At this time, Golden Wave Pavilion was filled with martial heroes gathered from the jianghu, many of whom had been invited to Pang Liangji’s wedding and had personally witnessed Wei Xun dressed in groomsman attire escorting the bride. At that time, the young man was magnificently dressed and spirited, his money-scattering and flag-raising skills astonishing all four directions, with all observers praising in wonder. Who could have expected that in just over a month, he would fall into such destitution that people dared not recognize him?

However, those four arrogant madmen from Setting Sun Academy proactively rose to greet him, so this little beggar must undoubtedly be the head Blue-Robed Guest.

After Wei Xun sat down as if no one else existed, Elder Huijue was about to greet him when he preempted, slightly cupping his hands and bowing around to all sides, saying concisely: “Today I am honored by the generous invitation of all sect leaders and gang heads, but Wei Da has arrived late, which is truly shameful. Time is pressing, so I won’t engage in empty formalities.”

Having said this, he swept his arm across, pushing all the bowls and dishes on the table in front of him to the ground with a clattering crash. Then he placed that dirty, bulging leather pouch on top.

“Setting Sun Academy has come from Guanzhong to Luoyang to make a living. By sentiment and reason, we should pay our respects to all the local elders one by one. Today, with this rare opportunity, Wei has specially brought some modest gifts, hoping all the leaders will accept them with a smile.”

As he spoke, he loosened the thin rope tied at the mouth of the leather pouch.

The three elders of White Camel Temple and Master Ziyang sitting beside him could smell an extremely heavy stench of blood drifting from that leather bag. All were startled, secretly wondering: Setting Sun Academy members have always been perverse – could he actually have taken someone’s head today?

Wei Xun acted as if he noticed nothing, reaching into the leather pouch to rummage around. He took out several thick stacks of long strip-shaped thick paper pieces and casually handed them to Huijue beside him. Those paper pieces were stained with bloodstains from inside the bag. Huijue frowned slightly and was reluctant to accept them, but when his gaze inadvertently swept over, he glimpsed that the writing on the paper pieces was actually Sanskrit carved with a knife. Looking more carefully, those paper pieces weren’t ordinary paper but were cut from leaves of particularly tough texture.

“Palm leaf scriptures!” The three elders exclaimed simultaneously. Huijue knew these scriptures were treasures transmitted from Tianzhu, the birthplace of Buddhism, and dared not be negligent, hurriedly receiving them respectfully with both hands.

Because Tianzhu had no papermaking technology, local monks were accustomed to copying Buddhist scriptures on these special pattra tree leaves. When Buddhism was transmitted to Central Plains during the Eastern Han Dynasty, it was also through these leaf scriptures that classics were recorded. However, as years passed and centuries of warfare intervened, the most original palm leaf scriptures from that time had long been scattered and lost, with few remaining in the world.

The three old monks were emotionally stirred. Carefully identifying the Sanskrit text above, they recognized it as the earliest version of the “Sutra of Forty-Two Chapters” transmitted to Central Plains – a unique copy. They couldn’t help but exclaim again in amazement. Elder Huiding could no longer contain himself and hurriedly asked: “May I ask Blue-Robed Guest, where did this treasure come from?”

Wei Xun’s expression was calm as he answered straightforwardly: “Meditation Martial Academy, from inside a foreign monk’s statue.”

At these words, the three elders’ originally delighted expressions instantly froze, then turned to deep suspicion and wariness.

Meditation Martial Academy was where White Camel Temple monks practiced martial arts and cultivation. Usually over a hundred martial monks resided there, with the temple’s most elite experts all gathered in this place. The Venerable Kashyapa Matanga who Gathered the Masses was one of the earliest high monks to carry palm leaf scriptures from Tianzhu to Central Land on a white camel. As a founder of White Camel Temple, his clay statue had always been enshrined in the Buddha Hall of Meditation Martial Academy.

Since the Eastern Han Dynasty, White Camel Temple had endured countless wars. If previous monks had hidden the palm leaf scriptures inside Kashyapa Matanga’s statue to prevent the treasures from being destroyed by war, that would be reasonable. However, for an outsider to evade the ears and eyes of hundreds of martial monks and extract scriptures from inside the statue was nearly impossible, simply unbelievable.

These several volumes of palm leaf scriptures appeared to be generous gifts at first glance, but thinking carefully, they were more of an extremely high-profile intimidation.

The source of the disaster stemmed from the anomaly of Guanyin shedding tears.

