CG Chapter 183: White and Red Lotus
Once the Patriarch's last words fell, the gathering could be said to have reached a satisfactory conclusion for both sides. The cards in the game had been shuffled once already, and they would be rearranged for as long as the play continued, and until the last card was dealt.
Aretius stepped outside the Li Clan's pavilion. He gazed at the sky for a moment, noticing that the voracious Pig had given birth to a cunning Rat. His gaze shifted to the person standing before him.
In front of him, a mature, composed woman stood. She had an elegant appearance, much like a celestial maiden descending from the heavens above to bless the mortal world.
A faint smile rested on her cherry-red lips. A single white lock was woven through her black hair, tucked behind her ear. She wore a white dress embroidered with lotuses. Yet the most prominent feature was the white and red lotus on her forehead, as if marked by an immortal's kiss.
Noticing his arrival, her white, pearly eyes met his before she said in a mosquito-like voice, "This one is Li Suyin. I greet the young master. I have been instructed by my father to accompany you. The Clan territory becomes quite confusing at night, and he was afraid you might get lost."
To this, Aretius merely smiled under his mask. Li Muren was clearly a resolute man; once he had decided to throw his lot in with him, he did not hesitate for even a second to use his own daughter as part of the negotiations.
Unfortunately for the Patriarch, Aretius was afraid that he would have to disappoint him. Once he accepted the benefits of the Li Clan, he would merely move on to his next host to parasitize.
Placing such a beautiful maiden before the young heroes would have ignited their urge to defend the fragile flower. Nevertheless, no matter what means they attempted to use to hold Aretius back, they would all yield the same results.
Giving Li Suyin a second glance, he nodded. "Please lead the way. It would be rude of me to refuse the fairy's invitation."
Turning her head charmingly, Li Suyin asked, "My father has ordered me to take you to your chambers to rest. Yet, I feel like you did not get the chance to see the Clan's territory. You know, our Li Clan's Soul-Sealing Mound is one of the most famous sealed zones to outsiders of the Han Empire. Cultivating death-based techniques there would not only shorten the time of cultivation but also add a peculiar type of energy to your techniques."
She quieted down before saying in a lower voice, carrying a somewhat mischievous tone, "I do not think my father would mind if I escorted you there personally."
Aretius blinked, looking deep in thought before agreeing. "I have always been curious about the formation of sealed zones. I thank the fairy for her generosity."
Hearing this, Li Suyin's smile stretched further, and her eyes charmingly formed the shapes of crescent moons before she turned her body to lead the way.
Aretius examined her with amusement. 'Getting in trouble for guiding him through the clan?' The more time passed, the more Aretius's admiration of the Patriarch increased. Aretius liked dealing with intelligent people; otherwise, his long journey would be too dull with no one to sit across his desolate board.
Against Li Muren, for instance, nothing needed to be said, yet everything was understood by their common pursuit of benefits.
During their walk, Li Suyin began to converse freely with Aretius. She offered deep insights from the Li Clan's own past, the empire's chronology, and ultimately even her personal observations.
"From what I heard, Wu Wuqing was a simple soldier before being favored by the fallen Han Emperor, who placed him as the tutor of the sixth prince. He accumulated a reputation within the royal family through his wits and charm. This aided him in his climb toward the rank of general."
If any clueless peasant had heard her words, their hair would have turned gray from fear, but her words toward the current emperor were not out of ignorance but due to one simple truth. Those of the Jianghu do not interfere with the common world, and the government does not interfere in the struggle of the Jianghu for the most part.
This pact was established by the three hundred schools and the various royal families for the benefit of both sides. If any overstepped this one simple rule, their fate would be the fate of the Han Emperor.
Li Suyin's hands remained behind her back. Her steps lingered for a moment before she spoke.
"The paths of martial arts are split into the outer and inner paths. Most Jianghu martial artists would step upon a certain path and die on it before reaching a fraction of that path's true potential. Others would walk both, but be it talent or resources, they would also fall more miserably."
In a heavy tone, she said, "Sometimes I wonder if everyone is missing some fundamental truth that stops them from exploring the full path. I feel as if a vast, oppressive hand is pressing against us all."
Noticing that she had entered into a trance, even discussing her personal insights without allowing Aretius a single sentence, she giggled in embarrassment and turned her gaze toward what stood before them.
Aretius had walked past these tombs before, but he had no chance to view the area this closely during his entrance with the guard.
The tombs were surrounded by an unbroken chain of walls that stretched for as far as the eye could see, not allowing a single gap. Strangely enough, the wall was not tall enough to stop anyone from leaping past it. Yet it was shrouded by countless yellow paper talismans and chains much akin to the ones Li Wuyou had on top of his coffin. These ones, however, were countless times more numerous and carried a mysterious air of authority.
Still, the Li Clan ancestors did not seem to stop there, as they had drawn seals of myriad formations; from Aretius's quick scan, he detected that some were meant for sealing, others for amplification. Some were as ancient as the wall itself, while others were so pristine that he could smell the fresh scent of blood used for drawing them.
Abruptly, his gaze darted from the talismans and the wall to a place that plunged deep within the tombs. His eyes gleamed with a hint of violet hue as he pushed himself to see through the fog.
He muttered under his breath, "How intriguing."