Meister der Mehrdeutigkeit

Kapitel 28

"Then why set up 'Shadow Kill'?" Silver Owl asked.

Master Fang glanced at Xi Yuan, “I was ordered to dig a secret passage to the Crystal Chamber, to work with this wretch from the inside to seize the halberd ‘Si Chen.’ Once that wretch succeeds, she will inevitably leave Hero's Fortress, and my entire plan will fall apart. Setting up ‘Yi Sha’ is no obstacle for me. However, for others to take the halberd and the wooden box, it will be as difficult as climbing to the sky…” At this moment, he turned to look at Xiao Xiao, “If it weren’t for the unexpected complications, I wouldn’t have had to act in such a hurry…”

Xiao Xiao looked completely innocent. She was wronged… Yes, she did mistakenly enter the secret passage, save Yin Xiao, and then return the wooden box to Mo Yun. However, in that situation, Zhao Yan, who led Mo Yun into the secret passage, also contributed to the chaos. How can she be blamed entirely? Besides, Hall Master Fang didn't completely escape unscathed. Did he also frame Mo Yun and reap the benefits? But after going through all this trouble, what was his real purpose?

"If you've been plotting to kill me, why didn't you poison me too? Why did you go to the trouble of bringing me to the Crystal Chamber?" Xi Yuan asked.

Master Fang shook his head. "You think too highly of yourself." He walked to the wall, reached out and pressed the mechanism. The west wall of the crystal chamber slowly opened, revealing a secret room. The person trapped inside shocked everyone.

Wei Ying, Madam Xi, Zhao Yan, and... Shi Le'er?! Xiao Xiao froze completely, staring motionlessly at the scene before her.

"You said, 'Xianzhu Xiyuan was a disciple of the Shenxiao Sect. He colluded with Yinxiao and Guimei to plot against the Qihuo Fair. He not only poisoned them but also broke into the Hero's Fortress's crystal chamber to steal its most precious treasures. Unexpectedly, he encountered the Madam and the Young Master of the Fortress. After a fierce battle, both sides were severely injured and died on the spot. Fangtang Master was also seriously injured while protecting Hero's Fortress.' Was this play exciting?"

Xi Yuan then realized, "You...you want the position of Lord of Hero's Fortress!"

“That’s right.” Master Fang didn’t deny it at all. “The reason I didn’t use a potent poison, but instead used a bone-softening powder, was for this very moment. I will kill those who deserve to be killed, making the scene more realistic…”

Xiao Xiao was speechless with astonishment. Master Fang had meticulously planned this entire scheme to put on a show before all the heroes of the land. Madam Xi, Wei Ying, and Mo Yun were doomed, and perhaps even the Three Heroes wouldn't escape death. Then, he could seize real power in Hero's Fortress… Being both the head of Hero's Fortress's Internal Affairs Hall and an inside agent for the Divine Firmament Sect, he harbored such ambition under his dual identity. Good heavens! How could she have provoked such a person!

"How dare you! Release us now..." Shi Le'er said weakly and angrily.

Master Fang frowned. "It seems the effects of the bone-softening powder are starting to wear off. Le'er, I didn't want to kill you. Blame it on why you were in Wenxi's room. Third Young Master, you are indeed clever, but you underestimated me, coming to confront me alone..."

Wei Ying's eyes were filled with anger mixed with heartache, "Uncle Fang...why..."

Master Fang's expression was icy. "For no reason. If a man doesn't look out for himself, he'll be condemned by heaven and earth."

Xiao Xiao's heart pounded as she listened to these words. Master Fang kept saying he acted hastily. Oh no! Could it be that because of her previous framing, Wei Ying went to confront Master Fang, and then… so, she forced the murderer to act?

Xiao Xiao was filled with regret. Framing someone was definitely not something to be done lightly. Now, hadn't she become the culprit?

"Miss Zuo, didn't you just say you would do anything for me?" At this moment, Master Fang spoke up and said this.

Xiao Xiao nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes, I would gladly go through fire and water for you!"

"Alright." Master Fang kicked a knife in front of Xiao Xiao. "Kill them, and I'll spare your life."

Xiao Xiao froze. She looked at the group of people, her heart pounding involuntarily. Even now, if she were to actually do it, Master Fang probably wouldn't let her go. She immediately cried out, "Master Fang, how could I possibly kill anyone! Please spare me!"

