Jiangnan Gaiden

Chapitre 56

“We were ordered to capture a spy, but unfortunately the spy ran to the entrance of the temple. Even more unfortunately, King Sha was patrolling the area with a large group of people at the time, and he arrested us without saying a word.” Aji was clearly very indignant and shouted that he was innocent.

Wen Yunchun said, "King Sha, you may not know this, but this person is a spy! When it comes to great things, one should not be bound by trivial matters. We should abide by the rules of our ancestors, but we cannot be rigid about them. There are priorities in matters. Compared to disrespecting the sacred, I am more worried about the consequences of not bringing a spy to justice."

Sha Xiong sneered: "A spy? What proof does King Wen have?"

Wen Yunchun couldn't understand why Sha Xiong was arguing with him over such a trivial matter, and couldn't help but feel a little angry: "Not long ago, this man stole the defense map of Wudu City and killed two of my men. Many people witnessed this. Aji, don't you think so? I ordered them to capture the traitor for the sake of Wudu City's survival."

Luo Qingcheng sneered: "Wudu City's defense map? What use is that? Wudu City is an isolated city, accessible only by an iron chain bridge over Duanmeng Gorge. It's easy to besiege and difficult to attack. If anyone really wants to make it to Wudu, they can simply surround the city, wait until the city's food supplies are exhausted and the men and horses are weary, and then attack directly. What need is there for a defense map? Back then, Shimohe's retreat to this isolated city was a huge mistake."

Wen Yunchun sneered: "You brat, how dare you speak so presumptuously about what happened back then! How much do you know about what happened back then? It's truly laughable! Back then, we relied on the natural defenses of Wudu City to protect the thousands of followers of the Shimoha. For so many years, we have also relied on this city to maintain our peaceful and prosperous life."

"Times have changed." Luo Qingcheng glanced indifferently at the people present. "Back then, if it weren't for King Feng using the surrounding terrain to set up an array to fight the enemy, the mere natural defenses might not have been enough to dampen the spirits of the Martial Alliance. Wudu City's strength is no longer what it used to be, while the Martial Alliance's momentum has grown extremely rapidly in recent years. If they were to make a comeback, I'm worried that if we were to remain trapped here, we would be surrounded like dumplings sooner or later, ending up with a total annihilation."

Who are you really? (Part 2)

A slight commotion arose among the people present, a mixture of fear and panic, and whispers filled the council hall. Wen Yunchun raised his hand several times to signal for quiet, but to no avail, so he had to raise his voice: "Wudu City is strategically located and well-hidden, absolutely impregnable! Don't listen to this spy's treacherous words!"

Luo Qingcheng continued unhurriedly, "It's not necessarily impregnable, but its location is certainly secluded. Unfortunately, the Martial Alliance has been preparing for this for so many years, so it's probably no longer a secret."

Wen Yunchun sneered: "So, your purpose in coming here is to spy on the location of Wudu City for the Martial Alliance?"

The commotion grew even more intense. Finally, someone couldn't hold back any longer and shouted, "Kill him!" Wen Yunchun smiled smugly, intending to press his advantage, but then he heard Sha Xiong's voice again: "Does King Wen mean that Luo Qingcheng is a spy for the Martial Alliance?"

Before Wen Yunchun could agree, Xiao Xun finally exclaimed, "Impossible! My second brother and I have been chased by the Martial Alliance the whole way. He absolutely cannot be a member of the Martial Alliance!"

Wen Yunchun sighed, glanced at Xiao Xun, and stood up: "This cannot exonerate him, or it may just be a smokescreen. Perhaps the Martial Alliance is not a monolithic entity, and there are some dogfights among them. Young Master, this matter is of great importance. It is better to innocuous than to let the innocent go free. It is better to arrest him first and then interrogate him slowly..."

Although Xiao Xun did not believe that Luo Qingcheng had suddenly become a spy for the Martial Alliance, he had no way to refute it for the time being and could only watch helplessly as Wen Yunchun led his men to rush towards Luo Qingcheng.

