Chapter 209: Relieving The Emperor’s Worries!
Chen Shun’an stood beside Lu Jing, saw Tian Xuan Saint’s figure, then blinked and retreated behind Lu Jing.
It was only now that Tian Xuan Saint finally reacted.
That middle-aged Daoist priest just now… was a Qi Gathering High Cultivator?!
He used the Mist Gauze Heavenly Law to absorb my Qi!
Tian Xuan Saint was both shocked and enraged, her pretty face instantly turning pale.
Her breathing became rapid, her chest heaving quickly, cursing in her heart.
Bullying the weak, shameless!!
But Tian Xuan Saint had no time to care, the arrow was already upon her.
Nearby martial artists and soldiers also charged forward.
Swish—!
She waved her whisk towards the sky, and thousands of its strands instantly spread out, like roots, like hair, like mercury pouring onto the ground, directly rushing towards the arrow.
Each strand of the whisk grasped the arrow shaft, nullifying its power.
Crack!
In the blink of an eye, Lu Jing’s fully charged arrow from his powerful bow was pulverized by the myriad strands.
The whisk then rolled, and Tian Xuan Saint’s figure floated out several zhang like a willow catkin, narrowly dodging the sabers and spears wielded by the soldiers.
However, the spiritual light of the whisk visibly dimmed, and the fine hairs were stained with fragments of the arrow shaft.
At this moment, the whisk strands quickly converged, once again becoming a hanging tail at Tian Xuan Saint’s side.
Chen Shun’an also vaguely sensed Tian Xuan Saint’s true nature.
Unlike martial artists who circulated Qi and Blood strength within their bodies, Tian Xuan Saint had a completely different, light aura when she breathed, which flowed through her acupoints as she wielded her whisk.
Although the quantity was small, it was obscure and profound, possessing a status that seemed to crush Qi and Blood strength, looking down from above!
“This is Magic Power?”
Chen Shun’an’s heart stirred.
Moreover, as Chen Shun’an had predicted.
Tian Xuan Saint showed traces of martial arts practice.
Her whisk-wielding techniques had elements of whip techniques and finger techniques within them.
Furthermore, martial artists, after years of forging their martial arts, possessed an instinct to gather their spirit and tighten their muscles and bones with every movement.
Tian Xuan Saint was the same.
This indicated that Tian Xuan Saint was once a martial artist.
Or rather, she had entered the Dao through True Intent, reached a certain realm among the Six Thieves, opened her meridians, and cultivated immortality.
However, it seemed her martial path realm was not high.
In the past, she might have only reached Slaying Two Thieves, or even Slaying One Bandit.
This led to her cultivation, even after stepping onto the path of immortality and even grasping immortal fate, being comparable to only between Slaying Four Thieves and Slaying Five Thieves?
The fact that Magic Power was nurtured within the body and one entered the path of cultivating immortality did indeed bring about a surge in strength.
Magic Power also contained status, crushing Qi and Blood strength.
Not to mention the methods of Immortals like spells, immortal fate, magic tools, and talismans.
But it seemed it couldn’t completely treat martial artists as ants; in terms of sheer strength, the relationship between the two was not one of superiority and inferiority, but there was a certain overlap.
No wonder Martial Dao Grandmasters, with their Three Refinements Combined, could even capture Flood Dragons and suppress demon disturbances. After death, their intent could still alter the terrain and produce all sorts of miraculous phenomena.
It’s likely that some Immortals, when facing Martial Dao Grandmasters, would have to furrow their brows and bow in submission.
Then, what if one opened meridians and cultivated immortality at the Martial Dao Grandmaster realm?
What if one used the foundation of refining the Three Essences of Spirit, Qi, and Energy to impact the path of cultivating immortality?
Perhaps this was why the various Daoist Academies placed such importance on, and even competed for, Martial Dao Grandmasters?
In the flash of lightning, Chen Shun’an’s thoughts raced a thousand times.
He had, from Tian Xuan Saint, vaguely inferred the connection and distinction between Immortals and martial artists.
Although it was an isolated case, it was enough to see the whole picture from a single detail.
