Wuxia: Start with max-level Nine Yang Divine Skill

Chapter 234 Kuang Zhenyue: "I am the master thief who washed himself clean. Make your move quickly." (4k2)

As Li Fu's mind raced, he suddenly took a step forward.

The atmosphere in the courtyard suddenly tensed up as this step was taken.

The moment Li Fu's brow furrowed with a chilling killing intent, both of them shuddered.

He wanted to push him further to see just how much weight Kuang Zhenyue really had.

At this moment, lights were flickering and voices were clamoring not far from the courtyard, and people were rapidly approaching. It was the people from the manor who had been disturbed by the earlier fighting and were rushing over.

Ouyang Jin was truly terrified by Li Fu's unpredictable Six Meridian Divine Sword, especially since Li Fu had no intention of killing. Now, seeing Li Fu's murderous aura, he was filled with fear and actually shouted towards the outside of the courtyard.

"Come quick!"

"Help! Someone come quick!"

His shout caused the footsteps outside to quicken even further.

Before long, Zhu Tinggao took the lead, followed by other alerted experts, carrying lanterns and torches, and filed into the courtyard.

When everyone arrived, they found the courtyard in complete disarray.

The bluestone slabs were shattered everywhere, a broken knife was nailed to the courtyard wall, blood was seeping from Kuang Zhenyue's tiger's mouth, and his face was ashen.

Ouyang Jin's clothes were torn at the chest, revealing faint bloodstains, and his breathing was unsteady;

The two were forced into a corner with nowhere to retreat, and were in a very sorry state.

Only Li Fu, dressed in a blue robe, stood under the moon, his face calm, yet he exuded a chilling aura that made people dare not look directly at him.

"Nephew, what—what's going on?"

Zhu Tinggao asked in surprise, his gaze shifting back and forth between the three.

Li Fu briefly recounted what had happened that night.

Those words spoken during the day were deliberate, meant to alert the enemy, to wait for them to come to the trap, to discover that someone had knocked down the guards and sneaked in, to catch Kuang Zhenyue trying to set the house on fire, to see how they fought, and how Ouyang Jin suddenly appeared and helped Kuang Zhenyue.

Upon hearing this, the crowd erupted in uproar.

"What? Master Kuang set fire to the house?"

"Isn't this destroying the evidence!"

"Needless to say, they're acting out of guilt; they're probably afraid Officer Li will find out something else!"

"Could it be that Master Kuang is really—really that villain?"

"The infamous 'Golden Saber Fierce Wind' Kuang Zhenyue is actually a notorious bandit?!"

A chorus of surprised whispers arose, and the way people looked at Kuang Zhenyue gradually changed, a mixture of surprise, anger, and disdain.

Several renowned martial arts masters from the righteous path gripped their weapons, eager to seize the man.

"You can know a person's face but not their heart!"

"Could it be that you raped and murdered Master Liu Jichuan, the daughter and wife of Hero Zhao Xu, Master Meng's concubine, and Madam Liu?"

"He deserves to be torn to pieces to rid the martial world of this scourge!"

Kuang Zhenyue was being pointed at by everyone, his face was extremely ugly, and he pursed his lips and remained silent.

Ouyang Jin, who was watching from the side, was stunned and couldn't help but say, "Master Kuang, speak up and explain why you've come here tonight!"

Kuang Zhenyue remained silent, only gripping his injured hand even tighter until his knuckles turned white.

Li Fu observed coldly, but felt something was amiss.

Ouyang Jin's reaction was rather strange.

He didn't know what shady secret he had caught Kuang Zhenyue, and he used it to threaten Kuang Zhenyue into losing to him in the duel. But even under these circumstances, he didn't know why he seemed to have some faith that Kuang Zhenyue was not a notorious thief.

"Speak up, Master Kuang!"

Seeing Kuang Zhenyue remain silent, Ouyang Jin was even more anxious than the person involved, somewhat like a eunuch who was more worried than the emperor, which is not hard to understand.

If Kuang Zhenyue is to be executed in the Mingzhengdian, he might become desperate and expose how Ouyang Jin cheated in the duel between the chief of the fortress, and he will certainly not let him off easily.

