Weird Cultivation, I have a five-organ temple

Chapter 703 Tongtian Wushan
Upon hearing this, the Jin family members trembled involuntarily, but had no choice but to stop.

Their expressions were rather unpleasant, but after taking a breath and turning around, they put on obsequious smiles again.

The Jin family was unaware that King Ba was purging the Wei witches. Instead, they were influenced by the recent rumors circulating in the streets that the Wei witches were arrogant, domineering, and had destroyed families, which deepened their fear of the Wei witches.

In their hearts, the guards were still the king's personal guards, holding the power of life and death!

Although the Jin family had made it into the ranks of the first-class families in Baiyi County, their foundation was not deep. Not only did no one in the family hold a high-ranking position in the imperial court, but none of them were even second-rate officials.

With no one in the court who could speak for them, the Jin family, though listed among the first-class families of Baiyi County, could only swagger around within the county. Compared to the Li family and other families that had just been destroyed, they were far inferior.

Faced with a royal guard and representative of the monarchy like the Wei Wu, how could they dare to offend him?

The leading member of the Jin family turned around and bowed with his hands clasped, saying, "I wonder if there is anything else you wish to instruct us on, sir?"

Their attitude and manners were truly impeccable.

"You've even brought out the 'truth-revealing mirror,' aren't you going to look at us?"

Shang Lu raised his hand and pointed to the Jin family member who had just been holding up the Mirror of Truth.

This action startled the Jin family member, who hurriedly clutched the Truth-Seeing Mirror he had hidden in his bosom and tried to force a smile, but it looked more like a grimace.

To the Jin family member in charge, Shang Lu was clearly looking for trouble, and he cursed inwardly, "If we really follow through, you're probably going to accuse us of contempt for royal authority?"

But he dared not say these words aloud under any circumstances, and could only smile apologetically and say, "Sir, you are joking. This Mirror of Truth is used to identify the murderer."

Shang Lu pointed to himself: "So you don't suspect that we are the murderers?"

气氛顿时一滞.

As a result, the temperature around us dropped several degrees.

The more Shang Lu said that, the more certain the Jin family members, who were leading the group, became that he wanted to take the opportunity to cause trouble.

As for the murderer? He had no doubt whatsoever.

If Wei Wu really killed Jin Yutang, why would he have fled in such a panic?

We'll definitely take this opportunity to teach the Jin family a lesson!
The Jin family suffered from being out of touch with the situation and were unaware of the current state of affairs.

The Jin family member in the lead, fearing Shang Lu's wrath, hurriedly said, "Sir, you jest. Everyone in the world knows that your Wei Wu are the most just in their dealings. Even if someone commits murder, you will present evidence and convict them. How could you possibly be the murderer of Jin Yutang? To be frank, even if you did kill Jin Yutang, he must have committed a capital crime and deserves this calamity!"

Shang Lu raised his hand and slapped his forehead, laughing, "You've reminded me. Next time I kill someone, I'll be careful to leave behind his crimes and charges."

The Jin family members looked at each other, unsure whether the shaman in front of them was just playing a joke on them or telling the truth.

"Alright, I won't tease you anymore. Go on your way." Shang Lu waved his hand, indicating that the Jin family members could leave. "We'll keep an eye on the matter of the murderer."

The Jin family member leading the group felt a cold sweat break out on his brow, thinking to himself that these guards were truly eccentric and difficult to deal with.

At the same time, he felt relieved and, after bowing with his hands clasped, hurriedly left with his people.

They were afraid that if they were even a step too slow, they would be stopped again and asked questions that made them tremble with fear and leave them speechless.

Shang Lu shook his head and scoffed, "These days, nobody believes you when you tell the truth."

He patted Hei Yun on the head, signaling him to continue on his way.

Once the Jin family members had completely disappeared and there was no one else on the official road, Bai Lingxu, who had been unable to contain himself any longer, finally asked in a low voice, "Junior Brother Shang, what's the deal with that Impermanence Token of yours? Are you really a member of the Guardian Witches?"

Making a counterfeit Weiwu token is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family. Although Shang Lu is incredibly audacious, Bai Lingxu does not believe that he is not only audacious but also has the means to counterfeit Weiwu tokens.

Shang Lu nodded with a smile.

"You really are Wei Wu? When did this happen? I've never heard you mention it before."

Bai Lingxu was even more shocked.

Shang Lu has only been a member of the Wei Wu Academy for a few years, yet his cultivation has progressed rapidly, leaving his senior brother, who has been diligently cultivating in the academy for many years, far behind. And now he has actually become a Wei Wu himself?!

