【Ye Cheng Yi Jian】

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

Chapter One??? New Year's Eve New
Year's Eve, the night of the 30th, is for eating dumplings and setting off firecrackers.
Flying eaves and green tiles, a bright moon and white snow. The city streets, paved with large bluestone, are adorned with red lanterns hanging from small shops. On New Year's Eve, whether
you are a high-ranking official or a commoner, your family must sit together, eat New Year's Eve dinner, string lucky coins for the little devils
, and buy them firecrackers.
Therefore, this usually bustling and prosperous bluestone street is now deserted, with only one person slowly strolling.
This person is Ye Cheng.
His face is ruddy, and he wears a fine blue cloth robe, custom-made a few days ago from the "Gui Li Fang" shop on East Street for two taels of silver.
A blue cloth belt is tied around his waist, fastening a black leather-covered scabbard, with a small section of grayish-brown
hilt protruding from the scabbard.
It was with this sword, ten days ago, that Ye Cheng, stabbed to death
Xiao Feilong, the leader of "Xiaoyun Village," a name that struck fear into the hearts of heroes throughout the land. Xiao Feilong was originally a lieutenant under General Cai
, a general with illustrious military achievements. He was skilled with a silver spear, and few in the martial arts world could rival him. However, General Cai, having gained merit,
became arrogant and domineering in the court, ultimately leading to his execution along with his entire family by the emperor on a pretext. Dissatisfied with this, Xiao Feilong
escaped with a dozen soldiers, fleeing to this small town in Jiangnan. He built
a stronghold on Xiaoyun Mountain south of the town and became a bandit.
It is said that he was the only person in Ye Cheng, without parents, brothers, or sisters, surviving by taking orders, killing wanted criminals, and collecting bounties
. After becoming a bandit, the government offered a 500 tael bounty for his capture, but neither the martial arts world nor he
did. After committing several crimes, the bounty rose to 1500 taels, but still, neither did he. When
Xiao Feilong committed robbery and murder, the bounty increased to 2600 taels. The martial arts world was eager to act, but dared not, and neither did he.
A dozen days ago, Xiao Feilong robbed the post station carrying lychees for the emperor,
looting all the jewels, fruits, and beautiful women that were meant to be presented to the emperor. This enraged the emperor, and the reward for his capture soared to thirteen thousand taels of silver. While the martial arts world whispered
and discussed the matter, no one dared to step forward and accept the challenge.
Ye Cheng, however, acted.
Killing a wanted criminal was a matter of life and death. Usually, several skilled fighters would agree on how to divide the reward
and then go together.
Ye Cheng didn't. He went alone, carrying only his black-sheathed sword. Less than an hour later
, the henchmen of Xiaoyun Village had either fled or scattered, and the martial arts heroes watched helplessly as Ye Cheng, grinning,
carried Xiao Feilong's head to the yamen and exchanged it for a thick stack of silver notes.
Later, one of the escaped henchmen was captured by the heroes. Everyone asked him, "How did Ye Cheng
kill Xiao Feilong?"
The henchman, still shaken, replied, "When Ye Cheng came alone, Chief Xiao didn't even give him a second glance. He simply
ordered his five leaders to finish him off."
The martial arts practitioners' expressions changed. They knew that while those five leaders weren't as skilled as Xiao Feilong, they were still
renowned figures who had fought their way through the battlefield. If they had joined the martial arts world, each of them would undoubtedly have become a famous and influential person.
If Xiao Feilong had sent these five men to deal with Ye Cheng, how could he possibly have survived?
The henchman continued, "I don't know how, Ye Cheng just smiled faintly. Then, all five leaders
fell to the ground, dead!" He looked terrified and added, "I'm not lying! I didn't even see how he
attacked, I didn't even see him draw his sword, and the leaders were all dead!"
The swordsmen asked again, "What about Xiao Feilong?" The henchman
said, "Chief Xiao told us to bring out the silver spear."
Xiao Feilong was a battle-hardened general—who on the battlefield wasn't a skilled killer? He could take on
ten men single-handedly, demonstrating his exceptional martial arts skills; even those in the martial arts world dared not offend him.
"Later, Chief Xiao fought him in the open space outside..."
The swordsmen knew that an open space was perfect for utilizing the long-range power of a spear. Although Ye Cheng's swordsmanship was exquisite,
he would be at a disadvantage in an open space fighting a spear.
"And then?" an impatient young swordsman pressed.
"Later...later Chief Xiao died...We saw our chief die, and we only cared about escaping for our lives. We didn't care about
anything else!"
The swordsmen, as if they had witnessed a fierce battle, all breathed a sigh of relief. They didn't ask
how Xiao Feilong was killed. Even the young swordsman knew that such a battle between masters, though full of
mysteries, was all hanging by a thread. He, a mere lackey, couldn't possibly see it clearly.
So, for someone like Ye Cheng, on New Year's Eve, wouldn't the martial arts world invite him for a drink and reminisce
?
Ye Cheng, having no parents and no one to rely on, would always accept invitations to banquets, regardless of their intentions
. He would drink anything offered to him, downing it in one gulp. Fortunately, he had a high tolerance for alcohol, so he
was never drunk and then killed by a single sword strike.
Ye Cheng had just returned from a banquet, a large sum of silver notes tucked into his pocket, dressed in newly made clothes
. He walked along the long street, brightly lit by lanterns, his footsteps treading on the New Year's snow, humming a little tune as he
headed towards the tiled house he had built himself outside the city.
At the city gate stood a small noodle stall. The stall owner was an old man with white hair and a back bent to his knees.
He called out to Ye Cheng in a hoarse voice, inviting him to rest his legs and have a bowl of freshly cooked hot
meat dumplings.
Ye Cheng, his stomach rumbling with the smell of alcohol, went over to the stall. The old man smiled ingratiatingly, "Sir,
still traveling on New Year's Eve! Have a bowl of dumplings, it's not expensive, only ten coins."
Ye Cheng chuckled, "No dumplings, just a bowl of light vegetable noodles."
The old man, still hunched over, invited Ye Cheng to sit down at the small wooden table beside the stall. He bent down to take a bowl from under the stall...
but suddenly, he pulled something from the stall, flicked his finger, and several cold stars flew towards Ye Cheng's back
!
Ye Cheng seemed to have eyes in the back of his head; his body lightly rose, just barely dodging the projectiles. The old
man straightened up, revealing himself to be a strong young man in disguise. His left-hand projectile missed, but his right hand had already
drawn a single-edged sword from the stall, and in a flash, he was in front of Ye Cheng. Although his steps were unhurried, his movements were incredibly agile.
The speed of the phantom was considered top-tier in the martial arts world. His single-edged sword flashed like a thousand rays of light,
instantly trapping Ye Cheng within its grasp.
Ye Cheng, without drawing his sword, swayed lightly twice, dodging the attack. The young man's two
strikes missed, and he was about to deliver a third when suddenly his wrist tightened, and the sword fell to the ground with a thud.
Ye Cheng, still holding the hilt of his sword, had just lightly brushed past the young man's wrist, his face still
beaming.
The young man, his sword on the ground, suddenly pulled a long whip from his robes, and with a flick of his wrist, the whip moved with the speed of a serpent emerging from its hole, its
momentum like a raging flood, aiming straight for Ye Cheng's chest.
Ye Cheng seemed to have anticipated this move; seeing the young man slightly lean forward, he tapped the whip seven inches from its base with the hilt of his sword, and the whip
immediately went limp on the ground, like a venomous snake caught in a vital spot.
The slash of the sword hilt against the opponent's wrist and the flick of the whip's vital point seemed unremarkable. However,
in a fierce battle, especially against a skilled killer, even a moment's hesitation or mistake could lead to death.
Ye Cheng's slash and flick were both swift and precise, shattering the young man's two deadly techniques in a single move
.
Ye Cheng smiled, said nothing, and simply took a step forward.
A bead of sweat immediately appeared on the young man's nose!
Just then, a person entered from the city gate.
In such a critical moment, who would care who the person entering was or what they looked like?
The young man, however, saw them. He flashed forward, appearing before the newcomer, his left hand swiftly grabbing the person and pulling them
into his arms, his right hand, fingers like a dovetail, already pressed against the person's throat.
Only then did Ye Cheng see the person's face clearly.
A light red dress, appropriate makeup clinging to her body, revealing her exquisite curves. Long, jet-black hair, delicate, arched eyebrows,
clear pupils, and cherry-red lips. She was clearly a young woman in the prime of her life.
Ye Cheng smiled wryly, "If you want to leave, I won't stop you."
The young man scoffed, "Ye Cheng's swordsmanship is unparalleled. His lightness skill is also unmatched! In the snowy night, I inevitably
leave footprints; how can I know if you'll follow me? Given that, how can I leave with peace of mind?"
Ye Cheng laughed, "Fine. I won't follow. Moreover, I didn't encounter anything today. I just drank some wine
and went straight back to my room to sleep; nothing happened in between. I won't think about a young man trying to kill me,
nor will I recall where his hidden weapons, swordsmanship, and whip techniques came from. Of course, I won't even think about who he is or why he
wants to kill me."
He paused, then smiled slightly, "How about it?"
The young woman had been caught off guard by the sudden turn of events and hadn't yet recovered. She looked at Ye Cheng with a face full of terror, a
truly pitiful sight.
The young man tightened his grip on her throat with his right hand, his face grim as he shouted, "Stop talking nonsense!
Disappear right now, or I won't be polite!"
Ye Cheng chuckled, "Alright, I'd like to see how you'll be impolite." With that, he pulled
a small chair from the table and sat down.
The young man's face turned deathly pale.
He cried out, "If you... don't leave, I... I'll really have to..." His voice trembled slightly.
Ye Cheng ignored him. He simply grabbed a cup from the table, turned around, took a bottle of wine from the stall,
smelled it, muttered to himself, "No poison..." and poured it into the cup.
The young man bit his lip, then suddenly freed his left hand and, with a hiss, ripped off half of the girl's clothes.
Half of the girl's body was exposed, her breasts half-hidden, half-revealed, like a warm jade in the moonlight.
Only then did she finally come to her senses. Just as she was about to scream, a finger tightened in her throat, silencing her completely
.
She instinctively tried to cover herself with her hands, but the young man swiftly restrained her.
Ye Cheng downed his drink and poured himself another.
The young man hissed, "You, Ye Cheng! You call yourself a chivalrous hero who eliminates evil, yet you saw this and
didn't help?"
Ye Cheng gestured and laughed, "She's with you, her throat is in your fingers, how can I help?"
The young man said, "Just walk away, and I won't harm her."
Ye Cheng smiled bitterly, "But I haven't finished my drink."
Veins bulged on the young man's forehead, his clothes already soaked with cold sweat.
Ye Cheng was right in front of him, and he could only hold her hostage in front of his chest. Moving would leave an opening. Staying
meant killing the girl? If she died, he would have no way to survive.
The muscles in the young man's face seemed to twitch. He suddenly hissed at Ye Cheng, "Let's make
a deal!"
Ye Cheng asked, "What deal?"
