Datang: Just been appointed as the crown prince, the counterattack system is here

Chapter 399 Don't disturb the Emperor Emeritus's peace and quiet! [Seeking monthly votes]

In the dead of night, a light drizzle began to fall in Chang'an.

It truly proves the saying: "A dark and windy night is perfect for murder; rain falling and blood dissipating is a good way to appease the soul."

In the darkness, only a few faint breaths could be heard.

Xi Jun bought a set of ordinary city defense army leather armor, his face smeared with ash, looking like an ordinary low-ranking soldier.

His sharp gaze pierced through the cracks in the broken window, fixed on a seemingly ordinary grocery store across the street, where shadowy figures were constantly entering and leaving all night.

"Captain Xi!"

A similarly dressed, burly man leaned closer, his voice hushed: "It's that 'Wang's Grocery Store.' Starting in the middle of the night, people have been carrying heavy sacks in, and they come out with empty sacks. There's definitely something fishy going on there!"

"Moreover, the figure that went in just now, although it was wrapped up tightly, walked in a way that looked exactly like the 'miracle doctor' from the Shu King's mansion that we caught at the city gate during the day!"

Xi Junmai's eyes narrowed, and he nodded.

He received Li Chengqian's order to thoroughly investigate all suspicious pharmacies, water sources, and secret workshops in the city after curfew.

Pei Xingjian's Imperial Guards conducted a large-scale open search and arrest operation to create pressure.

This was intended to force out the hidden guards lurking in the shadows.

"Wait!"

Xi Junmai's words were concise and to the point, his voice as cold as ice: "Wait until they ship the goods. Caught red-handed!"

Time passed by minute by minute.

The abandoned dye house was deathly silent, save for the occasional sound of the night watchman's clapper and the barking of wild dogs outside.

suddenly!

The back door of the 'Wang's Grocery Store' across the street opened silently!
Several dark figures appeared like ghosts, each carrying a small but obviously heavy earthenware jar on their shoulder.

Without lighting torches, they quickly dispersed by the faint moonlight, sneaking off in different directions into the depths of Yankangfang.

"Do it!"

A cold glint flashed in Xi Junmai's eyes. He let out a low shout and leaped out of the broken window like a cheetah.

"Curfew imposed by the city garrison! Halt!"

Behind him, a dozen agile figures suddenly sprang up, like a pack of wolves pouncing out of the night, rushing straight at the few dark figures carrying pottery jars.

"No! There's an ambush!"

Someone cried out in surprise from the shadowy figure carrying the pottery jar, and in the chaos, a pottery jar slipped from their hand and smashed to the ground.

"Clap!"

The pottery jar shattered.

A pungent, sweet-smelling powder instantly filled the air.

"Watch out! Hold your breath!"

Xi Junmai reacted extremely quickly. He shouted a warning while brandishing his sword, which cut through the air with a piercing sound, and went straight for the dark figure closest to him.

The dark figure was clearly a skilled fighter, hastily drawing his waist knife to parry.

"clang!"

The sound of metal clashing and sparks flying!
Xi Junmai's strike was powerful and heavy, causing the opponent's hand to crack and the knife to nearly slip from his grasp.

He pressed his advantage relentlessly, his left fist striking his opponent's ribs with a venomous force.

"Ugh!"

The dark figure screamed and flew backward, crashing into a low wall and kicking up dust.

Seeing that things were not going well, some of the other shadowy figures dropped the pottery jars and tried to run away, while others became ferocious and swung their knives at the city defense soldiers who rushed at them.

"Form ranks! Capture them! Don't let a single one escape!"

Xi Junmai gave stern instructions while charging into a flock of sheep like a tiger.

The blade flashed, and wherever it passed, the shadowy figures fell to the ground with screams of agony.

He was swift, ruthless, and showed no mercy.

The battle started quickly and ended quickly.

Led by Xi Junmai, the fierce tiger, the well-trained elite city defense troops quickly subdued all the dark figures and pinned them to the ground.

"Captain Xi! Look at this!"

