Chapter 2 - Floating Corpses on the Ocean

The s.h.i.+p dropped its anchor, just like it was moored above the water.

Chu Liuxiang carefully squeezed the lemon to sprinkle the juice on the pigeon. He had just finished one pigeon and drank half a cup of wine, when sure enough, another corpse was floating by.

This corpse was wearing scarlet short gown, the length barely reached the knees. Although the face was bloated due to being soaked in seawater for a long time, it could still be seen that he had a fair and clear complexion. His age was approximately forty; although there was a small beard under his chin, there was no wrinkle on the corner of his eyes. His left palm was slender, fair and clear, but his right palm was extremely rough; the muscles and bones were prominent, and was nearly double the size of his left hand. When the palm was pried open, surprisingly the color was the same as his clothes.

Li Hongxiu's pair of bright and beautiful limpid eyes looked straight to it; startled, she said, "Who could have thought that this man was the 'Sha Shou Shusheng' [killer/a.s.sa.s.sin scholar], Ximen Qian!"

Chu Liuxiang sighed and said, "He killed Zuo Youzheng, yet he also died under other people's hands."

"But who killed him?" Li Hongxiu muttered.

Finished speaking, she noticed a wound under this Ximen Qian's Adam's apple. The blood has been washed away by the seawater; the ash gray skin and flesh was rolled out on both sides. Exhaling slowly, Li Hongxiu said, "This is sword wound."

"Oh?" Chu Liuxiang said.

Li Hongxiu said, "The wound is less than a cun [a unit of length, approx. an inch]. In the Wulin world, only 'Hainan' and 'Laoshan', two big sword schools' disciples use such a narrow sword."

"That's right," Chu Liuxiang said.

Li Hongxiu said, "Although those two sects, Hainan and Laoshan, are not too far from here, but Laoshan Pai's sword technique handed down through the generations is orthodox, moderate and extensive. This Ximen Qian's throat was pierce through by one sword strike; presumably the sword technique is ruthless and treacherous, which is the forte of Hainan's swordsman's ruthless hands … this is even stranger."

Frowning, Chu Liuxiang asked, "Why is it strange?"

Li Hongxiu replied, "Not only Hainan Jian Pai [sword sect] has neither grievances nor enmity with Zhusha Men [cinnabar school, (sic) it was s.h.i.+ Sha Men (Corpse Sand School) in Chapter 1], they have a rather close relations.h.i.+p. Eight years ago, Zhusha Men was besieged by Seven Sword of Minnan [southern Fujian]. Making light of traveling a thousand li, Hainan Pai rushed over to help. But now a martial art master of Hainan Jian Pai killed a Zhanglao [Elder] of Zhusha Men. What's going on here? I really don't understand."

Chu Liuxiang muttered, "With no cause, no reason, Zuo Youzheng died under Ximen Qian's hands, Ximen Qian also somehow died under Hainan Pai disciple … I wonder what secret lies behind all these?"

Smiling sweetly, Li Hongxiu said, "Are you thinking of meddling again?"

Chu Liuxiang laughed and said, "Didn't you just say that I am too lazy? I am just looking for something to do so that you can see."

Li Hongxiu said, "But apparently the implication of this matter is far and wide; it must be extremely dangerous, plus these past couple of days Rong Jie [elder sister] is ill. I'll say we do not meddle in this matter!"

Chu Liuxiang smiled and said, "The more dangerous the matter I am meddling in, the more interesting it is. The wider the implication of this secret, the value of the matter is bound to be extremely high. How could I not care about this kind of matter?"

Li Hongxiu sighed and said, "I know that if you do not uncover this secret, you won't be able to sleep. Ay! You! You seem to be born precisely to meddle in other people's business."

She suddenly broke into laughter and said, "Fortunately this matter is literally like fis.h.i.+ng up a needle from the ocean. Until now, there is not the slightest bit of clue. Even if you want to meddle in other people's business, I am afraid you won't be able to do so."

Chu Liuxiang smiled and said, "You just wait and see, the clues will come more and more naturally." Drinking a mouthful of wine and tearing off the chicken leg, he leaned on the s.h.i.+p's railing to chew.

Smiling wryly, Li Hongxiu said, "I really admire your appet.i.te, you can still eat at time like this." Unconsciously she also walked over to the railing and cast her gaze to the distant horizon.

Sure enough, another dead body was floating on the sea; surprisingly it was a Taoist priest, wearing green robe, with swarthy complexion and rolled-up beard, and big tall build. Although his limbs have already turned cold and stiff for a long time, his hand was still tightly gripping half of a broken sword. The sword's body was long and narrow; it was still flickering under the bright sunlight, emitting a dense green sword ray s.h.i.+ning on his head, where the bun of hair was disheveled.

The top of his head was chopped that it split in half.

Even Li Hongxiu had to turned her head around, she could not bear to look.

Chu Liuxiang said, "He is indeed a disciple of Hainan Jian Pai."

"You … you knew him?" Li Hongxiu asked.

Chu Liuxiang spoke slowly, "He was one of the Three Swords of Hainan, Lingjiu Zi [lit. quick/spirited vulture]. His swordsmans.h.i.+p was ruthless and vicious. In today's Wulin world, I am afraid only a few can be compared to him."

