Zhao Chen had abandoned his cultivation for twelve years. He was a third-grade warrior. Although he still had his primordial qi, his speed, reflexes, and strength had not reached the standard of a sixth-grade warrior.
To the outside world, Yanshan Robber was a fierce organization of bandits. But no one knew that Yan Li had started to reform the Wild Fox Battalion two years ago. They still focused on fighting and conquering, but in fact, they had started to collect information from all over the world.
The noodle restaurant owner was one of the Wild Fox Battalion's spies. Their conversation was a secret code.
Zhao Chen's personal information had already been investigated. Otherwise, why would Yan Li come to him without Yan Chaoyang by his side?
Yan Li could see through Zhao Chen's movements, so when Zhao Chen moved, his long sword had already moved.
A cold light flashed, and Zhao Chen's "tiger claw" was cut off.
"If you dare to scream, you will lose your other hand." Yan Li said leisurely.
Zhao Chen did not scream. He seemed to be numb and had even lost his senses.
Blood was flowing out, but he smiled. "Your sword is really fast. I can't fight back. In this case, I have to follow the agreement …"
He fell into reminiscence and murmured, "Twelve years ago, in the 17th year of Taikang Dynasty, around this time, I suddenly received a secret order to secretly execute the empire's cavalry general, Bai Chongxi … The secret order suddenly appeared in my room, and it was stamped with the seal of the former emperor. I did not dare to neglect it, so I brought people to surround the Bai Mansion. There were also a few mysterious people …"
"At that time, Bai Chongxi got the news and escaped with his wife and children one step ahead of me. I did not expect to be caught again …"
"Who are they?" Yan Li asked.
"I don't know. I only know that they had gold medals …"
"Go on!"
Zhao Chen's face became more and more gloomy. "Later, the people who caught them tied Bai Chongxi to a pillar and hung him with a chain through his shoulder blade. Then, they cut a few pieces of meat from Bai Chongxi's body, put them in a pot and cooked them … "
He suddenly stopped talking because Yan Li's eyes became cold and grey. Under his gaze, Zhao Chen's body seemed to be frozen and could not move.
But not long after, the cold, dead ashes dispersed again. Yan Li said softly, "Continue."
Zhao Chen took a deep look at Yan Li, took a deep breath, and said, "Then, they caught the servants of the Bai Mansion and asked them to eat Bai Chongxi's meat, and they would be spared from death … They would rather die than eat … Then, the men were castrated, even the babies less than a month old were no exception, and then they were hung in a pot of oil to show their ugliness. The women were raped first, then their breasts were cut, and finally, they were put into the pot of oil one by one, and the meat was taken out for their husbands and children to eat. The children didn't understand, so they ate until their mouths were full of oil …"
Thinking of the scene of purgatory on earth, Zhao Chen's stomach wriggled. In the past twelve years, he didn't know how many times he had woken up from his dreams. Even the sight of meat would cause him to feel fear.
"What happened to Bai Chongxi after that?" Yan Li took a deep breath.
"After Bai Chongxi's meat was cut, he was tied to a red-hot copper pot and roasted. When it was half cooked, he was about to die, and his head was cut open, and boiling oil was poured …"
Zhao Chen's words had blatantly exposed the ugliness hidden in this thousand-year-old capital. The destruction of human nature had truly reached a whole new level.
Yan Li's clenched fists had lost all color, and his face under the mask was even more frightening, "What about the Madam?"
Zhao Chen said, "They took her away, I don't know whether she is dead or alive now …"
After a pause, he continued, "The next day, when I went to court, I found out that there was a thief in the palace. Someone stole the seal and the gold medal of the former Emperor. After that day, the group of people disappeared without a trace. The former Emperor ordered a vigorous search, but they seemed to have disappeared from the face of the earth. Because of this matter, I was removed from my official position and demoted to a commoner … "
Zhao Chen's face wrinkled in pain, "For the past twelve years, I have to numb myself with alcohol every night. Otherwise, at this time, I feel like I can see the Bai family coming back to kill me … I am not afraid of death, but I am afraid that if I die, this matter will become the dust of history … Now that you know, I can also die …"
"But before I die …" He fixed his eyes on Yan Li, "I have a question to ask you."
