"Meng... Mengpo-po...." Li Baixun immediately stammered when he saw the old woman who came with Jinshui and Huang Yu. It was as if the person he most didn't want to see suddenly appeared in front of him. "You...."
Li Baixun called the old woman Mengpo, meaning that the old woman was the first member of Liangshan Liu Mo, as well as their leader who was only known to have the highest martial arts among them and had been the one most feared by the other members.
The name Mengpo was adapted from the name of the woman who guards the reincarnation bridge in hell and gave the oblivion tea to those who were about to undergo the next birth in the Taoist Religion.
Huang Yu sensed that the old woman didn't mean any harm to him or Jinshui. He put the chess piece ready in his hand back into his pocket.
"What Po po? You dare to be impudent to me?" Mengpo scolded Li Baixun back. The two little girls that Li Baixun had brought in a while then ran out of the old house in messy clothes.
"Eh!" Li Baixun was of course irritated, but the old woman seemed even more terrifying to him. He was forced to just be silent watching his two catches slip out of his hands just like that. He then stepped aside and babbled to himself in a northern dialect that his friends did not understand.
"You two quickly bring over here the two women who are still in there," Mengpo ordered Jinshui and Huang Yu.
Jinshui and Huang Yu weren't familiar with the old woman, but they clearly caught her intention to help. The two of them quickly broke open the door of Zhu Ye's house, and a moment later brought Shangguan Ruyin and Lin Xiaoyan out to the courtyard. None of the Liangshan Liu Mo members got in their way. It seemed that the old woman had quite some dominance.
Just as Zu Ye Niang said, she had already dressed Shangguan Ruyin and Lin Xiaoyan as two little girls. Their hair was braided and their cheeks were blushed. The two of them were unconscious. When Huang Yu tried to release the blood path on Lin Xiaoyan's body, he found that it was a special skill and only the person who punched could free her.
"Laoer," Mengpo called the scholar.
Mengpo called the scholar laoer, meaning the scholar was the second member of the band, the one known as Liangshan Mojun (Demon Lord of Liangshan), a man surnamed Ma, and well known for his sadistic behavior. It was known in the martial world how the second member of Liangshan Liu Mo often tortured his victims until the point of losing their mind, but never let his victim die. The real face of this second member had never been known to anyone, because none of his former victims were still able to tell anyone what he looked like, or even his name.
The scholar didn't do Mengpo's orders, he just smiled and held out a folding fan in his hand, then fanned in a relaxed manner. Surprisingly, the old woman didn't insist either, instead, she turned to Fuchang Long.
Zhu Baique stared at the scholar in shock, as if she was about to ask something but then didn't say anything either, looked away and only gripped the bayinxiao flute in her hand tightly.
"Laowu, still haven't let go of them?" the old woman rebuked Fuchang Long. The fake monk looked a little scared for a moment, but he was still not willing to let go of his four captive monks.
Zhu Baique walked over to Jinshui and took Shangguan Ruyin from him, trying to release her blood path, but the result was the same. She glanced at the scholar as if she wanted to ask for help, but the young man just kept silent where he was, he didn't necessarily say anything.
"Dajie Laoda, I still need to ask these four masters to teach the contents of the scriptures, I cannot follow your instructions," Fuchang Long swallowed once, then said sharply and a little cynically, an unusual attitude, and should not be shown to someone he called dajie laoda.
It was a bold move in the eyes of the other five members, it was as if this fake monk had doubled his guts.
Mengpo hadn't spent time with her friends for years. She was just an old woman and even though her criminal record was practically non-existent, after all she was the leader of these demons, their eldest martial sister, a person who had her own way of punishing anyone who disobeyed.
The scholar stopped fanning and looked at Fuchang Long while tilting his head. Wang Wei and Li Baixun both glanced and looked like they were ready to fight. Zu Ye lurked from behind the door, shaking his head once regretfully.
