Chapter 122: Hidden Dangers
Ling Xueyan and Ku Baidiao were ordered to arrive in the territory of the Zhu Family Village. Based on the young emperor's warning, Ling Xueyan was determined to get rid of Ku Baidiao, so she brought him to the Moon Lake Pavilion, which was undoubtedly an attempt to use someone else to do her dirty work.
Ku Bai Diao: "Master Ling, the Brahma Emperor ordered you and me to conduct a secret investigation of the Zhu Family Manor, but you brought this old man here instead of doing anything. What is the meaning of this?"
Ling Xueyan coldly said, "The purpose of the Brahma Emperor is to find out the true strength of the Zhu Family Village, take the opportunity to provoke trouble, and profit from it. This place is also within the territory of the Zhu Family Village, and Yi Mingzhao is hiding here. If we capture him, it will be a great achievement."
Ku Baidiao, upon hearing this, found it reasonable and said calmly, "Last time you and the young emperor went together and both failed. What makes you so confident that you can capture this person now?"
Ling Xueyan: "Last time we were careless and that's why we lost to Yin-Yang magic. Now that you're here and also know Yin-Yang magic, as long as you can hold her back for a moment, I'll have a chance to take her away."
After pondering for a moment, Ku Bai Diao said calmly, "Alright, just in case things change, let the old man make the first move."
Ling Xueyan had never expected that Ku Baidiao would be so shallow and easily believe her words, so she replied, "As you wish!"
Ku Baidiao entered the Moon Lake Pavilion and saw three people standing on the floating platform, chatting and laughing. Among them was a woman's back view, with a slender figure and dressed in fine jade ornaments. She must be the eighteen-year-old girl Zhu Ziyue that Ling Xueyan had mentioned.
At this moment, Zhu Ziyue sensed someone's arrival. She glanced at the newcomer out of the corner of her eye and saw that he was withered and ugly, looking over fifty years old, but his steps were light and steady, and his breathing was even. She knew that the newcomer was a practitioner of Qi cultivation.
To deceive the enemy, Ku Bai Diao pretended to be old and weak, coughing and coughing as he took a deep breath, leaning on his peach wood cane as he moved forward step by step.
But she never expected that no matter how she tried to conceal herself and suppress her poisonous aura, she couldn't escape Zhu Ziyue's senses. Zhu Ziyue was already wary of her, but pretended not to know.
As Ku Bai Diao drew closer, the sound of his cane grew louder and louder. Ling Qi Chen heard the sound, turned around, and saw Yi Ming Zhao also following behind.
Ku Bai Diao, leaning on his cane, stepped forward and said weakly, "Ahem... Young gentlemen, this old woman is so thirsty that she wants to ask you for a bowl of water. Would you be so kind as to do that? Ahem... cough..." As he spoke, he covered his mouth and coughed.
Yi Mingzhao was simple-minded to begin with, and seeing the withered and decaying state of the old woman, he felt a thousand sympathies for her. Hearing the old woman asking for water, he hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Grandma, please wait a moment, I'll go get you some water right away!" After saying that, he hurriedly went to get the water.
Ku Bai Diao smiled and said, "Thank you for your trouble!"
Ling Qichen harbored ulterior motives, her eyes fixed on him. The two stared at each other for a while, each harboring suspicions. They had a feeling of déjà vu, but couldn't quite place it. After a long while, Ling Qichen also lowered her guard.
Zhu Ziyue saw Ku Bai Diao arrive, but she didn't turn her head. She remained facing the lake, completely calm and composed.
Upon seeing this, Ku Bai Diao's heart was stirred. Looking at Zhu Ziyue, who was only sixteen or seventeen years old, yet possessed such a serene state of mind, he could hardly fathom the depth of her cultivation, and dared not rashly make a move.
Helpless, Ku Bai Diao said to Ling Qi Chen in a low voice, "This elegant residence is a pure and holy place, truly rare in this chaotic world. Young master, living in seclusion here is truly a peaceful way to spend your years and enjoy the finer things in life." As he spoke, he lightly shook his cane, and a odorless poisonous gas followed.
"Hmph, petty tricks." Zhu Ziyue sensed something subtle. Although she didn't move, she had already secretly channeled her inner energy. A surge of true energy was released in response, stirring the surrounding airflow and changing the direction of the poisonous airflow. The poisonous air immediately counterattacked and caused the withered plants to fall.
Zhu Ziyue and Ku Baidiao had already exchanged a blow from a distance, but Ling Qichen did not notice anything unusual. He even smiled and said to Ku Baidiao, "Old man, you are just being witty. I am just staying here and enjoying the brilliance of the master."
"Is that so?" Ku Baidiao was even more annoyed when he saw the poison gas rebounding against him, while Zhu Ziyue remained calm and composed, her actions seemingly intentional or unintentional, unknown to others.
At this moment, Yi Mingzhao arrived with water. He poured out a bowl and offered it to Ku Baidiao with both hands, saying, "Old man, please make do with this bowl of cold tea!"
