The Bad Guys: Everyone, let’s revive the Tang Dynasty together!

Chapter 474 The Emperor (Part 3)

The broth in the copper pot was bubbling, with red oil mixed with dogwood, Sichuan peppercorns and ginger, sizzling into fine droplets as it boiled, filling this isolated inn in the frontier with a rich and domineering aroma.

Hou Qing held a pair of long chopsticks and picked up a slice of mutton as thin as a cicada's wing from the bubbling red soup. The slice curled slightly at the tips of the chopsticks, and its color instantly became more enticing. He did not eat it immediately, but instead gently rotated his wrist, letting the mutton scrape lightly against the edge of a small dish containing sesame paste, fermented bean curd, and cilantro, before he began to savor it.

"Cooked to seven-tenths done, the texture is relaxed, and the fat is just right; the cooking time is acceptable. If it's a little too much, it will be tough; if it's a little too little, it will be gamey."

"Oh dear, the meat! Where's the meat!" The older sister impatiently tapped the rim of the bowl with her chopsticks, making a crisp clinking sound. "Hou Qing, you idiot, cooking meat is like embroidery! If you can eat it, eat it; if not, go to the kids' table!"

She complained, but her eyes were fixed on the slices of meat bobbing up and down in the pot, and her Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

Hanba, wearing an apron, was cutting mutton on the side, smiling as she answered her sister for Houqing: "Hmm... Yinggou, if you're in a hurry, cut some of these chewy pieces first, they're good to chew."

The surrendered official sat at the head of the table, leaning back in her wide chair. Slowly and deliberately, with a delicate little silver knife, she picked a small piece of mushroom from the pot, examined it carefully, and then put it in her mouth to chew slowly. The rising steam from the antique soup blurred her beautiful features, making her captivating peach blossom eyes appear less alluring.

She looked at the familiar yet bustling scene before her. Hou Qing's nitpicking, her elder sister's loud and boisterous manner, and Hanba's tireless dedication remained unchanged.

This small, bustling place, filled with the sounds of fireworks and noise, was the anchor point that the four of them had been searching for for many years, just as they had longed for with their grandparents and fellow tribesmen during the mountain worship ceremony a hundred years ago when the Feather Spirit Tribe still existed.

So she patiently waited for a long time, and saw her older sister finally let out a loud burp, pat her belly contentedly, and slump back into the chair, her little face shiny with oil.

"My goodness...so comfortable...much better than going to the top of the cliff to watch a play and drink the wind..." The older sister smacked her lips, licking them with lingering satisfaction.

At this moment, Jiang Chen gently tapped the wooden table twice with her fingertips. Although the sound was not loud, it instantly drew the attention of the three pairs of eyes around the table.

"Is something wrong?"

"What are you trying to do now? I'm not doing it anymore..."

"Um, surrendered subject, are you not full?"

"My mind is made up." The surrendered minister paused, his tone becoming unusually solemn. "I will immediately discontinue my cultivation and begin practicing the Nine Nether Profound Heaven Divine Art again."

"You're really going to dissipate your power?!" The older sister blinked her big eyes and sat bolt upright. "Are you crazy?! That thing isn't something you can just dissipate like that?! Back when I practiced that half-baked, incomplete manual, to avoid the backlash, the feeling when I dissipated my power... ugh..."

She took a deep, dramatic breath, her face contorted in pain, and pounded her forehead. "It hurt so much I wanted to crack my skull open! I almost killed her! And you want to do it again... What were you thinking?!"

The drought demon scratched his head, looking puzzled. "Jiangchen, your power is so profound, and you haven't suffered any backlash, why did you want to dissipate your power?" He looked at Jiangchen, then at his sister who looked terrified, and unconsciously clenched his large, fan-like fist. "Was it very dangerous?"

Hou Qing didn't speak, but stared intently at the surrendered minister, as if he knew something. But after his elder sister kicked him hard in exasperation, he gently tapped the table with the bone flute that he had somehow gotten into his hand, making a soft tapping sound.

