Chapter 163: Self-Doubt

　　“The martial arts of the Temple of Tempest’s is profound. Of course you guys won’t be able to identify it!” scoffed Siao Tieying.

　　Song Siwen clenched his teeth and furrowed his brows.

　　Was Zhao Zilai really a hitman for the Temple of Tempest?

　　Under any other normal circumstances, Chu Li would not dare kill the High Official of the Imperial Court even if he was the boldest person in the world and he knew that. This case was directly related to the Royal Household’s pride and dignity and if he did not do it well, the Royal Household would not have dropped the case and the Public House wouldn’t dare turn against the Royal Household just to cover up for Chu Li.

　　Based on the anecdote from the others, Chu Li was a highly intelligent fellow. He would not have made such a mistake. Intelligent people were calm and calculative. They always made sure to balance the pros and the cons before acting. Zhao Zilai only visited for a day which gave him no reason to have a deep-seated hatred towards Chu Li.

　　Intelligent people were calm and calculative. They balanced the pros and the cons before acting. Zhao Zilai had just visited for a day. There was no reason for him to have a deep-seated hatred towards Chu Li.

　　He was a third ranked Scribe of the Public House and had his future set. Why would he kill someone over such a small dispute and set himself against the Royal House, essentially destroying his own future?

　　“You can’t even tell what wounds are on the both of them, you might as well not even see them at all!” scoffed Siao Tieying.

　　“Does Master Siao feel guilty?” Song Siwen asked with a soft voice.

　　“Brother Zhao Zilai’s Striking Crane is top-notch. It’s able to injure one’s organs and it is definitely similar to Chu Li’s injury.”

　　“Hah!” Siao Tieying coldly smiled.

　　“Pretty impressive, Protector Song Siwen. You’ve certainly been able to identify it, very well. Chu Li, let him check your injury to see if it really was the Striking Crane or not.”

　　Chu Li glanced at Song Siwen and said, “You don’t know much. You might not be able to discern it, Brother Lee Yue.”

　　Lee Yue moved up and took off Chu Li’s clothes to show his chest and his shoulders. The few bloody wounds were still there and there was still blood dripping out from them. It was an unpleasant sight to the eye.

　　“Is this the Striking Crane?” Siao Tieying impolitely asked.

　　“Open your eyes and observe properly. Don’t give a reason for the professionals to laugh at you.”

　　Song Siwen furrowed his brows and looked at the four wounds. He used his hand and applied pressure to Chu Li’s chest. Suddenly, another hand reached out which obstructed Song Siwen’s palm. It was Zhao Qingshan who was coldly glaring at him.

　　“What is the meaning of this, Master Siao? Are you not allowing me to investigate?” Song Siwen asked with a stern tone in his voice.

　　“I’m worried that Protected Song Siwen is unaware of the severity of the situation. This may lead to a regrettable situation” said Zhao Qingshan.

　　“If Chu Li’s injuries worsen, don’t blame me for being impolite. Did our ancestors fight to protect the Great Ji Dynasty just so their grand descendants could be bullied? I’d like to ask the King, face-to-face, does he intend to remove this Public House because he thinks we are causing problems?” scoffed Siao Tieying.

　　Song Siwen’s expression slightly changed.

　　The Royal House and the Public House had a unique but good relationship which could not be interfered by the Imperial Court. If they angered Siao Tieying, he could simply walk into the Imperial House to lodge his complaints. Even the King and Queen was required to respect the reputation of the Public House.

　　At that moment, the ones that were unfortunate and disadvantaged were the representatives themselves. They would have been used by the King and Queen as an outlet to vent their frustrations from the complaints of the Public House.

　　Siao Tieying waved his hand while Zhao Qingshan continued to glare at Song Siwen coldly as he slowly pulled his hand back.

　　Song Siwen returned the cold glare with another. He continued to explore Chu Li’s inner energy and found that his vigor was depleting. There was a mysterious force swallowing it, slowly killing him.

　　“Protector Song Siwen, have you recognized what martial arts it is?” Siao Tieying asked.

　　Song Siwen looked at him, confused.

　　“What other martial arts in the world is this vicious besides the Perishable Touch?” Siao Tieying said with a cold laugh.

　　Song Siwen’s expression turned grim and he kept quiet.

　　“Elder Song Siwen, what kind injury is this?” asked one of the Imperial Court’s Protectors.

　　Song Siwen raised his head, sighed, looked at his five companions and said in confirmation, “It’s the Perishable Touch.”

　　He had a rather respectable impression of the Perishable Touch because of this close friends had died right in front of his eyes after being inflicted with it. Even the Royal House’s spirit drugs were unable to prevent the destructive properties of the Perishable Touch.

　　He sympathetically looked at Chu Li and shook his head. There was no use of him investigating any further because Chu Li was basically a dead man.

　　His life could have been saved by the famous Spirit Blessing Pill of the Public House if he was struck with only one finger. However, he was struck by at least four and no matter how powerful the Spirit Blessing Pill was, he would eventually die.

　　“The Perishable Touch?”

　　The expressions of the five protectors immediately changed.

　　As a protector of the Imperial House, he had fought against the Temple of Tempest before and he had experienced the true power of the Temple. He had already lost at least ten of his companions to the Perishable Touch.

　　They looked at Chu Li astonished as he said, “This force, this is the work of your High Official Zhao Zilai!”

　　“High Official Zhao Zilai would never conspire against the followers of the Temple of Tempest!” scoffed Song Siwen.

　　“If he hadn’t lured me out of town, how would I have been able to send myself to my death? I saw the followers of the Temple and if he had helped in stopping them, I would have gotten away but I didn’t. How else would I get hit by the Perishable Touch?” Chu Li said while shaking his head.

　　“Don’t tell me Chu Li would gamble on his own life with the Perishable Touch. He’s weak and can’t say much right now. Shall we leave the premises so that we can discuss further?” Siao Tieying coldly said.

　　Song Siwen took a look at Chu Li before he left and discreetly shook his head.

　　After being stuck by that many fingers of the Perishable Touch? He was dead for sure. It was such a pity.

　　Chu Li waited until they left and immediately began to circulate his spiritual energy to restrain the force of the Perishable Touch. This force was vicious, like a maggot attached to a bone. There was no way of removing it and it would only get stronger by the day. Luckily for Chu Li, he had the Scripture of Life and Death and the Glory’s Will Tree, which allowed him the pull together the vigor and spiritual energy to help him resist the Perishable Touch.

　　He estimated that if it were anyone else who was struck with that many fingers, they would be dead by now.

　　There was a boat coming ashore which carried Su Ru and Xue. They entered the courtyard and stood on both sides of Chu Li. They carried him onto the boat and returned the Guardian of Jade island, entering the Glory’s Will Courtyard.

　　Chu Li waited until they left and immediately began to circulate the spiritual energy to inhibit the force of Perishable Touch.

　　Perishable Touch was indeed vicious. It was like a maggot attached to the bone. There was no way of removing it and it gets stronger by the day. Luckily, he had the Scripture of Life and Death and the Glory’s Will Tree so he was able to pool the vigor and spiritual energy to help him resist Perishable Touch.

　　As they entered the courtyard, Chu Li let out a long breath. The pure spiritual energy of the Glory’s Will Tree entered into his body which immediately inhibits the forces of the Perishable Touch.

　　This tree was indeed mysterious. If he did not have it, he would have never dared put on the show that he did just now. The force of the Glory’s Will Tree was stable and effective in inhibiting the Perishable Touch.

　　“How did it go, Master? Did they buy the act? Can this be considered a success?” asked Xue and Su Ru in curiosity as they carefully put him on the couch.

　　Chu Li smiled and glanced in the direction of the Iron Eagle Island and said, “It all depends on Master Siao now”.

　　Siao Tieying brought everyone back into the main hall of the Iron Eagle Island. After everyone had been seated, he continued the discussion. “Protector Song Siwen, do you understand now? Do you still intend to take Chu Li away with you?”.

　　“Master Siao, it is still a fact that Brother Zhao Zilai died on the grounds of your Public House,” Song Siwen said in a gentle tone. “There’s no use giving us such a hard time”.

　　“How dare you villains complain!” shouted Siao Tieying. He continued, “I still intend on asking the King to give my Public House an explanation on why the High Official he employed was harboring intentions of ambushing a senior member of my Public House”.

　　“Senior? How is he a senior at such a young age?” laughed Song Siwen.

　　“Protector Song Siwen, Chu Li is a rank three Scribe,” Li Quan explained to Song Siwen as he saluted and smiled.

　　“Rank three?” Song Siwen furrowed his brows.

　　“He may be young but he has contributed a lot. My Public House was always friendly to geniuses and the gifted. A Scribe does not need a great background or anything to climb the ladder or ranks. The only things that matter is their contributions,” scoffed Siao Tieying.

　　“Then he’s really a genius.” Song Siwen shook his head and felt saddened: “What a pity.”

　　“Pity?” scoffed Siao Tieying. “You guys still don’t intend on letting him go?” he asked.

　　“It is not that we’re the ones who do not want to let him off, but the Perishable Touch does not plan of letting him go. He was struck by four of them, he’s dead for sure,” sighed Song Siwen.

　　Siao Tieying waved off his hand and said, “You need not worry about that. You’ve already had your lunch and you may leave now to report to the King. If he still wants people to come over, I’ll go to the Fairy Capital personally and explain the situation. Don’t try to bully us into submission”.