SS CH100

Because Xuan Su possessed some basic medical knowledge, he took over treating the innocent, affected woman, while Ye Fusheng held Xie Li’s hand in one of his and carried the little girl with his other arm, deeply feeling that he was acting more and more like a mother hen.

With such an incident occurring, no one was in the mood to continue drinking tea and chatting. Several Heavenly Sword Sect disciples helped Xuan Su carry the injured woman to a medical clinic, while the rest conversed with Ye Fusheng.

Ye Fusheng was well-practiced in seamlessly extracting information through banter. He quickly blended in with the group and learned from their conversation that they had just crossed paths with the Four Seas Gang. Initially, it had merely been a verbal altercation. Unexpectedly, the other side had injured the junior brother who had stepped forward to reason with them, leading to an angry brawl. Little did they expect that their injured “fellow disciple” had, at some unknown point, been replaced by an imposter. It was truly a terrifying thought in hindsight.

They spoke with indignation, and while Ye Fusheng listened attentively on the surface, he was rapidly calculating in his mind.

The person impersonating the Heavenly Sword Sect disciple had clearly intended to provoke a conflict between the two sides, and there were two other accomplices who had blended into the crowd. If he hadn’t exposed them just now, those two likely would have taken advantage of the chaos to commit murder and frame both factions, causing a true blood feud to form between the Heavenly Sword Sect and the Four Seas Gang.

From the exquisitely crafted human-skin mask to the well-trained martial skills of the trio, they did not look like ordinary low-level Jianghu thugs causing trouble for no reason. Unfortunately, one had escaped, Xuan Su had killed one, and the one whose arm Ye Fusheng had broken bit down on a poison pill and committed suicide. Not a single one was kept alive.

With so few clues at present, Ye Fusheng couldn’t piece together any more intelligence, but he already sensed something highly abnormal regarding the upcoming Martial Arts Assembly. He figured he should inform Duanheng once he got back; although the little old man disliked him, fortunately, he treated serious matters impartially.

Jialan City was close to Mount Wenshan, and seeing martial artists passing through was a common occurrence, so the doctor was quite adept at treating such injuries. However, the woman’s constitution was weak, and her lungs and organs had been injured by the heavy palm strike; it was very likely she would suffer lingering aftereffects.

Hearing this, Song Ling, the senior disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect, sighed in guilt. After all, it was their affairs that had implicated an innocent passerby. But the damage was done, so they could only leave behind enough silver as an apology to ensure the injured woman could continue receiving treatment.

They were rushing to Mount Wenshan, so they didn’t linger, leaving the clinic in a rather disheveled state. The little girl in Ye Fusheng’s arms was still sobbing, crying so hard that even he couldn’t help but worry.

Xie Li tugged at his sleeve. After Ye Fusheng set the little girl down, Xie Li carefully used a handkerchief to wipe away her tears and pulled out the osmanthus sugar paste to coax her.

Ye Fusheng still remembered that a month ago, this young master of Duanshui Manor had been a stubborn, single-minded little fool. Now, he was beginning to show a soft heart and was actively trying to learn caution and meticulousness.

As the doctor administered treatment, it wasn’t appropriate for Xuan Su, an outsider, to remain inside, so he lifted the curtain and walked out. He had deliberately washed away the blood on his hands, and upon seeing Xie Li comforting the little girl, he couldn’t help but smile.

Ye Fusheng gave the clinic assistant some silver and asked him to notify the mother and daughter’s family. Turning back, he asked, “How is she?”

“Her life is not in danger, and I’ve dissolved the internal energy that struck her. If she rests well for two or three years, she should fully recover.” Xuan Su raised a hand to wipe a thin layer of sweat from his forehead. It was clearly a matter entirely unrelated to him, yet he had dedicated so much effort, only feeling a sense of relief now.

When Ye Fusheng intervened earlier, it was firstly to prevent the conflict from escalating and playing into the instigators’ hands, and secondly because the Taishang Palace rarely interacted with the mortal world, and Xuan Su lacked Jianghu experience, so it was best not to draw attention too early.

Unexpectedly, the Young Palace Master, who usually seemed as gentle as if he had no temper, left no path to survival the moment he struck.

Several thoughts turned in his mind, and after Xie Li finally managed to coax the little girl into a tearful smile, Ye Fusheng led him and Xuan Su out the door.

