Being knocked down by the Heavenly Dao while ascending

Shang Nanyi didn't move, just blinked slowly, and said calmly, "You doubt me."
The tone was so nonchalant.

Pei Mingyan raised his hands innocently and leaned back in his seat.
"Yes, I am doubting you. If you can't give me a convincing reason, I am afraid..."
He paused, and suddenly there was a breeze in the room.
The wind was so loud that it forced the table and Shang Nanyi to retreat three steps.
He gave a meaningful smile, "You can't leave this room."

Shang Nanyi dropped the stool and stood up, turning around to avoid the table, pressing his other hand on the table, and then he took a few steps back with the table before he could steady himself.
"Master Mei has a bad temper."

Shang Nanyi gave a gentle push and the table returned to its original position.
He picked up the stool and placed it next to the table, took out new tea set from the storage bag, and poured a cup for Pei Mingyan.

Pei Mingyan took the tea, sniffed it gently, and threw the cup back to Shang Nanyi, "The tea is good, but I am not your good friend, and I cannot afford to drink this cup of tea, Young Master Shang."
He pointed at the sky outside, "Don't keep me in suspense. I'm going to say this. If you make it clear today, we still have a chance to cooperate. Otherwise... humph, I can't fly anyway, so I might as well go home and be a young master and have a few days of leisure."

Shang Nanyi was calm and collected, picked up the teacup and drank his tea, "I came here today for this matter."

What I mean is, if you hadn't been talking nonsense here, I would have told you the truth a long time ago.

Pei Mingyan didn't give the other party face, "Oh? Really? In this case, we have a tacit understanding and we all want to go the same way."
If he hadn't let Fang Qing enter the potted plant world to avoid Shang Nanyi's prying eyes, Shang Nanyi would have left long ago after saying the three things, and he wouldn't have been able to sit here.

Pei Mingyan put his right foot on his left knee and looked at Shang Nanyi with his eyelids raised. "Then I wonder if my other ideas are in line with those of Young Master Shang?" He smiled. "For example, if I don't press on, I can only get half of the truth."

Shang Nanyi looked innocent, "Young Master, if you don't tell me, I don't know what you are thinking." He looked out the window, "It's not too late yet, Young Master, why don't you tell me?"

Pei Mingyan smiled to show his respect.
He finally understood. This guy was calm and composed. Except when Fang Qing had something that could make him emotional, he was as steady as an old dog at other times.
After all, it has been designed in secret for many years, and I guess all situations have been considered.

"My goal from the beginning to the end has been to protect the Mei family." Pei Mingyan laughed at himself, "Unfortunately, I don't even know who is targeting the Mei family."
He walked towards the recliner. "As the eldest son of the Mei family, my sources of information are wide, but they are also limited by the short time. Therefore, in my guess, Jiang Yuansheng is the real mastermind behind this."

Shang Nanyi tapped the wall of the teacup with his index finger, looked up and said, "Should I be thankful that Young Master Mei has always trusted me?"

That’s because you’re considered a decent male protagonist in the book.
Pei Mingyan lay down on the recliner and rolled his eyes at him. "Of course, Young Master Shang has helped me a lot. Since the day I stepped into the academy, Young Master Shang has been 'taking extra care' of me. How can I let Young Master Shang down?"
Pei Mingyan retracted his gaze. "So in my original reasoning, I thought you were an 'innocent' victim. Jiang Yuansheng not only took away your identity, but also deceived Mei Xucheng, using Mei Xucheng's identity to look up information about the Fuling Clan. He also probably used the Mei family's disciples' extensive knowledge to help him find the Fuyuan Natural Chasm. In short, in the end, they actually entered the Fuyuan Natural Chasm."

Shang Nanyi sighed, "The Fuling Clan has long become a lost legend. If there is still a place in the world where the information about the Fuling Clan is preserved, it must be the Mei family." Shang Nanyi took a sip of tea, "This is the heritage that only the Mei family, which has stood for a thousand years, can have."

Pei Mingyan didn't respond and continued, "So after that, Xue Qingyu became a puppet. Jiang Yuansheng, who had achieved his goal, no longer needed Mei Xucheng. The disciples of the Mei family have never been very good at fighting, let alone Mei Xucheng, who had been with Jiang Yuansheng for decades and should have been completely defenseless against him. Then there was the incident at the fishing village. There was no doubt that Mei Xucheng died in the 'natural disaster'."
He emphasized the word "natural disaster" with great irony.

Shang Nanyi paused for a moment, "Where is my weakness?"

"Don't worry, you'll understand after listening to the rest."
Pei Mingyan turned over and sat up. "According to that speculation, Jiang Yuansheng would definitely try to avoid the Mei family's pursuit, so he 'died' to make the Mei family believe that this was a natural disaster and that the two of them were just unlucky. The only question is that his body is missing."

