Chapter 117: Famous Secrets
Xiao Yu and others formed a formation to guard the mountain gate, followed by Tonggi Mamoru and Bai Liuli.
The gibbon hid Bai Liuli behind him, and there were shadow guards guarding in the dark, who obviously heard the sounds of fighting.
Everyone was on high alert, and only breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Zhao Wumian coming up.
"It's all gone."
Zhao Wumian waved his hand and called Bai Liuli: "Liuli, go tell Lu Sao to prepare wine and food. We have distinguished guests tonight."
Bai Liuli looked at the two of them and said with a smile, "Okay."
He turned around and jumped, taking the gibbon to the kitchen.
Now the gibbon has become Liuli's follower, and Liuli has given it a loud and domineering name, "Iron Kunlun", and treats it with good food and courtesy every day.
Tonggimon was very satisfied with the name and his current life. Zhao Wumian was happy to see them being good friends and naturally had no objection.
"Who is this……"
Ye Zongyuan was a little surprised when he saw Bai Liuli's identity.
Zhao Wumian led the two into the manor and said casually, "My sister, Bai Liuli. Brother Ye's swordsmanship is really extraordinary, and Brother Zhang's talisman technique is even more profound. It really opened my eyes. You just used the "Qingwei Yuanjiang Dafa" right?"
Ye Zongyuan and Zhang Guangxian looked at each other and laughed.
Zhang Guangxian said with admiration: "You really deserve to be the Earl of Jingyuan. There have been rumors in the martial arts world that you have read through the archives of the Zhenfu Division and are well-informed. You can recognize what I have learned at a glance. I admire you!"
Zhao Wumian was a little surprised: "There is such a rumor?"
Ye Zongyuan laughed and said, "You have been busy with the affairs of the court, and I am afraid you don't know how famous you are in the martial arts world. The Southwest Five Poison Sect helped the Ming Dynasty fight against the Yuan Dynasty because of your efforts. The Five Poison Sect's Right Protector, Senior Disaster God, praised you a lot. In addition, you used the "Blue Sky Dragon Art" to kill the King Kong Master Liu Mingrui, and you found out the traitor in the Yin-Yang Sect a few days ago... The Five Poison Sect, the White Lotus Sect, and the Yin-Yang Sect are all well-known sects in the martial arts world. Every move they make can influence the Central Plains. You have caused such a big stir in these three sects, and some people have noticed it. There are even rumors that if people from the court were not on the Fengmanlou list, you would be the top of the Qingyun list."
It turned out to be the case.
Zhao Wumian didn't care: "This is putting me on the fire. I'm afraid the White Lotus Sect will add fuel to the fire."
Zhang Guangxian nodded: "You hit the nail on the head. You are only eighteen years old, and you are so famous in the martial arts world. Naturally, there are people who are dissatisfied. A tree that stands out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind. Add to that the rumor, and everyone on the Feng Man Lou Qing Yun List is ready to challenge you."
Fengmanlou is a very special organization founded by Zhang Wei, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Inspectorate.
Zhang Wei has a complicated background. He is a descendant of Zhang Jiuling, a famous prime minister of the Tang Dynasty. At the same time, his Zhang family is one of the three owners of Mingjian Villa in Hangzhou. It can be said that he is half in the court and half in the underworld.
Mingjian Villa has a long history. Its original founder was Pei Min, the "Sword Saint" of the Tang Dynasty. However, it was Li Bai, the "Green Lotus Sword Immortal", who really made it famous.
Because of the visit of Li Bai, the "Poet Immortal" and "Sword Immortal", Mingjian Villa began to attract the attention of literati and poets. During the Tang Dynasty, many great poets such as Wang Wei, Zhang Jiuling, Zhang Xu, Li Guinian, and Zhang Xu came to the villa as guests, making it famous!
It was also from that time that Mingjian Villa established the structure of one villa with three surnames.
