223 The Convic (2/2)
”There is always specialization in every industry. Someone who occasionally uses the forge will not be in the same league as a blacksmith, while a bunch of hooligans cannot be compared with the same number of soldiers. If you do not practice, when it comes to time where you are 'forced to kill', how could you defeat someone who 'kills for a living'?”
For the first time, Shangguan Yun gave the killer serious consideration. He said to the youth, ”It seems I was wrong to call you a model killer just now. As a killer, you do seem a little too talkative.”
”Third Elder Brother, you should answer his question and not evade it,” said Shangguan Ru with a gleam in her eyes. She had still not made up her mind, and felt that there was truth to Slave Huan's words.
”I'm a normal person and cannot imagine myself in such an extreme situation. If you do not like the water, why do you have to you pick up swimming for fear of drowning?”
Gu Shenwei now truly despised this Third Young Master. He blurted out, ”Somebody by the name of Wu Shengqing says he does not have long to live. He wishes to ask you, is Parro still alive?” He would not have acted so rashly, even in the company of people he trusted the most. However, Shangguan Yun had a strange quality which made those around him unconsciously lower their guard.
Shangguan Yun's expression changed drastically. He retreated a few steps and leaned against the stone wall, seemingly being unable to stand by himself.
Gu Shenwei and Shangguan Ru had met Madman Wu when they were in danger at the Gui Garden. Wu had said a few baffling words to them at that time. Now, Gu Shenwei deduced that Wu Shengqing and Shangguan Yun must have been connected inextricably.
Shangguan Ru stood up and blinked once towards Slave Huan, signalling for him to stop speaking. She then went up to the side of her brother and asked, ”Who is Parro? Madman Wu... Wu Shengqing saved my life once, who is he as well?”
Shangguan Yun turned around and continued stepping backwards until he could see the lonely crescent moon hanging in the night sky, muttering the word ”Parro” again and again. After a while, he spoke, ”Wu Shengqing mastered the Unstoppable Wind together with me, and Parro was the woman that we both fell for.”
Parro's surname was Chen, and her father was a big protector of the satin trade. She had chanced upon Shangguan Yun and Wu Shengqing while admiring the flowers in the Gui Garden during the spring season. From then on, their lives were intertwined together.
Both men tried all means to woo her. They respectively sent her flowers in the night, stood outside her window and serenaded her with the flute, pretended to have met her by chance on the street or begged her maid to pass her a personal message. When Parro had decided to be with one of them, the other swore that he would remain single for the rest of his life, and willingly became her guardian.
”Who did she choose? It was you, wasn't it?” asked Shangguan Ru anxiously.
”How I wished that the person she chose was not me,” said Shangguan Yun softly. The smile was gone from his face. When he squinted his eyes slightly, he became a splitting image of his father, Shangguan Fa. Gu Shenwei felt fearful, and regretted his earlier verbosity.
”And then?” Shangguan Ru's voice slightly trembled as she asked. She had the feeling that her brother's reply would break her heart.
”I brought her back to the Castle, where she was raped by that old animal. I wanted to kill him, and ended up being imprisoned here.”
The blurry images in her memory of that fateful day became clearer now to an ashen-faced Shangguan Ru. She had even begun to remember what Parro looked like, but she had not known about her relationship to her Third Elder Brother, nor about the role her father had played in the incident.
Gu Shenwei had wanted to mention to the Third Young Master that this was the sorrow one would feel, to be incapable of killing. He decided not to speak, and just like a true killer who would not draw attention to himself, he retreated into the shadows, leaving the two siblings to their conversation.
”Maybe you're right, maybe I have yet to completely separate myself from the Stone Castle. However, both being unable to take revenge and killing people are just different forms of suffering. When fate comes calling, whatever you decide to do will be wrong anyway,” Shangguan Yun turned his gaze to the killer, his expression gradually becoming warmer.
Gu Shenwei remained silent. He felt his heart becoming more resolute - he had only known the insufferable pain of being unable to take revenge, and had never felt the pain of killing another before.
”Did Wu Shengqing turn insane because of this incident?” Shangguan Ru did not want to question her brother any further, but felt she needed to know how it ended.
”Partly because of it. He was only in rage and not of clear mind then, but not insane. It was Immortal Peng - he controlled Wu's feelings, and thought it would be a good opportunity to force Wu to complete his training in the Unstoppable Wind technique, but it ended up driving him crazy.”
Gu Shenwei would have guessed that Immortal Peng definitely tried to play his 'Having Feelings' and 'No Feelings' trick again.
”Immortal Peng is already dead, it was also... him that killed Peng,” said Shangguan Ru, bringing her brother's attention to the killer once more.
Shangguan Yun was stunned. Then he began to laugh loudly and said, ”It's good that he's dead, he had it coming.” When he thought about it a little more, his mind was filled with questions, so he asked Gu Shenwei, ”I would never have thought that your kung fu is so good, that it was good enough to kill Immortal Peng with your own hands. But why did the Supreme King not have you killed? That is very strange.”
”Did our father know Immortal Peng? How come I have never heard about this before?” a curious Shangguan Ru asked.
”They were more than mere acquaintances - they had studied the 'Secrets of Love' together before. The dwarf had given him many things, and in return the Supreme King did not interfere in the matters of Hope Alley, leaving it to run its own course under the hands of that bunch of weird people.”
Gu Shenwei finally understood that Shangguan Fa had wanted to kill him because of Immortal Peng, and not to take revenge for both of his sons. However, this was not an important issue to him - his real motive was the Wayless Book. ”Is Parro still alive?” he asked, emerging from the shadows.
”She's still alive,” said the siblings in unison.
”We should let her leave the Stone Castle as Wu Shengqing would very much like to meet her.”
This statement struck a chord with Shangguan Ru, and she looked joyfully at Slave Huan.
”Do you have the ability to make it happen?” After he said it, Shangguan Yun immediately changed tack and continued, ”You should have, since you have killed so many people.”
”It shall be known whether I have the ability or not once I am put to the test. However, you have to pass on the Wayless Qigong technique to the Tenth Young Master.”
Gu Shenwei surmised that it would be easier to get the Wayless Book from Shangguan Yun than trying to force it from the temple guard. It would be his new plan.