Chapter 167

On the other side of the ocean, the gloomy sky was like black clouds shrouding the spired buildings, inexplicably making people feel somewhat oppressed.

The houses were of European architectural style, but inside they were filled with Eastern elements, the furnishings arranged according to the positions of the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, with many places showing strong Taoist colors.

A huge dharma banner hung in the center of the hall, its surface covered with the content of the Dao De Jing; on the purple-gold incense burner atop which a golden dragon ascended, several sticks of incense were inserted, their curling smoke filling the air with a sense of dissonance from the fusion of East and West.

The blond, blue-eyed man exuded a sickly air all over, his complexion deathly pale, as he played with a string of sandalwood beads, his gaze falling on the newspaper on the table.

"Museum theft" and "mysterious Eastern talisman paper" — the large characters looked shocking.

This man was indeed the behind-the-scenes leader of the overseas cultural relics smuggling ring, who had previously sent people to Longyuan several times, but unfortunately gained nothing.

Only then did the handwriting on the white paper where the memorial had been written become blurred and spread out, turning into a blur, but in the blink of an eye, the white paper was as fresh as new, with no ink stains at all.

"Please come in."

Darkness receded like a tide, finally giving way to light, the mist gradually dissipating, the various strange phenomena before the eyes also vanishing, the outline of the Taoist temple becoming blurred, an invisible great hand wiping away its existence.

Jiang Han related everything he had seen and heard, still feeling lingering fear, even though he was in the Prince of Wu's mansion, he could still feel the shadow of death that would not dissipate.

Just now, Jiang Han had personally seen the Prince of Wu writing densely packed characters, preparing to take this memorial to the palace to face the sage, but now these characters had all disappeared.

Only then did one see that this green snake was entirely green, like fine jade, with no impurities, clearly able to reflect human shadows.

The guard at the door obviously recognized Jiang Han, seeing his hurried expression, and thought something had happened, "Mr. Jiang, what's wrong with you?"

Li Bai had a moment of distraction, for the first time feeling that he had exhausted all his learning, yet could not describe the extraordinariness of this Daoist gaze.

Ye Qin's eyes flickered with a hint of surprise, not expecting to meet Li Bai this time, so this fragment of mottled years should have brought him to the Tang Dynasty.

Without Li Bai, the Tang Dynasty lacked a measure of heroic vigor that swallowed the eight directions; Chang'an's splendid prosperity also lost its unbridled uniqueness, unmatched in past or future.

Li Bai did not find it strange at all, but rather felt a hint of curiosity and investigation, taking advantage of the lingering wine strength, he gently knocked on the temple's great door.

Upon hearing this, the Prince of Wu's expression changed slightly in surprise, "What are you saying? There is actually such a thing?"

Only the animals that roam the mountains and forests know this place, unless they lead the way, others would find it hard to locate here, so Zhao Jianhua also successfully avoided those villagers and came again to the vicinity of Zuo Ci's tomb.

Zhao Jianhua also saw the news online and the netizens' comments about him, his face full of excitement and enthusiasm.

A pair of furry beast paws appeared before the eyes, a fox standing on its hind legs, carefully picking up the jade pendant, then entering the cave.

"Bang!"

Li Bai turned and entered the room, vaguely hearing the discussion from behind, he smiled faintly and did not take it to heart; tonight's encounter was destined to leave an indelible mark on his heart.

Under the hazy moonlight, only Li Bai's brush moved like dragons and snakes, his strokes bold and unrestrained, the soaring dragons and dancing phoenixes of large characters leaping onto the paper, leaving behind a five-character regulated verse to be passed down through the ages!

What surprised Li Bai was that he himself asked, having learned enough to fill five carts, his talent and knowledge already astonishing to the world; otherwise, he would not have been looked upon differently by those in power.

Jiang Han swore to heaven, "What the subordinate said is true, everything is what I personally saw, those more than ten assassins were all killed by a single thunderbolt strike, ask where an ordinary person would have such mysterious and unfathomable means."

The azure heavens as paper, the moonlight as brush, sketching the jade towers and celestial palaces from the nine heavens above, magnificent and splendid, unparalleled, the endless mountains and rivers at this moment reduced to a background in their struggle.

This is not yet the most shocking.

Li Bai's heart still trembled with fear; he knew that this green snake was quite extraordinary, but he did not expect it to possess such vast divine ability, capable of releasing lightning to kill invisibly.

Li Bai did not hesitate to reply: "I am unwilling; what meaning is there in such a life?"

