Chapter 57: Sword Tide

Outside the Chao-cang gambling house, after the rain, Hong-yi Alley was as quiet as a quail.

In the black night, the lights of Luo City were already extinguished. Only over a hundred secret agents, holding torches, were blocking Hong-yi Alley searching for the whereabouts of Jing Dynasty spies.

At this time, that originally arrogant and unbeatable "walking official" was bound by finger-thick iron chains wrapped around him circle by circle, kneeling on the ground.

This person's horizontal training martial arts were astonishing. Surrounded by more than a hundred secret agents, he could still fight fiercely for half an hour.

However, just as Old Yao Head said, in this world, no matter how fierce a "walking official" is, they fear military formations. Don't think that just because you're fierce, you are invincible. Power is the fiercest thing at this time.

Jin Zhu lifted his clothes hem, picked up the damaged blue great cloak from the ground, and put it on this "walking official." He squinted his eyes and squatted down opposite him with a smile: "Hezhou Zhao family's world-transmitted 'walking official,' Zhao Zhong. I remember you were once a guard for the Xu family's young master. Now how have you fallen to serving the Jing Dynasty? Or are you saying... the Xu family is also involved today?"

Zhao Zhong's face was ashen: "Eunuch party, lapdog, spit..."

He spat a mouthful of saliva towards Jin Zhu's face. Jin Zhu seemed prepared and took out a folding fan from his chest, opening it to block in front.

Jin Zhu was not angry, only smiled and said: "A dignified Zhao family world-transmitted 'walking official,' now just a prisoner beneath my steps. Take him to the Inner Prison. Sooner or later, I will make you spit out your cultivation path for the Inner Minister. Take him away..."

Having finished speaking, he stood up and looked at the secret agents standing quietly with torches in their hands: "Today was a great victory. After you take the prisoner to the Inner Prison, rest early. Sleep well tonight. Tomorrow, I'll treat everyone to the best feast in Luo City at the Eight Immortals Building."

A trusted secret agent beside him reminded in a low voice: "Sir, Chen Yi was chased and killed outside, and we haven't seen any sign of him yet."

Jin Zhu patted his forehead and said loudly: "Oh, I almost forgot about him. A small medical hall apprentice being chased and killed by a spy, he's likely dead. The Inner Minister just promoted him to the Secret Agent Department, and the next day he dies by my hand. If others knew, they'd think I was jealous of talent. Quickly go find him, we must save his life!"

However, just after speaking loudly, Jin Zhu turned around and instructed the secret agent beside him in a low voice: "Although he desperately held the spy and fell from the second floor, there's no problem. But afterwards, he didn't even think about circling back to meet us at the gambling house, instead running outwards. Now, even if someone says he went to report to the Jing Dynasty's Military Intelligence Department, I would believe it. Tonight, we must send people to find him. If he's alive, I want to see him; if he's dead, I want to see the corpse."

"Sir, what if he's still alive?"

"Then let him explain clearly what he did tonight and why he didn't come back to meet us."

"Sir, what if he's dead?"

"Dead is dead. Bury him properly!"

The secret agent doubted: "Sir, weren't you going to cultivate his mother?"

Jin Zhu rolled his eyes at his trusted subordinate: "Cultivate him, of course, is true. Do you know the value of being personally selected by the Inner Minister into the Secret Agent Department? But I can't cultivate a Jing Dynasty spy or a dead person, right."

After the rain, the air had a unique smell of soil.

Chen Yi was just sticking close to the shadows of grey walls and grey tiles, sneaking quietly.

His whole body was already soaked by the rain. He only felt the water-soaked clothes clinging to his body, making him colder and colder.

He opened the cloth strip wrapping his wound and saw that the skin around the wound was already white and swollen from being soaked in water. If not treated promptly, he might fall seriously ill.

But where was there time to treat his wound now?

After escaping from the gambling house, no matter how convincing he acted, Jin Zhu would inevitably harbor doubts.

If he couldn't explain his whereabouts later, that would be truly fatal.

At this moment, he decided not to return to Ping An Medical Hall, but to return to the small alley where he had killed the Jing Dynasty spy, forge a fight scene, and pretend he had fainted there after fighting.

Wait...

Chen Yi suddenly stopped in his tracks. He always felt like he had missed some detail.

This detail could very possibly lead to his exposure.

What was it?

Exactly what?

Chen Yi suddenly lowered his head and looked at the wound on his chest. Only then did he realize what detail he had missed!

He picked up the long knife belonging to the Jing Dynasty spy, carefully cut open a gash on his right thigh, and then continued to hurry on his way.

Chen Yi staggered, occasionally having to avoid the night watchmen passing by on the street.

He only felt himself getting weaker and weaker, so weak he could barely open his eyes.

At a certain moment, he wondered if tonight's desperate struggle, despite his injuries, was worth it if it couldn't solve the hidden trouble.

That Wu Hongbiao, to him, was like appearing out of nowhere, suddenly just showing up, making him somewhat caught off guard.

Did Wu Hongbiao lie?

Chen Yi was inclined to think not.

