[Wuxia] Wandering Freely in the Tang Dynasty (Complete) - 27

Chapter 99 A Storm is Brewing
"Tears wet my handkerchief, dreams are broken, deep into the night, the sound of singing echoes in the palace. My beauty has not faded, yet favor has already ended, I lean against the incense burner until dawn."
Consort Lian sat alone by the bed, staring blankly at the four delicate lines of poetry written by Wei Zhenzhen.
Like silk threads unraveling from a cocoon, a lingering, melancholic lament, these four short lines subtly expressed the complex and contradictory inner world of a disgraced palace maid, a feeling Consort Lian deeply empathized with.
She was pregnant with the emperor's child; her status would rise with the child's inheritance, and her life would be secure. Why then was
she sad? Yet, her brow remained furrowed, her face pale and wan.
Because, in her heart, she saw herself as the concubine of 'that man.
' That cold-hearted man, Liu Yu—Consort Lian still didn't know his name. When she was nine, abandoned by her parents, Liu Yu rescued her. From their first meeting, she felt an inexplicable sense of closeness, as if he were family. He placed her in a safe place and ordered people to teach her to read and write. Although the two had only exchanged six sentences in over a decade, she still couldn't help but fall deeply in love with Liu Yu, who never revealed his true identity.
A year ago, Liu Yu personally asked Consort Lian to do something for her, and she agreed without hesitation, only to later learn that he intended to give her to Li Yuan for power. At that time, she was secretly given to Xue Ju, which meant he foresaw Xue Ju's defeat at the hands of the Li Tang dynasty, and that the Li Tang people would definitely offer her to Li Yuan.
And indeed, that's how things unfolded. She wasn't surprised, because in her eyes, Liu Yu was a god, and predicting the future was no difficult feat.
However, the greatest enemy of the god in her heart was now in Chang'an. She frequently contacted his wife, trying to extract some useful information, but little did she know that the woman surnamed Wei was far from simple, and to this day, Consort Lian had lost ground.
"The drifting catkins have turned to duckweed, the lotus mud is now entwined with lotus roots. Cherish this last fragrant petal, a reminder of our past life. Love, when it was at its peak, turned to thinning. Now I truly regret my deep affection.
Once again, I look back with a broken heart, tears secretly falling." It was another scroll of Wei Zhenzhen's handwriting. Only then did Consort Lian remember that since she agreed to Liu Yu's request a year ago and gave him her virginity, the two had never seen each other again. Only Xi Feng had sent messages instructing her to cooperate with Yang Xuyan in carrying out his plan.
The child in her womb was Yang Xuyan's.
She couldn't understand why Liu Yu wouldn't let her conceive his child. Wasn't that the best choice? Yang Xuyan was always just a puppet. But Liu Yu remained so mysterious, and she had no choice but to overthink.
Love, when it was at its peak, turned to thinning.
Alas!
With a soft sigh, this woman, who had silently dedicated everything for the one she loved, gazed wistfully at the starry sky.
Wei Zhenzhen was no longer the ordinary woman who only sold vegetable and meat buns five years ago; this clever psychological maneuver alone revealed her true nature.
※※※※※ As Zhu Yuyan passed by Yanshoufang, she saw Shi Feixuan, dressed in men's clothing and with a calm expression, standing gracefully in a dimly lit open space, staring at her without moving. Zhu Yuyan walked over, saying, "Feixuan, were you waiting for me?"
Leading her to her side, Shi Feixuan nodded, saying calmly, "Feixuan wishes to speak a few words with you, senior."
Zhu Yuyan casually asked, "Is it about the Great Ming Zunjiao or Shi Zhixuan?"
Shi Feixuan replied, "Just as you said, senior, I only received news today that even the child in the Imperial Concubine's womb is Yang Xuyan's offspring."
Zhu Yuyan's delicate eyebrows furrowed and then relaxed, pondering, "So what?"
Shi Feixuan sighed softly, "This news is absolutely true. In fact, with your cultivation, you should have been able to discern..." "I sensed the presence of those with ulterior motives lurking throughout Chang'an. Our people only saw him once in Chang'an with your disciple Rong Jiaojiao, and afterwards, we couldn't find their hiding place again. I have finished speaking, and I will take my leave now."
Zhu Yuyan smiled slightly, watching Shi Feixuan's beautiful back as she drifted two zhang away, and asked, "Is my family's troublesome person bothering Feixuan?"
Shi Feixuan paused slightly, shook her head, and said without turning her head, "Senior is joking. Feixuan will return to Jingzhai after the Spring Festival to cultivate the Heavenly Dao and will never set foot in the mortal world again."
Then she left.
As she walked, she thought to herself, "I could have just denied it by shaking my head. Why did I have to add that extra sentence?" Thinking of this, a hazy, gentle moonlight, like water and mist, rose in her beautiful eyes, and the sensitive areas on her body where Yuan Yueze had left his mark felt tingly and itchy again.
Oh no!
Realizing it was her inner demons at work, she cried out inwardly, immediately calming herself and increasing her speed.
Zhu Yuyan watched Shi Feixuan leave, a cunning glint in her beautiful eyes.
What Shi Feixuan said might be true; perhaps she had heard this information from Li Shimin, and telling Zhu Yuyan wasn't out of kindness, but merely a scheme to use someone else to do her dirty work. Zhu Yuyan had already learned from Hou Xibai that he had told Shi Feixuan all of Yang Xuyan's secrets. Shi Feixuan's few words, mentioning both the Demonic Sect and the Great Ming Venerable Sect, were sure to pique Zhu Yuyan's interest. It was even possible that she might fight Yang Xuyan and the Great Ming Venerable Sect behind him to a standstill. The
Great Ming Venerable Sect had secretly informed the White Path about the relic, unaware that the White Path also considered them their strongest enemy. The relationships between these groups, representing different interests, were intricately intertwined, giving even Zhu Yuyan, as someone caught in the middle, a headache just thinking about it.
Zhu Yuyan's last words were merely a test of Shi Feixuan's feelings. Judging from the situation, she seemed to have developed some subtle and inexplicable emotions towards Yuan Yueze.
After shaking her head and chuckling at her mischievousness upon giving birth to her youngest daughter, Zhu Yuyan fell into deep thought. After a while, she headed towards 'Yu Xinglong'.
※※※※※ East bank of Yong'an Canal.
It was nearing the Spring Festival, and the canal was filled with over a thousand boats of all sizes, all brightly decorated, reflecting the shimmering water.
On a large sailboat in the middle of the canal, in a luxurious cabin on the lower deck, Yang Xuyan sat imposingly at the table, drinking. He looked somewhat impatient, his fingers tapping lightly on the table.
Yang Xuyan suddenly stopped, leaped onto the edge of the bed, and said with a wicked grin, "Why is my little darling only arriving now?"
The door opened, and Rong Jiaojiao, exuding floral fragrance, dressed in a light gauze dress, and radiating charm, entered gracefully with a beaming smile. Then, she nestled into Yang Xuyan's lap, smiling seductively, "I went to bathe and change for you, I have plenty of time, why are you in such a hurry?"
Yang Xuyan, a womanizer, wouldn't waste any time, and without a word, he began to 'intimately contact' her, making a series of intimate embracing sounds.
Rong Jiaojiao gasped, "How can you thank me? If I hadn't taught you the secret technique of Lian Chang, how could I have kept it from Li Yuan?"
Yang Xuyan retorted angrily, "Damn it, Li Jiancheng almost ruined my plans by trying to use Xiao Chang to harm Li Shimin. It's a wonder Li Yuan, who always thought himself a master of the art of womanizing, couldn't even see that Xiao Chang was no longer a virgin."
Then he chuckled wickedly, "There's only one way to thank you, you little slut."
He then proceeded to make the two of them undress.
Rong Jiaojiao laughed, "Have you forgotten your Shuni? And where is Shi Zhixuan? How are you going to deal with him?"
Yang Xuyan said bitterly, "Shuni has long since disappeared. Shi Zhixuan underestimated me, Yang Xuyan! He thought I didn't know he only saw me as a tool with useful value. But he calculated everything, yet he still forgot that old thief Yang Guang would be defeated so quickly, and because of Bi Xiuxin's mental breakdown, he missed the opportunity to make me his puppet emperor. My ancestors for eighteen generations, if it weren't for his interference, how could my Great Sui Dynasty be in such a fragmented state? I'm just going through the motions with him now, pretending to be friendly and deceiving him into believing that I'm still his good disciple. Just Yuan Yueze, Zhu Yuyan, and Yue Shan are enough to keep him busy, not to mention the experts from my Holy Sect and the White Path."
He paused, then continued, "Hmph! That damned Yue Shan told Li Yuan everything about me. Luckily, Li Yuan still trusts me completely, because I truly consider Shi Zhixuan my enemy, and Li Yuan understands that Shi Zhixuan only took me as his disciple to use me."
Rong Jiaojiao nodded, "Just now, Xiang Yushan sent word that the firearms are ready, and we should prepare to make our move."
Yang Xuyan nodded, "Enough with the nonsense. Walking outside with that damned mask on is so boring. I'm going to have some fun!"
He then flicked his palm, extinguishing the candle and plunging the cabin into complete darkness, utterly silent.
The two of them, of course, didn't stop. Instead, they began to delve deeper, using the 'Mysterious Female and Charming Maiden Technique.' As the saying goes, 'Mysterious means wondrous, and female is that which receives and can give birth to life; it is the root of spirit and energy, the valley of nothingness, which must be sought within oneself, not elsewhere.' Since its founding, Lao Jun Temple has always separated male and female practitioners. Regardless of their lineage, both are skilled in the art of yin-yang balance and replenishment, known as the "Yang Stream" and the "Yin Stream." The "Mysterious Female and Charming Maiden Technique" is the most advanced technique within the "Yin Stream," derived from Lao Tzu's *Tao Te Ching*: "The valley spirit never dies; it is called the Mysterious Female. The gate of the Mysterious Female is the way to harmonize the roots of heaven and earth." This technique requires both men and women to practice together, during which breathing is stopped, and only internal energy is used for circulation. Under these circumstances, even breathing sounds cannot be heard.
"Tell me all your secrets, and I might spare you."
A deep, gentle voice suddenly rang out, startling Yang Xuyan and Rong Jiaojiao, who were immersed in the "Mysterious Female and Charming Maiden Technique."
Rong Jiaojiao exclaimed, "Master!"
The speaker was none other than Zhu Yuyan, who had received information about the suspicious ship from "Yu Xinglong" and had come to eavesdrop on their conversation.
The two on the bed quickly put on their coats to cover themselves. Yang Xuyan, wearing only shorts, jumped off the bed and groaned, "I didn't expect Empress Zhu to have such an interest. Has she become increasingly interested in young people after regaining her youth?"
Zhu Yuyan didn't even look at him, but simply lit a lamp and gazed indifferently at Rong Jiaojiao.
Rong Jiaojiao immediately sensed something was wrong: whether in the past or now, who would dare to openly mock Zhu Yuyan like this!
Zhu Yuyan shook her head and sighed softly, "Jiaojiao, you are one of the Five Bright Sons of the Great Ming Sect, 'Miaofeng Mingzi,' why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Rong Jiaojiao, her face now filled with horror, was about to break through the wall to escape when she found herself unable to move. Not only that, but everything around her began to blur. She felt cold all over, her breathing became increasingly weak, and then with a 'thud,' she collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
In the instant she fell, she had no idea how she died.
As Zhu Yuyan ruthlessly shattered Rong Jiaojiao's meridians with her extraordinary mental power, she suddenly felt a surge of sword energy ahead. The sword beams were dazzlingly bright, making it impossible to see where the sword was coming from or the enemy.
Using fragmented sword energy to impair an opponent's vision was Yang Xuyan's specialty; this was the origin of his name, the 'Shadow Assassin.'
Zhu Yuyan was somewhat surprised that Yang Xuyan could launch a counterattack under her powerful mental pressure. She chuckled, "I thought you learned some extraordinary skills from the Great Ming Sect, but it seems nothing special."
"Clang!"
A crisp sound rang out, and Yang Xuyan's confidence vanished. He knew the power of his sword strike; it clearly aimed at Zhu Yuyan's shoulder, yet she seemed unharmed.
But he was a seasoned warrior, calmly pressing his sword down, pointing it diagonally at Zhu Yuyan, seemingly attacking but not truly attacking. His right hand, however, struck her forehead. His originally fair and slender hand instantly turned red, then black, eerily sinister.
