Ink Blade Chapter 34 (Part 1)
Translated by Sylver
Frame (part 1)
After a while, a drawing was spread out in front of several people. It outlined a simple terrain, the shape of the corpse lying on the ground, and the sword marks on the surrounding ground and the corpse.
"Palace Master Chu, please take a look," Xu Fangchuan pointed with his hand and said, "Thanks to Miao'er's carefulness, someone was able to draw the appearance of the murder at that time."
"This swordsmanship is indeed a move from our Xuyang Sword Sect," he said with a look of shame on his face. "When the sect leader heard the news, he was furious and conducted a thorough investigation of the sword sect, but so far... the culprit has not been found within the sect."
Chu Yan took the drawing and looked at it for a moment, but didn't see anything special. Just as he was about to return the drawing, he suddenly noticed Mo Ren turning sideways towards him, pursed his lips and signaled with his eyes.
Chu Yan's heart moved and he asked, "Does Ah Ren have anything to say?"
Mo Ren whispered, "Master, allow this subordinate to report."
This person who had been reluctant to speak earlier was now speaking voluntarily at the moment. It must be something important. Despite this, seeing him being so cautious again and again in making a request, Chu Yan couldn't help but feel sour in his heart and whispered, "Go ahead."
Mo Ren nodded gently, tapped the drawing with his index finger, and spoke clearly, "This is not how you use a sword to kill people."
"This is a frame-up."
The tone of these words was calm, but in the ears of both Xu and Shui, it was no less than thunder on the ground!
Especially Xu Fangchuan, who had been struggling for many days. At this time, his eyes couldn't help but shine with surprise. "Young Master Mo, is this statement really true!?"
The corners of Chu Yan's lips rose uncontrollably, and he squinted leisurely then said, "With the power of the master of the Shujing Tower, surely you must also know that Ah Ren is a secret guard of the Jiuzhong Palace, and he has followed this Master for many years since he was a child. When it comes to assassinating and detecting enemies, let alone this Master, in the current Jianghu..."
——But before he could finish his sentence, Mo Ren quickly turned over and knelt down.
"Master’s praise is absurd, this subordinate is just a killing weapon. How dare he be compared with the Master!"
"..."
Chu Yan became so angry...
He suddenly opened his eyes angrily, and slammed his palm on the table. "What absurd praise? Why do you just praise “Master is wise” one after another, but when this Master praises you, he can’t? You really mind this Master praising you!?"
Mo Ren was speechless, and after a long time he said, "...This, this subordinate dare not."
Chu Yan reached over with his sleeves, grabbed Mo Ren's clothes and picked him up. "Still kneeling? Get up for this Master!"
"......"
Xu Fangchuan and Shui Miao’er looked at each other in astonishment, each seeing confusion in the other's eyes.
This Palace Master Chu...what's going on??
Obviously, when Bai Hua was mentioned, he didn't even frown. Why did he suddenly get angry now, is it because——his bodyguard wouldn't accept his praise??
The relationship between these two, master and servant, from the Jiuzhong Palace is a little too strange...
On the contrary, Mo Ren was much calmer. He quickly obeyed the order and stood up, sat back on the chair, and then continued to lower his head and remain silent.
After so many days... he felt that he was used to it.
He has been following the Master for a long time, from a secret guard who only knows how to kill people to a personal bodyguard who brings tea and water to coax the master to investigate the spy, from being below the Palace Master to being demoted to a servant that can be completely humiliated. After my rebirth, my mood has been up and down.…
Guard Mo felt that his adaptability was much better than that of assassinating and detecting enemies.
Sure enough, Palace Master Chu quickly extinguished the exploding fire himself, took two sips of herbal tea, and coaxed him with a friendly frown. "That's all, that’s all, won't scare you anymore...can you tell more about it?"
——This had almost become the way this master and servant got along. Specifically, when Mo Ren admitted to himself in earnest, the Master himself would become inexplicably angry.
Then calmed down unexplainably, and finally coaxed him out of nowhere.
In this process, Mo Ren only needed to confess and remain silent. After his master calmed down, he continued what he had just said in the middle.
At this time, Mo Ren continued to say, "The murderer chose to kill on a night with a dark moon and strong winds for concealment. If they wanted to stay hidden, their first choice should have been poisoning. Poisoning leaves no visible traces, doesn't reveal any martial arts techniques, and can even be done without personally administering the poison, but instead using someone else's hand."
"Arrows and throwing knives would be the next choice, where even the most skilled wouldn't need to reveal themselves. Engaging in close combat with a sword, face-to-face, would be the last choice. The murderer clearly had poison at their disposal but still chose to use a sword, which doesn't make sense."
Mo Ren raised his face as he spoke. This silent young guard in black always controlled his aura to almost non-existence when he was beside the palace master. It was only then that he raised his face from the shadow of the palace master, letting the outsiders catch a glimpse of his cold features.
……It seemed like an ancient sword that had gone through many vicissitudes of life and been washed by several mist and rain. The long wind blew and the dust flew away, but it was still sharp and upright when it was taken out of its sheath.
"Even if wielding a sword," Mo Ren stated slowly and unhurriedly, running his finger across the drawing, "one should hide in the shadows, waiting for the opportune moment to strike with a single lethal blow, avoiding unnecessary complications. These Xuyang sword moves are grand and straightforward, the traces left on the body and the surrounding surface, it is obviously intended to frame the crime...just like the Jiuyun Jade Token that appeared at the murder site."
At some point, the only voice in the inner hall was the voice of the guard in black.
Chu Yan leaned back, raised his fingers to support his forehead, stared deeply at Mo Ren's face, and sighed unintentionally between his teeth.
……He failed to listen to Ah Ren’s advice in his previous life, it was as if his brain had been filled with water.
Mo Ren was suddenly startled. He thought he had made a mistake in his judgment, thus he immediately lowered his head and said, "This subordinate has spoken falsely, begging the Master to correct."
Chu Yan raised his hand to touch his shoulder, and helplessly sighed, "This Master thinks Ah Ren is sharp, why don't you let this Master praise you, not even a sigh in admiration?"
Mo Ren was silent for a moment, then whispered, "The ingredients of the poison have not yet been found out, and all the above are just personal guesses by this subordinate."
Chu Yan sighed again, pulled Mo Ren's slightly cold hand over, wrapped it between his closed palms, and said nothing.
Xu Fangchuan and Shui Miao'er gradually came back to their senses, and then looked up and down at Mo Ren again, their gazes completely changed.
Born in the Dark Hall of the Jiuzhong Palace, the personal bodyguard of the Palace Master since childhood, the first sharp blade of Jiuzhong Palace...moreover, to be favored by Chu Yan so much, shouldn't it be said that he is not just an ordinary person?
Afterwards, the few of them talked openly and even had their dinner directly at the Shuijing Tower.
In the end, it was tentatively decided to remain still in the face of all changes. If the people behind Bai Hua really colluded with the envoys from the Alliance Leader Mansion, it would be difficult to find evidence if they acted recklessly. It's better to stand still for the time being and wait and see what the Alliance Leader Mansion’s intention for coming.
In the evening, Chu Yan finally took Mo Ren and bid farewell. After leaving Shuijing Tower, the skies had cleared, the wind had calmed, the moon rose above the branches, and a peaceful night shrouded the small town.
Xu Fangchuan and Shui Miao’er escorted them out of the building, and then watched the two figures disappear at the end of the alley.
