Chapter Seven, The Tale of the White Bones

Tong Ming scrutinized his expression and hesitated, saying: "An Zhi, do you really..."

Xie Yun further remarked: "This is the first peculiar matter. After Mr. Zhou entered the court, he thrived like a fish in water, swiftly taking control of the situation in both the north and south. Later, he devoted himself tirelessly, spending three years recuperating and, alongside General Wen Yu Feiqing, who excelled in both civil and military affairs, they captured several cities along the border, vanquished the Northern Dipper, and shattered the undefeated myth of the Northern Army. This battle can be described as unprecedented and astonishingly brilliant. However, there is one regret: General Wu Fei and the hidden Qi Sect were exposed one after the other. General Wu sacrificed himself for the country, and the Qi Sect also fell apart. After General Wu's death, the orphaned descendants of the Wu family were pursued by the Northern Dipper's Lu Cun, and the rumors of the 'Sea and Sky in One Color' turmoil resurfaced in the martial world."

"A cornered dog will jump over the wall," Master Lin said with a smile that did not reach his eyes, "The three of us, old fellows buried up to our necks in loess, are still alive. Let them come and try jumping."

Li Yan waved her hand without looking back, brushing aside Zhou Fei's stick: "I was just asking..."

Xie Yun gently exhaled a breath, slowly rubbing his hands together. On the warm and humid shores of the East China Sea, what he exhaled was a puff of white vapor

Zhou Yitang clasped his hands within his sleeves. Although there was no sign of anger on his face, he somehow instilled a sense of restraint in others. The personal guard beside him, who was holding the lantern, lowered his head as if he were diligently counting the ants on the ground. Zhou Fei had never felt so embarrassed in her life; she looked up at the treetops and then turned her head to glance at Li Cheng. Upon receiving a glare from Li Cheng, she had no choice but to lower her head and join the little guard in counting the ants.

Even if the ripples are gathered, it does not necessarily mean that the content of the covenant can be pieced together. The mysterious 'ripples', the 'witness', and the assassin who roams the rivers and lakes, whom you can never find... all of these are a thorn left by Liang Shao in someone's heart, causing him to be restless and unable to eat or sleep.

Xie Yun smiled and said: "At that time, I thought being a useless person was quite good, not expecting that there would come a day when I would have to use the Cloud-Pushing Palm... Let's not talk about that. I unexpectedly discovered a group of suspicious individuals lingering near the Liang Gong Tomb. Master probably knows that the Liang Gong Tomb is located at the junction of the north and south, adjacent to the tomb of Liang Gongzi, who sacrificed himself for the country, making it a very sensitive location. My first reaction was, 'What kind of mischief is Beidou up to again?' So, relying on my decent lightness skill, I followed them. Those individuals wandered around for two days, found the Liang Gong Tomb, and that night, they broke into the tomb and began rummaging around indiscriminately."

The "Guiyang Pill" obtained by Mingfeng Tower, the protection received by Feng Wuyan, and the rapid advancement in martial arts of Mu Xiaoqiao... all of these elements evoke a flurry of thoughts, making it no wonder that the notion of a martial arts secret treasure is so rampant. The remuneration paid by Liang Shaofu not only enables these paid assassins to willingly serve but also subtly weaves a grand illusion, fully utilizing the imagination of the people in the martial world who thrive on rumors.

"Master Lin," Xie Yunyi waved his hand, "There is no need to make things difficult for those running errands. The Emperor has always treated me very well. I appreciate everyone's concern, but the grandeur of the imperial procession is far too excessive for me to accept. If it could be simplified a bit, it would be better for me to return and see my uncle."

Xie Yun said in a very light voice: "I cannot take risks; I can only stir the waters by spreading a rumor that appears more reasonable and enticing, compelling all parties to believe it to be true. Then, some will flock to it, some will engage in open and covert struggles, and some may even seek to exploit this for their own purposes... In this way, I will have the opportunity to fish in troubled waters and use others' knives to kill. What do you think, Master? Does this method sound familiar? Doesn't it resemble the tactics used by the current emperor against me?"

Tong Ming sighed and said: "So you knew the location of Liang Gong's tomb all along, why have you never mentioned it? He possesses a large number of relics from the Medicine Valley, what if there is a solution to the Bone-Penetrating Blue?"

Master Lin interrupted him with a glare and a puff of his beard: "Imperial physician? Bah, your imperial physicians are nothing but a bunch of good-for-nothings!"

"Uncle," Li Sheng finally found an opportunity to speak and hurriedly asked, "What grievances did Liang Gong have with our Forty-Eighth Village later on?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Fei felt an inexplicable tug in her heart. For some reason, although she had never met her grandfather who passed away early, she suddenly found the phrase "seeking aid from the court" to be very heavy. He had led a group of people in the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, establishing a refuge akin to a Peach Blossom Spring, jokingly referring to himself as "officially a bandit," and had made three vows of "no regrets." Although he had a friendship with Liang Shao and had also contributed to escorting the young emperor south, Zhou Fei inexplicably believed that the old village chief would likely be unwilling to reach out to them.

