In the dead of night, three figures were dashing through the mountains, heading towards the town outside the mountains.
The effect of the medicine in Ye Jingtang's body had not been fully absorbed yet, and his internal energy was still surging, but it didn't have a great impact. However, the heat in his body was becoming more and more intense. He didn't even put on his clothes while walking. When he came across a small stream, he jumped in and wet his whole body. But as soon as he got out and walked a few steps, the water stains on his body were dried up by the heat.
Because of the excessive heat of his body, Niao Niao refused to perch on his shoulder and instead flew ahead on its own to scout the way. Third Lady and Ning'er wiped the sweat off his face from time to time.
After walking more than twenty li and almost leaving the mountains to reach the nearby town, Ye Jingtang looked out and saw a long line of flames in Hongshan Town, which was seven or eight li away. It seemed to be a team of hundreds of people walking with torches.
Pei Xiangjun stopped and stood on a high place, looking through a telescope:
"Kirin Armour... It looks like the imperial guards from the capital."
Ye Jingtang was quite surprised. But according to the time, the official boats of the court should almost be here. He came up and put his chin on Third Lady's shoulder, looking through the telescope. There were more than three hundred elite imperial guards wearing black light armour in the town. In the middle was a carriage. The figures inside couldn't be seen, but since it was accompanied by imperial guards, it was very likely that Prince Jing was inside.
Ye Jingtang had obtained the recipe of "Snow Lake Powder". According to Yu Hu's instructions, he should send the recipe back to the capital as soon as possible to avoid any unexpected problems. So he said:
"Let's go and meet them."
Luo Ning knew that it was the safest to meet with the court troops, but looking at Ye Jingtang's current flushed face...
"Little rascal, won't you cause trouble if you go to see Prince Jing like this?"
"Er..."
Ye Jingtang wiped the fine sweat off his forehead and thought for a moment:
"There are a lot of people in the town and it's easy to be noticed. I can't possibly do anything to Prince Jing on the street. True Person Xuanji is Prince Jing's master and might also be around. You two find an inn in the town and stay there first. I'll be back soon."
Seeing that Ye Jingtang was not muddleheaded, Luo Ning didn't say much more, but just reminded him:
"Don't bring True Person Xuanji here. If I'm discovered, I'll say that you forced me, and that's why I had to serve you..."
"Got it. You go to the inn and take a bath first..."
"Bah!"
...
——
Gurgling——
The wheels of the luxurious carriage rolled over the old street along the river in the town. On both sides of the river were green mountains and clear waters. The town was arranged in a line along the mountain wall, with only one street running from south to north. There were only a few lights in the houses.
Three hundred elite imperial guards, riding on war horses and holding torches, were walking on the street. There were also some arresters from the Black Yamen, leading hounds and walking around in the alleys. Although they were well-prepared, before reaching the foot of Wushan Mountain, they already looked tired from the long journey, both the people and the horses.
In the spacious carriage, Dongfang Liren was wearing a robe embroidered with fat-headed dragons. She sat upright with her back straight, looking at the mountains in the distance. Her eyes had changed from the eagerness when she first took office to the current helplessness.
She arrived in Jianyang at dusk. When she heard that the officers and soldiers were suppressing bandits a hundred li away, Dongfang Liren thought it was quite close and wanted to lead the team here to participate.
But when she really came, she found that a hundred li in Wuzhou was really different from that in Yunzhou.
Both Yunzhou and Zezhou were vast plains. You could go in a straight line everywhere, and the roads were all smooth. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that a hundred li was right in front of you.
However, Wuzhou was different. All you could see were mountains. The official roads in the towns and townships were all built along the mountains, winding and turning. After walking for a quarter of an hour, you might find that you had only reached the opposite side of the mountain.
Dongfang Liren wasn't tired sitting in the carriage, but the newly arrived imperial guards and horses outside obviously couldn't stand her forced march. Judging from the current situation, it would be very difficult to enter the mountains to help with the search tonight. They could only let the accompanying imperial guards set up camp on the spot.
