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

Chapter 182 Exposing His Identity: Lü Liang, it's you again!
"The method of performing the ritual..."

Xu Xin subconsciously repeated the question posed by Lü Liang, his gaze instantly becoming profound as he fell into deep thought.

Seeing this, Lü Liang leaned forward slightly and reminded him:
"Yes, for example, what is the order in which the Five Elements techniques are applied during the ritual? Also, are there any special requirements regarding the time and place of the ritual?"

"I don't know," Xu Xin replied succinctly.

"Didn't Wugensheng say that at the time?" Lü Liang continued to press.

Xu Xin gently shook his head and explained:

“Wugensheng did not mention these details at the time.”

"As soon as he mentioned that the ceremony required the collection of eight sacred objects from different sects, many people present began to have second thoughts and were inclined to refuse."

"After all, while divine skills may sound tempting, they are ultimately illusory and unknown. Stealing sacred artifacts from one's own sect is an absolutely heinous act in any sect."

"Moreover, the situation was turbulent at the time, and many elites from various sects died or were injured in that brutal war, which severely weakened their strength."

"Under these circumstances, many people hold the idea that 'it's better to avoid trouble' and are unwilling to easily get involved in such risky matters."

At this point, Xu Xin's eyes narrowed slightly, his tone filled with emotion:

"Moreover, looking back at history, every time a strange skill or treasure appeared, it caused a huge uproar and disrupted the entire world of supernatural beings. Even if what Wugensheng said is true, if it really succeeds, it will definitely bring a lot of trouble and turmoil in the future."

"So, apart from Gu Qiting and Gao Gen, who were originally followers of Wugensheng and responded relatively actively, everyone else had some concerns."

"After some discussion, the meeting ended on bad terms."

"As for why those eight people changed their minds and were willing to participate in the end, and how they later gathered the eight sacred objects, I have no idea."

……

Upon hearing Xu Xin's answer, Lü Liang raised his hand and gently rubbed his temples.

Actually, he had a vague premonition of the result before asking the question, but when he heard the answer with his own ears, he still couldn't hide his disappointment.

However, Lü Liang quickly adjusted his emotions and refocused his attention on what Xu Xin had just said, trying to find new clues and breakthroughs.

After thinking for a moment, he spoke again:

"Senior Xu, you just mentioned that at the time, only Gu Jiting and Gao Gen, who had always followed Wugensheng, responded more actively?"

Xu Xin nodded and replied, "That's right, the two of them originally came from Quanxing."

“I know that,” Lü Liang continued. “Gu Jiting was originally a family-trained sorcerer, while Gao Gen was originally a top disciple of Yi Qi. After they joined Quanxing, they became very close to Wugensheng.”

"But there's something that I find strange—since they both supported Wugensheng's ritual, why was only Gu Qiting present at the second final summons?"

"Logically speaking, the Quanxing sect shouldn't be purging those who have sworn brotherhood with Wugensheng..."

Upon hearing Lü Liang's question, Xu Xin's lips curled up slightly, and his messy beard twitched a few times.

"It is true that Gao Gen came from a first-class family, but in fact, he had another identity."

"Another identity?" Lü Liang asked, his face full of doubt.

Xu Xin nodded again and slowly said, "You must have heard of the Gao family in Northeast China."

"Gao Gen is from the Gao family, one of the four great families?"

Upon hearing this, Lü Liang's face instantly showed a look of surprise.

"I'm not entirely sure about that, but when we were drinking together in the Qinling Mountains, Gu Qiting did make a joke about it."

"Perhaps, after that, the Gao family made their move."

……

"The Gao family..."

Lu Liang frowned slightly, quickly searching his mind for all the information about the Gao family.

In the world of supernatural beings, the four great families have a long history and profound heritage.

In the Ten Elders Association, the Wang, Lü, and Lu families each occupied a seat, while only the Gao family voluntarily gave up their position.

However, the Gao family and the company have an intricate and extremely close connection.

Gao Lian, the head of Nadutong's Northeast region, is the current head of the Gao family, while his daughter, Gao Erzhuang, works as a temporary worker in the Northeast region.

The Gao family and the Lu family are similar in that they do not have any unique family skills passed down through generations. Their children often go to other schools to learn skills when they are young.

Fortunately, the children of these two families are exceptionally talented and uphold upright family traditions, so other sects in the world of supernatural beings are also very willing to accept them.

Based solely on the information currently available, Xu Xin's conjecture about Gao Gen does indeed have a high degree of credibility.

Gao Gen was born into the Gao family. He first studied under the Yiqi School and later joined the Quanxing School.

However, his initial motivation for joining Quanxing was completely different from others. He was willing to risk his life to enter Quanxing in order to more effectively punish those who had committed many evils, and all the people he killed were scoundrels in Quanxing.

