Chapter 383 "Father, Zhao Duan and his men have come to attack us!"
Chapter 383 "Father, Zhao Duan and his men have come to attack us!" (Two in One)
In the empty forest, only large pieces of fallen leaves were left floating down.
Zhao Duan was silent, regretting that he had not asked for the return route in advance in order to maintain his status. However, now that the person had left, he could only walk back by himself.
"It seems that the location I teleported to shouldn't be far away."
With his extraordinary hearing, Zhao Duan could vaguely catch the sound of flowing water.
"I don't know what the situation is over at Yansuo Lake right now... Well, after I was taken away, Duan Shuiliu and Qi Yuchun lost their target and will definitely evacuate. So, Lao Hai and the others shouldn't be in any trouble. I'm afraid they are looking for my whereabouts right now... Tsk tsk, who would have thought that this could also plant a spy."
"Well, after returning to the capital, you can report to Zhenbao and see how to arrange the next step. If the princess can really stay undercover, then stabbing Prince Jing in the back at a critical moment in the future may have a miraculous effect."
"Oh, I wonder what Prince Jing will think when he learns that the assassination attempt has failed."
Many thoughts flashed through Zhao Duan's mind as he followed the sound of water through the forest. During the process, he took out the elixir, rubbed it open, applied it to the wound on his shoulder, and did a simple bandage.
After a while, he rushed out of the woods, and the view in front of him suddenly became clear. A cold wind blew on his face, blowing his hair back.
Ahead of us was a lake that was hundreds of miles in radius.
The lake is shrouded in smoke!
He immediately saw the huge, landmark "Statue of the God of Earth" in the distance.
"Hiss... Have I been teleported directly to the lower reaches of the Smoke Lock Lake? Hey, the fighting has really stopped."
Zhao Duan used his hands to build a "awning" on his eyebrows and looked into the distance. He could no longer see the fighting in the secular world.
I could vaguely see my own ship on the river approaching the shore, but as for more specific information, it was too far away to see clearly.
"I don't think I need to swim back... It's so desolate around here, there's not even a single person in sight." The corners of Zhao Duan's mouth twitched, and he was having a headache about how to return.
Suddenly, he had an idea and remembered his other purpose of going to Hu Ting.
Search for the ancient talisman hidden at the bottom of the misty lake: the Black Turtle Seal!
In the past few days, he had not found a chance to hunt for treasure in Huting because too many people were paying attention to him. But now was a good opportunity.
"But Pei Niannu only said that the treasure is at the bottom of the lake, but where exactly is it? It's such a big place... I can't just dive in and explore it bit by bit..."
Zhao Duan frowned, suddenly remembering his experience of searching for the "secret passage" in the capital.
With an idea in his mind, he spread out his palm and gathered the "leaf" made of white jade in his palm!
"If this thing is really a key, then maybe it has some induction with the 'lock'..." Zhao Duan murmured.
He then slowly transferred his Qi into the leaves of the white jade tree, calmed his mind, and used all his strength to detect with the perception of a mid-level divine chapter.
woohoo...
The mountain breeze blows across the water, creating ripples on the lake.
Zhao Duan sensed it again and again, and gradually realized that something was wrong. He adjusted his direction and walked along the lakeside. Gradually, the extremely faint and imperceptible pulsation inside the Luoshan Jade, like a resonance, became clearer.
"There is a door!"
Zhao Duan's eyes lit up, and he was no longer in a hurry to return. He simply grasped the trace of sensation bit by bit and walked forward.
After about half an hour, he finally stopped at a lakeside covered with rocks and weeds.
“It’s the richest here!”
Zhao Duan was just about to take off his clothes and dive into the lake to investigate, when suddenly, the Luoshan Jade in his hand emitted a strong light and slowly floated up, and ripples appeared on the lake water in front of him.
"Crash..."
Then, as he looked on in surprise, the lake water in front of him seemed to be split apart by an invisible force, and a waterless, sloping downward passage slowly formed in front of him!
So magical... Zhao Duan suppressed his surprise, stepped on the mud at the bottom of the lake, and walked forward step by step. Luo Shanyu was also slowly pulled downwards by some gentle force.
