Chapter Twelve of the Heavenly Tribulation of the Sun: The Lion Hunts the Rabbit, Princess Cuiwei

page views:1 Publication date:2023-02-26 08:14:03

When Jie Zhao awoke, Wen Qiongyu was nowhere to be seen in the cave.

He leaped to his feet, his first thought flashing through his mind: "Oh no! Aunt Wen... she's been kidnapped!" He looked around frantically, but saw no trace of disturbance. Two small footprints on the damp grass outside the cave led into the depths of the forest; it seemed Wen Qiongyu had walked out on her own.

Jie Zhao sheathed his longsword at his waist and followed the trail. After running for about ten paces, he heard the sound of flowing water. Parting the leaves, a clear stream appeared before him, winding its way down the mountain. The land along the stream was flat, lined with smooth, white pebbles the size of fists, without any sharp edges.

A person lay prone on a large round rock by the stream, clutching a withered bamboo pole tightly in her small hand. Thick hair covered her face, and her back heaved violently—it was Wen Qiongyu.

Jie Zhao flew over and blurted out, "What happened to you?" His voice was shrill with anxiety.

Wen Qiongyu stammered, "Clothes...clothes! Don't...don't let them drift away!" She clung tightly to the withered bamboo. Looking through the turbulent water and spray, the yellowish-brown tip of the bamboo pole bobbed and sank in the white rapids, with several bolts of yellow cloth of varying shades hanging from it, some silk and some gauze. Jie Zhao didn't have time to think. He grabbed the bamboo pole and swung it ashore. Hanging on the pole were Wen Qiongyu's yellow silk shirt, pale yellow undergarment, and a long, delicate piece of thin silk, which looked like a woman's waistband.

Jie Zhao was stunned, his heart pounding. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he saw Wen Qiongyu leaning against a rock, her beautiful eyes closed, breathing softly. Beneath her white mink coat, a pair of crystal-clear, rounded, bare jade feet were visible, the soles of her feet as pink and tender as crystal plums.

Exhausted, her small hands, clutching the front of her coat, fell limply to her sides. The fur coat was slightly open, revealing a deep, alluring cleavage beneath her snow-white skin. Just as the omen had foretold, she was completely naked beneath the white fur coat.

Jie Zhao awkwardly bent down, took out the "Lantian Jade Refining Pill" from his pocket, and fed it to her. Wen Qiongyu let out a soft "Eek," slowly opened her beautiful eyes, and smiled faintly on her pretty face: "Sleepy...sleepy cat! You've finally decided to wake up?" Jie Zhao was both amused and annoyed, and unconsciously widened his eyes: "Does someone who runs out and then faints have the right to lecture others?"

Wen Qiongyu blushed and whispered: "Give me...give me your clothes."

Jie Zhao deliberately teased: "You ran out to do laundry so early in the morning, are you going to go back wearing them wet? Since you've washed them, you should hang them up to dry." He gently picked her up and placed her on a sun-warmed rock by the stream. He turned around and placed a bamboo pole between two trees, and slowly and carefully laid out the clothes hanging on the pole to dry. His movements were extremely slow, and his fingers gently stroked the wet cloth, from the yellow shirt and the undergarment to the handkerchief and stockings.

In that instant, Wen Qiongyu had a fleeting illusion, as if his fingers weren't touching her wet undergarments, but rather her delicate, sensitive skin, from her chest and nipples down to her thighs and ankles. Just looking at it sent shivers down her spine, her soul almost leaving her body. She turned away in embarrassment, scolding, "Quick...quit! Stop fooling around! What...what are you doing?"

Her beautiful, slightly reproachful expression was breathtaking, reflected in the shimmering water, making her look like a celestial being. Jie Zhao's heart skipped a beat. He lowered his hands, which had been clutching her wet clothes, and stared intently at her, walking towards her step by step.

Wen Qiongyu felt her body burning under his intense gaze, as if she were melting. Her chest pounded violently, and she felt weak and powerless. Only one thought occupied her mind: "He...he's coming!" Amidst fear and helplessness, there was a hidden thrill and shame, and she wished she could faint immediately.

Jie Zhao walked behind her, wrapping his arms around her soft body, his burning lips gently pressing against the tender skin of her neck. Wen Qiongyu trembled, letting out a soft "Mmm" with her eyes closed, a nasal moan that was both delicate and sweet, startling even herself. Instinctively, she covered her mouth, thinking, "How...how could I make such...such lewd sounds with my own brother? What...what's wrong with me?" Her reason only lasted a moment before she was aroused by the man's gentle caresses, whimpering softly like a satisfied cat.

Jie Zhao buried his face in her collar, tracing the perfect lines of her neck and collarbone with his nose and lips. His entire being was captivated by the fragrant scent emanating from her skin, and even his intense desire vanished in an instant. He felt only the bliss of being embraced and smelled, murmuring, "You smell so good... so good..."

Wen Qiongyu trembled slightly, then a surge of tenderness welled up within her. She reached out to stroke his cheek, her soft cherry lips gently pecking back like a little bird, exhaling warm, fragrant breath: "Does A-Zhao like his sister?" Jie Zhao

embraced her tightly, closing his eyes to enjoy the cool, smooth touch of her lips, panting softly, "I like it! I... I like my sister so much!"

The moment the word "sister" left his lips, all the previous embarrassment and reserve seemed to vanish. Jie Zhao returned Wen Qiongyu's kiss, holding her soft, delicate body tightly. Wen Qiongyu let out a soft moan, tilting her beautiful chin up, and their four moist, warm lips finally met.

He didn't know how much time had passed when his sister's lips slowly parted, her incredibly soft lips clinging to the indentation of his, even in parting they seemed to linger with longing. Despite the wave of disappointment washing over him, Jie Zhao couldn't bear to open his eyes, as if doing so would preserve the exquisite touch on his lips longer, never to be forgotten.

After a while, they both opened their eyes, only to find their faces flushed.

Wen Qiongyu bit her lip lightly, smiling shyly, "My neck is tired! I can't kiss you anymore. Wait... wait a bit

, then I'll let you kiss me again." "Okay." Jie Zhao paused, then couldn't help but smile, "Sister, rest for a bit, I'll kiss you again later."

"Mmm." Wen Qiongyu smiled sweetly, nestling her head on his shoulder.

The two basked in the sun by the stream, neither speaking, yet it felt perfectly natural.

With his beautiful sister Wen Qiongyu in his arms, Jie Zhao lay comfortably on a large rock. Suddenly, a thought struck him: "Sister is so clean; I'm afraid washing clothes isn't the first thing she wants to do." He gently moved Wen Qiongyu aside, took off her boots and socks, and waded into the shallow stream. His bare feet touched the water, and he jumped and shouted like a monkey: "Wow! This water is so cold!"

Wen Qiongyu squinted her beautiful eyes, covered her forehead with her hand, and laughed: "What mischievous idea are you plotting now?"

Jie Zhao chuckled: "Does sister want to take a bath?"

Wen Qiongyu blushed, her secret exposed, and sighed softly: "If I enter..." "I'm afraid you won't last long in the stream. Even if you finish that bottle of 'Lantian Jade Refining Pills,' you won't be able to withstand the cold of the mountain stream." Jie Zhao revealed a sly smile: "If I could teach you to take a comfortable and refreshing hot bath, whenever you want, just as you wish, how would you thank me?"

Wen Qiongyu saw his confident look, raised her eyebrows, and smiled wickedly: "What do you want?" Recalling the enchanting scene in the cave last night, she felt a tingling sensation in her heart amidst her shame, and her bare legs under her fur robe felt warm and sticky. Jie Zhao understood her thoughts and smiled wickedly: "I want... I want..." His thieving eyes kept darting around Wen Qiongyu.

"If you don't want to say, then forget it!" Wen Qiongyu was both ashamed and angry, yet also amused. Her feigned anger was particularly charming.

"Sister, don't be angry. I want to bathe with you."

"Dream on!" Wen Qiongyu glared at him, but then burst out laughing. Jie Zhao

laughed heartily, turned around and walked towards the cave, saying as he turned back, "Sister, wait for me a moment. I'll go find some things to prepare. When we go for a bath, you can't be lazy..." Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly lost his footing and his lower body quickly sank into the ground!

Wen Qiongyu gasped in surprise, but fortunately, the pit wasn't deep, only reaching Jie Zhao's waist. There were no sharp bamboo poles or knives in the pit, so it seemed that hunters had dug it to catch small animals like rabbits and goats. Jie Zhao steadied himself, used the edge of the pit to support himself, and leaped up. Looking back, he saw that the pit was square-shaped with a flat bottom, and he clapped his hands with delight: "Sister! Look how kind God is to you! He even prepared a bath for you!"

Wen Qiongyu patted her chest, frowning, and said, "Stop talking nonsense! Let your sister see if you've hurt yourself."

"I'm fine, I'm fine!"

Jie Zhao waved his hands repeatedly, picking up a large number of flat river stones from the stream and arranging them along the bottom and walls of the pit. He was quick and efficient; in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he had transformed the pit into a stone-lined trough, even placing a large, flat-topped, stool-shaped stone against the wall.

"When you bathe later, you can sit on the stone to rest," he explained to Wen Qiongyu, wiping the sweat from his brow.

Wen Qiongyu watched with wide, beautiful eyes as he drew his sword, split open the withered bamboo in the forest, dug a narrow channel from the stream, and buried bamboo as a pipe. When the last section of the stream was dug, the icy, clear water flowed through the bamboo pipe into the stone trough. In no time, the five-foot-cubic-meter trough was filled with water, like a natural bathtub.

Jie Zhao used a flat stone to block the source of the bamboo pipe, drew fire from the cave, and lit a bonfire near the stone trough. He selected a dozen fist-sized stones and placed them in the fire to roast. After a while, the stones were blackened and scorching hot. Jie Zhao used two pieces of green bamboo to hold the stones and dropped them into the stone trough, one, two, three… Before it was even half full, the stream water in the trough was already steaming, like a hot spring.

He placed a long clothesline pole between the bonfire and the stone trough, and smiled at Wen Qiongyu, “Sister, come quickly! A hot bath is the most comfortable.” He slipped behind his clothes and continued to roast the stones.

Wen Qiongyu had already thought of this method when she saw him start the fire and roast the stones, and secretly praised her brother for his cleverness. Seeing that he used his wet clothes as a shield, without any impropriety or frivolity, she was secretly delighted: “In his heart, he still has me as his sister after all.” But a strange feeling stirred within her, as if she were being carefully cherished by a man, and she felt a deep stirring in her heart.

She bit her lip, blushing as she removed her mink coat, revealing her bare chest and long legs as she slid into the stone trough. The hot water seeped into every pore of her body, a sensation

so pleasurable it felt like she was about to faint. Jie Zhao heard her soft moan and knew his sister was thoroughly enjoying herself. Imagining her beautiful figure bathing in the hot spring, he felt a mix of desire and satisfaction. The two sat in silence, one silently roasting the stones, the other gently massaging her snow-white skin with water, until Jie Zhao finally broke the silence.

"Sister, what kind of person was our father?"

"He... was a man with a very clear voice." The steam rising from behind her clothes seemed to soften even her soft laughter, carrying a faint, nostalgic glow. "I was only four years old then, so I don't really remember what my father looked like. My mother was the old lady's personal maid, and she was a few years older than my father. When my mother was pregnant with me, it's said that the old lady was furious and banished her to the countryside to give birth; it wasn't until I was over three years old that she brought my mother and me back to Fragrant Hills, and she didn't let my father see me much."

"So... I only remember his voice. My father's voice was like that of a cheerful and innocent big child. When he played with me, he laughed more happily than anyone else."

"The old lady?" Jie Zhao threw a round stone into the fire, and the green bamboo in his hand was scorched, causing wisps of smoke to rise.

“That’s our grandmother. Back then, when people talked about Wei Qingsu, the ‘Fragrance of Dancing Sleeves’ of the Fragrant Mountain Palace, no one in the twelve lineages of the Demonic Sect didn’t fear her. The Demonic Sect is full of outstanding women. Xiao Yupo, the ‘Night Queen,’ Gu Yuhan, the Master of the Taiyin Pavilion, and my master are all among the best. If we go back a generation, it would be the old lady.”

“Is she still alive?”

“Yes, she is. After my father passed away, the old lady took over the position of the Miwu Palace Master again, enduring humiliation to deal with the four great families, and she is still the sect leader of Fragrant Mountain.” Wen Qiongyu’s voice was indifferent, without any emotional fluctuation. Jie Zhao couldn't help but ask, "Was it Wu Yaoji's idea to send the Yin Female Pearl?"

Wen Qiongyu calmly replied, "The method of refining the Yin Female Pearl has always been a closely guarded secret of the Xiangshan Miwu Palace. The old lady has never given up on creating the Yin Female Pearl, aiming to restore the foundation of the Miwu Palace. My senior sister was implanted with a 'pearl core' from a young age, nourishing the pearl with primordial yin, so her body develops at only half the speed of an ordinary woman. Although she is already twenty-six years old, her body has only grown to the size of a thirteen-year-old. It is only because of her naturally strong body that she was able to give birth smoothly." "The Yin-Yang Pearl. As far as I know, none of the other hundred or so girls chosen to have their pearls implanted survived."

Jie Zhao was horrified. Then he thought for a moment, "That's it. Wu Yaoji suffered greatly from the pearl-nurturing process. As an adult, she only hated the Miwu Palace more and would never obey her grandmother's orders. My second uncle was friendly to the Miwu Palace and stopped the scoundrels from the other three great families from ravaging the women of Xiangshan. So she plotted to have Feng Nandi kill my second uncle." Xiangshan was, after all, too distant and intangible for him. Jie Zhao wanted to ask about something more personal.

"Sister...have you met my mother?"

"You should have. Before the Battle of Xiangshan, we spent at least a year together in Miwu Palace." Wen Qiongyu's tone lightened considerably when talking about others: "I've seen your mother's portrait. She was truly a beauty, and her eyes were incredibly fierce. It's remarkable that she stayed by Jie Zhen's side for so many years. Ah Zhao, how much do you know about your mother?"

Jie Zhao haphazardly struck a match with a green bamboo stick, shaking his head. "She's my mother—that's all."

Wen Qiongyu felt a pang of heartache upon hearing this, and said softly, "Your mother's surname was Yun, and her given name was 'Yinzhen.' She was the most beautiful woman in Zhongjing back then. She and Jie Zhen were childhood sweethearts, growing up together. Jie Zhen was deeply in love with her, and I imagine your mother also had feelings for Jie Zhen when she was still a young girl."

This is strange, Jie Zhao thought.

If his mother loved his father...no, loved Jie Zhen, then what about the icy atmosphere of mutual respect that permeated Lanxiang Courtyard since childhood? As a child, I didn't realize it, but when I grew up and understood matters of love between men and women, I suddenly realized that the indifference and antagonism between my parents was not just disharmony in bed, but a deep-seated disgust and hatred. They could not spark any romance and could only accumulate more and more harm.

As if sensing his bewilderment, Wen Qiongyu continued softly, "They were originally a perfect match, but unfortunately, your mother's surname was 'Yun.' This surname was once as prominent as the Jie family in Zhongjing, only in the previous dynasty. Your great-grandfather, Yun Tinghai, was a Grand General of the State and Commander of the Army in the Yuwen Dynasty, and was enfeoffed as the Duke of Qiao. After the Yuwen family was destroyed, the Yun family led their troops to fight north of the Julu River. Some followed the Xuanhuang line north out of the Youyan Gate, while others surrendered to the newly established Fu family dynasty, were disarmed and stripped of their weapons, and became powerless nobles under house arrest in Zhongjing."

"Your mother, Yun Yinzhen, was born to the eldest son of the Yun family. Her brother, Yun Zhongming—who is also your uncle—led a hundred-strong armed cavalry force north to Beiju Prefecture to join the Jiuyou Hanting when he was eighteen. This event shocked the court and the public at the time, and the Yun family was subjected to close surveillance from then on. Even after your maternal grandfather, Yun Han, died, the court's suspicion of the Yun family never disappeared."

The rest of the story is easy to imagine.

As the right-hand men of the new Fu family regime, the Jie family of Suiping Prefecture would never accept a woman from the Yun family, and the young Jie Zhen and Yun Yinzhen were cruelly separated. Just as Yun Yinzhen was waiting expectantly for Jie Zhen to overcome all difficulties and keep his promise to come and marry her, Jie Zhen married the daughter of a high-ranking official, successfully inherited the title of Duke of Yunyang County, completely crushed the opposition from the old family, and had his eldest son Jie Sheng the following year, seemingly proclaiming to everyone the bliss of marriage.

The lonely and helpless Yun Yinzhen was heartbroken and quietly left Zhongjing, this place of heartbreak.

"And then?" Jie Zhao asked.

"Later, your mother encountered bandits during her travels and was rescued by our father, who brought her back to Fragrant Hills," Wen Qiongyu said slowly. "It is said that it took my father a long time to open your mother's heart, and despite the old lady's objections, he insisted on marrying her. While your mother was in Fragrant Hills, my father always treated her with courtesy, taking care of her and loving her wholeheartedly, until she finally gave in to his desires on their wedding night, and the two became husband and wife."

"Tsk tsk!" Jie Zhao picked up the green bamboo and commented, "I didn't realize my old man was such a romantic."

Wen Qiongyu was both amused and annoyed: "How can you talk like that? Come here! Let your sister teach you a lesson."

Jie Zhao wove a simple basket from thinned bamboo strips, filled it with seven or eight heated stones, and grinned as he pushed aside the curtain, saying, "Here I come! Here I come! Please make way, guest." Wen Qiongyu hadn't expected him to actually come closer. She gasped softly, covered her chest, and submerged herself in the trough. Amidst the rising steam, only half of her pink neck was visible, her long, wet hair tied in a bundle, and her rosy cheeks, making her indescribably charming and lovely.

Jie Zhao, looking lazy and roguish, didn't dare to actually get close to peek. He picked up a scorching hot stone with a bamboo stick and said with a smile, "Sister, sit back a bit, don't get burned." Wen Qiongyu covered her chest and moved to the other side until her pink back was against the stone wall. The stone under her feet was quite warm, but no longer too hot; it was the heated stone Jie Zhao had placed there earlier.

Seeing her retreat, Jie Zhao carefully placed the pebbles along the edge of the pool, afraid of scalding his sister. After placing three or four, he asked, "Sister, isn't this too hot?" Wen Qiongyu smiled and shook her head, her eyes sparkling, her beautiful gaze fixed on him. Jie Zhao's heart fluttered under her gaze, and he suddenly felt embarrassed, scratching his head involuntarily, "Am I embarrassed? Sister, you keep staring at me."

Wen Qiongyu laughed, "Now I finally understand why Miss Yue loves you so much."

Jie Zhao laughed, "Only my good sister receives such treatment. As for that grumpy little vixen? Humph!"

Wen Qiongyu couldn't help but chuckle, covering her mouth and laughing. Jie Zhao was

somewhat dumbfounded, fearing that he would be unable to control himself in front of such a beauty, he pushed the bamboo basket of stones over the curtain of clothes, his heart still pounding wildly. The two chatted through their clothes, talking about everything under the sun. Jie Zhao seemed to have found an unprecedented outlet, pouring out everything in his heart to her, including his affair with his sister Jie Ying, and the martial arts lessons taught to him by the old man in his dream. He revealed everything without reservation.

"The first time I saw the way Jie Ying looked at you in the main hall of Zhaori Manor," Wen Qiongyu shook her head and sighed softly, "I knew that girl must have been harmed by you. The tender feelings in her eyes were obvious even to a blind man, and Jie Zhen probably understood it very well too. Jie Zhen's

schemes have been brewing for a long time, so he couldn't have been unaware of them." Jie Zhao's face flushed slightly, then turned somber.

"I just don't understand, why did she help Jie Zhen harm me?"

Wen Qiongyu shook her head. “She might not be trying to harm you. If things had gone according to her plan, you would be in the Dali Temple prison right now, not only having escaped Jie Zhen’s plot to ambush the convoy, but also being safer than if you were outside. The Dali Temple is under Yao Wuyi’s jurisdiction, and this eunuch Yao has quite a few capable men under his command. It probably won’t be so easy for Jie Zhen to silence you under his control. I think your sister may not know all of Jie Zhen’s plans, but framing you would completely sever your connection with Jie Zhen at this sensitive moment, which is why she is willing to assist Jie Zhen.”

