Knife splashing

Chapter 749 Prison Break, Siege

crazy?

Seeing Manager Kong's expression, Li Yan's face immediately darkened.

He didn't have much of a relationship with this Manager Kong, but he had helped him resolve the matter and was now recruiting Kong Shangzhao, a young man, into his group. That meant he had a karmic connection to him and had to take responsibility for it.

Now that things have turned out this way, how am I supposed to explain this to people?

He looked at Wang Daoxuan beside him.

Wang Daoxuan immediately understood and whispered, "If you want to investigate, you must first break the law."

They are also using sophisticated escape techniques at the same time. If we want to find out the problem, we must use other methods. We will inevitably have to remove the escape techniques, which will also alert the prison guards.

Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan exchanged a glance and nodded slightly.

No words are needed; tacit understanding arises naturally.

This is no place to linger; we must find out the reason with swift and decisive action!
"Disperse!"

Wang Daoxuan gave a low shout, turned around, and his Taoist robe spun around.

As the Five Directions Luofeng Banner was lowered, the black mist suddenly dissipated into the surrounding area.

Almost the instant his figure was exposed, the chill in the cold dungeon surged, and the wooden peach charm hanging on the stone wall at the entrance shattered with a crack, startling the few prison guards who were dozing off.

"who?!"

The prison guards were so frightened that they instinctively reached for their knives and blew their whistles.

However, their movements appeared as slow as if frozen in Li Yan's eyes.

Li Yan suddenly lunged forward with a burst of speed.

He had already entered the Dan Jin realm. During his time at Qiankun Academy, he practiced diligently every day without stopping. He even used all the newly acquired treasures to repair his Daluo Dharma Body, so his progress was rapid and his Dan Jin was already perfectly integrated.

As your kung fu improves, your agility will naturally increase as well.

His movement technique is a fusion of the "Close at Hand" martial arts technique and the Yu Step of the "Northern Emperor's Divine Speed ​​Technique". It has already shown the rudiments of martial arts and can be used as fast as thunder and is unpredictable.

Swish!
The figure flickered like a ghost, even leaving afterimages.

In just one breath, he had covered several meters and closed in on the prison guards.

Bang bang bang!
Without drawing his sword, he used the hilt to swiftly tap each of the men's "Yuzhen" acupoints on the back of their necks.

Before the guards could even see the person clearly, their eyes rolled back and they collapsed limply.

At the same time as Li Yan made his move, Wang Daoxuan also removed the Five Ghosts Moving Technique.

He drew his dagger, sliced ​​through the chains, and strode into the cell.

"I don't want to become an immortal, let me go!"

The shopkeeper, who seemed to have gone mad, pounced on him and started scratching.

Wang Daoxuan remained calm, made a "calming mind mantra" with his right hand, and slapped it forward, pressing it onto the forehead.

Manager Kong froze, and stopped.

Wang Daoxuan then raised his left hand, pointing his fingers like a sword, and pressed it against the "Shanzhong" acupoint on the chest, while chanting: "With concentrated spirit and calm qi, evil spirits cannot invade, command!"

A gentle surge of Taoist energy flowed in, and the frantically struggling Manager Kong seemed to have all his strength drained away. The chaotic bloodshot in his eyes subsided, replaced by a blank emptiness, with only a series of hoarse gasps coming from his throat.

They ceased their attacks, yet ignored everything before them.

Wang Daoxuan frowned slightly, overturned it, and laid it flat on the straw, his expression solemn.

He first lifted the shopkeeper's eyelids and saw that his pupils were unfocused and lifeless, then took his pulse.

"How is it?" Li Yan walked over at this moment.

While taking the pulse, Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard and said, "The pulse is as weak as a spider's thread, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, chaotic and disordered, like a bird startled by a bow, or a lamp running out of oil. It is definitely not caused by ordinary fright or medicine..."

"Damaged soul?" A glint flashed in Li Yan's eyes.

He doesn't know traditional Chinese medicine, but he's seen a lot and knows quite a bit.

"Ah."

Wang Daoxuan nodded, made a Yang mudra with his left hand, and swept his right fingers together in front of his eyes.

