Zongwu: Aspiring to be the mastermind behind the scenes

Chapter 337 Changes in the Western Regions, Star Luo Holy City

The four men rode off again.

Afei said angrily, "That Kunsha really lives up to his reputation as the new leader who inherited the Rakshasa Sect and annexed the Demonic Sect. His methods are just as cruel as those of the Rakshasa Sect and the Demonic Sect."

Upon hearing this, the three people beside him exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

Tie Chuanjia said, "Brother Afei, you're still too young!"

Li Xunhuan said, "I don't know what kind of person the leader of the Star Luo Sect is right now, but those people who spoke to us just now were not good people. The one who asked us for wine was nicknamed 'Heart-Swallowing Ghost' in the martial arts world. He is a member of the Demonic Sect. Although he only has acquired cultivation, he is extremely cruel and likes to kill people and eat their hearts."

"what?!"

Afei was startled.

Recalling what had just happened, the man was emaciated, yet there was a hint of nonchalance in his eyes. He took the initiative to ask for wine, and he was very generous.

Unexpectedly, he was actually this kind of person.

Tie Chuanjia said, "I also know the man who was robbing the wine with him. He's charitable and has a reputation as a chivalrous hero. But in reality, his family is involved in human trafficking. In the Western Regions, if anyone hears of his good reputation and asks him for help, he'll drug them and sell them as slaves!"

Li Xunhuan continued, "The others also have a bad reputation to varying degrees. I'm afraid only two or three parts of what they say are true."

Afei asked incredulously, "Then what are these people trying to do by lying to us?"

Lu Xiaofeng said, "They probably see us as chivalrous heroes who fight injustice, and are inciting us to oppose the Star Luo Sect."

After thinking about it, Ah Fei realized that if they didn't have something to ask the Star Luo Sect, given his personality, he probably would have gone to cause trouble for the Star Luo Sect after hearing these words.

"So cunning!"

Ah Fei gritted his teeth.

Li Xunhuan said, "However, if these villains can still work here obediently without any supervision, then the 'Life and Death Talisman' is probably real."

It's just unknown what kind of methods were used to make these villains fear him like a tiger. And the Star Luo Cult Leader, who used such methods to control these villains, is certainly not a benevolent person.

Lu Xiaofeng said, "That guy is definitely not a good person!"

However, looking at the lush greenery in front of me, with wind and water vapor flowing in the air, this land seems to be the water town of Jiangnan.

Lu Xiaofeng hesitated for a moment, then said, "However, we should just keep these words to ourselves and not spread them in front of the people of the Western Regions."

My enemy is their hero.

A person presents a completely different image when facing different people.

To Lu Xiaofeng, Kunsha was naturally a cunning fellow.

But ordinary people currently under the rule of the Star Luo Cult probably wouldn't think that way.

Although they haven't encountered any ordinary people yet.

However, one can make a judgment based on everything that is currently within sight.

Although those laborers who dug the canals kept saying that the Star Luo Cult Master was just doing a vanity project, and that digging canals was completely useless in the water-scarce Western Regions.

But the surrounding environment, resembling a waterside landscape in southern China, already says it all.

This is not a vanity project.

The river channels they dug were all useful.

Otherwise, how did the Western Regions become what it is today?
Although it is unknown how Kunsha did it, it is clear that once the environmental problems faced by the Western Regions are improved, the food problem will inevitably be changed as well.

Afterwards, the group encountered three more riverbeds that were being excavated, and then a village came into view.

Outside the village, there are large tracts of newly reclaimed land, where dozens of people are working hard.

Soldiers clad in leather armor and wielding sharp blades patrolled back and forth.

"It's an ordinary person."

"There are soldiers guarding them, so it seems they don't have any so-called life-or-death talismans on them."

"Martial artists dig the riverbeds, while ordinary people are responsible for clearing the land. The Star Luo Sect really knows how to make good use of this."

Are these people also sinners?

"Most likely. Look at how strong and robust they are. In the Western Regions, ordinary people who are constantly on the verge of starvation cannot develop such a physique."

The pause of the group attracted the attention of the patrolling soldiers.

The four men quickly spurred their horses and rode away.

Further on, villages like this appear one after another.

But not all of them were prisoners.

After the fifth village, the patrolling soldiers disappeared, and the villages were inhabited only by ordinary people.

Many of them were thin and not strong, but they all wore smiles that the previous prisoners had never seen, as they fiddled with the ground beneath their feet.

In just a few short months, the Star Luo Sect was not enough to make the people under its rule rich, but it did give them hope.

"I never imagined that the Star Luo Sect would actually possess some ability to govern a country!"

Li Xunhuan said, "Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. The Star Luo Sect has won the hearts of the people and is about to become the foundation of a nation. In the past, the Demonic Sect and the Rakshasa Sect could only achieve nominal rule, while the Star Luo Sect can only achieve actual rule."

