Drei Mandarinenten und eineinhalb

Kapitel 49

"May I ask when the young lady was being hunted down?" the leader of the Green Robe Sect asked indifferently.

"This happened in the capital in early October. Don't pretend you don't know about it again, Master!" Leng Jie said sarcastically.

Suddenly, the Green Robe Sect leader's unchanging eyes lit up. He bowed deeply to Leng Jie and said excitedly, "So, Miss is the one who single-handedly eliminated three traitors for our Green Robe Sect! Please accept our sect's salute."

"Hey, what do you mean? First you chased me down, and now this is your way of apologizing?" The tone was still mocking.

The leader of the Green Robe Sect, Youdi, said with a dejected expression:

“Miss, you misunderstand! It’s a family scandal too shameful to talk about! In early September, the Green Robe Sect was thrown into turmoil. The four protectors, led by the Grand Protector, suddenly rebelled. They poisoned my food first, then launched a sneak attack. In desperation, I killed the Grand Protector’s son and the Third Protector with a single blow. In the end, I was outnumbered and captured by them. They pierced my collarbone with two cold iron chains and imprisoned me in the dungeon for over a month.”

As he spoke, he raised his sword and flicked it, revealing a clearly visible scar on his collarbone.

Everyone here is a martial artist, so they can easily tell whether an injury is real or fake. People in the martial arts world are generally straightforward and honest, and regardless of whether they are righteous or evil, they all deeply resent those who betray their masters. Therefore, many people's hatred for the leader of the Green Robe Sect has inexplicably lessened.

The leader of the Green Robe Sect continued:

"It wasn't until mid-October that the other four protectors took me out of prison. Only then did I learn that after those rebels captured me, they also imprisoned the other four protectors. To eliminate any future threats, they had been relentlessly pursuing my two children. I don't know if it was good luck for my children, or retribution for those thieves, but they actually mistook you, Third Master, for my daughter and chased after you. My family was only able to see the light of day again because you killed those rebels. Therefore, Third Master, you are not only my benefactor, but also the benefactor of my Green Robe Sect!"

"You said you were imprisoned until mid-October before being released? And those cases all happened before that, so it seems they really have nothing to do with you. But could it be the work of those deceased protectors?" Prince Ying suddenly asked.

The leader of the Green Robe Sect turned to the King of England and solemnly replied, "When I first heard about this, I had the same thought. However, now that there is no way to verify the truth, I have brought the Green Robe Sect to this public trial. If there is evidence here to prove that these things were indeed done by the Green Robe Sect, even if I did not instigate them, I, as the leader of the sect, am guilty of failing to properly discipline them. In that case, I am willing to plead guilty and accept the punishment."

These words caused an uproar! Opinions swirled, with some saying that the Qingren Sect hadn't actually committed any truly heinous acts in recent decades. Perhaps their intimidating presence had deterred even the most notorious small gangs from acting so brazenly…

What is this? It was supposed to be a rally to criticize youth, but now it's turned into a rally to praise youth? Shangguan Chuxiong was so angry that the veins on his face were bulging. He was starting to regret not listening to the young master and sticking his neck out.

He mainly convened this martial arts conference because he noticed the martial arts world had been relatively calm for the past few years, and the position of martial arts alliance leader had been vacant for a long time. Half of his purpose was to seize the opportunity to become the martial arts alliance leader, and the other half was to recruit talent for his young master. However, it seemed this matter was about to fall apart in his hands, and he was powerless to reverse it. The only thing that gave him peace of mind was that he felt he had handled things efficiently enough, leaving no trace. Even if he couldn't destroy the Green Robe Sect this time and become the martial arts alliance leader, at least no one would suspect him.

But his wishful thinking seemed to be thwarted. Because at this moment, the Prince of England spoke again.

"Based on all the evidence, the Green Robe Cult is indeed unrelated to that case, but who is the real culprit? Since we've all come here for this matter, we can't leave empty-handed! Therefore, this conference still needs to continue. And we can only leave after we find the real culprit."

This statement caused another wave of astonishment! No one allowed to leave until the real culprit is found? Doesn't that mean they're all suspects? Someone immediately retorted:

"How can you detain us without any proof or evidence?"

Shi Yu stood up and said:

"Everyone, please calm down! I have absolutely no intention of forcing you to stay. I only came all the way to Jianzhou because I saw that you were all here to uphold justice! It would be a bit unreasonable to go back without getting to the bottom of things. Think about it, aren't all the people in Jinghe who have the ability to commit those cases here?"

