FVN Chapter 18 Clouds and Flower Baskets
Chapter 18 Clouds and Flower Baskets
Yunxiao's gaze fell on the Lion Camel King, then looked at the flower basket and the infant in his arms:
"Why is there a magical artifact belonging to Junior Brother Yun Zhongzi?"
The Lion Camel King was so overwhelmed by the aura unintentionally emanating from Yunxiao that he dared not even breathe, and hurriedly explained his purpose in detail. Finally, he presented the flower basket and the baby with both hands.
Upon hearing this, Yunxiao waved her sleeve lightly, and the baby and flower basket were already in front of her.
She looked down and saw the child with a face like a peach blossom and bright eyes, giggling at her.
Inside the flower basket, besides a few celestial flowers, there was also a golden staff entwined with wind and thunder, and a jade slip containing the techniques of the Yuqing lineage.
She raised her head and flipped her hand over.
A flag appeared in his palm, its surface in five colors, embroidered with cloud patterns, and faintly emanating spiritual energy.
"This item will protect you."
Yunxiao handed the flag to the Lion Camel King, glanced at the flower basket again, and said in a calm tone:
"As for the flower basket, let Junior Brother Yun Zhongzi come and get it himself."
Lion Camel King glanced at the flower basket, never expecting that such a powerful figure from the Jie Sect would actually refuse such an ordinary flower basket.
Before I could say anything, the clouds had already vanished.
He glanced down at the flag in his hand, dared not linger, and turned to ride the clouds away.
Halfway there, he unfurled the flag and curiously examined it.
Cloud patterns swirled on the banner, emanating a gentle yet resilient protective force that completely concealed the demonic aura surrounding him. The Lion Camel King grinned; with this, he would no longer need to worry about anything when venturing out.
He stuck the flag on his back, turned the cloud around, and flew towards Chaoge.
Talk about the other side.
After settling Lei Zhenzi in, Yun Zhongzi stood on a cloud and looked towards Chaoge.
Judging by the time, Wen Zhong should have already returned to the capital.
Yuan Futong of Beihai was captured alive, and the seventy-two vassal lords either died or surrendered. The remnants of the demon race were wiped out by Taiyi Zhenren and his allies. Without the restraint of Beihai, Wen Zhong, the pillar of the Shang Dynasty, should now be sitting in Chaoge.
The pine sword that he hung on the palace tower has remained unmoved to this day.
This indicates that the three demons from Xuanyuan Tomb have not yet entered the palace.
In the original story, after Emperor Xin wrote a poem at the Nuwa Palace, the goddess Nuwa summoned the three demons from Xuanyuan Tomb with a demon-summoning banner, ordering them to infiltrate the harem and bewitch the emperor. The nine-tailed fox killed Su Daji on the way and used her body to enter the palace, thus beginning the prelude to the downfall of the Shang dynasty.
But now, he has broken the game at Nuwa Palace; Di Xin did not write any lewd poems, and Nuwa was not enraged; the Demon-Summoning Banner has not appeared, but the three demons from Xuanyuan Tomb have been taken away by the Western Sect, so we must be on guard.
So, what became of those who died because of Daji in the original story—Empress Jiang, Yin Jiao, and Yin Hong?
Empress Jiang was the empress of Emperor Xin and the daughter of Jiang Huanchu, the Marquis of Dongbo. In the original story, she was framed by Daji, had her eyes gouged out and her hands branded, and died unjustly.
Yin Jiao and Yin Hong, the two sons, were rescued from Chaoge by Fang Bi and Fang Xiang. They went into exile and were eventually taken in as disciples by the Chan Sect, but died in the Investiture of the Gods war and were listed on the list.
Now that Daji is gone, Empress Jiang should still be alive, Yin Jiao and Yin Hong will not flee, and the two palace generals Fang Bi and Fang Xiang will naturally not rebel against Chaoge to save the emperor.
But is there really peace in Chaoge City?
The fact that the three demons from Xuanyuan Tomb have now fallen into their hands indicates that using their beauty to lure them is still under consideration.
Thinking of this, Yun Zhongzi rode on auspicious clouds and flew towards Chaoge.
Chaoge City.
Yun Zhongzi descended from the clouds and landed on a desolate hill outside the city.
The Bewitching Immortal Array activated, and his aura subsided, transforming him into the appearance of a wandering Taoist priest; he wore a blue Taoist robe, held a whisk, had a thin face, and three long strands of beard, making him completely different from the original Yun Zhongzi.
He looked up toward the palace, his aura-gazing technique quietly activated.
Above the imperial palace, fortune surged.
The Emperor's aura, like a golden canopy, enveloped the entire palace, and beneath it, several auras soared into the sky.