The King of the Western Regions... perhaps it really is possible.

Lu Xiaofeng sighed.

Even though he was somewhat unwilling, he had to admit that the despicable and shameless Kunsha, who had deceived him and everyone else, had actually accomplished a great deal in the Western Regions.

Starry Sacred Mountain.

The current headquarters of the Star Luo Cult.

It has also undergone some modifications and is quite different from before.

Above the mountainside, a snow-white city stands, as if it grew out of the mountain itself.

This is the Star Luo Holy City.

Two rivers gushed forth from the city, forming two waterfalls that cascaded into the sacred lake below the mountain. The land then divided the lake into four channels, which flowed into the distance.

This sacred lake is gourd-shaped, wide at both sides and narrow in the middle.

Even though it was called narrow, it was actually nearly ten zhang wide, with a bridge spanning it, connecting the two sides.

Only by crossing this bridge can one cross the sacred lake and climb the sacred mountain.

"What a magnificent holy city!"

Li Xunhuan exclaimed in amazement, "I wonder how much manpower and resources were used to build such a city in these mountains!"

Lu Xiaofeng said, "Given the way the Star Luo Sect operates, I'm afraid most of the craftsmen who built this city were martial artists. Perhaps those giant stones were even carried up there by innate martial artists."

On one side of the bridge is a small town.

The four of them took a break in the town.

Lu Xiaofeng strolled around the town and returned, saying, "I just inquired about it. Entering this holy city isn't easy. There are heavy guards at the bridge; you have to report your reason and get approval before you can cross the lake!"

Li Xunhuan nodded and said, "Judging from the current situation, that Star Luo Sect Leader is probably extremely busy and carries the expectations of the entire Western Regions. His status is no different from that of the monarchs of various countries, so it is unlikely that he can be met casually."

Lu Xiaofeng said, "We not only need to see him, but also use his power to find out the Iron-Blooded Marquis's activities in the Western Regions. I'm afraid it won't be easy."

"If we hadn't disguised ourselves, with your reputation as Little Li Flying Dagger, it should have been possible to see him."

Li Xunhuan laughed and said, "Why don't you say that if you hadn't disguised yourself, you would definitely have been able to see him, given your past relationship with him!"

Lu Xiaofeng smiled wryly: "Don't joke around. If he finds out I'm here, we might not be able to leave this sacred mountain."

Afei suggested from the side, "The Star Luo Cult Leader is indeed in some danger, but could we persuade the other high-ranking members under him?"

Lu Xiaofeng shook his head: "I've inquired. There aren't many people in the Star Luo Sect who can truly be considered high-ranking. Besides the Star Luo Sect Leader Kun Sha, there are three other kings. One of them is the Azure Phoenix King. No one knows his specific identity. They only know that he used to be called the Eagle King, but that title was too common, so it was later changed to the Azure Phoenix King."

Secondly, there is the Black Scorpion Queen, whose identity is also shrouded in mystery, and she is not currently on the Holy Mountain.

The third one, however, we should all know; it's the Mad Lion Iron Warrior, now known as the Iron Lion King. But we don't have much of a relationship with him.”

If I had to say, we still have some friendship.

For example, when they attacked Blackwood Cliff, the two sides were enemies.

But this relationship is worse than none at all.

Previously, the only concern was Lu Xiaofeng's identity being exposed; now, the identities of Li Xunhuan and the other two cannot be exposed.

For a moment, the group felt somewhat helpless.

However, this problem did not stump them.

After thinking for a moment, Lu Xiaofeng said, "I have an idea. How about we... disguise ourselves as the Eastern Depot?"

"The Eastern Depot? That's a good idea!" Li Xunhuan nodded. "Right now, the one in the Ming Dynasty who most wants Iron-Blooded Marquis dead is probably the Eastern Depot. But they should be facing the same situation as us."

Impersonating them would not only grant me a sufficient identity to meet the Star Luo Cult Leader, but also provide me with ample reason to request their assistance in gathering relevant intelligence.

The next day, the four arrived at the bridgehead and announced their arrival as members of the Ming Dynasty's Eastern Depot.

However, simply making empty promises will obviously not get you permission.

The four of them had nothing to prove their identities, and even if they did, the Star Luo Sect wouldn't recognize them.

His cultivation level was immediately revealed.

The combination of two grandmasters and two innate masters would have earned the Star Luo Sect's attention even without the identity of the Eastern Depot.

They were then granted permission to cross the bridge and ascend the sacred mountain.

Although steps have been laid, the mountain road is still winding.

The roads were heavily guarded with sentry posts everywhere.

In a daze, Lu Xiaofeng felt as if he had entered the deep palace.

In front of the holy city gate, the terrain is relatively flat. A burly man with a wild hairstyle is leading a group of soldiers in training.

