Zhang Shiheng remained silent in the face of Zhou Wuji's suggestion.
Silence is, in fact, a form of expression.
Abbot Golden Leaf Temple remained Xinjue calm, but inwardly he was secretly amused. Zhou Wuji was young and impetuous, daring to offer advice at this time.
However, Zhou Wuji's thinking was far too simplistic; anyone could have come up with that idea.
Young people have spirit, but they lack thorough thinking!
Zhiyuan and Daoist Yizhen understood Zhou Wuji and knew that he wouldn't speak without reason.
Zhang Shiheng didn't respond, Zhiyuan to avoid embarrassing Zhou Wuji, he asked, "Is there any reason behind your judgment?"
" Chen Dalu has been operating on Old Dragon Island for many years, harboring countless secrets. He has committed a capital crime and can no longer stay in Yunyang. He will inevitably take all his wealth and flee far away..."
Zhou Wuji judged that Chen Dalu would return to Old Dragon Island mainly because he felt that the Gu worms on Chen Dalu's body were not normal.
Chen Dalu has been famous for many years and has performed various evil blood sacrifices to feed his Gu worms, so his natal Gu worm could not possibly be that weak.
Another point is that the large-scale blood sacrifice on the Lake Heart Island resulted in the dragon's remnant soul, which had been fused with Gu worms, reaching the level of five liang.
Given Chen Dalu's character, it's highly unreasonable that he would take such a huge risk by having the Scarlet Dragon Envoy preside over the blood sacrifice in the secret realm.
Zhou Wuji believed that Chen Dalu must have a bigger scheme to gain greater benefits from it, which was why he did this.
He knew little about Gu magic and couldn't guess what methods Chen Dalu was going to use.
Gu magic is similar to Law Technique; both require Gu worms and elaborate rituals.
Whether Chen Dalu wants to cause trouble or reclaim his belongings, he's going back to Old Dragon Island.
Zhou Wuji's judgment was based on the Gu worms, but he couldn't say it directly.
Several Fifth Rank experts couldn't detect anything wrong with the Gu worms, but he did?
Using Gu worms as a basis for judgment is indeed a bit far-fetched. However, considering the blood sacrifice in the secret realm, it can be concluded that Chen Dalu is brewing something big.
With Chen Dalu's abilities, only on Old Dragon Island could he mobilize enough manpower and resources to accomplish this major task.
Even if he guessed wrong, going to Old Dragon Island wouldn't waste much time. After all, they had no idea where Chen Dalu was.
Zhang Shiheng, however, didn't want to listen to Zhou Wuji's words. He directly said to Zhiyuan, " Chen Dalu has another highly skilled accomplice. To prevent Chen Dalu from causing trouble, I ask you, Master, to guard the prefect's residence for the next few days to avoid any accidents."
He didn't have a good relationship with Prefect Peng Yue, but he absolutely couldn't let anything happen to Peng Yue. The responsibility was too great for him to bear.
Zhang Shiheng did not seek out the Xinjue because he did not want Xinjue to become too close to the prefect.
Since Golden Leaf Temple has joined forces with the Zhang Household, they shouldn't expect to have it both ways.
Zhiyuan nodded and said, "Protecting the Prefect and maintaining order in Yunyang is what we should do."
After leaving the Pacification Office, Zhiyuan said to Yizhen, "Go back and take charge of the Lower Court. Don't let Chen Dalu come in and cause trouble."
" Wuji accompanied me to the prefectural government office."
Yizhen nodded in agreement and immediately rode off on his horse.
Zhiyuan then took Zhou Wuji to the government office. Even if the yamen runners didn't recognize Zhiyuan, they would recognize the purple-gold robe he wore Zhiyuan the Fifth Rank Heavenly Pivot Token in his hand.
Upon receiving the notification, Peng Yue politely greeted Zhiyuan at the second gate.
The two were of the same rank, and although Peng Yue was the local official, he couldn't put on airs in front of Zhiyuan.
Besides Zhiyuan was there to protect him, so he should be even more polite.
The government office was very large, with offices in the front and residential courtyards in the back, covering a vast area.
Peng Yue immediately ordered people to prepare accommodations for Zhiyuan and Zhou Wuji, and arranged a banquet to entertain Zhiyuan.
Zhiyuan didn't stand on ceremony; if it weren't for the special circumstances, he wouldn't have been able to serve as the prefect's bodyguard.
In fact, Zhiyuan's visit was merely to express his stance; he would not follow Peng Yue.
Peng Yue was accompanied by Chief Constable Li Yuanqing, who was also Sixth Rank martial artist, enough to protect Peng Yue's safety.
