Chapter 530 Waiting for an Opportunity to Test
After a moment of silence, a sly look flashed in Luo Tianjin's eyes. He picked up the teacup and asked casually, "Brother Xie, what do you think of meeting Rou'er again in Huashan?"

"Valley Master Xiao?" Xie Xuan was caught off guard by Luo Tianjin's question. He did not understand Luo Tianjin's intention for a moment, so he was slightly stunned and said awkwardly, "Valley Master Xiao's demeanor is still as good as before, but I, Xie, have gone from being high-spirited and vigorous to an old man half buried in the ground. It's really embarrassing to think about it. Haha..."

"Yes!" Luo Tianjin took a sip of tea, looking melancholy as if he was immersed in memories, and said with emotion, "When I met Rou'er again in Huashan, her every move, every frown and every smile made me more intoxicated than before."

"The fate between the Palace Master and Xiao Gu Master has not yet ended. This is God's will."

"Brother Xie, you said that year..."

Suddenly, Luo Tianjin's tone became a little strange. He raised his eyebrows slightly, looked at Xie Xuan who didn't understand what was going on, and asked, "If I had chosen Rou'er instead of Xiaoxiao...what would have happened?"

"This……"

Xie Xuanwan had not expected Luo Tianjin to have such thoughts. His expression changed slightly. He subconsciously turned around and looked at the door and window, as if he was worried that someone was eavesdropping outside the door. He then asked in a low voice, "Is the mansion master joking?"

"Hey!" Luo Tianjin waved his hand and said, "Love affairs are the preserve of young people. You and I are both middle-aged, so there is nothing to be ashamed of. Feel free to talk about it."

Hearing this, Xie Xuan looked at Luo Tianjin suspiciously, as if trying to figure out his thoughts. After a long silence, he reluctantly said, "Excuse me, if the Palace Master had chosen Teng Rou instead of Ling Xiaoxiao, I'm afraid... it would be difficult to achieve what we have today."

"Oh?" Luo Tianjin asked with interest, "What do you mean?"

"Teng Rou is the daughter of Teng Sanshi, the eldest daughter of the Xiangxi Teng Clan." Seeing that Luo Tianjin was not giving in, Xie Xuan could only bite the bullet and answer, "Although her family background is not bad, compared with Ling Xiaoxiao and the Wudang Clan behind her, it is nothing. In other words, in terms of strength, heritage, background, and connections, the Xiangxi Teng Clan is still slightly inferior to Wudang."

"What you mean is..." Luo Tianjin asked with a hint of meaning, "I chose Xiaoxiao not because I love her, but because...she can help me achieve success?"

"I spoke out of turn, I hope the mansion master will forgive me!" Xie Xuan was shocked and hurriedly bowed his hands to apologize, "The mansion master and his wife have been childhood sweethearts, how could they not be in love?"

"I've said before that we can speak freely without having to curry favor with each other." Luo Tianjin said with a smile, "What Brother Xie said is actually quite reasonable. Madam and Wudang... have contributed greatly to my current achievements."

“But if the mansion lord does not have real talent and knowledge, even if he marries a royal relative, he will never be able to sit on the throne of the leader of the martial arts world.” Xie Xuan said hurriedly.

"In fact, Rou'er and Xiaoxiao are two completely different women. Chief Teng and Master also have completely different personalities." Luo Tianjin pondered, "Back then, even if I became the son-in-law of the Teng clan, Chief Teng would not help me as much as Master did, and Rou'er would not be like Xiaoxiao, who obeyed me without asking right or wrong."

"Alas!" Xie Xuan sighed, "The head of the Teng clan is much more conservative and stubborn than Taoist Qingfeng, so the temperaments of the daughters they gave birth to are also very different. Teng Rou back then valued your relationship more than her life, and fame and fortune were simply worthless to her. But Ling Xiaoxiao is different, she can read your heart better, she knows what you really want? In order to win your favor, she can give up everything she has, even become another you. Both of them are rare and extraordinary women in the world. The lord of the mansion can win their hearts at the same time, which is really a great blessing and the envy of others."