A soldier picked up a small amount of spilled powder from beside the broken pottery jar, carefully wrapped it in a cloth, and handed it to him.

Xi Junmai leaned closer to smell it, and the pungent, sweet, and fishy smell made him frown: "This is the enhanced version of 'Qingwen Powder'? What a strange thing!"

After saying that, his gaze immediately swept over the prisoner who was being held down on the ground: "Speak! Where is the garrison commander's plague doctor?!"

The prisoners gritted their teeth, their eyes filled with resentment, and remained silent.

Xi Junmai's eyes turned cold, and he was about to use the methods of the Embroidered Uniform Guard to extract a confession when suddenly, his ears twitched slightly.

"who?!"

He turned his head sharply, his piercing gaze shooting into the darkness deep within the dye house.

A dark shadow flashed across the dilapidated roof of the dye house like a ghost, moving at an astonishing speed.

The figure appeared to be carrying another person on its back.

"Chase!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Xi Junmai immediately transformed into an arrow and chased after the direction in which the black shadow had disappeared.

Several soldiers immediately followed behind him.

The shadowy figure moved with incredible speed and seemed very familiar with the complex terrain of Chang'an, weaving through the rooftops and narrow alleyways with incredible speed.

Xi Junmai pushed his speed to the limit, like a persistent, intractable disease, clinging to him tightly.

They chased after him through two neighborhoods, and the distance between them was getting closer and closer.

The dark figure ahead seemed to be in a panic and suddenly turned into a dead end.

"Look where you're going!"

Xi Junmai sneered inwardly, then accelerated suddenly by pushing off with his feet.

However, just as he was about to rush into the alleyway, a sharp and incomparable sword light, like lightning exploding in the dark night, carrying a chilling killing intent, attacked his throat from the side without warning.

This sword strike was cunning, ruthless, and incredibly fast!

The timing was also exquisite.

It was at the very moment when Xi Jun's old strength was exhausted and his new strength had not yet arisen.

Xi Junmai's pupils suddenly contracted.

A deadly sense of crisis made his hair stand on end.

Almost instinctively, honed through countless life-or-death battles, he managed to lean backward at an incredible angle at the critical moment.

"Hey!"

The cold blade grazed almost the tip of his nose, severing a strand of hair from his forehead!
"This"

Xi Junmai broke out in a cold sweat. He rolled over to dissipate the force, knelt on one knee to steady himself, and drew his sword, pointing it warily in the direction from which the sword light was coming.

A figure slowly emerged from the shadows of the alley.

When Xi Junmai saw the man's face clearly, even with his iron will, he couldn't help but tremble violently, as if struck by lightning, and exclaimed in shock, "Your...Your Highness the Crown Prince?!"

Standing before him was none other than Li Chengqian, dressed in a black outfit and holding a long sword.

That face, that figure, that coldness between his brows—it was exactly the same as the Crown Prince in Xi Junmai's memory!
But His Highness the Crown Prince should be imprisoned right now!
How did they end up here? And why did they try to kill him?!

Overwhelmed by shock and disbelief, Xi Junmai was instantly overwhelmed, causing his hand holding the knife to tremble slightly.

"Your Majesty?"

Xi Junmai's voice carried extreme confusion and a hint of barely perceptible vigilance.

"Hmph, what a nuisance!"

The man opposite, 'Li Chengqian', snorted coldly without offering any explanation. He raised his longsword again, the tip pointing directly at Xi Junmai, and an intense killing intent enveloped him as if it were a tangible force.

"die!"

Before he finished speaking, the sword flashed again.

It was even more ruthless and swift than the previous sword strike, aimed straight for Xi Junmai's heart.

Just then, a shout suddenly came from afar: "Governor! The commotion is over there!"

Upon hearing this shout, the sword that was about to pierce Xi Junmai's heart was suddenly withdrawn, and then, 'Li Chengqian' disappeared into the night along with his sword.

"Will Mr. Xi buy it?"

When Pei Xingjian arrived with his men, Xi Junmai had already collapsed to the ground, his whole body soaked with rain and cold sweat.

