Chapter 86

"Venerable Yunzhi?" Su Peng listened and asked Xie An.

"It was him... At the time, I didn't know that he had been stabbed and was also injured internally. I didn't know what was going on, but I didn't want to get involved, so I hid behind the statue in the dilapidated temple and observed."

"Venerable Yunzhi was severely injured and seemed to take out a packet of medicine. He applied it, but the medicine seemed to be poisonous. Venerable Yunzhi's face turned black, and he fainted... I was about to go out when I saw someone walk into the temple, laughing loudly. You know this person; it was Xu Guohan, whom you captured at Green Mountain Fort... He laughed and said that Venerable Yunzhi would never have thought it was him who incited the Five Virtuous Men of the Bamboo Grove to attack Venerable Yunzhi, and who had replaced his medicine with poison. He said he had received the token of the Purple Mist Sect."

"That Xu Guohan walked over to Venerable Yunzhi, as if to take something out, but Venerable Yunzhi suddenly turned over and struck Xu Guohan. Xu Guohan thought Venerable Yunzhi was faking it and was struck again, suffering internal injuries, so he fled. I saw Venerable Yunzhi, after striking Xu Guohan, die from the poison within a breath."

"Listening to what Xu Guohan said, I searched Venerable Yunzhi's body and found the black iron token. I didn't dare stay, so I quickly left..."

"Later, I came to Green Mountain Fort, thinking it wasn't far from Jiangning County and Ancient Sword Manor, which was a good place to settle and monitor Ancient Sword Manor to plan my revenge. After some effort, I learned that the token was a symbol of the Purple Mist Sect and heard about the ten-year agreement... I settled in Green Mountain Fort and began to investigate the people I had seen in that hell on earth... It's been over a decade... You know the rest."

Xie An finally explained everything clearly. Su Peng was silent for a moment and said, "So, the wealthy people you killed were all from that...?"

"That's right. The four people I killed were all participants in that hellish banquet. One of them was wearing a mask, and I haven't found out who he was... The four wealthy people, although they had guards with good martial arts, I had spent ten years investigating their habits and killed them one by one... I was also angry that you had taken my chance to learn martial arts at the Purple Mist Sect, so I framed you."

Xie An said to Su Peng without hesitation.

"Now that I'm in this situation... you can do as you please, whether to kill or torture me, it's up to you." Xie An finally finished and closed his eyes, saying to Su Peng.

Su Peng was silent for a moment. He felt that Xie An revealing so much wasn't that simple.

After some thought, Su Peng said, "You can go."

"Go?"

Xie An opened his eyes and looked at Su Peng through the rain, saying, "You're letting me go?"

"That's right... Although I was framed by you, after hearing your story, I can't blame you. You were right to kill them, and I would have done the same... If you were imprisoned in Jiangning County, given the relationship between the city lord and Ancient Sword Manor, they might not do anything to you, and such a great evil, worse than a beast, would go unpunished."

Su Peng closed his eyes and said to Xie An.

Xie An was initially incredulous, then struggled to his feet, as if to leave, but after a few steps, he turned back and said, "Then what about you...?"

"I have my ways." Su Peng said, then added, "Go quickly, before I change my mind."

"You..." Xie An wanted to say something but shook his head and said, "I owe you this! Until we meet again!" With that, he ran into the dense forest.

Su Peng didn't turn around, standing there motionless, but he was listening carefully. He silently counted, "Ten, nine, eight, seven..."

When Su Peng counted to three, Xie An suddenly ran back from the forest, looking at Su Peng's back and shouting, "Su Peng!"

"Finally, you came back." Su Peng thought. He had calculated that Xie An, who had kept this secret for over a decade, must have been very troubled. Today, after confiding in him and being shown sympathy, if he were Xie An, he would likely want to further connect.

Su Peng slowly turned around, facing Xie An, and shouted, "Why did you come back? Afraid I might change my mind?"

"You're not that kind of person..." Xie An said, then shouted, "In two days, Ancient Sword Manor's men will transport a group of people to Ancient Sword Manor. They are likely to be sacrifices... I can't stand by and let them become sacrifices, but I can't do it alone. Can you find people to help me intercept them?"

At this moment, Su Peng saw a notification appear in the lower left corner of his vision: "You have received an invitation to the mission 'Rescue the 'Cargo' of Ancient Sword Manor.' Do you accept?"

