Chapter 84: The Moon Rises on the Eastern Mountain (2)

A very slight crisp sound came from far beyond the bamboo forest, exceptionally clear in the quiet night. This was followed by several low shouts and a chaotic sound of swords clashing.

At this time, Zi Hao's fingers had just left the chessboard, his expression clear and light, as if nothing had happened. Su Ling also responded with a piece casually, tilted his head slightly, with a bit of strangeness between his brows, and then smiled, "Master, such noise is really spoiling the interest, why don't I go and take a look."

Zi Hao smiled, leaned back on the soft couch, and closed his eyes.

With a flash of blue robes, Su Ling left his seat, and the next moment, he was already above the bamboo forest.

The sound of fighting had long since alarmed the guards in the villa, and countless torches illuminated the courtyard. But under the cold moon, on the top of the green eaves, a dark figure drifted and moved in the sword light of the Ying Nu. Every time he rushed in, a Ying Nu would retreat with a muffled sound, and the vacancy would be filled by those who came later.

Su Ling had just stopped at the eaves, and the person surrounded in the sword net gave a wicked laugh. A sharp light flashed beneath him, a piece of quenching bright blue light, carrying an eerie and poisonous aura, like a rugged ghost shadow flowing and whistling, snatching toward the entangled killers in all directions.

"All retreat!" Su Ling laughed loudly and shook his sword into his hand. The Ying Nu heard the order and retreated, disappearing into the darkness one after another, leaving no sound.

A clear sword light, unfolding like water, fast like wind, flashed and disappeared into the depths of the blue light. But hearing two slight sounds of "chi chi," the gray-clothed man retreated rapidly, and after a point in front of the eaves, he shot back again.

At this time, everyone else had arrived outside the forest. Previously, Shang Rong, Nie Qi, and others were all with Zi Rao in the water pavilion. Because they were separated by the inner lake, they arrived a step later than Su Ling. Seeing that he had already made a move in person, they all watched from the side, without any intention of helping. Shang Rong recalled the Ying Nu and asked about the situation in detail. His cold brows swept, and the Ying Nu bowed their heads and dared not make a sound. Sneaking into the villa in the middle of the night, and even needing the Master to point it out to notice, not to mention the crime, just this face was lost to the house.

Shang Rong had no time to care about this for the time being, and looked up at the battle. The ice wheel in the sky was like a painting, the bamboo shadows were scattered on the wind eaves, only seeing Su Ling's blue shirt fluttering, his demeanor elegant, and the flowing light in his hand was almost integrated with the moonlight. For a time, it was difficult to distinguish between the clear wind and the bright moon, the starlight and the sword shadow. Clearly, the sword momentum was snatching, but it was truly free and easy and good-looking.

Such sword light and heroic posture almost made people forget the fierce battle in front of them, only feeling that the night was like water, the heart was high and the spirit was refreshing. But the gray-clothed man was forced to retreat frequently, gradually left and right, suddenly gave a strange whistle, spun in mid-air and shot rapidly, the two sharp poisonous lights under his feet turned into thousands of sharp rays, like the cold tide of the ghost domain, ferocious and soaring, devouring the piece of blue shirt.

Unfortunately, there was a bright light faster than him. Su Ling smiled and shook his sleeves. Where the true power arrived, a star of brilliance rushed to chase the moon, flashing gracefully in the dark night, and collected without sound.

With a muffled groan, the gray-clothed man retreated several feet and fell hurriedly toward the opposite roof.

The people below could not help but praise it as beautiful. If judged by martial arts alone, Mo Heng's sword technique was sharp, Nie Qi's momentum was fierce, and Shang Rong's was cold and sharp. It was not impossible for the two to make such a sword to hurt the enemy, but no one could use the sword as lightly and freely as Su Ling.

Under the bright moon, Su Ling stood with his sword, did not pursue the victory, just raised his voice and smiled, "The distinguished guest came from afar, I don't know what advice you have? Su Ling welcomes you on behalf of the Master, can you tell me one or two?"

