"So what did you find out?"
"If you want to know, let me see what you're capable of first."
"Very well, please make your move!"
7017k
------------
Chapter 370 Conspiracy
Without a word, Feng Qianyuan drew his sword, and just as his hand touched the hilt, Lu Xuan suddenly spoke.
"fall!!!"
With a thud, Feng Qianyuan collapsed to the ground. He felt as if his head had been hit by a sledgehammer. The world spun around him, and he couldn't stand up straight, falling headfirst to the ground.
Zuo Qianhu quickly stepped forward to help Feng Qianyuan up. Li Donglai, standing to the side, had a sudden flash of interest and secretly glanced at Lu Xuan a few times. Then he resumed his calm and composed demeanor.
It took a full cup of tea's time before Feng Qianyuan finally managed to stand up.
He looked at Lu Xuan with a complicated expression.
"I've experienced dozens of battles, big and small, in my life. I've sparred with hundreds of people. I've seen countless so-called cultivators. Most of them couldn't even withstand a single strike from me. A few could use some genuine Taoist techniques to hold their own against me for a while. But no one has ever been able to defeat me. I never imagined that you couldn't even withstand a single rebuke from me. Brother Zuo, I understand you now. I admit you are a master. But Zhang Yuan's matter is not so simple."
“Of course I know. After Zhang Yuan died, I also secretly investigated for a while. I know that this matter is unfathomable, which is why we need the help of a master like you. Brother Feng, I know you have already noticed. There may be demons causing chaos in the palace.”
Old Man Li raised his head again, seemingly surprised that Zuo Qianhu, this brute, could discover such a thing.
"It seems you've noticed it too. In fact, it's not just me; many of the palace guards have sensed that something is amiss."
The imperial guards of the Jin Dynasty were divided into three parts. One was the palace guards, an army specifically tasked with protecting the imperial city and palace. This type existed in all feudal dynasties and was roughly the same in all of them.
The second type is the bodyguard with a sword. These are martial arts masters selected from layers of the military. They must have impeccable backgrounds, superb skills, and various guarantors—truly the elite of the elite. They enter with their own rank. The lowest rank is that of a seventh-rank military officer. The highest is a fourth-rank official (the third rank is the highest; ranks above the third are honorary titles, even the prime minister is only a third-rank official).
Feng Qianyuan was such a person; he served as a captain of the palace guards, a sixth-rank official. In the common people's world, this was a figure they would look up to like a god.
The guards on the third level were not actually part of the official staff. They were like court attendants in martial arts novels. They were selected individuals from among the common people, some skilled in martial arts, others proficient in magic. There were also those skilled in singing, dancing, calligraphy, painting, storytelling, and other acrobatic arts.
Therefore, it can be argued that the so-called Imperial Guards only had two layers. The third layer doesn't count. They generally couldn't enter the palace; they could only wait for orders on the periphery. When the emperor was in a good mood and wanted to see a magic show or something similar, he would allow these people into the palace.
"So what exactly did you find out?"
"..." Feng Qianyuan paused for a moment, then took a deep breath and said.
"The palace servants, the concubines and maids in the harem, and even a few imperial guards all seem a bit off. I even feel that the entire palace is full of demons."
Lu Xuan really thought highly of this guy at this moment. To be able to investigate to this extent and still escape unscathed, this guy was much more shrewd than he appeared.
At this moment, Li Donglai, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up.
"What about the Imperial Advisor? He lives in the palace year-round. What do you think of him?"
Good heavens, the two guys Zuo Qianhu found are both incredibly shrewd. Faced with Lu Xuan's questioning gaze, Zuo Qianhu could only offer an explanation.
"Both of these men were recommended by Lord Fu."
"If it weren't for Old Man Fu's influence, I wouldn't have gotten involved in this mess! But now it seems it wasn't a complete waste. At least I met someone with real talent and someone who isn't too stupid. Hey kid, I'm asking you a question. What do you think of the Imperial Advisor?"
"I dare not speak presumptuously. The Imperial Preceptor lives a secluded life and is rarely seen by anyone except His Majesty. But those who have met him say that the Imperial Preceptor is a highly accomplished Buddhist monk. I am not sure, but I feel that something is not right."
"Hmph, what else could be wrong? If he were truly a master of Buddhism, how could there be so many traces of demons and monsters in the palace? I think the current Imperial Preceptor is the biggest demon. His supposed mastery of Buddhism is just a cover. Even the Emperor..."
"How could this be? His Majesty is the Son of Heaven, an invincible being. How could he possibly be bewitched by demons?"
"...That's what I don't understand. Over the years, I've secretly worked to send more than a dozen 'true masters' into the palace, but not a single one of them has turned out well."
"So Lord Li has been secretly investigating all these years!" Commander Zuo exclaimed in surprise. This old man Li, as an imperial censor, was always busy with trivial matters, making him very noticeable, but nobody took him seriously. Because when it came to serious court affairs, he wouldn't utter a sound. He spent his days intervening in petty cases of oppressing women and fighting. He was a seasoned veteran of the court, even considered a source of amusement by the people.
However, when Commander Zuo asked Fu Tianchou who in the court could be trusted, Fu Tianchou unhesitatingly gave him the name Li Donglai. He bluntly told him that if even Li Donglai had fallen, then it was time to pack up and run away.
Zuo Qianhu found Li Donglai, but after some probing, Li Donglai realized his intentions and that Fu Tianchou had sent him. Only then did Zuo Qianhu follow Li Donglai to Lu Xuan's place.
"It's not just me; many senior officials in the court have sensed something is wrong and have secretly used their connections to investigate over the years. But for some reason, they gave up the investigation soon afterward. Since no one invited me to join, I don't know what exactly happened. Especially here, the atmosphere in the court is getting increasingly strange, but oddly, most people seem oblivious. I don't even dare to probe those senior officials, because I always have a feeling that they've become different people."
"Impressive!!" This time, Lu Xuan's praise was genuine. These old fogies who could remain in power in the officialdom were, without a doubt, highly intelligent. Unfortunately, the enemies they faced couldn't be defeated by intelligence alone.
“You are the most powerful Taoist I have ever met. The useless people I looked for before couldn’t find anything, but what do you know?” Li Donglai finally turned his attention to Lu Xuan.
"If I told you that the Imperial Advisor is actually a monster, and that the old minister you felt was not right has been secretly replaced by a demon, how would you feel?"
"That's impossible..." Feng Qianyuan retorted excitedly. However, Old Man Li was not so excited.
"If that's the case, it proves I guessed right. And if the situation is really like this, a few of us alone won't be enough."
7017k
------------
Chapter 371 Buying Ghosts
In any world overrun by demons and ghosts, there must exist a peculiar place: the ghost market.
Lu Xuan traveled extensively and witnessed many ghost markets. There are two interpretations of "ghost market." One is the literal meaning, a true ghost market—a special market where all sorts of spirits and ghosts gather.
Ordinary people cannot enter this ghost market. Even cultivators need special methods to conceal their living presence, otherwise they will be devoured by the countless ghosts inside, leaving not even ashes.