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墨書 Inktalez
If there are people in the world who possess strength, they may attempt to defy fate and act tyrannically, disregarding all taboos. Yet, in times of desperation and helplessness, they can only resort to superstitions, hoping to glimpse a glimmer of hope. Ultimately, this is merely a manifestation of their destined path.
It is often said that a single unique move can surpass a hundred techniques; with one unique move, one can conquer the world. When many Rogues witnessed the Xu Zhen summon fire through her Miracle, panic surged within them. They bowed down and prostrated themselves on the ground, viewing the Xu Zhen as a descendant of the Sun God. Some even muttered to themselves, unable to contain their excitement, rushing forward barefoot and appearing almost mad.
This Stronghold was shabby and dilapidated, lacking any ethereal beauty or distant misty mountains. There were no chanting monks or sincere prayers for divine assistance. The hall was filled with ragged Rogues continuously bowing down, while the Xu Zhen stood with her arms open wide, resembling a Divine Child who pitied the world.
Eulji Nawi was ultimately just an uncivilized barbarian, young and ignorant. Despite his arrogance, upon witnessing the Xu Zhen's display of power, he was utterly shocked and fell to his knees.
If Caesar and others were present, they would be unfazed by such a spectacle. However, these individuals were merely unrefined mountain folk; even Gou Renwu and Gao Huizhen were taken aback, leaving no one daring enough to act recklessly.
Gao Huizhen did not hold the Xu Zhen in high regard. However, after witnessing this scene, she gained a new perspective on the Xu Zhen.
Qingxiazi was skilled in Illusion techniques; however, his Illusion belonged to a different category of Taoist arts. While he could manipulate talismans effortlessly, he realized he could not summon flames as freely as the Xu Zhen did. His astonishment grew even more profound.
Seeing that the situation was under control, the Xu Zhen sighed in relief. Had she not prepared in advance by drying her Illusion tools after the rain, she would not have been able to use them tonight.
Jin Shu and her daughter had long been grateful to the Xu Zhen. Now that they saw her as a Divine Child who had saved them once again, they dared not approach her and hurriedly shrank back into a corner, becoming more distant from her.
The Xu Zhen could only smile wryly at this and paid no mind to it. She walked through the crowd of worshippers back to her wooden house. It wasn't until she closed the door that anyone dared to rise; however, there was no longer any festive spirit among them. Each returned home to rest, and soon the entire Stronghold fell silent.
Half an hour later, a loud thunderclap echoed as annoying rain began to fall again. The wooden house felt damp; it seemed that pressing down on the floorboards would yield water. The Xu Zhen had no desire for sleep and sat by the fire sharpening her long knife when she heard faint footsteps outside—like bare feet treading through puddles—instantly alerting her senses.
"Who is it?"
The Xu Zhen frowned, suspecting that Eulji Nawi and others were still unwilling to give up and intended harm against her. Peering through the crack in the door, she saw Jin Shu standing in the rain at her doorstep, soaked through with a pale face and lips turning blue from cold. She hurriedly welcomed her inside.
Jin Shu was around sixteen or seventeen when she married and now was about twenty-six or twenty-seven—considered middle-aged in ancient times—but in the eyes of the Xu Zhen, this age was just right for a young woman's prime years. With a man and woman alone together at night in one room, it was inevitable for misunderstandings to arise. The Xu Zhen intended to leave the door open but feared that the sudden wind and rain might extinguish the fire; thus, she had no choice but to close it.
Jin Shu's figure was full, and her already tattered clothing barely covered her body. With the large robe of Xu Zhen draped over her, she was now completely soaked, her voluptuous curves fully revealed. After the rain washed over her, her beauty, both elegant and dignified, was truly breathtaking. Her fair skin radiated warmth, steaming in the air, making her irresistibly alluring.
Xu Zhen couldn't help but swallow hard. She got up to fetch a pot and placed it over the fire to heat water. After Jin Shu entered the room, she remained silent, lowering her head as if waiting for Xu Zhen to decide her fate as a female slave.
Xu Zhen was well aware of Jin Shu's intentions. In this time of chaos in Goguryeo, where rebellion was rampant and lives were as cheap as grass, rogues were worth even less. Having received aid from Xu Zhen, Jin Shu felt she had no way to repay her and had come here late at night to offer herself in gratitude.
The people of Goguryeo were known for their licentiousness; it was common for men and women to gather at night for pleasure without shame. There were many courtesans among the populace, and if two people found mutual affection, it was considered harmless fun without distinction between rich and poor. The open customs here surpassed even the "tent-dwelling" practices on the vast grasslands.
This was also why the people in the stronghold harbored such hatred towards Xu Zhen. If Jin Shu were willing, those rogues would not have resorted to force; however, being of noble birth, Jin Shu refused to endure such humiliation and fought back fiercely.
Now seeing Xu Zhen's kindness, she felt joy at her grace and beauty. Although she lamented her own aging appearance, she steeled herself to come forward and repay Xu Zhen with her body.
Xu Zhen was not a monk devoted to meditation; Jin Shu happened to be exactly Xu Zhen's preferred type—mature women—which made it hard for her not to be moved. Yet feeling sympathy for Jin Shu's troubled fate, she did not wish to force her into anything.
The water in the pot bubbled vigorously as Xu Zhen took a bowl and poured hot water for Jin Shu to warm herself. Jin Shu's Goguryeo language was not very proficient; she could only manage broken phrases but could still communicate somewhat.
After drinking the hot water, Jin Shu felt the cold leave her body. Remembering her purpose for coming here made her feel embarrassed and restless. When she looked up, her eyes were filled with intense desire; no longer holding back, she reached out to untie the robe.
