Shu Qingdie shook her head and said, “I see that you’re quite skilled at that!”
Chu Li smiled. “I’m a bandit.”
Shu Qingdie grinned. “What an amazing bandit you are!”
The three got out of the house and then made their way to the exit of town.
Their journey was smooth. They returned to Snow Lunar Pavilion safely.
There was a huge group of people at the mouth of the valley, and they stared wide-eyed as they arrived.
“Sister Su! Sister Du!” Feng got to the front of the group, and he ran towards them. “You’re not hurt, right?”
Shu Qingdie said, “Why are you all out here?”
“That Peng isn’t dead yet?” Feng asked anxiously.
Shu Qingdie smiled sweetly. “Sister Du single-handedly killed him!”
“Sister Du?” Feng’s eyes widened, and he immediately asked again, “He’s really dead?!”
“His head is in the box, you can check.” Shu Qingdie answered.
Chu Li tossed the box to him.
Feng reached out his hands and caught it. Tiger and the rest came forth to him.
“We should head back inside. We shouldn’t block the way out here,” Shu Qingdie said. “Open it when you’re inside!”
The crowd escorted Feng into the valley, their gaze was transfixed at the box.
When they reached the lake, they could not hold back anymore. All of them started talking, they were persuading Feng to open the box.
Feng too could not hold back his curiosity, and he opened the box.
Two eerie greenish heads appeared before their very eyes.
Chu Li had frozen the two heads with the Crescent Cryptic technique, so they would not smell nor bleed, just like a frozen pig head.
“Haha! It’s really Feng Shaohua!” Feng clenched the head and then lifted it high up in the air.
Chu Li watched as the crowd cheered on happily, and he slowly stepped away. He returned to Su Ru’s waterside pavilion.
The people were too engrossed in the two heads, that no one noticed he had left.
Chu Li sat in the pavilion, and was listening to the cheers outside. He let out a sigh of relief.
His efforts were not in vain, as Su Ru had finally taken a break through. She could finally defend herself now, and she had improved her relationship with her fellow valley mates.
However, there would surely be consequences for killing Zhao Lungfeng.
He was a perfected innate master, and he had undergone isolated cultivation for one year. The Green Hill faction was like the Snow Lunar Pavilion, conducive for training future grandmasters. Besides, Feng Shaohua could have become a grandmaster too.
He had single-handedly destroyed two bright talents who would have become grandmasters. Anyone would have been pissed at his actions. The Green Hill faction would not let it go lightly.
Twilight dyed the surface of the lake in an orange hue. Even the inside of the house was colored a rosy red.
Chu Li was flipping through a book in his hands, he looked relaxed. His mind was calm.
Su Ru and Shu Qingdie arrived at the waterside pavilion.
“Everyone is thankful to you!” Su Ru happily announced.
Shu Qingdie swiftly nodded and then looked at him excitedly.
Chu Li put down his book, and he stretched his body. He smiled and said, “They should really thank you, and as for me… I’ll be leaving tomorrow.”
“Leaving——?” Su Ru and Shu Qingdie exclaimed simultaneously.
Chu Li said, “I’ve caused great trouble. If I don’t leave soon, I’m afraid I would be a problem for the Snow Lunar Pavilion.”
“You’re talking about Feng Shaorong’s death?” Shu Qingdie asked.
Chu Li smiled. ” The Green Hill faction will force the Snow Lunar Pavilion to give up the person responsible for it. I shouldn’t trouble your faction, so I better be leaving!”
“Hmph, they wish!” Shu Qingdie sneered. “Brother Du, just stay, you don’t have to worry about a thing. My masters won’t even heed the old fellas from Green Hill!”
Chu Li said, “A disciple should not trouble his masters.”
“Brother Du, you think we’re afraid of Green Hill?” Shu Qingdie continued, “They have five grandmasters, but so do we. If we do battle, it could be anyone’s game!”
“This incident has disrupted the balance of relationship between you two factions. I’m just scared they will pull off dirty tricks,” Chu Li replied.
Shu Qingdie said, “Just stay, brother Du, don’t worry. Don’t leave in a rush, nobody could harm you here!”
Su Ru said, “If you leave now, our masters would get upset. When the news is out, people would think that the Snow Lunar Pavilion is afraid of the Green Hill faction.
