Volume 8: The Jianghu Chapter 380: The world is gone, the capital is in turmoil
This day, outside the city of Jinling.
"You little thief, fool, idiot, big liar..."
On the official road leading into the city, a young girl's cursing could be heard from afar, attracting curious glances from passers-by.
It would have been fine if they hadn't looked, but once they did, their eyes widened and they were all stunned on the spot.
But amidst the gusts of dust and wind, three figures were walking straight towards them.
The woman on the left, wearing a green umbrella, kept talking and cursing, but her voice was so clear and pleasant that it didn't make people feel disgusted. Looking at her face again, she was actually a beautiful woman, beautiful and charming, stunning and extraordinary. Every move, every frown and smile seemed to exude a spell that could captivate the soul.
But when they looked at the young man on the right, they were dumbfounded again.
Although this man was dressed simply, his face was as beautiful as the woman's. He had a smile in his eyes, and he rested his head on his hands, walking leisurely in the garden, looking very comfortable.
Between the two was a man in white with a cold face, a long sword on his back, and a face as cold as frost.
Listening to the scolding beside him, Li Xiyi sighed: "You have been scolding all the way, when will your anger subside?"
Xie Xiaoyu said angrily: "It can't be erased, it will never be erased, who told you to lie to me."
The man in white was sandwiched between the two people, as if he was accustomed to the conversation between them.
As the sun set and the autumn wind blew, the three of them walked into Jinling City.
Li Xiyi sighed. Although he ran fast, Xie Xiaoyu couldn't escape.
The man in white was not a stubborn sword fanatic. After chasing for a while, he simply gave up and restrained Xie Xiaoyu with his hand, then watched from a distance.
You have to know that their identities are now exposed, and there are countless people in the martial arts world who are plotting against them. Seeing the man in white doing this, the various forces in the dark thought that the time had come and prepared to take action against Xie Xiaoyu.
In this case, how could Li Xiyi sit idly by? He had no choice but to turn back and go with him.
But when they saw Jinling, Xie Xiaoyu and Li Xiyi's expressions changed a little.
Because this is both the headquarters of the "World Alliance" and the location of the Divine Sword Villa.
This time, the man in white enters Jinling, and he may have a fight with Li Yeer and Xie Xiaofeng.
But what was unexpected was that they realized something was wrong as soon as they entered the city. This was because on both sides of the long street, as well as in those restaurants and inns, there were actually many people from the martial arts world, as well as disciples and children from many martial arts sects and famous families. The atmosphere was particularly weird.
Some people had gloomy expressions and said nothing.
Some people were in a hurry and ran out of the city.
Shouts, neighings, and curses came one after another, making a huge noise.
"Strange, could something big have happened these days?" Xie Xiaoyu asked in surprise.
"Big deal? Haha, it's more than just a big deal." Someone who was busy with gossip said, "The Tianxia Alliance has disappeared!"
Li Xiyi was stunned when he heard it. "Gone? What do you mean?"
"Gone, gone. All the branches and divisions of the Tianxia Alliance, including the members of the alliance, except for a few major families, have vanished without a trace in just seven days. It's really..." The man responded in amazement, but when he turned around and saw Li Xiyi and his group, he was stunned at first, and then his face changed drastically, "You...you are Li Muchan's son?"
In an instant, countless gazes converged from all directions and fell on Li Xiyi and the others, making people feel creepy.
Xie Xiaoyu also became nervous and shrugged, "What should I do?"
Li Xiyi looked around and said, "What else can I do? Of course... run."
He grabbed Xie Xiaoyu, turned around and jumped up, climbing over the eaves and walls, and flew into the distance like a bird flying into the forest.
"The Tianxia Alliance killed my fellow disciples and destroyed my sect. Mr. Li, since your father has withdrawn from the world, you must repay this blood debt."
"Don't leave!"
"Catch him!"
…
In an instant, hundreds of figures appeared on the long street, flying up one after another, and in a flash they were chasing Li Xiyi in an overwhelming manner, with an astonishing momentum.
The Tianxia Alliance, which dominated the martial arts world of the thirteen provinces, has disappeared?
※※※
Beijing, Coal Hill.
It was dusk, the setting sun was blood-red, and the world was bleak.
It is said that in a Taoist temple on the mountainside, amidst the wisps of mist and haze, someone suddenly heard a faint chant: "I have trained myself to resemble a crane, holding two boxes of scriptures beneath a thousand pine trees. I came to ask Dao Wuyu, who said, 'The clouds are in the blue sky, and the water is in the bottle.'"
The evening wind blew past, and when the smoke and clouds dispersed, a person appeared.
The man sat with his back to the door, his long black robe fluttering in the wind, his long black hair draped over his back, and his aura was lofty, making him look like some enlightened master.
A servant stood respectfully outside the door. Seeing the opportunity, he bent over and said flatteringly, "Has the emperor finally realized it?"
It turns out that the person in this Taoist temple is the current emperor.
