Above the small wooden fish, there is a line of blue-gold fonts suspended, showing a number.
"The merit is enough, should I change it..."
In the broad tower of merit that stands high in the clouds, Ouyang Rong walked around with his hands behind his back.
Before coming to Xunyang City, he only had one or two hundred merits left in his body.
In the days after he came to Xunyang City and settled down, Ouyang Rong actually didn't earn much merit.
In addition to Miss Qin's time, she was just brushing up junior sister's experience packs every day, and a few days ago, she helped some colleagues in Jiangzhou lobby who were in trouble.
Over time, I have accumulated more than 800 meritorious deeds.
The extra 1,000 merits now are still eating into Longcheng County's political achievements.
The construction of Zheyi Canal, New Ferry and other projects have gradually been on the right track, and some sporadic merit points have been given back to him from time to time.
By the way, a few days ago, when Ouyang Rong was taking a nap at noon, he was suddenly awakened by a series of crisp wooden fish sounds in his ears.
At first he was confused and confused, but the next day he received an envious letter from a certain Magistrate Diao and found out that some people in Longcheng spontaneously erected a monument to praise his achievements.
After learning this, Ouyang Rong remained silent for a long time and sighed quietly.
I always feel that I am ashamed of my fellow Longcheng folks and do not deserve their concern and gratitude.
In the Tower of Merit, Ouyang Rong paused and regained his senses. He glanced at the trembling ancient bronze clock above his head that was constantly emitting purple mist mixed with pink, and muttered:
"There are only these two thousand merits left at the moment. If we spend them all, there will really be nothing left in the short term. We have to find new ways to increase our merits.
“Right now, the two projects that are most promising for accumulating a large amount of merit are the construction of the Double Peak Peak and the construction of the Xunyang Grottoes.
"Especially the former, being able to control the floods in Xunyang City will be beneficial to the people of Xingzifang. Well, it can also increase some merit, although it is only incidental to the implementation of this matter..."
Ouyang Rong, who transformed into a mind meson and entered the merit tower, floated all over, flew to the ancient bronze bell, stretched out his hand and slowly covered the bell body with purple mist, and said calmly to himself:
"I am the Daoist who holds the sword. From the current situation, as long as I hide myself well, set up the cauldron sword, and use 'Return to Come', I can kill Qi practitioners who are one level above me.
"If you want to advance further and kill a higher level Qi Practitioner with Bu Jian, that is, a seventh level Qi Practitioner like Huanwen, you need to replenish the Purple Mist of Merit and Buping Qi.
"Well, first of all, rule out the suspected sequelae of coma. Don't use it easily.
"And the required merit Ziwu alone, based on past experience, is probably measured in thousands. This is the 'price' of killing a seventh-grade Qi practitioner."
At this moment, Qi practitioners all over the world don’t know that thousands of miles away in Xunyang City, Jiangzhou,
There was a new swordsman who was determined to be the sixth man and was very well-hidden. He was settling accounts in front of a dimly lit desk, with his eyes closed and his brows furrowed.
Sui Sui thought about the price per head corresponding to their cultivation level.
Everything is quantified into a series of numbers in the eyes:
"As for the sixth-grade Qi practitioner, it is calculated based on the crazy rate of loss of merit when killing Qiu Shenji...
"It should be in units of ten thousand. Of course, Qiu Shenji fell from the top five ranks of Qi Practitioners and is stronger. It cannot be generalized.
"But it should also require 10,000 merits to guarantee it."
Ouyang Rong twirled his fingers and made a calculation, then suddenly made a grimace.
Looking at the bronze bell that looked like a vibrating egg at this moment, and the rotten wooden fish that slowly increased its merits, he looked at the ocean and sighed:
"I only have more than 2,000 merits now, and now I have to consider whether to redeem this. It seems not a serious blessing. If another thousand is deducted...it will be really poor."
Ouyang Rong had a sudden thought:
"If I could be promoted from the current ninth-grade sword holder to an eighth-grade sword holder and kill sixth- and seventh-grade qigong practitioners, wouldn't I be able to save a lot of merit?"
He shook his head again: "However, this is back to the old problem before. Where to find the sacrifices required for the ceremony to advance to the eighth level? Identity is a problem, and there is also the highly anticipated occasion required for the ceremony...
