Chapter 1 (1/2)
FRS: Chapter 1 – Unknown Murderer (1)
Translator: Momoe Pom
TLC: Puissansa
Editor: Isabelle
First Published on Ainus.h.i.+.
After roaming the martial world for a long period of time, Lanyan League finally incurred public outrage among the moral sects. Supported by Wudang's LingYun Daozhang and Shaolin's Ci'En Fangzhang [1], Huihuang Sect's Ji WuDi appealed to the moral sects and jointly launched a large scale extermination of the Lanyan League.
Fan JiJing, as the representative of the Jiuhua Sect, partic.i.p.ated in this movement. Together with fellows of the moral sects, he too harvested this tough, yet rewarding fruit of victory. Since then, Lanyan League had become an evil legend in the martial world, and everyone from the moral sects returned to their homes in triumph.
After nearly two months of travel, Fan JiJing finally returned to Mount Jiuhua. As he stepped through the gates of the Jiuhua Sect, he saw his second s.h.i.+shu [2], Song BoLin, and fifth s.h.i.+shu, Wu ChangBo, standing there looking extremely serious.
”Second s.h.i.+shu, fifth s.h.i.+shu.” Fan JiJing, with travel bag on his shoulder, saluted them respectfully.
”Did you know?” said Song BoLin in a low voice.
Fan JiJing was dazed for a second. He asked hesitantly, ”What is second s.h.i.+shu referring to?”
”Your master is dead.”
…..
Without any signs or time to prepare himself, it was like lightning on a sunny day.
Fan JiJing did not respond for a while, as if struck by lightning.
Wu ChangBo snapped, ”Second s.h.i.+xiong [3], you were too straightforward.”
Song BoLin glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. ”Then, how would you have said it?”
Wu ChangBo cleared his throat, then spoke slowly, ”JiJing…”
Fan JiJing finally reacted a little. He looked at Wu ChangBo dazedly. His eyes showed faint antic.i.p.ation, hoping that he would deny Song BoLin's words.
”Your master is dead.”
…..
Fan JiJing was struck by lighting once again.
The corner of Song BoLin's eyes twitched. ”Were your words any different from mine?”
Wu ChangBo replied, ”I called his name first to make him feel my concern for him.”
Song BoLin pointed at Fan JiJing, who still hadn't snapped out of it, and asked, ”So, does he look any different from just now?”
Wu ChangBo said, ”Just now, he was shocked. Now, he is touched.”
”You are making things up.”
”You are just picking a fight.”
”You are playing with words.”
”You are playing with girls.”
Song BoLin got so mad that his beard almost curled up. ”When did I ever play with girls?”
Wu ChangBo grunted, ”When did I ever play with words?”
”You are doing it right now!”
”I…”
”Second s.h.i.+shu, fifth s.h.i.+shu…”
”What?” Both Song BoLin and Wu ChangBo turned to him angrily.
Fan JiJing blinked several times, then slowly opened his mouth: ”How did Master die?”
Song BoLin pulled a long face and said, ”He was killed.”
”I told you not to be so straightforward.” Wu ChangBo added, ”During the a.s.sa.s.sination attempt, he failed to dodge the sword that cut through his neck. He also couldn't find anything to cover the wound, so he lost too much blood in the end… Sigh.”
Fan JiJing said, ”But Master is very skilled in martial arts. He’s one of the top masters in this world. Back then, even Wudang's LingYun Daozhang praised his Xianlian Sword [4], saying it was undefeatable. Ci'en Fangzhang also said…”
”That's enough. How did you become so talkative after going off on just one trip?” Song BoLin cut him off coldly, ”Your master was a.s.sa.s.sinated. In fact, the murderer used the Xianlian Sword that LingYun Daozhang had once praised so highly.”
Surprisingly, Wu ChangBo didn’t argue with him this time. Instead, he echoed, ”Your master was killed by Xianlian Sword right after he taught it to his three mantle disciples [5]. We can't help but suspect…”
Hearing him dragging out the sentence, Fan JiJing hastily asked, ”Suspect what?”
Song BoLin said, ”Suspecting that the killer is someone from our sect.”
Fan JiJing was shocked. ”How is that possible?”
Song BoLin continued, ”Other than your master, the only people who know the Xianlian Sword are: your eldest s.h.i.+xiong Guan Xing, second s.h.i.+xiong Zhu LiaoDa, and fifth s.h.i.+di [6] s.h.i.+ JiZhong. Your master must have trusted them greatly. If one of them suddenly attacked…”
Fan JiJing said, ”But they still wouldn’t be able to kill him. Master's proficiency is far above them. Even if he was ambushed, it would still be too difficult for any of them to succeed.”
Wu ChangBo said, ”It’s true that it would be difficult for any one of them, but it wouldn’t be as hard for the three of them together.”
Fan JiJing looked at him in shock. ”Fifth s.h.i.+shu, are you saying that…”
Wu ChangBo frowned, ”Before the truth is revealed, anything is possible.”
Fan JiJing looked at him solemnly. ”I cannot agree with what s.h.i.+shu just said. Even ordinary matters require reasoning and evidence, even more for such a serious matter as the crime of killing one's master. Three people can make a tiger come true [7]. If my s.h.i.+xiong didn't do it, wouldn't s.h.i.+shu feel guilty making them suffer these adverse rumors and accusations?”
Wu ChangBo's face flushed upon hearing those words.
Song BoLin humphed, ”If it wasn't them, who else knows Xianlian Sword?”
Fan JiJing said, ”Different things may share similar appearances. Maybe the skill the a.s.sa.s.sin used is just very similar to Xianlian Sword.”
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Song BoLin said, ”s.h.i.+xiong was killed by the 'Wan Hai Kuang Chao [8]' in Xianlian Sword. There is no way I could be wrong!”
Wu ChangBo suddenly cleared his throat.
Song BoLian said impatiently, ”I was just trying to warn you because you just came back. There is no doubt that Guan Xing and the others killed your master. You should take care of yourself.” He then flicked his sleeves and left [9].
Wu ChangBo glanced at Fan JiJing as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he only let out a sigh and hurriedly went to go catch up with Song BoLin.