newbobooks Chapter 456 The dilapidated temple in the north of the city, Ji Ruofeng sees through Yi Bu's sc
Chapter 456 The dilapidated temple in the north of the city, Ji Ruofeng sees through Yi Bu's sc
An hour later.
The Manjushri Temple is hidden at the northern end of Tianqi City. The red paint on the temple gate is peeling off, and the plaque with the words "Manjushri's Extensive Dharma" hangs askew on the lintel, covered with cobwebs.
The wind chimes on the eaves are rusted to death, and occasionally a wild cat darts across the roof, startling a few crows into cawing.
Ib stood ten steps away from the temple gate, his black robe almost blending into the night.
He stared at the broken door for a long time before slowly walking forward.
"Ji Ruofeng," he said in a low voice, projecting his inner force so that each word was clear and penetrated through the crack in the door, "Yi Bu of the Shadow Sect, please come out and speak!"
The temple was quiet.
Ib waited a moment, and when there was no response, he said again:
"My visit today is of great importance. If Hall Master Ji continues to avoid me, I will have no choice but to force my way in!"
Having said that—
"Squeak-"
The temple door was opened a crack from the inside.
The one who opened the door was a hunched old temple keeper, carrying a dim yellow oil lamp, his eyes still sleepy.
"Sir, it's late, the temple doesn't accept worshippers at night..."
Ib didn't even look at him, and stepped straight across the threshold.
The old temple keeper didn't stop him; he simply stepped aside and waited for Ib to enter before closing the door bolt behind him.
The temple was even more dilapidated inside than outside. The main hall housed a clay statue of Manjushri Bodhisattva, with most of the gold paint peeling off, revealing the gray-black body inside.
The altar was covered in a thick layer of dust, and only a few shriveled dates remained in the offering plate.
Yi Bu stood in the hall, looking around: "Ji Ruofeng, how much longer must I wait?"
"Sect Leader Yi, what great power you have!"
The sound came from behind the hall.
Ji Ruofeng emerged from the side hall, still dressed in red and white robes, but this time she was not wearing the Prajna mask.
His eyebrows and eyes looked exceptionally young and sharp under the light of the oil lamp.
He carried the heavy, dark "Wuji Staff" in his hand, the tip of which dragged on the ground, leaving fine marks.
"Disturbing my peaceful dreams in the dead of night." Ji Ruofeng walked to the incense table, casually picked up a dried date, and weighed it in his hand. "Sect Leader Yi, are you... in such a hurry to show your loyalty to the late emperor?"
Yi Bu's face darkened: "Hall Master Ji, watch your words!"
"Be careful with your words?" Ji Ruofeng laughed, tossing the dates back onto the plate. "What Sect Leader Yi said outside the door just now doesn't sound like someone who would be careful with his words!"
Ib took a deep breath and suppressed his anger:
"Master Ji, let's not beat around the bush. The Shadow Sect has learned that Wen Yanzhao, that brat from the Wen family in Lingnan, has already trained the 'Medicine Man Army' in Qiandong City. Is the Hundred Knowledge Hall aware of this?"
Ji Ruofeng raised an eyebrow: "So what if I know, or I don't?"
“If you know,” Yi Bu stared at him, “please tell me the details, Master Ji. The art of using medicine to kill people is sinister; if it is truly used on the battlefield, my soldiers in Dali may suffer unforeseen consequences.”
His Majesty is concerned about the war and has specially ordered Shadow Sect to investigate…
"Special mission?" Ji Ruofeng interrupted him, his smile laced with sarcasm. "Sect Leader Yi, how can you, a dignified Grand Sect Leader, lie without batting an eye? If His Majesty really wants to know, why not just issue an edict to ask the Hundred Knowledge Hall?"
I think there's a lot of exaggeration in what Sect Leader Yi said! You came all the way from the Shadow Sect without passing through the Azure Dragon Gate to enter the inner palace, so how dare you say you've met His Majesty?
Could it be... that Sect Leader Yi is trying to find out privately for some other purpose?
Yi Bu's heart skipped a beat. Ji Ruofeng knew exactly where he had been half an hour ago? The Hundred Knowledge Hall's intelligence couldn't be this swift and timely; there was only one possibility—
While he sent Shadow Sect disciples to secretly follow Ji Ruofeng's army, Bai Xiaotang also secretly sent people to keep an eye on Shadow Sect!
Yi Bu was somewhat annoyed, but he had no choice but to suppress his temper in the face of the enigmatic Ji Ruofeng.
He did not immediately report the message Song Chen sent back to Xiao Ruojin because the message was not yet complete.
How many drug users are there? What is their combat strength? Is the person controlling them Wen Yanzhao... or is it someone else? We know nothing about any of these questions.