His answer was within Ye Qin's expectation.

With Zhao Jianhua's ability and level, wanting to successfully steal something from the British Museum is fundamentally impossible.

A few strands of blue silk floated in midair, the jade hairpin used for binding hair also shattered with a sound, falling to the ground and breaking into pieces.

The bright moon hung high in the azure heavens, magnified several times, appearing large and bright, like a huge jade plate, serving as a bridge connecting the horizon and the human world.

To Li Bai, Ye Qin's existence was like a riddle; the two, setting aside identity and worldly matters, could be said to converse freely about ancient and modern times, from officialdom to poetry, songs, and prose, from life philosophy to the teachings of Laozi and Zhuangzi.

One person yawned, lowered his voice and said: "I just said that someone like Mr. Taibai with such noble integrity and lofty principles, how could he possibly run away? You just like to cause trouble."

This exile and demotion also had the involvement of those people; if it weren't for them adding fuel to the fire, it would not have come to this point, only I did not expect human hearts to be so vicious, even his life was not spared.

"Mr. Taibai, where have you gone? You've worried us to death."

In the nearby thicket, the rustling was frantic and violent; if one looked closely, one would find a pair of eyes filled with shock and panic within.

Ye Qin sensed the breath of the temporal fluctuation, originally intending to leave, but unexpectedly encountered the scene of assassins chasing and killing Li Bai, thus manifesting holiness to save him.

Unbeknownst to him, this was precisely the source of all the historical fog that existed before, unable to be truly recorded, hence it became a mystery.

These people were the officials responsible for escorting him to Ye Lang; because they admired Li Bai's reputation, they did not treat him like ordinary criminals, putting handcuffs and leg irons on him, but rather gave him great freedom.

……

Faced with the threat of death, Li Bai instead laughed loudly to the heavens.

The ancient painting previously contemplated, although it contained fragments of time, had not yet fully formed; now the jade pendant's aura was rich, it could be said to be quite substantial.

"Alas, I am not worried about this."

"Quick! Something serious! Quickly take me to see the prince!"

The officials waved their hands repeatedly, "Mr. Taibai, you are being polite; if there is nothing wrong, rest early, we must set out tomorrow morning, so we will not disturb you."

What Li Bai pursued was not official rank and economic gain, but the identity of a state scholar treated equally, a pure relationship of dying for one who knows him, and an immortal achievement of great talent being displayed.

The Prince of Wu took up brush and ink, in one breath, and instructed Jiang Han: "You and I will together face the sage, fully recount what you have seen and heard, and add those corpses; surely the sage will believe."

He could clearly feel the sensation of his soul being pulled, his body suddenly becoming light, as if floating in midair, continuously flying toward the void.

After a night of ups and downs, the dark sky revealed a hint of fish-belly white, as the dawn light faintly appeared, misty blue hues emerged.

Zhao Jianhua's heart surged with emotion; he had never received such treatment or experience before; previously he at most stole chickens and dogs, never having caused such a sensation and attention, simply unimaginable.

All this was like a mirage, filled with an unreal feeling.

"As for that immortal... we shall not disturb it for now, hoping it does not take notice of us."

"Whoosh!"

In his mind echoed the words Ye Qin had said, so much so that lying in bed, he could not fall asleep for a long time.

"It's fine, you may retreat first; in the mountains, find a place to rest yourself, temporarily do not leave."

He couldn't help but rub his eyes, shake the gourd in his hand, and thought he was seeing things, "I haven't drunk much, why am I having hallucinations."

Unconsciously, the liquid in the wine gourd was reduced to half, Li Bai already felt slightly drunk, preparing to return when the corner of his eye caught something.

At this moment, Li Bai still did not know that because of Ye Qin's existence, King Wu and the others were wary and did not dare to act rashly against him, thus escaping disaster.

In the post station, several officials' fates were unknown; they were likely no match for this group of black-clad people, and now, in this remote wilderness, it could be said that calling to heaven brought no response, calling to earth brought no aid.

As the night deepened, Ye Qin and Li Bai unknowingly talked until late, undeniably, Li Bai was a man of extraordinary talent, not only in poetry, lyrics, songs, and rhapsodies, but also well-versed in other fields.

The ancient door slowly opened, Li Bai entered and looked around, only then discovering that the surroundings were even more elegant and refined.

As Li Bai approached, what he saw became clearer, not his illusion, nor something like a mirage, a faint doubt arose in his heart.

Before he could finish speaking, Ye Qin seemed to know what he wanted to ask, "I have my own reasons for letting you handle this matter; do not meddle in what does not concern you."

