Chapter 348: with translation of chapter title

354. Chapter 354: One Wave Not Yet Settled

Choosing Hu Songqi has its reasons.

First, Lin Ke wants to drag Hu Shengqing back into the situation again; second, Hu Songqi once entered the peach forest/cliff, his movements were unusual, and he can give an explanation to the court.

Unless absolutely necessary, Lin Ke currently does not want to oppose the court.

Seeing Hu Songqi himself go to take the highest secret of the witchcraft, Lin Ke slightly closed his eyes, expanding his perception range.

More than half of the first batch of Returning Unity realm warriors who entered the valley have already died.

"Loren Bend, have you absorbed enough?"

Withdrawing his perception, Lin Ke immediately contacted Loren Bend, who had completely transformed into a tree demon, and sent an inquiry.

"Enough? If you want to stay alive, it's never enough!"

Loren Bend first sighed, then replied frankly, "Do you want to leave the valley?"

"Hmm."

Lin Ke did not hide it: "I still have to complete the trial of the High Council; the sooner I finish, the sooner I can leave this planet."

Loren Bend remained silent for a long time.

It's unclear whether he is pondering the truth of Lin Ke's words or weighing the pros and cons.

Lin Ke waited patiently.

Shi Senior Brother, Hu Suqi, Min Ruhua, Xu Huiyun, and Hu Songqi, who had picked up the highest secret of witchcraft and, by the way, taken a ring from a skeleton's finger bone, seeing the situation, all waited aside without disturbing.

"Hope you remember our deal, Linke Grand."

Finally, Loren Bend made a decision, speaking in a faint tone.

"I have always been trustworthy."

Lin Ke weighed his words and gave a response.

"You all go."

The huge longevity peach tree swayed a few times, summoning two banks of thick mist.

This mist is precisely the convenient passage to the various formation hubs in the valley; its design inspiration likely comes from the concept of a teleportation gate.

"If you go through here, you'll return to the peach forest."

Lin Ke pointed his hand at the smaller bank of mist and said to Hu Songqi, "How to speak after leaving the valley, you should know yourself. Rest assured, I have already placed a secret technique on you; you yourself will firmly believe your own words, and others even more so."

"Hmm."

Hu Songqi nodded obediently and walked into the small bank of mist.

In her heart, she was secretly shocked: when did Lin Ke cast that spell, and why did she feel nothing at all?

This time it's fine; it's a buff-type spell.

What if next time it becomes a curse-type spell?

Wouldn't that mean life and death are truly in Lin Ke's hands?

How is this different from being controlled by Hu Shengqing?

With all these thoughts, Hu Songqi walked for a while in the small bank of mist and returned to the peach forest/cliff.

"Huh? What's wrong with me?"

Hu Songqi suddenly exclaimed in surprise, discovering that her condition was very off.

? ￠o

She always felt that some of her memory was blank, as if she had forgotten something very important.

She glanced at the sandalwood box in her left hand and the highest secret of witchcraft and the ring in her right hand, and Hu Songqi frowned slightly.

"Longevity peach? The highest secret of witchcraft? How did they all end up in my hands?"

"And this ring—it seems to be the legendary Soul-Eater's Ring; how did I get it?"

As Hu Songqi questioned, a somewhat unfamiliar memory surfaced in her mind.

She was practicing the witchcraft secret she had learned in the peach forest when suddenly the entire Dead Person Valley stirred for a moment.

A streak of flying rainbow arced across the Dead Person Valley and fell straight into the peach forest.

In a daze, before losing consciousness, she instinctively snatched a longevity peach from the flying rainbow and solemnly placed it into the sandalwood box.

As for the highest secret of witchcraft, it was also snatched away together with the longevity peach.

"This…"

Hu Songqi felt somewhat strange.

This memory gave her a strong sense of incongruity, yet she firmly believed it without doubt.

"What's going on?"

While she was puzzled, the Dead Person Valley suddenly underwent another anomaly.

