Qin Shi: I went astray in the Heavenly Sect

Chapter 183 The Sudden Explosion, Cultivation's Mystery
"Hey, have you guys been to Daliang City?"

"Don't look at me like that. His moves are very eye-catching, especially that sword formation. He used it back in Xinzheng."

In the inn of Shouying City.

A hint of inquiry appeared in Yan Lingji's bright eyes.

Even though the King of Wei tried to cover up the matter, the commotion was so great that news of it still leaked out.

The ability to kill a Grandmaster is enough to shake the entire martial arts world, and this information has been rumored to fetch an astronomical price on the black market.

Liu Sha obtained this intelligence at a high price from other channels. When they saw the divine technique mentioned in the intelligence, which involved transforming swords into countless forms and sweeping away the Great Liang, Han Fei and Wei Zhuang subconsciously thought of the boy who had already left.

And since Liusha was allied with Baiyue, she also knew about this information, but they were not sure if it was true or not.

Xiaomeng is not talkative, especially when she is with others. In contrast, Yanlingji is quite different. This girl, who is passionate and fiery, is very curious.

The two girls, one tall and one short, one cold and one warm, were quite interesting together.

Xiaomeng sat cross-legged, already in a meditative state, seemingly oblivious to Yan Lingji's words. Seeing that the other party was ignoring her, Yan Lingji jumped down from the window.

Just as she was about to tease the little girl sitting on the bed, a voice suddenly entered her heart.

"I think I know why you're only at the Innate Realm."

It has to be said that Xiaomeng does have a sharp tongue; just one sentence was enough to make Yanlingji furious.

However, Yan Lingji was no slouch when it came to arguing, and she quickly retorted, "Being as cold as an ice cube doesn't appeal to men, and he's the same way~~"

Xiaomeng looked up, her eyes turning cold.

Although these whispered words between the young women were not explicitly stated, the two women knew perfectly well who they were talking about.

"My senior brother doesn't like promiscuous women."

This young girl was also very perceptive about matters of cultivation. She could sense that Yan Lingji had other feelings for her senior brother, but she didn't seem to realize these feelings yet. However, that didn't stop her from using them to retaliate.

"you"

Before they could exchange more than two words, the two girls' expressions changed simultaneously.

They instinctively looked out the window, and then a violent explosion rang out, followed by a tremendous earthquake.

You can't go out!

Yan Lingji instinctively pulled the girl, who was about to dart out, into her arms.

"open!"

Xiaomeng struggled twice to no avail, her voice tinged with embarrassment and anger.

“You should know his capabilities better than I do. If he can't solve a problem, we won't be able to either. The situation is unclear right now, so the best thing we can do is quietly wait for him to return, not rashly go out.”

One person is short-term, two people are long-term.

Upon hearing Yan Lingji's words, Xiaomeng's tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed. She realized that her actions just now had been somewhat rash.

"Let go!"

Sensing that the girl seemed to have calmed down, Yan Lingji slowly released her grip and placed her back on the ground.

"If my senior brother hasn't returned in two hours, I'll go out and look for him."

Xiaomeng didn't explain further. She whispered something and went back to bed. Watching her enter meditation again, Yan Lingji's lips twitched. Although she knew this girl had a strong talent for cultivation, wasn't this change a bit too fast?
Then Yan Lingji shook her head. She didn't have many interactions with children. Before, the youngest one was that boy, and now it was this silver-haired little girl.

She stood aside and carefully examined the girl in front of her. From their previous interactions, she could tell that the girl was quite capable, had excellent talent, was quiet but had a very sharp mind, and was patient enough to listen to others' advice.

This person is almost a carbon copy of that boy. Originally, the appearance of one such person in the martial arts world would be enough to give all the sects a headache, and now there is another one.

In a few years, these two little guys from the Heavenly Sect will probably rewrite the entire landscape of the martial arts world, especially that young man.

"A young grandmaster."

A trace of emotion flashed deep in Yan Lingji's eyes. She still remembered the expressions on Han Fei and Wei Zhuang's faces when they talked about the battle in Daliang City of Wei.

One person's power is limited, and often they are simply unable to control the outcome of a matter. But a grandmaster is different; although he is a person, he has the power to change certain situations.

When a person becomes powerful enough to fight against an army or a country, that person can no longer be simply defined as an individual.

"One man can form an army and dominate the world."

This is Han Fei and Wei Zhuang's evaluation of the Grandmaster.

And regarding what just happened, she didn't believe that the people in Shouying City could outmaneuver that young man.

Time passed slowly, and the wait was always somewhat agonizing. After an incense stick had burned, Shouying City seemed to have descended into chaos. Half an hour later, a large number of troops had appeared in the city, and an hour later, the city quieted down.

