Chapter 563: Seeing the Middle-Aged Scholar, the Sky Turned Dark
Tang Thirty-Six finally came to his senses, thinking that was indeed the case. Liu Qing had no invitation but had forced his way into Cold Mountain—wouldn't the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion kill him for that?
Chen Changsheng couldn't figure it out either and couldn't help feeling worried. Su Li had left, the second-ranked mysterious assassin had also left, and when Liu Qing departed, he truly looked like a lonely ghost wandering through the night, as if he might be devoured by the sun of the daylight at any moment.
He knew that someone like Liu Qing must have blood-soaked hands and should not be pitied, but he couldn't control his emotional leanings. After all, in Xunyang City, they had once fought side by side against the most powerful enemy in the world.
"You say, what exactly does an extremely powerful assassin need?"
Tang Thirty-Six suddenly spoke. "He's definitely earned enough money. I think what he wants to find again is a kind of life."
Chen Changsheng was puzzled and asked, "Life?"
"These assassins love fighting and killing, but they aren't madmen. So they really like it when someone pays them to fight and kill. That way, they don't have to think about morality or such things. They turn fighting and killing into an everyday job, and that's the life they pursue."
"What are you trying to say?"
"People like Liu Qing are now leaderless, a bunch of lonely ghosts. They want someone to lead them back to the old days."
"And then?"
"Even though I don't have that kind of ability, I do have money... They like this kind of life, so I'll give it to them!"
"Don't you dare think about that." Chen Changsheng looked at him very seriously.
Tang Thirty-Six shrugged carelessly and said, "Just talking casually, why so serious?"
Zhe Xiu said expressionlessly, "He's already thought it through. Otherwise, why was he shouting for Liu Qing to leave his contact info earlier?"
Tang Thirty-Six said indignantly, "Don't talk nonsense without evidence, or I'll kill you."
Chen Changsheng glanced at him.
Tang Thirty-Six quickly changed the subject: "Don't you think Xiao De's appearance earlier was very abrupt?"
He had to admit, this subject change was clever, because this matter was indeed worth thinking about, and there were many suspicious points.
Cold Mountain was under the control of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Xiao De had been able to enter the mountain gate because he was invited by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Yet he had chosen to make trouble for Chen Changsheng on the mountain path. Even if he was strong and arrogant, wasn't he afraid of angering the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion? And even if he successfully humiliated Chen Changsheng, what benefit would that bring? Besides venting some anger, could it offset the endless disadvantages of offending both the State Church and the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion at the same time?
"Xiao De is different from ordinary demons, like that bratty kid of ours. He's not simple-minded at all; on the contrary, he's very calculating."
Tang Thirty-Six brought this up, and the more he thought about it, the more problematic it seemed. His expression turned serious. "Even though he has plenty of reasons and excuses to humiliate you, for him to take such a big risk, there must be a huge reward. But no matter how I think about it, I can't see where the benefit lies."
"Unless someone can gain enormous benefits from this incident and then convert them into other benefits for him."
"If Chen Changsheng is thoroughly humiliated—beaten into a pig's head, or even stripped naked—who stands to gain the most?"
"Of course, it's not the Holy Maiden or Her Highness Luoluo... Don't hit me, we're talking seriously... It should be the competitors. The future Pope suffers such a great loss of face; the Li Palace would naturally retaliate, but... if someone brings this up in the future, even His Holiness the Pope wouldn't be able to say much."
"If this is a conspiracy, it's very simple, almost childish, but it can cause real harm to you."
"Why? Because you're the future Pope, worshipped by millions, the most sacred, and therefore the easiest to defile."
"Zhe Xiu, don't look at me like that. I didn't mean it as a double entendre."
"Chen Changsheng, tell me if my analysis makes sense."
Silence fell. Chen Changsheng and Zhe Xiu exchanged a glance, thinking that Tang Thirty-Six truly lived up to being the heir of the Wenshui Tang clan. In such a short time, he had dissected this sudden incident so clearly and deduced the cause and effect so accurately.
