Chapter 226: The Essence of Martial Dao Lies in Form Transformation (Combined)

Oof!

Suspended at the mountain's peak, a gentle breeze drifted, indifferent to seasons, day or night.

Li Yuan pressed both hands against the stone tablet, mind taut, and within a radius of dozens of feet centered on it, strands of azure true qi drifted.

Fine threads of true qi wove together, sketching a blurred silhouette—broad at the top, narrow at the bottom—the outline of the inverted mountain.

"The resilience of this true qi is downright appalling…"

Li Yuan focused entirely, using his spirit to nudge and tug at the fine threads of true qi, feeling as if he were pushing and pulling a massive millstone.

If his internal qi dispersed like smoke, this Whale Qi was as tough as threaded steel—each tug drained him immensely.

"Huff!"

After a moment, Li Yuan released his grip and collapsed to the ground; his true qi body flickered uncertainly—evidence of immense mental exhaustion.

Before him, the faint outline of true qi dissolved into the mountain's body.

"So exhausting."

Leaning against the tablet, Li Yuan felt drowsy—this was far more tiring than fighting ten Yan Xiong.

Yet he forced himself to stay alert, studying the Whale Qi image on the tablet, pondering the possible truth hidden within the scroll.

These past days, he had come to the Mystic Weapon Secret Realm intermittently; mastering its true qi might not aid his comprehension of the "Rending Sea Whale Form," but it did strengthen his spirit.

This was, so far, the only method he knew to increase his spirit.

"Didn't expect this…"

After staring for a long while, Li Yuan sighed inwardly, feeling a quiet helplessness.

Thanks to Han Chui's brutal training, his understanding of Form Transformation ran deep, and he had gained considerable insight into Form Combinations—within a month, the Hundred Beasts Thunder Dragon was already within reach.

But the Hundred Beasts Thunder Dragon had patterns to follow, taught step by step by Han Chui, and Li Yuan already mastered nearly thirty forms—though combining them was difficult, it wasn't impossible.

Yet to deduce the "Rending Sea Whale" from a single image alone—this difficulty was unimaginable.

Recalling Gong Jiuchuan's explanation of Yin-Yang Realm during the day, Li Yuan felt it wasn't his insight lacking, but rather the involvement of Yin-Yang transformation and soul power.

After a long while, Li Yuan's spirit recovered somewhat; he rose, raised a hand, and a strand of Whale Qi settled into his palm, reshaping at his will into a long-handled heavy hammer.

Hiss!

Li Yuan slowly lifted the hammer, activating the Palm Control of the Fire Dragon Sword.

In the next instant, a sharp blade of light erupted from the hammerhead, surging forth nearly forty meters in a single pulse.

Hiss-hiss-hiss~

Li Yuan swung the hammer, the blade of light slicing across the peak, leaving deep grooves in the earth, scattering soil and stone, which then dissolved back into true qi.

"The Fire Dragon Sword is truly a fine treasure."

Feeling the enhancement of the Fire Dragon Sword, Li Yuan wielded the hammer like a sword, unleashing countless techniques; within forty meters, sword qi surged like an ocean, capable of severing gold and iron, cleaving jade.

Ten-zhang sword qi could not be sustained long by his own internal qi—but this true qi body could wield it indefinitely.

"They say Yan Qingyuan's knife qi spanned ten zhang, and he single-handedly slaughtered hundreds of bandits from the 'Two Cross Mountains' without a single drop of blood on his body. The Fire Dragon Sword's enhancement is enough to bridge the gap between secret transmission and supreme technique."

After a long while, Li Yuan slowly ended his stance, deeply satisfied.

Huilong Palace had nine secret transmissions and three supreme techniques; the Yan Demon Knife was one of the supreme techniques, its blade art fierce and unmatched—but his hammer, no, his sword qi, was no less formidable.

"Combined with the Hundred Beasts Thunder Dragon, defeating him shouldn't be a problem?"

Li Yuan pondered—he had never seen the man fight; victory was uncertain.

But he felt he could fight, and retreat if needed; even if the man possessed a supreme technique, his own odds were high.

After much trial, Li Yuan leaned back against the tablet and reviewed the Form Transformation insights gained from Han Chui:

"The one who discovered Form Combinations must be a genius."

