Chương 20: is finished; the boasting has reached the right person.

The wind in the narrow passage seemed to be held by an invisible hand.

Master Gu Chen stared at Chen Mo with his frighteningly bright eyes, a playful and amused expression, carrying a hint of the languor of a cat that has caught a mouse.

"Tell me a story?"

These words are more hurtful than the sharpest magic sword.

It stripped away all of Chen Mo's pretense, exposing him to the scorching sun, leaving him nowhere to hide.

It's over, Barbie Q.

A hint of self-mockery flashed through Chen Mo's mind.

He had calculated everything; he had anticipated the enemy's arrival, the strength of the newcomers, and even how to frame them.

The only thing he hadn't expected was that the person who actually possessed the Qi Refining Perfection he had casually made up was actually nearby!

Moreover, it's a terrifying being that I can't see through at all!

Li Gui meets Li Kui, but Li Kui is drunk and has explosive fighting power.

How to act it?

It's impossible to perform.

That faint yet terrifying aura still lingered around him, as if if he were to utter another lie, he would be crushed into mincemeat the next moment.

Dead silence.

In the suffocating silence, Chen Mo calmed down completely.

beg for mercy?

Pointless.

In the face of such a playful old monster, begging for mercy is the cheapest performance.

frank?

That won't work either.

His biggest secrets are the system and his identity as a transmigrator.

Now that the little lie has been exposed, then... cover it up with an even bigger, more truthful lie!

Chen Mo slowly raised his head and met Gu Chen's gaze.

The wariness and murderous intent in his eyes receded like a tide, replaced by a complex expression that mixed with realization, embarrassment, and a hint of frustration.

"So... you are a fellow Daoist of True Man Xuanming."

He loosened his grip on the wood-chopping knife and bowed respectfully to Gu Chen, his posture neither humble nor arrogant.

"Junior greets Senior Gu Chen."

This move surprised Gu Chen for a moment.

This kid's finally giving up on his act?

Are you just going to accept it like that?

"Oh?"

Gu Chen shook the wine gourd with great interest.

"Not going to keep making things up? I'm still waiting to hear more stories."

"You flatter me, senior."

A bitter smile appeared on Chen Mo's face.

"How dare I, a junior, presume to show off my limited skills before you?"

He paused, his tone sincere:

"To be honest, I am not a disciple of Master Xuanming. I lied to Wei Changfeng's lackey earlier only to muddy the waters, use his strength against him, and make things easier for myself."

He readily admitted that he was lying.

This is the first step to breaking the deadlock.

When facing someone who has seen through all your cards, any attempt to argue is foolish.

Only with honesty can we have the right to dialogue.

The mockery in Gu Chen's eyes deepened:

"Using someone's strength against them? Well then, tell me, whose strength did you borrow, and who did you use to attack?"

"I have been practicing in seclusion with my master since childhood and do not belong to any sect."

Chen Mo presented his new script, which he had prepared long ago.

"This entry into the mortal world is a trial for my sect. It is my duty to help those in need when I see injustice."

"My master?"

Gu Chen raised his eyebrows, and his drunken eyes seemed to brighten even more.

"Who is your master? I have been cultivating in the Southern Frontier for hundreds of years, and I have never heard of such a person who could have taught such an interesting boy like you."

coming.

The real test has begun.

Chen Mo knew that the other party could detect the truth or falsehood of his words with just a thought.

Therefore, what he says next must be nine parts true and one part false.

"I dare not speak of my teacher's name."

Chen Mo lowered his eyes, his posture respectful.

"He's a free spirit, preferring to be undisturbed by outsiders. However..."

He abruptly changed the subject, raised his head, and stared intently at Gu Chen.

"My master once mentioned that within the Tianxuan Sect, True Person Xuanming is upright and honest, and worth befriending. However, Elder Wei Changfeng of the inner sect is narrow-minded and vindictive. His cultivation technique, the Xuan Yin Finger, has already damaged his heart meridian foundation. Without a great opportunity, he has no hope of achieving the Golden Core stage in this lifetime."

boom!

For the first time, the drunkenness on Gu Chen's face truly dissipated.

His pupils suddenly contracted, and he stared intently at Chen Mo.

The fact that Wei Changfeng's cultivation technique is flawed and his heart meridian is damaged is one of the biggest secrets of the Tianxuan Sect's higher-ups!

Even he only vaguely learned about it through his senior brother, Xuanming Zhenren!

How could this kid at the tenth level of Qi Refining possibly know so much detail?!

