"A-Yan's martial arts and mystical techniques all originate from the 'Book of Rebirth,'" Tang Lichen said slowly. "On the day Fang Zhou passed on his skills before his death, A-Yan and Zhu Mei took that book away. If... if A-Yan was the one who took it and, unaware of its dangers, gave it to someone else..." He slowly raised his head, fixing his gaze on Jiang Youyu. "Zhou Di Tower isn't far from Tianqing Temple. If, on that day, Fang Zhou transmitted his skills to the three of us, and A-Yan seized the 'Book of Rebirth' and entered Tianqing Temple... only to be rescued later..."
"Then the book would have fallen into the hands of Tianqing Temple," Jiang Youyu, who knew his master well, finished the thought. "Does the young master suspect that the Seven Blossom Wanderer has deep ties with Tianqing Temple?"
"Isn't that what Elder Jiang also thinks?" Tang Lichen smiled faintly. "Chai Xijin lived there as a child, many heroes from Baiyun Valley stayed there, and Emperor Gong died there at the mere age of twenty. How did he die? The Baiyun Valley group took Chai Xijin away and proclaimed him their leader. His identity was supposed to be a great secret, so why did the Ghost Peony and Yu Konghou know about it long ago?" He tapped the teacup lightly with a flick of his finger, producing a crisp ding . "I bought a piece of information from the Fallen Thirteen Towers—who exactly is the Yin-Yang Ghost Peony?"
"What was the Thirteen Towers' information worth ten thousand taels of gold?" Jiang Youyu asked. "Does it match the young master's own conclusion?"
A strange glint flashed in Tang Lichen's eyes. "The Thirteen Towers believe the Yin-Yang Ghost Peony is a monk from Tianqing Temple, whose secular name was Xie Yaohuang."
"Xie Yaohuang?" Jiang Youyu looked puzzled. "This old man has never heard of such a name. What was his monastic title?"
"Dharma name Qinghe," Tang Lichen replied. "But this Qinghe Zen Master, worth ten thousand taels of gold, was already slain by Pu Zhu with a single sword strike during the Shaolin Temple battle." He gave a shallow smile. "The Thirteen Towers claim that the Ghost Peony who stirred up trouble at Shaolin Temple, poisoned Pu Zhu alongside Yu Konghou, and killed Mei Hua Yishu, Da Cheng Zen Master, Miaozhen, and Miaozheng, was none other than Xie Yaohuang." He exhaled slowly. "The battle at Piaoling Eyebrow Garden isn't over yet. If the Ghost Peony had already died at Shaolin Temple, then who is the Ghost Peony at Piaoling Eyebrow Garden? So the Thirteen Towers' ten thousand taels of gold wasn't selling Xie Yaohuang—it was selling Tianqing Temple." He slowly closed his eyes. "Elder Jiang, the Ghost Peony isn't just one person, but there must be a leader. Since Tianqing Temple was built during the previous dynasty, and Emperor Gong died there..."
Jiang Youyu understood his implication. If Liu Yan had taken the 'Book of Rebirth' into Tianqing Temple, such a shocking and heretical art would surely tempt anyone. And since the "Seven Blossom Wanderer" had deep ties with Tianqing Temple, it was no surprise that later, the "Seven Blossom Wanderer" brothers turned against each other, Dieban Chonghua left, Mei Hua Yishu and Kuang Lan Wuxing were poisoned, and Po Cheng Guaike and Yu Yue Yingfei died. Most likely... it was all because of this 'Book of Rebirth.'Later, Liu Yan took control of the "Fengliudian," and the Martial Arts World suffered endlessly from the poison of the "Nine Hearts Pill." Baiyungou was massacred, and Chai Xijin was tasked with restoring the kingdom. If not for Tang Lici's sudden betrayal during the battle at Haoyun Mountain, where he declared himself the master of Fengliudian and installed the Red Maiden to oversee Haoyun Mountain, the current Martial Arts World would either be under Fengliudian's rule after annihilating the Central Plains Sword Society, or Yu Konghou would have seized the banner of the Central Plains Sword Society, eradicated the demon Liu Yan of Fengliudian, and then taken control of the Central Plains Martial Arts World. Yu Konghou had Pu Zhu under his thumb, and the Shaolin Temple, as his vassal, remained silent. The undercurrents lurking behind Yu Konghou and the Ghost Peony could then begin to use Chai Xijin as a puppet, advancing step by step toward revenge and restoration.
Thus, Yu Konghou and the Ghost Peony were merely two pawns on the board.
Liu Yan was already a discarded piece.
Tang Lici slowly opened his eyes, his fingers pressing down on the jade porcelain teacup as if gripping a monster. "Old Jiang, the matter of Tianqing Temple is of great importance. Having shared tea with Chunhui for years, what kind of person do you think he is?"
"Abbot Chunhui is benevolent and dignified, unchanged for decades," Jiang Youyu replied. "A master of Buddhist teachings, a renowned monk of his generation."
"Oh?" Tang Lici's lips curled slightly. "Was he the abbot when the Gong Emperor passed away?"
Jiang Youyu nodded. "Indeed."
"Then, capturing Qinghui will give us 'evidence,'" Tang Lici said with a faint smile. "If Qinghui alone isn't enough, we'll seize every monk in Tianqing Temple, dozens of them... Then the 'evidence' hidden in the tea garden will reveal itself."
Jiang Youyu was stunned. "Ah? Ah... as the young master says." He had gone to find "evidence" merely by drinking tea and probing, but his master planned to take the entire imperial temple hostage. Such audacity was beyond Jiang Youyu's comprehension. After a pause, he couldn't help but add, "Young Master, Tianqing Temple is an imperial temple. It might be..."
Tang Lici tightened his grip on the teacup, channeling his inner energy—steam rose from the fresh tea, and in moments, the liquid evaporated under his power. The jade porcelain cup silently crumbled into fine shards under his fingers.
Jiang Youyu fell silent.
Without looking at him, Tang Lici changed the subject. "Xue Xianzi and Fu Zhumei are pillars of the Central Plains Sword Society. If we can capture them alive, we must not let them die. Where is Zhong Chunji? She's implicated in Xue Xianzi's affairs. Tracking her will lead us to Xue Xianzi."
"This old man is incompetent and has yet to locate Miss Zhong," Jiang Youyu admitted. "But—" Before he could finish, someone burst in, exclaiming, "Young Master Tang! The Jiang Family Garden is in a deadly battle! Flames have been raging for a day, and no one has emerged. We don’t know the fate of Young Master Mo and Doctor Shui! That demon Liu and his three hundred disciples seem to have entered the secret passage, but no one has come out! Scouts report that the underground streams below the mountain have been poisoned with a lethal toxin! The retreat is cut off..."
Tang Lici abruptly stood, his sleeve sweeping the table and tea set aside, sending them crashing five steps away into shattered debris. He closed his eyes and murmured, "Prepare the horses."
"Young Master Tang... Niutou Mountain is far. I fear it's... it's already too late...""Prepare the horses!"
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