A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 95 A Wrongful Accusation
"Cheng Shifei, how are you feeling?" Yunluo saw that his complexion had returned to normal and hurriedly came over to grab his hand.

"I feel much better," Cheng Shifei thought. The hazy feeling disappeared all at once, and his body felt as if a thick layer of restraint had been removed. He felt much lighter and his breathing became much smoother.

"With a few more days of careful recuperation, your body will be much better. Thanks to the Tianshan Snow Lotus, you can say that you've turned misfortune into blessing, and from now on you're immune to all poisons," Gu Xu said calmly, nodding as he looked at Cheng Shifei.

"Thank you, Daoist Master," Yunluo told Cheng Shifei to rest assured, while she and Haitang followed Gu Xu to the outer room.

"Master, did you gesture to us just now because you had something to tell us?" Haitang asked solemnly.

"I have recently heard some news concerning Master Yidao; you should be prepared."

"What news?" Haitang and Yunluo asked in confusion.

"Recently, a figure has emerged in the martial arts world who uses the 'Dominating the World' sword technique to slaughter martial artists. Lu Dinghai, the chief disciple of the Huashan Sect, Abbess Xiaohui of the Emei Sect, the Six Swords of Kunlun, and Qingsong, the head of the Qingcheng Sect, have all been killed. Even members of the Shaolin and Wudang Sects have been killed."

"What? Impossible!"

After hearing this, Haitang immediately refused to believe it. Although the Overlord Sword Technique was a family secret passed down by Yidao, Yidao had been in the capital recently and had no opportunity to commit the crime. This must be a frame-up.

"I know the character of Master Yidao, and I absolutely do not believe that he did this. There must be someone deliberately framing him."

"It must be Cao Zhengchun behind this," Haitang thought without hesitation. Her first thought was the Eastern Depot. It wasn't enough that they had driven away their elder brother; now they were going to target Yidao. They were trying to eliminate the secret agents of the Dragon Guard Manor one by one.

"Now the eight major factions have reached a consensus to go to the Dragon Guard Manor to ask the Iron-Blooded Marquis for clarification. If the Eastern Depot adds its own support, I don't know if the Marquis can withstand it."

Gu Xu's words made Haitang and Yunluo's expressions solemn. Although the eight major sects were all martial arts forces, the imperial court still had to give them some face. If the Dragon Guard Manor could not produce any conclusive evidence to prove Guihai Yidao's innocence, this matter would become a signal to dismantle the Dragon Guard Manor.

"No, I need to hurry back to Hulong Manor and tell my godfather," Haitang realized the seriousness of the situation and that the sooner she notified him, the sooner she would have time to prepare.

"Master Shangguan, please calm down. The intelligence network of the Dragon Guard Manor is top-notch, and I already know about it. The Divine Marquis must have known about it long ago, and I imagine he already has a plan to deal with it."

Hearing this, Haitang felt slightly relieved, but was still a little worried. Cao Zhengchun had gone to great lengths to set this up, and he certainly wouldn't let it go easily. She wondered what other dirty tricks he had up his sleeve.

"Daoist Master, Yunluo, I need to go back and help Yidao. I'll leave Cheng Shifei here in your care."

"Very well, helping one is the same as helping two. I will personally ask Master Jie to uphold justice. This way, we may be able to buy some time for the Dragon Guard Manor to find the real culprit."

"Master Liaojie, Taoist priest, do you also know Master Liaojie?" Haitang asked in surprise.

Master Liaojie is the most respected senior in the martial arts world. Even Shenhou treats him with respect. The leaders of the eight major sects are his juniors. With him stepping in, things will surely take a turn for the better.

“I am fairly familiar with Master Liaojie. So, Master Shangguan, please return to the capital first. I will ask Master Liaojie to come as soon as possible. I hope that the Dragon Guard Manor can hold out until then.”

"You can rest assured, Master." With Gu Xu's promise, Haitang felt even more confident and had enough reason to let her adoptive father continue.

"Haitang, once Cheng Shifei is safe and sound, he and I will definitely rush back as soon as possible," Yunluo immediately promised.

"Alright, then we'll meet in the capital."

Haitang acted decisively, immediately taking her leave. After resting for only one night, she rushed back.

"Princess, I'm leaving Cheng Shifei here in your care. Cao Zhengchun is currently busy dealing with Yidao Jushi and can't attend to you for the time being. I'll go to Shaolin Temple to fetch Master Jie. Take care."

"May you have a safe journey, Daoist Master," Yunluo bowed and personally saw Gu Xu off at the door.

Gu Xu rode his horse straight to Shaolin Temple, and after two days he finally arrived at Shaoshi Mountain.