It was just like being in an aquarium in a previous life, walking along a corridor with glass curtain walls on both sides.
Zhao Duan could even see the fish swimming in the water.
Finally, he reached the bottom of the lake, and before him appeared a valley buried at the bottom of the lake. On its surface, which was covered with moss, a circular pattern like a shield could be vaguely seen engraved on it.
Zhao Duan estimated the location and found that this place was exactly on the "line" that the statue of the earth god was looking at.
"Is it a coincidence? Or..."
While he was thinking, the leaf-shaped Luoshan Jade floated straight up and pressed itself onto the gap in the center of the stone pattern.
Then, the valley shook slightly, accompanied by a heavy "click" sound, and the stone door in front of him opened by itself, revealing a staircase leading downwards.
Zhao Duan took out the torch he had stored from the scroll, lit it with a flint, and walked down.
This is actually a not very big stone cave, which can be seen at a glance. It is about the size of a large house, with simple stone tables, chairs and beds.
They were all covered with dust and no one had been here for a long time.
On the walls of the stone cave, there are pictures of gods, with turtles and snakes vaguely visible, as well as the familiar Taoist statues of the "Heavenly Way".
At this moment, with the influx of fresh air, the murals quickly dimmed, as if the frozen time was accelerated.
"…Is this some kind of cave for spiritual practice? Don't tell me it's a cemetery…"
Zhao Duan carefully observed the area and made sure there was no danger and no skeletons in the cave.
It's just a simple cave.
It seemed that its owner had cleaned up before leaving, and everything was in order.
A tattered cushion and a whisk were neatly placed on the ground.
Zhao Duan touched it with his boots, and instantly the whisk disintegrated into broken dust, and the surface of the cushion also cracked.
"..."
He turned around and finally reached a low stone pillar in the center of the cave.
There was a box placed on it. Zhao Duan carefully controlled the Golden Crow Flying Knife to pick it open. Seeing nothing unusual, he walked over and was surprised to find two objects in the box.
A jade slip and something similar to a seal.
"Is this the Black Turtle Seal that Old Xu searched for six hundred years ago but couldn't get?"
Zhao Duan suppressed his excitement and picked up the jade slip first. After opening it, he saw a hundred or so simple words engraved on it.
It was left by the owner of the cave.
It turns out that the owner of this place is called "Xiaoyao Sanren". He claims to have practiced for 200 years and obtained the Black Turtle Seal by chance. Because he does not like fame and fortune and only wants to be free and easy between heaven and earth, he wanders around.
When he came here in his old age, he was delighted to see the beautiful scenery of the mountains and rivers, so he settled down there. He carved a statue of the God of Earth, used the earth image of the "God of Earth" to neutralize the strong "water image" of this place, and dug this cave that gathered the spiritual energy of the earth.
Because his life span was limited, he simply placed the magical treasure, the Black Turtle Seal, which was fought over by people in the martial arts world, here to nurture it.
He took the Luoshan jade that served as the "key" with him and went out, ready to give it to the right person.
I hope that future successors will pass on this treasure and not commit murder.
There were not many words, and Zhao Duan read them quickly with a strange expression on his face.
"So, the legend of Yansuo Lake is true? It was this Xiaoyao Sanren who excavated the statue of the Earth God? Was it for the purpose of improving Feng Shui? To nurture a magic weapon?"
"It seems that he died outside during his last foray into the martial arts world. Somehow, this key ended up in the hands of Guhuo Zhenren... But the Imperial Master obviously doesn't know where this thing came from..."
Zhao Duan sighed a little, put away the jade slip, and finally picked up the ancient talisman that had caused bloody storm.
It is a square seal, dark green all over, not too big, just big enough to fit in the palm of your hand.
The "seal button" above the seal is shaped like a divine turtle, simple and exquisite, with the four characters "Black Turtle Water God" written at the bottom.
On the surface, it is a talisman belonging to the path of "Water God".
Zhao Duan cautiously tried to pass through with the martial arts energy, but encountered a rebound. At the same time, a cool "information" entered his sea of consciousness.
