Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 186 Reunion with an Old Friend - Dugu Yanxuan (Thanks to the generous patron Gu Gao Xiuyi Ren!)
Rong Fengxiang's mansion, belonging to this wealthy man from Luoyang, was situated on a small hill and covered a vast area.

A cloud obscured the moon, dimming the light in the sky and making the lamps on the ground stand out even more. The golden flames, scattered like stars, illuminated many houses.

The huge plaza at the entrance is adorned with ingenious lanterns and tall, colorful screens.

All of this is in preparation for the birthday banquet.

Three people emerged from a fine wooden building with green tiles and flying eaves, located near the lotus pond on the east side of the central part of the mansion.

The leader was a middle-aged man, and beside him was a stunningly beautiful young woman.

On the far right is a man with a cold and sinister face. He is dressed as a Taoist priest, with particularly thin lips and an unhealthy pale complexion, giving off a sense of excessive indulgence and a hollowed-out body. He walks with an unsteady gait.

“In the middle is Rong Fengxiang, on the right is a sorcerer, and on the left is Rong Jiaojiao, the daughter of Boss Rong.”

"As expected of the two beauties of Luoyang, they are indeed very beautiful. However, they are definitely not as good as the Third Sister Fu, Princess Wanjing, or Granny Shen in your heart."

Kou Zhong, lying on the roof, nudged Xu Ziling beside him with his elbow: "Xiao Ling, did I say something wrong?"

Xu Ziling rolled his eyes at him and said in a low voice, "We are in danger, Zhong, please stop with your perverse sense of humor."

Kou Zhong stopped joking and his face tightened with apprehension.

He stared intently at the wooden building.

He patted Xu Ziling on the shoulder, and the two moved closer to eavesdrop.

They had cultivated the Longevity Technique, and their ability to conceal their aura was extremely strong. As long as they didn't make a fuss, even those with higher levels of skill wouldn't be able to detect them.

Leaving aside the time in Wagangzhai, ever since leaving Jiangdu, whether in the passenger cabins of ships, on the beds of brothels, in the forests, or underwater.
For them, eavesdropping was commonplace.

As we approached the wooden building, we could hear voices.

They lay quietly on the tiled roof of the wooden building's side wing, not daring to peek out, with half a window open to the outside.

A woman in her thirties was leaning against the window, looking very serious, as if she had made sure that Boss Rong was far away.

Turning back to the person inside the house, he cautiously said:
“Uncle-Master, the Sect Master has not agreed to Rong Fengxiang’s request. Please forgive me for not being able to comply with your decision made so rashly.”

Pi Shouxuan, seated at the head of the table below, frowned: "What's wrong with using someone else to do the dirty work?"

Beside him was a stunningly beautiful woman with a curvaceous figure, Wen Caiting: "Uncle is right. Our sect is currently in a passive position. If we don't seek opportunities, we will be suppressed by the Evil Extreme Sect among the two sects and six paths and will find it difficult to turn the tide."

"Caixia, do you have any opinions?"

Elder Xia was silent for a moment, then looked at Yun Caiwen by the window: "As long as you agree, I have no objection."

Wen Caiting's gaze turned to Elder Yun:
“Caiwen, we have always cooperated with Laojun Temple. Even Rong Jiaojiao is considered a disciple of the sect leader. Our influence in Dongdu still relies on Laojun Temple, so it is only right that we do our part.”

Elder Yun glanced at the expressions of Bi Shouxuan and Wen Caiting; these two were absolutely determined.

But she was a thousand times unwilling.

That Taoist master is extremely evil; she has absolutely no desire to get involved with him.

Bi Shouxuan and Wen Caiting had deeply offended the Celestial Master, who held a deep grudge, so the two of them grew increasingly anxious as they waited.

But even if you're in a hurry, you can't hurt me.

The moment Elder Yun pictured that person's face in her mind, she no longer wanted to stay in Luoyang.

