Chapter 85 - The Perpetrator
Chapter Ch85 - The Perpetrator
“You’re lying.” Bei Cangmo furrowed his brows, then said mercilessly, “The injuries you suffered weren’t caused by a demonic beast. Only a dozen or so people had entered the grotto-heaven that day, and you were brought out by the people of Sinking Sword Peak…”
“Shixiong, knowing all these won’t do you any good.” Lin Xuanzhi interrupted Bei Cangmo’s speculations. His eyebrows slightly furrowed as well, then he said, “It’s better if…”
“Was it Shifu, or Eldest Shixiong?” Bei Cangmo asked.
Lin Xuanzhi paused.
“Looks like it’s them.” Bei Cangmo said.
Yan Tianhen was also stunned. He heard Lin Zhan mention before that Lin Xuanzhi had always respected his Shifu very much.
Bei Cangmo narrowed his eyes, then said, “If it wasn’t them, then your expulsion from Profound Sky Sect wouldn’t have been so well-concealed. No matter how much I inquired about you, no one was willing to mention a word.”
Lin Xuanzhi refrained from laughing bitterly as he said, “Shixiong, can’t you just pretend to be a fool?”
“Fools won’t know when they get killed.” Bei Cangmo said, “Why did they do that? After you left, the strength of the entire Broken Sword Peak lagged far behind the rest, so what good would it do to chase you away?”
Lin Xuanzhi shook his head and said, “Not everyone is like Third Shixiong who would only consider the principles of right and wrong. The internal selection held at Middle Continent’s Sky Peak Sect is held once every ten years; East Continent’s Profound Sky Sect, West Continent’s Imperial Sky Sect, South Continent’s Heavenly Law Sect, North Continent’s Heavenly Fire Sect — a total of no more than twenty people can be sent to Sky Peak Sect, and when you divide these twenty places amongst the five sects, each sect would only be allowed to send five people. It’s a mere five places ah.”
When he said this, Bei Cangmo actually understood the insinuation behind his words.
Bei Cangmo said indifferently, “But even so, the placing wouldn’t go to Eldest Shixiong even if it you didn’t take it. Which of the Four Swords of Profound Sky isn’t better than him? And that’s excluding the cultivators on our alchemist and equipment peaks. Unless he kills everyone who’s more amazing than him in our sect, the right to go to Sky Peak Sect would never be his for the taking.”
“Shixiong, don’t joke around. Killing me alone would be enough.” Lin Xuanzhi said, “What if Sky Peak Sect suddenly changes its rules, such that it will accept the young peak master of every peak after they undergo an internal competition?”
Bei Cangmo frowned and said, “If you weren’t around, the young peak master position of Broken Sword Peak would surely be his.”
In terms of seniority, Du Qiying was definitely far superior to others in this aspect. In terms of cultivation level, Du Qiying may not be as strong as the Four Swords of Profound Sky, but he was still considered as one of the geniuses in their sect. Additionally, Du Qiying was quite popular and had a lot of supporters, so without an extraordinary existence like Lin Xuanzhi, the young peak master position of Broken Sword Peak would definitely belong to Du Qiying.
Bei Cangmo’s face darkened, then he said, “What a vicious plan.”
Lin Xuanzhi said, “But it looks like Shixiong believes me.”
Bei Cangmo said, “I had thought of returning the Zhige sword to you, but after Eldest Shixiong obtained it, he said that he had handed it over to the sect. But there was once when I passed by his room when I obviously saw him holding your Zhige sword in his hands. The greedy look in his eyes couldn’t be concealed, and that was when I knew that the greed in his heart was insatiable.”
Lin Xuanzhi nodded and said, “It’s good as long as Third Shixiong understands. You still need to cultivate at Broken Sword Sect, so it’s better if you don’t reveal what you know. Shixiong doesn’t want to get involved in the politics of the sect, so, just let everything be as it is and keep out of the sect’s affairs. When the time comes, I’ll naturally settle my debt with them.”
Bei Cangmo nodded and said, “I heard that you sold a top-grade magic tool yesterday?”
Lin Xuanzhi laughed bitterly, “Hasn’t that news spread a little too fast?”
“Profound city isn’t that big, so of course news would spread quickly.” Bei Cangmo casted a glance at him, then said, “I see that your complexion looks much better than before. Your life at the Lin family shouldn’t be too bad?”
Lin Xuanzhi casted a glance at Yan Tianhen and said, “With Ah Hen around, my life naturally wouldn’t be too bad.”