On the other side, inside Zu Ci's tomb.

Whether Ye Qin approves of it or not, this is also his own intention.

"Boom—"

Suddenly stunned in place, he saw not far ahead, a Daoist temple had appeared out of thin air.

As the words fell, a shocking cough erupted, the man's face grew increasingly pale, his body swaying as if about to collapse.

Confucian thought and Daoist philosophy, along with the wandering knight-errant, were originally incompatible, but Li Bai combined these three.

If King Wu had previously worried about exposing the plot to assassinate Li Bai, now he had no lingering concerns, and perhaps Mount Sheng would even reward him.

"Exalted one, rest assured, I have never been to Longyuan Mountain, and know nothing of what happens here."

Unknowingly, Li Bai came to a cliff, behind him there was no retreat, countless small stones rolled down, yet not a sound was heard, revealing the unfathomable depth within.

Later generations hold Li Bai in high esteem; he is a great poet, inspired and spontaneous, his works timeless; poetry for him is not scholarly study, but merely a tool to vent his emotions.

He touched the wine gourd at his waist, a mouthful of clear wine went down his throat; usually cold, crisp, and sweet, if it were usual, Li Bai would surely praise it as "good wine."

Is this really a dream?

Li Bai walked toward the direction of the post station, where the wine gourd originally hung at his waist, now it was empty.

The weasel entered the forest, like a fish returning to the sea, leading Zhao Jianhua along an extremely hidden path, deeply concealed, even unknown to villagers.

Around the tomb stood various animals, just as seen that night, their hind legs stood like humans, beast pupils emitting a faint light, unblinking, fixed on Zhao Jianhua.

"That talisman is absolutely not simple, it comes from Eastern power, indeed full of mystery; this matter must continue to be investigated, also keep watch on the museum side, any movement must be reported."

After all, this place is clearly not ordinary, and I happen to want to cling to a powerful figure.

Although Li Bai also had some martial skills, facing over a dozen pursuers, he was still somewhat lacking.

As of today, the man has not given up, only because of previous failed operations, he has lain low; now seeing news about the talisman, his once quiet heart stirs again.

In the act of splashing ink and wielding the brush, Dongting's smoke and waves, Red Cliff's wind and clouds, Shu Path's ape cries, vast rivers—all soared up at once; the poet's spirit soared, heroic and unrestrained, like clouds in the heavens; he roamed the eight extremes, free and unrestrained.

The vermilion gate's top hung a black gold-threaded plaque, appearing magnificent and imposing, the two guardian stone lions at the gate were mighty and awe-inspiring, indeed the mansion of King Wu.

Li Bai gazed toward the direction of the capital; tomorrow he would depart for Ye Lang, tonight is his last night here, fearing that after tonight, he will have no further connection with the capital.

He is used to coming and going alone, his nature is bold and unrestrained, he does not care about worldly eyes, even the favored eunuch Gao Lishi could be commanded by him; thus, offending court officials is nothing to speak of.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jianhua sighed in relief, quickly agreed, although he did not know why the exalted one left him in the mountain, he also felt it was a good choice.

That was a gaze beyond any words to describe, like a lofty deity glancing back through the ages, from then on stirring countless ripples in the mortal world.

The scale at the center of the forehead flashed a purple light, faintly visible electric arcs flickering, sparks appearing, filled with supreme dignity.

Li Bai had many guesses about Ye Qin's identity, but whether immortal or demon, his heart was full of gratitude; if not for Ye Qin, perhaps he would have already perished here.

Otherwise, how could thieves possibly succeed in stealing from the tightly guarded British Museum?

Accompanied by a low male voice, as if flowing from between high mountains, carrying an indescribable dignity, Li Bai's heart gave a start.

Unexpected misfortune had left Li Bai's mood gloomy until now; now, after chatting freely with Ye Qin, his heart opened wide, as if parting clouds to see the blue sky.

Among the countless poets of the Tang Dynasty, Li Bai is the only one praised by people for having both the courage and righteousness of a knight-errant and the immortal grace and Daoist bone, a romantic poet.

Yet the feeling this green snake gave him was even more unfathomable; no matter the topic, he could speak at length, respond fluently; seemingly simple words often carried another layer of meaning, worth savoring carefully.

Zhao Jianhua had some doubts in his heart; in his view, the exalted one having such means could easily act personally, why need his help?

The Daoist temple before him was filled with ancient simplicity, the dark tiles still bore traces of time, nearly blending into the night, drifting like a hallucination after drunkenness.

