Mo Lao Xian's expression suddenly changed, and he said, "Old Immortal speaks kindly, but you must understand that when a dog is cornered, it will leap, and when a tiger is forced, it will harm!" Li Qian mockingly responded, "Old Immortal, with your immortal bones, let me see your high-level skills. We'll spar with no weapons, as a courtesy!"
Mo Lao Xian thought to himself, My luck today is really terrible. What was supposed to be a simple business deal has turned into this mess. The Li Mountain Two Fiends are both crippled, and I need to figure out how to escape! He said aloud, "I'm not opposed to sparring, but you claim to be righteous individuals. Yet today, you've crippled two men, destroyed their martial arts, and harmed their reputation. I propose that the Li Mountain Two Fiends leave now, and then I'll personally face your skills."
Li Qian glanced at Wu Tong and the others, who nodded in agreement. He then said, "Mo Lao Xian, you have a sense of honor. Li Mountain Two Fiends, you should leave. It seems that from now on, you won't be able to do any more evil!" The Li Mountain Two Fiends, their arms broken, endured the pain and said, "Thank you, Mo Lao Xian. These people have high martial arts; you should be careful!" With that, the two quickly moved to leave.
Once the Li Mountain Two Fiends had departed, Wu Tong thought, Mo Lao Xian is indeed a person of some integrity. He's older, and there's no need to further antagonize him. The world is filled with treacherous people, so it's better to leave a way out for future encounters. No need to push a tiger into a corner. He then said loudly, "Li Qian, Mo Lao Xian is a man of the green forest, and today's events should end here. Let him go; this will preserve the honor of your father's name as a righteous man!"
Li Qian thought to herself, What Tong Ge says makes sense. Mo Lao Xian is a man of the green forest. If we had killed him today, the rumors in the martial world would likely cause trouble in the future. She then spoke seriously, "Let today's matter be forgotten. If he crosses our path again in the future, don't say we didn't follow the ways of the martial world. For now, let him go!"
Mo Lao Xian, his heart filled with resentment, thought, I'll remember this grudge! I'll make sure to take revenge! He then said, "Young hero, may I ask your name?"
Wu Tong replied, "I am Wu Tong, the 12th Hall Master of the Loyalty and Righteousness Hall."
Mo Lao Xian was taken aback, thinking, How can I take revenge now? If I don't leave now, I fear for my life. Taking revenge later won't be easy... He gritted his teeth, swallowed his anger, and said, "So it's the new Hall Master of the Loyalty and Righteousness Hall. We'll meet again, I'm sure." Before he finished speaking, he had already turned and fled.
Liu Yun sneered, "Mo Lao Xian is cunning, we must be cautious."
Wu Tong replied, "Whether Mo Lao Xian has true integrity is still uncertain, but for now, we'll let him go."
Wu Tong thought to himself, If Mo Lao Xian is pretending to be righteous, so be it. Let him go for now. After all, leaving a line for the future is always better. He spoke harshly, but it's better not to push him to the edge. A desperate enemy is a dangerous one.
At this moment, Xuan Zhen walked over and cupped his hands, "I am Xuan Zhen, and I thank all of you for saving me."
Wu Tong and the others returned the gesture. Wu Tong said, "Confucius said: 'To see what is right and not do it, is not courage!' I am honored to be the Hall Master of the Loyalty and Righteousness Hall, and this was simply the right thing to do."
Xuan Zhen replied, "I have nothing to repay you with, but I would like to offer you this bottle of centipede medicinal wine."
Wu Tong said, "This two hundred taels of silver is to buy the medicinal wine from you. You should accept it; this bottle of medicinal wine is an incredible gift, and I am grateful for your kindness."
Xuan Zhen smiled, "Your righteous actions are much appreciated. I thank you all on behalf of the Dao."
Wu Tong nodded and said, "Since this matter is resolved, we will take our leave now."
Soon after, Wu Tong and his group left the cave, making their way to the horse station. As they mounted their horses, Li Qian asked, "Tong Ge, where are we going next?"
