Chapter 56: 55 Approaching (Part 1)

“It seems… Mingjing Palace here also…” Li Huoyun was silent for a moment, showing a wry smile.

He never expected that the rewards he sent were intercepted within the Mingjing Taoist Palace.

It now seems that whether it was taels of silver or the appointment, perhaps all were redirected without Brother Zhang’s consent, right?

“My father often mentioned to me that the world is far from what it appears on the surface, and now it seems…” Li Huoyun sighed.

“It’s okay. In the martial world, one is often helpless; one gets used to it.” Zhang Rongfang slightly shook his head. “Brother Huo Yun, you should go back first. Let’s just forget about this matter.”

“No! This matter started because I wasn’t thorough. If I had handed it directly to you, Brother Zhang, this trouble wouldn’t have happened.” Li Huoyun said seriously.

“It’s not your fault; this matter…” Zhang Rongfang imagined it too, knowing that even if handed to him, someone would still come to demand it.

Helping people in this kind of situation, the interception of rewards would sooner or later be discovered.

But the fact that someone still did it shows that person doesn’t care whether it would be discovered or not.

“Forget it, forget it, Brother Huo Yun, let’s leave it at that. Don’t mention it again. Now, I’m already better off than many Daoists here, with food, lodging, and posting.

Let’s consider this money and quota as my contribution to this Mingjing Palace.”

Upon hearing this, Li Huoyun became even more admiring of Zhang Rongfang’s noble character.

His determination grew stronger to go back and seek his father’s help in handling this matter.

Immediately, he turned and bid farewell with his servants.

Zhang Rongfang stood behind, watching the three of them leave, and suddenly he glanced at the other two rooms in the courtyard.

The windows of those two rooms were tightly closed, but inside the windows, faint outlines of people could be seen quietly leaving.

Someone might have been eavesdropping through the window just now.

He calmly turned around and returned to his room.

Closing the door, Zhang Rongfang looked up at the beam above.

’The world is just like this… the tree desires calm, but the wind will not cease.’

He raised his hand and slowly assumed the posture of the third One Element Talisman.

Among the seven talismanic skills, the first Morning Energy Talisman is the most comprehensive, the second Flame Emperor Talisman the most powerful, and the third One Element Talisman the most balanced and harmonious.

He hadn’t mastered the Flame Emperor Talisman and Soul-Stabilizing Talisman, but he had thoroughly acquired the other five talismanic skills.

And as the owner of the Patrolling House, Mountain Opening Daoist’s skills would not be low.

The Patrolling House of Mingjing Palace should at least have a sixth-rank host.

Even though over the years, martial arts deteriorated with age, at the very least, one should regard Mountain Opening Daoist as a fifth-rank master.

Thinking of the money that was taken, Zhang Rongfang felt an oppression and flame rising continuously in his heart.

He worked hard, day in and day out, wasting his energy and time, just to earn some money and accumulate achievements, so he could go out to take a post soon.

But now…

Whoosh!

In an instant, he pushed out one palm. This palm was neat and upright, like a rolling boulder. It connected his whole body’s qi and blood into one.

Instantly, the bed curtain in front of his palm seemed to be blown by the wind, vibrating continuously.

Zhang Rongfang closed his eyes and immediately saw clearly. In the attribute column, a new line of words slowly appeared.

’One Element Talisman (Entry Level)’

“It’s done!”

Without hesitation, he quickly allocated the remaining three attribute points to it all.

In an instant, the brackets behind One Element Talisman became blurred.

Soon, new words appeared.

One Element Talisman (Complete)

After the reduction of remaining attribute points, one point was left.

Instantly, a large amount of practice memories flooded into Zhang Rongfang’s mind frantically.

He stood with his eyes closed, standing still, his whole body began to change slightly again.

The muscles on his arms and back gradually bulged, and the density of his body and flesh increased again.

“Just a little bit more, and I can break the limit again… still need money to buy medicinal materials.”

’However, upon careful calculation, I have already broken the limit four times. Although there are various cultivation techniques, my physique in terms of qi and blood is at its peak now…. and I have Limit-Breaking Skills… so…. I can try.’

*

*

*

Half a month later….

The night was hazy, and mist was pervasive.

In Tan Yang’s largest entertainment pavilion, Huanchun Pavilion, guests intermittently left in groups of twos or threes through the main entrance.

Some got on the slowly arriving carriages, while others left on foot with their household servants.

Still, others went to the nearby tavern.

In front of the pavilion, many captivating performance girls twisted their waists, saying goodbye to familiar guests.

In the night sky, a melancholic sound of a flute slowly resonated from within the pavilion.

People occasionally looked up to see a woman in a blue long dress on the second-floor balcony, holding a long flute, playing slowly.

Below, two long-haired men in blue silk clothes swaggered out of the entertainment pavilion.

“Today’s performance of ’Four Jade Pieces,’ I heard was a new piece from the Marginal Heart Association in Great Capital. Truly, it’s the work of masters. Whether in tune or intent, it’s quite extraordinary.”

One of them praised repeatedly.

“However, personally, I think if the Northern tune of the accompaniment were replaced with a more delicate and melodic Southern tune, it might be more suitable.” The other narrowed his eyes slightly and analyzed.

The entertainment pavilion would hold many variety shows and opera performances every day. The signboard at the entrance and the big watchtower indicated which famous performance girls were starring that day.

In reality, compared to the high stage and theater of the teahouse, the entertainment pavilion was more niche, more expensive, and more upscale.

