Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 200 A Talk in the Breeze at Night, Under the Enlightened Ruler
Amidst the surrounding commotion, Zhou Yi seemed oblivious, his gaze shifting from Chao Gongcuo to Fu Nanda.

The Indian monk wrapped his arms around his head, obscuring the aura of divine oil.

He was motionless and lifeless, as if he had died.

But just as Zhou Yi stepped toward him, Fu Nanda could no longer hide it and suddenly opened his eyes.

Its withered, dark body was taut like a bowstring, and it flew towards the Sishui River like an arrow.

Still want to leave?
Zhou Yi broke through the wind and chased after him, closely following behind.

At that moment, Li Mi's trusted followers in the camp of Pushan on the walls of Hulao Pass fired a barrage of arrows, buying time for Fu Nanda to escape.

The Yanshi army immediately sprang into action!

Du Fuwei, Shan Xiongxin, Zhao Congwen, and others roared and gave orders.

The Eighteen Garrisons had made prior arrangements, and a large volley of arrows rained down on Hulao Pass.

The best soldiers from each army charged ahead under cover, and the Yanshi army advanced collectively, launching a fierce attack on Hulao Pass.

If the experts at Hulao Pass had not suffered any losses, they would still have a chance to defend the formidable pass.

Currently, they have suffered a series of defeats, two top experts have been killed, and their spiritual mentor is also being hunted down, resulting in extremely low morale.

If it weren't for Li Mi's many trusted confidants being there, it would have been difficult to find even one person to help Fu Nanda.

While they hesitated, the best soldiers in the Yanshi army had already rushed over!
Hou Xibai, Du Fuwei, and Shan Xiongxin followed the recruiting camp to the pass.

At this moment, no one on Hulao Pass could fight them one-on-one; the only option was to outnumber them. However, these experts created space, and more people climbed onto the city wall, with the sounds of clashing weapons and screams echoing continuously.

Du Fuwei raised his voice, shouting for the other side to surrender.

Yet some still led fierce resistance.

In a situation where everyone is hacking and slashing, there's no room for holding back.

Du Fuwei and Shan Xiongxin led their men to attack the crowd, while Yang Qing, Song Meng, Qiu Langfeng, and others rushed into the city and opened the city gates.

The garrison of Chenggao City, south of Hulao Pass, came into direct contact with the Yanshi army.

The sounds of fighting grew louder and louder, and Zhou Yi could hear them even from a great distance.

He did not turn back, but continued to pursue and kill Funanda.

This mad monk is quite powerful; keeping him alive would be a great scourge, and he must be killed.

“Master, please do not pursue us any further. This humble monk will return to India and never set foot in China again.”

Fu Nanda had already heard the sound of the Sishui River flowing.

As he ran, he used the "Sun-Changing Technique" to heal his injuries.

However, due to the psychological trauma, he is no longer able to recover as before.

The most frightening thing about the "win-win" mental yoga hypnosis is seeing the truth that you don't want to believe, yet the truth is right in front of you.

Therefore, both mental magic and the "sun-changing magic" reveal their flaws when the truth breaks through self-hypnosis.

The unity of Brahman and Atman is no longer perfect; at this moment, it is no longer possible to say "I am the Tathagata".

A fear, unlike anything he had ever felt in his life, arose in Vonganda's heart.

And it was impossible to suppress it at all.

Zhou Yi was delayed by the rain of arrows at Hulao Pass, but in a short time, the distance between the two was less than fifty feet.

He heard no response from Zhou Yi, but the wind behind him grew stronger, and beads of sweat rolled down the forehead of the Indian monk.

He used his spiritual magic to convince himself that he could defeat his opponent in terms of lightness skill.

This method stimulates the circulation of the five vital energies starting from the root of life, allowing them to flow more rapidly in the three meridians, thereby increasing the speed of movement.

unfortunately
The self-hypnotic methods of Vonganda would be ineffective against Zhou Yi.

He continuously unleashed a spinning force, bringing him within eight zhang of the mad monk.

Five zhang, three zhang, two zhang.
With a strange posture, Fu Nanda paused, turned around abruptly, and thrust his hands out in an eagle-beak shape to attack Zhou Yi's vital acupoints.

