Chapter 186 What's going on here?

Chapter 186 What's going on here?

“Brother Wenqu, this joke isn’t funny at all.” He Lingyun patted Lu Wenqu’s shoulder, half dumbfounded and half amused. “In the middle of the night, you and Wang Sumo are teasing me. I know it’s my birthday tomorrow, no, it’s today, but this birthday gift is interesting.”

He Lingyun became increasingly convinced of this, and the last trace of dullness in his eyes vanished.

"Go to sleep early, see you tomorrow." After saying that, He Lingyun patted Lu Wenqu's shoulder again, and finally looked at Wang Sumo: "Thank you, Miss Wang, for keeping him company and putting on such a big show to celebrate my birthday in the middle of the night."

Just as Wang Sumo was about to speak, Lu Wenqu shook his head at her.

Wang Sumo understood.

It can't be rushed.

He Lingyun had somewhat believed the blank look in He Lingyun's eyes, but also found it unbelievable.

He had lived with He Huai'an for so many years. During the most difficult time, He Huai'an took him all the way to Qingyun Manor, where the two of them finally settled down.

For He Lingyun, He Huai'an was irreplaceable.

To expect him to know so much all at once, and to believe that He Huai'an wasn't what he thought, especially in the middle of the night, was indeed...

Wang Sumo and Lu Wenqu both remained silent.

"Go back now, everyone. There's a martial arts tournament tomorrow." He Lingyun opened the door and saw the guests off.

Wang Sumo and Lu Wenqu had no choice but to comply.

After closing the door, He Lingyun leaned against it, unable to move for a long time.

He's not stupid.

Even if Wang Sumo and Lu Wenqu were very close, or even if they were very close to him, they would never have arranged to meet here and make such a big joke to celebrate his birthday.

He took a deep breath, his breath turning into mist, and he felt somewhat lost.

Lu Wenqu has a vague memory of every event from his childhood that Lu Wenqu mentioned.

He was very young then and doesn't remember many things.

But when Lu Wenqu said it, it reminded him of those vague and indistinct memories from his childhood.

He Huai'an, my brother, they got separated during a rainstorm, and he was trapped under the city wall...

These were all things he had told Lu Wenqu. If Lu Wenqu was the real He Huai'an, why didn't he tell him when he recognized him?

Lu Wenqu was tasked with chasing down the people who had dug things up from the old man's garden. He eventually caught up with He Huai'an, who was in contact with the military. He had a fierce look in his eyes and sent men in black to hunt down Lu Wenqu. The chase continued until Lu Wenqu, who was on the verge of death, encountered Wang Sumo...

Each and every incident sent chills down his spine and made him shiver all over.

It was clearly such an unbelievable thing, but why did he still have a sliver of belief in his heart?

Was it because he was confused about his older brother's appearance and voice when he was a child, or was the later He Huai'an really different from his earlier brother?

Even so, even if Lu Wenqu is the real He Huai'an, He Huai'an is such a good person. Everyone in Qingyun Manor compares him to his brother. Although his brother doesn't know martial arts, he is gentle and earnest in everything he does, and he is always refined and humble...

How could that be?

He Lingyun's mind was a complete mess.

And then there was Wang Sumo's line: "Master Huo is in danger..."

He froze.

Uncle Huo?

With Uncle Huo's martial arts skills, even my great-uncle, who is quite old, might not be a match for him. How could Uncle Huo possibly...?

But He Lingyun suddenly froze.

Since he left Qingyun Manor, he had indeed not received any news from Uncle Huo along the way.

But clearly before he left, Uncle Huo told him to go ahead, that he had something to take care of, and that he would get back to him after he was done.

To clean up the mess, they sent him away; He Huai'an was still there at the time.

Then, Uncle Huo, who never broke his promise, sent no news at all along the way...

He Lingyun had never felt her mind so chaotic before.

*

The following morning, Wang Sumo had a habit of waking up early.

Jiang Yutang and Qingwu were still asleep. She couldn't do any waking exercises in the room. As soon as she opened the door, she saw He Lingyun there.

"You're awake," He Lingyun said, his eyes deep in thought.

Wang Sumo: "..."