In his understanding, Form Combination meant taking the strengths of each form, discarding their weaknesses, and recombining them—like the Hundred Beasts Thunder Dragon.

Aside from the 'Thunder Form,' it incorporated the strengths of lion, deer, turtle, snake, fish, mirage, tiger, eagle, and python to form the 'Great Dragon Form.'

This was far more fluid than combining martial forms through fists and feet, for in a sense, it was a single form that embodied all forms.

"Han Chui's ambition is immense—if he refined his marrow and changed his blood, wouldn't he truly become a Thunder Dragon?"

Li Yuan felt awe and longing.

Under Han Chui's brutal training for over a month, Li Yuan's martial skill and vision had risen silently but significantly.

Han Chui believed the essence of martial arts lay in Form Transformation, overturning Li Yuan's previous understanding of the Form Transformation realm.

Now, Li Yuan himself deeply agreed—and this led him to understand the legendary "divine beasts" of this world.

Yang Lin, Cold Phoenix, Golden Crow, Mystic Bird…

If a human could transform into a dragon, perhaps those legendary shape-shifting divine beasts weren't demons at all—but humans?

His thoughts drifted further—he recalled the Cult of the Demonic God…

"Thousand-Eyed Bodhisattva, Crimson-Haired Buddha, Sword Spirit God, Hundred-Armed Daoist… the Four Vajras of Residual Spirit, Blood, Flesh, Tendon, and Bone; the Five Garudas of Heart, Liver, Spleen, Lungs, and Kidneys…"

Li Yuan murmured to himself—he had never heard Han Chui mention these demonic gods, yet he felt he now understood their origins.

"Worshiping the Gods—transforming oneself into a deity?"

Li Yuan's heart grew cold—he remembered clearly: the Great Yun Pantheon listed one hundred and twenty-three deities.

"Huff!"

After a long while, his spirit restored, Li Yuan slowly withdrew from the Mystic Weapon Secret Realm.

"Huh?"

Lying in bed with eyes closed, the dark room appeared vividly in his mind—clearer than when he used the Five-Step Spirit Snake Belt.

"Did I just cross another threshold?"

Li Yuan was startled, noting the change—he had no formal spirit cultivation, and neither the inner nor outer library held any such texts; he could only explore on his own.

Beyond that…

Hum!

In the dimness, faint lights emerged, weaving and taking shape.

As Li Yuan's spirit grew, the initially emaciated "matchstick man" gradually filled out—limbs and torso became defined, and facial features sharpened, revealing a discernible form.

"The secret of the Visualization Method is indeed spirit power."

Li Yuan keenly sensed the change; with a thought, faint light glimmered again in the dark void.

In his visualization, the figure now held a long-handled heavy hammer—sharp-edged, radiating ferocity even in the mental image.

"Martial Dao Battle Hammer! Finally, I can visualize it simultaneously!"

Li Yuan was satisfied.

Superior martial arts were a dividing line.

Superior martial arts featured a more complete qi circulation, a matching qi skill, and a corresponding visualization method.

The Worshiping God Method had one; so did the Martial Dao Battle Hammer.

But previously, he could not practice both visualization methods at once—now he could, and even had some spare capacity.

Oooh~

At Li Yuan's mental command,

In the dim void, his visualized self began slowly performing the Martial Body Stance; faint red lights ignited, forming an incomplete qi circulation.

The visualization method paired with the Worshiping God Method was far more complex than the Martial Dao Battle Hammer.

According to Wang Wenyuan, limbs, torso, and facial features were merely the entry level; only when tendons, bones, skin, flesh, qi, internal force, and even internal organs and meridians were fully rendered could it be called perfected.

The Martial Dao Battle Hammer was far simpler—rendering the hammer's shape was enough for perfection.

Oooh~

Suddenly, the small figure wielding the hammer in the void trembled, dissolving into scattered light.

Then, under Li Yuan's guidance, the light reassembled, coalesced—soon forming a claw, part eagle, part tiger…

Crack!

The next instant, the dragon claw split open, dissolving into light.

"Still not possible!"

In the room, Li Yuan grunted, rolled over, sat up, and touched his nose—blood trickled out.

"Without a matching visualization method, visualizing the Hundred Beasts Thunder Dragon is nearly impossible… I'll need Han Chui's help."

After a brief attempt, Li Yuan gave up—visualization involved spirit, and he dared not push too far.