Joining the Guardian Witches and following the High Priest is the dream of many wizards!
Although Bai Lingxu was just a businessman, he also had dreams!
Shang Lu laughed and said, "Senior Brother Bai, do you still remember that rat patrolling the mountains back in Pingdu?"

"of course I remember."

Bai Lingxu obtained Star Marrow, Earth Milk, and Thousand Family Millet precisely because of his meritorious service in suppressing the bandits in Pingdu Mountain. He would never forget that experience.

"Was it the Rat's hunting expedition that led you to the Wei Sha?"

Bai Lingxu remembered that Shang Lu's performance in Pingdu Mountain and the Netherworld Ruins was outstanding.

It seems that it was around that time that he caught the eye of the Rat Hunting and was introduced to the Guardian Witch.

Sure enough, Shang Lu nodded in agreement. But then he added, "Senior Brother Lü Yang and Senior Sister Gongshu Ling are also Guardian Witches."

"What?! This... how can this be?!"

Bai Lingxu was immediately enraged.

When Wei Wu took a liking to Pharbitis Nectar and Gongshu Ling, he was merely envious and didn't see anything wrong with it.

After all, one of these two individuals possessed both great fortune and outstanding performance, while the other was exceptionally talented, displaying extraordinary skill and unconventional creativity in weapon crafting.

But why did Lü Yang also join the Wei Wu?

Bai Lingxu was practically kicking himself.

He said indignantly, "That bastard Lü Yang is inferior to me in cultivation, and in terms of intelligence, he's no match for me at all. All he does all day is dabble in those broken swords. Why can he join the Guardian Witchcraft Academy, but I can't? The Inspector General has misjudged people!"

"It's a good thing you didn't join the Guardian Witches."

Shang Lu sighed, "If you fall into the hands of the Jin family, I can still save you. But if you end up like Senior Brother Lü and Senior Sister Gongshu, with all contact severed and your fate unknown... even if I wanted to save you, I wouldn't know how."

"They didn't die in Xingshan, but something happened to them somewhere else?"

Bai Lingxu's mind worked quickly; he immediately discerned the meaning behind Shang Lu's words and asked in surprise, "Aren't they Wei Wu? Who are they, daring to attack Wei Wu?"

He had initially intended to ask if they were shamans from Chu or other countries, but then he immediately thought of Shang Lu's trip to Wushan and the information he had been asked to gather, and a guess formed in his mind. His expression turned serious, and Bai Lingxu lowered his voice, asking, "Is it possible that someone in the court is dissatisfied with the Wei shamans and is using them as a scapegoat?"

Seeing Shang Lu nod, Bai Lingxu became even more puzzled: "Didn't the King stop it? Or was it that even he couldn't stop it?"

Bai Lingxu was well-informed and had a keener eye than most. He knew that King Ba rebuilt the Guardian Witchcraft System in order to use it to weaken the increasingly powerful aristocratic families that threatened the royal power.

Now that the powerful clans have launched a counterattack, why is King Ba standing idly by?
Isn't he afraid of alienating his men and having no one willing to die for him in the future?
What shocked Bai Lingxu even more was what Shang Lu said with a cold smile.

"Of course the king won't stop it, because he's the one who led the charge!"

"what?"

Bai Lingxu's mouth dropped open: "How could this be?"

"Because the Grand Master does not want to be a lackey of the king; he wants to do the same things as us."

Shang Lu's voice was very low, but to Bai Lingxu it sounded like thunder, deafening.

"I see... I just didn't expect that someone with Da Zhu's cultivation and realm would have such thoughts. It's truly admirable!"

After sighing, Bai Lingxu said, "That makes sense. For our king, although the powerful clans pose a threat, they can't kill him for the time being. But what Da Zhu wants to do is to uproot him and overthrow him. He absolutely cannot be allowed to live!"

Shang Lu nodded: "That's the situation now. Wei Wu's identity has become a death warrant. Once exposed, it could lead to annihilation! When you're gathering information, be careful not to arouse suspicion."

Bai Lingxu nodded, his expression solemn, clearly having taken his words to heart.

He said with some concern, "You just showed me the Decree of Impermanence, will you be alright?"

"It's alright. The Jin family doesn't know that King Ba is dealing with the Witch Guard. By the time they find out, we'll already be elsewhere. Besides..."

Shang Lu patted the face mask he was wearing.

"This remnant spirit can interfere with memory and cognition. The Jin family's group wanted to report us afterwards, but they couldn't remember what we looked like, and they couldn't even say how many of us there were."

Bai Lingxu was relieved and gave a thumbs up, saying, "As expected of Junior Brother Shang, you handle things properly."

After learning the whole story, Bai Lingxu became even more meticulous and attentive in gathering information.

Within two days, he actually managed to find out some information.

