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墨書 Inktalez
Chengxian Pavilion.
Receiving the latest battle report, Ling Xuzi felt his legs go weak, collapsing to the ground with a thud, his chest churning with intense pain.
Yun Jiuzi has actually fallen... No! This is absolutely impossible!
He still couldn't believe it and scrutinized the battle report again. When he saw the words, "Your esteemed senior Yun Jiuzi has infiltrated the enemy's lair and has been killed," another wave of sharp pain surged through his chest, reminding him that this was indeed true.
Tears immediately streamed down his face as Ling Xuzi cried out like a child in his room. As he wept, rage surged within him. He suddenly stood up, pacing back and forth in his room like a trapped beast, growing angrier with each turn.
Yiyang! You shameless old man, you owe me an explanation! And Xuan Xuzi, you truly are a petty person, using such methods to deceive Yun Jiuzi into sacrificing himself!
His chest was filled with indignation, almost bursting from it. At that moment, he suddenly remembered something and hurriedly rushed to the secret chamber.
This secret chamber was specially designed for the sect leader, containing many strange Strange items. In one corner stood a peculiar floor-length bronze mirror glowing with Azure Light, along with numerous other oddities.
But the most extraordinary item was a massive elegant Bronze Lamp in the center of the chamber.
This bronze lamp had no less than three to five branches, each holding a faint golden Golden Lamp. Currently, only about a hundred Golden Lamps were lit, each with a peculiar blood-colored flame flickering at its wick.
Ling Xuzi looked up at the highest small lamp; it did not disappoint him. Although the blood-colored flame on that small lamp was dim, it remained stubbornly lit.
It is still burning! Ling Xuzi laughed heartily, gasping for breath as tears streamed down his face.
If there were outsiders present, they would surely think he was mad.
Only Ling Xuzi understood what this meant. He sneered; Xuan Xuzi, you are mistaken—Yun Jiuzi is not dead! He must be alive! If he were dead, this lamp would have extinguished. But it is clearly still burning!
Ling Xuzi squinted excitedly at the blood-red lamp for a while, then quietly stepped out, seemingly afraid that any sudden movement would extinguish the small light.
He turned the mechanism to seal the secret chamber again and immediately sent someone to summon Spirit Stone.
Upon hearing the news, Spirit Stone reacted similarly to Ling Xuzi, alternating between sorrow and joy, but after calming down, he furrowed his brows tightly.
Ling Xuzi felt the same way; his earlier joy had been replaced by worry. The Celestial Sect Alliance believed Yun Jiuzi was dead, but Yun Jiuzi's Fate Lantern was still lit, which only meant one thing: he was trapped and unable to escape, while the Immortal Sect thought he was dead!
If even Yun Jiuzi could be trapped, one could imagine how perilous that place must be!
"What should we do?" Ling Xuzi asked softly. "Should we reveal everything and let them send another coalition to rescue Yun Jiuzi?"
Spirit Stone sneered, "Do you think they would? This operation has already cost three Heavenly Fusion Stage masters their lives, and even Kunlun Jiang Taozi fell there. At this point, Xuan Xuzi will definitely hesitate. That place is where he suffered defeat; I’m sure he won’t have the courage to send another coalition in. As Sect Master, he cannot afford another loss! Moreover, where in the Immortal Sect can they find more Heavenly Fusion Stage masters? As far as we know, the remaining three all perished there. For both public and private reasons, I am certain he will prioritize the bigger picture and say that our Nine Li Sect's peculiar Fate Lantern cannot prove anything!"
Ling Xuzi nodded heavily; he actually thought the same.
Tears welled in Spirit Stone's eyes as he spoke deliberately, "Right now, we can do nothing! We can't even tell the Immortal Sect that Yun Jiuzi is still alive to avoid complicating matters."
Ling Xuzi nodded gravely once more.
