Chapter 220: Bustling Prosperity
Nightfall descended, north wind howled. The lanterns hung high on the Luojing City wall swayed back and forth in the wind, and just one hour after being lit, more than half were blown out.
“What are you all standing around for? Hurry up and light all the lanterns!” The officer’s voice came from the sheltered spot.
The guards shivering from the cold had no choice but to have one ride on another’s neck, reaching up to remove those extinguished lanterns.
“What damn windproof lantern? It didn’t kill the wind, but it’s going to kill me from anger.” The soldier’s hand was frozen like a radish, and as he removed the lanterns, he cursed loudly.
“This thief of a heaven, just entering winter and already this cold…” The soldiers complained while using their bodies to form a windbreak, shivering as they used torches to light the lanterns.
At this moment, several black shadows suddenly leaped over their heads and vanished into the vast night in an instant.
Someone heard the sound of rushing wind and quickly looked up to scan around, but how could they see anything?
“What’s the situation?” Someone nearby asked casually.
“I felt something fly over our heads.” That person said strangely: “But I didn’t see anything.”
“Told you to stop visiting those brothels so much; those women have fucked your eyes blurry, huh?” The person nearby chuckled mockingly.
The laughter had not faded when several more black shadows leaped over their heads, plunging into the vast night.
“There really is something!” This time, more people sensed it too, and they all looked up to gaze around, still seeing nothing.
“Damn, could it be ghosts?” Someone muttered, then shivered in fear himself.
Now the soldiers ignored lighting the lanterns and all huddled under the battlements, eyes wide as they watched all directions.
After waiting the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the black shadows appeared again. This time they saw them clearly: clearly three or four human figures, charging to the base of the city wall like lightning, landing several times in the blink of an eye, climbing the wall as if it were flat ground. Then, like birds, they leaped up, crossing the several-zhang-wide wall and heading outside the city!
“Someone dares to leave the city privately!” A young soldier cried out in alarm, about to shout a warning, but was firmly covered over the mouth by his comrade.
“Do you want to get us all killed?!” Facing the stunned rookie’s puzzled gaze, the veteran scolded in a low voice: “Didn’t you see how they leaped over the wall like stepping over a threshold? What kind of people do you think they are? You dare meddle in their business?!”
“What kind of people?” The young soldier was dumbfounded.
“Not a Grandmaster at least a Grandmaster anyway; one finger from them could crush us like ants!” The veteran said sternly: “Just pretend you saw nothing!”
As he spoke, several more black shadows leaped over their heads.
“But we’re guarding the city wall, aren’t we?” The new recruits found it hard to accept: “Just pretending we saw nothing—what’s the point of us?”
“We’re just for show, got it? To scare the common folk is enough; you really think you’re something special!” The veteran sneered, glancing toward the sheltered spot: “Didn’t you see the officer not daring to fart? What big bad wolf are we pretending to be?”
“Oh…” The new recruits didn’t dare say more and continued lighting the lanterns. While hanging them, they clearly saw a Daoist priest in wide robes and large sleeves, one hand holding a whisk, the other carrying a man, flying over like riding the clouds and driving the fog…
The soldiers couldn’t help but be dazzled and immensely envious of these experts who came and went from high places, disregarding worldly imperial power and laws…
.
The one carried over the wall by the Daoist priest was none other than Lu Yun. Sun Yuanlang found him too slow on foot, asked for the general direction, then picked him up like a chick, rushing toward the outside of the city without his feet touching the ground. Lu Yun didn’t see how Sun Yuanlang was running, yet it was like strolling leisurely, seemingly with the ability to shrink ground into inches; his forward speed was much faster than even at full effort.
And Sun Yuanlang was carrying him, this big live person!
Carried in Sun Yuanlang’s hand as he dashed along, Lu Yun felt the fierce wind battering his face, making it hard even to open his eyes. Only now did he truly and vividly experience the superhuman transcendence of a Heavenly Rank Grandmaster for the first time. Both he and Lu Jian were already top-tier below Heavenly Rank, but compared to a true Grandmaster like this, it was like heaven and earth…
With all his acupoints sealed by Sun Yuanlang, Lu Yun had not the slightest chance of escaping or sneaking an attack, so he simply closed his eyes to rest and reflect on his situation.
