When Huo Xiao Di burst into the dilapidated temple, his heart was pounding wildly. Even he didn’t understand why he was so anxious.
The sight of Zhan Ri Fei’s face brought him a measure of relief.
Zhan Ri Fei’s complexion seemed much improved. In fact, it was hard to believe this was the same man who, not long ago, had been tortured to the brink of death by the poison “Old Friends at First Sight.”
It was only then that Huo Xiao Di realized how little he truly knew about the martial prowess of this man in black.
— Every time Zhan Ri Fei acted, it seemed as though Huo Xiao Di could barely follow his movements.
— Even after being afflicted with the Shura Sect’s “Old Friends at First Sight” and Shang Qing Temple’s Great Compassion Palm, Zhan Ri Fei had managed to subdue Mu Xiu Quan and later hold his own against two envoys from Han Shui Palace.
— How many secrets was this black-clad man hiding?
Oddly, Zhan Ri Fei didn’t seem surprised to see him and Chang Hong Bi. Huo Xiao Di, however, suddenly felt like a foolish rabbit that had run back into the den of wolves.
The two men looked at each other, neither saying a word.
Finally, Huo Xiao Di couldn’t hold back. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”
Zhan Ri Fei replied, “I wouldn’t know what Huo might want me to say.” His eyes slowly filled with amusement.
Huo Xiao Di stamped his foot in frustration. “You—! Must you wait for me to spell it out?!”
Zhan Ri Fei said, “Huo’s thoughts are as intricate and shifting as a Ling Long puzzle. How could I possibly guess? Perhaps Huo would like me to ask, ‘Weren’t you already gone? Why have you returned?’”
Huo Xiao Di barked, “Exactly! I came back because something didn’t make sense!”
— “If you truly wanted Chang Hong Bi and killed Mu Xiu Quan for that purpose, why not wait until after Mu Xiu Quan killed me? Wouldn’t that have made things easier for you? With Mu Xiu Quan and me gone, who else would have been able to stop you?”
— “And if your goal was to fight Han Shui Palace for Chang Hong Bi, why not wait until I was weakened after fighting them? Why intercept me beforehand?”
— “If you wanted Chang Hong Bi, why bother telling me that Chang Hong Bi is this boy, effectively creating an additional enemy for yourself?”
Huo Xiao Di huffed angrily. “Everything I’ve thought of is clearly full of holes. Why don’t you defend yourself? Are you doing this on purpose just to make a fool out of me?”
— As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized he hadn’t even given Zhan Ri Fei a chance to explain.
— Despite this, he couldn’t help but feel wronged, as though all of this was somehow Zhan Ri Fei’s fault.
Zhan Ri Fei smiled faintly and said, “Even if I don’t defend myself, Huo, haven’t you already seen through everything? Otherwise, why would you have come back?”
He continued slowly, “I know you don’t fully believe your own conclusions. If you did, that single strike earlier would have ended me. If you truly believed your deductions, you’d have driven your sword through me long ago. Would we still be calmly speaking here now?”
Huo Xiao Di snapped, “Don’t get ahead of yourself! Just because my deductions have flaws doesn’t mean you’re completely innocent. If you are, then how do you explain the Shang Qing Temple’s unique skill, the Great Compassion Palm, landing under your ribs? Did it just wander there on its own?”
Zhan Ri Fei hesitated before finally replying, “If I don’t tell you, I fear I’ll never have peace. Since you’re already at odds with the Xiang Yang Prince’s household, it’s only a matter of time before you learn the truth. To be honest, the Great Compassion Palm is no longer exclusive to Shang Qing Temple.”
Huo Xiao Di demanded, “Who else could wield this technique? Shang Qing Temple has stood for a century, producing countless talented practitioners. How could their Great Compassion Palm have been stolen?”
Zhan Ri Fei replied, “The Great Compassion Palm was never written down in a manual. It has always been passed orally from master to disciple, so there was no manual to steal.”
Huo Xiao Di frowned. “Then how could anyone else have learned it? Are you suggesting Shang Qing Temple has allied with the Xiang Yang Prince? That doesn’t align with their temple’s strict rules.”
Zhan Ri Fei said, “Shang Qing Temple has not submitted to the Xiang Yang Prince, but the Great Compassion Palm has indeed been passed outside their temple. The monks have kept this a closely guarded secret.”
He sighed softly and added, “Sometimes, saving face matters a great deal.”
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