Zhou Zishu put his ears closer to the elder’s mouth, hearing him mutter brokenly, “You must… have to… If you don’t… I’ll… I’ll haunt, haunt eighteen generations… your… ancestors…”

Zhou Zishu sat back, truly at a loss for words as the fisherman drew his last breath, head lolled to one side. Gut-wrenching sobs tore through the young boy’s chest.

The old woman in servant clothes also drew a blank as she stood next to him, crying in panic. Zhou Zishu and the girl in purple stood to one side. The girl’s big eyes wandered, and her voice was quiet, “Master said you’re more than you appear to be, but I didn’t really see it before. Which sect are you from? What’s your name?”

Zhou Zishu graciously replied, “This incompetent one is Zhou… Zhou Xu, just a lonely vagrant travelling everywhere. Actually, I haven’t had the honor of knowing your name, young miss.”

She looked him up and down, shaking her head. “If you didn’t look like a sick ghost and walk and talk like that, you would sound more like how Master’s described. I’m Gu Xiang.”

She had never heard of a Zhou Xu before; besides, they only met by chance, there were no reasons to be entirely truthful with each other. But she didn’t mind it much, patting the young boy on the shoulder, “Say, he’s passed away already, you should get him a proper burial. Are there more people chasing after you?”

Still annoyed by her bluntness earlier, he only glared. The grief and anger brimmed inside him had no way to be relieved, so he directed it all at her as if she was the one who caused the murder.

Gu Xiang raised a brow. This girl had the skills but still not quite the age in addition to the feel of an unorthodox martial artist she exuded. Having enough with the boy taking his anger out on her, she raised her hand with the intention of attack, but catching her off guard was Zhou Zishu’s interception.

Gu Xiang felt an ice-cold hand gently wrapped around her wrist. The grip was completely painless and its culprit didn’t even seem to have put any strength into it; but she was unable to either move or yank herself away. She couldn’t help but give this ill-looking man an astounded look, thinking, Master highly respected this one, but he’s even more mysterious than I thought. Not sure I would succeed were I ever to attack him.

Changing her mind as she was a smart one who knew her own limits, she retracted her hands, smirking at Zhou Zishu, “Just doing it out of respect for you.”