Chapter 438: Chapter 250: Blood Feud (Part 2)
"In the end, I secretly ran back home from the private school, but I didn’t expect to find the gate open, with two strangers inside.
"The person who should have been lying on the bed, barely alive, was sitting there like a coiled dragon or crouching tiger, showing not a trace of despair on his face.
"By eavesdropping on their conversation, I learned that... the person I saved was Wang Fang, who at the time was called Flying Tiger.
"Their thousand-mile trek for this major deal succeeded, but it caught the attention of Luochun Manor.
"At the time, Wen Fusheng had just succeeded to the position of Manor Master, eager to eradicate evil personally.
"Yet due to his shallow experience in the Martial World, he was led away by Flying Tiger, ultimately injuring him but failing to kill...
"He rolled and tumbled all the way to our village, where I eventually saved him."
As Lan Shuyi spoke to this point, his face remained calm, but faintly pale.
He took a deep breath and said:
"If things had ended there, it wouldn’t have been a big deal, and they could have left on their own, and we could have pretended never to have seen them.
"But as fate would have it, my parents came home from the fields at that time, to cook for me who was still in school...
"And coincidentally stumbled upon their meeting.
"What they were doing was secretive, even as Wen Fusheng was still hunting them. If news leaked, Wen Fusheng, having been duped once, wouldn’t give them a second chance.
"So... so... Wang Fang used the Nine-Ring Saber that his two brothers retrieved, and with one stroke, decapitated my parents!"
"Being young and ignorant, I couldn’t help but scream in shock at the sight of my parents’ tragic death, exposing my presence."
"How did you manage to survive afterward?"
Given the exposure, Wang Fang evidently wasn’t one to show mercy, and for Lan Shuyi to survive this long naturally meant there were turns along the way.
"...It was the teacher who saved me."
Lan Shuyi said this, instinctively looking up at the sky, the dim light rendering the tear marks in his eyes unreadable.
He said softly:
"The teacher was originally a Jianghu Person, weary of the killings in the Martial World, so he retired to the village, where he opened a private school, teaching the village children to read and write, enlightening them in literature.
"That day he found that I had sneaked home, and came back to find me... Nonetheless, he was a step too late to save my parents.
"And the teacher’s Martial Arts were on par with Wang Fang back then, but Wang Fang had two helpers.
"Therefore, after saving my life, the teacher didn’t tangle much, but took me to escape for dear life.
"Those three pursued us relentlessly, the teacher was injured, bleeding all the way.
"Carrying the burden of someone like me, he was ultimately caught by those three.
"The teacher was barely holding up and was about to die... Finally, Wen Fusheng, who had been chasing all the way, arrived.
"It was the first time I saw such a person, with Inner Breath swirling, freezing the eight directions. A single Finger killed a man.
"The bandits chasing us, so arrogant and domineering, fled in panic at the first sight of him, terrified out of their wits.
"The other two ultimately escaped, not because Wen Fusheng lost track again, but because he couldn’t bear to see the teacher die then and there.
"He chose to stay and save the teacher’s life first.
"Thus, I was fortuitously taken to stay at Luochun Manor for a few days... After the teacher recovered, he talked to Wen Fusheng about my background.
"Wen Fusheng intended to keep me at Luochun Manor; I asked him if I stayed and apprenticed myself to him, could I learn his Martial Arts.
"Wen Fusheng shook his head; he said his Martial Arts were family inherited, the ’Nine Heavens Star Finger’ and ’Celestial Inference Star Control Skill’ could never be passed on outside...
"So, I refused.
"I and the teacher left Luochun Manor; I, having lost all direction, didn’t know where to go. The teacher, from that battle, fortunately didn’t die but left behind an ailment.
"He said the hatred for my parents cannot coexist under the same sky, and if I wanted vengeance, I couldn’t apprentice under him.
"Even if his Martial Arts were practiced to the pinnacle, at best he could only fight Wang Fang to a draw.
"To seek revenge, he’d take me to find another good teacher... Henceforth, I wandered the Martial World with the teacher.
