Perhaps because Chu Xinghui’s speechless expression was too obvious, Fang Yan provided some additional information: “Regardless of whether Yue Yao’s behavior is genuine or fake, or whether she has anything to do with this matter, the reason she can so easily clear herself is actually because Mu Lingxuan’s father and brothers are not in the sect. Among those responsible for this matter in Lingxiang Sect, no one really cared about Mu Lingxuan’s life or death. They either followed regulations to investigate or wanted to take advantage of the matter to gain something.”

Although judging by recent circumstances, Mu Lingxuan’s father and brothers inside the sect wouldn’t care about her life or death either.

Hearing this, Chu Xinghui suddenly sensed a subtle oddity: “Didn’t Qin Xueyi show up in this matter?”

Mu Chengjin and Mu Zeqing were not in Lingxiang Sect, but what about Qin Xueyi?

Previously, they always thought Qin Xueyi’s serious illness was just an excuse for Mu Chengjin and the others to temporarily leaving the sect. Now that their biological daughter’s life and death were involved, was Qin Xueyi still going to be “seriously ill”?

Fang Yan shook his head: “She appeared once but fainted as soon as she saw her daughter’s corpse, then never showed up again. Mu Cheng’s trusted aides also used the excuse that Mu Chengjin was too overwhelmed taking care of his wife to pay attention to the daughter, fooling others that Mu Chengjin did not show up.”

Chu Xinghui thought this matter sounded strange and full of loopholes, but since the Lingxiang Sect people had no objections, he had none either.

After all, with Yue Yao stirring up trouble, Lingxiang Sect would definitely be in chaos.

The next day, Xie Liufeng continued to provoke Mu Cheng.

Chu Xinghui kept following him to listen to the drama.

Yesterday, Mu Chengjin had a different attitude about the items he obtained from the trade, so Xie Liufeng decided to try to trick him again today.

Xie Liufeng first warmed up the scene with several false messages related to Mu Lingxuan and Lingxiang Sect.

The outside world was constantly changing, all information had a time limit.

The longer Mu Chengjin was held, the less confident he became about the information he had.

Xie Liufeng circled around and finally came to today’s main topic: “Sect leader, you should know we have already contacted Cultivator Xie and Cultivator Qin. Did you think we didn’t know what you actually obtained?”

Mu Cheng’s psychological defenses were stirred up by Xie Liufeng’s words, and he looked irritated: “What did Xie Huai tell you?”

Xie Liufeng found this strange.

He had just mentioned Xie Huai and Qin Suyun, but Mu Chengjin only mentioned Xie Huai.

As early as when Mu Chengjin tried to take Xie Liufeng as a master, Xie Huai had already colluded with the black-robed man. So Xie Huai’s appearance in this matter made Xie Liufeng think he was the liaison between Mu Chengjin and the black-robed man, and the eyes the black-robed man arranged around these people.

But Mu Cheng’s meaning just now… seemed to be more than that.

Xie Liufeng pondered Xie Huai’s situation and made a guess based on his current core needs, continuing to probe: “May I ask if the cultivation method you obtained… works well?”

Mu Cheng’s pupils suddenly constricted.

Xie Liufeng watched his expression and narrowed his eyes slightly.

It really was a cultivation method.

Mu Chengjin sneered coldly: “It seems you all already know quite a lot. Since you know about this cultivation method’s existence, why not trade for it directly instead of fishing for information from me?”

Xie Liufeng smiled: “Sect leader, you say that… but trading directly, how is that as comfortable as sharing with someone?”

Mu Chengjin was silent for a moment.

He finally told the truth: “Since it’s come to this, you should also know something about the trade’s content. I won’t hide it from you: this thing isn’t yet time for trading, so I can’t get it. And now it seems… even when the trading time comes, I won’t be able to get it.”

Xie Liufeng confirmed this was not a lie and couldn’t help but look at him with new respect.

Selling your own biological children before even getting the thing in hand — that really made him the sucker among scumbags.

Xie Liufeng probed: “Because your daughter returned to the sect alive?”

He deliberately emphasized “alive.”

Mu Chengjin said nothing, tacitly agreeing.

… Presumably, the black-robed man had told him that to obtain the cultivation method, one must first sacrifice blood relatives. Now that he thought Mu Lingxuan had escaped the sacrifice, naturally he thought he had failed.

Maybe fearing others would think he was too brutal, Mu Chengjin tried to justify himself: “To cultivate the Sword Sovereign’s method, one naturally must pay some price. Besides, the price is not death but to wash away impurities and return to the world. Given time and opportunity, a body may be reformed, surely a peerless genius. Lingxuan is immature, I was thinking long-term for her.”

As he spoke, he seemed to really think himself a kind father and took the moral high ground: “I advise your master behind you not to take crooked paths trying to get this thing directly from me. Anyone who wants to cultivate this method must first go through this step. Wasting time with me is useless, better to go find Xie Huai directly.”

Hearing this, Xie Liufeng was truly stunned.

Even the usually invisible Chu Xinghui couldn’t help but raise his head.

Xie Liufeng confirmed: “The Sword Sovereign’s cultivation method?”

