Asesino sin nombre

Capítulo 69

Shang Xuan was taken aback. What was causing Sheng Xiang's exhaustion? He suddenly understood. Not only did Yu Cuiwei have no intention of helping these people, he actually wanted to kill them. Sheng Xiang had seen through his murderous intent, and he was probably constantly on guard against Yu Cuiwei, who had disguised himself as a "heroic youth"! The unpredictable, eerie, and ruthless nature of the "Ghost-Faced Demon" was indeed not just a rumor in the martial arts world; it was truly terrifying! Just as he hesitated, Yu Cuiwei smiled and said, "This person is not foolish, but also has the ability of a leader and is deeply loved by the people. If this person is not killed, our group will be demoralized, and before we even return to the Central Plains, we will surely part on bad terms."

He pointed to the seven people whose martial arts had been crippled, "Did you see those people? They still don't believe we really came to rescue them, and suspect it's a ruse by Liu Ji to win people over. Those people are Zhuge Zhi's confidants. If Zhuge Zhi isn't eliminated, these people won't listen to me completely."

Shang Xuan looked him straight in the eye and asked coldly, "Are you saying that you killed people to unite the people, or that you did a good deed?"

Yu Cuiwei flicked his sleeves and said, "I kill whenever I want, and I never bother with any pretense or reason. If it's not for a good deed, why bother with such sneakiness?"

“I don’t like any of these people, but now that I’ve seen them, you won’t be able to kill any of them.” Shang Xuan’s madness surged. “I don’t care what his intentions are or what your good intentions are. The laws of the Great Song Dynasty stipulate that murderers must pay with their lives. If you kill one of them, I will kill you to pay for their lives.”

Yu Cuiwei was taken aback, then chuckled, "So you're threatening me now? I'm doing this for everyone's good..." He then waved his sleeve and fanned himself, "The martial world is treacherous and cold-blooded, and you're still naive."

“That’s not naivety, that’s character.” Someone interjected from not far away. Shengxiang was still asleep with her eyes closed, but she said with a smile through her voice, “If Da Yu had really made up her mind to kill someone just now, even if you had saved the person a little faster, the person would have already been killed.”

Shang Xuan snorted: "They don't even know where they are, yet they're already planning to eliminate dissidents. What a treacherous villain!" He turned back and sat down on the spot.

Shengxiang lay down in front of him with her eyes closed, and said casually, "I've thought about it. Something's not right about this place. It's too low-lying, there are too many trees, and it's damp. There might be miasma when the sun comes out tomorrow morning. And this lake has dried up in such a damp place. According to my clever deduction, the only possibility is that there's a hole at the bottom of the lake, and more likely, that the hole at the bottom of the lake is connected to an underground river. Otherwise, it couldn't have dried up." He suddenly sat up and continued with a smile, "What I've said so much is just to point out one thing: since the underground river is still at the bottom of this lake, and we're sitting by this lake—then after wandering around in the cave for so long, we haven't actually escaped Liu Ji's clutches at all. Maybe we're only separated from her by this three-foot-thick layer of grass."

Yu Cuiwei trembled slightly, and Shang Xuan's eyes flashed with a strange light. At this moment, he heard "Amitabha Buddha" and the Zen Master Yizhong, who was sitting silently beside him, suddenly uttered the Buddha's name and transmitted his voice to Shengxiang from afar: "In half a day, this humble monk has finally heard a practical and earnest word."

The monk's words startled the three of them—they were all speaking through telepathy, making it impossible for anyone else to hear them. However, Zen Master Yizhong possessed the Buddhist ability of hearing the wind, and he heard every single word. What was most astonishing was that he remained completely silent, seemingly unmoved by Yu Cuiwei's palm strike that cleaved Zhuge Zhi.