The atmosphere in the courtyard grew increasingly lively, and some people began to shout.

"What else is there to say?"

He could no longer speak!

Caught red-handed, he is indeed a notorious thief who has fled the scene!

"Acting on behalf of Heaven, let's capture this villain first!"

The crowd was in an uproar, and it looked like they were about to take action.

Ouyang Jin was so anxious that sweat beaded on his forehead, and he suddenly raised his hand and shouted.

"Wait a minute, everyone, listen to me!"

Officer Li, Lord Zhu, you've both made a mistake! Lord Kuang could never be the notorious bandit who washed himself clean!

Li Fu's gaze sharpened, and he asked.

"oh?

"I'd like to hear why Master Kuangwu can't be a notorious bandit who washes himself clean!"

"Of course it's impossible for Master Kuang to be that; how could he possibly be the master thief who washes himself in the mud!"

Because of him—”

Ouyang Jin was both anxious and angry, as if he felt that the idea that Kuang Zhenyue was a notorious thief was utterly ridiculous and impossible. He was about to explain the reason with some eagerness, but he suddenly stopped, as if he had suddenly remembered something, and choked up, unable to continue for a long time.

"He—he—"

"We're listening!"

The crowd, already dissatisfied at being stopped, looked on with suspicion and pressed, "Why?"

"Master Ouyang, explain yourself clearly!"

What evidence do you have?

Ouyang Jin blushed as she was questioned, her lips moved slightly, and her eyes drifted toward Kuang Zhenyue, as if she was hesitant and wary.

Just then, Kuang Zhenyue, whose face was extremely pale, raised his head sharply and shouted in a hoarse voice.

"That's enough!"

His roar silenced everyone else. His eyes were bloodshot as he scanned the crowd and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"No need to ask anymore, no need to say anything more—I am the master thief who washes himself in clothes!"

The courtyard was brightly lit. Despite their suspicions, the guests' expressions changed drastically, unable to believe that he had actually confessed to being a notorious thief.

He admitted it!

Kuang Zhenyue himself admitted it!

"Is it really him?"

The infamous Golden Blade Gale—is actually such a villain?

"Take him down!"

"Take it down quickly!"

Those in the crowd who were close to the victim were even more outraged.

Someone pointed and cursed.

"Kuang Zhenyue, Master Liu Jichuan, Master Zhao's wife and daughter, and Master Meng's beloved concubine—all were harmed by you?"

You are utterly wicked; even being torn to pieces wouldn't be enough!

Someone shouted, "Gentlemen, let's attack together, capture this traitor, and rid the martial world of this menace!"

The crowd responded in unison, and the sounds of swords being drawn filled the air.

Kuang Zhenyue laughed loudly, a laugh tinged with madness: "Come on, if you dare!"

He suddenly swung his arm and attacked, trying to break through the encirclement.

However, he had already injured his wrist and lost his weapon when he fought Li Fu earlier. Now that he was surrounded by the crowd, he was no match for them.

In just a few moves, he was defeated, his arms were twisted behind his back, and he was forced to kneel on the bluestone ground.

Everyone believed that the murderer had been caught, and they surrounded him, discussing the matter with great indignation.

"Now that we have captured him, shouldn't we first hold a petition rally to publicly announce our case to the martial arts world and appease our fellow practitioners?"

"right!

Executed in public as a warning to others!

This will also serve as a deterrent to the martial arts world, letting those petty scoundrels know their place!

"To avoid any unforeseen complications, to prevent him from escaping, and to prevent another woman from being harmed by him in the future, wouldn't it be better to kill this villain first, and then publicly mutilate his corpse? That would be the same thing."

"The thought of this scoundrel's arrogance and Madam Liu's tragic death makes me want to pierce his heart with a sword right now!"

After Kuang Zhenyue was subdued by the crowd and forced to kneel on the ground, Li Fu watched this scene, and doubts began to arise in his heart.

If Kuang Zhenyue was truly that notorious bandit, how could he be so easily subdued given his arrogant nature, superb martial arts skills, and ruthless temperament?

