noffsinger Chapter 75 Even a dragon must coil up, and a tiger must lie low.
Chapter 75 Even a dragon must coil up, and a tiger must lie low.
Gu Shiba stared intently at Xu Changqing with his narrow eyes and said in a cold voice, "Fellow Daoist, shouldn't you give me an explanation?"
Xu Changqing's expression remained unchanged. He chuckled lightly, shook his head, and spoke in a calm tone, even tinged with regret: "Amitabha. Why do you say such things, Fellow Daoist Gu? They are merely a few ungrateful and self-destructive sacrificial offerings. For you to be so angry and hold such a grudge over them... how can you achieve anything great?"
Gu Shiba's face darkened, and he was about to retort when a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz suddenly reached his ears.
"Fellow Daoist, please calm your anger. I will speak frankly. I am a guest retainer of the Prince of Jin's residence, and I have come here on orders. My purpose in coming to Minghai is not to be an enemy of your lineage, but rather for an important item within the ruins of the Ziyang Temple. Why let a minor misunderstanding spoil our harmony?"
Guest minister of the Prince of Jin? Remains of Ziyang Temple?
Gu Shiba's heart skipped a beat, his narrow eyes suddenly narrowed as he stared intently at Xu Changqing, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the cold edge of the Heart-Eating Gu Basin, his heart filled with doubt and unease.
The Prince of Jin's forces have also set their sights on this place? And even sent a guest advisor? This person's cultivation is unfathomable, and his use of poison is unpredictable. If what he says is true... is he friend or foe? Does Master know anything about this?
His expression shifted, turning dark and gloomy as doubts arose in his heart, a mixture of murderous intent and apprehension, leaving him unsure how to respond.
To take action? This person's strength is unknown, and he might be involved with Prince Jin; rashly making an enemy could jeopardize Master's important affairs. Not to take action? The harsh words have already been spoken in front of everyone; how can one back down now?
"If you do not believe me, please look at this."
Xu Changqing took in his expression and knew he was in a difficult situation. Suddenly, he laughed loudly, reached out and pulled off the token from his waist and tossed it away casually.
The token traced an arc and landed steadily in Gu Shiba's hand.
Gu Shiba felt a weight in his hand, and the token felt warm yet cool to the touch.
He looked closely and saw that the character "晋" had strong strokes, and the back was engraved with the two characters "客卿" (guest minister). Below that was a line of small characters that read "丙辰年敕造" (made by imperial decree in the year of Bingchen). The edges were decorated with cloud patterns, and the workmanship was exquisite, exuding an air of majesty.
As the magical power surged in, the character "晋" (Jin) shone brightly, followed by a continuous flow of spiritual energy.
The style, the material... He had indeed seen it with his master at a secret gathering years ago. It was a token of authority for someone under the Prince of Jin, and it couldn't be faked.
As the last trace of doubt in his heart dissipated, Dan Gu Shi Ba's expression became even more unpleasant.
It's true! This person is actually a guest advisor to the Prince of Jin. No wonder he's so fearless.
Now he's truly caught in a dilemma. If he intervenes, he'll offend the Prince of Jin's advisor and ruin any potential "cooperation." If he doesn't intervene, his earlier aggressive stance has made him a laughingstock.
Xu Changqing looked at him with a half-smile, then suddenly raised his voice and shouted to the demons who had not yet dispersed:
"Fellow Daoist's magical artifact is unparalleled in its power; I am ashamed to admit defeat. What happened just now was purely a misunderstanding; please do not take it to heart."
Admit defeat?
Gu Shiba was taken aback, but then he understood. This was the other party giving him a way out, using the pretense of admitting defeat to save face for his earlier questioning, and thus averting a potential conflict.
His mind raced; in the current situation, this might be the best way to handle it. It would both avoid a direct confrontation with this mysterious and ruthless advisor to the Prince of Jin and maintain his authority.
As for these demons... they're just tools. Master will have his own explanation.
Having figured this out, Gu Shiba's expression softened slightly, and he promptly put away the Heart-Eating Gu Basin, causing the oppressive aura to dissipate.
