“Master San, your cloud riding is getting more skillful! Hee, hee…” On a fat, lazy, grayish cloud, Twelve couldn’t help but cover her mouth and giggle, recalling the scene of Qiao San’s first experience soaring through the clouds.
“Hee, hee…” Qiao San also recalled the amusing incident, his raging anger finally slightly subsiding.
“Master San, we’re here, we’ve arrived! Look, beneath us is Zunlong City!”
Twelve’s cheer interrupted Qiao San’s thoughts, snapping his mind back to reality from across time and space. The half-cultivator descending on clouds indeed saw a brightly lit city below.
Truly worthy of being the capital of a nation! The entire Wolong City, stretching for dozens of miles, was still bathed in brilliance even in the dead of night. Especially the central ten-mile radius, illuminated by countless night pearls that made the night sky dazzlingly enchanting!
“Woah, damn rich! It’s way bigger than our Six Blind Town!” The rustic San was awestruck, staring at the splendor from the sky. The luxurious grandeur of an earthly emperor was like a fierce flame, igniting the inherent greed and desire deep within a man’s bones!
“Giggle, giggle…” Twelve burst into delighted laughter at Qiao San’s silly expression and words. The enchanting fox spirit habitually employed a secret technique, sending a soul-stirring tremor directly into Qiao San’s heart, “Master San, what’s so impressive? There are countless pearls in the Eastern Sea. You’re the boss of Six Blind Town—when we go back, just bring people to dive in and collect them. I guarantee it’ll be ten times more beautiful than this!”
“Heh, heh… Good, we’ll go to the Eastern Sea to find treasures after we return!” Greedy thoughts sprouted within Qiao San. This insatiable greed was like an endless engine, giving the rascal San boundless motivation!
“Shua, shua!”
Man and spirit landed side by side. The tall man hesitated briefly before decisively saying, “We’ll check into an inn first. Tomorrow, I’ll get a map of the capital and plan carefully!”
Money makes the devil turn the millstone, and at this moment, Qiao San had money enough to make the millstone push the devil. With treasures paving the way, within less than a day, he had memorized the capital’s terrain and even managed to uncover much about the court’s power structure.
Within the large inn compound, only Qiao San and Twelve occupied the entire courtyard.
Inside the room, Qiao San pointed at a map and explained, then fixed his gaze on one spot, saying solemnly, “My big brother is imprisoned here. This is all the doing of that old bastard, the Left Chancellor! Damn it, I wasn’t even going to settle old scores with him, but he dares provoke me first. If I don’t ruin him this time, I won’t be the bold San anymore!”
Pausing briefly, Qiao San continued with growing enthusiasm, “In the entire court, aside from the emperor himself, the Left Chancellor is the most powerful. Although the old dog himself is unremarkable, he has a daughter of peerless beauty. That shameless old man used his daughter to play the beauty strategy, becoming the emperor’s father-in-law. His daughter is especially favored by the emperor, so if we want to deal with this old dog, there’s no way to do it through proper channels!”
Twelve gazed at Qiao San with admiration. The mischievous little fox spirit feigned astonishment, saying, “Master San, how did you learn so much in just one day outside? You’re amazing!”
“Heh, heh… Don’t forget who your master is! Remember, our rascal gang is everywhere—we can find our people anywhere!”
The proud fellow boasted greatly, while secretly grieving over the significant dent in his wallet!
“Sigh…” In a different place within the same city, an elegant garden echoed with a long sigh, spreading thick melancholy throughout the Beigong family’s garden.
“Zheng’er, lost in thought again? Still unwilling to tell your father what’s troubling you?”
Beigong Ping had just entered the courtyard when he saw his son Beigong Zheng standing alone beneath the moonlight.
“Father, I’m fine! Did you see that person when you went to the palace today?” Despite his furrowed brows, Beigong Zheng’s eyes revealed complex emotions. His sharpness and wildness from the day seemed to have sunk along with the setting sun.