"The Taoist priest is back!" The young novice at the mountain gate saw Gu Xu's figure, his eyes lit up, and he hurriedly stepped forward to pay his respects.

Gu Xu nodded, handed him the reins, and looked at the two horses tied to the tree next to him, asking, "Are there any guests visiting the temple today?"

The young novice monk said, "Two benefactors came to pay their respects to our grandmaster today, but they have been invited to the back mountain by the abbot."

Upon hearing this, Gu Xu understood. Those who could be treated this way by Abbot Liao Fan and who came to pay their respects at this time were none other than the two major forces, the Dragon Guard Manor and the Eastern Depot.

After greeting the young novice, Gu Xu easily made his way to the back mountain.

At this moment, inside the Guanyun Pavilion on the back mountain, Master Liaojie was talking with Luo Jusheng and his wife.

"Master Liao, Governor Cao sincerely invited you to come out of seclusion to take charge of the overall situation and to seek justice for our fallen martial arts comrades. Are you really going to turn a blind eye to those Shaolin disciples who died with their eyes wide open in disbelief?"

Luo Jusheng's mouth was dry from talking, so he drank another cup of tea, but Master Liaojie still couldn't give him a clear answer.

Just as their patience was about to run out, they suddenly saw a Taoist priest walking over. His figure was so fast that in the blink of an eye, the person who was several feet away suddenly appeared in the pavilion, which really startled Luo Jusheng and his wife.

"The master has come here to relax. What are the names of these two? Won't the master introduce them?"

Upon seeing Gu Xu return, Master Liaojie smiled, chanted a Buddhist prayer, and gestured towards the rising Luo Jusheng and his wife, saying, "This is Luo Jusheng, the sworn brother of Chief Supervisor Cao of the Eastern Depot, and this lady beside him is his wife."

Looking at Luo Jusheng and his wife, Master Liaojie's expression turned serious, and he introduced them to the two of them, saying, "This is my close friend and confidant, Daoist Guxu."

Upon hearing this, Luo Jusheng's heart stirred. This senior brother had always lived in seclusion and was most disgusted with wealth and fame. Before he left Shaolin, he had never heard of him having any close friends. Now that this Taoist was being praised so highly, he must have some extraordinary qualities.

Putting everything else aside, his movement technique alone was enough to make him a force to be reckoned with. But why haven't we seen this person in the martial arts world? It seems that his identity is not simple.

"Greetings, Daoist Master Gu Xu"

Regardless of the circumstances, proper etiquette should not be disregarded. The couple both performed a bow, and Gu Xu returned the bow.

After the four sat down again, Luo Jusheng's mind was racing. Since he couldn't persuade Master Liaojie himself, what if it was Master Guxu who tried to persuade him?

"Master Gu Xu, I wonder if you have heard the recent news in the martial arts world? Gui Hai Yi Dao has already harmed many of his fellow practitioners from the Eight Great Sects. However, because he is a secret agent of the Dragon Guard Manor, the Eight Great Sects have no way to deal with him. They had no choice but to jointly petition the Eastern Depot for help."

Seeing Gu Xu's calm expression, Luo Jusheng didn't know what he meant, so he continued, "Chief Supervisor Cao realized that he couldn't subdue the Iron-Blooded Marquis alone, so he specially invited Master Liao Jie to come out of seclusion and help. This is also for the benefit of the martial arts world and to restore peace to it."

Luo Jusheng spoke at length, while Gu Xu and Master Liaojie remained calm and composed. After he finished speaking, Master Liaojie opened his eyes, looked at Luo Jusheng, and said, "Benefactor Luo, this matter is of great importance, and this humble monk cannot make a decision on his own. How about this, allow this old monk to consider it for a day, and I will give you an answer tomorrow, what do you say?"

Upon hearing this, Luo Jusheng pondered for a moment and said, "Then please give me your full consideration and reply as soon as possible."

“That’s natural,” Master Liaojie said, calling over a young novice monk who led Luo Jusheng and his wife to the Shaolin guest rooms for a temporary stay.

Only Gu Xu and Master Liaojie remained in the pavilion, and they spoke much more casually.

"The Taoist priest has been away from the temple for a long time. I wonder if he has taken in all the beautiful scenery."

"The landscape is boundless, and life is short. There are so many beautiful sights to see that we can never see them all. We've only been to some famous places. But Master, it's been a long time since we last met, and your skills have only deepened."

"Compared to the Taoist master, this humble monk's meager skills are hardly worthy of being discussed in a grand hall."

"I wonder what the master thinks of Luo Jusheng's words."

"Since you travel far and wide, you should know more about the inside story than I do. I would like to hear your insights."