Jinshui and Huang Yu also thought that Mengpo would do something to punish Fuchang Long, but after a while, Mengpo was only not angry but laughed. Jinshui heard this laughter and felt that something was not right. Huang Yu also caught the slightest change in the old woman's expression. At that time, the two of them thought of the same thing. This Mengpo had her own secrets.
"Long time no see, it seems that some of you have changed," the old woman said. "In the past few years, your crime stories have spread everywhere, I don't want to care either."
She was about to leave the place, motioning to Jinshui and Huang Yu who were with her to go along and take Shangguan Ruyin and Lin Xiaoyan with them. Fuchang Long took a step forward, approaching her.
"Dajie Laoda, wait," he spoke in an even more unpleasant tone. "It's been a while since we last saw you, shouldn't we just sit down and have some drink? Don't you miss us, your brothers?"
Mengpo stopped her step without turning around. Jinshui and Huang Yu knew that the old woman didn't want to linger in this place, nor did they want to have anything to do with Liangshan Liu Mo. Shangguan Ruyin and Lin Xiaoyan were found, indeed it was best to quickly leave and return to Qingxiang Zhuang.
"I still have a few things to do, when it's done, I'll definitely accompany you to drink and chat," said Mengpo. "Goodbye."
Fuchang Long was unwilling to let go. The fake monk moved quickly, blocking in front of the old woman. "Laoda," he said, "I see you have brought two fine boys with you, wouldn't you like to introduce them to us first? Even though they were not girls, they had two women caught by Laowu in their hands. Just now you spoiled Laowu's fun, don't you think you are supposed to compensate with one? We are here enjoying our old habits, and we would like to see someone beg for mercy." He smiled obnoxiously.
"These two boys are my students," Mengpo said, "you kidnapped their wives. I didn't teach you a lesson for it just because I like to have my hands clean."
The scholar's face turned red, his expression told Mengpo that there was something wrong with the words she just said. It was like she told the five other demons that she was not the real Mengpo.
But she had no way of escaping, she had to face it recklessly. Li Baixun drew closer, smiling sinisterly at her.
"Your students?" the pervert Li Baixun said. "Our Dajie Laoda swore not to have male students. If I'm not mistaken, your manuals can only be passed on to women. Do you plan to teach that little doll?" he pointed at Lin Xiaoyan.
"She's not our real dajie laoda?" Zu Ye stepped out of the house, he had his guts back. "Who she really is now?"
"She dared to disguise as our dajie laoda, even dared to appear before us, she definitely is not just some random old lady," Fuchang Long replied. "I think she has been impersonating our dajie laoda for more than a day or two. Just now if it wasn't for her claim, you guys wouldn't know about this disguise either, don't you think?"
"Laoliu, what do you know?" the scholar asked curiously.
"Laoer, do you still remember, ten years ago we were invited by the leader of Yongjun Hui, Huan Jiaozheng. He paid us to bring Yumen Jiao's jiaozhu furen, Wu Furen from Nanyang to this place," Fuchang Long said again, "I'm sure, dajie laoda we are still the original Mengpo then. What happened next, I guess you all still haven't forgotten."
Jinshui and Huang Yu were shocked to hear his words. Only a while ago, Qingxiang Zhuang's master, Xi Xiaofeng mentioned the possibility that jiaozhu furen Gu Chenhui was still alive and in Huan Jiaozheng's hands. Who would have guessed ten years ago Huan Jiaozheng had handed her over to the demon pack?
"That day we were all drunk," Wang Wei answered Fuchang Long's words. "When we woke up that Wu Furen had already disappeared without a trace. We had lived here for several years, and we know every corner of this place very well, but until now none of us has been able to solve this puzzle. That Wu Furen was truly like water evaporating into thin air."
"The five of us didn't know what happened," Fuchang Long continued, "but this fake laoda of ours might know it."
