Knife splashing

Chapter 705 Dragon Vein Corrosion, Grandmaster Emerges
The extraordinary sight before them left Pei Zongti and Bai Chenshan speechless.

Confucianism emphasizes "thoroughly investigating the principles of things" and "investigating things to acquire knowledge."

The geomancer lineage emphasizes observing the shape and momentum of the land, identifying the auspicious and inauspicious energies, and determining the direction of the dragon veins.

But all their knowledge could not explain what they were seeing.

Not only that, but gazing at them for a long time also made their spirits dizzy.

Having witnessed such things before, Lu Chuanwang was the first to recover and said in a deep voice, "It's inside Chongwen Gate, isn't it?"

Pei Zongti closed his eyes and nodded, saying, "That's right, it's just past that caravan street."

Upon hearing this, King Lu Chuan immediately raised the jade tablet in his hand high.

Suddenly, a gust of wind swept the three of them forward.

Unlike Li Yan, who had to wait, the three ghosts flew directly over Chongwen Gate.

With a flash, they saw the caravans constantly moving through the street.

Then, in a flash, I saw the place where peach trees and the statue of the fierce Queen Mother of the West were enshrined.

At this point, the place was a scene of utter devastation.

The ancient city walls are riddled with holes left by the roots of giant trees, and the walls are repaired whenever the wind and sand blow.

But in the blink of an eye, those holes reappeared deep within the black mist.

The altar that previously housed the fierce statue of the Queen Mother has vanished without a trace, leaving only a huge, obsidian-black crater in its place.

"There is indeed a problem!"

The once composed King Lu Chuan now had a face full of horror. "What kind of evil magic did they use to destroy this secret realm?"

Seeing their confusion, he said in a trembling voice, "This is the first time something like this has happened. Come with me!"

Without further ado, he raised the jade tablet high once more.

The three souls quickly drifted deeper into the "Nine Gates Yin Ruins".

The interior space is even more layered and bizarre.

There are even scenes of ancient people hunting.

Fragments of time spanning thousands of years seemed to be twisted together, making Pei Zongti and Bai Chenshan tremble with fear.

Then, everything blurred before their eyes, and the three of them found themselves in another space.

This place is completely modeled after the altar of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, with all the rituals of the Grand Sacrifice performed, and jade artifacts floating in mid-air.

Even the well-informed Pei Zongti swallowed hard.

He saw ritual vessels from the Shang and Zhou dynasties, and sacrificial vessels from the Tang and Song dynasties, all of which were sacred objects used in state sacrifices during various dynasties.

Any one of these items, if thrown outside, would trigger a bloodbath among the Xuanmen (Taoist sects).

But here, they seem to be worthless items, scattered everywhere.

Of course, Pei Zongti didn't dare to make any rash moves.

He could see that these sacrificial artifacts, suspended in mid-air, were not useless, but rather supported this special space.

As for Bai Chenshan, he adjusted his glasses, looked around, and was completely infatuated.

"Both of you."

King Lu Chuan said in a deep voice, "This is the most important secret of the Great Xuan."

"The sacred artifacts used for state sacrifices here were obtained during the annihilation of the Great Xing Dynasty and the Golden Horde Wolf Kingdom. They were used to decorate this place and cannot be used. Unless something happens, no one will be allowed to enter. After you leave, please be careful with your words and actions."

After saying this, he raised the sacrificial vessel in his hand and loudly recited the "Great Prayer for Heaven and Earth".

The national sacrificial artifacts from various dynasties around them began to rotate, and the clouds and mist in the air surged and swirled with light and shadow.

Amidst the swirling clouds and mist, a dragon's shadow could be seen churning and growing ever larger.

The two then discovered that the dragon's shadow was actually composed of the shadows of mountains of varying sizes.

The ancestral Kunlun Mountains, the towering Mount Taihua, the winding Yellow River, the surging Yangtze River…

The spiritual essence of famous mountains and rivers, and the network of waterways, intertwine and converge in the void, eventually forming a magnificent dragon that stretches across the heavens and earth, its beginning and end nowhere to be seen!

If Li Yan were here, he would recognize that this is the Great Xuan Dragon Vein, a spiritual projection between the Dharma Realm and the outer layer of the Dharma Realm.

