Chapter 372 Each With Their Thoughts
A funeral hall.
Streams of white cloth fluttered in the wind.
An elegiac couplet hung on both sides.
Transforming into a butterfly when leaving this world has become a dream, crying of a crane is the sound of stepping into an illusory realm.
"There are no physical injuries, his expression is peaceful. It’s not likely that he was harmed by an aggressor. Hence, the death is likely of natural causes." This was the conclusion drawn by the Imperial Academy of Medicine. It was utterly absurd, yet logical and justifiable.
Jin Yu Gonggong was the most subdued of the Five Grand Eunuchs. He didn't have many enemies in the imperial court, nor did he have many friends. Due to his position, many people came to offer their condolences, but the funeral hall was extremely quiet. Those people came hurriedly and left just as quickly. Everyone kept their heads bowed, knelt to offer their respects, and only a few actually shed tears.
It was quiet, just like those days that Jin Yu Gonggong spent in the Imperial Library reading books on his own.
The situation in Heavenly Revelations was still unstable, His Majesty the Emperor was still in critical condition, and in the eyes of many people, the death of one of the Five Grand Eunuchs was just the beginning.
By the time evening came, the funeral hall was finally empty and there were no more guests.
Thus, there were only four people left in the hall.
Eunuch of Sword Jin Wei, Eunuch of Seal Jin Yan, Eunuch of Incense Jin Xian as well as the Grand Eunuch Jin Xuan.
Jin Xian Gonggong was closest to the late Jin Yu Gonggong and he stepped forward to lift the white cloth on the body. Jin Yu’s expression was very peaceful, looking as if he was merely sleeping. Jin Xian reached a hand out to brush over Jin Yu’s body and said slowly, "Nobody knows Jin Yu’s level of martial arts better than us. When it came to the depth of his internal strength alone, I believe he was above the three of us, and comparable to that of the Grand Eunuch."
Grand Eunuch Jin Xuan nodded. "His Mild Breathing Technique is a skill that’s extremely difficult to cultivate. Jin Yu was always very calm and the only one among us who managed to master it."
"But Jin Yu is dead, and there are no physical injuries on the surface." Jin Xian Gonggong placed his hand on Jin Yu’s chest and closed his eyes. "Heavenly Revelations City is currently facing unrest. The Imperial Academy of Medicine are no fools and they won’t take such misfortune onto themselves at this time. But we’re no fools either. There’s not a single wound from head to toe, but all the meridians in his body are broken. What sort of person could shatter Jin Yu’s meridians?"
The other three were silent, and they couldn't think of anyone with such a devastating internal strength.
"Or perhaps, this martial arts specializes in shattering a person’s meridians?" Jin Xian spoke slowly as he withdrew his hand.
There was indeed such a martial arts that once destroyed Xiao Se’s meridians, despite the fact that he had entered the Unfettered Heavenly Realm as a youth. It even caused the former Hallmaster of Bai Xiao Hall such severe injuries that he could not leave the mountain.
"Void-Minded Skill," Jin Wei said solemnly.
"But shifu is already dead. There’s no one left in this world who knows this martial arts," Jin Xuan said.
"I don’t believe any of us can be truly certain whether there’s someone who knows this martial arts." Jin Xian leaped up suddenly and attacked Jin Wei with a pointed finger.
Jin Wei frowned slightly and immediately drew his Abyssal Eye sword. Jin Xian’s finger connected with the Abyssal Eye sword, a wave of cold aura instantly swept across the blade. The Abyssal Eye sword trembled slightly, emitting a chilling sound.
Jin Xian withdrew his finger and stepped back.
Jin Wei shook the sword, and a wave of sword aura melted the cold intent on the sword.
One of them used his finger, the other swung his sword.
But the martial arts they used were the same.
Void-Minded Skill.
"All these years, none of us really gave up on learning this martial arts. Back then, shifu left behind a fragment of the manual. Besides Jin Yu, none of us had the tenacity to hold ourselves back from practising it. But, how well we practised it, what stage we reached, only each of us know of ourselves." Jin Xian observed his finger. "Insatiable greed."
