Chapter 370

The battle in the mental image was known to no one except Li Miao.

In reality, the morning light was faint.

An Ziyang and Mei Qinghe avoided the rising sun and walked slowly along the ruins caused by the explosion.

Inside the capital now, it was already a mess. The Eastern Depot, the Wu Lin, Yingzhou, and even Ji Tianrui, who was still hiding behind the scenes, each party might take advantage of the chaos.

The explosion destroyed all the secret passages nearby, forcing the two to traverse the entire Western District from the ground and enter the palace. This stretch of road was actually the most dangerous part of the day.

The ideal situation was to reach the palace quickly during the time when the battle between Li Miao and An Qisheng had just ended and everyone had not yet reacted.

But the development of events clearly would not shift according to their will.

After passing two streets, Mei Qinghe reached out to block, drew her sword, and shielded An Ziyang behind her. At the same time, noisy human voices came faintly from the front.

The two looked at each other, carried Li Miao and the old Daoist, leaped onto the roof, held their breath, and looked over.

On the collapsed street ahead, a dozen Wu Lin people were walking cautiously toward this side, their weapons already drawn, while talking in low voices.

"No movement."

"Looks like it's over... such a big commotion, I'm afraid only that Lord Li could make it, don't know which expert was fighting him."

"Who cares, the timid starve to death, the bold are stuffed to death; let's go over, no matter who won, we can just show our loyalty. But if both were injured..."

The words were not finished, but the implication was obvious.

An Ziyang sneered.

The fools in this world who are not afraid of death can never be killed off.

The events of tonight happened too hastily; only forty or fifty percent of the Wu Lin people died inside Wang Gongchang, and countless others were gathering here from all over the city. These were just the vanguard; the further away from Wang Gongchang, the more of these people there would be.

An Ziyang frowned first, but then felt happy.

"Perfect!"

He looked left and right, then jumped toward a house.

This was a coffin shop.

An Ziyang scanned the surroundings, and his gaze fixed on a pile of debris. He flicked his hand, and transparent silk threads covered it like a large net; with another pull, a clattering sound revealed a wooden corner at the bottom of the debris.

Mei Qinghe on the side also stepped forward and pushed with her palm, assisting him in clearing the debris.

Revealing a coffin.

The whole body was made of dark hardwood, the outline was distinct, and the surface had been carefully painted with black lacquer, shining with oil. All four sides were inlaid and connected with brass castings, and half of the character "Longevity" was written in white paint on the front.

Don't know which wealthy family had ordered this coffin; the material used was extremely solid. The house had collapsed, but this coffin only had a corner slightly chipped, and the other parts were intact.

An Ziyang carefully pushed open the coffin lid and placed Li Miao inside.

"Commander, I have wronged you."

He said in a low voice and closed the coffin lid.

Mei Qinghe was silent, stepped forward, and used her sword to scrape off the half "Longevity" character.

Neither of them spoke much, quickly smearing some black ash on their bodies. With An Ziyang there, it only took them a few dozen breaths to change their appearance and dress up like ordinary Wu Lin people.

An Ziyang tore some cloth and tied the coffin to his shoulder. Mei Qinghe carried the old Daoist, and the two turned and walked out.

Footsteps also came from outside.

A dozen Wu Lin people filed in; seeing the two, they were startled, their gazes lingered on them, and they were stunned.

What kind of arrangement is this?

One dragging a coffin, one carrying an old man who didn't know if he was dead or alive, covered in dust and blood, what are they doing?

"Uh, greetings to you two..."

The leader deliberated on his wording.

"Hmm, don't know what you two are?"

He pointed to the coffin.

An Ziyang, with a hoarse voice, looked at him blankly with a pair of scarlet eyes from under his hanging hair, and spat out three words.

"My master."

Mei Qinghe also weighed the old Daoist on her back.

"Junior uncle."

"Oh—pardon my rudeness."

The leading Wu Lin person suddenly realized, seemingly understanding something, and his face also showed a look of the rabbit mourning the fox. He didn't ask any more questions and reached out to lead the way outside.

"Please... do you need a hand?"

"No need."

An Ziyang replied hoarsely.

Sha—sha—

Dragging the coffin, step by step, staggering toward the outside.

Mei Qinghe also lowered her head, following with the same hand and foot.

Her comprehension in acting and deceiving people was not much worse than Li Miao's comprehension in martial arts; right now, she was acting in a way that looked awkward no matter how you looked at it. But in the eyes of these Wu Lin people, it was precisely a sign of constraint under great sorrow.

Watching the backs of the two leaving, the leading Wu Lin person sighed long.

"Sigh... don't know if I die here, will those brats in my sect be as sad as this."

"People die for wealth, birds die for food."

The companion also echoed.

"Dragging the coffin home, truly benevolent... but forgot to ask their sect and name. If people like this were close in normal times, one could entrust them with life in the future... sigh, but it's not good to chase after them to ask."

"Yeah, yeah."

And in front, An Ziyang blinked, squeezing out tears.

He had long practiced the skill of acting in brothels. When it came to deceiving people, there was no place in the world more suitable for practice than there.

