Chapter 819 The Bright Moon Shines Upon Us
On the shore, a new moon slowly rises.
The atmosphere on both sides of the river was somewhat quiet.
The crescent moon above Ouyang Rong's head emitted a bright white moonlight, which spilled onto the people on both sides of the river.
It illuminated their astonished and shocked faces.
At the same time, strange reactions occurred:
The swords of Li Congshan and the White Tiger Guards clanged as if they had encountered an earth dragon turning over.
Ouyang Rong looked down and saw the Moonlight Sword at his waist trembling, as if it were somewhat excited.
The peach wood sword on Lu Ya's back also vibrated. Lu Ya stared at the [New Moon] without blinking, and pressed his hand on the hilt of the sword on his back.
Not only them, but also the daggers, short swords and other items on Miaozhen, Rongzhen, Liguo'er and others under the "bright moonlight" showed varying degrees of movement.
The bright moonlight is sword energy!
Legend has it that when Yu the Great tamed the floods, he subdued all kinds of evil spirits, gathered the troops of the nine provinces, and forged nine tripods to suppress the destiny of the land, thus ending the killing. However, the tripods and swords were formed by remelting the nine tripods and were once again in charge of killing.
Equivalent to the master of all soldiers.
All weapons of war are affected by the sword energy of the Dingjian, especially newly created Dingjian.
"A cauldron! A sword!"
Miaozhen was the first to break the silence, crying out in disbelief.
Even though she had prepared herself mentally, Rongzhen's small face showed some emotion. She looked up at the "new moon" and lowered her voice:
"This is indeed the New Cauldron Sword, Lianghan, are you setting up a sword?"
Ouyang Rong had no reply and frowned deeply.
Although everyone in the room was looking at him with apprehension... after all, the new Ding sword had flown out of his arms... he was also somewhat bewildered.
This luminous pearl had been feigning death for a long time, and had not made any move except for being completely confirmed by the Crimson Lotus Sword Seal just now.
It's true that he redeemed the good fortune, but Ouyang Rong remembers that he didn't do anything just now; he was just staring at Li Congshan.
But that's how it flew out.
Could it be that something was triggered? It couldn't be his domineering aura, could it?
However, Ouyang Rong tried to control the new moon, but he couldn't. He didn't have the same feeling of perfect harmony between mind and sword as when the craftsmanship was first created.
Furthermore, he hasn't even fully confirmed its real name yet. Could it be that the sword and cauldron are spiritually connected? Or is it that he called out the character "曌" on the paper, and the luminous pearl is slightly slow to respond?
Faced with the various gazes, both overt and covert, Ouyang Rong did not immediately deny it, but instead put on a serious and stern face.
He caught a glimpse of Miaozhen and the others on the opposite bank looking at him with some apprehension.
Lu Ya, as his companion, was also somewhat confused.
He saw the white sturgeon nimbly fly up and circle around the crescent moon, seemingly out of curiosity, or perhaps guided by some kind of guidance.
Lu Ya turned to look at Young Master Ouyang, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions and awe.
I deeply felt that this young master Ouyang's true strength was simply unfathomable.
Li Congshan, mounted on his horse, paced back and forth along the shore. His silver-white mask reflected the moonlight and sword energy, giving him a chilling, pale appearance. His eyes were fixed on the crescent moon as he murmured to himself:
"Is this the Ding Sword? Just like in the myths."
He suddenly turned around and addressed Miaozhen and the three hundred armored soldiers in a loud voice:
“You don’t need to worry about the Emperor’s wrath. With this sword and cauldron, the King of Wei and the King of Liang will not treat us badly. We’ve already come this far. Do you really think that if we let the King of Xunyang and the Princess Zhenxian return to the capital now, they will forgive us? Seize this sword and cauldron and present it to Luoyang. From now on, we brothers will advance and retreat together!”
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong sensed something was wrong.