Shengxiang glanced at Zen Master Yizhong, then continued with a smile, "So we'll talk about killing later. We're still a long way from a successful escape." He jumped up, shook off the fallen leaves, and looked disapprovingly at his filthy brocade robes. He walked over and patted Yu Cuiwei's shoulder heavily, as if addressing a close brother. "I know this is difficult for Da Yu, but the first thing we need to do is get a good night's sleep. The second is to figure out how to deal with the miasma that might appear tomorrow morning. The third is to escape from here as soon as possible. The fourth is to ensure everyone continues to regard Da Yu as a great hero..."

Shang Xuan snorted again, his face full of disapproval.

Zen Master Yizhong smiled slightly, “Among a group of dragons, there must be a leader. Young brother, you have exceptional insight and are very perceptive. Benefactor Yu has the talent of a hero and is ruthless. I admire you greatly.”

The old monk only expressed admiration, never agreement; he was quite cunning. Shengxiang rolled her eyes at him. "Then, between Zhuge Zhi and Da Yu, which one do you support, old monk?"

The First Zen Master of Shaolin, holding the key to the Sutra Repository, was an extremely esteemed figure in the Zen school! Yet, when Shengxiang pressed him directly, he smiled kindly and frankly replied, "Benefactor Yu."

Shengxiang was overjoyed and ran over to grab his hand, "Then it's settled."

Zen Master Yizhong smiled and said, "Young benefactor, your dedication to perfection is admirable. I greatly admire you."

Shengxiang was taken aback, then grinned and made a face at Zen Master Yizhong, "You old rascal!"

Zen Master Yizhong, who had probably never been called a "mischievous old monk" in his entire life, couldn't help but smile. A group of dragons certainly cannot be without a leader, but there were far too many capable of leading them. Not to mention Zhuge Zhi, even Zen Master Yizhong himself was a figure who could command countless followers with a single call. However, there could only be one leader. Yu Cuiwei had been in charge of Bingzhu Temple for a long time, possessing a domineering aura and formidable martial arts skills. If the others couldn't tolerate him and allow him to take over, they would surely turn on each other and fight to the death before even escaping Liu Ji's clutches. To ensure everyone's unity, Shengxiang insisted on maintaining Yu Cuiwei's status as a "great hero," a well-intentioned but ultimately misunderstood act only by Zen Master Yizhong.

Shang Xuan listened in silence: This kind of scheming is truly exhausting, and to be able to laugh happily afterwards... the burden on Sheng Xiang's heart and the extent of her consideration for the overall situation are unimaginable... Even if Rong Yin were here, he wouldn't be any different—No! He suddenly realized that if Rong Yin were here, he would never allow Yu Cuiwei to be the leader; he might even kill Yu Cuiwei first! Besides Sheng Xiang, who else would have the courage to let the "Ghost-Faced Demon" be the leader? Who else could repeatedly see through his murderous intent and still believe that Yu Cuiwei might not actually harm anyone?

So Yi Chong said, "I admire him greatly"... but he himself, besides feeling contempt and anger, never calmly considered the delicate situation around him... Suddenly, he too felt a slight sense of "admiration," but what remained after that feeling subsided was an unprecedented worry and anxiety: Bearing the burden of his father's revenge and the emperor's favor, navigating the complexities of family, country, and the martial world, caught between several powerful forces, and deeply involved with treacherous officials—how long could Sheng Xiang maintain his balance in this turbulent and complex world? The burdens of life were so heavy on his shoulders, his room for maneuver so small, and his future so bleak. How far would the world push Sheng Xiang, who was playful, gluttonous, lazy, and prone to complaining, to before Heaven would finally end his life? Until he could no longer laugh, until he cried, until—death—

In the dead of night, the starry sky shone brightly. Shang Xuan recalled the faintly similar starlight in Kaifeng City several years ago, and remembered Sheng Xiang's carefree and mischievous smile back then. Suddenly, he felt a deep, indescribable pain that went to his very bones.