Wu, Wen Yu sat down by the campfire, saying, "He has a particularly close relationship with the old village chief Li. It is said that Mr. Zhou was sent to study with Liang Gong by the old village chief back in the day."

Zhou Fei did not know what she was thinking of, and then said: "Did my mother bully him when she was young?"

"Spare me, spare me," Wen Yu teased the little girl enough before he slowly said, "Well, actually, it's nothing much. Mr. Zhou mentioned it to me by chance. When he was young, he suffered from natural disasters and man-made calamities, losing his family and home. By a stroke of luck, he was rescued by the old village chief Li who happened to pass by and took him home to care for him for a few years. Mr. Zhou originally came from a scholarly family, and he had an exceptional memory for poetry and literature. As he grew older, the old village chief Li worried that there were no renowned teachers in the village to guide him, so he sent him to the Liang family in Jiangnan."

Tong Mingdao: "Do you really have no resentment?"

Wen Yu: "... ..."

The guard said: "Your Majesty is precisely worried about this, ordering us to prepare the carriage and horses for the imperial procession, and dispatched ten imperial physicians to accompany us..."

If there is something I do not want others to know, yet there are many participants involved, besides those who hold the rippling water, there are also numerous assassins hidden in the shadows as witnesses. Although each of them lacks complete evidence, and some have already died without leaving a trace, I still do not know if there is any subtle connection among them. Once I take action against one of them, it is easy to alert the others, and at that point, things may develop in a direction I do not wish for. What should I do

Xie Yun fell silent for a moment, then said: "It is said that back in the day... long before the Cao family's rebellion began, Liang Gong was already a key figure in the new party. He was young and impetuous at that time, and he resonated with the late emperor, who was determined to implement new policies. Later, the late emperor, having offended the ministers, was left with no choice but to demote Liang Shao to Jiangnan. The intention was to suppress him first and then elevate him later, waiting for the right moment to recall him. Who would have thought that this parting would be a final farewell... Liang Gong never cherished wealth and honor throughout his life. His first wife passed away early, and he lived as a widower for many years. He had only one son, who was also a talented youth. Before he even reached adulthood, he had already achieved military merit. At that time, when the Cao Zhongkun rebellion occurred, he went north with the army. By chance, the small unit he was in served as bait, and in the end, he met his death in a foreign land, with no remains left behind—what did Liang Shao sacrifice for? I do not know; I only feel that this old man truly led a busy life, even in death."

Li Yan said: "Ah, then didn't my aunt and uncle know each other from a very young age? Were they not childhood sweethearts?"

Master Tongming's lips moved slightly, and before he had a chance to speak, Xie Yun noticed that his expression was not right. He quickly feigned ease and said: "But life and death are one; there will eventually be a day when different paths converge. It is only a matter of a hundred years at most, so it is not worth worrying about. Moreover... perhaps she will have a sudden whim and think of visiting the East Sea, and in a couple of days, she will be at her doorstep. The will of heaven is indeed difficult to predict; otherwise, how could it be that at that moment, she coincidentally followed in the footsteps of Lord Liang and fell into that small stone cave?"... Perhaps she will have a sudden whim and think of visiting the East Sea, and in a couple of days, she will be at her doorstep. The will of heaven is indeed difficult to predict; otherwise, how could it be that at that moment, she coincidentally followed in the footsteps of Lord Liang and fell into that small stone cave?

The more anxious Li Yan became, the more amusing Wen Yu found it. He deliberately put on a stern face and shook his head, repeatedly saying: "Not good, not good"

Li Sheng set down the perplexing broken box in his hand, while Li Yan immediately tossed Wu Chuchu aside and hurried over, squeezing Li Sheng to the side, eagerly waiting to listen.

Wen Yu reached out to stroke the mustache on his lips, standing up as if nothing had happened: "Excuse me, sir."

Zhou Fei exclaimed, "Ah, what?"

Li Sheng had no desire to pry into the romantic history of his elders; he simply wanted to ask rationally, since Liang Shao and the old chief of the Li family were old friends, why was it that the year Xie Yun brought the Liang Gong token to the Forty-Eight Stronghold, he was almost chopped by his aunt? Yet, despite his neck stretching two zhang long, he found it impossible to interject.

General Wen, in his middle age, has a dignified appearance and commands great respect both at home and abroad. At first glance, he seems to be a person of great stature, but who would have thought that he is actually a scoundrel who leaves after teasing others? Li Yan hurriedly pleaded, "General, we are very discreet; just say a little, and surely no one else will know."

Zhou Yitang said to Wen Yu: "I was thinking of making arrangements here; the faster we march, the better. I originally intended to discuss this with you, but seeing that you have not returned to the tent for a long time, I came to take a look."

"Those who understand me are my benefactors." Xie Yun smiled with his eyes, "I covered my face and relied on my lightness of foot to head north. The grave robbers in black and the Taoist priest had no idea what I was capable of, and they pursued me relentlessly. Fortunately, Liang Gong has become nothing but skin and bones; otherwise, I truly would not have been able to carry him along this journey."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Fei silently picked up a long wooden stick and held it to the side, conveying a clear message of "You can try to leave if you wish".

