Chapter 701

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Fingertips tapped the rosewood armrest, the muffled sound like a heavy hammer beating a drum.

Luo Gongsheng only felt his heart twitching along with it.

"Disciple... disciple..."

He wanted to defend himself, but suddenly felt dejected and powerless.

He had apprenticed many years ago, respecting the person above him like a god.

Over the years, he had gradually gained control of the "Iron Anchor Society" and climbed up to the Prince Yan's Mansion, and could be said to be calling the wind and rain in the capital.

But now he realized that all power, fame, and fortune were as fragile as porcelain in front of this master.

Finally, Huo Yin spoke slowly, his voice as cold as ice iron.

"Prince Yan is impatient and lax in his subordinates, and will sooner or later bring disaster. Stay away from him in the future."

"You cannot shirk the responsibility for Wang She's affair. Go to the Mystic Xuan Xuan Jisi Office to confess your guilt yourself."

"Go, and don't come to the door again from now on."

The voice was calm, but it sounded like thunder in Luo Gongsheng's ears.

He knew that Wang She's defection to the evil people was completely cleared of hidden dangers, but he had also been expelled from the master's school.

Without Huo Yin's tiger skin, future troubles would surely follow one after another.

He wanted to plead for mercy, but looking at Huo Yin's cold face, he couldn't say a word, so he had to grit his teeth, kowtow a few times, and turn to leave.

A hundred meters out the door, he turned his head to look at the small courtyard again, and a trace of anger rose in his heart, muttering:

"Since you are so heartless, I will let you see that without you, I, Luo Gongsheng, can still hold my own!"

After speaking, he took his men and left.

Huo Yin inside heard these whispers clearly, but ignored them, just reading the book calmly.

Soon, soldiers of the Embroidered Uniform Guard rode over, knocked on the door and entered, handing over a token and silk cloth with both hands.

"Grand Commander Huo, His Majesty has an order!"

After Huo Yin took it, he glanced at it indifferently, "Understood."

After speaking, he stood up, pushed the door and returned to the room.

When he came out, he had already changed into a tight-fitting short jacket and was carrying a large ox-horn bow on his back.

Swish!

A blur passed before the soldiers' eyes, and the person had already disappeared, leaving only a faint footprint on the blue brick floor.

The soldier hurriedly looked up, his mouth wide open.

But he saw a small black dot in the air, which had suddenly leaped onto the towering city wall...

………

Also in the southwest of the Imperial City, a large courtyard with three courtyards.

This house combined the characteristics of northern houses, with a wide courtyard and century-old trees with green crowns like shade, and also combined the characteristics of the Hui style and the Jiangnan water town, with moon arch gardens, scenery everywhere, and ponds and water pavilions.

It looked low-key, but in the details, it showed luxury.

The large houses in this area in the southwest of the Imperial City were all inhabited by princes and nobles. Due to the level and ritual system, the luxury of construction varied, and one could easily find houses better than this one.

But what was special about this house was that many places were decorated with rare treasures from overseas.

Precious spices such as frankincense, benzoin, and borneol from the Nanyang were ground into powder, mixed with gold leaf or colored lacquer, and inlaid into large screens of "Maritime Trade Routes" or "Foreign Tribute Maps," placed in each main hall...

Sappanwood produced in places like poisonous lands was carved into foreign beast totem poles, the surface painted with lacquer to prevent decay, and placed on both sides of the courtyard...

There were also ivory and coral, paired with gilded bases to make "Maritime Immortal Mountain" landscapes...

Any one of them, if put on the market, would be a priceless treasure.

There was no other reason; this place was the Minzhou Chamber of Commerce, and also the gathering place of the Open Sea Faction.

"This is the navigation compass of the Frankish Academy..."

A merchant in a brocade robe introduced carefully: "The Franks have been rampant in the oceans for many years. They have rich experience, and their astrologers also have other wonderful methods. Together with the scholars of their academy, they created this treasure, which can not only distinguish directions but also avoid storms and evil spirits at sea."

Beside him, an old man with white hair walked with his hands behind his back, his face thin and wearing a black jacket.

He was full of age spots and looked like he was about to die.

However, the surrounding wealthy merchants all crowded around carefully, not daring to be the slightest bit negligent.

