Chapter 383 "Father, Zhao Duan and his men are here!" (Two in One)
In the empty mountain forest, only large fallen leaves were left floating down.
Zhao Duan was silent, regretting that he had not asked for the return route in advance in order to maintain his status. However, now that the person had left, he could only walk back by himself.
"It seems that the location I teleported to shouldn't be far away."
With his extraordinary hearing, Zhao Duan could vaguely catch the sound of flowing water.
"I wonder what the situation is like over at Yansuo Lake right now... Well, after I was taken away, Duan Shuiliu and Qi Yuchun lost their target and will definitely evacuate. So, Lao Hai and the others shouldn't be in any trouble. I'm afraid they're trying to find my whereabouts right now... Tsk tsk, who would have thought that this could be used to plant a spy."
"Well, after returning to the capital, you can report to Zhenbao and see how to arrange the next steps. If the princess can really stay hidden, then stabbing Prince Jing in the back at a critical moment might be effective."
"Oh, I wonder what Prince Jing will think when he finds out that the assassination attempt has failed."
Many thoughts flashed through Zhao Duan's mind as he followed the sound of water through the forest. During the process, he took out the pill, rubbed it, applied it to the wound on his shoulder, and applied a simple bandage.
After a while, he rushed out of the woods, and the view in front of him suddenly became clear. A cold wind blew on his face, blowing his hair back.
Ahead of us was a lake hundreds of miles in radius.
The lake is shrouded in smoke!
He immediately saw the huge, landmark "Earth God Statue" in the distance.
"Hiss... have I been teleported directly to the lower reaches of Smoke Lock Lake? Hey, the fighting has really stopped."
Zhao Duan used his hands to create a "awning" on his eyebrows and looked into the distance, but he could no longer see the fighting in the secular world.
I could vaguely see my own ship on the river approaching the shore, but as for anything more specific, it was too far away to see clearly.
"I don't think I need to swim back... It's so desolate around here, there's not even a single person in sight." Zhao Duan's mouth twitched, and he was having a headache about how to return.
Suddenly, he had an idea and remembered his other purpose for visiting Hu Ting.
Search for the ancient talisman hidden at the bottom of the mist-shrouded lake: the Black Turtle Seal!
In the past few days, he had not found a chance to hunt for treasure in Huting because too many people were paying attention to him. But now was a good opportunity.
"But Pei Niannu only said that the treasure is at the bottom of the lake, but where exactly is it? It's such a big place... I can't just dive in and explore bit by bit..."
Zhao Duan frowned, suddenly remembering his experience of searching for the "secret passage" in the capital.
With an idea in his mind, he spread out his palm and gathered the white jade "leaf" in his palm!
"If this thing is really a key, then maybe it can sense the existence of the 'lock'..." Zhao Duan murmured.
He then slowly transferred his Qi into the leaves of the white jade tree, calmed his mind, and used all his strength to detect with the perception of a mid-level divine chapter.
Whoosh…
The mountain breeze blew across the water, creating ripples on the lake.
Zhao Duan sensed it again and again, and gradually realized that something was wrong. He adjusted his direction and walked along the lakeside. Gradually, the extremely weak and imperceptible pulsation inside the Luoshan Jade, like a resonance, became clearer.
“Yes!”
Zhao Duan's eyes lit up, and he was no longer in a hurry to return. He simply grasped the trace of sensation bit by bit and walked forward.
After about half an hour, he finally stopped at a lakeside covered with rocks and weeds.
“It’s the richest here!”
Zhao Duan was about to take off his clothes and dive into the lake to explore, when suddenly, the Luoshan Jade in his hand emitted a strong light and slowly floated up, and the lake water in front of him began to ripple.
“Clatter…”
Then, in his astonished eyes, the lake water in front of him seemed to be split apart by an invisible force, and a waterless, downward-sloping passage slowly formed in front of him!
So magical... Zhao Duan suppressed his surprise, stepped on the mud at the bottom of the lake, and walked forward step by step. Luo Shanyu was also slowly pulled downwards by some gentle force.
It was like being in an aquarium in a previous life, walking along a corridor with glass curtain walls on both sides.
