Chapter 1 Returning Home

Introduction

Somewhere on the Xuanling Continent, a tall tower that could not be reached at a glance stood between a mountain range, surrounded by clouds and mist.

At the top of the tower, there is a strange building, like a hemisphere, with a sky eye in the middle.

Standing at the eye of the sky, you can see the sky full of stars upwards, and the endless sea of ​​clouds downwards, which you can relax freely.

An old man with slightly cloudy eyes, wearing a star robe, was staring at a corner of the sky with a slightly surprised expression.

"Why are the stars here so weird? Could it be that the way of heaven has changed?" The star-robed old man's eyes flashed and he murmured.

"Master Xingzun, what kind of weirdness can cause the way of heaven to change?" asked a beautiful woman next to him.

"Tianya, you see there seems to be stars moving in the Ziwei Star Territory recently, and the Emperor is about to come. Under its agitation, the surrounding stars are faintly moving, which is a sign of the establishment of a new era. But at this moment, there are There is something weird." Xingzun said.

"Lord Xingzun, are you saying that a new era will come in Xuanling Continent?!" Tianya asked in shock.

"Yes, Lord Ziwei has been absent for too long. Various forces in the continent are divided and fighting, people's livelihood is in ruins, the blood is too bright, and Xuanling is uneasy!"

"Yes, if things go on like this, our spiritual world may be coveted by the demon world and all outside the realm! Interface wars will be inevitable! However, will the weirdness you mentioned affect the emergence of the Emperor Star?" Tianya said.

"Judging from the astrology, this weirdness seems to be related to the Emperor Star. It is very different from the previous trend of heaven, but it makes the forces of all parties seem more balanced..."

"So, this is a good thing?"

"Well... in the long run, when the forces of all parties are balanced, it will be easier to live in peace, so it should be a good thing!" Xingzun nodded.

"Master Xingzun, I wonder when the Emperor Star will officially appear?" Tianya looked at the area where Ziwei Star was with admiration on her face.

"It's unknowable, unsayable! Since he's not showing up, he's naturally reserving his strength and planning for the future. When he wants to tell us, Ziwei Xing will naturally come to this world!"

"Tianya knows!"

…

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In the autumn of the 18th year of Jiayuan of the Tianlong Empire, there was a ten-mile long pavilion outside the south gate of the imperial capital.

The autumn wind is bleak, the yellow leaves are falling, and you can see the dry road.

In the chilly autumn atmosphere, there were two people sitting opposite each other in the pavilion. On a stone table in the middle, there was a wooden food plate, four exquisite side dishes, two pairs of jade chopsticks, and two luminous cups. A bronze flagon.

"Brother Li, I'm going to prepare a small amount of wine here today to bid farewell to my brother. I've traveled thousands of miles away, and I don't know when we will be able to meet again..."

The speaker is about thirty years old, with a slim appearance, white skin and a slight beard. At this time, he was emotionally moved by the scene and filled with emotions.

This person works in the Imperial Staff Department, and his name is Di Xiu. Because his good friend Li Wei, deputy director of the Xingtian Department, was demoted to his hometown by the empire, I am here to see him off today.

"How deplorable are those villains who usually try to please and call friends, but when they see Brother Li being demoted, they are afraid to avoid him. It's really chilling!"

When Di Xiu thought about this, she became even more angry. She picked up the wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

"well…"

Seeing that his friend ignored the pressure and insisted on seeing him off, Li Wei burst into tears, sighed, raised his glass, and drank it all in one gulp!

Although Li Wei sighed, what he was thinking about was not his own personal destiny, but he was worried about the future of the empire.

The Tianlong Empire is located in the southeastern corner of Xuanling Continent. Although it is located in a remote area, it has outstanding people. There are countless mountains and rivers in its territory, and there is a large sea area in the southeast, which is rich in produce. Over the more than a thousand years since the empire was established, the government has been harmonious, the people live and work in peace and contentment, talents have emerged in large numbers, and the empire is full of vitality.

However, in recent years, for some reason, the Holy Emperor was not interested in political affairs, and the Holy Sons began to fight overtly and covertly for the position of the Crown Prince. Cliques in the DPRK and China colluded and fought for power. It can be said that it was a mess.

Li Wei was loyal and upright,

He was witty and brave, and handled a number of major cases. He was promoted to deputy director of the Xingtian Division based on his merits. However, unexpectedly, during the handling of a recent major case, he offended a certain force in the DPRK and was impeached by the official. After trying to save him to no avail, seeing that he could not be saved, he had no choice but to abandon him and send him back to his hometown temporarily.

