Chapter 372: Backstab

"Blind student, you've spotted the key point."

The full moon hung in the sky; Li Cheng smiled lightly: "The answer is simple: three thousand years ago, the king of Cangze never anticipated my arrival,

but the mysterious figure from the Tu family's fourth branch—perhaps because the timing was closer, or perhaps because their prophetic power was stronger—knew I would appear.

Moreover, the interests pursued among the Tu family members are not aligned.

For the Tu family's first branch, whose physical appearance deviates completely from normal humans, it is impossible to appear publicly in society; they can only hide on the island.

Thus, they wholeheartedly support the plan to fuse with the Frog God and complete the ancestors' 【Return to Homeland】.

But for Tu Dongcong, of the third branch, who enjoys a beautiful wife, concubines, and a blissful life, he has no desire for 【Return to Homeland】; he wishes only to continue living as a pampered young master."

"No wonder Tu Dongcong had a gunshot wound to his forehead—he tried to resist the other Tu family members and was killed, then turned into a living corpse."

Brother Sikong suddenly understood. "The same applies to Tu Qiaohua, the madman of the second branch. He didn't want to be fused either."

Speaking of Tu Qiaohua, Brother Sikong recalled another matter: the white fish meat at the birthday banquet, and that giant salamander—what were they about?

Why had Tu Qiaohua told everyone not to eat the fish back then?

Li Cheng seemed to guess his thoughts and smiled: "Let's set that aside for now and return to the original question.

Longhu Mountain is a orthodox sect of Great Ming; the Brocade Uniform Guard is a pillar of Great Ming. Both received letters—why were they completely unaware of each other's existence?"

Do you even need to ask?

Brother Sikong answered without hesitation: "The letters must have contained misleading content—half-truths mixed with lies—to draw the court's attention without provoking a full-scale military crackdown. Neither Longhu Mountain nor the Brocade Uniform Guard knew the other had received the same letter."

"Or,"

Li Cheng said calmly: "Everything written in the letters is true. It was Longhu Mountain and the Brocade Uniform Guard who deliberately sent you all here to die, to fulfill the prophecy."

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Lu Hu declared firmly.

He was an orphan of the border garrison, raised by the Brocade Uniform Guard, his mind filled with loyalty and devotion to the state.

When promoted to Deputy Commander, he was granted an audience with the Emperor, who personally praised him, clapping him on the shoulder and encouraging: "Do well. The defense of Great Ming's land, the empire, and its people rests on you, on you all."

Lu Hu's loyalty to Emperor Yong'an was locked at one hundred points—he longed to cut down every corrupt official, useless royal clan member, local tyrant, and Japanese pirate, and restore Great Ming to a bright, clear world.

Li Cheng paid no mind to Lu Hu's outburst: "Whether it's possible or not must be asked of the one involved. Isn't that right, Miss Tu Wangjuan?"

"."

Rainwater pooled at the bottom of the deep pit; Tu Wangjuan, whose legs had melted, slowly rose upright from the right eye of the giant frog, gazing upward.

Su Konghu and the others shuddered, instinctively raising their weapons and aiming at Tu Wangjuan, who looked as if she were dead.

"Who are you?"

Tu Wangjuan stared at Li Cheng, her voice hoarse: "Why can't I see your future?"

"Can I make you see it? To guard against prophetic seers, I even use a slot machine to randomly decide what time I shit every day."

Li Cheng grinned, glancing at the giant frog: "All other Tu family members are half-dead, barely alive—only you remain fully conscious.

In other words, you don't wish to become a living corpse, nor to fully merge with the Frog God."

"After fusion, one becomes ageless and immortal, but individual consciousness is absorbed by the Frog God, becoming merely a part of a greater whole. The other clan members accept this gladly—but for me, it is death."

Tu Wangjuan whispered: "My father's prophetic ability, and that of the ancient king of Cangze, were both weaker than mine. Thus, the entire 【Return to Homeland】 plan was driven by me.

In addition to the original content meant to lure Longhu Mountain and the Brocade Uniform Guard to the island, I added something extra.

For instance, I promised Emperor Yong'an eternal life."

Click.

Lu Hu and Brother Sikong simultaneously chambered a round, fingers tightening on their triggers.

Eternal life?

Bullshit!

Look at these Tu family members—half-dead, half-alive, neither human nor ghost, their skin and eyelids melted away. From within and without, they radiate a foul, demonic aura.

"This is not eternal life. The Emperor would never agree."

Lu Hu's face was as cold and hard as iron—he was utterly unmoved by Tu Wangjuan's provocation.

"He already agreed. The letter sent to the Northern Directly Governed Brocade Uniform Guard was taken straight into the Forbidden City."

Tu Wangjuan said calmly: "The Tianwen says, 'What virtue does the moon possess, that when it dies, it is reborn again? What gain does it seek, that a hare dwells within its belly?'

'Hare' here means toad.

