Dream of the Red Chamber: Starting from Immortal Martial Arts

Chapter 104 The Muddy Waters Strike Again!

Niu Jizong remained unmoved and pressed on, "That's all?"

Dai Quan nodded and replied, "That's settled!"

Hou Xiaokang chuckled twice and suggested to Emperor Changwu, "Your Majesty, there has been much unrest in the capital region recently, and I predict that things will remain unstable in the near future. We should dispatch various units of the Beijing Garrison to patrol the surrounding areas to quell the bandit threat."

Dai Quan's expression changed slightly. He hadn't expected that the other party was still not satisfied. His narrow eyes were filled with a chilling light as he replied, "Lord Hou is absolutely right. This old servant will report to His Majesty and request that the Flood Dragon Guard be dispatched to quell the rebellion."

"That's excellent!"

Upon hearing this, the members of the founding lineage returned to the train, their faces indifferent, remaining silent as if they had expected it.

They are waiting, waiting for the person in charge to return!

Moreover, there are still troubles in Liaodong, so we can't rush things; we must deal with them step by step.

Upon seeing this, Emperor Changwu felt a surge of joy. Could he use this opportunity to break free from his father's control?

..

Inside the Tianshou Palace, with its gates tightly shut, countless candles illuminated the interior as if it were daytime.

Emperor Chongwu, dressed in a dragon robe, reclined calmly on his dragon couch, listening to the conversation in the court with slightly curved eyes.

Thanks to Jia Tang's accident, his mood has improved a lot recently.

The person waiting nearby had a cold expression and said, "It seems they guessed it?"

Emperor Chongwu shook his head: "It's just reasonable suspicion, but more so, it's dissatisfaction with my leniency."

"The reason I sent Dai Quan to convey my imperial edict is that the Imperial Guards and the Flying Eagle Division have neglected their duties, but their crimes do not warrant death."

The person standing nearby suddenly realized: "In that case, they will be even more likely to guess and speculate that we are happy to see the two sides fighting each other."

"Your Majesty is wise."

Emperor Chongwu shook his head and sighed, "Actually, it doesn't matter if I guessed it. I don't have any decisive means to defeat the dynasty. I don't want the country to fall too badly, otherwise rebuilding it will be too troublesome."

"They are still clinging to the illusion that Jia Tang is not dead, and are unwilling to completely break ties in the short term, but it is certain that they will show signs of conflict."

The man replied, "That's fine too. With His Majesty obtaining the Blood Pill Secret Technique from the Divine Ranking, the advantage is in our hands."

Emperor Chongwu laughed and said, "Indeed!"

He then changed the subject and ordered, "That old devil Shi has shown himself. I wonder if that kid, a third-level cultivator, can escape."

"Now that the Jia family has their formation and Ma Kui and Shi Cuiyue, let's send three more True Immortals to remove their formation flags, and then make our move when they're ready to settle accounts!"

"only!"

"By the way, how's the progress in Hubei and Hunan?"

"It's progressing steadily, and we'll have news soon."

"good--"

In the secret chamber of Tongzhou, Xiu Lan stood by the window with a grim face and asked, "The three third-tier cultivators in front should all be the old man's men. So they all escaped, while our men are seriously injured?"

The person next to him looked slightly bitter, as if trying to save face, and replied, "Three of them are at the second tier, and they have a team at the first tier."

"Trading a third-tier item for a second-tier or first-tier item? If that's the case, I'm willing to do it."

The first and second stages are relatively easy to understand, but the third stage is not so certain. The main reason is that in order to break through to the third stage, one must comprehend the nine divine powers to condense them into martial patterns, and then combine them into a martial talisman to advance. The third stage of the literary path is called engraving scriptures, and the principle is the same.

"——."

Xiu Lan sighed and asked again, "What about the Heavenly Fiend and Earthly Tribulation?"

"They are still fleeing south, their destination is a stronghold in Xuzhou."

Xiu Lan's expression changed slightly, and he asked, "Did True Immortal Meteor Fire also flee in this direction?"

