Chapter 191

Since the affair of the Five Mountains Sword Sect was settled, Li Miao has actually been secretly pondering a question.

Fifteen years ago, when he was only a first-rate expert, he took on Zhu Zai's errand and killed a group of Ming Cult members who came to Shuntian Prefecture, which was why he was promoted to Battalion Commander and stepped into the pinnacle.

But, thinking about it now—did the Ming Cult really only send one group? A group that could be mostly killed by him at the age of twenty?

The butterfly refined by Li Xiaosi based on the Miao King's notes could only track specific Gu insects, which were the Gu insects contained within the "furnace cauldrons." That butterfly, however, flew to the Imperial Mausoleum.

And upon seeing Wang Zhi use Gu insects to control the life and death of Heaven-Men, Li Miao finally became certain—the Ming Cult that came to Shuntian Prefecture back then was not just one group.

The events of fifteen years ago have dragged on until today; Yun Yun Zelin is likely just an insignificant interlude in it.

The truth of that year was hidden behind a curtain, and only now has a corner been slowly revealed.

And Li Miao has finally walked before the truth.

At the very least, a part of the truth.

Li Miao stepped inside.

After walking just a few steps, he frowned.

Because as his boots stepped across the ground, it was actually somewhat sticky. Every time he lifted his foot, scarlet threads were pulled out.

These boots were not cheap.

Wang Zhi was still struggling on his own, forcing himself to speak.

"Your Excellency, if you retreat now, the court—"

Rip!

He suddenly felt a chill on his back; the clothes on his body were actually torn to shreds by Li Miao.

Wang Zhi was suddenly startled and turned his head to look at Li Miao, immediately seeing Li Miao's teasing eyes through the holes in the bronze mask.

"To tell the truth, boots that can withstand my true Qi are not easy to find; over the years, I've only managed to save up a few pairs. Stepping in this filth, I really do feel a bit of heartache."

"There is a saying in my hometown: 'Bow your head and willingly serve as a child's ox.'"

"Eunuch Wang is a fourth-rank Grand Eunuch; surely you don't lack the public spirit to carry a commoner like me, right?"

Wang Zhi's face turned pale instantly.

"Your Excellency—"

Bang!

Before he could finish speaking, he was slammed to the ground by Li Miao, his entire face pressed into the filth on the floor, unable to speak a word through his "woo-woo" sounds.

Li Miao did a little hop and stepped onto his back.

Bang!

Li Miao struck a palm behind him, and Wang Zhi was launched out like a sharp arrow.

This cave extended downwards and had a slope. The ground was full of foul-smelling, sticky liquid. Wang Zhi lived in luxury and was a eunuch, so his skin was as delicate as a woman's.

He didn't hesitate at all, carrying Li Miao as he rushed swiftly into the depths of the cave.

Li Miao stood on Wang Zhi's back with his hands behind his back, as if on a spring outing, listening to the "woo-woo" sounds coming from beneath his feet, looking ahead unhurriedly.

After a while, he saw a large stone gate at the end.

Bang!

Wang Zhi crashed headfirst into the gate, his eyes rolling back, and he immediately bled from the head and passed out.

Li Miao had jumped off in advance, walked slowly to the gate, and struck it with a fist, his true Qi penetrating inside to carefully sense the mechanisms within.

This place was indeed different from the Miao King's tomb and the An family's mechanisms; it was extremely intricate and complex. If Li Miao forced a solution, he feared it would lock up immediately. This stone gate was several feet thick, and it would take Li Miao some effort to break it open.

But, wasn't there still Eunuch Wang?

Li Miao kicked the unconscious Wang Zhi, sending true Qi into his acupuncture points.

"Hah! —"

Wang Zhi sat up suddenly, his eyes wide, unable to speak from the pain.

"Open the door, Eunuch Wang."

Li Miao smiled.

————————

Ji Ji Ji Tianrui still hadn't spoken.

