Chapter 410: The Truth

"Puchi puchi puchi puchi..."

A lush, towering ancient tree rose from the ground behind Chen Che, its extending branches turning into sharp wooden spikes that pierced through all the Ninja Group ninjas who had swarmed up to attack, skewering them through the heart and hanging them upon the ancient tree.

Chen Che did not even lift his head, his hands continuing to shift through hand seals: "Purgatory of Li Fire!"

"Boom!!!"

A towering, monstrous flame swirled up from beneath Chen Che's feet, and the ancient tree was instantly engulfed in fire, burning to ashes along with the Ninja Group ninjas hanging upon it.

The flames dissipated, and as a light breeze blew, the ashes scattered.

Saito Hiroki froze in place, his face full of terror, smelling the blood-tainted smoke and dust in the wind.

"You... you actually..."

Saito Hiroki could not believe his eyes; in less than half a minute, with two consecutive artisan techniques that defied common sense, all the members of the Ninja Group he took such pride in had been reduced to nothing but dregs.

He finally understood why his three most valued disciples had died.

Chen Che's strength had already exceeded the common sense of a Martial Artist!

"Are you surprised? Since Zanpu Dunzhu asked you to kill me, didn't he tell you my true cultivation realm?"

Chen Che walked slowly toward Saito Hiroki, speaking as he moved.

Saito Hiroki was stunned once more; he realized that he had been negligent after all.

Zanpu Dunzhu had specifically instructed him to eliminate Chen Che, which showed that Zanpu Dunzhu valued Chen Che enough, and also confirmed from the side that Chen Che was indeed extraordinary.

But where exactly was Chen Che special? This was never truly stated; aside from the note demanding Chen Che's elimination, there was no other information whatsoever.

And now, regarding the strength Chen Che had displayed, Saito Hiroki knew very well that even though he was in the Acquired Heavenly Master Realm, he had no certainty of victory.

So, since Zanpu Dunzhu knew he was no match, why did he still demand that Chen Che must be eliminated?

Seeing Saito Hiroki fall into deep thought, Chen Che also realized something was wrong, stopped his steps, and pondered: "It seems Zanpu Dunzhu played you; perhaps he didn't care at all whether you could kill me... he just wanted you to throw your life away. But what is his purpose in wanting to deal with me, even at the cost of letting you die?"

Chen Che thought of the Heavenly Book again, because Zanpu Dunzhu's only goal was the Heavenly Book; what kind of scheme did he have regarding the matters in Japan?

"The Li Family." Saito Hiroki suddenly spoke.

Chen Che looked up: "What do you mean?"

Saito Hiroki said: "The high-level officials in Japan wanted to harvest wealth, which is why they set their sights on all the wealthy people within Japan, including the Qingyuan Group. And the framing of Lin Qingye was actually an idea from the Li Family of Xia."

Chen Che was startled and pressed: "What exactly do you mean?!"

"The Japanese high-level officials did indeed want to annex the Qingyuan Group, but with Xia backing it, that was almost impossible to achieve. However, not long ago, I received a message from the Cult Leader, who told me about the Xia Li Family's intention to deal with the Xia Empress.

Because of this, I suggested that Yamamoto Tomoya try to establish contact with the Xia Li Family. After Yamamoto Tomoya tried, he indeed received a positive response.

It was also information provided by the Xia Li Family that let us know the relationship between Lin Qingye and the Xia Empress, which led to the subsequent plot to frame her as a spy.

The Li Family's condition for cooperation was very simple: keep anyone who comes to Japan to rescue Lin Qingye in Japan forever.

I guess the Li Family's goal is to clear out the people around the Xia Empress, and the benefit the Li Family could provide us was that after the matter was accomplished, the Qingyuan Group would belong entirely to Japan.

The Japanese high-level officials naturally would not refuse, and they also had their own goals, so the fire at the Takiji Group happened, but I didn't expect..."

Saito Hiroki smiled helplessly and somewhat self-deprecatingly: "I didn't expect that you would actually survive, and even learn the secrets of Japan, leading to the current situation."

Chen Che watched Saito Hiroki vigilantly, pondering the possibility of the truth in what he said.

"As for the Cult Leader, I was only able to become a Heavenly Master and the Ninja God of Japan because of his help back then. Other than that, there is no other relationship."

Saito Hiroki continued: "As for why he contacted me to facilitate the matters in Japan... I cannot guess, but from what I know of him, he definitely has his own plans."

