Knife splashing

Chapter 803 The Wind Pauses, the Rain Ceases

The newcomer was none other than Zhang Jingxuan, the leader of the Jiangnan Xuanmen sect and the Celestial Master of the Southern Celestial Masters sect!

He stood with his hands behind his back, an ancient sword on his back, exuding the air of a grandmaster.

The troupe leader of the ghost opera looked at the two people behind him and felt his scalp tingle.

On the right is a burly old man, dressed in indigo robes, with a five-colored Dharma body wrapped around his waist. His face is resolute as if carved by an axe, his eyes are bright and piercing, and his hair and beard are like halberds, exuding an aura of dominance.

On the left is an old Taoist priest with a simple and ancient face and white hair and beard. He is wearing the blue cloud-patterned Taoist robe that is the signature of the Maoshan Shangqing Sect. He holds a whisk and has an ethereal aura. He looks old, but he stands there like a towering mountain.

The Three Pure Ones Bell at his waist jingled, unsettling the ghost troupe leader.

"The leader of the Lushan Fajiao sect, the Fire Cloud Taoist!"

"Linglongzi of the Shangqing Sect of Maoshan..."

The troupe leader of the ghost opera troupe snorted coldly: "It's an honor to have the three of you come all here. You really think highly of me."

They spoke forcefully, but dared not act rashly.

The eldest of the Maoshan Shangqing Sect, Linglongzi, flicked his whisk and said calmly, "Many years ago, your ghost opera troupe wreaked havoc everywhere and was besieged by the righteous sects. I was young then and also participated in it."

"It's a pity we didn't wipe you out back then, allowing you to rise from the ashes and cause disaster."

"Hahaha~"

The leader of the ghost opera troupe smiled coldly and said, "Back then, I also had a sincere heart and sought guidance from various immortal mountains and grotto heavens. But you people, who consider yourselves to be orthodox disciples of the Xuanmen sect, look down on us unorthodox sects of the Jianghu and suppress us at every turn, acting unfairly."

"Otherwise, why would I be your enemy?"

"Enough, things have come to this point, let's see who's the real deal!"

As he spoke, he began to perform a hand seal.

"What's the rush, fellow Daoist?"

Zhang Jingxuan spoke calmly, "If we wanted to kill you, why would we need to waste words?"

The troupe leader narrowed his eyes slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Let's make a deal."

Zhang Jingxuan's eyes held a deeper meaning. "Since the troupe leader is involved in this matter, he is most likely just a pawn in someone else's game. Our target is the mastermind behind it all. There are some things we would like to ask you. If the troupe leader tells us the truth, we can leave today."

The troupe leader suddenly realized, "You want to find Zhao Changsheng?"

Zhang Jingxuan calmly said, "This person intends to stir up trouble in the Central Plains. He has come to Jiangnan to make various plans, and something big is bound to happen."

"We want to know what his plan is?"

The leader of the Lushan Fa Sect said coldly from the side, "You must swear an oath to tell the truth. Don't think you can fool us!"

As he spoke, he grasped a special whip at his waist.

This whip is no ordinary whip.

The Lushan sect is famous for its many magical artifacts, the most unique of which is the dragon horn conch shell, which is said to be able to reach the ears of the heavens.

But this whip is no ordinary weapon; it is known as Master Wu, the Hemp Snake, and even as the True Lord of Ten Thousand Spirits and the Saint of the Golden Whip.

In terms of killing power, it is in no way inferior to any orthodox religious lineage.

"The Jade Emperor is the supreme ruler in heaven, and the king is the most noble person on earth. All the gods and spirits in the world revere him, but only Lushan holds the reins."

These are not words to be spoken casually.

Linglongzi, the old Taoist priest of the Shangqing Sect of Maoshan, handed over a purple paper talisman.

This is a talisman used for making vows.

Unlike ordinary people, practitioners may not be afraid of ghosts and gods, but they are afraid of inner demons.

After all, one's cultivation is connected to the temple or pavilion built within one's body. Once the inner demons fulfill their vows, the temple or pavilion will collapse, and years of cultivation will be destroyed in an instant.

