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The autumn air was gentle as Li Hong decided to return to the Nine Li Sect.
After waiting for two months, during which Li Xiaolou and the Demon Sect did not appear in Lin'an, it seemed that the soul oath of Phoenix Perches on the Wutong might not be entirely reliable, but at least Lin'an, the center of the Song Dynasty, appeared to be safe for now.
On that day, while searching Yuzin Garden, Li Hong discovered a hidden cave beneath the Rockery in Green Fragrance Pavilion. This was likely where Li Xiaolou had been staying during this time. She was skilled in disguise and concealing her presence; perhaps one of the two young maids was indeed her, or maybe it was the package she had adjusted that day. This remained unclear.
Inside the cave were several unusual items, presumably written by Li Xiaolou herself, consisting entirely of poems by Southern Tang Emperor Li Jing and Southern Tang's Last Ruler Li Yu. The white paper bore deep indentations and tear stains. It was evident that when writing these poems, Li Xiaolou was in a very poor mood and extremely angry.
Recalling their first meeting when she heard the line "Small Pavilion blowing through jade flute cold," Li Hong gradually began to guess her identity; even if she was mistaken, it could not be far off.
Li Xiaolou should be a descendant of the Southern Tang royal family. The Southern Tang was destroyed by Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty, and after being captured, Li Yu was executed by Taizong Emperor—this was a deep-seated enmity. It became clear that Li Xiaolou sought revenge against the Song Dynasty.
This woman would go to any lengths for revenge. Moreover, she did not simply want to kill; rather, she aimed to destroy every person associated with the Song Dynasty and its royal family from within their hearts and circumstances.
Such a method of revenge born from deep hatred could only be executed by a woman.
Li Hong sighed deeply, unsure whether to pity her or continue hating her. The deceased were long gone, and so many years had passed; yet Li Xiaolou remained unable to let go of her hatred, ultimately harming herself.
Hatred is a double-edged sword; while it may kill others, it also leaves one's own heart bleeding profusely. Perhaps Li Xiaolou should have been like her adoptive brother, possessing at least Late Stage of Nascent Soul cultivation. However, due to her hatred limiting her progress, her skills fell far short of her brother's. Under the torment of hatred, it would not be surprising if she often fell into madness.
As for whether the Song Dynasty's dynasty in Bianjing would be overturned by her, one could only say that it was highly probable. This matter remained a mystery for now.
This woman would surely cross paths with her again in the future. However, Li Hong had lost interest in her. If she truly disregarded her brother's life and continued to stir trouble in the Mortal Realm, then so be it. The Demon Sect would lose a powerful expert at Late Stage of Nascent Soul; thus, this trip to Lin'an would not be in vain.
Li Hong calculated that she had unknowingly stayed in Lin'an for over half a year.
The unfortunate mute Imperial Princess Zhen Ji could not be openly reinstated as an Imperial Princess; thus Zhao Gou arranged for her proper placement so that she would no longer suffer. For the other Imperial Princesses whose whereabouts were unknown, although she had lost her tongue and voice, at least she was fortunate.
Zhao Gou harbored deep hatred for Li Xiaolou and remained suspicious about whether the so-called Golden Kingdom Female Celestial Master would no longer attempt to assassinate him. Upon hearing Li Hong bid farewell to him, he began lamenting again.
At that moment, Jiang Xuanzi entered Emerald Cold Hall with Shui Qingzi and Shui Miaozi.
Shui Qingzi had been caught off guard that day when Phoenix Perches on the Wutong struck them down and captured Zhao Gou; they were severely injured. Now that they had finally recovered, Li Hong's eyes lit up as she approached them and patted their backs while leaving the crying Zhao Gou behind.
Shui Qingzi whispered, "There's something I didn't tell you. That day when we tracked that pigeon, we discovered it was flying towards Taihu. There must be a Dark Hall of the Demon Sect there."
Li Hong nodded: "Thank you for your hard work. I'm glad you're both okay; otherwise, I would feel uneasy."
Jiang Xuanzi smiled and said, "A little injury is nothing. How about you, Chu Hongzi? Would you like to come with us to play around the Jingwei Clan? My daughter..."
Before he could finish, Li Hong interrupted him, saying seriously, "We've been out for so long without any news of Yun Jiuzi. I'm very worried. Before I left, my master told me that once I finish this matter, I could go find Yun Jiuzi. I think I should not go to your place first. I'll visit after I meet up with Yun Jiuzi."
Jiang Xuanzi was still unaware of who Yun Jiuzi was and was about to ask when Wei Ming and the others walked in. Upon hearing the name Yun Jiuzi, they all showed expressions of surprise.