The emperor sat cross-legged on a square cushion, stretched out his arms, put his hands in his sleeves, and said calmly: "It's easy to say, but throughout history, how many people have ever been able to achieve enlightenment?"
The attendant quickly agreed, but he didn't even dare to raise his head.
"Has anything big happened in the martial arts world recently?" asked the emperor.
The attendant smiled and replied, "Your Majesty, the whole nation is united and at peace. It is a prosperous time. The martial arts world is also peaceful and there are no major incidents."
The monk stood up and turned around to ask again, "How long will my retreat last this time?"
The attendant said, "No more, no less, twenty days."
The emperor brushed his sleeves and walked out of the Taoist temple. Standing on Coal Hill, he looked down at the vast capital below and asked softly, "How is the Tianxia Alliance?"
Compared to his youth, this man is no longer as young as he used to be. There are fine lines at the corners of his eyes and a slight beard on his chin, but he is still handsome and looks a bit like an immortal.
The attendant said, "No unusual movement at the moment."
The emperor seemed dissatisfied with this answer.
Over the past decade or so, floods in Heluo and droughts in Guanzhong—natural and man-made disasters—all traced back to the Tianxia League. Yet, its actions were not evil; rather, it provided relief to the people, and the money it contributed was even more abundant than the national treasury, with countless grains and tons of gold and silver, truly unimaginable.
But this may be a good thing for the victims, but in the eyes of him, the emperor, it is a terrible thing.
Even now, whenever there is a famine or disaster, the first person the people think of is not the court or him as the emperor, but the World Alliance.
All under heaven belongs to the king. How can this be a good thing when the people no longer have a king or father in their hearts?
And if it weren't for the World Alliance, he, the emperor, wouldn't be so idle.
The world is at peace, and even memorials are submitted less frequently.
And all this is just on the surface.
For so many years, the world's waterways and land routes have been controlled by the Tianxia Alliance, from the daily necessities of the people to the freight trade of gold, silver, copper, iron, and official salt, even the military pay of the court, the taxes of the people, and the salaries of officials of all sizes, all of which are secretly related to the Tianxia Alliance.
Even when the imperial palace was being rebuilt, those officials had to rely on the World Alliance. How ridiculous.
Gazing at the prosperous scene of the capital, the emperor's demeanor suddenly changed. He clenched his fingers, his face grim and he said in a hoarse voice, "Perhaps I should have fought to the death thirteen years ago. Otherwise, I wouldn't be as... terminally ill as I am today."
In his eyes, the Tianxia Alliance was a nasty disease. The signs of it were already visible back then, but now it was a disease that had spread to the bone marrow and was beyond repair.
"These thieves who stole the country!"
However, Li Muchan completely thwarted all his plans without bloodshed or loss of a single soldier.
This method may seem like a gentle spring breeze and drizzle at first, and no one notices it. By the time people react, it is already fatal.
But in his eyes, this prosperous scene was a shame, which made him unable to sleep or eat and filled him with hatred.
"Huo Tianying hasn't come out yet?" asked the emperor.
The attendant lowered his brows and eyes and said, "Your Majesty, we haven't received any news of his release yet."
"Hmph," the emperor snorted coldly, "Even if he trained diligently for a hundred years, there's no way he could defeat Li Muchan. He couldn't do it then, and he's even less likely to do it now. He's short-sighted and doesn't know what's good for him."
After saying that, he turned around and said in a deep voice, "Return to the palace."
The sun has set and dusk is deepening.
There was no conversation along the way, and it was only when it was getting dark that the carriage arrived at the imperial city.
The emperor sat with his hand on his forehead, a frown on his face, still thinking about the World Alliance. But for some reason, he suddenly felt a palpitation for no reason and felt uneasy.
"Greetings to our Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"
But at this moment, there was a sudden noise outside the high wall and deep courtyard.
"Um?"
The emperor slowly opened his eyes, his eyes full of surprise and doubt.
There are actually people paying homage to the emperor in the Forbidden City?
But I am the emperor.
An inexplicable chill instantly made him sit up straight. After a long silence, the supreme ruler finally said in a hoarse voice, "Where does the sound come from?"
It was the attendant who answered him, "It seems to be Fengtian Palace."
Unconsciously, the attendant's tone seemed to have changed from usual.
Instantly, the emperor's eyes tightened, his pupils shrinking rapidly. Then, his face darkened as steel, and he said without showing any emotion: "Then let's go to Fengtian Hall."
In fact, he didn't need to give any orders. The voices shouting "Long live the emperor" outside the wall were getting closer and closer, and seemed to be approaching the Fengtian Palace.
Not long after, the attendant outside the carriage spoke again, "We're here."
In just two words, there was no longer the humility and caution of the past, but instead it was mixed with indifference, teasing, and mockery.
The emperor's eyes flashed, he lifted the curtain and walked out, and he couldn't help but take a deep breath wherever he looked.
But the Fengtian Hall was brightly lit, and it seemed that hundreds of officials were gathered there, and there were guards guarding it.
