https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-274-A-Single-Slip-in-Huo-Xiu-s-Meticulous-Plan/12536455/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-276-Huo-Xiu-I-m-Here-to-Send-You-Off/12536457/
Chapter 275: Entering the Small Pavilion, Preparing to Face the Boss
Chapter 275: Entering the Small Pavilion, Preparing to Face the Boss
"Everyone is here... or not, we're still missing someone."
Su Shaoying exclaimed, then immediately turned to Lu Xiaofeng and asked, "Where's Ximen Chuixue? You sacrificed your eyebrows to invite him out of seclusion, and he only killed a few of Yan Boss's men? That seems like a waste of talent."
"Even if Huo Tianqing wasn't worthy of his intervention, what about Huo Xiu, who has cultivated the Pure Youth Technique to perfection? Surely he deserves Ximen's sword. Otherwise, you shaved your beard for nothing." Su Shaoying blinked as he spoke.
The Tianqin Sect disciples turned their heads and glared at Su Shaoying.
"Or did you mess up the whole thing? Were you used as a murder weapon, and he's too ashamed to be associated with you, so he returned to the Wanmei Manor alone?"
Su Shaoying paid no heed to the anger of the Tianqin Sect disciples. He continued to stroke his chin, clicking his tongue, "The way this has turned out, it feels a bit anticlimactic..."
Lu Xiaofeng wished he could sew Su Shaoying's mouth shut.
Not far away, Zhu Ting looked at Su Shaoying with bright eyes and turned to Hua Manlou, "Who is this guy? I quite like him."
Hua Manlou smiled, "He's Su Shaoying, one of the four talented ones of Emei, also known as Su Erxia. He's an interesting fellow."
Zhu Ting nodded, "I can tell. There aren't many who can make that big oaf eat his words. I've never seen anyone do it before."
Shangguan Xue'er was eager to join in, "Lu Xiaofeng is my little cousin. Watch how I help him regain his footing here."
While this group was indifferent to the situation, Ma Xiuzhen and the other two women didn't have the same composure as Su Shaoying and Duguyi He. When they saw Huo Tianqing, they erupted.
"Huo Tianqing, you bastard! Return my Shijie's life!" Shixue Xue shouted, her sword leaving its sheath as she prepared to charge at Huo Tianqing. However, Ma Xiuzhen grabbed her, holding her back.
Huo Tianqing turned and saw that the Four Talents of Emei had become three; Ye Xiu Zhu was missing.
Ma Xiuzhen had also figured it out, her sword drawn and pointed at Huo Tianqing, "You knew that when Lu Xiaofeng discovered the fake Jinpeng King, Ye Xiuzhu would be exposed. Despite her trust in you, you abandoned her!"
Sun Xiuqing also drew her sword but looked at Duguyi He. With the presence of the Emei Sect leader, they couldn't act recklessly, which was why Ma Xiuzhen had stopped Shixue Xue.
Huo Tianqing remained expressionless as the Tianqin Sect disciples were shocked.
Shanxi Yan and Jinbei Shuangxiu's gazes towards Huo Tianqing were complex. Having joined the sect earlier, they had practically watched Huo Tianqing grow up and couldn't believe he was capable of such actions.
Not only had he betrayed and secretly plotted against Yan Tieshan, but he had also become involved with a female disciple of the Emei Sect and caused her death.
It was true that Ye Xiuzhu was a traitor of the Emei Sect, but ultimately, the blame would fall on Huo Tianqing.
Huo Tianqing looked at Duguyi He, and the Emei Sect leader returned his gaze.
"I'm going to kill Huo Xiu," Huo Tianqing said.
"You can't kill him," Duguyi He replied calmly.
Huo Tianqing's lips twitched, and he pushed open the door in front of him and walked inside.
Shanxi Yan's eyes flickered; he was an old hand at this. Knowing the terror that was Huo Xiu, he couldn't just stand by and watch the only son of the sect's founder walk to his death, so he followed him inside.
As for Fan Da, Jian Er, and the Seven Heroes of the Marketplace, who valued the sect's gratitude and righteousness above all else, it went without saying that they would join as well.
Lu Xiaofeng, of course, wouldn't miss out on such a scene.
After seeing Hua Manlou and Zhu Ting enter the pavilion, Su Shaoying casually strolled in as well.
He Xiu's secret chamber was also underground, similar in design to Wei Wuya's rat hole, but the way he sealed off the pavilion in the end was not as thorough as Wei Wuya's, as he still intended to return and collect the reward from Lu Xiaofeng.
That was why Zhu Ting was able to get out.
Su Shaoying was also confident in his abilities, but it was better to save effort when possible. Zhu Ting was so chubby that some exercise would do him good.
"With such a large organization as the Qingyi Tower, He Xiu didn't leave any ambushes along the way?" Su Shaoying asked.
"While the Qingyi Tower has a large number of members, there aren't actually that many experts within the organization. Even Tie Mian Pan Guan and Gou Hun Shou had their portraits displayed in the first tower," Hua Manlou explained as he walked alongside Su Shaoying.
"How do you know that?" Su Shaoying asked.
Hua Manlou replied indifferently, "If the Qingyi Tower had many experts, why would He Xiu need to find Lu Xiaofeng to kill Ling Shi and Yan Tieshan?"
His reasoning was flawless and undeniable.
Su Shaoying's opinion of He Xiu dropped even further. He was not at all on the same level as Shangguan Jinhong. Even if he wanted to kill Lu Xiaofeng in the end, he didn't dare to make a move himself, instead choosing to imprison himself in a cage and try to starve Lu Xiaofeng to death.
"So He Xiu didn't need to send anyone else to their deaths," Su Shaoying said. "But how did He Tianqing know that He Xiu was still in this pavilion?"
Hua Manlou's expression turned slightly sad. "Because after He Xiu sent Shangguan Feiyan's body to the Zhuguang Baoqige, he returned to this pavilion and never left again."
As they spoke, they had already passed through the corridor, stairs, and underground passage leading to the pavilion.
"I never expected He Xiu to have dug out such a large cave here. Could this be the legendary first tower of the Qingyi?" Ma Xiuzhen asked in disbelief.
Unlike in the original story, this was Hua Manlou's first time entering the pavilion as well. However, he didn't seem surprised and instead turned to Duguyi He, "What do you think, Sect Master Duguyi?"
Duguyi He's voice was deep and low as he said, "He didn't build the first tower of the Qingyi here to deal with Yan Tieshan."
"It must have taken several years to build this place. He certainly wouldn't have anticipated this day back then," Hua Manlou sighed. "Perhaps he was just too envious of Yan Tieshan."
Duguyi He looked at Hua Manlou, his eyes flashing, and then nodded, "But that's still not a reason for him to want to kill the two of us."
Hua Manlou nodded, "Indeed, it's not."
As they spoke, they had already exited the tunnel and arrived in the mountain's belly.
In the middle of the mountain's belly was a small stone platform, on which lay a worn-out grass mat. An old man with a short stature, bare feet, and a plain robe sat cross-legged on the mat, warming some wine.
"He Xiu!" He Tianqing glared at He Xiu, his eyes full of hatred.
He Xiu finally lifted his head, his gaze sweeping across He Tianqing, Lu Xiaofeng, and Duguyi He, before settling momentarily on Su Shaoying, "I never expected that you would finally show some intelligence at the very end."
He Tianqing's fists clenched tightly, and although he wanted nothing more than to punch He Xiu to death, he asked the question that had been weighing on his mind, "When did you start targeting me?"
He Xiu poured himself a cup of wine and smiled gently, "Of course, it was when you set your sights on the Zhuguang Baoqige."
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