After dealing with Shen Dexian, Wei Xun examined all the Buddha statues one by one, including the Guanyin statue in Changqiu Temple, but found no mechanisms. He connected this to Master Duanchen’s relationship with the ancestral temple, raised his whip and spurred his horse to White Camel Temple in the outskirts of Luoyang, sneaking into the temple to search. He didn’t find the person, but unexpectedly discovered hidden palm leaf scriptures inside a statue.

Though Wei Xun couldn’t read Sanskrit, seeing the scriptures’ special material and such secretive storage, he could deduce this was no ordinary item. Openly displaying it at Golden Wave Pavilion was intentional.

Others seeing this situation were all confused and puzzled. The people from Setting Sun Academy, seeing the strange expressions on the three elders’ faces, roughly guessed the scriptures’ origin and all revealed gloating smiles.

After Chen Shigu’s death from illness, Wei Xun was still young and couldn’t yet be called invincible under heaven. However, this person’s Mirage Steps had been practiced to perfection. In terms of stealth and hiding skills as a chivalrous thief, he could be called unrivaled in the world. Even the heavily guarded imperial palace could be entered and exited without a trace, as if in an uninhabited realm – how much more so a mere temple? The jianghu saying goes “thieves don’t leave empty-handed” – if he couldn’t find the person, casually taking some other things was just a matter of raising his hand.

After Wei Xun presented the palm leaf scriptures to the three elders, he turned expressionlessly toward Master Ziyang and said: “Mount Laojun is over two hundred li from Luoyang city. The Master has always been transcendent and aloof, yet this time you’ve taken the trouble to specially come to the city. You must have other important matters. Forgive Wei for being urgent about finding someone – in this haste, I don’t have any presentable greeting gifts. How about another day I’ll have Xu the Second personally visit Mount Laojun to pay respects and express apology.”

These words seemed humble and polite, but actually had deeper meaning. Dong Zhenzi had always been known in the jianghu for being sinister and ruthless. In the past, when he took a fancy to the territory of Mount Hua in the west, he actually used sparring matches as an excuse to drive away the West Hua Sect members on the mountain, forcibly occupying their gate. Blue-Robed Guest’s seemingly casual mention of “paying respects” actually harbored ill intentions.

Hearing this, Xu Baozhen slightly lowered his eyelids, a sinister smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. He had come from Guanzhong to Luoyang originally intending to find a blessed cave paradise to settle in. Thinking about it now, Mount Laojun was indeed a good choice.

Master Ziyang’s expression became increasingly grim as he said loudly: “Then this poor Taoist will respectfully await Master Dong Zhenzi Xu’s gracious visit.”

Wei Xun acted as if he hadn’t heard, continuing to rummage in the leather bag. This time, he took out a small white object, held it in his hand, and flicked it like a sleeve arrow toward Zhou Zi’an, head of Songyang Academy. Zhou Zi’an was also an expert who had been famous for a long time. His movements were extremely fast, and he caught it with a backhand, feeling the object made his fingers numb from vibration. Looking at it in his palm, it was just a piece of paper folded into a square shape.

Zhou Zi’an was puzzled and unfolded the paper, discovering it was a medicinal prescription. Frowning in confusion, he asked: “What is this?”

Wei Xun said lightly: “This is a greeting gift for Master Zhou – a prescription for your daughter’s postpartum recovery.”

Zhou Zi’an’s only daughter Zhou Shuying had married Wei Xiangrong, the gate master of Yique Gate. A month ago, she had just given birth to a baby. Wei Xiangrong was overjoyed at having a precious son and hosted a grand feast. All the secular sects present had received invitations. Though bearing a son was a joyous occasion, women’s childbirth was private family business. This recovery prescription must have been stolen from Wei Xiangrong’s inner quarters.

At these words, both Zhou Zi’an and Wei Xiangrong, father-in-law and son-in-law, stood up together, glaring furiously at Wei Xun. Wei Xiangrong was even more enraged, shouting loudly: “You, as a famous chivalrous hero of the jianghu, actually spied on my wife’s bedroom?!”

Wei Xun’s expression remained unchanged, completely indifferent: “If I hadn’t accidentally overheard a secret conversation between Gate Master Wei and your concubine, I wouldn’t have thought to look for the prescription. This prescription contains safflower, peach kernels, and leeches. Gate Master Wei’s scheming is much more vicious than your martial arts.”

Qiu Ren nearby heard this and couldn’t help exclaiming “Eh!” and saying: “These are all blood-activating and stasis-removing medicinal materials. Ordinary people can use them to disperse bruises after external injuries, but postpartum women have deficient qi and blood loss with weakened constitution. Eating these things would cause unstoppable bleeding!”

