Linfengchun - Chapter 18
Zhang Weiyi remained silent, but Mu Ruiyan interjected, "The higher-ups are also afraid that these southwestern regions will rebel and cause trouble. They make this trip every year, using both kindness and force, which can keep things stable for a few years."
He Jing was very interested: "I remember that one of the bandit leaders in the Jingxiang Rebellion four years ago was from the Sword and Saber Sect. I never thought that there would be people in the martial arts world who wanted to be emperor."
Li Qingyun glared at the other party: "Junior Brother He." He Jing wasn't young, but he was kind-hearted and didn't think too deeply about anything. Zhang Weiyi, on the other hand, was a prince of the current dynasty, and saying such things in front of him was indeed a bit much.
"There are plenty of people in the martial arts world who covet these fame and fortune, so it's fine for us to talk about it privately," Mu Ruiyan said with a slight smile. "Four years ago, during the Jingxiang Rebellion, people from the martial arts world intervened. Although it was a bit tricky, it was still suppressed."
Xu Lianning paused, his brows furrowing slightly. Most of the imperial soldiers and officials were unskilled in martial arts; how could they possibly contend with the martial arts practitioners? Moreover, the cleanup after suppressing the Jingxiang rebellion was far too hasty, as if dealing with a mere peasant uprising.
"Does this pomegranate taste good?" Zhang Weiyi asked with a soft laugh as she peeled the pomegranate for her. "I didn't find anything special about it. Why don't you peel one for me to try?"
Xu Lianning was too lazy to agree. That's just how the other person is. They never miss an opportunity to flirt. Since it's just a verbal favor, she didn't care. She also put her question out of her mind for a moment.
He Jing stared in disbelief and couldn't help but exclaim, "Senior brother, you look nothing like you normally do! You're not someone in disguise, are you?"
Zhang Weiyi glanced at him, and He Jing immediately shrank back. He gave a half-smile and said calmly, "Shut up." He Jing immediately fell silent.
After packing their belongings, the group set off north. Because they left in such a hurry, local officials didn't have time to see them off, thus avoiding a lot of formalities.
After traveling for more than two hours, we arrived at Qingcheng Mountain before midnight.
He Jing pointed to the mountain: "Most people have arrived. The abbot of Qingcheng Temple is taking care of them. Those who arrive late can only sleep on the ground outside."
Xu Lianning estimated that the Heavenly Sorrow Sect was not far from Qingcheng, only an hour or two's journey away. But even that hour or two would likely be fraught with danger. Since she was determined to uncover the truth behind the massacre of Ruan Qingxuan's family, she had to protect her life and could not afford to take unnecessary risks.
Zhang Weiyi looked at her and asked softly, "Are you worried?"
She smiled slightly and said, "I didn't think it mattered at first, but now I think it's better to play it safe and keep my life safe."
His eyes held a smile, a hint of relief in them: "I was worried about that, but it's good that you think of it that way." Since the trip to Chongli Pavilion, Zhang Weiyi's demeanor had become more direct and open.
Once they were out of sight, Xu Lianning reached out and let him hold her hand tightly, their fingers intertwined. She suddenly felt that everything from the past seemed to be fading away; as long as she didn't think about it, it was fine to let things take their course.
"Lianning, you look a bit thinner, but you look much better than before." Master Tianyan noticed her at a glance and asked kindly. Xu Lianning jumped and hurriedly shook off Zhang Weiyi's hand, respectfully saying, "Senior Uncle." She smiled bitterly to herself; after so many years of worry and fear, she still couldn't shake it off.
Zhang Weiyi frowned in displeasure, his expression somewhat unpleasant, and stood to the side: "This disciple was preoccupied with worldly affairs and arrived a little late."
"It wasn't too late; we didn't set off until after midnight."
"Isn't it supposed to be three days before we arrive at the Heavenly Sorrow Sect?" Xu Lianning asked, slightly surprised.
Master Tianyan smiled faintly: "Alliance Leader Liu discussed this with us, and that's what we've said to the outside world. It's just to prevent spies from reporting to the other side, so we decided to set off at midnight."
