The morning light was bright, and the winter forest was in chaos. A flying sword flew from the snow lake and danced among the withered trees at a high speed, accompanied by a whistling sound, looking for the place where the cicadas were chirping.
A moment later, Ye Su swept into the forest. His robe fluttered and he waved his right hand. The flying sword whistled back from afar and fell into his hand. Then he put it back into the scabbard on his back.
The cicadas had stopped chirping, and no one knew where that person had gone. In the cold winter forest, there was only the mute monk covered in snow and the dead body of the Qinghe Prefecture's Minister of Offerings on the ground.
Ye Su looked at the rising sun in the east and saw the morning mist in the forest, which looked like thin and transparent cicada wings. He slowly raised his eyebrows and looked unprecedentedly serious.
Eldest Brother slowly walked in from outside the forest and stood beside him. He followed Ye Su's gaze and looked in that direction without any expression.
With the sound of falling snow, the armor-like snow on the mute monk cracked and fell, revealing his plain cotton kasaya. Then he slowly stood up and bowed to Eldest Brother and Ye Su with folded palms.
Eldest Brother looked at the remaining snow between the monk's eyebrows and thought about the purpose of this World Wayfarer of Buddhism. He could not help but frown and said, "Welcome, Master Qi Nian, to Chang 'an to preach Buddha."
The World Wayfarer of Xuankong Temple came to Chang 'an this time to observe Ning Que, the legendary Son of Yama. He did not mean to be merciful, so Eldest Brother of the Academy would not really welcome him. As for the last two words of "preach Buddha", it was clear.
Qi Nian looked calm, and the remaining snow between his eyebrows seemed to be firm. He listened to Eldest Brother's words and did not respond.
"Last night at the winter lake, you kept silent in the winter forest and did not make a move. I always felt it was strange and thought that it was a teacher from the Academy. I did not expect it to be that person … You have been practicing Silent Meditation for 15 years. Can't you stop that for a few steps?"
Ye Su looked at Qi Nian and asked. His expression was extremely serious and a bit cold.
After the Academy's Youngest Uncle, Tianzhu, the biggest enemy of Taoism in the world was the Twenty-Three-year Cicada Cultivation. However, the Devil's Doctrine Master was extremely mysterious. Even with the great power and influence of the West-Hill Divine Palace in the world, they had not found any trace of him for decades.
No one would have thought that when the world gathered in Chang 'an, there would be cicadas chirping by the Yanming Lake. The most mysterious person in the world had once again appeared in the world.
When the West-Hill Divine Palace heard of this news, they would definitely be shocked and use all their power to search for the cicadas. As the successor of the Zhishou Abbey, Ye Su was even more vigilant.
Qi Nian had been practicing the Silent Meditation for fifteen years and was extremely powerful. Once he opened his mouth, the sound of Buddha would be heard in the world. However, he did not open his mouth last night in the face of the mournful chirping of the Twenty-Three-year Cicada Cultivation and the silent but bone-chilling suppression of that person. Because he was not sure that he could win against that person if he opened his mouth.
Therefore, he did not answer Ye Su's question at this time.
Ye Su knew the mute monk's temperament well. Seeing that he didn't speak, he knew that he couldn't get any information about the Twenty-Three-year Cicada Cultivation from him.
He turned to look at the Eldest Brother and said, "This is Chang 'an."
His words were simple, but the meaning was clear: This was not the West-Hill or the Xuankong Temple, but Chang 'an of the Tang Empire, the territory of the Academy. The Master of the Devil's Doctrine came and left at will, which was a provocation to the Academy. At this time, the Academy should at least give an explanation.
The Eldest Brother said, "All these years, that person has been attacking General Xiahou. He has given the Academy enough face. This time, I didn't expect him to come out."
Ye Su looked at the dead Minister of Offerings from Qinghe County and suddenly raised his finger to the thin piece of snow on his neck. He said, "He killed you in Chang 'an. Does Mr. First not want to enforce the law of the Tang Empire on behalf of the Academy?"
The Eldest Brother sighed and said, "The Academy does put the law of the Tang Empire first, but the law depends on the ability of the executor. The law of the Tang Empire can only restrict those who are able to be restricted by the Tangs. Neither the imperial court nor the Academy can do anything to this person. We can't ask the Headmaster for help."
Ye Su was puzzled. In his opinion, even though the Headmaster of the Academy had not been involved in the affairs of the world for many years, the reappearance of the Twenty-Three-year Cicada Cultivation in the world was a big event. Was this not enough to alarm the Headmaster?
No one spoke, or did not know what to say. The mysterious appearance and disappearance of the Twenty-Three-year Cicada Cultivation made the three most powerful people in the Academy, Taoism and Buddhism subconsciously silent.
The morning light gradually brightened, and the snow particles in the winter forest slowly danced in the light. They still looked like a large pair of cicada wings, but much fainter than before.
Ye Su looked at the snow fog in the morning light and the pair of cicada wings. Suddenly, his expression changed slightly.
Last night, he and the Eldest Brother had been watching Yanming Lake from the city wall, but they did not notice the movement in the winter forest. After all, the Twenty-Three-year Cicada Cultivation in the winter forest was not facing an ordinary person, but Qi Nian, a powerhouse with no hindrance in Buddhism. How did that person do it?
The Devil's Doctrine was not tolerated by the orthodox cultivation because the cultivators of the Devil's Doctrine tried in vain to replace the rules of Haotian, absorb the Qi of Heaven and Earth in nature, and build a new world in the body.
Had the Grandmaster of the Devil's Doctrine surpassed this level? Could he cover the glory of Haotian with a light wave of the transparent cicada wings and have a world of his own in nature?
