# 331
Chapter 331 – At Death’s Door
A spatial rift tore open beside the reef, and Second Seat and Fourth Seat stepped out briskly.
Shen Qingzhu, who had been sitting on the reef, rose and bowed slightly. “Junior Shen Qingzhu welcomes the two seniors back in triumph.”
Fourth Seat glanced at the white-fox-masked figure, then turned to Second Seat in puzzlement. “Who’s he?”
“The new Fifteenth Seat, Yiyu’s most valued confidant,” Second Seat answered calmly.
Fourth Seat studied Shen Qingzhu for a moment, nodded, and dismissed him from mind.
“Where’s Fifth Seat?” Second Seat asked, looking around.
The words had barely left his mouth when a familiar figure walked out of the nearby woods, covered in dust and scorch marks but virtually uninjured.
“I’m here,” Fifth Seat said slowly. “I’ve been tying down the outer perimeter. How did it go inside? Did we kill Wu Tongxuan?”
Second Seat and Fourth Seat stiffened.
“You failed?” Fifth Seat blinked. “That doesn’t make sense!”
“He’s stronger than we expected; Sixth Seat has fallen,” Fourth Seat said. “After the Medium Squad arrived, killing him became impossible.”
“So you ran?” Fifth Seat seized the point with a cold laugh. “Deserters, huh…”
“If you’d been there, you probably wouldn’t have escaped at all,” Second Seat retorted icily.
“Whatever. The assassination is a bust… Oh, newcomer, I think I saw Lord Yiyu land near here. Did he give the order to withdraw?” Fifth Seat suddenly asked.
Second Seat and Fourth Seat turned in unison.
Shen Qingzhu nodded. “Lord Yiyu said the mission to kill Wu Tongxuan is over…”
As the three exhaled in relief, Shen Qingzhu added, “However, he issued a new order.”
The trio froze. “Another mission? What?”
Shen Qingzhu drew a deep breath and enunciated every word: “Ambush… Master Chen!”
“What?!!”
All three gaped, disbelief filling their eyes.
“Assassinate a Human Apex? With just us? Are you kidding?”
Shen Qingzhu spoke solemnly: “Lord Yiyu received word that Master Chen, on his way back from Shanghai, was attacked by a god and is now gravely wounded—at death’s door. This is his weakest moment!
If Lord Yiyu’s main body weren’t being hunted by the Medium Squad, he’d act personally. Right now Master Chen is heading to the Purification Chamber to heal. The only ones who can intercept him… are us!
This is the Church of the Ancient Gods and the Believers’ sole chance to kill a Human Apex!”
The string of revelations left the three Believers dumbstruck.
“Master Chen was ambushed by a god inside Great Xia?”
“Seriously wounded?”
“At death’s door?!”
No matter how they twisted it, it sounded insane.
Leaving aside the other Human Apices guarding the country, could any outer god even enter Great Xia? And for a god to lie in wait specifically for Master Chen was unthinkable.
With Master Chen’s power, even against a god, he shouldn’t end up half-dead.
Besides, how had they heard nothing of such earth-shaking news?
“Should we go back and confirm with Lord Yiyu?” Fifth Seat hesitated.
Shen Qingzhu shook his head. “Master Chen is almost at the Purification Chamber; we’re out of time. This is the Believers and the Church’s only opportunity…”
Second Seat narrowed his eyes. “Swear on the soul contract you share with Lord Yiyu that every word is true.”
Shen Qingzhu raised four fingers solemnly. “I, Shen Qingzhu, swear by the soul contract binding me to Lord Yiyu: every word I spoke is true! I don’t understand the details myself, but I trust Lord Yiyu’s judgment!”
No ripple of power stirred from Shen Qingzhu. The three fell silent.
With the soul contract in place, Shen Qingzhu could hardly fabricate orders; the covenant reshaped one’s very thoughts. Feeding them false intel would equal betraying Yiyu—impossible for any Believer.
Still, Second Seat had demanded the oath; now even the cleverest trick couldn’t bypass the contract. Conclusion: Shen Qingzhu spoke the truth!
Master Chen really was at death’s door!
Their eyes blazed.
If they succeeded in killing a Human Apex, they would accelerate the advent of the Dark Age. Within the Church, such merit would be paramount.
Their rewards would be staggering—perhaps even freeing them from the soul contract and restoring their liberty…
The hotter their imaginations burned, the faster their resolve hardened. They exchanged glances and nodded together.
“Since it’s Lord Yiyu’s command, we won’t fail!” Fourth Seat declared.
Fifth Seat turned to Shen Qingzhu. “What about you?”
Shen Qingzhu sighed in frustration. “My strength is too meager; I’d only drag you down. As Lord Yiyu instructed, my role is again to observe and learn from the sidelines…”
Second Seat nodded understanding.
Ambushing a Human Apex—however badly wounded—was no task for a River-realm rookie. Watching was only logical.
“Good!” Determination flashed in Second Seat’s eyes. “We’ll prepare at once. Stay here and don’t wander.”
Shen Qingzhu nodded emphatically.
Second Seat swept his hand, ripping open another spatial rift. After a deep breath he strode in, heavy yet resolute.
Fourth Seat and Fifth Seat followed, grave and silent, as though bearing the full expectations of the Believers and the entire Church of the Ancient Gods!
Beside them, Shen Qingzhu lifted his mask.
“Junior Shen Qingzhu wishes the three seniors… triumphant return!”