Wang Sumo didn't know how long he had been there, but He Lingyun, who had been leaning against the corridor railing, stood up straight and said in a deep voice, "Wang Sumo, do you know something?"

Wang Sumo took a deep breath: "Come with me, we're going to see someone else."

He Lingyun: "..."

After a brief knock, Ding Bolai opened the door: "Miss Wang?"

Then Ding Bo was stunned: "Second Young Master?"

"Uncle Ding?" He Lingyun was also stunned.

"Has Huo Ling woken up?" Wang Sumo asked.

Ding Bo came to his senses: "Not yet! Doctor Fang said it won't be that fast."

Huo Ling, Fang Rushi?

"Come in." Uncle Ding made way: "Old Master Qu went out this morning, and Doctor Fang came back last night and went out again. Only the young master and I are in the house."

Although He Lingyun and Huo Ling had never gotten along well, since Huo Ling and Fang Ru were together, He Lingyun could more or less guess that Huo Ling was not a good person.

When they approached, Huo Ling was still lying on the sickbed, her face still deathly pale, but within that paleness, there seemed to be a faint hint of rosiness.

"What's wrong with him?" He Lingyun asked worriedly.

Ding Bowen said, "Thanks to Physician Fang and Layman Yu'an, otherwise the poison in the young master's body would have been very difficult to cure."

"Poisoned?" He Lingyun asked in surprise.

Ding Bo frowned and nodded with difficulty: "Young Master has not always been weak, but has been poisoned for a long time. Yesterday, Doctor Fang and Layman Yu An obtained medicine from the Four Heroes of Meizhou to detoxify Young Master. Senior Qu and Alliance Leader Zhao have both examined him. Young Master's pulse is steady and there is no more poison in his body. He should wake up before noon."

After Ding Bo finished speaking, he still couldn't help but feel lingering fear: "This time, we are very grateful to Miss Wang and everyone else. Otherwise, the young master would still be unaware of the poison."

Ding Bo said so too, and He Lingyun believed him.

But how could that be?

He Lingyun also recalled what Lu Wenqu and Wang Sumo had told him about his elder brother last night...

Isn't that impossible?

Ding Bo continued, "Doctor Fang said that this poison is a slow-acting poison, not easily detected, and would require several months of continuous administration. It's likely that it originated within the manor..."

He Lingyun looked up at Wang Sumo.

Wang Sumo didn't say anything more, believing that He Lingyun was smart enough not to need to say it a second time.

*

"Huo Ling, Huo Ling, look at me, look at me, can you see me?" Duan Wuheng was even more excited than Fang Rushi and Meng Huizhou.

“Wild child…” Huo Ling began her first words.

He Lingyun frowned subconsciously. Although he was relieved that Huo Ling had woken up, he still hated Huo Ling's words, and that hadn't changed at all.

But Duan Wuheng was different; on the contrary, he was delighted: "Sickly fellow!"

Huo Ling was both weak and exasperated, finding it both funny and frustrating.

Duan Wuheng immediately announced: "Huo Ling is awake!"

He Lingyun: "..."

He Lingyun stepped forward and glanced at him. Huo Ling also frowned subconsciously. Although the atmosphere between the two was strange, it seemed that because Wang Sumo had told him about He Huai'an earlier, he wasn't so...

"It's good that you're alright." This seemed to be the first time He Lingyun had spoken to him like this.

Huo Ling paused for a moment, then gave a soft "hmm".

Someone knocked on the door. Everyone turned around and saw a disciple from Qingyun Manor: "Second Young Master, we're about to head to the manor on the outskirts of the city."

The martial arts tournament is coming up soon, and Qingyun Manor holds a very important position in the martial arts world, so we can't be late.

He Lingyun: "Okay, let's set off immediately. Get ready."

"yes!"

"Ah, leaving so early?" Duan Wuheng looked at Huo Ling in surprise. Huo Ling had just woken up and was still dazed, so it was definitely not the right time for her to leave.

He Lingyun said to Uncle Ding, "Uncle Ding, please take good care of him."

Ding Bo bowed and agreed.

However, after nearly a year apart, Uncle Ding suddenly felt that the second young master had changed a lot compared to before.