Almost instantly, he mastered the authority and power of this ancient talisman.
The Black Turtle Seal controls the power of the water god's magic.
With the help of this seal, one can control the flow of water and master a range of water control techniques.
In addition, there is a mustard seed space in the seal that can swallow water flow to store and release.
It also has the ability to influence the weather in an area, causing it to rain or clear up... Of course, the size of the affected celestial area depends on the caster's level of cultivation.
Finally, what Zhao Duan cares about most is that this talisman can absorb the spiritual power of heaven and earth and condense magical power on its own.
That is to say, a warrior can also use it, but if the internal magic power is exhausted, it will take time to replenish it slowly.
It's not surprising. Old Xu had been searching for it so hard, so it must be something that warriors can use. Moreover, after the "Martial God" path is advanced to the Divine Chapter, to a certain extent, Qi can be used to replace magic power.
For example, the "Spiritual Flame Burning Heart" mastered by Zhao Duan is an example.
"This thing can cast almost all the magic of the 'Water God' series? There is no limit? Doesn't that mean that if I am a sorcerer, and my major is the Fire God, but as long as I have this magic, it is equivalent to practicing both water and fire?"
"I am now a warrior in the Divine Chapter Realm, and it is equivalent to a water magician in the Divine Chapter Realm? When I step into the world, I will be a magician in the world realm?"
"And it's self-charging, which means that, for me, it's like carrying a warlock of the same level with me... well, a rechargeable one..."
"It's a bit of a bug... No wonder Old Xu couldn't forget it back then."
Zhao Duan was amazed.
According to what he said, if one holds the Black Turtle Seal, one can become a character similar to the "Lord of Water".
"Since you have entrusted me with this, I will not be polite. As the saying goes, treasures belong to those who are virtuous..." Zhao Duan cleared his throat and said with a guilty conscience, "Am I virtuous?"
After putting the Black Turtle Seal into his pocket, Zhao Duan looked around again and found that there was really nothing left in the cave, so he returned the same way.
Hua Hua...
On the shore, Zhao Duan raised his right hand, and a dark green seal in his palm slowly turned. With a thought, the separated lake water in front of him healed.
He stepped onto the lake as if he were walking on flat ground. He didn't need to walk, the waves dragged him quickly into the distance.
"Senior Pei is sincere and honest. He has one more trump card."
Zhao Duan was in a good mood. In today's assassination, he not only captured a spy at the secular level, but also obtained a magical treasure. This trip was worthwhile.
"Next, the market will open tomorrow, and the matter of Huting should come to an end."
……
……
The lakeside is shrouded in smoke.
The crowd of onlookers had dispersed like birds and beasts.
A ship with its second floor damaged was heading towards the shore.
On the deck of the ship, Xu Junling, accompanied by his maid Lu Shui, stood with a group of soaking wet officials. They all looked grim, and the atmosphere was depressing and tense.
Several worldly realm masters were not present. Hou Renmeng and Shen Juan were both injured, but their injuries were not serious. However, they were extremely anxious at this moment.
"Quick! Get to the shore as soon as possible!"
The marquis swung his scabbard violently, causing the crowded deck railings to bang. The surviving boatmen were silent as a mouse, and they focused on maneuvering the boat as fast as possible.
I was afraid of angering this official.
After Zhao Duan was abducted by the princess, the fight on the lake came to an end. Duan Shuiliu and Qi Yuchun escaped, while Eunuch Hai and the other two went to look for Zhao Duan separately.
The officials did not have such means, so they could only urge to land anxiously, wanting to contact Feng Ju and other officials in the city as soon as possible and mobilize soldiers to search.
Or...
Why not just surround the residence of Prince Jing? Go and get him?
This thought emerged in the minds of the group of Jinyi in Lihua Hall. As they looked at each other, they felt the urge to lock the person up by force.
"The county master..."
The maid Lu Shui was startled when she saw the fierce look in the eyes of these troublemakers from Lihua Hall. She moved closer to Xu Junling and whispered:
"What's next?"
Xu Junling was also confused. Even though she was known for her intelligence, she still lacked the tempering of blood and fire.