Only after walking out of the clinic did Xie Li speak up: “Second Uncle once said that ‘involving the innocent is something only the incompetent do.’ But why do these disasters always drag in the innocent? Is the martial world really so vast that there isn’t a single capable person?”

Xie Li was somewhat precocious to begin with, and having undergone a massive tragedy, he couldn’t be compared to ordinary children. Although Ye Fusheng generally cared for him as a close junior, he didn’t put on any airs, and thus was very willing to listen to his thoughts.

Hearing this, Ye Fusheng replied, “There are plenty of capable people, but not many who have the heart to protect the innocent. Because ‘heaven destroys those who do not act for themselves.’ If someone wants to use their own strength to clear the skies and bring peace, normally, there are only two outcomes.”

The one to ask was Xuan Su: “Which two?”

Ye Fusheng closed his eyes briefly. “Either their passion is ground away by the affairs of the world until they fail their original intentions, or they are schemed against, utilized, and end up with their liver and brains splattered on the ground.”

The atmosphere instantly froze. Xie Li paused his steps, startled by the words. After walking a short distance with an awkward, disjointed gait, he finally asked, “Then what about abnormal situations?”

Ye Fusheng smiled. “An abnormal situation is turning oneself from a small boat drifting with the current into the helmsman. Only then can you lead a boat full of swaying people through the wind and waves to reach the shore.”

Xie Li was taken aback. “Can… a single person do that?”

“Of course not. There isn’t a single path in the world where one can reach the peak alone.” After a pause, Xuan Su looked at Ye Fusheng, grasping his implied meaning. “You don’t view the upcoming selection for the Alliance Leader favorably?”

They were walking through a small alley. Constantly monitoring their surroundings, Ye Fusheng naturally wasn’t afraid of walls having ears. His lips curled up. “Manipulated by those with ulterior motives and chosen from a pile of fame-chasing, profit-seeking people—even if someone truly wins the title, what good could possibly be chosen under these circumstances?”

As the saying goes, “Before practicing martial arts, first practice spirit.” Those without a grand spirit were ultimately narrow-minded. It would actually be better if such a person were mediocre; if they possessed high martial arts and held a high position, they would likely only cause more trouble.

“Wuxiang Temple has long held a prestigious reputation, and they are monks. Furthermore, they announced early on that they would only act as organizers, intending to provide a platform for the heroes of the martial world, without any desire for power, and their disciples will not participate in the assembly.” Xuan Su considered for a moment. “However, judging from your tone, this Martial Arts Assembly seems more like a conspiracy.”

Ye Fusheng said, “The initiator might not necessarily be the one setting the trap. There are still many minute details behind the scenes that we need to verify before drawing conclusions, but we must not let our guard down.”

Xuan Su nodded seriously, taking the warning to heart.

The three conversed as they walked, only returning to the inn after night had fallen. They had planned to head straight back to their room without disturbing anyone, but unexpectedly, upon opening the door, they found an uninvited guest occupying their nest.

The little old man, glaring with fierce brows, sat by the table. A pot of hot tea had already gone cold, indicating he had been waiting for quite a while. Seeing them return, Duanheng didn’t rush to speak, merely snorting through his nose.

If Ye Fusheng had held some doubts before, after hearing the gossip, he completely didn’t mind his terrible attitude. Knowing he wasn’t welcome, he simply hid behind Xuan Su.

As a result of his retreat, Duanheng actually spoke up: “Why are you standing so far away? Is a dignified man only capable of hiding behind others?”

Ye Fusheng: “…”

Although he felt his Shifu hadn’t acted honorably back in the day and had intended to keep his head down to let the other party vent their anger, this old man truly made it impossible to muster any respect for his elders.

Ye Fusheng, however, didn’t know that Duanheng felt like he had a fishbone stuck in his throat every time he looked at him. Even though Duanqing had explicitly stated that this was the disciple of him and Gu Qifang, Duanheng felt that Ye Fusheng resembled Gu Qifang far too much. It wasn’t a matter of facial features, but that utterly fearless, reckless temper that was a ten-out-of-ten match.

He decided that out of sight meant out of mind. Turning his face away to look at Xuan Su, he asked, “Where did you go?”

Xuan Su summarized their itinerary, placing particular emphasis on the incident of someone instigating the conflict between the Heavenly Sword Sect and the Four Seas Gang. Hearing this, Duanheng’s expression also grew heavy.

