Rong Zhi's steps, about to enter, faltered. She eyed the guard before her with suspicion.
In the past, she had come and gone from the General's mansion as she pleased, never encountering anyone who dared to stop her. Was this a new recruit who didn't know the rules?
"My name is Lin Mo. I have urgent business with your General. Please inform him, or find Zhang Can or Chen Xing."
She rattled off three names, making it clear she was an acquaintance.
"I wouldn't fail to recognize the General's acquaintances. The General's mansion is not a place for just anyone to enter. Leave quickly, lest I be forced to act."
Seeing the other's resolute attitude, Rong Zhi grew even more perplexed.
Logically, even if they didn't recognize her, they should have at least announced her presence. What was the meaning of directly sending her away?
She didn't linger, offering a brief "Apologies" before leaving. However, she didn't go far. Instead, she circled around to the back courtyard, out of the guard's sight.
Since she couldn't enter through the front, she'd have to sneak in.
After all, she'd done this countless times before and was well-practiced.
Just as she was about to enter, Rong Zhi suddenly felt a powerful killing intent, as if countless swords were aimed at her.
She stopped and leaped onto a nearby tree. From her vantage point, she saw the guards inside surrounding every area, forming an impenetrable blockade.
If she had directly scaled the wall just moments ago, she would have been surrounded by these guards.
Under normal circumstances, Rong Zhi wouldn't have been worried about them harming her. After all, Xia Yun Ting's men knew of her existence.
But the guard's attitude just now had unsettled her.
Casually plucking a leaf from the tree, she infused it with her internal energy and sent it flying. The leaf, like a blade, carried a sharp, lethal aura.
Before it could reach the courtyard, it was intercepted by a dart that embedded itself in the wall.
All the guards turned their heads in unison, their gazes filled with killing intent as they stared outwards. Rong Zhi quickly jumped down from the tree and hid.
A moment later, she heard voices from within: "Watch carefully. Do not let anyone in, or kill them on sight!"
"Yes!"
The voices boomed, shaking the very air.
With such a grand display, Rong Zhi suddenly had a bad premonition.
Had something happened?
Rong Zhi lingered around the General's mansion all afternoon but found no opportunity to get inside.
The guards were extremely vigilant. No matter what trick she devised, she couldn't break through their defenses.
As expected, Xia Yun Ting's men were skilled.
Thinking of what was to happen the next day, Rong Zhi was filled with anxiety.
At this moment, Xiao Jian Li was still in the palace. Who else could she turn to?
Meanwhile, in a secret courtyard within the General's mansion, numerous guards stood watch. From inside, Xia Jin's trembling voice could be heard.
"General... do you really have to do this?"
Before Xia Jin was a formation diagram. The patterns on it were incredibly complex, but Xia Jin recognized it as the Seven Kill Blood Array.
In the past, before spiritual arts were banned, Xuanmen families, in their conflicts, occasionally used this array.
The array required the blood of seventy-two living individuals as sacrifice. The caster would trap the target within the formation. As the array activated, the caster would fall into distress, their mind becoming chaotic, and their internal energy would surge erratically within their body, ultimately leading to a self-detonation.
Since the price was so high, it was usually not employed unless the opponent was absolutely doomed and there were no other options.
Logically, this array was long lost. Xia Jin had no idea where Xia Yun Ting had obtained it.
Furthermore, this was no ordinary Seven Kill Blood Array. All the patterns on the diagram were the exact opposite of the original.
This was a reversed Seven Kill Blood Array!
This meant that he was in the position of the trapped person, and Li Hao, the original target, was in the position of the caster.
According to the rules of the array, once activated, Li Hao's side would require the blood of seventy-two living individuals. Otherwise, Li Hao himself would become the trapped person.
If this happened, Li Hao's side would undoubtedly cause a massive commotion, and the Grand Tutor would surely realize it was him. He wouldn't even have a chance to die.
Xia Yun Ting stood above, silhouetted against the light. Xia Jin couldn't discern the expression on his face, but he could infer the answer he sought: this had to be done.
"Xia Jin, the last incident clearly showed you betrayed the Grand Tutor and the Blood Drinking Pavilion. Now, you have no other choice but to serve the General." Chen Xing stood with a long sword at his waist, exuding a powerful aura.
Xia Jin looked pained. Indeed, he had no other choice.
Last time in the wilderness, he had intended to cause trouble for the General's mansion by using those girls. At most, it would have only destabilized the mansion and spread some rumors, enough to give Xia Yun Ting a headache.
He hadn't expected a change of events, and one of the girls turned out to be a fake. He had nearly lost his life there.
Now, this was his only option.
Trembling, he picked up the cinnabar-dipped brush and began to sketch the array on the ground.
At most by tomorrow, Li Hao's side would descend into chaos.
Rong Zhi was lingering near the palace.
Since Xia Yun Ting couldn't be relied upon, she had to seek help from Xiao Jian Li. But she didn't even know where Xiao Jian Li was, so how could she find him?
She grew increasingly anxious. If it was delayed until tomorrow night, it would be irreversible.
Besides Xia Yun Ting, who else in the imperial city could help her?
Wait!
Rong Zhi suddenly thought of someone.
She knocked on the door of Prince Xiao's mansion. "What are you doing here?"
To her surprise, it was Xiao Yao who opened the door. She was dressed impeccably and appeared to be heading out.
"I have an urgent matter and wish to see His Highness Prince Xiao."