Lacking a clear understanding of the cruelty of political struggles, he did not expect that the other party would actually use extreme means to arrange this round of assassinations.
Now that Zhao Duan has been abducted by a strong man, he is probably in danger. How will King Huai'an survive next?
Thinking of the troubles that might follow, her face turned pale, she clenched her fingers, and her palms were wet with sweat.
"us……"
Just as she uttered these two words, she suddenly heard the sound of water splashing behind her. She turned her head and looked back, her eyes suddenly widened!
He looked astonished as if he had seen a ghost!
At the end of the ship, Zhao Duan, who was soaking wet, jumped out of the water and landed on the deck. He raised his weak face and smiled brightly at her:
"Princess, why don't you welcome me back?"
The other people on the deck also turned their heads and showed expressions of surprise.
"Sir?!" The group of troublemakers in Lihua Hall were stunned and shouted in disbelief.
Zhao Duan wrung the water off his body with a smile and cursed, saying:
“Why don’t you go to the cabin and find some dry clothes for me?” A group of men in brocade clothes had tears in their eyes as they were excited. They rushed up and surrounded him, confirming everything. Then they all smiled and asked questions at once.
Xu Junling also came over with a confused look on his face: "You...are not dead?!"
Zhao Duan smiled arrogantly and said calmly:
"Some people are still too naive to want to kill me. Haha, Princess, do you think that I don't have a life-saving card when I come to Huting?"
He just mentioned the details casually without going into detail. As for the wet look on his body, it was naturally a deliberate disguise.
It’s not good to show off the Black Turtle Seal in a swaggering manner.
A trump card... Yes, it's not surprising that he has a life-saving trump card. So, did the sorcerer fail in his surprise attack? So he escaped by diving? Or, was he teleported back to the bottom of the water...
The princess, who was good at imagining, quickly rationalized it. A smile appeared on her dull little face, as if she was crying and laughing:
"You don't know, I was scared to death just now..."
Zhao Duan laughed and asked, "Where are the others?"
Shen Juan quickly explained what happened and said at the end:
"Duan Shuiliu ran very fast. As soon as you disappeared, he escaped. As for Qi Yuchun, he also wanted to leave, but was stopped by Ji Yue. He was slashed by Eunuch Hai who caught up with him. He was seriously injured. If they were not in a hurry to find you, I'm afraid they would have been able to kill the commander-in-chief here. But...even if he is not dead, he is almost dead."
Zhao Duan was slightly disappointed, but he also knew that nothing was perfect, so he said seriously:
"Where are the soldiers on the ship? How many were killed or wounded in the naval battle?"
Hou Renmeng came out of the cabin holding dry clothes and whispered:
"Our men are fine, only five of them were injured. Three of the brothers from the Imperial Guards died, and six or seven were seriously injured."
Zhao Duan was silent for a moment, then said:
"Find the bodies and draw up a list of the injured for me. When I return to the capital, I will personally recommend merits and provide them with compensation."
"Yes."
"By the way, leave a few people behind to bring back the bodies of the assassins and the bodies of the archers hidden in the statue of the earth god. I can use them."
"As ordered."
"There's no need to look for Eunuch Hai and the others. They will be back soon. As for now..."
Zhao Duan narrowed his eyes, looked at the lake pavilion in front of him with his hands behind his back, and said:
"Follow me back to the city!"
……
……
On the mountain road.
The wind was cold and cold, and birds were flying from the direction of the lake pavilion, making unpleasant cawing sounds.
Inside the carriage, the young Taoist priest sensed the sudden stop of fighting in the distance, and a look of suspicion emerged on his ferocious face.
He pinched his fingers and quickly communicated with the god "Heaven" to make calculations.
It is extremely difficult to predict what will happen in the future, but it is much simpler and easier to predict what has already happened.
"Huh? Alive? Surviving from a desperate situation, it seems like the disaster has passed and good fortune is coming. Does this young man have a backup plan?"
The young Taoist priest looked at the hexagram and was slightly surprised. He smiled and looked at the burly old monk sitting cross-legged opposite him, and said with a smile:
"It seems that you miscalculated this time."
