Lu Bing spoke with certainty, “That place indeed once witnessed a fierce battle among cultivators, quite intense indeed. Unfortunately, the site must have been cleaned up, leaving us unable to investigate further or determine the number of participants or their identities.”
“At the time, I was quite curious about the matter, so I specifically ordered people to investigate the altar where the Celestial Master Zhang conducted his rain-summoning ritual. I also had people inquire discreetly to find out who sabotaged the ritual and caused the failure.”
“What did you find out?” Mei Qing asked.
“The investigation revealed the shadows of several major sects behind the incident, though there was no solid evidence. Everyone who could be traced either died or disappeared,” Lu Bing replied with a shake of his head.
“You mean sects like the Shangqing Maoshan and Lingbao Pavilion were involved?” Mei Qing asked in surprise.
“Though there was no proof, I’m almost certain they were,” Lu Bing nodded. “Moreover, the Northern Quanzhen sect likely had a hand in it too.”
Mei Qing exhaled deeply and sighed, “What a grand scheme!”
“Oh?” Lu Bing said, somewhat surprised. “Do you have something in mind, Mei Qing?”
“If I’m not mistaken, this whole affair was likely orchestrated by the Plum Blossom Sect. Just consider how the sect challenged various Daoist schools one by one back then, setting up wagers beforehand. Afterwards, all the sects remained silent, showing the planner’s brilliance. Reflecting on the Plum Blossom Sect’s actions, although they engaged in contests with many sects, they never directly confronted the Celestial Master’s sect. That must have been part of a larger scheme. After all, how could the Dragon and Tiger Mountain, the leader of all Daoist sects, be left out of such a major event? In the end… the biggest beneficiaries of the Celestial Master’s death were clearly Shao Yuanjie and Tao Zhongwen. Therefore, if someone claims the Plum Blossom Sect had nothing to do with this, it would be hard to believe,” Mei Qing explained, ticking off each point with his fingers.
“Indeed,” Lu Bing nodded. “Before we knew Shao and Tao’s identities, I couldn’t quite grasp the whole picture. But now that you mention the Plum Blossom Sect, it does make sense. No other sect could have had such power.”
Lu Bing shook his head again. “Still, if the Plum Blossom Sect had plotted this so meticulously, why did they go silent afterwards? If they truly wanted to replace the Dragon and Tiger Mountain, they should have seized the moment and made further moves.”
Lu Bing spoke with certainty, “That place indeed witnessed a fierce battle among cultivators. The fight was intense, but unfortunately, the scene seems to have been cleaned up, making it impossible to examine the details or ascertain the number and identities of the participants.”
“At the time, I was very curious about this matter. I specifically had people investigate the altar where Master Zhang Tian Shi prayed for rain and also sent out inquiries to find out who had sabotaged Master Zhang’s rain prayer.”
“How did it turn out?” Mei Qing asked.
“It turned out that behind this incident, there were shadows of several major sects. However, there was no solid evidence. Those who could be traced were either dead or missing,” Lu Bing shook his head.
“Are you saying that sects like Shangqing Maoshan and Lingbao Gezao were also involved?” Mei Qing asked in surprise.
“Although there’s no evidence, I am almost certain of it,” Lu Bing nodded. “Besides, it’s likely that the Northern Quanzhen sect is also involved.”
Mei Qing let out a long sigh, “What a grand scheme!”
“Oh?” Lu Bing was somewhat surprised, “Mei Qing, have you thought of something?”
“If I guess correctly, it’s highly likely that the Plum Blossom Sect is behind this. Just look at how they challenged various Taoist sects one by one, set up bets beforehand, and afterwards, all the sects kept silent. This shows the magnitude of their plan. Also, considering the Plum Blossom Sect’s actions, although they had arranged fights with various sects, they specifically avoided the Tian Shi Sect. There must be another plot. Otherwise, given that the Longhu Mountain leads the Taoist sects, there’s no reason to avoid them. Lastly… after Master Zhang Tian Shi’s death, who benefited the most? Clearly, it was Shao Yuanjie and Tao Zhongwen. Therefore, it’s impossible to say that the Plum Blossom Sect had nothing to do with the events of that year,” Mei Qing counted off on his fingers.
“Indeed,” Lu Bing nodded. “Previously, not knowing the identities of Shao and Tao, I couldn’t understand the situation. But now, apart from the extremely mysterious Plum Blossom Sect, no other sect could have such capability.”
Lu Bing shook his head again, “Since the Plum Blossom Sect meticulously planned this, why did they later fall silent and disappear? If they truly intended to replace Longhu Mountain, they should have struck while the iron was hot and taken further actions.”
“I think perhaps something unexpected happened to the Plum Blossom Master, or some internal turmoil occurred within the sect, forcing the plan to halt. To know these details, we must first find out if there was indeed a battle between Master Zhang Tian Shi and the Plum Blossom Master,” Mei Qing speculated.
