Liu Xing's smirk quickly faded, and he sighed. Xia Yongzhi lay on the ground, face turned to the side, eyes closed. Even though Xia Yongzhi had accused him wrongly, Liu Xing understood where the accusation came from. He was grieving for his son and brother. Liu Xing had suspected that Xia Yongzhi often focused too much on Xia Weiyuan and neglected his own son, but it seems that he does care about his son.
Thinking about the boy, Liu Xing pressed his lips together. The kid had been a bully, and Liu Xing wouldn't mind if there were fewer bullies in the world. But that didn’t mean he had wanted Xia Hongyi to die. He had hoped the boy would change.
“Who killed them?”
The last time Liu Xing saw them was when they fled during his battle with the inverted pyramid. Was it a coincidence? Or was someone trying to set him up?
Liu Xing remembered Xia Hongyi’s fist technique and had concluded that either Xia Hongyi possessed a bloodline or a technique above Base Grade. As these thoughts crossed his mind, Liu Xing recalled Bai Lin’s murdered grandson and the others with bloodlines who had died, leaving behind only their severed arms. It is a bit far-fetched, but what if the deaths of Xia Hongyi and Xia Shizi are related to Wei Yi?
Liu Xing glanced at Xia Yongzhi who lay on the ground, then at the men floating in the water, carried by the current. He had the option to flee right now, but his curiosity was piqued.
Though he was in a hurry, he could at least wait long enough to get confirmation from Xia Yongzhi.
***
Liu Xing sat cross-legged beneath a swaying tree. Sunlight touched part of his body, but his face remained in the shadow of the leaves. Holding the Flute of Serenity in both hands, he blew into it, producing a terrible, off-key melody that sounded almost like a duck choking. He was thoroughly embarrassed by the sound, but it turned out that even an amateur could activate the flute. Though his efficiency was laughable compared to Qian Biaou’s mother, he still absorbed qi much faster than with normal methods.
As he played the horrible, discordant melody, ten drenched men lay unconscious on the ground, while Xia Yongzhi, though still dry, was also fainted nearby. Liu Xing couldn't help but wonder how the Flute of Serenity actually worked.
After about thirty minutes, Xia Yongzhi, the closest one to him, began to stir. He rubbed his neck as he tried to stand. Seeing Xia Yongzhi awake, Liu Xing stopped playing and tucked the flute into his spatial bag. He remained seated, waiting for Xia Yongzhi to notice him.
It didn’t take long. Xia Yongzhi looked around, confused, but when his eyes landed on Liu Xing, they widened. Then, as if remembering what had happened, his face twisted with hatred. Still, Liu Xing noticed a flicker of fear in his eyes.
Liu Xing studied him. Xia Yongzhi looked young, but in the cultivation world, appearances could be deceiving. Some people with youthful faces could be older than wrinkled elders, and vice versa.
“Clan leader of the Xia clan, let’s talk this through like civilized people,” Liu Xing said. He couldn’t help but wonder how someone so weak had become a clan leader. Either the Xia clan was incredibly weak, or Xia Yongzhi had strong backers.
Xia Yongzhi’s gaze tried to pierce through him, but since he didn’t seem ready to attack, Liu Xing felt his attempt at conversation might work.
“As I said, I didn’t kill Xia Hongyi or Xia Shizi. I have no idea what you’re accusing me of. Yes, I met them, but that doesn’t mean I killed them. I had no reason to.”
“Liar!” Xia Yongzhi shouted. “People like you don’t need a reason to kill.”
“Bold of you to assume you know me. But the fact is, I didn’t kill them. If I were the type to kill without reason, I could have easily killed you and your guards when I had the chance. Doesn’t that prove I don’t kill without cause? If you’re accusing me, there must be some strong evidence behind it.”
Xia Yongzhi gritted his teeth, seemingly ready to fight again.
Stolen novel; please report.
“Look, accusing someone of murder isn’t a small thing. You know who I am. I’m a disciple of the Purple Moon Sect. I don’t like to throw that around, but you should know that messing with my sect is dangerous.”
“Are you threatening me?” Xia Yongzhi asked through clenched teeth.
“I’m just stating facts. But here’s the truth. I’m just an outer disciple. I don’t have powerful backing in my sect. If I die here, there’s only a small chance anyone will investigate. And if they do, you might have a problem. But honestly, you probably won’t. We’re in the middle of an event right now, and accidents happen.”
