Beigong Ming was still dithering, but Liu Zhen showed no such hesitation. His figure flickered again, and he appeared beside another high-ranking member.
That man immediately broke down, crying out again and again, "He won't talk, so I will! Let me speak. We all know about this."
Liu Zhen nodded, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. "Very good. You know what's good for you. Are you certain you want to talk? As long as whoever speaks tells the truth, they can be spared from death. But if you don't want to die, you'll need to show some sincerity."
The man hurriedly said, "I'm willing to talk. I can see it now — working ourselves to the bone for these bastards isn't worth it. The Falling Heaven Society is nothing but a rabble. Everyone gathered here for profit, doing things that offend Heaven and earth, things that end bloodlines. I've seen through them! They never gave a damn about our lives."
Liu Zhen looked very pleased. "Then go ahead and talk. Once you're done, offer your pledge of loyalty, and you'll be considered ashore."
The man was ecstatic, nodding repeatedly.
The moment Beigong Ming heard the words "pledge of loyalty," his heart lurched. A terrible premonition suddenly surfaced in his mind.
"I'll talk! Let me speak — I'm willing to talk too!" Beigong Ming cried out in a panic.
Liu Zhen said coldly, "Now you want to talk? Too late!"
Beigong Ming hastily replied, "It's not too late, it's not too late! I definitely know more than he does. Just give me a chance and I'll tell you everything."
The first high-ranking member exploded with rage. "Beigong Ming, have you no shame left?"
Jiang Chen watched this scene unfold, his impression of Liu Zhen rising considerably. He hadn't expected that Liu Zhen, with just a few simple moves, could make the Falling Heaven Society turn on itself like dogs fighting over scraps.
Liu Zhen's face darkened and he barked, "What are you yelling about? You — speak." He pointed at the high-ranking member.
The man's face lit up with joy. "I'll talk, I'll talk! That Holy Maiden — she's from the Green Moon Lineage. To put it bluntly, this matter was a great humiliation for the Moon God Sect. Back then, the four lineages of the Moon God Sect were competing against each other to select the sect's Holy Maiden, and each lineage had a worthy candidate. But the Holy Maiden of the Green Moon Lineage, still an infant at the time, was tested and found to possess an Innate Physique. As a result, her candidacy attracted the most support. Yet for reasons unknown, the Green Moon Lineage came under attack, and that Holy Maiden vanished without a trace. The matter became an enduring mystery within the Moon God Sect. It wasn't until thirty years ago that the Green Moon Lineage recovered its strength. They actually found that Holy Maiden in some backwater mortal kingdom — but unfortunately, that Holy Maiden… was no longer chaste. She had been married off to a feudal lord in that mortal kingdom and even bore him a son. This enraged the Green Moon Lineage. The Holy Maiden they had searched so painstakingly for was no longer untouched…"
Liu Zhen listened with a look of surprise, his gaze shifting toward Jiang Chen. He was clearly unsure whether they should keep listening.
Jiang Chen gave a slight wave of his hand, indicating that what they had heard so far was enough.
Liu Zhen quickly said, "Stop right there. That's enough. Why ramble on so much? Nobody asked you for all that."
Green Moon Lineage?
Jiang Chen's heart surged with emotion. He had finally learned about his mother's origins. Every detail perfectly matched the contents of the letter his father had left behind.
Which meant that this former Holy Maiden of the Moon God Sect was very likely his mother.
Wait — Green Moon Lineage?
Gu Xintang was also from the Green Moon Lineage! If that was the case…
A thread of hope suddenly kindled in Jiang Chen's heart. If Gu Xintang was from the Green Moon Lineage, and his mother was also from the Green Moon Lineage — then if his mother was still alive, would Gu Xintang simply stand by and watch her be executed?
Unless Gu Xintang had deliberately kept his mother in the dark about this matter. Otherwise, no matter the reason, a woman — no matter how ruthless — would not consent to having her own husband put to death.
Moreover, judging from his father's letter, the two had been deeply in love. It was clear that his mother had treasured their bond above all else.
Otherwise, his father would never have been so driven to find her. If their feelings had been lukewarm, where would Jiang Feng have found the motivation to search for his mother?
Regardless, this was a sliver of hope.
Jiang Chen's heart tightened. He stepped forward to Liu Zhen and said, "Let me ask a few questions."
Liu Zhen nodded repeatedly, carefully making way for Jiang Chen. A fawning smile hung on his face — he could clearly see that among this group, Young Master Shao was the one who truly mattered.
Jiang Chen swept his cold, indifferent gaze across every member of the Falling Heaven Society.
"It's still by Liu Zhen's rules," he began. "That Holy Maiden lost by the Green Moon Lineage all those years ago — what was her name?"
"I know, I know! Her name was Xu Meng!" the high-ranking member blurted out.
"What is her current situation?" Jiang Chen asked.