Chapter 243


    <h4>Deceit and Betrayal</h4>


    Ao Wushuang stared the woman at their door through the peephole . Mo Ahshi, the eldest disciple of the Fox Zen School . Despite Chan’er’s ount of what happened a few days ago, Ao Wushuang was, admittedly, still having difficulties seeing Mo Ahshi in a new light . Nevertheless, after spending a whole day yesterday brooding over the incident, Ao Wushuang had decided to give Chan’er’s story a chance . In hindsight, Ao Wushuang shouldn’t have doubted Chan’er to begin with, shouldn’t have used the girl of lying to her . For all she knew, the decades’ worth of respect she had for Mo-shijie might’ve been misced all along . Even more so considering she had neither seen nor interacted with Mo-shijie for over ten years . A lot could happen in ten years . Hearts could be swayed . Bonds could be severed and trust broken asunder, leaving the old alliance in shambles . People change . But Chan’er? For as long as Ao Wushuang could remember, Chan’er had been nothing but loyal to her . She owed it to Chan’er to at least look into the matter .


    Ao Wushuang swung the door open and gave Mo-shijie a cordial smile .


    "Mo-shijie . What can I do for you today?"


    Mo-shijie was immactely dressed in her usual Daopao (T/N: A Taoist robe) . Her dark tresses were held up by a golden hairpin, which, ording to Chan’er’s narrative, was probably the same one Mo-shijie had used to murder Gu Feng .


    Gu Feng, who was still alive and wellst time Ao Wushuang checked . The apparent discrepancies in these events rubbed Ao Wushuang the wrong way . Ao Wushuang hated not knowing .


    Mo-shijie’s face looked as dignified and gentle as ever when she returned Ao Wushuang’s smile .


    "Can Ie in, Wushuang?"


    Ao Wushuang was so d right then that Chan’er had decided to obey her order and remain inside the bedroom . Ao Wushuang couldn’t afford any distractions right now, not when she still hadn’t figured out the best approach to get to the bottom of this mystery .


    "Of course," Ao Wushuang said amicably . "You know you’re always wee, Mo-shijie . "


    Ao Wushuang stepped aside to let the other woman in . After Mo-shijie entered, Ao Wushuang closed the door and led her to the living room .


    "Make yourself at home," Ao Wushuang said, waving at one of the stools beside the square table .


    Mo-shijie stopped beside the table . For a fleeting moment, Mo-shijie’s eyes darted around the living room . That subtle movement right there was enough to raise a dozen of rm bells inside Ao Wushuang’s head .


    She’s looking for something...


    Mo-shijie’s gaze lingered on Chan’er’s bedroom before returning to Ao Wushuang’s face .


    "The ce is to your liking I hope?" Mo-shijie remarked .


    "Of course," Ao Wushuang answered, making sure to keep her smile in ce . Right now, the best approach was to y dumb, at least until Chan’er waspletely out of harm’s way . Let them think that she was still clueless, that she still hadn’t suspected anything yet . All hell would break loose if Ao Wushuang decided to act now . Thest thing Ao Wushuang wanted was to diminish Chan’er’s chances of escaping .


    Ao Wushuang tried to recall where she had left Bahuang .


    The kitchen .


    "Would you like some tea, shijie?"


    A tiny smile graced Mo-shijie’s features . "Why, yes . Tea sounds delightful, Wushuang . Thank you . "


    Ao Wushuang turned around and strode into the kitchen .


    I bet she just wants to poke around the ce without me watching .


    Inside the kitchen, Ao Wushuang grabbed Bahuang’s hilt . She looked past the kitchen door, making sure to keep Bahuang concealed behind the kitchen counter . Mo-shijie was no longer standing beside the table; instead, she was moving back and forth inside the living room, inspecting the ce as she went .


    Ao Wushuang was now convinced that Mo-shijie was indeed here to look for something .


    Without further ado, Ao Wushuang lifted her skirt and slid Bahuang into her thigh holster . This was the best way she could think of to stay armed without appearing hostile . It was best to let Mo-shijie think that Ao Wushuang was still unsuspecting . Once Bahuang was in ce, Ao Wushuang smoothed down her skirt and started preparing two cups of tea .


    When Ao Wushuang exited the kitchen with a tray, Mo-shijie had reimed her spot beside the square table as though she hadn’t been snooping around earlier .


    "I hope oolong is okay?" Ao Wushuang lowered the tray onto the square table, then waved a hand at one of the stools .