The two walked all the way, and the number of Wu Lin people they encountered increased.

Their posture attracted countless gazes of admiration and sympathy.

Too many people died tonight, not just at Wang Gongchang, but also countless others killed by the Yingzhou Celestials slaughtering everywhere. The capital tonight could be said to be filled with wailing, and even if these Wu Lin people didn't have close friends who died, their moods were significantly affected.

Seeing An Ziyang's posture of dragging the coffin home, they were all moved.

A woman came over with a sword and asked with concern.

"You two, do you need a hand? I... also want to leave the city."

An Ziyang said "No need."

The woman didn't leave, continuing to say.

"You two, let's go together... I don't want to stay here anymore."

Before she finished speaking, tears fell.

"My master went to Wang Gongchang last night; with the commotion last night, I guess it's more ominous than auspicious. I wanted to go over to collect his body, but the further I walked, the less strength I had..."

She shook her head while crying, and went up to support the coffin on her own.

"I don't dare to look, let's just pretend my master is also in this coffin... after I send you off, I will retire from the Wu Lin; I really can't bear these things anymore..."

Her words were sincere.

It made countless surrounding Wu Lin people hang their heads in silence.

An Ziyang hesitated for a moment.

"Fine, just the two of us is also conspicuous; having a few more people is just right for cover."

So he nodded and continued to step forward.

Unexpectedly, after walking for a while, another young man gritted his teeth and ran over, reaching out to support the coffin.

"I'll come too... bullshit secret manual, bullshit Xuanlan, whoever wants it can have it! When I went down the mountain to walk the Wu Lin, it wasn't for some secret manual or some glory and wealth!"

His words were not restrained at all.

Many Wu Lin people's expressions changed.

Yeah, so many people died tonight, and many Wu Lin people already had thoughts of retreating. Coming here was first to follow the crowd, and second, they had survived a near-death experience but gained nothing, and were just unwilling to give up.

But after being shouted at by this young man, many people woke up.

What's the point?

So many people died for that illusory "Xuanlan" secret manual, why should it be their turn?

After dying, will someone bring their body back to their hometown, or will it just rot in the ground, or even be identified by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and implicate their family?

Clatter, the crowd surged.

Countless hands reached under the coffin and lifted it up.

"I'll come!"

"I don't want the secret manual either! Go! Send the two righteous men home!"

"I'll come too!"

An Ziyang only felt his shoulders lighten.

The coffin containing Li Miao was lifted up by dozens of hands and held high.

Dozens of eyes stared at An Ziyang.

"Brother, let's go!"

"Even if it's a thousand miles away, we will definitely send you, let your master be buried in peace!"

"Exactly! You say the word, no matter where in the world, we will follow you!"

An Ziyang's eyelid twitched.

"No, what are you moved about!"

"Put my Commander down!"

He had originally thought about mixing into the crowd in this guise, using the cover of the Wu Lin people to deceive the Yingzhou Celestials and Eastern Depot eunuchs who might come, but it had evolved into the current situation.

He was completely framed.

He wasn't going to leave the city, let alone go anywhere in the world, but to the palace!

A little further, and it would be a fork in the road. Then the secret would definitely be revealed!

But An Ziyang scanned the surroundings, those dozens of pairs of excited, admiring, and moved eyes, and for a moment he didn't know how to brush them off.

Mei Qinghe on the side had been stunned for a long time.

If she hadn't dodged, even the Wudang old Daoist would have been snatched away by these Wu Lin people.

After a long while, An Ziyang calmed his emotions.

He said hoarsely.

"Everyone's kindness, my junior sister and I appreciate it, but this matter involves the Embroidered Uniform Guard... we really don't dare to let too many people know our sect."

"Sending my master home, let my junior sister and me do it."

His words were very reasonable.

Yeah, the Wu Lin people who came here tonight were all here for the Xuanlan secret manual, essentially opposing the imperial court and the Embroidered Uniform Guard. If they were too conspicuous, what would they do if the Embroidered Uniform Guard came to settle accounts later?

But his words were undoubtedly an insult to the Wu Lin people carrying the coffin.

Fearing the Embroidered Uniform Guard would come to the door, wasn't it just fearing they would leak the news?

Many people blushed and opened their mouths to argue.

But before the words came out, looking at the coffin in their hands, they forcibly swallowed the words back.

Awkward.

No one was willing to let go of the coffin and admit they might leak the news, but no one was willing to rebuke An Ziyang, the "righteous man dragging the coffin home."

With this pause, more and more people gathered around.

Even more meddlesome ones told the whole story, attracting Wu Lin people who were rushing to Wang Gongchang to stay, wanting to see how this would end.

For a time, the flow of people heading to Wang Gongchang was intercepted by one-third, gradually blocking the entire street.

An Ziyang gritted his teeth.

His and Mei Qinghe's disguise was done in a hurry and wasn't very perfect; if someone familiar with the two saw them, they could still see the clues. Now they shouldn't be attracting attention at all.

But if they left forcibly, it would be even more conspicuous.

After a long while, his shoulders slumped.

"Forget it, let's go first; when we get to a place with fewer people ahead, drug these idiots, and then dash back to the palace with the Commander."