This includes one's demeanor, one's conduct, and finally, the ability to shoulder responsibility.

Ding Bo was one of Master He's men, so he was naturally pleased to see the Second Young Master doing well.

"Listen to Uncle Ding's advice. Don't wander around until you're fully recovered. The martial arts tournament lasts for three days. Go when you're better," He Lingyun instructed.

Although Huo Ling wasn't quite used to it, she still gave a soft "hmm".

Duan Wuheng comforted him, "It's alright, it's alright, I'll go with you! We'll go again tomorrow."

A smile immediately appeared in Huo Ling's eyes, and she also smiled as she looked at He Lingyun.

Ding Bo and Qing Wu both looked at the two of them in surprise, and it seemed as if something between them was slowly melting away...

He Lingyun turned around: "Senior Weng, are you going to the martial arts tournament? Would you like to come along?"

He finally saw the light and understood the ways of the world.

I just heard that Mr. Weng is also going, so I can give him a ride.

“I want to go too,” Wang Sumo interjected.

He Lingyun looked at her.

Wang Sumo leaned closer and began to count on his fingers in a low voice: "I want to go, Xiaobai wants to go, Yutang wants to go, Grandpa Weng wants to go, Grandpa Qu wants to go, Senior Meng wants to go, Brother Zhao and Lu Wenqu can't show their faces, but they can sneak in with Qingyun Manor."

He Lingyun: "..."

Although he knew that Wang Sumo was never polite when she needed to be, He Lingyun said softly, "Why don't you just say who's not going?"

Wang Sumo readily agreed: "Huo Ling, Duan Wuheng, Fang Rushi, and also Ding Bo and Qingwu."

He Lingyun: "..."

*

He Lingyun never expected to lead such a large group to the outskirts of the city.

Because they were from Qingyun Manor, the people in Meizhou Four Heroes Manor were not thoroughly investigated.

He Lingyun was also worried about Zhao Tong, after all, Zhao Tong's identity was special, but Wang Sumo told him that he could be said to have sneaked in.

He Lingyun: "..."

He Lingyun found it both amusing and exasperating, but Huo Ling had received care from everyone at Bazhenlou along the way, including Zhao Tong. With Wang Sumo having asked, she naturally had to help.

Moreover, Zhao Tong has been out of the public eye for quite some time now, so if Wang Sumo can bring him along, he can naturally keep him under control.

Aren't Old Master Qu and Old Master Weng still around?

Upon entering the manor, we found it already packed with people.

Fortunately, because there were seats available at Qingyun Manor, Wang Sumo and the others managed to sneak in.

The Four Heroes of Meizhou were sworn brothers and a group of masters who emerged two or three decades ago.

He has some reputation in the martial arts world, but not enough to be considered very famous.

But the four brothers were always wealthy.

This disaster relief grain incident caused a bad reputation in the martial arts world, so the Four Heroes of Meizhou gave their all, donating all the grain from their rice shops and distributing most of their wealth in exchange for grain.

And so, riding the wave of disaster relief grain, they suddenly gained a voice in the martial arts world.

Moreover, this martial arts conference was organized by the Zhenhu Division at the behest of the Four Heroes of Meizhou. This shows that over the years, the Four Heroes of Meizhou have gained recognition and fame in front of the Zhenhu Division through this event. Even the Zhenhu Division, which has never been involved in the affairs of the martial arts world, has spoken up for the Four Heroes of Meizhou.

These small favors should certainly be given.

Besides, two or three decades have passed, and there hasn't been a single decent martial arts tournament.

Everyone was actually eager to try.

The suburban estate is very large.

The prominent sects all had prominent spots, while the other martial arts sects were located on the outer perimeter. Even the casual martial arts heroes had places to go, and the manor did not restrict their movement. As a result, the martial arts tournament was packed with people.

Looking at the scene before him, Old Master Weng couldn't help but frown.

This doesn't look like a martial arts gathering at all; it's full of cats and dogs.

Soon, amidst the bustling crowd, the Four Heroes of Meizhou appeared. There was no difference in height or weight; all four were very upright. The only distinctions were their appearance: kind, dignified, expressionless, or deeply resentful.

Sure enough, it was the seemingly kind-hearted Jie who started the conversation.