Zhou Wuji noticed that the government office had an air of grandeur and authority, which somewhat suppressed the flow of his True Qi.
He had been to the county government office before, but never had this feeling. Now he realized it was because his cultivation was insufficient and he couldn't sense the official aura emanating from the government office.
I wonder where this air of officialdom comes from? Is it bestowed by the court's laws and regulations, or does it naturally arise from the gathering of popular support?
Although Zhou Wuji was curious, he didn't ask any further questions.
The Great Hao Dynasty had been established for hundreds of years and was already the legitimate ruler of the country.
With the ability to govern all people internally and suppress barbarian demons externally, the Great Hao must possess immense power.
His cultivation level is too low right now; there's no need for him to study these things...
That evening, Zhiyuan instructed Zhou Wuji: "During the day, you will stay with the prefect. Unless there is an attack, do not concern yourself with anything else, and do not say anything."
Zhou Wuji couldn't help but sigh, " Zhang Shiheng has committed a grave mistake, yet he's unwilling to try to make amends; he's utterly foolish."
Zhiyuan smiled and said, "He has his considerations and his judgment."
He further explained, " Zhang Shiheng isn't stupid. I think the Pacification Office is missing a centurion, Wang Yuan. This man is Sixth Rank martial artist who once served in the Fire Phoenix Army. He is brave and skilled in battle. He must be stationed on Old Dragon Island right now."
"There's also Chen Qiang, the Yellow Dragon Envoy, who should have been subdued by Zhang Shiheng. With these two around, plus the rest of the Pacification Office, they should be able to stabilize Old Dragon Island. You don't need to worry..."
Zhiyuan knew Zhang Shiheng quite well; putting aside his character, Zhang Shiheng was quite capable.
Now that the Pacification Office has taken control of the Five Dragons Gang, it won't matter if Chen Dalu returns to Old Dragon Island.
Moreover, Zhang Shiheng must guard the prefectural city and absolutely cannot allow any problems to arise there.
Zhou Wuji knew that Zhiyuan didn't really trust his judgment either, but it was best not to bring up the topic again.
That evening, Peng Yue hosted a family dinner at his home to Zhiyuan and Zhou Wuji.
The food was quite good, but Zhou Wuji didn't see Peng Yue's daughter, which he couldn't help but feel a little regretful about.
He didn't intend to do anything; he was just a little curious about Peng Yuzhen's appearance...
At midnight, Zhou Wuji was meditating in his room, practicing his Qi Refining cultivation as usual, when he suddenly sensed an unusually agitated and restless Qi in the heavens and earth.
Normally, spiritual energy is like the ocean; though there are waves, it is deep and calm overall.
Tonight, however, the spiritual energy erupted like a volcano.
Clearly, there was some unusual change in the spiritual energy nearby, which caused the spiritual energy in this area to fluctuate.
As Zhou Wuji stepped out of his room, he saw dark red smoke rising into the southeastern night sky.
Today is May 15th, the time when the moon is at its brightest.
The dark red smoke had obscured the bright moon, shrouding the entire Yunyang City in gloom.
Zhiyuan he saw the smoke covering the moon, his expression changed slightly. "Such strong Qi of Earth Sha! Judging from the location, it should be Old Dragon Island!"
The dark red smoke that shot into the sky twisted and tumbled, vaguely resembling the undulating shape of a serpent or dragon.
Zhou Wuji activated his Six Yang Dharma Eye and saw a sinister ghostly aura rising from the smoke.
He couldn't help but sigh. It was all over. The overwhelming malevolent Sha Qi and the remnant soul of the dragon on the Lake Heart Island were both ghostly and carried a mysterious aura of life.
Based on his experience, the Sha Qi contained some kind of Gu worm, at least of the Fifth Rank, or even higher.
Zhiyuan said, "That's why Old Dragon Island is called that. Legend has it that the Five-Colored Dragon God lived on this island."
"I visited Old Dragon Island when I was young and didn't find anything unusual, so I didn't pay attention to this rumor."
"Judging from this Sha Qi, it resembles a dragon soaring. It must be the lingering soul of a powerful dragon that died and gradually transformed into Yin Dragon within the Qi of Earth Sha."
Zhiyuan sighed deeply, "With such a dense concentration of Sha Qi from the Yin Dragon, I wonder how many survivors will remain on the island..."
The old Daoist priest is now somewhat regretful. He should have trusted Wuji once and gone to Old Dragon Island to take a look.
To awaken the Yin Dragon, a large altar and various complex rituals are necessary.
With his cultivation level, a careful examination would always reveal some clues.
