Intercepted!
Xu Qi’an’s eyes narrowed, his nerves instantly taut. This brief sentence stirred a strong sense of crisis and urgency in him.
How did Jingxin and Jingyuan manage to capture Chai Xian so quickly? This doesn’t make sense.
After the massacre in the small village, Chai Xian had become even more cautious. Even with my Dragon Qi radar, I couldn’t find his hiding place.
Let alone Jingxin and Jingyuan. It was impossible for them to spot a Dragon Qi host amongst the vast crowd.
There must be something I’ve overlooked, or perhaps Jingxin and Jingyuan know some secret I don’t…
Steadying himself, Xu Qi’an said coolly, “I understand.”
Li Lingsu immediately said, “I will go and keep an eye on Xing’er. What is your plan, senior?”
“Protect yourself.”
…The corner of Li Lingsu’s mouth twitched. He nodded, passed through the cellar door, and disappeared.
As soon as the Holy Son left, Xu Qi’an bared his teeth, feeling the trouble at hand.
Jingxin and Jingyuan are both at the peak of the fourth rank, a combination of a Zen Master and a Warrior Monk. In the same realm, they could suppress almost any system. Only the confucian fourth rank could counter Buddhist precepts just by talking.
The tower spirit that old monk doesn’t allow me to use the stupa to suppress or kill Buddhist disciples. I can use it for self-defence, but now I want to target Buddhist monks, so I cannot count on the Stupa Tower…
Chai Xian is one of the nine Dragon Qi hosts, he absolutely cannot fall into Buddhist hands. Luckily, the enemy is in the open, while I am hidden. They do not know of my existence…
Xu Qi’an made a snap decision, cutting off half of the snakes, insects, rats, and ants, and used the remaining half to continue exploring the ancestral hall of the Chai residence.
The freed up spiritual power was used to control the ginger cat.
Outside the cellar, the lazy, sleeping ginger cat opened its amber eyes, its vertical pupils glinting. It raised its proud little tail and darted out like an arrow.
…
In the darkness, Chai Xing’er had not brought any attendants, nor informed her clan members.
She walked swiftly through the corridor alone. The cold wind howled. Lanterns hanging under the eaves swayed, their red glow illuminating her delicate face, reflected in her eyes, bright as gemstones.
After walking for a while, the inner hall came into view. Bright candlelight shone through the doors and windows.
Outside the inner hall, more than a dozen monks from the Western Regions stood, apparently having cordoned off the area as forbidden.
Chai Xing’er approached, pushed open the doors to the inner hall, and saw the sect brothers Jingxin and Jingyuan sitting in chairs, with someone standing inside, bound by dark golden ropes.
“Chai Xian!”
Chai Xing’er’s beautiful eyes widened, her fair and delicate face twisted by anger. She strode forward, without a word, and struck at Chai Xian with her palm.
“Do not kill!”
Jingxin promptly invoked a Buddhist precept, dispelling Chai Xing’er’s attack.
“Please calm down, benefactor Chai Xing’er.”
Jingxin stood up, pressed his palms together, and said unhurriedly,
“I have already questioned Chai Xian with Buddhist precepts. He is not the real murderer of Chai Jianyuan, nor is he the one who has been stirring up chaos in Xiangzhou recently. The real culprit is someone else.”
Chai Xing’er’s gaze shifted as she saw all three staring at her.
“What do you mean, Master Jingxin?” Chai Xing’er frowned. “Are you suggesting I wronged him, the whole Chai family wronged him, the heroes of Xiangzhou wronged him?”
The Warrior Monk Jingyuan stepped forward, his presence oppressive, and said calmly, “We returned here for this very reason. The Buddha does not punish the innocent, nor does he let the guilty go.”
“So in your eyes, Xing’er I am the guilty one then?”
At this moment, the doors to the inner hall were pushed open. Clad in black, incomparably handsome, Li Lingsu stepped across the threshold.
Li Lingsu… Jingxin and Jingyuan exchanged glances, well aware of his true identity, yet deliberately ignored his presence.
How arrogant. If this Holy Son were at my peak, dealing with you both would be a breeze… Li Lingsu felt their disregard, and muttered inwardly.
He glanced at the nearby Chai Xian and smiled, “Brother Chai Xian, long time no see.”
Back when he had become close with Chai Xing’er, he had crossed paths with Chai Xian a few times.
Compared to before, Chai Xian seemed to have aged a lot.
Also, Li Lingsu keenly noticed that Jingyuan was standing in a spot where he could most quickly “assist” Chai Xian.
