"Invite... to form an alliance?"
In the inn, after hearing these words, the saint sitting at the table focused on a roast chicken raised her face in surprise.
Ji Ping'an glanced at the red gilded invitation and said:
"As far as I know, there are not many people participating in the alliance. They are either talkative people from major factions or powerful people with high reputations in the world."
Pei Qian scratched his head and said:
"It seems so. But the Wulin Alliance did invite us, oh, in name only, we invited the Pei family."
This was obviously a cover-up, and Ji Ping'an was not surprised.
Since he admitted his identity as the "sword bearer" in front of Jiang Xiaotang, the Wulin Alliance will invite him to anyone with an above-average IQ.
"I heard that before the alliance, there is a reserved project. Those who are invited can bring a few people to visit the former residence of the old leader Jiang." Pei Qian was very interested, with the mentality of a tourist fan.
The "Lao Jiang leader" here specifically refers to the legend who once suppressed the martial arts, Jiang Xiaotang's grandfather, Jiang Chunqiu.
The reason why the Wulin Alliance was able to control Qixia Town was from Jiang Chunqiu's generation.
Ji Ping'an's eyes moved and he said softly: "Just right."
"What's just right?"
Yu Yu wiped his oily lips and chin with his pink hands. He had an innocent look on his face, and his flawless skin was white and rosy, highlighting his silly and sweet temperament.
It makes people have the urge to take a bite.
"Eat your chicken." Ji Ping'an responded vaguely, then turned to Lu Qing next to him and said:
"The Jiuwu matter should come to an end, there is no need to think too much about anything else."
The great disciple of Longhu Mountain was shocked, looked at him deeply, and respectfully handed over his hand:
"Thank you for your kindness, sir."
Immediately he hurried back, ready to find the master:
In his opinion, Ji Ping'an's words were undoubtedly a sideways admission that the defection of the neutral faction was related to him.
Lu Qing's heart was shocked and he couldn't figure out how the "Master Li" with such powerful powers could do it.
…
…
Later, the Wulin Alliance released news that the alliance was finally about to begin. This news suppressed people's attention on the "battle between the old and the new."
In the final analysis, the core reason why everyone gathered here was to deal with the "Four Holy Religions".
The next morning, when Ji Pingping finished washing and walked out of the room, he happened to see the female swordsman next door in a red dress coming downstairs.
The two looked at each other, Ji Ping'an showed a sincere smile out of habit, and then received a huge eye roll from Wei Huayang as expected.
"As for that, it seems like he really regards me as a disciple."
Ji Ping'an looked at Wei Huayang's retreating figure and couldn't help but wonder.
Fortunately, soon, as Yu Yu and Pei Qian were in place, he didn't think about Wei Huayang anymore and rushed straight to the northwest corner of the town.
Perhaps it was because the freshness had worn off, or maybe the martial arts alliance had secretly greeted them, but although they still attracted many eyes along the way, no one came to intercept them and ask for acquaintance.
"Master Li." Halfway through, Lu Qing and several Longhu Mountain elders appeared and invited them to join the team.
"How is Grandmaster Chen's injury?" Ji Pingan asked with a smile.
He did not see Chen Qingsheng in the team.
Lu Qing said seriously:
"Just as I was about to thank you again for the elixir, my master's injury has initially stabilized. However, it is not convenient to attend the meeting today, so I will do it for you."
Ji Pingan nodded, not surprised, and asked:
"I am participating in the alliance for the first time, what is the next process?"
Lu Qing explained:
"We Jianghu people are not as formal as scholars. This time we arrived at the former residence of the old alliance leader and gave a tour to those of us who have invitations. After that, two or three people from each faction sat down to participate in a separate meeting to discuss how to deal with the Four Holy Sects. Strategy.”
After a pause, he said:
"If it is just a meeting, there is actually no need to bring so many people there. The main purpose is to visit the former residence. This is also an opportunity."
Third Young Master Pei's ears pricked up:
"Opportunity?"
Lu Qing said "Yes" and said in a longing tone:
"Do you still remember what I said about the afterlife and present life of Qixia Town? In fact, I didn't say it very carefully at the time. In the past, when the human and demon clans fought and the fate of this place was destroyed, it was said that an expert arrived here and built We entered a retreat cave. Later, it was because of this rumor that the old alliance leader occupied Qixia Town."