"Dajie Laoda, what relationship do you actually have with Yumen Jiao?" Wang Wei asked Mengpo. He still had a bit of hesitance because he knew the shrewdness of his dajie laoda. He didn't dare to directly accuse her of anything, but his suspicions were very strong.
"I knew Menggui, one of Yumen Guardians," Mengpo showed no signs of hiding anything anymore. There was another story hidden behind all of this, a puzzle that still had to be unraveled one by one.
"You only knew Menggui?" said Fuchang Long cynically. "There's no way you only knew Menggui. I believe you knew the six division elders, the five elemental leaders, the four hall masters, even the two deputy chiefs, and the Yumen Jiaozhu himself. In the past, once you gave the order, any of the people I just mentioned would wholeheartedly be willing to die for you."
"Even if I know six division heads, the five elemental leaders, the four hall masters, even the two deputy chiefs and the Yumen Jiaozhu himself, it has nothing to do with any of you," the old woman replied sharply, she turned and stepped forward again.
"Laoda, just now laoer also refused your order, but you don't mind, I believe that the other brothers also find it strange," Fuchang Long continued his accusation. "Long time no see, but you are so eager to leave here, is it because you are afraid of being found out, you are not our real Dajie Laoda?"
"I see she's the real one, how come she's not real?" Zu Ye babbled under his breath. "No one can imitate my ability to disguise themselves as someone else so similarly," he secretly glanced at the scholar. The scholar returned his gaze casually as if nothing had happened.
"Today if you didn't explain it clearly to us, I Fuchang Long won't let you go," the fake monk again blocked in front of Mengpo. Mengpo moved the cane in her hand, trying to get rid of him. The two had already exchanged attacks in a moment, forcing Jinshui and Huang Yu to step aside. The old woman's inner strength was extraordinary, they could feel it. But Liangshan Liu Mo's other members weren't weak either.
The moves that the old woman used were very unusual, too fast for the ordinary people to see. Jinshui and Huang Yu couldn't recognize the origin of this Mengpo's martial arts, but they could still see that her fighting style was too elegant for the head of the demon band. Fuchang Long mostly dodged and never once dared to engage in direct contact, several times trying to attack from behind. His fat body's movements were agile and fast, hopping around like a monkey.
"Yu, do you think she's…?" Jinshui asked Huang Yu the possibility of that Mengpo was in fact jiaozhu furen Gu Chenhui in disguise.
"I'm not sure," said Huang Yu. "Zhu Guniang, can you explain this situation to us?" he asked Zhu Baique without looking at her expression.
"I don't know," Zhu Baique stared at the scholar, but the scholar only threw her a mysterious smile as the answer.
Mengpo was getting impatient, knowing that the longer she was in this place, the more dangerous it would be. She blocked Fuchang Long step and hit his palm, causing the fake monk to be knocked out in an instant. Mengpo once again turned around, but this time before Jinshui and Huang Yu made their move, Wang Wei, Zu Ye, and Li Baixun had surrounded her.
Apparently, just now the old woman was showing off her real abilities, and could immediately see that her every move was not what they knew. This Mengpo was indeed a fake one.
"Who dared to pretend to be our dajie?" came Li Baixun's voice.
"I thought my disguise skills were number one in the world, it turns out that there is still someone who can disguise herselves as our dajie so exactly," said Zu Ye in an almost trembling voice.
"Take her first, ask question later!" yelled Wang Wei.
The three men ganged up on the old woman, only the scholar stood still where he was. His expression was calm, his mysterious smile never leaves his lips. Jinshui and Huang Yu estimated that this second brother already knew that it was the fake Mengpo who came. Perhaps he even knew everything.
"Today I have to unmask you." Fuchang Long tried to get up, not caring about his internal injuries and immediately joined the attack.
"Zhu Guniang, you left Yanzi with Qin-xiong and Qin Furen a few days ago without any explanation, can you tell us why can you came with a member of Liangshan Liu Mo today?" Jinshui asked Zhu Baique. He didn't feel the need to interfere in the disputes between the members of the demon band.
