Elder Shixian felt that his lot in life was truly bitter.
He had only stopped here to rest his feet for the night and perform a shadow play for his own amusement, yet he had run straight into an ordeal like this.
Not only had he put on a shadow play for nothing, but that reckless youth Xu Yuqing had even overturned his booth.
Back when Fang Shuwen beat Tong Tianba to death, he had indeed wanted to leave.
But this young lad was so temperamental that Elder Shixian truly did not dare provoke him casually. If the boy intended to make him stay and he slipped away unnoticed... only to be hunted down later, his old bones could never withstand it.
That was why he had remained until now.
Yet now, Fang Shuwen's single question had left him at a complete loss for words...
Elder Shixian rolled his eyes about. "Then... this old man shall be going?"
As he spoke, he rose, preparing to take his leave.
"Wait," Fang Shuwen's voice came from behind him.
Elder Shixian let out a helpless sigh. "Young fellow, whether you want to kill me or butcher me, just give me a straight answer, will you?"
"...It's hardly come to that."
Fang Shuwen was caught between laughter and tears. He was clearly gentle and courteous, and had never slaughtered the innocent indiscriminately—so why did people always talk about being killed and butchered at the drop of a hat?
"I'm just a bit curious... was that story of yours true or false?"
Elder Shixian had not expected Fang Shuwen to ask such a question. He sighed and sat back down. "It is true. The master who was poisoned and betrayed... was this old man..."
Hearing this, Lu Guiyan could not help looking up. "Senior has vanished from the jianghu for five full years. Could it be...?"
"Narrowly escaped death and spent the time nursing my wounds, what else?" Elder Shixian grinned, quite easygoing about it. "It's just that this matter cannot simply be left at that. Back then, I saw how truly pitiful he was, which was why I taught him martial arts. Never did I imagine I was nurturing an ungrateful wolf."
Fang Shuwen nodded. "To receive such great benevolence as having skills and knowledge passed down, yet not only fail to repay it but even turn around and strike at one's benefactor—he truly deserves to die. If I ever cross paths with him, I will help you clean house, Old Senior."
Elder Shixian's eyes lit up. "Do you mean that?"
"A gentleman's word," Fang Shuwen smiled. "A traitorous disciple who slays his own master is someone everyone has the right to eliminate."
Elder Shixian was pleased at first, but then sighed once more. "Alas, where that boy is now, even I do not know... I only know that ever since then, he has run amok doing evil across the jianghu. He even took the shadow play I taught him, flayed human skin to make puppets, and put on ghost plays! It is truly outrageous."
Lu Guiyan was taken aback. "Could the person Senior speaks of be Ghost Scholar?"
"Indeed, he goes by that moniker." Elder Shixian could not help sighing again. "Had I known this would happen, I should have left him on the street to be beaten to death by the bullies..."
Lu Guiyan drew a deep breath. "This Ghost Scholar's reputation has risen in recent years. His methods are ruthless and his martial arts vicious; he is already an infamous figure of the demonic path in the jianghu. I never imagined he was actually Senior's disciple."
"I am ashamed to say it... It was my own failure in judging character," Elder Shixian lamented.
Fang Shuwen furrowed his brows, pondered for a while, and suddenly asked, "Could the person you're talking about be a scholar with a deathly pale face?"
"Could my young friend have seen that traitorous disciple of mine?" Elder Shixian snapped his head up to look at Fang Shuwen.
Lu Guiyan could not help looking over as well.
Fang Shuwen let out a wry chuckle. "If it truly is that man... Old Senior, you won't need to look for him any longer. Half a month ago, I saw him at Zhujige Pavilion, and I already killed him with a single palm strike."
Back then, Fang Shuwen had no idea who the man was; after all, he hadn't yet arrived during the part where their identities were being introduced. He had simply treated them all as miscellaneous villains aiding the tyrant and struck them down in passing.
Only later did Zhou Qingmei inform him that the few people he had slain were figures of considerable background.
Qingyangzi, Ghost Scholar, the Monk of Ultimate Bliss—not a single one of them had been someone easy to deal with.
Even so, Fang Shuwen hadn't taken it to heart at the time; after all, why bother fretting over dead men?
Only tonight, meeting Elder Shixian by chance and following the flow of conversation to this point, did he learn that Ghost Scholar was actually his disciple.
Elder Shixian stared blankly. "Is that truly so?"
"Zhujige Pavilion isn't far from here. If you don't believe me, Old Senior, you are free to go and ask around," Fang Shuwen smiled. "In the main hall that day, Zuo Qingshuang and Xu Chongshan were present, along with many Zhujige Pavilion disciples."
"Hahahaha!"
Hearing this, Elder Shixian knew it had to be true.
Ever since he was poisoned by Ghost Scholar and narrowly escaped with his life, his greatest preoccupation had been to clean house. Because no matter what, this was a seed he had sowed himself; for every person who died at Ghost Scholar's hands, a portion of the blame fell upon his shoulders.
This agony had tormented the old man day and night.
Now, hearing Fang Shuwen's words, he finally felt a weight lift from his chest.
Looking at Fang Shuwen again, he found the young man pleasing to the eye in every way. Had he not known that Fang Shuwen's martial arts surpassed his own, he would have wanted to take him on as a disciple.
Elder Shixian rose and cupped his hands. "Many thanks, young friend, for removing this great affliction from my heart. It is only a pity that this old man possesses nothing of value... Seeing how fond you were of that Fierce Tiger Fist manual, it is clear you truly have a passion for martial arts. I happen to have a manual here as well, which I shall gift to you as a token of my gratitude."
As he spoke, he withdrew a manual from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.
Fang Shuwen considered it briefly and did not decline. Right now, he truly lacked various techniques in his arsenal.
Yet when he took the manual and examined it by the firelight, it turned out to be a lightness skill titled Blue Cloud Steps.
Fang Shuwen's eyes instantly brightened.
A lightness skill was fantastic—lightness skills were precisely what he lacked most.
He immediately smiled and said, "In that case, I will gladly accept."
"Haha, good! It is good that you accept." Elder Shixian thought for a moment, walked over to the campfire, opened his bundle to take out brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, wrote down a note, and placed it into Fang Shuwen's hand. "This is where this old man currently resides. In the future, if you ever run into trouble in the jianghu, Young Hero... you need only send a message to let me know. Even to the ends of the earth, this old man will surely come! The night grows late, so I shall disturb you no longer. Farewell!"
Fang Shuwen also cupped his hands toward him.
Elder Shixian was exceedingly carefree. Having packed his belongings, he promptly strode away. He even sang a tune as he walked, his melodious theatrical chanting drifting farther and farther away until it gradually faded into silence.
Fang Shuwen withdrew his gaze and suddenly chuckled.
It seemed the jianghu was truly like this...
One never knew when one might meet what manner of person. Nor could one predict at what hour what manner of incident might occur. Anyone could be met, and anything could happen.
That was precisely why this jianghu was so fascinating.
He gently stoked the fire, coaxing the flames to burn a little brighter. Most of the night had already passed.
Fang Shuwen stood up, walked over to Mo Beidou's side, and gently patted his shoulder.
Mo Beidou had not been fast asleep in the first place; opening his eyes and seeing Fang Shuwen, a puzzled look crossed his face.
Fang Shuwen shot him a meaningful glance and turned to walk away.
Only then did Mo Beidou quietly follow...
Chapter 59