If he were to report this rashly, and His Majesty were to ask for details, he would be unable to answer, which would make Yingzong appear incompetent.
That's why he came to Bai Xiaotang. Bai Xiaotang's intelligence network is unparalleled in the world; there's almost nothing in the martial arts world that they don't know.
If we can obtain accurate information from here and then report it to His Majesty, that would be a great achievement.
But Ji Ruofeng... saw right through his thoughts.
"Master Ji is overthinking it," Yi Bu said, his expression unchanged. "The Shadow Sect is loyal to the royal family and naturally must share His Majesty's burdens. The matter of the medicine man concerns the national war, and since the Hundred Knowledge Hall controls all information in the world, it is only right that..."
"What should be the case?" Ji Ruofeng interrupted again, his tone turning cold.
"Sect Leader Yi, the Hundred Knowledge Hall is a Jianghu organization, not an official agency of your imperial court! When we sell information, we believe in mutual consent and a fair exchange. What, Sect Leader Yi, do you think you can get it for free just by talking?"
Ibn remained silent for a moment, then took out a silver note from his sleeve and placed it on the incense table.
A note with a face value of ten thousand taels, issued by the largest "Tongbao Money Shop" in Tianqi City, redeemable on sight.
"This is a deposit," Yi Bu said. "Please, Master Ji, within five days, ascertain the details of the medicine-using people—their number, combat strength, weaknesses, and methods of control. After the matter is completed, there will be a generous reward."
Ji Ruofeng glanced at the silver note but did not accept it.
He suddenly laughed, the laughter echoing in the empty hall, carrying an indescribable mockery.
"Sect Leader Yi," Ji Ruofeng reached out, picked up a silver note with two fingers, and waved it in front of Yi Bu, "how much do you think... the information about the medicine man is worth?"
Yi Bu frowned: "Master Ji thinks it's too little? If so, the price can be discussed further."
"Talk?" Ji Ruofeng's smile vanished, and his finger flicked—
"Stab!"
The ten thousand taels of silver note was torn in half, and Ib's pupils suddenly contracted!
Ji Ruofeng's hands never stopped, turning two halves into four, four into eight... Finally, he casually tossed a handful of scraps of paper onto the incense table.
Paper scraps fell like snowflakes into the dust.
"Sect Master Yi," Ji Ruofeng said calmly, but his words were sharp as knives, "Your Shadow Sect has built a century-old foundation, and this is how you conduct business?"
Ten thousand taels... Heh, are you looking down on medicine people, or on my Hundred Knowledge Hall?
Ib's face turned ashen, and a surge of anger rose to his head.
As the sect leader of the Shadow Sect, he commanded the royal guards for decades. Even the late Emperor Xiao Chongjing treated him with deference.
This Ji Ruofeng is only in his early twenties, yet he dares to humiliate me like this!
"Ji Ruofeng!" Yi Buti stepped forward, his aura suddenly becoming sharp. "Don't go too far! No matter how powerful the Hundred Knowledge Hall is, it is still under the rule of the Great Li!"
"With your actions today, do you truly disregard the imperial court?!"
"The imperial court?" Ji Ruofeng laughed, but there was no warmth in his smile. "Sect Leader Yi, can you represent the imperial court? Or... does your Shadow Sect already act on behalf of the emperor?"
Ib was speechless.
Ji Ruofeng gave him no chance to catch his breath and continued, "Last time, when the Southern Secret Assassins infiltrated Tianqi, it was my Hundred Knowledge Hall that intercepted the news and alerted your Shadow Sect."
What did Master Yi say at the time? 'The loyalty of the Hundred Knowledge Hall is evident, and His Majesty will surely reward them handsomely'—but where was the reward?
I've waited until now, only to have Sect Leader Yi shamelessly come with ten thousand taels of silver to buy battle reports that concern the fate of the nation!
He raised the Wuji Staff, its tip touching the ground: "Sect Leader Yi, the martial world has its own rules."
Baixiaotang, the gossipmonger, has always been selective in its approach to information dissemination. "Friends come, good wine and meat; wolves come..."
The tip of the stick suddenly rose, pointing directly at Ib's throat!
fast!
So fast that Yi Bu only felt a blur before his eyes, and the dark, heavy tip of the stick was already three inches in front of his Adam's apple, the icy killing intent piercing his skin painfully.
Ib froze.
He didn't even see how Ji Ruofeng made his move!
Just how powerful is this Master of the Hundred Knowledge Hall?!
"Sect Leader Yi," Ji Ruofeng's voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable pressure, "I advise you that the imperial court should not interfere too much in matters of the martial world."
Baixiaotang is not under the jurisdiction of Yingzong, nor is it under the jurisdiction of you, Yibu.
I'm tearing up your banknote today to tell you—some information can't be bought with money.