“How to investigate?” Lu Bing smiled at Mei Qing, “Tell me, what’s your cunning plan?”
“Not at all, father-in-law, you jest,” Mei Qing said seriously. “We can’t investigate, but my master surely has a way… Ah, I know, you’re talking about that old Taoist, right? So he’s from the Tian Shi Sect. Haha, his status must be quite high, I suppose?” Lu Bing suddenly realized.
Shortly after Mei Qing returned from Yongping, Lu Bing had inquired about the identities of Zhang Shisan and Master Ku. However, the name Zhang Shisan was unknown, so although Lu Bing guessed that Mei Qing’s sudden surge in cultivation was related to these two, he didn’t know who Zhang Shisan was. Today, hearing Mei Qing’s words, he learned that Zhang Shisan was actually from the Tian Shi Sect.
“I don’t know either, but I think he wouldn’t be diligent in investigating my affairs. However, once the Tian Shi Sect is threatened, my master will surely find a way to investigate thoroughly,” Mei Qing said earnestly.
As the communication talisman burned to ashes before their eyes, Bi Zhen chuckled beside them, “Old Taoist master must be anxious. But why did you send a message to the Taoist master and also to the monk master?”
“Silly wife,” Mei Qing said in a tone of exasperation, “Don’t you know we’re about to fight? The more helpers, the better.”
The skill of praying for rain, seen by the world as a superpower to command the wind and rain, is not considered too mysterious in the eyes of cultivators. In fact, among the major Taoist sects, although they can’t achieve immediate results with talismans, they can still manage to bring down some rain drops for show.
But for hundreds of years, the unified Taoist decree for rain has stumbled, something no one could have anticipated.
Just this incident alone angered the emperor and stripped Master Zhang of his title, suggesting there must be some other force behind it.
“By the way, father-in-law mentioned that Tao Zhongwen and Duan Chaoyong have been acting strangely. What does that mean? Before father-in-law arrived, Duan Chaoyong had already come. If it weren’t for Liu Xing and that Bai Ye resisting together, there might have been a fight,” Mei Qing recalled Lu Bing’s words and asked.
“The cultivation of these two is far above mine,” Lu Bing shook his head. “Although I have been diligently cultivating and have borrowed external forces, I still lag significantly behind these two. Therefore, I have never directly monitored them. However, Tao Zhongwen, as the Dian Zhenren in the court, and Duan Chaoyong, with the support of Guo Xun, also hold the title of Zifu Xuanzhong High Scholar. Thus, they have some people around them, and we can gather some information from the periphery. Moreover, their cultivation also requires a lot of time, and they need to handle mundane affairs with ordinary people. This time, it was a servant by Dian Zhenren’s side who provided information, saying that Duan Chaoyong suddenly went to Dian Zhenren’s residence. I paid attention and arranged to find out that someone was captured from the Five City Military Commission and severely tortured. I had someone bring the confession, and that’s how I got to Liu Xing.”
Mei Qing was somewhat surprised, “Tao Zhongwen, Duan Chaoyong, and father-in-law are all cultivators. Why do they use so many secular methods? Does Dian Zhenren need others to interrogate captives?” Lu Bing laughed, “Are you so skilled in martial arts that you don’t need soldiers to fight on the battlefield? Although we are cultivators, our actions are vast and significant. How can we handle everything personally? There are dozens to hundreds of pieces of information daily. If we had to investigate each matter ourselves, we wouldn’t have time to cultivate, let alone rest. Therefore, even cultivators mostly focus on cultivation and only intervene personally in truly significant matters. Take this incident, for example. They must have had their subordinates investigate thoroughly and accurately before they personally took action. Additionally, Dian Zhenren Tao Zhongwen has a peculiar habit; he dislikes touching anything dirty. His clothes and utensils must be spotless, so he wouldn’t want to go to a place like a prison.”
“I see,” Mei Qing nodded, “It’s fortunate that it’s so.”
“But I didn’t expect why these two are also so concerned about the events of that year. Upon hearing the news, they rushed from the capital. Duan Chaoyong has already arrived. Given their relationship of mutual support and rivalry, Dian Zhenren Tao Zhongwen probably won’t be late. Mei Qing, you must have some idea of the reason, right?”
After hearing Lu Bing’s words, Mei Qing was silent for a while before slowly saying, “I’m not entirely clear about the specific reasons, but one thing is certain: they are here for me.”
“For you?” Lu Bing thought for a moment, then said, “You have many secrets. Could it be that the various arrangements by Mao Yang Zhen were ultimately aimed at… you?”
Mei Qing nodded, “As I see it, that’s probably the only explanation. Mao Yang Zhenren is clearly also from the Plum Blossom Sect, but I don’t know which one he is. Shao Yuanjie, Tao Zhongwen, Duan Chaoyong, father-in-law has met them all. Could it be that Anu? Who is this Anu?”
