Death Sutra

Chapter 888: A Voice

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

Gu Shenwei had to constantly remind himself that there were two people standing in front of him. Apart from Wild Horse, there was also a disciple of the Essence Pavilion hiding somewhere. This was supposed to be a very simple thing to discover, but it was not that simple when he was actually doing it.

Besides the fact that he never opened his mouth, both Wild Horse’s movements and expressions were perfectly synchronized with the words being said. Like a legendary ventriloquist, he didn’t need anybody else’s help at all. After seeing Wild Horse “talk,”

most people would be involuntarily affected and believe that there was only one person even if they knew very well that Wild Horse was mute.

Shangguan Hong, for one, lost his composure, and stared fixedly at Wild Horse as if he were trying to find out whether he had been stealthily opening his mouth.

“Defeat him. Then you can get start the third task and have a kung fu competition with me,” that voice said.

Gu Shenwei snorted and put the Five Peaks Saber away. “Sorry. I thought that the third task would be something more challenging. I didn’t expect that my opponent would be someone I have already defeated - more than once at that too.”

Wild Horse was no longer the killer with excellent leadership skills that Gu Shenwei remembered. Now, he looked more like a disciple of the Essence Pavilion. His face was stiff and he didn’t react to Gu Shenwei’s sneer or provocation at all, “The one you defeated was Wild Horse, but I’m Immortal Peng.”

“Yet another Immortal Peng. I’ve never heard of a ghost’s tongue and body being separated after the ghost reincarnates,” Gu Shenwei said in a more contemptuous tone. “To be honest, I really feel a little bored with the fact that I have to kill an Immortal Peng every few years. Why don’t you two choose another name?”

Shangguan Hong nodded more excitedly and moved closer to the Dragon King. He didn’t like Wild Horse or Immortal Peng. The disciples of the Waning Moon Hall were just a little crazy, and their mind was, at its core, not too different from that of normal people. But the disciples of the Essence Pavilion were like devils who lived deep in the mountains. Their presence along was blood-curdling, and it had nothing to do with their behavior or words.

“You should rename yourself ‘Bastard.’” Shangguan Hong was as mean as an ignorant teenager who dared to behave boldly under his parents’ tacit approval. He didn’t noticed that he was greatly enjoying the Dragon King’s protection. ” Golden Roc Castle, Old Man Mu, the Waning Moon Hall, the Essence Pavilion - how many masters have you served? You don’t even remember your surname, do you? Oh, you’ve never known what your surname is. And you don’t even know what your parents look like.”

“My name is Immortal Peng,” that voice repeated dully. Shangguan Hong’s sarcastic words also failed to work.

Gu Shenwei still shook his head. His hands weren’t even holding his sword hilt anymore. “It doesn’t matter what your name is. Regardless of if it’s Wild Horse or Immortal Peng, you’re not qualified to be the third task. If you want to have a kung fu competition with me, then you’ll also have to prove your strength.”

That voice fell silent, as if that person felt that the Dragon King’s words were very reasonable.

But Shangguan Hong became uneasy. He would rather have a kung fu competition with the Dragon King than fight Wild Horse, who was like a zombie. But he was seldom struck by a flash of inspiration, so he had no choice but to pray that that misfortune wouldn’t happen to him once again.

“You want to see my swordsmanship?” Still in sync with the voice, Wild Horse raised the sword in his hand.

“You’ve even changed your weapon,” remarked Gu Shenwei.

“I haven’t. This has always been Immortal Peng’s weapon.”

Telling the most obvious lie in a hypnotic way had indeed always been the “weapon” of all Immortal Pengs. Gu Shenwei had once gotten lost in a confusing maze that Immortal Peng had woven, but now, he just felt that this lie was ridiculous. “If this has always been your weapon, then you wouldn’t have asked me whether I want to see your swordsmanship. You forget that when we fought before, back then it was your head that was separated from its body.”