The young man said, "I promise you I won't kill this girl. Now, I'll tell you, there's a group of people in the south of the city,
all dressed in black and masked..."
Ye Cheng laughed, "Wearing black and masked on New Year's Eve?"
The young man's voice trembled as he shouted, "Let me finish!"
He continued, "They're an organization."
Ye Cheng asked, "What organization?"
The young man whispered, "I can't tell you. But they carry a map that marks
the location of the great thief Feng Mantian's treasure from thirty years ago."
Thirty years ago, the infamous thief Feng Mantian was killed by a group of chivalrous heroes. But it was rumored that he left behind
a considerable fortune, which no one had been able to find.
Ye Cheng said, "These kinds of things are usually confidential. How did you find out?"
The young man whispered, "Don't ask! I only want to save my life. Go get the map, and I can escape immediately. From now
on, we'll be strangers!"
Ye Cheng sneered, "How do I know this isn't your trap?"
The young man shouted, "If you've been forced into this life-or-death situation, and all you're thinking about is survival, would you still have the mind
to set a trap to harm someone?"
Ye Cheng smiled, "No."
The young man said, "If there's no one in the south of the city, with your lightness skill, catching up to me won't be difficult. When you
retaliate because you were deceived, I'll surely die a horrible death."
Ye Cheng said, "That's right."
The young man said, "If there really is such a group of people in the south of the city as I said, you'll be fighting them for the map, and you won't
be able to look after me. That way, I'll have enough time to escape."
Ye Cheng said, "Hmm!"
The young man said, "This shows that what I said is true."
Ye Cheng said, "Indeed."
The young man said, "Good! They might still be in the south of the city. If you're too late, you'll never see
a trace of the map again!"
Ye Cheng slowly said, "If I find this girl's corpse or even a drop of blood nearby, I'll make sure you suffer
a terrible death."
The young man's expression changed, and he replied, "Of course...of course..."
Ye Cheng stood up, turned around, and left.
The young man, still holding the girl, took two steps back. Seeing Ye Cheng walk away, he was about to leave the city.
Although Ye Cheng had his back to him, it seemed as if he had already anticipated that Ye Cheng would move out of the city at this moment. Suddenly, his figure
turned around, like a swift black panther, and in a flash, he was behind the young man!
The hilt of his sword, propelled by the force of his thrust, had already struck the vital points on the
young man's back. Before he could utter a sound, he collapsed.
This attack was merely a pressure point strike, not a serious injury. How could he have fallen so strangely?
Frowning and pondering for a moment, Ye Cheng suddenly bent down and pried open the young man's eyelids to examine them. He
saw that the young man's eyelids were a deep purplish-black.
Ye Cheng was shocked and quickly slid back half a foot.
He saw a dagger glowing green flash past him!
The girl, half her clothes hanging on her fragrant body, the other half of her fair skin faintly visible in the moonlight.
In her right hand, she held the dagger coated with deadly poison.
Ye Cheng said, "So he was already dead."
The girl remained silent.
Ye Cheng asked, "Your hands were restrained the whole time. When did he do it?"
Suddenly, he realized, "That's it. When he tore your clothes, your hands were free for a moment."
In that brief moment, she seemed to have covered her chest with her hands—she had actually drawn a weapon!
Ye Cheng said, "Then he restrained your hands again. That must have been when you poisoned him."
There was a faint bloodstain on the young man's left palm, almost imperceptible without close inspection.
However, this bloodstain had now turned black!
Ye Cheng said, "Such a potent poison."
The girl said, "Indeed."
Ye Cheng said, "Although you tried to save yourself, I at least had the intention to save you. Why did you also try to kill me?"
The girl snorted, her left hand already tucking an old piece of paper into her belt.
This small movement couldn't escape Ye Cheng's notice.
Ye Cheng said, "So those men in black were already dead."
The girl didn't speak, but her expression subtly changed.
Ye Cheng said, "The maps they carried have already been taken."
Before he finished speaking, the girl had already torn off all the tattered cloth from her body with her left hand
. With a flick of her fair fingers, her pale red tattered skirt swept over his face.
Ye Cheng pushed off with his feet, his figure swaying to the side. Suddenly, a fragrant breeze wafted towards him, and the girl's body, like
white jade just washed from water, flashed before him.
Though the white jade was warm and the breeze fragrant, the gleaming dagger was no joke. Moreover, it was coated with deadly poison.
And this dagger was already slashing towards Ye Cheng's chest!
Knives and swords are both weapons favored by martial artists. Daggers are too small and too light,
often at a disadvantage in combat. But as the saying goes, every advantage has its disadvantage, and vice versa. It is precisely because daggers are short and light
that they can truly be used with lightning speed, coming and going like the wind. That kind of speed is unmatched by knives and swords.
Ye Cheng had barely dodged the skirt and hadn't even regained his footing when how could he possibly dodge the dagger?
If he could kill her so easily, he wouldn't be the Ye
Cheng who killed Xiao Feilong and became famous throughout the martial arts world. What would become of Ye Cheng's reputation as a master swordsman?
He used his left hand, holding the scabbard, to deflect the dagger's blade, neutralizing its force.
His right hand followed, lightning-fast, grabbing the girl's wrist and snapping his fingers. The dagger
clattered to the ground.
Reaction, speed, strength, accuracy—all were indispensable. It was precisely because he possessed all of these that Ye Cheng was Ye Cheng. Ye
Cheng smiled slightly, "Now I believe you are no longer a threat."
A completely naked woman indeed had nowhere to hide a weapon.
The girl said coldly, "Even if you get that map, you won't find the treasure."
Ye Cheng grasped the pressure points on the girl's hand and said with a wry smile, "Then, do you also want to make a deal with me?"
The girl sighed and said nothing more.
Ye Cheng laughed, "After New Year's Eve, it'll be the Year of the Dog..."
He added, "Could it be that I'm going to have some incredible luck? Otherwise, why would so many people want to make deals with me?"
Chapter Two??? New Year's
Day On New Year's Day, the New Year's sun shone through a wisp
of morning mist, illuminating the snow that hadn't melted from the previous year. Traces of melted snow clung to the eaves of the tiled houses, sliding down the corners and forming icicles of varying lengths .
Ye Cheng, as usual, got up early, strapped on heavy sandbags, and went outside
to practice his lightness skill for over an hour under the tall, straight poplar tree.
Those who wish to achieve something in martial arts must train rigorously and diligently; there is absolutely
no room for shortcuts or tricks—this is true for every martial artist.
After practicing his lightness skill, he returned to his room to wash himself briefly, sheathed his longsword in its black leather scabbard, and prepared to practice his swordsmanship for another two hours .
Just then, he heard a series of firecrackers outside, growing louder as they approached, stopping in front of Ye Cheng's blue-tiled house
. Immediately afterward, there was a rapid knocking on the door.
Ye Cheng opened it to find about ten fellow martial artists, dressed in bright red New Year's attire, who, without waiting for his greeting
, rushed in, laughing and joking.
The leader was a burly man, dressed in a bright red martial arts uniform, with a large, gilded scabbard at his waist.
A fine ebony hilt gleamed subtly in the sunlight.
He chuckled in a gruff voice, "Congratulations, Master Ye! We were just visiting all the martial arts enthusiasts in the area to wish
them a Happy New Year when we came to offer our congratulations!"
This was none other than the renowned He Laoqi, the Seventh Brother with the Great Saber. Despite being the seventh in his family, his saber skills were superb
; among saber-wielding practitioners in the Jiangnan region, he was considered one of the best.
Ye Cheng didn't think much of it at the time, simply smiling and returning the greeting with clasped hands, "Happy New Year! Happy New Year!"
Suddenly, He Laoqi's face hardened, and he turned to the people who had followed him in, asking, "What's
wrong? Didn't you drink to your heart's content last night, Master Ye?"
Ye Cheng then remembered that many of those offering New Year's greetings in the room were his fellow martial arts enthusiasts from the previous night's New Year's Eve feast.
He had two great virtues: he would always attend banquets invited to him and drink whenever someone urged him to. But he also
had a major flaw: once he arrived, ate, drank, and slept, he would forget
who he had been drinking with the next day.
This often caused awkwardness.
Thinking of this, he immediately smiled and bowed to everyone. Fortunately, no one asked any further questions, and they all laughed it off
.
After the New Year's greetings were finished, He Laoqi pulled Ye Cheng to a corner of the room and said softly, "Brother Ye, if you have any good deals
to make, you should consider us too."
Ye Cheng looked blank: "What good deals?"
He Laoqi smiled: "Look, you just received over ten thousand taels of silver, so you certainly wouldn't care about small businesses
. It's just that we brothers haven't had any money in our pockets for a long time. I'm afraid that if this continues, we won't be chivalrous anymore, and we'll all become bandits."
Ye Cheng didn't know what he was planning, so he didn't say anything more.
He Laoqi lowered his voice and chuckled, "Brother Ye, that's not right. We brothers drank together on New Year's Eve
and exchanged New Year's greetings on New Year's Day. Although we're not as close as family, we're not so different anymore, are we?"
Ye Cheng politely replied, "Of course."
He Laoqi patted him on the shoulder and said, "That's it! Just don't forget your brothers if there are any benefits."
As he spoke, a young swordsman standing nearby exclaimed, "Senior He, are you talking about the treasure
?"
The word "treasure" was already extremely tempting, and with the young man's shout,
all the dozen or so pairs of ears in the room perked up instantly.
Ye Cheng could only smile bitterly to himself, clasping his hands in a fist salute to everyone, saying, "Who wouldn't want to easily obtain the treasures of the world? It's just that I
didn't know..."
Before he could finish, a tall, thin swordsman hurriedly said, "Master Ye, you don't know? There must have been a
bloody battle outside the south of the city last night. When we arrived to investigate, there were only a few corpses left."
Another chimed in, "That's right. Several of us went together, and I saw it with my own eyes.
All the dead were dressed in black, their faces covered."
Ye Cheng said, "It must have been a secret matter, that's why they didn't want their true faces revealed."
The tall, thin swordsman chuckled, "The living certainly wouldn't want that! But the dead don't have such customs
."
Another added, "So we went over and lifted their masks, and it turned out they were from the Lei Men."
The Lei Men was a large, secretive organization in the martial arts world. It was said that the leader of the Lei Men was surnamed Lei, named Lei Jiutian. In the martial arts world,
it was known that the Thunder Gate was a tightly organized and enigmatic group, acting solely for its own benefit without considering the plight of others. Therefore,
both the legitimate and illegitimate factions held it in high esteem.
The man continued, "Every member of the Thunder Gate possesses exceptional martial arts skills, yet those few individuals seemed to have
been killed simultaneously by the same person in the same place..." He deliberately emphasized the words "simultaneously," "the same person," and "the same place.
" The tall, thin swordsman said, "This shows the man's martial arts are incredibly high."
Upon hearing this, everyone simultaneously glanced at Ye Cheng.
Ye Cheng, feeling overwhelmed, immediately laughed, "Do you all suspect...?"
The tall, thin swordsman chuckled, interrupting him, "Whether it was Hero Ye who killed them or not is unimportant. Anyway, the Thunder
Clan members can't get away with anything in the martial world; a few deaths won't affect anyone." He hesitated, then added, "But..."