Seeing the vast, terrifying, black, gigantic hand of Yang Xuyan looming before him, seemingly capable of filling the sky, and the surrounding air becoming tangible and heavy as a boulder pressing down on him, Zhu Yuyan remained unaffected. She chuckled, "The Great Ming Sect only imparts to you the *Scripture of Wisdom for Controlling All Laws and the Source of Hatred*." With
that, she slowly unleashed a palm strike.
Yang Xuyan, who had no desire to fight, suddenly felt the entire cabin become unreal. His plan to use his trump card to distract Zhu Yuyan and escape was thwarted. Zhu Yuyan's simple palm strike not only shattered the strongest point of his energy, sucking away all the air, but also blocked all his escape routes, leaving him utterly terrified.
The next moment, Zhu Yuyan's jade-like hand seemed to emerge from the void, moving with unimaginable slowness and strange, irresistible force to seize Yang Xuyan's throat. Large beads of cold sweat seeped from his forehead; Yang Xuyan thought to himself, "My life is over!"
"Doesn't Empress Zhu want to know the secret?"
Sensing that Zhu Yuyan hadn't immediately killed him, Yang Xuyan, his face flushed, forced a smile.
Zhu Yuyan said expressionlessly, "Speak. If you give me satisfactory information, I'll let you go today."
"How can Yuyan treat Xuyan like this? No matter how unfilial he is, shouldn't I, his master, discipline him?"
Shi Zhixuan's voice suddenly rang out from outside the cabin door. Before he finished speaking, he appeared like a ghost in mid-air to Zhu Yuyan's right, a finger aimed at her forehead with a ruthless intent.
Zhu Yuyan was slightly taken aback; she never expected Shi Zhixuan to resort to a sneak attack to save Yang Xuyan.
"Bang!"
Caught off guard, Zhu Yuyan blocked the sudden, all-out attack, a strike amplified by the Illusionary Demon Movement Technique, with her right elbow. Shi Zhixuan's current strength is even greater than after absorbing the essence of the relic. Under his full-force attack, Zhu Yuyan, not yet at her peak, was forced
to take a step back. Simultaneously, her grip loosened, giving Yang Xuyan a chance to catch his breath. He flew back to Shi Zhixuan's side and stood respectfully. Zhu Yuyan, who had mastered demonic arts
, had never suffered such humiliation. Without a word, she launched a kick from mid-air. Even with Shi Zhixuan's composure, a look of surprise appeared on his face. He knew that by seizing the initiative, his intangible yet tangible spiritual energy had already surpassed that of the passive Zhu Yuyan. Yet, he hadn't expected that Zhu Yuyan could still unleash such a powerful attack even when locked in by the pulling force. Her simple and direct kick first dissipated his pulling force to both sides, then directly met his follow-up force, instantly turning the tables. The subtlety of her use of force far exceeded his expectations.
Only then did Yang Xuyan realize how insignificant he was.
As the energies of Zhu and Shi clashed, he felt the temperature inside the cabin plummet, and a sudden gust of wind arose, as if a storm was raging from all directions. Although he understood that the 'Dao Heart Demon Seed Technique' and the 'Undying Seal Technique' were both sophisticated illusions, merely means to deceive, fool, and ultimately subdue the enemy, his sensations felt incredibly real, making it impossible for him to distinguish between reality and illusion.
Shi Zhixuan's eyes blazed with intense light, and he thrust forward with his hands clasped in front of him, meeting Zhu Yuyan's full-force kick.
"Boom!"
The force of the energy surged, cracking the cabin walls, and river water began to leak in.
Shi Zhixuan said coldly, "Yu Yan's cultivation is so high, why don't you join hands with me and work together for the revival of the Holy Sect?"
Zhu Yu Yan said, "Shut up! If you dare to call me that again, don't blame me for not holding back. Cooperation isn't difficult; you just need to acknowledge me as your master."
Shi Zhixuan glanced at the increasing water in the cabin and said disdainfully, "Then let's settle this at the Holy Sect Conference. Right now, your greatest enemy isn't me, but the Holy Venerable of the Great Ming Venerable Sect. It's a pity I don't know where he's hiding, otherwise I would be happy to tell you."
After saying that, he grabbed Yang Xuyan and burst out of the door.
Zhu Yu Yan also floated lightly out of the cabin and rushed back to the dock.
She had vaguely guessed Shi Zhixuan's purpose in going to such lengths to rescue Yang Xuyan: Shi Zhixuan currently had very few allies, and although Yang Xuyan harbored ulterior motives, he dared not reveal them to Shi Zhixuan. Shi Zhixuan was more interested in the child in Consort Lian's womb; in the future, Yang Xuyan would use the child to control the court, making Shi Zhixuan an even higher-ranking emperor emeritus. He wasn't afraid of Yang Xuyan's betrayal because he knew that only one of Yuan Yueze and the Great Ming Emperor could survive, and even if one survived, they would be severely weakened. At that time, Shi Zhixuan could easily eliminate the surviving party, not only wiping out their main enemy but also ensuring Yang Xuyan would no longer dare to harbor any disloyalty.
Although the trip hadn't yielded much, at least one thing was confirmed: who the biological father of Consort Lian's child was.
※※※※※ Shang Xiufang and the other three women stared blankly at the doorway.
Hua Lingzi was even more at a loss; Yuan Yueze had just shielded her from a potentially fatal sneak attack from behind before chasing after them.
"Ah!"
The simultaneous screams of Shang Xiufang and the other two women brought her back to reality.
Yuan Yueze walked in, carrying a long red spear in his right hand, with two human heads impaled on its tip. One was Lie Xia, and the other was a bald old man.
Judging from their horrifying, unseeing expressions, it was clear how deep the fear Yuan Yueze had instilled in them.
Seeing the four women's frightened expressions, Yuan Yueze laughed and casually stuck the spear into the ground outside the door with a "plop." He then came back in, bowing and saying, "I'm sorry to have frightened you ladies!"
Seeing his strange appearance, the women immediately forgot their fear and burst into giggles almost simultaneously.
Seeing Yuan Yueze staring at Shang Xiufang with a lecherous look, Ji Qian began to complain again, "Young Master, you've been killing people indiscriminately in Chang'an. Is there really no law?"
Yuan Yueze glanced at her and snorted coldly, "Anyone who dares to mess with me ends up like this."
Shang Xiufang recovered and asked in surprise, "Young Master Liexia isn't a bad person, is he?"
Xiao He'er hurriedly interjected, "Sister Meixian said he's 'Miaokong Mingzi,' the head of the Five Mingzi under the Great Ming Venerable God and the Good Mother of the Great Ming Sect. Sister Xiufang has been deceived by him without even knowing it."
The three women, Shang Xiufang, and Ji Qian, all showed shocked expressions, clearly unaware of the situation.
Yuan Yueze turned to Hua Lingzi and said, "I was too hasty in my killing just now, and these two were stubborn, so I couldn't get any information out of them. Could you explain to me why they wanted to kill you?"
Hua Lingzi's face darkened, and she said, "Originally, Luan Niang planned to offer me to the Emperor. One day, Lie Xia sneaked into my room and talked about the young master's arrival in Chang'an. I also had a desire for revenge at the time, so I agreed to let him assassinate you. Today, he came to secretly inform me that the young master had arrived here, so I took the initiative to greet Luan Niang. Luan Niang probably also wanted to curry favor with the young master, so she agreed. You all know what happened after that."
Yuan Yueze curled his lip in disdain. Sending someone to assassinate him, and when that failed, they wanted to kill him in front of him to silence him. His enemies underestimated him too much.
But this was also normal. In the eyes of outsiders, beautiful women were the easiest way to get close to him, and almost no one knew about his abnormal physical condition. Even those who had fought with him, such as Shi Zhixuan and Liu Yu, would only think that he had high internal strength.
Yuan Yueze continued, "If you don't mind, Miss, you can come back to Luoyang with us. It's no worse than Chang'an. As long as it's not something that harms others for your own benefit, you can do whatever you want."
Hua Lingzi glanced at him blankly, neither agreeing nor objecting.
Ji Qian coldly swept her gaze over Yuan Yueze, clearly believing that Hua Lingzi would not escape his 'poisonous hands'.
Just then, a scream came from outside the door from Shang Xiufang's personal maid, presumably frightened by the string of two severed heads.
Hearing Shang Xiufang's question, the maid replied in a trembling voice, "Prince Qi and Mr. Gaesomun from Goryeo, who has just arrived in Chang'an, invite Miss and Miss Ji."
Gaesomun arrived so quickly? Then Bi Xuan should be here by now!
Before Ji Qian could speak, Yuan Yueze, still thinking, strode out, scooped up the two heads, and buried them. He told the maid, "Tell Prince Qi and Gai Suwen that Miss Ji is with me; he's late."
The pretty maid, already aware of Yuan Yueze's close relationship with Shang Xiufang, shyly agreed and left.
Seeing Yuan Yueze so casual when he was being casual, and so unreasonable when he was being domineering, Ji Qian frowned and said unhappily, "How can you, young master, make such a casual promise for Ji Qian?" She
was about to leave when she finished speaking.
How could Yuan Yueze let her go? He reached out and forcefully pressed her down to the table, beckoning the girls who were secretly laughing to sit down, and smiled, "Tonight you'll see how I show no respect to Li Yuanji and Gai Suwen."
Ji Qian's expression turned complicated, her small mouth twitched a few times, but she still couldn't speak.
A moment later, noisy footsteps sounded, at least a dozen people arrived, but only two entered the courtyard. Li Yuanji's deep, resonant voice rang out, "Brother Yuan, you are truly blessed! Two beauties from Shanglin Garden are keeping you company. I am so envious!"
Yuan Yueze remained silent, but Shang Xiufang, as the hostess, spoke up, "Please forgive us, Prince Qi and Mr. Gai."
After a brief "I apologize for the intrusion," two
people entered through the door. One was naturally Li Yuanji, and the other was about the same height as Yuan Yueze, with a robust and sturdy build, yet with long, agile fingers and hands. He wore a crimson warrior's casual robe, covered by a plain white cloak with blue floral patterns, and white leather boots. His hair was styled in a hero's bun, and his black hair shimmered brilliantly in the candlelight, making him quite striking. He stood upright, exuding an aura of dominance and grandeur, like a pine tree weathered by wind and snow, tall and imposing. What impressed people even more was the indescribable refinement within his ruggedness. This stemmed primarily from his unique features: clean-shaven, with a narrow, long face that seemed somewhat misplaced on his exceptionally broad shoulders, its size disproportionate. On this narrow, long face stood a pair of long, phoenix-shaped eyes that narrowed like two sharp knives. Though he carried no weapons, his every move exuded an explosive, immense power, more lethal and dangerous than any weapon, creating a unique, captivating, and even eerie charm. He truly deserved his reputation as the most outstanding figure among Fu Cailin's disciples in Goryeo.
Yuan Yueze hadn't seen him in Goryeo years ago; meeting him today, he inwardly praised him.
After exchanging greetings and pleasantries, they sat down again.
Li Yuanji's gaze lingered on the exotic-looking Hua Lingzi, then glanced at the nonchalant Yuan Yueze, and asked, "Miss Ji, are you discussing traditional arts with Master Xiufang?"
He clearly disapproved of the two women accompanying Yuan Yueze, and asked this question to see how Ji Qian would answer, hoping to deduce something from her response.
Ji Qian gave Li Yuanji a flirtatious wink, but seeing that Yuan Yueze remained unmoved, she couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed. She then said to Li Yuanji, "It was Young Master Yuan who wanted to apologize to Ji Qian, so he specially cooked for me, and I had no choice but to come."
She didn't give Yuan Yueze any face, and her words were even meant to belittle him. However, Yuan Yueze ignored her completely. Gai Suwen, who had been focused on Yuan Yueze since entering the room, spoke up at this moment, "It's a real pity that I didn't get to see Brother Yuan's charm in Korea several years ago. I hope that Suwen will have the honor this time."
Yuan Yueze was not affected by his intimidating aura at all and smiled, "If Brother Gai is interested, I'm always ready to accompany you. Of course, you should be prepared to die."
Li Yuanji and Gai Suwen's expressions changed immediately.

