Chapter 125
Chapter 125
“I certainly didn’t come seeking you!”
The three entered the inn, and the attendant scrambled to serve tea. As soon as they sat, Chen Shu asked eagerly, “If not me, who in Diancang Pass could be important enough to bring you back, A Jie?”
“I heard of the Leader of the Martial Alliance holding ‘The Bride’s Blade Challenge’ right there in Pingchao Kou?” Shen Jie countered, ignoring her question. “He truly recovered your sword?”
“He did,” Yan Ji answered brightly. “Caused quite the stir. I even went to catch the spectacle.”
“You went too?” Shen Jie turned to Chen Shu.
At the mention, Chen Shu’s gaze unconsciously drifted toward the stairs. Prompted by the question, she answered distractedly, “Ye—yeah! I went!” before snapping her head back, flustered.
Shen Jie, sharp as ever, easily noticed the oddity. She didn’t press directly, instead glancing at Yan Ji beside her. Yan Ji, despite his flamboyant ways, harbored a primal fear of Shen Jie—rooted in past episodes involving “bribes” and being an “informer.” That single look made him shudder, leading him to spill everything.
Having only gleaned fragments from Chen Shu during their walk, he barely knew the details. Blithely, he claimed Chen Shu had quarreled with Yun Shen, insisting it meant nothing as the two were obviously fond of each other—just a petty spat.
Shen Jie studied Chen Shu again. The latter, wanting to correct Yan Ji’s version yet mortified by the implication of her feelings raised so bluntly in front of Shen Jie, glared at Yan Ji. Awkwardly, she changed the subject:
“But A Jie, why are you here, really?”
“Haha!” Shen Jie laughed heartily. “Well, I heard you not only hijacked this ‘Bride’s Blade Challenge’ but also caused the theft of a heap of treasures gathered from every corner! Naturally, I rushed here—”
“You heard about the thefts too? Wait…” Chen Shu suddenly seized on a point. “Why would you come straight to Diancang Pass when you heard about the robbery?”
Shen Jie nodded with a knowing smile, acknowledging she’d hit the crucial lead. Turning the tables, she asked, “And you two? I presume you caught a suspect and are investigating?”
“More than that!” Chen Shu exclaimed. “We already found the stolen goods earlier—right in the Martial World Alliance compound! We confirmed they were brought here to Diancang Pass by the thief! He’s the talisman cultivator—”
“—The kind of Daoist who can float on clouds and mists,” Yan Ji chimed in with explanation.
“—Well, not exactly!” Chen Shu interjected. Pausing, she skipped over the discrepancy. “But the point is, he had the means to transport those treasures to Diancang Pass. Then, taking advantage of our absence, he brazenly told clerks they were ‘Martial World Alliance stock’! I brought the clerks chasing him too. Now we only need to catch him personally. The goods are all still here—he put too much effort in to just abandon them.” She stuck her tongue out at Yan Ji, borrowing his phrasing.
“Oh?” Shen Jie asked. “Then did you two go to that person’s former residence in Diancang Pass?”
“We did,” Yan Ji replied. “The house aboveground was uninhabited, with ruined walls everywhere, but the underground part remained neatly arranged.”
“How many of you went? Just you two?”
“No no, He Yu, Xu Yuan, and Yun Shen came too. Brother Yun is changing clothes at this inn, while those other two headed to Xian City. The plan was for us to split up into two groups to investigate.”
Shen Jie pondered for a moment before saying, “…Well, you should probably look again.”
“Why?”
“Diancang Pass only has this one inn. If he wasn’t staying here, he clearly had no other convenient lodging. And as you said, since he counted on you being unable to return quickly, there was no need for him to hide at all. His lodgings would naturally favor maximum convenience.”
“Could he have stayed in that courtyard all along, and we just didn’t notice?” Chen Shu asked suspiciously.
“At the very least, that ‘neat arrangement’ underground… How could it still be orderly if hit by the floodwaters? It means he returned after the floods. Perhaps he passed you by, or perhaps he’s staying somewhere within the Martial World Alliance compound. Regardless, to clarify this, you just need to visit it again tonight. It will become clear then.” Shen Jie hesitated slightly, then added, “Besides this theft case, I actually returned to Diancang Pass for… another matter.”