Jie Zhao recalled what his sister had said to him after their intimate encounter that night, “This time, it’s my turn to protect you,” and was startled: “According to my sister, if my sister intends to help me, what if Jie Zhen finds out? Wouldn’t that be… wouldn’t that be…” He couldn’t continue, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

Wen Qiongyu pondered for a moment, then shook her head and smiled, "Your little sister thinks much more deeply than you do. I suspect she has a backup plan; she wouldn't be without a defense mechanism. On the day we left the capital, she entered the palace early. If she has connections in the palace, Jie Zhao would be helpless. Judging from her view of imprisoning you in the Dali Temple as a protective measure, the person who might be meeting her in the palace is probably Yao Wuyi."

Jie Zhao listened blankly, then suddenly felt a sense of despair, and gave a bitter laugh, "These things are too complicated! I don't understand, and I don't want to understand."

Wen Qiongyu said softly, "If you don't want to understand, you don't need to understand. It's just that some people are going to great lengths to harm you, and others are going to great lengths to save you. Whether you want revenge or repayment, you must first understand. If you really don't want to understand, your sister will protect you, but as long as I have a breath left, I will never let anyone hurt you."

Jie Zhao's expression hardened upon hearing this.

“My sister is frail, yet she has such a sense of responsibility. I can’t even run away from such a small matter, so how can I talk about becoming stronger? And

who am I supposed to protect?” Calming her mind, she went through Wen Qiongyu’s words and realized that Jie Ying and Yao Wuyi were indeed connected—and probably not just in a normal way. Otherwise, sending her to Dali Temple for imprisonment would have been too unpredictable and not a wise move.

But Yao Wuyi was one of the most powerful figures in the inner court, and even Jie Zhen had to be careful to flatter him. Jie Ying was just a sixteen-year-old girl. Even if she had the title of princess bestowed by the late emperor, what would Yao Wuyi want from her? To say that the two had any private connection was truly inconceivable.

“Jie Zhen’s scheming against the Jie family and my senior sister’s plotting arrangements are both inconceivable.” Wen Qiongyu corrected him with a smile: “The art of strategy must be based on factual evidence; deduce motives from past results, which is far closer to the truth than directly guessing motives. Your speculation about why Yao Wuyi obeys Jie Ying is certainly inconceivable, but judging from the known clues, it seems to be the truth. In the future, as more clues emerge, the motives will naturally become clear, and the current ‘inconceivable’ will crumble on its own, and you will no longer find it strange.”

Jie Zhao seemed to understand and pondered, “Sister, do you mean that as long as we think based on facts, we will not be easily misled?”

Wen Qiongyu clapped her hands and praised, “Little brother is so clever!”

Jie Zhao chuckled, “That’s because the teacher taught me well. One of the ‘two pillars of literature and martial arts’ under Master Xiu is indeed extraordinary.” Wen Qiongyu laughed and spat, “You’re so glib!” Jie

Zhao joked with her for a while, then fell into deep thought again. According to his sister, their mother's marriage to the Lord of Xiangshan was a perfectly arranged and auspicious union. It was Jie Zhen who regretted it and was heartbroken, leading to his later act of stealing her away. If that's the case, why leave behind this troublesome child? To threaten their mother, or to control the Xiangshan Miwu Palace?

And then there are Jie Zhen and Jie Ying.

Third Brother… no, it's Jie Zhen. Jie Zhen, so young, was able to absorb Wu Yaoji, Sikong Du, and even the long-lost Six Absolutes master, "Wan Sheng Tian Jun" Feng Nandi, for his own use; it must be related to his background. If Jie Ying can rely on Yao Wuyi, it must be for the same reason.

Jie Ying's image in his heart has become hazy and unpredictable; she's no longer the willful sister he knew and loved. Just thinking about her still brings a pang of pain, so Jie Zhao tries to avoid thinking about her or speculating. Jie Ying—he refers to the current Jie Ying, not the innocent little girl from his memories—is far superior to him. Her thoughts and calculations are beyond Jie Zhao's reach. Besides feeling ashamed, there's an unspeakable regret and pain.

Father… no, it was Jie Zhen. That man, who spent half his life indulging in womanizing but gave up his fertility for the "Great Sun Divine Skill," whose children did he adopt? What were his feelings, what hidden schemes and plans did he harbor?

But none of this concerns me anymore, Jie Zhao thought.

Now, his only family is his sister. The notorious womanizer, Fourth Master Jie, is dead—or rather, "never existed." He only wants to find a quiet place to live in seclusion with his sister, no longer concerned with these troublesome matters of the martial world. Perhaps he will have a chance to meet Yingying in the future…

◇ ◇ ◇

Wen Qiongyu's inner garment was thin and dried quickly. Jie Zhao retrieved a cloak from the cave and dried his sister's body and hair. Wen Qiongyu hid behind a large rock, put on her clothes, and emerged, looking exceptionally energetic. Jie Zhao hunted a rabbit and gathered some wild fruits for lunch. Wen Qiongyu had a very small appetite; she was full after eating only a small piece of rabbit leg meat and a wild peach. It seemed she preferred vegetables and fruits to meat.

After finishing the meal, Jie Zhao dug a shallow pit in the forest and buried Hou Sheng. He sprinkled soil as incense and silently prayed, "Hou Sheng, you have taken care of me since I was a child, so it is only right that I take care of your funeral arrangements. My sister did not kill you intentionally. If you must blame someone, blame fate for playing tricks on us; no one can control their own destiny. If you know this in the afterlife, may you be a steward in your next life, and not a江湖人 (jianghu person, a person who lives in the martial arts world) again." He knelt down and kowtowed three times. He then carved a wooden tombstone and engraved the four characters "Hou Sheng's Tomb."

He repeatedly perused the leather scroll containing the "Empty Illusionary Netherworld Hand," finding the described techniques quite ingenious. A glimmer of hope ignited in his heart. He practiced the methods described in the scroll for almost half an hour, his blood surging and his internal organs feeling like they were about to burst. He nearly vomited several liters of blood. He couldn't help but erupt in anger: "Damn it! What six masters, what 'Blood Sea Giant Forging' Lian Qingxie, none of them can do anything to my damned body! If you're so capable, write a martial art that I can practice and let's see!" He almost threw the scroll down the mountain, but then remembered that it was Hou Sheng's keepsake, and reluctantly put it back in his pocket.

Back in the cave, he saw Wen Qiongyu tidying up, a bunch of green grass in her jade-like hands, gently sweeping the dry rocky ground. Her back was extremely graceful, her slender waist swaying, her long legs slender, and her waist-length hair as black as satin, with a few glistening water droplets hanging at the ends. Reflected in the flickering flames, her beauty was beyond description.

Jie Zhao swept her up from behind, and Wen Qiongyu gasped, turning her face to find his lips captured on hers. She struggled briefly with a soft "yelp," then gradually yielded, her body limp in his arms, letting his hands roam freely.

Even through the thick, warm mink coat, Wen Qiongyu's breasts were astonishingly large. Jie Zhao struggled to open his hands, but could only grasp the lower edge of her full, heavy breasts. With a gentle squeeze, his fingertips dug into a large, soft mound of flesh, sinking deep into the smooth, creamy texture. The touch was as soft as solidified cream, yet full and enveloping his fingers, with a tender tip gradually hardening—the sensation was indescribable. After

a couple of kneads, Wen Qiongyu could no longer resist. Her weak hands wrapped around her beautiful, large breasts, her body trembling, her soft lips growing increasingly moist and hot.

Jie Zhao was captivated by her passionate sucking, finding her delicate, fragrant tongue and sweet saliva exquisitely beautiful. He couldn't help but pull his sister closer. When he came to his senses, they were already locked in a deep kiss, their breaths heavy. Wen Qiongyu struggled to break free, panting, and scolded, "In...in broad daylight, don't...don't do this!"

Her voice was like a moan, indescribably alluring and seductive. Jie Zhao wouldn't let her go. He whispered closer, "Then we can do it tonight? Sister, you can't go back on your word!"

Wen Qiongyu blushed, her breath coming in soft gasps, "No...no way!" Jie Zhao

was utterly smitten with her, and said gently, "Sister! I want more than just you to be my sister; I want you to be my wife. We'll live in seclusion here, and you'll give me a few children, okay?" Wen Qiongyu shuddered, and suddenly tears streamed down her face.

Jie Zhao was heartbroken and hugged her tightly, saying, "I'm used to talking nonsense, sister, don't take it seriously. Your crying breaks my heart!" Wen Qiongyu shook her head with a smile, tears still streaming down her face. Jie Zhao gently wiped away her tears. Wen Qiongyu wanted to turn her head away, but Jie Zhao held her tightly. He kissed and licked her, wiping away her tears with his cheek. The two lingered for a moment, then kissed again.

"You are my only family in this world. As long as it makes you happy, I'm willing to be your sister or your wife, I have no other choice." Wen Qiongyu stopped crying, her beautiful eyes red and curved, and gently stroked his cheek. “However, sister, you are born an unlucky person. You have a full forehead and extraordinary appearance, destined to achieve great things, but you cannot hide in obscurity for an unlucky woman like me, wasting your talents.”

Jie Zhao thought, “What talents do I have? A brothel killer?” Just as he was about to speak, her soft fingertips touched his lips. Wen Qiongyu spoke softly, slightly breathless, her fragrance as intoxicating as orchids.

“Sister… will always be with you. Whether in the mountains or elsewhere, as long as I have a breath left, I will never leave you. Even if you marry Miss Yue or your beautiful Jie Ying, I will still be with you, not only as your sister, but also as your concubine, your maid, and your friend.

Isn’t that… better than being a wife?”

She smiled sweetly, her eyelashes trembling slightly, but tears welled up in her eyes.

Jie Zhao wiped away her tears, smiling tenderly, "Whatever you say, sister, is good. Don't cry anymore!"

Wen Qiongyu squinted her tear-filled eyes, smiling as she looked him over for a moment, then said softly, "You're such a good, good man, sister... sister is very happy." Her tone was dreamlike, unusually carrying a touch of girlish innocence.

Jie Zhao laughed, "What's so good about me? Yingying says I'm a lecherous mangy dog."

Wen Qiongyu chuckled, bursting into laughter through her tears. The two sat up straight and chatted casually. Jie Zhao mentioned the burial of Hou Sheng, and Wen Qiongyu sighed, then frowned: "What about the 'Sun-Slaying Evil' box? Was it buried with it too?" Jie Zhao clicked his tongue and said, "I dare not touch that demon. It bounced to the bottom of the stone steps during yesterday's fight. It's better that we can't see it, lest the demon cause trouble and accidentally injure someone."

Wen Qiongyu glared at him, covering her mouth to suppress a laugh: "What demon? Nonsense! 'Blood Sea Giant Forging' Lian Qingxie is not only one of the top forging masters in the world, but probably also the best in mechanical arts. My master said of him that he is a 'genius unparalleled in a hundred generations.' In terms of ingenuity and skill alone, even Master Sheng Huayan of Jiejian Tiandu admitted that he was inferior. That 'Sun-Slaying Evil' is extremely powerful, and there must be an amazing mechanism inside."

Jie Zhao was full of doubts and scratched the back of his head frequently.

“Since you want to see it, sister, I’ll get it back.”

Wen Qiongyu repeatedly warned, “Don’t touch that copper ring, lest you accidentally trigger the mechanism and hurt yourself.” Jie Zhao nodded repeatedly and rushed out of the cave. The copper box lay horizontally in the pile of rocks below the cave entrance. The gold paint on the four corners was slightly worn, but the rest was intact, with hardly any scratches.

Jie Zhao lifted the box by the leather strap. It wasn’t as heavy as he had imagined, but it wasn’t light either. It was about slightly heavier than two ordinary steel swords. Without the copper box, the contents of the box probably weighed less than ten pounds. He muttered to himself, "They still say it's not a demon? If there were any mechanisms or hinges inside, they'd probably be made of bamboo and paper to make it so light and easy to handle."

Carefully carrying the bronze box back into the cave, Wen Qiongyu laid it horizontally in front of her, bent her knees, and gently stroked it with her slender, jade-like fingers. She then had Jie Zhao help her examine the box from top to bottom, carefully checking every part. After a long while, she sighed, "This box is truly flawless. If we don't disassemble it, we'll hardly be able to see its ingenuity."

Jie Zhao shook his head frantically, "No, no! Whether it's a demon or a sharp blade inside, it will hurt people if it comes out. That night in the dilapidated temple, a flash of bright light took the heads of seven or eight people, along with a large bronze cauldron split in two. If we rashly disassemble the box, we probably won't even have time to dodge."

Wen Qiongyu tapped the box lightly with her fingers, lost in thought. Fearing his sister would insist on opening the scroll, Jie Zhao had a sudden inspiration and quickly took out the leather scroll of "Void Illusionary Netherworld Hand" from his bosom and handed it to her. "Sister, this is a martial arts manual obtained from Hou Sheng, recording the cultivation method of 'Void Illusionary Netherworld Hand'."

That night, Feng Nandi had said that "Slaying the Sun and Tattooing Evil" could only be used with the "Void Illusionary Netherworld Hand" created by Lian Qingxie, so this martial art was obviously closely related to the mechanism of "Slaying the Sun and Tattooing Evil". Wen Qiongyu's eyebrows twitched slightly as she took the leather scroll and began to read. After holding it for a while, perhaps because her wrists were sore, she simply laid the scroll on the ground, lightly tapping the copper box with both hands as her gaze lowered.

Her focused expression had a unique charm, making Jie Zhao's heart flutter. He quietly slipped behind the beautiful woman and unexpectedly wrapped his arms around his sister's slender waist. Wen Qiongyu exclaimed in surprise, frowning, "Don't mess around!" Her entire attention was once again captured by the words and illustrations on the scroll.

Jie Zhao chuckled, casually combing her long, thick, smooth hair, occasionally gently touching a strand and bringing it close to his nose, enjoying the intoxicating fragrance of his sister's hair. Such a delicate and elegant woman was something he had never seen or even imagined in his life. Even setting aside any physical desires, simply admiring her beauty and demeanor was enough to make him feel refreshed and unable to look away.

He looked at her and smelled her, unable to help but laugh, "Sister, you must be incredibly beautiful when you play the zither. How can there be such an elegant person as you in this world?" He gently pecked at her soft, glistening earlobe.

Wen Qiongyu was brought back to her senses by the kiss, her pink neck shrank back in a ticklish sensation, her face flushed as she laughed and spat, "You smooth talker, you're either a scoundrel or a thief!"

Jie Zhao leaned closer in a low voice: "Female benefactor, you're truly an expert. I'm stealing my sister!"

The two laughed and joked for a while, then Wen Qiongyu suddenly stiffened, quickly stopping his lecherous advances, and said seriously, "Wait!

What did you just say?" Jie Zhao, with a lecherous grin, went straight for her large, soft breasts, and said with a wicked smile, "I said I wanted to steal my sister..."

Wen Qiongyu was overwhelmed with shame and lightly slapped his hand: "Not that! The previous sentence."

Seeing that she was serious, Jie Zhao slightly restrained his lust, thought for a moment, scratched his head and pondered: "I said... I said my sister must look beautiful when she plays the zither. This bronze box is not much different from the zither box..." He pointed to the leather scroll spread out on the side of the box: "This is the zither score. I have seen many women burn incense and play the zither, but none can compare to my sister."

Wen Qiongyu covered her mouth and gasped softly, suddenly realizing, "That's right!" Her beautiful eyes shone with joy. Jie Zhao, of course, understood that it wasn't his sweet words that had worked. A thought flickered in his mind, and he raised an eyebrow: "Could it be that sister has cracked the secret of the 'Slaying the Sun and Tattooing Evil'?" Wen Qiongyu smiled and shook her head: "I don't know if I can crack it yet. It's your words that have pointed me in the right direction. Once we return to towns and villages, and other habitable places, we'll gather materials and try it out."

These words touched Jie Zhao's heartstrings.

Living in seclusion here, with the beautiful Qingxi as her companion, would be incredibly pleasant. However, Wen Qiongyu was naturally weak. Sleeping in the wild was uncomfortable, the food was coarse, and she could only rely on firewood for warmth. Not to mention changing clothes or having nourishing soups, it was not a place for her to live for long. Once she finished the "Lantian Jade Refining Pill," and all help was scarce, even a slight cold could take her life.

“If Sister needs anything else, we’ll have to find a place with people to buy it.”

“I already said,” Wen Qiongyu smiled, “Wherever you go, Sister will go, I won’t leave your side.”

Jie Zhao felt a warmth in his heart. He quickly butchered the half-eaten cooked rabbit, wrapped the meat in clean grass leaves, picked a large bag of wild peaches, and filled several bamboo tubes with water to eat on the journey. He strapped the copper box to his back, carried Wen Qiongyu horizontally, and walked downstream along the clear stream. At sunset, he finally saw a wisp of smoke rising from the trees.

Beyond the sparse forest, the view opened up, revealing a lush, gently undulating hillside with a narrow, yellow earthen path about ten feet wide. The path was barren, seemingly worn smooth by years of shoes and wheel ruts.

Several dry fields were cultivated beside the path, with tender green rice seedlings swaying sparsely in the wind, but it was unclear what they were planted with. A bamboo fence surrounded the center of the field, with the silhouettes of several houses faintly visible. Two small windows let in light, from which wisps of smoke rose.

Before the two men even approached, they heard the barking of dogs, followed by a flurry of wings and clucking from inside the fence, like a flock of chickens in disarray.

"Is anyone there? Is anyone there?" Jie Zhao called out several times, but received no response. He pushed open the door and went inside.

Inside the fence, an old yellow dog barked fiercely, its barks muffled by phlegm. Its thin body swayed uncontrollably, as if it were about to die. Jie

Zhao initially wanted to kick it away, but fearing he might kill it, he slightly lifted his foot. The old yellow dog tilted its head back and bit his trouser leg, as if it could finally give in, whimpering and panting as it chewed on the cloth, finally regaining its breath.

Jie Zhao dragged the old dog to the front of the house. The house was small, with a thatched roof and mud walls, quite simple. Outside the courtyard, there seemed to be a few more small houses scattered around, indistinct after sunset, but the shapes of their eaves and roof ridges were vaguely discernible. In the courtyard stood a dozen or so bamboo racks, resembling clotheslines but not quite; neither Jie nor Wen knew what they were.

Inside the main room, lit by lamplight, lay a square table and two long benches. Though old, they were gleaming. In one corner leaned a plow, hoe, and other farm tools. A blue cloth curtain hung from the floor, from which came the sizzling sound of a wok and the enticing aroma of oil.

Jie carried Wen Qiongyu inside, set her down on a bench to rest, and quickly unloaded food and water. Wen Qiongyu whispered, "Quickly greet the people inside, don't disturb them." Jie nodded, becoming increasingly vigilant, his eyes never leaving his sister. He lifted the curtain to enter, but saw the curtain at the back of the kitchen door fall, and the person had already gone out.

He considered chasing after them, but then realized it was too late: if he went into the kitchen, his sister in the front room would be out of sight. Before he could determine friend from foe, he couldn't risk it. Leaving the kitchen, he casually pushed open the front window and smiled at Wen Qiongyu, saying, "The master of the house has gone out the back door; I'll go say hello." He stepped out the front door and went around to the back of the house, only to find the person splashing water and turning back to the kitchen.

Jie Zhao pressed his face against the window between the front and kitchen windows. He saw a middle-aged woman in the kitchen, wearing a blue dress and a simple hairpin, tall and round-faced. Her hair, tied in a bun, was askew, with a few strands falling loosely down her temples, obscuring most of her face. The woman had full thighs, and her breasts and buttocks were the plumpness typical of rural women. Her figure wasn't exactly slender, but she possessed a certain vitality; her movements were very agile, making it impossible to discern her exact age.

Jie Zhao wanted to peek closer to get a better look, but suddenly a strange sensation swept through him, as if the moisture in the air had been suddenly squeezed out, and his whole body became stiff. He was unaware that this was one of the benefits of cultivating the "Cloud Dream Body," making him exceptionally sensitive to intangible stimuli such as killing intent and murderous aura. Suddenly turning his head, a green shadow swept towards his neck!

