Chapter 317 It Was You All Along
[Merit: 2061]
Above the small wooden fish, a line of cyan-gold characters floats, displaying a number.
"I have enough merit points, shall I exchange them or not..."
Inside the expansive Pagoda of Merit, towering high in the clouds, Ouyang Rong strolled around with his hands behind his back.
Before coming to Xunyang City, he only had one or two hundred merit points left.
In the days since Ouyang Rong settled down in Xunyang City, he hadn't actually earned much merit.
Aside from the incident with Qin Xiaoniangzi, it was just the daily grind of leveling up junior sisters, and a while ago, helping some colleagues in Jiangzhou who were facing difficulties.
Over time, he accumulated more than eight hundred merits.
The extra thousand merits they have now are just riding on the coattails of Longcheng County's past achievements.
The construction of Zheyi Canal, Xindukou and other projects has gradually gotten on track, and he occasionally receives some small amounts of merit points in return.
By the way, a few days ago, when Ouyang Rong was taking a nap at noon, he was suddenly awakened by a series of crisp wooden fish sounds.
At first, he was confused and puzzled. The next day, he received a letter from a tyrannical magistrate who was filled with envy and jealousy. He then learned that the people of Longcheng had spontaneously erected a monument for him to praise his achievements.
Upon learning this, Ouyang Rong remained silent for a long time before letting out a soft sigh.
I always feel guilty towards the people of Longcheng, that I don't deserve their concern and gratitude.
Inside the Pagoda of Merit, Ouyang Rong, who had been standing still, came to his senses. He glanced at the trembling ancient bronze bell above his head, from which a purple mist mixed with peach blossoms continuously rose, and muttered to himself:
"Right now, I only have these two thousand merits left. If I spend them all, I'll really be penniless in the short term. I need to find a new way to increase my merits."
"The two projects that are most likely to accumulate great merit at present are the construction of Shuangfengjian and Xunyang Grottoes, which are about to be launched."
"Especially the former, which can control the floods in Xunyang City and benefit the people of Xingzifang, well, it should increase my merits, even if it's just a side effect of implementing this..."
Ouyang Rong, who had transformed into a particle of his mind and entered the Pagoda of Merit, floated to the ancient bronze bell. He slowly covered the bell with his hand, shrouded in purple mist, and calmly murmured to himself:
"I am a swordsman of the Dao lineage. As it stands, as long as I conceal myself, set up the cauldron and sword, and use 'Return to the Past', I can kill a Qi cultivator who is one rank higher than me."
"If you want to advance to the next level and kill a higher-ranked Qi cultivator like Wanwan, you will need to replenish your Merit Purple Mist and Unequal Qi."
"Well, first of all, we should rule out the possibility of post-coma sequelae from the Unyielding Qi, so it should not be used lightly."
"And the merit purple mist required for killing a seventh-grade Qi cultivator, based on past experience, is probably in the thousands.
At this moment, no one in the world knew that in Xunyang City, Jiangzhou, thousands of miles away,
There was a determined, well-hidden, newbie swordsman, who was determined to be the sixth-ranking member of the team. He was calmly doing accounting at his desk in the dim light, his eyes closed and brows furrowed.
They muttered to themselves about the price per person corresponding to their cultivation level.
Everything is quantified into a string of light, floating numbers in my eyes:
"As for sixth-rank Qi cultivators, based on the rate at which their merits were rapidly depleted when they killed Qiu Shenji..."
"It should be in the tens of thousands. Of course, Qiu Shenji fell from the top fifth-grade Qi cultivator, so he is stronger. It cannot be generalized."
"But you should need at least 10,000 merits to guarantee it."
Ouyang Rong twirled his fingers, did some calculations, and immediately looked distressed.
Looking at the bronze bell that now vibrates like a vibrating egg, and the sluggish little wooden fish that slowly accumulates merit, he sighed in despair:
"I only have a little over two thousand merits now, and I still have to consider whether to exchange them for this seemingly illegitimate blessing. If another thousand is deducted... I'll be penniless."
Ouyang Rong suddenly had a brilliant idea:
"If I could advance from my current ninth-rank sword wielder to an eighth-rank sword wielder and kill sixth- or seventh-rank Qi cultivators, wouldn't I be able to save a lot of merit points?"