Luo Qingcheng flicked his sleeve, and a gentle yet powerful force sent the leading figures flying several feet, crashing directly into the heavy door behind them. After a few muffled thuds, the men came to their feet, finding themselves unharmed, and exchanged bewildered glances. At the same time, the door collapsed instantly, turning to dust almost without a sound.

The council chamber suddenly fell silent as a name quietly spread through the crowd, gradually coalescing into a low shout: "Lord Lu!"

Sha Xiong seized the opportunity and raised his voice: "Netherworld Divine Skill! Back then, City Lord Lu Mingfei used this move to defeat the Four Heavenly Kings and quell the internal strife of Shimohe! May I ask who you are? What is your relationship with him? How do you know his unique Netherworld Divine Skill?"

Luo Qingcheng glanced at Xiao Xun, hesitated for a moment, then avoided the question and turned to the crowd: "If I wanted to spy on the location of Wudu City, I could simply leave once I saw the city walls. Why would I risk entering it? As for the Wudu City defense map, I've already said it's completely worthless. There aren't many truly valuable things left in Wudu City. I happen to know one: our Shimohe Sacred Ring. Legend has it that it can open the sacred gate of Wudu and grant access to the immense wealth left by the Shimohe ancestors. It is precisely this item that has sparked a fierce competition within the Martial Alliance, with even their leader, Huang Chongshan, personally hiding in Wudu City for it!"

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone present was shocked, even Sha Xiong stared at him in astonishment. Luo Qingcheng turned to Xiao Xun, who was standing to the side: "Third brother, do you remember the golden ring we took out from the Mountain Saint Temple? There was a sentence written on it."

"I remember. I rose again and again, unwilling to sleep alone. Who knew that I wrote a letter for Xiao Niang? I don't know what it means, but it's a pity that the Maha Sacred Ring has fallen into the hands of the Martial Alliance!" Xiao Xun sighed.

Luo Qingcheng continued, "That's not the Maha Sacred Ring. Actually, it was just a keepsake that Lord Lu gave to his wife, Xiao Hanqing, back then. The inscription on it was simply his deep longing for his beloved... Madam Xiao, don't you agree?"

Xiao Hanqing was slightly taken aback, and nodded involuntarily.

Luo Qingcheng continued, "The Golden Ring was ultimately obtained by the Martial Alliance. They always believed that it was the Sacred Ring of the Shmaha, capable of opening the legendary sacred gate and obtaining the Shmaha treasure left by their ancestors. Third brother, if you were Alliance Leader Huang, and you obtained the Sacred Ring, knowing that it was the key to obtaining the Shmaha treasure, but did not understand how to use it, what would you do?"

Xiao Xun pondered for a moment: "I'll bring it to Wudu City to try my luck."

Luo Qingcheng nodded: "I suspect Huang Chongshan thinks the same way. This golden ring is of great importance to him, and he will definitely keep it very safe." Before he finished speaking, he suddenly attacked, rushing straight towards Wen Yunchun through the crowd.

Caught off guard, Wen Yunchun was forced to fight back in a sorry state. Luo Qingcheng had sparred with Huang Chongshan several times and was familiar with his martial arts style. Knowing the perilous situation today, he understood that if they couldn't finish the fight quickly, the consequences could be dire. Every move he made was a desperate attempt to survive. Although his martial arts were far superior to Huang Chongshan's, Huang Chongshan was clearly struggling to defend himself in his desperate fight. Within a few moves, Luo Qingcheng feigned an opening and took a blow from Huang Chongshan's palm. The razor-sharp dagger sliced through all of Huang Chongshan's clothes with a sharp, clean cut.

Huang Chongshan tried to cover his disheveled clothes, but was stopped by Luo Qingcheng's increasingly fierce attacks and couldn't free his hands at all.

After a few more exchanges, a muffled thud echoed as a cloth bag fell to the ground. Before Huang Chongshan could react, Luo Qingcheng flicked it up with his toe and tossed it to Xiao Xun. Xiao Xun suspiciously opened the bag and exclaimed in surprise. Inside was the gold ring that Mo Yinxue had stolen, which had ended up at the Martial Alliance headquarters. The inscription on it was indeed that phrase. Even if this didn't prove Wen Yunchun was Huang Chongshan, it at least made it difficult for him to escape the Martial Alliance's influence. But how could Uncle Wen, who had watched him grow up and was the Enforcement King of Wudu City, possibly be a member of the Martial Alliance?