But Pei Xingjian asked with a puzzled look, "What are you doing here?"

"Commander Pei Pei"

Xi Junmai looked at Pei Xingjian with a dazed expression and a dry voice, saying, "Do you believe there are two people in this world who are exactly alike?"

"What do you mean, 'identical person'?"

Pei Xingjian was even more puzzled.

Two Imperial Guards helped Xi Junmai up, his expression complex and unreadable. He said, "You might not believe it, but I just saw His Highness the Crown Prince, and he almost killed me!"

"What!?"

Pei Xingjian was taken aback, thinking, "How could this be?!" But seeing Xi Junmai's expression, he believed that Xi Junmai wouldn't lie to him, and asked with suspicion, "What's going on? Can you explain it to me clearly?"

"I don't know what happened either. Just now, I was ordered by His Highness the Crown Prince to thoroughly search the pharmacies, water sources, and secret workshops in Chang'an after curfew. I had just found 'Wang's General Store' and arrested a few people when I ran into His Highness the Crown Prince."

"Wait, isn't His Highness the Crown Prince in the Three Departments Prison?!"

"Yes! I knew His Highness the Crown Prince was in the Three Departments Prison, but I definitely saw him! And he really wanted to kill me! I could feel the intense killing intent in that sword strike!"

"This"

Upon hearing this, Pei Xingjian was speechless, but he was certain that there was something fishy about it.

After a long pause, he said again, "Don't publicize this matter yet. I will send someone to the Three Judicial Offices prison to confirm. Also, I still haven't heard any movement from the Guardian. What about you? Have you found out about the Guardian's secret hideout?"

"No, I only caught some small fry, and I haven't found any trace of the guards yet!" Xi Junmai shook his head and said.

Pei Xingjian frowned deeply, sensing that something was amiss.

"Do you think that Shouzhulang and Li Ke might be splitting up?"

"What Commander Pei means is..."

"His Highness the Crown Prince is in danger!?"

The two blurted it out almost simultaneously.

Immediately afterwards, I felt a tingling sensation.

But Pei Xingjian immediately said, "Summon the city defense troops right now! Take over my mission! I will have my men assist you! I'm going to the Three Departments now!"

"it is good!"

Xi Junmai accepted the task without hesitation.

Then, the two immediately parted ways and ran off in different directions.

"Governor, be careful—!" Just as Pei Xingjian was a street away from the Three Departments' Office, a member of the Imperial Guard suddenly reminded him from behind.

Normally, he would not have been slower than his subordinates to discover the danger first. It was mainly because he was too concerned that he lost his composure.

However, it was still too late!
"Puff puff--"

A sudden sound of flying needles piercing the night sky rang out. The Imperial Guard who had just warned Pei Xingjian, along with the other Imperial Guards, had their throats pierced by the flying needles and collapsed to the ground with a thud.

Pei Xingjian, on instinct, narrowly dodged the flying needles aimed at him.

"hehe."

A soft laugh suddenly came the moment Pei Xingjian dodged the flying needle.

"Commander Pei, it's been a long time."

"It's you!"

Pei Xingjian looked in the direction of the voice and his pupils contracted: "Wu Bing!"

"It seems Commander Pei still remembers me. It's a real pity I didn't kill you that night, you ruined so many of my plans!"

As Wu Bing spoke, his voice grew colder and colder, and the sword in his hand emanated a chilling aura in the rainy night.

"Wu Bing! I was just looking for you! I didn't expect you to show up on your own!"

Pei Xingjian held the Embroidered Spring Blade, his sharp eyes scanning the soldiers while keeping a watchful eye on his surroundings.

"Really? What a coincidence! I've been looking for you too! Tonight is your death day!"

As soon as he finished speaking, his long sword flashed and stabbed towards Pei Xingjian without any warning, accompanied by a shrill whistling sound that tore through the rainy night, aiming straight for Pei Xingjian's vitals.

Pei Xingjian hastily parried with his sword.

"clang--!"

A deafening metallic clang rang out.

Sparks flew.

