The two hundred and fourteenth chapter of the temple is high and far away
The moon is dark, the wind is high, and the night is murderous. This sentence is perfect to describe a quiet night like tonight. I wonder how many people will lose their lives tonight in the entire Dachu territory.
In Bianzhou, which is only more than 200 miles away from the capital, the dim moonlight shines through the branches on this inconspicuous small county. During the day, the county is quite lively, with traveling merchants escorting goods.
Caravans and escort agencies, people with swords and swords, came and went in an endless stream.
But at night, the lively scene during the day suddenly disappeared, and even the brothels that were so popular elsewhere seemed deserted in this small county town.
This is not because the officials here are too incompetent, and there is always news coming out overtly or covertly that there is a secret stronghold outside this small county.
Ange's reputation in Dachu is not good. Although it is not to the point where children cry at night, others will feel chills down their spines when they talk about it, especially some Jianghu gangs and green forest people, because what Ange does is
The business of getting paid to kill people.
Outside the small county town, there is a dense forest to the east. On such a night, the darkness and terror of the dense forest are even more apparent.
This terror is not only due to the dark clouds in the sky and the lack of moonlight, but also to the permeating human aura in the air that spreads from the ground.
Turning your sight from the ground to the underground, a bottomless tunnel comes into view. There is an oil lamp every twenty meters on both sides of the tunnel. However, in such an environment, you can barely see the nearby roads clearly.
As we walked along the tunnel, we didn't know where to go. It wasn't until a piece of light came from the front that our vision began to broaden.
Different from the darkness in the tunnel, when the vision becomes brighter, what you see is a magnificent hall. If this is a stronghold of the Dark Pavilion as rumored, I am afraid that this stronghold has a very important position in the Dark Pavilion.
Not low, even if it is not the headquarters, it should be the first among the many branches.
There were scattered figures in the hall. Although many people were busy coming and going, no one dared to make a sound, as if they were afraid of disturbing some terrifying existence deep in the hall.
Behind the main hall, in a secret room surrounded by hard stone walls, two dim figures were elongated by the candlelight, which highlighted their hideousness under the light.
"Ancestor, there is news that Wang Xuanlang's apprentice has appeared in the world."
Under the light, the lower one of the two bowed and said to the other.
"Oh! Why did you suddenly show up after disappearing for several years?"
There was some confusion in the other person's voice, as if he didn't quite believe the news that Jiang Ergou would suddenly appear.
"I don't know, but there is news that Jiang Fuyu seems to have broken through to the first-level realm."
"No wonder!"
The man who was called the Ancestor had some understanding in his tone. After a slight pause, the Ange Ancestor continued.
"But in our secret pavilion, there seems to be no first-grade master except me. You, Mei Niang and the judge seem to be a little behind! I remember that when you were second-grade masters, that person was still a fourth-grade master.
You must be a brat in the realm of taste."
There was a touch of sarcasm in the man's tone, and he looked down upon the people he mentioned.
Probably because he heard the other meaning of the ancestor's words in front of him, a fine layer of cold sweat broke out on the man's forehead, and he wiped it quietly before continuing.
"Ancestor, although Jiang Fuyu has broken through to the first-level realm, there are actually people on our side who can compete with him. News came from the Southern Tang Dynasty a few days ago that the scholar Jian Bai Pheasant has quietly broken through to the first-level realm!"
The man who had a rather low status in front of the ancestor was actually a little surprised when he said the last word. If the source of the information was not so reliable, he would not have believed it.
"What!?"
Hearing the news suddenly, even the ancestor found it incredible for a moment.
"Recently, ancestor, I have felt something in my heart. The Great Dao of Heaven and Earth has gradually become clear and understandable. I thought that the few of you around me would break through to the first level earlier, but I didn't expect that the scholar's sword was still at the forefront."
After pondering for a while, the ancestor continued.
"Do you know why he broke through to the first level?"
The man who bowed under the ancestor was stunned and silent, and then answered with a puzzled tone.
"I don't know about this. The news said that it has been more than half a year since the Scholar Sword broke through to the first level. However, after his breakthrough, he suppressed the news of his breakthrough and did not pass it back. If it weren't for a business trip to the border this time, I would
I have sent some people there, but I am afraid that until now, the news that the scholar's sword has broken through to the first level has not yet been transmitted."
After hearing the answer, the ancestor frowned, a little suspicious that the person he sent to the Southern Tang Dynasty had other thoughts.
"It's a good thing to break through to the first level. When the news comes, we will send some more manpower to him. The most important thing is that I can't think of any reason for the ancestor to hide it."
At this point, the man who had been bowing his head suddenly straightened his back. Although he still showed respect, he had already approached the ancestor.
"Old Ancestor, no matter what his intentions are, Jiang Fuyu's incident this time can be used to test him. If it is not convenient for Ancestor to take action, the Scholar Sword is the best person to use against Jiang Fuyu."
Although he said this, the ancestor naturally had his own considerations. No matter why the scholar sword concealed the news of his breakthrough, after all, he had an extra manpower on his side.
Even if he really has the intention of setting up his own branch, as long as he doesn't push him into a hurry, he will not leave the Ange at least openly until he is not sure. And if he is allowed to deal with Jiang Fuyu, will he?
Does it make him think that Ange is driving him out?