Perhaps the Gao family knew his purpose, which is why they didn't care about Gao Gen joining Quanxing and didn't take any action.

However, it is clear that this is quite different from the sworn brotherhood with Wugensheng.

Of course, it's also possible that the Gao family's actions weren't to punish Gao Gen, but rather to protect him.

"To figure this out, perhaps we should make a trip to the Gao family in the Northeast," Lü Liang thought to himself, then looked up at Xu Xin and asked:
"Senior Xu, the Mo Sect you mentioned earlier, its original site seems to be in the Northeast, right?"

"That's right, it's near Shenyang."

A hint of barely concealed regret flashed in Xu Xin's eyes as he slowly said:
"Back then, Zhang Xuan, who came from the Mo Clan, was the youngest among our thirty-six people, but she was exceptionally talented and outstanding."

"Back then, the Mo Clan held a firm place in the world of supernatural beings... but who could have imagined that it would have completely declined over the years?"

Lü Liang nodded slightly in agreement.

The rapid development of technology is undoubtedly a heavy blow to certain sects of supernatural beings.

Once exceptional abilities may become useless in modern society.

However, according to information obtained by Yaoxing Society, the decline of Mo Sect seems to be not only a choice of the times, but also hides other secrets.

"The Gao family in Northeast China... the former site of the Mo family... these two places are worth visiting."

Lu Liang silently considered his options and decided to include Northeast China in his next exploration plan.

……

In the short time it took to answer just a few questions, Lü Liang noticed that more and more eyes were looking over from the middle of the cave.

Among them, one gaze stood out particularly clearly, and it came from Tang Miaoxing.

At this moment, Tang Miaoxing had his hands behind his back, appearing calm, but his toes were always pointing towards Lü Liang and Xu Xin, as if he was about to stride over at any moment.

This action signifies that his patience is nearing its limit.

However, Lü Liang did not get up immediately, but instead changed the subject and posed a new question to Xu Xin:

"Senior Xu, do you think Sect Leader Tang will succeed in mastering the Pill Devouring technique today?"

Xu Xin was surprised that Lü Liang would suddenly ask this question.

The question came out of nowhere, and Xu Xin was slightly taken aback. Then his eyes sharpened like an eagle's as he scrutinized Lü Liang and asked in return:

How did you find out about this?

"Senior Xu, how I know this is not important. What is important is what will happen next."

"The Jia Shen Rebellion has now been brought back into the open, and the world of supernatural beings will definitely not be peaceful from now on."

"I really don't think it's wise for the Tang Clan leader to take such a big risk at this time."

“Senior Xu, if you also don’t want the Tang Clan leader to die today, I suggest you try to stop him.”

"Oh?" Xu Xin looked up at Lü Liang, a hint of inquiry flashing in his eyes, and asked, "How do you know my senior brother won't succeed?"

"Can someone whose mind is consumed by intense obsession really learn the Dan Shi technique?"

Lu Liang met Xu Xin's gaze and smiled gently.

"Senior Xu should know the answer to this question better than I do."

Upon hearing Lü Liang's words, Xu Xin remained silent, but the emotion revealed in his eyes was clearly not optimistic.

Various thoughts surged through his mind:

Over the years, Tang Miaoxing has been selecting disciples from the inner sect and having them receive his guidance in the Tang Tomb, hoping that more Tang Sect disciples can master the Dan Shi technique.

However, without exception, all attempts ended in failure.

Although Tang Miaoxing's determination to master Dan Shi was stronger than anyone else's, this expectation was essentially no different from that of the Tang Clan disciples who had failed before.

"I understand what you mean."

Xu Xin nodded slightly, his gaze falling on Lü Liang, and slowly said:

"However, my senior brother is not one to listen to advice, so persuading him will not be easy."

Whether someone is easy to persuade depends on whether you have addressed their real pain points.

Lu Liang's lips curled up, revealing a confident smile.

In negotiation, winning hearts and minds is paramount, and this is precisely what he excels at.

He continued with a smile:

"Senior Xu, you just need to buy some time, and leave the rest to me."

Xu Xin glanced at Lü Liang with a hint of suspicion, his lips moving slightly as if he wanted to ask a few more questions.

Just then, a sudden commotion came from the cave entrance, interrupting their conversation.

……

"Tang Miaoxing, what exactly are you trying to do!"

A loud curse suddenly rang out at the cave entrance, the sound filled with raging anger.

Upon hearing the sound, Lü Liang quickly looked in the direction from which it came.

A group of people strode into the cave, with Zhang Wang and the now-awakened Tang Qiushan leading the way. Behind them were a group of elite outer disciples dressed in Tang Clan black training uniforms, each with a solemn expression.

