28: Chapter 28 Each with their own ulterior motives

Undertakers Manor, morgue.

A candle wick popped, crackling sharply in the dead silence.

On the three wooden slab beds in the morgue lay newly arrived corpses, their faces covered by white cloth, toes exposed, fingernails tinged with blue.

"Foster Father."

Yuwen Shou did not turn around, his ears tracking the footsteps behind him.

The Manor Master stopped three feet behind him.

"Over at Yin Sui Cave," the Manor Master began, "any movement from the Cave Master?"

"The Cave Master..." Yuwen Shou turned, his back hunched, his eyelids lowered, "The Cave Master released this child to return."

The Manor Master did not speak, his face hidden in shadows where the candlelight could not reach.

"This shows he is still wary of me. But the mine collapse was fortuitous. Beneath Luo Prince Mansion, there was a three-way standoff, especially since the Master of Yinsui Cave was raised by the Third Young Master. This gives us an opportunity."

"Does Foster Father mean..."

"My meaning?" The Manor Master laughed, a snort escaping his nose as he raised his right hand and patted Yuwen Shou's shoulder.

"My meaning is for you to transmit false information to the Cave Master, making him complacent."

Yuwen Shou's pupils constricted. The Manor Master's hand slid down from his shoulder to straighten his collar—an intimate gesture, like a father tending to his own son's attire.

"Since you've come, don't leave." The Manor Master's voice dropped lower, his lips almost brushing Yuwen Shou's ear. "Swords and blades have no eyes on the battlefield. The Mohists strike ruthlessly and hack the Cave Master to death. When the Third Young Master returns, he can only settle accounts with the Mohists. Tell me, is that a fair account to settle?"

"Yes," he lowered his head, "Foster Father's calculations are correct."

Yuwen Shou bowed and stepped back three paces, then turned to pull the door bolt. The door hinges creaked, and cold wind from outside rushed in, causing the candlelight to flicker.

The Manor Master's voice chased the wind:

"Oh, Shou'er, if you go out at night, remember to wear a coat. The graveyard behind Undertakers Manor has heavy Yin Qi."

Yuwen Shou stumbled slightly at the threshold. He did not look back, stepped out, and pulled the door shut behind him.

The moment the door sealed, he heard the Manor Master snort again. The tone was airy, like an opera singer.

Yuwen Shou did not return to his room.

He walked along the base of the wall until he reached his room in the backyard, then reached into his robes and pulled out a piece of yellow paper.

He also pulled out a small porcelain bottle, uncorked it, and a smell of rust wafted out. He began to write on the paper; the characters were not human language, but ghostly scrawls.

By the third line, Yuwen Shou's right hand suddenly stopped. His five fingers were gripped by something and forced down onto the paper, his fingernails scratching against the surface with a harsh rasp.

A chill ran down the back of his neck, and there was breathing behind his ear.

"Write..." The voice did not come from the air; it came from the back of his head. "Write clearly... the Manor Master wants him... dead..."

Yuwen Shou's teeth chattered and clicked. He wanted to say, "I know."

The thing was laughing. The laughter made his brain ache.

"You cannot escape..." The voice burrowed into his ear canal. "The Cave Master wants you as a dog... I will serve as your shell... Your Foster Father does not want you either..."

The writing on the yellow paper was finished, and it subsequently burst into flames.

The next day. The sun had just climbed up, and the blue bricks of the martial arts arena were still damp, like a lung that had just caught its breath.

Mr. Xiangli stood at the edge of the arena, hands tucked into his sleeves, eyelids drooping as if he were dozing.

Footsteps echoed under the veranda.

The Manor Master walked out from around the corner, followed by Yuwen Shou. The Manor Master's face was wreathed in smiles. "Brother Xiangli," the Manor Master walked to the edge of the arena, cupped his hands in greeting, and drawled, "kept you waiting."

Yuwen Shou stood with his hands hanging down, his face expressionless, though his eyes darted toward Wu Xi before quickly looking away.

Niu Fei shuffled half a step forward and slammed his copper staff onto the ground with a dull thud, sending dust jumping from the cracks in the blue bricks. "Manor Master," his voice was loud, like a cracked gong, "you said the Cave Master is coming tomorrow morning?"

