Chapter 18: Finding the Real Culpri

Finding the Real Culprit

Meng Qing Wu’s body shook from head to toe!

Even though she had already guessed that the culprit was one of her trusted aides, but she could not have thought or could not believe that it was the loyal Captain Meng that had followed her for over seven years!

Seven years ago, Meng Shan, escaping from his enemies with his weak wife and child, was accepted into the still influential Southern Cloud Commerce. Meng Shan did not shine in either talent or strength so he could only serve as a regular guard. Soon afterward, Southern Cloud Commerce faced its biggest calamity. When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter, all its employees and talents left. Only Meng Shan stayed behind and assisted Meng Qing Wu to journey over the hard times.

Was it really possible for someone that had shared joys and sorrows, someone who was upright and affectionate, to become a traitor?

Meng Ying Ying also did not completely believe, as Captain Meng’s loyalty towards jiejie was unquestionable. He had saved jiejie in critical periods several times. If he wanted to harm the commerce, he did not have to wait until today to do it.

“Non…Nonsense!” Meng Shan’s face showed a surprised expression, revealing a barely restrained panic: “In Southern Cloud Commerce, there is no one who doesn’t know that I am completely loyal and devoted to daxiaojie, why would I try to harm her! If you can’t bring out the evidence, don’t make unfounded and slanderous charges!”

Chu Tian said: “The evidence that could have been destroyed naturally was destroyed, but some evidence cannot be destroyed. For example, highly concentrated Styx River Water is a volatile liquid that easily evaporates. In the process of using highly concentrated of Styx River Water, it is impossible to prevent the inhaling some of its poisonous gas.”

As if he had been reminded of something, Captain Meng’s body started to slightly shake.

Chu Tian gently sighed: “Because the poison is very mild, at most one would only feel a slight discomfort, so one would not pay special attention to it. However, what you have not noticed is that when the poison Styx River Water vapor has condensed, it will leave some light gray marks on the body. In addition, Styx River Water’s intrinsic quality is one of a darkness type material; the blackness on your fingers is the proof of contact with dark-type materials. Am I right?”

Freak!

This young man really was a freak!

Why did he even know such a thing?

Xiong Tian Yan walked over: “Let me see.”

Captain Meng tried to resist: “Move away! I don’t have it!”

Nangong Yun launched herself up and kicked away like a long knife. Xiong Tian Yan took the opportunity to demonstrate his grappling abilities, easily restraining Captain Meng’s two hands. They first examined his ten fingers, “The ten fingers are stained black, this definitely is the effect of coming into contact with dark materials!”

Xiong Tian Yan opened up Meng Shan’s armor and saw that there were dense needle-sized gray spots scattered on his chest and back: “Ironclad evidence, still dare to quibble?!”

Meng Shan’s face turned as white as a sheet of paper.

Over, its all over.

“It really was you?” Meng Qing Wu’s body trembled: “I thought you were a honest man who put weight in affections and righteousness; I thought you were someone that would not sway in front of money. Tell me….why did you do this?”

“That’s right!” Captain Meng’s eyes were filled with a desire for vengeance and regret: “I poisoned the medicine!”

Everyone was stunned.

Everyone thought that Captain Meng would continue to make excuses, who would know that he admitted to it so easily!

“The one surnamed Meng!”

“You won’t die in peace!”

“……”

Meng Shan looked at the angry mob. His eyes were filled with hopelessness and a hint of relief. At first he felt he was a bit lucky, but he knew he was finished from the moment he had been saw through.

Han Shao Long showed a panicked and frightened expression, quickly saying: “Meng Shan, how much did these treacherous merchants give you? Is it worth to take the blame?! Don’t forget, you have a wife and child! If you die, what will happen to them?”

Meng Shan broke into a frenzied laughter: “Ha ha ha ha, wife and child, you dare to speak about them in front of me… … Release me! Release me! Please let me go!”

Meng Qing Wu nodded toward Xiong Tian Yan.

After Meng Shan was released, his eyes showed determination: “Southern Cloud Commerce’s kindness towards me carries as much weight as a mountain in my heart. Even if I die, I will not betray daxiaojie, but…”

Meng Shan’s hand trembled as he reached for a small cloth bag in his clothes. Inside of the bag were a few bloody fingers. He cried out with a hoarse voice: “Five days ago, my wife and child were kidnapped. These swines used my wife and child to threaten me! At first I didn’t help them with their scheme, but they sent me one of their cut-off fingers each day to torture me! Damned swine, you won’t die in peace!”

Han Shao Long’s face changed dramatically: “Think about the consequences before you speak!”

Meng Shan’s eyes were bloodshot, he angrily pointed at Han Shao Long, exhaustly jeered: “Han Shao Long, I am talking about you! Come at me if you have the ability, why torture my wife and child! They are only normal people! They are only normal people!”

Shua!

