Love and Sword [Complete] - 26

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Volume Ten, Sword Maniac, Chapter Four: Heart-wrenching Pain.

An unusual atmosphere permeated the bamboo forest—oppressive, a suffocating oppression.
Hua Ruoxu coldly stared at Feng Yundong, saying nothing. Hua Yuluan's pretty face was covered in frost, her phoenix eyes flashing with icy light.
The sixteen disciples of Qinglou remained silent, but their hands were already on their sword hilts, ready to strike at any moment.
"Hua Ruoxu, my patience is limited. If you want your precious son to die before your eyes, I will certainly grant your wish," Feng Yundong spoke again, looking quite smug.
"Feng Yundong, if you dare touch a single hair on my baby's head, I, Hua Yuluan, will tear you to pieces!" Hua Yuluan gritted her teeth, her jade-like hand gripping the sword hilt tightly, her body surging with true energy. Judging from her stance, she was likely to strike at any moment.
"As long as I can avenge Congyun, what does it matter if I'm torn to pieces? Hahaha!" Feng Yundong laughed wildly, his eyes revealing an unnatural bloodshot hue. "Hua Ruoxu, you made me lose my son, and I'll make you lose your son too! You want me to suffer for the rest of my life, and I'll make sure you never have peace for the rest of your days!"
"Feng Yundong, I think you've gone mad! I didn't kill Feng Congyun at all. Besides, as the saying goes, every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor. You can just come to me directly. Taking away a baby who's only a few months old, don't you feel any shame?" Hua Ruoxu said hatefully. He didn't want to explain, but he had to bow his head under the eaves. Now that the child was in Feng Yundong's hands, he couldn't be too forceful.
"You didn't kill him? Why didn't you say you didn't kill him before? Now that your son is in my hands, you're denying it! Hua Ruoxu, your wishful thinking is quite clever, but unfortunately, I'm not stupid. No matter how you try to deny it, it's useless, because I won't listen at all. You only have two paths to take now, and it's up to you which one you choose." Feng Yundong laughed wildly, then looked coldly at Hua Ruoxu. "You only have one choice now: either you die, or your precious son dies!"
"Feng Yundong, don't even think about it. We won't agree to your demands. If you really dare to kill Bao Bao, I will definitely avenge him!" Hua Yuluan said angrily.
“Hua Yuluan, Hua Yuluan, as the saying goes, a mother and child are of one heart, yet you don’t even care about your son’s life. No wonder people say you’re heartless. It’s just a pity that everyone knows your husband, Hua Ruoxu, is a fickle lover. Do you think he would disregard your son’s life? Moreover, I seem to have heard that you are his favorite. Tell me, would he abandon the child born to him by the woman he loves most? Haha!” Feng Yundong looked at Hua Yuluan with a very neurotic gaze, and his tone was even more strange. Almost everyone could sense that Feng Yundong was not normal. Could it be that Feng Congyun’s death had dealt him too great a blow?
However, although Feng Yundong seemed abnormal, his words hit Hua Ruoxu’s weak spot. Hua Ruoxu knew clearly that he could not watch his child die, but now he seemed to have no way to save his child unless he agreed to Feng Yundong’s request.
“Feng Yundong, if I agree to you, will you definitely release the child?” Hua Ruoxu took a deep breath and asked in a deep voice.
"Of course, I, Feng Yundong, keep my word. As long as you're dead, I'll naturally release him." Feng Yundong answered quickly, without the slightest hesitation.
"Junior brother, don't believe him!" Hua Yuluan, seeing that Hua Ruoxu seemed about to agree to Feng Yundong's conditions, became anxious and quickly said.
"But senior sister, do we have any other way? I can't just watch our child die." Hua Ruoxu sighed softly.
"No matter if there's no other way, I won't let you agree to such an absurd condition!" Hua Yuluan said resolutely.
"Wah..." The baby's loud cry rang out again at that moment. Hua Ruoxu and Hua Yuluan's hearts tightened simultaneously, and they involuntarily looked at the child.

Several gleaming steel knives were pressed against the baby's face. Perhaps it was the cold feeling and the chilling glint that frightened the infant, who was only a few months old, and he cried loudly.
“Hua Ruoxu, I’ve lost my patience. If you want him to live, then do it yourself. Oh no, I’ve changed my mind. How about this: you cut off one of your hands first, or I’ll cut off one of his!” Feng Yundong slowly walked to the baby’s side, squatted down, and pinched his cheek. “Actually, this child is quite cute. I didn’t want to treat him like this.”
“Feng Yundong, don’t go too far! Let me tell you, we can discuss other conditions, but we will not agree to this one!” Hua Yuluan now wished she could kill Feng Yundong with a single sword stroke.
“Poor child, you’re only a few months old. You haven’t even had the chance to call your parents ‘father’ or ‘mother’ yet, and you never will. But you can’t blame me. Blame your heartless parents. Remember to go to the King of Hell and complain about your parents, understand?” Feng Yundong ignored Hua Yuluan and looked at the child, speaking softly.
Hua Ruoxu and Hua Yuluan’s faces shifted between anger and uncertainty. They had never encountered such a dilemma before.
"It might hurt a little later, don't cry or be afraid. You won't die yet." Feng Yundong continued speaking to the innocent infant. A gleaming longsword appeared in his hand, its blade aimed at the infant's arm. The sword slowly pressed down, seemingly ready to strike at any moment.
"Wait!" Hua Ruoxu finally lost her temper.
"What? Finally figured it out?" Feng Yundong slowly stood up, his face full of smugness.
"Junior brother, don't do anything foolish!" Hua Yuluan was worried about her son, but even more worried about her husband.
"Senior sister, I really can't just watch our child..." Hua Ruoxu said softly.
"Do you expect me to watch you cut off your own hand and then helplessly watch you commit suicide under the coercion of that despicable man?" Hua Yuluan interrupted Hua Ruoxu before he could finish speaking. "I've said it before, you are the most important. I... I also can't bear to part with the child, and I love him very much. But if I had to choose, I would choose you without hesitation, Junior Brother. Do you understand?"
"Senior Sister, I understand, but..." Hua Ruoxu looked at the child who was on the verge of death and sighed softly.
"Master, Miss instructed us to ensure your safety. Therefore, please think carefully and don't fall for this person's trick." At this moment, Dalang also chimed in in a low voice.
"Feng Yundong, isn't it just that you want to exchange one life for another? My son is mine; I'll exchange mine for his." Hua Yuluan slowly took a few steps forward and said coldly.
"Senior Sister, don't do anything rash!" This time, Hua Ruoxu became anxious and quickly went over to grab Hua Yuluan.
"Hua Yuluan, I only want Hua Ruoxu's life. I've lost my patience. I'll count to ten, and then an arm will definitely fall off!" Feng Yundong remained unmoved, glancing at her casually.
"Ten, nine, eight..." Each number struck Hua Ruoxu's heart like a heavy hammer. Hua Ruoxu gripped the Love Sword tightly, beads of sweat appearing on his handsome face, his eyes blazing with intense light as he stared unblinkingly at the infant.
"Three, two..." The atmosphere suddenly became unusually tense, even more oppressive than before.
"Kill!" A sharp shout actually came from Dalang's mouth, and sixteen white figures immediately pounced towards the infant. At the same time, a faint purple figure also rushed forward with lightning speed.
The screams of agony rose and fell, ending in an instant. The sixteen disciples of Qinglou and Hua Yuluan simultaneously launched their attack. The dozens of assassins surrounding the infant were all dead, lying silently on the ground. Feng Yundong staggered back several steps, blood gushing from his chest. However, Hua Yuluan showed no joy. Hua Ruoxu, still reeling from the sudden turn of events, stared blankly at the infant in Feng Yundong's arms.
"Hua Yuluan, fine, you're ruthless, but I won't let you off easy either! Hahaha, let your precious son join me in the underworld!" Feng Yundong laughed maniacally, his voice growing weaker. His hand gripped the infant's neck, but the baby seemed lifeless.
"No!" Hua Yuluan cried out in anguish. At that moment, Hua Ruoxu lunged at Feng Yundong with his sword, the Love Sword piercing his body, but it was all in vain.
"Junior Brother!" Hua Yuluan suddenly threw herself into Hua Ruoxu's arms, and Hua Ruoxu held her tightly.
"Master, Madam, the young master... he's gone." A low voice came from behind, and Hua Yuluan could no longer hold back her sobs.
"Senior Sister, let's... let's see him." Hua Ruoxu suppressed her grief and whispered.
"No, no, give him a proper burial." Hua Yuluan's delicate body trembled slightly. She dared not look at him, afraid to see his accusing expression, accusing her of being an unfit mother.
*** *** ***
Until the child had completely disappeared into the yellow earth, Hua Yuluan did not look at him again, nor did Hua Ruoxu. Everything was arranged by the disciples of the Love Pavilion.
Hua Yuluan quickly stopped crying. Her beautiful eyes, which were faintly filled with tears, occasionally showed a look of grief and indignation. Although Hua Ruoxu was heartbroken, he was even more worried about Hua Yuluan, because Hua Yuluan's current behavior seemed very strange.
They found an inn to stay in. The sudden turn of events left them all feeling somewhat lost. Hua Yuluan collapsed into the room, and Hua Ruoxu followed her closely. He still had a question in his mind: when Hua Yuluan's sword pierced Feng Yundong, he seemed to see Feng Yundong shield the child in front of him. However, he dared not ask, nor dared he look at the child's body. He was afraid he would witness a truth he could not accept, so he could only bury it deep in his heart.
"Senior Sister, the dead cannot be brought back to life. Don't be too sad. Besides, you also said that we can have another child," Hua Ruoxu gently embraced Hua Yuluan, softly comforting her.
"Junior Brother, I'm very tired. I want to sleep for a while. Will you stay with me?" Hua Yuluan said softly. Hua Ruoxu nodded gently, lifted her delicate body, and walked towards the bed.
Hua Yuluan seemed truly exhausted. She lay down fully clothed in Hua Ruoxu's arms and quickly fell into a deep sleep. Looking at her sleeping face, Hua Ruoxu was filled with mixed emotions.
"Master, Madam!" A soft knock sounded at the door.
Hua Ruoxu gently released her arms from Hua Yuluan's, quietly got up, and opened the door.
"Dalang, is something the matter?" Hua Ruoxu walked to the door and asked softly.
"Master, we have carefully examined the young master's cause of death. He died from a sword..." Dalang hesitated slightly before speaking.
"Enough, no need to say more!" Hua Ruoxu suddenly shouted, not letting him continue.
"Master, there is one more thing, please forgive me!" Dalang said after a moment of silence.
Hua Ruoxu looked at him with a questioning gaze.
"Master, under the circumstances at the time, we didn't actually intend to rescue the young master, because we knew we couldn't do it. All we could do was ensure your safety!" Dalang said respectfully.
"Do you still not respect me as your master?" Hua Ruoxu snorted coldly, a hint of anger on her face.
"Master, Miss has been incredibly kind to us. For Miss's sake, we must ensure your safety." Dalang remained as respectful as ever.
"Alright, you can go back now. I'm going to rest." Hua Ruoxu felt a surge of unease and waved his hand.
"Master, I believe Miss will be willing to give you a young master," Da Lang suddenly blurted out before leaving.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu stood silently outside the door for a long time before finally turning around and pushing the door open. Reaching the bedside, he was slightly startled. Although Hua Yuluan's eyes were still closed, her face was covered in tears.
"Senior Sister, Senior Sister!" Hua Ruoxu called softly, but there was no response. Hua Yuluan seemed to be crying in her sleep.
"Senior Sister, I won't blame you, really, I won't!" Hua Ruoxu suddenly felt a pang of heartache and gently wiped away her tears, murmuring to himself.
Hua Ruoxu tenderly kissed her cheek, his eyes filled with infinite tenderness, yet his heart was filled with anger.
"Immortal Palace, I will not let you go!" Hua Ruoxu thought bitterly to himself. Although Feng Yundong was dead, his death could not make up for the pain of losing his son, so he naturally held the Immortal Palace responsible.

