Daishan Turns The Wind Chapter 5

The Painter’s Case (5)

Having obtained the name and address, Feng Yuluo and Shan Wuzhou rushed over and found a small courtyard hidden in the alleyways.

The door was open. Inside, a man who looked like a teacher was instructing a dozen children in painting.

The man seemed startled and asked what they wanted.

Feng Yuluo was also a little surprised: “Are you Mr. Qi?”

The man nodded.

Shan Wuzhou swept the area with his spiritual sense and confirmed there were no evil entities. Seeing the man’s demeanor, he didn’t seem suspicious either. Both of them wondered if they had the wrong person, perhaps Mr. Qi was just the person who bought the painting supplies. After all, he had so many students.

Feng Yuluo still asked one more question: “Aren’t you afraid of being poisoned by buying so much Scarlet Grass Red?”

Mr. Qi smiled: “I know my limits. I only use it privately for my own paintings, I don’t teach the children with it, and I didn’t buy much, just a little bit. How did you know about that?”

Feng Yuluo realized that the two men must have just given a random name, and they needed to go back. He said they were sorry for the disturbance and that it was a misunderstanding.

The children all watched them curiously. Shan Wuzhou, remembering his fellow disciples on Feng Mountain, suddenly asked, “Excuse me, do you know Zhao Zisheng?”

Mr. Qi happily replied: “She is my star pupil! Diligent and hardworking, skilled in painting, with beautiful artistic conception. She has already graduated. By the way, who are you…”

“Friends,” Feng Yuluo had a bad feeling. “She said she was coming to ask you about the Scarlet Grass Red. Did she not come?”

“No, I’ve been teaching here the whole time. She hasn’t visited.”

She didn’t come? She clearly said she would. Did something happen on the way, or was she intercepted by Second Master Wang’s men?

Feng Yuluo anxiously headed out.

Shan Wuzhou followed, pondering for a moment. He said that Zhao Zisheng was acting strange today, suddenly suggesting they split up. Did she figure something out?

Feng Yuluo urgently said: “This child, why didn’t she tell us if something was wrong? Think quickly, what happened right before she suggested splitting up?”

Shan Wuzhou replied: “Old Li mentioned the information he gathered, talking about birth characters and fate, saying those people had planned everything long ago.”

She knew Second Master Wang deliberately sought to marry Yan Xin to steal her good fortune by intentionally committing murder. Was she unable to bear this truth and rushing off to seek revenge?

Shan Wuzhou closed his eyes, recalling the scene frame by frame. He suddenly opened his eyes: “The ‘husband-prospering’ look. She was clearly stunned when that was mentioned.”

Feng Yuluo remembered that Zhao Zisheng’s state was completely off at the time; she only responded after being called several times.

“Could it be that Miss Zhao’s birth characters also indicate a wealthy and noble fate?”

Recalling Zhao Zisheng, her face was upright, her forehead full, and she possessed extraordinary perseverance—she was a person of fortune.

Feng Yuluo’s expression turned serious: “Her physiognomy indeed suggests great wealth and fortune. She is also engaged. Could she have made a connection to herself?”

Shan Wuzhou thought of the protective talisman he gave her. He cast a spell to sense it, and his tone became grave: “It seems to be lost.”

Feng Yuluo turned back to ask Mr. Qi if he knew where Zhao Zisheng’s fiancé lived.

Unexpectedly, Mr. Qi’s face immediately fell, and his tone clearly changed: “What kind of fiancé did that good girl find? His name is Shen Yun. There’s something wrong with his eyes just by looking at them.”

After getting the address, he and Shan Wuzhou hurried over. The Shen Estate was also wealthy. The gatekeeper said Zhao Zisheng had visited but then left. Later, Shen Yun also went out, and they didn’t know where he was.

Feng Yuluo said it was urgent and asked them to send someone to search.

They went near Shen Yun’s house and found some elderly neighbors, asking about the Shen family’s situation. The old women knew many secrets and quickly spilled a lot of information, both good and bad.

Feng Yuluo actually wanted to know if Shen Yun had done anything excessive, or what the family’s reputation was like.

Shan Wuzhou coughed: “Our younger sister is about to marry into the Shen family.”

The old women’s expressions instantly changed.

