The Hidden Secret

"So that's how it is!" Riding on his horse, Lu Bai nodded in sudden realization.

With this, certain things finally made sense.

The third young master of the Luo Family was named Luo Chuan.

Some time ago, due to an accident—specifically, while engaging in some thrilling games with his maid out in the wild—Luo Chuan had overheard people from Lianwu Mountain and Hundred Flower Grave conversing.

In the near future, the entirety of Lianwu Mountain would defect to Hundred Flower Grave, raising the banner of resistance against the demons from beyond the territory.

Although this matter was secretive, it wouldn't be a problem if it were known.

Given the current public opinion in the Martial Forest, as long as a group of mountain bandits raised the banner of resisting demons, they could wash away their past and become legitimate.

However, the foundation of Lianwu Mountain was truly too dark.

Like the Tianwu Holy Land, they were a force supported by Tianwu.

If the Tianwu Holy Land obtained modules through a method of "farming," then Lianwu Mountain used the most naked method to harvest them.

It was precisely because of this that they dared to shout the slogan: "When the Group of Fiends descend the mountain, even the gods must retreat."

Lianwu Mountain had a mountain of dark history, so it was naturally not easy for them to whitewash themselves now.

Even Hundred Flower Grave held certain reservations about Lianwu Mountain.

The condition for accepting Lianwu Mountain seemed to be that they must continue to perform the dirty work.

Although Luo Chuan was extremely shocked when he heard these things, he did not expose himself; he simply told his father about it when he returned home.

Unfortunately, the maid who had been playing those thrilling games with him—whether intentionally or for some other reason—let some information slip, and Lianwu Mountain came looking for him.

Hundred Flower Grave's intention was to use this opportunity to tie the Luo Family to their war chariot.

According to Lu Bai's judgment, what followed would be Lianwu Mountain and Hundred Flower Grave playing the roles of the bad cop and the good cop to exert pressure on the Luo Family.

The Luo Family had a grudge against Lianwu Mountain, and as a martial arts family, they were inherently different from the sects.

Originally, they had wanted to remain neutral in this conflict and not get involved.

With such a matter arising now, Luo Chuan's position had become very awkward.

Especially since word had spread that Lianwu Mountain intended to silence him, the one who had heard it with his own ears.

Of course, the real reason for the Luo Family's hesitation was that they were unclear about Hundred Flower Grave's true attitude.

In a sense, this matter could also be considered a dark history for Hundred Flower Grave.

For now, they could barely maintain their position, but once they leaned toward Hundred Flower Grave, they would inevitably clash with the Holy Land later on.

It was not impossible for Hundred Flower Grave to discard them once their usefulness was exhausted; after all, once Lianwu Mountain truly rebelled against the Holy Land to do the dirty work for Hundred Flower Grave, the relationship between them would certainly be closer than the one between the Luo Family and Hundred Flower Grave.

It was precisely because of this worry that the Luo Family had been holding out under pressure.

Luo Chuan's previous attempt to capture Lu Bai was actually an attempt to use Lu Bai as a gift to ease relations with Hundred Flower Grave.

The people from Lianwu Mountain were not here to kill Luo Chuan; killing him might only push the Luo Family further away.

Therefore, their goal this time was only to capture Luo Chuan, a point that Uncle Zhong had naturally seen through.

Luo Chuan's father was the main force resisting the move to join Hundred Flower Grave; once Luo Chuan was captured, the Luo Family might truly lose its ability to resist.

Uncle Zhong saw it clearly, and he thought it through clearly.

Then there was Lu Bai, the wanted criminal of Hundred Flower Grave. The moment he displayed his formidable martial prowess, Uncle Zhong sensed an opportunity.

A wanted criminal who was at odds with Hundred Flower Grave and possessed great strength—as long as he knew about this, he could, to the greatest extent, prevent the Luo Family from defecting to Hundred Flower Grave.

Of course, his ultimate goal was still directed at Lianwu Mountain; if this level of dark history were exposed, Hundred Flower Grave might abandon them.

The core of it all remained the Resentment.

Naturally, such a plan had too many unstable factors, such as Lu Bai's own attitude and whether Luo Chuan would cooperate.

Essentially, it was still a gamble, and this was the reason for Uncle Zhong's deep resentment.

He resented his own weakness.

It was precisely because he was so weak that he needed to put everything on the gambling table, using his own life as a stake to bet on an uncertain future.

Luo Chuan was also gradually coming to his senses, though this matter was, to a certain extent, favorable to him.

His position as the third young master was already very awkward, and having personally overheard the dark history of two major powers made it even more so.

Even if the people from Lianwu Mountain weren't there to kill him but to capture him, if his capture led to the Luo Family's inevitable surrender to Hundred Flower Grave, his position would become even more untenable. He would be an outcast everywhere he turned.

After witnessing Lu Bai's combat, Luo Chuan now had a strange, honey-like confidence in him.

He felt that with Lu Bai's ability, once he grasped this level of secrecy, he would surely be able to disrupt the alliance between Lianwu Mountain and Hundred Flower Grave.

However, Lu Bai shook his head. This news was indeed useful, but it was also useless.

The Martial Forest could not escape the pursuit of fame and profit.

Fame and profit were inseparable; fame could bring great benefits, and benefits could help shape a good reputation.

Therefore, for most people, what they looked at was still the magnitude of the profit.

As long as the profit is large enough, even someone whose reputation stinks like a cesspit can be scrubbed clean and fragrant, then presented to the public.

Does Lianwu Mountain have a foul reputation?

It stinks to high heaven.

Would exposing the fact that they work for the Holy Land, secretly harvesting those whom the Holy Land finds difficult to coerce, have a major impact on Lianwu Mountain?

It would indeed be quite significant.

But as long as the waters are muddied, none of it will be a problem.

As long as Hundred Flower Grave is clever enough to exert a little control over public opinion—for instance, by framing Lianwu Mountain as a victim persecuted by the Holy Land that has now turned over a new leaf.

Or perhaps by splashing filth on the Luo Family and smearing Luo Chuan, then accusing the Luo Family of having insufficient evidence, claiming that relying solely on a single witness like Luo Chuan is a shameful slander.

There are too many ways to muddy the waters, and under the influence of mutual interests, most people will simply ignore the matter.

Resisting the oppression of the Holy Land is the current trend; Lianwu Mountain might even end up with a good reputation for abandoning darkness to embrace the light.

The reason the Luo Family does not lean toward Hundred Flower Grave is likewise due to interests; as long as those interests can be guaranteed, a great family will not let past resentment influence their future actions.

Of course, this is not without a solution.

Public opinion is not so easily manipulated, and the reason Hundred Flower Grave has been successful is precisely because they currently occupy the moral high ground.

Lu Bai rode on his horse, swaying unsteadily, thinking about how to utilize this news.

Then, his gaze fell upon that [Resentment], and he gained some inspiration.

Within the Martial Forest, most people are indeed inseparable from fame and profit, and their codes of conduct are based upon these foundations.

However, there are also some people who are not like that.

They rely on resentment, or perhaps, righteousness!