Chapter 156 [VIP]
Longhu Temple?
Shen Xu made a gesture, and the guards lifted the man up. Blood stained Changfeng's face, and his tattered Taoist robe was covered in blood.
Shen Xu gave a mocking smile, his dark pupils devoid of any emotion.
"Master, don't go all out right away. Listen to me, take it easy, go slowly, and make sure he has a glimmer of hope."
"He won't tell the truth, don't believe him."
"Leave Sister Yin here to me."
This was Gu Zhizhuo's special instruction before he left.
Tsk, so long-winded.
Shen Xu held the small jade pendant, his fingertips tracing the runes on it: "Dragon and Tiger Temple?"
Yes, yes.
Changfeng said vaguely.
His pupils reflected the violent young man in red, and he thought of the righteous and pure-hearted boy he once was.
He said, "The person is at Longhu Temple."
Shen Xu said calmly, "Seal the temple and search it."
Sheng Jiang accepted the order and hurriedly left with a few men.
Changfeng was thrown to the ground, like a blood-stained rag.
He was gasping for breath, his broken wrist offering no strength, and his entire body ached. Changfeng reached for his sleeve pocket with his still-functioning hand, but every tiny movement rubbed against his wound, causing him excruciating pain.
He thought he was being very careful, but he couldn't hide it from the eyes of a martial arts expert. Wu Shang stared at his slightly swaying sleeves and asked Shen Xu for instructions with his eyes.
Shen Xu shook his head almost imperceptibly.
"My lord, we must put ourselves in a life-or-death situation; the only way to survive is through death."
He believed her.
Changfeng's fingertips finally touched a talisman folded into a triangle. His face lit up with joy, and he gripped the talisman tightly in his hand.
Fortunately, he was covered in blood, and soon the blood soaked through the talisman.
At the same time, Shen Xu felt a sudden, inexplicable pain in his chest, as if a sharp knife had pierced his heart and was churning inside him. He suddenly stood up, but then collapsed back down, completely powerless.
"Master Supervisor!"
Several spies rushed over, using themselves as human cushions to make him fall on top of them.
Changfeng lowered his head, his lips twitching incessantly, and the talisman in his palm was dripping wet.
It takes at least two hours to travel from the capital to Longhuguan. By the time the Eastern Depot finds no one at Longhuguan and returns, it will be too late to save them.
The problem arose because the array's core was damaged; all that's needed is to repair it.
Changfeng originally planned to complete all this in nine days, but now it's only been three days and he can't wait any longer.
Even if it's dangerous, we have to go all in!
The soul of the Yin family woman returned to its place, and the formation was completed.
The Mandate of Heaven will be restored to its rightful place.
The Mandate of Heaven was created in His time, and He will not allow anyone to attempt to change it!
Boom!
The sky was clear and cloudless, with occasional rumbles of thunder.
A sudden gust of wind whipped up the fallen leaves on the ground, and the wind howled.
"Ouch! Ouch! Quick, grab her!"
"Is it going to rain?"
"This wind is so eerie."
Street vendors hurriedly pulled at their stalls, some even lying on their chairs, as if afraid the wind would blow their goods away.
An old woman chasing after a sachet almost bumped into Gu Zhizhuo, who was standing in the middle of the road. She quickly reached out to help her up and asked worriedly, "Girl, be careful, are you alright?"
"fine."
Gu Zhizhu bent down and picked up the sachet from the ground for her.
She wiped the bloodstains from the corner of her mouth. The sharp pain in her chest had subsided. She took a few long breaths and waved to the cat that had almost been blown away by the wind.
"come over."
The cat was hiding under a small stall, its little paws covering its head. When it heard her call, it rushed to her and jumped into her arms, whimpering pitifully.
That scared the cat to death.
The evil wind gradually subsided.
"Cat." Gu Zhizhuo stroked its fluffy little head reassuringly. "Can you feel it?"
The Qilin Cat is most sensitive to the aura of calamity.
The greatest calamity in the world is the annihilation of one's soul and spirit, a rare occurrence even among millions. Such overwhelming misfortune is extremely rare, and Shenmao would definitely love it.
She had been taking it out for a while now, constantly casting divination while urging the cat to guide her.
