Who is spreading rumors that my filial piety towards them has changed?

After buying the viewing stone, Han Jing set off.

The former cordon is now deserted, with hardly a stray dog ​​left, only drifting smoke and utter desolation.

The atmosphere was like that of a desolate graveyard.

Han Jing carefully felt her way inside with the viewing stone in hand. When she stood outside Wuli Town, she froze in place, feeling as if she had fallen into an ice cellar, with only a chill spreading down her spine!

The once bustling town of Wuli is now no different from a slaughterhouse.

Severed limbs and dismembered bodies could be seen from the main road at the town entrance. Congealed blood stained the marble floor black. Some rotting, stinking corpses hung in windows, while others lay prostrate on the ground, seemingly struggling toward the town entrance before their deaths. Some were locked in cages.

Upon closer inspection, one can see rough traces of limb stitching beneath the bloodstains on these bodies, with most of the stitched-up limbs being oddly shaped.

Perhaps smelling the scent of living beings, a strangely shaped person in the iron cage swayed and stood up. His body was barely clinging to life due to the incomplete transformation into the Abyss, and he managed to utter syllables that were hard to tell whether they were pleading for help or screaming.

In Han Jing's eyes, his appearance was like that of a monster that had been ravenously waiting to be eaten.

Han Jing's survival instinct forced her to come to her senses, and she suppressed even her screams deep in her throat as she fled in panic.

It wasn't until she returned to Xiling with her cousin Han Qin that Han Jing's heart settled down, and she finally felt a sense of returning to the human world.

They were powerless to intervene in this matter, and had no choice but to hand over the viewing stone to Tianya Tower.

--------

The spaceship is about to arrive at Wenqing Pavilion.

Chu Mingkong received a letter from the Princess of Chu, which surprised and saddened him.

Since Xiling left and returned to the capital, Chu Mingkong had intermittently kept in touch with his two mothers via paper letters, but they never talked much. They mostly talked about what had happened to him recently, and his two mothers didn't say anything to him because the pressure Xiling was facing had been gradually drawn away by Chu Mingkong's troubles in the capital.

Having successfully escaped from the capital, Chu Mingkong had considered contacting his mothers to congratulate them. However, no matter how many congratulatory notes he sent, nothing was as meaningful as actually returning to their side and having a heart-to-heart talk with them. Therefore, he wanted to hold back the good news until he returned to Xiling. Now it seems that Xiling has already received the news.

My little pheasant, have you missed me?

[How dare you! How long has it been since you last contacted your mother? Did you help out those two sisters surnamed Han in the capital?]

Chapter 154 Questioning One's True Self (12.7/18)

Upon hearing Xiao Zhi's mother mention it, Chu Mingkong remembered that he had brought the two sisters home while covering for them at the brothel. He had originally intended to question them about why they had been targeted for murder.

Afterwards, Aunt Gu was asked to take care of her. It seems that she hasn't seen her since returning from Xiling. No wonder I always felt like someone was missing. I never thought that she would be mentioned to Xiao Zhi's mother now.

He thought that Xiao Zhi's mother had come to interrogate him about the details, but he was mistaken. Xiao Zhi brought up the matter of the Han sisters sending the viewing stone, and then used spiritual power to display the scenes in the viewing stone on it like a comic strip.

Chu Mingkong then realized what had happened.

The images that had just appeared on the paper scroll echoed in my mind, and then I remembered the Prince of Jin's body, which was stitched up so many times... Wuli Town in the Viewing Stone is definitely not an isolated case!

When Chu Mingkong first saw the Jin King's transformation into the Abyss, he was merely surprised that the Tianji Empire's research in Jin was so advanced, but he underestimated the extent of his abilities at the time.

Why would Prince Jin risk his own body to experiment on something so complex, involving surgery on his own body and severing his spiritual veins and tendons? He would definitely research it until he was absolutely certain that everything would be perfect before using it on himself.

Where did these experimental subjects come from? It probably depends on where they release the Abyssal Beasts; wherever they go, disaster strikes.

To be honest, Chu Mingkong really didn't think that the Abyss Beasts could run far. These things can't hide their tracks. The Abyss Defense Line has been in place for so long, and yet some Abyss Beasts can still escape. That can only mean that there is a big problem with the defense line itself.

In addition, there was the transplantation of martial tendons and spiritual veins. Heaven knows how much effort Prince Jin put into this, and how many people became sacrifices, just to accumulate experience for the scholars and researchers involved in the research, and to ensure that the noble Prince Jin would not have any accidents.

Everything the Prince of Jin did may not represent the will of everyone in the royal family, but it was definitely the will of the emperor.

Under normal circumstances, Chu Mingkong would find it difficult to empathize with things like this, always feeling that they were too far removed, almost unreal, and even if he heard about them, he would only treat them as something horrifying. However, when the people around him experienced such things, the experience would be completely different.

