Chapter 125
Ghost Way Soul Capture can control others' spiritual consciousness.
It temporarily suppresses another person's consciousness, allowing the Soul Capture master to take over that body's awareness.
After Qu Zhenghao fell to the ground, his eyes were vacant, lying motionless on the ground without any breath.
Sky Crane Gang members were shocked upon seeing this, shouting "Gang Leader" as they ran toward him.
Yu Sui discovered that understanding Nine Schools Arts from what others told her was never as comprehensive and profound as when she used them herself.
Just like how Taoist School talismans had physical forms, while Ghost Way School talismans and curses were all materialized through Five Elements energy.
Where exactly to grasp this degree could only be explored by oneself.
Last time when she first used Soul Capture, it was dispelled by Wen Yanghui using purple talismans. Today Qu Zhenghao also underestimated Yu Sui, not expecting her to use Heavenly Mechanism Arts.
Several coincidences coming together created the effect of making others wary of Yu Sui.
"Little Princess." Blackbeard's heart trembled with anxiety as he hurriedly asked, "Are you injured anywhere?"
Yu Sui shook her head, withdrew her gaze from looking at Qu Zhenghao, bowed her head respectfully to the Ethereal Hall master who had stood up, indicating tonight's matter should end here, then led her people away.
Outside Ethereal Hall, other gang members were still waiting. After their gang leaders came out, there was another scene of commotion.
Yu Sui walked at the back, listening to Blackbeard explain what happened tonight.
Originally today was supposed to be peace talks because of conflicts between Leaving Fire and other gangs, but who knew Qu Zhenghao had privately convinced them to use Pearl House's incident to redirect their attacks toward Pearl House.
Others wouldn't refuse such profitable business either.
Yu Sui got into the carriage. Blackbeard walked beside the window, frantically praising her: "Tonight the Little Princess displayed great powers, shocking all of them. Who would dare look down on the Little Princess's past as an ordinary practitioner in the future?"
"These were all improvised performances, third-rate tricks. They were also temporarily cooperating, so they were easily exposed." Yu Sui leaned against the window looking at him. "Was I very impressive tonight?"
Blackbeard nodded vigorously: "Impressive, very impressive!"
Yu Sui smiled with curved eyes for a moment: "Such a large sum of money, I would have been heartbroken if I really had to hand it over."
Tonight she felt competitive.
Zhang Xiangyun said the money she lost was earned back by her "sister" outside in just a few days.
Her elder sister Qing Kui had publicly announced 18 years ago that she died in the pursuit at Luo Mountain Peak.
Yu Sui had only suspected before, but tonight Zhang Xiangyun's words confirmed her speculation, and also indirectly reflected that quite a few people knew of Qing Kui's existence.
She wondered if Nian Qiuyan also knew of Qing Kui's existence.
Amid Blackbeard's continuous praise, Yu Sui suddenly asked: "Are there people selling Lan poison in the Outer City?"
Blackbeard choked on his breath, swallowed the words at his lips, quickly turned his mind to follow the Little Princess's train of thought and answered: "Not openly."
Yu Sui made a gesture, indicating what about secretly?
"Lan poison is prohibited from sale in both the Six Kingdoms and Taiyi Academy. Once discovered, it's immediately destroyed." Blackbeard said, "Many of Taiyi Academy's rules are much more relaxed compared to the Six Kingdoms, but regarding Lan poison, they're equally strict."
"If someone is discovered selling Lan poison, they'll be expelled from Taiyi Academy, banned for life from entering Taiyi Academy, then handed over to their home country for judgment and punishment."
Yu Sui asked him: "Then if someone is discovered trafficking or manufacturing Lan poison, who should we report it to for handling?"
Blackbeard's eyes indicated: "Report to Taiyi Academy. The academy also has a Lan Control Department, with the Twenty-Four Saints taking monthly turns supervising Lan poison and handling Taiyi Academy affairs."
Seeing Yu Sui fall into thought, his eyelid twitched. Not knowing what he was thinking of, he hurriedly explained: "We don't touch this stuff at Taiyi Academy. Although there are some underhanded methods in business, we won't touch Lan poison. The risk is too great. Once discovered, not only would we be expelled from Taiyi Academy, but it would also bring negative effects to the Nangong family."
Yu Sui, leaning against the window, changed position, supporting her cheek with one hand as she looked at Blackbeard suspiciously: "My family really hasn't touched this?"
"Absolutely not." Blackbeard raised his hand in a swearing gesture.
Yu Sui said: "Then in all your time at Taiyi Academy, have you heard of any person or organization buying and selling Lan poison?"
Blackbeard thought carefully, then shook his head: "I've never heard of such things. Seeing Lan poison at Taiyi Academy would already be rare, let alone selling or manufacturing it. That would definitely cause an uproar and become known to everyone."
It seemed the other party was hiding very well.
From the conversation between Zhang Xiangyun and Nian Qiuyan, the people manufacturing Lan poison in the Outer City were likely among Taiyi Academy's Twenty-Four Saints. She just didn't know which Saint, or when they started cooperating with Xuan Kui.
Or rather, this Saint was part of "Xuan Kui."
If Chu Jin was Qing Kui, then Nangong Ming definitely knew about her relationship with Xuan Kui. Perhaps Nangong Ming was also well aware of the Silver River Water theft at Taiyi Academy. He had her bring the Di Su Balance Scale, but didn't expect this matter to involve Gu Qian.
Gu Qian was indeed unlucky. Originally stealing the Floating Pagoda went smoothly and secretly, but because of Nian Qiuyan's trip, it was delayed several months before getting the fragments, and he nearly got expelled from the academy.
"Has the Little Princess discovered something?" Blackbeard said solemnly, "If Pearl House or Xide Tavern is found to have any business involving Lan poison, I will immediately resolve it and absolutely not let the Nangong family's reputation be damaged."