Chapter 100 Prince Qi Loses Incontinence
Traveling north along the Yong'an Canal, Zhu Yuyan passed by the walls of the inn outside the Buzhengfang in the west of the palace. In an inconspicuous corner, she saw the unique code of the Demonic Sect.
After a brief pause, she flew and sneaked into the courtyard.
This is the guesthouse where the Turks stayed. Dunyugu and his group, who came to Chang'an some time ago, stayed here.
The Yuan Yueze family didn't take these people seriously at all. Upon seeing the coded message outside, the astute Zhu Yuyan, with a quick wit, understood the situation immediately.
The message represented two possibilities: the person who left it must have been Zhao Deyan, whom Zhu Yuyan had already crippled, or someone close to him, luring Zhu Yuyan here—their purpose was obviously difficult to guess. Zhu Yuyan wasn't afraid. Avoiding the few guards, she darted towards the main pavilion. A
faint light still shone in the east pavilion. Zhu Yuyan pushed her senses to the limit and immediately detected that there was only one person inside—Zhao Deyan himself, whose strength she had crippled by ninety percent.
Without further thought, Zhu Yuyan's figure flickered, and the next moment she appeared inside.
Zhao Deyan was reading by lamplight. Hearing the barely perceptible sound, he immediately looked over. Upon seeing Zhu Yuyan, his face lit up with joy, and he immediately gave her a strange look.
With her cultivation level as high as Zhu Yuyan's, she naturally understood that Zhao Deyan meant there were ambushes nearby. So she smiled slightly, lightly leaped to Zhao Deyan's side, sat down, and said, "I didn't expect Commander Yan to return to the Central Plains. Don't worry, no one else will hear what we say."
Zhao Deyan nodded.
Zhu Yuyan took a closer look at him and noticed that he had aged considerably. She continued, "Did Commander Yan leave a secret signal outside to lure me here?"
Zhao Deyan gave a bitter smile and said softly, "Your Excellency truly possesses unparalleled martial arts skills. Aren't you afraid of falling into my trap?"
Zhu Yuyan raised her jade-like hand and said, "Commander Yan, there's no need to say more. None of the people in this courtyard can withstand two moves from me. Why should I be afraid?"
Zhao Deyan's expression turned complicated, and he hesitated before saying, "Alas! I was never qualified to ask Your Excellency for anything, but right now, only you can save me."
Seeing the questioning look in Zhu Yuyan's eyes, Zhao Deyan continued, "With Your Excellency's wisdom, how could you not guess why I appeared in Chang'an?"
Combining his words with her own, Zhu Yuyan's mind raced, and she vaguely grasped the crux of the matter: Zhao Deyan had lost most of his martial arts skills and was no longer of any use. The Turks had sent him to the Central Plains with ill intentions, perhaps wanting him to die violently in Chang'an, giving Jieli a formal excuse to invade the south. The lurking underlings around him are probably guarding Zhao Deyan; he's essentially imprisoned. No wonder he turned to Zhu Yuyan, an outsider, for help. After thinking it through, Zhu Yuyan asked, "Commander Yan, you've been through so much, why are you so sure I'll save you?"
Zhao Deyan replied wistfully, "Because I can tell the Venerable One most of the Turkic invasion plan. I wonder if the Venerable One would consider it a condition for saving me? The Holy Sect values strength above all else. After the Venerable One crippled most of my power, I hated you to death. But in the past month or so, I've come to terms with everything. I just want to find a quiet place to live out the rest of my days.
After so many years of fighting and vying for fame and fortune, this is the first time I've felt so tired." He paused for a moment, then continued, "I gave half of my hidden wealth to someone who was monitoring me, asking him to carve that code for me. He escaped afterward. I didn't have much hope, but unexpectedly, the Venerable One appeared out of nowhere when I was in despair. The timing tonight was also excellent. Dunyu Valley led most of his men to meet the arriving Bi Xuan delegation a hundred miles away."
Zhu Yuyan thought to herself, no wonder there was no guesthouse here; the defenses were so weak. Then, thinking of Bi Xuan's arrogant attitude, she couldn't help but chuckle to herself.
Zhao Deyan, composed and unhurried, continued, "Does Your Excellency know that the Li Tang court discussed moving the capital to avoid the Turkic wolf army?"
Zhu Yuyan was slightly taken aback and asked, "Where to?"
Her family had only selectively investigated outside news these past few days, focusing almost entirely on the three forces of Liu Yu, Shi Zhixuan, and the Buddhist and Taoist sects. They had never paid attention to the itineraries of Bi Xuan, Gai Suwen, and others, let alone the topics discussed at the Li Tang court.
Zhao Deyan said, "This proposal was put forward by Pei Ji, and the Crown Prince agreed. The final decision on where to move was not made. I heard that some ministers strongly opposed it, only to be met with scathing rebukes from Li Yuan and Li Jiancheng. Ha! Since its rise, the Li Tang dynasty has been invincible. If, because of the barbarians' disturbances on the border, they were to move the capital to avoid them, hoping the barbarians would not dare to advance and would retreat in the face of difficulty, this idea would be utterly naive and absurd, bringing shame upon the world and becoming a laughingstock for generations to come."
Zhu Yuyan stared at Zhao Deyan and said, "General Yan, there's no need to keep us in suspense. What exactly do you want to say?
" Zhao Deyan said helplessly, "Jieli will gather an army of 500,000 men from the Tuli, Shiwei, Uyghur, and Khitan tribes within three years, stationing them in eight locations along the northern border of Taiyuan. Once his troops flood into Taiyuan from multiple directions, Taiyuan will fall within half a month. Your Excellency should know that if the situation continues to develop as it is now, the Central Plains will have no power to counter such a mighty army."
Zhu Yuyan was secretly surprised. What Zhao Deyan said was true. It was possible to gather the same number of troops within three years, but it was absolutely impossible to contend with the steppe people. Even with Yang Jian's strength back then, his strategy for dealing with the Turks was still a combination of diplomacy and military force, cleverly employing the strategy of sowing discord and dividing the Turks, causing them to split up and fight amongst themselves, thus maintaining peace in the territory. However, he never dared to confront the Turks head-on, which shows one aspect of the formidable strength of the cavalry beyond the Great Wall. But she said, "When Jieli marches south, doesn't he care about our alliance with the Li Tang dynasty?"
Zhao Deyan shook his head and said, "Your Excellency has this idea because you don't understand Jieli's character, nor do you understand the fearless and fierce nature of the northern tribes. Most importantly, the northern tribes harbor deep hatred for the Han people. Your alliance with Li Yuan will only incite the ferocity of the northern tribes. Moreover, the Li Tang dynasty is internally divided and in turmoil, and it will never remain completely secure. Jieli will not miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." Otherwise, his throne as Great Khan would be unstable.
Zhu Yuyan nodded silently. She began to understand the meaning of Zhao Deyan's initial words. He was simply building momentum for himself and raising the value of his bargaining chips. In terms of talent, although the women in Yuan Yueze's family were superior to Jieli, war was not a duel between a few people. The people of the various tribes beyond the Great Wall all grew up on horseback, and their riding and archery skills were far beyond what the Han people could match. Using one's own weaknesses against the enemy's strengths, even with unparalleled strategies, it would be difficult to turn the tide. Zhao Deyan was by no means exaggerating. Moreover, the Turks were adept at sustaining their wars through warfare. What was most frightening was that they waged wars of attrition. Jieli's target was Chang'an. Once he captured Chang'an, Guanzhong would collapse without a fight. After consolidating Guanzhong, he would invade Luoyang to the east. At that time, the land north of the Yangtze River would be Jieli's for the taking. If he were to besiege Chang'an and then divide his forces to gradually annex various towns and cities in Guanzhong, even if the Tang Dynasty, beset by internal and external troubles, managed to hold Chang'an, the consequences would still be unimaginable. Therefore, Li Yuan would only choose to move the capital elsewhere. Once Guanzhong was lost, the fate of the Central Plains could only be decided by an unprecedented and most devastating war. There was no other way.
Zhu Yuyan smiled slightly and said, "Commander Yan, this news could indeed save your life, but since you are no longer trusted by Jieli, how do you know such important military information?"
Zhao Deyan answered without hesitation, "If it were just about conquering cities and seizing territory, looting and destroying, the Turks could have already crossed the border and invaded the south. However, the reality is not so simple. Jieli's ambitions go beyond that; he hopes to become the master of the Central Plains, which requires more sophisticated and effective deployments and strategies. Many plans were conceived years ago, and I was involved in them. These vast and meticulous plans will not change much." "It's a big deal, because a single move can affect the whole situation, and Jieli is helpless under pressure. This is precisely why they value me so much. If I die here, not only will no one reveal their grand plan, but they can also find an excuse to send a small advance team south to establish their authority."
Zhu Yuyan stood up and said, "I'll have to trouble Commander Yan for the next few days. If I'm not mistaken, Bi Xuan was also invited by Jieli to come to Chang'an to establish his authority. Hmph! If he wants to fish in troubled waters, he'll wait until I severely injure him before coming to rescue Commander Yan. What do you think?"
Zhao Deyan nodded helplessly. Zhu Yuyan had already said so, what could he say? He didn't need to worry, because he shouldn't be in any danger before Bi Xuan left Chang'an.
※※※※※ Imperial Palace West Garden Guesthouse.
Xiao Yu stared blankly at the young woman across the round table, whose beauty was like a fairy, whose temperament was elegant and graceful yet charming, and felt a pang of emotion.
Xiao Bei, Xiao Yu's older sister.
Her true age was well over forty, and she had served as empress to an emperor for nearly twenty years. Yet, she looked no more than twenty, her strange blend of girlish and mature woman aura making it impossible to tell whether she had ever been married.
After a long silence, Xiao Yu finally said softly, "I've only seen you a few times these past few days, please forgive me."
Xiao Bei had come to Chang'an as a guest with Yuan Yueze, and Xiao Yu had only visited her a few times out of courtesy. This was partly due to their differing current positions and the need to avoid suspicion, but more importantly, it stemmed from Xiao Bei's sensitive past—a situation equally sensitive now. Xiao Yu wasn't cold-blooded. When Yang Guang was killed, he was far away on the frontier and had worried about Xiao Bei's safety, even believing at one point that she had died in the palace turmoil. Later, upon learning that Xiao Bei hadn't died but had instead married Yuan Yueze, who was more than twenty years younger than her, Xiao Yu, deeply influenced by Confucianism, couldn't accept this fact. During court assemblies, he even felt that ministers were looking at him strangely behind his back, yet he couldn't resist the bonds of blood ties, hence his current complex emotions and behavior.
Although Xiao Bei's personality had changed drastically, her sensitive nature remained the same, so how could she not understand Xiao Yu's conflicted feelings? She smiled slightly and said, "Shiwen, before you act, just ask your own heart. You don't need to blame yourself. Seeing you like this, your sister is very relieved." Shiwen
was Xiao Yu's courtesy name.
Seeing his own sister's carefree nature now, Xiao Yu, still concerned about others' opinions, felt a little ashamed. After a slight pause, he asked, "Will sister stay in Chang'an?"
He was doing quite well in the Li Tang dynasty now, and of course wanted Xiao Bei to stay. After all, the outside world was chaotic, and Yuan Yueze had so many wives and concubines; whether he could take care of them all was a question.
Xiao Bei was slightly taken aback, then shook her head.
Xiao Yu asked doubtfully, "He...he won't allow it?"
Xiao Bei shook her head again, saying, "My husband never interferes with any of my choices, but I'm used to this kind of family life, so..."
Seeing the undisguised happiness on Xiao Bei's pretty face as she spoke of Yuan Yueze, Xiao Yu sighed inwardly helplessly.
As if remembering something, Xiao Bei said softly, "Don't blame me for being nosy, but Shi Wen should know the internal situation of the Li Tang dynasty. For your safety, you mustn't get too deeply involved."
Xiao Bei's words weren't very clear, but Xiao Yu understood them perfectly. No one understood her brother's character better than her, his older sister. Xiao Yu was not only not greedy for money or profit, but also upright and intolerant of others' shortcomings. After surrendering to the Tang Dynasty, Li Yuan greatly valued Xiao Yu. Within the Tang court, Xiao Yu was a staunch supporter of Li Shimin. When repeatedly oppressed by the Crown Prince's faction and the concubines' faction, Xiao Yu repeatedly spoke fairly and impartially in Li Yuan's presence, praising Li Shimin. Having read later historical records, Xiao Yu knew of the power struggles among the Tang princes, with Li Yuan favoring his eldest son, Li Jiancheng, and harboring suspicions towards his second son, Li Shimin. Disregarding personal gain, Xiao Yu resolutely supported Li Shimin's ascension to the throne. After Li Shimin ascended the throne, he admired Xiao Yu's loyalty and courage, bestowing upon him a poem: "A strong wind reveals the sturdy grass, a turbulent time reveals the loyal minister."
