Chapter 324 Is Li Xian in Danger? A Counterattack! Investigating the Worry-Relieving Pavilion, How Could It Be Her?
The situation in Flying Dragon City was unpredictable. Yang Xinqiang, clad in white armor and wielding a silver spear, possessed striking features and extraordinary handsomeness. He was a highly renowned young hero in Flying Dragon City, and his participation in the search of the Flower Cage Gate had quickly yielded remarkable results.
He was indeed skilled at catching criminals and thieves. On the first day, he narrowed down the search area and thoroughly investigated merchants who had entered the city within the past two months. At the same time, he sent people to visit and check the guests of major inns.
This plan immediately proved remarkably effective. The elders of the Flower Cage Sect were thrown into a panic, never expecting such a dangerous move, and found themselves with their throats gripped. They cursed the boy in secret, wishing they could skin him alive.
Flying Dragon City is vast and bustling with people, so it might be difficult to find Flower Cage Sect members in a short time. However, they would inevitably find it hard to escape. Yang Xinqiang then issued another order, saying that Flower Cage Sect members could also repent and reform. If they exposed each other, their crimes could be lessened and their lives could be spared.
Their merits and demerits could even offset each other, leading to their innocence.
This plan was remarkably effective; in an instant, everyone in the Flower Cage Sect felt insecure and rifts began to form among them. Even the elders were secretly on guard, fearing exposure. Within a single day, more than a dozen disciples had surrendered. Yang Xinqiang, in charge of the overall situation, selected a few with less serious charges, dragged them to the market, gave them fifty strokes of the cane, and then declared them innocent.
This scheme directly attacked their minds. The remaining flower thieves all thought, "Fifty strokes of the cane and we'll live—it's an extremely worthwhile deal! We're lowly and insignificant, why risk our lives?" Their desire to surrender became even more pronounced. The Flower Cage Gang was on the verge of collapse, already on the verge of ruin. Better than laborious interrogation, better than a wanted manhunt, for a time, the flower thieves were restless, all wanting to repent and voluntarily turn themselves in.
Although the elders of the various sword sects were skilled in martial arts, they were no match for Yang Xinqiang in catching thieves and criminals. They all praised him, repeatedly exclaiming how brilliant he was, and followed his arrangements. Yang Xinqiang was very familiar with Flying Dragon City and knew the main routes, so he assigned the five sects to guard them, making the city impregnable.
Proceed step by step, compressing space.
As another day passed, with more disciples turning themselves in and providing numerous clues, the portraits of the elders and disciples became increasingly clear. Nearly half of the merchants had been investigated in the past two months; at this rate, it's not an exaggeration to say that Li Xian will be apprehended within three days.
Late that night.
Liuhua Street, Biechun Garden. The elders, all fearful of danger, had no choice but to gather again in the hall to discuss their escape. Each was on guard, their former composure gone.
Tang Wenshu cursed, "That brat surnamed Yang, what cunning he is! In just one day, he has left us with nowhere to hide! If we delay any longer, we will surely be surrounded and annihilated by a large force."
Ye Cheng said in a deep voice, "Today's crisis is far greater than in the past. In the past, when we Flower Thieves were surrounded, we always had loopholes and many opportunities to turn back. If it were just the defenses of Flying Dragon City, we would still have a chance to escape. At worst, we could command the bandits to form a battle formation and charge. But we also have the full support of the five major sword sects. A head-on confrontation is definitely not a good strategy, and hiding and dodging is tantamount to waiting for death. That Yang Xinqiang is really not to be underestimated. A few of his schemes have left us at a loss."
Tang Wenshu said, "It has always been my Flower Cage Sect that causes trouble. This time, before we even took any action, we were unfairly accused. Now we are being pushed closer and closer. This is extremely troublesome, extremely troublesome!"
An Weicheng asked, "Brother Li Xian, what's your opinion on this matter?" The crowd looked at him strangely, all knowing Li Xian's real name. Rumors circulated, his reputation was difficult to shake, and he was scorned. Li Xian remained calm and composed, saying, "From recent observations, Flying Dragon City has been exerting increasing pressure, determined to kill us. But… there might still be a chance."
Everyone looked over.