"Creating a technique is hard; a supreme technique is harder."

Li Yuan swallowed an elixir, closed his eyes, and entered meditation, continuing his visualization.

He had long since entered the entry level of the Worshiping God Visualization Method; he felt he would likely enter the Worshiping God Method itself within the next day or two—and with effort, he might achieve it today.

He had intense interest in this legendary method of immortality.

"Huff!"

"Hiss!"

Amidst long, slow breaths, the visualized figure in Li Yuan's mind slowly pushed the Martial Body Stance, gradually filling out his visualization from minute details.

Gradually, his mind calmed, thoughts dwindled; half-asleep, he suddenly sensed his body pulsing rhythmically.

Tendons, bones, skin, and membranes rose and fell, tightening then relaxing…

"Is this… the Martial Body Stance?!"

Li Yuan was startled—he had practiced the Martial Body Stance countless times over the past three or four years, mastering it thoroughly.

Just now, unconsciously, his tendons, bones, skin, and membranes had moved precisely as the Martial Body Stance required!

"The Visualization Method's standing posture—this hammer—has affected my body!"

The room was dark, but Li Yuan's eyes glowed brightly—this kind of vision was also described in Wang Wenyuan's books; it was a sign of having entered the entry level of the Worship of Gods method!

The cultivation of the Worship of Gods method differs greatly from ordinary martial arts.

Normal martial arts cultivate stances to generate blood and qi, internal strength, and warm the entire body, thereby strengthening the physique and increasing stamina.

But the Worship of Gods method begins with visualization.

By using visualization, one triggers internal transformation, strengthening the physique and causing bodily metamorphosis.

"Seek the deity, see the deity, depict the deity, worship the deity, beg the deity, transform into the deity… hmm, have I just entered the threshold?"

After his surprise, Li Yuan pressed the advantage, swallowing a Cunshen Xiaohuan Pill and continuing his visualization.

The initial stage of the Worship of Gods visualization is unremarkable; what truly sets this art apart is the subsequent process where the cultivator transforms from human into deity.

This step is called "Seeking the Deity."

"According to the entry section of the Worship of Gods method, followers of the Evil God Sect must travel to temples of all the gods of Dayun, searching for the 'deity' most compatible with themselves—seek it, see it, depict it…"

Li Yuan divided his focus, recalling the entry section of the Worship of Gods method.

The Worship of Gods method is divided into orthodox and evil branches: the evil path worships external gods, while the orthodox path worships oneself—seeking the deity within.

The evil path offers 123 deities listed on the Dayun God Roll to choose from; the orthodox path is elusive, requiring one to select from within oneself.

"Blood, flesh, sinews, bones, heart, liver, spleen, lungs… in the orthodox path, the human body contains deities—I understand the principle, but how do I seek them?"

After a long while, once the visualization stabilized, Li Yuan opened his eyes. He could feel his sinews, bones, and muscles still trembling, as if still in cultivation.

He took out the entry section and flipped through it, shaking his head inwardly.

"No wonder the orthodox has declined while the evil flourishes—the orthodox method is obscure and mysterious, while the evil method is clear and tangible. If only it weren't so prone to qi deviation…"

After flipping through it several times, Li Yuan still had no insight. The orthodox method must have a way to Seek the Deity, but all he had was the entry section.

Wang Wenyuan was 'quite generous'—he had provided a solution.

"The Evil God Sect has thirteen divine arts, all named after deities: the Divine Foot Scripture, Divine Palm Scripture, Divine Eye Scripture, Divine Viscera Scripture…"

"These originally belonged to the orthodox category…"

Li Yuan muttered to himself, then turned his gaze to the Weapon Control space.

On the gray stone platform, threads of crimson blood seeped out as he stared—these were the weapons he had acquired over the years from the Evil God Sect.

Among them were several items containing fragments of these thirteen divine arts.

Chief among them was a palm-sized, pattern-covered fragment of a dead man's stele, which contained three of the thirteen divine arts: the Divine Foot Scripture, Divine Palm Scripture, and Divine Viscera Scripture.

But all were fragments…

"To wield this dead man's stele requires Worship of Gods Level Three and bathing in the blood of multiple spiritual beasts—the conditions are easy enough to meet…"

As he sensed the various items on the gray stone platform, Li Yuan pondered.

