Bloodkiller - Chapter 21

Chapter 21: So Real It Deceives

His words were spoken lightly, but with a biting edge. Yao Chuan was momentarily dazed, but soon realized that Lin Yi truly was that woman’s flesh and bl00d. Despite the deep hatred between them, they shared an undeniable similarity—the deeper the love, the fiercer the hate.

Lin Yi let out a light laugh and said, “Whoever takes this poison must take the first dose of antidote within a month, only then can they barely cling to life. Even so, the poisoned person will suffer from weak limbs, muddled thoughts, and irritability even when clear-headed. That’s why it’s called ‘Soul-Refining.’ To truly be cured, a second antidote is required. You asked how I deal with that woman—this is my answer.”

Yao Chuan asked, “You used the poison to threaten her. Then… the establishment of ‘Mei Manor’ outside—is it because she exchanged Qingfeng Stronghold for the first dose of the antidote?”

Lin Yi lightly patted Yao Chuan’s cheek and smiled. “Brother Chuan, you’re as sharp as ever. That’s right—Qingfeng Stronghold is crucial to me. I couldn’t let that vile woman destroy it!”

Hearing him call him “Brother Chuan,” Yao Chuan knew his mood had improved and continued, “And you never gave her the second dose?”

“I wanted to,” Lin Yi replied, “but unfortunately… she refused the deal.”

Yao Chuan frowned. “Why? What did you ask for?”

Lin Yi waggled a finger in front of him. “A jade talisman—something my father left behind.”

“What’s its significance?”

Lin Yi lowered his voice. “Do you still remember the origin of my Lin family’s Qingfeng Stronghold?”

Yao Chuan thought for a moment, then asked, “Could it be… related to the royal family?”

This time, Lin Yi laughed even more heartily. “Exactly. People only know that Emperor Taizu once made a pact with my ancestor Lin Qiao at Qingfeng Pavilion. But the content of the agreement? No one knows. It’s not something earth-shattering—just that Lin Qiao, fearing future changes, asked Taizu for a token, a jade talisman.”

“With that talisman, one could meet the emperor of the Qi Dynasty without bowing—and… could request one favor.”

“Really, it’s more of a safeguard. Thankfully, Taizu was a true hero and never betrayed that trust.”

Yao Chuan nodded. “A hero recognizing another. So, it’s basically a get-out-of-jail-free card. No wonder she wouldn’t trade it for the antidote.”

“No,” Lin Yi said, “my father told me this talisman’s purpose was only to be passed to Lin family descendants. That woman could not possibly know its true value… so I don’t understand why she refused the exchange.”

Yao Chuan suddenly had a strange thought: Could it be because the talisman was Lin Senior’s keepsake? If so, did Madam Mei… truly love him?

He sighed silently, then remembered something. “If this is all a secret, why are you telling me?”

Lin Yi sighed dramatically and feigned sorrow. “Brother Yao is disappointed in me—if I don’t bare my soul now, who knows what else you might think of me…”

Yao Chuan chuckled. “You lied to me first, and now you’re blaming me?”

Though he said that, joy welled up inside him. Lin Yi’s past deceptions were nothing compared to this moment of genuine trust. Yao Chuan thought, So long as we’re of one heart, no danger ahead is too great. Even in a world of schemes, what’s there to fear?

Lin Yi smiled and said, “I want the jade talisman. And I want the Red Epiphyllum. As for how to get them—I’ve made my plans. But let’s not talk about that. Brother Yao, there’s something else I need your advice on.”

Yao Chuan thought of Lin Yi’s intelligence network—stronger than even Mei Manor’s. But since he’d never brought it up, Yao Chuan hadn’t asked. Now curious, he teased, “Is there anything in this world the young master doesn’t know?”

Lin Yi snorted. “I only know a few petty tricks, no need to mock me. Besides, this is important—I really need your help.”

His expression turned serious. Yao Chuan couldn’t tell if he was being genuine or not, so he asked, “What is it?”

Lin Yi mused for a moment. “Brother Yao, do you remember that manual, Heaven’s Light Treasure Mirror? I skimmed a few pages, but… I couldn’t understand the moves at all.”

Yao Chuan frowned. “Why are you still so obsessed with that thing? It’s dangerous—you shouldn’t even look at it!”

“That’s a bit narrow-minded,” Lin Yi said. “In my view, martial arts only differ in strength, not in morality. Besides, you’ve never even read it. How do you know it’s evil?”

Yao Chuan couldn’t win that argument. And seeing Lin Yi’s smiling face, he couldn’t stay angry either.

