Wayfarer

Chapter 663: Impersonation

In an Immortal city beyond the Yuqing holy land, a group of spectral guards were interrogating the cultivators that Xiao Nanfeng had brought back. Within half a day, they had obtained preliminary results.

"Your Majesty, we interrogated them individually and pruned away those with avatars. We've obtained some information," a spectral guard reported.

"Oh?" Xiao Nanfeng replied curiously.

"These people are just underlings who aren't high enough up the hierarchy to have much information. All they know is that Long Si's extending an offer of marriage to Xia Yu'er on the order of the premier lord of the Southeastern Aquatic Palace. They seem dead set on acquiring her at any cost. Sage Green Lotus would fully support Long Si in bringing her to the Southeastern Aquatic Palace at any cost from within Yuqing."

"Do you know roughly why?"

"No, Your Majesty. Long Si's subordinates are likely unqualified to learn of further information. They did report that, after Your Majesty beheaded Long Si, Sage Green Lotus met with him multiple times in his residence, conspiring for a prolonged period each time."

"Continue the interrogation. I want to know everything there is to know about the Southeastern Aquatic Palace and its most important cultivators: their looks, their habits, and their special characteristics. Figure out everything you can about Long Si. I want to know about any catchphrases he might have, his subconscious mannerisms, and his acquaintances and how he treats them."

"Understood!" the spectral guard replied.

"Check the backgrounds of all the prisoners again. Make sure no one with an avatar can report on what we're doing," Xiao Nanfeng instructed.

"Understood!" the spectral guard said again. He retreated from the room.

"Aren't you being a little too careful?" Yu'er exclaimed.

Xiao Nanfeng shook his head. "There has to be some reason the Southeastern Aquatic Palace and Yuqing holy land are working together to abduct you. Even your father has gotten involved. It's clear that you're of exceptional importance."

"But I'm safe now! What's there to worry about?"

"Considering how important you are, they won't stop trying to find you. The Yuqing holy land and Southeastern Aquatic Palace have significant resources at their disposal, and you'll be in grace danger. We need to think of a way to resolve this problem—we have to be active, not passive," Xiao Nanfeng said.

Xia Lan jumped in. "We have to be active? What are you planning to do, destroy the Southeastern Aquatic Palace?"

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "I was planning to do so already, but I'll have to move up my plans since they concern Yu'er."

Xia Lan gaped. He gave Xiao Nanfeng an odd look. "You alone? You must be bragging!"

"Third Brother, you don't know anything. Don't speak to Xiao Nanfeng like that," Yu'er replied, dissatisfied.

Xia Lan froze. "Yu'er, you believe him?"

"What, do you want me to believe you instead? If you aren't going to help, stop making a fuss. Go on! I have important matters to discuss with Nanfeng," Yu'er said.

Xia Lan gaped. He felt so upset he might well spit out blood. Just what had happened for Yu'er to trust Xiao Nanfeng so blindly?

Meanwhile, Zhao Yuanjiao frowned. "The Southeastern Aquatic Palace must have something that the Yuqing holy land fears. Otherwise, there's no need for the Yuqing holy land to prey on its own holy maidens."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "It's inconvenient to contact Mountain Lord Xia at the moment, but Sage Green Lotus surely knows more than we do. Perhaps we can start with him."

"You want to meet Sage Green Lotus?" Zhao Yuanjiao asked.

"Let's wait a few more days first. I'll need to get a grasp of all of Long Si's subconscious mannerisms and figures of speech."

"Very well!" Zhao Yuanjiao nodded.

Three days later, in a hall in which Xia Xingchen was located in Chiyang Peak, a teary-eyed Han Bingdie grumbled at Xia Xingchen, "You're heartless! Green Lotus hurt your daughter. How could you let him go so easily? How are you going to answer to Yu'er?!"

"Husband, this is too much. You're the Mountain Lord of Chiyang Peak. How could you have let Long Si and Green Lotus go so easily? They're both complicit in her disappearance, I'm sure!"

"Husband, you really have disappointed us."

His other two wives grumbled at him as well.

"My banquet's been canceled, and all the guests have promised to help us hunt down Yu'er. What more do you want?" Xia Xingchen demanded.

"Is that it? Interrogate Green Lotus, of course! Why did you let him leave? Oh, my Yu'er!" Han Bingdie was so upset she could barely speak. "How could I have doomed you with such a cruel father?"

"You don't seem to care that Yu'er's gone missing today. Are you going to care if we go missing tomorrow, too?"

"I'm sure Green Lotus has set his sights on us now. Aren't you going to care? How can we trust you?"

Xia Xingchen's other two wives made a fuss as well. They all wanted Xia Xingchen to interrogate Sage Green Lotus.

Xia Xingchen couldn't help but smile wryly upon seeing the three women so incensed. "Forget it. Stop crying. Yu'er's alright—I'm sure she's happy where she is right now."

"What?" The three women glanced up at Xia Xingchen in shock.

Han Bingdie was the first to narrow her eyes. She demanded, "Hus band, do you know where Yu'er is?"