He shook his head again: "However, this brings us back to the old problem: where to find the offerings needed for the ceremony to advance to the eighth rank? Identity is a problem, and there's also the need for a grand, high-profile occasion for the ceremony..."
"The spiritual energy cultivation of this offering cannot be too high. It would be best if it does not know Qi cultivation techniques, so that I can chop melons and vegetables cleanly and efficiently."
"Well, although it's the kind of evil ritual that Wanwan talks about, involving murder, arson, and crooked practices, whether it will deduct merit is another matter. I certainly can't use it to kill good people lightly. Hmm, it would be great if a heinous criminal came to my door..."
"But there are hardly any perfect things in the world."
The conditions became increasingly harsh, so Ouyang Rong rubbed his face, put the matter aside for the time being, and waited for the right opportunity.
Dispel the thought.
Ouyang Rong, who was suspended in front of the bronze bell, looked down at the quiet little wooden fish.
"Alright, since it's related to Wanwan."
As soon as the words were spoken, the bluish-gold color above the small wooden fish suddenly transformed into a swimming carp.
It spirals and wags its tail in the air.
It crashed violently into the trembling bronze bell body, which was covered by a surging pink and purple mist.
clang--!
The resounding sound of bells and drums echoed in all directions.
Inside the desolate Pagoda of Merit, the figure of a young man vanished.
...
Ouyang Rong suspected that the romantic blessings of these thousand merits were highly related to his junior sister.
I wonder what the surprise is.
Is this yet another instance of heavy rain providing cover, leading to people seeking shelter in temples?
Ouyang Rong began to feel a sense of anticipation.
"If I have another chance, I'll definitely win over this silly girl." The man nodded.
However, there are still a few days before Xie Lingjiang returns, so there's no need to rush.
He had no choice but to suppress the turmoil in his heart and continue with his current life.
Just after noon that day, another group of envoys from the Luoyang court arrived at Xunyang Ferry by large ship.
Yuan Huaimin and other officials from the Jiangzhou government hall were unusually present and followed Wang Lengran and Ouyang Rong, the two chief and deputy officials, on horseback to the ferry to welcome them.
As usual, Ouyang Rong rode at the head of the procession, riding the "plump and graceful" chestnut horse Dongmei, amidst the envious gazes of Yuan Huaimin behind him.
Wang Lengran walked a step ahead of him, leading the team.
Ouyang Rong, who had just woken up from his afternoon nap, had droopy eyelids and a somewhat languid expression, as if he had not yet come to his senses.
Wang Lengran ignored him.
Ouyang Rong had no interest in speaking to him whatsoever.
The atmosphere between the two was cold.
A short while later, they arrived at Xunyang Ferry Wharf, where they met the envoys from Luoyang. After exchanging pleasantries, the group turned around and led the envoys to the Xunyang Prince's Mansion in Xiushuifang.
Wang Lengran struck up a conversation with the palace servants, appearing warm and familiar with them.
Yuan Huaimin rode forward and approached the silent Ouyang Rong. The two chatted casually, and Yuan Huaimin would occasionally reach out and grope Dongmei.
Ouyang Rong's lips twitched.
Hearing faint praises of Wang Lengran from the palace servants ahead, Yuan Huaimin turned his head, covered his mouth with his hand, and whispered:
“Brother Lianghan, Lord Wang really loves to show off. He’s never seen in the main hall of Jiangzhou on weekdays, but as soon as the palace servants arrive, he’s the first to get dressed and then scolds us for being slow and lazy.”
Ouyang Rong nodded, glancing casually at the back of Governor Wang, who was riding a tall horse and loved to show off.
How about we kill this troublesome old man?
Use him as a ritual offering to advance to the eighth rank!
A bold idea suddenly popped into his mind.
"Brother Lianghan, what's wrong? Your eyes are so wide open, did you get sand in them?"
"No, it's nothing."
Ouyang Rong shook his head and subtly withdrew his gaze from the boastful figure in front of him.
Soon, the welcoming and seeing off of the palace servants from Luoyang was over.
Except for Wang Lengran, who was preparing a banquet to entertain the envoy that evening, everyone else dispersed.
Ouyang Rong had no interest in flattering the palace servants. When it was time to leave work, he returned to his residence in Huaiye Lane.
As soon as he got home, he immediately made an excuse to deal with the clingy concern of Zhen Shi and Ye Weilai, and returned to Yinbingzhai, turning around and closing the study door tightly.
