The Anarchic Consort c1-1376

by Warring Young Seven

  He turned his face toward Zhuge Yun. "My kind nephew, throughout these years I know that you have held resentment toward me as you do toward the Ni Family. After all, our families used to be equally powerful. But ever since dear Brother Zhuge has passed on, the Zhuge Family started to have fallen by the day while the Ni family become increasingly reputable. Yet, I still wish the Zhuge Family well. Sonny, being headstrong is one thing, but climbing to the top by stepping on others' reputation is another thing. I will not stand for this. Everyone here can see with their own eyes how hard Xiao Feng has worked. Do you have any proof to back up your accusations against my Xiao Feng?"

  Hearing his words, the exorcists started to question, "Yeah, Young Master Yun what evidence do you have? Talking about Miss Feng like that?"

  In all, Zhuge Yun was a vigorous young man. He was straightforward and honest through and through. When he could not present any proof that they demanded, he was so frustrated he could smack his own head!

  Ni Feng observed him from the beginning as if knowing that he could not produce any proof against her. As such, she did not take him seriously.

  Relying on her family's reputation and her identity as the reincarnation of Phoenix Girl, she could basically do whatever she pleased for no one would question her. What a big bully!

  Zhuge Yun's eyes were reddened out of rage. He bellowed, "Since Uncle Ni has asked for it, then could Sister Ni be so kind as to explain what she thought of previously, and why she did not say it earlier? But somehow, after Brother Wei started explaining, she could suddenly explain it too! "

  Helian Wei Wei's gaze did not change, nor her expression betrayed any of her thoughts. However, when Zhuge Yun said these words, she sighed deeply.

  What a dumb child.

  Jumping straight into their obvious trap.

  But then again, he was fighting for her justice, for her sake...

  Helian Wei Wei did not say anything much. She only lightly tapped her side with her fingers, thinking calmly.

  Zhuge Yun was thinking that a fake person like Ni Feng could not possibly know what Brother Wei was going to say.

  However, out of his expectation, Ni Feng could actually rebut his words. Lightly coughing as if hiding her grief of being accused, she replied gently, "It's no wonder that Little Brother Yun would misunderstand me. I did not want to speak initially because it would spoil the relationship between a few families. But now, since we have come to this point, as Young Master Wei has said earlier. Even if the Qi of Yin energy corrupted the corpses, they would move extremely slow. It would be impossible for them to outpace us, much less showing up in such a manner on the beamed ceiling. That's because they were not moving corpses, but were carried over!"

  Just as Ni Feng finished her final sentence, all the exorcists opened their eyes wide in shock!

  His heart skipped a beat instantly.

  He suddenly understood. Indeed, Ni Feng initially did not know anything, but hearing Brother Wei's words, she quickly caught up with the rest of the story.

  This woman was smart, he would agree to that.

  Not just smart, but cunning as well.

  She allowed him to create a ruckus, just to shame himself and Brother Wei...

  Chapter 769 - Wei Wei’s Brilliant Counterattack (Part 1)

  If she really hit the nail on the head, it did not matter if she thought about it first. Even if she did not deserve the credit, it would be hers at the end of the day!

  The only helpless and useless people, in the end, would be himself and Brother Wei, but not this woman!

  Shameless!

  This is just plain shameless!

  Zhuge Yun clenched his fists tightly, glaring at Ni Feng. He hated this woman with all his guts. But even more than that, he hated his own impatience.

  However, if he had kept his silence at that point, all the credit would have gone to Ni Feng again!

  He would not allow that!

  Was he that helpless to stand by and let this woman steal the fruits of Brother Wei's labor?

  Zhuge Yun felt a bitterness filling his heart and a sour distaste in his throat.

  It was just so infuriating!

  Seeing Zhuge Yun's expressions, Ni Feng's tone took on an even gentler turn. As if she had finally proved her innocence, she continued with a pitiful tone, "The reason I did not raise this issue earlier was that I was scared it might cause distrust among us. I mean, now that we have a spy among us, we would start to feel uneasy. I never thought that Little Brother Yun would misunderstand."

