Chapter 421 Zhao Duan: Am I a rebel?

Chapter 421 Zhao Duan: Am I a rebel?

Chapter 421 Zhao Duan: Am I a rebel?
Huhu——

The hard and cold mountain wind slapped the cloth, making a slight sound.

Inside the large tent, light from the sky dimly filtered through the tent cloth. Zhao Duan sat cross-legged with his eyes closed and his hands clasped in front of him.

With every breath, two thin white streams would burst out of the nostrils and then converge back, which was extremely mysterious.

As he completed a complete cycle of breathing, the Qi in his body reached its peak, and his thumbs suddenly crossed as he clasped his hands.

With him as the center, ripples spread out in the air around him, and then an illusory, faint and blurry "golden bell" slowly emerged and enveloped him.

After maintaining for a moment, it collapsed and disintegrated.

"call--"

Zhao Duan opened his eyes, the green lotus mark on his forehead slowly faded, and the corners of his mouth slowly rose:

"It is worthy of being the most classic 'Golden Bell Cover' of Buddhism. It is indeed difficult to learn, but at least I have finally figured out the trick."

Some days had passed since the Spring Festival. After leaving the city, Zhao Duan repeatedly pondered along the way, trying to learn the Buddhist self-defense techniques from the "Green Lotus of the Sea of ​​Consciousness".

The main reason was that when the Empress slashed the Shenlong Temple with her sword, the abbot Xuanyin used the Great Golden Bell to protect the entire temple and resisted the three swords of the Empress in the Heaven and Man Realm, the momentum was too huge.

Although Zhao Duan is a warrior and can condense his internal energy to protect his body, when it comes to defense, the Buddhist Golden Bell Cover is indeed the most exquisite of all the techniques.

“Although I haven’t completely mastered it, but it has taken its initial form, it is already equivalent to me using all my strength to condense the Qi to protect my body. As for the Xiaguang body protection, it is already a little behind my level.

Once I have mastered it, my ability to survive will be greatly improved. With all the buffs I have now, I will be able to withstand a few attacks from the Great Monk and will not be killed instantly."

"Unfortunately, my cultivation has slowed down recently. I am still stuck at the middle level, and still a long way from the upper level of the Divine Chapter... Well, it's already fast enough. One should not be too greedy..."

"But Zhenbao might have to go to perform some Fengshan ritual in a few months. It's such a headache..."

As the "Emperor's Husband", Zhao Duan was worried about gains and losses, when he suddenly heard footsteps approaching.

Then, a scabbard suddenly pierced through the gap in the tent curtain, accompanied by the voice of female colleague Haitang:

"Come out for dinner. We should go to Fengcheng in the morning."

……

Zhao Duan opened the tent curtain, and the early morning light from the mountains suddenly shone through.

This is actually a leeward col.

There was no snow around, only wild grass, but the slightly damp mountain breeze blowing towards us was very different from the coldness of the capital.

Yesterday, this team disguised as an ordinary merchant caravan crossed the border between Linfeng and Binhai and officially entered the Binhai Road.

To be precise, it is the "Fengcheng" area where the headquarters of the Kuangfu Society is located in the intelligence.

At this moment, there was a whole convoy of carriages parked around, and the ground was densely packed with tents.

At dawn, when the sky was turning pale in the east, many escorts dressed as bodyguards or captains in brocade uniforms protecting the caravans had already gotten up and started feeding the horses, fetching water from the nearby streams, and collecting firewood.

Preparing to light a fire and cook, a busy scene

——This time, in order to assist Zhao Duan in capturing the rebels, Ma Yan waved his hand and selected the best from each of the nine halls of the imperial yamen, assisted by Zhao Duan’s direct line, the Lihua Hall, to form this "caravan".

In the tents in the center of the team, except Zhao Duan, several other familiar people were coming out one after another.

"Good morning, Brother Zhao!"

In the tent opposite, a short, fat young man with a round face came out, yawning, holding a hemp rope in his hand.

While pulling at his wrinkled cotton robe, he tied a large bamboo tube wrapped in cloth to his back with a hemp rope.

It turned out to be one of the red-pointed boys from the Tianshi Mansion:

The successor of the god of craftsmanship, Gongshu Tianyuan.

