Chapter 70: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes
As Liu Sheng's words fell, a few soft laughs, mixed with hoarse, continuous coughing, echoed from outside the door.
Heavy footsteps sounded, and an old man wrapped in a fox fur cloak, supported by Steward Zhou, walked in.
The old man's Face was pale and tired, but his eagle eyes remained sharp. Although aged, his figure was still tall and straight, though at this moment he appeared somewhat sickly and frail, walking with a tremor.
Liu Sheng knew this was Old Master Wen.
He stopped in front of Liu Sheng, smiled, and said, "You are very clever."
Liu Sheng nodded and replied, "Indeed, more than one person has told me that."
Old Master Wen was amused by Liu Sheng's words and burst into laughter again: "What is your name?"
"I don't think it's necessary to say," Liu Sheng said, not giving him any Face.
Steward Zhou's eyelids twitched, and he quickly whispered, "She announced her name when she entered; it's Liu Sheng. I checked, and she's also from the Weaving Institute, originally from the Li County Weaving Institute. After the Guai Qi outbreak in Li County, she transferred to the Qinghe Weaving Institute to serve as a Menshi in the Ten Thousand Affairs Hall. She cannot communicate with the gods, but her writing skills are very strong, and she has published articles in "cultivation theory."
Liu Sheng hadn't expected Steward Zhou to investigate her background so thoroughly and quickly. However, these details were clearly written in her resume, and anyone within the Weaving Institute system could easily find out by asking.
Upon hearing this, Old Master Wen shook his head and said, "With your abilities, being a mere Menshi is a pity. Why not become a Wen Family retainer? I will give you a monthly stipend of twelve Lingtual. You can continue to publish articles if you wish; I am very familiar with Editor-in-Chief Mei of "cultivation theory," and I guarantee your articles will be approved."
Old Master Wen's opening words were surprisingly an offer of recruitment.
Liu Sheng's heart fluttered for a moment when she heard the amount of the monthly stipend, but her interest waned upon hearing the last sentence. She coldly snorted to herself, "No need. I am not worried about whether my articles can be approved."
"Good, you have ambition," Old Master Wen said, not annoyed, but rather somewhat appreciative.
"But why do you think I would have laid out this plan so early?"
Liu Sheng calmly stated, "That terrifying ghost story was also intentionally repeated by you through the Lu family Old Madam, wasn't it? If not for that, Miss Wen would not have so firmly believed in this rule."
"For me, that reminder simply couldn't convince me. I merely had other plans, so I played along with the rules you set."
Old Master Wen smiled and said indifferently, "One reason you weren't affected might be that, but another reason is your firm resolve and independent judgment. Look at your colleagues, although their cultivation is above yours, which one of them wasn't affected?"
Liu Sheng did not reply, her gaze darkening as she looked at the still unconscious Liao Chengpeng and Fu Ze, who sat on the ground, listening to their conversation but unable to get up.
"So, where was Miss Wen's Lingtual transferred?" Liu Sheng asked the final question.
Liu Sheng had reverse-devoured the weird objects, but it contained only pure Guai Qi, with no Lingtual. It could only be that a transfer target had already been set.
The wrinkles on Old Master Wen's Face deepened with his smile: "You must have already guessed, haven't you?"
Liu Sheng indeed knew, she just wanted to hear him confirm it personally: "Why place it on Wen Xuanning?"
"Have you ever considered what would happen if Lingtual exceeded one hundred?"
"The full value of everyone's Lingtual in the world is one hundred points. What if it could exceed that?"
Old Master Wen's eyes were as sharp as a drawn sword in the darkness, shining with an inexplicable light.
He turned his head to look at the god's face illuminating the land outside the door, seemingly longing for something.
Liu Sheng hadn't expected such an answer.
According to this plan, both Wen Weilan and Wen Xuanning could serve as vessels for over a hundred Lingtual, and one of them was destined to be sacrificed.
But why Wen Weilan?
Liu Sheng asked this question aloud as well.
Old Master Wen turned his head, his eyes changing slightly, appearing to show some regret and unwillingness.
But soon, his Face returned to calm. He was silent for a moment, finally speaking: "Some things are decided at the moment of birth."
"The only unexpected thing in this situation was that Wei Lan actually had a friend like you."
"Alright, are you sure you won't join the Wen Family?" At this point, Old Master Wen finally lost his enthusiasm for talking and grew a little impatient.
