Chapter 457: Brief Calm

Chapter 457: A Brief Calm

Inside a small room, furnished so simply it bordered on shabby.

At opposite ends of a long table sat two men.

Ghost King Da quietly observed the person sitting across from him; merely allowing this man to link into this Yellow Millet Dreamscape had left the millennium office's main server with no spare capacity to render or embellish any other imagery.

He wore a plain, dark blue robe that was nearly black, and his hair was cut into a sharp, short style that was exceedingly rare among those of the Daoist Sequence.

The man’s facial features did not leave much of an impression on Ghost King Da, primarily because his eyes made it almost impossible to look away.

It was a pair of Daoist cybernetic eyes, manufactured by some unknown Daoist faction; though they appeared no different from those of an ordinary person, deep within the pupils, all manner of bizarre and grotesque images shifted and swirled like a magic lantern.

There were crisscrossing paths between fields, where wisps of cooking smoke drifted out of windows and caught on the corners of eaves.

There was a dense forest darkened by wind and rain, where a disheveled Daoist led a weary horse, braving the world with a sword in hand.

There was a city heavily shrouded in mist, where strange Western savages wore ferocious expressions, closing in from all sides.

There was a battlefield strewn with corpses, where battle cries rose in all directions beneath billowing signal smoke, deafening to the ears.

These were all fragmented images of Yellow Millet Dreamscapes, signifying that while this man was meeting with him, a portion of his mind remained submerged, reincarnating across various worlds.

Ghost King Da composed himself and averted his gaze, moving away from those bizarre, uncanny eyes to get straight to the point: "Liang Jianfeng, Thousand-Master Su ordered me to bring you a word."

"What guidance does Thousand-Master Su have?"

The chaotic worlds within the Daoist’s eyes stopped swirling, and a desolation weathered by time and hardship seeped from the depths of his pupils.

Yet Ghost King Da saw quite clearly that behind that desolation coiled a deeply rooted, indelible pride and indifference.

This was not directed at him, but at all living creatures in the world.

For no reason, a phrase popped into Ghost King Da’s mind—not some ethereal concept like 'Heaven and Earth are unfeeling,' but a brutal and savage evaluation once made by Su Ce.

"Clearly a bunch of mortals born of fathers and mothers, yet they fancy themselves immortals in an illusory world. What 'cultivating the false to realize the true is the path to truth'? They are nothing but fools who have lacked a sound thrashing by a solid fist!"

"Fists save the world, Yellow Millet harms mankind. The Thousand-Master's words truly pierce right to the heart of the matter."

Ghost King Da muttered under his breath, and seeing the puzzled look the other man cast his way, he corrected his posture and said seriously, "The Thousand-Master requests your presence at the Edo City Millennium Office; he wishes to personally host a welcome banquet for you."

"I understand. Please report back to Thousand-Master Su that I will certainly attend the banquet on time."

Liang Jianfeng agreed very cleanly and decisively, without the slightest hesitation.

This caught Ghost King Da somewhat off guard, having prepared a stomach full of threats in his draft, and he even suspected his meaning had not been clearly expressed, adding, "The order is for you to go straight to Edo the moment you enter the Japanese Sector..."

"When entering a house as a guest, one must first pay respects to the host; those are the rules. Even if Thousand-Master Su had not reminded me, I already intended to do so."

Interesting...

The attitude shown by this Earth Immortal of Mount Qingcheng was exceptionally humble, entirely different from the Daoist Sequence members Ghost King Da had dealt with in the past.

If he had not clearly seen that pride engraved into the man’s genes, he might have mistakenly thought Mount Qingcheng had sent a pure and innocent disciple who remained unstained by the world.

But looking at it from another perspective, if Liang Jianfeng were of a gentle disposition, how could he have ever become an Earth Immortal of Baiyu Capital? And how could an Earth Immortal of Baiyu Capital ever be a gentle soul?

Though Ghost King Da’s own sequence rank was not high, as the Deputy Thousand-Master of the Jinyiwei in the Japanese Sector, he was qualified to know certain pieces of information.

Daoist Sequence Four and Earth Immortal were two concepts that could not be mentioned in the same breath; they were worlds apart.

