Chapter 68: Juxianzhuang Inquiry
Di Feisheng worked tirelessly day and night to find Jiao Liqiao's whereabouts. Anyone who was suspected to be a descendant of Nan Yin was arrested by Di Feisheng. Anyone who was related to Jiao Liqiao or even had a crush on her was tortured by Di Feisheng in an attempt to get any information about Wansheng Dao.
January passed by like a flash.
The Wansheng Dao, once a bloody cult in the martial arts world, feared by all factions, vanished without a trace, as if it had evaporated from the face of the earth. The copper mine where its headquarters was located was deserted, leaving only abandoned mines and a few unsettled belongings, as if this vast organization had never existed. A brief but unsettling calm descended upon the martial arts world, like the silence before a storm.
However, this peace did not last long. A more bizarre and horrifying rumor, like a gloomy wind carrying poisonous fog, quickly spread throughout every corner of the martial arts world.
Rumor has it that two experts in using poison from deep within the Miao region have quietly appeared in the world.
One of them was a white-haired man with a cold expression and empty eyes. He moved silently, like a ghost.
The other person was a woman in red, with an enchanting face and a captivating evil aura in her eyes.
Most terrifying of all were their methods—it was said that if one gazed at them for even a few moments, their mind would be controlled, and from then on, they would do their bidding, manipulate them like a puppet without a soul. Those who fell victim to their attacks would appear ordinary, yet they would obey their commands without mercy, even turning their swords against their closest friends and family.
"Have you heard? Leader Liu of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency... ran into that woman in red outside the city the day before yesterday. After returning, he locked himself in his room. And yesterday morning, he even... burned his own escort flag with his own hands!"
"More than that! The young master of Juxian Manor, such a handsome and upright man, is said to have had a close encounter with the white-haired man. Now... he has become the bodyguard of the two men, and he is using swords against the brothers who pass by!"
"This... could this be the long-lost Heart-Controlling Gu from Miaojiang? I heard that the mist exhaled by this insect can cause hallucinations and make people controlled by the caster!"
"I'm afraid there's more to it than that... This strange method of manipulating people's minds reminds me of the Nanyin people, whose nation was destroyed a hundred years ago... The Gu techniques of the Nanyin royal family were once renowned throughout the world, but because they possessed a treasure, they were punished and brought disaster upon their nation... Could it be that the descendants of the Nanyin have returned for revenge?"
"Hush! Be careful with your words! Be careful, the walls may have ears! In today's world, who knows if the people around you have already been controlled by those two!"
Rumors spread, becoming increasingly ferocious and cryptic. Everyone felt insecure, suspicion and fear spreading like a plague. The once bustling restaurants and teahouses were now deserted. Even when people gathered, they dared not look strangers in the eye, fearing they would be manipulated and manipulated.
The entire martial arts world is shrouded in an invisible shadow of terror that originates from the depths of the soul.
On this day, in Tianji Hall.
Fang Duobing slammed the secret report onto the table, his brow furrowed. "It's been a month! Wansheng Dao has completely vanished, and now two such sinister figures have emerged! Using Gu... controlling people's minds... Why does this method exude such a familiar, sinister aura?"
He looked at Di Feisheng, who was silent beside him. "A Fei, what do you think? I always feel that... this matter is not that simple. They showed up just after Wanshengdao disappeared. The timing is too coincidental."
Di Feisheng's eyes were deep, and his fingertips unconsciously stroked the cold white lotus token belonging to Li Lianhua. Jiao Liqiao's crazy and persistent face, as well as Shan Gudao's usual escape and conspiracy tricks flashed through his mind.
"Gu magic... manipulation..." He repeated in a low voice, a hint of extreme coldness and sternness flashing in his eyes. "...Perhaps, it's not disappearance, but a more hidden and more vicious mask."