To be honest, though he didn’t expect keeping the Imperial Seal forever hidden, he truly hadn’t anticipated Sun Yuanlang finding him so quickly. Thinking carefully, Lu Yun knew where the problem lay: during the attack on Bai Liu Village, he had once helped the daredevils who climbed the wall.
Taiping Dao clearly didn’t have the Imperial Seal, yet lied to the various clans claiming they had it, carrying on negotiations as if they did. Privately, they would certainly search all-out for the Imperial Seal and not overlook any clues, sure to investigate the army that attacked the city at that time.
White Lotus Sect followers were mostly from the bottom ranks of peddlers and porters, giving them a natural advantage in this regard. The White Lotus Sect should already know someone secretly helped Lu Xin attack the city, thus turning suspicion toward Lu Xin and even the Lu Clan.
Lu Yun recalled Sun Yuanlang’s conversation with Lu Xin; clearly at first, Sun Yuanlang believed the Imperial Seal was likely in the Lu Clan’s hands, with Lu Xin as a key handler. That’s why he appeared at Lu Xin’s home, using the lives of his entire family to force Lu Xin to reveal the Imperial Seal’s whereabouts.
Lu Yun’s guess was spot on; Sun Yuanlang had zeroed in on Lu Xin through this trace of clues. And in Sun Yuanlang’s view, Lu Xin’s rapid rise was likely the clan rewarding him for seizing the Imperial Seal.
The Imperial Seal concerned Taiping Dao’s entire plan; it was something Sun Yuanlang would obtain at any cost. Since he was convinced Lu Xin was highly suspicious, of course Sun Yuanlang would come knocking to force out the Imperial Seal’s location!
In truth, Sun Yuanlang hadn’t even turned suspicion toward Lu Yun at all, but Lu Yun saw Elder Sister facing a death threat and chose to admit proactively that the Imperial Seal was in his hands.
He felt immensely guilty for putting Elder Sister in danger again because of himself. In that moment, Lu Yun barely thought twice before making that choice…
The Imperial Seal of the State was incomparably precious, and his own safety concerned the great cause of revenge, both immensely important, but in Lu Yun’s heart, neither was as important as his Elder Sister…
.
In less than half an hour, Sun Yuanlang brought Lu Yun to the foot of Mount Mang, threw him to the ground, and looking at the vast mountains said: “You’d best not waste too much time; this poor Daoist has other matters to attend to.”
Lu Yun found his hands and feet restored to movement, even his internal vital energy flowing freely again. Knowing Sun Yuanlang had unsealed his acupoints, he still behaved obediently, not daring any tricks. Because Lu Yun had sadly discovered that in front of Sun Yuanlang, he was like a newborn infant, without the slightest winning probability…
So Lu Yun obediently got up, rubbed his limbs, and said to Sun Yuanlang: “Don’t worry, I just buried that thing not long ago; I remember it clearly.”
“Best if so.” Sun Yuanlang glanced at Lu Yun and said indifferently: “I’ll give you one hour; for every moment you delay, this poor Daoist will chop off one of your fingers. Do well on your own.”
“You swore a venomous oath; you can’t harm me.” Lu Yun protested immediately.
“My oath was, after finding the Imperial Seal,” Sun Yuanlang said flatly: “Before that, whatever I do to you won’t trigger this poor Daoist’s inner demon.”
“…” Lu Yun glared hatefully at Sun Yuanlang, cursing ‘shameless’ in his heart. But he didn’t dare say a word aloud, fearing to anger this ruthless Daoist priest…
“Instead of wasting effort cursing this poor Daoist in your heart, hurry up and find the thing.” Sun Yuanlang rested his whisk in the crook of his arm and urged Lu Yun.
Lu Yun nodded and led Sun Yuanlang up Mount Mang.