“What matter?” Chen Shu and Yan Ji asked simultaneously.
Just then, the tea finally arrived. Fragrant and steaming hot, Shen Jie smiled as she took a small sip, leaning back slightly.
Chen Shu, unable to contain her impatience, had a sudden flash of insight and pressed, “Could it be related to that flood?”
Hearing this, the smile on Shen Jie’s face broadened. She lifted her chin towards Chen Shu and asked, “Do you remember what I said to you back in Yingqiu City?”
“…Which part?” Chen Shu asked, adding a bit guiltily, “It wouldn’t be that bit about the person who destroyed the dam likely being among the finalists on stage, and thus possibly even connected to me in some way, would it…”
Yan Ji stared at Chen Shu, eyes wide.
Hearing this, Shen Jie clapped her hands and laughed heartily three times before shaking her head. “That wasn’t it, but what followed it wasn’t far off — the deduction we made after discovering the suicide victim. I told you that the perpetrator exhibits conflicting traits: both bold, reckless, shortsighted and cautious, insidious, greedy.
“The former traits,” she continued, “as I’m sure both of you can guess, point to Xiao Zhong, the leader of the Valley of Villains. His character was forged ruling over the valley from youth, wreaking havoc locally. Both the tactics seen during the battle at the Valley of Villains and the confessions of the captured bandits confirm this completely—
“Well, what about the other one?” Chen Shu interjected.
“Could the one we’re investigating be the other—” Chen Shu abruptly sucked in a breath, “Wait, no! If this person is a talisman cultivator, why would he deliberately choose the tournament day? He could easily shield that person with a mere gesture! Besides, he clearly used protective talismans to save the entire city on flood day! He clearly cannot be the one who started it!”
“Precisely,” Shen Jie said, tilting her head back to drain her teacup completely. As she lifted her eyes, meeting the expectant gazes of the two at the table, she deliberately drew out the suspense. With a smile, she changed the subject entirely: “By the way, that Yun Shen is here too, right? You’ve been out; he should be done changing long ago. Why not invite him down so we can discuss this together?”
“Him…” Chen Shu offered a forced chuckle, then glanced at Yan Ji. Seeing Yan Ji actually encourage her with a nod, she had no choice. She stood up stiffly and braced herself. “…Alright, I’ll drag him down.”
With that, afraid the other two might question her, Chen Shu darted up the stairs. The wooden steps thumped loudly under her feet, leaving both Yan Ji and Shen Jie momentarily stunned.
“…She and that Yun Shen truly…” Shen Jie turned back after a moment, her words trailing off.
Yan Ji, clearly waiting for this question, made several exaggerated facial expressions before finally answering. “I sense something’s definitely there. Forget the previous entanglements; just this time, guess what Brother He Yu found over at Ping Chao Kou?”
“What?” Shen Jie asked, frowning.
Delighted to finally be the one creating suspense, Yan Ji nearly puffed up his chest. He cleared his throat and dragged it out for a good while before he started to speak.
Just during this prolonged delay, the unmistakable thumping footsteps sounded again, descending the stairs. Then, Chen Shu appeared at the top of the staircase, peering down at them.
Behind her, there wasn’t a single shadow.
The distance was considerable, and the staircase shadowed, making Chen Shu’s expression hard to discern. But her movements completely lacked their earlier energy; they seemed constrained, awkward. Descending the steps, she didn’t come closer nor speak. She looked like a marionette that had lost its strings, moving mechanically yet blindly, utterly bewildered.
“…Where is he?” Shen Jie finally broke the awkward silence.
“He’s gone,” Chen Shu replied, scratching her head blankly. “He might have actually listened to what I said… But forget it, we can manage without him—”
“—Wait,” Yan Ji demanded sharply, “You told me what you said to him was actually true?! You just chased him off like that?”
“Clearly, he wanted to leave on his own!” Chen Shu complained, wrinkling her nose in protest.
—
“Forgive me for asking… Is there something troubling you, young master?”
