Brocade Robe Unparalleled

Chapter 131 Duan Yanluo

Lin Xuan certainly had his reasons for not revealing his identity.

He went through countless hardships and dangers to finally get to this point and clear his name of being a spy for the Nanzhao Kingdom.

Although he couldn't bear to see Qingluan sad, confessing at this moment would mean all his previous efforts were wasted and everything would be back to square one.

Don't let his current status as a meritorious official of the imperial court fool you.

Once their previous identities are exposed, the difference between a hero and a traitor can be as small as an instant.

The three flying heads in Longya Fortress are still vivid in my mind.

He dared not gamble, nor could he gamble, that the court would pardon his previous treason because of his merits.

Although he couldn't be credited for initially leaking the Xuan Guang Armor.

However, later, under the coercion of Mandala and the pressure of his identity as a spy, he had to do things that harmed the interests of the court in order to protect himself.

For example, the death of the traitor from Nanzhao.

If Lu Feng knew that he was Jun Zizhu, the one who leaked the secret, causing him to make a wasted trip to the Southwest, and that he had completely outmaneuvered them in the investigation of the Jun Zizhu incident, would he still be so polite to him?

The fewer people who know about his faked death, the better.

The more people who know the truth, the greater the risk.

If the Nanzhao Kingdom finds out, at best they will continue to be coerced by them as before, and at worst they will go from being a prominent member of the Sixteen Guards to a prisoner.

Lin Xuan understood the implications very clearly.

Within the small courtyard.

Tian Qingluan had already packed her luggage and was sitting on the stone bench in the courtyard, waiting for Wenren Yue to return.

Her hands were placed on the stone table, and she unconsciously clenched them.

In her nervousness, she bit her lower lip, leaving a mark.

After some time, familiar footsteps came from the doorway.

She stood up somewhat bewildered, turned to look at Wenren Yue, wanting to ask something, but dared not speak.

Wenren Yue sighed softly and shook her head slightly.

She said nothing, yet she said everything.

The last glimmer of light in Tian Qingluan's eyes dimmed instantly.

A short while later, the two changed into casual clothes, took one last look at the courtyard, and then turned and left.

The Yang family has been besieged on two fronts these days and has no time to attend to anything else. The Jingye Division members successfully left the city and gathered in a valley outside the city.

Lin Xuan, mounted on his horse, stared blankly at the Azure Phoenix not far ahead.

hold on.

Once the situation in the southwest is resolved and the Nanzhao secret service leaves, that will be the time to tell her the truth.

When the time comes, let her hit or scold us as she pleases.

And Wenren Yue...

After she returns to the capital, the two will probably have little contact, so let Lin Xuan remain in her memory forever.

……

Sizhou.

Jingbian Division.

As local officials, the two centurions of the Sizhou Jingbian Division have not even been allowed to set foot in the division these past few days.

Within the Jingbian Division, the four thousand-household offices under the Southern Garrison Command, with their eight chief and deputy commanders gathered together.

Their direct superior, Zhou Tai, the commander of the Qianzhou Thousand-Household Office, could only sit at the end of the meeting.

Those two men, whom even a commander of a thousand men had to speak to with utmost care, were undoubtedly important figures from the capital, even though their identities were unknown to them.

In the Jingbian company hall.

Lu Feng had just assigned tasks to everyone.

To avoid further uprisings by local chieftains, the imperial court will not send troops to participate in this operation.

The overt conflicts were limited to the three chieftains.

Of course, the fact that the imperial court would not openly send troops does not mean that it would not provide covert support.

This time, he transferred all the commanders of the Southern Garrison Command, along with experts drawn from local garrisons, totaling thirty-one fifth-rank experts.

The Song family currently has sixteen members holding the fifth rank.

Anjia has fourteen members.

In addition, with the fifteen fifth-rank experts that Nanzhao promised to send, there are more than seventy fifth-rank martial artists in this operation, which is three times more than the Yang family.

These people will infiltrate the Song and An families' ranks.

We will not rest until the Yang family is destroyed.

After everyone dispersed, Lu Feng walked up to Zhou Tai, the commander of the Qianzhou Thousand-Household Office, and asked, "Commander Zhou, did you bring the things I asked you to bring when the telescope was used to send the message last time?"

Zhou Tai took out a booklet from his bosom and said respectfully, "Reporting to Commander Lu, I brought it. This is the fourth level of the Zhenyue Gong technique."

Lu Feng took the booklet and said, "I'll return it to you tomorrow."

The imperial court had extremely strict management of the merits of the Zhenyue Army. Those who met the requirements were required to have their records reviewed and then promptly archived.

