Manzhushahua·Banhua

Chapter 7 The Truth
Ye Tianzheng's eyes were always looking at the sky outside, he raised his head and didn't speak, as if he didn't hear a word of his best friend's questioning.Such a dazed expression made Yu Xiao on the side feel cold, and he couldn't help tugging on his sleeve secretly.After a long time, he slowly raised his right hand to his eyes, his eyes dimmed: "It was this hand that left Tian Lai in that fire pit eight years ago."

"Eight years ago?" Nangong Mo blurted out in surprise, "The last time the Moon Worship Sect invaded the villa?"

"Yes, at that time, I failed to bring Tian Lai out." Ye Tianzheng smiled wryly, his face pale, "I pulled out the jade flute, but left her in the fire...she fell into the In the hands of Moon Worship Sect."

Nangong Mo asked in disbelief: "But why do you want to cover up? Why didn't you tell our Nangong family?"

"Let Yuxiao replace Tianlai, that's my father's idea, no one dares to object." Ye Tianzheng smiled, lowered his head to look at his hand, which was pale and slender, able to hold the sharpest sword in the world, but missed the sharpest sword in the world. Important person, "And we didn't hide it from your Nangong family. Your father should have known the truth when the incident happened."

"How is it possible?" Nangong Mo was as shocked this time as the moment he saw Yuxiao's true face, "How is it possible? My father... my father never told me! He has been urging this marriage to be completed as soon as possible! know the truth?"

"Of course your father can't tell you. If you know, how can you agree?" Ye Tianzheng smiled, looking at the shocked face of his best friend, "In that case, the marriage between the Nangong family and the Ye family will be over... Your father, as the master of the Cauldron Pavilion , How much he hopes to unite the martial arts forces in the south to stabilize his position as the overlord of the Central Plains and prevent the expansion of the Moon Worship Sect. As for whether the wife he marries is Tian Lai, what difference does it make? As long as it is the second lady of the Ye family in name .”

"Nonsense...nonsense!" Nangong Mo backed up again and again, kicked down a chair, and said sharply, "How could there be no difference! This woman is not Xiao Yezi, why should I marry her?!"

"My father and I are worried about your violent temper," Ye Tianzheng smiled wryly, looking at his angry best friend, "you know, the marriage of children from a family like ours is not a private matter between a man and a woman, but The matter between the two families. Nangong, you have always acted rashly and refused to consider the family and the overall situation. Do you know how much your father has worried about you? Why haven't you improved in the past ten years? "

"Fuck the family situation! Grow up?" Nangong Mo suddenly sneered, looking at Ye Tianzheng in front of him like a stranger, "Grow up enough to throw away Little Yezi like you, and then play such a shameful trick?"

Ye Tianzheng's pale face suddenly turned pale, bent down as if he had been stabbed, and coughed slightly.However, when he turned his head and saw Nangong Mo raised his head and turned around, he stopped immediately: "Nangong, where are you going?"

"I'm going to find Xiao Ye Zi." Nangong Mo took a long breath, glanced at his close friend with a sneer, then at Yu Xiao who was pale, and nodded, "Okay, you want her, not Xiao Ye Zi—— But I still want it."

"There are no more little leaves! Nothing!" The bright sword light swept up before he stepped out of the Sword Test Pavilion, blocking his way. It was the Ye Family sword technique that he was no longer familiar with.Ye Tianzheng made a sudden move and stopped him in front of the gate, his face pale as death: "Little Ye Zi died eight years ago... in the fire pit. When you go back, the only one you will find is the Moon Worshiper!"

"Go away!" Nangong Mo drew his sword without backing down, and struck, staring at his best friend in front of him, with complex expressions in his eyes: anger, disappointment, pity and contempt, "Ye Tianzheng, how dare you stop me?" ?! If it wasn't for you... If you hadn't thrown Little Leaf into the fire for this maid, how could she have become like this? I ask you...I ask you, how could you bear it? How could you bear it! She relied on you like that This brother, you—"

"I didn't do it on purpose... I didn't do it on purpose!" For the first time in so many years, someone mercilessly questioned him face to face. Ye Tianzheng lowered his sword in a slump, his face pale, "At that time, all the people in the villa went to fight separately. It’s gone, there’s only me and Tian Lai in the Jiange Trying Pavilion... The fire started, and the two elders of the Devil’s Cult intercepted me... I finally got rid of it, I rushed into Tian Lai’s room through the smoke, pulled her up and ran without looking back. Run, keep running, dare not stop for half a step. The burning house is collapsing... Finally, I dragged her out, but——!"

The long sword fell from his hands to the ground, Ye Tianzheng sat down slumped, covered his face with his hands, and suddenly choked up: "But when I turned around, I saw that the person pulled out was not Tian Lai! With a bang, the Jiange Pavilion collapsed."

Yu Xiao quickly went up to support him, her fingers trembling slightly.

"After that, I became seriously ill and fell into a coma for several days. I remembered that when I rushed in, I heard Tian Lai crying in the fire. The sound is still in place, getting farther and farther away..." Ye Tianzheng's face was pale, his slender fingers grabbed his hair convulsively, and the wound that never healed burst open again, "I slept all night No way... I thought about how scared Tian Lai must have been at that time! —— She is so young, and she can only rely on me as an elder brother. There are fires everywhere, but I dragged others and ran away without looking back!"

"Tianzheng..." Nangong Mo was stunned when he heard this, and he couldn't help but put down the Soul-killing Sword in his hand.

"At that time, I thought Tian Lai died in the fire... Later, after the catastrophe passed, my father concealed the news of Tian Lai's death. Instead, he made the mistake and let Yuxiao, who I pulled out of the fire, pretend to be the second young lady of the Ye family..." Ye Tianzheng lifted At the beginning, I glanced at Yuxiao beside me, with deep and complicated eyes, and suddenly smiled bitterly, "I think, probably because my father discussed with the Nangong family, and felt that even if this happened, the marriage between the two families still needs to be completed. Let Li Daitao stiff."

"Then you...then why didn't you tell me?" Nangong Mo looked at the fake Second Miss Ye in a daze, remembering that Xiao Yezi fell into the hands of the Demon Sect so many years ago, and couldn't help but feel pained, " My father is hiding it from me, and you are also hiding it from me? You, what do you think I am?"

There was a bitter smile on the corner of Ye Tianzheng's mouth, and he looked up at his friends who grew up together: "Nangong, I don't know what you think? You...you actually like Tian Lai very much, right? If you know that Tian Lai died at the hands of the Moon Worship Sect, would you I must be desperate to avenge her—and after discussing with your father, I feel that before the time comes, we must never go to war with the Moon Worship Sect! And the marriage between the Ye family and the Nangong family must also be completed. If you know, you must It's going to mess with what we're trying to maintain."

"Tianzheng?" Nangong Mo was fascinated by the sound, and stared blankly at his friend in white clothes like snow. He felt that he was completely unfamiliar. He suddenly laughed, "Okay, okay! So you all think I'm a fool! This damn impostor married here? Is it because I'm afraid that I will see through the real face?"

"After so many years, you are not a thoughtful person, so it's not that you're afraid that you'll see it through—so what if you know it? With the approval of your father and the Ye family, who dares to say that she isn't the real Tian Lai?" Wei Wei sneered. However, seeing the anger in the opponent's eyes, Ye Tianzheng's pupils suddenly froze. He raised his hand and opened Nangong Mo's hand pointing at Yuxiao, and stood up, "It's Yuxiao who refuses to marry... I can't bear to force her, because I don't want her to leave either. Over the years, I can't live without her."

Nangong Mo looked at the pair of fake brothers and sisters in front of him, and suddenly couldn't help but smile bitterly——So it's like this... It turns out that those rumors outside are indeed not groundless.For many years, they have depended on each other to support the villa, and guarded this shady secret together. The two people who were supposed to be master and servant have established a relationship that cannot be spoken for outsiders, right?

"You can't blame her—you can blame everyone in this matter, but you shouldn't blame Yuxiao. She has done nothing wrong. For eight years, she has lived a shameful life for our Ye family. Do you think it is Is she willing?" Ye Tianzheng gently pulled her behind, as if he was afraid that Nangong Mo would get angry with Yu Xiao, "She obeyed my father's last order, to play the role of the second young lady, and do her best for the villa— — she did nothing wrong."

Yu Xiao lowered her head, did not speak, her expression changed complicatedly, showing a hint of shame.

"Yes, yes! She did nothing wrong!" Seeing Ye Tianzheng subconsciously defending that woman, Nangong Mo suddenly felt angry and laughed, "She did nothing wrong, so she replaced Tian Lai as Ye The Second Miss of the Family!—Everything that Tian Lai should have, including your brother, has been replaced by others! She did nothing wrong, could it be Xiao Yezi who did something wrong?!"

