Chapter 32 - Manslaughter

“Bastard, rot in hell!” Jin Tian glanced at the spot where Shi Mu had been. Seeing that not a soul was there Jin Tian burst into wild laughter triumphantly.

But just at this moment, a black shadow whizzed out of the pit where Shi Mu had sunk into, and only after a flash the figure was already close to the blue-robed man.

“Ah!”

Jin Tian was startled, but it was too late for him to flee. The figure let out a low shout, and pounded heavily on Jin Tian’s stomach. Although wearing the Golden Armour which could reduce the attack’s power to some extent, Jin Tian still felt a horrible force transmit through his armour. After uttering a terrified cry, he knelt down to the ground with his hands pressing his stomach tightly.

The shadow was no doubt Shi Mu, who had just had a narrowly escaped death. When the bullet exploded, he huddled himself up in the pit which was formed when he stomped hard onto the ground to throw the horse away. If he had not reacted so quickly he would have shared the same fate as the horse. Shi Mu was in a fright after his lucky escape which quickly turned into anger as he thought about that close brush with death. He strode to Jin Tian’s side and lifted his body with only a hand. With the other hand Shi Mu slapped the blue-robed young man’s face mercilessly.

Pa!Pa! In a moment Jin Tian’s head swelled to the size of a pig’s, and his eyes were pressed into two narrow slots, hardly able to be opened any wider.

“Stop it!”

“Do you mean to kill him, Shi Mu?”

......

The other Jin men who had been lying on the ground did not come about till now. They shouted loudly to ask Shi Mu to stop, and two of them even walked up to him directly, attempting to stop Shi Mu from beating Jin Tian any further.

Hearing this Shi Mu’s face grew sullen. He though of Auntie Zhen and Shi Yu Huan, and then snorted and released his hand that had been holding Jian Tian’s shirt.

But just as Shi Mu decided to let him off, a trace of maliciousness flashed across Jin Tian’s eyes. Immediately Jin Tian lifted his arm and one silver arrow was shot unexpected from his sleeve, rushing directly at Shi Mu’s heart. At such a distance, it was impossible for Shi Mu to evade the attack however quickly he moved. Shi Mu could only twisted his body, as he broke out in sweat, in order to prevent the arrow from hitting his heart.

“Peng!” A loud noise was heard.

The silver arrow hit Shi Mu’s chest, but unexpectedly rebounded after knocking against something metal and making a clanging sound. This surprised both Shi Mu and Jin Tian, but the former still managed to calm himself as he made the next move. Shi Mu lifted his leg and kicked heavily at Jin Tian. This time, stimulated by a seething, blind rage, he used all his strength. Even though the Golden Armour could reduce some of the force, Jin Tian was still thrown away, and fell down as a ball of blood was puffed out from his mouth.

“I must kill him, I must kill him, by all means!” The blue-robed young man thought to himself, while he was kicked into midair and aching all over his body. His swollen face was twisted in anguish. But just as he was to thud down onto the ground, he heard his companions crying,

“No!!!”

historical

“Don’t you dare try to escape from there!”

The blue-robed young man could see his companions’ frightened expressions, and the two who had had made their way to him was now striding to approach him, as if trying to catch him in the air.

“That’s strange. Since when have I had so many friends that cared about me so much?”

But that was too late, before he could come up with an answer his body had already hit the ground, and a coldness penetrated his neck. A half of a sword had now run through his throat, making his eyes open wide. He tried to make some groans as blood frothed at his mouth, and his body twitched wildly for several times before he lost consciousness forever.

The two rushing youths halted at the sight. Watching the mud-covered body be pierced by the half piece of sword through Jin Tian’s neck, their faces were full of fear.

Shi Mu himself was also at a loss seeing Jin Tian’s end. It turned out that the half piece of the sword was inserted askew into the ground when Shi Mu broke the original sword, and it was just at the spot where Jin Tian fell down to, so Jin Tian’s death was doomed. It could only be his bad luck: if he had met the half piece by any other part of his body, however seriously injured he would not be dead now.

“You just killed Jin Tian!”

“Fifth Uncle and our Jin Clan will never let you off!”

“We are no match for that brutal bastard! Return to the manor and report it to our people!”

The Jin henchmen who had been watching were now frightened out of their wits, their feet frozen to the ground. Gaping at each other, they only came to themselves when one of them shouted out. Then some instantly drew their weapons, while some got on their horses, rushing away immediately in the direction of Feng City. Seeing the fleeing companions, those who had attempted a revenge now fully understood that they were no match for Shi Mu who was standing in front of them with murderous eyes. To challenge Shi Mu with their bodies that had been spoiled by long comfortable life was no different than a sheep bringing itself to a wolf. So they immediately abandoned the attempt, hurried onto their horses and fled to their city.

Shi Mu was now aware of what he had done too. Seeing the fleeing Jin, his face suddenly grew somber, as he did not want to chase. He was quite clear that even though Jin Tian was not killed by him directly, the leaders of the Jin Clan would disagree, especially for the Fifth Uncle, who probably would avenge his son’s death by taking Shi Mu’s life. By then however hard Auntie Zhen pleaded for him, it would be a sealed case.

Shi Mu’s eyes hardened. He would never be willing to die this way, letting others decide his fate.

Thinking further, Shi Mu felt quite uneasy. It seemed that now he had to leave Feng City, or even Quan Zhou for his own safety as soon as possible. Casting a glance at Zhang Suo who had been frightened out of his wits, Shi Mu left for the manor with no word.

He was clear that from now on he had became an escapee.

But an idea dawned on him just as he turned to leave, so he went back abruptly for Jin Tian’s body.

......

Half a day later.

“What? Are you serious, Big Brother? My Tian Er is dead, killed by Shi Mu? Absolutely impossible!” In the main hall of the Jin manor, the fifth master was now gaping at his brother, not believing a single word of what he had said.

By then, apart from eight Jin leaders, the other five Jins who had witnessed Jin Tian’s death were also gathered at the hall. But now clustering around the Jin leaders, all of them were holding their breaths with pale faces.

“Bring Tian Er’s body.” The big leader sighed and waved to the servants at his side.

Instantly, a body covered by white cloth was carried to the hall by two servants who set the body at the middle of the hall.

At the sight the fifth master began to tremble uncontrollably, daring not to lift the cloth.