Among the various major factions of the Daoist sect, there were plenty of cultivators who could advance to Sequence Four. Especially among the new-school cultivators, as long as your reincarnation was not too terrible, you possessed some innate talent, and you joined a respectable faction, achieving Sequence Four was entirely possible.

But a Baiyu Capital Earth Immortal was different; unless one’s name was prefixed with a surname like 'Zhang' or 'Liang,' there was virtually no chance.

Heaven's Way numbers fifty, leaving one for mankind.

This 'single thread' of opportunity did not describe the difficulty of achieving immortality, but rather represented tangible authority within Baiyu Capital.

Thousands upon thousands of the Daoist Sequence yearned to temper their Daoist hearts and raise their strength within the Yellow Millet Dreamscapes. Yet how the limited resources were allocated was a matter where only those Sequence members with seats in Baiyu Capital had a say.

There were a mere one hundred Earth Immortal seats in Baiyu Capital, so every single person capable of becoming an Earth Immortal was by no means a simple character.

Just like the Liang Jianfeng before him.

However, whatever calculations the other man was making in his heart, Ghost King Da did not care, so long as he delivered the message.

Whether a dragon or a tiger, once they reached the Millennium Office, they would have to coil if told to coil, and lie low if told to lie low.

The conversation concluded very swiftly, and Liang Jianfeng departed from this dreamscape a step ahead.

The imagery shattered and faded before his eyes, and the roaring sound of rain abruptly erupted.

This was a lonely, deserted wilderness, where the distant city was submerged in a boiling sea of light and shadow.

"Uncle, what is Su Ce's meaning by this?"

Liang Renxian stood a step behind the Daoist, his expression dark and displeased.

A talisman floated above their heads, keeping the icy rain droplets at bay.

"For this old, un-dying martial artist to come knocking at this critical juncture is nothing more than wanting to find trouble with us to demand some benefits for himself."

Liang Jianfeng spoke in a detached tone, "All of this is within expectations. On the contrary, if he had continued to feign ignorance, I would feel somewhat uneasy instead."

"Then if you go to Edo City, how will Osaka City be handled? Mingzhi Qingxiu has already sent multiple messages; she is currently trapped in the city, and it is only a matter of time before she is discovered by the Jinyiwei."

Liang Renxian said worriedly, "Given that woman's way of doing things, if she is driven to a dead end, I fear she might drag Takamagahara down to the grave with her!"

"Su Ce will not push her to her death."

Liang Jianfeng's tone was certain: "He has tolerated these Japanese pirates making trouble for so long, and having finally grasped a bargaining chip he can use to demand a price, he will not let go of it easily."

"But if Takamagahara falls into the hands of the Jinyiwei, trying to snatch it back from that pack of greedy hyenas will likely cost a considerable price. After all, they are about to lose their own nest soon, so they will certainly seize the opportunity to open their mouths wide."

Liang Renxian's brow was tightly knit, his words filled entirely with contempt and ridicule for the Jinyiwei of the Japanese Sector.

"Otherwise, why do you think Su Ce wanted me to go to Edo City? The purpose is simply to stall me and buy time for the Jinyiwei under his command."

Liang Jianfeng sneered, "Though we of Mount Qingcheng do not fear them demanding an exorbitant price, there has never been a precedent of us spending money to feed dogs! Therefore, Mingzhi Qingxiu and Takamagahara must not fall into the possession of the Jinyiwei."

"Then it would be better if I enter Osaka first!"

A fierce glint appeared in Liang Renxian's eyes, "As long as we can take the initiative by a step, would this pack of stray dogs dare to forcefully snatch it from my hands?"

The Daoist's eyes showed approval, and he turned to gently pat Liang Renxian's shoulder, the lofty pride in his eyes fully revealed.

"Rest assured, the current Su Ce is already beset on all sides; he will no longer have the courage to make an enemy of my Mount Qingcheng!"

Within the pitch-black deep sea, a steel dragon clad in bright yellow armor coiled upon the surface of the water.

The 'dragon head' shot two extremely bright beams of light from its eyes, glaring angrily at the insignificant figure obstructing its forward path.

