Chapter 35

Deception and Caution

Shi Mei observed a group of similarly dressed individuals surrounding the carriage, and from behind them, a young man in a pale purple long robe with tapered sleeves stepped forward.

The young man was handsome and slender, causing Shi Mei to frown slightly, thinking his attire a bit effeminate.

The young man first scrutinized Bai She, then turned his gaze to Shi Mei, who peeked curiously out of the carriage window alongside Xiao Fuzi.

"So it's Leader Bai," the young man said with an even broader smile, bowing to Bai She, "It's been a while. Fu Si greets you."

Bai She's expression, initially neutral, changed to a frown of confusion upon hearing the man identify himself as Fu Si, seemingly puzzled.

Shi Mei noticed clearly that Bai She seemed to recognize this Fu Si.

The Demented Demon, seeing the young man chatting with Bai She, interrupted, "Ah, Fu Si, it's no use talking to him. The half piece of the Jade Buddha must be with him, and that girl with him is also significant. Just capture them both and we'll get the truth."

Shi Mei's eyebrows knitted together, wondering, was this Fu Si really so formidable? The old man spoke as if he could easily defeat Bai She, sounding so arrogant.

"Ah, Demented Elder, don’t be so hasty," Fu Si said with a smile, his tone theatrical, "Leader Bai has a reputation in the martial arts world and extraordinary skills. I had the misfortune of being defeated by him three years ago. Why would I seek more trouble?"

Shi Mei grew more confused, finding Fu Si's every sentence laden with subtext, and his effeminate tone unsettling. She had always been fearless, except when it came to effeminate men; just hearing it made her skin crawl.

"That was just his luck!"

Shi Mei listened and pondered, then suddenly the Demented Elder shouted, "Fu Si, don't worry. Even if you can't handle him alone, together we..."

"Hey, have you no shame, old man?" Shi Mei couldn't hold back anymore, addressing the Demented Elder, "So if you can't beat someone, you gang up on them? Couldn't you have just communicated through a glance instead of saying it out loud? You’re old enough to have some dignity."

The madman's eyes widened, his face showing a hint of embarrassment.

"Haha." Fu Si laughed, nodding at Shi Mei, "The lady speaks rightly. In the martial arts world, we value fair fights, not ganging up on someone. Duels should be honorable and open."

Shi Mei noticed his sarcastic tone, not understanding his implication, as if he was insinuating something more.

"Leader Bai," Fu Si bowed to Bai She, "Speaking of fair fights... since my defeat at your hands three years ago, it took me a year to heal. If we spar again, please be merciful."

Bai She remained silent, and Shi Mei noticed a look of faint disdain in his eyes, deepening her confusion.

"Ha," the Demented Elder scoffed, "Fu Si, don't sell yourself short. Everyone knows Bai She won that time because you were already injured. He took advantage of your weakness, which wasn’t honorable. Besides, you've challenged him several times since, and he's never dared to accept, clearly showing he can't beat you."

Shi Mei felt displeased listening to this. Bai She wasn't that kind of person! Worried, she wondered if there was some untold story between Bai She and Fu Si.

As she was thinking, she noticed Bai She signaling her to get out of the carriage, so she took Xiao Fuzi and stepped out.

Bai She nodded to the carriage driver.

The driver turned the carriage around and quickly departed.

No one tried to stop the driver, as their focus was on Bai She and Shi Mei.

Shi Mei suddenly remembered what the female ghost had told her about Fu Si, one of the four young masters of the martial arts clans, similar in status to the Duan family.

Bai She glanced again at Fu Si, then leaned down to Shi Mei, "Hold the cat tight."

Shi Mei didn't quite understand but instinctively hugged Xiao Fuzi closer.

Just then, Bai She wrapped an arm around her waist and leaped up with her.

Shi Mei was startled.

The Demented Elder stepped forward, shouting, "Trying to run?!"

Bai She, seeing the old man coming after them, jumped over his head with Shi Mei in tow, moving incredibly fast. The elder was taken aback by his agility... such excellent lightness skill! Fu Si also frowned.

The Demented Elder turned back, attempting to block, but Bai She used his arm as a stepping stone, easily leaping onto the rooftop. Shi Mei, still dazed, felt herself whirling in the air and landed on the rooftop with Bai She. Looking down, she saw the Demented Elder jumping and cursing, "Bai She, are you trying to hide like a coward?"

