"This appearance is not that of the water ghost itself."
'Wang Hezhi' stroked his beard and said, "Huanzhentian is an extremely ancient cave sky. After its natural decline, several 'imageless clothes' were formed, which can swallow newly deceased people to form false appearances."
Zhang Shunyi looked at this face blankly, and all he recalled in his mind were memories of studying in Canglong County.
After a moment, naked hatred and murderous intent intertwined.
"So..."
Zhang Shunyi's voice was extremely hoarse, "Water ghost, killed Wang Hezhi?"
This already shows some signs of the resurgence of inner demons.
Lu Zhong quickly removed the change of Wu Xiangyi and grabbed Zhang Shunyi's shoulder with one hand: "Wake up!"
"Teacher...answer me!"
Zhang Shunyi roared in a low voice.
"..."
Lu Zhong's expression changed, and after a moment he sighed quietly: "The water ghost did kill Wang Hezhi, but the Wang Hezhi he killed was not your wife."
"Um?"
Zhang Shunyi was stunned.
"The real Wang Hezhi was probably killed by a water ghost as soon as he arrived in Canglong."
Lu Zhong said, glancing at Xu Chong, who had been silent, "And judging from the time you entered school, you have been taught by water ghosts from the beginning to the end..."
silence.
There was deathly silence in the carriage.
Zhang Shunyi was completely confused and could no longer speak even a single word.
Xu Chong kept his head lowered, and no one saw his expression.
a long time.
Lu Zhong sighed again.
"Originally, everything was just Xie Changqing's inference, without any actual evidence."
"However, I don't know your current situation, so I went to Canglong in person with worry, and used the power of the tenth level of meridians to sneak attack..."
"His true state is only as high as the fifth level of body cleansing. If I hadn't used other methods to help him, I might even have been killed by him."
"Just one realm can already explain a lot of problems, but..."
Having said this, Lu Zhong paused, and then pointedly said: "I didn't interrogate him after I caught him. I went directly to Zhentian."
"Where is he?"
Xu Chong finally asked.
"On a baggage train at the back."
Lu Zhong glanced at Xu Chong and felt that he was a little too calm. "I was afraid that the prison car would attract the attention of Taiping Road and cause unnecessary variables on the road, so I locked him in a wooden box."
At this time, the carriage gradually stopped and the government office arrived.
The accompanying attendant opened the curtain.
Lu Zhongdang got up first and planned to get off the car first to give the two of them a buffer time.
As he walked to the door, he paused.
"actually."
Lu Zhong tilted his head slightly, "If I had known earlier that Shunyi's situation was improving, I wouldn't have done this, but now... it's too late."
The meaning is obvious.
Lu Zhong didn't care about a Taiping Dao rebel. He didn't care whether he killed or released him.
But not anymore.
Presumably the capital has received the news.
Xu Chong was silent for a moment and looked at Zhang Shunyi, who was still in a daze: "Let's go, the matter is over, no matter what the outcome is, we must face it."
"face?"
Zhang Shunyi raised his head blankly, stood up like a zombie, and got out of the car.
By the time the two arrived at the inner hall of the government office, all the idle people had been cleared away.
There was only one Lu Zhong in the hall, and a figure kneeling on the ground.
"I have already ordered that no one is allowed to come near. If you have anything to ask or say, please do it now."
Lu Zhong said something to the two of them, turned his back and walked aside, his attitude was obvious.
Hearing this, the figure kneeling on the ground slowly turned his head.
When he saw clearly the two people standing at the door, his whole body was shaken violently.
His face was exactly the same as what Xu Chong had glimpsed that night.
Xu Chong looked at him quietly, speechless.
When Lu Zhong took out the piece of Wu Xiang Yi and transformed into 'Wang Hezhi', he understood everything.
In the beginning, the water ghost might really just be a simple Taiping Road rebel.
Until the Third Master gave away the piece of Wuxiang Clothes in exchange for the water ghost taking care of him.
The water ghost used Wuxiang Yi to successfully conceal his own realm and went to Taiping Road to complete the second unblocking.
Then he replaced the real Wang Hezhi and became the Xuejiao of Canglong County.
Perhaps because he saw the true face of Taiping Dao, perhaps because he fell in love with teaching and educating people, or perhaps because he wanted to abide by the promise he made to Third Master, the Water Ghost taught him this lesson for more than ten years.
Later, the third master died and entered the county government himself.
On the same day, the water ghost came to his door and took the opportunity to accuse him of not giving up the imperial examination and told him about the existence of intellectual obstacles and martial arts.
Why?
Because in the eyes of the water ghost, the third master will leave the skills for himself, and telling himself these in advance will allow him to enter the martial arts earlier and be more capable of protecting himself.
There are also the Zhang Youde incident, Sun Yourong incident, and the Cave Sky Fragment incident...
The water ghost or Wang Hezhi saw everything and secretly checked for omissions.
And now, the water ghost has been caught.
This water ghost who knew most of his secrets was caught.
Once he is sent to the capital, given the power of the imperial court, it is likely that everything will be exposed.
For example, the third master is not in the enlightenment state at all. For example, he can rub the spiritual source with his hands. For example, he is not the legacy of Taizu at all.
yes.
Xu Chong could completely rely on the aura of Taizu's legacy that still existed for the time being and choose to kill the water ghost in court without being too implicated.
But he can't do it.
The starting point for his current achievements was provided by Third Master.
Regardless of Dianshi's position or Zhengyangjin's entry-level posture, without the third master, he would not be able to start martial arts at all.
However, after he started, what really supported his growth was this fake Wang Hezhi, the water ghost of Taiping Road!
Without the water ghost, Zhang Youde would have become a prisoner of the Wu Zhou people as early as that time, and there would be no future, such as Wu Xiangyi, Taizu's legacy, and body-washing realm... none of these would have happened.
Appear.
Killing someone who has shown great kindness to you?
impossible.
Xu Chong looked at the water ghost quietly, his eyes firm and determined.
This look soothed the water ghost and made him gradually calm down.
The water ghost smiled and moved towards the two of them.
There was a clattering sound as the shackles were dragged.
Zhang Shunyi raised his leg, tripped over the threshold and fell to the ground. Then he crawled to the water ghost on both hands and feet, "Master, tell me, tell Brother Xu, tell my teacher... you are not a water ghost, right?"
The young eyes are full of hope, just like before.
"I……"
The water ghost was moved for a moment, and then immediately calmed down: "I am a water ghost, not a master. Your master has been killed by me."
"..."
Zhang Shunyi's eyes turned red instantly, "Master Lu has already said that as early as the beginning, you were the one who taught us our lessons..."
The water ghost trembled all over and his expression changed continuously.
"Whether you are a water ghost or not, you are our master."
Zhang Shunyi continued to speak, and his tone gradually became firmer, "If Xie Changqing can be recruited, Master can definitely do it... Please rest assured, Master, this student will never stand idle in this matter."
Recruitment?
The water ghost sighed.
He knew this was impossible.
Xie Changqing is a direct descendant of one of the six major families and is of great value to the court.
What about yourself?
A mere government-level rebel who has never entered the center of Taiping Dao. At most, his ability to wash his body is of some use.
It definitely doesn't meet the recruitment standards.
What's more, with the enmity between himself and the Xie family, Xie Changqing will never let him go.
no.
Zhang Shunyi cannot be allowed to get burned.
At this thought, the water ghost felt cruel in his heart and said coldly: "Didn't you suspect before that it was me who killed Zhang Youde?"
As soon as these words came out, Zhang Shunyi trembled suddenly.
"You are right to suspect it."
The water ghost continued, "Zhang Youde's heart was shattered by my own hands."
Zhang Shunyi was completely frozen on the spot.
"Do you know why?"
The water ghost took advantage of the victory and pursued him: "Many years ago, I turned Zhang Youde into my martial slave. He was just a martial slave. He was not even a human being. I killed him just as I wanted... for no reason at all."
Xu Chong's expression changed drastically, and his eyes were full of incomprehension.
As for Zhang Shunyi, who was lying on the ground, his breath had begun to become confused.
Cruelty, doubt, reluctance...all kinds of emotions are intertwined.
"It's not just Zhang Youde."
The water ghost paused and his eyes fell on Xu Chong's face, "I also killed Xu You'an with my own hands!"
"Why?!"
Xu Chong roared loudly.
What he asked was not why the water ghost wanted to kill Xu Youan.
Because he knew that whether it was Xu Youan's death or Zhang Youde's nature as a martial slave, these two things had nothing to do with the water ghost!
Why should you put the blame on yourself for a crime that does not exist at all?!
At this moment, the water ghost spoke again.
"My original plan was to wait for you to achieve something, then kill you and take over your identity... After spending so many years together day and night, I pretended to be you and entered the court without anyone noticing."
"It's a pity that you all went to the Blood-Shirt Guards without living up to your expectations... What future does the Blood-Shirt Guards have? They will be beaten to death, but they still won't be able to enter the center of power."
"The other one was trying to live up to his expectations, but he was so ambitious that he went directly to the capital."
"That place in the capital is too scary. If I went there..."
At this point, the water ghost narrowed his eyes: "Every secret I know has the risk of being exposed."
The word 'everything' clearly emphasizes the tone.
So, Xu Chong understood.
The water ghost is begging for death.
Why did he take responsibility for the deaths of both Zhang Youde and Xu Youan?
Because the water ghost doesn't want to become Zhang Shunyi's burden even after he dies.
Because the water ghost is giving himself a motive to kill on the spot!
The water ghost is afraid, afraid that after being escorted to Beijing, those things about himself will be exposed!
"Haha, even so..."
Xu Chong stepped into the inner hall and walked towards the water ghost step by step.
But his eyes fell on Lu Zhong, who had his back turned to this side.
From the previous conversation, he had already judged that Lu Zhong could only reach the fifth level of body cleansing.
And after these three months of promotion, he has reached the fifth level of body cleansing, so he may not be able to give it a try.
It's nothing more than a breakup with the imperial court.
All roads lead to Rome, and as long as you can escape, the world is still vast.
that's all.
One step, two steps, three steps...
Xu Chong approached the water ghost.
And just when he was about to burst out to reach for the stars, the water ghost made a move first.