https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-270-He-Xiu-Muddies-the-Waters-Again/12536451/
Chapter 269: The Big Boss Appears
Chapter 269: The Big Boss Appears
If there were still many uncertainties from their first meeting yesterday, the events that followed—Hu Tianqing's display of strength, Ximen Chuixue's unexpected retreat, and the two assassination attempts on Duguyihe—provided ample food for speculation.
Despite the lack of concrete evidence, Lu Xiaofeng and Duguyihe had yet to establish trust, and with Hu Tianqing's impeccable reputation, Lu Xiaofeng harbored no suspicions towards him, just as he didn't in the original story.
However, Duguyihe was a different matter. Anyone who had cheated death twice in one night would inevitably view things differently afterward.
At the very least, he was now more receptive to Su Shaoying's words and had also begun to suspect Hu Xiu.
Su Shaoying's insights, however, could only be shared with Duguyihe and not Lu Xiaofeng.
But Duguyihe still had questions.
"If Hu Xiu is the leader of Qingyilou, then Hu Tianqing should be aware of his existence. Otherwise, why would he remain unperturbed by Qingyilou's involvement in this matter?"
"That, I don't know," Su Shaoying spread his hands, "This question can only be answered by Hu Tianqing or Hu Xiu themselves."
Duguyihe turned to Su Shaoying, "You seem to have already concluded that Hu Xiu is the culprit?"
Su Shaoying met his gaze, "Isn't it strange that he hasn't shown up even once throughout all this?"
Duguyihe furrowed his brows, "He's always been mysterious in his ways, even in the past."
"All the more reason to be suspicious of such a person, don't you think?" Su Shaoying pressed.
Duguyihe was left speechless. Su Shaoying's arguments were indeed logical, leaving him with no counterargument.
However...
Duguyihe knitted his brows in thought, then spoke in a low voice, "Actually, there's something you don't know yet."
Su Shaoying asked casually, "What is it?"
"Of course, it's about how he earned the title of the richest man in the world," Duguyihe replied.
Su Shaoying spun around, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Seeing the astonished look on Su Shaoying's face, Duguyihe patted him on the shoulder with a satisfied smile and strolled away, "You're still young, and there's much you don't know yet. Of course, this has nothing to do with the fact that he might have his eyes on me."
Su Shaoying's eyes flickered, feeling that he had finally touched upon a secret that was not revealed in the original story.
Hu Xiu's secret was unknown to Hu Tianqing and Lu Xiaofeng, but Duguyihe was likely to be in the know.
"Can you tell me?" Su Shaoying asked eagerly.
Duguyihe, with his left hand resting on his sword hilt and his right hand stroking his beard, replied as he walked, "Wait until this matter is concluded. If your guess is correct, I'll tell you then."
"Deal!"
Su Shaoying nodded, intrigued by the enigmatic nature of the conversation.
When the two returned to Tianquan Temple, Ma Xiuzhen and the other three women were just about to leave.
"Where are you girls off to?" Duguyihe asked.
"Third Sister here has traveled in the North before and knows the famous scenic spots. She offered to show us around," one of them replied.
The 'Third Sister' they referred to was Ye Xiuzhu.
Duguyihe nodded in understanding. The three heroes and four beauties of Emei were no greenhouse flowers. Despite their young age, they had already experienced the ways of the jianghu.
"Go ahead, but be careful," Duguyihe said, unconcerned for their safety as he knew that the mastermind's target was him.
Then he heard Su Shaoying ask, "Since Ye Xiumei has traveled in the North, has she ever met Yan Boss or Hu Tianqing, or at least heard of their reputations?"
Ye Xiuzhu shook her head honestly, "I've never met them. What kind of reputation are you referring to?"
"The relationship between Yan Boss and Hu Tianqing, for example," Su Shaoying explained.
Ye Xiuzhu thought for a moment, "Yan Tie... Yan Boss's reputation is quite polarizing. Some say he's stingy and tight-fisted, while others claim he's generous to a fault.
The sword light was as swift as lightning, piercing the evening sky.
In the blink of an eye, it was gone, leaving only a fleeting afterimage.
The assassin had clearly been biding their time, gathering their spirit, energy, and focus to strike at the moment their target was at their most relaxed, unleashing a pinnacle sword strike.
Even when the sword was still five feet away, the fierce and sharp changes in the sword technique had already sealed off all escape routes for the target.
Midway through the strike, a smile of satisfaction appeared on the face of the man in Qingyi. He was confident that no one could dodge this sword strike. Not only Su Shaoying, but even the renowned Ximen Chuixue would be unable to escape.
However, his smile froze as he realized that the person his sword was aimed at had suddenly vanished from his sight.
The man in Qingyi's heart skipped a beat, his expression shifting from surprise to determination. With a slight push off his toes, he redirected his sword, causing it to slice through the air just below the tree, and then he leaped into the air once more, intending to flee.
Su Shaoying's eyes flickered with indecision for a moment before he abruptly drew his sword.
On the surface, he executed the Liuxu Sword Technique of the Emei Sect, but within those movements, he incorporated the changes of the Tian Shan Wind and Snow Seventy-Two Forms and the Returning Wind and Dancing Willow Sword's Seventy-Seven Forty-Nine Hands.
With four successive sword points, the man in Qingyi let out a painful cry. He felt his body lighten, and then his limbs went numb as he fell powerlessly to the ground.
Su Shaoying had severed the meridians in his hands and feet with four precise strikes.
"Qingyi Pavilion?" Su Shaoying asked.
Knowing that it might be futile, he still lifted the man and demanded, "Who sent you here?"
Fear flashed in the man's eyes as he looked at Su Shaoying, and he seemed to want to speak, but he knew nothing.
Just from his expression, Su Shaoying could tell that this man had no information to offer, so he dragged him toward Duguyihe's room.
"Master?" Su Shaoying called out as he reached the door of Duguyihe's room.
He saw Duguyihe sitting at a table, with two teacups placed before him. Across from him sat a short, elderly man clad in coarse linen.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