He used the same trick again, but this time he was noticeably slower.

Zhou Yi dodged the sneak attack, then kicked through the monk's snake-like arm and struck his chest. The mad monk groaned and fell to the ground on Hulao Road.

This is the most convenient passage from the Yan and Zhao regions to the Central Plains.

The Yellow River roared nearby, and Fu Nanda took deep breaths, inhaling the moist air into his stomach.

The force Zhou Yi exerted was no different from before.

Fu Nanda, however, could not hold back and vomited a mouthful of blood, and his injuries were difficult to heal.

"Why not use your secret technique? Is there some limitation?"

Upon hearing Zhou Yi's voice, the Mad Monk did not reply immediately.

He took a deep breath, put his hands together, and said, "Celestial Master, this humble monk admits defeat. As long as you don't kill me, I will obey any of your orders."

Zhou Yi shook his head.

"Why?!"

He exclaimed in shock and anger, "Am I not qualified to work for you with my skills?"

"No, I do admire your martial arts skills. But I don't want to deal with someone like you."

Fu Nanda frowned.

"Because you are shameless and full of lies."

Fu Nanda did not deny it: "Master, if you want to accomplish great things, why bother with trivial matters?"

"Don't try to glorify yourself. What does my success have to do with you?"

Fu Nanda then played the emotional card: "I once gave you a copy of the Kama Sutra, doesn't that count as a small token of my affection?"

"Didn't you force me to exchange the Longevity Formula for it?"

Zhou Yi thought of the mad monk's hypocritical coercion back then and couldn't help but sneer: "However, the thing I gave you was picked up from the trash."

"you!"

Upon hearing this, Fu Nanda's spirit collapsed further, and then Zhou Yi said:
“I remember clearly, you still owe me money for tea at the Nanyang Tea House.”

Is it worth making a fuss about?

Zhou Yi drew his sword: "Whether the debt is large or small, it all needs to be settled."

Having heard some rumors, Fu Nanda stopped talking about the tea money.

He answered Zhou Yi's first question: "Master, my Indian secret method is still effective, and I am even certain that your next attack will not kill me."

"Oh?"

The mad monk's confident demeanor aroused Zhou Yi's curiosity.

"If the Celestial Master does not believe it, he is free to try."

A sharp glint flashed in Fu Nanda's eyes: "This humble monk will not retaliate. If the Heavenly Master's attack does not kill me, then let me leave, how about that?"

"Then let's see what you're capable of."

Before Zhou Yi could finish speaking, he slashed with his sword.

With his hands supporting him on the ground, Fu Nanda sat cross-legged in a strange posture, distributing his vital energy between the upper and lower parts of his body, hiding it in the heart chakra and the sacral chakra among the seven chakras.

After a single sword strike, the mad monk's head was severed and fell to the ground.

In an instant, his heart chakra and sacral chakra operated simultaneously under the influence of his mental fluctuations.

The one above consumes resources to provide life force.

The inferior consumes, creating new life.

Guided by his spirit and believing he was not dead, his hands, supporting him on the ground, sensed the location of his fallen head by following the ripples in the ground. He then lifted the head up with both hands, feeling for the eyes and nose, intending to attach it to his neck.

Zhou Yi thought he had seen Tiger Power Immortal.

He shouted at Fonanda's head, "Fonanda, you have been defeated!"

This sudden drink was like forcibly waking someone who was pretending to be asleep.

The mad monk's mental link was severed.

His hands lost their strength, his head fell to the ground, and his vital energy dissipated in his heart and sacral chakras.

Now, he was truly dead.

Zhou Yi stared at his corpse and muttered to himself.

If you actually put a head on him, he probably wouldn't survive, right?

When Kou Xu used the Sun-Changing Technique to save Ba Feng Han from the Martial Venerable's fatal attack, it wasn't as bizarre as Fu Nan Tuo's actions.

Looking back now, it's not surprising that Fu Nanda was able to mend Qu Ao's martial arts will.

Zhou Yi searched around on Fonanda's body but couldn't find any spiritual yoga techniques.

