251: Chapter 31 Tianlong Temple

Regarding how to acquire the Six Veins Divine Sword, Meng Li already had a preliminary plan when the thought first arose: he intended to first alter his appearance to scout Tianlong Temple, then disguise himself as one of the monks there and use medicine to knock out the person guarding the manual for the Six Veins Divine Sword.

However, just as Meng Li settled in the Dali capital with Mei Jian and Zhu Jian, preparing to scout the area, he witnessed a grand spectacle.

Numerous soldiers, armed with sharp weapons and wearing armor, stood lined up along the main thoroughfare entering the city. Surrounding them were many commoners, an honor guard, and performers with dragon and lion dances and bugle calls.

Such a formation clearly indicated they were welcoming an important person.

Zhu Jian immediately suspected: "The welcoming formation is so grand and magnificent; could it be that the Dali Kingdom's monarch has returned?"

Mei Jian shook her head: "A monarch would not easily leave the capital. Perhaps it is that Town South King, but this setup feels a bit excessive."

Meng Li did not interject, as the answer was revealed the very next second.

He heard the leader of the honor guard loudly proclaim in public: "The subjects of Dali respectfully welcome the Princess Consort back to the city!"

Princess Consort?!

Mei Jian and Zhu Jian exchanged a glance, greatly surprised.

Meng Li narrowed his eyes, understanding dawning on him.

This Princess Consort must be Dao Baifeng.

At the same time, he vaguely recalled that the original drama also featured a similar scene.

Duan Zhengchun and Duan Yu had coaxed Dao Baifeng back from the Qingxu Temple, and the entire city welcomed her warmly.

Not only that, but the Emperor Duan Zhengming and the Empress were waiting for her at the Imperial Palace.

The reason Meng Li remembered this segment was because he had been astonished by the pomp at the time: it was understandable for Duan Zhengchun and Duan Yu to go and placate Dao Baifeng when she was throwing a tantrum, as they were family. But having the entire city's subjects welcome her, and the Emperor and Empress await her, that was a bit outrageous.

Those unaware might think Dao Baifeng was the Empress Dowager.

Yet, she was only the Princess Consort, and to receive such treatment showed how powerful her maternal tribe, the Baiyi Tribe, was in Dali.

At that moment, Meng Li understood why Duan Zhengchun was so promiscuous with many lovers, yet never brought any of them back to the King's Manor or granted them any status.

The Baiyi Tribe was powerful and adhered to monogamy, so Dao Baifeng naturally could not tolerate infidelity.

Duan Zhengchun's philandering outside caused her to throw a tantrum and move to a Taoist temple.

If he were to bring those lovers home or grant them status, the Town South Kings Manor would likely run with blood.

After all, Dao Baifeng held significant power, and Duan Zhengchun's lovers were none of them easy to deal with.

The diverging thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. Meng Li snapped back to attention and looked towards the main road, seeing a contingent of people slowly entering the city.

The three people walking at the very front, he recognized them after a brief look: it was Dao Baifeng, Duan Zhengchun, and Duan Yu.

However, compared to how they appeared in the original drama, they looked considerably younger.

Watching this family of three, Meng Li felt no ripples in his heart, nor did he attract their attention.

As Dao Baifeng and her party passed, the vicinity quickly returned to normal.

Meng Li closed the window and began applying the disguise Materials he had prepared.

Mei Jian and Zhu Jian were initially confused, but as the effect of the disguise gradually manifested, they stared dumbfounded.

"Young Master, your..."

Meng Li smiled faintly, wearing the plain, new face: "Just a few simple tricks for convenience; nothing worth mentioning."

"You two stay here and guard the place. I'm going out to scout the situation."

"Yes." x2

Leaving their lodging, Meng Li did not head straight for Tianlong Temple. Instead, he first wandered around the surroundings, and only after familiarizing himself with the terrain and environment did he proceed to Tianlong Temple.

Tianlong Temple, also known as "Chongsheng Temple," was the royal temple of the Dali Kingdom, magnificent and solemn, hailed as the "National Temple" and the "Buddhist Capital." It was situated north of the Middle Peak of Mount Cangshan outside Dali City, nestled against the mountains and water, with exceptionally beautiful scenery. Especially, the Dali camellias bloomed throughout the entire temple, looking extraordinarily vibrant.

