Old Liu and Old Meng were both seasoned individuals, true crafty foxes of the martial world. When similar beings met, they were bound to sense something and couldn't resist wanting to measure their strengths.

Old Liu later told me that the moment he saw Old Meng, he knew that the old fellow was aware that the Meng family was in crisis. The reason he had held back and allowed Meng Haoyun and his wife to run wild was that he was waiting for the opportune moment.

Old Liu playing chess with him after we left was to probe him for information.

Old Meng also frankly told him that Meng Die, brainwashed by Cang Tianji, was the biggest crisis for the Meng family, and she would not hesitate to sacrifice the Meng family to fulfill her master's wishes.

Old Meng was determined to eliminate the enemy but lacked the strength to turn the tide. He needed an outside force to fight against Meng Die. He threw out three difficult problems, and bringing me to the mountain was to lure Meng Die away.

Even now, he hadn't made up his mind, simply because he didn't believe I could suppress Meng Die. Therefore, he didn't dare to gamble.

What Old Liu had to do was help him make that decision.

Old Liu said, "Meng Die is not a disciple of the Coffin Gate, yet she is determined to obtain the secrets of the Coffin Gate burial. Therefore, she is waiting for the true Coffin Gate people to arrive."

"The Dong Jia's identity is widely rumored in the world of术道 (Shu Dao, esoteric arts), and Meng Die couldn't possibly not know that Dong Jia is a disciple of the Coffin Gate. She was planning against Dong Jia from the beginning, so she made a second mistake."

Old Liu played with a chess piece, "Meng Die deliberately let Er Dong Jia discover the迷阵 (mi zhen, bewilderment formation) she set up on the hillside. She also meticulously told Dong Jia about her conversation with the little maid Xiao Yan at the entrance of the Coffin Gate."

"Then, she made a blood oath to the heavens to prove that what she said was absolutely true."

"An ordinary person would definitely fall for her trick, but what kind of person is Dong Jia? He's someone who even crafty foxes can't deceive."

Old Liu paused, "Meng Die's actions exposed two mistakes at once."

"First, as a strategist, Meng Die might tell others her plans, but she would never explain so much to a little maid so patiently."

"Unless, she was in a state of frustration where she had no one to confide in, so she would chatter on regardless of the audience or occasion."

"Dong Jia said that a designated marriage between families was not enough to push the calculating Meng Die to this extent."

Old Liu picked up his teacup and took a sip, "Second, it's even more interesting."

"Meng Die used a blood oath to the heavens to prove to Dong Jia that what she said was the truth, which is the biggest guarantee in the eyes of ordinary術士 (shushi, practitioners of esoteric arts)."

"But there was a loophole in her oath. When Meng Die made her oath, she said that what she had said was the truth. So what about what she didn't say? Her killing move is actually hidden in what she didn't say."

"Dong Jia not only saw through Meng Die's trick but also determined that Meng Die was a disciple of a命师 (ming shi, fate master). Because only a fate master who is good at calculating celestial secrets knows how to exploit loopholes in the way of heaven."

Old Liu said with a hint of pride, "Meng brother, how is my Dong Jia?"

Old Meng remained silent for a long time before saying, "Can Li Po defeat Meng Die?"

"Hahahaha..." Old Liu laughed, "Meng brother, you've probably been away from the martial world for too long and can't keep up with the changes."

"Qiankun Shensuan suffered a great loss in my Dong Jia's hands, and Dong Jia even stole the inheritance of Qiankun Shensuan. Do you think Dong Jia is an ordinary practitioner?"

Old Meng's eyes suddenly narrowed, "Are you telling the truth?"

"Hahaha..." Old Liu said, "As a Shiye (advisor), who would cause trouble for Dong Jia? Is ‘Qiankun Shensuan’ a title that anyone can withstand?"

Old Meng laughed and reset the chessboard, "Someone, bring me a pot of wine. I want to have a good drink with Old Brother Liu and play a game."

After the two crafty foxes reset the chessboard, earth-shattering shouts of fighting also came from Meng Family Manor. At first, the shouts of fighting were concentrated on the periphery of the Meng family, but before long, the sounds of fighting rushed into the courtyard where the two were.

The two old foxes, however, remained focused on the chessboard, considering how to make their next move.

The fighting outside was within their expectations. Meng Die had suffered a defeat in the Dead Man's Gully and would inevitably take action in the Meng family to capture Old Liu alive and turn the tables.

In the next moment, Meng Haoyun, covered in blood, rushed to the window and desperately pounded on the glass with his blood-stained hands, "Dad... Dad... you have to leave quickly! We can't hold on any longer."

Old Meng turned a deaf ear and picked up a white piece, "Old Brother Liu's chess style gives me quite a bit of inspiration! You remind me of someone."

Old Liu laughed, "The martial world is just a place where countless people come and go. Who is like who, and who is who? What's the difference?"

"That's right!" As Old Meng calmly placed his piece, someone had already rushed to the window. Meng Haoyun slashed several times, cutting the opponent down to the ground. The blood spurting from his opponent also stained the window lattice red.

Old Meng didn't even look at the fighting outside, "Old brother, what did you enter the martial world for? I've spent my whole life in the martial world, but only to protect the prosperity of my family."

"I also thought that children and grandchildren have their own blessings, and let them do whatever they want. But when things come to a head, I still can't help but worry!"

"Look at my son! When I said that Li Chunfeng has a successor, it wasn't just a compliment. I really envy him for having a son who can inherit the Li family!"

Old Liu pinched a chess piece with two fingers and said, "Actually, Haoyun is not bad! People still can't be compared! Just like my two Dong Jia, both of them are geniuses who appear once in a century. Liangjie Tang (Two Realms Hall) has two of them at once. Liangjie Tang can't help but prosper!"

"Old brother, the reason you've been hesitating is because of the魔神契约 (Mo Shen Qi Yue, Demon God Contract), right? That the Meng family won't prosper for three generations?"

Old Liu placed his piece and said, "Actually, think about it. In the current situation, is it good or bad for the Meng family not to prosper for three generations?"

The chess piece in Old Meng's hand suddenly fell to the ground. Old Liu helped him pick it up, "Back then, the Old Dong Jia deliberately set up such a contract for you. Was it helping the Meng family or restricting the Meng family? Didn't Meng brother have any guesses?"

Before Old Liu could finish speaking, Meng Haoyun outside the door shouted sternly, "Meng family disciples, follow me to protect the Meng family!"

This was Meng Haoyun's last roar as the head of the family, for the sake of the family.