Chapter 27 Overcoming One Challenge After Another
Chu Wuding?
Chu Wuding, the Taoist priest of the Qingluan Xianzhi Temple in the Southern Qi Dynasty?
Upon hearing the name, Lin Chengye was startled, and his hands clenched involuntarily. Fang Yanzhou's hands trembled suddenly, cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and he swallowed unconsciously, beads of sweat dripping down his chin.
The leisurely boat ride suddenly took on a different flavor.
Fortunately, their small boat had already drifted far away and was no longer in the most bustling area. Several people noticed the commotion; some sensed something was wrong and quickly moved away, while some bolder children peered out curiously, wanting to row closer.
Those chivalrous individuals who relied on their martial arts skills found it novel and a few even used their lightness skills to rush over here.
Lin Chengye glanced at the person standing in the lake with a sword, then turned to Fang Yanzhou and whispered something in his ear.
"Sister Fang, you should first tell the common people to leave this place, and it would be best to also tell those martial arts practitioners to stay away, and tell them that if they are affected, they should just accept their bad luck."
"Can……"
Fang Yanzhou pursed his lips, somewhat worried about Lin Chengye being alone on the shore, but seeing the growing number of those fearless individuals, he could only grit his teeth and nod.
"Be careful while you're alone. Chu Wuding's attack just now disregarded even the people of Southern Qi, affecting the ships and causing several people to fall into the sea. Guan Yue is busy rescuing them and won't be back for a while."
"rest assured."
Lin Chengye was actually unsure himself, but he still calmly patted Fang Yanzhou's hand.
Suddenly, the branches of the weeping willows on the lake shore swayed gently, and another person emerged from the darkness, bowing to Lin Chengye.
"Miss Lin."
The woman remained expressionless; she was none other than Jiang Heng, Wei Jingchen's bodyguard with a sword.
"Jiang Heng?"
Lin Chengye pinched the bridge of her nose and suddenly remembered that the sound was very loud. She guessed that Wei Jingchen had also noticed it. Chu Wuding had a close relationship with the royal family, and she didn't know what his intentions were. If she stayed here any longer, she would inevitably be in danger.
"Miss Chen asked me to tell you that Penghua City is dangerous, so we'll leave first."
Jiang Heng took out a small roll of paper. Just as Lin Chengye was about to pull it out, she suddenly clenched it tightly.
Lin Chengye paused, glancing indifferently at Jiang Heng.
“She said that if you answered, it means you agreed,” Jiang Heng said matter-of-factly.
"How would I know what it says if I don't look at it?" Lin Chengye found it baffling.
Jiang Heng ignored him, simply maintaining Hong Shun's posture, tightly gripping the piece of paper in his hand.
"Fine, give it to me." Lin Chengye was too lazy to waste any more words and, unusually impatient, pulled it out in one swift motion.
Anyway, she had already made up her mind. If what she wrote wasn't what she wanted, she would simply deny it and pretend to be stupid. Since there was no evidence, she couldn't be blamed.
There were only four short columns of words on the paper.
"The emperor is seriously ill, and the princess takes power."
The princess brought back a mute medicine man from Yongfo Temple.
I will devise a plan to return to the capital, and we will go together then.
Your Majesty the Eldest Princess
The brushstrokes were vigorous and powerful, yet hasty; the ink wasn't even completely dry before the last stroke was thrown off the paper.
Lin Chengye frowned deeply, tore the paper in half without hesitation, crushed one half in his palm, and returned the other half to Jiang Heng, waving his hand and saying.
"Please return it to Miss Chen for me."
...
"...Tsk."
Wei Jingchen glanced at it only once, then snorted coldly and crushed the paper into dust, using such force that it seemed as if the paper itself was Lin Chengye.
She was already wearing a veil and a bamboo hat, and her striking red outfit was covered by a black outer robe, making her disappear into the night.
