Chapter 111

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In which there’s a roller-coaster of a back-and-forth.

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Pavilion Master Ding was supported by his subordinates, while the dagger remained pierced into his back.

The people of “Moon’s Shadow” didn’t dare to retreat as they pleased and so could only hit his acupoint to staunch the flow of blood.

But it was a futile effort, because Pavilion Master Ding quickly noticed that his injury was growing numb and that this numbness was even slowly spreading out to his limbs; the dagger had clearly been poisoned — in front of outsiders, and in an unprecedented move, Wei Jin had performed two despicable deeds back-to-back, and all of it ended up being against him.

He pulled open the capsule in his mouth, swallowing down the antidote that Cong Yu had specially created. Using all his strength, he barely managed to control his killing intent and asked, “What did you do to Xilai?”

Wei Jin said, “What do you think? Since I’ve been educated by you for this many years, if I don’t properly pay him back for the honor, how could I ever be worthy of you?”

Pavilion Master Ding’s face immediately tightened.

He pressed down bloody tang that bubbled up from his throat and slowly said, “Who told you that you were a child of the Jiang family? If I truly murdered the people of the Jiang family, and you truly are a child of the Jiang family, why would I leave you behind?” He looked around. “If it was all of you, would you do so?”

The adventurers fiercely shook their heads, feeling that it was too inconceivable.

Meanwhile, ever since they finished listening to Wei Jin, the elders had been thinking about this exact same question.

When getting rid of weeds, one must pull them up by the roots, or else they’ll return with the spring breeze.

This kind of reasoning was one everyone understood, and that’s not even mentioning the grudge that would’ve been created from the massacre of an entire family. If Pavilion Master Ding was truly filled with evil, then no matter what, there was no way that he’d leave behind that family’s child. And that person was even in the position of the Captain of “Moon’s Shadow”. Wouldn’t this be entirely like he was creating trouble for himself?

If one thought of it like this, the possibility seemed even greater that Wei Jin was tricked.

Everyone couldn’t help but look towards a certain person over there.

Under everyone’s gazes, Ye You unhurriedly moved forward a step before amiably asking Pavilion Master Ding, “Are you trying to say that I drugged him and tampered with his memories?”

“It’s not impossible,” Pavilion Master Ding said with a cold face, “What’s more, if it truly was me who drugged him, would I not be worried that he’d one day undo the drug’s effects?”

Ye You said, “Isn’t it precisely because you weren’t worried that you drugged him?”

At once, the surroundings erupted into a fuss, with the adventurers whispering in each other’s ears, not understanding what was happening.

Sect Leader Xuanyang said, “Sir Xiao, what is your meaning?”

“Why exactly did he leave a survivor behind, me and Wei Jin have also been wondering about this for the past few years.” Ye You looked at the people of “Moon’s Shadow”. “Wei Jin once told me that, from the training barracks up to being chosen to enter “Moon’s Shadow”, over the course of the entire process, the value that’s been instilled in all of you the most was to be just and fair. Since there were too many strange people and incomprehensible occurrences in Jianghu, and even more drugs that could lead people’s hearts astray, a moment of inattention could then lead one to take even a brother as an enemy. Thus, whenever you encountered anything, you must first have evidence, and only once you’re certain should you make a move; hasty actions must not be taken. Isn’t that right?”

The people of “Moon’s Shadow” made a sound in agreement.

They’d all heard a similar sort of lecture before, and not only once.

Ye You said, “That year, when Wei Jin broke through the drug’s effects, the first thing he wanted to do was to investigate his own identity, to see if he ever actually resided in the village that he remembered, but I stopped him.”

Wei Jin took over the conversation with, “He told me that, since I haven’t sent any news in this many days, if I truly had been drugged, then the people who drugged me would definitely start considering the possibility that I undid the drug’s effects. Thus, there was even more of a possibility that they’d send people to that village or the Jiang family’s grave to stand guard. The moment those people saw me, they most likely wouldn’t wait to see whether or not I’d take my revenge and would simply kill me on the road. Rather than going now, he told me that I should slowly investigate, so I endured it.”

