Twin Dragons of the Tang Dynasty: Simplified Divine Skills Lead to an Invincible Myth

Chapter 91: Entrusting the city to demonstrate his resolve, Yang Chengye, leader of the Xing Sui Alliance, holds a funeral for Lord Fang! [Please subscribe!]

Not long after.

The doctor rushed to the ice room and examined Fang Zetao under the watchful eyes of everyone.

He focused intently on probing the pulse, carefully examining the breath, and then looked at the eyelids to observe the pupils. He wiped away the black blood from the corner of his mouth to identify the source, his brows furrowing more and more tightly.

After a long pause, the doctor bowed to Su Yang and said in a heavy tone, "General Su, General Fang's body was poisoned, his blood and qi were cut off, and he had no chance of survival. He has indeed died from poisoning, and there is nothing that can be done to save him."

"City Lord!"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding soldiers all gasped in shock.

Su Yang's face darkened with grief. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, his sorrow was overwhelming. He said in a deep voice, "Vice Commander Ma, Military Advisor Wang, now that it has been confirmed, move General Fang's body to the ice room for temporary storage and keep it under strict guard! I will give him a grand funeral in three days."

"yes!"

The two responded.

As the crowd dispersed, the sorrow on Su Yang's face vanished instantly. He dismissed the guards and personally checked on Fang Zetao's condition.

As his fingertips touched the pulse, his powerful senses detected a faint glimmer of life. He made a decision and immediately took out a golden needle, using the "Sealing the Meridians and Severing the Breath" secret technique from the "Hundred Herbs Poison Classic" to reinforce the needle. The doctor's touch earlier had slightly disturbed Fang Zetao's breath, and this needle reinforcement would bring his vital signs close to "true death."

After finishing the acupuncture, Su Yang tidied Fang Zetao's clothes, wiped away all traces, and then left the ice room. He coldly said to the guards outside the door, "Keep an eye on this place: No one is allowed to enter without my order."

"yes!"

The guards solemnly accepted the order, their eyes filled with more reverence as they looked at him.

Upon returning to the front hall of the city lord's mansion, Qiao Fenghai, Li Lie, and others were awaiting instructions.

Su Yang suppressed his thoughts and methodically deployed the defenses: "General Qiao, inspect the west and south cities and eliminate Liu Rumeng's remaining followers."

General Li, coordinate the supply of provisions and arrows to ensure the city walls are well-stocked. Deputy Commander Ma, accompany me on a patrol of the northern city wall; the Jianghuai Army could attack at any moment, and that area is of utmost importance.

The generals received their orders and left, while Su Yang and Ma Qun walked side by side through the streets of Jingling.

As night deepened, torches atop the city walls illuminated the sky, and a heavy atmosphere of impending battle permeated the air.

Ma Qun couldn't help but speak up: "General, what about Lord Fang's funeral arrangements—"

Su Yang paused slightly, his tone solemn: "Stabilizing the battle situation and protecting Jingling is the best way to honor him."

Ma Qun remained silent, gripping the sword at his waist.

It wasn't until midnight, when the city defenses were secure and Liu Rumeng's spies had been completely wiped out, that Su Yang quietly slipped away from the patrol team and circled around to the hidden side door at the back of the ice chamber.

He pushed open the door and entered. The ice room was chillingly cold. Fang Zetao lay quietly on the stone platform, his face as pale as paper.

Su Yang bent down, using his Bright Moon True Qi to protect his vital points, gripped his shoulder blade with one hand, and used the Snow-Treading Without a Trace Lightness Skill to leap onto the roof like a wisp of smoke, heading straight for the secluded willow grove where he had agreed to meet Chen Wenyuan.

The night was as dark as ink, but Su Yang, carrying a person, was still as light as a swallow. He deliberately chose to travel through the shadowy alleys and avoided the sentries along the way. In less than half an hour, he arrived at Willow Grove.

Chen Wenyuan was already waiting with a covered carriage. Upon seeing him approach, he quickly bowed and said, "General."

"Is everything arranged?"

Su Yang landed silently and placed Fang Zetao on the soft cushion next to the carriage.

"Reporting to the General, the secret chamber at Maple Leaf Manor is ready. The antidote and healing supplies are on the carriage."

Chen Wenyuan lifted the curtain: "The carriage is lined with cotton cushions, so we can take General Fang to the manor first."

Su Yang nodded, carried Fang Zetao onto the carriage, and instructed, "Take him to the secret room to settle him down, prepare warm water and charcoal fire, I will go to the mortuary to get a substitute, and come back after I'm done."

"yes!"

Chen Wenyuan accepted the order and drove the carriage away into the night in the forest.

