After rolling onto the streets of Xianjing, Xie Lian still clutched the lower half of his face as he stumbled along. The lesser priests hurrying by didn't dare approach him to question him, but they all looked at him curiously. Xie Lian quickly lowered his hand, straightened his back, and rubbed his mouth hypocritically, mumbling, "My mouth hurts a little. I don't know what's going on. Hehe..."
The young priests looked at him even stranger.
What did I do to make my mouth hurt?
It did hurt a bit. He'd jumped up and bumped into her, kissing her too hard. Huacheng must have been hit too, but Xie Lian could clearly feel it from where he was pressed against her; he seemed to be smiling. Not daring to dwell on it, he lowered his head and walked forward. The other priests didn't waste any time either, hurrying off on their own.
Perhaps it was because the opening of the Copper Furnace Mountain was too much of a commotion, but the entire Xianjing was filled with a solemn and uneasy atmosphere. Numerous priests had already gathered in the Shenwu Hall. Although the vengeful spirits within the Copper Furnace had spread to seven or eight locations across the land, the vast majority had been transported to the most densely populated Imperial City. Xie Lian and Hua Cheng had taken the lead, selecting the most formidable to deal with until now. The others had only dealt with a few hundred, and had already dealt with them. Pei Ming, Feng Xin, and the others had already returned to Xianjing, refreshed from their fatigue. As Xie Lian entered the hall, he was immediately met by someone: Lang Qianqiu, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.
Lang Qianqiu's face was gloomy. He was stunned when he saw him, and then turned his head away.
Everyone was silent. Jun Wu, who was sitting at the top, saw Xie Lian coming and stood up slightly. Just as he was about to speak, Lang Qianqiu stepped forward and said, "Emperor, I heard that you have captured the Green Ghost Qi Rong."
Jun Wu looked at him and said, "That's right. However, I didn't capture the Green Ghost Qi Rong, the Female Ghost Xuan Ji, and the others myself. They were all handed over by Yin Yu from the Ghost Market."
Xie Lian then realized that Yinyu was there too. There was nothing he could do; he really had no presence. Actually, this was Yinyu's first time entering the Shenwu Hall. Apart from high-ranking priests, only those permitted by Junwu could enter. When Yinyu was a priest, he was too low-ranking to be allowed in. Now that he had "fallen down" and ended up in the Ghost Market, he finally made it inside. It was a bit of a laugh.
Lang Qianqiu said bluntly: "Qi Rong is my clan-annihilating enemy. Please, Emperor, hand this thing over to me for disposal."
Jun Wu glanced at Xie Lian, pondered for a moment, and said, "It's not impossible to leave it to you, but I want to ask a question. What will happen after you deal with Qing Gui Qi Rong? What will happen next?"
Jun Wu knew that Lang Qianqiu had threatened to go after Xie Lian after settling his score with Qi Rong. Lang Qianqiu said stiffly, "That's none of the Emperor's business. It's not like the Emperor is going to shield Qi Rong and prevent me from avenging my family just because I don't answer this question."
He had rarely spoken in the Divine Martial Hall before, and even when he did, it was always in a daze. Now, when he spoke, his expression and tone were filled with an inexplicable anger. This situation was not good. Pei Ming said, "His Highness Taihua is a bit angry today. Of course, the Emperor will not cover up..."
Just as he was trying to smooth things over, he heard a commotion outside the palace. A man rushed in and said, "Emperor, I can't wait any longer!"
It was Mu Qing. He was dressed in black, his face dark. Several martial arts officers behind him were originally escorting him, but they couldn't hold him back, so they rushed in and said, "Emperor, we were just about to send General Xuanzhen off..."
Jun Wu sighed, held his forehead, and waved his hand, saying, "I understand. You can go down." After a moment, he raised his head and turned to Mu Qing: "So?"
Mu Qing said firmly, "So I can't stand this injustice any longer. Haven't you already captured that woman in Tonglu? I want to confront her face to face!"
Lang Qianqiu also said: "Emperor, please hand over Qing Gui Qi Rong to me as well!"
The two of them were talking loudly together, causing chaos in the room. Jun Wu looked extremely troubled and said, "Silence! Can't you wait a moment and let me finish dealing with the copper furnace?"
Mu Qing said, "You need manpower to deal with the vengeful spirits leaked from the copper furnace. What good is keeping me locked up? It would be better for me to clear my name as soon as possible and serve the Heavenly Court. As long as the Emperor brings her here for me to confront, everything will be cleared up!"
This made sense. If he wasn't allowed to do what he wanted, he would probably not give in. Jun Wu had no choice but to say, "Bring the female ghost Jian Lan."
Soon, Jianlan was also brought up. She was holding a swaddling bag in her hand, and a dark aura emanated from the bag. A pale thing that looked like a hand but not a hand, like a bone but not a bone, emerged from it, waving its claws and teeth. She tucked the corner of the bag back in. Probably to give face to Feng Xin, the escorting priest did not twist her. Feng Xin's Adam's apple moved slightly, and their eyes met for a moment. Jianlan looked away first, and then Feng Xin's eyes fell on the "swaddling bag" in her arms, and it was even more complicated. Mu Qing seemed to have lost his patience, and said right away: "I don't know why your son slandered me, but he definitely knows that I am not the murderer. He must have been instructed by someone."