“During the time he was taking care of his injuries, it was me who investigated in his place, and I discovered that those places really did have more strangers present than before.” Ye You smiled in a way that was not at all like a smile as he looked at a certain someone. “But when I said as much to Wei Jin, he didn’t completely believe me.”

Wei Jin said, “If I completely believed it, then I wouldn’t be me.”

Ye You declined to comment and continued with, “And so I didn’t want to bother investigating too carefully and left it him to find his own conclusions. But since Ding Yicheng would definitely ask him where he’d been when he returned, I found a village ahead of time and made the appropriate preparations. As expected, not long after Wei Jin went back, people from Lingjian Pavilion came to the village to ask about Wei Jin’s matters, and they left only when they learned that there truly was someone who had nursed their injuries there.”

Those elders understood now.

They had begun their deception starting from when Wei Jin went missing.

Ye You said, “Everyone should be clear now, having listened up ’til now, that no matter who was drugged, and no matter who undid the drug’s effects, after going through such a training, they definitely wouldn’t recklessly seek revenge immediately. But upon finishing these investigations, even if by some lucky coincidence, one or two of them didn’t die, or if they were clever enough to want to expose this matter, the people they’d look for would be either Wei Haide or the Alliance Leader. And even if it was someone like Wei Jin who knew that the two Wei and Ding were partners, he’d definitely find either the Alliance Leader or Shaolin and Wudang, but what difference would that make?”

Those elders — even the named Shaolin and Wudang — all fell silent.

If it wasn’t for the chess game this time, who would’ve thought, and who would’ve believed, that those three were partners? And with those three’s power and influence in Jianghu, no matter who investigated, all that’d be found would be countless evidence that simply reaffirmed the people’s faith, making it clear that the accusers had their rationality muddled and were purposely wrongly accusing Pavilion Master Ding.

If the small point that “those three people were partners” was established to be true, then Pavilion Master Ding truly was secure in his backing.

But the question was could they really establish that?

Those elders maintained their doubtful attitudes for now.

“Let’s talk a bit more about why Ding Yicheng left a survivor.” Ye You looked at everyone. “What kind of talent Wei Jin and Ren Shaotian have, I’m sure all of you are aware.”

Everyone nodded.

“Moon’s Shadow” and “Heaven’s Firmament” were far too famous, and both the Captain and the Vice-Captain attracted people’s attention. Since Wei Jin and Ren Shaotian were able to assume those positions, there was no need to even mention their talent. This talent might even be higher than Pavilion Master Ding’s and has resulted in no small amount of admiration from the people, who have all praised Pavilion Master Ding for his good fortune.

One of the sect masters within the crowd asked, “Sir Xiao means that the reason Pavilion Master Ding didn’t kill Wei Jin at the time was due to his innate ability being high?”

Another person keenly asked, “Wait, what does this have to do with Ren Shaotian?”

Ye You said, “Because Ren Shaotian was also drugged. He’s the Yang family’s eldest young master.”

Everyone sucked in a breath, profoundly thinking that Pavilion Master Ding was far too demented.

Pavilion Master Ding said, “The Jiang family and the Yang family? In a little while, will Sir Xiao also find me a person from the Hua family?”

“I’ll have to disappoint you there. Until now, I still haven’t met anyone from the Hua family,” Ye You quipped before once again looking at everyone. “That year, during the massacre of those three families, Ding Yicheng most likely already wanted to create ‘Moon’s Shadow’, and with Wei Jin and Ren Shaotian’s innate abilities being so high, they were chosen by him.”

He stopped for a brief moment before adding, “Of course I’m simply making a conjecture. Only he himself knows the actual details.”