"This is…"

Bai Chenshan almost plucked off his beard.

"This is the Great Xuan Dragon Vein."

King Lu Chuan explained, "The previous dynasty, Daxing, and the Golden Horde Wolf Kingdom faced each other across the river, both employing highly skilled individuals to devise strategies. After our Great Xuan rose to power, they secretly made many moves. It was only through the intervention of Master Sanfeng that the dragon veins of the north and south were connected."

"But Zhang Sanfeng was a banished immortal, and his Taoist magic was so profound that no one can understand it today."

"The reason His Majesty summoned you two is to check if there is any damage to the dragon vein."

There was something else he didn't say: such a huge thing had happened, even the emperor couldn't believe it.

Although neither of them could understand the layout of the place, they still searched carefully.

They quickly noticed something was wrong.

This illusory dragon, formed from the spiritual energy of mountains and rivers, has several patches of black and red filthy energy near the capital.

Like rotten mold, it is growing and spreading from the center of the imperial city.

Even a fool could see that.

"Something really did happen!"

Bai Chenshan looked around, stroked his beard, and frowned, saying, "Although I don't know the details, I can tell that this place should be connected to the Imperial Ancestral Temple's national sacrificial array, maintained by national sacrificial artifacts and supported by incense offerings. Logically speaking, if something happens, the outside world should be able to detect it..."

King Lu Chuan's face was grim, his chest heaving, and he closed his eyes, saying, "There are traitors in the Imperial Clan Court who are helping the sorcerers cover up their crimes."

This was the last thing he wanted to see.

After this incident, the emperor will surely take drastic measures against the Imperial Clan Court.

Even though he was extremely loyal to the emperor, he did not want to see this situation.

Pei Zongti was also a shrewd man. Sensing something was amiss, he immediately changed the subject, saying, "Let's write down the location of the incident first. His Majesty is still waiting."

The three remained silent, their eyes fixed on the decaying areas, calculating their locations…

…………

The atmosphere inside the main hall of the Imperial Ancestral Temple was equally tense.

The royal sorcerers of the Imperial Clan Court held sacrificial implements to maintain the formation, all bowing their heads in silence.

They were all filled with unease.

If everything is alright inside, that's fine. But if something really goes wrong, a storm will break out.

One of the sorcerers was sweating profusely, and his eyes were gradually becoming bloodshot.

Pei Zongti, who was in the secret realm, suddenly felt a chill.

Inside the main hall of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, the sorcerer suddenly raised his hand, smashed the sacrificial vessel to the ground, and then leaped out, striking Pei Zongti on the head with a palm.

"Xiao Bojin, what are you doing?!"

The surrounding sorcerers immediately became anxious.

The royal sorcerer, however, was no longer going to listen to their nonsense; his eyes were filled with murderous intent.

Swish!
Just then, from the darkness of the hall, a figure appeared like a ghost, arriving in an instant like a wisp of green smoke.

It was none other than Zhao Wujiu, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

His eyes were cold, and he moved faster than anyone else, raising his hand to block Pei Zongti's head, then twisting it behind his back.

Clapping~
A crisp cracking sound rang out, and the royal sorcerer's arm was ripped off.

Before he could speak, Zhao Wujiu had already pressed his head down.

Bang!
With a slight tremor, the sorcerer collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Zhao Wujiu glanced at him indifferently, "Whose family is this?"

A sorcerer in yellow swallowed hard. "It belongs to the family of General Xiao Huainan of Fengguo."

The enfeoffment system of the Great Xuan Dynasty allowed princes and dukes to inherit their positions without fail.

The titles are passed down in perpetuity, with one son inheriting the title in each generation and receiving a large city as his fief.

They were the emperor's main targets in weakening the power of the regional princes, gradually reclaiming their power from military command to local governance.

As for the remaining descendants of the princes, those who are not heirs must have their titles reduced generation by generation.

For example, if the son is a General Who Guards the State, the grandson will become a General Who Assists the State, and so on, up to Lieutenant General Who Protects the State.

The General Fengguo was one of them, but he did not actually have the authority to lead troops.

Xiao Huainan was the tall, thin old man who had helped the man get away with it that day.

