Chapter 689: Wuxia: Even Archrivals Can Become Lovers 23

The five returned to their temporary residence and thoroughly discussed everything that had happened at Zhu Wu.

But Fu Zhiyuan's suspicion was still not cleared.

Mu Huaizhi indeed had a question he wanted to ask him.

"You secretly cultivated Blood Sea Begonia and framed me—why aren't you colluding with the Earth Evil Palace?"

That sentence shocked three people.

Fang Xun's expression changed instantly; he stared at Mu Huaizhi in disbelief, "What did you say……"

The one secretly cultivating Blood Sea Begonia wasn't Mu Huaizhi but Fu Zhiyuan?!

Sang Ning took a deep breath and quickly moved away.

But strangely, Fu Zhiyuan himself was frightened by those words.

He shook his head in disbelief, "Mu Huaizhi, what nonsense are you spouting?! It's clearly you who secretly cultivated the evil technique! There are even corpses of boys and girls that can testify."

"Wait a moment, wait a moment."

Jin Chen suddenly pressed his hand down, signaling them to quiet down.

He had actually forgotten about Blood Sea Begonia.

"Fu Zhiyuan, extend your hand."

He grabbed Fu Zhiyuan's hand and carefully examined his meridians; his expression shifted slightly.

"There are no reversed meridians from cultivating Blood Sea Begonia."

Strange—I didn't intervene in this matter, so why does it differ from the original plot?

Jin Chen turned to look at him, "Why did you come to Yunshu Town to kill Mu Huaizhi? Speak the truth!"

"He secretly cultivated evil techniques, blamed the Grand Elder's death on me, and wants to vie for the Alliance Leader position against me!"

Fu Zhiyuan flared up at the mention, glared at Mu Huaizhi, "Rather than let him return to the Heaven Sword Alliance to contend with me, it's better to kill him early—there would be one less scourge in the martial world."

Mu Huaizhi's expression gradually stiffened; he suddenly clenched Fu Zhiyuan's wrist, his voice tight, unable to maintain his aloof demeanor any longer.

"Are your words true?"

"If half of what I say today is false, may I be struck by lightning and never find peace!"

Fu Zhiyuan spoke angrily.

"……"

Mu Huaizhi relaxed his strength, his hand drooping limp, his expression desolate; Jin Chen quickly embraced him from behind.

"Mu Huaizhi?"

"Wrong…… I guessed wrong."

Mu Huaizhi sat at the table, tightly gripping Jin Chen's hand, barely maintaining his composure.

He stared at Fu Zhiyuan and said word by word: "I have never cultivated Blood Sea Begonia. Two months ago, I saw my father return gravely wounded, his sword wounds etched deep—it was your commonly used Azure Void Sword Technique……"

That sword technique was even personally taught by Mu Huaizhi to Fu Zhiyuan.

At that time, upon recognizing the technique, he felt fury surge to his heart, wanting to confront Fu Zhiyuan for an explanation, but his father's injuries were severe; even the best physicians in the Heaven Sword Alliance could not save him.

On his deathbed, his father only told him one sentence.

"The Heaven Sword Alliance is fraught with danger; you must leave as soon as possible."

Mu Huaizhi lowered his brows, clenched Jin Chen's fingers, "I don't know what danger my father meant; after investigating for a few days, I discovered…"

He looked again at Fu Zhiyuan, brows furrowed, "You always slip out secretly on moonlit nights; after following you a few times, I discovered you were secretly cultivating evil techniques."

"The Alliance Leader is in seclusion; you killed my father, nearly dominating the Heaven Sword Alliance, so I surmised the danger my father spoke of was you."

"Later, when the matter was exposed, you, angry and embarrassed, blamed the discovered boys' and girls' corpses on me, further confirming this speculation."

Mu Huaizhi's words were like a thunderclap exploding in his mind; Fu Zhiyuan felt as if hearing a heavenly tale, his mind going blank.

After a long while, he finally found his voice.