The young swordsman pressed, "But what?"
The man continued, "But we found a torn piece of paper in the hand of one of the men in black.
It seems he clutched it tightly before he died, unwilling to let go. His killer, in a moment of haste, only
tore off the part he wasn't holding before leaving. We've all seen the remaining scrap of paper; it's a
corner of a map."
Having said all that, there seemed to be no need for further elaboration. The room fell silent
.
He Laoqi suddenly burst into laughter: "Brothers, you've come to pay New Year's respects, why talk about these dead people and scraps of paper? It's unlucky
! Tonight, you'll each be punished with three large bowls of wine!"
The three men smiled awkwardly, clasped their hands in a fist and said some auspicious words, then followed He Laoqi to bid farewell to Ye Cheng, setting off firecrackers
as they went elsewhere.
Ye Cheng closed the door, shook his head, and smiled bitterly. Last night, he had indeed been only one step away from that "treasure map," but
unfortunately—after subduing the mysterious girl, before he could ask her any further questions, she suddenly
slipped from his grasp like a sticky fish, darted away, and swept her skirt off the ground, disappearing into the city.
Catching up with her wasn't difficult, but chasing a completely naked girl was Ye Cheng's forte.
And the scrap of paper was tucked into the sash of her skirt, so he had gotten nothing.
With a wry smile, he slapped his forehead and muttered helplessly, "I haven't seen anything, yet I insist it's a treasure map!
Sigh..."
Before he could finish speaking, a sweet laugh came from outside: "You dare call it a treasure map if you haven't seen it ? What if you had
?"
The laughter was still outside when the person had already slipped into the room through the window. Her agility alone was
comparable to Ye Cheng's.
The girl who entered had long, black hair, delicate, arched eyebrows, large, clear eyes, and cherry-red lips—
who else could it be but the girl from last night?
She casually smoothed her brand-new red dress and smiled at Ye Cheng, "Did you miss me?"
Ye Cheng sighed, "Yes..."
The girl darted to Ye Cheng, smiling playfully, and stared into his eyes, asking, "Since you missed me,
why are you sighing so much now that you've seen me?"
Ye Cheng smiled wryly, "I'm so happy, I haven't been able to sleep for several nights. May I ask your name, young lady
?"
The girl laughed, "How could I tell just anyone my name?" She
paced around the room a couple of times, then smiled again, "Lin Xiaoyue."
These two sentences both kept him in suspense and implied that Ye Cheng was not "just anyone."
Ye Cheng pretended not to understand, "I didn't know Miss Lin had returned. What brings you here?"
Lin Xiaoyue took out a piece of paper from her bosom. A corner of the paper had been torn off, revealing it to be the same one from the previous night.
She spread the paper on the table; it was indeed a map, with a few simple black dots marked on it.
Ye Cheng glanced at it and saw a line of small characters under the central black dot: "Four hundred large pearls
, one thousand taels of gold, three hundred thousand taels of silver."
Ye Cheng chuckled, "The location of the black dot is where the treasure is hidden?"
Before he could finish reading, Lin Xiaoyue had already put the map away, mysteriously hiding it in her bosom. Suddenly, she lightly took two
steps forward, standing face-to-face with Ye Cheng.
She was a young woman just coming of age: a slender waist, smooth, long legs, and a beautiful face. Her
high, fragrant breasts were now drawing closer to Ye Cheng.
Lin Xiaoyue looked intently into Ye Cheng's eyes and said softly, "If you could only choose one between the treasure and me, then
…"
Ye Cheng smiled bitterly, "Perhaps I won't get either."
Lin Xiaoyue laughed, "You must be wondering. Last night I didn't want you to take the secret of the treasure map alive, and today
I specially came to let you see the location of the treasure with your own eyes."
Ye Cheng said, "Hmm."
Lin Xiaoyue said, "You must remember what I said last night: even if you get the treasure map, you won't find the treasure
."
Ye Cheng didn't speak.
Lin Xiaoyue said, "It's because I've been following those Lei Men members for many days. I overheard them saying that
although the treasure is hidden there, there's a trap. Luckily, they mentioned how to break the trap in their casual conversation, and I've memorized it
."
Ye Cheng smiled wryly, "It seems I really can't do without you."
She added, "But conversely, I can't get it by myself. I also overheard that the treasure
's location is heavily guarded, so I need a helper."
Ye Cheng shook his head: So she's here to ask me to be her henchman.
Suddenly, he asked Lin Xiaoyue, "Can't you kill several Lei Men members by yourself? Why do you need my help
?" Lin Xiaoyue chuckled, "My skills are nowhere near as high as yours, Master Ye. 　　It's just that I secretly poisoned
them two days ago ." 　　 Ye Cheng sighed: In terms of methods, women are indeed much more capable than men. 　　 Lin Xiaoyue said, "Don't worry. Without you, I definitely wouldn't have been able to leave the treasure trove alive. Therefore 　　, I won't harm you." 　　 Ye Cheng said, "But I might kill you." 　　 Lin Xiaoyue smiled sweetly, "You won't." 　　 With that, the fabric on her shoulders suddenly loosened and slid down. Her 　　 full, firm breasts emerged from the cloth. Two pink nipples, with their pale red areolas, 　　swayed slightly in the air. 　　 Ye Cheng was mesmerized. 　　 The dress slid down further, revealing a flat, white abdomen, like a piece of soft jade just shaken out of the water. Soft jade 　　is inanimate, but this abdomen rose and fell slightly with the girl's breath, more captivating than the most beautiful jade. 　　 The dress slid down to her waist, hidden by her round, firm buttocks. But the fabric in front fell down another half 　　inch, faintly revealing a small patch of dark forest below her abdomen. Ye Cheng couldn't resist reaching out and 　　gently pushing the fabric that had fallen around his waist, causing the entire dress to fall to the floor. 　　 The sweet scent of a young girl wafted over him, and Lin Xiaoyue darted into Ye Cheng's arms, whispering, "I'm 　　cold..." 　　 What else could you do but hold her tightly? 　　 Ye Cheng took a deep breath and pulled Lin Xiaoyue into his embrace. He reached out and pressed his hand against Xiaoyue's breast, while his other 　　hand slid down her back... 　　 At times like this, unless you have a particular fetish, you wouldn't normally want to be disturbed. Therefore, 　　I advise everyone that when good fortune comes your way, it's best to close the doors and windows tightly. 　　 The window was smashed open. Three burly men dressed in black and with their faces covered rushed into the room. The moment the leader's toes touched 　　the ground, a long sword in his hand shot out like a dragon emerging from the sea, aiming straight for Ye Cheng's back. 　　 Lin Xiaoyue saw it clearly and couldn't help but gasp, pushing him away first. His figure slid back several feet like a ghost 　　, narrowly avoiding the sharp edge of the incoming sword. 　　 Ye Cheng steadied himself, seizing the opportunity to regain his footing. The leader's attack missed, and the other two quickly filled the gap. 　　 One lunged at Ye Cheng, the other at Lin Xiaoyue. 　　 In that instant, the leader's sword missed, and the other two drew their swords to attack. Before the leader could 　　retract his attack, the other two had already struck at Ye Cheng and Lin Xiaoyue respectively. 　　 Ye Cheng, seeing the incoming sword, swayed backward and dodged to the corner table. The black-clad man who filled the gap, unaware 　　of the trap, let out a low growl, and his long sword, like a bolt of lightning, thrust straight towards Ye Cheng's neck. 　　 This strike, though seemingly unremarkable, was extremely fast, accurate, and ruthless. The members of the Thunder Gate were all highly skilled; 　　the assessment of them by the martial world was certainly accurate. 　　 Even so, precisely because of his swift attack, he had already reached the corner 　　table in that instant in pursuit of Ye Cheng. The leading man in black, having just withdrawn his attack after missing his first strike, had already created a distance of nearly ten steps between them! 　　 Seeing his subordinate lured aside by Ye Cheng, the man in black, having missed his attack, hurriedly shouted, 　　"Wait!" 　　 If he had time, this wouldn't be a contest between masters. Any tiny opening, if the opponent 　　couldn't seize, meant his skill wasn't up to par. 　　 The incoming sword, carrying a chilling sharpness, was only half an inch from Ye Cheng's throat!

Ye Cheng, with a swift movement, barely regained his footing before turning again.
The powerful sword strike missed its mark, grazing Ye Cheng's neck.
Ye Cheng twisted back, his right hand drawing his sword in a fluid motion. The attacking man in black hadn't even stopped when a
flash of cold light appeared—his body was thrown forward like a sandbag propelled by inertia.
The leader of the men in black uttered a "Wait!" before a spray of blood filled the air. He stamped his foot in anger,
raising his sword to avenge his subordinate.
Ye Cheng's right hand struck the attacker, while his left hand, using the momentum of his twisting body, simultaneously grabbed
a teacup from the table. With a flick of his wrist, the teacup shot out like a shooting star.
The leader of the men in black let out a cold snort, sidestepping the teacup—but the teacup wasn't aimed at him. It turned out that
Lin Xiaoyue had removed her clothes, and her sharp dagger had naturally been tossed aside along with her cloth skirt. At this moment, not only
was she unarmed, but she was also completely naked. How could she possibly withstand the attack of a master from the Thunder Gate?
She could only retreat, her proud breasts now seeming like a burden. The black-clad man's sword
pierced her chest several times, never quite reaching her pink nipples.
Although the house was a large tile-roofed house built by Ye Cheng himself, its size still had its limits. Lin Xiaoyue retreated several steps, her
back pressed against the corner of the roof, with nowhere to hide. The black-clad man pressed on, his long sword like a streak of blue light,
slashing straight at Xiaoyue's neck.
The teacup, perfectly positioned, struck the black-clad man's vital point in the back. In that critical moment, Ye
Cheng's accuracy and power were undeniable. The black-clad man, focused solely on attacking Lin Xiaoyue, was unaware that
he had betrayed his back to Ye Cheng, struck by the flying teacup and rendered immobile.
Meanwhile, on the other side, the leader of the men in black dodged the teacup, his figure like a whirlwind,
charging towards Ye Cheng with a menacing sword strike.
Ye Cheng had already dealt with two enemies and had no more worries. He simply dodged the sword, then
delivered a swift knee strike. The man in black couldn't stop in time and crashed heavily into Ye Cheng's knee, collapsing to the ground.
Ye Cheng swiftly swung his scabbard, locking several vital points on the man in black's body. Only then did he smile with satisfaction.
Lin Xiaoyue seemed to let out a long sigh, murmuring, "They must be trying to take back the map..." Then she laughed,
"Luckily you intervened in time, otherwise, wouldn't it be embarrassing for me to be naked and beheaded?" As she said this,
she carefully reached out and slowly pushed the sword blade away from her neck.
Lin Xiaoyue's back was pressed against the corner of the room, the long sword lying across her neck. What was even more striking was that she
was completely naked, a sight so alluring that it took Ye Cheng considerable effort to restrain himself.
He sheathed his sword, patted the black-clad man whose vital points had been struck, and smiled, "Friend
, if you concede defeat, may I ask you a few questions?"
