Chu Liuxiang smiled and said, "I hear that this Das.h.i.+ already live in seclusion, isolated from the red dust [the world of mortals]. Unexpectedly he is still addicted to tea."

Qian Mazi laughed and said, "When Ci Xin Das.h.i.+ became an immortal [i.e. die] in the past, he, the Senior, was the one who ought to take the leaders.h.i.+p of Shaolin Sect. Yet he, the Senior, let his Er s.h.i.+di [second younger martial brother] Tian Hu [lit. heavenly lake] Das.h.i.+ to a.s.sume the Zhangmen position, while he himself went far away to Minnan. Reportedly it was precisely because of the tea of this place."

Chu Liuxiang mused, "Tian Feng Das.h.i.+ took over the Putian Shaolin Temple, I wonder how long ago was that?"

Qian Mazi replied, "According to my calculation, it has been twenty years."

Chu Liuxiang suddenly slapped the table and spoke loudly, "That's right! It's him; it must be him. I should have thought of it."

Astounded, Qian Mazi asked, "Could it be that Gongzi also knew him, the Senior?"

Full of delight, Chu Liuxiang said, "Tell me, do you think that Tian Feng Das.h.i.+'s reputation is still above the former Beggar Clan's Ren Lao Bangzhu?"

Qian Mazi did not understand why he suddenly asked that question; at a loss, he replied, "He, the Senior, is the present day's 'as weighty as Mt Tai, as brilliant as the Big Dipper' [idiom: the ultimate]. Although Ren Lao Bangzhu's reputation was resounding, compared to him, the Senior, I am afraid he was still a notch below."

"Naturally his, the Senior's martial art skill is very high," Chu Liuxiang commented.

Qian Mazi sighed and said, "His martial art skill is very high, perhaps even Gongzi … even Gongzi can't compare with him."

Chu Liuxiang laughed and said, "His, the Senior's, cultivation is very deep, naturally he is enormously magnanimous, without showing any sharpness."

Qian Mazi laughed and said, "Although Jianghu legend says that he, the Senior came to Minnan to taste the tea, in Zaixia's opinion, perhaps the Senior came to live a simple life, to enjoy quiet life, hence he was unwilling to take over Mount Song's Shaolin Sect."

Chu Liuxiang heaved a deep sigh and said, "That is so. Other than he, who else would fight against Tianfeng s.h.i.+si Lang before Ren Ci did? Tianfeng s.h.i.+si Lang was able to entrust his older son to him, naturally he could close his eyes in death and die contentedly."

Qian Mazi was puzzled even more; he could not help asking, "Who is Tianfeng s.h.i.+si Lang?"

Chu Liuxiang replied with a wry smile, "He was a very strange person; although he himself died in obscurity, he was able to make the world's biggest sect and Wulin's biggest gang's Zhangmen to raise his two sons for him."

A thought flashed through his mind, he suddenly blurted out, "He challenged Tian Feng Das.h.i.+ and Ren Lao Bangzhu, could it be that his objective was to have his two sons separately entrusted to them? Perhaps he already had some injury or a load in his mind that he did not want to live any longer, and only wanted his sons to stand out among their peers in the future. Could it be that he already determined to die under Tian Feng Das.h.i.+ and Ren Lao Bangzhu's hands, so that they would raise these two boys with all their hearts?"

The more Qian Mazi listened to him, the more confused he was. "Gongzi is saying …" he could not help asking, "This Tianfeng s.h.i.+si Lang unexpectedly did not hesitate to sacrifice his own life for …"

Chu Liuxiang sighed and said, "He knew what kind of person Tian Feng Das.h.i.+ and Ren Lao Bangzhu were, they could not possibly take in and care for other people's children randomly, but if he died in their hands, then they absolutely could not bear to refuse …"

Emotionally moved, Qian Mazi said, "Such a father was indeed worthy of the greatest admiration, but I wonder who his two children are?"

Chu Liuxiang sadly said, "One was NanGong Ling."

Qian Mazi suddenly said, "Isn't he the Beggar Clan's new Bangzhu?"

"Exactly!" Chu Liuxiang replied.

"And the other one?" Qian Mazi asked.

