Medicina alquímica

Capítulo 146

Lian Zhao was speechless at the question. The Lian family's troops were all under his command; without his orders, they naturally wouldn't be here. If the imperial court received his message and came, then the troops dispatched would be from nearby counties. He truly had no idea who commanded them. But the only one who could give the orders was the current emperor. However, if it was solely for the sake of Shenxiao, his own troops were already sufficient; why mobilize additional forces? Unless…

"It seems that the Lian family's loyalty to the emperor and patriotism are still somewhat questionable in His Majesty's eyes."

When Wang Wenqing finished speaking, Lian Zhao's expression had already lost its previous calm.

"For the sake of political stability and national peace, just how far can the Lian family go?" Wang Wenqing's tone was full of pressure, and the sharpness in his eyes was unapproachable.

A chill ran through her as she grasped some of the deeper meaning in Wang Wenqing's words. The current emperor had already issued a secret order to investigate the Nine Emperors and purge the Divine Firmament. Lian Zhao was acting precisely according to this order. Previously, Wei Qi and Xi Yuan, harboring ulterior motives, had even considered destroying the Lian family, using them as pawns. Later, Lian Zhao allied with martial arts figures to jointly combat the Divine Firmament. Although Lian Zhao had always maintained the court's stance, the complexities and blurred lines between right and wrong in this situation inevitably aroused suspicion, even if it reached the emperor's ears. And those mentioned in the secret order as "those who know the secrets of the Nine Emperors" might not be limited to the Divine Firmament faction.

If the army outside was indeed sent by the emperor, then they are doomed!

Xiao Xiao looked at Lian Zhao, her heart filled with trepidation.

The Celestial Master had just spoken of unifying the world, which she dismissed as mere rhetoric. But now, the troops outside the temple were not a charade; if she didn't rebel, she would likely face certain death. And now, Wang Wenqing's spearhead was aimed directly at Lian Zhao; everything he said had only one purpose: to use the current situation to force Lian Zhao to submit. If the current emperor could execute Yue Fei, he could just as easily destroy the Lian family, the "Divine Arrow." Lian Zhao surely understood this principle.

Thinking of this, Xiao Xiao was about to step forward and say something when she heard Lian Zhao speak up, saying, "If the emperor commands the subject to die, the subject has no choice but to die. If one day, the emperor, in order to stabilize the country, wants to exterminate my Lian family... the Lian family will certainly comply."

Lian Zhao stood before Wang Wenqing, neither humble nor arrogant. The unwavering conviction in his voice was captivating.

Wang Wenqing looked at him without saying a word.

Lian Zhao smiled faintly and said, "Marshal Yue can do such a thing, the Lian family can do it, but the Celestial Master cannot... isn't that right?"

Upon hearing Lian Zhao's words, Wang Wenqing fell silent. He subconsciously glanced at Xiao Xiao again. Xiao Xiao, however, was staring at Lian Zhao in a daze.

Wang Wenqing closed his eyes slightly, and many things came to mind. Years ago, there was the general who resolutely returned to the capital, only to die unjustly. Was it foolishness or loyalty? It remained unclear. And perhaps it would never be clear. Then there was his beloved disciple, who abandoned everything and resolutely left… He had always believed that only his exceptionally intelligent disciple could understand his profound principles. Yet, he left behind only the two words "Huai Ren" (meaning "cherishing benevolence"), and then vanished without a trace…

Benevolence, what an outdated word... And now, are these people in front of him also talking about "benevolence"?

"After all that nonsense, I understand what you mean. Right now, that army outside isn't coming for us. But if they find out we are the 'Nine Emperors,' we're doomed. Is that right?" Yin Xiao sneered. "Lian, if you want to be loyal to the emperor and love your country, that's your business. I don't want to die at the hands of that tyrant!"