Yes, they now believed Tang Thirty-Six's reasoning.
The demon expert's appearance had been too sudden, his attack too unreasonable, so there must be some reason behind it.
The scepter of the State Church was already in hand, but to wear the divine crown and become the Pope, Chen Changsheng still faced many trials.
Today was one such trial—seemingly ordinary but actually quite dangerous.
Xiao De's goal was the kingship of the entire demon domain, spanning both sides of the Red River.
Who could pay such a heavy price to get Xiao De to attack Chen Changsheng, risking divine punishment from His Holiness the Pope?
More precisely, who had the authority to promise Xiao De so many future benefits?
That person or those people were obvious—they had to be competitors for the Pope's throne or the Great Zhou imperial throne.
For example, the Tianhai family far away in the capital, or the King of Linghai near the mountain.
The big shots of the State Church couldn't enter Cold Mountain because of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion's rules. Thinking about it now, this was quite interesting.
Because it was too coincidental.
He had to admit that some people's arrangements seemed crude on the surface, but were actually cleverly disguised as clumsiness.
If it hadn't been for Liu Qing appearing on Cold Mountain for some reason, this conspiracy might have actually succeeded.
"You're lucky," Tang Thirty-Six said.
Zhe Xiu said, "This has nothing to do with luck."
Yes, if it hadn't been for traveling south together for ten thousand miles and sharing the storms in Xunyang City, if Chen Changsheng hadn't kept Su Li from returning to the capital alone, how could he have had such good fortune earlier?
People walked along the mountain path, and acquainted cultivators gathered together, discussing the earlier commotion.
At the very front, Chen Changsheng said to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion steward, "I... have some connection with that senior earlier. Could you..."
The steward said softly, "Of course, no problem. What happened in Xunyang City is known to the whole world. Even if we don't give Su Li face, we have to give you this face."
Chen Changsheng actually knew that the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was still giving face to Senior Su Li, but he had just pointed it out.
"Of course, he can't kill anyone on Cold Mountain. Even if he meets an enemy, he can only avoid them."
The steward finally said, "Otherwise, even the face of His Holiness the Pope and Her Majesty wouldn't work here."
With the promise of this Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion steward, Chen Changsheng felt much more at ease.
He never expected to see Liu Qing again so soon.
And at this moment, Liu Qing was in extreme danger.
The mountain path turned slightly, and ahead lay a clear stream. On the other side of the stream, the cliffs were covered in forests, with yellow leaves ranging from light to deep, so beautiful that it was hard to distinguish the shades. The trees were laden with all kinds of fruit, their branches bent so low they seemed ready to snap at any moment.
Near the stream grew hundreds of persimmon trees. The yellow persimmons on the branches were densely packed, looking like countless lanterns.
Liu Qing stood by the stream, in front of countless yellow lanterns, his sword in hand, his face pale as blood. He breathed rapidly and heavily, his shoulders drooping severely—not to strike faster with his sword, but because they were truly about to collapse, as if an invisible mountain were pressing down on him.
Several thin streams of blood seeped from his ears and the corners of his eyes.
His head seemed like those heavy fruits in the forest, about to burst from ripeness or snap from the weight and fall from his neck.
Either outcome meant death.
Liu Qing's right hand, gripping the sword, trembled incessantly, almost unable to hold on.
Even now, he still hadn't drawn his sword.
Because he couldn't draw his sword.
At the same time, he didn't dare to draw his sword against that person.
Among the yellow leaves covering the mountain stood a middle-aged scholar.
He clasped his hands behind his back, looking at those lantern-like persimmons, as if checking whether they were ripe.
A pendant hung from his belt; if one looked closely, they might see it was a seal.
This middle-aged scholar seemed unremarkable, but when Chen Changsheng's gaze fell on him, the sky among the mountains suddenly turned dark.
Who exactly was this person?