Everyone exchanged bewildered glances. The King of England was right. Someone capable of committing such a shocking crime in such a short time could not possibly be one of those insignificant nobodys. Suddenly, all the major sects and factions became suspects.

At this moment, Leng Jie, who had been standing silently on the arena for half a day, suddenly asked Shangguan Chuxiong beside her:

"Master Shangguan, I would like to ask if these three mountains also belong to the manor? Are people allowed to go up the mountains freely?"

Shangguan Chuxiong assumed it was just a young girl's question and didn't pay much attention to it. He replied truthfully:

"The lake and mountains in front of here are all within the villa's boundaries. To enter the mountains, you have to come in through the villa's main gate. Therefore, outsiders usually do not go up the mountain."

"I see! Then that man-made cave on the back cliff of the mountain must also be the work of your manor, right?" Leng Jie continued to ask.

Shangguan Chuxiong was taken aback. She had even been to the back cliff! Luckily, he had dealt with those people a few days earlier. Otherwise… Thinking of this, he couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. Although he was terrified, he remained calm and composed on the surface as he replied:

"That was built a long time ago to store food, but it's abandoned now. I never thought the Third Master would go there. There's a bottomless abyss down there, it's very dangerous."

Leng Jie said, as if startled:

"Yes! It's really dangerous over there. How could your estate store its food in such a dangerous place? Has your estate encountered any trouble before? Like bandits who specialize in robbing and raping people?"

She paused for a moment, then suddenly asked with a strange smile:

"Did you forget to bring back the young women you left over there? I heard a woman's cry for help at the cave entrance just now, and I was so scared that I almost fell off the cliff. I ran back as fast as I could, which is why I fell onto this arena in my panic."

Everyone had to admire the Third Master's audacity and eloquence. Such words were an insult to the number one martial arts family! Everyone stared intently at Shangguan Chuxiong's expression, eager to see how he would respond.

Shangguan Chuxiong was so angry he was practically fuming, but couldn't find a rebuttal. He had casually mentioned that the cave was for storing grain, and now people were using his slip of the tongue against him, leaving him speechless. His son, unable to bear it any longer, shouted:

"Third Master, my father respects you as a guest from afar, but you can't go too far! Some things can't be said carelessly. You said there were women's voices coming from that cave, did you go in and check? Did you see clearly if there was anyone inside?"

"Perfect timing, that's exactly what I was waiting for." Leng Jie pursed her lips, a triumphant smile flashing across her face. Then, feigning innocence, she said:

"I wasn't talking nonsense. Of course I went in to look! There was not only a girl inside, but also a man! I initially thought I'd stumbled upon a loving couple. But when I got closer, I was quite shocked. And wouldn't you know it, they claimed to be the young master and young lady of the most prestigious family in Cangyuan. Their surname was Duanmu..."

"impossible!"

"You're talking nonsense!"

Before Leng Jie could finish speaking, the father and son shouted excitedly at the same time. The son thought they had never captured Duanmu Shi and his sister. How could they possibly be in the manor?

The father thought, "Those two people were killed by my son long ago, how could they be here?"

Hmph! The fox's tail will soon be showing!

Leng Jie feigned helplessness and turned to Shi Yu, saying:

"Your Highness, don't you believe me either? Why don't I take you to see them now? Those two are key witnesses in this case! They are also the only survivors."

"Okay, let's go now."

At the King's command, a flock of eagles immediately took flight.

Qingfeng and Xuanyuan flanked Leng Jie on either side. In mid-air, Xuanyuan suddenly asked, "Isn't this your real surprise? You've already found the culprit, haven't you?"

She smiled coldly but remained silent. She darted ahead of them, then turned back to give them a very sweet smile. What does it mean to have a smile that can launch a thousand ships? This is it.

That smile instantly captivated Qingfeng and Xuanyuan, making them forget they were flying in mid-air. They almost lost their balance and fell off the mountain.

As the group followed Leng Jie to the cliff behind the mountaintop, they immediately heard a woman's mournful cry for help coming from a recess in the cliff face. Everyone's gaze immediately turned to Shangguan Chuxiong and his son.

The father and son were both stunned, speechless. Shangguan Chuxiong, being a cunning old fox, quickly recovered. He then pointed at Leng Jie and said:

"Impossible. It was you, you must have locked her up here!"