Ye Fusheng asked, “What guidance does Martial Uncle have for us by seeking us out?”

Duanheng raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping across the faces of the three. “I inspected that invitation and discovered a slight problem.”

Xuan Su and Ye Fusheng were stunned. They had both looked at the invitation but hadn’t noticed anything wrong.

Duanheng pulled the invitation from his robe, then produced a letter, pushing both forward.

The letter was quite old, the paper already yellowing, but it was fairly well-preserved. Ye Fusheng and Xuan Su carefully compared them and found that the handwriting on both the invitation and the letter appeared to be from the same person.

However, the signature on the invitation read “Abbot Sejian,” while the author of the letter was the “Western Buddha,” Zen Master Sekong.

Zen Master Sekong rarely involved himself in mortal affairs. Not many people in the martial world had ever interacted with him, and even fewer possessed his writing. This letter was an elegy he had written five years ago following the passing of Daoist Duanya.

Did Abbot Sejian imitate Zen Master Sekong’s handwriting, or did Zen Master Sekong use the Abbot’s name to invite the Taishang Palace to the assembly?

Regardless of which possibility it was, there was something bizarre about it.

Duanheng asked, “What do you think?”

Xuan Su carefully compared the handwriting once more and said, “If it is an imitation, it has reached a level where the fake can be mistaken for the genuine. Without years of painstaking effort, one absolutely could not reach this level. I fear it could only be done by someone very close to him.”

Both Abbot Sejian and Zen Master Sekong had taken their vows in childhood. They were fellow disciples under the same master, as close as brothers. If Abbot Sejian wanted to imitate Zen Master Sekong’s handwriting, it would indeed be remarkably easy.

Duanheng looked at Ye Fusheng: “And you?”

Ye Fusheng narrowed his eyes. “I have two thoughts. The first is to merge the two possibilities from just now. That is… Abbot Sejian imitating Zen Master Sekong’s handwriting to invite the Taishang Palace to the assembly.”

Xuan Su couldn’t quite wrap his mind around it: “What meaning does that hold?”

Ye Fusheng’s finger tapped the invitation, his gaze darkening slightly: “If that is the case, then Abbot Sejian is using this method to tell us… to beware of disguised people secretly operating under false names.”

The moment the words fell, Duanheng and the other two immediately thought of the incident with the Heavenly Sword Sect and the Four Seas Gang, and they were instantly alarmed!

Xie Li stumbled over his words: “But he is the Abbot, Wuxiang Temple is under his control. Why not just tell us directly?”

Duanheng’s face was as cold as ice: “To make Abbot Sejian so cautious, it’s highly likely that a problem has already occurred within Wuxiang Temple, and he is unable to fend for himself. Furthermore…”

Ye Fusheng’s lips curled into a smile, though it carried a chill: “The two people sent to deliver the invitation—at least one of them cannot be trusted.”

Xie Li suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

Duanheng pondered for a moment. “We must not alert the enemy. We will observe the situation quietly and wait until we reach Wuxiang Temple before deciding.”

“We indeed cannot alert the enemy, but we must also take preventative measures,” Ye Fusheng spoke up. “This Martial Arts Assembly has invited heroes from all over. Every major sect has dispatched their top experts to attend, leaving their own mountain gates inevitably vulnerable… If I were the mastermind behind this, I would definitely seize this opportunity to first lay an ambush at Mount Wenshan, and then strike to cut off their retreat. A two-pronged attack is the only way to catch them all in one fell swoop.”

Xuan Su was filled with shock and fury: “Who would dare act so boldly and recklessly? Who possesses such massive resources to make an enemy of the entire martial world?”

His words were agitated, but he wasn’t refuting Ye Fusheng. Rather, having gone through this deduction, he was horrified to realize that the conspiracy behind this was far too likely to occur.

After these words, no one spoke again.

With a heavy expression, Duanheng left the room. Xie Li also went to sleep filled with unease. Xuan Su sat cross-legged on the bed to meditate and cultivate his internal energy, while Ye Fusheng drank three cups of cold tea in a row, ultimately unable to sit still.

He didn’t disturb Xuan Su, nor did he wake Xie Li. Pushing open the window, he vaulted out, using the shadows of the trees as cover to fly far away into the distance.