Countless stares focused on Han Shao Long.

Han Shao Long took a step back from fright: “Slander! You slanderer!”

Meng Shan turned around and kneel on the ground and kowtowed three times toward Meng Qing Wu: “Daxiaojie, the poison was given to me by Han Shao Long! I have committed a grave sin and do not want to drag out my miserable existence in this world. I don’t have the dignity to face you anymore! For proving that I am not lying, for proving that Southern Cloud Commerce is innocent, for the innocent people that have died, I can only ask for forgiveness with death!”

Meng Shan raised his palm after he finished speaking.

“Don’t!”

Meng Qing Wu hurried to stop him but it was too late. Meng Shan heavily struck his chest, the arteries and veins in his heart immediately shattering. He spewed out a large mouthful of blood, falling to the ground face-up.

Meng Ying Ying screamed in horror: “Captain Meng! Captain Meng!”

Meng Qing Wu hurried over to hold him up: “I know you are forced into this, why take this on yourself!”

“My wife and child, my everything…is over, everything is over…….” Meng Shan’s eyes was opened widely before it started to slack. His breath was heavy, his face filled with vengeance and regret, “I know, I was too selfish. I did not think….the consequence was this heavy! I did not know, they are this vicious!”

Meng Shan’s consciousness began to blur. He said with his last breath: “Everything is my own fault…If my wife and child by any chance have survived, please let them go!”

“Daxiaojie, I’m sorry! Sorry! Sorr….”

Meng Shan knew, that no matter how much he spoke, he could not make up for even a thousandth of what he had done. A single tear rolled out of the corner of his eyes as he left this world, taking with him unending regret, pain, and bitterness.

Zhang Li Qing was very sad: “If he had known it would come to this, he would have acted differently.”

Housekeeper Zhao had died.

Captain Meng had died.

When she saw Meng Shan’s face that was full of bitterness and remorse, without peace even in death, Meng Qing Wu’s mood sank to an extreme depression, mumbling to herself: “Rest in peace, if your wife and son are still alive, I will help you take care of them for sure.”

“Han, Shao, Long!”

“You dirty swine!”

Countless angry eyes turned to him at almost the same time!

Han Shao Long pointed at Chu Tian: “Can you guys not see? The profiteers are obviously trying to use their own slave and a guard to act out a ruse of intentionally injuring themselves! Don’t be tricked! The Han family has also suffered, many of our clan members have been poisoned. How this matter could be related to us is beyond me! It’s definitely Southern Cloud Commerce who wants to shift blame onto others!”

Zhang Li Qing angrily said: “Han Shao Long, under this circumstances, you still won’t admit, have you really taken all these people for idiots?”

“Words cannot be spoken like this.” Li Chang Yun used a tone dripping with sarcasm to say: “Personally, I think young master Han’s words are not without reason. Ladies and gentlemen, why don’t you think for a moment, this is a poison that not even I can identify; he is a mere slave only in his teens, where did all his so-called knowledge and ability come from? Is this not worth doubting? Even if he started learning alchemy when he was in his mother’s womb, he could not have such a great understanding towards the characteristics of Styx River Water! I believe that there is something queer about this matter! I suggest that we first close up Southern Cloud Commerce, lock up the suspect Meng Qing Wu, investigate the matter clearly, and then make the decisions.”

Li Chang Yun’s standing in the eyes of the people was very high.

The crowd started to hesitate.

Han Shao Long breathed a sigh of relief: “Thank you, great master. I am of course innocent. How could I be almost framed by them!”

Han Shao Long had realized.

This Chu Tian with an unknown origin is the real threat!

Must think of an idea to get rid of this guy!

Han Shao Long had a change of mind, immediately directing the spearhead towards Chu Tian: “You cheap slave! Admit honestly! How much did these treacherous traders give you to frame me?”

“One is a discord-sowing old dog, other is a shit-spewing dumbass!” Chu Tian maintained his calm and collective image, as if everything was in his control. He did not lose his rationality from the other’s provocation: “Captain Meng used his death to testify against you yet you say that I was the one who framed you, doesn’t everyone think this is a joke?”

He actually called Master Li Chang Yun an old dog in front of so many people?

Li Chang Yun naturally became enraged, murderous intent beginning to surface in his mind: “Kid, I already repeatedly put up with you but you keep pushing your luck. You must know that careless words carry consequences.”

“We have all heard it! This lowly servant actually dares to be this savage and goes so far as to insult even the great master Li Chang Yun? A thousand punishments would not be enough to atone for his crime!” Han Shao Long took the opportunity to speak out: “You are the kind of person whose death would not be regretted, yet great master Li Chang Yun has displayed exemplary conduct worthy of his noble character and is not willing to bother raising a fuss about this. But you have defiled my innocence and integrity, I cannot let you off no matter what!”

Chu Tian could clearly see Han Shao Long’s intent: “What do you want?”

