Grudge Breaker

Chapter 349: Changes in the Situation
It's getting foggy.

Gu Cangyue looked out the window and frowned. Mo Tingfeng was about to tell him his deduction of "how Mengya was contaminated that night of the banquet", but he was interrupted by the scene in front of him.

Outside the Marrow Cleansing Hall, mist surged out from the jade steps. It was not like the fairyland mist of the past, but rather like someone had overturned the turbid air of the underworld, revealing an unusual sense of mystery.

"Sikong Mansion is the closest place to the upper world in the entire Mei Realm. It is full of immortal aura. Even if there is fog, it should be auspicious. How could it be gray-green with a hint of death?"

Gu Cangyue's words made Mo Tingfeng feel heavy-hearted. The last time such a strange phenomenon occurred in Sikong Mansion was the day when Zhuang Yuheng went astray in his practice.

It seems...something big might happen today.

·
"This is not fog, it's 'fog spirit'."

Mo Tingfeng's eyes were like deep pools as he stared at the strange fog with a murderous aura all over him.

He secretly used a directional message to tell Zhuang Yuheng not to leave the side hall, to be sure to keep a close eye on Song Weichen, and to not move around the mansion, especially away from the Marrow Cleansing Hall. After arranging everything, he spoke again.
"Since the beginning of the construction of Yuheng's Sikong Mansion, the dragon sand cave water and the mountain direction have all been carefully designed. The entire mansion is like a divine prophecy in the sleeping world. All the strange phenomena here are divine symbols."

"The so-called mountains and towers are shrouded in clouds and mist. According to the hexagram of this strange phenomenon, it should be the "Loss ()" hexagram."

Mo Tingfeng tapped the table with his fingers.

"Jiao's Yi Lin interprets this hexagram as follows: fog and dew come early, frost comes early, the sun is dark and unclear, villains are jealous, and wise men hide themselves."

"From this, it seems that some bad guys are jealous and have been planning evil things for many days. They will attack us somewhere today. We are bound to suffer losses. We need to keep a low profile and be extremely careful."

He looked at the foggy wall outside the palace again.
"What time is it now?"

Gu Cangyue disdained the art of divination, so he was not good at it. When he heard him ask, he turned his head and looked at the clepsydra in the hall.
"One quarter of an hour."

"Chenshi... Wuyi is most afraid of the Longyang energy at three quarters of Chenshi. I will go into the fog at that time. If there is any hidden conspiracy, it will be easiest to find clues at that time."

"I will go with you."

"No, you stay here. There are several barriers in the temple that can keep evil spirits away. Now your soul is unstable and you are easily bewitched. It will be more dangerous to go together."

Seeing Mo Tingfeng's determined expression, Gu Cangyue felt apologetic for a moment - the "Tiger-Stopping Dome" had completely destroyed all his magical powers. Although Song Weichen had returned some residual magical power to his half of his consciousness, with his current combat power, how could he fight against the villains hiding in the dark?

But it is really not appropriate for me to go with them. Although the dream bud has been removed, I don't know if there will be any sequelae. If I lose my mind again, wouldn't that be exactly what the villain wants?

"...Well, take care of yourself."

"I have sent a message to my confidant, asking him to go to the upper realm to ask the Heavenly Venerable for some top-grade elixirs in my name to help you recover your magic power faster."

It was rare that Gu Cangyue cared about him. Mo Tingfeng smiled faintly and looked at the clepsydra again. There was still some time before three quarters of an hour. It was enough, enough for him to finish telling the story of Yeyan Mengya being contaminated.

"Let's talk business. I think the person who attacked you at the banquet that night was not a guest, but someone from the Territory Lord's Mansion."

He took a wine jug and placed it in front of Gu Cangyue.

"If I'm not mistaken, you deliberately made things difficult for Weiwei that night, so you must have lost your appetite and felt uneasy, and could only numb yourself with wine, so you must not have eaten a single bite of the food, and you just kept drinking at the table, right?"

