The Eldest Daughter Returns with Power

Chapter 160 The Bronze Box

Moonlight pierced through the concentric circles on the Kongming lanterns, casting layers of blood-red ripples on the blue brick floor of the Glazed Palace.

Before the cold glint of the silver needles at Tang Yuluo's fingertips had faded, the assassin nailed to the beam suddenly coughed up black blood, and his entire face melted and peeled off like wax, revealing his true face covered in tattoos—the tattoos were a complete double lotus pattern!

&34; Western Regions disguise technique. &34; Si Yunchen's sword tip lifted the human skin mask, his pupils suddenly contracting, &34; This person's ear tattoo was exactly the same as the female corpse in the dry well of the cold palace. &34;

His black cloak swept across the mess on the ground as he pulled a bronze compass from the assassin's waist.

The yin-yang fish in the center of the compass was actually inlaid with seven-leafed Gelsemium elegans and Tian Shan snow lotus. As the red light of the blood beads flowed, the pointer trembled wildly and pointed to the northwest.

Suddenly, the brocade pouch around Gongsun Ruotang's neck became scorching hot. Trembling, she took out the silk and unfolded it. The four characters "Quickly destroy the altar" that were originally blurred began to seep out dark red blood beads and reassembled into the nine-palace diagram of the Luoshu under the moonlight.

Tang Yulu gasped: "This is a secret message written with Miao blood poison! Ruo'er, quickly get the 'Suwen Yipian' for comparison!"

As the pages turned, beads of blood moved across the nine-square grid, forming a hexagram.

Si Yunchen suddenly grasped Gongsun Ruotang's hand holding the pen, dipped it in the assassin's black blood, and traced the lines on the map: "Kan Palace corresponds to the altar ruins, Li Palace is the Imperial Archives..."

Before the words were finished, Ying Qi, covered in blood, burst through the palace door: "Your Highness! Something was found in the Imperial Hospital's cellar..."

When the group rushed to the Imperial Hospital, they found a bronze groove embedded in the stone wall of the cellar that perfectly matched the compass.

The moment Si Yunchen turned the compass, the entire stone wall suddenly slid open, revealing a bottomless secret passage.

A foul wind carrying the scent of lotus rushed towards Tang Yuluo, and her hand, which was lighting a tinderbox, suddenly froze—on the bronze walls on both sides of the secret passage, countless swaddling clothes for babies were cast, each swaddling clothes embroidered with twin lotus flowers stained with blood!

"These are..." Gongsun Ruotang's fingertips traced the inscription under the swaddling clothes, and she suddenly staggered backward.

The moment Si Yunchen embraced her waist, the firelight illuminated the inscription: Yuanhui 27th year, Gengxu year, Yin woman. That was precisely the year and month of her birth!

The sound of mechanisms turning came from the shadows. As Tang Yu unleashed his silver needles, he shouted sharply: "Back off!"

Nine bronze chains hung down from the dome, each end attached to a crystal coffin.

The woman in the coffin was dressed in the attire of a Miao holy maiden, with a bronze dagger engraved with concentric circles stuck in her chest—exactly the same one as the one in Zhuang Yichen's study!

"I see." Si Yunchen suddenly sneered, the sword blade slicing across his palm, dripping blood onto the yin-yang fish on the compass.

Blood beads seeped into the coffin along the patterns of the divination symbols, and the dagger in the saintess's heart began to slowly rotate.

Suddenly, the blood droplets in Gongsun Ruotang's brocade pouch rose into the air, forming a Big Dipper formation with the dagger, reflecting the Western Region script hidden in the star map of the dome: "Only by offering blood can the gates of heaven be opened."

Tang Yuluo abruptly pulled Gongsun Ruotang back: "This is the Seven Star Soul Locking Formation! Ruo'er's bloodline resonates with the altar, they are going to..."

Before he could finish speaking, the entire cellar suddenly began to shake violently.

As the crystal coffin burst forth with a blinding red light, the dagger in the saintess's heart flew through the air, aiming straight for Gongsun Ruotang's brow! Si Yunchen spun around and pulled her into his arms. The moment the bronze dagger pierced his shoulder blade, the saintess in the coffin suddenly opened her eyes—her features bore a striking resemblance to Gongsun Ruotang's!

"So you were the key all along." The saintess's lips didn't move, yet her ethereal voice echoed throughout the cellar.

Countless bronze swaddling clothes burst open at the same time, and blood-mist-covered Gu worms flew out and pounced on the crowd.