He was undoubtedly a loyal minister worthy of historical renown, but the situation was different now. Because of Yuan Yueze's emergence, the Tang Dynasty was destined for failure. If Xiao Yu became too involved in internal power struggles, he might suffer the consequences in the future. This was certainly not what Xiao Bei hoped for. After the Li Tang dynasty fell, with Xiao Yu's abilities, he wouldn't need to worry about being valued by Song Shidao.
Xiao Yu breathed a sigh of relief. He was genuinely afraid Xiao Bei would persuade him to surrender to Yuan Yueze, but Xiao Bei brought up something else entirely. Seeing his expression, Xiao Bei chuckled inwardly. If she truly intended to persuade the upright and loyal Xiao Yu to surrender, then Xiao Yu would certainly have reason to doubt the authenticity of this 'sister's' identity. Then,
remembering Xiao Bei's good intentions, Xiao Yu, who was all too familiar with the internal struggles of the Li Tang dynasty, nodded with a wry smile and continued, "I've come today to invite Prince Yuan on behalf of the Prince of Qin. I wonder when he will return?"
He still couldn't bring himself to acknowledge Yuan Yueze, who was much younger than him, as his brother-in-law, so he addressed Yuan Yueze as an outsider.
Xiao Bei shrugged slightly and tossed over a copy of "Taiping Guangji," saying, "Wait a little longer; he should be out having fun with my little sister."
Xiao Yu loved reading. At first, he casually glanced through the pages, but then he became engrossed in the stories and read on, completely absorbed. He didn't even notice when Shang Xiuxun called him away from outside the door.
As soon as Xiao Bei stepped outside, she heard Shang Xiuxun anxiously say, "News just came from the ranch. Father said one of his disciples went missing half a month ago."
Xiao Bei pinched Shang Xiuxun's delicate nose with her jade-like hand and giggled, "Is there a problem?"
Shang Xiuxun rolled her eyes at her, took out a piece of paper from her bosom,
and said irritably, "Sister Bei, take a look for yourself!" Upon opening it, she saw the following: "Han Jie is the most talented person I have ever met in terms of mechanisms. He disappeared half a month ago. Later, I remembered that I had even told him about the design and structure of Yang Gong's treasure vault, and that he had refuted me
. I felt uneasy. If he personally enters the treasure vault and finds it empty, it may affect your journey in Guanzhong. Please be careful." The signature below was Lu Miaozi. Xiao Bei's expression turned serious. Without even greeting Xiao Yu inside the house, she rushed towards the bedroom area.
Shang Xiuxun hurriedly followed.
Gai Suwen gave a wry smile and said cheerfully, "I've heard about Brother Yuan's ways, but with such beautiful women before us, we shouldn't frighten them."
Yuan Yueze immediately sensed that Gai Suwen was a man of deep cunning, not someone easily dealt with by mere bravado.
Just as he finished speaking, an invisible yet tangible chill emanated from the ground, directly impacting Yuan Yueze and causing him to feel a strange coldness seep into his body,
before quickly dissipating. Yuan Yueze knew he was putting on a show of force, a move that was utterly subtle and extremely clever. Just as he was about to retaliate, a flash of murderous intent appeared in Li Yuanji's eyes, which vanished almost instantly. He said, "The Commander-in-Chief only arrived in Chang'an this evening, merely admiring Brother Yuan's reputation. Why insist on a duel? Why are you being so aggressive!"
This fellow had ill intentions. Yuan Yueze had initially thought Gai Suwen was on his side, but now he was actually instigating a deadly battle between Gai Suwen and Yuan Yueze.
Such a combination of interests was truly chilling.
Of all things under the heavens, face is paramount. Even the deep-seated Gaisuwen, with a hint of displeasure in his eyes, quickly regained his composure. He stared at Shang Xiufang with admiration for a moment, then turned to Yuan Yueze, his long eyes narrowing into slits, shooting out a light sharper than blades and arrows. He calmly said, "I, Gaisuwen, have traveled a great distance to the Central Plains to fulfill a long-cherished wish. I hope to have the opportunity to learn from Brother Yuan's skill before returning home."
Li Yuanji continued, "The two of you might as well have a martial arts exchange after the Spring Festival; it will surely become a celebrated tale."
Seeing Yuan Yueze's expression turn cold, he silenced him with a single sentence to prevent him from reacting violently. It would be incredibly ungentlemanly for Yuan Yueze to actually make a move in front of the four women.
Yuan Yueze, of course, didn't move, because Ji Qian, standing beside him, forcefully suppressed his impulse with her warm little hand.
Li Yuanji changed the subject, saying, "I wonder if Brother Yuan has received any news? Master Jie of 'Duzun Fortress' in Chengdu once commented on Brother Yuan, saying..."
Seeing his feigned reluctance, Yuan Yueze scoffed, "What did he say?"
Li Yuanji glanced at the women seated there, then said with difficulty, "Speaking of it would inevitably offend the ears of Lady Xiufang and Miss Ji, so let's not say it."
The more he acted this way, the more curious they became. Shang Xiufang was clearly very interested in how others evaluated Yuan Yueze, so she said with great interest, "King Qi, tell us!"
Her slightly coquettish and alluring appearance almost seduced Li Yuanji and Gai Suwen.
Li Yuanji calmly said, "Master Jie said that Brother Yuan disregarded ethics, married both mother and daughter, stole another man's wife, and kept a mistress in a golden house. Hey! Don't look at me like that. Now everyone in Chengdu knows that Master Jie's daughter-in-law was taken away by Brother Yuan and is hidden in Luoyang."
"Bang!"
Yuan Yueze's rage finally erupted, his energy surging wildly, shattering furniture in the living room. He glared at Li Yuanji and said, "Brother Yuanji, what a clever scheme! I never imagined Jie Hui would believe your nonsense?"
Struggling to resist Yuan Yueze's palpable, manic energy, Li Yuanji's face flushed red. He tried to speak but couldn't utter a sound, inwardly cursing himself for provoking this capricious and ruthless fiend with his momentary impulse. Gai Suwen, standing nearby, was horrified; Yuan Yueze's strength clearly far exceeded his expectations.
Ji Qian, seeing him for the first time, a terrifying figure resembling a demon from hell, immediately grabbed his arm. Xiao He'er, sensing the chilling killing intent emanating from Yuan Yueze, rushed forward to stop him. Pulled back by the two women, Yuan Yueze regained some composure and roared, "Get out!" A
fierce killing intent flashed in Li Yuanji and the other woman's eyes, but they dared not say a word. They forced smiles at Shang Xiufang and left.
The mighty King of Qi and the chieftain of Goryeo were thus driven out of the gate on Li Tang territory.
Shang Xiufang, having heard Song Yuzhi recount Song Yuhua's story, was taken aback when she saw Yuan Yueze about to go berserk. She hurriedly came over to restrain him, trying to calm him down.
Yuan Yueze regained his composure with astonishing speed. He rubbed his right arm against Ji Qian's firm, full breasts a few times, letting out a lewd moan. Ji Qian, embarrassed, hurriedly pulled away, her breathing quickening, her face flushed, and she stomped her feet hard on the ground. After glaring at Yuan Yueze, she ran out the door.
Shang Xiufang stepped in, pulling Yuan Yueze down to sit. Then, her pretty face slightly flushed, she reached out and pressed down on his arm, which was groping near her breasts, and scolded, "If you continue to be as lecherous as other men, Xiufang won't talk to you anymore."
Yuan Yueze, taking advantage of the situation, quickly touched her soft, fragrant red lips with his large mouth, nodding seriously, "Xiufang is right."
Having lost her first kiss, Shang Xiufang felt a little dizzy. Forgetting her shyness, she thought to herself, "How can there be such a strange yet interesting person in the world!" Still shaken, Xiao He'er clung tightly to Yuan Yueze's arm, her voice trembling, "Brother Yuan, if you had killed them just now, how would I explain to Sister Meixian!"
Yuan Yueze quickly kissed her pale face again, saying softly, "I acted impulsively, little sister, don't worry."
Seeing that he had truly returned to normal, Xiao He'er nodded with a radiant smile, then said coldly, "But Brother Yuan is too merciful; it would be good to punish them a little."
Ignoring the two women's resistance, Yuan Yueze put his arms around their waists, chuckled, and whispered a few words in their ears.
The two women's expressions immediately turned strange, their attempts to suppress laughter leaving Hua Lingzi, watching from a distance, utterly bewildered.
※※※※※ Li Yuanji and his companion, having just left Shanglin Garden, were utterly humiliated, yet their minds were unconsciously concocting a new scheme.
Gai Suwen suddenly asked, "What's wrong with Brother Yuanji's pants?"
Li Yuanji snapped out of his daze, looked down, and realized he hadn't even noticed he had lost control of his bladder.
Realizing it must have been Yuan Yueze's doing with his true energy, Li Yuanji gritted his teeth. He glanced at Gai Suwen again, exclaiming in surprise, "How could the Commander-in-Chief also..."
Gai Suwen hadn't escaped Yuan Yueze's clutches either.
On the bustling street, in front of countless people and his men, the two wet themselves in public. They couldn't care less about anything else and staggered back to the palace.
The common people fared better; once Li Yuanji and Gai Suwen were out of sight, they could laugh. But the dozen or so attendants were miserable. They wanted to laugh but dared not, yet couldn't
help themselves—the feeling was almost worse than death. Yuan Yueze's actions were worse than killing them.
※※※※※ When Yuan Yueze returned to the West Garden with Xiao He'er and Hua Lingzi, who remained silent and kept her hands drooping, Xiao Bei and Shan Meixian were already impatiently waiting. After glancing indifferently at Hua Lingzi and instructing Xiao He'er to take her to rest, Shan Meixian pulled Yuan Yueze to sit down and began to tell his story.
After seeing Lu Miaozi's letter, Xiao Bei immediately consulted with Shan Meixian, who was still bathing. Both women were highly experienced and sensed something was amiss. They first sent Xiao Yu, engrossed in his reading, to explain to Li Shimin that they would visit another day. The two women then began their operation.
The entrance to the 'Yang Gong Treasure Vault' was located at the North Well of Xiji Garden in the East Guangde Ward of the West Market. The two women discussed for a long time but ultimately couldn't decide whether to enter or not. Before activating the main hub, all the secret passages of the treasure vault were sealed, effectively making it invisible. Unless the entire underground of Chang'an was excavated, which of course no one would do.
However, large cities like Chang'an typically had underground surveillance systems in place to prevent enemies from digging tunnels to attack the city. Since Yuan Yueze deliberately 'leaked' the information, the Li Tang dynasty had significantly increased the number of people secretly monitoring the underground situation. Xiji Garden had always been a place of suspicion for them, especially the North Well, but they couldn't find the entrance. If the two women acted rashly, they might end up in a passive position.
Unlike four years ago, they could no longer easily enter the treasure vault. The two women only secretly glanced at the entrance to the well and found nothing unusual, so they had to return to wait for Yuan Yueze and Zhu Yuyan.
After listening, Yuan Yueze recounted his own story. Upon hearing Xie Hui's words, even the usually composed Shan Meixian's face hardened with anger. Xiao Bei quickly interjected, "It's good that my husband didn't act impulsively. After all, we're still under the Li Tang regime. Before we leave Chang'an on the fifth, Li Yuanji will definitely pay the price for his reckless words."
Yuan Yueze gently stroked Shan Meixian's back, and she, having seen many storms, immediately calmed down, frowning as she said, "Could it be that Li Yuanji is using the same trick again, telling Xie Hui about Yu Hua? Otherwise, with Xie Hui's experience, he would never have made such a reckless decision to support the Li Tang."
Xiao Bei pondered, "That's unlikely. Li Yuanji's source of information is questionable. Since Xie Hui knows he's been fooled, how could he be deceived again?"
