In fact, from a year ago when Master Jiaye heard that Qu Yunzhen was going to rescue her benefactor, he had already developed some suspicions.
“Master told me that before taking me as his disciple, he had met my father a few times. At that time, the Central Plains were in chaotic warfare. He once witnessed the Maoshan Sect being besieged by bandits. It was my father’s troops who came to the rescue, saving the lives of their entire sect.” Changling said to Ye Qi, “The Three Heroes of Maoshan originally wanted to repay their debt by pledging allegiance to the Yue Family Army, but my father saw they were cultivators and might not be able to integrate into military life, so he advised them to return to the mountains. The Three Heroes were extremely grateful, and before departing, they promised to repay the Yue family’s kindness.”
Ye Qi had never heard this past event and couldn’t help but say, “I was originally wondering how, given the age of the eldest Yue son, he could have become the benefactor of the Three Heroes of Maoshan. So this cause was planted by Old Master Yue… But if even your master knew about this, how could you not know? Didn’t your eldest brother mention it to you?”
Changling thought briefly. “My father saved countless people. Who would count on their fingers to boast about which people they’ve saved to their children? Would you?”
Ye Qi answered matter-of-factly, “I would.”
Changling: “……”
Seeing a big eye roll floating through the air, Ye Qi turned his head and coughed. “Of course, first I’d need to have a child…”
After saying this sentence, Young Marquis Ye alertly dodged Second Young Master Yue’s kick. Seeing the dent left in the floorboard, he apprehensively steered the topic back and asked, “So, did Martial Uncle deduce that Qu Yunzhen’s cliff jump might be related to the Yue family, which is why he entered Xiaoyao Valley?”
Changling nodded.
Master Jiaye was an enlightened monk. No one in the entire Central Plains martial world didn’t know that the former War God Yue Changling was his accomplished disciple. When he visited, Master Xue naturally received him with great hospitality. Subsequently, Jiaye made a request to open the stone gate.
Initially, Master Xue was merely quite surprised and asked for the reason. Jiaye was unwilling to lie but also harbored caution, so he revealed only a portion of the truth, saying he had seen someone accidentally lose their footing and thought that saving one life surpassed building a seven-story pagoda. Master Jiaye widely extended goodwill and had saved many strangers, so Master Xue had no suspicions and immediately agreed wholeheartedly.
The next day, Master Xue took him to the location of the stone gate as promised, but unexpectedly fell into a trap.
Ordinarily, this type of cave trap couldn’t have confined Jiaye, but Master Xue had already put poison in yesterday’s meal. Jiaye hadn’t anticipated that a renowned orthodox sect that kept itself aloof from worldly affairs could be so sinister, which is why he failed to guard against it.
Hearing this, Ye Qi couldn’t help but ask, “Why would Sect Leader Xue want to trap Martial Uncle?”
Changling’s tone was as cold as snow. “For the Shemo True Scripture.”
Even though Master Xue had long coveted the Shemo True Scripture, he originally didn’t dare act rashly. When Jiaye happened to mention the stone gate, it reminded him of the secret passages with mechanisms within the valley, which led to this scheme. He had thought that since Master Jiaye was just a wandering monk, as long as he patiently coerced and tempted him, he could eventually make him reveal something. Who would have thought that from beginning to end, Jiaye remained silent, not even frowning through the pain of silver needles gnawing at his heart?
In a fit of rage, Master Xue planned to simply kill Jiaye. Unexpectedly, Jiaye spoke, “If this old monk dies today, through the cycle of karma, in the future my disciple will naturally uncover the truth.”
Master Xue threw his head back and laughed loudly. “Your disciple is far away in the Western Regions and Tianzhu. How could they investigate?”
Jiaye smiled. “Who said I have no disciples in the Central Plains?”
Master Xue understood the implication of these words and became even more arrogant. “Yue Changling has been dead for ten years, and as for Yue Changsheng… you probably don’t even know, do you? He… died in my Xiaoyao Valley!”
Ye Qi was startled upon hearing this, then understood. “Martial Uncle deliberately induced him to speak, right?”
Changling nodded slightly and continued, “Back then, the Great Hero of Maoshan, Luo Zhou, rescued my eldest brother and fled southward. Upon reaching Longmen territory, Xiaoyao Valley learned of this and actively took them in, doing their utmost to treat my brother’s injuries… Originally, he was sincerely saving him, wanting to become a meritorious servant to the Yue family. However, after just a few days, Shen Yao’s men arrived and demanded to search Xiaoyao Valley. Fearing discovery, Master Xue opened the stone gate and had Luo Zhou take my brother to hide beneath Nine Linked Mountains…”
She paused here, her breathing trembling slightly as she continued, “Shen Yao’s spies had been tracking my brother’s whereabouts to this place and naturally guessed what happened. After searching fruitlessly, he gave Master Xue two options: one was glory, wealth, fame, and profit, while the other was to be slaughtered as a rebel faction. At that time, Master Xue heard that Wei Xingyun had fled far away and knew my brother’s cause was lost, so he told Shen Yao where my brother was.”
Master Xue brought Shen Yao to the stone cave entrance. Just as he was about to open it, Shen Yao stopped him.
Whether from guilt or some other reason, at that moment, Shen Yao couldn’t even muster the courage to look at Yue Changsheng once. He stood before the cave for a long time and ultimately retreated, only ordering Master Xue never to open the stone gate again—just let the person inside starve to death.