"It was definitely him! He was the one who stopped us from entering to investigate that day!" The short, stout old man, who was waiting outside the formation with his head bowed, was filled with fear and immediately began to shift the blame.

"Xiao Huainan..."

Zhao Wujiu, the Grand Master of Ceremonial, seemed to be deep in thought. "It must be the Prince of Changliu. It seems he still harbors resentment."

Upon hearing this, many people in the hall lowered their heads, not daring to speak.

The Prince of Changliu is the sixth brother of the current emperor, Xiao Qixuan.

He failed in his struggle for the throne and was placed under house arrest, where he died in despair. His descendants were also stripped of their titles.

Unexpectedly, they actually sided with the sorcerer.

The news quickly spread outside the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Emperor Xiao Qixuan's eyes turned slightly cold. "Don't let a single one escape!"

"According to the order!"

General Jiao Wanbao of the Golden Guard immediately clasped his hands in greeting and left.

At the same time, the three people inside the hall also woke up.

"puff--!"

Pei Zongti was the first to open his eyes, and he suddenly spat out a small mouthful of blood. He said with lingering fear, "Someone has tampered with the ancestral temple. Investigate the sacrificial artifacts."

In fact, without him saying it, everyone had already seen it.

As soon as the sorcerer smashed his own jade artifact, several of the ancestral tablets enshrined above the ancestral temple immediately developed cracks and the paint peeled off.

"What a...what a pillar of the royal family!"

Emperor Xiao Qixuan also walked in and saw the scene before him.

His voice wasn't loud, but every word was like a knife, carrying a deep-seated killing intent and disappointment.

"deliver an imperial order!"

"The High Priest, the Commandant, and the Imperial Clan Court, thoroughly investigate Xiao Huainan's residence, his confidants, and all his past activities!"

"All related parties, lock them up and take them all!"

"Have those three grandmasters immediately surround and kill the demon! I don't care if they are in seclusion or traveling; the demonic atmosphere in the capital must be cleansed before sunrise!"

"Minister Pei, take the imperial tiger tally and mobilize the elite troops of the firearms battalion to seal off the relevant areas and streets according to the clues!"

"Within a radius of three miles, entry is permitted, but exit is not! Anyone encountering a demon shall be killed without mercy!"

"According to the order!"

An atmosphere of solemnity instantly enveloped the ancestral temple, both inside and out.

Under the cool moonlight, deep within the imperial city, dormant forces began to awaken.

…………

As dawn broke, the morning light slanted across the rooftops.

"This is delicious, I'll have another plate!"

Inside Rouyuan Post Station, Li Yan and others were having a meal.

They knew that the postmaster was most likely responsible for monitoring everyone, and after what happened last night, leaving would be even more difficult.

But in any case, the food at Rouyuan Post Station is definitely delicious.

A celadon bowl holds a thick, savory stir-fried liver, with a garlic-infused sauce coating the trembling pork liver and intestines, steaming with a savory mist.

A bamboo steamer is filled with small, golden-yellow chestnut flour buns, while next to them, milky-white kidney bean rolls reveal the subtle patterns of red bean paste.

Crispy fried dough rings in a rough earthenware dish, dipped in sesame paste diluted with boiling water, and topped with a spoonful of golden-red, translucent pickled vegetable pieces…

Although simple, they all exude a sense of refinement.

After finishing their meal, everyone stayed up and ate, leaving the table full of uneaten food.

"It smells so good, save some for me..."

The door to the side room creaked open, and Kuai Dayou, who had just woken up, walked out, leaning against the wall as he smelled the aroma.

This kid is in good shape; he's already got a big appetite as soon as he escaped danger.

Without any politeness, he snatched the bean roll from Shalifei's hand and stuffed it into his mouth along with the fried liver.

Li Yan wasn't in a hurry. After wiping his hands with a towel, he drank hot tea and waited.

After he had eaten and drunk his fill, and was clutching his wound and grimacing, he finally spoke up: "What exactly happened to Rabbit God?"

Seemingly in a good mood, Kuai Dayou was no longer acting arrogantly. Picking his teeth with a bamboo skewer, he said, "What else could it be? I owe someone a favor."

“I have a junior uncle whose youngest son fell ill. He prayed for a Rabbit God sachet to wear to ward off bad luck and the son recovered.”