Lu Bing suddenly stood up, “No matter who it is, the Plum Blossom Sect’s ill intentions towards you are undeniable. Back in the capital, I knew they were searching for you. At the time, we thought it was about the throne, but now it seems we were mistaken. If it’s really Tao Zhongwen and Duan Chaoyong…”
After pacing around twice, Lu Bing suddenly said, “We shouldn’t just wait here foolishly. The current situation is unfavorable to us. Bi Zhen, you stay here with your mother. Mei Qing and I will go to Liu Xing’s village.”
Bi Zhen was somewhat displeased, “Since things are starting to look bad, I should accompany Qing. If there’s a fight, wouldn’t I be a helper?”
Lu Bing was speechless, just looking at Mei Qing. Mei Qing coughed and said to Bi Zhen, “Zhen’er, father-in-law and I are not going to fight. We’re just going to discuss how to jointly resist the enemy. You see, father-in-law came, and mother only came out to see him once and then hid away again. Clearly, she still has some issues with father-in-law… This matter can only be resolved by you. No one else in the world can handle this. Let’s each do our part, isn’t that good? Of course, if you’re worried, you can come along.”
“Pah,” Bi Zhen laughed, “Do you think you’re so precious? This time you’re begging to marry the girl, afraid she won’t pay attention to you. Leave mother to me. I’ll make sure she comes out happily soon, and then you’ll see how capable I am.”
“Mei Qing, if you dare deceive Bi Zhen in the future, I won’t forgive you!” After leaving the manor with Mei Qing, Lu Bing suddenly stared at Mei Qing and said.
“Father-in-law, why do you say that?” Mei Qing looked surprised, “I’ve always been devoted to Zhen’er.”
“Hmph, your glib tongue is really worrisome. My silly daughter was just coaxed by your sweet talk into staying obediently. You must not bully her just because she’s honest…” Lu Bing said with a dark face.
“Ah…” Mei Qing secretly laughed, knowing that Lu Bing was upset because his daughter only listened to him and not to her father, hence he was picking on him, “Father-in-law, isn’t this for her own good? Besides—”
Mei Qing said with a mischievous smile, “I know you’re jealous. If you had known how to sweet-talk my mother-in-law back then, you wouldn’t still be shut out now, would you?”
“That seems reasonable… Ah, you rascal, daring to tease me!” Lu Bing suddenly realized, furious, but when he looked up, Mei Qing was already far away.
“How do we investigate this?” Lu Bing smiled and asked, “What clever ideas do you have?”
“Nothing clever, really,” Mei Qing replied seriously. “We might not be able to find out, but my master definitely has ways…”
“Oh, I see. You mean that old Daoist, right? So he was from the Celestial Master’s sect. Hmm, must be someone of high standing,” Lu Bing suddenly realized.
Not long after Mei Qing returned from Yongping, Lu Bing had once questioned him about the identities of Zhang Shisan and the monk master. However, since the name Zhang Shisan was unknown to him, though Lu Bing suspected that Mei Qing’s sudden cultivation breakthrough was connected to these two, he couldn’t figure out who Zhang Shisan really was. Now, hearing Mei Qing’s words, he finally learned that Zhang Shisan was indeed from the Celestial Master’s sect.
“I’m not sure either,” Mei Qing said solemnly. “But I know that if it’s just about me, he might not care much. However, if it threatens the Celestial Master’s sect, my master will definitely find out everything.”
As the sound transmission talisman burned into ashes before their eyes, Bi Zhen chuckled beside him, “I wonder how anxious that old Daoist master must be when he sees this. You sending a message to your Daoist master is fine, but why send one to the monk master too?”
“You silly wife,” Mei Qing said with a tone of exasperation, “Don’t you know we’re about to get into a fight? The more help, the better!”
The skill of summoning rain, seen by ordinary people as a miraculous feat of “summoning wind and rain, wielding divine power,” was not so mysterious to cultivators. In fact, while none of the major Daoist sects could guarantee that their talismans would be obeyed instantly, they could still conjure up a little rain to impress the common folk.
But for the Celestial Master, who had dominated Daoist rituals for centuries, to fail in a rain-summoning ritual was something no one could have foreseen.
Such an event alone could provoke the emperor’s wrath and lead to the loss of the Celestial Master’s title. There must have been other forces at play behind the scenes.
“By the way,” Mei Qing asked, recalling Lu Bing’s earlier words, “you mentioned that Tao Zhongwen and Duan Chaoyong have been acting strangely. What did you mean? Before you arrived, Duan Chaoyong had already come. If not for Liu Xing and that Bai elder joining forces to resist, there would have been a serious confrontation.”