Lin Yi continued, “It’s late now—dinner must be ready. We’ve both had a rough few days. Let’s eat first. Later, come to my room and we can properly study Heaven’s Light Treasure Mirror together, all right?”

His tone was so sincere that Yao Chuan didn’t object. He only thought, Tonight, I’ll make sure he gives up on that evil path!

…

After some roughhousing, the sun was already high in the sky.

Lin Yi shooed Yao Chuan out of his room, cleaned up carefully, and by the time he finished, he was starving. Fortunately, Yao Chuan had already had food prepared. When he opened the door, Yao Chuan stepped in with a food box, ignoring his surprised look.

“Why bring it in here? Why not eat in the front hall?” Lin Yi asked.

Yao Chuan hesitated. “You seemed tired. I figured you didn’t want to see people. So I brought it in. Unless… you’d rather eat out front?”

Despite his calm words, Yao Chuan couldn’t forget Lin Ying’s complicated expression from earlier.

Lin Yi shook his head and asked, “Why is it just porridge and vegetables?”

He poked around the dishes, clearly displeased.

Qingfeng Stronghold was wealthy, and Yao Chuan, having spent time with Lin Yi, knew the young master had been spoiled since childhood—his father’s doting was famous across the martial world. Still, Lin Yi was never a brat; on their journey, he’d eaten hard bread without complaint, even gone hungry for days.

Back home now, perhaps some of that pampered pride had returned. Thinking this, Yao Chuan felt a pang of affection and said, “Given your condition, it’s best to avoid heavy food for a few days.”

Lin Yi paused, then shot him a look. “Spare me the lectures, culprit.”

Despite grumbling, he finished a whole bowl of porridge. Yao Chuan cleared the dishes and, seeing Lin Yi’s color improve, asked, “Last night you swore to get both the Red Epiphyllum and the jade talisman. But Madam Mei wouldn’t even trade the talisman for the antidote—why would she give it up now? She knows we need her, so she’ll surely demand a steep price. What exactly do you plan for tomorrow? And what’s the important item you mentioned back at the stronghold?”

He asked earnestly. But to his surprise, Lin Yi suddenly lowered his head and stared at the table’s leftovers, refusing to meet his eyes.

Yao Chuan grew suspicious—Lin Yi never hesitated when lying, yet now he was acting sheepish?

He must have something hard to say, Yao Chuan thought.

Sure enough, Lin Yi sighed. “Fine. I was going to tell you anyway.”

He turned and looked at Yao Chuan. “There’s one more thing. Something Madam Mei definitely wants.”

Yao Chuan asked, “What is it?”

Lin Yi licked his lips. “If I tell you, promise you won’t get mad.”

Yao Chuan said nothing, just stared.

Lin Yi leaned in and whispered, “She’s also searching for the Bl00d-Drinking Blade. I don’t know why, but she’s spent a fortune trying to find it.”

Yao Chuan’s brow furrowed. A terrible suspicion crept into his mind. He grabbed Lin Yi’s wrist and demanded, “When did you find this out? Tell me the truth!”

After a pause, Lin Yi admitted, “…Before we went to Hangzhou.”

Yao Chuan flared up. “You were planning to trade the blade for the talisman all along, weren’t you? I’m telling you—this blade is a sacred heirloom of my sect. Even if—”

Lin Yi quickly grabbed his hand and interrupted, “That was then—this is now. Back then, Uncle Fang had just contacted me, and yes, I had that selfish thought. But really—think about it. You’re no ordinary man. Could I really take the blade from you? Besides, if I had done that, it would mean severing ties with Shuanglong Sect. Do you think I’m that disloyal?”

Still fuming, Yao Chuan snapped, “You always calculate your moves. You were just afraid to lose more than you’d gain.”

But Lin Yi wasn’t offended. Seeing Yao Chuan turn away, he held his hand tighter and said softly, “Brother Yao… Brother Chuan… They say judge people by actions, not thoughts. Even if I coveted the blade, I never disrespected you. And now I’ve told you everything—must you still be angry?”

Yao Chuan kept a cold face. “So your plan for tomorrow is to trade the blade for the flower?”

Lin Yi smiled. “That brat Qian isn’t worth your blade. Such a trade would be a disgrace.”

Yao Chuan was just about to scold him for being heartless when Lin Yi added, “As for the talisman—aren’t you curious how I managed to outmaneuver her spy network?”

Yao Chuan frowned. “You’re far too clever for me to figure out.”

“I’m no god,” Lin Yi replied. “How could I operate under her nose without help? Naturally—I had someone on the inside.”

“You have an informant?”

