Chapter 436: Brilliant

"Mei Battalion Commander, long time no see."

The trembling voice was ironed flat by the heterogeneous soul. The woman no longer trembled, her head slowly raised from her encircling arms, about to look at Mei Qinghe.

"You—"

Squish.

Mei Qinghe stepped forward and sealed her throat with a sword.

"It really is you."

The sword blade pierced into the throat and then slashed horizontally, beheading the woman.

That head rolled a few times on the ground, and stopped with its face toward Mei Qinghe. Although it couldn't make a sound without a torso, the lips were clearly making a mouth shape, as if wanting to say something. The iconic cold gaze looked at Mei Qinghe, but it was rarely stunned for a moment.

Mei Qinghe actually closed her eyes.

Without a torso, it couldn't make a sound, and Mei Qinghe couldn't see the mouth shape, so the last effort of this clone was in vain.

Mei Qinghe counted a few times in her heart, and opened her eyes after a few breaths. The head had completely lost movement, and its eyes lost their luster.

She split it in two with a sword.

Only then did Mei Qinghe breathe a sigh of relief.

Liu Jin had not cultivated Nature Cultivation but forcibly split himself, so the quality and quantity of his clones were severely limited, and he couldn't create clones above the peak level at all. It could be said that the current Liu Jin only had a sharp mouth.

If it were An Ziyang, he might still have dealt with him and set up a trap to get information. But Mei Qinghe knew her own weight; if she said a few words, she was afraid that even her old bottom would be set up by Liu Jin.

So she simply didn't speak.

Behead first, then close eyes.

Do not have any information interaction with Liu Jin.

Do not give Liu Jin any chance to mock her.

Liu Jin felt the horror of the cold-shoulder treatment for the first time.

But at this time, the loud noise of Heaven-Men fighting not far away also stopped. Two figures moved swiftly from far to near, stopped in front of Mei Qinghe, and threw a human head on the ground.

Two attendants cupped their fists.

"Mei Battalion Commander, this person's moves don't look like they are from a famous righteous sect. He should be from the evil path, a bit like the martial arts foundation of the Green Willow Villa from decades ago, and I don't know if he is a remnant or a descendant."

"The two of us originally wanted to capture him, but later saw that he was from the evil path and there was no need to settle accounts, so we killed him, which delayed some time."

Although the two had martial arts far superior to Mei Qinghe, they were extremely respectful.

Mei Qinghe also cupped her fists in return.

"Thank you both, I will let my subordinates handle this place first, we need to rush to the next place."

She raised her hand and showed the Gu worm in her palm to the two.

"Brother An gave me this Gu worm, and we both know each other's position. From a moment ago, Brother An's position has been moving straight in one direction, it should be that he discovered something... perhaps it is the key to today's matter."

The two attendants looked at each other and nodded in unison.

"Understood... Mei Battalion Commander, excuse us."

The two stepped forward, each grabbing one of Mei Qinghe's shoulders with one hand.

The next instant, the two carried Mei Qinghe and flew onto the roof, rushing toward the direction she pointed.

————————

Shuntian Prefecture, Outer City.

This area was a newly expanded city area during the reign of the current Emperor, extending along the original city gate, expanding into a city outside the city with a radius of one mile.

This was also the most chaotic place in the capital.

Outer City, as the name suggests, is located outside the city wall. The curfew and patrols in the city cannot reach here, and there is no need to check identity when leaving, so the population mobility here is extremely large. Wine shops and brothels are lined up, overlapping with all kinds of chaotically piled broken houses, making people feel irritable at first glance.

And as the perspective gradually pushes closer, passing through the dirty and muddy streets, passing through several houses covered with dust and filth, approaching a plain-looking house, one can smell the blood smell faintly spreading inside.

Inside this house, there were actually dozens of people sitting full.

Jianghu people.

According to Jianghu status, martial arts, and seniority, they sat cross-legged from the wall to the center, their eyes focused on the three people in the middle. And those three in the middle were looking at the corpse wrapped in white cloth, silent.

These three could be counted as top figures in the Jianghu.

Kunlun Sect Elder, Yue Buchang.

Shuijin Zen Temple Discipline Hall Master, Liaokong.

And a middle-aged man whose appearance and figure were ordinary to the extreme, but whose temperament was as steady as a mountain, making people unable to ignore him.

Qingluan Gate, Gao Ming.

A Heaven-Man who competed for the position of "Peak" at the Moon Appreciation Banquet.

Up to this point, plus the deceased Qiao Cailian and Liaoxing, the Heaven-Men who competed for the position of Peak at the Moon Appreciation Banquet, except for those who had met Li Miao privately, were all here.

