“Great General!”
At this moment, a female guard from the Fire Phoenix Corps hurried in and handed over an intelligence report.
Wu Zhi glanced through it briefly, and her expression immediately changed.
Although Chen Jingzong was eager to know the content, he maintained a composed demeanor and stood respectfully with hands clasped.
“The Jie Shi of Pingshan Prefecture, Qi Lin, is critically ill… The Prefect has seized power and seems to be planning a military coup!”
Wu Zhi said solemnly.
“Critical condition? Military coup?”
Chen Jingzong furrowed his brow. Although Qi Lin had a chronic illness, and his annual disappearances for periods of time were no secret, this timing seemed too coincidental.
Especially recently, Qi had shown signs of leaning toward their side!
“My spies stationed here have already sent word… This critical illness of Qi Lin isn’t that simple. Officials from the imperial court and provincial authorities are involved…”
Wu Zhi coldly smiled and handed over the report.
After glancing at it, Chen Jingzong’s expression changed repeatedly: “We must immediately send people to stop this!”
Currently, the Southern Phoenix Army had no spare troops to deploy, but could still send elite experts for support.
“That won’t be necessary…”
When Wu Zhi said this, her expression became quite strange: “My husband has grown restless after prolonged inactivity and has already set out!”
“Master Wu?”
Chen Jingzong immediately bowed slightly, his face showing respect: “If Master Wu is willing to intervene, naturally there won’t be any problems!”
An expert capable of subduing local river deities! Chen naturally understood his might.
Facing someone like this, even if he had fully regained his former strength, he would still be no match, fully aware of the terrifying gap in power!
“With my husband in Pingshan Prefecture, what we need to do is capture Mengxia County!”
Wu Zhi smiled, exuding charm and elegance: “We can’t let my husband outshine us completely!”
…
On the plains, two groups were locked in a chase. The pursuing cavalry shouted loudly, and arrows rained down like rain.
Ge Jin wiped blood from his face and frantically whipped his horse. The fine warhorse already had white foam at the corners of its mouth.
“My lord…”
He never imagined that just days after their secret conversation, Qi Lin would suddenly fall “seriously ill” again! And this time, it wasn’t like previous disappearances – this was a genuine incapacitation!
As Qi’s trusted aide, Ge naturally sensed something was wrong.
Unfortunately, as a civilian official, by the time he realized the danger, the other side had already seized the initiative. They even dared to retaliate, sending people to hunt him down!
If not for his loyal retainers and his own martial cultivation, he might not even have escaped the city!
“Kill Ge Jin!”
“Don’t let anyone escape!”
“The head of this man is worth a thousand taels of silver, and a ninth-grade official position!”
…
The pursuing cavalry roared behind him, but Ge Jin’s mind remained clear. Even while fleeing, he quickly connected the dots.
“To persuade the Prefect and so many of my lord’s troops… there must be powerful backing with absolute advantage and legitimacy. It must be the imperial court!”
Although the Great Zhou Dynasty was in decline, it was still the theoretical ruler of the nineteen provinces!
The power of righteousness and orthodoxy sometimes seemed worthless, yet at other times, it was incredible.
If the court had prepared in advance, planting spies in various prefectures decades ago, and now used imperial authority as a network to launch this offensive, it was understandable.
“I must avenge my lord!”
Ge Jin whipped his horse furiously: “My lord was poisoned… The toxin is potent, but those villains wouldn’t dare kill him outright…”
Bang!
As he was thinking, his mount whinnied in pain, stumbled forward, and the tremendous inertia threw Ge Jin off, tumbling several times on the ground.
“Haha! Fortune falls from the sky!”
Seeing an opportunity, a cavalryman immediately spurred his horse forward, and his sharp cleaver came down.
Bang!
A flash of light appeared, and a fireball emerged, radiating intense heat, and smashed into the cavalryman’s chest.
Boom!
Flames spread, terrifying tongues of fire swept across, and the rider screamed before falling from his horse. After a few convulsions, he stopped breathing.
“Long live the heavenly venerable!”
At this moment, Ge Jin stood up and saw that the one who had saved him was an old Daoist priest with a youthful face and white hair.
“Are you… Master Hanzhu the Daoist?”
Recognizing this person as a well-known reclusive practitioner in the prefecture, Ge Jin became even more puzzled.
He had only met this man a few times, and only today learned that the old Daoist’s techniques were unaffected by blood and battlefield aura, clearly a true expert of the Realized Stage. Why would he risk so much to save him?
“We are the Teeth and Claws Guards of the Jie Shi’s Mansion! Step aside if you know what’s good for you!”
Several riders came forward, shouting bravely but lacking real courage.
“This man’s time has not come yet, so he cannot fall into your hands…”
Master Hanzhu smiled slightly and took out two earth-yellow talismans. With a wave of his hand, the talismans ignited, emitting brilliant and dazzling light: “Haste!”
Bang!
The earth cracked open, and spears of black rock emerged, piercing upward from below.
Puh-puh!
The horses whinnied in pain, their white bellies exploding into snow-like gore. The stone spears pierced through the horses and without hesitation continued to impale the riders on their backs.
In an instant, blood splattered everywhere, and five or six men became pincushions.
“Retreat!”
Seeing this scene, the pursuing cavalry panicked, turned their horses around, and fled in terror.
“Minister Ge? Are you alright?”
Hanzhu stepped forward and cast another spell: “Sweet Dew Spell!”