Ouyang Rong first went to the bookshelf, took down a stack of books, and then took out a long, narrow wooden box that was hidden behind the stack of books, as well as a sandalwood pill box that was quietly placed inside.
Ouyang Rong carried the two items back to his desk, sat down, and placed them on the table.
He crossed his arms, resting his chin on the back of his hands, and a thoughtful look appeared in his lowered eyes.
It's not impossible to remove Wang Lengran and use him as a sacrificial offering in a ritual.
On the contrary, it's quite suitable, getting rid of a menace.
Moreover, Wang Lengran currently appears to have no spiritual energy cultivation, and as for whether he has any Qi cultivators from the Wei clan protecting him, no clues have been found yet.
Wang Lengran was also a prefectural governor, and it was said that he came from a well-established aristocratic family in the north, though not at the level of one of the Five Families and Seven Clans.
In short, the identity is correct.
The success rate of promotion ceremonies is quite high.
In any case, Ouyang Rong's conscience is beyond reproach.
There is only one question.
Wouldn't that alert them? The risk is too great.
Because of the ritual requirements, Ouyang Rong had to brandish his sword in front of everyone and kill the sacrificial offerings.
He beheaded a governor of a prefecture in front of everyone.
That's far too blatant.
This involves the face of the imperial court, and will certainly be thoroughly investigated.
Xie Lingjiang once casually warned that one should never underestimate the power of the Qi practitioners in the imperial court.
In Ouyang Rong's past memories, there was a department in the Dali Temple of the capital city that was specifically responsible for handling cases involving Qi cultivators. It gathered the world's top detectives and could borrow the Yin-Yang School Qi Observers from the palace to assist them.
In peaceful times, anyone who dares to kill a high-ranking official of the imperial court, whether a prefect or a high-ranking official, would have to think twice.
Ouyang Rong raised an eyebrow slightly.
So, are we going to go and test our skills against them?
Moreover, if Wang Lengran, as a member of the Wei family, were killed by him, wouldn't that anger the Wei family and lead them to replace him with someone even more difficult to deal with?
He was overwhelmed with a thousand thoughts.
Ouyang Rong's gaze fell on the table, on the Mo family sword box containing the Dingjian sword and the sandalwood box containing the "Mo Jiao" pill.
Cloth sword killed Wang Lengran easily.
Even with Qi cultivators protecting him, none of them could stop the invincible swords of "Craftsmanship" as long as they were no more than sixth rank.
After all, how can one guard against thieves for a thousand days... and then guard against the swordsman?
But the death of this old scoundrel has far too many implications.
Even Empress Wei might personally conduct a thorough investigation.
Even with the help of Master Di, it would be difficult to suppress this matter.
Another point to consider is that if Wang Lengran is killed in public, the Dingjian sword will have to appear, right?
Wouldn't that be announcing to the whole world that there is a cauldron sword and a swordsman in Xunyang City?
The difficulty lies in the fact that the ceremony needs to be "under the spotlight".
If one could commit murder discreetly, someone who has watched social and legal channels regularly since childhood would have countless ways to dispose of the body...
Should we subtly shift the blame to Yunmeng Jianze, just like we did with Wei Shaoxuan?
After all, only a reclusive sect that has stood for thousands of years can handle such a huge burden.
But... wouldn't that be a bad idea?
There's no real grudge between them, so it's rather unethical to repeatedly do things that harm others for personal gain.
Although the little wooden fish remained motionless and would most likely not deduct merit points, Ouyang Rong's conscience would still give him a slight pang of guilt.
Besides, the old swordsmith originally intended to deliver "Craftsmanship" and Aqing together to Yunmeng Sword Marsh, in accordance with the Lotus Tower Alliance.
Ouyang Rong's appearance unexpectedly disrupted the plan, effectively thwarting it.
Speaking of which, the great female ruler named Xue Zhongzhu descended from the sky to Xiaogushan and caused chaos, which indirectly saved his life.
Ouyang Rong frowned slightly.
"Let's wait and see. We need to plan carefully and not act rashly. We need to find a way out first."
"And it's best not to mess with those female cultivators from Yunmeng. I've shifted too many blames. What if they catch me? They'll chase me to the ends of the earth and torture me to death."