Su Yang swayed and once again used his lightness skill to head straight for the mortuary outside the city.

He bypassed the curfew checkpoints and arrived in no time. Knowing the way well, he found a male corpse that was similar in size and age to Fang Zetao. He wrapped the corpse in his Bright Moon True Qi and carried it back to the city as if it were a light fur coat.

Sneaking into the ice room, Su Yang changed his double into Fang Zetao's brocade casual clothes and sprinkled them with preservatives.

After some cleaning, the double looked exactly the same as when Fang Zetao was lying down; anyone would tell that he was completely lifeless.

After handling the matter, Su Yang announced that Fang Zetao's funeral would be held in three days and then rushed to Maple Leaf Manor.

At this time, Chen Wenyuan had already placed Fang Zetao in a secret room, which was fully equipped with warm water and charcoal fire.

Su Yang waited until Fang Zetao's breathing stabilized slightly, then focused his mind on the method of releasing acupoints and sealing meridians to stop breathing. This method required a gradual approach, and releasing acupoints alone took nearly a quarter of an hour. Afterward, he fed Fang Zetao his unique antidote and then used his true qi to guide the medicinal power to circulate throughout his body. By the time he finished this process, it was already past midnight.

As dawn approached, Fang Zetao's eyelids trembled slightly, and he slowly opened his eyes. He stared blankly at the dome for a long time before focusing on Su Yang. His eyes flashed with confusion and shock, which eventually turned into relief.

"Su—Brother Su—"

His voice was hoarse as he struggled to get up, but Su Yang held him down.

"Don't move. The toxins have just been neutralized, and your energy hasn't fully recovered." Su Yang handed over a glass of warm water: "Have a sip and calm down."

Fang Zetao drank it all in one gulp, a warm feeling spreading throughout his body, his mind completely clearing, tears welling up in his eyes: "Brother, I, Fang Zetao, have no way to repay your great kindness. If it weren't for you, I would already be a withered skeleton, let alone able to preserve my reputation."

Su Yang shook his head: "You entrusted Jingling to me, so I will not let you die in vain. Besides, you did not truly intend to wreak havoc on the city; you were simply forced into it."

When the phrase "being unable to control one's own destiny" was mentioned, Fang Zetao's expression darkened. After a moment of silence, he took out a bronze token from his pocket—the front was engraved with the two characters "Xing Sui" (兴隋), the back had intricate cloud patterns, and a black obsidian was embedded in the center.

"This is the token of the Jingling branch leader of the Xing Sui Alliance, which I entrust to you today." He spoke solemnly, slowly revealing the secret: "The alliance leader is Yang Chengye, the posthumous son of Yang Xuangan. The root of everything lies in the Yang Gong Treasure Vault."

Su Yang's heart stirred slightly, and he listened intently to what followed.

"Back then, Yang Su secretly entrusted the treasure vault to Lu Miaozi, leaving only the family's Xuan Turtle Seal and a proverb." Fang Zetao's breath was slightly short. "When Yang Xuangan raised an army, he wanted to use the treasure vault, but Lu Miaozi avoided him. Later, when Yang Xuangan was defeated, the simplified map of the treasure vault and the clues to the code that he carried with him were also lost in the chaos of war."

"Yang Chengye is now in an awkward situation. He has the Xuan Turtle Seal, but no complete map, and he can't find Lu Miaozi."

Fang Zetao gave a self-deprecating laugh: "Over the years, he has devoted all the resources of the Xing Sui Alliance to searching for all locations related to the lost clues and Lu Miaozi—Jingling is one of them. Rumors in the alliance say that Lu Miaozi was active here. Since I, as the leader, cannot find any clues, I have become a useless person. Liu Rumeng is here to replace me."

"In my guess, the map of Jingling's treasure vault is just a false clue released by Lu Miaozi," Fang Zetao added. "He was afraid that the treasure vault would fall into the hands of ambitious people, so he spread many false messages to confuse the public. But Yang Chengye is too obsessed and insists on fighting Jingling to the death."

Su Yang suddenly understood; this perfectly matched what he knew about the Chang'an Yue Ma Bridge. He carefully put away the token and said calmly, "Don't worry, the Xing Sui Alliance is being led astray by false clues. Jingling is safe for now."

Then, Su Yang softened his tone: "I plan to send you to Pegasus Ranch to live in seclusion, and only tell Shang Xiuxun about your identity. What do you think?"

Fang Zetao's eyes shone with longing, his heart finally at ease. He nodded solemnly, "Thank you for your thoughtfulness, General! This arrangement is perfect. I agree! From now on, I will leave the past behind and never get involved in any more conflicts!"

"In that case, you can wait patiently."

