Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Although it was unclear how the immortals in this celestial palace came to be, it was assumed that they must have started as mortals or ascended from the lower realms; no one could be born an immortal! However, Li Hong also understood very well that under the "Soul Searching Technique," a person's thoughts were completely exposed, and it was impossible to deceive. If an explanation had to be given, it could only be that he had completely forgotten everything from before.
Li Hong was greatly astonished. He followed the same method and brought out the remaining two captives in succession, using the "Soul Searching Technique." He discovered that their memories were identical to Xu Shiwann's, with the only difference being their names: one was called Xu Wan Er and the other Xu Wansan.
This was truly bizarre! The three shared identical thoughts, practiced the same techniques, and even wielded the same type of Flying Sword. Looking at their dazed and similar faces, Li Hong gradually developed a strange feeling... these immortals were not true immortals but mass-produced puppet machines!
However, this was absolutely impossible! No one could mass-produce immortals, not even gods!
It seemed that there were many secrets in this celestial realm.
Li Hong acted decisively, annihilating the three captives completely. He said to Heavenly Torch, "If we delay for another day, we should rest up now. When the time comes, we will enter the celestial palace and confront the Immortal Emperor!"
The two entered the Yin Yang Platform space. Heavenly Torch dug up spirit herbs to chew on for "energy replenishment," while Li Hong closed his eyes in meditation, summarizing the information he had gathered.
Outside, the entire Xiaoyao City was in chaos.
At dawn, Xiao Da discovered not only that Li Hong and Heavenly Torch had vanished without a trace but also that Xu Shiwann and his ten companions had disappeared. This shocking realization led him to suspect that Xu Shiwann had taken both of them back to Xu Yang Immortal Palace! However, he quickly noticed that Xi Che and his daughter Xi He were still present, and Xi Che subtly indicated... that the protective immortal would never abandon them.
Xiao Da felt half-convinced and sent out another two thousand personnel to search throughout Xiaoyao City repeatedly. He even dispatched teams to check outside in the Desert. All signs indicated that Xi Che was correct; these twelve individuals had not left Xiaoyao City. So where could they possibly be?
Xiao Da felt dizzy; ever since those two arrived, many normal routines had been disrupted. To make matters worse, the Immortal Emperor was now preparing to summon these two.
With no other options available, Xiao Da could only report to the Immortal Emperor that the two had hidden away.
The Immortal Emperor immediately flew into a rage. The entire Celestial Palace of Leisure mobilized, with no fewer than one hundred thousand immortals searching every inch of Xiaoyao City. However, they never thought to check the city lord's mansion right under their noses. By the following evening, they were still searching in the wilderness, Salt Pond, farmland, and every Thatched Cottage.
The mortals of Xiaoyao City suffered greatly as a result. These immortals never regarded the tens of thousands of mortals living here as human beings; if they were displeased for any reason, they would act violently without hesitation. During the search process, over a thousand innocent mortals lost their lives unjustly. This was something Li Hong had never anticipated.
As the sky gradually darkened, there was not a single light in the places where mortals lived. No one dared to light a fire for cooking; often, families huddled together in the darkness, watching the fleeting shadows outside with fear and trembling.
The City Lord's residence remained quiet.
The immortals were searching the outer city, leaving this place undisturbed for now. Yun Ling faced a table full of meat and dishes but had no appetite. Beside him, his most trusted confidant, Yuan Xiaotian, stood with his head bowed. A glance from Yun Ling immediately ignited his anger.
"You said you could come up with a solution in just one day! It's almost been two days now; what do you have to say for yourself?!"
Yuan Xiaotian slowly raised his head and replied confidently, "Lord of the City, I have a plan. I will go persuade Xi Che; I am at least sixty percent sure that I can convince him to marry his daughter to you."
"Only sixty percent!" Yun Ling snorted in dissatisfaction. However, gradually, a look of joy spread across his face. He wiped his greasy hand with a piece of white silk and narrowed his small eyes menacingly. "I'll give you half an hour. I'll be waiting here for you. If there's no good news... hmph! I'll hand you over to those immortals and say you definitely know the whereabouts of those two Xu Yang Immortal Palace lords!"
"I wouldn't dare, I will go right away," Yuan Xiaotian said calmly, nodding and bowing as he slowly backed out of the dining room.
With his worries alleviated, Yun Ling's appetite returned. He grabbed a piece of boiled meat from the large porcelain bowl in front of him and took big bites, the thick greasy juices staining the front of his luxurious Purple Robe.
At that moment, he heard a melodious flute sound coming from the direction of the inn. The flutist was highly skilled; the sound resonated throughout the City Lord's residence but could not be heard on the main road just outside. Gradually, the flute music softened yet became even more enchanting, as if expressing endless longing.
Yun Ling did not understand good from bad, but the melodious flute sound made him pause his chewing for a moment. He muttered, "That old Xi Che is really boring; playing that broken flute every night. At this time, does he want to attract those immortals? What a foolish pig!"
He shouted, "Go tell that old Xi Che not to play the flute! If he wants to play, he can wait until he has a chance to return to Xu Yang Immortal Palace!"
A servant outside responded affirmatively and turned to leave but heard Yun Ling shout again, "Wait!" Yun Ling thought to himself: "Yuan Xiaotian has already gone; if I act too harshly now, that old man might get angry and ruin Yuan Xiaotian's plans. Forget it; let him play! Perhaps if he plays that broken flute and feels good about it, he might listen to Yuan Xiaotian's words, and this matter will be resolved!"
