CH 16

Chapter 16: One body is missing 

Since Qi Shan said to do as she wished, Shen Tang naturally skipped the formalities. 

She had an imposing presence. Her defense was impenetrable and her moves evasive. Even though the man in black was using the most favorable weapon—a long spear, she didn’t give him the time for a breather. He was overwhelmed by her concentrated attacks, repeatedly retreating. 

Boom - 

A sword pierced the wall behind the man in black.

Taking advantage of Shen Tang pulling out her sword, the man in black shouted and abandoned his long spear. He congealed the gray light in his hand and with a bang, punched Shen Tang’s chest. The gray matter emitted a faint, booming sound.

Shen Tang didn't hesitate. She raised her hand to meet his fist.

No one expected that at this time, her target would disappear! 

She didn’t have time to pull back, and her punch left a big hole in the wall. 

Shen Tang: “???”

It’s not - 

A person? 

Qi Shan slightly smiled, reminding her.

“Young master Shen, when facing the enemy, you shouldn't be absent-minded”. 

“Just now, you took him away?”

Qi Shan had yet to answer when the man in black’s face turned grave: “The battle formation magic phrase, ‘substituting one thing for another’?”

In order to strengthen themselves and not be swallowed, the vassals of various countries vigorously employed some tacticians who were good at military formation and military tactics. For more than two hundred years, these black-hearted people made the magic words a required course for later generations to embark on or contribute to the official career.

But practicing wenxin was much more difficult than practicing wudan.

On the one hand, the magic words were difficult to control and even if they were properly controlled, the effect was still unknown; On the other hand, the effect of the magic words was dependent on the person. The situation on the battlefield was always rapidly changing, so it was necessary to change the strategy according to the situation. With one negligence, you could lose everything.

“Didn’t expect this remote place to know what’s what”. 

Qi Shan agreed tacitly with the judgment of the man in black.

The man sneered.

“So—I can’t spare you even more!”

Dong!

Explosion again!

On the eve of being hit by the long spear, Qi Shan didn’t hide or try to evade. He was smiling, leisurely and carefree looking at the man in black whose forehead was bulging due to the energy accumulated all over his body. Between him and the spear was barely 2 feet, a bit closer and it could take his life.

However, such a small distance has become a natural moat.

Hard to cross.

Shen Tang, who had to handle everything: “…”   

She wanted to tell him how sissy he was. She gritted her teeth: “Qi Yuanliang, you’re done? Why are you just standing there stupidly?”    

Of course, Qi Shan didn’t panic. 

No matter if he was willing or not, young master Shen had to protect him. After having this guarantee, he could rest assured (talk big) and from time to time help out Shen Tang. 

Overall, he was still OB (observing the fight, then reaping benefits).

When she crossed swords with the man in black again, Shen Tang clearly felt the difference. Not to mention his strength and speed, his aura was a lot weaker. Although her hands were numb and the chest felt stuffy, it seemed like the person before her, in this short period of time, was replaced by somebody else.

This time, Qi Shan considerably helped her and “explained”. 

“Don't be surprised by his changes. This is the most common way for fighters of storing power. In a short period of time, all the potential of the Dantian and wudan is forced out, so the fighter can obtain substantial progress in a short period of time. The fourth class Bugeng is comparable to the fifth class Dafu. After some time, the fighter will become weak and powerless, easy to be trampled on. You just needed to hold on to that time”.

Shen Tang: “…”    

Damn it! Isn't this such a desperate method?    

“Why didn't you remind me earlier?”

The man in black was fierce. His killing intent rushed to the sky. If she hadn’t understood the current situation and underestimated the enemy, would she be beheaded?

Qi Shan looked at her, beaming: “Tough adversaries make you stronger. Young master Shen fought skillfully and easily. I was afraid that if I made a sound, I would distract you”. 

An insignificant 4th rank Bugeng. From the beginning, he didn’t put him in his eyes. He wasn’t worth his attention. He was more curious about this young master Shen. 

This person was too interesting!