Lu Feng returned to the back office, handed the booklet to Lin Xuan, and said, "Memorize it as soon as possible and return it to me before noon tomorrow."

Lin Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. Since returning from the Marrow Cleansing Pool, his true energy had not increased.

With the fourth level of the cultivation technique in hand, he could finally continue his practice.

After Lu Feng left, a figure walked into the courtyard from outside.

Sizhou was not within the sphere of influence of the three major chieftains, and it was temporarily requisitioned as a wartime command post.

Due to space shortages, Lin Xuan and Wenren Yue were arranged to share a courtyard.

This was her former residence.

After returning, Wenren Yue cooked a bowl of noodles and went into her own room.

Lin Xuan went to the stone table in the courtyard and opened the booklet in his hand.

The fourth level of the Zhenyue Gong is called the "Rock Solid" realm, which corresponds to the sixth rank of a martial artist. True Qi can leave the body by an inch, initially forming a protective aura. It can not only resist ordinary weapon cuts and slashes, but also block crossbow bolts and other attacks, but it cannot resist the powerful armor-piercing bow.

Once he cultivates the Zhenyue Gong to the fifth level, his internal energy becomes even more abundant, allowing him to form a protective shield around his body. Even the armor-piercing bow can easily withstand it. Under full defensive conditions, the only thing that can pose a threat to him is the spirit-patterned bow forged by the Jiuli tribe.

Lin Xuan memorized the true qi circulation route of this level and tried to circulate it for the first time.

Lin Xuan noticed the difference during his first cultivation session.

The speed at which his internal energy circulated was much faster than before.

Although his cultivation speed was not slow in the past, it was almost entirely driven by his powerful mental strength. He could still clearly feel the obstruction and stickiness of true qi in his body.

But now, that feeling of hindrance has completely disappeared.

Previously, it would take him about fifteen minutes to complete one cycle.

Now it only takes 15 minutes.

The baptism of the Jiuli tribe's bloodline completely changed his physical talents.

Fearing attracting attention, he didn't even mobilize all his mental energy.

If he goes all out, his internal energy circulation speed can be even faster. This not only means a faster attack speed, but also a faster cultivation speed.

Lin Xuan let out a soft sigh of relief.

He only has a sixth-grade cultivation level. Some people say he is an undercover agent, and he can only cooperate with the investigation.

Once his cultivation reaches the fourth rank, even if someone says so, few people will believe it. After all, the head of the Nanzhao Secret Service is only a fourth-rank official.

If his cultivation reaches the third rank, such a sound will no longer exist.

If he had a second-grade cultivation level, and claimed to be an undercover agent of Nanzhao, Nanzhao probably wouldn't dare to admit it.

As one's strength increases, the outcome of the same situation can be completely different.

Wenren Yue stood at the door, looking at the figure in the courtyard, a hint of surprise appearing in her eyes.

This person... has incredible talent.

She had always considered herself exceptionally talented, but only today did she realize that there are always people more talented than her.

No wonder he was able to rank among the Sixteen Guards with only a sixth-grade cultivation level.

With such talent, although he started cultivating a little late, as long as he doesn't perish along the way, one day he will surely become a renowned figure on this continent...

……

Two days after returning to Sizhou, Lin Xuan, who was cultivating, received a message from Lu Feng that one hundred Xuan Guang Armors from Nanzhao had arrived.

These one hundred Xuan Guang Armors were originally stolen from Sizhou by them.

Today, they sent it to Sizhou.

The fifth-rank experts transferred from various places have already gone to the Song and An families. Lin Xuan and Wenren Yue are responsible for receiving these one hundred Xuan Guang Armors.

Sizhou, at the city gate.

Two carriages from Nanzhao stopped in front of the city gate.

Among the escort team, the woman at the head, wearing a veil, saw Wenren Yue's figure in the distance and silently adjusted her veil upwards.

When her gaze swept over the other person beside Wenren Yue, a hint of shock couldn't help but surface in her heart.

How could it be him...? Could he have originally been a member of the Jingye Division?

She quickly felt relieved; he probably hadn't noticed her when he lived at the alley entrance.

Otherwise, Wenren Yue would have known her identity long ago.

She revealed no flaws in front of the two men and said in a deep voice, "These one hundred Xuan Guang Armors must be returned to us after we have used them."

Lin Xuan's gaze swept over the two carriages.

The entanglement between the two began with these mysterious armors.

After going around in circles, everything seemed to have returned to the starting point, but the two of them were now in different positions.

Lin Xuan looked at her and said calmly, "Your Black Lotus Division Master has already discussed these matters with Commander Lu. I am only responsible for receiving the Xuan Guang Armor, and I will not concern myself with anything else."