Jie Zhao jerked backward, his upper body circling almost halfway around in the gust of wind, finally seeing a hunched man standing in the twilight, wearing coarse cloth and straw sandals, a newly whittled green bamboo pole, about two zhang long, tucked under his left arm, yet not at all heavy.

Forced by the bamboo tip to dart and weave, he squeezed through a gap in the bamboo shadow and ran towards the front hall. "Snap!" A sharp sound of wind breaking rang out, and a powerful force slammed into the back door, knocking him to the ground. Countless bamboo fragments splattered onto his neck and back; if he hadn't been carrying the "Scorching Sun Tattooed Evil" sword, this blow would have made him cough up blood.

Jie Zhao lay motionless on the ground, his chest feeling as if weighed down by stones. He struggled to his feet several times, but couldn't shake the dizziness, the surging of his blood, and the loss of all strength. He collapsed face-first into the mud.

The woman in the kitchen, hearing the thunderous crack of bamboo, quickly wiped her hands and lifted the curtain. She was startled to see a stunningly beautiful woman in a fur coat, like a celestial being descended to earth, sitting in the front hall. She exclaimed, "Miss…who is this young lady?"

Wen Qiongyu, anxious, deliberately wiped away tears, "Auntie, please have mercy! My brother is about to be beaten to death!"

Sure enough, the woman's expression changed. She quickly stepped over the threshold and urgently called to the hunched man in the courtyard, "Don't hurt him! I'm fine. This young lady doesn't seem like a bad person. Ask her first." The man grunted, his voice deep and brooding, like the grinding of rusty iron.

He tossed aside the shattered half of the bamboo, grabbed Jie Zhao by the back of his collar with one arm, slammed him over the threshold, and limped in. A dim, yellowish flame illuminated a head of mottled gray hair, casually tied in a bun at the back of his head. Strands of hair fell across his deeply lined, dark face, like grayish-white mycelium on a cracked date. It was a man in his sixties.

Jie Zhao, seeing stars from the fall, spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva. Looking up, he saw the old man had one eye missing, a centipede-like, charred brown scar across his nose, his right sleeve tucked behind his back, and one arm missing at the shoulder.

(How...how can this old man have so much strength with only one arm?)

he muttered to himself, but he felt weak and powerless. The blow seemed to have shattered all the strength in his body, and he hadn't recovered even now.

Wen Qiongyu, her face full of worry, bowed her head and said, "Auntie! I'm naturally weak and not very agile. Please help my brother to the table. I...I'm so worried about him." Her eyes reddened, and tears welled up. The middle-aged woman, seeing Wen Qiongyu's refined and elegant appearance and excellent upbringing, took a liking to her and quickly beckoned, "Master! Quickly help this young master to the table. You were too rough; what if you hurt an innocent person?"

The old woman, without a word, lifted Jie Zhao onto a stool, poured a large bowl of tea, and force-fed it into Jie Zhao's mouth like feeding a pig to a dog. The chilled tea splashed onto his clothes, causing Jie Zhao to cough violently. The middle-aged woman slapped his hand and complained, "Don't make things worse! Go to the back and boil some hot water to calm the young master's nerves." The old woman, expressionless, placed the chipped teacup on the table and went into the kitchen.

The woman said apologetically to Wen Qiongyu, "Please don't take it to heart, young lady. We are country folk and don't know much about etiquette."

Wen Qiongyu curtsied, saying, "What are you saying, Aunt? My brother and I were rude and mistakenly entered your house.

If anyone is impolite, it's all our fault."

The woman smiled, "Young lady, you are very polite. Everyone around here calls me Li Erniang, so please just call me Erniang, no need to be so formal. May I ask how you two are addressed?" As they spoke, Jie Zhao slowly sat up, the pent-up emotions in his chest gradually dissipating. He quietly took his sister's small hand under the table to ease her worry.

Wen Qiongyu's eyes were still filled with tears, but she smiled at him sweetly, like a pear blossom in the rain, truly beautiful to the extreme. Jie Zhao was somewhat stunned, then suddenly remembered that Li Erniang was still beside him. He turned his head and saw her smiling knowingly, her eyes filled with a hint of ambiguity and understanding, which made Jie Zhao feel a little embarrassed.

Wen Qiongyu gently squeezed his palm, signaling him not to speak. Her pretty face flushed slightly, and she whispered, "I... my surname is Yu. This is the young master of the Zhao family, my aunt's son."

"So you're cousins," Li Erniang said with a smile. "Judging from your appearance, you don't seem to be from around here. How did you end up in such a remote countryside?" Wen Qiongyu's face was flushed, and she stammered, "We... we came out for a stroll and got separated from our servants. Please let us stay for the night, Erniang. We'll leave at dawn tomorrow and won't dare to bother you any longer."

Li Erniang admired her gentle and polite manner. Seeing Wen Qiongyu's tearful and shy expression, she felt a pang of pity. She gently stroked the back of her hand and said, "If you don't mind our simple food, please feel free to stay." Jie and Wen thanked her repeatedly.

Li Erniang brought out several dishes of wild vegetables and a pot of coarse rice, and the four of them sat around the table to eat. Jie Zhao had intended to probe the old man's background, but the old man seemed deaf and mute, ignoring him completely. Later, Li Erniang smoothed things over, saying that the old man was quiet and everyone in the neighborhood called him "Old Tie."

Wen Qiongyu chatted with her congenially, and the entire meal consisted of the two women's soft whispers.

After the meal, once everything was cleaned up, Old Tie took an axe to the yard to chop firewood. Li Erniang led the two to a separate hut outside. The hut was clean and tidy, fully furnished with a table, bed, chairs, and a shrine, though it was empty, and it was unclear what god was worshipped there.

Erniang smiled at Jie Zhao and said, "Young Master Zhao, we women have some private matters to discuss. Please excuse us for a moment."

Ignoring Jie Zhao's astonishment, she pushed him out of the hut and closed the door behind her. Jie Zhao had been observing Li Erniang at the dinner table for a while; she was indeed unskilled in martial arts. Still not daring to stray far, he sat on a woodpile outside the door, listening intently.

“Miss Yu, we are both women, so I’ll be frank with you.”

“Please don’t be so polite, Second Sister, I’m all ears,” Wen Qiongyu said softly.

“I think you and Young Master Zhao don’t seem like siblings, but rather a perfect couple. The man is handsome and dashing, and the woman is gentle and beautiful.” Seeing her shyness, Li Erniang felt more confident and smiled, “Since you’re staying at Second Sister’s house, you should tell me the truth. Do you want one bed or two tonight? I’ll want to know.”

Wen Qiongyu’s cheeks flushed red. It wasn’t that she was deliberately lying, but the thought of sleeping in the same room with him tonight, even sharing a bed, made her cheeks burn and her heart pound. “To be honest, Second Sister, we…we actually ran away secretly.”

“You eloped?” Li Erniang asked with a smile.

Wen Qiongyu nodded shyly. “My brother Zhao and I were childhood sweethearts, betrothed since we were little. After my uncle passed away, the Zhao family fell into poverty. My father, being a proud man, planned to break off the engagement and marry me off to a rich and wicked young man in Zhongjing. My brother, who was an officer in the Imperial Guard, gave up his promising future and took me to escape from the capital; if we were caught, it would be terrible!”

Li Erniang sighed, “What a romantic! In this world, there aren’t many men like him. So what are your plans?” Wen Qiongyu wept and said, “After my mother died, no one in the family will care for me anymore! I’ll follow him wherever he goes, and I’m not afraid of any hardship.” Touched, she wept even more.

Li Erniang stroked her small hand, took out a cotton handkerchief to wipe her tears, and shook her head with a tsk-tsk sound: "How can a flower-like girl like you endure hardship? You two should settle down here in peace. With Erniang and your Uncle Tie taking care of you, we will definitely not let anyone harm a hair on your head. I've always wanted to have a daughter, but unfortunately, I'm not blessed with that. If Miss Yu doesn't mind, you can be Erniang's daughter for a few years, and Erniang will love you just the same." She reached out and hugged her.

Wen Qiongyu cried out softly, "Erniang!" and obediently leaned on her, letting her embrace her.

Li Erniang patted her thin back tenderly, coaxing, "Good girl! Don't cry, don't cry. You're as beautiful as a flower, don't let your face get all stained. Erniang will teach you a trick. Be intimate with your husband at night, let him love you dearly. After a year or two, when you give birth to your child, will your father not recognize you? If it's a boy, it'll be even more secure!"

"Erniang!" Wen Qiongyu blushed with shame, her exquisite face turning bright red.

Li Erniang smiled and brought over a cotton quilt, and even lit a pair of red candles, filling the small room with a cheerful atmosphere.

She pushed Jie Zhao into the room, laughing and spitting, "What are you dawdling for? Hurry up and come in!" She slammed the door shut. There was a rustling sound in the courtyard. She pushed Lao Tie into the house, muttering in a low voice, "Husband! Don't disturb the young couple, go inside, go inside..."

Wen Qiongyu sat on the edge of the bed, her beautiful eyes still watery, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Jie Zhao listened intently to the door for a moment, until he was sure no one was in the courtyard, before taking off the "Slaying Sun and Tattooing Evil" sword and leaning against the bed. "Is your back alright? Are you hurt?" Wen Qiongyu asked with concern when she saw him press his chest.

"It's alright." Jie Zhao, holding a red candle, came to the bedside and sat down. "That old man definitely knows martial arts, and his skill is quite strong. But his wife doesn't know any martial arts at all, which is really strange."

When Wen Qiongyu saw him sit down, she quickly shrank back into the bed. Recalling her conversation with her second aunt, her heart pounded. She was nervous and scared, yet also felt a little excited and expectant, and as well as ashamed. Her thoughts were surging like a tide, very complicated and contradictory.

Jie Zhao took off her embroidered shoes and stockings, and couldn't help but pinch her snow-white and crystal-clear little feet. Wen Qiongyu's heart fluttered, and she couldn't help but close her legs, secretly rubbing against something warm and smooth. Suddenly, her collar felt a little cool. Jie Zhao had already opened his fur coat, lifted her slender waist, and took off the whole coat, draping it over the table.

Wen Qiongyu's heart nearly leaped out of her chest, her mind blank: "He's coming! He...he's coming to take me!" She saw Jie Zhao spread out the quilt, carefully covering her, then draping a mink coat over it. He himself sat beside his sister, fully clothed, without removing his boots or socks, his hands clutching his long sword, his eyes fixed on the door and windows.

"Aren't you going to sleep?"

"I will. I'll sleep when I'm tired." Jie Zhao smiled slightly: "I'm not confident I can beat that old buddy. If he breaks in at night, this will give me a better chance. Sister, you sleep first. I'll protect you." He gently smoothed her dark hair, his fingertips softly caressing her delicate cheek, his eyes overflowing with affection.

"Sister, should we blow out the red candle?"

"Mmm." Wen Qiongyu murmured softly, her expression a mixture of relief and disappointment.

That night, Jie Zhao, fully clothed and carrying his sword, struggled to remain conscious. When he regained his senses, he found himself on a small river islet covered in green reeds and white sand. A cool breeze caressed his face, intoxicating him. "Could it be... I've fallen asleep again? I remember just now..." The thought arose, and the surrounding scenery suddenly began to shake violently, overlapping and fragmenting like a kaleidoscope.

Jie Zhao endured the dizziness and pain, remembering the old man's instructions, and quickly gathered his spirit, regaining his clarity; "Cloud Dream Body"

Under the influence of the profound mental techniques, the dream, on the verge of collapse, gradually took shape again, and a gentle breeze stirred, rippling the water. Jie Zhao sat cross-legged, breathing heavily, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, when suddenly he heard a loud laugh behind him: "Not bad, kid! You've only been practicing the 'Cloud Dream Body' for seven days, yet you've already mastered the mental techniques to such a degree, truly impressive!" Looking down, he saw two small, sweet potato-like feet draped over his shoulders, apricot-yellow trousers, white socks, and black shoes—it was the mysterious old man who controlled the dream.

Jie Zhao exclaimed with delight, "Senior! Where have you been these past few days? I've missed you so much!"

The old man chuckled, "You'd better put away those tricks you use to fool young ladies. This old man doesn't fall for that."

Jie Zhao was about to argue when the old man, too lazy to say more, slapped him on the back of the head several times, making Jie Zhao cry out in pain, "Senior! I only said one thing, there's no need to hit me so many times!" The old man spoke with a touch of emotion, his voice serious, "Such a fine back of the head, I'm afraid I won't be able to hit it again. Looking at it, I suddenly felt a little nostalgic, and without realizing it, I hit it a few more times."

Jie Zhao exclaimed in surprise, "Senior... Senior is going on a long journey?"

The old man smiled, "All good things must come to an end. We have a seven-day connection, and as the seven days draw to a close, I must leave!" Jie

Zhao suddenly panicked. He was caught in a web of conspiracies, and only the old man in his dream had helped him survive until now; besides his sister, the old man was the only one he could truly call a friend. He had intended to persuade him to stay, but then a thought struck him: "If a senior wants to leave, he must have his reasons. Why should I try to keep him?" With a thud, he knelt down, clasped his hands, and said, "Senior! I am of lowly skill and disabled. I fear I may not live up to your reputation and dare not ask to be accepted as your disciple. I only ask to see you one last time so that I may recognize the face of my great benefactor."

The old man chuckled and gently patted his head.

"Physical appearance is but a superficial thing, nothing to boast about! What I'm teaching you isn't so shallow. In my life, I've misjudged two people: one who walked the righteous path yet was consumed by evil desires, and the other who remained untainted by demonic influence yet was overly naive. I originally intended to teach them to work together and unify the martial arts world, but unexpectedly, they turned against each other over a woman, causing chaos in the martial arts world for over twenty years, and the harm intensified. People say I'm a half-immortal in the mortal world, with profound wisdom, but they don't know that the sins I've committed are a thousand times worse than those of ordinary fools."

The old man sighed, "The Way is the heart, not the schemes of human intellect. Once you understand this, seventy years are but fleeting clouds, and seven days are not too short. There's no need to force anything." As he spoke, he stroked the top of his head and murmured: "You are my last successor in this world, the one I see and act according to my heart. Follow the way of Heaven, and you will find your own place."

Jie Zhao felt a golden light pass by his shoulder, and suddenly the light ahead intensified. In the dazzling seven-colored brilliance, he vaguely saw a small figure walking away with his hands behind his back, singing to himself: "A hundred years of youth have passed in the blink of an eye, like a mayfly that has lived countless lives; ten thousand rivers reflect the moon, but what moon is there? Drinking from the gourd is also real!"

Jie Zhao wanted to chase after him, but he couldn't move his body. He could only watch helplessly as the old man walked further and further away. He couldn't help but shout, "Senior!" He suddenly opened his eyes and saw Wen Qiongyu's beautiful eyes fixed on him. Her soft little hands gently touched his chest, and her long, black hair fell to his chest, exuding a sweet fragrance of grass.

"What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"

Jie Zhao sat up, rubbing his forehead, and realized that his clothes were damp and cold. The sky outside the window was still dark, and a chilly breeze blew in through the lattice, making him shiver. The bright moonlight filled the small room, making Wen Qiongyu's fair skin appear even more translucent.

"I...I dreamt that my senior came to say goodbye to me."

He composed himself and recounted the details of his dream. Wen Qiongyu listened attentively without interrupting. She had been awakened from her dream by Jie Zhao's shouts, and without having had time to wash or change, her hair was slightly disheveled, her beautiful white bare feet were exposed, and a few strands of hair clung to her lips. Her beautiful eyes were slightly misty, making her look extremely alluring.

As Jie Zhao spoke, he became more lucid. Seeing the deep, white cleavage revealed at the front of her fur coat, he immediately became erect, hard and curved, pushing his crotch high, unable to hide it. The man woke up in the morning, his penis unusually strong and hard. Even Jie Zhao himself felt embarrassed and quickly bent over. After a moment of silence, he suddenly said, "Sister, I think... I've guessed the senior's identity."

"Oh?" Wen Qiongyu's bright eyes lit up, full of interest.

"No matter how talented I am, I couldn't possibly learn such exquisite swordsmanship in my sleep just by observing the shapes of chickens, ducks, and birds. Swordsmanship is an extremely precise and intricate skill, not something so abstract, unless... unless I had already learned the basics of the 'Phantom Sword Style' and had studied it diligently, leaving a deep impression." Jie Zhao said, casually gesturing lightly: "Lieque Sword, Wind and Thunder Palm, the basics of palm and sword from Huangting Temple on Tiancheng Mountain. Although the moves are completely different, the principles are the same, only the 'Phantom Sword Style' is more complex and subtle, far surpassing these two martial arts."

"Only... the Huangting Ancestor could possess the supernatural power to traverse dreams and see through the passing clouds of a hundred years, right?"

"My little brother is so clever." Wen Qiongyu smiled calmly, seemingly unsurprised.

Jie Zhao suddenly realized: she had already seen through it all, but simply hadn't pointed it out.

"When did you find out, sister?"

"At the Huangting Temple in Zhongjing, I saw the aura of Yunmeng above the temple was very strong, and the Southern Dipper shone brightly the night before, indicating that a centenarian had passed away. Comparing the two, I guessed that the Huangting Ancestor had already passed away, and his spirit lingered after death, passing on martial arts to you in a dream. Later, I saw you fighting Fa Jiangchun in the temple, your footwork was incredibly skillful, and I knew that my guess was correct."

Jie Zhao raised an eyebrow: "So that's why you asked me to fight for the pearl, sister?"

Wen Qiongyu's pretty face flushed slightly, and she smiled: "I think that since the Ancestor didn't tell you, he had his reasons, so he wasn't in a hurry to tell you. Chang Zaifeng is a gentleman, and I guess he wouldn't harm you; besides, if I didn't push you onto the stage and show off your skills, how could your Yue girls and younger sisters fall for Fourth Master Jie's heroic spirit and become so devoted to you?"

"Then is my sister also completely devoted to me?"

Wen Qiongyu blushed deeply, feigning a scolding, "Such a glib tongue! Can it feed you?"

After a while of playful banter, Jie Zhao suddenly fell silent, his eyes dimming.

"So, the old master... really has passed away!"

"Silly child!" Wen Qiongyu gently patted his back, softly comforting him, "The ancestor was an immortal, different from you and me. He was not preoccupied with life, so what is there to grieve over in death? He departed so gracefully. You are his successor; you cannot be dejected and leave him with regrets."

Jie Zhao thought, "Or perhaps, the old master wasn't Huang Ting Ancestor at all? Or has the ancestor already become an immortal, transcending the boundaries of life and death, existing eternally between heaven and earth? In any case, I must find an opportunity to visit Tiancheng Mountain and see for myself." Lost in thought, he refused to believe that the ancestor had passed away.

Wen Qiongyu gently stroked his back, softly comforting him. She noticed his back was severely hunched, and upon closer inspection, she saw that Jie Zhao was completely stooped, his knees pressed together, unlike his usual dashing and upright self. She was slightly surprised: "Ah Zhao, are you feeling unwell? Come, let your sister take a look."

Jie Zhao almost jumped up upon hearing this, suddenly feeling extremely embarrassed. He covered his lower abdomen with both hands, hurriedly turned away, and shook his head, saying, "No...it's nothing! Sister, don't worry, I...I'm fine, I'll be alright in a moment." Wen Qiongyu, being so astute, immediately sensed something was wrong and was even more determined to investigate. She desperately tried to grab his hand with her delicate white hands, coaxing him:

"Be good! Listen to me, let your sister see what's wrong. If you're not feeling well, we need to see a doctor; if we delay, the illness will only get worse."

Jie Zhao was much stronger than this delicate older sister, and because of this, she didn't dare to struggle too much, for fear of accidentally hurting her. The two of them were pulling and tugging when they suddenly stopped. Wen Qiongyu's smooth hand grasped a thick, long, hot, hard object, which was still very hot to the touch even through several layers of crotch cloth.

The siblings exchanged bewildered glances. Wen Qiongyu's face flushed crimson, and she stammered, "You...you...how can you be so hard? Does it...does it hurt?" After a moment, she murmured again, "So hot and hard, it's really...it's terrifying..." Her dazed tone was almost a whisper, and the unintentional tenderness was incredibly alluring. Jie Zhao's sensitive tip was squeezed by her smooth, slightly cool palm, making him let out a soft "mmm" of pleasure, and he unconsciously closed his eyes slightly.