“These two cultivators are far superior to me,” Lu Bing shook his head. “Although I’ve worked hard on my cultivation in recent years and gained help from external sources, I’m still far behind them. Therefore, I’ve never directly monitored them. However, Tao Zhongwen holds the position of Dianzhen (Imperial Daoist Master) in the court, while Duan Chaoyong, thanks to the support of Guo Xun, holds the title of Zifu Xuanzhong Gaoshi (High Scholar of Loyal Proclamation in the Purple Mansion). Therefore, they have some people around them, from whom we can gather some information. Moreover, since their cultivation requires much time, they also rely on ordinary people for mundane affairs. This time, the information came from a servant of Dianzhen. It seems Duan Chaoyong suddenly visited Dianzhen’s residence. I arranged for further observation and found out that someone was captured from the Five City Military Command and brought to Dianzhen’s mansion, where he was tortured for information. I had someone retrieve the confession and thus learned about the lead involving Liu Xing.”
Mei Qing was somewhat surprised. “Tao Zhongwen, Duan Chaoyong, and you are all cultivators. Why would they resort to such mundane methods? If Dianzhen wants to interrogate someone, wouldn’t he handle it himself?”
Lu Bing laughed. “Just because you’re a martial arts master doesn’t mean you personally fight every battle, does it? Although we cultivators have great power and wide influence, we can’t possibly handle everything ourselves. Every day, we receive dozens or even hundreds of messages. If we had to investigate each one personally, we wouldn’t have time for cultivation or even rest. Therefore, even cultivators usually focus on their cultivation and only intervene personally in major matters. Take this case, for example. They must have had their subordinates investigate thoroughly before deciding to act themselves. Moreover, Dianzhen Tao Zhongwen has a peculiar habit—he refuses to touch anything dirty. His clothes and belongings must always be spotless. Therefore, he would never go near a prison.”
“I see,” Mei Qing nodded. “Lucky for us.”
“Still, I didn’t expect them to be so interested in this old matter. As soon as they heard about it, they came all the way from the capital. Duan Chaoyong has already arrived. Their relationship is one of both cooperation and rivalry. I imagine Dianzhen Tao Zhongwen won’t be far behind. Mei Qing, I suppose you have some idea of the reason behind all this?”
Mei Qing was silent for a moment before slowly saying, “The exact reason is unclear, but one thing is certain—they are after me.”
Lu Bing spoke with certainty, “That place indeed witnessed a fierce battle among cultivators, and the fight was quite intense. Unfortunately, the scene seems to have been cleaned up, making it impossible to examine the details or ascertain the number and identities of those involved.”
“At the time, I was also very curious about this matter. I specifically had someone investigate the altar where Master Zhang performed the rain-summoning ritual and sent people to gather information, trying to find out who sabotaged Master Zhang’s rain-summoning attempt.”
“How did it turn out?” Mei Qing asked.
“The result was that several major sects were implicated behind the scenes, but there was no solid evidence. Those who could be traced were either dead or had disappeared,” Lu Bing shook his head.
“Are you saying that sects like Shangqing Maoshan and Lingbao Gezao were also involved?” Mei Qing asked in surprise.
“Although there’s no evidence, I am almost certain of it,” Lu Bing nodded. “Besides, it’s likely that the Northern Quanzhen sect is also involved.”
Mei Qing let out a long sigh, exclaiming, “What a grand scheme!”
“Oh?” Lu Bing looked surprised. “Mei Qing, have you thought of something?”
“If I’m not mistaken, the Plum Blossom Sect is most likely behind this. Considering how they challenged various Daoist sects one by one, set up bets beforehand, and then all the sects remained silent afterward, it’s clear they had a grand plan. Think about the Plum Blossom Sect’s actions—they had duels with various sects but notably avoided the Celestial Master Sect. There must have been another motive. After all, the Dragon-Tiger Mountain leads the Daoist world; there’s no reason to bypass them. Finally, who benefited the most after the Celestial Master’s death? Clearly, it was Shao Yuanjie and Tao Zhongwen. Therefore, it’s hard to believe that the Plum Blossom Sect had nothing to do with it,” Mei Qing counted off on his fingers.
“Indeed,” Lu Bing nodded. “Previously, we didn’t know the identities of Shao and Tao, so it was hard to understand the whole picture. Now, it seems that apart from the extremely mysterious Plum Blossom Sect, no other sect had the capability to pull this off.”
Lu Bing shook his head again, “Since the Plum Blossom Sect meticulously planned this, why did they later fall silent and leave no trace? If they truly intended to replace the Dragon-Tiger Mountain, they should have struck while the iron was hot and taken further action.”
“I think perhaps something unexpected happened to the Plum Blossom Master, or some internal turmoil occurred within the sect, forcing them to halt their plans. To find out, we would need to investigate whether there was indeed a battle between the Celestial Master and the Plum Blossom Master,” Mei Qing speculated.
“How to investigate?” Lu Bing smiled at Mei Qing. “Tell me, what’s your clever idea?”