Feng Yuluo seized the opportunity to ask: “Does Shen Yun have any bad habits? We are worried about our sister.”

The old woman tried to dodge and leave, but then stopped and walked back.

The scorching sun was overhead; it was already very hot in May.

After hearing about Shen Yun and with Zhao Zisheng still missing, Feng Yuluo decided to take a risk.

Since he managed to make Second Master Wang talk last night, he could try to trick the other six murderers into confessing.

Even if those seven people bought their way out, he wasn’t afraid. He could find the Prefect. The Prefect held high office, and if he knew the truth, he would never agree to his daughter’s marriage.

But what they didn’t expect was that when Feng Yuluo and Shan Wuzhou went to find the murderers, they discovered that all of them had vanished.

The attendants said they were eating fine, walking fine ahead, or looking at flowers, and then suddenly disappeared.

All seven murderers were gone.

Shen Yun was also nowhere to be found, and Zhao Zisheng still hadn’t returned.

With no murderers left, who could he trick into confessing? Feng Yuluo spun around in circles on the street, making himself dizzy, and decided to go find the boss who sold the Scarlet Grass Red pigment.

That wealthy middle-aged man had implicated Mr. Qi to divert suspicion, but wouldn’t he be afraid of them coming back for revenge after they verified the information?

This was a delaying tactic. Either he knew something, or the mastermind was that middle-aged man!

Shan Wuzhou led Feng Yuluo through the streets and alleys, quickly catching up to a carriage outside the city.

After chasing away the coachman, Shan Wuzhou jumped onto the carriage, lifted the curtain, and saw the middle-aged man sitting inside. The carriage was filled with gold, silver, and jewels—he was packing his valuables and preparing to flee.

Seeing someone blocking his way, his face turned gloomy, and evil energy manifested. He immediately attacked with poisonous mist and even managed to set up a formation inside the carriage.

The entire road seemed to flip, causing dizziness.

Shan Wuzhou was prepared. He kicked the carriage over, shattering the formation, forcing the man to crawl out.

As soon as he poked his head out, Feng Yuluo grabbed him by the neck. Unable to breathe, the man’s eyes nearly bulged out.

Feng Yuluo demanded: “Where is Zhao Zisheng? And Second Master Wang’s people?”

The wealthy man’s face was bruised purple, and he whimpered, shaking his head frantically.

Feng Yuluo loosened his grip and held a wooden splinter toward his eyes: “The Infant Immortal rumor was fabricated by you to scare people away from investigating the murder case, so you could get away with it! Speak, how did you plan this, and how did you carry it out? Do you also know Zhao Zisheng’s fate? Did Shen Yun also make a deal with you? Confess honestly!”

Shan Wuzhou stood beside him, drawing his sword, the blade gleaming coldly.

Frightened by their ferocity, the man quickly confessed everything.

He said his street name was Zhao Decai (Attract Wealth), and he knew secret arts to change people’s luck. Those people sought him out. He would use their birth characters to find suitable matches, but not for marriage and living together. They were married to drain their noble fortune and prosperity to boost the main family. When the time was right, they would be pushed into the river to wash away the last bit of spiritual energy, and then the sin and memory would be washed away. Finally, when buried, the placement of the grave would be arranged to elevate the main family to the next level.

Feng Yuluo punched him, gritting his teeth: “You bastard! If you have this ability, why don’t you change your own fate!”

Zhao Decai instantly looked much weaker, as if he had suffered a backlash. His voice was hoarse: “I don’t have great ability, this is all a scam! I just do this to make a living. Spare me!”

Feng Yuluo kicked him. Still furious, he continued to punch and kick him fiercely.

“You make a living by killing so many people! What about Shen Yun? What’s his deal? I heard that a few years ago, he intended to marry two girls, and both died one after the other. Was that also planned by you and him?”

The man held his head and wailed: “Yes, the Shen family was very ordinary before. Shen Yun deliberately sought out two girls, swindled them out of their money, and then killed them. He used the money to start a business, which is why they became somewhat wealthy. Later, he wanted to climb higher and came to me again. We planned these things together. He is the main culprit; I just provided some evil artifacts.”