Su Peng pondered for a moment, then shouted, "For justice, Su Peng will not shirk his duty!"

"Very well, then. In two days at noon, bring people to the western road of Green Mountain Fort. That is the route the people from Ancient Sword Manor will take. Farewell!" Xie An nodded and disappeared into the rain and forest.

Su Peng saw another notification appear in the lower left corner of his vision: "You have accepted the mission 'Rescue the 'Cargo' of Ancient Sword Manor.' Xie An's goodwill towards you has increased by 15 points."

Su Peng took a deep breath, letting the rain fall on his face, as if to wash away the dark and oppressive feeling. After a while, he felt his spirit and mood refreshed. He took a deep breath and used his lightness skill to head towards the Black Water Army camp.

...

When Su Peng returned to the Black Water Army's western camp, Han Tuo, Bao Ze, and Li Qing had already returned to the camp.

In the main tent, Su Peng bowed to Han Tuo and apologized, "I am incompetent and failed to catch the criminal. He eluded me."

"It's not your fault. That person's lightness skill is truly remarkable, and we couldn't catch him. It's normal that you lost him."

Han Tuo waved his hand and said, "In the criminal's house, we found a bloody steel knife, which is the murder weapon. We can confirm that the murderer of the wealthy man is this person. Su Peng, your suspicion has been cleared... As for the murderer, he has likely left the jurisdiction of Jiangning County. I will notify the county office to send fast horses to nearby prefectures to capture him. Your fifteen-day deadline for solving the case is considered complete."

"Thank you, General." Su Peng bowed and said.

"In that case, we will take our leave." Bao Ze and Li Qing, hearing this, saw there was nothing else, so they bowed to Han Tuo and said.

"Generals, please." Han Tuo nodded. As the two left, Su Peng stood up, also intending to leave, but Han Tuo suddenly stood up and said to Su Peng, "Su Peng, do you know Hengshan Sect's Qingfeng Sword Huo Sixian, ranked sixth among the Ten Young Swords of the Jianghu?"

"The Ten Young Swords, Huo Sixian?"

Hearing this name, Su Peng immediately thought of Huo Sixian's brother, Huo Sijie. He nodded and said, "I don't know Qingfeng Sword Huo Sixian, but I have met his younger brother, Huo Sijie."

"That's it." Han Tuo nodded and said, "You may not know, but today, someone from the city lord's residence sent a letter via the post station, saying that a Hengshan Sect elder and Qingfeng Sword Huo Sixian are coming to Jiangning County to celebrate the city lord's father's birthday. The letter mentioned you, saying they also want to meet Jiangning's Su Peng, but it was vague. The city lord was puzzled and asked me. I didn't know if they were talking about you, so I said I would check. I didn't expect it to be you."

"Huo Sijie's brother?" Su Peng thought. He and Qingfeng Sword Huo Sixian only had a connection through his brother. It was likely that Ouyang Qing had wronged Huo Sijie at Poyang Lake, and since he couldn't find Ouyang Qing, he came to Jiangning to seek justice for his brother.

"They may not come with good intentions, but I have a clear conscience." Su Peng briefly explained what happened at Poyang Lake to Han Tuo. Han Tuo nodded and said, "That's fine. Although they are guests, this matter has nothing to do with you. You don't need to be afraid."

Su Peng nodded. With no other business, he left.

Just as he left Han Tuo's camp and returned to his own tent, Su Peng heard the bell ring, signaling the end of the workday.

Su Peng took a deep breath, logged out of the game, and was ejected from the game pod.

"How was it today?" Qin Xiaoyue, who was also logging out, asked Su Peng.

"Not bad... I'm going to eat first." Su Peng glanced at the time and said. He wasn't really hungry, but he wanted to find two people.

Without waiting for Qin Xiaoyue, Su Peng left the gaming area and headed to the cafeteria.

In the cafeteria, Su Peng ordered a plate of vegetables and sat down to eat. Soon, he saw Ji Ming and Sun Shijia. He waved to them to come over.

Sun Shijia and Ji Ming came over with their food and sat down at Su Peng's table. Sun Shijia smiled and said, "How was it today, Brother Su?"

"I was actually going to ask you two. I need your help with something." Su Peng took a bite of the bean curd and looked up at them, saying, "How is your martial arts? Do you know any colleagues with good skills? I have a mission that needs your help..."