The animals guarding outside the tomb also sensed the extraordinary disturbance in the air, their pupils showed reverence, more respectfully waiting outside.

Under this gaze, several assassins' faces turned deathly pale, eyes widened, their bodies trembled violently, "Demon, demon!"

King Wu did not believe this heresy, picked up his brush again, but there was no change; the characters about demons and immortals on the paper could not be preserved, as if some mysterious force prevented his recording!

He tried writing other things, which were normal, but whenever he wrote about this strange matter concerning Li Bai, the characters on the paper would mysteriously disappear, whether King Wu wrote it or Jiang Han wrote it, the same.

But now looking again, the Daoist temple's scale had multiplied, casting a shadow on the ground, as if a heavenly palace had descended to the mortal world.

Gazing at the Daoist temple above, Li Bai took off his wine gourd from his waist and placed it on the ground.

Even though it is daytime, the trees are deep and dense, broad leaves blocking the wind, only a few shafts of sunlight fell, forming scattered light spots on the ground.

Observing the furnishings within, it did not resemble modern style, but had a retro feel, refreshing to the eye.

Li Bai bowed, the green snake in midair also nodded at him; when he raised his head, neither the Daoist temple nor the green snake remained, vanished without a trace.

A middle-aged man crawled out trembling, looking at not far away the assassins' corpses, he was already deathly pale, legs weak, staggering as he ran off.

Recalling his former spirited self upon retirement, now half a year has passed in the mortal world, having seen through the darkness and corruption of officialdom, that passionate heart has gradually cooled, no longer as it once was.

All along this route are mountains and rivers, it can be said that human habitation is sparse, even this post station where they reside has long been abandoned, hard to imagine such a Daoist temple existing in such a place.

But if Li Bai were to escape during escort, they would surely be implicated, possibly even losing their heads.

By the faint moonlight outside, faintly visible, many black shadows rushed toward him.

Talking at night under the stars, sighing at the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers.

Seeing Li Bai's fearless demeanor in the face of death, several black-clad men slowly raised their long swords, a cruel light flashed in their eyes, "You have offended us; if you have grievances, go tell Yan Wang!"

Ye Qin said with feeling: "Perhaps officialdom is not suitable for you."

Zhao Jianhua scrolled through online comments, couldn't help touching his chin, "I never thought I, Zhao Jianhua, would have such a day, an international thief? Sounds pretty good."

"So it's you, interesting, fortunate."

In this cultural relics loss case, most outsiders do not believe the talisman can do anything, but the man is different; he believes it must contain some mysterious Eastern power.

The man was seriously ill, so he turned his attention to the mysterious Eastern studies, believing that Daoist power could cure him; earlier, he had sent people to Zuo Ci's tomb for this very reason.

"Cough cough cough—"

After descending the mountain, he only then realized his back was soaked with sweat.

Only then did the King of Wu relax, recalling Jiang Han's description, and had to say: "Let this matter be dropped; as for Li Bai's side, I won't concern myself with it either."

Historical records once noted that Li Bai was exiled due to being implicated in Prince Yong's power grab; seeing his dejected expression, one could guess this was indeed the current time.

Li Bai stepped onto the stone steps; the night wind brushed his face, and as he climbed higher, his robes fluttered with a rustling sound, giving him the sensation of riding the wind.

Soon, that stern male voice sounded again.

As the night wind blew, the three thousand strands of worry swayed in the breeze, wrapping around his entire body; Li Bai let out a faint sigh, and in his clear eyes, the vigor of his early official career had vanished.

"No, I must tell the King of Wu that Li Bai has immortal assistance behind him!"

Before this, Zhao Jianhua was merely an ordinary thief; though skilled and capable, he had not yet reached such a level, let alone caused such a city-wide uproar.

Night fell heavily, with no light in sight, the moon dim and stars sparse, pressing down so hard one could barely breathe, just like his current gloomy and depressed mood.

It seems Ye Qin's earlier guess was correct; these antiquities likely bear the possibility of being mottled with age.

Under the moonlight, Li Bai looked hurried, his hair and clothes blown into disarray; not far away, these black-clad strongmen followed like ghosts in the dark night, clinging like bone-biting maggots, impossible to shake off.

Jiang Han swallowed his saliva, "This is bad news, Your Majesty Wu; Li Bai is nothing but a demon! He even consorts with demons, and the assassins we sent never returned!"

The long river of history surged again, enveloping Ye Qin's soul, crossing the distance of time and space, sinking into those countless ripples.