Gentle laughter, scholarly smile, that sharp sword just now did not look like it was used by him at all. The gray-clothed man opposite stared at this person who had just almost abolished his left arm and was now politely welcoming him. His eyes were vicious and flickering, as if he was wary of the long sword at his waist that was as famous as the Zhuri Sword and shook the world. He did not answer, but turned to the room and said coldly, "A good character trained by the King! If I have any trouble today, I don't know if the King still wants to live for a thousand years, without illness or disaster?"

Except for Zi Rao, everyone was shocked. Unexpectedly, the uninvited guest who appeared in the middle of the night was the Witch Doctor Qi Shi.

The bamboo was deep and secluded, and the lamp light flashed in the quiet villa, illuminating the pavilion. A little quiet lamp light was always burning until the long night was more than half over, and then it went out quietly. The green bamboo hermitage fell into boundless darkness again. Qi Shi left the villa expressionlessly, his clothes flashed, and he disappeared into the dark night. The moon shone and the clouds moved, turning over the peak cliff, and suddenly, he stopped not far from the river bank.

In the mountain night ahead, there was a flower forest, and the river water was divided. From here, it went deep into the swamp valley. The woman in black robes sat alone on the flat stone, bathing in the waves with her bare feet. Behind her, the bright moon shone, and the river flowed with gold. Hearing the movement, she looked back in the sparkling waves, and said with a clear smile, "Grand Uncle, you have worked hard all night."

Qi Shi "whoosh" leaped onto the flat stone, and snorted coldly, "Hmph! Nothing to do but provoke the Heavenly Remnant Extinction Palm. If you don't look at that kid well, and have such a change again, don't blame me for letting go. At that time, even if I have to explain to the Shao Yuan Jun side, it will not be up to me."

Zi Rao's toes flicked the water waves gently, and she said charmingly, "Grand Uncle said this, as if he is closer to the Shao Yuan Jun Mansion than our bloodline inherited from the same clan. That Huang Fei... treats Grand Uncle very politely?"

Laughing and speaking, a sentence with or without heart, Qi Shi could not help but snort again. Zi Rao's phoenix eyes turned slightly, reflecting the clear light waves, secretly looking at his expression, and said leisurely, "The current Liefeng Cavalry does not seem to be the 'Ghost Master' under Huang Yu's command back then. Huang Fei, this person, his temperament is very different from his father."

Qi Shi said gloomily, "Without his old man borrowing the Ghost Master to break the country and destroy the enemy, and build merits and careers, does he have today's glory and wealth?!"

"More than ten years ago, Huang Yu's Ghost Master swept the world. Wherever he passed, cities were destroyed and people had no corpses. Grand Uncle must have contributed a lot to this." Zi Rao smiled and raised her brows, asking word by word, "Later, Huang Fei took charge of the military power, and the first thing he did was to abolish the Ghost Master and build the Liefeng Cavalry. It seems that he does not know much about the power of the Witch Clan's Gu technique, and he must not know what 'Ten Thousand Gu Backlash' is. Grand Uncle, I heard that Huang Yu died in Fuchuan back then, and the situation was extremely tragic. I don't know... is it true?"

Qi Shi's eyes flashed with essence, piercing the woman who was as beautiful as a fairy and enchanting as a demon, "What do you want to say?"

Crystal light filled her ink eyelashes. As Zi Rao raised her eyes gently, the light and shadow instantly became ghostly and eye-catching, and she said softly, "What else can I say? I just want to ask Grand Uncle for a standard word, how is the poison on the Royal Brother now?"

Qi Shi narrowed his eyes in the darkness, not saying a word, and looked at her for a long time, then said coldly, "Good girl, are you threatening me?"

Zi Rao smiled and looked at him, "Grand Uncle is joking, how dare Zi Rao? It's just that the medicine poison is too tricky, making people feel bottomless."

"Hmph!" Qi Shi said with a gloomy face, "You can't see it yourself? The method of using poison by Yuexi comes from the Witch Clan, but as long as it is the technique of the Witch Clan, is there any that I cannot solve?"

