Chapter 280: Casting stones to ask for directions
There was a side room deep in the west courtyard of Prince Xian's mansion where Tang Afu was imprisoned.

Under the starry sky and the moon, Liu Xunyi came uninvited with wine in the wind.

"Crack!"

With the sound of an iron lock, the door opened.

Liu Xunyi pushed the door open and entered, only to see Tang Afu, wearing iron shackles, sitting motionless at the table like a sculpture in the dim and gloomy room. His deep eyes emitted a faint light in the darkness, which was chilling.

"Why don't you light the lamp?" Liu Xunyi asked the gatekeeper in an unhappy tone, "And why did you put shackles on him? The master of the mansion has specifically instructed that Tang Afu should be treated with courtesy."

"Master Liu, we were very polite to him, but he didn't appreciate it and always tried to escape." The gatekeeper replied angrily, "Early this morning, he broke through the acupuncture points on his own and injured several of our brothers. If Master Wu and Master Qi hadn't arrived in time, I'm afraid we would have lost our lives. We had no choice but to put him in shackles to prevent him from causing any more trouble."

"I see."

Liu Xunyi suddenly realized, turned to look at Tang Afu, who had a gloomy expression, and couldn't help but let out a helpless sigh.

"You guys go out first!"

"Master Liu, this man is very vicious. You must not get close to him." The gatekeeper kindly reminded, "What if he breaks through the acupuncture points again..."

"Understood, let's go!"

Liu Xunyi waved his hand impatiently, and the gatekeeper disciple knew that he was bored and quickly left the room.

After hesitating for a moment in the darkness, Liu Xunyi walked forward slowly. He ignored Tang Afu's hostility and placed the jar of wine on the table. Then he slowly lit the candlestick. The dim room was suddenly shrouded in a hazy yellow.

Under Tang Afu's cold and suspicious gaze, Liu Xunyi opened the wine seal, filled two bowls, and then sat opposite Tang Afu without saying a word, looking into his eyes.

"Brother Tang, I am sorry for you this time!"

Liu Xunyi muttered something to himself while trying to untie the acupoints on Tang Afu.

Tang Afu, who regained his freedom, did not take advantage of the situation to fight back. Instead, he slowly moved his sore and numb limbs and said coldly, "You came here just to say this nonsense to me?"

"Not really." Liu Xunyi handed the wine bowl to Tang Afu and said frankly, "But I have to apologize to you first."

Tang Afu ignored the wine and raised his hands, which were tightly locked with iron chains, in front of Liu Xunyi and said in a deep voice: "If you really want to make amends, open it!"

Liu Xunyi's face was bitter, and he shook his head slowly and said, "There are so many masters in the mansion. Even if I open it, you can't escape. If you try to be brave, you will suffer a physical pain at best, or even lose your life at worst. Why bother?"

"From what you said, you're not willing to let me go, but are protecting me instead?" Tang Afu said sarcastically.

"The Palace Master has issued a strict order, and no one can disobey it." Liu Xunyi said with a wry smile, "Brother Tang, I can ask the Palace Master to help you open the shackles and stop sealing your acupuncture points. But you also have to promise me that you will stay here for a few days and not cause any more trouble."

"It's obvious that Luo Tianjin is repaying kindness with enmity, and now he's accusing me of causing trouble?" Tang Afu sneered, "Tell me the truth, what exactly is Luo Tianjin up to? If he wants to kill or shave, why not just kill him quickly? Covering up and being mysterious, what kind of hero are you?"

"Shen Dongshan came this morning." Liu Xunyi ignored Tang Afu's sarcasm and said, "He wants the mansion lord to hand you over to him. As for Shen Dongshan's real intention, I'm sure you can guess it without me saying it. But you can rest assured that the mansion lord did not agree."

"What? Do you want me to thank Luo Tianjin for saving my life?" Tang Afu raised his eyebrows and asked, "You confuse right and wrong, what's the difference between Luo Tianjin and Shen Dongshan?"

"What about Jueqing Valley?" Liu Xunyi's eyes flashed, and he said bluntly, "If Jueqing Valley is clear about right and wrong, why does it cause trouble to us again and again? The Palace Master said that Xianwang Palace and Jueqing Valley have no grudges, and he and your Valley Master are just casual acquaintances, and have never met each other before. Why are you opposing him everywhere?"