Li Xian had distributed strands of his hair to the elders, instructing them to immediately plant the hair and transmit their messages if they had any clues. He had gathered information from various sources and was most familiar with the situation in the city. His calm and composed demeanor already resembled that of a leader of the Flower Thieves.
Li Xian pondered, "Logically speaking, since this was not our doing, the real culprit must have prepared a way out for us. If we are captured, his deeds will be exposed."
"However, this time the situation is different. Our enemies are quite ruthless and are trying to kill us at every turn. Flying Dragon City is under heavy siege. To entrust our lives to them is to hand them over to others and be at their mercy. We must try to find our own way to survive."
The elders nodded in agreement. Ye Cheng said, "I had planned to lie low and wait to observe the situation. If I found an opportunity, I could simply take the blame and run away. It would only mean a few more insults. But the city's defenses are getting tighter every day, and the various sword sects are searching everywhere. All the main roads are blocked."
"The 'Flying Feather Riders' of Flying Dragon City have already set out to patrol the streets. I have long heard of those Flying Feather Riders; they are all rare talents with considerable abilities. Moreover, Flying Dragon City has trained 'Hunting Dogs,' which have red noses and are exceptionally sharp-eyed. They search every house and every door. If we do not escape now, we will have no other chance."
Li Xian's situation was even more precarious than the others. He said, "I understand that there is a river called Yunnan River in Feilong City, and merchant ships are piled up on the river. Both sides of the river are densely packed with cargo ships. For several days, there have been complaints, and everyone wants to leave the city as soon as possible."
Ye Cheng's eyes lit up, and he said, "We might be able to hide among them and wait for the resentment to accumulate. Then Flying Dragon City will surely open a passage to allow merchant ships to pass through."
Li Xian nodded and said, "I know that the Duan family, a powerful clan in Flying Dragon City, is involved in the timber business. Their merchant ships have stockpiled 'golden thread wood,' which is very thick. If we can find out the location, we can secretly empty the inside of the golden thread wood and hide it inside the timber, which may allow us to sneak out of the city."
Li Xian bowed to the crowd and said, “If you all heed my suggestion, how about this: we will eat our fill tonight, prepare plenty of food and water, and then hide ourselves among the timber. We will then remain silent about anything else. Whether it’s two days, three days, or five days… I reckon that in this way, the shipping will resume in seven days at the latest. By then, who could have predicted that we would already be hidden among the timber? Even if they conduct a thorough search, what can they do?”
Upon hearing this, all the elders clapped their hands and exclaimed, "What a brilliant plan! What a brilliant plan! We hid among them long ago, so they will find it extremely difficult to anticipate our actions."
Ye Cheng laughed and said, "If we're lucky, things will go smoothly tomorrow, and we might be able to escape."
Li Jiu asked, "What if our hiding place is discovered?" Li Xian replied, "I have already investigated. The shipping area is complicated, with people coming from all over the country. We can hide inside the timber, fill the hollow inside the trees with cotton, and when we beat them, they will look like solid wood. That might be a way to avoid being searched."
"There is still no news of the resumption of shipping, so they will never guess that we have already hidden inside the ships. When the news of the resumption of shipping is released, they will definitely conduct a thorough inspection of the ships and guard the area closely. But by then, we will have already been hiding in the timber for some time. No matter how vigilant they are, they will never expect that we have already been lying in wait. They will definitely be careless."
An Weicheng asked, "What if the boats never get through?"
Li Xian said, "Shipping is the lifeblood of a city. How can it be blocked for long? Flying Dragon City is determined to capture us, but they dare not act recklessly. If shipping is blocked for a long time, it will affect the city's fortune, and families and people will definitely resent it. Therefore, shipping must be restored in the near future."
The elders carefully considered the matter and praised it repeatedly.
An Weicheng's eyes flickered as he said, "I can help with this plan. The Duan family's golden thread wood is on a merchant ship in the river. Tonight, we can secretly hollow it out and hide inside! When we see the light of day again, we will be free!" The elders' eyes flashed slightly. After discussing for half the night, they all felt it was worth the risk and decided to take action that very night.
The following morning, the city was bustling with activity. The plan to escape through the Flower Cage Gate had already been secretly devised, perfectly concealed within the timber of the Duan family's merchant ship.