"An uncivilized business like highway robbery should be left to a coarse man like Ghost King Da to do, shouldn't it? How could the Thousand-Master arrange this on my head? I am a damn scholar through and through!"

Upon the iron rails, beneath a black umbrella, Qian Fengting’s face was dark as he cursed under his breath, "An insult to culture, truly an insult to culture!"

The white smoke generated by the intense friction between the 'dragon feet' and the rails rose up, and amidst the swirling clouds and mist, a furious, high-pitched dragon roar pierced straight into the sky.

"What are you honking for? If you have the guts, then run me over!"

With a wicked fire burning in his chest, Qian Fengting rubbed his eyes, which were aching from the glaring light, and tugging at the flying-fish pattern on his robes, he shouted loudly, "Do you not recognize this uniform? Turn off these two broken lamps for this official first, otherwise you won't need to run this line ever again!"

As the words landed, the flood-dragon submitted.

The light pillars capable of illuminating several nautical miles from the dragon's eyes abruptly extinguished, and only then did Qian Fengting find himself as if blind, unable to see anything at all, with only the pitter-patter sound of wind and rain hitting his umbrella in his ears.

"Ahem... let a little light out."

Just as the words left his lips, the dragon’s eyes glowed faintly once more, though the light was so dim it couldn’t pierce the fog that swirled around him.

“Just a little more—that’s it.”

Qian Fengting glanced down at his soaked robes, annoyedly wiped the rain from his face, and simply tucked his useless umbrella away, letting the rain drench him.

His hair and beard danced wildly, giving him a reckless, almost frenzied air.

“Listen up, everyone on board! I’m Qian Fengting, deputy captain of the Wajing Wei in the Wajing area. I’ve been ordered to capture the Honghu rebel army! No one is allowed to leave the carriage. Stay inside and await inspection. Violators will be treated as Honghu rebels!”

After shouting this, Qian Fengting didn’t bother to check whether the people in the carriage could hear him in such a vast environment. He slumped down onto the railway with a thud.

“This is a disgrace to scholars.”

As Qian Fengting sighed, a series of mechanical sliding sounds suddenly echoed from the swirling fog.

The scales on the dragon’s side gradually opened, and a group of scholars dressed in Confucian attire stepped out from the open carriage door.

Qian Fengting looked up and saw that the number of figures emerging from the fog was exactly nine.

“It seems this is a matter of face, and they’re preparing to settle the score in person after all?”

Qian Fengting’s expression was cold. He leaned on his knees, stood up, shook the black umbrella in his hand, and the bright blade snapped out with a ‘swoosh’ sound.

But the situation didn’t unfold as he had expected.

The sons of noble families stood respectfully in the rain, bowing to Qian Fengting and performing the Confucian disciples’ ritual.

“Confucian scholars, we pay our respects to Elder Qian!”

The disheveled swordsman stood tall with his sword, while the noble sons bowed their heads in humility.

It was only then that Qian Fengting finally understood why Su Ce had asked him to stop the carriage instead of letting the rough man, Ghost King Da, do it.

Although he knew in his heart that it wasn’t himself who was asking the other party to perform the ritual, it didn’t prevent Qian Fengting from feeling a surge of excitement and relief at that moment.

“This feeling is so fucking awesome!”

Osaka Castle.

In the ruined buildings, cold rain poured in through holes in the walls.

Spent cartridges were scattered on the ground, soaked in sewage, and the carbonized skin fragments still bore dark red blood stains that were clearly visible.

Li Jun squatted on the ground, holding a severed arm fragment and examining it carefully. From the remaining eagle feather pattern, it was not difficult to determine the identity of the arm’s owner.

“The battle ended quickly. When our people arrived, the place was already empty.”

Yuan Mingfei stood aside and said solemnly, “However, the identities of both sides can probably be guessed: they are Toyotomi Yuanjiang and Huangshi Lie.”

“You didn’t mention it. I almost forgot that there were these two people in the Wajing area.”

Li Jun laughed helplessly and asked, “What is the current situation of the Huangshi Group?”

“It has become an empty shell. All business has been suspended, assets have been transferred, and internal personnel have either died or disappeared.”