Having worked together for many years, they were almost in sync with each other's thoughts. Now they could only use Yun Jiuzi's "death" to their advantage, forcing Kunlun and Emei to make concessions and using public opinion to secure temporary peace for Nine Li Sect. They needed to use this time to strengthen their own power because Underworld Palace and Ruyi Palace were also watching closely.
"If there is a place in this world that can trap Yun Jiuzi, then no one can save him; only he can save himself. I hope he has good fortune on his side. We must remain calm. If he returns, it will be a surprise attack for us; he will truly become a secret master of our Nine Li Sect. But if he doesn't return, we still won't be able to save him," Spirit Stone said as he wiped his eyes with one hand, tears streaming down.
Ling Xuzi was in the same state; his collar was already soaked through. The two looked at each other in silence, both shedding silent tears.
That being said, how could the heart not ache! Yun Jiuzi, warm-hearted and admired by all, had unknowingly become the pillar of the Nine Li Sect during this time. With him around, everyone felt a sense of stability. The thought of him suffering in that terrifying place, constantly on the brink of life and death, while they could do nothing for him—indeed, they even had to conceal his situation and exploit it for their own purposes—was unbearable. Even Ling Xuzi and Spirit Stone, who were seasoned in their ways, found it hard to bear.
In stark contrast to their painful predicament, laughter erupted outside. A familiar loud voice shouted, “Black Abyss, grow bigger! You’re always so small; no wonder even that little Huanhuan looks down on you!”
“Roar!!” A muffled roar grew louder.
A crowd was in an uproar, the sound of water crashing like a mountain shaking.
Hearing this, Ling Xuzi and Spirit Stone felt a surge of anxiety and simultaneously exclaimed:
“Chu Hong!”
“Old Six!”
“He absolutely cannot find out!”
Spirit Stone urged, “We need to get him out quickly. If he stays too long, he will definitely guess the truth. He has been asking about Yun Jiuzi every day. We must get him out now!”
“What excuse can we use?” Ling Xuzi was also anxious. “This guy is explosive and has a deep bond with Yun Jiuzi; we cannot let him find out!”
The two heads huddled together and whispered for quite a while.
Half an hour later, Li Hong received the latest mission: immediately take Chuxuan out of the mountains to rescue Zhao Huan from Golden Kingdom Five Nations City! Emperor Xiaoci Yuansheng of the Great Song and Empress Zhao Gou returned to Lin'an.
In the vast expanse of the Northern Country, the North Wind howls, and snow falls heavily from the sky.
This snow cannot be described as the fluffy, cotton-like snow of the Southern Country; instead, it comes crashing down in sheets, driven by the North Wind. The mountain passes are filled in, all ravines disappear, and the great river is frozen solid, barely revealing a winding white ribbon of water. The world is enveloped in dazzling white snow, piercing the eyes with its brightness.
In such heavy snowfall, even a moment of daze can freeze one's blood. This kind of extreme cold is unimaginable for anyone who has not personally experienced it in the Northern Country. Even the toughest of the northern tribes dare not venture outside during this season; they have long prepared various winter supplies and large stacks of firewood, huddling by warm stoves to wait out the winter.
There are no signs of life moving in the wilderness; only the wind and snow howl mournfully in the air.
Suddenly, a loud recitation breaks through, clear and bold, gradually overpowering the howling North Wind.
"The Candle Dragon dwells in the cold gate, its brilliance shines like dawn.
Is there any light from the sun and moon that can compare? Only the North Wind roars down from above.
The snowflakes of Yan Mountain are as large as mats, each one blown down onto Xuanyuan Platform.
The grieving wife of Youzhou in December stops singing and laughing, her brows furrowed.
Leaning at the door to watch for travelers, she laments for you in the bitter cold of the Great Wall.
When we parted, you took up your sword to defend the border, leaving behind this tiger-patterned golden hairpin.
Among them are a pair of white-feathered arrows, dust settling on spider webs.
The arrows are empty now; those who died in battle will never return."
Unable to bear the sight of this object, it was burned to ashes.