His behavior was somewhat inappropriate, but Xie Lian could understand. After all, Mu Qing was a man who cared deeply about his reputation. Having been blamed for so long, and even affecting his position in the Heavenly Court, naturally made him furious. Jun Wu asked, "From your perspective, who was behind this?"
Mu Qing didn't say anything, but his eyes shifted to the side, and everyone could see that he was looking at Jianlan.
Feng Xin's forehead immediately bulged with veins. "What do you mean? Do you think she deliberately let her son slander you?"
Mu Qing retracted his gaze and said, "I didn't say that."
Feng Xin said, "Then why are you looking at her? She has no grudge against you, so why are you ordering her around like this?"
Mu Qing stared at him and said, "She has no grudge against me, but the same may not be true for you."
Feng Xin said, "What do you mean? Explain it clearly once and for all."
Mu Qing glanced at Xie Lian and said, "You are Miss Jianlan, whom you met during the time when the Crown Prince was demoted, right?"
The other priests followed his lead, all looking towards Xie Lian. Xie Lian: “???”
Why is it involving him again?
Feng Xin also glanced at him and said angrily in a low voice: "What does this have to do with that?"
Mu Qing simply threw it all out, completely tearing it open and saying, "Of course it's related. Back then, you were living in poverty and hardship by the side of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and you hated me for ascending to the Middle Heaven Palace again. You loved using me as a scapegoat, digging up my past and accusing me of wrongdoing. Since she was your bedmate, how could she not be subtly influenced by her and hate me too? She might even hate His Royal Highness the Crown Prince because you didn't take her away in the end, but chose to return and continue your loyalty and poverty. You were basically abandoning..."
Feng Xin couldn't bear it any longer and roared, "Stop talking bullshit!!"
He struck out, and Mu Qing counterattacked. Jian Lan stepped forward to block the attack, but the fetal spirit erupted in a strange, cackling laugh, like the cawing of a crow, terrifying to the core. Pei Ming and Yin Yu restrained Feng Xin and Mu Qing, respectively, while Quan Yizhen watched from the side, seemingly wondering who would win in a fight. The hall was filled with a smoky, gloomy atmosphere. Xie Lian stood silently for a long moment, lowering his head. After a long pause, he sighed and warned, "Emperor, our top priority is to find Bai Wuxiang and deal with the Human Face Plague. The person we just found is the most important clue."
Jun Wu couldn't bear to watch any longer, so he waved his hand and said, "...Take the ghost girl Jianlan and the fetal spirit away. Bring Imperial Master Xianle up."
Mu Qing shouted, "No need! I want...what?"
Feng Xin was also surprised and asked: "Who to bring?"
They both looked towards the main hall entrance. Could it be that the person being brought here by the martial priests was none other than the Xianle Imperial Master, Mei Nianqing, whom they were both very familiar with?
Feng Xin and Mu Qing were stunned. Feng Xin said, "Imperial Master? Really Imperial Master?" Mu Qing didn't shout, but she was also filled with doubt. No wonder, honestly, even now, Xie Lian felt a sense of unreality, unable to connect this person with the Imperial Master who had asked him about the "cup of water, two people" question.
Mei Nianqing walked forward slowly, brushing past Xie Lian. Jun Wu, sitting above the main hall, said, "Xianle, you seemed to have something to say while you were down there."
Xie Lian bowed slightly and said, "Yes."
So, he picked out the important parts of his experiences, such as entering Tonglu Mountain and exploring Wuyong Country. Everyone's eyes widened as they listened, not to mention Feng Xin's admiration. After listening, Jun Wu slowly said, "I've never heard of the name Wuyong Country before."
The priests also echoed: "I haven't heard of it either..."
"After all, it was two thousand years ago."
"It must have been done deliberately to erase the traces."
Mei Nianqing remained silent. Xie Lian said, "Grandmaster, the Crown Prince Wuyong must be Bai Wuxiang, right?"
Mei Nianqing said, "Yes."
really!
Pei Ming pondered as he asked, "Who left those murals? And who destroyed the last one?"
Xie Lian said, “I don’t know who left it, but I think it must have been destroyed by Bai Wuxiang or one of his subordinates. After all, he didn’t want others to know his identity.”
He turned to Mei Nianqing and said, "And you are a subordinate of Prince Wuyong." That is, a subordinate of Bai Wuxiang.
“…”
Mei Nianqing remained silent. Xie Lian felt an urge to ask him: when Xianle destroyed the country, did the Imperial Master know that the figure was Bai Wuxiang? Or was it that they were all in collusion, and the Imperial Master was even an accomplice?
But in the end, he still asked another question: "Where is Bai Wuxiang now?"
“…”
Xie Lian asked, “Why did Bai Wuxiang want to destroy Xianle?”
“…”
Xie Lian asked, "Why do you want to kill me?"
Mei Nianqing finally spoke. He said, "Your Highness, I don't want to kill you."
Xie Lian asked, “Then why did you try to take my throat?”