"Who's in there?"
The attendant was over fifty years old, his face full of wrinkles, and a strange smile on his lips. "You'll know when you go in."
The emperor said expressionlessly, "A clown."
He put his hands behind his back, secretly exerted his extraordinary strength in his palms, stretched out his five fingers, and strode straight towards the Fengtian Palace.
As the steady and rhythmic footsteps extended, the situation inside the Fengtian Hall gradually appeared in the emperor's eyes.
The lights in the hall were bright, but on the dragon throne at the end, there was a man wearing a dragon robe, sitting motionless, with most of his facial features hidden in the shadows, only a white chin was exposed under the light, as if smiling.
Under the dragon throne, all the officials knelt on the ground, bowed their heads, and shouted "Long live the dragon throne".
The emperor's eyes flickered as he slowly stepped into the hall. He glanced at his ministers and officials, then looked towards the end of the hall. He said sternly, "Who are you? How dare you sit on my throne? What is your crime?"
Unexpectedly, the man scolded in a deep voice: "How dare you! Who are you? How dare you speak to me like that?"
The emperor's eyes widened suddenly, and he looked at the other man with a gloomy expression for a few seconds before he asked in surprise, "Aren't you from the Tianxia Alliance?"
The mysterious man sat in silence for a moment, then finally smiled faintly and said softly, "Of course not. Let me tell you this, my master is from the same clan as you, and his surname is also Zhu."
The emperor's breath hitched, "Who?"
The mysterious man smiled and said, "I don't know his name either, but Li Muchan and the others used to call him Zhu Da."
Zhu Da?
The emperor's face turned pale with rage, but he then demanded sharply, "If that's the case, shouldn't you be dealing with Li Muchan?"
The man on the dragon throne maintained his calm tone and spoke gently, "I'm going to deal with Li Muchan, and I'm going to deal with you... too. This Zhu dynasty originally belonged to my master, but don't worry, my master despises the throne, and neither do I. I'm sitting here because I want to give it a try."
The emperor said in a deep voice: "What are you trying to do?"
The mysterious man spoke condescendingly, "Haha, everything in this world has its opposites, good and evil, just like Li Xunhuan, Shangguan Jinhong, Li Muchan, and Zhu Da in the past. They are all unique. As Zhu Da's disciple, I also want to live a unique life. Since Li Muchan is righteous, I have no choice but to try my hand at being evil, stirring up trouble in the world, and becoming his enemy."
At this point, a trace of confusion flashed across the man's eyes for a short time, until he said the four words "for the evil world", a gleam of light suddenly appeared in his eyes.
But these words made everyone present shudder.
To have evil thoughts, do whatever one wants, be lawless, and be indifferent to the common people, this is simply a chaotic existence.
The emperor's face turned pale and he was speechless for a moment.
The mysterious man said nonchalantly, "Besides, you dislike government affairs and prefer to practice Taoism in seclusion. Now is a perfect opportunity. Moreover, you, the ruler of the world, are now being controlled by Li Muchan in every way, and you are powerless to fight back. Since you are so frustrated, why not give up your position to me, okay?"
Hearing this, the emperor narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "Wishful thinking."
However, he noticed that all the officials in the hall were fakes, they were just wearing official uniforms.
"Haha," the emperor sneered, "You think you can steal the Zhu dynasty with just these worthless rats? You're just dreaming! When the palace guards arrive, all of you traitors will be killed. I will cut you into pieces and tore you apart."
The attendant was now standing at the foot of the jade steps, extremely respectful, and said with a smile, "I have already secretly replaced the palace guards. These twenty days are enough time for many things to happen."
As the emperor stared with wide eyes, the mysterious man on the dragon throne slowly revealed his true appearance, which was exactly the same as him.
The mysterious man said slowly, "This is a strange technique from the Western Regions. It involves implanting a very rare poisonous insect into the face and then using a special medicine to lure it out. The insect will then wriggle through the tendons, skin, and flesh, devouring the excess blood, flesh, and oil. Then, a sharp blade is used to trim the bones and polish the face, supplemented by the art of changing shape and appearance, making it look real."
Hearing these words and seeing the face that looked exactly like his own, the emperor's cheeks twitched, and his eyes, which were originally filled with horror, suddenly burst into murderous intent. He stretched out his hand in the air and pounced directly at the other party.
"Traitor, die!"
But what made him despair was that the palm strike that he had condensed his life's strength was actually...
The mysterious man did not move, but with a flick of his sleeve, he dissipated the terrifying palm power in front of him into nothingness.
"With such means, you still dream of becoming an enemy of Li Muchan?"
The emperor didn't know whether he was shocked or angry. He was swept by the strong wind and fell to the ground like a kite with a broken string, vomiting blood.
But his eyes were filled with deep disbelief, and he hissed, "Wedding Dress Magic? Thief!"
The mysterious man remained unmoved and said calmly, "Now, you should call me Your Majesty!"