Zhao Duan could even see the fish swimming in the water.
Finally, he reached the bottom of the lake, and before him appeared a valley buried at the bottom of the lake. On the surface covered with moss, a shield-like circular pattern could be vaguely seen engraved.
Zhao Duan estimated the location and found that this place was exactly on the "line" that the statue of the earth god was looking at.
"A coincidence? Or..."
While he was thinking, the leaf-shaped Luoshan jade floated straight up and pressed itself onto the gap in the center of the stone pattern.
Then, the valley shook slightly, accompanied by a heavy "click" sound, and the stone door in front of him opened by itself, revealing a staircase leading downwards.
Zhao Duan took out the torch he had stored from the scroll, lit it with flint, and walked down.
This is actually a small stone cave, which is in full view. It is about the size of a large house, with simple stone tables, chairs and beds.
They were all covered with dust and no one had been here for a long time.
On the walls of the stone cave, there are pictures of gods, with turtles and snakes vaguely visible, as well as the familiar Taoist statues of the "Heavenly Way".
At this moment, with the influx of fresh air, the murals quickly dimmed, as if the frozen time was accelerated.
"...Is this some kind of cave for spiritual practice? Don't tell me it's a cemetery..."
Zhao Duan carefully observed the area and made sure there was no danger and no skeletons in the cave.
It's just a simple cave.
It seemed that its owner had cleaned up before leaving, and everything was in order.
A tattered cushion and a whisk were neatly placed on the ground.
Zhao Duan touched it with his boots, and instantly the whisk disintegrated into broken dust, and the surface of the cushion also cracked.
“…”
He turned around and finally reached a low stone pillar in the center of the cave.
There was a box placed on it. Zhao Duan carefully controlled the Golden Crow Flying Knife to pick it open. Seeing that there was nothing unusual, he walked over and was surprised to find two objects in the box.
A jade slip and something similar to a seal.
"Is this the Black Turtle Seal that Old Xu searched for so long but couldn't obtain six hundred years ago?"
Zhao Duan suppressed his excitement and picked up the jade slip first. After opening it, he saw a few hundred words simply engraved on it.
It was left by the owner of the cave.
It turned out that the owner of this place was named "Xiaoyao Sanren". He claimed that he had practiced for two hundred years and accidentally obtained the Black Turtle Seal. Because he did not like to fight for fame and fortune, he just wanted to be free and easy in the world, so he wandered around.
When he came here in his old age, he was delighted to see the beautiful scenery of the mountains and rivers, so he settled down there. He carved a statue of the earth god, and used the earth image of the "earth god" to neutralize the strong "water image" of the place, and dug this cave that gathered the spiritual energy of the earth.
Because his life span was limited, he simply placed the magical treasure, the Black Turtle Seal, which was fought over by people in the martial arts world, here to nurture it.
He took the Luoshan jade that served as the "key" with him and went out, ready to give it to someone with a destiny.
I hope that future generations will pass on this treasure and not commit sins of killing.
There were not many words, and Zhao Duan finished reading quickly with a strange expression on his face.
"So, the legend of Yansuo Lake is true? It was this Xiaoyao Sanren who carved the statue of the Earth God back then? Was the purpose to improve the feng shui? To cultivate a magical weapon?"
"It seems he died outside during his last foray into the martial arts world. Somehow, this key ended up in the hands of Guhuo Zhenren... But the Imperial Master clearly doesn't know where this item came from..."
Zhao Duan sighed a little, put away the jade slip, and finally picked up the ancient talisman that had caused bloodshed.
It is a square seal, dark green all over, not big, just big enough to fit in the palm of your hand.
The "seal button" above the seal is shaped like a divine turtle, simple and exquisite, with the four characters "Black Turtle Water God" written at the bottom.
It seems that it is a talisman on the path of "Water God".
Zhao Duan tried cautiously to cross in with the martial arts energy, but encountered a backlash. At the same time, a cool "information" entered his sea of consciousness.
Almost instantly, he mastered the authority and power of this ancient talisman.
The Black Turtle Seal controls the power of the Water God's magic.
