wait a minute

Chapter 453
Shashasha~
After a thunderous roar, the clear water forest that had just caused a big commotion returned to deathly silence, leaving only the soft sound of rain hitting the branches and leaves, and the smoke and fire in front of the sealed manor.

More than a hundred forbidden troops dressed as overseers faced the smoke that was blown by the wind and slowly retreated with their weapons in hand. At the same time, they glanced at Hua Junchen from the corner of their eyes.

Hua Junchen's voice was loud, but his brain was not wet. After revealing his identity, he tightened his legs and made a gesture of running away at any time, lest it was not his son-in-law who came and his life was in danger.

But after he waited for a while, the explosions outside the manor stopped, but no evil spirits emerged from the smoke. Instead, it became quieter and quieter.

Hua Junchen was a little confused when he saw this. The thief didn't show up. It was obviously inappropriate for him to turn around and run away. For this reason, he maintained his momentum and said coldly:

"You're already here, why hide it? How dare you show up and see me!"

tread, tread...

As soon as this statement came out, the effect was immediate.

In the billowing smoke in front of the manor, there was a sound of footsteps. Although the pace was slow, it felt like a mountain, and every step seemed to hit the chest and abdomen of the people present.

Seeing this, the outposts outside the manor looked like they were facing a formidable enemy and retreated to the rear of Hua Junchen.

Just by listening to the footsteps, Hua Junchen knew that the person walking in the smoke was a big dragon, not on the same level as him, and his heart strings suddenly dropped to the extreme.

Step, step, step...

Everyone held their breath for only a moment, before the outline of a human figure gradually emerged among the firelight and smoke in front of them.

The figure is quite tall, wearing a bamboo hat on his head. The cloak is slightly flowing behind him, and two short swords can be seen hanging on his waist.

Hua Junchen and his son-in-law were already very familiar with each other. Just by looking at this unfamiliar outline, he could tell that someone else was coming, and he secretly thought something was wrong.

However, the other party walked out slowly and did not take action directly. Hua Junchen couldn't help but turn around and run away, so he asked in a deep voice first:
"Where is your holiness?"

In the smoke, Xue Baijin, wearing jade armor, walked alone along the muddy road outside the manor. When he came to the white wall, he slightly raised his bamboo hat. He first glanced at Hua Junchen on both sides of the wall, and then moved his gaze to the depths of the manor:

"Nanxiao Mountain, Xue Baijin."

"Huh..."

As soon as the indistinguishable hoarse voice of a man or a woman came out, not only the many warriors in the clear water forest became noisy, but even the Jianghu people who were hiding in the woods and preparing to fish in troubled waters looked surprised and suspicious.

After all, the name of Leader Pingtian was not only known to everyone in the Southern Dynasties, but also in the Northern Dynasties.

Fengguan City is recognized as "No. 1 in the world", and he personally commented that Pingtian leader Xue Baijin was No. [-] in the mountain. This sentence did not divide the mountain into north and south.

For this reason, Xue Baijin was considered by Jianghu people to be in the echelon below Wu Sheng and above Wu Kui, both in the Southern and Northern Dynasties.

After so many years, although Xue Baijin took very few shots, he did not experience any setbacks. Now, he is enough to be regarded as a martial saint-level figure.

Seeing the Pingtian leader of the Southern Dynasty suddenly appear, Eunuch Xu and the other three eunuchs looked as if they were facing a formidable enemy. They all appeared and flew up, landing near Hua Junchen.

When Hua Junchen heard Xue Baijin's name, his heart trembled. He dared to stand in the center and in front, and immediately wanted to retreat.

Fortunately, Zhong Sunjin inside the manor is not that unreliable. He can see that with Hua Junchen's strength, it is still possible to kill an old military commander. When he meets a top hero like Xue Baijin, he has no qualifications to talk to him.