He got up and headed towards Hulao Pass.

After walking a few steps, he returned and stabbed Chaofu Nanda in the heart with a sword, then kicked his head into the Yellow River.

……

The battle at Hulao Pass was fierce at first, with Li Mi's confidants leading the defense of the pass and Chenggao City to put up a tenacious resistance against the Yanshi army.

Although they lack skilled players, they are the defenders.

They were not only familiar with the terrain and skilled in defending the city, but also knew where the traps were buried.

Even when morale is low, the initial confrontation can still put enormous pressure on the Yanshi side.

However, the situation changed drastically after the leading figures loyal to Li Mi in the Pushan public camp were targeted and killed by Du Fuwei, Hou Xibai and others.

They sensed that the fighting spirit of the Chenggao army was waning.

Pei Renji finally fulfilled his role as the top garrison commander of the pass.

He climbed to the top of the city wall and, together with his son Pei Xingyan, shouted: "Cease fire! Cease fire!"

"All garrison troops at Hulao Pass, halt immediately!"

Pei Renji had guarded Hulao Pass for many years, and even though Li Mi had replaced the commander of the pass, he had not lost much of his prestige among his soldiers.

The Yanshi side reacted faster.

Because there were enough generals leading the troops, after the orders were given by the leading generals such as Du Fuwei and Zhao Congwen, the other generals and captains quickly relayed the orders, creating space between themselves and the Chenggao army who were engaged in chaotic fighting. They raised their weapons in defense and did not fight again.

Taking advantage of the situation, Du Fuwei shouted, "Put down your weapons and surrender, or you will be spared!"

Pei Renji, standing on high ground, had already seen a white figure approaching from the direction of the Sishui River in the distance. He immediately raised his voice and shouted:
"Disarm your weapons!"

He led the garrison at the pass, and a series of clanging sounds rang out from the city walls.

"Pei Renji, you have betrayed Lord Mi!"

Suddenly, a piercing curse came from below. Pei Xingyan moved quickly, wielding his double hammers to smash the man off the city wall and towards the Chenggao army. He then shouted, "Still not obeying orders?!"

There were nearly 30,000 garrison troops from Chenggao City, and the generals at the front looked at each other.

This is a risky move. We have to take a gamble. Even if we abandon the city and don't defend it, we still have a chance to break out.

Laying down one's weapons is tantamount to being slaughtered.

An old general met Pei Renji's gaze, and out of trust in the old general, he risked putting down the broadsword in his hand.

In a short while, a large number of spears and halberds were thrown to the ground.

If the Yanshi army were to charge at this moment, the Hulao side would only face the outcome of turning their backs and being slaughtered in the chaos.

Fortunately
The generals of Yanshi immediately ordered their men to put away their weapons. Apart from the continuous escapes from the outer perimeter, the city gradually became stable.

Du Fuwei was very experienced. He ordered his men to take over Hulao Pass, deal with the surrendered troops, and control Chenggao City.

While doing these tedious tasks, a smile even appeared on Old Du's usually stern face.

The three cities of Dongdu, Yanshi, and Hulao have all been captured.

With the addition of Nanyang and the area north of the Huai River, most of the Central Plains had been pacified.

Du Fuwei, Shan Xiongxin, and others were busy running around, while Zhou Yi, having some free time, summoned the Pei family father and son for questioning.

The two men explained in detail Li Mi's arrangements at Hulao Pass.

Inside the main hall where the commander of the fortress held discussions.

After listening for a while, Zhou Yi understood the situation of the father and son. Although they were the garrison commanders of Hulao Pass, the power was not entirely in their hands.

Those close associates of Li Mi, having been subjected to psychological manipulation, not only disobeyed orders but also served as surveillance agents.

This style is very much like Li Mi's.

He who betrays others is also afraid of being betrayed himself.

"Who is in charge of Xingyang right now?"

"The person in charge was Li Mi, but he did not show his face. Wang Bodang led the army, and Wei Zheng managed the administration."

Is he himself in Xingyang?

The Pei father and son exchanged a glance and both shook their heads.

