Chapter 294: Explanation

The summit of Junji Peak, the morning light was faint, and the Jianghu people who came to the banquet had already left. Only the Embroidered Uniform Guard remained.

Li Miao leaned on the chair, closing his eyes to rest.

Zheng Yi had both hands tied behind her back, kneeling in front of him, her face pale, her teeth clenched, and cold sweat dripping down her chin.

An Ziyang, who was responsible for the interrogation, frowned and said in a deep voice.

"In short, Yingzhou is a hidden sect isolated overseas, located approximately near Ryukyu. Your Penglai is a branch that split from Yingzhou during the founding of the Great Shuo."

"For these nearly two hundred years, Yingzhou has been trying to strangle you. Decades ago, they found the Penglai island, and only a few people escaped to the Great Shuo, scattering from there."

"You are the descendant of one of those branches."

Zheng Yi clenched her teeth and nodded slowly.

An Ziyang turned to look at Li Miao, and seeing that he had no intention of speaking, he continued to ask.

"In that case, there are a few more questions."

"First, since you were being hunted by Yingzhou, why did you come over and come to this Mount Song?"

Zheng Yi said through gritted teeth.

"Revenge."

"Ten years ago, they found my home, and my mother died at their hands; I must avenge this grudge."

"The invitations they distributed in the Jianghu were inlaid with jade commonly used by Yingzhou. I intercepted a person who was delivering invitations, probed his meridians, and discovered the unique methods of Yingzhou on his heart meridian."

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard held a Moon-Viewing Banquet on Mount Song, and the date was set for August 15th, clearly aimed at Yingzhou. I sought out this place... but didn't expect to step right into their trap."

An Ziyang pondered for a while and continued to ask.

"How is Yingzhou's strength? I mean, like you and that dead head—" he pointed to Zheng Ming's head on the ground: "How many people like this, who can avoid the Five Decays of Heaven, are there?"

Zheng Yi shook her head: "I don't know."

"Yo-ho!"

An Ziyang shouted and rolled up his sleeves.

"Good! I see you are not seeing the coffin and not shedding tears, not reaching the Yellow River and not giving up, not hitting the south wall and not turning back, still daring to be stubborn when death is imminent. Today I will let you see what the Tang Men methods and Miao King's personal transmission are—"

"Enough."

Li Miao waved his hand.

"Yes!"

An Ziyang darted to the side in a flash, the arrogant and domineering aura from just now instantly dissipated, and he responded with lowered eyebrows and pleasing eyes.

Li Miao squinted at Zheng Yi and didn't speak for a while. But the more he didn't speak, the more terrified Zheng Yi became.

Being watched by Li Miao was like being stared at by a man-eating tiger. Even if the other party didn't move, the instinctive trembling would dispel any thought of resistance.

She explained urgently.

"I only practiced martial arts with my mother before, and she never told me about Yingzhou and Penglai. I only started to find some news after she died; I really didn't deliberately—"

"That's enough."

Li Miao waved his hand again.

"Too much nonsense, I'm too lazy to listen. From now on, I ask and you answer."

"I am from Yingzhou, I have already confirmed this. But why do you, me, and Zheng Ming look so similar?"

Zheng Yi replied.

"I really don't know the reason, but Yingzhou and Penglai are not passed down by master and disciple, but by bloodline. Whether one is from Yingzhou and Penglai can basically be known by looking at the appearance."

"Moreover, the better the bone structure, the more similar the appearance. So we are divided into 'Main Family' and 'Outer Sect'. My mother belonged to the 'Main Family' in Penglai, and you, me, and Zheng Ming are all the same."

"'Main Family' means those who can avoid the Five Decays of Heaven; as for the reason—I fear it involves the foundation of Yingzhou, even my mother didn't know this."

Li Miao sat up and smiled.

"This is interesting."

Fighting against the Jianwen Emperor and the Emperor, he had almost confirmed that his "eight-hour work system" was related to the Nature Cultivation Realm, but now there were doubts again.

This flesh body of his was from Yingzhou, and was "Main Family"; according to Zheng Ming's statement, he should have been able to avoid the "Five Decays of Heaven" from the beginning.

But when he became a Heaven-Man expert back then, he didn't have this treatment. If not for this, he wouldn't have had to walk the Jianghu with an incomplete realm.

Li Miao twisted his fingers and pondered secretly.

"Logically speaking, the reason for the Five Decays of Heaven is not cultivating Nature, but Yingzhou can avoid it by bloodline... could it be that one of 'Spirit' and 'Intent' in Nature Cultivation can be passed down by bloodline?"

"This doesn't make sense... whether it's from the logic of martial arts or the logic of the loss of Nature Cultivation inheritance, it's unreasonable."

"Also, why didn't I have this treatment? Is this 'eight-hour work system' a specialty of this Great Shuo?"

After pondering for a while, he continued to ask.

"You all have the surname Zheng... this surname should have been passed down from Yingzhou, right?"

Zheng Yi nodded.

"Yes."

"So, the person who founded Yingzhou should also be surnamed Zheng, right?"

"Yes."

"How many years has Yingzhou been passed down?"

"I don't know." Zheng Yi shook her head: "But it shouldn't be shorter than Shaolin, estimated to be a thousand years."

Li Miao nodded and turned to An Ziyang.

"Little Xiao Anzi, send a letter back to Shuntian, list all the people surnamed Zheng that can be found in history books, ancient texts, and Jianghu rumors for me."

"Pay attention to three times."

"A thousand years ago, when Yingzhou was founded."

"When Great Shuo was founded, when Penglai became independent."

"And when Penglai was annihilated."

"Also, go to the Embroidered Uniform Guard files to find people who look similar to me, whether dead or alive. As long as you find them, let You Zi'ang bring the news back immediately."

An Ziyang nodded and turned to handle it.

Li Miao then turned to look at Zheng Yi.

"When I was fighting Zheng Ming just now, you took this object from the bosom of a corpse."

An Embroidered Uniform Guard stepped forward to offer a tray, on which was a blood-stained cloth bag.

Li Miao picked up the cloth bag and shook it a few times, from which fell some scattered silver, a bottle of pills, and a letter.

Li Miao picked up the letter and shook it at Zheng Yi.

"According to your statement, you were hostile to Yingzhou, didn't know Yingzhou's news, and came here alone—that corpse was a person from Yingzhou."

"The situation was urgent at the time, why did you go to the bosom of a person from Yingzhou—to look for something?"

Li Miao said slowly and methodically.

"He had two fatal wounds, one was made by a long flute, and one was a sword wound—a long sword. Among the people I killed at the time, two used swords, and only you used a long sword."

"You and Zheng Ming worked together to kill him, and before you fled, you went to his bosom to search the corpse."

"Can you explain to me, who is he?"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 295 =====