Chapter 31: Key
"Great Qi?"
Little An exclaimed in shock.
Great Qi had been destroyed for over a hundred years. Now five nations competed for supremacy in the world. But where could this Northern Qi Dark Energy technique that should have long been scattered come from?
"Could it be the work of Great Qi remnants?"
Little An's eyes shifted, quickly thinking of a possibility.
An Quan didn't deny it verbally. He only looked at the young man on the ground, frowning tightly.
For a moment, he thought of the five people who had died in Aurora Pavilion.
"So everything was because of this Northern Qi Dark Energy. Hidden within the body, killing invisibly—no wonder we couldn't find any clues."
An Quan muttered to himself. The five people who died in Aurora Pavilion last night had no injuries on their bodies, yet had mysteriously died suddenly.
Their Tianjin Guards had never found the reason. In the end, they could only seek help from Six Doors. Unexpectedly, they had now accidentally found the culprit. An Quan suddenly turned to look at Little An, asking in a sharp voice, "You just said this matter was discovered by that young master who newly arrived today?"
Hearing this, Little An hurriedly nodded, "That's right. Moreover, it was that young master who specifically had me examine the Tianquan acupoint. Otherwise, I couldn't possibly have discovered that black qi."
At this time, An Quan unconsciously narrowed his eyes and continued asking, "At that time, the Northern Qi Dark Energy had already invaded your true qi and body. Was it also him who helped you dispel it?"
Little An nodded again. But when he saw An Quan's face show a trace of extreme surprise, he asked somewhat puzzledly, "Godfather, is there some problem here?"
"You don't know—Northern Qi Dark Energy depends on martial Dao true qi and blood qi to exist. Once a living person is contaminated, unless their life force is completely extinguished and the true qi and blood qi in their body dissipate, this thing will dissipate along with it. Otherwise, it will remain in the human body forever."
An Quan spoke with a serious expression. This made Little An extremely alarmed. He asked with confusion, "But that young master could dispel it. Why is that?"
An Quan shook his head and pondered, "This is also what I want to know. As far as I know, Northern Qi Dark Energy is almost unsolvable."
"Either suppress it with powerful martial Dao cultivation, or find someone who cultivates this technique and force them to resolve the Northern Qi Dark Energy. There's no other way."
Hearing this, Little An frowned and asked, "Could it be that Godfather suspects that young master cultivates Northern Qi Dark Energy?"
Hearing this, An Quan nodded, then shook his head, "I'm not certain. When those five people had their incident, he hadn't yet come to Aurora Pavilion. Moreover, he had no reason to help you, because doing so would only expose himself."
Saying this, he pondered for a moment, his peripheral vision sweeping over the young master on the ground, then instructed, "Go get all the case files on this person and that newly arrived young master. I need to review them all."
"Additionally, this matter is of great importance. I need to consult with the other eunuchs and the Suppression Commissioner before making a decision."
Having said this, An Quan also instructed several other young eunuchs to stand guard here. Then his figure moved, leaving an afterimage in the room before disappearing.
...
Li Musheng found his room, inserted the jade token into the door groove, and gently turned it. The door before him automatically opened slowly.
"This mechanism technique is quite exquisite."
Li Musheng nodded slightly. It was said that in the neighboring nation Great Zhou, there was a sect called "Lu Gong Divine Palace" that had developed mechanism techniques to the extreme.
Legend had it that this sect had not only built an extremely massive mechanism city where the entire city's houses, streets, and walls were all operated by countless mechanisms—a marvel to behold.
Moreover, they could also create massive mechanism warships, giant mechanism beasts, and mechanism people whose strength was comparable to powerful martial artists...
Thinking this, after Li Musheng sat down at the table in the room, he took out a six-sided wooden box from his bosom.
Along the journey to Shangyang City, he had already thoroughly researched this Tianqi Secret Treasury key.
Li Musheng discovered that this wooden box was very likely one of the real keys.
Inside the wooden box was hidden a strangely shaped magnetic stone. This magnetic stone possessed an extremely unique and powerful magnetic field.
Without the wooden box's covering, all iron and stone within a hundred-meter radius would be attracted to it. Even heavy iron weighing over a hundred pounds could be pulled flying toward it.
"This kind of magnetic field is very unique. Perhaps it can produce some resonance with other keys. In the future, I can carry this wooden box with me at all times. With good luck, maybe I'll encounter other keys."
Li Musheng showed a thoughtful expression and put away the wooden box in his hand.
Searching for martial Dao transcendence naturally couldn't mean hanging himself on this one crooked tree. He still needed to find other methods.
This Shangyang City might contain opportunities, or it might have nothing at all. But at this time, Li Musheng hadn't yet figured out where to start.
Of course, if his Seventh Prince identity was real, he might be able to use this identity to find some opportunities.
But he really didn't want to get involved with all sorts of messy forces. This would undoubtedly be another troublesome matter.
Just at this time, the young eunuch from earlier came to knock on the door, "Young Master Li, the Tianjin Guards' Suppression Commissioner Yu is summoning everyone to the first-floor hall. Please make your way there."
Li Musheng opened the door, glanced at the young eunuch before him, and asked casually, "Did you find out what that black mist on that kid was?"
Hearing this, Little An hesitated for a moment, then looked left and right before saying quietly, "My godfather said it's Northern Qi Dark Energy, originating from a secret canon technique of the Great Qi imperial family."
While saying this, Little An kept observing Li Musheng's expression. Seeing nothing unusual, he quietly asked, "Young Master Li, you haven't cultivated this kind of technique, have you?"
Li Musheng glanced at him, "I don't even know what Northern Qi Dark Energy is. Why would I cultivate that thing?"
Saying this, he had Little An lead the way to the hall downstairs.
Before long, all the candidate Seventh Princes residing throughout Aurora Pavilion had gathered in the first-floor hall.
Li Musheng stood in a corner of the hall, observing these people around him. They were all young people of similar age to him.
However, his gaze was soon drawn to one person.
It was an extremely handsome young master with a face like white jade, red lips and white teeth, wearing moon-white robes that commanded attention.
But he could clearly sense that this person was a woman.
"Interesting. The competition pressure and intensity for this Seventh Prince identity is maxed out. Even women are mixing in to join the excitement."
Li Musheng stroked his chin. This woman's background must be significant. Being able to forge an identity and deceive the Tianjin Guards' eyes showed formidable methods.
However, what puzzled him was: what exactly did this woman want to do by entering Aurora Pavilion?
Could she really think no one could see through her disguise?
You must know the imperial palace inner court had countless experts. Moreover, that Emperor Yuanwu's martial Dao cultivation was unfathomably deep. Seeing through her disguise would be effortless.