Meister der Mehrdeutigkeit

Kapitel 27

The speaker was Li Si, who was holding a sandalwood fan and laughing playfully.

Her lips twitched as she spoke, "You two didn't leave..."

"Nonsense, we came here to find you anyway," Silver Owl said irritably.

Xiao Xiao was taken aback. "Looking for me? I... what can I do for you?"

Li Si laughed and said, "It's no big deal. Just open the secret passage in Qianzhu Xiyuan's room again."

Xiao Xiao was speechless. To provoke the Lady of the Vine at a time like this—she must be really tired of living… But these two weren't exactly benevolent people either. Why was her life so miserable?

With tears in her eyes, Xiao Xiao suddenly remembered something and said, "Uncle Yin, aren't there two entrances to the crystal chamber? Now that everyone in the fortress is poisoned, why not go in through the other entrance?"

Yin Xiao glared at her. "After the last commotion, the Three Heroes set up traps in that secret passage, making it impossible to enter or exit."

"Oh..." Xiao Xiao suddenly remembered something, "Grandpa Yin, that wooden box is no longer in the crystal chamber..."

Before Yin Xiao could answer, Li Si spoke up, "Whether that wooden box is a Nine Emperors' Divine Artifact is still inconclusive. Besides, that secret passage has been there for some time; the things originally placed in the crystal chamber are the real treasures."

This statement coincided with Xiaoxiao's earlier assumptions. She couldn't help but be somewhat surprised.

Li Si closed her fan and smiled at Xiao Xiao. "Actually, the 'Ghost Master' was a disciple of the 'Divine Firmament Sect' back then, ordered to investigate the whereabouts of the 'Nine Emperors' Divine Artifacts.' Seventeen years ago, he stormed nine sects. However, none of the sects ever mentioned this humiliation. The only story circulating in the martial arts world is 'The Ghost Master stormed Taiping City.' Little girl, you're so clever, you should be able to guess why the Ghost Master stormed those nine sects, right?"

"The Nine Emperors' Divine Artifacts..." Xiao Xiao replied.

“That’s right.” Li Si nodded. “And Hero’s Fortress is one of them.” She looked at Xiao Xiao’s eyes with a strange expression. “What, you didn’t know?”

Xiao Xiao shook her head, then, feeling puzzled, blurted out, "How would I know?" She regretted it as soon as she asked. This kind of thing seemed to be a closely guarded secret. It would have been better if she hadn't known; now that she did, trouble was inevitable. Sigh… But now she understood why the three heroes looked so filled with deep hatred when they mentioned the Ghost Master.

Li Si sized her up and laughed, "I was just asking casually, hehe." She changed the subject, looked at Yin Xiao, and said, "You stupid bandit, you've gotten yourself into so much trouble for a Nine Emperors artifact whose authenticity is unknown. It's truly laughable."

"You matchmaker, since you knew, why didn't you tell me?" Silver Owl said, dissatisfied.

Li Si's eyes suddenly gleamed. "The Nine Emperors have appeared, and the world is united... My master has decreed that anyone in the world who wants to collect the 'Nine Emperors' artifacts' will be killed without mercy... You bandit, are you tired of living?"

Yin Xiao sighed, "Fine... But after knowing you for so many years, I didn't realize there were so many things I didn't know..."

Li Si smiled faintly, "A young lady should always have some secrets, shouldn't she?"

Seeing that the two were talking so enthusiastically, Xiao Xiao didn't want to interrupt, so she could only watch. At that moment, the spring thunder grew louder and the rain grew heavier.

“It’s been a quarter of an hour since the poison took effect. If we don’t go now, it will be too late,” Li Si said, and then walked away.

Yin Xiao said nothing more and turned to follow.

Xiao Xiao had no choice but to follow, and in utter despair, she went to the east wing.

Night fell, and spring rain drizzled, casting a light mist over the east wing of the courtyard. The three had just stopped at the door of the mistress's room when Yin Xiao stepped forward, reaching out to push the door open. Immediately, two maids rushed out, swords drawn, and attacked him.

