The stolen magic is a bit magical

On that day, Qingying was originally going to go to Jiangnan with Lin Xiaosu.

But she didn't go.

Because Lin Xiaosu assigned her a task: to go to Lanzhou.

She received two instructions.

First, investigate the Thousand Poisons Sect.

Secondly, investigate Prince Lanning.

What exactly is being investigated?

All-around!
This order is so taboo because the subjects of the investigation are all extraordinary.

Prince Lanning, the current second prince, has long held a position among the top two princes. Many people have judged that after the death of the former crown prince Hongding, he is the most promising prince to succeed as the crown prince.

The Thousand Poisons Sect was even more extraordinary.

It is a branch of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect.

What kind of sect is the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect?
One of the "Nine Gates"!

In other words, its status in the martial arts world is comparable to that of the Ancient Sect, the Demon Sect, the Evil Sect, and even the former Samsara Sect.

It is one of the nineteen super giants at the very top of the pyramid.

Under normal circumstances, who would dare to provoke the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect?

Who dares to point the finger directly at the Thousand Poisons Sect, a branch of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect?

But this newly appointed official of the Great Wilderness Court had such ambition that before heading south, he arranged for his trusted confidants to enter Lanzhou to conduct a comprehensive investigation of these two targets—a prince who currently held the highest position and a powerful branch at the top of the cultivation pyramid.

After four months of comprehensive investigation, Qingying has basically uncovered the truth and has given Lin Xiaosu a full report…

Her report focused on the Thousand Poisons Sect.

The Thousand Poisons Sect is very evil.

The Thousand Poisons Sect is an island sect in a lake called Heavenly Mystery Lake. The lake changes color with the seasons, and heavenly secrets are often revealed in the lake, making it a sacred place for countless cultivators to flock to.

However, a thousand years ago, a super sect called Wan Du Men, which did not belong to the Great Wilderness, extended its reach into this lake. Once Wan Du Men intervened, this lake became a poisonous lake. The water was poisonous, the creatures in the lake were highly poisonous, and even the wind on the lake was poisonous.

This poison is so potent that even cultivators cannot withstand it, let alone ordinary people.

As a result, the fishermen on the lake, the people living by the lake, and the sects on the lakeside either died or fled. In the end, the entire lake became the territory of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect, and no one dared to touch it.

The Ten Thousand Poisons Sect embarked on a massive construction project on the giant island in the middle of the lake, establishing a new sect called the "Thousand Poisons Sect".

If it were just this lake, it wouldn't be so bad.

However, there are indications that the Thousand Poisons Sect has been expanding, using extremely insidious and underhanded methods.

Around Tianji Lake, hundreds of years ago, a kind of grass called "Nightmare Grass" appeared out of nowhere. This grass has extremely strong vitality. It takes root wherever it lands. If people or animals come into contact with it, they will either go crazy or die on the spot. What's more, the seeds of this grass are scattered by the wind and take root wherever they land. The roots spread rapidly in the soil and grow faster than bamboo shoots.

The land by the lake was rapidly invaded by this poisonous weed.

Whether it was the government, local tycoons, villagers, or cultivation sects, they naturally did not want the fertile fields passed down from their ancestors to become a field of poisonous weeds, and tried every means to remove the weeds, but removing the weeds was extremely difficult.

If you pull up this plant and expose it to the sun for ten to fifteen days, it will still survive when it comes into contact with water.

You can cut it into countless pieces, and each piece can take root.

If you want to burn everything down, then congratulations, you've found a quick way to the gates of hell. The smoke and dust from burning grass are enough to wipe out an entire village, leaving no one alive.

The government was truly at its wits' end, and some people even went to the Thousand Poisons Sect to negotiate, plead, and explain the advantages and disadvantages...

However, the people of the Thousand Poisons Sect do not acknowledge it!

They absolutely refuse to acknowledge any connection between the spread of this nightmare grass and them.

They also refused to take action to rectify the situation.

Almost everyone in the Ming Dynasty knew that the Nightmare Grass was a magical artifact used by the Thousand Poisons Sect to seize territory.

But they just won't admit it.

There's absolutely no way to deal with that.

Behind it stood the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect, one of the nineteen giants. No one dared to use force to eliminate it. Without eliminating it, this Nightmare Grass advanced horizontally in an extremely domineering and unreasonable manner.

Over the course of five hundred years, half of Lanzhou fell to the enemy and became a field of poisonous weeds.

Regardless of whether you originally belonged to the government, the royal family, a powerful clan, or a sect, you will all be taken over by poisonous weeds.