Another half hour passed, and the girl who had been meditating on the bed slowly opened her eyes. Then she went to the window again.

"Master Xiaomeng, the time hasn't come yet!"

Yan Lingji was playing with the Fire Spirit Hairpin in her hand when she saw Xiaomeng walking over again, and she gently reminded her.

"I know."

Xiaomeng remained calm, her gaze lingering on Shouying City, which was now almost devoid of light.

It seems no one likes this silent night. The night is dark, and darkness represents the unknown and uncertainty.

"I heard from Master Qingxu that you came to Shouying City because of Empress Dowager Li Huan. Could you tell me what exactly happened?"

Yan Lingji stopped teasing the girl and instead asked calmly.

Upon hearing this question, Xiaomeng's gaze darkened.

Just moments before, she was considering where Xiu Yuan was most likely to go after leaving, but Yan Lingji's question gave her a clue.

"Empress Dowager Li Huan."

The little girl murmured to herself, "To be honest, the most direct reason they came to Shouying City was because Li Yuan summoned Jinghu Medical Manor to rescue people."

"There is a place in the State of Chu called Jinghu Medical Village. A master of medicine there has formed a good relationship with us. This time, the Prime Minister Li Yuan sent his attendants to the Medical Village to invite someone to treat Empress Dowager Li Huan. Later, my senior brother and I came to Shouying together."

Upon hearing this, Yan Lingji lowered her eyelids, just like that young man. Shouying City is now fraught with danger. Even if the medical master who came to save the Empress Dowager heals her, he may not necessarily be safe and sound.

"No wonder."

Recalling the boy's reaction earlier, Yan Lingji shook her head.

"You shouldn't have gotten involved in this mess."

Xiaomeng narrowed her eyes. She naturally knew this principle. After her senior brother subdued the new leader of the Luo Wang, Xiuyuan and she already knew it.

They explained the pros and cons to Nian Duan, but in the end, Nian Duan still chose to come to Shouying.
"Doctors. A strange group of people."

Yan Lingji reached out and touched her chin. Judging from Xiaomeng's words, it seemed that this trip to Shouying was not their idea, but that of the healer.

Having traveled the world, she had met all sorts of people, including many healers. For example, there was the King of Poisons, who came from Baiyue. Poison and medicine were inseparable, and this master of poison was also an expert in medicine.

However, the King of Poisons' style of doing things is not so kind. Just like his name suggests, once he makes a move, he will take a life. He is obsessed with poisons and has a heart as venomous as a snake.

And most of the doctors in Xinzheng and Shouying are extremely ruthless.

“I have met some doctors, but none of them are as kind and benevolent as the one you have met.”

A person is a complex individual, embodying both good and evil. In some situations, he may be a great philanthropist, but in others, he may be a great villain.

If this is true for one person, how much more so for different people!
This girl had heard this principle from Xiu Yuan a long time ago, and she agreed with it.

But this time, the Mirror Lake Healer they encountered was the former, which is why their senior brother had the idea of ​​helping them. If it had been the latter, he probably wouldn't have bothered with it, and might even have taken action to eliminate the other party, because he also knew the principle of eradicating evil completely.

“My senior once said that a person is a combination of good and evil. When good and evil thoughts clash, if good thoughts prevail over evil thoughts, what he expresses is good; if evil thoughts prevail over good thoughts, what he expresses is evil. Therefore, it is not comprehensive to simply use good and bad, good and evil to evaluate a person.”

Yan Lingji had mentioned this issue to Xiaomeng before, and now that Xiaomeng had brought it up again, the girl's eyes showed a strange look.

To some extent, she actually quite enjoyed being with the other person, at least the other person never distinguished between good and bad, nor defined themselves using the concept of good and evil.

From her perspective, many times, she simply had no choice.

"So, Master Xiaomeng, how do you evaluate a person?"

Yan Lingji suddenly wanted to hear the answer from the girl in front of her, or rather, the answer from the boy.

Since these words were spoken by that boy, the other party must also have an answer regarding whether a person is good or bad, kind or evil.

"It is true that a person cannot be simply defined as good or bad, kind or evil, but it is not without any standards. My senior once said that to judge a person, you can look at what kind of things they have done."

“If a person’s starting point is good, then even if the result is bad, then that person is not a bad person. But if a person’s starting point is bad, then even if the result is good, that person cannot be considered a good person, or, in any case, will not have a good result.” Upon hearing this, a strange glint flashed in Yan Lingji’s eyes as she stood by the window. This standard of judgment seemed to have opened a new door for her.

"Master's insight is brilliant!"

