Chapter 155 [VIP]
Changfeng struggled to look up at him.
Prince Jin once mentioned that the head of the Eastern Depot had an extremely bad temper, was capricious, and ruthless. Many people in the court had fallen at his hands. He showed no mercy to anyone and was not close to anyone. He was like a lone minister, which is why he was highly trusted by the emperor, who listened to his every word.
Why would this head of the Eastern Depot suddenly turn against me? Since arriving in the capital, I have kept a low profile and should never have offended him.
Changfeng secretly made a hand seal with his hands hidden in his sleeves.
The hexagrams and their lines reveal one's destiny.
The divination results obtained for oneself, for blood relatives, for close friends, etc., are often inaccurate. This is a restriction for those who cultivate the Tao, so as to prevent them from revealing heavenly secrets for personal gain.
However, Changfeng is different.
Shen Xu rested his cheek on one hand, leaning against the armrest of the armchair, watching with great interest as the sleeves of his Taoist robe moved frequently.
Gu Zhizhuo had him drive Changfeng to a mental breakdown, leaving him with no way out.
Shen Xu didn't ask any further questions. Since he had chosen to believe her, he would believe her to the end.
Changfeng's fingers moved quickly. At first, he only used his right hand, but later he switched to making hand seals with his left hand. His expression gradually changed from anger to panic.
"Oh."
Shen Xu chuckled and casually patted his cheek with the toe of his boot, leaving a diamond-shaped imprint on the sole.
A strong sense of shame welled up in his heart. When he was still a young Taoist novice, he was personally taught by his master because of his outstanding talent. He was unique among the disciples and had never suffered any grievances.
But this sense of shame was still no match for his shock.
Changfeng's fingers trembled; he couldn't make out the divination results.
No matter how many divinations are performed, there is only one result—
The hexagram lines are not affected.
Heaven does not allow him to glimpse the Mandate of Heaven.
Why is this happening?
Changfeng muttered to himself in disbelief.
His greatest expertise lies in talismans and divination, especially in divination, where he has never made a mistake in the past ten years.
In July, the Prince of Jin invited him to the capital. He had consulted a divination for this purpose, and the divination indicated that the trip would be very auspicious and his long-cherished wish would be fulfilled. Only then did he risk being entangled in karmic consequences and leave the Shangxu Temple.
After the ritual in Blackwater Fortress, the new destiny was determined by him, and he could easily glimpse it.
If we can't see clearly now, there can only be one possibility—
The way of Heaven is changing.
"Heaven is... redefining destiny. Why is this happening?!"
It's not even September yet, so why have there been such big changes in just two months?
"Who's causing this trouble!"
Changfeng's face paled even more.
"Can't you figure it out?"
A mocking laugh echoed overhead. Changfeng looked up, and a black boot embroidered with gold swept across his forehead, sending him sprawling onto his back.
Shen Xu stood up, his wide sleeves hanging down at his sides.
"I will help you."
With a faint smile, he suddenly stepped on Changfeng's wrist, looking down at him.
"ah--"
Changfeng cried out in pain, and the young Taoist boy who had chased after him trembled and prostrated himself at Shen Xu's feet, sobbing, "Master! Master!"
"Count me in too." His red lips curled into a smile, but the ferocity in his eyes was chilling. "Let's see if I can break your hand right now."
"Ha, if you're right, then I'll believe you're a true Taoist."
“Master,” Sheng Jiang said with amusement, “a fake Taoist priest wouldn’t know how to tell fortunes. You’re making things difficult for him.”
"That's true."
Shen Xu stroked the small jade pendant on his wrist and chuckled, "Then let's interrogate him properly and find out what other thefts and frauds he's done in the capital."
"No! Master, stop immediately!"
"stop!"
A wheelchair was pushed in with a creaking sound, and sitting in it was Xie Qiyun, the heir of Prince Jin, who looked like a living dead.
Seeing that he had finally caught up, he gasped for breath, his breath lifting the gauze curtain and vaguely revealing half of his skinless face.
In the days since returning to the capital, Prince Jin has been given various tonics, talisman ash, and pills. His skin continues to peel, but he looks more energetic than when he was at Shiliting.
Pushing Xie Qiyun along were Princess Jin and Xie Sheng. Xie Sheng timidly hid behind, acting very cautiously.
The Prince of Jin's residence was at its zenith; such a scene had never existed, not even in the most terrifying nightmares. The Princess of Jin was utterly terrified when she heard the report.
Fortunately, the imperial guards did not break into the inner quarters. They said they were ordered to arrest the fake Taoist priests and that if they were told not to cause trouble, they would not disturb the women.
Princess Jin originally didn't want to get involved, nor did she dare to, but her Yun'er's life was hanging by a thread. The prince had said that only if a true immortal refined a elixir for Yun'er could she possibly survive.
She had no choice but to bite the bullet and push Yun'er over as well.
The Prince Man's mansion no longer has a single guard.
Faced with a group of fierce-looking guards, Princess Jin did not dare to confront them directly. She only wanted to stall for time. With the Eastern Depot acting so openly and recklessly, the prince would surely receive the news and return soon.