Wei Xun nodded slightly and continued: “Gate Master Wei’s purpose is exactly this. You said proudly to that concubine at night: ‘That cheap woman relies on her father being Zhou Zi’an, always showing off in front of me, really thinking I, Wei Bao, am easy to bully? This time is perfect for settling accounts after autumn, she’ll get what’s coming to her.’ Your concubine eagerly replied: ‘She’s already taken that prescription three times, why isn’t she dead yet?’ Gate Master Wei comforted: ‘What’s the rush? This kind of thing has to be done slowly. Doing it too obviously would be easily detected. Once she dies, the son is yours, and I am yours too…'”

Hearing his private bedroom conversation repeated word for word and spoken out in front of his father-in-law, Wei Xiangrong was both shocked and terrified, his face alternating between green and white. He roared in embarrassment and anger: “Stop fabricating nonsense! I, Wei Xiangrong, never said such things! That prescription must be forged!”

Wei Xun didn’t look at him, only gazing calmly at Zhou Zi’an: “Master Zhou, your daughter must have practiced martial arts and still has her foundation. Taking such potent medicine that causes unstoppable bleeding, she can barely endure it. Since she’s taken three doses, her condition should have three fluctuations.”

How could Zhou Zi’an not know his daughter had been plagued by postpartum illness, suffering unspeakably? Her mother had been staying at the Wei residence to care for her. Whenever Zhou Shuying’s condition fluctuated, someone would quickly ride to inform him. Now she was in critical danger. Wei Bao was Wei Xiangrong’s childhood name. Since Zhou Zi’an was the head of a major sect, he naturally had exceptional talent and insight. Combined with his daughter’s occasional complaints after marriage, he immediately guessed this matter was most likely true.

When the two families formed a marriage alliance years ago, for his only daughter’s dignity, Zhou Zi’an not only provided a large dowry but also supported his son-in-law in competing for the position of Yique Gate’s master. He never expected this person to be so shameless as to do such ungrateful deeds. His qi and blood surged with rage as he sternly rebuked: “You scoundrel with such vicious intentions!” Then he struck out with his palm in anger, directly attacking Wei Xiangrong.

Wei Xiangrong naturally wouldn’t sit there waiting for death, but didn’t dare openly fight back against an elder. He could only defend desperately while retreating. The father-in-law and son-in-law instantly turned against each other and fought together. Disciples of Songyang Academy and Yique Gate looked at each other in dismay, not knowing what to do. The great hall was again in chaos.

After Zhou Zi’an fought over ten moves with Wei Xiangrong in great anger, he suddenly remembered that heroes from all the major gangs and sects were watching such ugly family affairs, feeling even more ashamed and annoyed. He immediately suppressed his rage, waved his hand forcefully, and shouted to his disciples: “Leave! First go bring Shuying and the child back!”

Because of that prescription, Zhou Zi’an felt he had completely lost face, but exposing Wei Xiangrong as a sinister villain and saving his daughter’s life balanced things out. His feelings about Wei Xun’s actions were complex. He was unwilling to lower himself to thank him, but couldn’t say he bore a grudge either. He just turned back and cupped his hands toward Wei Xun’s direction, then hurriedly left with his followers.

Wei Xiangrong’s reputation was ruined. How could he have the face to continue staying at Golden Wave Pavilion? Like a homeless dog, he chased after his father-in-law Zhou Zi’an, presumably to face a storm of tribulation.

Setting Sun Academy acted mysteriously and had always been viewed as heretical by the jianghu. To find someone, they would use any means necessary, completely disregarding martial world morality and not caring about their notorious reputation. Blue-Robed Guest had such abilities to fly through heaven and burrow through earth, to hide his tracks and conceal his presence – who could guarantee that in walking the jianghu, they had never had a single stain or disgraceful deed?

At this time, seeing Wei Xun reach into the leather pouch again, everyone’s hearts were uneasy, feeling that unremarkable bag was the most dangerous weapon in the world, fearing that the next moment he would pull out evidence against their own families.

Wei Xun groped around in the leather pouch for a moment, then looked up to see Beggar Gang leader Gao Tai with a face like still water, looking this way. He seemed to have an realization and muttered to himself: “I haven’t closed my eyes for a long time, my mind is muddled, I actually forgot Chief Gao’s greeting gift – it won’t fit in the bag.”

The people from Setting Sun Academy watched with interest to see what interesting thing he would produce this time. They saw Wei Xun raise his hand and strike heavily on the wooden pillar beside him. With a muffled boom, the wooden pillar violently shook and the roof beams trembled accordingly. Then a black and shiny stick over five feet long fell from the beams into Wei Xun’s hand.