Seeing Gu Cangyue nod, Mo Tingfeng took out a pill-sized barrier storage bead from his arms, which contained more than ten drops of blood taken from "the Heart-Confusing Harp that he had split open".

Mo Tingfeng took two drops and put them into the pot, and the blood disappeared instantly into the wine.

Although it looked clear, he could smell a faint scent of blood. He closed the wine jug, poured out a cup and handed it to Gu Cangyue.
"How is it different from the wine you drank that night?"

Gu Cangyue took it. The powerful sense of smell of the phoenix made him frown before he got close. It was the same Wunian Water, but this one had such a fishy smell. How could he drink it without noticing?

Mo Tingfeng saw all his reactions, and naturally became more certain of his judgment.

"It's fishy, ​​isn't it? But the blood of the beast with puppet spirit must have entered your body through this wine and then infected your dream bud."

Mo Tingfeng said as he shook the wine vessel in front of Gu Cangyue.

"The problem is the wine jug."

"Although we both use Wu Nian Water, the wine jug you use is different from others. If I remember correctly, at the banquet that night, the territory lord was the honored host and used gold utensils; the eldest princess was the noble host and used silver utensils; you and I were the honored guests and used jade utensils."

"Although the jadeware we both have is mutton-fat jade, the wine pot on your table has a slightly bluish-white tint and feels cooler to the touch."

"I was so sure because after returning to the palace, I learned that the territory master had granted me a marriage. When I happily took Weiwei to toast, I mistakenly took your wine jug. The maid who served you immediately asked for it back. Now I think the problem was that the wine jug was made of different materials."

At this point, Mo Tingfeng turned his head to look at the clepsydra. There was still half an incense stick of time until three quarters past noon, which was enough.
.
"You have been in the upper realm for a long time. Have you heard of the Sky Poison Mountain?"

"Sky Poison Mountain?"

Gu Cangyue was startled, not understanding why Mo Tingfeng, who was talking about the material of the wine vessel, suddenly brought up this point.
"This mountain is located in the north of the Great Wilderness, only a hundred miles away from my residence in the upper realm, so I am naturally familiar with it. There are many gold and jade in Tiandu Mountain, and Yin Water is produced in the belly of the mountain. Although it is called Yin Water, it can dispel all poisons."

"Why? Did they add this Yin water to my drink to remove the bloody smell? If so, then the puppet aura must have been eliminated, so how could it infect the dream buds?"

Mo Tingfeng shook his head, withdrew his gaze from the clepsydra, and looked seriously into Gu Cangyue's eyes.

"In the belly of the Sky Poison Mountain, there is a stone that looks like ice and jade. It is called the Alum Spirit Stone. It is made of mountain jade quenched by Yin water and ice crystals of alum stone."

"The appearance of Fanling is very similar to mutton-fat jade, but because it is grown in the poisonous Yin water, it is slightly bluish and feels more icy. It is non-toxic and harmless, but it cannot detoxify. Its only function is to purify all odors and impurities in the water, making it pure, sweet, and delicious. That's why you couldn't detect any difference in the wine that night."

"This matter..."

Gu Cangyue looked at Mo Tingfeng with a rather complicated expression.
"Why do you know so much?"

"Because I have seen the tableware made by Fan Ling in Xi Man Lou before."

A burst of old noises rang in Mo Tingfeng's mind. Ruan Mianmian and Xi Que were chattering beside him, giving him a headache - that was the second day when she and Song Weichen pretended to be a couple and went to Luoyun Town to investigate a case. Ruan Mianmian insisted on dragging them to have breakfast together. Of course, he later found out that she was waiting for an opportunity to drug Song Weichen.

That day, in the private room arranged by Shu Xinglong, Ruan Mianmian deliberately pointed to the bowl used to serve soup to Song Weichen and showed off its origin, which was made by Fan Ling.

I remember that she said at that time that this thing was as rare as gold. Because Boss Shu had a good vision, he got a small batch of stones from the upper realm and made more than ten sets of wine vessels and soup bowls. He kept one set for himself and gave the rest away.

