A man stands before the heavens, his sword emerges from the Emei Mountains.

Chapter 146 Cheng Kun's secret is exposed, revealing Xianyu's true colors.

As the evening breeze swept across the river, a rustling sound suddenly came from the reeds. Wild ducks flapped their wings and flew into the night, and a figure stepped out of the water and disappeared into the forest.

It was Chen Yu.

He walked for miles through the forest, found a pool of water, gathered dry firewood, took out a fire tinder wrapped in oiled paper, lit a campfire, and dried his clothes. While doing so, he hunted a wild rabbit in the forest, skinned it, and roasted it.

The color on his face and hair had long been washed away in the river. After eating his fill, Chen Yu figured that Zhao Min and the others should have left by now, so he made his way to the restaurant.

The restaurant was in complete disarray, and the corpses had long since been removed. Chen Yu learned that Zhao Min's men had taken all the bodies away. He left ten taels of silver at the restaurant, rushed back to the inn, grabbed his bundle, and rode straight after the Emei Sect's large ship.

Things are different now. When Chen Yu encountered Wei Yixiao and his group at Yueyang Wharf, the Emei Sect's large ship had already left, so he didn't need to worry. However, at Jingzhou Wharf, Miejue must have seen him fall into the water. There were also a group of experts under Zhao Min's command at the wharf, and his master and the others must be extremely anxious. Time was of the essence.

The clatter of hooves echoed softly on the bluestone ground as Chen Yu spurred his horse into the completely darkened night.

When the wind swept across the courtyard wall, the leaves rustled, and the moonlight seemed to sway.

The fragrant tea on the stone table had long since lost its heat. Zhao Min sat motionless on the stone bench like a wooden sculpture, maintaining this posture for nearly half an hour.

She shudders whenever she recalls the scene at the dock.

Ah San and his men caught up with more than ten people, but seeing that they could not escape, they either took poison or committed suicide with swords, leaving no survivors. The ambush against the Emei Sect at the dock was not foolproof. Zhao Min thought that her own planning and schemes would be better than theirs, but the shock brought by the assassins was so strong and impactful that Zhao Min admitted that she could not use such ruthless methods at the moment.

Another layer of shock came from Ah Da, who was injured by an embroidery needle.

The thought of a powerful, hidden adversary who harbors ill intentions towards her father and whose martial arts skills are unparalleled still fills Zhao Min with a sense of dread, especially given her age.

Light footsteps approached from afar, and Sayuna appeared behind Zhao Min.

"Princess!"

"Princess."

"Ah!" Zhao Min snapped back to reality when Sayuna's voice grew louder.

"Master Ku and the others have examined the bodies and found nothing on them except some silver coins, hidden weapons, and wound medicine. They have already summoned the painters."

"Go down."

"Hmm!" Sayuna silently retreated into the night.

Zhao Min rubbed her temples. Unlike Chen Yu, she sometimes had a prophetic perspective on the world of Yitian, able to connect the nameless sword technique, the opponent's self-castration, and the embroidery needle to the Sunflower Manual, and then to the Tartar imperial palace.

Zhao Min racked her brains. If it was her father's enemy in the court, and he was a peerless master who could not harm A-Da with a single embroidery needle, then it would take at least ten years to train a group of loyal and devoted assassins. During this period, the other party would remain inconspicuous and cunning.

Could it be the prime minister who is at odds with the king?

There are priorities in things; the most important should be done first, and the less important ones later. Zhao Min was ultimately a wise woman. Soon after, she calmed down and waited for the painter to finish painting the portraits of all the assassins. Then, they split into two groups: the Bitter Monk led a group along the river to follow the Emei Sect, while she took Ah Er and Ah San straight to Xiangyang to meet the Prince of Ruyang.

When the mist obscures the willows, the moon shines through the clouds; when the dew-covered lotus leaves turn, fireflies dance on the water.

The shimmering fireflies were like mist floating by the river. When Chen Yu approached, they scattered suddenly, and then gathered together again as he passed by.

Chen Yu sped from the dock all the way to Wanxian, which was dozens of miles away from Jingzhou.

The great river flows westward from here, then turns north and then east, presenting a winding appearance. Therefore, the character "涴" has a very ancient origin, recorded in the *Classic of Mountains and Seas, Western Mountains Classic*.

The text states, "The Wan River originates from Mount Yingdi and flows north into the Lingyang Marsh."

There are many docks of various sizes here, and because the river is calm, there are also many unlicensed ferries.

Chen Yu found a horse shop outside the county town and sold the yellow horse he had bought in Hanyang to the shopkeeper. He also bought a jar of wine and a braised duck. He went to the riverside ferry to drink and wait. During this time, he couldn't help but think of the scene at the Jingzhou wharf.

Since practicing martial arts on Mount Emei and wandering the martial world, I have encountered several people whose martial arts skills surpassed those of the Ming Cult's Bright Messenger, A'da, and A'er.

