Daishan Turns The Wind Chapter 3

The Painter’s Case (3)

Zhao Zisheng cursed hatefully and was about to rush off to find someone, saying, “I knew it! The murderer is Second Master Wang.”

Feng Yuluo said, “Calm down first. Knowing it was murder doesn’t mean the murderer is Second Master Wang.”

Zhao Zisheng argued, “She barely left the estate. How could an outside killer sneak in and murder her? This kind of thing is usually…” She was too agitated to speak clearly. “It has to be Second Master Wang!”

Shan Wuzhou handed her a pill and said softly, “Split it in half. Crush one half and rub it on the poisoned hand. Give the other half to Yan Xin.”

This sudden instruction calmed Zhao Zisheng. She took the pill blankly, thanked him, and applied it to Yan Xin. The swelling and redness immediately subsided.

She spoke to the person in the coffin, “Rest assured, I will definitely avenge you.”

When she stood up again, she was composed and asked what they should do next.

Feng Yuluo was actually stumped too. He squatted for a while and sighed. Although he didn’t have much magical power, he was a cultivator after all. He knew a bit of various minor techniques, and his ultimate skill was the Wandering Thought Technique.

Unlike other powerful cultivators who entered the Dao through the sword, Feng Yuluo entered the Dao through the Wandering Thought Technique, which resulted in low magical power.

During the continuous wars, when demons and monsters ran rampant and the world was chaotic, pressure multiplied. Under extreme suffering, the human instinct for self-preservation would generate a Wandering Thought Illusion, giving themselves a space to breathe.

But the mortal world was cruel, and the illusion was often too beautiful. People would frequently become addicted to the fantasy and refuse to wake up. As their physical bodies withered and died, the person would perish completely.

Feng Yuluo studied these illusions and created the Wandering Thought Technique, which allowed him to enter another person’s Wandering Thought Illusion and wake up those who had rested enough, preventing death.

Later, when peace prevailed, most people became self-sufficient, extreme suffering lessened, and fewer people fell into illusions. Not many people inherited the Wandering Thought Technique; only a few dozen interested disciples at Feng Mountain practiced it as an auxiliary skill, with their main focus being the Dao of the Sword.

Feng Yuluo himself improved the Wandering Thought Technique and combined it with various other minor techniques. It worked for catching demons, fighting ghosts, and taking down ten demon leaders was no problem.

But the absence of demonic energy meant the killer wasn’t a monster; it was a human. That meant they had to investigate a case. He heard that solving cases involved meticulous analysis, following clues, understanding cause and effect, and conducting interviews… He knew nothing about this. What should he do?

He couldn’t just ignore it. Everyone else believed it was some Infant Spirit claiming lives and thought there was no solution, so they stopped investigating. If he did the same, these seven people would have died unjustly. Moreover, there might be more victims in the future.

He looked at Shan Wuzhou, who also seemed lost. Feng Mountain taught swordsmanship; Shan Wuzhou’s swordsmanship was arguably among the top three in the world, but they didn’t teach case investigation. He didn’t know how.

The three of them huddled together, brainstorming for a while, and decided to try and trick that bastard, Second Master Wang.

Second Master Wang was sleeping soundly when a drop of water hit his forehead and woke him up. He mumbled something, touched his head, and the sticky feeling on his hand completely startled him awake.

It was blood!

Second Master Wang scrambled up, looking around the room warily.

“Creak.”

A chill ran through him. He looked at the doorway in terror, sweat instantly soaking his clothes, sticking to him like a thousand ants gnawing at his heart.

“Yan… wife.”

Zhao Zisheng was standing in the doorway, wearing the same burial clothes as Yan Xin, her hair disheveled, holding a candlestick. Her entire face was grayish-green, looking terrifying.

She wanted to ask, “Husband, why did you kill me?” but the word “husband” disgusted her, so she only asked the second half.

