Death Flute
The Tung Pei Silat Dictionary

For a few days in the Nada Valley, Chien Wan spent part of his time pondering and thinking. He had shown the murderous sword to his grandfather and father, in case they knew anything about it. Yet everyone in the Nada Valley was not a swordsman, so no one knew.

Chien Wan was getting restless. Being in the Nada Valley in the protection of her parents and grandfather did not solve the problem. To find evidence that can clear his good name certainly requires action. He has to get out of here.

But how to look for clues if wherever he goes there is always a group of warriors who block and want to finish him? He sighed and continued to observe the sword.

“Still also observing that sword?” reprimand Fu Ming who was currently passing by.

Chien Wan looked over. “Sister Fu.”

“Regarding the matter of the sword, there is no one in Nada Valley that you can address, Mr. Wan. You should ask the expert.”

Chien Wan sighed. “The problem is I don't have a chance.”

“I know someone who is known to know everything about the martial World, he lives not far from here,” said Fu Ming half-thought. “She is also an expert in sword issues.”

Chien Wan was immediately on guard. “Who?”

“The name is Tung Pei. He was nicknamed the Silat Dictionary. So skilled is he that he has to isolate himself because he does not want to be constantly met by people who want to ask for advice from him.”

“You know where he lives?” chien Wan.

“No sure idea. It's just, I've heard of him living near Nada Valley.”

“Si Silat Dictionary stay in forest near Eternal Temple!”

Chien Wan and Fu Ming turned their heads and saw Mister Ouwyang walking up to them. Soon the two stood up. Fu Ming saluted Mr. Ouwyang.

“I want to see him, Kek.”

Mr. Ouwyang nodded. “Go only. He'll accept you if he finds out you're my grandson!”

Chien Wan nodded. He saluted his grandfather before stepping away from them.

After Chien Wan died, Mr. Ouwyang Cu. turned his back and stared intently at Fu Ming.

“Excuse my sassness, Big Master. I do not intend to bring up the matter of Mrs Tung,” Fu Ming said regretfully.

Mr. Ouwyang frowned. “I'm glad you brought it up. I myself have almost forgotten Tung Pei lives here!”

Fu Ming let out a sigh of relief.

The departure of Chien Wan to the residence of Silat Dictionary was done secretly. He did not want anyone to follow him, let alone Siu Hung. Unbeknownst to his grandfather, after successfully meeting the Silat Dictionary he wanted to go to Wisma Bambu. Once again he wanted to try to convince Sen Khang that he was innocent.

Hopefully with the evidence he gets later, Sen Khang will believe it. After that they will together look for the real culprit. And this fractured friendship, hopefully, can be back as intact as it used to be.

***Tung Pei is an elderly woman with extensive knowledge of the martial world. He is very observant and knows all things in the martial world that others do not know. His memory was sharp and his brain was extremely brilliant and was not at all eroded by his growing old age. He could remember anything he read and saw in an instant. And once remembered, forever will not be forgotten.

Chien Wan was surprised to see him.

Ever since he first heard about Tung Pei, he had always thought that Tung Pei was a man. He could not hide his surprise to see the figure of Tung Pei.

The old woman was about the age of Mr. Ouwyang, perhaps only a few years younger. He was wearing simple but very neat clothes. His face was wrinkled inedible with age, yet still left the charm of his youth. His eyes were still clear and revealed wisdom that grew sharper with age.

Tung Pei smiled at Chien Wan's shock.

“Ran see me, Young Man?”

Chien Wan was awakened from his attitude. He saluted with embarrassment realizing that he was being disrespectful. “Pardon my unannounced arrival, Elders.”

“Ouwyang Cu sent you?” tung Pei asked calmly.

“Actually I came of my own volition. There's something I want to ask.”

Tung Pei laughed lightly. “Everyone who meets me always wants to ask me something,” he said cheerfully. “Come in!”

Chien Wan followed the woman into her tiny cabin made of bamboo. The house was very small, consisting of a room and a living room that was not spacious. The kitchen is located on the back and gives off a very good aroma of cooking.

Tung Pei laughed at Chien Wan's expression. “I just cooked sauteed vegetables with meat for lunch. Would you like to have lunch with me?”

Chien Wan smiled as well. “Maybe I can't appreciate the delicacy of your cooking.”