Pei Renji looked at the person in the main seat with reverence: "Celestial Master, I haven't seen him for a long time. Before the Rong family's birthday banquet, he showed up in Yanshi once, and after that, he only obeyed orders and was never seen in person."

"He must be avoiding you."

Pei Xingyan, who was standing nearby, agreed with his father's words.

Thinking of the fierce battle at Hulao Pass, it would be strange if Li Mi didn't run away.

Zhou Yi knew what was going on and looked at the two of them: "What are your plans?"

Pei Renji and Pei Xingyan knelt down together. Pei Renji spoke first, his voice filled with trepidation: "My father and I are defeated generals who have surrendered. What plans do we have? We will obey whatever the Celestial Master arranges."

Before Zhou Yi could speak, they suddenly heard a woman's voice.

Are you familiar with the garrison commander of Yingchuan?

"Yes."

Pei Renji quickly replied, "The generals over there, like me, once served as guards in the palace of Prince Yang Liang of Han."

As he spoke, he glanced at the girl out of the corner of his eye.

This was the first time I'd ever seen someone interrupt the Celestial Master while he was speaking, and I knew he was no ordinary person.

Zhou Yi then asked, "Are you confident you can subdue Yingchuan?"

Pei Renji said, "I am a criminal, but I am willing to help the Celestial Master seize Yingchuan. If I fail, I will bring my head to you."

Zhou Yi nodded slightly, with a hint of reminiscence, and said, "When I traveled north, I passed through Yingchuan. The place was relatively peaceful after the bandits were eliminated. After you take over Yingchuan, do not disturb the people, and eradicate the bandits completely."

"Once everything is arranged, we will then discuss it with General Du."

"Yes."

Pei Renji and Pei Xingyan took their leave with a hint of surprise in their eyes.

Even after they had walked quite a distance from the council hall, their faces still showed a hint of disbelief.

"Father, this..."

Pei Xingyan said in surprise and doubt: "The Celestial Master's actions are so different from Li Mi's. We just surrendered, and he actually trusts us and sends us to seize Yingchuan."

Pei Renji sighed softly: "My son, this is why the Celestial Master rose to power while Li Mi declined."

"As we can see today, the Celestial Master is dignified and upright, with clear and bright wisdom. Li Mi, on the other hand, is scheming and despicable, causing ants to flock to him. The two are worlds apart and cannot be compared."

"He no longer needs to talk to us about trust, because he has the confidence to prevent people from betraying him, isn't that the logic?"

Pei Xingyan nodded first, then pondered what he had just heard in the council hall:
“I observed that the Celestial Master’s methods of killing at Hulao Pass were extremely gruesome, but his admonitions to us were quite different from his martial arts and killing methods. Martial arts are about aligning with one’s state of mind, especially for masters. Why are they inconsistent with his actions?”

"Big mistake."

Pei Renji stroked his long beard: "I had heard rumors in Jiangnan that he was kind and benevolent, but I didn't believe it at first, because he was involved in many of the battles in the martial world. Now that I have experienced it firsthand, I know that the rumors are true. This is a good thing."

“In the early years of the Kaihuang era, I was by Emperor Wen’s side, and to this day, I have watched the Sui Dynasty decline step by step. To quell the chaos and allow the people to recuperate, we needed a benevolent ruler.”

Pei Xingyan echoed his agreement and then discussed with his father the old friends in Yingchuan.

Then, out of curiosity, he asked another question.

"Father, do you recognize which family the one who spoke just now belongs to?"

"I don't know."

Pei Renji also took it very seriously. He whispered, "She must be a future empress. We should ask around again after some time. Since we know about our relationship with Yingchuan, she may come from a powerful family in the Eastern Capital."

While the two Peis were talking, Zhou Yi and Little Phoenix left the council hall and found Du Fuwei and Shan Xiongxin to learn about the situation at the pass.

Yang Qing, Song Mengqiu, and others came to report.

They planned to take a portion of the surrendered troops back to Yanshi and Dongdu, and completely dismantle the Chenggao army.

"Brother Zhou, what are your plans?"