Second Master Wang frantically retreated into the corner, covering himself with the blanket. “I didn’t! It wasn’t me, it wasn’t me!”

Zhao Zisheng looked back at the two people hiding behind her. Feng Yuluo signaled her to continue the scare. Shan Wuzhou conjured a slight breeze to pull the blanket off.

“You pushed me into the water! I trusted you so much, yet you wanted to kill me!”

Second Master Wang’s face turned crimson, and he shrieked, “It was the Infant Spirit! It wanted to kill you, I didn’t tell it to!”

Zhao Zisheng grew impatient and took a sudden step forward. “Who is this Infant Spirit? Why did it harm me?”

“I don’t know, I’ve never seen it. It wants to claim a life and find a replacement.”

Zhao Zisheng said sharply, “So you let it claim my life so you could swallow my dowry.”

Second Master Wang stammered, sweat pouring down his face.

Zhao Zisheng was certain Second Master Wang was the killer, but she just couldn’t get a confession. She was frustrated and angry. Looking at Second Master Wang’s terrified, green face, she suddenly remembered that he used to be so arrogant and always bullied Yan Xin.

So she softened her tone. “That dowry was ours jointly anyway. Why did you have to harm me? Tell me who the Infant Spirit is, and I’ll go find it myself.”

Zhao Zisheng slowly walked toward the bed, then suddenly acted as if she was startled, retreating several steps, covering her face with her sleeve, and speaking in fear, “A magic artifact! Your longevity lock, it’s emitting Buddha’s light! Hide it quickly.”

Second Master Wang looked at the golden lock by his pillow, grabbed it like a lifeline, and nervously held it up.

Zhao Zisheng retreated another step. “My head hurts! Put it away quickly, I’ll be scattered soul and spirit!”

Second Master Wang’s eyes instantly changed, flashing with malice.

Feng Yuluo watched, dumbfounded. Shan Wuzhou also admired her quick thinking and remotely added spiritual light to the golden lock.

A person in desperation will grit their teeth and refuse to admit murder, or they will surely die. But a person with confidence will act differently; arrogance will make him expose himself.

Seeing the golden lock brighten, Second Master Wang indeed grew bolder. He shook off his slump, climbed out of bed, and approached “Yan Xin” with the golden lock.

The closer he got, the brighter the spiritual light became, and the more frightened “Yan Xin” seemed, her voice weakening.

Zhao Zisheng cried out hoarsely, “You’ve already killed me, do you still want to scatter my soul and spirit?”

Second Master Wang said viciously, “You’re already dead, yet you still cause trouble and scare me. Then die completely.”

The people outside the door were startled. Was he the killer?

Zhao Zisheng felt a wave of coldness and said with grief and indignation, “We were husband and wife. You made me suffer endless hardships, killed me, harmed me, and now you want to scatter my soul and spirit. Where is your conscience?”

Second Master Wang cursed, “I don’t have that thing!” Saying this, he threw the golden lock at her and roared, “Vanish into thin air!”

Zhao Zisheng caught the golden lock, staring intently at him, tears streaming down her face. This was the man Yan Xin had entrusted her life to, the person who slept beside her day and night!

Second Master Wang didn’t see the person vanish. Instead, holding the golden lock didn’t harm her at all. He panicked. “Why didn’t you…” He immediately realized he had been tricked and quickly backed away, shouting, “Help! Someone help!”

Zhao Zisheng flipped the table and grabbed a stool, ready to smash him. A crowd of people rushed over with torches. Feng Yuluo dashed in, grabbed her, and ran. Shan Wuzhou carried the two of them and flew out.

They headed straight for the yamen, beating the drum to appeal the case late that night.

They stated that the rumor of the Infant Spirit claiming lives was false. The real murderer was Second Master Wang, who wanted to swallow Yan Xin’s dowry and thus pushed her into the water to drown. The black handprint was painted on using a pigment made of Sicao Red mixed with cinnabar. It couldn’t be washed off with clear water, but it could be washed off with ink. They pleaded for an exhumation and the interrogation of Second Master Wang, which would naturally reveal the truth!

