Chapter 1596: Qingyang's Association

The people there were a mixed bunch.

When Cao Wendao and his disciples first arrived, they took this path, personally surveying the situation at Huidragon Slope. They all agreed it was an ideal location for their operation.

“When Wei Yishan returns west, he’ll most likely stop at his own camp on Huidragon Slope for rest and resupply,” Cao Wendao decided. “That’s where we’ll catch him.” He had no patience for trailing them the whole way. Not only were the roads complicated and easy to lose track on, but who knew what other complications might arise later. Xiao An and Wei Yishan were both too important to his research; he needed to get them under control promptly.

“Understood!” He dispatched two disciples to lie in wait near the gate of Yongquan Villa to ensure they wouldn’t miss Wei Yishan’s departure. Two other disciples remained by his side. One of them murmured to the other, “I can’t believe there’s a wild demon puppeteer here.”

The speaker spoke without thought, but the listener took note. Cao Wendao’s heart stirred. *Wild?* No, he had suspected before that there was another demon puppeteer among the Black Armored Army who had taken his scorpion-tailed tiger and pill bug porcupine—or at least someone very familiar with demon puppets. The vast Golden Glint Plain usually didn’t have a second demon puppeteer group, yet suddenly two had appeared in recent months? How could it be such a coincidence?

Hmm, was Wei Yishan a member of the Black Armored Army? That was quite a sensational thought. Wait, if Wei Yishan was part of the Black Armored Army, then what about Yang Shanren in Yongquan Villa, and his target, He Xiao... Tsk tsk, did the Azure Sun Sect know the target's true identity when they assigned him the assassination mission? Pondering this, he quickly scribbled a note, pulled out an Azure Bug Coin, and sent it flying.

***

Tranquil Lake Retreat, Flower Basket Isle.

Next to Qingyang's residence stood a giant longan tree, its branches lush with leaves. Every late summer, it would bear abundant fruit. Qingyang had tasted the longans from the tree herself; they were very sweet. Naturally, the longan tree had no fruit now, but its foliage remained dense. Qingyang was leaning against the large tree, holding a jade gourd. This gourd was an old item she had brought from the Azure Palace in Lingxu City. Its capacity was far greater than it appeared, capable of holding at least one hundred and fifty to one hundred and sixty jin of fine wine. The tree trunk was already soaked, but she didn’t mind, sipping her wine and gently swinging her leg.

She had spent most of her youth in the Imperial Palace of Lingxu City. At that time, the Emperor, then a Crown Prince, disliked cultivation and would often sneak with her to the large trees at the edge of the floating island, gazing down at the vast lands below. As one grows old, one often reminisces about the past. But before her now was no magnificent Lingxu City, only a dimly lit construction site.

The Tranquil Lake Villa opposite had been dark for days. The construction teams and ordered materials had all been moved to support the building of Tianshui East City. The clanging noise had finally ceased, and Tranquil Lake had returned to its quietude. He Xiao’s actions had earned him considerable praise from King Yao, who commended his selflessness. Qingyang shook her head inwardly at the thought. The entire Yao Court was still eagerly awaiting the new city’s construction, pushing forward with all their might, completely oblivious to the impending disaster. Hmph, on the brink of death, yet still desperately chasing after external possessions.

Yuan Xuan walked to the base of the tree and whispered, “Palace Master, everyone has been sent out.”

Qingyang hummed in acknowledgment.

“Envoy Liang said he still needs three more days for coordination.”

“Procrastination, the usual style of the Divine Temple,” Qingyang said, unsurprised. “Whether in Lingxu City or the Yao Kingdom, the Divine Temples are all like this. If only there were a few more Bai Ziqis, their efficiency would improve significantly.”

No sooner had she spoken than a soft whirring sound echoed in the air. An ambush? Yuan Xuan instantly tensed up. Qingyang, however, took a gulp of wine, tilting her head back to expose her vulnerable neck, uncaring. “It’s just a flying message.” A green shadow circled her a few times, as if confirming her identity. Qingyang extended her hand, and the object settled in her palm. It was an Azure Bug Coin. This coin was hollow, capable of concealing messages, making it ideal for short-distance transmission.

Just by the color of the Azure Bug Coin, Qingyang knew it was from Cao Wendao. In the middle of the night, what message was the owner of the Red Lodge sending her now? That fellow loved to stir up trouble; he was notoriously difficult to deal with back in Lingxu City. Qingyang pressed open the coin’s hidden compartment, extracted the note, and unfolded it. With just a glance, her casual demeanor vanished.

“Palace Master?” Yuan Xuan sensed her change, as the air around them suddenly grew heavy.

“Wei Yishan, the casual guest by He Xiao’s side, is a demon puppeteer?”

“The demon puppet experimental subjects that escaped from the Red Lodge were hidden by Wei Yishan or He Xiao?”

The message from Cao Wendao was brief but impactful. During their last meeting, Cao Wendao had mentioned that his demon puppets were taken by Emperor Jiuyou and the Black Armored Army, then released to harm people at Xiaotao Villa. The ability to do this indicated that there was very likely a demon puppeteer among the Black Armored Army. Now, Cao Wendao had confirmed that He Xiao also had a hidden demon puppeteer by his side. Was the Golden Glint Plain experiencing a sudden proliferation of demon puppeteers? If not, then Wei Yishan was an important clue, pointing directly to Emperor Jiuyou! Was He Xiao Emperor Jiuyou? Or was he connected to Emperor Jiuyou?

