167 Sword Injuries (2/2)

The grand mansion was the Meng's residence. In the spur of the moment, Gu Shenwei wanted to sneak into the mansion to check it out. After some consideration, he gave up. He was not carrying a weapon with him and could not extricate himself from any trap. Furthermore, it was not a good idea to break into houses in the North City. Once this was discovered, the Golden Roc Fort would not spare him from any punishment.

Gu Shenwei turned around and returned to the Ye Residence. The door to the yard had only been partially closed, and he went in uninvited.

Ye Silang was practising his swordplay in the yard. When the cold moonlight shone on his flawless skin, it looked as though an aura of a young deity was emanating from him. It seemed like the aura had grown three heads and six arms, and was wielding countless long swords.

Gu Shenwei watched silently; this was not a sword that has been crafted to kill, yet one would still be enraptured by it.

Ye Silang sheathed his long sword and removed the bandages from his chest, saying, ”This isn't the first time that I've been injured.”

”You'll get used to it sooner or later.”

Gu Shenwei's body bore countless scars of various sizes. Every one of them was more ghastly than those on the swordsman.

”I have a lot of things to get used to. This world has already been turned upside down. My most loyal servant reports my every action to some rich person, yet a killer is trying his hardest to find out who tried to kill me. Do you know? All of this disgusts me, you and my servant.”

”I don't see your purple cape.” Gu Shenwei said casually, with no intention of entering into a debate about what the world was supposed to be like with the swordsman.

”Cape?”

”Yes, cape. I saw someone in the South City, who loves the color purple just like you. I think...”

Ye Silang demonstrated another type of swordsmanship. Without seemingly moving his body, he came face to face with the killer. The long sword pierced into the killer's chest by about an inch. With just a little more force, he could have killed this irritating youth. ”Shut up!” The swordsman's face was malevolent and had lost all its god-like lustre from earlier.

Gu Shenwei looked down upon the sword which had pierced his chest and said, ”This isn't the first time that I've been injured.”

Ye Silang retracted his sword, and said with a face full of scorn and disgust, ”You should count yourself lucky that I'm a swordsman, and that this is the North City. Sooner or later I'll repay you with a life, and then kill you myself.”

”Just like killing Marquis Gao?”

Once he spoke, Gu Shenwei knew that he had made a very incorrect guess. Ye Silang lifted his head, which made his already tall stature to grow taller. The youth in front of him seemed like a primary school student who was guilty of something. He said, ”You're a killer right to the bone, and will never understand what it means to be a swordsman. A swordsman may kill, and may even kill for profit, but will never kill someone behind their backs.”

How could Gu Shenwei have understood what it meant to be a swordsman? He had only known a few swordsmen, and even so they all appeared within these few days. He said, ”Lately, I've seen many who have died under a sword, and every single case was an assassination.”

As long as there was no mention of the purple-clad man from the South City, Ye Silang could keep his emotions under better control. He lowered his long sword, and there was even a faint smile appearing across his lips. ”I've never seen his wounds, but I know that Marquis Gao wasn't killed by a swordsman.”

Gu Shenwei did not immediately catch the hidden meaning of this statement, and said, ”Many have confirmed that the wounds on Marquis Gao's body were caused by a sword, and you said it yourself before.”

”They were sword wounds, but not the doing of a swordsman.”

Gu Shenwei was enlightened all of a sudden. The type of kung fu that he was most well versed in was sword craft, but he knew very little about the sword craft which exists in the world. Even though Zhang Ji had loaned him many swordbooks, they were all useless. He had never studied them in detail. Therefore, his knowledge was far more shallow compared to this famous swordsman, Ye Silang.

That's right, someone who kills with a sword does not necessarily need to be a swordsman. Gu Shenwei now understands where his error in deduction came from. Many issues now made sense to him, but there were still a few details that remained unclear to him.

”So was that why you identified me as the murderer?”

”Not entirely. Marquis Go was a good friend of mine. I have a duty to avenge his death. As for seeking you out for a duel, it was because someone wanted your head. I've said that a swordsman would also kill for money.”

Gu Shenwei was very sure that he knew who was it that wanted Slave Huan's head. ”What about the assassin in the Rouge Forest? Was he not a true swordsman as well?”

”You still refuse to let go of this matter. That man is a swordsman, and an expert who is hard to find. However, he is no match for me, and I'll seek my own revenge. This has nothing to do with you.”

The old servant of the Ye Residence pushed the door open and entered the yard. He was shocked to see his master standing at the yard with his sword. He immediately bowed down and said, ”Fourth Master, you're not asleep yet?”.

Ye Silang nodded, while looking at the old servant who was quivering as he entered the house. His heart was filled with hatred for the entire Jade City.

Gu Shenwei returned to the residence in the North City. Shangguan Ru was still awake, and she asked him about his day's progress.

”I have some leads. I think everything will be made known in a few days' time.”

Gu Shenwei did not wish to divulge all of the information to the Tenth Young Master. The next day, he returned to the South City. Firstly, he ordered the Xu siblings to gather information on Chu Yangjun from the Hope Alley. After that, he called for Maid Lotus. This was the only companion that he could trust, and he had to remind her that danger was near.

”Be aware of Wildhorse. Marquis Gao, Zhou Huan, Slave Yuan and Slave Jing were all killed by him. His next target would either be you or me.”

(Please keep and give suggestions)