A violent earthquake came suddenly.

All surviving Returning Unity realm warriors in the valley felt a throbbing of life-and-death crisis.

Hu Songqi didn't have time to dwell on her doubts; she turned and ran outward.

The warriors scattered in different zones all acted the same way.

At this moment, fleeing for survival became the consensus of all warriors.

Lin Ke, Shi Senior Brother, Hu Suqi, Min Ruhua, and Xu Huiyun, after passing through the great bank of mist, quietly merged into the crowd of warriors gathering at the valley mouth, rushing outward in a scramble.

"What's going on?"

Outside the valley, in the military camp.

The angel felt the tremors underfoot, watching all the warriors in the surveillance go mad and rush outward simultaneously, and shouted loudly.

However, no one in the camp could give an explanation.

The Angel, of course, knows this.

Knowing this, the Angel lost composure and shouted loudly.

Organizing jianghu martial artists to enter the Valley of the Dead was the task personally entrusted to the Angel by the Kang-Qian Emperor.

Obtaining the Longevity Peach is one purpose; consuming jianghu strength is the other.

No matter how many martial artists die in the Valley of the Dead, the Angel doesn't care, as long as they can obtain the Longevity Peach.

However, this mission has been unsmooth from the very start.

Until now, it has even resulted in a major mishap completely beyond their control.

The first batch of martial artists entering the valley were all carefully selected by the Angel's aides and subordinate officials under the Angel's direction, each holding some leverage or weakness in the hands of the court.

Most of these martial artists would rather die in the valley than fail to protect some person or thing.

For them to all escape at the same time must mean a major incident has occurred.

And the Angel, at this moment, knows nothing and is powerless.

"You, go, take troops and detain all the martial artists who have come out."

Taking a deep breath, the Angel pointed at the commander who had first been stationed outside the Valley of the Dead and issued the order.

"Yes!"

The commander, clad head to toe in leather armor, clasped their fists in salute and departed with the order.

Not long after, the commander gathered the battalion under their command, deployed formations, and sealed off the sole road leading in and out of the Valley of the Dead.

The commander wielded an Azure Dragon Spear, their aura like a dragon.

Not long after, the first martial artist escaped.

Upon seeing the imperial army's formation, they surrendered without resistance, having no intention to fight back.

As time passed, more and more martial artists escaped from the Valley of the Dead, only to be detained by the imperial army.

Lin Ke, Shi Shixiong, Hu Suqi, Min Ruhua, and Xu Huiyun are likewise.

So personal names: Lin Ke, Shi Shixiong (a title meaning "Stone senior brother" that refers to a person); according to the rules, we include character names, so we treat Shi Shixiong as a name and output it in pinyin without translating its meaning.

- Hu Suqi

- Min Ruhua

- Xu Huiyun

Hu Songqi

Hu Songqi

Hu Songqi draped a cloak, put on a hood, and slowly walked out of the Valley of the Dead, ignoring the strange looks of most people, as she approached the armored general and said firmly, "Take me to see the angel."

Hu Songqi

Hu Songqi

Hu Songqi

Hu Songqi

Hu Songqi

The difference is that, whether jianghu martial artists or imperial troops, they unintentionally overlooked five people.

However, Lin Ke's memory and strength, stimulated by the Heaven Shuttle, have recovered considerably, he has refined some secret arts and newly comprehended some secret arts.

Especially in terms of cognition.

Hu Songqi draped a cloak, put on a hood, and slowly walked out of the Valley of the Dead, ignoring the strange looks of most people, as she approached the armored general and said firmly, "Take me to see the angel."

Hu Songqi

Hu Songqi

- Lin Ke

- Angel

Hu Songqi

Lines:

Have you thought it over?

This commander was originally an officer in the new troops trained by Hu Shengqing, and they recognized Hu Songqi, the illegitimate daughter of Governor Hu.

Without asking why Hu Songqi wanted to see the Angel, they instead kindly inquired.

"Hmm."