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Fisherman and Woodcutter's Path on the Cangjiang River in the Bright Daylight

The next morning, a hazy green mist gradually rose from the lakebed under the scorching sun. It was indeed a kind of miasma. The awakened group quickly seized the opportunity and headed deeper into the mountains and forests. Liu Ji's pursuers failed to find them, and the journey was uneventful. After walking for half a day, they suddenly came across a large river. Dozens of people rested on the riverbank, fishing and drinking. After resting for about an hour, they heard the sound of boats coming from the river.

A large boat, capable of carrying about a hundred people, slowly sailed towards this side of the river. At each of its four corners hung a light blue gauze cloth, adorned with butterfly-shaped jade pendants and silver bells. A breeze blew, causing the gauze, jade pendants, and bells to sway gracefully and tinkle beautifully, creating a charming and elegant scene.

This is clearly a boat carrying a young woman, and a young lady from a prominent family embarking on a long journey.

People on the riverbank had already brandished their swords and were calling for help. The boat seemed to have seen them and slowly sailed toward the shore.

As they drew nearer, the boat's luxurious elegance became apparent; it was neither arrogant nor vulgar. A young maid in green stood at the bow, her face full of curiosity as she looked at the disheveled crowd on the shore. The Golden Elixir Daoist announced his name, explaining that he had encountered trouble while sightseeing and asked the boat owner if they could help him. The maid chuckled, seemingly finding the group's filthy and disheveled appearance quite amusing. She then directed the boat to dock, allowing everyone to board.

This young maid in green was innocent and adorable, seemingly naive to worldly affairs. She was always laughing and chatting, only asking trivial questions like, "Old Taoist priest, which temple are you from? Why does the head monk have such long hair?" She noticed that Yu Cuiwei seemed a little afraid of his disfigured face, hiding behind Shangxuan and stealing glances at Shengxiang. She also seemed to find Shengxiang charming and adorable, and quite liked her. Once everyone was on the boat, and the large ship slowly sailed away from the shore, Yu Cuiwei's demeanor towards the fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl became even more gentle. He smiled and asked, "Thank you for rescuing me. May I ask your name, young lady?"

The maid in green glanced at him a few more times, and seemed to forget the horror of his half-face as she looked at him. She replied, "My name is Tang'er. This is my young lady's boat. We are playing on it."

The seasoned veterans, now in dire straits, exchanged bewildered glances, each feeling awkward. After years of wandering the world, they had been rescued by a boat belonging to an innocent young girl. This girl was utterly naive, seemingly oblivious to the dangers of the world, as if she had grown up in a carefree paradise.

"Shall we thank your young lady in person?" Yu Cuiwei bowed politely, but he was quite puzzled: such a large ship, with only a few people on board, and only a girl of fourteen or fifteen years old, what was going on? But judging from the situation, it didn't seem like a pretense.

Tang'er shook her head, "The young lady is sick and resting."

Master Jin Dan coughed. “In that case, Miss Tang, would you mind taking us to Daming Mountain upstream? Once we arrive at Daming Mountain, we will disembark immediately, so as not to delay your journey.” He almost blurted out, “We dare not delay your fun.”

Tang'er, however, didn't care and chuckled, "The young lady and I don't really have any ideas, but we just want to travel around and see the sights. People say that the scenery in Jiangnan is very beautiful. We've been traveling and sightseeing since we left home, and it's definitely different from home. Old Taoist priest, if you're willing to row the boat for the young lady, we can go anywhere."

"Rowing?" The Golden Elixir Daoist was taken aback. "You don't have a boatman on this boat?"

Tang'er nodded. "We did have money, but we ran out of money a few days ago. All the boatmen ran away, leaving only two old boatmen. They only stayed because the girl promised to give them the boat later."

The crowd looked at each other in bewilderment, feeling that this was the strangest thing in the world.

Shengxiang ignored their inquiries about the boat owner's background and went straight to the stern to look at the river. He watched with great interest as schools of fish swam alongside the boat, then suddenly pulled a pebble from his pocket and tossed it into the water, startling the fish into scattering. He chuckled to himself on the boat. No one else in the world, except Shengxiang, would have the leisure to secretly collect pebbles from the riverbank and stuff them into their pockets while fleeing. Shangxuan, seeing this from afar, was both amused and exasperated, suddenly realizing that his worries about this fellow were entirely unnecessary; no one in the world lived more carefree and joyful than Shengxiang.