Without hesitation, Li acted instantly, blocking the attack for Yin Xiao. The two maids were not highly skilled in martial arts, and they died shortly afterward under Li Si's Yama Red Thread.

Xiao Xiao looked at the two corpses with trepidation and followed the two men into the room.

“It seems she has already entered the crystal chamber. Girl, activate the mechanism,” Silver Owl said.

Xiao Xiao had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward, pressing the mechanism on the flower stand. The wall opened with a click, revealing a dark secret passage to the three of them.

She turned back slightly, smiling apologetically, and said, "Now, can I leave?"

“Miss Zuo, since you’ve already traversed this secret passage once, why don’t you show us the way?” Li Si pulled her up and led her inside. “Besides, you also have a grudge against that Lady Xian, why don’t you come with us to vent your anger?”

Xiao Xiao was completely stunned. "No...no need..."

"Hehe, Miss Zuo, you don't need to be so polite. I'll do it for you." Li ignored her completely and walked quickly.

And so, with tears welling up in her eyes, Xiaoxiao walked further and further away in the darkness.

When the three arrived at the crystal chamber, they indeed found Master Xi Yuan and Hall Master Fang. The two were standing inside with a group of men in black, attempting to break the "Shadow Killing" formation. Seeing someone enter, Xi Yuan turned around and chuckled, "Hall Master Fang, it seems there are still some fish that have escaped our net..."

"Hehe, I was wondering who could dig a secret passage in Hero's Fortress and poison everyone's food. So it was you, Master Fang," Li Si said with a charming smile.

Master Fang frowned and remained silent.

Xi Yuan stepped forward, looked at the two men, and said with a smile, "You two have no connection with Hero's Fortress, why get involved in this mess? I advise you to withdraw as soon as possible."

Yin Xiao drew his soft sword from his waist and said, "We have no connection. I'm here mainly to see you today."

"What do you want?" Xi Yuan asked with a smile.

"Seeking revenge!" Silver Owl replied, and swiftly attacked.

The men in black behind Xi Yuan immediately drew their weapons and charged forward.

Xi Yuan looked at Li Si and smiled, "Miss Li, could it be that you've also come to see me?"

Li Si gently fanned herself with a sandalwood fan and said leisurely, "No, I just came to watch the excitement. And by the way... to experience the legendary 'Nether Thunder Palm'."

Upon hearing the words "Nether Thunder Palm," Xi Yuan's smile vanished instantly.

“‘Nether Thunder Palm’ was a divine skill of the ‘Divine Firmament Sect’ in the past. How could I, a mere embroiderer, know about it?” Xi Yuan said.

Li Si put away her sandalwood fan and gently pulled a thin red thread from her sleeve. "My lady, you may be able to deceive Hero's Fortress, but you can't deceive me. Your Qiansi Embroidery Shop submitted to the 'Divine Firmament Sect' thirty years ago, didn't it?"

The mistress's eyes concealed a murderous intent. She took out several meridian-sealing needles from her bosom and said, "Ghost Matchmaker, you are also a successor of the 'Mysterious Spirit Path' under the 'Divine Firmament Sect'. So, we are from the same sect."

“Yes,” Li Si smiled seductively, “It’s a pity that my master is obsessed with worldly romance and has long since abandoned his cultivation. Today, let’s not hold back!” She tightened the red thread and launched a surprise attack.

The thread-presser immediately used a needle to stop it.

The group fought fiercely for a time.

Seeing this, Xiao Xiao obediently covered her head and squatted in the corner.

Unexpectedly, Xi Yuan, Li Si, and Gui Shi are all members of the "Shenxiao Sect." Back then, the "Shenxiao Sect" was favored by Emperor Huizong, and its disciples were all over the world. It truly lived up to its reputation.