True Person Xuanji was also sitting in the carriage. She was wearing a white dress and leaning on a beauty couch obliquely. With her tall figure and the temperament that seemed untouched by the mortal world, she looked like a beautiful princess accompanying the prince on an expedition.
However, True Person Xuanji's manners weren't very proper. She propped up her side face with one hand and held a wine gourd in the other hand, taking a sip from time to time. There was a touch of blush on her cheeks, and her eyes looked half-drunk.
Dongfang Liren had no way to deal with this wine-loving master. While checking the situation of the town, she suddenly heard a sound from the street outside:
"Chirp chirp chirp~~"
The familiar sound of a bird came closer and closer. Then a big white ball swooped down from under the silver moon, and in the blink of an eye, it flew across half of the street and landed beside the carriage window.
"Eh?!"
Dongfang Liren's eyes lit up slightly. She picked up Niao Niao and looked at it back and forth:
"Why are you here? Where is Ye Jingtang?"
Niao Niao had originally planned to ask Sister Fat-headed Snake for food, but it soon found that there seemed to be another heartless sister beside her.
"Chirp?"
Last time, Niao Niao called Ye Jingtang to save people, but this demoness sister ignored them. Niao Niao really held a grudge in its heart. It turned its head away and ignored her, just using its wing to point towards the entrance of the town.
True Person Xuanji recognized that this was Ye Jingtang's battle pet and understood that Ye Jingtang was nearby. Afraid of being embarrassed if they met later, she stood up and said:
"Your teacher is going out for a stroll. You can summons your subordinates first."
Dongfang Liren naturally didn't stop her. After her master left silently, she looked up towards the entrance of the town and saw a man holding a long spear and with disheveled hair walking quickly as if he were fleeing. He was also greeting the chief arresters of the Black Yamen whom he knew along the way.
Seeing Ye Jingtang's "battle-scarred" appearance, Dongfang Liren felt both admiration and a bit of heartache. She quickly said to the maid waiting outside the carriage:
"Hurry up and find a clean robe and prepare some hot water..."
"Yes, Your Highness..."
——
The town by the river wasn't big. From south to north, there were only a few hundred households.
Because Prince Jing had ordered not to disturb the common people, the imperial guards who had come from afar were now making beds on the ground by the street to rest. It was almost autumn, and the weather was cool. Apart from being uncomfortable to sleep on, there were no other major problems.
Ye Jingtang was wearing a tattered robe and carrying the Minglong Spear. He walked past the street and greeted the chief arresters of the Black Yamen whom he knew along the way. Then he walked unobstructed to the carriage in the central area of the town.
The carriage was parked outside an inn with a good environment. There were some maids and guards in the inn tidying up the place so that Prince Jing could stay temporarily. For the sake of safety, the place needed to be cleared and carefully inspected. It hadn't been tidied up yet, and Dongfang Liren was still in the carriage.
As soon as Ye Jingtang walked nearby, he saw the light shining from the carriage window. Benben was sitting by the window, feeding Niao Niao with snacks. When she saw him, there was obvious joy in her eyes. However, in order to maintain the posture of a princess, she deliberately put on a serious and unsmiling look and waited.
Dang~
Ye Jingtang stuck the Minglong Spear on the ground and said with a smile:
"Your Highness, you came here so quickly?"
"I just arrived this afternoon. Come in."
After nodding in return, Dongfang Liren looked at Ye Jingtang's sweaty and flushed face and asked with a hint of doubt:
"Have you just had a fight?"
"I found the whereabouts of King Wu this afternoon and there was a lot of fighting for half the night. The officers and soldiers are chasing King Wu. He probably can't escape..."
Ye Jingtang entered the carriage and sat on the beauty couch. After wiping the sweat off his face, he took out a yellowed booklet from his waistband and handed it to Dongfang Liren:
"This is something good I found today. There is a recipe for 'Snow Lake Powder' in it, which can replace the Snow Lake Flower. This thing is very important. Your Highness had better copy a copy now and arrange for someone to send it back to the capital..."