Bei Cangmo looked at Yan Tianhen.
Yan Tianhen proudly puffed his chest out.
Bei Cangmo observed the hideous scar on Yan Tianhen’s face and said, “This is caused by a Han toxin?”
“More or less.” Lin Xuanzhi said, “Shixiong can tell?”
Bei Cangmo continued to scrutinise the scar, then said, “This isn’t exactly like a Han toxin. We often suffer from Han toxins in the north, but none of us had suffered from it to this kind of extent. Such deep imprints appear to be the result of having been poisoned for many years, and the Han toxin must have seeped deep into his body.”
Yan Tianhen touched his face, then nodded and said, “Ever since I could begin remembering things, my face has been like this.”
Bei Cangmo revealed a look of sympathy.
Yan Tianhen was particularly sensitive towards the sympathy of others. Although most people would avoid him like the plague, there were still a few kind-hearted people who would feel pity for him.
Yan Tianhen touched his face and smiled, then said, “Don’t be like this Third Shixiong. In fact, my appearance is merely external, I pay more attention to my own thoughts. Those who have a glamorous appearance but a rotten heart are the ones who are truly pitiful.”
Bei Cangmo was immediately filled with admiration for Yan Tianhen, then he said, “I apologise for being rude. Xuanzhi, your Didi really isn’t ordinary.”
Lin Xuanzhi casted a profound look at the supposedly wise Yan Tianhen, then nodded and said, “That’s true. Ah Hen’s way of thinking has always been very different from others.”
Bei Cangmo felt the same way. Someone like Yan Tianhen who was able to see through the true natures of others at such a young age would definitely be destined for great caveats in the future.
Bei Cangmo looked at Lin Xuanzhi and said, “I came here to see how you were doing and to see if you needed my help with anything. If you do need my help, feel free to let me know. You don’t need to hold back.”
Lin Xuanzhi said, “Whatever I do need help with is something Third Shixiong can’t help with for now.”
Bei Cangmo, “…….”
Lin Xuanzhi continued, “But, when I return to Profound Sky Sect in the future, I would definitely need Bei Shixiong’s help in many areas.”
Bei Cangmo was slightly startled. A hint of joy flash through his eyes as he said, “You plan on returning to the sect?”
“I do have that intention. But, I don’t know if those people in Profound Sky Sect would come up with any more crooked ideas.” The edges of Lin Xuanzhi’s lips curved up, then he said, “In fact, I might not even be able to find a master.”
When Bei Cangmo saw Lin Xuanzhi’s face that was devoid of gloom, he couldn’t help but be at ease as he said, “Don’t worry. If no one is willing to accept you, then I’ll reluctantly accept you as my disciple ba.”
Lin Xuanzhi couldn’t help but laugh and said, “Then I’ll have to bother Shixiong.”
Bei Cangmo looked at Lin Xuanzhi with an unfathomable expression, then said, “The path of a craftsman is filled with obstacles and danger. It’ll be better if Shidi doesn’t let too many people discover that you currently lack the ability to protect yourself.”
The Soul Bead within Lin Xuanzhi’s consciousness called out, and said in an old and comforting tone, “Rascal, looks like your affinity with people isn’t as bad as I thought. There are still those pitifully few people who truly care about you, and the one in front of you right now doesn’t seem too bad.”
The reason Lin Xuanzhi’s identity as a craftsman hasn’t been discovered by other cultivators so far isn’t because he had used some technique to conceal his Qi, but because Soul Bead had been helping him restrain the craftsman soulfire within his body.
As such, in the eyes of other cultivators, Lin Xuanzhi was merely an ordinary person.
Of course, when Lin Xuanzhi needed to let a select few people know about his actual condition now and then, he would allow Soul Bead to release a bit of his soulfire’s Qi.
Which is why Bei Cangmo could sense Lin Xuanzhi’s distinctive Qi the moment they met.
Lin Xuanzhi agreed with Bei Cangmo. He nodded and said, “I’m only letting Shixiong know, so that Shixiong won’t worry.”
As for the others, they didn’t have the right to know yet as of now.
After Bei Cangmo received a summons from his sect, he couldn’t stay for much longer. He casted a glance at the wreckage on the floor and said, “My duties at the sect have been quite heavy these few days, so I won’t be able to escort you back personally. Take extra care, and when you want to leave, let me know in advance so that I can send you out of Profound city myself.”
