Chapter 99

In the silent Shaolin Temple, a cold wind seemed to rise, sending chills through the heroes gathered there.

What does the old monk Xuan Ci mean? Is a dead man coming back to life?

They all looked at each other, at a loss for what to do!

Suddenly, a gentle breeze really blew, and a black-clad figure descended from the sky like a large eagle, landing right in the center between the heroes and Xuan Ci. This sudden appearance from the sky was so unexpected that everyone was amazed and shouted in unison. When his feet touched the ground, they saw clearly that he was holding a long rope, the other end of which was tied to the top of a tree over ten zhang away. The man had a bald head and black hair, and was a monk, with his face covered in black cloth, revealing only a pair of cold, electric eyes.

The black-clad monk looked at Xuan Ci coldly, his eyes filled with unhidden killing intent.

"Xuan Ci, give me your life!" Suddenly, a scream like a cry from hell exploded in everyone's ears, startling the heroes. They widened their eyes and saw the black-clad monk leap forward like a leopard, flying up and striking Xuan Ci with a palm from mid-air.

"Amitabha!" Xuan Ci recited the Buddha's name, his voice filled with a sense of liberation.

Others might not have noticed, but Xuan Ci, who knew that Xiao Yuan Shan was not dead, recognized him the moment he saw him! His figure and his eyes were so familiar. If so, what was wrong with the old monk dying at his hands?

Behind Xuan Ci, Xiao Feng was also surprised and doubtful. Although he had also suspected whether his father was dead, he was not sure when Xiao Yuan Shan really appeared. Now, seeing Xiao Yuan Shan suddenly attack, Xiao Feng, without thinking, pulled Xuan Ci aside and struck back with his right hand.

The two palms met with a loud boom, the force so great that Xiao Feng's knees bent, and he stepped back several steps. Xiao Yuan Shan was also thrown out, flipping three times in the air before landing on the ground.

"Who are you?" Xiao Feng shouted coldly, his hands tightly clenched, his right hand red and the veins standing out.

Xiao Yuan Shan looked at Xiao Feng without answering, his fierce eyes showing a rare gentleness. Xiao Feng was stunned by his gaze, the thought that this was his father rising in his heart, his body trembling involuntarily.

"Y-You... Are you my father?" Xiao Feng's voice trembled, a mix of hope and disbelief.

Xiao Yuan Shan looked at Xiao Feng with surprise. He had felt strange since earlier, the secret that Xuan Ci had hidden for over thirty years suddenly revealed, and his last words suggested he suspected Xiao Yuan Shan was still alive. Now, Xiao Feng also called him Xiao Yuan Shan, indicating they both suspected he was still alive. But now, Xiao Yuan Shan no longer intended to hide it.

He slowly turned around, pacing in a circle, and said loudly, "Do you all want to know who I am?"

No one spoke, just looking at Xiao Yuan Shan, some nervous, some hopeful, some complex... Finally, Xiao Yuan Shan put his hand on the black cloth covering his face and tore it off, revealing his original appearance.

Seeing his face, the heroes were both surprised and delighted. Xiao Feng rushed forward, kneeling on the ground, and called out in a trembling voice, "Y-You... You are my father..."

Xiao Yuan Shan's appearance was too recognizable; he and Xiao Feng looked like they were carved from the same mold, the only difference being his age. So, as soon as they saw his face, everyone confirmed that this was the Khitan man Xiao Yuan Shan that Xuan Ci had spoken of.

He really wasn't dead!

Xiao Yuan Shan laughed heartily and said, "Good child, good child, I am indeed your father. We look so much alike that no one would doubt I am your father." He reached out, tore open his shirt, revealing a tattooed wolf's head, and with his left hand, pulled Xiao Feng up.

Xiao Feng also tore open his shirt, revealing the same wolf's head on his chest. The two walked side by side, suddenly looking up to the sky and howling, their voices like a raging wind, echoing through the valley, making thousands of heroes shiver.

Xiao Feng took out an oilcloth package from his chest, opened it, and unfolded a large white cloth. This was given to him by his teacher, saying it was left by his biological father, and the text on it was indeed Xiao Yuan Shan's last words.

Xiao Yuan Shan pointed to the last few words and laughed, "‘Xiao Yuan Shan's last words, Xiao Yuan Shan's last words!’ Ha ha, child, that day, in my grief, I jumped off a cliff to commit suicide, but fate had other plans. I fell onto the branches of a tree at the bottom of the valley and survived. Since then, my resolve to die was gone, and I was filled with the desire for revenge. That day at the Yanmen Pass, the heroes of Central Plains killed your mother, who couldn't defend herself. Child, do you think this revenge should be taken?"