The troupe leader's eyelids twitched slightly, and his expression was obscured by the greasepainted face mask.

Seeing that he couldn't escape today, he finally sneered, took the talisman, recited the oath of his inner demons, and said:

"Fine, anyway, after this matter, Jianmu will no longer tolerate me, so telling you won't hurt."

"I don't know their specific goals, but they only have one plan: to disrupt China and destroy the prosperity of the Great Xuan Dynasty."

"The first thing is to create chaos in Jiangnan. It is a major source of tax revenue and grain, and it also has many ports. Once there is chaos and war, the Japanese pirates and barbarians will take the opportunity to attack. As for what to do next, only Zhao Changsheng and his people know."

"Disrupting Jiangnan..."

A cold glint appeared in Zhang Jingxuan's eyes. "Let's see if they have the ability."

As he spoke, he slightly raised his hand and said, "Fellow Daoist, please."

The troupe leader snorted and turned to leave.

"Wait!"

Zhang Jingxuan suddenly spoke up, "From now on, I will be stationed in Jiangnan. If I hear any news of the troupe leader again, I will search for you by heaven and sea!"

The troupe leader glanced at him indifferently, then pushed off with his feet, leaping out with a whoosh and disappearing into black smoke.

After he left, all three fell silent.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, what do you think?" the hot-tempered leader of the Lushan Fa Sect asked directly.

"It's not that simple."

Zhang Jingxuan said thoughtfully, "Before I came here, I collected information from all sides. The origin of this Jianmu organization can be traced back to Xu Fu's eastward voyage during the Qin Dynasty. It has appeared and disappeared over the past thousand years. It has a shadow behind the Mahayana sect and the Maitreya sect. The Ghost Sect of the Great Song Dynasty was rampant for a time, but it always operated in secret."

"But now they are openly and brazenly trying to destabilize the land, sparing no expense, and upon closer examination, it all comes down to one thing..."

Linglongzi of the Shangqing Sect of Maoshan blurted out: "Humanity's transformation!"

"Yes."

Zhang Jingxuan's gaze turned serious as she looked up at the dark, rainy night.

"They each have a copy of the 'Earth Official's Pardon Edict,' there must be someone behind them..."

The leader of the Lushan Fajiao sect, Huoyun Daoren, said angrily, "It is hateful that the imperial court chooses to sit idly by at this time, disregarding the lives of the common people!"

Linglongzi of Shangqing Sect said calmly, "His Majesty likes the art of balancing things. He previously assigned a junior commander to handle the affairs of Jinling to test whether the government's orders were being followed. Those two aristocratic families have been living comfortably for too long. They thought that by controlling the Jinling officialdom, they could rest easy and did not see the risks."

"Now that's settled, His Majesty has decided to kill him as soon as he's dead."

As he spoke, he seemed to ponder, "This Emperor is indeed difficult to deal with. Whether it's the Xuanmen sect or the aristocratic families, everyone lives cautiously. The checks and balances have also caused much turmoil. However, I've heard that His Majesty is in poor health and has fainted several times. Furthermore, the Crown Prince has a very close relationship with the Kaihai Sect..."

"No!"

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Jingxuan's eyes narrowed slightly, and he said solemnly, "As the saying goes, serving a ruler is like serving a tiger, and an old tiger is even more suspicious. The Crown Prince's trip to Minzhou to reorganize the royal fleet and salvage treasures may just be another test."

"If the Jiangmen Xuanmen and the aristocratic families provide their full assistance, there will inevitably be more twists and turns."

"I have already sent someone to suggest that the Crown Prince seek the assistance of the Twelve Zodiac Stars; they are the most suitable candidates!"

"That's true."

Huoyun Daoren, the leader of the Lushan Fajiao sect, nodded and said, "These little guys are ruthless. Whether it's Zhao Changsheng or the others in this Jianmu organization, they've all suffered great losses at their hands. It's quite interesting."

"That's how it'll be arranged."