Chu Liuxiang replied word-by-word, "The other one is … is …"

He suddenly looked up to the heavens and heaved a deep sigh; smiling bitterly, he said, "If only my guess is wrong, if only that mysterious killer is not him at all."

Qian Mazi was startled, "Killer?" he asked

Chu Liuxiang sighed and said, "As far as I know, he has killed nine innocent people; the next one …"

Speaking to this point, Chu Liuxiang suddenly sprang up and blurted out, "His next target, could it be Tian Feng Das.h.i.+?"

Qian Mazi laughed and said, "In this, I must ask Gongzi to relax. No matter who this person is, if he wanted to harm Tian Feng Das.h.i.+, I am afraid the time of his death has arrived. Although Tian Feng Das.h.i.+ has not paid any attention to the affairs of life for a very long time, he has never put his martial art skill aside."

Chu Liuxiang heaved a deep sigh and said with a wry smile, "If you knew who he is, you wouldn't have said such thing. He …"

Qian Mazi could not help asking, "Who is he, actually?"

Chu Liuxiang seemed to be unwilling to say his name. After muttering to himself irresolutely for half a day, he suddenly laughed and said, "I happen to have a business that I'd like to see Tian Feng Das.h.i.+ myself. I could deliver your tea leaves for you, but I don't know if you would feel rea.s.sured with me doing it for you."

Qian Mazi immediately pushed the yellow bundle toward Chu Liuxiang, and said with a laugh, "Let's not mention this insignificant bundle of tea leaves, even if Gongzi wanted Qian Mazi to hand over my life to you, I, Qian Mazi, will still feel rea.s.sured."

Chu Liuxiang chuckled. But before he could say anything, he suddenly saw the teahouse attendant came over in a hurry. Bowing to Chu Liuxiang, he smiled apologetically and said, "At a table in the corner over there, there is a gentleman who would like to talk to Gongzi; I wonder if Gongzi would be willing to come over?"

Turning his eyes to the table in the corner, he saw a man wearing grey robe was sitting down facing the corner. He has been sitting on that same spot for more than half a sichen, but has not moved at all.

He was wearing a large flat straw hat with a copper-basin-like top. This moment the hat was hanging over his neck, so that his entire head was blocked from view, except for the bunch of grey hair at the top of his head.

As soon as Chu Liuxiang entered the teahouse, he has had a feeling that this man was somewhat strange; no matter what activity was happening in the teahouse, this man has always been facing the corner, and never turned his head around.

All along he has never cast a single glance toward Chu Liuxiang, and all along Chu Liuxiang has not seen his face either, why did this moment he suddenly want to talk to Chu Liuxiang?

Chu Liuxiang felt strange in his heart, there was no way he was not going to dig to the bottom of this matter.

He had just walked over, the man already stood up from his seat - although he had not turned his head, he seemed to have eyes on the back of his head.

Chu Liuxiang's heart was moved, he suddenly laughed and said, "Could it be that Sire is the Bald Eagle Wu Lao Butou [old constable, see Chapter 1]?"

The man's body seemed to shake slightly; Chu Liuxiang has already walked over and sat down beside him. Laughing heartily, he said, "In all the world, other than Wu Lao Butou, who'd have this kind of astonis.h.i.+ng hearing ability?"

The man smiled wryly and said, "In all the world, indeed there is nothing that can deceive Chu Liuxiang."

He had high cheekbones and deep cheeks, his eyes were s.h.i.+ning, his pair of ash grey ears was unexpectedly made of cast silver. Were it not for his straw hat, others would be able to recognize him in just a glance.

Chu Liuxiang smiled and said, "Since we parted at the Capital, suddenly months have pa.s.sed; I have never expected that Wu Lao Butou has not forgotten Ol' Chu's voice … The strange thing is, that day Zaixia did not seem to say anything in Wu Lao Butou's presence, yet Wu Lao Butou seemed to hear Zaixia's voice?"

The Bald Eagle laughed and said, "People all over the world, not only their voices differ from each other, the sound of their footsteps is not the same either. Chu Liuxiang's qinggong is number one under the heavens, naturally your footstep is greatly different from other people. If this old man is unable to hear Chu Xiang Shuai's footsteps, this pair of ears really ought to be fed to the dog."