"Two months ago, I was wounded by intruding assassins, retreated to the backyard Heavenly Medicine Pavilion to seclude and heal, and only after you defected from the Heaven Sword Alliance did someone come to report……"

"At that time, Fu Zhiyuan happened to be severely wounded, and he also heard that his most trusted senior brother, coveting the Alliance Leader position, ruthlessly cultivated evil techniques using boys and girls."

"He then linked the assassin who wounded him with Mu Huaizhi, believing Mu Huaizhi wanted him to retreat so he could act."

"The more he had trusted Mu Huaizhi before, the more Fu Zhiyuan resented him after learning of his defection."

"If not for my good fortune, I would likely have already died by his sword; thus my first act was to seize the Jade Hilt Dragon, depriving Mu Huaizhi of a weapon to flaunt his might."

Fu Zhiyuan gritted his teeth and finished speaking; the room fell silent.

Jin Chen: "……"

"Good, good, wonderful!"

He let out an untimely "wow."

"Fu Zhiyuan, do you have a twin brother?"

Fu Zhiyuan retorted, "What nonsense are you spouting!"

Sang Ning popped his head out from under the table, "If what both of you say is true, doesn't that mean there really is another person who resembles Fu Shaoxia?"

After all, being able to deceive a senior brother with whom one has spent over a decade is not merely a matter of resemblance.

Jin Chen stroked his chin, narrowed his eyes in thought, closed them again, then extended his Spiritual Power to examine the two's fortunes.

The protagonist's halo indeed rests on Fu Zhiyuan and Fang Xun.

That is to say, the one who will ultimately sit as the Martial Alliance Leader is Fu Zhiyuan.

Then, since he lacks the Blood Sea Begonia evil technique, how did he ultimately defeat his original self and still control so many sect leaders?

Fu Zhiyuan's head ached terribly; he simply couldn't fathom how things had come to this.

The missing children case in Yunshu Town seems unrelated to them, but is actually closely connected.

Fang Xun actually had it easiest; his friends and lover bore no deep grudge, merely a misunderstanding, which for him was a great joy.

He sat down and rubbed Fu Zhiyuan's forehead; Fang Xun's voice warm and smooth, "Zhiyuan, you misunderstood Huaizhi—you should apologize to him."

Fu Zhiyuan: "……"

He was extremely awkward, Stared Mu Huaizhi, and muttered, "Could it be that he's not wrong at all!"

Mu Huaizhi also felt awkward, got up and opened the door, letting them leave.

I don't want to see you right now.

The misunderstanding had just been resolved; indeed, they needed time to accept it.

Fang Xun sighed and led Fu Zhiyuan away.

Sang Ning looked left and right, then hurriedly jogged out, reminding them to rest well.

Mu Huaizhi glanced at Jin Chen.

Jin Chen blinked, puzzled.

He glanced at the outside.

Then he was at a loss, even more incredulous.

I have to leave too?!

Mu Huaizhi nodded.

Mu Huaizhi! I'm not leaving!

Jin Chen stormed over angrily, slammed the door shut, and pressed himself against it, facing him directly.

Mu Huaizhi, we are each other's only good friends; you're hurting right now—how could I leave?

Mu Huaizhi lowered his eyes, silent, turned and sat at the table, saying, "Do as you wish."

His tone was low, yet he tried to hold himself together.

Jin Chen also sat close to him, reaching out to ruffle Mu Huaizhi's hair, his voice softening.

What are you sad about? The murderer isn't Fu Zhiyuan, so why are you upset?

No.

Jin Chen thought again, then exclaimed, "Ah!"

I get it—you must suddenly not know whom to direct your hatred at; you can't even find your father's killer, you've turned against your sect, and friends have become enemies.

Mu Huaizhi lifted his gaze, after a long while humming in acknowledgment.

His usually aloof demeanor now seemed somewhat fragile.

You idiot, Mu Huaizhi, what you need to do now is find the person impersonating Fu Zhiyuan and hack him to pieces.

Jin Chen tapped his head, but with no real force.

And the Earth Evil Palace's attitude toward Fu Zhiyuan makes it likely they are the mastermind.