"Golden Wing Pavilion..." Zhang Rongfang watched the woman who called herself Ye Ying, gaining a renewed understanding of the organization’s pervasive reach.
The other party showed no surprise at the corpses scattered all around.
It was obvious that they were used to such scenes.
This suggested that the internal strength of the Golden Wing Pavilion was far from ordinary. This organization was definitely not just a force specializing in intelligence.
"Finally made it." Qingsu exhaled lightly, "Now, everything is settled. Mr. Zhang, do you have any plans?"
She had already decided to cooperate with this future boss in every way to avoid being dealt with retrospectively.
"I...." Zhang Rongfang pondered for a mont, just about to speak.
BAM!!
Suddenly, behind the three of them, a brilliant red firework shot up into the sky and exploded in the direction of Qinghe Palace.
The bright red fireworks blood like a striking otherworldly flower, clearly visible even from dozens of miles away.
"That is.....!?" Qingsu’s usually indifferent eyes finally changed.
"It’s the Spirit Army’s attack signal! That direction.... this is bad!!"
She imdiately realized this.
Beside her, Zhang Rongfang’s face also changed drastically. Without a word, he hurriedly retraced his steps with the Wishing Wheel.
The other two won quickly followed, but at this mont, the difference in their Body Technique showed.
Zhang Rongfang, moving at full speed, had a Body Technique that the two won couldn’t match.
Although he had only broken through three gates in his Body Technique, his overall prowess was at the Seventh Grade.
Other non-body related martial arts, after breaking through the limits, boosted his Body Technique, making it equivalent to a Fifth Grade speed.
This way, he was comparable to soone who specialized in body movent martial arts at the Fifth Grade.
It was only now that Qingsu truly realized that Zhang Rongfang had always been holding back.
She specialized in Body Technique and was only at Fourth Grade.
And Zhang Rongfang, with his obvious strength and other abilities, was likely enhancing his martial skills comprehensively.
His Body Technique was just one of his specialties.
Just like that, even with her specialization, she couldn’t surpass him.
This filled her with a strong sense of defeat.
And Ye Ying, who was last, was even more shocked. She thought everything was led by Qingsu, but didn’t expect even Master Qingsu, an Eagle Level figure, to address that man with respect.
Soon, the three returned to the foot of Qingding Mountain, where Qinghe Palace was located.
Gazing at the mountain top from a distance, they all slowed down and stopped.
Zhang Rongfang stared blankly at the mountain top.
A large number of Spirit Army soldiers had already flooded in.
The Spirit Army, like a swarm of ants, was fully ard, wearing full sets of leather armor with tal plates, covering them from head to toe.
They were all armored infantry!
They wielded large black shields that covered their entire bodies, moving swiftly towards the mountain.
Inside Qinghe Palace, a great fire had already ignited.
Thick smoke rose, and the previous buildings were engulfed in flas one by one.
Zhang Rongfang lifted his foot, wanting to rush forward.
"Wait!" Qingsu called out to him from behind.
"The elite Spirit Army has now completely surrounded this place. They acted ahead of schedule... Qinghe Palace is completely surrounded; you can’t get in!"
At tis like this, regardless of martial prowess, anyone approaching within 200 ters and judged as hostile would be shot into a pincushion by the Spirit Army’s sharpshooters.
"Don’t be impulsive!" Qingsu took a deep breath, "The Spirit Army’s sharpshooters and elites are all martial adepts. Common elites generally have reached the Muscle Forging level! Sharpshooters are at least of the Initiate Grade.
There are at least two thousand Spirit Army soldiers besieging, with this quantity, even a Ninth Grade would die if they charged in!"
With such numbers, a covering volley of bows and crossbows would be certain death without heavy armor for protection.
Zhang Rongfang gripped his Wishing Wheel tighter, watching the burning Qinghe Palace in a daze.
In the sky, the Spirit Army’s captive eagles circled continuously, screeching.
"We might have already been spotted!" Ye Ying couldn’t help but remind, "The Spirit Army’s eagles can see far over the ground! At this distance, it’s hard for us to hide!"
"Mr. Zhang!" Qingsu couldn’t help but look at Zhang Rongfang. "You needn’t worry too much. According to our intelligence, this fire is likely set by your master himself, intending to cover the traces left by many volunteer soldiers.
Since they could set a fire, they likely already arranged an escape route."
Zhang Rongfang also thought of this. When he left, their side had the upper hand.
Now, it seed like this was their planned escape route.
"Can we contact my master?"
"It’s difficult," Qingsu shook her head. "But don’t worry. If your master is still around Tan Yang, they will surely contact us in ti."
Zhang Rongfang watched the fire at the mountain top quietly, closing his eyes.
"I understand."
He turned around, striding off toward Tan Yang.
"Rest assured, in Tan Yang your identity won’t be a problem, everyone who knew your master’s identity is dead.
Based on our intelligence, for previous logistics managent, your master operated through his senior disciple Chen Lianqing and never appeared in person.
This ans both you and your master can live openly with legitimate identities." Qingsu quickly explained.
"We just need to avoid the initial searches by the Spirit Court, and there should be no issues."
"Thank you," Zhang Rongfang waved.
He turned back one last ti to look at the burning Qinghe Palace.
The vague thought in his mind beca clearer.
If only he had enough power now, perhaps just one word could resolve the current situation at Qinghe Palace and save his master and the others.
Perhaps from the start, his master and the others wouldn’t have even needed to rebel.
The root of power lies in the military.
The strength of a military, borrowed by the Spirit Court and other officials, why shouldn’t he borrow it?
*
*
*
In the back mountains of Qinghe Palace.
Zhang Xuan led a group swiftly through a secret passage.
Passing a broken opening in the passage, he turned to look back from the gap.