Xu Zhen sensed that the main event was about to unfold and struggled internally, fearing she might lose control. She hurriedly grabbed Jin Shu's hand to stop her actions and gently shook her head with a smile.
Jin Shu was a woman of great worth; despite being a refugee, she maintained her pride deep down. Otherwise, she wouldn't have resisted those rogues' assaults. Finally mustering the courage to offer herself tonight only to be rejected made her feel ashamed. Remembering Xu Zhen's handsome face and divine status made tears stream down her cheeks as she knelt before Xu Zhen in deep reverence, ready to rush out the door!
Realizing that she had hurt Jin Shu's pride and feeling remorseful, Xu Zhen pulled her back. Unexpectedly, this tugging led Jin Shu to push Xu Zhen down onto the ground, pressing her hot lips against hers.
Outside, the wind and rain intensified while inside the wooden house, a storm raged on through the night.
Li Chengjun, though young, had developed a vigilant nature from constantly fleeing. He was a light sleeper, and upon hearing his mother return, he hurried to open the door. He was greeted by his mother's smiling eyes and rosy complexion, radiating happiness. Since his father's death, she had not smiled like this, and he attributed it all to Xu Zhen, whom he increasingly idolized.
After a night of wind and rain, the entire Stronghold was washed clean. The morning sun shone down on the Stronghold, creating a steamy atmosphere as the ground dried quickly. A gentle breeze brought the fresh scent of the surrounding bamboo forest into the Stronghold, refreshing and uplifting.
After a night of revelry, Xu Zhen felt completely relaxed. As she opened the door, a cool breeze rushed in. Outside waited seven or eight women who hurried over to serve her upon seeing her awake. They presented a silver basin of clean water for her to wash up and offered white porridge and side dishes with great care.
Xu Zhen needed to conceal her tools but did not mind being attended to. She dismissed all the maidservants and dressed herself.
She wore a crimson robe with black edges, embroidered with flame patterns, likely prepared specifically for her by Eulji Nawi. Not one to be modest, Xu Zhen bound various tools close to her body and donned the crimson attire before finally opening the door.
Upon seeing Xu Zhen, everyone in the Stronghold knelt in reverence. Although she initially intended to maintain her composure, recalling last night's events made her accept their homage with ease. Sometimes, it was best not to show too much grace towards these Rogues; maintaining authority could be more effective.
In Yuzhong Hall, leaders of various ranks had gathered. Gou Renwu and Gao Huizhen were among them, along with Jin Shu and Li Chengjun. The mother and son had changed into clean clothes; Jin Shu wore a light blue outfit with her hair neatly tied up, looking even more charming.
The Stronghold was not particularly large; it seemed that Jin Shu's late-night visit to Xu Zhenzhi had already reached Eulji Nawi's ears; otherwise, they would not have received such treatment.
Seeing Xu Zhen, Gao Renwu quickly welcomed her inside. Eulji Nawi appeared restrained, clearly intimidated by Xu Zhen. It seemed that Gao Renwu had taken control of the Stronghold; no wonder he looked so pleased.
Gao Renwu wasted no time in stating that he would assist Xu Zhen in rescuing Qin Guang and Chen Taowen but emphasized the need for a detailed plan to avoid unnecessary risks. During this period, Xu Zhen would stay in the Stronghold to learn Goguryeo Language and understand local customs.
Understanding that Gao Renwu needed to leverage her identity as Divine Child to command respect and win hearts, Xu Zhen agreed to stay. With Jin Shu's help, her Goguryeo Language skills improved significantly as she also took time to teach Li Chengjun her swordsmanship and martial arts.
Every day in the Stronghold, Rogues came to pay their respects to Xu Zhen. She used Zoroastrianism's teachings to enlighten these Rogues, resulting in a steady stream of followers. Meanwhile, Eulji Nawi and others continued their daily raids against officials and soldiers, finally obtaining some useful intelligence.
The Western Martial General of Tuyang City was originally a bandit who had taken over the city and grown stronger as a result. Although he had received official recognition, he was still not accepted by the common people regarding his status and identity.
To achieve this, he spent a fortune to bribe the priest of the Flame Cave Palace, hoping to use the power of religion to gain a formal status among the people in Tuolang.
According to reliable intelligence gathered by Eulji Nawi and others, the priest's convoy had already departed from Gaimu City and would arrive in Tuyang City in three days!
Gao Renwu believed this was an excellent opportunity to strike against the Western Martial General, while Xu Zhen thought it was a good chance to infiltrate Tuyang City!
As long as they could intercept this convoy, using Xu Zhen's Illusion techniques to impersonate the priest and enter Tuyang City to rescue people would be a piece of cake!
However, Xu Zhen's Goguryeo Language was not authentic. If she were to reveal her identity, it would be fraught with danger deep within enemy territory, so meticulous planning was necessary.
The next day, Eulji Nawi and Gao Huizhen led the resistance forces alongside Xu Zhen on their journey to ambush the priest's convoy. Since many members of the resistance were on wanted lists, they clearly could not accompany Xu Zhen into Tuyang City.
Just as they hesitated, Jin Shu volunteered to accompany Xu Zhen into Tuolang. She was a Noble Lady from Gaimu City and was very familiar with Goguryeo's current affairs and figures, making her the perfect guide and cover for Xu Zhen.
Gao Renwu remained at Stronghold, taking advantage of Eulji Nawi's absence to reorganize Stronghold and completely consolidate its power under his control.
Seeing Jin Shu and Xu Zhen getting along well made Gao Huizhen feel somewhat displeased. However, after some self-deprecation, he let it go. The team traveled light and fast around the eastern part of Tuolang, quickly setting up an ambush along the official road based on the provided intelligence.
After lying in wait for a day and night, they finally saw the priest's convoy slowly approaching. Everyone felt invigorated and gripped their weapons tightly!
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