Under One Person: Dressed as Lü Liang, with vests all over

Chapter 167 Wang Ye: This works too?!

"Dad!"

Zhuge Qing shouted impatiently, stopping Zhuge Gong from continuing to speculate.

How can an elder gossip about someone else's biological parents in front of others?

"Cough cough."

Zhuge Gong realized this was inappropriate, so he cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject.

But when he spoke again, his expression became much more serious.

“Young friend Lü, you have been a great help to Qing, and I, Zhuge Gong, am very grateful.”

"But whether from the perspective of the head of the Zhuge family or from the heart of a father, I have the same attitude—I don't want Qing to get too close to you."

"Therefore, to express my gratitude for your help, I will give you a sincere gift."

"Dad!"

Zhuge Qing immediately understood his father's unspoken meaning. He frowned and called out with slight dissatisfaction, trying to persuade Zhuge Gong to retract his idea.

But Zhuge Gong ignored him and continued to look at Lü Liang, waiting for Lü Liang's reply.

"A thank-you gift? What thank-you gift?" Lü Liang asked with a smile.

His consistent principle when faced with such choices is, "If there's a benefit, why not take it?"

As for his later relationship with Zhuge Qing... well, the legs were ultimately Zhuge Qing's, and it wasn't something his father, Zhuge Gong, could control.

Zhuge Gong raised his hand to stroke his beard and slowly said:
"Besides Qimen Dunjia and Shenji, the Zhuge family also studied alchemy."

"I've heard that you, young friend Lü, have a deep understanding of this art. I think my Zhuge family's specially made 'Zhuge Marching Powder' and 'Sleeping Dragon Pill' should be of some use to you."

"If young friend Lü doesn't mind, I will send someone to fetch ten bottles from each of us shortly."

"Then thank you very much, Patriarch Zhuge!"

Lü Liang nodded and said with a smile.

It must be said that Zhuge Gong was very good at dealing with people; he chose this thank-you gift very well.

The Zhuge family owns many businesses and is not short of money, so unlike a purely medical sect like Jishetang, they do not sell elixirs.

In other words, the elixirs refined by the Zhuge family were basically only circulated in Zhuge Village, and were completely unavailable outside the village.

……

Seeing Lü Liang's interested expression, Zhuge Gong also smiled and continued:

"I just discovered that you have a great talent for Qimen Dunjia. Since you have the talent to master multiple supernatural abilities at the same time, why not continue to improve your skills in Qimen Dunjia?"

As he spoke, he looked at Lü Liang and said slowly:

"However, to get started with Qimen Bagua, one must first learn numerology, which is quite obscure and not easy to master."

"Fortunately, in recent years, in order to enlighten the young children in our clan, our Zhuge family has developed many good methods for introducing them to numerology."

"If you are interested, I can give you a copy, and I guarantee you will be able to learn it."

"However..." Zhuge Gong paused before continuing, "I hope that after you learn it, young friend Lü will not mention to others that this method was obtained from the Zhuge family."

"Easy to say, easy to say."

Lü Liang smiled and agreed.

Seeing that Lü Liang was so easy to talk to, Zhuge Gong breathed a sigh of relief.

He spoke again:

"Besides the two things mentioned above, I can grant you one more reasonable request. After that, the entanglement between Qing and you will be considered settled. How about it?"

“Alright,” Lü Liang replied casually. “I do have some questions I would like to ask Patriarch Zhuge.”

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Gong frowned slightly.

But after thinking for a moment, he nodded.

"Three. You can ask me three questions, but I may not know the answers to many of them. I can only try my best to answer."

"make a deal."

"Okay, just ask."

……

Under the curious gazes of Zhuge Qing and Wang Ye, Lü Liang asked the first question.

"You just mentioned Zhuge Liang's prophecy. I'd like to know what the full version of the prophecy is."

This is the issue that Lü Liang is most concerned about right now.

