Climbing the Wall

Gu Shenwei had Shangguan Yushi standing between him and the Twins. It was a knot no amount of martial prowess could untie, so he had to find another way.

The Twins' enthusiasm for the game did not fade with time. Shangguan Ru announced that after a month of training, she would arrange a test to determine which of the three teams was superior.

Gu Shenwei thought this would be an opportunity to regain Shangguan Ru's attention.

His first priority was to find out what the test would involve. With Shangguan Yushi helping set the questions, he felt he could not afford to be careless.

On the second day after Shangguan Ru announced the test, Gu Shenwei found an opportunity to block Shangguan Hongye again.

Shangguan Hongye spotted Huan Nu from far away and immediately sent Little Book Boy off. When the two met, he merely nodded.

"I need you to do me a favor." Gu Shenwei got straight to the point.

Shangguan Hongye had still been waiting for Huan Nu to produce something. At this, he could not help feeling bitterly disappointed. "The same kind of favor as last time? I can't help. Young Master Yu almost found out that I organized the betting pool. I don't dare offend her."

"No, this time it's simpler. Find out what the Ninth Young Master plans to test a month from now."

"Heh, I nearly forgot. You were chosen as a 'killer,' so you're getting anxious? I still can't help you. I can't get a word in with the Ninth Young Master."

"Young Master Fei must know."

"Forget it. After I made him lose money last time, he hates me to death."

"All right. If you won't do it, so be it. Give me back the things I left with you. I can find someone else to help."

Shangguan Hongye's expression changed. He glanced around, then pulled Huan Nu to the wall. "Are you crazy? Fine, I'll help you just this once. But let's make one thing clear: it was fifty-fifty before, but now it all goes to me."

"Mm, that works too. At worst, I'll make another killing."

Shangguan Hongye immediately leaned closer and whispered, "If you can get more goods, I'll help you turn them into silver and put it away for you."

Gu Shenwei smiled without committing himself and turned to leave. After walking a few steps, he turned his head and called out, "As soon as possible."

Next, he had to seek Xue Niang's help.

"There'll be a test in a month. If I win, I can make the Twins pay attention to me again. Either they'll take me over, or they'll treat me as their greatest 'opponent.' Either way, it'll help me get on their good side. But if my Internal Force remains like this..."

Xue Niang sat in her chair, studying the respectful youth before her. "You're very clever—sometimes even cleverer than that Yao Nu. Perhaps too clever. Even I have to keep my guard up around you."

"This slave serves Xue Niang and Miss with all his heart and harbors no ulterior motives. I only hope that one day Xue Niang and Miss will stand up for me and avenge my father's murder. Besides, this slave's life is still clenched in Xue Niang's hand."

To Xue Niang, the "murdered father" meant the old servant of the Gu Family, Yang Zheng.

Gu Shenwei had secretly pressed the Xuanji acupoint on his chest several times. The burning sensation was growing stronger and stronger. More importantly, ever since Xue Niang stopped helping him cultivate Internal Force, his Hehe Jin had remained stuck at the second level, without the slightest progress for months. At first, he had thought he was not training hard enough. Only later did he realize that this was the result of Xue Niang's interference.

"You know that's good. You know that's good." Xue Niang repeated herself, but did not answer immediately.

The following evening, Xue Niang produced a solution. She actually had He Nu spend an hour every night training Huan Nu. The girl went from sparring partner to "master" in an instant.

Fist techniques, saber arts, Lightness Skill, hidden weapons, and so on—though He Nu was cold, she obeyed Xue Niang's orders to the letter and imparted almost everything she had learned during the day. The only thing Gu Shenwei could not learn was Internal Force. The rumor was true: to learn the Golden Peng Fortress's Internal Force, one had to have no foundation in another school's Internal Force.

Gu Shenwei secretly followed He Nu in learning the skills of a killer, while during the day he still had to put on the appearance of an unfavored servant and carry out the pointless orders Shangguan Yushi issued.

He waited anxiously for Shangguan Hongye's reply. He wanted to know what his weakness was in Shangguan Yushi's eyes.

For half a month, Shangguan Hongye failed to obtain any information. This could not be blamed on him, because Shangguan Ru herself had not yet decided what the test would be.

Another six or seven days passed before Shangguan Hongye hurriedly stuffed a note into Huan Nu's hands, completing his task at last.

The note bore two words: Climb the wall.

Gu Shenwei was baffled. What kind of test was climbing a wall? But he understood at once: this was a contest of Lightness Skill.

In Shangguan Yushi's eyes, Huan Nu's greatest weakness was his Lightness Skill.

The Gu Family Martial Arts emphasized steady, solid progress and was indeed not particularly suited to Lightness Skill. Gu Shenwei often sparred with people, so Shangguan Yushi must have noticed this.

With seven or eight days left before the test, Gu Shenwei explained the situation to Xue Niang. He would devote the remaining time to learning Lightness Skill and wall-climbing techniques. It was a last-minute scramble, but he had to scramble whether he liked it or not.

Xue Niang finally agreed to use external assistance to help him cultivate Hehe Jin again. Advanced Lightness Skill required Internal Force as its foundation. Gu Shenwei had begun learning too late and could only make up for it through Internal Force.

A month passed in a flash. The Twins abandoned their studies and focused on training the "killers." Every morning, Gu Shenwei and the other eight chosen candidates reported directly to Giant Stone Cliff in East Fortress. They had now gained the "privilege" of entering the restricted areas of Golden Peng Fortress. The three people under Shangguan Yushi, however, left after reporting to set up "hidden sentries."