“Indeed. Thanks to that person, the talisman is already in my hands. As for the Red Epiphyllum—I don’t care about it. But if you need it, I’ll do whatever it takes. I have a plan. Still, Mei Xin is crafty. She’s using the flower as bait—but for what? I can’t be sure yet. If we can trade for it with the antidote, that’s best. If not—I’ll need to borrow your blade. Not truly, of course, but as a decoy.”

“In Hangzhou, I took measurements of the blade, just in case. I sent the specs to Ying, and she had a fake made.”

Yao Chuan didn’t react to the fake at first, only asking, “Why are you so sure she’ll trade the flower for the blade? Also—Madam Mei knows everything about the martial world. Why hasn’t she traced the real blade to me?”

Lin Yi snorted. “Where do you think Mei Manor came from? Those intelligence reports—who gathered them? She’s just someone’s eyes and ears in the martial world.”

Then, staring directly at Yao Chuan, he said, “It’s not her looking for the blade—it’s someone behind her. To them, a few flowers mean nothing. And as for why they haven’t targeted your sect… have you ever considered—they might not be after your blade at all, but the one Jiang Lianbo took back then?”

Yao Chuan froze, a chill spreading through him. If that’s true, then someone’s been laying this trap for years. Just how powerful is this person, to influence the entire martial world?

His thoughts spiraled—he remembered the blade-seller, the Qian massacre, the jade token on “Chef Xu,” the “Silver Axe Duo” and their mysterious benefactor…

Yao Chuan whispered, “Tomorrow really is critical.”

He didn’t say more. But both knew: tomorrow would decide everything. If Mei Xin gave up even a few truths, they would finally be close to uncovering it all.

Silence fell.

Seeing Yao Chuan’s troubled look, Lin Yi said, “By the way, Brother Yao. The fake blade—I had Ying keep it. I haven’t seen it myself yet. She said it’s nearly identical to the real one. Shall we take a look? See if the master himself can tell the difference?”

Yao Chuan looked up.

Then Lin Yi chuckled. “What’s the use of overthinking? If they’ve schemed for years and we’re still no match—then so be it. If we die, we die. No shame in that.”

Yao Chuan laughed aloud. “So carefree, are you? Still—living as a man means having attachments.”

He looked at Lin Yi. “I can’t let go. Especially not my master and junior sister. But if I had to die—dying by your side wouldn’t be so bad. All right, young master—let me see this fake blade of yours.”

They shared a smile.

…

Lin Ying welcomed them into Qingfeng Stronghold’s “Treasure Vault.” “This blade was forged by Yang Wuwang of ‘Autumn Water Pavilion.’ Its shape, size, and weight match the specifications. I hid it among the weapons here.”

Inside were hundreds of weapons—blades, spears, shields, halberds—a dizzying sight.

Yao Chuan scanned the room and focused on a pile of worn blades on the ground. He pointed. “Miss Lin, is it this one?”

“Petty tricks can’t fool Hero Yao,” she smiled.

She picked it up, wiped it clean, and revealed a redwood scabbard beneath. “The young master said it’s very important. I figured the best way to hide it… was in plain sight. Still, you spotted it instantly.”

Lin Yi laughed. “You always have clever ideas. But no one knows this blade better than Hero Yao!”

Yao Chuan smiled, said nothing, and took the blade. He weighed it, unsheathed it, and performed two strikes before shaking his head. “The look is right, but it’s too light—and lacks edge.”

Lin Yi nodded. “It’s ordinary steel. No match for a sacred weapon. But good enough to fool outsiders. Brother Yao—could I try this one? I wouldn’t dare handle the real one.”

“If you want it, take the real one. Why treat me like a stranger?” Yao Chuan laughed, his eyes fixed warmly on Lin Yi.

Seeing their exchange, Lin Ying looked slightly uncomfortable. She said, “Since the fake blade’s safely delivered, I’ll take my leave. Young master—ahem—do take care of your health.”

Lin Yi was puzzled. Just as he turned to ask, she’d already slipped out. He frowned in confusion, but when Yao Chuan cleared his throat, saying, “Didn’t you want to try it? Take my blade then,” Lin Yi lit up.

Seeing the treasured blade, he forgot the small matter from before and beamed. “Excellent! Brother Yao, please give me some pointers!”

Yao Chuan smiled. “Naturally. Let’s go to the courtyard.”

They exchanged hundreds of blows. Lin Yi still wanted more, but seeing the sweat on his brow, Yao Chuan worried he’d overexerted himself.

“Your body needs rest. That’s enough for today.”

Lin Yi pouted, visibly displeased. But he sheathed the blade and sighed, “What a fine weapon! Only a hero like you deserves it, Brother Yao.”