The most powerful aura in the center belongs to Emperor Xin; the one on the left is gentle and dignified, which must be Empress Jiang; and two slightly weaker auras are close to Empress Jiang, which must be Yin Jiao and Yin Hong, the two sons.
Yun Zhongzi breathed a sigh of relief.
Empress Jiang is still alive, and Yin Jiao and Yin Hong have not escaped. From the direction of the palace tower, the aura of the pine sword is as steady as a mountain, without any unusual movement. Daji has not yet entered the palace.
Fortunately.
He withdrew his gaze and slowly walked into the city.
Today, Chaoge City is unusually lively.
The streets were bustling with people, several times more crowded than usual.
Pedestrians dressed in all sorts of colors thronged the streets, speaking in accents from all over the country.
There were northern men dressed in fur coats, southern merchants wearing hemp and linen, eastern knights-errant with long swords at their waists, and western merchants riding camels.
The teahouses and taverns along the street were packed; the inns had signs that read "Full" hanging at their doors, yet latecomers were still arguing with the innkeepers outside; the street vendors were all smiles, and their calls were louder than usual.
Yun Zhongzi's heart stirred slightly.
Although Chaoge City is the capital of the Emperor and is usually bustling, it should never be this bustling.
He found an empty seat in a teahouse on a street corner, ordered a pot of coarse tea, and as the tea server brought the tea over, Yun Zhongzi casually asked:
"Old man, why is Chaoge City so lively lately?"
The tea server was an elderly man with gray hair. Upon hearing this, he chuckled.
"Master, you must be from out of town? You are unaware of this, but these are the feudal lords of the realm who have come to court by imperial decree!"
"The feudal lords come to court?"
"That's right!" the tea server exclaimed, wiping the table as he spoke.
"Last year, when Grand Tutor Wen returned to court after pacifying Beihai, he submitted a memorial stating that Yuan Futong of Beihai had rebelled and that a sorcerer from beyond the secular world was helping him. The Grand Tutor suggested that it would be better to invite all the feudal lords of the land to gather in Chaoge, for those who dared not come must be accomplices of that rebel!"
He lowered his voice, speaking mysteriously:
"These words shook the world! You don't know, but the divine eye between Grand Tutor Wen's brows can discern loyalty from treachery and see through even the smallest details; no one in the Three Realms can be deceived. Those lords with guilty consciences, how dare they come? But not coming would be tantamount to admitting defeat. Sure enough, this decree has stirred up quite a few rebels. Two lords in the east defied the decree and have already been suppressed by the Grand Tutor's troops. Which of the remaining lords dares to delay? Those nearby have already arrived, and those farther away are on their way. How could Chaoge City not be bustling?"
Yun Zhongzi nodded slightly.
Wen Zhong's move was quite brilliant.
Using the principle of "coming or not coming" as a sieve, those lords with guilty consciences were sifted out, and a group of hidden rebels were eliminated without firing a single shot; those who came were judged by their divine eyes, proving themselves to be the pillars of the Shang Dynasty.
He paid for the tea, got up, and continued walking along the street.
Just then, a slender figure crashed into them from the side.
Although Yun Zhongzi had concealed his cultivation, his Golden Immortal senses remained. He could have easily dodged the collision, but since he was currently disguised as an ordinary wandering Taoist, reacting too quickly would arouse suspicion. Therefore, he did not dodge and let the figure crash into his arms.
Soft and fragrant like jade.
Yun Zhongzi lowered his head.
The person who bumped into him was a woman.
The woman hurriedly took a step back and looked up.
Yun Zhongzi's pupils contracted slightly.
Almond-shaped eyes and peach-blossom cheeks, a slender waist, lips like a cherry blossom, and eyes that sparkle like phoenixes. Her eyes convey a myriad of charming allure, and her brows exude a soft, seductive charm.
It's just like crabapple blossoms in the sun, pear blossoms glistening with rain.
At this moment, she was wearing an extremely thin layer of disguise, which would be impossible for the naked eye to see through. However, under Yun Zhongzi's Qi-observation technique, that disguise was as thin as a cicada's wing and completely ineffective.
Yun Zhongzi was as old as heaven and earth, and had cultivated the Dao for tens of thousands of years. His heart was as still as water, but this one glance made his mind waver slightly.
In just a moment.
He immediately calmed himself down, and his gaze returned to clarity.
Su Daji was the daughter of Su Hu, the Marquis of Ji Province.
In the original story, he was killed by the nine-tailed fox at Enzhou Post Station, and then used her body to enter the palace, thus beginning the prelude to the downfall of the Cheng Tang dynasty after six hundred years.
The woman before him had no trace of demonic aura; she was the real Su Daji, a pitiful soul whose soul had been devoured and who had left no trace.
"Oh dear, are you alright?"
Su Daji asked softly, her voice gentle and tinged with apology.