The black-clad man collapsed like a stone.
Ye Cheng was startled and bent down to open the black-clad man's eyelids.
They were a deep purplish-black.
He quickly turned back to examine the black-clad man.
Still a purplish-black.
Ye Cheng looked up at Lin Xiaoyue.
Lin Xiaoyue hurriedly waved her hands, saying, "It wasn't me!"
After thinking for a moment, she added urgently, "I wasn't wearing anything, not even a weapon. How could I have poisoned them?"
Ye Cheng sighed, saying, "Perhaps they saw their bodies were controlled and bit open the poison pouches hidden in their mouths to commit suicide
."
Lin Xiaoyue breathed a sigh of relief, saying, "It seems the Lei Men organization is extremely secretive. They would rather commit suicide than let you
find out anything."
Ye Cheng smiled bitterly, "Of course I want to ask. But if they don't tell me, I won't make things too difficult for them. Why
bother?"
Lin Xiaoyue remained silent for a long time, then softly said, "Tomorrow, let's set off to find the treasure's location..."
******************************************************************************************
I didn't want to say much, but after reading Brother Mo Yan's reply in the previous episode, I really felt something.
Brother, you have keen insight... Actually, Lin Xiaoyue was originally intended to be a villain. However, due to certain reasons,
the entire storyline had to be modified, and she was ultimately made the female protagonist. This modification also left a plot 　　 hole
, but I won't say more; here's the post. 　　 PS 　　: Brother Mo Yan, are 　　n't you afraid of 　　 getting chopped up by the landlady for commenting on 　　 women like that in Longmen 　　 ? 　　Hehe
… **************** ... 　　 Ye Cheng sat in the carriage, gazing intently at the snowy scenery for a long while before letting out a soft sigh. He lowered the curtain and 　　said to Lin Xiaoyue, "Pearls, gold, and silver are certainly good things, but I wonder how many lives they've taken." 　　 Lin Xiaoyue smiled slightly, "If they didn't want to kill you, how could they have died?" 　　 Ye Cheng asked, "Who was the young man who tried to kill me on New Year's Eve?" 　　 Lin Xiaoyue retorted, "That night I stole the map in the south of the city. To avoid being discovered, I went through the north gate 　　. I didn't expect to be grabbed by that man as soon as I entered. I was shocked to think that Lei Men had caught up with me so quickly! 　　 As for who that man was, how would I know?" 　　 Ye Cheng closed his eyes and remained silent. 　　 Lin Xiaoyue looked at him for a while before asking, "Don't you want to know how I knew those men in black had 　　the map?" 　　 Ye Cheng closed his eyes and said, "Yes." 　　 Lin Xiaoyue waited for a while, but only received silence. 　　 She finally couldn't help but ask again, "Then why didn't you ask me?" 　　 Ye Cheng shook his head and said, "Would you tell me the truth...?" 　　 Lin Xiaoyue stuck out her tongue and stopped talking.

The carriage had been traveling for over two hours, and it was nearly noon. The driver respectfully said from outside, "We've traveled a long way,
and the horses are tired. Gentlemen, would you like to rest for a while so I can go water the horses?"
Lin Xiaoyue happily replied, "Go ahead!" She
then smiled at Ye Cheng, "I'm hungry too, let's eat something!"
As she spoke, she reached for the bundle she had brought.
Suddenly, Ye Cheng opened his eyes, pushed open the carriage door, grabbed Lin Xiaoyue's waist, and jumped down from the carriage.
Lin Xiaoyue wanted to say something, but seeing Ye Cheng's serious expression, she remained silent.
This was a desolate mountain area, truly without a village or shop in sight. The carriage was parked halfway up the mountain; the driver
and horses had long since gone to drink water. A winding mountain road, clinging to a sheer cliff, stretched
into the distant, desolate landscape.
Only a boy of about seventeen or eighteen, dressed in peasant attire, was leading a water buffalo past them.
Ye Cheng paused for a moment, seemingly lost in thought.
Suddenly, he grabbed Lin Xiaoyue's hand and darted back the way they came.
The young man, who was watching the two with surprise, suddenly felt himself being lifted up. Ye Cheng had used his
lightness skill to leap several meters in
one bound. Lin Xiaoyue was suddenly pulled, and just as she regained her footing, she heard a deafening boom behind her . She felt
herself being swept up by a blast of air and fell to the ground.
Looking back, she saw that the spot where the carriage had been parked was now a scorched wasteland.
Ye Cheng chuckled, stood up, and dusted himself off.
Lin Xiaoyue, still reeling from the shock, murmured to herself, "It shouldn't have happened..."
Ye Cheng smiled and said, "We're standing here alive, it really shouldn't have happened."
He added, "It's just a pity I smelled the sulfur before them."
Lin Xiaoyue was taken aback and asked, "What do you mean it really shouldn't have happened?"
After a pause, she whispered, "It really is. If it weren't for you, I'm afraid..." She
took a deep breath and didn't finish her sentence.
Ye Cheng glanced at Lin Xiaoyue, as if he wanted to say something.
The boy, however, had just come to his senses and burst into tears.
Ye Cheng and Lin Xiaoyue were martial artists, so they could quickly calm him down, but the naive farm
boy was in a terrible state, too shocked to know what to do, and could only cry incessantly.
Ye Cheng chuckled and patted the boy's shoulder, saying, "Kid, you've escaped with your life, you should be smiling."
The boy stopped crying after a while, whispering, "But my cow..."
Ye Cheng smiled, reaching into his robes to pull out a stack of silver notes, stuffing them into the boy's hand: "Is this enough?"
"Enough, of course enough. This stack of silver notes is enough to buy a cow, let alone open a cattle farm."
That's how Ye Cheng is. When he doesn't owe you anything, if he's unwilling, you can forget about getting anything from him.
But if he feels guilty towards you, at least you won't suffer a loss.
The boy sobbed, not even bothering to count the silver notes, but simply bowed deeply to Ye Cheng: "Thank you, big brother,
you're such a good person..."
Before he could finish the word "good person," his entire figure had already crashed into Ye Cheng's chest. His speed was astounding, showing he
had at least ten years of rigorous training.
At the moment of impact, a short sword emerged from his right sleeve, aimed straight for Ye Cheng's heart!
The smile on Ye Cheng's face hadn't even frozen when, seemingly caught off guard, he was about to be stabbed by a sword.
Suddenly, the boy's body, like a kite with a broken string, flew through the air in an arc before crashing to the ground.
Looking at his chest, several wounds from hidden weapons were gushing blood…
Ye Cheng glanced at Lin Xiaoyue and sighed, "What kind of hidden weapon was that?"
Lin Xiaoyue calmly replied, "Nothing, just pebbles."
She walked to the boy's corpse for a while before turning to Ye Cheng and saying, "I didn't expect you to almost be ambushed
."
Ye Cheng smiled faintly.
He also walked to the corpse and bent down to examine it for a moment. The wounds were still bleeding; four pebbles had struck him,
each penetrating several inches into the body.
Ye Cheng closed the boy's eyes and said, "The skill of killing with stones isn't something that can be mastered in a year or two."
Lin Xiaoyue said softly, "So you're allowed to have superior swordsmanship, but I'm not allowed to use some underhanded tricks..."
Without waiting for Ye Cheng's response, she took his hand and started walking forward.
Ye Cheng smiled bitterly and didn't ask any more questions. He simply followed Xiaoyue onto the mountain path. Just when you think you've reached the end
of the road, a new path opens up. Ye Cheng was used to pulling down the carriage curtain and closing his eyes,
waiting only to reach the destination. He hadn't realized that while this provided peace and quiet, it meant missing out on many beautiful sights.
Lin Xiaoyue pulled him around two hills, and a village nestled against the mountainside and beside the water suddenly appeared before them.
Ye Cheng saw the village, saw the wisps of smoke rising from the scattered tiled houses, saw the village children
chasing and playing with their yellow dogs, and couldn't help but smile again.
Lin Xiaoyue looked at him and chuckled softly, "No wonder you like to laugh; you look so handsome when you smile."
Ye Cheng laughed even more heartily.
Lin Xiaoyue then said, "It's a pity we're not going to this village..." As she spoke, she opened a map and pointed to
a location on it.
Ye Cheng turned his head and saw a black dot where Xiaoyue was pointing, with small text below it that read: "
Ten zhang outside the village, go up the cliff, and you'll find a cave containing one thousand taels of gold and sixty pearls."
Upon seeing this, the two exchanged a glance and leaped towards the top of the cliff.
Although the mountain wasn't high, the ascent along the steep cliff face required exceptional lightness skills
.
As Ye Cheng climbed to the top, he carefully observed Lin Xiaoyue's lightness skill. He saw her long, slender legs take a slight step, her delicate feet
lightly touching the rock face, propelling her body higher and higher. Looking further up, one could see a slender waist swaying, her full breasts
sometimes receding, sometimes rising high with the ascent, utterly captivating. Her pretty face, lips pursed, bright
eyes constantly scanning for any rocks on the cliff face that could provide a foothold, her earnest expression making one want to hold her close and
cherish her.
Ye Cheng watched with great interest, but Xiaoyue suddenly spoke up: "If you get distracted and fall, see who's willing to save
you."
Ye Cheng choked on his words, immediately averting his gaze and giving an embarrassed smile.
Lin Xiaoyue giggled, taking Ye Cheng's hand and whispering, "We're almost there."
Ye Cheng felt a warm, soft fragrance spread from his palm to his heart, but he casually asked, "How do you know
we're almost there?"
Lin Xiaoyue paused before replying, "A woman's intuition; men shouldn't ask too many questions."
As they spoke, they indeed reached the top of the cliff.
There was indeed a cave at the top.
Ye Cheng asked, "Based on what you overheard from Lei Men, are there any traps or mechanisms in this cave?"
Lin Xiaoyue smiled and said, "Only the largest treasure trove has traps and mechanisms guarding it; there aren't any here."
Their hands remained intertwined as they entered the cave.
The cave was narrow, damp, dark, and deep. Ye Cheng felt a chilling aura emanating from the bottom of the cave, making him shiver
.
Lin Xiaoyue giggled, "So useless!" and embraced Ye Cheng.
Ye Cheng felt a sweet fragrance waft towards him, and the soft, warm body of the girl in his arms pressed tightly against him.
He couldn't help but lower his head and kiss Xiaoyue's forehead, the bridge of her nose, and finally, his lips met those captivating cherry blossoms . 　　 Xiaoyue hummed softly, reaching out to gently stroke Ye Cheng's broad back. 　　 After kissing for a while, Ye Cheng finally released Xiaoyue's lips and asked softly, "Who exactly are you?"