Xu Lianning said softly, "I see. Have you seen my master? I have something to report."
"It's in the courtyard ahead, hurry up and go." Tianyan Zhenren watched her walk away before saying to his disciple, "Weiyi, go and tell the others to pack up immediately."
"Yes." Zhang Weiyi hurriedly walked past the side courtyard of Qingcheng Temple when he suddenly heard a clear voice say, "Nephew, please wait." He stopped, a shadow suddenly flashing across his eyes, and then he turned around and replied respectfully, "Sect Master Liu."
A few groups of people walked quietly along the mountain path.
The moon was full and round like a mirror, its pale silvery light spreading across the earth, carrying a slight chill. It was September, the beginning of autumn, and the mountains were already feeling a bit cool.
The ceaseless fighting that had raged for decades was mostly known only to the older generation; the causes and course of events remained vague. All that was known was that it ended in a decisive battle that lasted over a decade. Both sides suffered heavy losses and eventually retreated into hiding.
Xu Lianning followed quietly behind her master, watching the person before her with her high-piled hair and golden hairpins swaying slightly with each step. She suddenly realized that her master's gait was not as light as it used to be. Time waits for no one, and her master had lived a secluded life for many years, with no one by her side. She must be lonely.
Rong Wanci seemed to notice her gaze, turned around and smiled slightly: "Is Master getting old?"
“Master still looks the same as he did back then,” Xu Lianning said sincerely.
Yin Han smiled and said, "How could Master get old?"
Rong Wanci sighed, turned her back and said, "People will eventually grow old. You may not be able to tell from your face yet, but you can't escape it."
Xu Lianning also felt that ever since what happened to Senior Sister Qingxuan, her master had been somewhat different from before. However, she couldn't figure out the subtle reasons behind it.
In the silence, it seemed the people ahead had stopped moving. Then Liu Junru's low voice came through: "Everyone, the Heavenly Sorrow Sect's headquarters is just ahead. We'll split into three groups, attacking from three sides, and then meet up inside." She then assigned men: Wu Dan and Long Tengyi would attack from the front, Shaolin, Kunlun, and Emei would surround from the east, Lingxuan Palace, Diancang, and Mingjian Manor would enter from the west, and the rest would stay behind to wait an hour before entering directly from the front. This arrangement was quite thorough and flawless.
Xu Lianning followed the group westward into the Tianshang Sect. Rong Wanci glanced back at her several times along the way, but she pretended not to notice. Lingxuan Palace was, after all, where she had spent over ten years; if trouble arose, she couldn't run away. Besides, her master had ordered her to join the Wudang Sect members; she had no right to huddle among them.
After turning around a few times, they seemed to have entered a tunnel, and the surroundings gradually darkened. Xu Lianning glanced around but couldn't see Yin Han. She couldn't help but say, "Master, Junior Sister Yin seems to be missing." Rong Wanci suddenly stopped, turned around, her face ashen, and said sharply, "When did she disappear?"
Xu Lianning was startled and replied truthfully, "She was still here when I came in earlier, probably within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."
Rong Wanci stepped forward quickly and said to Shang Mingjian, "Master Shang, we need to hurry. It's very dark ahead, and I'm afraid there might be an ambush."
Xu Lianning was walking along the wall when she suddenly felt a faint tremor beneath her feet and around her, instinctively sensing something was wrong. Looking up, she saw Shang Mingjian's handsome face suddenly paler in the darkness. He turned and shouted, "Everyone be careful, I'm afraid..." The rest of his sentence was swallowed by a deafening explosion. The tunnel was solidly constructed of granite, and now the tops of the walls were shaking violently; it was unclear whether it would collapse. Xu Lianning sensed chaos surrounding her, with many people scrambling to escape.
She stood close to the wall, trying not to bump into anyone, while carefully observing her surroundings. There was a horizontal beam about ten steps ahead above; if things weren't so chaotic, she could easily climb it with her light-footed skills.