He forced a smile and raised his voice, as if the previous tense standoff was merely a friendly exchange between comrades:
"Fellow Daoist should have spoken plainly earlier. A minor misunderstanding can be let go. However, your methods are perhaps a bit too ruthless. You must be cautious once you meet Master Man."
The last sentence, spoken in a slightly somber tone, carried a subtle warning: My master is no ordinary person; do not act recklessly just because you are a guest of the Prince of Jin.
Xu Changqing chuckled, completely unconcerned: "Of course, of course. I was just about to pay my respects to Master Man to discuss important matters."
The two exchanged a glance, a knowing look flashing in their eyes.
Gu Shiba stepped aside and made a "please" gesture. Xu Changqing naturally went over happily and walked alongside him.
"Once Master Man refines your pills, let's see if you can still be so arrogant."
Gu Shiba sneered inwardly, but his face was full of smiles as he chatted casually with Xu Changqing, making small talk as if they were old friends who hadn't seen each other for many years.
Xu Changqing smiled and agreed.
The two, each with their own ulterior motives, chatted and laughed as they headed towards the Li residence in the inner city.
......
On the high building of the Li residence called "Moon-Viewing Pavilion," three figures stood leaning against the railing.
Having reached their level of cultivation, their eyesight is beyond the reach of ordinary people. Masters at the Foundation Establishment stage can easily see the scenery several miles away, with every detail clearly visible.
At this moment, Master Man, Zhen Guang, and the Black Scorpion Monk were clearly seeing everything that was happening at the city gate, and knowing that he was a guest minister of the Prince of Jin, they each had their own thoughts.
"Good." Master Man suddenly spoke, his voice as calm as ever, revealing no joy or anger, but that one word "good" seemed to carry a certain playful approval.
On his full, auspicious face, the scar between his eyebrows, resembling an unopened eye, held an inexplicable malice.
Zhen Guang leaned against the railing, his fingertips gently tapping the cold wood, making a soft, tinkling sound.
A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips: "The Prince of Jin's reach is quite extensive. However, whether it's genuine or not is another matter. Even if he is truly from the Prince of Jin's mansion, once he arrives in Minghai City, he'll have to cower and submit, whether he's a dragon or a tiger. If he knows what's good for him, we can offer him some scraps; if he doesn't..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but the cold glint in his eyes said it all.
The Black Scorpion Monk remained silent, but unconsciously, the speed at which he twirled the string of black prayer beads in his hand increased slightly.
When he saw Xu Changqing's large, fat figure and face, his fair and delicate face twitched slightly, and a look of fear and jealousy flashed deep in his eyes.
Lanterns hung high in front of the Li residence.
In the open space to the side, a wooden platform about ten feet high had been erected at some point, its surface stained with blood and emitting a pungent stench.
On the stage, an unequal battle is unfolding.
One of them was a man in his early twenties, shirtless, with bulging muscles and bronze skin covered with old and new scars.
He held a blunt-edged broadsword, his swordsmanship was wide and powerful, a battlefield swordsmanship that ordinary martial artists could only hone over decades of hard training, and which had already developed some internal strength.
Once one gathers and refines the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, one can then cultivate qi and attain enlightenment.
Unfortunately, his opponent was no ordinary person, but a wolf demon who had already cultivated several streams of turbid qi.
The wolf demon could have killed the man outright, but instead of giving him a quick death, it continued to torment him.
"Haha, beg me quickly, kneel down and kowtow three times, shout 'Grandpa Wolf, spare my life,' and I'll spare your life, how about it?" The wolf demon's eyes were full of mockery and cruelty.
"Pah! You beast!" The man spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes bloodshot, and swung his broadsword in a wide arc towards the wolf demon's neck. "Even if I, your Grandpa Chen, die, I'll bite off a piece of your flesh!"
The wolf demon easily dodged to the side, then slapped the man on the back with its claw.
With a crisp "crack," it was unclear whether it was a broken rib or a dislocated scapula.
The man staggered forward, barely managing to stand by using his knife for support. Blood gushed from his mouth, but he gritted his teeth and refused to fall.