Such direct rebuke made Ye Tianzheng's already pale face even paler.As if a fire was burning, he let go of Yuxiao's hand, a wry smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and unfolded the broken skirt in his hand: "Yes, they are all right—the only one who is wrong is me. So When I saw this token and knew that Tian Lai was coming home, I knew she must hate me."

On the unfolded skirt, small bloody handprints were in sight, Nangong Mo gasped: "Where did you tear this skirt...? How do you know that Xiao Yezi is coming back for revenge?"

Slowly rubbing the skirt, Ye Tianzheng's face was a little dazed, and he shook his head: "I don't know, my father told me before he died: If one day sees a bloody handprint on the skirt, it is Tian Lai came back to take revenge——Before that, I always thought that Tian Lai had died in that fire. I never thought that it was the Moon Worship Sect who took her away in the fire! She should hate me... The disaster is overwhelmed At that time, I, the elder brother, abandoned her in the fire pit."

Nangong Mo looked at his friend in disbelief, not understanding how many secrets Luo Fuye's family had hidden, and even in this way, the father and son never told each other frankly.

"I sent someone out to tell her that if she is willing to let Jianjian Villa go, then I will let her handle it—but she won't...she won't let it go!" Ye Tianzheng threw the skirt to Nangong Mo, The voice trembled uncontrollably, "She insisted that I kill Yu Xiao with my own hands and exchange her head! She even turned all the seniors who loved her in the villa into zombies, leaving no one behind! It has completely changed... She is now the leader of the Moon Worship Sect, and she is no longer the former Tian Lai. My heart is cold."

Nangong Mo recalled the scene he saw in Fufengzhai before, the girl clapping her hands and laughing watching Luo Baihui and Shi Jie kill each other, suddenly a biting cold surged up in her heart, and the hand holding the skirt trembled .

Yes, yes... completely changed.

He also remembered how the two famous swordsmen of the Sword Trial Villa loved Ye Tianlai, and Tianlai also liked to pester them, one uncle at a time.But now, she can actually smile and clap her hands to watch the two kill each other under her control!

Really...has it really changed?That little Ye Zi, that girl who looked at him and Ye Tianzheng with a smile under the phoenix flower, died in the fire eight years ago, and now is another strange cult leader alive?

"I don't regret my death; Yuxiao is not wrong, she shouldn't be blamed." Seeing Nangong Mo's pensive expression, Ye Tianzheng stepped forward, picked up the sword with a wry smile, "but even if I die and apologize, she She will not let the Sword Trial Villa go as promised! She is no longer the Tian Lai she used to be, Nangong. Fortunately, she let you go... Now, maybe only you can save the entire Sword Trial Villa."

"Me?" Nangong Mo's hand trembled suddenly, and he sneered, "Do you want me to kill Xiao Yezi?"

"If killing Tianlai can stop the expansion of the Moon Worship Sect, then we have to do it!" Ye Tianzheng's eyes were cold and stern, and there was no hint of a joke, "If the Sword Trial Villa falls into the hands of the Moon Worship Sect, the entire southern border They were all under the control of the cult!——And then? Then you think the Central Plains martial arts can stay out? Your Nangong family and our Luo Fuye family have known each other for many years, and they have already established an offensive and defensive alliance. With the expansion of the barrier, now that the Ye family has fallen, the leader of the Nangong family, the Central Plains Wulin, must face the Demon Sect! As the eldest son, will you be able to shirk this responsibility?"

He has never paid much attention to the competition between the various forces in the martial arts world, but at this moment when he heard his friend sharply analyzing the future trend, it was as if a pot of cold water had been poured on his head, making Nangong Mo chill to the bone.

Although he has always been unruly, he also knows that there is no balance between good and evil in martial arts, and the Miaojiang Moon Worship Sect, which is also known as the Great Bright Palace of the Western Regions, is regarded as one of the two largest cults in the world by the Central Plains martial arts.Over the years, the mutual attacks between the two sides have never stopped. Whenever the Moon Worship Sect intends to expand northward and invade the Sword Trial Villa, the father who sits in the Dingjiange will send troops to support, unite and resist side by side.

And now... the one who became the leader of the Moon Worship Sect is actually Xiao Yezi?

That is to say, the whole martial arts forest, including Jianjian Villa, Dingjiange, and even his father and him, must completely stand opposite Xiao Yezi, and they must put each other to death before giving up?
——"If you turn around at this moment and act as if you have never been here, then the matter between me and Luo Fuye's family will have nothing to do with you in the slightest. If you take another step forward, there will be no turning back!"