Even if it were for acting, there would be absolutely no way I would entrust my life to someone else.

However, in the chaotic battle just now, although Kuang Zhenyue's martial arts were strong, they were far from being as unfathomable as the legendary master thief.

At this moment, everyone shouted that Kuang Zhenyue should be brought to justice and rid the martial arts world of this scourge.

Zhu Tinggao also discussed with the others whether they should first hold a petition meeting to announce it to the martial arts world, and then execute the person in public.

However, those who had connections with the victims of the infamous thief had long been eager to eliminate the villain.

Li Fu spoke up: "Gentlemen, wait a moment. There are still a few suspicious points about this matter that are unclear. Let's not rush to take action."

His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly drowned out the noise.

Everyone turned to look at him. They believed that Li Fu deserved great credit for catching the notorious thief and were quite convinced of his abilities.

Zhu Tinggao also raised his hand to signal: "Everyone, please be quiet and listen to what Officer Li has to say."

Kuang Zhenyue was forced to kneel on the ground. He struggled to raise his head and saw Li Fu walking towards him, his eyes showing a hint of scrutiny and suspicion.

He then struggled to his feet again and roared at the crowd.

"Kill me if you want!"

"Anyone among you who still has eggs should just give it a quick death and stop talking nonsense!"

These sarcastic remarks immediately aroused the anger of the crowd, and some people went up and kicked him a few more times.

Someone shouted angrily.

"Damn it, this thief is so arrogant even after being caught. He won't admit defeat until he's faced with his own death."

"Officer Li, there's no need to waste words with such a villain. Just kill him; you won't go wrong!"

Li Fu frowned slightly, finding the situation even more suspicious.

Kuang Zhenyue's behavior gives the impression that he is clearly seeking a quick death and deliberately provoking everyone.

Is it because they fear retaliation and torment?

After all, given the deeds of a notorious thief, no amount of torture or extreme punishment would be too much for him.

Or do they want this matter to end with his death, to settle things once and for all, or are they trying to cover something up?

Without saying a word, Li Fu bent down, grabbed Kuang Zhenyue's hair bun, and pulled hard, tearing out a small strand of hair.

Under the moonlight, the hair color was not very clear, and it was hard to tell whether it was as dark and shiny as it appeared during the day.

But Li Fu had already realized something was wrong.

The hair smelled of tea oil, unlike the few strands of hair he found in the bathtub during the day, which smelled of osmanthus hair oil.

He looked at Kuang Zhenyue, who was kneeling on the ground, and asked in a deep voice.

"Master Kuangwu, what kind of hair oil do you usually use to care for your hair?"

Everyone was taken aback by Li Fu's question, wondering why he would suddenly ask such a question.

Li Fu held the strand of hair in his hand and addressed the crowd.

"During the daytime investigation of the scene, I found a few strands of hair left by the murderer in the bathtub, which smelled of osmanthus oil."

And Kuang Wuzhu's hair...

He handed the strand of hair to Zhu Tinggao beside him, "Gentlemen, smell this, is it osmanthus oil?"

Zhu Tinggao took a sniff and shook his head, saying, "It's tea oil."

Li Fu then took out the strands of hair he had collected during the day and had him compare them. Zhu Tinggao smelled them and passed them on to the next person. Many people verified that they were indeed different.

Everyone was taken aback.

Li Fu continued, "During the day, the bandit's hair smelled of osmanthus oil, but why did Master Kuang's hair smell of tea oil? What's going on?"

Kuang Zhenyue's eyes changed, his face darkened, and he snorted.

"I saw you make some discoveries during the day. Your eyes are both cunning and sharp. You truly deserve to be called a famous detective. You can even use something as subtle as pollen to solve cases."

Worried that some hair might have gotten into the bathtub, I washed my hair immediately after returning home and applied tea oil again.

This is not impossible.

If Kuang Zhenyue deliberately used tea oil to cover up the scent after washing his hair, the strong aroma of tea oil could indeed mask the original scent of osmanthus oil.

But Li Fu remained unmoved, his gaze piercing Kuang Zhenyue like lightning.

