Wuxia: Start with max-level Nine Yang Divine Skill

Chapter 212 The Dragon's Assault (4k2)

The constable continued, "That's right."

The old steward who escaped is said to have later sought refuge with distant relatives, but before his death, he couldn't keep the secret and revealed the matter.

This secret, after changing hands several times, finally fell into the hands of the Dragon Shock Society.

They obtained the formula, but lacked the specific pattern on Zuo Yuncheng's back.

Li Fudao.

"Since both the pattern and the incantation are indispensable, I mean, now that Zuo Yuncheng is in prison, wouldn't the most direct way to prevent the map from being leaked be to take Zuo Yuncheng along with the pattern on his back—"

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear: kill him and destroy the map to end it all.

Why go through all this trouble—jail, planning, and waiting?

If the sole purpose is to kill someone to cover up a secret, such a complex process is clearly unnecessary.

It seems more like the imperial court also wanted to take this opportunity to obtain the secret of Huaxiu.

"Cough cough————"

"When we handle cases, we emphasize solid evidence and we also need to understand the ins and outs. How can we be so hasty?"

It is always necessary to confirm whether the map truly exists, where the incantation has been passed down, and whether other copies exist, etc. This is the standard procedure for handling cases.

The constable was slightly embarrassed by the question. A man like him would not often need to lie, so he was not used to it.

"Moreover, the current situation may not be a bad thing for us."

Since the Jinglong Society desires this map, they will inevitably take action.

This is a rare opportunity to lure out these traitors who are harming the court and find a way to severely weaken them!

So all this trouble couldn't possibly be for the secret formula the Dragon Shock Society could obtain, right?

Li Fu knew that he was intentionally avoiding the topic, but he didn't point it out. He nodded to indicate that he understood everything, giving the constable a way out.

Afterwards, the two went together to the heavily guarded prison of the government office.

Deep inside the government prison, it was cold and damp, filled with the smell of rotting straw.

The torchlight flickered on the stone wall, illuminating a shackled figure inside the cell.

Although Zuo Yuncheng was imprisoned, his clothes were still relatively clean, and there were no obvious signs of torture on his body. However, this once prominent figure in the martial arts world looked extremely haggard, and his eyes held an indescribable heaviness and worry.

When he was initially imprisoned for failing to properly escort the imperial envoy and was suspected of colluding with others and betraying the court, he felt wronged and indignant.

But as time went on, he gradually realized something was wrong. No one interrogated him, no one tortured him, and even the jailers maintained an unusual silence and distance from him.

This is by no means the attitude towards ordinary serious offenders.

A terrible thought began to grow in his mind: the top secret that the Zuo family had guarded for generations and kept so closely guarded, a secret that could lead to the annihilation of the entire family, had probably been exposed, and no one could save him and the Zuo family anymore.

Later, when the renowned chief constable of the Six Doors arrived to interrogate him, it was confirmed that this was indeed the case.

"Sir, please."

The iron lock on the prison door clattered open, and Li Fu and the constable slowly entered the cell.

Zuo Yuncheng raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the two men with a complex expression, finally landing on the constable's face. There was little surprise, only a look of dejected resignation.

The constable waved his men away, leaving only the three of them in the cell.

He looked at Zuo Yuncheng and spoke in a calm, unwavering voice.

"Chief Escort Zuo, you must have thought everything through by now. Have you made up your mind?"

Zuo Yuncheng slowly stood up, the shackles clicking softly.

He looked at the constable, then at Li Fu who was standing silently to the side, and sighed deeply.

He bowed deeply to the constable, his expression pleading.

"The criminals have made up their minds—they are willing to follow the orders of the constable."

"I only ask—I only ask that the Commander-in-Chief leave behind a trace of the Zuo family's bloodline."

The constable's expression was cold and unmoved; he simply said in a deep voice.

"Your son, Zuo Ji, is involved in the robbery of tax silver. The evidence is conclusive, and he cannot escape responsibility. His life is probably in danger."

He paused, looked at Zuo Yuncheng's face which had turned pale instantly, and continued.

"But your grandson is still in swaddling clothes, ignorant and unaware."

"I can assure you that he will live, and will be able to live a peaceful life under an assumed name. The imperial court will not pursue the matter further."

Li Fu listened quietly from the side.

The so-called tax silver case was merely a pretext. What truly enraged the court and made them determined to eliminate the Zuo family was the serious crime of implicating their ancestors in the forbidden palace by secretly possessing a map and intending to lead the way.

Such behavior would be the most unforgivable offense in the eyes of any dynasty or emperor.

The only ones who can be spared are the completely ignorant infants who are still breastfeeding.

This seems to be based on the premise that Zuo Yuncheng is cooperating with the Six Doors' actions.

Zuo Yuncheng trembled, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

He was so distressed that he couldn't help but look towards the next cell, where his only son, Zuo Ji, was imprisoned.

Zuo Yuncheng staggered two steps, then fell down and sat down, sighing deeply: "I knew it—this day would come sooner or later."

He seemed to be talking to himself, or perhaps expressing his resentment.

