Book 14: Chapter 46

Unforeseen Situation

I walked out of Eight Deities with the halved piece of jade. I never expected Jingan to a.s.sign Tianhu to my life. I discerned at first glance that the person who broke the piece of jade broke it using Mount Daluos martial arts. I couldnt identify who it was, but the amount of force required to break the jade piece would require them to have mastered Mount Daluos Castoff.

Based on Jingans recount, I was quite confident in my conjecture of how it happened. Tianhu mustve jumped into the battlefield while they were fighting, and some piece of c.r.a.p sneak attacked Tianhu using Mount Daluos skills. Tianhu probably didnt make a big deal out of it on account of them being from Mount Daluo, but he didnt know they broke his possession and pinched half of it. The a.s.sailant didnt show their real face. Instead, they posed as me to create a misunderstanding.

Since Jingan had spies in Fiends Genesis and Nanjiang, she learnt about Tianhu testing and suspecting me as well as his enmity towards me. If someone with my appearance attacked him to protect Young s.h.i.+yi and, as a consequence, broke his most treasured possession, then hed come back to me looking for revenge.

I only had one complaint. I couldnt care less how hard it was for them to find the actor; at least get your facts right. I never even learnt Castoff! Where would you find someone remotely as handsome as me to pose as me?! Everyone knew I didnt know a lick of Mount Daluos disciplines!

I wanted to learn Castoff; it was Mount Daluos signature internal discipline, after all. Whether you slashed, stabbed, punched or slapped, everybody would recognise you were Hero Shenzhous disciple if you used Castoff. Before my s.h.i.+fu reduced Mount Daluos reputation to its current tragic state, you just had to give them a tiny taste of Castoff, and allies would bow down in reverence, while hostiles would dig themselves holes. It was the equivalent of flas.h.i.+ng an Emperors token.

Besides Sixth, no members of Mount Daluo dared to utilise Castoff anymore, and theyd keep a low profile if they had to. If allies heard, theyd come chasing after them to demand alcohol and brothel debts. If enemies heard, theyd gather their brothers for a war. Therefore, I didnt care for it now. Back then, though, I was a diehard fan of it and even pestered s.h.i.+fu to teach it to me.

Back then, s.h.i.+fu puffed out a breath of smoke from his pipe, narrowed his eyes and replied, Why do you want to learn it? Its name itself is a tell-tale sign that its bad luck. Castoff, Castoff, casting off life for success. Whats being cast off? The disaster it is, is being cast off. Shut up. No learning Castoff. If you have time to waste on it, spend that time practicing our sects Yijin Jing, Tai Chi Just learn other stuff, okay? Leave me alone now. Im busy thinking Red dragon!

Whenever I thought of Castoff nowadays, Id also imagine a red dragon mah-jong hand.

Tianhu only left for Beiping a few days ago, so the jade issue was recent. They worked incredibly fast considering they already delivered the jade back to the capital. a.s.suming the jade was TIanhus and the story was genuine, then Tianhu was most probably already on his way back for me.

If Jingan sent someone connected to her to kill me, then Mount Daluo would eventually trace it back to her. Tianhu, on the other hand, was on the imperial courts side, thereby reducing her damage to the absolute minimum. That being said, it was unwise for her to opt to kill me now of all times. Though she had tried an a.s.sortment of a.s.sa.s.sination methods in the past three years, she never attempted any of them with absolute determination to kill me. At most, she wanted me close enough to death that she could preserve my crippled body in a vat or something.

Mount Daluo hadnt weakened just because wed been keeping to ourselves for many years. If Grandmaster and s.h.i.+fu were to come down from the mountain, the number of people who could handle them Just know I wouldnt be able to handle them. Jingan mustve known this fact, so it perplexed me as to why shed be in a rush to kill me. It still didnt make it reasonable if it was on account of me being defenceless. Rather than kill me, wouldnt it have been a better opportunity to marinate me in a vat of soy sauce and vegetables? The risk to return on investment ratio was terrible. Nevertheless, the fact that Tianhu had been a.s.signed the task of a.s.sa.s.sinating me meant that she was determined to have me killed.

I didnt have the foggiest idea what Jingans group was plotting behind everyones back, much less know what happened to spur them into suddenly wanting my life. Maybe I found out something that became a hindrance to their agenda?

Benefactor, are you all right?

Yeah, why?

It just that you have been sitting in a squat at the door for ages. How about coming inside?

I didnt even realise I was crouching at the entrance of Eight Deities until Gu Xianxian pointed it out. Teng and company gave me a smile when I entered, seemingly impressed with how I managed to settle Zhao Tiankui.

You seem to be troubled, expressed, Gu Xianxian.

Trying my best to ease their unease, I tried to sound as casual as possible as I answered, Im fine. Its just that Tianhu is coming for my life.

It was suddenly so quiet that I could even hear the breeze outside.

What? I asked.

What do you mean, What?! Do you know who Tianhu is?!

Some guy who has to let me wash his hair with manure?

Lang Qing: The debt may be written off.

Teng: They say all debts are off when a man is dead. The saying is very reasonable.

Most importantly, can you beat him? Are you not history if he attacks you?

I wagged my hand. Ive been through all sorts of h.e.l.ls. I dont care even if hes The Apex Ultimate Three.

The group began whispering amongst each other.

Will it really be all right?

I dont think so.

Shall we leg it?

Will we make it?

Ask him.

Wouldnt it be shameful to betray him?

Hes dead meat. The best we can do is come back to offer essence.

True.

The three of them then came back to me acting innocent. Benefactor, we have something to tell you.

Eight Deities food nice? Taking advantage of their stumped reactions, I continued, Yuan Kou ate it, and so did you three.

The three of them looked depressed and enraged, especially Gu Xianxian.

Your wife is pregnant. I wagged my hand. Youre too paranoid. I wouldnt poison her. Right when Gu Xianxian and his wife swapped their negative opinion of me for a good one, I added, What good is she? She can leave whenever she wants.

Ive been paying for your wifes food and living, yet she hasnt produced any results except for your kid. Id have kicked her out if it wasnt for the fact that she had nowhere else to go.

Relax. Its not like a.s.sa.s.sins will jump through the window any second. Will there be any end to it if you start worrying already?

I had just finished rea.s.suring them when a blast of qi came slicing down from the ceiling.

An a.s.sa.s.sin really is here! Run! cried Gu Xianxian.