Lin Zhao frowned. Both Qing Yan and Mr. Qin were the reverse scales in his heart. Qing Yan was a reflection of the cold girl in his heart, while Mr. Qin had repeatedly protected Lin Zhao's path, both known and unknown. Even when Mr. Qin didn't intend to take him as a disciple back then, he still provided plenty of care. In the end, Mr. Qin, to return the destiny belonging to the human world to the human world, had his sword broken and died. Lin Zhao, as his disciple, could do nothing. Although he didn't say it, the guilt in his heart was not a little bit. At many times, Lin Zhao felt ashamed to be Mr. Qin's disciple. These were unspeakable feelings, the deepest things buried in his heart.
Now, Wu Yuanzi conjuring two Dharmakayas was nothing more than wanting to completely destroy Lin Zhao's state of mind, using Qing Yan to destroy the warmth in his heart and Qin Suihan to destroy his sense of righteousness. How malicious were his intentions!
"Brother!"
Qing Yan put her hands behind her back and called out to him with a smile, just like she did in the countryside back then.
"Mm."
Lin Zhao did not refuse the Qing Yan in his state of mind. He smiled and nodded, saying, "I am doing well. Qing Yan, don't worry. And, I've been carrying the gift you gave me all along."
As he spoke, he opened his palm. In his palm was that flying sword, only an inch long.
"Mm!"
Qing Yan nodded gently and smiled, "Brother, you must live happily..."
With that, the young girl's body slowly dispersed into scattered light.
Although the bond between him and Qing Yan was extremely deep, his state of mind had never gone astray. There was no such thing as a heart demon. Therefore, when Wu Yuanzi played this card, he was destined to fail.
"And him?"
Wu Yuanzi smiled slightly. The Qin Suihan beside him slowly stepped forward, but at a certain moment, the foot that Qin Suihan had lifted could not be placed down again, as if it were suspended by something.
...
In the human world, Furong Prefecture.
In a very quiet mountain forest, a chessboard was placed on a stalagmite. Under the moonlight, two blurry, ethereal figures were playing chess. One was a middle-aged scholar in a gray-white Confucian robe, exuding an elegant aura. The other was an old apothecary wearing a white robe, carrying a medicine basket on his back, with a monkey scratching its head and ears squatting beside him.
The scholar held a white chess piece, hovering in mid-air, seeming to pull in wisps of black airflow. He frowned and smiled, "The human heart is like a ghost's lair. What shape is the human heart within this heart demon?"
The old apothecary scoffed, "Greed, anger, and delusion are all there. Are you going to play this move or not? If you really plan not to play, then this game is mine, and I'll collect the debt for Mister. Next time, Lin Zhao will owe me a jar of peach blossom wine, no, ten jars!"
"You wish."
The scholar smiled, "I, as Mister, haven't had a chance to taste Lin Zhao's wine, yet you, a herb gatherer, have drunk so much. Is there such a principle in the world?"
"Humph!"
The old apothecary laughed, "This umbrella-holding heart demon is quite powerful in a shattered world. You, Qin Suihan, are Lin Zhao's teacher after all. Shouldn't you enlighten him on the flaws in Lin Zhao's state of mind?"
"No need."
The scholar's gaze was indifferent. "My disciple Lin Zhao is a seed of knowledge born knowing. It is best for him to comprehend the Way himself. However, you are indeed right. This umbrella-holding heart demon is quite capable. How about... you, Patriarch Baiyuan, deliver a punch from here and kill Wu Yuanzi with one punch?"
"Ah?"
The old apothecary picked his nose. "If I had that ability... why would I still be here playing chess with you? I might as well fly to the upper realm with my residual soul and blow up the heavens with one punch."
The scholar chuckled, "Alright, alright. It seems I still have to do it. Then, let this chess piece resolve it."
Saying that, he slowly lowered the white piece and said with a smile, "I have been dead for many years, yet I did not expect someone to use this wisp of my residual soul to scheme. It is truly annoying!"
Instantly, the chessboard carved on the smooth stalagmite surface became vast and boundless, as if it had transformed into a real landscape chessboard. Wisps of white qi curled and rose around the white piece in the scholar's fingers, like a colossal object falling into mountains and seas. The moment the scholar pressed the piece with his fingertip and immersed it into the chessboard, an anomaly occurred in the sky above Baihua Heavenly Realm!
"Weng~~~"
A chess piece as large as a star appeared in the sky above Ning'an City, carrying dense white airflow, descending majestically from the sky as if it were about to crush Ning'an City. However, the true direction of the white piece was aimed solely at Wu Yuanzi. The moment he saw the white piece descending from the sky, Wu Yuanzi's face turned extremely pale and ugly. If Lin Wanhua's sword strike earlier was expected, then this chess piece with profound Confucian Dao aura descending from the sky was definitely unexpected.
"Come on!"
Wu Yuanzi, with a ferocious expression, held up his oil-paper umbrella towards the sky, intending to resist this chess piece with his own strength.
"Boom!"
With a loud bang, the chess piece landed on the oil-paper umbrella. The second rib of the oil-paper umbrella shattered instantly, and Wu Yuanzi once again vomited blood. He gripped the umbrella ribs with both hands, roared, and black qi flowed continuously from his body. The Confucian Dao aura of the chess piece on the umbrella canopy was overwhelmingly dense. The echo of the Great Dao made Wu Yuanzi tremble in his heart. He even realized that if the owner of this chess piece were truly alive, obliterating him would be as easy as flipping a hand!