Master Fang looked at her and smiled. "Miss Zuo, actually, you're quite like me..."

Xiao Xiao looked up at him.

Master Fang glanced at Shi Le'er, then at Yin Xiao. "We're both subservient to others, both controlled by various forces. The only way to protect ourselves is to be a dog." A murderous glint appeared in his eyes. "And I know. A dog will bite its master..."

Xiao Xiao felt increasingly uneasy as she listened.

Master Fang slowly raised his palm and said unhurriedly, "That's why I've warned myself never to keep a dog!"

After saying that, he slammed his hand down hard, unleashing a deadly move.

Seeing this, Xiao Xiao rolled away to avoid it.

The smile vanished from Master Fang's face, and he raised his palm to pursue.

Suddenly, a burst of laughter rang out.

"Hahahaha..." It was Li Si who laughed. She looked at the situation in front of her and laughed mockingly.

"You wretch, don't laugh!" Master Fang roared.

Li Si endured the pain of her internal energy being disrupted and smiled, "Hall Master Fang, you've planned everything perfectly, but unfortunately, you made one wrong step."

Master Fang frowned. "Even when death is imminent, you still try to gain an advantage through words?"

"Do you want me to tell you where you went wrong?" Li Si showed no fear whatsoever. "You stole the name of 'Ghost Master' to divert everyone's attention. Yes, you did a good job. But you probably never expected that 'Ghost Master' was actually inside Hero's Fortress!"

Master Fang was startled, but quickly regained his composure. "You think you can scare me like this?"

"Scare you?" Li Si chuckled. "Take a good look at that girl later..."

Although Master Fang didn't believe it, he still turned around and looked at Xiao Xiao.

“You really are just a dog of the Shenxiao Sect. With your status, you have never even witnessed the Ghost Master’s ‘Three Transformations of Absolute Sound,’ so naturally, you don’t recognize that zither either…” Li Si said.

Before Master Fang could react, Yin Xiao's expression changed drastically. "Ghost Master... No wonder that sanxian looked familiar, it turns out..."

Xiao Xiao was also shocked. A sanxian? A ghost master? Was Li Si's statement a ruse made in desperation, or the truth? The sanxian was passed down to her by her master. If what Li Si said was true, then her master was a "ghost master"?!

These thoughts flashed through her mind for only a moment. With a formidable enemy at hand, now was not the time to think about such things. Since Li Si had taken the lead, this might be the only way to save everyone from their predicament.

Xiao Xiao immediately stood up straight, smiled, and her eyes glistened with tears.

“Ghostly matchmaker Li Si, you certainly have an eye for talent! That’s right, I am the disciple of the ‘Ghost Master’.” She spoke, her voice no longer trembling.

Although Master Fang didn't know if it was true or not, he was taken aback by Xiao Xiao's sudden aura. His face darkened as he said, "Do you think you can fool me? If you were really a disciple of the Ghost Master, why did you beg for mercy from me just now?"

Xiao Xiao laughed, "If I hadn't done that, how could I have heard such a wonderful confession?"

Master Fang's expression turned somewhat strange.

Terrified, she knew that if she made a move, her lie would be exposed, and she would surely die. Now, she had no choice but to continue the charade. Her master had said: bluffing is an essential skill for navigating the martial world. Even when facing a formidable enemy, if you can't fight, you must at least be able to intimidate.

So, Xiao Xiao took a few steps closer to Hall Master Fang, feigning composure. She said, "Hall Master Fang, you are very perceptive. Didn't you notice anything?" She smiled and slowly continued, "You twice led men in black to raid Xingfeng's caravan, but both times you failed. Tell me, why was that?"

Master Fang frowned, "You..."

"Heh, does Hall Master Fang think this is just a coincidence?" Xiao Xiao twirled her hair. "Back then, we did meet once. Didn't you foresee this, which is why you tried to kill me several times to silence me?"

As Xiao Xiao spoke, the surroundings fell silent. Seeing that Master Fang was hesitant to act, she assumed he was intimidated. She then bragged even more vehemently, "However, killing me isn't so easy. I didn't want to get entangled with an insignificant nobody like you, but I never expected you to steal my master's name. You're utterly courting death!"

