Chapter 85: The Langhuan Secret Manual

At these words, the crowd moved, pulled out a horizontal shelf board, placed Jiu Ji Mo Zhi upon it, and carried him out.

Zhao Ti looked at Li Qingluo, smiling and said, "Is Lady's injury not serious?"

Li Qingluo sat in a daze; this Evil King's Wu Gong was actually so powerful, matching that Monk with no clear winner, and in the end, he used some unknown trick to win. That Monk could probably only be stopped by her father, yet now it seemed even if her father returned, it would be useless; the Evil King might not even be captured, let alone with soldiers present.

"This humble woman, this humble woman has no major issues; returning to take medicine and rest will suffice."

Zhao Ti said, "This King has also resolved a foe for Lady; otherwise, all the martial arts in the Langhuan Jade Cave would have been taken away by him. Is Lady not of this opinion?"

Li Qingluo nodded numbly, not knowing the other's intent.

Zhao Ti then glanced at Tong Guan beside him; Tong Guan was like an ostrich, his head buried straight down.

"What is Daifu doing?" Zhao Ti asked.

"This humble slave, this humble slave..." Tong Guan wanted to kneel directly and admit guilt; he had just pondered that his own side seemingly hadn't given Zhao Ti the Sunflower Manual, but since this manual is passed down singly, it must be that Zhao Ti took the manual away to practice, so ultimately it was still his own fault.

"Why do you stutter?" Zhao Ti frowned.

Tong Guan glanced at Li Qingluo, thinking inwardly that such matters were hardly fit for outside ears, and hurriedly said, "This humble slave failed to protect the King's carriage just now; the crime deserves death."

Zhao Ti saw his trembling appearance and knew it was because of the Sunflower Manual, so he said, "Practice martial arts well henceforth; do not slacken."

"Yes, Your Highness, this humble slave understands." Tong Guan wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead.

Then Zhao Ti pointed at the large cloth bag holding Jiu Ji Mo Zhi's books: "Since Lady also feels this King has resolved the Mandala Manor's foe, then the books in this bag shall be for this King to read for a few days, serving as Lady's repayment."

"What?" Li Qingluo was stunned, instantly indignant; this Evil King's conduct was actually no different from that Monk's; the Monk used cunning to take, while he was clearly using brute force to seize!

Zhao Ti smiled: "Lady need not worry; this King will only take a look and will not fail to return them."

Li Qingluo's lips moved: "Will Prince Yan of a Thousand Years return the books to the Manor?"

Zhao Ti shook his head: "Lady, what kind of words are these? This King did not intend to leave; I see your Manor's scenery is quite good, so I shall stay for a few days first."

At these words, Li Qingluo nearly fainted, thinking inwardly how he would not leave; originally she had thought to quickly give this Evil King the Small Formless Art to make him leave, reasoning that as royalty, even if he took it, he wouldn't spread it, but now he wanted to see other manuals in the Langhuan Jade Cave, and now he was directly saying he would not leave!

"What, does Lady perhaps not welcome this King?" Zhao Ti said calmly.

"Of course not." Li Qingluo forced a smile: "This humble woman fears the Manor is simple, the maids rough and unaware of rules, unable to serve Your Highness well, thus offending Your Highness."

"Lady indeed thinks things through thoroughly." Zhao Ti pondered: "Did Lady not say your daughter is well-read and reasonable, fond of reading and writing, composing poetry and playing the zither? Have her come over during the day to serve then."

"Ah?" Li Qingluo was stunned; what did this Evil King mean? Did he take a fancy to Yan'er? That was not necessarily impossible; whether as a wife or concubine, it was far better than following that dreamer Murong Fu!

One was a reigning prince of the court, the other a sycophant whose ancestors had lost their kingdom centuries ago and still harbored delusions; the difference was vast, with no comparison whatsoever.

Thinking thus, Li Qingluo's gaze toward Zhao Ti changed: "Your Highness, then this humble woman will obey your command, having Yan'er come over during the day to handle daily affairs; only Yan'er is young and not very sensible, so if she offends, please Your Highness bear with her."