Xie Yun tapped his fingers on the edge of the table intermittently: "That year, Liang Shao fell gravely ill, knowing that his days were numbered. He ordered that the news be suppressed and wrote a confidential letter to me, entrusting me to go to Mount Shu to seek Mr. Gan Tang. Although I went, I have always harbored doubts about this matter."

Xie Yundao: "Lord Liang is a thorough royalist, while Mr. Gantang, although once his favored disciple, has long since severed ties with him. Between the Emperor and Mr. Gantang, who is closer and who is farther? Why did Liang Shao choose to hand over his old power in Jiangnan to Mr. Gantang at that time, rather than directly to the Emperor?"

Chen Junfu slowly approached, carrying his long shuttle for weaving fishing nets, and silently leaned against the doorframe. Master Lin swayed slightly and then landed on the roof of the study, his two small mustaches twitching as he said: "Today is neither a holiday nor a festival, what brings you here?"

Tong Ming said with a bitter smile: "I no longer know whether it is your 'White Bone Tale' that is strange, or the words you are speaking that are strange. What do you want to say?"

I traveled all the way to the territory of the Northern Dynasties, and those men in black were likely going mad, disregarding even national borders, like rabid dogs trailing behind me, unable to shake them off despite traversing mountains and rivers. Just as I was in distress, I unexpectedly encountered the gang of thugs led by the Lord of the Vermilion Bird, notorious for their ruthless reputation. Without distinguishing right from wrong, the Lord of the Vermilion Bird and his subordinates were equally infamous. Seeing that group was too arrogant, they assumed they were looking for trouble. As soon as the two sides met, a chaotic fight broke out. Upon witnessing this fortuitous opportunity, Liang Gong and I immediately took the chance to make our escape.

No, it is not a matter of venting anger; the Emperor is not someone who displays his emotions so openly. Even if he truly harbors resentment, he should personally deal with the corpse, rather than leaving it to others. " Xie Yun said as he stood up, tightened his robe, and slowly paced in the study. "I suspect that they found nothing in the tomb of the owner, which is why they believe there is some mystery surrounding Liang Shao's corpse. At that moment, I saw that Daoist Chongxiao could no longer hold on, and I could not bear to see him die here in confusion, so I thought I would give it a try. " "I suspect that they found nothing in the tomb of the owner, which is why they believe there is some mystery surrounding Liang Shao's corpse. At that moment, I saw that Daoist Chongxiao could no longer hold on, and I could not bear to see him die here in confusion, so I thought I would give it a try. "

"Outside of the six harmonies, the sage does not speak; do not talk nonsense." With that, Ming scolded him and rolled up his sleeves to help tidy the messy manuscripts on the table. He noticed that the characters on the spread-out paper were clear and neat, yet they were not written in the usual romantic and sentimental style of Xie Yun. Upon closer inspection, the strokes and turns appeared somewhat stiff, and there were occasional errant strokes that he could not control. It seemed that he had been influenced by the bone-deep blue, causing his wrist to gradually stiffen, to the point where it had become difficult for him to hold a pen with ease.

Tong Mingdao: "Anzhi, you must know something else."

The long eyebrows, which drooped in unison, moved slightly.

Xie Yun pronounced each word slowly: "The Imperial Palace"

If it can be said that "The Sound of Cold Crows" still bears some semblance of human affairs, then "The Tale of White Bones" is entirely filled with nonsensical ghost stories. Were it not for the fact that Ming could still speak coherently, one might suspect that Xie Yun had become muddled due to illness, resulting in a page full of absurdities

Xie Yun extinguished the dragon incense, raised his head to look towards the door, and saw the old monk coming with Ming. He intended to stand up to greet them, but unexpectedly felt half of his body stiffen, and he was unable to rise, falling heavily back down.

The surroundings were enveloped in tranquility, and even Li Yan held her breath cautiously.

Tong Ming gasped: "Are you saying that the emperor's close attendants have dug up the grave of Lord Liang, desecrated the corpse to vent their anger, and are also trying to frame the Big Dipper for it"

At that time, Daoist Chongxiao mostly thought that these individuals were mere rogues from the rivers and lakes, engaging in grave robbing for lack of better activities. However, as soon as the two sides clashed, the Daoist realized he was outmatched. The grave robbers in black were exceptionally skilled; while there were many experts, few exhibited such seamless cooperation. They communicated without the need for words, relying solely on eye contact and gestures that were flawlessly coordinated. Moreover, these gestures followed a discernible pattern, one that I had happened to witness before and could understand.

Xie Yun then said: "Thinking of the shrine in the temple—a mere clay figure, people mold it themselves and then worship it. After the incense has burned for a long time, they truly regard it as something sacred."

Upon hearing the absurd synopsis of this new work, Master Tongming did not hastily offer an evaluation, but instead reached out to flip through this "great work".

Tong Ming asked: "How?"