Hou Xibai smiled and said, "Li Mi is really good at hiding. Are you going to Xingyang to find him?"

"of course."

"Why do I feel that you can't find him?"

"We'll only know once we've been there."

Seeing that Zhou Yi looked a little depressed, Hou Xibai stopped joking about it and said seriously, "He must be hiding somewhere. If you don't have time, have the Giant Kun Gang's men at my command, and I'll find him for you."

"We'll see when the time comes," Zhou Yi said without refusing.

Next, he stayed in Chenggao City, south of Hulao Pass, for three days.

While meditating and practicing, he confirmed that Hulao Pass was now safe.

On the fifth day, two old acquaintances also entered the city.

It was Bu Tianzhi and Chen Laomou from the Giant Kun Gang.

Bu Tianzhi came on his own, bringing important news from Jiangnan.

As for Chen Laomou, Zhou Yi sent someone to summon him.

Now that he doesn't need to be stationed in Nanyang, he can come here to devise strategies for pacifying the Central Plains.

At the same time, the two mobilized a large number of spies from the Giant Kun Gang to this location, which could be used to find out Li Mi's whereabouts.

They had come from afar, and Zhou Yi prepared wine and food to entertain them for a day.

In the past, Bu Tianzhi and Chen Laomou wouldn't have thought much of it.

At this moment, however, they felt a pang of emotion. As the situation became clearer and Zhou Yi's status became increasingly distinguished, his lingering affection for the past prompted even Old Master Chen to remind him to change his mindset and maintain his supreme dignity.

Zhou Yi didn't pay much attention, feeling that it wasn't surprising at all that these words came from Chen Laomou.

It's estimated that he has already designed the style of the dragon throne.

The seventh day after the Battle of Hulao Pass.

When Zhou Yi and Dugu Feng arrived in Xingyang, the entire prefecture was under martial law. They were both highly skilled and daring.

After news of the fall of Hulao Pass spread, not only was Xingyang under tight defense, but the Wei Commandery army was also mobilized.

Once Xingyang falls, Yuwen Huaji will be next.

Despite previous conflicts, the two companies had no choice but to cooperate in order to protect themselves.

As night fell, Zhou Yi and Dugu Feng stealthily made their way to Li Mi's residence.

What was unexpected was...

Xingyang City was heavily guarded, with patrol teams everywhere, but there weren't many people stationed around the Li residence.

Standing on a distant rooftop, one can see Li Mi's mansion.

There wasn't a single guard standing watch on the high rooftop.

Either there's a trap, or the person isn't there.

Zhou Yi preferred the latter, but he did not give up and headed towards the Li residence.

He walked silently over the glazed tiles, making no sound, until he reached the depths of the inner courtyard.

At the turn of the month, he saw a brightly lit room in the inner courtyard. A shadow flickered on the paper window, and he was walking around, as if he were reading a book.

Zhou Yi's eyes shone brightly with foresight!
Little Phoenix was very surprised to see him like this. Could it be that Li Mi was in the mansion?

The Empty City Stratagem?
Zhou Yi noticed that the shadow's stature was very similar to Li Mi's. When he first met Li Mi, he was also holding a half-finished scroll.

The shadow inside the room moved toward the windowpane and slowly solidified.

Suddenly, a voice came through the window:

"Since our friend has come, why not show yourself?"

Zhou Yi frowned slightly. Had he discovered it? With Li Mi's skill, he probably couldn't have done it.

He carefully savored the voice, which was similar to Li Mi's.

Is it really him? Or...
We just killed the Nine-Headed Insect, is another Nine-Spirited Sage coming?

He didn't respond. The shadow in the room stood by the window, then moved away after a while, seemingly trying to trick him with lies.

Zhou Yi pulled Dugu Feng along, and the two of them leaped into the courtyard.

He moved to the door and pushed it open casually.

The door, unlatched, creaked open, and the person inside turned around, clearly startled.

He looked to be in his forties or fifties, with a dignified demeanor, a long face with large earlobes, and wise yet slightly melancholic eyes, giving the impression that he was a learned man who was unafraid of power and compassionate towards humanity.

