“Powerless?” Long Xingyun smiled, then a harshness gradually crept into his smile. “You are right. That Tanhua Scholar can leave you powerless in Sea City. I naturally cannot compare with him.”
This was clearly sarcasm. Clearly saying that he would let Qing Ya know who could leave him even more powerless later. Clearly a threat.
Qing Ya hurriedly explained, “Young Pavilion Master, I absolutely do not mean that. Please do not misunderstand. I simply do not want to get involved in this matter.”
Long Xingyun, “Where do so many misunderstandings come from in this world? It is just about where people’s hearts lie. I will ask you one last time. Do you want this misunderstanding or not?”
“…”
Qing Ya looked speechless, finding this person rather blunt and direct. Putting it nicely, he was proud and arrogant, believing that his own affairs should all be.
He did not know whether this counted as saving trouble, but the necessary process he still had to go through. If he was going to do it, he had to do it beautifully. So he put on a look of being forced into helplessness and sighed, “Young Pavilion Master, since you have spoken to this point, it is equal to forcing me into a corner with no way back. Then I will give Young Pavilion Master a word of advice. Does Young Pavilion Master know about the matter of Sheluo Mountain Sect Leader Wang Xuetang being killed?”
Long Xingyun was slightly startled. “Given Wang Xuetang’s status and position, the sect leader of a major spiritual plant sect, and also the Earth Mother’s relative, the matter was quite sensational. I am not deaf. How could I not have heard of it? Only, what does this matter have to do with what I want you to do?”
Qing Ya, “Then I might as well tell you some truth. The elder of Sheluo Mountain, Tu Xiukui, is very likely a scapegoat. The true murderer who killed Wang Xuetang is very likely that Tanhua Scholar.”
At these words, Gu Qingzhao’s expression was rather calm. She even turned her head to look outside the pavilion, as if she had heard nothing. Long Xingyun, however, was greatly moved.
Cui You was the same. Even that Yin Shanhe, who was holding a dry tobacco pipe in his mouth, showed surprise. The pipe mouth left his lips, and his eyes flickered.
After Long Xingyun came back to his senses, he asked in return, “Even you know he is the real culprit. How could the Sea Guard Bureau not know? How could they let him go?”
Qing Ya, “On the contrary, precisely because the Sea Guard Bureau wants to let him off, that is why someone else came out to be the scapegoat.”
Long Xingyun was surprised, “What happened?”
Qing Ya could not help but look at his accompanying personnel, looking as if he wanted to speak but was somewhat embarrassed.
Long Xingyun understood, and said, “They are all our own people. Whatever you have to say, speak freely.”
Only then did Qing Ya sigh, “Young Pavilion Master, do you think my leg was broken how? Wang Xuetang was murdered at Langhuan Residence. The relevant parties were furious. How many powerful figures were arrested? The Sea Guard Bureau even tortured people severely overnight. Even someone like me, who merely went to Langhuan Residence and met Wang Xuetang, the Sea Guard Bureau did not let go. My leg was broken by the Sea Guard Bureau’s Great Palm Guard, Xi Qingyue, personally with a hammer in the interrogation room.
According to my knowledge, the Tanhua Scholar’s group of three also suffered torture, and were severely injured. As a result, the Nether Temple acted overnight to rescue them. The three were secretly taken back to the temple by Nether Temple personnel for treatment. The real suspect was taken away. The Nether Temple wants to protect them. The Sea Guard Bureau cannot get evidence in their hands. And everyone knows about the Great Sage standing up for the demon race back then and forcing the Earth Mother’s disciple to death. What can the Sea Guard Bureau do?”
The first-time listeners beside him all had flickering gazes, quite shocked. They had not expected that behind this widely publicised and confirmed case, there was actually such a hidden process of tumultuous upheaval and heart-stopping drama.
