Бессмертие, Бессмертие - Глава 29
"When a man is deeply in love with a woman, do you know why some people call her a 'love rival'?" Shengxiang smiled. "Xiao Bi, you're a man too, don't you really understand?"
"A love rival?" Bi Qiuhan gasped. "Xiao Ji isn't... she's not the Prime Minister's woman, but the Emperor's..."
“She’s not the Prime Minister’s woman, she’s the Emperor’s woman,” Shengxiang finished for him. “So when you said my parents murdered those four masters, I didn’t say they weren’t.”
"Your father isn't Prime Minister Zhao, but... the founding emperor?" Bi Qiuhan grew increasingly shocked, his face turning deathly pale. "The founding emperor sent palace experts to assassinate... four of the greatest martial arts masters... You're lying! How could the dignified founding emperor do such a thing for a woman?"
“The emperor holds the power of life and death. If he cannot control himself, there is nothing in the world that can restrain him from killing,” said Shengxiang. “Everyone has lust or possessiveness, but it may be especially strong for those who rarely show affection.”
Bi Qiuhan was taken aback. "Xiaoji...why did your mother become the Emperor's woman?"
“This—it has to start from the twenties,” Shengxiang said, still leaning against the tree, her brocade robes exuding a luxurious and elegant air beneath it, “‘Huairou’ and ‘Xianxiu’. Would you like to hear about it?”
Chapter Nine: Killing Intent Soars High Across Ten Thousand Miles
Wudang Taoist Temple
Rong Yin remained lurking atop the Taoist temple. Below, apart from the 113 men in black trapped in the fire, the remaining 59 were still engaged in fierce battles with the Taoist priests inside the Wudang Taoist temple and the rabble who had gradually recovered from their injuries and retreated from Junshan.
The situation was evenly matched; these fifty-nine men possessed diverse martial arts skills, clearly a temporary force trained by different masters. The battle cries were deafening, and the two sides were evenly matched, resulting in a stalemate. However, if the stalemate continued, casualties were inevitable. Rong Yin remained hidden atop the observation tower. Although some knew he was there, they were too preoccupied to pay attention, and no one was given the chance to think about such matters at the moment.
Rong Yin remained unmoved because he didn't believe Li Lingyan's nighttime attack consisted of only these 172 ragtag men. Though numerous, they would be utterly useless against experts like Nan Ge and Bi Qiuhan. Li Lingyan, cunning and shrewd, would never resort to such inefficient methods. His command of these men to cause a ruckus on the mountain must have a purpose! Perhaps it was a feint, or perhaps a show of force. Rong Yin needed a calm and collected approach to seize any fleeting opening in the darkness.
"What a remarkable talent." In the woods outside the Wudang Taoist temple, a person exhaled a warm breath full of admiration. "Two hundred lives were right in front of him, and he just watched without saying a word. What a ruthless old man with white hair."
“He’s holding that position, which will hinder our plans,” another somewhat muffled voice said. This voice was very soft; Wan Yuyue’s voice was already quite gentle, but this person’s voice was so soft that it was almost indistinguishable. However, the source of the voice was on the ground.
A person stood in the dark forest.
Wearing a simple cloth robe and grey soft shoes, with a delicate, almost baby-faced chin, it was Li Lingyan.
Beside him was a strange soft couch, on which lay a person.
Lying on the couch was a man of about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, exuding a strong scholarly and intellectual air. His eyelashes were slightly raised, and the slight bloodshot in his eyes made them appear less clear and bright, giving them a kind of blood-stained handsomeness.
He was Tang Tianshu, Ye Xianchou's adopted son, the owner of the Leshan Weng Treasure, and probably the richest man in the world.
He willingly submitted to Li Lingyan's banquet.
“That proves he lives up to his reputation, unlike those old Taoist priests who leave their rooms at will.” Li Lingyan smiled. “He is now a coiled snake; he will see the slightest movement from us immediately.”
“Since it’s a snake, it must have a seven-inch spot,” Tang Tianshu said vaguely and softly. “Fuzhen Temple is its seven-inch spot.”
“Yes, he’s lurking in the temple, but the fatal flaw is that he can’t see the changes inside the Fuzhen Temple.” Li Lingyan sighed softly. “That was…that was your arrangement, Heavenly Book.”
"Ling Yan, didn't you plan to sweep through Wudang Mountain?" Tang Tianshu's voice wasn't loud, but what he said was terrifying. "We can't take Wudang Mountain without killing Bai Fa. He's lurking there, and he's having too much of an impact on our 'Array Training' plan." He said slowly, "He'd better be dead, otherwise he'll definitely be my greatest enemy in the future."
“Don’t forget they also have Yu Xiu.” Li Lingyan chuckled softly. “Bai Fa has a broad perspective, while Yu Xiu focuses on the details. One is a man of great talent and strategy, while the other is astute and perceptive. To win this battle, we must separate these two.”
