Sima Fei looked at the young man and woman barring his path.
Even facing Leng Jiangzhu alone would have been a grueling challenge if she was determined to stop him, let alone with Fang Shaobai at her side.
That sword strike from moments ago still left lingering fear in Sima Fei's heart. He knew that despite being decades older than Fang Shaobai, he was no longer a match for him.
Cold light flickered in Sima Fei's eyes as he stared at Fang Shaobai. "Leng Jiangzhu is just an inexperienced young girl who has never roamed the jianghu, so being deceived by him is one thing. But can it be that even you, the Little Sword Immortal, cannot tell right from wrong, choosing to believe Sun Wenzhu over Brother Shangguan?"
Fang Shaobai could not help but laugh. He immediately recalled the conversation between Wang Yu and Sun Wenzhu inside the room earlier; Sun Wenzhu truly possessed an extraordinary gift for winning people over.
"I not only believe Brother Sun," Fang Shaobai smiled, "I also believe Junior Sister Leng, and I believe Brother Zhao."
Sima Fei recalled their earlier exchanges, and his heart skipped a beat. Turning toward Wang Yu, he asked, "May I ask from where this divine physician friend hails?"
To his mind, anyone capable of dispelling Sun Wenzhu's poison had to be an exceptional doctor.
Sima Fei never even considered that he might be a martial expert. At that age, there were hardly a handful of people in the entire world who could surpass Fang Shaobai, and Wang Yu looked even younger. If even Fang Shaobai had not stepped in, how could this young man possibly have purged Sun Wenzhu's poison through sheer inner energy?
Wang Yu smiled. "Thank you for the compliment, but I know nothing of medicine."
Sima Fei gave a cold snort, not believing a single word.
Still, he knew full well that he had no chance of killing Sun Wenzhu tonight.
"Yet that doesn't mean your life is spared for good," Sima Fei said, turning his gaze back to Sun Wenzhu. "You plotted the murder of Old Valley Master Sun and ambushed Brother Shangguan. Righteous men across the jianghu will never let you off!"
Sun Wenzhu lowered his gaze. "And I won't let him off either."
That "him," naturally, was Shangguan Tusu.
Sima Fei took two steps back, preparing to take his leave.
He dared not linger, for if Fang Shaobai and Leng Jiangzhu joined forces, they might genuinely be able to keep him here forever.
Just then, another silhouette glided into the courtyard—a striking, middle-aged woman of refined beauty.
At the sight of her, Sima Fei checked his leap and planted his feet back on the ground. Fang Shaobai and Leng Jiangzhu also straightened up with solemn expressions, while Zeng Yi and Hu Qing adjusted their robes and bowed respectfully.
Zeng Yi and Hu Qing called out, "Sect Master!"
Sima Fei said, "Sect Master Ruan!"
Fang Shaobai said, "Senior Ruan!"
Leng Jiangzhu said, "Master!"
Wang Yu raised a brow, instantly recognizing who had arrived.
Ruan Qiufei, Sect Master of the Meishan Sect, Leng Jiangzhu's master, and naturally a Xiantian Grandmaster.
Among the Seven Great Sword Sects, the sect masters of four had stepped into the realm of Grandmasters, and Ruan Qiufei was one of them. While she fell far short of Sword Saint Liu Suifeng, she was in no way inferior to Taihua Sect's Sect Master, Hua Ziqing.
"Brother Sima."
Ruan Qiufei greeted Sima Fei first before turning to Leng Jiangzhu, scolding her with mock reproach, "You didn't even return to the mountain for the New Year. Do you not miss your master in the slightest?"
Leng Jiangzhu's aloof expression dissolved instantly. She uttered a meek, bashful "Master," casting a fleeting glance at Sun Wenzhu, completely at a loss for how to answer.
Sun Wenzhu could never accompany her to Mount Mei. If she had returned for the New Year, he would have slipped away!
Ruan Qiufei saw through it in a heartbeat.
She understood her disciple all too well. Proud, exceptionally skilled in martial arts, Leng Jiangzhu rarely held anyone in high regard. Yet in her relationship with Sun Wenzhu, it was blatantly obvious that she had taken a fancy to him.
Her disciple was decisive by nature, yet looking at the pair now, they clearly had not formalized anything. Could it be that Sun Wenzhu had been refusing to agree all along?
That instantly irritated Ruan Qiufei.
My disciple took a liking to you, and you dare say no?
You, an outcast of Huichun Valley who betrayed your sect and turned against your own master, have the nerve to—
Wait, that's right! That was the very reason she had come!
Ruan Qiufei beckoned to Leng Jiangzhu. "Come here."