With the help of this seal, one can control the flow of water and master a range of water control techniques.
In addition, there is a mustard seed space in the seal that can swallow up water flow, store it and release it.
It also has the ability to influence the weather in an area, causing it to rain or clear up... Of course, the size of the affected celestial area depends on the caster's level of cultivation.
Finally, what Zhao Duan cares about most is that this talisman can absorb the spiritual power of heaven and earth and condense magic power on its own.
That is to say, warriors can also use it, but if the internal magic power is exhausted, it will take time to replenish it slowly.
It's not surprising. Old Xu had been pursuing it so hard in the past. It must be something that warriors can use. Moreover, after the "Martial God" path is promoted to the Divine Chapter, to a certain extent, Qi can be used to replace magic power.
For example, the "Spiritual Flame Burning Heart" mastered by Zhao Duan is an example.
"This thing can cast almost all the 'Water God' spells? There's no limit? Doesn't that mean that if I'm a sorcerer, specializing in Fire God, but have this charm, it's like practicing both water and fire?"
"I am currently a warrior at the Divine Chapter Realm, and that is equivalent to a Water Divine Sorcerer at the Divine Chapter Realm? When I step into the world, I will be a World Realm Sorcerer?"
"And it's self-charging, which means, for me, it's like carrying a warlock of the same level with me... well, a rechargeable one..."
"It's a bit of a bug... No wonder Old Xu couldn't forget it back then."
Zhao Duan was amazed.
According to what he said, if one holds the Black Turtle Seal, he can become a character similar to the "Lord of Water".
"Since you've entrusted me with this, I won't be polite. As the saying goes, treasures belong to those with virtue..." Zhao Duan cleared his throat and said with a guilty conscience, "Am I considered virtuous?"
After putting the Black Turtle Seal into his pocket, Zhao Duan looked around again and found that there was really nothing left in the cave, so he returned the same way.
Wow...
On the shore, Zhao Duan raised his right hand, and a dark green seal in his palm slowly turned. With a thought, the separated lake water in front of him healed.
He stepped onto the lake as if it were flat ground. He didn't need to walk, the waves dragged him quickly into the distance.
"Senior Pei is not lying to me. He has one more trump card up his sleeve."
Zhao Duan was in a good mood. In today's assassination, he not only captured a spy at the secular level, but also obtained a magical treasure. This trip was worthwhile.
"Next, the market will open tomorrow, and the matter of Huting will also come to an end."
…
…
The lakeside is shrouded in smoke.
The crowd of onlookers has dispersed like birds and beasts.
A ship with its second floor damaged was heading towards the shore.
On the deck of the ship, Xu Junling and his maid Lu Shui stood with a group of soaking wet officials. Their faces looked grim and the atmosphere was depressing and tense.
Several masters of the worldly realm were not present. Hou Renmeng and Chen Juan were both injured, but their injuries were not serious. However, they were extremely anxious at this moment.
"Quick! Pull to shore as quickly as possible!"
The marquis swung his scabbard violently, causing the crowded deck railings to bang. The surviving boatmen were silent as a mouse, and focused on steering the boat as fast as possible.
I was afraid of angering the official.
After Zhao Du'an was abducted by the princess, the fight on the lake came to an end. Duan Shuiliu and Qi Yuchun escaped, while Eunuch Hai and the other two went to look for Zhao Du'an separately.
The group of officials did not have such means, so they could only urge to land anxiously, wanting to contact Feng Ju and other officials in the city as soon as possible and mobilize soldiers to search.
Or...
Why not just surround Prince Jing's residence? Go and get him?
This thought emerged in the minds of the group of Jinyi in Lihua Hall. As they looked at each other, they felt the urge to lock the person up by force.
"Princess..."
The maid Lu Shui was startled when she saw the fierceness in the eyes of these troublemakers from Lihua Hall. She moved closer to Xu Junling and whispered:
"What should we do next?"
Xu Junling was also very confused. Even though she was known for her intelligence, she lacked the tempering of blood and fire.
Lacking a clear understanding of the cruelty of political struggles, he did not expect that the other party would actually use extreme means to arrange this round of assassinations.