The Pei family, the lineage of the Sword Saint, the Li family, the lineage of the Music Saint, and the Zhang family, the lineage of the famous prime minister, the three families take turns to be the owners of the manor.
It has been more than 600 years since the heyday of the Tang Dynasty, but Mingjian Villa is still standing, and the three families still rotate.
Zhu Yuanzhang was attracted by Zhang Wei's special identity, so he let him establish Fengmanlou, which allowed him to use his eloquence to compile various lists, including the top ten masters in the world, the top ten gangs in the world, the top ten richest people in the world, the top ten beauties in the world, etc. He took advantage of the desire of people in the underworld to fight for fame and fortune, provoked fights, and divided the major factions to facilitate supervision by the court.
The Zhang family is from the imperial court. Although the emperor has ill intentions, if he can use the power of the imperial court to put together a list that the people in the martial arts world can trust, it will be a good thing for the Zhang family and Mingjian Villa.
Moreover, the emperor has already made this intention. If Zhang Wei is not the owner of the building, there will be Li Wei and Sun Wei. It is better to let Zhang Wei, who is half a man of the underworld, come forward to ensure the fairness and impartiality of the list. It can also avoid some unnecessary incidents to the greatest extent and prevent people in the court from making random arrangements and causing unrest in the underworld.
Zhang Wei works diligently and has intelligence provided by the secret agents of the Imperial Guard, so the list he compiled is extremely authoritative!
Over the years, people in the martial arts world have come to trust Feng Manlou.
But it also has its shortcomings, that is, people from the court are not on the list.
In this way, famous generals and masters of the Embroidered Uniform Guard were not involved, which avoided turmoil and prevented the leakage of news, resulting in a one-sided situation in which the court knew about the underworld, but the underworld was unaware of the court. If a crackdown really wanted to be carried out, one side knew both itself and the enemy, while the other side was completely unaware, and the outcome was clear at a glance.
There are three most popular lists in Feng Man Lou.
The first list, the list of the top ten masters in the world, also known as the "Xiaoyao List", is composed of the giants of the time and the peerless masters who are famous in the world!
The second list, the List of Divine Weapons in the World, is a list of all weapons, with this list being the only exception. In this list, the divine weapons of famous generals of the imperial court are also included.
The third list, the Top Ten Prodigies, also known as the "Blue Cloud List", is a list of young masters under the age of 25 from various schools and sects. People on this list are most likely to get into trouble because they are young and impulsive. Once they are dissatisfied with their ranking, they will challenge others to compete.
Fame and fortune are the foundation of the struggle of people in the underworld.
Once you enter the list, you will immediately transform from a carp into a dragon and become famous all over the world. How many people can resist such temptation?
The White Lotus spread the news that "Zhao Wumian should be at the top of the list", which was equivalent to offending all the young masters on the list. If he won, it would be confirmed and he would be hated more. If he lost, it would be fine, as the White Lotus would wish him to be destroyed, and his intentions were vicious.
"..."
Zhao Wumian thought about it and felt that this thing was really unsolvable. It was impossible to make him give in, but if he didn't, it would be endless.
He is only eighteen, and there are still seven years before he is twenty-five...
The corner of Zhao Wumian's mouth twitched, and he looked at Zhang Guangxian: "Brother Zhang, are you here to spar as well?"
Zhang Guangxian shook his head and smiled, "I know myself well. I am not good at fighting in the art of talismans. I just saw Brother Zhao display his power, so how could I overestimate my own abilities? However, I do have something to discuss with you."
Seeing that he looked calm, Zhao Wumian thought it was no big deal, so he nodded and walked to the small pavilion beside Mirror Lake. Lu Sao had already brought people to prepare tables, chairs, and drinks, so the three of them sat down and chatted while drinking.
Zhang Guangxian asked curiously, "How did Brother Zhao know what I learned? The Qingwei Yuanjiang Dafa is far less famous than the Zhengyi Sutra and the Lingbao Fuzong. Even people in my sect rarely recognize it."