  "Now that you mention it Young Lady Ni, it seems like it. To allow these two to reach this place earlier than us, and show up in such a weird position on the beamed ceiling, someone must have done something here." The exorcists turned solemn and looked at each other.

  To confirm Ni Feng's answer, others fixed their eyes on Zhuge Yun. "Master Yun, it seems that you have really misunderstood Young Lady Ni this time around. It would be wise to think thoroughly before you speak in the future. Your father was a respectable exorcist, do not let the Zhuge Family's hundred-year legacy fade away in your hands."

  These were heavy words.

  In ancient times, big families put a lot of emphasis on the family name, even more so for exorcist clans.

  Zhuge Yun had worked hard since young and refused to lag behind so that he could make his father proud.

  But now…

  Xiao Ling wanted to help him but could not find any way to do so. Back when they were going around in circles, he had known that there was a spy in their company. However, that would only prove Young Lady Ni's analysis right.

  Ni Hu was pleased with himself. He knew that as long as his elder sister was around, they could easily wipe out Zhuge Yun and the other two outsiders.

  So, they thought they could defeat my sister with some wits? They are too naive!

  See for yourself, they are done for now!

  Ni Hu was undeniably the most gleeful one in this incident.

  The same went for Ni Biao, the bad taste in his mouth had already been dispelled.

  A voice as clear as water rang up from the side again, "True, there certainly is a spy among us. But the reason the two bodies showed up here wasn't because of any spy. Young Lady Ni, it seems that you really do not know why I did not choose the East Gate in the first place."

  It was Helian Wei Wei, her lips curled into a smile as bright as the dawn. "Since you did not finish eavesdropping on our conversation, then let me fill you in on why we couldn't choose the East Gate. There was something there, and it wasn't a spy or anything of some sort. It's a living being that dwells in ancient tombs like this, like corpse bugs. Of course, the living thing itself is not a corpse bug, I will reveal its identity in a moment. Now, it's my turn to question you, Young Lady Ni. When we first entered the tomb, excluding the two deceased, there were 33 of us, and all 33 of us have never left the sights of each other. I believe we can vouch for each other on that. If there really was a spy, he would need to take time to carry the two bodies. How would he be able to carry the two bodies here all the while under everyone's supervision without getting caught?"

  Ni Feng was stumped by Helian Wei Wei's question and could not answer it. Her expression was hidden behind her white veil so she did not give anything away. However, her fingers slowly gripped into a fist.

  Ni Hu chose to speak at that moment, "Brother Wei, do you really know what you are talking about? If the spy wanted to evade our vision, all he had to do was just to use another door. It just seems to me that you are at the end of your wits and you have exhausted your use of vocabulary, asking these st*pid questions. In your pathetic attempt to fool us, you even pushed the blame onto an imaginary being in this tomb!"

  "I never thought that even Young Master Ni can be smart sometimes, too," Helian Wei Wei smirked at Ni Hu teasingly.

  Ni Hu took offense, "What do you mean by that?"

  "Nothing much, I just agreed with you," Helian Wei Wei said slowly and lazily. "As you have said, Young M
aster Ni, to evade the rest of us, they would have to use another gate. In case you have all forgotten, after we go through the South Gate, we encountered two other exits. It was then, Old Master Ni rearranged our groups. He said that only those who were loyal to the Ni Family could follow him. The rest who aren't would be allocated to different groups."

  "Now, here's the main point! How many of us were there? 33 people! That's right, no more or less, exactly 33 people, that means our numbers have never decreased since we entered the South Gate. Then, where did the spy come from?"

  Ni Hu was baffled by Helian Wei Wei's accurate memory of the numbers.

  He stood in place like a fool, eyes wide open, unable to utter another word.