Since Gu Nian and her friends were all old acquaintances, she composed herself and spoke up to offer advice:

“Rong Jiaojiao is not a formal disciple; she is merely nominally under the Sect Master. Moreover, she is Miaofeng Mingzi of the Great Ming Sect and served as a liaison between the three forces at the time. How can she represent the Sect Master’s attitude now?”

The cloud-based temperature sensor probe glanced outwards:
"I feel that the sect leader's attitude has changed, especially towards the Taoist Celestial Master. He is now opposing the Buddhist sect and has repeatedly clashed with the Evil Extreme Sect. The benefits of winning him over are greater than making him an enemy."

His current martial arts skills are among the best in the world, and although the sect leader did not say it explicitly, he must value it highly.

Offending him now is tantamount to inviting a formidable enemy into our sect in the future.

Upon hearing this, Bi Shouxuan snorted coldly: "Caiwen, I think you're just being stubborn and getting worse as you get older."

After hearing this, Yun Caiwen did not refute it, but looked as if she had been taught a lesson.

"You must know that even the strongest person can't fight against a crowd. No matter how powerful someone is, they will eventually die a miserable death if they are surrounded and attacked by a group of people. You know that he is exceptionally talented. If we don't take action this time, we will regret it when we are purged in the future."

"Moreover, Shi Hong is currently in seclusion cultivating the Purple Blood Technique, and its profoundness is no less than his."

Yun Caiwen, observing his expression, nodded in agreement, too lazy to argue.

The lineage of Master Pi and that Celestial Master are irreconcilable in their struggle for supremacy in the martial world.

Unless they are willing to give up Jiangnan and hand over Jiujiang and the counties around Poyang Lake, they will fight to the end.

Lin Shihong coveted the power of the Chu Emperor.

The two sides had clashed in Jiujiang, which shows that Uncle Pi was determined to go all the way down this path.

Yun Caiwen listened intently as Bi Shouxuan went on to explain a series of plans.

He was talking animatedly, spitting as he spoke.

Yun Caiwen treated it as just a listener and didn't take it to heart at all.

She won't get into that unlicensed taxi.

Just as a loud "smack" echoed as Bi Shouxuan slammed his hand on the table, he said in a deep voice:
"This time, we must use a tight net to eliminate this great scourge, Zhou Yi!"

He hadn't finished his harsh words when his ears twitched slightly. Suddenly, he heard the sound of tiles scraping against each other, and he immediately became alert: "Who?!"

Pi Shouxuan got up and rushed out the window, then leaped onto the roof tiles.

He saw two dark figures, one muscular and the other tall. Realizing that they had been eavesdropping, he shouted, "Stop!" and chased after them.

Kou and Xu were not about to stop, and ran even faster.

They followed their pre-planned escape route, moving through houses and courtyards with effortless agility, making the most of their skills in guarding their homes and escaping.

Pi Shouxuan couldn't catch up immediately, but the commotion they caused attracted the attention of many skilled individuals both inside and outside the Rong Mansion.

In an instant, the entire mansion was brightly lit.

One after another, figures rushed out from the houses and courtyards, rushing straight towards them.

The Luoyang gang alone numbered over a thousand, and there were also various forces from the Rong family. The scene of the hunt immediately drew shouts and barking from everyone in the Rong family.

The sounds of fighting grew increasingly intense.

Kou and Xu fought their way out through the back door, only to be met with a sudden barrage of punches and kicks from seven or eight men who were blocking their path. They were left crawling on the ground in a panic.

These people stalled for time, allowing the experts behind them to catch up.

"Young Master Zhong, we're in trouble this time. There are too many people. We need to change direction and escape towards where Feng Shihan and the others are."

Xu Ziling offered his opinion, but Kou Zhong remained calm: "Let's go, I'll lead the way."

The two had been through many battles together and were brothers who could rely on each other for life.

They can completely entrust their backs to the other party.

Through seamless teamwork, they fought their way out of the vast Rong Mansion.

As they approached the entrance, several strong whooshing sounds rang out from deep within the Rong Mansion, and the surrounding gang members and guards rushed forward again to hold them back.

The two dared not delay and prepared to charge out despite their injuries.

