Searching for the female lead
Is this the secret behind Guixu's addition of a protective magic array? A pile of old, aged objects.
Cang Jingqi said he didn't even know how many years ago these things were, and some were even clothing and items from the previous dynasty.
Some have dates engraved on them, some don't, but the earliest dates back a thousand years.
This is practically a museum of cultural relics! Is Gui Xu a collector?
"Who were you talking to just now?" Cang Jing asked.
Han Jiang replied, "I don't know either. It was a woman, but her voice didn't sound like Gui Xu's."
With no other leads, the two began examining the piled-up items. Upon closer inspection, they discovered that most of the items were everyday objects, not burial goods unearthed from the tombs of royalty or nobility. The clothing styles differed, but the body types were essentially the same.
The sixth floor was larger than they had imagined, with items piled from floor to ceiling, completely full.
"Look at this!" Cang Jingqi discovered a lot of books, and at a glance, they were all banned books.
Many of these are parts that the Immortal Sect and the Demon Palace did not collect completely, including the other half of the travelogue that Cang Jingmo once mentioned.
Han Jiang couldn't understand the ancient characters, so he had to ask Cang Jingqi to translate them.
"Wait!" Han Jiang pointed to the teleportation array that had lit up on the ground. "Is someone coming over, or are they going to teleport us somewhere?"
Cang Jingqi quickly hid the travelogue and protected it in front of Han Jiang.
Gui Xu appeared out of thin air in the center of the magic array and said, "Why is it you?"
Han Jiang was also surprised: "Return to the Tower? That's great! I've finally found you!"
Gui Xu didn't rush to reminisce. Instead, he repeatedly checked the surroundings to make sure the two hadn't touched anything before saying, "Your master and I are in the secret room downstairs. I'll take you there now."
She didn't ask how Han Jiang got in; she was in a hurry to take the two people away.
Han Jiang took one last look. At the highest point not far away, there was a lamp—the one she had brought back from Xuanzhou. It was broken, but white smoke still drifted out, like willow catkins, clinging to the broken edges of the lamp.
"Daughter..." It was that woman's voice again.
As Han Jiang wanted to ask a question, the wisp of smoke dissipated and the lamp went out.
When she opened her eyes again, her body was no longer on the sixth floor, and Han Jiang was standing in a dimly lit secret room.
A huge pot was hung up, and Han Tian used magic to refine the contents of the pot.
"Master!" Han Jiang called out.
Han Tian stopped what he was doing, turned around, and asked in surprise, "Xiao Man? And A Qi? Weren't you at the Four Continents Sect?"
Cang Jingqi and Han Jiang briefly explained the actions of the Vermilion Bird Pavilion, and instructed Han Tian to immediately return to the Four Continents Sect.
"Xiao Yu!" Han Tian roared, "You bastard!"
“Master… he’s the emperor…” Han Jiang thought that he should at least be careful about how he addressed the emperor, otherwise he might get beheaded.
"To hell with the emperor!" Gui Xu overturned the large pot. "And the two of us were even here refining pills for him!"
Gui Xu said that Xiao Yu wanted to continue cooperating with her on the plan for the immortality technique, otherwise he wouldn't let Maplefire Frost Pavilion go. However, the immortality technique required the transformation between human and demon, and Xiao Yu was unwilling to take the risk, insisting that Gui Xu find another way.
Therefore, Gui Xu had no choice but to return and refine the remaining substances from the human-demon fusion, which should have some effect on prolonging life. In exchange, the Vermilion Bird Pavilion would negotiate with the Maple Fire Frost Pavilion to discuss the handling of the rebels.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Yu turned around and sent people to control the Four Continents Sect, taking this opportunity to deal with the Demon Realm.
In reality, he neither truly let Maple Flame Reflecting Frost Pavilion go, nor did he intend to let the Four Continents Sect and the Demon Clan suffer mutual destruction.
After leaving Maplefire Reflecting Frost Pavilion, the four immediately returned to the Four States Sect, only to be blocked outside by the mountain-guarding formation.
