Chapter 403 The Unorthodox Sword
The main hall is brightly lit tonight.
The faint sound of chanting sutras and prayers for the deceased could be heard from the front hall.
In the courtyard outside the rear hall, apart from a coffin, the ground was littered with broken tiles, rubble, and corpses.
Only the figure of a young Confucian scholar remained standing.
Perhaps the wailing and clamor in the courtyard not long ago were all drowned out by the unified chanting of the Great Compassion Mantra in the front hall.
It's also possible that the words Li Li and others instructed Shandao and others before entering the mourning hall in the backyard had an effect—the monks were not allowed to enter the backyard if they heard any noise.
Wearing a bronze mask with a fox head, Ouyang Rong silently finished cleaning, and no outsiders dared to enter the courtyard.
First, they searched the bodies of Murong Qi and Murong An and found several pieces of gold and silver jewelry.
A further search of the Persian merchant Li Li revealed only a stack of banknotes, seals, land deeds, and other miscellaneous items, as well as a token bearing the character "Wei".
First, he lowered his eyes and memorized the name of the merchant that might correspond to the Wei family's white gloves on the silver note.
Then, glancing at the familiar black iron tokens, Ouyang Rong shook his head and tossed them into the coffin in the center of the courtyard.
Ouyang Rong was slightly disappointed that he could not find any extra Qi-replenishing pills on Li Li and the Murong brothers.
It seems that Qi-replenishing pills are indeed precious and not common, let alone top-grade Qi-replenishing pills. They must be used with caution, since one cannot always encounter an opportunity like that of Donglin Temple in Dagushan, where one can borrow Qi... He thought to himself, reaching out to touch the pill box containing the black dragon in his sleeve.
Tonight, he unexpectedly realized the correct way to use the crafted sword technique, taking another step closer to the final sword manual. Later, by taking advantage of the incense offerings from Mount Dagu, he saved the precious pill.
Ouyang Rong finally turned his gaze to Master Xi's corpse.
This Taoist priest wore a Nanhua turban and did not grow his hair long. Judging from his attire, he should be from the Southern Sanqing Taoist sect.
According to my junior sister, if you come from the Louguan Taoist sect in the north, you wear a Hunyuan scarf and have long hair, just like the old Taoist in the crane-cloak and fur coat that I first met in the underground palace...
Now that Ouyang Rong is more worldly-wise, he also knows the possible identity of the mute embroiderer. Looking back, he also noticed the strangeness of the old Taoist in the crane cloak. He should not be an ordinary person. However, he doesn't know why they appeared in the underground palace together twice. Could it be related to saving him and that the embroiderer brought him here?
Now is not the time to overthink, so Ouyang Rong gathered his thoughts.
He squatted down, wiped the bloodstains from Master Xi's tattered Taoist robe with his palm, and began to explore with some anticipation.
This frivolous Taoist priest was from some unknown sect within the Three Pure Ones sect, but during the battle, his eyes suddenly turned a strange dark red, a change that Ouyang Rong noticed.
The ability to rise from the seventh rank to the initial stage of the fifth rank is definitely not an ordinary Taoist technique; it seems to have attracted some unknown being similar to a true spirit to possess him.
Unfortunately, limited by the frivolous Taoist's meager physique and seventh-grade dantian, the spirit's ability to descend was significantly weakened. Furthermore, Ouyang Rong, as the sword wielder, possessed a powerful sword capable of breaking all laws, and the continuous flow of incense energy further fueled the attack, allowing the spirit to be subdued on the spot. Had this spirit not encountered Ouyang Rong, who wielded the new Dingjian divine power, but instead met any other eighth-grade sword wielder, even with a black dragon present, the outcome tonight would have been entirely different.
Even amidst the smooth sailing of the night, danger lurked. Thinking of this, Ouyang Rong silently reflected on his actions and remained vigilant. However, this unknown being must have vaguely seen the traces of the craftsman. Before the dark red in its eyes faded, it cast a deep glance at him, which Ouyang Rong noticed, but he wasn't too worried.
Tonight he came wearing a bronze mask, and at the same time, he manipulated his muscles and bones to slightly change his body shape, thus disguising himself.
Ouyang Rong quickly finished examining Master Xi's corpse, a hint of disappointment in his eyes.
There are no qi-tonifying pills.
Instead, they found something rather strange.
A pink bellyband that smelled strongly of rouge and face powder.
Inside the bib was a small booklet with the two characters "真诰" (Zhen Gao) scrawled on the cover. A quick flip revealed it filled with densely packed, tadpole-like characters, so old and difficult to decipher.
"The Zhen Gao? The commentary in the Erya says it means a proclamation orally transmitted by a true man."
Ouyang Rong muttered something, not even bothering to look, and stuffed it into his sleeve. Then his gaze fell on the pink undergarment in his hand, and his lips twitched.
This kid is probably not a decent person.
How can a Taoist priest of the Three Pure Ones, carrying this thing around, be considered a decent person?
