The long silence of Lu Jingsheng was finally broken as he emerged from seclusion.
His appearance might finally resolve the many doubts weighing on everyone's minds.
Compared to Lu Jing’s fury, Lu Jingsheng, this old man, appeared much calmer.
He calmly said, “Junior Brother, please sit down first.”
“I won’t sit!” Lu Jing deliberately defied Lu Jingsheng.
Yan Shouyi noticed that Lu Jingsheng did not address Lu Jing as the Great Elder this time, but as Junior Brother.
This unusual form of address implied that whatever Lu Jingsheng was about to say was likely not a matter of official business.
Thus, Yan Shouyi stopped Lu Jing and pressed him into his seat. “Elder Lu Jing, please calm yourself. Since Sect Master Lu has arrived, he naturally intends to clarify matters.”
Despite his fiery temper, Lu Jing’s admiration for Yan Shouyi meant he would heed his words.
Lu Jing took a deep breath, slammed his palm on the table, and pointed at Lu Jingsheng, saying:
“Do you know how many people we lost that night? Do you know the price everyone paid? Yet, you only sealed off the participants at Shang Hang Art School and Ping An Building, but did not kill them. You stood by and did nothing regarding the Liu family of Guling. What’s most unforgivable is that you personally married your own disciple to those human demons of the Bai family!”
It was precisely Lu Jingsheng who had arranged the engagement between Lin Zitong and Bai Yusheng.
Facing Lu Jing’s barrage of accusations, Lu Jingsheng merely sighed softly.
“Without knowing the full picture, do not judge. Junior Brother, you are too hasty.”
He sat down by the stone table, placed his whisk before him, arranging it neatly, and then said:
“There are many reasons why I appear at this time. As for Zitong marrying Bai Yusheng, it was not my decision, but the decision of a certain mysterious person. This mysterious person has been interfering in Zitong’s life for many years. At first, I did not want to get involved. However, it was precisely through that mysterious person’s prophecies that Zitong managed to evade several calamities. Six days ago, the prophecy also guided Zitong to Ping An Building, and ultimately, her marriage to Bai Yusheng was also a result of the prophecy’s guidance!”
Lu Jing snorted coldly.
“You’ve been talking for ages about some damn prophecy and some mysterious person. Their existence is not even certain. What evidence do you have?”
“I have no evidence. The only evidence lies with Zitong. She had already read the prophecy before resolutely heading to Ping An Building. Otherwise, as her master, how could I possibly let her risk her life?” Lu Jingsheng replied.
Yan Shouyi listened from the side, gradually piecing together the rough outline of the situation.
He frowned and asked, “Sect Master Lu, are you implying that Zitong went to save me based on a prophecy?”
“That’s correct.”
“Then what else did the prophecy contain?”
“The last part of the prophecy is known only to Zitong herself. Even I am unaware of it.”
Yan Shouyi fell silent.
It seemed that Lin Zitong was the only one who now understood everything.
But unfortunately, Lin Zitong was in the hands of the Bai family.
“There are preordained destinies in the unseen world,” Lu Jingsheng said. “Yan Shouyi, you need only act according to your heart.”
“Thank you for your guidance, Sect Master Lu.” Yan Shouyi, not fully understanding but deep in thought, fell into contemplation.
However, after hearing Lu Jingsheng’s explanation, Lu Jing was not convinced.
He said coldly, “What you’ve said is all nonsensical gibberish. I’ll ask you directly, what happened at Shang Hang Art School, and what about Ping An Building? Did you collude with the Bai family? Was it you who attacked the Li family’s ancestral home tonight?”
Lu Jingsheng shook his head silently.
“You still won’t admit it!” Lu Jing exclaimed angrily. “In the entire Rongcheng, besides you, who else could have killed the Old Ancestor of the Li family? Moreover, the group that attacked the Li family tonight used the spells of our Lu Shan Sect!”
“Junior Brother, this is precisely why I came to find you!”
Lu Jingsheng suddenly became serious, his expression more solemn than ever.
Even Lu Jing was stunned by Lu Jingsheng’s expression, falling silent for a moment.
Lu Jingsheng then said, “Junior Brother, in the Lu Shan Sect, you and I are the strongest. But we are living people… I ask you, are there any deceased individuals who are more powerful than us?”
Lu Jing found the question baffling.
But he still replied, “There are many people more powerful than us. Our Grand Master, our Master, our Eldest Senior Brother…”
At this point, Lu Jing suddenly stopped.
Years of camaraderie allowed Lu Jing to discern something unusual in Lu Jingsheng’s eyes.
“Are you saying that Eldest Senior Brother…”
Lu Jingsheng closed his eyes and nodded. “He is not dead. He is still alive.”
“That’s impossible… that’s impossible!”