Xiao Xun's experiences in the Central Plains were already common knowledge in Wudu City. The story of the Sacred Ring falling into the hands of the Martial Alliance was even more exaggerated by Sha Xiong, used as a weapon to attack his incompetence. Now, this Sacred Ring has suddenly fallen from the Law Enforcement King's body, and the unknown young man in front of them, who possesses the Netherworld Divine Skill, has identified Wen Yunchun as the leader of the Martial Alliance. Although everyone is suspicious, they are still unable to adapt to this sudden change and can only whisper among themselves in confusion.

Luo Qingcheng sneered: "You really carry it with you. It shows how important the golden ring is to you. You must be surprised how I knew you were Huang Chongshan. Those who achieve great things must be good at using people, but you don't seem to trust your subordinates. You do everything yourself, even the smallest things. With so many opportunities to show your face, it's inevitable that you'll slip up."

Wen Yunchun sneered: "You think you can do this just because of this gold ring..."

Luo Qingcheng didn't give him a chance to argue: "The first time I fought you was in Suzhou. You led the Martial Alliance to compete with us for the Golden Ring, revealing your Netherworld Eighteen Styles of martial arts, which made me suspect that there might be spies from the Martial Alliance in Wudu City, and that you were Uncle Shen's murderer. In the capital, I learned that you were Huang Chongshan. At Xingyu Tower, you disguised yourself as Boss Zhou and used the 'Continuous Fire Thunderbolts,' which made me realize that your other identity was the Enforcement King of Wudu City! Back then, City Lord Lu gave each of the Four Heavenly Kings a weapon obtained from Tiangong Valley. The Peaceful Heavenly King received the Heavenly Weapon, the Wealthy Heavenly King received the 'Rain of Flowers Needles,' and the Anzhi Heavenly King received the 'Sexy to the Bone,' which almost killed me. And you, you received the 'Continuous Fire Thunderbolts'!"

Sha Xiong seized the opportunity to ask again, "Who exactly is this young master? How does he know so many secrets of Wudu City? I wonder what his relationship is with City Lord Lu?"

Luo Qingcheng glanced at Xiao Xun, then avoided the question again, turning to the crowd: "Now the truth is out. The traitor in Wudu City is the Enforcement King Wen Yunchun, who is also the leader of the Martial Alliance, Huang. No wonder the Shimohe Church was relentlessly pursued by the Central Plains martial arts world until it retreated to Wudu City and has been in decline for so many years!"

Sha Xiong was furious that Luo Qingcheng hadn't revealed his identity as hinted, but unwilling to give Wen Yunchun a chance to turn the tables, he seized the opportunity to shout, "So that's how it is! King Wen is actually a spy for the Martial Alliance! This matter is of great importance; it's better to innocence him than let him go! If anyone still has questions, we can arrest and detain him first, and then interrogate him slowly!" As he spoke...

Although Wen Yunchun's influence in Wudu was comparable to Sha Xiong's, he was unprepared today, lacking sufficient manpower. Furthermore, the accusation of being a traitor to the Martial Alliance had incurred widespread anger, and many of his former confidants dared not protect him. He assessed the situation, understanding his predicament, yet remained calm, smiling at Luo Qingcheng: "Boy! I underestimated you! I didn't expect you to have seen through my identity, nor did I expect you to have colluded with Sha Xiong. Otherwise, I would have acted sooner! I've been thinking about how to find the entrance to the Sacred Gate from you and obtain the Shmaha Treasure, which delayed my opportunity."

Luo Qingcheng smiled faintly: "There are many things you can't imagine."

Wen Yunchun, or rather Huang Chongshan, smiled nonchalantly again: "And you're quite lucky. Actually, I originally kept the gold ring in a safe place at home, but unfortunately, a thief broke in last night. Although I caught him, I was worried that his accomplices would come back, so I put the item on my person! Who knew that you would take advantage of this and it would become irrefutable evidence to identify me! It's truly fate!"

