Chapter 636: 594 Rumors 2
’Where are you going?’ the White Scale asked.
’Back to Wushan. As Princess Qianye, Ye Bai might know something. Plus, Gong Shuyin and Yan Shuang from the Sensing Sect are masters with well-informed news. Moreover, members of the Reverse Time Society are still present; if the first two don’t know the details, they certainly will!’ Zhang Rongfang answered in his heart.
He sensed that something was amiss.
While the world was supposedly under the control of the Great Dao Alliance, at this very moment, a hidden undercurrent was quietly eroding the situation from the shadows.
He didn’t know what that undercurrent was.
Was it the Spirit Flying Church? Or the remnants of the Five Kings’ power? Or perhaps something else?
Without stopping, he passed through several small towns, seeing people carrying their belongings in bundles, leaving in carts and carriages towards the Great Capital and Upper Capital.
People wore expressions of worry and unease.
The procession of carts and people was like a long snake, stretching from the city gates to the farthest reaches of the official road.
Almost every town was like this.
Before long.
Within the Human Immortal Temple in Wushan.
Ye Bai sat calmly on a wooden couch, regulating her breath and gathering her state of mind.
Previously, the Daoist in the temple had delivered her healing and hemostatic medicines, which she had ingested and applied externally.
As a member of the royal family, she could not worship deities, nor had she practiced Hard Skill or worn armored protection.
Thus, she was easily injured by stray stones and arrows.
Even as a master of the Three Emptiness, she was but cannon fodder on such a battlefield, powerless to participate.
Every time she thought of this, Ye Bai’s beautiful eyes turned somber, as if she could still faintly hear Lu Luo softly calling her name.
Knock, knock, knock.
Suddenly, a slow knocking interrupted her thoughts.
Ye Bai took a deep breath and composed herself. She stood up and opened the door.
Amidst the sound of the gently creaking wooden door, the sky outside was dimming; it was nearly nightfall.
A tall man in a dark red robe stood quietly at the door.
’Ye Bai, it’s been many years since we last met, and you still look the same,’ the man said.
The man was Zhang Rongfang, who had just returned from outside.
’I have some urgent matters I wish to ask you about. Is it convenient to talk?’ he asked.
Ye Bai paused, recognizing him by now.
’No problem. Please come in,’ she said, stepping aside.
The two entered the room, closed the door, and lit an oil lamp.
The lotus copper lamp, made up of nine lights, illuminated the previously dark room completely.
’Zhang Rongfang... perhaps that name is no longer fitting for you,’ Ye Bai said. ’Let us call you Qiankun Zi.’
’Either is fine,’ Zhang Rongfang replied, seating himself as he glanced at Ye Bai, now dressed in white long-sleeved attire.
’One reason I’ve come is that after so many years, it’s a rare opportunity to meet you again. I still remember the favor of your teaching back then. If you’re ever free, you’re welcome to stay at my temple for a longer period,’ he said before pausing.
’Additionally, I want to ask about the current situation in Great Capital and the Great Dao Alliance. Why were there no army masters dispatched during the attack on Citong?’ Zhang Rongfang asked, this being his main concern.
Ye Bai frowned slightly.
’The Great Dao Alliance is at its zenith, completely suppressing the Divine General’s royal family, the major families of the Spirit People, and the academies of Confucian teaching. No one dares to resist or question it.
By rights, what happened at Citong shouldn’t be this way.’
’Does the Great Dao Alliance have any rivals now?’ Zhang Rongfang inquired.
’Naturally, it does. The Spirit Flying Church is always lurking in the shadows. Additionally, there are the remnants of the Five Kings, and... the Righteous Alliance’s Reverse Time Society,’ Ye Bai replied. ’Recently, it’s been rather strange. Forces that dared not show themselves in previous years have suddenly started to act up frequently, almost as if they’ve agreed upon it.
The Great Dao Alliance is suppressing these disturbances far and wide, and both sides are suffering casualties, a situation that’s persisted for months.’
’For months? What about Master? Has the Great Dao Alliance taken any decisive action?’ Zhang Rongfang furrowed his brow; this firefighting approach was uncharacteristic of Yue Shi.
’No decisive action has been taken. Recently, the First Divine General of the Spirit Court was killed once again, and thereafter there’s been no commotion. Other Divine Generals have all left the capital and disappeared,’ Ye Bai reflected.
Suddenly, she recalled a rumor recently circulating within the royal family, a rumor concerning Yue Dewen’s martial arts practice.
The rumor suggested that Yue Dewen encountered an unexpected consequence in his martial arts, wherein his increasing power not only killed enemies but also injured himself in the process.
Thus, every time he took action, he would also inflict injury on himself, and such injuries would not heal in a short period.
However, such a rumor sounded utterly absurd and ridiculous.
Ye Bai knew how potent the self-healing abilities of a top-tier Spirit General were.
Not to mention Yue Dewen, a peak master of Great Spirit; even an ordinary Spirit General possessed self-healing far beyond ordinary people’s imagination.
Therefore, she dismissed such rumors as false.
