Chapter 30: Seeking Revenge
Translator: Ninetales Editor: Fish Creek
Qin Mu kept the gold ingot and said, "Focus on cultivating big fella, I will come find you tomorrow. Do not ever go into the side chamber, that devil is very sly!"
Devil ape nodded.
Qin Mu immediately return to the village and soon reached the outskirts of Disabled Elderly Village. From far away, he could see two paper boats anchored in the sky outside the village gate. The paper cranes landed under the trees outside the village but there was nobody left on the boat or on the paper cranes which meant that they must have entered the village.
As he walked into the village, he saw the elder who had spoken on the boat sitting face to face with Village Chief and speaking to him, "I have heard Granny Si from your village is outstanding at handicrafts, therefore, we have come to request Granny Si to help us tailor some clothes."
Village Chief asked, "May I venture to ask what kind and size of clothing do you want her to make?"
The elder replied, "I need her to make some burial clothes, a total of nine pieces. As for the size, we’ll go according to the sizes of all the villagers here. I’ve also heard Old Ma’s carpentry was not bad as well, so I would like to trouble Old Ma to help make nine coffins. As for the length, we’ll have it accordingly to everyone’s build here."
Suddenly, the elder saw Qin Mu walking over and gave an astonished expression, "I had said wrong, I would need ten burial clothes and ten coffins. Qian Qiu, bring out the deposit."
The man named Qian Qiu came forward and waved his hand. One of the paper boat outside the village came floating over and landed beside Village Chief. Qin Mu immediately saw that the boat was actually filled with inauspicious items such as paper notes, paper ingots, candles, white funeral flag and etcetera.
The elder instructed him to stop the boat in the village and said, "This is the deposit for the ten burial clothes and coffins. May I ask if Granny Si and Old Ma could finish them by today? Truth to be told, I’m in a hurry to use them."
Cripple, Blacksmith, Apothecary who were busy with their own works all suddenly turned quiet. Granny Si tottered over and smiled, "Ten burial clothes by today? That’s a bit rush, customer."
Old Ma walked over and said coldly, "I work fast so the coffins would be done by today. Could old mister wait a moment?"
The elder smiled, "It’s surely a bit rush but everyone here is talented therefore you should be able to rush them out right?
Granny Si took a glance at ingots and candles and smiled coldly, "If you are in a rush to wear them, I could make them out right now. It’s a coincidence that I just bought some rolls of cloth."
The elder half rose out of his chair, "Thanks for the trouble, granny."
Granny Si walked back to her house to carry out a few rolls of cloths. With a sweep of her arm, the rolls of cloths unraveled in midair and a pair of scissors automatically flew out. The scissors went snipping in midair and in just a short while, the shapes of clothes were done.
Silver needles then flew out from the basket and with thread tied to their ends. As the needles weaved around in the sky, the burial clothes were soon completed.
On the other hand, Old Ma came to the huge willow trees and released green qi from his fingers which surrounded the trees with a sawing sound. Not long after, the huge tree trunks were sawed into several white wooden coffins.
These white wooden coffins flew over and landed in the village.
Granny Si’s clothings were also done. As she gently waved her hands, the burial clothes one by one landed on the coffin.
Old Ma took a few strides forward and coldly said, "You have brought quite a large amount of money, therefore, I had made another two coffins for free, a total of twelve coffins for you and all made according to your measurements so it would definitely not be longer or shorter if all of you laid inside them! Are you satisfied with my craftsmanship, old mister?"
Granny Si smiled, "I have also made another two more burial clothes for free which would definitely fit?"
The elder chuckled, "Satisfied, I’m satisfied."
Qin Mu felt the atmosphere becoming more and more peculiar. He secretly counted and realized when he added the green clothing people and the elder together, there were precisely twelve people!
Apothecary walked over with a sinister expression and yet his voice was very gentle, "From old mister’s accent, you don’t sound like a local. The accent seemed to come from the southern border."
The elder replied with a gentle smile, "That’s right, we are from the southern border, where Li River is at."
Cripple walked over with his face brimming with smiles, "I heard that there was a big sect called the Li River Sect located beside Li River, where there are many experts. I heard that the sect master of Li River Sect is called Mu Beifeng. His divine art had reached perfection and could break the river flow with just a stretch of his hand."
The elder immediately replied, "I'm flattered. I don’t deserve the praise. I am indeed Mu Beifeng, our Li River Sect is merely a small sect that is just trying to make a living off the river. I have five junior brothers who were well respected and known as the Li River’s Five Elders.