Jingxin always kept his palms pressed together, ready to invoke Buddhist precepts at a moment’s notice.
Their defence is tight. Even with Xu Qian’s dark Gu techniques, it would be hard to snatch Chai Xian away right under those two’s noses… Li Lingsu thought, maintaining his composure.
“It’s you!”
Chai Xian clearly recognised Li Lingsu, saying in sudden realisation, “I thought the other day my aunt had become debauched and fallen, but it was you.”
Chai Xing’er shot Chai Xian a vicious glare. In front of two high monks, she could only compromise, taking a deep breath and retorting,
“What is it that you want to do?”
Jingxin replied, “Very simple. I will question you with Buddhist precepts. If you can withstand the test, you are innocent. If not…”
He did not finish, but the meaning was clear.
Now that they had caught the Dragon Qi host, there was no need to have any scruples about the Chai family or Chai Xing’er. With their cultivation, they could sweep aside not just Xiangzhou, but even Zhangzhou Province.
The Warrior Monk Jingyuan fixed his gaze on Chai Xing’er, his presence growing even stronger.
While everyone was talking, a ginger cat crouched beneath the window, pressed against the outer wall, ears perked up, poised to listen intently.
Now that they have caught Chai Xian, the Buddhist monks don’t need to hold back. Their arrogance is showing… The ginger cat twitched its ears, positioning itself by sound.
It discovered that Jingxin and Jingyuan were very close to Chai Xian.
Even if my main body came to snatch him by shadow step, I would probably be discovered by the Warrior Monk Jingyuan before I could appear… Tsk, tonight is not a good time to make a move.
A very human-like look of worry appeared on the cat’s face.
In the hall, Chai Xing’er nodded slightly. “Very well, Master may ask.”
At these words, everyone present, as well as Xu Qi’an outside, all subconsciously held their breath, waiting for the answer.
Jingxin pressed his palms together, “Thank you, benefactor, for your cooperation.”
He immediately invoked the Buddhist precept and asked gravely, “Did you kill Chai Jianyuan?”
As his voice fell, an invisible but overwhelming power fell upon Chai Xing’er, making her feel people should be born honest, liars were not worthy of being human.
Under such an influence, she could not utter any lies, and answered,
“I did not kill him.”
Chai Jianyuan was not killed by her…T-this isn’t what I thought? So it’s not her that poisoned and quickly killed Chai Jianyuan, then lured Chai Xian over to frame him?
Jingxin had already questioned Chai Xian with Buddhist precepts. There was no need for him to lie about this. But if neither Chai Xing’er nor Chai Xian did it, then who did?
Beneath the window, Xu Qi’an’s thoughts churned, this case was even more complicated than he had imagined.
Jingxin and Jingyuan looked at each other, both frowning.
It wasn’t Xing’er who did it, I knew Xing’er would never do such a thing. Then who killed Chai Jianyuan? While feeling delighted, Li Lingsu also frowned, finding the case even more tangled and complex.
Jingxin pressed further in a deep voice, “Were you the one killing people all over Xiangzhou and refining corpses?”
Chai Xing’er shook her head. “It wasn’t me, it was Chai Xian who did it.”
Under the effect of the “precepts” spell, she could only speak the truth, never a lie.
“If not you, then who else?”
Chai Xian was instantly enraged, his emotions losing control. “You have accomplices, you have accomplices!”
Jingxin’s eyes lit up. Taking advantage of the precepts spell still being in effect, he pursued relentlessly, “Who is your accomplice? Was it your accomplice who did it?”
Chai Xing’er replied calmly, “I have no accomplices. I didn’t kill big brother, and I wasn’t responsible for the murders outside either.”
She isn’t lying. This… Jingxin and Jingyuan exchanged glances, each seeing surprise and bewilderment in the other’s eyes.
At this point, it was basically certain that Chai Xing’er was innocent. She had neither killed nor had any accomplices; it was impossible for her to be the person behind everything.
But so, the case was thrust into a new deadlock.
Chai Xian muttered, “That’s impossible, that’s impossible…”
He seemed unable to accept such an outcome.
Under the window, Xu Qi’an fell into thought. If it wasn’t Chai Xing’er, nor Chai Xian, then it’s very likely to be Chai Lan… however the problem is that young lady hadn’t appeared at all throughout the entirety of this. There’s so few clues, there’s no way to make a judgement.
Xu Qi’an found himself right back where he had been back in the capital, racking his brains until he was nearly bald, faced with one case after another.