Mei Nianqing asked back, "Will you die if I strangle you? Will the person next to you let me succeed?"
Indeed, he wouldn't. But that didn't mean Mei Nianqing didn't have murderous intentions, because his reaction at the time was completely subconscious. Mei Nianqing probably knew he couldn't convince him, so he stopped arguing.
After a moment of silence, Xie Lian finally asked the question he wanted to ask the most.
He said, "Master, what do you want to awaken from me?"
Jun Wu told him that the Imperial Master seemed to be trying to awaken something from him. What could that be?
Mei Nianqing stared at him strangely. Xie Lian clenched his fist beneath his sleeve and said, "Master, please speak."
Xie Lian felt a lingering sense of unease. The fate of Prince Wuyong was so similar to his own. Could there really be some hidden connection between him and Bai Wuxiang?
He had to figure this out because he absolutely could not tolerate Bai Wuxiang having anything to do with him. But he was also very afraid that Bai Wuxiang really had something to do with him.
Mei Nianqing looked at him for a while, then said, "Your Highness, it's difficult for me to answer your questions at this time. And even if I did, you might not believe me."
After a pause, he said, "However, there is one thing I can answer you immediately."
Mei Nianqing said word by word: "Bai Wuxiang, right now, in this Shenwu Palace. He is right in front of me!"
Who is in front of him?
Thank you!
Xie Lian immediately took a few steps back, as if trying to avoid this position. Feng Xin, who was standing nearby, said, "Imperial Master, you... open your eyes and see clearly. Who is in front of you? It's His Royal Highness the Crown Prince! Your disciple!"
However, there were other voices as well. A distant priest covered his mouth and whispered, "Could it be... Could it be that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Bai Wuxiang are... one soul, two parts?!"
"What does it mean to have one soul divided into two?!"
"It's the soul of the same person, split in two, or cut into two sides. One half carries different memories, temperaments, abilities, and perhaps even appearances..."
“…It’s possible.”
“I’ve heard of that kind of thing too!”
"If that's true, what should we do? Is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince the real troublemaker???"
Such voices echoed from all directions, and Xie Lian began to doubt: He was Bai Wuxiang? ??? Could this really be true?
Was it him who destroyed Xianle? Was it him who tortured himself for eight hundred years? And to this day, he blamed himself for everything???
The priests in the hall were in an uproar, with different expressions. Feng Xin didn't know what to say or what to believe. Jun Wu stood up and said, "Xianle, calm down!"
Xie Lian was a little confused at the moment and said, "I... I..."
Is it really all his fault???
If it's really him, what should I do? I have no idea!
He was at a loss when suddenly a voice sounded in his heart:
"No! I can guarantee that you are you, not anyone else. Trust me!"
“…”
Saburo. Saburo!
Huacheng said that it couldn't be him, it would never be his fault!
Thinking of this, Xie Lian's mind instantly cleared, and he stood firmly on his feet. Jun Wu had already stepped down from the throne and came to his side, saying, "Xianle! Calm down first..."
Xie Lian was about to raise his head and calmly answer, but at that moment, Mei Nianqing suddenly reached out, pulled out the sword from Feng Xin's waist, and stabbed Jun Wu!
The priests all exclaimed in surprise. However, Jun Wu and Xie Lian were both Martial Gods, among the best. How could they take such a sneak attack seriously? Before the sword tip even touched Jun Wu, Xie Lian had already thrust out two fingers like lightning, clamping the gleaming blade before his eyes!
Feng Xin came to his senses and immediately came up to restrain the Imperial Preceptor. Daring to commit violence in the Divine Martial Hall, and in front of so many Martial Gods, was simply courting death. Feng Xin said, "Imperial Preceptor, there's no point in you doing this!"
Mei Nianqing struggled in vain while yelling at Xie Lian, “Look!!! Look!!!”
Yinyu rushed over and said, "Your Highness! Are you okay? What happened?"
Mu Qing asked warily from a distance, "What are you looking at? What does he mean? What does he want to do?"
Amidst the chaos, Xie Lian remained motionless for a long time.
It was not because of anything else, but because he saw something in the snow-white sword blade.
A face.
A calm and handsome face of a young man.
And on this face, there are three other faces!
The three smaller faces squeezed onto the man's face, ruining his originally handsome features into a horrible and gloomy one, even slightly distorting his facial features. Half of his face seemed to be crying, and the other half seemed to be smiling.
Xie Lian should have known this face. But now, in the mirror-like blade, it looked so strange and terrifying that Xie Lian broke out in a cold sweat. Then he suddenly remembered that the sword Feng Xin carried was the Red Mirror, the mirror that revealed evil and poison. Any demon that entered the mirror was exposed.
From this corner, the red mirror reflected not his face but the face of the person standing behind him. And, there was a pair of gloomy eyes on the face, staring at him closely.
Xie Lian's pupils slowly contracted. His movements seemed several beats slower. He opened his mouth slightly, but before he could say anything, his wrist suddenly stiffened.
A strong hand grabbed his wrist, and Jun Wu smiled behind him and said, "Xianle, what are you looking at?"
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