Chapter 418 - 197: Deciphering the Zither

The problem was, the whole thing was too much of a coincidence.

Why would Ximen Feng just happen to discover the members of Heterodox Manor traveling late at night?

If Ximen Feng hadn’t tried to steal that chest, how could any of the subsequent events have occurred?

So, amid all these coincidences, Jiang Ran was certain that human intervention had to be a factor.

After using King Yan’s Fury on Ximen Feng, Jiang Ran learned that Ximen Feng had, in fact, known the people from Heterodox Manor all along.

Specifically, he knew Hai Dan of the Ghost Sect.

And Hai Dan had once put on a show of heroic chivalry right in front of him.

Although Ximen Feng had some skill, he was just starting out back then, and unbelievably naive.

He was a firm believer in "seeing is believing," so when he saw Hai Dan helping others, he trusted him completely.

Hai Dan told him that while Heterodox Manor was widely reviled, there were still good people within it... and he believed him.

Hai Dan then told him that the Hundred Treasures Association amassed the world’s wealth, taking from the people but never giving back to them—appearing righteous, but wicked in reality... and he believed that, too.

Hai Dan even told him that the only hope for changing Heterodox Manor rested with the Young Manor Lord. Unfortunately, he said, the world misunderstood him deeply; rumors and slander threatened to ruin him, while in truth, he was a man of great chivalry... and he still believed it.

That’s why he had spent the last few years targeting the Hundred Treasures Association.

Some of the treasures he stole, he dealt with himself, but the majority were handed over to people designated by Hai Dan.

Hai Dan would tell him the money from the sales was being used to help the common folk in this or that region, which made Ximen Feng feel his work wasn’t in vain.

As for why he acted against the Heterodox Manor group that night, it was because he overheard them discussing how the item had been stolen from the Young Manor Lord, and that they couldn’t let the Young Manor Lord get his way, and so on...

With Hai Dan’s previous words fresh in his mind, Ximen Feng didn’t hesitate for a second. He decided to steal the item back and return it to the Young Manor Lord.

And the result was everything that happened that night.

Jiang Ran had actually been lying a moment ago. Ximen Feng was far more foolish than one could imagine.

Even now, he still hadn’t suspected Hai Dan.

Nor had he suspected the Young Manor Lord.

But Jiang Ran had no intention of revealing the truth.

And other than having him create a counterfeit Jiaowei, Jiang Ran hadn’t told him anything else.

The Young Manor Lord, however, just shook his head gently.

"Believe it or not, I wasn’t the one who ordered them to do that that night."

"Regardless of the outcome, Ximen Feng is a far more useful pawn than you can imagine."

"But using him against you... The risk would be too great. It wouldn’t be worth it."

"So, you’re saying the Four Evil Sects acted on their own initiative."

Jiang Ran smiled. "Which is why you had to take the risk of appearing in person to rescue the Four Evil Sects from me... when in reality, you can’t break my saber technique at all."

"Guess."

The Young Manor Lord looked up at Jiang Ran.

He had been by Jiang Ran’s side as Man Shengming for some time now, and they had, after all, spent a good while together.

As such, he was well aware of Jiang Ran’s nasty habit of making people guess.

But Jiang Ran just laughed.

"No need to guess. If you could have broken my saber technique, you wouldn’t have had to leave that night."

"If you killed me, the Jiaowei would have been yours. Why go to all this trouble?"

"..."

The Young Manor Lord sighed. "It seems it was an easy guess... The Nine Shocking God Sabers are a source of great anguish for my Heterodox Manor."

As he said this, he couldn’t stop himself from coughing again.

At the same time, streaks of cyan marks appeared on his arm beneath his sleeve.

He quickly covered it with his sleeve, trying to prevent Jiang Ran from seeing.

Only after the violent coughing fit subsided did he look at Jiang Ran.

"But you... you still, in the end, don’t dare to face me head-on."

"That’s why you poisoned the zither."

"You’re afraid... You’re afraid I really can break your saber technique!"

But Jiang Ran shook his head.

"You’re wrong. It’s precisely because I was certain you *couldn’t* break it that I poisoned you."

"Otherwise, I would have had to personally take back the confidence I lost that night from you myself."

"...And you weren’t afraid you might have guessed wrong?"

"What would it have mattered if I had?"

Jiang Ran said coolly.

"..."

The Young Manor Lord was stunned for a moment, then understanding dawned on him.

He couldn’t help but burst into loud laughter.

"A pity... What a pity..."

"If... if I had been holding the real Jiaowei, you would have been no threat... Why? Why did the Jiaowei have to fall into the hands of someone like you?"

"I may have lost this battle, but I refuse to accept it... I can still fight you again..."

"Don’t be ridiculous."

Jiang Ran waved his hand. "Just die in peace. Do you have any idea how much your head is worth on the Sword Holding Department’s list?"

"Of course I know."

The Young Manor Lord sneered. "Fine silver... forty thousand taels!"

"Good that you know."

Jiang Ran grinned. "I’m just waiting for you to die so I can get rich."

"I have one more question..."

The Young Manor Lord looked at Jiang Ran.

"How exactly did you see through my identity?"

"I thought you wouldn’t ask."

Jiang Ran smiled. "Because I knew that while you were genuinely afflicted with the Seven Yin Annihilation at the very beginning, everything after that was just an act... Your poison was cured long ago."

"So the question is, during your so-called relapse that night, were you truly in unbearable pain from the Seven Yin Annihilation?"

"Or were you simply afraid to show yourself before me because you had been injured by my blade aura?"

"...But how could you possibly have known?"

The Young Manor Lord was even more bewildered.

"Because I’ve studied the Hundred Poison Scripture."

After receiving his reward from the Venerable Hundred Poisons, Jiang Ran’s first impulse had been to find Man Shengming and cure his poison.

But as it turned out, the man wasn’t poisoned at all.

At that point, Jiang Ran already knew there was something seriously wrong with Man Shengming.

However, at the time, Jiang Ran didn’t know his true identity, so he kept his suspicions to himself.

It wasn’t until the night of the Soul Shattering Array—when he had clearly fought the Young Manor Lord, only for Man Shengming to end up bedridden—that it all became clear.

At that point, everything was laid bare.

Thinking of this, Jiang Ran gave a faint smile.

"That medicinal pill you took earlier should be taking effect right about now, shouldn’t it?"

"Come on. It’s your turn for a final, desperate struggle..."

The Young Manor Lord’s expression changed dramatically.

"You... When did you get here?"

"Ever since you started to decipher the Jiaowei."

A smile touched the corners of Jiang Ran’s lips...