Vaguely, he remembered the cold words of the girl in Fufeng Village, and finally understood the reason why she didn't want him to be involved.

Yes, there is no turning back... Faced with such a life-or-death situation, he has to make a choice of which side to stand on, and there is no escape.He is from the rivers and lakes, and he lives in this rivers and lakes full of traps.

"Tonight is the deadline. When the time comes, Tian Lai... No, the Lord of Worshiping the Moon will drive her zombies here and destroy everything. The original manpower of the villa has been lost by half in the past three months, and even the four famous swords are only There is only one Sun Feng left. Nangong, you are the only one who can fight with me." Ye Tianzheng's tone was always calm, and he turned to look at the dazed Nangong Mo, "If I falsely claim to offer the head of Yuxiao, Then we were able to get as close as three feet to her body——At that time, the two of us teamed up and used the swordsmanship we had practiced before to combine our swords. I gave up my life not to block those zombies for you, you should have a chance to kill her!—— That's the only chance."

"Shut up... Shut up!" Such a cold and calm plan was heard, and Nangong Mo finally cried out unbearably, "You want me to join hands with you to kill Xiao Yezi? Are you crazy? Are you crazy?"

"It's not Xiao Yezi! It's not her anymore! What we are going to kill now is the Moon Worshiper!" Ye Tianzheng's face was pale and stern, and he slapped Nangong Mo's chest, "You know how many times I begged her to explain to her Back then I pulled the wrong person inadvertently, and begged her to let go of Jianjian Villa, but did she listen?! She wanted to turn everyone here into zombies! Even Luo Baihui and Shi Jie would not let go... even No one will be let go! Can you find another way? If we can't find a way to stop her before sunrise tomorrow, everyone in this villa will become zombies!"

Unexpectedly, he was slapped severely by his brother, Nangong Mo was stunned suddenly, looking at Ye Tianzheng's face that had become a little hideous because of despair, his handsome and calm eyes were only full of desperate murderous intent and grief at this moment.

"You're crazy... I'm not going crazy with you." Nangong Mo and Ye Tianzheng looked at each other for a moment, then suddenly dropped a sentence and turned their heads angrily, "That's Xiao Ye... That's Xiao Ye! You actually want to kill her?"

"Little Yezi is already dead. He died in the fire eight years ago." Ye Tianzheng stopped him, his eyes were like fire burning on ice, "If you want to escape, you won't be able to escape for a long time—Moon worship and Dingjiange, Sooner or later, it will be a battle of life and death! And at that time, Jianjian Villa has probably become a cemetery infested by zombies. Nangong, you must stop her! Just let me beg you, we brothers, now Jianjian Villa is facing extinction, please You help, don't you agree?"

Nangong Mo looked at his former friend, his expression changed drastically.

It was already dark outside, and outside the gate of the Jiange Test, the children of Zhuangzhong who were patrolling walked past in twos and threes, all of them looked sallow. It was obvious that the siege for many days had brought those people to the brink of collapse, both physically and mentally.One of the young dealers brought his younger sister over, and suddenly saw Nangong Mo, the young master of Dingjiange, standing by the door. His eyes lit up with excitement, and he said something softly to his younger sister, and the two siblings walked away together. Yuan bowed to him, expressing his gratitude to the person who came to help when he was in trouble.

Nangong Mo involuntarily bowed slightly to return the salute, looking around this villa that was once prosperous in southern Xinjiang but now full of decadence everywhere, thinking of the joy and care he received here when he was a child, he suddenly felt a block in his heart.

"Joining hands to stop her... is that right?" He secretly clenched the soul-killing sword in his hand, without turning his head to look at his best friend, he just nodded slowly, "Okay, let's guard this place together! —— just, hello cruel heart."

"Compared with the changes in the entire martial arts landscape, personal love and hatred are insignificant." Ye Tianzheng's hand trembled slightly, and then he held the saber steadily and turned his soul, without turning his head to look at Nangong Mo, "Father passed away In the end, I must be responsible for everything here—Master Nangong, if it is you, the Tripod Sword Pavilion, surrounded by the zombies driven by the Moon Worship Sect, you stand here as the pavilion master, facing those who entrusted life and death What should you do if you give the eyes of your subordinates?"

Nangong Mo was silent for a long time, but said, "I never thought my brother Ye Tianzheng would have died eight years ago."

"Yes," this time, Ye Tianzheng smiled faintly, turned his head and glanced at Nangong Mo, "Mr. Nangong, I never told you that Tian Lai was not the only one who died in the fire."

(End of this chapter)