Chapter Notes:
Recap: "Now that he has grown his wings, did he truly forget this lowly teacher of his..?" The azure-haired master sighed as he watched the illusory being flutter into nothingness. While the team of cultivators diligently collected evidence to solve the murder mystery in a small village.
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"Shidi, did you realize something back in the cave? Is that why you rushed ahead of me?" Bai Feng was still frowning at his junior's rash actions.
"My apologies Shixiong.. It might just be a coincidence but I had to make sure.. As you know, we visited the chief's home a few times. And during those meetings, we happened to catch a glimpse of his daughter. She was unnaturally thin, and seemed very sickly so we instinctively asked about her condition." the junior started his explanation.
"The chief told us that he had a lot of medics come and check up on her, but no one succeeded in curing her. And as he was telling her story, he showed us a painting of her. It was quick but I happened to see the name written at the bottom of the scroll and.. The same name was carved into the tombstone.." hearing the eldest talk about their findings, the two teenagers protested why they didn't bring them to the cave.
The young adult was busy calming his fellow disciples down while Bai Feng frowned his eyebrows, going over all the information they had collected so far.
"Shixiong..?" the oldest of the three called out.
"When you visited the chief, did you feel something out of place?" the informant crossed his arms in deep thought.
The three juniors looked at each other before shaking their heads.
"It's almost time for you three to report to the chief right?" the cedar-haired beauty stared at a particular girl's profile in their villagers' report.
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Not long after, the team knocked on the door of the chief's home. Slightly opening his door, the chief beamed when seeing the cultivators. He gave a warm welcome before sitting down, wearing a concerned expression.
"So is there any progress with the investigation?" the village leader asked as he served tea to his guests.
The team discussed all the findings they had, except for a few facts that Bai Feng told them not to reveal. As the younger ones kept the man busy with their report, the informant kept glancing at a door just behind the chief.
"Is there something on my face, esteemed cultivator?" the man asked in confusion.
"I'm very sorry for being rude, but if I may ask, what are you keeping in that room over there?" the cedar-haired beauty asked politely.
The chief apologized and told Bai Feng that it is his daughter's room. But since she is ill, she would not be accepting any visits.
"I'm sorry for not introducing myself properly. I am from a family of medicine, maybe I can be of help." as much as the informant hated using his family for leverage, he had to use any opportunity he could.
The informant shamelessly walked over and was about to open the door but he was quickly blocked by the village chief.
"It's alright, all the best medics have told us that her disease is incurable.. So even if you are a medic.. Anyways, I have matters to attend to soon, if that is everything then I will have to excuse myself.." the man said with utmost politeness yet Bai Feng could tell the nervousness and anger he was holding within.
Finally, the young ones caught on, it is indeed weird that the chief is trying so hard to hide his daughter even after Shixiong offered to check up on her. If he was desperate to cure his daughter, he would definitely take any sort of help.
Bai Feng lowered his head and then stepped away from the chief before letting out a blast of energy.
"Of course, pardon us for the intrusion. We will take our leave then." the informant gave his business smile, as a gentle breeze blew past the chief.
Wind? But all the windows are closed.. The man pondered.
As the team returned to their hut, the informant suddenly spoke up.
"Be prepared to fight tonight.." was all Bai Feng said before closing his eyes to meditate.
True enough, that night the shadow came back. The silhouette of the girl was trying to pry through one of the barriers cast by Bai Feng's talisman.
"So you were sealed beyond that door.. That's why there were no attacks during the time we were gone.." the cedar-haired beauty looked straight into the young girl's eyes.
The girl bared her sharp talons and swung at the informant but his juniors quickly blocked her claws with their swords. The sounds of metal clanging can soon be heard.
"We can't pierce through her skin.. Why is it so tough?!" the teenagers gritted their teeth as they struggled to keep the young girl in place.
The strong grip of the woman almost shattered their swords, so Bai Feng pulled out a talisman in order to seal her. However, feeling the informant's energy, the girl immediately fled in fear. The team once again tried to pursue the girl but was stopped by their senior.
"This will end tomorrow." the cedar-haired beauty said before the group heard the sound of a glass breaking.
"Why do you always let her escape Shixiong?" the teenagers complained in frustration.
"I could have sealed her away from our first encounter. But that won't truly bring a close to this case. There is something else we need to confront. Have patience" the golden-eyed man explained.
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After gathering enough information over the past couple of weeks, the team was finally ready to bring the case to a close. Bai Feng knocked on the village leader's home but the chief barely opened the door.
"I'm sorry, my daughter is very sick so I won't be accepting any visits today." The man replied and was about to close the door when Bai Feng caught the door and let himself in.
"This is trespassing! Even if you are from a distinguished family, this is unacceptable!" the chief shouted in anger.
"And keeping a living corpse under your home is acceptable?" the cedar-haired man walked past the man and went into the room where the corpse was sealed.
"Dear, that's enough.." the wife of the chief finally stepped out of the shadows in fear.
"What corpse? That is our daughter.. She is just sick, I don't know what you're talking about..." the man said in desperation.
"Even if she is "alive" in your books, she is not the daughter you used to know. Look at how you are sealing her in place. You must have noticed that she is.." the cedar-haired beauty was quickly punched in the face by the chief.
"YOU DON'T KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO LOSE A DAUGHTER!" the chief started to sob.
Feeling the intense emotion as the middle-aged man cried, the corpse suddenly swung her sharp claws at the chief.
"I'm sorry for your loss.." the golden-eyed man covered for the man as his robes started to stain red. The corpse was about to bite into Bai Feng but luckily his juniors leaped in front of the cedar-haired beauty and blocked the attack from the undead.