Xiao Xiao forced a sharp look at Master Fang and said, "To tell you the truth, those unexpected complications were all my doing. Do you know why Young Master Wei knew you were the murderer and confronted you?" She smiled and said, "I told him."

Master Fang's expression grew increasingly grim, while Xiao Xiao spoke with growing enthusiasm. From childhood to adulthood, she hadn't excelled at much else, but her ability to spout nonsense, boast, and lie was second to none—she had mastered her master's art to perfection. …Master…Master's ledger contained no record of the "Ghost Master." Li Si claimed her sanxian belonged to the "Ghost Master," and Yin Xiao had previously remarked that the instrument looked familiar. Most importantly, Master had repeatedly stated that "the Nine Emperors' Divine Artifacts must never reappear in the world," and Li Si had said the same thing…Could it be that it wasn't a lie? For so many years, Master had never mentioned her past…What…

"Hmph. Even if you really are a disciple of the 'Ghost Master,' with your skills, you are no match for me. Today, you'd better just accept your death!" Hall Master Fang shouted.

Xiao Xiao suddenly came to her senses. Seeing that Master Fang was about to make a move, she untied her sanxian and said, "Hmph, you're the one who'll die. I'll let you see the 'Three Transformations of Absolute Sound'!"

Master Fang's palm strike stopped.

Xiao Xiao knew that given Master Fang's cautious nature, he wouldn't act rashly if he suspected she possessed extraordinary skills. However, she didn't know how much longer she could keep up this bluff… Heavens, please just give her a quick death…

"You're lying to me..." Master Fang suddenly laughed and said, "You don't have that kind of skill at all. Your pretense is just a joke."

Xiao Xiao chuckled, "Hehehe, Master Fang, you're the one making a joke. During the robbery earlier, you were injured by my inexplicable moves. I thought then, with your skills, you couldn't possibly be so useless. However, I quickly realized. You didn't use your true abilities because you were afraid others would recognize your identity... If you would do that, why wouldn't I?" She sighed and said, "It's all my master's fault. When he was young and impetuous, he made many enemies. Taiping City, Hero's Fortress, the Lian family of Divine Arrows—which one hasn't offended my master? If I revealed my identity, how could I play with you?"

This brief explanation once again stunned Master Fang. Not only that, but the expressions of the others also changed.

It sounds so real, I almost believed it myself... Cold sweat dripped from my little palms as I thought helplessly.

Master Fang clenched his fists, his eyes flashing with even more murderous intent. "I've meticulously planned this for years, and I will never let it be ruined by a little girl like you! Today, I'll kill anyone I see, whether Buddha or ghost! Let me witness your 'Three Transformations of Absolute Sound'!"

Just as he was about to attack, he heard voices coming from the secret passage. He was slightly startled and slowed his attack.

Seeing an opening, Xiao Xiao quickly ran to Yin Xiao and Li Si's side, reaching out to remove the acupuncture needles. Xi Yuan had inserted the needles during the fight, making the acupuncture points much simpler. However, removing the needles still carried risks, and Xiao Xiao hesitated.

In that moment of hesitation, Master Fang reacted, got up and gave chase, his palm strike closing in, almost touching his ear.

Never mind, let me die! Xiao Xiao closed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and quickly pressed several acupoints on Yin Xiao's body. With a surge of true energy, the meridian-sealing needle was pushed out. The needle landed with a crisp sound.

As the palm strike ceased, Xiao Xiao heard Yin Xiao's voice, which was laced with wickedness.

"Hey, Mr. Fang, it's time to settle our score."

A pawn

"Hey, Mr. Fang, it's time to settle our score."

Yin Xiao and Fang Tangzhu immediately started fighting. Xiao Xiao breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this, and then reached out and pulled out the meridian-sealing needles from Li Si's body.

"You're quite clever," Li Si praised, then got up and joined the battle.

Xiaoxiao still had many questions for her, but given the current situation, she couldn't possibly bring the people involved in the fight back. She had no choice but to suppress her doubts and consider her next move.

At that moment, the feeling of someone grabbing her sleeve startled her. She looked down and saw Shi Le'er standing trembling beside her, pulling on her sleeve.

