Murder?
Zhou Man felt something was wrong the moment she saw him covered in blood. Her scalp went numb when she heard this confession.
Thousands of thoughts flashed through her mind, but she didn't ask for the whole story. She said, "Take me to see it."
Cheng Fangzhai then led her out of the village. On the way, she was distracted and almost fell down.
It was the riverside outside the village, overgrown with long grass.
When Zhou Man got there, she saw a person lying on the stone beach with blood pooled beside them. Her heart couldn't help but feel cold. But when she turned the person over, the breath that had been hanging in suspense suddenly loosened.
He was not dead, he was still breathing.
It was the boy from Sun the butcher's family. He'd hit his forehead on the stone by the river, and his face was covered with blood, making him look frighteningly injured.
Zhou Man touched the back of his neck and used her spiritual power to examine him. She knew the person was unconscious, but the injury was not particularly serious.
She thought for a moment and passed a breath of spiritual energy into him, just in case.
Cheng Fangzhai was still in a trance: "Do I have to pay with my life?"
Zhou Man said, "He's not dead, what life should I pay with?"
Thinking of how she'd been frightened by the boy's bloody appearance and words at the door just now, she couldn't help but get angry: "I told you that even if you were a monkey that popped out of a crack in the rock, your cultivation shouldn't be so fast that you can kill someone in two days. It's good enough if you can kill a chicken. That's it? I'm afraid the scar from hitting your head will be more than the size of a copper coin, but it can also be considered murder?"
Cheng Fangzhai was stunned: "He's not dead?"
Zhou Man thought to herself that she had to repeat this again—so what she'd said just now was in vain? She was annoyed for a moment: "Not dead."
Cheng Fangzhai got her confirmation again, and the huge fear he'd harbored before suddenly dissipated, as if all the strength in his body had been drained away. He fell to the ground for a while, his mind blank, without any thoughts.
Seeing this, Zhou Man couldn't help but shake her head: "It's just the sight of blood that scared you like this."
Cheng Fangzhai had just recovered from the sudden ups and downs of this incident, but when he heard her words, he was indignant: "It happened suddenly. Even if he often bullies me, his crime is not punishable by death. The sage said that a gentleman should be afraid—"
Zhou Man interrupted him: "Okay, you're just a child. Be afraid. It's not a shameful thing."
Cheng Fangzhai was a little angry: "Aren't you afraid?"
Zhou Man suspected that she had heard it wrong: "I am afraid?"
Cheng Fangzhai said, "If you weren't afraid, why didn't you even think to ask me about the whole thing?"
Zhou Man: "..."
Cheng Fangzhai continued, "If you weren't scared, why did you turn around and scold me when you saw that he was not dead?"
Zhou Man: "..."
This little nerd was quite observant. Could his brain be so useful?
Her damn pride was playing tricks on her.
Zhou Man stood beside the blood-soaked butcher's boy and suddenly beckoned Cheng Fangzhai, "Come here."
She looked perfectly calm, not at all menacing.
But Cheng Fangzhai suddenly felt frightened, his earlier courage to challenge her vanishing. He shook his head repeatedly, "No, I won't. What do you want?"
Before he could finish his words, Zhou Man, already impatient, reached out.
Cheng Fangzhai suddenly lost control and flew towards her!
Zhou Man grabbed the front of his shirt and lifted him up easily, staring at him with a faint smile: "You little brat, do you know what I'm afraid of?"
Cheng Fangzhai couldn't believe what was happening and reached out to pry her hands away: "You, you let me go!"
Zhou Man didn't move, her voice very soft: "It's okay for me to kill someone. In a world of great strife, killing is inevitable. The only difference is whether I want to kill or not. But you're just a little brat. If I accidentally kill someone and you feel guilty about it, leaving behind demonic obstacles just as you've embarked on the path of cultivation, it would be my fault and a grave mistake."
Cheng Fangzhai was stunned: "Then aren't you still afraid?"
"..."
Zhou Man was silent for a moment, thinking that she shouldn't be angry with a little brat and should be patient.
But looking up at the child's stiff, stunned expression, the veins on her forehead were about to pop out, and she couldn't hold back.
Zhou Man wanted to hit him: "You little brat, don't you understand what I'm saying?"
Cheng Fangzhai was terrified and struggled and cried out.
Before Zhou Man's pretentious fist could land, a dog from one of the village households started barking, as if it had noticed something was happening.
For a moment, both she and Cheng Fangzhai fell silent.
The two, one large and one small, exchanged a glance.
Zhou Man said, "I'll put you down. Will you stop barking?"
Cheng Fangzhai nodded, "Then you can't hit me."
Deal.
Zhou Man released him, and Cheng Fangzhai immediately retreated far away.
Silence reigned in the surroundings, with only the sound of the river flowing and the chirping of insects in the grass.
Zhou Man looked him up and down, finally asking seriously, "Have you read the Shen Zhao Jing?"
