Chapter 53 Observe words and emotions
"This……"

After his lie was exposed by Luo Tianjin, Liu Xunyi felt his heart tighten. He wanted to explain himself quickly, but he felt his tongue getting tangled in his mouth. For a moment, he could not speak calmly. He could only look at Luo Tianjin in astonishment, suppressing the waves of shock in his heart. After a long time, he smiled bitterly and said, "Where did Lord Luo come from? I don't quite understand..."

Lin Fangda echoed anxiously, "Palace Master, Brother Liu is a man of integrity and righteousness, and he has no grudges against our Xianwang Palace. How could he lie to you today?"

"Yes! This man had nothing to do with us before, so there is no reason for him to lie to us. Dad, did you wrong him?" Luo Ningyu spoke slowly with hesitation, pleading for Liu Xunyi.

Luo Tianjin's deep eyes were still fixed on Liu Xunyi, and he said calmly: "I have been in the martial arts world for decades. I can tell who is telling the truth and who is lying. No one can play tricks in front of me. At least your practice is not enough!"

Deng Changchuan frowned and shouted in a deep voice: "Liu Xunyi, considering that you have saved Ningyu and Fang Da before, I don't want to embarrass you. But now that you are standing in front of the Palace Master, I hope that every word you say is the truth, otherwise you know the consequences in your heart."

"I still don't understand what Lord Luo and Fifth Master Deng mean." Liu Xunyi's face was solemn and his attitude was firm.

Luo Tianjin smiled slightly and said slowly: "You may have your own reasons for deliberately hiding your origins, and you may not have any hostility towards the Xianwang Mansion. But I always don't like a person to have too many secrets, especially for a young talent who wants to enter the Xianwang Mansion. Liu Xunyi, if you can't be honest with me, how can I treat you as my own?"

Hearing Luo Tianjin's words, Lin Fangda couldn't help but show ecstasy on his face, and hurriedly asked: "Does the mansion master mean that he is willing to keep Brother Liu in the mansion?"

"As long as he is willing to tell me the truth instead of making up some fantasy stories to deceive me." Luo Tianjin smiled faintly and said, "How about it? Are you willing to tell me your true origins now?"

"Palace Master Luo really wronged me."

Liu Xunyi had already realized Luo Tianjin's true intention at this moment. He was just testing him with words, not really knowing his true background. Therefore, he felt a little more confident and his nervousness gradually calmed down. He said in a neither humble nor arrogant manner, "If Palace Master Luo does not want to take me in, you can just say so. I have some self-knowledge and will never force anyone. As for Palace Master Luo's accusation that I lied, I have no guts to play tricks in front of the Northern Sage King. However, I dare not refute Palace Master Luo's speculation, so I don't want to explain too much. Since Palace Master Luo does not trust me, I will leave now."

Although Luo Tianjin is quite cunning, Liu Xunyi, who has worked in the court for many years, is by no means an ordinary person. How could he be easily deceived by Luo Tianjin and reveal all his secrets?
After saying that, Liu Xunyi turned around and bowed to Lin Fangda, saying, "No matter what, I am lucky to have made a brother like Brother Lin when I came to Quanzhou. Brother, although we are not destined to be together day and night, I will remember you as my brother for the rest of my life. If you need anything in the future, just give me a call, and I will rush to help you as soon as I get the news, even if it means death!" Without waiting for the sad-looking Lin Fangda to persuade him, Liu Xunyi bowed to Luo Ningyu and Deng Changchuan and said, "Thank you, Fifth Master Deng, for coming to your rescue last night, and thank you, Miss Luo, for speaking frankly in front of Lord Luo just now to help."

"Brother, you misunderstood the Lord's meaning. Actually..."

"Brother, you don't have to say anything more!" Liu Xunyi had already guessed Luo Tianjin's thoughts, so he played hard to get and said righteously, "People need dignity and trees need bark. Although Liu Xunyi is a nobody, he is definitely not a shameless person. If it is not convenient for Lord Luo to take me in, I will go somewhere else to make a living. As the saying goes, the world is so big, why should a man worry about not finding a place to stand?"

"What are you..."

“Lord Luo, I am very grateful to you for not exposing me as a disciple of the Xianwang Mansion today at the Lu Mansion!” Before Luo Ningyu could speak, Liu Xunyi had already bowed respectfully to Luo Tianjin and said solemnly, “It is getting late. I will not disturb Lord Luo’s rest any more. I will take my leave first!”

In response to Liu Xunyi's resignation, Luo Tianjin looked calm and composed. He just smiled and nodded slightly as a response to Liu Xunyi.

Seeing this, Liu Xunyi's heart sank. He originally thought that Luo Tianjin was just testing him and would not really let him leave. But he did not expect that Luo Tianjin would not ask him to stay. For a moment, he was neither going nor staying. He shot himself in the foot. He felt extremely bitter and cursed himself repeatedly, "Too impulsive, miscalculated!"

However, Liu Xunyi had already said what he wanted to say, and it would be inappropriate for him to stay there any longer. Therefore, he had to suppress his inner uneasiness, pretend to be nonchalant, and after looking around the room, he turned around and walked out the door without hesitation.