The air was filled with hallucinogenic toxic gases.

The land is all poisonous.

All the water sources are poisonous.

Where is this place for people to live?
Therefore, relocation is the only option.

Currently, half of the state is actually under the control of the Thousand Poisons Sect. Only they can freely enter and exit this poisonous field, and they also raise a large number of poisonous creatures inside.

This is the situation of the Thousand Poisons Sect.

Their expansion has not stopped; the poisonous weed is still spreading and is now less than 100 miles from Dongning, the capital of Lanzhou.

Some have estimated that within ten years at most, this ancient city with a history of three thousand years will be completely overrun by poisonous weeds.

The seventeen prominent families and three major sects of Dongning are engaged in a fierce struggle with the Thousand Poisons Sect. There are indications that 72 tragedies occurred last year as a result, with 4,329 people losing their lives due to poison.

At this point, Qingying pulled out a thick booklet, on which she recorded detailed historical information about these seventy-two tragedies in her tiny handwriting.

Lin Xiaosu took the booklet, which was soaked with her sweat over the past four months, opened it, and quickly browsed through it. After about fifteen minutes, she turned to the last page: "Okay, let's talk about Prince Lanning!"

"If the Thousand Poisons Sect is a demon, then King Lanning is practically a living Buddha to all the families in Lanzhou..."

Qingying recounted the information she had gathered.

Prince Lanning, the second son of the current emperor, is intelligent and talented from a young age. He is also a cultivator who has reached the state of enlightenment, making him the only prince to achieve this.

He was indifferent to fame and fortune and did not participate in the struggle for succession among the princes.

When the Crown Prince was overseeing the country, he summoned him back to the capital to assist him in handling government affairs, but he declined, saying that he wished to be a leisurely prince.

What impressed the people of Lanzhou most was his kindness.

On his fiefdom, there is a sacred spring called "Worry-Free Spring," which can cure all poisons in the world.

Lanzhou is under pressure from the Thousand Poisons Sect, and countless people are poisoned every day. King Lanning has opened the Spirit Spring to save those who are poisoned.

He treated everyone equally, regardless of whether they were disciples of a sect, a clan, or ordinary people. What's even more commendable is that he saved lives with his spiritual spring without taking a single penny.

Therefore, in the hearts of all the people of Lanzhou, this Prince of Lanning was a wise and virtuous king.

There are even rumors circulating among the people that "Eastern Sage, Western Poison" – the Thousand Poisons Sect is in the west, while Lan Ning King is in the east.

Lin Xiaosu picked up her teacup: "Is this all you've gained in these four months?"

Qingying said, "If the Marquis had only given me a month to investigate, it's possible that this is all the information I would have brought back to you. But the Marquis gave me too much time to investigate, so in addition to this, I also brought back some interesting things."

"Oh? Tell me about it!" Lin Xiaosu said.

Qingying said, "I disguised myself as a maid in the Prince's mansion and lived there for a whole month. I found that this Prince Lanning is a very self-disciplined person!"

"self-discipline?"

"Yes, he is so self-disciplined that he knows exactly when to eat, when to meditate, when to handle affairs of the Prince's Palace, and even the location of the pen he uses is always the same!"

“Interesting! This detail is very interesting!” Lin Xiaosu said, “A leisurely prince doesn’t need to be so self-disciplined. Only someone who wants to accomplish something great would have such a sense of self-discipline.”

“Exactly! If his leisure is a facade, then what about the other side he presents to the world? Is that necessarily true?” Qingying said.

"Go on!" Lin Xiaosu said.

"With this in mind, I re-examined this wise king and discovered three suspicious points. First, the Thousand Poisons Sect poisoned him, and he cured it, clearly indicating his opposition to the Thousand Poisons Sect. However, the Thousand Poisons Sect never retaliated against him. Second, although his spiritual spring was heavily guarded, the Thousand Poisons Sect was backed by the Myriad Poisons Sect. If they wanted to defile this spiritual spring, they would certainly have a way, but it has never been defiled over the years. Third... he actually had a very good relationship with the former Crown Prince Hong Ding." Qingying took a deep breath: "Therefore, I have reason to suspect that his 'wisdom' was deliberately crafted. He and the Thousand Poisons Sect may have played a mutually beneficial role. He allowed the Thousand Poisons Sect to encroach on half of Lanzhou, while the Thousand Poisons Sect and the Myriad Poisons Sect helped him gain the title of a wise king, and even used it as leverage to help him compete for the Eastern Palace! In the past few days since returning to the desolate capital, I have also truly felt the new wind in the court. Many people are already building momentum for him, saying that this wise king is worthy of the Eastern Palace position!"