Leng Jiangzhu glanced at Sun Wenzhu and Fang Shaobai, then walked over to her master's side.
"Do you know that Sun Wenzhu murdered Old Valley Master Sun, and then plotted to poison Shangguan Tusu?" Ruan Qiufei asked.
Leng Jiangzhu shook her head immediately. "It wasn't Brother Sun who murdered Old Valley Master Sun. It was Shangguan Tusu!"
Already knowing what Ruan Qiufei was going to ask, Leng Jiangzhu stated plainly, "However, Brother Sun has no evidence, nor does he know why Shangguan Tusu wanted to murder the Old Valley Master."
Ruan Qiufei said nothing, but Sima Fei scoffed from the side.
Ruan Qiufei shot him a sideways glance. "What's so funny?"
"Making wild accusations out of thin air before even coming up with a proper excuse—how could I not laugh?" Sima Fei sneered.
Ruan Qiufei gave a cold grunt. "Then tell me, why would Sun Wenzhu murder the Old Valley Master?"
Sima Fei replied without hesitation, "Naturally because he tried to exploit their clan ties, demanding that the Old Valley Master order Brother Shangguan to name him as the next valley master. The Old Valley Master saw through his ill intentions and refused, so he harbored resentment and murdered him!"
"You and Old Valley Master Sun belong to the same clan?" Wang Yu looked toward Sun Wenzhu. "I thought you just happened to share a surname."
Sun Wenzhu nodded. "My grandfather and the Old Valley Master were full brothers."
Sima Fei continued, "The Old Valley Master even paid a special visit to Brother Shangguan to warn him never to name Sun Wenzhu as successor. Not long after that, the Old Valley Master passed away."
Wang Yu wore a look of realization and turned to Sun Wenzhu. "I have to admit, that excuse sounds remarkably seamless."
Sun Wenzhu remained silent.
Ruan Qiufei asked Leng Jiangzhu, "Who is this talkative fellow?"
Leng Jiangzhu replied, "He is Zhao Yu, the Prince of Zhenxi. I went all the way to Longshan Prefecture specifically to invite him to treat Brother Sun. Along the way, we ran into Senior Brother Fang, so we all came together."
Zhao Yu, the Prince of Zhenxi?
If people who had heard this name in the past would only spit in disgust, the recent word of the Loulan treasure and the crushing defeat of the Black Qiang had caused Zhao Yu's reputation to become a mixture of praise and criticism.
Some said he had grown and matured, accomplishing feats that even Zhao Zheng had failed to achieve in his time—a formidable figure of grand accomplishments who could not be underestimated.
Others claimed he was merely lucky, succeeding only because he had Li Yunxiu assisting him while the three armies fought valiantly on his behalf.
Regardless of what was said, the name Zhao Yu could no longer be dismissed lightly. He was no longer the spoiled, overbearing second-generation scion who could only rely on his father's prestige to strut around the capital.
Ruan Qiufei nodded slightly. "Prince Zhao."
Wang Yu cupped his hands. "Greetings, Senior Ruan."
Sima Fei, on the other hand, paid him little heed, casting a dismissive sidelong glance at Wang Yu without saying a word.
No matter how renowned Zhao Yu might be, in the jianghu he was merely a young man. And no matter how formidable his fifty-thousand-strong army was, they remained stationed in the Three Northwestern Prefectures.
Yet another matter weighed on both Ruan Qiufei's and Sima Fei's minds.
Instead of seeking aid from the Meishan Sect, Leng Jiangzhu had traveled thousands of li to Longshan Prefecture to fetch Wang Yu to cleanse Sun Wenzhu's poison and heal his injuries. What was so extraordinary about this young man?
Ruan Qiufei did not ask, and Sima Fei naturally refrained from probing as well.
Ruan Qiufei simply turned her gaze toward Sun Wenzhu. "How do you explain yourself?"
Sun Wenzhu shook his head. "I have no explanation."
Ruan Qiufei looked at Leng Jiangzhu. "You believe him?"
Leng Jiangzhu nodded firmly. "I believe him!"
Ruan Qiufei's eyes shifted, her thoughts concealed.
At that moment, Wang Yu spoke up, asking Sima Fei, "How did Shangguan Tusu know that Sun Wenzhu was the one who poisoned the Old Valley Master? And once he knew, why didn't he make it public and apprehend Sun Wenzhu for his crimes?"
Sima Fei snorted coldly. "The Old Valley Master was hale and hearty, yet died so suddenly. Brother Shangguan naturally grew suspicious. Upon investigating in secret, he discovered that Sun Wenzhu had used his daily intimacy with the old man to poison him.
