heaven money

The "Evil King" Guan Ying once escaped from the National Master and the Demon Queen respectively. He also fought against the Ghost King, Jue Dao and Ruyi Monk together and was undefeated. His real strength is evident!
With the chilly wind comes bitter rain. Autumn rain gradually falls outside the mountain temple as the night grows darker.

Lu Zhongqi did not mention the matter of rushing to the capital at night, because in such an environment, it is very easy to be attacked while walking at night, and it would be too late to rescue by then. It is better to defend the mountain temple.

The wind was strong and the rain was heavy, making the tiles crackle and add to the feeling of the quiet night.

At this moment, the windows on all sides were suddenly knocked open, and five or six figures jumped in.

Just as they were about to take action, they saw Shang Yi sitting cross-legged by the fire, motionless as a clock. A black bird on his shoulder was staring at them coldly, making them feel a chill in their hearts.

The attacker was stunned and looked around subconsciously. He saw five corpses lying in a mess near the gate of the mountain temple.

One of them was tall, with a rough face and wide-open eyes, and he died with his eyes open. The other four were burly and looked exactly the same. They were dressed neatly, as if they had never fought before. The only difference was that there was a red spot between their eyebrows, which was a sword wound. They were killed in one blow!
These people withdrew their gazes in horror and looked at Shang Yi, the most eye-catching person in the ruined temple.

"escape!"

These people shouted in unison and jumped out the same way they came, but they no longer had the murderous aura and agility, and looked embarrassed and panicked.

The temple regained its peace again. This time, Lu Zhongqi, Taoist Hu and others were much more relaxed. The sound of Ruan Yushu's guqin also changed, with the sound of gurgling water and clear and melodious sounds. Lu Guan simply picked up the military book and read it carefully by the firelight.

Another group of people came outside. They saw the broken windows and doors and felt that there was no movement inside. They were shocked and did not dare to act rashly. They quietly went to the window and looked inside.

When they saw this, they were shocked. Lu Guan and his group seemed to be on a leisurely picnic. They did not feel panic or nervous at all as if they were being chased and blocked.

They swallowed and carefully looked at the situation inside the dilapidated temple.

Suddenly, their eyes fixed, their pupils contracted, and they cried out in a lost voice: "General Jian!"

"The four evil men of the Zheng family!"

After a brief silence, many people turned around and left without looking back. Even the four villains of the Zheng family died here. Who would dare to take action?

There were still a few brave ones who stayed behind. They thought it was a little strange. Since the people inside could kill the four evil men of the Zheng family, why didn't they come out to kill them? Could it be that there was something else going on? It was not them who killed the four evil men of the Zheng family, and they had already left, so they only dared to scare them and not really take action?

Someone plucked up the courage, climbed onto the roof, found the right position, broke the tiles and wooden beams in one go, and struck down from mid-air!
The other few people quickly turned around and looked inside, and if they showed any weakness, they would take action immediately.

Ah!
A few people only saw the young man with a black bird on his shoulder waved his hand, and a cold light flew out from his sleeve and pierced into the forehead of the attacker. The next moment, it flew around the temple and returned to the young man's hand. It was a flying sword the size of an index finger.

Shang Yi deliberately slowed down the speed of the flying sword to intimidate them and also to tell the people behind him to send out their experts.

They turned and left in silence one by one.

After that, several more waves of people came, but no one dared to enter the mountain temple. They all watched for a while and then retreated silently. They came in the rain and left in the rain!
The rain stopped and the sky gradually brightened. Shang Yi slowly stood up and said calmly:
"It's time to go."

Although Shang Yi acted faster than Meng Qi, he still followed the mental prompts and proceeded according to the original plot just like Meng Qi.

In fact, he understood that this was probably a script designed by the King of Fengdu, who wanted to use it to observe and understand him, and at the same time wanted to find the whereabouts of Morotawo who was hiding in the Nine Netherworld from him.

Peishui, the long river on which the capital depends for its survival, is bustling with roaring water and overlapping sail shadows.

"I haven't seen you for nine years, and the prosperity of the capital seems just like yesterday." Lu Guan sighed with emotion.

"If the Western Tartars move south, this prosperous scene will no longer exist. General Lu, please take care of your health for the sake of the people and the world." Taoist Tiger said sincerely.

