The sheer force required to cause such a commotion with internal energy alone suggested the person possessed at least the fourth level of Neijin strength, but it was the subsequent resonant voice that managed to quiet the incensed crowd.
Medical Saint Martial Sect?
Were there any present who didn't know that the Medical Saint Martial Sect was founded by Zhang Yang of the Zhang family, the Medical Saint? Yet, none of those present recognized the person standing before them, and no one dared believe he was affiliated with the Medical Saint Martial Sect!
Qiao Yihong stood at the doorway, gazing at the now-silent crowd, finally feeling a measure of relief. The name of the Medical Saint Martial Sect indeed carried weight. If not for that, even with the evidence he held regarding the conspiracy between the traitor Long Jiang of the Long family and the northwestern Zhao family, he would not have been able to bring this emotionally charged scene under control.
“Yes, it is Senior Qiao from the Medical Saint Martial Sect!”
From the rear of the crowd, Zhao Zhicheng and Zhao Zhibing exchanged a look, instantly recognizing the man as Qiao Yihong, before exclaiming in surprise.
The crowd turned their heads one after another, seeing that the speaker was two unassuming individuals. Someone immediately recognized them as Zhao Zhicheng, the Sect Master of the Yitian Sect, and his senior disciple, Zhao Zhibing, who had previously offended the Medical Saint Martial Sect at the foot of Kunlun Mountain.
“Ah, I think I have seen this person before. At that time, he was following right behind Zhang Yang as they entered the Long Family Plains!”
A nun dressed in simple robes stepped forward. She was Abbess Juechen of the Nanhai Putuo Gate, and she did recognize Qiao Yihong’s identity.
Hearing Abbess Juechen’s confirmation, coupled with Zhao Zhicheng’s statement, no one doubted Qiao Yihong’s identity any longer.
Long Shou-si, still lying on the ground, convinced his plot had succeeded, suddenly felt his entire body stiffen. The moment he heard Qiao Yihong’s voice, his heart lurched with a sense of impending doom.
“Everyone, I have been sent by the Master of the Medical Saint Martial Sect to inform you all: do not fall for the schemes of petty villains, do not be manipulated!”
Qiao Yihong stood squarely before the crowd, brimming with confidence, radiating the imposing aura of one man holding back ten thousand. He continued, “The Myriad Year Peach is not yet ripe, and the Long family never dispatched disciples to attack you. All of this is a conspiracy orchestrated by the Long family traitor, Long Jiang, in league with the northwestern Zhao family!”
Qiao Yihong’s words were like a thunderclap dropped into a placid lake, immediately causing a massive splash as the crowd erupted into an uproar once more.
“What is the meaning of this? Are you saying the Long family did not attack our various sects, nor did they embezzle the Myriad Year Peach?”
The burly man from the Xin family of the Northeast was the first to step forward and question him.
“Precisely!”
“Then the person who killed Liu Bai of the Liu family earlier—was he not a Long family disciple?!”
The burly man from the Northeast then pointed at Long Shou-si, still sprawled on the ground, and pressed his question again.
“He is a Long family disciple!”
Qiao Yihong glanced at Long Shou-si once before giving a firm affirmation.
The crowd paused, seemingly taken aback by Qiao Yihong’s direct answer.
“This…”
Even the burly man from the Northeast faltered, then spoke angrily, “Since he is a Long family disciple and personally killed Liu Bai, doesn't that sufficiently prove the Long family sent people to attack our major sects!”
“Everyone, please remain calm. Why don't you all listen to this first!”
Qiao Yihong was entirely unruffled. He had only shown himself now; naturally, he had spent the prior time gathering evidence. Without absolute certainty, he would not have presented himself here! As long as he stabilized the crowd, he would find a way to make them believe this was merely a plot hatched by the Long family traitor and the northwestern Zhao family, designed to incite everyone against the Long family!
“What evidence is it? Show it quickly!”
“Yes, even if you are from the Medical Saint Martial Sect, you must speak with proof!”
...
Qiao Yihong’s gaze cut through the crowd, ignoring their shouts, landing directly on Long Shou-si. Their eyes locked.
Long Shou-si’s heart tightened, his hands involuntarily clenching into fists.
“Everyone, listen to these voices. Do they sound familiar!”
Qiao Yihong fumbled on his person and pulled out a small, exquisite recording pen. The crowd blinked in surprise. While they focused intently on cultivation, relying far more on themselves than on external objects, they were not entirely unfamiliar with such mundane worldly items.
Seeing the device in Qiao Yihong’s hand, Long Shou-si’s mouth fell open in disbelief. He couldn't imagine Qiao Yihong carrying such a thing. Ordinary cultivators never carried such items on their person, and their Neijin enhanced five senses usually made them disdainful of such things. Long Shou-si racked his brain but could not fathom why Qiao Yihong would possess it.
Qiao Yihong pressed the play button on the recording pen, and a segment of dialogue immediately emanated, not loudly, but clearly audible to every person present.
“Brother Du, my third brother and I undertake all this purely for revenge against the Long family; we have no other sinister motive. We have absolutely no interest in the Myriad Year Peach about to emerge on Kunlun Mountain. As long as you agree to join forces with us, I guarantee the Myriad Year Peach will belong to you and Brother Zhao!”
...
“It’s simple. Next, I will have my fourth brother pose as the Long family disciple who ambushed you all and killed Liu Bai. Then, Brother Zhao and Brother Du will join me in publicly subduing my fourth brother in front of everyone. At that point, my fourth brother will naturally frame the Long family to incite public outrage.”