His expression gradually turned grim: "Are you telling the truth?"

Otherwise, the matter of Li Bai colluding with demons would remain unknown to this day.

His subordinates hurriedly reached out to support him: "Boss, are you alright?"

"I considered myself broad-minded, yet now I am far inferior to you, sir; the darkness of officialdom hides the road ahead, and alas, my ambitions cannot be displayed."

"What you say is very reasonable."

I did not expect this time fragment to be so brief.

In the dead of night, this Taoist temple appeared out of nowhere, filled with endless mystery.

Zhao Jianhua lowered his head, daring not to glance around, and spoke with utmost respect: "Sir, this is what you asked for; I did not betray your trust and successfully brought it back."

"Boss, do you mean that Daxia stole cultural relics?"

"The mountains are high and the roads long; our parting may mean we never meet again. To be able to converse with you like this today is a fortune of three lifetimes, and it is not a wasted journey in this world."

Jiang Han recalled the supernatural scene he had seen earlier, stammering: "King, Prince, could it be that demon interfering, not wanting others to know this?"

Upon hearing Ye Qin's words, Li Bai was slightly surprised: "Sir, have you heard of my name?" Then he revealed a mocking smile: "The name of a thief is unlikely to be pleasant."

The man revealed a mocking expression: "Just based on a talisman, you claim it's Daxia's doing; they certainly won't admit it, but this matter likely has eight or nine parts to do with Daxia."

"Who exactly are these people?!"

Just as in the previous time fragment, facing the speaking green snake, Li Bai showed no fear, instead announcing himself: "I am Li, courtesy name Taibai, style name Qinglian Jushi."

Perhaps due to the special nature of the mottled time fragment, the manifestations here are more vast and exaggerated than in reality.

But in Li Bai's era, destined he could not achieve the "fame and success" he sought; his life was filled with unfulfilled ambitions, full of vengeful passion, yet with no place to exert it.

It was as if an invisible pair of hands had erased their existence.

It turned out one person had gotten up at night to use the toilet, discovered Li Bai was not resting in his room, and thus called his companions to wake up and search.

The King of Wu still valued his life, and dared not continue acting against Li Bai, nor dare to further investigate the immortal matter.

Now, drinking it, it tasted especially bitter and astringent, probably due to a different state of mind.

If he were second, no one could become first.

Recalling the power displayed by the yellow talismans, Zhao Jianhua's expression became somewhat complicated, whether it was the earlier invisibility talisman or the later talisman paper.

Li Bai unconsciously walked forward, wanting to investigate further.

Meanwhile, on the other side, in a shrubbery half a person tall.

The entire process took only a few seconds.

Only a muffled thud was heard.

Green mountains lush and verdant, like a vast jade inlay beneath the blue sky and white clouds; not far off, the mountain ranges stretch continuously, undulating, full of endless mystery.

Ye Qin looked at the wine gourd jade pendant Zhao Jianhua brought back from the British Museum; judging by appearance, it is indeed exquisite, and from craftsmanship and pattern, it should be from the Tang Dynasty.

In his early official career, Li Bai was successful to the point that even the King of Wu did not take him seriously; but the King of Wu was narrow-minded, always holding a grudge, and Li Bai's exile had his hand in it, even feeling unsatisfied, insisting on driving someone to death.

His subordinates hurriedly reported: "The museum side found no thieves; the only clue is the talisman paper, suspected to be stolen by Daxia people, so we hope Daxia can lend a hand, but Daxia refused."

"You did well; merit offsets fault; I pardon your trespass into Longyuan Mountain, but if you dare to publicize what happens here, then don't blame me for being impolite."

Ye Qin fully released his spiritual power; soon a hazy white mist enveloped both him and the jade pendant, his spiritual power like mist and sea, wandering within the pendant.

Fortunately, Ye Qin had no intention of quarreling with him, after all, he would still have use for Zhao Jianhua in the future.

Ye Qin was very satisfied with Zhao Jianhua's response.

When Li Bai returned to the inn, his thoughts flowed like a spring; he spread out paper, recalled the supernatural scene he had seen, became excited, and immediately splashed ink and wielded the brush.

So many animal sequences in order, not a single sound was emitted.

"Thank you, sir, for your rescue; Li Bai possesses nothing, wishes to offer this wine as a gift; if fate allows, I will surely drink freely with you someday."

Could this exalted person be a Dao cultivator?

Only thus could it explain why he possesses such unfathomable means.

