investigation
The next morning, the three of them had breakfast in the courtyard.
Nangong Ya, with her sharp eyes, noticed the faint dark circles under Xie Lanchen's eyes. Looking at his thin lips pressed tightly together, his handsome face was even colder than usual, and his whole body exuded a chilling aura. She couldn't help but say, "Hey, did you not sleep well last night? Your dark circles look like you've been punched twice."
Yunwei glanced at him and saw that his expression was unfriendly. She understood: his hurtful words last night must have made him angry and restless all night.
Xie Lanchen didn't even bother to lift his eyelids, coldly squeezing out four words through his teeth: "Mind your own business."
After the meal, the three of them went their separate ways and wandered around the manor, trying to piece together the truth about the murder of the old manor lord and his wife a year ago from the servants, as well as their opinions on "Master Xu".
Everyone was tight-lipped about the tragedy, avoiding eye contact, only vaguely saying that the old manor lord and his wife were attacked by villains in the middle of the night, and the murder weapon was Xu E's sword "Chen Yue".
Mentioning the current "Master Xu," he was even more cautious, his words evasive. He said that "his temperament has changed a lot," "he often stays in his study and rarely sees anyone," and "he seems less attentive to sword forging than before."
Some people even said with a hint of fear that Xu E's behavior had been "strange" for the past year. He often wandered alone near his study, sometimes talking to himself in the air, with a dazed and ferocious expression, or suddenly becoming furious, and his servants were all trembling with fear.
His bizarre behavior, reclusive lifestyle, abandonment of sword forging, and emotional instability... these cannot be explained simply by a "drastic change in temperament."
Yunwei's doubts deepened.
"Strange, very strange." Nangong Ya said as she walked, rubbing her arms, feeling a chill in the manor. "I think Xu E is just stalling for time and has no good intentions."
Xie Lanchen crossed his arms and sneered, "Something unusual must be going on."
Yun Wei pondered deeply. Her primary goal for this trip was to reforge the Lone Goose Sword, obtain a new sword, quickly regain her strength, and return to the Guiyun Sect to participate in the sect competition.
Only in this way could she get close to her hypocritical father and seek justice for the blood debt.
As for Xu E's family affairs, if it weren't for the many suspicious points and the fact that the Lone Goose Sword was still in his hands, she wouldn't have wanted to get too involved.
The three walked through a dense ginkgo forest.
As they walked, Nangong Ya, who was at the front and looking around, suddenly exclaimed "Hey!" and pointed to an exceptionally tall and thick sycamore tree in front of them: "Look! Isn't there someone up there?"
Yunwei and Xie Lanchen stopped at the same time and looked up in the direction she pointed.
On the towering, gnarled branches of a sycamore tree, a person leaned lazily, their brocade robes almost blending into the golden leaves. An open book covered their face, as if they had fallen into a deep sleep.
"Tsk," Nangong Ya curled her lip, "This manor lord has truly strange quirks. Instead of sleeping on a comfortable bed with soft pillows, he prefers to crawl through tree branches."
The person in the tree seemed startled by the sound and stirred. The book slipped off his face, revealing a handsome, smiling face—it was Xu E.
He rubbed his sleepy eyes, as if waking from a deep dream, and looked down at the three people under the tree, a lazy smile appearing on his lips: "Hmm? It's you guys. Disturbing my peaceful sleep, you'll have to pay for it."
"Why would Master Xu be resting here?" Yun Wei looked up at him, her tone calm and unreadable. "The trees are tall and the wind is strong, the branches are slippery, it's far too dangerous."
"Is that not allowed?" Xu E raised an eyebrow and asked.
"Every blade of grass, every tree, every brick and tile in this mountain villa belongs to me. I can sleep wherever I want. Under the trees, on the roof, or on these branches, what difference does it make?"
As he was speaking, his body suddenly swayed, as if he had lost his balance and his center of gravity shifted, causing him to fall straight down from the branch several meters above the ground.
Was it an accident? Or a test?
Yun Wei lightly touched the bluestone with her toes, and in the blink of an eye, she was already under the tree. Before Xu E could land, she lifted him up with her left arm and helped him to his feet.