“Mm! I went to the palace because of the Empress Dowager’s birthday preparations. She’s in charge of the inner palace affairs and specially mentioned you!”
The conversation between father and daughter was particularly strange, and the identity of “that person” gradually became clear!
After a moment of silence that seemed to last an eternity, Beigong Zheng finally struggled to utter a few words, “Is… she… well?”
“She’s fine! Rest assured, her Imperial Majesty is in good health, though her mood is a bit low. It’s been three years since you last visited her in the palace!”
“Her Imperial Majesty?” Oh… so that’s why! No wonder Beigong Zheng had threatened Qiao San with “annihilation of nine clans”!
※※※※※※
On a night with drifting clouds, sparse stars, and a pale moon, it was the perfect time for stealthy nighttime activities!
Two figures leapt over walls and roofs, cautiously approaching a place ordinary people regarded as a terrifying monster—the Imperial Prison.
“Twelve, knock them out. Once we rescue my elder brother, you must immediately take him out of the capital!” Qiao San had already decided to stay behind and deal with the old dog, the Left Chancellor.
Suddenly, the dark prison lit up. Four pillars of bright light simultaneously rose from the corners, and a net woven from red light abruptly appeared in midair.
As the little fox spirit stepped into the prison grounds, her face instantly turned pale. Although the secret techniques of the Xuan Fox were supreme among earthly demon arts, they were powerless against an inanimate formation.
“Whoosh!” Two yellow talismans shot into the sky. Before the fox spirit could react, the talismans unfurled in midair, transforming into two bolts of thunderous fire aimed directly at the demon spirit. The surging energy tore through the void, and in an instant, Twelve was plunged into a deadly trap!
“Twelve, watch out!” In a panic, Qiao San instinctively rushed into the formation. From recent experiences, he had forgotten his usual rascal instinct to avoid danger in his haste to save her.
A miracle occurred! While Twelve, with her demon spirit body, could barely move within the formation, Qiao San, a mere mortal, walked freely. The thin red light was like a gentle breeze, lightly brushing over his body!
The fortunate Twelve was dragged out of the formation by Qiao San. Just as the last corners of their clothes escaped the formation, the red light silently vanished. In the blink of an eye, everything seemed to return to normal!
This is the capital city, filled with traces of earthly cultivators everywhere. Even the Imperial Prison would never allow any foreign spirits to run rampant!
“What should we do…” Frustrated, the rascal San paced around. If magic wouldn’t work, martial arts would be even less effective. Although Qiao San was bold, he wasn’t foolish. He hadn’t become so arrogant as to believe himself invincible.
This is the imperial court, and things were never as simple as the rascal San had imagined!
Gazing at the moving moon, the rascal helplessly sighed at the prison before finally turning to leave.
“Twelve, back to the inn. We’ll think of another plan!”
Man and spirit walked away with heavy hearts, unaware that on Twelve’s clothes, a strange mark had appeared from her unauthorized entry into the formation.
At the very moment Twelve intruded into the Imperial Prison, within the National Master’s Mansion in the capital, the Taoist Master Leihuo, who had been meditating cross-legged, suddenly opened his eyes. Two beams of light like lightning shot forth, and his long eyebrows lifted. The immortal-like National Master almost spoke to himself, “Demons have arrived in the capital. It seems this ‘Gathering of Immortals’ will be quite lively!”
“Master, the demon has already fled. It seems to possess considerable skill. Shall we pursue and eliminate it?”
Below the steps, two rows of middle-aged Taoists respectfully knelt before the National Master. Each Taoist exuded an aura of immortality and spiritual power, further elevating the National Master’s lofty status.
“No need. That was our sect’s most profound Thunder and Lightning Demon Exorcism Formation. Although the demon temporarily escaped, it has already alerted the Thunder and Lightning Deities of the Heavens. It will certainly not escape the Heavenly Law’s punishment of nine thunderbolts striking its body! You should focus more on the experts from various sects coming to attend the gathering. Our Leihuo Sect absolutely cannot lose its position as the national sect!”
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