Nevertheless, reflecting on it now, she suddenly noticed that something was indeed wrong with the Great Dao Alliance.
Whenever disturbances occurred, it was others from the various sects within the Great Dao Alliance who took action. Alternatively, other Daoist masters who were recruited by the Great Dao Teaching.
And Yue Dewen himself seemed to have taken action less frequently in recent years.
But such speculation is merely based on rumors, without any evidence to substantiate it, so it’s not suitable to mention it now.
"Is there any other news?" Zhang Rongfang continued to ask.
Ye Bai hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. "There shouldn’t be any more."
Zhang Rongfang noticed a fleeting trace of hesitation on her face.
"Even common rumors can be shared. I will verify them myself. No need to worry about saying something wrong."
"In that case... there is a rumor circulating quietly within our royal family, but I’m not sure if it’s true..." Ye Bai said.
"What rumor?" Zhang Rongfang pursued.
"It’s about the National Master’s martial arts... rumor has it the National Master practices martial arts..." Ye Bai paused.
"I’ve only heard about it, so if you verify and find it wrong, please don’t blame me."
"Of course, I won’t!" Zhang Rongfang assured.
"Alright." Ye Bai composed herself. "Legend says, after the National Master took charge of the Great Dao Teaching, his martial prowess advanced rapidly, quickly creating a vast gap between him and other top masters.
He was originally the world’s top master, and this became his reliance, suppressing the chaos of roving bands and rebel armies throughout the Great Spirit."
"Only this kind of enhancement..."
Ye Bai took a deep breath.
"Report!!" Suddenly, a hurried voice came from outside the door.
"The Temple Master has an urgent report!!" The messenger’s tone was breathless, clearly having exerted himself to hurry back with the message.
"Speak." Zhang Rongfang, interrupted, turned to look outside the door.
"Should I step out for a moment?" Ye Bai hesitated and asked.
"No need, the elder isn’t an outsider. We were once on the same side, and now can still fight alongside each other." Zhang Rongfang waved his hand grandly, speaking righteously.
"You supported me back then, and now, it’s my turn to support the elder!"
Are you kidding? A princess of the Great Spirit royal family, who surely knows a great deal, is right before him. Let her run away?
"Alright..." Ye Bai felt somewhat moved, thinking Zhang Rongfang truly values affection and righteousness, rare qualities in this world.
Just then, the door opened, and the messenger swiftly entered, kneeling on one knee to report to Zhang Rongfang.
"Reporting to the Temple Master, we were ordered to contact members of the Righteous Alliance’s Counter-Tide Society, all of whom returned without success.
The original contact point of the Counter-Tide Society was empty, with everyone having left not long ago!"
The Counter-Tide Society fled?
Zhang Rongfang’s heart sank, vaguely sensing something was amiss.
"Elder, please rest for a moment, I will be right back." He immediately stepped outside.
The primary contact point is deserted, but that doesn’t mean Ran Xinyue and the Celestial Maiden are also absent.
Something significant must have happened, or the Counter-Tide Society wouldn’t disappear without a word.
He must quickly seek out the Celestial Maiden and Ran Xinyue to inquire. Ran Xinyue possesses a bloodline he transmuted, capable of tracking people through bloodline tracing!
With a swish.
His figure turned into a blood shadow, swiftly darting out of the room, disappearing without a trace.
So fast even Ye Bai couldn’t see his shadow.
She stood stunned in the center of the room, feeling a wave of disparity rising within her.
Reflecting on her current situation, she felt somewhat bewildered and lost.
"Oh right, elder, what was that rumor you mentioned just now??" Suddenly, Zhang Rongfang’s voice echoed beside her.
Ye Bai was startled, her whole body tensed, and her scalp tingled, completely caught off guard.
"It’s... about the National Master, rumor has it his martial arts have strayed into a dark path, possibly causing issues, becoming weaker and injured the more he uses it! This might be why so many forces suddenly mobilized frequently!"
She reflexively disclosed everything she knew.
Then once more, her vision blurred as Zhang Rongfang’s figure exploded again like a foam board, vanishing from sight.
*
*
*
Celestial Heart Pavilion.
Within Wushan Prefecture, the Celestial Maiden has three hiding places, the one she most recently and frequently stayed at being the Celestial Heart Pavilion.
At this moment, a blood shadow flickered inside the pavilion.
A figure pushed the door open and entered the guest hall.
"Is your mistress home?" Zhang Rongfang asked the maid guarding the guest hall.
"Mistress is out and hasn’t returned, Daoist Zhang, this is the note she left for you. She anticipated your visit."
The maid stepped forward, handing over a bamboo tube with both hands.
Zhang Rongfang felt a chill in his heart, took the bamboo tube, opened the lid, and poured out the scroll inside.
Upon unfolding it, a line of text was clearly written on the scroll.
’Counter-Tide has arrived, be cautious.’
Zhang Rongfang crushed the scroll into powder, closing his eyes to sense Ran Xinyue’s bloodline.
Recalling the rumor Ye Bai mentioned, he suddenly felt a profound, ominous premonition.
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