Chapter 221: A Matter of Grave Importance
Shi Hao landed on the ground and severed the connections forged by the Wedding Dress Divine Art.
He hadn’t felt anything during the connection, but now, with the link broken, a searing pain shot through his body, his legs almost giving way.
Although the two women in the Primordial Grotto Heaven had lent him their power, his own foundation wasn’t strong enough to handle such a massive influx of energy. The strain on his body was immense.
Now, without their support, he could barely stand.
If he had maintained the connection any longer, he would have collapsed.
“Brother Shi!” Du Yuejiao rushed over and caught him, her arm supporting him.
The others also arrived, their faces grim as they surveyed the devastation around them.
Not only was the Scripture Bestowal Platform completely destroyed, but even Flying Phoenix Peak was scarred and broken.
Sha Lingshan said, “Let’s rejoin the mountain ghosts.”
Plum Blossom Lady also helped support Shi Hao as they walked away.
A woman, her body huddled beneath a pile of rubble, waited until the tremors subsided and silence returned.
She crawled out, her eyes wide with shock and confusion as she looked around.
It was Li Lian, General Shui Lei.
She had been rescued by Sha Lingshan during the battle below, her body already covered in wounds.
She had been surrounded by corpses, the battle still raging in the abyss.
Unwilling, and unable, to fight any longer, she had escaped, fleeing to the surface.
She had hidden here, terrified and alone, as the earth shook and the mountains trembled, unsure of what was happening.
The bestial roars and the earth-shattering explosions had made her think the world was ending.
Stone peaks had collapsed around her, the ground splitting open. Two fallen peaks had formed a small, protected space where she had huddled, miraculously surviving.
Now, she stood alone amidst the devastation, a landscape scarred and broken, as if plowed by the gods themselves.
She didn’t know what had happened.
She walked towards the river and saw Goddess Peak on the opposite bank.
The battle was over, but the Twelve Peaks of Wu Gorge still stood.
This meant their leader hadn’t returned, the Shen Ting Sect’s plan had failed.
She fell to her knees by the riverbank, her arms wrapped around herself, and sobbed uncontrollably.
She didn’t know why she was crying. Was it relief that the surrounding villages had been spared, or grief for the Shen Ting Sect, destroyed by her betrayal?
Why was she still alive, when everyone else was dead?
The full moon, bright and luminous, hung in the sky, its light casting an ethereal glow over the landscape.
Having lived in the mist-shrouded Wu Gorge all her life, she had never seen the moon so clearly.
The moonlight, like a silver veil, covered the shimmering river and the distant Goddess Peak, the goddess statue on its summit a serene and beautiful figure.
As if encouraged by the goddess’s gaze, she stood up, wiped away her tears, and walked along the riverbank, her injured body aching, her steps slow and unsteady.
She didn’t know where she was going, or where she could go.
She had no home, no place to belong.
She couldn’t return to the Shen Ting Sect, a traitor, her name forgotten, her sacrifice meaningless.
Alone, under the moonlight, she walked, her destination unknown.
But she was alive… and she would keep walking.
Shi Hao and the others rejoined the mountain ghosts, who had hidden deeper within the caverns.
“It’s over,” Sha Lingshan told them, “Those Daoists are dead. They won’t be causing any more trouble.”
The mountain ghosts’ home had been partially destroyed.
The surrounding forests were gone, and their lives would be difficult now.
But the white-bearded old man, leading them, still expressed his sincere gratitude.
“As long as the spiritual energy remains, this land will recover,” he said, “It will be difficult, but as long as we’re alive, there’s hope. This forest will be green again. Thank you.”
Sha Lingshan waved her fan and smiled, “Don’t mention it. We were just passing through.”
They didn’t linger and soon left, returning to the Monastery of Coalescing Truth at the foot of Ascending Dragon Peak.
It was daylight now.
Shi Hao, exhausted, had the abbot arrange a room for him, and after eating something, he fell asleep.
Hou Bomin and Xiang Gu, unaware of Sha Lingshan, Plum Blossom Lady, and Peach Blossom Lady’s true identities, had heard them address Shi Hao as “Young Master.”
And having witnessed his incredible display of power last night, his ascent under the full moon, his effortless defeat of Yi Shenzi, they knew he was no ordinary person.
And this nunnery, its inhabitants not questioning their presence, the woman named Sha even giving orders to the abbot… it was clearly more than just a simple temple.
But they didn’t pry. Everyone in the jianghu had their secrets.
Exhausted from the battle, they all retired to their rooms to rest.