The essence of divination by sorcerers is to peek into the secrets of heaven, and in this field, Zhuge Liang's prowess is beyond doubt, and his predictions are of great reference value.

Moreover, Lü Liang knew in his heart that the two prophecies Zhuge Gong had just mentioned were both correct—

"Whenever the world of superhumans is in turmoil, it is always initiated by a person who combines innate and acquired superhuman abilities."

"Those who stir up trouble are of peculiar origins, whose whereabouts are unknown, and whose destinations are uncertain."

This prophecy indeed applies to both Wugensheng and Lü Liang.

For Wugensheng, the origin of his birth is unknown, which means that the identities of his biological father and mother are unknown.

As for Lü Liang, it's no exaggeration to say that someone who came from another world has a mysterious past.

What Lü Liang cared more about was the second half of the commentary—"His destination is uncertain."

What does this sentence actually mean?

Just then, Zhuge Gong finally gave the answer to the question.

"Whenever the world of supernatural beings is in turmoil, it is always started by those who combine innate and acquired supernatural abilities. Those who stir up trouble have peculiar backgrounds, unknown origins, and uncertain destinations. This trend cannot be stopped, so it is best to keep to oneself."

Zhuge Gong's face showed a look of reminiscence as he continued:

"Back when Wugensheng was just beginning to make a name for himself in the world of supernatural beings, I remembered that prophecy."

"When the Sanyi Sect clashed with the Quanxing Sect, I became certain that Wugensheng was the one who fulfilled the prophecy."

"The Sanyi Sect, that's the number one Xuanmen!" Zhuge Gong exclaimed.

"Although it is unclear what Wugensheng did to Master Zuo Ruotong at the time, it is a fact that Zuo Ruotong died afterwards and the Sanyi Sect never recovered."

"Wugensheng is the one who fits the prophecy of Marquis Wu!"

"Therefore, I immediately restrained the Zhuge family members and told them to stay far away from that sorcerer."

"But to my utter surprise, in the end..."

Zhuge Gong shook his head slightly and sighed.

……

Lü Liang nodded and then asked his second question.

What information do you know about the origins of the Eight Extraordinary Skills?

The moment the question was asked, everyone present perked up.

Wang Ye, in particular, had visited many sects and asked many sect leaders this question before.

Moreover, he discovered that the sect leaders who knew the secret all seemed to have ancestors who had achieved extraordinary enlightenment.

However, these people seem to be restricted and unable to disclose related information.

Sure enough, the situation was the same as before.

Zhuge Gong shook his head and said in a deep voice, "I cannot answer this question."

Seeing the disbelief in Lü Liang's eyes, Zhuge Gong shook his head helplessly and continued:

“Young friend Lü, it’s not that I don’t want to tell you, it’s that I can’t do it.”

"In the world of supernatural beings, there is a very special ability called restriction, which is used to help people keep secrets."

As he spoke, he glanced at Lü Liang.

"Such a restriction cannot be broken even with the Soul-Brightening Technique."

"Then how can we break it?"

“Unless…” Zhuge Gong glanced at Lü Liang again, “the abilities of that Quanxing Sect leader back then might be worth a try.”

"The ability to grow without roots?"

"Yes, his ability is called 'Divine Spirit,' which can neutralize supernatural powers formed from Qi. There is no other way."

Lu Liang silently added in his mind, "No, there should be another method, which is the 'Qi Body Source Flow,' also known as the 'end of techniques.'"

Coincidentally, both of these extraordinary skills are related to Zhang Chulan.

Lu Liang felt an urge to bring Zhang Chulan into the group as soon as possible.

However, now is not the time to think about these things.

“There’s still one problem left,” Zhuge Gong said.

Lü Liang nodded, then looked directly into Zhuge Gong's eyes and said with certainty:

"The most powerful martial art mastered by the Zhuge family ancestors was not the Samadhi True Fire, was it?"

Upon hearing this question, Zhuge Gong's expression froze for a moment. "I refuse to answer this question," he said in a cold tone.