"Snow Lake Powder..."
Dongfang Liren took the medical book and looked at it. Knowing that it was something important, she put it in her bosom. Then she picked up a handkerchief, stood up, sat in front of Ye Jingtang, and helped wipe the sweat off his forehead. Her voice was solemn:
"I asked you to come here to assist in the investigation, not to risk your life. Why are you so tired..."
Her words stopped abruptly.
Ye Jingtang's head was dizzy due to the surging blood in his body. He was originally quite normal, but as soon as the beautiful and moving Benben sat in front of him, a faint fragrance wafted over, and her bright red lips were so close. His mind immediately started to wander.
Seeing Liren helping to wipe his sweat, Ye Jingtang's hand unconsciously dropped and naturally landed on the plump part where he shouldn't touch randomly...
Dongfang Liren felt the hot touch on her lower back. Her fragrant shoulders trembled slightly, and she sat up a bit straighter. Her heroic eyes stared at Ye Jingtang in disbelief.
"..."
Ye Jingtang was glared at and then realized that his hand was in the wrong place. He quickly raised his hand and patted the wrinkled skirt of the python robe:
"Sorry, I was distracted..."
Pat pat~
?!
Dongfang Liren was shocked. She never expected that with hundreds of imperial guards outside, Ye Jingtang would actually dare to blatantly flirt with her. What would people think if they saw this?!
"Ye Jingtang!"
Dongfang Liren's eyebrows turned upside down. She grabbed Ye Jingtang's wrist and said coldly:
"Are you out of your mind? Don't think that just because you've done a little work outside and made some contributions, you can be arrogant and lawless. Do you really think I won't deal with you?"
Ye Jingtang also felt that he had been a bit lawless and raised his hand to explain:
"I took the wrong medicine and my mind isn't very clear. Your Highness, please forgive me..."
"Wrong medicine?"
Dongfang Liren looked at Ye Jingtang's audacious appearance and indeed thought he looked like he had taken the wrong medicine. She held Ye Jingtang's wrist:
"Are you poisoned? What kind of poison? An aphrodisiac?"
Ye Jingtang shook his head: "It's not an aphrodisiac. I was fighting at King Wu's place just now and used a pill similar to the 'Great Tonifying Pill'. As a result, it was too tonic. There's no major problem, but... well... my essence and qi are surging to my head, and I'm feeling very hot-tempered..."
Dongfang Liren carefully felt his pulse and found that Ye Jingtang's blood was abnormally surging, but generally there was really no problem. So she asked:
"What should we do now?"
Ye Jingtang's eyes involuntarily moved down and landed on the imposing fat-headed dragon, and then quickly moved away:
"It's nothing. I'll be fine after taking a bath..."
Dongfang Liren looked down at her chest. She didn't blame Ye Jingtang who had been poisoned "in the line of duty" and stood up, saying:
"There is prepared bath water. You take a bath and change your clothes first. I'll ask the doctor to come and take a look at you."
When Ye Jingtang heard about taking a bath, he couldn't help but recall the "flesh bullet impact" in the Canyang Pool. His eyes kept looking at Liren's chest. To prevent his hands and feet from being unruly, he simply picked up Niao Niao, which was stealing snacks, and rubbed it:
"I'm not sick. It's just that my blood is too surging. I don't think the doctor can come up with any other solution. Why don't I go back first and come to visit Your Highness tomorrow..."
Dongfang Liren hadn't seen Ye Jingtang for so many days. She had just met him and hadn't even said a few words. Ye Jingtang didn't look normal either. How could she let Ye Jingtang leave? She reached out and took Niao Niao away:
"You go take a bath first."
Ye Jingtang didn't dare to say more after being scolded by Liren. He bent down and walked out of the carriage.