He didn’t wait for the elders or Pavilion Master Ding to speak before continuing his speculations, “And then came the establishment of the training barracks. How “Moon’s Shadow” chooses people, I think all of you know. After all, within Jianghu, there were many people who wanted to enter ‘Moon’s Shadow’ and ‘Heaven’s Firmament’, to emulate the perceived ‘just and solemn’ Pavilion Master Ding. With Wei Jin and Ren Shaotian displaying such strength, it’d be strange if they didn’t advance to the top.”

He looked at the people of “Moon’s Shadow”. “All of you, think back. Over these years, for ‘Moon’s Shadow’ to be slowly able to reach its current position, how many contributions did Wei Jin and Ren Shaotian make?”

The people of “Moon’s Shadow” opened and closed their mouths, rendered speechless by the question.

Who in “Moon’s Shadow” didn’t know that, even before Wei Jin and Ren Shaotian had reached the proper positions of captain and vice-captain, they were already backbones of the organization, and now they had become even steadier pillars of support. Even when Ren Shaotian was following the young master year-round, he’d still also usually take care of various matters within many other squads.

The elders also quickly straightened out their thoughts.

Indeed, in Jianghu, there were truly few people who could match Wei Jin and Ren Shaotian’s sort of talent, and Sir Xiao’s analysis of the merits and demerits were truly incisive, with the advantages clearly outweighing the disadvantages. After all, if they could be used, why not use them?

Ye You said, “I know that leaving two drugged people to assume the position of captain and vice-captain would definitely leave Ding Yicheng uneasy. Before, I was always wondering whether he’d feel secure enough to use them for an entire lifetime or if he’d find an appropriate time in the future to silence them. But after going through these events, I now have one more guess…”

He looked at Pavilion Master Ding, his expression abruptly turning sharp. “Ding Yicheng, tell me, when their martial arts have progressed even more, would you have thrown them to Cong Yun to test drugs?”

Everyone was astonished. “What?”

“Wait, who’s Cong Yun?”

“Cong Yun… Why do I feel as if this name is familiar…”

Wenren Heng said, “He’s the white piece’s miracle doctor. He’s also Miracle Doctor Ji’s eldest disciple.”

Everyone was once again astonished. “What?”

“Didn’t Miracle Doctor Ji’s eldest disciple die?”

“He also faked his death,” As Wenren Heng spoke, he returned to the previous topic, “While at Shaolin, Miracle Doctor Ji said before that Cong Yun was adding to the drug’s efficacy. And with the white piece having that many drugged men to use, there really was no need to take such risks to save Blood-sucking Ghost and the others, unless the white piece wanted to use them to test drugs. It’s likely that even they were never aware of this fact, even believing in self-satisfaction that they had been saved.”

Sect Leader Xuanyang said, “Then the goal for testing drugs…”

Wenren Heng said, “I’m guessing it’s to control that monster.”

Ye You moved forward a small step.

This was what he really couldn’t endure.

If his big brother was a vice-captain for a lifetime, then at least the person wouldn’t have to worry about food or clothing. But, at the very end, when it came down to it, that surnamed Ding most likely would’ve used them to test drugs!

Wenren Heng immediately perceived that his Junior Brother’s mood was somewhat unsteady, and he went forward to hold the other’s hand.

Ye You breathed out a few breaths, still looking at Pavilion Master Ding. “Why aren’t you speaking? Actually, you know that you can’t delay matters any longer. All we need to do is find an influential family that had been on good terms with the Jiang family in the past and we’ll be able to confirm Wei Jin’s identity. Now that Wei Haide and the Alliance Leader can’t help you, and all of you can’t make any moves, the only thing you can do is wait for the Abbot and them to do an investigation. Your actions up until now have simply been because you thought that we didn’t have any concrete evidence, and so you wanted to delay the proceedings. Best, even, to delay until that monster arrives to turn this place upside-down, until the smell of blood stained the air. Or perhaps you wanted to use a confession to exchange for your son’s life. Isn’t that right? You forgot that I said before that you believe far too much in your own infallibility. Right now, I’ll give you evidence of how it’s impossible for me to drug Wei Jin!”