After Pingtian leader announced his home, Zhongsun Jin tapped the eaves, rose up without any wind, landed quietly beside Hua Junchen, and said calmly:
"It turns out to be Shaoxia Xue from Tiannan, whom I have admired for a long time. If I remember correctly, last time in Huangming Mountain, Shaoxia Xue teamed up with Ye Jingtang and Jiang Zahu from the Southern Dynasty to hurt King Zuo Xian. Has Shaoxia Xue already surrendered to the Southern Dynasty?"

Xue Baijin saw an old man in Confucian shirt appearing in front, his eyes were a little more solemn, but his demeanor was still the same:
"Last time in Huangming Mountain, I happened to run into King Zuo Xian. I didn't expect him to use force to bully the weak and ambush our Southern Dynasty warriors before taking action. Our Xue family in Nanxiao Mountain is full of loyal men, and we have not surrendered even one person to guard Tiannan. How can we attack him? Bow to that female emperor in the south."

Xue Baijin himself is the emperor of the world, and he is on the rise. He is far away from the emperor in the Tiannan Mountains. As long as the Northern and Southern Dynasties fight, he will benefit. No matter how you think about it, there is really no reason for the empress to become a vassal, unless she is the empress. Commit yourself to each other.

Zhongsun Jin thought about it carefully and felt that Xue Baijin did not seem to have defected to the Southern Dynasty, so he continued:

"Then Young Master Xue came to visit today, does he want to break into the clear water forest on his own?"

Xue Baijin bowed his hands and said, "Senior Zhongsun said it carefully. I came here with no ill intentions. I just heard that your country has made an elixir that can reshape a warrior. I want to come and ask for one. Isn't it convenient for me, Senior Zhongsun?"

Many masters in the Clear Water Forest were not surprised to hear this. After all, even if the leader of Pingtian is really a martial saint, the current strength gap between the two sides is still too great. Not to mention the various traps arranged in advance in the Clear Water Forest, and the capital may be at any time. A large number of experts rushed over to help. Only the three or five people who stood up openly could not be dealt with by Xue Baijin alone.

Zhongsun Jin saw that the other party came to ask for medicine, and his expression softened a little:
"This is true, but the Snow Lake Flower is too hard to find. The amount of medicine refined by the imperial court is limited, so it cannot be given to outsiders for no reason. Shaoxia Xue is very talented. If you are willing to serve me, Daliang, from now on, I can ask the Holy Master for your help. Please give me one for you."

Three of the elixirs refined by Beiliang were kept as backup, so that if there was a chance to recruit Bei Yunbian and others later, but they could not get anything; and Xue Baijin was obviously qualified to take the medicine, so Zhongsun Jin was not talking about it. lie.

When Xue Baijin heard this request, he did not immediately refute it. Instead, he put his hands behind his back and looked thoughtful. After a moment, he said:
"It's not that I don't know my own worth. The price the Empress of the Southern Dynasties gave me was to be hereditary as the Marquis of Zhennan and to control the four counties of Tiannan. I haven't agreed yet. Beiliang gave me a pill and wanted me to be loyal to Xue Baijin. , it’s really a bit reluctant.”

Zhongsun Jin knew that the empress of the Southern Dynasties could afford this price, and exchanging a pill for a martial saint would be too whimsical. Seeing that Xue Baijin wanted to discuss it, he continued:

"The elixir is just a bonus. If Mr. Xue is willing to come to Daliang to serve, how can I, Daliang, not be able to afford the rewards that the Southern Dynasty can give."

"I want a title from a king with a different surname. Can the Holy Lord of your country give it to me?"

"..."

As soon as these words came out, there was a bit of noise inside and outside the Bishui Forest.

Eunuch Xu and other eunuchs were very happy to see the leader of Pingtian coming to surrender, but they immediately became angry when they heard this.

After all, there have been very few kings with different surnames since the time of the First Emperor. Their fate was either to be executed by the nine clans or to become emperor after three Zen and three concessions.