Yuan Yueze suddenly said, "Could it be Shi Feixuan? She would never lie. Could it be that she saw Yu Hua in Luoyang and then told Xie Hui?"
Shan Meixian and Xiao Bei both looked at Yuan Yueze, clearly indicating that this hypothesis was not without merit.
"Who cares! What's done is done. I'll personally go into the treasure vault to investigate first!"
The oblivious Yuan Yueze shouted and pounced on the two women, whose physical desires were at their peak.
(My recent condition has been very poor, and my already bad writing style has become even worse. I'm so frustrated. I rewrote this chapter four times and deleted tens of thousands of words. My head is spinning.

Chapter 101: A Dog in the Water
The next day, the sun was high in the sky.
Zhu Yuyan clearly felt her pert buttocks were a little itchy. She woke up with a soft moan, her eyes wide open, looking at Yuan Yueze in the ceiling. She grabbed his mischievous hand that was still unconsciously playing with hers. Then she glanced at Wanwan, who was sleeping next to her, her beautiful upper body, as smooth and ivory-like as if carved from ivory. Thinking of the romantic encounter last night, she blushed and said with a slight reproach, "Isn't that enough?"
Yuan Yueze quickly withdrew his attention from her soft and delicate body and looked down at her, saying, "How could it be enough? By the way, who did you meet yesterday?"
Recalling how Yuan Yueze had dragged her into the 'battlefield' without saying a word when she came back last night, Zhu Yuyan glared at him angrily and put down her hand. The encounter was recounted.
Yuan Yueze pondered, "Zhao Deyan's information is indeed very useful. It seems I must make a trip to the grasslands soon to try and thwart Jieli's plan to unite with other foreign tribes."
Zhu Yuyan nodded and asked, "What were you thinking about just now?"
Yuan Yueze replied, "Just thinking about how to enter the treasure vault."
Zhu Yuyan smiled slightly, her delicate eyebrows furrowing. After a moment of contemplation, she said, "Why must we enter through the entrance? If that person had actually entered the treasure vault half a month ago, it would have attracted the attention of the Li Tang people. I heard that ever since the news of Jun Zhuo's marriage to you spread, Li Jiancheng sent people to search all twenty-eight buildings in Chang'an related to Yang Su, almost turning the houses upside down, but still couldn't find any trace of the treasure vault before giving up. Furthermore, Li Yuan and his other two sons were also busy, but their people didn't discover anything unusual underground in Chang'an!"
Yuan Yueze said, "Then I won't go to the treasure vault. Perhaps Master Lu is being too sensitive."
Zhu Yuyan said, "I mean, could that person enter the treasure vault through other entrances?"
Yuan Yueze scratched his head and said, "The treasure vault only has one entrance, but several exits."
Zhu Yuyan said, "That's why you're still too lazy. Meixian and I have carefully studied the map of the treasure vault before. We can dig our way in at several exits. The underwater entrance is obviously out of the question, but the entrance hidden on the mountaintop is possible. The treasure vault has four tunnels, with entrances located within the four vaults. One of them leads directly to a small hill outside the city."
What she said made sense. The reason Li Tang was clueless was because they couldn't pinpoint the true location of the exits. Otherwise, it wouldn't be a joke to dig straight in. Yuan Yueze agreed, "Today, Bei'er will go see what tricks Li Shimin is up to, while I'll go into the treasure vault to investigate. If there really is such an entrance, you'll guard it outside."
Wanwan's languid voice rang out, "Shouldn't it be enough for Senior Sister and the others to guard it?"
As she spoke, she pressed her little head against Yuan Yueze's cheek, and draped a fair, jade-like arm over Zhu Yuyan's back.
The two's conversation woke Wanwan, but she didn't open her eyes. Zhu Yuyan's pretty face flushed slightly; she was already used to such an intimate posture between the three of them.
Wanwan was right. If Shan Meixian, Fu Junzhuo, and Dugu Feng joined forces, their strength would definitely surpass that of Yuan Yueze or Zhu Yuyan. Since the two of them were the main force in this family, it was naturally better for them not to be restricted.
Yuan Yueze lowered his head and kissed Wanwan's smooth cheek, praising, "The girl is right."
Wanwan let out a muffled moan, but Zhu Yuyan said, "Should we go check on Qing'er?"
Yuan Yueze smiled, "Qing'er will be fine. Can't you have a subtle telepathic connection with her?"
Zhu Yuyan nodded. Outside the door, Wei Zhenzhen's voice called the three of them to have breakfast.
After breakfast, everyone split up. Yuan Yueze, who had changed his clothes, and Shan Meixian and the other two women began searching according to the map that Lu Miaozi had prepared for them years ago. The entrance to the secret passage behind the deserted hill outside the city was normal, but Fu Junzhuo found a small hole in the weeds and bushes not far away, just big enough for one person. The two were overjoyed and immediately called Shan Meixian and Dugu Feng to guard the door. Ignoring their awkward movements, the two climbed in one after the other.
Fu Junzhuo, amused and exasperated by Yuan Yueze's groping hands on her buttocks, changed the subject, asking, "Does my husband think Han Jie has any background?"
Yuan Yueze chuckled, "Let's go in and see. If he were just a greedy man, he would have left long ago, since I've already looted the place clean. By the way, Junzhuo, what are your thoughts on revisiting this place?"
Thinking that she would have perished shortly after leaving the warehouse back then if she hadn't met Yuan Yueze, Fu Junzhuo said with a sigh, "This underground structure is ingenious, a masterpiece of craftsmanship, truly amazing. However, if it weren't for the full support and planning of Yang Su, who held immense power at the time, and the fact that Chang'an was still under construction..." "No one could build a treasure vault underground so secretly. Yang Su emerged victorious in the power struggle with Yang Jian, using Yang Guang to kill Yang Jian. The Yang Gong Treasure Vault remained unused, but became a mysterious legend after the death of Yang Su's son, Yang Xuangan. Later, a part of the treasure vault's map was eventually circulated to Goryeo. I was ordered by my master to come to the Central Plains as a scout, preparing to secretly transport the weapons and treasures of the Yang Gong Treasure Vault back to Goryeo. Unfortunately, the map was incomplete, and I could only enter the southwest axis of the vault. I never expected that even the fake treasure vault would be looted by my husband... Oh, we've arrived."
As they spoke, the two had already climbed to the narrow entrance of the tunnel.
Sealing off all signs of life, they jumped out of the tunnel, finding themselves in complete darkness.
Just as Yuan Yueze was about to speak, Fu Junzhuo swiftly pressed her slender, jade-like fingers to his lips. Yuan Yueze removed them and laughed, "Our voices are all within the Heavenly Demon's aura, it's alright."
Fu Junzhuo frowned and said, "Be careful."
With that, she took out a bright pearl that shimmered with a blue light from her bosom, instantly brightening
the area in front of them. The two were now in a circular stone chamber. In the center was a circular stone table with eight stone chairs. A detailed map of the treasure vault, complete with illustrations and text, was drawn on the table, showing its connection to the city of Chang'an on the surface. This circular chamber also had four ordinary wooden doors, each leading to one of the four treasure rooms. Under the table were flint, tinder, and tinder, to light the eight wall lamps evenly distributed around the chamber walls. The tunnel they had just entered through was clearly a later addition.
Glancing at the four spacious, empty stone chambers, each a hundred paces wide, Fu Junzhuo pouted, sat down at the stone table, and sighed, "Finally, I've seen the real 'Yang Gong Treasure Vault' with my own eyes. It truly lives up to its reputation."
Yuan Yueze also said, "It's because you haven't seen the treasure vault yet that I brought you down to see it."
Then, he took her hand and walked towards the entrance of the corridor, saying, "Let's look for traces of the past!"
The two were now in the East District Treasure Vault, and their current route was the opposite of the usual way to enter. As they walked, they carefully observed everything around them. Fu Junzhuo nestled in Yuan Yueze's arms and said, "The person who dug the tunnel is definitely not in the treasure vault right now. Could it be that he discovered the treasure vault was empty and secretly left?"
Yuan Yueze had been given a crash course on the treasure vault's mechanisms by the girls that morning, so he was very familiar with them. He pulled Fu Junzhuo around, jumping left and right, and said, "Didn't you smell the strange smell up ahead?"
Fu Junzhuo nodded, and in no time, the two of them appeared outside the wide-open steel door at the end. On the smooth granite wall to the left of the door, a line of words was carved: "A Korean Rakshasa woman once visited this place." To the right was another line: "Miss Fu Junzhuo, you've come all this way for nothing. A message from Yuan Yueze."
Fu Junzhuo nestled close to Yuan Yueze, memories from years ago flooding her mind. Just as she was lost in thought, Yuan Yueze suddenly pointed to the corner to the left and said, "There's a corpse over there."
Fu Junzhuo snapped out of her reverie and immediately smelled the pungent stench of decay. Yuan Yueze patted her shoulder and went to investigate alone. He returned and said, "I vaguely sensed something was wrong in the main control room just now, and now look at this woman's corpse—she's been dead for at least ten days..." "It carries a very obvious Liu Yu aura..."
He paused abruptly, then suddenly realized, "Could it be that Liu Yu has been hiding in the treasure vault all along?"
All those who cultivate Qi possess a unique aura due to their different physiques. Experts like Liu Yu, who cultivate innate true Qi, naturally exude a special aura unless they intentionally conceal it. Even someone as perceptive as Yuan Yueze hadn't detected Liu Yu's aura in the stone chamber, but having fought Liu Yu before, he was extremely sensitive to his demonic energy, thus detecting a trace of Liu Yu's aura on the corpse. It seemed that his initial failure to detect Liu Yu's aura was due to his deliberate concealment of his pores.
The two exchanged a glance and nodded.
Yuan Yueze's guess was indeed reasonable. Han Jie might have been sent by Liu Yu to learn from Lu Miaozi. Lu Miaozi had been openly recruiting students for a long time; with so many people, it was impossible to observe everyone closely. If Han Jie wanted to be suspicious and conceal it, it would be very difficult for anyone to discover. Perhaps after entering the treasure vault, Liu Yu found it empty and used this wonderful underground vault as a hiding place. He could leave when he needed to, and practice his skills or devise schemes inside when he didn't. Recalling the Wu brothers' assessment of Liu Yu, Yuan Yueze and Fu Junzhuo realized that the female corpse they had just seen must have been killed by Liu Yu after satisfying his lust to prevent his whereabouts from being discovered.
Fu Junzhuo asked doubtfully, "Are we just going to wait here for him to come to us?"
Yuan Yueze shook his head and said, "Let's erase our traces first, and then we can discuss it further outside."
Liu Yu was cunning and treacherous; once he sensed something was wrong, how could they kill him? The two acted quickly, finally climbing out of the cave. After some discussion, they decided that Yuan Yueze would take one woman and keep a close watch on the hillside, while the others would go about their own business, as Liu Yu wasn't the only enemy.
At the beginning of the Xu hour (7-9 PM), Yuan Yueze and Dugu Feng returned to the West Garden looking dejected, staggering, and yawning incessantly, clearly clueless. While enjoying a massage from Yun Yuzhen, Yuan Yueze listened to the women's reports.
On Xiao Bei's side, due to her special status, Li Shimin dared not neglect her, but after a long conversation, Li Shimin repeatedly hinted that the Crown Prince's faction intended to harm her family during the spring hunt, and that his men had already gathered some information. Xiao Bei secretly laughed at Li Shimin's clumsy attempt to "use a borrowed knife to kill"—the Crown Prince's faction did indeed want to harm Yuan Yueze, but their primary target was Li Shimin himself, so she didn't continue the conversation and took her leave.
The other women were scattered throughout the city, secretly observing the movements of the Li Tang people. As usual, none of the Li Tang's men noticed Yuan Yueze's entry into the treasure vault.
After dinner, Yuan Yueze fell asleep while taking a bath. For ten hours
straight , he stared motionless at the hill, his nerves on edge to avoid being noticed by Liu Yu. Physically, he was unharmed, but mentally, it was unbearable. For four days, Yuan Yueze went out early and returned late, yet still found no clues.
On the fifth day at dusk, two days before the Spring Festival
, in a secluded little building in the backyard of the Yin residence ,
a building located in a corner and designated as a forbidden area,
Yin Zuwen and Xu Liuzong sat silently drinking at a table. The atmosphere was not only oppressive but also eerily strange.