This old man was none other than Dong Changxing of the Bagua Sect in the capital.

One of the ten great masters of the Shenzhou.

Although he was already old, he was a pillar of the Jianghu.

"Indeed not bad."

Dong Changxing slid his fingertips slightly over the star chart and nodded in praise.

"Don't worry."

The wealthy merchant in the lead next to him hurriedly patted his chest, "Now that our trade routes have been explored, and the disciples of the Bagua Sect have boarded the ship, we will definitely have a smooth journey!"

Other merchants also had smiles on their faces and echoed one after another.

Overseas voyages, dangers such as storms and undercurrents were only one aspect, and now more trouble came from pirates.

The ships of various countries at sea were both merchant ships and pirate ships.

Apart from firearms, what they needed most were experts.

And the Bagua Sect in the capital had developed to a bottleneck over the years.

Seeing Dong Changxing getting older and unable to provide protection in the future, they had to find more ways.

Getting on the big ship of the Open Sea Faction was undoubtedly a way.

Thus, the two sides hit it off.

Even Dong Changxing, who had been living in seclusion for many years, came out to sit in town himself.

It could be seen how much both sides attached importance to this cooperation.

Just at this moment, a servant rushed over, "Report to the President..."

Before he finished speaking, he was pushed away by the Embroidered Uniform Guard soldier who came to deliver the letter.

"Mr. Dong, His Majesty has an order!"

The merchants were originally unhappy, but seeing this, they immediately closed their mouths.

Dong Changxing took the yellow silk, glanced at it a few times, and cold light flickered in his turbid pupils.

"Evil people are rampant in the capital, His Majesty wants us to take action. Gentlemen, I will take my leave first."

"Important matters are urgent, Mr. Dong, please be busy."

How dare the merchants stop him, they hurriedly sent the Bagua Sect group out of the mansion.

Not long after walking, the head of the Dong family next to him frowned upon hearing this, "Father, you haven't entered the palace for many years, why..."

Dong Changxing waved his hand to interrupt his words and shook his head:

"The Dong family has been able to be stable in the capital for these years, and this old man's face is almost used up."

"Masters are transcendent. If you can't be as loyal as Huo Yin, the Emperor will have a thorn in his heart."

"After taking action this time, this old man will completely wash his hands of the business."

"How to go in the future depends on you..."

After speaking, he stepped on the palace position, his figure flashed nine times, and disappeared on the street in the blink of an eye...

…………

South City, Wan Sheng Escort Agency.

In the martial arts arena, shirtless men were throwing stone locks, and sweat was steaming like smoke.

Here, there was also a master, Wan Shengying.

He was not only the founder of Wan Sheng Fist but also the chief escort leader of the escort agencies in the thirteen northern and southern provinces.

Whether it was the Cao Gang or the Jinzhou Chamber of Commerce, they all had a close relationship with him.

The green forest heroes and water bandits on the northern and southern waterways had to avoid them when they saw the "Wan Sheng Flag."

It could be said that the Wan Sheng Escort Agency was a famous existence in both the black and white paths of the Jianghu.

Similarly, the Embroidered Uniform Guard soldier came with an order and was led into the backyard.

Soon, Wan Sanshan, the chief escort leader of the Wan Sheng Escort Agency, strode out and shouted:

"Stop, release the 'signs' to lock the twenty-four gates!"

"Release the news, tell the green forest along the river, whoever lets the Jianmu people pass through... I will lift their ancestor hall!"

Unlike the other two families, the Wan Sheng Escort Agency sent a large number of people as soon as they took action.

They would not miss such a good thing as killing evil people and making a name for themselves.

The three great masters sitting in the capital represented different forces at the same time.

Huo Yin's Divine Fist had always been the iron gate for the defense of the Imperial City...

Dong Changxing's Wandering Dragon Step was just like the disciples of the Bagua Sect, wandering among the powerful...

Wan Shengying's escort flag was stuck all over the places where the grass bandits of the Shenzhou entrenched themselves...

The three great masters sat in the capital, they fought a lot when they were young, and they didn't interact much on weekdays. But now, under the Imperial order, they were like three divine weapons coming out together...

…………

Approaching noon, the sunlight plated the glazed tiles of the palace city with a dazzling golden edge.