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Qing's eyes widened immediately.

Because Zhuge Gong's attitude was already the answer.

If not, just say "no".

This cold and firm refusal suggests that there is more to it than meets the eye.

Unlike Zhuge Qing's surprise, Lü Liang was not surprised by this answer.

In the story of the snail shell, Zheng Zibu and Tian Xiaodie once mentioned a sentence—

"The ceremony requires eight artifacts passed down from the extraordinary ancestors of each sect, and also requires eight people proficient in the sect's techniques to perform the ceremony in a place shielded by heavenly secrets. How easy is that?"

Let's look at it this way.

The sworn brothers invited were specially selected by Wugensheng. All thirty-six of them came from sects with ancestors who had achieved extraordinary sainthood.

After the ceremony is successful, those who participated may be able to learn the secrets of their ancestors' ability to "connect with the heavens".

The Zhuge family must fit this description.

The sudden realization in Lü Liang's eyes made Zhuge Gong somewhat uneasy.

He waved his hand and said, "I've asked three questions, this matter ends here."

"We should have a meal before we leave," Lü Liang said naturally. "I'd really like to try the braised chicken that my second aunt mentioned."

Zhuge Gong initially wanted to refuse, but after seeing Zhuge Qing's gaze, he nodded.

……

After having a hearty meal, Lü Liang certainly didn't leave obediently.

His gaze fell upon Zhuge Qing:
"Let's go and ask that Granny Qi you mentioned."

Zhuge Qing nodded and led the way while explaining:

“Go down that alley to the north, it’s the second to last house.”

After walking for about five minutes, the three of them finally arrived at their destination.

Zhuge Qing stepped forward first and reached out to pull the lion-shaped door handle.

"Kakaka!"

The door opened automatically inwards.

"Seventh Granny".

Zhuge Qing called out to the person sitting in the hall.

"Hmm," an old voice responded.

Lü Liang looked in the direction of the sound and saw the appearance of the Seventh Granny.

She was dressed in brown clothes, with a blue headscarf wrapped around her head, and sat on a mahogany chair on the left side of the hall, her hands gently clasped in front of her.

If you look closely, you'll notice that her eyes are slightly closed, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and around her mouth are particularly noticeable, indicating that she is quite old.

"It's Qing. What do you need?" Granny Qi asked, her eyes still closed.

Zhuge Qing and Lü Liang exchanged a glance, and then spoke according to their previously agreed-upon words:
"Grandma, we've come today to ask you something."

“I’m an old woman who’s almost in the grave. I hardly ever leave the house. What would I know? Qing, you’ve probably got the wrong person.”

"No, Seventh Granny, I'm here to see you. You may not know about other things, but you are definitely the most qualified person in the entire Zhuge family to speak on this matter."

Upon hearing this, Granny Qi opened her eyes, her gaze subtly sweeping over Lü Liang and Wang Ye before finally settling on Zhuge Qing, and she spoke:

"Tell me, what's the matter?"

"It's about a senior named Tian Xiaodie."

As soon as Zhuge Qing finished speaking, Granny Qi immediately tensed up, and her clasped hands clenched into fists.

After a moment, she resumed her previous sitting posture and slowly began to speak:
"I don't know where you learned about this, but it's a taboo subject in Zhuge Village. I have nothing to say, you can leave now."

Hearing this blunt rejection, Lü Liang did not leave. Instead, he took a step forward and said directly:
"Seventh Granny, you and that Senior Tian Xiaodie must have a good relationship, right? Don't you want to know why she became sworn sisters with Wugensheng back then?"

"We are investigating the events of the Jia Shen Rebellion and hope to get your help. Of course, if we find the answer, we are willing to share it with you."

Seeing that Granny Qi's expression shifted slightly, Lü Liang continued to speak to dispel her concerns:

"As for the taboo, we just came from Patriarch Zhuge's study. Since Patriarch Zhuge has tacitly allowed us to come here, I think this is no longer a problem."