    "Oolong is fine," Mo-shijie said, reaching for one of the cups .


    Mo-shijie didn’t sit down .


    Don’t want to leave yourself vulnerable, I see... Well . Two can y this game .


    Ao Wushuang reached for her own cup .


    "So . What can I do for you, shijie?" Ao Wushuang asked after taking a sip .


    From a few feet away, Ao Wushuang watched Mo-shijie take a sip from her cup before cing the cup back onto the table .


    "I found something yesterday . " Mo-shijie paused to look at Ao Wushuang . "A paper crane . "


    It took Ao Wushuang everything to maintain her poker face right then .


    "A paper crane?"


    Forget about travelling under the cover of the night . Chan’er had to make her escape right now .


    Mo-shijie nodded . "Found it in the backyard, lying on the ground . "


    "I see," Ao Wushuang said, taking another sip of tea . "Outbound or inbound?"


    "Definitely outbound . "


    Ao Wushuang nodded . "Must be one of Grandmaster Liu’s, then . " Ao Wushuang nced at Mo-shijie . "He collects those cranes as I recall . "


    Mo-shijie smiled and held her gaze for a brief moment . "Indeed . But I heard he gave one to Su Chan recently . "


    Damn it!


    Ao Wushuang’s fingers tightened around the tea cup .


    "Is that so?" Ao Wushuang said, feigning a look of surprise . "I had no idea . " Ao Wushuang paused for a few moments, then let out a huff . "Tsk! That foolish disciple of mine must be up to no good again . "


    Mo-shijie chuckled . "Rest easy, Wushuang . No harm was done . "


    Ao Wushuang rolled her eyes . "Well . You’ve got no idea the kinds of mischief that girl is capable of, shijie . " Ao Wushuang raised a brow at the other women . "No idea . "


    Mo-shijie let out a nomittal hum .


    "Where is she, by the way?" Mo-shijie nced around the room a few times . "I didn’t see her here . "


    rm coursed through Ao Wushuang, but she tamped it down lest she give the whole game away .


    "Chan’er?"


    Mo-shijie nodded .


    "That useless disciple . " Ao Wushuang released a huff of annoyance . "I confined her to her room after she insulted you and Gu Feng the other day . " Ao Wushuang shook her head . "Insolent girl . "


    Mo-shijie chuckled . "You shouldn’t be too hard on her, you know . "


    Ao Wushuang snorted . "It’s not like I can stop her though . "


    "Oh?" Mo-shijie raised a brow . "What do you mean?"


    "Why, I’m pretty sure she snuck out of her room ages ago!" Ao Wushuang said in a loud voice, hoping that Chan’er would get the hint . She rolled her eyes . "I didn’t seal the window after all . "


    Mo-shijieughed .


    "Anyway, I hope she doesn’te back after she left this time," Ao Wushuang said, once again raising her voice so that Chan’er could hear her from inside the bedroom .


    She just hoped that Chan’er would get the damn hint .


    "Honestly, shijie," Ao Wushuang continued with a sigh . "I’ve had enough of that girl’s insubordination . "


    Mo-shijie hummed . "Too bad, then . I was actually hoping to see her today . "


    Oh, I bet you are, Ao Wushuang growled inwardly . It was beyond obvious at this point that Chan’er had been discovered when she was spying on Mo-shijie the other day . On the flip side, Mo-shijie’s current behavior also implied that Chan’er was right to some degree; something did happen inside Mo-shijie’s quarters that day .


    But what?


    That was the real question .


    What exactly happened?


    The things that Chan’er had witnessed couldn’t possibly be the whole truth, since Gu Feng was very much alive when Ao Wushuangst saw him .


    Damn it, Mo-shijie... What the hell are you up to?


    Whatever it was, Ao Wushuang was determined to find out .


    "Oh,e now, Mo-shijie . " Ao Wushuang smiled amicably at Mo-shijie . "Surely you didn’te all the way here just to see that pesky little disciple of mine . " Ao Wushuang paused, using the brief lull in their conversation to study Mo-shijie’s expression . "You know you can always speak freely before me, shijie . "


    Mo-shijie hummed, then nodded a few times . That calm face betrayed absolutely nothing .


    "Actually . . . " Mo-shijie began . "I do have some matters to discuss with you . "


    Now that’s more like it . . .


    "Well, then . I’m all ears . " Ao Wushuang took a step towards the square table and then lowered her tea cup back onto the tray .