Xiaomeng shook her head inwardly upon hearing the praise.

What she just said was only part of what Xiu Yuan had said back then. There was another part later, which was another examination of good and evil by him.

If we step outside the mundane world to view good and evil, then the standards for good and evil may change. Good and evil are two opposing aspects of the world. If there is no good in this world, then is there evil? Conversely, if there is no evil in this world, then is there good?

Good and evil are standards set by people themselves, just as good and bad are. If there is no good, then is there any bad?
The answer is no, so in the eyes of a higher being, good and evil are actually one. If the same thing has only two outcomes, one is evil and the other is even more evil, and there are no other choices, then evil is good, is compassion.

However, such meticulous research is probably not acceptable to everyone.

It was during that time that she became somewhat resistant to enlightenment. She didn't want to end up feeling nothing when she saw a good thing or a bad thing.

If that's the case, even if she becomes a saint, she won't be very happy, since by then she won't have any personal likes or dislikes.

“Peach Blossom!”

Suddenly, Xiaomeng gave a soft shout, and the peach sword hanging by the bedside trembled slightly, then came out of its sheath and flew into her hand.

Upon seeing this, Yan Lingji's expression changed slightly.

The owner of this peach-shaped sword is Xiu Yuan, and she never expected that this little girl in front of her could also wield it.

Recalling what had happened earlier, the girl felt a little hesitant. The Taoist Heavenly Sect had too many tricks up its sleeve. If they had really fought just now, would she have been a match for this young girl?

Xiaomeng ran her hand along the blade of the sword, and a familiar feeling returned to her heart. This was not the first time she had held this peach-shaped sword. The last time she fought against that Luo Wang assassin in Daliang City, this was the same peach-shaped sword she was using.

"It's almost time."

Looking out the window, Xiaomeng didn't turn around, but Yanlingji knew that the words were directed at her. This time, she didn't stop the girl's actions.

"Together?"

"can."

Where are you going?

Before the two women could even set off, a voice suddenly entered their hearts. Xiaomeng subconsciously looked up and saw a figure returning under the moonlight.

"Brother!"

"."

In the blink of an eye, Xiu Yuan arrived inside the house. Seeing Xiao Meng still holding his peach sword, he smiled and rubbed his nose.

"If I don't want those people to see me, even if I stand in front of them, they won't notice anything amiss."

Upon hearing Xiu Yuan's words, Xiao Meng's eyes became somewhat strange. Only then did she realize that her senior brother, He Guang Tong Chen, had already achieved great success. If he wanted to hide, no one in Shouying City could see through his whereabouts.

Xiaomeng silently walked back to the bedside and sheathed the peach sword.

Upon seeing Xiu Yuan appear, Yan Lingji blinked gently, then said in a slightly mischievous tone, "Young Master, if you had come back any later, you might not have seen us at all~"

Xiu Yuan shook his head. He had already seen what had happened; his junior sister did indeed intend to go out.

"I went out tonight to find out what was going on in the palace so I could prepare a response, but something happened in the city that delayed me."

After a moment of silence, Xiu Yuan explained softly.

Xiaomeng and Yanlingji hadn't gone out since Xiuyuan left, so they were completely unaware of what had happened that night. Now, when Xiuyuan mentioned what had happened that night, the two women subconsciously looked over.

"Shou Ying's situation is somewhat troublesome."

Xiu Yuan pinched his chin, his tone somewhat heavy. Tonight he had witnessed some things, things he had never imagined.

"Troublesome. I'm quite curious, what exactly happened that would cause even you, young master, trouble?"

Yan Lingji walked over slowly and sat down opposite Xiu Yuan.

She leaned her upper body against the table, one hand supporting her chin and the other resting on the table. Her eyes were captivating, and her long, slender legs were crossed, revealing a glimpse of fair skin beneath her long skirt, which was extremely eye-catching.

Unfortunately, Xiu Yuan was still pondering what he had seen earlier, so he missed out on enjoying the beautiful scenery.

After a while, the young man spoke softly, "Two hours ago, a violent explosion occurred in Shouying City. You should have heard that sound, right?"

Upon hearing the sound of the explosion, Yan Lingji and Xiaomeng exchanged a glance, and then both nodded.

The confrontation between the two began to take a turn after that explosion.

"That was caused by someone igniting the thunderbolts in the Tiger Legion's warehouse."

Speaking of this, Xiu Yuan narrowed his eyes. He was also very surprised by the power of this gunpowder. Although the invention of gunpowder was accidentally obtained by Qi cultivators in the pre-Qin period when they were refining medicine, the fact that so much of it appeared at this time was beyond his expectations.