Han Shao Long eloquently said: “I want to fight you one on one. A fair fight to the death. I will use your blood to wash away my injustice! Do you dare?!”

Duel?

“You are at the fourth rank of Body Refinement, I am at the third rank; you are already over twenty years old, I am only seventeen; you found yourself bested in argument and so you want to use force to suppress me. This is really a good and fair life-and-death duel!”

“Do you not dare? Then bow down to me and apologize, confess that I’m innocent!”

“No no no, you insisted on a fight, how could I not have the decency to accompany you?”

When Han Shao Long listened up to here, he immediately revealed an expression of glee: “Trash like you, I only need one move to defeat!”

Chu Tian shrugged his shoulders, saying: “Those words I will return to you, I will also only need one move.”

One move?

The audience were all shocked!

The difference between the amounts of magic power of a third and a fourth stage Body Refinement cultivator was tremendous!

A fourth rank Body Refinement cultivator defeating a third rank Body Refinement cultivator was only normal. After all, there is great disparity in power between the two. But for a third rank to defeat a fourth rank in one move? That was something practically impossible!

Xiong Tian Yan wanted to prevent the fight.

Nangong Yun shook her head: “Han Shao Long is no more than a foppish disciple, even though he has the cultivation of Body Refinement fourth rank, he lacks real combat experience. Even though Chu Tian has bragged a little excessively, I believe that he will not lose.”

“I’ll see how you continue to be so rampant!” Han Shao Long’s hands abruptly flicked out, generating a light detonating sound. “I’ll first cripple your two arms!”

Divine Falcon Talon!

TN#2: psst…it’s actually a 🐔 😉

TN#1: ^ implied that it was Divine Cock Talon

This was a very quick and forceful martial art; Han Shao Long had bitterly trained for many years, already mastering his skill to perfection – his speed was fast and his attack was powerful. Used with the power of his fourth rank Body Refinement cultivation, one hit was enough to cause the opponent to become crippled!

Chu Tian closed his eyes, remaining unmoved, discreetly condensing magic power. His right fist slightly glowing with magic power. At the moment when Han Shao Long’s sharp talons were right in front of him.

His eyes opened!

At this moment, it was as if Chu Tian became a different person. He no longer wore a lazy, sluggish, and cynical appearance. Instead, he was like a sword, a sword drawn out of the scabbard, a sword with the desire to kill!

Han Shao Long’s heart thumped!

Han Shao Long had a fearful premonition, just as if he was the prey that was being stalked by the hunter. This caused all the fine hair on his body to stand straight up, even his blood was frozen.

Impossible!

A meager third rank Body Refinement cultivator.

How could he create such a strong pressure?

Han Shao Long gritted his teeth: “I won’t believe that you are able to block my attack, go die!”

Chu Tian was like a butterfly flying through the flowers, stepping forward with extreme elegance, letting Han Shao Long’s attack dissolve into nothing in the moment. Han Shao Long’s chest was exposed in front of his fist.

“Collapsing Punch!”

Chu Tian’s heavy strike exploded, creating a strong blast of shockwave that sent Han Shao Long flying like a kite with its string broken. A couple of his bones immediately broke and he heavily smashed onto the ground.

“You……”

Han Shao Long struggled to stand up.

Bang!

A foot pinned his head to the ground.

“You’re so weak it’s pitiful, unable to withstand even a single blow. In the end, look who is trash!” Chu Tian’s clothes were still making crackling noises under the trembling of the magic power. His gaze was as sharp as knives and as cold as ice. His gaze fixed on the Han Shao Long lying on the ground. He looked down at him from above: “Do you have any final words?”

The crowd was astonished!

The youth’s extremely frivolous and overbearing attitude shook people to their core!

He had really achieved it, with only the power of the third rank of Body Refinement, he had defeated an opponent at the fourth rank of Body Refinement with a single move. He achieved victory without breaking a sweat, without any suspense, and without any pressure. It gave people a feeling that perhaps Chu Tian was an expert secretly hiding his power, and Han Shao Long was no more than a dunce that had no idea of death or danger!

Li Chang Yun slightly wrinkled his brows. This youngster was really not ordinary, what kind of background did he have? Could it be he was some major superpower’s core disciple?

A slave?

Impossible!

This personality, this talent, these abilities, how could he be a slave?

A genius definitely does not appear out of thin air, yet before, Chu Tian was completely unknown. This seemed extremely mysterious and strange, causing Li Chang Yun to become hesitant about what to do next.

The audience also saw Chu Tian in a new light.

You say he’s a slave?

What a joke!

A young person who could easily defeat opponents with higher cultivation than him would definitely get focal treatment no matter which power he joins. How could he be a mere servant for a small commerce like Southern Cloud?

Chu Tian’s one fist that destroyed Han Shao Long also destroyed the argument that he was a slave!

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