Wuyou no longer cared about his soiled clothes or how he looked. He hurried to explain himself to Yueru.
If he couldn't clear things up, she might hate him for the rest of her life. If he could, it would only be his appearance that had suffered. There would still be a chance to recover.
Whatever else could be said of him, his composure deserved some credit.
Unfortunately, he was no match for me. I didn't argue with him. I turned to the shopkeeper instead. 'You tell her what happened.'
'Well... young man, who was it acting in secret just now? Your teacher, I presume. If he's nearby, please ask him to come out so I can apologize properly. This was a misunderstanding. There's no need for things to go so far.'
He hesitated and didn't give the explanation I wanted. I frowned a little.
He didn't believe I had done it myself. He thought my teacher was working behind the scenes and had only sent me out to speak.
I could understand it. He was well into middle age, yet had learned so little beyond these disreputable tricks. His experience must have been limited.
His ideas were fixed. He couldn't imagine someone so young possessing real strength. That wasn't surprising.
I didn't explain. I used a sword-finger gesture to strike him with a spell, then shifted my hand to the left. His body began spinning uncontrollably.
Only after several turns did I let him stop.
This time, nothing doubtful remained in his eyes. He looked at me with profound respect.
'Master, I didn't know you had such power. I was blind to it. Please forgive me for offending you. Yes, Zhao Wuyou asked me to help him stage this. I didn't want to agree, but his grandfather is Zhao Qiankun. I can't afford to cross him. I had to do as his grandson asked. And Wuyou offered me money, so there was nothing to lose. I thought it was only a little act. If I'd known you would be involved, Master, I wouldn't have dared take the job.'
Once he understood my strength, he confessed everything without delay.
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Wuyou's face had finally regained its normal color. Now it almost turned green.
He hadn't expected the shopkeeper to change sides the instant he saw what I could do.
'Yueru, don't believe him! These two must be working together. Li An came from the countryside. He knows he can't beat me, so he's tricked me instead. It's perfectly possible he arranged this with the shopkeeper. He couldn't have that kind of skill. If he did, he'd have made a name for himself by now. Why would he still be like this?'
Even with the evidence right in front of him, Wuyou wouldn't give up.
He did think quickly. In an instant he had tied me to the shopkeeper and accused us of conspiring.
'I'm telling you the truth, Yueru. A man in my position would never stoop to this. Only Li An would use such dirty, despicable tricks. He has no real ability, so he has to use them to win your heart!'
I said nothing. Yueru had eyes of her own. She could see what had happened. She wasn't that foolish.
She had no patience left for his excuses. 'Enough, Wuyou,' she said coldly. 'Whether you arranged this with the shopkeeper or An did, it doesn't matter anymore. I don't want to see you again. I really do dislike you.'
Even after that, he had the nerve to open his mouth, ready to say more.
I frowned and raised my hand as though about to cast a spell. He startled, scrambled up from the ground, and hurried away like a dog driven out of its home.
Yueru shook her head and sighed at the sight of him.
I turned to the paper effigy and cast a spell at it. The soul was drawn out.
It was a middle-aged man with a terrible face. He must have died in some accident.
I took out a talisman, which began to burn of its own accord. Then I recited a release incantation.
'By the Supreme One's decree, lone soul, be set free. Leave the sea of suffering and be reborn as a human.'
When the talisman had burned away and the incantation was finished, the restless soul became a light breeze and vanished before us.
I turned back to the shopkeeper. He lowered his head, not daring to meet my eyes.
Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. He was afraid of what punishment I might give him.
Before I could speak, he began.
'Please don't be angry, Master. I was wrong to accept the bribe, wrong to help someone stage this. But I had reasons. Please consider them and let me off this once.'
He made himself very humble. That was only natural. In this world, strength commanded respect. Everything was judged by it.
All the more so in the occult arts. Whoever had the greater ability took precedence.
Even if that person was a small child, if their skill surpassed yours, you still had to address them respectfully as Master.
The ordinary world was different. Even someone stronger than you couldn't really do you any substantial harm.
You might be afraid to provoke them, or worried if you'd done something wrong. But you wouldn't have to humble yourself so far in an apology.
Among practitioners of the occult arts, every step was precarious. One mistake could cost you your life, and even your soul might not be spared.
With that at stake, people naturally made themselves very humble before anyone stronger.
I raised my eyes slightly and said nothing. The shopkeeper grew more nervous.