"City...City Lord?" Xiao Xiao was somewhat surprised, but then reached out to support Shi Le'er, whose effects from the medicine had not yet worn off.

"You...you really are a disciple of the 'Ghost Master'?" Shi Le'er's voice was weak, but the urgency in her tone was crystal clear.

She paused for a moment, slightly taken aback. Whether it was true or not, she herself wasn't sure. She hesitated for a moment, then reached up and scratched her hair, grinning foolishly, "How could that be? I was just making it up..."

Shi Le'er's hand, still gripping her sleeve, remained firmly in her grasp. She stared at Xiao Xiao, trying to decipher the truth behind her words.

This thought made Xiaoxiao feel uneasy. Could her carefree, debt-ridden master, whose martial arts skills were unknown but whose experience was extraordinary, really be the legendary "Ghost Master"? It was completely unbelievable! If it were true, how could she tell Shi Le'er that the person she had admired since childhood was the type who would put his feet up on a chair, eat a pancake, and then lewdly draw erotic pictures…? This would undoubtedly be a huge blow to Shi Le'er's young mind… …No, thinking about these things now was too impractical. The key point was, if she really was the "Ghost Master's" disciple, she could expect to be hunted down by the entire righteous sects of the martial arts world. Heavens above, was there no justice left?

Wait a minute, she swore to be a bad person. If her master is a "ghost master," wouldn't that be like the predecessors planting trees for future generations to enjoy the shade, and her "inheriting her father's profession" making it even easier to carry it forward? That's right, that means even if she does nothing, she'll immediately be associated with the word "demoness." Wow, instant success!

As Xiao Xiao thought about it, she became speechless with herself. For her to think so much about something that was still far from certain, she must be starving.

Meanwhile, Yin Xiao and Li Si, who were fighting against Master Fang, were gradually showing signs of defeat. Not to mention that the two had been restrained by the Sealing Needle and their true energy had not yet recovered. Now, Master Fang was wielding the "Yisha" and his moves were strange and unpredictable. Coupled with "Swallow Step" and "Nether Thunder Palm", he was not to be underestimated.

Seeing this, Xiao Xiao's heart pounded with fear. If these two were to lose, she would be doomed. It seemed she had no choice but to use her ultimate move!

Xiao Xiao frowned and nodded seriously. Indeed, bullying the few with the many was considered a lowly act in the martial world. And launching a sneak attack amidst the chaos was even more despicable. However, she was determined to be the bad guy, so wasn't this perfect? She immediately looked at Shi Le'er and said, "City Lord, may I borrow your sword for a moment?"

Shi Le'er was somewhat bewildered, but she still handed over the short sword.

Xiao Xiao took the short sword, pondering how to join the battle and launch a sneak attack. Suddenly, the east wall of the crystal chamber opened, and a large group of people rushed in.

Xiao Xiao was somewhat surprised. So the voices she had just heard were from these people? However, logically speaking, everyone in Hero's Fortress had been poisoned with the "soft bone powder," so who exactly were these people?

Upon seeing someone break in, the battle between Master Fang, Silver Owl, and Li Si also came to a halt.

Among the group, someone stepped forward and said, "Lord, I am late, please forgive me."

Xiao Xiao understood immediately after hearing this. Indeed, a few days ago, Shi Le'er had ordered Taiping City to mobilize the forces closest to Hero's Fortress to investigate the "Ghost Master" matter. She hadn't expected them to arrive so conveniently today! Xiao Xiao was deeply moved; heaven had eyes! This time, that Fang Hall Master was definitely out of luck!

Shi Le'er's expression relaxed, and she pointed at Hall Master Fang, saying, "Take him down..."

"Yes." The newcomer immediately accepted the order and launched an attack on Hall Master Fang.

In a flash, Master Fang wielded his "Shadow Slaughter" technique. Sharp threads danced, forcing everyone back and preventing them from getting close. Then, he leaped forward, appearing before Shi Le'er and grabbing her throat.

"Anyone who dares to take a step forward, I will kill her!" shouted Master Fang.

Sure enough, the group's attack came to a halt.

"If you dare to lay a finger on the city lord, I'll make sure you die a horrible death!" the man shouted.

"Hmph! Bluffing!" Hall Master Fang tightened his grip on his finger.

Shi Le'er couldn't help but groan softly.