Chapter 225
Broken Trust
Su Chan could barely contain her gasp when she saw the naked forms of two of her shibos, Gu Feng and Mo Ahshi, moving rhythmically against each other on a huge bed .
The two of them were going at it like bunnies .
T- This is . . . absurd! Does Master know about this? What about Grandmaster Liu? Does he know about this?
Su Chan turned around until she was facing away from the window . With a shaky breath, she leaned herself against the wall for support .
I… I can't believe this .
To be fair, Gu-shibo did come across to Su Chan as a bit of a sex maniac . But Mo-shibo?! Mo-shibo, the Bodhisattva lookalike! None of this made sense! A Bodhisattva is supposed to have abandoned all carnal desires! And yet . . .
Mo-shibo's wanton moans drifted through the window .
Su Chan winced, then shook her head harshly .
No . . . Something is clearly wrong here .
Su Chan closed her eyes and tried to come up with possible explanations for her shocking discovery . Maybe somebody was impersonating Mo-shibo? Had somebody infiltrated the Fox Zen—
All of a sudden, the moaning, grunting, and (Good Heavens!) the creaking of the bed stopped .
Leaning against the wall, Su Chan strained her ears to detect the sounds coming from inside the room . The sound of heavy panting was all she heard .
Are they done?
Su Chan lowered herself to the floor and then crawled forward until her body was positioned right under the windowsill . Then, she raised herself just enough to take a peek . Through the red, semi-transparent veils hanging down from all four sides of the large bed, Su Chan saw a very naked Mo-shibo straddling the waist of an equally-naked Gu-shibo .
Su Chan hid herself below the windowsill and forced herself to take deep breaths . Okay . Calm down, Chan'er . Calm down and think . . .
Master had always taught her to stay calm in any situation .
First question: go or stay?
I should stay .
Yes . She should definitely stay longer . Maybe one of them would let slip something during their pillow talk: like which one among them was an impostor; or what they were planning, who they were working for, etc .
Gu-shibo's breathless laughter drifted through the window . "I've been dreaming of having you for years, shijie!"
"What are all your disciples for, then?" said Mo-shibo . "Those are all fine dinglus you've got there . Are they not good enough to satisfy your needs?"
Gu-shibo started moaning and groaning again .
Su Chan thought her cheeks were about to catch fire .
"Ah . . . shijie . . . Stop moving inside me already . . . Ah . . . Are you trying to draw out my vital essence?"
Mo-shibo's low chuckles sounded next .
"Why, shouldn't I? Isn't that a good way to . . . um . . . desex you? Hmm?"
Now, the fact that Mo-shibo was a Bodhisattva lookalike only made Su Chan want to throw up .
"Ah . . . Stop joking around, shijie . . . " Gu-shibo moaned . "Are you really trying to drain me of my vital essence?"
Funny how Gu-shibo sounded like he was in the throes of passion when he said that .
Mo-shibo laughed again . "Well, like I said . Draining you is definitely something I'm considering . It's the right thing to do, I'd say . "
"W- What . . . Ah!"
Mo-shibo moaned a few times .
"If I don't drain you, you're just going to keep preying on all the fine ladies in the Fox Zen School," said Mo-shibo . "We can't have that now, can we?"
"Stop joking around . . . Stop . . . " Gu-shibo panted .
"Hehe . . . Don't think I didn't notice how you were looking at Su Chan," Mo-shibo said . "You were lusting after her, weren't you, hmm? I could see the lust in your eyes when you look at her . "
Su Chan's fists clenched subconsciously .
Gu-shibo laughed . "I guess you know me well, shijie! God . . . That girl has grown into such a fine and gorgeous young lady, hasn't she? Just looking at her makes my heart itch!"
Disgusting old pervert! Just wait till my Yundong finds out about this! I'd love to see him destroy your gonads!
Mo-shibo hummed . "So . I've been wondering . "
"Mmm?" Gu-shibo said in between grunts .
"How do you think she would stack up against me?"
Gu-shibo laughed . "She couldn't hold a candle to you, of course!" Gu-shibo's laughter soon turned into moans of pleasure . "You . . . Ah . . . You are the full package… The perfect combination of beauty and sultriness… That girl is still too young and innocent . She's nowhere near as attractive as you are, shijie . "
Su Chan gagged silently . What a disgusting pair! Eugh!