"Brother Li, there is no need to worry. I will try my best to find the right opportunity to exonerate my brother. I believe that the sky has eyes and we will be able to meet again." Seeing Li Wei's indifferent expression, Di Xiu comforted him.

"Brother Xiu's words are deeply felt in my heart! However, my brother is worried about me, but that's not what I am. Thinking of me as a heavenly dragon, thousands of years have passed. Countless people have the ambition to serve the country, and they are full of passion and are willing to sacrifice themselves for you. But they don't think about it now. When traitors are in power, they have no way to serve the country, and their aspirations are in vain. Internal strife will inevitably lead to external aggression, and the surrounding countries are already ready to take action. It is a shame that the thieves don't care about this, and they are still in the wealthy family. "

Perhaps because he has a better appetite when he is in a bad mood, Li Wei swallowed all the four side dishes like a storm. He thought the wine glass was too small, so he picked up the wine bottle and gulped it down.

Di Xiu's eyes almost bulged out when she saw it, and she said with a smile: "If I had known that Brother Li had such a good appetite, I would have prepared more food and wine..."

"Haha, wine and food are enough for my generation! It's a pity that natural and man-made disasters continue, and the people who suffer are the working people."

Li Wei shook the wine drops that splashed on his beard, patted his belly, cupped his hands and said, "We'll say goodbye in the pavilion today. Please don't lose contact with Xiu brother. I'll be back! See you later!"

"See you later..."

Di Xiu watched as Li Wei stood up, jumped on the horse that had been waiting outside the pavilion, and led his family to follow him. The wheels were turning and the smoke was billowing, all the way south.

…

In a secret place of Xing Tiansi, an old man in black robe was staring at the distant mountains outside the window, silently lost in thought.

As the director of the Xingtian Division, Guan Zheng was suffering from Li Wei's demotion.

"Report!" A young official hurried in.

"Zhao Yu, how are you?" Guan Zheng asked.

"We have set off. The only one seeing us off is Di Xiu."

Guan Zheng nodded slightly and said sadly: "Not going to see him off means that we, Xingtiansi, are on the same side as the empire, regardless of whether its decision is right or wrong. However, what we do is not only related to the Holy Emperor, but also to the empire. For the sake of justice and the common people. Li Wei was loyal to his duties and made great achievements, but he was framed for no reason. I can't save his official position, but I must save his life."

"I understand!" Zhao Yu said solemnly.

"I just received a secret report that the Blue and White Society has accepted the mission and sent out assassins with the intention of assassinating Li Wei on the way. Although Li Wei himself is powerful, the so-called enemy is in the dark and I am unable to guard against it. You immediately lead the Thirteen Guards of Xingtian and follow the guards secretly. , we must send him and his party safely to the Li family. Once they arrive at the Li family, with the strong strength of the family, there is no need to worry about them anymore. "

"Yes!" Zhao Yu responded loudly and turned around.

…

The south gate of the imperial capital welcomed the last batch of people entering the gate. The gatekeeper was about to close the gate when he suddenly heard the sound of rapid horse hooves and couldn't help but look back in surprise.

"Wait a minute, I'm about to leave the border!" a loud voice shouted.

"The time has come, let's go out tomorrow." Xu Zu replied without thinking.

"Do you know this?!" A black token with a golden word "Xing" in the middle suddenly appeared in front of Xu Zu.

"Xing...Xingtian ordered! Ma...open the door immediately!" Xu Zu immediately pushed the door open again.

Zhao Yu took the Thirteen Xingtian Guards, disguised as an ordinary caravan, and left the city overnight.

As he galloped, his mind recalled the information in his hands.

The Blue and White Society has a long history. It is a secret killer organization that exists in the empire like a ghost and provides paid killing services.

Depending on the target of the assassination, the price is different. They claim that no matter how high the assassination target is, they can kill them, provided that the employer can afford the price.

Of course, the employer must provide complete and accurate information about the assassination target, and Qinghua will send out killers of the corresponding level accordingly to ensure a hit!

They are well-trained and proficient in assassination, and their probability of success is extremely high. Of course, there are times when they fail unexpectedly. However, the Qinghua Association will only arrange one assassination for each business. If it fails, no more operations will be arranged unless the employer is willing to pay a higher price.