Suddenly, Li Lingsu said, “What about Chai Lan? Have you all forgotten about Chai Lan?”
Hearing him, Chai Xian snapped out of his muttering confusion and glared in anger:
“Xiao Lan went missing long ago, so you can blame her all you want.”
Chai Xing’er said,
“I don’t know why the precepts doesn’t work on Chai Xian, but big brother was certainly killed by him, and the Xiangzhou murders were also his doing. All the members of the Chai family witnessed this for themselves, and there were many outsiders who saw him commit the killings. Why do you not believe it, master?”
Jingxin said,
“Chai Xian couldn’t possibly resist my precepts; he wasn’t lying. And earlier, Benefactor Chai Xing’er, there were many flaws in your statements. Chai Xian is not an innately wicked person, why would he murder his benefactor, who treated him like his own son, over Chai Lan’s marriage?
“Surely eloping would have been a safer choice than murder.”
Smart. This monk and Xu Qian have thought the same thing… Li Lingsu nodded slightly.
Chai Xing’er sighed and said,
“I did hide something… In truth, Chai Xian, he… he is my senior brother’s illegitimate son.”
This statement was like a clap of thunder in everyone’s ears. Jingxin and Jingyuan were visibly moved, clearly shocked.
Xu Qian was right, Chai Xian really was Chai Jianyuan’s illegitimate son… Xing’er really did know about it… As Li Lingsu had already known this secret, he was unsurprised.
As for Chai Xian, his pupils contracted sharply as if encountering a strong light, his face turned rigid like stone. From his blank stare and wooden expression, it was clear that his mind was chaotic, unable to think.
Chai Xing’er continued,
“He was extreme by nature since childhood, and big brother feared he’d never accept the truth, so he kept it hidden, raising him as his adopted son. As Chai Xian grew older, he gradually developed feelings for his own younger sister.
“senior brother had no choice and arranged a marriage with the Huangfu family to get Xiao Lan married off as soon as possible.
“Who would have thought that Chai Xian would bear such resentment and end up killing big brother, so extreme was his temperament…”
“You’re talking nonsense!”
A furious bellow cut her off. The veins on Chai Xian’s forehead stood out in his rage:
“Chai Xing’er, stop your libelous talk! My parents died young. Foster father took me in because he pitied my plight and saw my potential. You may slander me, but must you slander him too? You vicious woman!”
The Warrior Monk Jingyuan frowned tightly, pressing Chai Xing’er, “What evidence do you have?”
Chai Xing’er turned her head toward the door. “The evidence is about to arrive.”
At that moment, they heard the warrior monk standing outside the hall call out, “Who’s there?”
Jingyuan looked toward the main door and shouted, “What’s happening?”
A monk outside answered, “Brother Jingyuan, there’s a walking corpse approaching.”
Jingyuan glanced at Chai Xing’er and said, “Let ‘him’ in.”
The hall doors were pushed open, and a person dressed in grey walked in, eyes lifeless, skin deathly pale and bloodless, just like a living corpse.
It was none other than Chai Jianyuan, dead these past twenty days.
“Foster father…”
Chai Xian’s lips trembled.
Chai Xing’er controlled the walking corpse to sit down, made it take off its shoes, and exposed its left foot.
The crowd stared intently and saw that Chai Jianyuan had six toes on his foot, but what did that prove?
Chai Xing’er said, “Chai Xian also has six toes.”
Jingxin, Jingyuan, and Li Lingsu all looked toward Chai Xian, only to find him already staring blankly at Chai Jianyuan’s left foot, his face draining of all colour.
The handsome Chan master asked, “Chai Xian, do you have six toes?”
Chai Xian’s lips trembled, his jaw spasmed, as if he had lost the ability to speak.
Jingxin and Jingyuan understood. The latter pressed Chai Xing’er, “Why didn’t you mention this sooner?”
Chai Xing’er shook her head miserably, “If big brother had died at the hand of his adopted son, the Chai family would still have their dignity, but if it spread that he had been killed by a bastard, how could the Chai family remain in Zhangzhou? Masters are still outsiders. How could I have told you the truth? If things hadn’t reached this stage, I would never have revealed it.”
No, just because of an extreme personality, you wouldn’t tell him? The orange cat under the window frowned.
Jingyuan nodded, accepting Chai Xing’er’s explanation, but couldn’t help asking:
“But Chai Xian passed the precepts’s trial, and the killer wasn’t him…”
“No!” Jingxin shook his head. “It was him.”