"My father—after learning what terrible secret was hidden in the Azure Dragon and Water Waves tattoo on the backs of our three generations, he scolded my grandfather for being crazy. He would never pass on this deadly secret like my grandfather did, thus endangering future generations."

After that, my father lived in constant anxiety for half his life, became depressed in his later years, and eventually died of illness.

Before his death, although he did not pass on the secret formula that might incite ambition in his descendants, he thought it over and over again and still told me the whole story.

I only hope that I will keep this in mind, be careful with my words and actions, and not inadvertently reveal this secret, thus bringing about the destruction of my entire family.

"At that time, I had already gained considerable fame in the escort industry, and Yihe Escort Agency was also renowned. I had handled heavy escorts and imperial escorts more than once or twice."

I just want to pretend nothing happened, continue living my life peacefully, and keep this secret to myself until I'm buried. I would never dare to have any improper thoughts, much less reveal a single word of it.

Zuo Yuncheng gave a wry smile.

"But the truth can't be hidden forever, and this day eventually came."

He raised his head, staring blankly at the roof, and murmured to himself.

"Grandfather, oh grandfather—you were so ambitious, you dreamed of gaining immense wealth and even a noble title to bring glory to the family."

But have you ever thought about what your descendants think?

What you're doing now is going to implicate our innocent descendants, causing them to suffer the fate of having their homes ransacked and their entire families wiped out.

This bigwig from the northern escort agency, who had dominated half his life, could only sigh incessantly in this cold and gloomy prison, filled with resentment yet utterly helpless.

Faced with the overwhelming power of the imperial court and the majestic will of Heaven, his martial arts skills and half a lifetime of achievements seemed insignificant and powerless. What else could he do but submit to his fate?

After hearing this, the constable remained noncommittal, only saying, "Left镖头 (Left Escort), it's best that you understand the implications; it also leaves a way out for your descendants."

Then, he turned to look at Li Fu and briefly explained his plan.

"The Dragon Shock Society has long obtained the incantation; what they lack is precisely the embroidered pattern on the back of Chief Escort Zuo."

Since receiving news that Chief Escort Zuo had been imprisoned by the imperial court, they have been gathering top experts from all directions, preparing to break him out of prison.

"At that time, we will pretend to be defeated and have someone kidnap Zuo Yuncheng."

The constable had sharp eyes.

"Once they obtain the embroidery pattern, they will be eager to compare it with the incantation and the pattern to piece together the complete map."

That will be our real opportunity to strike, to reclaim both the people and the map!

Li Fu thought for a moment and said, "This is also a calculated move."

Regardless of whether Jinglonghui suspected any deception, they were too eager for the secret behind Huaxiu and were determined to obtain it.

They will definitely make their move, no matter what.

"Not bad." The constable nodded.

Li Fu said, "Since the commander has made such thorough arrangements, I think there is nothing to worry about."

"The Dragon Head, one of the rebel leaders, may personally attend this Dragon Gathering. I will need Brother Li's help to complete this task."

With everything arranged, the constable clapped his hands.

A constable carried in a brass incense burner and gently placed it in the corner of the cell.

Wisps of smoke rose from the stove, but strangely, they emitted no fragrance, which was quite peculiar.

Li Fu glanced at the incense burner.

This must be a unique tracking and marking method used by the Six Doors.

The Six Doors were meant to feign weakness to the enemy, unaware of the oriole behind.

With the plan set, all that remained was to wait for the Dragon Shock Society to lose their patience and attempt to break him out of prison.

The Jinglong Society was determined to obtain the embroidered robe behind Zuo Yuncheng. As soon as they received the news that Zuo Yuncheng had been imprisoned by the court, they immediately mobilized the experts under their command in the north. Sure enough, they did not keep Li Fu and his men waiting for long before they came to break him out of prison.

That night, the darkness was as black as ink, and the long street outside the government office and prison was silent, with only a few lanterns swaying in the night wind, casting a dim, shimmering halo.

The night watchman, clutching his waist knife, listlessly guarded the prison, leaning against the wall and yawning.

Sudden.

"Hiss hiss hiss—!"

A dozen sharp whooshing sounds rang out from all directions!

Immediately following were several short, shrill screams. The guards on the outermost perimeter didn't even see who it was before blood spurted from their throats and they collapsed to the ground!

"Enemy attack—!"

A distorted roar pierced the night sky.

In the next instant, more than a dozen figures appeared like ghosts on the walls, eaves, and even the tall flagpole of the government office. They stood or squatted, each with a different posture, but without exception, they all exuded a strong, tangible killing intent and baleful aura, as if they had just stepped out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood!

Under the moonlight and lamplight, one could clearly see that these people had different appearances and a wide variety of weapons in their hands.

There was a burly man with a thick beard wielding a giant sword as wide as a door panel; a masked woman holding a zither, her fingertips lightly caressing the strings; and a gaunt old man holding a pair of iron judge's pens upside down.

There were bald monks clad in robes and wielding convenient multi-shovels; and there were also wielding daggers resembling the shape of monkeys, like warriors.

"That is—the Giant Sword Lei Heng."

A peerless swordsman who roamed Jiangbei, killing countless people!