"If an accident happens at the seaside, the body will most likely be swept into the sea and soon eaten by aquatic animals. This should not be a big problem." Shang Nanyi said, "The Mei family did not pursue the matter. I guess this is their consideration."

"That's right." Pei Mingyan lay back in the recliner, his hands behind his head. "So what? If the body wasn't eaten, then where did the real body go? Why did Jiang Yuansheng make the decision to let himself die, and then leave such a suspicious hidden danger?"
Pei Mingyan smiled. "Then, I learned from the Murong guardian that Jiang Yuansheng is also from the Murong clan. They are not only good at disguising themselves, but they are also really good at making puppets. I later asked Xue Qingyu about the principle behind this. Their special physique has led to their unique souls. For ordinary people, the loss of their souls almost symbolizes death, but for them, extracting and crushing their souls is a must for every member of the Murong clan."
"And this method of dismembering and recombining bodies can just hide from the Mei family's surveillance. The mark left in the Mei family will also dissipate as the original owner's soul is broken. As for where it will go after it dissipates? I think the Murong family should have a way to take back the scattered souls. Otherwise, how can they control one puppet after another and make them their hosts?"
"With this in mind, I asked Dean Xue for advice, and finally understood what the disappeared corpse was used for." Pei Mingyan leaned over, "Since ancient times, abilities have always had their limits. The Fuling Clan was doomed to not prosper because of their own heaven-defying foundation. If they hadn't held on to the Fuyuan, there might not be Xue Qingyu today."

Shang Nanyi was surprised for a moment, then immediately understood, "The Achilles' heel of the Murong clan is their bodies?"

Pei Mingyan nodded. "So, you see, my inference is reasonable. Although there are still some minor problems, it is the most reasonable speculation based on the information I have obtained."

"So, once I told you that the real mastermind was not Jiang Yuansheng, I immediately aroused your suspicion." Shang Nanyi said self-deprecatingly, "I didn't expect that it was such a mistake that exposed me."

Pei Mingyan shook his finger repeatedly, "No. I have many guesses, but Jiang Yuansheng's guess is the most reasonable, so when there is insufficient information, I regard it as the temporary truth."
"I have guessed that Xue Qingyu is the mastermind behind all this. He directed and acted out everything in the academy himself. After all, he is best at brainwashing and controlling people. Shuyu and Xiaokong both have the shadow of being controlled, so he is also a high suspect."
"As for you, the mastermind has pointed the finger at you several times, and I would definitely think that you are the mastermind. All this is to let us know that no fool would make himself a suspect, so I infer that the person must not be you. However, who knows if you deliberately led us to think that the murderer is you, so as to clear the suspicion, but in fact the murderer is indeed you."

"This is not enough to direct your thoughts to me." Shang Nanyi said.

"Indeed. The problem is not the actions of the mastermind, but the many loopholes in it."
Pei Mingyan returned to the table, picked up his teapot and poured himself a cup. "I've talked so much, my mouth is dry. I'll drink some water first."

Shang Nanyi took back his tea set and watched Pei Mingyan drink tea.

Pei Mingyan took two sips, noticed Shang Nanyi's gaze, and poured him a cup as well, "Why? Young Master Shang is interested in the Mei family's scented tea now? Here, this is another most common scented tea of ​​the Mei family, made from the peach blossom petals on March 3rd. As you know, the Mei family has many plum blossoms, but there are very few peach blossoms, so there are not many in a year. Only the Mei family disciples drink it for fun. Young Master Shang, would you like to try it?"

Shang Nanyi took the cup hesitantly, looked at the light-colored tea in the cup, and joked, "Under the current circumstances, Young Master Mei will not resort to despicable means, right?" Pei Mingyan drank it all in one gulp, and refilled himself with another cup, "I'll leave this question to Young Master Shang to judge for himself."

Shang Nanyi drank the tea without hesitation, "I believe Young Master Mei will make the most correct decision."

Pei Mingyan shrugged. "Maybe. Where were we talking about just now?"

Shang Nanyi put down the teacup and poured himself a cup, "The information you said is not enough to doubt me."

"Oh. So that's it. It's very simple. The simplest one is also the first one. The mastermind faked his own death and entered Xuantian Sect. At that time, the Sect Master of Xuantian Sect passed away. You were still young then. It shouldn't be an insult to say that you couldn't beat him, right? After all, Xue Qingyu was no match for him the last time he fought with him."

"Of course not." Shang Nanyi cooperated.