He immediately said, "Get lost! Stay outside and serve; no need to pass messages!"
A large piece of boiled meat weighing five pounds had just entered Yun Ling's stomach. He patted his belly, picked at his teeth with a toothpick, and called over a beautiful maid to squeeze his short, thick legs. His ears, eyes, and mind were all outside the door, eagerly waiting for Yuan Xiaotian to bring back good news.
********
Yuan Xiaotian slowly walked toward the Inn. He was around thirty, of medium height, unremarkable in appearance, with a slightly yellow complexion—one of those people who could easily blend into a crowd.
His steps were steady and powerful, with both hands hanging by his sides. He had a slight hunch and kept his head lowered as if he never needed to look at the road. However, if one lowered their gaze, they would see the alert eyes hidden beneath his half-closed eyelids.
He walked in the direction of the flute music, turned a corner, and instead of heading toward the Inn, he went toward the small garden behind it. There was a flowerbed where Xi Che had been standing for two days playing the flute for half an hour each time.
The sky had darkened, and a swaying lantern hung under the corridor eaves. The dim flickering candlelight cast shadows on Xi Che's face in the center of the flowerbed. In just two days, Xi Che had visibly aged; his eye sockets were darkened, and his cheeks had become hollow. Despite the melodious flute sound, his eyes revealed a clear sense of urgency.
Yuan Xiaotian stood beside the swaying lantern, quietly watching Xi Che. His gaze was like an ancient well—deep and calm—but upon closer inspection, one could see a glimmering light deep within, as if it were telling of the excitement hidden in the depths of its owner's heart.
The flute music suddenly stopped. Xi Che looked at Yuan Xiaotian; his eyes squinted as if trying hard to recognize him. Then suddenly, they brightened as he strode toward Yuan Xiaotian and clasped his fists in greeting. "Who is this steward?" he asked. Yuan Xiaotian wore the standard black steward robe of the lord's residence, which prompted Xi Che's question.
Yuan Xiaotian calmly returned the gesture and said, "I am Yuan Xiaotian, the current chief steward of Xiaoyao City’s lord's residence. It is an honor to meet you, Lord of the City."
Xi Che quickly replied, "Steward Yuan is too polite."
Yuan Xiaotian touched his chest and said, "I have some Azure Snow Tea gifted by a celestial being here. How about we go to your room to enjoy it?"
"How could I refuse!"
"Please!"
The two of them walked towards the Inn, one in front and the other behind.
The Inn was a small courtyard with two stories, featuring a tiny atrium in the middle and only one corridor leading outside. At the entrance stood about ten warriors who recognized Yuan Xiaotian as he entered, and without a word, they let him pass. It wouldn't have been so easy for anyone else.
Xi Che led Yuan Xiaotian directly into his room, took a cup, and Yuan Xiaotian pulled out a small white cloth pouch from his pocket, carefully dividing a dozen tea leaves in half and placing them into the cup. He then began to pour water to brew the tea.
The fragrance of the tea gradually filled the air.
With the door open, their conversation drifted in and out of the ears of the ten warriors outside.
"Yuan the Steward, this tea is excellent. It's been so many years that I've almost forgotten what tea tastes like. I didn't expect to be able to drink it here," Xi Che remarked with a hint of nostalgia.
"Haha, if Lord Xi thinks it's good, drink a bit more; it's my humble contribution," Yuan Xiaotian replied with a smile.
"Yuan the Steward, are you here because there’s news about the salt we requested?"
"The salt isn't urgent; in fact, we can get as much as we need."
"Yuan the Steward, don't joke. I know the Salt Warehouse has burned down. With those two immortals searching the city these days, things are bound to get complicated. How can you say we can get as much as we want?"
"They will eventually enter the Immortal Palace. By then, the outer city will still belong to our lord. Lord Xi, don’t be anxious." At this point, Yuan Xiaotian raised his voice: "Actually, I came here to discuss a tremendous piece of good news with Lord Xi."
Upon hearing that they were finally getting to the main topic, the ears of those outside perked up with knowing smiles.
However, next, Yuan Xiaotian walked to the door and exchanged a knowing glance with them before stepping back half a pace and firmly closing the door.
The group of warriors was another batch of surveillance set up by Yun Ling. They were momentarily taken aback, but recalling Yuan Xiaotian's glance before closing the door, they all thought themselves clever. It seemed that Yuan the Steward was indeed wise; fearing that the old man might become angry, it appeared that Yuan the Steward would have a way to handle the situation. At that moment, the rewards from the Lord of the City would surely be theirs! They exchanged knowing glances and chuckled, no longer concerned about Yuan Xiaotian closing the door.
However, the situation in the room suddenly changed.
The two acted almost simultaneously. Xi Che tossed his jade flute outward, and to everyone's surprise, the half-foot-long crystal-clear flute did not fall. Instead, it spun in mid-air, emitting a beam of Azure Light that enveloped the entire room.
At nearly the same instant, Yuan Xiaotian unleashed a golden light from his sleeve, instantly sealing off the entire room.
All sounds were muffled.
Rather than being startled, both men strode confidently toward each other, their calloused hands clasping tightly together, tears shimmering in their eyes.
They recognized each other!
For two consecutive nights, Xi Che had been playing the flute. The music was actually a signal. To obtain salt and deliver it to mortals was all a ruse; traversing countless miles across the Desert, Xi Che's true purpose was to find this person in Xiaoyao City. Therefore, he had asked Li Hong to wait for him for three days.
Xi Che had finally waited long enough.
Comment 0 Comment Count