The town altar wood killed the fire monster Zheng Fuda. This time, the force was too great, and it was directly beaten to death. Ji Xiang did not expect this.
When his predecessor used the town altar wood, it did not have such great power.
No matter how high the martial arts are, they fear a kitchen knife; no matter how wonderful the magic is, a brick can knock it down.
"I haven't even used my strength yet, and you're dead."
Ji Xiang looked at the incense ash scattered on the ground. The fire boy in the ochre-red clothes had already run away.
Damn, the fellow Taoist couldn't be kept.
Now no one will answer his questions.
The shattered incense ash drifted about. Ji Xiang stepped forward, extended his hand, and the incense ash automatically flowed in through his fingertips, all swallowed by Ji Xiang.
Wave the wooden board, take away all the incense ash, don't waste it.
"The fire curse that burns people appeared from the incense ash, and the fire monster came and went freely with the fire escape... That should be the fire escape... My predecessor was truly knowledgeable, having seen such spells."
"Eliminate potential investigators before committing a crime. This is preparing for a major event."
"This imperial palace is truly dangerous. People have no intention of harming tigers, but tigers have intentions to harm people."
In Longde Hall, if he didn't call out, no one would enter for three to five days.
Therefore, if the goal was to create a sensational murder case in the Forbidden City or to instigate some political storm, this was not a good location. Moreover, the imperial palace was the place with the heaviest national prestige. Normal wandering ghosts and evil spirits would die instantly if they entered.
"Moreover, the national prestige did not suppress this person, which means he recently received a reward. He is a person, or a ghost or god, but no matter what he is, he must now be a 'righteous god' with a proper position."
"But even if he became a righteous god, the fire killing curse could kill minor Taoist priests with low cultivation, but it could not kill members of the royal family protected by national prestige."
"So, if the curse cannot be used to start a fire, then only ordinary arson methods can be used..."
The truly high-end assassins always use the most simple and unadorned methods.
Ji Xiang was deducing.
If this righteous god was truly preparing to set fire to the imperial palace, his target would be at least a prince, and it was not impossible that it would be Emperor Wanli himself.
National prestige refers to the prestige of the country, linked to national destiny. When the country prospers, national prestige flourishes. All evil spirits, and even lonely ghosts, if they approach a place covered by national prestige, will be directly crushed into dust.
Of course, the state of national prestige is changing. As national destiny declines, national prestige also declines. This power only targets gods, ghosts, and cultivators. In wartime, mortals will be blessed by national prestige, so even the wars of mortals can determine the life and death of cultivators, gods, and ghosts.
Within the Forbidden City, as the only pháp sư, he could observe, but he could not act rashly. He could only work here after being certified by the emperor. Without certification, under the shroud of national prestige, his divine powers would immediately collapse, his magic power would be locked, and he would become a mortal.
This is the Forbidden City.
This should have been the greatest forbidden area in the world.
But now it seems a bit undeserved?
Ji Xiang inherited the cultivation level of the young Taoist, which was only the second realm, "Hundred Days Foundation Building." However, after this rebirth of flesh and blood, his new bones appeared jade-white, and the meridians in his body were golden and possessed great flexibility.
Breaking and then establishing, this is the third realm, Golden Tendons and Jade Bones.
He found new clothes in Longde Hall and changed into them, wearing a cyan silk cap, a sky-blue crane cloak with turtle and snake patterns, and white feathers on his shoulders.
The morning sun shone through the paper window into this dark room, and the dust motes were particularly noticeable in the sunlight.
Ji Xiang put on his clothes, walked to the incense burner, and straightened it.
The satisfaction he felt when he knocked the incense burner away just now was matched by the trouble of cleaning it up now.
After sweeping away the incense ash on the ground, he picked up some of it to examine.
It was at this moment.
The gate of the large courtyard outside Longde Hall was pushed open.
"Creak..."
Longde Hall was at the innermost part of this large courtyard. From a bird's-eye view, it was a long rectangle, facing south and backed by the north.
The sound was loud, and Ji Xiang heard it. He turned around from the incense burner:
"No announcement, no fanfare, just walked in like this?"
"In the memory of this predecessor, the last time a palace servant came to deliver clothes was two days ago. Why is there a sudden movement here today, in a place where no one comes for three to five days?"
When a distinguished person visits here to pray, there must be an announcement... Forget it, it seems that since Emperor Wanli ascended the throne, no important figures have visited this hall.