Lin 　　 Xiaoyue took a breath and whispered, "My surname is Lin, and my name is Xiaoyue." 　　 Ye Cheng sighed, "I know that." 　　 Lin Xiaoyue gently stroked Ye Cheng's eyebrows and said softly, "My name is Xiaoyue, and your name is Ye Cheng. Isn't that enough 　　?" 　　 Ye Cheng didn't speak again. 　　 Lin Xiaoyue took Ye Cheng's hand and pressed it against her ample chest, whispering in his ear, "I need 　　you, that's why I came to you..." 　　 Ye Cheng's hand froze. "Do you still want to make a deal with me?" 　　 That was the same question Ye Cheng had asked Lin Xiaoyue on their first meeting on New Year's Eve, when she had sighed but didn't 　　answer. 　　 Lin Xiaoyue hugged Ye Cheng tightly. "I'll say it again: if you could only choose between the treasure and me, which would you choose?" 　　 Ye Cheng sighed. "What use are countless treasures if I have to abandon the one I love?" 　　 Lin Xiaoyue's body went limp, and she hugged Ye Cheng even tighter. 　　 Ye Cheng whispered again, "If not..." 　　 Lin Xiaoyue trembled, looking up at Ye Cheng urgently, "Am I not the one now?" 　　 Ye Cheng said, "I should know who you are and why you've come to me." 　　 Lin Xiaoyue sighed. "I am Lin Xiaoyue, I need you, therefore I've come to you." 　　 The same two sentences again. 　　 Ye Cheng sighed deeply, released Xiaoyue, and walked alone into the cave. 　　 Lin Xiaoyue hurriedly replied, "But now, even if you can't help me, I don't want to lose you. I'm scared, 　　I need someone by my side. Right now, without you, I can't even straighten my back!" 　　 Ye Cheng stopped in his tracks: "When you were attacked just now, you were still in shock and muttered to yourself that you shouldn't have done that." 　　 Lin Xiaoyue's eyes dimmed: "Yes." 　　 Ye Cheng turned around: "Was it only this time that was unexpected for you?" 　　 He spoke the word "this time" very loudly. 　　 Lin Xiaoyue said calmly: "Yes." Ye Cheng 　　 said: "If that's the case, then being attacked yesterday was something you expected." 　　 Lin Xiaoyue sighed. 　　 Ye Cheng pressed on: "What about the time on New Year's Eve?" 　　 Lin Xiaoyue closed her eyes: "It's always been like this... only this time..." 　　 Ye Cheng shook his head and said softly: "That's why you were scared..." As he spoke, he walked back to Xiaoyue and 　　picked her up again. 　　 Xiaoyue hesitated, "I thought you would leave..." 　　 Ye Cheng said softly, "Since you're willing to tell the truth, why should I leave?" He then lowered his head and kissed the girl's pink 　　neck. 　　 Lin Xiaoyue, being kissed, breathed softly, "But if you absolutely must know who I am, I can only say I am 　　Lin Xiaoyue." 　　 Ye Cheng whispered, "You've already begun to tell the truth, that's enough." 　　 Lin Xiaoyue held Ye Cheng's head, letting his kisses grow lower and lower, "Ye Cheng... I didn't misjudge you, I just hope 　　you won't leave..." She 　　 couldn't utter another word. Ye Cheng had already unbuttoned her clothes, and his mouth took the girl's pink 　　nipple into his tongue. 　　 Lin Xiaoyue tilted her head back, let out a soft moan, and murmured in her sleep, "Ah... no... the coachman isn't 　　dead yet... he... must also be a member of the Thunder Gate, if he comes looking for me... ah..." 　　 Ye Cheng kissed her nipple, one hand already sliding through the fabric between the girl's legs. 　　 Lin Xiaoyue squinted, a blush rising to her face, and murmured, "Perhaps... he thinks we're 　　dead... ah... no... he can't find that boy... he'll definitely know... ah..." 　　 Ye Cheng ignored her, his other hand already untying her cloth sash, a pale skirt sliding to the ground. 　　 He held Xiaoyue's nipple in his mouth, one hand around her waist, the other hand slipping through her loose clothing 　　to her private parts, his fingers pressing against the valley beneath her breasts. 　　 Lin Xiaoyue breathed heavily, murmuring to herself, "It's okay... um... he'll definitely think 　　we went to that village to rest... ah... um... so he can't find us yet... we still have time 　　..." 　　 When someone is lost in passion, they can concoct any comforting reason. 　　 Ye Cheng caressed her for a while, then removed all her clothes. Although the cave was dark, he could still vaguely 　　see the girl's firm breasts and half-closed, starry eyes. 　　 What could be more moving than this? 　　 Ye Cheng breathed softly as he gently laid Lin Xiaoyue on the scattered clothes on the floor. He pressed his hand against the girl's body 　　, kissing her earlobe; his hands roamed over her body, gently squeezing her breasts and caressing her labia 　　. 　　 Lin Xiaoyue moaned softly, loosening Ye Cheng's belt and hastily removing his clothes. The long, black-sheathed...

The sword clattered to the ground, picked up by Xiaoyue's delicate hand, and gently placed it on Ye Cheng's right side.
Ye Cheng noticed this small gesture.
His tenderness deepened, and he couldn't resist kissing Xiaoyue's breasts, his lower body slowly entering the girl's forbidden territory. Xiaoyue
bit her lower lip, her hands gripping Ye Cheng's shoulders tightly.
Outside, it was midday. The early spring sun shone, the grass was just sprouting, and the snow hadn't yet melted. A mountain spring
flowed from outside the cave, cascading into the valley. Two mountain birds chirped on the cliff top, searching for newly hatched pupae. No
matter your fate, no matter what happens, the world still turns in its own way. Spring has arrived,
and all things are filled with the breath of life—a new year, new hopes, beautiful and serene.
In the dim cave, Ye Cheng, wearing the clothes made by Guilifang, sat against the cave wall, gazing at Xiaoyue
in a daze.
Lin Xiaoyue, completely naked except for her clothes cushioning her bottom, sat beside Ye Cheng, her blush
still lingering.
Suddenly, she playfully smiled at Ye Cheng and asked, "What are you thinking about?"
Ye Cheng replied, "I was thinking... whether the coachman really went to the village to investigate, as you said."
Caught off guard, Lin Xiaoyue's face flushed even more alluringly, and she playfully punched Ye Cheng.
Ye Cheng chuckled, "I was thinking, are the people of Lei Men really trying to kill you for the treasure?"
Lin Xiaoyue lowered her head and whispered, "If you trust me, please don't ask so many questions, okay? One day I'll let you
know everything, but now..."
Ye Cheng smiled wryly, "Alright, what can I do? I'm Ye Cheng."
Who can I do? Ye Cheng's sword is unparalleled, that's why this little girl came to you for help. Who can I do? Ye Cheng's
kind heart and understanding nature, that's why this little girl came to you for help. Who can I do? Ye Cheng's... Loyal
and kind, that's why this girl came to you for help!
Some might say, "I'm a good person too! I'm also loyal and kind, so why don't I have such good fortune with women?"
But does he have Ye Cheng's wit, agility, and swordsmanship? If one could be as capable, resourceful, and
substantial as Ye Cheng, while still retaining the true nature of a man, why worry about not having a beautiful woman by one's side?
Ye Cheng reached out and put his arm around Xiaoyue's soft shoulder: "Let's go in!"
Xiaoyue smiled: "This is the end of the cave."
Ye Cheng asked doubtfully: "But why isn't there..."
Lin Xiaoyue laughed and scolded: "You rascal, you just said you could give up the treasure for your beloved. Now you're thinking about it again
!" Before she finished speaking, a blush rose on her face.
She reached into the clothes scattered on the ground and found a small cloth bag, took out a tinderbox,
struck it on the rock, and lit it.
The firelight flickered, and Ye Cheng's eyes couldn't adjust for a moment. He squinted for a while before opening them.
This was indeed the end of the cave. The cave walls were jaggedly arranged, and
on the rocks at the bottom, a pile of gold gleamed brilliantly in the firelight. Beside the gold was a wooden box; though
locked, it was easy to guess what priceless treasures it contained.
Lin Xiaoyue smiled and said, "This is just the tip of the iceberg of the entire treasure. Aren't you happy?"
Ye Cheng was happy, of course he was.
He smiled, but remained seated on the ground.
Lin Xiaoyue smiled and said, "Why don't you take a closer look?"
Ye Cheng laughed, "If these things are already mine, why bother looking? If they aren't mine, then there's even less need to look
."
Lin Xiaoyue extinguished the fire, nestled in Ye Cheng's arms, and whispered, "They're yours. Everything in this cave
is yours..."
Ye Cheng tightened his embrace in the darkness. How could he not understand the deeper meaning of the girl's words?
Chapter Four??? The Third Day of the Lunar New Year
"What a pity about my fine cloth robe..." Ye Cheng murmured, sitting at the old wooden table in a villager's house.
Lin Xiaoyue had somehow found two sets of black martial arts attire and insisted that Ye Cheng change into them. So,
the robe he had brought, worth two taels of silver, was given to a villager.
Lin Xiaoyue chuckled, "Stingy! You've already got a thousand taels of gold and sixty pearls, why would you care about a measly two
taels of silver?" As she spoke, she too had changed into the black robe. The black martial arts attire tightly hugged
the girl's mature and voluptuous figure, making her appear even more alluring.
Ye Cheng laughed, "Dressed like this, are you going to find the biggest treasure?"
Lin Xiaoyue poked Ye Cheng's forehead with her finger, "All you ever think about is treasure!"
She took out a map and spread it on the table, looked around to make sure no one was watching, and then whispered to Ye Cheng, "That place is
n't far from here. We can get there in three hours by carriage."
Ye Cheng sighed, "I'm just afraid we won't get blown to bits."
Lin Xiaoyue spat, "You jinx! Let's walk out of the mountain first and then hire a carriage somewhere else. Even if Lei Men acts quickly,
at least the carriage won't be a problem."
Indeed, even Lin Xiaoyue and Ye Cheng weren't sure where to hire a carriage, so how could Lei Men possibly use the same trick again?
Ye Cheng said calmly, "Even so, once they discover our whereabouts, they can ambush us halfway."
Lin Xiaoyue smiled slightly at Ye Cheng, "With you here, I'm not worried."
These two simple sentences could stir the hearts of most men—what could be
more moving than the trust and entrustment of one's beloved? Even with his many concerns, how could Ye Cheng voice them? Martial arts legends
often vividly depict a great hero daringly venturing into a tiger's den, single-handedly fighting a horde of enemies. But they fail to realize
that against true masters, even fighting two opponents is incredibly difficult, let alone one against many – every dodge
and attack inevitably creates an opening, giving the other opponent an opportunity.
Therefore, when Ye Cheng encountered the men in black in his own house, he retreated a few steps, drawing one of them to attack,
creating a localized one-on-one fight, and killing him in one move. If not for his quick thinking at the time, he probably wouldn't be alive today
.
And in Xiaoyun Village, the four leaders' skills were far inferior to Ye Cheng's – if two Xiao Feilongs were
to fight simultaneously, Ye Cheng would only return lying down.
What about the future? Who knows how many ambushes from Lei Men masters he will encounter on his journey ahead?
Although Ye Cheng remained silent, Lin Xiaoyue's eyes could easily see through his thoughts.
She lowered her head, carefully examining the exquisite dagger several times before sheathing it. She then
untied the small leather pouch from her belt, counting the pebbles inside for emergencies.
