https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-417-Another-Bet-with-Lu-Xiaofeng/12536647/
Chapter 416: A Game of Mutual Destruction
Chapter 416: A Game of Mutual Destruction
"Never heard of it," Su Shaoying blatantly lied with a straight face.
"I've heard of it, how could you not have?" Lu Xiaofeng took another sip of wine and narrowed his eyes at Su Shaoying. "You're beating around the bush. Tell me, do you have any connection to this organization?"
Instead of answering, Su Shaoying turned the tables and asked, "How did you come to know about the Ghost Villa?"
"I heard about it from a friend," Lu Xiaofeng replied.
Su Shaoying nodded. "Go find that friend of yours. He's the big boss of the Ghost Villa."
Hua Manlou couldn't help but laugh, while Lu Xiaofeng slammed his hand on the table and exclaimed, "Nonsense! His martial arts skills may be impressive on Dongting Lake, but in the jianghu, he's only second-rate. How could he possibly be the mastermind behind the Ghost Villa?"
Hua Manlou explained, "A few years ago, Zhao Tong made an enemy who sought revenge. But before this enemy could find him, he discovered a contract by his bedside—offering him protection for 100,000 taels of silver."
"Did he sign it?" Su Shaoying asked.
"He did," Lu Xiaofeng confirmed.
Hua Manlou continued, "Fortunately, he didn't have to use that contract. His enemy was killed by someone else on their way to take revenge."
Su Shaoying was speechless. He hadn't expected the Ghost Villa to have such a slip-up. "Didn't the Ghost Villa silence the enemy to cover their tracks?"
"No," Hua Manlou replied calmly. "The Ghost Villa only revealed its name and approximate location, so he managed to escape death by a fluke."
"Where is it?" Su Shaoying asked.
"In the mountains of Jiangxi," Hua Manlou answered.
"He didn't use the Ghost Villa's services, but did they refund his money?" Su Shaoying inquired.
Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou fell silent, clearly not having expected this question. More importantly, they couldn't answer it because they hadn't thought to ask that question themselves.
"The point isn't about refunds," Lu Xiaofeng said. "The point is that the Ghost Villa has the ability to save people who would otherwise be dead."
"Like who?"
"Like Gu Feiyun."
"The heir to the Bashan Sword Master?" Su Shaoying's eyebrows arched. "I heard he died under Ximen Chuixue's sword three years ago."
"He didn't die then," Hua Manlou said calmly. "He only died last month."
"Impressive," Su Shaoying nodded. "To be able to save someone from Ximen Chuixue's sword is truly remarkable and virtuous."
"Virtuous?" Lu Xiaofeng interjected. "What about the fact that Gu Feiyun slept with his friend's wife and killed the friend's son who stumbled upon the scene?"
"So Ximen Chuixue was tricked into killing the wrong person? That's..." Su Shaoying trailed off, at a loss for words.
Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou stared at Su Shaoying, with Lu Xiaofeng goading, "Don't be scared. Go ahead and say those two words."
Su Shaoying shot Lu Xiaofeng a sidelong glance. "You're the scaredy-cat here. If you've got the guts, you say it."
Lu Xiaofeng remained silent.
Hua Manlou laughed and said, "Gu Feiyun escaped from the Ghost Villa last month, and before he died, he met a Wudang disciple and passed on a message."
"What message?" Su Shaoying asked.
"This organization is planning something earth-shattering," Hua Manlou revealed.
"Are they planning a rebellion too?" Su Shaoying inquired.
Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou nearly choked on their drinks. "Rebellion? Do you think usurping the throne is as easy as eating and drinking? Whatever the Ghost Villa is planning is likely aimed at the major powers in the jianghu," Lu Xiaofeng explained.
Hua Manlou added, "After Gu Feiyun, our investigation revealed that over the past decade, many people who were supposed to be dead might not have died, and many others who deserved to die have mysteriously disappeared."
"Do you suspect that they all entered the Ghost Villa?" Su Shaoying asked.
The two men nodded, and Lu Xiaofeng said, "If all these people joined the Ghost Villa, then the number of experts gathered there is staggering. If they come out of hiding, they will surely create a huge commotion."
"You're telling me all this, and you're not afraid that I might be connected to the Ghost Villa?"
"Why not?" Su Shaoying inquired.
"Because you've only risen to prominence in the last year. Before that, the Ghost Villa might not have even spared you a glance," Lu Xiaofeng replied nonchalantly.
