After Qi Zhaogu had a couple of drinks, he left the wine stall and headed toward Pingding City.
In another month, Tong Baixiong would celebrate his sixtieth birthday. The incense masters and flag masters stationed throughout the Wind Thunder Hall were returning one after another, and friends from the martial world had also come to pay their respects.
Tong Mansion was bustling with activity. As the third of his master's direct disciples, he naturally had to make an appearance.
As he passed through the woods outside the city, Qi Zhaogu stopped and looked to one side.
"Who's spying from the shadows?"
A handsome young man walked out of the woods. Qi Zhaogu was astonished. His hearing had always been exceptional, and this man must have followed him all the way, yet he had only noticed him now. If the man had been an experienced martial artist, that would have been one thing, but he looked not yet twenty. To possess such skill at his age was truly rare.
The young man cupped his hands. "Greetings, Incense Master Qi."
"Who are you?"
"Zhang Yu of Cloud Water Hall."
He had deliberately revealed himself here so that he could meet Qi Zhaogu.
"Cloud Water Hall? Zhang Yu?"
The two hall masters were friends, and Cloud Water Hall and Wind Thunder Hall had a good relationship as well. Qi Zhaogu loved making friends, and he knew all the outstanding incense masters and flag masters of Cloud Water Hall. He had never heard of anyone named Zhang Yu.
Zhang Yu continued, "I've just returned from Damaoling. I came to see Hall Master Tong at my late master Hall Master Wu's dying request."
"Hall Master Wu is dead?"
"My master has passed away."
"Where did he die?"
"On an unnamed mountain east of Mount Heng."
"Who killed him?"
"Fei Bin, the 'Great Song Yang Hand.'"
Qi Zhaogu said coldly, "Nonsense! Hall Master Wu was a master of the Innate realm. How could some damn 'Third Protector' of the Mount Song Sect defeat the Flying Cloud Divine Ape? Who are you really?"
Zhang Yu remained composed and slowly said, "My master did indeed die after suffering the Great Song Yang Hand. His meridians were shattered. But before that, he had already been seriously wounded in an ambush by Yue Buqun of Huashan and Liu Zhengfeng of Hengshan. Fei Bin led experts from the Mount Song Sect in pursuit. My master endured a blow from the 'Great Song Yang Palm' and severely wounded Fei Bin. Only then were we able to escape our pursuers."
"The Five Great Sword Sects had laid an ambush in advance. There were countless suspicious points, and I'm not ignorant of the danger involved. I returned despite the risk to my life precisely to fulfill my master's final request and seek an audience with Hall Master Tong Baixiong."
Qi Zhaogu hesitated. Zhang Yu's account was coherent, and he spoke with feeling and loyalty. He did not seem to be faking it. But if this was a trap set by someone with ulterior motives, aimed at Tong Baixiong, and Qi Zhaogu rashly led him in, would that not cause Wind Thunder Hall to follow in Cloud Water Hall's footsteps? At that point, even a hundred deaths would not redeem him.
Zhang Yu said, "I know what you're thinking, Incense Master Qi."
Qi Zhaogu gave a laugh. "You know what I'm thinking?"
"You're worried that I'm Yang Lianting's mole, intending to implicate Hall Master Tong."
Hearing Zhang Yu casually mention Yang Lianting—the very person he had suspected—Qi Zhaogu was both shocked and frightened. He hurriedly said, "Keep your voice down."
Instead, Zhang Yu raised his voice. "Yang Lianting is a traitor within the Sun Moon Divine Cult! Everyone knows it. Why can't it be said?"
Qi Zhaogu forced a bitter smile. "Enough. I'll report this to him."
Pingding Prefecture belonged to the Hebei Branch Secretariat, but the prefectural office was not located in Pingding City. The imperial court had established only a single Imperial Guard Battalion Commandery there, which amounted to a tacit understanding between both sides.
Put plainly, as long as Dongfang Bubai did not openly raise the banner of rebellion, the imperial court would tacitly accept the regime's de facto independence.
Thirty thousand followers, with experts as numerous as clouds.
Such a force, whether in the martial world or within the imperial court, had to be treated with wariness.
