https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-412-One-Move-to-Break-Three-Swords/12536642/
Chapter 411: The Honest Monk and the Ties to Nameless Island
Chapter 411: The Honest Monk and the Ties to Nameless Island
Early the next morning, as Su Shaoying and Ouyang Qing made their way downstairs for breakfast, they spotted the Honest Monk squatting in a corner of the inn's lobby, holding a vegetarian bun and slurping porridge.
"Now that it's over, you decide to show up," Lu Xiaofeng said as he suddenly leaped down from the second floor, reaching out to grab the monk's shoulder.
But the Honest Monk dodged Lu Xiaofeng's grasp with a quick shrug, finishing the last mouthful of his porridge and stuffing the bun into his mouth. "It's pitiful that even when a monk is out seeking alms for a simple breakfast, someone tries to snatch it away," he mumbled.
"And you call yourself pitiful?" Lu Xiaofeng was amused. "What about when you treated me like an object to be delivered? Was that not pitiful too?"
The Honest Monk quickly devoured the bun in his hand, then his figure flickered as he made for the door. "A monk does what he does for your own good. You're always sticking your nose into other people's business, and there's plenty of that on Nameless Island."
"You call that mere busybody business?" Lu Xiaofeng pursued him. "A swordsman who's no less skilled than Ximen Chuixue, and a master who can match Yu Luosha—that's a death sentence!"
With his hands protecting his head, the Honest Monk scurried away, speaking as he ran. "The master of Nameless Island never leaves the island, and Jiuyou won't lay a hand on you. If you don't want to go, the Palace Master can't force you. What are you afraid of?"
"That girl is really a princess?" Lu Xiaofeng asked.
"Her surname is Gong, as in palace," the Honest Monk replied.
Su Shaoying raised an eyebrow. So the beef soup girl is really the Palace Master? Isn't her father surnamed Wu?
Well, Wu Ming is probably an alias.
Wu Ming, meaning nameless—a name that was just a code, useful for identification.
Su Shaoying's eyes sparkled as she laughed, "Let's be honest, Master. The force you represent—are they at odds with the Taiping Kingdom? That's why you're trying to drag Lu Xiaofeng into your scheme?"
"Amituofo!" The Honest Monk chanted a Buddhist invocation. "A monk merely performs good deeds and accumulates virtue."
The Honest Monk's intentions were clear. He was indeed trying to pull Lu Xiaofeng into the fray, but the people on Nameless Island were no saints either.
Su Shaoying and Lu Xiaofeng were well aware of this, especially after their recent assassination of Ouyang Yue and Jia Leshan in Jiangnan, and now their involvement in the dispute over the Luosha Token in Guanzhong. Their path was certainly not an honorable one.
Lu Xiaofeng rolled his eyes at the Honest Monk. "Who are you really working for?"
"A monk serves under the Buddha Sakyamuni," the Honest Monk answered, but then he sighed. "Nameless Island is not subordinate to the Taiping Kingdom. They are merely cooperating, but the Invisible Man is quite alluring."
Su Shaoying's eyes flickered as she suddenly thought of someone.
Yue Yang, the character who first appeared in Phoenix Dances the Nine Heavens, with his impressive strength, cunning, and willpower that seemed fit for a protagonist. Yet, after entering Nameless Island, he vanished, reduced to a mere plot device.
Unbelievable...
But that wasn't the main point. The focus was on the description of this Yue Yang, who was clearly a pampered young master, born into a life of luxury. The novel explicitly stated that if he gave up, he could return home and enjoy a life of wealth and prestige.
"So, if there are others from different kingdoms who want to join the Invisible Man, isn't that a good thing?" Su Shaoying laughed. "Look at Jiuyou as an example. Why would they want to stop others from joining their ranks?"
No matter which kingdom it was, having a super expert like Jiuyou would be a boon.
"But Nameless Island doesn't care about their background or status," the Honest Monk said, ignoring her question.
The Honest Monk nodded, 'The monk merely brought back a few hot-blooded youths who were carried away by their youthful fervor.'
Su Shaoying's eyebrows arched, and she understood, 'But by doing so, you're influencing Nameless Island's actions, or rather, their selection process?'
'Amitabha!' The Honest Monk placed his hands together and chanted a Buddhist invocation, tacitly acknowledging her words.
'So that's why you were blocked by the Palace Master,' Xue Bing realized, having heard about the encounter in the capital from Su Shaoying after her last meeting with the monk.
The Honest Monk had been intercepted by the Palace Master, who then demanded Lu Xiaofeng as compensation.
'I see,' Su Shaoying murmured, also understanding. She recalled how in the original story, Gong Jiu had captured the beef soup girl, likely due to this incident. It seemed the Honest Monk had some knowledge of Nameless Island, but he wasn't exactly an ally or an enemy.
As for the reason he eventually joined Nameless Island as an Invisible Man, claiming that he wanted to 'seize the day,' Su Shaoying found that hard to believe.
If the Honest Monk couldn't see through that, then he wouldn't be the Honest Monk.
Su Shaoying turned to the monk, thinking that either the power behind him had compromised, joined, or failed, or he was merely pretending and had another motive.
However, Su Shaoying's conversation with the Honest Monk startled the others.
Lu Xiaofeng blurted out, 'This Nameless Island is so formidable that they dare to involve the princes and princesses of various ducal mansions?'
Even Shaolin Temple and Mount Wudang, which had no dealings with the ducal mansions and only followed the emperor's decrees, would never dare to be disrespectful to the heirs of those mansions, let alone train them as assassins.
Was Nameless Island really that audacious?
Not just Lu Xiaofeng, but even Ouyang Qing and Xue Bing were shocked speechless.
'Those heirs volunteer themselves, and Nameless Island is far out at sea, with the Invisible Men moving stealthily,' the Honest Monk shook his head and sighed, 'The affairs of the court are separate from those of the martial arts world.'
Upon hearing this, Hua Manlou finally understood, and he frowned as he said, 'So when it comes to Nameless Island's actions, those ducal mansions can only turn to you for help.'
'Not just me,' the Honest Monk said, 'Mount Lao Sect, Golden Knife Sect, Huainan Eagle Claw Sect, and Jiangnan Thunder Hall are also involved.'
The sects the Honest Monk mentioned were all top-notch in the martial arts world. While they might not be as influential as Shaolin, Wudang, or Emei, they were still qualified to collaborate with various ducal mansions.
For example, Mount Lao Sect was an ally of Duke De.
Ouyang Qing asked, 'Was Ouyang Yue's death also related to this?'
'The monk doesn't know,' the Honest Monk shook his head. He wasn't truly a part of Nameless Island, so his knowledge was limited.
But through his words, they finally gained some insight into the nature and modus operandi of Nameless Island.
'One last question,' Lu Xiaofeng asked, 'Just how powerful is the master of Nameless Island?'
As the Honest Monk started to leave, he replied, 'If you can't defeat Yu Luosha, it's best not to venture out to Nameless Island.'
(End of Chapter)
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