Luo Qingcheng nodded: "You would definitely keep something this important very safe. I already told Sha Tianwang that if you don't have it, he will send someone to search your house. Originally, I planned to investigate your house first, but I was worried about alerting him."

Huang Chongshan chuckled again: "Kid! You're not entirely naive! The situation is indeed perilous today, and it seems difficult for me to leave smoothly. Kid, I'm counting on you to help me!"

Luo Qingcheng was taken aback: "Alliance Leader Huang, have you lost your mind from fright? You already know my identity and the irreconcilable hatred between us. My father, Aunt Ru, Uncle Shen, Brother Yang... I will get revenge on them one by one. Why would I help you?"

Huang Chongshan looked at Luo Qingcheng and said, "The dead are gone, the living must cling to life! Aren't you curious about who that petty thief was last night?" Suddenly, he opened his palm and waved it in front of him: "Kid! Whether I can escape alive today depends entirely on you! If anything happens to me, she will have no chance of survival!"

Luo Qingcheng recognized the silk flower in Huang Chongshan's hand as the one Ye Xiao had been wearing. He paused for a moment, then swiftly subdued the group surrounding Huang Chongshan. Huang Chongshan smiled smugly and seized the opportunity to leap out the door.

Sha Xiong roared, "Luo Qingcheng! Are you blind?! How could you help that villain!"

Luo Qingcheng quickly caught up with Huang Chongshan and, taking a moment to speak to Xiao Xun, said, "Third brother, stop Sha Xiong! Xiaoxiao is in Huang Chongshan's hands..."

Xiao Xun couldn't accept that his father and mentor, Uncle Wen, had suddenly become his enemy, Huang Chongshan. He had been in a daze until now, when he finally snapped out of it and made his move.

The two fought their way out of the encirclement, quickly leaving all their pursuers far behind. They were almost at the city gate. The narrow iron chain bridge was now in sight. Luo Qingcheng raised his voice, "Huang Chongshan! Where's Xiaoxiao? I've already escorted you out of the city as promised! Tell me, how is Xiaoxiao?"

Huang Chongshan sneered, ignoring him, and leaped onto the iron chain bridge, kicking away two city guards. Luo Qingcheng struck the iron chain with his palm, causing the bridge to sway. Huang Chongshan was almost thrown into the abyss, but he quickly grabbed the chain and barely managed to steady himself.

Luo Qingcheng raised his hand again: "Huang Chongshan! I can't leave the city until I see Xiaoxiao! Otherwise, I'll smash the entire bridge! I'll make you fall into the abyss and be reduced to ashes!"

Huang Chongshan was shocked by his madness. Seeing the pursuers closing in behind him, he grinned maliciously again: "That little girl is so smart, I actually like her very much, why would I want her dead? Look back, according to Wudu's custom, petty thieves are all hung on the city wall as a warning!"

Luo Qingcheng turned around, his heart aching. Sure enough, in the southwest corner of Wudu City, a person was hanging precariously above the abyss, his face filled with terror, his whole body trembling. It was Ye Xiao. He couldn't help but cry out in anguish, "You villain! How could you use such vicious methods against a girl!"

Huang Chongshan sneered: "You're making a fuss over nothing! This is the usual way of dealing with petty thieves in Wudu City. It was created by your father, City Lord Lu! Blame your father for being ruthless! This little girl is very stubborn and won't say anything. I'd like to see if her courage matches her stubbornness! Haha..." As he spoke, he quickly crossed the iron chain bridge and left the city.

Luo Qingcheng leaped onto the city wall, caught Ye Xiao with one arm, and cut the ropes binding her with the other, carrying her down. Seeing the deep, bleeding wounds on her wrists from the ropes, he felt a pang of heartache: "Xiao Xiao... what happened? How did you end up in that villain's hands? And how could he treat you like this?"

Ye Xiao had been hanging there for most of the day, and even though he was usually very brave, he was terrified. It took him a while to come to his senses, and he said to Luo Qingcheng, "Qingcheng, Wen Yunchun is Huang Chongshan. He is your father's killer."

Luo Qingcheng hummed in agreement and hugged her tightly again, his heart aching. "I already know that... How did you know?"