Wu Tong pondered for a moment before replying, "Let's go to Luoyang and gather military intelligence, if that's agreeable?"
Liu Yun cautioned, "We must be careful regarding the rebel forces."
Li Qian suggested, "What if we disguise ourselves? We could all wear men's clothing, and Tong Ge could grow a beard. Even if we encounter the Black Dragon Sect, they won't recognize us."
Wu Tong furrowed his brow, deep in thought. After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice filled with concern, "This is a crucial matter, and we cannot act rashly. It requires careful consideration." His tone was serious, reflecting the gravity of the situation.
Just as they fell into silence, Zhao Rou suddenly had an idea and reminded them, "Wait! The 10th Hall Master of the Loyalty and Righteousness Hall, the elder Luo Jing, once gave you three envelopes from the fortune-teller Qian Kun Zi. He said that if we ever encountered difficulties, we could choose an envelope based on the principles of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements. This would provide us with wisdom to overcome any obstacles!"
Wu Tong's eyes brightened, and he nodded. "In that case, let's give it a try!" He then took out the three envelopes, which were blue, yellow, and green. He carefully examined them for a moment, muttering to himself, "The Five Elements correspond to directions: wood in the east, fire in the south, metal in the west, water in the north, and earth in the center. Since Luoyang is to the north, the color corresponding to water is black, deep gray, blue, or blue-black. I'll choose the blue envelope."
He carefully opened the blue envelope and took out a neatly folded piece of paper. Unfolding it, he read aloud, "At the end of the year, four people, two men and two women, outside Plum Blossom Village, to know the heavenly secrets, must disguise themselves and infiltrate Luoyang. On the 30th of the year, a man and a woman will enter the palace at midnight, waiting for an opportunity and observing the changes."
Zhao Rou leaned over to look at the paper, exclaiming in astonishment, "Qian Kun Zi really is a man of the martial world, and he knew we were outside Plum Blossom Village!"
Liu Yun, equally shocked, nodded in agreement, "He even knew we were at Plum Blossom Village! This kind of foresight is truly impressive!"
Li Qian added, "It seems our actions today were already predicted by Qian Kun Zi. It appears our every move has been part of his plan."
Wu Tong felt a sense of admiration, realizing how accurate Qian Kun Zi's predictions had been. He made up his mind, saying, "In that case, we will follow the plan! Let's first go to a nearby town, buy some clothes, disguise ourselves, and then infiltrate Luoyang." The four of them immediately set off, spurring their horses into motion toward the nearby town.
Upon reaching the town, they quickly bought the necessary outfits. Wu Tong disguised himself as a burly man with a thick beard, giving him a rugged and imposing look. Zhao Rou, Liu Yun, and Li Qian dressed as elegant young men, their manners refined. That evening, they stayed in an inconspicuous inn, where they rested.
The next morning, they were ready to set out. It was now the 27th of the month. They rode towards Luoyang, moving cautiously to avoid drawing attention. Although Luoyang had been occupied by the rebel forces, it was still a prosperous and bustling city, one of the greatest in the Tang dynasty. While Chang'an was the hub of trade, Luoyang was also a major center, with a population of over 500,000, a city teeming with merchants and travelers.
Given its status, entering Luoyang was not difficult. The rebel forces primarily checked for suspicious individuals at the city gates. Wu Tong and his companions, now disguised, acted naturally, and the guards paid them no attention. They entered the city without issue. Once inside, they found a discreet inn to stay in, a modest place but well-hidden, perfect for avoiding detection. That evening, they gathered to discuss their next steps, deciding to follow Qian Kun Zi's advice and, on the 30th, two of them would enter the palace at midnight, observe, and wait for the right moment.
As night fell, Luoyang glowed with lanterns, and the streets buzzed with the festive atmosphere. However, Wu Tong and his companions were filled with tension and anticipation. They knew that their next move would determine the success or failure of their mission, and Qian Kun Zi's prophecy might hold the key to overcoming the challenges ahead.