The new sword not only failed to scare away the group of arrogant warriors, but also emboldened Li Congshan, who then began to incite them with words of encouragement.
Li Xian, his voice trembling with excitement, pushed aside Wei Mei who was trying to stop him and stepped forward, saying:
"My brave warriors, please calm down. I can guarantee that I will not harm you in the slightest. I swear this to Emperor Taizong's memorial tablet!"
Rong Zhen's face was cold, and her voice was clear: "I am the same. I keep my word with the Prince. Also, look at what you are doing. It's not too late to turn back now. Put away your crossbows immediately, arrest Li Congshan, and execute him on the spot. He has gone mad."
The two men, one using gentle persuasion and the other using force, employed a combination of kindness and severity.
The nearly three hundred armored soldiers fell silent, exchanging glances. Some hesitated behind their masks, looking at their companions...
"Heh, heh heh..."
A hoarse laugh echoed through the silent ranks of armored soldiers.
It was Li Congshan.
He led the way on horseback, remaining perfectly still, and chuckled softly beneath his mask, drawing the attention of his soldiers.
The young general in white robes murmured in the ears of everyone present:
"Throughout history, how cruelly and how ruthlessly these powerful nobles treated their servants who had witnessed their wretched state—it's all written in books, so why do you still believe it? Fire the arrows!"
As he finished speaking, Li Congshan abruptly lowered his raised hand.
Those who had been watching his every move felt their hearts skip a beat.
The air was silent for three breaths, and then the sound of crossbow strings coming from the opposite bank revealed the choices of some of the soldiers.
Rong Zhen hadn't expected Li Congshan to really be insane; a hint of anger flickered in her eyes.
"Insolence! Stop!"
Without saying a word, Ouyang Rong turned around first and loudly warned:
"Protect the Prince and the Crown Prince!"
Arrows flew swiftly from the woods, crossing the river and reaching the other side in the blink of an eye.
Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen were always at the forefront.
They lived a little further away from the Xian family.
Lu Ya, being the closest, instantly drew his peach wood sword and swiftly severed the first crossbow bolt that had been fired.
But more crossbow bolts were yet to come.
The three of them alone couldn't possibly stop them all.
Rong Zhen's expression changed, and she suddenly turned her head:
"It's too late! Keep setting up your swords, don't worry about us!"
However, Ouyang Rong's actions surprised her.
What are you doing?
The luminous pearl ignored his commands, and Ouyang Rong was unable to deploy his sword. He ran back, taking out eighteen seeds from his sleeve and throwing them to Rong Zhen.
He then took out the Peach Blossom Spring Map and opened the fake cauldron sword.
A sky-blue sword aura slanted out from the drawing paper.
The incoming crossbow bolts were mostly cut in half.
However, he still underestimated the number of crossbow bolts.
Ouyang Rong used the magician's meridian muscle control to dodge the powerful crossbow bolt.
Ouyang Rong was still some distance from Li Xian and the others behind him, but the spiritual energy in his dantian was insufficient to block all the crossbow bolts. The remaining arrows flew straight towards Rong Zhen, Lu Ya, and Li Xian's family behind him.
The crossbow bolts came in volleys, like rain.
Rongzhen obtained the eighteen seeds and immediately activated the [Emperor Wen] sword technique.
Golden sword energy surged forth and covered her body, while crossbow bolts pierced through her.
But it still shot backward.
Lu Ya was only skilled in runes and not physically strong, so he couldn't withstand the rain of crossbow bolts. His peach wood sword was knocked away by a powerful crossbow bolt.
His expression changed, and he only had time to turn around and dodge the cold arrow.
The remaining crossbow bolts flew towards Li Xian's family.
Fortunately, Lu Ya's slight delay allowed Rong Zhen to bypass him and reach Li Xian and Li Dalang with all her might. Golden sword energy flowed from the eighteen seeds, protecting them.