Though he had only just entered the Worship of Gods method, these items naturally carried the effects of Worship of Gods Level Two and Level Three.

Spiritual beast blood was not hard to find—Dechang Prefecture was full of them.

"But this blood glow… somehow feels ominous… hmm, what if I burn it in the Divine Fire Weapon Furnace?"

Li Yuan was somewhat wary of the Evil God Sect. Though his heart burned with eagerness, he restrained himself—better to be cautious.

"At least I've entered."

The sky had begun to lighten. Li Yuan yawned and finally took a short nap.

…

Perhaps due to his vigorous mental energy, Li Yuan woke naturally after only three hours of sleep.

Outside the window, daylight was bright.

He stretched his limbs, opened the door, and before he could wash up, he heard footsteps outside the courtyard.

"Li… ahem, Master requests your presence."

Yu Xuanfeng hurried over and stopped outside the courtyard gate.

"Again?"

Li Yuan blinked in surprise. They had talked until midnight yesterday—now this early morning?

Could it be that after sobering up, he realized he'd been tricked for information?

"Wait a moment while I wash up."

He replied, then slowly began washing. Yu Xuanfeng grew impatient and waited until Li Yuan finally followed him.

"Are we leaving?"

On the way, Li Yuan saw several Longhu Temple disciples carrying packs, and even caught a distant glimpse of Gu Yang and Liu Huahong, also carrying packs.

"The Longhu Banquet is over—of course we're returning to the temple."

Yu Xuanfeng nodded. He thought it was too hasty; it was his first time descending the mountain, and he really didn't want to return so soon.

"Really?"

Li Yuan nodded, but felt something odd.

Logically, after the Longhu Banquet, there should be smaller banquets inviting local sects and families, plus private discussions about joining.

At the very least, it should take ten to twenty days.

Below Huiyan Pavilion, all Longhu Temple disciples had gathered. Retainers held over twenty Jiao Horses nearby.

These horses stood about eight feet tall at the shoulder, with smooth manes and strong bones—clearly not ordinary steeds. Li Yuan couldn't help but glance several times.

The Divine Weapon Valley had also gifted him a Jiao Horse, but compared to these, it seemed inferior.

Still, remembering that the sect was rumored to keep true Jiao Dragons, he felt reassured.

"Wait outside the city! Do not leave the group without permission!"

Gong Jiuchuan waved his hand. All disciples bowed in unison, then led their Jiao Horses away.

"Master Gong, are we heading back to the mountain already?"

Li Yuan bowed respectfully.

"We've been away over half a year—it's time to return."

Gong Jiuchuan nodded: "If you have no other business, you may return with us."

"I'd rather go on my own later."

Li Yuan shook his head. If Gong Jiuchuan was leaving in such haste, something must have happened—he didn't want to get involved.

He wasn't yet strong enough to join the affairs of a Marrow Refining martial artist.

"Keep this token well. When you reach Dao City, show it—you'll be guided back to the mountain…"

Gong Jiuchuan pulled out a token: a gilded plaque with a slender Jiao Dragon along the edge and a single character inside: "Gong."

"Thank you, Master Gong."

Li Yuan accepted it with both hands. This token clearly belonged to Gong Jiuchuan personally—it served more than just identity verification.

"With this token, you may stay at any relay station across the Four States of Hengshan, pass through all checkpoints, and gain certain conveniences when encountering sects of any size."

Gong Jiuchuan glanced at Yu Xuanfeng, who shrank back, leading his horse out of the courtyard, his eyes filled with envy.

He hadn't received such treatment when he descended…

"Thank you, Master."

Li Yuan quickly thanked him again—this was a true treasure.

"Anything else?"

Gong Jiuchuan asked.

"The letter from Master…"

"If you have nothing else, we'll meet again in Dao City!"

Without any visible motion, Gong Jiuchuan vanished from the courtyard. Wind howled, scattering fallen snow.

"No wonder he gave me the token."

Li Yuan sighed, then suddenly tensed—he heard Gong Jiuchuan's voice in his mind:

"A powerful cultivator is hunting Shi Hong. If you have no close ties to him, avoid meeting him for now…"

Shi Hong?

Li Yuan's heart jolted. This was likely drawn by Li Yuanba's appearance?