Just then, a powerful force exploded at the side door, kicking up dust and shattering the wooden door. Many of the people blocking the way were impaled by splinters of wood, and more injured people cried out in pain!

Kou and Xu were both surprised and delighted, thinking that it was Fengshihan who had come to meet them.

"go!"

Kou Zhong was pulled by Xu Ziling from behind and rushed into the dust.

Those behind were about to give chase when a burst of sword energy struck, instantly felling six or seven more. This delay allowed Kou and Xu to escape from the Rong residence and flee into the Eastern Capital, making further pursuit much more difficult.
"My goodness, how did Boss Rong manage to hide so many experts in his comfortable nest?"

"Where's Ba boy?"

As the two were talking, they suddenly heard a strong wind blowing from behind.

Kou Zhong's rugged face changed expression: "I bet this is definitely not rheumatism, it's probably some master from Laozi Temple that Master Pi mentioned earlier."

"What are you waiting for? Run!"

With a tug from Xu Ziling, the two rushed toward a tributary of the Luo River in the city.

If you encounter something you can't handle, jumping into the water to hide is always the best course of action.

However, the pursuers behind them were like ghosts and phantoms. At first, they made a loud noise as they broke through the wind, but suddenly they could not be heard at all.

While they were still in surprise and doubt.

A white figure suddenly descended from the sky and blocked the way.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling felt a chill run down their spines, realizing they had encountered a terrifying adversary.

But the next moment, they both rubbed their eyes and then looked at each other.

"Boss Zhou, my goodness, it's Boss Zhou!!"

"Brother Zhou!"

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were incredulous. If it weren't for the person in front of them walking towards them with a smile, they would hardly believe that they would meet under such circumstances.

"It's been a long time. You two have made great progress, which is truly impressive."

Kou and Xu ran up, and Zhou Yi went to meet them.

I haven't seen them for a few years, and they've grown so much taller.

Seeing their excited expressions, Zhou Yi smiled and patted them on the shoulders: "How are you? You weren't hurt just now, were you?"

"It's a minor injury, nothing serious."

Kou Zhong casually pointed to the knife wound on his shoulder. For someone who has practiced the Longevity Technique, such wounds, even if they are all over the body, can heal in a short time.

Zhou Yi didn't spend much time with them.

But it also felt like a very long time.

Because Shi Long was practically inseparable from them, there would have been no Three Dragons of Yangzhou if Zhou Yi hadn't gotten involved.

The three of them would always talk about him when they were together.

They also reminisced about the events in Jiangdu. Even though Boss Yan, who led a dozen or so thugs, was someone they could easily defeat at this point, it didn't stop them from having a deep impression of that experience.

Having experienced the ups and downs of life, one realizes how precious it is to encounter someone who treats you well.

Moreover, they are not ungrateful people.

At this moment, Kou and Xu were still very excited. Zhou Yi walked in the middle, with his arm around their shoulders as they walked along the long street.

“Brother Zhou, seeing you reminds me of the steamed buns I ate in Yangzhou. That was the first time I ever had a full meal.”

Zhou Yi laughed and said, "Is Xiao Zhong hungry?"

"No."

Kou Zhong chuckled: "We accidentally wandered into Boss Rong's kitchen just now and got to sample his birthday banquet ahead of time."

Xu Ziling asked, "What brings Brother Zhou here?"

“I just followed a suspicious group into the city and saw them enter the Rong Mansion overnight. I was just about to go inside to investigate when I heard the commotion you made.”

“Those are Li Mi’s men.”

Upon hearing the name "Li Mi," Zhou Yi's interest immediately surged.

Kou Zhongdao said, "To be precise, it was Zu Junyan, a subordinate of Li Mi."

Zu Junyan was the one who wrote "A Proclamation to Luozhou on Behalf of Li Mi". He was skilled at writing proclamations, which were often fluent, powerful and imposing.

"How did you know that? He had only been in the Rong Mansion for a short time, and you were already fighting with the people inside."

“This was said by Rong Fengxiang himself, and we received information from Miss Zhai earlier. The timing matches up, so it must be Li Mi’s manpower. They have already planted several teams in the city.”