Shi Mei noticed Fu Si looking smug, while Bai She seemed to ignore him, leading her away.

Behind them, the Demented Elder's mocking laughter rang out, "Bai She, you don’t even dare to fight, what kind of Ghost Blade are you? This is laughable!"

Shi Mei was so angry her face turned red. That old rascal was infuriating!

Holding Xiao Fuzi, who was as dizzy as she was, Shi Mei only regained her senses once her feet touched the ground.

After Bai She released her, Shi Mei grumbled, "That old man is so irritating!"

Bai She, however, seemed unperturbed, as if he didn’t care at all.

Shi Mei thought to herself, indeed, and began to scrutinize the jade Buddha closely.

Bai She asked her, "Can you tell if it's real or fake?"

Shi Mei stared at the white jade Buddha for a while, then shook her head, "It's hard to tell from this distance."

Bai She nodded, then pulled Shi Mei closer, placing his hands on her shoulders. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Take a closer look. If it's fake, we'll leave and investigate another lead."

"Oh." Shi Mei perked up at the idea of exploring another lead. She secretly hoped the jade Buddha here was fake, as she couldn't shake the feeling of unfriendly glances and the chilly atmosphere around her.

Behind the madman, his attendants carried the box containing the half-sculpted jade Buddha around the platform for everyone to see.

The madman said, "Experts all know the purpose of this half-sculpted jade Buddha. I won't say much more. There are so many martial arts sects in the Central Plains. If any of you beautiful ladies have the confidence to be the top beauty in the martial world and don't mind an old man like me, come up here and become my wife. As a betrothal gift, I offer this jade Buddha with both hands. Haha."

The martial artists exchanged glances. While they were initially intrigued by the jade Buddha, they hesitated for two reasons: first, its authenticity was questionable, and second, obtaining the jade Buddha required sacrificing a beauty. Even if there was a top beauty in the martial world, marrying her off to this old man seemed like a waste.

Many were hesitant, especially the female disciples of various sects who were reluctant to sacrifice their youth and beauty to an unsavory old man.

Shi Mei strained to see, but from this distance, she couldn't make out the patterns on the jade Buddha's body. She subconsciously moved forward, and although Bai She tried to hold her back, many people were pushing forward, and he couldn't stop her in time.

Bai She furrowed his brow slightly and moved upward. However, at that moment, someone suddenly pushed Shi Mei from behind.

"Oops." Shi Mei was still holding Little Lucky in her arms, afraid to let go in case someone stepped on him. She stumbled a few steps forward, and the crowd happened to part at that moment. Shi Mei walked out, luckily remaining on her feet. She saw that Little Lucky was unharmed, breathed a sigh of relief, and looked around to realize she was outside the crowd. She quickly retreated.

Just then, she heard several girls behind her exclaim, "Hey... this young lady seems to want that jade Buddha."

Shi Mei was puzzled and turned to look. On the stage, the madman laughed, "Hehe, this young lady, raise your head and let this old man have a look. From your figure, you seem quite good."

"It doesn’t matter," Bai She said nonchalantly, making Shi Mei lose any will to be angry.

After a moment, Shi Mei asked, "So, you mean neither Fu Mei nor Fu Si can beat you, right?"

Bai She nodded, "Yes, they are far from my level."

Shi Mei, reassured by his demeanor, recalled that Red Leaves had told her about Bai She's extraordinary martial arts skills, almost unparalleled in their generation, and few of the older generation could match him.

Shi Mei wanted to ask about the 'unfair victory' the elder had mentioned earlier, but seeing Bai She's silence, as if preoccupied with thoughts, she decided not to ask and just walked beside him.

After walking silently for a while, Bai She asked, "Are you tired? Should I rent a horse?"

"No need," Shi Mei replied with a smile, shaking her head.

Seeing her smiling face, Bai She frowned slightly, "I will investigate that old man's intention to harm you, just not today..."

"It's okay," Shi Mei patted his arm generously, "Revenge can wait, he won't get away."

Bai She nodded, but then Shi Mei suddenly suggested, "It's still early to return. How about we go hunting?"

"Now?" Bai She was taken aback.

“Alright, let's go!” Shimei cheerfully turned to leave for the city gates, with Baisha catching up, “It’s quite a distance. Shall we get a horse?”