Volume Ten, Sword Madness, Chapter Five: The Truth is Mysterious .

Just because of disrespect for an elder of the Demon Palace, the Demon Palace mobilized a large force, threatening to publicly execute those who disrespected the elders. This matter quickly spread around Jinling, leading to many different opinions. Many even saw it as a prelude to the Demon Palace's next move. In fact, everyone knew that the righteous path, originally led by the seven major sects, was no match for the Demon Palace, and the Demon Palace's greatest rival, the Divine Palace, had suffered a fatal blow and had almost disappeared. At this time, the Demon Palace should be able to easily conquer the seven major sects, and unifying the righteous and evil paths would become much easier. However, the Demon Palace has not made a move yet. Many people believe that this may be because of Hua Ruoxu. The relationship between Hua Ruoxu and Su Daier is now well-known in the martial arts world. Hua Ruoxu's Tianxing Alliance has also become the new leader of the righteous path. Five of the seven major sects are obviously his solid allies. Therefore, if Su Daier were to make a move, she would naturally have many concerns.
However, the newly risen Immortal Palace is somewhat enigmatic. Its true nature remains unclear, and even the identity of its leader is unknown. Yet, undeniably, the Immortal Palace has become one of the most powerful forces in the martial world. Some view the current martial world as a three-way power struggle: the Demon Palace, the Celestial Star Alliance, and the Immortal Palace coexist. At first glance, the Demon Palace seems strongest, followed by the Immortal Palace, while the Celestial Star Alliance appears relatively weak. However, the Celestial Star Alliance possesses several top-tier masters capable of dominating the martial world. The martial arts of Hua Ruoxu and Hua Yuluan alone are enough to deter many from facing them head-on. Therefore, the Celestial Star Alliance doesn't seem weak at all. Furthermore, the Demon Palace and the Celestial Star Alliance have such a close relationship; who can guarantee they won't unite? Thus, the Immortal Palace appears to be the most passive party in this situation.
Of course, these are all just guesses from most people, and these people are mostly from small sects or minor figures with low martial arts skills. They know that with their strength, they can hardly compete in the martial arts world, but in order to survive, they must be familiar with the general trends of the martial arts world. They need to know who they can offend, who they must keep their distance from, and who they should curry favor with.
In a slightly old house in Jinling City, at noon.
Sun Yunyan coldly looked at Hong Yue'er. Today was the third day, which was the deadline she claimed to have set for executing Hong Yue'er. However, she had not yet seen the person she was waiting for. Hong Yue'er occasionally stole a glance at Sun Yunyan, feeling a little scared. The current Sun Yunyan no longer had the gentle and elegant image of the past, but was more like a true cold-blooded female demon.
"Hongyue'er, I heard you three sisters have a very good relationship, is that right?" Sun Yunyan suddenly spoke, startling Hongyue'er. She didn't react immediately, as she hadn't heard a sound for several hours, and this oppressive silence made her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"That's none of your business!" Hongyue'er maintained her composure, saying nothing and pretending not to know anything, seemingly afraid of accidentally revealing something.
"How can it be none of my business? I heard you sisters haven't seen each other for many days. Today I've done you a good deed, giving you sisters a chance to catch up. Shouldn't you thank me?" Sun Yunyan chuckled softly, and Hongyue'er's heart skipped a beat, a vague sense of unease creeping in.
"You, what do you mean?" Hongyue'er suddenly became very nervous, her words becoming somewhat stammering.
"Since you're here, come out. I've been waiting for you for a long time." Sun Yunyan slowly stood up, turned around, and slightly raised her head, looking up.
With a crisp "whoosh," a large hole suddenly appeared in the roof, and a person fell through the opening.
"Big sister!" Hong Yue'er exclaimed, rushing over. Surprisingly, Sun Yunyan didn't stop her, seemingly allowing the sisters to catch up.
"Big sister, are you...are you alright?" Hong Yue'er asked softly, tears welling in her eyes.
"Second sister, I'm fine. How about you? Did they do anything to you?" Bai Xinjing hugged Hong Yue'er tightly, trying to control her tears, forcing a smile, her voice filled with concern and worry.
"Big sister, I'm fine, but little sister..." Hong Yue'er stopped abruptly, glancing furtively at Sun Yunyan. Seeing that she didn't seem to be paying attention, she felt slightly relieved.
"There's always a way out. Little sister is a lucky person; she'll be alright," Bai Xinjing said softly, comforting Hong Yue'er while also comforting herself.
"In this martial arts world, there's no such thing as good fortune," Sun Yunyan suddenly interjected coldly. "If you want to find your dear sister, you'd better cooperate with me." Although the sisters spoke in low voices, every word reached Sun Yunyan's ears.
"Cooperate? What's there to cooperate with? We sisters have fallen into your hands; we're just unlucky. As for cooperation, we're not worthy of it," Bai Xinjing said indifferently.
"I don't want to waste time with you. It's simple: hand over Young Master Hua's son, and I'll help you rescue Lan Xuerou." Sun Yunyan slowly walked to the two women's side. "You have to agree; you have no choice."
"Is this what you call cooperation?" Bai Xinjing's face showed a hint of mockery. "This is outright coercion!"
"If it benefits both sides, then of course it's cooperation." Sun Yunyan smiled slightly. "If you don't agree, I guarantee that none of you three sisters will survive. Even if Lan Xuerou is safe now, we won't let her go in the future. My Demon Palace always keeps its word!" "
I'll give you half a cup of tea's time to consider. If you don't get a satisfactory result by then, don't blame me for being ruthless!" Sun Yunyan coldly snorted, turned, and left, leaving the two women behind, seemingly unconcerned about their escape.
"Big sister, did you really steal that baby?" As soon as Sun Yunyan left, Hong Yue'er hurriedly asked, realizing she truly didn't know about this.
Bai Xinjing was silent for a moment, then nodded gently, a look of guilt on her face.
"Big sister, this, this, how could this happen?" Hong Yue'er seemed somewhat incredulous. "You love him so much, we often play with him, how could you..." Hong Yue'er choked up as she spoke, unable to continue.
"I didn't want this either, but they said if I gave them the child, they would release my little sister. But those bastards are untrustworthy. I gave them the child, and I still haven't heard from my little sister." Bai Xinjing's tone was full of indignation, tinged with regret.
"Then, what should we do now? Should we just agree to her?" Hong Yue'er was naturally referring to Sun Yunyan.
"Now, it's too late!" Sun Yunyan's cold voice rang out, her face grim, her eyes filled with murderous intent as she looked at Bai Xinjing. "Now, you probably have no choice but to die!"
"Hey, how could you be so untrustworthy? It hasn't even been half a cup of tea's time yet!" Hong Yue'er shouted at Sun Yunyan.
"I just received news from my subordinates that the child is dead. Tell me, why should I cooperate with you? And why shouldn't I kill you, the culprits?" Sun Yunyan's face was cold, her eyes filled with even more murderous intent. She had only intended to complete the task assigned by Su Daier, but in reality, she seemed to have other motives as well. She couldn't help but pay special attention to Hua Ruoxu's affairs.
"Dead? No, impossible, impossible." Bai Xinjing's body went limp, almost collapsing. Hong Yue'er was also stunned, staring at Sun Yunyan with disbelief.
"Impossible? You knew this day might come when you stole the child, didn't you?" Sun Yunyan sneered. "I really want to kill you all right now, but don't worry, you can live for now. I will hand you over to the Palace Master, and then the Palace Master can give Young Master Hua an explanation." "Can you
tell me how the child died?" Bai Xinjing suddenly seemed to remember something, her spirits lifted, and she raised her head to ask.
"Don't you know who you gave the child to?" Sun Yunyan sneered again.
"I know, but... but the child I gave them was fake! Tell me quickly, how did the child die? Who killed him?" Bai Xinjing looked very anxious.