Zhai Rang is still alive and serves under King Dou Jiande of Xia.

Li Mi, the traitor who drove him out of Xingyang, was naturally not to be let go.

Zhou Yi nodded slightly: "Why did you go to the Rong residence?"

"The reason was that Liang Shidu and Liu Wuzhou's men owed the Dongming Sect a large sum of money for weapons that had not been settled. Ba Xiaozi introduced us to this business of collecting debts to make money. We had also stayed in Ryukyu for a period of time, and Princess Wanjing had a good relationship with Xiaoling. So we ended up fighting with these Turkic lackeys."

Kou Zhong continued, "Unexpectedly, the little prince of Tuyuhun, Fu Qian, also came to join the fun. Liu Heita helped us, and the commotion grew bigger and bigger, attracting several evil Taoists."

"Among these sorcerers, besides Rong Fengxiang's men, there is another one who is related to Wang Shichong. He is Daoist Kefeng. It turns out that they all come from Lao Jun Temple."

Zhou Yi knew this information without even asking.

"Miss Zhai told us that Rong Fengxiang is secretly cooperating with Li Mi. We thought that since you, Brother Zhou, would be coming, and we also needed to investigate Li Mi's situation, we wanted to find out the truth about Li Mi's dealings with them. Tonight, we've made a major discovery!"

Kou and Xu both adopted a serious expression.

Zhou Yi smiled faintly: "Let me guess, are they planning to use this birthday banquet as an opportunity to join forces against me?"

"Yes! That's exactly what that Uncle-Master Pi said just now."

After Kou Zhong finished speaking, Xu Ziling said, "Brother Zhou, this birthday banquet is extremely dangerous. You'd better not go."

“That’s right,” Kou Zhong nodded repeatedly. “In your words, Boss Zhou, it’s a group of debtors conspiring to default on their debts. I’ve seen Liu Wuzhou and Liang Shidu’s gang default on their debts. They were all vicious and ruthless, as if they wanted to devour their creditors.”

“Boss Zhou, you’re a big creditor. They don’t want to pay back their debts, so they’re plotting to sabotage you.”

The three of them arrived at the riverbank and sat on the embankment.

Just then, a fish leaped out of the river, slightly interrupting Kou Zhong.

He was about to continue speaking when he suddenly heard footsteps.

A slender figure in a black dress approached. Kou and Xu turned around and saw that the person was coming towards them.

Both of them were extremely sensitive to auras.

As they approached, they discovered a woman whose temperament was very similar to that of Boss Zhou. Compared to Rong Jiaojiao, one of the two beauties of Luoyang whom they had just met, this girl was far superior in temperament alone.

The two were slightly taken aback, as if they had realized something.

As Zhou Yi prepared to get up and greet them, he gestured for them to sit down.

Dugu Feng retrieved three sheepskin wine sachets filled with wine from a nearby shop.

Zhou Yi took it and split it with Shuanglong.

Dugu Feng turned and left, waiting quietly in the distance without disturbing them.

"Here, drink."

Thinking about the past and then about the present, this sip of wine feels even more meaningful.

Xu Ziling was about to ask another question when Kou Zhong stopped him.

He grinned and said, "Xiao Ling, you don't need to mention it. Boss Zhou is definitely going to have a big battle at the birthday banquet!"

Zhou Yi smiled and said, "Not bad."

"Some are already in debt, and some are planning to incur debt. I don't have to go looking for them one by one. I couldn't be happier."

"This time, it's a good opportunity to settle scores with them."

His voice was calm, yet it subtly conveyed a grand and unyielding air, as if he were indifferent to all the storms and tempests around him.

Both Kou and Xu were affected.

"Boss Zhou, how can such an occasion be complete without us, the Three Dragons of Yangzhou? We'll fight alongside you! We'll fight to our hearts' content!"

"Not bad!"

After they finished speaking, Zhou Yi smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Shi Long isn't here, yet you've already relayed his words."

Kou Zhong patted his chest: "It's alright, we've represented Boss Shi."

"And there's also Ba Xiaozi and Liu Heizi; the Dongming faction is also looking for an opportunity to settle scores."

"Damn it, this time they turned Boss Rong's birthday banquet into a cost-settling meeting."

Xu Ziling laughed and said, "So you're going to be a bookkeeper, huh?"

"Oh no, Master Bai never taught me how to do accounts."

Kou Zhong scratched his head, and Zhou Yi laughed, "No need to teach me, paying back debts is a matter of course."

Xu Ziling nodded. He had studied "rites" extensively under Zhou Yi's guidance, and casually commented on Zhou Yi's words: "It conforms to the rites of Zhou."

The three of them started drinking again, chatting about what was happening around them.

For example, the tragic fate of Ba Xiaozi; the comparison between the three major weapon-making factories of Ryukyu, Wagang, and Goguryeo; and Song Shidao's infatuation with Sister Fu upon their first meeting.
When discussing the prophecy that Liu Heita would not live past the age of twenty-eight, Kou and Xu looked at Boss Zhou with expectant eyes.

Zhou Yi asked, "Do you want the prophecy to be broken?"

"Of course!"

They nodded vigorously.

Kou Zhong said, "Liu Heita has fallen in love with Sister Susu, but he dares not reveal it, fearing that he will not live long."

Xu Ziling said, "Sister Susu has also developed feelings for Brother Liu. If Ning Sanren's prediction comes true, then..." Zhou Yi interrupted him with a smile, "Don't be so pessimistic. Ning Sanren's words may not be correct."

“I’ll find some time to help him break the prophecy.”

The two were overjoyed. Kou Zhong chuckled and said, "This time, Liu Heizi insisted on treating us to drinks. We went to great lengths to persuade a Taoist master to change his fate."

Xu Ziling laughed and said, "Let's stop drinking. Why not let him do more work in Dongdu?"

Then, they talked about the past in Jiangdu.

When Kou and Xu inquired about the situation of Baozi Xishi Zhen Sao, Zhou Yi mentioned her affair with Yuwen Huaji, which greatly surprised the two dragons.

Zhen's sister-in-law treated them very well. Because her family owed money, her father, who was greedy, sold her to Feng Qiang, a steamed bun seller in Yangzhou, as a concubine. Feng Qiang's wife was fierce and shrewish, and she would beat and scold Wei Zhenzhen all the time, making their life extremely difficult.

Unexpectedly, Zhen's sister-in-law fell in love with Yuwen Huaji.

The two were unsure whether to be happy or worried.

Yuwen Huaji occupied Wei Commandery, which was not far from Dou Jiande's territory.

Zhou Yi also learned about the situation of Dou Jiande, Liang Shidu, Liu Wuzhou and other forces from them.

They then talked about martial arts, and he gave them some pointers on their skills, teaching them the Sun-Changing Technique and the Undying Seal Technique.

Time flies very fast.

Zhou Yi bid farewell to Shuanglong and left with Dugu Feng in the middle of the night.

Watching Zhou Yi's departing figure, Kou Zhong couldn't help but say, "Xiao Ling, I feel like Boss Zhou hasn't changed much."

"Yes."

Xu Ziling also felt a bit emotional:

“There are too many legends about Brother Zhou in the martial arts world. We can hear them everywhere we go. Ordinary people probably can’t imagine that such a person doesn’t look down on us two orphans. Even if we had an older brother, he would definitely not be as good as Brother Zhou.”

"Let's go back and sharpen the knife."

Kou Zhong stood tall and proud: "This time, we're going to make a big splash!"

……

Where did you get the alcohol from?

“There’s a liquor store nearby that my family owns. Even if it’s closed, it won’t stop me from getting some.”

Dugu Feng was carrying a wine flask in her hand. She took a sip and said boldly, "I'll accompany you to fight a great battle then."

“You stay with your grandmother; I have other plans.”

The little phoenix was slightly dissatisfied, but still listened to him.

They chatted as they walked toward the Dugu residence, not wasting any of the wine, taking sips from each other until they were almost there.

However.
As they approached the gate of the mansion, before they could even leap over the courtyard wall, they witnessed a slightly awkward scene.

Under the vermilion gate and lanterns, a middle-aged woman stood.

At this moment, she was staring at the two people who had entered her field of vision with disbelief.

Wang Qin blinked, making sure she wasn't seeing things.

My precious daughter was walking hand in hand with someone, and I could smell alcohol on the breeze.

No wonder he didn't come home at night!
As a young lady of the Dugu family who received a good education from a young age, and the apple of the old lady's eye, is this reasonable?
Wang Qin was initially angry. She went looking for her daughter tonight and found she wasn't there. She considered various reasons, even asking her mother, but to no avail.

Given the current complex situation in Dongdu, she is naturally worried.

Little did they expect that their daughter would not only go off to have an affair, but also bring someone back with her.

When Wang Qin looked again, her anger almost completely dissipated.

Instead, I was filled with surprise and a head full of questions.

How did these two manage to get together?
That's way too fast.

She was puzzled and worried about her daughter, since they had only met a few times.

Seeing that he couldn't avoid it, Zhou Yi went straight towards Wang Shi.

Dugu Feng stopped him immediately. Facing her mother, she was not as open as she was in front of her grandmother.

So Wang Qin saw her daughter push Zhou Yi to the wall and make him climb over it.

At that moment, she felt like her daughter was a complete stranger.

"Feng'er, what about you?"

She controlled her tone and calmed herself down.

Although Zhou Yi has a high social status, as a mother, she also needs to consider her daughter's happiness.

She came from the Wang clan of Taiyuan and was very familiar with the rules and regulations within aristocratic families.

He glanced at Dugu Feng and calmly asked:

“You’ve met before.”

"Ah."

Dugu Feng knew she would keep asking questions: "Mother, Grandmother knows."

"Oh?"

Wang Qin was slightly taken aback, then remembered her mother's attitude tonight. With Feng'er not at home, her mother wasn't worried at all.

That's it!

Her worries vanished instantly.

His eyes were full of surprise and curiosity.

Indeed, Feng'er is probably safer with this virtuous son-in-law than at home.

Since my mother knows about this, it means there's nothing wrong with it.

Feeling reassured, she thought about her son-in-law's many qualities and his elegant demeanor, and became increasingly satisfied, even involuntarily revealing a kind smile.

"Tell your mother what happened."

She was a shrewd woman and knew that this matter was of utmost importance and could affect the attitude of the entire family.

Dugu Feng knew this would happen, and it was absolutely right of her to send Zhou Yi away.

Still smelling of alcohol, Dugu Feng returned to her room and chatted with her mother for a long time, telling her about their acquaintance.

Wang smiled throughout, occasionally interjecting with a few words.

Later, she sharply commented, "Feng'er, this won't do."

Under Dugu Feng's surprised gaze.

Madam Wang said earnestly, "If my son-in-law really conquers the world and becomes emperor, he will probably have countless concubines. With your mentality, you will suffer a great loss sooner or later."

Upon hearing this, Dugu Feng quickly "invited" her mother out.

This includes treasures such as "Dugu Jialuo".

Little Phoenix had absolutely no interest in these "very good" experiences from Dugu Family Selection.

Even if Zhou Yu became emperor, he wouldn't be the kind of emperor we've seen before.
That night, Dugu Feng hugged her quilt, and before she knew it, dawn had broken.

Although Zhou Yi only slept for two hours, he felt refreshed when he woke up.

He stayed at the Dugu family under the pretext of helping the old lady alleviate her pain.

The next day, Li Jiancheng took his leave and went to Jingnian Temple.

He arranged for Li Shimin and Changsun Wugou to remain there in order to monitor the attitude of the Dugu clan.

Dugu Feng originally wanted to give Li Jiancheng some answer.

However, ever since his mother summoned him and threatened him with a cloak and a staff, this scoundrel, yet supposedly filial son, has been looking at Zhou Yi with a different kind of meaning.

The reply given to Li Jiancheng naturally came to nothing.

