Qin Shi: I went astray in the Heavenly Sect

Chapter 158 Meeting Lian Po, Discovering the Truth

Soon, night fell again.

Xiu Yuan woke up from his meditation. He first glanced at Xiao Meng, who was still meditating, then got up from the bed and went to the window.

The weather is a bit muggy today; it looks like it's about to rain.

There weren't many people on the streets, only a few scattered around. At this time, most people chose to stay at home.

Seemingly noticing Xiu Yuan's movement, Xiao Meng slowly opened her eyes.

The little girl slowly got up, came to Xiuyuan's side, and looked out the window at the street.

"Senior brother, when are we going to see Lian Po?"

Xiu Yuan's gaze remained fixed outside. Upon hearing Xiao Meng's words, he replied softly, "The weather is bad tonight; it's likely to rain soon. Let's not delay and set off now!"

Xiaomeng nodded.

After quickly tidying up, the two jumped out of the window and their figures gradually disappeared into the night.

Looking at the shops around him, most of which were already closed, Xiu Yuan felt a pang of emotion. Xiao Meng hadn't been down the mountain much, so she probably didn't know much about the situation in these cities, but he was different. He had been to Xinzheng in the Kingdom of Han and Handan in the Kingdom of Zhao, both of which were capitals. At this time of year, most shops wouldn't be closed.

Although this fortified town is relatively stable, it still lags behind the capital in terms of prosperity.

In the darkness, Xiu Yuan, holding the girl beside him, suddenly swayed and disappeared completely into the darkness.

After a long while, at the corner of an intersection, the girl's voice slowly rang out.

Who are those people?

Just now, several figures swept over their heads. Although their cultivation levels were not high, they looked well-trained.

"He's probably a trained assassin from some powerful organization! Although this place isn't exactly a strategic location, that old general is no ordinary person."

"The princes of Zhao and others have been planning to reinstate him, the state of Wei is wary of him, and as for the states of Qin and others, I'm afraid no one wants to see the other side on the battlefield again."

Xiaomeng frowned.

"Are all these people here for Lian Po??"

The boy nodded and sighed softly.

The two swayed slightly and continued walking. Feeling the uneven marks on the bluestone slabs under their feet, the girl's heart was stirred with ripples.

In this world, or rather, in this martial arts world, there seems to be no place to retreat. Once a person steps into it, it seems that the ending is already predetermined. If one wants to leave, there is only one option: death.

Just like that old general, even though he left the Zhao state and came to this relatively remote place, the forces outside still chased after him like wolves that smelled blood.

"This feud may only end in death."

Xiaomeng suddenly sighed softly in her heart. In that instant, the girl gained a deeper understanding of the conflicts in the world.

Looking at the calm-eyed boy, Xiaomeng suddenly realized why he chose to go down the mountain in the end. Perhaps his choice was right. Only by seeing a wider world can one avoid being saddened by the end of summer cicadas' chirping and the falling of mulberry leaves.

Soon, the two arrived at the general's mansion in the pass.

The gate was wide open, and two soldiers were guarding it. Seeing this, Xiaomeng was still somewhat moved.

Along the way, they had seen several mansions and courtyards, but at this time, almost every house was closed. There was none as wide open as the General's Mansion.

However, seeing this situation, Xiu Yuan didn't say much. Since he was opening the door to welcome guests, it saved them the trouble of climbing over the wall again.

So the two of them walked straight in through the gate, while the two guards were completely unaware that someone had walked in through the gate.

After entering the general's mansion, Xiu Yuan briefly surveyed the situation inside, and then pulled Xiao Meng towards the main hall.

The security force in the courtyard was not weak, with guards stationed in the main hall, study, and backyard.

Upon arriving outside the lobby, Xiu Yuan paused, not moving forward, but standing still.

After standing there for a while, Xiaomeng looked up at him with a strange expression.

Xiu Yuan looked at the main hall, which was only a few steps away, his eyes flickered twice, and then a voice appeared in Xiao Meng's heart.

There are people inside.

Xiaomeng nodded gently upon hearing this.

From the beginning, they had already guessed that others would be visiting this former general of Zhao tonight. Since there were others, it would be inappropriate for them to go over at this time.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, two dark figures flashed past in the hall.

Xiu Yuan then took a step and pulled Xiao Meng inside.

Their movements were so subtle that they made almost no sound, and even the two guards at the door didn't notice.

