Chapter 412: Chapter 237: Curtain Falls
"No change in action... no change in name..."
"Just say yes or no."
Chu Qing waved his hand:
"Your bones are shattered, meridians severed, any misstep could cost your life... so save your breath."
"..."
After some contemplation, Chu Huai Feng said:
"Yes."
"Don’t you age?"
Chu Qing asked a question that wasn’t crucial but was something he was curious about.
Chu Huai Feng took Chu Qing’s words to heart and answered concisely:
"No."
"Why?"
"Martial Arts."
"Martial Arts can make you forever young?"
"I can."
The conversation was indeed unfruitful, Chu Qing grinned:
"Then what Martial Arts do you practice?"
"...Cold Corpse Record."
As Chu Huai Feng said this, he glanced at Chu Qing, his expression complex.
It wasn’t the hatred one would expect from facing an enemy, but rather a bit of relief and pity.
Chu Qing wasn’t unfamiliar with such a look, as Ling Beichen had also looked at him with a similar sense of relief before.
"You practiced this Martial Arts... not voluntarily?"
Chu Qing asked:
"Where did you learn this Martial Arts from?"
"Willingly."
Chu Huai Feng’s voice was very soft:
"The source of the legacy cannot be revealed... it’s of great importance.
"Moreover, let me advise you: you’re still young, yet your Martial Arts prowess is already remarkable, truly a talent of the ages.
"But the Martial World is perilous, unpredictable; many things aren’t as simple as they seem... if you encounter someone practicing Martial Arts similar to mine, stay away... don’t approach.
"Be careful, lest you invite trouble."
"...Are there others practicing Cold Corpse Record?"
"Not... not Cold Corpse Record... perhaps... perhaps... it might be..."
Chu Huai Feng’s breathing grew weaker, and his voice gradually lost strength.
Chu Qing’s mind stirred, and he urgently asked:
"When you were knocked off the cliff back then, why didn’t you die? Who saved you?"
"It was... it was... Luo..."
In the end, Chu Huai Feng couldn’t say the name before he drew his last breath.
And just as Chu Huai Feng took his last breath, a blue mist suddenly rose from his corpse.
Chu Qing’s expression changed:
"Retreat!"
He spread his hands, grabbing Gentle in one hand and Wu Qianhuan in the other.
His body swiftly floated back more than ten zhang, and the others also retreated, avoiding being engulfed in the blue mist.
The blue mist covered a radius of three zhang with Chu Huai Feng at the center.
Initially expected to dissipate momentarily, it surprisingly didn’t scatter.
Chu Qing frowned slightly, slowly approached, and within the blue mist were spots like stars.
Wearing Silk Gloves, he gently touched it with his finger.
A layer of blue frost immediately formed on his fingertip.
He flipped his palm and, with a sweep of Palm Force accompanied by a gust of wind, the blue mist was blown away, revealing only a skeleton where Chu Huai Feng had been.
No trace of flesh and blood remained.
"How could this happen?"
Hua Jinnian murmured, asking the question everyone wanted to know.
"Perhaps... it’s related to his Martial Arts?"
Chu Qing considered before speaking.
Yet he felt that even if it was related to the Martial Arts, there wasn’t much meaning in discussing it now.
In comparison, Chu Qing was more curious about what kind of Martial Arts the Cold Corpse Record was?
And according to Chu Huai Feng’s account, besides the Cold Corpse Record, there were other similar Martial Arts...
And he vaguely indicated that there were other mysteries behind it.
Nonetheless, this matter seemed somewhat unresolved, Chu Qing had struck too heavily, not leaving Chu Huai Feng much time; otherwise, some things might have been clarified.
As for the person who saved him back then... Chu Huai Feng only managed to say ’Luo’, yet it’s unclear if it was ’Luo’, ’Luo’, or ’Luo’?
Is this character a nickname or a surname?
If it was the former, it would be easy to explain, but if it’s the latter, then there are too many possibilities.
It’s an utterly countless situation.
Chu Qing touched his chin, feeling that this group of enigmatic people is really irritating... They speak half-truths, almost comparable to a cliffhanger dog’s despicability.
But from the positive side, the Cold Corpse that caused havoc back then is ultimately dead.
