Inside the grand hall, Lin Huang looked at the absolute certainty on Fengg Wanli’s face and frowned slightly.
Fengg Wanli didn’t seem to be tricking him. But why was he so certain?
Lin Huang asked in confusion, "Alliance Leader Fengg, why are you so sure? Wouldn’t I know if I had the Ancient Scroll of Mountains and Rivers on me?"
Fengg Wanli smoothed his sleeves and smiled faintly. "Did you know that besides being Jia Wanjing’s son-in-law, I have another identity?"
Lin Huang shook his head.
At this mention, Fengg Wanli lowered his eyes. His pale, delicate hands—typical of a scholar—were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned blue. A bitter tone tainted his normally refined voice. "I followed my father-in-law since I was eight years old, for a full decade. After those ten years, I came to the Blood Triangle and established the Blood Robe Alliance. The alliance’s very existence was orchestrated by him. And I am his one and only disciple!"
"You..." Lin Huang opened his mouth, staring at the man in surprise. He hadn’t expected Fengg Wanli to have such deep ties with Jia Wanjing. He suspected that even Jia Xuexuan was completely unaware that her husband was her father’s sole disciple.
"I shadowed my master for ten years; I know him better than anyone. Given his way of doing things, it’s absolutely impossible that he would hand the Ancient Scroll of Mountains and Rivers to Xuanyuan Tibing. Therefore, the only person he could have entrusted it to is you."
Inside the hall, Fengg Wanli swept away his sorrowful expression. His eyes fixed on Lin Huang like sharp swords.
"You should know how alluring the Ancient Scroll is to Martial Artists. If you don’t hand it over, I fear you will be doomed beyond redemption!" Fengg Wanli continued. "Moreover, my master lost his life because of this scroll. Under no circumstances should it remain with you.
"You must understand that surrendering it is the only way to save your own life. I am doing this for your own good."
Lin Huang fell silent. After a long while, he waved his hand helplessly. "Martial Marquis Jia truly didn’t tell me anything about the Ancient Scroll."
He was utterly speechless. What kind of mess was this? Didn’t he know the scroll was a hot potato? If he actually had it, wouldn’t he have thrown it away immediately? Was he supposed to just wait for wave after wave of powerhouses to come rob him? The problem was, he had never even seen the damn thing!
Fengg Wanli spoke with such absolute conviction that Lin Huang almost believed it himself... but he genuinely didn’t have it! Was he supposed to conjure one out of thin air?
"Think it over carefully. Even if you don’t hand it over, I won’t force you. After all, even my Blood Robe Alliance would struggle to protect it, let alone a boy in the Human Element Realm like you," Fengg Wanli said, frowning in apparent disappointment.
Lin Huang opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words. It seemed this stubborn man was dead set on pinning this massive burden on him.
"Well... I really don’t have the Ancient Scroll!" Lin Huang cupped his fists. For some reason, his face burned as he said it, making it feel like he was lying—but he genuinely didn’t have it!
"Do you truly not have it?" Fengg Wanli stared at him with a beaming smile, giving Lin Huang the creeps.
Lin Huang’s eyes widened. He wanted to punch someone!
"Let’s just assume you don’t," Fengg Wanli suddenly changed his tune. "However, you were the last person my father-in-law entrusted. If you say you have it, then you have it, right?"
"What do you mean by that, Alliance Leader Fengg?"
Lin Huang looked up, staring at the man. A smile played on Fengg Wanli’s lips—one that looked a little less scholarly and much more treacherous.
The smile spread wider. "Let me tell you a story!
"Before his death, Martial Marquis Jia Wanjing handed the mysterious Ancient Scroll of Mountains and Rivers to a carriage driver named Lin Changsheng.
"For some unknown reason, this information leaked and reached the ears of the Celestial Thunder Sect.
"Subsequently, the sect dispatched powerhouses in the Celestial Element Realm to hunt down this driver. Later, the boy miraculously escaped into the Blood Triangle and was saved by Alliance Leader Fengg Wanli of the Blood Robe Alliance!
"Unfortunately, the Ancient Scroll was snatched away by the experts from the Celestial Thunder Sect."
Fengg Wanli turned his head and stared at Lin Huang with a wide grin. "What do you think of this story?"
"You want to frame the Celestial Thunder Sect?!" Lin Huang blurted out.
"Is it framing?" Fengg Wanli countered. "Isn’t this exactly what happened? Otherwise, why would a Human Element Realm nobody like Lin Changsheng be pursued by two Celestial Element Realm experts?"
"Then how did the news leak to the Celestial Thunder Sect?" Lin Huang pressed. He was more than happy to help frame them.
"There were spies within Jia Wanjing’s escort. It’s a pity they are all dead now," Fengg Wanli said flatly.
"Then who were the two people hunting Lin Changsheng?" Lin Huang asked eagerly. He had always harbored doubts about the people from the Celestial Thunder Sect who had intercepted him. Back then, outside the Blood Triangle, three people had been chasing him.
Hann Ming!
Hann Shan!
And a Celestial Element Powerhouse completely shrouded in a black robe.
Lin Huang recognized the first two, but the last person’s face had been obscured by a bamboo hat. Furthermore, from the way that person spoke, they seemed to know Lin Changtian.