Then, something she shouldn't have thought of suddenly occurred to her. "The Divine Firmament Sect," "the Nine Emperors' Divine Artifacts," and "The Nine Emperors appear, the world is unified"... Come to think of it, the former leader of the Divine Firmament Sect, Daoist Chonghe, left in a huff because of political differences with Emperor Huizong. Could it be related to the "Nine Emperors' Divine Artifacts"? Later, the "Ghost Master" assisted General Yue Fei while also investigating the "Nine Emperors' Divine Artifacts." And now, the current emperor, upon ascending the throne, had sent envoys to summon Daoist Chonghe back to court... Heavens above, if this is truly the case, then it involves matters of national importance?

With tears welling up in her eyes, she thought, "The martial world and the imperial court—if you get involved, you might not have enough lives to survive!" Why was she so unlucky? If only she hadn't known about these things… no, she should say, if only she hadn't even thought of them. No wonder her master once said: "Thinking too much will shorten your life."

Xiao Xiao immediately raised her right hand and looked at the lines on her palm. She didn't seem like someone who would die young…

Before she could finish her research, she felt a chilling gaze fixed on her. She looked up and met the eyes of Hall Master Fang. It was a murderous, icy gaze, unwavering and merciless. It pierced through the fighting crowd and landed squarely on her.

Xiao Xiao couldn't help but gasp. It seemed that if Li Si and Yin Xiao were to lose today, she was destined to die at the hands of Hall Master Fang. Was she truly destined for a short life?!

At that moment, a burst of silver light shot from Yin Xiao's hand, and all the men in black fell to the ground. He then turned and attacked Xi Yuan.

Two against one! Great, now I'm absolutely certain of victory!

However, Xiaoxiao's joy lasted only a short while before she noticed something amiss. Something was wrong. From beginning to end, Hall Master Fang hadn't moved an inch. If he was an accomplice, why would he be so indifferent? Could it be that the reason lay in those suspicious points she couldn't deduce?

She had a bad feeling and immediately got up to run away.

Suddenly, a sound of ropes snapping filled the air. Xiao Xiao turned around and saw that the "Yisha" weapons had already been completely disarmed, and the one who did this was none other than Hall Master Fang! He gripped the "Yisha" weapons and swung them sharply, attacking Yin Xiao and Li Si. Everything happened too fast; Xiao Xiao didn't have time to warn them. Yin Xiao and Li Si were focused on dealing with Xi Yuan and naturally neglected Hall Master Fang. The two managed to defend themselves, but were still injured by the "Yisha" weapons and had to retreat. Taking advantage of the air attack, Xi Yuan injected the sealing needles into their bodies.

Xiao Xiao was stunned and stood there, staring in disbelief at what was happening before her eyes.

Xi Yuan frowned and said, "Hall Master Fang, thank you for getting me out of that predicament. However, you never seemed to tell me that you obtained the 'Shadow Killer'..."

Master Fang put away the "Yisha" and said with a smile, "To be honest, the 'Yisha' has always been kept by me."

Xi Yuan's expression grew increasingly serious. "What do you mean?"

Master Fang smiled, "Please calm down, Master Qian, and let me explain..." His smile was sincere, but in an instant, he raised his palm and attacked Xi Yuan.

Xi Yuan reacted swiftly, striking out with his palm. But when their palms met, Xi Yuan coughed up blood and was thrown back.

"Nether Thunder Palm!" Xi Yuan gritted his teeth and exclaimed in surprise.

Master Fang smiled and withdrew his palm. "That's right. Nether Thunder Palm..." He glanced at the three injured people, then looked away and smiled at Xiao Xiao. "Miss, it's a pleasure to meet you."

At that moment, a chilling coldness rushed down from the top of her head. She trembled slightly and said, "Uh... Hall Master Fang... let's talk this out..."

A conspiracy

She trembled slightly and said, "Uh... Master Fang... let's talk this out..."

Master Fang looked at her and approached step by step. Knowing she was no match for him, Xiao Xiao knelt down with a thud. "Master Fang, please don't kill me! I'm just a lowly ant. Killing me would only dirty your hands! As long as you don't kill me, I'm willing to serve you like a slave!"

Master Fang's expression remained calm, but his eyes were filled with murderous intent. He slowly spoke, saying, "With your skills, young lady, isn't it too early for you to beg for mercy now?"