Zhou Rui and the others investigated for a long time, and the people killed by Chu Huai Feng during that time can be considered avenged.
This matter concludes here, and there isn’t much to say.
And just as everyone stayed there, heavy snow had already returned, covering Chu Huai Feng’s corpse in an instant.
Everyone didn’t intend to stay here any longer and began looking for a place to shelter from the wind and snow.
Soon, the group found a place to stay outside this abandoned village, which seemed to be a sacrificial hall of sorts.
There were two broken coffins inside, with holes in them, and the bones inside were nowhere to be found.
Chu Qing’s group decided to take a temporary rest in this sacrificial hall.
However, there was no firewood to start a fire this time, and the critical task was to save the fleeing scholar.
He was injured by the poisonous air within Chu Huai Feng’s Inner Power.
Fortunately, Zhou Rui was proficient in medicine, and his [Cyan Mountain Flying Cloud Hand] was comprehended from the [Qingnang Medical Classics].
Though not necessarily surpassing the Yin Yang Hermit, it was much better than everyone else present.
He first performed acupuncture on the fleeing scholar, then asked Chu Qing to transfer Inner Strength to the fleeing scholar.
With both proceeding simultaneously, mist constantly emitted from the fleeing scholar’s forehead, this mist carried a chill, shocking to behold.
The whole process lasted about a stick of incense’s time, and only then did Chu Qing retract his Inner Strength, while Zhou Rui removed the last Silver Needle from the fleeing scholar.
"Alright, it’s okay now. Actually, I should write you a prescription to strengthen your foundation, but do you have the time to brew the medicine?"
The fleeing scholar waved his hand:
"No time..."
"Then be careful these few days and try not to engage in martial arts. After three to five days, once fully recovered, it should be fine."
Zhou Rui spoke while the fleeing scholar was already standing up.
He clasped his hands toward Chu Qing:
"Thanks to the Third Young Master for the help this time; otherwise, we would be in danger.
"Previously at Seven Plum Manor, I also received great kindness... Alas, my situation is complicated, and returning the favor is difficult to speak of."
"...Still being pursued?"
Chu Qing looked at him:
"To be honest, I’m a bit curious, what exactly is your relationship?"
The fleeing scholar was stunned, his expression somewhat complicated as he said:
"She’s my wife..."
"Why is your wife trying to kill you?"
Chu Qing grew more curious.
"She’s sick, forgotten who I am..."
The fleeing scholar’s voice carried a bit of helplessness:
"But it’s not entirely forgotten, at least she still has an obsession with me.
"It’s just this obsession has changed from past deep affection to the current... endless struggle."
"...Have you considered finding someone to take a look?"
"I did."
The fleeing scholar looked up, his eyes appearing lifeless:
"But it’s of no use, even with Secret Technique to briefly restore her memories, she loses them again.
"Moreover, such actions severely damage her body.
"Instead of letting her linger between memory and oblivion, it’s better to let her remain as she is.
"At least this way, I can accompany her in playing the assassin game for a lifetime."
At this point, he seemed to come back from those memories and clasped his hands towards Chu Qing:
"Sorry, to speak so deeply despite being strangers.
"I still have matters to tend to, so I won’t accompany the Third Young Master any longer... Farewell."
"Please."
Chu Qing knew what he was going to do...
After so long, the pursuit should be near.
If it doesn’t come soon, he has to go meet them... lest they get lost.
After he left, everyone looked at each other, and the atmosphere grew a bit awkward.
After all, everyone was not quite familiar.
Chu Qing’s Martial Arts were too high, and they dared not speak freely before him, so each remained silent.
Finally, it was Hua Jinnian who broke the awkward atmosphere and casually started a conversation, which improved the mood significantly.
Chu Qing secretly glanced at Wu Qianhuan and stood up, walked out of the sacrificial hall under a big tree.
Watching the snow flying, the ground draped in silver, footsteps sounded from behind.
Looking back, a girl in red was staring at him through the wind and snow.
...
...
ps: Starting the annual leave from today... if single Chapter updates, it will be until the third day of New Year... taking the time, tidying up, getting a haircut, etc. After all, in a few days, people will close their shops and go home for New Year...
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