Impersonation?
Mingshi Yin was stunned when he heard his master’s words.
Up until now, Wei Zhuoyan had managed to counter all the accusations leveled against him, but this accusation seemed to make him shudder. His eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Lu Zhou. “O-old senior… I don’t understand what you mean.”
Lu Zhou said, “Wei Zhuoyan is renowned on the battlefield… He commands three armies. When he led his men on the campaign against Rongbei, they fought an intense battle against the Other Tribes, and he even sprouted his seventh leaf mid-battle…”
Wei Zhuoyan did not understand where Lu Zhou was going with these talks.
Lu Zhou’s disciples felt the same way as well. However, for their master to say such words, there must be a reason for it. They stood respectfully with their arms at their sides as they obediently listened to their master’s words.
“His cultivation base is profound, and his status high… He’s truly a general who rose to his rank by crawling up a pile of bodies,” Lu Zhou said.
Upon hearing this, Wei Zhuoyan slumped to the floor. His face turned ghastly pale.
Little Yuan’er and Duanmu Sheng were still puzzled, but realization had already dawned on the intelligent Mingshi Yin.
Mingshi Yin pointed at Wei Zhuoyan and said, “I get it now! You’re just an impostor. This explains everything!”
Upon hearing Mingshi Yin’s words, the others finally understood what was going on.
Wei Zhuoyan’s mind turned blank.
Mingshi Yin stepped forward and pointed at Wei Zhuoyan as he said, “I finally understand what master is trying to say… You’ve been acting all this while… I thought that you were strange. You want to be a scapegoat? I must say I’m impressed by your resolve. Alas… Your cultivation base isn’t right, your mannerism, words, and actions are too unnatural. Although you tried your best to act as if death is your old friend, you lack the decisiveness and killing intent of a soldier! Hm… I’m right, aren’t I?”
In the beginning, everyone thought Wen Zhuoyan was concealing his cultivation base. As it turned out, he really was not concealing his cultivation base.
“…” Duanmu Sheng and Little Yuan’er looked at Mingshi Yin as if he was a madman.
‘Isn’t he ashamed of being the insufferable know-it-all after the truth is revealed?’
Mingshi Yin continued, “Also, it’s said that Wei Zhuoyan’s deputies were powerful as well. Even if they didn’t have seven leaves, they have at least three or four leaves. However, you only brought a ragtag group of soldiers with you. Why don’t you come clean and tell us your name? Are you Wei Zhuouan’s twin brother?”
Mingshi Yin’s questions at the end were the same questions Lu Zhou had in his mind.
In truth, the moment ‘Wei Zhuoyan’ entered the great hall, Lu Zhou had already known he was an impostor. His Eye of Truth had revealed the impostor’s cultivation base to him.
Mingshi Yin glanced at his master and understood what he meant. He turned back to Wei Zhuoyan and said with a deep voice, “I’m telling you… We know you’re an impostor. I don’t care what your reasons are for taking the fall for Wei Zhuoyan, but the Evil Sky Pavilion won’t let Wei Zhuoyan off the hook even after your death! You’ll only die in vain!”
“…” The impostor gulped nervously. Sweat was trickling down his face. His expression had also turned slightly sour.
“Tell us, what’s your name?”
At this juncture, it was clearly futile to keep up pretenses. He knew the Evil Sky Pavilion would not let this rest. If he remained stubborn, he would only die here in vain. In the end, he said, defeated, “Wei Zhuoran…”
“His twin brother?”
“Wei Zhuoyan is my older cousin…” Wei Zhuoran said.
“That’s no different from a brother… He’s quite vicious to send you to die in his place! What a cheap trick,” Mingshi Yin said scornfully.
Wei Zhuoran shook his head. He seemed relieved now. “If I don’t die… my entire family, 100 of them, will die.”
Mingshi Yin clapped his hands and said, “Truly vicious! It seems like Wei Zhuoyan truly has what it takes to be the commander-in-chief of the three armies.”
“I have no choice!”
“It’s true that you didn’t have a choice… You must’ve practiced a lot back home just to put up this show. When I first saw you, I thought you’re a great general. After all, nobody in the Evil Sky Pavilion has ever seen Wei Zhuoyan. Your hard work is commendable. Alas, you couldn’t fool my master’s eyes,” Mingshi Yin said, not forgetting to flatter his master at the end.
‘Old Fourth really is a master of flattery.’
Duanmu Sheng cupped his fists and said, “Master, regardless of his identity, we should kill all of them here. Then, we’ll send word to Wei Zhuoyan and demand that he surrenders.”
Lu Zhou ignored Duanmu Sheng. He looked at Wei Zhuoran appraisingly before he looked at soldiers standing behind Wei Zhuoran.
The soldiers were long past their breaking point. Their limbs were limp, and their faces white with shock.
Lu Zhou shook his head. He looked at Wei Zhuoran and said, “I’ll give you a chance to live… This includes your family as well.”
Wei Zhuoran was stunned! He had trouble processing Lu Zhou’s words.
Lu Zhou continued, “From this day on, you’ll be the real Wei Zhuoyan!”
“…”
His disciples were stunned as well.
Wei Zhuoran asked, “What do you mean?”
Mingshi Yin said with a smile, “That’s brilliant, master! Wei Zhuoyan commands the three armies after all. If he dies, there’s sure to be chaos… Just as well. You can take his place and continue to play the part of Wei Zhuoyan. This is called beating someone at their own game.
Everyone else understood Lu Zhou’s plan now.
Wei Zhuoran swallowed. He regarded the villains around him warily.
“What? You’re unwilling?” Mingshi Yin asked. “In that case, you can die… Your family, and your cousin, Wei Zhuoyan, will still have to die! That’s the golden rule for my master. There’s no room for exception.”
“I… I…” It was clear that Wei Zhuoran was lacking in confidence. However, even if the people of the palace found out that he was an impostor, would they dare to expose him? For as long as Great Yan stood, the people with power would naturally understand that it was more important to prioritize the bigger picture.
Lu Zhou waved his arm and said, “Lock them up… Don’t let them leave before Wei Zhuoyan’s dead.”
“Yes, master.”
Just when Duanmu Sheng was about to bring Wei Zhuoran away, Zhao Yue rushed into the great hall. A female disciple from the Derived Moon Palace female cultivator was next to her. “Master, Junior Sister Tianxin is showing some changes!”
Mingshi Yin, Little Yuan’er, and Duanmu Sheng were shocked.
Lu Zhou appeared calm.
Zhao Yue continued, “I don’t understand. Her dantian’s sea of Qi has clearly been disabled, but she’s absorbing Primal Qi! I find this confusing and would like to ask for your opinion, master.”
Lu Zhou said nothing. Instead, he walked out of the great hall with his hands on his back.
Little Yuan’er and Mingshi Yin hastily followed him.
Duanmu Sheng waved his Overlord Spear at Wei Zhuoran and shouted, “Let’s go, future Great General Wei!”
In no time at all, Lu Zhou and the others arrived at the south pavilion and outside of the room where Ye Tianxian was kept. They were still some steps away when they felt the faint waves of Primal Qi from the room.
It was not strong. However, this should have been impossible for a cultivator whose dantian’s sea of Qi had been disabled.
Lu Zhou waved his hand. The door was opened. He was greeted by a shocking scene.
Ye Tianxin was levitating above the bed. Her body was gleaming with a faint radiance, the color of white jade. She was absorbing the Primal Qi in the surroundings. Her skin tone was slowly recovering, and her white hair was slowly darkening…
Incredible!
Lu Zhou remained calm as he observed Ye Tianxin’s changes.