"Later, he led me to the door of the benefactor master; he and the benefactor master were close friends, and for the teacher’s sake, the benefactor master took me in.
"Much later... the teacher died, that battle’s ailment couldn’t be cured, his body wore out over time.
"I trained hard under the benefactor master for ten years, and upon self-assessment, my Martial Arts had long surpassed the former Wang Fang and teacher, so I bade farewell to the benefactor master, intending to go to Hu Koushan to find Wang Fang to avenge."
Unfortunately, he was not found...
In life’s twists and turns, each has different encounters.
Lan Shuyi met a renowned master, learning literature and martial arts, ultimately gaining much.
Wang Fang too turned his luck around, becoming the then rising, and flourishing Hall Master of Ding’an Hall.
The difference between them was too immense, Lan Shuyi never dreamt his mortal enemy would become this.
He searched everywhere, investigated all along, even visited Luochun Manor again, consulting Wen Fusheng about details of past events.
Wen Fusheng didn’t conceal the truth; he simply said, from that year onwards, Flying Tiger and his brothers vanished from the Martial World.
He had to guard Luochun Manor, couldn’t leave easily, and didn’t know the current state of that man.
Lan Shuyi bade farewell to Wen Fusheng, and continued searching in the Martial World... Finally, through numerous twists of fate, he found his mortal enemy.
However, his Martial Arts and former self were worlds apart, and his identity and status were entirely different.
Lan Shuyi knew he was not a match, wishing to face him head-on and kill him was utterly impossible.
Hence, he threw himself into Ding’an Hall, becoming Wang Fang’s most competent subordinate, gradually making a name for himself as the ’Thousand Threads Soul-Stabilizing Hand,’ also gaining fame as the ’Executioner.’
"Unfortunately... I still have no opportunity to kill him."
Lan Shuyi’s eyes were devoid of ripples:
"Maybe because he did too many guilty things early on, everything Wang Fang ate, drank, and used had to be thoroughly scrutinized, any edible items required poison testing.
"At night when resting, even the most favored concubine couldn’t hope to sleep in the same bed with him.
"If I want to avenge, I can only seek external aid.
"But now, the four divisions of Ding’an Hall’s experts are renowned throughout South Ridge, ranking among the Three Halls, who dares provoke them?
"To be honest, since the Third Young Master emerged in the Martial World, I’ve kept him in my thoughts... My intuition tells me the Third Young Master is ambitious, definitely not one to be content with mediocrity.
"Later, when the Third Young Master halted the war between Two Halls at Ghost God Gorge with a single remark, even incorporating Blazing Hall under his banner, I knew my intuition was correct.
"Actually, the task of the sword-giving ceremony this time, I volunteered for, precisely to have a brief contact with the Third Young Master, to see if there’s a chance for cooperation.
"As to the earlier question, I can be frank with you...
"The reason I chose to help Li Junmo investigate Zhao Qipeng’s death was because you agreed.
"This was a very good opportunity to engage closely with you.
"Only, I didn’t expect; the Third Young Master could be a good player, yet he rather chooses to overturn the board, question everything thoroughly, letting all my preparations fall through.
"Now all my secrets are fully disclosed, the Third Young Master can decide my fate."
"You say I can decide your life and death, but in fact, you’re quite certain."
Chu Qing said with a smile:
"Certain I won’t kill you, certain I’ll leverage you to take down Ding’an Hall!"
"For both me and you, this is the best choice."
Lan Shuyi said earnestly:
"Everything I’ve said is true.
"I know you have close ties with Luochun Manor, you could easily send a letter to Manor Master Wen to verify if there’s any falsehood in what I’ve said!"
"That proves nothing..."
Chu Qing said lightly:
"The story could be true, but the person might not be."
Lan Shuyi paused, then smiled bitterly:
"You’re right; then, will you... kill me?"
Chu Qing pondered for a moment, then took out a porcelain bottle from his chest, and spoke softly:
"Inside here is the ’Three-nine Soul-breaking Pill,’ consuming it won’t lead to immediate death, but failing to take the antidote timely will result in sudden death.
"Eat it and I’ll believe you."
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