When Jiang Heng sensed the unfathomable internal force, Wei Jingchen used her lightness skill to the fullest to leave. However, her martial arts skills were not outstanding; she could only barely defend herself. After returning to the inn, she rode a fast horse and galloped all the way to the woods outside the city before stopping.
Jiang Heng was highly skilled in martial arts and quickly caught up.
"What does Miss Lin mean by this?" Jiang Heng asked, frowning.
"She left the three words 'Princess' on the half she gave me."
Wei Jingchen narrowed his eyes and twitched the corners of his mouth.
"It means that if you want to kill His Majesty, you can, but you can't kill the Eldest Princess. She has no grudge against the Eldest Princess."
“Then…” Jiang Heng’s heart sank.
"I guessed it, it doesn't matter. But Lin Chengye spoke too soon."
Wei Jingchen, on the contrary, remained calm. She glanced back at Penghua City, then let out a very slight sneer, like a snake spitting out its tongue, and spoke softly.
"Does she really think the Lin family affair has nothing to do with the Eldest Princess?"
I don't think so.
...
The lake water, several meters high, formed a wall in front of him, crashing down onto the surface and splashing up a shower of rain. Bian Yi coldly used his internal force to shake off the rain and stared at the person who walked out from it.
Chu Wuding held a white staff inlaid with blood-red brocade cloud patterns, named the Three-Foot White Bone Staff. He wore a blue Taoist robe, a Taoist crown, and a peach wood sword for exorcising ghosts hung at his waist, tied with a blue belt. Although his hair was white, his eyebrows and eyes were deep-set, and he was tall and slender, with a dashing and elegant appearance.
"...Your hospitality in Southern Qi is as bad as ever."
Bian Yi squinted his eyes, twirled the Liaochen Sword in his hand and carried it behind his back, then lazily turned it back and transformed into thousands of silver threads hanging down.
"Chu Wuding, what do you want to do? My three agreements with the King of Southern Qi have ended, and I am now a free man. You have no right to interfere with my comings and goings."
"...How can I not be afraid that Physician Bian has personally set foot on the land of Southern Qi?"
Chu Wuding suddenly burst into laughter, his narrowed eyes resembling a winding river crevice.
"For so many years, apart from being summoned by His Majesty, you have never stepped outside the borders of the Southern Qi. Why have you suddenly come to admire the flowers in my Southern Qi?"
Chu Wuding abruptly stopped laughing, slowly opening his eyes. The smile still lingered on his lips, but his eyes were terrifyingly cold. He twirled the three-foot-long white bone staff in his palm, and the internal energy protecting his body suddenly surged. It was unclear what kind of martial art this person had learned; it was extremely domineering, yet it also carried a chilling coldness that penetrated even the bones.
Lin Chengye felt his body become heavy, and he could hardly lift his head.
The man's figure shifted so quickly it was like a phantom. A dark shadow swept across the lake, and in just a few breaths he was several feet away, breaking the standoff with Bian Yi.
At the same time, the three thousand silver threads beside Bian Yi instantly condensed into a dust sword, forcefully blocking the three-foot-long white bone staff. Sparks flew at the point of contact, gentle and calm like a spring breeze and rain, yet it was no less powerful than Chu Wuding's.
But upon closer inspection, the white-clad swordsman skillfully deflected every move of the green-clad Taoist priest, only defending and not attacking. The Dust-Dispelling Sword in his hand was unpredictable, sometimes the blade would graz the side of the three-foot-long white bone staff, and sometimes silver threads would wrap around the staff, dissipating Chu Wuding's domineering and chilling internal force.
But the area where the two of them and Lin Chengye stood was already a mess. Willow trees that would take several people to encircle were snapped in half by the sweeping sword energy and crashed down. Even some of the lanterns that had been painstakingly lit in the distance had been torn to pieces and fell into the sea like rags in the wind.