Then, with the assistance of Master Jindan and others, the large ship turned around and slowly sailed upstream towards Daming Mountain.

Rowing was such a chore that Shengxiang would rather die than do it. While everyone else was rowing or meditating, he planned to ask the little girl Tang'er if there was a place to bathe on the boat. For him, the young master Shengxiang, not having bathed for a day was a huge deal—unbearable! Just as he was looking for a bathhouse, he suddenly heard someone on the deck shout, "Crocodile!"

Shengxiang was startled and scurried to the bow of the boat. She saw the large boat had reached a slightly calmer section of the river. As it slowly approached, many brown or dark shadows in the middle of the river drew closer. These shadows revealed eyes and noses, resembling crocodiles, but several times larger than ordinary crocodiles. Shengxiang was terrified: these creatures were almost identical to the one kept in the lotus pond at Moqu Manor. A chill ran down her spine—could these be the "pursuers" that Liu Ji had risked everything for? Did she know that the nearby rivers were teeming with crocodiles, yet she allowed everyone to jump into the dark river and become crocodile food?

As a jumble of thoughts flooded his mind, the crocodiles slowly approached the large ship, roughly counting eleven in total. Tang'er turned pale with fright. She hadn't seen a single crocodile when the ship was sailing downstream, but now, after turning around, she had fallen into their trap.

The river water slowly overflowed the crocodiles' noses. These crocodiles were all over three zhang long, with pointed, three-foot-long snouts and interlocking fangs, making them a terrifying sight. As the crocodiles approached, silence fell over the bow of the boat. After a short, deathly silence, a sudden "bang" echoed as the boat rocked violently. A crocodile had rammed its head into the hull, the impact nearly tearing a hole in the bottom. The group looked at each other in horror, unsure how to react. Yu Cuiwei frowned: he had run out of throwing knives; killing another crocodile wouldn't be so easy.

Just as they were locked in this stalemate, a large fish suddenly leaped out of the river. A crocodile opened its mouth and, with a "smack," casually swallowed the fish whole. This swallowing startled the crocodile pack. First, a large crocodile opened its massive jaws, basked in the sun for a moment, and then suddenly leaped five feet into the air with a "smack," forcefully biting off the fishing net hanging at the bow of the boat. No sooner had this one landed than another large crocodile leaped six feet into the air with a "splash," biting onto the oar post on the side of the boat and slowly climbing aboard.

The people at the bow of the ship involuntarily took a step back. Yu Cuiwei swung his hand and unleashed a "Du Bu Jian" strike, hitting the crocodile on the head. The crocodile paused for a moment, but was completely unharmed, and then climbed onto the deck. The crowd was horrified: Yu Cuiwei's attack, which could injure Pu Shidong, hadn't even scratched the crocodile! As a large crocodile climbed onto the deck, the ship creaked and rattled under the constant impact of several large crocodiles. Suddenly, with a splash, another crocodile, four zhang long, appeared at the bow. Due to the extreme weight of the two crocodiles, the entire ship sank two feet, barely finding itself between the gaping jaws of the crocodiles.

The large ship was now seven or eight zhang (approximately 33-40 meters) from the shore, but everyone was too exhausted to escape. Shengxiang quietly stood behind Yu Cuiwei and whispered, "Let's pull a rope to build a bridge and escape." Yu Cuiwei sighed softly, "That's too dangerous. I can't bear to."

Sheng Xiang glared, "This young master wouldn't even feed the crocodiles himself, so help me tie the rope!"

Yu Cuiwei glanced at him with a half-smile. Just as the two large crocodiles crawled closer, Yu Cuiwei and Shengxiang tore off the light gauze, jade pendant ropes, and other materials tied at the four corners of the boat and quickly tied them into a long rope.