Su Yang instructed, "I'll go see Shang Xiuxun now and explain your situation properly."

The two chatted for a while longer, and once Fang Zetao's breathing had stabilized, Su Yang got up and headed to Shang Xiuxun's lodging in Jingling.

It was just dawn, and there were already people on duty in Shang Xiuxun's courtyard.

Upon seeing Su Yang arrive, the guards quickly let him pass.

Inside the courtyard, Shang Xiuxun, dressed in a smart outfit and with a dashing figure, immediately stood up to greet him upon his entrance: "Lord Su, is there something important that you have to visit so early in the morning?"

Su Yang sat down and said directly, "Mr. Business, I've come today firstly to thank you for the military support, and secondly to entrust you with a confidential matter—the matter concerning City Lord Fang is related to the Xing Sui Alliance."

Shang Xiuxun paused in her tea-serving hand, her eyes changing slightly: "A secret force to restore the Sui Dynasty? Could it be that Lord Fang's affairs are involved?"

'

"Exactly."

Su Yang said in a deep voice, "He was forced to join the alliance, and because he couldn't find any clues about the treasure vault, he was ambushed by Liu Rumeng. Now, the only way to save his life is to fake his death. I want him to disguise himself and infiltrate your guard team to live in seclusion at the Pegasus Ranch. I hope you will take him in, and you must keep this a secret."

Shang Xiuxun pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement: "Brother Su trusts me, so I agree. There is a potential conflict between the Xing Sui Alliance and the ranch, and I will handle this matter properly."

"Thank you, shop owner."

Su Yang cupped his hands in thanks: "I have already had someone prepare a disguise, and I will bring him to meet me later."

"Let him wait outside the camp with the guards to avoid attracting attention."

"6

Shang Xiuxun said.

Su Yang bid farewell and returned to Maple Leaf Manor. Chen Wenyuan had already dressed Fang Zetao up as a dark-skinned, hunched old farmer with cloudy eyes, completely unlike the former city lord.

"General, everything is ready."

Su Yang stepped forward and handed Fang Zetao a guard's badge: "This is your identification. You will be traveling with Lord Fang's guard. I will hold a funeral for you in three days to confirm your death. From now on, Lord Fang Zetao of Jingling City will no longer exist. You can live a peaceful and secluded life on the ranch."

Fang Zetao took the waist token, his fingertips trembling slightly.

He gazed intently in the direction of Jingling City, his eyes filled with farewell, and said in a low voice, "Brother Su Yang, I will remember your great kindness. Take care!"

""

After saying that, he hunched over and followed Chen Wenyuan away with faltering steps.

The cold wind in Jingling was biting, the market was closed, the bluestone slabs were covered with white silk, and the white banners on the eaves fluttered in the wind.

The sobs mingled with the ashes of paper money, casting a solemn and sorrowful shadow over the entire city.

Today is the day of the grand funeral of Fang Zetao, the former General of Zhennan.

Su Yang, clad in golden armor, with a plain white mourning cloth wrapped around his left arm and carrying the Cold Abyss Blade on his back, walked steadily at the head of the funeral procession.

The procession moved slowly along the main road of the city, with elite soldiers on guard along both sides. Behind them, the black silk coffin was carried by eight strong soldiers, followed by civil and military officials, soldiers and civilians dressed in white mourning clothes. The procession stretched for several miles, and the sound of weeping was deafening.

The funeral was held in the sacrificial square in the back garden of the General's Mansion in the city—a place adjacent to the defense center of the government office, which was convenient for deployment.

.

Incense and candles filled the altar, and offerings were neatly arranged.

Su Yang personally presided over the ceremony, accepted the eulogy, and his gaze swept over the crowd below. His deep and solemn voice pierced the cold wind: "On the seventh day of the eleventh month of the third year of the Daye era, we respectfully offer this simple libation and humble sacrifice before the spirit of General Fang Zetao, the General Who Guards the South—"

In his eulogy, Su Yang recounted Fang Zetao's ten years of service in guarding Jingling, defending against enemies and ensuring the safety of the people, developing water conservancy projects, and training troops to strengthen the army. He made no mention of Fang Zetao's status as a member of the Xing Sui Alliance, aiming to portray him as a loyal, brave, and people-loving general who guarded the south.

As he read on, Su Yang's voice trembled slightly, and he roared angrily towards the south: "The wicked are in power, and the loyal are wronged! Huang Zhenggang and Liu Rumeng, with their wolfish ambitions, coveted Jingling and plotted to harm General Fang! Such despicable acts cannot be tolerated by heaven and earth!"

"Slay the wicked! Avenge the general!"

"Slay the wicked! Avenge the general!"