Gongshu Tianyuan, who successfully advanced to the "worldly" realm on New Year's Eve, was radiant. Even though he was tired from the long journey, his complexion was much better than when he was in the craftsman shop in the Tianshi Mansion.

He turned his head and looked at Haitang, who had a high ponytail and was holding the scabbard, and asked curiously:

"Maritime Police, has my junior sister returned?"

Haitang, who shared a tent with Jin Jian last night, glanced at the sloppy fat man with disdain, raised her chin and pointed at her tent:

"I came back just after daybreak."

Faintly, soft, gentle snoring could be heard coming from the gap in the open tent.

After hanging out all night, the young priestess Jin Jian came back early in the morning to catch up on her sleep. She wrapped herself in the tent and slept on her back.

When he heard someone calling him, his ears trembled as if they had their own ideas, then curled up silently to block out the outside noise, and even kicked his legs.

"Who would have thought that the mysterious and ethereal genius female priestess is not only a night owl with an inverted schedule, but also snores?"

Zhao Duan curled the corner of his mouth. During this short journey, he had a deeper understanding of the golden tablet.

The appearance of two Heavenly Master disciples in the team was naturally Zhao Duan’s attempt to win them over.

After the priests of Tianshi Mansion are promoted to the "world", there is a rule that they need to go out for training. It is natural that Zhao will not let go of such a good fighter.

Jin Jian and Gongshu Tianyuan were also quite interested in catching the rebels. They felt as excited as if they had finally mastered the art and were going down the mountain to slay demons and eliminate evil.

It’s a pity that the young Taoist priest Zhong Pan’s status is too high and he is unwilling to participate in worldly fights. His relationship with the Taoist priest is not close enough, so Zhao Duan cannot use his personal connections to invite him over, which makes him quite regretful.

"grown ups."

From the other two tents, Lang Shiba, who had been released from prison, emerged with disheveled hair and a scimitar hanging from his waist.

And Ji Yue, who woke up early but was unwilling to come out of his little tent because of social phobia.

That’s right, this time Zhao Duan kidnapped two more people, and besides that, there was also…

"Master Shao Bao, go to the river and wash up. You can eat soon."

In the distance, Zhang Han, a man with a paralyzed face who was directing the actions of the Jinyi soldiers, walked over without a smile, holding a heavy water bottle in his hand.

Zhao Duan looked at his wet hair, the water on his face that had almost frozen into ice crystals, and the Jinyi men who had already started lighting firewood to cook, and smiled and nodded:

"Thank you for your hard work. Just call me by my name."

"Okay, Mr. Zhao." Zhang Han nodded calmly.

……

Russian qing.

Plumes of smoke rose from the camp. When Zhao Duan came back from washing up at the river, everyone had already started eating.

Camping in the wild is not easy, so we just boil water to heat up some leftovers and bread.

Fortunately, the group disguised themselves as a caravan and carried a lot of goods openly, which made it convenient for people and horses to eat and feed.

"Let's have a meeting."

Zhao Duan took the bowl of soup and pancake handed over by the soldiers, sat on a small stool in the center of the camp and greeted everyone. Everyone also sat around in a circle, eating while holding a morning meeting.

"We are in Fengcheng ahead. Before entering the city, we need to unify our plans for after entering the city so that we can take action."

Zhao Duan squatted on a small stool, taking a bite of cake and a sip of soup. He felt as if he was in a war movie in his past life, where the army discussed the battle plan while marching.

It was a pity that he didn't have a baton in his hand, and there was no map on the ground, which was a bit of a letdown, but he still spoke with great vigor:
"Maritime Police, please tell me the situation first."

Haitang had finished her meal. As the most capable detective among the nine halls of the imperial court, she looked the most serious among the few people:
"As you all know, according to the information sent back by the Shadow Guard, the base of the Kuangfu Society is in the Fengcheng County area, but the exact location is unknown. The rebel leader Zhuang Xiaocheng has been hiding here for many years, commanding the various branches."

“It is not clear how many enemies there are in the headquarters, but according to the known intelligence, the former commander Qi Yuchun, the second prince Jian Wen’s retainers, and the earth god sorcerer Ren Kun are all veteran worldly realm masters.

