Chapter 582: Hidden Kill

Qing Province, Huaide Prefecture.

Huanmeng Lake.

This lake is the number one scenic spot in Huaide Prefecture, and many tourists from other provinces come here by reputation.

The entire lake covers an area of over 50 square kilometers, and there is a saying of "one mountain, two pagodas, three islands, four embankments, five lakes," with each being a famous attraction.

Among them, the "three islands" are respectively Moon Illusion Island, Heart Illusion Island, and Dream Illusion Island.

These three islands are not open to the public, and ordinary boats are strictly forbidden from approaching, as these three islands are the sect grounds of the major martial arts sect, the Nightmare Sect.

The Nightmare Sect is one of the few sects in the martial arts world that purely cultivates techniques; the sect's founding master was a True Lord, and in its most prosperous period, it had a structure of one True Lord and five True Persons, making it a top-tier sect in the martial arts world without a doubt!

But today, the Nightmare Sect only has two True Persons and over a hundred formal disciples.

Although compared to top sects like "one tower, one pavilion, three mountains, four schools, and seven great families," the Nightmare Sect still lacks some strength.

But relying on their "dream evolution" techniques, many sects send their elite disciples to the islands to request the Nightmare Sect to cast spells, evolve dreamscapes for them, and hone their martial arts.

Fighting to the death with others in a dream, even if one knows it is fake, can still increase experience and temper one's martial skills.

This is the safest way to cultivate!

As a result, the Nightmare Sect has friendships with many top sects in the martial arts world, with extensive connections and a good reputation.

On Dream Illusion Island, a beautiful woman wearing a light white robe with a crescent-shaped jade pendant at her waist arrived in front of a mansion.

"Greetings, Grand Aunt-Master!"

The two disciples at the door hurriedly bowed upon seeing the woman.

The woman nodded and walked straight inside.

Disciples she encountered along the way all bowed one after another, calling her "Grand Aunt-Master."

The woman walked into a grand hall, where a dharma image of a woman was enshrined; it was the founding master of the Nightmare Sect.

A man wearing the same light white robe with a jade pendant at his waist turned around.

The man had long hair draped over his shoulders and a handsome face, appearing even more moving than the woman before him.

"Aunt-Master."

The man greeted with a smile.

His name is Ji Longyi, the current Sect Master of the Nightmare Sect and a True Person of the present age.

"Sect Master."

The woman who walked into the hall bowed to Ji Longyi.

The woman's name is Shen Zhen, and she is the other True Person of the Nightmare Sect.

"Just now, I was wandering the Dream Realm and witnessed a sun fall."

Shen Zhen spoke up.

"A sun fall?"

Ji Longyi was startled. "Aunt-Master, what do you mean by this?"

Shen Zhen: "I saw a sun in the Dream Realm."

Ji Longyi was stunned.

As the Sect Master of the Nightmare Sect, he is naturally no stranger to the Dream Realm.

He knows very well that everyone's subconscious projection in the Dream Realm reflects the individual's strength to a certain extent.

The subconscious of many animals in a dream is like a candle flame, while the subconscious of ordinary people in a dream is like a lit light bulb.

Martial arts experts or technique masters have even larger and more conspicuous subconscious projections in the dream.

For example, Ji Longyi's own subconscious projection in the Dream Realm can be as huge as a mountain peak.

But a sun...

"Is it the subconscious of some True Lord or Martial Saint?"

Ji Longyi asked somewhat uncertainly.

Shen Zhen shook her head: "Even for a True Lord or Martial Saint, even if it were Lin Tianyi, I don't think he would necessarily have such a grand projection."

"Then what does Aunt-Master mean?"

"I think it is some top-tier figure breaking through their realm."

"Ah?"

"It's a pity I was too far away at the time and could only vaguely gain some insight."

"Who does Aunt-Master think is breaking through their realm? Lin Tianyi?"

"Last night, that strand of Son of Heaven Dragon Qi surged out from Lanling City and flew all the way to the southwest; something major must have happened. The Great Luo Sect is in that direction. If I had to guess, I think it is True Lord Qingxu breaking through his realm."