"Master," Xie Qiyun said politely, "Master Changfeng was specially invited from Shangxu Temple by my father for the sake of the Emperor's illness. He is absolutely not a fake Taoist."
"Please be lenient."
"After my father returns to the palace, he will personally thank you."
He appeared to be showing weakness, but in reality, he was also implying a threat. This was the Prince of Jin's residence. No matter how arrogant the Eastern Depot was, it wasn't powerful enough to control everything. If they knew what was good for them, they would know when to stop, and the Prince of Jin's residence wouldn't pursue the matter.
"Your Highness!" Changfeng cried out in anguish, "The imperial edict is blank. The Eastern Depot is forging an imperial edict to carry out acts of annihilation and plotting treason."
"Did you calculate this?" Shen Xu smiled faintly, snapped his fingers, and Wu Shang unfolded the imperial edict in his hand with a "snap".
The imperial edict bore a bright red jade seal, its color almost dripping.
Wu Shang let out a soft snort. The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs already controlled the Imperial Seal; it was just a matter of stamping it.
"Master, he has miscalculated again. He is definitely a fake Taoist priest. You truly have discerning eyes."
Wu Shang, that deadpan face, usually wouldn't even look him in the eye when he spoke. Now, he's so quick to flatter, doesn't he even care about being shameless? Sheng Jiang thought to himself, his face beaming with joy: "The Grand Eunuch is wise."
"Impossible." Changfeng shook his head repeatedly. How could it be a real imperial edict?
"Very well. I gave you three chances, but you failed to figure it out even once."
"It must be fake."
Changfeng, enraged, laughed: "Whether I am genuine or not, my ordination certificate is the proof..."
Shen Xu dusted off his sleeves and walked over with a swift, gust of wind. Accompanied by the cracking sound of bones breaking, the words he hadn't finished speaking caught in his throat, turning into a scream as his wrist twisted into a strange arc.
Shen Xu ignored him and walked straight toward Xie Qiyun.
Shen Xu smiled faintly, his eyes seemingly laced with poison. When he glanced at Xie Qiyun, Xie felt as if he were being stared at by a venomous snake, a chill rising from his spine, making his limbs tremble.
Xie Qiyun's palm was broken, and he could no longer move his wheelchair.
He could only fall backward. Xie Sheng, who should have been holding onto the wheelchair handles, slipped and fell to the ground.
Shen Xu looked down at him: "Your Highness, do you think this Taoist priest is real or fake?"
At that moment, Xie Qiyun felt as if he had seen a venomous snake flicking its tongue.
He opened his mouth, wanting to argue and warn him not to be so presumptuous in the Prince of Jin's residence, but the words that came out were just two: "Fake...fake."
Changfeng suddenly turned around, his face showing surprise.
"It seems the young master is a reasonable person." Shen Xu chuckled softly, and Xie Qiyun didn't even dare to meet his gaze.
"Interrogate him until he's willing to talk properly."
"Your Highness!"
No matter how cunning Changfeng may be, he grew up in a Taoist temple, and even when he travels, his status as a Taoist priest is enough to command respect.
He had never seen such a shameless person who twisted the truth so blatantly, making no attempt to conceal it and clearly trying to extract a confession through torture!
I never expected that the heir apparent of the Prince of Jin would be so cowardly.
He laughed in anger: "As long as I'm alive, you can live a few more days. If I'm gone, you can expect to die naked and rotting away!"
"Please don't be angry, Your Excellency," Princess Jin said, looking out from time to time, "Yun'er, he's still a child."
Changfeng: "..."
With trembling, injured hands, he got up from the ground, but before he could even stand up properly, a sharp pain shot through his knee, and he fell to the ground again.
Wu Shang stepped forward and tore open his Taoist robe, causing even the bamboo hairpin in his hair to fall off, revealing his long, black hair that cascaded over his shoulders. His hair was of excellent quality; despite being over forty years old, it was completely free of any gray strands.
"Hehehe."
With disheveled hair and burning with anger, Changfeng raised his head and said, "I entered the Dao in accordance with the mandate of Heaven, and all my actions are in accordance with the will of Heaven."
He appeared calm and fearless on the surface, but inside he was terribly panicked.
"I, a humble Taoist, will die for the Tao. What is there to fear in ascending to immortality?"
"This humble Taoist priest is willing to die for his faith..."
Snap!
Wu Shang was the commander of the thousand punishments, and his whip skills were so exquisite that they resembled a long, black snake biting fiercely at Chang Feng.
Shen Xu lifted his robe, sat back on the chariot chair, and tapped the armrests casually with his fingers.
Changfeng never expected that they would actually fight.
The whip struck his body, and the pain went beyond just the skin and flesh. The Great Qi Dynasty's leniency towards monks and the smooth sailing he had experienced since beginning his spiritual practice had made Changfeng no longer care about worldly matters.
He is a Taoist practitioner; he can foresee destiny!
To him, ordinary people were like ants.
Changfeng was both angry and anxious, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, which soaked his clothes.
Why?
