Testing My Grandfather

Chen Changhong was a little lost in the face of this situation.

And deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling that this might be a trap.

For example, when the bandits killed his grandfather, they might have forced some information out of him.

Like, "My grandson is a cultivator."

Given the Yanhe Pavilion proprietor's behavior and his seasoned ways of handling people, Chen Changhong thought—

The man might well have arranged for someone to impersonate his grandfather in his next life, hoping to settle their grudge or use him.

If that was what had happened,

and the Yanhe Pavilion proprietor had pressed his grandfather hard enough,

then this "Chen Guan" might know everything and be able to impersonate his grandfather convincingly.

During his travels, Chen Changhong had heard of similar cases.

Once, a Tree Demon had devoured a swordsman and destroyed his soul.

That swordsman had a close friend, a cultivator from the area.

After learning of him, the Tree Demon, afraid for its life, had beguiled someone into impersonating the swordsman's reincarnation and befriending the cultivator.

When the cultivator tracked down the Tree Demon, he found that the two had already sworn brotherhood.

Normally, when the "reincarnated person" had sworn brotherhood with his enemy, the matter should have been left at that.

If the cultivator killed the Tree Demon anyway, it might well have sparked a whole tangled tale of former friends turning against each other.

For instance, the swordsman might have resented the cultivator for killing his friend and become his sworn enemy.

But the cultivator had secretly investigated, seen through the Tree Demon's scheme, and discovered the impostor, then avenged his friend.

Demons, ghosts, and people were all full of schemes.

It was hard to tell truth from falsehood.

Still, there was a quicker way to find out.

That was the "Soul-Searching Secret Art."

But—

Chen Changhong understood.

Though using a secret art to search a soul could reveal more specific details,

if this man really was his grandfather reincarnated,

then using such a method would be, first, a gross act of disrespect.

Second, it would harm his soul.

Third, if he had no memories of his previous life, yet was his grandfather reincarnated, and Chen Changhong had injured his soul, what then?

Now,

as Chen Changhong stood by the lake, watching Chen Guan and Bandit Brother enter the tavern arm in arm again, he found himself caught between impossible choices. He felt that perhaps if he knew less, he wouldn't have so many worries.

But precisely because he was a cultivator, he knew too much.

And because this concerned his grandfather,

he wanted to get to the bottom of it, lest some villain exploit his filial devotion and ensnare him in a wicked plot.

"Rivers and lakes are full of ghosts and gods, and people scheme against one another."

That night, in a house,

Chen Changhong sat cross-legged in meditation.

The closer he came to the crucial point, the more he felt he had to keep his composure.

As he gradually calmed his mind,

he thought of three ways to resolve the matter.

"City God, you have a method to observe yin souls. You could take my grand... Young Hero Chen... on a trip to the Underworld Bureau..."

As Chen Changhong considered it, he looked north.

"If the City God can't see through this,

my grandmaster has nearly a thousand years of cultivation and is well versed in methods for searching the three souls and seven spirits. Perhaps he can investigate Young Hero Chen's past-life wisdom.

I could take Young Hero Chen to my sect... and ask my grandmaster to identify him.

Besides,

I only arrived here today, so I can ask around and find out when this man was born and what he has been through."

Thinking of this, Chen Changhong suddenly sighed.

"Grandfather, don't blame your grandson. The rivers and lakes are treacherous, and I've already been deceived too many times.

Now I don't want some villains using your name to keep you from resting in peace."

That night,

with the intention of gathering information, Chen Changhong also went to an inn at the northern end of town.

As he passed by, he heard people inside mentioning "Chen Guan, Young Hero Chen" and "the Zhao Family's Fifth Young Master," among other things.

"Are you here for a meal or a room, sir?"

At the same time, the waiter saw a customer arrive and came to greet him at the door.

"I want to ask you something."

Chen Changhong thought it over. Rather than go inside and question the guests, he took a tael of silver from his sleeve and said bluntly,

"I heard those people talking about Chen Guan, Young Hero Chen. Who is he? Is he well known around here?"

"Ah!" The waiter had meant to turn down the silver when he saw how much it was, but after hearing Chen Changhong's question, he relaxed.

"Young master, you gave me so much silver I got a fright. I thought it was something serious...

I never imagined it was about Young Hero Chen!"

As he spoke, the waiter nodded and bowed. "That's too much silver, sir. Just about everyone in town knows Young Hero Chen."

"Keep it," Chen Changhong said unconcernedly. "I only want to know who this Young Hero Chen is, and what the Zhao Family's Fifth Young Master is."

"Thank you, sir!" The waiter quietly accepted the silver, then, with his back to the innkeeper inside, slipped it into his pocket.

"You've come to the right person!"

As he spoke, the waiter quickly and thoroughly recounted how Chen Guan had been born twenty years ago, left home more than ten years ago, changed his name, and how the Liu Family had been wiped out, along with the rest of the story.

Chen Changhong listened carefully. His heart stirred as he realized that the timing of his grandfather's death seemed to line up.

As for why his kind and timid grandfather had become so ruthless in his next life,

he thought that was perfectly normal. Perhaps he simply hadn't "awakened the wisdom of his past life."

