After sleeping until dusk, Xu Zhiqiong ate something, dressed up, and went to the Yin and Yang Division.
When he followed Wu Xu here, the gatekeeper's attitude was very arrogant, which made Xu Zhiqiong very disgusted.
Xu Zhiqiong came by himself today, but the gatekeeper didn't let him in.
"Wait at the door, I'll pass the message."
What are you crazy about?
If it weren't for the ineffectiveness of your divination, would I still need to make this trip?
Not long after, the gatekeeper came back, with drooping eyes, he said to Xu Zhiqiong: "I have an invitation from Taifu."
Taibu was still at the original place, saw Xu Zhiqiong, and asked: "Have you practiced "Hua Gu Scroll"?"
When the words came to his lips, Xu Zhiqiong swallowed them back. Why didn't this old guy play his cards according to the routine?
I came to deliver a letter to you, why did you ask me a question first?
Moreover, this problem has a deep trap. Xu Zhiqiong clasped his fists and said: "The "Gu Volume" is kept by Qianhu, and the younger generation has not yet seen it."
"Let him keep it?" Taibu shook his head, not sure if he was disbelieving or disdainful, "Please remind Wu Qianhu to practice more diligently."
Xu Zhiqiong said: "The war is approaching, but now I'm afraid it's too late to practice."
"The war is approaching? What news have you got?"
Xu Zhiqiong repeated what happened. Taibu nodded and agreed with Wu Xu's inference.
"Since it's set for the seventh day of April, things will be easier to handle."
The closer the day got, the more accurate Taibu's calculations became. After calculating for about half an hour, Taibu wrote a letter and gave it to Xu Zhiqiong.
The letter was not sealed, so Taibu said to Xu Zhiqiong: "Just take a look and ask me if there is anything you don't understand."
This is too trustworthy for me.
Xu Zhiqiong read it from beginning to end and planned the ambush time, location and number of people.
After a rough calculation, Taibu asked Wu Xu to summon fifty lantern men.
"Only fifty people, isn't it too few?"
"Fifty people are enough. I will also send twenty Onmyoji to assist in the battle."
"Is Taibu personally going to fight?"
Taibu shook his head: "If I leave the Onmyoji Division, I will definitely arouse suspicion. The people I selected are all elites. In addition, I also found a helper for you. When it comes to battle, he is more useful than me."
, tell Qianhu not to worry."
"What helper is more useful than Taibu?"
"No need to ask more, we will know when the time comes."
Xu Zhiqiong collected the letter, left the Onmyoji Division, and walked to the door, where he met an acquaintance.
"Brother Tong, why are you here?"
Tong Qingqiu originally wanted to avoid Xu Zhiqiong, but seeing Xu Zhiqiong approaching, she smiled bitterly and said, "I can't do it if I don't come."
"If you have any difficulties, just tell me and we brothers will find a solution together."
"It's unthinkable, brother, I can't escape this time." Tong Qingqiu let out a long sigh and entered the Yin and Yang Division.
…
"Tong Warlock, you are really hard to find." Taibu looked at Tong Qingqiu with a sarcastic expression.
Tong Qingqiu nodded and said, "It's because I don't know how to commend myself, and I have always let down Taibu's kindness."
"How come you are willing to come here tonight?"
This old man is too bad. Don’t you know why I came?
"Tong doesn't have many ways to make a living, but he offends a lot of people. If he can't find the yin and yang method, this way of living will be cut off."
Taibu looked upright and reprimanded: "Yin-Yang cultivators, the way to make a living is in the Yin-Yang Department. You are hawking along the streets in the market. How can we allow you to be so blasphemous in our sect?"
What have I blasphemed? Is it wrong to rely on one's own resources?
There is no point in talking too much. Your life is in the hands of Taifu.
Tong Qingqiu saluted and said: "From now on, I am willing to listen to Taifu's instructions."
Taibu nodded: "You move to Yin Yang Division first. What is it like living in that smoky place?"
Trouble is coming.
Tong Qingqiu saluted again: "Please bring Rong Zhuojing here with you."
Taibu's face sank: "Your wife is not of my race, how can I tolerate her?"
Tong Qingqiu took a deep breath, straightened her waist and said, "If you can't tolerate her, you can't tolerate me either!"
Taibu sneered: "You still dare to threaten me?"