Xu E used Yun Wei's strength to steady himself, becoming half a head taller than her. After he settled down, he didn't immediately let go, but instead held her arm. Instead, he lowered his head slightly, his gaze falling on Yun Wei's cool face with an ambiguous expression, and a cryptic smile appeared on his lips: "Miss Yun, you have such excellent skills. Thank you so much."
Yun Wei subtly withdrew her arm, took a half-step back to create distance, and said in a calm tone, "It was nothing, Master, you don't need to worry about it."
Xu E's gaze slowly swept over the three of them, his smile revealing a knowing understanding: "Are you all taking a stroll and enjoying the scenery at the villa? Or are you investigating the murder of my parents?"
"No comment," Xie Lanchen replied coldly.
Xu E stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly burst into laughter: "What a fine 'no comment'!"
He changed the subject abruptly, saying with great interest, "Speaking of which, I've recently been learning archery and have gained quite a bit of experience. There's a cold pool behind the manor, its water drawn from the Netherworld veins, extremely yin and cold. To reforge the Lone Goose sword, it must first be suspended above the icy heart of the pool, allowing the cold energy of the earth veins to permeate it for twelve hours, thus tempering its fierce edge and solidifying its sword essence. However..."
He changed the subject, his smile deepening, "Before entering the pool, we must first clear out the 'small fish.' Miss Yun's swordsmanship is divine; surely she is also skilled in archery and horsemanship? Why not give it a try?"
Before Yunwei could answer, he waved to the guards standing beside him, "Bring me my bow!"
A cold pool?
Suddenly, a memory flashed through Yunwei's mind.
At that time, she had known Xu E for half a year. One day, while strolling in the back mountain, she inadvertently wandered into a secluded place and suddenly saw a cold pool as black as ink, with a chilling aura that cut to the bone.
Before he could get a better look, he heard a whooshing sound behind him, and Xu E had already rushed up to him.
Without asking why, he reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her away from the edge of the pool: "Ayun! This place is dangerous. The cold energy from the earth's veins can corrode bones and destroy the soul, and there are ferocious beasts lurking in the pool. You must not go near it!"
"I have already given the order to block this road. You must never come this way again."
Back then, his brows were full of concern, unlike his flippant manner now.
As Yun Wei thought of this, the clear light in her eyes grew even colder, and her gaze fell on the young man standing beside her with his arms crossed: "Xie Lanchen is my fellow disciple, and his cultivation is among the best of his generation. It would be more prudent for him to take the task."
She paused, then looked at Xu E, "Does Master Xu think this arrangement is acceptable?"
Her words were perfectly worded. On the surface, she was praising Xie Lanchen's abilities and "entrusting" him with a dangerous mission, but in reality, she was testing Xu E's reaction.
If Xu E insists that she go, it means he intends to harm her; if he agrees to change her, it means that he is not targeting a specific person, but wants to use the cold pool to get rid of any one of them.
Her right hand was behind her back, and fine white light was condensed on her knuckles, which could be mistaken for sunlight refraction if you didn't look closely.
Since it's fake, there's no need to keep it. Yunwei thought to herself.
Xie Lanchen's gaze suddenly fell on the back of her hand, his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, and he silently took half a step closer, his shoulder touching hers.
The boy's aura suddenly deepened, and even his breathing became lighter; only the hands resting on his sides tightened subtly.
"Oh?" Xu E's smile faded slightly, his gaze sweeping over Xie Lanchen with obvious displeasure. "But this bow was specially prepared for Miss Yun. Moreover, the Lone Goose Sword is Miss Yun's beloved possession, and nurturing it is related to the stability of the sword's spirit. Naturally, it should be done by you personally to show your sincerity. If someone else interferes and something goes wrong, who will be responsible?"
Yun Wei's eyes grew even colder, unyielding: "Sincerity lies in the heart, not in empty formalities. The Lone Goose Sword Soul is maintained by my own mind and spirit; whether others interfere or not, it has no fundamental impact. If Master Xu insists on this, does that mean the theory of nurturing the sword in the cold pool is inherently flawed?"
Xu E's smile froze instantly, and a sinister glint flashed in his eyes.
"Master!" Xu Fu's hunched figure came running up, panting heavily, his face ashen.
He bowed repeatedly to Yun Wei and the other two, his voice trembling: "Miss Yun! Distinguished guests! Please calm down! Please calm down! A year ago, the old master and his wife... suffered a tragic fate. The master... he couldn't bear it, and due to excessive grief, he developed 'soul separation syndrome'!"