Zhang Jingxuan turned to look at Jinling City. "The key now is to ensure the smooth conduct of the Dragon Throwing Ceremony. We will then head to Taihu Lake to besiege the sorceress Leiyin, retrieve the Yangzhou Cauldron, and transport it to the capital."

"To the capital?"

The leader of the Lushan Fa Sect frowned. "This item is of great importance. It's safest to place it in the earth's veins. What if it damages the feng shui of Jiangnan…"

“This is to show our stance,” Zhang Jingxuan sighed. “It is precisely because this item is important that we cannot dispose of it casually.”

"Don't worry, the imperial advisors and old foxes in the temple know the stakes involved and will advise His Majesty. Then we'll have the powerful families of Jiangnan all submit a petition to apologize and back down, and that'll be the end of it."

"Humanitarian reforms are underway, the land is in turmoil, and evil forces are eyeing us. At this critical time, we must not allow internal strife..."

…………

As the rain subsided, the city of Nanjing came into view in the distance under the leaden sky.

Despite being exhausted from a series of fierce battles, Li Yan and his group remained vigilant, their bodies still radiating a fierce aura.

They thought that only Qiu Mingyuan would come to meet them.

However, when they appeared on the official road in the suburbs, the scene before them was unexpected.

The city gates were wide open, and the ceremonial guards were in full force.

The Jinling officials, who usually outwardly obeyed the Commandant's orders but inwardly defied them and remained bystanders to the disputes within the Xuanmen sect, were now all lined up to greet them.

The prefect, dressed in a brand-new official robe, was all smiles, followed by a group of subordinates including the sub-prefect and assistant prefect, all adopting extremely humble postures.

What was even more striking was that representatives from local Taoist families and temples in Jinling were all present, including many elders who had previously been ambiguous or even subtly hostile to outsiders. At this moment, they wore warm smiles and displayed an almost deliberate respect.

"Welcome back in triumph, Young Hero Li and all the righteous warriors!"

The prefect was the first to bow and pay his respects, his voice loud and clear, carrying far through the rainy night.

The other officials and members of the Xuanmen sect echoed this sentiment, bowing and making obeisance, creating a grand yet bizarre scene.

Li Yan paused slightly, his sharp gaze sweeping across the overly enthusiastic faces before him like that of a hawk.

Qiu Mingyuan, who was also leading the way, frowned and shook his head slightly, indicating that he did not know the situation.

Shalifei's lips curled into a mocking smile. He was about to say something sarcastic when Kuai Dayou tugged at his clothes beside him.

The change in these people's attitude was too abrupt and somewhat strange.

First, there are many mysteries surrounding the bombing of the Prince's Mansion, with officials and members of prominent families either dead or unconscious, hindering the investigation; then there is the crisis at Hongxiaofang, where the Jianmu organization and the Ghost Opera Troupe are openly causing trouble right under our noses.

Previously, local forces in Nanjing mostly chose to protect themselves and might even have secretly hindered them.

The fact that they're putting on such a grand welcome now is definitely suspicious!

Despite his many doubts, Li Yan remained calm and composed, nodding slightly and speaking in a hoarse, weary voice: "My lords and comrades, thank you for your kindness."

He deliberately avoided engaging in any conversation or exchanging pleasantries.

Qiu Mingyuan immediately understood, stepped forward, and said in a deep voice, "Young Master Li fought with the righteous men all night, turning the tide, but his primordial spirit is greatly depleted and he urgently needs rest. The Commandery will investigate the bombing of the Prince's Mansion and the disturbance caused by the demons last night in detail later. I would like to trouble you all to maintain order in the city and appease the people."

The smiles on the faces of the prefect and his entourage faltered. They seemed to want to say something more polite, but despite their exhaustion, their imposing presence ultimately deterred them from further provocation. They quickly stepped aside to make way, saying repeatedly:

"That's only right, that's only right! Young Hero Li and all the righteous men have worked hard, please go back to the yamen to rest!"

Li Yan said no more and took the lead.

