Chapter 6: Thick Fog of Suspicion

  Shrouded in mystery

  Yun Xiang Tian was lost in thought when he suddenly felt a strong gust of wind behind him. He turned around and raised his hand to block the attack, but just as his palm was about to strike the person's face, he heard a shrill cry. When he saw who it was, Yun Xiang Tian quickly withdrew his force, flipped over and jumped out of the circle, repeatedly saying: "What are you doing? You'll kill someone like this! Do you know that?"

  Here is the translation:

  It was the red-clothed girl with a veil, but today she had taken off her veil. She still wore a red outfit, and her pretty face had turned pale from fright, her almond-shaped eyes wide with fear. Originally, she wanted to scare Yun Xiang Tian, but instead, she was scared by him. Hearing that Yun Xiang Tian was still scolding her, she stomped her feet and said, "What's wrong with you? You scared me to death! You're not comforting me, but instead, you're scolding me. I just wanted to play a joke on you. What are you so fierce about?" After finishing speaking, she actually started crying. This turned the tables and left Yun Xiang Tian at a loss for what to do. He hastily put on a smiling face and said, "Don't cry, don't cry, it's my fault, it's my fault. Sorry, sorry. Why don't you hit me twice? Let out your anger." Seeing that the girl had tears streaming down her face, he became even more flustered. He scratched his head helplessly and said in a low voice, "Miss, spare me, okay? I really didn't mean to offend you. You can ask me to do anything, just please don't cry anymore, okay? Why don't I take you out for a walk? The red fruit is ripe; I'll pick some for you to eat?"

  The girl suddenly burst into laughter and said, "No way, they gave me a lot. I couldn't finish eating them, do you want some? I'll give you a few, do you want them?" She tilted her head to look at Yun Xiang Tian, with a smile full of innocence and naivety on her face, but still with tears streaming down her cheeks, like a pear blossom in the rain, fresh and delightful.

  Yun Xiang Tian was suddenly confused, he couldn't imagine what the girl was thinking. One moment she was bringing rain, and the next she had a radiant smile. He had heard Hong Shan Gu mention this young woman before, her name was Xiuzhu, the daughter of the former bandit leader, Red Knife. Before his death, Red Knife had entrusted Xiuzhu to Hong Shan Gu's care. Because Xiuzhu was the beloved daughter of the former bandit leader and also deeply favored by Hong Shan Gu, everyone in the mountain stronghold revered her like an ancestor. Therefore, Yun Xiang Tian didn't dare to be slightly negligent towards her, he carefully said: "Thank you, Xiuzhu young lady, no need. Has your mood improved? Do you...?"

  Xiu Zhu took out a red handkerchief and wiped away the tears on her face, pouting and frowning as she said: "Don't want to! I'm not as fragile as you think, just...just...I won't tell you!" She suddenly clutched her waist with her left hand and pointed at Yun Xiang Tian with a serious expression, saying: "Are you brave? Dare to follow me! I'll take you to a fun place."

  Yun Xiang Tian was at a loss for what to do with this big sister who would cry one moment and laugh the next, he shook his head and sighed saying: "Where are you going, Zhu Er? I...I..." He couldn't understand this girl who had pointed a gun at his head on their first meeting, wanting to dig out his eyes as a souvenir. And yet on their second meeting, she wanted to take him out to play, was her brain okay? But he didn't dare express such thoughts, and could only shake his head in distress.

  Xiu Zhu glared and said, "What's with all the 'I's? If you've got guts, follow me! Coward, afraid of being eaten by ghosts?" She then made a ghostly face at Yun Xiang Tian.

  A "ghost" character piqued Yun Xiang Tian's curiosity, and he pretended to be very naive, straightening his waist and twisting his head, saying: "Hmph, I'm not afraid, if there really are ghosts, I'll catch one and bring it back as a toy, and I'll catch one for you too!" As he spoke, he made a series of ghostly faces at Xiu Zhu.

  Xiu Zhu chuckled and said, "Alright, alright, stop messing around. Come with me, don't wet your pants later." She nodded at Yun Xiang Tian and said, "Let's go!"

  Yun Xiang Tian and Xiuzhu arrived at the back of the assembly hall, where there was a cave under the steep cliff behind the hall. Xiuzhu pointed to the entrance of the cave and said: "Dare to enter?"