Fang Duobing suddenly grabbed Di Feisheng's arm, his voice trembling slightly with disbelief: "You suspect that those two people are Li Lianhua and Jiao Liqiao? How is it possible! How could Li Lianhua be in collusion with Jiao Liqiao? He clearly..." He was halfway through his words, but saw Di Feisheng's face as gloomy as iron, his eyes fixed on the two blurry but strange figures in the distance, his thin lips tightly pursed, and he did not refute.
Fang Duobing's heart sank. "A Fei! Say something! This is impossible! Li Lianhua..."
"Shut up." Di Feisheng finally spoke, his voice low and hoarse, but with an unquestionable, almost instinctive certainty, "...it must be him."
Inside Juxian Manor, there was a cacophony of voices. Di Feisheng and Fang Duobing entered the manor, hoping to find any clues about the mysterious white-haired man.
Di Feisheng's face was gloomy, and he exuded a cold, unapproachable aura. Fang Duobing suppressed his anxiety and described the situation to various people in the village as gently as possible.
After some questioning, most people shook their heads and said that although a white-haired man and a woman in red appeared that day, the man was wearing a bamboo hat and the hanging veil covered his face, so they could not see his specific appearance clearly.
Just when the clues seemed to be about to be cut off, a slightly tipsy man muttered, "...Even though I can't see his face clearly...but that guy and the girl in red...are quite close...The girl held his arm, smiling, and he didn't push her away...It looks like...it looks like that kind of relationship..."
As soon as these words were spoken, it was like the fuse that ignited explosives!
Di Feisheng's body pressure plummeted, and his eyes instantly filled with a terrifying crimson. The thought of Li Lianhua, possibly still alive, yet intimate with Jiao Liqiao, mixed with his long-held anxiety, worry, and deep-seated possessive desire, instantly consumed the last vestiges of his rationality.
"court death!"
He roared in a deep voice, his five fingers forming claws, and with a fierce gust of wind, he suddenly grabbed the throat of the talkative man! He actually had the intention of killing him on the spot!
"The sound of the flute flying! No!"
Fang Duobing's face changed drastically, he cried out in surprise, and almost instinctively stepped forward to block with all his might.
"Bang!"
The two energies collided with a dull thud. Fang Duobing's arms went numb from the shock, his blood surging, yet he stood firmly between the flute's sound and the frightened man.
"Get out of the way!" Di Feisheng's voice was hoarse, and he stared at Fang Duobing fiercely, as if he wanted to tear him apart. "If you say another word, I will kill you too!"
Fang Duobing was fully aware of Di Feisheng's madness and paranoia, but he refused to give in. He said urgently, "A Fei! Calm down! What's the point of killing him?! It's just a vague clue! What if...what if that wasn't Li Lianhua at all?! What if someone else just saw it wrong?!"
He tried to use words to awaken Di Feisheng's rationality: "The most urgent thing is to find solid evidence! You are killing innocent people here. What else can you do except alert the real person behind the scenes and make a fool of yourself?!"
Di Fei's chest heaved violently, veins popping out of his clenched fists, clearly trying desperately to suppress the violence and murderous intent that threatened to burst forth. He took Fang Duobing's words in stride, but the thought of Li Lianhua possibly engaging in intimate behavior with someone else (especially Jiao Liqiao) nearly overwhelmed him with the urge to destroy everything.
There was a moment of complete silence in Juxian Manor. No one dared to breathe, and looked at the two people confronting each other in horror.
Finally, Di Feisheng closed his eyes tightly. When he opened them again, the bloodshot in his eyes faded slightly, but they were still icy cold. He abruptly withdrew his hand, no longer looking at the man lying limp on the ground. He turned and walked out of the village, leaving behind only a few words that were as cold as ice:
"Investigate! Dig three feet underground to find the man wearing the bamboo hat!"
Fang Duobing breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that this was only a temporary lull. He quickly glanced at the silent crowd and quickly followed the sound of the flute.
This investigation into Juxian Manor not only failed to alleviate his anxiety, but instead planted a deeper thorn in Di Feisheng's heart. The journey to find Li Lianhua seemed to be shrouded in an indescribable haze and torment.
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