"The temple keeper asked me to concoct monkey-like ghost soldiers to protect him, and I agreed out of kindness. Who knew I'd be entangled with him ever since..."

"The Rabbit God has received offerings from the people and needs to perform a ritual to help the souls of the children who have passed away. I can only help..."

Li Yan said thoughtfully, "You don't know what's going on inside?"

"do not know."

Kuai Dayou shook his head and said, "I was only responsible for setting up the altar. Once inside, I was under the command of the Rabbit Lord. If I had known it would cause such trouble, I would have been fully prepared."

Li Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, "Who is the temple keeper for the Rabbit God?"

The Rabbit God is a popular deity, widely worshipped in the capital, and is considered very powerful.

It's one thing to perform rituals to help the wronged souls of those children, but if someone were to intervene outside to save him, there would definitely be someone directing the operation.

"He was a grumpy old man who claimed to be nameless."

Kuai Dayou clicked his tongue and cursed, "He's the one who ordered the refining of the hairy monkey! Damn it, he tricked me, I won't let him off easily!"

"Anonymous..."

Li Yan frowned slightly, suddenly remembering that "old ghost from the capital".

Just as he was about to continue questioning, Luo Mingzi suddenly rushed over and said in a deep voice, "There is indeed a problem."

"I heard that something happened at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. His Majesty is furious and has issued an order to surround and kill Kong Hui and Zhao Qingxu with all his might."

"It's not that simple!"

Shalifei curled his lip and said, "Those two are elusive; I'm afraid we won't be able to find them."

Luo Mingzi quickly shook his head and said, "This time is different. Their arrangements in the capital have revealed their whereabouts. Several national advisors will take action and use the Xuanmen divination technique to calculate the location. Brother Yan, you'd better come with me to summon the Yin Si troops to suppress and kill them."

Li Yan frowned slightly. "They have magical artifacts; they can't be captured by summoning underworld soldiers."

"Don't worry." Luo Mingzi looked outside.

"The three grandmasters of the capital are all going to make a move, which will be a good opportunity for you to broaden your horizons."

"what?!"

Upon hearing this, everyone stood up.

…………

The imperial decree resounded like thunder in the Forbidden City, but when it reached the three quiet places of seclusion in the capital, it only stirred up a ripple in the deep pool.

Outside the imperial city, deep in a southwest alley, stands a low-key courtyard house with three courtyards.

The mottled vermilion gate is inlaid with copper nails the size of bowls.

Above the door hangs an ebony plaque with the two characters "止戈" (meaning "stop the war") engraved in relief.

The courtyard, paved with blue bricks, is as smooth as a mirror. A half-withered ancient locust tree leans against the old wall, and fish swim in a large vat below.

Inside the courtyard, a man was kneeling on the ground.

He was as muscular as a rock, with a menacing anchor tattoo on his neck, high cheekbones, and a slanted scar on his left forehead that disappeared into his mottled temples.

If people in the martial arts world of the capital saw this, they would be greatly surprised.

This man was Luo Gongsheng, the leader of the Iron Anchor Society, one of the three major gangs in the capital.

But at this moment, the gang leader knelt on both knees, not daring to raise his head, holding a heavy, broken anchor high in both hands, the anchor tip pointing upside down at his heart, and said in a hoarse voice, "Master, your disciple has fallen."

"Things are constantly hampered in the capital; Wang She is someone arranged by the Prince of Yan's steward..."

He quickly changed his words halfway through, "Of course, I also bear responsibility for oversight."

In the shadows beneath the eaves, a burly old man sat comfortably in a grand chair, drinking tea and reading a book.

Although he was old and had white hair, his bronze muscles and bulging ribs were still visible under his black short jacket, making him look like a deity in a temple.

He seemed engrossed in his book, his fingertips lightly tapping the rosewood armrest.

Boom!Boom!Boom!
It appears light, but its dull thud is like the pounding of a drum.

The old locust tree branches and leaves in the courtyard fell in a rustling sound, reflecting the cold sweat on Luo Gongsheng's forehead, which snaked like crawling insects.

The person above was none other than Huo Yin, one of the Ten Great Masters of China and the president of the Great Xuan Divine Fist Association!
(End of this chapter)