If earlier there was still doubt about Jiang Han's words, now the King of Wu is thoroughly convinced.

"Who are you?"

The sound of a sharp instrument piercing the air came from the atmosphere; speaking slowly, that moment passed quickly; Li Bai slightly turned his body, narrowly avoiding the cold gleam thrusting from behind.

In fact, all this is entirely thanks to that exalted person; if not for him sending the yellow weasel over, and even bestowing several yellow talismans for assistance.

Such demonic creatures could take a life in a single breath; if their deeds were known and this matter spread, who knows—perhaps the next target would be them.

This period of exile was Li Bai's darkest days, yet precisely because of it, it forged his tumultuous life, making him the most radiant star among the brilliant constellations of the Tang Dynasty.

If one examines it closely, one will find that the shadow seems somewhat blurred, like a flower in the mirror or the moon in the water—actually not real.

With extraordinary talent and a magnificent bearing, possessing things, imagination beautiful and vividly concrete, the title of the Banished Immortal is truly deserved.

Li Bai sighed deeply, "Forget it, now that I've already distanced myself from that vexing officialdom, what's the point of saying these things?"

Besides the dozen or so corpses appearing on the ground, everything else was like a dream.

Ye Qin's words were like a clear spring in the mountains, carrying a chill and coolness, continually cleansing Li Bai's heart, dusty from officialdom.

Zhao Jianhua hastily nodded, his expression somewhat fearful, "It was I who spoke too much and offended; I hope the exalted one will not be angry."

The Green Snake slowly opened its eyes, meeting Li Bai's inquisitive gaze.

I don't know how long passed, when outside came a faint rustling sound, as if someone was approaching; Li Bai's gaze fell upon the door and window.

"Your Majesty Wu, you do not know—I managed to save my life purely by luck."

To go to the world-renowned British Museum and steal artifacts, and not get caught—such a history is worthy of being entered into the Book of Honor; if the news spreads in the martial world, I fear everyone will call him the Ancestor of Thieves.

The mountains are lush and verdant, stretching endlessly, bearing witness to endless mystery.

The blue long robe fluttered in the wind with a hunting sound, the dark pattern of the blue lotus at the hem swaying with the breeze, as if about to slowly unfold.

Speaking of Li Bai's name, it can be said that everyone knows it, everyone is aware of it.

Thick thunderbolts descended from the heavens, lightning serpents dancing, suddenly attacking the few fleeing figures with incredible speed—so fast that even the air was torn in two.

The gate emitted a dull sound, and the silver radiance sprinkled upon the heavens was startled, falling to the ground and shimmering like water's reflection.

Jiang Han nodded, then suddenly seemed to see something, his face showing an expression of utter terror, stammering: "Your, Your Lordship, that paper…!"

If others said such things, Li Bai would certainly refute, but since it was Ye Qin who said it, he couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

After Li Bai entered official service, due to his unrestrained and unconstrained character, admirers felt he was unconventional, while detractors felt he was self-absorbed, arrogant and conceited—truly making many enemies.

"Those in the midst are confused, while onlookers see clearly; you, being in the situation, are bound by all kinds of matters—why not step out of it?"

"Great Immortal, do you see? This time I've become famous!"

Recalling the scene just now, the man couldn't help but shudder; if not for his alertness, merely observing in the dark, I fear another corpse would now lie on the ground.

At this time, the so-called "Great Thief" under discussion from all sides was already on the way to Longyuan Mountain.

Even upon entering this place for the second time, Zhao Jianhua was still somewhat nervous and flustered; the invisible pressure in the air, like a huge stone pressing on his chest, made him somewhat unable to catch his breath.

Li Bai closed his eyes, calmly accepting death, yet the imagined pain did not come.

Precisely because Li Bai has such a character, it is destined that he will not go far in officialdom, but Heaven has always been fair—though it closed one door, it opened another window for him.

I never expected that Li Bai's final fate would not be dying wrapped in horsehide for his country, nor sacrificing himself for family and nation, but dying in human scheming, amidst the fickle and ever-changing intrigues of court politics—truly laughable.

If one could seize this opportunity to cling to a powerful patron, it would surely bring many benefits for his future.

Li Bai sighed, "Alas, I possess the talent to govern the state, yet have no place to display it—why does time not wait for me? Time? Fate?"

Li Bai had not felt this way for a long time; being able to converse freely and joyfully with someone is like drinking a jar of aged old wine—one could say the aftertaste is endless, even dispelling the gloom of his exile and demotion.