This showed that the movement in the winter forest by the lake could not be noticed by him and Mr. First of the Academy, and the people in the cliff around the lake could not notice it at all.
The Twenty-Three-year Cicada Cultivation was so powerful!
Thinking of this, Ye Su's face turned slightly pale. Then he felt very confused and felt that something was wrong. He silently sensed the aura left in the snow forest and fell into silence.
While Ye Su was silent, the Eldest Brother and Qi Nian had a conversation. Qi Nian was mute, so the conversation was naturally one-sided. It was more like a gentle, calm, but unquestionable announcement. No one knew the specific content of the conversation, but it must have something to do with Ning Que.
…
…
Under the snow bridge, the soldiers of the Yulin Royal Guards were extremely tired. They did not feel too bad after a sleepless night, but they were blocked by one person for a whole night. They could only listen to the sound coming from the distant lake but could not participate in the battle, which made them feel ashamed and tired easily.
Xu Shi walked on the snow bridge and turned around in front of the Second Brother. He held the snow-covered railing and looked at the frozen river under the bridge. He said, "Am I really old?
The Second Brother slowly stood up and gently and carefully brushed off every remaining snow on his body to make sure that there was no wrinkle on his Academy uniform. Then he said, "You are old."
Xu Shi was not angry, but indifferently said, "The Academy is indeed a place that can create miracles. Ning Que has done something that no one could think of. But do you really think it is fair?"
The Second Brother walked to him and looked down the bridge.
After a night of strong wind, the snow on the ice was piled up to the two sides, and the reflection of people and other things could be vaguely seen on the surface of the ice. He adjusted the position of the crown on his head to make sure that there was no deviation at all. He nodded in satisfaction and said in an unquestionable tone, "I do things faithfully."
The wrinkles on Xu Shi's face were very deep, which showed his old age in the morning wind. He said in a slightly hoarse voice, "Jun Mo, you have the style of an ancient gentleman. No one in the world dares to doubt you. But in the battle of the winter lake last night, Ning Que completed a fatal blow to Xiahou with his little handmaiden. Two against one. How is it fair?"
The Second Brother said, "My Youngest Brother is a Talisman Master. According to the rules of the cultivation world, he can certainly have a valet during a challenge. There is no problem with this."
Xu Shi thought of the great light between the cliffs of Yanming Lake last night and the thundering sound of weapons clashing on the lake. He frowned and said, "Ning Que is not a simple Talisman Master. Miss Sangsang is the only successor of the Great Divine Priest of Light. How can she be a valet?"
Second Brother said, "A Talisman Master is a Talisman Master. Even if Youngest Brother cultivates both martial arts and talismans, he is a Talisman Master if he says he is a Talisman Master. As for Sangsang, even if she becomes the Great Divine Priest of Light of West-Hill in the future, she can be a valet if she wants to be Youngest Brother's valet. "
Xu Shi's face slightly darkened and said, "It turns out that Jun Mo also knows how to argue."
"I value reason and etiquette the most in the world. In this case, I am naturally good at using all kinds of means to make reason stand on my side. Not to mention arguing, I can even use force to fight."
Second Brother indifferently said, "Daoshi Monk of Yuelun Kingdom had a valet warrior monk. It was the challenge letter issued by your Military Ministry and the address information provided by your Military Ministry. If you didn't say it was unfair at that time, don't ever say it. Otherwise, the Academy doesn't mind asking the Military Ministry for advice on what is fair."
After saying this, he turned around and walked to the other side of the snow bridge. The high crown on his head cast a very long shadow in the morning light, as if it was deeply engraved into the deep snow on the bridge.
Xu Shi looked at his gradually disappearing figure in silence.
The person sitting cross-legged on the snow bridge left, so the snow bridge was open. For a day and a night, he didn't look at the scenery on the snow bridge. He just turned himself into a landscape painting, and no one dared to draw on it.
An officer walked behind Xu Shi and whispered something to him.
Xu Shi's voice was slightly hoarse as he said, "General Xiahou has made great contributions to the country, so he naturally needs to be restrained. As for his funeral, the palace will naturally arrange it. The Military Ministry just needs to be prepared."
…
…
At this time in the Imperial Palace, the atmosphere was extremely depressing and tense. There were no eunuchs or palace maids around the Snow Hall, so only a few people could hear the Empress's crying. These few people were also people other than the Academy who knew about the sibling relationship between the Empress and Xiahou.
In the Princess's Mansion not far from the Imperial Palace, it was a completely different situation. After the Taoist with the yellow oiled-paper umbrella under his armpit left to report the news, an indescribable atmosphere of celebration mixed with some shock and confusion began to spread in the rain corridors and balconies.
Li Yu stroked her slightly rising and falling chest and looked at the cup of tea in front of her. It took her great willpower to calm herself down. Ning Que actually defeated Xiahou! This had brought great benefits. Even a calm person like her felt a little dizzy. But the fact that Ning Que was still alive made her suddenly relaxed.
Li Huiyuan sat beside her, looking a little confused. Of course, he knew that Xiahou was killed, and it was a good thing for him. But he couldn't understand why his sister and the counselors were so ecstatic. Could the Empress be sure of everything even if the military support was gone? He hadn't slept for a whole night, and now he just wanted to go to sleep.
Li Yu waved her hand to let the counselors leave, but she didn't let him leave.
The room was quiet.
She looked at her favorite brother, and her clear eyes gradually became moist. She said in a slightly trembling voice, "After today, the future throne of the Tang Empire … will be yours, my brother."
…
…
(I almost wrote myself to death. I want to vomit sitting in front of the computer. That's all for today. Tomorrow, the second volume will officially end. I hope I can get through these few days. There are always a few days at the end of each volume.) (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian.Com to vote for me. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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