On the day of the test, almost no one in the schoolroom was studying. Everyone ran outside to follow the Twins and watch the spectacle. Many were entering East Fortress for the first time. Like ordinary people, they were nervous and excited at first, then thought it was nothing special. As they neared Rebirth Cliff, unease returned. Only after turning into Giant Stone Cliff did their fear vanish, and they began praising the place as wonderful.

The test was very simple, exactly as Shangguan Hongye had revealed.

On the western side of Giant Stone Cliff stood a Stone Wall nearly several zhang high. Since it already stood beside a cliff, no one understood why such a high wall had been built, and no one offered an explanation.

Nine red silk flowers had been placed on top of the wall. The contestants had to climb up as quickly as possible and seize the flowers. Whoever obtained the most would win.

The test seemed to have little to do with being a "killer," but it was simple and direct—the audience's favorite kind.

The three "blade masters" did not participate. Only the nine young "killers" climbed the wall to seize the flowers.

This was probably Shangguan Fei's idea. He did not want to be outshone in public by his younger sister and female cousin. If he were surpassed by some servant as well, it would be even more humiliating.

The scene descended into chaos. Several Shangguan Family disciples, proud of having trained at Moon Holding Courtyard, also wanted to enter the test. After arguing back and forth, they added five spots. There were now fourteen people competing for nine red flowers.

The three "blade masters" served as judges, while Qing Nu maintained order. As long as the Twins were not in danger, he was more than willing to take part in this sort of game.

The test produced one farce after another from the very start. Of the three "killers" under Shangguan Yushi, only Huan Nu climbed onto the wall. The other two clawed at the cracks with both hands, but their feet had not even left the ground before they admitted defeat. They had learned nothing in that month and could only confess their failure to the "blade masters" together, red-faced, before squeezing out of the crowd to set up "hidden sentries."

Shangguan Yushi did not care in the slightest about the crowd's laughter. She only cared about that Huan Nu.

Gu Shenwei's first leap carried him higher than the others. He had originally been worried about the five latecomers. After all, they all bore the Shangguan name and might have learned more advanced martial arts at Moon Holding Courtyard. He soon discovered that his concern had been entirely unnecessary. The five had come purely to play. They were even worse than the "killers" trained by Young Master Fei, Shangguan Fei. They had climbed only a little over two zhang before screaming bloody murder. Three fell, while the other two climbed back down themselves, provoking a roar of laughter.

The three youths Shangguan Fei had chosen had the best foundations, while Shangguan Ru had trained hers the most seriously. The six followed close behind Gu Shenwei, racing toward the target like nimble geckos.

Gu Shenwei seized the first red flower. Cheers rose from below. When a hand tried to grab his ankle, he kicked it away without mercy. A cry rang out, and someone fell from the wall.

The contest became utterly ruthless. The six who had reached the top removed the wooden sabers from their waists and launched into a melee.

Saber arts were Gu Shenwei's strength. He did not need to rouse his killing intent; he only had to fight normally to send his opponents sprawling. One youth after another tumbled from the wall. Two even fell into the wall itself and took quite some time before limping back to Giant Stone Cliff.

Gu Shenwei had still overestimated these youths. A month of training could not change much. Still, he used this as an excuse to have Xue Niang further raise his Hehe Jin, which counted as a considerable gain.

Gu Shenwei seized seven red flowers. One youth took two while he was dueling someone else, then leaped down without a thought. A crowd of spectators caught him, and he escaped without injury.

Gu Shenwei slid the wooden saber back into his belt, plucked off the red flowers, and slowly climbed down the Stone Wall. His Lightness Skill was not yet good enough to jump from a height of several zhang without getting hurt.

Holding a pile of fake silk flowers, the first person he looked up at was Shangguan Ru.

The Ninth Young Master was looking at him too. Although her "killers" had gained nothing, she showed not the slightest trace of anger. Normally, she would have flown into a rage over such a minor defeat.

Gu Shenwei shifted his gaze and offered the red flowers in his hand to Shangguan Yushi, his nominal "blade master."

"Young Master Yu, Blade Master, I picked these flowers for you."

If Shangguan Yushi was bitterly disappointed and furious at that moment, she did not show it in the slightest. She did not accept the flowers. With her hands clasped behind her back, she said coolly,

"Keep them well. They're all yours."

Shangguan Yushi seemed to have conceded defeat. She no longer tried every possible way to send Huan Nu away from Giant Stone Cliff, but Gu Shenwei became even more vigilant.

The "killer" training had ended as well. Shangguan Ru dismissed the incompetent "killers," retaining only three, including Gu Shenwei. With the addition of the three "blade masters," there were six in all, and they formed a more elite group.

"Everyone else thinks this is just a game, but I'm going to give them a real shock."

On the first day after the group's formation, only the six of them were at Giant Stone Cliff. Shangguan Ru spoke with great seriousness, and there was even a hint of mystery in her voice.

"The six of us are the most formidable children in the Stone Fortress. Everyone in Carved Wood Courtyard is useless—not worth mentioning."

After saying this, she let her gaze rest on Shangguan Fei for a while. By her standards, Shangguan Fei should not count, but she had no way to drive away her own elder brother.

"Killers can't just play games. They have to do the work that falls within their duty."

Her tone grew even more mysterious. This time, she had not been influenced by anyone else. The idea was entirely her own.

"I'm going to organize an assassination," she said.