After Sha Lingshan had washed up, Yuan Rong, the abbot, approached her and bowed, “Branch Leader, Long Niu(Dragon Girl) is here.”
T/N: *I will use Long Niu instead of Dragon Girl*
Sha Lingshan, slightly surprised, thought that Long Niu, being in charge of the Evil Lotus Sect’s intelligence network, must have something important to report.
She said, “Bring her in.”
Yuan Rong escorted Long Niu to the room and then left.
“Branch Leader Sha,” Long Niu asked, “is the Young Master here?”
Sha Lingshan said, “He exhausted himself last night, fighting near the Scripture Bestowal Platform. He’s resting now. Should I wake him?”
Long Niu said, “There’s no rush. I can wait.”
Sha Lingshan asked, “Your sudden arrival suggests something important has happened.”
Long Niu lowered her voice, “Lie Zunyi, the Supreme Emperor, has left the capital.”
Sha Lingshan’s expression changed, “Are you certain?”
Long Niu said, “It happened yesterday. Our informants sent the news immediately, using our sect’s secret communication method. This news will spread quickly.”
Sha Lingshan frowned, “Lie Zunyi hasn’t been seen in public for over a decade. His last appearance was eight years ago, when he injured Zhao Gucheng, the ‘Sword King,’ during his assassination attempt on the emperor.
“He’s over three hundred years old. After so many years in seclusion, everyone assumed he was… incapacitated. Why would he suddenly reappear, and why leave the capital?”
Long Niu said, “The official announcement claims he’s touring the country to… inspire the people and demonstrate the court’s authority, due to the recent unrest. But it can’t be that simple. Although he defeated Zhao Gucheng, it was Zhao Gucheng who attacked the emperor, and despite being severely injured, he still escaped.
“Although everyone was awed by Lie Zunyi’s power, defeating a high-rank expert like the Sword King, many wondered why he didn’t pursue him. For an assassin to attack the emperor in the capital and then escape… it was a humiliation for the barbarian court.”
Sha Lingshan sighed softly, “That’s why the resistance against the barbarian court has been growing stronger. But if Lie Zunyi is still capable of traveling, of asserting his authority, it will demoralize the rebels.”
Long Niu said, “And there’s one more thing. Our informants in the capital have learned that his itinerary includes Cangzhou, Dezhou, Handan, and Xuzhou. This is the same route as the Grand Canal project. The Young Master asked us to investigate the canal project, to see if there’s something more to it than meets the eye.
“I’m not sure what it means, so I came here to report it to the Young Master.”
Sha Lingshan, placing her fan on her chest, paused, a thoughtful expression on her face.
This was indeed an important matter, and she should inform the Young Master as soon as possible.
But he was clearly exhausted. Although important, it could wait a few hours.
She hesitated, unsure whether to wake him or not.
She said, “Let’s go to his room. If he’s still asleep, we won’t disturb him. If he’s awake, we’ll tell him.”
She and Long Niu left the west wing and headed towards the back garden. Along the way, they encountered Plum Blossom Lady and Peach Blossom Lady.
The two, having just bathed, their hair loose, their skin slightly damp, their faces flushed, looked quite lovely.
Sha Lingshan waved her fan and chuckled, “Why aren’t you two resting? What are you doing here?”
Plum Blossom Lady and Peach Blossom Lady, their faces reddening, stammered, “Miss…” They looked embarrassed.
“I asked you a question,” Sha Lingshan said.
“Well…” Plum Blossom Lady hesitated.
Peach Blossom Lady mumbled, “We… we were just checking if the Young Master needed anything.”
Sha Lingshan couldn’t help but laugh, “What do you think he needs? Company in bed?”
Plum Blossom Lady and Peach Blossom Lady, flustered, said, “Of course not, Miss. We’ll… we’ll go and rest now,” and hurried away.
Sha Lingshan, looking at their retreating figures, sighed, shaking her head.
Long Niu, looking at her, puzzled, asked, “What happened?”
Sha Lingshan chuckled, “Last night, when they were about to be killed, the Young Master risked his life to save them. Those two, being from the demonic sects, have probably never been treated so kindly by a man before. Now that they have some free time, their feelings are getting the better of them.”
“It seems they were rejected, or perhaps… dismissed.”
As they continued walking, they saw a young woman, a sword at her waist, standing outside Shi Hao’s room, looking at them coldly.
Sha Lingshan quickly turned and pulled Long Niu away, “It’s not that urgent. We can wait until he wakes up.”
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