"It should be—"

The man paused for a moment, thinking, "If everyone jumps this way, wouldn't we run into each other?"

"Quickly send a message to disperse and hide separately, and also send someone to provide covert support."

"only!"

"Send a message to that old bastard Xu Fangxing, telling him to send his second-tier subordinates to provide support. If they refuse, tell him that I have discovered another hiding place for Xu Yuan."

"And ask him, just how many body doubles can be killed?"

"only!"

"By the way, how is Fengyang Prefecture doing lately? Is it still the same as before?"

Another person replied, "Ever since they inexplicably withdrew their forces more than half a month ago, they've been doing this every day. It seems they must be afraid."

"Scared?"

Xiu Lan looked thoughtful as he quietly gazed at the blazing sun in the sky.

"About half a month ago, Jia Tang also disappeared without a trace."

"Whether they are in cahoots or not, if so, the cultivators of the Li family should also be included."

This probing attempt failed to ascertain Jia Tang's whereabouts. Given that the old man forcibly ordered an attack on the Jia family, he is most likely dead.

Furthermore, it was discovered that each of the four mansions—Niu, Hou, Chen, Ma, and Shi—had a third-level True Person in existence.

Previous estimates suggested that the eight prefectures of the Immortal Capital would have at most three individuals at the third rank, but the actual number far exceeded that, proving that we had underestimated them.

How could a powerful force that has dominated for over a century not have some old tricks up its sleeve?

So, did the Liu family and the Niu family jointly control the founding lineage in the past? Did they have any relatives or relatives in their respective families?

Also, how exactly did that old devil Shi Cuiyue survive?

After all, when they besieged the Duke of Shanguo's mansion and massacred the Shi clan members, the other party must have been seriously injured and on the verge of death, otherwise they would not have hidden away.

The other party's words echoed the instructions of the first generation of the Jia family, and they remained hidden for decades. Could it be that the Jia family provided a precious healing treasure to help them recover?

Old ghost Jia has so many tricks up his sleeve. And where exactly is that thing hidden?

What exactly is this so-called "one dragon and one tiger"? Where should Jia's tiger be located?

"If that old bastard Chen finds us first, there will truly be no chance of turning the tables."

.

In the following days, the people in Xianjing were able to see that the array above Ningrong Street had not dissipated, and none of the members of the Jia family's two mansions, including the collateral branches who entered the mansion the next day, left the mansion.

On the third day after the attack on Jia, Shi Cuiyue returned to the capital from the south on a cloud. His clothes were somewhat torn, and he was carrying a terrifying head in his hand.

Thus, the world has its first clear example of a third-tier cultivator who could be called a True Person dying and disappearing.

On the fourth day, a team of second-tier cultivators from the Eight Prefectures of Immortal Capital returned from outside the city, carrying several bandit leaders.

On the fifth day, news came from various places that a group of mysterious cultivators had appeared in Chongzhou Prefecture, Shandong Province, and had slaughtered the ancestral home of the three commanders of the Imperial Guard. One was a second-level cultivator and many were first-level cultivators. All 1,364 members of their clansmen, including direct and collateral relatives, as well as the old, weak, sick and disabled, were executed.

Not killed, but executed. He was forced to kneel and kowtow facing north until he died!

The ancestral home of the Flying Eagle Commander in Dongchang Prefecture was also massacred by cultivators, and all the clansmen had their heads cut off.

This news caused a stir throughout the court. Emperor Changwu was furious and ordered the Ministry of War and the military government to dispatch the Beijing Garrison to patrol the surrounding area. He then selected two second-level martial arts practitioners to take over as commanders of the Imperial Guards and acting commanders of the Flying Eagle Division.

The Imperial Dragon Guard was also mobilized, and under the leadership of a second-tier master cultivator, they searched the capital region.

On the sixth day, the Jiaolong Guard, which was traveling through Daming Prefecture in Beizhili, was attacked by an unknown force. Fortunately, the generals of the Beijing Garrison arrived with their troops, otherwise they might have been killed.