Zhao Ti said: "No matter; it is merely brewing tea and arranging flowers; your daughter simply sees people too little in ordinary times."

Li Qingluo agreed; at this moment, Tong Guan had packed the books into the bag, and Zhao Ti, hands clasped behind his back, walked toward the door; stepping outside, he saw the Jade Rabbit setting in the west, and the sky had already brightened.

He had Zhou Dong, Sun Tong, and Li Qingluo discuss arrangements; within half a shi, everything was settled, and then they rested.

Rising in the morning, after tidying up, he first went to see Jiu Ji Mo Zhi.

Jiu Ji Mo Zhi was now bound by iron chains to a wooden bed; Zhou Dong whispered a few words to Zhao Ti, and Zhao Ti was surprised: "It is truly so?"

Zhou Dong said: "Your Highness, it is indeed so, but since the other party is a Monk, as long as he does not die, this humble subject feels it is not such a great matter..."

Zhao Ti shook his head: "Monks in the Western Regions differ from those in the Central Plains, but this can only be blamed on his own insatiable greed, not knowing the height of heaven or depth of earth, unaware of the many strange skills in the world."

Tong Guan's eyes flickered beside him; last night he had heard Li Qingluo recite the Small Formless Art, and upon careful pondering, he concluded this Art could not mimic the Sunflower Manual, but the Monk did not know, nor did he realize there existed such a Wu Gong requiring self-castration to practice.

All the martial artists present now showed awe, unable to imagine what Wu Gong the Prince of Yan used to cause this Monk to suffer such a miserable end; how could he stand in the Jianghu thereafter? Probably only one path remained: entering the palace, perhaps even the method the royal family specifically used to collect eunuchs.

Zhao Ti walked forward, glancing at Jiu Ji Mo Zhi lying on the bed.

Jiu Ji Mo Zhi was not unconscious; though his injuries were severe, there was no danger to his life; after all, he had not directly cultivated the Sunflower Manual, so his qi and blood would not explode and kill him instantly.

His eyes were wide open, not blinking, his entire body motionless, staring at the beam above, seeming like a statue.

Zhao Ti said: "How does the Monk feel?"

At these words, Jiu Ji Mo Zhi slowly turned his eyeballs, gazing at Zhao Ti; his eyes were hollow and pale, as if his soul had already flown away.

Zhao Ti rubbed his chin: "The Monk cannot blame me; I never told you to use my Wu Gong; my Wu Gong has restrictions; you recklessly used the Small Formless Art to mimic it, and ending up thus is entirely your own doing."

Jiu Ji Mo Zhi closed his eyes, then opened them again; two streams of bitter tears slowly flowed down; he seemed to want to say something, his lips moved, but nothing came out.

Zhao Ti said: "Cause and effect cycle, retribution never misses; if the Monk had not stolen the Small Formless Art, where would such trouble come from? If the Monk had not coveted the Six Meridian Swords, where would he have come to Jiang Nan? If the Monk had not been greedy for Wu Gong, how would today's events have occurred?"

Jiu Ji Mo Zhi slowly said: "What the Benefactor says is correct; if the Monk had not been born, he would not die in the future; if the Monk had not become a monk, he would not be a Monk; you coveted this Wu Gong, yet you are not necessarily stronger than the Monk..."

Zhao Ti laughed helplessly, knowing Jiu Ji Mo Zhi had figured out the crux of the Sunflower Manual; he said: "At this moment, you wish to debate scriptures with me? When you recover, I will debate the principles with you thoroughly; Formless, Formless, you are clearly attached to form yet unaware of it."

Having spoken, he shook his head and walked out; at this moment, Sun Tong came to report that five hundred soldiers had been sent from Suzhou, bringing grain, vegetables, meat, and other supplies.

Then returning to his residence, ahead was a lecture hall; Zhao Ti sat down to read the books of the Langhuan Jade Cave, while Tong Guan stood beside him, lost in wild thoughts, occasionally recalling the matter of the Sunflower Manual, causing him to tremble with fear.

Just then, a knocking sound came from outside.