Chapter 229: Encountering a Clear Day Chapter 206: Is the Emperor a Rebel?

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Protagonists:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

Great-uncle and Mother joked and laughed, incense-goers' footsteps were mixed and chaotic, wind, rain, and withered leaves rustled and whispered, beneath the umbrella Shaowei walked slowly, silently distinguishing every layer of sound, never letting Mother and the others leave her field of vision.

Upon reaching the Xiwangmu Hall, she bowed and offered incense without relaxing her vigilance, her gaze piercing through the swirling incense mist; the watchful girl was like the untamed, fearless spirit beast beneath the Xiwangmu statue, roaming the mortal world at will, always ready to pounce and draw blood.

However, after observing for a long time, killing intent did not gather beside her; she reckoned that the bloodlight was not aimed at herself, at least not directly at herself.

After kneeling and bowing, Shaowei rose from the rush mat; while still pondering, her peripheral vision seemed to notice something, and amidst the crowd she turned to look outside the hall, suddenly spotting a blurred figure wearing a Daoist robe and a bamboo hat with hanging veil covering their face passing through the rain mist.

That figure did not enter the hall to bow, but quickly disappeared.

Shaowei's eyes moved slightly, confusion flashed between her brows; suddenly hearing Mother call her, she then withdrew her gaze.

The figure wearing the Daoist robe and bamboo hat bypassed the Main Hall where incense-goers gathered, asked a young Daoist for directions along the way, and headed all the way to the Quiet Courtyard where incense-goers rested, discussed the Dao, prayed for blessings, and lodged.

This place was the largest Xiwangmu Temple outside Chang'an City, grand and solemn in scale; there was more than one Quiet Courtyard, each with a different name. That figure passed "Jingdu Zhai", went past "Zuowang Ge", and finally paused for a moment before a lodge named "Xiyan Ju", looked left and right, then stepped inside.

There were seven or eight quiet rooms in the courtyard; beneath the bamboo hat, the youth's gaze searched and settled on a quiet room guarded by two maidservants outside.

The door of this quiet room was closed, the window was open, and on the windowsill was placed a Three Pure Ones Bell as an agreed signal.

Her gaze swept over the Three Pure Ones Bell and looked into the room, faintly seeing a woman kneeling upright.

The courtyard was silent, no one else was seen moving; the youth quickly walked toward that quiet room. The silent maidservant opened the door, the Daoist-robed youth crossed the threshold, and looked at the kneeling woman. The woman wore a common skirt and also wore a similar bamboo hat with hanging veil, her face hidden behind it.

In the instant the maidservant closed the door from outside, the youth seemed to notice something and cautiously retreated a step, but at that very moment, several black shadows suddenly darted out from behind the screens on both sides behind the woman, brandishing blades and slashing down!

Dodging to the side, the youth kicked up a case table and slammed it into two of the black shadows; the woman wearing the bamboo hat had also risen, drawing the blade beneath her.

The sound of fighting inside the room instantly deafened the ears; the maidservants guarding outside showed no reaction, as if the three characters "Xiyan Ju" hanging above the courtyard gate were the greatest magical artifact, capable of isolating all sound.

The door of a quiet room opposite opened from within; a man wearing a hooded cloak stepped out from under the threshold, protected by two attendants on his left and right. At the same time, the man saw that the window lattice of the trap-room was suddenly smashed open with a "Bang!".

Accompanied by splintering wood and the Three Pure Ones Bell falling from the windowsill, the blood-stained Daoist-robed prey burst out; as he fell, he rolled on the ground, grabbed a wooden pole used to prop the window beneath it, and in the emergency propped himself on one leg, leaning back, gripping the long pole with both hands, blocking it in front of him to parry the blade of the black shadow rushing out.

Before the long pole could break, the youth instantly thrust out his other leg upward, kicking the black shadow's chest; the black shadow felt his breastbone as if breaking, and in pain loosened his grip. As the long pole moved with the youth's shift in direction, it heavily struck the black shadow's skull from the side; the black shadow, whose skull was almost shattered by the impact, fell with a thud. The whistling pole wind created afterimages, and with the wide, flying Daoist robe, it swept toward another black shadow rushing to kill.