He wasn't particularly close to the Han sisters, but he had a decent impression of them. At least he wasn't the kind of person who would be indifferent to their plight. If they had returned to Wuli Town in Jin after being rescued from the Jiaofangsi, would they have become one of those people?

Such a huge thing happened in Jin, but no news has come out yet! The thought that the two of them almost became one of those dismembered limbs weighed heavily on Chu Mingkong's heart.

[Mingkong, what's wrong? Are you busy with something else? You haven't paid attention to your mother for a while.]

The fluctuation of spiritual energy in the paper pulled Chu Mingkong back to reality. He exhaled a breath of turbid air and wrote:

[I wasn't busy with anything else, I was just spacing out. What I just saw was a bit scary, and it made me lose focus.]

"Do you know what that is?" Mother Consort stared at the figure, which looked like the body of a ferocious abyss beast pieced together onto a commoner's body. Some limbs and severed arms appeared to have had their tendons severed.

Chu Mingkong thought that if he mentioned the term "martial tendons" now, Xiao Zhi's mother would probably immediately understand what was going on. But for her, those were things of the past, so it was best not to mention them if possible.

After a moment of stunned silence, Chu Mingkong's fingers, which had been resting on the paper, froze before he slowly wrote:

[I originally planned to contact my mother again when I returned to Xiling to surprise her, but since she contacted me ahead of time, I have no choice but to be honest. I will return to Xiling in a few days, and then I will tell my mother in detail about what has happened these past few days.]

【Alright! Then your mother will wait for your return. But since you've already told your mother, don't tell Wan Hua. Consider it a surprise for her. Even if she tries to contact you with a note, don't pay any attention to her.】

It feels like your last sentence was your real purpose. This scheming really amused Chu Mingkong, and the heaviness in his heart was temporarily relieved.

After ending his conversation with Xiao Zhi's mother, Chu Mingkong sat alone in his room, lost in thought.

As he pondered, he glanced down at his heart and suddenly realized that the feeling of extreme yang overpowering extreme yin wasn't so good. It seemed rational, but rationality didn't really have much effect on him.

For wise people, calm thinking allows them to eliminate distractions and reach the optimal option; for the most foolish, it at least allows them to choose an answer that isn't the worst. But for the vast majority of ordinary people, they can only struggle painfully in ambiguity.

Just like those multiple-choice questions that Chu Mingkong couldn't understand before, he knew which ones he couldn't choose, but he kept hesitating and struggling in the ambiguous choices. It's like life, always painful because he wasn't thorough enough in giving up and going all out or in the involution.

The advantage of extreme yin is that you don't need to worry about so much or consider the consequences. You can just start from your own emotions and find an outlet to vent your malice.

"What would I do if I were infected by extremely negative emotions?"

Chu Mingkong's pupils turned a deep purple, and a sinister resentment surged within his calm expression.

Whether it was the bloodshed in Wuli Town in Jin or some other unnamed corner of Jin, it all reminded him of the anger of being half-dead in a bombing on his way to Beijing, the doubts about his future that followed for a long time, and the hatred for the murderer who led to all of this! And then there was the vast expanse of Xiling land that has yet to recover!

In some corner of those lands, the people of Xiling never saw the light of day again amidst their wails, and others could hardly even go in to collect their bodies!

Chu Mingkong adjusted his emotions and suppressed the extremely Yin power that was gradually escalating with his emotions.

"What I was just thinking was that we should kill the emperor before the dragon vein completely backfires on him. Rather than keeping him alive for half a year and letting him take the initiative and do whatever he wants, why not get rid of him in advance? The best way to prevent the enemy from attacking is to eliminate the enemy!"

This is not just about venting; it's also about avenging the people of Xiling and Jin, and the person I was who was bombed in the past.

But how should I deal with the dragon vein, and what exactly is the secret within the Golden Palace?

This hesitation and indecisiveness stemmed from the extreme Yang energy, greatly affecting his emotional expression, yet he couldn't quite admit it was wrong. The emperor himself was destined to die from the backlash; a little sabotage in the shadows would suffice. Why rush things and put himself in a situation where he might lose them forever?

dong dong dong-

A knock sounded at the door, and Chu Mingkong said, "Come in." The door was opened a crack, and Wei Qingning peeked out with her pretty face halfway through the doorway, saying:

"Brother, do you have a moment?"

"Qingning, is there something you need from me?"

"It's nothing special, I just wanted to chat with someone. I just finished talking to Aunt Gu."

The 155th ritual of witchcraft to invoke the gods, specifically Empress Zhen (12.9/18)

The girl walked in, her figure light and graceful. Below her slender waist was a round bottom that didn't look like that of a girl. Her expression still carried the serious and cold look of the Nightblade Guard, but the affection in the depths of her eyes could not be hidden.

Wei Qingning felt closer to him, but seeing him sitting on the bed, she wondered if it would seem awkward if she pulled up a chair to sit opposite him.

May I sit on my brother's bed?