“Not at all, father-in-law, you jest,” Mei Qing said seriously. “We can’t investigate, but my master surely has a way… Ah, I see. You mean that old Daoist? So he’s from the Celestial Master Sect. He must hold a high position, right?” Lu Bing suddenly realized.
Shortly after Mei Qing returned from Yongping, Lu Bing had inquired about the identities of Zhang Shisan and Master Ku. However, the name Zhang Shisan was unknown, so although Lu Bing suspected that Mei Qing’s sudden surge in cultivation was related to these two, he didn’t know who Zhang Shisan was. Now, hearing Mei Qing’s words, he realized that Zhang Shisan was from the Celestial Master Sect.
“I don’t know either, but I’m sure he won’t take my affairs seriously. However, if it threatens the Celestial Master Sect, my master will surely find a way to investigate thoroughly,” Mei Qing said earnestly.
As the communication talisman burned to ashes before their eyes, Bi Zhen giggled beside him, “Master Daoist will surely be anxious when he sees this. But why did you send a message to the monk master as well?”
“Silly wife,” Mei Qing said in a tone of exasperation. “Don’t you know we’re about to fight? The more help, the better.”
The act of summoning rain, which the world sees as a supernatural feat of controlling the weather, is not considered too mysterious in the eyes of cultivators. In fact, although major Daoist sects may not achieve the level of ‘commanding with a talisman,’ they can still manage to create a rain shower to impress people.
However, it’s unexpected that the Celestial Master, who had unified the Daoist world for centuries, would stumble during a rain-summoning ritual.
This single incident alone angered the emperor and led to the Celestial Master’s downfall, suggesting there must have been other forces at play.
“By the way, father-in-law mentioned that Tao Zhongwen and Duan Chaoyong have been acting strangely. What does that mean? Before father-in-law arrived, Duan Chaoyong had already come. If it weren’t for Liu Xing and that Master Bai joining forces to resist, there might have been a fight,” Mei Qing recalled Lu Bing’s words and asked.
“The cultivation levels of these two are far above mine,” Lu Bing shook his head. “Although I’ve been diligently cultivating and have borrowed external forces, I still fall short compared to them. Therefore, I haven’t been able to monitor them directly. However, Tao Zhongwen holds the position of Dian Zhenren in the court, and Duan Chaoyong, thanks to Guo Xun’s influence, has the title of Purple Mansion Loyalist. Thus, they have some followers, and I’ve managed to gather some information from the periphery. Besides, their cultivation also requires a lot of time, and they need ordinary people to handle mundane affairs. This time, it was a servant of Dian Zhenren who provided information, saying that Duan Chaoyong suddenly visited Dian Zhenren’s residence. I arranged to monitor and found that someone had been captured from the Five City Military Command and was being tortured. I managed to obtain the confession, which led me to Liu Xing.”
Mei Qing was somewhat surprised, “Tao Zhongwen, Duan Chaoyong, and father-in-law are all cultivators. Why do they still use so many worldly methods? Does Dian Zhenren need others to interrogate for him?” Lu Bing laughed, “Do you think just because you’re skilled in martial arts, you don’t need soldiers to fight on the battlefield? Although we are cultivators, our responsibilities are vast and wide. How can we handle everything personally? There are dozens or even hundreds of pieces of information daily. If we had to investigate each one ourselves, we wouldn’t have time to cultivate, let alone rest. Therefore, even cultivators mostly focus on their practice and only intervene personally in truly significant matters. Take this incident, for example. They must have had their subordinates investigate thoroughly and accurately before they personally intervened. Additionally, Dian Zhenren Tao Zhongwen has a peculiar habit—he dislikes touching anything dirty. His clothes and belongings must be spotless, so he wouldn’t be willing to go to a prison.”
“I see,” Mei Qing nodded. “It’s fortunate that’s the case.”
“But I didn’t expect why they are also so interested in the events of that year. Upon hearing the news, they rushed here from the capital. Duan Chaoyong has already arrived, and since they both support and compete with each other, I suppose Dian Zhenren Tao Zhongwen won’t be far behind. Mei Qing, you must have some idea of the reason, right?”
After hearing Lu Bing’s words, Mei Qing remained silent for a while before slowly saying, “I’m not entirely clear about the specific reasons, but one thing is certain—they are here for me.”
“For you?” Lu Bing thought for a moment, then said, “You have many secrets. Could it be that the various arrangements made by Mao Yangzhen were ultimately aimed at… you?”
Mei Qing nodded, “From what I can tell, that seems to be the only explanation. Mao Yangzhen was clearly a member of the Plum Blossom Sect, but I don’t know which one he was. Shao Yuanjie, Tao Zhongwen, Duan Chaoyong—father-in-law has met them all. Could it be that Anu? Who is this Anu?”