Lin Xiaosu smiled: "Qingying, you've matured!"

Qingying was overjoyed: "Does the Marquis approve of Qingying's judgment?"

Lin Xiaosu said, "Do you think I sent you to Lanzhou specifically to investigate these two forces? It's because I already had a basic outline in my mind, and the information you've verified basically confirms my judgment!"

Qingying's heart pounded: "My lord, does His Majesty intend to attack Lanzhou?"

"This mission wasn't arranged by His Majesty, it was arranged by me!" Lin Xiaosu said. "Alright, enjoy the Spring Festival in peace. After the Lantern Festival, we'll set off for Lanzhou..."

His voice suddenly stopped.

Because the butler rushed over.

Lin Xiaosu flicked her finger, and the soundproof barrier opened. The steward called out, "My lord, the Seventh Prince has arrived!"

His face was radiant.

The bluebird also had unusual eyes.

The Seventh Prince is a prince.

No matter how much a prince values ​​someone, he shouldn't visit their residence on the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, because that time is too sensitive.

The first day of the Lunar New Year is the time for paying New Year's visits.

The imperial system emphasized hierarchy.

The prince's visit to the residence on the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year is still a New Year's greeting, even if it's not a formal visit.

For a prince to offer New Year's greetings to a marquis? Wouldn't that disrupt the established order?

Lin Xiaosu quickly got up and went to the front hall to greet them.

They were greeted by the Seventh Prince Hong Yun, dressed in a magnificent New Year's outfit.

Besides the Seventh Prince, there was also Princess Fufeng, who was dressed in her finest attire.

"Greetings, Your Highness! Greetings, Your Highness the Princess!" Lin Xiaosu bowed. "I've come to your residence today to offer my New Year's greetings, so please don't stand on ceremony," the Seventh Prince laughed heartily.

Lin Xiaosu said, "Your Highness is too kind to me. I was just about to go to Your Highness's residence to offer my New Year's greetings."

"No need, no need. Come, let's drink a cup together in the gauze pavilion and bow to each other." The Seventh Prince reached out, grabbed Lin Xiaosu's hand, and dragged her directly into the gauze pavilion.

Fu Feng followed with a smile.

Upon entering the gauze pavilion, Qingying had already prepared tea sets, as well as wine and side dishes.

The host and the guest sit down separately.

"I heard that the day after you returned from your trip to Jiangnan, you went back to the martial world?" the Seventh Prince asked, raising his teacup.

Fu Feng also raised his teacup to show his interest.

Lin Xiaosu smiled and said, "When I went down to Jiangnan that day, I ran into a fellow disciple. He said that his sect had some matters to attend to, so I went back to the Ancient Sect with him."

"Before returning to the Ancient Gate, you went to the Demon Realm and caused quite a stir, didn't you?" the Seventh Prince asked.

"Which major incident is Your Highness referring to?" Lin Xiaosu asked.

"Which one? It was naturally your performance of 'The Burial of Flowers' in the brothel of Lonely Leaf City, where you, Lord Su, sang 'The Burial of Flowers' and recited the entire poem, a feat that surpassed all other races and earned you a place in history! What else could it be?"

Fu Feng's eyes were also filled with wonder.

Women of the Qingqiu fox clan have a great fondness for literature and Taoism; this is probably a common trait among foxes.

Fox-woman seduce scholars from all over the world; that's a tradition they've passed down.

This shows that they deeply yearn for the elegance and romance of the human race.

A few days ago, in the Great Wilderness Imperial City, Huangjing, a magnificent long poem, "The Burial of Flowers," accompanied by an unparalleled melody, suddenly resounded. This poem, also titled "The Burial of Flowers," became an instant sensation in Huangjing. At the same time, a legend also spread to Huangjing: some said that both the poem and the melody were composed by the Great Wilderness Snow-Clad Marquis, and that their performance at the Flower Pavilion in Lonely Leaf City of the Demon Realm made him famous throughout the Demon Realm, his skill surpassing all other races.

Fu Feng felt a surge of emotions.

Did my own philandering brother-in-law really do it?
Now, the answer will be revealed.

Lin Xiaosu laughed: "It's been almost a month since this happened... I thought you were referring to the annihilation battle of the Demon Emperor's Palace."

"The Annihilation Battle of the Demon Emperor's Palace?" The Seventh Prince was shocked. "What do you mean?"

Lin Xiaosu frowned slightly: "Your Highness doesn't know?"

"The Demon Realm is 400,000 miles away from here. How can information be transmitted so easily?"