He was afraid that Yan Li would refuse, so he immediately asked, "That day, Bai Chongxi escaped with his wife and son, and only he and his wife were caught back. Are you the young general who escaped?"
Yan Li was silent for a long time, and finally nodded.
"Okay, okay …" Zhao Chen suddenly burst into tears, "I know, retribution will come. You must let them die a horrible death, make them die a horrible death …"
Yan Li did not say a word, coldly raised his sword, and gave him a quick death.
After returning to the peach forest and changing out of the suspicious nocturnal clothes, he could not hold on anymore and leaned against the tree trunk weakly.
He buried his head deep in his knees, and memories surged. In a trance, he returned to that rainy night at the gate of Yongling City.
"Master, take Fan 'er away …" Mother tried to block the assassin in black.
Beside the moat.
"Bai Chongxi, that person wants your life. Even if you escape to the ends of the earth, you will still die. Why don't you obediently wait to be killed, and I will give you a quick death, or else …"
"Fan 'er, it's all up to your fate now …" The sharp weapon pierced through his father's warm chest. Cold light radiated in all directions, and a large amount of blood splattered out, drenching his head and face. The blood was as hot as his tears, followed by the ice-cold moat water …
His thoughts seemed to follow the rapid river up and down, and his body began to tremble. Darkness, coldness, fear … His mouth, nose, and eyes were full of water, and he could not help but stop breathing …
Uncomfortable! Painful!
Ah!
His body suddenly trembled, and he rolled on the ground. His eyes were filled with the power of death resentment again, and that strange curse mark appeared on his forehead again. There were seven now, and it was starting to form the eighth.
Once the eight curse marks were formed, his consciousness would be completely devoured.
This was a curse. From the moment he was born, as long as he was not at ease, the endless power of death resentment would immediately surge out from the depths of his body. This power of death resentment seemed to be intertwined with his soul, and once it erupted, the pain would spread from the inside out. His body did not seem to be injured, but it would produce inhuman pain.
These years, it had become more serious each time.
Usually, after every two episodes, a curse mark would be formed.
But this time, the impact that Yan Li suffered was too intense. The power of death resentment was ferocious, and actually had the momentum of forming the eighth curse mark in one go.
He was very clear of his situation, but sometimes, emotions could not be controlled by reason. This time, the tide of emotions did not seem to stop, and the power of death resentment in his body seemed to be endless.
The eighth curse mark was about to be completely formed.
Yan Li knew that he could not continue, or he would really die here.
He suddenly stood up. Although the pain was like a tide, and he was trembling non-stop, he still stood up with absolute willpower.
Leaning against the tree trunk, the long sword slipped out of his sleeve, and he held it shakily.
Clang!
The sword hummed.
As long as he held the sword hilt, an unparalleled confidence spontaneously arose, dispelling some of the mania, and he finally regained some of his calmness.
His heart was calm. In his eyes, a sword shadow immediately appeared behind the power of death resentment.
A purple sword shadow.
Like a whirlwind, wherever the sword shadow passed, the power of death resentment would disappear without a trace.
Yan Li would not allow himself to fall before he took his revenge. At this moment, his willpower had reached an unprecedented height, causing the sword shadow to sweep away all the power of death resentment.
In an instant, his heart was like still water. The nearly eight curse marks retreated unwillingly. This time, they still failed.
At this moment, Yan Li's entire body was covered in cold sweat.
Endless exhaustion surrounded him, and he collapsed.
This day was too tiring.
… …
Yan Li was awakened by a voice.
The voice came from his mind, very soft, as if afraid of waking him up.
"Do you believe in that legend? Ten miles of peach blossoms … … "
Whose voice was that?
There was also a blurry face.
Who was it?
Yan Li could not help but open his eyes. It was a bit dazzling, and he closed them again. It turned out that the sky was already bright.