Looking at the burning Daoist palace, his steps slowed for a mont.
"Dad?" Zhang Xintai softly reminded from behind.
"It’s nothing...." Zhang Xuan smiled. He thought of Zhang Rongfang.
With his talent, under the nurturing of the Golden Wing Pavilion, perhaps it wouldn’t take many years before his na would be heard.
And they... had already failed twice and would have to switch provinces in the future.
eting his apprentice again might take a very, very long ti...
"Dad?" Zhang Xintai approached with confusion.
"It’s nothing." Zhang Xuan gently pulled off the beard on his chin, which turned out to be glued on!
He then peeled off the crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes, completely changing his appearance in an instant.
"Let’s go. From today on, Zhang Xuan is dead." He smiled, thinking of Zhang Rongfang, his heart full of comfort.
’Perhaps...the next ti we et, you’ve already soared to the heavens and beco a dragon....’
He took the lead, followed by a large group of Daoists and rebel soldiers from Qinghe Palace.
Apart from that, all other Daoists from Tang Sha’s side were completely wiped out by them.
Revolts have never been child’s play, and for secrecy’s sake, life and death are often as easy as eating and drinking.
*
*
*
October 1184.
In the Mountain Province, a rebellion broke out across seven counties along Pingyu Road, lasting several months, but ultimately failed due to discord among the leaders. With internal cooperation and external alignnt, they broke through the natural barriers and were defeated.
The leaders of the chaotic army, led by the three brothers of the Han family, fully retreated and vanished into the mountains, becoming bandits.
In the sa month, Qinghe Daoist Palace of the Great Dao Teaching in Huaxin County caught fire, and the century-old Daoist palace was completely destroyed.
Most of the Daoists within were burned to death.
Thus, the seven-county rebellion ended in failure.
Tan Yang City.
Zhenyi Sect, rak Palace.
The faint sound of chanting erged from Zhengning Hall.
Lin Hong, with a calm expression, sat cross-legged beside the deity statue, chanting and forming mudras, his voice continually shifting in tune with the shaking bell.
Apart from him, there were several Daoists quietly waiting for him to conclude today’s evening lesson.
They waited patiently for more than ten minutes.
Only then did Lin Hong slowly finish the session and conclude.
He gently put down the bell, exhaling deeply.
"Hall Master," a middle-aged Daoist stepped forward, speaking in a low voice, "Miss has silently captured three people again today. This cannot continue...because of this, quite a few have co to us within the city...."
"It’s just a dozen or so people, nothing significant." Lin Hong was indifferent.
The individuals chosen for this purpose had long been investigated and were ant to let his daughter vent her anger.
His daughter’s limbs had been broken. It would take several years to heal her.
With such injuries, she could only live as an ordinary person, even after getting better.
As for practicing martial arts, that was out of the question from now on.
But perhaps it’s better this way. Once she heals, she could live a settled life and get married.
Lin Hong, maintaining an unchanged facial expression, looked toward the other two.
"Anything else?"
"Hall Master, there’s so news that the mystical saber ’Chasing Moon’, which was stolen by the master thief from the capital, is said to have been spotted in our Mountain Province," a Daoist carefully ntioned.
"Chasing Moon Saber...." Lin Hong’s brows furrowed.
This wasn’t an ordinary saber, and its origins were quite mysterious. It’s rumored to be linked to so secrets within the Spirit Court.
Orders had been pouring down from above, and now a nationwide search is underway.
"Do we know in whose hands this saber is now?" Lin Hong asked gravely.
The saber is a treasured blade, yet he didn’t want to get entangled in its swirl.
The blade was involved in a power struggle between two formidable forces from the Spirit Court above.
Secrets inherent in the saber; so wanted them uncovered, while others wanted them concealed. The theft by the master thief was probably no coincidence.
"It’s in the hands of a swordsman nad Huang Yuzhen. This person has been traveling across several provinces, seemingly searching for sothing," the Daoist responded.
"Do not concern yourself with him, unless there are strict orders from above. Otherwise, consider him nonexistent," Lin Hong instructed sternly.
Subsequently, he inquired the third Daoist, who was the ssenger appointed by the Palace Master to deliver various official directives from above.
Lin Hong also began to handle various affairs within the Zhengning Hall of the sect.
His position was also highly coveted by many; if he didn’t consolidate his power, the other two Hall Masters of rak Palace would not miss any opportunity to attack.
Compared to those concerns, his daughter’s matters were insignificant.
*
*
*
At the Fragrant Braised Pavilion.
Noonti.
Amidst the bustling diners, Zhang Rongfang sat idly at a wooden table by the wall, sipping mare’s milk wine with side dishes.
The black mare’s milk wine had a sweet-sour taste and a slight wine aroma. It was more like a beverage than actual wine.
Since returning from Qinghe Palace, he had developed this habit.
Whenever exhausted from daily training, he would visit a tavern to drink so mare’s milk wine and eat so snacks.
Sitting alone quietly, he would think of nothing and do nothing.
By spending half an hour like this, it felt like much of his fatigue would dissipate.
In reality, Zhang Rongfang’s exhaustion was more ntal than physical by now.
The monotonous martial arts practice, the repetitive exercise routines, and the daily uneventful patrols.
Day after day.
He had almost no interests or hobbies, and his sole anticipation was for the occasional attribute points every ten days.
Since returning from Qinghe Palace, he had accumulated three attribute points to this day.
The Fla Emperor Talisman had also reached the entry-level. Soon, with one more point, he could break through the limit and truly enter the Fourth Grade of Talismanic Skill in one go.
At the sa ti, he awaited the Eagle Level treatnt promised by the Golden Wing Pavilion and the corresponding superior Lightweight Skill in body techniques.
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