At noon that day.
At the entrance of Yunnan River Lane, the sound of horses' hooves was suddenly heard. Yang Xinqiang, in his white armor, stood proudly with his spear in hand and addressed the crowd: "The capture of the flower thief has been successful. From this moment on, shipping will resume in Feilong City. All boats on the river, after being inspected and found to be in order, may enter and leave Feilong City."
Nearly a thousand merchant ships were piled up on the Yunhe River, causing congestion in the wide waterway. Complaints were rampant along the river, with people saying that blocking transportation and hindering their livelihoods was no different from killing their parents. After some silent pressure, transportation was indeed restored, allowing ships to come and go.
Yang Xinqiang was both young and of high rank. After the message was sent out, he surveyed the scene with an arrogant gaze, confident and composed.
There is a gorge on the Yunhe River. Boats must pass through this gorge to enter or leave the river. The gorge is very narrow, allowing only one boat to pass at a time.
He stationed himself at the river gorge, stopping boats leaving the city and sending men to search them thoroughly. Everywhere, from cabins and living quarters to decks and storerooms, where people could hide, was meticulously searched, leaving no stone unturned. Furthermore, "cotton nets" were scattered along the riverbanks. These nets did not obstruct the water flow or affect shipping. However, if any thieves attempted to dive underwater, they would be entangled in the nets and unable to escape.
Yang Xinqiang thought to himself, "Those flower thieves are already hiding on the boat. Do they think I don't know them? There is indeed a clever one among them, but unfortunately, he is just a mere flower thief with petty tricks. In the end, he will only make us laugh. When their whereabouts are discovered, they will inevitably be desperate and jump into the river to escape. At that time, they will be entangled in the net, and we can capture them all without breaking a sweat."
He was assisted by Zhou Shijie, Wang Dezhong, and others in the investigation. Several ships passed the inspection and were confirmed to be without fault before departing Feilong City.
Wang Dezhong said, "Brother Yang, according to you, are there really flower thieves on these ships? How can you be sure? If we let them pass so hastily, what if something goes wrong?" The area was heavily fortified with troops gathered here. Disciples of the five major sword sects and some elders were all keeping a close watch, dressed in plain clothes and hiding in the surroundings.
Yang Xinqiang, twenty-seven years old, was a bit older than others, and recently his abilities had become increasingly apparent, with ingenious plans emerging one after another, earning him high praise from the elders of the sword sect. Wang Dezhong, Zhou Shijie, and others followed him to learn. Zhou Shijie said, "If I'm not mistaken, Brother Yang is very confident. His thorough investigation of the Flower Cage Sect has yielded remarkable results. That Flower Thief must be under pressure, and now that he's seen an opportunity to escape, he's only trying it out of luck. Little does he know that he's playing right into their hands; this is where the real killing intent lies."
“There are many merchant ships here, and it will probably take five or six days for them all to pass through. During this time, they will surely try to sneak into the merchant ships and escape from here. Once they arrive, there will naturally be a loophole. This is a plan to lure the enemy in.”
Yang Xinqiang smiled confidently and said, "What Brother Zhou said does make some sense, but it is both right and wrong. I once said that I would capture that thief Li Xianhua within three days, which means I was confident and not just making empty boasts. Today is the third day. If we follow what Brother Zhou said, I'm afraid we might not be able to capture that thief today or tomorrow. Wouldn't I be breaking my promise?"
Yang Wentian said, "Oh? Does Brother Yang have a way to find out the Flower Cage Sect thieves today?"
Yang Xinqiang smiled without saying a word and nodded slightly.
Zhou Shijie, eager to try, said, "Li Xianru refuses to confess, so I must take action and capture him. I have a history with this guy, so it would be best to settle things here." Yang Xinqiang laughed and said, "That's fine, he can't escape anyway. If Brother Zhou wants to show off his skills, then please do so."
Zhou Shijie was overjoyed. As evening approached, they inspected the Duan family's large timber transport ship. The ship sailed into the gorge, its interior filled with massive timbers, perfect for hiding people. Yang Xinqiang smiled slightly and said, "Brother Zhou, the opportunity is right before you. Be prepared."