"The Yellow River can still be blocked with soil, but the North Wind's rain and snow are hard to cut through."
As the sound of poetry echoed across rivers and mountains, in an instant, two figures appeared on the mountaintop.
One was dressed in a crimson crane cloak, wearing an elegant Crimson High Crown. He was tall and imposing, with a clear and bright demeanor. His bronze-colored face featured a pair of narrow, shiny black eyes that made one forget the mundane upon first glance. The other wore a moon-white long robe, with an Azure Wind Jade belt at his waist, draped in a black mink fur coat. His face was handsome and fair, resembling a refined young gentleman from the mortal realm.
The two stood proudly on the mountaintop, their long garments shimmering with a strange flickering light. As heavy snow fell around them, it was deflected within three feet of their bodies. The North Wind blew past, causing the corners of their garments to flutter, making them appear like celestial beings.
Chuxuan smiled and said, "I think the line 'At another time, draw your sword to save the border' is the best."
Li Hong laughed heartily: "I believe 'The snowflakes on Yan Mountain are as large as mats' is most fitting!"
In the vast wilderness, they discussed poetry with great elegance. The two figures vanished into the snow again, only to reappear miles away.
This place was already the Capital of the Jin Dynasty, with Five Nations City located two hundred miles to the north.
In the autumn of the First Year of Jingkang, during the Jin Army's second southern invasion, troops from both east and west surrounded Bianjing. In a critical moment, Guo Jing claimed he could summon a Divine Weapon to repel the enemy. Surprisingly, Zhao Huan, known as Filial Piety and Benevolence, believed him and ordered the withdrawal of troops from the city walls, opening the gates wide to invite the Divine Weapon to drive back the enemy. The Jin Army seized this opportunity to attack Bianjing; both Retired Emperor Zhao Ji and Emperor Zhao Huan were captured without resistance. In spring of the following year, as the Jin Army retreated northward, they not only plundered all valuables from ninety-two treasury houses within the city but also looted all of Tokyo. They captured two emperors, members of the Royal Family, ministers, and many others to take north.
The sound of carts and horses echoed; at that time, Jin Kingdom was practically escorting the entire Song Dynasty. The convoy stretched endlessly; once noble figures were driven like cattle by the Jin Army toward the frigid Yellow Dragon Mansion.
This is known as "The Humiliation of Jingkang."
The Two Emperors of the Song Dynasty, Empresses, Consorts, Imperial Princesses, members of the Royal Family, Princesses, ministers and their relatives, along with thousands of beautiful women plundered from among the populace were all taken north. Many died from illness or committed suicide along the way; only one in ten truly reached the north.
The Daojun Emperor Zhao Ji arrived safely in Five Nations City, but he passed away three years ago, leaving this world behind. When the news reached Lin'an, Zhao Gou wept bitterly.
The surviving nobles of the Royal Family are imprisoned in Five Nations City. This time, Li Hong and Chuxuan aim to rescue Zhao Huan and Zhao Gou's mother and wife, namely Empress Wei and the Consort Empress.
Before their departure, Li Hong asked Chuxuan, "With so many Royal Family members in Five Nations City, are we really only saving three people? For instance, what if your brother is alive? Should we save him or not? What if we encounter other unfortunate souls?"
Chuxuan remained silent for a long time before replying, "It depends on the situation. We only have two people; our main targets are my Uncle Emperor and the Empress Dowager. As for the others, we can only assess the situation. Those Imperial Princesses and Consorts, no matter how pitiful they are, will have to be left behind."
Li Hong felt a pang of sympathy. Men could endure hardships like hunger and cold, but those Imperial Princesses and Consorts would surely face a worse fate. It was certain that if these young and beautiful women fell into the hands of the Jin people, their chastity would be at risk.
Zhao Gou never mentioned rescuing them, even though five of his own daughters were among those captured. Clearly, even if those five daughters were still alive, Zhao Gou had no intention of bringing them back.
What a tragic fate for the royal flowers.
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