The voice fell silent again. A flicker of confusion flashed across Wild Horse’s face. And for the first time, his expressions were not in sync with the speaker’s words. He hadn’t seen the scene of the Dragon King killing the dwarf Immortal Peng, so he couldn’t communicate with the hidden disciple of the Essence Pavilion telepathically.

“Come out,” that voice said. Wild Horse’s expression also returned to normal.

Another person came out from behind a tree. She walked in a stealthy manner, as if she were afraid that she might wake up people who were asleep. But like a child who had just misbehaved and had no choice but to walk to her parents, she had an embarrassed look on her face. “Dragon King, how are you?”

Han Fen was also holding a sword in her hand. She had not been used to wielding a saber or a sword merely two months ago.

“I’m fine,” Gu Shenwei’s tone immediately became easy-going. “Did you deliver the message to the Master Commander for me?”

“Of course I did,” Han Fen said quickly, hurriedly trying to shift the responsibility. “But… But… ”

“But what?”

“But the Master Commander is very busy… This… Immortal Peng can… represent her. If you have anything to say, then just talk to Immortal Peng, Dragon King.”

For Han Fen, telling lies was a very difficult and annoying task. From that glum look on her face, even a three-year-old kid could tell that she was lying. But the voice was very pleased. “The Master Commander and Immortal Peng have the same thoughts. You have to finish the three tasks, Dragon King.”

Gu Shenwei also stayed silent for a while. Standing on the other side, Han Fen was surreptitiously winking and lifting her eyebrows at him as if trying to express something. Compared to her clumsy lies, her expressions were unduly rich, which was why Gu Shenwei didn’t understand her at all. In the end, he said, “Han Xuan lives in my army camp. She likes Han Wuxian.”

Upon hearing the whereabouts of her closest friend, Han Fen didn’t show any expected excitement. “Eek? Hall Leader still hasn’t killed her yet? I thought… Alas, she’s useless now anyway. Even the Master Commander is uninterested in her… ”

“Immortal Peng asked you to come out not because he wanted you to chat,” that voice said.

Han Fen shut up immediately. She made a few extra expressions and then lowered her head, scribbling on the ground with her sword as if it were a common tree branch.

“Finish the second task. Then Immortal Peng will have a kung fu competition with her to prove his strength,” that voice continued.

Han Fen hung her head even lower without saying anything.

Gu Shenwei fell silent again.

Shangguan Hong was growing more and more sure of his speculation. He moved another step closer to the Dragon King and loudly said, “Han Fen, Wild Horse betrayed the Master Commander, right? Just tell us. The Dragon King… the Dragon King will save you.”

“Answer him,” that voice ordered. Han Fen hurriedly raised her head and said, “No, no. Wild… Immortal Peng didn’t betray the Master Commander. The Master Commander is really… very busy.” Han Fen drawled as she spoke, trying her best to convey the information that she didn’t dare express directly.

But Gu Shenwei only became even more confused. It seemed that Lotus wasn’t in danger. Otherwise, Han Fen would have risked her neck to ask him for help in public. But the hidden information that she was trying to tell him was too obscure, and he couldn’t pinpoint any of the clues at all.

Besides, Lotus liked Han Fen very much. Why would she order her to have a kung fu competition with Wild Horse? It was basically a suicide mission for her.

“Hah. Right there, Wild Horse. Han Fen is clearly under your-” Shangguan Hong was in the middle of the sentence when the Dragon King made his move.

Gu Shenwei had been contemplating previously and Shangguan Hong was caught off guard. Even if he was vigilant the whole time, he couldn’t have anticipated the Dragon King’s move either.

With a cry, Shangguan Hong was thrown away, and he landed on an old tree and then fell onto thick snow. Then some snow on the tree fell onto his head and almost buried him.

“I won. The second task is finished,” Gu Shenwei put an end to the argument in this way.

Somehow Han Fen felt that the scene of Shangguan Hong being buried in snow was extremely funny, so she burst into laughter. The longer she laughed, the harder it was for her to stop. She clutched her belly and said, “Ha-ha, Dragon King… You’re… so naughty. Ha-ha, is he dead?”