"No need, I can walk. If I get tired, you can carry me," Shi Mei joked, expecting Bai She to agree as usual. But after a moment of silence, Bai She uttered a single word... "Heavy."

Shi Mei was immediately infuriated. Bai She was calling her fat! After previously calling her a 'sinker,' now he was saying she was heavy. She was livid!

However, by that time, Bai She had already rented a horse from a nearby post station and was taking Shi Mei on horseback towards the distant mountains.

Along the way, Shi Mei sulked and ignored Bai She. He remained expressionless as if nothing had happened, leaving her unsure if he was intentionally irritating her or just being clueless again.

Entering the forest, Baisha suddenly spoke, “Be cautious if you ever encounter the real Fu Si. He’s someone to be wary of.”

Shi Mei, surprised, looked up at Bai She, pleased he was sharing something with her, and asked, "Can you explain more?"

After a moment of silence, Bai She said, "In the martial arts world, the Fu family holds a significant position. Old Master Fu saved my father's life, and I owe him the respect of an uncle."

"Oh," Shi Mei nodded, understanding why he was reluctant to cross anyone from the Fu family.

"The Fu family originally had three sons and two daughters, with the three sons sandwiched between the eldest and youngest daughters. Unfortunately, the second and third sons of the Fu family are both deceased," Bai She explained, looking into the distance, "Fu Er and Fu San were actually decent people."

“How did he die? Was it an illness?” Shimei felt a sense of regret.

"It's hard to say. Coincidence, vendettas of the martial arts world... their deaths were mysterious," Bai She's words carried an ambiguous tone.

Shi Mei frowned slightly, sensing Bai She had doubts about the brothers' deaths.

"So only Fu Si survived? Is he very powerful?"

"Among the three brothers, Fu Si was the most skilled in martial arts."

"How skilled?" Shi Mei asked.

Bai She seemed at a loss, "How to describe it? You don’t understand martial arts."

"Hmm... compare it to animals then. If you're a tiger, compare him to a tiger, a leopard, and Xiao Fuzi," Shi Mei suggested, looking up at him.

Bai She chuckled, then pondered and replied, "In terms of martial arts ranking, he’s about on par with Qin Dai."

"That skilled?" Shi Mei was astonished.

Bai She was also surprised, "You know Qin Dai is powerful?"

"Yes," Shi Mei nodded, "Red Leaves mentioned his prowess."

"But in reality, Fu Si's skills don't match Qin Dai's," Bai She explained, "Rankings in the martial arts world can be deceiving, more like something to fool children... but overall, Fu Si is considered a master."

"High martial skills combined with a bad character would be a terrible combination," Shimei expressed her concern.

"Fu Si is one of the rare individuals in the martial world with an impeccable reputation," Baisha surprisingly revealed, "He is respected for his loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, righteousness, and competence. He’s held in much higher esteem than I am, and as for Qin Dai, who’s recognized as a scoundrel, there's no comparison."

Shimei, stifling a laugh, said, "How could that be? Both of you are good people."

Baisha, sitting behind her, saw Xiaofuzi playing with Shimei’s hair that had fallen over her shoulder and helped gather it back for her.

Shimei's ears flushed with embarrassment, just as Xiaofuzi's paw playfully swatted at her. She caught its paws and asked Baisha, "If he’s so well-regarded, why should I be wary of him?"

Baisha shook his head, "He may be good and well-liked, but something about him feels off."

"Intuition?" Shimei looked up at him, not understanding his point.

Baisha spoke earnestly, "There is no one without flaws in this world. Those who can hide their flaws are the most dangerous."

Shimei paused, then nodded, "That makes sense!" Seeing Baisha's concerned look, she patted him, "Don’t worry. I'm not involved in the martial world; there shouldn't be any complications."

Baisha nodded, "I hope so."

Seeing that Baisha didn’t mind discussing the matter, Shimei asked, "About what that mad old man said earlier – that you had a martial arts duel with him – what’s that about?"

Baisha paused, then explained, "Oh, that year Fu’s father retired and sent out invitations for his farewell event. When we got there, Fu Si challenged me to a spar. I didn’t think much of it and agreed. But on the day of the duel, many from the martial world came to watch, and rumors spread that I had challenged Fu Si."

Shimei frowned, "Why would they say that? It was him who challenged you!"

