Xu Yi said, "Actually, I guessed you were pulling strings behind the scenes—not for any other reason, but because a sudden flash of inspiration struck while I was refining the Five Elements Spirit. Gu Beiting went to all that trouble, even making such a huge spectacle, just to force me into the alchemy camp. At first, I thought it was because my pure Thunder Dao was powerful."
"Later, I realized it wasn't because my pure Thunder Dao was powerful. It was because the Crimson Flame Thunder Monkey I manifested was a natural Thunder Demon. What Gu Beiting wanted wasn't my powerful Thunder Dao, but the pure Thunder Dao unleashed by the Crimson Flame Thunder Monkey. And as far as I know, aside from Yi Bingwei, you were the only one who knew I could manifest it."
Memories flashed through Ruan Hongchen's mind like lightning. After Xu Yi's great battle on the Gentleman Stage that day, she and Yi Bingwei had gone over to him. At the time, she had used her charm arts to tease Xu Yi more than once. Later, she had provoked him into manifesting the Crimson Flame Thunder Monkey. She herself was a Heavenly Demon Charm Snake, naturally at odds with the Crimson Flame Thunder Monkey.
She had been so frightened that she fled at once. It was then that she began plotting against Xu Yi. Ruan Hongchen had never imagined that someone could be so meticulous, recalling even a fleeting glimpse or a tiny fragment of everyday life, then pinpointing the exact key to breaking through the puzzle.
She felt she had lost fairly. "Then, Hall Master Liu—how did you find out about him? My connection with him was absolutely secret. You shouldn't have been able to find him."
Xu Yi said, "You were too brazen.