Clearly, he possessed wenxin, but he could roll up his sleeves and fight, while not being at a  disadvantage. He could fight with the 4th rank Bugeng. Even when the man started to rely on the secret skills and in a short period of time upgraded his wudan to a 5th grade Dafu, he could also contest with him.

This was really going against common sense.

Could he contend with a person stronger than this man?

Young master Shen had a national seal and a special wenxin. His fighting strength wasn’t worse than any 5th grade Dafu. He was also closely related to the Gong family, that was thoroughly searched and exterminated. All these things made him unable to restrain the urge to investigate him and reveal his secret.   

After a hundred moves, the man in black's momentum plummeted, and Shen Tang slashed her sword against the wall, making him unable to move.    

“Caught alive”.   

Qi Shan said: “No, the person is already dead”.   

Shen Tang retracted her sword for a moment.

“Dead? How could he die…” 

Her line of sight fell on the body of the man in black. The latter’s head was hanging down, and a jet-black smelly blood was spilling from his mouth. 

He really didn’t breathe. 

Qi Shan said: “This person is either a bandit or a suicide soldier. The mission failed, and the only thing he could do was to die! Suicide can be delightful for him, living not necessary”. 

Looking at this situation, his previous judgment was wrong. 

The latter could be the real bandit, who intended to kill and rob. The man in black probably stalled him, and was unlucky to meet the two of them.    

“Suicide soldier? Who was he supposed to assassinate? Could it be A Yan?”   

Qi Shan lost interest: “Maybe.”    

“What would he be trying to do by killing a fool born with brain disease?”

“Young master Shen, you have no experience, so naturally you don’t know the dangers of the world. How can you guarantee that the talk about the brain disease is true? Maybe this child has a scheming heart, and he knows how to hide his clumsiness. Maybe, he uses his stupidity to protect himself from harm… There are many examples of people enduring suffering, while waiting for their revenge”. 

“This…”   

Qi Shan: “You gave him three caramels earlier, but he refused to eat it. He insisted on letting you eat one first. How can you be sure that he wasn’t testing you and asking you to help him examine if it had poison in it?”   

Shen Tang: “…”   

She had no idea: “But he is at most six years old…”

Qi Shan said: “If the environment forces you, not to mention six years old, even if you are two or one-year-old, you can still scheme to protect yourself”.    

Shen Tang: “…”   

If a six-year-old child can be so deceitful, how could she—a house girl with a slight social fear, keep living?   

She said: “If this is the case, A Yan's background cannot be simple”.    

To kill a child, they send out a 4th grade suicide soldier. 

They had identification cards!

Reason told Qi Shan that things were fine at this point. Whether A Yan lived or died had nothing to do with him, and he should get out early to avoid provoking other matters. However, young master Shen didn't think like him. He wanted to collect the corpses of the dead in this house.  

One by one, the bodies were dragged to the main hall.

Feeling the temperature of the corpses, Shen Tang judged that these people should have died not long after A Yan disappeared, and the village official called to find him.   

“Alas, eleven lives…”   

Qi Shan was expressionless: “Human life is the most contemptible thing in the world. This is the case now, and it will be the same in the future.”   

Shen Tang shook her head: “This is wrong. If the situation was stable and the laws in order, those who have killed without reason would have to pay with their lives”.   

Qi Shan was amused by her words.

“There has never been a 'stable situation' anywhere”.    

Not now, nor ever.

Shen Tang was choked by his words, and couldn't help complaining.    

“Mister Qi, you have the skills, but you're still not considering assisting anyone to calm the troubled times? You are just making sarcastic remarks…”   

Qi Shan smiled without saying a word.

Shen Tang was about to pick up the firewood to clean up the corpses, but she suddenly thought of something and stopped. Her eyes turned to the hands of these corpses.   

She looked around.    

“Not quite right”.   

Qi Shan asked: “What's wrong?”    

“One body is missing”.    

“You mean A Yan? He may still be alive…”

Shen Tang said: “It’s not A Yan’s, but someone else’s”. 

One body was missing!

_(:з」∠)_

Can you guess who was missing?   

There are clues above.