With a whoosh, a strong smell of sulfur filled the air, followed by a bright flame shooting in from afar. The tunnel was already dark, and the earlier commotion had extinguished all the tinder and candles in our hands, making it even darker. This flash of light illuminated the entire tunnel for a moment, then faded back into darkness. Everyone was still surrounded by a faint white light, unable to see their surroundings clearly.
A very low voice shouted, "Kill!" Dozens of figures surged forward, and blood splattered everywhere, filling the air with a stench of blood.
Xu Lianning didn't dare move. She closed her eyes briefly the moment the firelight appeared, and opened them again when darkness returned, but she still couldn't see anything around her. She listened intently to the sounds around her, and suddenly felt a chill on her face. Knowing something was wrong, she quickly moved upwards along the rock wall, then silently slid down, drawing her sword. Unable to see, she relied almost entirely on her past experience and instincts in combat.
Before she could even fully unleash her sword strike, she felt her hand freeze, unable to execute it any further. Xu Lianning guessed she had hit a wall and quickly withdrew her attack. Suddenly, she saw a flash of cold light before her eyes; her opponent's weapon was already close to her nose. She leaned back to dodge, then leaped upwards to avoid it. Her opponent seemed to let out a sound of surprise, then swung his weapon upwards. While she was still in mid-air, anyone else would likely have had no chance to dodge and would inevitably be injured. However, she only slightly exerted her strength, twisted her body, and floated forward without any leverage.
Xu Lianning remembered that there was a broken beam about ten steps ahead, probably where it had been used as a support when the tunnel was built. She had no confidence at all in reaching for the beam, but if she didn't retreat temporarily, she would be in a passive and vulnerable position. She was uneasy, and when the momentum of her leap was about to dissipate, she reached out and actually touched a section of the beam.
Xu Lianning exerted force, flipping herself onto the beam, her heart still pounding like a drum. She had never encountered such a perilous situation before, and once she settled, she found herself covered in cold sweat. After her breathing calmed and her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she finally climbed down from the beam. Lingxuan Palace, Mingjian Manor, and Diancang Sect all had their own distinctive colors, which she could easily identify. When she encountered anything with a different color, she would point her sword directly at it. By being cautious in this way, she gradually began to see faint lights in the distance.
She took a few more steps forward, when suddenly she sensed someone approaching from the side. Without hesitation, she thrust her sword forward, but the other person seemed extremely familiar with the swordplay, dodging around in a few steps and grabbing her wrist. Xu Lianning was both surprised and delighted, and cried out, "Master!"
A loud explosion seemed to come from the west, and even the ground beneath our feet shook slightly.
Liu Junru cursed and gritted his teeth, saying, "We were still discovered by those treacherous dogs from the Demonic Sect." He raised his voice and said, "We must be more careful. The ones to the west have already clashed with the Demonic Sect. Who knows, we might be next!" The disciples from the two factions behind him responded in unison, but they were very firm and showed no panic.
Zhang Weiyi frowned slightly. To the west should be Lingxuan Palace; such commotion meant something was definitely wrong. In the blink of an eye, they had reached the latter part of the tunnel. Liu Junru suddenly waved her hand, stopping them: "Master, look ahead." Master Tianyan looked for a moment, then said calmly, "Ahead was originally a sealed, dark room."
He Jing, who was most favored by his master, leaned over and asked, "What about the secret room?"
Master Tianyan smiled slightly and said, "Take a close look. Once we enter that secret room, the back and front doors will close tightly at the same time. If we can't find the mechanism, we'll be trapped inside."
Liu Junru said, "That's fine. We'll split into three groups and go in. The first group can go ahead, while the middle and the last group can wait at the hidden door. Then we'll go in one by one. As long as we don't trigger any mechanisms, we won't get trapped."
Master Tianyan thought for a moment and then said, "Then I told the female disciples to go ahead first."
Liu Junru nodded slightly and said to Lin Zihan behind her, "Go and gather all the female disciples from both sects and go ahead first." Then she turned to Lin Zihan and said, "Master, I have a favor to ask."
Master Tianyan said, "Alliance Leader Liu, please speak."
"There are priorities in everything. Those who go last will take some risks. Please, Master, prioritize the overall situation and go first."