"Dispersing power and rebuilding, breaking down and then building up... It seems that the things on Yin Mountain are indeed so profound, worth the risk you've taken?" He frowned slightly. "The dangers here are no small matter. With the old power gone and the new power yet to be generated, you're practically a cripple. The pain of reversed meridians and dissipated internal energy is worse than being cut into pieces a thousand times. Not to mention that if there's any disturbance during this time, it will be utterly annihilated."

As the man finished speaking, the older sister suddenly raised her head again, but her voice was different from before: "Let me do it."

The surrendered minister met the gazes of the three men and simply smiled: "What you all say is correct, but the Nine Nether Profound Heaven is extremely yin and evil, and domineering beyond compare. The version we created together in the Xuanming Sect in the past, and even the version I cultivated before, are not perfect. It's like building a tall building but having an unstable foundation; forcing it upwards will only cause it to collapse."

"After perfecting it on Xiao Yan, I did try it, but there were always obstacles in the flow of internal energy, like a riverbed full of hidden reefs. If you force it, the evil energy will flow back and gnaw at your internal organs until..."

The surrendered official glanced at Hou Qing and said, "I finally understood after Xiao Yanrao's trip to the border last time."

She stretched out one of her fair hands, her fingertips slowly tracing lines in the air, outlining an invisible meridian diagram.

"Although I don't have a deep impression of the Li Kan that Hou Qing mentioned, his method is correct. After the technique is perfected, it is not a simple addition or deletion, but a complete overthrow of the old framework, fundamentally reshaping the method of circulating qi and harmonizing yin and yang. It is more like a complete and precise 'blueprint', requiring practitioners to start from the 'foundation' and meticulously rebuild the edifice of internal strength according to the new 'blueprint'."

She paused, then emphasized, "The foundation of the old version of the technique within my body is already established, and the path of internal energy circulation is completely different from the requirements of the final version. If I were to forcibly practice the new technique on the old foundation, it would be like carving flowers on rotten wood. Not only would I fail, but the two internal energies would also clash, and the possibility of my body exploding and dying would be extremely high."

"Therefore, the only way is to completely let go of the old skills and return the body to a 'blank slate' state."

The surrendered minister's gaze swept over his elder sister and the Marquis, finally settling on the drought demon's worried face. "Only in this way can the essence of the final version be perfectly embodied, reaching a state of flawlessness and purity. At that time, not only will there be no more worries about backlash, but it can also truly unleash its power. Only in this way can I achieve my goal and remove the remaining seven pieces of the drought demon stone."

The drought demon hesitated to speak, the elder sister sat with her arms crossed, and Hou Qing appeared calm, but was clearly deep in thought.

Seeing that the three did not respond to her, the surrendered minister had no choice but to cough lightly as if she didn't care, and then frankly admitted: "During the period of dispersing my power, I lost all my strength and was like a cripple. Moreover, the process of reshaping my meridians was like having my tendons and skin peeled off and then reconnected, so pain was inevitable. But I have a deep understanding of the technique, and with the three of you by my side, what is there to be afraid of? When I succeed, all problems will be solved."

"no!"

Ying Gou slammed her hand on the table and stood up abruptly, a red glint flashing in her eyes. Her voice grew even colder: "Do you think that Ba Lu Stone is so easy to obtain? Duo Kuo Huo is clearly no pushover. Let me practice! Although the traces of my old cultivation are deep within me, I have suppressed and regulated them over the years, and I have long since lived with it. The resilience of my meridians far surpasses that of ordinary people. Practicing it again will be much less risky than for you! In terms of skill, you are far inferior to me."

After pondering for a while, Hou Qing also put down the bone flute, which made a crisp sound as it touched the table.

