Chapter 574: Lu Sheng

The Prince of Wu Xiang, Tang Ling of the Mei Mountain Sect, and several other unnamed martial artists, all dressed as commoners from the lower strata of society.

Each looked worn out, some still bearing wounds.

Looking at these people, Sha Li-fei, though thanking them aloud, was filled with suspicion in his heart.

Roughly when Li Yan entered the Qingyang Palace, the Shu Prince suddenly appeared; nearby garrison troops entered the city and, within moments, fully seized control of Chengdu.

The event came suddenly; no one had received any warning.

Had the Prince of Wu Xiang not suddenly arrived to warn them and arranged their hiding place here, Sha Li-fei and the others would have been wiped out entirely.

"Heh, look at you, scared stiff."

The Prince of Wu Xiang slowly rose, his tone no longer courteous, coldly saying: "We've all been fooled by the Shu Prince. Now we're all on the same rope, tied together as grasshoppers—if we don't join forces, none of us will escape death!"

Sha Li-fei remained unmoved. "What do you mean?"

"Stop pretending you don't understand!"

The Prince of Wu Xiang seemed to have lost patience, growling: "That Shu Prince is suspicious—everyone's been manipulated at his whim."

"Stirring up the heir dispute was merely a pretext to create chaos, dragging in countless factions. Chengdu's officials, commanders of every garrison, the Cheng family, the Confucian school—all eyes were fixed on this matter. Qingcheng and Emei, to avoid suspicion, kept their distance from Chengdu, leaving him ample space…"

"Provoking conflict with the court was also intentional. Whether the Commandant's Office or the imperial censors sent by the court, all they did was watch for rebellion, restricting his actions—giving the Shu Prince time to maneuver…"

"From the start, his goal was never this!"

Upon hearing this, Sha Li-fei and the others were secretly startled.

Since arriving in Shu, the situation had been a tangled mess: the Dragon Worship Sect causing trouble, the Salt Guild and the Canal Guild fighting the Shu Merchants' Guild, the heir dispute…

Even outsiders like themselves had been overwhelmed.

With the Prince of Wu Xiang's hint, the fog suddenly lifted—everything seemed orchestrated from behind the Shu Prince's palace.

From the underworld to the court, from the Daoist sects—it was all a muddy mess.

"What exactly does he want?!"

Sha Li-fei immediately rose to ask.

Their plan had been to wait for reinforcements from Qingcheng Mountain and the Cheng family, then join forces with the imperial censor to capture the fake Shu Prince.

But now it seemed the Shu Prince had moved faster.

"Hmph!"

The Prince of Wu Xiang let out a cold snort. "You killed the Ghost Opera Troupe in Guan County and just walked away so carelessly—how bold."

"I led my men, were ambushed by the Ghost Opera Troupe, suffered heavy losses, pretended to flee in fear, but actually hid in the shadows all along."

"After you left, the Guan County authorities and nearby garrisons immediately sealed off the rivers near Dujiangyan. I secretly investigated and discovered the Shu Prince arrived with a fleet, spending days working in the river, consuming countless spiritual materials…"

"Their original target was the Dragon Palace Water Mansion!"

He glanced at them again, sneering: "Don't think you can stay out of this—or escape Chengdu."

"I secretly infiltrated and overheard their conversation. Everything is ready—only two east winds are missing."

"One is with me. The other is with you."

The Ruyi Treasure Pearl!

At once, Sha Li-fei knew what he meant.

No wonder—even if the "Ruyi Treasure Pearl" was excellent, it was merely a state ritual artifact; there were many others of equal rank. Yet the Shu Prince had been relentless.

So it was for this.

And as for the Shu Prince's identity—if he truly was possessed by Lu Sheng—his ultimate goal was likely to use the Dragon Palace Water Mansion to lure the Nine Tripods!

Sha Li-fei's heart churned, but he feigned ignorance, scratching his bald head and grumbling: "So that's all it is? Damn it, had I known, I never would've taken it. Maybe if I return it to the Shu Prince, he'll let it go…"

It was impossible to return it.

He said this only to test their attitude.

True enough, the Prince of Wu Xiang's face darkened instantly. "We don't have much time. Don't play games with me."

"At this point, no one can escape. Either we die at the Shu Prince's hands, or we kill him—and split the treasures!"

"This…"

Sha Li-fei's eyes darted, grinning as he bowed. "You're the undisputed king of Chengdu's underworld, a revered elder of Shu—what's your brilliant plan?"

"Simple!"

The Prince of Wu Xiang said gravely: "I know you're close to Qingcheng Mountain and the Cheng family, jointly supporting the Fifth Prince."

"Since everyone's fallen for the Shu Prince's trap, let's turn his own scheme against him—use his strength to strike him down, then seize the treasures!"

Sha Li-fei narrowed his eyes. "This won't be easy…"

"I have my own plan."

The Prince of Wu Xiang said coolly: "The Shu Prince's palace has already posted notices—the Lantern Festival and Martial Tournament in Chengdu will proceed as scheduled. I suspect the time to enter the Dragon Palace Water Mansion will be that day."

