Chapter 134

At the same time, Li Jinglong and Ashina Chong were running around amidst the thunder and lightning. From the top of the mountain, there were wild lightning bolts everywhere. In the desolate hills, deafening thunder boomed in their ears.

"I'm going to go deaf …"

"What did you say …"

Li Jinglong and Ashina Chong could only read each other's mouths. However, lightning bolts were shooting everywhere in the sky, and a Jiao rushed down from the sky. It roared and released lightning bolts, wanting to attack the two.

In an instant, Ashina Chong flipped in the air, and a strong light bloomed around him. Flames burned fiercely as he summoned Bahram, the God of War, and soared into the sky.

Li Jinglong: "…"

Immediately after, Bahram, who was behind Ashina Chong, swung his arms, and two flame whips shot out. They actually coiled around the Jiao that was attacking the two. The Jiao struggled fiercely and madly, but the flame whips in Ashina Chong's hands firmly locked onto its weak point. He roared, "Get down!"

The Jiao fell to the ground, and Li Jinglong jumped up while running. He grabbed the Jiao's horn, and Ashina Chong roared as if he was riding a horse, "Up!"

He pulled the flame whips behind him, and they actually pulled the Jiao up from the ground. They passed through the lightning bolts and flew toward the huge pillar of light in the distance.

"The Dragon Subduing Celestial Venerable's name needs to be changed! Why don't you give it to me! "

"I don't mind, but you'll have to ask Old Qiu!"

Li Jinglong climbed onto the Jiao's back with all his might, and together with Ashina Chong, they passed through the eighth level of the Ten Thousand Lightning Bolts and flew toward the pillar of light. Further away, a huge dragon covered in lightning bolts appeared, and it roared and rushed toward them.

"Hold on tight!" Ashina Chong roared.

The two horns of the dragon were shrouded in fog, releasing lightning that covered the entire valley. The lightning first rose into the sky, then scattered and fell to the ground. The eighth floor was extremely small and could only accommodate a few Green Wyrms and the Dragon King that was soaring in all directions. Seeing that the Dragon King was about to reach him, the Ashina Chong swung its flaming whip and flipped the Green Wyrms. The moment it brushed past the Dragon King, Li Jinglong suddenly saw two monsters roaring ferociously within the black gas emitted from its horns!

Li Jinglong shouted and was almost thrown off. Ashina Chong forcibly pulled the Green Dragon King higher, and then the Thunder and Lightning Dragon King charged again.

"Rush over!" Li Jinglong shouted angrily. "Don't dodge!"

Ashina Chong: "…"

Li Jinglong let go of the back of the Wyrms and quickly rushed along the body to the head. He leaped up and stepped on Ashina Chong's shoulder. Ashina Chong's body sank, and Li Jinglong flew over and stood in front of the Wyrms' head. The two of them controlled the Green Wyrms and charged towards the Thunder and Lightning Dragon King without dodging.

Lightning gathered on the two horns of the Dragon King, and a bluish-purple electric light appeared. The lightning that filled the sky retracted, and the world became quiet. All the lightning disappeared in an instant, and the electricity on the horns continued to rise, revealing a dazzling orange-red color. It was ready to be released, and as soon as it was released, they would be electrocuted into ashes.

Ashina Chong screamed, "God! I haven't recognized my godbrother yet! Elder Shi! I don't want to die now! "

In a flash, Li Jinglong flipped the Wisdom Sword in his hand and shouted, releasing a beam of light. The beam of light buzzed and shot towards the Thunder and Lightning Dragon King. The Dragon King was caught off guard and suddenly rolled in the air, accompanied by a roar.

The Green Wyrms and the Dragon King brushed past each other, and the lightning behind them exploded, causing the rocks to collapse. Thousands of rocks rose into the sky, and then they were bombarded by the lightning and fell to the ground! There was a sea of flashing lightning everywhere. Li Jinglong could no longer talk to Ashina Chong and was thrown to the ground.

In the midst of the chaos, Ashina Chong wrapped Li Jinglong with his whip and pulled him back. He rode the Green Wyrms and rushed into the beam of light. Accompanied by a loud noise, the two of them, the Green Wyrms, and countless rocks were transported to the seventh floor.