The old Daoist priest sighed deeply, "I didn't believe you this time, and so many people have died. I was wrong..."
Zhou Wuji remained silent; it was too late to say anything now!
Zhiyuan immediately composed himself and said seriously, "I must get to Old Dragon Island immediately and destroy this Yin Dragon."
"If the Yin Dragon absorbs enough Essence Blood, it will break free from the Earthly Fiend's restraints, and who knows how many people will die then."
Zhou Wuji looked at Zhiyuan. This greedy old man was actually quite conscious of his actions, which was beyond his expectations.
He felt a surge of anticipation; was the old man about to immediately break all the seals and take to the heavens?
Among the advanced Secret Method of the Northern Pole Sect, there are several methods that enable long-distance flight.
Zhiyuan, somewhat impatient, said to Zhou Wuji, "What are you daydreaming about? Go find the horse!"
"Oh, oh." Zhou Wuji then realized that the Zhiyuan must specialize in the Golden Light Divine Incantation and did not know any flying techniques.
Even Fifth Rank Daoist priest probably can't fly!
Just as Zhou Wuji went to call for help, Zhang Shiheng, with Xinjue, had already spurred his horse and rushed into the government office.
Someone led Zhang Shiheng and Xinjue to the backyard, where they ran into Zhou Wuji.
Zhang Shiheng, with his keen eyesight, recognized Zhou Wuji even in the darkness, and Zhou Wuji eyes met.
Although Zhang Shiheng was a man of few words, he couldn't help but feel embarrassed at this moment. He had been searching everywhere for Chen Dalu's whereabouts, but he never expected that Chen Dalu would actually dare to return to Old Dragon Island.
Wang Yuan, with his many elite Pacification Office, had long since taken control of the Five Dragons Gang. Even with a Fifth Rank expert accompanying Chen Dalu, he couldn't maintain control of the situation.
Not to mention that he had already warned Wang Yuan to be careful, to prevent Chen Dalu from making a comeback.
If anything were to happen, Wang Yuan would immediately send out fireworks to relay the message.
He oversaw the overall situation at the Pacification Office, preventing Chen Dalu from going mad and causing chaos in Yunyang Prefecture.
As it turned out, a major incident occurred on Old Dragon Island!
Zhou Wuji sneered inwardly. This old bastard was arrogant and conceited. He had already made a big mistake by letting Chen Dalu escape. Now that something big had happened on Old Dragon Island, let's see how Zhang Shiheng would handle it!
He remained expressionless, cupped his hands, and said, "The Admiral has arrived at the perfect time; the abbot was just about to head to Old Dragon Island."
Zhang Shiheng called out loudly through the moon gate, "Master Zhiyuan, there's no time to lose, let's head to Old Dragon Island together now."
Zhiyuan strode out quickly. "The sooner the better, lest the Yin Dragon gain power!"
He then turned to Zhou Wuji and said, "Your cultivation level is too low. Stay here and guard Lord Peng. Don't wander off!"
The last four words, spoken by the old man, carried a hint of sternness.
Zhou Wuji desperately wanted to go to Old Dragon Island. If he could take the opportunity to kill Yin Dragon, the benefits would be immense.
Seeing Zhiyuan's stern expression, he knew that Zhiyuan was doing it for his own good, afraid that he would encounter danger. It wasn't just Yin Dragon who was in danger, but also Xinjue and Zhang Shiheng, who were all great threats.
The Old Dragon Island is chaotic right now, and no one can say for sure what those two experts are up to.
Zhou Wuji immediately and solemnly agreed.
Zhang Shiheng brought two to three hundred cavalrymen, which should be all the elite troops that the Pacification Office could mobilize.
A large group of people galloped away on horseback, making a great show of force, heading straight for the east of the city...
Zhou Wuji watched the group leave, his feelings a mix of emotions.
My main concern is Zhiyuan. The old man left in such a hurry, without anyone by his side. I'm worried he might get scammed.
He then thought that the old man was very cunning, and with the Yin Dragon soaring into the sky, everyone was too busy dealing with the Yin Dragon to have any chance of fighting amongst themselves at this time.
Zhou Wuji suddenly had a thought: all the experts had gone to Old Dragon Island, and the city was now completely empty.
The bad guys might not have time to cause trouble, but he could take the opportunity to settle personal scores, like killing that old bastard Zhang Yunfeng...
Zhang Yunfeng tried to harm him repeatedly, but he had no concrete evidence for the other cases. However, he witnessed Chen Dagou's actions firsthand.
He'd always held that old bastard in his heart, and now he finally had a chance to get revenge!