Chapter 423

Li Qingluo thought she had misheard.

"Senior, what do you mean by these words?"

Hudie smiled faintly: "Don't misunderstand."

Prince Su indeed had Dong Siyuan come to see me, wanting me to detox the Pei family of the Silk-Drawing poison.

To be honest, this poison isn't difficult for me.

But I'm not some do-gooder; why must I clean up these messes for Zayna and Zulya sisters?

So I never intended to get involved in this.

But I haven't left Jinling yet, simply because I'm still waiting for you.

Li Qingluo: "Waiting for me?"

Hudie: "Yes, there's something very strange about you."

For this journey, I had an elder of the sect divine a hexagram for me.

The hexagram was auspicious, yet within the auspiciousness there lay an ominous aspect.

However, this ominous aspect is not mine—it's yours!

Li Qingluo grew more confused: "Why would it be me?"

At that time, senior, you didn't even know you'd come to Jinling to treat and detoxify me, did you?

Senior, have you made a mistake?

Hudie: "The elders had already divined the outcome of Hudie's death from the start."

So how could it be wrong?

I had foreseen her fate, so I originally had no intention of coming to DaLiang again.

The elders said this journey would bring an unexpected surprise, and the benefactor I truly intend to help is not the person mentioned in Dong Siyuan's letter.

Here awaits another encounter for me, as well as an unexpected gain.

More importantly, this gain will change the future status of the Witch Moon Sect throughout MiaoJiang.

That's why I came.

Li Qingluo looked at the box before her: "So, is this gain the things inside?"

Having them will be greatly beneficial to your Witch Moon Sect's future.

Hudie: "No. It's you."

Li Qingluo still didn't understand.

How did it get tied to her again?

Hudie rose and walked to the window, gazing at the prosperous Jinling City outside: "Don't you feel that all of this is merely a dream?"

Is everything you've seen and experienced truly real?

Perhaps it's all false.

And what you see in your dreams each time might be the truth.

Li Qingluo sprang to her feet instantly.

Her face turned deathly pale as she looked at Hudie.

"Senior, just what do you know?"

Hudie shook her head, not answering immediately: "I'll help you save the Pei family."

"Come with me to MiaoJiang. How about it?"

"As for the things in this box, I'm not in a hurry to take them."

"You can take them to MiaoJiang, and they'll still be yours."

To MiaoJiang!?

Li Qingluo was about to flatly refuse, but Hudie said: "Don't rush to refuse me."

"You will agree. Otherwise, you won't see next spring."

Having said that, she picked up a pill from the box.

"Is this the first antidote to the Silk-Drawing poison that Zulya gave you?"

After sniffing it, Hudie sneered: "She's truly vicious—she even tampered with this antidote."

Having said that, she regardless of whether Li Qingluo had agreed to her terms, took the pill and turned, slipping into the inner chamber.

Li Qingluo also didn't take the box, turned and hurriedly left the Minglou.

Seeing her poor complexion, Zheng Mama couldn't help worrying: "Miss, is it that Sect Master Hudie is making things difficult for you?"

Li Qingluo: "She said... I won't see next spring."

Zheng Mama rolled up her sleeves in anger and turned to go find Hudie to reason with her.

"Too much! How could Sect Master Hudie curse you like that?"

"Even if she saved your life, we've shown our sincerity, and this Minglou treats her as an honored guest, offering the finest food and the best heavenly suite."

"No matter how capable she is, she can't just open her mouth and curse you, can she?"

"This old servant will go confront her!"

Li Qingluo quickly grabbed Zheng Mama.

"No."

"Sect Master Hudie hasn't made things difficult for me at all."

"I think her words are merely superficial."

Zheng Mama was puzzled, "Superficial meaning?"

"Not seeing next spring—isn't that a curse?"

Li Qingluo looked at Zheng Mama: "Perhaps one day I will fall into a deep sleep and never wake again."

Zheng Mama's face changed dramatically upon hearing this: "No……"

Li Qingluo shook her head, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

She was thinking of those words Jin Yun said.

In the Witch Moon Sect, there is an elder who can divine.

That elder, despite being separated by mountains and seas, could actually divine that she would face great misfortune.

Does this misfortune refer to the Hudie gu, or to the sleep that even Grandfather Luo cannot find the cause of?

Li Qingluo's mind conjured that unthinkable thought.

Since her rebirth, whenever she touches alcohol she collapses and falls into a sleep that no one can wake her from.

Even now, even if she no longer drinks alcohol, simply falling asleep as usual makes it increasingly impossible to wake up.

Could all these strange things happening to her be related to her… being a reborn person?

Could it truly be as Sect Leader Jin Yun said, that everything she has experienced—including her revenge, her grandmother, even Duan Rongshi—all these karmic ties are merely a dream she had before death?

And she is merely within the dream.

As for that darkness in the dream, that is perhaps her true world?

Just thinking of this possibility, Li Qingluo felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar, her whole body turning icy cold.

Suddenly, the street crowd erupted in an uproar.

As if gone mad, they all surged toward the city gate.

Zheng Mama and Sha Yi immediately shielded Li Qingluo behind them and moved to the side of the street.

Watching the crowd continually streaming toward the city gate, Zheng Mama hastily grabbed a passerby and asked, "Hey, what's happening?"

"What are you running for?"

