Chapter 22 022[VIP]

Fang Yingkan had originally intended to use the Changkong Gang massacre to distract his adoptive parents, allowing them to temporarily put aside the trouble he had caused in Bianjing City while they investigated that matter. However, he had never imagined that the matter would take such a dramatic turn.

The Hubei Changkong Gang had been annihilated, and the Changkong Divine Finger had been stolen.

The perpetrator of this devastating crime was actually in Bianjing City, even within the Mitian Alliance, his sworn enemy!

Martial arts skills, when presented to his adoptive father Fang Geyin and his adoptive mother Sang Xiaoe, were something that could not be hidden.

To him, this was like a blessing from heaven.

If he hadn't restrained himself, the four words "Changkong Divine Finger" he shouted in surprise would not only have been heard by him and the few people around him, but would have become a loud verdict, a judgment.

This judgment consumed his entire attention, so naturally, he didn't notice the surprise on his face when he blurted out the name.

Shi Qingruo felt fortunate; her luck was truly exceptional.

Fang Yingkan had come at the invitation, not letting his previous beating make him so intimidated by the Misty Heaven Alliance that he wouldn't dare approach them.

The young man who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere was truly a formidable opponent, forcing Bai Choufei to this point, forcing him to fight with all his might until Fang Yingkan recognized his true identity.

Guan Qi could have "tested" Bai Choufei's abilities, but it wouldn't have come across as overly calculated, perhaps even bullying.

Now was... just the right time!

As for the sudden appearance of this Shuzhong Tang Sect disciple coveting her Peacock Feather, she'd have to deal with it as it came.

Shi Qingruo didn't have time to dwell on this; her attention was drawn to the clash on the field.

Bai Choufei, exhausting half his energies, unleashed a single "Sha Breaking" attack, breaking the young man's playful smile.

Dozens of hidden weapons soared into the air, attempting to form a barrier to block the attack, but they instantly crumbled, plummeting like icy blue flames.

The mechanical wings on his back, driven by the momentum of the weapons' flight, suddenly unfolded, narrowly avoiding Bai Choufei's attack.

Even so, the furious wind unleashed by "Sha Breaking" stalked him, nearly breaking half his arm.

The cold arrogance between the young man's brows deepened, the blue ice on his fingertips rising again, and his swift, sharp darts swung down in long arcs.

Bai Choufei leaped up to catch him, unleashing his next wave of finger wind.

This wind, unlike its previous sharpness, instead resembled a gentle dream breeze, catching the seemingly all-pervasive hidden weapons.

And then—

upstream, it aimed directly at the young man's brow.

With a muffled thud, the young man launched a volley of hidden weapons through his mouth, deflecting the wind, but still unable to stem the gentle breeze. A single bloodstain appeared on his chest.

His expression suddenly changed, and he tapped his chest several times, only to spurt out a mouthful of blood.

In an instant, his face, already pale, became even more pale than gold paper.

And right in front of him, Bai Choufei, whose power had already diminished with his attack, grabbed his ankle with one hand and raised a third finger with the other.

The unprecedented sense of danger made the young man dare not linger.

"Stop him!" Shi Qingruo shouted sternly from the podium.

But her words were first answered by a sudden rise of mist from the arena.

At the edge of the mist, a dark figure, carrying Lan Bing, swiftly darted out.

Chu Liuxiang's eyes flashed, and he immediately gave chase.

"Don't run!" Wang Xiaoshi hadn't been able to intervene before, and couldn't, but now, with a furious shout, he chased after the man.

The three figures, each one swifter than the other, vanished from sight in a matter of seconds.

Everyone turned to see the wife of the Saint Master of the Misty Heaven Alliance hurriedly descending the stage.

Wen Rou, following behind, was even more impatient, leaping onto the ring to check on Bai Choufei.

"Dabaicai, how are you?"

Shi Qingruo held her breath, and only followed after Sikong Zhaixing nodded.

The smoke bomb the young man had launched was merely a cover for his escape and wasn't poisonous. Now that he had fled, the wind quickly dissipated it, revealing Bai Choufei still on the ring.

Judging from the appearance of the man who had just fled, he was definitely more seriously injured. At least, aside from the wound on the back of Bai Choufei's hand, everything else was intact.