Lu Jing shook his head incessantly. “Senior Brother is clearly dead, and has been dead for so many years. Even Master said he was dead. He…”
After muttering to himself for a long time, Lu Jing refused to believe Lu Jingsheng’s words. He kept searching for reasons to prove that Tong Jingcheng was dead, but the reasons he cited seemed unconvincing.
Lu Jingsheng interrupted Lu Jing’s rambling. “Back then, we didn’t witness Eldest Senior Brother’s death with our own eyes. We only found a corpse that bore a strong resemblance to him, but had been completely devoured by wolves. In the end, we couldn’t even find a trace of his soul! We all believed he was dead then, but thinking back now, there were so many suspicious points!”
“When I discovered the clues, I, like you, couldn’t believe it, so I didn’t rush to tell you but investigated in secret. Later, as the investigation deepened, I uncovered more and more secrets. These secrets all pointed to a newly established, yet deeply connected to our Lu Shan Sect, minor sect – Four Symbols Mountain!”
“Four Symbols Mountain, located in the Lu City area, is a folk sect with little renown. The spells used by their disciples subtly echo those of our Lu Shan Sect. I initially thought Four Symbols Mountain might share the same origins as us. Later, I learned it was more than just shared origins! The entire Four Symbols Mountain might have been secretly founded by Senior Brother Tong!”
Upon hearing this, let alone Lu Jing, even Yan Shouyi was utterly shocked.
He knew Tong Jingcheng, the once-in-a-millennium genius of the Lu Shan Sect.
Unable to bear the death of the woman he loved, he ultimately chose to jump off a cliff to commit suicide.
Yet, he had not expected him to return from the dead and establish Four Symbols Mountain.
That Fang Qiu was very likely taught by Tong Jingcheng!
Yan Shouyi increasingly felt that the past events were beginning to make sense.
Lu Jingsheng had never colluded with the Bai family. He had merely acted in accordance with prophecies concerning Lin Zitong, leading to his actions being viewed as unorthodox by Lu Jing.
The one truly colluding with the Bai family was Four Symbols Mountain!
Lu Jingsheng took a deep breath and slowly revealed his purpose. “The reason I left Shang Hang Art School and Ping An Building untouched is twofold. Firstly, the spirits in these two locations were indeed well-behaved and rarely harmed the populace. Secondly, I intended to use the Soul Refining and Rebirth Great Array that the Bai family was setting up to lure Senior Brother Tong out!”
Mentioning the Soul Refining and Rebirth Great Array, Lu Jing seemed to recall something else.
He covered his mouth for the first time, his astonishment beyond words.
“The Soul Refining and Rebirth Great Array… the Soul Refining and Rebirth Great Array!” Lu Jing exclaimed, his voice hoarse. “I could never understand why the Bai family was setting up such an array. Whom were they trying to revive, whom were they trying to reincarnate, whom were they trying to make immortal… Now I finally understand!”
“It’s Eldest Senior Brother! It’s Eldest Senior Brother who wanted to set up the array. He wanted to resurrect Su Yirou!!!”
In an instant, Lu Jing revealed the truth.
Everyone’s thoughts suddenly cleared up, becoming coherent.
The force behind the Bai family was Four Symbols Mountain!
Bai Muyu’s backing was Tong Jingcheng!
All the cause and effect surfaced at this moment!
Even Xue Kai let out a sigh of relief. “So that’s how it is…”
“Wait.”
At this moment, Yan Shouyi suddenly said, “Sect Master Lu, if what you say is true, then what does this have to do with Zitong?”
Why was Bai Muyu afraid to kill Lin Zitong?
Why did Lin Zitong’s life seem so important to them?
Why did they insist on marrying Lin Zitong to Bai Yusheng?
Lu Jingsheng patted Yan Shouyi’s shoulder and said solemnly:
“If you knew the method for setting up the Soul Refining and Rebirth Great Array, you would understand—Su Yirou’s physical body has already rotted. If she is to be brought back to life, she will certainly need a living person as a sacrifice, using her body as a vessel for revival! In fact, it is not Bai Yusheng who is supposed to marry Zitong, but Senior Brother Tong!”
Yan Shouyi’s face darkened, and he asked coldly, “Then why must it be Zitong?”
“The Soul Refining and Rebirth Great Array is not an ordinary formation. Ordinary people cannot withstand the power of resurrection. But Zitong possesses the Ziwei destiny! Senior Brother Tong might have been targeting Zitong for a long time…” Lu Jingsheng replied.
Long Feicheng gritted his teeth, displeased, and said from the side:
“Are you Lu Shan Sect people teaching skills but not how to be human? How could you cultivate someone like Tong Jingcheng, a scumbag, who wants to trade someone else’s wife’s life for his own wife’s life? Shameless!”
Lu Jingsheng said helplessly:
“Senior Brother Tong has fallen into demonic ways and is no longer our Senior Brother Tong of the Lu Shan Sect. What’s done is done, and there’s no point in saying more. Let’s discuss how to rescue Zitong tomorrow.”