"What? Fake?" Sun Yunyan was taken aback, and after thinking for a moment, she hurriedly asked, "Then where is the real one? Did you give the child to Feng Yundong?"
Bai Xinjing thought for a moment, then suddenly jumped up and ran outside. Sun Yunyan was about to stop her, but then let her go, though she followed behind Bai Xinjing.
Bai Xinjing hurriedly ran towards the city gates, with Sun Yunyan following leisurely behind, and Hong Yue'er and dozens of Demon Palace disciples also following behind.
There was a small village outside the city, with a few scattered houses. Bai Xinjing stopped beside a small wooden house with a tightly closed wooden door, hesitated for a moment, and then gently knocked on the door.
"Grandma, Grandma," Bai Xinjing called out hurriedly. A moment later, the door opened, revealing a slightly aged but kind face.
"Daughter, you're here! Come in, come in!" The old woman quickly invited Bai Xinjing into the house.
"Grandma, are you alright?" Bai Xinjing asked, glancing around the room. Her heart sank; she didn't see the person she was looking for.
"Good, of course you're fine. By the way, why didn't you bring the baby? I really miss him." The old woman nodded repeatedly, then asked with some doubt.
"Baby? Grandma, didn't I ask you to look after the baby?" Bai Xinjing felt increasingly uneasy.
"But your sister took him away a few days ago! Didn't she tell you? That girl, really, why didn't she tell you? Now you're worried, aren't you? You're the same; you don't want to take care of your own child and have to ask your sister for help." The old woman continued to ramble on, but Bai Xinjing's mind was blank.
"Mother-in-law, I have two younger sisters. Can you tell me what the sister who took the child looks like?" Bai Xinjing tried to calm herself down and asked in a low voice.
“The one who came with you when you gave me the child that day,” the old woman said. “Your sister is just as beautiful as you. My dear daughter, your parents are truly blessed to have such a beautiful daughter.”
“Comed with me? No one came with me?” Bai Xinjing was extremely anxious.
“You didn’t come together. She came in right after you left. I thought you came together. Ah, old people get confused.” The old woman shook her head. “But my dear daughter, don’t worry. Just go ask your sister.”
“I understand, Grandma. I’ll go now. I’ll come see you again next time.” Bai Xinjing walked out of the house somewhat blankly.
*** *** ***
“Where’s the child?” Sun Yunyan looked coldly at Bai Xinjing.
“I don’t know.” Bai Xinjing remained blank, walking forward mechanically.
“You come back with me first, and then explain the whole story. Otherwise…” Sun Yunyan snorted coldly and didn’t continue.
**** *** ****
“Palace Mistress.” In Su Dai’er’s palace, Sun Yunyan stood behind Su Dai’er with her head bowed.
“Sister Yunyan, Brother Ruoxu must be very sad right now, don’t you think?” Su Dai’er asked softly, suddenly changing her form of address for Sun Yunyan.
“Palace Mistress, Bai Xinjing said that after she stole the child, she hesitated about whether to give the child to Feng Guoyun. Later, she happened to find an abandoned baby in the wild, and she had a sudden inspiration. She switched the child with the abandoned baby. The child given to Feng Guoyun was actually the one given to the abandoned baby, while Young Master Hua’s child was fostered by an old woman.” Sun Yunyan paused slightly before saying, “However, now that child has been taken away by an unknown girl, so I think, perhaps the child who died was not Young Master Hua’s child.”
“If that’s the case, that’s for the best. Sister Yunyan, you must investigate this matter thoroughly.” Su Dai’er sighed softly.
“Understood.” Sun Yunyan said in a low voice.
"Sister Yunyan, we don't need to be so formal. You don't need to call me Palace Master, just call me Dai'er." Su Dai'er turned around and smiled sweetly at Sun Yunyan.
"Palace Master, this...this doesn't seem quite right, does it?" Sun Yunyan was slightly taken aback, not quite understanding Su Dai'er's intentions.
"Sister Yunyan, do you know why I let you join the Demon Palace and give you such an important position?" Su Dai'er's smile remained so sweet that even Sun Yunyan, being a woman herself, felt a flutter in her heart.
"This subordinate is always grateful for Palace Master's kindness." Sun Yunyan lowered her head and said softly.

Volume Ten Sword Madness Chapter Six Sword Spirit's Strange Love

"Sister Yunyan, actually, I know about what happened between you and Brother Ruoxu." Su Dai'er smiled sweetly, and Sun Yunyan's heart skipped a beat. She opened her mouth to say something but found herself unable to utter a word, only her face showing a hint of shame and unease.
“Sister Yunyan, actually Brother Ruoxu is a very good person, just a little too soft-hearted, especially towards girls.” Su Dai’er sighed softly. “He always wanted me to not be the Palace Master, hoping I would stay by his side forever, but he rarely told me his thoughts, simply because he didn’t want to force me. Actually, I also really want to get rid of all these things in the Demon Palace. I also want to be a woman who knows nothing, just wanting his affection, but unfortunately I know I can’t do it.”
“All along, the Demon Palace’s goal has been to defeat the Divine Palace, and even unify the martial arts world. But after I had arranged everything, I found that I was no longer able to act. Sometimes, I’m really confused. I don’t know what I should do in the future.” A thin mist seemed to cover Su Dai’er’s eyes, and everything in front of her seemed somewhat ethereal in her eyes. She looked at the silent Sun Yunyan and continued, “The life of the Demon Palace Master is destined to be lonely. I’m very lucky to have Brother Ruoxu. If I also have you, Sister Yunyan, as a friend, then my life is very lucky.”
"Palace Master, I believe Young Master Hua will treat you well." Sun Yunyan felt a mix of emotions. She didn't understand why Su Daier had said so much to her, and she certainly couldn't have imagined that behind Su Daier's seemingly glamorous facade lay so many troubles. As for Hua Ruoxu, she didn't know how to face him. There was no affection between them; their intimacy stemmed solely from a mistake.
"Sister Yunyan, haven't you thought about how you'll live from now on?" Su Daier sighed inwardly.
"I will obey Palace Master's orders," Sun Yunyan said, bowing her head.
Su Daier shook her head and remained silent. The room fell silent again.
**** **** ****
Hooves thundered, dust billowed, and a group of nine riders, eighteen people, hurried towards Shaolin.
Hua Yuluan leaned against Hua Ruoxu's chest. For the past few days, she had remained mostly silent, rarely speaking. In the middle of the night, she would often wake up suddenly because she saw the baby. She didn't even dare close her eyes; the moment she did, the image of that adorable baby involuntarily appeared in her mind. Over the next few days, Hua Yuluan had become much more haggard. However, Hua Ruoxu seemed much stronger, constantly comforting her.
"Senior Sister, we're almost at Shaolin." Upon arriving in Dengfeng, the group headed straight for Shaolin Temple on Mount Song.
Hua Yuluan subconsciously uttered an "oh," taking it as an answer. Hua Ruoxu felt a pang of sorrow, tightly embracing her, but he didn't know what to say. He had already tried to comfort her many times, and he had exhausted all the words of comfort he could think of, but Hua Yuluan remained the same. He truly didn't know when she would recover.
At the foot of Mount Song, Hua Ruoxu and his group stopped.
"Master, let's go check ahead first," Dalang said, bowing. Hua Ruoxu hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
"Master, there are no enemies around." In less than a quarter of an hour, they returned.
"That's strange." Hua Ruoxu frowned, thought for a moment, and said, "Let's go to Shaolin first."
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu and his group entered Shaolin Temple smoothly, but learned from Wuchen that there was no longer any danger. About two days ago, the enemies who had been besieging them suddenly vanished as if they had evaporated into thin air.
"How could this be?" Hua Ruoxu fell into deep thought. He vaguely felt that he had fallen into a conspiracy, and now they were in a very awkward situation. The enemy was in the dark, and they were in the light. When they were in Shaolin, the enemy did not show themselves, but once they left, they could reappear at any time. If they kept running back and forth like this, not to mention fighting, the exhaustion would be enough to wear them down, and they would probably be unable to resist the enemy's attack.