And…
This seemed like a good opportunity to ambush Tian Xuan Saint.
Chen Shun’an narrowed his eyes, his fingers twitched, and he quietly began to sacrifice and refine the Heart-Piercing Nail.
Tian Xuan Saint’s condition seemed a bit off, and now she had a master like Lu Jing, a Slaying Five Thieves expert, blocking her path.
If not now to strike the fallen, when?
“Everyone stop!!”
A furious roar suddenly exploded.
Suddenly, a Red Tassel Spear streaked through the air, like a dragon or snake, darting and weaving among the soldiers.
With a clatter, countless soldiers and martial artists dropped their weapons and arrows, which fell to the ground with dull thuds. Some even had their tiger’s mouth torn, their throats churning with Qi and Blood, a strong smell of blood filling the air.
Liu Qingyi then leaped forward, blocking Lu Jing’s path, and said,
“This is Tian Xuan Saint, a distinguished expert from Yue Shan Daoist Academy, how can you be so disrespectful?!”
Lu Jing remained silent for a moment, lowered his bow, and made no further moves.
After speaking, Liu Qingyi turned around, walked to Tian Xuan Saint’s front, his face full of smiles, and cupped his fists in greeting,
“I did not know Tian Xuan Saint would be here; I, Liu, arrived late. I hope you will forgive my tardiness.”
As he spoke, Liu Qingyi’s gaze was like lightning as he glared fiercely at the soldiers from Wuguan Camp, reprimanding them,
“Hurry and apologize to the Saint!”
“No need.”
Tian Xuan Saint flicked her whisk lightly and said indifferently,
“I trespassed into the camp and also made a mistake. I would trouble Commander Liu for one favor, to escort me back to Wuqing County Yamen.”
Liu Qingyi was stunned for a moment, then suddenly reacted, quickly got into his horse-drawn carriage, and personally escorted Tian Xuan Saint back to the county.
However, even as Tian Xuan Saint sat in the horse-drawn carriage, with a group of soldiers escorting her and Liu Qingyi driving, a strange sense of danger lingered in her heart.
It felt as if someone was constantly watching her, looking for an opportunity to strike.
Her expression remained unchanged, and she narrowed her eyes, but quietly tightened her grip on the whisk in her hand.
This whisk was bestowed upon her by her sect when she left Yue Shan Daoist Academy. It was called Willow Treasure Ten Thousand Toad Tendons, its handle made from Hundred-year Willow Wood Core, and the hanging strands were made by her Master from his shed skin, roasted on a Green Lamp for several years.
Initially, this Willow Treasure Ten Thousand Toad Tendons was not outstanding, but after she tended her vegetable garden and fertilized it for many days, this Treasure had gained some power, exhibiting profound changes distinct from Qi Gathering Immortals.
When wielded, the strands could extend and spread out, transforming into thousands of threads, forming a net. Once entangled, not only would the physical body be bound, but the Nascent Spirit would also fall into a deep, cold abyss, making it difficult to break free.
Furthermore, if the Ten Thousand Toad Tendons were used to replace her own meridians, it could even cause her solidified Muscle Strength to increase again, thereby advancing her cultivation realm, truly wondrous.
Therefore, as long as Tian Xuan Saint achieved Perfection in Merit, completed her sect’s mission, and returned to Yue Shan Daoist Academy to receive the imperial decree.
She could, like other senior Immortals, find a territory or county and “pass down” this Treasure, using someone else’s hands to sacrifice and refine it for her, thereby achieving the goal of ruling the world and nurturing the artifact with people.
The official road after the snow was covered in a thin layer of ice, the horses’ hooves crunching as they stepped on it.
Dozens of soldiers moved forward in a long line, with Tian Xuan Saint sitting upright in the horse-drawn carriage, maintaining a high degree of vigilance.
After an unknown amount of time, the Three Forked Road had completely disappeared, and along the official roads on both sides, travelers and pedestrians appeared incessantly.
When she sensed the killing intent focused on her gradually dissipate, she suddenly snapped back to reality, feeling cold sweat appear in her delicate palm.
Who was it?