"The spiritual energy level of this sacrifice should not be too high. It is best if you don't know how to practice qi skills. It will allow me to chop melons and vegetables neatly.
"Well, although it is the evil magician's murder, arson, and crooked ritual that Hanhan said, whether it will deduct merit is another matter. I definitely can't kill good people lightly when I use it. Well, it would be great if a person with a lot of evil will come to my door...
"But there are so many things in the world that offer the best of both worlds."
The conditions became more and more harsh. Ouyang Rong rubbed his face, put the matter aside for the time being, and continued to wait for the opportunity.
Dispel thoughts.
Ouyang Rong, who was suspended in front of the bronze bell, lowered his head and glanced at the quiet little wooden fish.
"Okay, since it's related to Huanwan."
As the words fell, the green-gold color above the small wooden fish suddenly turned into a swimming carp.
It spirals in the air.
It slammed into the trembling bronze bell body that surged with pink and purple mist.
clang--!
The sound of Hong Zhong and Da Lu resounded in all directions.
In the Lonely Merit Tower, the figure of a certain young man disappeared.
…
Ouyang Rong suspected that this beautiful blessing of a thousand merits was highly related to his junior sister.
I don't know what the surprise is.
Is it another heavy rain assist, and the temple takes shelter from the rain?
Ouyang Rong was looking forward to it.
"If I have another chance, I will definitely capture this stupid girl." Someone nodded.
However, there are still a few days until Xie Lingjiang returns, so there is no rush.
He had no choice but to suppress the turmoil in his heart and continue with the life in front of him.
On this day, just after noon, another group of envoys from the Luoyang court arrived at Xunyang Ferry in a large boat.
Yuan Huaimin and other officials from Jiangzhou Hall arrived in surprisingly well-behaved manner. Following Wang Lengran and Ouyang Rong, two chief and adjutants, they rode to the ferry to greet him.
As in the past, Ouyang Rong rode the "plump and graceful" maroon horse Dongmei at the front of the team under the envious eyes of Yuan Huaimin behind him.
Wang Lengran was one step ahead of him and walked in front to lead the team.
Ouyang Rong, who had just woken up from his nap, had his eyelids drooping and his face looked a little lazy, as if he hadn't come back to his senses yet.
Wang Lengran ignored him.
Ouyang Rong also had no interest in talking to him.
The atmosphere between the two of them was cold.
After a while, I arrived at the Xunyang Ferry Pier and received the Luoyang envoys. After a while of polite greetings, everyone turned around and took the envoys to the Prince Xunyang's Mansion in Xiushui Fang.
Wang Lengran chatted with the palace people warmly and familiarly.
Yuan Huaimin stepped forward on horseback to talk to Ouyang Rong, who was silent. The two chatted intermittently. Yuan Huaimin stretched out his salty hand from time to time and touched the winter plums.
The corners of Ouyang Rong's mouth twitched.
Faintly hearing some of the palace people in front praising Wang Lengran, Yuan Huaimin turned his head, covered his mouth with his hand, and whispered:
"Brother Lianghan, Mr. Wang really loves to be in the limelight. On weekdays, there is no one else in the lobby of Jiangzhou. When the palace guests come, he is the first to dress neatly. Instead, he scolds us for being lazy."
Ouyang Rong nodded and casually glanced at the back of Governor Wang, who was riding a tall horse and was very showy.
How about killing this troublesome old guy?
Use him as a ritual sacrifice and be promoted to the eighth level!
A bold idea suddenly came to his mind.
"Brother Lianghan, what's wrong with you? Your eyes are so wide open, sand got in?"
"No, it's okay."
Ouyang Rong shook his head, and calmly looked away from the back of a certain figure in front of him who was talking boastfully.
Soon, we finished welcoming and seeing off the people from Luoyang Palace.
Except for Wang Lengran, who was preparing to host a banquet for the envoy in the evening, everyone dispersed.
Ouyang Rong was not interested in flattering palace people, so he returned to the Huaiye Lane mansion at the end of the day.
As soon as he got home, he immediately found an excuse to deal with Mrs. Zhen and Ye Weilai's clingy care. He returned to Yinbingzhai and closed the study door tightly.