Master Tianyan looked back at his disciples: He Jingzheng looked eager to try, completely unlike the other experienced Taoist disciples; Li Qingyun had a slight worry on his face; Zhang Weiyi's expression was extremely calm, without any joy or anger... After weighing his options, he slowly said, "Weiyi, you stay until the end."
Zhang Weiyi stiffened, but still lowered her eyes and said calmly, "Yes."
The number of people around them gradually decreased, and the atmosphere became quiet. Zhang Weiyi saw that only He Jing and Long Tengyi remained around, and her palms became slightly sweaty.
The secret chamber was set up underground with mechanisms in place. If someone stood outside the chamber, the mechanisms wouldn't be activated. Once someone entered the chamber and there was no one outside, they would easily be trapped and die before they could escape. His master had him stay until the end, not only because of his superior martial arts skills and quick thinking, but also because he only had a slight better chance of survival than the others.
Lin Zihan cleared his throat and said, "Brother Zhang, then I shall take my leave." His voice was dry, showing how nervous he was. Zhang Weiyi said calmly, "Brother Lin, please go ahead."
Lin Zihan glanced at him warily, took two steps forward, and without looking behind him, slapped his palms back repeatedly, propelling his body forward. Seeing the fierce gust of wind coming towards him, He Jing had no choice but to step aside to dodge, accidentally stepping into the dark room.
Zhang Weiyi knew that Lin Zihan was afraid someone would suddenly arrive ahead of him and trap him inside, which was why he acted so suddenly. He quickly pushed He Jing, saying, "Go!" He Jing reacted and turned to run forward, while another disciple from Longtengyi chased after him, cursing. Zhang Weiyi calculated the difference in their lightness skills, and after He Jing passed the middle of the dark room, he also lightly stepped forward.
In an instant, the stone door behind and in front of him creaked and slowly closed. Zhang Weiyi reached the door before He Jing, only to find it barely wide enough for one person to pass through. He quickly braced himself with his shoulder to stop the door, his mind racing. He Jing, though his master's most beloved disciple, innocent and naive, was not worth risking his life for. Even if his master knew He Jing would be the one trapped inside, even if he resented him, there was no reason to punish him. In that moment of hesitation, He Jing had already reached the door, while the Longteng Post Station disciple, his face turning pale, suddenly drew his sword and thrust it forward. He Jing, unaware of what was behind him, bent down and passed through the gap. The man, however, panicked, his sword missing its mark and striking the stone door directly. The stone door was incredibly sturdy, polished smooth to the touch. The sword bent and broke in two. Zhang Weiyi was also caught off guard; the sword tip bounced back, and he instinctively spun around to dodge.
With this movement, the stone door creaked shut.
He reached out to pry it open, but because it was slippery to the touch, he couldn't get any leverage. He could only watch helplessly as the stone door closed little by little, and with a click, it was completely wedged shut.
The surroundings were completely silent.
The disciple from Longtengyi slammed his fist against the stone gate, shouting frantically, "Help! Someone, let me out!"
Zhang Weiyi lowered his hands and slowly slid to the ground, increasingly frustrated. His momentary weakness had trapped him here. The man beside him had initially shouted loudly, but the shouts gradually subsided, and he could no longer understand what he was muttering. Zhang Weiyi grew annoyed and wished he could draw his sword and finish the man off.
After a brief stalemate, he slowly stood up and gently tapped the wall with the hilt of his sword, trying to find another way out.
Rong Wanci released her hand and said softly, "Come to the right."
As she followed, she heard Rong Wanci's voice transmission: "Stand against the wall. Whatever I say, just nod or shake your head. Don't disturb anyone."
Xu Lianning knew that telepathy was a profound martial art, and there were many experts around. She was afraid that if she spoke, she would not hear her master. So she nodded.
"You still have the ring I gave you last time, right?" Rong Wanci said calmly. "I'm saying these words for the last time today, so remember every single one of them."
Xu Lianning nodded to indicate that she understood.