"Xian..." Lin Fangda was about to speak, but a look from Deng Changchuan immediately stopped him from saying anything.

As for Luo Tianjin, he always had an indifferent smile on his face, calmly watching every move of Liu Xunyi from saying goodbye to turning around and leaving, but he didn't say a word.

One step, two steps, three steps...

The room was not big to begin with, and Liu Xunyi walked to the door in two or three steps. His heart was in his throat, and he felt mixed emotions. His face, with his back to the crowd, was constantly changing, and his expression of regret for "carelessness leading to loss of Jingzhou" was quite interesting.

Not daring to stay for a moment, Liu Xunyi stretched out his hand and opened the door. He knew very well that he had to put on a complete show. If he showed any hesitation now, he would not only lose Luo Tianjin's trust, but he might even lose his life here.

"squeak!"

With a slight sound, the door opened. Liu Xunyi lowered his head slightly, and listened to Luo Tianjin's movements with his ears perked up, fearing that he would accidentally miss Luo Tianjin's attempt to stay.

Unfortunately, although he deliberately stopped in front of the door, he did not hear any sound from Luo Tianjin.

Liu Xunyi frowned with sweat on his forehead and thought to himself, "It's all over! I finally got the chance to get close to Luo Tianjin, but I didn't expect to miss it like this." But he also knew that he must not delay any longer, so he gritted his teeth and decided to find another opportunity another day, so he strode out of the room.

"Please stay!"

Just as Liu Xunyi turned and walked into the corridor, Luo Tianjin's voice finally broke the silence, and it rang out amidst the "thump thump" of Liu Xunyi's violent heartbeat, making Liu Xunyi, who was in a state of confusion, tremble violently and stand still quickly. He breathed a sigh of relief, and a flash of ecstasy appeared in his eyes.

However, since he was already standing in the corridor, his strange movements and expressions were not seen by Luo Tianjin and the others.

"Brother, come back quickly, the mansion master is calling you!" Seeing Luo Tianjin let go, Lin Fangda hurried out of the room, grabbed Liu Xunyi's arm, and "brutally" pulled the frightened Liu Xunyi back. At this moment, Liu Xunyi's back was soaked with sweat, but his face still deliberately showed an indignant look.

"I wonder if Mansion Master Luo has any other instructions?" Liu Xunyi pretended to be dissatisfied and asked in a sarcastic tone.

"I was just joking with you just now, you don't have to take it seriously." Luo Tianjin seemed to be born unable to apologize to others, so much so that he apologized to Liu Xunyi with a tone of command. "I dare not!" After the thrilling experience just now, Liu Xunyi did not dare to be too self-righteous at this moment, and hurriedly stopped while he was ahead, and said seriously, "I am just an unknown nobody in the world. My origin, life experience, and martial arts are all very unfamiliar to Lord Luo. Lord Luo doesn't even know whether my name is real or fake, so it is inevitable that he doubts me, but I really don't need to deceive Lord Luo, and I don't have the courage."

Luo Tianjin looked at Liu Xunyi with a half-smile. After Liu Xunyi expressed her feelings for a long time, he slowly said, "I believe you."

"Really?" Liu Xunyi was overjoyed when he heard that, and hurriedly asked, "Lord Luo really believes me? Then is Lord Luo willing to take me in?"

"Don't be impatient!" Luo Tianjin said, "Although I believe in you, it doesn't mean you can stay in the Xianwang Mansion. Although the Xianwang Mansion is not a famous sect, it has its own rules. Not everyone can easily become a disciple of the Xianwang Mansion."

"Rules?" Liu Xunyi knew what Luo Tianjin meant, and asked hurriedly, "As long as Lord Luo is willing to take me in, I am willing to follow any rules."

Deng Changchuan said: "Except for the mansion master, seven heroes and family members in the mansion, the disciples in the Xianwang Mansion are divided into eight sects. Because the mansion master came from Wudang, they were named after Taoism, namely 'Kai, Xiu, Sheng, Shang, Du, Jing, Si, Jing'. Among them, Kai, Xiu and Sheng are the top three sects, Si, Jing and Shang are the bottom three sects, and Du and Jing are the middle two sects. Although they are divided into eight sects, the disciples of the Xianwang Mansion are of the same generation. They are only judged by their character and martial arts, and there is no difference because of their noble or humble origins. Each of the eight sects has a sect master to lead the disciples. The top three sects have a white fan holder, the bottom three sects have a black fan holder, and the middle two sects have a green fan holder. The status of the three fan holders is above the eight sect masters, and above them are the seven heroes of the mansion, and then the mansion master."

Hearing Deng Changchuan's words, Liu Xunyi couldn't help but secretly marvel. Although he had long known that the Xianwang Mansion must not be a small sect to have achieved its current status, he had never expected that its internal disciples would be divided so strictly. Outsiders only knew the names of the Northern Xianwang Luo Tianjin and the Seven Heroes of the Xianwang Mansion, and regarded the rest of the people in the mansion as ordinary disciples. They didn't expect that there would be such a detailed division among these disciples.