Shangguan Hong jumped out of the snow with a thud with the soft sword in his hand, glaring at the Dragon King.

Han Fen was out of breath due to laughing too hard. “You still refuse to admit defeat? Dragon King, make him into an even bigger snowman.”

This remark of Han Fen’s didn’t have any redundant connotation, but light suddenly dawned on Shangguan Hong. He lowered his sword right away and said, “I lost. I admit defeat. There’s no need to have a kung fu competition. The Dragon King has finished the second task.”

This time the voice behind Wild Horse fell silent. He wanted to see the Dragon King’s Death Scripture Swordsmanship but his plan of his hadn’t worked out.

Gu Shenwei sighed secretly. If the one who was abducted had been Lotus, or even Nie Zeng or Tie Linglong, they would have understood his signal and launched an attack on Wild Horse the moment he made his move. Gu Shenwei had prepared himself for a fight only to find that Han Fen had merely laughed the whole time. She had already forgotten that she was the one who was going to have a kung fu competition with “Immortal Peng” next.

Wild Horse raised the sword in his hand. He had been using a saber for many years, but the way he held the sword made him seem like an experienced swordsman who had been using a sword for many years.

Han Fen turned around and looked at the sword in her hand, “Can I give up as well?”

That voice didn’t answer. Knowing this was a refusal, Han Fen regretfully said, “If only I were the one who made the first move.”

Wild Horse was indeed waiting for her to make the first move. He had given up on his killer’s habit of striking first.

Han Fen wielded her sword pretentiously. “Just so you know, if I die, you must deliver my body to the Master Commander as soon as possible. She knows how to handle it. You don’t.”

That voice still didn’t reply.

“Or you can give my body to the Dragon King if you have to. He won’t be able to deal with it as well as the Master Commander, but it’s better than my body being kept intact.”

Since he no longer had to fight the Dragon King, Shangguan Hong had become much more relaxed, thinking, ‘The disciples of the Waning Moon Hall are indeed all lunatics. She actually thinks that keeping her body intact is a bad thing.”

“Make your move,” that voice ordered. Clearly, he was bored with Han Fen’s nagging.

Holding her sword, Han Fen was dithering about. Having noticed that she was hiding her left hand in the sleeve, Gu Shenwei knew she had decided to fight the opponent with the secret arts of the Waning Moon Hall, which she was best at.

There had been a moment when Gu Shenwei had almost stepped forward and directly started a swordsmanship competition with Wild Horse. But he had soon given up on this thought, since he was not a hero, and neither was he Han Fen’s master. It was not his place to save her, and there was also no need for him to do so. The only acceptable way for him of offer her help was to launch a sneak attack, but Han Fen had already wasted the opportunity that he had created for her.

‘I mustn’t be merciful,’ Gu Shenwei reminded himself.

Some snow fell onto the ground from a tree. The Dragon King and Wild Horse turned around at the same time and glanced in the same direction.

Shangguan Hong was bewildered, but Han Fen felt that this was her only opportunity, so she dashed forward and thrust her sword at Wild Horse while she waved her left hand.

The tip of the blade was still two to three feet away from Wild Horse when Han Fen stopped attacking and retreated. She leaped over ten consecutive steps back, pointed at Wild Horse, and smugly said, “Just fall down!”

But Wild Horse didn’t fall down, still staring into the depths of the darkness.

Some light footsteps were heard. A teenager slowly walked closer to them. He was one of the swordsmen who had just had a swordsmanship competition with the Dragon King during which his thumb had been cut off. At this moment, he was covered in blood, staggering with blank eyes.

Facing the four people in front of him, he seemed to have seen nothing. He just kept shuffling forward aimlessly before falling to the ground with a thud.

His back was covered in blood as well.

Han Fen shrieked. She wasn’t afraid of the dead body, and neither was she afraid of blood. However, she did fear the one who had killed this teenager.