Could it be that Qi Gathering High Cultivator from just now?
Just as she was thinking.
“Saint, I have a presumptuous request.”
Liu Qingyi’s voice came from outside the carriage.
Tian Xuan Saint lifted the curtain and saw Liu Qingyi standing with his hands clasped outside the carriage.
“Oh? What is it?”
Tian Xuan Saint was somewhat surprised.
Everyone in the world sought profit; Yue Shan Daoist Academy held a high status, and countless people wanted to curry favor with her.
However, Wuguan Camp, with its special status and belonging to the Bai Shan system stationed in the capital, was an exception.
Within Wuguan Camp, there were their own methods for entering the Dao through Martial Arts.
Liu Qingyi did not need to seek external help.
Liu Qingyi did not answer directly but instead asked,
“Saint, you have appeared in Wuqing County again. Forgive my directness, but I fear you are facing many constraints. Whether it is the Guo Lu Society gangsters hiding in the shadows, or the other three major Daoist Academies, especially the subordinate forces of Ao Shan Daoist Academy, they would not wish to see you achieve your goal…”
“What do you want to say?” Tian Xuan Saint’s gaze turned cold.
“Therefore, I, Liu, am willing to assist you, offering my help three times. However, I require Saint to help me find someone.”
“Who?”
“I once had a messenger named Li Yaozu who died tragically at Zhao Guanghui’s hands… but I suspect that the one who caused his death was someone else. And as Martial Path has its inconveniences, I wish to trouble Saint, whether you have any Immortal means to trace back to the source, or summon Li Yaozu’s soul…”
Upon hearing this, Tian Xuan Saint looked deeply at Liu Qingyi.
Trace back to the source, summon the soul?
There had been no Underworld for a long time, so where would souls be found?
It was merely that the True Spirit was not extinguished, the Nascent Spirit could depart, and one could reincarnate and possess another body.
As for tracing back to the source, that was a method of High Cultivators.
Tian Xuan Saint, as an Opening Meridian Immortal, did not possess such capabilities.
But Tian Xuan Saint naturally did not wish to reveal the reasons.
Moreover, Liu Qingyi would not understand even if she explained.
Thinking of this, Tian Xuan Saint merely asked indifferently,
“Oh? A mere messenger, is he worth such great effort from you to this extent?”
Tian Xuan Saint had naturally heard of the matter involving Zhao Guanghui.
She even knew that Zhao Guanghui’s immortal fate had mysteriously disappeared, stolen from under the noses of Liu Qingyi, Zhao Guangxi, and others.
Therefore, if nothing unexpected happened, Liu Qingyi was looking for at least a Slaying Five Thieves expert.
All for a messenger?
Unless he was your illegitimate son, a child born posthumously!
No, even if he were your biological son, you should have severed ties and kicked him out.
You could just have another one.
Facing the Saint’s inquiry, Liu Qingyi’s gaze was stern as he looked towards the distant city walls of Wuqing County, as if he intended to encompass all the current events in the city with his gaze.
“I am under orders to guard Wuqing County, and there can be no unstable factors within Wuqing County that are beyond my control!”
He said in a low voice,
“Currently, all the officials and nobles in the court are treacherous and deceive the Emperor’s wisdom! I naturally must resolve the Emperor’s worries. Wuqing County cannot be in chaos, nor can it be exploited by those with ulterior motives! Once the demon-slaying matter is concluded, I will sweep away the demonic evil, rectify Wuqing, expel gangsters like the Guo Lu Society, and impeach corrupt officials, to punish them!”
“I hope Saint will lend your assistance and help righteously.”
Tian Xuan Saint lowered her eyelids, and as if thinking of something, a trace of sarcastic mockery flashed in her eyes.
Treacherous, corrupt officials?
Those who rule the Sacred Dynasty are all them.
You want to impeach them?
The Mist Gauze Heavenly Law is truly marvelous.
In an instant, the self-esteem and pride that were trampled by that shameless Qi Gathering High Cultivator.
Tian Xuan Saint now found them all on Liu Qingyi.
She raised her head, her gaze amused, and nodded,
“I agree.”