Liu Xing knew that many disciples left the sect to go treasure hunting, but not all of them would return.
Xia Yongzhi continued to glare at him, but confusion began to creep into his expression. Liu Xing had first warned him about the power of the sect, then reassured him that the sect likely wouldn’t do anything if he was killed.
“If you’re confused by what I’m saying, the important thing is this: I’m trying to be honest with you. I want you to believe that I didn’t kill your son or your brother. Now, I know you can’t trust me completely, but at the very least, tell me why you’re so convinced that I’m the killer.”
Xia Yongzhi’s hostile stare softened slightly.
"A boy named Xia Weiyuan told me that you were the last person to see my son and the reason he died. This boy is honest. He has never told a lie in his life and never will."
Liu Xing raised an eyebrow. “And you didn’t try to confirm it? You just trusted him blindly?”
“I can vouch for his honesty!” Xia Yongzhi’s eyes hardened again. “You don’t know him or his circumstances.”
Liu Xing’s first thought was that Xia Yongzhi was being foolish. Even if the boy was honest, basing a murder on a child’s word seemed ridiculous. But maybe Xia Weiyuan had some unique trait that guaranteed truthfulness. If so, Liu Xing could see why Xia Yongzhi trusted him completely. Still, it wasn’t enough reason to kill someone.
"No offense, but you are pretty dumb, clan leader Xia."
Xia Yongzhi’s eyes flared with anger, like a bull ready to charge.
“Even if the boy can’t lie, that doesn’t mean he knows the whole truth. Let me tell you my side, so we can clear up any misunderstandings.”
Liu Xing then told him about his brief encounter with Xia Hongyi, how Xia Hongyi had bullied Xia Weiyuan, and how he had returned with Xia Shizi before fleeing during his fight with the inverted pyramid.
“I think Xia Weiyuan assumed that the hit to the chin killed Xia Hongyi. But the truth is, he was still alive. He even had time to call his uncle.”
After listening to the story, Xia Yongzhi’s anger faded. He stroked his chin, deep in thought. Meanwhile, the guards who had been unconscious began to wake up, quietly sitting behind Xia Yongzhi and casting wary glances at Liu Xing.
“How old are you, clan leader Xia?” Liu Xing asked suddenly.
“I’m twenty-eight,” Xia Yongzhi replied after a pause. “Why do you ask?”
His tone had become more neutral, and Liu Xing could tell that Xia Yongzhi now believed he hadn’t killed his son or brother. It was a good outcome.
“No, just curious,” Liu Xing said.
If Xia Yongzhi was twenty-eight, that meant Xia Hongyi was born when he was around twenty, making Xia Yongzhi a father at the same age Liu Xing was now. For a mortal, that wouldn’t raise any questions, but cultivators had long lifespans. Even if someone remained stuck in the Lock Opening realm, they could live up to a hundred and fifty years. Having a son at twenty was considered unusually early for a cultivator.
Xia Yongzhi’s young age also hinted that either the Xia clan was incredibly weak, allowing someone so inexperienced to lead, or there was a powerful elder backing him. Perhaps both.
“Do you believe what I’ve told you?” Liu Xing asked.
“I admit I jumped to conclusions after hearing Xia Weiyuan’s story,” Xia Yongzhi said, “but you’re still not off the hook.”
“That’s progress,” Liu Xing replied with a nod.
Now seemed like the right time for Liu Xing to ask the question weighing on his mind. Depending on the answer, he might decide to flee and head straight to Whirling Cloud City to hunt for treasures. But if the answer was what he suspected, things were about to get much more complicated.
“Tell me, clan leader, were your son and brother’s bodies missing, with only their arms left behind?”
Xia Yongzhi’s eyes widened at the question. His reaction told Liu Xing everything he needed to know.
“How do you know that?”
“Well, let me tell you what happened in Mystic Moon City,” Liu Xing said.
He didn’t go into every detail, but he told Xia Yongzhi about the deaths of Qian Biaou, Duan Hai, and Bai Lin’s grandson. Though he left out specifics, like the source of his information and the growing suspicion that Wei Yi might be behind the murders, he explained that all the victims had one thing in common: they carried bloodlines.
“Does your clan have a bloodline?”
Xia Yongzhi hesitated for a moment before answering. “Yes, we do. Although not many in the clan can awaken it. My younger brother was one of the few geniuses who did, and my son showed signs of the talent as well.”
Liu Xing pursed his lips. It seems like things are getting complicated.