"Elders," Wei Bai began, his words echoing softly in the hushed silence of the room, "please, allow Detective Fang Duobing entry to examine Leader Wang's statue. We must uncover the truth behind his transformation."
But his plea fell upon deaf ears as the elders, their faces etched with disapproval, rebuked him sternly. "Wei Bai, you know not what you ask," one of the elders admonished, his voice stern and unwavering. "To disturb our leader's soul is to invite the wrath of the heavens upon us all."
As the elders remained unmoved by Wei Bai's plea, Fang Duobing knew he had to act quickly to sway their decision. With a determined expression, he stepped forward, bringing Li Lianhua to stand beside him.
"Elders," Duobing began, his voice commanding attention, "with me stands the renowned Doctor Li, known far and wide for his miraculous healing abilities. It is said that he possesses the power to revive the dead."
The elders exchanged skeptical glances, their expressions hardened with skepticism. But Duobing pressed on, his gaze unwavering as he continued, "Leader Wang may be six feet under now, but he was a master of summoning ghosts in his lifetime. If you truly wish to honor his memory and seek the truth, would you not allow Doctor Li to give it a try?"
Li Lianhua looked at Duobing, initially confused by his words, but as he realized the intent behind them, a secret smile tugged at his lips. Impressed by Duobing's cunning plan, Li Lianhua nodded imperceptibly, his eyes glinting with admiration for the young detective's quick thinking.
"How can we know if you're just playing tricks?"
"People call me a miracle physician," Li Lianhua said, his voice ringing with conviction. "I am popular in the town; you can ask anybody around."
After a moment of silent deliberation, they relented, their resolve softened by the promise of uncovering the truth. As they entered the room, Li Lianhua turned to Fang Duobing with a playful smirk, teasing, "So, Detective Duobing, it seems you've been singing my praises outside. Didn't know you were such a fan."
Duobing's expression remained stoic as he ignored Li's jest, his focus fixed on the task at hand. Stepping forward, he approached the golden statue of Leader Wang, his eyes narrowing as he began to examine it closely.
"Didn't you say you would help me? Let's see how many clues you can find," Duobing smirked, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Alright," Li Lianhua replied with a smile, his own gaze sweeping the room as they began their investigation.
As Fang Duobing's eyes settled on the statue's hands, he was struck with a sudden realization. "Breath Stopping Skill," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "But that skill could only stop his breath for three days at most. Three days later, he needed someone to hit his acupoints Baihui and Tanzhong three times to come back to life."
Li Lianhua's voice chimed in, completing Duobing's thoughts. "Wang Qingshan used Breath Stopping Skill to fake his death," he confirmed, his tone calm and analytical. "And he needed someone he trusted to wake him up. But that person failed to do so, resulting in his suffocation."
Duobing nodded in agreement, his mind racing with the implications of their discovery. "He needed the help of someone very close to practice this secret skill. Those four disciples were the closest to Wang Qingshan in the Lingshan Sect."
Impressed by Duobing's deductive prowess, Li Lianhua nodded in acknowledgment. But before he could continue, Duobing interjected, his gaze shifting to the statue's lips. "Haven't you noticed that the gold leaf on his lips is very thick?" he observed. "He was injured before he died. So the murderer used thick gold leaf to cover the blood."
Li Lianhua's eyes widened in realization as he observed a palm sign on the statue's back. "And I know the reason," he added, his voice tinged with understanding. "See the five poison palm."
Duobing's mind raced with the implications of Li Lianhua's revelation. "Xin Lei, the Thunder Chaser of the Jinyuan Alliance," he mused aloud, his brow furrowing with concern. "I didn't expect that he'd been holed up here all these years."
As Li Lianhua questioned him about his knowledge of the Jinyuan Alliance, Duobing remained silent, his thoughts consumed by the implications of their findings. With a determined glint in his eye, he rushed to the site of the incident, knowing that the answers they sought lay within its shadowy depths. And as his gaze met Li Lianhua's, they shared a silent understanding—a shared commitment to uncovering the truth.
As the night descended, casting a veil of darkness over the palace grounds, Li Lianhua set his plan into motion. With Duobing and his assistant by his side, they carefully orchestrated a ruse to deceive those who watched from the shadows.
Gathering before the golden statue of Leader Wang, Li Lianhua feigned communication with the spirit realm, his voice echoing with an otherworldly resonance. "At midnight today," he announced, his words carrying a weight of authority, "you'll enter the dream of the Spiritual Child. The boy who can tell that person's surname tomorrow is the real Spiritual Child. Please write the answer on this paper."
The air crackled with anticipation as the statue of Leader Wang seemed to come to life, its hand moving with purpose as it inscribed something onto the paper before them. Li Lianhua seized the moment, his hands moving deftly as he burned half of the paper, revealing only the characters "He" to those who watched from outside.
Unbeknownst to the onlookers, Li Lianhua had orchestrated the entire spectacle, knowing full well that their eyes were upon him. With a knowing smile, he exchanged a glance with Duobing and his assistant, their silent cooperation a testament to their shared determination to deceive those who sought to unravel their secrets.
To be continued..