Now that Zhao Duan has been abducted by a strong man, I am afraid he is in great danger. How will King Huai'an survive next?
Thinking of the troubles that might follow, her face turned pale, she clenched her fingers, and her palms were wet with sweat.
"us……"
Just as she uttered these two words, she suddenly heard the sound of water splashing behind her. She turned her head and looked back, her eyes suddenly widened!
He looked astonished as if he had seen a ghost!
At the end of the ship, which no one paid attention to, Zhao Duan, soaking wet, jumped out of the water and landed on the deck. He raised his somewhat weak face and smiled brightly at her:
"Princess, why don't you welcome me back?"
The other people on the deck also turned their heads and looked astonished.
"Sir?!" A group of troublemakers in Lihua Hall were stunned and shouted in disbelief.
Zhao Duan sneered and wrung the water off his body, saying:
"Why don't you go to the cabin and find me some dry clothes?"
A group of people in brocade clothes had tears in their eyes from excitement. They rushed over and surrounded him to confirm things repeatedly. Then they all smiled and asked questions at once.
Xu Junling also walked over with a confused look on his face: "You...are not dead?!"
Zhao Duan smiled defiantly and said calmly:
"Some people are still a little naive when it comes to wanting to kill me. Haha, Princess, do you think that I don't have any cards to save my life when I come to Huting?"
He mentioned the details casually without going into detail. As for the wet look on his body, it was naturally a deliberate disguise.
It’s not good to show off the Black Turtle Seal in a swaggering manner.
A trump card... Yeah, it wasn't surprising that he had a life-saving trump card. So, did the sorcerer's surprise attack fail? Did he escape by diving? Or perhaps, he teleported back underwater...
The princess, who was good at imagining things, quickly rationalized it. A smile appeared on her dull little face, half crying and half laughing:
"You don't know, I was scared to death just now..."
Zhao Duan laughed and asked, "Where are the others?"
Chen Juan quickly explained what happened and said at the end:
"Duan Shuiliu ran very fast. He escaped as soon as you disappeared. As for Qi Yuchun, he also wanted to leave, but was stopped by Ji Yue. Then, Eunuch Hai caught up with him and slashed him with a sword. He was seriously injured. If they hadn't been in such a hurry to find you, I'm afraid they would have been able to kill the commander-in-chief here. But... even if he's not dead, he's almost there."
Zhao Duan was slightly disappointed, but he also knew that nothing is perfect, so he said seriously:
"Where are the soldiers on board? How many were killed or wounded in the naval battle?"
Hou Renmeng came out of the cabin holding dry clothes and whispered:
"Our men are fine, only five were injured. Three of the brothers from the Imperial Guards died, and six or seven were seriously injured."
Zhao Duan was silent for a moment and said:
"Recover the bodies and compile a list of the injured for me. When I return to the capital, I will personally recommend merits and compensation for them."
"yes."
"By the way, leave a few people behind to bring back the bodies of the assassins and the body of the archer hidden in the statue of the earth god. I can use them."
"Yes, sir."
"There's no need to look for Eunuch Hai and the others; they'll definitely be back soon. As for now..."
Zhao Duan narrowed his eyes, looked at the lake pavilion in front of him with his hands behind his back, and said:
"Follow me back to the city!"
…
…
On the mountain road.
The wind was cold and birds were flying from the direction of the lake pavilion, making unpleasant cawing sounds.
Inside the carriage, the young Taoist priest sensed the sudden stop of fighting in the distance, and a look of suspicion appeared on his ferocious face.
He pinched his fingers and quickly communicated with the god "Heaven" to make calculations.
It is extremely difficult to predict what will happen in the future, but it is much simpler and easier to predict what has already happened.
"Huh? Alive? Surviving a desperate situation, a sign of good fortune and the passing of disaster. Does this young man have a backup plan?"
The young Taoist priest looked at the hexagram and was slightly surprised. He smiled and looked at the burly old monk sitting cross-legged opposite him and said:
"It seems that you miscalculated this time."