Bodhisattva Nagarjuna looked calm, without any disappointment, and said calmly:
"Amitabha, God has the virtue of loving life, how can I be a murderer? Moreover, I have said several times that this time I am not trying to take his life, so how could I have miscalculated?"
"Hmph, it's all your mouth anyway." The young Taoist priest said disdainfully.
Nagarjuna patted his buttocks and stood up, restraining his condensed and inconspicuous appearance, and said:
"Now that the dust has settled, I will take my leave now."
"Where are you going?"
"People from the Western Regions are here. As the Bodhisattva of Shenlong Temple, I will return to the temple."
"Haha, aren't you afraid that the empress will cause trouble for you?"
Bodhisattva Nagarjuna said confidently, "I have not set foot on the Yansuo Lake today. Why would Your Majesty find me unlucky?"
"..." The little Taoist priest raised his head and sighed, "When it comes to being shameless, the monk is second to none. Go."
He put away the Red Tide Sword on his knee, patted the neck of the pure white horse, and turned around.
"Where is the little master going now?"
"Oh, I will personally escort you back to the capital, so that you don't get lost and have to turn back."
Bodhisattva Nagarjuna: “…”
……
Huting City, Dafeng Tower.
The highest level, the sixth floor, serves as an observation deck.
Huai'an King Xu An, who was a wealthy man with a businessman's temperament, had a solemn expression on his face. He paced anxiously and looked frequently in the direction of Yansuo Lake outside the city.
There was a broken lens tube lying next to him.
Behind him, the servants in the palace were silent.
It was only after the princess left the city that Prince Huai'an learned that his daughter was invited to go out of the city for a trip today.
The first reaction of this shrewd and experienced fox was uneasiness.
He hurriedly ordered his servants to find the young lady, and returned to Dafeng Tower again. He sealed off the sixth floor and looked out over the city.
As a result, he witnessed the bloody fight in the secular world.
Prince Huai'an almost fainted. He urged Prince Xu Qian to take the guards out of the city while waiting anxiously.
Unfortunately, due to the obstruction of the lake waves and the distance, he soon lost track of his daughter, and had no idea whether she was alive or dead.
"Your Highness, please be at ease. The princess is worth a lot of money, and even assassins dare not hurt her." The old servant of the palace comforted him from behind.
The calm look on Huai'an Wang's fat face was gone, and he said anxiously:
"Who can guarantee that there won't be any accidental injuries if the fight breaks out? Besides, how treacherous is Zhao Duan? I'm afraid he might take Jun Ling with him to protect himself..."
As he spoke, he slapped the railing with his big fat hands again, with a hint of regret in his eyes:
"Xu Wen..."
He felt a little regretful that he had pushed both parties too hard. If Zhao Duan really died, the anger from his niece in the capital would inevitably be directed at him.
Suddenly, someone rode a horse galloping on the street below Dafeng Tower, and it was Prince Xu Qian.
Prince Huai'an's heart ached, and he hurriedly led people downstairs to greet him. When the father and son met downstairs, Prince Huai'an's first words were:
"Is your sister still..."
Xu Qian got off the horse, panting, and shook his head when he heard this.
The Prince of Huai'an was struck by lightning, his body was shaking, and the servants behind him hurriedly supported him:
“Your Majesty…Your Majesty…”
Immediately, Xu Qian supported his knees with his hands, slowly stood up, and waved his hands:
"No... No one is injured..."
"... Will you die if you don't breathe heavily when talking?" King Huai'an widened his eyes and kicked him.
Xu Qian dodged nimbly, looking aggrieved: "I just got a stitch in the side..."
King Huai'an heaved a sigh of relief: "It's good that Jun Ling is fine, what about Zhao Duan?"
Xu Qian said: "He was kidnapped by a mysterious sorcerer."
Prince Huai'an's heart skipped a beat, and he paced back and forth, his face solemn:
"It's bad, it's bad... If this person dies, the court's opening of the market will be ruined. That's not so bad, the key is His Majesty, there is still..."