Li Hongxiu sighed and said, "With one sword strike he pierced other people's throat, unexpectedly his own head was chopped into two halves by someone else."

She could not refrain from looking back, and said, "Judging from his condition, when that person's sword cut down, he must have been unable to dodge, so he could only block it with his own sword; who would have thought that that man's sword not only cut down his long sword, the residual momentum was powerful enough to chop his head into two. Hainan Pai's swords are all made of refined seabed's cold iron, yet this person is able to cut it with one sword strike. Ay … such a sharp sword, such a heavy sword!"

"How do you know that his opponent also used sword?" Chu Liuxiang asked.

Li Hongxiu replied, "Among the current renowned masters in Wulin who use sabers, and whose saber technique is able to force such a ruthless and vicious master like Lingjiu Zi that he could not even dodge … it must be a style, which Hainan Jian Pai is not familiar with. If he wasn't forced into a corner, how could he use his sword to block the opponent's blade coming directly down onto his head?"

Chu Liuxiang nodded, "Right," he said, "The changes in saber technique are indeed inferior to sword technique's nimble, fast, and overwhelming. If a saber user wanted to force a sword user that he could not even evade, that is indeed difficult above difficult."

He then smiled slightly and went on, "But could it be that you have forgotten one person?"

Li Hongxiu's eyes lit up; she said, "If you are talking about 'Wu Ying Shen Dao' [Shadow-less Divine Saber] Zha Muge, you are wrong."

"Why?" Chu Liuxiang asked.

Li Hongxiu said, "Zha Muge is known as the number one saber expert in the Central Earth; his saber technique is fast, formless and shadow-less. When his saber is chopping down, perhaps before Lingjiu Zi could see clearly, it has already arrived. Naturally his only response was to block it with his own sword. Moreover, the saber that Zha Muge uses, the 'Storm Saber', is one of the thirteen divine sharp weapons throughout the land, so it is enough to cut a Hainan Paisword."

"Isn't that the answer?" Chu Liuxiang said.

Li Hongxiu laughed and said, "But don't you forget, Zha Muge was able to move unhindered across the great Gobi Desert thirty years ago; he was known as the 'King of the Desert'; how could he come here?"

Slowly, Chu Liuxiang laughed and said, "You say it's impossible, I say it's possible."

Li Hongxiu blinked her eyes and said, "You want to bet with me?"

Chu Liuxiang replied, "I don't want to bet with you, because you will definitely lose."

Just then, a sweet laughter came from the cabin, saying, "Why don't you two make a bet? The loser will have to help me wash the dishes for half a month."

Li Hongxiu laughed and cursed, "Little demon, you are eavesdropping."

Song Tian'er giggled and said, "Although I do not dare to look, I can still listen."

Li Hongxiu turned to Chu Liuxiang, "Hey!" she called, "Look at this little demon, she is a shrewd schemer. All the conveniences in the world, she, one person, wants to have them all."

Leaning against the railing, Chu Liuxiang was lost in thought; unexpectedly it was as if he had not heard her at all.

Li Hongxiu walked over and asked, "What are you waiting for? That Zha Muge?"

Chu Liuxiang said, "Perhaps …"

Li Hongxiu laughed and said, "You don't need to wait, this 'King of the Desert' can't possibly come here. Even if he did, no one will be able to kill him."

Chu Liuxiang said, "It was also rare for Ximen Qian to have dealings with Zuo Youzheng, but why did he kill Zuo Youzheng? Lingjiu Zi had no enmity whatsoever with Ximen Qian, but why did he kill Ximen Qian? Zha Muge and Lingjiu Zi, one was far away at the ends of the earth, one was at a distant peninsula, they had nothing to do with each other, why did he kill Lingjiu Zi?"

He sighed and added, "It is thus clear that there are many things in the world that are completely unpredictable."

By this time the sun was already leaning to the west. More than two sichen [one scihen is 2 hours] have pa.s.sed since they found the first corpse. And now there were three corpses lying on the deck.

And sure enough, the fourth corpse was coming.

While the other corpses were bobbing in the water, sinking and floating under and over the water surface alternatingly, this corpse was like inflatable raft; the entire body was completely floating above the water.

The other corpses, Li Hongxiu at least still dare to take a couple of glimpses; but this corpse, Li Hongxiu only took one look, her entire body was trembling in fear, and she no longer dare to take the second look.

Whether this corpse's body was originally fat or thin, even Chu Liuxiang could not figure out, only because the entire body was already bloated, so much so that it has started to rot.

Whether this corpse was old or young, Chu Liuxiang also could not see. Because all the hair all over his body; from the hair on his head to his moustache, had come off completely.

His eyeb.a.l.l.s were already swollen that they were bulging and protruding out of the sockets; the skin on his entire body has turned nauseatingly dark red. Chu Liuxiang did not even dare to touch him even with the tip of his finger.

With a trembling voice, Li Hongxiu said, "Such a formidable poison. Let me get Rong Jie to take a look what kind of poison this is."

Chu Liuxiang said, "This poison, even Rongrong won't be able to recognize."