Zhou Yi could sense this, so he didn't press her for what her grandmother had said, but his attitude towards this unreliable father-in-law softened somewhat.

Hopefully, he can stay clear-headed and not become Dong Shuni's lapdog.

I stayed at the Dugu family's house for three days, and there were only seven days left until the birthday banquet.

He received a lot of messages over the past three days.

Most of them came from the various forces scattered throughout the city by the Seven Nobles and the Dugu Clan, with a small portion coming from the palace.

This Emperor Tai was quite interesting. He sent eunuchs with the Dugu family to deliver Taoist scriptures, and on the letters they brought, he always addressed them as his maternal uncle.

To Zhou Yi's surprise, Sha Tiannan, the richest man in Luoyang, sent a secret letter.

The Fifth Miss came to see Dugu Feng again. While they were having tea and talking, Zhou Yi observed her and realized that the Fifth Miss was unaware of the matter.

It is clear that Sha Tiannan has a keen sense of smell.

No wonder he was able to build such a large business.

Zhou Yi occasionally chatted with Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun, while Yuchi Jingde always diligently guarded the door.

At this moment, Yuchi Jingde would always turn around.

Then I looked myself over and saw nothing wrong. Why was the Taoist priest staring at me? Was I wearing my clothes inside out?

Zhou Yi suspects that she has also developed obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Without Qin Qiong, the door gods just don't feel right. It's like pasting a couplet only halfway up – so unsatisfying. If it were Emperor Ding, he would definitely tear the door down.

Three more days passed.

Zhou Yi received more news. That afternoon, an old friend came to visit first.

After this old friend left, another good friend came to visit.

"Brother Zhou."

With a clatter, the beauty fan remained, and Hou Xibai, the swimming champion of the Sui Dynasty, was no longer as disheveled as he had been at Baidi City, but had regained his former dashing and unrestrained demeanor.

Zhou Yi carefully observed Hou Xibai and noticed that Hou Xibai's aura was calm and his skills had improved.

"How did Brother Hou break through the Shu Road?"

Shu Road Mountains?

Hou Xibai simply thought it was the Bashan Plank Bridge or the perilous Jianmen Pass, but seeing the mischievous smile on his face, there was a hint of teasing in it.

“I arrived a few days before you.”

"Oh?"

Seeing Zhou Yi's surprise, Hou Xibai said irritably, "Brother Zhou, what do you take me for? I said I would venture into the Eastern Capital with you, and I will never go back on my word."

"You're a true friend!"

Zhou Yi had just uttered a word of praise when Hou Xibai covered his face with his fan and whispered, "Can you tell me when you and the Holy Maiden... you don't even know each other?"

"No."

Zhou Yi's expression was simple and honest:

"You misunderstand. In fact, the Holy Maiden is very fair. It's just that we were on the Three Gorges waterway at the time, and it was just right for me to paint a picture of the Luo River. After all, the Holy Maiden Cihang is known as the Fairy of the Luo River. Isn't this more artistic than your painting of a beauty?"

"If you're not satisfied, we'll invite the Holy Maiden to come and have another match."

Hou Xibai almost believed it again, but when he thought of Caiqi's words, he immediately showed an expression of 'making a bad friend'.

"Brother Zhou, please stop teasing me."

"My relationship with the saintess is completely innocent, not as scandalous as you make it out to be."

Hou Xibai looked suspicious and didn't believe it at all.

Seeing his reaction, Zhou Yi smiled and had no choice but to tell the truth: "Actually, the Holy Maiden has been secretly in love with me, but I have never accepted her."

What?!

He looked closely at Zhou Yi's face and it seemed he really wasn't lying.

Hou Xibai was extremely surprised, shaking his head and fanning himself repeatedly: "The Holy Maiden and you, this...this is truly a forbidden love. I, Hou, have no reason to lose."

He was deeply moved, but also quickly let go of his feelings.

After speaking, he straightened his expression and then changed the subject.

"How is the Dugu family doing?"

"no problem."

"That's good, otherwise things would have been difficult, as your enemies are almost all here."