Could it be... that there really is a reclusive master behind him whom even he doesn't know?

Chen Mo took in Gu Chen's shock and calmed down a bit.

You made the right bet!

The system's [Fate Record] not only shows the level of affinity, but also analyzes the target's skill deficiencies and physical condition!

This is his greatest asset!

He continued to escalate the situation, his voice calm, yet every word was thunderous.

"My master also said that Wei Changfeng's targeting of Miss Xiu'er this time is not a simple factional dispute. He seems to be looking for something, something... related to the founding ancestor of the Tianxuan Sect. And Miss Xiu'er's special physique may be the key to finding that thing."

"That's enough!"

Gu Chen interrupted Chen Fu with a low shout.

His expression had changed from shock to unprecedented solemnity.

He looked at Chen Mo, and his expression changed.

It's no longer like looking at a mouse, but like looking at a bottomless whirlpool.

This kid knows way too much!

There were so many that they startled him!

"What else did your master... say?"

Gu Chen's voice was somewhat hoarse.

"My teacher told me to observe, learn, and understand for myself."

Chen Mo stopped talking at just the right moment and resumed his shy village doctor demeanor.

He said, "If it's going to rain, it's going to rain; if it's going to be a demon, it's going to eat people. Some things you can't avoid. Rather than being passively beaten, you might as well take the initiative and overturn the table."

Gu Chen fell silent.

He looked down at the gourd of wine in his hand, as if trying to discern Chen Mo's true nature from the swaying liquid.

After a long while, he exhaled a long breath reeking of alcohol.

"Interesting, fucking interesting."

He looked up and grinned at Chen Mo again, but this time the smile contained less mockery and more approval.

"Boy, no matter who your master is, your table-flipping temper suits my taste perfectly."

The crisis has been averted.

The tension that had been building up inside Chen Mo finally eased. His back was already soaked with cold sweat.

"You flatter me, senior."

"Alright, stop calling me 'senior'."

Gu Chen waved his hand and tossed over the jade box containing the [Illumination Talisman] and an elder's token from Dao Ming Zhenren.

"Here, take this."

Chen Mo caught it instinctively.

"Don't you like signing for packages? Consider this a small gift from me."

Gu Chen chuckled.

"That old sly Wei Changfeng, having suffered such a huge loss, will definitely not let it go. The next person he sends will not be some small fry like these."

Chen-mo felt a chill run down his spine.

"Thank you for your guidance, senior."

"I need to return to the sect to tell Senior Brother Xuanming what you just said."

Gu Chen's eyes sharpened.

"Kid, you better promise you're telling the truth. Otherwise..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the threat was clear.

"As for you..."

Gu Chen looked him up and down.

"You can continue being your village doctor, use him as a front. I'll cover for you with Wei Changfeng. Just say... I killed him."

He took on everything himself.

Chen Mo was taken aback, but then he realized that the other party was doing him a favor and protecting him.

"Thank you, senior."

This time, Chen Mo's gratitude came from the bottom of his heart.

"No need for thanks."

Gu Chen took a big gulp of wine, turned around and walked out of the canyon, his steps still unsteady, humming an off-key tune.

"Live well, and don't get killed."

"This game has only just begun. It would be too boring if you died too early..."

The sound gradually faded into the distance.

Only after that figure completely disappeared at the end of the official road did Chen Mo slowly straighten up.

He looked down at the jade box and token in his hand, then at the distant sky, and let out a long sigh of relief.

Aftermath.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, for completing the hidden storyline: Creating Something from Nothing!] You used a perfect lie to deceive someone you couldn't fathom, successfully averting a certain death!

[Reward: 20000 Experience Points!] [Reward: Skill 'A Thousand Faces' upgraded to Intermediate!] [Reward: Special item 'Ancient Dust's Wine Gourd (Replica)' (Contains three sips of Blazing Sun True Fire Wine, instantly restoring 30% of spiritual power and temporarily enhancing the power of fire-based techniques)!] A system notification sounded in my mind.

Chen Mo showed no joy; he simply stood there quietly, reviewing every detail of what had just happened.

He knew that he had been completely drawn into the massive internal strife within the Tianxuan Sect.

From a chess piece, he became... one of the players who stirred up the winds and clouds.

"It's only just begun..."

Chen Mo muttered to himself, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

He turned around, disposed of the last traces at the scene, and his figure disappeared back into the mountains and forests.

This time, however, his goal was no longer to kill.

Instead, he went home and continued to be the shy, honest, and respected village doctor.

A storm is coming.

He needs more strength to meet the real "delivery".