It has to be said that it is quite inspiring, as if the various factions in the martial arts world, which have been at peace for a long time, are about to embark on a grand undertaking from this day forward.

Many people applauded and cheered, their blood boiling with excitement.

Wang Sumo also spotted a familiar face in the crowd: Qin Feng, the eldest disciple of the Lingxiao Sect.

Previously at Qingyun Manor, Qin Feng was with Manor Lord Huo, and Manor Lord Huo introduced them to each other.

As expected, when Wang Sumo looked at Qin Feng, Qin Feng also recognized Wang Sumo, who was mixed in with Qingyun Manor, and then nodded in greeting.

The person sitting in front of Qin Feng should be Qin Feng's master, the head of the Lingxiao Sect.

It must be said that almost all the famous sects attended this martial arts gathering of the Four Heroes of Meizhou, which was a great honor.

Wang Sumo also saw people a little further away carrying weapons similar to ghost-head clubs. They seemed out of place, but it seemed that the Four Heroes of Meizhou originally wanted to make a big splash, so they accepted all comers.

Finally, after the opening remarks, we began to move on to the overall content.

The one of the Four Heroes of Meizhou, who had no expression, stepped forward: "I believe that all the heroes and valiant individuals who have come to the Martial Arts Conference today have seen that there are many martial arts sects and Jianghu figures present. It's not that we four brothers didn't screen them, but rather that we considered the matter of disaster relief grain, which is of great importance, and hoped that more martial arts colleagues would participate. Otherwise, with the strength of the four brothers alone, it would be insufficient to move a tree like an ant."

These words caused an uproar among the audience.

What does this mean?

The matter of disaster relief grain involved major martial arts sects, so the Four Heroes of Meizhou were afraid that they were outnumbered and weak. Even if they offended a famous sect and suffered a bad end, they would not be able to shake the other party's status.

The opening act was so explosive that the audience couldn't remain calm.

Even Wang Sumo was surprised; was this the pace of the martial arts tournament?

Wang Sumo looked at Old Master Weng beside him. No wonder Old Master Weng said last night that someone wanted to take advantage of the situation. It seems that trouble is about to be stirred up right from the start.

One of the four heroes of Meizhou, who was filled with bitterness and hatred, then appeared: "As you all know, some time ago, we, the four heroes of Meizhou, opened rice shops and granaries under our own names, and also sold our fertile fields and shops to raise money to exchange for grain, hoping to do our part. But the disaster relief grain we exchanged was stolen and replaced on the way."

This caused another uproar from the audience.

He continued, his voice filled with bitter resentment: "Back then, the four of us brothers were prepared to find this scoundrel hiding in the martial arts world. So, when the disaster relief grain was stolen, we were prepared to track him down. As the saying goes, heaven rewards those who persevere. After overcoming many obstacles, especially the obstruction of some major martial arts sects, we finally caught the thief who had stolen the disaster relief grain."

"This scoundrel obtained a confession through torture, but the result shocked the four of us brothers. We also realized that we were probably powerless to reverse the situation on our own, and we might even be silenced. So, we had no choice but to seek help from the Zhenhu Division, which led to this martial arts gathering. Today, heroes from all over the world have gathered here. We, the Four Heroes of Meizhou, will risk our lives to expose this venomous snake hiding behind the scenes and let all the martial arts sects see it for themselves."

The way he described it, so tragically, coupled with his appearance of deep sorrow and hatred, made it all seem especially believable.

Therefore, when the stern-faced man ordered the thief to be brought up, everyone was astonished.

Especially the group of He Lingyun and the disciples of Qingyun Manor.

"He, Senior Brother He Yuan?" Someone recognized him from the person who was being carried out after being executed and whose appearance was no longer recognizable.

He Lingyun also stood up in surprise: "He Yuan?"

this!

Wang Sumo and Bai Cen exchanged bewildered glances. The sect the Four Heroes of Meizhou were referring to was Qingyun Manor?!

The expressionless one among the Four Heroes of Meizhou also took the lead and looked at He Lingyun: "Do you recognize your second young master?"

Wow!

The martial arts tournament erupted in chaos!

[Author's Note]

Eat a bite and continue