Tong Mansion stood east of Pingding City.
It occupied twenty mu and was the largest and most lavish residence in the city.
Of course, its owner's status and standing were worthy of such a mansion.
Before Dongfang Bubai gained Ren Woxing's favor, he had merely been an incense master under Tong Baixiong. After Ren Woxing disappeared and Dongfang Bubai first succeeded him, the people within the cult refused to submit. Tong Baixiong had supported him with all his might, personally killing Elder Luo of Vermilion Bird Hall when he stepped forward to voice his objections.
Thus, in the heart of Eastern Cult Master Dongfang, Tong Baixiong's importance likely surpassed even Xiang and Qu.
In the main hall.
Qi Zhaogu stood respectfully to the side, waiting for his reprimand.
"You're being far too cautious. Even if he were Yang Lianting's mole, so what? When I became friends with Brother Dongfang, where was this fellow Yang? When I fought the Seven Tigers of Ludong in the Taihang Mountains and saved Brother Dongfang's life, where was that fellow Yang? Yang Lianting is nothing but a dog that wags its tail. He rose through flattery. Brother Dongfang is merely bewitched by him for now. Sooner or later, he'll come to his senses."
Qi Zhaogu smiled. "Master is absolutely right. I was overthinking it."
The old man speaking wore a black satin leather robe patterned with clouds. His hair and beard were gray, his temples bulged, and his voice was aged yet deep and resonant. It was clear that his Internal Energy was abundant.
He looked at the young man standing below and laughed heartily. "Just because this little brother dared to curse Yang Lianting as a traitor of the Sun Moon Divine Cult outside Pingding City, even if he isn't a disciple of Cloud Water Hall or Wu Lianjiang's student, I'm still willing to meet him."
Seeing Tong Baixiong speak this way, Zhang Yu knew that the seemingly forthright old man did not fully believe him. There was a probing edge to his words. If Zhang Yu showed the slightest sign of impropriety today, he would not leave Tong Mansion alive.
Sure enough, no one who became a hall master of the Sun Moon Divine Cult was easy to deal with.
"Before my master died, he asked me to deliver a message to Hall Master Bear."
"What message?"
"'The old drinking companion from Qunyu Courtyard in Hengshan has gone on ahead. I hope you take care of yourself.'"
"You needn't say anything more, little brother. I believe you."
Upon hearing this, Tong Baixiong immediately stopped smiling, and sorrow appeared on his face.
That year, when the Sun Moon Divine Cult attacked the Hengshan Sect, he and Wu Lianjiang had both been incense masters in their respective halls. Qunyu Courtyard was famous throughout the world. The two young men, full of vigor and eager to experience it for themselves, had secretly left their unit under the pretext of investigating the other side's strength. After reaching Hengshan City, they booked the entire Qunyu Courtyard and spent one wild day and night there.
Qi Zhaogu lowered his head, secretly amused. He had never imagined that his master had such a romantic past.
Tong Baixiong asked, "Little brother, what do you plan to do?"
Tears filled Zhang Yu's eyes. "My master gave me instructions. When Cloud Water Hall was wiped out at Damaoling, the Five Great Sword Sects had already made preparations. Even Liu Zhengfeng of Hengshan, thousands of li away, appeared there. Someone must have leaked the news in advance and colluded with people inside and outside, causing the Divine Cult to suffer such devastating losses."
Tong Baixiong's gaze was as sharp as lightning. "Who do you suspect?"
"My master said it might have been Yang Lianting."
"Good. That is exactly what I believe as well. Tomorrow, you'll accompany me to Blackwood Cliff. In Chengde Hall, we'll accuse Yang Lianting."
Zhang Yu was greatly shocked. He naturally knew that Dongfang Bubai's trust in Yang Lianting could not possibly be shaken.
"Hall Master Tong, even if you and I know the truth, without evidence, Yang Lianting is too cunning. Eastern Cult Master may not believe us."
"Don't worry. Since I intend to deal with Yang Lianting, I naturally came prepared."
Tong Baixiong stroked his beard and chuckled.
"The messenger who delivered Yang Lianting's letter to Zuo Lengchan has already been captured by me."
"This time, he is doomed!"
Before you continue