  Yun Xiang walked near the entrance of the cave, poking his head inside to take a look. He turned back to Xiuzhu and said, "Even if it's a dragon's lair or a tiger's den, I'll accompany you in for a walk."

  Xiu Zhu smiled, then looked at Yun Xiang Tian with a slanted gaze and said, "You go in, I won't. Do you dare?" After finishing speaking, she hummed a sound and revealed a scornful smile. Yun Xiang Tian's heart tightened, it wasn't hard to see from Xiu Zhu's strange smile that he had been played by this little girl. But he didn't know that just last night, a group of ghosts were wandering around here.

  Hong Shangu and his group arrived at the Wang family's large village, which had completely changed its appearance - Gui Zhai. He looked at the already dead Wang Shan Gen and asked: "What happened? Who found it?"

  A person next to him replied, "It was discovered by the people of Qing Shuiwan Town. I heard them say that someone called out to him outside his home last night, and then he returned home in a hurry and said he wanted to go to Gui Zhai. By dawn, he still hadn't returned home, so his family members were worried and organized the townspeople to come out and search for him. Unexpectedly, when they found him here, they discovered that he had already been murdered."

  Hong Shangou carefully observed the surroundings, carefully measuring the position where Wang Shan Gen was lying. Wang Shan Gen died under the wall of the mountain stronghold on its south side, with his back to the ground and a knife wound on his back that showed the killer was no ordinary person, but an expert who struck swiftly and surely, killing with one blow, giving the opponent no chance at all. Hong Shangou thought to herself: Who could have such skills? But looking at the wound, she couldn't think of anyone in this area who had such abilities. She turned around and asked: "Didn't our scouts discover anything?"

  The person next to him replied, "I asked them, and they said that in the second half of the night, a thick fog suddenly rose. People couldn't see each other's faces, and when the fog cleared, people from Qing Shui Bay also arrived. So at that time, they didn't notice anything unusual either. It wasn't until the people from Qing Shui Bay Town came that they knew a homicide had occurred."

  Hong Shangu asked: "Is there anything found at the scene?"

  That person replied, "Oh, right, they found this. It was discovered next to the corpse." He didn't finish his sentence, but instead pulled out a wooden token from his pocket and handed it to Hongshan Girl. Hongshan Girl looked at the dark red wooden token, which had a carving of a descending tiger on it - the token of Hei Hu Feng (Black Tiger Peak). She thought to herself: How did this end up here? Is this incident related to Black Tiger Peak?

  A shrill whistle came from the direction of Anmin Village, with a rhythmic and fluctuating tone that pierced through the sky and clouds. Hong Shangu's brow furrowed in concern as she hastily instructed: "You few continue to search for clues, the rest follow me back to Anmin Village." After finishing speaking, she quickly led the group away.

  Hong Shangu returned to Anmin Village and looked at Yun Xiangtian who was covered in blood, anxiously asking: "What's going on? How did you end up like this?"

  Yun Xiang Tian said casually, "It's nothing, I just accidentally tripped and fell into the valley behind. I only scratched a bit of skin." He spoke very lightly, without any sign of pain. But Xiuzhu beside him was so tense that her heart almost jumped out. That shocking scene, like a nightmare, lingered in her mind.

  Yun Xiang Tian and Xiuzhu arrived at the mountain cave behind the assembly hall, Xiuzhu asked Yun Xiang Tian to enter alone, Yun Xiang Tian felt something was amiss and asked: "Why don't you go in? You're not going in, I'm not going in either."

  Xiu Zhu suddenly became serious and said, "Coward, I knew you wouldn't dare to go in. It's just a test of your courage. To be honest with you, this is a ghost cave. It's very scary, and it's also a forbidden place for Anmin Village. Anyone who enters without permission will die. You are my aunt's honored guest, how could I let you take the risk? Even if you want to go in, I won't let you. Let's go back."

