Chapter 703 Fate
Chapter 703 Fate
Chapter 703 Destiny
"What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a handsome guy before?" ** glared at him.
"When someone dies, shouldn't we clean up the mess immediately?" He gestured with his chin towards the corpse on the ground beside him.
He wasn't surprised that Han Yi chose not to leave any survivors.
Or rather, even if Han Yi didn't kill Zhang Qiong and the other person, he would find a way to get rid of them.
His affair with Zhen You must not be known to any outsiders except his own family.
After all, having a close relationship with the sect leader of Mingyu Sect is not something worth publicizing.
After hearing what ** said, Han Yihui and the other person felt a sense of kinship and then said goodbye to each other.
"Brother Huiwu, we'll meet again someday."
"Of course, of course, Sect Leader Han, you must come to Shouyi Temple as a guest..."
"Definitely, definitely..."
"To be honest, this big monk isn't as easy to fool as he seems..." Han Yi remarked after Huiwu had walked away.
"What do you think? Anyone who can cultivate to this level wouldn't be a fool," he retorted irritably. "Let's not talk about that. The Mingyu Sect still has a few strongholds that need to be cleared out. Do you want to go?"
"Going... I could go..." Han Yi hesitated for a moment, his eyes strange, "But... this Mingyu Sect is the power of your old lover... isn't that a bit inappropriate?"
"She is herself, and Mingyu Sect is Mingyu Sect. There's not much connection between the two," she replied. "Last time the granary caught fire, rumors spread that it was... a deliberate act of revenge by the demon race."
Therefore, this siege of the Mingyu Sect members wasn't just to help you. It was also to give an explanation to the higher-ups; the demon race needed to know that blood for blood, tooth for tooth.
"I see..." Han Yi immediately understood.
No wonder... He initially only entrusted the task to **, just wanting him to call a few helpers to lend a hand.
As a result, much of the Hu family's past was exposed...
It's likely that the Hu family devised a plan immediately after hearing the news of Mingyu Sect's appearance.
Mingyu Sect became a victim of a grain depot fire, Kou Lie's death, and the imperial court's revenge against the demon race...
Speaking of which...
It seems that the Mingyu Sect is taking the blame for a huge blunder on behalf of their Ten Thousand Beasts Sect. "Don't overthink it. The destruction of the Mingyu Sect was only a matter of time." Seeing his thoughtful expression, ** said, "The demon race... has overstepped its bounds and repeatedly overstepped its limits. Even if they hadn't encountered this incident, the Mingyu Sect would have faced its day sooner or later."
So... are you going or not?
“Go! Why not? This is a golden opportunity for our Ten Thousand Beasts Sect to reappear in the world.” Han Yi quickly nodded in agreement. “Once the division of labor is finalized, I will send people to assist you in your operation.”
"Why go through all that trouble? I know a few strongholds now, let's go check them out together." **Takes out a white fox-face mask, her tone calm. "We can compare and see who can resolve this faster."
"it is good."
As soon as they finished speaking, the two of them leaped away.
……………
……………
On the sixth day, the sky was overcast. A light drizzle shrouded the entire city of Huayang in a gray haze. Several white-bellied, black-feathered birds built their nests on a flat spot under the eaves, chirping incessantly.
Inside the tavern, the waiter lay listlessly on the table, utterly bored.
That's true, in this kind of weather, where would any business come in?
The situation was already chaotic, prices were rising, and alcohol was expensive. Drinking is not as important as eating and living.
Squeak.
The door hinges made a slightly rusty grinding sound as the wooden door was slowly pushed open.
"Please come in, sir," the waiter said, dragging out the last syllable of his voice, too lazy to even stand up.
Anyway, with this kind of weather and the boss not around, one or two customers can be dealt with casually.
Drip, drip. Rainwater trickled down the straw hat, forming a shallow puddle on the floor.
The man in the straw hat didn't care at all and walked straight to the corner of the tavern.
There was a small table in the corner with two plates of snacks on it.
One plate contains broad beans, and the other contains peanuts.
Peanuts are stir-fried with star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, sugar, and salt, resulting in a savory, slightly spicy flavor with a bright red color, making them an excellent accompaniment to alcohol.
"Sir, there's a seat available..." The tavern waiter was about to greet the customer when he noticed the man in the straw hat striding ahead with a clear destination, as if he had made an appointment beforehand, so he fell silent.
"You've come..."