After downing half a jar of wine, Xu Liuzong
smashed his cup with a loud "crack!" and cursed through gritted teeth, "Damn it, that little bitch surnamed Hou! If I catch her, I'll fuck her to death!"
Yin Zuwen glanced at him disdainfully and said, "Can you even catch her, Junior Brother?"
Xu Liuzong was speechless, glared at him hatefully, and continued drinking.
Yin Zuwen sighed helplessly.
Over the past few days, a major event occurred in Chang'an. A woman surnamed Hou, together with gambling master "Northern Thunder" Lei Jiuzhi, gambled for two consecutive days at the "Six Fortune Gambling Hall," winning more than she lost. Chi Shengchun lost so badly he cried and cried, eventually losing the entire gambling den. Later, another victim, carrying a secret ledger, testified that Chi Shengchun was the biological son of Xiang Gui of the Baling Gang. The Xiang family had been secretly involved in human trafficking for years, harming countless women. The news spread rapidly, and the Xiang family became the target of public criticism and condemnation. Chi Shengchun was forced to abandon everything and flee. This incident became the talk of the town in Chang'an, and the woman surnamed Hou was dubbed the "Queen of Gambling."
She was none other than Hou Wenqing. In reality, only a few knew the true reasons behind the events. For months, she had obtained evidence of the Xiang family's crimes from Han Zenan. Therefore, she simultaneously dispatched Song clan members to create momentum in Baling and personally came to Chang'an to eliminate the Xiang family's reserve forces. Initially, she revealed that she had obtained the Xiang family's secret account book, causing Chi Shengchun to not only lose his composure but also dare not back out of the bet, clinging on desperately in the hope of winning back the account book. He had even sent assassins to kill Hou Wenqing and her companion, but even with the help of Xu Liuzong and Yin Zuwen, they could only barely suppress them; killing or capturing them was virtually impossible.
The situation was too dramatic. In just a few days, the Xiang family, which had provided the financial backing, collapsed. Yin Zuwen and his fellow disciple were thrown into disarray, and a series of well-prepared plans had to be postponed. Now, they had reached the most critical moment in the situation. Yin Zuwen regretted his actions: If he had known this would happen, he would have submitted to Zhu Yuyan or Shi Zhixuan. It was all his fault for being too ambitious.
"Does Zuwen regret it?"
Shi Zhixuan's voice rang out from outside the door. The next moment, he appeared at the table like a ghost, sat down leisurely, and a gloating look flashed in his eyes. He was clearly in a good mood.
Yin Zuwen and Xu Liuzong dared not speak out in anger. Xu Liuzong said proudly, "If the 'Evil King' comes to kill us, then go ahead and do it."
Shi Zhixuan sighed, "It would be too easy for me to kill you, but if one of you dies, the revival of the Holy Gate will lose a force."
Yin Zuwen gritted his teeth and knelt down, saying, "If Brother Shi still trusts me, I swear by the blood oath of the Holy Gate that if I ever betray Brother Shi, may I be struck by lightning."
A wise man knows when to yield. Xu Liuzong was slightly taken aback, but immediately understood Yin Zuwen's thoughts and also knelt down to swear an oath.
Their decisive action was indeed remarkable. They knew that only the Great Ming Sect and Shi Zhixuan could protect them. They could submit to Zhu Yuyan, but that would mean acknowledging her new Holy Sect system, whose principles, like those of the White Path sects, were utterly despised by Yin Zuwen and Shi Zhixuan. While the Great Ming Sect could also protect them, they knew better than anyone that their alliance was based on mutual benefit; once they were no longer useful, they would die. Therefore, Yin Zuwen chose Shi Zhixuan without hesitation. He understood that Shi Zhixuan's timing was opportunistic, but since both sides had something to gain, he didn't hesitate and swore a blood oath of loyalty.
Shi Zhixuan smiled. In fact, he hadn't truly harmed Yin Zuwen or forced him to submit, mainly because he wanted to see the various factions fight to the death so he could reap the benefits. But with the Xiang family incident, Shi Zhixuan changed his strategy, winning over the two weakened individuals.
He then glanced at the screen not far away, and Yin Zuwen hurriedly explained, "That's Qing'er. I used golden needles to help her practice. Brother Shi, don't worry, if I don't remove the golden needles, she'll be no different from a dead person."
Chi Shengchun's mansion had all been given away, and Bai Qing'er was originally hidden in his house, but now Yin Zuwen had no choice but to hide her here.
After explaining to the slightly puzzled Shi Zhixuan, Yin Zuwen smiled sinisterly, "Qing'er will be able to master the 'Charming Maiden Heart Method' tomorrow. Originally, I planned to use her to deal with Li Yuan and Yuan Yueze, but now that Brother Shi is here, I'll follow your orders."
Shi Zhixuan nodded in satisfaction and said, "Xu Yan has handed over the 'Mastery of All Laws Root Source Wisdom Scripture.' From now on, you must work together to assist me."
Yin Zuwen and Shi Zhixuan were secretly surprised, clearly stunned by Shi Zhixuan's words.
Shi Zhixuan continued, “You must avenge your grudges, but not now. We are currently maintaining a delicate balance with Yuan Yueze, the Great Ming Sect, and the Buddhist and Taoist factions. Each side is wary of the other. If this balance is broken, the consequences will be unimaginable. Therefore, we must not act rashly until others have made their moves. As for other matters, we can discuss them after they have determined their fates.”
Xu Liuzong chuckled dryly, “Brother Shi is right. We must obtain the relics in the treasure vault before we act.”
Shi Zhixuan shook his head, “Xu Yan told me that the Great Ming Saint Venerable said the relics were already in Yuan Yueze's hands. But he was fooled, because…”
Yin Zuwen and the other man looked horrified, then began to sneer.
Bai Qing’er, behind the screen, was equally shocked. Shi Zhixuan had lowered his voice considerably, yet she had still heard the rest of his words. She wondered how she could get this information out. On
the afternoon of the 29th of the twelfth lunar month,
Liu Yu, with a black cloth covering his head and wearing a black bodysuit, his figure tall and agile, finally appeared.
At the cave entrance, he suddenly stopped, his eyes sweeping around with a sharp look. He said calmly, "Since you've arrived, why hide?"
Yuan Yueze, who had been lurking nearby, intending to wait until Liu Yu entered the treasure vault before making his move, was secretly astonished. Liu Yu's spiritual senses had reached an unknowable level. He and Dugu Feng swiftly leaped out, stopping a few feet in front of Liu Yu. Yuan Yueze feigned surprise, saying, "So you were just fighting someone?"
Liu Yu had a few light stains on his body, and his breathing was slightly disordered. Clearly, someone of his cultivation level wouldn't have his breathing become rapid from traveling. The only possibility was that he had engaged in a fierce battle with someone of comparable strength.
People would avoid Liu Yu like the plague, not be openly mocked like this. However, Liu Yu was naturally sullen and didn't act rashly. His composure remained unaffected by Yuan Yueze's words. He said calmly, "Your arrival, what is the purpose of..."
Before he could finish speaking, Yuan Yueze and Dugu Feng pounced from mid-air. They showed no mercy; in truth, for someone like Liu Yu, his early demise would be a cause for celebration. Yuan Yueze, never one for rules, was even more determined to eliminate him, seeing Liu Yu's composure and flawless defense despite his rage.
Their swords combined, their attacks unpredictable and varied, like a heavy army charging through the land. With each thrust and slash, two powerful surges of true energy erupted, like invisible weapons, their sharpness sending dirt flying.
Liu Yu smiled slightly, leaping forward, slightly taller than Yuan Yueze and Dugu Feng, meeting the swords thrusting at his ribs. His palms moved with incredible speed, striking the swords with lightning speed, propelling him even higher. He circled in the air like a great bird, unleashing two powerful palm strikes with the force of a thunderbolt, aimed directly at the swords of Yuan Yueze and Dugu Feng. With a strike and a pull, he used the force to spring back, seemingly able to remain suspended in the air forever. The two, never having seen such a strange move before, were immediately led by the nose, losing the initiative. The aura Liu Yu had gathered around them was like a storm, and Yuan Yueze and Dugu Feng were like small boats caught in the eye of the storm—a truly unpleasant experience.
"Feng'er, step back!"
Yuan Yueze shouted, his eyes flashing with divine light, as he slowly thrust out his sword. Dugu Feng, however, flew back several feet as if floating a feather, stopping and disengaging from the battle.
His thrust was anything but simple. While seemingly clumsy and straightforward, Liu Yu clearly knew that he neither knew the origin of the move nor its subsequent variations. Even someone with Liu Yu's high level of cultivation could only sense the speed of the sword's movement through his spiritual perception. Faced with this sword strike, seemingly encompassing the endless changes of heaven and earth, boundless and without beginning or end, Liu Yu was terrified. He knew Yuan Yueze had abandoned his underestimation of him and was about to unleash his true power.
At this moment, Liu Yu had already fallen again from several feet away, his hands moving in unison, suddenly conjuring countless claw shadows. In an instant, sword and claw clashed no less than twenty times, the sound like muffled thunder, sparks flying everywhere.
The next moment, Liu Yu was terrified. Yuan Yueze's sword strike had retained at least four-tenths of its power; the sound of the sword was like the hidden movement of wind and thunder, still thrusting forward.
Liu Yu's old momentum was gone, and he hadn't had time to gather new energy. He could only grit his teeth, ignoring the direction of the incoming sword, and punch Yuan Yueze in the forehead—clearly a desperate, mutually destructive tactic.