Nagarjuna Bodhisattva looked calm and indifferent, without any disappointment, and said calmly:
"Amitabha, the heavens are merciful to life, and how could I possibly be a murderer? Besides, I've said it several times before, this time I'm not trying to take his life, so how could I have miscalculated?"
"Hmph, it's all your mouth anyway." The young Taoist priest said disdainfully.
Nagarjuna patted his buttocks and stood up, restraining his condensed and inconspicuous appearance, and said:
"Now that the dust has settled, I will take my leave."
"Where are you going?"
"People from the Western Regions have arrived. As the Bodhisattva of Shenlong Temple, I am returning to Danggui Temple."
"Haha, aren't you afraid that the empress will cause trouble for you?"
Nagarjuna said confidently, "I haven't even set foot on Yansuo Lake today. Why would Your Majesty want to find trouble with me?"
"..." The young Taoist priest raised his head and sighed, "When it comes to being shameless, the great monk is second to none. Go."
He put away the Red Tide Sword on his knee, patted the neck of the pure white horse, and turned around.
"Where is the little Taoist priest going now?"
"Oh, I will personally escort you back to the capital, so that you don't get lost along the way and have to turn back."
Nagarjuna Bodhisattva: “…”
…
Huting City, Dafeng Tower.
The highest level is the sixth floor, which serves as an observation deck.
Huai'an King Xu An, who was a wealthy man with a businessman's temperament, had a solemn expression on his face. He paced back and forth anxiously, frequently looking towards the Yansuo Lake outside the city.
There was a broken lens tube lying beside him.
Behind him, the servants in the palace were silent as a mouse.
It was only after the princess left the city that Prince Huai'an learned that his daughter was invited to go out of the city for a trip today.
The first reaction of this shrewd and experienced fox was uneasiness.
He hurriedly ordered his servants to find the young lady, and returned to Dafeng Tower again. He blocked the sixth floor and looked out at the city.
As a result, he witnessed the bloody battle in the secular world.
Prince Huai'an almost fainted. He urged Prince Xu Qian to take the guards out of the city while waiting anxiously.
Unfortunately, due to the obstruction of the lake waves and the distance, he soon lost track of his daughter, and had no idea whether she was alive or dead.
"Your Highness, please be at ease. The princess is worth a lot of money, and even assassins dare not hurt her." An old servant from the palace comforted him from behind.
The calm expression on Prince Huai'an's fat face was gone, and he said anxiously:
"Who can guarantee there won't be accidental casualties if a fight breaks out? Besides, how treacherous is Zhao Duan? I'm afraid he might take Jun Ling with him to protect himself..."
As he spoke, he slapped the railing with his big, fat hands, his eyes showing a hint of regret:
"Xu Wen..."
He felt a little regretful that he had pushed both sides too hard. Once Zhao Duan really died, the anger from his niece in the capital would inevitably be poured onto him.
Suddenly, someone rode a horse galloping on the street below Dafeng Tower. It turned out to be the prince Xu Qian.
Prince Huai'an's heart tightened, and he hurriedly led people downstairs to greet him. When the father and son met downstairs, Prince Huai'an's first words were:
"Is your sister still..."
Xu Qian dismounted, panting, and shook his head when he heard this.
The Prince of Huai'an was struck by lightning, his body shaking, and the servants behind him hurriedly supported him.
“Your Highness… Your Highness…”
Immediately, Xu Qian supported his knees with his hands, slowly stood up, and waved his hands:
"No... No one is injured..."
"...Will you die if you don't breathe loudly when talking?" Prince Huai'an widened his eyes and kicked him.
Xu Qian dodged nimbly, looking aggrieved: "I just got a stitch in the side..."
Prince Huai'an sighed: "As long as Jun Ling is alright, how about Zhao Duan?"
Xu Qian said, "He was kidnapped by a mysterious sorcerer."
Prince Huai'an's heart skipped a beat, and he paced back and forth, his face solemn.
"Oh no, oh no... If this person dies, the court's opening of the market will be ruined. That's not so bad, the key is His Majesty, and..."