A weary, aged woman's voice slowly rose.
"I am coming."
A calm, middle-aged man's voice responded. *Snap*.
The man in the straw hat pulled out a chair and plopped down in it.
"What, the previous path is blocked, and you want to try another one?" The old woman was dressed in blue. Although her face was old, upon closer inspection, one could see that the skin below her neck was fair and smooth, like that of a young girl in her late teens.
"Failure? How could I fail?" The man in the straw hat smiled and slowly took off his hat.
"I just wanted to try a different approach, a more effective one."
Tick-tock…
A black straw hat stood upright on the chair, instantly wetting the floor.
“You haven’t changed at all…you’re still the same as before…” The old woman stared at the familiar face before her, slightly lost in thought.
This was a pale-faced man with handsome features and a somber demeanor. Most striking were his eyes, which seemed to hold the swirling snowflakes of a six-pointed star. He was none other than Fan Hongchou, the soon-to-be commander-in-chief of the prefectural army and the leader of the Dark Star Pavilion.
"His appearance remains the same, but his heart has changed." His voice was ethereal, filled with unspeakable melancholy and sorrow.
"Oh? You sound like you have a lot on your mind," the old woman sneered. "You're a big shot, what could possibly be troubling you?"
“When the country is no longer a country, how can we have a home?” Fan Hongchou sighed. “The world is in turmoil, people’s hearts are scattered, the court is in disarray, and His Majesty’s health is poor. He still cannot decide on an heir. This is the root of the problem, this is a sign of great chaos!”
"From what you're saying..." the old woman narrowed her eyes slightly, "that old bastard Emperor Wen is about to die?"
“He’s unwilling to relinquish power,” Fan Hongchou sneered. “He feels he can still hold on, that he won’t live long enough. So…”
He paused for a moment, then said, "I want to help him out."
Upon hearing this, the old woman's pupils constricted sharply, and she suddenly screamed, "Are you insane? Have you forgotten the clan rules? We cannot interfere with imperial power, or we will be punished by heaven!!!"
Her voice was extremely high-pitched and shrill, but strangely enough...
The waiter seemed not to have heard anything and remained slumped on the table, completely oblivious.
He yawned and counted the coins in his hand.
"It's not about interfering in politics," Fan Hongchou said calmly. "I've just made my own choice, and I might have a slight inclination towards it."
"Enough!" the old woman said coldly. "You've already gotten yourself involved too much. If you don't extricate yourself now, you'll only face death!"
"Never forget our destiny!" Her voice suddenly became solemn. "Dynastic changes and the decline of imperial power are irrelevant to us. Only by guarding the passage can we find meaning in our existence."
“Fate, fate, it’s fate again!” Fan Hongchou grew impatient. “The Tantai family’s bloodline has declined generation after generation, how can they lock the passage? Emperor Wen is unwilling to sacrifice himself, how can the seal be maintained? Without human intervention, how can it be maintained?” “The cycle of life and death is an unchanging truth of heaven and earth,” the old woman said sternly. “Even if the Tantai family falls from power, another true dragon will rise to power and reseal the passage. It will only take a few months in total.”
What we need to do is maintain the seal on the passage during this time, observe the situation, and take over the responsibilities once the new emperor ascends the throne!
"It's always the same old story! How many times have we said this?!" Fan Hongchou suddenly became agitated. "Passive, negative, controlled—always handing over the fate of all our people to others. What's the point? What's the point?"
The snowflakes in his eyes began to swirl rapidly: "Grandparents, father, mother, elder brothers... how many people will die? How many innocent clansmen will perish in this bottomless abyss just because of a single destiny?"
"..." The old woman paused for a moment, then sighed, "Blessed by Heaven and Earth... to dedicate ourselves to it... this is the destiny of our clan..." "What bullshit destiny!" Fan Hongchou interrupted, "You're still the same, still so stubborn, still so rigid, still following outdated ancestral teachings, unwilling to change anything!"
"I'd rather do nothing than make a mistake," the old woman said earnestly.
"If you won't do it, I will!" Fan Hongchou suddenly stood up. "I want to reverse our fate and change what seems to be an immutable truth... I only believe that destiny is in our own hands!"
"What are you trying to do? Don't forget our roots!" The old woman seemed to have thought of a possibility and shouted sternly.
"Sister, you can't stop me." Fan Hongchou put on her bamboo hat and slowly walked outside.