Cheng Fangzhai hesitated, then nodded slowly, "Yes."
Not only had he read it, but he had nearly gotten himself into trouble.
That day, when Zhou Man had thrown the book to him, Cheng Fangzhai was completely bewildered. It wasn't until he opened the book that a stream of silver words suddenly appeared in the void, and he was so frightened that he immediately dropped the book to the ground.
It's just that the land of Shuzhou originally had many legends about gods and immortals.
Cheng Fangzhai, a man well-versed in the books of sages, calmed down for a while before realizing that this might be something from the legendary "monk." He bravely picked up the book and secretly brought it home, not daring to let the adults know.
He was still young, after all, and even though he knew a lot of words, he couldn't understand the meaning of many of them. Not to mention the difficult language of the "Shen Zhao Jing," which was like a book of heaven to a child.
It was just strange—
the words he couldn't understand when he opened the book, but as soon as he closed it and lay down on the bed, they all popped into his mind and he couldn't forget them, keeping him awake.
Logically, he would be exhausted the next day after such an ordeal.
But Cheng Fangzhai woke up the next day, not only was his mind clear, but his hearing and eyesight were also sharp, and he could even read much faster than before.
Something had quietly changed within him, but he was unaware of it.
Tonight, the butcher Sun came to see him and said that he would take him to the river to catch fireflies. He even smiled at him and didn't look like he wanted to bully him.
So although Cheng Fangzhai was hesitant, he still agreed.
Unexpectedly, upon arriving, he was grabbed by the head and forced into the river.
Cheng Fangzhai choked on the water and struggled to escape, unable to do so. As his consciousness gradually faded, the words he had read earlier in the Shenzhao Jing suddenly popped into his mind.
He had no recollection of what had happened next.
He only knew that his entire body was suddenly filled with an extraordinary power. When he regained consciousness, Sun the Butcher's boy had collapsed on the riverbank, blood gushing from his forehead, and he couldn't hold it back with his hands.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Man said, "So you panicked and came looking for me, the 'culprit'?"
At this time, Cheng Fangzhai regained his previous cowardly look, his long, wet eyelashes drooping. He whispered, "I know Sister Man gave me the book for my own good, but I don't know who else to turn to..."
Zhou Man snorted, "You're smart."
Cheng Fangzhai asked, "So what should we do now? Should we send him back?"
Zhou Man thought about it and said, "No, leave him here. Someone will find him tomorrow morning."
Cheng Fangzhai was immediately surprised. "How can we do that?"
"Don't worry, his life is not in danger." Zhou Man laughed, paused, and a hint of coldness appeared in her eyes—the look of a person who has seen the ups and downs of human nature. "Normally, you're the one who's afraid of others. From now on, it's their turn to be afraid of you."
People are afraid of me?
Cheng Fangzhai had no idea where this was going. For a moment, he felt as if he was in a cloud of fog. He could only think: I hurt people, I'm in the wrong, I'm not afraid of others, so why would others be afraid of me?
Zhou Man did not explain, but bent down to brush off the grass debris on her clothes, and said: "We don't have a deep connection. It's basically because you send me food and I'm grateful for it. But since you call me sister, I will give you a few words of advice."
Cheng Fangzhai was stunned.
Zhou Man ignored his reaction and continued, "First, don't let anyone know you've practiced the Shenzhaojing. Now that you've acquired the skills, you'll need to carefully consider the consequences before engaging in a fight. Second, you've been able to cultivate your features in just three days, which shows you have considerable talent. If you have the chance in the future, you might want to try Du Caotang. This sect, along with Qingcheng, Emei, and Sanhualou, is known as one of the four great sects of Shuzhou. It's filled with experienced scholars and would be perfect for you."
Cheng Fangzhai stared at her. "Are you leaving?"
Zhou Man finally looked up at him. "Tomorrow."
Ever since he caught the Shenzhaojing she tossed him, Cheng Fangzhai knew she was no ordinary woman. He had a vague premonition that she wouldn't stay in the village for long.
But he hadn't expected it to be so soon.
He had been without friends in the village because of Master Cheng, and only tonight, after the murder incident, had he grown closer to her. Now, upon hearing she was leaving tomorrow, he felt an indescribable sadness.
Cheng Fangzhai asked, "Where are you going?"
Zhou Man casually said, "Jianmen Academy."
She was not a person who cared about trivial matters. Moreover, throwing the "Shenzhaojing" to Cheng Fangzhai was just something she did on a whim. As for the consequences, she did not really care.
After she finished speaking, she turned around and was about to leave.
Cheng Fangzhai took two steps forward and called her, "Sister Man."
Zhou Man turned around and saw him standing by the river, his eyes slightly red, like a small animal abandoned in the mountains, actually a little pitiful.
Cheng Fangzhai asked, "Can I come to you later?"
