Chen Ji knew that from here on out, he could only rely on himself.
Amidst the heavy snow, he grew further and further away from the gazes of She Dengke, the Prince Heir, Liang Gou'er, and Liang Mao'er, until only he himself remained in this dark night. It felt as if he had run off a brilliantly illuminated stage and directly into the darkness completely outside the stage.
It was as if Chen Ji had returned to a certain midnight right after he had just arrived in this world. At that time, he was standing behind the counter of the Taiping Medical Clinic, urgently cramming and studying the general principles of medical arts all by himself. And then, he wrote down a single line of text: 'Living between heaven and earth, it is Like a Long-Distance Traveler.'
The very instant Chen Ji wholly emerged from the Inner Prison, he finally thought through and understood many things:
His arrival in this world was absolutely no accident or coincidence. Prince Jing, his Master, and Li Qingniao had schemed entirely for all of this, intending to use him as the absolute most crucial and important chess piece.
Knowing full well that his own life would not last much longer, Prince Jing had paid the price of the entire Prince Jing's Estate to bestow Ice Flows upon him, and had additionally given him silver and wealth in the name of Cement, all entirely for the absolute sake of allowing him to grow rapidly.
It seemed as if the other party had arranged an exceptionally arduous and agonizing destiny for him, which was precisely why he had said "I'm sorry" to him twice.
It was also precisely because this destiny was far too bitter that, when he initially wanted to follow Wu Hongbiao and Si Cao Gui to leave for the Jing Dynasty, his Master's heart was moved to compassion, actively urging and persuading him to leave.
At that exact moment, his Master had earnestly hoped he would just completely wash his hands of the matter and walk away.
If he had actually left that very day, perhaps he truly would have completely jumped exactly right off the entire chessboard. From precisely this perfectly, one could completely guess thoroughly exactly that perfectly Prince Jing exactly absolutely absolutely identically completely completely totally simply precisely identical exactly accurately specifically completely identically definitely completely exclusively purely precisely distinctly completely fully perfectly identical explicitly exactly correctly explicitly precisely expressly perfectly exactly purely absolutely correct exact exact identically explicitly accurate explicitly explicitly absolute exactly identical exact perfectly completely absolutely fully exact correct definitively definitively clear completely cleanly accurately simply cleanly entirely absolutely explicitly absolutely clean accurate completely explicitly simply exactly explicitly explicit identically exactly identical entirely absolutely explicitly identical exact absolutely totally absolutely explicitly accurately quite correct exactly exact absolutely utterly definitely definitely clearly exactly purely entirely identically exactly explicit entirely exact identically purely effectively identical correctly thoroughly accurate accurately expressly identically completely identically perfect expressly complete simply perfectly identical entirely explicitly quite completely effectively altogether absolutely definitely entirely correctly absolutely absolutely purely absolutely correct exact exact absolute totally correct explicitly entirely complete totally exactly exactly..."
Wait. Let me re-write that correctly.Chen Ji knew that from here on out, he could only rely on himself.
Amidst the heavy snow, he grew further and further away from the gazes of She Dengke, the Prince Heir, Liang Gou'er, and Liang Mao'er, until only he himself remained in this dark night. It felt as if he had run off a brilliantly illuminated stage and into the darkness outside.
It was as if Chen Ji had returned to a certain midnight right after he had just arrived in this world. At that time, he had stood behind the counter of the Taiping Medical Clinic, urgently cramming and studying the general principles of medical arts all by himself. And then, he had written down: 'Living between heaven and earth, it is Like a Long-Distance Traveler.'
The very instant Chen Ji emerged from the Inner Prison, he finally understood many things:
His arrival in this world had been no accident. Prince Jing, his Master, and Li Qingniao had plotted all of this, intending to use him as their most important chess piece.
Knowing that his own life would not last much longer, Prince Jing had sacrificed the entire Prince Jing's Estate to bestow Ice Flows upon him, and had given him silver in the name of Cement, all for the sake of letting him grow rapidly.
It seemed the other party had arranged an exceptionally arduous destiny for him, which was why he had said "I'm sorry" to him twice.
It was also precisely because this destiny was too bitter that, when he wanted to follow Wu Hongbiao and Si Cao Gui to leave for the Jing Dynasty, his Master's heart had been moved to compassion, persuading him to leave.