"What are you waiting for?!"
Wu Yuanzi glared at Liu Liying and roared at her in his heart, "If not now, then when?!"
Liu Liying gritted her teeth and raised the refined blood-colored soul-chasing arrow. With a "hiss," the arrow transformed into a blood-red streak and instantly pierced through Lin Zhao's heart. Then, the arrowhead's speed did not diminish as it shot through Wu Yuanzi's throat and exploded against the street wall behind him.
"Liu Liying!"
Lu Huaining shouted, but upon closer inspection, he saw Lin Zhao standing unharmed, his eyes wide with disbelief. He had not been shot through the heart by the soul-chasing arrow. Instead, a drawing of Lin Zhao had been pierced through the heart by the arrow. The drawing separated from Lin Zhao's body and fluttered to the ground.
In the end, the Fan-wielding Goddess chose to stand on Lin Zhao's side.
"Good!"
In the sky, the residual power of the white chess piece continuously exploded. The moment the chess piece was about to dissipate, the third umbrella rib shattered, and Wu Yuanzi was further injured. He took out a yellow paper with Liu Liying's vital脉络 written on it and stuck it inside the oil-paper umbrella. Instantly, Liu Liying lost control of her body, and it seemed to transform into the golden beauty painting in the mural, directly absorbed into the oil-paper umbrella. In the next moment, Wu Yuanzi transformed into a wisp of black qi and floated away, disappearing into the night sky.
"Liying!"
Lin Zhao's heart ached slightly. Liu Liying had chosen him, yet he was powerless to do anything, watching her being captured helplessly. That Wu Yuanzi seemed not to be of this world, always different.
...
The official's residence was in disarray. In the distance, patrolling soldiers approached, their faces ashen. No one knew what had happened here, but everyone knew that Grand Tutor Zhao Qian was dead, his head rolling in the corner. No one dared to hold Lu Huaining accountable, as most people still thought of him as the Grand Scholar and Minister of Revenue.
"Lin Zhao."
Lu Huaining's expression was full of guilt. "I'm sorry. Because of me... Miss Liu Liying was implicated..."
"It's fine."
Lin Zhao felt a bit annoyed. "Lord Lu, this matter has nothing to do with you. Liying was also being used. This is a grudge between me and Wu Yuanzi."
At this moment, Chi Zhongyu woke up and, seeing Liu Liying missing at a glance, became anxious. "Liying... where is Liying?"
"Wu Yuanzi took her into his umbrella and left," Lin Zhao said.
"Lin Zhao!"
Chi Zhongyu gritted his teeth and roared, "You are Liying's young master. Why didn't you stop him?!"
Lin Zhao, at this moment, also appeared battered and bruised, leaning on the hilt of his Li Quan sword with a blank expression as he looked at Chi Zhongyu. He wished he could save her, but how could he? He was no match for Wu Yuanzi, and the frequent use of talismans had exhausted too much of his stamina. He had the will but not the strength.
"Alas..."
Chi Zhongyu also knew that he couldn't blame Lin Zhao and sighed. "What do we do next?"
"We'll clean up the mess in the capital, and then go to Lingze Mountain to rescue Liu Liying," Lin Zhao frowned. "Three days from now is the Grand Ascension Competition, right?"
"Yes."
Chi Zhongyu's expression was solemn. "Do you suspect Wu Yuanzi will be at Lingze Mountain?"
"Including the Grand Ascension Stage, it's all just a trap set by Wu Yuanzi."
Lin Zhao frowned. "Is there a way to call Chu Xiantong back?"
"This..."
Chi Zhongyu scratched his head. He wasn't familiar with Chu Xiantong.
At this moment, a voice came from the wind, "No need to call. I haven't gone far."
Chu Xiantong's figure appeared in the night sky, dressed in a purple long skirt. She cupped her fists towards Lin Zhao. "Lin Zhao, thank you..."
Lin Zhao smiled and shook his head, then turned to look at Lu Huaining. "Lord Lu Huaining, I have a question for you. Do you think Xu Chen is a good emperor?"
Lu Huaining was startled. "What does this mean?"
"Answer with your true feelings. Is he a good emperor?"
"..."
Lu Huaining's voice was very low. "For many years, His Majesty has been waging wars relentlessly. In his quest to unify the realm, he has almost exhausted the lifeblood of the Xu dynasty. The land of fish and rice back then is now on the verge of famine."
"Mm."
Lin Zhao nodded. "Lord Lu, please stay in your residence. Chi Zhongyu, Chu Xiantong, you two come with me to the imperial palace. We will change the emperor for the Xu dynasty."
Lu Huaining was horrified. "Lin Zhao, you..."
"Lu Huaining!"
Lin Zhao's voice grew a little louder. "You are a scholar. You should know the principle that a gentleman is not a tool. I promise you that I will not kill Xu Chen."
"..."
Lu Huaining's voice became even lower. "I understand..."
...
In the night sky, three sword lights shot up from the ground, heading directly towards the imperial city in the center of Ning'an City. Now that Zhao Qian was dead and Cheng Huangzong had already surrendered, there was no one left to threaten Lin Zhao, this banished immortal.