Ye Cheng said softly, "You already checked these yesterday."
Lin Xiaoyue replied, "Yes."
Ye Cheng wanted to say something more, but stopped himself.
Lin Xiaoyue said sadly, "I know what you're thinking. A thousand taels of gold and sixty pearls are indeed enough for us
to live comfortably for the rest of our lives. You no longer need to rely on those 'corruptions' to survive; we can finally live
a peaceful life..."
Ye Cheng listened quietly, without speaking.
Lin Xiaoyue continued, "But I can't. That's something I absolutely must get, I absolutely must..."
Ye Cheng said calmly, "Your goal isn't those treasures."
Lin Xiaoyue was silent for a moment, then said, "Hmm."
Ye Cheng sighed and said, "Alright. Let's go."
They left the mountain village, crossed the pass, turned into the town, and took a detour.
This was a dense forest, sprouting buds and growing joyfully under the midday sun of early spring. Outside the forest,
a clear, shallow stream casually brushed the edge of the green shade, shimmering with golden light.
A small wooden boat swayed gently on the ripples by the stream.
Ye Cheng paid the driver, pulled Lin Xiaoyue to the stream, and called out, "Boatman!"
Lin Xiaoyue smiled sweetly, "There's no one on that boat."
She then went to the side of the boat, pulled Ye Cheng, and with a light leap, the two landed steadily on the deck.
Xiaoyue reached out and said, "Fetch it for me."
Ye Cheng turned his head and immediately understood. He took the pole in his hand and smiled, "Rowing is hard work,
how can I let you do it?"
Lin Xiaoyue stamped her foot and said, "I told you to bring it, so bring it!"
The bamboo pole lightly touched the water, creating ripples 　　. Ye Cheng couldn't persuade Lin Xiaoyue otherwise, so he had to go along with her and sit
in the boat's canopy, enjoying his own comfort.
Lin Xiaoyue stood gracefully at the stern, holding the pole, bathed in the golden sunlight, like a rose in full bloom . 　　 Ye Cheng was watching with interest when he suddenly felt the boat swerve left and right, as if it were drunk. 　　 Just as he was about to tease her, he heard Lin Xiaoyue's voice: "Do you think this stream is so easy to cross?" She 　　 lowered her voice and said, "Behind the woods is where we're going. Do you know how many 　　traps are hidden in this stream?" 　　 Ye Cheng stopped smiling and didn't speak. 　　 Lin Xiaoyue sighed. She only sighed that the usually shrewd and alert Ye Cheng had become a fool—but she didn't know that 　　the one who had made him foolish was herself. 　　 The boat slowly approached the shore, seemingly swallowed up little by little by the serene shade of the trees. 　　 Lin Xiaoyue led Ye Cheng, circling halfway around the woods before finally parting a patch of waist-high weeds. 　　 Hidden among the weeds was the entrance to a small dirt path. 　　 Ye Cheng smiled wryly, "Did you overhear this from those Lei Men members?" 　　 Lin Xiaoyue bit her lip, remaining silent, and pulled Ye Cheng inside. 　　 The small dirt path ended, then turned, revealing a main road suddenly appearing in the shade. 　　 Ye Cheng was about to step onto it when Lin Xiaoyue gripped his hand tightly. She looked around, and finally 　　pushed aside a stone beside the path. 　　 Beneath the stone was a secret passage. 　　 Ye Cheng laughed, "Those men in black you were following these past few days must have been a bunch of gossipy women. Otherwise, how could they have 　　described such a complicated road so clearly in a casual conversation?" 　　 Lin Xiaoyue sighed, "I knew I couldn't fool you for long." 　　 Ye Cheng smiled and didn't press further, simply following her into the secret passage. 　　 Some might say, "Ye Cheng, Ye Cheng, so clever all your life, yet you're such a lovesick fool! Even if you like her, you shouldn't trust 　　her so much. You'll die at this woman's hands sooner or later! " 　　 Ye Cheng didn't think that way. The wisdom and courage in his mind were enough to help him crack most of 　　the traps and lies in this world. But he trusted her, and he was willing to trust her. Was this foolishness, or another kind of shrewdness? 　　 The secret passage was dark, but dry and clean, suggesting someone regularly came to clean it. 　　 Lin Xiaoyue led Ye Cheng, turning several corners with practiced ease, before gradually ascending to the ground. 　　 What had been a forest suddenly transformed into a valley. Dozens of uniquely constructed wooden 　　buildings stood against the valley floor. Standing at the top of the valley, Ye Cheng could faintly hear voices rising from the valley floor. 　　 He opened his chest, took a deep breath, and then smiled at Lin Xiaoyue, saying, "This is Lei Men?" 　　 Lin Xiaoyue's body trembled, and she looked at him with bright eyes, praising, "As expected of Ye Cheng." 　　 Ye Cheng patted his black clothes and smiled bitterly, "To get here safely, I only had to sacrifice my two-tael silver clothes 　　." 　　 Lin Xiaoyue laughed and scolded him twice, then smiled sweetly and said, "Let's do something. If we succeed, 　　all the wealth marked on the map will be yours. And I will get what I want." 　　 Ye Cheng sighed, "That map was drawn by you." 　　 Lin Xiaoyue smiled and said, "Yes." 　　 Ye Cheng said, "On New Year's Eve, there were no men in black in the south of the city at all." 　　 Lin Xiaoyue gently hugged Ye Cheng, "Don't be angry with me." 　　 Ye Cheng smiled bitterly, "After you told me the truth, you never lied to me again, did you?" 　　 Lin Xiaoyue nodded. 　　 Ye Cheng sighed, "This is my fate." 　　 Lin Xiaoyue smiled, "The young man who disguised himself as the old man at the noodle stall that night was from the Lei Clan." 　　 Ye Cheng said, "I know." 　　 Lin Xiaoyue said softly, "He was a traitor to the Lei Clan." 　　 Ye Cheng fell silent. 　　 Lin Xiaoyue said, "He was a traitor, so he died." 　　 Ye Cheng paused for a moment before calmly saying, "And all those who died were traitors too." 　　 Lin Xiaoyue nodded slightly. 　　 Ye Cheng said, "Except for the person who planted the explosives to harm us yesterday, everyone else is under your control." 　　 Lin Xiaoyue nodded again. 　　 Ye Cheng sighed, "I know who you are now."

Lin Xiaoyue hugged Ye Cheng tightly: "Will you leave?"
Ye Cheng smiled bitterly.
If she wasn't a high-ranking figure in the Thunder Gate, who else could she be?
The sun had already set. The pale clouds and the glow of the setting sun turned the snow in the valley red.
There was a small wooden house in the shade outside the valley.
Lin Xiaoyue said happily, "I secretly built this when I was a child. I didn't expect it to still be here."
She opened the wooden door, and saw a layer of cobwebs and dust falling down.
Lin Xiaoyue smiled: "That's good. It means no one has noticed."
She turned to Ye Cheng and said, "They might still be looking for us outside the valley, or they might think we have sneaked into the valley.
Not many people know about this wooden house."
The two went inside and cleaned it up for a while, then found a mat and spread it on the haystack in the corner. They could
stay here for one night and go down into the valley the next day.
Lin Xiaoyue hugged Ye Cheng and lay down on the mat, whispering, "Are you afraid of dying?"
Ye Cheng really didn't know how to answer.
Lin Xiaoyue sighed: "I'm afraid too..."
She suddenly took off her clothes.
Underneath her black martial arts uniform, she was not wearing anything.
She took Ye Cheng's hand and pressed it against her body: "I want you to remember me, to like me."
Ye Cheng whispered, "I already remember you, I like you."
Lin Xiaoyue sighed, "We could die at any moment now."
Ye Cheng didn't speak.
If he could still utter such grand words at this moment, he would be either a fool or a hypocrite. Lin Xiaoyue rolled over, pinning Ye Cheng beneath
her, and began to kiss him.
Ye Cheng gently returned the kiss, then covered her 　　with the clothes on the mat 　　 . The moonlight
rose, a soft, 　　clear light.
********** ... 　　********** 　　 ...　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 The darkness was dispelled by the light, and Ye Cheng seemed to see himself wielding a long sword, his steps faltering slightly as he 　　dodged the attacks of several men. 　　 He seemed to turn around, his sword flashing like lightning, felling all his opponents. 　　 Lin Xiaoyue, dressed in black martial arts attire, wielded a dagger with incredible speed, moving like a tiger among sheep amidst a group of men in black, 　　unstoppable. 　　 Ye Cheng seemed to take a step forward, closing in on her, his sword flashing like a streak of light, aimed straight for Lin Xiaoyue 　　's heart! 　　 In a daze, Lin Xiaoyue seemed to cry out, "Ye Cheng!" 　　 Ye Cheng awoke with a start. 　　 Fresh air filled his nostrils. Soft sunlight bathed the newly sprouted grass in a vibrant green 　　. A thin mist drifted among the rocks—it was early morning. 　　 Ye Cheng felt pain all over his body, his head feeling like it was about to explode. 　　 He swayed and stood up. 　　 He was astonished to find himself deep in the mountains! 　　 He vaguely remembered arriving in the heart of Lei Men with Lin Xiaoyue, hiding in a thatched hut for the night, and planning to 　　descend into the valley the next morning. 　　 Morning had arrived, but where was he? Where was Lin Xiaoyue? 　　 Ye Cheng's throat was parched. He looked around, searching for a mountain spring to quench his thirst. 　　 But he found his right hand tightly gripping a sword! 　　 The blade was long and slender, gleaming coldly, the hilt carved from gray hardwood—this was his sword. 　　 A dark red stain of blood, already dried, clung to the blade. 　　 Ye Cheng stared at his sword as if he didn't recognize it. This blade, which had been with him day and night, sharing joys and sorrows, was stained 　　with blood of unknown origin, time, and origin. 　　 The dark red blood seemed to have congealed on the blade for a long time. 　　 Remembering the dream, remembering Lin Xiaoyue's cry of alarm in the dream, Ye Cheng's heart sank. 　　 He carefully sheathed the sword, not removing a single drop of blood. 　　 Ye Cheng heard the sound of a spring in the distance, which was incredibly tempting. 　　 He was about to take a step when he felt a sharp pain in his feet—his fine cloth boots were gone. 　　 His bare feet were already covered in mud, and streaks of blood seeped from the soles—it seemed he had run 　　a long way barefoot. 　　 If you were in this situation: you slept with a naked beauty in your arms the night before, but 　　woke up in the deep mountains in the morning, exhausted, with a splitting headache, a parched throat, a blood-stained sword in your hand, and your 　　shoes missing…wouldn't you go crazy? 　　 Ye Cheng smiled bitterly. 　　 He knew that if he didn't smile to relieve the pressure, he might never be able to lift his head again. He already knew 　　why he had become like this—it was because he and Lin Xiaoyue had both underestimated the Lei Clan. 　　 Moreover, there was that terrifying dream that had haunted him; it was frighteningly real. 　　 Ye Cheng slowly moved towards the spring. 　　 His mind was racing! 　　 What was going on? Had someone moved him here in his sleep, then stained his sword with blood and shoved it 　　back into his hand? 　　 Ye Cheng's lightness skill, while not unparalleled, was certainly among the best. Who could approach him while he was asleep...