“You won’t die…” Lian Zhao turned to Yin Xiao and said, “As long as no one leaks it, the secret of the ‘Nine Emperors’ will remain a secret forever.” He looked at the weapons in the magic array, “Offering these weapons might be enough to deceive everyone.”

"Hmph, Lian Zhao, the emperor has sent troops here because he no longer trusts the Lian family. Do you think he'll believe you?" Yin Xiao frowned and said, "Do you expect me to obediently go out and reason with that tyrant?"

“Silver Owl, if you want to rebel now, you are truly courting death!” Lian Zhao drew the white longbow from the magic array and pointed it directly at Silver Owl, saying.

Yin Xiao raised his soft sword, pointed it at Lian Zhao, and said coldly, "Your deception is nothing more than a 'maybe'. Why should we gamble with you on this 'maybe'? In the end, if you hadn't informed the court, things wouldn't be like this today. Our paths are different, so stop pretending to be allies!"

Seeing the two locked in a stalemate, those around them were also at a loss for what to do. Surrounded by imperial troops, the situation was truly a dilemma. Whatever decision they made carried considerable risk. The silence at that moment concealed a restless anxiety, making everyone uneasy.

I bet.

Xiao Xiao suddenly spoke up.

She took a step, walked to Lian Zhao's side, and smiled easily.

"Girl, with your current status, any mishap would be no laughing matter!" Yin Xiao's voice was filled with anger.

She raised her eyes slightly, looked at Lian Zhao, smiled, and remained silent. Lian Zhao looked at her and smiled faintly in return.

At this moment, although it was still quiet, the atmosphere was quite different from before.

Yin Xiao looked at Xiao Xiao, slowly put down the soft sword in his hand, frowned and sighed.

Just as the situation was easing, another disciple of the "Qufang" rushed into the underground chamber, anxiously saying, "Alliance Leader, the imperial troops outside have already set up a battle formation. The sect leader requests that everyone come out to discuss countermeasures."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xiao nodded to Lian Zhao. Then she said to everyone, "Everyone, take your own divine artifacts and let's go out together."

Without further hesitation, the group was about to retrieve the weapons from the magic array. Suddenly, Wei Qi, who had already been subdued, leaped up, knocked away the people beside him, and jumped more than ten feet away.

Everyone was shocked by what they saw. In a flash, Wei Qi threw a punch, smashing it against the wall beside him. The wall shattered, revealing a hidden lock. Wei Qi pulled up the lock, and several iron bars crashed down from the ceiling of the underground chamber, surrounding everyone.

Everything happened too fast; everyone was trapped inside the iron fence and couldn't react in time.

Wei Qi, injured, staggered after doing all this and had to lean against the wall to catch his breath. However, he almost immediately straightened up, looked at everyone, and smiled slightly.

That smile concealed a chilling, knife-like killing intent.

Wei Qi quickly turned around and leaped out of the underground chamber.

"Don't run!" Wei Ying exclaimed in alarm upon seeing this. Suddenly realizing something, he turned around swiftly, drew the "Martial Spirit Overlord Blade" from the magic array, and slashed fiercely at the iron fence. The iron fence was easily sliced through like cork.

He leaped over the iron bars and gave chase. The others followed closely behind, exiting the underground chamber.

Although Wei Qi was injured, his martial arts skills were still slightly superior to those of ordinary martial artists. Moreover, Wei Qi showed no desire to win; his moves were all executed with a desperate, life-or-death stance. Those who were originally guarding the temple were unable to stop him, and many were even injured.

By the time everyone chased after them, Wei Qi had already run outside the temple.

Outside, torchlight illuminated the gloomy night. The allied forces were facing off against the imperial army. The troops Lian Zhao had previously led were mostly household retainers, and their imposing presence was incomparable. The imperial army had shields in front, archers behind, a dense forest of infantry with spears and halberds, and finally, a formidable cavalry. Their formation was awe-inspiring.