Zhu Baique looked like she was about to say something, but again she didn't say a word, possibly didn't know how to start. The scholar came closer and bowed a bit to Jinshui and Huang Yu while still holding the folding fan in his hand.
"Zaixia Ma Yongtao, the second member of Liangshan Liu Mo," he introduced himself openly. "You two are Baique's friends, are you the same as she is, the descendants of the Yumen Jiao?"
The scholar clearly stated himself as the second member of Liangshan Liu Mo, Liangshan Mojun who was famous for torturing people ruthlessly but no one had ever known his face. Jinshui and Huang Yu looked at each other, not expecting that the second member of Liangshan Liu Mo was merely a young man, very different from the other members who were all middle-aged and above.
"Why are you with Zhu Guniang?" Huang Yu asked him, he didn't introduce his name.
"Zhu Guniang is an old friend of mine," Ma Yongtao said, "I have known her since she was still a servant in the Haitang Jian Pai headquarters, you might say that I was her protector. It's just that we've been apart for quite some time and only met up again at Yiling District a while ago."
"Protector?" Jinshui asked. He still remembers that on a trip to Xuanwu Lake with his master ten years ago, he witnessed Fuxing Dao Jian being bullied by a person who claimed to be the second and fourth members of Liangshan Liu Mo. One of the Fuxing Dao Jian was Zhu Baique's biological father and his death was caused by the second member of Liangshan Liu Mo. But now a young man who claimed to be the second member of Liangshan Liu Mo called himself an old friend and protector of Zhu Baique.
"Hua Dage, Ma Gongzi is my friend," Zhu Baique responded shortly.
"Is he really the second member of Liangshan Liu Mo?" Jinshui asked.
"The second member of Liangshan Liu Mo is notorious for torturing people to death or madness, not a good reputation," Ma Yongtao replied, calmly, "I believe that apart from the real Liangshan Mojun, no one would claim themselves the second member of Liangshan Liu Mo out of no reason. After all, you've heard it yourself, your master called me laoer." he said the word 'your master' in a sarcastic tone, apparently knowing that Mengpo just randomly mentioned the two young men who were with her as students.
"Ten years ago I saw you drew people into madness," Jinshui said to him, "how old were you then?"
Ma Yongtao pretended to count on his fingers, but he didn't seem interested in telling his correct age. "Ten years ago, I was also ten years younger than you are now," he said casually.
"I don't want to have anything to do with Liangshan Liu Mo." Jinshui said. "Zhu Guniang, whether you want to come with us or not is your choice."
"Eh, Hua Shaoxia, where do you want to go now?" Ma Yongtao said quickly. "Hua Shaoxia is still curious about my identity, so why not try out a bit of my you ling shen shou (ghostly palm)? Incidentally, I also want to see what kind of shrewdness the primary descendant of Yumen has to make Yuan Wancui, Yuan Zhangmen invites her associates to Yiling District just to welcome you."
He really was the handsome scholar who was present at a meeting in Yiling District a few months ago, the one who had asked Yuan Wancui to let Zhu Baique go. This meant that Ma Yongtao had recognized Jinshui and Huang Yu ever since they appeared with Mengpo.
Jinshui and Ma Yongtao were fighting. Huang Yu was eager to observe the scholar's shrewdness and wondered if he was really the second member of Liangshan Liu Mo who had been notorious for his cruelty dozens of years ago. Zhu Baique was still carrying Shangguan Ruyin, she was forced to step back and was about to use her bayinxiao weapon to stop the fight, but Huang Yu held her back.
Jinshui had not yet unsheathed his sword, he realized that he was still injured and unable to exert Moying's energy inside him to conjure a cutthroat attack. He acted carefully and tried to test the opponent's abilities first, waiting for the opportunity to take down Ma Yongtao with one strike.