Li Bai's life was extremely complex; on one hand he accepted the Confucian idea of "benefiting all under heaven," requiring to aid the common people and secure the state; on the other hand, he accepted the Daoist idea of withdrawing from the world to stand alone, pursuing absolute freedom and despising all worldly things.

In the sky, wind and clouds surged instantly.

"Dare I ask the exalted one—"

Wu Wang was as if struck by lightning, his hand trembling violently, the paper slipping from his fingers and fluttering to the ground, he stared speechless: "How could this be!"

As night fell, the distant mountains' outlines gradually became hazy, as if veiled by a light gauze, shadowy and indistinct, appearing and disappearing in the drifting mist, near and far, present and absent.

Wu Wang's face turned deathly pale, he abruptly threw down his brush, as if avoiding some flood or ferocious beast, he took a deep breath, and only after a long while did he regain composure.

"Raise a cup to dispel sorrow, sorrow grows more sorrowful——"

Seeing these assassins about to flee, how could Ye Qin comply with their wishes? Light flashed in his pupils.

"I merely couldn't sleep, so I went out for a walk, troubling you."

He fled all the way back to the Wu Wang府, stumbling and trembling, fearing the monster would catch up; on the road, he didn't even dare to drink water.

At the mountain base, he found a place to pitch a tent; Zhao Jianhua gazed at the endless mountains, his heart filled with awe.

Carrying many thoughts and speculations, Zhao Jianhua and the Yellow Weasel soon arrived at the foot of Longyuan Mountain.

"Knock knock knock——"

Having witnessed Ye Qin's heavenly methods, Zhao Jianhua could not possibly divulge what happened here—unless he truly wished for a long life—he hastily expressed his loyalty.

Originally.

Li Bai slowly walked out of the Daoist temple, proceeding down the blue stone slab all the way.

"Squeak squeak squeak——"

Upon learning that the assassins' corpses were still in place, Wu Wang immediately sent people to secretly transport them back; after the coroner examined them, indeed, just as Jiang Han said, they died from lightning strikes!

Had Li Bai reacted even slightly slower, what was cut off would not have been just these few strands of hair, but half his head—truly perilous to the extreme.

The black-clad figures soon caught up to Li Bai; they were agile in movement, swift in action, and the long swords in their hands emitted a cold, icy light.

At some point, a thread of moonlight emerged, falling upon the Daoist temple, gilding it with a faint glow, like a white jade band of the Milky Way descending.

"In this desolate wilderness, how could a Daoist temple appear here? It's truly strange."

This tumultuous night is destined to become his unforgettable memory.

The gate was suddenly kicked open, revealing over a dozen black-clad men rushing in; seeing the empty bed, their gaze then turned to the wide-open window beside it.

Around there was no one else, only a Green Snake—could it be that the sound just heard came from this Green Snake?

This thought just flashed through the mind.

"Indeed, there are weathered fragments of time, and moreover, they are quite complete."

From beginning to end, he had never seen the true face of that exalted one; for him, perhaps it was a good thing.

After returning to the post station, he happened to collide head-on with the few officials who had come to seek him.

He presented the wine gourd and jade pendant with both hands.

On the black cliff, like a ferocious beast opening its bloody maw, and with black-clad men flanking from not far away, it was truly a case of advancing and retreating both difficult, already at the end of the road.

In the relay station, everyone had already fallen asleep, but the man in the blue robe could not sleep for a long time, tossing and turning before simply getting up and coming outside the relay station to gaze into the distance.

Li Bai's expression was thoughtful; Ye Qin needed only a slight prompt for him to understand thoroughly, showing his extraordinary nature.

Beneath the jade disc, an ancient building gradually revealed its outline, the black curtain lifted at one corner by someone, displaying its mystery to the world.

Three thousand threads of worry floated in the wind, yet the air was filled with a killing intent.

A jade-green beast's pupil emerged, like a huge lantern, floating in midair.

Jiang Han shook his head: "These people were all hired from outside, they don't know our identities; I suppose Li Bai wouldn't know either."

The weasel danced beside them, proudly puffing out its chest, its furry tail swaying back and forth.

In panic, even the long sword in his hand fell; his first reaction upon regaining consciousness was to flee.

Seeing this, Zhao Jianhua repeatedly praised: "Of course, in here, your great immortal's merit is indispensable."

Such unfathomable ghostly methods—could they truly come from the celestial sovereign of the Nine Heavens?

Unnoticed, a thick fog rose in the mountains; the Daoist temple, amidst the illusory clouds and mist, seemed like a perilous tower of the Nine Heavens, stirring endless imagination.