Hearing Lü Liang's incredibly natural excuse, Wang Ye's lips twitched involuntarily.

No wonder this guy gets along so well everywhere; his art of speaking is something that not everyone can learn.

……

After a moment of silence, Granny Qi stood up and walked towards the house next door.

"Fifth Brother's old house is right next door. You can go and take a look if you want."

Lu Liang and the other two followed them that way, but as soon as they stepped through the door, they were choked by the thick dust and coughed twice.

Lu Liang looked around and found that the house was covered in dust, indicating that no one had lived there for a long time.

Grandma Qi stood beside the table in the hall, her gaze unfocused, seemingly lost in memories.

Lu Liang and his two companions then began searching the room, raising clouds of dust, but found nothing of note.

At this moment, Granny Qi also came to her senses.

She said:

"My fifth brother didn't leave anything behind. I put everything I could find in the house into a box. However, three years ago, the wooden box was taken away by my fifth brother's granddaughter."

Lü Liang nodded slightly; he had already heard Zhuge Qing mention this matter.

What's in that wooden box?

"A few pieces of clothing, a diary."

"journal?"

"Yes, but the words on it are no longer legible."

"Oh, right, there was also a picture of Fifth Sister-in-law in the clothes, but Fifth Brother's granddaughter took them all away."

……

"Seventh Granny, what exactly happened back then?"

Seeing that no clues were found, Zhuge Qing couldn't help but ask the main question directly.

Granny Qi sighed and slowly said:
"When the list of the thirty-six thieves was sent back, the head of the family was furious."

"In order to prevent his wife from being punished by the Zhuge family, Fifth Brother severed all ties with her with a letter of divorce and expressed his willingness to drive her out of Zhuge Village."

"In this way, Fifth Sister-in-law... Sister Xiaodie will have no connection with Zhuge Village, and Zhuge Village will not have the responsibility to deal with her."

"And what happened to her in the end..." Although Zhuge Qing already had a vague guess in his heart, he couldn't help but ask.

"She is dead. She was killed by the Zhuge family."

Grandma Qi's eyelids trembled, and a layer of warm white mist clouded her eyes.

"Why?" Zhuge Qing asked, puzzled.

"I can't figure it out either. Perhaps they all thought the Zhuge family's reputation was more important at the time."

"However, at the time, their explanation to Fifth Brother was that even after leaving Zhuge Village, Sister Xiaodie would still be a wicked person colluding with Quanxing. Such a person could be killed by anyone in the martial arts world; this was Sister Xiaodie's fate."

"Of course, Fifth Brother did not accept this explanation, so he left Zhuge Village with his one-year-old son and never returned."

As Granny Qi finished speaking, the echoes still reverberated in the empty hall, adding a touch of melancholy to her story.

……

Just then, Lü Liang took out the "conch shell" he had obtained from the Great Gu Master from his pocket, handed it to Granny Qi, and asked:

"Grandma, have you ever seen this kind of snail before?"

Upon seeing the object in Lü Liang's hand, Granny Qi's expression changed, her eyes widening in shock as she asked in surprise:
"Who exactly are you? And why do you have this?"

Seeing Granny Qi's reaction, Lü Liang was delighted. Granny Qi had obviously seen this snail shell before.

Last time, he overheard a conversation between Tian Xiaodie and Zheng Zibu through the snail shell, and it contained a great deal of information.

If we could learn about the sounds contained in the new snail shell from Granny Qi, we might gain a lot.

Thinking of this, Lü Liang answered:

"This was a gift from Senior Tian Xiaodie to a friend. I know that she made more than one 'Rao Liang Snail'."

"I'm guessing you have one here too, right?"

Grandma Qi's gaze remained fixed on the conch shell, as if trying to see past memories through it.

After a moment, she nodded.

"Yes, Fifth Sister-in-law gave me one when she left."

(End of this chapter)