Then the three of them were chased out.

The reply was that a person confessing murder in a dream was not evidence; it was just dream talk. Otherwise, everyone in the city would be guilty. They needed witnesses, physical evidence, a murder weapon, motive, and a confession.

Feng Yuluo was very confused. Hadn’t he explained everything clearly?

The witness was Zhao Zisheng, who heard it with her own ears. The physical evidence was the Sicao Red mixed with cinnabar and mercury. The murder weapon was Second Master Wang, the killer was also Second Master Wang, and the motive was greed. As for the confession, they needed to arrest and interrogate him first to get a confession.

The official said, “Evidence obtained by trespassing is inadmissible. You say you heard it? Dream talk doesn’t count. You say the handprint is pigment. Does Second Master Wang possess that pigment? Did you personally see Second Master Wang paint it on her shoulder?”

Zhao Zisheng took the blame herself. “I didn’t trespass. Yan Xin was my friend, and I went to keep vigil. I noticed the handprint was wrong and went to find Second Master Wang, but I truly heard him say he killed her.”

The official immediately said, “Did you open the coffin? Opening a coffin without permission is a serious crime.”

Zhao Zisheng was furious. “I—I was told in a dream by my friend. She was knocking on the coffin from inside. I thought she had resurrected, so I opened it.”

“Then how did you know about Sicao Red? Have you seen it before?”

“I am a painter. I touched the handprint and felt something was wrong, realizing it was a type of pigment.”

The official retorted, “It’s so rare, yet you’ve seen it and even know it contains cinnabar and mercury. Could you be the murderer?”

After all that, Zhao Zisheng was being treated as the murderer.

“I am not! Second Master Wang is! He mistook me for Yan Xin, thinking I was a ghost seeking revenge, and was so scared he confessed everything. He killed Yan Xin and even used the golden lock as a magic artifact to smash me, trying to scatter Yan Xin’s soul and spirit! I heard it all with my own ears!”

“The golden lock? You dare to steal property! Guards!”

“…”

Shan Wuzhou had never encountered such a chaotic judgment. His face was cold as he said, “I am a Daoist. I placed a talisman and verified that there is no demonic energy, no Infant Spirit. It was human murder, and the killer is Second Master Wang!”

The official was greatly alarmed. “You trespassed together! Let me tell you, group crime is punishable by beheading!”

The matter couldn’t be resolved.

Shan Wuzhou had no choice but to erase their memories, making it seem like they were just drunk troublemakers.

The three of them were thus driven out.

Zhao Zisheng’s steps were heavy, her eyes red with anger. “The Wang Estate must have paid them off. They are all bastards.”

Feng Yuluo comforted her, “It’s alright, at least we know the truth.”

Shan Wuzhou was also deeply irritated, having never encountered such an unreasonable situation. His face was dark.

After a while, he mused, “The rumor says the Infant Spirit killed seven people. Now that Yan Xin is confirmed to have been killed by Second Master Wang, what about the other six people? Who killed them? Why did they all have black handprints? That pigment is a major issue. We need to find out where it came from and who possesses such a thing.”

Feng Yuluo thought that new disciples had sharp minds. Starting at the same point, Shan Wuzhou already knew the next step.

He agreed repeatedly. “Yes, the matter with Second Master Wang is hard to prove because we tricked him into confessing. We need to find more conclusive evidence. We must investigate the other six murders and find out about the pigment. Let’s see if they still dare to bend the law and shield the real killer.”

Zhao Zisheng gathered her courage. “Good. I must avenge Yan Xin.”

Feng Yuluo escorted her home. Shan Wuzhou gave her a protective talisman and set up a spell formation around the house, instructing her not to open the door to strangers before leaving with peace of mind.