During the founding period of the People's Republic of China, most of the emperors granted kings with different surnames to temporarily stabilize the founding heroes, and they had to take action after they had secured their seats. However, during the Taiping Period, the emperor granted kings with different surnames, which could only mean that the emperor had exhausted his strength and could no longer control the court.He is such a powerful figure in Ye Jingtang, a true martial saint, and the orphan of King Tianlang. He can raise an entire country's troops in the tribes of the West Sea with just a wave of his hand. He has not even been granted a title by a king with a different surname, but has only been granted the title of Duke. , has no actual military power yet.

How much space does Xue Baijin occupy?Is it because his martial arts skills are better than that of Ye Jingtang, or is he more handsome than Ye Jingtang?If you ask someone with a different surname, Wang, why don't you feel shameless?
Eunuch Xu wanted to say a few words, but Zhongsun Jin raised his hand to stop him and said:

"Since ancient times, there have been no people with unparalleled military exploits, and only a handful of people have been granted the title of Duke. If the court now conferred the title of King with a different surname on Shaoxue Xue, and in the future Shaoxia Xue made great contributions, what reward should the court give? Shaoxia Xue has high ambitions, which is a good thing, but this matter We have to do it step by step, as long as Xue Shaoxia takes the credit for breaking the soil and sealing the territory, how can the Holy One be stingy with a prince?"

"What Mr. Zhongsun said is reasonable, but I still have many family members and subordinates in Nanxiao Mountain. These people are far away from each other and it is not easy to settle down..."

"Young Master Xue, don't worry. As long as you are willing to abandon the dark side and surrender to the bright side, the imperial court will send a boat to Guancheng by sea to take the Nanxiaoshan righteous men back to Daliang..."

……

The smoke in the clear water forest was thick, and it quickly obscured the entire manor.

The guards in the garden and the heroes outside who were preparing to fish in troubled waters watched the two people negotiate word by word, and even quietly commented on Xue Baijin's Lion's Big Opening and Zhong Sunjin's Lixian Corporal.

And at the same moment, behind the clear water forest.

Bishui Forest is built along the mountains and rivers. The front faces the main road of the Yan River, and the back is surrounded by mountains on three sides. There are countless flowers and trees planted, and there are also many hidden sentries in between. But at this time, everyone is paying attention to the movement outside the manor.

Shashasha~
Under the thin curtain of rain, Ye Jingtang, dressed in night clothes, quietly walked through the woods and came to the south wall. He listened carefully to Bing Tuo Tuo's bargaining. After confirming that his attention was attracted, he raised his hand slightly to signal.

Fan Qinghe and Zhe Yunli felt a lot of pressure because they knew they were dealing with the ancestors of the Qianji Sect. Zhe Yunli walked a little and did not dare to go forward. They chose to watch on the hillside with the birds to avoid relying on them. He made some noise too close, but was noticed by Zhong Sunjin and held back.

Although Fan Qinghe's martial arts skills were average, his concealment and lightness skills were at a super first-class level. He followed closely at this time, crossed the wall with Ye Jingtang, landed in the back garden, and asked in a low voice:
"Is Ning'er her husband-in-law outside?"

Ye Jingtang had just come over and did not go around to the front of the manor. Bird Bird, who had amazing night vision, saw Ning'er sending messages to each other, so he went to the back of the manor.

Although there was no communication between them, they could be considered to be on the same page. When Bingtuotuo noticed that he was coming, he jumped out and started talking nonsense to attract attention and give him a chance to sneak in.

Naturally, Ye Jingtang didn't hold back. Taking advantage of the cover of the rain, he quietly entered the back garden. After carefully sensing to make sure that there were no masters around to act as secret whistles, he led Qing He and carefully walked toward the center of the manor.

Bishui Forest is very large, with countless corridors, terraces and pavilions. Without architectural drawings, it is difficult to figure out where the alchemy is.

But fortunately, someone was making trouble outside, and the sentries originally hidden in the dark emerged. The core location of the manor could be determined through the distribution of personnel.