66

""

As soon as he finished speaking, the soldiers roared in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.

The common people also wiped away tears, their hatred for Huang and Liu growing even stronger.

Su Yang raised his hand to stabilize the situation and continued, "General Fang entrusted the safety of Jingling to me before his death. I will certainly carry on his last wishes, defend every inch of Jingling, eliminate all the traitors, and avenge the general!"

After speaking, he put down the eulogy and took the Cold Abyss Blade from his personal guard.

The blade gleamed coldly as Su Yang drew it, pointing it diagonally at the ground, his eyes blazing: "I, Su Yang, swear that I will defend Jingling and protect the people and soldiers of the army for the rest of my life. Any enemy that invades will be slain without mercy, and those who harm General Fang will have their entire families executed! May Heaven and Earth bear witness, and may all soldiers of the three armies heed this!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Su Yang's sword intent erupted, resonating with the Cold Abyss Blade. The cold light surged, and an invisible sword aura swept across the entire area.

The crowd felt a bone-chilling cold and stood at attention, holding their breath. The only sounds were the rustling of the white banners in the cold wind and Su Yang's imposing presence. The soldiers on guard around the square remained motionless, demonstrating their strict military discipline.

This vow.

It is both a promise to the deceased and a declaration to the living.

Su Yang, as the successor, won over the soldiers and civilians, igniting a fighting spirit in their eyes and filling them with awe and respect for him.

"This humble general is willing to lead his troops to serve General Su faithfully, even unto death!"

"This humble general is willing to lead his troops to serve Lord Su faithfully, even unto death!"

, "

After the funeral, Su Yang returned to the General's Mansion, where Wang Yanzhang, Feng Ge, Ma Qun, and other core generals who had served under Fang Zetao immediately knelt on one knee.

Su Yang quickly helped everyone up: "I am grateful for your trust. General Fang's legacy must be carried on by all of us. From now on, let us be of one heart and one mind and guard Jingling together!"

Subsequently, Su Yang set about integrating the entire army, abolishing cumbersome organizational structures, and redeploying troops.

He expanded the valiant elite vanguard battalion into a core force, still under the command of Qiao Fenghai; appointed Li Lie as the city defense commander, in charge of the defense of the four gates, Ma Qun in charge of logistics, food and weapons, and Wang Tiezhu as the commander of the personal guard battalion.

The series of appointments were well-organized, preserving the core positions of the original Fang faction generals while integrating trusted confidants, thus achieving a smooth transition in the military.

With military power firmly in hand, Su Yang's rule became increasingly solid.

As night deepened, the candlelight flickered in the secret chamber of the general's mansion. Su Yang was practicing his skills when a guard came to report: "General, Miss Dugu requests an audience; she has important matters to discuss."

Su Yang's eyes lit up: "Please come in quickly!"

A moment later, a travel-worn Dugu Feng pushed open the door and entered, saying directly, "Brother Su, these are fragments of the 'Heavenly Demon Strategy,' treasured by my Dugu family. I rushed back overnight to deliver them."

He then handed over a brocade box wrapped in oil paper.

Su Yang took the brocade box and took out the yellowed tattered pages—covered with obscure characters and strange symbols.

He took out the fragments he had obtained and pieced them together. Although it was still incomplete, it was much more complete than before.

The two laid the pieced-together fragments on the map for comparison. Su Yang quickly discovered that the markings on the fragments corresponded to the area around Jingling, with the clearest point pointing to the vicinity of Qingsong Academy, a hundred miles west of the city.

"Near Qingsong Academy?"

Su Yang frowned and said, "That place is so serene and peaceful; could the secret of the 'Heavenly Demon Strategy' be hidden inside?"

Dugu Feng nodded, pointing to the tattered page: "Look, there are also records of the 'Mysterious Tortoise Seal' and the 'Dragon Vein of Fortune' here."

Su Yang looked at the tattered page, which read: "The Wen Shu Academy, a place where fortune is concentrated, where the dragon vein stretches endlessly, and where fortune and misfortune are intertwined—"

The handwriting is illegible.

The candlelight illuminated their solemn faces. Su Yang put away the tattered map and said with a determined look, "We must go to Qingsong Academy."

Dugu Feng advised against it, saying, "Qingsong Academy may seem peaceful, but it could be hiding something. We shouldn't go there rashly. Let's discuss this further once you've stabilized the situation in Jingling."

"Okay, that's fine!"

Su Yang nodded, knowing full well that the most important thing at the moment was to consolidate his rule, enhance his strength, and defend Jingling.

Then we went to Qingsong Academy.

If I could obtain the Heavenly Demon Strategy, it would be a huge boost to my strength!

>