He glanced at Shang Yi and sighed:
"My dear Huaikong, although I don't know your origins, this matter is entirely due to your and Miss Ruan's help. People in the world are afraid of the power of spies and the masters around them, but you are the only ones who put righteousness first. Although I can't speak for the people of the world, I can thank you on my own behalf."

Lu Guan nodded gently: "Heroes emerge from youth. I will always remember the kindness of the two young friends and hope to repay them in the future."

"We are doing this for justice, not for personal favor. If General Lu can defeat the Western Tartars, it will be the best reward for us."

Shang Yi spoke the lines of Meng Qi in the original novel.

Lu Guanzheng nodded: "To expel the Western barbarians and eliminate future troubles is my life's ambition."

With the capital city in sight, he felt a mixture of pride and pressure. After getting on the boat, he remained silent, watching the rushing river and the crowds on the shore.

"Yuexi is like heaven and earth compared to the capital." Lu Zhongqi was obviously much more relaxed. After crossing the Pei River and reaching the other side, he would be able to find the post station and take out the imperial edict. Then the danger would be over.

So he was in the mood to appreciate the banks of the Pei River and the outer perimeter of the capital.

Taoist Tiger chuckled and said, "I don't feel anything about this, but I miss the Zhuangyuanhong in Deshenglou very much. Tsk, just thinking about it makes the wine bug in my stomach start to churn."

Along the way, he had refrained from drinking for fear of delaying his work.

Shang Yi felt the river breeze and nodded slightly. This capital city was indeed larger and more prosperous than Xuanwu, but there were obviously fewer heroes with swords and knives. Scholars and ladies were strolling under the willows on both sides of the river.

A ship sailed down the river and passed in front of the ferry carrying five people. Its shadow covered the boat and it seemed as if the sky had darkened.

Suddenly, a figure rushed over from the ship, his figure was so fast that almost an afterimage remained.

He spread out his sleeves, which fluttered in the wind, like a hawk stalking a rabbit. He formed a perfect whole with the rolling river, the slowly descending ship and the shadow between the two ships. Both the angle and the posture were extremely harmonious, as if he was slapping the surrounding world with one hand, making Ruan Yushu, who was standing beside him, feel rejected by the ship, the river and the shadow, as if the world was so big that there was no place for him to stay.

The attacker slapped down with his palm, but it seemed like he didn't use any strength, it was empty and vague, and it kept getting bigger and bigger, making people feel extremely uncomfortable.

Shang Yi smiled and pointed a finger. This finger seemed to contain endless Zen meaning, pointing deep into the soul of the person who was attacking.

"Pick your fingers!"

Ruan Yushu opened her red lips slightly and looked at Shang Yi in surprise.

But considering that he is a Buddhist who inherited the legacy of the World-Honored King of Buddha, he must know a lot of Buddhist martial arts!

With the flower-picking finger, the attacker paused slightly in mid-air and wanted to change his palm technique, but he vaguely saw the smile on Shang Yi's mouth and fell into peace in the depths of his soul, as if he was about to be converted.

Shang Yi's Buddhist realm and spiritual power are so powerful that even if the person who came is an evil king, he still can't resist the Flower-Picking Finger that Shang Yi performs.

Therefore, in the eyes of everyone, the Evil King was like a moth to a flame, and he crashed directly into Shang Yi's casual finger. Then he lost all his life force, and he didn't even have time to use the "Immortal Seal" that he relied on to dominate the world.

"Plop~~~"

The sound of the evil king Guan Yingde's body falling on the deck was the first thing that caught the attention of the others. They looked at the middle-aged scholar with slightly graying hair on his temples and a wide Confucian robe.

A chill and relief rose in the hearts of Taoist Hu and his companions, followed by incomparable shock.

Who could have thought that the Evil King, who was able to fight against the Ghost King, Jue Dao, and Ruyi Monk together and remain undefeated, would die so easily today at the hands of the "Sword Immortal" Huaikong.

"The Evil Lord Guan Ying surrenders, the Immortal Seal is no longer passed down, the third branch mission is completed, and 300 good deeds are awarded. The Immortal Seal was taken from the Evil Lord, and cannot be exchanged for good deeds, nor can it be taught to others."

The ferry arrived at the shore, and the five people stepped onto the dock and headed for the post station.