Upon seeing Zhou Yi and Dugu Feng, he quickly approached them.

"Master, Miss Dugu, please come in."

Zhou Yi entered and glanced around. The man closed the door to keep out the west wind.

"Please take a seat."

Zhou Yi sat down in a pear wood chair, looked intently at the man, and asked, "Are you Wei Zheng?"

"Exactly."

Wei Zheng put down his book and carefully examined the young man before him.

"Does the Celestial Master know why I am here?"

"Li Mi told you to wait for me here."

"Does the Celestial Master know the current relationship between Xingyang and Weijun?"

Zhou Yi retorted, "Do you think that adding the Xiaoguo Army will be enough to stop me?"

Wei Zheng shook his head: "This is not a long-term solution, but Li Mi and Yuwen Huaji have been forced into a corner and this is the only way."

"It was indeed him who told me to wait for the Celestial Master here, but I don't even know where he is now."

Zhou Yi frowned: "Then you still want to work for him?"

“Master, you may not know this, but if I leave Xingyang, the surrounding counties will be thrown into chaos.”

Wei Zheng continued:
"With the help of Fu Nanda, Li Mi turned a group of his confidants in the Pushan public camp into a state of confusion about the situation. And since they were in charge of the largest number of troops, if anything happened in Xingyang, these people would follow orders and turn their troops into bandits to harm a large number of people."

After he finished speaking, he saw that Zhou Yi's face was icy cold.

"What other message did he ask you to deliver?"

"Li Mi said that once the Celestial Master recovers the south, the layout of Xingyang will become meaningless, and his confidants will withdraw from this place, handing Xingyang over to him."

Li Mixian is stalling for time.

But what countermeasures could he possibly take? Or was he planning to use this time to escape?

You can tell that Wei Zheng wasn't lying.

He doesn't seem like the type to lie.

Do you know who those trusted men are?

"know."

Wei Zheng guessed what he was going to say and said directly:
“I followed Yuan Baozang into Wagang to serve under Li Mi, but I was not valued by him and was appointed as a secretary like Zu Junyan. My power was weak and I was unable to eliminate those people. The only reason I was left here this time was to let the Celestial Master vent his anger.”

He then advised:

"I have heard that the Celestial Master is a benevolent and virtuous ruler. Please kill him with one blow when you make your move, so as to avoid further complications and harm to the people."

Wei Zheng was orphaned and impoverished from a young age, but he had the ambition to serve his country and was very compassionate towards the poor.

Even as Zhou Yi's expression grew increasingly stern, he remained fearless.

"I came here to kill Li Mi, and you're here pretending to be Li Mi. Aren't you afraid of dying?"

Wei Zheng raised his neck slightly: "Celestial Master, please do as you please, as long as you listen to my words."

He had heard how skilled this young man was at killing.

His mere reputation is enough to strike fear into the hearts of many in the martial arts world.

Just as I was deep in thought, a gentle breeze suddenly swept by.

The door opened and closed again, but the candlelight inside remained completely still.

As Wei Zheng was lost in thought, a voice rang in his ears:

"If you govern Xingyang well, my people will contact you."

Apart from the lingering sound, there was no one left inside the house.

Wei Zheng's heart raced. He pushed open the door to look outside, but all was calm and peaceful, as if no one had ever been there.

"Strange, strange."

He muttered to himself, this was very different from what he had imagined. He stared at the darkness in the distance, thinking of the white-clad figure in the room just now, and a look of surprise suddenly appeared in his eyes.

……

"I didn't expect Li Mi to have someone like this under his command. He has quite a bit of backbone and is much better than Li Mi."

"He not only has backbone, but he is also a rare talent."

Dugu Feng smiled and said, "Then your attitude is not surprising."

"However, this time it will probably be a fruitless trip."

She asked again, "Where to now?"

Zhou Yi was unhappy and hesitated for a while, but still didn't want to give up.

Li Mi is good at playing dead, or hiding in some box or cabinet to ambush people, or simply hiding away. Finding him suddenly is extremely difficult.

Think of a possibility.

Zhou Yi didn't say anything, and took Little Phoenix away.