A person's personality in a new life was naturally new.

But the sudden change of name left him puzzled.

"Had my grandfather awakened, or hadn't he?"

Curious, Chen Changhong took out another tael of silver and handed it to the waiter, who watched eagerly.

"Why did this Zhao Family young master change his name?"

"Well..." Hearing that, the waiter smiled awkwardly and pushed the silver back. "He just suddenly changed his name."

At that, the waiter bent over with an apologetic smile.

"How would I know why? I'm just a waiter at this inn. How could I know what's on the mind of the Zhao Family's Fifth Young Master?

That's a hard question for a humble fellow like me, sir...

But Young Hero Chen is usually at Yanhe Pavilion.

The people over there should know more."

"Thank you for telling me." Chen Changhong looked the waiter over. When he had nothing more to ask, he pushed the silver back toward him.

"Keep it."

Now he had the basic information.

Chen Changhong decided to meet Chen Guan in person.

He would see if he could draw anything out of him.

If he couldn't, he would Soul-Search the proprietor, or send him to the Underworld Bureau and ask the City God once more, so Judge Wuwen could interrogate him for answers.

As for Young Hero Chen,

Chen Changhong felt conflicted and confused about him.

But if all else failed, he would take him back to his sect first and ask his grandmaster to "search his soul and question him."

Late at night, by the lake.

Chen Guan stood by the lake outside Yanhe Pavilion, watching the boats and admiring the moon.

Bandit Brother was inside the tavern, doing the accounts.

At times like these, Chen Guan liked to sit alone for a while before going home with the bandit.

Just then,

by the lake not far away, Chen Changhong, dressed like a knight-errant and deliberately made to look more mature, appeared to be in his thirties as he strolled over from afar.

As he walked,

Chen Changhong studied Chen Guan. His features were peculiar—strange, even.

But his build was truly imposing!

He was nothing like his grandfather, not by the slightest degree.

"Could he really be my grandfather reincarnated?"

As he watched, Chen Changhong found himself staring at Chen Guan without realizing it.

"Hm?" Hearing footsteps, Chen Guan glanced casually to the side. When he saw a strange man staring at him, he looked back at him.

As the two gazed at each other,

and the distance between them steadily closed,

Chen Changhong studied him for more than ten seconds, then looked away and simply walked over to Chen Guan, stopping two meters away.

Chen Guan kept turning his head to look at Chen Changhong. Only after he had stared long enough to make Chen Changhong feel awkward did he come to his senses and say,

"Brother, forgive me. I lost myself for a moment earlier. I didn't mean to stare."

"Mm." Chen Changhong nodded, unbothered, and said nothing more. He simply looked out at the boats on the lake.

He suddenly felt terribly nervous. He didn't know what to ask or what to say.

He was eager to know, but afraid it was all a misunderstanding—or a trap.

Chen Guan said nothing either, only frowning as he gazed out at the lake.

A few minutes passed before

Chen Changhong finally mustered some courage, pushed down his anxiety, and asked Chen Guan curiously,

"Why did you keep staring at me earlier?"

Chen Changhong had assumed nobody knew him, especially since he had deliberately changed his appearance.

Yet this Young Hero Chen had kept staring at him in puzzlement, as if there were a flower on his face.

He was intensely curious about that strange look.

"To be honest,"

Chen Guan said, shaking his head and speaking plainly after hearing the stranger's question,

"when I saw you earlier, I suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of closeness and familiarity.

That's why I was so rude and stared. Please forgive me."

As he spoke, Chen Guan felt an unaccountable, natural fondness for the stranger. Even his tone carried an unmistakable warmth.

Without realizing it, he felt a touch of the affection an elder might have for a younger person.

Chen Guan himself didn't notice.

But despite his politeness,

facing someone he felt such a natural urge to befriend, Chen Guan first asked his name.

"I keep thinking you resemble an old friend of mine. May I ask your name?"

"Resemble him... familiar? And that tone, just like my grandfather..."

Hearing the word "familiar," and that gentle, elder-like tone, Chen Changhong felt his heart give a hard thump.

Somehow, Chen Guan's fierce features seemed to soften before his eyes, overlapping with the memory of his grandfather's kind, aged face.

But they had spent too little time together.

If he rashly gave his real name, it might be a trap.

So,

the cautious Chen Changhong quickly recited the Calm-the-Mind Mantra, steadying his agitated heart, then tried to keep his voice even.

"I... I... my name is Li Changyuan..."

Chen Changhong tried to sound calm, but his voice caught slightly, and his eyes reddened a little.

"Grandfather... are you really his next life?"

"Hero Li?" Chen Guan thought this man was strange, crying at the drop of a hat, but still returned the greeting with cupped fists.

"I'm Chen Guan."

As he spoke,

Chen Guan couldn't understand where this awkward, instinctive feeling—like the one he got from Bandit Brother—came from.

And he didn't recognize the man's name, either.

If all else failed, he could dress up as a Flying Thief in the middle of the night, corner Hero Li, and question him to see what happened.