Xie Yun smiled and said: "Amitabha, full of common sayings, Master, which fabricated scripture of some heretical Buddha are you reciting? Throughout history, the rise has always been about 'nobles and generals, is there any distinction in blood?' The term 'orthodox' is merely a tool we 'royal relatives and nobles' use to deceive the ignorant common people, and we all know this. Yet, when this lie is repeated a thousand times, we ourselves start to believe it... Master, do you know what I am reminded of?"

What circumstances must one be driven to in order for him to utter the words "seek help"?

The leader Li from the Forty-Eight Villages, the son of the Sword of Mountains and Rivers, the daughter of General Wu, and even Huo Liantao, the lord of Huo Family Fortress, include both people from the martial world and ordinary folks, good people and bad people. Yet none of them know what the water ripple truly is. Perhaps it was agreed upon by several predecessors who established the Sea and Sky Covenant that this matter would end with them, or perhaps it was to avoid bringing misfortune to their descendants. In any case, the water ripple has been passed down, but the content of the covenant has not. Do you know what I am doubting, Master?

Wen Yu could not help but laugh out loud: "If I do not say something today, do several young friends not want me to leave?"

Tong Ming asked: "What have you written?"

Master Tongming, with a compassionate heart, upon hearing these words, repeatedly chanted the Buddha's name

Zhou Fei: "... ..."

Chen Junfu said in a deep voice: "Your Highness, the Duke of Duan, is afflicted with illness and injury, and it is not advisable to travel by carriage."

Thank you for exonerating me. Zhou Yitang smiled briefly and then said, I feel deeply indebted to Mr. Liang for his years of cultivation. As for myself, I have abandoned my martial arts and returned all that I have learned in my lifetime, retreating to the Forty-Eight Villages. The grievances cannot really be discussed; your aunt may just occasionally recall the past and still hold some lingering feelings. With the person gone, there is not much left to say. In these chaotic days of war, you should rest early.

At that moment, a sudden sound of footsteps came from outside. The two individuals in the study were momentarily taken aback. After a brief pause, Liu Youliang spoke aloud: "Your Highness, Master Tongming, there are guests arriving from outside the island"

Master Tongming's gaze fell upon the article "The Tale of the White Bones": "What happens after death?"

The worthless person with the surname Li temporarily dared not touch other areas. After exerting effort for a long time against the small opening that was opened, he finally saw three characters on an envelope. At first, the others gathered to watch, but before long, they all left out of boredom. Ying Hecong was feeding snakes on one side, while Yang Jin and Wen Yu, who was sent to deliver money, were on the other side practicing sword techniques with Zhou Fei. Wu Chuchu sat on the side with paper and pen, recording rapidly while listening to Li Yan's explanations.

The leader took out a Beidou command flag from his bosom, pressed it down with stones, and placed it beside the corpse, making a mess of the skeletons. Xie Yundao remarked, "It seems as if he is afraid that no one knows that Shen Tianshu has brazenly crossed the borders of the South and North, digging up graves and desecrating the remains."

She seemed like a rabbit that had been poked in the rear, suddenly jumping up and turning around weakly: "... ... Uncle."

Xie Yun tilted his head and inquired: "Hmm?"

Li Sheng could not help but ask: "Is it the same with my grandfather?"

A row of impeccably composed inner guards knelt outside Xie Yun's modest and dilapidated study.

The scent of the dragon incense was extremely strong, and after a long while, even the nose became numb. The master and disciple sat facing each other, and for a long time, no one spoke; the only sound was the rhythmic clinking of the wooden Buddhist beads in Tong Ming's hand. After an unknown period, Tong Ming finally said: "An Zhi, have you ever considered that these are merely speculations? Is it possible... is it possible that because you have been preoccupied with Zhao Yuan's actions, you have become biased, believing that everything is a conspiracy, and that every conspiracy must involve him? According to your reasoning, the Qinglong Lord's harm to the Shanchuan Sword, the Beidou's siege of the Nandao, and the Huo Fortress Lord's poisoning and framing of the old fortress master must also have been orchestrated by him... Is it possible that because you have been preoccupied with Zhao Yuan's actions, you have become biased, believing that everything is a conspiracy, and that every conspiracy must involve him? According to your reasoning, the Qinglong Lord's harm to the Shanchuan Sword, the Beidou's siege of the Nandao, and the Huo Fortress Lord's poisoning and framing of the old fortress master must also have been orchestrated by him? This seems too far-fetched... After all, Zhao Yuan was merely a child who had lost his family back then."

Xie Yun said: "The token of the sea and sky being in General Wu's hands, if it is not due to him being tired of life and leaking it himself, then there is only one other explanation—someone who once participated in the Sea and Sky Covenant has revealed this matter."

Zhou Fei suddenly coughed and poked Li Yan's back with a wooden stick

Wen Yu took the handkerchief from the bodyguard and wiped the sweat from his face, replying: "It is not impossible. Lord Liang had a wide circle of friends in his early years and had connections with many seniors. Otherwise, where would he have found so many skilled individuals to protect the emperor during his southern journey? Moreover, the Great Medicine Valley still preserves many items to this day."

Tong Ming let out a sound of "Ah"

Master, Xie Yun said, "Disciple is going on a long journey. Before I leave, I would trouble you to prepare the last medicine."