The following day, they went to schools near some surrounding counties and inquired with teachers about Liu Zhiyuan by describing his appearance, or directly asked if there was such a person as Liu Zhiyuan.

Unsurprisingly, nothing was found.

Even the oxcart drivers on the road were given special attention by Zhou Yi.

In this vast world, finding one person is like finding a needle in a haystack.

Five days later, Zhou Yi secretly went to Li Mi's mansion again, but ultimately gave up.

Upon returning to Chenggao City, he entrusted the matter to Chen Laomou and Hou Xibai.

News of Hulao Pass had long since reached Luoyang, and unlike many powerful and influential families who hesitated to speak out, the people of Luoyang were overjoyed upon hearing the news.

this means,

With peace and stability both inside and outside the capital, it will not be affected by war again in the short term.

The news of the battle at Hulao Pass, in which Gai Suwen, Chao Gongcuo, and the Indian mad monk were killed, spread like wildfire throughout the martial arts world.

Zhou Yi, who was at the center of the storm, re-entered the Ziwei Palace before heading to Jiangnan.

Yang Tong, Dugu Feng, Lu Chu, Guo Wenyi, Zhao Congwen, Huangfu Wuyi and others were all present.

Their witnesses are enough for matters of the court.

From the Emperor Tai to the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, they were all Zhou Yi's men.

The Eastern Capital easily drafted a document bearing the imperial seal, announcing the arrival of the Eastern Capital court to show Empress Xiao the attitude of the Eastern Capital court.

Although Zhou Yi felt the gift was unnecessary, he accepted it out of kindness.

Not long after, to the side of Qianyang Hall.

Lu Chu, Huangfu Wuyi, and the others witnessed a surprising scene.

The Celestial Master had his arm around the Emperor Tai's shoulder as they walked and talked towards the Daye Hall, appearing very familiar with each other.

The emperor's words "uncle" also reached the ears of the group.

Seeing that they got along well, Lu Chu and the others felt at ease.

At the same time, she looked at Dugu Feng with a hint of envy.

The old man's wrinkled face immediately broke into a smug smile, which made the others jealous and very unhappy.

What do you have to be proud of? You're just living off your daughter.

Ever since Wang Shichong's niece Dong Shuni disappeared, this old sycophant has become much more normal.

What the others didn't know was that Dugu Feng's honesty wasn't just because he was a simp who lost his goddess; it was because his family, both old and young, couldn't afford to offend him.

Homeowner?

He's just the head steward Dugu, who acts according to everyone's whims.

Of course, to outsiders, Dugu Peak was enjoying immense glory at this moment.

In front of the Qianyang Palace, Lu Chu suddenly said, "Actually, my youngest daughter is also very pretty and charming."

Huangfu Wuyi shook his head.

Guo Wenyi patted him on the shoulder earnestly: "Sha Tiannan, the richest man in Luoyang, often says the same thing."

……

Zhou Yi did not stay in Ziwei Palace for long. After having a meal with Yang Tong, he returned to the Dugu residence.

Compared to the first time she came here with Lu Chu, she was no longer at a loss for words.

From the old lady to the gatekeeper.

Everyone in the manor recognized his face and was extremely enthusiastic towards him.

However, there's nothing uncomfortable about being around them.

It can only be said that the Dugu family knows how to behave appropriately.

He can be as carefree as he wants, and no one will bother him.

On the afternoon before his departure, he took his grandmother's pulse again. Now that he has mastered all the extraordinary meridians, he has a more precise control over the human body's meridians and can remove subtle ailments that are not easily detected in the elderly.

Then, he chatted with the old lady about the "ancestral aperture".

At first, You Chuhong could communicate with Zhou Yi, but she gradually became a listener.

She was also a martial arts fanatic; otherwise, she wouldn't have switched to practicing righteousness when she had mastered her skills.

Zhou Yi's martial arts philosophy deeply impressed her.

So much so that, after immersing herself in the inner quarters, she wasn't quite sure when Zhou Yi left.

"Are you planning to go straight to Jiangdu?"

"No, let's go back to Nanyang first."

"Take a sword?"