Zhu Zai and Li Miao's analysis was correct. After the Imperial Mausoleum incident, the hearts of the people in the Jianghu had been thoroughly boiled. Even if the dissatisfaction with the court had been forcibly suppressed by Li Miao with both kindness and power, it would explode at a specific time.

Yingzhou and the Eastern Depot gave them this opportunity.

And back to the present, the room was silent for a while.

After a long while, Kunlun Sect Elder Yue Buchang spoke hoarsely.

"My Kunlun Sect Heaven-Man, leader, and true transmission have all died in the battle last night, and the mountain gate will inevitably be raided by the court in the future. Hundreds of years of inheritance have already been broken in my hands."

Liaokong of Shuijin Zen Temple also put his hands together and sighed.

"My Shuijin Zen Temple will also inevitably suffer this disaster."

"If we talk about the courage to seek life in death, none of us lack it. But last night the Emperor slaughtered, and in just an instant, he killed Senior Brother Liaoxing. His martial arts are already no longer under Lord Li Miao."

"We dared to come to the capital to compete for the Xuanlan cultivation method, originally thinking that the Emperor himself was weak, and Lord Li was busy with clones, so we might be able to guard against their assassination... But now it seems that we were wrong from the beginning."

He smiled bitterly.

"In today's world, the only one who can pose a threat to the Emperor is probably Lord Li... But they are on the same side."

"Apart from fleeing for our lives, it seems there is no other way."

As soon as these words came out, the atmosphere in the room became even more oppressive.

Liaokong was right.

The Jianghu had been suppressed too hard and for too long.

The assassination attempt that could work in Zheng Anqi's era, in the current Jianghu, couldn't even find someone who could confront the Emperor. The balance between the court and the Jianghu had long been thoroughly unbalanced.

But fleeing... people can flee, can the mountain gate flee?

Can the elders flee, can the Heaven-Men flee, can the outer and inner disciples flee?

Flee, the sect inheritance is broken.

Don't flee, and there is nothing to do.

Ahead is the abyss, behind is also the abyss, and there is not even a direction for them to fight for their lives.

Someone gritted their teeth and shouted angrily: "Forget it, the Emperor is no good, Li Miao is no good, I will just go and kill a few dog officials to earn enough!"

Someone retorted: "There are no less than eight hundred officials killed in the city today, you go to assassinate instead of helping the court! Why, is the reason for the court to exterminate your nine clans not enough!"

Someone still carried expectations: "Perhaps go and seek the Xuanlan cultivation method again, even if we die, if we pass the cultivation method on, it counts as finding a foothold for the sect."

Someone gave a cold laugh: "But you don't even know where the cultivation method is!"

The arguments became more and more intense, although each held their own words, none of them carried anything but despair.

"Shut up."

Suddenly, a low voice, carrying majestic True Qi, erupted from the middle of the room, suppressing everyone on the spot.

Qingluan Gate Gao Ming stood up slowly, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the room one by one.

"Want to die, don't want to implicate the sect, just tear your face and jump into the river, why make noise here? All of you here are disciples of famous sects, not to mention thinking of ways to find a way out for your own sect, arguing like a woman, what is the benefit?"

"Why, have you learned martial arts on a dog?" As soon as he opened his mouth, he scolded everyone in the room.

Most of the Jianghu people had flushed faces.

"Senior Gao speaks lightly!"

Someone didn't know whether it was fear to the extreme or anger to the extreme, and regardless of Gao Ming's martial arts and seniority being far above him, he stood up and retorted with a red face.

"The situation today is nothing more than the court being powerful and the Jianghu declining. Everyone present has a share in the mistake of being weak. Can you escape it, Senior Gao Ming?"

"If you have a way to break the situation, why are you hiding here with us? We don't lack the courage to fight for our lives, but this life is useless even if we want to send it, is this our fault?"

Gao Ming gave a cold laugh.

"Then what is the use of your nonsense here?"

"I said, don't want to implicate the sect, go out and tear your face and jump into the river yourself. There are corpses floating everywhere in the moat today, the Embroidered Uniform Guard can't check your head... Or are you afraid?"

That person's tendons burst.

"What is there to be afraid of!"

Then, in the astonished eyes of everyone, he drew his sword and slashed at his face, tearing his face into shreds, and walked quickly to the door, about to push the door and go out to jump into the river.

His hand had just been placed on the door, but it was pressed down.

The person who stopped him was Gao Ming.

He didn't understand, and said in surprise and anger: "Senior Gao, what else do you have, do you want to humiliate me?"

Gao Ming patted him on the shoulder, then reached out and pinched his pulse, operating the healing technique, passing True Qi into his body to heal the wounds on his face.

That person was almost confused by Gao Ming.

