A secret meeting in the dark night to form a new alliance

Chapter Quote: How can the tiger be alone and not be immune? They secretly form allies to explore the mystery. Each of them has their own plans to escape, and even the smallest spark can start a prairie fire.

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The din of the celebration banquet faded, and Liangshan Lake fell silent again in the night, only the occasional sound of patrolmen's footsteps and the cries of fighting pierced the stillness. The lights in Yanqing's room had long been extinguished. He did not fall asleep, but sat cross-legged on the couch, listening to all directions and pondering the strange sound of clothes outside the night window.

It wasn't an illusion. The light kung fu was feminine and subtle, unlike the ruthless and fierce assassins of the Netherworld Palace. It was more like a stalker skilled in stealth and concealment. Was it another force, or had the Netherworld Palace sent a master with a different style?

Either possibility meant his situation was even more dangerous. Navigating this treacherous terrain alone was already difficult, and if he were targeted by an unknown force, he would be in danger of collapse. He had to accelerate his pace and find even the slightest bit of support within Liangshan.

The next day, Yan Qing, as usual, headed to the back mountain to oversee the construction. He seemed focused on the canal excavation and the building, discussing technical details with Tao Zongwang and the craftsmen, but out of the corner of his eye, he kept a constant eye on the surroundings. He needed to find the right opportunity, a natural opportunity for contact that wouldn't alert Wu Yong'er.

An opportunity presented itself in the afternoon. Yan Qing, under the pretext of inspecting the foundation of a newly selected warehouse, wandered to a secluded martial arts training ground in the back mountains. From afar, he could hear the heavy rumble of wind, like rumbling thunder. Inside, a figure, shirtless and muscular, wielded a solid iron staff with vigorous force. Each blow was so powerful it seemed as if it would crack the ground. It was the "Flowery Monk," Lu Zhishen.

Lu Zhishen was so engrossed in his practice that he suddenly slammed his staff down on the ground with a loud thud, causing the ground to tremble slightly. He wiped the sweat off his face, looking a little irritated. He glanced around and his eyes fell on Yan Qing, who was not far away.

"Yan Qing! You've arrived just in time!" Lu Zhishen's voice boomed as he waved towards Yan Qing. "I've heard you're quite nimble, so come on, come and spar with me for a few moves to stretch your muscles! It's so boring facing these inanimate objects all day!"

This invitation came unexpectedly, but it was exactly what Yan Qing wanted. Lu Zhishen was a man of generous disposition, seemingly rough, but actually quite insightful. He held a high reputation among the Liangshan veterans, and he didn't entirely agree with the ways of Song Jiang and Wu Yong. A connection with him would be beneficial.

Yan Qing smiled faintly and did not refuse. He walked into the arena and said with a bow, "Master Lu has given an order. How dare Yan Qing disobey? However, Master Lu is so powerful that Yan Qing dare not take it head-on. I can only fight with my skills. I hope Master Lu will show mercy."

"Haha! No problem! I won't bother with that!" Lu Zhishen laughed loudly, and without being polite, he swung his Zen staff and "sweeped the troops" and attacked Yan Qing's lower body with a fierce wind.

Yan Qing knew that Lu Zhishen was very strong, so he did not dare to neglect him. He lowered his body and turned like a clever monkey, narrowly slipping under the Zen staff. At the same time, he pointed his toes, approached Lu Zhishen, and pointed his finger like a halberd, pointing at his wrist to learn the Dao.

"Well done!" Lu Zhishen praised, and with a flip of his wrist, he lifted the end of the Zen stick up and smashed it into Yan Qing's face.

The two engaged in a fierce exchange of blows in the training grounds. Lu Zhishen's staff was heavy and powerful, swinging and slashing wildly; Yan Qing's movements were agile and evasive, occasionally striking at vital points like joints and acupoints. While not fatal, they forced Lu Zhishen to focus. He didn't unleash his full strength, instead maintaining a precise control, demonstrating his worth without embarrassing Lu Zhishen.

After fighting for about twenty or thirty rounds, Lu Zhishen suddenly retracted his staff and retreated, laughing heartily, "No more fighting! You're as slippery as a loach, and I'm really suffocating from beating you! But... you're really good at fighting, much better than Li Kui, who can only chop with brute force!"

Yan Qing also stopped and stood still, breathing evenly, and said with a smile: "Master Lu's power is amazing, Yan Qing took advantage of it."

Lu Zhishen walked to the side of the field, picked up the wine gourd, took a big gulp, and tossed it to Yan Qing. Yan Qing took it, not disdainful, and drank a mouthful. A spicy feeling rushed straight to his throat, it was the strong village wine.

"Good wine!" Yan Qing praised and handed the gourd back.

Lu Zhishen took the gourd, looked at Yan Qing, and suddenly lowered his voice. His resonant voice now held a rare solemnity. "Brother Yan Qing, you are a wise man. Let me ask you, do you think that Liangshan... with all the enemies and fighting going on everywhere, will have a good end in the future?"