Mandala felt inexplicably annoyed.

What an attitude!

This mere novice who just entered the sixth rank dares to call himself "this master," what's with the arrogance...?

But she soon realized that Wenren Yue was standing half a body length behind him.

This indicates that his position was higher than Wenren Yue's.

Wenren Yue's gaze swept over her, and a sense of familiarity arose spontaneously. He couldn't help but look into her eyes and ask, "Which member of the Nanzhao Secret Service are you?"

Mandala looked away, avoiding eye contact, and said calmly, "Chief of the Intelligence Division, Mandala."

Wenren Yue's eyebrows twitched slightly.

She was no stranger to the name Datura.

According to the investigation by the Jingye Division, the assassin from Nanzhao wanted by the Yang family was none other than Mandala, the chief of the Nanzhao Intelligence Division.

She was the right-hand woman of Hei Lian, the head of the Intelligence Bureau, and was skilled in assassination using Gu techniques. The Yang family had somehow offended her, and she had assassinated several of their clansmen. Even when a fourth-rank expert was dispatched, they still couldn't capture her...

Her cultivation level should be at the peak of the sixth rank.

With her peak sixth-rank strength, she left the Yang family of Bozhou helpless; no wonder she was able to take the position of Si Cheng.

At this moment, Lin Xuan had already walked to the front of the carriage and said, "Open the box, we need to count the number of Xuan Guang Armors."

Several secret agents looked at Mandala, who nodded slightly and said, "Open the box."

Although this person's attitude made her very uncomfortable, his request was reasonable, and she should make the handover now to avoid any future complications.

Lin Xuan counted the two carts of Xuan Guang armor, confirmed the quantity was correct, then ignored the Nanzhao people and said to Wenren Yue, "Wenren, Commander, let's go."

After the people from the Jingbian Division left, Mandala looked at the others behind her and said, "You all go back to Anjia first. I still have some things to take care of, and I will go back on my own later."

"Yes."

After bowing respectfully, the group returned along the same route.

Not long after.

Inside Sizhou City.

A figure dressed in black appeared in a courtyard.

No one has lived here for a long time. Some weeds have grown in the courtyard, and the stone table in the courtyard is covered with a layer of dust.

She cleared the weeds in the yard, swept up the fallen leaves, drew a bucket of water from the well, and wiped the stone table and benches in the yard spotless. Then she sat on one of the stone benches, gazing blankly into the empty space.

This small courtyard holds some of the most beautiful memories of her life.

Those days are gone forever.

After an unknown amount of time, she slowly stood up, exhaled a long breath, as if bidding a final farewell to the past.

Tianji Shop.

Tian Qingluan rushed over from Black Stone Village. When she saw A'Luo, a smile finally appeared on her face. She quickly stepped forward, took A'Luo's hand, and whispered, "You're back..."

Having been through so much together, the initial hostility between them has long since faded.

Tian Qingluan looked at her and said, "What are your plans for the future? Why don't you stay by my side? If you like making pastries, I'll open a pastry shop for you, and you can be the boss..."

Aro took a deep breath, looked at her, and said, "I've come back this time to say goodbye to you."

Tian Qingluan was slightly taken aback and asked, "Where are you going?"

A smile appeared on A Luo's face as she said, "The world is so big, I want to see the scenery in other places, and I probably won't go back to the Southwest again..."

She looked up at Tian Qingluan, her eyes glistening with tears. She wiped her eyes and said, "Sister Qingluan, I'm so glad to have met you. I'll remember you for the rest of my life..."

Tian Qingluan looked at her, sighed softly, but did not try to stop her.

She took a jade pendant engraved with the character "田" from her waist and handed it to A'Luo, saying, "Take this. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, you can seek help from any of the Tian family's shops."

The Tian family does not yet have this rule.

But from this day forward, anyone who possesses this jade pendant will receive unconditional assistance from the Tian family.

She smiled slightly at A'Luo and said, "Although the Tian family hasn't yet expanded beyond the Southwest, I guarantee that in the future, the Tian family's shops will be found in every corner of the continent, so you can see them no matter where you are..."

A'Luo clutched the jade pendant tightly, gently hugged Tian Qingluan, and said, "I'm leaving..."

Tian Qingluan watched her walk out of the shop, then suddenly seemed to remember something, quickly caught up with her, and asked, "We've known each other for so long, and I still don't know your name..."

These days, she has been calling her A-Luo, just like Lin Xuan.

As they were about to part, she realized that she knew nothing about Aro except for the name.

A'Luo turned around, looked at Tian Qingluan, and smiled, "My name is Duan Yanluo."

After saying that, she turned and left, disappearing into the vast crowd.