It led her to a shop selling crispy fried pork strips, a shop selling dried shrimp and dried fish, and a shop selling roast duck.
His little belly is round and plump from eating.
"Meow."
The cat twitched its cute black nose, then its eyes suddenly lit up.
It jumped down from Gu Zhizhuo's arms, turned around and meowed at her, then ran forward on all fours.
Gu Zhizhuo followed closely behind it, calling out every now and then:
"Don't jump off the roof."
"Don't climb trees!"
"Don't crawl through the dog hole."
The cat tirelessly tried to take shortcuts, but Gu Zhizhuo ruthlessly stopped it every time.
The cat felt wronged.
It ran faster and faster until it finally stopped in front of Tianxi Tower. The beautiful tabby cat turned around and meowed sweetly at Gu Zhizhuo. Its amber eyes shone brighter in the sunlight than the jewels on its collar.
Gu Zhizhuo was panting heavily, her chest ached, and her throat tasted of blood.
She was all too familiar with this feeling; it was a warning from Heaven.
Gu Zhizhuo instructed Shen Xu to force Changfeng into a corner, while leaving him a sliver of room for maneuver.
If there truly was no way out, not only Changfeng, but she herself would have dragged everyone down with her. Only by giving him even the slightest glimmer of hope would he be willing to gamble and give Gu Zhizhuo an opportunity.
But his desperate gamble will definitely put Sister Yin in danger.
The character 屯 (tún) means "newborn." This is the meaning of "death and rebirth" in the name of Shui|Lei Tún.
Gu Zhizhuo looked up at the gold-lacquered plaque.
Since the fire, Tianxilou has been temporarily closed.
"Did you find someone, or did you find something delicious to eat?"
Gu Zhizhuo asked Shen Mao, and then pushed open the door himself.
"Who is it... Oh, young lady!"
Upon entering Tianxi Tower, the manager, who was calculating accounts, was delighted and immediately came to greet him.
He thought she had come to settle accounts after the fire, so he bowed and said, "The small building has burned down and is no longer usable. I have decided to demolish it and rebuild it. All the utensils and furnishings in the small building were burned, but only three waiters suffered minor injuries."
"Some of the nearby flowers and trees were burned, so we had to remove them all and replant them."
"The two artificial hills were scorched by the fire, and the smaller one has been repaired by craftsmen."
“Young lady, Tianxi Tower can open anytime,” the innkeeper said eagerly. “We can partition off the small building in the back garden and put up a screen with folded branches and flowers, which would be very elegant.”
Gu Zhizhu listened half-heartedly, staring at the cat. The cat sniffed here and there, seemingly finding its way, urging her to walk to the back.
She casually replied, "Let's open it in three days."
Okay.
As Gu Zhizhuo walked, he asked, "How many courtesans does our Tianxi Tower have? Call them all out so I can see them."
Shopkeeper: ?
Even though I don't understand, there must be a reason why this young lady does things.
He sent an old woman to fetch someone out.
"Half of them aren't in the shop. Tianxilou is closed recently, so they've gone to sing at other restaurants."
Gu Zhizhuo nodded.
Upon arriving at the back garden, the cat looked left and right, seemingly unsure of where to go.
A little while later, the old woman called everyone out, about ten people in total. Gu Zhizhuo urged the cat at his feet, "Go and take a look."
The cat licked its paws and meowed at her innocently, "Meow~"
The innkeeper said, "Young lady, everyone is here. Is our household hosting a banquet?"
"Let me see."
The cat circled them twice and stopped at the feet of a strange courtesan.
"Meow?"
That courtesan was extremely beautiful; even though she was past her prime, she was still more beautiful than any flower.
Seeing Gu Zhizhuo looking at her, Ting Lian hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth and said, "Miss Gu!" After calling out, she hesitated again, unsure of how to continue.
Gu Zhizhuo asked, "What's wrong?"
For a moment, she wondered if this was the person she was looking for, but she quickly dismissed the thought.
The performer didn't look pale or defeated, so it couldn't be her. A thought struck her, "Could someone be sick?"
"How did you know?" Tinglian blurted out.
After that day, Gui Niang never woke up again, growing thinner and thinner each day, and several doctors couldn't help her. Before an incense stick could burn, her whole body suddenly became cold and stiff, as if she were dead.