A powerful cultivator…

Li Yuan's thoughts shifted, but his expression remained unchanged. He paused, then turned to an elderly man dressed as a steward nearby:

"By the way, Master Fang—what about the remaining Hundred Herb Wine?"

The steward blinked, then bowed low: "R-return, Young Master—they're all in the warehouse…"

…

Gong Jiuchuan left quickly, but the news spread faster.

When Li Yuan returned to the Divine Guard Garrison carrying three large jars of Hundred Herb Wine, even Qiu Changying had heard that the Longhu Temple disciples had departed.

"Lord, Elder Ku Yue."

No sooner had Li Yuan entered his courtyard than Gong Yangyu and the others arrived.

"Come inside."

Gong Yangyu waved his sleeve, closing the courtyard gate and locking Ba Wanli outside.

"You've joined Master Fulong's lineage?"

As soon as the door closed, Gong Yangyu asked.

"Something like that?"

Li Yuan thought for a moment—wasn't a nominal disciple still a disciple?

"You actually..."

Though they had all suspected something, seeing Li Yuan openly confirm it still shook them deeply.

That was Master Fulong, the abbot of the Great Dragon Gate of Longhu Temple, a master who had penetrated the transformations of yin and yang...

"Master Fulong!"

The few people in the room exchanged glances, their expressions shifting.

"Good!"

Fang Bao was stirred with excitement—this was the legacy of a master!

In over a thousand years since the founding of Divine Weapon Valley, only three masters had ever emerged, and the last one was already eight or nine hundred years ago.

Gongyang Yu stroked his long beard, unable to hide his inner shock:

"This is your fortune—and for the sect, it is a tremendous blessing!"

For disciples to join Longhu Temple is naturally a great advantage, as seen from the transcendent status of Huolong Temple in Dechang Prefecture.

Even the destruction of Qianjun Cave would not affect its standing.

One could say that as long as the lineage of that ancestral master of Longhu Temple endures, Huolong Temple will never perish.

Even Huilong Palace must harbor caution.

"Good lad!"

Even Elder Kuyue's face broke into a smile.

For a prefecture-level sect, one disciple entering a Dao sect means a channel has been opened between the two sects. Inner disciples require exceptional talent, yet they may recommend relatives and friends as outer disciples.

"I was merely lucky."

Li Yuan was humble.

Inner disciples are not true heirs; without backing, they are doomed to run themselves ragged, burdened by menial tasks—he could not live comfortably without Divine Weapon Valley's support.

"This must be celebrated grandly!"

Slapping Li Yuan on the shoulder, Elder Kuyue was overjoyed—Han Chui had spent his life doing nothing good, but this disciple? He had not chosen wrongly.

"It must be celebrated grandly!"

Gongyang Yu nodded approvingly: "When Han Shidi, Jing Shidi, and Lei Shidi return, we shall celebrate for three days—with a thousand tables laid out and all fellow cultivators invited to honor this occasion!"

"This..."

Li Yuan's eyelid twitched—such a grand display?

"We must invite all fellow cultivators."

Fang Bao nodded, now bearing the demeanor of a young valley lord:

"After this banquet, Dechang Prefecture's fate will be settled!"

Divine Weapon Valley has been relocating for over half a year; Dechang's status remained unsettled solely because of Huolong Temple.

Now, with Li Yuan's connection, Huolong Temple can only lay low—at least, it will no longer fear Longhu Temple's interference.

That branch within Longhu Temple may hold some power, but how could it compare to Master Fulong?

The room was filled with joyous faces; Li Yuan then asked:

"Valley Lord, has my master gone to meet up with Elder Lei and the others?"

"Yes, he just left."

Gongyang Yu's smile faded: "The sudden departure of Longhu Temple's people worried your master—he went to meet them, fearing trouble."

"That's good..."

Li Yuan relaxed inwardly.

"Young brother, did you know why Elder Gong and the others left so abruptly?"

Fang Bao asked.

Gongyang Yu also turned to look: "Feng Yuanqing was assassinated. Since Longhu Temple sent people, they should have investigated—but their sudden departure suggests something major happened!"

"I truly don't know."

Li Yuan shook his head.

He had wanted to inquire, but Gong Jiuchuan showed no intention of speaking.

"Whether big or small, it's none of our concern."

Elder Kuyue was unconcerned.

"That's true."

Fang Bao thought for a moment, then relaxed his brow.

