“The Lan Clan’s control over water is incredibly refined. Below the level of a Grandmaster, without corresponding treasures or techniques to resist them, one would indeed require a significant advantage in cultivation to stand a chance against them,” Meng Qi acknowledged calmly.
As for how He Jiu and others would interpret his words, that was their own affair.
He Jiu sighed, “Over generations, many experts and strong cultivators from our Donghai Sword Manor have perished because of them, until we gradually discovered methods of defense.”
“Amitabha, the old monk has traveled the East Sea for many years, yet never heard of the Lan Clan. The same goes for the elders of Qianli Island. Why is it that only the Donghai Sword Manor knows of them?” Meng Qi seized the opportunity to voice his confusion.
The atmosphere in the room suddenly grew tense. He Jiu remained silent, Huang Taichong’s eyes narrowed slightly, and He Xiu’s expression turned even colder.
After a while, He Jiu finally chuckled bitterly, “It is indeed a disgraceful episode for the sword manor.”
He pondered for a moment before continuing, “The true Lan Clan dwell in hidden depths of the ocean. They call themselves the divine descendants of the heavens, the favored children of the sea. They have an extreme affinity for water, believing the boundless oceans to be the center of heaven and earth, and they have no interest in terrestrial matters. Hence, even those who have lived by the East Sea for years may never have heard of them.
“When our Donghai Sword Manor was first established, it had seven branches—some were aristocratic families, others were formal sects. One family branch suffered from a lack of heirs and eventually perished in calamity, their lineage and teachings absorbed back into the main manor.
“Another branch practiced the ‘Wuxiang Sword Bug’ technique, carving a unique path in sword cultivation. Unfortunately, they were overly eager for quick results. By chance, they encountered the Lan Clan and became fascinated by their bodily secrets, believing such forms to be masterpieces of nature itself—perfectly aligned with their techniques and capable of helping them overcome many cultivation obstacles. Thus, through some strange rituals and spiritual communion methods, they gradually transformed into Lan Clan over three generations, while still retaining certain human traits and progressing rapidly in cultivation.
“Once they gained power, ambitions arose. They attempted to control the other branches, seizing full control of the manor and orchestrating numerous conspiracies. However, evil could not overcome righteousness. Their plot was exposed and the remaining five branches united, defeating them and expelling them from the manor. Since then, they have repeatedly used the power of the Lan Clan to stir up chaos.”
As He Jiu spoke, He Xiu’s expression remained unchanged, while Huang Taichong appeared indifferent, like a mere bystander.
It seems the truth behind those events was far more complicated than He Jiu described… Meng Qi mused inwardly. However, the internal affairs of the Donghai Sword Manor’s various branches had nothing to do with him, so there was no need to dig further. “May I ask whether the layperson the old monk encountered was a pure-blooded Lan Clan member, or one who had cultivated the Wuxiang Sword Bug?”
“He left behind a blue crystal after death, so he must have been a true Lan Clan member,” He Jiu confirmed.
Huang Taichong emerged from his meditative state, stroking his thinning hair as he questioned, “The true Lan Clan believe the sea is the center of heaven and earth, regarding land and sky as barren and insignificant, never giving them a second glance. Why would they suddenly involve themselves in the Yun family’s affairs? This is like a wealthy man scheming to steal a beggar’s broken bowl—it defies logic.”
“With the great calamity approaching and the decline of the Dharma, abnormality itself has become normal,” Meng Qi replied with a solemn tone.
He Jiu pondered for a moment, “It’s also possible that someone acted as a go-between, luring the Lan Clan with other benefits. Previously, a friend of mine discovered something suspicious about Old Yun’s death and nearly became a target of the Poisonous Hand Demon King from the Left Path. It seems the Lan Clan has a group of demonic figures behind them.”
“I fear they may fully ally with the Left Path sects,” Huang Taichong expressed concern.
“Didn’t expect the Left Path sects to be involved… Has the Poisonous Hand Demon King truly returned to the martial world?” Meng Qi seriously discussed the matter with them before asking, “Was it the same Poisonous Hand Demon King that the young layman following you encountered earlier?”
“Indeed,” He Jiu did not conceal the truth.
“May I ask where he is now? Perhaps he has discovered something without realizing it himself?” Meng Qi asked with a solemn expression.
He Jiu shook his head, “He has already left the Yun residence and hidden himself somewhere unknown.”
Hiding his disappointment, Meng Qi shifted the topic to the details of the Poisonous Hand Demon King’s ambush.
As they were speaking, He Xiu interjected, “Given Yun Senior’s cultivation level and strength, even the high priest of the Lan Clan couldn’t have killed him silently and undetected.”
“Unless someone from the Yun family aided him…” He Jiu gazed out the window, where pure sunlight illuminated the Yun estate, hiding untold filth beneath its surface.
“Namo Amitabha,” Meng Qi intoned a Buddhist chant before briefly describing his encounter with the Lan Clan.
After exchanging glances, He Jiu and Huang Taichong said, “The Lan Clan can merge into water, making them hard to detect. Either we must cleanse every water source with sword qi, or use special herbs to neutralize them. Since we have confirmed their presence, I shall instruct the Yun family to ‘purify the water,’ preventing any surprise attacks.”
“Amitabha, now that the Lan Clan has been exposed and knows of your presence, they will not take it lightly. They likely have already withdrawn. Purifying the water may not be effective. We should focus more on guarding against the Left Path sects,” Meng Qi reminded them.