He turned silently and pulled the coffin.

Leading the Wu Lin people forward.

The crowd parted, making way for him.

Amidst countless admiring gazes, An Ziyang ground his teeth and walked slowly.

Walked out of the crowd.

Just then, on a roof not far to the front left, a figure suddenly flashed by.

An Ziyang looked up and narrowed his eyes.

Dark cloak, flying fish suit.

The Li Miao impersonated by the Yingzhou Celestial stepped on the roof, dashed by extremely quickly, glanced at this side as he passed, and sneered.

"Heh, ants."

After laughing, he flashed away.

An Ziyang's heart settled.

His strategy had indeed deceived the Yingzhou Celestial.

Now, as long as they walked past this street and away from the crowd, they would have survived this disaster.

He lowered his head again and walked forward, dragging the coffin.

Just as they were about to walk out of the end of the street, he heard a sudden scream from behind.

"Li Miao!"

"Another one!"

The second fake Li Miao dashed by, causing a panic among the Wu Lin people.

"What's the situation, how many Li Miaos are there!"

"It's haunted, I knew that person was wrong; his martial arts were as high as a ghost, I knew there was something tricky!"

"Speaking of which, it seems like Li Miao is killing people everywhere tonight... what exactly is the situation!"

The Wu Lin people were completely confused.

An Ziyang sneered, pretended nothing happened, and continued forward.

Turned the street.

Suddenly, Mei Qinghe's whisper came from behind.

"Brother An."

An Ziyang's hair stood on end.

In his "setting," the two were junior brother and sister, but Mei Qinghe was now addressing him as usual.

This meant that the disguise was meaningless.

He turned his head suddenly.

Sure enough, Mei Qinghe had already drawn her sword, thrown the Wudang old Daoist to the ground, and was focusing on one side.

There were two people there.

One fake Li Miao.

The other, both were very familiar, having just seen him tonight.

Liaoxing.

The Celestial of the Shuijin Monastery, one of the Wu Lin people chasing them tonight.

He wasn't dead.

And he was still smiling as he looked at the two.

"Two Battalion Commanders, stop pretending."

He smiled, turned, and cupped his hands toward the fake Li Miao.

"Senior, these two are Li Miao's confidants. As for who is in the coffin... Senior might want to take a look."

The fake Li Miao nodded and reached out to throw a book to Liaoxing.

"The Xuanlan technique is yours; whether you can cultivate it or not depends on your fortune."

Liaoxing smiled, tucked the secret manual into his bosom, put his hands together, and bowed to An Ziyang and Mei Qinghe.

The fake Li Miao looked at An Ziyang and Mei Qinghe and sneered.

"Who is in the coffin?"

"Forget it, I'll see for myself."

Having said that, he raised his hand and slapped out in the air!

Directly blowing the coffin lid away!

He glanced at it, his face full of joy.

"Sure enough, sure enough! Both injured!"

"Hahahaha—kill you, then kill that old immortal, and I will be completely free!"

Before the words fell, he flashed and rushed over!

Raising his hand, he was about to blow everyone in front of him, along with Li Miao in the coffin, to death!

An Ziyang's eyes were splitting, and he roared.

Mei Qinghe gritted her teeth and activated "Sword Twenty-Three," blood spraying all over her body, blocking in front of the coffin, and thrusting her sword at the fake Li Miao with all her might!

"Mantis blocking the chariot!"

The fake Li Miao laughed wildly and reached out to grab the long sword.

Liaoxing behind him touched the secret manual in his bosom, revealing a satisfied smile.

Joy, rampant.

Despair, sorrow.

All emotions were pushed to the limit by the crisis, as if time had frozen—at this instant!

Boom!

Liaoxing exploded.

The flesh wrapped in the moon-white monk's robe was like a ripe grape, suddenly stepped on, and exploded, juices splashing and scattering.

On his corpse, a dragon robe slowly straightened up.

The Emperor flashed behind the fake Li Miao and grabbed the fake Li Miao's head. The fake Li Miao still wanted to struggle, but was dragged into an illusion and instantly lost all sound.

The Emperor stood in place, silently looking at Li Miao in the coffin.

"Big Li..."

He should have tested Li Miao's True Qi; with his realm, he could easily detect Li Miao's state, but he didn't dare... he was afraid he would detect a dead silence.

The Emperor's eye sockets gradually turned red.

Put in a coffin, what else could happen?

With Li Miao's realm, regrowing severed limbs was just common, but he was now lying there covered in wounds, and even his chest didn't show any rise or fall.

Just three days of getting along, not even saying a few words, and just like this... the old man burying the young.

The Emperor felt his heart was about to crack.

An Ziyang let out a long breath and was about to speak.

"Your Majesty, you—"

The Emperor waved his hand.

"No need to say more."

He scanned everyone present; except for those helping Li Miao with the coffin, the rest were suppressed by his awe-inspiring killing intent.

"I want all of you—to be buried with Big Li!!!"

Bang!

The fake Li Miao's head exploded instantly, and red and white matter scattered all over the ground.

An Ziyang was stunned.

No, Your Majesty!

The Commander is not dead!