"The sky is clear and the earth is bright, the mysterious light reflects the truth, penetrating the deep and subtle, and the eye of wisdom opens swiftly!"

This is the "Brightening Method" from the "Five Divine Secrets".

Wang Daoxuan had already awakened his supernatural ability of sight, and with the enhancement of this method, he could see even more.

As soon as the incantation was completed, a faint golden light seemed to flash across his eyes as he ran his fingertips across the area.

Under Li Yan's gaze, his expression grew increasingly grim.

After a long while, Wang Daoxuan put away his magic spell, stood up, and shook his head, saying, "Troublesome, I've lost my soul!"

"Manager Kong's seven souls are still intact, but the 'human soul' among the three souls of Heaven, Earth, and Man is missing."

"The part of the human soul that governs intelligence and consciousness and travels between Yin and Yang seems to have been forcibly removed! No wonder he appears to be mentally impaired. The experts of the Kong family may be able to detect the instability of the soul, but they will find it difficult to locate this strange 'soul loss,' because it has disappeared without a trace after leaving the body. Ordinary methods of summoning the soul will probably be ineffective!"

"This must be an evil spell, and the method is extremely sophisticated and insidious!"

Li Yan narrowed his eyes slightly. "Can it be found?"

"There is a way!"

Wang Daoxuan nodded, then looked around, "But making too much noise won't work here."

Sneaking into a prison cell to investigate might not alert the authorities, but removing the person would be a serious crime of breaking into the prison.

If it were an ordinary person in the martial arts world, they would definitely have to weigh the pros and cons carefully.

But why would Li Yan be afraid of that?
"Let's go, before we cause any big commotion."

Without the slightest hesitation, Li Yan immediately stepped forward, grabbed Manager Kong's arm, and with a clever twist, the other man was lifted into the air and carried on Li Yan's back.

Wang Daoxuan also cooperated perfectly, taking out several yellow talismans from his pocket and walking beside him.

Soon, the two rushed out of the cold, dark prison passageway.

"who!"

Two night watchmen rushed over with lanterns upon hearing the noise, their astonished faces illuminated by the dim light.

Wang Daoxuan did not stop moving. With a wave of his wide sleeve, two talismans between his fingers spontaneously combusted, turning into a wisp of thin, indistinct blue smoke that instantly spread out.

The constables staggered, their eyes glazed over, and the lanterns in their hands clattered to the ground.

In the blink of an eye, he collapsed limply to the ground, snoring loudly.

This is a simple hypnotic technique, perfect for dealing with ordinary people.

"You wicked scoundrel! Don't run away!"

Just as they were about to leave, another sharp shout rang out.

A man dressed in an indigo-blue constable's uniform, with a four-foot-long goose-feather knife hanging at his waist, came rushing from the rooftops in the distance. Then, with a leap, he swooped down from the shadows of the eaves like a falcon.

His movements were swift and agile; before his sword was even drawn, a cold and chilling gust of wind swept down.

Of course, not everyone in the government is incompetent.

This man was Zheng Kun, one of the top fighters in Jinan Prefecture. Known as "Chasing the Wind Goose," he was skilled with a goose feather dagger and had captured countless notorious bandits, earning him a considerable reputation in the martial arts world of Shandong.

Tonight was his night shift, and he never expected to run into someone who dared to break into the prison!

In prison... it seems there's only that Kong family member among the prisoners.

If you make a great contribution, you will surely rise to prominence in the future!

Thinking of this, his eyes gleamed, he locked onto Li Yan, who was carrying Manager Kong, his right hand already gripping the hilt of his knife. With a somersault in the air, the knife slashed out with a clang, aiming for Li Yan's neck.

Of course, he only used a hidden technique, so how could he possibly harm Li Yan?

Li Yan's expression remained unchanged. He stepped back, dodging the attack while simultaneously blocking Manager Kong and Wang Daoxuan. Then, he delivered a powerful kick to the sky.

clang!
A tremendous force struck, and the goose-feather blade was sent flying.

Zheng Kun was also very experienced. Upon seeing this, he immediately withdrew his sword and released his force. At the same time, he used the force to fly out diagonally, rolled on the ground to get up, held his sword horizontally, and said coldly, "Who are you, scoundrel, daring to..." Before he could finish speaking, a large, hairy hand appeared next to his head.