Pei Qian said curiously:
"He found that cave?"
Lu Qing was silent for a moment and said:
"It's both found and not found."
This vague look made the proud saint arouse her curiosity. She really didn't know much about this matter, but with her character, she didn't bother to ask a martial artist for advice.
Ji Ping'an pursed his lips and said nothing.
While talking, the group arrived at their destination:
A large house in the town that occupies a very large area.
It has white walls and black tiles, and is simple and solemn. Just approaching it makes the martial artist with a keen sense of energy realize that this place is different.
The door was guarded by disciples of the Jiang family. After everyone showed their invitations, they were allowed in. When they stepped into the inner courtyard, they saw a vast patio in front of them, surrounded by green pines and cypresses, and the ground was spotless.
At this moment, all the invited sects in the courtyard have arrived and are gathering in groups.
Seeing a group of people coming in, the discussion suddenly stopped, and the eyes were cast one after another, but they only glanced at the people in Longhu Mountain, and finally landed on Ji Ping'an's face.
"It's him……"
"He's really here."
"What happened last night..."
There was endless discussion among the various sects, and the old martial arts forces surrendered their hands in respect, while the people from the four "new martial arts" factions looked at him angrily.
However, they were frightened by the prestige of Alliance Leader Jiang and suppressed their anger - none of the leaders of the four major sects showed up tonight, and were replaced by deputy sect leaders.
But even so, after all, Jiang Huai has not yet appeared, and even the warriors of the new martial arts sect exchanged glances, wondering what they were thinking.
There were even some brave people who moved among the crowd and vaguely surrounded them. Obviously, the scene where Ji Ping'an killed members of the Tiandihui the day before yesterday failed to create enough deterrence.
"The Medicine King Sect has met Mr. Li." In the strange atmosphere, the old doctor led his disciples to speak first, with a respectful expression.
Immediately, Tingxue Louzhu, who was tall and ranked among the most beautiful women, also walked out with a smile and cupped her fists in her hands:
"Ting Xuelou has met Mr. Li."
As soon as he finished speaking, in the corner of the crowd, Master Wuxin, who was dressed as a monk, fell silent for a moment and nodded gently towards him:
"The Yue Women Sect has met Mr. Li."
And as the three factions spoke one after another, not only the rest of the world were shocked, but also the stubborn new martial arts experts seemed to have been hit by a hammer, and they couldn't help but stop in their tracks, in shock and confusion.
This is different from what they imagined.
Regarding the defection of the neutral faction, most people still believe that it was Chen Qingsheng's prestige gained in a battle, or that the "old faction" forces paid certain benefits in exchange for support.
But something was obviously not right about the scene in front of them. Why were these people so polite to that young man instead of talking politely about "Longhu Mountain"?
You should know that "Medicine King" and "Master Wuxin" are both notoriously bad-tempered, and they don't have a good look towards the leader of the alliance, but they took the initiative to speak to a young man.
In addition, some people keenly discovered that the owner of Tingxue House treated Ji Ping An was obviously different, as if he was more "intimate".
For a time, everyone in the courtyard had a lot of thoughts in their minds, and their gazes became more cautious and awe-inspiring.
And in this atmosphere, a burst of hearty laughter spread from far to near.
Ji Ping'an looked around and saw a group of imposing warriors approaching from outside the crowd.
The leader was clearly a handsome middle-aged man wearing purple clothes, with a beard, and Jiang Xiaotang followed him reluctantly.
"Everyone, please wait, Jiang is late." Jiang Huai clasped his fists.
Immediately, all the factions in the courtyard came to greet him one after another and respectfully addressed him as their leader, creating a lively scene.
Yu Yu said curiously: "These two brothers and sisters don't even look alike."
Pei Qian gossiped: "I heard they are half-mothers."
"Oh——" Yu Yu suddenly realized, thinking that no wonder he heard that his relationship was at odds. This was called a "problem left over from history."
Ji Ping'an watched the two gossiping in silence, and suddenly noticed Jiang Xiaotang's gaze. Soon Jiang Huai came over and said with a polite smile:
"I heard my roommate mention the young master earlier. Jiang wanted to visit and express his gratitude, but he was busy with trivial matters."