Wei Qi threw out a few random attacks, dodging those who tried to stop him. With all his might, he leaped into the air and stood between the opposing imperial troops and the allied forces.

He steadied his breathing, then roared, "The true Nine Emperors do not refer to the nine divine artifacts. Rather, it refers to the person who possesses those nine artifacts. The person who, with the assistance of those nine, can unify the world, is Zuo Xiaoxiao!"

He finished speaking in one breath, but finally collapsed to the ground due to exhaustion.

The two sides were locked in a tense standoff, utterly silent. Wei Qi's words, spoken with all his might, were clearly heard by everyone.

And so, in no time, the subtle antics spread.

When Xiao Xiao and his group reached the entrance of the Taoist temple, they heard these words. The voice was filled with murderous intent and sorrow, and it lingered in their ears for a long time.

Xiao Xiao finally understood a phrase: mutual destruction.

With Wei Qi's words, there could only be one outcome: everyone here connected to the Nine Emperors would die.

She felt only helplessness and sorrow. Why, after so many changes, could things still end this way? She looked at everyone; their expressions were incredibly complex, and the hostility that had just eased was tense again.

Xiao Xiao glanced at Lian Zhao and saw a mixture of fear and terror in his eyes, an expression she had never seen before.

"Now that things have come to this, let's stop talking about deceiving everyone! Let's just fight our way out!" Silver Owl said.

"Yes, yes!" Yue Huaixi immediately agreed. "Let's fight our way out, then retreat into Taiping City and rebel to show them! Right, Le'er?"

"Lord Shi, you mustn't! Rebellion is a capital offense!" Jiang Cheng said.

"Isn't death inevitable even if you don't rebel?" Luo Yuanqing finally couldn't hold back and said.

Shi Le'er was still young, and faced with this situation, she didn't know what to do. She hesitated, and finally looked at Wei Ying.

Wei Ying shook her head slightly.

"The century-old foundation of Taiping City could be destroyed in an instant if a rebellion breaks out," Li Si sighed.

As the group argued, Helan Qifeng of "Qufang" and Bajitian of "Shennong Family" led the alliance members to retreat towards the Taoist temple.

Helan Qifeng strode into the temple and, upon seeing Xiaoxiao, eagerly asked, "Alliance Leader, is what Wei Qi said true?"

Xiao Xiao could only nod in agreement.

Upon hearing this, Helan Qifeng gritted his teeth. "How could things have changed like this? If this news reaches the Emperor's ears, I think there will be no place for us to stand, no matter where we are!" After he finished speaking, he glanced at Lian Zhao, seemingly unintentionally.

"Sigh, the emperor isn't here, so Wei Qi's words might not even get around!" Shi Le'er said, realizing something.

“No,” Lian Zhao finally spoke, slowly saying, “His Majesty knows…”

"Why..." Xiao Xiao was puzzled and was about to ask. But following Lian Zhao's gaze, she saw the swords and halberds reflecting the light of the torches, illuminating a carriage behind the heavy army.

The carriage was draped in layers of gauze curtains, their colors obscured by the firelight. But on either side of the carriage, elegantly dressed young women held fans as attendants, and a eunuch stood before it. Among the soldiers, Xiao Xiao couldn't think of anyone else who could command such a presence.

I am not very familiar with the current emperor. However, the death of Marshal Yue is known to everyone, young and old. This shows the extent of this emperor's ruthlessness. Now, who can reverse this situation?

At this moment, everyone heard the eunuch speak, saying: "You traitors, in collusion with the Divine Firmament Cult, use the 'Nine Emperors' Divine Artifacts' as a pretext to spread heresy, incite supernatural forces and confuse the gods, and endanger the nation..."

Even without listening, Xiao Xiao could guess what the eunuch was saying. She was burning with anxiety, yet she didn't know what to do.

“Xiaoxiao…” Lian Zhao spoke up at this moment.