Ib moved his throat, wanting to speak, but found that his Adam's apple was locked by the stick's energy, and he couldn't make a sound.
A flicker of fear finally crossed his eyes.
This young man... he really dares to kill him?!
"Sect Leader Yi, rest assured," Ji Ruofeng seemed to see through his thoughts, "I won't kill you. Killing you would only cause more trouble if Shadow Sect replaced you with a different sect leader. However..."
He slightly turned his wrist, and the Wuji Staff gently tapped Yi Bu's Adam's apple.
Though light, the shock caused Yi Bu's blood and qi to surge, forcing him to stagger back three steps before regaining his balance.
"However, Sect Master Yi must remember," Ji Ruofeng put away his staff and stood with his hands behind his back, "the Hundred Knowledge Hall owes nothing to the imperial court, much less to your Shadow Sect."
Helping you last time was a favor; not helping this time is my right. If you're not satisfied, you can go back and report to His Majesty that Baixiaotang is defying the court—then let's see how the new emperor decides. I, Ji Ruofeng, am waiting for you!
Ib's face flushed red and then turned pale, and his chest heaved violently.
He stared intently at Ji Ruofeng, his eyes filled with a murderous intent that almost materialized. But in the end, that murderous intent slowly dissipated, transforming into a deep sense of apprehension.
Ji Ruofeng and Bai Xiaotang are far more terrifying than Yi Bu imagined!
His martial arts skills were unfathomable, and his mind was as meticulous as a demon.
Those words just now hit the nail on the head—the Shadow Sect truly cannot represent the court, and His Majesty's attitude towards the Hundred Knowledge Hall has always been ambiguous.
If things really fall out, Ji Ruofeng might not be the one to suffer.
"Fine...fine!" Yi Bu gritted his teeth and squeezed out a few words, "I will remember what Hall Master Ji said today!"
He turned to leave, but Ji Ruofeng suddenly said, "Sect Leader Yi, please wait."
Ib stopped and turned around.
Ji Ruofeng took out a copper coin from his pocket and flicked it with his thumb.
The coin traced an arc and landed at Ib's feet.
"This one coin is a return gift from Baixiaotang to Sect Leader Yi," Ji Ruofeng said calmly. "And please pass on a message to His Majesty—Baixiaotang is aware of the matter of the medicine man, and a secret report will be sent to the palace within three days. However…"
He paused, his eyes sharp as swords: "This secret report is for His Majesty, not for the Shadow Sect. Sect Master Yi, do you understand?"
Ib was startled.
Ji Ruofeng's words were clearly a warning to him—don't try to steal it, don't try to interfere.
News from Baixiaotang reaches the highest levels of the court directly; it's not up to Yingzong to concern themselves with it.
This is a naked slap in the face.
Ib bent down and picked up the copper coin.
He gave Ji Ruofeng a deep look, said nothing more, turned around, pushed open the temple door, and strode away, his figure looking particularly disheveled in the night.
Ji Ruofeng stood in the hall, listening to the footsteps fade into the distance until they disappeared at the alley entrance, before letting out a soft breath.
"Sect Master," the old temple priest appeared behind him at some point and said in a low voice, "Yi Bu is a narrow-minded man. He has suffered such a great humiliation today, and I'm afraid he will not let it go."
“He won’t,” Ji Ruofeng shook his head. “At least not now. Yingzong is currently highly valued by His Majesty, and Yi Bu wouldn’t dare to cause any trouble. However…”
He looked out at the deep night, a hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes: "The matter of the medicine men is indeed troublesome. That kid Wen Yanzhao has quietly created three thousand medicine men... Xiao Ruofeng is likely to suffer a great loss in this battle."
The old temple keeper hesitated and asked, "Does the sect leader really intend to report this news to that cheap emperor, Xiao Ruojin?"
"Report." Ji Ruofeng turned and walked towards the back hall. "However, how much to report... that's up to us!"
The undercurrents in Tianqi City are turbulent. If my Baixiaotang wants to remain standing, we must navigate the complex relationships between various forces. Whether the new emperor Xiao Ruojin is wise but foolish or a coward, we must now have a reliable backer in the court!
If this information about the medicine man were given to Xiao Ruojin, Bai Xiaotang could remain in Tianqi for a short time.
Hehe... Luo Chen, a hundred miles in the southwest, Langya King Xiao Ruofeng, Wen family's Wen Yanzhao, Xueyue City's Baili Dongjun...
The current state of affairs in the world is becoming increasingly interesting.
His voice trailed off as his figure disappeared into the darkness behind the hall.
The temple gates closed again, and the clay statue of Manjushri Bodhisattva, illuminated by the oil lamp, smiled compassionately. A night gust of wind shattered the lamplight, and the Bodhisattva statue instantly transformed into Vajra Prajna!
……