Ji Ping'an smiled and nodded: "It doesn't matter."
Seeing this scene, the eyes of the people present changed again. This time, even Yao Wang, Master Wuxin and others showed unexpected expressions.
What's the meaning?
This is an amazing amount of information.
It sounds like Alliance Leader Jiang's sister has known this mysterious young master for a long time?
And there seems to be some kindness?
Otherwise, how can we say "thank you"?
For a moment, many people's eyes became ambiguous, and the expressions of everyone in the Xinwu sect became increasingly ugly, completely extinguishing the idea of waiting for revenge.
At least we can't do anything in Qixia Town.
Even Lu Qing and others looked surprised. They didn't expect that Ji Ping'an had been in contact with the Jiang family for a long time.
... Deliberately mentioned the matter of "Breaking Evil Jue" in public without saying anything clearly. It not only expressed respect, but also took the opportunity to convey the information that I had already known the Jiang family. Jiang Chunqiu, the grandson, had some thoughts... Ji Ping'an laughed. He laughed and didn't point it out.
And his calm and calm reaction, in Jiang Huai's eyes, was the confidence of a "dark web sword holder".
The two parties exchanged brief greetings, and then Jiang Huai led everyone towards the backyard, visited his former residence, and explained his grandfather's story at the same time:
"... As we all know, in the past, my grandfather pursued the legend of the ancient strong man and arrived in Qixia Town. Although he could not find the legendary 'cave house', he did find the traces left by the ancient strong man, and he landed here... Therefore, my grandfather built a courtyard here, and he often studied it and learned a lot. Unfortunately, he was unable to solve the mystery and get a glimpse of the real cave of the ancient strong man throughout his life."
Jiang Huai raised his hand and pointed to the deserted courtyard ahead.
I saw that the quiet courtyard was quite old and had an ancient atmosphere.
A half-dry giant tree propped up the canopy, and beneath it was a broken stone wall.
The surface is smooth, with a chessboard carved on it, with huge stone chess pieces attached to it, and there are scattered chess pieces underneath, which are thrown into a huge stone bowl.
In front is a pool, in which lies a mottled ancient stone turtle statue. The water is green and green, with scattered leaves floating in it, making it look deep and cool.
Everyone's hearts trembled. The moment they stepped into the courtyard, they felt that the temperature around them plummeted, and a chill was refreshing. The Go games on the stone wall revealed awe-inspiring sword intent, which was sharp and dazzling.
"Is this the legendary Qixia chess game? I heard that this chess game was left by the ancient strong men who retreated here hundreds of years ago. It is the 'lock' that opens the cave formation. Only by cracking this chess game can we get a glimpse of the hidden In the space, if external force is applied, the formation will immediately self-destruct."
The owner of Tingxue Tower has a graceful figure, her veil is fluttering, and her beautiful eyes reveal yearning.
Jiang Huai said "yes", stood with his hands behind his hands, and sighed:
"There is indeed such a rumor. Unfortunately, my Jiang family has been stationed here for many years. I have tried countless times and invited sect immortal masters and even national Go players to come here, but I can't solve it."
A Jianghu person said:
"I heard that the Jiang family once made a bold statement. If anyone can break this situation, let them choose the treasures in the cave?"
Jiang Huai nodded and said seriously:
"If you have any capable people, you can take action. Jiang has been walking around in the world for many years, and his reputation must be well-known."
For a time, many people in the world came forward excitedly and thought seriously. Pei Qian stretched his neck and looked hard. Obviously this was the so-called opportunity.
Only those "old Jianghu" who had been here a long time ago had a calm look on their faces and were obviously quite self-aware.
Or simply think that the legend is completely false, otherwise the chess game would not be completely irregular, it would be a mess and completely incomprehensible.
Otherwise, the Jiang family would not have guarded Baoshan for many years, but still invited outsiders to crack it. It would be a waste of time for Qian Donkey to be at his wits end.
Yu Yu also cheered up a little and stared for a long time with wide eyes, but he had no clue.
Suddenly he remembered that there was a master next to him who had "killed" the chess king. He hurriedly tugged on Ji Ping'an's sleeve with his small hands and whispered:
"Can you do it?"
Ji Ping'an had a strange expression and ignored her, thinking that after so many years, this crap thing was still there.