Putting aside these, the most important point is that although he is now one of the most powerful masters in the world, his real control over Southern Tang Dynasty is not necessarily very strong, otherwise he would not have let the scholar sword suppress the news for more than half a year.
It’s been a long time.
But then again, the Ange has grown a lot after several years of development. In addition, with him, the ancestor who is firmly ranked second in the world, he can force away or deal with some guys who have other ideas earlier.
Dropping it may not be a bad thing for Ange.
What's more, everything about Bai Pheasant's credit at this time is just speculation. What if he had no intention of leaving the dark pavilion but suppressed the news for other reasons? In this case, all their current conjectures would be meaningless.
After carefully weighing the pros and cons, Tong Huan, the ancestor of An Pavilion, finally made up his mind and nodded. No matter what Bai Pheasant's plan was, sending him to deal with Jiang Fuyu was indeed the best way to test him.
"Okay, it's up to you to inform him personally about this, and also see if he is still loyal to Ange. If he really has different intentions, even if he becomes a first-class man, I won't mind going to Southern Tang to clean up the family."
Upon hearing his ancestor's instructions, the man quickly lowered his head and said yes, fearing that his ancestor would regret it the next second.
"It's ancestor, I will return to Lingzhou immediately, and go to Southern Tang immediately after making arrangements!"
Under the dim candlelight, the man turned around and saw that he was really the ghost lord who was one of the top three killers in An Pavilion.
…
In the Southern Tang Dynasty, Hollyhock Province, in a small courtyard in Taiyuan Mansion, the scholar Jian Bai Pheasant, who had hidden his long sword in his sleeve and then took it out openly, was sitting alone in the courtyard with his eyes closed.
Now he is wearing a long gown, and he doesn't look like a killer, but like a teacher.
Everything is exactly as Fu Qingyuan said back then,
Bai Zhiqian couldn't get out of the yard that night, so he really couldn't get out again.
"Linger."
"Why."
At some point, Bai Zhiqiang quietly opened his eyes, with a gentle smile on his fair face. Such a smile should never appear on a killer's face.
And just when he called out the name, a reply came from the room, and a blind woman walked out cautiously, holding a cup of tea in her hand.
Perhaps because she was already too familiar with this courtyard, the woman seemed very steady as she walked. Bai Zhe took the tea cup from her hand and looked at the woman in front of him with a smile on his face.
He had decided to stay after Bai Pheasant failed in the assassination attempt and was trapped in this courtyard, and nothing could stop him from staying, not even the dark pavilion.
Therefore, in the past few years, he has long forgotten the purpose of coming to Southern Tang Dynasty. He has been controlling the power of the Ange in Hollyhock Province and then ignored it. His only idea now is to stay with this woman well.
Everything, whether it's the dark pavilion or the world, has nothing to do with him.
If he hadn't been able to openly fall out with Ange now, I'm afraid he would have washed his hands and withdrawn from the world.
And I don’t know if it was because he really let go. The bottleneck that was originally stuck at the second-level realm suddenly loosened two years ago. About half a year ago, the first-level realm that was originally out of reach for him
That is to say, it will fall into place.
However, at the moment of his breakthrough, he had no intention of sending the news back to Dachu, because once the ancestor knew the news of his breakthrough, he would face only two results, either he would be transferred back to do other things, or he would not be given a job.
Send people to let him expand the power of the Ange in the Southern Tang Dynasty.
But neither of these two things was what he wanted to do. Now that he finally had a family, he was very afraid that this family would be harmed by some sudden accident.
However, there are some things that he cannot escape if he wants to. For many people, the road of rivers and lakes is a road of advancement and no retreat.
Just as he was preparing to spend the day's leisurely time in the yard, a figure suddenly passed by the door. Although it was very fast, it was easy to detect it with Bai Pheasant's strength.
He frowned slightly, then helped the woman next to him sit down and said to her.
"The rice at home is almost gone. I have free time today, so I will buy some and bring it back. In addition, there are some things to deal with in the school, so I may be a little late when I come back."
"okay."
The woman smiled and nodded in agreement, and then watched the man in front of her go out. Although she couldn't see it, she could always feel it, especially when the man left.
Outside the door, the disciples of An Pavilion dressed in black were waiting respectfully for Bai Zhi's credit. Those who came to the Southern Tang Dynasty with him were all his direct descendants. The man in black in front of him was one of the three third-grade masters beside him.
"What's wrong? Didn't I tell you not to come here to find me unless there is something serious?"
When the man heard Bai Pheasant's rebuke, he lowered his head even more, his expression becoming more respectful.
"Brother, Gui Xiao's people came to Southern Tang Dynasty before, and everyone here basically knows that you have broken through to the first level. Some brothers have unintentionally..."
The man hesitated to speak, paused for a moment and then continued.
"Anyway, brother, I'm afraid I can't hide the news that you have broken through to the first level."
He originally thought that his subordinate was here to persuade him to continue to develop the secret pavilion, but he did not expect that such a problem would arise. Although he did not intend to bury the news for his whole life, it was still a bit early now. If he
Once you reach the stage of being on stage, even if you still can't leave the dark pavilion at best, you still have the qualifications to bargain with your ancestors.
Thinking about these messy things in his mind, Bai Zhiqian frowned and felt complicated.