"That's true!" Lin Xiaosu said, "The battle to annihilate the Demon Emperor's Palace was carried out by me. I joined forces with the flower demons of the nine tribes of the Demon Realm to destroy the Demon Emperor's Palace. Anyway, the news will come sooner or later, so I'm just telling you the truth."

The Seventh Prince jerked his fist, the teacup in his hand wobbling violently: "You...you destroyed the Demon Emperor's Palace?"

"Yes, it happened on the 25th of the twelfth lunar month."

The entire venue was as quiet as night.

The oriole's beak was slightly open.

Fu Feng's mouth was slightly open.

The seventh prince's open mouth slowly closed, very slowly...

Finally, he let out a soft breath: "An array?"

“There’s an element of formation involved!” Lin Xiaosu said.

"The Demon Sect...the Demon Sect didn't retaliate against you?"

The mere mention of the words "Demon Sect" seemed to carry an invisible pressure.

It leaves everyone unable to vent their anger.

This is the prestige of the nineteen super giants.

Just hearing it makes you feel suffocated.

Lin Xiaosu smiled: "I've met the Demon Sect Master in person. He thanked me and even invited me to visit his Demon Sect. Do you know why?"

The Seventh Prince swallowed silently: "Why?"

"Because I told him that everyone in the Demon Emperor's Palace, including the Demon Emperor himself, is a lackey of the Heart Gate, which has already infiltrated the Demon Gate to the point of being riddled with holes!"

Like a muffled thunderclap in the gauze pavilion, the Seventh Prince slowly raised his head: "The infiltration of the Heart Gate into the Demon Gate is real, not your... strategy?"

"Of course it's true!" Lin Xiaosu said, "I'm informing Your Highness of this today in the hope of drawing your attention. There might be a storm brewing on the way!"

What kind of turmoil?

Lin Xiaosu said, "Exposing the Heart Gate's conspiracy is a heavy blow to both the Heart Gate and the Heart Path. Given the Heart Gate's behavior, they will definitely retaliate. Retaliation against me personally is secondary; we need to be wary of their retaliation against the Great Wilderness Kingdom."

The Seventh Prince let out a long sigh: "The turmoil you mentioned may not be on its way, but has already been implemented!"

Lin Xiaosu was slightly startled: "What happened?"

The Seventh Prince said, "On the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month, war will break out simultaneously across the four borders of the Great Wilderness! The intensity of the war will be unprecedented from the outset!"

Lin Xiaosu's heart skipped a beat: "The 26th of the twelfth lunar month? At the same time?"

"Exactly! As you said, on the 25th of the twelfth lunar month, you destroyed the Demon Emperor's Palace, and on the 26th, the four realms simultaneously launched a national war! I was originally puzzled, but now that I've heard what you said, I may be able to find the answer. There are infiltrators behind these four kingdoms, and they are taking revenge!"

"Four borders and four kingdoms... To the north is the Yan Kingdom, to the east is the Chu Kingdom, to the west is the Ye Kingdom, and to the south lies the sea. Which kingdom will cross the sea to attack?" Lin Xiaosu asked.

"Kaiyuan Kingdom of the Central Region!" the Seventh Prince said, "I have come to offer my New Year's greetings today, and also to ask the God of War for advice on how to deal with enemies from the four regions."

Lin Xiaosu stood up and bowed deeply: "Your Highness, in this battle, the Great Wilderness Kingdom has suffered because of me."

The Seventh Prince also stood up: "Lord Su, please don't say such things. If we talk about the root cause, Lord Su's enmity with the Heart Gate was also for the sake of my Hong Clan. If we talk about being implicated, it is my Hong Clan that implicated you first. Moreover, the enmity between the Great Wilderness and the Heart Gate is inherently unsolvable, and the danger of the four realms must be faced sooner or later."

Lin Xiaosu said, "Thank you for your magnanimity, Your Highness. May I ask how the court is currently responding?"

"With the four borders in turmoil, the imperial court's manpower is limited and in dire straits. The Emperor has appointed Li Yafu, the head of the Zhentian Pavilion's military hall, as commander to lead troops to provide reinforcements. Twenty-seven battle teams left the capital three days ago and went to the battlefield."

"Which war zone did the Seventh Squad go to?"

"As expected, Lord Su still has feelings for the Seventh Team, asking about it first!" The Seventh Prince said, "Father promoted Mad Wolf to the rank of General of Ten Thousand, leading seven teams totaling 20,000 men to Zheyuntai in Lanzhou to assist General Blood Dragon in defending Northern Yan."