As soon as they met, they immediately fought. At that time, Wu Hongbiao still had the strength to fight and had no need to pretend.

But after recognizing Chen Yi, he immediately relaxed, fell to the ground, and even threw his knife, effectively handing over his life to Chen Yi.

Someone who risked death to give him a tip-off, even if Chen Yi had never known the other person and had no feelings, he still couldn't turn them in.

The police worry every morning, and the strong bandits sing every night.

This era was pathological, but he ultimately wasn't a person of this era.

He saw the small alley getting closer and closer.

Just when there was still one street corner before that small alley, Chen Yi saw firelight approaching from a distance. It seemed someone was holding torches and searching for something.

He quickly hid in the shadow under the wall and quickly thought of a countermeasure.

Those approaching must be from the Secret Agent Department. If he just walked past like this, he would certainly collide with them.

Should he retreat directly?

No, he had to go back into that alley. Only then could he wrap up tonight's matter.

Chen Yi struggled to climb onto the roof, carefully crouching low to avoid the search.

Several times, secret agents looked towards the roof, but he would always lie down first and crawl forward slowly.

Time passed minute by minute, and Chen Yi's physical strength was also being exhausted.

Finally, that small alley was close at hand.

He clung to the wall and quietly slid down.

But when he landed, he only felt soft under his feet and fell into a puddle.

He had lost too much blood and was exhausted.

Chen Yi struggled to get up, dragged the Jing Dynasty spy out of a pile of junk, and arranged the surroundings to create the scene of a fight.

Then he arranged the Jing Dynasty spy's corpse, returning both of them to the posture he had used to strangle him with the knife sheath last, lying on his back on the ground. He pretended he had fainted after killing the person due to his severe injuries.

But his injuries were still not severe enough, not enough to eliminate Jin Zhu's doubts.

Chen Yi's eyes flashed with determination. He gripped the dagger in the Jing Dynasty spy's hand and then held the spy's hand himself, fiercely swinging the knife to stab the wound he had cut open on his thigh earlier, until the dagger was buried up to the hilt.

In an instant, a heart-piercing pain struck him.

Chen Yi's whole body convulsed, and cold sweat on his forehead fell like soybeans.

But from beginning to end, he gritted his teeth and didn't make a sound.

Not only that, Chen Yi also used his hand to hold the puddle water on the ground, continuously pouring it onto the wound. This way, the blood seeping from the wound would not show a difference between before and after the rain.

Chen Yi strongly supported himself to do all this. Until he vaguely saw the firelight and movement of people outside the alley, he then slowly closed his eyes, relaxed his heart, and truly fainted.

He didn't know how long had passed. Under the guidance of a secret agent, Jin Zhu came to Chen Yi's side and squatted down to check.

He first pried open Chen Yi's eyelids and brought a torch to swing in front of Chen Yi's eyes: "Eyelids don't tremble, pupils contract slowly. He really fainted!"

Jin Zhu then touched the wound on the Jing Dynasty spy's neck: "Strangled to death with a knife sheath. Before dying, he still stabbed this boy's thigh with a knife. I didn't expect this boy could actually kill a spy alone. I underestimated him!"

Jin Zhu changed his tone: "But Jing Dynasty spies are far more skilled than ordinary people. How did this boy win? Could it really be that lucky people have heaven's help!! Wait... undress Chen Yi completely. I want to check one wound. It's very possible he left halfway and came back later to supplement the injury."

The next moment, the secret agent tore open Chen Yi's pants and upper clothes, exposing the knife wounds inside. He saw that the two knife wounds were both white and swollen from being soaked in water for a long time.

It was a good thing Chen Yi had cut open a gash on his leg in advance to let it soak in water and swell. Otherwise, if Jin Zhu had discovered at this time that this wound was new, he would certainly be exposed.

This was the detail Chen Yi had almost missed.

The secret agent said to Jin Zhu: "Sir, the knife wounds have been there for a while. It's not fake. With such a knife wound on the leg, there's no way he could move freely. He should have fainted here after fighting with the spy."

Jin Zhu breathed a sigh of relief: "It seems there's really no problem. Could it be that I'm too suspicious?"

"Sir, what do we do now? Should we send him for treatment?"

"No!" Jin Zhu shook his head. "Lift him to the Inner Prison. Please ask a doctor to treat him in the Inner Prison. If he wakes up, tell me immediately. I still have some things to ask him. People are easiest to question when they are weak."

"Understood!"

However, just at this time, a voice came from outside the alley: "Sirs, have you seen my apprentice? Tall and thin, wearing black clothes."

Jin Zhu slightly narrowed his eyes and looked towards the alley entrance. He saw the white-bearded Old Yao Head standing at the alley entrance, asking the secret agents.

As he was asking, Old Yao Head turned his head and looked inside the alley, frowning: "Golden Master Sir, how did you also come to Luo City?"

"Imperial Doctor Yao, good evening. Are you here looking for your apprentice at this late hour?" Jin Zhu smiled and squinted his eyes, stepping forward, blocking Chen Yi behind him.

Old Yao Head walked over step by step and asked: "Have you seen my apprentice?"