Lu Bing stood up abruptly, “Regardless of who it is, the Plum Blossom Sect’s intention to harm you is undeniable. Back in the capital, I knew they were searching for you, but at the time, we thought it was related to the throne. Now, it seems we were mistaken. If Tao Zhongwen and Duan Chaoyong are indeed collaborating…”
After pacing around twice, Lu Bing suddenly said, “We shouldn’t just sit here and wait. The current situation is unfavorable to us. Bi Zhen, you stay here with your mother. Mei Qing and I will go to Liu Xing’s estate.”
Bi Zhen was somewhat displeased, “Since things are starting to look bad, I should stay with A Qing. If there’s a fight, I can be of help, right?”
Lu Bing remained silent, just looking at Mei Qing. Mei Qing coughed and said to Bi Zhen, “Zhen’er, father-in-law and I aren’t going to fight. We’re just going to discuss how to jointly deal with the enemy. You see, when father-in-law arrived, mother only came out briefly and then retreated. It seems there’s still some unresolved issue between them. Who else but you can mediate this? Let’s each handle our own tasks, isn’t that better? Of course, if you’re worried, you can come along.”
“Pah,” Bi Zhen laughed, “Do you think you’re so precious? This time, you’re the one begging to marry the girl, afraid she won’t pay attention to you. Leave mother to me. I’ll make sure she comes out happily soon, and then you’ll see how capable I am.”
“Mei Qing, if you ever dare to deceive Bi Zhen, I won’t let you off!” Lu Bing said sternly after they left the estate.
“Father-in-law, why do you say that?” Mei Qing looked surprised. “I’ve always been devoted to Zhen’er.”
“Hmph, your glib tongue is hard to trust. My silly daughter just obediently stayed behind after a few sweet words from you. Don’t take advantage of her simplicity…” Lu Bing said with a dark face.
“Ah…” Mei Qing chuckled inwardly, knowing that Lu Bing was upset because his daughter listened to him but not to her father, so he was picking on him. “Father-in-law, isn’t this for her own good? Besides—”
Mei Qing grinned mischievously, “I know you’re jealous. If you had been better at sweet-talking my mother-in-law back then, you wouldn’t still be shut out now.”
“That seems reasonable… Ah, you brat, daring to tease me!” Lu Bing suddenly realized and flared up, but when he looked up, Mei Qing was already far away.
Lu Bing spoke with certainty, “That place indeed witnessed a fierce battle among cultivators. The fight was quite intense. Unfortunately, the scene seems to have been cleaned up, making it impossible to inspect the details or ascertain the number and identities of the participants.”
“At that time, I was also very curious about this matter. I specifically had people investigate the altar where Heavenly Master Zhang prayed for rain. I also ordered inquiries to find out who tampered with Heavenly Master Zhang’s rain prayer, causing it to fail.”
“What was the result?” Mei Qing asked.
“The result was that behind this incident, there were shadows of several major sects. However, there was no solid evidence. Those who could be traced were either dead or missing,” Lu Bing shook his head.
“Are you saying that sects like Shangqing Maoshan and Lingbao Gezao were also involved?” Mei Qing asked in surprise.
“Although there’s no evidence, I am almost certain that’s the case,” Lu Bing nodded. “Besides, it’s likely that the Northern Quanzhen sect is also implicated.”
Mei Qing let out a long sigh, exclaiming, “What a grand scheme!”
“Oh?” Lu Bing was somewhat surprised. “Mei Qing, have you thought of something?”
“If I guess correctly, the force behind this is most likely the Plum Blossom Sect. Just look at how they challenged various Taoist sects one by one, set up bets beforehand, and after the events, all sects remained tight-lipped. This shows the magnitude of their planning. Considering the actions of the Plum Blossom Sect, although they had arranged fights with various sects, they notably avoided the Heavenly Master Sect. There must be another scheme. After all, the Dragon and Tiger Mountain leads the Taoist world; there’s no reason to bypass them. Finally… after Heavenly Master Zhang’s death, who benefited the most? Clearly, it was Shao Yuanjie and Tao Zhongwen. Therefore, it’s hard to believe that the Plum Blossom Sect had nothing to do with the events of that year,” Mei Qing counted off on his fingers.
“Indeed,” Lu Bing nodded. “Previously, not knowing the identities of Shao and Tao, I couldn’t understand the whole picture. Now, it seems, apart from the extremely mysterious Plum Blossom Sect, no other sect had the capability.”
Lu Bing shook his head again, “Since the Plum Blossom Sect meticulously planned this, why did they later fall silent and disappear? If they truly intended to replace the Dragon and Tiger Mountain, they should have struck while the iron was hot and taken further actions.”
“I think perhaps something unexpected happened to the Plum Blossom Master, or some upheaval occurred within the sect, forcing the plan to halt. To know these details, we must first find out if there was indeed a battle between Heavenly Master Zhang and the Plum Blossom Master,” Mei Qing speculated.
“How to investigate?” Lu Bing smiled at Mei Qing, “Tell me, what’s your clever idea?”