Chen Che's brows were tightly locked as he fell into deep thought: If what Saito Hiroki said was all true, then after Zanpu Dunzhu escaped from Ansili, he facilitated the matters in Japan, intentionally lured him to come, and deliberately did not tell Saito Hiroki his true strength and realm...

Delay!

Zanpu Dunzhu was buying time, intentionally luring Chen Che away from Xia, all to take this opportunity to merge the Heavenly Book.

As for the missing half of the Heavenly Book, it seems now that it was the Li Family's doing.

Zanpu Dunzhu used Li Shizheng's desire to trample his Master's wife, Wu Qingkui, underfoot and ascend to that supreme position, making him help intercept the Heavenly Book!

That's it!

Thinking of it this way, everything made sense.

The war in the Northern Territory forced Second Senior Sister Tang Yu'e to go and hold the line, and Chen Che came to Japan personally to solve the problem...

Both of these things were the Li Family's doing, all to clear out and separate the people around his Master's wife, Wu Qingkui.

If that is the case, the Li Family will definitely take action during this time, and the long-vanished Zanpu Dunzhu has very likely already returned to Xia!

Once the Li Family acts, the Zhou Family and the Han Family will definitely follow suit and cause trouble. Although there are the Inspection Department and Master Senior Sister and others around his Master's wife, Wu Qingkui, it is, after all, the combined effort of three families, plus a Zanpu Dunzhu who has obtained the Heavenly Book... all these people want him and the people around him to die...

The situation is not looking good... I must return to Xia as soon as possible!

Chen Che regained his focus, looked at Saito Hiroki, and said: "Since you can tell me these things, it seems we don't have to fight today. Since that's the case, then I will..."

"No!"

Saito Hiroki interrupted Chen Che, his hands forming seals, and a strange pattern appeared on his forehead, looking a bit like... half a World Tree!

"I told you these things not to let you go, but because I don't want to be used like a fool anymore. From now on, Zanpu Dunzhu's affairs have nothing to do with me."

Saito Hiroki's hand seals continued to change, as if there were no end, "But you, not to mention that you killed my disciples, as the leader of the Shadow Nin Group, it is my duty not to let you leave just like that."

Chen Che narrowed his eyes, staring fixedly at the half-World Tree pattern on Saito Hiroki's forehead, a flash of vigilance and anger in his eyes: "It seems Zanpu Dunzhu didn't just teach you Martial Dao cultivation."

"Heh heh..."

Saito Hiroki grinned, his laughter shrill and terrifying, "I originally intended to save this move for a desperate, life-or-death struggle... I thought I would never use it in this lifetime, but I didn't expect to use it on you... Young man, you are very excellent; to be honest, I actually quite like you."

"It's just a pity that we must fight to the death today, and it also happens to let me personally experience those profound artisan techniques of yours!"

Saito Hiroki let out a loud shout, his hands forming seals clapping together in front of his chest with a 'slap'. The hand seal ended, and in an instant, endless black Qi spread out from his body. His pair of blood-red eyes, like those of a bloodthirsty beast, opened and lit up within the hazy mass of black Qi.

"Whoosh!"

Saito Hiroki's figure was like lightning, exploding out from the mass of black Qi.

Chen Che's eyes widened, and he quickly crossed his arms in front of his chest to block.

"Bang!!!"

The fist wrapped in black Qi landed solidly on Chen Che's forearm; Chen Che's feet dug into the ground, yet he still could not help but slide back several dozen meters.

Chen Che shook his numb arms and sneered, "Relying on this kind of Secret Technique that consumes life force to forcibly increase your strength—even if you reach the Heavenly Master Great Perfection, once you stop the Secret Technique, your body will be ruined."

"Enough nonsense!"

Saito Hiroki lunged forward again, black Qi clinging to his body, making his expression appear even more ferocious, "If you won't take the move, then die!"

Chen Che's eyes startled, and as he unleashed his Pupil Technique, Saito Hiroki's movements instantly slowed in his eyes.

Chen Che arched his back, supporting himself on the ground with one hand to easily dodge Saito Hiroki's pounce, and at the same time, performed a backflip, using the momentum to kick upward with both feet.

"Bang!!!"

The kick landed on Saito Hiroki's lower abdomen; the Ninja God flew out, turned in mid-air, and landed back on the ground.

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