Under the arrangement of the post station officials, they were soon escorted into the capital by cavalry.

Not long after, the group arrived outside the city. Shang Yi looked at the tall city gate and smiled slightly. He had already sensed Meng Qi's presence in the city. Obviously, Meng Qi had entered the capital before them, and he might have made a name for himself as the "Shocking God Sword".

"Successfully escorted Lu Guan to the capital. Main mission one is completed. Each person will be rewarded with 200 merits. After settling down, go to Xiaoxiang Tower and meet up with Meng Qi and his group to start main mission two."

The grand and solemn voice of the Lord of the Six Paths of Reincarnation sounded in Shang Yi and Ruan Yushu's hearts.

In an elegant mansion, an old man with excellent appearance looked at the person in front of him with a little surprise: "Lu Guan entered the capital alive?" "Please forgive me, Prime Minister. I really didn't expect that Lu Guan had a master who was no less powerful than the Ghost King." The person in front of him had cold sweat on his forehead.

"Which master is it? Didn't they say that the Evil Lord also took action?" The old man calmed down.

The person who reported it shook his head: "The evil king was killed. The master was very scary and very young. He was called the 'Sword Immortal' Huaikong."

"Sword Immortal!?"

The old man repeated the name.

In the courtyard filled with the fragrance of flowers, a graceful veiled woman suddenly stood up and asked, "Lu Guan is not dead?"

"Yes, it is rumored that the Evil Lord personally took action, but was easily killed because he had a very strong master by his side, who was said to be 'Sword Immortal Sword' Huaikong."

The woman who reported spoke of the evil king with a bit of fear and a bit of disdain.

"Humph, isn't he known as the best Immortal Seal in the world... 'Sword Immortal'..."

The veiled woman paced back and forth.

Inside the Observatory, a white-haired old man looked at the star plate in front of him, frowned and said to his disciple:

"Lu Guan was clearly going to die, so why did a meteor pass by and change his path?"

"Disciple doesn't know." His disciples were completely confused.

The white-haired old man whispered to himself: "Sword Immortal Huaikong..."

After entering the city and going to the posthouse, Lu Guan waited for the emperor to summon him, while Shang Yi and Ruan Yushu found an excuse to visit an old friend and went to the street together.

On the way, Ruan Yushu said casually:
"Was that the Flower Picking Finger just now!?"

Shang Yi nodded and said:

"Yes, I learned this from an old monk who was halfway through the world of reincarnation. Plus, I already understood the third move of the Tathagata Palm, 'Smiling with a Flower', so the power of this 'Flower-Picking Finger' is even stronger than the one in the real world of Shaolin Temple!"

Ruan Yushu looked at Shang Yi deeply and said:

"As expected of a 'free Buddhist'."

The streets of the capital city crisscrossed like a chessboard. Xiaoxiang Tower was far away from the posthouse, but Shang Yi was able to use his clairvoyance to see the location of Meng Qi and the others, so there was no need to ask for directions. He took Ruan Yushu to Xiaoxiang Tower in a cup of tea.

"The name of the Sword Immortal has spread throughout the capital. It is true that there is no false reputation."

He and Ge Huai'en stood at the steps of the restaurant, seemingly waiting for someone.

Then, Meng Qi said:
"There are too many people here, let's go in and talk."

Shang Yi and the other man nodded, and silently followed Meng Qi and Ge Huai'en through the restaurant lobby, across the small bridge and flowing water, and arrived at a quiet courtyard at the back.

"As soon as you entered the city, I received a tip from the Lord of the Six Paths of Reincarnation."

After closing the door and carefully checking the surroundings, Meng Qi began to explain.

Collaborative tasks should be like this…

At this moment, the cold and lofty voice of the Lord of the Six Paths of Reincarnation sounded again:

"The second main mission is now open. Help Lu Guan regain the emperor's trust and appoint a general to command troops. Success will reward you with 400 merits. Failure will deduct the corresponding merits."

"Regain the Emperor's trust..."

Shang Yi's expression remained unchanged, while Ruan Yushu frowned slightly and looked at Meng Qi:
"Xiao Meng, your main storyline 'Mission One' should be related to this, right?"

Meng Qi nodded and pointed at the table full of food and wine: "Let's eat and talk."