"Then the question arises." Pei Mingyan put down the cup and held his chin with one hand. "Since the Murong clan is good at disguise, for his ultimate goal, he can easily kill his long-time partner Mei Xucheng. Killing you is even more of a one-shot deal. Why didn't he kill you instead, but chose a more difficult path and trade with you? I think he probably did it for fame and fortune. He pretended to be you to gain favor within the sect, while the real you earned fame and resources outside the sect. It was a really good plan."

"But I quickly overturned this idea. The fake Shang Nanyi led us to mistake him for you. If we really killed you as he wished, Shang Nanyi's reputation would be ruined. He had been planning in Xuantian Sect for many years disguised as you, wouldn't it be in vain? So, he didn't do it for fame or profit. He wanted to kill you, but he couldn't do it."

"Maybe my parents left me something to protect myself." Shang Nanyi said.

"Yes, that's how I convinced myself." Pei Mingyan said, "So even though I had doubts at the time, I didn't doubt you. Because my intuition told me that you were with us. You know, once people put another person in their circle, it's easy to deceive themselves."
Pei Mingyan stood up and said, "So, once you say Jiang Yuansheng is not the real mastermind, then all your inferences will be invalid, because the matter has returned to the original place - the small fishing village."

"Mei Xucheng died there, and Jiang Yuansheng also disappeared there." Pei Mingyan changed the subject, "Xiao Kong became an orphan there. Coincidentally, after the incident, Xue Qingyu also arrived there and rescued Xiao Kong, the only survivor."

Shang Nanyi's scalp tightened, "I see."

"You've figured it out, right?" Pei Mingyan leaned his hands on the table and looked at Shang Nanyi. "If Young Master Shang was able to survive the hands of the mastermind because of the magic weapon left by his parents, then may I ask, why did the young Young Master Shang run to a small fishing village by the sea after his parents died? It can't be that the death of your parents is also related to the fishing village, right?"

"Xiao Kong has become my second weakness." Shang Nanyi shook his head and suddenly laughed, "I didn't expect that I would fall here."

"Hmm." Pei Mingyan took out his folding fan and walked around the room. "Yes, Xiaokong entered the academy after that. Xue Qingyu took good care of him, and Tanggu was even more concerned about him. So how could he become your man? Hmm... It can't be that the fake Mei Xucheng is your man, and you asked the fake Mei Xucheng to drug him? Or maybe Xue Qingyu is actually your man, so you can hide it from the world?"
Pei Mingyan tapped his head with his fan, as if thinking, "It's not impossible, it needs to be confirmed."

"..." Shang Nanyi defended, "Neither of them is mine."

Pei Mingyan clapped his hands with his fan and winked at him, "There's more."

Shang Nanyi felt something was wrong: "..."

"Fang Qing said that you always stare at her with a weird look, which doesn't match your status as Young Master Shang." Pei Mingyan blinked at him.

“……”Are you sure this is not a joke?

Pei Mingyan coughed twice, "Well, sorry, I said the wrong thing. What I actually want to say is, since you and the mastermind have an agreement, why did you trust Fang Qing so much when you met her, even though your words and actions were strange? She wanted to go to the academy, so you sent her there, and didn't even make a backup plan to take her away, as if you were very sure that nothing would happen to her."

"I wasn't familiar with her at that time, so there was no need to protect her." Shang Nanyi continued, but unfortunately he didn't finish his words before he immediately realized where the problem lay.

"Right, you two are not familiar with each other after the deal, not to mention before the deal. She wants to see you, and she sees you with your real face. This is a big problem." Pei Mingyan patted his shoulder with a fan, "Why do you trust her so much?"

Shang Nanyiyi: “…” This is exactly the question I want to ask you.

Pei Mingyan put away his folding fan and said, "Actually, the problem here is relatively minor. What really makes me suspicious is why you keep resisting meeting me. If you really have an agreement with the mastermind, even if Shu Yu and I force you to do so, you will not break the contract so easily and come to see me."
"As we all know, if one person always avoids another, it's either because they hate each other when they meet, or because they can't leave each other, or they are too embarrassed to face others. So, how did you do me wrong? I thought about it over and over again, are you trying to trick me?"
"Not really. If that were the case, you wouldn't be able to cheat so easily."
"So, it's not me you feel guilty about. It's the Mei family? Why are you too embarrassed to see the Mei family? The Mei family has been peaceful for the past twenty years. Apart from Shu Yu's unexpected arrival, there is only one Mei Xucheng. Since I know about Shu Yu's matter, I didn't blame you, so I shouldn't make you afraid to see me. Therefore, you only know what happened in the Mei Xucheng matter, and what's more, you are closely related to the occurrence of the incident."
"You are worried about being exposed, and even more worried about the Mei family knowing the truth."
"So, you don't dare to come out."

(End of this chapter)