The Xuanming Elders and others include Lian Zhenjia, the leader of the Five Poisons Sect, and Bai Sun Daoren. Now, someone who uses embroidery needles and is definitely practicing the Sunflower Manual has appeared. These people have never appeared in the world of Yitian. Could it really be the butterfly effect? ​​Or perhaps it was because after the Battle of Bright Peak, Zhang Wuji's divine skills were perfected, and he took control of the Ming Cult, his power was at its zenith, and he also had Zhang Sanfeng behind him, that Bai Sun, Lian Zhenjia and others chose to lie low. Later, Zhu Chongba gained power, swept through the Yuan court, and the world was at peace. They all went into hiding in the mountains or lived in seclusion in the city.

Who was the real owner of the embroidery needle? This puzzled Chen Yu. He knew that the Manchu court at the end of the Yuan Dynasty was corrupt and engaged in factionalism and persecution. The Prince of Ruyang was a real person who seemed to be irreconcilably opposed to the prime minister of the Manchu court. The prime minister also colluded with the Manchu empress. However, when he tried to think more deeply, he lacked historical records that he could remember.

After the Golden Summit sword is examined, I will either go to Dadu myself or send a letter to Ji Xiaofu to inquire about it. I must also make a trip to Lingzhou in Ningxia and Kunlun Mountain to see if I can obtain Li Qiushui's legacy. I must get my hands on the Nine Yang Manual. With my current cultivation method, if I go into seclusion on Mount Emei and practice diligently, I will be able to deal with the Xuanming Elders, A'da, A'er, A'san, and Cheng Kun within three to five years. However, I will be far from being able to contend with Lian Zhenjia, Bai Sun, and others.

Chen Yu's thoughts returned, he unsealed the jar, and the strong liquor went down his throat, making his blood boil.

The world has given me a three-foot sword; I climb to the summit of the mountain and become the peak.

Around 9 PM, three lanterns appeared one after another on the river. Chen Yu got up and waited for the large ship to get closer. By the moonlight, he saw Zhou Zhiruo standing at the bow of the ship.

Bathed in moonlight and caressed by a gentle breeze, she appeared from afar like a fairy gracefully floating on the river.

Chen Yu felt a slight warmth in his heart. Zhou Zhiruo must have anticipated that he would travel along the river and meet up with the fleet, which was why she kept an eye out from the bow of the boat.

"Junior Sister!"

Chen Yu's voice, like a thunderclap, landed on the river. Zhou Zhiruo's expression immediately brightened and became lively. "Senior Brother! Master, Senior Brother Chen is by the river."

A cacophony of noise instantly echoed from the three boats. Miejue also appeared on the deck, but unlike Bei Jinyi, Tang Zhihu, and the others, she didn't shout or yell. The boatman lowered the small boat, and Zhou Zhiruo personally rowed to the ferry to meet him.

As the light boat approached, Chen Yu leaped aboard.

"Senior brother has finally arrived. Master and senior sister were very worried."

Chen Yu comforted him, "It's hard to say on land, but I was by the river at the time. Even if Bai Sun were there, I could have gotten away."

That's how I comforted myself.

"Thank you, junior sister."

Zhou Zhiruo's cheeks flushed slightly, and she was overjoyed. "Senior brother, sit tight. I'll row the boat."

"good!"

Chen Yu sat upright at the bow of the boat. Under the crescent moon, the small boat glided lightly across the moon's reflection in the water. Zhou Zhiruo looked serene, her thoughts drifting to the Han River.

There was a time when I rowed the boat myself, with my father, whom I could rely on for the rest of my life, sitting at the bow.

The person sitting here now is Senior Brother Chen.

I hope my senior brother feels the same way I do.

The light boat approached the large ship, and Chen Yu and Zhou Zhiruo leaped onto the deck of the large ship where Miejue was located.

"Disciple greets Master."

"It's good that you're back safe and sound. Let's talk in the cabin."

"it is good."

Ding Minjun is quite perceptive now, and she has the sense that even if the master of the Emei Sect can go into seclusion for a long time, Chen Yu cannot be absent for a single day. She rushed to the cabin first to pour tea for Miejue and Chen Yu. Chen Yu entered the room and thanked her.

Ding Minjun happily left the cabin and summoned her fellow disciples to stand at the bow and stern of the ship.

After Chen Yu finished drinking his tea and put down his porcelain cup, Miejue said, "I saw Yu'er fall into the river. It seems she was ambushed by a hidden weapon?"

Chen Yu hurriedly replied, "That's right, Master. You saw someone suspicious."

"No. Only the old man and his companion rowed away."

"It was an embroidery needle. My disciple parried it with his soft sword, but it felt like being hit by a hammer. The opponent's internal strength is no less than that of the Hundred-Heat Demon Daoist."

Extinction's expression turned solemn. With Chen Yu's current cultivation level, he would not have misjudged the situation. How could another elusive and unpredictable top expert have appeared?

"Minjun and the others recognized a man who had appeared at the dock; he was a Tartar. How did he end up clashing with the old man wielding the judge's pen and his group?"