'【Seven days, already, evening—a new star merged with fire】,' three thousand years ago, the giant frog fell from the moon, sinking into the South Sea.

Its flesh was burned to ash, trapped within stone, unable to move, yet desperate to return home—so it revived the dead prince of Cangze and struck a bargain with him.

The prince returned to land, seized power, crowned himself king, and mobilized the entire nation to build a giant bronze ship for the Frog God.

But the time had not yet come. Even after the ship was completed, they still had to wait three thousand years for the moment of 【Return to Homeland】 to the moon.

Thus, the king used his prophetic ability to devise a plan: he sank the dormant Frog God's stone into the ocean floor.

What happened after that, you already know: the Tu family's ancestors, once lowly Tanka people, discovered the underwater stone and reclaimed the legacy of ancient Cangze. They sought to complete the 【Return to Homeland】, elevate their entire clan to the moon, and become ageless and immortal."

"Do you remember the names of the Tu family's fifth branch?"

Li Cheng raised a finger: "Tu Laotaijun's name is Tu Shi; the second branch is Tu Qiaohua; the third is Tu Dongcong; the fourth is Tu Wangmo.

Stone, bridge, east, gaze—sea meets sky,

Xu Fu came in vain, never attained immortality.

He sent Magu to scratch his back,

Could he have hoped to live till mulberry fields change?

This poem, 'On the Sea,' by Li Shangyin, speaks of Qin Shi Huang's obsession with immortality.

It satirizes the late Tang emperors Xianzong and Wuzong, who died suddenly from poisoning after seeking immortality through Jin Dan pills.

Qin Shi Huang sought immortality and failed—but the Tu family's ancestors, once lowly Tanka people, had already discovered the method of eternal life. Thus, they proudly embedded the answer in their descendants' names."

Tu Wangjuan continued, "I refused to become a puppet, so I sent letters to the Emperor of Yong'an, striking a deal."

In the palace there were strange alchemists; they helped me first, preventing me from fusing with the boulder and losing my will."

Later, they will help the Emperor, using the Frog God's return as an opportunity to grant him immortality."

Before her words had finished, the silent Ku Yu monk suddenly raised a single-shot rocket launcher and aimed it at Tu Wangjuan.

With emotions surging and nerves taut, Lu Hu and Brother Sikong instinctively swung their guns toward Ku Yu and shouted, "What are you doing?"

"To seek immortality through an evil god is not the true Dao!"

Ku Yu's eyes bulged as he roared, "Emperor Qin Shi Huang consumed Jin Dan, died in his prime, causing the Qin Dynasty to collapse after two generations;"

Emperor Taizong of Tang believed in alchemical stones and pills, suffered a flood of illnesses, and indirectly allowed the Tang to fall into the hands of Wu Zhou;"

Even our own Emperor Shizong, who in his early reign reformed abuses, restored order, and strengthened governance, lost his ambition in middle age, fell for alchemists, and plunged the state into chaos—Jiajing, Jiajing, every household is stripped bare!"

No matter how wise and mighty an Emperor may be, once he seeks immortality through the immortals, his nation ceases to be a nation!"

And this is an evil god! Imagine—the Emperor of Yong'an, granted immortality through an evil god, will bring endless disaster upon the people of Great Ming."

Although Ku Yu was a monk, he still carried the heart of a man seeking to save the world."

He knew well that during these decades of the Yong'an Emperor's reign, he seized military power, curbed the imperial clans, fought the pure scholars, restrained the great families, pacified the barbarians, lifted sea bans, reformed the bureaucracy, surveyed land, counted the population, and pursued overseas colonization;"

Taxes were collected, policies advanced, Great Ming shook off a century of decay and decline, every industry flourished, and except for the Confucian scholars, local tyrants, useless imperial clansmen, and corrupt officials whose interests were harmed, the people all loved the Yong'an Emperor."

Ku Yu knew even better that such a wise and mighty Emperor—who had restored Great Ming to greatness—

Once influenced by an evil god, would bring what kind of consequences."

Brother Sikong and Lu Hu's pupils trembled violently; they understood Ku Yu's meaning, and within their hearts, a war raged—torn, agonized."

Puchī."

Just as the standoff froze, a dagger shot forward with lightning speed, stabbing straight into Ku Yu's back, piercing his heart."

So fast it outpaced even the Primordial Realm undead!"

Zhang Fuluang instinctively unleashed the Zhengyi Sword Art, slashing at the backstabber; two Embroidered Uniform Guard also swung their guns around."

Zhēng zhēng zhēng zhēng!"

The dagger, sheathed in thick internal force, instantly shattered the Longhu Mountain sword and smashed the firearms."

Everyone stared in shock at Wang Biliu, who smiled faintly, bloodied dagger in hand, kicking the rocket launcher away so no one could threaten the frog god in the deep pit,"

She no longer concealed her aura—revealed at last: she was a Wudao Sect Master!"

(End of Chapter)