"Tong doesn't dare, I just ask the divination magnanimity."
Taibu lowered his eyes, looked at Tong Qingqiu and said, "I am only magnanimous to my disciples."
Taibu wants to take Tong Qingqiu under his sect, but Tong Qingqiu has his own sect.
Tong Qingqiu naturally does not want to betray his master, but now he has no right to bargain.
"Tong is willing to listen to Taifu's instructions."
Taibu frowned and said, "What did you call me?"
Tong Qingqiu gritted her teeth and saluted again: "Tong is willing to listen to Master's instructions."
…
On the third day of April, Wu Xu received news that someone had entered Longjiao Ghost Market at night, and Liang Yuming began to explore the way.
On the fourth day of April, Jiang Feili received news that three maids were missing from the palace of Prince Huai.
On the fifth day of April, Wu Xu received news that six fourth-level cultivators had entered the capital and were staying at Lu'an Inn in the east of the city. One of them could speak, and the other five were mute.
Are they really dumb?
Of course not, they are afraid of showing their foreign accent.
On the sixth day of April, Xu Zhiqiong patrolled the night as usual. When lighting the third night watch lamp, he put away a letter box from the wick.
The letter came from the city gate. At dusk, more than twenty cloth-carrying carriages entered the city, but the city gate soldiers did not search them.
A large-scale convoy like this entering the city should be searched, but Daxuan's gate control was lax and some loose money was given to the city gate soldiers, so the search was unnecessary.
These cloth-carrying merchants now live in private houses in Beiyuan. Needless to say, the carriage contains women who were imprisoned outside the city, and now they have entered the city.
Before midnight, the night patrol was over. Yang Wu was going to talk to Xu Zhiqiong and report to Junior Sister Han.
"Zhiqiong, I heard that there has been a lot of trouble among the officials these past two days. Master Qianhu has not been punished, right?"
"Punishment?" Xu Zhiqiong smiled bitterly, "Qianhu adults are about to be demoted."
"Demoted?" Yang Wu exclaimed, "No, no woman has gone missing in recent days."
"So what? Who made us offend the officials? I don't know if this matter will implicate us."
"What does this have to do with us? It's not like we beat Sun Jideng."
"That's all, don't ask any more questions." Xu Zhiqiong waved his hand and said, "Come and sit with me on the railing."
Yang Wu shook his head: "I won't go, I'd better walk around."
Let's go and give the prince another good news.
This is probably the last good news for him.
…
On the seventh day of April, in the afternoon, Liang Yuming saw off Han Di on the boat.
When he learned that Wu Xu was about to be demoted, the chamberlain Hao Quan said with a smile: "Wu Xu will probably wipe his tears in Ming Deng Pavilion tonight. In two days, I'm afraid he won't even be able to enter Ming Deng Pavilion."
Liang Yuming shook his folding fan and admired the scenery of Wang'an River: "Is there no movement over there in the ghost market?"
"Anzi has been squatting in the ghost market for four full days. He has checked every building and found nothing."
"How are the six envoys doing?"
"It's calm, I really admire them. They look so good at pretending to be dumb. Even I can't tell them apart."
Liang Yuming closed the folding fan and warned again: "No mistakes can be made anywhere, you must have people keep an eye on it!"
"Your Majesty, don't worry."
…
At night, Yang Wu yawned and prepared to patrol the night, but did not see Xu Zhiqiong and Chu He.
"Wang Qingdeng, where did the two of them go?"
Wang Zhennan raised the lantern: "The two of them are taking leave tonight, please come with me."
Yang Wu shrugged his eyebrows: "What's the matter? Why do you just ask for leave when you ask for leave?"
Wang Zhennan smiled: "Don't ask too much, just follow me. Don't think about seeing your junior sister tonight, just patrol the night with me."
…
In Tsing Yi Pavilion, Mr. Jiang has an order that all Tsing Yi pavilions are not allowed to leave the attic after their duty is over.
Han Di asked Yuchilan: "Senior sister, what's going on tonight? Why don't you let us go?"
Yuchilan shook his head: "I don't know the reason, I just wait for the instructions from the young master."
Han Di stood up and said, "I want to go to the toilet."
Yuchilan stood up together: "I just drank some more tea. I'll go with you."
Han Di bit his lip, not daring to act rashly again.