"Northern Yan is the most dangerous of the four borders, isn't it?"

“Exactly! Northern Yan has deployed its renowned ‘Bloodfire Legion.’ In the battle at the frozen river on the 27th of the twelfth lunar month, they almost broke through our defenses. It was extremely dangerous.” The Seventh Prince said, “Grand Physician Zhou He suggested that Father Emperor summon you back to the capital to deal with the crisis in Northern Yan. All the ministers in the court agreed. However, I and Lord Song opposed it. Father Emperor adopted a compromise and promoted Mad Wolf to lead seven Zhen Tian battle teams to fight against Northern Yan, instead of summoning you back to the capital.”

Lin Xiaosu raised her eyes and stared at the Seventh Prince.

The Seventh Prince also looked at him, his expression quite serious.

"Why does Your Highness object?" Lin Xiaosu asked.

"To you, I will speak frankly. If someone else had made this suggestion, I might have agreed. But since it was Zhou He who made the suggestion, I dared not be too cautious," the Seventh Prince said. "Later, I discussed this with Lord Song late at night, and we had a terrible suspicion."

"Your Highness, please continue!"

The Seventh Prince said, "Lord Song suspects that Zhou He's actions are intended to use the power of Northern Yan to kill you on the battlefield! Father hesitated in the face of this suggestion and ultimately rejected the proposal to summon you back to the capital. He must have realized this as well."

Lin Xiaosu slowly raised her eyes...

This is the perspective to see through appearances to the essence.

When Lin Xiaosu went to the south of the Yangtze River, how many people lost their jobs? How many people's comfort zones were shattered? How many people's privileged lives were destroyed?

How many people wish they could eat his flesh and sleep on his skin?
Even setting aside these grudges, in places outside of Jiangnan, who wouldn't want this man, whose every inspection caused an uproar, to just die?

Those bureaucrats outside the Jiangnan region, those officials with ties to the Jiangnan region, and those officials with interests in the Jiangnan region, do not want him to go to Jiangbei or Northwest again at the beginning of this year, completely rewriting their interest chain!

However, His Majesty tasted the sweetness of success during his grand tour of the south.

How could anyone be willing to give up such a powerful weapon?
Therefore, as long as Su Lin doesn't die, the same thing will happen again and again.

Therefore, whether it's the inner circle or the high-ranking officials in the court, they all want him dead.

He is the person His Majesty wants to protect.

He was still someone that the Taoist practitioners in Jiangnan could not kill.

Ordinary methods won't kill him.

But at this very moment, a war broke out between the four kingdoms of Xinmen.

Zhou He offered a seemingly reasonable military proposal: Lord Su is known as the God of War on the battlefield; how can he not fight in the face of national crisis? Let him go!

This……

If it was a targeted hunt against him.

That was a meticulously planned operation, precise down to the millimeter level.

The four outer kingdoms, the inner gates of foreign lands, the high-ranking officials of the imperial court...

Almost every faction has its own place in it.

The Seventh Prince took a sip of tea: "If this was truly a plot to kill you, it has already been foiled! As long as you don't go to the battlefield, their scheme will fail."

Qingying suddenly spoke up: "If the Marquis doesn't go to the battlefield, then the northern border might really be in danger."

She also has military knowledge.

She knew how much a great warrior could boost an army.

If the enemy is targeting him, Su Hou, the plan they will take will certainly be extremely terrifying.

If Lord Su were present, perhaps they could still put up some resistance.

With Su Hou absent, the strategies targeting him have fallen to the Mad Wolf Squad and Blood Dragon General. How will these two withstand it?

Fu Feng also spoke up: "On this point, I have a different opinion. If the other side really targets Marquis Su, a different situation will arise. Before Marquis Su goes to the battlefield, the enemy will not use their trump cards, and General Mad Wolf and General Blood Dragon will be safer."

The Seventh Prince nodded: "Fufeng's words make sense! If their ultimate target is Marquis Su, and Marquis Su doesn't go to the battlefield, if they easily use their trump cards, they will expose their trump cards and won't be able to achieve the goal of hunting down Marquis Su with surprise. So, if you really want this team to be safe, you should stay in the manor and not fall into their trap."

Lin Xiaosu said, "While Your Highness and Her Majesty's arguments have some merit, it is still a risky move. If the enemy knows I won't fall for their trap, they will still go all out, taking the northern border first and then devising a second plan. Therefore, I must go to the battlefield. At the very least, I must send them this signal: I, Su Lin, will go to the battlefield sooner or later! Let them save their strongest trump cards for me!" (End of Chapter)