The passerby stamped his foot anxiously, trying to break free from Zheng Mama's grip, but discovered that this old lady's hand strength was as great as an ox's.

Unable to break free, he anxiously replied, "Oh, of course we're going to see the excitement!"

"Haven't you heard? Something big has happened over at Qishan!"

Qishan?

Li Qingluo and the two others exchanged a glance.

"What big thing? How would we not know?"

The passerby: "Just looking at you, you're clearly from a wealthy household; it's no surprise you don't know. Just now someone was telling a story in a teahouse, saying that the Lotus Goddess has appeared in the Qishan area, so everyone is rushing to catch a glimpse."

Zheng Mama released the person.

The person slipped away and hurried off.

Afraid of being late, they feared they wouldn't get to see the true appearance of the Lotus Goddess.

Li Qingluo and the two others also didn't linger, hastily returning to the Xiuli Jiangjun Fu.

"Miss, the rumor of the Lotus Goddess appearing at Qishan had already leaked out a few days ago, hadn't it?"

"Why has it become such a huge commotion today?"

Li Qingluo: "These people are just joining the fun; how many would actually go to Qishan?"

"As long as it doesn't interfere with Zhui Yu and the others' withdrawal, it's fine."

"By the way, Sha Yi, have Sha Qi and the others sent any word?"

Sha Yi: "Reporting, Miss, just now my subordinates learned that the transfer of His Highness and his party… indeed encountered a problem."

Li Qingluo: "What?"

Sha Yi: "Zhui Yu and Que'er—they've gone missing."

Li Qingluo's heart sank heavily.

"And His Highness?"

Sha Yi: "His Highness is also held up, but word from Leng Dian's side says everything is already ready."

Li Qingluo never expected their foolproof plan to actually encounter an accident.

"What on earth is going on? Go check quickly!"

Sha Yi, together with Sha Er and Sha Si, hurriedly left the manor.

Li Qingluo couldn't just wait at home either, so she donned male attire, took Sha Wu, Sha Liu, and Sha Shi San, and the four of them immediately mounted their horses and followed close behind, heading for Qishan.

They blended into the crowd watching the excitement, posing as wandering martial artists.

Before they even reached Qishan, everyone was utterly shocked by the sight before them.

A vast expanse of dark troops.

At least five thousand strong!

On the black flags, three large characters were starkly visible: Bei Tu Army!

"How could the Bei Tu Army be here?"

"Could they be here to suppress the Lotus Sect?"

"With such a massive deployment, could it be that the Lotus Sect's main stronghold is actually here?"

"That really is a possibility! Otherwise, how could that mysterious Lotus Goddess appear here?"

"If it's true, don't you understand the principle of capturing the leader first to catch the bandits? The Lotus Sect leader has finally appeared, and the court naturally wants to seize this cult leader who brings calamity to the populace as soon as possible."

"Moreover, the one currently overseeing state affairs as regent is said to be the very Crown Prince who once suppressed the Jingyun Shan Zhuang."

"Then wouldn't this be another great achievement for him?"

"I didn't expect the Crown Prince to truly have resolve. Time and again he has beaten the Lotus Sect into submission, and still wishes to utterly annihilate this calamitous cult."

"Unlike Prince Su, who, despite serving as Minister of Justice for several years, has failed to eradicate the Lotus Sect, truly wasting his reputation."

"Shhh——! Do you all want to get hit with the board again? How dare you recklessly discuss state affairs again!"

The crowd grew larger and larger, all wanting to see some fresh excitement, yet not a single person was scared off by the Northern Map Army's imposing presence.

Even those martial artists skilled in lightness sneaked back and forth several times.

They only wanted to bring the fastest news to inform everyone.

Li Qingluo watched on, and instead of growing agitated, she grew calmer and calmer.

She knew whose hand was behind today's news.

Besides Duan Rongshi, who else could it be?

He deliberately wanted this matter to blow up as big as possible.

But since everyone had come, she simply stayed calm and composed, joining the crowd in gazing toward Qishan.

Suddenly, a melodious flute sound drifted over.

Only to see a white figure suddenly appear on the mountainside cliff.

And lotus petals filled the sky, drifting down with the clear breeze.

Even on Li Qingluo's side, countless petals drifted down.

"Lotus Goddess——"

"It truly is the Lotus Goddess manifest!"

The crowd pointed at the white figure and exclaimed in surprise.

The crowd bustled with excitement.

Everyone jostled to move forward, hoping to see more clearly.

But that figure was on the cliff, too far away to tell male from female, let alone make out the face.

The Northern Map Army troops led by Jiang Ruiqi, upon seeing that white figure, immediately waved to signal.

The entire army immediately split into four routes.

One unit remained behind.

The other three units set out from three different directions at the mountain's base, each to encircle.

This left the spectators anxiously worried.

Especially the group of martial artists mingling with Li Qingluo, who dared not casually involve themselves in court affairs, so they only dared to stay far away.

Yet they longed to see with their own eyes just what manner and appearance the Lotus Sect Leader possessed.

Finally, after waiting and waiting, everyone saw the silhouettes of the government troops behind that white figure on the cliff.

Shadowy and indistinct, it was unclear whether they were fighting.

But someone seemed to thrust a sword straight into that white figure——

Then, that white figure collapsed to the ground just like that!

All the onlookers gasped in unison!

Lotus Goddess——Lotus Sect Leader, killed so easily?