Baisha shook his head indifferently, "During the duel, Fu Si lost and even got hit by my palm. I didn’t use my internal strength, yet he ended up coughing up blood."

Shimei's eyes widened in surprise.

"I later found out that Fu Si had been injured a few days earlier while leading a group against bandits. He was outnumbered and got hurt in the skirmish. He sparred with me while injured," Baisha explained, then added thoughtfully, "But I didn't notice anything amiss. Logically, if he was seriously injured, I should have realized it as soon as we crossed hands."

Shimei laughed, "He must have been pretending! I get it now. That's why the rumors turned against you, suggesting you took advantage of his injury for a duel at his home, making it seem as if you seized the opportunity while he was vulnerable.”

Baisha nodded, "Something like that."

Shimei said coldly, "He's using you as a stepping stone. Such a schemer."

Bai She raised an eyebrow but didn't say much more. Shi Mei then asked, "So, you just let it go like that?"

Bai She looked at her, puzzled, "What else should I do?"

Shi Mei frowned, "So you just let him step all over you? If someone wants to make a name for themselves, they shouldn’t exploit others. You need to get even!"

Bai She laughed and looked into the distance, asking Shi Mei, "Do you want pheasant or rabbit?"

"What pheasant or rabbit?" Shi Mei was indignant on Bai She's behalf, disliking such behavior. Despite Bai She's usual astuteness, he seemed indifferent to such slights at crucial moments.

"Why don’t you teach the Fu family a lesson?" Shi Mei was even more displeased, "And not accepting his challenge, did that give Fu Si more room to maneuver?"

Bai She shook his head, "Fu Si is now the sole heir of the Fu family. My father was very displeased with me for injuring him back then and forbade me from ever laying a hand on the Fu family again."

Shi Mei frowned, somewhat exasperated by Bai She’s father's stance... but surprised that Bai She actually feared his father, she asked, "So, where's your father now? Back home? Can't you reason with him?"

Bai She smiled, "I would have to go down below to find him."

Upon realizing what he meant, Shi Mei quickly apologized, "He's passed away? I shouldn’t have asked."

"It's fine, everyone dies eventually," Bai She replied, then asked again, "So, pheasant or rabbit?"

Shimei suddenly looked up at Baisha with a sly smile, causing him to feel a bit uneasy.

……

Sure enough, after catching two rabbits, Baisha went on to catch a pheasant, cleaning it by the river.

Shi Mei, hugging Xiao Fuzi, fed leaves to the rabbits, planning to take them home to raise.

The roasted pheasant was incredibly delicious, and Shi Mei ate with relish, commenting, "Mmm, so tasty. Let's bring Zan Yue and Red Leaves next time."

Bai She nodded, only to hear Shi Mei suddenly say with some bravado, "Hey, Bai She."

It was the first time she addressed him by his full name, surprising him. He turned to look at her, seeing her smiling, "Next time you have to deal with Fu Si, take me with you. I'll stand up for you."

Bai She's face broke into a smile, "And how would you stand up for me?"

"I'll help you restore your reputation!" Shi Mei declared, "I have my ways with such people! It doesn't matter if I defy your father's wishes. We're close, right? It's only natural I help if someone bullies you."

As she spoke, Shi Mei patted Bai She's shoulder, resulting in a loud "slap," causing both to freeze...

Quickly withdrawing her hand, Shi Mei then saw a greasy paw print on Bai She's pristine white shirt.

Bai She looked at the conspicuous five-fingered imprint on his shirt with a complex expression.

Shi Mei was about to apologize when suddenly... they heard the clashing of swords and shouts from a distance. A fight had broken out!

Bai She quickly discerned the direction of the sounds, mounted the horse, and reached out to pull Shi Mei up.

Shi Mei extended her hand and realized her fingers were still oily. Looking around with no place to wipe them, she reluctantly decided against using her skirt. Then, an idea struck her, and she rubbed her fingers twice on the white belly fur of Xiao Fu Zi. Bai She, torn between laughter and tears, pulled her onto the horse, while Xiao Fu Zi, feeling wronged, licked his belly fur.

Following the sounds of battle into the woods, they soon saw two groups fiercely fighting in a clearing, their battle intense and evenly matched.

Shi Mei recognized one of the groups; they were the same people from the Duan family they had encountered at the pavilion while eating crabs.

……