The main culprit is… Shen Yun? Zhao Zisheng’s fiancé. She went to find Shen Yun, possibly to question him about the proposal. Zhao Zisheng lost her talisman. If she faces Shen Yun, she might be in danger…

Shan Wuzhou frowned deeply.

Feng Yuluo kicked him again, his teeth aching with anger: “The evil artifacts you provided, why were they carved with datura flowers?”

“Shen Yun asked for them to be carved. I don’t know what that means. All I needed was the red jade and black stone.”

It was Shen Yun again. Now that he was missing, they couldn’t confront him.

Shan Wuzhou asked: “When we investigated the Scarlet Grass Red, did you deliberately mislead us to Mr. Qi?”

“The commotion you caused at the Wang Estate spread everywhere. Second Master Wang specifically came to me, wanting me to pretend to be the Infant Immortal and kill you, but I tested you. Your cultivation is too high, I couldn’t handle it, so I had to run.”

Shan Wuzhou asked: “Did you not notify them when you ran? Everyone has disappeared.”

“I only sent someone to pass a verbal message, then I packed up and ran. I don’t know anything else.”

Shan Wuzhou looked at his Grandmaster. He couldn’t get any more information. He picked up the bruised and swollen Zhao Decai, preparing to take him to the yamen.

On the way back, they found the protective talisman—the one given to Zhao Zisheng. Shan Wuzhou picked it up and examined it. There were no signs of damage, so Zhao Zisheng must have dropped it herself.

The two searched around, thinking Zhao Zisheng had deliberately dropped it to give them a clue, but after looking around, there was no sign of her.

Suddenly, a cool breeze blew past.

Feng Yuluo spun around again, pointing at the empty space ahead, and asked: “Where is that man who makes evil artifacts?”

Zhao Decai, who was tied up, had vanished right beside them, alive.

Just like the seven murderers, he had suddenly disappeared.

Shan Wuzhou was also astonished. No one had ever silently snatched someone away from his grasp. Startled for a moment by the sudden event, he calmed down and sensed the surroundings. He said: “There was an unusual gust of wind just now. It was that wind that took him away.”

Feng Yuluo felt a sense of familiarity and suspected: “Could it be a Wandering Thought Illusion? But an ordinary person’s illusion wouldn’t be this powerful.”

An ordinary person’s illusion is usually just for the soul to rest. To be able to capture people and carry out tasks, the creator must be an exceptional talent, or someone with cultivation and spiritual power like Shan Wuzhou.

Who in Hongmao City has experienced extreme suffering, giving rise to a Wandering Thought Illusion, and possesses the power to capture people?

The people captured are all the murderers in the Infant Immortal case.

Feng Yuluo’s heart skipped a beat. Zhao Zisheng.

She deliberately dropped the talisman to attract their attention, intending to catch the accomplices who drew the Infant Immortal black handprint while they were distracted.

But where did Zhao Zisheng get the spiritual power?

The good news was that she must be safe.

Feng Yuluo was about to cast a spell, but suddenly remembered his amnesia. He searched his clothes and found a strand of hair that had stuck to him while beating the man. He showed it to Shan Wuzhou.

“This is the hair of that, that evil artifact maker, Zhao Decai. You know how to cast spells. Can you perform a connection spell to track him?”

Shan Wuzhou glanced at his Grandmaster, picked up the hair, and chanted the spell. He expected to find the man’s route, but instead, the two of them vanished from the spot and entered a dark, secluded space.

Before they could adjust to the darkness, a sudden gust of wind blew, accompanied by a rustling sound. Feng Yuluo wondered what it was. A sharp pain crossed his cheek, and blood seeped out.

“Watch out for hidden weapons!”

Feng Yuluo scrambled to find cover, but the surroundings were empty with nowhere to hide. The ground shook violently, and fierce killing intent rushed in from all directions.

In a flash of lightning, Shan Wuzhou drew his sword, creating a dense protective shield, dragging Feng Yuluo behind him. He twisted his wrist, deflecting the killing intent back.

Light shone in, and the wind stirred up the papers covering the walls.

Feng Yuluo was stunned.

The walls were covered with blooming red datura flowers, bright, beautiful, and fiery.