Of course, he is no stranger to this, because this so-called "lock" was actually arranged by him when he was the Imperial Master of the Great Zhou Dynasty in the past. The reason for using the chess game was nothing more than a whim to pay tribute to the old man Jin Yong...
The so-called "formation" does exist, but it is not the so-called "restriction of ancient strong men guarding the cave" in the world, but the seal he laid.
As for caves, they do exist.
The "ancient strong men" who once retreated here are also real.
Thinking of someone, he couldn't help but feel depressed, and he was immediately pulled back to reality from his memories by Yu Yu:
"Hey, can you do it?"
Does it work? Why don't you try it yourself?
...Ji Pingan glanced at her and sighed softly. Thinking that this was one of the purposes of his trip, he stepped out of the crowd and walked towards the stone wall step by step.
At this time, several people had already tried to make a move, but failed without exception.
Jiang Huai is not disappointed either.
In other words, he has given up long ago. The reason why he maintains this ritual is to artificially create some "opportunities" to win over all parties.
As for the legendary cave? Ha... He didn't even believe it himself.
"Young Master Li is also interested?" Jiang Huai said with a smile.
Ji Ping'an glanced at the messy chess pieces on the chessboard, sighed softly, and said helplessly:
"I just can't stand it."
As he spoke, he unsheathed his sword and swept the sword tip, causing the "chess pieces" on the stone wall chessboard to fall one after another.
Before anyone could question, they saw him tapping several chess pieces lightly with the tip of his sword and "printing" them on the chessboard to form an inexplicable pattern.
While everyone was confused, suddenly, the stone wall in front of them suddenly shook, and then a dark gap opened.
The ground in the entire courtyard shook, gravel rolled along the green bricks, ripples appeared in the pool, and the stone turtle seemed to come to life.
Everyone was shocked, and subconsciously drew their swords and looked around to prepare for possible crises.
The next second, with the sound of the stone door opening, the ancient stone wall cracked open, revealing a stone staircase sloping downward, leading to the deep underground, with gusts of cool wind blowing out of it.
"This..." Jiang Huai suddenly changed color, his eyes piercing with a compelling light.
Jiang Xiaotang's red lips parted, showing an expression of disbelief. He suddenly turned his head to look at Ji Pingan, almost losing his voice:
"You...how could you..."
In the courtyard.
The old doctor, Tingxue Louzhu, Master Wuxin and others also had difficulty maintaining their calm persona, and their expressions changed drastically.
Yu Yu called out "Huo Huo" twice, his eyes rolled around, and he secretly stamped his feet:
"Please tell me if you can open it. Let's come secretly at night. It's broad daylight..."
opened!
The "Qixia Chess Game" that has plagued the entire world for hundreds of years, and where countless masters have failed, was unexpectedly solved today by a young man with mysterious origins, so casually, as if without any thought.
According to legend, the "cave of ancient strong men" that Jiang Chunqiu never found until his death was rediscovered.
How could I?
...Ji Pingan sheathed his sword, glanced at the absent-minded beauty in cheongsam, and muttered in his heart:
Because this is not a chess game at all. You can't solve it even if you follow the Go method for ten thousand years.
Learn about the nine-square grid gesture unlocking pattern on your mobile phone...
"Whoosh——"
Suddenly, a martial artist in the crowd used Qing Kung Fu, instantly pulling out the afterimage, and rushed towards the entrance, as if to seize the opportunity, and the rest of the people, waking up from a dream, also wanted to break in.
But in the next second, the man was swept away by a gust of palm wind, a large mouthful of blood spurted out, and his bones and tendons were broken.
Jiang Huai, who looked like a middle-aged man in purple clothes, slowly closed his palms with a calm expression:
"It's better for you all to calm down. If you want to observe, you can come in together. But if anyone wants to seize the treasure, don't blame Jiang for being ruthless."
Suddenly, a group of people calmed down.
"Master Li, you are the one to open the cave, so please take the first step." Jiang Huai said politely.
Ji Ping'an glanced at Jiang Huai and smiled. He didn't bother to reveal the little guy's scheming and stepped in calmly. The others followed closely and filed in.
The stone steps were not long, and soon they reached the end. Suddenly, there was an underground palace in front of them.