    "Here’s the thing, Wushuang," said Mo-shijie . "I heard something from Grandmaster Liu about Wang Yuanshan . "


    Tea spilled across the tray when Ao Wushuang’s hand jerked sideways .


    "W- What did you say . . . ?"


    Ao Wushuang’s fingers gripped the table’s edge .


    Ten years . Even after ten years, the mere mention of his name could still make Ao Wushuang weak at the knees .


    "Mmm . . . " Mo-shijie said . "Grandmaster Liu had some news about him that I thought you should know . "


    "N- News . . . ? B- But that’s not... That’s just not possible... How could there be news when... I thought he’s . . . "


    The attacks were so swift that Ao Wushuang didn’t even notice their execution until they wereing straight at her .


    Ao Wushuang raised both palms by instinct and parried the finger strikes that were aimed at two important acupoints on her chest: the Huagai and Shenfeng .


    Having sessfully parried the strikes, Ao Wushuang leaped backwards to put some distance between herself and Mo-shijie .


    "My, my, my . . . Ao Wushuang . "


    The eeriness in Mo-shijie’s voice made Ao Wushuang look up .


    Mo-shijie’s dark tresses hade loose during their brief scuffle; Mo-shijie’s hair was now floating around her head, fanned out like she was wearing a spiky headpiece .


    And that face . Heavens, that face .


    Gone were those dignified features that resembled a Bodhisattva; in their ce was the visage of a female rakshasa, the manifestation of everything evil and sinister .


    "Even with your defensespletely down, you were still able to parry my attacks like they were nothing," Mo-shijie continued in that eerie tone which soundedpletely foreign to Ao Wushuang . There was a sneer . "You really are the Fox Zen School’s greatest, Ao Wushuang . "


    Ao Wushuang slowly rose to her feet .


    "Then again..." Mo-shijie continued . "No matter how good you are, you’ll never be able to fend off an attack that you never sawing!!"


    Something struck Ao Wushuang’s lower belly before her hand could reach Bahuang . The next thing she knew, her Zhenqi was thrown into a state of utter chaos .


    Oh, no, no, no . . . Not like this!


    Some kind of foreign aura was threatening to infiltrate her Vital Orb .


    Mustering her willpower, Ao Wushuang regained control of her Zhenqi within seconds and then used it to resist the aura .


    "Oh, wow! Look at this! Hah!" Mo-shijieughed smugly . "You never fail to impress me, Ao Wushuang . "


    Ao Wushuang gritted her teeth and red at Mo Ahshi .


    That damned bitch!


    "I can’t believe you’re still standing even after taking a direct hit from the Threaded Hairpin of Traversing Soul . Tsk, tsk, tsk . And you were struck at the Qihai no less! As expected from the great Ao Wushuang, I suppose!"


    Mo Ahshi stretched her arm forward .


    Ao Wushuang groaned in pain when a long hairpin withdrew itself from her lower belly . Once it was fully out, the hairpin floated back towards Mo Ahshi and hovered beside her head .


    "Looks like it’s the right move to take you out first," Mo Ahshi said .


    "What is the meaning of this, shijie?" Ao Wushuang said coldly .


    Mo Ahshi sneered . "Isn’t it obvious?"


    Traitor . Betrayer . Treacherous bitch .


    "You won’t get away with this treachery, Mo Ahshi," Ao Wushuang growled .


    "Oh? Is that a threat? Are you threatening me?" Mo Ahshiughed out loud . "Might I remind you that you’re in no position to threaten me, Ao Wushuang . " Mo Ahshi smiled tauntingly . "I mean... Look at you . The great Ao Wushuang . The master of 18 sses of major spells and 36 sses of minor spells... Torn to shreds simply because she was rendered incapable of using any of her precious spells . "


    Mo Ahshi burst intoughter .


    Ao Wushuang clenched her jaw . The goddamned bitch was right . That strike on her Qihai had disrupted her Zhenqi so much that she could barely hold her Vital Orb together let alone perform any spells .


    She couldn’t even use Bahuang, since it would require her to channel her Zhenqi into the de .


    "That’s right, Ao Wushuang," Mo Ahshi taunted . "You’re nothing without your arsenal of spells . Nothing . "


    Has Chan’er left Mount Tianlong yet? God, I hope she’s okay . . .


    Time . Ao Wushuang had to buy Chan’er more time .