“…alright, I’ll stay for a few more days.” Chu Li smiled.
Of course he did not want to leave. He still hoped that Xiao Qi would suddenly get out from isolation. If he could see her again, it would cure him of his suffering.
Especially since the incident could have shocked Xiao Qi and her master, making them come out early.
On the thought of that, Chu Li’s smile broadened.
Shu Qingdie took a drum stool and then sat opposite of Chu Li, while Su Ru went to light up the lanterns.
The room became bright. The two ladies looked even more gorgeous under the illumination. The sight could have tempted anyone to fall for them.
“Brother Du, may I ask what your real identity is?” Shu Qingdie asked. “Are you an innate master or a grandmaster?”
Chu Li answered, “I don’t think that matters. No matter who I am, I’m still Du Qiu’s big brother, and Xia’s fiancé. I would not harm them by any means.”
“You’re a grandmaster, right?” Shu Qingdie said.
Chu Li hesitated for a moment and then nodded slowly.
Shu Qingdie frowned while she pondered.
There were only a few grandmasters in the Ji Dynasty martial arts world. Even fewer were as young as him.
Chu Li said, “I’m nobody. If not for Du Qiu’s safety, I wouldn’t have revealed my abilities.”
“But why?” Shu Qingdie looked puzzled.
Chu Li sighed. “I have my own reasons.”
“Alright then, I won’t ask further.” Shu Qingdie knew that if she continued questioning Chu Li, it would only annoy him. His sad tone and depressed eyes also made her unwilling to continue asking.
“Tonight, we’re having a feast,” Shu Qingdie stood up and said. “Brother Du, you must come!”
Chu Li said, “I don’t like the buzz. Carry on without me.”
Shu Qingdie looked at him, she was baffled.
Chu Li said, “Du Qiu’s attendance should be enough.”
“Sister Su, my brother really dislikes events like these.” Su Ru helped him.
Shu Qingdie could not do anything but sigh. She rolled her eyes at Chu Li and then left.
Su Ru asked, “You’re really not going?”
“Well, what do you think?”
Su Ru nodded gently. Chu Li may have altered his original looks, but if he got drunk, his cover would be blown. At that time, there would be dire consequences.
She frowned. “I still think that it was strange how Feng Shaohua fell before me.”
“What do you mean?” Chu Li started feeling guilty.
Su Ru stared at him. “His movement suddenly slowed, but he wasn’t even hurt. How’d it happen? It provided me a chance to finish him off.”
Chu Li said, “Hmm, I didn’t realize that. Maybe I was too far away.”
Su Ru did not notice anything amiss, and she only scoffed.
Chu Li secretly let out a sigh of relief.
The last thing he wanted was for Su Ru to find out that he had secretly helped her.
Camaraderie would reside eventually. After two days, the Snow Lunar Pavilion returned to its usual quiet atmosphere.
Their superiors had issued orders, and the disciples were still not allowed go out of the valley.
They all understood why the order was given, and they did not rebel. On the contrary, they felt very happy about it, as it would frustrate the people of Green Hill faction even more.
With Feng Shaohua gone, the Snow Lunar Pavilion disciples felt as if they had moved to a bigger mountain. The sky and land suddenly felt wider, as if they had obtained more freedom in the martial arts world.
Chu Li spent most of his time accompanying Su Ru, and reading books in her house.
The Snow Lunar Pavilion had a rich resource of knowledge. Many of their books looked new to Chu Li. Su Ru had even asked Shu Qingdie to help bring them two books about elemental formation.
Chu Li had a whale of a time studying them.
It was noon that day, when Chu Li was reading at the lake kiosk. The breeze felt soothing and calm.
The valley disciples glanced at him from time to time, they were envious of his great fortune. To be able to carefreely read a book at the waterside pavilion, it was not something every man could achieve.
Dressed in her green gown, Su Ru walked towards him gracefully. “The people from the Green Hill faction are here!”
She looked to be in a good mood.
After killing Feng Shaohua, she underwent drastic transformations. She now looked like a whole new person.
The relationship between them both had also taken a huge turn.
Previously, they were only acting it out. However, they had now become increasingly immersed in their roles. Su Ru nearly believed that she was really Du Qiu, and that Chu Li was Du Feng. It was the complete reverse of roles compared to when they were at the Public House. However, to her, it did not feel odd at all.