Chengde Hall (Part 2)

"You're clearly a spy sent by Zuo Lengchan!"

Yang Lianting's voice was stern and severe, as if he had irrefutable proof.

Zhang Yu had originally just wanted to be an invisible person, hoping to establish a loyal persona of avenging his master if the opportunity arose. He hadn't expected Yang Lianting to skip Tong Baixiong and target him directly. Now, he had no choice but to fully commit to Tong Baixiong's ship, which looked sturdy but was destined to run aground sooner or later.

His mind raced, and he recalled the Cult Master's Precepts he had read last night. He immediately knelt and said:

"My loyalty to the Divine Cult is as clear as the sun and moon, and as evident as heaven and earth!"

"My safe return to Blackwood Cliff this time is entirely thanks to the Holy Cult Master's great fortune and protection."

"Being pursued by the Five Great Sword Sects along the way, and miraculously escaping danger each time, is also a manifestation of the Holy Cult Master's divine power, guiding lost lambs back to their mother's embrace."

Zhang Yu thought of his parents still farming in the countryside, whose dream of him becoming a distinguished official would never be realized. He was the eldest son, with a younger brother in junior high school whose grades were so poor he likely wouldn't even get into high school...

At this thought, sorrow overwhelmed him. Zhang Yu's voice broke with tears, clearly moved by genuine emotion.

Qi Zhaogu glanced sideways, thinking to himself, "To be able to apply the Cult Master's Precepts so skillfully is the mark of a born sycophant. Brother Zhang has a bright future. Once he overcomes this hurdle, he will surely become another rising star in the cult."

"I constantly remind myself that if I can return to Blackwood Cliff, I must pledge my life to the Cult Master. Even if I die tragically, I will never forget the Cult Master's profound grace and kindness in the netherworld!"

"Please, Manager Yang, look into this. I have a sworn enmity with Zuo Lengchan, Yue Buqun, Liu Zhengfeng, and Yu Jizi of the Five Great Sword Sects. I wish I could eat their flesh and flay their skin. How could I possibly betray them and break the hearts of my loved ones in the grave?"

Yang Lianting sneered, "What a silver tongue you have! I merely spoke a word, and you have so many words ready. This shows your treacherous intentions."

Tong Baixiong nodded slightly. Zhang Yu's performance was extraordinary, far exceeding his expectations. Not only had he completely defended against Yang Lianting's accusations, but he had also handed him an opening.

"Zhang Yu, you just said that other factions were also involved in the battle at Mount Heng?"

"That's right. When we reached Damaoling on Mount Heng, suddenly the sounds of battle erupted. Zuo Lengchan commanded the Five Great Sword Sects to attack together. They had overwhelming numbers and many experts."

"The Cloud Water Hall fought desperately for half a day, but we were still outnumbered. While inflicting casualties on the enemy, our Flag Master, Incense Master, and Deputy Hall Master all fell to the swords of the five sects' experts."

Tong Baixiong frowned, "That's strange."

Ren Yingying asked, "Elder Tong, what is strange about it?"

"Reporting to Saint Aunt, from what I know, Mount Heng is the weakest link among the Five Great Sword Sects. The Divine Cult dispatched the Cloud Water Hall, and a surprise attack should have been enough to annihilate those nuns!"

Tong Baixiong took two steps forward, staring into Yang Lianting's eyes with a sharp gaze.

"But why would Zuo Lengchan have laid an ambush at Mount Heng in advance, leading to the complete annihilation of the Cloud Water Hall? I can't help but ask, were the Five Great Sword Sects also represented at the meeting in Chengde Hall that day?"

Ren Yingying asked, "Could the information have leaked during the operation?"

Tong Baixiong said, "Saint Aunt, you may not know. The plan decided in the hall that day was a surprise attack. The journey from Pingding Prefecture, a distance of three hundred li, was to be completed by the Cloud Water Hall in just two days and one night."

"Even if the information leaked during the march, the Hengshan Sect and Taishan Sect, who are a thousand li away, could not have arrived before the Divine Cult and still managed to anticipate the Cloud Water Hall's march and set up an ambush."

Yang Lianting sneered, "Then what is Elder Tong's brilliant suggestion? Here in Chengde Hall, in the presence of the Cult Master, why don't you speak your mind?"

Tong Baixiong looked at Yang Lianting and smiled, "At the Chengde Hall meeting that day, besides the Cult Master, only the three of us were present: myself, Hall Master Wu, and Manager Yang."