"I've summoned you here to discuss coordinating with all factions—on that day, we'll hold the Shu Prince in place."

Sha Li-fei suddenly understood. "So you'll go retrieve the treasure then?"

"No—it's us!"

The Prince of Wu Xiang laughed heartily. "I've been in the underworld long enough to know the rule: split the spoils fifty-fifty."

"Whatever treasures lie within the Dragon Palace Water Mansion, we two sides divide them equally—each takes what we need."

"Rest assured—if you don't trust me, you may keep the 'Ruyi Treasure Pearl'—we'll explore the Dragon Palace together."

"Hahaha, Elder, you jest."

Sha Li-fei also laughed loudly, then feigned difficulty: "But… our leader, Young Master Li Yan, is still outside. We must contact those others, so we'll need to leave."

"Simple."

The Prince of Wu Xiang smiled, clapped his hands.

From behind him stepped several figures—monks, Daoists, men, and women—all dressed as common martial artists.

"This is Daoist Dao Yuan of the Golden Gate Iron Calculation Sect—he studied at Emei, excels in reading wind and qi, and is a master of hidden traps and weapons…"

"This is Xue Asi of the Skin Sect—a Miao witch-doctor, whose Nine-Joint Snake Bone Whip commands respect across the land…"

"This is Iron Buddha Lu Zhen Shan—he masters Iron Shirt Technique and the Demon-Slaying Club, once tore apart the iron chains of Kuimen with his bare hands…"

"This is Cui San Dao—he holds an unquenchable grudge against the Salt Guild…"

"As for this Mei Mountain comrade Tang, you should already know…"

The Prince of Wu Xiang introduced them one by one, sneering: "I have some connections in Shu's underworld. I've summoned these comrades to steal fire from the furnace—why not?"

"The Shu Prince is powerful, but beneath Chengdu's surface, I still hold sway. Traveling between places is effortless—you'll need my people to move around."

Seeing Sha Li-fei's expression change, the Prince of Wu Xiang shook his head. "It's not that I distrust you—it's that so many comrades trust me, I must act with caution."

He raised his hand. "If you don't trust me, you may leave now!"

Immediately, one man stepped forward and opened the warehouse door.

Lu San gave a cold glance and moved to leave.

But Sha Li-fei quickly stepped forward, blocking Lu San, then turned with a smile: "Elder, what nonsense are you speaking? Of course we trust you."

"Good!"

The Prince of Wu Xiang clapped his hands and smiled, glancing around. "The Shu Prince's palace has blood-tracking mountain hounds. This warehouse isn't safe. Let's move somewhere else—I'll host a feast to welcome you."

With a wave of his hand, he spoke.

Several men hurried to the warehouse's corner, moved aside straw bales and broken crates, revealing a hidden door.

"Hahaha, Elder, you truly are Chengdu's underworld king!"

Sha Li-fei praised, then turned, lips moving silently to whisper a few words before speaking aloud: "Since the Elder extends such hospitality, let's go."

Wang Daoxuan and Lu San nodded silently, saying nothing.

Sha Li-fei's lip movement said:

Use their blades to kill—then kill them once outside!

The Prince of Wu Xiang clearly knew their strength.

The people he introduced might be known in Shu's Daoist underworld, but they were nowhere near enough to challenge them. Showing off his strength was a message: he had the power to cooperate—and wasn't afraid of breaking ties.

To deal with them, he didn't even need to fight.

Outside, the Shu Prince's men were searching everywhere. The moment they left, the Prince of Wu Xiang would betray them, summoning the Shu Prince's elite to ambush them.

This Prince of Wu Xiang was truly a cunning old fox.

He needed their hands to rally factions against the Shu Prince, yet used the Shu Prince's threat to control them—with no real way out.

Sha Li-fei believed Li Yan would come.

His task was to keep his companions from falling into danger…

The Prince of Wu Xiang hadn't lied.

The group entered the hidden tunnel beneath the warehouse, descending twenty to thirty meters, completely cut off from the surface. The tunnel walls turned to brick and stone, covered in moss—ancient beyond measure.

Seeing Sha Li-fei and the others' surprise, the Prince of Wu Xiang smiled and explained: "Since ancient Shu's founding, dynasties have risen and fallen, but those who live here have always been us."

One word, one phrase, one line—nothing was wrong!

"In the Three Kingdoms era, we smuggled Shu brocade; later, salt and iron, fleeing disasters during city sieges. Every dynasty dug tunnels—this one was built by Meng Chang of the Later Shu, running straight from north to south."

He turned, pointing to his own head.

"The only one who knows every secret tunnel is me!"

…………

On Chengdu's city walls, soldiers patrolled everywhere.

At the city gates, entry was allowed—but no one could leave.

Even several river docks had been sealed off.

With the New Year approaching and several heavy snowfalls in succession, the cold had frozen the land solid and roads were blocked; those heading to the Chengdu Lantern Festival had arrived early.

The timing and terrain were all within the Shu Prince's calculations.

