled, then released his hold.

“There’s no way…”

Before Li Yunji could finish, the cleaver’s immense weight suddenly dragged down his arm, and both he and the cleaver plunged straight into the ground!

“Damn!” Li Yunji quickly let go, staring in disbelief at the cleaver embedded deep in the earth.

“It’s that heavy?!”

“Mm-hmm,” Eleven said nonchalantly.

Li Yunji sat dumbfounded for a moment, then bent down to scrutinize the cleaver carefully.

“How can you lift it so easily?”

He tried to pull it out, his face turning red with effort, but the blade remained steadfast.

He gave up and sat back down, exhaling deeply.

“I don’t know either,” Eleven chuckled softly. “It seems this blade only recognizes me as its master.”

“You tried before too, didn’t you?” Li Yunji asked.

Eleven nodded. “Yes, just like you, the prince couldn’t lift it.”

He then leisurely grasped the handle and, to Li Yunji’s astonishment, lifted it with ease. He swung it back and forth a few times, then exhaled and wiped it clean again.

Li Yunji lowered his brow in thought, a sudden flash of insight striking his mind.

Isn’t this the Meow Meow Hammer of Great Qian?

No, the Meow Meow Blade.

“What about these two chips?” Li Yunji pointed at two notches on the blade.

Eleven sighed deeply, gazing at the chipped edges with pain. “I can’t quite remember.”

“All I know is that they were left from battles with extremely powerful enemies many years ago.”

“Many years ago?” Li Yunji furrowed his brow, sensing something unusual. “How many years ago?”

Eleven shook his head again.

“And what about those enemies?”

Still, Eleven shook his head.

Li Yunji was taken aback. “Why do you always forget at such critical moments?”

Eleven sighed helplessly. “I don’t know either. It seems I can’t recall things before meeting the prince.”

Li Yunji sighed softly, muttering, “I can’t remember anything related to myself, but I can spout off other things easily…”

...

At noon, after lunch.

Li Yunji rested briefly before heading out alone.

Su Qingmeng leaned by the door, watching Li Yunji’s departing figure. She asked Eleven, “Where is your master going?”

“To the Zhou residence,” Eleven replied calmly.

Su Qingmeng frowned, about to follow, but Eleven stopped her. “The prince specifically ordered us not to follow.”

“Do you know that your master forced Zhou Jingzhi’s death?” Su Qingmeng said with a sour tone.

Eleven nodded. “I know.”

“The prince said he’s going to handle that matter today.”

“He also said he’s investigating under imperial orders, and no Zhou would dare harm him.”

Su Qingmeng made a sound of understanding.

“So the crown princess cares so much about the prince,” Chu Qi suddenly appeared, grinning mischievously. “I thought you two slept in separate rooms because you didn’t get along.”

Su Qingmeng’s cheeks flushed slightly. “Don’t be ridiculous!”

“I’m just curious!”

With that, she turned and left.

Eleven and Chu Qi exchanged knowing smiles, understanding each other perfectly.

...

The Zhou residence.

The study.

Before the desk sat a middle-aged man, sitting upright and intently reviewing documents.

A soldier knocked at the door, hurriedly reporting, “General Zhou, the heir Li requests an audience.”

Zhou Li slowly lifted his eyes, closed the documents, and said coldly, “Let him in.”

The soldier replied affirmatively.

Soon, Li Yunji appeared outside the study.

“General Zhou,” Li Yunji cupped his hands in greeting, “I hope all is well.”

Zhou Li remained unmoved, showing no respect.

His face stern and imposing, he coldly stared at Li Yunji and said evenly, “If you are here regarding the tax silver case, I have nothing to say.”

“I am not here about the tax silver case today,” Li Yunji said proudly and directly. “I am here about the Zhou Jingzhi case.”

Zhou Li’s expression darkened instantly. He said coldly, “The rebellious son broke the law and committed suicide out of guilt.”

“This case was solved personally by the heir Li.”

“Have you forgotten, heir Li?!”

As he spoke, the purple clay teapot beside Zhou Li suddenly shattered.

A fierce killing intent surged into Zhou Li’s eyes. His indigo robe billowed without wind, and a deadly aura instantly filled the air!

“Of course I—”

Before he could finish, a streak of sword energy tore through the air, aiming straight for his throat.

Li Yunji’s figure flashed, narrowly dodging the sword strike.

“Li Yunji!”

Nearby, a man clad in dark iron armor shouted angrily, rushing forward with a long sword in hand.

“You forced the second young master to his death! And you dare show up here?! Today, you’ll pay your blood debt with blood!”

Without waiting for a reply, the man wildly slashed his sword.

Li Yunji met the attack with Qingyuan, fighting several rounds but gradually falling behind.

The opponent was at least a peak fifth-rank warrior!

Li Yunji retreated several steps, waving his hand. “Can you let me finish speaking?!”

The man glared furiously, sword strikes intensifying. “What’s there to say? Just die!”

“Are you a mad dog?!” Li Yunji fought while retreating, backing toward the study.

He shouted loudly at Zhou Li, “If I die in your mansion, how will you explain this to His Majesty?”

Only then did Zhou Li release an aura separating Li Yunji and the man.

“Father!” The man was unwilling but, seeing Zhou Li’s cold gaze, finally withdrew his sword. He glared hatefully at Li Yunji.

“You see for yourself, heir Li,” Zhou Li said coldly. “My Zhou residence does not welcome you!”

With that, Zhou Li swept his sleeves and turned, entering the inner chamber.

“See them out!”