In addition, Zhuang Xiaocheng has about 30 God Chapter Realm warriors under him... and a large number of members. Well, of course, most of these people are scattered all over the place, sitting in the branch, so the number of strong people in the headquarters is definitely far less than this number, but it is still not to be underestimated. "

Gongshu Tianyuan smiled and said:

"In other words, the enemy has two world realms? On our side, we have two brothers and sisters, plus Brother Lang and Sister Yue, which makes four world realms. In addition, although Brother Zhao has not yet been promoted, he also has superb skills. Even if those rebels still have trump cards, they are not to be feared in comparison."

After a pause, he frowned and added:

"But as for the manpower below...even though we have the nine halls of the Imperial Court, I'm afraid we still don't have enough manpower."

Zhao Duan smiled and said:

“It’s okay. I have already ordered the shadow guards to pass the message to the military headquarters in Binhaidao. As long as the order is given, the government troops will arrive at any time.

It’s just that we should keep a low profile on this trip to avoid scaring off the enemy. For now, we should wait until we enter the city to find out the situation first, and then make specific arrangements for our actions.”

Gongshu Tianyuan spread his hands and said, "Then there will be no problem between me and my junior sister."

Haitang continued:
"Compared to the combat power of both sides, it is more important to determine the location of the rebel party's headquarters, and... whether there are local forces in Fengcheng that are colluding with the rebel party...

Just think about it, the Yu State was so big, why did Zhuang Xiaocheng set up his headquarters here? There must be a reason for it. "

Since he was released from prison and made up his mind to join Zhao Duan, Lang Shiba has gradually regained some of his former military temperament in the north. He swallowed the soup, wiped the water stains on his beard with his big hands, and said solemnly:
"You already have a suspect?"

Haitang shook her head and said:
"Without any evidence, I cannot give an answer. But I do suspect one person, the master of the Zixiao Palace Taoist Temple in Fengcheng, the Taoist priest in purple robes."

Zhao Duan swallowed the biscuit and said calmly:
"I also read the information about this place on the way. In Fengcheng County, Zixiao Palace is a well-known Taoist temple. Its owner is said to have achieved great success in cultivation and can control several powerful flying swords.

Several decades ago, when the late emperor came to the south to escape the summer heat, he met this man. He presented treasures to the late emperor, who was very pleased and rewarded him with a mountaintop for a Taoist temple, a plaque inscribed with his own hand, and a lot of land. "

Haitang nodded in agreement:

"That's right. It is said that after this Taoist priest in purple became famous, he had many interactions with people in the martial arts world. He is also a big shot in the martial arts world. Even the disciples who came down from Qingshan would go to Zixiao Palace to pay him a visit when they left Binhai Road...

Well, this legend is somewhat self-boasting, but it also shows the influence and reputation of this Taoist in the local area. In the folk, he is even regarded as an "immortal master" by the local people. He has many industries and manors under his name, and his cultivation is unknown. "

Zhang Han, with a paralyzed face, frowned and said:

"This person's status and position is probably greater than that of the Fengcheng County Magistrate. Zhuang Xiaocheng is planning to build the Kuangfu Society, and he has close connections with the people in the martial arts world. I'm afraid that even if the Purple Sky Palace Master is not a rebel, he is aware of it but is not reporting it."

Zhao Duan's expression was surprisingly calm:
"Since there is no evidence, it is just suspicion, so there is no rush to convict."

He turned his head, looked at the Artisan Warlock, and said sincerely:

"Goddess Gongshu, the Tianshi Palace is the leader of all Taoist sects in the world. Do you know the Taoists in Zixiao Palace?"

The great inventor, wearing a dirty grey robe and carrying a bamboo tube on his back, showed disdain and contempt on his face:

"As for Lu Zhengchun of Zixiao Palace, I know him. Although he holds a Taoist certificate, he thinks that he was the master of Zixiao Palace bestowed by the late emperor himself, so he has always distanced himself from our Tianshi Mansion. He probably wants to establish his own sect.

However, as a mere local Taoist temple, it is not a big deal and can only bully people in Fengcheng County and barely be considered a figure in Binhai Road.

