Chapter 708: Martial Arts: Even Archrivals Can Become Lovers 42

By the time Mu Huaizhi learned of this from Jin Chen's mouth, it was already evening.

The two appeared together at the evening banquet, immediately drawing many scrutinizing glances.

Seeing that Mu Huaizhi's beloved was a man, Alliance Leader Fu was not surprised; he only observed him a few times and asked, "This junior seems unfamiliar— which family are you from?"

Mu Huaizhi hurriedly replied, "Master, he… has no sect, and I don't care about that."

Jin Chen nodded along.

"Ah… no sect." Alliance Leader Fu stroked his beard thoughtfully; not having a sect was fine—later he wouldn't take his disciple away, and becoming a live-in son-in-law would do.

"How is his martial skill?"

Recalling how the jianghu described them, Mu Huaizhi's eyelid twitched, and he replied again, "He's slightly weaker than me, but still quite profound."

Jin Chen raised an eyebrow, his eyes smiling, and nodded again.

His martial skill is not bad; being somewhat weaker won't let him bully your disciple.

Alliance Leader Fu was also fairly satisfied with that.

"What about his family wealth?"

Mu Huaizhi was about to answer.

"I'm asking him— why do you keep interrupting, you brat?"

Alliance Leader Fu glanced at Jin Chen and said, "You say it yourself."

Finally able to speak, Jin Chen bowed and said, "My family's wealth is adequate—several hundred shops and thousands of mu of fertile land, enough to provide Huaizhi with riches and honor for life."

A gasp came from below: "Which wealthy young master's family produced this scion come to wander the jianghu!"

Mu Huaizhi was admiring the sword sheath, and, as if presenting a treasure, showed it to his master: "He made this; he's not poor."

"Is this… a sheath for the Jade Hilt Dragon sword made for you?!"

Alliance Leader Fu felt surprised, took it, and examined it carefully.

This is not merely a matter of having money.

Jin Chen seized the moment: "Reporting to the Alliance Leader, I still have some leads concerning the Earth Evil Palace; I hope to help alleviate your worries and those of your predecessors."

"What leads? Speak!"

Alliance Leader Fu was most interested in this.

The senior members of other sects also turned their gazes over.

"Earlier, in Yunshu Town, I accompanied Huaizhi; later I conducted a detailed investigation of the Earth Evil Seven Garments."

"Three of the Seven Garments are dead; although the leader, the Crimson Lotus Red Garment, holds the top rank, in pure martial strength it cannot match the Yellow Garment."

"The Yellow Garment excels at disguise, its true face unknown; the Orange Garment excels at raising gu, its gu can cause a poisoned person to don human skin, controlling the mind to become a puppet, infiltrating the major sects as a sleeper agent."

After speaking, Jin Chen looked at everyone present and said, "I am not talented, but I happen to be able to distinguish between puppet sleeper agents and ordinary people."

Mu Huaizhi and he were in perfect sync; he instantly understood the meaning.

A sleeper agent took advantage of this conference to infiltrate the Heaven Sword Alliance.

He drew his sword and coldly surveyed the people below.

For a moment, everything fell into chaos.

"Are your words true?"

The Deputy Alliance Leader leapt up, shouting sternly, "This is no joking matter."

"Naturally true; if the Alliance Leader doubts it, a test will show—after all, a normal person's facial skin cannot be lifted."

Jin Chen paced slowly through the banquet, then suddenly stopped before a young woman and said, "What do you say?"

The young woman smiled, avoided his gaze, and said, "Men and women should not be intimate."

"You mean humans and ghosts shouldn't be intimate, right?"

Jin Chen spoke sharply, pressed his left hand on her shoulder, took advantage of her unpreparedness, let a hidden weapon fall into his palm, exchanged a few moves, then slid open her face from the right.

"Ah—"

The young woman screamed miserably, covered her face, and fell to the ground.

Mu Huaizhi pressed his sword against her.

"Lin'er!"