Everyone was astonished. Hua Wu of the Lishan Sword Sect asked, "Brother Yang, how could you be so certain that the villain was on this ship?" Yang Xinqiang laughed and said, "You asked me before why I was so confident, and now I'll answer that. Come out!"
Suddenly, a man emerged from the ranks of the soldiers behind them. He was middle-aged, dressed in armor, and his appearance was similar to that of an ordinary soldier. It was none other than An Weicheng of the Flower Cage Sect. It turned out that he had long harbored the intention to rebel, but as an elder, his voluntary surrender would not atone for his sins, and he would certainly face death. Therefore, he lay low in secret, hoping to make amends by performing a great service at a crucial moment and thus save his own life.
Last night, he followed Li Xian's brilliant plan, which he felt was indeed feasible, but secretly betraying him would ensure his survival. He knew this was a rare opportunity, so he secretly informed Li Xian that night, coordinating with him from within.
The shipment would still take several days to complete, but he sold it out. Yang Xinqiang was confident, and considering that the long-standing blockage in Feilong City was indeed a major problem, he allowed the ship to resume transport.
Wang Dezhong drew his sword and roared, "Is that Elder An Weicheng of the Flower Cage Sect? You scoundrel, daring to hide and lie in ambush!" He then slashed with his sword.
Yang Xin swept his spear to block the sword and laughed, "Brother Wang, you misunderstand. This man has already reformed. I ordered him to disguise himself and follow along to see what would happen to his companions." An Weicheng said, "Yes, yes, I have abandoned darkness and embraced the light. I am grateful that Brother Yang has not abandoned me and allowed me to reform. I will definitely do good deeds and accumulate merits to make up for my mistakes."
Wang Dezhong, still furious, said, "This man has harmed countless women, and he thinks he can get away with nothing just by saying he'll repent?"
Yang Xinqiang said, "That's true, but without this person's help, these flower thieves are well hidden, and some are bound to escape. These escaped flower thieves will harm women in the future, which is also a crime. This brother An Weicheng is very good to have such determination. Without his help, it would be difficult to succeed."
Yang Xinqiang laughed and said, "Brother An, you have reformed, please lead the way." The Duan family's large ship was specially made, with a longer and wider hull, carrying thousands of golden silk woods, some over ten zhang long and some five or six zhang short, all of which were suitable for building beams. Even if there was a deliberate inspection, there might be some oversights.
An Weicheng cupped his hands and said, "Of course." He walked towards the place where the timber was stored, and among the many pieces of wood, he accurately found several, revealing the hidden timbers, all of which were very well concealed.
Wang Dezhong asked, "Is there really someone hiding in this wood?" He patted it with his palm, producing a deep, resonant sound. The interior did not appear hollow. An Weicheng replied, "It's absolutely true. Those flower thieves were forced into a corner by Yang Yingxiong, so they acted last night, hollowing out the wood and hiding inside. That Li Xian is as cunning as a fox; he even knew to fill it with cotton wool, so when you pat it from the outside, there's no hollow sound."
Yang Xinqiang thought to himself, "That thief is quite cunning, but he's ultimately at his wit's end. Hiding in the wood and sealing it with cotton might prevent the wood from making a hollow sound when struck, but I'm proficient in palm techniques. If I strike it with my palm, I'll immediately detect the anomaly. Even without An Weicheng's betrayal, they wouldn't have escaped."
"But it's always a good thing if they can be caught as soon as possible."
Wang Dezhong, Zhou Shijie, Yang Wentian, and others all secretly felt that the Jianghu thieves were extremely cunning and used all sorts of ingenious tricks, which greatly broadened their horizons.
Yang Xinqiang said, "Split these timbers!" Turning to his soldiers, he said, "Pass down the order to prepare for battle. Although the Flower Cage Sect elder has some cultivation, he is not weak. Archers in the distance, get ready."
"Brother Wang, Brother Hua... Have you made proper arrangements within your sword sect? When the traitors show themselves, they will surely launch a desperate counterattack. I hope that you, the elders and disciples of the sword sect, will assist me. I intend to capture them all alive and interrogate them thoroughly."
Wang Dezhong said, "The Jiushan Sword Sect has hidden themselves in the shadows, blocking Fuyun Street, Changshou Street, and other places." Hua Wu reported the layout to everyone, and all locations were confirmed to be correct.