On the third floor, the Fire Dragon King's eyes were covered with a black cloth. Dressed in a red robe, he raised his hand towards the endless sea of lava. Obsidian rose from the lava. Qiu Yongsi was the first to rise, followed by Xuan Ming, and then Hongjun.

"It's like having a very, very long nightmare," Ying Huo said. "When I wake up, I remember my old name."

Hongjun turned his head from time to time, and he couldn't help but look at Ying Huo.

His fiery red robe reminded Hongjun of Chong Ming, and his bleeding eyes looked a little like Yuan Kun. When Hongjun saw him, he suddenly felt a little sad. He had been away from home for too long, and he didn't know how Chong Ming was doing in Taihang Mountains.

When he heard Ye Ming's story, Hongjun thought of his foster father in the Dazzling Gold Palace again and again. At this time, he even felt a little guilty — the guilt of abandoning his foster father after having Li Jinglong.

"It's okay," Ying Huo said, as if she knew that Hongjun was looking at her.

Ever since he entered the Dragon-Subduing Pagoda, he heard the Dragon King say "it's okay" the most. Xuan Ming said so, and so did Ying Huo.

"Why do you keep looking at him?" Xuan Ming asked. Everyone walked toward the light pillar on the hovering, scalding obsidian.

"I'm thinking of my father," Hongjun said.

"He looks like me?" Ying Huo said faintly.

The flame aura on Ying Huo's body was indeed somewhat similar to Chong Ming's. It was a scorching hot feeling that could ignite anyone who got close to it.

Hongjun nodded and looked up at the light pillar. Ying Huo said, "You were raised by Phoenix, weren't you?"

Ying Huo also felt it. Qiu Yongsi saw that Hongjun seemed to be a little homesick, so he reached out and patted him on the shoulder. In this lonely, empty, isolated tower, and without Li Jinglong by his side, Hongjun naturally felt somewhat insecure.

"I miss him," Hongjun said.

"Phoenix's lifespan is truly eternal," Ying Huo said. "Eternal and indestructible, reincarnated in the flames. Thinking about it this way, being born between heaven and earth, one's lifespan will eventually come to an end. It's not a bad thing. When you have time, spend more time with your father. Don't be like Xie Yu and Ye Ming. "

Ying Huo didn't know the relationship between Hongjun and Chong Ming, so she stopped when she reminded him. Hongjun nodded and walked into the light pillar under the guidance of the Dragon King.

Year 13 of Tianbao, winter.

Nearly four months had passed since Li Jinglong entered the tower. In the early morning of Pengze County, Jiangnan Province, a thin layer of frost had formed on the grass. A horse galloped along the official road into Pengze.

On the horse was a man and a woman, each wrapped in a mink coat. The man's face was handsome, as beautiful as a girl's. His skin was fair, and he had a head of dark brown curly hair. His eyes were like gems soaked in water. The woman's neck was exposed, and her wrists were slightly bronze. Her eyelashes were thick and long, and her big eyes were like two pools of autumn water. Her expression was cold and arrogant, and she kept people a thousand miles away. It was Atay and Trandol.

After Atay arrived at Pengze, he first went to the relay station to get the letter. As expected, he found the letter sent by Li Guinian from Chang 'an.

"No way." Trandol frowned. "What is your Big Brother doing? Why did that big snake go back? "

"Shh." Atay opened the letter and read it. He paid the money and received a letter from Fuyun Mountain Villa in Hangzhou. He stamped it, and inside was a blank piece of paper. This also meant that everything was normal with Li Jinglong, and there were no signs of him leaving the tower.

Originally, Li Jinglong had assigned tasks before entering the tower. Before it was time for him to leave the tower, no one was to stay in Fuyun Mountain Villa and wait for him. Instead, he told them to go separately and help him find clues to the remaining five magic treasures of the Acalanatha. Thus, Mo Rigen and Lu Xu went to Youzhou, while Atay and Trandol went to Pengze. These two places were where Di Renjie had once worked. According to Li Jinglong's guess, Di Renjie might have found the Sword of Wisdom in one of these places.

