C100 Half a Registration Card

Eunuch Zheng stood shoulder to shoulder with Qing Yangde and Xiong Feng at the forefront.

"You two are quite the prodigies, commanding an army at such a tender age," Eunuch Zheng remarked with a smile.

"Chief, you're too kind. You're giving us too much credit," Qing Yangde responded with a wave of his hand, exuding modesty.

"Steady and composed! It's no surprise you've been entrusted with such responsibility. Truly remarkable," Eunuch Zheng continued. Mid-conversation, he noticed a woman emerge from a carriage and head directly for a stall. "Who might this be?" he inquired, puzzled. "Could this be Qing's Lee Yu?"

Qing Yangde, following Eunuch Zheng's gaze to Cui, hesitated before replying, "No, the truth is Lee Yu was attacked by villains and is now gravely injured. Cui is just a maid temporarily attending to him."

"That's troubling, especially with the Hundred Clans Assembly on the horizon. Our household possesses an exceptional healing elixir. I'll have someone deliver it shortly." A glint of sharpness passed through Eunuch Zheng's eyes.

His own cultivation was formidable, at the pinnacle of the Fifth Grade Divine Path—a necessary strength to hold his position as chief. He had been scrutinizing the carriage within the ranks, recognizing it as carrying someone of significance. Piecing together the royal family's records, he was convinced it contained the Thunder Bloodline.

He had caught a glimpse of a vibrant young man when Cui lifted the carriage curtain, if only for a fleeting moment. He was already aware that the Thunder Bloodline belonged to a youth and had feigned ignorance earlier to gauge Qing Yangde's reaction.

'Thinking of deceiving me? Just a ploy to prevent others from snatching him away, no doubt. Hmph, child's play!' he thought to himself.

'Claiming a serious injury, though, that's clever. Likely, they'll use that excuse to fend me off and deny me an audience.'

Eunuch Zheng was acutely aware of the Ming Imperial Family's fervent interest in the Thunder Bloodline. He, too, was on a mission to make contact with the youth.

Without dwelling on the matter, the group swiftly shifted the conversation to the upcoming Hundred Clans Assembly.

Inside the carriage, Lee Yu opened his mouth, softening the sticky syrup with a few bites until it spread a sweet taste throughout his mouth.

"This is delicious!" he exclaimed, tears streaming down his face. The syrup still contained a trace of spiritual energy, likely not of a high grade, which meant the flavor was mostly from the candy itself. It reminded him of rice candy, yet somehow, it was even better.

'Does the young master enjoy this?' Cui thought to herself, making a mental note of his preference.

It took a while for Lee Yu to finish his snacks. Satisfied, he let out a couple of hearty burps and slumped into the carriage's plush seat.

"Why have we stopped?" Lee Yu asked, surprised. He pulled back a corner of the curtain to peer outside.

A towering city wall stood before them. Their group was undergoing an inspection, different from the one at the outer city. This wasn't a manual check but rather a massive array, etched into the ground itself.

Another clan was just entering ahead of them. The ground's array cast a soft glow, scanning people from head to toe as they passed over it.

'It's like a security scanner...' Lee Yu thought, likening it to the checks before entering a train station or airport waiting hall. The difference here was the use of an array. He wondered what exactly it was inspecting. Surely it wasn't for something as mundane as regulated knives?

The crowd moved swiftly, and soon it was the Qing's turn. Lee Yu had expected to disembark, but there was no need. He simply stepped over the array and, just like that, entered the inner city.

"System, sign in," Lee Yu said silently to himself.

Ding! "Congratulations, host. You have successfully signed in... However, the sign-in location is incomplete. You've earned a reward: the Shadow Mask. Would you like to claim it? Warning: The sign-in location is missing parts. The Shadow Mask comes with side effects. You must complete the sign-in at another location to remove these side effects."

Lee Yu: ...

"Ah, can such a thing even happen?" Lee Yu felt a wave of disappointment. But regarding the incomplete location mentioned by the system, he wasn't entirely in the dark; an idea was already forming in his mind.

The Qing's books and unofficial histories might not spell it out explicitly, but piecing together the clues led to a startling possibility — was the Great Imperial Capital itself forged as a single, massive weapon?

After the fall of the Great Qin, the Ming Dynasty rose to power on the same lands, with the royal family being a collateral branch of the Great Qin. This raises the question: does the Ming Imperial Family have control over parts of the Great Imperial Capital?

Why else would they continue using the former dynasty's name for the capital?

There's definitely a connection there.

Lee Yu didn't dwell on it too much. Since the sign-in reward lacked healing properties and came with side effects, he decided it was best to wait until after the Hundred Clans Assembly to claim it.

There was no rush for time.

The procession continued on its way.

The inner city alone was likely two or three times the size of the Qing's compound, with soldiers patrolling the area, each one exuding the strength of at least the Eighth Grade.

Eventually, the group came to a halt.

"Here we are. Does this meet your expectations?" inquired Eunuch Zheng.

Before them lay an expansive courtyard by the lake, filled with numerous dwellings that could easily house over a hundred people. Adjacent to it was the accommodation arranged for the Xiong's.

It was evident that the area had been prepared in advance, with its tranquil surroundings and absence of people, suggesting it had been cordoned off beforehand.

"Indeed, you've been very thorough, Chief!" Qing Yangde and Xiong Feng both nodded in approval.

"There are maids nearby who can assist you with any needs, and they can guide you if you venture out," Eunuch Zheng explained. "With our task here done, we must return to report to His Majesty without delay."

"Please, Chief, go ahead!"

After exchanging pleasantries, they went their separate ways.

Lee Yu then stepped down from the carriage and followed Qing Yangde into the estate.

"Pair up and set up a watch," Qing Yangde commanded, and the soldiers of the Azure Sun Army dispersed to their posts.

Lee Yu, driven by curiosity, asked, "How many spare houses must the Ming Imperial Family have to accommodate all the clans?"

It seemed unlikely that every family would be provided with such a grand estate without a surplus of vacant homes.

"Not every clan is afforded this privilege; this land belongs to the Ying Family!" Qing Yangde said with a chuckle. "If we were to house everyone here, what's to stop someone from causing trouble covertly? I reckon only nine families will be housed within, while the rest are accommodated in the outer city."

The Ming Imperial Family continued the tradition of the previous dynasty, carrying the surname Ying.

Lee Yu caught on immediately when this was mentioned.

In society, there are various strata of people, and the same goes for power structures. It's only natural that not everyone would be treated equally.

But to think that there are eight families with influence comparable to the Qing's?

Lee Yu was at a loss for words. The Qing family alone controlled an entire county, and to imagine there were so many other families with similar clout, it certainly made the emperor's job quite challenging.

"The rooms are ready, Young Master," Cui announced, peeking her head out from the room.

"Thanks, you take a break. I'm going to check out their setup!" Qing Yangde said, slapping his thighs as he stood up to leave.