Gong Jiuchuan had already perfected marrow refinement; with Yan Sanxing, among all the experts in Dechang Prefecture, only our own master, clad in the divine armor, might stand a chance.

Trouble that could make the two of them flee so hastily could hardly involve Divine Weapon Valley.

"By the way, Valley Lord, have you heard whether any experts are coming to Dechang Prefecture—or have already arrived?"

Li Yuan's mind stirred as he asked.

In the month-plus since the assassination of Feng Yuanqing, due to Old Han's brutal training, he had paid little attention to the aftermath.

"Experts? Hmm... Over a month ago, someone claiming to be Li Yuanba smashed Feng Yuanqing to death. After the news spread, quite a few experts came—but not many."

Only now did Gongyang Yu remember to sit.

The others also took their seats. Li Yuan opened the Baicao wine and poured several cups; the aroma filled the air. Then came a loud *bang* at the courtyard gate.

Ba Wanshi burst in:

"Young brother, save me a jar of that wine!"

He had no interest in their conversation, but the scent of the wine had awakened his thirst—he could no longer hold back.

"I saved some for you!"

Li Yuan tossed a jar his way; Ba Wanshi caught it carefully, paid no mind to their talk, turned, and left, closing the door behind him.

"That fool!"

Gongyang Yu shook his head repeatedly.

"Valley Lord, please forgive him—he's always been like this..."

Fang Bao hurried to explain.

"How could I care?"

Gongyang Yu wasn't bothered—compared to Han Chui, what was this?

"This wine—truly top-grade!"

Gongyang Yu took a sip, his eyes brightening instantly, then drained the cup.

Li Yuan drank along with him.

"Regarding the Heaven-Orb Divine Weapon, after Li Yuanba appeared, some experts came—but first, it was hard to tell if he was real; second, even if he was, over a month has passed—what trace could remain?"

The aftermath of Feng Yuanqing's assassination was minor. Huolong Temple would not publicize its sect master's assassination, and Divine Weapon Valley certainly wouldn't—so the news spread little.

"Among the experts, there should be the valley lord of Qingtao Valley, Feng Buliu; the Yunjing Sect's Abbess Yunjing; and the three from Zhen Shan Men: Han Yuntao. These three have been renowned for years, their meridian refinement fully perfected."

Fang Bao continued, having taken charge of the Surveillance Hall.

"Fully perfected meridian refinement?"

Li Yuan nodded, but inwardly knew that those Gong Jiuchuan called "experts" must at least have perfected organ refinement—or even reached its peak.

"Though Han Shidi hasn't returned, we should still hold a small banquet today."

Gongyang Yu rose, his smile gentle: "What do you think, Li Shini?"

Whoosh~

The cold wind blew snow from the eaves.

"Like a golden eagle, he swept across dozens of zhang; his fist struck like thunder, one blow driving Feng Yuanqing's skull into his chest cavity..."

A low, even voice echoed above the civilian homes.

Linghu Baiman bowed low, not daring to raise his head; his peripheral vision caught An Yuanwu and the Dechang Town Martial Hall's experts—all trembling, breathing heavily.

In the center of the home, a robust old man in a dark green robe paced slowly, scanning every corner of the house; his gaze settled on the collapsed pit in the courtyard:

"Feng Yuanqing had perfected his hardening, fully refined his meridians, and wielded the Huolong Sword—who, if not perfected in organ refinement, could kill him so swiftly?"

He seemed to ask, yet spoke as if to himself; the words echoed, but no answer came.

"Hall Master..."

An Yuanwu bowed slightly: "The assassin claimed to be Li Yuanba."

This old man was Shentu Hong, Hall Master of Huizhou's Martial Hall, commanding eight branch halls, wielding great power.

"The assassin claimed to be Li Yuanba..."

Shentu Hong suddenly lifted his head, sweeping his gaze over the eaves: "What do you think?"

Huh?!

Everyone in the courtyard turned—roof above was empty; no one was there.

"Wrong!"

Linghu Baiman was half a beat late—then he suddenly saw a figure emerge from nothing, as if squeezed out of the cold wind.

It was a shriveled, short old man, with a sallow complexion, hunched back, radiating an air of decay.

"Brother Shentu, your eyes are piercing."

The old man chuckled, staring at the pit:

"Whether it's him or not, drag him out and ask!"