With that, as everyone stared in confusion, this fourth-rank Chan master fixed his gaze on Chai Xian and said,
“There is something I never asked you. You said you went to Sanshui Town to investigate the mastermind behind all this. Then, how did you know the mastermind would attack Sanshui Town?”
At these words, Chai Xian seemed to be struck on the head, his pupils instantly losing focus as he lowered his head.
“How did I know, how did I know…”
He stood there blankly, head bowed, muttering to himself over and over.
This continued for more than ten seconds, then suddenly, a low laugh rose from him, getting louder and louder, until it became wild cackling.
Chai Xian lifted his head. His once handsome face was twisted, eyes full of frenzied malice, and he cackled hoarsely:
“How did I know? Because I was the one doing the killing!”
In that instant, he seemed to become another person entirely.
“That’s right, I killed Chai Jianyuan. The murders in Xiangzhou were my doing too. It was all me!”
He laughed neurotically,
“I was born without a father. My mother was depressed and mournful, and in order to raise me, she worked herself to death from exhaustion and illness. I became a beggar from a young age, bullied by others, suffering every hardship imaginable. He deserved to die.
“Do you know what my life was like all those years? I lived worse than a dog. But it did not matter. As long as Xiao Lan stayed with me, I was willing to let go of past grudges. But even Xiao Lan, he wanted to take from me.
“Should such a man not die? Should he not die!”
At that moment, Chai Xian was a world apart from the gentle and refined figure he once was.
Soul-separation disease? Li Lingsu suddenly understood, “So that’s it. He has soul-separation disorder.”
Split personality disorder?! Under the window, Xu Qi’an also came to a sudden realisation.
He finally understood why this case had been so chaotic, and why every stage seemed full of contradictions. It was because there were two Chai Xians.
Naturally, the normal Chai Xian had no motive to kill Chai Jianyuan. But the other Chai Xian, who knew the truth of his origins, did have that motive, he was obsessive to the extreme.
The normal Chai Xian believed himself innocent, that someone behind the scenes was framing him. So he had insisted on not leaving Xiangzhou, trying to uncover the truth.
But actually, the person behind the scenes was himself, his other personality.
That was why the case was so full of contradictions.
The massacre in the small mountain village was his doing as well… Xu Qi’an finally understood. Chai Xing’er had an alibi, and no reason to commit the crime.
He had found it strange from the start, if it was Chai Xing’er who killed that family of three, why not ambush Chai Xian at the same time? Killing a few innocent villagers had no meaning.
But for the other personality, Chai Xian had to be stopped from attending the Demon-slaying Assembly, because the murderer was himself. All of the murders were his doing, he was not at all innocent.
If he went to the Demon-slaying Assembly, it would be a dead end, just as it was now.
Hm, progress at the ancestral hall… The orange cat closed its eyes.
…
Meanwhile, in the cellar, Xu Qi’an received feedback from a rat. The rat “told” him there was a secret chamber beneath the ancestral hall, which it had reached via a tunnel.
Inside and outside the ancestral hall, all snakes, insects, rats, and ants suddenly lost control.
The rat began to catch the nearby insects, while the snakes, awakened from hibernation, followed their instincts and hunted the rats.
A hidden room under the ancestral hall, this wasn’t in vain then… Xu Qi’an abandoned the rest of them, focusing only on controlling the orange cat and the rat that had found the secret chamber.
This instantly lightened his load, and the headache vanished.
In the slightly stuffy secret chamber, several oil lamps sat in the hollow of the wall.
Deep within, a dishevelled woman was shackled by iron chains at her limbs, sitting against a pile of straw that reeked of decay.
Her mouth was gagged with a leather muzzle, her head drooping limply to one side. Her chest rose and fell slightly, her breathing was still steady, as if she was asleep.
Had Chai Xing’er come to the southern courtyard the night before last just to see this woman?
Was it Chai Xing’er who had locked her here?
The rat ran through the dim lamplight and stopped before the woman, speaking in human words,
“Wake up!”
The woman’s head stirred and she slowly woke up. When she spotted the rat before her, she was clearly stunned, not responding for some time.
The rat asked, “Who are you?”
“Mm, mm mm…”
Beneath her tangled hair, the woman’s eyes suddenly lit up, like someone seeing hope in utter despair.
She struggled violently, extremely agitated, making the chains clatter.
“Who are you?”
The rat asked again. It glanced down at its own tiny paws and said, “You can write.”
The woman’s fingers trembled as she wrote two characters on the wall:
“Chai Lan!”
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