Ye Qi was deeply shaken. “Then…”
He froze for a moment, then immediately shook his head. “No, that’s not right. Ten years have passed, yet Hero Qu was still able to reach Xiaoyao Valley and jump off the cliff without hesitation. He must have received information later, and the person who transmitted information from outside could only be Luo Zhou from within the valley… Moreover, Scholar Shu also went to Nine Linked Mountains after seeing the sachet. If he hadn’t received a hint, he wouldn’t have leaped down so recklessly.”
Changling’s breathing quickened. “Even you say so. My eldest brother must still be alive, right?”
Ye Qi, seeing her face full of uncertainty and tension, couldn’t help but sigh. “If I’d known earlier, I should have prepared some proper clothes…”
Suddenly mentioning clothes out of the blue, Changling was stunned. “Clothes?”
Ye Qi smiled softly. “Meeting my eldest brother-in-law for the first time, I should at least leave a good impression, shouldn’t I?”
Changling was in no mood to listen to his jokes. After glaring at him, she said, “But to rescue someone, we’d still need to open the stone gate. However, besides Master Xue, no one can open this stone gate, and the assembly hasn’t ended yet. If people learn of my brother’s whereabouts, it might instead bring disaster. Why don’t we wait until after the assembly ends, then think of a way to force Master Xue…”
Ye Qi walked a few steps with his hands tucked in his sleeves. “This method won’t work, I’m afraid.”
“Why not?”
“Today, Mingyue Zhou told me something,” Ye Qi said. “He came to participate in the Central Plains Martial Assembly because someone sent him a letter telling him that if he wanted to investigate the truth behind the annihilation of the Yan Army and the murder of the Yan Kingdom’s First Prince Mingyue Qi eleven years ago, he would find answers by coming here.”
Changling was startled. “Eleven years ago… Wasn’t the Yan Army… by Shen Yao…”
“Exactly. Eleven years ago, the Yan Army was falsely accused by the Shen Family Army and completely annihilated. Even First Prince Mingyue Qi perished in the northern frontier. The most suspicious thing is that although Shen Yao clearly colluded with the Yan Army, the Yan court knew nothing about it. That can only mean there was another person in the Yan Kingdom who had connections at that time. Thinking it through, Mingyue Sheng is the most likely suspect.” Ye Qi said, “Now Mingyue Zhou and Mingyue Sheng are fighting fiercely. For Mingyue Zhou, uncovering the truth would both seek justice for his eldest imperial brother and thoroughly crush Mingyue Sheng’s power…”
Changling said, “No wonder he was willing to risk being recognized to infiltrate Xiaoyao Valley. But how does this matter… relate to rescuing my eldest brother?”
“Have you considered that the person who transmitted information to Mingyue Zhou might be the same person who disguised themselves as the eldest young master to lure and kill you?” Ye Qi looked at her. “This person is hiding among those attending the Martial Assembly and lured Mingyue Zhou here. Nine times out of ten, they want to use the events of that year to enrage the Yan Crown Prince and stir up a bloody storm… At that time, how could Shen Yao and Fu Yangui remain unmoved?”
Changling was alarmed. “You mean… once the assembly ends, Shen Yao’s people will come to kill?”
Ye Qi walked to the window, gazing at the changed sky outside, and said faintly, “Perhaps they’re already on their way.”
“Then my eldest brother…”
“At this point, there’s no other way,” Ye Qi’s fingertips lightly tapped the windowsill. “We must open the stone gate before the assembly ends, rescue the eldest young master, and then withdraw under the protection of the He Family Army before the court’s troops arrive.”
Changling’s brow furrowed tightly. “Can it be done?”
Several possibilities flashed rapidly through Ye Qi’s mind. After a long while, he said, “It can be done. However, we need an assistant.”
“Who?”
“Xu Laifeng.”
After the morning’s disappearance incident, the assembly was suspended for several hours. After the head escort of Yunyan was found, the martial contests continued under the Martial Alliance’s mediation.
Mo Daoyun learned the truth of Old Scholar Shu’s disappearance from Ye Qi and found an excuse to pacify the Eastern Xia martial artists.
Mingyue Zhou withdrew on the grounds of injury, so the Xiaoyao Sect naturally advanced. Through subsequent rounds of elimination, the first to fight their way out of the top four siege was the Eastern Xia martial faction led by the Taixu Sect. The Xiaoyao Sect also distinguished itself, followed by the Western Xia court faction led by Murong Fei who barely passed. The final platform’s contest was a showdown between Xu Laifeng of the Eastern Sea and the first disciple of Kunlun.
Changling hadn’t expected that besides Xu Laifeng, the Eastern Sea had produced another expert with an undefeated record who followed Xu Laifeng through all obstacles, winning every match with three victories.
“The Eastern Sea possesses countless martial arts classics. If there weren’t someone of equal skill to practice with, how could Xu Laifeng have achieved such mastery?” Ye Qi watched Xu Laifeng on the platform, whose moves were peculiar. “What’s most astonishing is still Xu Laifeng. He fights two rounds in each match. This is already his sixth bout, yet he appears completely without fatigue… Fighting this way, even the Kunlun Sect’s defeat to the Eastern Sea isn’t certain…”
“His stamina is indeed formidable,” Changling said. “However, this Kunlun first disciple is also a supreme expert. Xu Laifeng may not necessarily…”
Before her words fell, Xu Laifeng leaned forward and twisted his hands in an extremely unusual gesture. Suddenly, a stream of water surged up from the lake surface, as if an invisible hand had extended from thin air and pulled the Kunlun first disciple down from the platform!
Changling was shocked.
“This is…”
Ye Qi’s eyes flashed slightly as he gazed at the person on the platform, saying in a deep voice, “So this is the reason why Island Master Xu went missing at Yanling Mountain that day.”
It was the Wanhua Compendium.