"Sure, you don't need to tell me this. This is really making us feel distant. Qingning, you're even being reserved with me." Chu Mingkong took her small hand, pulled her close, and rubbed her cheeks and loose hair. The girl, whose appearance was as bright as the moon, had her habitually cold expression left over from her time as a Nightblade Guard softened and melted away by the man's large hands.

Although she is already a grown woman capable of standing on her own, she still wants to be a clingy younger sister by Chu Mingkong's side, just like she used to be.

After being pulled to sit side-by-side with Chu Mingkong on the couch, the soft bedding eased her initial tension upon entering the room. Wei Qingning looked up at Chu Mingkong, her expression suddenly turning worried:

"Brother, why do you look unwell? Has the Abyss Injury flared up again?"

Chu Mingkong shook his head. He didn't want to gloss over it or tell her too much about what happened at the Jindi Viewing Stone. Such an outrageous scene would ruin anyone's mood.

But then he remembered the witchcraft that Wei Qingning practiced, which in a sense was incredibly powerful and covered a wide range of areas. Perhaps he could get some clues from her to deal with the emperor's dragon vein power.

"It has nothing to do with the injury. The injury is no longer a factor affecting me. On the contrary, it has become another kind of help. You can rest assured for now. It's just that some information came from Xiling, which is a bit upsetting. I'll talk to you about it after a while."

"Alright, since you've said so, there must be something Qingning can do to help, right?"

“Yes, how is the power of faith defined in witchcraft? What exactly is it?” Chu Mingkong added, “It’s like the emperor’s dragon vein protection.”

Seeing the seriousness with which Chu Mingkong asked the question, Wei Qingning focused her mind on what she had learned and heard in the clan, carefully recalling the elders' explanations of some strange and unusual things:

“Ancient witchcraft did involve mysterious deity worship, but it was different from faith. Deity worship was mostly about ‘making a deal with the gods’, using rituals such as shamanic dances and offering sacrifices to ask the gods to bestow their power. Moreover, sometimes the gods they asked for were not the gods, but their ancestors.”

This is completely contrary to the protection of the dragon vein; I feel that you should ask that Daoist Yun, brother.

"Oh? Why is the Daoist sect involved in this?" Chu Mingkong was surprised that Wei Qingning directly pointed to Yun Nongyu.

“I’m not sure, but… some of the older folks in my clan always say that Taoism and its arts originated from ancient witchcraft. Taoism is relatively ‘new,’ while our witchcraft is more orthodox…” Wei Qingning said somewhat awkwardly, “Brother, when you go to see Master Yun, please don’t tell her this.”

Chu Mingkong guessed that Wei Qingning had put it rather euphemistically. The elders of the Wei family probably meant something about the Taoist sect not adhering to ancestral rules and orthodoxy. But upon closer reflection, Taoist arts did indeed have many similarities to witchcraft.

Taoist incantations, talismans, hand seals, and elixirs can all be found in witchcraft. Even the incantation for "XXX True Lord, please appear quickly" is quite similar to witchcraft's summoning of ghosts and gods.

However, witchcraft has declined considerably in recent times. While Taoist arts can still be practiced within sects, witchcraft is only passed down among ordinary families.

Chu Mingkong nodded: "Alright, there's one more thing I'd like to ask you. Is it possible to recover these lost memories? Ideally, it would be a method that wouldn't harm the original body."

If we were to say who is most likely to know the secrets of the royal family right now, besides Empress Pei, it would be Lady Zhen, who is mentally impaired.

However, this matter should be handled in a way that does not affect Madam Zhen. Chu Mingkong only wants to try to find as many clues as possible. If he were to harm the people around him for the sake of clues, then he would be going against the grain.

"Brother, are you talking about someone who has lost their memory... Madam Zhen?" Her mind was quick, and she soon realized who Chu Mingkong might be talking about.

Chu Mingkong could only nod honestly: "Yes, but it's just an idea of ​​mine. If it's difficult to implement or might come at a cost, then there's no need to force it."

The Dragon Vein, Lady Zhen... Could it be that my brother intends to take action against the Emperor?

Wei Qingning composed himself and said, "There is a method that might work, and it won't affect Madam Zhen."

"any solution?"

“It can be understood as a way of invoking the gods, but the chances of success are not very optimistic. It’s just something we can try, but brother, don’t pin your hopes on it,” Wei Qingning said cautiously.

As long as it won't have a negative impact on Madam Zhen, what's wrong with giving it a try? It's just that Wei Qingning's suggestion of inviting the gods is a bit confusing for Chu Mingkong. Madam Zhen is right here, how can we invite her?

Seeing the confusion in Chu Mingkong's eyes, Wei Qingning explained succinctly:

“Brother, as I just said, you can invite not only ghosts and gods, but also ancestors. The distinction between ancestors is very vague. In fact, anyone who is outstanding can be invited. When the ancestors are at their most heroic and glorious, they can be invited.”

The elder said that books and memories may fade the traces of a person's existence, but the long river of time has already recorded their image. However, the biggest problem with this method is that not everyone is worthy of being invited.