"We realized that her targets are mostly young women. But who knows if her hostility could grow, since a vicious corpse tends to feed on strong emotions, like just now. If you keep her here, you may lose more people you love." the informant explained.
"Gongzi you should get treated! You're bleeding a lot!" the chief referred to the deep gashes on the informant's back.
"Shi Xiong we can't contain her much longer!" the three disciples had created a barrier to stop the corpse from moving but it was slowly clawing its way out.
"Besides, the longer you keep her body here as a living corpse, the longer her soul will continue to wander lost in this world. It must be painful, unable to pass on like that." Bai Feng continued his explanation.
"This is not the time— Wait I'm.. causing my daughter pain?" hearing the informant's explanation, the chief finally understood what he had done. Naturally, his fury died down as reason started to settle in his mind.
"Dear.. Please let her go.. Let's end this.. Our daughter is a gentle soul, she wouldn't want to hurt people like this.." the wife hugged her husband in tears.
The informant then threw a talisman at the girl and it flashed a bright light, stunning the fierce corpse before she collapsed onto the ground.
"My apologies, a second longer, and we all would have been shredded into pieces. Would you like to leave any last words to your daughter?" the cedar-haired man offered and the chief nodded in desperation.
"Tell her I'm sorry if I had caused her any pain, I just wanted my daughter back.. I never wished for any harm to happen.. And I apologize for the fear I caused in the village.. Also for your injury esteemed cultivator.."
The chief then explained that his daughter was about to be married to a young village head from a neighboring area, yet one day was poisoned by her group of friends during her farewell presumably due to jealousy. Unable to process their grief properly, they hired a shady cultivator who promised to bring her back to life.
At first, they were happy to see their daughter awake again, but of course, the pair quickly realized it was too good to be true. Night after night, their daughter would go out and try to seek revenge on the ones who conspired to kill her. The mysterious fires were set by the chief himself to get rid of the evidence. Fully grasping what they had done, the chief and his wife packed his belongings and left the village out of guilt.
The team then buried the girl's body somewhere deep in the forest, sealed in a coffin to ensure that no one would attempt to revive her body again. Then Bai Feng relayed the father's message to the young woman's spirit before the team helped her to pass on.
"Tell him to live a long, healthy life. And to take care of mom. Also, tell my father that I'm not angry at him" the girl's soul spoke to Bai Feng.
"I'll make sure to let him know" and with that, the girl's soul dissipated.
Bai Feng released one of his golden butterflies to find the father and the group came back to the village just to make sure everything was alright.
"Shixiong.." the eldest of the three winced while he cleaned the gashes left by the fierce corpse on Bai Feng's back.
"This is nothing" the cedar-haired beauty reassured.
As the team was walking past the village gates the next day, they were greeted by families who were grateful for their help.
"It's nothing much, but would you like to come inside for tea?" familiar faces offered the team.
Bai Feng was about to decline but the youngsters had already nodded and looked back at their senior.
"Shixiong? Not coming?" The eldest of the three called out.
"..Right behind you" the golden-eyed man replied.
Don't consume anything without my cue. The cedar-haired beauty warned before following his juniors inside.
The team had a pleasant talk with the family of three they rescued, the small family was very thankful that the issue had been resolved. Unfortunately, in a small community like this village, rumors spread too quickly. And the truth of the case has been revealed in the worst way possible.
The village chief whom they had depended on for years, the one they looked up to, became the public enemy once the news broke out. The village quickly appointed a new leader and just like that, everything returned to normal.
While the others were talking, Bai Feng eyed the treats on the plate.
"Is there something wrong?" The young woman asked in confusion.
"You left some poison powder over here." The golden-eyed beauty dragged his fingers over the fine white dust.
"Poison? That's just plain flour.. Fear not esteemed cultivator," the air suddenly became tense as the informant blurted such a bold accusation.
"There must be a misunderstanding here.. Right?" The father looked at his daughter in confusion.
"Well, let us find out." Bai Feng pulled out a silver needle and was about to eat the treat.
"Don't! I'm sorry.. I thought.. the moment you knew about the incident you would kill me.. But when I realize you don't hold any hostility.. I.. I regret it! Please don't eat the treats.. I never planned to kill her either.. But the other girls.." The girl finally caved in.
"The chief said that he would seek refuge in a neighboring village. Whenever you have the time, make sure to check up on them and spend time with the couple. Maybe you can help fill the void of them losing their only daughter." Bai Feng spoke up before standing up to leave.
"We're very sorry and thank you.." the family bowed deeply to the team in shame.
"Shixiong.. We're sorry.." the juniors said in unison.
"What are you sorry for?" The cedar-haired beauty tilted his head.
"You almost ingested poison just to teach us a lesson.." the oldest spoke up.
"There are a lot of dangers you might not detect. And do not fret, it's simply my responsibility as your Shixiong to not only protect but also to guide and educate you three." The golden-eyed man replied.
"We still have work to do. Come along now" the senior commanded.
As the team sets up a barrier surrounding the area, the informant suddenly breaks a cough, alerting his juniors.
"Shi Xiong! Are you alright? Did you get poisoned after all?" the eldest of the three came to check on the golden-eyed man.
"I did not.. You three should rest easy, there shouldn't be any problem incoming." the cedar-haired beauty reassured.
But of course, the young man never failed to notice the faint trace of blood on Bai Feng's lips that night.
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Author's Notes:
Hope you enjoyed reading 'Vengeance' <3 Votes and comments are highly appreciated!
Interaction time! What do you guys think is going on with Bai Feng?
A) He actually got poisoned from fighting the corpse
B) He overused his powers
C) Others: ________