The fresh blood flowed back along the blade, but was blocked by the edge of the sword, so it did not flow onto Chen Changsheng's hand. However, for some reason, he seemed to be able to feel the warmth of the blood. He even felt that his hand was somewhat wet and sticky, very uncomfortable. Then he remembered that this seemed to be the first time he had killed someone. From Xining Village to the capital, participating in the Ivy League gathering, the Grand Examination, the duels, and then entering the Garden of Zhou, he had fought in many battles. However, other than the Demon General couple that had died in front of the Mausoleum of Zhou, no one had died under his sword. In other words, this shopkeeper was the first person he had killed.
The shopkeeper slowly collapsed in front of him. His round eyes were filled with unwillingness and despair. His face had long since lost its harsh appearance, only deathly ash.
Chen Changsheng was silent for a while, then pulled out the dagger from his abdomen. After that, he was silent again. He looked at Su Li, using his eyes to express his doubts — no matter how he looked at it, this shopkeeper did not seem like an assassin. On the contrary, there were many suspicious points about that waiter. Why did Senior borrow my sword to kill him?
He was not like those passionate and hot-blooded youths who misunderstood that Su Li was indiscriminately killing the innocent. He did his best to remain calm and did not make a judgment beforehand. This was the best judgment, so Su Li was very satisfied. He said, "If you want to ask me why I killed him, it's very difficult for me to use simple words to explain."
Chen Changsheng said, "He did not have any killing intent on his body, nor did he have the ripples of true essence of a cultivator."
Su Li placed the bowl of porridge in his hands on the table and used his chopsticks to point at the shopkeeper's corpse in the pool of blood. He said, "To open a large cart in a place like a military stronghold, how could the shopkeeper not have any killing intent?"
Chen Changsheng thought about it and understood what he meant. This truly was a point of doubt.
Su Li said, "Also, he was too much like the owner of a large cart. He was harsh and easily angered … but in reality, this kind of resemblance only matched the impression the shopkeeper of a large cart has in the hearts of the people. The real shopkeeper of a large cart, in this kind of place where even birds don't shit, can be cold and indifferent, so how could he have the mood to teach his own waiter a lesson?"
Chen Changsheng felt that these words were to teach him, so he listened very seriously.
Su Li used his chopsticks to point at the shopkeeper's corpse and continued, "Of course, these are only points of suspicion, not evidence. The evidence lies in the fact that there are no ripples of true essence on his body, but there is Qi."
Chen Chang Sheng lowered his head and rummaged through the shopkeeper's body for a moment. He found a magic tool that looked like a jade pendant. This magic tool could be used to conceal True Essence fluctuations.
"I can't teach you this. When you reach my level of cultivation, you will naturally be able to sense this aura." After Su Li finished speaking, he picked up the bowl of porridge and continued with his unfinished breakfast. Seeing his radiant appearance, he seemed to be very satisfied with the pickled vegetables provided by the Cart Store.
"I originally thought it was the waiter, because he was too friendly to us last night, and his hand …" Chen Chang Sheng looked at the waiter standing in front of the table. His gaze fell upon the area between the thumb and index finger of the waiter's right hand. There was an obvious ring of calluses, a sign that he had held a sword for a long time. The waiter's face was pale and his body was trembling. He was obviously scared silly.
As Su Li ate the porridge, he casually said, "The calluses between the thumb and index finger, other than holding a sword, can also be used to hold a knife. A kitchen knife is also a knife."
Although a kitchen knife and a sword were two completely different objects, there really was no difference between the handle of a kitchen knife and the hilt of a sword. Chen Chang Sheng lowered his head to look at the blood-soaked dagger in his hand. His breathing became somewhat hurried, because he suddenly felt a lingering fear. Just now, if Su Li had not used his chopsticks to poke him, perhaps he really would have stabbed the dagger in his hand into the waiter's body. That would mean that he had killed an innocent person.
If he had killed the wrong person, then what? A person only had one life. Killing the wrong person was the wrong person. There was no way to correct or make up for it. This was a fact that he found very hard to accept.
