Chapter 227

Recalling the situation that day carefully on Dry Bamboo Ridge, thinking back and forth, the only time he revealed his true face was when he pretended to be a passerby on Guangfu Bridge. He had indeed taken off his bamboo hat and black scarf, but the two people who saw him clearly were both dead. Even if there were passersby who didn't notice, he had deliberately smeared some mud on his face, so he should be safe.

The three people who broke into the Xie family to rob also wore bamboo hats and black scarves. If, during the few days of the case, one could barely match the figures to the people, now that so much time had passed, it was difficult for the Xie family to judge who it was based on the figures. Moreover, Zuo Gaofeng and Tan Bazhang had gone to Mount Chicheng and were not on the mountain. If there was still a risk, it was Fang Bu'ai.

Thinking of this, he arrived at Bansongping and happened to see Fang Bu'ai, who was in seclusion, boiling water and porridge.

"Senior is here? Junior hasn't eaten for three days. Isn't there some spirit rice harvested in autumn left? I want to boil a pot of porridge. Shall Senior eat together?" Fang Bu'ai was busy wiping dust off the stone table and stone stools.

Liu Xiaolou sat down and asked: "You've been in seclusion for quite a few days, haven't you? How is it?"

Fang Bu'ai said happily: "Time flies so fast... Junior has been working hard, and the Hand Jueyin Meridian has been opened up to the Daling Acupoint!"

Liu Xiaolou nodded: "You are cultivating the Hand Jueyin Meridian. When I cultivated this meridian back then, it was also very difficult. Although there are only nine acupoints, each one is a major acupoint... Then only the Laogong and Zhongchong remain."

Fang Bu'ai said: "Junior will strive to open it all at once. Once I reach the fourth level of Qi Refinement, I will be able to serve Senior better!"

Liu Xiaolou patted him on the shoulder: "Work hard! Stay on the mountain and cultivate well this month. Don't go anywhere."

Fang Bu'ai expressed his determination: "Rest assured, Senior. This time, thanks to Senior's blessing, I earned so many spirit stones. I won't leave the mountain until I reach the fourth level!" Suddenly he froze: "Has something happened?"

Liu Xiaolou smiled: "Guests have come, but don't worry. They are only suspicious; they don't know that you and I were involved. Moreover, they only dare to circle around the foot of the mountain and haven't come up yet. Today's Wulong Mountain is not something any sect can suppress at will. If Mount Tianmu wants to suppress, they have to ask if the Gengsang Cave and the Pingdu Eight-Array Sect agree!"

Fang Bu'ai nodded: "Understood!"

The anomaly at the foot of Wulong Mountain attracted the attention of fellow Daoists on the mountain. Before dawn the next day, Li Busan came to Dry Bamboo Ridge to report: "Uncle-Master, my teacher invites you to Long Mountain to discuss matters."

Liu Xiaolou asked: "Is it about the sect cultivators at the foot of the mountain blocking the road in and out of the East Mountain?"

Li Busan replied: "Exactly. Nephew-disciple has been here twice, and Uncle-Master was not there. Teacher said he must wait until Uncle-Master is there before gathering everyone to discuss matters."

Liu Xiaolou agreed. After waiting for half an hour, he rose and went out. Arriving at Long Mountain, he saw that Jiang Feihu had already arrived. The two glanced at each other, neither willing to take the initiative to speak to the other, and continued to wait with the Long Mountain Hermit.

Not long after, Zhang Shihua, Huang Ye Xian, and the leader of Guzhang Mountain arrived one after another. What surprised Liu Xiaolou was that Dai Sanren had actually returned.

As one of the posters of the Heroic Invitation, Dai Sanren had great prestige on Wulong Mountain and had always been very good to Liu Xiaolou. Liu Xiaolou hurriedly stepped forward to meet him: "Senior Dai, where have you been these past few months?"

Dai Sanren laughed: "I took the Huang brothers out to do some business and just returned. Small business, not worth mentioning."

The Long Mountain Hermit said: "This time I gathered all fellow Daoists to discuss the matter at the foot of the mountain. You must already know that a sect at the foot of the mountain has set its sights on our Wulong Mountain again. It just so happens that Dai Sanren has returned from outside and heard some news, which can be told to everyone."

Dai Sanren said: "I have confirmed that the one blocking the east side this time is Mount Tianmu. About thirty people came, led by an Elder. It is not yet clear which one, but four inner sect disciples came, two Golden Core and two Foundation Establishment. The reason they came to our Wulong Mountain is to capture Wei Hongqing."

Huang Ye Xian was shocked: "What happened to little Wei? Did he commit a crime? Why would Mount Tianmu want to capture him out of the blue?"

Dai Sanren said: "I heard it was because of the death of Lu Zhongqiu, an inner sect steward of Mount Tianmu. His behavior was not quite right at the time, and the elders sent people to find him for questioning. He fled on the spot and injured the person who delivered the message. Now it is unknown where he has fled. Mount Tianmu suspects he is hiding back here, so they sent people to block it."