However, upon smelling the pungent yet familiar scent of rouge and powder, Ouyang Rong immediately thought of one of Zhu Lingxu's concubines. Back when he impersonated Wei Shaoxuan to obtain the token, this concubine was among the group of concubines serving him food and wine. She seemed to have the same scent of rouge and powder on her, mainly because she had been subtly and overtly rubbing against him at the time, so it left a deep impression on him.
Not long ago, as the Chief Secretary of Jiangzhou, he went to clean up the mess caused by Zhu Lingxu's escape. At Zhu's residence, he saw this concubine again. At that time, she was dressed in mourning clothes and crying. She still did not forget to wink at him, who was serious. Of course, Ouyang Rong ignored her and dismissed her in an official manner.
But to everyone's surprise, she ended up with this frivolous Taoist priest so quickly. It's just unknown whether this affair was committed before or after Zhu Lingxu's death.
Ouyang Rong couldn't help but silently mourn for Zhu Lingxu for three seconds.
He was immediately speechless.
What kind of nonsense is this? They stumbled upon an affair while looting a corpse?
Looks like tonight not only is the drop rate low, but my luck will also be tainted by filth. Ugh.
Ouyang Rong shook his head. At that moment, he caught a glimpse of a clear blue light beside him. He turned around and saw a little guy floating in mid-air above his head.
Its blade was slightly tilted and remained motionless, as if it were quietly observing the strange behavior of its male master below.
In fact, ever since Ouyang Rong finished killing people and squatted down to examine the corpses one by one, this azure "sword arc" had been following him, like a curious cat following him with its hunched back and shuffling steps.
At this moment, Ouyang Rong didn't have time to explain to Yi Koujian that besides killing people and taking their heads, looting corpses for equipment was also a kind of fun.
He gave the order in his mind and whispered, "Go back."
The little guy, who was enjoying the incense smoke tonight, swayed left and right in the air as if he were a fish in water, looking somewhat unwilling.
Until Ouyang Rong frowned slightly,
The little spirit creature stirred, its stillness giving way to motion. It first spun twice above the head of the male master, who was holding a pink bib, before "whoosh" it flew away, reluctantly returning to the "dark and somber wooden box" in a distant sutra-copying hall.
Tonight, the incense smoke provides a continuous source of "fuel," temporarily lifting the previous distance restriction of more than ten feet between the craftsman and Ouyang Rong.
"So this is what a high-grade sword wielder is like... I've got to experience it ahead of time..."
Ouyang Rong muttered to himself, and at the same time, he didn't stop. He threw the corpses of Li Li, the Murong brothers, and Daoist Xi into the coffin in the center of the room, along with pink bellybands, gold and silver jewelry, banknotes and seals, and other items.
He took out a small tube of Burning Heaven Dragon Oil, poured it into the coffin, and finally threw in a tinderbox, which he then lit.
Flames raged.
The pale green firelight illuminated the bronze fox mask on the face of the young man in the scholar's robe, the bronze exuding a rustic and aloof quality.
After waiting quietly for a while, until all the corpses, evidence, and clues were burned to ashes, he used his sword to disrupt and sever the many auras in the courtyard. Amidst the flying ashes, he turned and left, leaping out of the courtyard.
Originally intending to head to the Sutra Copying Hall, Ouyang Rong paused slightly after taking only a few steps, then subtly turned and took another route.
He silently uttered the word "craftsmanship" to himself, and calmly chose a dark and secluded path. After walking about a hundred steps, the path became increasingly quiet and dark.
At one moment, a leaf on a tree branch not far behind Ouyang Rong swayed slightly in the night breeze.
Ouyang Rong stopped, his voice turning deep and muffled, and asked without turning his head:
"What, not going to continue?"
In the next instant, the dark trees that had been swaying in the wind not far behind suddenly burst into a shower of fallen leaves, like dandelions in the autumn wind.
Ouyang Rong, deliberately teasing the strolling visitor, slowly turned around.
In the woods a dozen or so feet away from him, an arc appeared and returned, engaging the slender figure in combat.
The details of the fight are almost impossible for the naked eye to see.
Only a faint glimpse could be seen, besides the dazzling "sword arc" that resembled a crescent moon, a slender figure sometimes tucked the sword arc into her sleeve, sometimes staggered a few steps with her sleeve torn, sometimes vanished into thin air, and sometimes fell from mid-air... It was dazzling.
The Yin-Yang School Qi Practitioner indeed had many tricks up his sleeve, but they were all neutralized by the craftsman who had quietly returned and finished setting up his sword.
Although the incense smoke consumed this time almost completely drained the incense smoke within a hundred meters of Ouyang Rong, it even briefly created a spiritual vacuum in this area.
However, the outcome was decided in just three breaths.
The woods fell silent again, and under the cold moonlight, an arc hung above the head of a beautiful figure.
A person and an arc stood motionless in the middle of the forest where fallen leaves were dancing.
The beautiful figure was clutching her chest, coughing up blood, and panting heavily.
Ouyang Rong stroked the heavy fox-masked man's chin. In the autumn evening breeze, he approached with his sleeves tucked in and took a look.
It was indeed that familiar, cold-blooded girl in palace attire.
