Chapter 274

Lu Qi nodded: "I think it's about right, exactly so."

Tuan Tuan clenched her small fists: "How can he be so bad! Those artisan uncles are clearly good!"

"Third Brother, let's hurry and catch that evil Taoist Priest, and rescue those artisan uncles!"

Xiao Ningxun rubbed his sister's little head: "Don't worry, Third Brother will take Tuan Tuan to beat the bad guys; we Tuan Tuan like it the most, right?"

Tuan Tuan nodded vigorously: "Mm-hmm!"

Xiao Ran asked: "What do you want to do?"

Xiao Ningxun paced back and forth in the room a few steps: "In war, speed is vital."

"Ninth Prince, go to the government office now, use your Prince's Token to mobilize the local prefecture's troops, and immediately surround Qingyunguan."

Xiao Ran widened his eyes: "But, Xie Guzhou didn't say Qingyunguan..."

"No more waiting!" Xiao Ningxun interrupted him: "I originally also wanted to wait until the evidence was solid, until everything was certain."

"But we already know the truth: those innocent artisans inside are being controlled by evil sorcery, working like livestock day and night, possibly even worked to death."

"Moreover," his gaze turned sharp, "Qixiazi is not stupid."

"Now they have no people, no materials, no artisans; they are already at the end of their rope. Acting now is also to prevent him from jumping the wall in desperation."

Lu Qi and Xiao Er nodded repeatedly: "Third Young Master's words are very reasonable; if we wait longer, trouble may arise."

Xiao Ran's blood surged: "What you say makes sense! I'll go right now!"

At the same time, Qingyunguan.

Qixiazi sat cross-legged on a mat, eyes closed, listening to the reports of several Taoist Priests before him.

"Master Ancestor, that little girl was just playing with the cat in the observatory today; after she caught and held it for a moment, the cat ran off on its own, unknown where it went, and there was nothing unusual."

Qixiazi slowly opened his eyes: "No problem."

"That cat is extremely perceptive, and it bears my Soul-locking Seal; upon encountering someone bearing great fortune, it will run back to warn."

"I invited them here just to test the depth of that girl."

"She can discern the profound mystery, certainly not ordinary. But now that the cat hasn't returned, it seems merely her good luck."

He shifted his tone, his voice turning a bit stern: "Have the new artisans been found?"

The Taoist Priest in charge, hearing this, immediately showed a troubled expression, knelt with a thud: "Master Ancestor, forgive me! I have exhausted all methods, but I truly cannot find anyone!"

Qixiazi's face twitched: "Trash!" He took a deep breath: "How much iron-thread wood remains in the storehouse?"

"Not much left; at most it can last another three to five days."

An impatient Taoist Priest couldn't help but anxiously say: "Master Ancestor, if this continues, we'll have no manpower or materials; how can we continue?"

The house was deathly silent, the tense and oppressive atmosphere reaching its peak; the Taoist Priests held their breath, breathing lightly.

Qixiazi's expression shifted unpredictably, struggle and harshness alternating.

After a long while, he slowly uttered one word: "Withdraw."

All the Taoist Priests were stunned.

"What Master Ancestor means is..."

"This place cannot be held long." Qixiazi's voice icy: "Manpower and materials are both cut off; the matter can no longer be done."

"Gather all the drawings and finished products, and withdraw immediately."

Several Taoist Priests looked at each other: "Such a vast Qingyunguan..."

"You idiot!" Qixiazi shouted sharply: "Is life more important, or these external possessions? If such a great undertaking is delayed and damaged because of us, how many heads do we have to lose?"

Everyone fell silent like cicadas in winter.

"Master Ancestor, how should we deal with those artisans? We can't possibly bring them all along."

Qixiazi's eyes showed no ripple: "Kill them all, then set fire, destroy corpses and erase traces."

Several people's hearts trembled, they replied in unison: "Yes! Disciples understand!"

"Go, make arrangements, act at nightfall." Qixiazi waved his hand: "Before midnight tonight, finish the cleanup, and we'll leave under cover of night."

"Yes!"

The Taoist Priests dared not delay, all rose and busied themselves silently.

Soon, dusk arrived, the sky gradually darkened.