As swiftly and decisively as smashing a watermelon, he slapped the man away, sending him rolling on the ground a dozen times before he was completely unconscious.

Bang!
"Hehe~"

Wu Ba touched his bald head sheepishly and ran towards Li Yan.

Meanwhile, Shalifei, holding a firearm, squatted on the wall, grinning wickedly at them.

However, several people noticed something was wrong and came to their aid.

Without further ado, Li Yan handed Manager Kong over to Wu Ba to carry, and the group quickly disappeared into the darkness…

…………

Before I knew it, a light rain started to fall again.

Dangdang Dangdang!
The piercing sound of the gong shattered the rain, instantly alarming the entire Jinan Prefecture.

The first to rush over were the two top disciples from the Kong family.

Kong Zhenyuan's forces arrived almost simultaneously with Kong Zhenlin's men. Sparks flew between them as they exchanged glances, yet both suppressed their hostility.

They stormed into the prison and their faces turned grim when they saw the cell door that had been violently broken open.

They didn't care whether the person was dead or alive, but Manager Kong was a key "witness" in the case. His abduction meant that the case itself was becoming increasingly uncontrollable, and the struggle for the position of Duke Yansheng was also changing.

More likely, it could even be exploited as a new point of attack.

The two groups remained on guard against each other while eagerly trying to find some clues at the scene.

Immediately afterwards, the experts from Mingde Academy also arrived.

The visitor was a middle-aged Confucian scholar, a direct disciple of the Grandmaster Lu Hongyuan.

He was instructed by his master to oversee the matter in order to prevent the two factions from escalating to an irreconcilable point.

Upon receiving the news, he rushed over in person. Although his steps were steady, his brows were furrowed.

"What are you doing!"

Seeing the tense standoff between the two factions of the Confucian school, the middle-aged Confucian scholar reprimanded them with a grim expression.

Officials of all ranks from the Jinan Prefecture government office also rushed over with lanterns, all filled with fear and trepidation.

This was a complete disaster for them.

This was an even greater humiliation for the experts from the Jinan government.

The head constables in charge of criminal and prison security came out in full force, and all the best police officers in the city also rushed over.

Seeing the huge handprint on the face of Zheng Kun, the "Wind Chaser" who had been revived, everyone's face turned ashen.

At the same time, Xu Cangsong from the Qilu Thousand-Household Office of the Commandery and the Enforcement Hall also arrived "late".

When Xu Cangsong arrived, his gaze swept across the scene like that of a hawk. He lingered for a moment on the broken prison door and the remaining traces of magic before shutting his mouth and saying nothing more.

The commander of the Duwei Division had a somber expression as he listened to his subordinate's whispered report, his eyes briefly meeting Xu Cangsong's.

They already knew it in their hearts.

Who else could possess such martial arts skills and methods, be proficient in such bizarre magic, and, more importantly, be interested in Manager Kong and even go so far as to break him out of prison, besides Li Yan and his group who had just entered Jinan Prefecture?

However, they are not fools.

Refusing Li Yan would be disrespectful; at worst, we'd just avoid dealing with him in the future.

But if we get involved in this matter, we'll be making a huge enemy!

Chengdu Prefecture, Luoyang City, the Twelve Zodiacs are vicious men who roam amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

So, the officers from the Commandery and the Enforcement Hall simply made a brief on-site investigation and record. Then, the Commander of the Commandery walked up to the head of the Prefectural Government Office and said sternly, "This matter is suspicious. The prison breakers are highly skilled in martial arts and know evil magic. This is not the work of ordinary bandits. You shall continue to investigate thoroughly, and report any clues to our office immediately!"

"The government should do everything in its power to block the news and avoid panic among the people. It should also refrain from drawing conclusions too easily, lest it alert the enemy."

These words sounded like an order, but in reality, they were an attempt to distance themselves and delay, passing the buck to the prefectural government.

Xu Cangsong coldly added, "The traces are mixed; let me examine them carefully."

After saying that, he said no more, appearing as a detached and superior person who only cared about the "evidence".

"Humph!"