Zhao Wumian did not answer directly, but recited: "With my essence, I unite the essence of heaven, earth and all things; with my spirit, I unite the spirit of heaven, earth and all things. The essences complement each other, and the spirits depend on each other. Therefore, I use a piece of paper of a certain size to name the universe!"
Zhang Guangxian stood in awe.
Ye Zongyuan asked: "What is this?"
Zhang Guangxian said sternly: "Brother Zhao is indeed knowledgeable about the profound meaning of the opening chapter of Qingwei Yuanjiang Dafa!"
Zhao Wumian shook his head and said, "Brother Zhang, don't worry. There is no unique skill of your sect in the case library. I just read a booklet in the Northern Song Dynasty that introduced the unique skills of the Shenxiao Sect. There was this sentence on it. Just now, I saw Brother Zhang performing talismans and creating something out of thin air without writing talismans. I guessed that it might be this unique skill. Brother Zhang has great talent!"
Zhang Guangxian smiled bitterly and said, "This method is to draw talismans in the Niwan Palace and adjust them whenever you want. It is indeed convenient, but it is also very difficult to condense the talismans with spiritual consciousness. I have practiced for seven years and have only condensed seven talismans. My aptitude can be considered good, but I am not as good as Brother Zhao. There are not many people who have reached the third realm at the age of eighteen throughout history."
"That's true."
Ye Zongyuan showed an expression of admiration: "I heard that Brother Zhao cultivated the spirit [Taotie], the leader of the Four Evils. It is not worth mentioning that your progress is fast, but your true energy is not leaking at all, it is extremely pure, which shows that you are not affected by Taotie and can resist the fierceness of the Four Evils. You are really an extraordinary person!"
Zhao Wumian said with a smile: "Let's stop bragging to each other. You two shouldn't just be here for a drink."
The two looked at each other, and Zhang Guangxian said, "Let me explain. I just saw that Brother Zhao's true energy was fierce and sharp, and it was faintly mixed with the shadow of star power. Is it the Tianji Palace's unique skill "Tiangang Yiqi"? "
It is already known to everyone that Zhao Wumian brought back Hu Weiyong's treasure, and it is also known to everyone that Hua Hanchun, a subordinate of Hu Weiyong, is the true disciple of Tianji Palace, so it is normal for outsiders to know this.
Zhao Wumian nodded: "What you want to talk about is related to Tianji Palace?"
"Yes."
Ye Zongyuan handed over a letter: "This is the Wutai Sect's true disciple, Lu Guangda, who asked me to pass it to you. Lu Guangda is still in seclusion at Ye Dou Peak in Wutai Mountain. The one who came to offer the elixir this time is his junior brother. He is a little timid and dared not visit him presumptuously. Knowing that you and I know each other, he asked me to help him bring the letter. This is an invitation letter. It is related to the secrets of Tianji Palace. Jingyuan Bo is sincerely invited to participate!"
Quite formal.
Zhao Wumian raised his eyebrows and took it, reading it carefully, his face changed slightly, and he murmured: "This is really a big deal!"
Ye Zongyuan nodded seriously, "How many martial arts masters have spent their entire lives trying to create a ground-level treasure, but Sima Quehun, who is less than 40 years old, has been able to create seven unique skills of the same level. This achievement is beyond the reach of even Lu Zu and Sanfeng Zhenren, who have devoted their entire lives to studying martial arts. There must be something strange about it! Moreover, a ground-level treasure like the [Heavenly City Mirror] cannot be refined just by saying it, but he was able to refine the Three Yuans treasure in less than a few years, which also explains the problem. As expected, the Wutai Sect discovered a secret realm on Yuxu Peak, the headquarters of the Tianji Palace, which is likely to contain a divine weapon!"
artifact.
Any weapon that reaches the Earth Level can be called a divine weapon or a divine artifact, but there are also huge differences between divine artifacts.
