Chapter 463 - 263: An Unexpected Person
Chapter 463: Chapter 263: An Unexpected Person
After leaving the Taiheng Sect, Chu Qing and his companions did not immediately leave.
Instead, they settled in a guesthouse within Sword City... the Chunlai Inn, to be exact.
After assigning rooms to everyone, the innkeeper, looking weary and drowsy, took his leave.
Inside the room, the group sat around a table.
Hua Jinnian fiercely poured himself a cup of tea:
"How refreshing! The Taiheng Sect didn’t give us a chance to speak. They immediately accused the third brother of killing Li Junmo and wanted to capture us to coerce him.
"If third brother hadn’t returned in time, we would either be dead or captured, with no third option.
"This fight was indeed exhilarating!"
Wuchen frowned, clasped his hands in prayer, and said, "Amitabha Buddha:
"Benefactor, the karmic force is too deep, and I fear it forebodes ill. Killing is forbidden, and it’s best to do less of it."
"Less? Not at all?"
Hua Jinnian was surprised by Wuchen’s words.
Wuchen sighed:
"The third benefactor is filled with murderous intent. Asking him to put down his blade and become a Buddha on the spot is likely impossible.
"Therefore, I can only advise him to kill less..."
"Then why don’t you counsel him like you did with me back in the day?"
Hua Jinnian remembered Wuchen’s motherly guidance towards kindness and wanted Chu Qing to experience it too.
Wuchen silently glanced at him but said nothing... his eyes held a somewhat profound meaning.
Hua Jinnian was still pondering the depth in Wuchen’s gaze.
Then Wu Qianhuan’s voice broke the silence:
"There’s something odd about this... Little, third brother, earlier you said Li Junmo died at the hands of Guan Changying? What happened?"
Chu Qing gave Wu Qianhuan a peculiar look:
"Just third brother is fine, don’t add ’Little’... it makes me seem disreputable."
"..."
She initially intended to call him ’Little Qing Brother,’ but considering a few were unaware of Chu Qing’s identity, she refrained. Who thought ’Little Third Brother’ would sound disreputable?
Not knowing the connotation of ’little third wheel’ in this era, Wu Qianhuan didn’t understand Chu Qing’s meaning, still glaring fiercely at him:
"Speak up."
Chu Qing then had to repeat his earlier hypothesis.
Everyone present looked at each other in disbelief.
"To think Guan Changying has such a background? Li Junmo is clearly trying to shield him!"
"Li Junmo’s death... could it be Guan Changying killed his master to avenge his father?"
"Didn’t see that coming."
"Despite Zhao Qipeng being killed by Guan Changying, Li Junmo still wants to protect him?"
Everyone was astounded by Chu Qing’s words.
In fact, Chu Qing’s words were mostly conjecture, with little concrete evidence.
But the result of his confrontation with Li Junmo was too obvious. Li Junmo’s pretense was glaringly apparent.
He didn’t even bother to hide it.
He told Chu Qing that he secluded himself because he had new insights into the Sword Technique, and even created the Sword Capturing Art.
In reality, he had written the secret manual long ago, having nothing to do with this seclusion.
Of course, this was also a statement...
Chu Qing felt his attitude, understood his intention, and considering it was ultimately a domestic affair of the Taiheng Sect, he let it go.
After all, the cause of the matter was Li Junmo’s commission. Now that the other side didn’t care about the truth, as an assassin, Chu Qing didn’t have the detective’s obsession with the truth. He took on the matter for other reasons, so it was good to stop here.
Unexpectedly, in the end, it turned out like this.
Wu Qianhuan gently turned the teacup in her hand:
"When you left Calm Heart Cave, Li Junmo was still alive and well.
"Why did they insist you killed Li Junmo?"
"Someone’s obviously stirring trouble here."
Hua Jinnian laughed coldly:
"And it must be Guan Changying."
Wu Qianhuan nodded, looked at Chu Qing:
"Guan Changying being the soon-to-be Young Sect Leader and Li Junmo’s direct disciple, naturally, if he said it, they’d blindly follow.
"But we can’t admit to this.
"We can’t be unjustly framed."
"Tonight’s grand fight by third brother has utterly torn relations with the Taiheng Sect. As for what third brother last said to that old man, few likely know... If the Taiheng Sect speaks, they’ll surely label him bloodthirsty.
"Now, those families staying at the Taiheng Sect, if they listen to them... they might turn against third brother."
Hua Jinnian glanced worriedly at Chu Qing.
Chu Qing’s eyes were calm:
"Since when has the Martial World’s affairs been dictated by Taiheng Sect alone?"
"But the Taiheng Sect ultimately holds power, and you have some enmity with the Vajra Sect. In this matter, Lan Shuyi from Ding’an Hall, under Wang Fang’s command, might not stand firmly. Nobody knows if he’d speak for you...
"If at this juncture, Vajra Sect blames you for Enlightenment’s affair..."
Hua Jinnian’s complexion turned slightly pale.
Chu Qing blinked. Only the last bit couldn’t be considered blame...
Enlightenment truly did die by his hand.
"The Taiheng Sect may be powerful... but it’s just one of the five sects.
"Within the two gangs, three halls, five sects, and one villa of the South Ridge, Taiheng Sect isn’t yet powerful enough to dictate to everyone."
Chu Qing’s gaze lifted: