Heaven’s Shadow

Chapter 200: Schemes in the Shadows

Lu Chen glanced at him and said, “Isn’t it about the traitor from the demonic sect?”

Lao Ma pointed at Ah Tu and asked, “What does that have to do with him? Why must he be sent away before the full moon? Our top priority right now is to find that demonic sect traitor. At such a critical moment, why are you distracted by sending away a dog?” He paused, then looked at Lu Chen with a frown and added, “You seem a bit strange today. Is something wrong?”

Lu Chen shook his head and said, “It’s nothing. I’m fine.”

Lao Ma stared at him for a moment, then nodded and said, “You’re someone who’s been around for years. I won’t say more. Just be careful.”

Lu Chen stood up, patted his shoulder, and then turned to walk towards the door.

Ah Tu, who was by his side, tried to follow, but Lu Chen stopped him. After thinking for a moment, he led Ah Tu to the courtyard, gave him some food, and gently patted his back while whispering a few words.

Ah Tu, not understanding completely, just sat quietly on the ground and didn’t follow.

As Lu Chen walked through the narrow passage, he glanced back and saw the black dog sitting quietly in the silent courtyard, gazing at his retreating figure, with a faint glimmer in its one remaining eye.

Lu Chen smiled, waved goodbye, and Ah Tu wagged his tail and barked in response.

Su Qingjun returned to the mountain a few days later. When Lu Chen saw her, she was walking down the mountain path with a somewhat haggard and heavy expression. However, upon seeing Lu Chen, she managed a smile, quickened her pace, and looked him over, asking, “Are you okay?”

Lu Chen stretched his limbs and smiled, “I’m fine, no problem.”

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Su Qingjun showed a relieved smile but then looked apologetic, saying, “I should have come back earlier to check on you, but I couldn’t leave home…”

Lu Chen waved his hand and smiled, “It’s alright, there’s nothing serious here. But what’s going on at home? Did something urgent happen?”

Su Qingjun hesitated for a moment, then quietly said, “There’s no need to hide it from you. My younger brother, Su Mo, fell ill the night he returned home. He became delirious, talking nonsense, and his condition was quite serious. It looked like…”

She didn’t continue, seemingly unsure how to describe the situation, perhaps reluctant to use the word “idiot” for her brother.

Lu Chen responded with a simple, “I see,” and didn’t press further. Instead, he walked with her around the Flying Swallow Platform, gradually reaching the edge of the cliff and looking out over the vast sea of clouds.

As the mountain wind blew, Su Qingjun sighed and said, “My parents have always loved my brother the most. Seeing him in such a state is heartbreaking. They’re trying to find someone to treat him, and I’m also helping with the requests. As for you, I was worried that you might also be in trouble when you return, which would be awful. But since Yi Xin said you were fine, I’m relieved.”

Lu Chen nodded and said, “I’m alright, don’t worry.” After a pause, he glanced at Su Qingjun and asked, “By the way, I heard that something else happened recently, that He Yi’s brother, He Gang, got into trouble in Kunwu City?”

Su Qingjun gave a wry smile and said, “Yes, that’s true. In fact, that’s part of why I couldn’t return to the mountain. Just when my brother was in such a state, our family was furious and wanted to confront He Yi. But then this incident happened overnight, and it seems that Brother He has become the victim, with everyone thinking that our Su family was behind the revenge.”

Lu Chen pondered and asked, “Was it really not your Su family?”

Su Qingjun gave him a look and replied, “Of course not. Didn’t I just say that?”

Lu Chen laughed and said, “Just kidding. But honestly, when I first heard about it, my first thought was indeed that it might be your family. It’s just too coincidental, and many in the sect now think you’re involved.”

Su Qingjun’s face showed a hint of frustration as she spoke helplessly, “Who can blame them? We can’t defend ourselves, and behind He Yi, there’s the support of True Monarch Dugu and the Sect Leader. It’s turned into them being in the right, while our Su family has no way to fight back and has had to swallow this grievance for now.”

Lu Chen looked at her, noting the irritation on her face and the rising and falling of her chest. Despite the sunlight and the breeze causing her hair to flutter, she still looked as beautiful as ever, and if anything, even more so than before.

For a while, no one spoke at the edge of the cliff, and the silence was like a paradise. Su Qingjun’s mood gradually calmed, and after a moment, she suddenly blushed and said to Lu Chen with some regret, “I’m sorry. I came back to check on your condition, but it ended up being me complaining to you about everything.”

Lu Chen smiled and said, “It’s fine. I don’t mind hearing it. But you don’t need to be too upset.”

He paused for a moment and added, “So, what are you planning to do about this situation?”

Su Qingjun suddenly sneered and said, “Of course we won’t let it go. My only younger brother was left in such a state; we don’t even know if he will recover. How could we just let this matter pass without clarification? Moreover, I’ve heard rumors that Brother He Yi is very grief-stricken over my brother’s death. Although he hasn’t made any extreme statements, I suspect that given his temperament, he won’t easily let this go.”

“In any case, whether we like it or not, the Su family has a grudge against the He family now!” Su Qingjun said coldly.

Lu Chen frowned and said, “It sounds troublesome.”

Su Qingjun replied, “It’s no longer about trouble. The reason we have been patient before was out of respect for the Sect Leader and other important figures, not wanting to cause misunderstandings. But if Brother He Yi insists on a confrontation, the Su family won’t back down.”

As she spoke, Su Qingjun’s expression became stern, with a hint of pride. Perhaps it was the confidence and backbone that came from being part of a long-standing prominent family.

Lu Chen nodded in agreement. Su Qingjun shook her head and said, “What’s truly detestable is the person who plotted this behind the scenes, deliberately stirring up animosity between us. It’s really hateful!”

She gritted her teeth in anger, looking out at the distant sea of clouds, and said to Lu Chen, “If I find that person in the future, I will definitely kill them!”

Lu Chen was silent for a moment, then smiled and nodded, “You’re right. That person is too wicked. They deserve to be punished!”

※※※

By nightfall, Su Qingjun had returned to her cave residence to rest. The Flying Swallow Platform was peaceful, and a bright moon had risen in the night sky, casting moonlight down.

Without Ah Tu’s presence in the wooden house, Lu Chen felt a bit more empty than before. He wondered if Ah Tu down in Kunwu City was looking at the moon in the same way.

He gazed at the bright moon in the night sky, his brow slightly furrowed as if deep in thought. Suddenly, his expression changed, and he sat up, looking out the window.

Sure enough, a petite figure soon appeared in his line of sight.

Lu Chen sighed and remained seated, saying to the figure outside the window, “What are you doing here again?”

As the figure approached, the moonlight illuminated her face—it was Bai Lian.

The girl, with an ethereal beauty, looked even more noble and enchanting under the moonlight, almost like a celestial fairy. She didn’t bother with formalities and, reaching the windowsill, leaped up to sit on it. Looking down into the room, she suddenly froze and asked, “Where’s Ah Tu?”

“I sent him away,” Lu Chen said淡淡地, “That dumb dog was too annoying to deal with!”

Bai Lian snorted, clearly disbelieving his words. From this angle, Lu Chen noticed that her outfit had a high collar that covered most of her neck.

Seeming to sense Lu Chen’s gaze, Bai Lian smiled and touched her neck, saying, “Thanks to you, the wound there is quite troublesome and hasn’t healed. Sometimes I really doubt who you are, using these inexplicable and evil methods.”

Lu Chen straightened up, showing a serious expression, and said to Bai Lian, “I’m not a demonic sect spy.”

Bai Lian snorted again. Although she seemed somewhat disdainful, for some reason, she appeared to believe him this time.

Lu Chen looked at the dark night outside and shook his head, saying to Bai Lian, “You keep running around like this all the time. Isn’t your powerful master concerned about you? And, there’s a curfew in the mountains, right? If you’re spotted by the patrolling disciples, wouldn’t that be awkward?”

Bai Lian dismissed this with a look of contempt and said, “Firstly, my master doesn’t usually bother with me. He has a lot of things to do and is busy practicing all day; secondly, curfew rules don’t matter to me. As a direct disciple of the Transformation Realm True Monarch, not only are those weaklings unable to catch me, but even if they did see me, what could they do?”

Lu Chen was silent, then smiled wryly, “You’re quite perceptive for someone so young.”

Bai Lian sat high on the windowsill, looking down at him and said, “Of course. In this world, there are high and low distinctions. Why should those without abilities be on equal footing with us? What are you pretending to be, a saint?”

Lu Chen laughed and said nothing further. He turned his gaze back to the moon in the sky, which was bright and full, illuminating a large swath of the dark night sky.

There were only seven days left until the full moon.