Thus, even though they sensed something amiss in Chengdu Prefecture, the high-ranking officials and commoners traveling to the Qingyang Palace for worship had no choice but to enter the city under the watchful eyes of soldiers, trembling with fear.

In this weather, if they left Chengdu, they would not survive long.

Far away, within the dense forest, Li Yan's expression was grim.

He had seen all of it.

He had already sensed something wrong at the Qingyang Palace; he never imagined that upon returning to Chengdu Prefecture, chaos had already erupted.

It seems the Shu Prince has already moved…

Thinking of this, Li Yan grew anxious.

He didn't care what the Shu Prince intended to do; as long as he confirmed this man was Lu Sheng, he was certainly a yin offender—directly summoning the yin bureaucracy's troops would suffice.

What he feared most, naturally, was Sha Li Fei and the others.

If the Shu Prince tore off the mask, Xiao Jinghong could not protect them.

He must enter the city at once to investigate!

Zha!

Just as Li Yan prepared to move, the cry of an eagle came from above.

He looked up and immediately retreated.

The sky was a storm of wind and snow; several dark dots darted up and down.

Those were the falcons used by the Commandant's Office for reconnaissance!

Scaling the wall directly would surely be noticed.

Without hesitation, Li Yan immediately formed a hand seal; eight straw spirit paper figures flew from the pouch at his waist, spinning rapidly around him.

With the Eight Outer Altar Generals empowered, the yin and malevolent qi immediately converged.

"Nuo Gao! Heavenly Purity, Essence of Ren and Gui…"

As the Xuan Water Escape Art was cast, Li Yan's form swiftly vanished.

After completing this, he leapt out, moved away from the city gate, found a relatively open stretch of wall, and began climbing.

The walls of Chengdu Prefecture were built of massive blue stone bricks, sealed with a mixture of rice flour paste and earth—smooth and sturdy, nearly impossible for ordinary people to scale.

But for Li Yan, it was no problem at all.

He used hands and feet alike, easily scaling the ten-foot wall, dodging patrol soldiers, then leaping down on the other side.

He entered through the southern part of the city.

Li Yan ran swiftly along the wall; less than half a stick of incense later, a large bamboo grove appeared ahead—the very bamboo pavilion behind the Commandery Prince's Mansion.

Inside the Commandery Prince's Mansion, gloom hung thick.

Cao Yuanhuai stood guard at the gate, watching the several Imperial Guards observing from afar; though his face was solemn, his heart was deeply uneasy.

The Shu Prince's sudden move had shattered everyone's plans.

Their Du Men had openly sided with the Fifth Commandery Prince; if the Shu Prince took revenge later, they might have to flee Shu entirely.

In the mansion's rear courtyard, Xiao Jinghong sat pale, clutching his teacup, lost in thought.

Behind him, the Commandery Princess warmed his tea, her face equally sorrowful: "My Lord, it is all my fault—if only you had left Chengdu then, you would not now be trapped in such peril."

"This was my own choice…"

Xiao Jinghong gritted his teeth and said grimly: "If this truly is my father, then I accept my fate—but this is clearly a demon. Even if I die, I will expose this to the world!"

Creak~

As he spoke, the door suddenly opened and a figure darted in.

"Master Li!"

Xiao Jinghong was startled, but upon recognizing the visitor, he immediately grew excited.

"Keep your voice down—what's happened?"

Li Yan glanced out the window and asked softly.

"He's moved…"

Xiao Jinghong quickly recounted the situation.

Hearing that Sha Li Fei and the others had already evacuated, Li Yan exhaled in relief, then frowned slightly, musing: "This… may be connected to me. I killed one of the Shu Prince's top experts last night."

"Also, he didn't act suddenly—troops from the major garrisons were all hidden outside Chengdu; clearly, this was premeditated."

"Perhaps we misunderstood his plan…"

Though Li Yan didn't know the full picture, he sensed something was off.

"It's the First Commandery Prince!"

Xiao Jinghong growled: "My spies reported that the First Commandery Prince's maternal clan has close ties with several military officers; after being bewitched, he invited several of them that very night."

"Claiming it was a banquet, he also invited several garrison generals…"

"They've all been cursed!"

Li Yan immediately made his judgment.

He had found it strange: though the Shu Prince was respected, this was a crime punishable by death—how could so many garrisons have joined in?

Remember, each garrison harbored Commandant's Office agents; they couldn't have missed any prior signs—it must have been a sudden order.

He had witnessed the mind-bending tricks of the ghost troupe's Bai Qi Hong.

"Master Li."

Fifth Commandery Prince Xiao Jinghong said gravely: "We can no longer wait for reinforcements from Qingcheng Mountain. If we break the curse and invoke the authority of the imperial court, we may reclaim military control."

"We'll deal with that later…"

Li Yan nodded, then turned to the Commandery Princess, his expression darkening: "Perhaps the Fifth Commandery Prince should first explain—what is going on with the Commandery Princess?"

No wonder he hadn't seen her these past days.

Only upon entering the room did he realize: this princess was a living corpse!

(End of Chapter)