After thinking about it, Liu Xunyi cast a doubtful look at Lin Fangda, but saw Lin Fangda smiled and said: "My dear brother, although I grew up in the Xianwang Mansion since I was a child, I have been deeply taught by the mansion master for many years. But unfortunately, I was born dull and can only be the master of Xiumen."

Based on Lin Fangda's martial arts skills, Liu Xunyi had a rough idea of ​​the martial arts skills of the disciples in Prince Xian's Mansion.

Deng Changchuan continued, "Most of the disciples in the upper three sects are trained by the Xianwang Mansion itself, and all of their martial arts were taught by the Xianwang Mansion. The Zhongping and Ping sects are responsible for all the affairs of the mansion, as well as the many industries of the Xianwang Mansion, so most of them are family members or confidants of the mansion owner. Therefore, most outsiders who enter the Xianwang Mansion enter the lower three sects. Most of the disciples in the lower three sects have already learned martial arts before entering the mansion, and most of them are long-tested masters. Therefore, in terms of the number of masters, the lower three sects actually have more than the upper three sects."

Liu Xunyi nodded thoughtfully and said, "So if I enter the Xianwang Mansion, I should go to the lower three gates."

“Not necessarily.” Deng Changchuan said with a smile, “Although Lin Fangda and Ningyu have recommended you, and the Palace Master has also agreed, whether you can eventually become a disciple of the Xianwang Palace depends on your own ability.”

"What do you mean?" Liu Xunyi was stunned when he heard this, and smiled bitterly, "Does it mean I have to go through some other test?"

"The Xianwang Mansion has never supported mediocre people, so everyone who enters the mansion must go through some tests." Deng Changchuan said, "However, the tests that each disciple of the Xianwang Mansion has to go through are different. Some only need to show off their skills, while others need to go through mountains of swords and seas of fire. The Xianwang Mansion has such a strange rule. The more talented you are, the more rigorous the tests you will receive. Of course, the attention you will receive after entering the mansion will also be different. As for you... that depends on the intention of the mansion master."

As soon as Deng Changchuan finished speaking, everyone in the room turned their eyes to Luo Tianjin, especially Liu Xunyi, who was full of curiosity at this moment. He had long expected that Luo Tianjin would never let him into the mansion easily, but he was also very curious about how he would test himself.

Luo Tianjin slowly took out a palm-sized cloth bag from his arms and threw it to Liu Xunyi.

"Tell me what this is?" Facing Liu Xunyi who was full of confusion, Luo Tianjin asked first.

Confused, Liu Xunyi opened the bag and saw two pieces of black cloth inside. Liu Xunyi frowned and thought for a moment, then suddenly his eyes widened and he suddenly realized, "This is the piece of cloth that Senior Mo Cen tore off the man in black today!"

"You are indeed attentive!" Luo Tianjin's eyes flashed with praise, and then he said with a smile, "Since you are so smart, you should be able to guess what my test is for you. Go! After you finish this matter, go to Luoyang City. I will wait for you in the Xianwang Mansion!"

Lin Fangda and Luo Ningyu were both full of doubts about the conversation between Luo Tianjin and Liu Xunyi, but before they could ask, Liu Xunyi had already bowed respectfully to Luo Tianjin, then looked at Lin Fangda with a serious expression, turned around and quickly left the room.

"Where is Brother Liu going?" Lin Fangda asked Luo Tianjin curiously, "Palace Master, do you want me to lend him a helping hand..."

"You will follow me back to the palace tomorrow. Before Liu Xunyi comes to Prince Xian's palace to find me, no one is allowed to look for him." Luo Tianjin interrupted Lin Fangda impatiently and waved his hand to order Lin Fangda and Luo Ningyu to leave.

After a while, Deng Changchuan asked in a low voice with a worried look on his face, "With only two pieces of cloth, can he really help us find the Shocking Wind and Rain Painting?"

In response to Deng Changchuan's question, Luo Tianjin slowly shook his head and said calmly: "I can't see through this kid, but he does have some extraordinary abilities, so maybe this is possible."

"You're going to let him go alone for such a big thing?" Deng Changchuan asked tentatively, "Doesn't the mansion master plan to secretly send someone to help him?"

"No help!" Luo Tianjin shook his head firmly, "Let him go alone. I want to see how many secrets this kid has hidden."

"Could it be that the Palace Master still doesn't completely believe him?"

"I have never believed in him. Changchuan, do you believe that a little-known Fan Humen in Jiangling could produce such a master? I guess this guy must have other purposes for approaching the Xianwang Mansion. Fang Da is straightforward and was deceived by him. Liu Xunyi has too many secrets. This person cannot be trusted... at least not now, but we can use his strengths to do something for us."

"Isn't it a bit... to entrust such an important matter to someone who can't be trusted..."

Without waiting for Deng Changchuan to finish his words, Luo Tianjin picked up a chess piece from the chessboard with a meaningful look and shook it gently in front of Deng Changchuan's eyes. Without waiting for Deng Changchuan to speak thoughtfully, Luo Tianjin smiled calmly with confidence.

"The game just now is still undecided, you and I will continue playing."

……

(End of this chapter)