Just as Wenrou was about to reach out and touch him, Bai Choufei suddenly spat out a mouthful of black blood.

A faint blue hue spread from his fingertips, coating his exposed palm with an icy chill, as if frozen solid.

Even his face seemed faintly blue.

"Don't touch him yet!" a voice suddenly rang out from the audience, interrupting Wenrou's actions.

The crowd below quickly parted, making way for the young man in the wheelchair and the child behind him.

Wuqing nodded to Shi Qingruo, not bothering to explain his presence.

After being wheeled onto the stage, he decisively attacked, sealing Bai Choufei's vital points with a series of taps.

Bai Choufei, whose "Shocking Finger" had previously unleashed such a powerful and imposing aura, now collapsed silently.

"How is he?" Wenrou asked hurriedly.

Wuqing's face was expressionless, revealing only a hint of solemnity. "He's been poisoned by Tang Ling of the Shuzhong Tang Sect's poisoned ice, and he's in a bad state. Furthermore, the energy he expended with those two fingers can't be easily replenished, and the combined effects create a serious problem."

Normally, a fight like this shouldn't have reached this point, but Tang Ling was a ruthless individual, known for his unrestrained attacks. He'd even forced Bai Choufei to this point.

If they'd been more cautious with him initially, perhaps things would have been better, but...

Wenrou gasped. "You said he was Tang Ling?"

She came from the time-honored Wen family of Lingnan, and had frequent ties with the Shuzhong Tang Sect. Naturally, she knew the key figures within them.

Unwilling to continue competing with the Thunder Sect's Thunderbolt Hall and the established Wen family, the Shuzhong Tang Sect placed their hopes on the best of the younger generation, cultivating them with all their might.

However, none of this generation's most outstanding members appeared normal.

The eldest daughter, Tang Lan, once used a peacock diagram to recreate the Peacock Feather, the very hidden weapon Shi Qingruo used to launch at Lei Sun. She possessed an incredible talent for mechanical engineering, but for unknown reasons, she abruptly defected from the Tang Sect and has been missing for years.

The second son, Tang Piao, lived up to his name, a capricious individual who disliked being bound by rules and regulations, seemingly unsuitable for significant responsibility.

As for the third son, Tang Ling… while he possessed considerable proficiency in both poisons and hidden weapons, his sinister nature made him a less-than-ideal successor.

He had once been in love with the young lady of the Shen family of Feiyutang. After her death, he changed his name to "Feiyu," so he could be called Tang Ling or Tang Feiyu.

Regardless of the name, Miss Wen was no stranger.

Who was Tang Ling? He was the ruthless man who had once poisoned even Old Lady Tang at the Tang Clan's poison-testing convention. So, what he used against Bai Choufei was definitely no ordinary substance.

At least, it wasn't something that could be easily neutralized with internal energy.

"I'll contact the Wen family," Wen Rou stamped her foot and turned away.

As she walked, she pondered: simply contacting the Wen family's detoxification department wouldn't be enough.

If she remembered correctly, her senior brother's Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower also employed a doctor, Shu Dafu, a former imperial physician. Because of his extensive experience with the jianghu, he was well-versed in detoxification and should be able to borrow him for a trial.

Shi Qingruo was about to stop him when she saw the girl had already stormed off.

She lowered her eyes and glared coldly at Bai Choufei. She saw that in the brief time Wuqing had spoken, even with his meridians blocked, the bluish hue on his face had visibly deepened.

This was clearly not a good sign.

If things continued like this, Bai Choufei might not be able to delay Wenrou from bringing the antidote.

That... wouldn't help her plan at all.

Her gaze shifted quickly, turning towards Wuqing: "I've heard Chief Constable Wuqing's hidden weapon skills are incredibly renowned in the martial arts world. Since you were able to reveal Tang Ling's identity so easily, you must have dealt with him before. I wonder how much you know about this thing? Is there any way to further curb the spread of the poison?"

As soon as she spoke, everyone could hear the anxious worry in her voice.

Bai Choufei was supposed to become one of the Six Saint Masters of the Misty Heaven Alliance after today's competition. With the martial arts he demonstrated today, he would surely be a powerful ally.