Since it had come this far, Mu Chengjin didn’t mind telling them a secret he had just learned: “You two should know about the Sword Sovereign’s killing of a god. On the surface, it was glorious, but behind the scenes it was extremely shady. A high god descended to the mortal realm, intending to teach and grant the merit of having a divine name. Xie Qinghe was his first disciple. He taught Xie Qinghe a cultivation method that enabled rapid progress and instructed him to spread it. But Xie Qinghe, blinded by greed, secretly altered the method, fled with the correct version, and after mastering it, even killed that high god.”

“Since then, the Xie family has been tormented by the flawed cultivation method, and young Xie Huai has been striving to find the correct one. Now, someone has again witnessed the divine miracle of the former High God, which led to the rediscovery of this correct cultivation method.”

He sneered: “Do you think Xie Qinghe back then, a foundationless brat, really shone so brilliantly? Genius? Hmph, that’s just fooling the ignorant masses. There’s no way such a genius really existed.”

Chu Xinghui: “…”

Xie Liufeng: “…”

He was deeply shocked and then suddenly enlightened: “So that’s how it is.”

Such a secret, truly astonishing.

Even he himself did not fully understand it, indicating the weight of these words.

Xie Liufeng couldn’t help but feel deep worry about Lingxiang Sect’s future.

No, how did someone as dense as Mu Chengjin become the sect leader?

He nervously glanced at Chu Xinghui standing silently nearby.

Luckily, their Chu Xinghui didn’t inherit such outrageous stupidity.

Chu Xinghui quietly observed himself, also grateful to have escaped this calamity.

After the questioning, the two quickly left the room where Mu Chengjin was detained.

Chu Xinghui asked Xie Liufeng: “Xie Liufeng, do you think what Mu Chengjin said is true?”

“As for the part about me, it’s definitely false,” Xie Liufeng clarified to protect his reputation first, then said: “The rest remains questionable.”

At least regarding the trade, he felt Mu Chengjin had concealed quite a lot.

A legitimate cultivation method wouldn’t require sacrificing blood relatives — even a three-year-old child would understand that.

Mu Cheng’s so-called “secrets” likely contained contradictions that Xie Liufeng suspected, probably blown up by greater interests to sound more grandiose.

Those interests… were likely more than just a cultivation method that could help one advance rapidly.

But the hidden parts probably wouldn’t be uncovered anytime soon.

As the two walked out, Fang Yan who had been waiting nearby approached them calmly and whispered: “Senior uncle, Junior brother Chu, our men have found someone nearby.”

Xie Liufeng asked: “Who?”

Fang Yan answered: “Xie Huai.”

Chu Xinghui guessed: “Here to rescue?”

Xie Liufeng raised an eyebrow: “Could also be here to kill.”

He thought for a moment and started discussing what to do with Mu Cheng: “Since they’ve come, how about we give them a chance and release Mu Cheng? What do you think?”

They had squeezed as much information as possible for now, and keeping Mu Chengjin locked up long-term wasn’t a solution. Better to use him as bait to draw the snake out.

If Mu Chengjin were alone, he’d probably try to return to Lingxiang Sect to handle Mu Lingxuan’s case.

Despite being useless, he was still sect leader. Though lacking freedom and initiative now, once out, he’d try to regain control.

For example, he might blame Mu Lingxuan for colluding with evil cultivators, discredit his daughter’s words, and scrap the “Mu Lingxuan” card, perhaps even painting himself as a filial son who sacrificed for the greater good.

But with Xie Huai involved, things changed.

They already used each other, and Mu Chengjin now suspected Xie Huai’s betrayal. Their information was unequal, so unpredictable things could happen.

Maybe they could even track down the black-robed man who had never appeared in this transaction.

Chu Xinghui and Fang Yan had no objection to this plan.

After all, with Xie Liufeng around, if anything went wrong, he could handle it, and worst case, they’d capture both again.

However, Chu Xinghui couldn’t help but add a personal grudge to the plan, wanting to add a detail: “Before releasing Mu Cheng, can we make sure he gets injured a bit?”

Xie Liufeng smiled at Fang Yan: “Master, your opinion?”

Fang Yan nodded seriously, coming up with a plausible excuse: “Getting injured while fleeing from a chase is reasonable.”

With the plan settled, the Beiyue Sword Sect pretended not to notice Xie Huai’s movements and let him look for a chance to rescue.

Xie Liufeng and the others found a place to wait for developments.

Bored during the wait, Chu Xinghui took a spirit fruit from his storage bag.

He grabbed a short knife and started peeling it.

Though it was edible with the skin, he thought the taste was better peeled.

He carefully peeled the fruit and pondered how to cut it into pieces.

Xie Liufeng glanced over and teasingly said: “Give me a bite.”

Chu Xinghui gestured a few times with the knife, cut the sweetest part, and offered it to Xie Liufeng’s lips.

Xie Liufeng was used to teasing him but was momentarily stunned seeing the fruit at his lips.

Chu Xinghui’s hand got a little sore but persistently nudged it closer.

Xie Liufeng couldn’t help but laugh and ate the fruit off his hand.

Fang Yan watched nearby enviously: “Junior brother Chu, got more?”

He also wanted to enjoy the feeling of free fruit peeling.

Chu Xinghui thought a moment, picked a new fruit, wiped it clean, and handed it to Fang Yan.

Fang Yan: “…”

Chu Xinghui even remembered to wipe it for him — he must really respect him.

Fang Yan quietly finished a whole spirit fruit with the skin on.

 

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