Yun Shen looked over the low wall toward the cliff’s edge, momentarily silent. The red silk fluttered in the wind, and even in winter, the trees appeared lush and vibrant, evoking the vitality of summer. He stood there for a while before coming to his senses and replied, “Not entirely, but I do have a favor to ask. Since the master has been cultivating at the Chi Ya Temple for many years, may I inquire if he has any connections with the Martial World Alliance?”
“That depends on what type of connections you are asking about,” the Taoist priest replied with a smile, following Yun Shen’s gaze toward the cliff. “Every time the Sword Discussion Tournament is held, the authorities and the Martial World Alliance must discuss the arrangements with our temple. Beyond that, I am afraid there is none.”
Yun Shen turned his head and asked, “Has the Taoist priest ever met an elderly gentleman who serves the Alliance? He’s tall and thin, straightforward in character, and always handles documents for the Martial World Alliance.”
“Oh,” the priest replied lightly. “You mean this person? He seems to be my ancestor.”
Even Yun Shen was taken aback, and after a moment, he laughed and shook his head, asking, “Then, may I ask where this ancestor is now?”
“I do not know.”
After answering sharply with those two words, the Taoist seemed to realize this was somewhat inappropriate. He smiled awkwardly and sighed, explaining, “Whether this ‘ancestor’ is indeed a senior in our temple, I am also not sure. My master instructed me so before he left, saying that if there was anything needing assistance, I should take care of it. I can see that he indeed has no change in appearance after many years and is far more accomplished than us, but as for connections, there truly are none. Not only are there none, but he even occasionally uses his seniority on holidays to extract small benefits from the young ones in the temple… If you are looking for him to ask for some talisman water, you have likely come to the wrong place.”
“The Taoist has misunderstood,” Yun Shen replied hastily. “I am only inquiring about this person to clarify one matter; could I trouble the Taoist to deliver the message? If it is not convenient to inform where he is, I only need to meet him here.”
Upon hearing this, the Taoist priest scrutinized him calmly, responding with some skepticism, “It’s just a trivial matter; there’s no trouble at all. Of course, it can be done. However, I am indeed uncertain where this person is now. I can only instruct the juniors to leave a message at the usual places; perhaps it may be difficult to find him.”
“Then thank you very much,” Yun Shen said.
The priest seemed to have more to say, but after hesitating, he did not speak it and turned to enter the hall, looking for the junior. Soon, Yun Shen was left alone in the backyard. He gazed at the ancient tree for a while, and unable to resist, he moved two steps closer to the cliff’s edge, leisurely passing through the flower gate to stand under the tree.
It was truly a coincidence; he reached out and caught a red talisman blown into his palm by the wind, which clung tightly to his slender fingers, revealing the words written on it:
Chen Shu, Han Guang.
The blessings underneath, which he had found laughable over a month ago, such as “May you live a long life together” and “May you be together until old age,” now struck Yun Shen like the gentle winter mountain wind, not fierce, yet bringing a chill straight to his heart.
He remained silent for some time before letting out a faint laugh, unwillingly loosening his grip and letting the red talisman drift back into the forest of crimson branches. After observing it for a moment, he seemed to remember something and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small object.
This object was none other than the sword tassel that Chen Shu had given him moments ago.
The tassel that had once carried Chen Shu’s earnest hopes.
Now, not only was it missing a piece, but it had also been returned to him just as abruptly, but as Yun Shen gazed at the sword tassel, his expression was not one of sorrow; instead, it felt rather wistful.
It was as if it still held a glimmer of hope, as he lifted his head, searching through the swirling red talismans, likely hoping to find the one that belonged to him and Chen Shu, to hang this sword tassel up as well. Just then—
Suddenly, he heard the faint sound of fallen leaves cracking behind him.
Yun Shen quickly became alert, turning around to see a fist coming toward him and a face he could unmistakably recognize!
But how could he dodge? By the time he was lost in thought about the red talismans, that moment of impending attack was already upon him; he could not avoid it.
In the blink of an eye, he was knocked unconscious, falling to the ground, and the sword tassel rolled away, tumbling twice before hiding beneath a pile of leaves that had not yet been blown off the cliff.
Everything happened so fast, while the mountain wind continued to blow as usual, and the ancient tree stood unchanged.
When the Taoist priest returned, he found the scene quiet and empty of people.