Zi Rao's eyes rippled, "I just don't understand, how can Yuexi's method of using poison be related to the Witch Clan, so I have to ask Grand Uncle for advice."

Qi Shi said, "He originally had the blood of the Witch Clan, and what he learned was also the secret technique of the Witch Clan. What is strange about this."

Zi Rao was clearly surprised, raised her brows and looked at him. Qi Shi continued, "However, no one has ever known about this matter. This is a great secret within the Witch Clan, not reported to the Wang Cheng, and not announced to the clan members. Naturally, you are surprised to hear it." After a pause, he smiled gloomily under the moonlight, "But there are even more surprising things. Now the Witch Clan has become ash, and the Phoenix Clan has also been cleaned up by people. It doesn't matter if you say it or not. Back then, the head of the three elders, Shuo You, had an affair with the Phoenix Clan Master and gave birth to a daughter and a son, who were secretly executed by the clan. One daughter, Feng Wan, was the Concubine Wan who once received the great favor of the Xiang Emperor; one son changed his name and surname, and later personally destroyed the Witch Clan, and died in the hands of the current Eastern Emperor, the Changxiang Marquis Yuexi."

Zi Rao's heart was shocked. Shuo You and Phoenix Clan Master Feng Li loved each other and combined privately, which was not a secret. Back then, Feng Li killed his wife and expelled his son because of this, which shocked the Royal Family to ask about this matter. But not long after, Shuo You practiced martial arts and went into fire, dying in the forbidden land of the Witch Clan, the Si Yun Hall. On that day, Feng Li sent thirty-six dark feathers to raid the Witch Clan at night, severely damaging its elder elites, and took his daughter back. Less than three years later, he also died in depression. Before he died, he offered his daughter Feng Wan to the Royal Family to ensure perfection, but no one ever thought that the two still had a son left.

Feng Li died, and the position of Phoenix Clan Master was taken over by his eldest daughter Feng Wan. A few years later, Feng Wan was promoted to Queen. At this time, Shuo You's daughter Feng Wan was also favored by the Xiang Emperor, and because of the old matter of Feng Li killing his wife back then, she was deeply hated by the Queen, and finally was martyred in the Qishan Imperial Mausoleum.

Zi Rao borrowed the night light to look at Qi Shi, as if distinguishing the truth of his words, and suddenly said, "Since the daughter was taken back to the Phoenix Clan to be raised, if Yuexi is really Shuo You's son, how could Feng Li not know or ask, and let him wander outside."

Qi Shi rolled his eyes, his expression arrogant, "Hmph, of course he checked this matter, but Shuo You gave birth to a child at that time, and the one responsible for disposing of the baby was the old man. How could I let him find the truth?"

Zi Rao frowned slightly, "Could it be that Grand Uncle showed mercy and let the baby live?" She smiled lightly, "That's strange."

Qi Shi glanced at her, "What do you know, the excellent bloodline of the Great Elder of the Witch Clan's Lijing Heaven, isn't it a pity to waste it? Teach it, and it can be left for use. His Witch Spirit Realm is innate, which is rare."

The moon tilted the empty mountain, the river forest was deep and silent, and there was no sound all around for a while. Zi Rao was silent for a moment, then her lips curled slightly, and she said lightly, "It is indeed useful. No wonder Grand Uncle easily escaped from the Wang Cheng back then. It is easy to rely on Lu Di to create chaos and release you from prison, but it is difficult to protect a criminal who has been punished for so long, but I don't know where Yuexi hid Grand Uncle, so that even the forbidden palace Ying Nu did not notice."

Cold light flashed in Qi Shi's eyes, and he looked at her gloomily, "Where it is hidden, what does it have to do with you? Hmm... I almost forgot, the Xiang Emperor pardoned me because of the birth of the Nine Princess. Hmph, if I hadn't been in the Wang Cheng at that time, I don't know if there would still be you, the Nine Princess. It can be considered a report for a report."