Ye Xiao said, trembling, "I guessed. You are Lu Mingfei's son, not Xiao Xun. You have a mark behind your ear, which is branded at birth according to religious rules. Xiao Xun told me that every child in Wudu City is wrapped in a swaddling ceremony by Wen Yunchun after birth. He also said that Wen Yunchun performed the swaddling ceremony when he was born. So Wen Yunchun should know that you have a mark behind your ear, and he also knows very well that Xiao Xun is a fake young master. But he still supports Xiao Xun. This is very suspicious."

Luo Qingcheng sighed: "I left Wudu City not long after I was born. But the mark behind my ear should be known to several Heavenly Kings. Unfortunately, when Madam Xiao brought Xiao Xun back to Wudu City, they each had their own thoughts and were worried that the Heavenly King Feng would seize power. In the end, they recognized a fake young master and forced the Heavenly King Feng to leave."

"Furthermore, I've known for a long time that Huang Chongshan is rarely at headquarters and knows the Eighteen Netherworld Techniques. I suspected he might have another identity, one related to Netherworld City. Also, when Aunt Ru passed away, she mentioned that Huang Chongshan was some kind of king. At first, I thought she meant his surname was Wang, but now I realize she might have meant that Huang Chongshan was actually a Heavenly King of Wudu City! I've met the Sand Heavenly King; he's tall and looks exactly like someone from the Western Regions, with a distinct Western Region accent. No matter how he disguises himself..." Even with disguise, it would be difficult to conceal physical characteristics like physique and accent, making it unlikely that he could be Huang Chongshan in disguise. I've also seen the Heavenly King of Pingjing and the Heavenly King of Shancai, so that's even less likely. At this point, I began to suspect Wen Yunchun. Later, I saw him perform shadow puppetry, playing several roles simultaneously, his voice changing in countless ways without any confusion. I thought, "It must be him; this little shadow puppet show is a microcosm of his real life." But I had no concrete evidence, so I decided to look for something that could prove his identity. So, while he was out, I secretly went to his house to investigate.

Luo Qingcheng sighed and hugged her tighter again: "So you got caught by him?"

Ye Xiao gradually calmed down and wiped away her tears: "I did find something suspicious. There is a jade-colored Guanyin orchid in his garden. I heard that the jade-colored Guanyin orchid is very rare. I guess this flower must have been transplanted from the Huang family."

Luo Qingcheng shook his head: "You guessed wrong, Xiaoxiao. I've heard Aunt Ru talk about this before. The jade Guanyin statue in the Huang family was transplanted from Wudu City by Huang Chongshan. Although Huang Chongshan is a heinous criminal, he is still very sincere towards Aunt Ru."

"I also found a pack of masks by his bedside. I think he used these masks to disguise himself as all sorts of people. They were incredibly lifelike... Unfortunately, I had just found some evidence when he caught me."

Mother

"So he just bullies you like this?" Luo Qingcheng gritted his teeth.

Ye Xiao was silent for a while: "I didn't tell him that I had already guessed that he was Huang Chongshan, because I was worried that it would reveal your secret. I just said that I came here just to learn shadow puppetry from him. He didn't believe me, so he hung me on the city wall."

Luo Qingcheng patted her reassuringly: "He has known my true identity for a long time. He has always wanted to get rid of me. He just wanted to get the Shimohe Treasure through me. Unfortunately, he didn't expect that I also knew his background a long time ago. I also discussed countermeasures with Sha Xiong and set up this trap. I was just waiting to expose his true colors to the public."

Ye Xiao gave an "oh" and breathed a sigh of relief. "I was just regretting not telling you about my suspicions. I was worried that you wouldn't be wary of him and would end up being harmed by him."

Luo Qingcheng was touched and slowly hugged her: "Xiaoxiao, don't worry about me. I'm just a nobody, nothing will happen to me. You just need to take care of yourself. By the way, Xiaoxiao, what about the silver chain I gave you last time? It's the Maha Holy Ring. Can you give it back to me? I need it."

Ye Xiao looked up warily. She now knew that Luo Qingcheng had told her that with the Maha Holy Ring, he could become the city lord. But… she thought of Xiao Xun, a fake young master. What would happen to him if he were exposed? Would his life be in danger?