"Master, what should we do now?" The disciples of Qinglou stood behind Hua Ruoxu, waiting for his decision.
"Report the situation here back to Jinling. Let's wait a few days and then decide." Hua Ruoxu thought for a moment and said. He couldn't think of a good solution at the moment.
*** *** ***
Jinling. Tianxing Alliance.
Hua Yufeng's expression was grave. She had just received news from Shaolin and Wudang. Both groups from the Tianxing Alliance had already arrived at their destination, but encountered the same trouble. When they arrived, the enemy had vanished without a trace, leaving them in a dilemma, unsure whether to stay or return to the Tianxing Alliance.
"Miss!" A low voice rang out, and a man in black appeared behind her. Hua Yufeng's heart leaped with joy; finally, news had arrived.
“Miss, we’ve found out. Most of the two groups that attacked Shaolin and Wudang actually left about a week ago and went elsewhere,” the man in black said in a low voice.
“Have you found out where they went?” Hua Yufeng asked anxiously.
“We haven’t found out their whereabouts yet, but they should have lost their way in Sichuan. If nothing unexpected happens, they should have gone to Qingcheng and Emei,” the man in black replied. “We also have some news. We’ve found out the location of the Immortal Palace’s headquarters.”
“Where? Is it in Jinling?” Hua Yufeng was overjoyed. This time, good news kept coming.
“Miss, because the Immortal Palace had been lying low for a while, it was difficult for us to find their location. But recently, people have been frequently coming out of the Immortal Palace’s headquarters, so it’s much easier. Here’s a sketch map. The location of the Immortal Palace’s headquarters is on it.” The man in black said, handing Hua Yufeng a map.
“That’s great, baby. We can avenge you soon,” Hua Yufeng murmured, feeling a sudden pang of sadness. She also thought of the child who had died unjustly at the hands of Feng Yun.
“Miss, the headmaster asked me to pass on a message to you.” The man in black hesitated for a moment before speaking, “The headmaster said that officials from Jinling have been appearing frequently lately. Miss, you must not get involved in the government's disputes.”
“I understand. Please tell my master that I will know what I'm doing.” Hua Yufeng nodded.
*** *** ****
“Sister Tianxing, when did you arrive?” Hua Yufeng turned around and exclaimed involuntarily. Hua Tianxing was looking at her with a beaming smile.
“Hehe, I just arrived.” Hua Tianxing gently stroked the ferret in her arms and said with a grin.
“Sister Tianxing, is there something you need from me?” Hua Yufeng felt a little uneasy. No one had ever been able to get behind her so silently before; Hua Tianxing was the first.
"Yes, yes," Hua Tianxing nodded quickly. "Sister Feng, please tell my brother to come back, okay? I miss him so much."
"Sister Tianxing, my junior brother is still at Shaolin. Even if I tell him to come back now, it will take some time." Hua Yufeng smiled bitterly to herself. Hua Tianxing didn't hide her feelings for Hua Ruoxu at all, speaking so directly. The naturally reserved Hua Yufeng definitely couldn't do that.
"Then I'll go find him. My brother must be unhappy right now. I need to go keep him company." Hua Tianxing's eyes darted around, and after thinking for a moment, she said, "Sister Feng, are you alright here alone?" Hua Yufeng
found it amusing. It turned out that Hua Tianxing just wanted to leave, but because she had promised Hua Ruoxu to stay and help her, she was a little embarrassed to leave.
"Sister Tianxing, go ahead, don't worry, I can take care of things here." Hua Yufeng smiled slightly, then thought for a moment and added, "Sister Tianxing, would you like a disciple from Qinglou to come with you?"
"Hehe, no need." Hua Tianxing suddenly hugged Hua Yufeng and kissed her, "You're the best, Sister Feng. I'm off." She disappeared in an instant.
Hua Yufeng shook her head with a wry smile. Why did Hua Tianxing seem like a child?
*** *** ****
Songshan Shaolin Temple.
Night had fallen, but Hua Ruoxu stood alone at the window, gazing at the vast night sky. Hua Yuluan had fallen asleep, but Hua Ruoxu had forcibly put her to sleep with acupressure. She had been having nightmares lately and refused to sleep at night, becoming much more haggard. Hua Ruoxu felt sorry for her and helpless, and had no choice but to resort to this tactic.
For some reason, at this moment, Hua Tianxing's image inevitably appeared in Hua Ruoxu's mind again. Her ethereal beauty, and the way she always made him feel somewhat embarrassed in her presence, all appeared clearly before his eyes. Only in her presence could he feel an unprecedented peace, perhaps due to the magical blood connection between them.
"Sister, I miss you so much!" Hua Ruoxu murmured, gazing at the ethereal void, wondering if his sister could sense his thoughts. Although Hua Tianxing could sense his feelings when she was by his side, now that she was far away in Jinling, thousands of miles away, could she still feel them?
"Hehe, little brother, I miss you too." A soft laugh reached his ears, and Hua Ruoxu abruptly turned his head, staring blankly at the person before him, his face filled with disbelief.
"Sister, is it really you?" Hua Ruoxu's body trembled slightly. He slowly took two steps forward, staring at her blankly, speechless for a long time.
"You lecherous little brother, looking at your sister like that, do you want to eat me?" Hua Tianxing giggled, still clutching the ferret in her arms.
Hua Ruoxu suddenly reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace, as if he wanted to crush her entire body.
"Sister, am I dreaming?" Hua Ruoxu murmured, closing his eyes tightly, afraid to open them again, lest the person in his arms disappear.
"Silly little brother, sister knows you miss me, so I came to see you." Hua Tianxing giggled, suddenly pushing Hua Ruoxu away. Hua Ruoxu looked disappointed, opening his eyes and appearing unhappy as he looked at Hua Tianxing.
"Little Xue, go play by yourself, I'm going to keep my lecherous little brother company." Hua Tianxing bent down, placing the ferret on the ground, then looked up at Hua Ruoxu with a sweet smile. Her light, delicate body suddenly floated up, landing in Hua Ruoxu's arms, her slightly cool cherry lips pressing against his.
"Little brother, sister knows you're unhappy, but sister's here, you must be happy." Hua Tianxing's voice echoed in his heart.
Time seemed to slip away in their passionate kiss. Hua Ruoxu temporarily forgot his troubles and pain, holding Hua Tianxing's delicate body tightly, greedily sucking on her cherry lips.
After an unknown amount of time, Hua Ruoxu finally released her, but still held her tightly, unwilling to let go.
"Little brother, you're so naughty! Taking advantage of your senior sister while she's asleep to bully me!" Hua Tianxing, her face flushed and radiant, giggled at Hua Ruoxu, her words leaving him deeply embarrassed.
"Sister, I...I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..." Hua Ruoxu stammered. It was Hua Tianxing who had initiated the kiss today, but in his opinion, no matter what, he was in the wrong.
"Little pervert, what are you afraid of? Didn't I tell you? I'm yours, don't worry." Hua Tianxing chuckled, gently hooking her arms around his neck. "Little brother, I'll give you the best, best child in the future, okay?"
"Sister, I, I..." Hua Ruoxu's heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but recall what Dalang had said the day the child's accident happened. For a moment, he didn't know what to say.
"Look, I'm the prettiest sister, and you, little brother, are the most handsome. The child we have will definitely be the best, the best." Hua Tianxing murmured. "Don't worry, little brother, I will definitely give you a child, I definitely will." For some reason, Hua Tianxing's expression seemed a little abnormal, and her voice grew softer and softer as she spoke.
"Sister, just having you by my side is a blessing I could never have earned in ten lifetimes," Hua Ruoxu said softly. "By the way, sister, you still haven't told me how you got here."
"Little brother, you missed me, so of course I came," Hua Tianxing said quietly. "Little brother, your senior sister might be waking up soon, so I'll leave now and come back to find you tomorrow."
"No, sister, please stay! Senior sister won't blame me," Hua Ruoxu said anxiously. He really didn't want her to leave.
"Little pervert, but I don't like it when there are other people around when I'm with you," Hua Tianxing said softly, giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek before drifting away, leaving Hua Ruoxu standing there in a daze.

Volume Ten, Sword Maniac, Chapter Seven: The Last Hero

. "Junior brother, it's so late, why aren't you asleep yet?" A gentle voice sounded from behind. Hua Yuluan had gotten up and silently appeared behind Hua Ruoxu, her soft, warm body gently leaning against his back.
"Senior sister, why are you awake?" Hua Ruoxu turned his head, forcing a smile. Hua Tianxing had just said Hua Yuluan was about to wake up, and she really had. Thinking of Hua Tianxing, he felt a pang of melancholy. He should have been happy that Hua Tianxing had come here at this time, but her words before leaving had stirred up a storm in his heart.
"Little brother, but I don't like it when there are other people around when I'm with you," Hua Tianxing's words echoed in his mind, so clearly.
"Sister, are you perhaps leaving me?" Hua Ruoxu murmured to himself. But she had just said she wanted to have the best child with him. Was he just worrying unnecessarily?
Although Hua Ruoxu tried to comfort himself, he still felt uneasy. He was truly afraid that Hua Tianxing would suddenly leave and never see him again. He knew very well that if Hua Tianxing didn't want to see him, he wouldn't be able to find her even if he searched the ends of the earth.
Hua Yuluan seemed to sense Hua Ruoxu's unease and hugged him tightly without speaking. The two remained in this embrace until dawn.
*** *** ***
Morning. A series of light, hurried footsteps startled the couple, half-asleep and half-awake. Hua Ruoxu looked at Hua Yuluan. Overnight, her complexion seemed much rosier. Hua Ruoxu felt a surge of relief. Perhaps in a few more days, she would be able to fully recover from her grief.
"Master, Madam, good morning!" Dalang and Damei knocked on the door and entered, bowing respectfully.
Hua Ruoxu smiled slightly, gesturing for the two to dispense with formalities.
Hua Yufeng had just sent a message via carrier pigeon to Shaolin, informing them that the enemy had actually left ten days ago. She also mentioned that Hua Tianxing had left Jinling two days prior, intending to join Hua Ruoxu. Hua Ruoxu frowned, lost in thought.
Hua Yufeng didn't ask Hua Ruoxu to return to Shaolin or stay; she merely provided the information without offering any advice.
*** *** ***
Shaolin Temple's Great Hall. Hua Ruoxu summoned all the Shaolin disciples for a meeting.
When Hua Ruoxu announced the enemy's departure, everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Senior Brother Hua, what should we do now?" Wuchen frowned; he was far from relaxed.
"Chang Kong and Youyou's two groups might encounter many enemies, and I'm worried they might be in danger. Therefore, I plan to leave Shaolin today to assist them," Hua Ruoxu said after a moment's thought. "Of course, if anyone has any good suggestions, please tell me now."
"Senior brother, what if they send people to attack here again as soon as you leave?" Wuchen asked worriedly.
"That's what I'm most worried about too. But if I'm not mistaken, they just want to disperse our forces while concentrating their own. Since their original besiegers have all gone to Emei, they probably don't have enough manpower to deal with this place," Hua Ruoxu sighed softly. "We don't have a better solution, and we can't just wait here forever."
*** *** ***
Along the way, Hua Ruoxu was preoccupied, constantly looking around, searching for something by the roadside. However, he was disappointed; he didn't see Hua Tianxing, and it seemed that the disciples of Qinglou didn't know Hua Tianxing had come here either. He began to wonder if he had been dreaming last night. The journey from Jinling to here was long, and arriving in two days seemed impossible. However, according to Hua Yufeng, Hua Tianxing had only left Jinling two days ago, and she had already arrived at Shaolin Temple last night—less than two days! This was simply unbelievable.
"Junior brother, is something on your mind?" Hua Yuluan asked softly.
"Senior sister, I'm just a little worried," Hua Ruoxu smiled somewhat awkwardly and shook his head, not revealing what he was worried about.
"Don't worry, with Youyou and Qingyue's martial arts skills, and so many disciples from the Qingling Pavilion, nothing will happen," Hua Yuluan reassured him gently.
Hua Ruoxu nodded, looking somewhat guilty, because he wasn't actually worried about Xue Youyou and the others, but rather about his fairy-like sister, Hua Tianxing.
*** *** ***
"Brother-in-law, how much longer until we arrive?" Huang Yingying wiped the sweat from her face. More than ten days had passed, and they had only just entered Sichuan province; their destination was still a long way off.
In fact, Qingcheng and Emei are not far apart. A considerable portion of the journey from Jinling to both Qingcheng and Emei is the same. However, the two groups actually traveled separately, and perhaps even they themselves didn't understand why.
"Yingying, don't worry, we're almost there," Zhao Changkong gently comforted her, though he was somewhat worried. Ever since entering Sichuan, he had sensed something was amiss. He vaguely felt a pair of eyes watching them from the shadows, but he couldn't pinpoint their owner.
"Brother-in-law, I'm a little tired. Shall we rest for a bit?" Being a woman, her stamina was somewhat lacking, but she seemed to be the most exhausted; the female disciples of Qinglou were all full of energy.
"Alright, there's a bamboo grove ahead. Let's go in and rest." Zhao Changkong looked at her tired face with pity and agreed to her suggestion.
The bamboo grove wasn't large; you could see the end at a glance. They cut some bamboo, cleared a small clearing in the middle, and rested there.
A gentle breeze blew by, carrying a faint metallic scent. Zhao Changkong's expression changed slightly; he abruptly straightened up, his face gradually becoming serious.
"Brother-in-law, we can continue our journey. I've rested enough," Huang Yingying said quickly, assuming Zhao Changkong was about to leave.
"No rush, let's rest a little longer. Everyone be careful; the enemy might be close," Zhao Changkong said slowly, shaking his head slightly.
"Brother Changkong, did you sense something?" Fang Xia also stood up and walked to Zhao Changkong's side, asking in a low voice.
"They've been following us for so long, and they're finally going to make their move," Zhao Changkong nodded, speaking in a deep voice.
"Brother Zhao, don't worry. We'll meet them head-on. If they dare to come, we'll show them no mercy," said Thirteen Sister, a lively and adorable little girl whose tone was much older than her age.
"I'm not worried, but it's always better to be cautious," Zhao Changkong said with a smile, secretly feeling a little embarrassed. This little girl wasn't worried at all, while he, a grown man, was so tense.
"I was getting bored. The host said we came here to fight, but we haven't met anyone to fight with yet. It's not fun at all," Thirteen Sister complained, pouting.
Zhao Changkong shook his head, feeling somewhat amused and exasperated. He was fairly familiar with the disciples of Qinglou, but he still didn't know them well enough.
"I heard Qingcheng Mountain is very beautiful, isn't that right, Brother Zhao?" Thirteen Sister looked at Zhao Changkong with longing. "I heard it's called something like 'Qingcheng, the most secluded place under heaven,' right?"
“Thirteenth Sister, you’re right, but we’re not here for sightseeing.” Huang Yingying couldn’t help but chuckle, the slightly tense atmosphere completely dissipating thanks to the little girl.
“Who says otherwise? I came here to have fun!” Thirteenth Sister giggled, tilting her head back, looking very happy. “After we’ve finished Qingcheng Mountain, we’ll go to Emei Mountain. I’ve heard it’s quite fun there too. We can even have some fights along the way, how wonderful!” Her blissful expression left everyone speechless.
*** *** ***
After resting for a full half hour, they resumed their journey. Thirteenth Sister hummed an unknown tune softly along the way, looking incredibly happy. Perhaps infected by Thirteenth Sister’s optimism, smiles unconsciously appeared on everyone’s faces.
After passing a small hill, they came to an endless wilderness, with waist-high withered grass, enough to prove that this place was rarely visited.