Ruan Yushu seemed to be already impatient and completely forgot that he had just asked Meng Qi. He picked up the bowl and chopsticks and started eating elegantly.

"The Western Tartars were winning victory after victory, stationing troops in the upper reaches of the Pei River and sending envoys to negotiate. The conditions were harsh, and the emperor was so angry that he had a stroke and is now in a coma."

Meng Qi said calmly:
"Our main mission one is to gain the trust of a certain prince and temporarily prevent the peace talks. Now it seems that if we can help the prince we support ascend the throne, main mission two can be successfully completed."

Shang Yi smiled slightly and said:

“Who do you support?”

Meng Qi smiled slightly upon hearing this and said:

"We now support the Fourth Prince. Although he is a war advocate, he is also able to see the situation clearly. Before Lu Guan arrives, he helps us temporarily prevent the peace talks and completes the first main mission!

Moreover, after I created the reputation of the 'Shocking God Sword' in the capital, the Sword Emperor once tried to test me. He was the teacher of the Fourth Prince, and he exchanged swordsmanship with me and borrowed him to meet the Fourth Prince! "

Shang Yi smiled and said:

"Where are the other princes?"

"The Crown Prince is the orthodox one, with the support of the Imperial Master, the Monk Ruyi, and many court officials. The Fourth Prince is the disciple of the Sword Emperor, and is quite popular in the martial arts world. Many important officials of the court have secret dealings with him. The Seventh Prince is the most trusted by the Emperor, and is well-versed in poetry and literature, and skilled in archery and horse riding, but he has no foundation in the martial arts world. Originally, the position of Left Prime Minister of the Political Affairs Hall belonged to him because of the Emperor's relationship, but now that the Emperor is in a coma, it is unknown whether he will have a chance of waking up, so he has distanced himself from him again."

"However, now he seems to have realized his own shortcomings. He is in contact with court officials and experts. I suspect that the Demon Queen has secretly entered the capital and is living in the Seventh Prince's Mansion."

"The Sword Emperor is definitely a half-step outsider. If there are no masters in the imperial city or the court, this kind of person can completely control the political situation and assassinate anyone who disobeys him."

"However, this family is strong in Confucianism. They have abandoned all the arts of rites, music, archery, charioteering, and calligraphy. Those who can be called great Confucianists are all very powerful, such as the Right Prime Minister, 'The Reincarnation of the Star Lord' Wang Derang, and the half-Confucian, half-Taoist national teacher Changle Zhenren. They all insist on the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children, the elder and the younger, reject outsiders, and despise those who abuse force. If they want to assassinate the emperor and the prince, even the Demon Queen and the Sword Emperor have to plan for a long time and find an opportunity."

Shang Yi nodded when he heard this and said:
"It seems that the prince has the greatest power now and has the best chance of succeeding to the throne!"

Meng Qi smiled confidently and said:
"The emperor has been on the throne for many years and is getting older. He is wary of the crown prince and dislikes him very much. He has repeatedly suppressed him. If it weren't for the imperial teacher's protection, I'm afraid the crown prince would have been deposed. Therefore, if there is an imperial will, other princes may also ascend the throne. However, after the emperor fell into a coma, the right prime minister, who was always loyal to the emperor, stayed overnight in the Taiji Palace to prevent anyone from tampering with the will."

Shang Yi sighed and said:
"It seems that we may not be able to wait until the time for the successful reading of the will.

The prince is not stupid. He knows that the emperor will not pass the throne to him, so he can only take it himself! Maybe the prince is already planning to kill the emperor and seize the throne!"

Meng Qi was shocked when he heard this and said:

"Why didn't I think of this?!"

Ruan Yushu swallowed the food in his mouth and said with a smile:
"Isn't this our chance? Once the Crown Prince kills the emperor, we will have reason to support the Fourth Prince in seizing the throne! By then, it won't matter what is written in the will! Even if the Imperial Master and the others want to support the Crown Prince, they won't be able to do so!"

Shang Yi nodded:

"That's right! So during this period of time, our focus should not only be on the Fourth Prince, but we should also be very careful in the palace, lest we be unaware of the Emperor's death and fall into disadvantage!

Although our military force is very strong, it is difficult to convince the people with force alone, and it will inevitably be a waste of effort! "(End of this chapter)