Wen Qiongyu's cheeks burned, and she endured the shame, whispering, "Is it...more comfortable now?" Jie Zhao nodded in a daze, then suddenly realized something was amiss: "I have a lover who truly loves me, Yingying is one, and my sister...that counts too. But in this world, I only have one sister...only this one family member left." He hesitated vaguely, but no matter what, he couldn't bring himself to say "stop."

Wen Qiongyu's small hand, covering the swollen mushroom, gently pinched and squeezed it through the fabric of her trousers. Her slender, jade-like fingers, as delicate as peeling scallions, kneaded it with a skillful yet clumsy touch. The sensation was like grinding jade and applying powder, seemingly subtle and delicate to the extreme, yet at times as pleasurable as being struck by lightning. Jie Zhao, manipulated by her, frequently thrust his hips, and a little wetness gradually seeped from the tip, wetting his trousers.

"It's...it's gotten bigger again!" Wen Qiongyu exclaimed, covering her mouth in surprise, unconsciously stopping her movements: "And it's so hard and hot..."

"But it feels so good..." Jie Zhao gently pressed the back of her hand, almost succumbing to temptation. "Sister! It feels so good..."

Wen Qiongyu blushed, and after a moment sighed softly, her expression both helpless and full of affection: "You really are my little devil. Come on! Sit down obediently, and I'll...make it out for you." Having learned from her experience on horseback that night, she understood that when a man is aroused, he cannot release his desire without ejaculation. Jie Zhao obeyed, leaning against the wall and sitting on the edge of the bed. Wen Qiongyu, with her beautiful buttocks raised, lay prone on the couch, leaning her head close to his crotch, her hands gently caressing him.

Her body was slender and tall, her shoulders and back very thin. Even wearing a thick, warm mink coat, she couldn't hide her delicate figure, but her buttocks were quite round and full. Especially since her lower body wasn't covered by a fur coat, only her taut, smooth, yellow silk dress was visible, revealing her buttocks, the small dimples on her lower back, and the fleshy color faintly showing through. It was as if a ripe, snow-white peach was resting below her slender waist, its thin skin about to crack, its fragrant juices about to drip.

Jie Zhao blushed and his heart pounded, unable to look away. Wen Qiongyu wasn't deliberately teasing him; she was just instinctively kneeling for the sake of convenience. It was precisely because of this unintentional act that she appeared so alluring.

She stroked it for a moment, but the enormous thing in her hand not only didn't diminish, but instead grew even hotter and stronger, constantly pulsating in her palm, as if it were alive. Startled, she couldn't help but feel curious: "What...what does that thing look like, that it can be so...so erect? Wouldn't a man suffer terribly carrying something like that around all day?" Suppressing her shame, she quietly pulled down his trousers. Before the trousers were even off, the long-restrained enormous thing suddenly sprang out. Wen Qiongyu couldn't dodge in time, and her pink cheek was struck by the fleshy mushroom with a "smack!" The touch was burning hot, the sound of the slap extremely lewd. Jie

Zhao was comfortably closing his eyes when he suddenly felt a coolness in his abdomen, the tip slapping against a smooth, pink flesh. The older sister cried out in surprise, raising her head in fright; opening her eyes, she was horrified to see the enormous thing, like a venomous snake, pointing directly at her beautiful older sister, whose face had turned pale.

Just as he was about to get up, Wen Qiongyu pressed down on his lower abdomen. The beautiful older sister blushed, her ears and neck turning red, but she wouldn't let him get up. She held his swollen, purplish-red, raging member in both hands, breathing softly on it, and whispered, "Don't...don't move! Let...

let me do it." She curled her right pinky finger, gently tucking her long, loose hair behind her ear, and opened her moist, cherry-like mouth, slowly taking the egg-sized tip into her mouth.

Jie Zhao could hardly believe his eyes as his lower body slowly entered her wet, tight mouth. Warmth, softness, tightness...all sorts of sensations rushed in.

Wen Qiongyu tried her best to take it in, but her mouth was too small; only half of the glans was inside before it was full. After a moment, she adjusted to the enormous foreign object in her mouth, and then slowly began to suckle. Jie Zhao was of noble birth, had undergone circumcision from childhood, and diligently bathed and groomed himself. The swollen tip of his penis was full, smooth, and very clean. It didn't taste fishy or foul, only slightly warm and salty.

Wen Qiongyu sucked for a while, gradually getting used to his masculine scent. Suddenly, she became aroused, her tightly pressed thighs slightly moist. She thought, "So what the book depicted was absolutely right; this is what a man's penis looks like." Recalling the intercourse illustrations in the scriptures, her heart fluttered.

She was a virgin and had never experienced lovemaking before. At first, her movements were a little clumsy, but seeing her angelic sister kneeling between his legs, gently sucking and swallowing, the sheer eroticism of it all excited him. He didn't care about her skill at all.

After a while, he felt her sucking becoming smoother and smoother. A tiny, delicate bud, like a clove of chicken tongue, gently rubbed against the sensitive folds of her vulva, brushing from the edge and bottom all the way up to the urethral opening. The pressure varied, sometimes like a feather tickling, sometimes like teeth scraping, stirring the warm, moist saliva, sucking up and down... When he realized it was his sister's delicate tongue, he was already on the verge of ejaculation.

"Wait...wait! Sister..." He wasn't willing to give up like this, and he felt a vague sense of resentment: why did his pure and virgin sister possess such superb tongue skills!

Wen Qiongyu stood up upon hearing this, her jade-like face flushed red, and she winked mischievously: "Was it...comfortable, sister?" She couldn't hide her pride, like a little girl who had successfully pulled off a prank, her shyness, purity, and allure mixed with an indescribable innocence, making her incomparably beautiful.

Jie Zhao nodded honestly, only to find himself slightly out of breath when he spoke.

"It felt so good. Where did you learn to be so amazing, sister?"

"I learned it from a book. Do you believe me or not?"

Jie Zhao, of course, didn't believe her. Did the Shuiyuexuan sect also teach people to read erotic books?

Wen Qiongyu gently held the fleshy pestle, caressing it tenderly and lovingly, and whispered, "I... I've been sickly since childhood, only able to stay in my room to study. I can't run or jump, nor can I play with other children; if I catch a cold, I'll struggle between life and death, which is very painful. My master said that no matter how weak a woman is, she has a gift bestowed by God, unrestricted by illness, which no one can take away. Even a body like mine can endure it."

Jie Zhao's heart stirred upon hearing this, and his body trembled slightly—this was, of course, also because Wen Qiongyu's jade fingers flew, circling the burning hot pestle, constantly picking, twisting, hooking, and pinching, as if thirteen strings were embedded in the fleshy pillar, while she breathed warm, fragrant breath onto the swollen tip.

She was extremely intelligent and observant; once she grasped the knack, she became more and more proficient in the blink of an eye; she even applied what she learned to other situations, incorporating the techniques of playing the zither and flute. Even though she remained shy, her casual actions gradually made Jie Zhao unable to resist.

“My master said that the bodies of men and women are naturally designed for intercourse. Except for men who are born with congenital castration and women who are physically impaired, even those with disabilities such as hunchbacks, lameness, blindness, and muteness can still harmonize yin and yang and enjoy intercourse. Shuiyue Pavilion has collected many Taoist books, including many masterpieces on dual cultivation techniques in the bedroom. I became familiar with them when I was sixteen. My master said that as long as I… I am willing, she will find me a handsome and strong young man to enjoy the greatest pleasures of life together.”

Jie Zhao thought of that little enchanting rabbit Ping’er—or rather, Wu Yaoji—who was clearly a virgin but had superb skills, and was secretly shocked: “Shuiyue Pavilion is ultimately a demonic sect, and its actions are truly mysterious. Lanxiu Pavilion is respected by both the righteous and the evil, so how can it openly teach its disciples to commit adultery?” Panting heavily, he grinned and said with a lewd face: “Xiu… Xiushi is too enlightened, she… she taught me such a good sister…” Suddenly, he felt pain in his lower body and couldn’t help but cry out.

Wen Qiongyu pinched the base of his glans with her sharp nails and scolded, "Don't you dare disrespect my master!" Jie

Zhao felt both pain and pleasure from her sting and hurriedly begged for mercy, "Sister... Sister, spare me! I... I won't do it again next time!"

Wen Qiongyu chuckled and glared at him, a few strands of hair hanging down behind her ears, concealing some of her anger and making her even more alluring.

“My master remained chaste her whole life. If she hadn’t cared for me, she would never have encouraged me to do such a thing. She always said that life is bitter…bitter, and if one can have a moment of pleasure, that’s good too. But I just refused. They say lust is lust, but ‘love’ comes first. If there is no love, what good is indulging in lust? Even though my body is different from others, I am not willing to blindly follow others.”

A trace of loneliness flashed in her eyes, as if she wanted to say something but stopped herself. Seeing Jie Zhao’s concerned look, she cleverly avoided eye contact and smiled lazily: “Sister is tired! Lying down is so tiring!” She lay down on her side, her fluffy hair as a pillow on his groin, her small hands grasping his erect member, murmuring: “You naughty thing, you’re so energetic! Come out quickly, come out quickly…” After playing with it for a while, she put the tip into her small mouth.

She lay on her side on Jie Zhao's lap, her jade-like body sprawling, already incredibly alluring.

Jie Zhao enjoyed the warmth and moisture of her mouth sucking on his penis, but since only half of it was inside, even though he felt incredibly pleasurable, he felt no urge to ejaculate. Wen Qiongyu held it for a moment, then, feeling a slight tingling in her chin, she released it. Her right hand grasped the hot shaft, and she gently licked it with her delicate tongue, her starry eyes half-closed, as if savoring a sweet candied hawthorn.

Jie Zhao's desire surged, and his penis twitched. Wen Qiongyu almost lost her grip, pinching the base of the shaft with both hands. Suddenly, she realized that the closer she got to the scrotum, the more intense the reaction became. A clever idea struck her. She circled the shaft with her right index and thumb, moistened it with saliva, and slowly pinched and squeezed it up and down. Her left palm gently supported the scrotum, and her tongue delicately licked it, turning up and licking every fold, all the way from the swollen tip to her perineum.

"Sister...Sister!" Jie Zhao was completely taken aback by his delicate sister's sudden outburst. A spasm shot through his lower abdomen, and fearing he might injure her by lifting his leg, he could only grip the edge of the bed tightly, tilting his head back to exhale.

Wen Qiongyu continued her manipulation, opening her mouth to take the tip of the penis in and sucking hard. The scorching, enormous penis swelled in her small mouth, as if trying to reach her throat. She felt her whole body burning, her head spinning, and as if possessed, she kept increasing the pressure, wishing she could suck the delicious flesh into her throat. She didn't know how much time had passed when a hot, thick fluid burst in her mouth, choking her and causing her to tilt her head back. She swallowed most of the fluid with a light cough, but the rest spilled from her lips. With a gentle wipe of her small hand, a glistening, slippery, viscous thread of fluid appeared on her fingertips, moistened with a little watery saliva. Under the pale blue moonlight, it looked incredibly alluring.

She tried to sit up, only to find herself weak. Her slender arms barely supported her sweat-drenched upper body, her plump chest glistening with sweat.

Naturally clean-loving, she quickly wiped the white fluid from the corner of her mouth, then stared blankly at her fingertips, unsure where to apply it. "How...is this different from that night on horseback? I remember it was cold and fishy then, but this...this is much warmer." She unconsciously kneaded it gently, the texture on her fingertips smooth, as if she were kneading honey mixed with warm wine.

(What...what does this taste like?)

Wen Qiongyu was lost in thought, the force of her powerful gulp lingering in her delicate throat, unable to recall the taste of what she had just swallowed. When she came to her senses, she brought her slender, white index finger to her lips, her tongue trembling slightly as she licked it, swirling a bit of the fluid between her lips.

It was...like sashimi.

It seemed to carry the vibrant, bloody taste of the sea, a slightly salty tang, overflowing with the sweet, savory flavor of live carp.

(This is Ah Zhao's taste. My brother's... taste.)

She slowly licked the white fluid clean from her fingertips, eating with elegance and ecstasy, a blissful expression on her face, oblivious to her own feelings. Jie Zhao was mesmerized, only remembering to stop her after a long while. He gently grasped her slender wrist and whispered, "Sister! Don't eat it. It's dirty!"

Wen Qiongyu's thick eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes, but couldn't bear to let go. Her face flushed as she licked her fingertips clean, softly saying, "Your stuff, sister loves to eat. It's not... dirty at all." Her voice trailed off, becoming barely audible, but her beautiful eyes remained fixed on Jie Zhao's, seemingly unable to look away.

Jie Zhao held her wrists, pressing his sister against the wall, slowly lowering his head closer, his hot breath brushing against her nose and lips. “Sister, there’s still some on your lips! I…I’ll clean it for you.”

Wen Qiongyu’s breathing quickened, her large breasts heaving violently. Suddenly, her mind cleared, and she hurriedly turned her face away, her voice trembling, “No…no! My mouth…” Before she could utter the word “dirty,” her lips were sealed by Jie Zhao’s burning hot lips. The two kissed passionately, their lips pressed tightly together. Jie Zhao pried open his sister’s teeth, greedily sucking on her soft tongue, grinding the sweet saliva and residual semen.

The sister who was willing to give everything for her brother, and the brother who had always coveted her, their physical union seemed inevitable. But neither of them expected that they would become one on such an unexpected morning after waking from a dream.

Coming to his senses, Jie Zhao had already pinned Wen Qiongyu down on the couch. He stripped her clothes and quilt down to her shoulders, revealing her snow-white chest. Through the thin, pale yellow silk bodice, Jie Zhao kneaded her large, soft, white breasts, unable to free his hands to untie the rope around her neck. It was as if those two plump mounds of flesh had an irresistible suction, drawing his palms deep into them. The smooth, tender flesh overflowing from between his fingers firmly held his outstretched hands, and no matter how much he kneaded, he couldn't break free.

Jie Zhao kneaded desperately, until his sister threw her head back and gasped for breath. Her delicate body trembled slightly, and a small, bean-like protrusion slowly emerged between her soft breasts, growing harder and firmer. The change from soft to firm happened in an instant, yet the sensation was indescribably wonderful.

Through the thin yellow silk, he caressed the erect, engorged nipple, like a cherry pit, feeling as if the area around the tip had also become full and firm, almost revealing the shape of the areola. This tiny nipple was like the most sensitive and agitated string on a zither; a gentle pluck could cause the beautiful body beneath him to tense instantly, transcending reason, restraint, and shame, bursting forth with an uncontrollable, ecstatic moan.

"Kiss me… Ah Zhao! Kiss me…" Wen Qiongyu pleaded, her voice hazy and plaintive.

But Jie Zhao couldn't linger. He kissed her long, fair neck, her alluring collarbone, sucked on her full, sweet lips, wantonly kneaded her large, sweat-drenched breasts, pinched her perfectly slender waist, and inhaled her indescribable, delicate fragrance… none of this could make him stay even a moment longer.

“I…I want you, sister! Spread your legs…” He gnawed at her hoarsely, like a beast devouring its prey:

“…Let me in!”

Making a decision and actually experiencing it are two completely different things. Despite her surging lust, Wen Qiongyu was still overwhelmed with shame. She clutched the sheet tightly with one hand and covered her face with her hair with the other, sobbing and pleading, “Don’t…don’t say such things…ah! So…so embarrassing! Waaah…”

Jie Zhao was completely unable to control his burning desire. He forcefully pulled open his sister’s belt, lifted her skirt, and pulled her soaked thin silk trousers down to her ankles. He ripped off her waist towel, grabbed one of her beautiful and delicate ankles, and pulled it out of the trouser leg, spreading it wide. With each movement, Wen Qiongyu let out a startled cry of “Ah!” Her soft body twitched, and for a moment, one couldn’t help but have the illusion of “hitting deep inside.”

Between his sister’s snow-white and tender legs, there was a sticky fluid, and the beautiful, delicate flesh covering her mons pubis like butterfly wings was wet and lewd. Her vulva was very narrow, her plump, pinkish-orange labia only slightly larger than a ripe date, with a glistening, moist cleft in the middle, revealing two tender lips, like the flesh of a freshly peeled lychee.

Wen Qiongyu clung weakly to his neck, her legs squeezing between his waist, spreading wide.

She trembled helplessly, the wildness of the impending invasion arousing her desire, yet the brutality deeply frightened her; the exceptionally intelligent female strategist was utterly helpless for the first time, facing this beastly intrusion, she could only respond with a rain of kisses. Wen Qiongyu embraced her beloved younger brother, her thin, pink lips pecking incessantly at his lips, kissing him from his eyebrows and the tip of his nose down to his lips, kissing him wetly and hotly.

The thief roughly seized her tender breasts, his disproportionately large member pressing against her narrow entrance, relentlessly penetrating her. The tight jade gate scraped against his sensitive tip, and he suddenly came to his senses, only to find his sister trembling violently, her soft cheek pressed against his face, a warm, wet liquid mingling between their faces, causing a slight sting.

(This is... his sister's tears!)

He suddenly came to his senses, stopped his thrusting, and reached out to embrace her tightly.

Despite the tearing pain in her vagina, Wen Qiongyu gently kissed his earlobe, turned her pale, tearful face, and forced a smile, saying, "That's great! You're finally back. Sister... Sister's body is only for my brother, not... not for any other man."

Jie Zhao felt both pity and pain, lowered his head to wipe away her tears, and said softly, "It's all my fault, making sister suffer!"

Wen Qiongyu shook her head and asked softly, "Is it... all the way in? I... I feel like I'm going to split open!"

Jie Zhao glanced down and saw that his swollen, purplish-red penis was only halfway in. He didn't rush to withdraw, but instead nibbled on her glistening earlobe, saying, "Sister, don't worry, I'll make you feel good."

Wen Qiongyu was overwhelmed with shame, but every movement in her lower body caused pain, and there was nowhere to hide. Jie Zhao licked her pink neck, then suddenly bit the rope tied behind her neck, gently pulling to untie the bodice. His nimble tongue, like a snake darting through the flesh, slipped inside, licking its way from beneath her plump breasts to her firm, rosy nipples.

His moist tongue circled the small, pink areolas, which, slightly smaller than a coin, slowly swelled, becoming a delicate mound like a monk's cap. On this mound, tiny cherries, firm and full, proudly pointed towards the sky, rose.

Jie Zhao remembered the first time he touched his sister's breasts; the nipples were so small and tender, like roasted nutmegs, an experience unlike any he had ever had with a woman. Now, their firmness and erectness were unparalleled among all women. Even the large breast flesh had changed from extremely soft to hard and swollen, as if, with the engorgement of blood at the tips, the milk was gradually solidifying into a smooth, bouncy, and rich cream.

Her two soft, large breasts, which had been flat when she lay down, were slowly licked until they rose, like dough rising, and in the blink of an eye, they transformed into two proud peaks, their pink tips glistening with saliva, exceptionally erotic. Wen Qiongyu's reaction was astonishing as her breasts rising from the ground: she tilted her chin back and moaned softly, her flat abdomen convulsing like waves, her delicate body trembling violently, her half-closed starry eyes hazy, drifting aimlessly in a sea of desire.

"Ah...so...so strange! No...no! No more...ahhh—"

Jie Zhao did not let up, continuing his assault on her sensitive breasts; taking advantage of the abundant moisture in her lower body, the egg-sized, purplish-red tip of his penis slowly burrowed into her jade gate, breaking through a thin barrier, penetrating most of the dragon head, filling the wet, narrow flower path that no one had ever entered before.

Wen Qiongyu's body tensed, her breathing became rapid and shallow, and her beautiful eyes closed tightly. Jie Zhao felt his penis tightly enveloped in a sticky, warm fluid, unsure whether it was from love juice or the blood of her first time. He continued his slow but persistent thrusting until he was more than halfway inside.

"It hurts...it hurts so much..." Wen Qiongyu cried out tearfully, but before she could finish her sentence, Jie Zhao seized her lips.

After his initial penetration, Jie Zhao stopped his reckless advance, pulling her into his arms and kissing and caressing her tender lips and breasts. His movements were both wild and gentle, making the beautiful woman moan softly, her vagina overflowing with fluid, like a helpless, naked fawn with its neck arched.