“Not at all, father-in-law, you jest,” Mei Qing said seriously. “We can’t investigate, but my master surely has a way… Ah, I see, you mean that old Taoist? So he’s from the Heavenly Master Sect. He must be of high status, right?” Lu Bing suddenly realized.
Shortly after Mei Qing returned from Yongping, Lu Bing had inquired about the identities of Zhang Shisan and Master Ku. However, the name Zhang Shisan was unknown, so although Lu Bing guessed that Mei Qing’s sudden surge in cultivation was related to these two, he didn’t know who Zhang Shisan was. Today, hearing Mei Qing’s words, he learned that Zhang Shisan was actually from the Heavenly Master Sect.
“I don’t know either, but I think he won’t be diligent in investigating my affairs. However, once the Heavenly Master Sect is threatened, my master will surely find a way to investigate thoroughly,” Mei Qing said earnestly.
As the communication talisman burned to ashes before their eyes, Bi Zhen giggled beside them, “The old Taoist master must be anxious. But why did you send a message to the monk master as well?”
“Silly wife,” Mei Qing said in a tone of exasperation, “Don’t you know we’re about to fight? The more helpers, the better.”
The skill of praying for rain, seen by the world as ‘commanding the wind and rain, possessing divine powers,’ is actually not too mysterious in the eyes of cultivators. In fact, among the major Taoist sects, although they can’t achieve immediate results with talismans, they can still manage to create a rain shower to impress people.
But for the Heavenly Master, who had unified the Taoist world for hundreds of years, to fail in praying for rain, this was something no one could have anticipated.
Just this one incident was enough to anger the emperor and strip the Heavenly Master of his title. There must have been some other force pushing behind the scenes.
“By the way, father-in-law mentioned that Tao Zhongwen and Duan Chaoyong have been acting strangely. What does that mean? Before father-in-law arrived, Duan Chaoyong had already come. If it weren’t for Liu Xing and that Bai Ye resisting together, there might have been a fight,” Mei Qing recalled Lu Bing’s earlier words and asked.
“The cultivation levels of these two are far above mine,” Lu Bing shook his head. “Although I’ve been diligently cultivating these years and have borrowed much external force, I still lag significantly behind these two. Therefore, I’ve never directly monitored them. However, Tao Zhongwen holds the position of Dian Zhenren in the court, and Duan Chaoyong, with the help of Guo Xun, also has the title of Purple Mansion Loyal High Scholar. Thus, these two have some people around them, and I can gather some information from the periphery. Moreover, their cultivation also requires a lot of time, and they need ordinary people to handle mundane affairs. This time, it was a servant by Dian Zhenren’s side who provided information, saying that Duan Chaoyong suddenly went to Dian Zhenren’s residence. I arranged to pay attention and found that someone from the Five City Military and Police Department was captured at Dian Zhenren’s residence and severely tortured. I had someone obtain the confession, which led me to Liu Xing’s trail.”
Mei Qing was somewhat surprised, “Tao Zhongwen, Duan Chaoyong, and father-in-law are all cultivators. Why do they still use so many secular methods? Does Dian Zhenren need others to interrogate prisoners?” Lu Bing laughed, “Do you think that just because you’re skilled in martial arts, you don’t need soldiers to fight on the battlefield? Although we are cultivators, our actions are vast and our deeds are wide. How can we handle everything personally? There are dozens to hundreds of pieces of information every day. If we had to investigate each one ourselves, we wouldn’t have time to cultivate, let alone rest. Therefore, even cultivators mostly focus on their cultivation and only personally intervene in truly significant matters. Take this incident, for example. These two must have had their subordinates investigate thoroughly and accurately before they personally took action. Additionally, Dian Zhenren Tao Zhongwen has a peculiar habit: he dislikes touching anything dirty. His clothes and utensils must be spotless. Therefore, he would never willingly go to a place like a prison cell.”
“So that’s how it is,” Mei Qing nodded. “It’s fortunate that’s the case.”
“But I didn’t expect why these two are also so interested in the events of that year. Upon hearing the news, they actually came from the capital. Duan Chaoyong has already arrived. Given their relationship of mutual support and rivalry, Dian Zhenren Tao Zhongwen probably won’t be late either. Mei Qing, you must have some idea of the reason, right?”
After hearing Lu Bing’s words, Mei Qing remained silent for a while before slowly saying, “I’m not entirely clear about the specific reasons, but one thing is certain: they are here for me.”
“For you?” Lu Bing thought for a moment, then said, “You have many secrets. Could it be that the various arrangements made by Mao Yangzhen were ultimately aimed at… you?”
Mei Qing nodded, “As I see it, that’s probably the only explanation. Mao Yangzhen was clearly a member of the Plum Blossom Sect, but I don’t know which one he was. Shao Yuanjie, Tao Zhongwen, Duan Chaoyong—father-in-law has met them all. Could it be that Anu? Who is this Anu?”
