Chapter 71: Should only be a little bit higher than you (seeking follow-up reading)

Lu Xiaofeng, upon hearing this, glanced at the red-clothed youth's head of white hair and said to Hua Manlou, unable to laugh or cry:

"Your youngest brother is indeed a very interesting person."

"Little Eight, the martial arts world has been very lively recently. Not only were the Yan family in Guanzhong and the richest person in the world killed, but the Emei Sect has also suddenly changed a new sect leader."

The red-clothed youth turned his head to the fishing rod and replied perfunctorily:

"Why tell me this? I don't mix in the martial arts world. Whatever sect leader those famous sects want to change, let them change. What does it have to do with me?"

"You have always loved to listen to the rights and wrongs of the martial arts world." Hua Manlou seemed to have a trace of surprise.

Zhuang Buran replied lazily:

"It's just taking it as fun to listen to. And now my greatest fun is how many fish I can catch today, and how big the fish I catch can be."

"You can always find the greatest fun in very boring things." Hua Manlou laughed dumbly.

Zhuang Buran said indifferently:

"You are different. Just sitting quietly, you feel you can feel the greatest fun."

"I just came to tell you one thing: recently, if you can avoid going out, it is best not to go out." Hua Manlou explained:

"It is rumored that Dugu Yihe seems to have been seriously injured by someone, so he had to step down from the position of Emei sect leader."

Zhuang Buran raised an eyebrow:

"Oh, is that so? But what does this have to do with whether I go out or not?"

Lu Xiaofeng shook his head and sighed:

"Just because someone said it was a red-clothed person who beat the Emei sect leader until he lost his martial arts."

"Understood. It turns out it's because you are afraid that I will walk out the door and cause some misunderstanding. Although there are many people in the world who love to wear red, one has to guard against it. You must know that caution is the parent of safety." The red-clothed youth nodded:

"Coincidentally, I don't like going out in the first place. Besides having low martial arts and only being able to barely protect myself, I am also weak and sickly, unable to see the wind. If the wind evil enters the body, it will be even more not worth the loss."

He changed the subject:

"Hua Qitong, anyway, you have also been led astray by someone and like to meddle in some trivial matters. Your little brother now doesn't even have freedom of dress. Shouldn't you go and investigate who is so bold and reckless, daring to provoke even a sect leader?"

Before Hua Manlou could reply, Lu Xiaofeng was stunned and said:

"The person he said led you astray—is he talking about me?"

"Knowing is enough, no need to say it out." Hua Manlou looked at the red-clothed youth deeply with his lusterless eyes and asked strangely:

"Little Eight, how high are your martial arts?"

Zhuang Buran laughed lightly and gestured with his hand casually:

"Should only be a little bit higher than you."

"Then I can rest assured. If you are out and about, you indeed have the strength to protect yourself."

Hua Manlou seemed to feel the wonderful scenery of Xihu and smiled:

"During this period of time, we have been running around, and we are exhausted. We plan to rest our feet at your place first. You won't be unwelcoming, will you?"

Zhuang Buran said lazily:

"The person beside you already said it. The Hua family in Jiangnan has nothing else, just a lot of real estate. You can live as you please; anyway, there are plenty of rooms."

"Good, we have been traveling through dust and wind all the way, so we will go back and wash up first, and wait for your full fish feast in the evening."

After Hua Manlou finished speaking, he let the boatman on the other side row away.

Zhuang Buran didn't care at all about the sudden arrival and clean departure of the two, and began to focus on fishing again.

On the other side, on the small boat.

"Although the case of the Jinpeng Treasure is extremely strange, from Dugu Yihe, I have finally sorted out the clues."

Lu Xiaofeng reviewed some things that happened during this period:

"After the Jinpeng Dynasty was destroyed, the internal treasury manager Yan Liben, the current Sikong Shangguan Mu, and the Great General Ping Duhe changed their names and went north to the Central Plains, using the names Yan Tieshan, Huo Xiu, and Dugu Yihe, waiting to restore the country."

"But the Jinpeng Crown Prince who followed them to the Central Plains had no ambition and was directly fascinated by the flowery world of the Central Plains, losing the spirit to restore the country."

"Afterwards, Yan Tieshan, Huo Xiu, and Dugu Yihe each carved out a piece of heaven, and naturally, they all lost the thought of restoring the country."

"As for the person behind all the calculations recently, I am afraid it is Huo Xiu, who colluded with the steward of the Guanzhong Jewelry Pavilion, Yan Tieshan, Huo Tianqing, and wanted to use our hands to remove Yan Tieshan and Dugu Yihe at once, monopolizing the treasures left by the Jinpeng Dynasty."

Hua Manlou stated directly:

"Huo Xiu is your old friend, so he naturally understands that you have many friends. If you ask who in the world can ask Ximen Chuixue for help, it must be you. In this way, he can naturally get rid of Yan Tieshan and Dugu Yihe."

"And Huo Xiu is afraid that he has long found a scapegoat, which is Huo Tianqing. He set up a chain of traps, causing Shangguan Feiyan to contact Huo Tianqing, making everyone a chess piece on his chessboard."

Lu Xiaofeng sighed quietly:

"It's just that he couldn't calculate that there is a person whose chess skills are higher and more absolute, directly overturning the chessboard."

"First blocking Dugu Yihe from going down the mountain, then destroying the Zhuguang Baoqi Ge, and then finding him, the mastermind behind the scenes."

A look of incomprehension appeared on his face:

"I have always been unable to figure out why Dugu Yihe just refused to say who crippled him, and even refused to reveal his figure and appearance."

Hua Manlou's tone carried a trace of heaviness:

"So, as soon as you saw the strange look on the Emei Four Beauties' faces, you started from them, and finally found a breakthrough in Ma Xiuzhen, saying that the person who hurt her master was a blind person."

"She was only willing to say this much, stating bluntly that if she said any more, she would completely violate her master's orders." Lu Xiaofeng frowned:

"Didn't you also get a message from Shi Xiuxue that the person who seriously injured Dugu Yihe was wearing a red robe."

"This is the key to why you brought me to find your youngest brother without stopping. Just now you even tested him, saying it was a red-clothed person who beat the Emei sect leader until he lost his martial arts."

He patted Hua Manlou's shoulder:

"If you ask me, you should be overthinking it. Perhaps it is just a coincidence. Who says there can't be another blind expert wearing red in the world?"

"The most important thing is that Dugu Yihe being crippled, and Yan Tieshan and Huo Xiu being killed, happened within two hours."

"One is in Shu, the other is in Guanzhong, thousands of miles apart. Unless they can fly, it is absolutely impossible for one person to do it."

"Moreover, you didn't ask some of the stewards of the Hua family. They all said your youngest brother has been boating and touring the lake all day, and only returned leisurely late at night."

"Furthermore, Xihu is far away from Mount Emei. I am afraid only an immortal who can ride the clouds and mist can travel thousands of miles in a short time. And on the day the red-clothed blind man went up Mount Emei, your steward swore that the Eighth Young Master was fishing at Xihu."

"Therefore, according to my guess, this red-clothed blind man must belong to some organization. They are plotting the Jinpeng Treasure, which is why they killed Huo Xiu and others."

"It seems I was indeed overthinking it." A faint smile appeared on Hua Manlou's face:

"Just now I didn't feel any murderous aura from him. His breath was as calm and lazy as usual, like the clouds rolling and unrolling in the sky."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 72 =====