Zhao Changkong's expression suddenly changed slightly. He waved his hand, and even without his signal, everyone consciously stopped advancing. Ten feet ahead, dozens of men in white stood in formation.
Among them was none other than Bai Yi, the leader of the White Robe Tower.
"This must be Zhao Changkong, Protector of the Heavenly Star Alliance," Bai Yi said calmly, looking at Zhao Changkong.
"When did the White Robe Tower become so open and aboveboard? Is Leader Bai preparing to change his ways?" Zhao Changkong didn't answer his question but asked with a slightly sarcastic tone. He did find it strange; White Robe Tower assassins rarely gave their opponents enough time to prepare before killing.
"There's going to be a fight!" Thirteen Sister clapped her hands and shouted excitedly, her expression full of joy.
A silent sorrow and helplessness appeared in Bai Yi's eyes. He looked at Zhao Changkong and the Heavenly Star Alliance members behind him, sighed inwardly, and an indescribable sense of loneliness welled up from the bottom of his heart.
"Since its founding, the White Robe Pavilion has rarely suffered defeat. However, since encountering your alliance leader, Hua Ruoxu, countless lives have been lost," the white-robed figure slowly declared. "Today, I will reclaim the dignity that my White Robe Pavilion deserves and engage you in a fair and square duel!"
"Why come here to die when you're perfectly healthy?" Thirteen Sister muttered from behind, her voice neither loud nor soft, just loud enough for everyone to hear. However, the white-robed figure remained unmoved, maintaining her calm demeanor.
"Since that's the case, I think I don't need to say anything more. Let's fight," Zhao Changkong said with a slight smile.
Under the vast sky, the two groups faced off coldly, the surroundings eerily silent. Everyone held their breath, swords in hand, a fierce battle imminent.
**** *** ***
This was a remote border town, but in reality, it was deserted and quiet. Hua Ruoxu and his group's arrival brought a certain vitality to the place.
Seeing that it was getting late, Hua Ruoxu and his group found an inn to stay at. After settling in, Hua Ruoxu and Hua Yuluan went back to their room to rest, preparing to leave at dawn.
"Junior brother, is there something on your mind that you can't tell your senior sister?" Hua Yuluan asked softly.
"Senior sister, I..." Hua Ruoxu hesitated.
"Get some rest," Hua Yuluan said gently, without pressing further.
"Senior sister, last night, it seems like my sister came." Hua Ruoxu finally decided it was better to be honest.
"Sister Tianxing?" Hua Yuluan was slightly taken aback. "You said she seemed to come?" She emphasized the word "seemed."
"Senior sister, I want to... I want to go for a walk." Hua Ruoxu nodded, paused for a moment, and then said.
Hua Yuluan nodded gently, without saying anything more.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu walked slowly along the main road of the small town, his melancholy growing stronger. He seemed to have a feeling that Hua Tianxing was right beside him, yet no matter how hard he searched, he couldn't find her.
"Sister, I'm alone outside now, could you come out and see me?" Hua Ruoxu silently called out in his heart, hoping that Hua Tianxing could feel his voice and his wish.
"Young master, a young lady invites you in." Passing by a small tavern, a waiter came out and respectfully said to Hua Ruoxu.
"Young lady?" Hua Ruoxu was startled. Could it be his sister? Thinking of this, he rushed inside.
"Sister!" Hua Ruoxu rushed to a table in the corner. There were few people in the tavern, and in Hua Ruoxu's eyes, there was no one else. In his eyes, there was only the beautiful fairy, his beloved sister.
Hua Tianxing smiled, a smile that could topple kingdoms. Before her lay a small wine cup, half-empty. A blush rose to her cheeks, her beautiful eyes shone brightly.
"Little brother, will you help your sister drink this cup of wine?" Hua Tianxing leaned gently against Hua Ruoxu, her voice sweet and alluring. Her slender, jade-like hand gently held the cup to Hua Ruoxu's lips, her eyes fixed on him, filled with longing. Without hesitation
, Hua Ruoxu downed the remaining wine in one gulp. The wine was strong, burning like fire in his stomach.
"Little brother, I long to be a real person, you know?" Hua Tianxing murmured.

(Volume 10, Sword Madman, Chapter 8: Unexpected Change)

Once, he was just a boy worse than a beggar. Ragged clothes and a filthy face were his true reflection; he struggled to find food and his status was lowly. He refused to succumb to fate, unwilling to live his life as such. He hoped that one day he could live a life of luxury, spending money lavishly, calmly facing the powerful and wealthy, and arrogantly looking down on the common people.
Finally, one day, he achieved it. He became a top-notch assassin. One after another, vibrant lives vanished in his cold gaze; those vivid blossoms of blood, in his eyes, were so brilliant and beautiful. Elegant and refined, dressed in white, he never let blood stain his clothes, nor did he allow anyone to defile them. He loved white clothes; he loved that pure white. He once hoped to one day live in the snow, and he also hoped that one day, when he finally died, he could be buried in the snow. White, in his eyes, was so pure and noble, so immaculate. He could no longer change the filth and ugliness within his heart; he could only change it through his clothes.
After more than a decade as an assassin, his heart had grown increasingly lonely. Then one day, he discovered that the person he once respected most, the kind master who had treated him so well, had only ever seen him as a tool for killing. The White Robe Tower, which he had painstakingly built, was about to be destroyed. His dying heart slowly revived. He found himself filled with an indescribable reluctance to leave the White Robe Tower, the white-clad subordinates he had built, and he couldn't bear to see them die like this. He didn't want to leave this mortal world so easily. However, he also knew he couldn't fight against his master. Resistance would only lead to a more gruesome death for himself and his brothers.
Since he couldn't save them, since he knew he had to walk a dead end anyway, why bother with the scheming and sneak attacks? He had lived in the shadows for ten years; now, he wanted to live openly and honestly, and even in death, he wanted to die with dignity!
"My dream of a white world, snow-capped mountains, white clothes." His heart was calm, and he lightly thrust out a sword. A smile appeared on his lips, the first genuine smile he had ever shown.
Zhao Changkong's heart skipped a beat. This sword strike, though seemingly gentle, concealed immense killing intent. He let out a low shout, leaping back a few steps, about to attack, when he paused, startled. A figure suddenly appeared before him, a flickering sword aimed at the white-clad figure.
The woman he loved most was once another man's wife. Even after being abandoned by her husband, she refused to accept a shred of his affection. In his youth, he silently protected his beloved senior sister, dreaming that one day he would marry her. However, when she grew up, she had already married someone else. He devoted himself to martial arts, hoping to forget her, but he ultimately discovered that deliberately trying to forget only brought deeper longing.
“Loving someone isn’t wrong, so why should I hide my feelings for you?” He had never felt so carefree before. He suddenly noticed that even the cold-blooded assassin had revealed a genuine smile. He vaguely sensed that they shared similar feelings. He suddenly felt a strong urge to fight him, so he stepped forward and unleashed a graceful sword strike.
*** *** ***
A dazzling light flashed and disappeared in an instant, the oppressive atmosphere in the air vanishing completely. Fang Xia and Bai Yi stood silently facing each other. Behind Fang Xia were the sixteen disciples of the Love Pavilion, while behind Bai Yi stood dozens of white-clad assassins, their gazes fixed intently.
“You may leave,” Fang Xia suddenly smiled slightly. “Life is hard-won, why not cherish it?”
Bai Yi was startled, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he didn’t. He turned to look at the people from the White Robe Pavilion, pondered for a long time, then suddenly sighed softly, waved his hand, and disappeared before everyone’s eyes a moment later.
“How could they just leave like that? I haven’t even made a move yet,” Thirteen Sister complained again.