Qin Mu’s heart jolted and his expression changed slightly. Arent Li River’s Five Elders the five elders that had died at granny’s hands?
Could it be Mu Beifeng brought his people here to seek revenge for Li River’s Five Elders?
He specifically wanted ten coffins and ten burial clothes which were clearly prepared for all the people
in Disabled Elderly Village. After killing the villagers, they will put the burial clothes on them and placed them in the coffins to bury on the spot, before burning the ingots and candles as offerings.
The paper boats and paper cranes were also prepared for the villagers after their deaths!
Mu Beifeng twisted his jade rig on his thumb and calmly said, "Two years ago the Imperial Family issued an imperial order which was personally brought to us by the Imperial Preceptor. When he reached our Li River Sect, he sat down to talk about the path with me. In just an incense time, he had won me over and I accepted the imperial order willingly, thanking the emperor for his grace. I’m indebted to the emperor and Imperial Preceptor for thinking highly of me, bestowing me as the governor of Five Sprouts Prefecture in the southern border, a lower second ranking official governing over Five Sprouts. Imperial Preceptor then bestowed Li River’s Five Elders as the vice governors, lower third ranking officials. However, we are wanderers after all, even with an official position, we still like to move around."
Village Chief smiled, "Eternal Peace Empire is a sect disguised as an empire. With the number one man below gods as the emperor’s assistant, the fate of the empire becomes increasingly prosperous, making many sects yield to it. It even allows disciples from various sects to enter the army to open up new territories. Brother Mu was originally free and unrestrained, but after becoming officials, you have to abide by the law of the Imperial Family. It is understandable that you are not used to it"
Mu Beifeng replied, "Therefore my five junior brothers took a breather and went out, bringing Li River’s Five Disciples into Great Ruins. Li River’s Five Disciples were the disciples that my five junior brothers had taken in. They were all talented in their own ways and my five junior brothers decided to bring them out for some training."
Blind walked over with his bamboo cane and stated, "Li River’s Five Elders came into Great Ruins for training? And they brought their disciples? Great Ruins is a very dangerous place, I can’t help feeling worried for them."
Mu Beifeng sighed, "That’s right. Great Ruins is simply too dangerous and there are fiendish people everywhere. They have already been away for two months, and not seeing them return for so long, I knew something must have turned wrong, therefore as I searched for them, I found the place where my five junior brothers died by chance. They had all died so miserably, from the wounds on their broken bones, the one that killed them should be an expert from Heavenly Devil Sect with a short stature that was about the height of Granny Si.
He shook his head and continued, "After that, I also found the place where their disciples had died, which was at a valley. Their corpses were mangled by the wild beasts. Hais… What a horrible death… From the wounds on their corpses, the one that had killed them should be a young practitioner, just like our little brother here. I heard your village had a tailor and a carpenter thus I had come forward to order burial clothes and coffins for the murderers that had killed my junior brothers and junior disciples. All that’s left is to place them inside."
He revealed an expression of slight haughtiness, "I may be a court official but I’m used to being wild. I’m not used to mumbo-jumbo of the Imperial Family so let us settle this the martial world way. I have come to take revenge for my junior brothers and their disciples. Qian Qiu."
Saying here, the elder closed his mouth and stop talking.
Behind him, a young practitioner came forward and looked at Qin Mu. It was the man who had thrown Qin Mu a gold ingot for his help. "My Junior Brother Qu died from a knife skill that was executed with a stick. Little brother, seeing the knife at your back, would you show me your knife skill and spar with me?"
Qin Mu hesitated and looked at Granny Si, Village Chief and the rest.
Granny Si could not help and spoke, "Mu’er, the southern border has a feral custom. Their ways are ruthless and they never show mercy. Since he asked you to show your knife, you should just execute…"
"Keep your mouth shut!"
Village Chief gave a shout of warning and stopped Granny Si from saying more before calmly saying, "They have come here following the rules of the martial world and didn’t use the power of the Imperial Family and Imperial Preceptor to pressure us so we can’t spoil the rules either. No one is to give advice to Qin Mu or to help him."
With his awe-inspiring gaze, Village Chief looked at Qin Mu and said coldly, "Qin Mu, the coffins and burial clothes are right there, if you are soft-hearted, one of the coffins would be yours! It’s either he will die or you will die! He has already challenged you to a duel so why are you standing here and staring blankly?