When he finished speaking, he looked towards his Senior Brother.

Wenren Heng understood and unraveled the bandages on his face.

Everyone immediately raised their spirits in anticipation to look. When Sir Xiao turned towards them, quite a few people internally sucked in a breath.

Pavilion Master Ding also looked at him, not knowing what kind of idea he had.

“Ding Yicheng, you and Wei Haide were both not familiar with those three influential families, so you probably wouldn’t recognize me.” Ye You turned towards those elders. “How about all of you? Am I familiar?”

Those elders hesitantly looked at him.

The Sheng family head suddenly said in a trembling voice, “Y-y-you are…”

“I’m a child of the Yang family, and Ren Shaotian is my big brother.” Listening to the surrounding clamor, Ye You said, “Uncle Sheng, that year I came with my parents to visit the Hua family, you[1] even bought me some sweets.”

The Sheng family head said in astonishment, “That’s right, it’s you! You and your mother look very much alike!”

He walked over with large strides. “When you were little, I even held you in my arms. Previously, when disaster befell your family, I was always too busy dealing with what happened to the Hua family so I didn’t have time to look in on you. Afterwards, when I heard you were taken in by Fengxian Manor, I felt somewhat more relieved, and when I finally had the time to see you, I even thought that you weren’t as good-looking as an adult compared to when you were a child. You…”

“I escaped. That year, the one Wei Haide saved was my family steward’s son. They fed him that drug.” Ye You once again looked at Pavilion Master Ding and, seeing the other’s face turn pale, asked, “Ding Yicheng, as a child of the Yang family, I myself am a witness. I never needed to drug Wei Jin and have him testify against you. Right now, do you still have anything to say?”

Pavilion Master Ding’s face was stretched taut, and he spoke not a word.

Wei Jin’s sword hiss‘d out of its sheath, and he said in a low voice, “Understand now, right, so let me through!”

The prestige he had accumulated in “Moon’s Shadow” was too ingrained, and at once, there were a few people who obediently made way.

The rest hesitated for a moment as they gave the Pavilion Master a look, hoping that he would say a few words.

Pavilion Master Ding let go of the people supporting him and asked again, “What exactly did you do to Xilai?”

Wei Jin said, “If you want to know, then come and accept your death!”

As he spoke, he had already grown unable to endure it, and immediately made to hack this bastard into pieces, but right as he was about to make a move, Ye You spoke, “From the looks of it, you seem to want to admit your guilt.”

Pavilion Master Ding coldly gave him a look and then lifted his head to look towards Abbot Ciyuan and Sect Leader Xuanyang.

Even when things had gotten to this stage, he still carried his usual grave appearance, even taking a moment to tidy up his clothes and straighten up his back.

“Amitabha…” Abbot Ciyuan let out a sigh as he spoke. “Benefactor Ding, do you have anything to say?”

This time, Pavilion Master Ding’s behavior was finally befitting of his usual temperament, and he straightforwardly admitted, “I did do those things.”

The surroundings were like water that had boiled over, suddenly erupting as they listened to this person say, “Over these twenty years, no one in my family has been aware of these things. One person’s deeds should be one person’s responsibility. I hope that the Abbot will act justly.”

Wei Jin sneered. “So you’re already making your dying wishes[2]?”

Pavilion Master Ding ignored him, still looking at the Abbot.

Abbot Ciyuan said, “All right.”

Pavilion Master Ding closed his eyes for a moment before slowly saying, “That year, the monster fell for Wei Haide’s older sister, who was also my sister-in-law…”

These first words already shocked everyone present.

However, as Pavilion Master Ding was injured, his voice was very low, so they showed only a moment of alarm before hastily stowing away their voices and earnestly listening.

Pavilion Master Ding forced himself to stand straight and persist in speaking.

There was no doubt of that monster’s strength, and at the time, other than practicing martial arts, that monster had feelings only for his sister-in-law. His sister-in-law could see through the monster’s moods and feared that if she incurred his rancor, her two families would end up falling to calamity and massacred. Thus, she took poison, her body growing weaker and weaker, as she left the monster to believe that she had taken ill.