"Regarding this matter, I have already sent people to inquire."

Ji Longyi said.

That strand of Son of Heaven Dragon Qi that spanned thousands of miles last night shocked too many people!

"Sect Master, besides seeing that sun in the Dream Realm, I also saw the holder of the Dream-Seeking Token."

"What?!"

Ji Longyi was shocked.

Compared to someone breaking through to above the peak, the news of the Dream-Seeking Token moved him even more!

The Nightmare Sect has lost this supreme treasure for nearly twelve years.

For twelve years, the Nightmare Sect has been trying to find the whereabouts of this supreme treasure, but unfortunately, there hasn't been a single clue.

Although they knew that the person who stole the Dream-Seeking Token would likely use it to enter the Dream Realm.

But the Dream Realm is too big.

The Dream Realm is as large as the real world, and perhaps even larger!

Finding a specific person in the Dream Realm is no different from finding a needle in a haystack.

That is why Ji Longyi was so astonished to hear that Shen Zhen had found the holder of the Dream-Seeking Token in the Dream Realm.

"That person was near that sun at the time, which is why I noticed him. He had a special protective shield formed by the Dream-Seeking Token on him; I could not have mistaken it."

Shen Zhen said with a calm expression.

"And then?"

Ji Longyi hurriedly pressed.

Shen Zhen shook her head: "It's a pity I was too far away. By the time I rushed over, that person had already exited the Dream Realm."

Ji Longyi showed a look of regret, but soon cheered up:

"This is already very good. At least we have finally found a clue to the Dream-Seeking Token!"

"Aunt-Master, you speculate that the sun is True Lord Qingxu. Could it be that the traitor has been hiding in the Great Luo Sect all these years?"

"The imperial court suddenly sent the Son of Heaven Dragon Qi to the southwest; it must be related to True Lord Qingxu breaking through his realm. Could something have happened to the Great Luo Sect?"

"If that is truly the case, it is a great opportunity for us to retrieve the sect's supreme treasure!"

The Dream-Seeking Token is too important to the Nightmare Sect; even if it means confronting the Great Luo Sect, Ji Longyi will not give up!

"Sect Master, I will go to Ming Province myself."

Shen Zhen stated her thoughts.

Ji Longyi pondered for a moment and nodded:

"That is fine. Aunt-Master, take the experts from the two islands to Ming Province first. If you really find clues, inform me at any time, and I can bring more people to support!"

The Nightmare Sect purely cultivates techniques, but before reaching the Possession Stage, a technique master's self-preservation ability is not strong, and if they are not careful, they could even be stabbed to death by an ordinary person with a knife.

To ensure the sect's disciples have more protection when walking the martial arts world, the founding master of the Nightmare Sect also subdued two martial arts sects, making them vassal sects of the Nightmare Sect.

One is the Hidden Moon Blade School, and the other is the Dragon Elephant School.

The former specializes in blade techniques, and the latter specializes in hard-body martial arts.

One attacks and one defends, which happens to complement each other.

The formal disciples of the Nightmare Sect live on Dream Illusion Island, while the disciples of the two vassal sects live on the other two islands.

Ji Longyi told Shen Zhen to take some experts from the two islands on this trip.

"Good."

Shen Zhen nodded in agreement.

A few hours later, three ships sailed out from the three islands.

Feng Province, Provincial Capital.

Lu Mansion.

A fatty who was less than 1.6 meters tall, with a big belly and a face full of fat, was wearing a loose red robe and sitting in a pavilion.

Under the pavilion, several women were playing music together; one was playing the zither, one was playing the pipa, and two were playing the flute.

Besides them, seven young women in thin gauze dresses with graceful figures were dancing.

Beside the fatty, a beautiful woman wearing only a breast-wrap was snuggled in his arms, feeding him grapes.

There was also a beautiful woman kneeling on the ground, constantly performing oral service.

This fatty with an expression of enjoyment is the Inspection Commissioner of Feng Province and the head of the Lu family, one of the "Ten Great Families"—Lu Wenzheng.