Dongfang Liren put Niao Niao next to the snack box, letting it continue to eat. After tidying up her python skirt, she got off the carriage with a dignified manner and entered the inn.
The innkeeper and his staff in the inn had been resettled elsewhere. Imperial guards were standing around as guards. Inside, four accompanying maids were running up and down, preparing the room and hot water for Dongfang Liren to sleep in.
Whoosh whoosh~~
Hearing the sound of water being poured on the second floor, Dongfang Liren took Ye Jingtang upstairs and ordered the maid who was busy inside:
"Help Young Master Ye take a bath. You go and call Imperial Physician Zhang."
"Yes."
When the two maids inside saw Young Master Ye coming, their eyes lit up. They quickly wanted to step forward to help him undress.
Ye Jingtang was restless and afraid of doing something absurd like molesting the maids. He raised his hand and politely declined:
"No need. I can wash myself. Your Highness, please copy a copy of the 'Snow Lake Powder' recipe and send someone to send it back to the capital immediately. This thing is very important. Don't lose it."
Dongfang Liren didn't say more. After Ye Jingtang went in, she went to the next room to copy the recipe.
After Ye Jingtang closed the door, he secretly let out a sigh of relief. He quickly tore off the robe on his body and put his saber, medicine clip and other items on the table. When he looked down, he saw something standing upright like a towering white jade pillar and lying horizontally like a purple tendon beam across the sea...
Damn it...
Ye Jingtang rubbed his forehead. After looking around, he came behind the screen.
The room was an ordinary room in the inn and didn't have much furniture. However, in order to let Prince Jing rest well, a large bathtub was brought in, and petals were scattered in it.
Ye Jingtang stood in front of the bathtub and rolled in directly, burying his face in the water, trying to calm down.
As a result, the maids were too attentive and prepared warm water. After soaking in it, his mind didn't become clear. Instead, he had a feeling of "when one is full and warm, one's thoughts turn to lust"...
Whoosh——
Ye Jingtang emerged from the water. Thinking about it, he simply sat cross-legged in the bathtub, forced himself to calm down, and began to regulate the chaotic internal energy in his body again...
——
In the mountains across the river.
True Person Xuanji was wearing a snow-white dress. She was sitting alone among the tree crowns, gently shaking a red wine gourd in her hand. Her clear peach blossom eyes were fixed on the window paper of the inn in the distance.
The dim yellow candlelight in the room cast a man's silhouette on the window paper. Although the real person couldn't be seen, the broad shoulders and back, and the perfectly lined waist and abdomen...
"..."
True Person Xuanji thought the scene was pleasing to the eye, but as a person who had left the secular world, she shouldn't look randomly. So she turned her gaze elsewhere, with a bit of doubt in her heart.
As one of the top three of the Eight Champions, True Person Xuanji's eyesight was far beyond that of ordinary people. Although Ye Jingtang's aura was very chaotic, she could still tell that this kid seemed to have suddenly opened up all the meridians in his body and formed a "Small Heavenly Circle " within himself, stepping into the threshold of becoming a Martial Champion.
Although compared with the eight genuine Martial Champions in the current world, Ye Jingtang was still very young. There were gaps in his martial arts attainments, combat experience, and experience in the martial arts world. But this kid's understanding was too exaggerated. It was estimated that it wouldn't take long for him to complete the feat of the new and old alternation of Martial Champions.
This growth rate couldn't be achieved just by talent and hard work. Based on True Person Xuanji's understanding of martial artists, this kid must have encountered a once-in-a-lifetime "great opportunity", which caused him to take another step forward in just a day or two.
True Person Xuanji thought secretly. While pondering the mystery, the corner of her eye moved slightly, and she looked towards the nearby woods.
The bright moon was in the sky, and the woods were pitch-black, looking like there were no living things.
But True Person Xuanji faintly felt a familiar aura. It seemed that there was an acquaintance secretly hiding in it and approaching this way.
?
True Person Xuanji's eyes lit up. She didn't expect that the little goblin she couldn't