Inside the Shaolin Temple, Xiao Yuanshan had already begun confronting Ye Erniang at Shaolin, demanding an explanation for her grievous actions, while Xiao Feng also officially recognized Xiao Yuanshan as his father and they together pressed for the truth about who was the mortal enemy who had killed their parents and master.
A bloodbath that seemed both natural and artificially incited was sweeping through the Martial World.
As martial arts experts from all over converged on Shaoshi Mountain.
Some players and guilds, who had been at peace, were igniting feuds and grudges over minor frictions, fully demonstrating the players’ instability.
In such a conflict-ridden environment.
A scenario that Jiang Dali had anticipated and was well acquainted with was gradually taking shape.
However, the incident had only developed halfway when it began to change subtly due to his intervention and influence.
On the Jianghu Forum.
At this moment, countless players who had gathered were eagerly awaiting the Black Wind Village Chief’s arrival, while snacking on melon seeds, just like the numerous Black Wind Village players.
The Black Wind Village Chief had actually arrived a day earlier but had kept out of sight on another mountain peak, drinking with Lu Xiaofeng and watching the excitement all day long.
However, having drunk until today.
Lu Xiaofeng was also feeling rather bored and listless.
He was an unsettled sort, hating trouble but loving excitement.
Unable to hold back any longer, he was itching to join the bustle at Shaolin.
When he heard two sorrowful and stirring long howls coming from Shaolin in the distance, Lu Xiaofeng finally slammed down his wine bowl and, with a sweep of his sleeve, stood up and said, "That’s it, even if I, Lu Xiaofeng, love to drink, today I just can’t drink any further."
"Oh~ I was also wondering."
With one hand on his hip and the other pointing and gesturing, he circled around Jiang Dali with a mix of annoyance and amusement, "I say, you Black Wind Village Chief don’t seem like the tepid Old Turtle type, so why have you suddenly changed your nature? Didn’t you hear your Iron Brother Xiao Feng’s howling?
Right now, your Iron Brother is about to seek his vengeance in Shaolin.
You just sent some lackeys to surround the mountain and put on an act for two days, but you yourself stay hidden?
Hey, hey! You’re not scared of Shaolin, are you? You don’t seem like someone who would be cowardly!"
Jiang Dali, with a smile, drank a big bowl of wine and said, "If you had anticipated this outcome like I had, you would be contentedly drinking here with me, without too many expectations."
Lu Xiaofeng’s eyes lit up and with a twirl of his mustache, he laughed and said, "It seems you really did know who Xiao Feng’s mother’s and master’s killer was well in advance, impressive, impressive, you’re much better at investigating than I am, Lu Xiaofeng. How did you find out? Who is it? Is it really one of Shaolin’s accomplished monks?"
"A monk is but one of the killers; as for Xiao Feng’s master’s enemy, he will acknowledge it himself in a little while," answered Jiang Dali with a smile.
"He’ll acknowledge it himself?"
Lu Xiaofeng was dumbfounded.
Suddenly, there was an uproar on the opposite mountain.
It turned out that Xiao Yuanshan had admitted that Xiao Feng’s foster parents, including their master Xuan Ku, had been killed by him.
This revelation naturally caused shock amongst the people of the Martial World, including the players.
The voices carried over the wind, barely audible, and Lu Xiaofeng, hearing such an answer, couldn’t help but be stunned.
The enemy whom Xiao Feng had been relentlessly searching for turned out to be one of them, his very own father – wasn’t this an immense tragedy and sorrow?
Jiang Dali just took a deep drink of his wine.
Because he knew that Xiao Feng, hearing this answer at this moment, would surely want to drink, preferably to the point of utter drunkenness, so he drank on his behalf first.
"How did you know Xiao Yuanshan was the killer? And you even knew he would admit it himself?"
Lu Xiaofeng looked at Jiang Dali in amazement.
"Because I’m also a Leader," Jiang Dali pointed to his own nose. "I used to be known as the Leader, and I was framed too.
Even I once investigated who the real Leader was, and I’ve encountered Xiao Yuanshan, having fought with him.
Are these reasons sufficient?"
Of course, these reasons were not sufficient.
But as long as Lu Xiaofeng believed them, that was enough.
And Lu Xiaofeng was sure to believe.
Because he was already laughing so hard that he couldn’t close his mouth, his smile so wide he couldn’t even relax his dimples.
He could already imagine the scene when Xiao Feng came knocking on the door of Jiang Dali, the fake Leader, after the latter had been framed, even though such a scene had never occurred.
"Now that Xiao Yuanshan has confessed, will that venerable master from the Shaolin possibly feel guilty enough to come forward and admit it?"
After laughing, Lu Xiaofeng asked with anticipation. He couldn’t contain himself, standing up and saying, "I can drink anytime, but the excitement is only this once. I must be a fool to have sat here drinking with you all day. I want to go and join the fun right now."
With a swirl of his red cloak, he was about to descend the mountain.
But at that moment, people were coming up the mountain.
Five people were ascending.
One had a face so pale it was as if he was a ghost, his whole body emitting a strange stench.
Another had a broad, smiling face, looking like a philanthropic wealthy man.
One burst forth with a sound like a ball of fire racing up the mountain.
Then as the person drew closer and the color faded to green, it became apparent that the fire seemed to cling to the frame of a man.
This man wore a big red kasaya and had a bare, shiny head with not a hair on it.
Lastly was Kou Zhong, careless and frivolous, holding the Moon in the Well in his hand.
The reason Kou Zhong was mentioned last was that the fifth person was not walking up the mountain, but was being tossed about by these five like a ball.
When Lu Xiaofeng saw these five people, his face instantly changed. He looked at the greyclad elder being tossed around like a ball in their hands.
That greyclad elder was lean, with a gloomy face, which at that moment had turned a congested red from extreme indignation.
However, this indignation, upon seeing the mighty Jiang Dali at the top of the mountain with a Bull Horn Helmet like a Demon King, swiftly turned to fear—a deep, profound fear.
Lu Xiaofeng looked at this utterly disheveled elder, his expression not one of contempt, but rather very solemn.
He turned back helplessly to Jiang Dali, who had now stopped drinking and was standing with a smile and hands behind his back, and said, "Have you been waiting here all day for these five?"
Jiang Dali was donning his Protective Bracelet and replied indifferently, "No, I was waiting for only one."
Lu Xiaofeng shrugged, "It’s all the same. Now that this one has come, who is he?
The person whom your Iron Brothers, Kou Zhong, and the former members of the Power Gang—the Fire King, the Medicine King, the Ghost King—have all come together to invite, must be extraordinary.
And he must be involved in this affair.
Even I, faced with these four of your subordinates, would have no choice but to surrender, or run away before they could catch me."
Jiang Dali looked toward Shaoshi Mountain in the distance, where Master Xuan Ci had already stepped forward to admit his sins, and spoke calmly, "You’ll know who he is soon enough. We can go now. To Shaolin it is, then. I’m afraid many who shouldn’t be appearing will show up this time."
(I’ll add more updates during the day, aiming for two updates, writing ten thousand words. Seeking monthly tickets and recommendation tickets!)