Unbeknownst to Wen Qiongyu, her mink coat was stripped off, her silk robe loosened, and her belt removed. Her delicate, pink legs were lifted high from the furry mink coat, her right ankle still wrapped in thin silk trousers soaked with her own fluids. They encircled Jie Zhao's strong waist, her small bare feet hooked behind her back, her slender waist thrusting, her full mons pubis slowly rubbing against him.

A sudden pain would cause her to cry out softly, trembling as she stopped moving; only when Jie Zhao's kisses aroused her, or when pleasure surged through her breasts, would she unconsciously begin to thrust again. This repeated several times, gradually increasing the intensity of the rubbing, her breath coming in soft gasps as she murmured, "So...so numb! Brother...like this...like this itches so much, so...so numb..." Jie Zhao tried to get up, but she held him tightly in her arms, their lower bodies pressed together, their pubic bones rubbing heavily, an incredibly pleasurable sensation.

For a woman's first night, the most painful part isn't the breaking of her hymen, but the sudden insertion of a massive object into her normally delicate and narrow passage, stretching it several times its original size. How could it not hurt? Jie Zhao understood this well, focusing on caressing her sensitive spots without making any rash moves. As his sister adjusted to the foreign object inside her, the scalding heat made her feel numb and itchy, and her heart raced. Unconsciously, she began to respond, the force and angle of his thrusts perfectly matching her most comfortable instincts, and they gradually reached a climax.

He embraced Wen Qiongyu's slender waist, burying his face in her proud, deep cleavage, while quietly withdrawing his penis slightly. Wen Qiongyu frowned slightly, her voice soft and panting, "No! It...it hurts! It hurts..." The last word hadn't even faded before turning into a shameful moan, as Jie Zhao gently bit her nipple, stretching one of her large, white breasts into a lewd, pointed shape.

Wen Qiongyu's breasts were exceptionally sensitive, and this manipulation sent her into a state of ecstasy. Her lower body gushed with fluid, which trickled down her snow-white thighs, even washing away the peony-like bloodstains at her groin, leaving only shimmering traces of crimson. Lost in her passion, she embraced her lover, wanting to press herself even closer to him. Her flat stomach arched upwards, and

his manhood, still stained with blood, was fully submerged. The temptation lured her to arch her back in response, and several times, the thrusts grew larger and larger. Finally, he withdrew halfway, then slid straight in again, the tenderness of her vagina so tight that a gush of warm fluid squeezed out with a clear, erotic sound.

Wen Qiongyu clung tightly to his neck, an uncontrollable tremor seemingly spreading from her body into her very being. The temptation suddenly felt the tip of his penis pierce into a soft mass of flesh; the previously clenched vaginal canal could now contract and expand rapidly, rotating several times. This strange spasm, like Wen Qiongyu herself, was tight yet not oppressive, allowing one to savor the exquisite sensation of rapid expansion and contraction within her flower path. Like a baby clenching its fist, it only intensified the desire to erupt.

The spasms within her flower path had not yet ceased, and Jie Zhao, suppressing his urge to ejaculate, continued thrusting, each stroke firm and distinct. The lower edge of his glans retreated to the entrance of her jade gate, directly wedging against the thin membrane before forcefully penetrating deep into her flower path, scraping every plump and tender part of her vagina. The pleasure of impending ejaculation continued to accumulate…

Wen Qiongyu's flushed face was covered with fine beads of sweat, her lips slightly parted, yet she could not utter a sound, her whole body trembling.

"No...no more...please...please spare me, sister..."

She pushed desperately against Jie Zhao's chest, struggling to open her starry eyes, which were brimming with tears. In a half-conscious, half-dazed state, she struggled desperately, weakly casting pleading glances at the man on top of her. Her sensitive body, convulsing from the orgasm, could not easily stop, and in the blink of an eye, it was swallowed by another rising peak.

"No...no!"

Jie Zhao closed his eyes, plowing his sister's virgin path again and again, sweat flying down like rain, wetting her long black hair scattered on the bed. "Sister...sister's body...says 'don't stop'! Sister...did you hear me?" He thrust deeply into her hollow, snowy thighs, his angry dragon plunging straight to the bottom, pounding into the tender, delicate flesh, squeezing out a large amount of lustful fluid.

Wen Qiongyu's delicate body jerked, and she suddenly cried out in agony, her beautiful head shaking wildly: "No! I...I'll die...Brother...Ahhhhhhh—"

Jie Zhao could no longer endure it. He embraced his beautiful sister, thrusting and pounding wildly below her waist. His raging dragon rapidly swallowed and ravaged her, making Wen Qiongyu's soul fly away. She threw her head back and groaned sharply. With a round of frenzied pounding, the tip of his penis suddenly burst like molten lava. The force was so strong that even his desperately clenched perineal muscles spasmed. A large, fiery mass of fluid suddenly gushed out of his head, shooting all of it into her tender flower.

"Ah—!" Wen Qiongyu's body was weak. The scalding yang essence hit her and she fainted instantly. Her vagina was still squeezing and sucking, convulsing uncontrollably.

He ejaculated until not a drop remained, until he felt a slight stinging sensation deep within his penis, yet still felt an urge to gush forth. Exhausted, he collapsed between his sister's soft, sweaty breasts. Satisfied, yet still startled, he thought, "Master Xiu was absolutely right. The affairs of men and women are indeed a match made in heaven, and anyone can experience their pleasure. My sister, so frail, can... can be so ecstatic." When he stood up, his tailbone was numb, and he felt dizzy. Even when he had made love with Yingying all night, he had never felt so weak.

He held his sister in his arms, pulled the covers over her, but couldn't bear to look away. He remained on her delicate body, gently combing her wet hair and wiping away her fragrant sweat.

He didn't know how much time had passed when Wen Qiongyu let out a soft moan, slowly opening her beautiful eyes, her breath light and her breasts still rising and falling.

After a moment, her gaze finally focused, and she murmured softly, "I... I think... I think I died once."

Jie Zhao smiled unconsciously, his nose lightly brushing against her delicate little nose, his wicked eyes darting around, "If you want, sister, I'll make you die several times a day." Wen Qiongyu took a long time to come to her senses, feeling extremely embarrassed. She had originally raised her small fist to strike, but her slender arm fell limply to her side. Jie Zhao, quick as a flash, caught her small hand, gently holding her slender fingers and caressing them wantonly.

“Sister! Your master was right. Your body is truly… truly wonderful. I

have never felt so happy and fulfilled in my life. I want you to stay with me forever, to savor your taste every night, and never let you go even for a day.”

Wen Qiongyu was so ashamed she almost fainted, but seeing his earnest words, so heartfelt and tender, coming from the man she had given herself to, she felt a sweet warmth in her heart. She turned her head away and whispered, “I… I’m not that good. You… you’re teasing me again!” Even her fair neck flushed red, like snow-covered cherry blossoms.

Jie Zhao, his passion burning, pressed his hot lips against her neck again.

Wen Qiongyu let out a soft cry, only then realizing how lewd her moan was, and her legs became wet again. The tingling, itching, burning, and spasms deep within her body hadn't completely subsided; the hot, stinging pain from being penetrated by the man's massive member lingered, as if a thick, hard fire poker was inserted into her tender vagina… Of course, there was also the pleasure, like falling into an abyss, or being bitten by ants and struck by lightning.

After cuddling for a while, Wen Qiongyu gradually felt unbearable swelling and pain in her lower body. Jie Zhao carefully withdrew, and a large amount of diluted white fluid mixed with blood flowed out of her messy, red vulva, soaking the bed and staining the bedding with patches of blood, like a painting of red plum blossoms in winter with light ink and bright colors.

He fetched a towel and warm water, embraced the beauty, and carefully cleaned his sister.

Wen Qiongyu, naked from the waist down, was forced into a lewd position with her legs spread wide, allowing him to caress her private parts. She was truly ashamed to the point of wanting to die, but her body was too weak to resist, leaving her completely at the mercy of that little lecher, that little devil. Amidst the shame, there was a vague, inexplicable, lustful excitement; her breasts heaved, her heart fluttering.

Seeing her staring blankly at the lewd stains on the bed, Jie Zhao laughed, "It's all my fault. I only cared about my own pleasure and ejaculated so much inside you, sister. Next time… tonight I'll be more careful, I'll definitely pull out before I ejaculate."

Wen Qiongyu's pretty face flushed, and she bit her lip, lightly slapping his hand, "Who said I wanted to be with you tonight… you little rascal!" She turned her head, her charming smile carrying a melancholy air reminiscent of an ancient lamp, "Even if you love your sister so much, I… I can't bear your child." (Ji Wusheng, the 'Death Sentencer of Yancheng' from the Western Realm's Remnant God Temple...) "The two best physicians of the righteous and evil paths, Sheng Huayan, the 'Lord of the Heavenly Capital' and 'A Thousand Years of Lingering Affection,' have both examined my pulse and said I have a naturally cold constitution and will never be able to conceive."

Jie Zhao was taken aback, then laughed, cuddling her cheek against hers for a while: "Can you believe what these doctors say? There's a wealthy man named Huang in Zhongjing, who also said he couldn't have children. He's been seeking a son for over forty years, and he's even become famous for it. Who knew that he'd suddenly have a son at the age of sixty? Sister, guess how?"

Wen Qiongyu smiled indifferently, her interest waning: "How?"

“I don’t know how it happened,” Jie Zhao said seriously. “It’s just that we do it every day, every night, inside and outside, while bathing, while eating, lying down, or even on our stomachs… If we do it for forty years, maybe we can produce one or two.”

Wen Qiongyu chuckled, her face flushed. “If you love doing it so much, go find a sow to do it with!”

“That won’t do,” Jie Zhao said with a bitter face. “My sister is the most beautiful! If I don’t do it with her, where can I find another one?”

Wen Qiongyu scolded, “Fine, you’re indirectly calling me a sow!” Her gloom vanished, and she nestled in his arms, laughing and playing. She was weak after all, and had suffered the pain of deflowering many times. After several orgasms, she was overcome with exhaustion and soon fell into a deep sleep. Jie Zhao

, fearing to disturb her sweet slumber, dared not move, embracing her and quietly admiring her beautiful sleeping face until he heard her soft, steady snores. Only then did he gently lay her down on the bed, covering her flawless, naked body with the quilt.

Suddenly, Wen Qiongyu let out a soft moan, whispering, "Ah Zhao, I don't want forty years..." A blush rose on her jade-like face, streaked with hair, as if recalling something shameful. She shrank her pink neck slightly, murmuring, "Those... those days, just three years, and I'll be content. Just three years..." She turned over, her thick hair cascading over her shoulders, revealing only a rounded, watery, captivating curve in the moonlight, like something out of a dream. Jie Zhao's

thoughts surged, and he felt no sleepiness whatsoever. He sat quietly in the room for a moment, then strolled outside.

This place was extremely secluded, and at this time, when the moon had set and the sun was hidden, and all things were still asleep, the air was at its freshest. Having achieved his desire, Jie Zhao possessed his sister's exquisite body. The physical pleasure he had just experienced was indescribable. Thinking of making her happy in the future, he was filled with ambition. He straightened his back, feeling as if he could overcome any obstacle. Even the panic and helplessness he felt after losing the guidance of the old man in his dream suddenly seemed much less intense.

Just as he was about to turn and push open the door, a tingling sensation shot through his coccyx, reminding him that he had been too indulgent. This sweet, tingling fatigue was difficult to recover from with sleep alone. Jie Zhao took a deep breath, focused his mind, and began practicing the most basic introductory skill of the Huangting lineage, "The Monkey's Lunge," in the open space in front of the hut.

This style of boxing was very effective for opening muscles and tendons, and was often used by Tiancheng disciples to train their waist and leg strength. When mastered, the practitioner's arms move in rapid succession, clasping together in mid-air like a monkey climbing a tree. The waist twists and springs with power, the lower body leaps with large strides, displaying the agility and strength of a wild ape running through a ravine. It's visually stunning, but the routine isn't suitable for actual combat.

On Tiancheng Mountain, lay disciples often use this "Monkey Ape's Leap" to showcase their martial arts skills. After all, techniques like the Wind and Thunder Palm require impact to demonstrate skill; one can't simply break trees, walls, or even injure bones, only to incur the wrath of their masters. These hot-blooded youths use the "Monkey Ape's Leap" in competitions, comparing who can leap the fastest and climb the highest in a single round, or who can kick up the most dust and leaves the furthest after completing a round… In short, it's a contest of skill and strength; the strongest and most agile wins.

Jie Jun is a perennial winner in these competitions. Although Jie Zhen's skills weren't yet at their peak on the mountain, his agility made every move visually appealing.

Jie Zhao was no match for him. His internal strength was shallow, practically nonexistent; he couldn't run fast or jump high. For him, this "Monkey Pull" was merely a warm-up exercise. Stretching and turning were naturally better the slower the better. If his body wasn't fully stretched and his muscles weren't relaxed and supple enough, what was the point of running around like a monkey?

Jie Zhao slowly drew circles and slowly rotated, his hands moving as if grasping at solid objects, alternately reaching towards the void. Wherever he felt sore, he exerted force, making the movements slower and heavier, gradually entering a state of complete absorption, his mind free of thought, yet subtly in harmony with the "Cloud Dream Body" technique. He didn't know how long he had been practicing, only that he felt as if his whole body was immersed in warm water, a soothing warmth emanating from every pore, condensing on his skin. Every movement felt like stirring a hot spring, the heat flowing, his inner and outer selves slowly becoming one.

He opened his eyes to the first rays of dawn in the east, and his spirits lifted. He strolled towards the front of the house. The wooden and bamboo racks he had seen scattered in the courtyard last night were now covered with long strips of white satin, as white as snow, dazzlingly bright in the rising sun.

Silk was a priceless luxury even in the capital, let alone the pure white, finest snow-white silk. How could this small, impoverished farmhouse produce so much overnight? Jie Zhao quickly approached, only to discover that the items on the racks were not cloth. He bent down and scooped them up, and the smooth, white satin spread out easily, revealing the fine threads of the silk fabric, each strand distinct.

"This is..." he exclaimed in astonishment, blinking in disbelief, "...noodles! These are noodles!"

Strands of snow-white, raw noodles, only slightly thicker than silk threads and almost uniformly thin, lay flat on the racks.

Jie Zhao couldn't help but gently twirl the noodles between his fingers, finding them incredibly thin yet unbroken when pinched. They initially seemed to have no aroma, but after a few more kneads, a rich wheat fragrance wafted from his warm fingertips. Born into wealth and accustomed to delicacies, he had little impression of noodles and couldn't say whether they were good or bad. But the aroma now stirred his appetite, and his stomach rumbled.

Suddenly, a hoarse, rusty voice sounded behind him: "Break one, and you'll have to buy the whole rack." Jie Zhao nearly jumped up, turning to see Lao Tie limping towards him, carrying a carrying pole. His yellowish-brown eyes gleamed with a sharp light, contrasting sharply with the charred, rotten eyes beneath his mottled gray hair—he looked like a half-dead corpse rushing back to the dark city before dawn.

"Uncle... Uncle!" Jie Zhao steadied himself and forced a smile, "Did you make these noodles?"

Old Tie ignored him, walking straight past him to the wooden rack at the far end of the sunny side. He slung his carrying pole and bamboo basket over his shoulder, skillfully scooping up and gathering the flour from the rack with one hand, forming it into a ball and putting it into the basket. He casually sprinkled some flour on the noodle ball, then piled on a second ball of flour. Jie

Zhao was left standing there, feeling awkward and unable to figure out what was going on. He watched as Old Tie skillfully gathered the noodles, perhaps even before he could finish them. He touched his nose and headed towards the front house. Suddenly, he saw a light on in a small brick house on the other side. He pushed open the door and entered, only to find the room filled with white mist. He could vaguely see a person busy behind a wooden table, her head wrapped in a blue scarf, her waist tied in a cloth skirt, her round face flushed, and her front half wet. It was Old Tie's wife, Li Erniang.

Second Sister wiped the sweat from her brow and nodded to him, "Young Master, you're up so early! Did you sleep well last night?" She smiled knowingly. Jie Zhao scratched his head, feeling very uncomfortable at being laughed at, "Thanks...thanks to Second Sister."

He quickly changed the subject, "Uncle Tie is really good at making so many noodles."

Second Sister smiled, "Young Master, are you hungry? If you don't mind, please try some of our homemade noodles." She wiped her hands on her skirt pockets and brought over a small bowl of steaming white soup noodles. On the thin white noodles were some blanched and oiled fresh green mountain vegetables, and a small handful of chopped scallions soaked in oil.

Jie Zhao, inhaling the aroma of scallion oil, felt his stomach rumble like a frog's, his face flushing. He took the bowl and chopsticks, saying, "Then I won't be polite." He gently stirred the noodles with his chopsticks, the aroma of scallions and oil subtly mingling with the fragrance of noodles, yet different from the raw noodles he had smelled in the courtyard earlier. The various aromas, steamed by the clear broth, created a harmonious and layered fragrance.

Having grown up in luxury and with a discerning palate, he picked up two noodles with his chopsticks and bit into them. He noticed a surprising springiness as he bit into one. But before he could even fully inhale the bitten half, the end suddenly curled up, splashing a few drops of hot broth onto his chin. "How can such thin noodles be so elastic!" Jie Zhao's heart skipped a beat. He suddenly realized that the unusual thing about this bowl of noodles was not just that. He picked up his chopsticks and tasted a few more bites, closing his eyes to savor the flavor. "

What do you think, young master?" Li Erniang asked with a smile.

"These noodles are amazing. They're everywhere in the hot soup, yet they don't overpower the flavors of the vegetables and scallions. The noodles themselves are distinct, perfectly blending the oil and vegetable flavors together. The soup, though clear, has a simple yet rich quality." Jie Zhao opened his eyes and let out a long breath. "These noodles are truly amazing, amazing!"

Li Erniang's eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but give a thumbs up, her smile becoming even brighter.

"Young master, you really know your stuff! I've been making noodles for over twenty years, and I'm used to hearing people praise how fine these noodles are, how fragrant they are, how chewy they are. But you're the first to notice how well the soup and noodles blend together." She smiled and said, "When my father passed on his skills to me, he said that making noodles, though a country person's little craft, is like the principles of nature. A seedling doesn't strive to be the tallest or biggest; too much wind and rain can be detrimental. Ultimately, it all comes down to harmony."

Jie Zhao's expression sharpened; it seemed there was something... Touched, yet the feeling vanished in an instant, and she blurted out, "Did Second Aunt make these noodles?" Second Aunt tossed her hair and chuckled, "This is a family tradition, passed down to daughters, not sons-in-law. My husband certainly doesn't know how."

The snow-white noodles hanging in the large jar must have weighed dozens of pounds. Although Second Aunt was a typical peasant woman, unlike the delicate young lady Wen Qiongyu, it was still unimaginable that she could knead dozens, even hundreds, of pounds of dough by herself. Old Tie, though only having one arm, possessed astonishing strength, making him somewhat more believable.

Seeing Jie Zhao's doubt, she smiled and said, "Young master, if you don't believe me, why don't you take a look?"

Jie Zhao didn't want to argue, so he just smiled and said, "Second Sister's skill is amazing, I must see it for myself."

Li Erniang spread the flour on the wooden table, took out a round, plump white dough ball about the size of a melon from the jar, and said while kneading it, "This kind of noodle can't rise. After kneading it evenly, stretch it out, then fold it in half, and stretch it again, repeating until you have enough noodles. It's not difficult, but it's not easy either." She swung the dough up, and with a few opening and closing movements of her hands, the white dough in her palms was stretched into more than a dozen long strips as thick as a thumb, her movements very nimble.

After stretching for a while, the noodles became thinner and thinner, and the number of strips increased. Li Erniang's hands and feet didn't stop, and in a short while, she stretched it more than a hundred times. Suddenly, she put the stretched noodles on the wall, and continued to stretch and extend them by weaving them left and right. The noodles hung on the wall in a double ring and did not fall down; upon closer inspection, it turned out that there were two holes in the wall, and two round wooden sticks as thick as the mouth of a cup were inserted.