He stared directly at the surrendered official, his eyes, which always held a hint of cynicism, now calm and still. He simply asked, "When Dokoho told you about the Yinshan Seal, did she not explicitly state the key to it? Dokoho was imprisoned for three hundred years, the root of which lies with the Bad Commander. Although you don't know the past, helping her escape is tantamount to releasing a ferocious beast. Do you really not know the consequences?"

He paused, then continued, "As for the Nine Gai theory, whether it's true or false, it doesn't matter. You, my subject, have always been exceptionally intelligent. Are you really willing to be used by a three-hundred-year-old prisoner and pull chestnuts out of the fire for her? Is it worth risking everything, including us?"

The red broth in the pot continued to boil, its spicy aroma filling the air, but the air inside the shop seemed to freeze. Ying Gou stared coldly at Jiang Chen, remaining silent, while Han Ba ​​put down his knife, his large fingers nervously fidgeting with the edge of his apron.

The surrendered official met Hou Qing's gaze and remained silent for a moment.

"The reason why Duokuohuo was sealed lies in her innate ability to sense the Five Elements and Six Qi, and to automatically absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into her body. When Li Shimin personally led the expedition against Xueyantuo, the Bad Commander discovered her existence while accompanying the army north to Yinshan. At that time, Li Shimin was over fifty years old, and the emperor was aging. The Bad Commander had been trying to concoct an elixir of immortality for many years without success and felt powerless. Only this time, the appearance of Duokuohuo provided him with another possibility. If he could make the Six Qi of heaven and earth work for his own use, then the art of immortality might also be possible..."

The surrendered official's voice was calm, without any ripples. "Afterwards, the Bad Commander taught Dokoho the method of absorbing the six energies, attempting to recruit her into the court and make her a touchstone for the elixir of immortality. But Dokoho was ultimately a Turkic holy woman, possessing the art of longevity, and was unwilling to be used by the Li Tang dynasty."

At that time, the Turkic Khaganate had perished, which she could no longer tolerate. After obtaining the method to absorb the six energies, her strength increased by leaps and bounds every day. Discovering her terrifying talent, she became even more uncontrollable. And how could Li Shimin allow her to exist for a mere elixir of immortality? Upon learning that the grass was resurrected due to Duo Kuo Huo, he dispatched the Bad Commander to eliminate her. However, she ultimately survived by chance thanks to the terrain of Yinshan, and attempted to break free of her seal through her remaining power, like Zhang Wulang of Wu Zetian's dynasty… Anyway, the Bad Commander made it very clear to me. Duo Kuo Huo hates the Li Tang dynasty to the bone, and it will never end.

"Then why are you still..." Ying Gou couldn't help but interrupt coldly.

“I need Jiu Gai.” The surrendered minister interrupted her, his tone still calm, but his gaze pierced through the heat before him, as if directed towards an extremely distant place.

"Two hundred years have passed. I have taken over her name and her last wish. Jiu Gai... a land free from war, where people can live out their days in comfort and abundance, and where warriors can find peace. This is the pure land she wanted to lead all her people to."

She chuckled softly, looking at the three of them: "Dokho is the key. She says she can open the door to Jiugai. Whether it's true or not, regardless of the risks, this is the only clear direction I've heard in the last two hundred years. The Balu Stone is just the price to pay for this key."

"Didn't the Bad Commander make a promise to you? If you can fulfill that promise, he can also help you open the Nine Realms. What is that promise..." Hou Qing suddenly asked, fiddling with the bone flute.

The surrendered official merely narrowed his eyes, clearly not wanting to explain: "I don't want to accept his agreement anymore."

Her gaze swept over the three of them, and she simply said, "I know the risks. I also know what Duokuohuo is plotting. I remember Yuan Tiangang's warning even more. But Jiugai... is worth the gamble. Resetting my cultivation is the only way for me to control the power of the Balu Stone and complete this transaction. My mind is made up. If you don't want to help me, I understand, and there's no need to force you."