"Brother Xie, you usually look dull and indifferent to romance, but I didn't expect you to understand women's minds so clearly."

Facing Luo Tianjin's sarcasm, Xie Xuan couldn't help but laugh at himself and said, "Sometimes, bystanders see things more clearly than those involved."

Luo Tianjin agreed with Xie Xuan's opinion and nodded slowly, "That's right! I am completely confused about the matter between Rou'er and Xiaoxiao, but you...see it much more clearly than I do."

"Your Excellency is too kind..."

"No need to be modest!" Luo Tianjin struck while the iron was hot and asked again, "Since you are a bystander, I really want to hear your sincere words."

Hearing this, Xie Xuan was stunned and asked in astonishment: "What does the Palace Master mean?"

Luo Tianjin's expression changed, a meaningful gleam welled up in his eyes, and he asked quietly: "Xie brother, today you and I put aside our identities and just talk as brothers and confidants. Can you give me a sincere word?"

Xie Xuan showed a look of fear and quickly agreed: "Please ask me, Lord, I will tell you everything I know."

"Brother Xie, in your heart, between Teng Rou and Ling Xiaoxiao...who should I choose?"

Just these words made Xie Xuan's face turn ugly. Although he didn't know Luo Tianjin's true intention, he could clearly feel a strong sense of oppression.

It seems that his answer will determine some turning point of fate.

"Palace Master, I..."

"Don't hesitate! Don't worry! Don't speculate!" Luo Tianjin pressed on, not giving Xie Xuan a chance to breathe. "If you regard me as a brother who will live and die with you, then tell me your true feelings, and don't hide anything!"

"I..." The situation suddenly changed, the pressure increased suddenly, Xie Xuan was sweating profusely, his palms were cold, "I... I thought..."

"What do you think?"

"I think it was a wise move for the Palace Master to choose Ling Xiaoxiao." Xie Xuan replied tremblingly, "She is the woman who truly understands you."

"A wise move?" Luo Tianjin caught the flaw in Xie Xuan's words and asked, "You mean, my choice of Ling Xiaoxiao is a rational result after careful consideration? Rather than an emotional choice?" At this moment, Xie Xuan did not dare to look directly into Luo Tianjin's eyes, and lowered his head and replied, "Yes."

"When it comes to love, we should not talk about being together under the moonlight or in the mulberry fields, but about weighing the pros and cons and making wise moves. Oh, what a huge irony!" Luo Tianjin seemed to be angry and laughing, his tone was extremely sad. "Brother Xie, what you meant was... the woman I really love is not Ling Xiaoxiao, but Teng Rou. Is that right?"

"I... dare not speak rashly..." Xie Xuan replied hastily, "I only say that it is a wise move for the Palace Master to choose Ling Xiaoxiao. Only she can help the Palace Master achieve his hegemony regardless of everything. The reason why Wudang can support the Xianwang Mansion regardless of gains and losses is nothing more than Ling Xiaoxiao's persistence. It is precisely because she refused to give in to Taoist Qingfeng that Taoist Qingfeng was forced to break the rules again and again and devote Wudang's strength to the Xianwang Mansion... and show great love."

"So, you also want me to choose Ling Xiaoxiao?" Luo Tianjin's tone slowed down and asked tentatively, "and you don't want me to choose Teng Rou?"

"I..." Xie Xuan hesitated, feeling extremely conflicted. "I don't know..."

"That's right." Seeing Xie Xuan's hesitation, Luo Tianjin understood everything immediately and nodded thoughtfully, "You are not me, so you don't have any feelings for Teng Rou. In your heart, the future of the Xianwang Mansion is more important than anything else. In this way, you can see things more clearly as a bystander, right?"

At this point, Xie Xuan finally couldn't stand Luo Tianjin's "torture" anymore, and fell to his knees with a "thump". After a long silence, he finally uttered a word with difficulty: "Yes."

Hearing this, Luo Tianjin's expression suddenly changed, and he could no longer suppress his anger. He asked angrily, "Is that why you're worried that I'll lose Ling Xiaoxiao and the protection of Wudang Sect because of Teng Rou, so you sent people to hunt her down?"