Su Shaoying fell silent, feeling a bit stung by the truth.
Hua Manlou couldn't help but chuckle at the interplay between Su Shaoying and Lu Xiaofeng, their interactions always seemed to revolve around mutual teasing and playful jabs.
"The Ghost Villa might have gathered a large number of experts, and they could emerge at any moment to make their move against the major powers. So, we want to strike first and expose them," Hua Manlou explained. "Gu Feiyun shared this information with a Wudang disciple, and after reporting it to his sect, Shi Yan Zhen immediately sought out Lu Xiaofeng."
Lu Xiaofeng proudly crossed his arms, clearly pleased with himself.
"Why would Shi Yan Zhen, the leader of the Wudang sect, involve himself in this matter?" Su Shaoying asked, curious about the renowned martial artist's motives.
"Because among the members of the Ghost Villa is a swordsman who defeated Gu Feiyun and sent him into a deep abyss, using the Wudang sword techniques," Lu Xiaofeng explained.
"Gu Feiyun is no weakling himself. While he may not be a match for Ximen Chuixue, there aren't many in the world who can best him. With the involvement of a Wudang master, Shi Yan Zhen naturally wants to clear the sect's name," Hua Manlou added.
Su Shaoying nodded, now understanding some of the intricacies that weren't clearly explained in the original story.
"The Ghost Villa operates in secrecy and is deeply entrenched in the shadows. While the Wudang sect need not fear any direct confrontation, dealing with such a covert opponent is a different matter. That's why they sought out Lu Xiaofeng, the most suitable person for this task," Hua Manlou said with a smile.
"So, Shi Yan Zhen approached you, and then you came to me," Su Shaoying concluded, connecting the dots.
"Indeed," they affirmed.
"But how am I of any use? You don't even know where the Ghost Villa is located. We can't go after them without knowing their location, can we?" Su Shaoying asked, spreading his hands in a gesture of confusion.
"We're not asking you to help us kill anyone," Hua Manlou clarified with a smile. "It's something else."
"What is it, then?"
"We need you to come up with an excuse."
"An excuse for what?"
"A reason for Ximen Chuixue to pursue Lu Xiaofeng relentlessly," Hua Manlou explained. "If we want to deal with the Ghost Villa, we need to find them first. And to find them, we need to get their attention and have them save someone. That person, of course, would be Lu Xiaofeng."
Su Shaoying nodded, understanding the logic behind their plan. "I see. And I assume you want me to come up with a convincing reason for Ximen Chuixue to target Lu Xiaofeng."
Indeed, when it came to cunning plans, quick thinking, adaptability, and survival instincts, there was no one better suited for the task than Lu Xiaofeng.
However, in order for the Ghost Villa to accept Lu Xiaofeng without suspicion, they would need to create an extremely formidable enemy for him. And who better than the infamous Ximen Chuixue?
But...
"You can't even come up with an excuse yourselves?" Su Shaoying was surprised that the only reason they had brought him into their scheme was for his creativity.
"We did think of one, but..." Hua Manlou trailed off, a hesitant expression on his face.
Su Shaoying narrowed his eyes, a mischievous smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Let me guess, your excuse involves Lu Xiaofeng and my master's sister, right?"
Lu Xiaofeng shifted uncomfortably, his expression sheepish.
"Ximen Chuixue wouldn't agree to that either," Hua Manlou sighed. "Besides, his wife is currently pregnant, so it's not appropriate."
Su Shaoying understood the difference in the current situation compared to the original story. Firstly, Ximen Chuixue had not yet embarked on the path of the heartless sword, and he hadn't distanced himself from Sun Xiqing. Secondly, the timing of their relationship was different, which meant the pregnancy didn't align with the current timeline. Lastly, Sun Xiqing wasn't alone anymore. She had the support of the Emei sect, and implicating her in the Ghost Villa's affairs would bring her and the sect into disrepute. Even if she agreed, it would depend on the approval of her master, Du Gu Yihu, and Su Shaoying himself.
And Su Shaoying certainly wouldn't give his consent.
"If you had gone with that excuse, you wouldn't just have Ximen Chuixue after you. My master would probably descend from the mountains as well. If the three of us joined forces, I doubt you'd live long enough to even reach the Ghost Villa," he said, a hint of danger lurking beneath his calm tone.
Lu Xiaofeng remained silent, feeling the weight of Su Shaoying's words.
(End of Chapter)
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