Before the quiet room opposite, Rui Ze, wearing a cloak, slightly changed color. A subordinate under him who had once come from the Ling Family Army recognized it after a moment and quickly declared: "The spear technique this person uses is exactly the Ling Family Spear Art! This spear art is never passed down to outsiders!"

Pole and spear have commonalities; the Ling Family Spear Art's moves change with extreme speed. Those who have witnessed it up close may not be able to steal its essence, but they will absolutely never mistake it.

Watching yet another black shadow vomit blood and fall beneath the youth's pole, Rui Ze slowly uttered a "Good".

The youth who appeared as promised, the Ling Family's unique spear art, silence without explanation, no questions, only the urgent posture of wanting to defeat the enemy and escape... What a Chi Zhen who kept the appointment yet also reacted quickly, a scion of the Ling Family, indeed the manner of a Ling Family person!

A mocking smile was in Rui Ze's eyes. He shook the other Three Pure Ones Bell in his hand; the clear bell sound, said in tales to ward off evil and exorcise demons and invite the various saints, spread out. Suddenly, more than ten black shadows surged out from several quiet rooms, like a black net, encircling that youth.

The courtyard gate had been closed; Xiyan Ju had become a hunting ground.

Rui Ze was determined to obtain him, watching the prey struggling in the rain curtain.

Son of a rebel, not tolerated by heaven and earth, exactly a demon and monster that cannot see the light. Today he must capture this boy and present him to the Son of Heaven.

Even if this sentimental boy chooses to betray his Rui Family's Empress, he must see if anyone would believe such absurd slander—and the reason this person appeared here today naturally was not coincidental. Marquis Lu comes here to worship the gods every year on his birthday; who knows if this boy is not taking the opportunity to secretly meet Marquis Lu? Marquis Chang'an once had the grace of saving Marquis Lu's daughter; years ago outside the Palace Gate, Marquis Lu had once intervened to stop the Sixth Imperial Prince from impulsively seeking death. If this forthrightness overstepped the boundary, protecting the Ling Family boy was not impossible.

No need for anyone to remind too much; emperors are so suspicious. Relying on various coincidences and traces, afterward he would naturally know how to "distinguish clearly".

And with such a close relative hidden in Chang'an, how could the Sixth Imperial Prince not know?

The emperor's dignity was provoked. Once this doubt arose, the so-called father-son affection could never be salvaged again. The wavering imperial heart would have no room for repair, and he did not believe Liu Qi could watch Ling Congnan be secretly executed by the Emperor with his own eyes.

Before Rui Ze's eyes, a greater end-of-days storm was already being rehearsed. The injured youth in the driving rain was like a slender, blood-stained white blade. This timely appearing blade should be taken by him to deal with disobedient people. After today, let the Emperor see well how his son, his old ministers, and his heavenly secrets toy with and deceive him, this Son of Heaven.

Rui Ze threw down the Three Pure Ones Bell regarded as a holy object by the Daoist faith in his hand, took up a great bow, and quickly nocked an arrow.

The long-handled copper bell with a trident-shaped top rolled down the stone steps below; the bell sound surged piercingly in the rain mist.

Under the siege of nearly twenty black shadows, the youth who had snatched a blade still tore open a bloody path, injured, and lunged toward the courtyard wall.

"Whoosh—"

The arrow flew, always a step too late, barely grazing the back of the youth's neck; the person had already flipped over the wall and leapt away.

"Chase!"

Rui Ze ordered sternly, but his sense of victory in his heart had not diminished.

There were many people and mixed eyes here; only nearly twenty people could be ambushed in the courtyard. But since this trap was set, full preparations were made. Outside the courtyard, disguised people surrounded and guarded. That Ling Family boy was already injured, bearing the identity of a criminal that everyone could punish. Even if you gave him ten lives today, he could not escape this Xiwangmu Temple!

The rain diluted other sounds. Rainwater like spider silk wove a net of heaven and earth. Blood Qi attached to the net, spreading and seeping along the invisible spider silk in the air, captured by the keen sense of smell of fierce beasts.

The rain was pouring. The Feng Family people who had offered incense at the Front Hall were invited by a Daoist to temporarily rest in a Quiet Courtyard named Zuowang Ge.

The Daoist led the way in front and had already stepped into the courtyard first. Feng Zhu and her mother walked ahead. Shaowei, who had already noticed, walked slower. At this moment she stopped under the umbrella, turned her head, and looked toward the rain curtain.

