Chapter 037: Who Is the Murderer?

"Yage, Yage, stop!" Chen Yage strode forward relentlessly, with Li Bai trailing behind, but no matter what he said, Chen Yage ignored him.

"Have you finished your tantrum?" Ziyu, clad in crimson, descended from the sky and blocked Chen Yage’s path. With a graceful flick of her water sleeves, a cool breeze swept by, and she stood tall before them, her expression cold. "Is one slap not enough to wake you up? If not for my brother, I wouldn’t lift a finger to help you! Someone who can be so easily frightened by the enemy will never amount to anything!"

"You..." Chen Yage was so angry she could barely speak coherently. "Who needs his help? He’s like a weasel wishing a chicken a happy New Year—up to no good!"

Li Bai was initially annoyed by Ziyu’s words, but soon realized she was merely provoking Chen Yage, so he refrained from intervening. At that moment, Chen Yage was clearly at fault, so Li Bai said, "Yage, regardless of whether his intentions are good or not, don’t forget we still have unfinished business."

Chen Yage patted her forehead in embarrassment and said, "I’m sorry, Brother Bai. I got carried away again. Let’s go catch the culprit, clear my name, and avenge Dujuan!"

Ziyu asked, "Any clues about the owner of that jade pendant from last night?"

Li Bai and Chen Yage both shook their heads. Li Bai explained, "One pendant was taken from Chaoyun, the other was dropped by the woman in red. Now that Chaoyun is dead, that lead is cut off. Our only hope is to pursue the red-clad woman."

Suddenly, Chen Yage remembered the day she and Li Bai swam to the far shore of the lake and saw that cave entrance. Without hesitation, she dove into the lake again. Afraid for her safety, Li Bai followed suit. Ziyu was calmer than the both of them; seeing Chen Yage and Li Bai reach the opposite shore, she tapped her toes lightly and, like a dragonfly skimming the water, soared to the cliff blooming with purple flowers.

Chen Yage and Li Bai climbed up the cliff from the lake, exchanged a smile, and headed toward the cave they had seen before. At the sight of the cave, Ziyu's face suddenly turned pale. As Chen Yage and Li Bai walked ahead, darkness fell before their eyes, and both collapsed unconscious.

When they awoke, Chen Yage and Li Bai found themselves lying beneath a peach tree, amidst a shower of blossoms. Petals danced in the air like sprites. Both were captivated by the beauty of the scene, unwilling to rise. Ziyu approached and said, "It’s already past midday. You have twelve hours left—how you use them is up to you!"

Chen Yage and Li Bai sprang to their feet. Chen Yage felt a pressure unlike any she’d ever known, but was confused. She asked, "Why are Brother Bai and I lying here? We went to the far shore—how did we end up..."

Ziyu turned away and replied, "How should I know? When I woke, all three of us were here."

"Could it be the woman in red?" Chen Yage and Li Bai said in unison, exchanging a knowing smile.

"What woman in red?"

"That day, Brother Bai and I were curious and swam to the opposite shore. There were many purple flowers there, and on the cliff, we saw a cave entrance. We were about to investigate when someone knocked us out as soon as we reached the entrance. When we woke, we had been rescued and brought to the shore. What’s wrong?" Chen Yage noticed Ziyu looked unwell. Though she had never liked Ziyu much, she acknowledged that Ziyu was currently an ally.

Ziyu shook her head to clear it. Li Bai sighed, "I wonder what secrets lie across the lake. We’ve been knocked out there twice. Could it be the dwelling place of the woman in red?"

"How could that be?" Ziyu countered. "The woman in red is a lone figure. How could she live on a cliff? It makes no sense."

"Perhaps there’s a stone cave on the cliff," Chen Yage suggested, "and the woman in red lives there? Brother Bai, shall we go investigate again? If we find where she lives, perhaps the truth of this case will finally be revealed."

Li Bai wholeheartedly agreed with Chen Yage’s suggestion, and together they prepared to dive into the lake again. But Ziyu stopped them once more. "Wait! If you rush in so recklessly, you’ll only spoil things!"

Li Bai asked, "Why do you say that, Miss Ziyu?"

"If, as you believe, the woman in red does reside on the cliff, what good will your martial arts do if you encounter her? Wouldn’t you just be throwing your lives away?"

Ziyu’s words made Li Bai pause in thought. Chen Yage added, "She’s right, Brother Bai. We must plan carefully."

"But we’re running out of time!" Li Bai sighed deeply.

As the three hesitated, Yueji arrived with a large group. At her command, the villagers encircled Chen Yage and Li Bai so tightly that not even a drop of water could escape.

"What are you trying to do?" Chen Yage asked irritably.

Yueji staggered to the front, pointed at Chen Yage, and declared, "It’s you! You killed Dujuan, Chaoyun, and Wang Chaotian. You’re a Star Picker! Today I will cleanse Taoyuan of your presence!" Her eyes were filled with murderous intent. With a twist of her waist, she lunged at Chen Yage with a longsword.

"Stop!" Ziyu shouted, darting forward to parry Yueji’s blade.

"Miss, she’s the murderer who killed Dujuan. I can’t let her go unpunished. She must pay in blood!" Yueji’s eyes burned with bloodlust. Chen Yage was forced to admit defeat, stunned by Yueji’s killing glare.

"Dujuan wasn’t killed by Yage. And what proof do you have that she’s the culprit?" Li Bai stepped forward, his aura rivaling Yueji’s.

Yueji replied coldly, "The Water Buffalo went to Dujuan’s room with cloth but couldn’t find her. Why did this woman find Dujuan as soon as she entered? And why were you so eager to help Water Buffalo deliver the cloth to Dujuan? Speak! Speak!" Yueji raged like a lion, ready to bite.

"I didn’t, I didn’t kill Dujuan! I had no motive! Dujuan regarded me as her elder sister—why would I harm her?"

"Stop denying it!" Yueji interrupted, waving her hand to her followers. "Seize these two!" The villagers, devoted to Yueji, swarmed forward. No matter how loudly Ziyu protested, they seemed possessed, determined to capture Chen Yage and Li Bai at all costs.

Chen Yage and Li Bai ceased struggling, unwilling to use force against ordinary villagers.

They expected Yueji to throw them into prison or some dark chamber and torture them, but instead, she escorted them to Ziye.

Love in Tang Dynasty: Poet Immortal, Please Stay! 037_Who is the Killer? Update complete!