Li Huowang looked up and saw a black pigeon perched up high, looking down at him. This was the ssenger pigeon that Tuoba Danqing had sent for him.
When he removed the letter from the pigeons leg and read its contents, he imdiately forgot about his al and turned to head out of the door.
Li Huowang hadnt expected that Ji Xiang was still in Yinling City! Not only that, he had specifically requested to see Li Huowang by na. This was his opportunity.
What surprised Li Huowang was that the appointed eting place was not any grand location, but a simple study. It seed that he had a rather different style from the way Tuoba Danqing did things.
Upon entering, his attention was imdiately drawn to a withered tongue. The human tongue was sowhat shriveled, and it was nailed to a decaying piece of wood. At the sight of this, Li Huowang instantly rembered how Tuoba Danqing boasted that this artifact was made with a Strayed Ones tongue[1].
After taking a slow and deep breath, Li Huowang respectfully bowed to the pale-faced old eunuch before him, who was busy with an abacus. Greetings, Lord Ji Xiang.
Hehehe~ This isnt the palace, were all family here. Please, have a seat, said Ji Xiang.
Li Huowang followed Ji Xiangs finger and noticed that tea had already been poured for him on the table.
However, rather than sitting down, Li Huowang directly asked, Lord Ji Xiang, do you have any important instructions for ?
He rembered how the eunuch had left in a panicked hurry before this. However, he was now sitting comfortably, suggesting that so things must have happened in the anti.
Hehehe~ No rush. I heard that youre quite capable? comnted Ji Xiang as he eyed Li Huowang.
Faced with the old eunuchs scrutiny, Li Huowang suddenly felt uneasy.
Hong Da said that when the three of them faced off with you, you even managed to escape? Seems like being a re Ninth Troop is a waste of your talents, continued Ji Xiang.
However, Li Huowang did not feel like the other party was praising him, and he felt tense instead. Lord Ji Xiang, please get to the point.
Alright, its refreshing to have soone so straightforward. I reckon that youve already guessed what we were trying to do previously? asked Ji Xiang.
Seeing him remain silent, Ji Xiang continued, Thats right, our task was to retrieve the hidden Muddled One in the Buddhas Skeleton Temple. But the mission failed! What do you say we should do now? Returning directly and accepting punishnt is not an option. So, we need to make up for it!
At that mont, Ji Xiang suddenly stood up. Let be frank with you. This matter is not trivial. We cannot afford to fail again!
He placed his finger on the mahogany table and forcefully drew a line. If we are unable to complete this task, then all the bla will fall on us!
Having listened to so much, Li Huowang finally understood what he was trying to say. Lord Ji Xiang, are you saying that we should find another Muddled One as a replacent?
Smart! This is the type of talent that we need in our Surveillance Bureau! Ji Xiangs round face broke into a smile. Since they want a Muddled One, well provide them with a Muddled One. It doesnt matter where the Muddled One cos from. Its just that back then, the one in Buddhas Skeleton Temple was dead, and so now we need to capture a live one.
Li Huowangs heartbeat quickened.
A live Muddled One? Is that similar to an existence like myself, a live Strayed One?
For so reason, even though he didnt even know the other partys na, Li Huowang began to feel a sense of sympathy for that Muddled One.
While Li Huowang was still contemplating, Ji Xiangs words hit him like a bomb. We also understand that this is not a proper task for those within the Bureau. There is no reward, and its dangerous to deal with a live Muddled One. If youre unwilling to, then we will understand. Danqing said that youve always wanted to read the records in our Four Repositories that are related to the Sitting Oblivion Dao. Isnt that right? As long as you can handle this matter smoothly, I will personally go there and morize all of it for you, even at the risk of my own dismissal!
Hearing this, Li Huowangs breathing turned heavier. On one side was a Muddled One that he had never t, and on the other was information that might allow him to break free of the status of a Strayed One. The choice was easy.
Li Huowang once again bowed to Ji Xiang. Yes, Lord Ji Xiang!
Seeing Li Huowang agree, Ji Xiang once again laughed like a flower blooming. He could only tempt him at this point. If he had refused, then there was nothing else he could have done. After all, this young man was said to have a bad temper. If threatened, it might even backfire on him. Fortunately, he had agreed, and this gave him a lot more confidence now.
anwhile, Li Huowangs heart quivered slightly as he looked at the eunuch before him and asked, Lord Ji Xiang, back in the Buddhas Skeleton Temple, the Muddled One was intercepted by soone. Then this ti, wont that person co again? What was that persons origin for them to even dare to intercept things from our Surveillance Bureau?
However, Ji Xiangs face remained indifferent as he said, A Muddled One isnt much, and one is enough. Zhuge Yuan will not dare snatch it again. If one live and one dead Muddled Ones are rged together, that might be too much for him to handle. Also, dont worry. The Sitting Oblivion Dao has lost Fa Cai this ti. Before a new Fa Cai has been appointed, they will definitely not dare to make a scene. So this ti, theres nothing else to worry about other than the live Muddled One.
Ji Xiang chuckled as he patted Li Huowangs shoulder.
However, that only made Li Huowang frown slightly. After all that talk, Ji Xiang had simply disregarded his inquiry. He still could not determine whether Zhuge Yuan was good or bad.
Lord Ji Xiang, can you tell more about the background of Zhuge Yuan? Im afraid of encountering such a strange person again in future. Please enlighten . Li Huowang looked up at Ji Xiang, his eyes filled with determination.
Since the other party had specifically requested for him, he may not have a better opportunity to ask about this in future.
At the sa ti, since Li Huowang had asked the question like that, Ji Xiang could not pretend to not have heard it.
After a mont, Ji Xiang sighed. Its inauspicious to bring up this person. But since you insist, let tell you. Do you know his nickna? Others often call him the Storyteller.
Ji Xiang slowly sat down and used his hand to pinch his jade ring. He is a very strange character. Despite dressing like a scholar, he never takes the imperial examinations. Instead, he likes to go to busy places and tell stories. Also, his stories dont involve romance or military accomplishnts. He only speaks about historical records.
Historical records? Li Huowang was puzzled.
Yes, historical records. Moreover, he fabricates his own records. He claims that 900 years ago, there was no internal strife in the Qi Kingdom, and that the Qi Emperor unified the world. Today, as a new emperor ascends the throne, proclaiming the era of intelligence, auspicious signs appear from the heavens, and birds flock to the young ruler, while the palace is illuminated with a red radiance. However, its pure nonsense. If Qi Kingdom did not fall into chaos, then where did the present Liang Kingdom co from? Where did the kingdom of Si Qi co from?
1. C297. It ntions that the artifact is made of a Strayed Ones Wealth Attraction, which Tuoba Danqing ntions is a persons tongue.
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