“Once everyone is incensed, a little manipulation will be enough to prompt the major families to besiege the Long Family Plains. At that moment, Brother Zhao and Brother Du, you just need to slip away back here, and I will take you to the location of the Myriad Year Peach.”
Pat.
Qiao Yihong turned off the recorder and put the pen away. After following Zhang Yang, he had focused entirely on cultivation, but he hadn't thrown away the old tools he used for eating; he never expected these things would prove useful here.
Once the recording finished playing, nearly all the sect masters and patriarchs present turned their heads simultaneously, their gazes towards Long Shou-si so fierce they seemed capable of spitting fire. They clearly recognized the voices in the recording as those of Zhao Lei, the current head of the Zhao family, and several disciples from the Long family.
“You, how could you have…”
Long Shou-si still could not comprehend it. Qiao Yihong’s skill in concealing his presence must have been extraordinary; the fact that he managed to record this could only mean one thing: none of them had detected Qiao Yihong eavesdropping outside the tent at the time.
Qiao Yihong snorted coldly, suddenly looking toward Zhao Zhicheng and Zhao Zhibing in the rear of the crowd, and shouted loudly, “Brother Zhao, please step forward and confirm if this Long family disciple is the Elder who joined your Yitian Sect at the foot of Kunlun Mountain!”
The crowd unanimously turned to look at Zhao Zhicheng. He had already discerned Long Shou-si’s identity earlier, and in response to Qiao Yihong’s query, he instinctively nodded.
“Do you all understand now? This whole affair is a conspiracy orchestrated by the Long family traitor Long Jiang and this Long Shou-si, in league with the Zhao family, and they even dragged in the Du family! And the one who killed Liu Bai of the Liu family was none other than Long Shou-si!”
After pointing at Long Shou-si and laying out the facts, Qiao Yihong addressed the others: “I have already sent Ouyang Jiankang of the Ouyang family to Shaolin to invite Abbot Shi Cheng. If you do not believe me, you can wait for Abbot Shi Cheng to arrive, and then we can enter the Long family together to confront the Long family head, Long Haotian, personally.”
Qiao Yihong deeply understood that his objective was to expose Long Jiang’s plot and prevent these sect members from recklessly attacking the Long Family Plains, thereby buying more time for Zhang Yang to recover. This was why he had sent the Ouyang family members away early to Shaolin to fetch reinforcements, fearing he could not control the situation alone.
“Amitabha!”
Just then, outside the northwestern Zhao family camp, Ouyang Jiankang was accompanying Abbot Shi Cheng of Shaolin, walking slowly forward. Behind them followed Ouyang Hao and several Shaolin disciples, including Shi Fang.
Ouyang Hao was carrying a person. Qiao Yihong recognized the body at a glance as Long Jiu, a Long family disciple he had sent to Shaolin earlier with a message.
Abbot Shi Cheng approached, signaling Ouyang Hao to place Long Jiu’s corpse before everyone. He clasped his hands together and addressed the crowd: “This old monk was specially invited by Benefactor Ouyang to come here. However, on the road, I discovered the corpse of this Long family disciple, and the cause of his death was the Long family’s signature technique, the Reverting Dragon Palm.”
A Long family disciple killed by the Long family’s most renowned skill—the crowd was in an uproar, all eyes fixed on Long Shou-si!
Long Shou-si now knew his cause was utterly lost, with no chance of turning back. He struck the ground with one palm, then launched himself into the air. He no longer showed any sign of injury, vanishing like a gust of wind, intent on fleeing the scene!
“Trying to run?”
Qiao Yihong had been anticipating this move from Long Shou-si. His feet suddenly accelerated! The Qiao family’s cultivation method was not only uniquely suited for stealth and disguise but also granted him extraordinary speed. When he was only at the late third level in Changjing, his speed had nearly matched Zhang Yang’s. Now that he had advanced to the fourth level, his short-burst speed had increased significantly!
Long Shou-si had only managed to flee a few dozen meters before Qiao Yihong surged over a hundred paces to block his path.
“You ruined my great plan!”
Seeing Qiao Yihong blocking him, Long Shou-si’s eyes were bloodshot. He stopped running entirely and lashed out with a palm strike towards Qiao Yihong, attempting to kill him instantly with the Descending Dragon Palm!
Qiao Yihong sneered. Before his breakthrough after gaining enlightenment before the Leshan Giant Buddha, he surely wouldn't have been a match for Long Shou-si. But now, he was utterly transformed. Long Shou-si’s palm strike, though vicious, was significantly weakened by his chaotic state of mind. Qiao Yihong easily dodged it and countered with a punch that struck Long Shou-si’s chest with irresistible force!
Long Shou-si staggered back after taking the blow. As he tried to suppress the internal discomfort and attack again, he was already sandwiched between Abbot Shi Cheng of Shaolin and Ouyang Jiankang, who had arrived moments later. He was immediately subdued and captured!
“Don’t be afraid of the Long family or the Zhang family! The Myriad Year Peach is in the Long family home. As long as you conquer the Long family, the Myriad Year Peach will be yours, uhm—”
Long Shou-si remained unyielding even after being captured and continued shouting, but before he could finish, Ouyang Jiankang instantly clamped a hand over his mouth.
Despite the blatant temptation in everything Long Shou-si said, the assembled crowd remained utterly still. They had clearly witnessed Long Shou-si being defeated by Qiao Yihong of the Medical Saint Martial Sect in a single exchange. If even an ordinary member from the Medical Saint Martial Sect possessed such formidable strength, who among them dared to challenge the Long family now?