After the bundle of noodles was threaded onto the wooden stick, the original folded shape instantly became a quarter fold. The second aunt's movements were so fast—the noodles barely left the stick, only swirling around it. Jie Zhao watched intently, then heard the second aunt exhale and stop, lightly wiping her temples with the back of her hand, and laugh, "All done!" She pulled the stick out of the hole and hung it on the wooden rack beside her. Just like the noodles drying on the field, a large sheet of noodles lay flat, fine as embroidery, snow-white and lovely. Jie Zhao was full

of admiration, and suddenly felt playful, eager to try: "Second Aunt! Can I try?"

The second aunt was taken aback, then covered her mouth and laughed, "Oh dear! This is hard work; it will get your clothes dirty. Young master, perhaps you shouldn't try?" Jie Zhao persisted. The second aunt couldn't refuse, so she fetched water and kneaded dough for him, making a white, fluffy ball.

Jie Zhao tried it, but was utterly humiliated. With a mere flick, he sent the dough flying, scattering it all over the room. In his disheveled state, he couldn't help but sigh, "This thing is too difficult! Why is it that the harder I try, the harder it is to shake?" After struggling for a while, he was covered in sweat, and not only were the noodles ruined, but the dough itself was completely unusable.

Exhausted, he collapsed on the ground, shaking his head as he looked at the noodles on the shelf: "How many noodles did you pull? How... how can they be so thin and even?" For a moment, he almost suspected that Li Erniang was some kind of unsung master, whose skills were even more astonishing than the "Heavenly Lord's Blade" that could kill from a distance—although even a blind man could see that she had no internal energy and knew nothing about martial arts.

Li Erniang cleaned up the mess he left behind, laughing as she said, "A three-pound dough ball needs to be stretched into eight hundred noodles. My father used to be able to stretch over a thousand, but if he stretched too many, the noodles would become too soft and tasteless when cooked; if he stretched too few, the noodles would be too coarse and taste like just wheat. Eight hundred is just right. This noodle has a name, it's called 'Eight Hundred Grips'."

"Eight hundred!" Jie Zhao stared in astonishment:

"This... how is that possible? Could it be that the less strength you have, the more you can stretch them?"

“That won’t do. Making noodles requires full strength, otherwise the noodles won’t be chewy and won’t have a springy texture! Young master, you’re stronger than me, but you’re using your strength in the wrong places. There are only two key words to pulling noodles.”

“What two words?” Jie Zhao asked, startled.

Li Erniang lowered her head to wipe up the mushy dough on the ground, rubbed the rag, and smiled casually.

“‘Skillful strength’.”

“Skillful strength?” Jie Zhao asked, startled, as if something had flashed through his heart, but he couldn’t quite grasp it, and he frowned.

Li Erniang bent down to clean, chuckling to herself, "Yes! Strength must be used wisely, not just the more the better. If you use your strength skillfully, pulling dozens of pounds of noodles a day is enough for a woman like me; there's no need for a burly man."

Jie Zhao was somewhat stunned. When he came to his senses, Li Erniang had already tidied up the noodle-making room, made a small bowl of clear soup noodles, put chopsticks on it, and handed it to him, saying, "Here, let your wife try some." With an ambiguous smile, she pushed Jie Zhao out. Jie Zhao, holding the bowl, stepped out of the room, then suddenly turned back, "Erniang! Tomorrow... tomorrow morning when I'm making noodles, can I come and watch?"

Li Erniang was slightly taken aback, then smiled, "If you don't mind the rough work and the dirt, young master, you may come." Jie

Zhao nodded, carrying the noodles, and headed straight for the small hut. As the door opened, a sweet and sour scent of ripe fruit wafted out—the fragrance of Wen Qiongyu, a mixture of sweat, love juice, and semen, warmed by her rising body temperature. The aroma stirred Jie Zhao's heart. He placed the noodles on the table and casually sat down on the edge of the bed.

Seeing the smooth curve of the brocade quilt move slightly, he knew the beauty inside had awakened. Jie Zhao moved closer to her thick, black hair, which was draped outside the quilt, his lips gently touching the top of her head, and whispered, "Good sister, good sister..."

His voice trembled softly, and Wen Qiongyu, tickled, shrank her neck and giggled. Her rosy, snow-white cheeks peeked out from under the quilt, and she scolded, "Playing tricks again so early in the morning! You..." Before she could finish, Jie Zhao's lips sealed hers.

Wen Qiongyu was intoxicated by the kiss. Jie Zhao embraced her beautiful body through the covers, his hands tracing down her fragrant shoulders, caressing her beautiful back and shapely buttocks. Wen Qiongyu lay prone in the covers, tilting her beautiful neck back to return the kiss, her delicate body trembling slightly.

The two kissed deeply for a while before separating. Wen Qiongyu blushed and complained softly, "I haven't washed up yet! Aren't you afraid of getting dirty?"

Jie Zhao rubbed his nose against his sister's soft cheek and laughed, "My sister, you taste sweet no matter when you eat her, even more fragrant than sugar syrup or fruit honey. If you don't believe me, I'll share some with you." He then kissed her lips again, but one of his devilish hands slipped under the covers and grabbed his sister's soft and proud breasts. His dragon root was already hard and burning, embedded between her supple thighs through the thick brocade covers, like a red-hot branding iron, gently pressing against a soft and tender spot.

Wen Qiongyu cried out softly in pain as the force of the thrust caused her to furrow her brows. Jie Zhao quickly sat up and asked gently, "What's wrong?"

Tears welled up in Wen Qiongyu's eyes as she trembled and said, "It...it hurts so much there, it feels like it's on fire."

Jie Zhao dared not do anything rash and gently turned her over, but the slightest movement caused his sister to cry out in pain, biting her teeth and wiping away tears, looking exceptionally pitiful. He lifted the corner of the blanket, and Wen Qiongyu, both ashamed and anxious, exclaimed, "No...no! What...what are you doing?"

After their morning tryst, she was exhausted and fell asleep in her brother's arms, completely naked under the covers. She tried to bend her legs to cover her private parts, but any movement caused pain. Her two glistening jade legs were spread apart by her younger brother, and she felt Jie Zhao's hot breath spraying all over her sensitive and delicate petals. In addition to the burning pain, sensations of warmth, numbness, tingling, and itching came one after another. She couldn't tell whether it was bitter or pleasurable. Instinctively, she tilted her head back and covered her mouth, forcibly suppressing a sweet and ecstatic moan.

Jie Zhao carefully parted her jade legs, but saw that her narrow jade gate was closed, only revealing two small petals of glistening, soft fat like slices of fresh fish. Even when her legs were wide open, her small honey slit was not open at all, just like a virgin. However, her entire small vulva, like a ripe date, was swollen like a small peach, and her snow-white skin was taut, round and swollen, faintly revealing a delicate red.

It turned out that her body was delicate, and the pain of deflowering was more than that of ordinary people. However, she had been extremely aroused last night, and Jie Zhao had carefully pampered her, so she did not feel any pain during intercourse. As a result of his wanton thrusting, her jade gate was very swollen. After sleeping for a while, the swollen and cracked area became congested with blood and finally started to hurt. Touching it felt like being pricked by needles or burned by fire, which was naturally uncomfortable.

Jie Zhao couldn't touch it, so he had a

sudden idea and used his tongue to gently lick her. Wen Qiongyu let out an "Ah," her hands gripping the sheets tightly, her slender waist arching as she was licked. She trembled slightly as the saliva touched the burning area, and it felt cool and pleasant. The tip of his tongue was flexible and gentle, and the places it licked felt like being scratched by feathers, both itchy and comfortable. Before long, she was already gushing out fluid, and the clear, thin love fluid flowed down from her perineum to her buttocks, as abundant as a spring.

Jie Zhao suppressed his desire and gently licked his sister, only wanting to relieve her pain. Suddenly, he heard Wen Qiongyu whimper a few times and shake her head, biting her jade finger. Listening carefully, he realized that she was calling for him. He climbed forward, only to be suddenly embraced by his sister's neck. Wen Qiongyu buried her flushed face in the crook of his neck, her eyes closed as she shyly murmured, "Ah Zhao! I... Sister...

Sister wants..."

Jie Zhao felt his blood rush to his head, but he endured it, whispering, "Sister! What if I hurt you? Be good and rest. When you feel better, I'll want you every day." Wen Qiongyu hugged his neck and shook her head shyly. Her delicate forehead was soaked with sweat, burning like charcoal. Rarely, she became stubborn: "I... I don't care, now... now I want it! Sister wants Ah Zhao, you... you come! Come... come and fuck sister!"

Jie Zhao's mind went blank. He could no longer hold back. He crawled into the blankets, pulled down his pants, and his strong waist forced her long, white legs apart. His erect, purplish-red dragon plunged into her jade gate with a "squeak," squeezing out a stream of clear, slippery lustful fluid!

Wen Qiongyu groaned, her head thrown back, feeling both pain and pleasure in her vagina. She felt completely filled, almost fainting.

Jie Zhao, however, felt as if he were inserting into a narrow, hot, wet chicken intestine. Though she felt as if it were about to break, the vaginal fluids flowed endlessly, indescribably smooth. He instinctively thrust and pumped, penetrating deeply, over a hundred times in a row, making a squelching sound inside her.

Wen Qiongyu was being penetrated to the point of near death, the maddening pleasure surging through her body like a tidal wave. Her virginity was already numb, but deep inside her vagina, the sharp tip of his penis was pounding so hard it spasmed. Her moans were intermittent and deathly, as she gasped, "So...so deep! Ah Zhao...you're penetrating so...so deep!"

Jie Zhao gripped her slender waist with both hands, lifting her beautiful back slightly, and thrust forcefully, showing no mercy. Wen Qiongyu gripped the bamboo branch at the head of the bed with both hands, her head shaking wildly. Her large, soft, white breasts, slightly flattened, swayed violently from the impact, forming two huge concentric circles. Her erect, tender pink nipples rose and fell violently with the surging waves of milk, swaying forward in waves, making one's blood boil.

"It's...it's going to break! Sister...it's going to break! Ahhh—" Her cries were very pure, her tightly closed eyes unable to hide her shyness, but her body was unbelievably lewd, as if once awakened, all the seductive charm in her bones surged forth all at once, and she could no longer control herself.

Jie Zhao seemed to be drawn by his sister's soft body, without holding back, placing her two white, bare feet on his shoulders, pressing her knees up, pressing them against her snow-white, soft breasts, his jade pestle, streaked with blood, thrust in and out, penetrating deeper and harder. Wen Qiongyu could no longer scream. Her beautiful eyes were closed, her head tilted back, and her mouth agape. Her delicate body writhed, occasionally letting out a few sharp, mournful cries, and saliva dripped from her open lips.

Compared to their passionate lovemaking that morning, this was a desperate, flesh-on-flesh struggle, without foreplay or regard for consequences. The two were completely uninhibited, and in the blink of an eye, they had reached the critical juncture at the edge of the cliff, on the verge of falling at any moment.

Suddenly, a voice called from outside: "Young Master Zhao—Miss Yu—" The voice slowly approached the small house; it was Li Erniang.

Jie Zhao was startled and tried to get up: "No...no! Sister...we need to get dressed quickly!" Wen Qiongyu clung to him tightly, her body convulsing, biting his ear and panting heavily: "No...no! Sister...sister is coming soon! Just...just a little longer...ahhh..."

Jie Zhao's penis tip felt slightly numb, but his desire to thrust, penetrate, and even destroy and ravage it was not diminished at all. He placed his hands on either side of his sister's large breasts, tightly tucking her plump, white armpits, and thrusting forcefully with his knees as a fulcrum. The bamboo bed creaked and groaned as if it were about to collapse!

Wen Qiongyu's slender, jade-like legs hooked around his taut buttocks, trembling slightly. The soft, smooth touch slid across her sweat-drenched skin, finally arousing his deepest desire—Jie Zhao felt a jolt in his spine, and his scalding, thick semen suddenly erupted. Tiny beads of semen seemed to spurt from his urethral opening, causing his beautiful sister to convulse and whimper as she received all of her beloved brother's essence. Jie Zhao was somewhat exhausted, but then he heard footsteps at the door. He quickly pulled out his penis, and his still-erect shaft, gripping the hymen of her vulva, pulled, causing Wen Qiongyu's body to tremble slightly. Her vagina spasmed, and she gushed out white semen.

Jie Zhao hurriedly put his clothes back on. He heard a few knocks on the door, and Li Erniang called from outside, "Young master, has the young lady finished eating? Would you like some more?" Jie Zhao quickly replied, "No...no need, one bowl is enough."

Li Erniang said, "It's good that you're full. I'll come in and collect the bowls!"

Jie Zhao said anxiously, "No...Erniang, don't rush! My sister...is changing her clothes!"

Li Erniang said "Oh," and smiled, "Alright, I'll come back later." Her footsteps gradually faded away.

Jie Zhao breathed a sigh of relief and fetched water to clean his sister's lower body. He saw that her vulva was even more swollen and red inside and out, and her two labia were slightly parted, with traces of crimson, like a bright and beautiful red peony. He felt both heartache and a lustful cuteness, and couldn't help but feel a surge of pleasure.

Wen Qiongyu closed her eyes and breathed heavily. Her pair of soft, snow-white breasts heaved violently, her nipples trembling slightly, and her body convulsing and trembling. She was clearly not yet recovered from her orgasm.

Jie Zhao gently helped her put on her undergarment and lower garment, brushed away the sweat-dampened hair from her forehead, and fastened the silver hairpin she almost always wore. Only then did Wen Qiongyu open her beautiful eyes, her gaze still somewhat unfocused. She couldn't support herself, her brows furrowed slightly, and she let out a soft sigh, murmuring, "It hurts so much... but it feels so good. It's like being dead, yet it hurts like I'm going to die."

Jie Zhao was both amused and exasperated, deliberately teasing her, "Who told me not to stop? Childish!"

Wen Qiongyu blushed, stubbornly insisting, "It felt so good before, that's why it hurts so much now."

Jie Zhao loved her deeply, pulling his sister into his arms and whispering, "If I had known it would hurt you like this, I wouldn't have licked you! It hurts my heart to see you hurt." Wen Qiongyu blushed, nestling sweetly in his arms, and after a moment whispered, "Sister, it wasn't because of... what you did to me, that... that I wanted to..." "Yes."

Jie Zhao was very surprised: "Did I make you uncomfortable when I licked you, sister?"

Wen Qiongyu was too embarrassed to speak and gently patted the back of his hand: "Don't...don't say such things! It's so embarrassing." Jie Zhao's lust was aroused again, and he smiled maliciously, clinging to her: "So it's very comfortable? If you can't say, I'll lick you a few more times and see."

Wen Qiongyu was very embarrassed, and her jade-like beautiful face was flushed with embarrassment. She could only close her eyes and lean on his shoulder to rest. After a long while, she said: "It's very...very comfortable, sister...sister likes it when A-Zhao does this. However, it's not because it's comfortable that I want it, but because you are willing...willing to do that, to ease my pain, I feel very happy." She lowered her eyelids and continued softly: "A woman doesn't have lustful thoughts because her body is beautiful; she wants to give her body to that person because her heart is moved."

Jie Zhao felt a surge of tenderness in his heart and remained silent. Holding the beautiful woman in his arms, listening to each other's heartbeats, he suddenly felt that "everything is enough."

After two intense sexual encounters, Wen Qiongyu couldn't get out of bed all day. Li Erniang brought her lunch to the room, and the two ate and chatted, getting along very well.

Lao Tie had gone to the city to sell noodles early in the morning, but hadn't returned by noon. Wen Qiongyu inquired with Erniang and learned that this place was Quyin County, northwest of Zhongjing, less than a hundred li from the capital. It wasn't far, but it wasn't a prosperous or wealthy place, one of the five counties under the jurisdiction of Danjun. Quling City, the capital of Danjun, was the largest city among the five counties. Lao Tie had gone to Quling with his noodles, and including the time for trading, the round trip would take a full day.

Jie Zhao, having nothing to do, volunteered to chop firewood for Li Erniang in the afternoon. He suffered from the Six Yin Meridians and had already been weakened twice. Even lifting an axe felt strenuous. After chopping half a pile of firewood, he was already drenched in sweat. He thought to himself, "So I'm not cut out for manual labor. I can't even finish one pile despite all my strength. If I have to make a living as a woodcutter, I'll probably starve to death." Just as he was about to throw down the broken axe, the words "strenuous effort" flashed through his mind. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him:

"Firewood is to me what dough is to my second aunt. She said, 'Making dough requires all your strength, otherwise the dough will lack elasticity and won't be chewy.' She also said, 'If you use your strength skillfully, you can make dozens of pounds of dough a day, which is enough for a woman like me.' Using strength and using skill are completely different, isn't that contradictory? So, should I use strength or skill when chopping firewood?" He thought about all the sword techniques he had learned in his life, and according to the method, he moved his wrist, used his arm, twisted his waist, and exerted his strength. With a swift movement, the axe fell, and "whoosh!" it split the firewood pile. It was indeed lighter than before.

Jie Zhao was overjoyed: "Could this be the meaning of 'skillful force'? Indeed, skillful force is the right way. Second Sister's words about needing to use full strength might have been a slip of the tongue."

However, although the sword technique was beneficial for cutting and splitting, it still required strength. After chopping half a pile, Jie Zhao's hands and legs began to ache and weaken. Frustrated, he threw his axe down: "Strength and skill, it's all bullshit! This damned body of mine is useless!"

He was exhausted and frustrated, and just as he was wondering where to turn, he suddenly heard a few clanging sounds, and the sound of a zither drifted on the wind. At first, it was not a tune, just a few scattered strings, one on the left and one on the right, crisp and clear, like flowing water and falling flowers, echoing the cool evening breeze, not seeming abrupt. After an unknown amount of time, the strings were plucked more frequently, but the melody was very simple and easy to listen to, without complicated and varied fingering, like a stream with falling flowers meandering down, tinkling and splashing over the stones, stirring up countless crystal droplets.

Following the sound of the zither, Jie Zhao unknowingly arrived at the small house. Inside, Wen Qiongyu leaned against the couch, a zither resting on her lap covered with a brocade quilt. Her thick, dark eyelashes were lowered, and she casually plucked the strings. Her fair hands were even more delicate and exquisite than the jade tuning pegs of the zither.

She had changed into a clean peasant woman's outfit. A loose gray cloth straight-collared jacket still couldn't hide the proud curves of her breasts. The collar was open like a lotus leaf, revealing most of her fair neck. Her sleeves were rolled up a few times, and her jade-like wrists moved with the music. This rough village girl's attire looked more alluring on her than the gauze dress and brocade sash she had changed out of.

Li Erniang sat by the couch, casually gathering her thick hair into a bunch and bringing it to her left chest. The wooden comb in her hand swept straight down her hair, as if combing open a long, smooth, black stream, which further accentuated the fair and delicate skin of her chest and neck, making her incomparably beautiful.

After finishing her piece, Wen Qiongyu looked up and saw Jie Zhao leaning against the door, staring blankly. Her jade-like cheeks were slightly flushed, and her clear, bright eyes held a half-smile. "I haven't played in a long time, my fingering is rusty, you're not allowed to eavesdrop." Jie Zhao was startled and scratched his head, pondering, "I've heard countless masters in the capital, and I've heard even the most complex pieces played, but none are as refreshing as yours, sister.

What tune is this?"

Wen Qiongyu blushed, her eyes narrowing with a smile, "I just played a few notes on the wind and the rustling of leaves, what tune is there? Your flattery is far more impressive than my playing! My new piece is thanks to you, so let's call it 'Flattery Introduction'." As she spoke, she covered her mouth and chuckled, truly like a sudden burst of heavenly fragrance, brightening the entire room.

Li Erniang watched the siblings bickering with a smile, then suddenly sighed, "Young Master Zhao, your wife is truly remarkable. This zither is called 'Pine Breeze.' It was made by a master zither maker who, years ago, happened to pass through the mountains and heard the wind howling from a half-burnt paulownia tree, which had been destroyed by lightning. He knew he had encountered the rare 'Listening Wood,' and poured his heart and soul into its creation. The zither's tone is mellow and naturally beautiful, but it is not easy to play well. The more one tries to demonstrate their skills, the more they clash with the natural texture of the Listening Wood. The zither player suffers, the zither suffers, and the listener suffers too." As she spoke, she smiled broadly, a few fine lines appearing at the corners of her eyes.

“There are probably few in the world who can understand the temperament of ‘Songfeng’ so quickly, just like your wife.”