Hu Songqi gave a soft reply, her attitude extremely resolute.

The armored commander, seeing this, said nothing more, turned their horse and left.

After being announced, Hu Songqi met Da Ma Jin Dao, the Angel seated on the high chair.

"Commoner girl Hu Songqi greets the Angel."

Hu Songqi stood below, her attitude and tone neither humble nor arrogant, performing a salute and greeting.

She actually had some doubts about why she should present the Longevity Peach to the court, to the Kang-Qian Emperor.

Moreover, no one knew she had obtained the Longevity Peach.

But whenever the thought of swallowing the Longevity Peach alone arose, Hu Songqi would feel a sense of impending doom.

After experiencing this sense of life-and-death danger multiple times, she dared not harbor the thought of keeping it for herself, and honestly presented the Longevity Peach to the court.

"Commoner girl?"

The Angel's mouth curled with a mocking smile, "Hu Shengqing is not a commoner; he is a regional governor. As his illegitimate daughter, you cannot be considered a commoner girl." Facing the Angel's mockery, Hu Songqi remained silent.

Seeing Hu Songqi's lack of reaction, the Angel instantly felt bored.

Waving their hand, the Angel said indifferently, "Speak, what business do you have with me? If you're just here to amuse me, even Hu Shengqing won't be able to protect you."

Hu Songqi said nothing, merely taking out a sandalwood box from her pocket and presenting it with both hands.

"This... this is?"

Seeing this, the Angel felt a suspicion, and their voice trembled as they spoke.

"Longevity Peach. The commoner girl, in a peach forest, saw a flying rainbow streak across the sky, as if there was a treasure, and she grabbed it down."

"Are you sure?"

"What the commoner girl says is true and not false; she dares not deceive the Angel."

"Come on, present it."

From among the eunuchs and palace maids constantly attending on the Angel's left and right, one immediately stepped forward, took the sandalwood box from Hu Songqi's hand, and presented it upward.

The Angel received the sandalwood box and gently opened a slit.

A waft of pure fragrance escaped; a slight sniff made them feel refreshed and invigorated.

It was indeed exactly the same as the Longevity Peach recorded in the histories.

With a pop.

The Angel forcefully closed the sandalwood box and personally stored it in their bosom.

The eunuchs and palace maids on both sides kept their heads lowered the whole time, making it hard to see their facial expressions.

However, the civil and military officials in the camp were each shocked to the core.

There really is a Longevity Peach?

They really obtained a Longevity Peach?

If the historical records are correct, after consuming the Longevity Peach, the Kang-Qian Emperor could extend his lifespan by at least four hundred years.

That… the Great Yong dynasty will from now on be full of troubles!

An emperor with such a long lifespan is not a blessing for the world.

The civil officials and military officers each have their own thoughts.

The Heavenly Envoy knew this full well, yet showed no sign, merely looking toward Hu Songqi and asking in a low voice: "What do you seek?"

Being discovered by the court and voluntarily presenting it to the court are very different.

No matter Hu Songqi's reason for voluntarily presenting the longevity peach, as it represents the court and the Heavenly Envoy of Emperor Kang Qian Di, they must now make some showing.

If merit goes unrewarded, how many will still be willing to serve the court and Emperor Kang Qian Di in the future?

The civil officials and military officers all turned their attention to Hu Songqi, wanting to know what this private daughter of General Hu wished to obtain.

This is very important.

It will help them decide how to get along with General Hu from now on.

Hu Songqi calmly said: "I, the common girl, earnestly beg the Heavenly Envoy to act as guarantor, to sever all ties between me and Hu Shengqing."

Upon these words, the tent fell instantly silent.

Whether the Heavenly Envoy or the civil officials and military officers, all had speculated about Hu Songqi's request, yet none guessed correctly.

"Why?"

The Heavenly Envoy quickly steadied his mind and asked doubtfully.

Even though Hu Shengqing had been stripped of his post as provincial governor by the court and Emperor Kang Qian Di, he remained a high-ranking official.