Tang Yulu flung out her poisoned silver needles, forming a net, and shouted sharply: "Go to the Imperial Archives and find the fragments of the 'River Map'! Leave this to me!"

As Si Yunchen carried the unconscious Gongsun Ruotang out of the secret passage, the sky was already beginning to lighten in the east.

His blood-stained fingertips traced the lotus mark that had appeared on the girl's neck. Remembering Tang Yulu's warning in the garden last night, he suddenly hugged her tightly.

The sound of horns signaling the arrival of the Western Turkic delegation in the capital came from outside the palace walls, while the bloodstain in her bosom echoed the concentric circles on the delegation's golden tent.

Si Yunchen carried Gongsun Ruotang as they sped along, dancing freely in the early morning light.

The palace maids had already begun their busy day, but none of them dared to cast too many curious glances at the Crown Prince, who was covered in blood and had a cold expression.

Si Yunchen went straight to Gongsun Ruotang's Glazed Palace, settled Gongsun Ruotang on her bed, and summoned Rendong to treat her.

Honeysuckle took the little princess's pulse and examined the increasingly clear lotus mark on her neck. Fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead as she stammered, "Your Highness, the little princess's pulse is disordered, as if she has been poisoned by an extremely strange Gu poison. This lotus mark... I have never seen anything like it before, and I am truly at a loss. Lady Yuluo will have to take a look."

Si Yunchen frowned, waved his hand to dismiss those around him, and his gaze fell on Gongsun Ruotang's pale face, his eyes filled with heartache and determination.

At this moment, Ying Qi hurriedly entered and knelt on one knee: "Your Highness, Lady Yu Luo has successfully escaped and is heading towards the Liuli Palace. In addition, the Western Turkic delegation has set up camp outside the city. According to our informants, the list of gifts they brought to the capital this time is mysterious, as if they have a major plan. Moreover, some members of the delegation are extremely familiar with the terrain of the capital, as if they had scouted the place in advance."

Si Yunchen pondered for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Closely monitor the delegation's every move, especially the location of that golden tent. Send people to search for the Huangshicheng's fragment of the 'Hetu' scroll. We must find it before the Western Turks do, as this concerns Ruotang's life and the safety of the court."

Shadow Seven accepted the order and left.

Before long, Tang Yulu stepped into the room. Her hair was disheveled and her clothes were stained with blood, but her eyes were still sharp.

Seeing Gongsun Ruotang's appearance, her heart tightened. She stepped forward to examine him and said, "This Seven Star Soul-Locking Array is extremely vicious. It uses Ruo'er's bloodline as a catalyst, attempting to unlock some earth-shattering secret. Now that Ruo'er's bloodline is connected to the altar, if it isn't broken quickly, I'm afraid..."

Si Yunchen looked at Tang Yuluo with sharp eyes: "Madam Yuluo, you are knowledgeable and experienced, do you have a solution?"

Tang Yulu bit her lower lip, hesitatingly saying, "It's rumored that there's an ancient secret technique in Miao territory that requires a thousand-year-old spiritual object as a medicinal ingredient, combined with a special incantation. Perhaps it could be tried. However, such a thousand-year-old spiritual object is extremely rare. I've heard that in the extremely cold lands of the Western Regions, there is an Ice Soul Snow Lotus that emits a strange blue light when it blooms, which might be able to cure this poison. But the journey to the Western Regions is long and fraught with danger, and the Western Turks are also eyeing us covetously..."

Si Yunchen said without hesitation, "No matter how far or how difficult, I will go to find this Ice Soul Snow Lotus. Ling Feng, due to the special circumstances, I cannot go in person. You must prepare fast horses, gather the elites of the Eastern Palace, and set off for the Western Regions immediately. If there are any changes, send a message by carrier pigeon immediately."

Tang Yulu nodded: "Your Highness, rest assured, I will do my utmost to protect Ruo'er."

After receiving the order, Ling Feng quickly left to prepare his belongings. Si Yunchen glanced at Gongsun Ruotang on the bed one last time, then turned to leave.

"Your Highness, given the current situation, you and the Emperor would be best to make proper arrangements for what's to come," Tang Yulu said, looking at the Crown Prince who was about to leave.

"Moreover, ever since my husband and I came to the palace to see Ruo'er, there has never been any peace in the palace, Your Highness the Crown Prince..." Tang Yuluo's hesitation made Si Yunchen's heart sink once again.

"Lady Yu Luo, I know your and the Master's worries. I will purge the evil spirits in this palace as soon as possible. I will give Ruo'er a lifetime of peace," Si Yunchen solemnly promised Tang Yu Luo.