https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-342-Celestial-Immortal-Appears-Once-More/12536560/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-344-At-the-Peak-of-the-Purple-Forbidden-City/12536564/
Chapter 343: Ye Gucheng, the Master Actor
Chapter 343: Ye Gucheng, the Master Actor
Ye Gucheng had arranged for his final battle with Ximen Chuixue to take place at the pinnacle of the Forbidden Purple City.
This battle would attract a large number of martial artists and also draw away most of the imperial guards from the palace.
Ye Gucheng pretended to be poisoned and arranged for a body double to take his place, knowing that Ximen Chuixue would never take advantage of an opponent in such a state. Thus, his double would never be exposed.
Meanwhile, he seized the opportunity to infiltrate the emperor's bedroom, slaughter the imperial guards, and assassinate the emperor, allowing the crown prince of Pingnan Kingdom to take his place.
However, he had not consulted the Tang Clan about this plan. Tang Tianzong, driven by his thirst for revenge, saw through the body double, and the astute Lu Xiaofeng deciphered his scheme, saving the emperor.
Therefore...
Su Shaoying was certain that Ye Gucheng's sword strike against Tang Tianyi was a calculated move. The time and distance he allowed Tang Tianyi were just enough for the latter to hit his chest.
Undoubtedly, Ye Gucheng was wearing a steel plate or a suit of golden silk armor underneath his clothes, which blocked Tang Tianyi's poisonous sand.
At this moment, Ye Gucheng's departing strides remained steady, and many thought he was forcing himself to walk. But Su Shaoying knew that he wasn't poisoned at all and was simply walking normally.
...
"I never thought that the renowned Lord of Baiyun City would fall to the poisonous sand of the Tang Clan," Fang Yfei said, watching Tang Tianyi collapse and Ye Gucheng walk away. A pleased smile appeared on his face.
He had also figured out that the Honest Monk and Su Shaoying weren't here for the Luocha Plaque but to witness the battle between Ye Gucheng and Tang Tianyi.
Although Tang Tianyi's reputation wasn't as great as Ye Gucheng's or Ximen Chuixue's, the might of the Tang Clan far surpassed that of Baiyun City and Wanmei Manor. Moreover, Tang Tianyi's identity as the young master of the clan was not to be underestimated.
The fact that these two great masters had ended their battle in a mutually destructive fashion greatly pleased Fang Yfei.
Thus, his gaze toward the second floor of the inn softened, as there was no need to change their original plan since the situation remained unchanged.
On the other hand, Su Shaoying sighed and then winked at Ma Xiuzhen.
Ma Xiuzhen's heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly understood, "So he is..."
"Yes, he is!" Su Shaoying nodded.
But Ma Xiuzhen still had doubts, "But why did he come to Zhangjiakou instead of staying in Lingnan?"
Su Shaoying smiled slightly, "Didn't you hear what Ye Gucheng just said?"
"I understand now!" Ma Xiuzhen exclaimed, "The Nanhaijian Group conspired against Ye Gucheng, but Tang Tianyi was friends with the island owner of Tiannan Island and even gave him a poisonous thistle. That's why Ye Gucheng shifted his anger toward him."
Su Shaoying also smiled, surprised that Ye Gucheng had come up with a different reason this time. He wondered if it had something to do with his own presence here.
The Honest Monk understood the latter half of the sentence but not the first half. However, he would never ask about it.
So, after finishing the last noodle in his bowl, the Honest Monk performed a respectful bow to Su Shaoying and Ma Xiuzhen before getting up to leave.
Su Shaoying watched him go without trying to stop him, as he had no reason to do so.
The Honest Monk wasn't part of Ye Gucheng's group; otherwise, he wouldn't have helped Lu Xiaofeng during the 'Before and After the Battle' storyline. However, he had indeed come to Zhangjiakou to witness the battle between Ye Gucheng and Tang Tianyi and then spread the news to the capital.
Why?
Was it because other royal clans had also secretly opened betting shops for this battle?
Was the money that Gu Qingfeng from the Baiyun Observatory used to buy Li Yanbei's business, which amounted to one million, nine hundred and fifty thousand taels of silver, related to the forces backing the Honest Monk?
...
The Honest Monk left.
Li Xia and her four companions, along with Li Shentong, quickly exited the inn and departed in their carriage.
Fang Yfei bid farewell to Su Shaoying and departed as well.
As for Chu Chu, she never made an appearance from start to finish.
In the blink of an eye, the once crowded Zhangjiakou now only had Su Shaoying and Ma Xiuzhen remaining.
"Where are we going now?" Ma Xiuzhen asked, looking at Su Shaoying. "Are we heading to the capital?"
Su Shaoying said, "Ye Gucheng is, after all, a friend of Lu Xiaofeng. Now that he's been struck by the Tang Clan's poisonous sand, we ought to at least see him off."
Ma Xiuzhen, "...'
Then, Su Shaoying stood up, pulling Ma Xiuzhen with him, and using his light martial arts skills, he swiftly chased after Ye Gucheng.
"Lord Ye!" Su Shaoying called out.
Ye Gucheng turned abruptly, facing the rapidly approaching Su Shaoying, and coldly asked, "What do you want?"
"I have some antidotes with me. Lord Ye, would you like to apply some medicine?" Su Shaoying smiled. "I have some knowledge of detoxification and healing. May I take a look at your wound?"
"There's no need." Ye Gucheng replied indifferently. "I wasn't poisoned."
"But you clearly..." Ma Xiuzhen pointed at Ye Gucheng's chest, where the white fabric was speckled with black sand.
"It's just a bit of dust." Ye Gucheng said coldly. "Why would I need medicine for that?"
This move was all about creating a sense of uncertainty, using the 'protest too much' tactic by denying being poisoned while displaying signs of it, only to conceal the fact that he wasn't poisoned at all through a clever deception.
To be honest, this move was ingeniously executed. If it weren't for Tang Tianzong inadvertently exposing the body double's identity, even Lu Xiaofeng might not have figured it out at the last moment.
Su Shaoying, of course, wouldn't expose Ye Gucheng, so he nodded and said, "In that case, my junior sister and I will accompany Lord Ye back to the capital."
"I'm not returning to the capital." Ye Gucheng kept them at a distance, his tone cold. "After killing someone, I just want to be alone."
That was a clear dismissal.
Su Shaoying went with the flow and said, "In that case, we won't disturb you."
Thus, Ye Gucheng walked ahead.
Su Shaoying and Ma Xiuzhen followed behind.
"Are we just going to follow him like this?" Ma Xiuzhen asked.
"Ye Gucheng is, after all, a friend of Lu Xiaofeng. Now that he's suffering from a severe poison, we can't just leave him. We should at least escort him on his final journey and show our sincerity," Su Shaoying said.
Ye Gucheng, "..."
The next moment, Ye Gucheng glanced to the side and then, with a swoosh, he leaped forward using his light martial arts skills and disappeared at the end of the alley.
Ma Xiuzhen exclaimed, "Lord Ye's martial arts are truly remarkable. Even after being struck by the Tang Clan's poisonous sand, his movements are unaffected."
Su Shaoying nodded and then looked at a white-haired, hunchbacked old man in the alley. He smiled and asked, "Is Lord Ye's 'Celestial Fairy' technique even more remarkable than Lu Xiaofeng's?"
The hunchbacked elder looked at Su Shaoying in surprise, his expression confused.
Su Shaoying nodded solemnly, "I'm asking you, Granny Sun."
(End of Chapter)
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