If he fell to such a plot, it would undoubtedly be a devastating loss for the Misty Heaven Alliance!

Wuqing's face remained stoic, yet he couldn't help but internally remark that even a simple display of prowess on the stage could cause trouble. In a sense, this Madam Master was quite capable.

However, despite this thought, in response to her earnest question, Wuqing replied earnestly, "I use different hidden weapons than him, and I haven't studied medicine, so I can only give it a try."

His specialty was a hidden weapon called Shun Ni Shen Zhen, which similarly affected the poisonous ice's entry into the body, but his weapons were never poisonous, making them distinct.

All he could do was use his skills to quickly locate the poisonous ice's true form; detoxification still required specialized personnel.

Shi Qingruo said, "Thank you for your trouble."

Without further ado, Wuqing directed the two men to avoid Bai Choufei's arms and neck, carrying him into the inner hall.

As Shi Qingruo dismissed the guests invited to the ceremony and dispatched the Mitian Alliance members back to their garrisons, he saw several marks painted across Bai Choufei's body. These were the marks Wuqing had drawn in preparation for removing the hidden weapon that had struck him. Beside

him, Wuqing pondered, his pen in hand, his eyes calm and focused.

He had indeed clashed with Tang Ling before, but that didn't mean removing his unique hidden weapon would be easy. He still wanted to think about the final few pulse points.

Suddenly, he felt his hand go empty. It was Shi Qingruo who snatched the pen from his hand.

"Master..."

Wuqing had barely uttered a word when Shi Qingruo gestured to silence him. "Shh!"

The disciple who had been responsible for carrying Bai Choufei to the inner hall had just left. The Alliance's experts in medicine and poison had not yet arrived. Only those concerned about Bai Choufei's injuries gathered at the door, waiting to hear what was going on inside.

Shi Qingruo's signal cut Wuqing's words short. Only the three people's breathing could be heard in the room, and nothing could be heard outside.

And...

Wuqing's eyes dropped to the front, watching Shi Qingruo gently grasp his hand and, using the pen he'd previously held, quickly scribble a single word across her palm.

It was the distinct character "拖" (drag).

His eyelashes trembled.

If she had simply used her finger as a pen, Wuqing might have misread it, but her swift and steady strokes left no room for ambiguity.

There was no other possible meaning for this word "拖" (drag).

How bizarre.

She had publicly, willingly owed him a favor, perhaps even intimidating some members of the Mi Tian League with criminal records, to ask him, the Six Gates Chief Constable, for help in rescuing Bai Choufei. She had practically let everyone in the Mi Tian League know that she, the Holy Lord's Wife, held the future "Six Holy Lords" in high regard.

Yet, out of sight and hearing, she issued a completely different request.

Delay—

delaying Bai Choufei's injury.

He couldn't let it worsen too much, nor could he recover too quickly despite this help.

In other words…

Wuqing slowly raised his eyes, meeting a pair of bright, clear, dark eyes.

It was hard not to recall the street after Lei Sun's death, the same pair of eyes he had seen from his perch down the street.

He also remembered Shi Qingruo's words. "Such a person will never betray the trust of others."

That's why she had willingly entrusted her life to Su Mengzhen, Lu Xiaofeng, and the others back then. Now, with a single word, she could trust him to see things through.

He opened his mouth and silently replied, "I understand."

Shi Qingruo straightened and stepped back a few steps.

Wuqing extended his hand, and the Qi-breaking Divine Art, originally used to release and retract hidden weapons, now unleashed a series of dazzling, continuous strikes.

A faint blue light, guided by his guidance, slowly emerged on the back of Bai Choufei's hand.

This should have been a promising sign of the poison being forced out. Even the alliance doctor who had quietly entered the room held his breath, fearing the noise would disrupt Wuqing's actions.

But for Wuqing, who had long worked with such delicate hidden weapons, he could clearly discern the difference between the "blue ice" being forced out and the one Tang Ling had previously injected into Bai Choufei's body.

This subtle difference...

was enough to prevent Wenrou from recovering quickly enough to take over his position as one of the Holy Leaders of the Misty Heaven Alliance, even after Wenrou had sought treatment from a renowned physician.