However, Lü Liang soon discovered that Tu Junfang and Tao Tao were not among this group of people.

He thought to himself: It seems that the two of them are having a pretty good "chat".

At this moment, Zhang Wang's eyes were bloodshot, and his anger seemed to be about to burst out. Especially when he saw Lü Liang and Xu Xin talking alone, his eyes became even angrier.

However, he did not linger there for long, and quickly looked away, fixing his gaze on Tang Miaoxing once again.

"When did you start thinking about letting that bastard go?"

Zhang Wang, his face full of anger, strode up to Tang Miaoxing and questioned her aggressively.

"Don't talk nonsense, junior brother!" Tang Miaoxing's imposing manner was unyielding. "This was really forced upon us by those demons of Quanxing. We had no choice but to resort to this tactic!"

Save those words for fooling outsiders!

Zhang Wang took a few more steps forward, his emotions running high, and spittle flew onto Tang Miaoxing's face.

He suddenly pointed a finger at Lü Liang, Zhang Chulan, and the others, and loudly rebuked them:

"They allowed outsiders into the Tang Tomb and even chatted happily with them!"

"Tang Miaoxing! Is this how you, as the sect leader, protect the Tang Clan?! Ah!"

Even as Zhang Wang pointed his finger at her and berated her, Tang Miaoxing remained calm and said unhurriedly, "Don't worry, everything will be resolved, everything will be..."

"We'll handle them one by one..."

As she spoke, Tang Miaoxing's gaze slowly turned to Xu Xin in the corner of the cave.

Xu Xin gently brushed the dust off himself, but didn't immediately get up and walk towards the group. He looked at Lü Liang, who was also standing up, a look of reminiscence on his face, and asked softly:
"Do you know if anyone else who participated in that incident back then, besides me, is still alive?"

Lü Liang nodded slightly and answered with certainty, "Yes, and more than one."

"Hahaha, that's good, that's good."

Xu Xin threw his head back and laughed heartily, his eyes seeming to have regained some of the spirited look he had in his youth.

"It seems that my old bones are not too lonely after all."

……

As Xu Xin and Lü Liang approached step by step, all eyes in the cave turned to them.

Tang Miaoxing finally spoke up.

He pointed at Xu Xin and said in a stern voice:

"Listen up, fellow members of the Tang Clan! This is your former Tang Clan senior, and also your new sect leader after I step down as sect leader, Tang Xin!"

These words caused an immediate uproar at the scene, with exclamations rising and falling.

"what??"

"What!?"

"What! A new sect leader? Tang Xin? This is too sudden! What's going on? How did a new sect leader suddenly appear out of nowhere?"

Seeing this, Tang Miaoxing raised her hand and made a pressing motion to signal everyone to be quiet, then continued her introduction:
"Your new sect leader was quite a figure back in the day, he..."

Unfortunately, Tang Miaoxing was interrupted by Zhang Wang through gritted teeth before he could finish speaking.

"Tang Miaoxing, are you crazy?!"

Zhang Wang's eyes widened, filled with rage.

"In order to scheme to release this scoundrel from the Tang Clan, you actually allowed outsiders to trespass into the forbidden area behind my back and the Tang Clan members' backs!"

"I'm not settling this score with you yet!" Zhang Wang stared intently at Tang Miaoxing, his eyes blazing, and demanded loudly, "What did you just say? I didn't hear you clearly, say it again!"

Tang Miaoxing remained calm and his tone was as firm as ever: "I've invited everyone to meet the new leader of the Tang Clan."

"Good, good, good!" Zhang Wang said "good" three times in a row, his anger almost bursting out, and he looked like he was about to make a move at any moment.

Tang Miaoxing looked at Zhang Wang, her tone serious and leaving no room for argument:
"Don't rush to make a scene. I am still the head of the Tang Clan, so I am still in charge here."

Zhang Wang, his face full of resentment, retorted:

"Are there any sect leaders left in the tomb? There are only traitors from the Tang Clan in the tomb!"

He became increasingly agitated as he spoke, grabbing Tang Miaoxing by the collar, his eyes filled with disbelief, and roaring:

"Tang Miaoxing! Why? What is the purpose of all this?!"

Tang Miaoxing gently removed Zhang Wang's wrist, a slight smile appearing on her lips, and said:

"Junior brother, don't worry. I told you when you entered the tomb that I would give you an explanation for everything, one by one."

"The negotiations with Quanxing and the company have been mostly resolved. Now there is only one problem left, and that is the matter of the Tang Clan leader."

He looked at Zhang Wang earnestly, "Junior brother, I know you have many complaints about me as the sect leader, but am I satisfied with myself?"