"So, it's no accident that the Fanling Wine Vessel appeared at the night banquet, and it's no coincidence that you were allowed to use it. The person who wants to use it to make you lose control and go crazy is definitely not an ordinary person."

Mo Tingfeng looked at Gu Cangyue with a solemn expression.

"We might as well re-organize this situation."

"First, the wine vessels. Apparently, the person who planned this knew that you would attend the banquet, so he prepared the alum spirit pot in advance."

"The alum spirit weapon is not something that ordinary nobles can obtain. It is even more difficult to arrange it for the banquet. It is necessary to get in touch with the Weapon Supervisor, the Kitchen Manager, the Chief Huang, and even the Housekeeper. These four important people are indispensable - or have enough power to directly bypass them to make arrangements."

"The second is the person who serves you. Someone needs to mix the blood of the wolf mixed with the puppet spirit into the wine pot in time to ensure that you drink it all. The maidservant beside you is not the only outsider who can touch your wine pot, but she is the most suitable person to do it." "You are a newly promoted god. The person who can serve you that night must have been carefully selected. Among them, the one who cannot be avoided is Shangyi Madam in the Lord's Mansion."

Hearing this, Gu Cangyue could no longer hold back his temper. He interrupted Mo Tingfeng and said,

"In that case, why not follow the clues? I will send someone to ask for the person from old man Qin Huan right now."

Mo Tingfeng shook his head to stop him.
"late."

"Based on the specifications of the banquet that night, the maids who were able to sit at the main table must have come from the upper realm. Even if you can get the maid list from Nanny Shangyi, you won't find any clues. The person who served you is most likely missing or died accidentally. If you don't believe me, we can make a bet."

"After all, as long as this person disappears, the problems with the wine vessel, and even the origin of the blood of the beast stained with nightmares and puppet spirit, can all be pinned on her. Even if the truth is revealed, what does it matter? The relevant stewards of the Territory Lord's Mansion will at most be charged with mismanagement, and you still won't be able to find any evidence."

"It is even possible that the other party has calculated that you will not go to Tianzun at all, because you don't want more people to know that you have lost control and lost your mind."

……

"!"

Gu Cangyue punched Yatai, and the mat made of dark wood suddenly cracked.

"You dare to plot against me? I don't know if the coffin is ready in advance."

Gu Cangyue lowered his eyes and looked at the deep crack on the gloomy wooden mat. It was like a grinning mouth with jagged fangs, with an unsatisfied conspiracy surging in the depths.

"You and I both know that there is no way to find out the truth about this matter, which is also an answer."

"First, just because he was able to think of using the alum spirit pot to store blood wine to remove the taste, whether Shu Tinglong was the mastermind or not, he must be involved and has a strong motive."

"Secondly, knowing that I would attend the banquet, the person who dared to attack me at the banquet and had the ability to attack me at the banquet, looking at the entire Mei world, I am afraid there is only one surname: Qin."

"It is precisely because of the Qin family that they were able to handle the matter of the maid from the upper realm so cleanly - this neatness itself is also a kind of exposure."

"I just don't know who the Qin family is and what their motives are."

Gu Cangyue raised his head, his eyes clear,
"Lord Si Chen, show us your cards."

Mo Tingfeng curled the corner of his mouth slightly - he had originally thought that with the temper of this evil God, he would probably fly into a rage when he heard "nothing can be found" and would go and lift the roof of the Lord's Mansion without caring about anything else.

Now it seems that he is calmer and wiser than I thought, which makes things easier.

"Lord Cangyue, the Warlock Classification Trial will be held soon. In order to force out the real culprit behind the scenes, how about we put on a show together?"

"Please prepare a new dream bud and wear it in a low profile so as not to alert the enemy. As for the disguised puppet energy required on the surface of the dream bud, it is easy to handle."