As for the capabilities of the flying swords he refined, I don't know, but I heard that he has done some research on the formation method... However, it is naturally incomparable to the orthodox methods of the Tianshi Mansion."

Tsk, you are quite proud...

Yes, the Tianshi Mansion has a transcendent status in the Taoist sect. The fat boy is a disciple of the Tianshi and has a very high seniority in the cultivation world...

Zhao Duan sighed, wondering why he had met Lao Zhang first, which had shattered his perception of Taoists in the world...

Gongshu Tianyuan thought for a moment and added:

"By the way, I heard that this guy is quite lustful... and has accepted a group of female disciples..."

"Ahem, there's no need to talk about this," Zhao Duan interrupted:
"Anyway, we will investigate this person after he enters the city. I have contacted the Shadow Guards in advance. After we enter the city, we will first meet up with the Shadow Guards as a caravan, and then learn the latest intelligence and conduct investigations."

Well, his so-called latest intelligence was to contact the spies planted in the rebel party, headed by Wu Ling.

After everyone had reached an agreement, they hurriedly finished their breakfast, got up, loaded the tent onto the carriage, and prepared to set off.

"嘤咛——"

In the tent, Jin Jian, who was sleeping soundly with his legs spread out, suddenly felt a blinding sensation.

She opened her eyes, and the bright sky was reflected in her pupils without glasses.

She sat up in confusion and found that the tent had been taken away by her secretary Qian Kerou:
"not me……"

Zhao Duan walked over with a smile, resisting the urge to ruffle the young priestess's messy hair:

"Get in the car, and sleep at an inn once we get into town."

"Inn? Where?" Jin Jian was stunned and asked subconsciously before his mind could figure out what was going on.

"Jinfu Inn."

Zhao Duan said casually, looking up at the city at the end of the official road in the distance. This was the place where he would meet with the imperial shadow guards.

……

……

Fengcheng County Government Office.

At dawn, the magistrate of Fengcheng County was still sleeping when he was awakened by the sound of knocking on the door.

The middle-aged innkeeper, who was bleary-eyed and in pajamas, poked his head out of the bed and shouted:
"What's the matter with knocking on the door so early in the morning? Master, I'm sleepy."

The anxious voice of the clerk outside the door came in:
"County Master, please come out and take a look. The prefect is here!"

"Prefect?!"

The Fengcheng County Magistrate's brain froze for a moment, then he suddenly woke up, all his sleepiness gone. He quickly put on his official robe and walked out while asking about the situation.

The official replied:

"I don't know either, but the prefect suddenly came with a large group of detectives from the government office. They looked murderous and must have entered the city before daybreak."

The magistrate of Fengcheng County was completely confused. When he rushed to the front hall, he saw a large number of constables standing in the yard. These people were bulging with stuff, obviously wearing armor and carrying swords, bows and crossbows.

Inside the hall, a middle-aged official wearing a crimson official robe and looking like a scholar sat upright.

Next to him stood a black-faced warrior with fierce eyes and two swords hanging from his waist.

"My Lord, I didn't know you were coming. I'm sorry for not welcoming you..."

The county magistrate forced a smile and greeted them with flattering attitude, but he was nervous in his heart. The sight of these officials made him extremely frightened. In an instant, he went over in his mind all the accounts of bribes he had received in the past few years, and his legs went weak.

Luan Cheng, the prefect of Binhaidao Prefecture, looked at him coldly, not bothering to exchange pleasantries, and went straight to the point:

"Do you know why I came here so suddenly?"

"No...I don't know. Please tell me clearly, sir."

"Humph," Prefect Luan Cheng pointed at him and said angrily:

"This government has received news that an important figure from the rebel party has arrived in Fengcheng County today, and we are here to arrest him."

"Ah? Rebel party? I don't know." The county magistrate was stunned.

Luan Cheng scolded him harshly, then said:
"By the time you know it, everyone has run away! Let me ask you, is there an inn in the city called Jinfu?"

"Jinfu Inn? Yes!"

"That's right. Get ready and follow me to arrest the rebels!" Luan Cheng's eyes lit up and he said firmly.

……

Cavan
(End of this chapter)