"Correct."

Zhou Yi and Dugu Feng walked along the corridor into the courtyard: "This trip to Jiang should not take too long. Whether it succeeds or not, we will have a general idea after meeting."

Dugu Feng understood the situation in Jiangdu and didn't need to say anything more.

"Over in Lingnan."

Zhou Yi interrupted her, saying, "Don't worry. Although Tian Dao's attacks are powerful, I am not the same as before. Besides, I am not fighting him."

As Zhou Yi walked, he told her about his plans for the south, based on the information Bu Tianzhi had brought.

If everything goes smoothly, it won't take long.

In the evening, the two had dinner together.

Zhou Yi urged her to go south together, but Dugu Feng hesitated.

Around 7 PM, he only said he would send him off tomorrow, and then went back to his inner quarters.

Zhou Yi meditated as usual.

Considering they had to travel the next day, they turned off the lights and rested after more than an hour.

To his surprise, he had only closed his eyes for a short while when he suddenly heard a strange noise.

With his current hearing, even without consciously channeling his energy, he far surpasses that of ordinary people.

After a brief examination, Zhou Yi smiled.

As the door opened, he rose, relit the lamp, looked at the girl who had entered, and asked with a smile:

"What, have you decided to come with me tomorrow?"

Dugu Feng shook her head: "No, since you're not in Dongdu, I can look after things for you here."

"Now," she said gently, glancing at him with a hint of reluctance, "I just want to say a few more words to you."

Zhou Yi couldn't help but think back to when he left Jiangdu, it was the same.

Suddenly, he caught a whiff of a delicate fragrance. He sniffed it a few more times, then took a few steps forward, almost touching the little phoenix.

Then he received a 'very heavy' elbow strike to the waist.

Dugu Feng pushed him away, and Zhou Yi took her hand: "Xiao Feng, why do you taste different?"

"What are you talking about?"

"It's the fragrance. It wasn't like this before. Now it has the scent of flower petals."

Her slender neck lowered, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. When she looked up, her clear eyes remained as bright as ever: "No way."

Zhou Yi stepped forward and picked her up in his arms.

Dugu Feng hugged him and shook his neck: "Put me down."

Zhou Yi did indeed put her down, but just like in Jiangdu, the two lay on the bed.

Dugu Feng didn't run away; instead, she snuggled into his arms.

She paused for a few moments, then said softly, "Master Zhou, I want to hear you speak."

"it is good."

Zhou Yi readily agreed, not worried that she might find it annoying to listen too much. He recounted their first meeting in Yongqiu, remembering every detail clearly.

The little phoenix would sometimes laugh, and sometimes give him a little tap.

In short, she was happy no matter what she heard.

Every little detail of the past has become a gentle stream flowing through their hearts.

They talked for a long time, until they got back to that night in Jiangdu, when Zhou Yi nudged her and suddenly said, "Xiao Feng, let's do the same thing as that day, okay?"

Dugu Feng nodded.

then
The two were left with only their undergarments.

Suddenly, sensing that he was making another move, Dugu Feng's plain face was tinged with rouge, her bright eyes shimmering in the candlelight as she looked up at Zhou Yi: "Didn't you say it was the same?"

Zhou Yi didn't answer, but leaned closer and asked, "Xiao Feng, I'm curious where the fragrance is coming from, and also..."

"Did you just take a shower?"

Dugu Feng's breath hitched slightly as she stared intently at him.

I wanted to say, "Don't misunderstand," but seeing the burning passion in his eyes, my heart softened.

She swallowed her words, then suddenly reached out and hugged him, kissed him on the cheek, and then, as if in response to his words, hummed in agreement before gently leaning on his shoulder.

Zhou Yi glanced at her sideways. Seeing his smiling face, Dugu Feng immediately raised her hand and extinguished all the candlelight.

"Xiaofeng, no, you can't see anymore."

"I won't let you look. If you look again, I'll run away."

She wanted to say more, but she could no longer speak.

A moment later, a soft hum echoed from the darkness.

As a spring breeze passed by, the wind rustled the willows, and a hazy feeling arose.
……

(End of this chapter)