"what?"

Xie Xuan's body trembled, his eyes filled with fear, and he asked in astonishment: "What do you mean by hunting? Who sent people to hunt down Teng Rou? What does the Palace Master mean by this? Why do I feel more confused the more I listen?"

"Brother Xie, we have been brothers for decades. No matter what you have done, I will not blame you." Luo Tianjin was filled with grief and anger, gritting his teeth, "But I will never tolerate you lying to me."

"What do you mean?" Xie Xuan looked confused. Seeing Luo Tianjin's confident words, he was filled with anger. He also felt that the situation was serious, so he hurriedly asked, "May I ask the Palace Master to explain clearly!"

"More than 20 years ago, not long after you rescued me from Xiangxi, Teng Rou came to Luoyang City alone to find me." Luo Tianjin said angrily, "At that time, did you... send someone to kill her?"

"I..." Xie Xuan was completely confused and asked in surprise, "How could such a thing happen? Teng Rou has been to Luoyang City? Why didn't I know about it?"

Luo Tianjin closely watched every subtle expression of Xie Xuan. Seeing that he was terrified and panicked, and that he didn't seem to be faking it at all, he became suspicious and asked hesitantly, "You really don't know about this?"

Xie Xuan's face straightened, and he raised his hand and swore without hesitation: "I swear to heaven, if I tell even a single lie in front of the Palace Master, I will be struck by lightning and die a miserable death!"

"This……"

Having known each other for many years, Luo Tianjin knew Xie Xuan very well. Seeing him being so serious, he couldn't help but feel relieved.

After all, being betrayed by the person you trust the most is never a good thing. If this is true, Luo Tianjin doesn't know how to face Xie Xuan.

Thinking back carefully, if it was really Xie Xuan who ordered the killing of Teng Rou, when he learned that Xiao Zhirou was Teng Rou and was still alive, he would be horrified and try to cover up the matter. How could he help Luo Tianjin find a chance to reunite with Xiao Zhirou?
Thinking of this, Luo Tianjin was certain that he had wrongly blamed a good person. He suddenly stood up, walked quickly forward, helped Xie Xuan up with his own hands, and leaned over to brush the dust off his knees. He said guiltily: "Brother Xie, please don't blame me. I was anxious just now and wrongly blamed you."

"Palace Master, what exactly is going on?" Xie Xuan asked impatiently, "Did Teng Rou really come to Luoyang City?"

"That's right!" Luo Tianjin nodded heavily, "She told me in person that she came to Luoyang City to look for me, but was ambushed and killed before she could find the gate of the Xianwang Mansion."

"What?" Xie Xuan's face suddenly changed, and he asked angrily, "Who is so bold?"

"Rou'er said that the people who were chasing her were all disciples of the Xianwang Mansion." Luo Tianjin said in a bad tone, "But as the lord of the mansion, I was completely unaware of this matter."

"This..." Xie Xuan was extremely shocked and stunned for a moment, not knowing how to respond.

"Jiang Yiwei was the one who was hunting her down," Luo Tianjin said quietly, "and it was because of Jiang Yiwei's kindness that Rou'er was able to save her life."

"No wonder the Palace Master wanted to save Jiang Yiwei. It turns out..."

"Whether Jiang Yiwei is dead or alive, no one can tell for sure now. Therefore, I can't just sit there and wait for death and put all my hopes on Jiang Yiwei." Luo Tianjin interrupted, "This incident made Rou'er resentful of me and gave rise to many conflicts between Jueqing Valley and Xianwang Mansion, so I must get to the bottom of it."

Xie Xuan could not deny it, but did not say much.

"It is inconvenient for me to come forward in this matter, you go and investigate for me." Luo Tianjin ordered, "Investigate secretly and don't alert anyone. If I remember correctly, Jiang Yiwei had just entered the palace and didn't have many friends in the Xianwang Mansion. Brother Xie, you can investigate one by one, no matter who is involved, as long as there is doubt, you can investigate it thoroughly."

……

(End of this chapter)