The snowflakes in his eyes spun faster and faster, gradually merging into one, as if they were a single entity.
"There will be some sacrifices... If one day my plan succeeds... even if they die, they will be grateful to me... This is for the greater good, for the future of everyone..."
The sound grew fainter and fainter until it was almost inaudible.
The old woman remained seated, motionless.
It wasn't that she didn't want to move, but rather...
She couldn't move at all.
……………
……………
At dawn, the dark clouds dispersed, and the sun slowly peeked out from behind the clouds.
In an instant, the gray sky was bathed in a brilliant red light, and large areas of the ground were also tinged with pale red.
call…...
Han Yi slowly exhaled a long, white breath. The breath did not dissipate, but lingered like a solidified column of smoke for more than three zhang.
"Wow~ Master, you're so amazing! Qing'er wants to learn this martial art too!" A clear and lively little girl's voice rang out, filled with envy.
This is a little girl of eleven or twelve years old, with two pigtails, lively and cute.
Looking at Han Yishi, the little girl's eyes widened, her watery eyes filled with envy and curiosity.
"This is not martial arts. It's just a meditation practice." Han Yi shook his head slightly, and with a flash, he landed lightly in front of the little girl.
"Didn't I tell you to stay with your grandmaster's grandmother? Why did you come here? Have you finished practicing your martial arts?"
The little girl's name is Meng Qing, and she is Meng Ren's younger sister.
Han Yi had promised Meng Ren that he would take in his sister as a disciple and teach her martial arts.
Meng Ren was chased and killed, and afterwards he stayed in the sect to recuperate. His sister, Meng Qing, naturally followed him.
On the one hand, he had made a promise, and on the other hand, he considered it a form of compensation. Han Yi went with the flow and took on a second disciple.
Tao Yaohui, the senior disciple, has truly become the senior disciple in name and has his own junior sister.
Of course, it's true that Meng Qing was accepted as a student, but the person who truly taught her martial arts was her master, Zhong Yunxiu.
After all, Han Yi's martial arts skills... are something only he himself can master.
If you pass this on to someone else, they might immediately go berserk.
“Master’s wife…” Meng Qing said crisply.
"Hmm?" Han Yi's gaze sharpened.
"Ah, no, it's my sister." Meng Qing's little mind worked quickly, and she quickly corrected herself, "Sister Han wants you to come over, saying she has something to discuss with you."
"I'm coming right now." Han Yi patted her little head. "Go practice your skills. If your foundation isn't solid, the earth will shake. If you want to be as strong as your master, you can't skip your daily training." "I'm not a child anymore, I know!" Meng Qing pouted unhappily. "Don't pat my head! Mommy said patting my head will stunt my growth!"
Watching her disappear into the distance, Han Yi chuckled to himself.
Putting aside his talent, potential, and future achievements, this little guy's lively and cheerful personality has certainly brought some energy to everyone.
As the morning sun rose, Han Yi strode towards the sect leader's building.
Although the mainstream cultivation methods he has come into contact with do not seem to include concepts such as the morning sun purple aura or refining essence into qi.
But going to bed early and waking up early to breathe fresh air has become a habit for him.
It can't make him stronger, but it subtly helps him regulate and balance the three forces within his body.
The three powers within him.
This refers to three types of strength, blood vessels, and vital energy. Their strength increases sequentially.
Qi, blood, and physical body are undoubtedly the strongest among them.
His strength is only at the martial arts master level, which is his weakest point.
The bloodline of the spirit seed lies between the two, which is equivalent to a balanced state.
Only when these three elements combine and surge forth will his strongest form, Asura, emerge.
"The strength represents the path of martial arts. If one wants to advance to the next level, as long as the Seven Skills of Jingtian are engraved in the corresponding bone patterns, one can cultivate the true body, break through to the Grandmaster level, and it seems that one can recreate the Seven Transformations of Heavenly Evolution, with a bright future."
Han Yi's mind raced with thoughts.
"A strong physical body mainly depends on the abundance of one's qi and blood. Strong qi and blood mean great strength, speed, and high defense, which in turn makes the physical body strong."
The path to advancement here requires consuming the flesh and blood of various powerful demonic beasts to replenish one's vital energy, or cultivating external martial arts techniques to enhance the physical body. In other words, the road ahead is wide open. "Only those with a spiritual bloodline..."
He paused, his brows furrowing slightly.
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