"No more fighting." Wen Yu gasped as he sheathed his sword, "The Yangtze River's waves push the previous waves forward; I am getting old. Thank you, Miss Zhou, for your guidance. If you seek me out again to avenge the grudge of the broken sword from years ago, I truly cannot withstand it—what did Young Master Li just say? A letter from Lord Liang?"

Master Tongming was not surprised at all and said: "You suddenly appeared, snatched the corpse, and left."

What kind of matters is this fellow handling

The matter of the bones disappearing from Liang Shao's tomb, "Xie Yun said slowly, "I witnessed it with my own eyes"

He is not of true royal blood

Zhou Fei held a wooden stick in her hand, simultaneously withstanding the sword of General Wen and the saber of Master Yang. She sidestepped and passed between the two, her figure swaying as she evaded General Wen's own sword that was coming from behind. Yang Jin swung his saber to intercept her, but Zhou Fei executed a move called "Break" from below to above, striking accurately on the back of his blade. Yang Jin's long saber was deflected, colliding with the sword of Wen Yu, who was unable to retract in time. The two were evenly matched in strength, and both experienced a moment of numbness in their hands, retreating two steps each.

As soon as these words were spoken, even someone with a heart as vast as the "Open-minded Layman" would show a series of changes in expression. At that moment, Xie Yun seemed to be choked up, abruptly pulling open the door and asking, "Who is it?"

Xie Yun remained silent for an even longer time this time

Tong Mingdao: "This does not make sense. If there truly is such a person who betrayed the agreement of 'Haitian Yise', why is the content of the agreement still a mystery to this day?"

Although Master Tongming is fond of engaging in Zen riddles, the riddles he contemplates are those of the clear flowing breeze, "Where do they come from and where do they go?" As a former royal relative, he is unable to comprehend the convoluted thoughts of the current royal relatives. He can only smile wryly at Xie Yun and say, "Incomprehensible! Listening to your words truly sends chills down my spine. Amitabha, it seems that for me to remain in a corner, merely reciting scriptures as an old monk, is indeed a wise choice."

Slowly raising a finger to his lips, his expression unusually serious: "I can guess, but I cannot speak of it, Master. This matter must not come from my mouth, even if it is just the two of us here."

Who would have thought that Wen Yu would wave his hand and laugh, saying: "Ah, how can we discuss Shangguan behind his back? Let's not talk about it."

Master Tongming bowed his head and recited the Buddha's name

Xie Yun laughed and said, "I was relentlessly pursued by them, running for three whole days, unable to shake them off. By this time, I had begun to doubt whether there was truly some mystery behind this skeleton. However, upon reflection, perhaps those tomb raiders were only slightly suspicious, and as a result, the Taoist priest and I came out one after the other to stir things up, which only confirmed their suspicions, right? The Taoist priest must have thought that I was heading north all along, believing that the tomb raiders and I were like 'false Big Dipper' encountering the 'true Big Dipper.' Meanwhile, those who secretly acted as tomb raiders thought that both the Taoist priest and I were sent from the north, leading to unequal distribution of spoils and betrayal among companions... The Taoist priest must have thought that I was heading north all along, believing that the tomb raiders and I were like 'false Big Dipper' encountering the 'true Big Dipper.' Meanwhile, those who secretly acted as tomb raiders thought that both the Taoist priest and I were sent from the north, leading to unequal distribution of spoils and betrayal among companions... Haha, it was a complete mess."

At the time of the establishment of "The Sea and Sky in One Color," Emperor Jianyuan Zhao Yuan was merely a young child crossing south with the protection of many. What significant leverage could a child possess that would make Liang Shao remain vigilant to this day? Furthermore, why would Zhao Yuan be so troubled by "The Sea and Sky in One Color"?

Tong Ming's two white eyebrows gently furrowed

Although the characters are written stiffly, the content is a rather bizarre and supernatural story. This person can barely hold a pen, yet they are still rambling on!

It is said that there was a white skeleton that died and came back to life. When it crawled up, it discovered that it was not lying in the tomb that had been prepared in advance. Confused, it had no choice but to crawl out and search for its own grave. I plan to give it a name, calling it "The Tale of the White Skeleton." What do you think?

Li Yan hurriedly asked: "How old was Uncle when he left Mount Shu?"

As Tong Ming entered the study, he felt the presence of a Xie Yun within the room, as if an ice mountain for cooling had been placed there. Inside and outside the door were two distinct climates. The old monk sighed with concern, saying: "You are different; after all, you are the son of a phoenix and a royal descendant"

Master Tongming shook his head and said, "Once again, you have fallen into the trap of words."

Master Ming finished recounting the entire ghost story and then said: "Ah Fei once went to Lord Liang's tomb on my behalf to search for the 'Book of Hundred Poisons' and discovered that the tomb had already been entered by someone else, with the remains of the tomb's owner having vanished without a trace. At that time, you were still in a state of unconsciousness, so I did not inform you of these details. It turns out you already knew; I have been living abroad for a long time and have been out of touch with news, so I am not very clear about certain matters. Why did you not start from the beginning?"