Long Xingyun slowly sucked in a breath of cold air, and said thoughtfully, “So the Sea Guard Bureau found a scapegoat…”
Qing Ya, “The truth of the matter may not be so. This is also just my guess. But some things that happened that night were indeed erased by the Sea Guard Bureau. This is too suspicious, hence my guess. Because I am very clear about one thing. I know who harmed Wang Xuetang’s son. I also know that Wang Xuetang secretly made arrangements to avenge his son. That Tanhua Scholar suddenly went to stay at Langhuan Residence on the day of the incident. It may not have been a coincidence. It was very likely that he knew Wang Xuetang was going to harm him, so he struck first.
Young Pavilion Master, so it is not that I do not want to help you, but that I truly dare not help. Behind that Tanhua Scholar is the Nether Temple. Qing has a slight reputation and a bit of power in Sea City, but I am not qualified to clash head-on with the Nether Temple. Even the Sea Guard Bureau does not dare to clash with them. How much more so me?”
Long Xingyun was silent for a while, knowing that this was indeed putting the other party in a difficult position. But he still refused to give up. “Then you do not need to show your face. The Nether Temple is not all-powerful. According to my knowledge, the Nether Temple rarely concerns itself with worldly affairs. Their information is not well-informed. Just do not let the Nether Temple know it is related to you. You can make arrangements in secret, secretly lure him there. With your power in Sea City, making an arrangement should not be difficult.”
Qing Ya immediately asked in return, “What if the Nether Temple finds out? You are asking Qing to gamble with my life and fortune. Taking a step back, if I do this, then in the future these few bones of Qing will be in Young Pavilion Master’s hands. Young Pavilion Master, this is not asking me to give face. This is grabbing my life and fortune in one go. Young Pavilion Master, doing things so absolutely, I am afraid it is not appropriate?”
Long Xingyun, “After the matter, you will likewise have grasped my weakness.”
Qing Ya, “Accounts are not calculated like this. Once the matter is exposed, Thousand Flow Mountain probably will not sit idly by. Young Pavilion Master has Thousand Flow Mountain as backing, so of course you are not afraid. Thousand Flow Mountain, in order to give the Nether Temple an explanation, will probably hand me over to the Nether Temple. Young Pavilion Master has a powerful background. You can coerce me. I cannot coerce you.”
Long Xingyun’s expression gradually turned cold. “In the end, you just do not want to give me this face.”
Qing Ya, “If Young Pavilion Master insists on saying so, the matter is also easy to handle. Just now, some things that should not have been said, I also told Young Pavilion Master. If Young Pavilion Master truly wants to put A Shiheng to death, why do you need to do it yourself? You might as well secretly reveal the truth of Wang Xuetang’s death to the Earth Mother. Then naturally someone will help you do the work on your behalf.”
Hearing these words, Long Xingyun’s expression moved slightly. He was clearly tempted.
Who knew that Yin Shanhe beside him would pull the pipe mouth from his lips, lightly puff out a series of smoke rings, and casually give a sentence, “No!”
Long Xingyun turned back to look at him, frowning.
Yin Shanhe stared at him, “If you truly dare to leak this matter and let the Earth Mother know, it is no different from betraying Thousand Flow Mountain. Do you know the consequences? To kill such a person, dragging Thousand Flow Mountain, Sinan Prefecture, and the Nether Temple into it together. Once the matter is exposed, the Pavilion Master cannot protect you. At that time, no one in the world can protect you. You are seeking death!”
Long Xingyun’s expression turned stern, and he came to his senses.
Right at this moment, Gu Qingzhao beside him abruptly blurted out, “Master Qing, did you not previously investigate news that that Tanhua Scholar was going out to sea?”
Hearing these words, Qing Ya immediately swept a cold glance at her. The expression commanding silence was very obvious.
Gu Qingzhao’s expression immediately turned awkward, realising she might have said the wrong thing.
All of this naturally could not escape others’ attention.
Long Xingyun’s face immediately changed again. “I understand. Everything Master Qing said was just an excuse. In reality, you just do not want to give me face. Even when there is something ready-made, you are unwilling to let me know. Master Qing, you slapping my face like this, this is clearly declaring you want to fall out with me.”
Gu Qingzhao’s expression grew increasingly ashamed, even lowering her head.