Wen Qiongyu smiled gently and said softly, “Second Aunt is making fun of me again.”

Jie Zhao was slightly surprised and raised his eyebrows: “This zither belongs to Second Aunt?”

Second Aunt smiled and squinted: “It was part of my dowry when I was young. It’s a pity that such a fine zither ended up with a country bumpkin like me.” All three of them laughed. Li Erniang was very thoughtful. When she heard that Wen Qiongyu had a cold, she lit a charcoal brazier for winter and placed it in the room. She also took clothes for her to change into, washed and hung up the yellow silk shirt and inner pocket that she had changed out of, taking meticulous care of her.

The three chatted casually for a while, when Li Erniang, suddenly struck by inspiration, clapped her hands and said, "Oh dear! I forgot! Maybe I can cure your cold ailment. Our Quling County is famous for something that has a natural and miraculous effect on dispelling cold. Why don't you give it a try, young lady?" Jie Zhao and Wen Qiongyu were half-believing and half-doubting, but Li Erniang had already gotten up and was leaving. She turned back and waved repeatedly, "Young Master Zhao, what are you still standing there for? Hurry up and bring your wife here!" Jie Zhao hesitated for a moment, then saw Wen Qiongyu nod slightly. He wrapped her in a mink coat, carried her horizontally, and chased after her.

Li Erniang led the two men to the back of the house, through a winding bamboo grove, and they came to a small thatched hut with a stone slab floor. Steam faintly rose from the simple wooden door and thatched walls, and it felt warm as soon as they got close. Second Aunt Li pushed open the wooden door, dispersing the white mist to reveal a stone-lined recess in the thatched hut. A bamboo tube was inserted into the recess, its opening plugged with bundles of straw, from which white water continuously leaked. It turned out the heat was emanating from the water inside the tube.

"In our Quling County, there's a Shima Mountain, famous for its hot springs. This mountain behind us is a branch of Shima Mountain, and it also has springs. Our husband split bamboo to make a tube and brought the hot springs here. Whenever our arms ache, we come here to wash, and it feels so good!"

Second Aunt Li said, wiping the stone trough clean with dry bamboo leaves. She then removed the bundles of straw, and suddenly a stream of milky-white spring water gushed out of the bamboo tube, steaming hot, but without the pungent sulfurous odor of ordinary hot springs. The water flowed very quickly, filling the trough in no time, and the thatched hut was filled with wisps of white mist.

Second Aunt Li plugged the bamboo tube and laughed, "You two young people enjoy your bath. I won't disturb you." She covered her mouth and withdrew, giggling to herself. Wen Qiongyu was greatly embarrassed by Li Erniang's gaze and stubbornly refused to undress until her footsteps were drowned out by the sound of the wind in the bamboo forest. Only then did Jie Zhao strip naked and sit down in the tub, covering his chest.

"Ah! So comfortable..." She couldn't help but close her eyes, raising her beautiful neck. All her strength seemed to vanish in an instant, and she lay limply at the bottom of the tub. Only her two large, round, snow-white breasts floated on the milky surface of the water, their proud peaks topped with two tender red buds.

It was a hot bath, just like by the stream, but today it was different. Although Jie Zhao didn't feel that Li Erniang had any ill intentions, he felt uneasy. He kept his sword in his hand, only scooping water from the edge of the tub to rinse his sister's smooth, white skin, not daring to undress and bathe with her.

"Sister, don't you think that 'Pine Breeze' is too precious a dowry for a country peasant woman?"

Wen Qiongyu smiled slightly.

"That zither isn't called 'Pine Breeze.'"

"Oh?" Jie Zhao raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "So Second Aunt lied to us?"

"The story she told wasn't wrong, but she deliberately changed the name. The ancient master zither maker Lü Qiu Gu He encountered a scorched paulownia tree and recognized it as a rare and precious material. He split the tree into a zither, inscribed 'Heavenly Sound and Peaceful Life,' ranking seventeenth in the world's famous zither score, 'Qing Feng Yin,' making it incomparably valuable. It's said that this zither appeared in Chu Xu City in the south more than thirty years ago, but it was lost long ago. Unexpectedly, it's hidden in this small farmhouse."

Chu Xu City is the largest city in the south of Zhongchen Prefecture, situated at the transportation hub of the Zulong River, a major river in the south. Several generations have established their capital here, making it extremely prosperous and wealthy. When the Xuanwu Dynasty of the Yuwen clan first rose to power, Chu Xu City was designated as "Jiangdu." Later, when the barbarians of Xihe Prefecture invaded, the southern martial arts world, led by the Hundred Army Alliance, resisted the barbarians across the Zulong River, preserving the city's appearance. To this day, it continues to prosper, its prosperity even surpassing that of the newly emerging Zhongjing.

Jie Zhao was unaware of the origins of the Tianyin Pingshou Qin, and wondered, "Since she brought the qin out, why hide it so much? If she didn't want to reveal the name 'Tianyin Pingshou,' why would she expose that she possessed a qin?" Remembering Lao Tie's astonishing strength and deliberately concealed martial arts, he felt even more suspicious.

Wen Qiongyu smiled lightly, "That's not hard to guess. Ultimately, it all boils down to one word: 'addiction.'"

"Addiction?"

"Yes!" Wen Qiongyu's forehead was damp with sweat from the hot spring, and a faint blush rose to her skin, especially her chest and cheeks, which seemed to be stained with rose petals, further highlighting her smooth, delicate skin. "For example... what do you like most, that you feel terrible if you don't see it for a day?"

Jie Zhao almost blurted out "women," but he was quick-witted, his eyes darting around, his face beaming: "Then it can only be my sister."

Wen Qiongyu glared at him, feigning anger, "Pah! You're so frivolous." After teasing him for a while, she suppressed a laugh and said, "People often have addictions, and when they encounter someone with the same hobby, they feel an urge to speak out. I bet Second Sister was a skilled zither player in her youth, it's no wonder she kept her priceless zither hidden here."

Even though Lao Tie and Li Second Sister's origins were a mystery, it seemed they were still within the grasp of the beautiful older sister. Hearing her speak so casually, Jie Zhao relaxed a little, his tense nerves loosening, and a wave of aches and pains washed over him, causing him to wince and cry out in pain. Wen Qiongyu laughed, "Shima Hot Spring is famous throughout the world, and it's not just for show. You...you should also take a dip." Her voice trailed off as she spoke, her neck turning red with embarrassment.

Jie Zhao hesitated for a moment, but he couldn't resist the invitation from his beautiful sister. He quickly took off his clothes and boots, washed his body, hands, and feet with water, and laughed, "I'm all sweaty, I don't want to offend my fragrant sister." Wen Qiongyu felt a mixture of shyness and delight. She covered her breasts with her jade-like hands and bit her lip, saying, "You little rascal, you're just so...so pleasing."

Jie Zhao slid into the pool. The stone pool wasn't very wide, and as he rubbed against his sister's skin, he felt her entire body was smooth. He could clearly feel her exquisite and proud curves with just his skin. His erect penis trembled. If it weren't for the fact that his sister's vulva was swollen and unsuitable for penetration, he probably wouldn't have been able to control himself and would have mounted her.

Blushing, their naked bodies intertwined, Wen Qiongyu nestled in his arms, her plump, full breasts pressing against her brother's chest. Their skin, seemingly moistened by the slippery hot spring water, became even smoother, yet her slender, delicate body felt weightless.

Jie Zhao stretched out his arms freely, his muscles gently soothed by the warm, moist water. With his soft body in his arms, the steam carrying the fresh, sweet scent of his sister filled the thatched hut, a delightful and indescribable sensation. Wen Qiongyu extended a slender, white hand, like a crane's neck, and gently massaged his shoulders and arms, softly asking, "What were you doing just now? Why are you so tired?" Her small hands were weak, unable to loosen his stiff muscles, but her touch was incredibly delicate and soothing. Her slightly reproachful tone was full of concern, like a wife tending to her man.

Jie Zhao enjoyed the sensation, closing his eyes for a moment before recounting the plan he had painstakingly devised.

Wen Qiongyu's small hands moved nimbly. She lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment, then said thoughtfully, "I don't understand martial arts, but according to the martial arts manuals I've read, martial arts aim to maximize the effectiveness of injuring others. Great strength can knock an enemy down with a single blow, referring to attitude and determination; skillful technique, on the other hand, is about accelerating the defeat of the enemy and avoiding exhaustion, referring to technique and method. The two are not contradictory at all; they are practically two different things."

"That's the difference between what's written in the books and actual combat," Jie Zhao shook his head and smiled wryly.

"If I use all my strength in a punch, it's difficult to control my technique, let alone make any follow-up moves. That's why the martial arts of Tiancheng Mountain teach people to 'use seven parts of their strength and keep three parts for themselves.' When you reach a high level of mastery, you can defeat your enemy with only five or even three parts of your strength, while still keeping seven parts of your strength unreleased, allowing for endless variations. The Jie family's 'Blazing Sun Sword Technique' is a decisive sword strike with no regrets once it's used. It's said that 'the Blazing Sun Sword Style wards off evil with its radiance.' However, even such a decisive sword technique involves releasing nine parts and keeping one part for itself, precisely to maintain the continuity of the sword style and adapt to actual combat." "Unpredictable changes."

Wen Qiongyu hummed in agreement, her mind elsewhere, and casually remarked, "So there are so many considerations in actual combat. Indeed, one cannot rely solely on classical texts. I saw in that scroll of 'The Illusory Hand of Emptiness and Darkness' that many techniques and principles of corresponding illusions and realities are recorded, which coincide with what you said... However, in this case, one statement no longer makes sense." She murmured to herself, her five slender fingers, which had been massaging him, unconsciously began to draw circles and write, as if she were using Jie Zhao's chest as a sand table without realizing it.

Jie Zhao found her focused and thoughtful demeanor particularly charming, a stark contrast to her alluring charm during intercourse, making him even more aroused. He couldn't help but kiss the small silver pendant on her forehead, but Wen Qiongyu seemed oblivious. He was suddenly overcome with both childlike and lustful impulses. He turned his left hand and reached out with his five fingers to grab her left nipple. His fingertips hooked the soft, white flesh of her breast and brushed against the delicate, rosy nipple. The large breast swayed as he grabbed it, and ripples spread across the white flesh.

Wen Qiongyu's breasts were extremely sensitive, especially the base and tips, which were her most vulnerable spots. She groaned as his hand gripped hers, clutching his hand tightly, panting softly, "You...you're so mean! Why are you making things worse?" Jie Zhao, finally regaining her attention, intertwined his fingers with hers, grinning mischievously, "Sister, if you've figured something out, I'll help you."

Wen Qiongyu blushed and spat at him, "Nonsense...nonsense!" Composing herself, she continued, "The general principles of 'Empty Illusionary Netherworld Hand' are clearly stated in the opening lines: 'When a lion hunts a rabbit, it must exert all its strength. Only by leaving no opening can it seize the prize.' The subsequent techniques are complex and varied, clearly emphasizing skillful application. According to you, if strength and skill cannot be combined, wouldn't these four general principles just be adding unnecessary trouble?" Jie

Zhao, having just received the scroll, had been eagerly searching for the internal energy cultivation method section and hadn't paid attention to the general principles. The reason he wanted to find a way to solve his troubles in this martial art was because Hou Sheng's use of "Stabbing the Sun and Tattooing Evil" was so powerful that it was the most powerful he had ever seen. He never expected that "Empty Illusionary Netherworld Hand" was a martial art that was known for its ever-changing techniques.

He took out the leather scroll from the inner pocket of Wen Qiongyu's clothes. Sure enough, the beginning of the scroll had sixteen characters: "When a lion hunts a rabbit, it must exert all its strength and leave no gaps to escape in order to win." After skipping over the internal energy cultivation method, the scroll was full of complicated and ingenious techniques. Each portrait in the scroll had thirty-two hands. Some were as long as clotheslines, reaching several feet. Others were as short as fish fins. Several palms were intertwined and overlapping, just like magic tricks and flower drums. It was impossible to even imitate them, let alone use them with all one's strength.

“Hou Sheng didn’t use such a strange method,” Jie Zhao murmured. “I remember he just pulled hard like that, that’s all. How can a person with only two arms… how can they use the martial arts of thirty-two hands? This ‘Blood Sea Forged’ Lian Qingxie is either a madman who writes nonsense when he’s insane, or he’s a big bad guy who deliberately made up this kind of thing to make people go mad.”

Wen Qiongyu laughed, “Maybe he really solved the contradiction between ‘force’ and ‘skill’ and recorded it in the scroll, but we just can’t understand it. If that’s the case, my brother is amazing, actually studying the same problem as a grandmaster of martial arts.”

Jie Zhao shook his hands wildly, “I don’t want to! What if my sister doesn’t want me if I become a wicked old madman?” The two teased each other and felt their affection deepened, and before they knew it, dusk had fallen. When they got dressed and returned to the front room, Lao Tie had already returned from selling noodles, still cold and silent.

Li Erniang prepared a table full of vegetables, and the four of them sat around the table to eat. She chatted and laughed with her siblings, ignoring Lao Tie, but occasionally putting some food into her husband's bowl, saying softly, "This bracken in oil is good, eat more." Or she would say, "This year's lettuce is fatter than last year's, so I specially used sesame oil to stir-fry it." Lao Tie lowered his head and ate all the vegetables in his bowl.

For the next few days, Jie Zhao got up very early to go to the noodle shop to make noodles with Li Erniang, inevitably getting covered in soot. Li Erniang was very good-natured and always smiled as she cleaned up the mess for him, not minding at all. Lao Tie carried the noodles out early in the morning, and since no one was doing the chores at home, Jie Zhao helped chop wood and carry water.

Wen Qiongyu had rested for many days and had been nourished by the world-famous Shima Hot Springs, so she was able to get out of bed and walk around, and her complexion was even more radiant than when she first arrived. She recovered, and the young couple spent many nights together, their lovemaking intense. Jie Zhao was incredibly patient with her, slowly guiding her to enjoy the pleasures of the bedchamber. He felt that his sister's beauty was inexhaustible, as if she grew more alluring with each passing day, even her shyness and reserve were captivatingly charming, perfectly incongruous with her refined and gentle beauty—truly a rare gem. During the

day, Wen Qiongyu mostly stayed indoors, with the scroll containing the "Empty Illusionary Hand Technique" spread out beside her. She would play the zither while reading it, often lost in thought. Jie Zhao, however, received much help and discovered that when he chopped firewood in rhythm with the zither music, it seemed less strenuous. He would unknowingly chop several piles without feeling particularly tired.

After a few more days, he gradually became able to pull noodles into shape. Although he was far less skillful and efficient than his second aunt, and hadn't reached the level of "eight hundred grips," he could already open and close the dough more than twenty times, stretching a three-pound dough ball into more than a hundred noodles. Li Erniang couldn't help but exclaim, "Young master, you are truly the most intelligent man in the world! It took me three whole months to learn this skill, yet you only took ten days!"

Jie Zhao laughed, "It's not because I'm clever, but thanks to my sister."

"Your wife?" Li Erniang looked surprised.

"Indeed." Jie Zhao said with a smile, "Every day when I'm chopping wood, as soon as I hear her zither music, my body unconsciously becomes lighter, and before I know it, I've finished chopping without feeling tired, like...like dancing."

Li Erniang covered her mouth and chuckled, intending to say something to tease him, but suddenly her eyes opened, as if she had realized something, and she stared intently at Jie Zhao. Jie Zhao laughed, "When you're really into dancing, you don't feel tired. Why is that? Because your movements are in sync with the music, and your heart is filled with joy. The movements of your hands and feet are all driven by your heart, so there's no unnecessary exertion."

Jie Zhao was of noble birth and had studied sacrificial dances since childhood. The Jie family came from the western border, a place known for its strength and martial prowess. They inherited many of the customs of the barbarians of Xihe Prefecture, and their ancestral home in Yunyang had a long tradition of "war dances." Many of the moves in the "Eight Formations for Pacifying the Barbarians" incorporated the postures of border war dances, which were grand and bold. The way Xiao Jie Ying danced the Yunyang war dance was a perfect blend of gentleness, allure, and heroic spirit, making it indescribably captivating.

“I couldn’t learn the skill from Second Sister,” he continued, “so I could only observe her hand and foot movements every day, find the right rhythm and beat, and try to imitate it. When I moved to that rhythm, the force I used was just enough to stretch a hundred noodles. I don’t know if this is what Second Sister called ‘skillful force,’ but it’s true that too much force won’t stretch them enough, and too little force won’t stretch them enough. To match that body rhythm, you have to use that much force.”

Jie Zhao wasn’t bragging. He was good at observing women’s figures, and his mastery of this skill was probably unmatched in the world. Observing from behind every day, he quickly mastered the rhythm of Li Erniang’s shoulder, waist, leg, and arm movements when she stretched noodles, and he noticed the subtle details and grasped them very skillfully.

Making noodles is like performing martial arts. The key to boxing and swordsmanship is not only the fist and sword, but more importantly, the coordination of the whole body. Many noodle masters may not be able to figure it out even after a lifetime of hard work, but he grasped the precious secret at once because of his skill in observing women’s figures.

To reach an even higher level, pulling two hundred, three hundred, or even eight hundred strands, requires a more sophisticated technique. This is the skill gap between Li Erniang and Jie Zhao; it's not that Erniang's "eight hundred grips" are easy, nor that Jie Zhao has any special genius in crafting.

Li Erniang was stunned for a long time, then stroked his palm before nodding and saying, "So that's how it is. So pulling one hundred strands is actually this simple! Father was... absolutely right." Her eyelashes fluttered, and tears streamed down her face.

Jie Zhao panicked for a moment, but Li Erniang smiled, wiped away her tears, and shook her head, saying, "Oh dear! Look at me. When Father taught me this skill, he said I had a special talent and would definitely learn it, but I never believed it. It turns out... it's just as simple as dancing."

That night, Jie Zhao was bored in his room. He drew his long sword, polished it, and casually gestured with it. Suddenly, he said, "Sister, I think I understand the meaning of those sixteen characters."

Wen Qiongyu placed her zither case on the couch, tapped it lightly with her fingers, and casually asked, "What?" "

When a lion hunts a rabbit, it must exert all its strength. Only by leaving no opening can it seize the rabbit." Jie Zhao pondered, casually holding his sword level, the gleaming blade gleaming. “To kill someone, a light stab is enough; even a three-year-old child can do it. My sister is weak, yet she was able to kill Hou Sheng. I once killed a villain named He Yanyong, whose martial arts were far superior to mine… I have been searching for a way to overcome the ‘Six Yin Meridians’ constitution and cultivate powerful internal strength, but little did I know that with my current strength, I am more than capable of killing someone.”

Wen Qiongyu’s heart stirred, and she raised her head.

Jie Zhao lightly brandished his longsword, speaking to himself, "Ninety percent of the strength in this sword strike was wasted. There was too much hesitation and worry—the desire to attack and defend, the sudden movement followed by a pause. If it were simpler, whether attacking, defending, or feinting to lure the enemy, just a fraction of the strength would suffice. It's like the art of pulling noodles—too much is not enough, too little is not enough; to pull the noodles, you only need that much strength. Don't strive for more, just strive for no waste."

"When a lion hunts a rabbit, why does it use all its strength? A single claw strike is enough to kill. If that claw strike is used effectively, the rabbit cannot escape; 'full strength' actually means 'seeking the full extent of power.'" With

a flick of his sword, Jie Zhao turned back, smiling slightly, "This principle is simple, but putting it into practice is not easy. I'm afraid I'll have to start all over again with all the martial arts I've learned so far."

Wen Qiongyu's cheeks flushed, and she gazed at him with a smile, remaining silent for a long time. Jie Zhao snapped

out of his daze, realizing his boastful words. He stuck out his tongue and frowned, saying, "Sister, what's wrong?

Your face is so red. Are you feeling unwell?" He quickly sat down on the edge of the bed and reached out to touch her forehead. Wen Qiongyu let out a soft moan and nestled into his arms, her eyes misty and wet, and she murmured shyly, "Sister... Sister is just very happy.

I... I've fallen for such a wonderful man."