Yang Xinqiang's personal guards then cleaved the wood. The golden-thread wood was extremely tough; a single strike left only a scratch. Zhou Shijie said, "I'll do it." He drew his sword and walked to a piece of wood. He channeled his inner energy and thrust his sword down.
The wood snapped in two with a crack. It was indeed hollow inside, and a wad of cotton wadding gushed out. Everyone was overjoyed and about to examine it more closely when they smelled a strange odor.
Yang Xinqiang's expression changed, and he shouted, "Jump into the river!" He jumped in first. Wang Dezhong, Zhou Shijie, Yang Wentian, and the others, all skilled in light-footed martial arts, though unaware of the situation, immediately followed Yang Xinqiang, seeing his fear and panic. The strange odor spread, and white smoke gradually rose.
The laborers on the ship jumped into the river. After a good seven or eight breaths, a deafening explosion was heard as the Duan family's merchant ship crashed into the river. Nearly a thousand logs tumbled into the water.
Zhou Shijie, Wang Dezhong, Yang Xinqiang, and others jumped into the river, but sank immediately upon touching the water, without even knowing what had happened. They immediately tried to get out of the water. Wang Dezhong took out a dart, wrapped a silk thread around the end, and was about to throw it, hoping it would hit the bottom of the boat and then use the pull to float to the surface.
But as he moved, he suddenly saw countless fine threads floating in the water, as thin as a hair, yet stretching extremely long. Every time he moved, these threads would become entangled in his body. The more they entangled him, the more difficult it became, making even moving extremely difficult.
He was terrified, and his movements became increasingly violent. The fine threads entangled him more and more tightly, wrapping him up like a cocoon. Zhou Shijie, Wang Dezhong, Yang Xinqiang, and others were all treated the same way.
This substance is called "fleeting silk," a setup by Yang Xinqiang. In water, it disperses and transforms into countless loose threads. Once touched, they become sticky and impossible to untangle, only multiplying with each touch.
This was the perfect tool for capturing the diving thief. But all their hard work would ultimately backfire on them. The group exclaimed, "We're doomed! We failed to capture the thief, and now we're drowning!" and sank straight to the bottom of the water.
After a short while, they felt their bodies rise slightly. A few moments later, they were all pulled out of the water and brought ashore. They had been "netted" and pulled ashore. Their bodies were like white cocoons, tightly bound, and although they were out of the water, they could not break free of the net. Their struggles were futile, leaving them only with frustration.
People on the shore cheered and shouted, "Although we don't know what caused the commotion just now, Brother Yang Xinqiang said that most people entangled in the cotton net are flower thieves."
"Brother Yang's predictions were spot on; they really came true. There are quite a few people here, one, two, three... a total of seventeen or eighteen."
"This trip has been very fruitful. Brother Yang told me that although the Flower Cage Sect are crude flower thieves, several of their elders have already reached the third realm of cultivation. We must not approach them rashly. We will surround this place, and you should go and call the elders here quickly."
Several people, their faces flushed red, tried to shout. But the silk threads were tightly entangled, their tongues and teeth unable to escape. Unable to open their mouths, they naturally couldn't speak. Seeing more and more people gathering around them, they were all filled with despair, their utter loss of face inevitable.
Yang Xinqiang gritted his teeth, filled with rage, and was on the verge of going crazy.
...
...
Meanwhile, on the other side, Li Xian, Tang Wenshu, and Ye Cheng, disguised as merchants and accompanied by several trustworthy disciples, arrived at the entrance of Jieyou Tower.
It turns out that last night's conversation was all an act. Hiding among the timber seemed feasible at first glance, but in reality, it was full of loopholes, neither safe nor clever, and not a good plan he wanted.
Li Xian, anticipating the impending crisis, deliberately revealed the truth last night, knowing someone would betray him. He then devised a plan, stuffing cotton wool and a special "flower oil" into the wood. This flower oil had a peculiar smell; it was highly flammable and easily ignited when slashed with swords or knives, yet its medicinal properties could heal the liver and spleen. It was refined from water in a jar, and Tang Wenshu and Ye Cheng transported it to Flying Dragon City for sale.