"Water has its source, trees have their roots, how can we believe Luo Tianjin's one-sided words?"

"Then tell me, what kind of deep hatred exists between the Xianwang Mansion and Jueqing Valley?"

Hearing this, Tang Afu's mouth twitched slightly, and then he looked at Liu Xunyi up and down with a cold gaze, and asked suspiciously: "You want to trick me?"

"Since we have such a deep hatred, why can't we speak frankly?" Liu Xunyi insisted, "Since our two families are already as hostile as fire and water, what is there to be taboo about?"

"Taboo?" Tang Afu smiled lightly, as if with contempt and sarcasm. Suddenly, he changed the subject and said in a strange tone: "In fact, I am also very curious about the grudge between the Xianwang Mansion and Jueqing Valley. The Valley Master has always been a low-key person and never takes the initiative to cause trouble, but why does he have to make things difficult for the Xianwang Mansion?"

"What do you mean?" Liu Xunyi was stunned for a moment, a look of astonishment flashing across his brows, "Could it be that... you don't know the reason?"

In response to Liu Xunyi's questioning, Tang Afu just shook his head silently and said nothing more.

"This..." For a moment, Liu Xunyi was full of doubts and thoughts.

Tang Afu had been worshipping in Jueqing Valley for many years, but he knew nothing about the grievances between Jueqing Valley and Xianwang Mansion? Liu Xunyi knew Tang Afu's character very well. He would never lie about such a thing, and there was no need to hide it.

"Luo Tianjin doesn't want to let me go. Could it be that he wants to get to the bottom of this matter?" Tang Afu asked back.

After hesitating for a moment, Liu Xunyi said frankly: "Brother Tang, I actually came to say goodbye to you tonight."

"Farewell? Where are you going?"

"The Valley of Unfeeling!" "What?"

Liu Xunyi's words caused a huge wave of controversy, causing Tang Afu's expression to change instantly, and a hint of surprise unconsciously welled up in his eyes.

Liu Xunyi's heart moved, and he asked back: "What's wrong?"

"Of course not!" Tang Afu quickly replied, "Why did you go to Jueqing Valley?"

"Visit the Lord of Jueqing Valley and ask him the reason in person." Liu Xunyi said bluntly, "The Lord believes that he has never offended Jueqing Valley, so he guessed that there may be some misunderstandings between our two families, so..."

"The Valley Master is a cautious person. Although she doesn't often walk around the world, she will never do anything without a purpose, and she will not wrongly accuse Luo Tianjin." Tang Afu interrupted, "The grudge between the Xianwang Mansion and Jueqing Valley will definitely not be misunderstood. Luo Tianjin is insidious and cunning. How can you take his words seriously? Have you forgotten how he pushed you to death in Xijing Mansion?"

"One thing is one thing, how can we compare them?" Liu Xunyi shook his head and said, "Besides, the present is different from the past. I must visit the Lord of Jueqing Valley, not only to find out the grudge between the two families, but also because it is the only way to save you right now."

"If you enter the valley without any introduction, your head and body will be torn apart, and you will die without a burial place."

"You don't have to worry about this section. Miss Pan will go with me."

Tang Afu was stunned and asked, "What about Granny Taohua?"

"Like you, I will stay in the mansion for the time being. There will be no danger."

In fact, Liu Xunyi's explanation was not only euphemistic, but also only half-hearted. He did not tell Tang Afu all of Luo Tianjin's thoughts.

First, he was worried that Tang Afu would cause trouble and Luo Tianjin would kill them in a rage. Second, he was worried that this incident would plant the seeds of hatred in Tang Afu's heart, making the struggle between Jueqing Valley and Xianwang Mansion more and more intense.

Liu Xunyi now does not want Luo Tianjin to kill Tang Afu out of moral obligation. He does not want Tang Afu to take revenge on Luo Tianjin out of mission, and he cannot let Jueqing Valley ruin Luo Tianjin's plan to become the leader of the martial arts world.