The secluded waves by the river were hidden, reflecting Zi Rao's eyes flashing, "Grand Uncle's words make people feel strange. It can't be that when I was born, Grand Uncle was in the Wang Cheng?"

Qi Shi laughed again, "When the Nine Princess was born, the Langxuan Palace had strange phenomena, the day turned into night, the nine stars shone, the secluded fragrance filled the room, the seven-colored light shone on the palace, the cloud pavilion was brilliant, the medical women and palace slaves were all muddled and didn't know what realm it was, and when they woke up, the Princess had already descended, the sky was clear, and the light of all directions shone..."

He used a very strange tone to describe the situation when the Nine Princess was born recorded in the Royal Canon, which was exactly the same. Zi Rao listened to this within a few inches, the full moon was bright, the night sky was bright, Qi Shi turned his back to the great river, but his face was dark and did not see a trace of light, which made him look exceptionally dark. In those poisonous and evil eyes, something was ferocious and surging, ready to come out, but in the blink of an eye, it disappeared into the depths of the darkness, and no trace could be found again.

Looking at the strange gaze for a moment, Zi Rao only felt that the soft river water under her feet turned into coldness and rushed up, like a cold poisonous snake, entrenched in an unknown corner, spitting red letters, not knowing when it would make a fatal attack. This feeling made people feel cold all over, her slender brows raised, her eyes narrowed, Zi Rao suddenly asked, "Grand Uncle, back then you borrowed the reason to execute Shuo You, nothing more than wanting to deprive her of the power of the elder, right? I haven't heard that the Witch Clan has such a ban as having an affair with the Phoenix Clan."

Qi Shi's white brows moved, and the hostility in his eyes soared, "What did you say?"

Zi Rao seemed not to see his fierce gaze, and smiled lightly, "Thinking about it, if it weren't for taking advantage of her giving birth to a child to move suddenly, the Great Elder of the Witch Clan's Lijing Heaven would probably not be so easy to deal with."

Qi Shi said coldly, "So what?"

Zi Rao still smiled, her smiling eyes looking like flowing waves, naturally clear and charming, "That has nothing to do with me? I only know that Grand Uncle has superb medical skills, and in the future, we juniors will have to rely on you to take care of us."

Qi Shi's eyes changed several times, dark and uncertain, and finally, he swept her two eyes with deep meaning, and said, "Isn't it for that Eastern Emperor? You are so nervous about him, even such a small matter is worth finding me again and again."

Zi Rao smiled all the time, but in the depths of the star waves in her eyes, cold currents were winding, "I have just read the prescription left by Grand Uncle, which is the right medicine, but the medicinal property is inevitably too strong."

Qi Shi sneered, "I only care about treating illness and detoxifying. Whether he can hold on after using the medicine is none of my business?"

Zi Rao lowered her eyes and raised them again, and said softly, "Grand Uncle, I know your means, you definitely have a way to make this medicine used safely, but it is just a matter of lifting a hand."

Not knowing what happened, the poisonous light in Qi Shi's eyes flourished again, and he looked at her face, and said, "Of course there is a way, you have also practiced Witchcraft, don't you know the method of using medicine by the Witch Clan?"

Zi Rao's heart jumped, and she raised her eyes to look at him. Qi Shi said, "Apart from this, there is no other way. But don't blame me for not reminding you, that method is not something everyone can bear."

Zi Rao did not speak, and after a while, she smiled lightly, "Since this is the case, Zi Rao will thank Grand Uncle."

Under the moonlight, Qi Shi looked at her cold eyes, snorted, and said no more, and left. Zi Rao watched his back disappear into the night, turned around and supported the stone with her hand, looking at the bright moon lightly.

The moonlight shines on the river for thousands of miles, secluded waves, waveless.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 85 =====

Under the moonlight, Qi Shi met her cold gaze, snorted, and without another word, flicked his sleeves and left. Zi Rao watched his back disappear into the deep night, then turned to prop her hand against a stone, looking calmly at the bright moon.

The moonlight shines for a thousand miles upon the flowing river; the deep waves are without a ripple.

(End of chapter)