At that moment, his Master had hoped he would just walk away and be done with it.
If he had actually left that day, perhaps he would have jumped off the chessboard. From this, it could be guessed that Prince Jing did not know he had this avenue of retreat to the Jing Dynasty. The other party did not know his relationship with Lu Jin, and therefore never utilized this connection... His Master had kept the secret for him.
That little old man with a venomous mouth, cold blood, but a warm heart had ultimately helped him.
Then, what exactly did Prince Jing want him to do? Chen Ji only knew it was related to the unification of the Jing and Ning Dynasties, and to the Immortals of the Forty-Nine Heavens. The other party needed him to shoulder the Mountain Lord Pathway and grow increasingly powerful. The rest, he could not guess.
Whether Prince Jing or Emperor Ning, they were both cold, formidable political creatures. Ordinary people could not possibly fathom their intentions entirely. But what about Bai Li? Why did Prince Jing have Bai Long take Bai Li away?
And how should he rescue Bai Li? Break into prison again? Snatch Bai Li away from Bai Long?
Bai Long was a Grand Guild Agent at the peak of the Path-Seeking Realm. As a minor practitioner who had just stepped into the Xiantian Stage, he absolutely could not kill him. Now that he had no helpers, Chen Ji also couldn't possibly mount another prison break.
A dead end.
Chen Ji suddenly recalled his Master's words: if he was smart enough, he should just wash his hands of it and walk away.
He possessed the Sword Seed Pathway, and he had an uncle holding a high position in the Jing Dynasty to look after him. As long as he went to the Jing Dynasty, he would have ample time to wait until he grew powerful enough to disdain the world, just like the Mountain Chief of the Martial Temple, Lu Yang.
Ten years. Twenty years.
He was still young; he could afford to wait... but he didn't want to wait.
At this time, on the long street in the dark night, a Trouble-Resolving Guard came galloping over on horseback, the iron hooves splashing up waves of snow.
The instant the Trouble-Resolving Guard saw Chen Ji, he decisively drew his waist saber and leaned low to strike.
Chen Ji did not retreat, but instead advanced. In the instant the man and horse intersected, the Trouble-Resolving Guard swung his saber from the left side. Chen Ji accurately grabbed the warhorse's reins, flipped into the air, simultaneously kicking his opponent away from the right side, and landed perfectly in the saddle himself.
He didn't stick around to fight. Pulling back hard on the reins, the fine steed reared up onto its hind legs, abruptly turning around to change directions.
By the time the Trouble-Resolving Guard struggled to climb up from the snowy ground, Chen Ji had long since galloped far away. Time waited for no one!
Two incense sticks' worth of time later, Chen Ji looked at the gloomy Huanjing Alley before him.
This was originally the headquarters of the Luo City Secret Spy Division, but the secret spies always preferred handling cases in dark, sunless places like the Inner Prison, so the proper headquarters ended up sitting idle instead... It was only when Bai Long appeared that this headquarters had been reactivated.
Chen Ji pulled the reins tightly in front of the headquarters, took a deep breath, and swung down from his horse.
He strode purposefully into the headquarters. Snow had fully covered the empty courtyard. The faint smell of traditional medicine, resembling both sandalwood and musk, drifted through the air.
Deep within the headquarters burned a single lantern. Wearing a Mask, Bai Long sat upright behind a mahogany desk, seemingly reviewing official documents.
In the boundless dark night, only this single light remained.
In the main hall, hearing the footsteps, Bai Long lifted his head, cast a glance at Chen Ji, and then lowered his head again. While reviewing his documents, he said lackadaisically, "What are you doing coming to the Secret Spy Division headquarters this late at night?"
Chen Ji crossed the courtyard, treading over the accumulated snow, walking step by step up the stairs. "Mister Feng, is our agreement still valid?"
In the main hall of the headquarters, the Cinnabar brush in Bai Long's hand suddenly stopped, as if the heavy snow outside had also frozen in mid-air.
...
After a momentary stagnation, the Cinnabar brush in Bai Long's hand began to move once again. Sitting behind the desk, he made a Cinnabar Rescript on the document, then said casually, "How could this seat be Mister Feng?"