……

The two of them conspired for a few more sentences, and seeing that it was already three quarters past noon, Mo Tingfeng acted according to the plan, came out of the Marrow Washing Hall, and entered the Mist Planchette.
.
There was a rustling sound in the fog, as if a woman was walking.

Mo Tingfeng pinched his fingers and chanted spells as he moved carefully through the crowd. Several times he felt that he had bumped into someone, and the touch was clearly that of a woman, but there was nothing in front of him.

He simply stopped, because his magic power was limited and it was not suitable to set up a formation. He bit his middle finger, used the blood as cinnabar, and wrote a talisman in the air to break the delusion and see the truth. He then sent it into the air with a stream of true energy, muttering to himself, -
The fog covered the sky, and the evil spirits fled.
The mirror hangs in the east, illuminating the darkness.

The seven stars dispel delusion and penetrate the truth.
Enlighten your mind and see your nature, eliminate evil and remove obstacles.

The Xie Zhi sits high up, with its eyes discerning monsters.
The decree of heaven, the fog dissipates and the sky becomes bright! —
After the spell was finished, a bright light suddenly appeared in the air, which made many holes in the thick fog on the wall. The woman's face gradually became visible.

"Brother Tingfeng, Mianmian has been waiting for you for so long!"

A woman looked haggard, her face and hair were as yellow as a scorch, her right hand seemed injured, and she was wrapped in a thick ball of gauze. She stumbled through the mist towards Mo Tingfeng!
The tone of voice was undoubtedly Ruan Mianmian's, but the appearance was clearly that of the dead Du Juan.

But before he could get close, he was scorched by the strong light in the sky like the scorching sun, and then shattered into pieces by the wind.

Although Mo Tingfeng knew that everything in the mist was an illusion, a prophecy and warning of something that was about to happen, seeing this scene still made his eyes darken - if Ruan Mianmian could not be rescued before the "Not Entering the Five Elements Formation" completed the reversal of yin and yang, this scene before his eyes would become a reality.

While he was thinking, a small hand gently patted his shoulder. Mo Tingfeng turned around subconsciously and met a pair of mischievous smiling eyes.

"Boss, am I leaving?"

Song Weichen in front of him was wearing the pink and white gauze dress with peach blossom sleeves, and she waved at him cutely, just as if she was the same on the day when he was about to reveal his feelings in Zhuting of Tingfeng Mansion - he knew it was an illusion, and he knew that she was dying at the moment and was being taken care of by Zhuang Yuheng in the side hall, but when he saw her in the mist, Mo Tingfeng still couldn't help feeling worried and his eyes reddened.

"Weiwei...where are you going?"

The little man turned around with a smile and jumped, waving goodbye to him as he walked away.

"As the saying goes, if you don't mess up your life, you'll be half as happy. It's time to go home, Xianyu!"

Did she really come to say goodbye to me?

Is it...

Just thinking about this made Mo Tingfeng's heart ache. He couldn't help but follow Song Weichen's footsteps.

"slight!"

"Weiwei, don't go!"

After chasing for a few steps, the thick fog wall suddenly dissipated without warning, and the pink and white shadow also disappeared with the evaporation of the fog. The sky was clear and the air was bright, as if nothing unusual had happened in the entire Sikong Mansion.

Mo Tingfeng came to his senses and found himself standing in front of the door of the side hall - Song Weichen, who was still unconscious, was inside.

He raised his hand and wanted to push the door, but he was a little timid because of the illusion just now. When he was hesitating, the door suddenly opened. Zhuang Yuheng hurried out and saw Mo Tingfeng standing by the door, he was visibly stunned.

"Lao Mo, she...she woke up."

"You mean Weiwei woke up?"

Mo Tingfeng felt relieved and was about to step in, but was stopped by Zhuang Yuheng, who had a strange expression on his face, as if he was trying hard to find the right words.

"Lao Mo, the one who woke up... doesn't seem to be Weiwei."

"she says……"

"Her name is Sang Pu."

(End of this chapter)