Stupid, perverted Gu-shibo!
Gu-shibo's moans grew louder and louder . Su Chan pulled her hair in frustration . Stupid morons were going for another round!
Argh! Just get to the pillow talk part already, goddammit!
Intel on the enemy . That was what she wanted to hear, not two horny elders of the Fox Zen School going at each other like jackrabbits .
Su Chan shuddered at the image .
Another thought occurred to her right then: what if there weren't any impostors involved?
What if this was Mo-shibo's true nature?
What if Mo-shibo was putting on a fake persona all along, pretending to be pure and maidenly, fooling even the Great Seer, Grandmaster Liu?
But Mo-shibo's speech pattern just now . . .
Something was definitely wrong with her speech pattern . But wasn't that the point of a fake persona? Gah! This was such a pain!
Su Chan reached down and touched her pocket; Birdie was still there .
Should she send Birdie back to Master and ask her to come here? But . . . She didn't have a pen .
"Shijie! Stop! Stop! What are you doing! Are you trying to kill me?!"
Su Chan froze . Gu-shibo didn't sound like he was in the throes of passion anymore . He sounded like he was frightened out of his wits .
"Arrgggghhh!!! Stop! Stop! Please!!!" Gu-shibo pleaded .
Mo-shibo's laughter resounded in the room and drifted out the window .
Su Chan's skin crawled . What's with that creepy laugh? Su Chan had never heard a laugh like that before, like it was laced with pure evil .
Su Chan thought it sounded outright demonic .
Mustering her courage, Su Chan rose to her feet as quietly as she could, and then peeked up from the windowsill .
One of the red veils had somehow fallen off its attachments at the tip of the tall bedposts, granting Su Chan a full view of what was taking place on the bed .
Mo-shibo was clinging on to Gu-shibo's body like a vine wrapped around a tree trunk . And Mo-shibo's face . . .
If Su Chan ever imagined how terrifying a Bodhisattva would look if they had an evil grin, she had her answer now .
Mo-shibo reached up and pulled out her hairpin . Mo-shibo shook her head as her dark tresses tumbled over her shoulders . Gu-shibo looked like he was trying to say something, but the only thing that came out of his lips were gasps and retches .
Then, Mo-shibo stabbed the hairpin into the center of Gu-shibo's chest about an inch below his collarbones .
Oh my God . . .
That wasn't just some random acupoint; it was the Huagai .
Mo-shibo wasn't just trying to steal Gu-shibo's vital essence like he had thought; she was trying to suck everything out of Gu-shibo .
Gu-shibo's eyes bulged in their sockets, and his mouth split open in a silent scream . His twitching hands reached up and clawed at Mo-shibo's face as though he knew that the person on top of him was merely wearing Mo-shibo's skin and he wanted to tear the skin to pieces to see who was underneath .
Su Chan felt her knees grow weak as she watched everything unfold; this was the exact thing that she'd planned to do to Yundong before she fell in love with him . Mo-shibo was trying to drain Gu-shibo's Three Flowers (Essence, Qi, and Blood) out of his body .
Gu-shibo's body was shrinking at an alarming rate . In mere seconds, all that was left of Gu-shibo was a dry corpse .
Su Chan's knees buckled right then, and she fell flat on her butt with a squeak .
"Who's there?!" Mo-shibo's voice sliced through the brief silence .
Su Chan slapped a hand over her mouth and held her breath .
She had to go . She had to run and return to Master .
Mo-shibo had just killed Gu-shibo, and Su Chan had no doubt that Mo-shibo would kill her too just to silence her .
Su Chan morphed into a cloud of green smoke and flew away . She flew and flew and flew, not caring at all which direction she was heading towards . She just knew that she had to run .
Her life depended on it .
***
Su Chan sighed in relief when she saw the familiar building that she and Master had entered to see Grandmaster Liu . Su Chan had been flying around the large compound for fifteen minutes without a single clue where she was .
In her panic, she ended up getting lost .
Su Chan landed quietly on the pavement and slowly made her way back towards the building .