As Meng Li walked, looking at the camellias, he suddenly recalled something: these camellias were an important memory point in the relationship between Duan Zhengchun and Li Qingluo. The latter, unable to forget the old feelings, had intentionally planted many at Manda Mountain Villa.

However, since he established a 'debt' relationship with Li Qingluo, the camellias at Manda Mountain Villa had gradually decreased, and in his memory, they seemed to be gone now.

Meng Li did not interfere with this matter.

Because his relationship with Li Qingluo was purely physical, not emotional.

To be precise, he was using her to quench his thirst temporarily.

This was because Wang Yuyan, A Zhu, and A Bi had not fully matured yet and would take some time to 'harvest.'

With this mindset, as long as Li Qingluo didn't cause trouble, Meng Li hadn't interfered too much with her. After they established their 'debt' relationship, the only request he made of her was that she could no longer use people as flower fertilizer.

Could it be that she misunderstood, or that her heart had been affected after repaying the debt multiple times?

Meng Li couldn't determine this for the moment, nor did he overthink it, because he had arrived at Tianlong Temple.

Tianlong Temple was the royal temple of Dali, but it wasn't exclusively open only to royal descendants. Normally, like other temples, it was open to the public.

A temple, after all, needed incense offerings.

However, Tianlong Temple had deep ties with the Duan royal family, so most of the pilgrims who came were wealthy or noble.

Meng Li had inquired about these matters beforehand, so his attire was also modified after the disguise, carrying a distinct air of wealth. Relying on his outfit, he smoothly entered Tianlong Temple. Afterward, like the other pilgrims, he burned incense and toured around, while actually investigating the situation.

After several probes, Meng Li discovered that the rear of Tianlong Temple was closed off. He immediately guessed that the cloistered Duan clan members must reside there.

Those people were masters who ranked highly in the Jianghu; they were the foundation of the Duan clan.

They appeared to have become monks, but in Meng Li's view, they had merely found an excuse to withdraw, diligently Cultivating their Martial Arts, transcending the mundane.

The decision-maker at Tianlong Temple was the highest-ranking surviving member of the Duan clan, whose status surpassed that of the Emperor.

Therefore, although Tianlong Temple was called a place beyond the mundane, it actually functioned more like an external chess player, watching the unfolding situation and setting the pieces with ease.

Many years ago, when chaos erupted in Dali, the legitimate Shangde Emperor's line was almost wiped out, yet Tianlong Temple remained unaffected.

Later, when Jiumozhi attacked, Ku Rong Monk, who managed Tianlong Temple, could make the Emperor Duan Zhengming give up the throne to become a monk with a single sentence, and even called off the rescue when he was captured by Jiumozhi.

Such behavior meant it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call Tianlong Temple the 'Grand Emperor' of Dali.

At the end of the original drama, Duan Yanqing and Murong Fu plotted to 'restore the kingdom' together, which was wishful thinking.

But this matter had nothing to do with Meng Li, so he quickly dismissed the thought.

After surveying the terrain and environment of Tianlong Temple, Meng Li did not act immediately. Instead, he changed his disguise again and observed for several more days.

This time, he observed the monks inside, gathering relevant intelligence and looking for a suitable target to strike.

Once all preparations were complete, Meng Li locked onto a monk responsible for changing the candle lamps, found an opportunity to knock him out, and took his place.

That night, Meng Li, wearing his new identity, went to the main hall behind Tianlong Temple to replace the candles.

Confirming everything was normal, he did not return to his room but instead hid nearby to observe the situation inside.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, abnormal movements came from the main hall.

Meng Li crept in quietly and saw that some people inside had fainted, some were drowsy, and some were weak and lethargic.

Only Ku Rong Monk, positioned in the center, was in slightly better condition.

Part of this monk's face showed signs of withering and flourishing, clearly indicating that his Zen practice had reached a certain level.

Upon seeing Meng Li, Ku Rong Monk spoke: "Liaochen, someone has secretly poisoned us with malicious intent. Quickly raise the alarm and call for a search!"

Hearing this, Meng Li's response was—One-Yang Finger!