“Right now, neither of us has the final say. Why don’t we go in and ask the person involved? That will give us the answer.” Leng Jie said, leaping into the cave entrance.

Then Qingfeng, Xuanyuan, Prince Ying, the Shangguan father and son, the leader of the Qingyi Sect, and several other respected figures and acquaintances of the Duanmu siblings followed. Because the cave's interior was limited, it couldn't possibly accommodate a group of several thousand people. The rest remained on the mountaintop.

As the group entered the cave, they saw two people, tortured beyond recognition, chained to stone rings specially carved into the cave wall. Upon seeing the visitors, the two immediately began to weakly cry for help again. Suddenly spotting the Shangguan father and son, their eyes turned ferocious, and they desperately pulled at the chains, trying to rush towards them, as if they wanted to devour the father and son alive. They screamed shrilly:

"Shangguan Chuxiong, you beast! I'm going to kill you, kill you..."

Someone immediately recognized them as the Duanmu siblings and rushed forward to unlock the door for them.

Leng Jie suddenly pressed the pressure points on the brother and sister, causing them to faint, and said calmly to the person who was trying to unlock the door:

"That lock was specially made, and the chain was made of cold iron. It can't be opened without the matching key. Otherwise, I would have rescued them long ago, why would I have waited until now?"

After saying that, she suddenly turned around and walked towards the Shangguan father and son. She swiftly took out a negative key that matched the large lock from Shangguan Chuxiong's body and tossed it to the person who was trying to unlock it.

Then, as he moved towards the cave entrance, he sneered in a cold voice:

"Master Shangguan, now you have nothing to say! Who would have thought that the Shangguan family, known for its chivalry, would go so far as to exterminate several other families in order to annex them?"

She paused for a moment, then continued, "And then she framed the Green Robe Sect to become the leader of the martial arts alliance. And then she brazenly did this 'thief crying 'stop thief'' thing! Tsk tsk! This is truly a series of ingenious schemes! My daughter is really..."

Finally, Master Shangguan lost his temper and suddenly roared at his son:

"What are you doing? Didn't you say you wouldn't leave anyone behind? Why are there still so many here..."

Before he could speak, his son had already covered his mouth. However, everyone who needed to hear had already heard. Leng Jie winked at the leader of the Green Robe Sect, indicating her success. This expression was seen by Master Shangguan. He immediately realized he had been tricked by this vixen. They were clearly in cahoots. Thinking of this, he secretly gathered his strength and swung his palm with all his might at Leng Jie, who was standing two steps away at the cave entrance…

"Ah!" With a scream, Leng Jie, with no way out, fell backward off the bottomless cliff like a kite with a broken string. The white figure closest to her spread its arms and jumped down after her.

"Xiao Jie!" "Sect Master!" Exclamations of surprise instantly resounded through the sky, echoing throughout the entire valley...

Qingfeng was about to jump down when Shi Yu caught up and grabbed him, yelling at him:

"Are you crazy? What's the point of jumping down like that! Rui, hurry up and think of a way to get down and save them!"

Young Master Shangguan laughed gleefully, "Haha, there's a freezing pool down there; no one who falls in survives. Haha..." Before his laughter had even stopped, he let out a howl like a vengeful ghost, "Woo!..."

Chapter 85 Uncontrollable Emotions

Leng Jie screamed and fell backward. Suddenly, she did a 180-degree backflip. She spun gracefully in mid-air, then stretched out her arms and leaped like a swallow, hurtling towards the cliff face. When she reappeared, she held a rope in her hands.

Just as she was feeling smug about her clever escape, a sudden gust of wind swept by. She whirled around and was startled to see a white figure fall from the spot where she had just jumped.

A white figure? Could it be Qingfeng or Xuanyuan? Her mind exploded with a "boom!" How did he get knocked down too? Without thinking, she quickly withdrew her inner energy into her dantian and dispelled her lightness skill. Grabbing the rope with both hands, she slid down rapidly. The icy air rushed into her ears, squeezing her eardrums until they buzzed and throbbed with pain. But she couldn't care less; she couldn't just stand by and watch someone die!