Act normal, Chan'er . Act natural…
Thankfully, she hadn't run into Mo-shibo, or any of her other shibos for that matter, during her flight . Heavens only knew how many more members of the Fox Zen School were in on this treacherous scheme .
Treacherous scheme .
What scheme? That was the big mystery .
What on earth was going on here?
Assuming that Mo-shibo was indeed the real Mo-shibo, why would she even want to kill Gu-shibo? What was her motive? And wasn't she afraid of Grandmaster Liu finding out? But wait . The assumption that Mo-shibo was the real Mo-shibo instead of an impostor was shaky in the first place!
Mo-shibo was someone that Master respected; the real Mo-shibo definitely wasn't capable of something this evil .
But still…
That look on Mo-shibo's face when she . . .
Su Chan shuddered .
No . That definitely wasn't Mo-shibo .
A sudden and horrifying thought made Su Chan freeze on the spot . What if this was the Great Six's doing? What if the attack on the Fox Zen School had already begun and the Great Six's spies had infiltrated the Fox Zen School?
"Oh, no . . . I need to warn Master . . . "
Su Chan broke into a sprint .
Once inside the building, Su Chan dashed up the staircase and headed towards their floor . It occurred to Su Chan that Master's life might be in danger too if one of her shibos decided to ambush her . The thought made Su Chan forgo running altogether and fly up the stairs instead .
Please be alright, Master . . . Please . Forgive Chan'er . Please forgive Chan'er for not being there . . .
Su Chan reached their floor in record time . She walked briskly down the hallway, past Grandmaster Liu's quarters .
"Why the hurry, Su Chan?"
Su Chan's hand froze on the door handle . That voice . . .
Su Chan pressed down on the door handle anyway and stormed into the living room . Where are you, Master . . . Where are—
Relief coursed through Su Chan when she saw Master meditating on the cushion .
Master's eyes opened as though she had sensed her presence .
Su Chan snapped out of her stupor . "Master, please listen! Something hap—"
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Wushuang? May I come in?"
Su Chan whirled around and felt her heart stop at the sight of Mo-shibo standing at their door .
Mo-shibo was giving out Bodhisattva vibes again . Her hairpin was back in place, and she was immaculately dressed . Not a single hair out of place, as though none of what Su Chan saw ever took place .
"Ah . . . Su Chan . . . I thought I saw you entering just now . " Mo-shibo smiled at Su Chan . "Are you okay? You look a little frazzled . And you seemed to be in a hurry just now . "
Panic rose in Su Chan's chest . She turned back to Master, but Master was already on her feet and walking towards the door .
"Please come in, shijie," Master said politely . "To what do we owe the pleasure?"
Mo-shibo stepped inside and smiled at Master . "Oh, it's nothing . " Mo-shibo's eyes darted to Su Chan briefly . "I was passing by, so I thought I'd come in to say hello . "
Su Chan shook Master's sleeve . "Mas . . . " Su Chan forgot what she wanted to say when someone else stepped into their quarters .
"G- Gu-shibo?!" Su Chan exclaimed . "Y- You're alive?"
Su Chan could feel Master's glare as soon as those words left her mouth .
Gu-shibo sauntered into the room like he hadn't been reduced into a bunch of dry bones and withered skin by Mo-shibo .
He paused beside Mo-shibo and frowned at Su Chan .
"What a strange thing to say, Su Chan," said Gu-shibo, flicking his fly-whisk .
"B- But . . . " Su Chan's gaze bounced between her three elders before it fixed itself on Gu-shibo . "But I thought you were dead!"
Suddenly, Gu-shibo laughed . "Do you perhaps wish that I'm dead?"
"I . . . That's not what I mean!" Su Chan stammered . "J- Just now I thought—"
"Chan'er!"
Su Chan jumped half an inch at the sound of Master's roar .
She stole a glance and saw Master's murderous glare .
"Where are your manners?!" Master pointed at Gu-shibo . "Apologize to your shibo right away . "
Su Chan gaped like a fish . "But—"
"Apologize . . . " Master growled .
"Nah . . . Forget it, shimei . She's just a kid," Gu-shibo said with a casual wave of his fly-whisk .