The middle-aged Confucian scholar from Mingde Academy snorted coldly upon seeing this, but there was nothing he could do about it. He turned to the Kong family and the officials from the yamen and said, "Go and investigate!"

"Even if we have to turn Jinan upside down, we must find him!"

………………

"Quickly, put him down!"

The candlelight flickered, and in the dimly lit room, Manager Kong was placed on the bed.

When Kong Shangzhao saw his father looking emaciated and laughing maniacally, his eyes immediately turned red and tears welled up in his eyes.

"don’t worry."

Wang Daoxuan pressed down on his shoulder, the "Mind-Stabilizing Seal" of the Five Divine Techniques shimmering between his fingers as he tried to calm him down. "Brother Kong, calm down. Your father's soul was taken away by someone using evil magic. There is still hope."

"Master, please help me!" Kong Shangzhao quickly bowed and clasped his hands.

"We're brothers, no need for formalities."

Wang Daoxuan said in a deep voice, "They have been refused entry for quite some time, and ordinary soul-summoning formations are difficult to use, but it is not without a solution!"

As he spoke, he took out tortoise shells and copper coins and quickly performed divination. He then kept checking Manager Kong's eyelids and stroked his beard, saying, "There is a way. We need to set up the 'Three Yin Returning Soul Altar,' gather the core of a hundred-year-old peach wood to make a soul-guiding banner, use rootless water to dispel evil, and mix the five grains with the people's wishes to make a rice bowl... When Yin and Yang are in harmony at the hour of Yin, we can use the technique of chasing the soul and guiding the spirit to trace its origin!"

"But all these things need to be prepared."

Fatty Lin, standing nearby, quickly said, "The 'Ghost Fanlou' black market in Jinan should have it; I know it well!"

Bang Bang Bang!
Just then, a sudden, urgent clapper sounded outside the window, and the barking of dogs and the sound of horses' hooves tore through the rainy night.

The crowd lifted the curtain to peek, and saw torches like dragons illuminating the long street.

Armored yamen runners, armed with muskets, joined the skilled warriors of the Confucius Mansion in blocking the road.

The students of Mingde Martial Arts School followed behind the yamen runners, kicking aside their neighbors to question them.

The group exchanged glances and then closed the window.

This commotion was within their expectations. They only needed to wait until the situation calmed down tomorrow before quickly preparing their things and heading out of the city to carry out the ritual.

Merchants from Jiangsu and Zhejiang held a prominent position, and even the Prince of De's residence frequently visited them; they would not normally search this place.

However, things often don't go as expected.

The search operation continued until dawn.

The powerful officials of Jinan Prefecture, with the backing of the Confucius Mansion, went straight to all sorts of people in the city.

Inside Yuanji Silk Shop, the shopkeeper was cornered and being sternly questioned by a master from the Kong family…

The head of the Grand Canal gang was confronted by Li, the "Mountain Hawk" constable from Jinan Prefecture, who led a group of men to his door for questioning...

At the Five Elements Mule and Horse Shop, Zhao Meng, the master craftsman known as "Golden-Backed Knife" dispatched by Kong Zhenlin, burst in. His knife slammed against the counter, making a loud thud, and he menacingly ordered the shop assistants, grooms, and servants to reveal any suspicious outsiders…

In short, the entire city of Jinan was thrown into turmoil.

Brokers who sold information, dealers who sold stolen goods, and local bullies from the east and west markets all suffered.

In the end, they still managed to find a clue.

The old leader of the Beggars' Sect on his journey to the West was originally a nobody in the martial arts world, but he had many beggars under his command and was well-informed. After asking for a hundred taels of silver, he left while singing the Lotus Song.

"Hey! Wanderers of the martial world, merchants from the north and south."

"The guests from the treasure ship are busy staying at the hotel, hey... and they're even carrying a sickly-looking guy..."

In less than half an hour!

The constables from the yamen, wielding iron rulers and chains, the powerful servants of the Kong family carrying knives, spears, and clubs, and the disciples of Mingde Academy, armed with long swords and short maces, surrounded the Jiangzhe Chamber of Commerce from all directions, making it impossible for them to get through...

(End of this chapter)