Dugu Feng's cultivation was not low, but she could clearly hear the piercing sound of Yuan Yueze's sword cutting through the air. The clash of sword and claw between the two had stirred up a surging airflow, chilling and sharp, freezing to the bone. Even she had to gather her inner energy to avoid being blown away. With a
"bang!" , the figures merged and separated in an instant. Liu Yu felt a chill run down his spine. Yuan Yueze had withstood a full-force punch from him—a punch from someone whose cultivation, after practicing the War God Manual, was at least higher than it had been that day—with just his head, yet his face only turned deathly pale, without even spitting out blood. How could this be! On the contrary, his shoulder blade had been pierced by the sword strike and the air currents that contained the power of heaven and earth, leaving a clear bloody hole from which blood gushed. Liu Yu finally had the intention to retreat, but Yuan Yueze's longsword was still pointed at him, still enveloping him within the sword energy's range. If he dared to move rashly, under the pull of the energy, Yuan Yueze's sword momentum would surely attack like a mighty river. Realizing his predicament—neither retreating nor staying—Liu Yu sneered, "Boy, if I hadn't fought Shi Zhixuan and Yun Shuai to a standstill, would I have been able to stay alive?" Hearing him mention Shi Zhixuan and Yun Shuai, Yuan Yueze thought to himself, no wonder he wasn't in full condition, but then said, "Enough with the nonsense, you're going to die now!" As he spoke, he unleashed several sword strikes, the white light quickly enveloping the space several feet between them. In the brief moment Yuan Yueze was stunned, Liu Yu had already broken free of his momentum, raised his fist to block several sword strikes, and retreated through the air amidst splattering blood. Dugu Feng immediately gave chase, and Yuan Yueze, slightly taken aback, also flew after him. The distance between the three increased, clearly indicating that Liu Yu's lightness skill was superior. As they passed the Dragon Head Canal outside the city, Yuan Yueze suddenly felt a sense of foreboding. A strong wind suddenly arose. From the faint, almost imperceptible aura of true energy, Yuan Yueze recognized the attacker above him as Shi Zhixuan, and immediately raised his palm to block. "Bang!" Their palms clashed, but the invading true energy didn't split into two streams as before; instead, it was an extremely yin and soft energy, generating an irresistible suction force. In the blink of an eye, Shi Zhixuan, using Yuan Yueze's strength, swiftly retreated towards Dugu Feng and Liu Yu. Although the exchange was only a matter of seconds, it was enough to prevent Yuan Yueze from catching up with Liu Yu. Just as Yuan Yueze was about to run forward again, Yun Shuai's voice rang out: "Leave Shi Zhixuan to me." Before he finished speaking, Yun Shuai had already vanished. Yuan Yueze couldn't understand what kind of struggle had occurred between Liu Yu and the two of them, but now that he couldn't catch up, he was furious and was about to give chase again. Suddenly, a melodious and solemn chanting of Buddhist scriptures came from the right. Yuan Yueze looked over and saw several figures, seemingly real yet illusory, appearing in the distance. In the blink of an eye, they were already three zhang away from Yuan Yueze. Chapter 102 The Peerless Evil Sword Zhu Yuyan was discussing Yuan Yueze's mental cultivation method with Wanwan, trying to make further improvements, when suddenly her delicate body trembled. Leaving behind the words, "I'll be right back. Wan'er tells your senior sisters not to worry," she leaped out of the window. Wanwan was left alone, staring blankly at the window for a moment. She shrugged her shoulders slightly and lowered her head to continue reading. The mysterious spiritual connection between her and Yuan Yueze, and the no longer suppressed spiritual aura of the Four Holy Monks, made Zhu Yuyan realize that he was in danger. Just as she left the palace gate, she encountered several people in a sparsely populated courtyard on the edge of Chongren Ward. Ning Daoqi, Liao Kong, and another person whose cultivation was definitely no less than theirs. The three of them stood leisurely on the eaves of the small house, admiring the afterglow of the setting sun. Zhu Yuyan knew that her concern had clouded her judgment, so she lightly leaped onto the roof and stood beside the three of them, enjoying the view like a close friend. As the last rays of sunlight faded and darkness began to fall, Zhu Yuyan turned to look at the stranger and smiled, "It's a pity that I couldn't meet you sooner since you've been in Chang'an for several days." The stranger was 'Martial Venerable' Bi Xuan. Standing proudly with one hand behind his back, Bi Xuan turned around and said in fluent and relaxed Mandarin, "I have long admired your name, Venerable One. Meeting you today, I finally understand what 'seeing is believing' truly means." Although he spoke these words, he exuded a strange and intimidating aura, as if a demon from hell had suddenly appeared on earth. He appeared to be only in his early thirties, with a perfect physique. His bronze skin shimmered with a dazzling luster, and his exceptionally long legs gave his imposing frame an air of reaching for the stars. The hemp robe draped over his body billowed in the wind, and his large, thick hands seemed to contain the most terrifying power in the world. What was most breathtaking was that he was like a vast ocean filled with undercurrents, moving yet still, still yet brimming with movement, making him completely unpredictable. His jet-black hair was tied back in a bun, and his handsome, ancient face was like a flawless bronze statue, unforgettable and chilling at first glance. A pair of eyes, full of eerie charm, cold yet spirited, were set on his high, straight nose, yet they revealed no inner emotions or feelings, giving the impression that he could destroy anyone or anything at any moment without the slightest remorse. Zhu Yuyan sneered, "The three of you have gathered together, do you want to test your skills against me?" Liao Kong chanted a Buddhist prayer in a low voice, saying, "It's rare to see the legendary 'Three Grandmasters' gathered today. I would be content to die." Ning Daoqi laughed and said, "I only wish to witness the legendary 'Dao Heart Demon Seed Technique.' I hope the Venerable One will be kind enough to enlighten me. The Holy One's residence is Linchi Pavilion on the south bank of Taochi Pond in the northwest corner of Taiji Palace. I am merely here to observe the battle."

Zhu Yuyan let out a clear, melodious laugh, like the tinkling of silver bells, and said, "Yuyan has long admired Brother Dao's 'Eight Strikes of the Scattered Hands,' but in the past few months, I've picked up a bad habit: unless I don't act, I always take a life."
Bi Xuan's eyes turned stern and profound, flashing with a sharp light, and a cold smile appeared on his lips. He said, "Why is Venerable One so confident?"
After speaking, he glanced towards the east of the city.
That was the direction from which Yuan Yueze and the Four Holy Monks had emitted their strong spiritual auras.
Zhu Yuyan, of course, knew that Bi Xuan had ill intentions and was already trying to undermine her morale. So she
said without hesitation, "I'm afraid the Sage will have to experience my confidence firsthand to know." Then she turned to Ning Daoqi, who stood there with an air of nonchalance, and said with a light laugh, "Brother Dao, please tell me your true purpose."
Ning Daoqi's ancient face showed a bitter smile, and he said with a flourish, "Although the Venerable One's temperament has changed greatly, your words are even sharper than they were decades ago."
He paused, and continued, "Back then, I, Ning, was forced to separate the lovers and had no face to face the world. Today, I have shamelessly come to keep the Venerable One occupied. Please rest assured, Venerable One, the four holy monks only wish for your family to retire and have absolutely no intention of harming Young Master Yuan."
These words fully demonstrated his status and magnanimity as a Grandmaster of Daoism. He did not hide his ulterior motives and his attempt to block Zhu Yuyan from helping Yuan Yueze. Without wasting words, he declared war on Zhu Yuyan in the most humble way. Looking at his expression, it was clear he wasn't faking it; he genuinely repented for his past deception and attempts to separate Bi Xiuxin and her lover. His instantly restored serene expression revealed that his mental cultivation had almost reached the pinnacle of Daoist principles of natural non-action, complete self-forgetfulness, and tranquility.
In comparison, Liao Kong was somewhat better off; Bi Xuan, mired in worldly affairs, was clearly at a lower spiritual level.
Zhu Yuyan disdained further conversation with them, but she preferred to see their mental states crumble. So she said calmly, "Brother Dao's magnanimity is truly extraordinary; you can even disregard your pride and admit your mistakes. No wonder your cultivation is even higher than before. It won't be too late for me to fight you after my husband surpasses the Four Great Monks."
The three were slightly taken aback. Their confidence in the Four Great Monks was as strong as Zhu Yuyan's confidence in Yuan Yueze. If Zhu Yuyan witnessed Yuan Yueze's crushing defeat, it would be a good thing for them.
The four stood there, lost in thought, gazing at the darkening horizon.
※※※※※The Four Great Monks.
Judging by their four bald heads and enigmatic appearances, how could Yuan Yueze, who had heard Zhu Yuyan describe Di Xin and Dao Xin's appearances, not recognize them? One of the other two monks was an old monk with dark skin, wearing a thin gray robe. He was about the same height as Yuan Yueze, thin as a withered bamboo, with a long, narrow face and eyes that seemed half-open, holding a wooden fish in his left hand and a wooden mallet in his right, exuding an indescribable air of a virtuous monk. The other wore a gray robe with a dark brown kasaya over it. He was tall and upright, with a high, broad forehead, glossy black eyebrows and beard, a long face, and eyes that shone with wisdom—the face of a virtuous monk, compassionate and benevolent.
Yuan Yueze gazed at the horizon, where the setting sun cast its last rays before disappearing in the west, tinged with the lingering clouds, creating a scene reminiscent of a celestial paradise.
After a long pause, he said calmly, "Did the four masters come to have tea with me? Shi Zhixuan just left!"
The four monks were simultaneously surprised. They saw that Yuan Yueze remained completely unaffected by their combined spiritual power, while they themselves were already at a disadvantage. This was because, after years of secluded cultivation, they were generally unable to muster the will to attack others or resort to force. Although they had used the pretext of serving the common people, it still violated Buddhist principles, creating an unpleasant feeling of being unbound, greatly affecting their Zen mind. Back then, Shi Zhixuan had secretly learned martial arts from the Buddhist sect and created the Undying Seal. Later, the four holy monks had joined forces to hunt down Shi Zhixuan, determined to reclaim his martial arts. However, despite three attempts to encircle him, he still managed to escape wounded. Yuan Yueze's bringing up this old matter was an attempt to turn the tables.
The gaunt old monk stepped forward and said in his deep, hoarse, yet clear and resounding voice, "This old monk is Jiaxiang. I have heard Feixuan mention more than once that you are well-versed in Buddhist and Taoist principles. I have a question that I wonder if you could enlighten me."
Yuan Yueze thought to himself that the other one must be Master Zhihui. The cultivation of these four people was indeed extraordinary. They had recovered to the state of unwavering Zen mind in an instant, which showed their strong will. So he gestured for them to enter.
Jiaxiang said, “Master Tanluan once wrote in his commentary on the Treatise on Rebirth: ‘The reason why the Buddha established these adorned and pure merits is that he saw the Three Realms as illusory, as subject to endless cycles of rebirth, as bound by the cycle of birth and death, like a worm endlessly expanding and contracting, or a silkworm bound in its own cocoon. Alas, sentient beings, having created these Three Realms, are deluded and impure. He wished to place sentient beings in a place that is not illusory, in a place free from endless cycles of rebirth, in a place free from the cycle of birth and death, so that they might attain ultimate peace and great purity
. Therefore, he established these pure and adorned merits.’ May I ask how you understand this?” This statement simply means that the Buddha achieved these adorned and pure merits because he saw the Three Realms as illusory, as subject to endless cycles of birth and death, like a worm endlessly expanding and contracting, or a silkworm bound in its own cocoon. Out of compassion for all sentient beings, who are bound in the delusion and impurity of the Three Realms, the Buddha sought to save them to a place free from falsehood, a place without endless cycles of birth and death, a place of ultimate peace and purity. This is why the Buddha accomplished this pure and dignified merit.
Yuan Yueze couldn't answer the question properly. If he interpreted it normally, he would be considered stubbornly ignorant; if he misinterpreted it, it would be meaningless in front of four monks of such high cultivation. So he said, "I have heard that among the four great monks of Buddhism, Master Jiaxiang of the 'Three Treatises School' is renowned for his 'Dry Zen Profound Skill,' followed by Venerable Dixin of the 'Huayan School's' 'Great Perfection Staff Technique,' then Master Daoxin of the 'Zen School's' 'Bodhidharma Hand,' and Master Zhihui of the 'Tiantai School's' 'Mind Buddha Palm.' Since you four have come prepared, I will take this opportunity to experience the ultimate Buddhist techniques. To answer your question, please accept my move!"
Jiaxiang's withered face showed no emotion; the wooden fish was already hidden in his sleeve, and his dry hands emerged from the wide sleeves of his gray robe. With his right hand held upright above and his left hand resting horizontally below, he said indifferently, "The four of us haven't fought anyone for nearly twenty years, and we've long since lost the will to fight. But this matter concerns the common people, so please forgive this
humble monk for his offense." Yuan Yueze, his longsword still sheathed, pointed at Jiaxiang, unleashing a powerful wave to counter Jiaxiang's awe-inspiring aura. Then, with a flick of his wrist, the longsword emitted a resounding hum, and he answered irrelevantly, "'The Three Treatises School' is founded on the three treatises: the *Madhyamaka-karika*, the *Dvadasanikaya-sastra*, and the *Sata-sastra*. The *Dvadasanikaya-sastra* states: 'All phenomena arising from causes and conditions are without inherent existence. If they have no inherent existence, how can they exist?' I wonder how the Master understands this statement?"
As he spoke, his hand continued, the longsword unsheathed, transforming into a white streak, swiftly striking Jiaxiang's chest like a meteor.
The observing monks all felt a sense of devastation, sensing that this sword strike possessed the power to shake mountains and tremble, unafraid of any counterattack or direct confrontation.
Master Jiaxiang remained completely still, not even his robes fluttering, but his expression turned solemn. Suddenly, his withered right hand changed from upright to outstretched, and his body swayed back and forth and side to side like a pillar. His right hand then gestured in front of his chest, the shape of his palm gradually changing, the thumb bending outward, the other fingers close together and straight, until the palm was pushed in to its fullest extent, the thumb pressing precisely against the tip of Yuan Yueze's sword.
The two moved at completely opposite speeds. Every movement of Jiaxiang was slow and deliberate, clearly visible, but his 'slowness' precisely countered his opponent's 'speed,' showing that his slow movements were merely an illusion of speed. The profound Buddhist skill was indeed astonishing. With a
"bang!"
, Yuan Yueze staggered back half a step, and Jiaxiang retreated two steps, his face turning to horror. It should be noted that what appeared to be a simple, forceful attack by Yuan Yueze was actually powerful, capable of unleashing full force, using highly concentrated and rapid energy to attack with overwhelming strength. The true mystery lies in its ever-changing nature, but Jiaxiang's "One-Finger Zen" has reached the level of great skill without artifice. He completely saw through Yuan Yueze's incoming momentum and subsequent moves. However, at the moment the sword and finger clashed, Yuan Yueze's chilling true energy broke through Jiaxiang's vast and profound Buddhist true energy, which was like a boundless ocean. It pierced straight into Jiaxiang's meridians along the sword tip like lightning. Even someone as strong as Jiaxiang could not catch his breath. His vast true energy ran through his body like a wild horse before it was suppressed.