Where have you been all this time?

Hou Xibai explained, "Actually, they were hidden around Wang Shichong."

He continued, "You should know Ouyang Xiyi, right?"

Zhou Yi nodded. Huangshan Yimin Ouyang Xiyi was a master who had been famous for at least forty years and was of the same generation as the free spirit Ning Daoqi.

"Wang Shichong's relationship with Ouyang Xiyi isn't bad. I'm right next to Ouyang Xiyi, gathering information about Wang Shichong. Of course, this is because of Shi Shimei, or more accurately, because of Master's wife Bi Xiuxin. Even the great Confucian scholar Wang Tong has to speak well of you."

Wang Tong had a grandson, Wang Bo, who wrote the Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng.

Zhou Yi looked puzzled.

Hou Xibai added, "After swimming back to Baidi City, I returned to Chengdu with Caiqi."

At this point, he glanced at Zhou Yi:
"After Junior Sister Shi returned to Green Bamboo Cottage and saw us, she asked me to bring a message along the way. Don't worry, Chief Fan has given special instructions regarding that tavern, and no one will disturb it."

Zhou Yi hesitated for a moment, then continued with the important matter: "Is there any news about Wang Shichong?"

“Exactly.”

After listening to Hou Xibai's words, Zhou Yi gained a deeper understanding of the situation in Dongdu.

After the two agreed, Hou Xibai left the Dugu residence.

Zhou Yi went to find the old lady.

Before long, Dugu Feng was summoned, and then he led his men into the palace.

After that day, the atmosphere in Luoyang changed drastically.

Many people who had stayed in the guesthouse for days without going out also took to the long street.

The road leading to the Rong Mansion was especially crowded.

Zhou Yi, taking advantage of the darkness, arrived at the Lu residence again and met with Lu Chu, Guo Wenyi, Huangfu Wuyi, and Zhao Congwen.

At the same time, in the eastern part of Luoyang, a powerful man with five swords on his back stepped into the capital with a confident expression. He was none other than Su Wen, the Five-Sword Overlord, the second-best swordsman in Goguryeo after Master Yi Jian.

Tonight, a tall, imposing man with eagle-like eyes arrived at the camp of a hundred elite warriors where Prince Murong Fuqian of Tuyuhun was stationed.

Several hundred feet away from the Dugu Mansion, a man in black hid in the night, cautiously lying on a high-rise building, spying on the situation.

It's hard to believe that such a cautious person is actually the second-best lightness skill master in the world.

At the Nine-Headed Insect's residence, Xiang Siren and Yang Qing once again confirmed with their superiors whether the outrageous mission was true, and they received an affirmative answer.

As dawn broke, large numbers of troops were being mobilized in Xingyang, Hulao, and Yanshi.

As soon as Li Mi's troops moved, many coffins were immediately erected on the chaotic graveyard south of Yanshi.

A zombie-like man with a livid face sprang to his feet, wiping his scissors as he walked, each step he took perfectly measured, as if it had been precisely measured.

The force used to wipe the scissors was exactly the same for each stroke.

Meanwhile, outside the Eastern Capital, large armies were also marching north along the Tongji Canal.

Coincidentally, this northward-bound army encountered two Taoist priests near Yongqiu.

A burly man with a leopard-like eye and a face like a red date charged out from the army, wielding a horse spear.

When the burly man saw the Taoist priest, the two laughed and embraced.

The Taoist priest held a nine-toothed rake, while another Taoist priest beside him let out a cawing laugh like a crow.
At this time, the center of Luoyang was no longer the Ziwei Palace, but had shifted to the Rong Mansion.

Inside the Rong Mansion, a middle-aged man put down his whisk and picked up a precious sword.

"Father, are you going to intervene too? Isn't that too risky?"

A cold glint flashed across Rong Jiaojiao's alluring face, while the middle-aged man sitting opposite her gave a sinister smile:
"This will be a grand martial arts event, the likes of which are not seen in a century. As the host, I should do my part in this moment of great excitement, so that martial artists across the land will never forget it."

……

(End of this chapter)