"This time it seems to be extremely dangerous. I don't know where the killer is now. In order not to alert the snake, we must try to let Li Wei know about it first." Zhao Yu secretly made up his mind.

…

In a magnificent palace in the northwest of the Tianlong Imperial Capital, there was music, music, singing and dancing at the moment.

While dancing, the dancers kept ogling the man in gold robe on the main seat, twisting their bodies and doing their best to seduce.

A eunuch walked over gently and whispered in the ear of the man in gold robe.

"What? The Thirteen Guards of Xingtian?!"

The man in the golden robe changed his color when he heard this, and threw the jade cup in his hand to the ground angrily. The dancing prostitutes fell to the ground in fear.

"Guan Zheng, this old man, actually refuses to give up even one of his lieutenants. Hum, I want him to know the consequences of offending me! Go, reveal the news to the Blue and White Club, increase the price, and be sure to kill him! The sooner the better !”

"Yes...yes...little slave, please resign!"

Seeing the eunuch crawling out, the man in gold robe could not get rid of his anger. He pointed at the leading maiko and shouted loudly: "You, come here!"

The maiko carefully twisted around.

The man in the gold robe pulled her over, and the maiko screamed in surprise and groaned in fear, which aroused the man's violent nature.

The other maikos and musicians seemed to be accustomed to this, and immediately started playing music and dancing again, making it seem like a paradise on earth.

…

The Tianlong Empire's military horse is called "Dragon Wildebeest". This horse is strong and strong, with slender and powerful limbs, two short horns on its head, and its skin is covered with a layer of horny scales. When it comes to running, it can be said that it is extremely easy to travel thousands of miles in a day and eight hundred miles in a night. Compared with ordinary horses, it is much stronger.

Thanks to the care of Xing Tiansi, Li Wei and his group are now riding this kind of imperial war horse. If it were not for the consideration of the third lady, who is nine months pregnant and may give birth at any time, I am afraid that she would be thousands of miles away by now.

The group of people had been traveling for a day, and it was dusty. The horses were fine, but the people were very sleepy. Fortunately, a small town loomed ahead.

"Master, there is a small town ahead. We have traveled more than a thousand miles. It is getting late, so we should rest. The third lady is about to give birth and cannot withstand the torment!" the housekeeper Li Youcai shouted.

"That's good. Although it's easy to return home, it's not a matter of time. This town is called...Laiyun Town. It's a good omen. Let's find an inn to rest here tonight." Li Wei remembered this town. He came to the imperial capital when he was young. Passed by here before.

"Look, let's just wait until the third lady gives birth and then we can rush on!" Li Youcai said with a smile.

"I hope she can come to our Li's house to give birth. It will be much more convenient. Go and find out if there are any inns here. It would be best if you can book one."

"Yes, I'll go right away."

Li Youcai had followed Li Wei for many years. He was efficient and loyal, and was highly regarded by Li Wei.

Watching Li Youcai go away with a smile, Li Wei estimated the days, came to the third lady's carriage, and said softly: "Chun'er, if you go at the current speed, there will be no problem in giving birth after arriving at Li's house, but Chun'er will have to endure a little more. It’s a pain in the ass.”

"Master, I'm fine, it's still early! Let the convoy stop here and make supplies, and then set off again tomorrow morning."

"Chun'er is still considerate."

"Hehe, sir, you'd better go and see your two sisters, lest they accuse you of being partial again. You know, they're not pregnant yet."

"Well... that's fine. You rest for now, I'll go first."

About half an hour later, Li Youcai returned excitedly and shouted from afar: "Master, I have inquired clearly. There is only one 'Laiyun Inn' here. Fortunately, there are many rooms, which are enough for us to stay. I have made a reservation." We have enough rooms, sir and madam, please go now."

"Okay, make arrangements immediately."

"let's go!"

Laiyun Inn seemed to be really lucky today. After dozens of people from Li Wei and his party checked in, several groups of guests arrived one after another, and it was soon announced that it was full.

This is something that has never happened since the inn opened. The number of waiters is obviously lacking. The innkeeper’s family also came in temporarily. They excitedly fetched water and meals for the guests, wiped the tables and washed the floor, brushed the horses and added food. They were very busy. .

"They are all distinguished guests from the imperial capital. It looks like they are going to make a small fortune! Hehe, Xiaohong, I will redeem you soon and take you as my concubine!"

The fat boss was thinking happily while twisting his fat body and busying himself up and down.

…