Lin Xuanzhi nodded and said gratefully, “Much thanks to Bei Shixiong.”
Bei Cangmo waved his hand and said, “You’re my Shidi, you don’t need to be so courteous.”
When he finished speaking, Bei Cangmo jumped out of the window and disappeared from sight within the blink of an eye.
Yan Tianhen looked at the window and said, “Dage, this Shixiong of yours must not have been very obedient when he was a kid.”
Lin Xuanzhi asked out of curiosity, “Why do you say that?”
Yan Tianhen said, “He’s so smooth and skilled at jumping out of a window; it must have been because his family didn’t allow him to go outside to play and locked him up in his room, so he had to hone his jumping-out-of-the-window skills in order to run out and have fun.”
Lin Xuanzhi, “…….”
Lin Xuanzhi looked at Yan Tianhen and said, “How do you know all that?”
“Cause I’m the same ah.” Yan Tianhen sighed.
Lin Xuanzhi smiled and knocked on Yan Tianhen’s head, then said, “Have you ever been caught?”
Yan Tianhen proudly said, “Not even once!”
Lin Xuanzhi said, “That’s just cause Dad turned a blind eye to it and didn’t want to scold you.”
With Lin Zhan’s cultivation level, he must have sensed his disappearance the moment Yan Tianhen jumped out of the window.
Yan Tianhen was stunned, then said in shock, “I thought Daddy never knew.”
“How could Daddy not have known? His cultivation level isn’t low after all.”
Lin Xuanzhi let out a faintly discernible sigh and thought that he didn’t even know if it was a good or bad thing for his dad to have spoiled Yan Tianhen this much.
However, after they came to Profound Sky Sect, Yan Tianhen’s happy days were about to be over.
When Duan Yuyang heard about how they had been ambushed and were almost poisoned to death after he returned, he was instantly enraged.
He immediately dragged Yan Tianhen downstairs to look for the inn’s boss and roared at him fiercely.
“Honourable me chose your shop precisely because this place promised to safeguard our safety. Now that someone actually tried to poison us under broad daylight, your inn must properly account for it!”
The inn’s boss wasn’t someone who had a good temper either. He saw how Duan Yuyang’s dressing and accessories seemed to scream that he was rich, coupled with the fact that he had never seen such a person in Profound city before, so a feeling of contempt arose in his heart.
“I’ve opened this Gentlemen’s Approach Inn in Profound city for god knows how many years. For you to have encountered such an incident is all thanks to your bad luck, you must have offended someone you weren’t supposed to.” The inn’s boss said haughtily.
Duan Yuyang was so angry his mouth almost turned crooked. He had a very unique characteristic — in that he cherishes life and absolutely fears death. If it wasn’t because he had seen the words “responsible for the safety of all guests in the room” written clearly on the contract for this Gentlemen’s Approach Inn’s Heaven One room, he definitely wouldn’t have spent so much money to stay here!
Duan Yuyang said, “Stop spouting your fucking nonsense. You either refund honourable me’s money, or dig that killer’s employer out of his burrow. Or else, honourable me won’t let you off easily!”
The boss laughed coldly, then said with disdain, “You won’t let me off? Why not you go inquire into the family business that backs our Gentlemen’s Approach Inn!”
“I really haven’t heard of your backer before.” Duan Yuyang narrowed his eyes and said, “And now I do want to know which family raised a rabid dog like you who would bite everyone in sight without knowing what’s good for you!”
“You little bastard, you actually dare to humiliate me?! Today, I, Yuan Dacheng, will let you have at taste of my strength!”
The inn’s boss revealed a ferocious look. He raised his hand and slammed his fist down on Duan Yuyang. Duan Yuyang was startled by his sudden attack, but immediately took out a talisman and threw it at the inn’s boss’ fist. After it exploded, Yuan Dacheng’s fist was injured. He cried out in anger and unsheathed the knife at his waist, then roared at the thugs in his inn, “Take him down!” Several people thus rushed towards Duan Yuyang with the intention of killing him.
Yan Tianhen then ran upstairs and shouted as he ran, “Dage, they wanna kill us! They wanna kill us!”
When two of the thugs saw this, they immediately rushed after him from behind.
Lin Xuanzhi had been meditating in the room and didn’t know that Yan Tianhen and Duan Yuyang actually went downstairs to cause trouble for the inn’s boss. And thus, when Yan Tianhen was kicked into the room, Lin Xuanzhi flew into a rage within an instant!