"He is coming." The Manor Master walked to the center of the arena and faced the crowd. "The letter has been sent, and the Master of Yinsui Cave has replied."

He paused, his smile deepening. "I told him that you walked right into our trap and have already been captured. We will lure the Cave Master here, and then make other plans."

"A good strategy," Mr. Xiangli said. "The Manor Master has gone to great lengths."

"Nonsense," the Manor Master waved his hand, the jade tassel swinging in an arc. "It is all to eliminate a scourge."

Before the words had faded, Yuwen Shou suddenly stepped forward.

"Manor Master," his voice was not loud, but it clearly sliced through the morning breeze, "since we are only acting tomorrow, we are idle today. I see that Brother Wu Xi has extraordinary skills; why not take this opportunity for me to trade a few blows with Brother Wu to liven things up for everyone and loosen our muscles?"

He turned his face to look at Wu Xi, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

The Manor Master was taken aback, then immediately clapped his hands. "Good! Young people should have such spirit. Brother Xiangli, what do you think?"

Mr. Xiangli's gaze lingered for a moment on the patch of blue-gray skin on the back of Yuwen Shou's neck before moving away. "Wu Xi, what do you say?"

Wu Xi walked into the arena and stood steady, hands hanging naturally at his sides, and nodded to Yuwen Shou. "Please."

Yuwen Shou also cupped his hands, unbuckled the sword at his waist and handed it to a nearby guard, then stood empty-handed and assumed a starting stance. He wore tight-fitting martial attire, the fabric across his shoulders and back stretched taut by his muscles.

He kicked off the ground, the blue bricks cracking sharply, and he swept across the ground, his right hand forming a claw, aiming directly for Wu Xi's throat. This move was a grappling technique, upright and forceful, even carrying a hint of military style.

Wu Xi did not move. His pupils constricted.

Yuwen Shou's right hand was three inches from his throat, but his left hand had already silently emerged from under his ribs, jabbing toward Wu Xi's kidney. This was the killing blow—venomous, fast, and at a tricky angle.

Wu Xi twisted his waist like a snake whose tail had been stepped on, sliding half a foot sideways. Yuwen Shou's left hand brushed past his waist, the force of the wind tightening his clothes.

With the first move missed, Yuwen Shou's expression did not change; he even smiled. He spun around, his right elbow striking toward Wu Xi's temple, his left knee raised to drive into Wu Xi's lower abdomen—a tight, continuous combination that left no gaps.

Wu Xi raised his left arm to block the elbow strike and pressed his right hand down to pin Yuwen Shou's knee.

In that very instant, a crack suddenly opened in the neatly tied hair bun at the back of Yuwen Shou's head.

A pitch-black shadow lunged from deep within the bun, forming the shape of a hand, its five fingers like hooks, clawing toward the top of Wu Xi's head.

It was the "Divine Hand Behind the Head."

Someone on the sidelines gasped. Niu Fei rushed forward half a step but was grabbed by the arm by Mr. Xiangli. Mr. Xiangli's hand was like an iron clamp; Niu Fei could not break free.

Yuwen Shou's right hand, left hand, right elbow, and left knee locked off his retreat from four directions; the black hand above his head was the true killing blow.

But Wu Xi had six Tentacles.

Beneath his left chest, his clothing suddenly bulged, and a dark red Tentacle burst through, thrusting straight like a spear toward Yuwen Shou's right shoulder socket. The surface of the Tentacle was slick and slimy, glistening with a watery sheen in the morning light, moving so fast it left a blur.

Yuwen Shou's right shoulder went numb, his entire right arm instantly lost strength, and the elbow strike went wide.

Almost simultaneously, another Tentacle from beneath his right chest whipped out from the side, wrapping around Yuwen Shou's raised left knee and pulling hard. Yuwen Shou instantly lost his balance and fell forward.