Jin Wei pressed his hand on the hilt of his sword. "What you’re saying is, the one who killed Jin Yu, is among the four of us."
Jin Yan, who had kept his silence all this time, shook his head hurriedly and said, "That’s not true. I’m different from the rest of you. I wasn’t Grand Eunuch Zhuo Qing’s disciple and I don’t know the Void-Minded Skill. You can test me."
"But your shifu is still alive and he is Zhuo Qing’s shidi. After so many years, he must have achieved some level of understanding," Jin Xian said pointedly.
Jin Yan chuckled. "Eunuch of Incense, your insinuations have ulterior motives. When you put it like that, all under Heaven is under suspicion. Why would you suspect members of your own family?"
Jin Xian Gonggong looked at Jin Yu, lying there quietly, and smiled slightly. "My best friend is lying here dead. I don’t care what I’m insinuating."
Grand Eunuch Jin Xuan cleared his throat. "Jin Xian, even if you are grieving, you shouldn’t say such things."
"Grand Eunuch." Jin Xian lowered his head slightly. "Jin Xian has caused offence. But, Jin Xian will not take back my words."
"You!" Jin Wei Gonggong growled angrily.
"His Highness White Prince has arrived!" A sharp voice suddenly announced.
The four were taken aback at the same time.
It was not surprising to see the White Prince here. Jin Yu Gonggong was his martial arts master and the person who was most like a kindred soul to him in the entire Heavenly Revelations City. But, this was the first time that His Highness White Prince showed himself after regaining his sight.
He took off the white blindfold he’d worn for over ten years and walked forward unhurriedly. The expression on his face was neither heavy nor aloof, and his pair of eyes were both clear and composed. For a moment, he looked as if the late Jin Yu Gonggong had resurrected within him.
After cultivating the Mild Breathing Technique to a certain realm, he would have such a calm and composed temperament.
So calm that even if he was going to die, he remained calm.
"Your Highness White Prince." The four bowed their heads at the same time.
Xiao Chong didn't seem to see them. He simply bent over and looked at Jin Yu Gonggong lying there.
"Second shifu, all these years, I’ve always imagined what you look like. I imagined you were a hermit Confucian scholar living in a secluded temple deep in the mountains, a genius who has written thousands of books. But, I didn’t expect that you’re exactly the same as the person I met when I was young, an ordinary scholar who loved to read. Except now, you look like an ordinary middle-aged teacher." Xiao Chong sighed. "You’re not very interesting but without a person like you in this world, it’s become even more bereft.
"I used to ask you why you’d choose someone like me, a blind prince. You said you chose me, not because you wanted to help me become an emperor so that you could gain glory, but because you felt it was worth it."
"Your Highness White Prince, please restrain your grief," Grand Eunuch Jin Xuan spoke softly.
Xiao Chong raised his head and lifted the white cloth to cover Jin Yu's body again. "I know why second shifu died. I begged him to help me repay a favour, but I never thought repaying this favour would get him killed. Second shifu’s kindness and grace towards me is as deep as a valley. I don’t need the throne, but I must avenge him."
Outside the hall, a murderous aura erupted steeply.
The burly Wrath Sword Immortal Yan Zhantian placed his hand on his Army Destroyer sword and stood quietly in the courtyard.
Yan Zhantian and Jin Yu Gonggong were completely different in personality. Yan Zhantian didn't even bother to meet this second master who shared his disciple, but that didn’t change the fact that Jin Yu was one of very few people whom Yan Zhantian once admired in his heart.
While Yan Zhantian's sword aura rose sharply in the courtyard, Jin Wei Gonggong’s Abyssal Eye sword was out of its sheath, and Jin Xian Gonggong’s fingers had also curled around his Snowstorm sword.
Grand Eunuch Jin Xuan waved his hand lightly, and suppressed the murderous aura within the hall. "Do not be rash."
Yan Zhantian snickered. "The Five Grand Eunuchs of Heavenly Revelations."
Jin Xuan also smirked. "The Great Evil Wrath Sword Immortal."
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