“The White Robe Tower clearly knows they are no match for us, yet they keep coming to assassinate us, and today they even appeared before us in this way. Logically speaking, this isn't the style of an assassin organization,” Zhao Changkong said after a moment's thought.
“I have a feeling that letting them go is the best option,” Fang Xia said, still gazing thoughtfully in the direction the White Robe Tower members had left.
*** *** ****
“Lord, where are we going now?”
“Back to the White Robe Tower.”
The question and answer were both concise.
“None of you need to go back.” A cold voice rang out, and four figures appeared before them. The White Robe Tower's expression changed.
“You really came.” The White Robe Tower looked at the four people opposite him. They were the infamous White Robe Four Killers of the White Robe Tower. When the Four Killers struck, nothing was spared. However, only he knew that these four were not his subordinates, but rather people sent by his master to monitor him. The White Robe Tower took a deep breath, a slight smile suddenly appearing on his face.
“Does Master really want the White Robe Tower to disappear?” The White Robe Tower smiled faintly.
"For those who betray, there is only one outcome: death!" Shan Xiaoyao spoke, gently waving his folding fan, looking at Bai Yi with pity. In his eyes, Bai Yi was no different from a dead man.
*** *** ****
Hua Tianxing leaned gently against Hua Ruoxu, her starry eyes hazy, her cheeks flushed. The effects of the strong liquor were slowly taking hold.
"Sister, please don't drink anymore, okay?" Hua Ruoxu whispered, puzzled. Hua Tianxing used to be completely detached from worldly affairs, even skipping meals. Why was she drinking now?
"Brother, sister doesn't want to be a fairy. I want to be a person, a real person," Hua Tianxing murmured, her voice low. "Sister
, whether you are human or fairy, in my heart, you are the same," Hua Ruoxu gently embraced her, whispering, "Sister, let's go. There are too many people here. I'll take you back to the inn."
With that, Hua Ruoxu prepared to stand up.
"No, sister wants you to stay here with her tonight." Hua Tianxing hooked her arms around Hua Ruoxu's neck and brought the half-finished wine to Hua Ruoxu's lips. "Be a good little brother, drink for your sister."
Hua Ruoxu had no choice but to drink it. He looked around the tavern and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Only the two of them were left. Otherwise, he would have been worried that Hua Tianxing's behavior would attract attention.
"Young master, young lady, the shop is closing soon. How about you come back tomorrow?" The shopkeeper finally couldn't help but ask. Although he really didn't want to drive away this fairy who loved to drink, it was indeed very late.
"Sister, let's go home?" Hua Ruoxu had naturally wanted to take her away for a long time, but she refused.
"I'm not going back, and you're not allowed to leave either, or I won't talk to you anymore." Hua Tianxing seemed to be drunk.
"This..." Hua Ruoxu was really in a dilemma now. This wasn't Jinling; there were no taverns or restaurants open at night.
"Shopkeeper, could you do us a favor?" Unable to persuade Hua Tianxing, Hua Ruoxu turned to the tavern owner.
"Young master, we're about to close." The owner was also quite troubled.
"Shopkeeper, how about this? We'll stay here tonight, no need for your help." Hua Ruoxu thought for a moment, then pulled out a silver note from his pocket. "Shopkeeper, here's one hundred taels of silver. Consider it rent for the place tonight, what do you think?"
The tavern owner was overjoyed after confirming that Hua Ruoxu wasn't joking. He couldn't sell his tavern for that much silver, so how could he not be happy? Naturally, he didn't make things difficult for the two of them, and even enthusiastically brought out the best wine for Hua Ruoxu, and personally prepared a few side dishes before leaving happily.
"Hehe, little brother, this place is ours now." Hua Tianxing smiled happily, and seeing her smile, Hua Ruoxu felt a surge of joy in his heart.
"Sister, now you can drink as much as you want." Hua Ruoxu smiled; it seemed he would be staying in the tavern all night.
"Sigh, I wonder if Senior Sister will worry," Hua Ruoxu thought to himself.
"You lecherous little brother, you're not allowed to think about other girls here with your sister," Hua Tianxing whispered in Hua Ruoxu's ear, her breath carrying a sweet fragrance that stirred his heart.
*** *** ***
Hua Tianxing nestled peacefully in Hua Ruoxu's arms, sleeping soundly. Hua Ruoxu gazed tenderly at the beauty in his arms, his thoughts a jumble of emotions.
If there was one person in this world who determined his life, it was Hua Tianxing. Without her, there would be no Hua Ruoxu today. Everything about her was enough to make him feel ashamed. In his heart, she was an inviolable legend, yet he repeatedly couldn't help but defile her. He wanted to treat her as a sister, an unapproachable sister, but in the end, he found he couldn't. In his heart, he longed for her to be his wife.
Perhaps he himself didn't know that although he always believed that Hua Yuluan was the person he loved most, in reality, the person he couldn't live without was Hua Tianxing.
*** *** ***
In a hazy state, Hua Ruoxu opened his eyes. It was already bright daylight, and the light was slightly dazzling. He turned to his side and was suddenly startled. He touched a soft body.
"Senior Sister?" Hua Ruoxu was taken aback. Although he hadn't seen the face of the person beside him, based on his familiarity with Hua Yuluan, he was already certain that it was her lying next to him.
"Wasn't I drinking with my sister at the tavern last night? How did I end up back here? Was I dreaming again?" Hua Ruoxu realized he had never been so troubled before. Everything felt so real, yet it also felt like a dream. Because he was indeed in the inn, and Hua Yuluan was beside him.
"Junior brother, you're awake?" Hua Yuluan turned around, looking at him tenderly.
"Senior sister, when did I get back last night?" Hua Ruoxu asked, a little nervous.
"I don't know. I was asleep, then suddenly felt someone beside me. When I woke up, I realized it was you. I didn't see the person who brought you back, but I think it must have been Sister Tianxing." Hua Yuluan shook her head.
"I see." Hua Ruoxu breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed he had indeed been with Hua Tianxing last night, but he had fallen asleep at some point and been brought back by Hua Tianxing.
However, a sense of melancholy quickly returned to his heart, for he no longer knew where to find Hua Tianxing. Each time, he could only hope she would appear on her own initiative.
**** *** ****
Shaolin Temple, Mount Song. Midnight.
Soaring flames painted the entire sky a fiery red, rivers of blood flowed, corpses littered the ground—a horrific scene too gruesome to bear. The howling night wind seemed to whisper of the ancient temple's misfortune. At this moment, at the foot of Mount Song, a figure staggered forward hastily.
"What?" Hua Ruoxu abruptly stood up, everyone could clearly feel his body trembling, his voice trembling violently. "Shaolin Temple...it...it was destroyed?"
"Master, it's absolutely true. Hundreds of people from Shaolin Temple, not a single one survived," Da Lang replied in a low voice, his face calm. Perhaps because he had no affection for Shaolin Temple, he felt no sorrow whatsoever.
"Ye Bu'er, you're truly ruthless!" Hua Ruoxu clenched his fists, speaking each word with deliberate emphasis.
"Reporting to the Master, according to rumors circulating in the martial world, it wasn't Ye Bu'er who made the attack, but the Demon Palace,"
Da Lang said after a slight hesitation. "This is impossible!" Hua Ruoxu said decisively, "Dai'er wouldn't do such a thing."
"Junior Brother, don't rush, let's wait. I think my sister will give us news soon," Hua Yuluan whispered from the side.
Hua Ruoxu nodded and slumped down.
"Master, should we still go to Emei?" Da Lang asked respectfully.
"Of course we should go," Hua Ruoxu sighed softly and waved his hand, "You can all go now, rest for half a day, and continue our journey tonight."
*** *** ***
"Miss, Shaolin Temple was indeed attacked by the Demon Palace." Inside the Jinling Tianxing Alliance, a disciple of the Martial Arts Academy was reporting to Hua Yufeng. Hua Yufeng's face was grim; the sudden turn of events had caught her somewhat off guard.
"How could this be? How could Su Dai'er attack Shaolin?" Hua Yufeng murmured, then asked after a moment's thought, "Do you know who led the Demon Palace when they attacked Shaolin?"
"Replying to Miss, it was Nangong Feiyun." The white-robed