"No... the person is not dead," Xu Qian blinked his big eyes, his eyes were clear and innocent:
"He was indeed kidnapped, but he somehow managed to get back and only suffered minor skin injuries. He is now behind and has already entered the city."
King Huai'an: "..."
"Father?"
"Shut up, your father is thinking!"
……
In another house.
Under the black eaves, Prince Jing sat in a bamboo chair, his elegant and noble face full of the triumph of a winner.
The death of Zhao Duan would indeed cause trouble, but by the time the news reached the capital, he had already returned to the base camp and established the road.
Besides, the people involved in this assassination had no direct relationship with Prince Jing's Mansion.
The princess did not reveal her identity.
After Duan Shuiliu became a disciple, he was no longer even considered a member of Qingshan. It would be difficult for the empress to find someone to take revenge on. She would probably seek revenge on Shenlong Temple?
Add another crime to the capital's Xuanyin Abbot?
Prince Jing was happy to see this happen. There were many factions within the Shenlong Temple and the minds were extremely complicated. This was a point that could be exploited. This time he was just using a small effort to achieve a great result.
Footsteps approached rapidly.
Prince Jing closed his eyes and could tell the person's identity by his footsteps.
"The result is out? Is Zhao Duan dead?"
Xu Jinglong rushed into the mansion. Faced with his father's casual questioning, the wealthy prince was suddenly speechless.
"What? Are you mute?" Prince Jing asked in an unhappy tone.
Xu Jinglong finally swallowed his saliva and said in a hoarse voice:
"Report...Report to father, Zhao Duan...is not...not dead."
"what?!"
Prince Jing pried open his eyelids and stared at the prince in disbelief. He stood up suddenly and stared at him intently:
"What happened? How come he's not dead?!"
Xu Jinglong was frightened by his father's predatory gaze and took two steps back. He waved his hands in panic and explained:
"I don't know either. I just followed your orders and went out to wait for the result. Then I saw Zhao Duan and his men marching into the city in a very high-profile manner, as if... deliberately telling everyone that he was safe and sound..."
"boom!"
In Prince Jing's hand, the peace and safety card was instantly crushed! Deep cracks appeared!
Prince Jing had an unpleasant look on his face, and was about to say something when suddenly there was a loud thud of something heavy falling in the backyard.
He suddenly turned around, left the prince behind, walked through the house and into the backyard, only to see a blood-stained blue robe lying on the ground.
The seriously injured Lu Yan'er struggled to get up and threw a half-broken sword on the ground. She leaned on the flower bed, gasping for breath, and the silver mask on her face was almost cracked.
"You are..." Prince Jing's heart skipped a beat.
Lu Yan'er shook her head, without explaining, she closed her eyes and began to regulate her breathing.
"Father...ah, aunt..."
Behind him, Crown Prince Xu Jinglong followed in cautiously and saw this scene.
Prince Jing clenched his fists, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and said without looking back:
"Go get some medicine for your aunt. Go quickly!"
"Oh... yes..." Xu Jinglong ran away in a hurry.
Prince Jing panted for a long time before slowly exhaling to calm his agitated emotions.
He did not talk to Lu Yan'er, but turned and walked out of the backyard, closed the door, and summoned the palace's confidant:
"Go immediately and find the agents of the other six families. I want to discuss matters!"
"Yes……"
"Someone is coming..."
For a while, Prince Jing issued several orders in succession, and this temporary residence was in chaos and as serious as a military camp.
"Father..."
Suddenly, Xu Jinglong came back with a look of shock and anger.
"What happened again? Didn't I ask you to go get the medicine?" Prince Jing couldn't control his temper and said angrily.
Xu Jinglong shuddered and said with gritted teeth:
"Father, Zhao Duan is here! He and his men are outside the courtyard, and he has dumped... several bodies at our doorstep!"
Prince Jing's expression suddenly changed.
Then, the father and son heard Zhao's loud voice coming from outside the courtyard:
"Prince Jing, come out and meet me!"
-
ps: I want to boost the average subscription, so I will post two chapters in the next few days. This chapter has 6,800 words.
(End of this chapter)