"No... the person is not dead," Xu Qian blinked his big eyes, his eyes were clear and innocent:
"He was indeed kidnapped, but he somehow managed to escape back and only suffered minor injuries. He is now behind and has already entered the city."
Prince Huai'an: "..."
"Father?"
"Shut up, your father is thinking!"
…
In another house.
Under the black eaves, Prince Jing sat in a bamboo chair, his elegant and noble face full of the triumph of a winner.
Zhao Duan’s death would indeed cause trouble, but by the time the news reached the capital, he had already returned to the base camp and established Jiancheng Dao.
Moreover, none of the people involved in this assassination had any direct connection with Prince Jing's Mansion.
The princess did not reveal her identity.
After Duan Shuiliu became a disciple, he was no longer even considered a member of Qingshan. It would be difficult for the empress to find someone to take revenge on. She would probably seek revenge on Shenlong Temple?
Add another crime to the capital's Xuanyin Abbot?
Prince Jing was happy to see this happen. There were many factions within the Shenlong Temple and their minds were extremely complicated. This was a point that could be exploited. This time he was just using a small effort to achieve a great result.
Footsteps approached rapidly.
Prince Jing closed his eyes and could tell the identity of the person by his footsteps.
"The results are out? Is Zhao Duan dead?"
Xu Jinglong rushed into the mansion. Faced with his father's nonchalant question, the wealthy prince was suddenly speechless.
"What? Are you mute?" Prince Jing said in an unhappy tone.
Xu Jinglong finally swallowed his saliva and said in a hoarse voice:
"Report... report to my father, Zhao Duan... is not... not dead."
"What?!"
Prince Jing pried open his eyelids and stared at the prince in disbelief. He stood up suddenly and stared at him intently:
"What happened? How come he's not dead?!"
Frightened by his father's predatory gaze, Xu Jinglong took two steps back, looking panicked. He waved his hands and explained:
"I don't know. I just followed your orders and went out to wait for the results. Then I saw Zhao Duan and his men marching into the city in a very high-profile manner, as if... deliberately telling everyone that he was safe and sound..."
"Bang!"
In Prince Jing's hand, the peace and safety card was instantly crushed! Deep cracks appeared!
Prince Jing had an ugly look on his face and was about to say something when suddenly there was a loud thud of something heavy falling in the backyard.
He suddenly turned around, left the prince behind, walked through the house and into the backyard, only to see a blood-stained blue robe lying on the ground.
The seriously injured Lu Yan'er struggled to get up and threw a half-broken sword to the ground. She leaned on the flower bed, gasping for breath, and the silver mask on her face was almost cracked.
"You are..." Prince Jing's heart skipped a beat.
Lu Yan'er shook her head, without explaining, and closed her eyes to regulate her breathing.
"Father...ah, aunt..."
Behind him, Prince Xu Jinglong followed in cautiously and saw this scene.
Prince Jing clenched his fists, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and said without looking back:
"Go get some medicine for your aunt's wound. Go quickly!"
"Oh... yes..." Xu Jinglong ran away in a hurry.
Prince Jing panted for a long time before slowly exhaling to calm his agitated emotions.
He did not talk to Lu Yan'er, but turned and walked out of the backyard, closed the door, and summoned the confidant of the palace:
"Go immediately and gather the representatives of the other six families. I want to discuss matters!"
"yes……"
"Someone come..."
For a while, Prince Jing issued several orders in succession, and the temporary residence was in chaos and as serious as a military camp.
"Father..."
Suddenly, Xu Jinglong came back with a look of shock and anger.
"What happened again? Didn't I ask you to go get the medicine?" Prince Jing couldn't control his temper and said angrily.
Xu Jinglong shuddered and said with a stiff upper lip:
"Father, Zhao Duan is here! He's right outside the courtyard with his men, and he's also... he's dumped several bodies right at our doorstep!"
Prince Jing's expression suddenly changed.
Then, the father and son heard Zhao's loud voice coming from outside the courtyard:
"Prince Jing, come out and meet me!"
——
ps: I want to boost the average subscription, so I will post two chapters in the next few days. This chapter has 6,800 words.
(End of this chapter)
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