Great Li Martial God

Li Que frowned. The death of Imperial Consort Ji was absolutely a major event that would shock both the court and the public.

If it leaked out, it would undoubtedly cause tremendous damage to the Li imperial family’s reputation.

Thinking of this, he quickly turned and cupped his hands toward the Formless Elder and Elder Zhe, saying, ”This matter involves Third Brother’s mother consort and the Great Li imperial palace. I ask that you two elders not spread this news.”

The Formless Elder waved his hand, his face showing an exaggerated smile as he said, ”Rest assured, this old man is not one who loves to gossip.”

Elder Zhe nodded, then reminded, ”Whether the murderer is someone inside the imperial palace or an expert who infiltrated the palace to kill, anyone capable of killing a consort in the heavily guarded palace is definitely no simple matter.”

”If the Great Li palace can root out this person, that’s fine. But if not, this old one advises Your Highness that it’s best not to provoke them if you can avoid it.”

Hearing this, Li Que pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly.

...

On the wide blue-brick streets of Shangyang City, a luxurious carriage pulled by four magnificent white horses rolled along.

The carriage body was crafted from premium nanmu wood, elegantly fragrant. At the four corners of the carriage hung white jade wind chimes with warm, lustrous colors that occasionally rang out with clear and pleasant sounds as they swayed gently.Before long, the carriage stopped before a large-scale complex of pavilion buildings.

Li Yuanling pulled back the carriage curtain to look outside, then turned and beckoned to Li Musheng to follow her.

She lifted her green gauze skirt with both hands. Unlike other noble young ladies and gentlemen who needed servants as human stepping stools, she leaped lightly with small steps and jumped directly down from the carriage.

Seeing this, Li Musheng followed her down from the carriage. He glanced around in all directions, looking at the majestic octagonal building before him that was as luxurious as a palace.

Then his eyes narrowed slightly. He saw a gilded plaque hanging horizontally on the building before him, openly displaying two large characters: ”Music Bureau.”

At the same time, waves of singing and dancing sounds as well as soft, alluring music came drifting over along with a rather pleasant fragrance of rouge.

Li Musheng turned his head to look at Li Yuanling, stroking his chin as he said, ”Worthy of being my sworn sister, to actually bring me to such a classy-looking place.”

Hearing this, Li Yuanling smiled, revealing a pair of small dimples. Then she directly pulled him toward an alley beside the Music Bureau, saying, ”Don’t worry, the even classier part is still ahead. I guarantee you won’t regret this trip.”

Li Musheng’s eyes shifted. Although he didn’t know why Li Yuanling, a Great Li princess, was so familiar with such matters, he was still quite willing to observe the mysteries within with a critical attitude.

Entering the alley, Li Yuanling began searching constantly while muttering to herself, ”Where is it?”

Before long, her eyes suddenly brightened as she walked toward an inconspicuous iron door in the alley.

The iron door was pitch black like ink, carved with the pattern of a giant ship with sails unfurled. However, the iron door looked quite old with scratches all over, clearly from a distant era.

Li Yuanling quickly walked to the iron door, took out an ancient-looking copper coin from her chest, fumbled on the door for a while, found a thumb-width narrow slot, and then carefully inserted the copper coin in her hand.

Soon, as the sound of slight mechanical movements rang out, the black iron door before them slowly opened inward.

Li Musheng, seeing this scene, raised his eyebrows slightly.

So secretive, this actually made him even more eager to explore.

However, when he saw that after Li Yuanling opened the door, she stood at the entrance hesitating, he immediately showed a suspicious expression, ”Why aren’t you going in?”

”This is my first time. I’m a bit nervous.”

Li Yuanling looked at the dark hole beyond the door, her delicate brows furrowed tightly. The smile on her face from before had long since disappeared.

Li Musheng waved his hand and laughed, ”Who isn’t? This is also my first time, but life is about daring to try.”

Speaking thus, he pushed Li Yuanling toward the door, thinking to himself: This girl, being so slow and hesitant, isn’t she just getting in the way?

”You, you...”

Li Yuanling reacted a beat too slow and was directly pushed by Li Musheng, stumbling forward several steps.

After entering through the door, the pitch-black iron door automatically closed slowly. At the same time, dim yellow oil lamps lit up in the darkness, illuminating the scene ahead.

At the end of a passage several zhang long, stairs extending downward appeared. From below the stairs came a woman’s soft and sweet voice, ”Please come down and board the boat, honored guests.”

Hearing this, Li Yuanling turned to glare at Li Musheng, while Li Musheng shrugged and said, ”Sworn sister, let’s go. Don’t keep people waiting too long.”

Speaking thus, he swaggered down the stairs.

Seeing this, Li Yuanling pursed her lips and snorted coldly, ”Don’t think I don’t know what bad thoughts you have.”

But she didn’t delay too much either, quickly following Li Musheng’s steps.

Just as Li Musheng had said, since they were already here, they should at least take a look first no matter what.

”Don’t walk so fast, wait for me.”

Li Yuanling called out. Before long, she and Li Musheng walked down several curved staircases and arrived at an extremely spacious underground platform.

On one side of the platform’s rock wall, burning torches were inserted, illuminating the entire underground space as bright as daylight. On the other side of the platform was an abrupt cliff edge.

Thick iron chains the width of an arm were fastened to the cliff edge. Tied to these iron chains were wooden boats over a zhang long, and there were as many as five such boats.

At this time, aside from Li Musheng and Li Yuanling, there were about a dozen other people standing on the platform.

There were men and women, young and old, some wealthy young masters and ladies, some martial world figures wearing swords and blades.

Seeing Li Musheng and the other arrive, a rough martial world man among them immediately called out loudly, ”Hurry over here! You two are just enough to fill the last boat of passengers. We can set off immediately.”

Hearing this, Li Musheng surveyed the surroundings and furrowed his brows slightly.

Why did this seem somewhat different from what he had imagined?

After seeing the underground scene before her, Li Yuanling showed an eager and excited appearance, blinking her eyes as she said, ”This is it! I heard this place is really thrilling and interesting!”

”Is that so?”

Li Musheng had a thoughtful look as his gaze turned to look at the wooden boats ahead.

At this moment, a young woman wearing a rose-red palace dress emerged from the shadows at the edge of the platform, calling out softly, ”Release the boats! Please board the boats, honored guests!”

As her words fell, the iron chains began to move rapidly. The sound of ”clanging” iron chains rubbing against each other rang through the air above the platform.

Before long, the five suspended wooden boats quietly settled onto the platform.

Seeing this, the group of people who had been waiting for a long time immediately divided into four groups, each eagerly boarding the wooden boats before them.

Li Yuanling immediately also pulled Li Musheng and hurried toward the last remaining empty boat.