The three figures were covered in golden light, like the sound of a zither, turning reality into illusion, and the crossbow bolt pierced through them.
However, like Ouyang Rong, Rong Zhen's spiritual energy was insufficient to support the golden sword energy enveloping everyone. The remaining arrows, which could not be stopped, passed through the three of them and flew straight towards the faces of Li Guo'er, Wei Mei, Shun Bo, and others.
Upon seeing this, Lu Ya was shocked and furious: "Protect the princess!"
It was too late for him.
Rong Zhen frowned tightly. Li Xian and Li Dalang, who were hiding in the golden light, tried desperately to run away, but she quickly blocked them, preventing them from escaping the golden sword aura of the Emperor Wen.
Ouyang Rong suddenly turned around.
Just then, Li Guo'er, Wei Mei, and others suddenly appeared on the other side of the field.
But their bodies still remain in the same place.
The crossbow bolt pierced through their bodies as if passing through a phantom.
As a result, two groups of people appeared on the field.
Both are identical, with the same style of dress: Li Guo'er, Wei Mei, and Cai Shou.
It seems they each have a stand-in.
The people around looked astonished, as if they had seen a ghost.
Ouyang Rong stared blankly at the two groups of people on his left and right. Soon, his attention fell on the faint white halo surrounding Li Guo'er, Wei Mei and others.
Ouyang Rong suddenly looked up at the crescent moon overhead.
Is this the Divine Power of the Cauldron Sword?!
The bewildered crowd was even more shocked than Ouyang Rong that two identical groups of figures had appeared on the field.
The people involved, including Li Guo'er and Wei Mei, were also stunned. They all lowered their heads, reached out to touch themselves, and checked their bodies.
Judging from their appearance, they were also unaware of the situation.
On the other side, their illusory figures also made the same gesture of bowing their heads to check their bodies.
It's so convincing that it's hard to tell which part is the real body and which part is the fake body.
However, soon, crossbow bolts pierced through their bodies that remained in place, and their bodies began to dissolve into specks of light, dissipating into the air.
Then, only the bodies of Li Guo'er, Wei Mei, and the others, who had instantly teleported to another location, remained; these should be considered physical entities.
It took everyone a while to realize what was happening.
Rong Zhen asked suspiciously, "What kind of Qi cultivation technique is this?"
Lu Ya looked around: "Which expert made the move?"
Rong Zhen subconsciously looked at Ouyang Rong, and Lu Ya, seeing this, did the same and looked over as well.
Ouyang Rong frowned, unsure how to answer.
Such a sudden transfer is unheard of, even more miraculous than Emperor Wen's transformation of reality into illusion.
Ouyang Rong could only think of one possibility, his eyes fixed on the moon above.
The new moon hung motionless above his head.
The moonlight is soft and gentle at this moment, and the forest is quiet and secluded.
Deep in the forest, unknown to man, only the bright moon shines upon me.
On the opposite bank of the river, witnessing this mythical scene, Miaozhen and the three hundred armored soldiers were equally astonished and uncertain.
Li Congshan stared intently at that spot for a while, then suddenly sneered, raised his hand, and waved to his companions:
"Keep firing arrows, cover the opposite bank, and see how they dodge, all their fancy tricks."
With a sudden slap, the armored soldiers continued to set up their crossbows, this time providing all-around coverage.
Miao Zhen said worriedly:
"General Li, step back a bit and don't stand in front. Be careful of Ouyang Lianghan. His sword has risen into the air, and we don't know if it's real or not. To be conservative, he might be setting up his sword, using the 'Humble Scholar' ultimate technique, 'Return to the Homeland.' General Li, do not enter the range of his sword."
"Alright, thank you for the reminder, Lady Miaozhen!"
Li Congshan shrewdly retreated a few steps, hiding behind the armored soldiers' shields, and temporarily avoided the attack with Miaozhen.
At the same time, the crossbows around were ready to fire and began to be released one after another.