Several years ago, Chen Yu and his companions encountered Ah San and a Tibetan monk chasing Chang Yuchun in the Valley of Heartbreak. The Emei Sect had helped them, which is why they recognized him. However, at the Jingzhou dock, Miejue and the River Fiends were locked in a fierce battle and had no time to spare, and unlike Chen Yu, they did not recognize their opponents' martial arts techniques.

Chen Yu had roughly guessed the reason, but after much deliberation, he found it difficult to tell Miejue the truth. So he said, "The other party is the group that abducted girls in Hanyang. I fought with some of them and realized that their martial arts techniques were from the same lineage. But why the two sides clashed is hard to guess."

"How strange. Could it be that the Tartars are so kind-hearted because of the girl's case, where they committed all sorts of evil deeds?"

"Or there may be another hidden story."

"That must be it," Extinction nodded affirmatively.

"Disciple has other important matters to attend to."

Extinction's expression changed drastically. "Tell me quickly."

Following his prepared explanation, Chen Yu spoke clearly and logically: "Back in Yueyang, I overheard a man at an inn stirring up trouble, implying that the Dragon-Slaying Saber was in the hands of the Emei Sect, so I secretly followed him."

"He was a treacherous and wicked person, what happened next?" Extinction asked urgently.

"I followed the other party to an inn. The person talked with the old monk, and I learned that it was the old monk who appeared at Hongze Lake and exposed Dai Qisi's mask. Moreover, the old monk mentioned the Tartar prince many times, as if he had surrendered to the Tartar court."

"Outrageous! You disgrace to Buddhism! Do you even know that old monk's name, disciple?"

"The two addressed each other as master and disciple, but the other person never mentioned his name or Buddhist name."

"That makes sense, it's a pity."

"However, this old monk wants that person to follow the Kongtong Sect and the Huashan Sect to Emei."

Extinction glared angrily: "Such a villain, once we reach Emei, we must capture him and interrogate him, and ask him the name of this evil monk."

"Afterwards, my disciple secretly followed and captured the man."

"Haha, well done, Yu'er." Miejue laughed twice, then her face darkened.

"What's wrong, Master?"

"Yu'er may just say it all, so that I won't have to guess and have my emotions fluctuate."

"Good!" Chen Yu said in one breath, "After interrogation, we learned that the old monk's Dharma name was Yuanzhen, his real name was Chengkun, and the man's name was Chen Youliang. He had also been secretly contacting and trying to win over Xianyu Tong, the leader of the Huashan Sect."

Chen Yu's words were few, but the amount of information they contained was truly astonishing. Miejue's expression shifted between joy, surprise, and anger. When Chen Yu finished speaking, Miejue felt a sense of shock and disbelief. She couldn't remember anything since entering Emei that had been as shocking and mind-blowing as what Chen Yu had just said.

Extinction let out a heavy sigh. "Yu'er, you can't tell me one by one. It would give your teacher a buffer."

Chen Yu looked innocent. "Master, please have some tea."

Miejue picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and asked with a puzzled look, "Why did Ke Yuanzhen pledge allegiance to the Prince of Ruyang?"

Could it be that Master doesn't know that Cheng Kun is Xie Xun's master? Chen Yu, assessing the situation, replied, "I don't know that either, and Chen Youliang doesn't know the details either."

"That's easy to handle. When people from Shaolin Temple come during the Mid-Autumn Festival, we can get some information by asking them. And why is Chen Youliang in contact with Xianyu Tong?"

The question asked by Miejue was one that Chen Yu had pondered along the way. He hadn't noticed Chen Youliang outside the Mingguang Restaurant, but given Xianyu Tong's cunning and shrewdness, the fact that he could be manipulated by Chen Youliang meant that he must have something on him.

Chen Youliang and Cheng Kun could not have known that Xianyu Tong killed Bai Yuan. The incident was discovered in Guang, which was not far from Butterfly Valley, and must have been related to Hu Qingniu. Chen Youliang died by the sword and had no way to verify the story, so Chen Yu could speak for himself. He said, "When my disciple interrogated him, Chen Youliang said that Xianyu Tong had harmed a woman named Hu Qingyang in Miao territory in his early years, and that the woman's brother was named Hu Qingniu."

Miejue was immediately reminded of Yang Xiao's actions in harming Ji Xiaofu, and she was furious, slamming her right hand heavily on the table.

With a loud crack, the wooden table shattered into pieces.

"My disciple was also furious at the time."

Extinction shouted sternly, "All that glitters is not gold; the dignified leader of the Huashan Sect has committed such morally depraved acts, worse than pigs and dogs, utterly outrageous. He is a shameless scoundrel. When the Golden Summit is examined, we must expose his true colors. Yu'er, you have done well."

"Disciple will follow Master's instructions in all actions." Chen Yu said this, but in his heart he thought, "Xianyu Tong will be disgraced and his position as the leader of the Huashan Sect will be in jeopardy. At that time, I will find an opportunity to kill him. Xianyu Tong, Chen Youliang, and Cheng Kun are essentially the same kind of people. As long as they find an opportunity, they will definitely make a comeback. Therefore, we must eliminate them completely to prevent future troubles. I just don't know if Cheng Kun will come to Mount Emei."