The group remained silent, and under the watchful eyes of the officials and members of the Xuanmen sect, they passed through the city gate and headed straight for the Commandery.

The people behind them looked at each other, seemingly relieved.

"Lord Qiu, what has happened?"

Upon returning to the Duweisi office, Li Yan immediately began to inquire.

"I was just wondering about that too."

Qiu Mingyuan frowned and said, "These blockheads, I have taken down quite a few people before, and they still have illusions. But now their attitude has changed drastically. I guess there is another reason."

He shook his head, saying, "Like grasshoppers in autumn, there's no need to bother with them. You're all tired, go and get some rest..."

"Report!"

Before he could finish speaking, a captain came to report: "Sir, the City God Temple Master requests an audience."

When everyone heard this, they looked at each other.

The Jinling City God Temple, which should have been in charge of the Enforcement Hall, was excluded by the local lineage and had its power consolidated by Longhu Mountain. As a result, it only had a few members and was practically invisible in this incident.

A sudden request for an audience is probably not that simple.

"Please come in!" Qiu Mingyuan nodded.

Soon, Zhang Jingqing, the old Taoist priest, dressed in a straw raincoat and carrying a bamboo hat, entered the hall. Upon meeting, he smiled and cupped his hands in greeting:
"Congratulations on your victorious return!"

Li Yan said calmly, "Daoist Master, please speak plainly. I really have no time to guess."

“This…that is.”

Zhang Jingqing's face stiffened for a moment, then he smiled and said, "I'm sure you all have some doubts about what happened outside the city just now. I won't waste any more words, because someone has arrived ahead of time!"

"in advance?"

Li Yan immediately understood: "That leader of the Jiangnan Xuanmen sect, Zhang Jingxuan?"

"Yes."

Old Taoist Zhang Jingqing smiled slightly, "I'm just here to pass on a message. From now on, when the Twelve Yuan Chen move around in Jiangnan, all the local lineages will cooperate, and there will be no more shirking of responsibility. As for the crisis in Jinling, Young Hero Li can rest assured."

"Oh?"

Li Yan's expression remained calm: "What happened today was merely my act of saving my companion. The Jiangnan lineage guards this region, enjoys the offerings of incense, and has also obtained most of the blessed lands of the Divine Continent. This is your duty."

The other party's words sounded nice, but it was merely a duty they were obligated to fulfill; he wouldn't accept such a gesture.

“That’s…”

Zhang Jingqing, the old Taoist, was not annoyed. "The Dragon Throwing Ceremony will be held the day after tomorrow. I would like to invite Young Hero Li to attend the ceremony."

Having said that, he cupped his hands in farewell and turned to leave.

Li Yan sneered and turned his head, saying, "Lord Qiu, I'm afraid these words are directed at you."

Qiu Mingyuan, having regained his composure, shook his head and said, "I will convey their message. But whether His Majesty and the court are willing to listen is none of my concern. However, with Zhang Jingxuan in charge, at least Jinling can be a little more stable..."

After a major battle, Li Yan and the others didn't want to dwell on it any longer and went straight back to their rooms to rest.

After returning to his room, Li Yan took out the "Edict of Pardon from the Earth Official" and examined it carefully.

What he was more concerned about was what to do next.
The reason we were able to win this time despite the danger is because we had a trump card that the enemy didn't know about.

If those demons from Jianmu were to make another move, they would surely be prepared.

This is putting us in a very passive position.

Thinking of this, Li Yan gazed out the window thoughtfully.

The improvement of one's spiritual cultivation is not something that can be achieved overnight, and one cannot always rely on magical implements.

Perhaps the only solution is to change the course of action...

…………

Before we knew it, another day had passed with the rising and setting of the sun and moon.

Zhang Jingxuan's arrival gave Jinling City a true pillar of support.

He directly ordered a swift and decisive crackdown, with local Xuanmen sect members and the cultivators who came to provide support sweeping away all areas inside and outside the city suspected of being occupied by the Cocoon-Clad Cultists.

And the long-awaited Dragon Throwing Ceremony finally arrived...

(End of this chapter)