"Brother Shangguan found the very poison used on the Old Valley Master inside Sun Wenzhu's room. But in doing so, he must have disturbed the room's arrangement. Sun Wenzhu noticed the discrepancy and promptly fled Huichun Valley.
"Brother Shangguan considered that Sun Wenzhu was, after all, a grandson of the Old Valley Master's branch family. Anxious to protect the late Old Valley Master's posthumous reputation and the dignity of the Sun clan, Brother Shangguan chose to conceal the matter.
"Who could have imagined that this unrepentant scoundrel would take advantage of Brother Shangguan leaving the valley to practice medicine, attempting to ambush him and silence the witness to bury his crimes forever?
"Had Brother Shangguan not attained the Xiantian realm and possessed peerless medical arts, he might very well have succumbed to that poison-wielding scoundrel. Alas for Sun Wenzhu, he was outmatched; Brother Shangguan narrowly escaped with his life, and now his doom is at hand!"
Wang Yu adopted an enlightened expression. "Well-reasoned, supported by evidence, and utterly airtight!"
"That's not right!" Leng Jiangzhu cut in suddenly. "That night—"
"*Cough, cough, cough!*" Wang Yu coughed loudly, cutting Leng Jiangzhu off. "That night, when Sun Wenzhu returned to his room and found signs that things had been moved, how did he know it was Shangguan Tusu who had moved them?"
Sima Fei sneered. "You should ask Sun Wenzhu that question."
Wang Yu turned toward Sun Wenzhu. "How did you know it was Shangguan Tusu?"
Sun Wenzhu glared at Wang Yu. "Guess how I knew?"
Fang Shaobai and Leng Jiangzhu both broke into smiles.
Ruan Qiufei asked, "What are you all laughing about?"
"Nothing," Leng Jiangzhu said, shaking her head. She naturally would not reveal in front of Sima Fei that Xu Hao had witnessed Sun Wenzhu meeting Shangguan Tusu on that very night.
Wang Yu had deliberately cut her off because Shangguan Tusu's fabricated tale lacked that crucial detail.
That proved just how vital it was!
Xu Hao was an indispensable witness!
Wang Yu turned to Sima Fei. "Is that what Shangguan Tusu told you?"
Sima Fei did not know what they found so amusing. Though his instincts warned him that something was amiss, he nodded nonetheless. "Indeed."
Wang Yu suddenly asked again, "Does Shangguan Tusu often leave the valley to treat patients?"
Sima Fei replied, "Brother Shangguan practices medicine to save the world with a compassionate heart. He frequently leaves the valley to administer aid."
Wang Yu nodded thoughtfully.
Sima Fei turned toward the silent Ruan Qiufei. "Does Sect Master Ruan intend to shield this traitor who betrayed his own sect and turned against his master?"
Ruan Qiufei sneered. "Even if I don't shield him, could you kill him?"
Sima Fei fell silent. Only moments before, he had been looking for a way to flee.
"Whether he is the culprit who murdered Old Valley Master Sun, I will uncover the truth myself," Ruan Qiufei stated. "If he is, I will personally take Sun Wenzhu back to Huichun Valley and sever his head before the Old Valley Master's grave as a sacrificial offering."
With that, Ruan Qiufei waved her hand dismissively. "You may leave."
Sima Fei gave a nod and, without another word, sprang onto the wall with a single leap, vanishing into the night in the blink of an eye.
Ruan Qiufei turned back to the others, then gently tapped Leng Jiangzhu's forehead. "The night dew is heavy. Aren't you going to invite your master inside for a seat?"
"Master, please, come inside!" Leng Jiangzhu said hurriedly.
As the group entered the cottage, Zhao Shan and Zhao He slid down from the roof and took up their guard posts by the entrance.
Ruan Qiufei found a chair and sat down, her gaze sweeping across the trio before her.
One was the foremost talent among the younger generation of the Seven Great Sword Sects, the Little Sword Immortal Fang Shaobai, who held the promise of catching up to Sword Saint Liu Suifeng.
Another was Prince of Zhenxi Zhao Yu, who commanded fifty thousand troops, had crushed the Black Qiang in a single campaign, and stabilized the northwest.
The last was Sun Wenzhu, hailing from Huichun Valley and possessing the skill to ambush and poison a Xiantian Grandmaster.
Leaving their character aside for the moment, each was an extraordinarily gifted individual. Seeing that Leng Jiangzhu had forged ties with such men, Ruan Qiufei could not help but feel a flicker of pride for her disciple.
Chapter 138