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Chapter 434: Reunion at the Eagle's Nest
Chapter 434: Reunion at the Eagle's Nest
"I'm asking if you have any other ideas!" Lu Xiaofeng said irritably.
"What else can we do?" Su Shaoying shot Lu Xiaofeng a glance. "As for the four old monks, Tiger and Lion, they aren't really a problem. No matter how powerful they are, what can they do against the might of the Shaolin Temple when it's prepared?"
"What about Shi He?" Lu Xiaofeng frowned. "His swordsmanship is almost on par with Ye Gucheng, the Lord of Baiyun City. If he goes to Wudang Mountain, even Shi Yan might not be able to defeat him!"
"You don't have to worry about Shi He at all." Su Shaoying patted Lu Xiaofeng's shoulder. "While Shi Yan might not be able to beat him, there's still that renowned elder of the Wudang Sect."
Lu Xiaofeng's jaw dropped, feeling as if he had stepped in dog poop on his way out that morning—the taste was in his mouth.
Hua Manlou and Ouyang Qing both looked at Lu Xiaofeng with a hint of a smile, while Sikong Zhaixing, not understanding the situation, nodded and said, "But we didn't tell Wood Daoist about this. What if he's not prepared when the time comes..."
"With Wood Daoist's strength, would he be caught unprepared?" Su Shaoying asked.
Sikong Zhaixing thought about it and then conceded, "Unlikely."
"Exactly!" Su Shaoying clapped her hands. "So let's just relax and watch Wood Daoist take care of everything when the time comes!"
Sikong Zhaixing was a bit bewildered. Although he always felt that Su Shaoying's words had a hidden meaning, Hua Manlou and Ouyang Qing seemed to take it for granted, so he could only nod along.
Only Lu Xiaofeng was left gritting his teeth in frustration.
Although he had already guessed that Old Knife was Wood Daoist, he wasn't ready to reveal it yet. He had planned to expose the truth after the success of their plan and catch the culprit red-handed.
However, he never expected that Su Shaoying had already guessed it and apparently filled Hua Manlou and Ouyang Qing in as well.
Lu Xiaofeng took a deep breath. Since none of them had any evidence at the moment, he decided to maintain his composure and not lose face. Ignoring Su Shaoying's words, he changed the subject. "It's getting late. Let's get some rest. We still have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow."
...
Hai Qikuo and Gao Tao were thrown into the cellar of the manor, personally subdued by Lu Xiaofeng with his acupuncture skills, and tightly bound with thick ropes. Several disciples from the Twelve Linked Chains Manor were left to guard them, ensuring there would be no chance of escape.
His cousin received the same treatment, except he was stuffed under the carriage of the horse cart.
Only Liu Qingqing remained untouched, but she had been struck by Ouyang Qing on a pressure point that induced a deep sleep, from which she only woke up the next morning, feeling dazed and embarrassed.
Lu Xiaofeng, along with the disguised butler, housekeeper, and their son, used well-prepared excuses and props to deceive her. The Jiangnan female warrior, Liu Qingqing, was so flustered that her face turned bright red, and she never brought up the matter again.
As Lu Xiaofeng and his companions continued their journey towards Wudang Mountain, Su Shaoying and Hua Manlou had already arrived at the town of Shiyan, situated at the foot of the mountain.
"Do you think our plan will go smoothly?" Hua Manlou asked suddenly.
"So far, hasn't everything gone according to plan?" Su Shaoying replied.
"But we're dealing with Wood Daoist," Hua Manlou said in a low voice. "Aside from the three of us and Shi Yan, no one else will suspect him."
"As long as Wood Daoist doesn't find out, it'll be fine." Su Shaoying looked at Hua Manlou. "Are you worried that they won't be able to keep this secret from him?"
Hua Manlou nodded. "Normally, it wouldn't be a problem if we didn't meet, but now, with April 13th approaching, they've gathered together, and Wood Daoist is their friend..."
"But they are all old hands at this," Su Shaoying said. "You have to trust their professionalism.
On the night of the 12th of April, at Eagle's Nest.
Hua Manlou and Su Shaoying had arrived, along with Ba Shan Xiao Gu, the Beggar King Wang Shidai, Eagle-Eye Lao Qi, Yan Dang Gao Xingkong, and Chang Jiang Shui Feiy, their faces lit up with excitement as the plan seemed to be proceeding smoothly.
Shi Yan Zhenren and Tie Jian Da Shi were the last to arrive. Shi Yan's expression was calm, but Tie Jian's aura was slightly unstable, indicating he had sustained some injuries.
"Are you hurt, Master?" Xiao Gu Daoren asked with concern.
Tie Jian Da Shi waved his hand dismissively, "It's nothing serious, just a minor injury. I'll be fine by tomorrow." He sighed, "I never expected the Four Tigers to have made such remarkable progress in their internal cultivation over the decades. What a pity."
Eagle-Eye Lao Qi inquired, "Have you captured them, Master?"
Tie Jian Da Shi nodded gravely, "They were more cautious than I anticipated, and their knowledge of Shaolin's tactics was extensive."
The Four Tigers had somehow sensed Shaolin's ambush at the last moment, only stepping halfway into the trap. In their desperate struggle, they took several Shaolin monks with them in death, and even Tie Jian Da Shi was injured.
The group turned to Shi Yan Zhenren for answers, but he shook his head, "We couldn't find him."
Xiao Gu Daoren quickly offered reassurance, "If we can't find him, then so be it. Perhaps his martial arts are too advanced for him to bother with disguises. But with only one of them left, what waves can he make now?"
The others nodded in agreement.
Shi Yan Zhenren remained silent, known for his aloof demeanor and reticence. The group didn't take his silence amiss.
"But this Old Knife hasn't shown his true self yet, and everyone is acting alone. I fear he has no intention of making a personal appearance," Tie Jian Da Shi remarked.
"So we must devise a way to lure him out," Gao Xingkong said.
Unlike Shui Feiy and Lao Qi, who had easily captured their targets, Gao Xingkong had faced off against Guan Tianwu. If not for his quick thinking, he might not have prevailed. Thus, he held an even deeper fear of Old Knife and was determined to bring him to justice.
"Rest assured, we already have a plan," Shi Yan Zhenren said.
"What plan?" Wang Shidai asked.
"We'll give him what he wants," Shi Yan Zhenren replied with a faint smile, though it held a hint of bitterness, as if he already anticipated the outcome.
Shi Yan Zhenren explained, "We quietly replaced the people in Yuling Manor so that we could put on this show for him, didn't we?"
The group fell silent, then slowly nodded in agreement.
"You must be careful," Xiao Gu Daoren warned Shi Yan Zhenren.
Shi Yan Zhenren nodded, "Don't worry, I don't want to die, and they can't kill me."
Hearing this, the group couldn't help but smile. They, too, believed in Shi Yan Zhenren's swordsmanship. He was, after all, a once-in-a-century genius of Wudang, hence his appointment as the sect's leader in his thirties a decade ago.
While he was no match for Dugu Yihe ten years ago, the fact that Dugu Yihe was still praised as the best swordsman among the seven sects was partly due to respect for Shi Yan Zhenren's age and seniority, as well as his low-key and unassuming nature.
(End of Chapter)
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