"No!" Jin Zhu shook his head. "Imperial Doctor Yao, go look elsewhere."

"Who is behind Golden Master Sir?" Old Yao Head was already close and looked at Chen Yi lying on the ground: "Isn't this my apprentice? Why is Golden Master Sir lying? Why is he lying here?"

Jin Zhu awkwardly said: "Ha ha ha ha, so he's your apprentice! I didn't know earlier. He was injured by a Jing Dynasty bad person. I was just about to send him for treatment."

Old Yao Head nodded: "Then please trouble Sir to send two secret agents to carry him back to Ping An Medical Hall!"

Jin Zhu subconsciously said: "No."

Old Yao Head doubted: "Where else in this Luo City is there a place to treat illness better than my Ping An Medical Hall? Could it be that this apprentice of mine committed a crime?"

Jin Zhu hesitated: "He didn't commit a crime. Instead, he rendered meritorious service."

Old Yao Head breathed a sigh of relief, but his tone was heavy: "If he committed a crime, Golden Master Sir can deal with it freely. But if he didn't commit a crime, then I will write a letter to the Inner Minister and ask him why the Secret Agent Department is detaining my apprentice!"

Jin Zhu was silent for a long time, finally waving his hand at the secret agent: "Help Imperial Doctor Yao carry Chen Yi back!"

He stood in the small alley, looking at Old Yao Head's receding figure in the distance, frowning.

A moment later, Jin Zhu murmured to himself: "I always feel like something is wrong!"

In a coma, Chen Yi lay on the carriage, swaying gently, as if drifting on the sea in a boat.

The sixteen lamps around his dantian swayed non-stop, as if their oil was depleted and the wick dry, ready to extinguish at any time. The silent ice flow inside his body was stirring.

Chen Yi seemed to be swept by the ice flow into the black cloud sea again, like a lone boat drifting for an unknown amount of time, and then drifting onto that ancient battlefield.

Shouting and killing sounds, the clash of metal, like immortals fighting. Chen Yi saw countless ancient birds flying and circling in the sky, trailing long and gorgeous tails.

Chen Yi saw on the ground, human battle formations constantly advancing, human cavalry sitting on tall war horses.

To be precise, that was no longer a horse.

Below eight chi is a colt, above eight chi is a dragon.

On the other side of the human battle formation, countless giant beasts seemed to surround something, wailing non-stop.

Chen Yi fell from the cloud sea onto a green mountain at the edge of the battlefield. He saw a tall figure in the middle of that battlefield, wearing golden armor, holding a king's banner, walking steadily step by step among ten thousand armies.

Beside him, a green light shadow surrounded him like a meteor, penetrating enemy attacks one by one.

After a long time, Chen Yi finally saw clearly that the brilliant meteor was actually a handleless sword.

However, just at this moment, that tall and majestic figure suddenly looked towards Chen Yi on the mountain: "Return my divine path."

"Return my sword seed."

"Return my green mountain."

"Otherwise, take your life."

The next moment, a sky-covering sword light spread over like a tide, suppressing everything and making people unable to breathe.

The mountain wind howled, causing Chen Yi's clothes to flap.

But this time, Chen Yi was not afraid. He faced that majestic figure, that sky-covering sword tide, and calmly asked: "By what right?"

His voice was like a giant axe chopping on a mountain range, emitting a rumbling echo.

As his words fell, lamps in Chen Yi's body suddenly ignited one by one.

One, two, three...

Six hundred eighteen lamps.

Seven hundred twenty lamps.

The light of those lamps penetrated his body, brilliant like stars.

In front of these stars, the sword light tide was divided in two as if it had encountered an island.

That majestic figure was silent for a moment, then laughed loudly, his laughter echoing through the cloud-filled sky: "You are back. It is actually you who are back."

"Chen Yi? Chen Yi?"

Why are you shouting at him? He is still in a coma. Don't shout at him.

"But I saw his eyelids move. Hey hey hey, look, he opened his eyes. Master, Master, Chen Yi is awake."

Chen Yi slowly opened his eyes and saw that he was lying in the apprentice bedroom of the medical hall.

He immediately felt inside his body and found that the lamps were still sixteen. It was just a big dream.

He raised his eyes again and saw a crowd of heads in front of him.

She Dengke, Liu Quxing, Liang Gou'er, Liang Mao'er, Shi Zi, Bai Li Ji, Little Monk?

Chen Yi couldn't figure out why the latter three were also in this dimly lit apprentice bedroom.

He wanted to prop himself up and sit, but was pressed back by Liu Quxing: "Don't move, don't move. Master told you not to move."

Chen Yi glanced at the sky outside. It was still night. He doubted: "How long have I been in a coma?"

"A whole day!"

Liu Quxing said: "You scared us all to death."

Chen Yi's heart sank. He had been in a coma for a whole day?

He didn't know if he had fooled Jin Zhu or not.

What about Wu Hongbiao? Did he escape or was he found by the Secret Agent Department or the Military Intelligence Department?

However, at least he woke up not in the Inner Prison. This was good news.

...