"The Poisonous Qin Girl, Liu Sangeng!"

Beware! Her Seven Deadly Sins can confuse the mind and kill silently!

Hearing the commotion, the Six Doors' embroidered-robed constables who were guarding the prison rushed out. Some of them recognized the identities of these uninvited guests and immediately gasped, their expressions changing drastically.

"The Yin-Yang Judge He Dongxi is a despicable and shameless man. His judge's pen is used to strike vital points, and he also possesses a skill in using vicious hidden weapons!"

"One shovel is all it takes" to get rid of the dust.

Wasn't this wicked monk expelled from Shaolin Temple and supposedly dead in the northern desert?!

"Sun Wuying, the White Ape of the Waves, a lone bandit feared throughout the Yellow River waterways!"

Any one of these figures, if they appeared in the martial arts world, would be enough to shake the region and stir up a bloody storm!

Now, they have all gathered here, and each of them has a cold look in their eyes, clearly here to kill!

The ordinary yamen runners and constables were already terrified, their faces pale and their legs weak, barely able to hold onto their knives.

Even the well-trained Embroidered Robe Constables were all on high alert, sweat beading on their foreheads, gripping their weapons tightly, and feeling an unprecedented sense of solemnity and chill in their hearts.

Just as the suffocating pressure reached its peak, the temperature seemed to drop suddenly, and an even colder and more domineering aura slowly spread out from the end of the long street like a tide.

Footsteps sounded, neither hurried nor slow.

A tall figure dressed in a dark blue brocade robe and a black cloak slowly walked into the light.

He looked to be in his early thirties, with a handsome face but no color in his skin, as if he had never seen the sun for years. His eyes were as deep as a cold pool, and the air seemed to freeze wherever he looked.

An innate, captivating coldness and domineering aura emanated from Guo Zhugui, one of the three leaders of the Jinglong Society, making everyone present feel breathless and their teeth chatter.

He glanced lightly over the heavily armed constables and the embroidered-robed divine constables, finally settling on the constable commander and Li Fu, who were slowly emerging from the prison, a faint smile curving his lips.

"Captain, and Li Fu, who wields the Divine Dragon Palm, it seems you and your men have been waiting for a long time."

Guo Zhugui spoke, his voice icy and filled with murderous intent, "The moonlight is beautiful tonight, perfect for many people to meet their end."

The constable's face was ashen, his moon-white outfit fluttering even without wind. He said coldly, "Guo Zhugui, I have long admired your reputation as one of the three leaders of the Jinglong Society."

I know why you came.

"Zuo Yuncheng is a serious criminal of the imperial court; you can forget about taking him away!"

"A serious criminal of the imperial court?"

"Ridiculous! Which dynasty's most wanted criminal?"

A cold glint flashed in Guo Zhugui's eyes, which then turned into a mocking smile.

"Let's not even talk about how your current Song emperor got his chair; everyone in the world knows the answer."

How did his elder brother, Song Yuanlang, ascend to the throne?

Bullying orphans and widows, and committing acts of usurpation, do you even deserve to call yourselves the legitimate court in front of our Jinglong Society?

ridiculous!"

He said no more and gently waved his right hand.

"Kill them all, leave no one alive!"

At his command, the dozen or so ferocious demons who had been unable to restrain themselves pounced down like tigers released from their cages or hungry wolves descending from the mountain!

The greatsword roared, the zither music suddenly rose, the judge's pen pointed out a sky full of cold stars, the shovel stirred up a bloody wind, and the Emei dagger turned into specks of silver light—the attack was like a storm, instantly engulfing the open space in front of the prison gate!

The embroidered-robed constables roared and charged forward, and immediately the sounds of clashing weapons, shouts, and screams filled the air!

These criminals were all unparalleled masters, and the Embroidered Robe Divine Constables were also top-notch experts, but several of them were injured and bled as soon as they started fighting.

Li Fu did not rush to make a move. His gaze swept across the battlefield, and he saw two thugs, one on the left and one on the right, rushing towards him with sinister smiles.

"I've heard of your reputation in the guild before, that you can unleash a divine dragon with your palm."

They've ruined our plans time and time again.

"The Four Devils of Lingnan also died at your hands, didn't they?"

On the left is Sun Wuying, the White Ape of the Waves, whose movements are as fast as a ghost. In his hands, a pair of Emei Daggers that split the water transform into two silver lines, aiming straight for Li Fu's eyes and throat. His moves are insidious and ruthless, and they also carry a slippery and yin-like strange internal force that is hard to fathom.

On the right is "One Shovel for Convenience," a series of convenient shovels that, with immense force, slam down from above, creating a fierce gust of wind and an unstoppable momentum!

This wicked monk was skilled in both internal and external martial arts, possessing remarkable attainments in both. He had even mastered external hard skills to the extreme, capable of overpowering ten techniques with a single blow.

"Amitabha! Benefactor, please stand still. The sea of ​​suffering in this mortal world is boundless. Let me deliver you from this chasm with a single shovel. Doing this for you is also doing this for me!"

"You two dare to attack me?" Li Fu said coldly.