The Eight Diagrams Formation is also a magical weapon that can defeat a group of Earth-level warriors.
It's the heavenly stage!
It has unfathomable power!
Obviously, the treasure behind the scenes that could help Sima Quehun perform such a shocking feat must be extraordinary, and it is very likely to be at the same level as the [Eight Diagrams]!
Zhao Wumian looked at the letter in his hand and said, "The Wutai Sect is really generous to make such a secret public."
Zhang Guangxian said: "Nine years ago, the Fire Worship Sect, Snow Mountain Temple, and Wushen Sect attacked the Tianji Palace on Yuxu Peak, divided up the treasures, and burned the mountain gate. After that, because Sima Quehun was once a disciple of the Wutai Sect, Yuxu Peak became a branch of the Wutai Sect. I think that since then, the Wutai Sect should have discovered the clues. Nine years have passed, and until today, Lu Guangda has secretly sent letters to invite the three generations of disciples of the major sects, but he should be helpless."
Obviously, not only Zhao Wumian, but also Ye Zongyuan and Zhang Guangxian were on the list of people invited by Lu Guangda.
Ye Zongyuan said, "Lu Guangda is already 25 years old this year. Sima Quehun was 25 when he rebelled against the Wutai Sect. I guess this has something to do with it. How about it, Brother Zhao, are you interested?"
Zhao Wumian looked at the time. It was October 20th. There were still more than two months left, so there was plenty of time. Could it be that what Liu Bowen meant by "let nature take its course" and "you will definitely gain something"?
Can I get the "Secret of Immortality" on this trip?
Zhao Wumian thought for a moment and said, "You all know that with my current status, I may not have time in two months. I cannot guarantee it. It is not worth taking a day off for this matter. To be honest, I am not very interested..."
Yuxu Peak is located in the four war zones of Mobei, Central Plains, Tubo and Western Regions!
Nowadays, the people in Mobei are eager to get rid of me because of the Eight Diagrams Diagram incident. The White Lotus Sect in the Central Plains is also hostile. Tibet is slightly stable now, but the affairs of the martial arts world are still uncertain. With the examples of Master Jin Guang and Marpa, maybe someone will take action again.
The Wutai Sect was making such a big fuss, so the news must have leaked out, and Zoroastrianism couldn't just turn a blind eye to it...
There are too many enemies.
The situation is unclear.
It is not certain whether there is any artifact.
It is not even clear what role the Wutai faction played in this battle...
You can't take risks in places like this easily. Even if you go there, you can't go there in your true face, otherwise you will be a sitting duck.
Ye Zongyuan and Zhang Guangxian obviously knew his situation. Zhao Wumian was already the master of the Eight Diagrams Formation. He already had the magical weapons that were out of reach for others. There was really no need for him to take risks for the so-called magical weapons that were illusory.
But looking at Lu Guangda's letter, the secret realm seemed to be related to aptitude. In today's world, there were very few people who could beat Zhao Wumian with aptitude alone. If he didn't go, I'm afraid it would be a waste of time for others to go...
Lu Guangda himself is a very qualified person!
The fact that he was trapped and forced to post a message to invite outsiders must mean that there are extraordinary connections involved.
But Zhao Wumian's concerns are normal.
The two felt a little regretful. Ye Zongyuan smiled and said, "Yes, from the assassin just now, we can see that Brother Zhao is in a troubled time now. There is really no need to cause any more trouble. Let's put this matter aside for now. This invitation letter is the certificate for entering the mountain gate. On October 20th, I still hope to see you at Yuxu Peak."
He raised his glass.
Zhang Guangxian nodded and raised his glass as well.
"Then I'll try my best."
Zhao Wumian picked up the wine glass and said with a smile: "Cheers!"
The three of them drank it all in one gulp.
"The food is here."
