Chapter 61: Unexpected

Author: Yue Qianchou

Seeing the City Lord's tacit approval, Wei Bian naturally cast aside his reservations. With a wave of his hand, he ascended the steps. "Go," he commanded, "search thoroughly again!" There was an edge of anger in his voice.

As the City Lord's trusted aide, he had repeatedly failed to handle matters, and while the City Lord hadn't reproached him, Wei Bian himself felt deeply humiliated. As his men stormed into the inn, he immediately took personal charge, directing them to suspicious areas, calling for searches, and even inspecting places himself.

Hearing the commotion downstairs in the inn, Shi Chun, who was hidden in a crevice under the eaves, remained calm, his gaze fixed on Bian Weiying below, seemingly oblivious to the approaching danger.

Bian Weiying could have taken shelter from the rain, but she didn't. She stood in the downpour, her hair disheveled, the dignified City Lord having turned herself into a drowned rat. Her long hair clung to her cheeks and shoulders, and her drenched purple silk gown stuck easily to her body with every movement, even highlighting her chest. While it might have accentuated her curves, it couldn't have been comfortable. Yet, the City Lord seemed to be calmly enjoying the experience. Occasionally, she would raise her head and close her eyes, with an expression that suggested she was welcoming the cool rain—an act that left Shi Chun wondering if it was self-indulgence or a desire for unrestrained freedom.

Shi Chun couldn't quite put his finger on the feeling this woman conveyed; he had never met anyone like her, which left him scrutinizing and puzzled. Just then, his gaze flickered, catching sight of several figures swiftly descending from the sky. Due to the angle obscured by the eaves, he couldn't discern their origin, but they landed outside the inn, right in front of Bian Weiying, all dressed as Wukang Mountain disciples.

Soon after, another figure, clad in dark robes, descended gracefully. His attire indicated he was a high-ranking member of Wukang Mountain—a middle-aged man with three strands of long, ink-black beard. Though he no longer appeared young, he was quite handsome, with a fair complexion, bright, spirited eyes, and an extraordinary presence. A stir went through the onlookers; those who recognized him knew he was Xia Fuli, one of Wukang Mountain's current elders.

As Shi Chun watched intently, he suddenly heard a movement behind him. Turning, he saw Wu Jinliang, who had also pushed through the ceiling. There was no helping it; the clamor for another search downstairs was too obvious. Wu Jinliang couldn't stay put any longer. He came over to see what was happening, leaning in to whisper, "Chuntian, what's going on?" Shi Chun shook his head slightly, his eyes fixed on the commotion below, not bothering to reply.

"Elder Xia." All Wukang Mountain disciples present, including Bian Weiying, bowed in greeting. After bowing, Bian Weiying, looking somewhat surprised, asked, "Elder, it's late at night; what brings you here in person?"

Xia Fuli scrutinized Bian Weiying, frowning slightly at her undignified state. He then glanced back at the inn, which appeared to be the focus of attention. "I was leading a patrol down the mountain and happened to be passing by," he explained. "I noticed some activity and came to investigate. So it's you. What's all this commotion about?"

Hearing the phrase "happened to be passing by," Shi Chun couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. After listening to the rest, his eyes flickered, and he gave a knowing smile, murmuring, "I knew they wouldn't just stand by. It's an Elder, no wonder! Looks like we've flushed out a big fish. Our take this time won't be small!"

"Hmm?" Wu Jinliang looked at him, puzzled, then a look of sudden understanding dawned on him, as if he too had grasped the situation. Downstairs, Bian Weiying was reporting the incident to Elder Xia. Shi Chun didn't have time to listen closely. He patted Wu Jinliang's lower back and said, "There's no time; I'll go change my clothes first. Wait here." With that, he quickly retreated, slipping back down through the ceiling.

Wu Jinliang was utterly confused, but knowing there must be a reason for Chuntian's words, he continued to lie there, waiting and keeping an eye on the commotion below. After hearing Bian Weiying's report, Xia Fuli said, "Since it can be proven as self-defense, let's stop here. Why create such a large disturbance? Look at your own appearance."

Bian Weiying replied with a faint smile, "Elder, everything has its rules. According to protocol, the person must still be brought in for questioning before the matter can be concluded. Since the inn staff couldn't find them, we had no choice but to search ourselves. We certainly didn't intend to disturb anyone."

With her citing the rules, and under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Xia Fuli found himself unable to argue further. He turned to look at the inn, showing no intention of leaving. Instead, he asked curiously, "The person was in the inn, then suddenly disappeared?"

Bian Weiying respectfully replied, "Perhaps they left, or perhaps they're hiding somewhere. If Wei Bian and his men still can't find them, and since the Elder is already here, we might have to implore you to demonstrate your powers once they emerge." Those in the know understood that Elder Xia had already achieved the cultivation of a 'human immortal'. Though it was only the initial stage of minor accomplishment, his power far surpassed that of any ordinary person present. If he were to use his abilities to search, it would be extremely difficult to conceal anyone within a certain radius. Xia Fuli simply hummed in acknowledgement, which implied his agreement.

Meanwhile, Shi Chun moved swiftly, slipping back up into the ceiling. He crawled over to Wu Jinliang and asked, "How is it?" He had already changed out of the Wukang Mountain clothes and back into his own.

"We probably can't hide anymore," Wu Jinliang whispered, explaining the situation. "Bian Weiying wants to ask Elder Xia to use his powers to search for us..." Shi Chun was unconcerned. "We don't need him; the one with the scar on his tiger's mouth can find us. It's too late; we have to show ourselves. Once the body is found, even this Elder Xia won't be able to save us."