Yu Sui stopped the carriage, beckoned to Blackbeard, indicating for him to come over. Blackbeard respectfully lowered his head to listen as Yu Sui whispered instructions in his ear.
……
The fighting at Pearl House didn't last very long.
Mei Liangyu discovered someone was using trigram formations to interfere. Though he didn't know if it was Sky Crane Gang people, Nian Qiuyan had disappeared. If he was killed somewhere Mei Liangyu couldn't see, Kong Yiyi would kill him when he returned.
Reaching the wide street area, Mei Liangyu had no more concerns. He summoned the Xu Constellation Star General, Ice Frost White Python, which smashed through the stone wall maze to clear a path.
The poisonous insects Wei Lingshu released were all frozen in mid-air unable to move, like snowflakes condensed in the air that wouldn't fall or melt.
While Mei Liangyu was blade-fighting with the scarred man, Nian Qiuyan emerged from a corner, waving and calling to Mei Liangyu: "Mei Mei!"
Mei Liangyu, whose figure was rapidly changing, spared a glance at Nian Qiuyan who had emerged from some unknown corner: "If you're not dead, get out of the way."
Nian Qiuyan obediently found a place to stay, ensuring he remained within Mei Liangyu's line of sight.
After Pearl House's manager received news from Ethereal Hall, he stood at the broken wall opening and shouted down to Wei Lingshu on the road below: "Your plan has been exposed by our Little Princess!"
Wei Lingshu looked up with a cold expression, initially not believing it, but the Agricultural School transmission beast on her shoulder informed her of what happened at Ethereal Hall, and her face changed slightly.
She didn't know how badly injured Qu Zhenghao was. Wei Lingshu worried and decisively retreated, shouting to the scarred man: "Let's go!"
The scarred man didn't know what was happening, but still frowned and retreated to Wei Lingshu's side.
"Come when you want, leave when you want?"
Mei Liangyu used shadow techniques to cut off their escape route. Both ends of the street were suddenly blocked by Nangong family practitioners.
The sound of carriage wheels on the ground came. Mei Liangyu turned his head slightly, glancing back.
Blackbeard followed step by step beside the carriage window talking with Yu Sui. Yu Sui leaned sideways against the window, extending one hand outside with her head resting on her arm. After seeing the commotion ahead, she straightened up and waved her pale arm at Mei Liangyu: "Senior Brother!"
Mei Liangyu had just heard Pearl House's manager mention Yu Sui, not knowing when she came to the Outer City. Seeing Blackbeard following her, she should be returning from Ethereal Hall.
Though Wei Lingshu and the scarred man hadn't seen Yu Sui before, seeing Blackbeard's attitude and hearing "Senior Brother," they knew the delicate-looking young woman in the carriage was the Nangong family's Little Princess.
Blackbeard entered the scene first, throwing the eye patch he'd taken from Qu Zhenghao's face toward Wei Lingshu and the scarred man. Satisfied to see both their faces change, he said calmly: "First arrest these two, and wait for Gang Leader Qu to come exchange them himself."
With Nangong family practitioners front and back, chances of escape were slim. With Qu Zhenghao also in Blackbeard's hands, Wei Lingshu and the scarred man dared not take risks since they had no retreat.
Yu Sui got down from the carriage, not even glancing at Wei Lingshu and the scarred man, walking directly toward Mei Liangyu.
"Senior Brother!" Yu Sui ran to Mei Liangyu. "Are you alright?"
Though his clothes were stained with dust and blood, none of it was his. But seeing Yu Sui approach him with worry felt so good that Mei Liangyu casually ruffled her hair, answering offhandedly: "I'm fine."
Just as he was about to ask if Yu Sui had been bullied at Ethereal Hall, he saw Yu Sui's eyes shift toward Nian Qiuyan beside them, asking softly: "What about Senior Brother Nian?"
Mei Liangyu also followed her gaze.
"All good, all good." Nian Qiuyan waved his hand, brushing dust from his clothes as he approached them. "Now it's safe. Mei Mei, can I come over?"
Mei Liangyu looked at the scratches on his face and said: "You hurry back to the academy."
Nian Qiuyan seemed to sense something, raising his hand to touch his own face: "Go back by myself?"
"Tonight's events were sudden and rather strange. I need to stay in the Outer City for one night and return tomorrow." Yu Sui looked up at Mei Liangyu beside her. "Senior Brother might as well return tomorrow morning too. Though Pearl House was damaged by your fighting, Xide Tavern is still fine and has room to stay."
Mei Liangyu said: "Then we'll return tomorrow."
Nian Qiuyan couldn't help wanting to laugh. Mei Liangyu glanced at him sideways, silently indicating "what are you laughing at?" Nian Qiuyan looked at Yu Sui for a moment, then back at Mei Liangyu, silently expressing "you're so obedient."
Mei Liangyu pretended not to see, following Yu Sui inside while saying: "I didn't damage Pearl House."
Yu Sui looked up at the entire wall facing the street that had collapsed, nodded and said: "Yes!"
Blackbeard stayed outside to handle the aftermath, listening to Pearl House manager's reports. The Nangong family practitioners who had gone out earlier on Yu Sui's orders also returned to report.
Yu Sui led Mei Liangyu and Nian Qiuyan into the tavern, briefly explaining what happened at Ethereal Hall. She said to Mei Liangyu: "I don't know how he calculated that Senior Brother would also come to Pearl House tonight. We'll question Sky Crane Gang people later, maybe we can learn something."
Mei Liangyu looked back at Nian Qiuyan walking at the rear and asked him: "What did your trigrams say today?"
Yu Sui also turned around, looking at Nian Qiuyan curiously.