Thinking of this, Liu Xunyi's eyes moved, and he smiled meaningfully, "Brother Tang, I still have one thing I don't understand, and I would like to ask you to answer my doubts."

"What's the matter?"

"I only know that Granny Taohua once saved the life of the Lord of Jueqing Valley, but I don't know..." Liu Xunyi seemed to be choosing his words, so he was quite hesitant in his speech, "I don't know why the Lord of Jueqing Valley...was injured back then?"

Tang Afu instantly understood what Liu Xunyi meant and asked, "Do you suspect that the Valley Master was injured by Luo Tianjin?"

"That's right." Liu Xunyi nodded, unable to deny it. "I wonder if my guess is right?"

"do not know."

However, when Liu Xunyi placed all his hopes on his own speculation, Tang Afu's answer disappointed him.

"The Valley Master never mentioned a word about what happened back then." Tang Afu said calmly, "The only thing I know is that the Valley Master has a mysterious savior, Granny Taohua. Other than that, I know nothing."

"Does Granny Peach Blossom know?"

Hearing this, Tang Afu couldn't help but hesitate, thinking: "Maybe she knows, maybe she doesn't. But considering the relationship between Granny Taohua and the Valley Master, even if she knows, she will definitely not tell it."

Liu Xunyi nodded thoughtfully and muttered to himself, "Jueqing Valley Master, when Granny Taohua met Granny Jueqing Valley Master, Senior Ye had not yet left Kunlun Mountain. In other words, when Senior Ye went to Jueqing Valley to look for Granny Taohua, the Master was also there. Moreover, when Senior Ye and Granny Taohua left Jueqing Valley, they left her a special 'willow leaf copper coin' as a souvenir. After that, Senior Ye passed away, Granny Taohua disappeared, and the Master of Jueqing Valley founded a school and created the famous Jueqing Valley. So... the Master of Jueqing Valley must have had some outstanding martial arts skills."

After saying that, Liu Xunyi suddenly raised his head, stared at Tang Afu, and said anxiously: "Brother Tang, the first time you met the Lord of Jueqing Valley should have been more than 20 years ago, right?"

"So what? What exactly do you want to say?" Tang Afu asked back in a cold tone.

"What I want to say is... if the Lord of Jueqing Valley had already possessed unparalleled martial arts skills, then how could the 'Northern Sage King', who was still a Wudang disciple more than 20 years ago, have injured him?" Liu Xunyi hesitated, "After all, the Lord of Luo Mansion was only in his early twenties at the time, and his martial arts skills were far from as profound as they are today."

"Perhaps Luo Tianjin is plotting something secretly..."

"There is one more thing!" Liu Xunyi interrupted, "Why did the Lord of Jueqing Valley not come out of the mountain earlier or later, but only founded the sect after Granny Taohua and Senior Ye both retired? Don't you think this matter is... too strange? Brother Tang, how old is the Lord of Jueqing Valley now? Since Granny Taohua regards her as her granddaughter, she should have been only about 20 years old. How can a young girl have the ability to establish a sect?"

"What do you want to say?" Tang Afu urged impatiently, "No need to beat around the bush, just say it!"

"I suspect that the relationship between the Lord of Jueqing Valley and Granny Taohua and Senior Ye is far more than just a lifesaver." Liu Xunyi speculated solemnly, "Do you remember what you said when you met Granny Taohua in Chenzhou that day?"

"What?"

"You told the Lord of Jueqing Valley that Granny Taohua and Senior Ye had saved her life and given her a new lease of life, and that the Lord of Jueqing Valley would always remember their kindness and would never forget it." Liu Xunyi said firmly, "Brother Tang, what do you mean by 'saving her life and giving her a new lease of life'? 'Saving' means Granny Taohua once saved the Lord of Jueqing Valley's life, but what does 'giving her a new lease of life' mean?"

At this point, Tang Afu finally heard a clue, and his expression became strange. After hesitating for a long time, he tried to test it in disbelief: "According to what you said, the Valley Master's martial arts is..."

"I suspect that the peerless martial arts of the Lord of Jueqing Valley are most likely from the former martial arts master, Ye Tong!"

……

(End of this chapter)