Yan Qing's heart stirred, knowing the main topic had arrived. He glanced around, confirming that no one was around, and then whispered, "Master Lu, why do you say that? Liangshan upholds justice, and with brothers united in purpose, the future is naturally bright."

"Bah!" Lu Zhishen spat. "Don't try to play these empty tricks on me! Acting on behalf of Heaven? Look at the prefectures we've conquered now. Apart from robbing grain and money, have they ever truly acted on behalf of Heaven? That Song Jiang brother spends all day thinking about recruiting people, and that Wu Yong, that naive guy, only knows how to play tricks and schemes! I feel... so aggrieved!"

His words were extremely harsh, practically pointing fingers at Song Jiang and Wu Yong. Yan Qing was silent for a moment before slowly saying, "Master, you care deeply about the people. I admire you. But... the situation is such that it's difficult for one person to reverse it."

"If it's hard to change, then why not?" Lu Zhishen glared. "I don't think you're the kind of person who's willing to go with the flow! Otherwise, why would you risk joining Lu Junyi's army? Was it really just for Liangshan?"

Yan Qing and Lu Zhishen locked eyes, sensing a mixture of honesty and testing. He knew this was an opportunity, but also a significant risk. After a long pause, he finally whispered, "Yan Qing does everything with a clear conscience, hoping... for the well-being of his old friends and less bloodshed."

He didn't say it explicitly, but this vague statement was enough to make Lu Zhishen understand that his position was not completely consistent with that of Song Jiang and Wu Yong.

Lu Zhishen looked at him deeply, then suddenly grinned and patted his shoulder: "Good! I like your straightforwardness! In the future, if someone bullies you openly in this damn place, report my name! As for the things done in secret... you better be careful!" This is a clear signal of goodwill and alliance.

"Thank you, Master!" Yan Qing bowed, feeling a little relieved. With this relationship with Lu Zhishen, his foundation in Liangshan was strengthened.

After parting ways with Lu Zhishen, Yan Qing continued his journey deeper into the mountains. He remembered Lin Chong often practicing martial arts in that secluded valley. Sure enough, before he even got close, he could hear the familiar, indignant sound of breaking wind.

This time, Yan Qing did not hide himself, but walked straight over.

Lin Chong noticed someone, put away his spear and turned around. Seeing that it was Yan Qing, he nodded slightly as a greeting, but his eyes remained silent.

"Master Lin." Yan Qing approached, looking at the blades of grass on the ground shredded by the sharp wind from the spear, and suddenly asked, "Master, have you ever thought about leaving this lake one day to search for the whereabouts of your respected wife?"

Lin Chong's whole body shook violently, he raised his head suddenly, a terrifying light flashed in his eyes, and he stared at Yan Qing: "You...what do you mean by this?!" The snake spear had been subconsciously raised half a point, with a murderous aura.

Yan Qing remained calm in the face of this overwhelming aura, saying frankly, "Yan Qing has no ulterior motives. I simply feel that the instructor, with his skills and loyalty, shouldn't be trapped here, surrounded by grief and anger all day long. The world is vast, and there may be a place for him, and it may not be impossible... to find the person I'm looking for."

Lin Chong's chest heaved violently, his knuckles whitening from the strain of his grip on his spear. He stared intently at Yan Qing, as if trying to penetrate the depths of his heart. After a long moment, the terrifying aura slowly faded. He lowered the tip of his spear, his voice hoarse and weary, "Leaving? How easy... Liangshan is easy to enter, but hard to leave."

"Everything depends on human effort." Yan Qing said softly, "Maybe the time has not come yet, but it is better to have this thought in mind than to be completely desperate." He did not make any promises, but just planted a seed.

Lin Chong remained silent, looking at the distant mountains with a shifting look in his eyes.

At that moment, a monk who was close to Lu Zhishen hurried over. Seeing Yan Qing, he whispered, "Chief Yan, Senior Brother Lu Da asked me to pass on a message. He wants you to go to the pine forest beside the cliff in the back mountain at midnight tonight. He said he has something important to discuss. It's about... what happened outside your window that night."

Yan Qing was horrified! Lu Zhishen actually knew there was someone outside the window that night? And he seemed to have some clues!

His expression remained unchanged as he nodded to the monk and said, "Thank you, Senior Brother. Yan Qing will be there on time."

The monk clasped his hands together, bowed, and hurried away.

Lin Chong, who had heard fragments of what was said, did not understand the details, but knew that a secret was involved. He glanced at Yan Qing and said calmly, "Be careful," without asking any further questions.

"Thank you, coach." Yan Qing bowed, but his heart was already in turmoil.

Lu Zhishen's invitation and Lin Chong's softening attitude both indicate that undercurrents within Liangshan are accelerating. The clues about the person who peeped in that night are even more crucial.

At midnight, the pine forest on the cliff will be the next key node to uncover the mystery.

The night became confusing again.

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Chapter 45 End