Two thicker Tentacles at his tailbone burst through his waistband and drove into the blue brick ground like two nails, pinning Wu Xi's body in place before springing back violently. Using this force, Wu Xi leaned backward, the back of his head almost touching the ground. The black hand grazed past the tip of his nose, the Yin Qi brought by it scraping his cheeks until they stung, making his hair stand on end.

Meanwhile, the skin on Wu Xi's two elbows split open, and two slender Tentacles shot out like arrows, one wrapping around Yuwen Shou's neck, the other pressing against his chest. As the Tentacles tightened, Yuwen Shou's face instantly flushed red, and his throat bones clicked and rattled.

From the appearance of the black hand to Yuwen Shou being subdued, less than a single breath had passed.

Wu Xi lay on his back on the ground, his six Tentacles waving wildly like a strange flower that had bloomed in an instant. He looked at Yuwen Shou, his voice steady: "You lost."

With his neck being strangled, Yuwen Shou's eyes rolled upward, and he used both hands to pry at the Tentacle around his throat. The Tentacle was slick and covered in suckers, tightening the more he struggled.

The arena was dead silent.

Mr. Xiangli slowly released Niu Fei's arm and took two steps forward. He looked at Wu Xi, then at Yuwen Shou.

"Good skills." The Manor Master suddenly clapped, two crisp sounds that were exceptionally sharp in the silence. "Little Brother Wu Xi, truly... good skills."

Wu Xi did not respond. The Tentacles from his elbows and chest slowly retracted back into his skin, closing up as if nothing had happened.

Yuwen Shou clutched his throat, crouching on the ground and dry-heaving. "I lost."

Niu Fei hoisted his copper staff onto his shoulder, grinning as he wanted to laugh, but then glanced at Mr. Xiangli's expression and swallowed the laugh, changing it into a heavy snort.

The Manor Master walked over and reached out to help Yuwen Shou up, muttering, "Are you alright? Shou'er, you really... it was just a spar, why use that move..." His hand rested on Yuwen Shou's shoulder, and Yuwen Shou's shoulder stiffened almost imperceptibly.

"Manor Master," Wu Xi suddenly spoke, "the Cave Master is only coming tomorrow; we should get a good night's sleep tonight."

The Manor Master turned back and smiled: "Naturally, naturally. I have already instructed the kitchen to add more dishes tonight so everyone can rest up."

At 9:45 PM, the sky was pitch black.

The lanterns at Undertakers Manor were not lit, allegedly to save oil for the big battle tomorrow. The entire courtyard was submerged in the ink-black night, with only one oil lamp lit in each of the east and west wing rooms, like two dim yellow eyes.

Wu Xi did not take off his clothes; he lay on the bed fully dressed, his hands resting on his lower abdomen, his breathing long and steady.

Niu Fei made a floor bed at the foot of the bed, using his copper staff as a pillow. His snoring had just begun when it suddenly stopped. He turned over and muttered: "What was that sound?"

Wu Xi opened his eyes.

From afar, in the direction of the martial arts arena, came a dull thud.

Thud.

It was not a knock on the door, nor was it a falling object. It was a heavy weight crashing down from a height onto the blue bricks, shaking even the earth beneath Wu Xi's bed.

Niu Fei sat up abruptly, his copper staff already across his knees, his eyes wide, nostrils flaring and contracting like a bull smelling a wolf.

"Are they here?" His voice was extremely low, yet raspy.

Wu Xi did not respond. He stepped into his cloth shoes, his toes curling inside—the soles had an extra layer of hard material, the mechanism Mr. Xiangli had stuffed in that afternoon. He stood up, his ears twitching slightly.

A second sound, a third sound.

Thud. Thud.

This time they came in a continuous series. From the walls, the roof, from all directions. It was not one person landing, but many people, or rather, many things that were not human.

Niu Fei hoisted his copper staff onto his shoulder and prepared to charge toward the door.

Suddenly, the area outside the windows lit up.

Lanterns drifted over, swaying, from the direction of the martial arts arena. Behind the lanterns stood seven or eight shadowy figures, tall and short, their movements rustling against the blue bricks.

The Manor Master stepped out from behind a pillar in the main hall, his back straight. "I knew you wouldn't follow the agreement; I have been waiting for a long time."