A glance from the corner of the eye caught a jade-green shadow; looking at the distant coiling great serpent, Li Bai's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise.

So-called guilt is merely the treacherous changes of officialdom; the means by which politicians attack you cannot conceal your talent—would the world really deny your entire self over a few words in court?

No matter who this high person truly is, or why he is in Zuo Ci's tomb, it is not something a petty figure like him could investigate.

The man shook his head, his gaze like that of an Eagle Falcon, sharp and greedy: "The time left for me is not much."

"How did your investigation go?"

The King of Wu sized up Jiang Han, seeing his sorry state, couldn't help but frown: "Has Li Bai resolved it?"

The black-clad men looked at him with eyes like the dead, speaking in a hollow tone: "We are just doing a job for money—who made you offend those you shouldn't have?"

And at the gate of the Daoist temple, gleaming white bones sat cross-legged in the wind, left eye like the bright moon, forehead bearing thunder, chest flashing golden light, looking down on the ant-like crowd below.

I never expected this journey to be so thrilling, and it let him witness that in this world, there exists some kind of supernatural mysterious power.

"How can I bow and scrape to the powerful, losing my cheerful countenance? If I were to exchange a lifetime of happiness for smooth sailing in office, would you be willing?"

A flicker of caution crossed Li Bai's eyes; he rose silently and quietly, slowly approaching the window.

Li Bai let out a faint sigh, feeling an inexplicable premonition—perhaps after this parting, they would never meet again in this life.

He sat dazed in the chair, his face slightly pale: "How can there still be such strange things in the world? Li Bai consorting with demons? Impossible—I must report this to the emperor at once and have that demon punished by law!"

The breath of the ages stirred again, the long river of history rippled faintly, and it was time for Ye Qin to leave: "Brother Li, you should go."

Jiang Han, entrusted by the King of Wu, must personally see Li Bai dead before returning to report; originally thinking that with over a dozen assassins, Li Bai had no chance of survival, who would have thought such a strange encounter would occur?

"Perhaps what you say is correct."

The King of Wu couldn't help but ask: "Li Bai probably doesn't know these are the people we sent, right?"

Wails rose and fell, drifting in the night sky; in an instant, more than a dozen charred corpses appeared on the ground, still emitting white smoke.

As a thief, to achieve this extent can be said to be unprecedented and unmatched.

He released a thread of mental power; the long river of ages surged, stirring several waves, a mottled breath blowing toward him—even the originally dry tomb now felt a hint of moisture.

In the end, the King of Wu's hand holding the pen trembled.

He slowly opened his eyes, only to see those black-clad men staring fixedly at his back, as if they had seen something utterly inconceivable?

Besides the cliff behind him, what else could there be?

Li Bai, puzzled, turned around; after clearly seeing the scene behind him, he finally understood why those black-clad men wore such expressions.

Looking back, only the cool night sky and brilliant stars were visible, the Daoist temple standing within, like a structure of the Nine Heavens, accompanying the Milky Way—so profound as to inspire awe and dread.

He once served under Prince Yong Li Li's staff; when Li Li raised troops in Danyang and rebelled, then was defeated in battle, even though their connection was not deep, he never expected this to be used by schemers to attack him, thus suffering collateral punishment and exile—a most unjust disaster.

He was also deeply influenced by the wandering knight-errant spirit, daring to despise feudal order, daring to break tradition.

……

This building Li Bai knew extremely well—it was none other than the Daoist temple he had visited before!

The man did not answer, merely turning the beads in his hand, revealing a meaningful smile.

Li Bai's eyes turned cold: "I have no grudge against you all—why must you exterminate everyone?"

Moreover, during the day, he clearly remembered there were no buildings around here at all.

"Not good, the person has run away! Chase quickly!"

Upon hearing Jiang Han describe the Daoist temple hanging in the heavens, the enormous white bones, and the monster capable of unleashing thunder, the King of Wu's mouth slightly opened, as if listening to a tale, his face full of disbelief.

His poetry, songs, and rhapsodies can be said to be the brilliant pearls of the Tang Dynasty; his later life of wandering, using his feet and poetic brush, enriched the mountains and rivers of the world.

Court politics are treacherous and ever-changing; his official path is destined to be fraught, as a commoner daring to despise the powerful and criticize corrupt politics—he has long offended many.

"A perilous tower a hundred feet high, hands can pluck the stars."

"I dare not speak loudly, lest I startle the heavenly beings!"