And Yin Yin Ruihua's hand also slowly lowered.

"You are waiting for someone?"

He said.

"Yes."

Ji Ji Ji Tianrui smiled.

"I did many things to lure a great expert who can help me block all the court's Heaven-Men. After all, if another ten Heaven-Men came, I would find it a bit difficult on my side."

"Listening to the commotion over there, he should have arrived already and is currently looking for the truth he wants to know."

Before the words fell, several loud bangs suddenly came from the dense forest behind them.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Thief!"

"There's an ambush!"

"Keep them here!"

It connected into one, mixed with cries of pain and roars, erupting all at once.

Ji Ji Ji Tianrui smiled and continued.

"Although I invited him to help, I'm embarrassed to really let him block all the court's Heaven-Men. I deliberately left a few useless subordinates outside, which should be able to hold them back for a moment."

"Senior Yang."

Ji Ji Ji Tianrui's figure suddenly dissipated, leaving only a sentence floating in the air.

"I'll trouble you to block Old Senior Yin."

"I'll go see the things inside."

Yang Yang Lijian suddenly laughed wildly.

"Hahahaha—good!"

"You two brats surnamed Ji, although not as straightforward as my Yang family, this sinister and poisonous mind used on the opposite side is truly useful!"

"Go! I'll block this old thing!"

"Don't even think about it!"

The middle-aged man supporting Yin Yin Ruihua roared, his figure flashing; when he appeared again, he was already in an open space, his palms blocking Ji Ji Ji Tianrui's fist.

And Yang Yang Lijian had also slowly walked before Yin Yin Ruihua.

The middle-aged man stared fixedly at Ji Ji Ji Tianrui's eyes and gritted his teeth, saying: "Thief, with me here, don't even think about going in!"

Ji Ji Ji Tianrui smiled.

"You're speaking too soon."

"If we talk about Wu Gong, I indeed cannot take you down for a moment. But you might not know..."

Hiss!

While speaking, a green snake suddenly darted out from Ji Ji Ji Tianrui's sleeve, fiercely lunging toward the middle-aged man's face.

The middle-aged man was suddenly startled and retreated rapidly.

At this time, the second half of Ji Ji Ji Tianrui's sentence was slowly spoken.

"I am, after all, a demon girl from the Miao frontier."

Boom!

Ji Ji Ji Tianrui stomped on the ground, and for a moment, the ground within a radius of several feet suddenly collapsed, revealing a huge deep pit.

The middle-aged man's expression was gloomy; he flashed and jumped into the deep pit, chasing after Ji Ji Ji Tianrui.

————————

Wang Zhi opened the mechanism with his last breath.

Click-clack-click-clack—

The springs twisted, and the gears engaged.

The stone gate opened with a boom.

Li Miao gripped the back of Wang Zhi's neck with a claw and stepped inside.

At first glance, he saw a corpse hanging on the wall.

The corpse of Xue Xue Jinxi.

The abdomen was cut open, the internal organs had been removed, and the eyes were wide open, looking at Li Miao without focus.

Li Miao scanned the corpse up and down, then looked coldly at Wang Zhi, and continued to walk forward.

"Withered Glory Gate, Teng Zhihao."

"Nine Nether Valley, Bai Miaomiao."

"Green Willow Manor, Feng Wenju."

"Clear Wave Manor, Fu Binyu."

Walking along the way, dozens of corpses hung on both sides of the walls. All of them died with their eyes open, their appearances miserable.

Li Miao could only recognize a few, but they were all famous experts in the Wu Lin. They ranged from over a decade to several decades ago, and among them were many with confirmed causes of death, yet their corpses appeared here.

Finally, Li Miao stopped before a corpse wearing Daoist robes, missing an arm and a chin.

"Mount Mount Mount Wudang, Daoist Master Shi Lu."

"And also..."

Li Miao turned around and looked at a bald corpse behind him.

"Shaolin, Master Jinghai."

(End of chapter)