In the streets and alleys of the capital, however, a murderous chill that was highly inconsistent with the clear weather permeated.

With the Imperial order issued, the giant net to hunt the Jianmu evil people tightened suddenly.

All city gates were temporarily closed, and checkpoints were set up at the intersections of various streets in the capital.

Inside the City God Temple, the sandalwood incense was heavy, suppressing the smell of fireworks.

Several Daoists wearing Mystic Sect Dharma robes and with crane hair and childlike faces sat cross-legged on the high altar, their demeanor as calm as mountains.

They were the National Preceptors sent by the Taixuan Orthodox Sect to assist in the capital.

Logically speaking, the position of National Preceptor should be held by someone virtuous and respected in the Daoist sect.

For example, Master Chen Tuan, Qiu Chuji, Master Sanfeng...

But many times, these people had other important matters.

For example, "Master Yuchanzi" of Wudang, the imperial court invited him to the capital several times, but he was busy with many things and could only resign time and time again.

Even so, these "National Preceptors" before them were all outstanding figures of various Mystic Sects.

On the formation altar in front of them, there were castings similar to star tracks.

At the core, there was a huge "Taiyi Formula Plate" rotating and humming.

Whenever the Daoists changed their Dharma formulas, the "hanging signs" on the "Formula Plate" would move without wind.

This was Taiyi Divine Number, rumored to have been created by Feng Hou on the order of the Yellow Emperor, used to arrange troops when fighting Chiyou, and modeled after the Nine Palaces Method of the "I Ching: Qian Zuo Du." In the "Records of the Grand Historian: Biographies of Diviners" of the Western Han Dynasty, it was listed as one of the seven divination techniques.

By the Tang and Song Dynasties, it was listed as a compulsory subject for the Imperial Academy, on par with calendar calculation and astronomy.

But to make this kind of large "Taiyi Formula Plate" Dharma treasure, only the Imperial Observatory could use it, and it was driven by incense.

The long-browed National Preceptor in the lead came from the "Doumu Courtyard" of the Taixuan Orthodox Sect, and his Daoist name was Yuan Zai.

The "Doumu Courtyard" studied astrology, made great efforts in formulating the new calendar this time, and was also extremely proficient in art and numbers.

Watching the "Taiyi Formula Plate" rotate, his eyes narrowed slightly, and his voice was old but every word was clear.

"The Li Palace fire is blazing... the Dui position is obscure... blood light appears slightly in the Wuxu direction!"

The disciples of the Mystic Xuan Xuan Jisi Office standing under the altar immediately wrote like flying, marking the orientation and abnormalities on the sand table model of the capital not far away.

The areas outlined in cinnabar were exactly the places with deep evil Qi that Rites Pei Zongti had seen.

These National Preceptors were not only calculating the whereabouts of Zhao Qingxu and Kong Hui, but also monitoring and locking onto the "Sha Qi nodes" infected by evil Qi.

And in the smoke rising from the incense burner beside the altar, the spirit tablets of the Nine Gates City God also trembled faintly.

This was the invisible "Society Order" troops, which had already been activated and could provide support at any time...

…………

The streets near the outskirts of the capital were a completely different scene of horror.

The sound of neat horse hooves shattered the tranquility of the street, and the elite of the Imperial Guard were fully armed.

Rites Pei Zongti, wearing a scarlet robe, charged at the very front on horseback.

Under his leadership, the Imperial Guard, like a steel torrent, poured into the first area designated for encirclement:

A workshop area filled with cargo warehouses outside the Chaoyang Gate.

In an instant, the street entrance was sealed off by heavy troops, strong bows and crossbows were drawn, and the cold murderous intent froze the air.

The cavalry of the Commandant's Office, with black-clothed Taotie patterns, like hunting dogs that smelled blood, divided into dozens of groups under Luo Mingzi's command, nimbly drilling into the narrow alleys and deep passages between warehouses and civilian houses.

They not only led mountain-guarding spirit dogs but also took out special compasses for guidance.

Woof woof woof!

The "mountain-guarding spirit dogs," which had been specially trained and were extremely sensitive to filthy Qi, barked wildly and irritably.

The crowd went from house to house, conducting carpet-style searches in ceiling attics, cellars, hidden walls, and other places.

