Chapter 330 He Didn't Die

Everything in the mourning hall seemed to be proceeding as expected, but Jun Jixue, standing among the crowd, couldn't help but want to laugh. He forced himself to walk a distance away before finally chuckling, "Li Po, that kid is too wicked. Not only did he trick the Reincarnation Department, but he also wants them to send people to retrieve him."

"I really want to see the Reincarnation Department's expression when they see Li Po isn't dead."

Feisha said, "Why doesn't the commander-in-chief use the excuse of welcoming a close friend's remains to go and take a look?"

"No!" Jun Jixue shook his head. "That would be gilding the lily."

Jun Jixue said, "Li Po has calculated everyone's reaction. Only by staying below the Snow Mountain can I maintain my usual style. Once I become curious, I won't be able to hide it from Zhu Zining."

Just as Jun Jixue had said, Old Liu and the others' performance was seamless and perfectly timed.

Ma Kuang and Tang Banxia acting as peacemakers was a normal reaction for Jianghu (martial world) figures. They didn't want to be enemies with the Reincarnation Department, and they were bound by the Grandmaster's Order, so only a peaceful resolution would benefit them most.

Wang Butcher compromising and Old Liu abandoning the Demon Suppression Tablet to protect themselves were also the ways of seasoned Jianghu veterans.

Allowing the Reincarnation Department to take back the remains represented the last bit of stubbornness from Liangjie Tang (Two Realms Hall).

In the eyes of the Jianghu, this was the Jianghu way of seeking survival through compromise.

Jun Jixue continued, "The Reincarnation Department will definitely put in minimal effort to find Li Po and the others' remains, dragging their feet. What Li Po needs is for them to waste time."

"If I go, the Reincarnation Department will easily bring Li Po and the others out directly, which wouldn't be ideal."

"Let's wait and see! I want to see how the Reincarnation Department deals with the Snow Mountain Demon God."

Not long after Jun Jixue left, Zhu Zining began to persuade the people from the esoteric world who had come to watch the excitement to ascend the Snow Mountain together, especially the three Grandmasters, who were the main focus of her persuasion.

Wang Butcher, annoyed beyond measure, simply hid in the mourning hall and refused to see anyone, but he and Old Liu secretly observed Zhu Zining's movements. "Old Liu, who do you think Zhu Zining really is?"

Old Liu said, "Would you believe me if I said she's someone with a certain level of enlightenment? Like a virtuous monk."

"Her?" Wang Butcher said in surprise, "Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

Old Liu shook his head. "I've been observing Zhu Zining. She really is that kind of person."

"Enlightened monks have no discrimination; they see everyone as good people, not a single bad one. Even if the other party is irredeemably evil, they can still be reformed and brought back to the right path. Zhu Zining is like that, and so is the Reincarnation Department."

"However, they've gone astray. The Buddha cut his flesh to feed the eagle and sacrificed himself to feed the tiger, sacrificing himself. The Reincarnation Department sacrifices others."

"It's like someone telling you: 'One person's death can save millions.' It sounds very noble, but if she adds, 'The person who dies definitely can't be me, who cares who dies,' it becomes disgusting."

Old Liu sneered, "Zhu Zining doesn't realize this. She keeps trying to move herself, but she can't move those old foxes. Haven't you seen that half of the sects outside have already run away?"

Wang Butcher said, "But this isn't a solution either! If the Reincarnation Department doesn't go up the Snow Mountain, won't your plan fall through?"

Old Liu shook his head. "That's because Zero hasn't given them a strong enough dose of medicine yet. I estimate that Zero's bowl of arsenic is about to arrive."

Just as Old Liu had said, in just one day, several news stories broke in the Jianghu, exposing the Reincarnation Department as hypocritical gentlemen. Moreover, each news story came with strong evidence, leaving the Reincarnation Department with no way to deny it.

The Reincarnation Department was instantly thrust into the eye of the storm of public opinion, and all the blame was focused on the Reincarnation Department opening the Demon God's seal.

In order to restore its reputation, the Reincarnation Department ascended the Snow Mountain on a large scale under the watchful eyes of the entire esoteric world.

Five days passed, which was after the "seventh day" (a traditional Chinese mourning custom) after Old Liu had erected a cenotaph for me. Old Liu also led all the members of Liangjie Tang to Jun Jixue's base.

Old Liu's first words when he saw Jun Jixue were, "Where have the Reincarnation Department's forces reached?"

"The Fifth Peak!" Jun Jixue said, "The Reincarnation Department's Lower Four Halls can be considered removed from the Jianghu. Those who went up didn't even have their corpses brought down."

"The Middle Four Halls have already had two Halls crippled, and one Hall left in ruins. The remaining Hall ascended the mountain this morning. Zhu Zining is waiting for them."

Old Liu looked in the direction Jun Jixue pointed and saw Zhu Zining standing alone at the entrance to the mountain, looking up at the summit. Feisha said, "Zhu Zining has been standing there for three days and three nights. It's quite pitiful!"

When Jun Jixue narrowed his eyes at Feisha, the latter suddenly shuddered. "This subordinate misspoke!"

Jun Jixue coldly ordered, "Take him down and give him forty strokes. Let him sober up."

"Wait!" Old Liu stopped Jun Jixue's subordinates. "Is Commander Jun afraid that this brother will be influenced by the Reincarnation Department?"

Jun Jixue said, "When I was in Erlin Town, I saw the Nine-Headed Serpent Jade from the Reincarnation Department. If I'm not mistaken, it was just a replica."

"If the real Nine-Headed Serpent Jade is hidden in the Reincarnation Department, I'm worried that the next people to ascend the mountain will have to be my Tiānshà Sixteen Riders."

Jun Jixue said, "This Zhu Zining is probably not as simple as she looks. I don't want to repeat Qu Mo's mistake."

Author's Note: To the friends urging for updates, what I want to say is: The author also needs to celebrate the New Year!