It is covered with flowing water, crisscrossed by stone bridges, and a simple three-story pavilion stands in the center.
In addition, there are sword marks remaining on the walls that were cut with knives and axes.
Although hundreds of years have passed, the warriors can still clearly feel the sharp energy coming from the sword marks as soon as they step in.
"Such a strong sword intent, the aura of the old alliance leader's enlightenment back then, must be a trace of it leaked here." Someone said.
In the crowd, Jiang Xiaotang shrank his neck, couldn't help but put the pipe in his left hand, then pulled his cheongsam and muttered:
"Why is this place so eerie and cold?"
A member of the Wulin League could not help but say:
"After all, it hasn't seen the light of day for so many years, and it's underground again."
When Jiang Huai heard this, he shook his head slightly. He vigilantly scanned the remaining sword marks on the wall, Wu Fu's cleverness reached its peak.
He was shocked to find that just those remaining sword marks made him feel fear:
"Something's wrong. This place is not underground, or in other words, it is an area covered by magic. Moreover, I'm afraid the strong man who built this place in the past is at least at the realm of observing the sky, or even higher."
higher?
Hearing these words, the other martial arts masters were also frightened. They were both excited and regretful, and worried about violating some restrictions.
Only Yu Yu looked excited and touristy.
The underground palace is not dark. The top is inlaid with glowing fluorite, which lights up one by one when it senses someone entering.
Ji Ping'an strode onto the stone bridge, followed by Jiang Huai and other warriors, forming a long queue. There was flowing underground water under his feet. The air was cold. Only a pavilion in front of him was bright and seemed to have lights.
Suddenly, there seemed to be mist floating in the underground palace, and Ji Ping'an suddenly found that the people following him disappeared.
He was the only one left in the entire underground palace, and even the entrance was closed.
However, there was no fear or panic on his face. Instead, a smile appeared in the corners of his eyes. He walked calmly along the stone bridge to the ancient pavilion in the center.
The pavilion has been in disrepair for a long time, and the red paint is mottled and peeling off. Only the hanging lanterns are bright, but they give off an eerie atmosphere.
Ji Ping'an shook his head and walked into the pavilion. He found that there was no one inside, but it seemed as if someone had lived there not long ago. It was spotless. There was still pen and ink on the table that had not dried up, as if the owner had been there not long ago.
The lantern outside the pavilion turned green.
He walked along the stairs to the second floor and found that there was a dining table with only a jar of wine on it, and the smell of wine was overwhelming.
The lantern outside the pavilion turned blood red.
He smiled and continued to go up to the third floor, where he found gauze curtains floating. Suddenly there was a piano sound, and he saw a woman in a yellow dress playing with her back to him behind the curtains.
The woman's yellow dress is quite gorgeous, embroidered with dragon patterns, but the style of the dress is bold, and the neckline slides down greatly, almost exposing her snow-white shoulders.
Green hair hung down from the greasy white goose neck, and the delicate fragrance made people's lower abdomen suddenly feel on fire. Ping Bai had a strong impulse to peel off his yellow skirt and perform the Dharma on the spot.
Ji Ping'an shook his head, pushed aside the curtain and walked over, getting closer to the woman.
The woman seemed to sense someone coming, and the sound of the piano was slightly chaotic. She turned to look at him in panic, showing a pitiful, cute face like a deer.
She exclaimed, stood up and tried to run away, but she tripped over herself. Her yellow skirt tore with a tear, her belt came off, and her soft body fell to the ground. She was extremely dazzling, her brows furrowed, and she was about to cry, which was endearing.
However, Ji Ping'an didn't seem to see her at all. He slowly walked to a table, raised his hand, and gently pressed the old guzheng that he was playing with some nostalgia in his eyes.
"Buzz——"
As he pressed down with his big hand, the sound of the piano disappeared, and the scarlet, gently swaying paper lantern also returned to a clear and bright yellow color.
Ji Ping'an sighed softly and said:
"Have you had enough fun? Swordsman, come out to see me."
As soon as the words fell, the figure of the woman in a seductive posture on the ground faded and disappeared. Then the curtains automatically moved without wind, and a cold voice came:
"you know me?!"
…
Help catch bugs with typos
Thank you: Xue Bingjing for your support!
(End of chapter)