Ye Jingtang carefully observed for a moment in the dark, and after confirming that most of the sentries were located near the Buddhist hall in the central area, he slowly moved towards that direction.

After the two of them walked forward for a while, there were gradually more buildings around them. Fan Qinghe was following behind, but as he walked, he realized something was wrong and took Ye Jingtang's hand.

Although Ye Jingtang is proficient in martial arts, his research on mechanisms and the like is obviously far inferior to Qinghe's. Seeing this, he became slightly possessed, walked behind Aunt Fan's perfectly curved moon, and whispered:
"something wrong?"

Fan Qinghe frowned and led Ye Jingtang to the corridor. After carefully inspecting the floor tiles and pillars, he took out the small medicine bottle from the armor on his waist and poured it on the steps.

Night Terror Hall was puzzled at first, but soon discovered that some small black insects crawled out of the gaps in the floor tiles, and soon they all gathered around the powder.

"What is this?"

"The bugs raised by Qianjimen will emit a stench when trampled to death. It can be smelled from a long distance. The floor tiles have not been laid yet. If you accidentally walk over it, you will be exposed directly..."

This was the first time Ye Jingtang had seen this kind of early warning method. He became increasingly cautious and followed Qing He's footsteps. After avoiding all kinds of messy traps along the way, he arrived outside the central Buddhist hall.

Although Zhongsun Jin went out, the Buddhist hall was not empty. Ye Jingtang leaned at the corner of the verandah and looked around. It could be seen that inside the three-foot-high Buddhist hall, there was a large golden Buddha.

At the window next to it, there were two men wearing Qianjimen clothes, looking out and talking in a low voice:

"Xue Baijin definitely doesn't dare to rush in. Let's just keep an eye on the stove. There's no need to panic..."

"Xue Baijin is also stupid. Now the master and the three father-in-laws have run outside. If they plan to attack the east and attack the west at this time, they arrange for three or two experts to quietly touch this place from behind..."

"This is not nonsense. You don't know what Master is capable of? In just a blink of an eye, can Xue Baijin single-handedly retain Master?"

"It's also..."

When Fan Qinghe heard these words, his eyes were a little strange. After observing for a while, he raised his hand to motion to the big golden Buddha placed in the hall.

Ye Jingtang didn't see the equipment for refining the alchemy. He guessed that the entrance to the alchemy room was under the golden Buddha. He didn't say much at the moment and asked Qinghe to wait where he was while he quietly went to the Buddhist hall.

The two Qianjimen disciples talking in the Buddhist hall seemed to be the pharmacists who were helping. Ye Jingtang wanted to solve it easily, but it was difficult to solve it without alarming Zhongsun Jin.

He suppressed his footsteps and breath, without even bringing up the airflow, and entered the Buddhist hall. He silently came behind the two pharmacists, waited for the voices to stop, and then raised his fingers and pressed a little harder behind them.

thump~
Two imperceptible soft sounds came out at the same time.

The two pharmacists standing at the window immediately fell to the ground.

Ye Jingtang quickly dragged the two of them, then slowly put them down and leaned against the wall. After making sure that there was no one else around, he hooked slightly.

Seeing this, Fan Qinghe quietly entered the Buddhist hall. After carefully checking the left and right sides, he came to the solemn golden Buddha. He listened close to the floor and could see that there were indeed subtle footsteps below. He lowered his voice and said:
"There must have been movement as soon as it started. What should we do now?"

Ye Jingtang judged the distance between Zhongsunjin and Bingtuotuo, and whispered:
"Just open it and I'll take care of the pharmacist below. You go find the elixir or prescription. I'll join forces with Bai Jin outside to hold Zhongsun Jin down. If you can't find it, just leave and I'll follow."

Fan Qinghe nodded lightly, and then began to slowly circle around the Golden Buddha, looking for the mechanism to open the underground alchemy room...

(End of this chapter)