Those able to enter the pavilion, just with that hundred wen entrance fee, indicated their level.

As the owner of the Patrolling House of Mingjing Palace, Mountain Opening Daoist, with a strong backing, had a stable position like Mount Tai, and his usual income with corruption was quite substantial.

Therefore, his greatest hobbies were either the brothel or watching plays and listening to music.

Delicious food, fine wine, mesmerizing music played by beautiful women, reclining on a warm and comfortable couch, watching one touching performance after another….

This kind of enjoyment was far from what managing affairs and reciting scriptures in the Taoist palace could compare to.

In his youth, he desperately practiced martial arts and spent money on gifts, barely reaching the sixth rank so he could enjoy moments like these.

After parting ways with his friends, he staggered toward the direction of the Mingjing Palace. As he strolled, enjoying the cool night breeze, he reminisced about the opera he had watched earlier.

“The colorful boat, with red sleeves, plays a new tune in Yizhou. Before the goblet sits a friend who forgets worldly concerns…”

Humming along to the tune, he sang softly.

As he approached an empty fruit stand, a wooden canopy cast shadows over it.

Mountain Opening Daoist failed to notice and stepped into a pit, causing his body to tilt slightly.

For a martial arts expert like him, such a minute imbalance was instantly corrected.

Even to an ordinary person, it would be hard to discern if he had truly lost his balance, merely a slight tremor.

But…..

A barely audible metallic scraping sound suddenly reached his ears.

Though the sound was faint, Mountain Opening Daoist was familiar with it and instantly felt a chill in his heart, quickly rolling to the side.

His well-honed instincts from numerous battles saved him once again.

Swish!!

A streak of silver light suddenly flashed past his original position.

The silver light sliced through the wooden stand’s post, splitting it cleanly in two.

Without the slightest pause.

The silver light abruptly changed direction, darting toward him with great speed.

Mountain Opening Daoist was startled into awareness, but the speed of the silver light was so fast that his alcohol-induced sluggishness couldn’t keep up.

’Such speed!? It’s fifth rank!?’

He barely managed to raise his forearm to shield himself.

With two soft hisses, his arm throbbed with pain, already injured and bleeding, with bone visible.

Facing a weapon without a weapon, if the rank difference is significant, it’s manageable, but at a similar level…

In the dead of night.

Moonlight shone like sand.

In the darkness, only the dagger reflecting the silver moonlight moved rapidly around Mountain Opening Daoist, dancing continuously.

How could flesh and blood withstand direct contact with a dagger?

In just a few moves, several wounds appeared on Mountain Opening Daoist.

The opponent only needed to graze the blade’s edge along him to easily harm him.

“Wait!! I am Mingjing Palace’s patrolling Mountain …”

Before he could finish, the opponent’s silhouette accelerated.

Instantly, the speed surged.

Clang!

A flash of silver light.

Both fingers and head flew into the air.

Zhang Rongfang reversed the blade, disappeared into the shadows without looking back.

Seconds later, a brawny man dressed in official constabulary robes arrived rapidly on the street, crouching to inspect the body of Mountain Opening Daoist.

“Still nearby! Follow the blood traces to search!”

A team of Great Spirit soldiers, holding crossbows and wearing leather armor, quickly followed behind him.

In the alleyway.

Zhang Rongfang swiftly wiped the dagger with a prepared wet cloth, then inserted it into a water bag’s opening.

Grabbing the water bag, he shook it continuously, then, while sprinting, tossed the water bag aside, keeping only the dagger.

Soon, he reached a predetermined corner, took off his coat, and changed into clean clothes, hiding the dagger and clothes together.

He stood up and left.

Exiting the alley, Zhang Rongfang suddenly paused, stopping in his tracks.

Ahead of him, a young woman in a white dress and long boots stood quietly, watching him emerge from the alleyway.

The woman’s face was stiff, expressionless, as if she wore a mask.

At her waist hung a knife, just the length of a forearm, with a copper-colored sheath intricately carved with countless blooming red flowers.

The woman gazed at Zhang Rongfang’s face with a black face veil, seeming to see through the veil to his features.

They made eye contact, and Zhang Rongfang quickly left, turning and removing the veil, disappearing into the night.

The woman in the white dress caressed the hilt of her knife, gently stroking it, as she continued to stroll slowly forward.

Soon, a team of constabulary soldiers hurriedly chased down the street ahead.

The leading brawny constable holding a knife, with a black hunting dog in hand, rushed forward quickly.

In the deep night, the sparsely populated street did not pose a concern for alarming the crowd.

But midway through the chase, the hunting dog in the constable’s hand suddenly stopped, retreating continuously, letting out terrified whimpers.

The constable paused in surprise, then followed the dog’s retreating direction. Meeting the woman’s calm and clear gaze.

Then, his gaze slowly fell to the peculiar long knife at the woman’s waist, his expression gradually growing serious and fearful.

“Sensing Sect… Celestial Maiden Tong Zhang….!!”

The woman’s originally calm gaze flickered, returning to a slightly disinterested look.

“Again with fear?”

“Chief, what are we afraid of with so many of us here? Who cares about Sensing Sect or not, attack!!”

The deputy brawny man dismissively waved his hand.

Swoosh!!

At the same time, the crossbows behind the constable raised in unison, aiming, preparing to fire.

But faster than them, a flurry of slender Golden Needles.

Swish, swish, swish, swish!!!

More than ten Golden Needles silently pierced the foreheads of all present under the moonlight.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep