Chapter 148: Disguise and Spiritual Secret Techniques

Chapter 148: Disguise and Spiritual Secrets

Tang Buqi decided to follow Zhao Changhe’s advice, slipped out through the back gate of the guest courtyard, and sped straight toward the military camp outside the city.

Zhao Changhe, with Sisi by his side, stood atop the guest courtyard roof, gazing into the distance at the clamor before the Tang family’s main gate.

Several hundred to a thousand people from the various families of Gusu had gathered, blocking the Tang family’s entrance so tightly that not a drop of water could pass. Some had already split off to block the other gates; any later, and it might have been impossible to slip out.

Every face was furious, voices raised in thunderous curses, and among the din, one could make out such cries: “The evil energy from the Tiger Hill Sword Pool has leaked, bringing ruin to Gusu! Let the Tangs come out and answer for this!”

A long-bearded middle-aged man hurried out at the head of the crowd. This was Tang Buqi’s father, Tang Wanzhuang’s elder brother, and the current head of the Tang family, Tang Wangsheng. Old Master Tang had long been enjoying his retirement in the capital and was not present—his thoughts likely occupied with his daughter’s marriage. For now, all matters of the Gusu Tang family were managed by Tang Wangsheng.

Not every family was like the Cui family, blessed with a leader as accomplished in both civil and martial arts as Cui Wenjing. Zhao Changhe’s impression of the Tang family was that they followed Tang Wanzhuang’s political lead but were limited in ability, with many idle scions, showing signs of decline. Tang Buqi’s father was the epitome of the Tang family’s state—or rather, his mediocrity had contributed greatly to this situation.

Thus, Zhao Changhe, staying here, hadn’t even bothered to pay a visit to the family head. It would be pointless; he might even face cold mockery, being called a ruffian or worse. Far better to deal with Tang Buqi himself.

Tang Wangsheng’s voice rang out, full of vigor: “The Tiger Hill Sword Pool has been under the Tang family’s care for nearly a century, and nothing has ever happened, as everyone knows! If the Sword Pool’s evil energy had leaked, why would none of us Tangs have been afflicted? Gentlemen, do not heed rumors and misunderstand!”

A leader from the opposing side retorted aggressively: “You keep the Sword Pool guarded in the back hills—who knows what goes on inside? My son went wrong after visiting your Sword Pool, and so did Young Master Gu! Who would believe your Sword Pool is innocent?”

Tang Wangsheng was speechless: “Many have visited the Sword Pool! I myself was playing chess nearby just the day before yesterday—why haven’t I gone mad?”

No one cared for his reasoning. The crowd grew more agitated: “Words are empty—dare you let us enter and see for ourselves? Only by witnessing it can we believe!”

Tang Wangsheng’s expression darkened: “Brother Lu, I understand the pain of your son’s madness, but the Tang family is not a place for you to throw a tantrum! You say you want to enter and investigate—what do you take the Tang family for?”

Zhao Changhe tugged at Sisi: “Let’s go. The Tang family still holds some authority; at worst, they can stall for a while. That Lu fellow, or the Maitreya sect, must keep stirring up the crowd’s emotions, waiting for a spark to ignite before they act. Before that, we do what we need to do. A melee of a thousand people isn’t our fight.”

Sisi whispered, “So this is what you meant when you said the Lu family would be nearly empty?”

“Yes. From the moment I saw Lu Shaoxiong, I sensed something was off, and I’ve been suspecting their target. I’ll explain the details later. Right now, the strongest of the Lu family must all be here; even the guards at their forbidden grounds should be few and weak. If we go now, we might still make it in time.”

Sisi forgot that, as the maidservant she was playing, she shouldn’t be following him into the Lu family’s dangerous grounds. She trailed behind Zhao Changhe as they flew toward the Lu residence in the southern part of the city. At this moment, her curiosity and excitement about this matter were no less than his.

Logically, the Lu family was in the south, while the Tang family was in the north—far apart. What could the Lu family’s secrets have to do with the Tang family’s Sword Pool? It couldn’t be that they had tunneled through the entire city of Gusu—that was too absurd.

But no matter the distance, under their full-speed flight, they arrived soon enough. As expected, the Lu residence was nearly empty; most of their combat-ready forces had gone to the Tang family. Only a few servants and guards remained, patrolling the grounds.

Zhao Changhe, though not skilled in the art of stealth and high-flying maneuvers, had no trouble dealing with these ordinary guards. Soon, he circled to the back of the Lu residence, where a small hill stood, heavily guarded—the so-called forbidden ground.

Zhao Changhe leaned close to Sisi’s ear and whispered, “I know a bit of the Maitreya sect’s mental illusions, but I’m probably not very good at them. I don’t know if I can fool these guards into letting me in. Forcing my way in is also an option, but if we get trapped from behind, it’ll be very dangerous.”

Sisi, suppressing the tickling in her ear, hesitated for a moment and whispered back, “Follow me first.”

Zhao Changhe smiled faintly and followed Sisi as she turned into another small courtyard.

“Normally, this would be some young master’s residence,” Sisi said, expertly propping open a window and jumping in. She knocked out a maidservant dozing at a table, then expertly rummaged through chests and drawers, pulling out a set of clothes belonging to a Lu family young master. “Change into these.”

Without a word, Zhao Changhe changed. Sisi then produced some jars and bottles from who knows where, scooped out some sticky substance, and smeared it over Zhao Changhe’s face. “Just a simple disguise—at least it’ll cover your scar. There, that’s better. Now use your illusion technique, and it’ll be easier to fool them.”

Zhao Changhe smiled again. “Good.”

Sisi pouted, feeling she had been found out. But with such a major event at hand, it wasn’t the time to be secretive. Besides, if her identity as the thief sect’s Sisi was exposed, so what? Even if she was that Sisi, what of it?

Seeing that Zhao Changhe made no comment, Sisi thought to herself, Has this guy suspected all along? Then what about the bath, the teasing, and her own shameless “serving the master” act? And that Dragon Sparrow…

Sisi’s face flushed red. In a fit of pique, she gave up the act entirely, smearing her own face with the stuff until she gradually resembled the maidservant she had just knocked out.

Zhao Changhe: “…”

Sisi urged, “What are you staring at? It’s done. I want to see what the Lu family is hiding here.”

Zhao Changhe was taken aback. “You’re going in too? It’s dangerous.”

Sisi was equally startled, as if she hadn’t considered that she didn’t have to go in. After a long moment, she scratched her head. “I want to go in and take a look…”

Zhao Changhe gave her a meaningful glance but simply said, “Good.”

They both averted their eyes and, almost simultaneously, leaped out the window, returning to the foot of the hill.

Zhao Changhe swaggered forward, and a guard immediately stepped up to block him: “No entry to the forbidden ground… Oh, Second Young Master? Weren’t you supposed to be at the Tang residence?”

Zhao Changhe fixed his gaze on the guard’s eyes, a faint ripple appearing in his own. “Father sent me back to fetch something.”

This was a mental technique from the Extreme Bliss Sutra. Zhao Changhe had only studied it but never practiced it on anyone. As he used it now, he felt his mind grow a bit dizzy, as if the power involved was quite different from the two systems of internal and external energy he was used to—closer instead to the clarity of mind he used to resist the madness of evil energy.

This wasn’t the time to ponder it. It was enough that he could fool ordinary guards. As expected, there were no true experts left here; they had all been sent to the Tang residence. The remaining guards were even more confused than he was: “Second Young Master, you can’t bring a maidservant into the forbidden ground…”

“I just want to have some fun with the maid inside, what’s it to you?” Zhao Changhe pulled Sisi close and even gave her a squeeze. “Move aside, move aside. I’ll be out soon. Who cares about such trifles when there’s a big event at hand?”

Under normal circumstances, this would never have been allowed, but under the influence of the mental technique, it actually worked. The guard just shrugged, turned to open the stone door on the hill, and muttered to himself, “I know you’re quick, but do you have to say it out loud?”

There were more than one guard, and they all snickered.

Zhao Changhe, expression unchanged, kept his arm around Sisi, who was also stifling a laugh, and strode through the door.

The stone door closed behind them, and ahead, a soft light guided the passage forward, leading to an unknown destination.

Though there was no sound at all, Zhao Changhe’s muscles tensed. He released Sisi and reached for his blade.

Sisi, too, lost her urge to tease him. She no longer cared about being hugged or groped. Leaning in, she whispered urgently, “Any findings? Is there evil energy?”

“No… If there were, it would be simple—the Lu family must be hiding something with evil energy and framing the Tang family.” Zhao Changhe’s expression was grave. “The lack of it is the real problem. We have no idea what the Lu family is guarding here. One step forward, and we might be walking into a tiger’s den or a dragon’s pool. Do you still want to go?”

Sisi looked at his profile, her voice growing calmer: “You dare for the sake of loyalty. I dare for my own sake. Why shouldn’t I?”