“It's not your fault that your sense of taste doesn't work.”

How shocked Chien Wan is. The weirdness of his sense of taste is that only a handful of people know. How is...?

Tung Pei laughed. “I will not be called the Silat Dictionary if this is all I do not know. Not a single secret of the martial World escaped me. So, Death Flute, sit down.”

After he finished, Tung Pei cleared everything up while humming. Chien Wan could do nothing. Presumably this old woman has a strange nature, like her own grandfather.

Tung Pei is back.

“Well, Mr Ouwyang, what do you want to ask?”

Chien Wan was not ready and he stuttered. “Eh, look...”.

“I am the Silat Dictionary. I know what's happening in the martial world. I also know about the events you're going through. I am not a god who knows everything. I also don't know if you're guilty or not. So start asking and I'll answer,” said Tung Pei.

“You know the news and you don't want to kill me like all those warriors?”

Tung Pei shrugged his shoulders. “For what? It's no use to me.”

“Even if I am guilty once?”

“Wrong or not, killing you is of no benefit to me. My business is just answering your question and done. Regarding any hostility or revenge you all did, not my problem.”

Tung Pei's words relieved Chien Wan. So he took out the sword which he had hidden under his cloak. He was sent to Tung Pei.

“I plucked this sword from Uncle Luo's body. Can you research this sword?” ask Chien Wan.

Tung Pei welcomed the sword and watched it closely. His forehead creased as he traced each screech of the sword with his wrinkles. “Hmm. His eyes are made of steel and his handle is of old wood.”

After saying that, Tung Pei fell silent again.

“See this sword eye, Mr Ouwyang?” tung Pei said after a while.

Chien Wan looked at the sword eyes that Tung Pei was pointing at. He allowed his eyesight to see what Tung Pei meant. And he saw that sword eye was not smooth. There are a few faults that are so small that if not noticed it will not be obvious.

“I saw it.”

“This indicates that before being thrust into Mr. Luo's body, there was a sword fight against the sword. This sword-eye screech showed that both Mr. Luo and his attacker had a strong inner strength. It's just, maybe the power in the attacker is stronger. This sword is only eroded and not broken,” explained Tung Pei.

“Means the attacker has great swordsmanship!”

“True. Just look at the handle!”

Chien Wan looked back at the sword hilt.

“This sword intern is not smooth. It should be straight and thick, filling the hand. But this handle is notched, the sign of its user grips it with a very high deep exertion so that the curve of his finger is printed here.”

“Does that mean, the killer is a very high swordsman?” ask Chien Wan.

Tung Pei nodded.

Chien Wan exhaled.

“And for sure, this sword user is not the Deathly Suling who only wants to practice silat when it comes to his flute,” Tung Pei's smile.

Chien Wan looked at him with gratitude. “Teri...”.

“Not yet, Mr. Ouwyang.” Tung Pei insisted. “You don't want to know anything else?”

“There are others?”

Tung Pei returned to the sword. “As far as I know, in Tionggoan Mainland there are several kinds of swordsmanship that is very famous for its greatness. Science is very difficult to master. So if someone manages to master it, then he can be a warrior who is difficult to match.

“From the great sciences, there are two kinds of swordsmanship that are the most powerful and famous in the martial World as rare sciences. The first was the Rainbow Sword Science, but that science had long since vanished from the martial World. Moreover, the nature of the Rainbow Sword Science was different from swordsmanship in general. The nature of science tends to be passive and illusory. As you can see, this sword is being eroded, a sign of a violent clash. The other is Shadow Sword Science—“

“Your Shadow Sword! That's the heirloom of Peacock Hill!”

Tung Pei glanced at the glance and nodded. “Betul. The Chang family had owned it for a long time. It is likely that science was mastered by the killer.”

Chien Wan was stunned. “The book was stolen by Cheng Sam. Could he be the one?”

“That's what you should investigate, Mr. Ouwyang.”

Chien Wan nodded. He stood up and hid the sword back under his cloak. “Then, thank you very much, Elders. Sorry to have teased your time.”

Tung Pei nodded.

Chien Wan left Tung Pei's house armed with this new knowledge. He was determined to find the real culprit. Maybe after this, he could clear his good name.

***