“Tie Zhan… I still don’t understand how he became one of the three kings of the Star Luo Sect,” A Fei said in a low voice.

Lu Xiaofeng's gaze lingered on Tie Zhan, finally settling on his waist: "Look at his belt."

"Hmm?" Afei glanced over, but didn't see anything unusual.

Li Xunhuan asked in surprise, "Brother Lu, could that belt be...?"

He had naturally heard about Tianjing and that magical energy box.

“Not bad.” Lu Xiaofeng nodded.

Li Xunhuan exclaimed, "It's quite rare to find so many of these treasures."

After passing through a group of trained soldiers, they arrived at the gates of the holy city and, after inspection, entered the holy city.

After all, they are two grandmasters, and they are also using the guise of the Eastern Depot. They are fully qualified to meet with the high-ranking members of the Star Luo Sect.

Thus, the four were led before the Qingfeng King, who currently held great power.

Upon seeing this Azure Phoenix King, Lu Xiaofeng was immediately stunned.

"Huo Tianqing?"

"Oh, you actually know me?" Huo Tianqing smiled slightly.

Lu Xiaofeng hurriedly said, "The Tianqin Sect is not an unknown force in the martial arts world. My Eastern Depot naturally knows the leader of the Tianqin Sect."

"Hehe, I am no longer the leader of the Heavenly Bird Sect."

Huo Tianqing shook his head: "But are you really people from the Eastern Depot?"

"nature."

"What is the purpose of your audience with the leader?"

Lu Xiaofeng said, "It's for the current affairs of the Ming Kingdom, so that the Azure Phoenix King knows about my Ming Kingdom's Iron-Blooded Marquis..."

I briefly recounted this matter.

Huo Tianqing couldn't help but sigh, "I've heard the name Iron-Blooded Marquis since I was a child, it's very famous. I never expected that something like this would happen to him."

Lu Xiaofeng said, "We have come here today because we have discovered that Iron-Blooded Marquis has been making moves in the Western Regions. We have come to investigate. If it is true, we will convict the Marquis. If it is not true, we will clear his name."

Upon hearing this, Huo Tianqing smiled and asked, "Are you really people from the Eastern Depot?"

Lu Xiaofeng was taken aback. Recalling his words, he didn't see anything wrong with them and said, "Of course!"

"Alright, I'll lead you to see the cult leader."

Huo Tianqing stood up and led the group toward the Cloud Heaven Palace where the Star Luo Sect Leader Kunsha was currently located.

Before entering the hall, they happened to run into six people coming out of the Cloud Heaven Hall. Upon seeing Huo Tianqing, they addressed him as the Azure Phoenix King, and the two sides then passed each other.

Lu Xiaofeng glanced at them and his body trembled instantly.

Huo Tianqing, who had been watching him closely, smiled and asked, "Sir, what's this? Do you know them?"

Lu Xiaofeng nodded, his face full of embarrassment.

"The man who led the way just now was... the head of the Eastern Depot!"

Upon hearing this, Li Xunhuan and his two companions were first taken aback.

The head of the Eastern Depot?
Doesn't that mean this is a case of a fake imposter meeting the real deal?
What a coincidence!

Lu Xiaofeng said, "Huo Tianqing, you knew all along that the Eastern Depot had sent people, and you also knew that we were imposters? If that's the case, why did you still bring us here?"

Huo Tianqing laughed and said nothing. He pointed to the gate of Yuntian Palace and said, "Please, the sect leader is inside."

Having said that, he took the lead and entered the hall.

The four of them looked at each other.

They were already deep inside the holy city and had no choice but to follow them into the main hall.

Upon entering, Lu Xiaofeng encountered Kunsha once again.

He wore a white robe with water patterns, and looked more like a scholar than a monarch who ruled over a region.

Huo Tianqing recounted the events.

Kunsha couldn't help but laugh: "I was just thinking of having someone investigate why those people from the Eastern Depot came here, but I didn't expect the answer to come to me so readily!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiaofeng immediately understood.

It turned out that those people from the Eastern Depot hadn't mentioned the Iron-Blooded Marquis's major bribery case at all.

It's probably just a simple request for help from the Star Luo Sect to investigate the Iron-Blooded Marquis's activities in the Western Regions.

As for the reason... Cao Zhengchun of the Eastern Depot and Zhu Wushi, the Iron-Blooded Marquis, were enemies.

What reason is needed to investigate an enemy?
In this instance, it seems Lu Xiaofeng was overthinking things.

"Unfortunately, it's too late. If we had known about this earlier, we should have quoted a higher price for the steel."

Kunsa shook his head repeatedly, his tone full of regret.

He added, "I don't care what your real identities are. I'm only asking you, how much money can you come up with?"

(End of this chapter)