Rong Zhen looked up at the mythical sword floating above her head. The dreamlike blue light fell on her small, fair face. Her usual cold expression was gone, replaced by shock and doubt: "It really is the moon... The child was right... So that's how it is..."
Sensing approaching footsteps, she turned sharply and questioned the young scholar who appeared to be wearing a bronze fox mask: "You are the swordsman! What kind of sword is this? Why have I never seen it before?"
Ouyang Rong stopped in the shadows under a tree not far from her, squinted slightly, and remained silent.
Feeling as if she were being stared at like a defeated opponent, the girl in palace attire blushed and was about to rebuke him.
But in the next instant, she saw the fox-faced scholar in the distance turn around aloofly, seemingly disdainful, and his figure quickly disappeared.
She wasn't killed.
Rongzhen was slightly stunned. After a while, she looked around and it seemed that the person had really left.
Her expression shifted slightly... Only a cauldron sword remained, still hovering three feet above her head, locking onto her entire aura, yet refusing to fall for a long time, as if imprisoning and monitoring her.
So this means... they're going to let her go?
The cold, aloof palace-dressed girl's eyes held complex emotions, and then she fell into a long silence...
Half an hour later, Ouyang Rong, having circled around a few times just in case, appeared in the Sutra Copying Hall.
He walked to the table in front of the Buddha statue, silently lit a lamp, packed up his sword case and other belongings, and prepared to leave.
The female officials, including Rong Zhen, were considered a neutral force in Xunyang City, which could balance the Wei clan... Ouyang Rong hesitated for a moment and did not kill them.
Moreover, judging from Rongzhen's reaction and questions, she must have just arrived and bumped into him as he was leaving, and then tried to follow him to observe.
I didn't see Ouyang Rong fighting Li Li and others in the back courtyard and then disposing of the bodies.
Ouyang Rong shook his head.
Recently, Rong Zhen sent his female officials to Longcheng to investigate Zhao Rushi's case. He already knew about it, so he asked the experienced County Magistrate Yan to help him clean up the mess.
I never expected that Rongzhen herself would come here tonight. As the supervisor of the Jiangzhou vanguard, shouldn't she be staying in Xunyang City? Why does she want to find out the truth about Zhao Rushi's case?
Ah, he's quite different from those clever people in Xunyang City who don't meddle in other people's business.
Ouyang Rong pursed his lips.
He only kills those he deems deserving of death, but he does not object to Rongzhen and the others investigating cases they deem should be handled officially.
The two are not contradictory; in fact, Ouyang Rong secretly admires the latter for their dedication and perseverance. However, personal admiration is one thing, but he will not let them catch him.
Before long, he glanced at the deep night and felt that the time was about right. With a slight thought, he summoned the craftsman who was a thousand meters away.
With Rongzhen's speed as a sixth-grade Qi cultivator, he certainly couldn't keep up with the craftsmanship of tonight's Infinite Power.
The others left first, and then the sword escaped, which can be considered as getting rid of a troublesome palace-dressed girl, and also as a wonderful use of having a flying sword.
Ouyang Rong was already mentally prepared for the aftermath of this incident.
Previously, they had brazenly used Wei Shaoxuan's identity to carry out the "felt hat scheme," and now they have cleanly silenced Li Li and others, indicating that they had already prepared for the consequences of being discovered by the Wei family.
Anyone with common sense would have realized that Wei Shaoxuan, Qiu Shenji, and the others were in trouble, and that the Ding Sword had fallen into the hands of others.
Whether it fell into the hands of the Baoli Sect when the Dragon City Cauldron Sword was forged, or whether it fell into the hands of Yunmeng Sword Marsh when Wei Shaoxuan and Qiu Shenji went to find some longevity elixir and sword technique, or whether other mysterious forces intervened.
The Wei family is probably still unsure... there's still a lot of maneuvering to be done.
Ouyang Rong sighed softly, tidied himself up, and sensed that the little guy was getting closer and closer. He picked up the sword box, turned around, and prepared to leave the main hall.
In the next instant, the craftsman slowly returned and slipped into the main hall through the gap in the roof.
However, this time, it wasn't just one sword that returned.
Within the clear blue sword light beside the "Sword Arc," something could be faintly seen floating.
The little guy, carrying the looted equipment, circled above Ouyang Rong's head, seemingly showing off his achievement.
"What is this?" He was taken aback.
The craftsman returned home laden with its spoils tonight, contentedly burrowing back into the long-empty zither-shaped sword box. The object floating beside the "arc" lost its sword energy and drifted down, where Ouyang Rong instinctively reached out and caught it.
A fresh and delicate fragrance wafts up first.
By the light of the lamp, upon closer inspection, it was a dark purple... bellyband.
Purple has a certain charm, but it seems to be worn year-round, reflecting frugality and simplicity. The light, dark purple fabric has faded and turned somewhat white after washing, and right now, the rope of the bodice that should have been tied around the woman's slender neck has been cut off.
Ouyang Rong's eyes widened slightly as he stared at the still-warm and fragrant bodice that had appeared out of nowhere. At this moment, only one syllable remained on his lips:
"ah?"
(End of this chapter)
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