After all, several months ago, everyone naturally thought that Xie Yu had re-entered the Dragon-subduing Pagoda. However, Li Jinglong and Ashina Chong entered, and Xie Yu left. One entry and one exit caused the Exorcism Division to completely fall into the Hei Jiao's trap. When the four of them saw Xie Yu pounce, their expressions immediately changed.

However, everything was too late and could not be undone. After a short discussion, Mo Rigen suggested that after Xie Yu escaped, Li Guinian, who clearly did not know that Li Jinglong had set up an ambush in Chang 'an, would be walking right into a trap if they rashly returned to the capital.

An Lushan's situation was unclear. More importantly, they had to find information about Youzhou. Thus, Mo Rigen decided that the original plan would not change.

As early as when they went to Jiangnan, Li Jinglong had discussed the direction of their actions for the next year. They would focus on finding the Acalanatha's ritual implement. At the same time, they would investigate the movements of An Lushan after they escaped from Chang 'an and try to infiltrate Youzhou.

The four of them formed two groups and went their separate ways. Atay set the range on Jiangxi Road and began to search for Di Renjie's tracks. Just three months ago, Li Guinian sent the first letter: Yang Guozhong had returned to the imperial court. Not only did Li Longji not listen to Li Jinglong and let Li Guinian deal with him, he even tolerated Yang Guozhong recovering in Xingqing Palace!

"Things are not as simple as you think." Atay said to Trandol, "Xie Yu seems to be dead. Or rather, he used a clever disguise to make the Emperor believe in him again."

Trandol looked at the letter in Atay's hand and said, "I don't understand Chinese. Read it for me."

Atay helplessly spread out his hands and replied, "Senior brother only wrote this much. He will continue to observe and told us not to rush back."

After Yang Guozhong returned to Xingqing Palace, Yang Guifei successfully interceded and saved his life. Li Guinian tried all means but could not detect the remaining demon aura in his body. Yang Guozhong acted as if he had forgotten many things. He recuperated in Xingqing Palace all day long and could not avoid going to the imperial court.

This time, Yang Guozhong came out from the dark. Although it was a dangerous move, Li Jinglong was too busy to deal with him. The Exorcism Department could not do anything to him.

"We will think of a way after Elder Shi comes out of the tower." Atay finally said, "To be honest, I don't believe that Xie Yu would give up his physical body so easily … Let's go investigate Jiang State Government today."

"Can you find it?" Trando was already a little bored. They spent nearly half a year to gather information from all over the place from Hangzhou to the north. It had been a full 60 years since Di Renjie became an official in Pengze. How many people still remembered the things that happened sixty years ago?

"We have to find it even if we can't." Atay whistled and said helplessly, "What can we do? Let's go. "

Trandol stared at Atay and said, "I didn't expect you to be so sensible after following that Han for so long."

"Was I very insensible in the past?" Atay got on the horse with a smile and reached out to pull Trandol. Trandol flipped over and sat behind Atay.

"You used to hide when you encountered trouble." Trandol said, "Why don't I see you hiding now?"

"In the words of the Han people, this is called 'hiding one's strength and biding one'." Atay smiled and said, "There will be money and hometown. You have to believe me." With that, he shook the reins and galloped towards Jiang State Government.

"I don't know why, but I feel that we are very close to the truth."

"You said that two months ago …"

"This time it's absolutely true …"

In November, the wind in Youzhou blew snow as two horses stopped outside the relay station.

Mo Rigen was searching for letters in the relay station, looking for the documents sent by Atay from Jiang State. Lu Xu looked for a while and picked out an envelope from the Tang Dynasty's Exorcism Department. He slapped it in front of Mo Rigen and said, "This one."

"Is there one in Chang 'an?" Mo Rigen flipped through the mountainous pile of letters on the relay station's cabinet. In winter, Youzhou accumulated a large number of letters from the Southern and Zhongyuan Roads. However, after An Lushan took over as Youzhou's Jiedushi, he developed an independent intelligence network. As for the letters from Chang 'an and Luoyang, who cared about them?