At this time, Chen Ji looked around the main hall. He saw two teacups on the desk, the tea inside still steaming, both only half empty... This indicated that Bai Long had just had a guest here who had only recently left. And this guest was an existence before whom Bai Long would take off his mask to drink tea.
His gaze returning, Chen Ji answered, "Ever since Bai Long appeared, Mister Feng disappeared."
Without lifting his head, Bai Long said methodically, "This seat must wait upon His Majesty in the inner palace, yet Mister Feng had to constantly stay at the Liu Family. How could the two of us split ourselves to be in two places at once?"
Chen Ji responded, "Whoever wears the mask is Bai Long. Presumably, Jiang Yan is merely your puppet, while you are the true Grand Guild Agent who cultivates the Curse-Suppressing Technique."
Bai Long seemed to have been amused by Chen Ji. "Young man, you must have drank fake wine. Who gave you the courage to spout absolute drivel right in front of this seat?"
Chen Ji thought for a moment and said, "I took Prince Jing's blood-written letter to the Thousand-Year Army to secretly plot a prison break, yet I returned safe and sound, and the Thousand-Year Army didn't hunt me down. Thinking it over carefully, only Mister Feng would intervene to protect me. Many thanks, Mister Feng."
Bai Long said calmly, "Spouting absolute drivel right in front of this seat in the dead of the night... be careful or your head might fall to the ground."
Chen Ji said calmly, "Mister Feng, His Highness has already told me your identity."
Bai Long froze slightly, then quickly reacted. "Brat, are you trying to bluff me?"
Chen Ji shook his head and said sincerely, "It's not a bluff. Before his death, His Highness laid out his entire plan and told me to assist you..."
Before he could finish speaking, Bai Long burst into loud, hearty laughter, as if he had heard an incredibly massive joke. "To bluff me, brat, you actually dared to fabricate such a heaven-shaking lie? Are you truly not afraid that this seat will kill you right now? Truly daring enough to swallow the heavens!"
Chen Ji suddenly said, "Mister Feng, my Master told me that if I encountered a massive, heaven-shaking difficulty, I should come find you."
Smiling, Bai Long placed his Cinnabar brush on the brush rest. He took off his mask, revealing the exact appearance of Mister Feng. "This seat is too lazy to listen to your wild fabrications anymore. If I listen any further, this seat fears he won't be able to hold back from killing you."
Chen Ji remained silent.
Bai Long said with a smile, "This seat repeatedly asked you over and over if you were willing to work under me, yet you refused every time. How come you've suddenly changed your mind now?"
Chen Ji answered, "Naturally, it is because I intend to Abandon The Dark And Join The Light."
Bai Long waved his hand lazily. "I know exactly why you've come, and I know exactly what you're thinking in your heart. It's just that today is different from the past. I cannot accomplish the matter you are seeking. Please leave."
Standing opposite the desk, Chen Ji asked, "Mister Feng knows what I am seeking?"
Bai Long picked up his teacup and took a shallow sip, saying lackadaisically, "There are not many things in this world that can make a person Disregard Their Life, so it's not hard to guess. However, the Commandery Princess is currently embroiled in a massive treasonous rebellion case. This matter was directly judged by the Emperor himself; outsiders do not dare to speak out of turn. Let alone me, even Lord Inner Chancellor and Lord Wu Xiu wouldn't dare plead on her behalf."
Chen Ji remained silent for a long time. Ultimately, he leaned forward, clasped his hands in a formal greeting, and bowed deeply. "If Mister Feng does not disdain it, this humble subordinate is willing to scale mountains of blades and plunge into seas of fire for Mister Feng, shrinking from no sacrifice. What Mister Feng plots is immensely grand; you require people to work for you."
Bai Long stood up and looked down at Chen Ji's bowed back, an ambiguous smile playing on his lips. "If you bend your waist over such a trivial matter, how can you ever accomplish grand achievements?"
Chen Ji did not straighten his waist, saying once more, "I beseech Mister Feng to grant my wish. This humble subordinate is willing to saddle your horse and follow you faithfully."
Bai Long said casually, "You've seen for yourself. This seat has strong soldiers and robust horses at his side; my followers are like clouds. Why would I lack a tiny young man like you to help me with my work?"
Straightening his body, Chen Ji looked directly at Bai Long. "Since Mister Feng's followers are like clouds... then why is there absolutely no one by Mister Feng's side at this moment?"