Before her death, fearing that the monster would take his anger out on her two families, she begged him to look after her family members, and the monster agreed. And not long after his sister-in-law passed, that monster received news about Pursued Until Scattered and so took out the pain he felt at her death on those three families.

That year, the first family was the Hua family, and there was practically not a single intact body to be found, with not a single person left alive.

Pavilion Master Ding took a few breaths and said, “Only then did me and Wei Haide realize what kind of demon we were following, but the situation didn’t allow us time to think, since that monster refused to give up until he obtained that secret book, so immediately following, we went to the Jiang family…”

It was precisely that day that he saw Wei Jin.

Ah-Xiao had guessed one thing wrong. At the time, he hadn’t yet had the thought to create “Moon’s Shadow”. He simply thought that Wei Jin was too young, so perhaps if he was able to find a few people to prove that he wasn’t at the Jiang family residence that day, he might then have been able to trick this child. It was only later when he heard Cong Yun say that the drug could change memories did he decide to change his methods.

And the reason he picked up Wei Jin was that he had already grown to fear that monster.

Wei Jin’s innate ability was high, and if this talent could be used for his sake, then in time, it could perhaps be a match for that monster. Later, he saved Ren Shaotian for the same reason. And, with Ren Shaotian, the upside was that, when the Yang family encountered disaster, the child wasn’t even at the Yang family residence and so wasn’t aware of his participation. So even if one day the drug loses its effect on Ren Shaotian, he could still say that he had done it for the other’s own good and that he hadn’t wanted the person to rush into revenge recklessly. Thus, he wasn’t worried about Ren Shaotian’s drug losing its efficacy at all.

Ye You’s expression turned cold, and he silently stared at this person.

Pavilion Master Ding turned a blind eye to his gaze and continued with, “Later, when me and Wei Haide thought of the ‘Demon Slaughter’, we truly did want to kill that monster, but just in case, we first told him that it was all an act, so as to avoid being murdered. As it turned out, even though an entire crowd of righteous faction members encircled and attacked him, we weren’t able to achieve the least bit of advantage. Me and Wei Haide knew then that if we continued fighting, even more people would die, so we could only follow our original plans, moving as we fought, and allow that monster to feign death. And after he faked his death, me and Wei Haide found Cong Yun and asked him if there was any way, and Cong Yun said that we needed to refine the drug. Only then did we begin to make drugged men…”

He sucked in a deep breath. “Over these twenty years, other than a few drugged men escaping and killing people in moments of insanity and the most recent matters that forced our hand, we never allowed the drugged men to act unscrupulously in Jianghu. We simply wanted to oppose the monster, and when we succeeded, we would’ve destroyed this power. Now, I already don’t have anything left to explain; I can only say that, over the years, I’ve never been unjust in my dealings with anything or anyone…”

Wenren Heng shouted, “Break his jaw!”

Wei Jin moved at practically the instant that Wenren Heng spoke, quickly rushing over.

Pavilion Master Ding unconsciously stepped backwards.

He had originally believed that Wei Jin wouldn’t have thought that he could move, perhaps allow him an opportunity, but Wei Jin’s expression hadn’t changed from the start, as if the person had already anticipated such an action. And, as he had been stiff for too long, his movements remained slightly slower, and he quickly had his chest acupoint sealed by Wei Jin and his jaw broken with a crack.

Those elders said, “This is…”

Ye You said, “There was no other choice, because the moment he finished speaking, he was going to poison himself and commit suicide.”