Bian Yi's small boat was torn apart by the wind generated by Chu Wuding's staff. She simply stepped on the water and turned around to point her sword at Chu Wuding's back. Chu Wuding reacted quickly, bending his body backward in an incredible arc, like a bow. He swung his staff and once again deflected the dust sword. The air twisted and the sound was like thunder. The two switched positions and were both forced back several feet.
not good!
Lin Chengye's eyes widened. The air in her vision distorted instantly, and the buzzing in her ears drowned out everything. She instinctively lunged to the side and fell to the ground, but suddenly felt something uncontrollably bursting out of her meridians and slamming into Chu Wuding's attack.
It was the wisp of internal energy that Bian Yi had initially left in her body that was protecting her! Lin Chengye immediately understood, but he still couldn't help but vomit a mouthful of blood, staining the tender spring grass red.
Although she was protected from Bian Yi's internal energy head-on, given her current physical condition, even the slightest aftershock could kill her.
The white-clad swordswoman rushed over and supported Lin Chengye's arm. She was not good at pretending, and the worry in her eyes was almost overflowing.
"...Master Chu, are you trying to play these tricks on me?"
Bian Yi's face darkened completely. He glanced up at Lin Chengye. The child was pale, but managed a faint smile and shook his head to indicate that he was alright.
The swordsman's aura changed. The cold light of the Liaochen Sword was as bright as snow. Bian Yi instantly gathered his strength and stood up, pointing the sword directly at Chu Wuding's vital point. This time, when the long staff met the sword again, Chu Wuding was forced to take half a step back. He had no choice but to retreat to advance, using the principle of using four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds to temporarily avoid the sword's sharpness. The two forces of internal energy were not giving way to each other, and once again they stirred up the rain curtain on the lake.
The reflection of Bian Yi's angry eyes on the surface of the sword was also taken in by Chu Wuding.
Chu Wuding's smile deepened.
Was Chu Wuding provoking Bian Yi? What was he testing? Amidst the chaos, Lin Chengye keenly noticed Chu Wuding's expression, and her heart skipped a beat. She covered her mouth, and bright red blood seeped from between her fingers.
"Dr. Bian, are you injured? Or... are you just too tired lately?"
After exchanging hundreds of moves, Chu Wuding suddenly created a significant distance between them.
"Dr. Bian, what level has your internal energy reached? Is it the ninth level... or..."
Chu Wuding's voice was cold.
"Ten floors?"
"..."
Bian Yi raised her eyes but remained silent.
"Master Chu, stop!"
Suddenly, a furious shout rang out, and a light blue figure landed in front of Bian Yi, drawing the Suiquan sword and guarding it horizontally in front of him.
"So you are the son of the sect leader of the Divine Pivot Heavenly Mystery Sect. My apologies."
Chu Wuding's gaze swept between the two, and his expression changed instantly. He smiled faintly, his inner strength dissipated, and he even put away his three-foot-long white bone staff behind his back.
"Master Chu, shouldn't you be by His Majesty's side?"
Guan Yue frowned and glanced at Lin Chengye, who was pale on the shore. Although he had many questions for his unfortunate old friend, he could not delay any longer.
“These two are my friends. I don’t know what they could possibly have done to make you, a half-immortal, commit such a heinous crime? Could you please spare me the sake of my Divine Pivot Heavenly Mystery Sect…”
"It has nothing to do with Master Guan."
Chu Wuding interrupted Guan Yue with a smile, but he showed no intention of making a move. He turned around, waved his hand, and stepped onto the lake again, his blue Taoist robe disappearing into the night, leaving behind a single sentence.
"We must give face to the Divine Pivot Heavenly Mystery Sect, so I will take my leave first."
...
Behind a curtain made of round pearls, a figure paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, occasionally letting out a sigh. Suddenly, a soft sound rang out, and yet another person had somehow stopped in front of the curtain, his deep-set eyes illuminated by the dim candlelight.
It is Chu Wuding.
The figure pacing back and forth suddenly stopped and asked urgently.
"So? What is she here for?"
"It's just a test, so there's nothing wrong with that. However, I'm still unsure of her strength and why she came to Southern Qi. But she should be injured and her Qi Sea is unstable, so she's nothing to fear."
Chu Wuding simply bowed and said.
"While it's uncertain whether she's a demigod, she has at least broken through to the ninth level of her cultivation technique, just a hair's breadth away from becoming a demigod..."
Chu Wuding narrowed his eyes, but the corners of his mouth remained upturned.
"Only one sacrificial ceremony is missing... She comes from the Azure Phoenix Medicine Valley, she might know that."
"My three appointments with her have ended, and she's going to be a problem now. But right now, the most important thing is..."
The figure behind the curtain waved his sleeve in frustration, suddenly sweeping the porcelain cups and books off the table with a loud bang.
"How did you manage to wake that person up and tell me why none of the 100,000-strong allied army of Southern Qi and Northern Yan survived? How is that possible!"
Chu Wuding was clearly used to this. He calmly picked up the folded paper and scrolls from the ground and said indifferently.
"Your Majesty, please do not panic. We just need to wait."
...
"...So that's how it is. You were seriously injured in a fight, and you almost died when you dragged your ailing body back to the Jiangjin Realm. But you were saved by Ji Gongyun, the Queen of the Southern Qi Kingdom, who was traveling at the time and was still a rising star, with a royal secret medicine. So after you woke up, you made a promise with her. She was wary of your strength but needed your help. Therefore, she set two conditions: first, you would not enter the Southern Qi Kingdom without a reason; second, she could make you do three things."
Lin Chengye lay on the bed, his face regaining some color.
"The third thing... is that on the eve of the incident at the Lin family, Ji Gongyun said that she was seriously ill and asked you to go to Nanqi for treatment. By the time you were released from the palace, it was too late."
"Yes, I felt something was wrong at the time. It hadn't been long since I last saw Ji Gongyun. As the ruler of a country, it was impossible for her to suddenly fall seriously ill. It was probably just to prevent me from interfering. I felt that there was a high probability that Southern Qi and Lai were going to war, and they were unsure of my side."
Bian Yi nodded, then added after thinking for a moment.
"Although I believe your mother is highly skilled in martial arts and the Wei Lai army is loyal, I do not trust the Emperor of Lai, so I can only go and remind her in advance."
After Chu Wuding left, Bian Yi quickly brought Lin Chengye back to the inn, placed him in a medicinal bath and soaked him for half an hour before taking him out and placing him on the couch, gently wiping his wet hair.
"...Let me think about it."
Lin Chengye raised his hand and pinched the bridge of his nose, gently closed his eyes, and then suddenly murmured to himself.
"No, Chu Wuding is too hasty. This shouldn't be the case. His eagerness to test you... I'm afraid..."
Are they afraid that Bian Yi's existence will pose a threat to them? They were somewhat hesitant before because of Bian Yi's three contracts, but now that they are no longer bound by those contracts, what are they afraid of?
Suddenly, Lin Chengye opened his eyes.
"What's wrong inside the Southern Qi capital? Or is he deliberately trying to mislead us into thinking this way, so as to lure you into the capital?"
However, Chu Wuding's move was risky, because it would give us the upper hand. After all, he needs you.
"It seems we won't be able to enjoy this flower viewing party. Let's set off and leave as soon as possible."
Lin Chengye slowly sat up, tapping his knee with his fingers, a cold glint in his eyes.
All eyes, both overt and covert, were focused on Bian Yi, which ironically gave her even greater freedom.
However, this puts Bian Yi in a very dangerous situation.
Lin Chengye suddenly clenched his fist at his side.
She should have been prepared long ago, utilizing what she could and accepting all possible outcomes. She must not follow in Huang Qindong's footsteps; she cannot turn back, nor can she regret her actions before reaching the end of the road.
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