"Senior Gao, you are..."

Gao Ming reached out and patted him on the shoulder.

"Since you are not afraid of death, it is better to shut up and do things."

"Do you think I went to the trouble of gathering you together just to have a companion before I die?"

That person was stunned for a moment, then surprised, and finally happy.

"Senior Gao, do you have a way to break the situation?"

Gao Ming shook his head.

"No."

"But someone has, and he is in this room."

That person was startled, his eyes scanning everyone in the room.

But after searching for a long time, he only saw a piece of confused expression like himself. In terms of martial arts, background, and sect, there was no unexpected person, and he couldn't think of anyone who could break the situation.

Gao Ming turned around and stared at someone.

"Your Excellency, you have heard what was said just now. We have been forced into a dead end, and your plan has succeeded. Now is the time to be honest... Do you still want to hide it?"

Everyone's eyes turned in unison, following Gao Ming's gaze, looking at a middle-aged man.

"Ah?"

"Who is this?"

"Seems to be a true transmission of the Qingyang Gate, first-class level... also haven't heard of anything outstanding?"

All were puzzled.

Even the middle-aged man had an expression of astonishment and inexplicability.

Gao Ming did not hesitate at all, walked toward him, and said in a deep voice.

"Does Your Excellency think that Jianghu people are all rough people, and all are fools without schemes?"

"From the time I received the news of Xuanlan, I deliberately paid attention to the sect location, arrival time, and manpower of the Jianghu colleagues who arrived in the capital."

"If the news was spread by word of mouth, then the further the sect, the later they arrive, and the worse the quality of manpower, after all, experts are not all shrinking in the sect, and gathering also takes time... But the situation is not like this at all."

Gao Ming walked to the middle-aged man.

"I found that the more sects that came out in full force, the more their positions were far and near. If calculated according to distance and arrival time, the departure time was almost on the same day... This is a plan someone deliberately promoted."

"I probed with people from several big sects and found that their news sources were different. But the common point is that there are very important people in the sect pushing this matter."

"Disguise? Dressing up? My first reaction was this, but last night... I quietly followed to Wang Gongchang and saw the conversation between An Ziyang and the Kunlun Sect female disciple."

Gao Ming said in a deep voice.

"Although it was strange and inexplicable, hard to believe, but I saw it with my own eyes... An Ziyang called her Eunuch Liu."

"Seizing the body? Clone? Reincarnation?"

"These are not important for now, but Your Excellency led us to the capital, always wanting to do something. If you don't say it now, I'm afraid it will be too late."

Gao Ming looked down at the middle-aged man.

The atmosphere in the room became oppressive.

Some understood, some didn't.

But everyone could understand that this was a matter of life and death. Whether they could live today depends on whether Gao Ming was wrong about the person.

Dozens of eyes stared at that middle-aged man.

After a long while, the middle-aged man's face changed.

All emotions disappeared from him, his gaze was calm as water, as if he had become a puppet without a soul.

He said calmly.

"How did you determine it was me?"

Gao Ming also replied calmly.

"I didn't determine it, but I guessed right."

Liu Jin asked again.

"You knew I was going to use you as a knife, why did you still come?"

Gao Ming laughed.

"Why not come?"

"Is the court's suppression of Heaven-Men fake, is Li Miao's forced suppression of the Jianghu fake, the path of martial arts is broken... is it fake?"

"The Jianghu is declining. If we only rely on ourselves, I'm afraid we will have to crawl at the feet of the court as dogs for the rest of our lives, wagging our tails at the Embroidered Uniform Guard, watching ourselves grow old day by day, but martial arts cannot advance... Clearly we can cultivate into two-path, three-path Heaven-Men, but we cannot take that step."

"If this life is wasted day by day, it is better to throw it in the right place. Someone has made a plan that we couldn't make, and it can pose a threat to the court that we couldn't pose."

"I came to try, to help Your Excellency, to see if I can open a path for the descendants of the Jianghu, is that not allowed?"

Gao Ming said it easily.

"Time is running out, the Embroidered Uniform Guard will chase here at any time, does Your Excellency have any other questions?"

"If not, why not take out the plan early."

"We have thoroughly offended the court, and the court has also made up its mind to exterminate us. We

Liu Jin stands up.

He scans the people in the room, finally letting his gaze rest on Gao Ming.

"I am the Seal-Holding Eunuch of the Eastern Depot, Liu Jin."

"Time is short; please follow me."

"I have some items, a secret passage, and a hiding place to entrust to you all."

At the same time, An Ziyang and the two honored guests step into the outer city, greet Mei Qinghe with a nod, and walk side-by-side toward Gao Ming's location, following the direction indicated by the gu-insect.

(End of chapter)