A green glow fell upon Ge Jin, healing his external wounds and sending a warm current through his body.
“Master Hanzhu! You’ve hidden your abilities well!”
Ge Jin moved his arms slightly and shook his head: “Why would you risk your life for someone like me?”
“Hehe… Minister, you are a person of extraordinary talent and great fortune. This humble Daoist is merely following heaven’s will to create a good connection!”
Hanzhu made a Daoist bow: “This humble Daoist is Hanshanzi, a direct disciple of the Hanshan Sect, paying respects to Minister Ge!”
“Hanshan? Hanshan Daoism?!”
Ge Jin thought for a moment: “That explains it!”
The Hanshan Sect was a Daoist lineage in Dingshou Prefecture, tracing its origins back two hundred years to the Daoist Master Hanshan Zhenjun. Because it wasn’t part of the orthodox traditions, its reputation wasn’t prominent, and it had almost been forgotten.
Ge Jin, with his extensive reading and superior skills, recalled a passage he had once read.
Such minor Daoist sects, even lacking in sacred sites, couldn’t compare even to the Yusheng Dao, though they were somewhat similar to the Maoshan Dao sect that Wu Ming had previously impersonated. However, with the right opportunities and complete cultivation methods, they might one day soar to great heights!
Reflecting on this, Ge Jin still couldn’t think of any connection between himself and this sect, so he smiled bitterly: “I’m just a fugitive now, no longer any ‘minister’!”
“That’s not true!”
Hanshanzi smiled: “General Qi’s authority still lingers. As long as he recovers and resumes governance, what are these petty villains to worry about?”
“You’re going to help me?”
Ge Jin’s heart pounded, his expression suddenly turning cautious: “What do you want in return? Wait… You’re from General Wu’s faction!”
Realizing this, his face softened somewhat.
After all, Qi Lin and Wu Zhi had been quasi-allies before, with Qi intending to support her. Ge Jin’s escape had even been aimed at seeking Wu’s help.
He just hadn’t expected their response to be so swift, sending someone already who had just saved his life.
“Exactly!”
The Daoist Master Hanzhu admitted openly: “Could you please provide detailed information about the current situation in Pingshan Prefecture?”
“I don’t know that much…”
Ge Jin closed his eyes: “The Great Marshal was suddenly poisoned. The Prefect seized the opportunity to take power. Fortunately, a group of loyal guards have been watching over him day and night. Since the Prefect lacks popularity, he has to rely on the Great Marshal’s name to command the officials and military under his command, which is why my lord is still barely alive…”
“Using the emperor as a puppet to command the vassals… Do you know what poison was used?”
Master Hanzhu asked thoughtfully.
“It should be the Nianxi Beast!”
“Actually this fearsome creature!”
In this world, there was also the tradition of New Year’s Eve, where every household would set off firecrackers, paste peach charms, and gather together, not merely for celebration, but stemming from a terrifying legend!
Legend had it that at the turn of the year, terrifying monsters called “Nianxi” would appear across the nineteen provinces of Great Zhou, ferocious and ruthless. Therefore, every household must unite, using the divine power of peach charms and the fire of firecrackers to ward off and scare these beasts, ensuring safety.
Of course, Nianxi were ancient ferocious beasts and had become very rare by now, but this tradition had been preserved.
“So it’s the poison of the Nian beast. No wonder it left even the Jie Shi helpless!”
Master Hanzhu murmured, his face not losing confidence. Instead, he comforted Ge Jin: “It’s said that Nianxi poison changes in countless ways, and the poison of a specific Nianxi beast can only be neutralized by the same beast itself. Using another Nian would only kill the victim… But this old Daoist already has a plan. Please Minister Ge rest assured and contact your old comrades. Good news will surely come within a few days!”
…
After sending off the somewhat doubtful Ge Jin, Master Hanzhu alone climbed a high peak. At the cliff’s edge stood a huge rock, upon which someone was sitting in meditation. The figure was surrounded by clear light, his face unseen, but the shocking spiritual pressure almost instinctively forced Hanzhu to his knees in prostration: “Greetings to the Immortal Sage! This humble Daoist has followed your command, rescuing Ge Jin and providing guidance!”
“Good!”
The figure within the clear light spoke: “Qi Lin is also one of our Blood Oath Alliance members. Now that he is in trouble, we must rescue him… Nianxi beasts only appear on New Year’s Eve. Its presence now must be manipulated by someone. Go investigate the situation!”
“Obeying the sacred decree!”
Reverently bowing, Master Hanzhu withdrew and soon disappeared from sight.
At this moment, the clear light parted, revealing Wu Ming’s figure: “The poison of the Nian beast? It seems I must kill the Nian that poisoned him and take its treasure to save Qi Lin… So it’s really ‘killing a Nian for a good New Year’?”
This time, Wu Ming had no intention of revealing his identity, merely disguising himself as a high-ranking member of the Blood Oath Alliance, and incidentally consolidating the alliance’s members in Dingshou Prefecture.
It didn’t matter that he couldn’t use the identity of Gongshu Zhe! Previously, a dozen high-ranking members of the Blood Oath Alliance had died at his hands, and now all the witnesses were eliminated, leaving plenty of identities available for impersonation. Even Gongshu Zhe himself was cunning enough to have prepared multiple identities for himself.
Now Wu Ming was simply using one of these identities and had summoned Master Hanzhu, another member of the Blood Oath Alliance, to serve as his subordinate and pave the way for him.
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