Li Hong immediately noticed this and laughed, "Elder Jiang Xuanzi may not know our renowned Yun Jiuzi from the Nine Li Sect, but it seems that the brothers from Zhao Zhen Sect do. Have you met him?"
"You don't know?" Wei Ming asked in astonishment.
"Know what?" Li Hong was confused.
Wei Ming communicated through sound transmission, "Last time we attacked the Demon Sect's Fengdu Hidden Palace, your sect's Elder Yunjiu was killed! That was five years ago! It was clearly recorded in the Immortal Sect's battle report. How could you not know this?"
Li Hong could hardly believe his ears; his heart suddenly dropped from a high mountain into a low valley, leaving him speechless in shock.
Wei Ming sighed and said, "During that concentrated attack by all the elites of the Immortal Sect on the Demon Sect's Fengdu Hidden Palace, your sect's Elder Yunjiu, Emei Danxiazi, and Kunlun Jiang Taozi all perished in that battle. The news sent shockwaves throughout the Immortal Sect." He looked at Li Hong in surprise and asked, "How could you not know such a big event?"
"My master lied to me!" Li Hong shouted angrily and immediately soared into the sky. A crimson shadow swiftly darted northward.
Everyone was taken aback by his sudden departure. Zhao Gou shouted loudly, and they had no choice but to stop and bow to him, hastily exchanging a few farewell words before quickly flying up to chase after Li Hong.
As Zhao Gou chased after them, he watched as those towering figures grew smaller in the sky until they disappeared into the clouds. Suddenly feeling empty inside, he murmured, "He's gone again. When will he return? Our Song Dynasty truly cannot do without you!"
At that moment, Zhao Ding hurriedly approached for an audience. After paying his respects, he noticed that Zhao Gou had yet to signal him to rise. Surprised, Zhao Ding looked up and saw Zhao Gou crying like a child.
Zhao Ding exclaimed in shock, "Your Majesty, what is this?"
"The Celestial Master has left! They've all gone! I'm the only one left!" Zhao Gou suddenly perked up when he saw Chuxuan stepping into the Emerald Cold Hall. He joyfully exclaimed, "Great! My nephew hasn't left yet! You absolutely must not go!" Saying this, he rushed forward and grabbed Chuxuan's clothing.
Behind him came three white shadows—Chu Liang, Chu Hai, and Chuming.
Chuxuan looked at his Uncle Emperor with a calm gaze that finally softened as he helped Zhao Gou up gently and said softly, "Uncle Emperor, we are here to bid you farewell. This journey will take us far away; I hope you take care of your health and protect our Song Dynasty well. Befriend virtuous ministers and distance yourself from treacherous ones; be a good emperor." He took out a bottle of Supplementary Spirit Pill and placed it in Zhao Gou's hand, advising him, "If you feel unwell, dissolve one pill in water and drink it; just don't overdo it. Uncle Emperor must take care."
Zhao Gou tightly clutched the jade bottle in one hand while still holding onto Chuxuan's clothing with the other. Tears streamed down his face as he said, "I understand; I was foolish before. From now on, I will rely on Zhao Qingjia and others as my pillars. I know who those treacherous people are."
"That's good," Chuxuan said as he gazed toward the distant north. "The four female spies from Jin Kingdom locked in the dungeon should not be executed for now; they might be useful for exchanging people at a critical moment. This journey may mean I might return or perhaps never come back again. Uncle Emperor, please take care."
He resolutely pulled away from Zhao Gou's hand, clasped his hands towards Zhao Ding, and turned to soar into the sky with Chuming and the others.
Zhao Gou rushed out of the palace, looking up at the sky, tears streaming down his face once more. After a long while, he finally confirmed that everyone had left. He turned around in a daze and saw Zhao Ding's loyal and steadfast face.
Zhao Gou felt warmth in his heart and patted Zhao Ding's shoulder, sighing, "The Celestial Masters have their own matters to attend to, and we mortals have our own affairs to handle. Zhao Qingjia, you must uphold our Song Dynasty from now on."
"I swear to follow Your Majesty to the death."
Zhao Gou continued, "As for Qin Hui, you can handle that as you see fit. Let him move somewhere to enjoy his old age. I never want to see him again."
The two of them discussed state affairs as they slowly walked away, their figures disappearing into the vast imperial city.
The resplendent palace suddenly became desolate. Many people stared blankly at the sky, longing for those towering figures. Among them was Liu Zhong, who had always served Li Hong. Looking at the blue sky, Liu Zhong wept bitterly, thought for a moment, stubbornly wiped away his tears, and turned back inside to start packing his belongings.
********
The end of this volume.
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