This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

Chapter 222 Bold Guesses

By the time Xiao Xingchen appeared, Old Man Chen had already vanished without a trace.

Old Man Chen asked him to pass on a message to Ruoxue, instructing her to preserve her martial arts techniques in the wine pool, but in reality, she was using alcohol to numb herself.

Xiao Xingchen didn't say much about this. Although Old Man Chen had found an opportunity to enter the Dao overnight, it was clear that his inner demons hadn't improved in sync with his own strength.

The drawbacks of this cultivation method are like a flood bursting its banks, surging forth uncontrollably.

Every cultivator must progress step by step, cultivating both body and mind, in order to wield extraordinary power at higher levels. Just as an ordinary person suddenly becomes rich, some wealth is truly difficult to manage. Old Man Chen was like that; for many years, he indulged in wine, partly to escape his circumstances, and partly to elevate his spiritual realm.

What did my father say to you?

The village chief and Ruoxue waited anxiously. The air was thick with the smell of alcohol, and it was Old Man Chen's territory, so they did not venture in rashly.

"Your father has his reasons for staying at the wine shop. I hope you will not complain about him."

"That's all?"

"What else can we do? Alright, what are our plans now? Are we going to stay here forever?"

Xiao Xingchen let out a soft sigh and began to examine the living environment, which made him feel much clearer.

"Kid, shouldn't you explain to me what happened? After all, this is my territory."

The village chief's jar made a gurgling sound, causing the ground to tremble slightly, as if he were asking a question with some dissatisfaction.

"Village chief, there are some things I dare to say, are you sure you want to hear them? The cycle of cause and effect is like a spider's web, once you hear it, it's hard to escape. You hid here precisely to escape this cycle of cause and effect, so why climb out of one pit only to fall into another?"

"You mean there is a greater cause and effect than what I am experiencing now?" "I know you find it hard to believe, but unfortunately it is true. This cause and effect is no less enormous than your origins, and I advise you not to hear about it."

Their words struck Ruoxue like a heavy hammer, causing her to furrow her brow.

What could possibly make them so cautious? Even after racking her brains, she was completely baffled and couldn't figure it out.

Xiao Xingchen was by no means a selfish person, and the person in front of him was trustworthy. However, the fact that he had entered the Dao in one step was truly terrifying.

The more people who know, the greater the danger. It's like a bottomless vortex, constantly drawing outsiders in, and all those caught in it are doomed.

Therefore, he tried his best to prevent more people from getting involved. Judging from the events that had occurred since he arrived, he already had his own suspicions, but it was not the right time to reveal them.

He had a bold idea: since the pursuers were hiding their true strength, why not set a trap to lure them out?

The experiences of the Ling and Wu families made him realize that everything that happened in Yong'an was closely related to Emperor Wu.

Therefore, whether it is the pursuers or those who have just entered the Dao, they may not be hidden secrets in the eyes of Emperor Wu. The connection between Emperor Wu and these things in the corners that he cannot reach may be closer than imagined.

Following this line of thought, introducing certain things into Yong'an might have unexpected effects.

Soon, the Poetry Festival will open in grand style, followed by the public announcement of the Zongmiao Temple.

These two momentous events will undoubtedly attract the attention of everyone in the world, and may even draw in numerous masters. How could Emperor Wu possibly miss such a grand gathering of heroes?

He never imagined he would be involved, but now that things have come to this, it's time to plan ahead and leave a backup plan for any eventuality.

If he cannot transcend this chessboard, he will never uncover the truth. Thinking this, his gaze returned to the village chief.

"Village Chief, if you were to go out, would you have a chance of defeating Emperor Wu?"

This sudden question struck the village chief like a thunderbolt, leaving him stunned and lost in thought, glancing at Xiao Xingchen every now and then.

"Kid, you've got quite the ambition. Why would I want to fight the Martial Emperor?"

"Let's assume,"

"There is no such assumption,"

"Could you also be a member of the Great Qian royal family? But it doesn't seem like it, those golden eyes of yours..."

"Shut up, I have absolutely no connection with the Great Qian Dynasty."

"Then why did Emperor Wu allow you to manage this underground world? Yong'an was divided in two, half for you and half for him, there must be a reason, right?"

"Why do you talk so much nonsense? Is it any of your business?"

The village chief snorted coldly, the vat beneath him about to spring up from the ground, clearly not wanting to elaborate on the matter. But Xiao Xingchen, like a mangy dog, wouldn't give him a chance to leave.

"I understand. You're afraid of Emperor Wu. Your background is your weakness."

"You're talking nonsense, kid. Are you trying to cause trouble? I'm not afraid of anything, don't slander me."

"Is that so? Then when I get out, I'll tell Emperor Wu that there's a village chief in the Ant Cave who's slandering him and ignoring him. You don't know yet, do you? I'm the Prince of the Great Qian Dynasty. He'll definitely listen to what I say. Then I'll have Emperor Wu send people to level this place."

"What did you say?" The village chief was completely enraged, which puzzled Ruoxue greatly. Had Xiao Xingchen gone mad? Why was he suddenly trying to provoke the village chief?

"Stop talking, angering the village chief won't do you any good."

"Ruoxue, what would you do if the village chief wanted to kill you one day?"

"how is this possible?"