In this sense, he had become an "accomplice."

After explaining Bai Choufei's condition to his caregivers, Wuqing couldn't help but feel a sense of bewilderment. He could only assess the situation within the Misty Heaven Alliance while slowly pushing his wheelchair out.

The onlookers had already withdrawn upon learning that Bai Choufei was no longer in danger, allowing him to proceed unimpeded.

Or perhaps these people finally realized that although the ruthless Chief Constable looked thin and frail, he had secured his position by arresting villains and handling cases with great vigor. If they stayed here any longer, they didn't know what the outcome would be, so it would be better for them to disperse as soon as possible.

He lowered his eyes and chuckled, then overheard Shi Qingruo and her servants chatting about the reactions of the crowd ahead after the recent commotion.

Everything else seemed unimportant, save for the single sentence she singled out: "Where's the young marquis? I mean the one from the Marquis Shentong Mansion."

"...He seemed very happy when he left."

...

On this point, the members of the Misty Heaven Alliance didn't wrongly accuse Fang Yingkan.

Even if most of the invited guests had only a passing relationship with the Misty Heaven Alliance, they at least had to give Shi Qingruo some face in the face of the Six and a Half Hall's demise and its replacement by the Misty Heaven Alliance. Those with business dealings with the Misty Heaven Alliance also had to express a token of concern.

Unlike the young Marquis Fang, though.

That half-mask couldn't hide the smile on his face. It was

so conspicuous, no wonder he caught it.

He wasn't laughing at the Misty Heaven Alliance's amusement, as some had speculated, but rather at something far more pressing.

"So, you're planning to attack Bai Choufei?" Eunuch Mi asked after a moment's contemplation after hearing Fang Yingkan's news from the Misty Heaven Alliance.

"No," Fang Yingkan replied decisively. "What's the point of just attacking Bai Choufei? Even if he's truly confirmed as the murderer who wiped out the entire Changkong Gang, and even if my adoptive mother gets her revenge, it might not completely solve my problems."

He hadn't forgotten that when Shi Qingruo and Guan Qi arrived, they had openly stated that the "model" he had placed in the exotic animal garden as a warning had indeed been rescued by Shi Qingruo, and that he intended to forge a pair of iron hands for her to replace the ten fingers she had severed.

With such a powerful hostage, coupled with a supremely skilled protector, if she were to abandon all other matters and focus solely on targeting him, it would be a potentially fatal threat.

Unfortunately, Lei Sun's counterexample proved that it was impossible to eliminate Madam Shi while Guan Qi was away.

Even after some time had passed since that day, no one knew where Wen Xiaobai had gone, as if he had never appeared in Bianjing City.

Fang Yingkan couldn't make that mistake.

He couldn't be content with simply finding evidence against Bai Choufei. He had to... he had to make this a major event that would bring down the entire Mi Tian Alliance!

He paced back and forth in the room for a while, then suddenly stopped, turned around, and scurried over to Eunuch Mi. "I'd like to have someone do two things. Could you please give me some advice? See if it's okay to do so."

Mi Youqiao: "Tell me."

"First, we'll conduct a thorough investigation into Bai Choufei's background," Fang Yingkan said in a deep voice. "If he's capable of destroying the Changkong Gang, he must have other criminal records."

Judging others by his own experience, Fang Yingkan had the confidence to make such a judgment.

He wanted Bai Choufei to be bound to the Mi Tian Alliance, burdened with sins. That would be the true end of his life.

The Changkong Gang's involvement would inevitably lead to a crackdown on the Mitian Alliance by the various factions under his adoptive father.

Mi Youqiao nodded, agreeing with his assessment.

Fang Yingkan added, "I've heard from you, Eunuch Mi, that Guan Qi's martial arts skills have reached another level. If he hadn't become obsessed with martial arts and acted like a madman, he would have already unified the martial arts world. Even more terrifying is that in this state, he can imitate every move he's ever seen. So, do you think... did he remember the two fingers he saw from Bai Choufei today? And can he use his innate, invisible sword energy to imitate them?"

Mi Youqiao's eyebrows twitched, and he immediately realized Fang Yingkan's greater plan: "Are you trying to pin the Changkong Gang massacre directly on Guan Qi?"