Chicheng and Chaoyu were nowhere to be seen; the two elders must have gone inside, but failed to stop Xiao Mo.
News of the Four Continents Sect's declaration of war against the Demon Clan has spread and will soon reach the Demon Realm.
The disciples of the Four Continents Sect will not truly obey Xiao Mo's orders, so the so-called declaration of war is merely a pretext. All that is needed is for the Vermilion Bird Pavilion to play the role and engage the Demon Clan in a few rounds; given the Demon Lord's temperament, he will inevitably retaliate.
When the time comes, with truth and falsehood intertwined, who will be able to tell whether it was the Vermilion Bird Pavilion or the Four Continents Sect that made the move?
"Let's go back to the Demon Palace first," Cang Jing said.
Upon arriving at the Demon Palace, they learned that the Demon Lord had postponed his departure from seclusion.
No wonder the Vermilion Bird Pavilion launched a war in such a hurry. Using the unrest caused by the rebels as a pretext, and with the Demon Clan's biggest problem still in seclusion, when else would they strike?
"Elder Han, does the Sect Master's Decree have the power to issue commands?" Cang Jingmo rushed up to ask as soon as he saw Han Tian.
Han Tian shook his head: "No, at most it can serve to inspire morale and motivate the disciples."
"So it does have some effect on the mind, right?" Cang Jingmo repeatedly confirmed.
"Yes."
Han Jiang asked Cang Jingye, who was standing to the side, "So, what happened?"
Cang Jingye said, "Xiao Mo has probably combined the Sect Master's Token with some kind of controlling force, which not only stimulated the power of the disciples of the Four Continents Sect, but also played a certain guiding role. However, we still haven't figured out what kind of controlling force it is, and even Cang Jingqi has never heard of it."
Controlling power? Han Jiang had a flash of inspiration: "Isn't manipulating spiritual power the same as controlling power? I mentioned before that, besides you siblings, people can also learn it."
Cang Jingqi said, "My father's notes did indeed contain records of this, but my mother stopped him from continuing his research."
“That forbidden book has always been in the library of the Four Continents Sect. Perhaps Xiao Mo has figured it out?” Han Jiang boldly hypothesized.
Did a single sentence awaken everyone? But verifying it is pointless now; what matters is how to respond.
In this way, Xiao Mo doesn't need disciples of the Vermilion Bird Pavilion to impersonate him; he can directly control the disciples of the Four Continents Sect to attack the Demon Realm by manipulating spiritual power and the appeal of the Sect Master's Decree.
"Report! The Four Continents Sect and the Vermilion Bird Pavilion have arrived at the border of the Demon Realm!"
The disciples of the Four Continents Sect, including Wan Hanjiang, set off, but they didn't expect to arrive so quickly.
The sect leader's order can indeed inspire fighting spirit.
"Send people to guard the barrier, and avoid direct confrontation," Cang Jingmo instructed.
Maple Leaf Pavilion suffered heavy losses in the battle with Vermilion Bird Pavilion and will not participate in the fighting now.
The Vermilion Bird Pavilion, wanting to reap the benefits without lifting a finger, naturally wouldn't put in much effort; at most, they'd just put on a show.
This war between immortals and demons is just like the original story; it's a great battle between the Demon Realm and the Four Continents Sect.
It just lacks the tragic love story between the male and female leads.
Quickly think of how to get through this part of the story, think about it—
"Han Qi! Han Qi once said that she was searching for Luo Luo's whereabouts with the Sect Master's Token. Perhaps she has the Sect Master's Token that Master once lost!" Han Jiang said. "Spiritual power manipulation can be used to seize control, right, Cang Jingqi?"
Cang Jingqi said, "I understand. Amo, Aye, and I will hold off the disciples outside. You and Hantian go find your junior sister."
"But where can we find Hanqi?" Hanjiang pondered.
Han Tian: "Your junior sister once wrote me a letter saying she was going to Yanzhou."
Yanzhou? That makes sense. Han Jiang remembered that the original owner and Han Qi's childhood village was in Yanzhou.
Gui Xu said, "Then I'll take charge of going to Jingzhao to find that dog emperor. Either he withdraws his troops, or I'll expose his evil deeds."