All things in the world are products of the combination of numerous factors and conditions, called 'dependent origination'. Without these numerous factors and conditions, nothing is an independent and unchanging entity; this is called 'emptiness of inherent existence'. That is, the existence of things arising from dependent origination is emptiness of inherent existence; it's not about removing things arising from dependent origination and then saying they are empty. The dharma of dependent origination has no inherent nature, which is ultimately emptiness. However, to conform to common sense, we say that things arise from dependent origination, unifying dependent origination and emptiness of inherent existence—this is the Middle Way. Therefore, all dharmas arise from dependent origination without being separate from emptiness of inherent existence; although there are dharmas arising from dependent origination, it does not hinder the ultimate emptiness of the Middle Way's true nature.
Yuan Yueze's four lines refer to the four great monks' violation of natural order, insisting that he retire. He, of course, relied on the fact that he had never done anything to harm others for personal gain. The four great monks were speechless upon hearing this, but judging from their expressions, they would never back down.
The Venerable Emperor Heart clasped his hands together and said, "Your understanding of Buddhist principles puts us old bald men to shame. Let's skip the questions and witness your unparalleled swordsmanship!"
Master Wisdom also chanted a Buddhist prayer softly and said, "Please make your move, benefactor!"
Instantly, the four monks stood apart in perfect unison, exuding a serene and contented air. The atmosphere instantly became solemn and dignified, and their still and unfathomable demeanor gave them an aura of unassailable power.
Yuan Yueze shook his head and chuckled, sighing, "When the mind is confused, the Lotus Sutra turns; when the mind
is enlightened, the Lotus Sutra turns." He then said, "I, Yuan, have a set of sword techniques created for my relatives and friends, but I have never had the chance to use them. Today, I would like to ask the four masters to teach me. The first move, 'Immortal Sword Sweep,' is a defensive stance. Please make your move!"
The Emperor Heart Venerable chanted a Buddhist prayer, and his staff appeared in his hand without anyone noticing. He then leaped up and appeared in front of Yuan Yueze, sweeping the staff across the sky, saying, "If you could convert to Buddhism, how wonderful that would be. Why do you insist on opposing the Tang Dynasty?"
Yuan Yueze laughed heartily, casually blocking with his longsword still sheathed, saying, "I believe Shi Feixuan has already described my ideal kingdom to you four. Since he cannot achieve it, I will naturally come myself."
The two shifted positions as naturally as birds flying in a secluded forest or fish leaping in a clear stream, all so natural and seamless.
Emperor Xin's "Great Perfection Staff Technique" emphasizes the state of "being in control everywhere, being true to oneself in every place," a state of freedom and perfection that comes from nothing and returns to nothing. No matter how tight the opponent's defense is, his Great Perfection Staff can still flow through it like a stream through a dense bamboo forest. If Yuan Yueze can only block, then he can unleash his staff technique, attacking with mercury-like speed and penetration, completely destroying Yuan Yueze's fighting spirit and confidence.
Yuan Yueze's performance was as predicted. Emperor Xin's Great Perfection Staff suddenly exploded into a sky full of staff shadows, attacking Yuan Yueze.
"Immortal Sword Sweep" suddenly arose, and Emperor Xin was shocked to find that Yuan Yueze's moves not only lacked any killing intent, but were also chaotic and disordered. Upon closer inspection, he realized the wonder of this move: with each sword strike, Yuan Yueze's wrist twisted slightly, and the sword force was actually using the opponent's force against them. Emperor Xin's powerful and unpredictable staff techniques were all deflected, truly living up to the name of the move.
The clanging sounds were incessant; after a dozen crisp clashes of sword and staff, the staff's shadow dissipated.
Emperor Xin stood leaning on his staff, while Yuan Yueze gripped his longsword behind his arm. Their eyes flashed with a sharp light as they pressed their auras against each other, instantly filling the area within ten feet with a chilling, overwhelming force.
Dao Xin murmured from the side, "The benefactor is more skillful than we imagined. This humble monk admires you. Was that fleeting woman the daughter of Empress Zhu?"
Jia Xiang murmured, "We old monks are not worldly people, but we know that those in power should set a good example for officials and the people. The benefactor's lifestyle is indeed..."
What he said was indeed true, and Yuan Yueze did not refute it, saying, "Throughout history, how many harems have been decadent and extravagant? I, Yuan, certainly cannot set a good example for the people in this regard, but when did I ever say I... " "You're going to be emperor?"
The four holy monks were all taken aback. One of them asked, "Then why does the benefactor still want to stay in this mortal world?"
Yuan Yueze smiled slightly, not answering him, and shouted, "Next move, 'Cold Sword,' which master will take it?"
Jiaxiang stepped forward and murmured, "Dry as a well, full as a vast ocean; the three realms and six paths, all are manifested by the mind. The benefactor is too persistent, please allow this old monk to cheat!"
As he spoke, his hands began to move. His right hand drew a horizontal line from left to right, and his left hand drew a vertical line from bottom to top, forming a cross in the air. The cross was completed just as he finished speaking.
'Cold Sword' is the complete opposite of 'Immortal Sword Sweep,' emphasizing a full-force attack. Yuan Yueze smiled freely, and his long sword emitted a white, cold light more dazzling than the snow on the ground, forcefully piercing into Master Jiaxiang's powerful and turbulent energy. The tip of the sword accurately struck the center of the cross drawn in front of his chest.
The energies clashed, yet not a sound was heard.
"Bang!"
The energy surged, sending mud and debris flying.
Yuan Yueze's shoulder swayed slightly, and Jiaxiang took another step back, a faint blush appearing on his aged face before fading away.
In reality, although Yuan Yueze's longsword pierced Jiaxiang's empty cross, it felt as if water had been thrown into a dry well that had been dried up for countless years, which then suddenly transformed into a raging, surging ocean, crashing towards him like a collapsing dam. Facing the Buddhist's ultimate technique, Yuan Yueze unleashed a chilling innate sword energy, meeting force with force, forcing Jiaxiang back.
Without moving an inch, the Master of Wisdom had already advanced two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters), his brows lowered, chanting, "One should observe the nature of the Dharma realm; all is created by the mind. It is truly rare for a benefactor to have attained innate sword energy at such a young age."
As he spoke, he struck out with his palm, seemingly devoid of any fancy moves or even generating a gust of wind. However, Yuan Yueze, with his profound cultivation, knew that his opponent had reached the pinnacle of seemingly clumsy skill. No matter how he dodged or retreated, he could not escape the Buddha's palm's grasp.
Yuan Yueze laughed loudly, saying, "One thought encompasses three thousand realms; this is the workings of my mind! Master, please accept my move, 'Flying Spirit Sword.'"
His longsword flashed like cursive script, slashing four times in quick succession, each strike heavier than the last. After blocking three strikes, even the Master of Wisdom, with over eighty years of cultivation, could not withstand the force of over ten thousand jin (approximately 5,000 kg) transmitted by the sword, demonstrating the terrifying nature of this move.
This move was misnamed; while it appeared light and agile, the reality was quite different.
Daoxin, Jiaxiang, and Dixin chanted Buddhist prayers as they closed in, launching their attacks simultaneously.
Daoxin thrust out his clasped hands, sending two surging streams of energy surging towards Yuan Yueze's right. Jiaxiang unleashed a seemingly clumsy yet skillfully executed palm strike, aiming directly for Yuan Yueze's throat. Dixin's Great Perfection Staff Mania transformed into a storm of staff shadows, raining down attacks on Yuan Yueze's left. Zhihui briefly regained his breath, his wooden Buddhist prayer beads rising to the air. With his strange footwork, he seemed to be aiming directly at Yuan Yueze's right ear acupoint, but his direction could change at any moment, making him extremely unpredictable.
The encirclement was in full swing.
Yuan Yueze chuckled, "Can't hold back anymore? This next move is the 'Cloud Sword Drift,' created by my master!"
With that, his aura shifted abruptly, a sharp and terrifying killing intent soaring into the sky. His longsword sliced through the air, leaving behind four illusory rings of energy, his movements fluid and graceful.
The four holy monks wore extremely solemn expressions. Yuan Yueze's aura seemed to absorb their true energy; upon contact, the four immediately retreated, then attacked again, instantly unleashing a fierce wind as several different types of energy enveloped Yuan Yueze.
These four hadn't even tried to kill Shi Zhixuan back then, yet they were now intent on killing this junior, Yuan Yueze. Master Zhihui, after shooting out his Buddhist prayer beads, was immediately startled and withdrew all his movements, saying, "Forgive me, forgive me! I never imagined I would have such murderous intent!"
The other three monks also realized the problem, but the attack had already begun, and none could retract it.
Yuan Yueze's expression also turned cold. The combined attack of the four before him possessed at least four hundred years of internal energy—how could an ordinary person withstand it! Yet he remained unmoved, channeling his power into his longsword, the blade beginning to flicker in the air, each time appearing to defuse the four monks' exquisitely precise attacks.
An eye for an eye!
Without pausing, Yuan Yueze's longsword vanished from his hand, replaced by a sky full of dazzling points of light. Each point shone like an eternal, unchanging star, seemingly hurtling towards the four monks like shooting stars, yet also appearing eternally still, like the starry sky itself, ever-changing yet possessing an unchanging essence.
In the instant Yuan Yueze counterattacked, the four monks felt everything in the world vanish. When they regained their senses, the sky was already enveloped in points of light. They had no time to marvel at the terrifying aura Yuan Yueze could unleash; they all used their ultimate techniques to block. After a clashing of
energy, the figures separated.
The four monks were disheveled, their faces deathly pale, clearly suffering from varying degrees of internal injuries.
Yuan Yueze, leaning on his sword with one hand, was equally pale, blood dripping from his nostrils.
He had won.
These four were the strongest people he had ever encountered since he started out. If Liu Yu or Shi Zhixuan had faced their combined attack just now, they would have been dead without a doubt. Xiang Yutian should be able to defeat these four monks because of his cultivation level. However, Yuan Yueze had only been learning martial arts for five years. If it weren't for his extraordinary body and unique Qi cultivation method, he would have died on the spot today.
The four monks seemed to age considerably in an instant. Daoxin plopped down on the ground, saying nonchalantly, "You, benefactor, withstood our unintentional full-force attack without serious injury. What more can we say?"
Dixin sighed, "Why did you show mercy and not kill us old bald men?"
Yuan Yueze slung his longsword over his shoulder, turned, and left, saying as he went, "Of course, I want the four of you to witness the birth of the paradise I described."
Master Zhihui asked, "Your swordsmanship is exquisite and unparalleled. Does it have a name?"
Yuan Yueze walked a little further away, paused upon hearing this, and said without turning back, "Let's call it 'Evil Sword,' 'Sword of the Evil Emperor,' yes, yes!"
He shook his head and left as he spoke.
The four monks stood there, their expressions complex as they watched his figure disappear into the distance.
In truth, he was already at his limit. Of course, if he hadn't fought Liu Yuxian first, he probably wouldn't be in such a sorry state. Leaving the four monks alive was indeed as he said; he wanted to overturn their beliefs, which made Yuan Yueze far happier than killing them.
"I seem to have gone too far!"
After walking a distance, Yuan Yueze spat out a mouthful of blood, feeling much better, and chuckled to himself before heading towards the city.
※※※※※ The bright moon replaced the setting sun, rising into the gray-blue night sky, the entire world draped in silver, gently reflecting the golden moonlight.
In this moving world where snow and moonlight blended into one, the 'Three Grandmasters' and Liao Kong stood on the eaves, exuding an indescribable carefree tranquility. If outsiders saw them, they would surely think they were immortals reincarnated.
Zhu Yuyan put her hands behind her back and smiled, "I didn't expect it to end in a draw."
Bi Xuan said, "I didn't expect Brother Yuan's strength to be so high. I feel my blood boiling. After he recovers, I want to test his skills!"
His words were a veiled compliment, actually implying to Zhu Yuyan that Yuan Yueze was seriously injured.
To everyone's surprise, Zhu Yuyan remained unmoved. Remembering that they could quickly help Yuan Yueze recover through their unique 'dual cultivation technique,' Zhu Yuyan blushed slightly, her alluring beauty causing Ning Daoqi and the other two to momentarily lose their composure.
"Can we begin?"
Zhu Yuyan quickly regained her cool demeanor and asked Ning Daoqi calmly.

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