"How can you call it shifting the blame?" Fang Yingkan's smile was casual, yet it held a chill. "His Holy Lord's Wife had come to Bianjing with Bai Choufei, having also departed from Hubei. And it was Guan Qi who, regardless of all else, married her, giving her the position of Holy Lord's Wife and the power to manage the Misty Heaven Alliance. He deserves to be held responsible for this!"

His adoptive father was indeed easy to deceive, but his martial arts skills were truly supreme. Even if he was slightly inferior to Guan Qi, they were by no means far behind. If he could join forces with Eunuch Mi and the others, he would be more than enough to eliminate the most destabilizing presence in the capital.

By then, even if Shi Qingruo could leverage others' strength, maneuver between various factions, or even play games of feigning martial arts skills while actually wielding hidden weapons, it would be of no use!

Of course, letting the situation unfold this way would be far more advantageous to him than simply eliminating Bai Choufei.

Fang Yingkan immediately added, "Oh, there's one more thing. We need to have someone investigate why someone from the Shu Tang Sect has suddenly been lurking within the Misty Heaven Alliance and suddenly taking the stage today."

If the Tang Sect is intentionally trying to test the waters and ally with the Misty Heaven Alliance, which destroyed the Liufenbantang, that would be another major problem.

Fang Yingkan didn't want his plan to be disrupted by something he "didn't know" about!

...

But if Shi Qingruo knew what he was thinking, she might have been generous enough to tell him. There was no need to worry.

Chu Liuxiang and Wang Xiaoshi hadn't been able to bring Tang Ling back, but they did bring back a few words from him.

He certainly hadn't come on behalf of the Tang Sect, only himself.

"He said that if he could defeat Bai Choufei today, he would definitely ask you for the Peacock Feather and inquire about your relationship with Tang Lan."

It was a rather blunt statement, but after hearing what Chu Liuxiang and Wuqing had said about Tang Ling's ways, Shi Qingruo regained her composure.

She simply replied, "He's looking for my sister, so don't come after me. It's better to go find a woman named Ming Yuexin in the martial arts world."

The origin of her Peacock Feather blueprint was somewhat related to what Tang Ling had imagined, but at least for now, there was no real connection.

Since he was gone and unlikely to return soon due to his injuries, she might as well put him aside for the time being. "Let's talk about Chu Xiangshuai."

As soon as those three words came out, Sikong Zhaixing's expression instantly revealed, "It's him, after all."

He was indeed not mistaken. The man who had been accompanying Shi Qingruo earlier was Chu Liuxiang, wearing a human skin mask.

Having been called out by Shi Qingruo, he wasn't ashamed to show his true identity, so he simply removed the mask, revealing his handsome and elegant face.

However, today, it was a bit more helpless. "When Young Master Wang and I stopped him, we not only asked about today's situation, but also about his relationship with the Divine Water Palace."

"He said he did have dealings with the Desert King, Zamuhe, but he only wanted to purchase some poisons not found in the south. He had no grudge against him, and certainly no way of killing him. With Zamuhe dead, he couldn't get the goods he wanted, and it wouldn't benefit him in any way. Why would he do this?"

Chu Liuxiang sighed. "I believe he's telling the truth."

Tang Ling was too arrogant. He was

arrogant when he went on stage to provoke Bai Choufei, and he behaved the same way in his daily life.

If he had truly killed a famous figure in the martial arts world, he would definitely not conceal it and would simply admit it.

"He also said that the theft of that damned Divine Water Palace had nothing to do with him. His special move, Ice Splits into Eight Paths, uses poisonous ice. If he really gets the Tianyi Divine Water, it will be like adding wings to a tiger. He shouldn't be here now. Instead, he should find a way to make the Tianyi Divine Water his own."

Shi Qingruo nodded. "If that's the case, then it certainly wasn't him. But he ruined the important plan of my Mitian League today, and even injured someone before leaving. Regardless of whether his words can be considered as answering your confusion, Xiang Shuai, the next time I meet him, I will settle the score with him."

"Of course." Chu Liuxiang pressed his fan against his forehead, his face gloomy. "But this will completely destroy all the leads I've been following."

He had originally believed that Tang Ling had contact with Zhamuhe, who died in the Tianyi Divine Water. Furthermore, after Miss Shen's death, Tang Ling not only changed his name but also indulged in sensual pleasures, leaving behind a number of unclear cases that drew criticism from the jianghu. If it weren't for the young Tang Clan's new talent still protecting him, he would have been imprisoned and interrogated. Therefore, he was highly likely the perpetrator. The clues he

had obtained from the Beggars' Sect only strengthened his belief that Tang Ling was the culprit.

Starting over from scratch now would be a huge hassle. After

all, the deadline given to him by the Divine Water Palace was not long.

It seemed that his only option was to start over with the masters who died in the Tianyi Divine Water and investigate their connections.

I just don't know if it's still in time...

Seeing his embarrassment, Shi Qingruo thought for a moment and said, "If Chu Xiangshuai doesn't mind, why don't you tell us everything again? Perhaps by working together, we can find some clues."

Chu Liuxiang was stunned for a moment, but he still started from the moment he saw the poisoned corpse floating on the sea, and continued to talk about his visit to the Mitian League.

Then he talked about Tang Ling, who he and Wang Xiaoshi had stopped earlier.

Unfortunately, apart from the antidote for Bai Choufei's poison, he didn't get anything.

It was obvious that this person had the ability to break into the Shenshui Palace and was not discovered by the Jellyfish Yin Ji, which had reduced the possible suspects by more than half...

Shi Qingruo was about to speak, but Lu Xiaofeng propped up his chin, raised his eyes from his contemplation, and said first: "If I were you, I would first suspect Master Wuhua. You see, you also said that you saw him when you found those floating corpses, and if I remember correctly, the Jellyfish Yin Ji of the Shenshui Palace likes Buddhist philosophy and actually invited him to join the discussion."

Rao Even Chu Liuxiang, despite his good temper, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow the moment he heard this: "Master Wuhua is an outsider, how dare you question him like that!"

Lu Xiaofeng spread his hands and said, "Before I came to Bianjing, everyone said that the young Marquis Fang in the capital was a genius, a man of great talent, with a father like Fang Juxia. But when he finally entered the mansion of the Marquis of Shentong, he found only a pile of filth."

With Fang Yingkan's example before him, why not investigate the equally suspected Wuhua?

After all, Chu Liuxiang was a smart man. He wouldn't wrongly accuse Tang Ling, and naturally, he wouldn't wrongly accuse Wuhua either.

Lu Xiaofeng stroked his often-joked beard and added, "It's not just Wuhua. I think the Beggars' Sect, who've drawn all your attention to Tang Ling, need to be investigated as well."

"Uh—Madam Shi, is there something wrong with what I said?"

Lu Xiaofeng had just said this when Shi Qingruo rested her chin on her hand, gazing at him with interest. For a moment, he couldn't tell whether she agreed or disagreed; the flickering glance and the smile on her lips made him uneasy.

Shi Qingruo shook her head. "You're not wrong. I'm just curious—"

"You compared Master Wuhua to Fang Yingkan, saying that even these bright and noble people should be wary. What about you?"

Lu Xiaofeng chuckled.

He understood Shi Qingruo's meaning.

She was asking if seeing the murky waters of Bianjing and the duplicity of many people would make Lu Xiaofeng, who loved making friends, doubt his friends' character.

But Lu Xiaofeng didn't want to answer that question.

He placed a hand on Sikong Zhaixing, who was standing beside him, and replied, "Madam Shi, look, he and I are a playboy and a thief, but we're like-minded and can become friends. We're willing to go to great lengths for others. Why should I be held back by what I've seen and heard?"

At least before anything really happened, he still enjoyed making friends and enjoying himself.

Of course, it would be even better if he didn't get blamed.

As for the fact that his like-minded, willing-to-go-to friend had fallen for a girl...

Shi Qingruo couldn't help but laugh again.

Lu Xiaofeng looked at her blankly, as if questioning her.

Shi Qingruo waved her hand, "Nothing. I was just thinking—something I said earlier was true."

Even in this dark world, there's still hope.

It just takes a little more effort to eliminate those who commit crimes!