man

's eyes were filled with helplessness and a hint of sorrow.
"For ten years, I, Baiyi, have been loyal to my master, and Baiyi Tower has always acted according to my master's instructions. I never expected it would end like this." Baiyi's tone was desolate. "I never thought of betraying my master. I was just tired of the life of an assassin. I hoped that one day I could live an upright life." "
Once you've been an assassin, you'll be an assassin for life. Since you don't want to be one anymore, then your life ends here." Shan Xiaoyao sneered. "Baiyi, Baiyi, you've been wandering the martial world for more than a day or two. Don't you understand such a simple truth?"
"In the martial world, one is often powerless to control one's own destiny. I understand all this. I thought that after so many years of serving my master wholeheartedly, even if I hadn't achieved anything great, I had at least put in the effort. I thought my master would forgive me. Unfortunately, I was too naive. I only mentioned once that I wanted to retire from the martial world, and my master started sending the people of the White Robe Tower to their deaths one by one." The white-robed man's eyes were filled with loneliness and desolation. "I finally understand that neither I nor the White Robe Tower were anything more than tools for my master, tools for him to dominate the martial world. Once we had lost our usefulness, he would eliminate us. And the so-called betrayal was just a high-sounding excuse for him."
"White Robe, enough nonsense. You should prepare to die." Shan Xiaoyao seemed completely unaffected by the white-robed man's words, and snorted coldly.
"Don't be so smug. When the birds are all gone, the good bow is put away. One day, you will be like me." The white-robed man slowly swept his gaze across the faces of Shan Xiaoyao and the other three, and said calmly, his tone seemingly carrying a hint of pity.
A faint sound of a flute rang out, and suddenly countless figures in black appeared all around. Bai Yi's heart tightened, a chill slowly creeping up from the depths of his soul.
Could it be that the end of the White Robe Tower had truly come? No, I'm not reconciled! Bai Yi cried out silently in his heart.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu's mood was terrible. He never imagined that so soon after he left Shaolin Temple, it would be destroyed, and the culprit was someone he never expected: the Demon Palace.
All along, he had only considered Ye Bu'er and the Immortal Palace as enemies; the Demon Palace had been almost completely ignored. It wasn't that he underestimated the Demon Palace's strength, but he simply believed that Dai'er wouldn't harm him.
Perhaps not only him, but even the people of Shaolin Temple never imagined that the Demon Palace would commit such a heinous act against Shaolin Temple? Hua Ruoxu was the only disciple of Shaolin Zen Master Jueyuan and currently led the Shaolin Temple. His relationship with Su Dai'er was a well-known fact in the martial arts world. For the past year, the Demon Palace had made almost no moves against the seven major sects, leading many to believe this was due to the close relationship between Su Dai'er and Hua Ruoxu. Who could have imagined that the Demon Palace would strike at this time, and that their first target would be Shaolin?
No one could have foreseen it—not even Hua Ruoxu, not even Hua Yufeng. Yet, it had indeed happened, and Shaolin Temple had been destroyed—an unchangeable fact.
Now that the Demon Palace had attacked Shaolin, they naturally wouldn't stop there. Who would be their next target? Wudang, Emei, Qingcheng, or someone else? Perhaps even the Tianxing Alliance? Before, Hua Ruoxu believed the Demon Palace would never target the Tianxing Alliance, but now it was hard to say.
"Dai'er, oh Dai'er, how am I supposed to face you?" Hua Ruoxu sighed softly in his heart.
**** *** ***
Demon Palace.
The already somewhat gloomy hall appeared even colder under Su Dai'er's icy gaze. All the Demon Palace disciples, except for the three elders, lowered their heads, not daring to utter a sound.
"Second Elder, why hasn't Protector Nangong arrived?" Su Dai'er glanced coldly at Nangong Xuanyuan and asked slowly.
"Reporting to the Palace Master, Protector Nangong is away on official business and has not yet returned." Nangong Xuanyuan looked at Su Dai'er, his expression calm. He had already anticipated this question and had prepared his answer.
"Second Elder, do you know who ordered Protector Nangong to attack Shaolin?" Su Dai'er's expression softened as she asked calmly.
"Reporting to the Palace Master, it was my order, but I followed your instructions." Nangong Xuanyuan was indeed confident and showed no hesitation.
"According to my orders? I don't know I ordered you to do this?" Su Dai'er suppressed her anger and asked with a soft hum.
"Palace Master, you've probably forgotten. More than a year ago, you instructed your subordinates that as long as the opportunity arose, we would attack the Seven Great Sects and then unify the martial arts world." Nangong Xuanyuan's tone became increasingly humble.
"Then did you report to me before attacking Shaolin? Do you still respect me as your Palace Master?" Su Dai'er's pretty face turned frosty, and anger flickered in her beautiful eyes.
"I see that Your Highness is overworked and doesn't want to bother you with such a small matter. Besides, Your Highness once said that if I'm certain the timing is right and the situation is urgent, I can act first and then report back." Nangong Xuanyuan spoke with an air of neither servility nor arrogance. "This attack on Shaolin has proven to be very successful. Not a single person from Shaolin escaped. Furthermore, I intended to report the details to Your Highness today, but I didn't have time." "
Summon Nangong Feiyun back to me immediately. If I don't see him within three days, don't blame me for being impolite!" Su Daier's face shifted between light and shadow, her beautiful eyes flashing with cold light as she stared intently at Nangong Xuanyuan's face, seemingly trying to discern something from it. After a moment, she angrily flung her sleeves and left the hall, leaving behind these words for Nangong Xuanyuan before she departed.
*** *** ****
Su Daier stormed back to her palace, smashing the dressing table to pieces with a powerful slap.
"Your Highness." A deep voice sounded behind her.
"Elder, you've arrived." Su Dai'er turned around and forced a smile at Lu Yunchang.
"Palace Master, what do you plan to do?" Lu Yunchang hesitated slightly before asking, "Second Elder and Protector Nangong are your biological father and your elder brother, respectively. I'm afraid you..." Lu Yunchang didn't finish his sentence, but Su Dai'er understood what he meant.
"He's using this as a shield, thinking I'd never kill them, so he's doing whatever he wants behind my back!" Su Dai'er said bitterly. "Nangong Xuanyuan's claim that I gave him orders to make decisions on his own is from a long time ago. Back then, I didn't know Brother Ruoxu, and I trusted him completely. Naturally, I left the matters concerning dealing with the righteous martial arts world to him. But now, he's no longer the Grand Elder of the Demon Palace; he has no power at all!"
"Palace Master, Young Master Hua is the head of Shaolin. I think he would stand up for Shaolin, both morally and logically," Lu Yunchang sighed slightly, his tone filled with worry. "I'm worried that Young Master Hua will not forgive you because of this, and might even become your enemy."
"This is the result they wanted." Su Dai'er's eyes were filled with disappointment as she slowly said, "One who claims to be my father has repeatedly tried to kill my beloved behind my back. From childhood to adulthood, I've only ever known that my mother only had one daughter, me. Now, someone else has appeared, claiming to be my brother. It's this so-called brother who keeps trying to drive me to the brink of despair. Elder, tell me, what's the point of acknowledging such a father and such a brother?"
"But the blood ties between them and you cannot be erased by anyone!" Lu Yunchang sighed deeply.
"Elder, pass on my orders. From now on, the Azure Dragon and White Tiger Halls of the Demon Palace's main altar will only obey my orders. The Black Tortoise Hall will be under the Grand Elder's jurisdiction, and the Vermilion Bird Hall will be under the Third Elder's jurisdiction. In addition, all 108 branch altars of the Demon Palace will also be led by the Third Elder. Apart from the Third Elder and me, they will not need to obey anyone else's orders." Su Dai'er's face grew colder and colder, and she finally uttered a few words, one by one, "Anyone who disobeys will be killed on sight!"
"Palace Master, this..." Lu Yunchang was slightly taken aback.
"Elder, just do as I say. Also, please don't forget the duties of the Black Tortoise Hall." Su Dai'er said calmly.

"Yes, Your subordinate obeys!" Lu Yunchang said in a deep voice. He already understood that Su Dai'er wanted to completely strip the power of Nangong Xuanyuan and his son. His Black Tortoise Hall actually had another name, which was the Enforcement Hall. If anyone dared to continue to stay under Nangong Xuanyuan and Nangong Feiyun's command, it would be time for the Black Tortoise Hall to take action.
*** *** ***
“Sister Yunyan, you can come in now.” After Lu Yunchang left, Su Daier softly called out to the door. Sun Yunyan had already arrived outside, but seeing Lu Yunchang inside, she was about to leave. However, Su Daier secretly called her back, so she had heard every word of Su Daier and Lu Yunchang's conversation. Her heart was in turmoil. She couldn't understand why Su Daier had suddenly given her so much power. Although she was nominally still the Third Elder, in reality, her power already surpassed that of Lu Yunchang and Nangong Xuanyuan.
“Palace Master, this subordinate doesn't quite understand.” Sun Yunyan hesitated slightly before speaking.
“Sister Yunyan, perhaps you will understand in time.” Su Daier sighed softly. “Perhaps you don't know, but the First Elder is actually my maternal uncle. He also has many concerns. I only hope that you, Sister Yunyan, won't be as restrained as him. No matter who does something wrong, you don't need to be polite.”
Sun Yunyan nodded silently and didn't ask anything more.
*** *** ***
At the entrance of an ancient temple outside Jinling City, a girl in white rested her chin on her hands, gazing up at the somewhat hazy sky.
"Xiaoxue, what are you thinking about?" A soft voice sounded beside her. A woman in white, breathtakingly beautiful and peerless, had appeared beside her sometime earlier.
"Sister Wan'er, I... I wasn't thinking about anything," the girl named Xiaoxue said sweetly, her face slightly flushed.
"Xiaoxue, do you want to go into the city?" Wan'er asked with a slight smile.
"I... I... don't want to," Xiaoxue stammered, her expression clearly betraying her true feelings.
"Silly girl, sigh," Wan'er shook her head and sighed softly.
"Martial Aunt!" A clear, melodious voice came from ahead, and the two looked up simultaneously.
"Yaqian?" Wan'er was slightly taken aback.
"You... you... you're the Palace Master of that Divine Palace?" Xiaoxue also looked at the newly appeared girl in palace attire with some surprise.
“Miss Hanxue, you saved me last time, and I haven’t thanked you yet,” Gong Yaqian said with a sweet smile.
“Oh, it’s nothing. It was Young Master who saved you; it has nothing to do with me.” Hanxue lowered her head, and when she mentioned Young Master, a hint of tenderness appeared on her face, and her eyes were filled with sweetness, though there seemed to be a touch of sadness as well.
“Miss Hanxue, Young Master Hua has been looking for you. Don’t you want to go back?” Gong Yaqian walked up to Hanxue, squatted down, and asked with a smile.
Hanxue hesitated slightly, shook her head, and didn’t speak.
“That’s true. If you go back now, you don’t even know if you’ll see him again. It’s better not to go back.” Gong Yaqian sighed softly, stood up, and said in a low voice, as if talking to herself, but Hanxue still vaguely understood what she meant.
“Sister Gong, what did you say? Young Master, has something happened to Young Master?” Hanxue quickly stood up, grabbed Gong Yaqian’s hand, and asked anxiously.
"Well, it's not exactly a disaster, but... but..." Gong Yaqian looked very troubled.
"But what? What happened to the young master?" Hanxue was really anxious this time. Zhao Wan'er shook her head beside her. This girl cared so much about her young master, yet she insisted on running away from home. She really didn't know what was going on in this little girl's mind.
"Miss Hanxue, I... I can't explain it all at once. I think it would be better if you came with me to the Tianxing Alliance to see." Gong Yaqian said after thinking for a long time.
"Okay, okay, I'll go back, I'll go right now." Hanxue nodded hurriedly and ran towards the city.
"Uncle-Master, come with me." Gong Yaqian whispered to Zhao Wan'er, then chased after Hanxue. Zhao Wan'er vaguely understood Gong Yaqian's meaning, hesitated for a moment, and then followed. After the two left, a white-clad, masked girl appeared at the door, watching their backs, standing silently for a long time. Chapter 10 of Volume 10,