Chu Liuxiang roared in laughter and said, "Bai Yi Shen Er's [again, see Chapter 1] reputation is indeed not an empty one."

He suddenly lower his voice and spoke slowly, "Wu Lao Butou followed a trail for ten thousand li to this place, is it for the sake of the White Jade Beauty?"

Smiling apologetically, the Bald Eagle said, "Even if laoxiu [lit. old rotten, self-deprecatory term] had gargantuan guts, I would never dare to demand anything from Chu Xiang Shuai's hands."

Chu Liuxiang's eyes flickered, he said with a smile, "In that case, why is Sire here?"

The Bald Eagle also lowered his voice and replied, "Laoxiu was originally following Mantianxing Qian Mazi's trail …"

Knitting his brows, Chu Liuxiang asked, "Is it still related with the old affair of Ties.h.i.+zi Alley seven years ago?"

Smiling wryly, the Bald Eagle replied, "Laoxiu did not even know that this matter was related to Chu Xiang Shuai; otherwise I would not have dared to meddle. As I am sure Xiang Shuai is aware of, whenever one is eating public's rice, for the rest of his life, one could forget about even leaving the Liushanmen [lit. six-leaf door, seat of the government/yamen/(in wuxia stories) special police force]. There are things that I do not wish to care, but was being forced so that I do not have any choice but to care."

Chu Liuxiang spoke heavily, "This matter of seven years ago, although Qian Mazi shouldn't have done it, but 'Meihua Jian' and 'Shuang Zhang Fan Tian' were taking advantage of their position to bully people; they were despicable. Besides, because of this affair, Qian Mazi has long ago washed his hands out of Jianghu, and moved far away to this place. Why must Wu Lao Butou insist on killing to the last one, and pus.h.i.+ng him too far?"

Smiling apologetically, the Bald Eagle said, "Laoxiu has been alive for many years, how could I not know brows and eyes, high and low? Since I now know that Chu Xiang Shuai is involved in this matter, how could I interfere?"

He heaved a deep, deep sigh, and went on, "The reason Laoxiu is asking Gongzi to come over is for another thing altogether."

Frowning, Chu Liuxiang asked, "What other thing?"

The Bald Eagle was deep in thought for half a day; finally he spoke word-by-word, "Gai Bang's NanGong Bangzhu was found dead on the Daming Lake of Jinan city ten days ago; I wonder if Xiang Shuai has any knowledge of this matter?"

Chu Liuxiang smiled and said, "Wu Lao Butou couldn't possibly suspect that I killed NanGong Ling?"

The Bald Eagle hurriedly smiled apologetically again and said, "How could Laoxiu dare to think so? It's just that …"

"Just what?" Chu Liuxiang asked.

The Bald Eagle sighed and said, "It's just that NanGong Bangzhu's death was too tragic. Reportedly even after his death, someone still chopped him randomly and cut his body off. Therefore, Beggar Clan disciples all vowed their life to find the killer!"

Chu Liuxiang knitted his brows deep. Naturally he knew who chopped off NanGong Ling's body; it must be Hei Zhenzhu who wholeheartedly wanted to avenge his father. Naturally he could also think that until today, the Beggar Clan disciples were still unaware of NanGong Ling's conspiracy. But naturally he was unwilling to divulge this matter to just about anybody.

He heard the Bald Eagle sighed and said, "This kind of vendetta among Jianghu martial art masters, Laoxiu originally should not get involved, so I did not dare to be involved. But the fact is that Laoxiu has been friends with several Beggar Clan Zhanglao [Elders] for many years. This time I happened to meet them on the road."

Chu Liuxiang asked, "Could it be that the Beggar Clan disciples suspected that I have a part in NanGong Ling's death?"

Smiling apologetically, the Bald Eagle replied, "They absolutely did not dare to suspect Xiang Shuai; it's just that they said that you, Xiang Shuai, must know the ident.i.ty of the a.s.sa.s.sin who murdered NanGong Bangzhu. Therefore, they asked that if Laoxiu happens to see you, for me to ask you on their behalf. Whether you, Xiang Shuai indeed know about it or not, as long as Xiang Shuai say the word, the Beggar Clan disciples will absolutely believe you."

Chu Liuxiang's eyes flickered; he spoke word-by-word, "This matter, I do know about it!"