Yang Lianting asked, "Is there a spy among the latter three?"

Tong Baixiong said, "There is a spy!"

Yang Lianting asked, "Who is the spy?"

Tong Baixiong sneered, "Manager Yang knows in his heart."

Yang Lianting leaned back in his grand chair and chuckled, "Of course, I know! The spy is Wu Lianjiang, and perhaps others too. I am currently conducting a thorough investigation."

Tong Baixiong raised his voice, "Manager Yang, is it not too shameless to falsely accuse Hall Master Wu, who died fighting the enemy, to arrest his family, and to torture the disciples left behind at Cloud Water Hall?"

"I have already been very merciful in dealing with a traitor."

"You claim Hall Master Wu is a traitor, what evidence do you have?"

Yang Lianting said coldly, "Someone confessed that Wu Lianjiang never recited the Cult Master's Precepts at home, nor did he allow his family or disciples to recite them. He even used the Cult Master's Precepts as a leg for a table. All of this shows that Wu Lianjiang is not sincere, harbors resentment, and believes that Eastern Cult Master is too young and lacks the qualifications for the important responsibilities of the Divine Cult."

Tong Baixiong was momentarily speechless. As far as he knew, Wu Lianjiang did indeed act that way.

At this point, Zhang Yu cupped his hands and said, "This subordinate has something to say."

Yang Lianting rebuked angrily, "What kind of place is Chengde Hall? What is your status? Do you have the right to speak here?"

Tong Baixiong looked at Zhang Yu and said, "In Chengde Hall, before the Eastern Cult Master, Zhang Yu, what do you have to say?"

Zhang Yu said, "Manager Yang just said that my master did not recite the Cult Master's Precepts, nor did he allow his family and disciples to recite them. That is incorrect!"

"My master often said that if he didn't read the Cult Master's Precepts for a day, he would have no appetite, his food would get stuck in his throat, he wouldn't sleep soundly, and he would even stumble when walking."

"After reading the Cult Master's Precepts, he felt warm all over, as if he had taken a miraculous elixir that cured all ailments. That's why he insisted that his disciples must recite the Cult Master's Precepts word for word, just like him."

Tong Baixiong asked curiously, "You say you can recite the Cult Master's Precepts word for word?"

Zhang Yu said without hesitation, "Yes."

Ren Yingying then asked, "Do you know how many articles there are in the Cult Master's Precepts? How many characters?"

"Six hundred and sixty-six articles, over fifty-four thousand characters."

Ren Yingying asked in surprise, "Can you really recite it word for word?"

"Reporting to Saint Aunt, this subordinate can indeed recite it."

Ren Yingying asked, "What is the third article of the Cult Master's Precepts?"

"Virtuous and Martial, Benevolent, Righteous, Heroic, and Wise Cult Master's Precepts, Article Three: Be ruthless to enemies, cut the weeds and eliminate the roots, men, women, old, and young, leave none alive."

"Cult Master's Precepts, Article Two Hundred?"

"Virtuous and Martial, Benevolent, Righteous, Heroic, and Wise Cult Master's Precepts, Article Two Hundred: Collude with the court's lackeys, covet wealth and glory, the entire family, leave none alive!"

"Cult Master's Precepts, Article Five Hundred and Thirty-Two?"

"Virtuous and Martial, Benevolent, Righteous, Heroic, and Wise Cult Master's Precepts, Article Five Hundred and Thirty-Two: Betray fellow cult members, leak cult secrets, implicate three generations of kin, leave none alive!"

Ren Yingying asked, "Manager Yang, the Cult Master's Precepts was compiled under your supervision. Are there any errors in the articles he recited?"

Yang Lianting let out a cold laugh but said nothing.

Tong Baixiong felt bringing Zhang Yu to Blackwood Cliff was an incredibly correct decision. He stepped forward into the hall and looked at Yang Lianting.

"Now the matter is clear!"

"There is a traitor in the Sun Moon Divine Cult!"

"It's not Hall Master Wu Lianjiang of Cloud Water Hall."

"It's our Sun Moon Divine Cult's Grand Manager—Yang Lianting!"

A voice came from behind the beaded curtain, "Elder Tong, do you have proof?"

Tong Baixiong was confident. "Cult Master, the witness is outside the hall. I feared someone might make a desperate move, so I sent experts from my hall to protect them personally. I request the Cult Master to summon them inside."

The voice from behind the beaded curtain spoke again, "Summon everyone outside the hall to enter."