Xiao Xiao found those words somewhat familiar; Yin Xiao seemed to have said something similar. However, they had seriously overestimated her martial arts skills. She was only a bit fast when running and agile when dodging. She hadn't learned a single proper martial art, nor did she possess any internal energy. How could she not be defeated by a real enemy?

With tears welling up in her eyes, she said, "Master Fang, what good are my rudimentary skills? You are the true master of martial arts!"

"A martial arts master?" Master Fang frowned slightly and repeated.

"Yes, yes," Xiao Xiao continued to flatter, "The power of your Nether Thunder Palm is truly unparalleled in the world, unmatched in the martial arts world. Given time, you will surely become the overlord of the martial arts world, a grandmaster of your generation..."

"Hahaha..." Master Fang suddenly laughed, "The overlord of the world, a grandmaster of his generation... Hahaha..."

When Xiaoxiao heard him laugh, she knew that the old saying was absolutely true: flattery will get you everywhere. She had to keep trying.

Xiao Xiao had just thought of a flattering line, but before she could say it, she heard Xi Yuan speak disdainfully, "You're nothing but a dog of the Shenxiao Sect, dreaming of becoming the overlord of the martial world. What a joke."

Master Fang's expression changed, and he slowly walked up to Xi Yuan. "Master Qian, even on the verge of death, you still have this much strength?"

"Hmph. You stole the 'Nether Thunder Palm' and betrayed the 'Divine Firmament Sect,' you only have one path: death!" Xi Yuan's true energy gradually dissipated, but he still tried his best to speak loudly.

"Betrayed the Divine Firmament Sect?" Hall Master Fang laughed. "What a joke! When did I betray the Divine Firmament Sect?"

Xi Yuan was puzzled.

"I have always been loyal to the Celestial Master and have been wholeheartedly searching for the Nine Emperor Artifacts for the Shenxiao Sect. Alas, it is a pity that Master Qian, who has worked with me for many years, unfortunately died at the hands of the Ghost Master..." Master Fang said slowly.

“You…” Xi Yuan was astonished.

“It seems that the one who started the killings, and the one who impersonated the ‘Ghost Master’, were both you…” Yin Xiao said.

Master Fang looked at him disdainfully, "If you hadn't appeared and ruined my entire plan, I wouldn't have had to do this."

"Hmph, a plan? I think it's a joke. What you really want to seize is the wooden box in Mo Yun's hands. Unfortunately, it's not the 'Nine Emperors' Divine Artifact' at all..." Silver Owl sneered.

Master Fang's expression remained unchanged. "Of course I know that's not the 'Nine Emperors' Divine Artifact.' Now that things have come to this, I'll let you die knowing why..."

Without even thinking, Xiao Xiao covered her ears. If she heard that, she would be dead for sure.

However, none of the three had such thoughts.

Master Fang looked at Xi Yuan and said, "You're right, I've always been a dog. For the past twenty years at Hero's Fortress, and even after joining the 'Divine Firmament Sect'..." His gaze was icy, like a blade, "In terms of character and martial arts, in what way am I inferior to others? But in this martial world, who remembers me? I've poured my heart and soul into investigating the 'Nine Emperors' Divine Artifacts' for the 'Divine Firmament Sect,' yet the world isn't mine. I'm not reconciled. Yes, whether the wooden box in Mo Yun's hand contains the 'Nine Emperors' Divine Artifacts' is truly unknown. But who knows what's inside? That Qi family's behavior is strange; there must be a mystery within the 'Hanyu' of that wooden box."

“You talk so loudly, yet you still can’t get it?” Silver Owl said.

Master Fang sighed softly, "Yes... my plan has been thwarted many times, and I have never been able to obtain this wooden box. However, because of this, I have come up with a brilliant idea that can kill two birds with one stone. As long as I use the wooden box as bait and pretend to be the 'Ghost Master,' the Three Heroes will definitely be concerned. At that time, they will place the wooden box in the 'Crystal Chamber,' which will be within my easy reach."