“Huangshi Lie was decisive. It was better to cut his losses himself than to leave it for others to confiscate.”

Li Jun changed the subject and said coldly, “But this happened right under the eyes of Ming Wang, the hundred households of Edo Castle. Didn’t he have any idea?”

“I don’t know if he knew or not, but the thousand households office has not received any report from him.”

Yuan Mingfei smiled, “But now it’s no use to investigate these things.”

“That’s true.”

Li Jun nodded and continued to ask, “Then how did the blacksmith Toyotomi Yuanjiang get involved in the Osaka Castle incident? Did his Sanmizu Heavy Industries also cut off its tail and escape?”

“This is unclear.”

Yuan Mingfei said with some helplessness, “Ming Wang is very attentive in this regard. Almost all the spies I sent have been cleaned up by him. The thousand households office seems to have no energy to pay attention to these things recently.”

“Then let’s not worry about it!”

Li Jun stood up, stretched himself, and his face was still unnaturally waxy yellow.

“Dao Xu is determined to conquer Takamagahara, Bu Xu also wants to get a share, and now these Japanese pirates want to fish in troubled waters. Let’s kill them all! It’s best to cut the Gordian knot and clean up these troubles at once.”

Yuan Mingfei nodded and continued, “The martial arts injector that Yanglong brought to buy his life—I have arranged for Xiaohei to take it to the thousand households office. Although I think the probability of him tampering with it is very small, it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

“And the body of Sangyans’i Bai Ma—Wangye has already found it.”

Li Jun waved his hand to interrupt the other person’s words, “How to distribute these? You guys can discuss it among yourselves. No need to tell me.”

“Understood.”

Li Jun’s answer was within Yuan Mingfei’s expectation, but asking still had to be a prerequisite.

“Has Huangshi Dongdong’s brain been searched?”

“Zou Si Jiu did it himself. But except for a lot of Buddhist scriptures for brainwashing, there was no information about where Mingchi Shengxiu was hiding.”

“This is a bit troublesome.”

Li Jun rubbed his temples, his eyes full of fatigue.

Now that we’ve alerted the snake, the clues are gone. Osaka Castle is not small, and it would be difficult to find Mingchi Shengxiu in the vast sea of people within a short period of time.

“I have arranged for people to notify the Xuanxi Si Yamen to seal off the entire city, allowing entry but not exit.”

“Those guards couldn’t even stop Honghu, let alone these two desperate lovers.”

Yuan Mingfei pondered for a moment, “Actually, I think they probably won’t leave Osaka.”

Li Jun raised his eyebrows, “Why?”

“Now that we have reached the point where the map is exhausted and the dagger is revealed, unless they can escape from the Wajing area, they will eventually be dug out by the Jinyi Wei. But if they wanted to leave the Wajing area, they could have done so earlier. They wouldn’t still be hiding in Osaka Castle today.”

Yuan Mingfei spoke with certainty, “There are things here that they can’t bear to leave behind.”

“You mean those Huangliang hosts?” Li Jun suddenly realized.

“That’s right. The reason they are willing to take such a big risk and stay behind is probably because they are waiting for a buyer to arrive. If they give up this opportunity and continue to delay, the situation in the Wajing area will become increasingly unfavorable for them.”

Yuan Mingfei pursed her lips, “Or in other words, the things they have will become less and less valuable.”

Li Jun smiled and said, “So that means we still have some time?”

“But it shouldn’t be much.”

Yuan Mingfei looked worriedly at Li Jun’s dry face, “Can you still go on? Otherwise…”

“I have to go on, even if I can’t.”

Li Jun laughed self-mockingly, “If such a small situation required Su Lao to personally step in, it would be too embarrassing for the old man.”

Yuan Mingfei wanted to say something but finally swallowed her words back, and asked instead, “What should we do next?”

“You take your people back to the Osaka Castle police station first. Let the brothers rest. You and Zou Si Jiu and the others should also take some time to sort out the stolen goods.”

Li Jun joked, “There will be plenty of time to act later. If you guys don’t help, I really won’t be able to handle it with my two fists.”

“What about you?”

“I have some other things to do.”

Li Jun threw the severed arm fragment in his hand and sighed, “This night has been really long.”

.