Li Congshan slowly sheathed his sword, glancing at the crowd scrambling to avoid him on the opposite bank, his eyes narrowing slightly:
"Let's see how long you can hide. Lady Miaozhen, prepare yourselves. Once their spiritual energy is exhausted, we'll go and harvest it, retrieve the Ding Sword, and return to the capital to present it to the Emperor and His Highness Prince Wei."
Miao Zhen nodded: "Good idea, but how do we explain this to Princess Zhenxian?"
Li Congshan didn't turn his head and said coldly.
"With the Ding Sword here, we are safe and sound."
The two exchanged glances and waited in tacit agreement, preparing to go up and reap the rewards after a few volleys of crossbow bolts.
Currently, Ouyang Lianghan's side only has three mid-grade Qi Refiners, while his side has three hundred elite White Tiger Guards. In addition to these two mid-grade Qi Refiners, they can first use crossbows to wear them down before picking off any remaining enemies.
Even if one or two people from Ouyang Lianghan's group manage to escape, the entire Li Xian family is unlikely to get away. Ouyang Lianghan and his group cannot take so many people with them; they must make choices. In fact, being chased by three hundred elite armored soldiers, even a mid-level Qi Refining cultivator would find it difficult to escape with just one person. Their only option is to protect themselves...
Li Congshan coldly and meticulously calculated for a moment, then nodded slightly. Suddenly, he felt a chill in his chest. Somewhat puzzled, he looked down and saw a woman's hand reaching out from his heart and traversing his body.
"You...you...hehe..."
Li Congshan looked bewildered and slowly turned around, only to see Miaozhen's indifferent face.
Blood began to flow from his mouth. "Why...why?"
Miaozhen remained silent, withdrew her hand, which was stained with the blood of her heart, lowered her eyes, carefully wiped it with a handkerchief, and tossed it at Li Congshan's feet.
Ignoring Li Congshan, who had collapsed to the ground with his eyes wide open in death, she turned to the three hundred astonished soldiers and spoke in a calm, clear voice:
"The traitor Li Congshan disobeyed the Emperor's decree and colluded with rebels. He has already been executed. It's not too late for you all to turn back now. Throw away your weapons and remove your armor!"
On the opposite bank, witnessing this sudden reversal, Rong Zhen, Lu Ya, and the others were stunned and speechless.
Ouyang Rong checked on Li Guo'er, Wei Mei, and the others, and found them all safe and sound. His brows remained furrowed as he turned around and stared intently at the back of the middle-aged female official who had betrayed him at the last minute.
Li Xian stood there, staring blankly at the lonely figure of the female historian Miao Zhen on the opposite bank.
Wei Mei's eyes were wary, and he still looked at the woman with some suspicion.
In the woods, the sounds of weapons falling to the ground began to echo, one after another.
Under Miaozhen's indifferent gaze, all three hundred armored soldiers removed their armor, knelt on one knee, and surrendered.
Among them were Li Congshan's core confidants, the armored soldiers who had just fired the crossbow bolts, who panicked and tried to flee. Before Miaozhen could turn around, the nearest White Tiger Guard armored soldiers drew their swords and pounced forward, cutting them down one by one, severing their heads, and vying for credit...
Ouyang Rong suddenly said:
"Was it you who sent the warning letter that the Prince's mansion received that day? Was it you who reminded the Prince to put the menu on the table if it wasn't meant to be served on the dinner table?"
"Prefect Ouyang is truly wise; Lady Rongzhen made the right choice."
Rong Zhen's almond-shaped eyes widened: "What nonsense are you talking about?"
Miao Zhen ignored her, turned around, glanced at Li Xian and Wei Mei, and said calmly:
“After you politely declined back then, I never spoke ill of you in front of the Emperor. You were demoted to commoners, and the Emperor sent me here later because he knew about this, so he felt at ease sending me. Li Xian, don’t underestimate people.”
...
(End of this chapter)
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