Qing Ya waved his hand and said, “Young Pavilion Master, since you insist on saying so, then I will not hide it from you. That is right. That Tanhua Scholar previously found me and asked me to help inquire about some news. It seemed he was looking for someone. I was also curious, so I secretly monitored him and learned some situations. He seemed to be going out to sea. He seemed to be going to the depths of the Nether Sea to look for something.
The reason I did not want to tell you is also simple. Because I do not want you to take risks. If something unexpected happens to you, I have no way to account for it.
My concern is not without reason. I have already said it very clearly. The Nether Temple and A Shiheng have a good relationship. With the Nether Temple protecting him, the Sea Clan will naturally give assistance. If you go to the Nether Sea to make trouble for him, once the Sea Clan makes a move, even if your Red Orchid Pavilion sends out its entire force, I am afraid you will not return.”
Speaking to this point, he looked again at Yin Shanhe, “This one must be Silver Guard, one of the four great guards beside the Red Orchid Pavilion Master, right? I wonder if Brother Silver thinks what Qing said makes sense?”
Yin Shanhe puffed on his tobacco. A burst of smoke and clouds obscured his pondering face. After a good puff of smoke, he slowly said, “Young Pavilion Master, it is not worth going around, running about, and taking risks for such a person. You might as well just treat it as a fart and let it go. There is really no need to continue entangling.”
Hearing these words, Long Xingyun was immediately displeased. “Uncle Silver, that dog thief killed my sworn brother, and also took my sworn brother’s woman. Such a great humiliation, what man could endure? Though my brother is dead, the bond of brotherhood remains. How could I be ungrateful and forget righteousness? What would outsiders think of me later? If I can even endure this, how could I speak of ‘loyalty and righteousness’ to the masses of Red Orchid Pavilion in the future? Uncle Silver, you promised on the way to let me take revenge!”
Facing this speech of righteous indignation, Yin Shanhe was also speechless, silently puffing on his tobacco.
He had indeed promised Long Xingyun revenge before, which was why he followed Long Xingyun here. And the reason he promised was because solving such a person in Sea City was not a big deal. He truly had not expected things to be so complicated at the beginning. He somewhat regretted it.
Long Xingyun had already turned back to look at Qing Ya. “Whether to do it or not is my business. You only need to tell me where in the Nether Sea he is going. The rest I will weigh myself. No need for Master Qing to overwork.”
Qing Ya looked at Yin Shanhe, saw he had no reaction, and immediately replied, “Where exactly he is going, I currently do not know either. However, since Young Pavilion Master has spoken to this point, I will naturally continue to help inquire. Once I have grasped the situation, I will naturally tell Young Pavilion Master. However, I have a condition.”
“Condition?” Long Xingyun frowned, seemingly asking, you are actually negotiating conditions with me? But in the end he responded, “Speak.”
Qing Ya, “Go to the Nether Temple and talk. As long as you can obtain the Nether Temple’s support, even if you can only get the Nether Temple to agree not to help either side, then I dare to help Young Pavilion Master. One is that Young Pavilion Master’s safety will be guaranteed, and I will not need to take responsibility. Two is that if the Nether Temple does not pursue the matter, then even if word leaks out later, I will not be afraid.”
Then he looked again at Yin Shanhe, “Brother Silver, I neither wish for Young Pavilion Master to have an accident, nor do I wish for myself to have trouble. I hope you will forgive me.”
Yin Shanhe could indeed understand his mood, completely able to comprehend the other party’s caution. If this could be used to stop Long Xingyun, he would rather welcome it.
But Long Xingyun’s face turned dark. “Go to the Nether Temple to talk? Master Qing, are you joking? That place is not somewhere anyone can easily enter and exit. Back then, even my mother could not enter the main gate. Do you think my face is bigger than my mother’s? Still want to negotiate with them? You are overthinking it!”
Qing Ya, “The Nether Temple is indeed not a place anyone can enter. But it is also not a place no one can enter. According to my observation, quite a few people have gone in. Young Pavilion Master has not even tried. How do you know you have no fate? How do you know you cannot enter? You also do not need to force me blindly. We should always try our best. If it truly does not work, then I will think of another good plan, alright?”