Looking closely, everyone couldn’t help but gasp – that stick was actually the Ebony Whistle, the inherited token passed down through generations of Beggar Gang. Gao Tai’s subordinate beggars immediately created an uproar upon seeing this. Gao Tai himself had expected this and the stone hanging in his heart finally sank into the abyss.

This whistle staff had extraordinary significance as a weapon that Beggar Gang leaders throughout history never left their sides. Even when sleeping, it would be placed beside the bed and carefully guarded. The material was made from ironwood from the far north, indestructible and able to resist various metal weapons. Now it had actually been stolen by Wei Xun and hidden in Golden Wave Pavilion’s roof beams.

When Gao Tai lost this object at night, he knew a powerful enemy had come. He understood clearly that if the other party hadn’t shown mercy, his head would probably already be in that leather bag. His face was ashen as he said through gritted teeth: “Gao’s skills are inadequate. Today, having experienced your excellency’s methods, I admit complete defeat. This object has never fallen into enemy hands before. Gao is too ashamed to face Beggar Gang’s predecessors. Since it has come to this, there’s no need to ask for it back.” After speaking, his eyes were full of grief and indignation.

Wei Xun said lightly: “You don’t want it? This is a good, long and straight stick.”

As he spoke, he casually waved the ebony whistle in his hand several times. In an instant, those lawless, arrogant eyes suddenly became gentle as water, as if he had fallen into some memory. He murmured softly: “It is a good stick, but it’s somewhat long for her to use. It needs to be shorter to be convenient to grip.”

Then he drew the Fish Intestine Sword from his waist. Amid everyone’s exclamations, his hand rose and the blade fell with a swish, cutting off two feet from this treasure that the world’s greatest sect had inherited for a hundred years.

Gao Tai watched helplessly as the Ebony Whistle was destroyed, as if struck by lightning. His hands trembled and his face became deathly pale, as if an arm had been cut off.

Wei Xun turned the remaining three feet of ebony wood twice more, seeming satisfied, and casually inserted it at his waist. Then he tossed the two-foot section of cut wood to Gao Tai, saying carelessly: “Master also once ground the Fish Intestine Sword from a short sword into a dagger, which didn’t prevent him from being invincible in life. Like those children with severed hands and feet, you can take this section and make do with it for now.”

The people from Setting Sun Academy had personally witnessed that scene and still felt regretful when recalling it. Now seeing Wei Xun’s perverse, intense, and unpredictable behavior, it was exactly like Chen Shigu of those days, revealing a kind of madness that made people’s blood run cold.

The heroes in Golden Wave Pavilion thought that after suffering such humiliation, Gao Tai would surely explode in fury. Who knew this usually domineering old jianghu veteran would actually swallow his anger, catching that two-foot piece of broken wood without saying a word. Seeing this, everyone speculated that Wei Xun had some evidence against him, and if he didn’t submit, he would probably end up with his reputation destroyed like Wei Xiangrong.

By now, Blue-Robed Guest had provoked each of the five largest sects that came to Golden Wave Pavilion today. Everyone understood clearly that to find Donkey-Riding Lady, apart from the distant Mount Laojun, he had already secretly investigated and swept through all the notable sects in Luoyang.

Wei Xun gazed at the high platform in the center of Golden Wave Pavilion, remembering when he had just arrived in Luoyang and watched singing and dancing here side by side with Baozhu – how happy and carefree that had been. However, it was his arrogance and conceit that had sent her onto the malicious city patrol treasure cart. Now, no matter what price he had to pay, he would find her.

He called out loudly: “Most of you have nothing to do with this matter, yet you agreed to gather together. You must have other purposes. That relic of Chen Shigu that could ‘overthrow the Great Tang and bring chaos to the world’ – you’re all quite curious about it, aren’t you?”

This time, he didn’t grope in the leather pouch again, but vigorously wiped his bloodstained hands on his body, then carefully and gently took out a lacquer box only seven inches in size from his bosom. That container was extremely magnificent, using gold and silver inlay techniques, decorated with seven treasures including gold foil, silver flakes, agate, glass, and giant clam shells, sparkling brilliantly. At a glance, one could tell it was definitely not an ordinary civilian object.

Hearing these words, Xu Baozhen frowned tightly, Qiu Ren made an “Eh?” sound, Tuoba Sanniang muttered “What madness is he having again,” and Luo Tuotuo also stopped his chopsticks. The Setting Sun Academy disciples knew that Chen Shigu’s troublesome dying words were completely fabricated, yet Wei Xun brought it up publicly again like this. All four were baffled.

Like being drawn by a magnet, all eyes in Golden Wave Pavilion focused uniformly on this small and exquisite lacquer box.