After sliding for a while, she finally saw the figure below. His white robes billowed in the wind, and it was indeed Xuanyuan. But it was obvious he, like her, wasn't using his lightness skill and was sinking rapidly. Was he suffering from internal injuries, unable to use his lightness skill? This thought made Leng Jie even more anxious. She almost blurted out, "Xuanyuan! Use your lightness skill!" Fortunately, she suddenly realized that if she opened her mouth now, a blast of cold wind would rush in. Forget saving him, she herself was likely doomed.

But Xuanyuan was only focused on rushing down to save the person. To descend quickly, he concentrated his energy in his dantian. Because of the immense speed, the pressure of the air on his ears made it impossible for him to hear any sounds coming from above. Unless he suddenly looked up. But how could he possibly imagine that the person he was trying to save was right above him, desperately trying to rescue him?

They had already bypassed Leng Jie's planned escape route. The rope was almost at its end, but there was no sign of the bottom of the cliff. And Xuan Yuan seemed to be falling faster and faster. In desperation, Leng Jie resolutely released the rope, inhaled, and began to sink. Just as she was about to outrun Xuan Yuan, she suddenly gathered her strength and flew towards him. She stretched out her arms, grabbed him around the waist, and pulled him up with force.

Good heavens! He's so heavy! She couldn't lift Xuanyuan at all. The weight of the two of them accelerated their descent. But now that she had him, she couldn't possibly let him go and run away! For the first time, she closed her eyes and decided to leave it to fate!

Xuanyuan was suddenly embraced around the waist, and was taken aback at first. Then, a fragrant breeze wafted into her nose, and she immediately understood. Overjoyed, she hugged the person tightly and used her inner energy to lift her upwards.

Leng Jie, who had thought she was doomed, suddenly realized that her descent had slowed. Or rather, she was rising, and being held by Xuan Yuan as she rose. Did this mean he wasn't injured at all? Overjoyed, she tugged at his clothes. Seeing him look down at her, she immediately gestured for him to use their light-footed skills to reach the other side of the cliff.

Xuanyuan nodded in agreement, releasing one arm that was tightly holding Yang Liu's waist, but tightening his grip with the other. Leng Jie also opened one arm, and instantly, their bodies pressed tightly together, each with an arm outstretched. Both were dressed in flowing white robes, like a great roc spreading its wings and flying towards the cliff face.

The cliff face was covered in steep, smooth, moss-covered rocks, offering no foothold whatsoever. However, the brown rope swaying in the wind was particularly conspicuous. The two grabbed the rope almost simultaneously. With a swish, they found themselves face-to-face, chins almost touching noses.

"Ouch!" Leng Jie was so shocked by the impact that she saw stars and couldn't help but exclaim.

"What's wrong?" Xuanyuan asked anxiously.

Leng Jie rolled her eyes and said irritably, "My nose was broken by the mask on your chin!"

"Uh!" Xuan Yuan was taken aback. So it was he who bumped into her; he'd thought he'd injured her. He then looked down at her nose. Her delicate nose was indeed red and swollen. He couldn't help but bend down and gently breathe on it, comforting her with a pained expression, "Blowing on it will make it feel better!"

"Pfft!" She finally couldn't help but laugh.

The arm around Leng Jie's waist suddenly tightened its grip, pulling her closer. As if on instinct, Leng Jie was about to resist when a commanding voice came from above.

"Don't move. Use the hand that's holding the rope to help me take off the mask."

So that's why he hugged her so tightly! Leng Jie reached out and removed his golden mask. A magnified handsome face immediately appeared before her eyes. Although she had seen this devilishly handsome face countless times, seeing Leng Jie again in such an ambiguous situation still made her involuntarily pause for a moment. She quickly put the mask back on him and said in a soft voice:

"Fine, keep wearing it! It hurts when this thing hits your nose, but at least you didn't get a nosebleed!"

He thought to himself, "If I were to stare at your face like this, I'd be sure to get a nosebleed!"

However, Leng Jie's actions were interpreted very differently by Xuan Yuan. In his view, Leng Jie had never been captivated by his appearance, because he did not know that Leng Jie first saw him in the Eastern Palace.

"What? Do I have something terrifying on my face that scares you so much that you'd rather suffer than see it?" Xuanyuan asked angrily.

Sugar-coated bullets are indeed more terrifying! But that's just a figure of speech. She wasn't foolish enough to remind him that she was a womanizer. Even in this life-or-death situation, she couldn't stand the sight of his face. She quickly explained:

"No, I just thought that since we've already bumped into each other, and besides, there's nowhere to put your mask if you take it off, it's easier to just keep it on."