Sword Madness, Chapter 10, The Storm

Is Coming. Hanxue hurriedly ran towards the Tianxing Alliance. When she arrived at the entrance, she didn't even greet the disciples guarding the gate and ran straight inside. However, it seemed that everyone in the Tianxing Alliance recognized Hanxue, so although the two disciples were surprised to see her come in, they didn't stop her.
"Miss, Miss!" Hua Yufeng heard a familiar voice, a very unexpected voice. The person appeared as soon as the voice came, and a petite white figure quickly rushed into Hua Yufeng's bedroom.
"Xiaoxue?" Hua Yufeng was overjoyed and hugged her tightly. "Xiaoxue, you're finally back! Where have you been all this time? We were so worried about you!"
"Miss, where's the young master? Where is he? I haven't seen him!" Hanxue asked anxiously. She had just run to Hua Ruoxu's room but found nothing, so she turned to ask Hua Yufeng.
"Junior brother isn't here..." Before Hua Yufeng could finish speaking, Hanxue suddenly burst into tears, startling Hua Yufeng.
"Xiaoxue, what's wrong? Did someone bully you? Don't cry, tell me, I'll help you." Hua Yufeng quickly comforted her.
"Miss, young master, how could the young master not be here? What will Xiaoxue do without him?" Hanxue looked at Hua Yufeng with teary eyes.
"Xiaoxue, what are you thinking? Junior brother just went out, he'll be back in a few days." Hua Yufeng felt a mix of amusement and exasperation, and said.
"Really? Miss, are you sure? Young Master really just went out?" Hanxue smiled through her tears, grabbing Hua Yufeng's arm and asking several questions in a row.
"Second Miss Hua." Two women in white, who looked to be about the same age, appeared at the door. Hua Yufeng looked up and was slightly taken aback.
"Miss, this is Sister Wan'er, and this is Sister Yaqian." Hanxue, upon learning that Hua Ruoxu was alright, immediately returned to normal and happily introduced the two women to Hua Yufeng.
"Zhao Wan'er greets Second Miss Hua." Zhao Wan'er gave a slight curtsy, and Gong Yaqian also smiled and bowed.
"There's no need for such formalities, ladies. I, Yufeng, am truly unworthy of such respect." Hua Yufeng returned the bow, secretly feeling a little strange. After all, Gong Yaqian was the Palace Master of the Divine Palace. Although the Divine Palace had declined, given her proud personality, she shouldn't be so polite to Hua Yufeng.
"Miss, I've been with Sister Wan'er these past few days. Sister Wan'er is so good to me!" Hanxue said, running to Zhao Wan'er's side, but her eyes held a hint of displeasure as she looked at Gong Yaqian. "Sister Yaqian, why did you scare me? I thought something really happened to Young Master."
"Miss Hanxue, actually I'm younger than you, so I really don't deserve to be called 'sister.' But if you don't mind, I'd be happy to call you 'sister.'" Gong Yaqian said with a sweet smile. "Sister Hanxue, if I hadn't let you mistakenly believe that Young Master Hua was in trouble, you probably wouldn't be back now, would you?"
"Miss Gong, Miss Wan'er, thank you both for taking care of Xiaoxue these past few days." Hua Yufeng had a general idea of what was going on. Although she didn't know why Hanxue was with Gong Yaqian, she still had to express her gratitude out of politeness.
“Miss Hua, you’re too kind. My life was saved by Sister Hanxue, and bringing her back is just a small favor,” Gong Yaqian said with a gentle smile. “Now that Sister Hanxue has safely returned to the Tianxing Alliance, we won’t disturb you any longer. We’ll take our leave.” With that, Gong Yaqian nodded to Zhao Wan’er, indicating she was about to leave.
Zhao Wan’er, however, seemed to be watching Hua Yufeng intently, her gaze somewhat peculiar. She only looked away when she heard Gong Yaqian’s words, her expression now thoughtful.
Hua Yufeng didn’t try to stop them. After seeing the two women off, she kept watching Zhao Wan’er’s retreating figure. This woman, who looked very young but exuded an unfathomable aura, seemed to be no ordinary person. Moreover, she sensed the look in Zhao Wan’er’s eyes, which made her somewhat uneasy.
*** *** ***
“Miss, when will the young master return?” Hanxue asked Hua Yufeng this question again and again. Hua Yufeng had given the same answer countless times, an answer that never satisfied Hanxue: “I don’t know.”

"Xiaoxue, why did you run away from home all of a sudden? Now you're looking for your young master everywhere!" Hua Yufeng said irritably.
"I miss my young master," Hanxue pouted, looking very aggrieved.
"Alright, your young master will come back. You stay obediently in the manor and don't run around, lest your young master comes back and can't find you." Hua Yufeng was at her wit's end and sighed slightly.
"Miss Feng, Su Daier has arrived." A clear voice came from the doorway.
"Su Daier?" Hua Yufeng quickly went out.
*** *** ***
In the hall, there were three women. The young woman leading them was naturally the stunningly beautiful Su Daier. On either side of her were Sun Yunyan and Liu Yun. Su Daier's complexion was not good; she looked worried and a little haggard. It seemed that recent events had made her anxious.
"Palace Master Su, what brings you here?" A soft voice reached her ears; it was Hua Yufeng.
“Sister Yu Feng, we’re sisters, why be so polite?” Su Dai’er’s face darkened slightly. When she came here before, Hua Yu Feng wouldn’t have treated her this way. While not exactly warm, she wasn’t this cold either. Clearly, the consequences of the Demon Palace’s destruction of Shaolin were beginning to appear.
“We are of different statuses, so necessary politeness is only right,” Hua Yu Feng said with a calm smile.
“Sister Yu Feng, this incident at Shaolin really wasn’t my intention. Could you please put aside your prejudice against me?” Su Dai’er sighed softly.
“Whose intention it was is no longer important. What’s important is that Shaolin Temple has indeed been massacred by your men, leaving no survivors,” Hua Yu Feng said calmly. “If you can’t control your men, you shouldn’t be the Palace Master. If you leave the Demon Palace, I believe my junior brother will be very happy. He won’t have to be so hesitant when facing the Demon Palace.”
“Sister Yu Feng, isn’t there any other way to resolve this?” Su Dai’er asked softly after a long silence.
"Junior Brother is the Shaolin Abbot. Even if he loves you more than his own life, he cannot remain indifferent to the deaths of hundreds of Shaolin disciples," Hua Yufeng said calmly. "I think you understand this principle. If you still cherish your relationship with Junior Brother, you should know what to do."
"Sister Yufeng, Dai'er understands. Tell Brother Ruoxu that no matter if he hates me or resents me, my feelings for him remain unchanged," Su Dai'er said softly, bowing her head. She slowly turned and gracefully departed, leaving behind a sigh of helplessness.
*** *** ***
Bai Yi let out a long howl. His once gentle and refined demeanor gradually turned ferocious. He wielded his longsword with effortless skill, and snowflakes began to fall from the sky. Like snowflakes in a dream, this sword strike was dreamlike and illusory, stirring up a cold wind from the ground. The howling wind drowned out the piercing sound of the flute. The all-pervasive sword energy seemed to represent Bai Yi's boundless rage and resentment. He was unwilling to die like this!
This sword strike had unleashed the full power of his life, a technique he had painstakingly developed over ten years, yet he had never used it before. Unexpectedly, his first use of it today had been a success. The sky was a blinding white, and as clarity returned, the white-clad figure had vanished. He knew he couldn't contend with the four white-clad assassins and the dozens of black-clad swordsmen, so he chose to flee.
"Don't let a single one escape!" Fan Xiaoyao, somewhat enraged, coldly commanded the remaining white-clad assassins. The
white-clad assassins' resistance was ultimately futile. Half an hour later, the ground was a river of blood, littered with the white-clad figures' corpses. Perhaps this was fate's arrangement; countless innocent lives had perished at their hands, their hands stained with blood. Today, they paid the ultimate price, their blood splattering across the land.
"White-clad, oh white-clad, the world is vast, but there is no place for you. Let's see where you can run!" Fan Xiaoyao murmured, a hint of malice in his eyes.
*** *** ***
Wudang. Xue Youyou wandered aimlessly alone on Wudang Mountain.
Although the scenery of Wudang Mountain was beautiful, Xue Youyou was sullen and ignored Jiang Qingyue and Hua Feimeng. They had originally planned to return to Jinling, but unfortunately, they received a message from Hua Yufeng, instructing them to stay at Shaolin for the time being to prevent the Demon Palace from attacking Wudang at this time.
"Youyou, are you thinking about that bad guy Ruoxu again?" Hua Feimeng appeared out of nowhere and asked with a grin. She would often come to tease Xue Youyou, which had become one of her pleasures.
"I am thinking about him. It's not fun here at all, it's so boring." Xue Youyou muttered, looking very unhappy.
"That's true. There are Taoists and such everywhere here, and they treat us very respectfully, like wooden blocks. Ruoxu is much better." Hua Feimeng chuckled.
"Youyou, Feimeng, you two are here? Where's Feihua?" Jiang Qingyue seemed relieved to see the two of them.
"Isn't Feihua with you?" Hua Feimeng asked, somewhat puzzled. Hua Feihua still preferred to spend time with Jiang Qingyue, leading the others to believe that she hadn't given up on Jiang Qingyue.
"No, I haven't seen him since this morning. I thought he was with you guys," Jiang Qingyue shook her head.
"It's almost dark. Where could he have gone?" Hua Feimeng frowned slightly, muttering to herself, a vague unease creeping into her heart. Had something happened to him?
Hua
Ruoxu finally learned that Nangong Feiyun was the one who attacked Shaolin Temple, and that Nangong Feiyun was now one of the protectors of the Demon Palace. He also learned that Nangong Feiyun was actually Su Dai'er's brother. He recalled that Lu Yunchang had once told him that if the Demon Palace Master had a son, he could only be an ordinary disciple of the Demon Palace. He, Lu Yunchang, had become an elder of the Demon Palace entirely through his own power. Could it be that Nangong Feiyun, who had served the Divine Palace as a hidden envoy, had been working for the Demon Palace all along?
Based on his speculation, Nangong Feiyun must have known he was Su Dai'er's brother for a long time. However, according to what Feixu had told him, Nangong Feiyun wanted to kill Su Dai'er. Could he even harm his own sister? Or was Feixu still lying to him?
"Junior brother, are you lost in thought again?" Hua Yuluan's warm, delicate body gently pressed against Hua Ruoxu's back, asking softly. Hua Yuluan seemed much weaker these days, and Hua Ruoxu never mentioned the child in front of her; it had become a taboo between them, a taboo neither of them wanted to discuss.
"Senior sister, some recent events have caught me off guard. There are many things I just can't understand." Hua Ruoxu turned around, gently embracing her slender waist, and said softly.
"Are you worried about Su Dai'er?" Hua Yuluan said softly. "Actually, I think that this attack on Shaolin wasn't her intention. If Su Dai'er wanted to act, she had many better opportunities before; there was no need to wait until now."
"I know, but no matter what, as the head of Shaolin, I have a responsibility to avenge them. In that case, a conflict between us and the Demon Palace is inevitable." Hua Ruoxu sighed softly. "At that time, I'm afraid we'll have no choice but to fight each other. Unless..." Hua Ruoxu didn't finish his sentence, shaking his head slightly.
“There’s always a way out. It’s not time yet, so why worry so much?” Hua Yuluan said softly. “When that time comes, there will naturally be a solution.”
Hua Ruoxu nodded. At this point, he truly had no other choice but to take it one step at a time.
*** *** ***
With only one day’s journey left to reach Emei, Zhao Changkong still felt no sense of urgency. Since repelling the White Robe Tower assassins three days ago, they hadn’t encountered any attacks, yet his unease grew stronger, a feeling of unease like a thorn in his side intensifying.
“Brother-in-law, are you troubled? You don’t look well,” Huang Yingying asked softly.
“I have a feeling something’s wrong,” Zhao Changkong shook his head. “I’m worried our journey to Emei won’t be smooth.”
“Brother-in-law, worrying won’t help. We just need to be careful. I think it will only be a few minor troubles at most,” Huang Yingying comforted him gently.
“I hope so,” Zhao Changkong nodded silently to himself.

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