"Murder! Murder! "
At this moment, the waiter seemed to wake up. Looking at the corpse of the shopkeeper in the pool of blood, he let out an extremely frightened shriek. He rushed out of the store, but because of his fear and panic, he tripped over the shopkeeper's corpse and fell heavily to the ground. He did not care about the pain. In a flurry, he tried to climb up, but the sticky blood on the ground made him sway left and right. He looked extremely miserable and pitiful.
Chen Chang Sheng felt somewhat apologetic. He went forward and prepared to help him up from the ground. At this moment, Su Li finally finished his breakfast. He wiped his mouth in satisfaction and once again placed the empty bowl of porridge on the table. Then, he threw the chopsticks in his hand. He seemed very free and easy, very hedonistic. However, his chopsticks seemed to be thrown very casually, but they just happened to hit a certain place in Chen Chang Sheng's ribs.
A very weak but ingenious force entered Chen Chang Sheng's body and controlled his movements. It made him slightly turn his body, and at the same time, his right hand shot forward like lightning.
That blood-soaked dagger was still held in his right hand.
With a squelch, the sharp dagger easily broke through the seemingly sturdy soft armor and pierced deeply into the waiter's chest, directly piercing through his heart.
The waiter's face was full of shock. His throat gurgled and blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. He slowly fell forward and died.
This time, Chen Chang Sheng was truly stunned. His face instantly paled.
At this moment, the dagger was still deeply embedded in the waiter's chest. As he held it in his hand, he seemed to be able to clearly feel the entire process of the heart that the dagger had pierced through, from its slow beating to its complete stillness.
He looked at Su Li with some unease. If Su Li could not provide sufficient proof, at least a proof that was stronger than the shopkeeper's, then he would find it very difficult to accept everything that had happened. Fine, since he needed strong proof, then he would find it himself. He used his slightly trembling hand to turn the corpse over. When he saw the little crossbow in the waiter's hand that was clearly dipped in poison, he finally let out a breath.
"Senior, you … how did you see this?"
The gaze he used to look at Su Li was no longer uneasy, but filled with admiration.
Su Li said, "Didn't you hear what the shopkeeper was cursing at the waiter?"
At the time, Chen Chang Sheng's attention had been focused on the details of the shopkeeper's and the waiter's movements, so he did not pay attention to these contents.
"The shopkeeper's cursing was very splendid, and there was a lot of content. I'm referring to the specific content, like how the waiter was gluttonous and lazy … what does this prove? It proves that they truly knew each other." Su Li stood up and looked at the two corpses on the table. "Or perhaps they were companions that grew up together? Who knows. In any case, I only know that the companions of an assassin are definitely also assassins. "
Chen Chang Sheng once again felt admiration. He thought to himself, it really is the details that determine success or failure. Experience is above everything. It's just that in the end, there's still an element of conjecture … what if I killed the wrong person?
"Killed the wrong person? Then it's wrong. What else can I do? "
Su Li said expressionlessly. Then he opened his arms and said, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and come over. "
Chen Chang Sheng came to his senses and asked, "We're leaving just like that?"
Su Li said unhappily, "Don't tell me we're still waiting for the soldiers of the stronghold to come and capture us?"
Chen Chang Sheng did not dare to say anything more. Taking advantage of the fact that the bloody incident in the cart shop had not alarmed the people of the stronghold, he carried Su Li away in the snowstorm, heading south.
… …
… …
In a black willow forest to the southeast of the stronghold, the two of them stopped to rest for the time being.
Chen Chang Sheng was actually very confused. Since those people that wanted to kill Su Li already knew his whereabouts, why did they still need to hide their identities? It was better to directly contact the Great Zhou Army and obtain their protection.
Su Li said, "Those two guys are just assassins that can't be shown in public. They might not even know who I am and just happen to be active in this area."
Chen Chang Sheng asked, "Who are those two assassins?"
Su Li was truly rather annoyed. He said, "I already said that they're people that can't be shown in public. How would I know who they are?"
