Yang Guo travels back in time to become Duan Yu, a different kind of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils.

After a while, Qiao Feng pushed open the door and came out, looking tired and with an unyielding heaviness between his brows. Although he had guessed it long ago, when the truth was really in front of him, even someone as resilient as Qiao Feng could not let it go.

Yang Guo felt a pang of sympathy. Back then, when he heard from Eunuch Ke about the deeds of his biological father, Yang Kang, he felt the same disillusionment that Qiao Feng felt today.

Just as Yang Guo was about to speak to comfort him, Qiao Feng spoke first: "Brother, I was indeed adopted by the two elders, which shows that Master Zhiguang and the others in Xingzi Forest did not lie. I am a Khitan."

Yang Guo said, "Brother, whether you're a Khitan or a Han, you're still my sworn brother, a first-rate hero in the martial world. After all, I'm still from Dali, and in the eyes of the Central Plains, I'm not much better than the barbarians." He paused, then asked, "What are your plans next, brother?"

Qiao Feng sighed and said, "To be honest, my identity as a Khitan will soon be known throughout the world. I'm afraid it will be difficult for me to gain a foothold in the Central Plains martial arts world. After thanking our master, I plan to go to the borderlands to live out my days herding horses and sheep. However, there are two things I can't let go of before I leave."

"Is the matter that you're concerned about, Brother? Is it the death of Ma Dayuan of the Beggars' Sect and the incident at Yanmen Pass back then?"

"That's right," Qiao Feng nodded and sighed, "Although I'm not in the Beggars' Sect, Ma Dayuan's death is really suspicious. There might be a conspiracy against the Beggars' Sect behind it. I've been in the Beggars' Sect for many years and have received great kindness from Chief Wang. I really can't bear to see the Beggars' Sect fall into a trap. It's a pity that Quan Guanqing is dead, otherwise we could have gotten some information out of him."

"Brother, regarding the Beggars' Sect, I think there's one person who's rather suspicious," Yang Guo said with certainty.

"Who?"

"Ma Dayuan's widow, that day in Xingzilin, although she didn't say it explicitly, every word she said pointed to you. I absolutely do not believe that she knew nothing about the whole thing. And that Elder Xu, he probably also played a less than honorable role in it."

Qiao Feng knew that his sworn brother was not only skilled in martial arts but also had a meticulous mind. It was he who saw through the flaws in the whole incident in Xingzi Forest that day; otherwise, Qiao Feng's situation would be even worse now.

His current remarks about the two of them must not be unfounded.

"Yes, what you say makes sense, my brother. Another matter is the truth about Yanmen Pass thirty years ago. Who was that leader back then? Is the person who came to kill my adoptive parents today related to him? Of those who knew about it in the past, Chief Wang is dead, and only Zhao Qiansun and Master Zhiguang are still alive. I plan to start with the two of them."

"Brother," Yang Guo said, "I have a guess about this leader."

"What do you mean by that, my dear brother?"

"Brother, I remember Master Zhiguang saying that the group from thirty years ago included the late Chief Wang of the Beggars' Sect. Was he already the chief back then?"

Qiao Feng nodded and said, "Yes, I took over as the leader of the Beggars' Sect when I was twenty-two years old. At that time, Chief Wang had been in office for twenty-five years. So, he was indeed the leader of the Beggars' Sect thirty years ago."

"That's easy to guess," Yang Guo said, his eyes gleaming with wisdom. "The Beggars' Clan is the largest clan in the world. Given Chief Wang's status and martial arts skills back then, he couldn't even be the 'leader.' This person must not be an unknown figure. Judging from Master Zhiguang's words, that person is still alive and must be a highly respected person with a reputation that is definitely no less than yours, the Chief of the Beggars' Clan."

Qiao Feng felt a sudden jolt, and an answer he had never considered came to mind: "Brother, you mean..."

"The Shaolin and Beggars' Sect have always been closely united. The person who could make the Beggars' Sect leader willingly serve as his subordinate is undoubtedly a high-ranking monk from Shaolin. Master Zhiguang once said that this person is younger than him, so it's not hard to guess who it is."

A high-ranking monk from Shaolin Temple...

The Beggars' Sect and Shaolin Temple have been on good terms for generations. Qiao Feng knew the eight eminent monks of Shaolin Temple like the back of his hand: Xuan Cheng, Xuan Du, Xuan Ci, Xuan Nan, Xuan Ji, Xuan Bei, Xuan Ku, and Xuan Tong.

Xuan Cheng was paralyzed and lived in seclusion for many years due to a qi deviation, and Xuan Bei died at Shenjie Temple in Dali, so the two can be ruled out. Xuan Tong and his mentor Xuan Ku were too young and did not fit the criteria. So, only Xuan Du, Xuan Ci, Xuan Nan, and Xuan Ji meet the requirements. Among these four, Abbot Xuan Ci, who later became the leader of the Central Plains martial arts world, is undoubtedly the most suspicious.

Among the martial arts skills that Xuan Ci was proficient in was the Great Vajra Palm.

In this way, everything becomes a closed loop, and the identity of the "ringleader" becomes obvious.

"Brother, do you remember what Master Zhiguang said? Your esteemed master, Master Xuanku, was entrusted by the leader to teach you martial arts, and he's the one who can command the high monks of Shaolin..."

Speaking of Xuan Ku, Qiao Feng suddenly seemed to remember something and shouted, "Not good!"

Yang Guo quickly asked, "Brother, what's wrong?"

"My revered teacher, Master Xuanku, is in danger!"

Yang Guo suddenly realized that the murderer's killing of the Qiao couple was probably not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather a premeditated plan. Now that the killing had failed, he probably wouldn't let it go. With him and his elder brother guarding the Qiao couple, it wouldn't be easy to find an opportunity to strike. Therefore, Master Xuanku of Shaolin Temple was the most suitable target.

Although Shaolin Temple is a place like a dragon's den and a tiger's lair, the people in the temple were not on guard against anyone trying to harm Master Xuanku. If someone were to launch a sneak attack, Master Xuanku would likely be unable to avoid being ambushed.

Moreover, if the man in black truly has a deep connection with Xuan Ci, killing someone within the Shaolin Temple would probably not be too difficult for him.

"Even so, time is of the essence. My elder brother will go to Shaolin Temple first to warn them, and I will follow with my uncle, aunt, and Miss A'Zhu."

"Brother, this is my matter. My parents and Miss A'Zhu..."

"Brother, they are all witnesses to this matter. Besides, it's safer for them to travel with me; staying at home would be truly dangerous!"

Qiao Feng had also figured out the key points and knew that this was not the time for modesty or hesitation. He nodded emphatically and said, "Brother, I entrust my parents and Miss A'Zhu to you. I will take my leave first."

After saying this, Qiao Feng patted Yang Guo on the shoulder, leaped into the air, and used his lightness skill to rush towards Shaoshi Mountain.

Yang Guo stayed behind and explained the reason for his trip to the Qiao couple, recounting the Xingzilin incident and the tragic death of Ma Dayuan, who was framed.

After they finished speaking, the Qiao couple turned pale and trembled, clearly shocked. Thinking of the assassination attempt that had just ended, they trembled even more violently.

"Young Master Duan, if what you're saying is true, wouldn't Feng'er be in great danger?"

"Yes, but don't worry, elders. My elder brother has been a formidable figure in the martial world in recent years, rarely encountering any rivals. A few petty villains are nothing to worry about."

He knew the man in black was highly skilled in martial arts and ruthless, an opponent he had never encountered in all these years. Compared to him, the Golden Wheel Monk and Kumārajīva were both kind-hearted.