allonlinenovel Chapter 482
Chapter 482
The night was as black as ink, thick and impenetrable, enveloping the courtyard of the Prince's mansion. Jing Chu, dressed in a long black robe, the hem of which fluttered gently in the breeze, stood quietly in the courtyard, his face cold and detached. His gaze was fixed on the child before him, who appeared to be only seven or eight years old, thin and timid, cowering with fear and stubbornness on his face.
Jing Chu leaned forward slightly, his voice low yet extremely intimidating, and slowly asked, "Who ordered you to use Gu magic to cause trouble here?" Every word seemed to carry the frost of winter, exceptionally clear in the silent night. The child bit his lip tightly, his once pink lips now pale, his small body trembling slightly with tension and fear, yet even so, he stubbornly refused to speak, only staring at Jing Chu with his wary eyes.
Just as the atmosphere reached a stalemate, a mysterious old man with a slightly hunched back slowly stepped forward. The old man wore a tattered gray robe, his hair was white, and his face was etched with the marks of time. He raised his withered right hand, muttering incantations, and performed a special probing technique. With the old man's movement, an invisible force seemed to surge in the air, and ripples almost invisible to the naked eye spread towards the child, attempting to probe the truth from within his mind.
Everyone held their breath, their eyes glued to the scene. Just as the old man was about to make a breakthrough, his probing power about to touch the key memory, a sudden change occurred. The child suddenly shuddered violently, his eyes widening instantly, his face contorted in extreme pain. Then, a stream of black blood slowly flowed from his seven orifices, appearing particularly eerie in the bright moonlight. It turned out that the child had ingested poison hidden in his mouth, dying instantly from the poison, his small body falling stiffly onto the cold ground.
"What a pity!" Someone let out a sigh of regret first, and then everyone felt the same way. The truth that everyone thought was about to be revealed was once again shrouded in mystery with the child's death, and the clues were cut off.
Jing Chu's brows furrowed into a deep frown. He lowered his head and pondered for a moment, weighing the pros and cons in his mind. He finally decided to return to the Prince's residence first to discuss countermeasures with the Prince. Along the way, the sound of horses' hooves was rapid, and Jing Chu's thoughts were as tangled as a tangled mess.
Back at the Prince's residence, the Prince sat calmly in his study. However, after Jing Chu recounted the entire incident in detail, the Prince's expression instantly turned grave. He slowly rose, pacing back and forth in the study with his hands behind his back, each step seemingly carrying a thousand pounds of weight. The Prince knew all too well that this seemingly simple incident of Gu magic disruption was backed by a powerful force, likely targeting the stability of the Prince's residence and even the entire capital.
Before long, the strategists and guards of the Prince's residence were summoned to the study. They sat together to discuss the next steps of the plan. After a heated discussion, they decided to secretly investigate suspicious individuals and unusual movements around the capital. A group of skilled and capable guards were deployed to various corners of the capital and surrounding towns to closely monitor for any unusual signs. At the same time, the Prince's residence's defenses were strengthened; not only were the number of patrolling guards increased, but the defensive formations were also rearranged, and vigilance was heightened to prevent another enemy attack.
Beneath the seemingly peaceful capital, a covert battle against a mysterious and evil force has just begun. Various factions, like undercurrents hidden in the darkness, are about to engage in a thrilling contest, and the people of the Prince's Mansion will strive to ensure the peace of the capital amidst this perilous struggle.
Several nights later, the Prince's mansion was quiet, save for the soft echoes of patrolling guards' footsteps on the stone path. Suddenly, the sound of rapid hoofbeats broke the silence as they approached. A guard, his face weary yet unable to hide his excitement, hurriedly dismounted and trotted into the mansion, heading straight for Jingchu's residence.
"My lord!" The guard knelt on one knee, his voice tinged with urgency, "Your subordinate has brought an important clue!" Jing Chu, who had been studying the map of the capital by candlelight, immediately put down his work and looked at the guard with piercing eyes: "Speak quickly, what is the clue?" The guard took a deep breath and slowly said, "In an abandoned Taoist temple on the outskirts of the capital, mysterious people often appear. They act furtively and their behavior is highly suspicious."
Jing Chu acted decisively, deciding to take immediate action. He quickly assembled a team of elite guards, all highly skilled and experienced men from the Prince's residence, each with a resolute and courageous look in their eyes. Under the cover of night, they quietly left the Prince's residence, heading towards an abandoned Taoist temple in the suburbs. The sound of their horses' hooves was almost completely muffled by the specially made soft cloth, and the group moved through the night like ghosts.
As they approached the Taoist temple, a sinister and eerie atmosphere enveloped them. Moonlight cast dappled shadows on the temple's dilapidated walls, making them resemble menacing monsters. Jing Chu raised his hand to signal everyone to stop. He reined in the horses and carefully observed their surroundings. The temple was surrounded by overgrown weeds, which rustled in the night wind, as if whispering untold secrets.
"Everyone, proceed with caution and don't let your guard down," Jing Chu whispered to the guards. They nodded, gripping their weapons tightly, and slowly approached the Taoist temple gate. The moment they stepped across the threshold, a thick, oppressive aura rushed towards them, sending a chill down their spines. In the dim moonlight, they could see strange runes etched into the ground inside the temple, shimmering with an eerie green light, seemingly pulsating with life.
"Not good, an ambush!" Jing Chu thought to himself. No sooner had he spoken than a group of people dressed in black robes surged forth from all sides. Their faces were covered by black masks, revealing only pairs of cold eyes, their hands gripping sharp blades that gleamed coldly in the moonlight. These black-robed figures quickly surrounded Jing Chu and his group, the encirclement tightening ever closer.
Jing Chu showed no fear. With a swift movement, he drew his sword, its blade gleaming coldly. He stood back-to-back with his guards, ready for battle. "Brothers, today is the day to fight these villains! Do not back down!" Jing Chu shouted, his voice filled with fighting spirit. The guards echoed his words, their morale soaring.
A fierce battle instantly erupted between the two sides. Amidst the flashing blades, shouts of battle, and the clashing of weapons, blood splattered, staining the ground of the Taoist temple red. Jing Chu moved nimbly, his swordsmanship sharp and swift, his sword like a nimble dragon, weaving freely through the enemy ranks. Each swing of his sword was accompanied by the screams and thuds of his enemies falling to the ground.
During the battle, Jing Chu keenly sensed a connection between the black-robed figures' techniques and the Gu magic used by the child. Their movements were unpredictable, and their attacks seemed to contain a mysterious power that made them impossible to defend against. "It seems we're getting closer to the truth," Jing Chu thought to himself, his sword flashing even faster. He had only one thought in his mind: to uncover the mastermind behind this fierce battle and reveal the truth behind this series of conspiracies.
As the battle continued, the number of black-robed figures gradually decreased, but they grew increasingly frenzied, showing no sign of retreat. Jing Chu knew that this battle was far from over, and an even greater crisis might be yet to come…