Any suspicious area would attract the most rigorous investigation and talisman seal.

The experts of the Law Enforcement Hall followed closely behind, ready to take action at any time.

Li Yan and the Twelve Yuan Chen group were also mixed into this elite Law Enforcement Hall team led by Luo Mingzi himself.

It was said that they were invited to suppress the formation as living Yin messengers, but looking at the situation, there was no need for them to take action at all.

Instead, it was like visiting a grand hunting exercise.

"Hey, this scene!"

Sha Lifei held his divine fire gun, watching the team advance in an orderly manner, layer by layer, and couldn't help but smack his lips.

Long Yan'er gently stroked her waist pouch, soothing the Gu insects that were restless due to the strong evil Qi, and shook her head:

"This is the true power of the Great Xuan... it's just that it usually stays hidden, and I don't know where the Yang family of Bozhou got the courage."

Li Yan nodded, "Tampering with the dragon vein, it seems the imperial court is also anxious."

After speaking, he cast his gaze further into the distance.

He could vaguely feel that three astonishing forces were approaching rapidly.

Soon, the team made a discovery.

Inside the abandoned warehouse at the old canal wharf, the rotten wooden beams and pillars were split open, but they were covered with blue-black tree tumors.

Each tumor cracked open, dripping with pus.

The sacks piled on the ground had long since turned into sticky pus, and dozens of corpses were dragged out from the beams and pillars.

These corpses were all pierced through the crown of their heads by ochre-red tree roots, and dense fungal threads grew out of their eye sockets, trembling slightly in the wind.

"Tsk tsk, this is the method of 'hitting living piles'..."

Kuai Dayou, who came to join in the fun, sucked his teeth, "Looking at the years, it's at least ten years, many people should have died here."

Luo Mingzi, who was beside him, heard this and immediately asked someone to call the owner of the warehouse.

This fat merchant still wanted to lie, but after a few slaps from the captain of the Commandant's Office, he immediately revealed the truth.

Many people had indeed died here, all beggars who stayed overnight.

He was afraid that the warehouse wouldn't be rented out, so he used money to bribe the government office to hide the matter.

"Lawless!"

The accompanying official from the Ministry of Justice was trembling with anger.

Obviously, many people would be unlucky today because of this matter...

There was more than one location found.

Deep in the dry well of Sweet Water Alley, after it was uncovered, the sound of beating pots could be heard vaguely.

After going down to look, the well wall seeped gelatinous black blood, outlining large areas of blood-colored talisman patterns along the brick seams.

And at the bottom of the well, there were two pregnant women's corpses with bloated bellies.

After a yellow talisman for suppressing evil was pasted on, the bellies burst, and many black strange fish crawled out...

"This is a 'Yin Body Well'!"

Kuai Dayou's face also became serious, "The water nearby can no longer be drunk, otherwise a great plague will surely occur, what a vicious method!"

What was found next made one's scalp tingle even more.

In the courtyard of the former residence of the Minister of the previous dynasty, in the abandoned courtyard, the century-old locust tree had a thick crown, and the leaves were black.

On many branches, hundreds of wild cats were hanging with faded silk.

The cat corpses swayed and hit the tree trunk with the branches, and every time they hit, they made a cat-calling sound.

Around the locust tree, it was chillingly cold, and in the middle of the day, a layer of white frost had actually condensed, covered with cat footprints.

Wang Daoxuan shook his head, "This is the 'Cat Ghost Tomb' of the Jiangzuo evil cultivators."

"Burn it!"

With Luo Mingzi's order, the Daoists of the Law Enforcement Hall immediately brought a large amount of peach wood firewood to burn.

Amidst the raging fire, the wailing sounds of countless wild cats rang out, making people's hearts feel hairy.

Although the results were obvious and many infected areas were found.

However, Li Yan's heart was always hanging.

Just at this moment, the hook order in his arms suddenly became hot.

Although he quickly lost the induction, Li Yan jumped up without hesitation and landed on the courtyard wall.

Looking left and right, his eyes were instantly locked on the crowd watching the fun in the distance.

Inside, a scholar wearing a bamboo hat had slightly reddish pupils.

"Kong Hui!"

Li Yan laughed, "Since you're here, why are you hiding!"

(End of chapter)