The Buddhist beads in Tongming's hand suddenly came to a halt. The old monk, having lived to this age and practiced for half a lifetime, had seen many strange phenomena in the world, yet he trembled at this one soft utterance from him

In the enchanting night, torches stood tall in the valley. Li Sheng pressed his entire body against the wooden box that he had painstakingly unearthed from the forbidden area of the Qi Gate. He had spent a whole day cautiously prying off the first plank of the box, finally revealing a glimpse of what lay inside, discovering that it was filled with a thick stack of letters.

After a while, Zhou Yitang continued, "At that time, the court was beset by internal and external troubles, and it was indeed a tumultuous autumn. Lord Liang... for the greater good, was truly powerless. I was young and impetuous then, driven by personal feelings, I resorted to petty tricks, stealing military tokens and deceiving the extraction of fifty thousand elite troops."

Li Sheng turned the wooden box over for him to see and asked, "Who does this Liang Gong refer to? It can't be the Liang Xiangye from back then, can it?"

Li Yan said with great enthusiasm: "By the way, when did my aunt marry my uncle, General? Has he mentioned this to you?"

The guard, overwhelmed by Master Lin, was overjoyed: "Yes, I will draft a petition immediately, thank you, Prince Duan."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone turned to look, including Ying Hecong who also raised his head

As soon as he finished speaking, a shadow suddenly flickered before him. Master Lin appeared like a ghost, somehow arriving right in front of him. The leading guard was taken aback, leaning back and swiftly grabbing the sword at his waist.

Zhou Fei asked, "So, does that mean the study in my house has always belonged to my father?"

"If I had been the only one there at the time, then none of the subsequent events would have occurred," Xie Yun said self-deprecatingly. "After all, I am rather timid; at most, I would have waited for them to walk far away before stepping forward to collect Liang Gong's body once more. Who would have thought that by some stroke of luck, there was another person present, who very straightforwardly revealed himself and questioned them about who they were, how they could be so shameless as to even claim the name 'Beidou'... I later learned that the foolish Daoist was none other than Daoist Chongxiao from the Qimen sect."

While preparing to welcome back the Duke of End in Jinling, Zhou Fei was still unaware and found herself at the site of the former Qi Gate

Tong Ming hesitated for a moment: "Are you referring to... Liang Shao?"

Tong Mingdao: "I have prepared the third medicinal soup, Anzhi, how many more days can you hold on?"

Xie Yun felt that the moisture swept in by the sea breeze had already condensed into ice around him, as if he were carrying an unshakeable winter. Indeed, the pattern of the South and North would change; the closer Zhao Yuan approached that unified throne, the more the ripples of water would feel like a thorn in his throat. Fortunately, as this "orphan of the Yi De Crown Prince," his life was not long. Zhao Yuan still had to stage the final act of "returning power" for the imagined figure behind the scenes, sending this legitimate heir to his end, only to then weep bitterly as he was "forced onto the stage" and "received the mandate of heaven." Fortunately, as this "orphan of the Yi De Crown Prince," his life was not long. Zhao Yuan still had to stage the final act of "returning power" for the imagined figure behind the scenes, sending this legitimate heir to his end, only to then weep bitterly as he was "forced onto the stage" and "received the mandate of heaven."

Has Xie become serious? After a couple of sentences, he started rambling again, and Master Ming has grown too weary to bother with him: "And then?"

That year, the old village chief was ambushed by the Northern Dipper and returned severely injured. Naturally, Cao Zhongkun would not let go of the Forty-Eighth Village. "Zhou Yitang said, speaking very slowly as if he needed to weigh each word carefully, "Taking advantage of the chaos in the village, Cao Zhongkun once again sent troops to Sichuan under the pretext of suppressing bandits. The old village chief truly had no other options and, in the most critical moment, sought assistance from the Liang family... and the court.

What?

Xie Yun moved his numb half-body without saying a word, and it took a while for him to regain some sensation. Just now, when he fell, the back of his hand hit the corner of the table, resulting in a purplish-red bruise resembling a corpse mark, yet he felt no pain at all. He shook his head, flicked his sleeve, and said calmly: "Master, why are you asking me this? Naturally, I want to live another day if I can. Just let me endure for now; you can give me the third medicine when you see me about to collapse and take my last breath."

Xie Yun paused as he spoke, turning to Master Tongming: "But Master, if 'Haitian Yise' is truly the legendary martial arts treasure as the rumors suggest, how could it be in the hands of General Wu, who has always had little to do with the martial world? Even if it were indeed in his possession, neither his wife nor children understand its significance, and the Forty-Eight Villages that entrusted him with their care seem to be unaware of the situation. How did Beidou Lucun come to know about it? Even more bizarre is that overnight, it seems the whole world has come to know of 'Haitian Yise', with everyone rushing to pursue it, yet no one can clearly explain what 'Haitian Yise' actually is"

Then, by a stroke of luck, I stumbled into the Black Prison Valley of the Vermilion Bird Lord. That place was truly breathtaking. Xie Yun shook his head, saying, "The guards in the Black Prison Valley are strict. I was a bit of a burden carrying Lord Liang, so I made a suggestion to temporarily place him in a narrow crevice of the valley where no one could enter... Oh, wait, that's not right; it was I who couldn't enter. I saw that the water and grass spirit was coming in and out quite happily—at that time, it was pitch dark, and I couldn't see clearly. I didn't notice that there was actually a 'hidden paradise' beneath the narrow crevice. As soon as Lord Liang stepped in, he missed his footing and fell down.

