The folk research society was unusually lively that night.
Because of Yan Shouyi's decisive victory, more than half of the disciples of the folk sects who came to watch the matches chose to directly join the Folk Research Society. The rest also left their names and contact information, planning to handle some matters back home before reporting to the Folk Research Society.
However, everyone found it strange that their President Yan did not come out to chat with everyone after winning the arena battle. Wang Jiwan and Long Feicheng were the ones entertaining them.
That night, white banners were hung around the lotus pond, and many lotus lanterns floated in the pond. Lin Zhitong sat quietly by the lotus pond, watching the lotus lanterns sway with the waves.
Yan Shouyi walked in from outside the courtyard and sat down next to Lin Zhitong.
He put his arm around Lin Zhitong's shoulders, and she leaned into his embrace.
"Old Jin is currently examining the body of the Lu Shan Sect Leader. If there are no special findings, you can take the Lu Shan Sect Leader back to the Lu Shan Sect later... Huang Hai and Zhou Yuquan have also received the news and have already summoned their sect disciples and the sect leaders of sects like Tian Hai Sect."
The death of Lu Jing was a major event. When Huang Hai and Zhou Yuquan first received the news, they were equally unable to accept it and were grief-stricken.
But after calming down, they also knew that properly handling Lu Jing's funeral was what they needed to do now.
The sect leaders of the various small sects in Jianzhou rushed to Rongcheng overnight, intending to send Lu Jing on his final journey.
"I'll accompany you to the Lu Shan Sect later," Yan Shouyi said.
Lin Zhitong wiped away her tears and said softly, "No need. As the Sect Leader of the Lu Shan Sect, I should handle things on my own."
This was also what Lu Jing would have wanted to see.
Lin Zhitong, as a woman leading the Lu Shan Sect, would already face much criticism. If she were constantly taken care of by Yan Shouyi, people would be even less convinced of her.
"Come when it's time for Uncle Lu Jing's funeral," Lin Zhitong said in a pleading tone.
Yan Shouyi nodded slightly, showing understanding.
The two looked at the single lotus in the center of the lotus pond.
The heart of the lotus was protected by a light shield, and within it was the soul of Yan Shouyi and Lin Zhitong's child.
Twins.
The safety of the twins was perhaps the greatest comfort in Yan Shouyi and Lin Zhitong's hearts.
Suddenly, Yan Shouyi seemed to have discovered something and could not help but shake his head with a wry smile.
"What's wrong?" Lin Zhitong looked at him, confused.
Yan Shouyi pointed at the lotus and said, "It turns out the lotus had already given us the answer."
Lin Zhitong looked closely at the lotus and realized that this central lotus was actually a pair of conjoined lotuses!
The two lotuses had each sacrificed a small portion of their petals and were tightly pressed together.
Because the central lotus was originally larger than the other lotuses, this detail had gone unnoticed by everyone.
"Our children are not only descendants of the Lu Ban lineage but also descendants of the Lu Shan Sect, which is why Sect Leader Lu Jing protected them at all costs," Lin Zhitong murmured.
At this moment, Yan Shouyi's phone vibrated slightly. He looked back and saw Old Jin standing at the door.
"Did you find anything?" Yan Shouyi asked.
Old Jin's brow was furrowed with fatigue. He held a cowhide letter and said, "There's nothing wrong with the Lu Shan Sect Leader's body, but I found this on the Black Bat Village Chief."
Yan Shouyi took it and read it. The answer was as he had expected.
The actor Li Genmiao had repeatedly suffered losses at the hands of the Yan family. He had been severely injured by Yan Chou previously, forcing him into a period of obscurity. However, this did not prevent him from causing trouble for the Yan family.
The Black Bat Village Chief was instructed by Li Genmiao to disrupt the Folk Research Society. It was Li Genmiao who informed the Black Bat Village Chief about Lin Zhitong's pregnancy, making him the true mastermind.
The superficial calm could not conceal the inner anger.
Yan Shouyi put away the cowhide letter and said with a frown, "There's something wrong with this letter."
Old Jin was surprised, "You mean the letter is forged, intended to frame Li Genmiao?"
"No," Yan Shouyi shook his head. "What I find strange is how the Black Bat Village Chief knew about the lotus pond?"
Given that the lives of Yan Shouyi and Lin Zhitong's children were at stake, the couple had been extremely cautious. Few people knew about the lotus pond, not even Luo Ning and the others.
The letter only instructed the Black Bat Village Chief to cause trouble for Lin Zhitong, and it did not mention the lotus pond.
However, the Black Bat Village Chief had appeared directly at the lotus pond with a clear target, and even had contingency plans in place, his sole objective being the conjoined lotuses.
How did the Black Bat Village Chief know about the lotus pond?
Hearing Yan Shouyi point out this anomaly, Lin Zhitong and Old Jin's expressions suddenly darkened.
Could it be... a traitor within the Folk Research Society?
"It's not necessarily a traitor," Yan Shouyi speculated. "Before the incident, only a handful of people knew about the lotus pond. They are all people we trust implicitly, so they wouldn't be traitors."
Lin Zhitong cast aside her worries and calmly analyzed the situation.
"Let's broaden the scope. The informant might be from within our Folk Research Society..."
Lin Zhitong said this, then shook her head again, "We can't blindly suspect our own people. There are also enemies in Rongcheng. If they are meticulously trying to cause trouble for us, discovering the lotus pond is not impossible."
The focus of everyone's attention gradually shifted away from the possibility of a traitor.
Then, they all thought of one person in unison.
Wu Tianfeng!
The Black Bat Village Chief entered the lotus pond precisely during the time Yan Shouyi was fighting Shi Kui. This timing could not be controlled by anyone else, only by Wu Tianfeng.
Moreover, Wu Tianfeng had been coveting the Folk Research Society. He had the reasons, the motive, and the ability to investigate the matter of the lotus pond.
"I suspect Wu Tianfeng investigated the information and secretly colluded with the Black Bat Village Chief," Lin Zhitong boldly voiced her thoughts.
However, they still lacked direct evidence.
"Old Jin, I need a favor," Yan Shouyi said. "Please send a few people to investigate Wu Tianfeng's current whereabouts."
"Okay."
Old Jin agreed and started to leave, but he ran into a timid young girl, Tian Juer, from the Gu tribe.
"What is it? This is not a place you can just enter," Old Jin blocked Tian Juer and questioned her defensively.
Tian Juer flinched back several steps, lowered her head, and said softly, "I, I heard that Brother Yan is here... I have something to tell him."
"What is it?" Yan Shouyi and Lin Zhitong came out together.
Tian Juer said in a low voice, "I, I can sense Wu Tianfeng's location. He hasn't left and has been lingering nearby..."
Lin Zhitong frowned, "How do you know?"
"When the tribe leader sent me to Wu Tianfeng, they planted a thousand-mile Gu worm in us. This Gu worm allows Wu Tianfeng to sense my location, preventing me from escaping. But correspondingly, I can also vaguely know where he is."