What on earth was happening? She saw everything with her own eyes! She couldn't have imagined it! She just couldn't!
"I apologize on her behalf then," said Master .
Mo-shibo and Gu-shibo both smiled .
"Well then, shijie, shishiong . Is there anything I can help you both with?"
"Oh, it really is nothing, shimei," said Mo-shibo . "Like I said, I was passing by and I just wanted to drop in and say hello . Oh, and to remind you that you can let me know if there's anything you need . " Mo-shibo smiled again . "Just say the word and I'll have someone see to your needs immediately . "
Master returned Mo-shibo's smile . "Thank you for your concern, shijie . "
Su Chan clenched her fists tightly . She's lying Master . She's a murderess! I saw the whole thing with my own eyes!
But there was no way Master would believe what she said! Not when Gu-shibo was still alive and walking! Speaking of which . . . How on earth was Gu-shibo still alive and walking?
"Well . I guess I shall take my leave then," Mo-shibo said .
Gu-shibo laughed . "Me too . My disciples are waiting for me . "
Go! Go away so I can talk to Master!
"Then enjoy the rest of your day, shijie, shishiong," said Master with a polite nod .
Su Chan waited until the door closed behind Gu-shibo, then quickly grabbed Master's arm . "They're both lying, Master! Just now I saw—"
Su Chan gasped when Master shook her arm free . "You've gone too far, Chan'er!" Master pointed at the door . "It's one thing to act insolent around me . But how dare with speak to your elders with that attitude!"
"Please, Master . . . " Su Chan pleaded . "Please listen . Just now I saw Mo-shibo kill Gu-shibo!"
Master stared at Su Chan blankly as though she was too shock to even react .
Su Chan grabbed Master's arm again and shook it desperately . "They were both having sex . And then . . . and then Mo-shibo poked her hairpin into Gu-shibo's Huagai and drew out Gu-shibo's Essence, Qi and—"
"Silence!!" Master wrenched her arm free from Su Chan's grasp and glared at Su Chan . "So you're bold enough to start lying to me now, is that it?" Master laughed incredulously . "What? Mo Ahshi? Having sex with Gu Feng? Do you have any idea how absurd that sounds? Mo Ahshi would never do that! And you're telling me that your Gu-shibo is dead when"—Master pointed at the door again—"he had literally just walked through the door minutes ago!"
Tears stung Su Chan's eyes .
"But I saw!" Su Chan screamed . "I saw it happen with my own eyes!"
"Quiet!" Master pointed a finger at Su Chan's face . "I don't want to hear another word from you . From now on, you're confined to your room!"
Something wet slid down Su Chan's cheeks .
"You don't believe me at all, do you, Master?" Su Chan whispered . "You . . . You would rather believe those treacherous liars than me . . . "
"Enough!" Master's eyes flashed in anger . "You will not insult your elders like that . "
Su Chan yelped when her body levitated off the floor .
"Please, Master! I'm telling you the truth! I swear to the Heavens I'm not lying!" Su Chan sobbed and paddled her arms and legs . "Why won't you believe me!"
Su Chan felt a powerful lurch . Next thing she knew, she was flung into her room and onto her bed . She scrambled out of bed to get to the door, but it was too late . The door slammed shut right in front of her face .
"Master . . . ! Listen to me!" Su Chan pounded the door with her fist . "Please! You have to be careful around Mo-shibo! She could be an impos—"
"Silence!!"
Su Chan opened her mouth and yelled .
No sound came out .
She had lost her voice .
Su Chan's heart sank to her toes . A muting spell . Master had just cast a muting spell on her . Su Chan's eyes stung as her vision turned blurry . Her chest hurt . Her heart hurt . But more than anything else, she was angry . She was angry at Master for not believing her, for dismissing her claims just like that . Master wouldn't even bother to look into the matter .
Su Chan's back slid against the door until her butt hit the floor . She sat there against the door, releasing soundless sob after soundless sob, wondering what she should do next .
Suddenly, she dried her tears and climbed to her feet . Then, she all but ran to the desk and fumbled around for a pen and a piece of paper .
Yes . Yundong will listen . . . He always does . . .