At the same time, the Jia family members from both mansions returned to the outside world from the underground chamber.

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

Grandmother Jia slumped back on the soft couch, her deeply lined face looking even more haggard. Her cloudy eyes were fixed on the three heads on the table in front of her, and she kept wiping away tears.

"With half of the Ning family's direct lineage gone, how grief will Tiger be upon his return?"

The old lady felt a pang of pain in her heart whenever she thought of how Jia Tang had carried the family's expectations since childhood, working tirelessly every day without ever letting up.

The family has been fair to everyone except Tiger.

Jia She, standing to the side, had bloodshot eyes, a gloomy face, and a violent aura. Hearing this, he lowered his eyes and said, "That brat values ​​bloodlines the most. He's taken care of all the collateral branches and illegitimate sons, and none of them have gotten into trouble. I really admire my elder brother and the others—"

"All the mistakes are the fault of us elders."

"Damn pigs and dogs, they harmed my loved ones! I will never be satisfied with my hatred, even if I die nine times!"

Grandmother Jia rubbed her temples, glanced at the silent Jia Zheng, and asked again, "Have the people in the manor been appeased?"

Jia She replied, "Feng'er is leading people to handle it."

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia added, "No matter who it is, whether they are from a certain generation or a servant, or even a housekeeper, anyone who goesssips or complains in private—deal with them all without hesitation!"

Jia She nodded in agreement: "As long as the stewards are loyal, there will be no chaos."

"That's fine. Your younger brother is inexperienced, so please take good care of him."

Upon hearing this, Jia Zheng's face flushed red. He was about to retort, but when he met the eyes of his mother and brother, he didn't know what to say.

"Alright, Cun Zhou, you can go back to your room now."

After Jia Zheng was helped away, Grandmother Jia sighed inwardly. She had always been biased towards the second branch of the family, but she never expected that they would be so weak from top to bottom. They were not as principled as Tan Chun, who was the only daughter in the family.

Once the eldest son's fifth-generation offspring are born, things will return to normal.

"Boss, do you know that Uncle Ma is secretly guarding the manor?"

Jia She shook his head and replied, "Indeed not. I don't even know the guards from the various mansions inside Tianxiang Tower. They must be backup plans that Hu'er invited."

"Based on my deduction, it's unknown whether Brother Jing's death was discussed with Hu'er, but Zhen'er and Rong'er should be safe. Who knew that the father and son would both run away to the outskirts of the city—"

"It's all fate!"

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia's eyes flickered slightly, and she sighed deeply, both relieved and distressed: "Tiger is still angry. Given his arrangements and your temperament, if Yu'er hadn't stood up for you, the second son's wife would have certainly died that night."

"In this way, Yu'er's control of the flag is put in the open, and there will be no shortage of people plotting against her in the future."

"At that point, no one will be able to plead for them—"

A hint of mockery flashed in Jia She's eyes as he sneered, "Human greed is like a snake trying to swallow an elephant. Very well, it provides an explanation both internally and externally."

Grandmother Jia, however, said, "With Tiger acting like this, are you really sure you can borrow an heir?"

Jia She remained silent for a long while, then said calmly, "Let's take it one step at a time—"

The room fell silent for a moment.

Grandmother Jia stared blankly at the severed heads of her three relatives, suppressing her thoughts. Remembering Yu'er's words that Hu'er would return in about a month, she instructed, "Eldest son, take Jing'er and the other two back to the East Mansion. Arrange the funeral rites in order, keep the coffins in state for twenty-one days, and discuss the funeral arrangements when Hu'er returns—"

Jia She nodded silently, his gaze fixed on Jia Jing.

This older brother, with whom I grew up, just suddenly passed away. But whether it was forced or voluntary, it must have been a generous offer after discussing it with Yu Yin!

In Daiyu's courtyard, Lin Daiyu, with her slender hand holding a long sword, practices martial arts with her three sisters.