Ji Xiang flicked the incense ash from his fingertips, turned around, and opened the door of Longde Hall. He suddenly remembered.
Didn't that boy just say that a master was coming to see his corpse?
Ji Xiang's gaze immediately became solemn.
Opening the door, the first person he saw was a eunuch.
Then, his gaze slightly passed over, and he could see a young royal wearing casual clothes.
A black gauze cap with folded corners and a winged hat, a red round-necked narrow-sleeved robe, with a golden woven coiled dragon on the front, back, and both shoulders, a jade belt, and leather boots.
He looked decent, but his mental state seemed not very good, with a shadow of gloom always lingering between his brows.
There were few attendants around him. Besides the guiding eunuch, there were only two palace attendants, no palace maids.
From the moment he entered the door, the demeanor and movements of this young man made Ji Xiang feel that something was wrong. He walked quietly without any loud announcements. Although he was wearing royal casual clothes, the color was noticeably dim, not bright new clothes.
Ji Xiang had never seen this person in his memory and did not recognize him at all. This person should be visiting here for the first time.
The eunuch soon arrived. Ji Xiang greeted him, and the eunuch said:
"The First Prince has come to Longde Hall to pray for Consort Gong."
The First Prince?
Ji Xiang lowered his gaze, his brows furrowed.
Emperor Wanli's son should be...
Ming Guangzong Zhu Changluo, Emperor Taichang.
The future Ming Guangzong, the current First Prince Zhu Changluo, was born in the tenth year of Wanli and is fifteen years old this year.
This person's resume is very tragic. His birth mother was a palace maid, and he was not favored by Emperor Wanli, so much so that the emperor and another "Consort Zheng" were always thinking of getting rid of him. Since his birth, he had been ostracized in the imperial palace.
Emperor Wanli kept delaying, unwilling to appoint him as crown prince, so he was only allowed to leave the palace for education two years ago, at the age of thirteen. However, he was not allowed to wear the clothes of a crown prince, nor was he allowed to follow the regulations of a prince.
Therefore, his formal attire was the casual clothes of others.
Being unfavored for a long time made his personality appear dull and gloomy.
Ji Xiang slowly opened the main door and stood aside, not knowing how to strike up a conversation. He just stood with his eyes closed and performed a deep bow when people entered.
However, the young man was somewhat strange.
Ever since he entered, he had been staring at Ji Xiang, his gaze unwavering.
Ji Xiang did not look up, but he could feel the strangeness in this gaze... it carried a sense of confusion.
He wondered in his heart if the "master" mentioned by that boy just now was this First Prince?
This is quite interesting, but it cannot be confirmed yet.
After all, a suspect is only a suspect.
A eunuch brought incense to the side. At this moment, the gloomy First Prince suddenly spoke to Ji Xiang:
"Daoist priest, I have never prayed before and do not know the method and rules. Can you guide me?"
Because the First Prince Zhu Changluo was not enfeoffed as a king, nor was he the crown prince, nor had he reached adulthood, he referred to himself as "I" like ordinary people. He could not call himself "this prince" or "this king," let alone "this solitary ruler."
Ji Xiang bowed to Zhu Changluo again, then watched as Zhu Changluo picked up the incense and stood before the incense burner. At this moment, Ji Xiang did not know what Zhu Changluo was up to, so he simply responded to his question. After a moment of thought, he began to chant:
"Please light three sticks of incense, face the divine statue, bow respectfully, and use your left hand to offer incense..."
"The three sticks of incense should be placed straight and parallel, with a gap of one inch between them."
"Use your thumb and middle finger to place the first stick of incense in the center."
"Use your thumb and ring finger to place the second stick of incense on the left."
"Use your thumb and index finger to place the third stick of incense on the right."
After Zhu Changluo placed the three sticks of incense, blue smoke curled up, but he did not stare at the divine statues of the Three Pure Ones. Instead, his gaze was constantly fixed on the three portions of incense.
"Daoist priest...."
Zhu Changluo turned his head slightly at this moment, looking at Ji Xiang, who had a blank expression, from the corner of his eye.
"....."
Ji Xiang felt a very familiar aura from this First Prince.
It was very similar to the aura of the two fire monsters he had just encountered, a kind of incense aura!
Zhu Changluo's lips curved into an arc:
"You say...."
"Can dead people come back to life?"