This is Jiang Feili's order to Yuchi Lan. No matter what you do, you must be accompanied by someone.
…
In Zhangdeng Yamen, Xiao Songting, the green lantern man, walked out of Mingdengxuan and happened to meet Yixulu, the red lantern man.
Yi Xulu smiled and said: "Songting, are Qianhu here?"
Xiao Songting shook his head and said: "Qianhu is not here."
"How dare you enter Mingdengxuan when Qianhu is not around?"
Xiao Songting laughed dryly: "I also went in, and I didn't know Qianhu was not there."
"You are becoming more and more unruly. I have prepared some food and wine. Come have a drink with me."
Xiao Songting cupped his hands and said, "I have other important matters. I will have a drink with Deputy Qianhu another day."
Yi Xulou sighed: "I'm old, I don't think you take me seriously anymore."
Xiao Songting was shocked: "What does Deputy Qianhu mean by this?"
Yi Xulu lost his smile: "Drink a drink with me tonight. I will discuss it with Qian Huhaosheng, and maybe we can save your life. You are going to leave the Yamen, so don't blame me for being ruthless."
…
At midnight, the Longjiao Ghost Market was silent.
Although the market was sealed, there were no imperial guards guarding it, only roadblocks were set up at the intersections on both sides.
It's enough to have roadblocks. Ordinary people won't risk beheading themselves by coming to such a desolate place in the middle of the night.
There is a two-story shop in the center of the market. It was originally a famous large silk and satin shop. Two onmyojis set up a magic circle on the second floor.
They are not Onmyojis from the Onmyoji Division, they are Liang Yuming's subordinates, two seventh-level cultivators.
The magic weapon is ready-made, and the location of the magic circle has been marked in advance. The two onmyoji masters are brothers, and they work together very well. In less than a cup of tea, the magic circle layout is completed, and one of the onmyoji cultivators lifts the clay pot.
Sprinkle a piece of mercury in the center of the circle,
The mercury swirled and flowed in the center of the magic circle, forming a whirlpool. In the whirlpool, several women emerged.
A woman struggled to get up from the whirlpool and tried to escape. As soon as she reached the edge of the magic circle, her body collapsed on the ground like mud, unable to move. Tears flowed all over her face, but she could not even cry.
This is a teleportation circle that can teleport living people from several miles away. Not even sixth-grade Tong Qingqiu has such a method.
Such a powerful magic circle was naturally not created by these two seventh-level masters, but by their master, a fifth-level onmyoji.
He prepared more than a dozen sets of magic formations in advance and gave them to his disciples.
This fifth-grade Onmyoji master is currently drinking with Yi Xulu at the Lantern Yamen.
…
There are also two Onmyojis in Beiyuan's house, and they also bring ready-made magic formations.
More than thirty women were thrown into the yin-yang magic circle by them, trapped in mercury, and disappeared without a trace.
A mouse escaped from the house and returned to Xu Zhiqiong.
Xu Zhiqiong lit the twin candles and ran towards the Longjiao Ghost Market.
Did they use the Yin-Yang Array?
They use magic circles to send people away?
This was a miscalculation!
Xu Zhiqiong's task was to stay in Beiyuan and monitor this group of cloth traders. He thought that these cloth traders would take the woman to Longjiao Ghost Market in a carriage.
As soon as they leave, it will prove that Liang Yuming has started to take action, and Xu Zhiqiong uses twin candles to send the news to Wu Xu, which means the mission is completed.
Unfortunately, Xu Zhiqiong was wrong. Neither he nor Wu Xu expected that the other party had high-quality Yin-Yang cultivators, let alone that they would use the Yin-Yang magic circle to transport women.
The women imprisoned in various places were all sent to Longjiao Ghost City by the Yin and Yang magic circle. Wu Xu saw the candles lighted up and was still waiting for the carriage to appear.
Xu Zhiqiong blew out the candles and lit them again while running away.
Wu Xu looked at the flickering candlelight and didn't understand what Xu Zhiqiong meant.
Lord Chihu, can you understand what I mean?
If I can't make it in time, you have to take action in advance!
…
In the silk and satin shop, two hundred women were transported from various magic circles, tied tightly, and piled densely on the second floor.
Fifty chamberlains walked out of the magic circle, fetched water, and washed the women clean.