Shan Wuzhou paid no attention to them. He immediately turned back to check, and seeing the scratch on Feng Yuluo’s face, his breathing suddenly became difficult. He reached out to wipe it but felt it was inappropriate and reluctantly pulled his hand back.

He turned his head away, a self-reproaching irritation rising: “What is this place?”

Feng Yuluo didn’t understand his subtle thoughts. He casually wiped his face and surveyed the surroundings, putting on a look of appropriate confusion and curiosity, pretending to have thought about it for a long time.

“I vaguely remember it being called a Wandering Thought Illusion.”

So that was it. Shan Wuzhou specialized in swordsmanship and hadn’t studied this, so he had only heard of it but never seen it.

Since the place was covered in datura flowers, Feng Yuluo was even more certain it was Zhao Zisheng’s Wandering Thought Illusion. She went to find Shen Yun, then disappeared, and the others disappeared too.

He scanned left and right. There was no one, and nowhere to hide people.

After hearing this, Shan Wuzhou said: “So Zhao Zisheng captured those murderers and wants to avenge Yan Xin.”

Feng Yuluo nodded, saying that was very likely. However, Zhao Zisheng was an ordinary person, yet she could create such a powerful illusion… Feng Yuluo suddenly realized something. He thought of the little demon Yuanbao.

Yuanbao gathered many miscellaneous thoughts and liked to absorb intense emotions from others. Due to the lightning tribulation, its clones scattered into the human world. He came to Hongmao City precisely to track a Yuanbao clone.

If it was parasitizing Zhao Zisheng and helping her create this illusion to capture the murderers, it could strengthen itself by fulfilling Zhao Zisheng’s wish and absorbing her vengeful emotions.

That made sense.

And Zhao Zisheng was likely hidden in the most secret part of this place.

The killing intent from all directions just now was a threat to outsiders.

Feng Yuluo took a deep breath: “Zhao Zisheng, we have found the truth. The murderers are these nine people. Can you come out?”

There was no answer. The red datura flowers on the wall bloomed even more vividly, looking as if they were painted with Scarlet Grass Red pigment.

She still didn’t want to come out. And with Yuanbao’s spiritual power assisting her, the usual Wandering Thought techniques might not be enough to break the illusion.

Feng Yuluo was worried. He needed to find a new entrance.

The walls were all red, and the paintings on the ground were a bit unsettling. They were large smears of black blobs, with lines running across the edges of the paper, full of fierce resentment.

Scattered randomly on the ground, layer upon layer, every piece seemed to be staring at the newcomers, cold and chaotic.

Ignoring the chill, and to avoid stepping on someone’s hard work, Feng Yuluo picked up a piece. He stood there, tilting his head to examine the black ink on the painting.

The black ink was smeared like a child’s work. He raised it closer to the candlelight.

A cold wind blew, the candlelight flickered, and the paper fluttered in the wind. The scene on the painting seemed to come alive, clawing and baring its fangs above their heads.

Just as Feng Yuluo shifted the angle, he noticed black datura flowers hidden beneath the black ink, like pairs of dark, empty eyes.

The red bricks in the tomb were carved with red datura on the outside, and black datura on the inside.

It was similar here.

Besides revenge, Zhao Zisheng’s unresolved issue involved the red and black datura flowers. How did this flower cause Zhao Zisheng such distress?

Feng Yuluo took out the broken red brick and black stone.

He had once asked about the meaning of the datura flower in the cemetery.

Zhao Zisheng had said: “The black variety represents unpredictable death and carries the meaning of revenge. The red variety is bloody love, signifying a willingness to give one’s life for you.”

Was there another meaning that made Zhao Zisheng realize why this object was pressed into the tomb, causing her such pain?

As he was thinking, a voice suddenly said faintly behind him: “Grandmaster?”

Feng Yuluo turned around, only to see Shan Wuzhou carefully examining a painting in the right corner, not looking back at all.

Who was the person who just spoke?

Feng Yuluo wiped the sweat from his forehead. This kind of eerie environment would deliberately try to scare away outsiders. He was the Ancestral Master, he shouldn’t be afraid.

He silently put down the painting and caught sight of a screen out of the corner of his eye. It hadn’t been there before, but suddenly appeared. Crucially, several people were standing side-by-side behind the semi-transparent screen.

Their shadows were vaguely moving.