As he spoke, Tang Miaoxing's gaze slowly shifted to the Tang Clan disciples present, his eyes sweeping over each and every face from outer to inner disciples. Then, he sighed heavily and said:

"Looking back on my years as the head of the Tang Clan..."

“I know I have done a lot of wrong things, have done a lot of inappropriate things, and have accomplished nothing, let alone carried forward the Tang Clan.”

As Tang Miaoxing spoke, he slowly unbuttoned his coat. "However, I can still comfort myself with the thought that even if I can't be a pioneer who expands new territories, I can still be a ruler who maintains the status quo."

"However, there is one thing I can't convince myself of."

Tang Miaoxing's voice suddenly rose, almost shouting, "As the head of the Tang Clan, I have a flaw, a huge flaw!"

"That means I can't use the Pill Devouring Technique!"

His voice echoed through the cave, making everyone's eardrums ache.

"So I've made up my mind, today, right now, I will master the Pill Devouring Technique!"

As soon as Tang Miaoxing finished speaking, he forcefully threw the coat in his hand away, his face beaming with an unusual excitement.

"The Tang Clan Master wants to inherit the Pill Devouring Technique? Now?!"

Zhang Lingyu stared wide-eyed, blankly looking ahead, completely lost in a daze.

Zhang Chulan also looked confused, rubbed his face, and muttered, "Damn! What's going on today?"

……

Zhang Wang was trembling with rage. He abruptly turned to face the outer disciples who had followed him into the cave and roared:
"All outer disciples present, listen up! You must immediately escort these outsiders away from Tang Sect! Also, notify all outer disciples in the old campus to prepare and proceed to Tang Sect immediately!"

"Today, the Tang Clan will clean house."

After speaking, Zhang Wang looked at Lü Liang, Wang Ye, and Zhang Chulan's group.

"Xia Liuqing, Zhang Chulan... this is no longer your business. You should leave!"

Upon hearing Zhang Wang's blunt order to leave, Zhang Chulan subconsciously looked at Lü Liang.

The meaning in his eyes was very clear: he had not yet achieved his purpose in entering the Tang Tomb, and he did not want to leave.

Lü Liang returned a reassuring look, then calmly stepped forward, faced Zhang Wang directly, and said:
"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I can't fulfill this request."

"What do you mean by that? Does the Quanxing sect want to interfere in the internal affairs of my Tang Sect?"

Zhang Wang's eyes widened in anger, as if they were about to spit fire, staring intently at Lü Liang with a threatening look in them.

Lü Liang shrugged slightly, his tone remaining calm and composed:
"It's not a matter of me intervening; I just wanted to stop Master Tang from courting death."

"you--"

Zhang Wang was speechless for a moment after being choked by Lü Liang's blunt answer, and he was completely stunned.

For a moment, he couldn't care less about continuing his argument with Tang Miaoxing and immediately turned all his attacks on Lü Liang.

"Hmph! Xia Liuqing, don't go too far. Do you really think our Tang Clan is easy to bully!"

As he spoke, he gestured to the outer disciples beside him, preparing to drive them away.

"Wait a minute."

Just then, Tang Miaoxing spoke up to stop them.

He strode between Zhang Wang and Lü Liang, his gaze fixed on Lü Liang, his brow furrowed, and asked with a look of utter confusion:

"what do you mean?"

Lü Liang raised his head, met Tang Miaoxing's gaze, and said firmly:
"Master Tang, since you haven't yet taken life and death lightly, why force yourself to try to master the Pill Devouring Technique now?"

"These things have nothing to do with you."

Tang Miaoxing waved his hand impatiently, his tone instantly turning icy, "You've asked what you wanted to ask. Now, leave the Tang Clan immediately."

Lü Liang did not move, but instead turned his gaze to Xu Xin and said:
"Master Tang, you keep saying you want to pass the leadership to the new master, but it seems you haven't asked the new master if he's willing to accept this heavy responsibility yet?"

"He naturally agrees," Tang Miaoxing replied without hesitation, then turned her gaze to Xu Xin, "Tang Xin, don't you think so?"

At this moment, Xu Xin remembered Lü Liang's special instructions. He stood there, his expression slightly shifting, but he remained silent.

"Tang Xin? Junior Brother?"

Seeing Xu Xin's unusual reaction, Tang Miaoxing felt a sudden unease and a sense of foreboding washed over her.

Xu Xin has never been one to go back on his word, so his current behavior clearly indicates that Lü Liang had said something to him beforehand.

Thinking of this, Tang Miaoxing frowned, glared at Lü Liang, and questioned:

"Lü Liang, what exactly are you trying to do?"

"Lü Liang?!"

Upon hearing the name, Zhang Wang's eyes widened in shock, and he looked over in astonishment.

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(End of this chapter)