"Xiaoman," Cang Jingqi called out to Han Jiang, "Here's a fan for you."
Han Jiang took the folding fan: "I know you have a lot of fans."
"Take good care of yourself."
"Okay." Han Jiang said goodbye to Cang Jingqi.
Yanzhou is the smallest prefecture in terms of area, but finding people there is not easy.
It has been more than a month since I last saw Hanqi after parting ways with him in Jingzhou.
To save time, the two decided to split up. With Cang Jingqi's folding fan, Han Jiang should be fine on his own, so he suggested separating from Han Tian.
Han Tian reminded Han Jiang to be careful, and then agreed to the suggestion.
With the overall situation at hand, no matter how worried Han Tian was about Han Jiang, he had no choice but to speed up the search for Han Qi.
Hanjiang sighed: I thought the war between immortals and demons would have nothing to do with the female lead. But the female lead is indeed the female lead. How could the main plot happen without her?
Could we also assume that the female protagonist is drawn by the main storyline? The two are interconnected and mutually influential.
So no matter what, the female lead will definitely appear! The important thing is the timing!
Han Jiang has a guess. If Han Qi is to participate in the great battle, but because she was somewhat removed from the storyline earlier, she's currently unaware that the battle is about to begin. Therefore, she needs to tell the female lead something.
For example, the information casually mentioned by a few people at the next table in a restaurant; the civilians fleeing the war on the street; or the person the female protagonist saves in a conflict that happens to be someone who knows the truth.
Han Jiang knows that the Vermilion Bird Pavilion is sending people to capture her. If she deliberately exposes her whereabouts and clashes with the Vermilion Bird Pavilion, she might be able to directly attract the female lead.
This is not difficult, and with Cang Jingqi's folding fan in hand, even if Han Qi does not appear, Han Jiang can ensure his own safety.
It's worth a try.
Han Jiang deliberately walked in a conspicuous place and pretended to ask around if anyone had seen a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl.
When Han Jiang could sense that someone was following her, she turned into a less crowded alley.
The Vermilion Bird Pavilion's actions this time were much less dramatic than during the rebellion. The great war between the Four Continents Sect and the Demon Clan was like an internal war, having little to do with the common people and not being publicized much.
The demons won't leave the demon realm; at least there's a barrier around it, so staying in the demon realm is safer than escaping.
If the Four Continents Sect doesn't publicize it, and the demons can't come out, who will know?
"She has no magic power, just take her down!"
Seven or eight people surrounded Han Jiang, dressed in plain clothes, not revealing that they were disciples of the Vermilion Bird Pavilion.
Han Jiang gripped her folding fan tightly, praying that Han Qi would appear.
Two or three people rushed at him, but Han Jiang skillfully dodged them, buying time.
Why aren't they here yet? Han Jiang can't handle these people by just hiding. Did he make the wrong bet?
She wouldn't give up, this doesn't fit the plot! Hey heroine, come save me!
The disciples of the Vermilion Bird Pavilion, seemingly annoyed by Han Jiang's constant dodging, drew their weapons in unison, pointing their swords at him: "Surrender obediently!"
"Hey! What are you doing?"
Han Jiang's eyes lit up—
A teenage girl stood at the alley entrance and shouted, "Several grown men are bullying a little girl! I'm reporting this to the Vermilion Bird Pavilion!"
It wasn't Han Qi. Han Jiang felt a pang of disappointment: Little sister, these people are from the Vermilion Bird Pavilion.
"What should we do?" Several people looked at each other in bewilderment.
"Hey! If you don't leave, I'm going to call for help!" The little girl remained standing there, showing no intention of running away.
Han Jiang said, "Little sister, you go first. I can handle things here."
"Big sister, I won't abandon you!"
The two exchanged glances and walked towards the little girl.
With the cold approaching, I can't worry about anything else; I'll just use my folding fan.
The other six people stopped Han Jiang and confronted him with folding fans.
The folding fan struck the iron sword and bounced back into Han Jiang's hand.
"Danger!"
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