Given Qingyang’s composure, even she couldn’t help but take a deep breath at this moment, using the cold evening breeze to calm herself. Although her initial reaction was disbelief, thinking back, on the night Xue Zongwu was killed, He Xiao, while not in Mang Province, had appeared several li away in Zhuo’an, coincidentally staying at the same inn as General Chongwu. That night, the tribute was stolen, and General Chongwu pursued the two petty thieves all night, ending up as the primary suspect in the Yao Court’s murder investigation. How could so many unexpected incidents occur wherever He Xiao went?

Cao Wendao didn’t know He Xiao’s specific background, so he only sent these two pieces of information. But as soon as Qingyang saw the note’s contents, it immediately triggered a cascade of associations!

The Azure Palace had once lost an ancient treasure: the shell of a giant snail demon, known as the 'Mud Palace.' It possessed the ability to store living creatures and travel swiftly underground. This item had been shelved in the Azure Palace because it could only be fitted to a snail demon, and even the Baga couldn't find a snail demon capable of carrying it. However, many years later, it resurfaced and was used by someone against her!

“Xi Yunhe...” Qingyang couldn’t help but whisper the name. Xi Yunhe had created a strange creature, a snail-toad, and used it to initiate the Immortal Elixir case. She had reviewed the case files of the Immortal Elixir. This snail-toad could be matched with the ancient treasure, the 'Mud Palace,' but it always appeared during heavy rain. He Xiao had deduced at the time that this might be a prerequisite for the snail-toad's deployment. Moreover, this monster was the creation of a demon puppeteer and required an intake of self-heal prunella vulgaris to maintain its half-snail, half-toad form; otherwise, it couldn't bear the 'Mud Palace.'

After the Immortal Elixir case concluded, Xi Yunhe and the snail-toad had remained missing. But she later learned that Xi Yunhe was likely a weapon left by Frost Leaf to deal with her. As for which demon puppeteer created the snail-toad, the case files had no record, and no one had cared. At the time, all attention on the case was focused on Cen Boqing and Qingyang. Who would bother to investigate who created that snail-toad? However, she had always suspected that He Xiao worked for Frost Leaf. If that demon puppeteer also worked for Frost Leaf, did He Xiao know him, and could he also borrow his snail-toad?

“Rainy days?” she murmured to herself. “Around the time Xue Zongwu was killed, Mang Province had been continuously raining!” Although the distance from Zhuo’an to Mang Province wasn't far, the mountain roads were winding and treacherous, and slippery in the rain. To travel there and back on the same night would require an extraordinary steed. This was also why General Chongwu became an official suspect: he indeed possessed a fine horse capable of traveling eight hundred li in a single night. However, if the killer used an earth-burrowing demon puppet, wouldn't they leave no trace underground?

She also knew her thoughts were racing too far. If Emperor Jiuyou truly used a demon puppeteer and the snail-toad to hunt down Xue Zongwu and Qi Yunsheng, it would imply a connection with Xi Yunhe and National Master Frost Leaf. Frost Leaf might have such powerful individuals among her followers, but how could they activate the Black Dragon Mark? If the Black Dragon Mark was related to the ancient Dragon God, it would never favor a vile being like Frost Leaf! Or did Emperor Jiuyou himself possess a treasure capable of burrowing underground? But what about Wei Yishan, the demon puppeteer? Why were the experimental subjects lost from the Red Lodge in his possession?

Qingyang immediately instructed Yuan Xuan: “Go and investigate whether any apothecaries within a hundred li radius of Mang Province bought or sold large quantities of self-heal prunella vulgaris around the time Xue Zongwu was murdered.” She needed to confirm.

“Understood.”

As Yuan Xuan was about to turn, Qingyang, staring at the note, suddenly added, “Wait!”

The note stated that Cao Wendao had cunningly overheard a conversation between He Xiao and Wei Yishan, learning that Wei Yishan intended to retrieve Xiao An the next morning, thus baiting Cao Wendao. Therefore, Cao Wendao decided to turn the tables and intercept Wei Yishan en route.

“Where would that fellow be?” Qingyang mused. “If he wants to track Wei Yishan, he can’t be too far from Yongquan Villa now. But the eastern suburbs of the city are all muddy terrain. To find a hidden foothold where no one else would see him...” She looked down and asked Yuan Xuan, “Within a five-li radius of Yongquan Villa, where does the original terrain still remain suitable for encampment?”

The question was too obscure. Yuan Xuan had to think hard for a while before replying, “The eastern suburbs are all being excavated, full of muddy ground. To find a suitable foothold near Yongquan Villa, it would have to be Taoxi Stream, Red River Valley, or Baimo Forest.” They traveled through the eastern suburbs daily and were very familiar with the local topography.

“Red River Valley is impossible; its elevation is too low, and after rain, it’s wet and full of puddles and icy ravines,” Qingyang pondered. “At this time of year, Baimo Forest has shed all its leaves and is bare, making it unsuitable for hiding people.” That leaves only Taoxi Stream.

“Given Cao Wendao’s temperament, he could only be at Taoxi Stream.” Cao Wendao was accustomed to a life of comfort and wouldn't possibly set up camp in muddy terrain. Realizing this, Qingyang was suddenly alarmed. “This isn’t good! If I can deduce this, He Xiao certainly can too!”

Yuan Xuan couldn’t help but ask, “Are you saying He Xiao knows Cao Wendao is stationed outside the villa?”

“That man is skilled at digging pits, leading others unwittingly into traps.” Qingyang bristled with anger, recalling He Yang’s death. Looking back now, He Yang’s challenge at King Yao’s birthday celebration was very likely a part of He Xiao’s plan. He both suffered grievances in front of all the officials and eliminated He Yang, an eyesore! Is it strange for him to be scheming against Cao Wendao now?

Qingyang propped herself up with one arm and jumped down from the tree. “Prepare the horses! I’m going out!” Quickly. If they were too late, it might be irreversible.