  Yun Xiang Tian was confused by the little girl, he didn't believe Xiuzhu's words, but still couldn't help but look back at the cave again. Xiuzhu had been waiting for this moment, she saw Yun Xiang Tian turn around and took advantage of the opportunity to kick him in the butt, shouting "You go in!" trying to kick him into the cave. But Yun Xiang Tian seemed to have anticipated it, dodging Xiuzhu's kick. However, Xiuzhu lost her balance due to using too much force and fell into the cave. Yun Xiang Tian saw the situation was not good, stretched out his hand to grab Xiuzhu's clothes, and pulled her into his arms. Xiuzhu was shocked at first, seeing herself being held in Yun Xiang Tian's arms, thinking she had lost face and became angry, using all her strength to push against Yun Xiang Tian. Yun Xiang Tian was pushed back several steps, losing his balance and falling into the deep ditch behind him. He lost consciousness for a moment.

  Xiu Zhu saw Yun Xiang Tian fall into the mountain ditch and faint, she knew she had made a big mistake. She hurriedly looked for people in the village to rescue Yun Xiang Tian. After the village doctor's treatment, he finally escaped danger. When she heard that Yun Xiang Tian did not tell Hong Shan Gu the truth about what happened, she felt grateful. She secretly took a look at Yun Xiang Tian and cast a grateful glance when she suddenly heard Hong Shan Gu ask sternly: "Zhu Er, what is going on?"

  Xiu Zhu was at a loss for words and murmured: "He he... I I..."

  Yunxiang Tian interrupted her conversation, saying in a low voice: "Auntie, this has nothing to do with her. This morning I went to the back hall with Xiu Zhu sister to play and catch a yellow oriole to give to Xiu Zhu sister as a toy, but I accidentally fell into a deep ditch. I should thank Xiu Zhu sister for coming to rescue me in time." He then turned around and said to Xiu Zhu: "Thank you, Xiu Zhu sister, for saving me." This made Xiu Zhu's face turn red as she stuttered: "No, no, it was nothing..."

  Hong Shangu looked at their various expressions and couldn't tell what was real or fake for a moment. She turned around to ask Lang Zhong: "Is there anything seriously wrong with Yun Gongzi?"

  "Only, the head injury is a bit more serious. Probably hit by a stone, otherwise, it's just superficial wounds, no big deal. Rest for ten days to half a month and you'll be fine."

  Hong Shangu was about to say something when the foolish monk rushed in, his face tense as he looked up and down at Yun Xiang Tian, asking non-stop: "What's going on? Who did this to you? Just wait till I skin him alive."

  Yun Xiang Tian wanted to smile, but it pulled on the wound on his head. The smile looked even uglier than crying, and he respectfully said: "It's nothing, nothing, I accidentally fell into the ditch myself. They're just superficial wounds, no big deal, sorry to worry you, Uncle."

  The foolish monk turned around and asked Xiu Zhu: "Is that so? How did you fall into the ditch?"

  Xiu Zhu raised her head and shouted at Chi Tien and the monk, "Don't ask me! I don't know anything!" After finishing speaking, she turned around and ran away crying.

  The foolish monk stroked his shiny bald head and said, "What's wrong with this girl? Such a big temper. Didn't I just ask her what was going on? Why be so fierce?"

  Yun Xiang Tian looked at the foolish and confused monk with a head full of mush, shook his head and said: "Uncle, I'm fine. Why are you making such a fuss? Look, you've even made my sister Zhu'er angry, see if she'll still care about you in the future?"

  The silly and foolish monk said: "When did I ever offend her? I just casually asked, and this little girl got angry with me. Alas! Now I'm in for it."

  Hong Shangu lowered her head and walked to the front of Chi Tuan and said seemingly unintentionally, "Shixiong, Wang Shan Gen is dead. He died under the Ghost Cliff, killed by a single knife. From the direction and force of the knife, it's not something an ordinary person can do. You take people over there to take a look later. See if you can find anything."

  The foolish monk stared with copper bell-like eyes, and said in surprise: "What? Wang Shan Gen was killed? Or beheaded at one stroke? How is it possible? He is our..."

  Hongshan girl coughed and interrupted the foolish monk's words, saying: "Master Wang Shan Gen really died, you should go take a look." Suddenly asked again: "Wasn't that whistle just now from you? Don't you know that Yu'er was injured?" Seeing the foolish monk shook his head and low growled: "Not good, follow me."

  Just then, a man rushed into the hall from outside, shouting: "Boss, Wang Shan's body is gone."