Chapter 121: There’s an Insider!
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“Who says so?!”
Li Yunji had not even opened his mouth, yet Chuqi had already puffed out his chest, looking thoroughly unconvinced.
“The young master is both wise and brave. He can certainly break it!”
Having said that, he turned to glance at Li Yunji. “Isn’t that right, young master?”
Li Yunji gave an awkward smile. “That’s what you said. I never said it myself.”
One should never speak with too much certainty. If he failed to break it later, how embarrassing would that be?
Yun Tian let out a long sigh and explained slowly, “Once the Momentary Eternity spell is cast, the caster can control the flow of time within the spell’s domain.”
As he spoke, Yun Tian glanced out the window. “From just now until this moment, one hour has passed here.”
“But outside the barrier, an entire day has gone by.”
“There are three ways to break it.” Yun Tian raised three fingers. “First, use overwhelming force to smash through the barrier.”
“Unfortunately, that method is certainly impossible at present.”
“Tuo Ba Mu has somehow forcibly broken through to the second rank.”
“Even if everyone here joined forces, we could not injure the barrier in the slightest.”
A sigh escaped the gathered group, but their eyes remained fixed on Yun Tian, waiting for him to reveal the remaining methods.
Yun Tian took a drink of water and continued. “Second, find the spell’s core.”
“The core is the weakest point of the spell. If we are fortunate, the combined strength of everyone here may be enough to destroy it.”
“Third, wait for the barrier to collapse on its own.”
“Tuo Ba Mu forcibly broke through his realm, so this barrier should not be able to last for too long.”
“How long is ‘too long’?” Li Yunji rose and pressed him for an answer.
“I do not know exactly.” Yun Tian sighed softly. “But at least five days.”
Five days. Taking into account the difference in the flow of time inside and outside the barrier, that meant two months would pass in the outside world.
By then, it would be far too late.
Though there were said to be three methods, in truth, there was only one.
“Where is the core usually located?” Li Yunji asked, his expression solemn.
“Usually at the center of the spell or near the caster,” Yun Tian replied. “But I looked in both places just now. It is not there.”
“That old fox is exceedingly cunning. He must have hidden the core.”
The room sank into a prolonged silence.
Li Yunji slowly rose and left the study. Gazing at the stars wheeling across the heavens, he drew a deep breath.
He walked alone to the rear courtyard and sat in a grand armchair, lost in thought.
“Thank you for what you did today.” Su Qingmeng came to stand beside him and spoke softly.
“Thank me for what?” Li Yunji replied without thinking.
He could not remember doing anything for Su Qingmeng today.
Su Qingmeng paused, then parted her lips and murmured, “If you had not pushed me out of Tuo Ba Mu’s beam of light today…”
“I would probably have been seriously injured.”
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After all, not everyone possessed a body as powerful as Li Yunji’s.
Su Qingmeng knew very well that if she had taken that blow head-on, she would have died or been crippled.
Li Yunji smiled faintly. “There is no need to thank me.”
“It was nothing.”
Su Qingmeng remained silent for a while before speaking again. “You really do not need to be so disheartened.”
“With your intelligence and ability, you will certainly think of a solution.”
Li Yunji turned to look at her and said calmly, “Who says I am disheartened?”
“Then why are you wearing such a long face?”
Li Yunji slowly exhaled and said in a low voice, “I am recalling everything that has happened during this period.”
“I always feel that something does not add up.”
Su Qingmeng frowned. “What does not add up?”
Leaning forward, Li Yunji gazed at the ripples on the lotus pond and spoke to himself. “It seems something is missing.”
Su Qingmeng’s expression grew more solemn. Li Yunji’s evasive manner made her increasingly impatient.
“You are being so cryptic.”
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
Li Yunji pondered for a long while before speaking seriously. “Why did I come to Northern Ridge?”
“To investigate the missing tax silver.”
“Who told me to investigate it?”
“You did.” Su Qingmeng had always believed that.
“No.” Li Yunji shook his head. “Your father told me to investigate it.”
“Your legs belong to you. How could Father have forced you?” Su Qingmeng retorted, her voice tinged with anger.
Li Yunji said nothing.
It was indeed not coercion. It had been a carefully laid scheme.
Su Ming’s every move had been intended to push him into opposition with the Crown Prince.
The Su family and the Crown Prince’s faction were irreconcilable enemies. If Li Yunji wanted to survive, he had no choice but to bring down the Crown Prince.
Thus, although Li Yunji appeared to be investigating the case of his own accord, on a subconscious level, he had been forced to do so in order to protect himself.
At times, even he himself overlooked that fact.
From the case of Zhou Jingzhi onward, every step Li Yunji had taken seemed to have been part of a plan.
Su Ming was like an invisible hand, manipulating the entire chessboard from the shadows and gradually guiding Li Yunji toward the truth behind the missing tax silver.
Even his journey to Jiangnan had borne Su Ming’s mark, Lu Xin being one example.
Without him, Li Yunji could never have discovered so quickly that the tax silver would ultimately flow into Northern Ridge.
In other words, the reason Li Yunji was now in Northern Ridge was entirely because Su Ming had guided him there.
Yet ever since he arrived in Northern Ridge, Su Ming had seemed to vanish, sending no word at all.
That made Li Yunji feel that something was wrong.
The Crown Prince had allied himself with the Witch Clan, and Su Ming knew that perfectly well.
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Now that Li Yunji had traced the matter to Northern Ridge, they would surely make a move against him.
With Su Ming’s strategic mind, it was impossible for him not to foresee that.
Yet he had seemingly let go completely. That was not like him.
Moreover, Su Ming had clearly known long ago that the tax silver would flow into Northern Ridge City.
But Northern Ridge was Li Yi’s territory, and the matter of the tax silver was an absolute secret. How could Su Ming have known?
In other words, Su Ming had a secret agent in Northern Ridge.
And that person must occupy a position of great authority in order to possess such important and confidential information.
There was only one person in the entire city of Northern Ridge capable of doing that.
“Then everything makes sense!”
Li Yunji abruptly rose to his feet, startling Su Qingmeng.
“What are you talking about?” Su Qingmeng stared at him blankly, her brows tightly knitted.
Was that even what I asked?
Li Yunji seized Su Qingmeng by the shoulders. “Your father did not simply abandon the matter.”
“He has an informant in Northern Ridge City!”
What did he mean by abandoning the matter?
What informant?
Su Qingmeng looked at Li Yunji’s almost deranged expression in utter bewilderment and raised a hand to touch his forehead.
“He does not have a fever.”
“What happened to your young master?” Yun Tian leaned against the window and watched the scene with undisguised disdain.
“You would not understand.” Shiyi, however, smiled confidently. “The young master has an idea.”
…
Outside the barrier.
Fifteen days later.
The Capital, the Chancellor’s residence.
Fang Zhong hurried into the main hall, his expression grave. “Chancellor Su, Tuo Ba Mu used Momentary Eternity on the heir.”
“He has now been trapped for more than half a month.”
Su Ming stood with his hands behind his back and drew a deep breath. “Those northern desert witches truly stop at nothing.”
“What should we do now?” Fang Zhong asked, puzzled.
Su Ming slowly climbed the steps and took a yellowed ancient book from a hidden compartment in the bookshelf.
“Send this book to Northern Ridge at once, using the fastest horse.”
“Yes.”
Fang Zhong accepted the ancient volume. His brows twitched, and he asked, “Chancellor Su, into whose hands should I deliver it?”
The corners of Su Ming’s mouth lifted slightly as he replied in a solemn voice, “Zhou Li, the Right Commandant of the Northern Ridge Army.”
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