Upon arriving at the main hall, Xiu Yuan's gaze sharpened. He wondered if all the general's mansions had the same layout, but this hall was extremely spacious. It could easily accommodate three or even five hundred people, let alone three.

On the bench at the end of the lobby sat a burly man with silver hair and a thick beard. Unlike the silver hair of the girl beside him, which was the result of the passage of time, the silver hair of the girl was silver.

After Xiu Yuan took a closer look, he saw that the other party had a rather rugged appearance and an imposing presence. At this moment, he was stroking his beard with one hand, and in front of him was a large bowl filled with fine wine.

Seemingly sensing something, the man suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with surprise and uncertainty.

As a master of military strategy, this was the first time he had only become aware of someone when they appeared within three zhang of him.

"Now that you've arrived, please show yourself!"

A bold voice echoed through the hall. Xiu Yuan's eyes flickered slightly as he and the girl beside him slowly emerged from the void.

"A Taoist?"

The man was quite knowledgeable and recognized the technique Xiu Yuan was using at a glance. However, when he saw the other man's age, his gaze became extremely surprised.

The fact that it could conceal itself from his senses meant that its cultivation level was at least that of a Grandmaster, and not just any Grandmaster. In addition, the fact that the other party had a little girl with him made its strength even more formidable.

"I, Lian Po, greet you, young friend. I've come to your door at this late hour; may I ask what brings you here?"

Lian Po did not act rashly. He knew very well that the people in the general's mansion would be of little use against such a master.

Xiu Yuan wasn't too surprised that Lian Po had figured out his background. The Heavenly Sect's techniques were very unique, like the world losing its color. Anyone who had read the relevant records could guess it almost instantly.

"Qingxu, a Taoist from the Tianzong sect, and his junior sister Xiaomeng have come to visit General Lian Po. We apologize for not being able to inform him in time."

Since the other party didn't make a move right away, Xiu Yuan was still willing to give the old general some face.

Upon hearing the words "Tianzong," Lian Po felt a sense of understanding. He had indeed guessed correctly; these two were indeed Taoists, and from the Tianzong sect.

As for their Taoist names, he was completely unfamiliar with them. Currently, only two people in the Taoist Heavenly Sect are well-known: one is Bei Mingzi, and the other is Chi Songzi. Bei Mingzi is a pillar of Taoism, and his strength and age are beyond the reach of ordinary people. Even Xunzi of the Confucian school would probably have to show him the respect due to a disciple.

As for Chisongzi, as the head of the Taoist Tianzong sect, he naturally had a certain reputation in the martial arts world. In particular, he won several consecutive rounds of the Tianren Liangzong Miaotai Sword Tournament, which made him famous and widely known.

Looking at the two young men before him, Lian Po's tiger-like eyes flickered uncertainly. Although he had never heard of them before, their methods still forced him to treat them with caution.

The boy standing in front of him couldn't sense the other's cultivation level, but he guessed that the other was at least a grandmaster, or even higher.

As for the little girl behind him, he could roughly sense her level of cultivation. She was a Xiantian realm cultivator, and although she was not as skilled as the boy beside her, a Xiantian realm cultivator at this age was already quite impressive.

After hesitating for a moment, Lian Po decided to ask the two men about their origins first.

"I wonder who Master Qingxu studied under?"

Xiu Yuan's gaze was calm and still, as immovable as a mountain.

If he were like Xiaomeng at this moment, merely someone who had just entered the Innate Realm, perhaps he would have borrowed the name of his master, Beimingzi.

However, given his current level of cultivation, there is no need for that.

"Is the name 'Qingxu' not enough weight for the general?"

Lian Po narrowed his eyes. Judging from the level of this young man before him, he was indeed a force to be reckoned with, regardless of which faction he belonged to.

He then stopped dwelling on the question and asked again, "Master Qingxu, what brings you here today?"

Xiu Yuan remained silent for a moment before deciding to get straight to the point.

"Does the general know of Chenjia Village in Guancheng?"

Upon hearing the name Chenjia Village, Lian Po's expression changed slightly, indicating that the old general had indeed heard of the place.

Why is Master Qingxu inquiring about Chenjia Village?

After a while, Lian Po spoke up in response.

Upon hearing this, Xiu Yuan first glanced at Xiao Meng, and seeing that she did not react, he then said in a deep voice, "My junior sister Xiao Meng comes from Chenjia Village."

