Many people share the same name and surname, but in their minds, they couldn't help but think of the Imperial Advisor Su Ming from the illusion.
The same name, the same identity.
Could something like this truly happen in the world?
The Daoist priest sensed something and asked, "Do you happen to know him?"
Qin Jiujiu was also curious if this Su Ming was the one she knew, so she replied, "I do know someone with the same name and surname. He also practices divination."
The Daoist priest smiled and said, "No one knows Su Ming's true identity. Ever since he arrived at the capital more than ten years ago, Zhongnan Temple suffered a calamity. Most of the people in the temple were captured and killed. Now, only I am left..."
The Daoist priest seemed lost in thought. Such a coincidence, that Su Ming also arrived here over ten years ago.
The timeline in the illusion finally stopped more than ten years ago, and Qin Jiujiu's suspicions intensified.
"How old is this Su Ming now?" In the illusion, he was around thirty. Now, he should be in his forties or fifties.
"Probably... forty or fifty years old..." The person in front of her fell into thought. "I only saw him once over ten years ago when he led soldiers to Zhongnan Temple."
The timing matched. Qin Jiujiu's doubts grew.
"System, what was the final outcome of the illusion?"
After the illusion shattered, she hadn't asked the system about its conclusion.
"Host, the illusion last stopped after your death, so the system cannot ascertain the outcome. However, Su Ming was not dead when you died."
In the illusion, indeed, no one could contend with Su Ming. But it wasn't just Su Ming that she found strange; the guard who was originally by Xing Ru's side had completely vanished later on.
However, she had a persistent feeling that the guard wouldn't have simply disappeared so easily.
"Daoist priest, do you remember what he looked like?"
He shook his head. "Back then, he wore a mask on his face and was very mysterious. I heard that very few people have seen Su Ming's appearance to this day."
"Xie Jing, shall we go into the palace?"
Liu Jin looked at Qin Jiujiu with approval. Her brother's whereabouts were still unknown, and she suspected it was related to the imperial palace.
"Alright."
The Daoist priest seemed to want to say something but hesitated. Qin Jiujiu clearly sensed it, but in the end, the Daoist priest did not utter the words he wanted to say until the three of them left.
"Daoist priest, what should I call you?"
"Dao Qing."
The Imperial Palace.
"Chen Zhi, is the message still unable to get out?"
Xie Yun nodded and put away the talisman in his hand.
"This imperial palace is perilous. It's safer for them to be outside."
Although they had only been in the palace for a few days, these few days had already made them realize how deep the waters were. Many people had entered the palace with them, but now only a little over ten remained; the others had disappeared one after another.
Among these people were those who had disguised themselves as Daoist priests to try their luck in the palace, and some who had reportedly acted presumptuously before the Imperial Advisor and were dragged away to be executed. The remaining individuals were almost all cautious and prudent.
"However, if our message cannot get out, they will likely find a way to enter the palace..."
There were many ways to enter the palace. Besides entering as a Daoist priest, there were also roles like palace maids and eunuchs.
Bai Qianluo, disguised as a man, shared a room with another person, which was convenient.
"Fellow Daoist, today it's our turn to see the Empress. Have you two sensed the strangeness of this palace?"
The person speaking was someone they had met and recognized upon entering the palace that day.
Because there were many Daoist priests entering the palace, they were divided into groups to see the Empress today. It just so happened to be their turn.
Up to this point, no one had been able to diagnose the cause of the Empress's illness, let alone treat it.
Seeing the Empress languishing in bed for so long, even the Emperor, who was devoted to seeking immortality, had become enraged. If they couldn't diagnose the cause of her illness today, they would likely suffer the same fate as the others.
"Fellow Daoist, what are your insights?"
Looking at the person with a confident expression, Bai Qianluo spoke.
The person, with a mystical air, took out a piece of jade from his embrace. The jade was emitting a faint glow.
"This is a treasure passed down from my ancestors. It is currently glowing. Since I entered the palace, this jade has been in this state. My ancestors recorded that if this jade glows, there must be an evil presence nearby..."
Seeing Bai Qianluo's calm expression, he assumed she didn't believe him and continued, "The light is faint, indicating that the evil creature is some distance away. By the intensity of the light, one can discern the approximate location of the evil creature."
Xie Yun, however, looked at the jade in his hand and fell into thought. He had seen such an item in the Xie family's ancient texts. This jade was a spiritual object and could indeed detect demonic energy.
Ever since they entered the palace, the demon-catching bell on him had already reacted. They had not dared to act rashly during this time, so they had not yet gone out to search for the demon's trace.
However, there was undoubtedly a demon within the imperial palace, and this demon was powerful.
Zhao Yong sensed Xie Yun's intense gaze on the jade in his hand and became wary. This jade was his most valuable possession and his life-saving item.
Although Zhao Yong's ancestors were demon hunters, they had fallen into decline many years ago. By his generation, they no longer practiced the trade. However, to try his luck, he had still entered the palace.
He never expected that the fellow practitioners would die one after another, and this matter was far more complicated than he had imagined.
He quickly put the jade back into his embrace, patted it gently, and then relaxed.
"Esteemed Daoist priests, please proceed to the Empress's palace!"
"Jingle..."
As they neared the Empress's palace, the demon-catching bell on Xie Yun's person rang louder, accompanied by a sudden gust of evil wind that blew towards them, emitting a clear sound.
Yet, it sounded eerily strange.
Two rows of maids in palace attire approached them. Xie Yun heard a soft voice carried by the wind, "Brother Xie!"
That voice... it was Jiujiu!
But the two rows of maids had already walked directly behind them, in the opposite direction. By the time he reacted, the maids had already passed them.
He looked back. Bai Qianluo had also heard Qin Jiujiu's voice. Their actions were in unison.
"Jiujiu?" The maids had already walked far away, and with their identical hairstyles and clothing, it was impossible to find any trace of Qin Jiujiu from behind.
"It should be." Xie Yun was not entirely sure, but the voice he had just heard was not an illusion. Moreover, it wasn't just him who had heard it; Bai Qianluo had heard it too.
"What are you looking at? You can't look around carelessly, or you'll lose your head!"
Zhao Yong, thinking they were peeking at the palace maids, instinctively warned them.
The women in the palace all belonged to the Emperor, so they naturally could not be looked at carelessly.
The two shook their heads and explained, "We just saw a woman who resembled our younger sister, so we looked a few more times..."
Zhao Yong nodded, as if he understood.
Led by a eunuch, the group continued onward.