He once again moved forward a step. “Surnamed Ding, did you believe that we’d let you get even the slightest bit of goodwill back before you died? Keep dreaming! You and Wei Haide aren’t fools. With Cong Yun’s medical expertise that high, it wouldn’t be difficult to kill that person through poisoning. What ‘refining drugs to oppose that monster’? It was completely for the sake of your own selfish ambitions. You two feared the monster, yet you didn’t want to kill him, so that’s why you thought of turning him into a drugged man in order to control him completely. You talked only about how it was for the righteousness of Jianghu, but why don’t you talk about all those people who died in Bodhi Prison? Why don’t you talk about how many benefits you received from the ‘Demon Slaughter’ incident? Why don’t you talk about how many children died in that secret villa for the sake of raising Blood-sucking Ghost and those other monsters! Ding Yicheng, don’t even think of dying while carrying the mantle of ‘hidden hardships’; you aren’t worthy of it!”

The moment these words fell, only the sound of a ssfftt could be heard.

While everyone was still taking a moment to react, Wei Jin’s sword had already directly pierced through Pavilion Master Ding’s chest.

With Pavilion Master Ding’s jaw was broken, his saliva poured out uncontrollably, and along with his twisted face, he looked extremely sinister and dismal.

Wei Jin’s expression also wasn’t terribly good to witness. With his great vengeance fulfilled, under such extreme excitement, his facial features had also faintly twisted.

With the boiling-hot blood flow down the sword and onto his hand, he felt extremely delighted, saying, “Just sit and wait in hell first for a few days, I’ll also be sending Wei Haide and that monster down to accompany you soon.”

He retreated a step, pulling out the sword with great force.

No longer able to remain upright, Pavilion Master Ding fell forward, smashing into the ground with a thud, not making a single sound.

Not a sound could be heard.

The people looked at how one of the two great experts who had plagued Jianghu had lost all breath, and all of them couldn’t quite come back to their senses.

Wenren Heng lowered his eyes to look at the blood slowly flowing outward and said in a low voice, “You don’t regret not making a move?”

Ye You said, “I’ve already talked it over with Wei Jin. Ding Yicheng’s life was his to take.”

Wenren Heng made a sound in acknowledgment and began sliding his hand up his Junior Brother’s in order to take the other’s pulse. Right as he was about to pull him away to sit for a while, he saw Wei Jin instruct the people of “Moon’s Shadow” to begin searching Pavilion Master Ding’s corpse and asked, “What?”

Wei Jin said, “Before I left, he gave me a medicinal pill to swallow, and I don’t know if it was poison or not.”

Practically no one knew what what expression to use. “Then why didn’t you ask him just now?”

Wei Jin said, “If I had asked, who knows if he would’ve given me the antidote or more poison? The things he wanted me to do required more than a month, so even if it was poison, I won’t die right now. If I could’ve used this month to kill him, and then watch as the remaining two take their last breaths, then I’d even be content to die.”

The hatred incurred from the massacre of one’s clan was as deep and bottomless as the seas.

Everyone all fell silent.

Ye You didn’t look at Pavilion Master Ding’s corpse again. Walking forward two steps, he looked towards everyone. “I know there are most likely still people present who are the white piece’s men, so listen up. All of you send news to your master today and tell him that if he doesn’t appear within ten days, then I’ll drag Wei Jiangyue to the Yang family grave and cut him up alive!”

He paid no attention to everyone’s expressions and instead looked at Wei Jiangyue. “Second Young Master Wei, will you hide?”

Ever since Wei Jiangyue had learned the other’s true identity, his entire person had been frozen stiff, and he had felt a sharp pain mixed with bitter agony attacking his heart in unison; it truly felt even worse than death.

He looked at this person and said in a hoarse voice, “I won’t.”

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[1] Polite ‘you’.

[2] 託孤 Wasn’t exactly sure how to convey this in English, so I took a more liberal approach. Its literal meaning is a deathbed wish where the one dying entrusts the care of his/her soon-to-be-orphaned children to the person listening (usually a close friend). Wei Jin’s being snide here about how Pavilion Master Ding is going to die soon and so is trying to get someone (Abbot Ciyuan) to guarantee the safety of his child/family.

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Two of the three down~ One more to go~ (Or two, I guess, if you include the monster.)

Also, onomatopoeia is difficult…\n

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