Between the various Quiet Courtyards were quiet landscapes; everywhere one saw layered plants and trees, fake mountains and small paths, bamboo groves and pine scenery.

Amidst the noisy rain sounds, came clamorous, panicked screams from ordinary incense-goers who knew not what they had witnessed.

A swift shadow pounced out from the bamboo grove: a desperado with blood-stained Daoist robe and damaged bamboo hat.

Several arrows attacked from the side, intercepting his path.

Without warning, Shaowei suddenly snatched the umbrella from Mo Li's hand. The large umbrella with a sturdy frame was brandished, pushing aside the rain curtain, breaking through the headwind, and sweeping toward those several arrows.

The arrows' direction was disturbed by the huge airflow carried by the umbrella surface. The arrow tails and feathers swayed askew like scattered fish. Only one arrow slipped through the net, while the girl who threw the umbrella arrived swiftly, lifted her skirt and leapt into the air, kicking diagonally downward from above. That one arrow that slipped through the net instantly changed direction, humming as it pierced into the chest of a disguised knife-wielder to the side.

In the instant Shaowei landed, the inner layer of lead-white skirt fell with her movement, like white clouds returning to the mountain. But this layer of white clouds beneath surged and moved with her next action, as if pushed by a hurricane.

Shaowei leapt through the rain and ran swiftly, grabbing the injured boy who lunged at her. With one hand she forcefully pulled and pushed him behind her, and with the other she snatched his blood-dripping thick-backed broad-bladed great knife. Shaowei did not look askance, nor did she look back at him. She gripped the knife with both hands and met the blade slashing down from the front.

The blade slashed down toward her face. Shaowei did not hold the knife horizontally before her to parry, but angled the knife body, thrusting upward from below toward the falling great knife.

The knife-wielder was disguised as an ordinary incense-goer, a full head taller than Shaowei. He had never seen such a blocking move. The girl, with a force that made no sense, from below forcibly lifted and blocked his huge blade, so that even with all his strength he could not press the blade down half an inch!

But this was not the end. The girl's great knife suddenly pushed forward; the sharp tip entered his abdomen, forcefully slicing diagonally upward through his body. His chest and abdomen to one side of his collarbone were ripped open inch by inch. Fresh blood and the heat of his innards suddenly steamed, spraying hot blood mist in the wind and rain. He did not even have time to scream; the fear in his eyes was forced to freeze, and the whole person fell backward.

Shaowei did not withdraw her blood-stained knife. In the residual momentum of the previous strike, new attacking force was added, drawing a full blood-colored arc in the rain curtain. She swept and slashed into the neck of the one attacking from the right side.

The heavy blade edge cut through the neck without the slightest hesitation, a skull carrying an expression of disbelief soared skyward, a fountain of blood gushing from the neck cavity, like an abrupt sacrifice, to offset their offense against this temple today.

At the same time, the last one who had led the chase carrying bow and blade, suddenly witnessing this killing that could be called bizarre, had his courage shattered by that Shura-like fierce beast of a girl, in an instant it was as if he had been placed in a ghost prison, to the point that he could not care about much, subconsciously turning and fleeing.

"Quick! Up ahead!"

More people chased toward this spot, Lu Hou having heard the noise had also arrived, looking at the scene before him his eyes couldn't help but widen — how in the blink of an eye, his child had killed a ground full of severed heads, the big blade in her hand from who knows where was chopped until the edge curled!

That big blade with both tip and edge somewhat curled was turned in Shaowei's hand as she turned sideways, changing from a forward grip to a reverse grip, feet planted firmly, arm strength exerted, violently hurling it out, transforming into a streak of black lightning, tearing through the air, chasing and killing that last deserter who had witnessed the fierce beast's true form.

The big blade pierced in from that person's back, the tip emerging from the front chest, bringing out a spray of blood, its remaining momentum undiminished, pushing and carrying the body to lunge forward, with a "thud" nailing and hanging him on a pine tree ahead.

Lu Hou staring in shock, only saw his granddaughter had already dragged that person wearing a Daoist robe of unknown identity, quickly hiding behind this worn-out old man. And Mo Li picked up the umbrella, again running to the Young Master's side, continuing to hold the umbrella for the Young Master.

