Chapter 763: Answer Me Truthfully
Meng Changdong’s hair stood on end immediately. He shuddered and shot up to his feet before he turned to look behind. He saw an old man dressed in a white long robe stroking his beard as he looked at him.
Meng Changdong was not a fool. His capability of being an elder under Ye Zhen was a testament to his talents. Hence, he would not make low-level mistakes such as looking down on someone he had just met. He could sense the old man’s strength was unfathomable even though the old man did not use Primal Qi. Based on the old man’s posture, manner, and the look in his eyes, he could tell this imposing presence was not something that was achieved overnight. He quickly suppressed the shock in his heart and asked, “Who are you?”
Lu Zhou shook his head lightly. He said coldly, “I’ll be asking the questions, not you.”
‘Do you really think that I have no temper? What makes you think that you can ask for my name?’
“You’ll be asking the questions?” Meng Changdong said warily.
“Who are you?” Lu Zhou asked.
“I’m only a woodcutter who’s resting here while passing by. I’ll be on my way soon enough,” Meng Changdong replied.
“A woodcutter?”
The eyes were the windows to the soul. When Lu Zhou leveled his deep gaze on Meng Changdong, Meng Changdong felt as though the old man’s eyes could see through his heart.
Would a woodcutter wear Confucian robes and have clean feet? Moreover, what was a woodcutter doing behind Thousand Willow Mountain? The mountain was steep with a cliff on one side. Lu Zhou continued staring at Meng Changdong with a penetrating gaze. ‘Does he take me for a fool?’
Meng Changdong was aware that his excuse was incredibly flimsy. He instinctively took a step back. “Old Mister, I’ll leave right away.” He turned around and left after he finished speaking.
“Do you think you can leave?” Lu Zhou struck with his palm.
The shining golden palm seal shot toward Meng Changdong who had faded out of focus.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
The palm seal shot through a couple of trees before it struck Meng Changdong’s chest.
Meng Changdong looked at Lu Zhou in shock. “A Golden lotus foreign tribesman?”
Someone who could withstand the palm seal of a Nine-leaf cultivator was no doubt a grand cultivator.
Lu Zhou stroked his beard as he walked forward. “You might not know what you’re up against... However, I advise you to surrender to save yourself from suffering.”
Meng Changdong did not expect there to be a cultivator who was not any weaker than himself on Thousand Willow Mountain.
The two young Nine-leaf cultivators were already enough to make him flee.
Meng Changdong thought to himself wryly, ‘The most dangerous place is the safest? Great, I just walked right into the tiger’s mouth!’
Meng Changdong joined his palms together. He chanted under his breath as energy swirled around him. There was a flurry of movements, and when the smoke dissipated, he was nowhere to be seen.
Lu Zhou walked forward with his hands on his back. He surveyed his surroundings. A cultivator could not make himself disappear, not even with grand techniques. “Escape technique?”
Lu Zhou searched the towering trees around himself. He stroked his beard as his ears glowed blue. The sound of thumping heartbeats rang in his ear again.
Lu Zhou calmly moved his hand.
A palm seal sailed toward a huge tree 50 meters ahead of him.
Bam!
The palm seal split the huge tree.
Meng Changdong was sent flying as he spat out a mouthful of blood.
“Impossible!” Meng Changdong’s brows were tightly knitted together. He fought back the intense pain as he made hand signs.
Whizz!
There was a flash of red light before Meng Changdong disappeared again.
Lu Zhou walked forward.
He could hear the thumping heartbeats clearly. He pushed his palm down.
The palm seal landed on the ground.
Bam!
A grunt rang from below the ground.
Lu Zhou wondered what the woodcutter thought about the hit. He stroked his beard and said tonelessly, “Nobody under the heavens can escape from me.”
This statement struck fear into Meng Changdong’s heart. He struck with his palms out and leaped out of the ground.
The cloud of dust obscured their vision.
Meng Changdong crashed through dozens of trees as he made a wild dash to escape.
Lu Zhou’s protective energy kept the soil at bay. He struck with his palms again. After he unleashed his grand technique, he caught up to Meng Changdong. He noticed that Meng Changdong’s agility and escape technique were superior to most and caught up. Meng Changdong was capable of hiding in the ground and trees. Moreover, after suffering from two palm strikes, Meng Changdong could still maintain his agility. He was rather surprised by this.