Lu Bing suddenly stood up, “Regardless of who it is, the Plum Blossom Sect’s intention to harm you is undeniable. Back in the capital, I knew these two had sent people to search for you. At that time, we thought it was about the throne. Now it seems we were mistaken. If it’s really Tao Zhongwen and Duan Chaoyong…”
After pacing around twice, Lu Bing suddenly said, “We shouldn’t just sit here and wait. The current situation is unfavorable to us. Bi Zhen, you stay here with your mother. Mei Qing and I will go to Liu Xing’s estate.”
Bi Zhen was somewhat displeased, “Since things are starting to look bad, I should stay with A Qing. If there’s a fight, wouldn’t I be a helper?”
Lu Bing was speechless, just looking at Mei Qing. Mei Qing coughed and said to Bi Zhen, “Zhen’er, father-in-law and I are not going to fight. We’re just going to discuss how to jointly resist the enemy. Look, father-in-law has come, but mother-in-law only came out to see him once and then hid away again. It seems she still has some unresolved feelings towards father-in-law. Isn’t it better for you to handle this? Of course, if you’re worried, you can come along.”
“Pah,” Bi Zhen laughed, “Do you think you’re so precious? This time you’re begging to marry that girl, afraid she won’t pay attention to you. Leave mother-in-law to me. I’ll make sure she comes out happily soon, and then you’ll see how capable I am.”
“Mei Qing, if you dare deceive Bi Zhen in the future, I won’t forgive you!” After leaving the estate, Lu Bing suddenly stared at Mei Qing and said.
“Father-in-law, why do you say that?” Mei Qing looked surprised. “I’ve always been devoted to Zhen’er.”
“Hmph, your glib tongue is really unsettling. My silly daughter was just coaxed by your sweet talk into staying obediently. You mustn’t take advantage of her simplicity…” Lu Bing said with a stern face.
“Ah…” Mei Qing chuckled to himself, knowing that Lu Bing was annoyed that his daughter only listened to him and not to her father, hence the trouble: “Father-in-law, I’m doing this for her own good. Besides—”
Mei Qing grinned mischievously, “I know you’re jealous. If you had been able to sweet-talk my mother-in-law back then, you wouldn’t still be shut out now, would you?”
“That seems reasonable… Ah, you brat, daring to tease me!” Lu Bing suddenly realized, flaring up in anger, but when he looked up, Mei Qing was already far away.
Lu Bing stood up abruptly. “Whoever it is, the Plum Blossom Sect’s hostility toward you is undeniable. Back in the capital, I knew they were searching for you, but we thought it was related to the throne. Now it seems we were mistaken. If it’s really Tao Zhongwen and Duan Chaoyong working together…”
After pacing back and forth for a while, Lu Bing suddenly said, “We can’t just wait here doing nothing. The current situation is unfavorable for us. A Bi, you stay here and accompany your mother. Mei Qing and I will go to Liu Xing’s manor.”
Bi Zhen looked somewhat displeased. “If things are getting bad, I should accompany A Qing. If there’s a fight, I could at least be a helper.”
Lu Bing said nothing, just looked at Mei Qing. Mei Qing coughed and said to Bi Zhen, “Zhen’er, my dear, our trip with your father isn’t necessarily about fighting. We’re just going to discuss how to deal with our enemies together. Look, your father has arrived, but your mother only came out to see him once before retreating. Obviously, she still has some unresolved feelings toward him. If you don’t help ease this tension, no one else can. Let’s each do our part—wouldn’t that be better? Of course, if you’re worried, you can come along.”
“Hmph,” Bi Zhen laughed. “As if you’re so precious. This time, you’re trying to marry that girl, but she might not even look at you. Leave my mother to me. I guarantee she’ll come out happily in a bit, and then you’ll see how capable I am.”
“Mei Qing,” Lu Bing said seriously after they left the manor, “if you ever betray A Bi, I won’t forgive you!”
“Why would you say that, Father-in-law?” Mei Qing looked genuinely surprised. “I’ve always been devoted to Zhen’er.”
“Hmph,” Lu Bing frowned. “I don’t trust that silver tongue of yours. Didn’t you just trick my silly daughter into staying behind with a few sweet words? Don’t think I don’t know you’ll take advantage of her kindness…”
“Aww…” Mei Qing chuckled inwardly, knowing that Lu Bing was upset because his daughter listened to him, not to her father. “Father-in-law, I’m just thinking of her best interests. Besides…”
Mei Qing grinned mischievously. “I know you’re jealous. If you had known how to sweet-talk my mother-in-law back then, you wouldn’t still be locked out now, would you?”
“That does sound reasonable… Wait, you cheeky brat, are you mocking me!” Lu Bing suddenly realized and flew into a rage. By the time he looked up, Mei Qing was already far away.
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