  When Helian Wei Wei finished her previous sentence, the others inhaled in shock. With the truth being disclosed in front of them, they could not help but believe that Brother Wei was speaking the truth.

  After the exorcists were reminded by Helian Wei Wei's words, they suddenly remembered something.

  Another commotion had begun.

  "That's right, when we were split into groups, everyone was there. There was no way anyone else could have entered a different gate."

  "Does that mean that Guo Zi's body and Xiao Zi's body weren't taken away by spies?"

  "Of course not!"

  "Didn't you hear Brother Wei? It wasn't a spy, but something else in this tomb!"

  "Goodness! If that's the case, then Young Lady Ni…"

  Chapter 770 - Wei Wei’s Counterattack (Part 2: Speculation)

  Everybody turned to look at Ni Feng.

  At this point, it was clear to everyone that the person who was truly in the wrong was Lady Ni, not 'Brother Wei.'

  Ni Feng grasped her fingers tightly, her long sleeves hiding her nails that were sinking into her palms.

  Ni Hu could not act arrogantly anymore and curl in on himself. He just could not believe that someone actually won against his elder sister.

  Helian Wei Wei kept her composure all this while, saying, "Now, let us discuss, what kind of creature could have moved the Guo Zi and the other one's corpses here. Ever since we arrived, everyone solely focussed on the fact that the corpses have reached earlier than us. This has distracted us from a crucial point, which are the bodies themselves."

  "When a person dies, their body will leave many clues behind. For example, the way the bodies are hanging in the air looks suspicious. The limbs look as if they have decomposed and are hanging down unnaturally, as though they've been controlled like a puppet with strings. This isn't just your imagination, their bodies have indeed been manipulated! However, the creature did not control the bodies with strings. There's a type of strand stronger than the strings that humans use. Not only that, they are sticky, enabling them to catch their prey quickly and binding them tightly! Under normal circ.u.mstances, these strands are hard to detect. Only when they are shone with light, the strands will shine with a silver glimmer."

  Helian Wei Wei held her torch high, and tried to illuminate the body nearest to them. The onlookers looked closely and saw thin silver strands gleaming near the body's knees. They would not have noticed them unless they were looking specifically for it. What is that exactly?

  Helian Wei Wei looked at Ni Feng and said, "Their bodies disappeared at the Eastern Gate, but even if a spy took advantage of our blind spots, they shouldn't be able to vanish that quickly. None of us even had the time to react. We had only turned our backs to them and back, and the bodies went missing already. That speed was simply extraordinary. All living things, human or not, will leave trails, but there were none at the Eastern Gate. I am actually very concerned about this. What kind of creature can take away two bodies without even showing itself? I couldn't understand that, which was why I didn't choose to go through the Eastern Gate. Actually, according to Feng Shui, that gate was the nearest to the main coffin. Heh, Lady Ni, didn't you have a lot of ideas when you were choosing which gate to go through? Would you kindly share with us, why is the Eastern Gate closest to the main coffin?"

  Ni Feng was completely stunned, there was nothing she could say.

  They both knew that Ni Feng's previous choices were made based on the information that she eavesdropped from Wei Wei.

  Why is the Eastern Gate closest to the main coffin?

  How would I know that!

  Ni Feng tightened her grip even further.

  The others stared at her suspiciously before, but now their eyes were clouded with shock.

  Is Eldest Young Lady of the Ni Family a copycat all along?

  "Sister?" Sweat was dripping down Ni Hu's face in panic. Then, he looked over and sneered at Helian Wei Wei, "Brother Wei, you could've just explained everything to us directly. Stop throwing all these questions at my sister!"

  Helian Wei Wei's thin lips turned into a smile, as she replied, "It's simple, as corpse bugs mostly appear at the Western Gate, where people are buried. This royal tomb was originally built along the dragon pulse stretching from west to east. Usually, experienced builders would take this into consideration and place the main coffin in the deepest corner, which puts it furthest away from the sacrifices, to show the master's supreme status in the royal tomb. I believe Old Li knows more about this than I do," said Helian Wei Wei as she looked at Old Li.