When the old woman went to call her, Tinglian was just about to go find a doctor. When she saw Gu Zhizhuo, she remembered how she had swiftly slit the throat of the dying Duke and saved him, and couldn't help but call out to her.
Having already spoken, Ting Lian lowered her head respectfully and said, "Please, Miss Gu, save her." Her posture was extremely humble, as if she was afraid that a noble lady like Miss Gu would feel offended.
The shopkeeper repeatedly winked at Tinglian, signaling her not to speak recklessly. A young lady of such high status should not be treated like a doctor.
Gu Zhizhuo nodded: "Take me there."
The shopkeeper silently withdrew his gaze.
Ting Lian was overjoyed and quickly led the way.
"Young lady, please."
"Meow!"
The cat meowed happily, its tail wagging wildly, making it look exceptionally excited. Its small, dark ears stood up high, and it couldn't wait to run ahead.
"Miss Gu, we've arrived."
Ting Lian led her into a small courtyard, her beautiful eyes filled with worry: "It's in the second room on the left..."
The cat was the first to squeeze through the open window.
"Oh, Miss Gu, your cat..."
"Let it go."
"yes."
Ting Lian pushed open the door and lifted the curtain. She saw Gu Zhizhuo pause in front of the door, his eyes fixed on a string of copper coins hanging on the door. The coins were shaped like peace buckles, with a red lucky bag hanging at the bottom.
Gu Zhizhuo raised his hand and ripped it off.
Before I could take a closer look, a sharp, shrill cry came from inside the house.
"Meow!!"
Gu Zhizhuo had never heard it cry out in such a heart-wrenching way.
Her heart tightened, and she rushed inside.
“Young lady, Gui Niang wouldn’t hurt your cat,” Ting Lian explained from behind. “Please don’t be angry…”
Gu Zhizhu ignored her and pushed open the door to the inner room following the sound of the meowing cat.
The next instant, her pupils suddenly contracted.
Gui Niangzi leaned against the bed, and Chen Mao was biting her right wrist tightly with his teeth. He was also holding a dagger in his hand, the tip of which was bloody. The area around her chest was stained red with blood, a shocking sight.
When Gu Zhizhuo pushed open the door, Gui Niangzi swiftly switched the knife to her left hand and, without hesitation, slit her own throat. Her movements were so decisive and swift that there wasn't even time to rush over and snatch the knife away.
Without a second thought, Gu Zhizhuo shouted, "Heaven and earth have been separated, and the five thunderbolts have begun to divide."
The sharp blade of the dagger was pressed against Gui Niangzi's neck, leaving a thin, long gash. If she had exerted just a little more force, the dagger would have severed her carotid artery, and there would have been no chance of survival.
"Yin Xiyan, put it down!"
With this sound, Gu Zhizhuo used the incantation technique.
He shouted her name sharply, in a commanding tone.
The sound echoed, carrying an inexplicable power. Gui Niangzi shuddered, her back stiffened, and her movements froze for a moment. Gu Zhizhuo rushed forward, snatched the knife from her, and threw it at his feet.
"Gui Niangzi?"
The woman before him was ashen-faced and looked like she was about to fall.
Gu Zhizhuo knew she had found the right person!
Gu Zhizhuo breathed a sigh of relief: "Cat, well done."
The cat released its grip, leaving two bleeding teeth marks on her wrist. The cat never bites people, not even birds, but this time it had no intention of killing her.
It tried its best as a kitten.
The tabby cat licked her wound, a hint of guilt showing on its small face, and licked it a few more times.
It scared it (her)!
Gu Zhizhu patted its little head and comforted it, "It's okay."
Compared to a dagger piercing the heart, what does being bitten mean?
“Gui Niang, don’t do anything foolish,” Ting Lian was terrified just now, but she finally came to her senses and said with lingering fear, “Miss Gu, I’m not lying. When I went out, Gui Niang was still asleep.”
"Is that Sister Yin?"
Gu Zhizhuo asked in a certain tone.
She had met Gui Niangzi twice before, the last time being before she went to Yihe County.
In just half a month, Gui Niangzi looked much thinner. The burn scars that covered half of her face had turned a distinct grayish-white color. Her exposed hands were bony and her skin was so white that you could almost see the veins underneath.