Gu Xu looked at Master Liaojie, who was holding prayer beads, and chuckled, saying, "Master, you're quite considerate, insisting that I, a humble Taoist, speak. Very well, I will speak then."

"The Guihai Yidao incident is clearly a contest between the Dragon Guard Manor and the Eastern Depot. On the surface, it seems that Cao Zhengchun was the one who made the move, but the Divine Marquis behind the scenes is no less formidable. Neither of them are easy to deal with. This time, Master is definitely going to go."

"Oh, I'd like to hear your wise words, Daoist Master." "Cao Zhengchun is determined to eliminate the Four Great Secret Agents. Now that Duan Tianya has been forced to leave, and if Guihai Yidao also falls into his hands, Zhu Wushi will definitely be at a disadvantage in a direct confrontation with only the remaining Xuanhuang Secret Agents. It's not a good thing for the Eastern Depot to be all-powerful, and the Emperor won't be happy to see it."

"In order to gain the emperor's sympathy, Zhu Wuwei will certainly go with the flow and use Guihai Yidao to make the emperor reinstate the Protectorate of Dragon Mountain Villa. In this way, his goal will naturally be achieved: eliminating the forces in the open while preserving the forces in the shadows. This move from open to covert is quite clever."

Upon hearing this, Master Liaojie said in a deep voice, "In the short term, Cao Zhengchun is more dangerous, but in the long term, Zhu Wushi is a greater threat. If he makes a mistake, the country will collapse."

"That's exactly the point. If the master could step in and help the emperor out of this predicament, resolving this problem and providing a guarantee for Guihai Yidao, then not only would the Eastern Depot have no grounds for argument, but even Zhu Wushi wouldn't be able to say much. It might even end up going his way."

Gu Xu stood up, changed the subject, and looked at Master Liaojie, saying, "If Zhu Wushi is going to make a move later, it will definitely be aimed at you, Master. However, you should understand the stakes and the choices involved better than I do."

"Amitabha, Daoist Master, your insight is truly profound. It seems that I am determined to make a trip to the capital."

Although Master Liaojie is a monk, he still reveres imperial power. He considers both thunder and rain as imperial favors. The current emperor is quite diligent. If Zhu Wushi, a man with wolfish ambitions and unscrupulous means, were to ascend the throne, it would not be a good thing for the court or the martial arts world.

“If that’s the case, would you be willing to travel to the capital with me, Daoist?” Master Liaojie looked at Gu Xu.

"That is indeed my wish, but I dare not ask."

The next morning, Luo Jusheng and his wife were invited to the back mountain by the young novice monk, where Master Liaojie and Gu Xu were already drinking tea in the pavilion.

"Master Liaojie, what are your thoughts?" Luo Jusheng asked somewhat nervously.

“Amitabha, Governor Cao has extended a very kind invitation. If I were to refuse, it would be disrespectful of me. So be it, I will accompany you. Also, Daoist Gu Xu would like to come along. I wonder if there are any obstacles involved?”

"It is already a great honor that the Master and the Taoist priest have deigned to come before us. The Chief Supervisor will surely welcome us personally upon hearing this. There is no reason to refuse. Master, let's pack up and set off now."

When Luo Jusheng heard that Master Jie had finally agreed, he felt relieved. Fortunately, he had completed the task; otherwise, he would have been too ashamed to face the Grand Eunuch. As for Gu Xu going with him, Luo Jusheng didn't care too much.

He was a smart man. If he refused Gu Xu's request to go, things might change. It would be better to leave the matter to the Grand Eunuch. He shouldn't get too involved.

"However, I should still inform the Supervisor of this matter in advance."

Luo Jusheng thought to himself, then gave his wife a subtle wink. She nodded in understanding, while Gu Xu and Liao Jie pretended not to notice.

After exchanging a few words with Abbot Liaofan, Master Liaojie immediately set off.

On the way, Madam Luo found an opportunity to release a carrier pigeon to deliver the message to the Eastern Depot.

Inside the Eastern Depot, Cao Zhengchun was making final preparations, instructing Iron Claw Flying Eagle: "When the people from the Eight Great Sects arrive, be sure to treat them well. This good show cannot be without their help. This time, I, the Grand Coordinator, will make Zhu Tiedan suffer a great defeat. Guihai Yidao, hmph."

Upon hearing this, Iron Claw Flying Eagle reported, "Master, our scouts report that Dragon Guard Manor has recently been placed under martial law, and it seems there's some activity going on."

"Zhu Tiedan must have made a plan, but this incident has caused too much trouble. If it is not handled properly, it will cause a huge upheaval in the entire martial arts world. Once the Emperor finds out, in order to appease the various factions in the martial arts world, Guihai Yidao will be unable to explain himself in the end, regardless of whether he is guilty or not."