Chen Chang Sheng thought about it, then said, "What you mean is that those two assassins are only working for money, but if your identity is exposed, the ones that come might not be such weak assassins, but true experts?"
Su Li said, "It's a very simple principle. Does it still need to be explained in such detail? Why are you such a chatterbox, little guy? "
Chen Chang Sheng thought to himself, although I can't be said to be taciturn, and I'm usually not that good with words, it's just that Senior's actions are unpredictable. If I don't ask, I'll always feel somewhat uncertain.
He persisted and asked, "Since it's like this, then why don't the demons just release your whereabouts?"
Su Li said, "Because Black Robe is also not sure where I am. The people he colluded with in the human world, or perhaps those people who have a tacit understanding with him, are currently scattering people all over the world looking for me. Of course, even if those people were sure of my whereabouts, they would still not release this information."
Chen Chang Sheng asked in confusion, "And why is that?"
Su Li said, "Because other than the many people that want to kill me, there are also many people that want to help me."
Chen Chang Sheng did not understand. Could it be that if Senior's whereabouts were known to the world, then there would be many people that would travel thousands of li to help you?
"Who am I?" Su Li looked at him and asked seriously.
Chen Chang Sheng was already used to his way of speaking. He was somewhat tired of it, and also somewhat numb to it. His reply was rather mechanical. "Junior Martial Uncle of Mount Li, a supreme expert on the path of the sword, the idol of the younger generation of cultivators."
Compared to the Black Dragon, Su Li clearly only cared about the superficial things. He did not criticize him, and his reply was not at all heartfelt. He proudly said, "Isn't that it? Since I'm the idol of many people, if they know that I'm injured and in trouble, wouldn't those people be anxious to save me? "
Chen Chang Sheng did not want to continue this topic. He asked, "Senior, then what do we do next?"
Su Li said, "Of course we have to hide it from the eyes of everyone in the world and secretly send me back to Mount Li."
Chen Chang Sheng thought to himself, Mount Li is far to the south of the continent, more than several tens of thousands of li from here. How difficult would it be to send him back to Mount Li? Moreover, we can't let anyone know … just how worried would those people that are worried about me be?
"Senior, why can't we let the people of Mount Li come and pick you up?"
"Idiot, Mount Li is the furthest from here. By the time my disciples and grand-disciples come, it'll be too late."
Chen Chang Sheng thought to himself, the closest to here is the Great Zhou Northern Army, but Senior just happens to be unwilling to go find them. He could not help but say seriously, "Senior, I don't understand why Senior doesn't want to ask for help from the Great Zhou Army. If it's a problem of face, then I can go ask for help. They will definitely send people to send us back to the capital."
Su Li looked at him and sneered, "Is your position as Principal of the Orthodox Academy really that amazing?"
Chen Chang Sheng thought to himself, although my position as Principal of the Orthodox Academy is nothing in front of Senior, to the Great Zhou, I should still have some weight.
Su Li said, "But have you ever thought, when everyone's eyes fall on you, how can I hide my identity?"
Chen Chang Sheng looked at him and said sincerely, "Since those people that want to kill Senior have already appeared, then Senior's identity and whereabouts will eventually be exposed. Right now, what we need to strive for is time. Mount Li is indeed too far, and the capital is also too far, but the Great Zhou Army really is very close. As long as we reveal our identity, what else is there to worry about?"
In the end, it still returned to the original suggestion, which was also the matter that he did not understand the most.
Su Li looked at him and sighed, "I really don't know if you, little fellow, are naive or stupid."
Chen Chang Sheng was stunned. He did not understand what this meant.
Su Li looked at him and said with a smile that was not a smile, "You always say that I should ask for help from the Great Zhou Army. Could it be that you don't know … on this continent, the people that want me dead the most are you Zhou people?"
As his voice fell, the snow on the black willow forest suddenly rustled and fell to the ground.
The world became cold.
The earth trembled slightly. In the distance, there were several hundred cavalry galloping across the snowy plains.
These were the most elite snow cavalry of the Great Zhou Northern Army. They seemed to be searching for something.
… …
… …
(The next chapter will be rather late.)
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