He spoke, seemingly recalling something, his expression softened, and a faint smile curved at the corners of his mouth. After a while, he asked: "Master, if I take the third medicine, will I still have time to see A Fei? If I miss it this time, and miss it again next time, I wouldn't know how many lifetimes I would have to wait for another chance."

Although the rules at the Forty-Eight Villages are not particularly strict, the leader holds an unparalleled status in the hearts of the younger generation—after all, Zhou Fei and the other two never dared to inquire about the elders' matters when they were young. Li Yan, filled with curiosity, anxiously exclaimed: "Why do you have to bring this up? General Wen, how can you do this!"

Master Tongming revealed a hint of a smile on his face and said, "Amitabha, I think not. It is likely that you have sensed the presence of the Vermilion Bird Lord in the valley, which led you to devise this scheme of using a borrowed knife."

Master Tongming, realizing the implications of his words, was left speechless: "This ... ..."

Although Xie Yun's face was full of illness, when he recalled those tumultuous youthful days, the sparkle in his eyes did not dim in the slightest. Perhaps even in a deep coma amidst the bone-chilling cold, he could repeatedly reminisce about those thrilling and joyful years, surely not feeling lonely.

Xie Yun smiled and said: "Who in the world is without grievances? Since you have them, I have them, and everyone has them, there is nothing remarkable about it, so why speak of it?"

Master Tongming said: "Why?"

Although Li Sheng has gradually started to get involved in the affairs of the village in recent years, he still feels inexplicably nervous when speaking with Zhou Yitang. Seeing that Zhou Yitang remains silent, he hurriedly adds: "It's not anything important, actually I'm just casually..."

Indeed, it was precisely that season when Beidou, Shen Tianshu, and others subsequently besieged the Huo family fortress and Huarong City, burning the old master of the Huo family to death, and then relentlessly pursued the orphan of General Wu. So, prior to that, casually robbing a tomb, regardless of what one might find, sounds particularly reasonable, doesn't it?" Xie Yun smiled meaningfully, saying, "Unfortunately, I am merely a 'scholar with no strength to bind a chicken,' and I am powerless to uphold the dignity of the deceased—those people rummaged through everything, and I do not know whether they found what they were looking for; in any case, they eventually dragged out a corpse that was mostly just bones, whipping and beating it to 'vent their anger.'"

Before her words had faded, someone behind her leisurely interjected, "This has indeed not been mentioned."

Master Ming frowned and said: "Be at ease."

Zhou Yitang paused his steps

This indeed makes one even more confused, who is left restless and unable to eat or sleep

The will of heaven is inherently difficult to predict, and it is often the case that things do not go as one wishes. Two quarters of an hour later, an unexpected guest arrived on the island, but the visitor was not Zhou Fei.

Master Tongming stated: "Amitabha, the deceased is of utmost importance, and the greedy wolf is indeed excessively deceitful"

Master Tongming hurriedly asked: "Where have you seen it?"

Wen Yu smiled without speaking

Even if Xie Yun is indulging in a life of debauchery outside and never returns to the palace, Zhao Yuan has never forgotten the importance of appearances. During every festival and holiday, he would send someone to extend greetings, routinely engaging in the perfunctory exchange of "Are you coming home for the New Year?" and "No, I won't."

Xie Yun rubbed his nose: "He fell down, and it would be difficult to retrieve him afterwards. I was feeling anxious when, unfortunately, I was discovered by the guards in the valley."

Only when it is today

Tong Ming: `` ... ... ''

Tong Ming was taken aback: "Why?"

Master Tongming helplessly said: "With your ability to travel alone for a thousand miles, how could you not manage to escape?"

Zhou Yitang nodded slightly, glanced at Zhou Fei, and suddenly said: "Your mother is not like you, spoiled and pampered since childhood; she never bullied others when she was young"

Yang Jin and Ying He Cong exchanged glances, unsure whether they should distance themselves further

The leading guard replied, "Your Highness, allow me to report that our royal army will soon march north to suppress the bandits and restore our territory. Although this place is overseas, it is still within the sphere of influence of the northern rebels. To prevent the Cao family from acting out of desperation, His Majesty has ordered us to secretly escort Prince Duan back to the palace."

"Idle Talk." Xie Yundao said, "It is about a white skeleton that, after dying, comes back to life. When it crawls up, it discovers that it is not lying in the tomb that was prepared in advance. It is utterly perplexed and has no choice but to crawl out and search for its own grave. I plan to give it a name, let's call it 'The Tale of the White Skeleton,' what do you think?"

