Chapter 1799

Qiqi secretly sighed, Hong Beimo really is a Lao hulí; indeed, no detail could escape him—it seems my intention in hosting tonight's banquet has almost certainly been seen through by him. Qiqi's expression remained calm: "Has Minister Hong forgotten that I sent him on an errand as soon as the banquet began?"

Hong Beimo smiled and said: "Originally I, as a humble servant, shouldn't have asked, but I always feel that tonight's events seem somewhat off."

Qiqi furrowed her delicate brows, her face showing displeasure: "What do you mean by that, Minister Hong?"

Hong Beimo said: "Could it be that Your Highness hasn't noticed that someone tonight seems strange?"

Qiqi had thought Hong Beimo was alluding to her, but this remark was clearly unrelated to her; she had originally come to this banquet with a certain purpose, always being careful and cautious, fearing to reveal a flaw, yet she ended up overlooking others' reactions. She feigned calm and asked: "Who?"

"Ren Tianqing!"

Qiqi blinked her eyes in puzzlement.

Hong Beimo said: "I dare assert that someone else attended the banquet tonight!"

Qiqi exclaimed in astonishment: "Are you saying that Ren Tianqing is someone else in disguise?"

Hong Beimo slowly nodded and said: "Exactly!"

Qiqi's heart sank; if what Hong Beimo said were true, the real Ren Tianqing must have gone elsewhere, most likely to Long Ling Shengjing. Quan De'an has not yet returned, proving that tonight's operation surely ran into trouble; she must make a swift decision to avoid being put on the defensive if the matter is exposed.

Hong Beimo respectfully said: "Your Highness, if there is anything, please speak plainly to me; I will always stand by your side."

Qiqi bit her cherry lips, finally made a decision, and whispered: "I have received reliable intelligence that Ren Tianqing colluded with Prince Yan of Da Yong, Xue Shengjing, betraying Dakang's interests."

Hu Xiaotian and Qin Yutong leaned against each other on the jade platform, their hands clasped, their eyes locked, expressing endless tenderness; Qin Yutong softly asked: "Have you ever thought that we might never be able to leave?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Though we never shared a bed in life, in death we shall share the same grave; having you as a companion on the road to the Yellow Springs would not be lonely."

Qin Yutong sighed: "After all, I have dragged you down."

Hu Xiaotian shook his head: "Is what you said really true?"

"What matter?"

"The matter of the Heaven-Man Myriad Phenomena Diagram."

Qin Yutong didn't expect that at such a time he would still be concerned about that matter; blushing, she said: "Even if it's true, what use is it to think about it?" In her view, they had no chance to see the light of day again; they could only await death in this dark, lightless chamber, but fortunately Hu Xiaotian kept her company.

Hu Xiaotian said: "But since there is hope, we should give it a try; who knows, after we try, it might unleash your inner potential and perhaps we could find a way to escape."

Qin Yutong's cheeks flushed; being ice-snow smart, she guessed Hu Xiaotian was merely looking for an excuse, and she buried her flushed face in his chest, remaining silent.

Hu Xiaotian said: "I'm merely making a suggestion, with no other intention; you know my character—I'm certainly not a petty person who takes advantage of others' peril..." Before he finished speaking, his lips were sealed by Qin Yutong's cherry lips; Hu Xiaotian was dazed by her fervent kiss, as her kisses rained down like droplets on his lips and face, only then did he gradually come to his senses.

Qin Yutong's soft voice whispered in his ear: "In my heart I have long regarded myself as yours; even in death, I will not change..." Her words were practically an aphrodisiac; Hu Xiaotian could no longer restrain himself—even if we were to die, we should die happily; the ice beauty has made such a display, am I still a man if I show no reaction? Life is about having no regrets as much as possible.

Ren Tianqing's carriage had just left Huangcheng when he saw a black-helmeted, black-armored masked knight blocking the central road ahead; hearing the coachman's report, Ren Tianqing furrowed his brows, lifted the carriage curtain, and saw three black-armored knights approaching from the right toward his carriage, likewise on the left; he lowered the curtain, slowly closed his eyes, and listened intently; even from behind the carriage came the sound of iron cavalry, though he had not seen them, his mind clearly pictured the situation: one knight ahead, three on each side, two behind—nine knights had already surrounded his carriage from all four directions.

A hint of a cruel smile appeared on Ren Tianqing's lips as he whispered: "Charge out!"

The coachman, hearing his command, hesitated not at all, cracked his whip on the backs of the two horses, each with a sharp crack, and shouted "Go!" The two fine steeds neighed in unison, like two gray flashes of lightning pulling the carriage straight forward; the nine attackers came from four directions, with only one directly ahead, appearing to be the weakest link, naturally the first choice for a breakthrough.

However, anyone who dares to launch a solo attack must certainly possess the ability to stand alone against an enemy.

The black-clad knight, his body entirely encased in black armor save for a pair of gloomy eyes, seeing the carriage suddenly accelerate, drew his horse-slaying saber from his shoulder with a backhand and brought it down in a single stroke.