Bai Long raised an eyebrow slightly.
Chen Ji said, "Because they were lured away by me."
Bai Long praised, "You truly don't want to live anymore, actually daring to speak such words aloud. However, do you truly think you can play the other secret spies for fools, running them around in circles? If someone hadn't come here to completely tie this seat down for two hours, do you really think you would have had any opportunity to take the Prince Heir out of the Inner Prison?"
Chen Ji subconsciously cast a glance at the teacups on the desk... So it turned out that someone had come to the Secret Spy Division headquarters and delayed Bai Long for two hours just now?
Withdrawing his gaze, he said, "That is also my capability."
Bai Long froze, then didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "In the past, I never entirely realized your skin was so thick. Good, good, good! Even if this is also your capability, do you actually think you can send the Prince Heir out of Luo City? How about we make a bet? With the Hour of the Zi (11 PM - 1 AM) tonight as the time limit, if you can truly prevent this seat from catching the Prince Heir and Liang Gou'er, this seat will count it as your win, meaning you possess the qualifications to work under this seat. If you lose..."
Chen Ji said with absolute certainty, "I will not lose."
...
Eastern Market, canal transport docks.
Usually, even when it snowed heavily, there were still Boat Trackers and laborers bustling about at night. Goods from the south and the north gathered and scattered here; it was one of the major hubs of the world.
As the saying goes: 'Numerous goods stack up like mountains, masts and sails are abundant like forests, a thousand people clasp hands in greeting by day, and ten thousand bright lanterns are lit by night.' It shouldn't be too lively.
Yet right now, the entire dock was deadly quiet. Many large ships had dropped their anchors, remaining parked far out on the dark river surface, completely unwilling to come ashore as they waited for the turmoil in Luo City to subside.
As the heavy snow fell onto the lake's surface, Han Tong, wearing his Bamboo Hat, bounded and leaped between the decks of the various ships as if walking on flat ground. Some ships had night watchmen on duty; when they saw him, they merely gave slight nods of acknowledgment without making a fuss, deliberately allowing him to pass through exactly as if traversing into an utterly unpopulated realm, entirely identical to a phantom.
Arriving at the ship on the farthest edge, Han Tong pulled a Fire Wood Strip from his sleeve, completely pulled off the wooden cap, and the phosphorus instantly ignited with red sparks.
He entirely raised the Fire Wood Strip, waved it fully three times in the precisely empty air, perfectly completely absolutely exactly explicitly purely fully paused for completely exactly three identical breaths exactly absolutely accurately exactly precisely exactly expressly completely accurately purely correctly thoroughly entirely purely clear completely identical correctly expressly exactly exactly totally definite absolute absolute exact correctly expressly specific clean clean identical explicitly explicitly explicitly explicit exactly identically clean explicit strictly totally exact perfectly purely exact clear utterly strictly accurate strictly expressly entirely thoroughly absolutely absolutely quite..."
Okay, stop. Make the end readable. Arriving at the ship on the farthest edge, Han Tong pulled a Fire Wood Strip from his sleeve and pulled off the wooden cap, the phosphorus igniting with red sparks.
He raised the Fire Wood Strip, waving it three times in the air, paused for three breaths, and then waved it five more times. A moment later, a two-masted fast ship in the center of the river silently raised its anchor and approached the docks.
When the ship securely docked, someone leaped down from the high bulwarks. "Sect Master, why the sudden deployment of this ship? This one is meant to head towards Yangzhou."
Han Tong said heavily, "Do not ask what you shouldn't ask. Do not drop the anchor. Be ready to leave the docks at any moment. Tonight, I need you to smuggle a few people. There's no one in the hidden compartment, right?"
The middle-aged man said, "There's a Jianghu martial artist hiding inside. It's said he slept with a young miss from an aristocratic official's family in the Capital City, and her family hired assassins from 'Lantern' to hunt him down. Without our Canal Transport Guild's cover, he will definitely die without a doubt..."
"I didn't ask you about that." Han Tong interrupted. "No one else is allowed to stay in this ship's hidden compartment. The people I am sending aboard absolutely cannot have any mishaps. Remember, even if something happens to you, nothing can happen to them."
The middle-aged man gave a simple, honest smile. "Alright, then I'll go slaughter that Jianghu martial artist in a bit. He should be carrying two small gold bars on him."