"There’s no harm in telling you." Fengg Wanli clearly saw through Lin Huang’s thoughts. "One of them was named Hann Shan, an Elder of the Celestial Thunder Sect. He was careless and died under the Blade Qi of the Demon-Suppressing Blade."
"What about the other one?"
"The other person has quite the background!" Fengg Wanli smiled, his eyes curving into crescents. "His name is Hann Qingtian, known as the Eight-Direction Thunder Strike. He is the Sect Master of the Celestial Thunder Sect and possesses the strength of a Half-Step Martial Marquis."
"Hann Qingtian?!"
Lin Huang was greatly astonished. He thought, "Hann Qingtian personally made a move just to hunt me down?"
He almost wanted to laugh! How could that be possible?
"This story seems a bit far-fetched. How could the dignified master of a sect stoop so low as to hunt down a boy in the Human Element Realm?" Lin Huang chuckled. "Alliance Leader Fengg, your storytelling skills are a bit lacking!"
"For the Ancient Scroll of Mountains and Rivers, it’s completely reasonable," Fengg Wanli replied with absolute seriousness. "Besides, on the city walls that day, several Martial Artists recognized Hann Qingtian!"
"Was he really the one hunting me?!" Lin Huang frowned, unable to believe it. Why would Hann Qingtian do that? Didn’t he care about his reputation?
"It is absolutely true!" Fengg Wanli smiled. "I am also quite curious. What makes you so special that Hann Qingtian would personally step in to kill you?"
Lin Huang twitched his mouth; he wanted to know the reason himself. A Half-Step Martial Marquis having nothing better to do than hunt down a Human Element Realm Martial Artist? Wasn’t that insane?
"How do you feel about the story now?" Fengg Wanli asked.
"It still lacks a bit of authenticity!" Lin Huang pondered before saying, "If this story doesn’t come directly from Lin Changsheng’s mouth, it loses credibility. But getting Lin Changsheng to speak up will be very difficult! After all, the moment he reveals this ’truth,’ he’ll be targeted by the Celestial Thunder Sect!"
Lin Huang looked up, beaming at Fengg Wanli. The message in his eyes was crystal clear: he was driving up the price!
If Fengg Wanli wanted his help to frame the sect, shouldn’t he pay a toll?
"You may choose any treasure from the Blood Robe Alliance! As long as you are in the Blood Triangle, no matter the circumstances, the alliance guarantees your survival." Fengg Wanli was a cunning old fox; how could he not understand Lin Huang’s implication?
Since everything was out in the open and the two had colluded, Lin Huang didn’t beat around the bush. "I wonder if the Blood Robe Alliance has any Array Spirit Stones?"
"Array Spirit Stones?" After a brief moment of thought, Fengg Wanli shook his head. "Those aren’t worth much, nor are they very useful. You can pick something else, like Martial Arts Elixirs or something similar."
Lin Huang’s expression darkened slightly. It seemed the Blood Robe Alliance didn’t have any. He had originally thought that, given the Blood Triangle’s chaotic mix of people and its vast collection of treasures, he might be able to find an Array Spirit Stone here.
After surviving the Celestial Thunder Sect’s pursuit, Lin Huang realized he desperately needed a Life-Saving Talisman. Otherwise, he would be stuck using his Array Puppet merely as a meat shield every time. But once the Array Puppet was powered by an Array Spirit Stone, it could unleash the true strength of the Celestial Element Realm. By then, he would have solid backing for his actions.
"I still think this story has some flaws!" Lin Huang shook his head and turned to leave the hall.
"Wait a moment..." Fengg Wanli called out just as Lin Huang took a step.
Seeming to recall something, Fengg Wanli retrieved a Jade Pendant from his Storage Ring. With a flick of his finger, a beam of light shot out and hovered in the middle of the grand hall.
"You’re in luck, kid. You’ve arrived just in time for an auction that only happens once every three months!" Fengg Wanli said with a smile.
Lin Huang looked up at the light. It was impressively a list of items for the upcoming auction in the Blood Triangle. On the list, the name ’Array Spirit Stone’ was inconspicuous, but it caught Lin Huang’s eye instantly.
"When is the auction?" Lin Huang asked calmly, suppressing his excitement.
"Tomorrow night!"
"Then I’ll leave the Blood Triangle tomorrow night. As long as I get my hands on the Array Spirit Stone, this story will definitely become very real," Lin Huang smiled.
"It’s a deal!" A faint, ambiguous smile graced Fengg Wanli’s face.
After Lin Huang left, Tu Gang—who had exited the hall earlier—finally walked back in. Looking at the middle-aged man in the hall, his ink-thick eyebrows knitted together as he asked, "Alliance Leader, it’s absolutely impossible for a mere boy like him to protect the Ancient Scroll of Mountains and Rivers. Why..."
Before Tu Gang could finish, Fengg Wanli waved his hand. With a slightly lamenting expression, he sighed and said, "Perhaps he truly doesn’t know that the Ancient Scroll is on him. How can I force him to hand it over?"
Tu Gang shook his head in disagreement. "But the Ancient Scroll concerns the safety of the East Spirit Realm. If those people snatch it away, the consequences will be unimaginable!"
Fengg Wanli pursed his lips into a smile, his voice tinged with speculation. "Perhaps this is exactly what my father-in-law and Lord Xuanyuan planned. The moment Lin Huang stepped into the Xitang Dynasty, he was destined to become the most important piece on this chessboard!"