Chapter 13: Murder

Chapter 13: Murder

Li Yecheng’s father passed away last year. As the eldest son, he inherited the family’s fields and fortune. Elated with his newfound wealth, he quickly sold a plot of field for cash and squandered it in a small restaurant in the village.

Since then, Li Yecheng spent his days aimlessly roaming the village and mountains, frequently engaging in delinquent behavior like harassment and theft. Apart from his eldest uncle, Li Mutian, there was no one he feared or respected in Lijing Village.

His youngest brother, Li Yesheng, shared the same age as Li Xiangping. While Li Xiangping received education under the village head, Li Yesheng endured a life of solitude, hunger, and coldness.

As a teenager who had just lost his father, he was forced to herd ducks and take care of cattle for others. Without the occasional assistance from Li Mutian’s family, he might have starved in his own home.

Li Yecheng never cared about his little brother’s well-being. His thought was consumed by envy toward Li Changhu’s family. Observing them entering and exiting their beautiful residence, he was driven mad with jealousy.

“We all belong to the Li Family, so why are our lives so different? Why do they have such fertile fields and a high-walled courtyard, while I have none? They're only slightly wealthier than others in the village. Is there really a need for such an extravagant courtyard? It’s as if they’re guarding numerous treasures within it!”

He then vividly recalled a night years ago, the anxious expressions of several people, and the saber in Li Mutian’s hand.

“Li Mutian must have a treasure...”

Chewing on a foxtail, Li Yecheng watched Li Changhu having a pleasant chat with his tenants in the field, thinking bitterly, Some are just born lucky.

After dozing under a tree and realizing night had fallen, Li Yecheng spat out the foxtail, rolled up his pant legs, and stealthily approached the Li Family’s courtyard.

Circling the courtyard, he found no cracks in the wall to exploit. The wall, smooth and well-constructed, seemed impossible to scale.

“Damn it!” he grumbled, spitting on the wall. He kicked it in frustration, then turned and ran toward the back of the mountain.

“I bet they can’t shield against prying eyes from above,” he mumbled.

Mount Dali was winding and extensive. One of its peaks was situated right behind Lijing Village. The villagers never gave it a name and simply referred to it as “the back mountain”.

To the south, beyond the back mountain, was Meiche Peak, and further south, was Jingyang Village. The two villages were connected via a mountain path.

Li Yecheng pushed through the bushes, climbing the mountain path for about fifteen minutes. Reaching a vantage point, he crouched down, surveying the small courtyard below.

Straining his eyes, he saw figures moving around, some sitting cross-legged, others walking around with a huge bluestone. He wondered what they were doing.

He clapped his hands and murmured, “Feast to your heart’s content.”

————

Meanwhile, in the Li Residence...

Li Changhu emerged from his meditation to find his two younger brothers absent and the large backyard eerily silent, with only the soft hums of insects in the air.

Puzzled, he quickly made his way to the main courtyard, where he encountered Li Tongya.

Seeing Li Tongya engrossed in his reading at the wooden table, Li Changhu asked, somewhat perplexed, “Where’s Xiangping?”

Li Tongya slowly rolled up the wooden slips and looked at his elder brother.

“Washing his hands,” he replied.

Li Changhu, pressing his hands on the table, inquired with a hint of envy, “Are you preparing to condense the Profound Scenery Chakra already, Tongya?”

“In a few days, I should be able to condense all eighty-one wisps of moonlight qi. We’re not as talented as Chejing, though. I have a feeling I may need a few more days to prepare.”

Li Tongya smiled as he retrieved a small piece of white cloth and tightly wrapped it around the wooden slips, securing it with a knot.

“Changhu, who do you think among us four resembles father the most?” Li Tongya suddenly asked, fixing a serious gaze on his elder brother.

“You, of course,” Li Changhu responded without hesitation, then paused, finding a seat and continuing with a smile, “I’m too carefree, Xiangping is too active, Chejing is too timid. You, Tongya, have the most composure and resolve. You take after our father the most.”

“Hahaha.” Li Tongya laughed dryly, waving dismissively as he said, “Don’t flatter me, big bro. In my opinion, Xiangping takes after him the most.”

“Why do you say that?” Li Changhu looked at his younger brother curiously.

“Back when we were kids playing in the courtyard, father once told us that the first time a person takes a life, they might experience ringing in their ears or a burning sensation in their head. They could end up paralyzed, tremble uncontrollably, shout incessantly, or feel disconnected from reality.

“Yet, when he first killed, he simply sheathed his saber, poured himself a drink, engaged in conversation, and laughed. He was actually proud of his accomplishment. That’s why, Xiangping takes after our father the most.”

Li Tongya lowered his voice and leaned in to whisper to Li Changhu, “Because he’s ruthless enough.”