Ouyang Rong first walked to the bookshelf, took down a stack of books, and took out the long and narrow wooden box behind it that was obscured by the stack of books, as well as a sandalwood pill box placed quietly inside.
Ouyang Rong held the two items in his arms, returned to the desk, sat down, and placed them on the table.
He crossed his hands and propped his chin on the back of his hands, with a hint of thought in his lowered eyes.
It's not impossible to pluck Wang Lengran and use him as a sacrificial ritual.
On the contrary, it is quite suitable and removes a scourge.
Moreover, it seems that Wang Lengran currently has no spiritual energy cultivation. As for whether there are any Qi practitioners from the Wei family to protect him, no clues have been found yet.
Wang Lengran was also the governor of Yizhou. I heard that he was from a well-off gentry in the north. Of course, he was not at the level of the fifth surname and the seventh king.
In short, the identity is consistent.
The success rate of the promotion ceremony is not small.
Anyway, Ouyang Rong's conscience is 100% passable.
There's just one problem.
Will it alert the snake? The risk is too great.
Due to the needs of the ceremony, Ouyang Rong had to spread his sword in public and kill the sacrifice.
Cut off the head of a Shangzhou governor in public.
It's a bit too blatant.
If the court's face is involved, a thorough investigation will be carried out.
Xie Lingjiang once casually warned not to underestimate the power of the imperial Qi practitioners.
In Ouyang Rong's memory, there was a department in Dali Temple, the capital of the gods, that specialized in handling Qi practitioner incidents. It gathered the world's top detective experts and could second the Qi practitioners from the Yin and Yang family in the palace to assist.
In the age of peace, qigong practitioners at home and abroad must consider whether they dare to kill the governor of the imperial court.
Ouyang Rong raised his eyebrows slightly.
So, are we going to fight with them?
Besides, as Wang Lengran is a member of the Wei family, if he kills him, will it anger the Wei family and make him someone more difficult to deal with?
For a time, he was confused.
Ouyang Rong looked at the Mohist sword box containing the tripod sword on the table, and the sandalwood box containing the "Mo Jiao" elixir.
Killing Wang Lengran with a cloth sword is simple.
Even if he is protected by a Qi Practitioner, as long as he does not exceed the sixth level, he cannot stop the invincible sword of "Tang Zuo".
After all, how can you guard against thieves for a thousand days...and guard against sword-wielding men?
But the death of this old thief will have too many implications.
Even Empress Wei might conduct a thorough investigation herself.
Even if Mrs. Di helps, it will be difficult to suppress this matter.
In addition, there is another point to consider. After killing Wang Lengran in public, Ding Jian will show up, right?
Wouldn't it be announced to the whole world that there is a tripod sword and a sword holder in Xunyang City?
In fact, the difficulty in this matter lies in the fact that the ceremony requires "all the attention".
If someone can kill someone quietly, there are many ways to destroy the body and eliminate traces for someone who has been watching social and legal channels since childhood...
Is it going to be passed on to Yunmeng Jianze like the Wei Shaoxuan matter?
After all, only such a hidden sect who has stood for thousands of years can take on such a big pot.
But...wouldn't it be bad?
There is no grudge. It is a bit unethical to continue doing such things that benefit oneself at the expense of others.
Although the little wooden fish is motionless and most likely will not receive merit points, Ouyang Rong's conscience will slightly condemn him.
Besides, the old swordsmith originally wanted to hand over the "craftsman's work" and Ah Qing to Yunmeng Jianze to follow the Lotus Tower Alliance.
Ouyang Rong's appearance disrupted the plan by mistake, which was regarded as a stumbling block.
Speaking of which, the great lady named Xue Zhongzhu came down from the sky to Xiaogu Mountain to create chaos and indirectly saved his life.
Ouyang Rong frowned slightly.
"Be sure to decide first, plan carefully, don't act rashly, find a way out first.
"Besides, it's best not to offend those female nuns in Yunmeng. They have too many blames to blame. What if they catch me? Wouldn't they chase me to the ends of the earth and cut me to pieces with a thousand knives?