His lightness skill was no less than his own—especially considering he had been able to move him here.
Ye Cheng sighed, "Luckily, I'm not a complete idiot."
Or perhaps he had been drugged?
This seemed to be the most likely hypothesis, but the question was, where did the drug come from? To administer a drug,
one would have to find a way to get close to him. With Ye Cheng's skills, how difficult would that be?
Moreover, would that person have deliberately removed his boots and then created the illusion that he had been running barefoot on the mountain path for a long time
?
Ye Cheng walked to the spring and bent down to drink a few mouthfuls of water.
He felt his mind was in complete turmoil. Normally, he might have been able to calm down and think things through. But now
, the whereabouts of that damned Lin Xiaoyue were unknown, which truly troubled him.
Ye Cheng reached into his robes and searched for a while; the silver notes and personal belongings were all still there, nothing was missing.
"I've lost my heart." Ye Cheng smiled bitterly for a moment before slowly walking towards the mountain path.
As long as he followed the mountain path, he would surely find her.
Ye Cheng walked along the dirt road in the mountain village, carrying a sword, his hair disheveled, his clothes tattered, and his feet bare
. The timid villagers avoided him as if he were a madman. A few bolder ones followed
him at a distance, wanting to see something interesting.
Ye Cheng sighed and entered a small shop.
The shopkeeper refused to sell anything to this sword-wielding madman, until he saw
the silver notes in Ye Cheng's hand—notes stamped with the seal of the largest and most reputable silver shop in the world, each note worth a large sum of silver
.
Ye Cheng, dressed neatly in the shop, suddenly noticed a huge rabbit lantern hanging in the center of the shop.
Rabbit lanterns are folk decorations used to celebrate the New Year, usually hung only on the Lantern Festival to add to the festive atmosphere.
But why hang it on this particular day?
Some might say: "Ye Cheng, you have too many things on your mind, why bother with these little things?
Finding Lin Xiaoyue is the most important thing!"
But Ye Cheng was different. No matter how chaotic his mind was, when faced with something illogical, he still had the desire to get to the bottom of it
.
This was one of the reasons he had survived until now.
Ye Cheng casually asked the shop owner, "It's only the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, it's still early,
why hang rabbit lanterns?"
This casual question made the shop owner's eyes widen. His expression seemed to have just
considered Ye Cheng a normal person, but immediately concluded he was a madman.
After a long while, he said to Ye Cheng, "Today is the Lantern Festival, not the fourth day of the Lunar New Year!"
Ye Cheng was stunned.
The mountain road was rugged and difficult to travel.
The horse, however, was galloping at top speed. The rider, seemingly not satisfied with the speed or the danger, continued
to whip the horse.
That rider was Ye Cheng.
Today was the Lantern Festival! The Lantern Festival!
From the time he and Lin Xiaoyue settled in the thatched hut until he woke up today, eleven days had passed! Eleven days!
Eleven days! Everything had already happened! He could do something now, but it was too late.
Even if it was too late, he had to go! His horse had barely reached the stream
when it collapsed from exhaustion. Before
Ye Cheng's feet even touched the ground, he was already flying off the horse like a kite, soaring towards the other side of the stream.
"Do you know how many traps are in this stream?" Lin Xiaoyue had once asked him.
No traps could stop Ye Cheng's unparalleled lightness skill!
Ye Cheng landed lightly on the other side, as if he had just leaped over not a stream, but a narrow
ditch.
He circled halfway through the woods, finding the path Lin Xiaoyue had taken a few days earlier.
Ye Cheng, like an agile black cat, moved silently through the forest path for a while, then moved aside
an inconspicuous rock by the roadside and darted into a hidden passage.
A man dressed in black lashed out at Ye Cheng, yelling, "Do you know where you are! Why aren't you..."
Before he could finish, he saw Ye Cheng's eyes—a sharp lightning bolt seemed to dance in his pupils,
ready to strike and blast his opponent to smithereens!
Startled, Ye Cheng nimbly slipped past him.
The man in black, regaining his senses, tried to retaliate, only to find himself immobilized by pressure point strikes
.
Ye Cheng stood atop the valley. The morning sun shone on his sharply defined face, and
a mountain breeze occasionally blew through the fresh air of the forest, causing his clothes to flutter.
Ye Cheng, however, had no desire to enjoy any of this. The valley was silent. Was it all over?
Ye clenched his fist and suddenly leaped towards the valley floor.
The bottom of the valley was Lei Men. Even so, the place looked more like a village, with simple white walls and gray tiles,
simple fences and courtyards, and the simple sounds of chickens and dogs.
Ye Cheng held his breath and nimbly slipped into an inconspicuous tile-roofed house.
The furnishings were very simple: a wooden table, a few benches, and a wooden cabinet.
Without thinking, Ye Cheng moved the cabinet.
Beneath it was the entrance to a secret passage.
Ye Cheng froze. He couldn't understand why he had moved the cabinet. He couldn't understand
why there was actually a secret passage beneath it.
Time was of the essence.
Ye Cheng jumped into the passage, then turned back and moved the cabinet back, covering the entrance.
The passage was very dark, with only the faint glow of oil lamps every few steps.
Ye Cheng slid gently to the other end of the passage and pulled down an oil lamp on the wall.
The wall immediately parted, revealing a door.
Ye Cheng gasped. He had only instinctively pulled the oil lamp, but it had led to another secret entrance
.
Ye Cheng knew he must have been here before.
In that instant, he realized that what he had been under the influence of for the past eleven days was a hallucinogenic drug—
a drug that could make a person mentally confused and obedient to others. Under the influence of this drug, he had been brought here, walked through these secret passages, and done certain
things.
But why would he be drugged? Ye Cheng believed Lin Xiaoyue wouldn't do such a thing. Moreover, the blood on the sword
was very likely Lin Xiaoyue's.
Thinking of this, his heart tightened.
Ye Cheng navigated the secret passages with practiced ease, encountering no guards.
He relied entirely on instinct, opening one hidden door after another, dodging one trap after another.
He knew that only instinct could help him now, and it must be helping him.
Helping him where? Ye Cheng didn't know. But it must be the place where something had happened; perhaps, he
had killed Lin Xiaoyue there.
When the last hidden door opened, Ye Cheng found himself on a bamboo-covered hillside.
It was midday, and a thick ray of sunlight shone through the bamboo grove onto the earth. In
early spring, the bamboo was still a tender green. Bamboo shoots had sprouted from the soil, uneven and charming
.
Ye Cheng's right hand rested on the sword hilt, moving carefully step by step.
This was indeed the place where he had fought Lin Xiaoyue in his dream!
Ye Cheng suddenly leaped up, landing softly on a high bamboo branch, motionless.
A hidden door in the wall opened, and a few people emerged.
How could Ye Cheng survive without being alert?
These men, dressed in black, were clearly from the Thunder Gate.
They whispered among themselves as they entered the depths of the bamboo forest.
Ye Cheng's ears clearly heard them discussing a meeting—a
meeting concerning who would become the future leader of the Thunder Gate.
He thought for a moment, then nimbly leaped among the bamboo branches, following the men in black at a distance.
The men in black converged from all directions, heading towards the same spot.
Ye Cheng didn't wait for them to "lead the way"; instead, he propelled himself forward, leaping ahead in their direction. It was a clearing in the forest, surrounded by massive black stone pillars, on which were faintly engraved 　　inscriptions such as
"Supreme of the Thunder Gate " and "Thunder Rules the World."
A stone table stood on one side of the open space, with a stone bench behind it, presumably
where the leader of the Lei Clan sat during their gatherings. Beside the table was a large, upright stone slab, its surface
covered by a black cloth, its contents unknown.
Ye Cheng observed for a moment before gracefully landing
atop one of the pillars, like a wild goose, pressing himself firmly against it, motionless. Clad in black, he became
one with the pillar.
The Lei Clan members gradually gathered, conversing in hushed tones. After a while, two figures emerged from the woods, dressed in
blue brocade robes, long swords at their waists.
Lei Yun, Lei Shiguang.
Ye Cheng silently murmured their names. This time, he was no longer surprised; he knew he must have
seen them before, when he was under the influence of the incense.
The two men walked to the stone table and stood facing the Lei Clan members. Lei Yun glanced around, and the gathering immediately fell silent
.
Lei Shiguang first clasped his hands in a fist salute to everyone before speaking softly, "The Lei Clan has been established for over forty years. Thanks to
the wise decisions of our Master and the concerted efforts of all my brothers, we have gradually reached our current position."
He paused, then continued, "However, there is such a person who, despite receiving great favors from our Master, attempted to murder him and seize power
. Fortunately, my second brother and I discovered this plot, preventing it from succeeding. Tell me, can such a thing be tolerated?"
Before anyone could respond, Lei Yun roared, "Who cares who he is! I called you all here today to
see how we tear this man to pieces, and see who dares to rebel against the Lei Clan!"
The two men, one gentle and the other forceful, silenced the entire hall.
Lei Shiguang smiled and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Lei Yun, saying, "Second Brother, don't be angry. The traitor has been captured. Lei Sect has
escaped a calamity this time."
Lei Yun shouted, "Dare to kill my father and seize his position? This is the end for you! Watch carefully!"
With that, he reached to lift the black cloth covering the stone slab.
Ye Cheng listened to their conversation while quickly thinking: These two are brothers. The master of Lei Sect has been
killed. The master of Lei Sect was their father, so these two must be the sons of the sect leader. Under the black cloth must
be the "traitor." These two are gathering everyone now to make an example of him, to warn everyone to be careful...
Just as he thought of this, he saw Lei Yun pull back the black cloth.
Underneath the black cloth was a girl bound to the stone slab. She was completely naked, her snow-white skin marked with small
wounds. Her black hair cascaded over her shoulders, and a black cloth covered her delicate face, obscuring her eyes.
Ye Cheng's heart skipped a beat: Could this be Xiaoyue?
Lei Yun stepped forward and slapped the girl twice hard. The girl groaned, seemingly tormented beyond
words.
Lei Shiguang stepped forward and ripped off his blindfold, saying to the crowd, "She dared to murder her father and usurp the throne! My father in the afterlife
will never acknowledge this daughter! My brother and I have severed ties with her, and today we will execute
her before you all according to the rules of the Lei Clan!"
Ye Cheng almost cried out: First, who else could this be but Lin Xiaoyue? Second, Lin Xiaoyue is also
the daughter of the Lei Clan leader? Lei Yun is the second brother, and Lei Shiguang is the third brother. Lin Xiaoyue is the eldest sister?
Lei Yun gave a low shout, drew his long sword from his waist, and was about to stab Lin Xiaoyue!
The muscles on Ye Cheng's face bulged, and he was about to pounce, ready to fight to the death.
Even for Ye Cheng, how could he remain calm in this situation?
Fortunately, Lei Shiguang suddenly shouted "Wait!"
Lei Yun stopped, and Ye Cheng stopped too.