"Speaking of which, shouldn't the Fallen Moon Envoy have reached the summit by now?" Tang Tianshu said vaguely. "Of course... if neither the Fallen Moon Envoy nor the Embracing Moon Envoy can drive him down from there, my evaluation of him will be even higher."
Li Lingyan smiled and changed the subject: "I'm just afraid..."
Just as he was speaking, a figure darted over and landed in front of Li Lingyan, his face full of anger. "Lingyan, you actually used me as bait to lure Bi Qiuhan away! Aren't you afraid that once I fall into their hands, I'll become a burden to you? What if they kill me?"
Tang Tianshu sighed. Li Lingyan stopped speaking, sighed, and said softly, "I trust my elder brother's martial arts skills, but if he makes a mistake, I will immediately abandon tonight's plan."
“Li Shiyu, you don’t need to say anything more. In Lingyan’s heart, you are more important than Wudang Mountain. Tonight, he simply believes in your abilities.” Tang Tianshu spoke gently to Li Lingyan, carefully observing Li Lingyan’s expression, but he was blunt when speaking to Li Shiyu. “The day Lingyan can let go of you people, the day he will be the master I truly respect.”
"You worthless wretch who grovels before Ling Yan, you'd better know your place before you speak!" Normally, Li Shiyu would have drawn his sword, but tonight he merely retorted with a livid face.
"You rushed over so recklessly, the people at the summit must have already seen you." Tang Tianshu's voice was muffled but surprisingly cold. "If Ling Yan hadn't treated you people like treasures, you would have died seventeen times over by me."
Li Shiyu's expression changed. Tang Tianshu was always frank and rarely lied or deceived, as it was unnecessary for him. If he said so, it must be the truth. He glanced at Li Lingyan, only to see him standing to the side smiling. Li Shiyu snorted heavily, "One day I will kill you, you arrogant crippled dog!" Just as he said this, even though he had just escaped from Bi Qiuhan's sword and was still unaware of what was happening, Li Shiyu felt a gaze fixed on the three of them.
At first, that gaze wasn't particularly cold or eye-catching. But the longer it lingered, the clearer the chilling aura became, making the air around him feel uneasy if he stared at it for too long. Li Shiyu suddenly turned around and saw a figure slowly rising from the distant summit of the Fuzhen Temple in Wudang Mountain.
Dressed in green with white hair, his robes fluttering, the man stood with his hands behind his back, looking right at us, like a statue cast in bronze and iron under the distant night sky.
"Who...is that?"
Li Lingyan's gaze slowly met Rong Yin's, "White hair—"
This was the man who would end the ethereal, fairy-like demeanor of Gu She. Li Shiyu stared at the shadow standing in the night, a strong sense of hostility burning within him.
Suddenly, the black tiles beneath the man's feet shattered, and a flash of light from a knife and a sword swiftly and silently slashed towards Rong Yin's legs from beneath the tiles.
Li Shiyu's eyes lit up. Those were the Fallen Moon Blade and the Embracing Moon Sword! They were the two of the "Four Split Moons" that were by Li Lingyan's side.
His excitement had barely begun when he suddenly saw Duoyue and Huaiyue's swords and blades miss their mark. Immediately afterward, two sharp "thuds" sounded behind them as their bodies, which had just emerged from under the roof tiles, were each stepped on, causing them to fall involuntarily through the large hole in the roof. However, Duoyue and Huaiyue were, after all, top-tier talents personally trained by Li Chenglou from childhood. After their swords and blades missed, the two exchanged a tacit palm strike, halting their descent and flying sideways, diagonally exiting the railings on either side of the top floor of the Fuzhen Temple, landing on the roof.
But clearly, the ambush had failed.
However, it is comforting to know that the ambush failed not entirely because of Rong Yin—Rong Yin simply stepped aside and stood by. The person who stepped on each of them was dressed in white and looked dashing, but it was Nan Ge.
They're back.
Yu Xiu whispered something to Rong Yin, and Nan Ge stepped into the air and stomped down the two who had suddenly attacked. Wan Yu Yue Dan, however, was calling on everyone to put out the fire and rescue people.
Seeing the unfavorable situation, Duoyue and Huaiyue immediately fled. Rong Yin did not pursue them, but continued to scan the Wudang Taoist temple in the darkness with his sharp eyes.
Li Lingyan sighed and suddenly flicked his sleeve with a "whoosh".
As the soft sound rang out, a slight commotion suddenly arose in the darkness. Rong Yin's hearing was exceptional; after scanning the area, he took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "It is indeed a plan of encirclement and annihilation. Li Lingyan has mobilized all his forces tonight, intending to sweep through Wudang Mountain!" He spoke softly, not intending to affect the confidence of the crowd watching the fierce battle below, "This first formation is a poisonous insect formation."
“His feigned weakness and bluff were all to set up an array outside the temple and draw our attention away from us.” Nan Ge said, looking at the dark Wudang Mountain. “Wudang Mountain has no lights at night. The person setting up the array only needs to walk alone for ten miles in the spring breeze, and no one will be able to find him.”
Yu Xiu shook his head solemnly. "No." He only said these two words without explaining.