In the midsummer night, originally windless, sultry and humid, distant pond frogs still croaking incessantly; after the horse-slaying saber cleaved the air, the previously still and oppressive night seemed to have been slit open, and everyone heard a sharp wind, the whistle of the blade tearing through the void.

A twitch crossed Ren Tianqing's facial muscles; he heard the sound of bones breaking, the mournful neigh of the steeds, and the high-speed spray of blood squeezing out through narrow gaps in the body cavity.

He lightly tapped the seat with both hands, his body leapt upward, breaking through the carriage roof, his form graceful like a flood dragon, each hand holding a short spear, surrounded on all sides, with only an upward breakthrough possible.

Yet the instant Ren Tianqing's body burst from the carriage, he saw a black, burly figure swooping down from above, wielding an iron rod as thick as a wine cup's mouth, descending like Mount Tai pressing down, aimed straight at his head.

Ren Tianqing crossed his twin spears to block the descending heavy blow; yet this strike smashed him straight down, and upon landing his feet sank more than half a foot into the ground.

Ten black-armored knights surrounded Ren Tianqing at the center; the black-armored warrior who had descended from the sky gazed at him gloomily and said: "You are not Ren Tianqing!"

Ren Tianqing burst into loud laughter, surveying the ten powerful black-armored knights, he said softly: "Heavenly Mechanism Bureau's Dragon Unit! What merit do I have to mobilize Hong Beimo's finest forces? Good! Good! Good! Let me learn your Dragon-Serpent Four Symbols Formation!"

"You are not worthy!"

The situation was even more dire than Qiqi had anticipated; after arriving at Piaomiao Mountain together with Hong Beimo, they soon found the Long'er entrance sealed. Hong Beimo, after assessing the situation, returned to Qiqi's side with a solemn expression and said: "Someone has activated the mechanism from within, the Broken Dragon Lock has fallen, and it cannot be opened from outside; to enter, one must dig a passage."

Qiqi naturally understood the significance of the Broken Dragon Lock's activation: once triggered, it seals all passages to Long Ling Shengjing and nullifies the realm's original mechanisms. To open a passage from outside into Long Ling Shengjing requires not only massive manpower but also a lengthy period, given that the entrance lies beneath the Yao Chi's waters; construction would first require draining the Yao Chi completely. According to Hong Beimo's preliminary estimate, even with all artisans assembled, full-force excavation could not break through Long Ling Shengjing's interior in less than ten days or half a month, for Piaomiao Mountain is an artificially piled structure, its stone extremely hard; Hong Beimo's half-month estimate is already optimistic. Seeing Qiqi's barely concealed concern, Hong Beimo already guessed that Long Ling Shengjing does not merely imprison Quan De'an alone.

Hong Beimo deliberately said: "Your Highness, if Eunuch Quan is trapped inside, even if we start rescuing now, by the time we break through the interior he would likely..."

Qiqi's mind was in turmoil; those trapped inside Long Ling Shengjing were not only Quan De'an but also Hu Xiaotian—these two were the most important people in her life; if both suffered misfortune, would she not truly become a lone widow? She decisively said: "Eunuch Quan is a close relative of my palace; no matter the cost, I must rescue him."

Hong Beimo already understood her meaning, nodded and said: "I will devote all my strength."

Although merely separated by a wall, it was two different worlds; loneliness made Meizhuang feel time extraordinarily drawn out; as time passed, the hope in her heart faded bit by bit; Ren Tianqing had abandoned her, Hu Xiaotian and Qin Yutong must have escaped, leaving only her in Long Ling Shengjing; she, who had always been competitive and had traversed half her life, never imagined she would die here in obscurity. The more Meizhuang thought, the more aggrieved she felt, the more sorrowful she became; the only way left to vent her frustration was to scream and howl: "Ren Tianqing, you scoundrel! Hu Xiaotian! Qin Yutong, I will tear you to pieces, crush your bones and scatter your ashes to appease my hatred!"

Meizhuang's lady, her voice hoarse from shouting, finally began to accept reality; but just as she fell into despair, she heard a rumbling thunderous sound, and the stone door that had been shut for a whole day and night slowly opened.

Meizhuang's lady felt both startled and delighted; on high alert, she saw Hu Xiaotian and Qin Yutong walk out from within—Hu Xiaotian naturally still as vigorous as ever, while the originally frail Qin Yutong, reborn like a phoenix, was full of vigor, merely her delicate cheeks bearing two traces of unfading rosiness, displaying an unprecedented charm and bashfulness.

Seeing the two emerge, Meizhuang's lady was momentarily overwhelmed with countless thoughts, unsure what to say; the words of blame and curses she had prepared for Hu Xiaotian rose to her lips, but she swallowed them back; Meizhuang was no fool, naturally understanding the situation—she knew she could not withstand even Hu Xiaotian alone, now with Qin Yutong restored to normal, she asked herself that she could gain no advantage from opposing them. She suppressed her anger and gave the two a sweet smile, saying: "After all this time, where exactly have you two been? What have you been secretly doing?" (To be continued~^~)