Pursuers quickly emerged from two sides, Shen Tu Madam mother and daughter as well as servants also filed out from Jing Yuan, the guide Daoist seeing this bloody scene cried out in alarm: "Three Pure Ones Ancestors above! This... what has happened!"

Lu Hou also with solemn face questioned the arrivals: "Who dares to open this killing precept in this temple ground!"

Words just landed, sensing his granddaughter behind him borrowing his robe to wipe the blood on her hands, Lu Hou couldn't help feeling some guilty conscience, but quickly adjusted himself — his child was to stop evil deeds, that's not the same thing!

And those people with menacing momentum, though not immediately rushing to kill, also swiftly encircled the four people including that Daoist-robed youth in a tight ring.

Feng Zhu snatched the maid's umbrella, having someone guard her mother, herself then without any hesitation walked toward her daughter and father, while angrily questioning those people: "Presumptuous! Who are you people, to actually dare point blades and swords at both Lingxu Hou and Lu Hou!"

As the blade-wielding encirclers exchanged glances, Rui Ze had arrived here, seeing the scene before him, first felt slightly shocked — Lu Hou at such an age, seemingly on the verge of death, unexpectedly still possessed such killing aura.

But this was even better, since hands had been moved, even if using self-defense in panic as a pretext, before the Emperor, the crime of sheltering Ling Family's son could never be washed clean...

Under the umbrella, Rui Ze's attitude seemed surprised yet mocking: "Such coincidence, Lu Hou and Lingxu Hou are both here."

"So it is Hou Rui!" Lu Hou with serious face asked: "May I ask Hou Rui for what matter you mobilize troops so greatly?"

"This person is a traitor's son, Rui Mou is just about to capture him." Knowing the Emperor's taboos, Rui Ze did not publicly expose the Ling Family son's identity, he looked at that youth's figure who for survival frantically sought help from Lu Hou, slowly asking: "Do Lu Hou and Lingxu Hou intend to openly shelter him?"

Lu Hou's heart jumped, face not showing it, only turning back his head, looking at his granddaughter, eyes holding confirmation.

Rui Ze had already ordered: "Quickly seize this traitor's son!"

Today even if Lu Hou fights to the death escorting this child away, with this severing the iron evidence, but this Ling Family son has already passed into the open, no one can think to detach cleanly again!

With Rui Ze's men receiving orders closing in, some startled Daoists secretly cast gazes, that youth wearing Daoist robe did not retreat or flee, instead stepping out sideways.

"Traitor's son?"

The youth walked to the front, one hand raising to remove the damaged dirty bamboo hat: "Hou Rui setting an ambush to kill me is fine, but don't know where I am a traitor?"

Whole body Daoist robe is blood, and walking with a limp the youth stood still, across the rain, seemingly smiling yet not: "I am a traitor's son, is the Emperor a traitor?"

Overhead dark clouds rapidly surged past, Rui Ze abruptly changed color, looking at that face all too familiar.

How could it be...

How could it be!

No... this isn't right!

He had of course considered the possibility of Ling Congnan not coming, also considered the possibility of sending others to probe, but as long as someone came, he could follow the vine to find the melon...

But this person absolutely cannot be Liu Qi! Also impossible to be Liu Qi!

This is no different from courting death, moreover how could Liu Qi possibly impersonate Ling Congnan, he...

Rui Ze's mind boomed, gaze suddenly dropping, looking at that youth's leg.

Alone keeping the appointment, the untransmitted Ling Family Spear Technique, four limbs intact flowing body technique... life and death before them confused everyone's gaze.

Leg illness is fake, fake!

And right now...

That youth again stepped one step closer toward him, limping movement showing not a sliver of flaw, this action is undoubtedly the most vicious provocation and mockery under heaven.

Simultaneously, behind the big umbrella a girl's gaze looked over unblinkingly.

From all directions more gazes gathered, Rui Ze shocked and angry, heart simultaneously giving birth to huge unease, the formless net in the air changed its falling direction, instead wanting to pounce and trap him.

Rui Ze's mind rumbled, like deep autumn thunder.

"Boom—!"

In Jianzhang Palace, the Emperor overturning the case table made a noise like thunder.

?? Good night everyone~