"I originally hoped you would take over the position of Palace Master, but I know you are unwilling, so I chose Shaowen. Shaowen is your uncle's disciple. The position of Palace Master of Lingxuan should have belonged to him back then, and it is only right that it be returned to his disciple now." Rong Wanci's tone gradually became urgent. "You will find him and take over the position of Palace Master, and you will assist him by his side for a year. If Shaowen does anything that disgraces the family during this year, then eliminate him directly. Lian Ning, although I haven't been very good to you in the past, I hope you can agree to this."
Xu Lianning pondered for a moment and nodded, but once she took it on, the trouble that followed would be endless.
"The second thing is not as important as the first, but you should remember it well." She paused, then said coldly, "If you ever encounter Yin Han in the future, don't say a word, just kill him without mercy."
Xu Lianning turned to look at her, only to see that Rong Wanci's face was devoid of any smile, so she nodded again.
Rong Wanci's expression softened slightly, and she sighed, "You're like this, and Qingxuan is like this too. You all think you can predict everything accurately, but sometimes that can lead to your death." She reached out and pulled her disciple over, "Master Shang has already gone out along this route. It's safer for you to follow behind him. Hurry up and join the other sects."
Xu Lianning couldn't help but ask, "Then Master...?"
Rong Wanci smiled slightly: "There are still many palace servants of Lingxuan Palace trapped over there, how can I leave?" She turned around and walked towards a dark place without hesitation.
Xu Lianning suddenly felt a lot of questions coming to mind: a long time ago in Nanjing, she discovered that the secret sentries of Lingxuan Palace had been destroyed; her master's words and actions on Wudang Mountain; the day she was surrounded on Wudang Mountain but happened to run into Zhang Weiyi and his group; and Yin Han... There were too many things mixed together, seemingly chaotic, yet seemingly connected in some way.
She flicked her sleeves and walked straight ahead. She quickly emerged from the tunnel, and although there seemed to be no human voices along the way, she dared not relax her vigilance for even a moment.
Finally, they reached the end, only to find three stone gates in front of them.
Dragons and snakes dance and soar through the heavens (Part 1)
The candles in the secret room gradually burned out, their flames flickering erratically. Zhang Weiyi carefully searched the surroundings three or four times, but still found nothing. Normally, the mechanisms in such a secret room were activated from the outside; without backup, there was no way to escape. Utterly helpless, he could only lean against the wall and stand there.
Suddenly, the disciple from Longteng Post Station lunged at him like a madman, grabbing his robe: "You're Young Master Yujian! You're Zhang Weiyi! You must have a way to get out?!"
With a flick of his sleeve, he swept the man aside and turned to walk to the other side. The man lost his balance, crashed headfirst into the wall, and immediately lost consciousness.
The candle flame flickered a few times before going out.
However, the secret chamber was not completely dark; a faint light still shone down from the ceiling. Zhang Weiyi looked up slightly and saw a luminous pearl embedded in the ceiling. He drew his sword and flicked it, causing the pearl to fall to the ground and roll to the side.
He squinted, scrutinizing the top. The spot where the luminous pearl was inlaid was merely a tiny vent, with no other mechanisms or mechanisms visible. Then, turning to look at the people from Longteng Post Station, a hint of murderous intent flickered across his face.
Having been trapped for over an hour, breathing was becoming increasingly difficult, and the ventilation opening was far too small. To endure any longer, they needed to eliminate this hindrance. Zhang Weiyi stepped forward, his Tai Chi sword as clear as autumn water, seemingly emanating a subtle flow of sword energy. He raised his hand and shattered the luminous pearl with a single strike.
In the darkness, a faint flash of pale silver sword light could be seen.
Xu Lianning raised her hand to press against the central stone door, took a few deep breaths, and then pushed hard. But before she could even touch it, the stone door slowly opened by itself.
She hesitated for a moment, then took a step. Before she had gone far, she heard the stone door behind her creak and slam shut again.
Xu Lianning looked around and felt a moment of stunned disbelief: the rough stone walls were inlaid with smooth mirrors, reflecting countless images of herself. The lighting was not provided by oil lamps, but by dimly glowing luminous pearls, which were luxurious yet inexplicably gave off an eerie feeling.
This walkway stretches into the distance, with no end in sight.