"What if Iron-Blooded Marquis insists on protecting Guihai Yidao?"

Iron Claw Flying Eagle wasn't deliberately causing trouble. The key was that Iron Gallant Marquis was not only highly skilled in martial arts, but also possessed two deadly weapons: the Imperial Decree and the Imperial Sword. If he were to take on the responsibility alone, even the Emperor and the Eastern Depot would have to be wary.

"I, the Chief Supervisor, have long considered this matter. Master Liaojie of Shaolin is a senior master who has always been respected by the eight major sects. If we can invite him to uphold justice, even if Zhu Wushi is tyrannical, he will have to give the master some face."

"Is the Supervisor confident that he has managed to invite Master Jie? What if..."

"There are countermeasures for those who can be invited, and there are also countermeasures for those who cannot. If Zhu Tiedan really makes a foolish move and brings out the imperial edict and the imperial sword, it will only make the Emperor more disgusted. In that case, I, the Grand Eunuch, have lost one thing but gained another."

"Your Excellency's considerations are thorough and thoughtful; your subordinates admire you."

Upon hearing this, Cao Zhengchun laughed heartily. Just then, a spy entered, carrying a slip of paper.

"Master, this is a message from Mr. Luo via carrier pigeon."

"Bring it here quickly!"

Iron Claw Eagle took the note and presented it to Cao Zhengchun. The latter opened it and was overjoyed, unable to contain his smile.

However, after seeing the following sentence, Cao Zhengchun's expression became somewhat solemn.

"The Chief Supervisor?"

"Oh, Flying Eagle, you can go and get ready now," Cao Zhengchun said, snapping out of his daze and putting the note away.

"Yes," he replied. Since the supervisor hadn't explicitly stated it, he decided it was best not to ask any further questions and left immediately.

"I didn't expect this person to come to the capital as well. Heh, it looks like things are going to get interesting. But it's all good, the overall situation is still favorable for me, the Grand Eunuch. As for Zhu Tiedan, I wonder what you will think after you receive this news."

At this moment, inside the Dragon Guard Manor, Zhu Wushi strictly forbade Guihai Yidao to step out of the manor.

“Godfather, this is clearly Cao Zhengchun’s conspiracy. If I don’t clear my name, this mudslinging will eventually be thrown at the Dragon Guard Manor.”

After recovering from his injuries, Guihai Yidao heard about the bloodshed in the martial arts world and immediately realized that someone was targeting him and had set a trap.

“I have already sent people to find evidence of this matter. You are currently in the eye of the storm. If anything goes wrong, that would be truly difficult to explain.”

Ignoring Gui Haiyi's frowning expression, he handed him a secret report, which Gui Haiyi took.

"This mudslinging has already reached the Dragon Guard Manor. The eight major sects have gathered in the capital, and even Master Liaojie has been persuaded by Cao Zhengchun. This matter is not as simple as you think."

After reading the secret report, Guihai Yidao was furious and said in a stern voice, "If I find out who killed him, I will make him taste the bitterness of dominating the world."

"Haitang has already gone to the number one manor in the world and sent Zhang Jinjiu to investigate. It won't be long before the mastermind behind this will be found. You should rest well at the Dragon Guard Manor during this time. Do not move without my orders, understand?"

Zhu Wushi's deep voice made Guihai Yidao somewhat depressed, but he could not disobey his adoptive father's orders, so he had no choice but to leave angrily.

"I really dislike the unexpected turn of events that Master Gu Xu has also come to the capital."

For someone with an extremely strong desire for control, anyone who breaks free from control is someone to be eliminated, especially someone as powerful and ambitious as Zhu Wushi, who has an inexplicable fear and wariness of Gu Xu.

Outside the city gate, representatives from the eight major sects arrived in the capital, led by Abbess Yeyu, the head of the Emei sect, and Liu Yun, the head of the Huashan sect.

After being checked and having their names and appearances recorded, the group entered the city in an orderly manner.

"Is that Abbess Yeyu of Emei and Headmaster Liu of Huashan?" Several guards came over, and the leader clasped his hands in a salute to the crowd.

"you are?"

Judging from their attire, Master Yeyu deduced that the person must be from the Eastern Depot.

"I am acting on the orders of Chief Supervisor Cao, and I request that you all come to the Eastern Depot for a discussion."

Upon hearing this, Abbess Yeyu exchanged a glance with Liu Yun, who nodded and then spoke a few words to the others. Abbess Yeyu, understanding the situation, immediately said, "Since Supervisor Cao has come to invite us, we will go ahead and lead the way."

"Everyone, please follow me," the leading guard said, gesturing ahead and leading the way, while the rest of the guards lagged behind.

(End of this chapter)