    "Why?" Ao Wushuang said in a strained voice . "Why are you doing this?"


    The taunting look vanished from Mo Ahshi’s countenance; a vicious re took its ce . "Enough chatter!" Mo Ahshi flicked her sleeve . "Where is Bahuang? Hand over the sword!"


    "Bahuang?" Ao Wushuang sneered . "I see . So that’s what you’re after, isn’t it?" Ao Wushuang smirked, secure in the knowledge that sword was now hidden under her skirt .


    "That’s right," Mo Ahshi growled . "Hand it over! You have no right to wield that sword . No right!"


    And you do?


    "You’ll never have it," Ao Wushuang said .


    "I’m not giving you a choice!"


    Ao Wushuang chuckled snidely .


    "My, you’re a little dense, aren’t you, Mo Ahshi?" Ao Wushuang taunted .


    "You—"


    "Do you really think I’d leave Bahuang lying around when I had all but smelled your treachery from miles away?" Ao Wushuang said in a smug tone, pausing to give Mo Ahshi a condescending look . "You’re out of your mind . "


    "That’s a lie!" Mo Ahshi yelled . "You’re bluffing!"


    "Take a look around, then," Ao Wushuang said casually . "Do you see any signs of Bahuang? Surely you can detect its presence by now if it was here . "


    Good thing Bahuang wasn’t active right now .


    Ao Wushuang was very much aware that she was in no shape to fight . She couldn’t even move her arms, for Heavens’ sake .


    "Ah . " Mo Ahshi sniggered . "So you’ve hidden it somewhere..." Mo Ahshi’s expression morphed into a re . "Where?"


    "You’ll never find it," Ao Wushuang said .


    Wang Yuanshan had entrusted Bahuang to her . She’d rather die than let this treacherous woman take it away .


    "Give it up, Ao Wushuang! Tell me where it is!" Mo Ahshi roared . "That sword is mine!"


    "Over my dead body," said Ao Wushuang .


    A derisive look spread across Mo Ahshi’s face .


    "You? You think you can stop me?" Mo Ahshi released a dark chuckle . "What can you do? You can barely move!"


    Ao Wushuang ignored the taunt . "So you’re in cahoots with the Great Six now? Is that it?" A wave of disgust welled up in Ao Wushuang’s stomach . "What did they promise you, Mo Ahshi? That Bahuang is yours as long as you help them take me out?"


    That could exin Mo Ahshi’s motive if true . The only problem with that theory was that nobody really knew that Ao Wushuang was still alive; they all thought she had perished along with him all those years ago .


    All of a sudden, Mo Ahshi burst intoughter .


    "What on earth is so funny, Mo Ahshi?"


    "Hah! I suppose not even the great Ao Wushuang can figure out the true extent of my ns . " Mo Ahshi’s mocking gaze settled on Ao Wushuang’s face . "I’ve been nning this for nine years after all . I’ve been thorough, you see?" Mo Ahshi’s eyes glinted maliciously . "I’ve been meticulous..."


    Ao Wushuang’s mind raced as she tried toe up with ways to gain some sort of leverage . Right now, she was in a position of severe disadvantage, and she had to admit that her chances of escape were pretty slim . She couldn’t use any of her spells, nor could she transform into her fox form . Hell, she couldn’t even move!


    I have to at least find a way to pass a message to Liu Ye . . .


    "Oh? And what kind of ns do you have?" Ao Wushuang asked, stalling for time .


    A smirk spread across Mo Ahshi’s face .


    The next thing Mo Ahshi did made Ao Wushuang’s blood run cold .


    Mo Ahshi rotated her wrist to reveal a tiny object hidden under her sleeve: a purple clock .


    "Where did you get that?!"


    A round ofughter escaped Mo Ahshi’s lips . "Tsk, tsk, tsk . No, no, no . That’s where you’re wrong, you see . " Mo Ahshiughed snidely . "I don’t have to get it from elsewhere, Ao Wushuang . It’s mine to begin with!"


    Horror coursed through Ao Wushuang .


    The clock shot out from under Mo Ahshi’s sleeve, increasing in size as it flew across the air . Then, when the clock had expanded to about the same size as Ao Wushuang’s body, some kind ofplex transformation process was activated: the whole contraption unfolded, then refolded itself into a box .


    The box enclosed Ao Wushuang’s body like a coffin, sealing her inside .


    Ao Wushuang knew right then that there was no way for her to escape now .


    She was trapped .