"No," Liu Sheng shook her head, refusing.
Old Master Wen nodded slightly.
He was tired; he needed to go back and rest.
"Okay, then so be it," Old Master Wen said in a deep voice. "The Weaving Institute personnel who came to investigate the weird objects indeed found weird objects, but unfortunately, they were killed by the weird objects, with no survivors."
"The Wen Family, in gratitude for the brave warriors who sacrificed their lives to save hundreds of people in the Wen Manor from the weird objects, intends to donate one hundred Lingtual to the Qinghe Weaving Institute as a token of condolence."
"How about it, is it very reasonable?"
"So, you all die together!"
As he spoke, Old Master Wen, who had been moving weakly and slowly, suddenly raised his gaze, his eyes like lightning. He reached out, intending to grab Liu Sheng's neck.
Just as Old Master Wen's hand was about to touch Liu Sheng, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his back. He looked down to see the tip of a blade protruding from his chest, blood gushing out and soaking his cloak.
All of this happened so quickly that almost no one had time to react.
Steward Zhou cried out in pain, "Old Master!" and reached out to embrace Old Master Wen's tottering body.
Old Master Wen's eyes were filled with disbelief as he slowly turned his head.
It was Fu Ze, who had been sitting in the corner all along!
At this moment, Fu Ze's Face was expressionless, his eyes filled only with deep resolve.
Although he had indeed fallen into the illusion, fortunately, he was experienced enough to forcefully break free from it, though it inevitably caused some damage.
So he had been hiding in the corner, feigning immobility, silently conserving his strength while Liu Sheng and Old Master Wen talked, waiting for the opportune moment.
Finally, the opportunity arrived.
And so, he struck true with one blow.
The entire ancestral hall fell into a deathly silence. Old Master Wen's body slowly collapsed, and a pool of blood gradually spread beneath him.
Steward Zhou knelt in the blood, clutching Old Master Wen's hand with a sorrowful expression, weeping bitterly, as if trying to pull his master back from death.
Liu Sheng stood to the side, with not much surprise in her eyes, as if everything before her was within her expectations.
...
Liu Sheng carried Cui Cui on her back, and Fu Ze carried Liao Chengpeng on his back. They walked out of the Wen Manor unimpeded.
They had killed the head of the family, the Old Master, and even taken the Lu family Old Madam's spirit tablet. They had expected some minor trouble when leaving, but unexpectedly, no one came to stop them.
But Liu Sheng felt that this was merely the calm before the storm.
"Let's go back to the Weaving Institute first and send them to the medical hall for treatment. Injuries caused by weird objects still require some special methods, otherwise, judging by their appearance, they might be disoriented even if they wake up."
Fu Ze said, then rented a cloud sedan by the roadside. He first helped Liao Chengpeng inside, then helped Liu Sheng place Cui Cui on the soft cushion in the sedan. Only then did the two of them get in.
A surge of Spiritual Qi was sent into the clouds beneath the cloud sedan, and it slowly rose into the air, floating lightly and swaying gently towards the Weaving Institute.
...
At this moment, in the Pengshan Garden of the Wen Manor, the mysterious young master, Wen Xuanning, was practicing swordplay in the courtyard when he suddenly collapsed to the ground with a thud.
This greatly startled the young male servants and maids around him, who anxiously gathered around him, calling out. Even the person guarding him on the rooftop flew down, grabbed the young master's hand, and began to take his pulse.
"His pulse is stable, he should just be asleep. Perhaps he's been Cultivating too diligently recently and is tired," the person said with a slight Confuse after observing for a long time.
"How could the young master fall asleep while practicing!"
The beautiful maid was anxious, finding this too bizarre. Moreover, the young master had always been healthy and full of energy, so why would he suddenly faint?
"I can't tell anything for now; let the young master rest in his room first."
So, that person and the young male servant worked together, carefully lifting the young master back to his room and placing him on the bed.
The maid helped the young master remove his shoes and socks, covered him with a quilt, and even washed a cloth to wipe his Face before quietly exiting the room, fearing she would disturb the young master's rare sleep.
However, the maid did not know that as soon as she left the room, the young master, who had been lying on the bed with his eyes tightly shut, suddenly opened them.
His eyes no longer held the clear, limpid innocence of youth, but rather the mature, sharp gaze of an eagle, having experienced the vicissitudes of life.
"This time, I will reclaim everything that is mine!"