"Since all the people in the daytime were listed as suspects, the manor has been sealed off inside and out, and no guests are allowed to enter or leave."

Master Kuangwu, where did you get this tea oil?

"Did you instruct the servants in the manor to buy it?"

"good!"

Because he asked the question so quickly, Kuang Zhenyue instinctively responded just as quickly, without hesitation.

"Oh?"

Li Fu pressed further, "Which servant was that? What was his name?"

"I can't remember."

"I can have all the servants in the manor identify them."

Kuang Zhenyue's expression changed slightly. He paused for a moment, then changed his words.

"Why would we need servants?"

With my martial arts skills, how could you bunch of good-for-nothings possibly find out if I wanted to sneak in and out of the manor?

I bought it myself!

Before he could finish speaking, a skilled fighter in the crowd flew into a rage and punched him in the face.

"Even on the verge of death, you're still being stubborn!"

Blood trickled from the corner of Kuang Zhenyue's mouth, but he still glared and tried to struggle and lash out again, but was held down firmly by the people behind him.

However, when some people saw that he still dared to struggle, they stopped shouting for him to be executed quickly.

The people present were not stupid. Some of the smart ones, after Li Fu asked a few questions, gradually realized what was going on in Kuang Zhenyue's behavior.

There is definitely something fishy about this, it goes without saying.

Zhu Tinggao walked over to Li Fu and stood beside him, saying...

"When ordinary thieves are captured, they always try to make all sorts of excuses to clear their names."

Kuang Zhenyue, however, did the exact opposite, trying every trick in the book to take the blame upon himself—"Nephew Li, this matter is indeed as you say, suspicious."

Li Fu turned his gaze to Ouyang Jin, who had been silent for a long time.

"Master Ouyang," he said slowly, "Kuang Zhenyue can now be considered a notorious bandit, about to be executed and facing death."

Now, perhaps only you can save him.

He stared into Ouyang Jin's eyes. "I want to hear why you believe Kuang Zhenyue could never be a notorious thief."

Ouyang Jin's expression changed, and her lips moved as if she was struggling and hesitating.

Just then, Kuang Zhenyue, who was being pressed to the ground, suddenly roared.

"Ouyang Jin!"

I will take responsibility for my own actions; it's none of your business. If I die, I die.

If you dare to say another word, I'll—"

Before he could finish speaking, Li Fu flicked his finger, and a wisp of wind from his finger-flicking technique struck his speech acupoint.

Kuang Zhenyue's eyes widened instantly, his throat gurgled, and he could no longer make a sound. He could only stare at Ouyang Jin with his bloodshot eyes, trying to convey his meaning through his gaze.

Ouyang Jin stared blankly at Kuang Zhenyue, who only wanted a quick death, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

"Master Ouyang," Li Fu raised his voice coldly, "Don't look at him, look at me."

Ouyang Jin snapped out of her daze, looked at Li Fu, opened her mouth, and sighed.

"I previously thought that Master Kuangwu couldn't possibly be a notorious bandit, based on my impression of him as a person—I thought he was a good man."

But now that I think about it, given his consistently volatile and violent temper, it seems—not entirely impossible—that he might be the kind of villain who harms women.

He changed his tune.

Ouyang Jin had just understood the threatening implication in Kuang Zhenyue's words: he said he would take responsibility for his own actions and that Kuang Zhenyue didn't need to interfere; if he died, he died.

The implication was that he wouldn't reveal their affair before he died, and that he shouldn't utter a word; the following was a veiled threat.

Despite the threat, Ouyang Jin's feelings were complicated.

When he accidentally discovered Kuang Zhenyue's weakness, he was overjoyed, thinking it was a godsend.

With that leverage, he could use it to threaten Kuang Zhenyue into faking defeat in the duel, thus helping him seize the position of Chief of the General's Dock.

That weakness was indeed fatal, but once it was revealed, Kuang Zhenyue's suspicions would be immediately cleared.

However, Kuang Zhenyue would probably rather die than let that matter be exposed to the world.

Li Fu sneered: "Previously, Master Ouyang kept saying there was a misunderstanding, but now he's changed his tune and says there's no misunderstanding."

",