At this moment, the palm seal struck Meng Changdong’s back. He spat out blood again and fell on his face.
With a flash of movement, Lu Zhou appeared before Meng Changdong.
Meng Changdong turned over and stared at Lu Zhou. He said hoarsely. “Y-you... How did you do it?” He retreated as he searched for a way of this predicament.
“What’s your name?” Lu Zhou looked down at Meng Changdong. “If you try to run again, I’ll kill you.”
The golden lotus bloomed under Lu Zhou’s feet. Golden flames rose in the air, but they only lasted for a second.
“Golden... k-karmic power!” Meng Changdong’s eyes widened. His mental state seemed to be crumbling at this moment. He sat limply on the ground with a ghastly pale face. He thought of the saying, ‘Forfeiting the path to heaven but barging into hell’.
Meng Changdong coughed. He merely wanted to run away. He had no intention of confronting or fighting this old man, in the first place. Upon seeing the golden karmic fire, he lost all will to resist. In the end, he replied, “Flying Star House’s Meng Changdong.”
“Did you lead the cultivators here to annihilate the Thousand Willow Monastery?”
“Yes.”
“The Ninth Temple’s Sikong Beichen sent me a message and said that the Flying Star House’s Master, Chen Tiandu, and Ye Zhen is visiting the Ninth Temple. Is this true?” Lu Zhou asked.
“Yes.”
“How powerful are Chen Tiandu and Ye Zhen?” Lu Zhou asked.
“The house master is naturally a Ten-leaf cultivator...” Meng Changdong coughed violently for a moment before he continued to say with his head lowered, “Ye Zhen... is a Nine-leaf cultivator.”
Lu Zhou’s eyes flashed as he raised his voice and said pointedly, “I’ve never liked liars.”
Meng Changdong felt the terrifying killing intent the voice emitted. He hastily added, “I’m telling you the truth... It’s... I-it’s j-just that Ye Zhen’s strength is unfathomable...”
“Unfathomable?”
“Ye Zhen is the Flying Star House’s Grand Elder. He’s a cautious and calculative man. He’s good at concealing himself. Publicly, he says he’s a Nine-leaf cultivator, but nobody knows his actual strength,” Meng Changdong said.
“Ye Zhen had led hundreds and barely managed to take down the luan. I’ve heard about that,” Lu Zhou said.
Meng Changdong said, “Indeed, that’s true, but... Ye Zhen might’ve been concealing his strength. He’s already mastered the karmic fire long ago. He could’ve killed the luan on his own. Why would he lead such a huge group to the Black Water Mystic Cave?”
Upon hearing this, Lu Zhou looked at Meng Changdong and said, “You don’t seem to like him very much.”
“I’ve never agreed with Ye Zhen’s way of doing things... He wanted to get rid of me in the past, but he didn’t expect I’d stay in Lofty Steep Mountain,” Meng Changdong said.
“So, you’re trying to do the very opposite and run toward Thousand Willow Mountain instead of returning to the Flying Star House? However... you’ll need to return sooner or later,” Lu Zhou said.
“I’ll retire after this incident,” Meng Changdong’s tone was one of pleading as he said, “I’ve answered you honestly. Please spare me, old mister. I won’t tell a soul about what I saw today.”
Lu Zhou continued stroking his beard as he looked at Meng Changdong. After a moment’s silence, he said, “If you wish to live, you’ll answer my questions truthfully.”
Meng Changdong had a complicated expression on his face. He steeled himself before he said, “Alright.”
“Do you know Jiang Wenxu?”
“Jiang Wenxu is an elder of the Flying Star House. 300 years ago, he joined the Sky Martial Court’s research expedition and went missing in the Black Water Mystic Cave.” Meng Changdong saw Lu Zhou frowning when he finished speaking so he quickly added, “A few months ago, Jiang Wenxu’s life stone shattered.”
“That’s all?” Lu Zhou.
“Yes, I’m telling the truth.”
Lu Zhou’s voice was low and menacing as he said, “What about the crystal?”
“Ah...” Meng Changdong’s body turned limp, and his mind turned blank.