Upon hearing this, Lian Po instinctively looked over and saw the silver-haired girl standing to the side, silent, which made his heart sink.

Since he was stationed at the pass, nothing has been peaceful in the vicinity. For example, a disturbance occurred near Chenjia Village.

Two hundred Qin soldiers, through unknown means, crossed the border between Qin and Wei and arrived near the pass. They then engaged in widespread burning, killing, and looting near Chenjia Village before being annihilated by Li Qing, the patrolling general, and his troops.

But he found this very strange. Two hundred Qin soldiers, not twenty, were not enough to cross the border and penetrate deep into the heartland without a sound. In his decades of experience commanding troops, he thought it was almost impossible for such a thing to happen unless someone did it on purpose.

If that's the case, then there are far too many things involved.

"This"

Seeing that Lian Po hesitated to speak, Xiu Yuan narrowed his eyes and asked, "Does the general have something difficult to say?"

Lian Po did not speak, but instead picked up the large bowl in front of him and drank the wine in it in one gulp.

He had already made a rough estimate of the situation. This girl named Xiaomeng came from Chenjia Village. If he wasn't mistaken, she must have come here because of the turmoil of that year.

Although the two hundred Qin soldiers who were the direct culprits in this turmoil had been killed, he had a feeling that there must be something else going on behind the scenes, perhaps related to certain people in the Wei court.

If the only person who comes is this girl named Xiaomeng, then he might not take her seriously. A mere innate realm cultivator, if surrounded by a large army, could probably be dealt with by a few hundred people.

But the young man beside her was different. He was a Grandmaster. If he caused trouble in Wei, the losses would be quite different.

If this young man were to secretly assassinate Wei's generals and officials, he could absolutely turn Wei upside down, not to mention that he has a huge Heavenly Sect standing behind him.

"Please leave, both of you!"

"I am not clear about what happened back then."

Upon hearing this, Xiu Yuan narrowed his eyes, realizing that the old general in front of him seemed unwilling to cooperate.

"General, do you still remember the State of Zhao?"

After thinking for a moment, Xiu Yuan spoke again, but this time, he did not continue to ask about Chenjia Village. Instead, he talked about Lian Po's former master, the State of Zhao.

Upon hearing this, Lian Po snorted. The affairs of Zhao had always been a thorn in his side. If it weren't for the machinations of petty people, he wouldn't have come to Wei and been living in such a small place.

“Master Qingxu, I respect you as a grandmaster, but don’t forget that I am one too. If it really comes down to a fight, you and this young girl may not be a match for me.”

Lian Po's face darkened, and his imposing aura was poised to erupt, like a sleeping tiger opening its eyes, emanating an immense sense of pressure.

Xiaomeng, standing to one side, sensed the intense atmosphere of the fierce battle, and her expression immediately changed.

However, this aura had no effect on Xiu Yuan. As for the old general's expression, he seemed oblivious and continued, "General, why are you angry? What I said is merely a fact."

"And three months ago, I also went to Handan and had the honor of meeting Prime Minister Guo, General Li, Prince Jia, as well as the three great masters who blotted out the sun, Marquis Chunping and others."

Upon hearing this, Lian Po's gaze faltered. Although states could communicate with each other, there were some things that could not be found out unless one had actually seen them.

"Yeah~"

The old general had very complex feelings towards the State of Zhao, having dedicated most of his life to the country.

"How are Li Mu and Gongzi Jia doing?"

After a moment of silence, Lian Po spoke again and asked.

Xiu Yuan stood there, pondered for a moment, and then spoke again: "The two of them should be physically fine, but their situation is not necessarily much better."

Lian Po looked up and his gaze darkened.

"Oh?"

"The general should know that King Zhao favors Guo Kai. With Guo Kai around, neither of them can have an easy time."

Mentioning his old rival, Lian Po's face turned very ugly, and he slammed his fist heavily on the table.

"This old dog, who flatters his superiors and bullies his subordinates, eliminates dissidents, and disregards the foundation of the Zhao state, truly deserves to die!!"

After listening to the other party's venting, Xiu Yuan spoke again: "Last time I left Handan, I had the honor of fighting General Li. His military tactics are truly remarkable."

Upon hearing this, Lian Po's expression suddenly changed. He knew who Li Mu was, and Li Mu had even used secret techniques in his fight against the young man. In Lian Po's opinion, the man in front of him was probably an enemy rather than a friend.

"Um???"

(End of this chapter)