At that time, Mr. Zhou was busy settling matters at the front, while the Huo family was widely sending out invitations, attracting a large number of idle people to gather around Dongting. This even alarmed the Beidou. There were rumors that Beidou was planning to take advantage of the situation to find a pretext to target these 'prestigious families.' I happened to hear about it... it was indeed somewhat 'meddlesome.' So I hurried towards Yueyang, passing by Liang Gong Cemetery, and thought to stop by to pay my respects.

Xie Yundao: "Indeed, why would he allow the ripples of the water to spread everywhere? Why would he invite those individuals of questionable reputation to act as 'witnesses'? Assassins, those who extract hearts from the living and the dead... If it weren't for the notorious reputation of the 'Monkey Duo', surely this witness could have gathered all the famous assassins in the world. If the goal is merely to keep a secret, wouldn't it be better to involve fewer people? Do the esteemed figures of the martial world, like the predecessors of Mountain River Sword, care about assassins? Then who exactly is this '刺' lodged in the throat of?" If the goal is merely to keep a secret, wouldn't it be better to involve fewer people? Do the esteemed figures of the martial world, like the predecessors of Mountain River Sword, care about assassins? Then who exactly is this '刺' lodged in the throat of?"

Xie Yun said softly: "Being second only to the Prime Minister, who among the millions is worthy of his painstaking efforts? Only..."

Li Yan : `` ... ... ''

Xie Yundao: "Even this 'rumor' that stirs the waters is readily available; at the very least, the Azure Dragon Master Zheng Luosheng has always firmly believed in it"

Tong Ming shook his head: "Certainly there are some grounds, but from what I hear, it is likely still mostly your conjecture, after all, there are no witnesses to confirm the death. Let me ask you, if it truly was Liang Shao back then, why did he allow the ripples of water to spread everywhere?"

Wen Yudao: "Back in the day, the forty-eight strongholds in Shu responded to a single call, dividing the north and south, which prevented us from being attacked from both sides, ensuring that we were not caught in a precarious situation. Mr. Zhou's retreat of the northern army may not have been without consideration for long-term strategy."

After he finished speaking, he casually patted Zhou Fei's arm and turned to leave with Wen Yu

Xie Yun's teacup lid gently clinked against the cup, producing a soft sound: "I know that when the news of the tragedy suddenly reached Li Laozhai, in the same year, Mr. Zhou 'cut his bones and flesh for his mentor' and retreated to Sichuan. After that, until Liang Shao's death, Mr. Zhou never showed his face again. With his intelligence, he likely sensed something, and the truth of the matter may not even be clear to Li Dazhang. Moreover, the 'Jiao Chou' that Old Fortress Master Huo suffered from is extremely rare and is undoubtedly related to the relics of the Medicine Valley... The 'Jiao Chou' that Old Fortress Master Huo suffered from is extremely rare and is undoubtedly related to the relics of the Medicine Valley... Additionally, there is the Shanchuan Sword— the death of the Shanchuan Sword is the most typical case; it seems to be a case of 'having a precious gem brings trouble,' but upon closer examination, where did this gem come from? What is the origin of the rumor that the Hai Tian Yi Se is a martial arts treasure, and what evidence supports it?"

"It was usually not a problem," Xie Yun sighed, "Who would have known that on that day I didn't check the almanac, and coincidentally, the Lord of the Vermilion Bird, Zhuque, was stationed in the valley. This Zhuque is someone... Haha, you must have heard of him too. To avoid unnecessary disputes and bloodshed, I had no choice but to let myself be captured by them. The Lord of the Vermilion Bird thought I was a petty thief, took away five coins of silver and a handful of copper coins from me, and ordered that I be thrown into the black prison. A 'petty thief' is not qualified to stay above ground, so I was thrown into an underground pit, conveniently becoming neighbors with Lord Liang. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise; I no longer had to worry about digging him out, nor did I have to fear being caught by that group of powerful grave robbers. Naturally, those pursuing me were unwilling to give up easily, lingering around the valley. The Lord of the Vermilion Bird noticed that there was such a force causing trouble and stayed in the valley for ten days. Daoist Chongxiao was probably also captured by him personally. As for those black-clad grave diggers, some died and some were injured, but they never appeared again."

"Not bad," Xie Yunping nodded calmly and said, "If I am not mistaken, the one who initiated the situation back then was not my royal uncle, but the one who established the Sea and Sky Covenant."

Xie Yunzhen said solemnly: "Regardless of whether you believe it or not, that time was truly fate."

Liang ... ... Gongqin ... ... what is the relationship? Is it a close relationship?

The guard hurriedly said: "Senior, you misunderstand. The Emperor also mentioned that we will soon be able to reclaim the old capital. Remember when His Highness left the palace? He was still a little child who could be held in one's arms. Don't you want to go home and take a look?"

Xie Yundao: "In a few days, I will have someone deliver the feathered garments to Lady Yichang. Do not be misled by the current chaos in the world; I have observed the celestial phenomena at night and feel that the unification of the North and South may very well occur within the next year or two. In times of peace and prosperity, people tend to favor extraordinary tales. Is my story not extraordinary? Perhaps it will lead to the emergence of another 'Liheng Tower' in due course"

Unless, unless...