Zhou Man was silent for a long time, and thought for a long time. In the end, she actually laughed out loud and said, "Come if you have the courage. Wait until you have succeeded in your cultivation and I am still alive."
There was a thrilling meaning hidden in these words. After hearing this, Cheng Fangzhai was stunned by the river for a while, just staring blankly.
Zhou Man put her hands behind her back and walked away in the clear night.
It was clearly a slender figure, but it was like a cold branch under a cold moon, with a kind of aloofness and arrogance of its own.
Zhou Man was originally worried about her upcoming trip to Jianmen Academy, but Cheng Fangzhai's sudden interruption made her forget about it all at once. After returning home, she fell asleep until dawn.
It was not until the next morning that she woke up when there was a knock on the door.
She went out and opened the door to see that the dusty Wei Xuan had brought the same people as last time and was standing outside, as if they had been waiting for a long time.
Zhou Man raised her eyebrows and smiled, "Elder Wei, you are up quite early today."
Wei Xuan had been in Zhongzhou Shendu for the past two weeks, and he was exhausted and worried about the quota.
The Wang family was so large and complicated.
How easy would it be for him to get the quota that originally belonged to the eldest son Wang Gao? Even with the residual influence of the previous head of the family who entrusted the orphan to him, he had offended almost all the members of the main clan, and he still had to find a good excuse to explain to the entire Wang family who the occupied quota would be given to.
After all, the matter of borrowing the sword bone was a top secret and must not be known to others.
It was not until midnight tonight that he suppressed the opposition from all sides and rushed from Zhongzhou overnight, so that he could appear in front of the Zhou family's wooden gate at this hour.
But he didn't expect that this girl seemed to have just woken up?
Wei Xuan couldn't help but admire her determination—she could remain so calm even in the face of major events.
Zhou Man invited them into the house, but there was still no tea.
Wei Xuan didn't waste any words, and took out a note and handed it to Zhou Man: "I have fulfilled the request raised by the young lady. Today, the young lady can enter the Jianmen Academy with this note."
Zhou Man took it and saw that it was a recommendation note from the Wang family.
She said, "Elder Wei is indeed true to his word."
Wei Xuan studied her expression and changed the subject, "However, according to the agreement, you will be in the academy for a year, and you will have a sword bone. If you change your mind and regret it while you're there, we'll be left with nothing."
Zhou Man stared back at him silently, but she had already anticipated this.
After all, how could someone get free access to the Wang family just by having a sword bone? They might be willing to give some money upfront, to give some benefits, but the goal was to take it back.
She already knew what was coming next.
As expected, Wei Xuan solemnly removed a snow-white jade slip from his sleeve, gently placed it on the table with both hands, and said, "This is a heart-contract jade slip. The sword bone is born naturally, and to change it requires the permission of heaven. Therefore, it must be done willingly, and both parties must shed blood as a seal. Once this contract is made, it cannot be revoked. The recipient of the bone has dripped blood on the top of this slip. If you, young lady, have not regretted it and are still willing to reach an agreement with the Wang family and lend the sword bone, please swear in your heart and drip your own blood on the bottom."
Kong Wulu, standing beside him, presented a dagger.
Zhou Man gently took it, examined the dagger's sharp edge, and then turned to gaze at the heart-contract jade slip.
Human thoughts are extremely complex. Powerful cultivators in the world may be able to use a human body as a puppet, but they cannot truly control a person's thoughts.
The recipient of the bone does not need to swear an oath.
But if the person offering the bone is unwilling, no one can force them to swear a vow in their heart.
Therefore, the Heart Contract is the most "willing" of all contracts in the cultivation world.
Once the Heart Contract is signed, half of the Sword Bone is surrendered.
But Zhou Man watched for a moment, then closed her eyes, her expression unchanging. She simply drew a line on her left index finger, silently recited the vow, and gently dripped blood onto the jade slip!
To be reborn, life is a gamble!
From the moment she chose this path, she had no intention of turning back.
For cultivators, the Heart Contract is a powerful binding force, irreversible once signed. But where there are rules in the world, there are loopholes.
Few dare to consider that the validity of a Heart Contract also requires conditions—
for example, both parties must be alive.
If one party, especially the recipient of the bone, were to suffer an accident and die suddenly...
A drop of blood fell from her fingertip onto the jade slip, as if dripping into a pool of water, instantly illuminating it. A bright red streak of blood, at each end, converged towards the center, blending together and, in the blink of an eye, dyeing the jade slip crimson!
Zhou Man watched, her mind wandering to the fact that Jianmen Academy was a prime location for feng shui.
The jade slip's red color signaled a bond.
She set down the dagger, picked up the slip, and returned it to Wei Xuan with both hands, offering a faint smile. "The bond is sealed. Elder, please keep it safe."
Wei Xuan hadn't expected her to be so forthcoming, and for a moment, he was startled. Looking up, he saw a gentle smile on her lips, and for a moment, he couldn't describe the feeling.
Why did she seem so...
kind?
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