"That? I lost it..." Actually, she didn't lose it, because this thing was very important. After arriving in the Netherworld City, she sewed it into her clothes. Even when Huang Chongshan captured her, he didn't find it.

"Lost? How could that be?!" Luo Qingcheng grabbed Ye Xiao's arm in utter shock.

Ye Xiao lowered his head somewhat guiltily, and after a while said, "Qingcheng, I have a favor to ask of you. No matter what, Lao San is a brother to us all. Could you please not compete with him for the position of Young Master of Youming City?"

Luo Qingcheng seemed to have lost his soul, completely ignoring Ye Xiao's words, and muttered to himself, "Lost... How could this be? Is it fate..."

Ye Xiao gently touched his hand: "Qingcheng, I'm very worried about Lao San's situation. Can you give up this fight and ignore all this trouble? Let's leave here and go to Falling Leaf Manor or Lonely Cloud Fortress..."

Luo Qingcheng slowly came to his senses and gave a somewhat desolate smile: "Xiaoxiao, no. There's too much hatred, I can't give up anymore. This is my destiny. Xiaoxiao, if you're really worried about Lao San, you can go and persuade him to give up this fight. Youming City was originally mine, and I will definitely take it back. This is the first step in my revenge."

"Qingcheng!" Ye Xiao cried out in anguish, "Don't you care about our brotherhood at all?"

Luo Qingcheng smiled coldly, released Ye Xiao, and stood up: "Friendship? If friendship truly existed in this world, how could I be without parents? How could Aunt Ru have left me? How could Uncle Shen have been harmed? How could Xiao Wan see me as an enemy? Xiao Xiao, even if such a word truly existed, it wasn't created for me. I'm not that lucky. Xiao Xiao, I'm leaving. Wudu City is a place of trouble; be careful."

Having said that, he leaped onto the iron chain bridge and flew away without hesitation. Ye Xiao stared blankly in the direction he had gone, tears streaming down her face.

After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Xun's voice was heard: "Boss! Boss, are you alright?! Second Brother was talking nonsense, saying you fell into Huang Chongshan's hands. He was lying to me!"

Ye Xiao turned back sadly to look at him: "He's right. I was indeed captured by Huang Chongshan just now."

"..." Xiao Xun was speechless for a long time, then finally said in a muffled voice, "So, what Qingcheng said is all true? My Uncle Wen is really Huang Chongshan?" Seeing Ye Xiao nod, he finally deflated like a punctured balloon and lowered his head: "How could that be? He's been so good to me, how could he be my archenemy? I don't believe it..."

Ye Xiao opened his mouth, wanting to tell him that Huang Chongshan wasn't actually his main enemy, but ultimately held back. After a moment, Xiao Xun asked, "Where's the second brother? Is he alright? I have many questions for him; he seems very familiar with things in Wudu City. It's really strange..."

Ye Xiao lowered her head: "He's gone. He's left."

"..." Xiao Xun did not speak again.

Everyone in the council hall had left, leaving only Madam Xiao sitting there in a daze. Seeing the two enter, she forced herself to composed herself and smiled at Xiao Xun: "Xun'er, how did things go?"

Xiao Xun said in a heavy voice, "Mother, I can't believe that Uncle Wen is really Huang Chongshan."

Xiao Hanqing asked with concern, "How...is he?"

"They ran away," Xiao Xun said in a muffled voice.

Xiao Hanqing breathed a sigh of relief and then asked, "Where's your brother? What's his name... Luo Qingcheng?"

"I'm gone." Xiao Xun's voice was even more muffled.

Xiao Hanqing didn't say anything more, she was just stunned.

“Mrs. Xiao,” Ye Xiao looked at her, “I have something I’d like to discuss with you privately…”

Xiao Hanqing paused for a moment, then looked at Xiao Xun: "Xun'er, go outside and see how things are going. I want to have a private chat with Miss Ye."

Xiao Xun glanced at the two of them silently and then went out the door.

After he left, Xiao Hanqing smiled at Ye Xiao with graceful demeanor: "The north is bitterly cold. Are you getting used to it here, Miss Ye? Is there anything else you need?"