It was only later, when he realized that this timeline might not be real history, that he gradually accepted the reality. In the later battles of the peasant faction, Wang Li's battle-hardened soldiers even obtained something similar to cannonballs from the Gongshu family, which meant that gunpowder had existed in this space for a long time.

"The Fierce Tiger Legion?"

Yan Lingji was somewhat surprised by this result.

"Isn't the Thunderclap Bomb a treasure unique to the Crimson Flame Legion? How could it have been detonated in the Tiger Legion's warehouse?"

Xiaomeng, standing to the side, looked puzzled upon hearing this. The Tenglong Legion, the Menghu Legion, and the Chiyan Legion were all forces under General Xiang Yan.

The explosion was so loud that the damage must have been considerable. Who orchestrated this whole thing so soon after we got back to the city?
Is it the Xiang family, the nobles in the palace, or those two royal uncles?

"The key point is this: why did the Thunderclap Bomb, which originally belonged to the Crimson Flame Legion, end up in the Tiger Legion's warehouse, and why was it detonated at this time?"

Xiu Yuan wasn't stupid; he didn't believe that such a coincidence was just a simple accident.

He even suspected that the placement of the bombs might have been pre-arranged, as such a massive explosion occurred in the warehouse, yet there were no casualties in the end.

"After this incident, General Xiang Yan rushed over there."

Tonight is the first time Xiu Yuan has met this general of the Chu Kingdom. The other party's cultivation is not weak, having reached the late stage of the Grandmaster realm. If combined with the secret techniques of the military school, he is considered a formidable opponent.

"His expression was very strange at the time. It seemed that he already knew about this, but it seemed that something was not right. He hurriedly gave a few instructions and then took the three legion commanders back with him."

Hearing this, Xiaomeng began to have doubts. When she was with Xiang Quan and the others, they said that the people who attacked them were from the Fierce Tiger Legion. According to this, the Fierce Tiger Legion should have broken with the Xiang family. So how could they have been taken away by Xiang Yan? Could there be some misunderstanding?
"Judging from the current situation, the Tiger Legion has not betrayed us. The assassination attempt we encountered when we returned to the city, those people dressed in Tiger Legion soldiers' uniforms, were probably framed by others."

Seemingly noticing the confusion in Xiaomeng's eyes, Xiuyuan added another sentence.

He was present during the discussion with Xiang Quan and others, and some other intelligence also influenced him.

However, what intrigued him most tonight was Xiang Yan's expression. When the thunderbolts exploded in the warehouse, he seemed to have anticipated it, so he suspected that Xiang Yan had arranged for those thunderbolts to be thrown.

However, later on, the power of the thunderbolt seemed to exceed his expectations, and the whole of Shouying knew about it all at once.

If we follow this line of thought, what was Xiang Yan's intention in placing the Crimson Flame Legion's Thunderclap Bomb in the Fierce Tiger Legion's warehouse?
Is he afraid that the Tiger Legion's fighting strength is insufficient, or is this a play he directed and acted in himself?

So who is this play for?

As for what happened next, Xiu Yuan learned some things, but he still had no clue about the truth of the matter.

"Later, the palace sent people to investigate the situation, but Xiang Yan covered it up in the end."

Upon hearing this, Yan Lingji and Xiaomeng frowned again. It seemed that the explosion was related to General Xiang Yan, but they couldn't tell what the general was planning.

"After that, I went to the palace with the people from the palace and met the Empress Dowager Li Huan. According to my observation, the Empress Dowager was not sick, but poisoned, probably with a slow-acting poison."

"Poisoning??"

Yan Lingji's eyes flashed slightly. They, the Baiyue, had used similar methods before.

Upon hearing this, Xiaomeng looked at Xiuyuan. The matter of Empress Dowager Li Huan was mainly related to Jinghu Medical Manor. Now that it has been confirmed that Li Huan was poisoned, it means that someone in the palace or the court wants the Empress Dowager dead. If Nian Duan cures Li Huan, he will inevitably offend the person behind the scenes.

Xiu Yuan shook his head.

He doesn't have all the information he has yet, and he's still unsure who poisoned Li Huan.

Whether it was a ruse or something else, it's hard to say.

"Furthermore, I also discovered traces of the Luo Wang assassins within Shouying City. Some of them have even infiltrated the palace, but this time I did not alert them."

Speaking of the Net, Xiu Yuan couldn't help but sigh a few times. This assassin organization from the Qin Kingdom was indeed a force to be reckoned with, with a vast net extending to every corner of the Seven Kingdoms.

If the attempt to conceal the sun hadn't failed, the commotion tonight would probably have been even greater.

"Finally, the ailing King of Chu is actually in good health!"

(End of this chapter)