The morning light shone through the peach forest, making it slightly mottled. A gentle breeze blew, and the peach fragrance assailed his nostrils. Yan Li's five viscera temple immediately sang a different tune.
He stood up and casually picked a peach, wiped it, and took a bite. The fresh juice made him feel refreshed.
After three to five mouthfuls of a peach, he was already half full.
He did not stay, and left the peach forest with his bag.
Not long after he left, two people walked in from another entrance of the peach forest, a man and a woman.
The woman was wearing a plain white brocade dress, and walked in front, but it seemed natural.
The man was two steps behind, and although he was somewhat respectful, it did not hide his elegant demeanor.
Suddenly, the man stopped and turned around.
The woman held a bouquet of white flowers, and walked to the peach tree where Yan Li had slept for a night.
In the entire peach forest, this peach tree was the largest, and especially easy to recognize.
The woman placed the flowers under the peach tree, and then looked at each other in silence for a long time.
The man had turned around at some point, and was looking at her in a daze.
The woman wasn't wearing any particularly gorgeous clothes, but no matter what kind of clothes she wore, as long as she wore them, they would become exceptionally outstanding.
She did not wear any jewelry, and there were no traces of makeup on her face, because to her, jewelry and makeup were all unnecessary.
No matter how precious the jewelry was, it could not take away her brilliance, and no matter how noble the makeup was, it could not add to her beauty.
Her beauty was indescribable, or even unimaginable.
There was no brush in this world that could capture her charm, just as there was no second pair of eyes like Yan Li's.
No matter who, as long as they saw her, they would never be able to forget her.
She was the Sage Emperor, the supreme ruler of the Xia Empire — Ji Zhiyuan. She was the third Empress of the Grand Xia Empire. Her name was light and soft, yet she was able to receive the thumbs up of the common people, the admiration of her opponents, the admiration of the major powers, and the respect and reverence of the ministers and aristocrats.
Three years ago, the provincial governor of Xiliang, Qin Queyue, announced in public that even if he conquered Yongling, he would preserve the Xia royal bloodline, and make Ji Zhiyuan his daughter-in-law.
At this time every year, no matter how busy Ji Zhiyuan was, she would take time out to come here, hand over a bouquet of flowers, and grieve alone.
The man only knew that an old friend of hers had died here, but he did not know who that old friend was or why he died.
He suddenly said softly, "Your Majesty, it's time to go back. If we are late for today's court meeting, those officials will probably make a big fuss again."
Ji Zhiyuan did not move at all. She opened her mouth, and it was as if there was a heavenly sound. "Li Sheren, do you think this world belongs to us, or to those officials?"
"Of course it belongs to you, Your Majesty," the man replied.
Ji Zhiyuan said indifferently, "Then we can hold the court meeting whenever we want."
The man laughed bitterly. Just as he was about to speak, a green-robed eunuch ran over from afar and called out anxiously, "Your Majesty, bad news. Householder Pu Shu has been captured and is being held in the capital governor's office."
"What's going on?" Ji Zhiyuan finally turned around.
The eunuch said, "It's said that it has something to do with a murder case."
"Ridiculous." Ji Zhiyuan was about to leave, but she suddenly stopped after taking a step.
She shifted her gaze and saw that it was the leftover fruit pit of Yan Li.
There was anger in her eyes, but she was trying her best to control herself. All the teachings she had received in her life were to teach her to control herself, because to be a true empress, she had to hide her anger, sorrow, joy … all the agitated emotions in her heart.
However, this matter was so unforgivable that she could not restrain her anger. "Didn't we already decree that no one is allowed to take a step here?"
The eunuch also saw the fruit pit, and her heart trembled. She hurriedly knelt on the ground. "Recently, the candidates from various counties have come to Yongling. There are always some who do not have eyes. This servant will immediately investigate, find that lowly commoner, and cut him into pieces …"
Ji Zhiyuan waved his hand. "Forget it, Li Sheren!"
"Your subject is here!" The man hurriedly knelt down.
"Have people build fences outside the forest, and send soldiers to guard it. Kill any trespassers without mercy!"
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