Pei Xingjian felt an indescribable force coming from the blade, which caused his tiger's mouth to crack and the Embroidered Spring Blade to almost slip from his hand.

His feet involuntarily staggered backward.

Wu Bing, however, pressed his advantage relentlessly, his eyes gleaming with malice. His sword moved with him, transforming into a continuous net of deadly blades, each strike aimed at Pei Xingjian's vital points.

The sword's wind was fierce, stirring up rainwater and blood foam from the ground.

Pei Xingjian struggled to hold on, the flashing blades dancing before him, the clanging sounds echoing incessantly.

But his steps had become disordered, and his breathing was becoming increasingly rapid, putting him at a complete disadvantage.

It was obvious that he was no match for Wu Bing.

Each block caused his wounds to burst open, and blood stained the mud beneath his feet.

"Pei Xingjian! I'll take your head!"

Wu Bing grinned maliciously, his sword thrusting even faster, unleashing a move called "Serpent Probing the Cave," aimed straight at Pei Xingjian's heart.

This sword strike was swift, ruthless, and precise!

Pei Xingjian was about to be stabbed through the heart.

At this critical moment!
"Jingle Bell--!"

A crisp, rapid sound, carrying a strange rhythm, suddenly rang out at the edge of the battlefield.

As the bell rang, a tall, imposing figure, whose movements were somewhat stiff, burst out from behind a broken wall on the side like a cannonball.

The man was dressed in ordinary people's clothes, but his exposed skin had an abnormal bluish-gray tint. His eyes were dull and lifeless, and he made a wild, guttural sound. He neither dodged nor avoided the attack, but instead used his flesh and blood to directly collide with the soldier's fatal sword.

"Pfft——!"

The longsword pierced the man's chest without any resistance.

However, the expected scene of blood splattering and enemies falling dead did not occur.

The man seemed to feel no pain. After being pierced by the long sword, his movements only paused slightly before he let out an even wilder roar. His large, fan-like hands, carrying immense force, fiercely grabbed at the soldier's sword-wielding arm.

"A Gu-man?!"

Wu Bing's expression changed drastically as he instantly recognized the origin of the object.

He reacted extremely quickly, flicking his wrist as he attempted to draw his sword and retreat.

But the Gu was incredibly powerful and fearless, its hands gripping the soldier's wrists like iron clamps.

The immense force prevented Wu Bing from breaking free for a moment.

"Yang Nannan! You vixen!"

The soldier was both shocked and furious, and roared fiercely.

Behind the broken wall, Yang Nannan's figure appeared, a slight smile on her lips: "Brother Xiaowu, we meet again. Nannan missed you so much. How about you become Nannan's bewitching person too?"

As he spoke, he shook the copper bell in his hand, and the sound became more rapid and shrill.

"Roar!"

As if receiving a command, the Gu man's power surged once more, allowing him to withstand the longsword piercing his chest and force the soldier to retreat repeatedly.

At the same time, it opened its mouth wide, revealing its white fangs, and bit down hard on Wu Bing's throat.

The scene was bizarre and dangerous.

"Lord Liuyun! Why aren't you making a move?! Have you had enough of watching the show?!"

Wu Bing was entangled by this invulnerable and incredibly strong Gu man, and in a sorry state, he roared angrily at the rooftop on the left.

"Heh, good-for-nothing, can't even handle a little girl."

A mocking voice came from the rooftop.

Immediately afterwards, a figure descended silently like a real cloud; it was none other than the Guardian General, Liu Yun!
His face was effeminate, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, and between his fingers were several throwing knives that gleamed with a cold, eerie blue light.

He did not attack Yang Nannan or Pei Xingjian directly, but instead his eyes flashed like lightning, instantly locking onto the Gu-wielding man who was frantically attacking the soldiers.

"Dealing with these mindless zombies is too easy!"

A disdainful sneer curled at the corner of Liu Yun's mouth.

His figure moved elusively, like a ghost, circling the battleground, searching for the best opportunity.

"Shh! Shh! Shh! Shh!"

Suddenly, Liu Yun flicked his fingers in quick succession.

Several throwing knives, as if possessing a life of their own, transformed into streaks of ghostly blue light, almost invisible to the naked eye, and shot with unparalleled precision towards the vital acupoints on the Gu man's body.

Jianjing, Quchi, Huantiao, Xiyan. Each incision is made with remarkable accuracy, containing a subtle internal force that cuts off the flow of qi and blood and paralyzes the meridians.

Moreover, the throwing knife did not fly straight, but rather followed a strange arc, avoiding the Gu man's waving arm and cleverly burrowing into the gaps between his joints and deep into his acupoints.

"Puff puff puff puff."

The throwing knife pierced the body with a dull thud.

The incredibly ferocious Gu man's movements suddenly became extremely sluggish and stiff.

Like a marionette whose strings have been cut in an instant.

The iron-like grip on Wu Bing's wrist weakened rapidly.

The action of biting at Wu Bing's throat also froze in mid-air.

"good chance!"

Wu Bing was overjoyed and struggled to finally pull back his longsword.

His eyes flashed with murderous intent, and with a backhand slash, he fiercely struck at the neck of the Gu man, which was exposed due to his stiffness.

"return!!"

Yang Nannan wanted to activate the Gu Bell to recall the Gu person, but the Gu person's core meridians seemed to have been severed by Liu Yun's flying knife, and the bell's sound lost its effect.

"Pfft!"

The light of the knife flashed.

The Gu-man's bluish-gray head flew high into the air.

The headless corpse crashed to the ground.

"Witch! Die!"

Wu Bing broke free of his restraints, his anger instantly turning towards Yang Nannan. His long sword, accompanied by a piercing whistling sound, slashed down.

Liu Yun sneered, his hands once again gripping throwing knives, targeting Yang Nannan's vital points.

Pei Xingjian, enduring the pain, tried to help, but was forced back by several flying knives thrown by Liu Yun, adding another bloody gash to his shoulder.

Faced with the combined attack of two top experts, Yang Nannan had no way to avoid it and was on the verge of death.

At this critical moment of life and death!
"Om-!"

A sigh, seemingly containing the vicissitudes of countless years, rang out without warning at the entrance of the alley.

The voice wasn't loud, but it struck like a heavy hammer, hitting the hearts of everyone present.

An old man, wearing a worn-out raincoat and a straw hat, with a hunched back, appeared there silently, as if stepping out of a painting of a rainy night.

He held a seemingly ordinary jujube wood cane in his hand, and only half of his face, covered with deep wrinkles like old tree bark, and a pair of eyes that seemed to see through all illusions were visible under his straw hat.

His gaze, like a tangible icicle, pierced through the rain and landed on the drifting clouds.

Liu Yun's movements suddenly froze.

A terrifying chill emanating from the depths of his soul instantly engulfed him.

He felt like an ant being targeted by a prehistoric beast, and his blood seemed to freeze at that moment.

He wanted to escape, but found that his body was completely unresponsive.

The old man moved.

There was no earth-shattering momentum, no fancy moves.

He casually raised the jujube wood cane he was holding and gently tapped it at Liuyun.

This "point" happened faster than anyone could have imagined.

Liu Yun felt a chill between his brows, as if struck by a drop of icy rain.

Immediately, an indescribable, terrifying force, like the Yellow River bursting its banks, poured into his head through that single point.

"puff!"

A soft sound, like a ripe berry being punctured.

All the expressions on Liu Yun's face froze instantly.

The light in his eyes vanished rapidly, and a tiny red dot slowly seeped out from between his brows.

Immediately, as if all his bones had been removed, he collapsed limply into the muddy pool of blood, without making a sound.

The guard, Lang Lang, was killed on the spot by the old man with a mere flick of his finger!

quiet!
Deathly silence!

Only the sound of pouring rain washed away the corpses and bloodstains on the ground.

Until the old man's hoarse and deep voice rang out: "The little brat of the guard has disturbed the Emperor Emeritus's peace. Can you bear the consequences?"

(End of this chapter)