In this way, they could attract attention. They could then use this opportunity to investigate the "Worry-Relieving Pavilion." Li Xian pondered, "If we flee outwards, we will face the siege and pursuit of Flying Dragon City and the five major sword sects. Even if we escape through the city gates, we will still be hunted down. I will be the first to bear the brunt and will not escape unscathed. On the contrary... if I investigate inwards, I only need to face the mastermind behind it all, who is most likely He Wentian. The resistance will be much less."
Li Xian cupped his hands and said, "I am truly grateful to the two elders for their willingness to accompany me on this adventure!"
Ye Cheng and Tang Wenshu were both members of the Candle Sect, so their story is relatively credible. Tang Wenshu said, "Not at all, it's all about survival." Ye Cheng said, "As the saying goes, outwardly strong but inwardly weak. If you keep trying to escape, you'll only run into a brick wall. Sometimes, going against the grain is more hopeful. I agree with Brother Li's plan."
Li Xian said, "Those women disappeared here, there must be something fishy about this place. It's laughable that the elders and disciples of the five major sword sects are all brain-dead, and not a single one of them suspects anything."
Ye Cheng said, "That's not how it works. First, our Flower Cage Sect is indeed infamous. Second, City Lord He has such a good reputation. Whoever comes here will inevitably blame it on us."
Li Xian murmured, "Now they've convinced me it was me. I'm truly innocent. What merit do I have to capture all these heroines?"
The three men, disguised as ordinary merchants, entered the Jieyou Tower with an air of nonchalance. The Jieyou Tower was a place for pleasure-seeking, offering fine wine and delicacies. Ye Cheng and Tang Wenshu contributed both money and effort, booking a private room and ordering over ten dishes.
Li Xian observed along the way and discovered that the Jieyou Tower was full of secrets and its mechanisms and hidden schemes were extremely complex. After taking his seat in the side room, Li Xian said in a deep voice, "Elders, there are many eyes and ears here, so it is not convenient to act together. It would be better to split up. I will go ahead first. If you find any clues, please let me know with these hairs." He plucked six strands of hair and handed them to the two elders respectively.
Ye Cheng sighed, "Brother Li's skill is truly invaluable. But with this kind of plucking, won't your full head of black hair be insufficient?"
Li Xian laughed and said, "That's no trouble at all, my hair is extremely thick." He moved the impurities, tempered his five internal organs, nourished his blood and promoted hair growth, all with great ease.
Li Xian quietly slipped away, heading towards the pavilion where the "Phoenix Banquet" was being held. The interior of the Jieyou Tower was entirely blood-red, painted with "Zhensha Lacquer," a type of lacquer commonly used on coffins.
The venue for the Phoenix Banquet was quite spacious, with a large round platform in the center, surrounded by a circle of white jade tables. In the center of the platform was a wooden building with a very strange shape, constructed entirely of miscellaneous items such as "wooden chairs" and "wooden sticks". The wooden building was not fixed with mortise and tenon joints, and its structure was extremely loose, so it could be kicked down with a single foot.
And it's quite crooked. Looking up from below, it sometimes twists to the east, sometimes leans to the west, sometimes tilts to the north, and sometimes turns to the south. It's extremely peculiar, yet it has never collapsed.
Presumably, during the preparations for the Phoenix Banquet, the women were playing a game of "building a tower." They would throw whatever was around them onto a platform to create a wooden tower, then gradually add more wood to build it higher. Finally, they would see who had the weakest martial arts skills and whose tower would collapse with a crash.
Every single piece of wood in this wooden building contains martial arts essence, which has remained intact for a long time. Therefore, its shape is peculiar and defies common sense, yet it has never collapsed. Li Xian observed for a long time, thinking to himself, "Martial arts can reflect one's temperament and character. These women are either reserved, passionate, or something else entirely, and they seem to be having a lot of fun. Moreover, their martial arts skills are all quite good, and some of them are even more formidable. Why would they disappear without a trace?"
Just as he was pondering, he suddenly heard footsteps approaching. A pair of gilded silver tiger boots stepped in. Li Xian concealed himself and looked over, exclaiming in surprise, "How is it her?" A woman he knew very well had arrived!
(End of this chapter)
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