The Long Mountain Hermit asked: "Everyone, has Wei Hongqing returned? Who knows? Dai Sanren and I both went to Ghost Dream Cliff to check, and didn't see any signs of him returning."

Huang Ye Xian shook his head: "He shouldn't have, right? Having committed such a big matter, why would he hide back home? Waiting for Mount Tianmu to come and arrest him?"

Jiang Feihu shook his head: "Haven't heard."

Zhang Shihua said: "Wei Hongqing used to be close with Lingling Ke. I'll go ask Lingling Ke later."

The Long Mountain Hermit said: "Xiaolou, you have the best relationship with him. You tell us, where might he be hiding? Valley Master Zuo and little Tan are also close to him, and they haven't been on the mountain for the past few months. Are they together?"

Liu Xiaolou pondered: "Where he is hiding is actually not important. Even if he returned to the mountain to hide, could we hand him over?"

Everyone nodded in agreement. The Long Mountain Hermit said: "Of course we can't hand him over, but now we must consider clearly: should we let the fellow Daoists on the mountain go down to avoid it, or should we just let it be?"

Jiang Feihu said immediately: "In Jiang's opinion, there is no need to avoid it. All righteous sects know the situation of Wulong Mountain now. I don't believe the people of Mount Tianmu dare to come up the mountain. The Ba-Dong side won't sit idly by."

Dai Sanren pondered: "What if Mount Tianmu only sends a few inner sect disciples up the mountain?"

Zhang Shihua said: "Let them come. Since they are aiming for little Wei, what are we afraid of?"

Huang Ye Xian snorted and said: "Zhang Shihua, you are truly unrighteous! Little Wei is one of our Wulong Mountain people. Would you just watch them come to the door to take someone? Who among us on Wulong Mountain hasn't committed a crime? Can you count how many you have committed yourself? In the future, if they come to the door and name you, Zhang Shihua, we won't care either, and just watch them take you, right?"

These words hit Jiang Feihu's heart, and he immediately praised: "I have long said that our Wulong Mountain fellow Daoists should stick together. Huang Xian said it well. Of course, brother Shihua doesn't mean to stand by either."

Zhang Shihua hurriedly said: "Yes, I mean there's no need to avoid it. Little Wei isn't on the mountain, so I'm not afraid of Mount Tianmu coming to search."

Huang Ye Xian asked: "What if he is? He didn't return to Ghost Dream Cliff, so does that mean he definitely didn't return to the mountain? For example, hiding on little Xiaolou's Dry Bamboo Ridge, and letting Mount Tianmu come to search?"

Liu Xiaolou hurriedly denied: "He is definitely not on my Dry Bamboo Ridge."

Zhang Shihua said: "We don't know. Can the people from Mount Tianmu find him if they come?"

Huang Ye Xian said: "What if the people from Mount Tianmu use the banner of searching for little Wei, but capture someone else? For example, you, Zhang Shihua, having committed so many..."

Zhang Shihua couldn't hold his face and said angrily: "Alright, alright, then let's go down the mountain, everyone go..."

The Long Mountain Hermit waved his hand: "Alright, alright, Huang Xian's meaning is not to let everyone go, but not wanting to withdraw. Isn't that right, Huang Xian?"

Huang Ye Xian said: "To tell the truth, this year after the battle of Zhuoshui, I have lived very comfortably, without having to guard against the suppression of righteous sects at all times. I hope this time we can also stop the people of Mount Tianmu from coming up the mountain to search for little Wei. I hope our Wulong Mountain is not a place anyone can enter at will."

Jiang Feihu cheered: "Huang Xian said it to Jiang's heart!"

Zhang Shihua muttered: "Of course, it would be best if we could do that. Do I not hope for that?"

Liu Xiaolou suddenly said: "We can complain to the Zhanglong Sect, why can't we complain to the Gengsang Cave? It's a very simple sentence: just say Mount Tianmu is preparing to get involved in Wulong Mountain, and the brothers can't stay on Wulong Mountain anymore, so they are preparing to withdraw, and let them handle it."

The leader of Guzhang Mountain, who had not spoken, suddenly spoke: "We brothers don't want to deal with the Ba-Dong thieves."

The second and third brothers of Guzhang Mountain both died at the hands of Ba-Dong thieves, and the blood feud was too great. Seeing them would truly make their eyes red. Not only them, but many fellow Daoists on the mountain were like this.

Liu Xiaolou said: "Those who have grudges can seek revenge in the future. It doesn't mean we want to reconcile with the Ba-Dong thieves. We are just telling them, using them to block the people of Mount Tianmu from coming up the mountain."

ps: Panicked, please fellow Daoists pause the alliance. The draft is exhausted. Give your cousin some time. If there is another alliance leader, I can only kneel and beg for an extension to add updates. There is really no way!