The sword scabbard clashed several times with the folding fan in Ma Yongtao's hand, a vibration of energy was felt by Jinshui, and if he didn't have the inner energy to protect himself at the first time, the bones in both arms would have cracked, and shattered.
"You master wuqing xue's energy?" Jinshui asked Ma Yongtao, recognizing that the energy vibration from the folding fan was typical of his own signature energy vibration.
"How about it?" asked Ma Yongtao, "I have the identical ability of Yumen descendant, have I not?"
However, the moves Ma Yongtao played were not all of wuqing xue's moves. The young scholar's two hands moved quickly and smoothly as if invisible, like a ghost's hand waving and reaching, wanting to pull the opponent into the underworld. If it wasn't for Jinshui, the primary descendant of Yumen, who was able to keep up with his speed, he wouldn't be able to parry each time. Likewise, he must be very careful, because the opponent's wave every time leads to a dangerous point.
Just after a dozen moves past, Jinshui felt the pain from his internal injuries, his guard loosened for a second and gave Ma Yongtao a chance to catch the sword in his hand, almost grabbing it. Jinshui drew it quickly, then drew the weapon and directly slashed it into both of the opponent's hands in a single move.
"Hua Jinshui, you are quite ruthless," Ma Yongtao said calmly, and he pulled both of his hands so that they wouldn't be cut apart. Truly, his shrewdness cannot be underestimated, coupled with the inner strength he possessed, made him no different from a Yumen descendant who, although he was still young, had the strength that has been the result of decades of training. "Too bad you're in an injured state, unable to use all your abilities against me."
Ma Yongtao jumped back casually and stood beside Zhu Baique before Jinshui could keep up with him.
"You really are Liangshan Mojun," Jinshui confirmed Ma Yongtao's identity.
"Yeah, I told you that," said Ma Yongtao. "As per my reputation, I shouldn't let anyone who had seen my face walk away in a state of death or loss of mind so as not be able to tell a tale. But you are Yumen descendant, and can be said to be in line with us Liangshan Liu Mo, I may make an exception."
"I don't need your exception," replied Jinshui.
"You are injured today, making someone who is injured dying or losing their mind will damage my reputation," Ma Yongtao quickly said again. "Hua Jinshui, after your wound has healed, I'll look for you again. At that time, then we will fight it out to determine win or lose, what do you think?"
"You wouldn't get another chance," Jinshui said.
"Nah," Ma Yongtao looked at Mengpo's fight with the other members of Liangshan Liu Mo, knowing that Mengpo was starting to get overwhelmed. "We Liangshan Liu Mo also still need to settle some internal affairs," he told Jinshui before turning to Zhu Baique. "You go with them first, we will meet again later," he spoke gently to her.
He didn't wait for any answer, then dashed towards the battle there, his movements were as fast as a ghost that could suddenly fly and couldn't be touched. Huang Yu quickly held Jinshui, gesturing to let him go when noticing that the second member of Liangshan Liu Mo seemed as though he had not weakened after dealing with the primary descendant of Yumen. That seemingly ordinary scholar turned out to be a formidable foe.
Ma Yongtao was suddenly in the middle of a fight, but although it wasn't clear which side he was on, a moment later Wang Wei, Zu Ye, Li Baixun, and Fuchang Long were knocked to the ground. Before the four demons stood up, Ma Yongtao had already taken Mengpo away, flying fast like an arrow. His four friends did not expect this situation, and five seconds later they decided to chase.
The demons simply disappeared, as if they had forgotten about Jinshui and the others including Shangguan Ruyin and Lin Xiaoyan who had been caught by Zu Ye Niang earlier. Huang Yu quickly released the four captive monks, then led Lin Xiaoyan ahead of the others, and quickly returned to Qingxiang Zhuang. Zhu Baique followed while supporting Shangguan Ruyin. Jinshui followed last, after taking a few deep breaths and trying to overcome the slight pain from his internal injuries.