Over time, more and more letters piled up. At the end of every season, the relay station would carry the letters in baskets and burn them. In winter, yamen runners would bring letters from the Tang Dynasty's Salt and Iron Department to light the fire. Every time Mo Rigen came to look for a letter, he felt like a dog looking for food.

"There isn't one in Chang 'an," Lu Xu said casually.

Mo Rigen opened Atay's letter. Lu Xu glanced at it and said, "You guessed right."

"Hmm?" Mo Rigen frowned. He suddenly realized something and said, "You can read?"

Lu Xu replied impatiently, "I learned it long ago."

Mo Rigen laughed and stretched out his index and middle fingers to touch Lu Xu's cheek. Lu Xu quickly dodged and looked at Mo Rigen warily.

"Still laughing?" Lu Xu said, "What should we do now? We don't know when Hongjun will come out. "

"Trust them," Mo Rigen said, "We'll do what we need to do."

Mo Rigen put away the letter and went out to get the horse. He didn't get on the horse and walked slowly with Lu Xu in the wind and snow. Youzhou was a boiling cauldron of voices. They would arrive at Fanyang in another day. Compared to Atay's team, Mo Rigen's task was much more difficult. After all, this was the enemy's headquarters. They couldn't just casually investigate. The most important thing was to hide themselves well.

"I suspect that there isn't anything here." Lu Xu opened the sheepskin scroll in his hand. They had been in Youzhou for nearly four months. In these four months, they first went north to 200 li away from Fanyang and stepped into the Khitan's territory to look for any possible clues. The rolling mountains were the best places for wolves and deer to roam, but there was no sign of an ancient city. They only found many abandoned tombs that had been excavated by grave robbers.

According to Lu Xu's suggestion, they might have to go north and try their luck at the Great Xianbei Mountain. When Di Renjie was the provincial governor of Youzhou, this place was a gathering place for traveling merchants. Perhaps the Xianbei people had brought the treasures they dug up from the north to Youzhou.

Mo Rigen insisted on returning to the city first to investigate the situation in the south and the Central Plains before setting off. After all, once they entered the Xianbei Mountain, they would have to stay in the mountain for several months. As expected, they received the worst news.

The most dangerous place was also the safest place. Yang Guozhong returned to Chang 'an and became the target of public criticism, but he also openly lived under the Emperor's nose. Without Li Jinglong, the remaining members of the Exorcist Division would not know how to deal with the Emperor. If they rashly returned to Chang 'an to fight, Yang Yuhuan would be eager to protect her brother, which would put the exorcists in danger.

"Li Guinian can't detect any demonic aura." Mo Rigen analyzed to Lu Xu as they walked. "This means that, at least for now, Yang Guozhong can't cause any trouble."

Lu Xu: "I don't believe that Xie Yu would give up his mortal body so easily."

Mo Rigen replied, "But, as long as he lives as a mortal, he won't gather more demons in Chang 'an."

Lu Xu said, "Then what do you think he's waiting for?"

Mo Rigen did not answer. He left the courier station outside the city with Lu Xu, climbed a small hill, and looked at a black cloud in the city not far away.

The black cloud shrouded Youzhou City. It was the thick smoke rising from the iron workshop day and night. The answer was clear.

Mo Rigen said, "Let's go into the city and take a look."

After leaving Hangzhou, Lu Xu had never disobeyed Mo Rigen's wishes, just like how Hongjun followed Li Jinglong. But Hongjun did not understand, and Lu Xu did not care. Only then did he suddenly say, "Wait, Da Lang, I don't want to go in."

Mo Rigen suddenly looked at Lu Xu. Lu Xu said, "I feel that Youzhou City is very dangerous. It's better not to go."

"The demonic aura is overwhelming." Mo Rigen said, "You stay here. I'll be back in a while."

"You …" Lu Xu was furious. He was just being tactful. He did not want Mo Rigen to take risks. What did he think he was? His face darkened. "No!"

"Then you'll supervise me?" Mo Rigen turned around and smiled. He raised his whip again and rushed down the hill into Youzhou City.