No matter how much the court officials feared Hu Shengqing, or how much Emperor Kang Qian Di disliked him, his qualifications and abilities were there to be seen.

Since he cannot be easily killed, sooner or later he will have to be reinstated.

How many people wished to tie themselves to Hu Shengqing by kinship but could not, yet as his illegitimate daughter she seeks to sever ties?

This is indeed shocking, unexpected.

"Not for any reason, I simply do not wish to continue any connection with him."

This time Hu Songqi did not answer the Heavenly Envoy's question truthfully.

Everyone present could see that.

Yet the more this is so, the more curious they become.

However, the Heavenly Envoy did not press further, merely asking: "Have you decided?"

"I, the common girl, have decided."

"Very well. However, I cannot immediately agree; I must first seek the emperor's instruction before making a decision."

Yet the Heavenly Envoy intended to use Hu Songqi's offering of the longevity peach and her request to sever ties with Hu Shengqing, in order to slight Hu Shengqing before Emperor Kang Qian Di.

On this mission, he acted in accordance with Emperor Kang Qian Di's will, targeting Hu Shengqing at every turn.

The two have already forged a deadly enmity.

Such an excellent opportunity—how could it be missed?

"Everything is up to the Heavenly Envoy to decide."

"Hmm. You may go."

He waved his hand, the Heavenly Envoy dismissed Hu Songqi, then turned his gaze to the civil and military officials in the tent.

The atmosphere in the tent instantly became silent and solemn.

Threads of killing intent emanated from the Heavenly Envoy—cold, sharp, icy.

The military officers were fine; they felt little of it.

The civil officials were another matter.

In generations past, scholars practiced the Six Arts of the gentleman.

In recent years, scholars have adhered to the principle of the gentleman who speaks but does not act.

Each took pride in having no strength to truss a chicken, using it to prove they lived in comfort and were great gentlemen.

As a eunuch, the Heavenly Envoy's nature was inherently gloomy, and besides commanding Emperor Kang Qian Di's Inner Guard, he had killed countless people.

How could the killing intent released by such a demonic figure be endured by civil officials as weak as chickens?

Not fainting on the spot or losing bladder control counts as a decent show of composure.

Yet the Heavenly Envoy had no intention to kill; he was merely issuing a warning.

Slowly withdrawing his killing intent, the Heavenly Envoy said in a gloomy tone: "I will now set off back to the capital; if the journey meets obstruction and someone waylays us, humph… you had best prepare for the extermination of your three clans."

These words truly revealed the nature of the Inner Guard Superintendent.

"We dare not."

The civil and military officers hastily voiced their assent in unison.

"Hmph!"

The Heavenly Envoy rose, flicked his sleeve, and strode away.

The attending eunuchs and palace maids followed in single file.

The civil and military officers left in the tent dared not breathe.

Long afterward, the roar of automobiles faded from the camp, and only then did the civil and military officers exhale.

"What now?"

Someone spoke up, seeking opinions.

Those present were like grasshoppers on a rope.

When the Inner Guard Superintendent speaks of exterminating the three clans, he truly can do so.

So…

"From now on, let us not leave each other's sight. Even if we must act alone, we must be in groups of three or more, watching over one another."

I think it's okay.

Ah! How did we get into this mess?

Mind your words!

What should we do with those martial artists? Just keep them imprisoned?

Keeping them locked up is not good; it will only draw attention.

Then what should we do? Let them go?

Let them go. It's perfect to use them to announce outwardly that this operation encountered an anomaly and failed.

I think it's feasible.

Good.

Agreed.

Then let them go.

Having reached a decision, they promptly sent someone to notify the armored commander responsible for detaining and supervising the surviving martial artists.

The surviving jianghu martial artists have now recovered from their panic and are engaged in lively discussion.

Upon learning they could return to the provincial capital, each felt they had snatched back their lives.

Death Valley is truly terrifying!