TGCFNM -Chapter 64 An Invitation

Wan Sanjin widened his eyes, staring at his master in panic. The way his master’s hair was disheveled made him look far too much like a woman.

Wan Sanjin immediately ran upstairs, knocking on other doors and instructing Xiao Hua to tie up his master’s hair first.

From below came a teasing voice, “This young gentleman is delicate in appearance, but his temper is certainly not small.”

Everyone stepped aside, revealing a man in a white robe leaning against the wall. He wore a pointed hat, his complexion pale, lips as if stained with blood, drooping eyelids, and somewhat cloudy eyes—he looked like a “Bai Wuchang” risen from a grave.

Someone muttered softly, “Another pretender.”

The others all shot him disdainful glances, sneering as they looked him over.

Chu Ling took the black ribbon Xiao Hua handed him, casually tied up his hair over his shoulders, donned an outer robe, and descended the stairs, with Wan Sanjin and the others hurrying to follow.

Yang Huaishan was also awakened and, seeing the situation, followed along.

“I’ll give you a piece of advice,” Chu Ling said lightly as he held the railing going down, “Speaking out recklessly before realizing the difference in ability can get you killed.”

“Your honor?” Bai Wuchang paused in surprise.

Chu Ling stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked at everyone. “Who died, where, and what was taken?”

For a moment, silence fell; no one spoke.

Growing impatient, Chu Ling was about to speak again when a figure glanced around in confusion, swiping left and right through a crowd of people holding knives—but his hands passed straight through them, unnoticed.

Chu Ling glanced in that direction and signaled for the fool to come over.

Wan Sanjin proudly glared at the crowd. “Our master is about to assume his post in Changzhou. Since a death occurred at the Fulai Inn, it should be handled by the imperial officials.”

At this, someone tried to speak. “Someone unknown died in a room. Their things were ransacked, and one item is missing.”

“What kind of item?” Chu Ling asked, frowning.

“A… invitation.”

Chu Ling glanced around. So these people had fought and even drawn blood over an invitation lost by someone they didn’t know?

“Coroner Su, examine the body,” Chu Ling ordered.

Su He nodded, went upstairs to fetch his tools, and then returned to the designated room as indicated.

Wan Sanjin brought a chair for Chu Ling to sit, but the others remained standing, only staring at one another; no one dared make a move.

Bai Su looked at the finally arriving fool with disdain. “What’s your name, where do you live, where were you going, did you see who killed you, and what invitation was lost?”

“My surname is Xu, given name Jiao,” Xu Jiao stammered, glancing at Bai Su, then at the Ghost Scholar, and finally lowering his head toward Chu Ling, quietly extending a finger.

Chu Ling turned and gave him a cold, sidelong glance, making Xu Jiao jump.

“I—I live in the south. I was going to Tianjian Mountain. I have an invitation. Only those with an invitation can go. Invitations were scarce this time; only a handful could get one. I traveled carefully, but someone still tried to assassinate me… I didn’t see who it was.”

“What kind of invitation?” Chu Ling asked, looking at him intently.

The people across from him exchanged glances, but no one answered.

“Red satin, embossed with a gilded sword pattern, and on the inside bottom right corner, there’s a unique hidden mark of the Tianjian Sect that cannot be forged,” Xu Jiao explained.

Bai Su, standing beside Chu Ling, bowed her head and elaborated, “The invitations from Tianjian Mountain have always existed. Those who receive one are allowed to enter Tianjian Mountain to learn martial arts secrets, and they might even be accepted as disciples by a sect master. Most importantly, Tianjian Mountain is said to have treasures. Anyone with an invitation can search freely, the disciples won’t stop them, and if they find any treasure, it belongs to them.”

Chu Ling understood immediately. She glanced mockingly at everyone across from her and said, “So you all knew about the invitations, and you all gathered here at the Fulai Inn. That means you had already decided to steal it, right?”

Someone replied, “Sir, these invitations are distributed randomly. Those destined for it receive it. Tianjian Mountain never forbade taking it from others, as long as the person holding it finally goes up the mountain.”

Chu Ling nodded slightly. “That’s true, but now the person is dead, and the invitation is missing.”

The two who had acted earlier started arguing angrily again.

“You definitely took it!”

“Nonsense! I arrived late. The door was wide open when I came, I didn’t see anything.”

“Heh, you shameless thief, you came late because you were guilty.”

“Get lost! It’s definitely you. You were the first at the door.”

Chu Ling impatiently shouted, “Enough, enough. Anyway, the person is dead, and you all made a fuss, yet no one left. That means the invitation is still somewhere inside this inn.”

Chu Ling summoned the innkeeper of Fulai Inn. “When did you close the door? When did you put out the lights? Who was on night duty? What was the first movement? Who arrived at the scene first?”

“The last customers in the inn were Your Honor,” the innkeeper replied. “We closed the door at the second hour and only put out the lights at the twelfth hour, because the gentlemen wanted to drink.” He then called over another man. “He was on night duty, serving drinks to the gentlemen. After they went to sleep, the lights were put out.”

The young waiter said, “Sir, I was sleeping on the long bench in the middle of the hall. I heard the watchman outside striking the gong. Just after the third watch began, a wine jug fell and broke. Immediately after, I saw the gentlemen rush out. The innkeeper hurriedly ordered me to light a lamp.”

Following the young waiter’s account, Wan Sanjin found the broken wine jug, then looked up at the rooms above. “Who stayed in these three rooms?”

At that moment, three people emerged: the two who had acted earlier—Yan Sheng and Cao Tong—and Bai Wuchang, who had spoken first.

Bai Wuchang smiled sinisterly. “The light in my room was not put out, everyone knew I was inside. And I didn’t steal the invitation; I already had one myself.”

Yan Sheng and Cao Tong exchanged a glance and said, “We didn’t break a cup as a signal.”

Chu Ling crossed her legs, intrigued. The direction in which the wine jug broke could not be faked. If someone wanted to use it as a signal, it would alert the occupants of these three rooms.

One person arrived first, another hesitated and arrived later, and the last already had an invitation. No wonder the first two fought; by all appearances, the other party was the prime suspect.

Bai Su looked at Xu Jiao and asked again, “Do you know the other party’s style? Do they use a sword or a knife, are their foot skills good, or hand techniques?”

Xu Jiao looked dazed. “My head was fuzzy. After my mouth and nose were covered, I was stabbed in the chest. I struggled to get up from the bed, then was stabbed again with a poisoned dagger… and then I died.”

Bai Su folded her arms. “Once the invitation is in your hands, it’s basically a death warrant. You might as well sell it early—it’s better than losing your life.”

Xu Jiao knew he was weak, but clung to hope. “They say Tianjian Mountain discovered a treasure entrance. Anyone holding an invitation can follow, and they’ll even get a martial arts manual for free.”

Hearing this, Chu Ling squinted. The investment at Tianjian Mountain was enormous.

“Sir,” Wan Sanjin called out, “Su He has come out.”