Lu Wenzheng is not a person obsessed with enjoyment, but he will not deliberately mistreat himself either.

Fine wine, good food, and beautiful women.

He loves them all!

A middle-aged man wearing a black long gown suddenly walked quickly into the pavilion and handed a letter to Lu Wenzheng with both hands.

Lu Wenzheng took the letter nonchalantly and opened it to take a look.

The next second, his expression changed abruptly, and he kicked away the beauty who was kneeling on the ground serving him.

He made a gesture, and the beauties beside him and everyone under the pavilion quickly dispersed.

After carefully reading the contents of the letter, Lu Wen narrowed his eyes into a line.

What was recorded on this letter was the latest intelligence from Ming Province, including the rebellion of the Great Luo Sect and the death of True Person Qingxu.

It also included intelligence on Li Fei, a person whom Lu Wen had requested the Lu family's intelligence personnel to focus on.

"Did the State Preceptor order Pan Tianhao to take men to intercept the people of the Great Luo Sect, and does that include Li Fei?"

Lu Wen asked.

"The State Preceptor did not specifically mention Li Fei, but I imagine he is included, as manpower is severely lacking over there right now."

The person who arrived said.

"Good, have Pan Tianhao send Li Fei and his group out separately."

"Yes."

"How is the manpower prepared earlier?"

"They can be mobilized at any time."

"Follow the fifth plan decided upon earlier, but modify it; find a way to borrow the Great Luo Sect's blade. Do you understand what I mean?"

"This subordinate understands."

"Go."

The middle-aged man quickly withdrew.

Lu Wen sat in the pavilion, his expression constantly changing.

Back at the Zhenglan Palace, Duan Qi, a member of the Stop-War Pavilion, had taken the initiative to suggest that Li Fei investigate the case of the "lost Life-Prolonging Pill," and had given Li Fei the opportunity to reinvestigate the Shangguan Xiao case.

This made Lu Wen very angry when he found out.

Duan Qi was a member of the Lu family, and this move was indeed intended to eliminate a hidden danger for the Lu family.

But in Lu Wen's view, this move was extremely foolish.

He should never have given Li Fei even the slightest chance to reopen that case!

Therefore, after Li Fei took his men to the Great Luo Sect, Lu Wen had his own team of advisors plan multiple schemes.

Some even included assassinating the imperial envoy!

Lu Wen had even prepared the manpower in advance, but he had not been able to find a suitable opportunity, and he had not expected Xiang Yunshu to return to Lanling City with Li Fei and the others.

Just when Lu Wen thought there would be no more chances, such a major variable occurred overnight.

Xiang Yunshu was no longer by Li Fei's side, and that pavilion member Luo Shi was already dead.

This made Lu Wen decisively choose to act!

In the current Ming Province, the death of an imperial envoy was no longer a major matter, and it would be easier to cover up.

A peerless genius, one who had performed great service and was highly likely to be given important responsibilities, and a peerless genius who was determined to be his enemy—Lu Wen did not intend to give the other party a chance to continue growing.

Both Li Fei and Lu Wenxing thought that Pan Tianhao, the head of the Stop-War Department in Yi Province, was a man of the First Imperial Prince, but in reality, he was a man of the Lu family.

"Someone come."

Lu Wen shouted.

A subordinate quickly came before him.

"Call the Duan residence, and after you get through, tell Grand Secretary Duan that I have an important matter to discuss with him."

Lu Wen said.

He needed to get in touch with Duan Qi, who was in the Imperial Capital.

Pan Tianhao was indeed not a man of the First Imperial Prince, but Lu Wen felt that in this matter, it was necessary to drag the First Imperial Prince into the water.

After all, killing an imperial envoy was not a small matter, especially since Li Fei had just performed a great service.

Therefore, Lu Wen needed to find a few more people to share the risk together.

"Go prepare the carriage; I am going to Hongyi University in a while."

Lu Wen continued to instruct.

Dragging in a powerful Imperial Prince, he felt, was not enough.

He also wanted to drag in a university president!

Requesting monthly votes.

(End of chapter)