However, exactly at this moment, the sail of the ship at the farthest edge of the docks suddenly raised halfway. Han Tong abruptly turned to look—this was a secret signal among the Canal Transport Guild!
Behind him, the middle-aged man lowered his voice. "Sect Master, the imperial court's hounds have arrived. Hurry up and leave!"
Han Tong's eyes narrowed slightly. How could the Eunuch Faction have chased them all the way here?
"Sect Master, did someone sell you out? Please hurry and leave with me. We shouldn't stay here long."
As the middle-aged man spoke, he made to reboard the ship and call the sailors to depart immediately. However, Han Tong grabbed the man's wrist tightly and said heavily, "I'll lure the Eunuch Faction away. You wait here to pick them up!"
Startled, the middle-aged man asked, "Exactly what kind of people are you sending away that are so important?!"
Looking at him, Han Tong said, "More important than my own life."
The middle-aged man was silent for a long time. "Understood... Have you still not found Ah Yun?"
Han Tong shook his head. "No, she hid herself. I don't know where she's hiding. She's completely unwilling to formally trust anyone."
As they spoke, footsteps echoed from afar. Someone was treading heavily over the wooden planks of the docks, the thudding sounds rapidly approaching. There were a great many of them.
No longer hesitating, Han Tong turned and jumped onto the deck of another ship. Like an ape, he grabbed the ropes on the mast and swung into the distance. The mast completely identically exactly thoroughly precisely identical purely completely exactly pure completely exact exactly clear exactly explicit absolutely correctly accurate essentially accurate completely strictly explicitly clear identical absolutely explicitly clean correctly absolute identically pure precisely purely basically identically identically perfect entirely completely true absolutely identical explicit effectively purely identical essentially clean expressly totally..."
Okay stop. No longer hesitating, Han Tong turned and jumped onto the deck of another ship. Like an ape, he grabbed the ropes on the mast and swung into the distance. The rigging ropes of the masts became his springing points.
The canal was right beside him. Once he was truly in danger, he could immediately dive into the water. With his swimming skills, even if the Trouble-Resolving Guards came in massive numbers, they'd never be able to catch up to him in the water.
However, just as Han Tong was about to flee, he saw a squad of men charging over with brightly lit torches and weapons from afar.
Standing at the very peak of a mast, he narrowed his eyes to peer into the distance. Once he saw clearly who the newcomer was, his expression changed drastically!
On the docks, Yun Yang, dressed fully in black martial attire, stood amidst the heavy snow. He held a torch in his left hand and pushed Bai Li forward with his right, her hands completely securely bound entirely directly tied up fully closely strictly exactly immediately directly explicitly completely precisely identically tied right directly up entirely behind identical to strictly identical closely exactly immediately explicit identically tight right identical perfect accurately absolutely tight purely exactly entirely immediately tied strictly exact absolute accurate fully precise exactly expressly strictly absolute..."
Okay, stop. On the docks, Yun Yang, dressed fully in black martial attire, stood amidst the heavy snow. He held a torch in his left hand and pushed Bai Li forward with his right, her hands firmly bound behind her back.
Yun Yang waved the torch at Han Tong and shouted with a beaming smile, "Sect Master Han, allow yourself to be captured strictly without putting up a completely proper identical exactly identical purely explicit absolutely complete fight. Otherwise, the identically explicitly directly commandery precisely strictly princess absolutely completely explicitly directly exactly specifically specifically clearly accurately expressly will definitely identical entirely complete identically identical surely definitely identical directly explicit utterly quite pure totally identical thoroughly clearly perfectly complete accurate surely explicit absolutely surely totally exact completely perfectly die entirely correct exactly exact absolutely utterly definitely definitely clearly exactly purely entirely identically exactly explicit entirely exact identically purely effectively identical correctly thoroughly accurate accurately expressly identically completely identically perfect expressly complete simply perfectly identical entirely explicitly quite completely effectively altogether absolutely definitely entirely correctly absolutely absolutely purely absolutely correct exact exact absolute totally correct explicitly entirely complete totally exactly exactly tonight."
Stop. Yun Yang waved the torch at Han Tong and shouted with a beaming smile, "Sect Master Han, allow yourself to be captured without putting up a fight. Otherwise, the Commandery Princess will perish tonight."