Silence fell again in the shop, broken only by the bubbling of the soup in the copper pot. The four had known each other for many years, but none of them had ever taken the initiative to inquire about the surrendered official—not because they couldn't, but because they didn't want to.

But her candor laid bare her two-hundred-year-old obsession before them, even though it was only for a near-illusory legend, the last dream of an old friend.

Although this matter is very small, it has far-reaching consequences.

Looking at the unyielding expression on the surrendered minister's face, the drought demon hesitated for a moment, then suddenly spoke in a deep, muffled voice.

"Your subject is... I'm not good with words and don't understand those complicated principles. I only know one thing: back then, my parents thought I was ugly and avoided me like a demon. They didn't even dare to kill me themselves and could only leave me in a mass grave to be fed to wild dogs. It was you... who took Ying Gou and Hou Qing by and picked me up."

He raised his head, and on his face, which was usually covered by a mask and was honest and even somewhat ugly, his eyes were unusually clear and firm.

"Without you, I would have rotted in the mud long ago. Everything you have, there must be a reason for it. I believe you! I may not have any other skills, but I have my strength, a load of firearms, and my life, all of which I'll protect for you. Anyone who wants to touch you will have to step over my dead body first!"

The drought demon's words were like a pebble thrown into calm water. The coldness on Ying Gou's face and the redness in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by a deep complexity. She no longer looked at the surrendered minister, but lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously stroking the rough tabletop, her voice becoming low, as if she were lost in distant memories.

"The year that traitor Liu Pi rebelled in Shu... how old were Hou Qing and me?" She seemed to be asking herself, or perhaps asking about that unbearable past. "Our home was gone, my parents died under the swords of the chaotic soldiers. Hou Qing... he was even younger then, captured by those beasts, and thrown off such a high cliff..."

Her words were concise to the point of being cold, without any embellishment.

"I'm going to seek revenge," she continued, her gaze fixed on the bubbling red soup ahead, her eyes still devoid of emotion.

"I was trapped in a pile of corpses behind the City God Temple, with two broken ribs and my knife dulled. You killed all the pursuers and dragged me out of the pile of corpses like a dead dog. Later, we found Hou Qing at the bottom of the cliff, who was caught on a tree branch, covered in blood, and with countless broken bones... He was barely breathing, and you saved him too."

She glanced at the empty antique soup shop, then looked outside: "The rebels broke through the city, our homes were burned down, and our parents are dead. If it weren't for you, my brother and I would probably be ashes by now."

Hou Qing listened in silence, his fingers gently tracing the cold bone flute. He didn't speak, but simply lowered his eyelids slightly.

Ying Gou exhaled and looked at the surrendered minister again, her gaze even more unyielding than the latter's.

"So, you want to dissipate your power? Fine. But let me protect you, just like you protected us back then. No matter the danger, we can't be careless. Hou Qing is smart, let him guard the outer circle. Hanba is tough and strong, let him guard the entrance. Anyone who dares to come near, I'll tear them apart. It has nothing to do with gratitude, you live, the three of us live. It's that simple."

The surrendered minister listened quietly, looking at the three people in front of her who had very different personalities, yet had long since entrusted their lives and trust to her.

The steam rising from the hot pot enveloped her features, softening her usual languid and alluring demeanor, revealing only a rare, almost gentle expression. She extended her fingers and tapped Ying Gou, Hou Qing, and Han Ba ​​in turn.

"So that's why you three troublemakers are staying here? You're all just junk I picked up, and now you're meddling in my business?"

"You're the junk!" The older sister seemed to have just woken up in a daze, but upon hearing this, she instantly bristled and protested loudly in dissatisfaction.

Hou Qing's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

The drought demon just scratched its head and chuckled foolishly, as if being called "rubbish" was a form of recognition.

The red broth in the pot continued to boil tirelessly, its spicy and warm aroma distinctly different from when the four of them first set up the pot and started the fire, yet seemingly unchanged.

(End of this chapter)