"My father won't see you." Xiao Yao instinctively refused, then suddenly remembered something and asked, "What happened? Is it about that fellow surnamed Chu?"
"Your Highness, I regret I cannot disclose the details. Please allow me to enter and see His Highness."
Xiao Yao still wanted to block her, but Rong Zhi suddenly leaped, landing in the courtyard in an instant.
If she couldn't get into the General's mansion, could she not get in here?
Without looking back, Rong Zhi followed the remembered path to where the Prince had appeared last time.
Seeing her urgency, Xiao Yao's heart sank. Could it be that something had happened to that fellow surnamed Chu?
She had originally intended to visit Xing Jia Hui at the General's mansion, but after stepping out, for some reason, Xiao Yao found herself heading towards Gushen Tang.
Looking at the familiar plaque, Xiao Yao's mouth twitched.
What was she doing here? She was going mad.
Just as she was about to leave, someone inside noticed her.
"Your Highness, why have you come?"
A young man, short and dressed in plain gray clothes, emerged.
As Xiao Yao got closer, she realized it wasn't a young man at all, but Zhang Ya Jing in disguise.
Although Zhang Ya Jing didn't particularly like Xiao Yao, she maintained basic courtesy as a guest.
Through the gap in the gate, Xiao Yao could see Chu Qing Ze drying medicinal herbs inside.
Seeing that he was unharmed, Xiao Yao inexplicably felt a sense of relief.
"It's nothing, I was just passing by."
Xiao Yao would never let anyone know she had specifically come to check if Chu Qing Ze was alright.
Zhang Ya Jing didn't suspect her, but she found it strange. This place was so remote; how could Xiao Yao possibly be passing by?
Before leaving, Xiao Yao glanced inside again. Zhang Ya Jing naturally took the dried herbs from Chu Qing Ze.
At such close proximity, Chu Qing Ze didn't react. Didn't he vomit whenever he touched a woman?
Could this woman be different?
In the Prince's mansion, Prince Xiao was not surprised by Rong Zhi's arrival.
"You want me to help you find the Plum Blossom Guards?"
"Yes, Your Highness. I cannot tell you the specific reasons for this, but the matter is truly urgent. I implore you to help me."
"Alright."
"I know my request might be a bit presumptuous, but please... Huh?" Rong Zhi stopped mid-sentence, stunned.
"You agree?"
"It's a small favor, nothing to mention."
Prince Xiao smiled kindly, which was unexpected for Rong Zhi.
She had thought the matter would be more complicated.
"Then thank you, Your Highness."
"You still haven't told me who exactly you're looking for."
Rong Zhi paused. "Xiao Jian Li."
As she left the Prince's mansion, Rong Zhi was still in a daze.
This Prince Xiao seemed almost too polite towards her.
It was already late, and Rong Zhi, remembering tomorrow night's events, had no desire to sleep.
She quietly approached the Chen mansion, intending to see if Chen An was up to something. From afar, she saw a carriage leaving the residence.
It was the same carriage Chen An had used last time, but it wasn't Chen An inside; it was Chen Yan Yan.
The people inside seemed to be deliberately concealing themselves. The moment the wind blew the curtain, the person inside immediately pulled it back, obscuring the occupants.
But Rong Zhi still caught a glimpse. There were three people inside: Chen Yan Yan, Jasmine (Yun Heng), and a man with a black cloth covering his face, though his build suggested he was male.
As the carriage gradually moved away, Rong Zhi's body reacted faster than her mind, and she pursued it.
Sneaking around at this hour, they must be engaged in something secret.
The carriage arrived at a separate courtyard. This courtyard looked somewhat familiar.
Hadn't Chen An brought her here last time?
At that time, Chen An had tried to spend the night with her, only to be pricked by Rong Zhi's silver needles.
After the carriage stopped, Chen Yan Yan and Yun Heng carried the man inside.
During this process, Rong Zhi could faintly hear the man's pained groans.
Was he injured?
But Rong Zhi didn't smell any blood.
"What do we do? He looks so much pain, but there's no wound," Chen Yan Yan's anxious voice came from inside.
"Miss, don't worry. I'll think of a way. You should go back first. It wouldn't be good if Master found out."
Chen Yan Yan stopped, as if about to say something, then ultimately came out alone and got back into the carriage, returning the way she came.
Only Yun Heng and the man remained in the room. Rong Zhi guessed the man was Li Hao.
She took out a smoke device from her懷, discreetly blew into it, and after a short while, a stumbling sound came from within, followed by a muffled groan, and then silence.
As she pushed open the door, Yun Heng had already collapsed.
Although she knew some martial arts and wasn't entirely without defense, she had underestimated the potency of Rong Zhi's sleeping powder.
She approached the bed and pulled off the man's mask. As expected, it was Li Hao.
His face was pale, and large beads of sweat dripped from his forehead, indicating he was in extreme pain.
Rong Zhi examined him from head to toe, finding no wounds.
She took his pulse, and there was no abnormality.
If it were in the past, Rong Zhi would have found such a situation strange, but now she had another explanation—possession.
Besides external injuries, this was the only possibility that could cause Li Hao such agony. But who was manipulating things from behind the scenes?
As she pondered this, a hand suddenly gripped her clothes. Rong Zhi felt her throat tighten, and she was abruptly lifted into the air.
Li Hao was already drugged, yet he could react so quickly. Most importantly, his eyes remained closed as he did all this!
It was as if he were sleepwalking.