  Old Li nodded in approval, saying, "Young Brother Wei is right, builders would use similar methods for the tombs of royalties or high officials. This is to prevent disturbance from humans in the future. The sacrificial tombs in front would help to protect the true tomb at the back. Most tomb robbers would get distracted by the coffins and traps in front. So, many would not survive to see the main coffin. This tomb entrance is left from the previous people who were searching for the dragon cave. When one reaches the middle of the royal tomb, the four doors will be found."

  Helian Wei Wei smiled and continued, "So, the main coffin has to be in the opposite direction of the Western Gate, which is the Eastern Gate! This gate is also the closest to the main coffin."

  They had never considered the direction of the cemetery before. Even though they were provided with the information at the beginning of the contest, they did not pay attention to minor details like these.

  However, this Wei person was so meticulous. With just a few clues, he had managed to deduce the exact location of the main coffin!

  His level of intelligence and strategic skills were extremely impressive!

  Helian Wei Wei's eyes did not move away and were fixed on Ni Feng. With an ambiguous smile, she continued, "I guess Lady Ni must be very curious now. I did not say the word 'spy', yet it seems I was going to previously. It's simple actually, I merely wanted to see if someone would try to steal my ideas again. As expected, Lady Ni spoke up immediately, even faster than I have expected. It seems that Lady Ni really likes glory."

  At the end of Helian Wei Wei's speech, Ni Feng's entire body shuddered violently.

  From the very beginning, it was all a trap. This person deliberately did not finish his sentence, just to lure her into his trap!

  When Zhuge Yun scolded her, she thought that he had fallen into her trap.

  At that time, Wei had only said the first half of his sentence, but she was absolutely sure that he wanted to say the word 'spy'.

  Ni Feng only did that as she was very confident about it.

  The logic was simple, deduction had always been a matter of who said it first.

  Zhuge Yun's ruckus should have only damage his team's reputation.

  She had never thought that this person had taken that into account from the very beginning.

  If only she had never opened her big mouth.

  The moment she spoke, she had fallen into this person's trap.

  If she had held back when Zhuge Yun was speaking, she might save her dignity. At the very least, the previous incident would not have been mentioned.

  At the exact moment she thought her opponent had fallen into her trap...

  Alas, that was only what she thought.

/>   This person did not stop her on purpose, so that she would have a false sense of victory!

  Chapter 771 - Spider Silk

  Actually, for her opponents, the game had only just begun.

  The more her father and younger brother humiliated Zhuge Yun, the more they would humiliate themselves in the end.

  This Wei was really out for her skin, not even allowing her and the Ni Family to salvage what was left of their dignity.

  What a vicious scheme!

  Ni Feng was a smart person, it was not hard for her to understand Helian Wei Wei's words.

  Ni Biao had always been conniving. The very moment Helian Wei Wei opened her mouth, he knew that they were caught red-handed this time.

  All these years, no one had ever pushed them so hard until they were at their wits' end.

  Even his beloved daughter was dragged into this too.

  Ni Biao only felt that his face hurting, but he could not refute the judging comments.

  "So, it was all for their reputation. This is really..." Some shook their heads in disappointment, saying, "Such a disgrace of the Phoenix Girl, passing off someone else's ideas as her own. No exorcist would even dream of doing such a thing!"

  Zhuge Yun took a deep breath, his bitterness from earlier had now turned into motivation, deep within himself.

  He had almost given up defending himself.

  He knew that no matter what he said, his words could never overshadow the Ni Family's influence.

  Especially when the idea thief was the Elder Young Lady of the Ni Family, who also carried the title of the Phoenix Girl.

  He was starting to get disheartened.

  However, that person managed to pull off yet another miracle.

  Zhuge Yun laid his eyes on Helian Wei Wei with excitement.