"It seems that Xue Zhongzhu, as the world's leading swordsman, has an absurdly high talent and cultivation. If I stand still and let myself freely wield my sword, even if I exhaust all my inner energy, I probably wouldn't be able to touch the hem of her skirt..."
Ouyang Rong nodded in murmur.
The night was deep outside the window beside the table.
Inside, it was pitch black.
Suddenly, a clear blue sword light poured out from the cracks in the wooden box.
At the table, a handsome young man gazed straight ahead.
An "arc" floated on the table.
One man, one sword, utterly silent.
...
The following night.
Inside the main room of Yinbingzhai, Ouyang Rong, dressed in pure white undergarments and seemingly about to retire for the night, turned his head and glanced at Ye Weilai, who was sleeping peacefully.
He walked over, took out a bamboo umbrella that had just been made, and opened it himself.
The umbrella was fiery red, with barely dried ink on it, and a line of poetry that made his old face blush slightly.
Ouyang Rong coughed lightly, changed into a black and gray casual outfit, and went out carrying a carefully crafted red paper umbrella.
Tonight is the agreed-upon day for the gathering at the Xunyang Prince's Mansion to discuss matters.
Ouyang Rong nimbly scaled the wall, evaded the curfew, crossed several neighborhoods, and arrived at Xiushui Neighborhood.
On the way, looking at the misty night view of the Xunyang River and the boats shining like stars in the distance, a thought suddenly popped into his mind.
If Wang Lengran's head were truly taken by "craftsmanship," wouldn't that be considered telling the Wei family that the cauldron and sword have an owner and that Wei Shaoxuan is in trouble?
This would benefit the Prince of Xunyang's residence.
After all, it shattered the Wei family's illusions of a comeback.
The Wei family has remained inactive and has not yet consolidated its internal voices. It is highly likely that some people still hold onto their hopes and fantasies about Wei Shaoxuan and Qiu Shenji's journey to the Dingjian and are waiting for their return.
The illusion set up by Ouyang Rong has never been exposed.
Of course, the prerequisite for exposing the "craftsmanship" is still to evade the investigations of various forces, including the Wei family.
This brings us back to the question of a way out.
After all, he held the position of Chief Administrator of Jiangzhou and could not leave Xunyang City.
Ouyang Rong frowned, puzzled.
Regardless, it can be considered a benefit that can be gained from killing Wang Leng.
Half an hour later, Ouyang Rong arrived at the study ahead of schedule.
Before long, Li Xian, Wei Mei, and Li Dalang arrived, along with a certain beautiful figure.
Ouyang Rong frowned and asked, "Brother, where is your sister?"
Li Dalang looked embarrassed.
"The poetry society is having another gathering tonight, but this time it's at our Xiushuifang. My sister said she was coming back, but it seems my husband came a little early tonight, and she hasn't returned yet."
Ouyang Rong pursed his lips and said directly:
"Let's not wait for her. Let's discuss this first. You can then relay the message to her."
“That works too.” Li Xian and Li Dalang chuckled to each other.
Wei Mei's face tightened, and she slammed her hand on the table, panting, "This girl is getting more and more outrageous! And she's kept my beloved waiting for so long. I'll break her legs when she gets back!"
The elegant lady in the long dress kept an eye on Ouyang Rong's expression while scolding her beloved daughter.
Ouyang Rong could only helplessly say, "Auntie, why is it so serious? It's not that bad."
Wei Mei immediately handed Ouyang Rong tea: "Guo'er is ignorant, please don't be angry, my lord."
Half an hour later, the routine discussion ended, and everyone dispersed with thoughtful expressions.
Ouyang Rong grabbed the red umbrella, walked out of the study, and instead of immediately climbing over the wall to return, he turned and called out to Li Dalang, asking:
"Where is Junior Sister's courtyard?"
Li Dalang immediately pointed out the way: "Near the back garden in the southeast corner, Tanlang, first walk along the main corridor, then turn left and head south..."
As he spoke, Li Dalang glanced at the exquisite red umbrella in his friend's hand:
"What is Tanlang doing there? Didn't Miss Xie reply to a letter and say she won't be back for another two days?"
"Ahem, it's just a personal matter. That's all. Goodbye, Dalang. Get some rest."
Under the mischievous gaze of Li Dalang, Ouyang Rong quickly waved his hand and walked towards Xie Lingjiang's boudoir without looking back...
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