"Aren't we just going to break through the wall and run?" Wu Jinliang asked.

Shi Chun replied, "That's a last resort. There's no need for that now; let's just make an appearance."

Wu Jinliang extended an index finger and pushed against a roof tile above. Seeing Shi Chun didn't object, he grinned and cleanly pushed his finger through. With a whoosh, several tiles instantly detached from the eaves, smashing to the ground with a clatter. Fortunately, the onlookers downstairs had already been cleared away. Countless eyes swiftly turned towards the spot where the tiles had fallen.

Xia Fuli, meanwhile, flicked his sleeve, and a surge of raw power instantly tore off a large section of the roof at the target spot, turning the area into a chaotic mess of shattered debris. He had just criticized Bian Weiying's group for making too much of a fuss, yet when it came to himself, he cared nothing about the scale of the disturbance. He didn't mind whose property it was, gave no warning, and simply tore the roof off.

Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang exchanged glances, feeling the rain on their faces, surprised at how swiftly they had been exposed. With nowhere left to hide, both men rose to their feet.

"It really is those two," thought Feng Chi, watching speechless from a roof diagonally opposite. They were just hiding there, and the search party hadn't found them? She even wanted to ask what the Wukang Mountain search team had been doing.

Downstairs, Wei Bian, upon hearing the commotion above, swiftly darted to the top floor. With a powerful palm strike, he broke through the ceiling and burst through the roof, landing on the roof ridge. His gaze swept over the area, immediately locking onto the two standing figures. His eyes instantly flashed with murderous intent. He gripped his sword hilt and drew it, but then paused, seeing Xia Fuli floating in the air.

As Wei Bian burst out with a thud, Shi Chun also turned to face him. As their eyes met, Shi Chun saw the murderous intent in Wei Bian's gaze and the partially drawn blade. However, with Elder Xia's appearance, Wei Bian reluctantly and slowly pushed the half-drawn blade back into its scabbard. This scene secretly alarmed Shi Chun, and his own eyes also held a subtle murderous intent.

The people below also flew onto the roof, one after another. Seeing Shi Chun and his companion hiding there, Bian Weiying, surprised, quickly cast a cold glance at Wei Bian. Wei Bian felt ashamed, understanding her implied meaning, and turned his head to glare at the search party who had followed him out of the building. Not being fools, they naturally understood his meaning. The search party truly looked as if they wanted to speak but couldn't, wanting to explain but not knowing how. They were certain they had searched that area before and genuinely found no one. Consequently, those responsible for searching the ceiling became the focus of everyone else's stares. Many onlookers had jumped onto nearby rooftops to watch the spectacle.

Xia Fuli, who had been floating in the air level with the eaves, took a step and landed on the rooftop. Staring at Shi Chun and his companion, he asked, "Is it those two?"

"It's them," Bian Weiying confirmed. She even gave Shi Chun a slight nod, as if to say, 'We're old acquaintances, no need to panic.' "Brother Chun," she continued, "I've heard what happened. It shouldn't be a big problem. Let's proceed as usual. Come with us and just explain everything clearly."

Shi Chun was very dirty, having rolled on the ground while killing in the rain and crawled through the accumulated dust in the ceiling, making him more than just ordinarily soiled. Yet, he maintained a gentle, practiced smile and said, "Okay." He casually tossed the knife in his hand downwards. "Innkeeper," he called, "please hold onto my knife for me!" *Swish*, the knife hit the ground and clanged as it bounced.

"Innkeeper, mine too," Wu Jinliang called out. Some things, however, are not easily learned. His knife throw was a disaster. *Bang!* With a resounding crash, the bluestone pavement shattered, sending rubble flying. Several perfectly good flagstones were instantly ruined. Many eyes instantly fell on Wu Jinliang, as if he were some strange sight, including those of the shabby old man under the eaves across the street.

Wu Jinliang felt a bit awkward and uncomfortable under everyone's gaze. Seeing Shi Chun jump down, he quickly followed him off the roof. The Wukang Mountain group also successively flew down to the ground.

Shi Chun, looking up, noticed Wei Bian's landing spot. He feigned a few casual steps, coincidentally moving closer to him. Having landed, Wei Bian coldly glanced at the dirty but still genteel-looking fellow in front of him and barked, "Take him away!" Disgust in his eyes, he turned and walked away.

Just as the two men passed each other, Shi Chun, with his hands clasped humbly in front of his abdomen, casually drew a flash of cold light from his sleeve. Though it was as swift as lightning, it was executed with such unhurried ease that it felt almost weightless, plunging steadily into a vital spot on Wei Bian's back. It was a quiet, unassuming stab, a clean and decisive thrust straight into the heart.

Wei Bian stopped, his eyes wide, then his body began to tremble. He tried to turn, but felt his internal energy surge violently, sensing something was wrong, yet unable to believe it. Some saw it, some didn't, but soon, everyone did. What was happening? Even those who witnessed it were momentarily stunned, unable to comprehend the situation. Some even wondered if they had seen incorrectly.

Soon, everyone realized what had happened. The drenched Bian Weiying was stunned, a rare loss of composure for her. The shabby old man under the eaves was dumbfounded. Feng Chi, watching from the rooftop, was bewildered, and the thin man in green blurted out, "What is he doing?" Xia Fuli, who was gracefully descending, widened his eyes, his composure utterly gone. Most of the Wukang Mountain group were utterly shocked; it was truly too unexpected. The onlookers watching the spectacle were so surprised they couldn't believe their eyes. Let alone the others, even Wu Jinliang was startled senseless on the spot, desperately wanting to ask Chuntian if he had gone mad or was simply seeking death.