"Husband, you're not lying to us, are you? Where is she?" the other two women demanded as well.

"Where else? She eloped with Xiao Nanfeng. That damn brat! I'll punish her once she comes back," Xia Xingchen replied.

The three women froze. They stared at him in disbelief.

"Yu'er left with Nanfeng? How could it be? How do you know?" Han Bingdie demanded.

"How could I not? Why haven't you heard from Xiao Nanfeng and Zhao Yuanjiao these last few days?"

"Xia Lan wrote to say that he's off in search of Yu'er with Nanfeng and Yuanjiao..." Han Bingdie murmured.

"That's nonsense. The only people they'd be able to fool are you lot!" Xia Xingchen exclaimed.

The three women suddenly seemed revitalized. Han Bingdie wiped away her tears. "Husband, tell us what's going on, now."

"Right, explain yourself!"

Xia Xingchen sketched out what he expected had happened. "Xiao Nanfeng really is intelligent. I dropped a few hints here and there, not expecting that he would be able to pick up on my intentions just from that—nor that he would successfully elope with Yu'er, too. That said, I didn't suspect Sage Green Lotus would be so daring as to collude with Long Si to kidnap my daughter. I intend full well to make life difficult for him. I'm going to take advantage of this opportunity to tarnish his reputation."

"What? You were planning for Yu'er and Nanfeng to elope? You've been lying to us all this time?"

"You should just have told us! Look how much we've been suffering!"

"This is ridiculous, Husband!"

The three women gasped at their wayward husband.

Xia Xingchen shook his head. "What if your acting skills weren't up to par? You were all in the limelight. What if you had revealed something unintentionally? How can Yu'er get married then? It's not good for you women to know too much."

The three women were greatly relieved by what Xia Xingchen had intimated, but were still dissatisfied with him.

"We women? We'll show you how strong we women are."

"How dare you lie to us! Think about all the tears we shed these last few days while you watched us make a fool of ourselves! I'll kill you!"

"We're not letting you out of bed tonight!"

The three women leapt toward Xia Xingchen simultaneously.

In the main hall of Taiyi Peak, Sage Green Lotus smashed a vase to pieces in a fit of anger. A group of Taiyi disciples had gathered in the distance, occasionally shooting odd glances at him as they eyed each other.

After all, for someone so esteemed to have colluded with an outsider to take advantage of a Yuqing holy maiden—even within Taiyi Peak, many disciples and elders were unable to accept his behavior.

"Damn it!" Sage Green Lotus cursed.

The image of a wise, mysterious sage that he had painstakingly cultivated all these years had been shattered in an instant. He had made a fool of himself not just in front of the Yuqing disciples, but also the countless guests who had been in attendance for Xia Xingchen's banquet.

Some had even called him a pimp! His reputation was entirely tarnished now.

"It's all Long Si's fault! That damned scumbag!" Sage Green Lotus smashed another vase.

He had no choice but to serve as scapegoat for this entire affair.

Just then, a Yuqing disciple walked into the hall.

"What are you doing here?" Sage Green Lotus demanded.

The Yuqing disciple bowed down. "Mountain Lord, Long Si from the Southeastern Aquatic Palace has sent subordinates to arrange a meeting with you."

"Long Si?" Sage Green Lotus exclaimed.

"Yes, Mountain Lord!" the Yuqing disciple replied.

"Where is he?"

"The messenger followed me into the holy land, but didn't dare venture too far in due to the glances he was receiving from the Yuqing disciples around."

Sage Green Lotus paused for a moment. "Who else knows that Long Si wants to talk to me?"

"Only I do, Mountain Lord."

"Listen well. I don't want anyone else to know of this, or I'll hold you accountable," Sage Green Lotus demanded.

"Understood!" the Yuqing disciple replied, trembling.

"Where?"

The Yuqing disciple reported the location immediately.

Sage Green Lotus nodded and secretly left Taiyi Peak.

He headed out the mountain pass and in a certain direction. Quickly, he found himself at sea. An island appeared over the horizon.

Long Si was flying above the island.

"Long Si, how dare you!" Sage Green Lotus thundered.

"This isn't a safe place to talk. Let's talk elsewhere," Long Si replied.

He led the incensed sage toward another island in the distance.

"This is all your fault. Not only did you fail to catch Xia Yu'er, you even implicated me!"

"Who said I didn't catch her?" Long Si smirked.

Sage Green Lotus glared at him in disbelief. "You managed to take her away? But didn't you kidnap Zhao Yuanjiao instead? Ah—I understand now! You deliberately caught Zhao Yuanjiao as well to use him as bait!"

Long Si nodded. "That's right. I caught Zhao Yuanjiao to cover up my tracks. Fortunately, I did the right thing. Otherwise, all our efforts might have been in vain."

Sage Green Lotus huffed. "Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"The Yuqing holy land has been in an uproar these last few days. How would I have told you?"

Sage Green Lotus nodded grudgingly. "You've gotten what you wanted, but you've ruined me in the process!"

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