Six fourth-level cultivators walked out of the magic circle one after another. Three fourth-level Gu sects carried a giant cauldron and placed it in the center of the first floor. Another two fourth-level Gu sects piled medicinal materials into the cauldron.
The remaining fourth-grade Suzaku summoned blazing flames and burned them under the cauldron.
Liang Yuming finally walked out of the magic circle, quietly looking at the women on the ground and the huge cauldron in flames, with a smile on his lips.
He is a calm person, but he can't hide his joy at this moment.
This giant cauldron can turn two hundred women into grease within an hour.
The oil is mixed with the aura of the emperor. Put the eggs of Huowong mixed with Liang Yuming's blood into the oil, and you're done tonight.
At that time, the giant cauldron was moved outside the city. Three days later, the insect eggs hatched and the poisonous insects were swallowed into the body. Liang Yuming became the host of Xiao Rong.
With Xiao Rong, Liang Yuming can be promoted to the fourth rank within half a year.
A fourth-grade cultivator has a lifespan of more than three hundred years, and is only one step away from being a third-grade cultivator. Even a second-grade star official is no longer an unreasonable thought.
After planning for a year, I finally waited until today.
Looking up at the night sky, I will be among the stars.
Of course, this doesn't come without a price.
In order to obtain this velvet insect egg, Liang Yuming promised the Gu sect elders to help the Gu sect cultivate 20,000 Gu worms in Daxuan before this time next year.
Gu worms need to be cultivated by living people. Twenty thousand voodoo worms means 20,000 living people. This velvet worm egg is worth 20,000 lives.
Is it worth it?
worth!
What does it mean to be born into a royal family?
The royal family is the master of the world, and the lives of all people in the world belong to the royal family, just like the grass in front of the door, they can be harvested at will.
The country of Daxuan is so vast. With my fourth-grade cultivation and the heir apparent of the royal family, how difficult is it to collect 20,000 lives?
In order for me to achieve a great cause that reaches the stars, how can I sacrifice 20,000 useless people?
Liang Yuming looked back at the women on the ground and felt that they were not even as good as grass.
The giant cauldron was burning hot, and fifty eunuchs each carried a woman on their shoulders, waiting for Liang Yuming's order to refine the oil.
At the same time, Xu Zhiqiong rushed to Wu Xu's side, and while breathing, he squeezed out three words: "There is a magic circle!"
Wu Xu finally understood what he meant, took out the lantern from behind, swung it hard, and a firework flew silently into the air.
Seeing the light of the fire, fifty lantern men and twenty onmyojis quietly entered the Longjiao Ghost Market from both sides of the street.
On the third day of April, Wu Xu learned that Liang Yuming had sent people to explore the way, and Wu Xu expected that Liang Yuming would send people to stay in the ghost market. If there was an ambush in the ghost market, Liang Yuming would definitely notice it in advance.
Therefore, Wu Xu chose to ambush outside the ghost market, surrounded him from both sides of the street, and killed Liang Yuming.
Xu Zhiqiong followed Wu Xu into the ghost market, and a familiar figure appeared next to him.
Brother Tong, he is here too.
Tong Qingqiu blinked at Xu Zhiqiong and suddenly stopped.
He smelled something strange.
Xu Zhiqiong just reminded him of the magic circle, and he also heard it.
Tong Qingqiu stretched out his hand, causing the Onmyoji to stop.
He made a crossed gesture, and all the Onmyoji took out their magic weapons and began to break the formation.
…
When the time came, Liang Yuming ordered the woman to be thrown into the cauldron.
The woman tried her last bit of strength and squirmed on the waiter's shoulder, but to no avail.
Just as the chamberlain was about to take action, he suddenly heard the Gu cultivator shouting: "Wait a minute, there is someone on the street!"
Hao Quan said: "I'll go out and take a look."
Liang Yuming grabbed Hao Quan and said, "Don't look anymore, retreat from the magic circle."
He believed in the judgment of the Gu cultivators, turned around and headed straight for the magic circle, only to find that the mercury on the ground had disappeared.
Liang Yuming looked at the two Onmyojis and said, "Why is this?"
Onmyoji looked horrified: "The magic circle has been broken!"
Before he finished speaking, the roof exploded and a red light fell in front of Liang Yuming.
On the roof, Wu Xu laughed ferociously: "Dog thief, do you know your guilt?"