“The master’s words are wise, but caution is never excessive,” He Jiu smiled lightly.
Meng Qi stood up, pocketed the water-blue crystal, and clasped his palms together, “Now that you are all vigilant, the old monk’s journey was not in vain. Without the Lan Clan appearing, it is inappropriate for the old monk to interfere in the Yun family’s affairs. I shall take my leave now.”
They all appreciated Meng Qi’s stance of not meddling in the Yun family’s matters and stood to see him off.
This time, Meng Qi inspected the water sources and cleared them thoroughly before reverting to the Poisonous Hand Demon King’s disguise, slipping back into the city and entering the Zhu family’s estate.
Madame Hundred Flowers and Ying Ning were already waiting, puzzled about the previous visit of “Master Fazheng” to Young Master He.
Meng Qi briefly explained the Lan Clan matter before pacing to the window, gazing at the blooming flowers outside with a smile, “With the Lan Clan exposed, circumstances have changed. The Donghai Sword Manor won’t delay long. Tomorrow, they will likely determine the new master. Are you both prepared?”
“This is rather sudden,” Madame Hundred Flowers muttered inwardly, blaming Meng Qi for calculating the term “Lan Clan,” which had disrupted her careful planning.
Ying Ning, with a look of innocent curiosity, whispered to herself, “There are actually blue-blooded beings in the world who are neither human, demon, nor monster, yet they command water so exquisitely, like descendants of the Water Ancestor.”
The Water Ancestor was an alternate name for the ancient water deity, though its authority had been weakened by the presence of Zhenwu, making it less powerful than the Thunder God.
“I wonder who colluded with the Lan Clan…” Madame Hundred Flowers pondered deeply.
At that moment, she saw Meng Qi, clad in a blue robe, descending the stairs with his hands behind his back, strands of gray hair tinged with golden-red in the sunset, adding to his aged aura.
Standing by the lotus pond, Meng Qi faced away from Madame Hundred Flowers and Ying Ning, speaking calmly, “With the Donghai Sword Manor’s technique, the Lan Clan should have nowhere to hide within the Yun estate. Therefore, whoever’s courtyard harbors a Lan Clan member is the conspirator. Just like this…”
As he spoke, he crouched down slowly, then suddenly thrust his hands into the water with lightning speed.
With a gentle pull, the water shimmered with a deep blue glow.
Meng Qi patted his hands as if washing them, stood up casually, and now held a small, finger-sized water-blue crystal.
Madame Hundred Flowers and Ying Ning’s gazes froze, unable to believe that such a change could occur in seemingly normal water.
Earlier, when Meng Qi described the Lan Clan’s ability to merge into water, they had only felt slight caution, as they had not witnessed it firsthand, making it hard to grasp the terrifying reality of “every drop of water being an enemy.” But now, their breathing grew heavy, their fear of the Lan Clan skyrocketing, and the Poisonous Hand Demon King, who could easily deal with them, seemed even more unfathomable!
“If even I can partially transform into a Lan Clan member, I would surely detect any “abnormality” in the water,” Meng Qi mused with a smile, gazing at the crystal in his palm.
Although this transformation was not one of the orthodox Nine Changes, merely a forced mimicry that captured less than 80% of the Lan Clan’s essence, it was still a transformation after thoroughly understanding most of their secrets. Even if his control over water was weak, his ability to sense and resist them was still effective.
“It seems He Jiu hasn’t notified anyone outside the Yun estate yet,” Meng Qi remarked casually, as if merely commenting on the weather.
Madame Hundred Flowers composed herself, glanced at Ying Ning, and smiled seductively, “The Lan Clan is indeed mysterious, yet they couldn’t escape the master’s discerning eye. With such talent, I feel almost unworthy.”
She paused, her eyes gleaming, “Might I ask if the master would consider joining our sect? Though our sect may not be the strongest, we do have some prestige and are willing to help mediate the conflicts with the Tianmen Sect and the Luo Religion, resolving old grudges.”
Ah, so it’s the Su Nu Sect… Upon hearing this, Meng Qi felt relieved. Only one of the Nine Heresies could carry such weight!
“Can you truly resolve the enmity with the Tianmen Sect and the Luo Religion?” Meng Qi feigned a hint of joy before pretending to ponder, “May I ask which sect you belong to?”
Madame Hundred Flowers smiled charmingly, “We shall reveal everything after this matter is settled. As for the affairs of the Yun family, there is no need for the master to concern yourself further. We shall handle it directly with Yun Jiu.”
“Very well,” Meng Qi nodded, then suddenly added, “It would be best to leak the matter of the Lan Clan to Old Man Ruan San.”
“Why?” Madame Hundred Flowers and Ying Ning were puzzled by the sudden shift in topic.
Could I inform them that I noticed Ruan San had a particular interest in the Lan Clan and volunteer to assist? Meng Qi maintained his composure as he fabricated, “The Ruan and Yun families have never been on good terms, yet they dispatched someone as important as Ruan San here. There must be ulterior motives. Perhaps one of their direct descendants has already conspired with the Yun family. Revealing this information might startle them into taking action, ensuring we aren’t caught off guard.”
“That makes sense,” Madame Hundred Flowers seemed to catch on, her expression subtly revealing excitement.
Watching them leave together, Meng Qi gave no thought to which side they supported—Yun Jiu or Yun Shisan. It was none of his concern. Now, he had only one goal left: find the Wu Heng Sword and uncover the truth behind the demonic scar!
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