Qixiazi stood by the window, gazing at the Qingyunguan he had guarded for many years, his feelings complex.

Suddenly, a little Taoist Priest came running, tumbling: "Master Ancestor! Official troops! Outside, it's all official troops!"

Qixiazi's face changed drastically: "What? Where did the official troops come from?"

"I don't know! They've already surrounded the observatory! All exits are blocked!"

Outside Qingyunguan, a mass of dark official troops, Xiao Ran rode on horseback, in military attire, face grim: "Not even a bird may be let go!"

"Yes!"

Xiao Ningxun and Tuan Tuan sat in the carriage looking ahead, while Xiao Er and Lu Qi stood at the carriage's sides.

Tuan Tuan shouted toward Xiao Ran: "Ninth Brother! You look great in that outfit!"

Xiao Ran instantly beamed: "Little squirt! You finally called me brother! Watch how Ninth Brother deals with these bad guys!"

Xiao Ningxun rolled his eyes.

"All right! Ninth Brother, go for it!"

Xiao Ran raised his hand and pointed at the Qingyunguan gate: "Enter! Capture all the Taoist Priests inside! Those who dare to resist shall face the law!"

"Yes!"

The official troops surged into Qingyunguan like a breaking dam, with a mighty roar.

The cold gleam of swords and spears and the murderous aura turned the once tranquil observatory into an ironclad battlefield.

The visitors who had not yet left screamed in fright and scattered, being swiftly cleared away by the troops.

The priests panicked, each like a chick, had their arms twisted and cut, forced onto the ground, and at the slightest struggle a sword hilt slammed down, instantly subduing them.

Only Qixiazi was nowhere to be found.

Xiao Ran ordered, "Search! Search thoroughly!"

The soldiers immediately dispersed, combing through every corner of the temple inch by inch.

Several sections, disguised as halls under repair, had their four doors flung open.

Dozens of craftsmen stared vacantly, mechanically repeating the work in their hands, so emaciated they were little more than a handful of bones.

Inside the hall were still piled many unfinished Arrow shafts and some other puzzling objects.

The walls were covered with names, each followed by a varying number of check marks.

Many were unfinished, but most names were followed not only by a string of check marks but also by a large red cross.

"Ninth Prince! Sir, Houshan!" a soldier, his face turning pale, staggered in to report.

Xiao Ran's heart tightened; they frowned and shouted, "What happened at Houshan? Explain clearly!"

The soldier swallowed, his face alarmed, "A mass grave was found at Houshan! In the wild woods behind the temple! It's layered upon layered, probably over a hundred bodies!"

Xiao Ran was stunned, "What?"

Tuan Tuan didn't understand, "Third Brother, what's a mass grave?"

Xiao Ningxun felt a pang in their heart; these were the sufferings of the mortal world, and they hoped Tuan Tuan would never have to understand them.

Xiao Ningxun shook their head and gently cradled their younger sister in their arms.

Xiao Er and Lu Qi exchanged a glance, said nothing, and immediately sprinted toward Houshan.

Passing through a crudely split wooden fence, a strong stench mingling earthiness and rot slammed into their faces.

In a cleared forest clearing, they saw a huge deep pit.

The pit was filled with bodies, haphazardly stacked.

Many corpses were already rotted; the few fresh ones on top were clearly men in their early twenties.

They were mostly in tattered clothes, gaunt as sticks, still frozen in the painful poses of death.

Beside the pit were several sealed large barrels; Xiao Er stepped forward, opened one, and said, "Lime."

Lu Qi snorted, "At least they know to use lime to prevent corpses from rotting and spawning disease."

Xiao Er delivered a hard punch to a nearby tree trunk; the thick trunk splintered, wood chips flying.

Xiao Er clenched their teeth, "Qixiazi! I will tear your corpse to pieces!"

Seeing this scene like a human inferno, many soldiers had bloodshot eyes, their anger boiling within.

Xiao Er and Lu Qi returned to report the horrors of Houshan to Xiao Ran.

Xiao Ran, trembling with fury, kicked a kneeling priest to the ground, sword tip pointed at the priest's throat, and barked, "Speak! Where is that old scoundrel Qixiazi?"