https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-385-Su-Shaoying-and-Hua-Manlou-Here-for-the-Spectacle/12536615/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-387-The-Black-Tiger-Clan-Strikes/12536617/
Chapter 386: News Brought by Sikong Zodiac
Chapter 386: News Brought by Sikong Zodiac
"A few murders took place here three days ago." Sikong Zodiac said, "The young master of the Western Demon Sect was among those killed that night. Care to guess who the murderer is?"
"Of course, it's Lu Xiaofeng. Who else could it be?" Su Shaoying replied nonchalantly.
"But why would the young master of the Western Demon Sect show up here?" Hua Manlou asked.
"Well, it's obvious that he preferred the comforts of the Central Plains over the desolation of the Western Regions," Sikong Zodiac laughed. "Too bad he never anticipated that his father would die around the same time."
"Yue Luocheng is dead?" Hua Manlou inquired, seeking clarification. "What exactly happened? Can you explain?"
"Yue Luocheng's son, Yu Tianbao, showed up in Longyou some days ago, flaunting the Luocheng Plaque. He then made his way to Guanzhong and indulged himself in the Silver Hook Gambling House, a den of vice," Sikong Zodiac narrated.
"Soon after, news arrived from the Western Regions of Yue Luocheng's demise. In her will, she decreed that on the seventh day of the first lunar month next year, the Western Demon Sect followers would assemble at the Grand Enlightenment Realm on the peak of Mount Kunlun to elect a new leader using the Luocheng Plaque," Sikong Zodiac continued.
"Just over a fortnight ago, Yu Tianbao lost all his money at the Silver Hook Gambling House and pawned the Luocheng Plaque to the boss, Blue Beard. Then, Blue Beard's four wives stole the plaque," Sikong Zodiac said.
Hua Manlou, puzzled, asked, "Blue Beard is a formidable figure capable of running the Silver Hook Gambling House. How could he be betrayed by his four wives, and how did they manage to steal such a valuable item so easily?"
"Heroism crumbles before beauty," Sikong Zodiac chuckled. "Blue Beard took a new wife and divorced his four concubines. The scorned women, in their anger, stole the Luocheng Plaque and fled."
"What are these women like? Are they beautiful?" Hua Manlou asked.
"They are said to be the sisters of Fang Yufly," Sikong Zodiac replied. "Fang Yufly is a pretty boy, so naturally, his sisters would be beautiful."
Hua Manlou muttered, "Fang Yufly..."
"Three days ago, Fang Yufly brought Lu Xiaofeng to the Silver Hook Gambling House. That very night, Yu Tianbao was murdered, along with several others. Eyewitnesses claimed that Lu Xiaofeng was the perpetrator," Sikong Zodiac said.
"This is obviously a trap set by someone with malicious intent." Hua Manlou turned to Su Shaoying. "As you suspected."
Su Shaoying asked Sikong Zodiac, "Was it Fang Yufly?"
"Indeed. It was a trap set by Blue Beard and Fang Yufly. They feared the Western Demon Sect would come knocking for the Luocheng Plaque, so they devised this scheme to enlist Lu Xiaofeng's help in retrieving it," Sikong Zodiac explained further.
Hua Manlou scoffed, "This doesn't seem like a very polite way to ask for help."
"However, Lu Xiaofeng had no choice but to agree because the Three Friends of Winter had already pinned the blame for Yu Tianbao's death on him," Sikong Zodiac said. "If Lu Xiaofeng failed to retrieve the Luocheng Plaque, they would kill him."
"The Three Friends of Winter—the solitary pine, the withered bamboo, and the winter plum," Hua Manlou said. "They became famous in the martial arts world forty years ago and retired to a cave in Mount Kunlun twenty years ago. I didn't expect them to still be alive."
"Not only are they still alive, but they've also been inducted into the Western Demon Sect by Yue Luocheng, holding a position just below her in the sect's hierarchy," Sikong Zodiac said. "This also explains why they value the Luocheng Plaque so highly. If they were solely focused on avenging Yu Tianbao, Lu Xiaofeng would already be dead."
Hua Manlou curled his lips in a slight smile, while Su Shaoying remained silent, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
Although Sikong Zodiac had his fair share of secrets and was often manipulated by others, he was a simple man at heart. He willingly played the role of a tool, never delving too deeply into matters. Coupled with his tight-lipped and loyal nature...
He was the perfect tool.
"Do you know where they're headed?" Hua Manlou asked.
"North, to a desolate and frigid land beyond the pass. The exact location is unknown," Sikong Zodiac answered.
Hua Manlou sighed, "And you just happen to be unaware of this most crucial piece of information."
Sikong Zodiac cried out in protest, "It's impressive that I know as much as I do! Go ahead and ask anyone else in this town, and see how much they know!"
"How much do they know?" Su Shaoying questioned.
"They only know that Yu Tianbao died here and that the Luocheng Plaque has gone missing," Sikong Zodiac said with a cold laugh. "That's why all these people harboring dreams of becoming the leader of the Western Demon Sect have gathered here."
"Do they not know that Blue Beard's four wives stole the Luocheng Plaque?" Hua Manlou asked.
"That's confidential information," Sikong Zodiac stated.
"Yet, you know about it," Su Shaoying pointed out.
"Because I am Sikong Zodiac," he replied proudly.
Sikong Zodiac, the King of Thieves, unmatched in his light-footedness and ever-changing, found it effortless to uncover secrets.
"Aside from the destination, which only Blue Beard, Fang Yufly, and a few others are aware of, there are some confidants of Blue Beard within the Silver Hook Gambling House who know about the recent events," Sikong Zodiac explained.
In the original story, after being wrongfully accused, Lu Xiaofeng had indeed discovered the secret room where Blue Beard and Fang Yufly were hiding, along with two of Blue Beard's henchmen.
"How dare they offend Blue Beard and the Western Demon Sect?" Su Shaoying asked.
"Wealth tempts the heart, even more so when it involves the Western Demon Sect," Sikong Zodiac replied.
He continued with a hearty laugh, "On the seventh day of the first lunar month, all one needs to do is arrive at the Grand Enlightenment Realm on Mount Kunlun with the Luocheng Plaque, and they will ascend to the position of the Western Demon Sect's leader. At that time, wealth, power, and beauties will be within their grasp. Who could remain unmoved by such prospects?"
Su Shaoying had always been curious about this very point. "What makes them so confident that they, as outsiders, can gain the recognition of the entire Western Demon Sect simply by holding the Luocheng Plaque?"
"Because it was Yue Luocheng's last will and testament," Sikong Zodiac explained. "Yue Luocheng's influence shook the foundations of the Demon Sect for decades, and no one dared to defy her. If anyone were to go against her wishes, they would surely be targeted by the rest of the sect."
"With the Demon Sect's members keeping each other in check, it's better to establish a puppet leader," Hua Manlou added. "As for whether they will be content to remain puppets or gain the ability to control the sect in the future, that's a matter for another day."
Su Shaoying nodded, drawing a parallel to certain departments where leaders were parachuted in. That was why, in the original story, Jia Leshan had shown interest in the jade plaque, believing that with his capabilities, he could control the Western Demon Sect without Yue Luocheng. On the other hand, Li Xia lacked such confidence.
However, the greed displayed by some of the martial artists who had received this information was purely driven by their avarice.
"The Western Demon Sect doesn't have many members in this town. Those left behind by the Three Friends of Winter are here to await news," Sikong Zodiac explained. "There's another group that has been keeping an eye on the Silver Hook Gambling House, and they suspect that Blue Beard has the Luocheng Plaque."
(End of Chapter)
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