Bai Liuli brought four servants with her to serve the dishes. There were very few servants in Jinghu Villa, and most of them cooked for the eighty or ninety people in the kitchen. Bai Liuli often helped serve the dishes, and today was no exception. She served a bowl of duck blood vermicelli soup. Zhao Wumian was stunned when he saw it, and then he smiled and greeted the two of them, "Sister Lu's ancestors were once royal chefs. You two should try her cooking skills."
Ye Zongyuan picked up the chopsticks and said with a smile: "Then I'm in for a treat today."
Zhang Guangxian took a bite of the vegetarian sea cucumber and nodded repeatedly: "It's really excellent!"
A meal where both guest and host enjoy themselves.
It was almost midnight when Ye Zongyuen and Zhang Guangxian left.
"Liu Li."
"Ok?"
Bai Liuli was playing in the water by the lake and looked up when he heard this.
Zhao Wumian asked, "Who handed you the duck blood vermicelli soup today?"
Bai Liuli blurted out: "Sister Lu."
Zhao Wumian asked: "Who was involved in this?"
"Um……"
Bai Liuli thought about it carefully, and his eyes lit up: "Zhu'er!"
Zhao Wumian said: "Go and call her over."
Bai Liuli noticed something was wrong: "Brother, is there something wrong with her?"
Zhao Wumian said: "It's not a big problem, don't worry, just go and call her, she will come, and she won't hurt you."
"Uh-huh."
Of course Bai Liuli believed what he said. If there really was a problem, she would not let her go to call for help. She ran to the backyard where the servants lived and called Zhu'er, who was responsible for washing vegetables and steaming rice.
Zhu'er stood respectfully outside the pavilion, twisting her fingers and looking nervous.
Zhao Wumian looked at her calmly and suddenly asked, "How is she?"
After asking this question, Zhu Er suddenly stopped being nervous. She looked at Zhao Wu Mian deeply, shook her head and said, "I didn't kill her. I just knocked her out while she was buying vegetables and hid outside the villa."
Zhao Wumian looked calm and said, "Put her back. Tomorrow I will ask Sister Lu to buy five servants. You guys figure it out."
"..."
"Zhu'er" looked up at Zhao Wumian: "I thought you were going to kill me..."
"One life for another. The fact that you were ordered to assassinate me is over."
Zhao Wumian said calmly: "Do Zhao Yong's wives and concubines know you?"
This "Zhu'er" is Lou Yiren, who assassinated Zhao Yong.
Lou Yiren shook her head.
"Where's your mother?"
Lou Yiren nodded.
"Put it on her."
Zhao Wumian casually threw out a rooting mask, and then threw out two ivory cards: "Remember the place of origin and identity above, and enter the villa tomorrow. Since you have mastered the "Actor's Treasure Mirror", you are considered a talent and may be of some use in the future. Be obedient in the villa, and I will protect you and your mother."
Lou Yiren: “…Yes.”
Zhao Wumian waved.
Lou Yiren bit her lip and slowly backed out.
Zhao Wumian turned around, looked towards the dense forest, and said casually: "Come in."
"..."
Shen Weiyang walked out from behind the tree with a strange look on his face.
Zhao Wumian saw that she had misunderstood. She was really jealous. His five fingers formed into claws. He stretched out his hand and sucked, using the unique skill he used when he met Chun everyday [Dragon Catching Hand]. Shen Weiyang cried out softly, and flew uncontrollably into his arms. She blushed immediately, and gently beat him, "What are you going to do? Do you want to kill me and silence me?"
Zhao Wumian held her hand and said, "She knows the Mirror of the Actor. She is a talented person. It's that simple."
Shen Weiyang's face was full of suspicion: "..."
"Do not believe?"
"..."
"alright."
Zhao Wumian put one arm around her waist, held her chin with the other, and kissed her directly, with their lips pressed tightly together.
Shen Weiyang was frightened at first, her face flushed, and then she immediately forgot about Lou Yiren, her eyes became blurred...
It’s really hard to do it with both hands. I’ll try harder…
(End of this chapter)