Xiao Xiao looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

“The Celestial Master is insightful and Wei Qi is extremely cunning. The Divine Firmament Sect would never leave themselves no way out. There must be a secret passage in this Taoist temple where we can escape. You lead the group inside to search, and I will buy you some time.”

By this time, the fear in Lian Zhao's eyes had completely vanished, and his expression had returned to its usual gentle and peaceful demeanor. However, Xiao Xiao sensed something unusual in his expression. There was a resolute determination hidden within that peace, which made her involuntarily worry.

Xiao Xiao grabbed his arm, alarmed, and asked, "How are you going to stall for time? Tell me! How are you going to stall for time?"

Lian Zhao's expression showed a hint of trouble. He raised his eyes and looked at the people around him. After a moment's thought, he said in a voice as soft as a whisper, "Nine emperors have descended upon the world, and the world is united. As long as even one of the nine emperors harbors disloyalty, you will not be able to gain the world. The Lian family has been loyal and virtuous for generations, and the emperor will believe it."

"He even killed Yue Fei! Who would he trust?!" Xiao Xiao grabbed his arm and shouted, "If he really needs to kill someone to feel at ease, that person should be me!"

A moment of sorrow flashed in Lian Zhao's eyes. "You are innocent...only you are innocent!"

Her small eyes welled up with tears. Innocent… why did those two words, applied to her, cause her such heartache?

Lian Zhao reached out and pressed her shoulder, saying, "I've said it before: if one day the Emperor, for the sake of stabilizing the country, were to destroy my Lian family, the Lian family would surely comply. I, Lian Zhao, have long been aware of this. But you are innocent; you shouldn't be sacrificed..."

"What if there's no secret passage? What if there's no secret passage?" Xiao Xiao exclaimed.

Lian Zhao remained silent, offering no further reply. He gently pushed Xiao Xiao away, then glanced at Wen Su.

Wen Su was slightly surprised, but quickly nodded.

Having received this answer, Lian Zhao no longer hesitated and strode out of the Taoist temple.

"Lian Zhao!" Xiao Xiao was about to chase after him, but Yin Xiao stopped her.

"Girl, be good." Yin Xiao's tone was suddenly filled with helplessness.

Unable to break free, she saw Lian Zhao's silhouette blurred by tears. In that instant, all the memories flooded back. Their first meeting at the inn, the farce of her falling from the roof into his room, his one-sided marriage proposal at Hero's Fortress, working together as servants at Jiyu Manor and venturing into the underground palace, him holding the cat at the Lian family home and asking her what she liked to eat, him leading his troops across the East Sea just to let her leave… everything was vivid in her mind, tearing her heart apart.

After countless trials and tribulations, they were finally able to stand side by side. And just when she thought things would always be this way, the so-called "destiny" played a cruel joke on her. Was she really going to lose everything just because of that absurd phrase, "Nine Emperors appear, the world is unified"?! If she were truly a traitor, a villain, would she be able to accept such a change with peace of mind?

But what should she do? What should she do now that she has always been "innocent"?

...

Harmless Good Citizens

But what should she do? What should she do now that she has always been "innocent"?

...

...This is a dividing line indicating the time when the entire cast appears on screen = =+...

Lian Zhao, longbow in hand, slowly walked towards the menacing army. His retainers, seeing him approach, followed behind.

The allies parted to make way for Lian Zhao to walk in front of the army.

"How dare you!" shouted the eunuch in front of the carriage. This shout caused the archers at the front of the army to draw their bows fully, arrows nocked and ready to be released.

Lian Zhao knelt down calmly, placed the pure white longbow in front of his knees, bowed his head and said, "This humble general, Lian Zhao, greets Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

The eunuch's expression changed. He stepped back slightly, leaned forward to listen to the instructions from inside the carriage, and then said, "Lian Zhao, the Emperor ordered you to investigate the traitors, but you colluded with bandits and scoundrels. You are guilty of deceiving the Emperor. Do you accept your punishment?"