This ordeal taught her a lesson: when disaster strikes, to have a voice, one must wield force.

Although Lin Daiyu had the authority to make arrangements, she knew that this was only because her brother allowed it.

Whether he takes it back or not, it is ultimately not his own.

Moreover, she also wanted to fight alongside him.

Judging from this situation, we can see just how difficult the circumstances Jiatang faces on a daily basis.

Therefore, we cannot relax for a moment.

Tan Chun, standing to the side, had sweat wetting her cheeks and stray hairs sticking to her temples. Her brows and eyes held an unwavering determination, adding to her heroic spirit.

:

Whenever she recalls the scene of hiding in the underground chamber that day, she imagines that if she had a level of cultivation, or even a level five cultivation, she wouldn't have had to passively wait for a choice, and she could have let her aunt or others enter the underground chamber together.

The thoughts in his mind became clearer and clearer: martial arts training, only martial arts training could change everything, gain the attention of the elders, and get Tiger Brother's support!

We are blood relatives; no matter how capable we are, why should we worry about not having a place to realize our ambitions?

Not only Tan Chun thought this way, but Ying Chun and Xi Chun thought the same way.

Although Yingchun is honest and even a bit dull, it doesn't mean she's stupid; she just doesn't want to compete.

Although Xichun was young, her quick wit allowed her to learn some lessons from this incident.

Just as the three women were diligently cultivating, and while the great battle outside the Great Wall was raging, conflicts intensified across tens of thousands of miles of land, from Yangzhou in the south to Xuanfu in the north.

At first, it was just some mysterious forces that everyone with eyes could see tacitly, who took turns attacking and killing the ancestral homes of the Imperial Guards and the generals of the Flying Eagle Division, destroying their families and inner gates, exterminating their clans and ancestral halls, and causing a bloodbath.

However, later on, some clandestine forces actually took advantage of the chaos and launched indiscriminate attacks on families that cultivated both literary and martial arts. Many small families suffered, and even some large families with second-tier members also suffered considerable losses.

Meanwhile, news, its origins unknown but increasingly accepted by various forces, spread throughout the land: Jia Tang has died a violent death, and the Eight Prefectures have gone mad! The Martial Star has dimmed, while the Literary Star shines brightly!

Consequently, more and more forces dispatched cultivators who concealed their faces with qi and covered their faces with literary qi, wantonly burning, killing, and looting.

The situation gradually took an unexpected turn!

December 25th, night. The large moon was not visible, and the stars were hidden.

Ningrong Street in the western part of Xianjing was shrouded in darkness, with only the half-open array of the Ningrong Mansions faintly illuminating the space around them.

Thanks to the power of the eight prefectures of Xianjing some time ago, with even more than a handful of third-level True Persons, the situation in the city has stabilized, allowing the Jia family's formation to be changed from fully open to half open.

Even if the defensive formation is only half open, it's not something a second-tier cultivator can break through. Besides, nobody knows whether the horses that came to protect the Jia family mansion have left or not, so no villains would dare to cause trouble.

Just then, the space near Ning and Rong prefectures suddenly rippled like the surface of a lake, and an invisible aura locked onto the area surrounding the two prefectures.

The next instant, first a crocodile tail as thick as a mountain, carrying an immense body, crashed down from the sky, then a lion's head emerged from the sea of ​​fire, opening its blood-red maw to bite down.

Another person, with his robes fluttering in the wind, flew in, a scripture floating behind his head, with a line of small characters appearing on it: "Dark clouds press down on the city, threatening to crush it; armor gleams in the sun, like golden scales opening."

A powerful literary aura surged forth, converging into a sky full of dark clouds, the surface of which formed neatly stacked, fine scales that shimmered with a chilling light.

In an instant, the scales seemed to come alive, wriggling slightly, and a dazzling golden light shot out from within, like a golden pillar of the sun illuminating the night!

The three hundred-zhang-wide ranges of supernatural powers signify the involvement of three True Immortals, one skilled in literature and the other in martial arts.