Tian Qingluan watched her leave, and whispered, "Duan Yanluo..."

On the second floor of the Tian family teahouse across the street, Lin Xuan put down his teacup and spoke in a low voice, "Duan Yanluo..."

This was also the first time he had heard her name.

Duan was the royal surname of the Nanzhao Kingdom, and only the royal family of Nanzhao possessed this surname.

Moreover, he had a vague recollection of the name; he seemed to have seen it somewhere before.

Lin Xuan thought for a moment and quickly remembered.

Back then, A Luo said that the enemy who killed her parents was the Prince of Zhennan of Dayong.

Lin Xuan later specifically checked the files related to the Prince of Zhennan.

For the people of Southwest China, the greatest achievement of the Prince of Zhennan was suppressing the local chieftains and conquering the Nanzhao Kingdom.

When the Prince of Zhennan was in the southwest, he suppressed all the local chieftains and made them dare not show their faces. Nanzhao paid tribute every year, and the secret intelligence agency dared not set foot in the southwest at all.

More than a decade ago, a village on the border of Dayong was massacred overnight.

More than a hundred villagers perished.

This village is adjacent to the fiefdom of a prince of the Nanzhao Kingdom.

The Prince of Zhennan believed that the Nanzhao prince was the one who massacred the border village. Therefore, he used this as a pretext to lead an army of 100,000 to launch a campaign against Nanzhao. The first thing he did after entering Nanzhao was to slaughter the entire clan of the Nanzhao prince.

The Yong Kingdom's army's campaign against Nanzhao will surely be recorded in history books in the future. The Jingbian Division's records contain a very detailed account of the entire incident.

That prince of Nanzhao was a cousin of the Nanzhao emperor and was granted the title of Prince of Annam.

The King and Queen of Annam had three children, the youngest of whom was a four-year-old daughter named Duan Yanluo.

The case file states that, in order to avenge the people of Dayong, the Prince of Zhennan executed the entire family of the Prince of Annan of Nanzhao.

A'Luo told him that the Prince of Zhennan, in order to gain military merit, falsely accused them of rebellion and massacred their entire village. She was only able to survive because her mother placed her in a wooden basin and let her float downstream.

What she said was clearly not the truth, or at least not the whole truth.

Her hatred for the Prince of Zhennan was genuine, but the reason was not as she claimed.

If she did not conceal her name, she was the Princess of Nanzhao, and her parents were killed by the Prince of Zhennan in the name of avenging the people of Dayong.

Of course, the reality may not be like that.

Even things written in history books cannot be entirely trusted.

At that time, Nanzhao was suppressed by Dayong and could not raise its head. Why would it commit the massacre of border villages for no reason? Many people believe that the root cause of the massacre was the Prince of Zhennan, who wanted to have a reason to send troops to Nanzhao...

So much time has passed, the only people who truly know the truth are probably those who were personally involved back then.

When Lin Xuan returned to the Jingbian Division, Lu Feng was standing in the courtyard, looking at the boxes of Xuan Guang Armor, and said regretfully, "These were originally bought by the imperial court at great expense, intended for deployment on the northern battlefield, but unexpectedly they fell into the hands of Nanzhao. If eliminating the Yang family hadn't been more beneficial to them, they probably wouldn't have taken them out..."

Behind Lu Feng, a close follower said, "Sir, this is our property. If we don't return it, what can Nanzhao do to us?"

Lu Feng shook his head and said, "A person cannot stand without integrity, let alone the imperial court. These things were taken by Nanzhao, so they belong to them. If they are not returned this time, they will lose credibility, and it will not be so easy to cooperate with others next time..."

The attendant said somewhat resentfully, "The Nanzhao Kingdom is a small country, yet they have gone too far. The court should have really allowed the Prince of Zhennan to destroy them back then..."

The Nanzhao Kingdom was almost destroyed by the Prince of Zhennan, but at the critical moment, the north invaded. In order to deal with the powerful enemy in the north, the court had no choice but to recall the Prince of Zhennan.

From then on, the Nanzhao Kingdom gradually became rampant, and the situation spiraled out of control...

Many people in the court hoped that the Prince of Zhennan would return to the southwest.

After greeting Lu Feng, Lin Xuan returned to his temporary residence and began his cultivation.

He had promised A Luo that he would help her avenge her parents.

Even though her enemy was the Prince of Zhennan of the Great Yong Dynasty, a high-ranking official.

At that time, he was full of vigor and ambition, with only his promise to the one he loved in his heart.

But just like Chen Yu, A Luo was also a fabricated identity. Lin Xuan couldn't tell how much of what she said was true and how much was false...

(End of this chapter)