"Currently, it seems that as the leader of swordsmanship in the world, Xue Zhongzhu's talent and cultivation are too outrageous. If I stand still and let me use my sword at will, even if I use up all my anger, I may not be able to touch the hem of her skirt...
…”
Ouyang Rong murmured and nodded.
Outside the window beside the table, the night is dark.
Inside the house, it's dark.
Suddenly, a clear blue sword light poured out from the gap in the wooden box.
At the table, a handsome young man stared straight ahead.
An "arc" floats on the table.
One person and one sword, silent.
…
The next day, night.
In the main room of Yinbingzhai, Ouyang Rong, who was dressed in pure white and seemed to be about to go to bed, turned his head and glanced at Ye Weilai, who was sleeping peacefully.
He walked over, took out a recently made bamboo umbrella, and opened it.
The surface of the umbrella is fiery red, and there are almost dried ink, and there is a love sentence that makes his old face blush.
Ouyang Rong coughed lightly, put on his black and gray regular clothes, and went out carrying a carefully made red paper umbrella.
Tonight is another agreed day for gathering at Prince Xunyang’s Mansion for discussion.
Ouyang Rong quickly climbed over the wall, escaped the curfew, crossed several squares, and arrived at Xiushui Square.
On the way, looking at the misty night sky and the distant ships shining like stars on the Xunyang River, an idea suddenly came to his mind.
If Wang Lengran's head was really taken off with a "craftsman's work", would it be considered as telling the Wei family that the Cauldron Sword has an owner and something happened to Wei Shaoxuan?
This will be beneficial to Prince Xunyang's Mansion.
After all, Wei's fantasy of a comeback was shattered.
Until now, the Wei family has been slow to move and has not integrated the internal voices. It is very likely that some people still have expectations and illusions about Wei Shaoxuan and Qiu Shenji's trip to the Dingjian and are waiting for their return.
The cover-up set up by Ouyang Rong has never been exposed.
Of course, the prerequisite for exposing the "craftsman's work" is still to survive the investigation by various forces including the Wei family.
This comes back to the issue of retreat.
After all, he is in the position of Jiangzhou Governor and cannot leave Xunyang City.
Ouyang Rong frowned in confusion.
But no matter what, it can be regarded as a benefit that can be brought by killing Wang Leng.
Half an hour later, Ouyang Rong rushed to the study room ahead of schedule.
Not long after, Li Xian, Wei Mei, and Li Dalang arrived, except for a certain beautiful figure.
Ouyang Rong frowned and asked, "Da Lang, where is your sister?"
Li Dalang looked embarrassed:
"The Poetry Society has another gathering tonight, but this time it's at our Xiushui Fang. My sister said she's coming back, but Tanlang seems to have come a little early tonight, and she hasn't returned yet."
Ouyang Rong pursed his lips and said directly:
"We won't wait for her. Let's discuss it first. When the time comes, just convey it to her."
"Okay." Li Xian and Li Dalang laughed.
Wei Mei frowned, slapping the table and gasping: "This girl is getting more and more outrageous, and she kept Tan Lang waiting for a long time. I won't break her legs when I come back!"
The lady in the long skirt paid attention to Ouyang Rong's face from the corner of her eye while scolding her beloved daughter.
Ouyang Rong had no choice but to advise: "Why did Auntie do this? It's not that serious."
Wei Mei immediately handed Ouyang Rong tea: "Baoer is ignorant, Tanlang, don't be angry."
Half an hour later, the routine discussion ended and everyone dispersed with thoughtful expressions on their faces.
Ouyang Rong grabbed the red umbrella and walked out of the study. Instead of climbing over the wall and returning immediately, he turned to call Li Dalang and asked:
"Where is the courtyard, little junior sister?"
Li Dalang immediately pointed the way: "Near the back garden in the southeast corner, Tanlang first walks along the main corridor, then turns left and heads south..."
As he spoke, Li Dalang glanced at the delicate red umbrella in his friend's hand:
"Why are Tanlang going there? Didn't Miss Xie reply to the letter? She won't be back in two days?"
"Ahem, it's a little personal matter. It's okay. Goodbye, sir. Go to bed early."
Under the eyes of Li Dalang with a narrow smile, Ouyang Rong quickly waved his hand and walked towards Xie Lingjiang Boudoir without looking back...