"Then you'll have to ask the village chief: would you kill Old Man Chen and Ruoxue?"

Xiao Xingchen's eyes gleamed with unfathomable light. He was not making this up; in that very instant of relief and sudden enlightenment, it was like a bolt of lightning flashing across the sky.

A startling discovery suddenly flashed through his mind: he had a memory projection inside the village chief's house. At that time, not only did everyone witness the tall buildings in his memory, but the village chief's memory also flashed by like a shooting star. However, everyone else was attracted by the prosperous scene in their own memory and did not pay attention to the village chief's memory.

However, some fragments of the village chief's memories still remained in his mind. Now, upon careful reflection, he suddenly realized that the village chief's rescue of him was not simply an act of kindness. From another perspective, it seemed that the village chief was secretly spying on his memories.

However, because he was lucky enough to be saved, he naturally attributed the credit to the village chief.

In reality, his recovery was entirely due to the miraculous power of the dazzling stars in his eyes. Without this special power, he would likely have been completely destroyed by the golden eyes long ago. This led everyone to fall into a misconception, mistakenly believing that the village chief was saving lives.

However, after Old Man Chen spoke, several images from the village chief's glimpse into his memories were deeply imprinted on his mind like a brand.

Xiao Xingchen noticed that throughout the long years, those scenes were all of the village chief gazing at the distillery, as if he had a special fondness for it.

Furthermore, there was a vague memory: when the Ling and Wu families of Yong'an City were brutally wiped out, the village chief had actually intervened. These thoughts intertwined like a tangled mess, forcing Xiao Xingchen to re-examine the village chief. This village chief seemed to be the one hiding the truth, and whether he was friend or foe was now difficult to discern. This had led to the dramatic scene just now, with Xiao Xingchen attempting to find a weakness by deceiving the village chief.

"You're talking nonsense. How could I kill them? What exactly do you intend to do?"

The village chief, realizing the hidden meaning in Xiao Xingchen's words, became more cautious.

“Village Chief, I have my reasons for saying this. This matter involves a shocking secret, and I suppose you’ve come here for that too, haven’t you? Ten years ago, Father brought Ruoxue here, and since then, you’ve been keeping a close eye on this distillery, actually monitoring Father Chen. You’re looking for that secret, aren’t you?”

"Heh, what nonsense! I've been guarding this anthill for hundreds of years. When have I ever inquired about the origins of the people here? Here, we don't ask about the past or the future. You're too narrow-minded."

After speaking, the village chief turned to leave, but a smile appeared on Xiao Xingchen's lips. The village chief uttered the word "guard," perhaps unaware that it was precisely these two words that confirmed for Xiao Xingchen one thing: the village chief's connection with Emperor Wu was undoubtedly profound; he was guarding this place for Emperor Wu.

This time, Xiao Xingchen did not stop the village chief from leaving. Instead, he stared at the village chief's departing figure, a heavy expression on his face.

"What exactly happened? You're behaving so strangely."

Ruoxue spoke in a panic, countless questions flooding her mind. Xiao Xingchen couldn't help but sigh. As his investigation deepened, he realized with a start that the Martial Emperor was truly unfathomable, far more terrifying than he had imagined. He selected some things he could tell Ruoxue and explained...

"Ruoxue, thank goodness you brought me back this time, otherwise I wouldn't have discovered such a shocking thing. The Martial Emperor and the Village Chief, there are too many connections between them. I've now confirmed that this anthill has always been the Martial Emperor's territory."

"He has trapped all the extraordinary people and events in the world that cannot be shown to others here. On the one hand, this prevents these people from causing trouble outside, and on the other hand, it has transformed into the foundation of Yong'an. Just imagine, if someone were to destroy Yong'an one day, would this place sit idly by?"

"With so many experts joining forces, who in the world can destroy the capital of the Great Qian Dynasty? Emperor Wu is truly shrewd; he has seen through both the righteous and the wicked."

"No way, the anthill has such a significant history?"

Ruoxue was surprised and suspicious.

"I'm pretty sure I know what they're up to. It's all a scheme, both overt and covert. Let's inform Consort Xian when we have the chance. She's probably part of the scheme too. Your recruitment site was probably exposed the first time you came here."

"If your guess is right, then wouldn't Flower Language Pavilion be..."

"You guessed right, there must be a spy for Emperor Wu in the Flower Language Pavilion."

Xiao Xingchen was very satisfied with Ruoxue's reaction. He had also thought of this consequence immediately. Huayu Tower had been infiltrated, which was not good news. He even thought of more: behind this scheme, could there be someone else besides the Martial Emperor?

After all, no matter how unfathomable the Martial Emperor may be, his gaze is always focused on the Great Qian Dynasty. Old Man Chen's plight, the existence of Master Zhu, and the mystery of the pursuers are not things that the Martial Emperor can treat equally.

These people are, in some ways, a level above the Great Qian Dynasty. The most likely explanation is that Emperor Wu was also coerced, but who could coerce an emperor of a country?

The Ninth Heaven is possible, but he thinks it's unlikely. If it were the Ninth Heaven, there would be no need to act so secretly. Emperor Wu could have just made his stance clear. Yu Jing could have arrested people openly and honestly. Why bother secretly destroying the Ling and Wu families?