Xu E's usual nonchalant smile faded: "Uncle Fu, you are getting on in years, please don't talk nonsense here and disturb our distinguished guest's peace and quiet."
A condition of dissociation?
"The arrival of Master Xu's men is quite timely," Nangong Ya said sarcastically, deliberately emphasizing the word "timely."
Yunwei frowned slightly as memories of this illness surfaced in her mind.
When a close relative passes away suddenly, those who are overwhelmed with grief suffer a mental and emotional trauma. Their soul may temporarily leave in pursuit of the deceased, leading to memory gaps, emotional imbalance, or talking to themselves in the air, or experiencing unpredictable joy and sorrow, and forgetting past events in an instant.
This matches Xu E's recent appearance quite well.
But the suspicious jade pendant, the disappearance of the three people in the restaurant, the hidden danger in the cold pool, and the probing and malice in his words... none of these can be easily dismissed as just "dissociation syndrome".
Xu Fu's tearful lament at this moment seemed less like concern and more like a deliberate attempt to cover up his flawed actions and forcefully explain them away.
Once she had made up her mind, she did not waver in the slightest because of what Uncle Fu said.
Empirical evidence must always be sought out by hand.
Xie Lanchen scoffed, his voice filled with undisguised sarcasm: "A disease of separation of souls? I think it's just feigning madness to cover up the truth."
Xu Fu trembled, his lips quivering, and looking at Xu E's gloomy face, he dared not say another word.
Yun Wei looked at Xu E, her voice cold: "Master Xu, the illness of soul separation requires rest and should not be overexerted. As for the matter of forging the sword, it seems..."
Xu E's expression shifted between light and shadow, but he finally managed a slightly stiff smile: "Miss Yun is right. It was my... illness that made me confused, and I was quite rude just now."
Xu Fu said urgently, "Master! It's lunchtime! You should go and give..."
A flash of malice crossed Xu E's eyes, but his usual lazy smile remained on his face: "Yes, it's time for dinner. Miss Yun, everyone, excuse me, I cannot keep you company." He waved his hand casually and turned to leave.
Xu Fu hurriedly followed, his steps unsteady.
As he reached the corner of the path, he paused slightly, a roll of paper slipped from his sleeve and fell to the ground. He then quickened his pace and walked away as if fleeing.
Did he drop something? Was it an accident, or...?
Yunwei didn't make a sound. She took a few steps forward, bent down, and quickly picked up the thing.
"What is this?" Nangong Ya asked curiously as she leaned closer.
Xie Lanchen glanced around warily to confirm that Xu E and Xu Fu had already left.
Yunwei unrolled the paper, and in the sunlight filtering through the trees, she saw a line of words written on it:
The mountains and rivers stretch far and wide, and my heart is filled with uneasy thoughts.
We await your return, and together we'll drink a thousand cups!
"He writes so straightforwardly!" Nangong Ya tilted her head.
Yunwei looked at the incredibly familiar handwriting, her fingertips tightening almost imperceptibly.
The brushstrokes are vigorous and powerful; it is indeed Xu E's own handwriting.
She wondered why Uncle Fu would carry such an item with him; could it be that he intended to give it to her?
There might be other clues in Xu E's study; we should go and explore.
"Go to Xu E's study," Yun Wei decided immediately.
“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” Nangong Ya responded immediately.
Xie Lanchen said, "The study is a sensitive area, and the fake Xu E might return at any time. We need someone to keep watch outside the courtyard."
"I'll do it!" Nangong Ya patted her chest. "I'm the best at keeping watch!"
Yun Wei looked at Xie Lanchen, and the young man nodded slightly, his eyes sharp: "I will go in with you. There are hidden mechanisms and compartments inside the study, so we must be extra careful."
Without delay, the three quickly arrived at the secluded courtyard where Xu E's study was located.
Nangong Ya found a dense thicket of bushes to hide herself, her eyes fixed on the courtyard gate.
Yunwei and Xie Lanchen quietly climbed over the courtyard wall, slipped into the study, and gently closed the door behind them.
The furnishings in the study remained unchanged.
Yunwei had a clear objective and went straight to the desk, where the key clues were likely hidden in the place Xu E frequented most.
Soon, she found a letter hidden under a stack of half-drawn sword-making diagrams.
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