Lei Shiguang clasped his hands in a fist salute to the crowd and said, "Whether or not Lin Xiaoyue is killed is no longer of concern."
Lei Yun shouted, "She dared to kill her father! If killing her is not of concern, what is?"
Lei Shiguang smiled and said, "Lin Xiaoyue has already surrendered and will be executed sooner or later. But..." He hesitated for a moment
before frowning and saying, "The Lei Clan cannot be without a leader for even a day."
Lei Yun slammed his sword on the stone table and shouted, "I'm a rough man! If you want the position in the Lei Clan, you can have it!
If this little bitch isn't killed soon, my hatred won't be appeased!"
Lei Shiguang humbly said, "Second Brother, why say such things? In my opinion, Second Brother is a straightforward person. Once you think of something..."
"I would never say 'second.' With someone as straightforward as you becoming the sect leader, all the brothers should be blessed."
Lei Yun laughed heartily, "You, Lei Shiguang! You want the sect leader position? Don't beat around the bush with me
! Father has passed away, leaving only the two of us. Who else can be the sect leader?" He raised his sword and shouted at the crowd,
"Brothers are all here. Today, Lei Shiguang is the new master. Although I, Lei Yun, am older, my temperament is too rough, and I am not suitable to be the sect leader.
From now on, as long as my third brother still recognizes me as his second brother and can still bow to me when he sees me, I will be satisfied!"
All eyes turned to Lei Shiguang.
Lei Shiguang coughed twice, clasped his hands, and said to the crowd, "Then... I will take the position for now. But..."
Before he could finish speaking, someone interrupted, "But I'm afraid it won't be that easy!"
As they spoke, a small portion of the crowd had already torn off their black clothes, revealing white martial arts attire. They
all drew their swords and pounced on the people around them who were still wearing black clothes.
Caught off guard, the attackers were quickly slaughtered by the group of white-clad men. The surviving black-clad men shouted and
drew their swords to join the fight. The clash of swords and blades filled the air, and several more fell on the open ground.
Lei Shiguang's face darkened as he looked at Lei Yun.
Lei Yun slammed his palm down on a stone table beside him, shouting, "Well done! Today we'll wipe out all the traitors of the Lei Clan
!" With
that strike, the stone table, seemingly made of wood, snapped in two!
Lei Yun's figure flashed, his broadsword flashing left and right, instantly cutting down several white-clad men.
Lei Shiguang, his face grim, suddenly drew his sword and turned to stab Lin Xiaoyue.
Now was the time to act!
Ye Cheng, like a bat, silently slid down from the top of the pillar. Reaching Lei Shiguang's back, his longsword
suddenly whistled through the air, shooting towards Lei Shiguang like lightning.
With a hiss, blood splattered!
This was a sword strike that saved Lin Xiaoyue's life; how could Ye Cheng show mercy?
Swift! Fierce! Ruthless!
The sword pierced halfway in, and Lei Shiguang, accompanied by a mist of blood, collapsed to the ground.
Ye Cheng looked up, about to untie Xiaoyue, when he was suddenly startled.
There seemed to be a layer of mud on Lin Xiaoyue's face. The ropes binding her hands and legs suddenly snapped, and a
dagger, accompanied by a shout, slashed towards Ye Cheng's chest.
Ye Cheng gritted his teeth, dodging the attack, and flicked his hand across Xiaoyue's face.
The mud mask loosened and slid off.
A mud mask disguise? She wasn't Lin Xiaoyue!
Ye Cheng had been monitoring from a distance, and this perfectly timed disguise had fooled him.
Where was the real Lin Xiaoyue? Was she alive or dead? What was the purpose of the Lei brothers having a girl impersonate Xiaoyue?
Anxious, Ye Cheng disregarded the force of his blow, twisting to dodge the girl's attack, and with a backhand slash,
struck her on the back of the head.
The girl's body went limp and she collapsed to the ground.
Ye Cheng, having landed a successful blow, was about to turn around when he heard the whoosh of a blade behind his ear. It turned out that Lei Yun had seen him, killed
several men in white, and then turned to attack Ye Cheng.
Ye Cheng was already in a state of anxiety; could he possibly get away with provoking him now?
He snorted coldly, his left foot planted firmly, and his body suddenly
dipped downwards. The blade flashed past his head.
Before his opponent could retract his attack, Ye Cheng, using his left foot as a pivot, straightened his right leg like an iron rod and
swept it fiercely towards Lei Yun's lower body.
Although Lei Yun had a violent temper, his martial arts were quite refined. His first strike missed, but he had already changed his move and
leaped up, passing over Ye Cheng.
Ye Cheng's attacks came one after another, each one faster than the last. His sweeping kick missed, but the tip of his sword had already drawn half a
circle on the ground. Using the momentum of his turn, he flicked a pebble out of the ground and shot it towards Lei Yun's head!
Lei Yun was still in the air and hadn't landed yet; how could he have expected such a swift move?
The pebble struck him heavily on the back of the head!
Lei Yun let out a muffled groan and fell to the ground, unable to move an inch.
Ye Cheng took a breath and suddenly noticed a trickle of blood seeping from beneath Lei Yun.
He had only used the tip of his sword to flick the pebble, stunning his opponent. Where did the blood come from?
Ye Cheng cautiously approached Lei Yun's body to examine him.
Lei Yun had already stopped breathing, and there were five or six bloody holes in his chest—it seemed he had
been pierced to death by a pebble-sized hidden weapon.
A pebble hidden weapon!
Ye Cheng almost cried out. He straightened up and looked around.
The battle in the open space was already decided; the white-clad man, no longer suppressed by Lei Yun, had gained the upper hand. Of the surviving
black-clad men, only a few were still resisting; the rest had all surrendered.
A young girl, dressed in a light red dress, emerged cheerfully from the bamboo grove.
Lin Xiaoyue?
Ye Cheng, no longer caring about the corpse lying in the clearing, strode up to the girl.
Long, black hair, a delicate face, straight eyebrows, cherry-red lips, and smiling eyes…
who else could it be but Lin Xiaoyue?
Ye Cheng sighed, "So..."
Lin Xiaoyue laughed and interrupted, "So you didn't kill me."
Ye Cheng said, "I was drugged with a sleeping potion."
Lin Xiaoyue said, "I know."
Ye Cheng said, "What else do you know?"
Lin Xiaoyue smiled and said, "I didn't know at first. After I woke up that day, I took you down into the valley to do something."
Ye Cheng asked, "Was it to kill Lei Shiguang?"
Lin Xiaoyue nodded and said, "But I didn't know you had already been drugged with a sleeping potion. I took you through a secret passage and found Lei Shiguang.
As soon as you saw him, you obeyed all his orders."
Ye Cheng smiled bitterly and said, "But when was I drugged with the sleeping potion?"
Lin Xiaoyue shook her head and said, "That night when we went to sleep, we laid out a mat... and it was that mat that contained the sleeping potion.
Lei Shiguang already knew we were coming and had made preparations. The sleeping potion is a specialty of the valley. I have taken
antidotes since I was a child, so I was fine, but you..."
Ye Cheng smiled.
He said softly, "I almost killed you."
Lin Xiaoyue said, "Fortunately, you were confused at the time and your sword was unsteady, so I dodged the attack. Later, I called you..."
"Your name... but suddenly you went mad, refusing to obey anyone's orders."
Ye Cheng smiled bitterly, "Did your scream bring me back to my senses a little?"
Lin Xiaoyue shook her head, "When I shouted, you jolted, and then you went mad. No one could stop you; you just
charged out of the valley and disappeared."
Ye Cheng chuckled sheepishly; he had finally pieced everything together.
Ye Xiaoyue added, "You now know who I am."
Ye Cheng nodded.
Lin Xiaoyue continued, "Actually, Father died a year ago from a serious illness."
She added softly, "But only I know, because I was closest to Father. If this gets out,
the position of Lei Men's leader will definitely belong to Lei Shiguang."
She looked up at Ye Cheng and said, "Lei Shiguang isn't an upright person. I wonder
where he'll lead Lei Men..."
Ye Cheng took a breath and said, "So you kept it a secret for a year, but the truth will eventually come out."
Lin Xiaoyue nodded, "They already know the general outline and have intensified their efforts to seize the position. Lei Yun is straightforward
, so he's bound to be manipulated by Lei Shiguang."
If Lin Xiaoyue killed the Lei Men's leader, Lei Yun and Lei Shiguang could more legitimately obtain
the position of leader by avenging their father.
Lin Xiaoyue said, "After you went mad, they couldn't control you to kill me, and they let me escape safely
. They were anxious, so they arranged this whole thing, wanting to seize the position of Thunder Gate Master as soon as possible so they could make their next move."
Ye Cheng said, "This is when they are at their weakest."
Lin Xiaoyue nodded and said, "If we can't kill them today, once they become the sect master, we'll have little chance
to act. Then we'll just be at their mercy, with no peace."
Ye Cheng smiled bitterly, "Wasn't it very timely for me to wake up?"
Lin Xiaoyue also smiled, "Actually, I..." I was also very worried about your safety. But with their power grab imminent, I had to
deal with things here first… Luckily you arrived in time, otherwise I really wouldn’t have been confident of success.”
Ye Cheng sighed, “I’m so tired.”
Lin Xiaoyue stepped forward and hugged Ye Cheng: “I’ve found a better candidate. He used to be my father’s confidant, and he’s
very loyal to us. Moreover, he’s capable, respected, and has a decent character. Let him be the sect
leader, and I’ll go with you, take that thousand taels of gold, and start a new life…”
The sun set, bathing the mountains and rivers in a crimson glow.
Ye Cheng, his left hand gripping his sword, his right arm linked with Lin Xiaoyue’s, strolled along the dirt path by the stream.
The two walked with their backs to the setting sun, their shadows stretching to the horizon.
They walked on like this, as if they would never tire.
Lin Xiaoyue giggled, "I told you I'd tell you everything."
Ye Cheng sighed, "Yes..."
Lin Xiaoyue asked, "Is there anything else you want to know?"
Ye Cheng replied, "Your father's surname is Lei."
"Hmm."
"Your surname is Lin."
"My mother's surname is Lin, is that not allowed?"
"Yes..."
"Do you know that those so-called treasures are the inheritance my father left me?"
"I guessed."
"I want a red silk dress woven."
"Okay."
"I don't want your two-tael silver custom-made one, I want one made with a gold ingot—a huge ingot. Take
the gold directly to the owner of Guilifang and let him decide."
"Okay."
"I also want you to make me a crown with those pearls."
"Okay."
"Hmm, the biggest one. You don't know, there's one that's particularly large, I hid it at the very
bottom of the box."
"Okay."
"You agree to everything I say..."
"Okay!..."
Do you know, Ye Cheng...
um...
you know, that's good...
um...
[The End
]

URL 1:https://www.sexlove5.com/htmlBlog/186692.html

URL 2:/Blog.aspx?id=186692&aspx=1

Last access time:

Previous Page : [The Progenitor of the Hehuan Family] Chapter Five: Earthworms Lead Dragons to Dance, Proud Phoenix Crouchs Wildly (Part 1)

Next Page : My maternal uncle's mother