Ku Baidiao accepted the tea with his right hand, saying, "This chilled tea is excellent!" He then drank the tea, simultaneously circulating his inner energy in his right hand to transfer the poison into the teacup. He then handed it back to Yi Mingzhao, smiling and saying, "Thank you, young man!"
Yi Mingzhao smiled and said, "It's nothing, no need to thank me." After saying that, he was about to take the teacup.
Upon seeing this, Zhu Ziyue frowned slightly. Her right hand had already gathered strength. She turned around and swung it, releasing a burst of energy. With a loud crash, the teacup in Ku Baidiao's hand shattered.
Just as Yi Mingzhao and Ling Qichen were puzzled, Zhu Ziyue made a series of quick moves, and with her right hand she struck Ku Baidiao from a distance.
Seeing the situation, Ku Bai Diao swiftly moved her left cane, its shadow like a disc, to block the palm strike and retreat more than ten feet. She then coldly snorted and unleashed her magic. With a series of unexpected steps, she swung her cane and cane simultaneously, proclaiming, "Demonic thoughts arise!"
Zhu Ziyue and the other two had unknowingly fallen into an illusion, in which there was another version of themselves. Just as Ling Qichen and Yi Mingzhao were astonished, they saw Zhu Ziyue put her hands in her bosom, circulate her qi, and perform a yin-yang technique, saying, "One move to divide yin and yang."
Immediately, two streams of energy flowed out, simultaneously attacking the physical entity and the illusory image, instantly shattering the illusion.
The three regained their composure and, enraged, prepared to attack Ku Baidiao. Seeing his spell broken, Ku Baidiao channeled all his inner energy, manipulating the surrounding air currents and releasing poison gas to aid his attack. He declared, "Not a blade of grass will grow!"
In the blink of an eye, the poisonous gas had spread throughout the area, withering the surrounding flowers and plants, and killing the bees and butterflies. The deadly gas also enveloped Zhu Ziyue and her companions.
Seeing this, Zhu Ziyue remained calm and composed. She focused her energy, flicking her right finger upwards and her left finger to the right, moving both hands simultaneously. Instantly, the Yin-Yang technique materialized, drawing all the surrounding energy into her hands. After a moment, only poisonous gas remained. She then proclaimed, "Qi transforms into Yin and Yang, power transforms into countless forms."
As soon as she finished speaking, Zhu Ziyue unleashed two techniques, transforming poisonous energy into concentrated power. With a flick of her fingers, she opened her joints and swung both hands simultaneously, unleashing a powerful attack carrying poisonous energy that withered and killed all who were poisoned.
As Ku Bai Diao channeled his poison, he had no time to dodge and hastily took the powerful blow head-on. With a scream of "Ah...", Ku Bai Diao was sent flying more than two zhang away, his crutch fell to the ground, and he collapsed, vomiting blood and unable to get up.
Just then, Ling Xueyan darted in, unleashing a powerful palm strike that attacked Zhu Ziyue and the other two from a distance, taking the opportunity to take Ku Baidiao away.
Seeing this, Zhu Ziyue channeled her inner energy into her palm, stepped forward to block the incoming palm strike, and withdrew her palm, Ku Bai Diao was nowhere to be seen.
When Ling Qichen saw Ling Xueyan again, she knew that this matter was related to her. Her heart was in turmoil, and she was lost in thought.
Although Yi Mingzhao witnessed the events firsthand, she found it hard to believe that an elderly, frail person could be so cruel. Looking at the withered flowers and fallen bees and butterflies around her, she softly asked, "Miss Ziyue, what exactly happened?"
Zhu Ziyue said calmly, "This person must have come for you. She is extremely skilled in using poison. If I hadn't taken precautions earlier, you would probably be poisoned by now." As she spoke, she looked at the broken pieces of the bowl on the ground.
Yi Mingzhao looked over and saw the bowl shards slowly turn to ashes. He was immediately dumbfounded and said, "That's terrible! Miss Ziyue, thank you for saving my life again!" As he spoke, he bowed respectfully.
Zhu Ziyue turned around and smiled, "Young Master Yi, there's no need for thanks! It's just that you're too kind-hearted. In the martial world, deception is the most common form of treachery. Young Master Yi, I hope you'll be more careful in the future."
Upon hearing this, Yi Mingzhao cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Miss Ziyue. I will remember it."
At this moment, Ling Qichen came to her senses and said with a smile, "It's fortunate that you were prepared, otherwise, we would probably be in grave danger."
When Zhu Ziyue saw Ling Qichen speak, she asked softly, "The woman in red just now, did she seem to know you, young master?"
Upon hearing this, Ling Qichen made no attempt to conceal her feelings. She sighed and said, "She is my younger sister, Ling Xueyan."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Ziyue walked slowly and said gently, "So that's how it is. I was puzzled during the battle in the woods that day. Her strength was far superior to yours, yet she fought you to a stalemate. Now that I think about it, it was your little sister who showed you mercy."
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