After a day of mental exertion, they were both tired and fell into simultaneous silence.

The empty street had a strange atmosphere. Without outsiders, and no energy left to think about the case, a sudden, inexplicable awkwardness arose. Feng Yuluo wondered how long it would take for this strange relationship to become normal.

Fortunately, Shan Wuzhou wasn’t speaking either. His brows were tightly furrowed, his eyes occasionally shifting, seemingly thinking about the case.

Feng Yuluo felt relieved. If he was the only one feeling awkward, that would still be manageable.

But Shan Wuzhou wasn’t as composed as he appeared. His mind was also unsettled, but for various reasons, he didn’t want to speak.

He recalled seven days ago, when Feng Mountain’s Patriarch died during his tribulation. Shan Wuzhou held the urn of ashes and sat withered for three days, refusing to hand it over to anyone. His master, who was usually furious with this disciple, couldn’t bear to scold him now and had to reluctantly go out to handle the funeral arrangements.

Later, after repeated persuasion, Shan Wuzhou finally left the cave, wanting to take the Patriarch outside for a walk.

If he stayed there, people would constantly try to take the ashes from him.

He remembered traveling south, passing through Yanzhou where fireworks bloomed. He stood by a small river in a daze for a long time. An old woman, seeing his vacant gaze, came over and advised him to buy a river lantern to pray for divine blessing and have something to hold onto.

Shan Wuzhou himself was about to become a god, yet he couldn’t shield the Patriarch from the heavenly tribulation. What could gods and Buddhas protect? But in his despair, he listened to her, bought a lantern, scribbled the hasty words “Reincarnation and Reunion,” and set it afloat on the river.

He stared blankly at the rising sun. When the morning light shone on the white porcelain urn, reflecting brilliant colors, a slight emotion appeared on his face.

It was as if hope had truly emerged.

Coincidentally, the trace of the evil entity he was hunting appeared, and Shan Wuzhou arrived in Hongmao City full of anticipation.

The city was bustling, with at least two street fights a day. It was perfect for the Patriarch’s foul mouth. If he reincarnated, Feng Yuluo would probably want to come here.

He found an inn, planning to slowly look for a house, buy one with a courtyard, and plant two jujube trees.

He would wait sixteen years until the trees grew tall. When the Patriarch reincarnated, he would have something to chew on while watching people argue, and in moments of excitement, he could even spit jujube pits for a sneak attack.

Shan Wuzhou, who had been gloomy for days, smiled unconsciously at the thought of the future.

This city was truly wonderful. Just arriving here brought him peace and joy. He knew he had been wrong. From now on, he would only raise the Patriarch as a child and never cross the line again.

Yet, while still holding the ashes, he saw Feng Yuluo arguing with someone in the street. In that instant, he nearly suffered qi deviation.

Now that he had calmed down, various emotions surged. He remembered the “Reincarnation and Reunion” he had prayed for—how bitter it was then, and how awkward it was now.

Right, that lantern must have been washed away and capsized by the flood, leaving no trace. How embarrassing if someone saw it someday.

He couldn’t quite articulate the cause, process, or result, but his thoughts were still contradictory. As he was deep in thought, his Master suddenly found out, he was suddenly punished, and then the Grand Patriarch also found out. After that, they were all in a state of confusion for a while, and then the Grand Patriarch underwent tribulation and was gone.

The emotional turmoil was too intense. He even got angry at himself—what was all this? Half a day later, his anger subsided again.

This inexplicable feeling had lasted for more than half a year, and it wasn’t over yet!

Next to him, Feng Yuluo seemed completely oblivious.

So, he secretly got angry again.

Shan Wuzhou had many questions he wanted to ask, but couldn’t. After much deliberation, he suddenly wanted to know what happened on the day of the tribulation and why it failed.

But the Patriarch said he had amnesia and couldn’t remember anything.

He had to give up.