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Chapter 440: Lu Xiaofeng's Analysis
Chapter 440: Lu Xiaofeng's Analysis
Shi Yan, the Daoist Master, returned to Mount Wudang.
His illness was already on the verge of erupting, and as a result of this charade, he not only sustained new injuries but was also dealt a covert heavy blow by Shi He when he was captured, causing his entire being to sink to the lowest point in terms of spirit and vitality.
Mu Daoren and Long Meng escorted him back to Mount Wudang, accompanied by Wang Shidai. Wang considered Shi Yan, the Daoist Master, a dear friend, akin to family, and cared for him deeply.
After they left, the rest returned to the Eagle's Nest.
"No!" Lu Xiaofeng's expression was one of dissatisfaction and annoyance at being fooled. "It wasn't Shi He!"
"He is Shi He," Master Tie Jian asserted. "I was actually present during the incident back then. I witnessed Shi He disfigure himself, and he truly is Shi He."
"The one who died under Mu Daoren's sword was indeed Shi He," Lu Xiaofeng said, "but Shi He is not the Old Knife. I'm certain of it."
"How can you be so sure?" Sikong Zhaixing asked. "Perhaps Shi He is the Old Knife. Maybe he was just concerned that his identity wouldn't be enough to suppress the experts going to Yuling Manor, so he fabricated the existence of a mysterious Old Knife."
Eagle Eye Lao Qi nodded. "In that case, the Old Knife, who could suppress Shi He of Mount Wudang, would naturally be able to suppress the others as well."
The others expressed their agreement. This was indeed a plausible reason, and there had been similar instances in the past.
However, Lu Xiaofeng disagreed. "Because I know who the Old Knife is!"
"Who is it?" Gao Xiangkong asked.
Lu Xiaofeng immediately replied, "It's Mu Daoren!"
"What?"
Everyone except Su Shaoying and Hua Manlou was astonished. "How could it be Mu Daoren?"
Master Tie Jian was the first to object. "It's not him. If it were, he could have become the leader of Mount Wudang thirty years ago."
"But why would Shi Yan, the Daoist Master, object then?" Lu Xiaofeng said. "This shows that there's still something suspicious about him!"
Master Tie Jian fell silent, and Hua Manlou expressed his suspicions about Gu Song, the Hermit. Then, Lu Xiaofeng revealed the love triangle between Mu Daoren, Shen Sanniang, and Ye Lingfeng.
Master Tie Jian's face turned gloomy. "When it comes to matters concerning another person's reputation, one should neither easily believe nor spread rumors."
"But I saw Ye Lingfeng at Yuling Manor, and he's still alive!" Lu Xiaofeng said.
"What?" The group was surprised once again.
"But he's not really living like a human anymore," Lu Xiaofeng sighed, giving a rough description of the creature that resembled a human, living beneath the cliffs and in the swamps, causing everyone's hairs to stand on end.
"Ye Xue is Mu Daoren's daughter, and Ye Ling is Ye Lingfeng's daughter. So, Ye Lingfeng kidnapped Ye Xue to take revenge on Mu Daoren, but Mu Daoren sent Ye Ling to kill Ye Lingfeng and rescue Ye Xue."
Lu Xiaofeng said indifferently, "Besides Mu Daoren, I can't imagine anyone else who could make Shen Sanniang and Ye Lingfeng go to such lengths to cover for him and then turn against each other."
The group fell silent. Indeed, Mu Daoren seemed to be the only one capable of orchestrating such a feat.
"Shi He's swordsmanship is no longer inferior to Ye Gucheng, and there's also Zhong Wugu at Yuling Manor, a man who once challenged Yu Luosha."
Lu Xiaofeng continued, "Who else in the world, besides Mu Daoren, could make these two men willingly hide their identities at Yuling Manor for over a decade?"
No one. Shi He's swordsmanship, even if not as exceptional as Gong Jiu's, would not be far behind. As for Zhong Wugu, he was renowned as the foremost secular disciple of Mount Wudang in three centuries.
Only Mu Daoren could suppress these two men with his status and gratitude. Even Yu Luosha, the leader of the Western Demon Sect, and the Invisible Head, Wu Ming, would not have had the ability to do so.
The group exchanged glances, but Master Tie Jian shook his head. "However, this is still not enough to prove that Mu Daoren is the Old Knife. We must have sufficient evidence."
Mu Daoren was no ordinary man. He was the senior-most member of the Wudang Sect and virtually the most senior figure in the martial arts world. Without direct evidence, even if all the famous martial artists present pointed fingers at him, it would be futile.
"I have a few more facts that can prove it," Lu Xiaofeng said in a deep voice. "He asked me to be responsible for taking Shi Yan's purple gold crown when the lights in the main hall went out, saying that the secrets of the Wudang Sect were in the crown. But in truth, only he knew that the letter recording the secrets of Wudang's traitors was hidden in the hilt of the Seven Star Sword."
Besides Mu Daoren, who was most familiar with Wudang's core, would know this secret, and who else would care about it?
In addition, there was his familiarity with Wudang's internal affairs, the authority to handle the aftermath, and most importantly...
"Although I knew early on that my cousin wasn't Gu Feiyun, I couldn't figure out his true identity."
"Have you found out now?"
Lu Xiaofeng nodded. "My cousin is Gu Song, the Hermit."
Upon hearing this, even Hua Manlou was shocked.
"In recent years, Gu Song, the Hermit, and Mu Daoren have been inseparable. Everyone thought he would appear at the Wudang celebration, but he never showed up," said Ba Shan Xiao Gu.
"That's because we've captured him," Lu Xiaofeng said indifferently. "His facial structure and build are similar to Gu Song, the Hermit. As long as his face is dyed yellow and some beard and white hair are added, he looks almost identical to Gu Song."
This was indeed an important piece of evidence, but the prerequisite was that his cousin had to admit it himself.
"No, there's still a loophole," Master Tie Jian frowned and asked. "If Mu Daoren is the Old Knife, why did he appear at the entrance of Mancui Tower waiting for us instead of going to meet with you?"
Lu Xiaofeng said quietly, "Only a few of us knew about this plan, and it was going very smoothly. But why was there an extra person when we went to Mancui Tower?"
Hearing Lu Xiaofeng's slightly accusatory words, Ba Shan Xiao Gu couldn't listen anymore. "Do you know who that person is?"
Lu Xiaofeng shook his head. "I don't know."
Ba Shan Xiao Gu said, "Do you know that I have a master uncle who is the chieftain of the Thirty-Six Caves of the Miao People in the Dian Borderlands, and he is also an inherited chieftain?"
Lu Xiaofeng had indeed heard of this name. "Are you talking about Long Meng Long Feishi?"
Ba Shan Xiao Gu smiled. "He has guarded the south for generations, with wealth and honor surpassing that of royalty. No one in the Jianghu can match him. How could he betray us and leak our secrets?"
Lu Xiaofeng fell silent. He felt a bitter taste in his mouth, and he finally understood where the problem lay. He also knew who this Long Meng truly was.
In Yuling Manor, a master had "died" after his appearance, and he had just discovered that the man had only feigned death.
General!
(End of Chapter)
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