Xiao Feng said, "The enmity of one's parents is a matter of life and death, how can it not be avenged?"

Xiao Yuan Shan said, "Most of those who harmed your mother have already been killed by me. The monk Zhi Guang, Tan Gong, Tan Po, and that man who called himself 'Zhao Qian Sun' were also killed by me. The former leader of the Beggar Sect, Wang Jian Tong, died of illness, which was a lucky break for him. But the 'great villain' who led them is still alive. Child, what do you think we should do with him?"

Everyone knew that the 'great villain' he referred to was Xuan Ci. Xuan Ci had already admitted this, and Xiao Feng was also fully aware. He knew that although the fault lay with Xuan Ci, the true villain was the one who had incited the attack.

"Father..." Xiao Feng hesitated, his face showing doubt.

Xiao Yuan Shan glared and shouted, "What? Don't you want to avenge your mother?"

"No, I will definitely avenge my mother, but this was not the fault of Abbot Xuan Ci. It was all due to the incitement of someone behind the scenes. We should seek revenge on the one who incited the attack." Xiao Feng explained hurriedly, and everyone understood. Xuan Ci had already said that he had received a message, which led him to gather the heroes to ambush at the Yanmen Pass.

Who was this person?

"Hmph!" Xiao Yuan Shan snorted and said, "Fine, who is this person?"

"This..." Xiao Feng hesitated again. They had already planned to lure Murong Bo to appear, but Murong Fu had not shown up yet. Murong Bo might be nearby, and if Xiao Feng spoke, wouldn't it alert him?

"Don't be fooled by this stinking monk. He must be using your kindness to fabricate a story to make us spare him." Xiao Yuan Shan pointed at Xuan Ci and shouted angrily.

Xuan Ci shook his head, not defending himself, but the monks behind him couldn't bear it and shouted, "Xiao Yuan Shan, don't slander us. Although my senior brother made a great mistake, he would not lie to the heroes."

"Ha ha... wouldn't lie... ha ha..." Xiao Yuan Shan laughed maniacally, pointing at Xuan Ci with a mocking look, "Xuan Ci, tell me, have you never broken the Shaolin rules?"

Xuan Ci was startled, thinking of Ye Erniang and the child he had never met, feeling deep sorrow, and remained silent. If he spoke, the reputation of Shaolin Temple would be ruined.

Bai Xiaosheng had been watching from the side. Seeing Xiao Yuan Shan pressuring Xuan Ci and about to expose Xuzhu and Ye Erniang, he immediately said, "Uncle, my elder brother's teacher has deduced all this. It was he who figured out that Uncle is still alive, so he left clues..." He then quickly signaled to Xiao Feng, "Elder brother, why don't you quickly take out the letter from the elder?"

Xiao Feng suddenly understood and immediately took out the two letters, handing them to Xiao Yuan Shan.

Xiao Yuan Shan was uncertain and suspicious, quickly reading the letters, becoming more and more surprised. After he survived, he had been searching for Xiao Feng but never found him, thinking those who killed his child and intended to massacre to avenge his son. Later, he heard that someone had taken Xiao Feng away, which reassured him, but he couldn't ignore his son, so he continued searching in the江湖.

Unfortunately, he couldn't find Xiao Feng until eighteen years later when Xiao Feng appeared in the江湖. He was overjoyed to find his son safe and with supreme martial arts, and he began his revenge.

Now, reading these two letters, he realized that the person who saved Xiao Feng had investigated him, though they didn't find him, they deduced he was still alive through clues. The letters also revealed Xiao Yuan Shan's background, which surprised him even more. They had delved deep into the Liao Dynasty to investigate him.

After finishing the letters, Xiao Yuan Shan was quite shocked. The letters didn't name the slanderer, but they did make some speculations. He looked at Xiao Feng coldly and said, "Feng'er, have you deduced who the slanderer is?"

Xiao Feng opened his mouth to speak, but at that moment, a Shaolin Temple guard shouted from outside, "Gusu Murong Fu has arrived!"

He's here!

Xiao Feng's eyes widened, and everyone turned to look behind them. Bai Xiaosheng looked relieved. If Murong Fu didn't come, the play couldn't go on, because without Murong Fu, Murong Bo would certainly escape.

'This is fate, fate cannot be defied!' Bai Xiaosheng thought happily as he watched Murong Fu walk in slowly.