The Leader of the Wonderful Maiden Sect slammed the table and rose, shouting, "You wretch, how bold you are—what exactly do you intend to do!"

Jin Chen turned, raised his hand to show her.

"Look closely—this person is not your disciple."

In his hand was, shockingly, a piece of human skin still dripping with blood.

Meanwhile, the fallen young woman shrieked, her face covered in gu worms, rose angrily to attack, but was slain by Mu Huaizhi's sword.

Fang Xun exclaimed, "It's exactly the same as the puppet from Yunshu Town!"

They hadn't realized they had already been infiltrated by sleeper agents!

In an instant, the entire banquet descended into great chaos; no one knew whether the people nearby were puppets.

Several sect leaders were even more shaken in mind and spirit.

They had discussed their plans for so long; if sleeper agents had already infiltrated their midst, who knows whether any secrets have been leaked?

Alliance Leader Fu could barely stay on his feet.

He waved his hands repeatedly, looking at his trusted disciples and son, "Immediately have people shut the Main Gate! No one is allowed to enter or leave!"

"Furthermore, I implore Young Hero Jin Chen— you must help us find all the sleeper agents!"

Mu Huaizhi's expression shifted slightly as he glanced at the people behind him.

Given that the Heaven Sword Alliance has at least several hundred, perhaps a thousand people, it's unreasonable to expect Jin Chen to search alone, is it?

He grabbed Jin Chen's arm, "Teach me how to tell them apart; we'll do this together."

It's fine, I still have a more time-saving method.

Jin Chen smiled, took his hand, and glanced at Jiang Zhu and Sang Ning.

Sang Ning pulled a porcelain bottle from her cloth bag and threw it to Jin Chen.

This is another matter that Jiang Zhu came ahead of time alone.

The Earth Evil Sect members controlled by poison insects, no matter how human they seem, ultimately differ from living people.

Dilute the medicine here with a full vat of water, have everyone drink a sip; those who show no reaction are ordinary people.

Conversely, if drinking this water causes pain and a burning sensation all over, they are puppets harmed by this medicine.

Jin Chen shook the bottle at the crowd, smiling wickedly: 'To these puppets, this is deadly arsenic.'

Alliance Leader Fu repeatedly said yes, ordering people to hurry with the arrangements.

Looking at the people in charge of carrying water, Jin Chen saw they were all ordinary disciples, and relaxed.

In an instant, the entire Heaven Sword Alliance bustled, everyone wanting to drink water quickly to root out all infiltrators.

Jin Chen took Mu Huaizhi's hand and stood on the balcony to look out; the vat of water was arranged on the training field, this spot was just right.

He waved at Fu Zhiyuan downstairs: 'Go fetch your father; I still have something to say.'

Fu Zhiyuan looked up and said, 'Oh! Okay!'

All inner-disciples of the Heaven Sword Alliance were stationed at the training field to maintain order; upon discovering any infiltrators, they were to join forces and kill them immediately.

'What is it?' Mu Huaizhi asked him.

'I previously said the Yellow Robe is good at disguise, but I didn't finish what I had to say because there were too many people at the gathering.'

Jin Chen cupped his face and spoke gently: 'The Yellow Robe among the Earth Evil Seven Robes is the fake Fu Zhiyuan who killed your father.'

Mu Huaizhi's expression froze, then he reacted, and a killing intent like a blanket covering the sky surged forth.

'I'll go find him and kill him.'

'I'll naturally accompany you, but before that, there's one more thing.'

Jin Chen's expression grew solemn as he rubbed his cheek with his fingertip.

'The Nine Abysses intelligence uncovered that the Yellow Robe was originally the child of the Earth Evil Palace Master and an abducted woman, and back then…'

He paused here, glanced downstairs to make sure no one was listening, then continued.

'They were twins, but only the Yellow Robe was taken back.'

Mu Huaizhi widened his phoenix eyes: 'Fu Zhiyuan, are you the other twin?'

'Yes, probably this is known throughout the Earth Evil Palace, which is why they gave Fu Zhiyuan special treatment.'