He doesn't understand.
*Smack*
Another lash.
Changfeng had never suffered like this before. He was writhing in pain, his face covered in blood.
The pain made Changfeng realize that the Eastern Depot was serious.
He strained to lift his head and looked at the young man sitting in the armchair. He had black hair and was dressed in red. His whole body was filled with an aura of death and decay. Even with his keen senses, he felt uncomfortable just being near him.
"I have done no wrong..."
"To die for the Great Way is my greatest blessing."
"The Eastern Depot acts perversely and commits acts of annihilation, which goes against the will of Heaven and will surely be intolerable to Heaven and Earth."
Blood flowed, leaving streaks on his face, red and white, making his face almost unrecognizable, yet it merged with a face deep in Shen Xu's memory.
The man dressed in plain clothes, wearing a white mask that only revealed his eyes, was following behind the guerrilla general.
Shen Xu suddenly gripped the armrest of the armchair and abruptly said, "Mr. Jiang."
The sound of the wind abruptly stopped. His secular surname was Jiang, and since entering the Taoist order, he had never used his secular name again, except... when he traveled to Yongzhou, he once took off his Taoist robe.
In order to achieve great things, he served as a staff member by the side of the Prince of Jin, who called him "Master Jiang".
He looked terrified: "W-who are you!?"
"Mr. Jiang, do you still remember Blackwater Fortress?"
Changfeng's eyes widened, and he blurted out, "The Yin family...you are...a brat from the Yin family!?"
The siblings in the Yin family are of the same bloodline and their birth charts complement each other. The sister is the eye and the brother is the guide. If the formation is perfected, destiny will be determined by him, and he will rise above destiny.
He traveled all over the Great Qi, and this was the best pair he had found.
"No wonder..."
So that's why the Eastern Depot suddenly targeted him.
The young master of the Yin family has actually become the head of the Eastern Depot. Haha, just thinking about how Prince Jin was discussing with him a few days ago how to win over the Eastern Depot, he felt a strong sense of absurdity.
The Prince of Jin's heir would easily abandon him. If he were to die, would that brat from the Yin family spare the entire Prince of Jin's family?
Snap!
With a lash, the whip from the Eastern Depot was quite sophisticated; the tip of the whip had barbs. When the whip was lashed down and then lifted, the barbs would scratch the skin and tear out a piece of flesh.
The whip was coated with medicine, and the medicine seeped into the wound, causing pain, itching, and even fainting.
Changfeng was in so much pain that he couldn't control himself and made whimpering sounds. Xie Qiyun was frantic. Why hadn't his father come yet? What if he really hurt Changfeng?
The fourth lash.
The fifth lash.
Changfeng lay prostrate on the ground, tears streaming down his face.
Changfeng struggled to lift his head and met a pair of eyes filled with rage. Changfeng realized with horror that he really would die, and would be falsely accused of a crime, meeting a terrible end.
A fear of death permeated Changfeng's heart, like a blood-stained vortex, threatening to engulf him. For the first time in his life, Changfeng felt death so close.
If he doesn't do something, he'll die.
Shen Xu's soft voice seemed to contain icy particles: "Where is she?"
Changfeng immediately understood who "she" referred to.
His face paled for a moment.
I can't tell!
The incomplete ritual from back then has always been a regret in his heart, and it has also caused him to be entangled in karma. Now, he can no longer see the will of Heaven. If he cannot complete the formation, he will inevitably suffer a backlash once the will of Heaven changes.
The thought of the backlash sent a shiver down Changfeng's spine, his limbs and bones freezing to the bone.
The woman from the Yin family is key; it cannot be said.
Who are you talking about?
"This humble Taoist does not know."
Snap!
The black whip lashed mercilessly across his body, the barbs tearing deep scratches into his undergarments, revealing the mangled flesh beneath.
"explain."
That voice, neither too loud nor too soft, was like a knife cutting flesh.
He wouldn't let himself off the hook... but the backlash would be far more terrifying than death. Changfeng gritted his teeth, and after learning Shen Xu's identity, he had no intention of begging for mercy.
"The supervisor is asking you a question. Are you deaf or mute?!"
Changfeng: "..."
He has to wait until the prince returns.
Can he hold on?
"If you don't want your tongue, just cut it off."
Wu Shang walked over with a long whip in his hand and gestured for a guard to forcibly pry open his mouth.
Changfeng saw Wushang flip his hand, revealing a thin blade gleaming with a chilling light in his palm, as if cutting off a tongue was no different from killing a chicken to him.
"No!"
Changfeng shouted in fear.
The thin blade was pressed against his lips, the cold metal touching his tongue.
Changfeng was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat. He shouted desperately, "Speak! I'll speak..."
The moment his tongue moved, the blade sliced open, filling his mouth with blood.
Wu Shang drew his thin blade, casually wiped it on his body, and then kicked him in the shoulder: "Speak."
Changfeng lay prone on the ground.
"I said..."
My tongue hurts a lot; every time I speak, blood gushes out.
He said with difficulty, "Outside the city, at Longhu... Longhu Temple."
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