The Folk Customs Research Association, Assembly Hall.
Inside the meticulously decorated assembly hall, constructed with traditional mortise and tenon joinery yet incorporating modern style, all members of the Folk Customs Research Association gathered with grave expressions.
On the table before Yan Shouyi and Lin Zitong lay a bloody parcel containing a severed finger.
The blood on the finger had long since dried, forming black scabs, and a faint, foul odor emanated from it.
Without waiting for questions, Lin Zitong preemptively addressed everyone's doubts:
"I recognize the ring on this severed finger; it belongs to the Sect Leader Lu Jing. Last night, Luo Ning and Yi Yao and I eliminated the Lu Yun Sect, and today Lu Xin sent someone to deliver this warning."
Lu Xin's warning was indeed potent. She was alerting Lin Zitong that if she continued to obstruct her plans, the next severed part would not be Lu Jing's finger, but his head.
Previously, Lin Zitong only knew that Lu Xin had sidelined Lu Jing, but she hadn't realized the situation had escalated to this degree!
Yan Shouyi spoke with a deep voice:
"Sect Leader Lu Jing is not weak. At least, before I emerged from the Imperial Tomb, defeating him would have been quite a challenge."
His implication was that if even Lu Jing was treated and manipulated in such a manner by Lu Xin, then Lu Xin's return was far from simple.
Even if Lu Xin was not fully prepared, her profound and formidable strength was undeniable. Otherwise, with the fiery temper of the red-faced old man, Lu Jing, he wouldn't have allowed himself to be so easily victimized.
This was the worst news.
Luo Ning frowned, "Has the Lu Shan Sect been completely taken over by Lu Xin?"
"It appears so," Lin Zitong replied, a hint of fear in her voice. "Fortunately, after returning from Chang'an, I didn't let Senior Brother Huang and Senior Brother Zhou return to the Lu Shan Sect. Otherwise, they might also be in grave danger."
"Sect Leader Lu Jing is, after all, a junior fellow disciple of Lu Xin's maternal grandfather. Is she trying to sever her grandfather-grandson relationship with Sect Leader Lu Jingsheng by doing this?" Agong asked, bewildered.
Lu Xin wanted to leverage her identity as Lu Jingsheng's granddaughter to control the Lu Shan Sect, yet she was so ruthless towards Lu Jingsheng's junior fellow disciple.
It was a classic case of having it both ways!
Everyone was enraged, especially those who had fought alongside Lu Jing to clear out Ping'an Building.
It was Lin Zitong who remained the most composed.
She closed her eyes and pondered for a moment, then addressed everyone: "What's done is done; getting angry is useless. The urgent task is to find a way to rescue Sect Leader Lu Jing."
However, this matter was clearly not easy to accomplish.
Lu Jing was now a hostage in Lu Xin's hands, and Lu Xin would not be foolish enough to give up such a perfect hostage.
As long as Lu Jing remained in their possession, they could uninhibitedly threaten and intimidate. But once Lu Jing's safety was guaranteed, Yan Shouyi and Lin Zitong would relentlessly retaliate against Lu Xin.
Everyone was struck with a headache.
"I can't take it anymore, my head is aching from thinking!" the strong woman Zhao Yiyao exclaimed, clutching her head. "If you ask me, we should all just storm the Lu Shan Sect, capture Lu Xin alive, and then force her to release Sect Leader Lu Jing."
"No," Lin Zitong shook her head. "If Lu Xin were out in the open, we might still have a chance. But if she's hiding within the Lu Shan Sect, we'll be helpless, because the Lu Shan Sect has a powerful protective formation that we can't possibly break."
No one present understood the Lu Shan Sect better than Lin Zitong. Since even she said so, everyone saw no need to doubt or argue.
"Then what about negotiation?" Agong asked. "Lu Xin wants the position of Sect Leader of the Lu Shan Sect. Let's give her the position for now, and once Sect Leader Lu Jing is safe, we can take it back."
"That's a last resort," Yan Shouyi said gravely. "I suspect Lu Xin wants more than just the Lu Shan Sect; she wants to achieve some objective through the Lu Shan Sect. I fear that before we can counterattack, Lu Xin's objective will be achieved, and the consequences will be far worse than we imagine."
"Damn it, this won't work, and that won't work either. Are we trapped in a no-win situation?" Old Jin couldn't help but curse, still extremely agitated after being almost attacked by netizens.
Long Feicheng pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "What about the honey trap? Lu Xin is an old Taoist nun in her forties. She must be quite desperate. All the handsome men here might be able to capture her heart, make her put down her butcher knife, and fall into the river of love."
"Get lost!" Everyone glared at Long Feicheng in unison.
Long Feicheng lowered his head aggrievedly and squatted to the side, drawing circles with his finger. He felt he was offering serious and sincere advice, but why didn't anyone accept it?
Yan Shouyi rubbed his temples and looked at Lin Zitong:
"The person who tied the knot must untie it. You should make the decision on how to handle this."
This matter concerned the position of Sect Leader of the Lu Shan Sect and was also an internal family affair of the Lu Shan Sect. Yan Shouyi and the others were "outsiders," and their ideas might not be the most correct.
Alas, if only Sect Leader Lu Jingsheng were still here.
Whether he stood from the position of the former sect leader or from the position of Lu Xin's maternal grandfather, he would certainly not stand idly by and indulge Lu Xin.
If he could discipline his own disciples, then these outsiders wouldn't have to worry so much.
Lin Zitong frowned, thinking hard.
Her delicate fingers tapped rhythmically on the table until the tea on the table had grown cold.
"We have too little information," Lin Zitong finally said, her voice soft. "Since returning from Chang'an, Rongcheng has been under Lu Xin's control. We are in a passive position. In this situation, no matter what reaction we make, Lu Xin will have a way to deal with it, and she might have set traps everywhere, waiting for us to fall into them."
"Then what's your intention?" Luo Ning asked.
"Sect Leader Lu Jing is still in Lu Xin's hands. Since she's holding Sect Leader Lu Jing hostage, she won't easily harm him. Therefore, we shouldn't rush," Lin Zitong said. "While we have this time, let's gather more information about Lu Xin and her people. I need to know what Lu Xin's objective is, how many people she has at her disposal, and... today, I will meet with the sect leaders of those factions and try to find out what kind of person Lu Xin really is from them!"
Ever since Lin Zitong was appointed as the successor of the Sect Leader of the Lu Shan Sect by Lu Jing, she had been learning how to manage the sect under his tutelage.
She was also a powerful businesswoman in her own right.
Therefore, she now displayed an unusual calmness and extraordinary wisdom.
Everyone nodded, agreeing with Lin Zitong's idea.
Yan Shouyi breathed a sigh of relief, "Alright then, everyone get to work. This afternoon, eight sect leaders will visit our research association. This is also the first time our research association will open its doors to the outside world. Regardless of the reason, we must show our presence!"