"At the Weiwu Office, it's said that everything looks the same as usual, but the atmosphere is strange. Recently, many Weiwu priests have been returning from various places to report to the Weiwu Office. However, once they enter the Weiwu Office, they never come out again..."

"There are rumors that King Ba has not appeared at court for many days. It is said that he has contracted a serious illness, and every time he attends court, he uses a witchcraft to cover his face and shield his aura. Therefore, no one knows what disease he is suffering from. The Three Dukes have also claimed to be ill and declined to see guests. However, the Grand Priest occasionally appears at the Ministry of Justice and several sacrificial sites in Wushan."

"There's still no news about the Rat Hunting group. I'm afraid of arousing suspicion, so I don't dare to inquire directly. I've been trying to get information indirectly, and the information I've obtained is limited."

"Judging from the information we have, our good king is probably just as you guessed, Junior Brother Shang. He was tricked by the King of Chu. In order to gain power, he devoured the strange divine flesh, which led to a strange transformation, turning him into a monster. That's why he dares not show himself to the public! As for the Grand Master who appeared in many places, he is probably a fake! I just don't know what happened to the patrol team."

"The hunters should still be alive."

After a moment's thought, Shang Lu analyzed, "Once the King of Ba and the Three Dukes are corrupted and suffer a backlash from the strange divine flesh, they will need to absorb witch energy and blood to suppress it! They will not die during the patrol until the witch energy and blood are drained."

Considering the fate of the Grand Master of Ceremonies and the Imperial Envoy in the Chu King's palace, one can deduce that Zishu Xunshou, along with Lü Yang and Gongshu Ling, while not dying, fared no better. In fact, it could be said that their lives were worse than death!

Bai Lingxu was silent for a moment, then sighed, "I hope they can hold on." He paused, then asked Shang Lu, "How do you plan to rescue them?"

Shang Lu shook his head: "It's too early to talk about this now. We'll make plans after we get to Wushan and find out the details. We definitely need to save them, but we can't act rashly and risk our brothers' lives for nothing."

The current situation in Wushan is that things appear calm on the surface, but undercurrents are surging beneath.

If they are even slightly careless, not only will they be unable to rescue Zishu Xunshou and the others, but they will also lose the lives of their own brothers.

Shang Lu was, after all, a military strategist, and would not act rashly.

Bai Lingxu nodded. All he could do was continue to gather information, more information, so that Shang Lu could formulate a more comprehensive plan and allow more people to survive.

Just then, Bai Lingxu's jade tablet began to vibrate. He scanned it with his divine sense and "saw" the message received inside. He immediately said to Shang Lu:
"Another piece of news has arrived: the chief priests of the various county shamanic academies were summoned to the royal palace after arriving at Wushan, and they have not yet come out."

The official claim is that an ancient cultivation manual has been discovered, but the writing is strange, the content is obscure, and it is full of power to disturb people's minds. The priests of the various county shamans are deciphering and compiling this manual in the royal palace. Once successful, it will allow cultivators to repair the severed path to heaven within their bodies and glimpse the supreme Dao!

Therefore, many people with considerable self-confidence are now pulling strings to try and get into the palace to participate in this important event…

After recounting the fresh news, Bai Lingxu frowned slightly and looked at Shang Lu: "Junior Brother Shang, do you think this ancient manual really exists, or is our King up to some other shady business?"

Shang Lu shook his head. It was really hard to say what the situation was inside the palace.

After a moment's thought, he instructed, "Continue to gather information, but be careful not to let anyone notice."

Although Shang Lu knew that Bai Lingxu was cautious in his actions, he still needed to give him the necessary advice.

"Yes." Bai Lingxu clasped his hands in acceptance.

The group traveled at breakneck speed, passing through counties and cities, and arrived at the foot of Mount Wu a few days later.

It's said to be at the foot of Mount Wu, but in reality, it's quite a distance from Mount Wu; you can only catch a glimpse of it from afar.

Mount Wu is like a pillar reaching to the heavens, rising abruptly from the ground and soaring into the clouds.

Its four sides are as if they have been cleaved by a knife, straight and steep.

At the summit, instead of a converging peak, it is square, like a giant stone table placed between heaven and earth.

The capital of the Ba Kingdom was located on that flat stone table.

According to popular legend, Mount Wu in ancient times was originally a stairway to the heavenly realm, but it was destroyed and turned into what it is today due to a cataclysmic event that nearly destroyed the world.

Even so, the towering, steep, and table-shaped Wushan Mountain still gave everyone a strong visual impact.

Pokeweed wasn't impressed by Wushan.

On the contrary, his hair stood on end.

His keen intuition told him that someone was spying on him in the shadows.

(End of this chapter)