It carried a sense of impending death.
Gui Niangzi slowly turned her head, her movements extremely slow, like a marionette on the verge of breaking.
"What...did you call me?"
Her voice was hoarse, somewhat rougher than when she sang.
"Sister Yin."
Gu Zhizhuo didn't say much. He took her hand, pressed three fingers together against her pulse, and felt the skin under his fingertips was terribly cold.
Seeing this, Tinglian almost collapsed. Thank goodness, Miss Gu wasn't angry.
“Gui Niang, don’t do anything foolish.” Ting Lian thought she was afraid of spending too much money on medicine, so she comforted her, “The innkeeper said that you can stay here for free. My sisters and I have also pooled some money, enough to buy medicine and hire a doctor.”
Lady Gui smiled at her.
She still had some pain in her chest and neck, but it was just pain.
First it was the cat, then it was Miss Gu. Lady Gui knew they were all trying to save her, but she had to let them down.
Gu Zhizhuo lowered his eyes for a moment. Gui Niangzi's pulse was particularly strange. She did not have a serious illness, but her heart pulse was weak, almost non-existent.
She took out a small porcelain bottle, poured out a brown pill, and put it to her lips.
"Open your mouth."
The pills were made by her master, and she only had four in total. They had the power to bring the dead back to life.
Lady Gui pursed her lips, shook her head with a smile, and said, "Miss Gu, I am determined to die, so don't waste your medicine."
Tinglian was extremely anxious, wishing she could snatch the medicine, pry open her mouth, and force it in.
Gu Zhizhuo turned around and said, "You go out for a moment, I'll try to persuade her."
Tinglian hesitated for a moment before agreeing, and then closed the door behind her after she left.
"Sister Yin, is this what you're doing this for?"
Gu Zhizhuo first put the pills back into the porcelain bottle, then took out a yellowed piece of paper from his purse.
The page was folded twice, and Gu Zhizhuo unfolded it and handed it to her.
Besides a short passage of regular script text, there was also a picture on the paper. The picture showed a road in a city, with brick and stone houses on both sides. On the walls of these houses, the artist had drawn some distorted patterns with cinnabar.
Upon seeing this page, Gui Niangzi's peach blossom eyes widened in surprise and disbelief. "Miss Gu, why do you have this?!"
"Is this Blackwater Fortress?"
Lady Gui: "...Yes."
This was exactly the same as what she saw when she returned to Blackwater Fortress.
"It was torn from the county annals."
It was Xie Yingchen who gave it to her. The young master said that the Blackwater Fortress in Yongzhou had been massacred, and afterwards, the "bandits" used the blood of the people to smear the city as a demonstration.
These twisted lines are exactly the same as the lucky charm she got from Jiang Chao.
This is a large-scale fortune-changing array that sacrifices the entire city.
After guessing that Gui Niangzi's life or death might be related to the luck-changing array, Gu Zhizhuo repeatedly warned Shen Xu not to kill Changfeng.
Once the practitioner dies, there is no way to save them.
Just like how the emperor was trapped in a marriage talisman after Ji Shi's death.
If Changfeng dies, Gui Niangzi's soul will be scattered and there will be no turning back.
Gu Zhizhuo asked again, "Sister Yin, is this why you're so determined to die?"
Gui Niangzi's gaze was uncertain, and her breath was weak.
"I've been asked to come and find you."
"He really wants to see you."
Lady Gui's heart pounded. She moved her lips, wanting to ask who it was, but the words caught in her throat, and she couldn't utter a single one.
Gu Zhizhuo deliberately kept her on tenterhooks: "Don't you want to know who he is?"
"I……"
Gui Niangzi's lips moved slightly, and a glimmer of light appeared in her dark eyes. Could it be him... could it be that her younger brother is still alive?
She looked up and met Gu Zhizhuo's smiling gaze: "Live on, and see him. Okay?"
Lady Gui parted her lips slightly, and suddenly her body convulsed violently. In just a few breaths, she looked even thinner, as if she was nourishing something with her flesh and blood.
She covered her face with her hands and sobbed softly.
"Because I must die."
"Only in this way can the decree that has been recklessly manipulated be returned to the right track."
A note from the author:
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