Jie Zhao couldn't help but hug her tightly, but then he heard Wen Qiongyu chuckle softly, "My brother is so capable, I can't lose to him. Tomorrow, you'll go to Quling City with Uncle Lao Tie. Besides finding out what's happening in Zhongjing, you can also buy some things for your sister." She took off her gold hairpin and handed it to him, carefully listing the items. Besides the Four Treasures of the Study, there was also a sand table, a small mallet for a dulcimer, and other things that left him bewildered.

Seeing his puzzled expression, Wen Qiongyu smiled and stroked his cheek: "Silly boy, your sister is drawing a picture book and doing some small experiments. I've thought of a way to unlock the secret!" She gestured with her soft hand, pointing to the dark, flat box on the couch. It wasn't a zither case at all; it was the peerless weapon—"The Sun-Slaying Evil-Tattooing Weapon"!

◇ ◇ ◇

More than ten days had passed since the disappearance of Jie Zhen and Jie Jinglei, the two former masters of Zhaori Manor.

Those who had originally expected chaos in Suiping Prefecture, or even a renewed struggle for supremacy among the martial arts world of Zhongjing, had been bored for a full ten days. Suiping Prefecture was operating normally, with all comings and goings proceeding as before. Suddenly, Jie Ping's name spread throughout the martial arts world of the capital. Everyone knew that it was that refined, elegant, gentle, and polite young lady who had stabilized the situation.

Not only did she send out notices in the name of Jie Zhen to the eight prefectures and sixty-one counties near the capital, ordering martial arts practitioners to closely monitor the whereabouts of Jie Zhao and Wen Qiongyu, but she also met with Yao Wuyi through Qu Fengzhao of the Shenji Camp, urging him to petition the court to grant the unconscious Jie Zhen the title of Yueqi Colonel, a fourth-rank official.

"At this crucial moment, instead of seeking help from your father and uncle, you're here to ask for an official position for your third brother?" Yao Wuyi was extremely busy at the time; the Jie family's affairs had disrupted his plans, and the emperor had summoned him three times in one day. Faced with the young emperor's inquiries, the usually shrewd old eunuch couldn't answer anything and took his anger out on those around him upon his return. Looking at this dark-skinned girl, whose appearance wasn't particularly beautiful, Yao Wuyi couldn't help but be intrigued.

"This is for the Jie family, and also for you, Eunuch," Jie Ping said slowly but clearly, without hesitation, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

In fact, if Jie Zhen's position wasn't secured, the old residence in Yunyang would surely seize the opportunity to retaliate. Yao Wuyi had assisted Jie Zhen in suppressing the western frontier for many years. Once the Yunyang family took control of the clan, those old-fashioned men who had been mixed with barbarians for years would certainly not serve him. The Zhaori Manor, which he had supported for many years, would break free from his control and might even join the enemy camp.

Yao Wuyi, after assessing the situation, specifically petitioned the Emperor to appoint Jie Zhen as General of the Yueqi Cavalry. This honorary title of General was not like that of a Colonel; it had no real power to command troops and was specifically used to reward meritorious officials or as a preparatory stage for hereditary titles. By issuing this decree, Yao Wuyi was tantamount to acknowledging Jie Zhen's legitimate status as the Duke of Yunyang County.

When the official seal bearing the "Red Sun Wheel" of the Zhaori Manor's lord, along with the document appointing the Yueqi General as his officer, arrived in Yunyang by express courier, the elders of the Yunyang ancestral home gritted their teeth: "Damn it! They beat us to it!" However, the letter's humble wording and courteous manners, especially its attitude of not treating Yunyang as subordinate but rather appealing to kinship, contrasted sharply with the arrogant and domineering behavior of the Jiezhen brothers in the past, instantly winning over the people of Yunyang. After discussing the matter behind closed doors, the elders only sent a messenger back with a verbal message: "If there are any changes in the capital, we are willing to lend a helping hand." A anticipated family upheaval vanished without a trace, leaving countless busybodies in the capital feeling utterly disappointed.

Suiping Prefecture lost its peerless master but gained the Flying Tiger elite cavalry stationed there. Jie Ping selected 150 elite soldiers to be stationed permanently in the manor, but recalled Fang Donghuan, the commander of the Flying Tiger Cavalry, known as "Howling Feather Eagle," to establish a base in Fangying Valley, three miles outside the capital, and gradually moved the Xiangshan troops back. In this way, the military strength of Suiping Prefecture far surpassed its previous level, making its power even more formidable. The officials and

commoners in Zhongjing responded with even greater deference than when Jie Zhen was in charge.

"The manor and Xiangshan are now united; Father and Uncle's long-cherished wish has been fulfilled under these circumstances," Jie Ping murmured softly, pausing her writing as she stacked the completed documents on her desk.

The large desk in the study was piled high with various account books, neatly categorized and arranged. The household employed seven or eight accountants and scribes, and with the constant updates on documents and intelligence reports sent from Fangying Valley and Xiangshan, she could easily handle all the paperwork for over a dozen people. She still had time each day to wash her third brother's wounds, prepare and administer his medicine, talk to him, and do some needlework.

Thinking of Jie Zhen's handsome appearance, her heart fluttered, her cheeks flushed, and she felt like a lovesick eighteen-year-old girl again. Her busy work seemed to ease, and her worries about her father's safety were somewhat relieved. Just as she was lost in thought, Gongsun Quji, who had been promoted to steward, rushed in and bowed, saying, "Miss Tang, Miss... she's back!"

Jie Ping only looked up and smiled, casually picked up an account book, and continued writing at her desk: "Aying? I haven't seen her in so long! Please ask Steward Gongsun to bring her to the study, and instruct the kitchen to prepare Miss's favorite tea and snacks. After I finish reviewing these, we sisters can have a good chat." Gongsun Quji

stroked his goatee and said carefully, "Miss went into the courtyard; I couldn't stop her."

"Then let her rest for a while." Jie Ping still didn't look up, smiling, "I'll go find her in a bit."

"Miss went to Third Master's courtyard! She closed the door and won't let anyone in."

Jie Ping suddenly stood up.

◇ ◇ ◇

"Hello, Third Brother."

Jie Ying smiled sweetly, her snow-white face illuminating the simply decorated bedroom, like a celestial maiden scattering flowers, filling the room with fragrance.

Jie Zhen leaned against the soft pillows, sitting on the couch, his casually draped shirt open, revealing his bare chest wrapped in a white cloth. His face was still somewhat pale, his cheeks slightly thin, as if he had not yet fully recovered from his injury; Jie Ying's smile, however, was like a spark, igniting his ashen eyes, and in an instant, a subtle change occurred on Jie Zhen's face, as if stagnant water had suddenly bubbled and bubbled.

"You...you're back!"

"With such a big thing happening at home, how could I not come back?" Jie Ying walked over with a smile, her slender and graceful figure swaying gracefully, a small string of pearl earrings on her white jade-like earlobes, swaying like willow branches in the wind, yet not as slender and charming as her waist. "Is Third Brother feeling better?"

Jie Zhen suddenly became confused, as if in a dream, and nodded hesitantly.

"Much better... much better."

Jie Ying smiled as she sat on the edge of the couch, her delicate fragrance wafting from her collar. Since she had grown up, Jie Zhen had rarely had the opportunity to be so close to her. His heart suddenly pounded violently, the sensation so intense that even his wounds ached from the sudden surge of his chest. It wasn't

until Jie Ying picked up the medicine bowl from the table, turned her back, and gently breathed on it to cool it, then gracefully brought the spoon to his lips.

When she entered the room, she had dismissed all the servants and maids. It was the tonic soup the maids had left on the table.

Jie Ying chuckled softly, as if coaxing a child: "Come on! Be good, open your mouth, let your sister serve your third brother his medicine."

(If I could trade Zhao Ri Manor... no! Even the entire martial arts world for this moment, would I trade it?)

Jie Zhen narrowed his eyes, staring blankly at her exquisitely beautiful face, greedily cramming her smile into his mind and heart, a dazed feeling mixed with the stinging pain and bewilderment of parting.

Jie Ying mistook his intoxication for hesitation, her smile suddenly turning cold: "Is Third Brother afraid I've poisoned you, and dares not drink it?" Jie Zhen was lost in thought, seemingly still immersed in the tenderness and sweetness of the moment, wishing he could look at her a few more times; in a moment of hesitation, he almost opened his mouth to drink, but then a chill ran through him, and he truly hesitated.

Jie Ying sneered: "What did you do, afraid someone would poison you? If you won't drink, I will!" She brought the spoon to her lips. Jie Zhen remembered his younger sister's decisiveness, and a sudden chill ran through him, fearing she might take the opportunity to poison him. He swung the bowl and spoon away, and with a "clang!" the porcelain bowl shattered on the ground.

"Are you crazy!" He glared at her fiercely, still shaken, a trace of color returning to his pale face.

"Astragalus and wolfberry stewed perch, is it really necessary to be so nervous?" Jie Ying gritted her teeth, a cruel smile playing on her beautiful cherry lips. "Speak! Where is Fourth Brother? Where did you hide him?"

Jie Zhen finally came to his senses, his heart aching, but his face remained cold.

"I want to know too."

Jie Ying suddenly flew into a rage, her almond-shaped eyes widening as she hissed, "I agreed to cooperate with you, what did you promise me?

You said: 'I guarantee Jie Zhao's safety, that he will be completely unharmed. If I break this oath, may I, Jie Zhen, be pierced by ten thousand arrows and die!' I made those arrangements for you, fulfilling my promise; according to your promise, Fourth Brother should be safely in the Ministry of Justice prison right now... Where is he? Where did you put him?"

She approached his face, her eyes flashing with murderous intent, like a beautiful little she-wolf. Jie Zhen suddenly felt absurdity:

she possessed the strongest and most intense Jie clan spirit, more like the king of the wilderness on the grasslands of Xihe Prefecture than the Jie army from Yunyang, hidden deep within her fair and delicate body, wild, fierce, fearless of death, with a self-destructive intensity and beauty.

Judging solely from her decisive personality, this daughter, to whom she bears no blood relation, is likely the most like Jie Zhen among his five children.

"I really don't know where he went," Jie Zhen said, spreading his hands, a sneer in his eyes. "My second uncle's seizure of power was beyond my foresight; the sudden death of Huang Ting Patriarch was beyond my foresight; Jie Zhao's acquittal and my second uncle's plan to exile us to Tiancheng Mountain were also beyond my foresight. The attack on the way and Jie Zhao's escape were even more unpredictable. Isn't it a bit absurd for my sister to ask me for him?"

Jie Ying was momentarily speechless, but her eyes remained unwavering. Her anger slowly faded, replaced by hatred.

The Princess of Donghai was not yet sixteen, but her body and mind were already those of a woman. She understood the desire in a man's eyes—that primal gaze that sought to completely possess the female, even at the cost of excluding other males.

From the very beginning, Jie Zhen had no intention of letting him go.

“If anything happens to him, I’ll make you pay double. If he loses one hand, I’ll lose two of yours; if he loses one leg, I’ll lose both of yours…” she said calmly, slowly rising to her feet. “If he dies, I’ll teach you a pain worse than death.”

"What's so good about him?" Jie Zhen grabbed her delicate wrist, his eyes bloodshot, his usual gentleness completely gone. "A cripple! Yet you're so devoted to him! I love you just as much... no! Even more than him, why do you disdain me?"

Jie Ying's wrist was pinched painfully, but she gritted her teeth and didn't utter a sound, coldly sneering, "What's so good about you? You despicable scoundrel!"

Jie Zhen pulled her close, pinching her pointed chin, his face full of malice. "Jie Zhen and Jie Jinglei are both gone. Now, I am the master of Suiping Prefecture! If you know what's good for you, sister, you should at least acknowledge me as the head of the family." He pinched her small face to kiss her, but suddenly felt a pain in his neck. He realized that Jie Ying held a sharp pearl-silver dagger in her hand, the tip pressed against his throat, already piercing his skin.

He suddenly burst into laughter, laughing so hard he clutched his forehead and neck, as if he had witnessed something utterly absurd. With a sudden twist of his wrist, he caught Jie Ying off guard, causing her to cry out in alarm, "Clang!" The silver dagger flew from her hand and landed at the foot of the bed. Jie Zhen leered and groped her breast, reaching for her clothes. Jie Ying slapped him hard across the face. Jie Zhen was startled by the slap, but was immediately struck again, and enraged, he retaliated with another slap.

Jie Ying was knocked backward onto the bed, her wrists firmly held down. Jie Zhen's eyes were bloodshot, his breath heavy, and saliva still lingered at the corners of his mouth. He began to undress her.

Jie Ying struggled free, shouting hatefully, "Jie Zhen! If you dare touch me, I'll have Yao Wuyi castrate you!"

Jie Zhen's hands continued, panting, "You think Yao Wuyi treats you like a treasure? You...you're just a gift he uses to win over Fu Fengzhi! He wants to marry you off to the Eighth Prince's son, gain the support of the Three Immortals Sect, and have them help him quell the northern rebellion and suppress the Southern Division's power...You're nothing but a gift!"

Jie Ying's breasts were roughly grabbed and kneaded wantonly, her body twisting incessantly. She gritted her teeth, refusing to utter a sound, but the contempt on her face remained undiminished: "Yao... Eunuch Yao's gift, you... you... um... you dare... ah... dare to touch it?"

Jie Zhen sneered: "Yao Wuyi has miscalculated! Fu Fengzhi has been retired for many years and is already half-dead. He would never get involved in such a big trouble for a little slut like you!" His lust surged, and hatred sprouted. He no longer cared about the time or place, ravaging her full breasts for a moment, then reaching under her skirt.

Jie Ying gritted her teeth and cried out, her slender and firm waist arching and twisting like a live shrimp. Jie Zhen became even more aroused, his fingers roughly rubbing her delicate thighs and crotch, lewdly laughing: "You... you're in such a hurry to sleep with the Eighth Prince, why don't you let me... ah—!" Before the scream could finish, her left ear was bitten hard, and blood gushed out!

He abruptly released his grip and leaped back, covering his left ear. Red stains trickled between his fingers, a horrifying sight. Suddenly seeing Jie Ying trying to escape, he grabbed her slender arm and pulled her close, saying viciously, "Want...want to leave? Not so easy! Today...I'm going to have you!"

Jie Ying was pulled to his chest, then suddenly smiled sweetly and said in a cloying voice, "Unfortunately, you can't touch this gift of mine. Her Majesty the Empress has agreed to act as matchmaker, betrothing me to the Eighth Prince's heir, Fu Pijiang. The Three Immortals Sect has already sent envoys to the north to investigate the situation in the twelve northern prefectures before deciding whether to intervene to quell the rebellion. Regardless of whether he leads the army or not, Fu Fengzhi has already allied with Eunuch Yao; do you dare touch the future Eighth Prince's consort?"

Jie Zhen was stunned upon hearing this. This news was enough to change the balance of power in Zhongjing, and it would likely cause a huge upheaval in both the court and the martial arts world—he had learned of this in advance from Jie Ying, gaining the most precious time to react, yet he felt no joy. A surge of jealousy and pain welled up in his heart, and he laughed bitterly, "Is that so? If the Eighth Prince knew that his future wife was not only not a virgin, but also a little harlot who had committed incest with her own brother, I wonder if he would still accept this gift?"

Jie Ying smiled sweetly.

"Ah, Third Brother reminded me, we have to kill him to silence him." With ten fingers, he ripped hard into Jie Zhen's chest, and Jie Zhen screamed in agony. The wound that had just begun to scab over burst open, and blood seeped through the layers of bandages, spreading rapidly in crimson. He collapsed onto the bed, twitching slightly, and the last trace of color on his face vanished instantly.

Jie Ying leaped out of bed, straightened her clothes and hair, when suddenly the door was flung open with a bang! Jie Ping rushed in, her face paling at the sight of Jie Zhen's bleeding wound. Jie Ying, however, greeted her calmly, "Hello, Sister Ping. It's been so long!"

Jie Ping eagerly stepped forward to examine him, but before she could take another step, she saw Jie Ying also take a small step back, bending down to pick up the sharp silver dagger. She immediately dared not approach further; her eyes fixed on the brocade bed, she forced a smile, "Your... your third brother's wound has scabbed over, let me take a look." By this time, Jie Zhen's blood had already stained the brocade bed, the dark red stain spreading rapidly. Jie Ping's heart was in her throat, but she dared not move rashly.

Jie Ying feigned surprise, "Oh dear, Sister, come quickly, I get dizzy when I see blood." Jie Ping knew she was being sarcastic, suppressing the urge to rush to the bedside, waiting for her to slowly approach.

—She had to wait until she was far enough away from the bed for her third brother to be safe.

Jie Ying toyed with her silver dagger, slowly walking past her, then suddenly stopped.

"Did you issue a warrant for Fourth Brother's arrest by waterway across eight prefectures and sixty-one counties?"

"It's not 'arrest,' I'm also worried about his safety," Jie Ping said calmly.

"He's not just your Fourth Brother, he's my Fourth Brother too. I will never let anyone else hurt him."

Jie Ping loved Third Brother, while Jie Ying only loved Jie Zhao; two women, each with their own love, seemed to have no reason for their relationship to be bad—but the truth was perhaps not so. To Jie Ying, Fourth Brother was the best man in the world, and of course she didn't want Jie Ping to feel the same way about him, yet she couldn't tolerate her beloved man being nothing in the eyes of other women.

The two women remained silent for a moment, then Jie Ying turned her head and smiled, "If you find Fourth Brother, you must inform me first, sister."

"I can do that," Jie Ping said, her eyes fixed on the brocade couch. Jie Zhen's face was as pale as paper, her breath barely a whisper.

Jie Ying's smile vanished, and she nodded, saying, "Whoever harms my fourth brother, I'll make them suffer terribly. I'll wait for my sister's good news in the palace." She tossed her wavy, slightly curled hair and strode out of the room.

Jie Ping rushed to the bedside, pressing a cloth tightly against Jie Zhen's wound. Jie Zhen cried out in pain, and Jie Ping frantically turned around, calling out, "Quick...quick, someone come! Quick, someone come!" After a few shouts, a petite maid ran in and asked, "Where are they? Where did they all go?" The maid stammered, "I don't know!"

Jie Ping had no choice but to work with her to turn Jie Zhen over, cut open the layers of gauze with scissors, and reapply medicine and bandages. Jie Ping had trained with her father since childhood and was very skilled at treating wounds from swords and other weapons; however, her concern clouded her judgment. Fortunately, the maid was quick and efficient, unfazed by the smell of blood, and the two worked seamlessly together, stopping the bleeding in no time.

Jie Ping wiped the sweat from her forehead and washed away the bloodstains in the copper basin. The maid then filled a basin with clean water, wrung out a cloth, and used it to wipe Jie Zhen's face and cover her forehead. Only then did Jie Ping get a clear look at the girl. She was no more than twelve or thirteen years old, with almond-shaped eyes and peach-like cheeks, very charming. Her skin was so white, like it had been coated with honey.

Jie Ping blurted out, "Which courtyard are you from? I've never seen you before." The little maid replied softly, "Replying to Miss Jie, I'm from the Third Master's courtyard. I haven't been here long and haven't served the Third Master yet." Jie Ping glanced at the bed and saw Jie Zhen nod with her eyes closed. She knew she was telling the truth.

The words "haven't been here long" sounded very friendly, and she liked the girl's efficiency and thoughtfulness. She smiled and said, "Alright. From today onwards, you will stay here to take care of the Third Master. If I can't come to change his medicine and feed him, you will be in charge. Are you willing?"

The little maid twisted the hem of her clothes, her face beaming with joy, "Yes...yes! I'm willing."

"I'll be troubling the Third Master from now on." Jie Ping was amused and smiled, feeling relieved. She asked,

"Everyone has a name. What should I call you?"

"Ping'er."

The girl smiled sweetly, the small vermilion mole under her left eye sparkling and captivating, a sweet fragrance of musk emanating from her bosom.

The next day, Jie Zhao got up especially early, only to find that Lao Tie had already left.

"These past few days, Ping Cui Lou in the city has ordered ten loads of fresh noodles, and your Uncle Lao Tie delivers them twice a day, so he had to leave early!" Li Erniang, hearing that he wanted to go to the city, showed a slight surprise: "Young master wants to go to the city, I'll have him wait for you for a while tomorrow, so you can look after each other on the way."

Jie Zhao laughed: "I'll also carry two loads for Uncle Tie, two people are always stronger than one."

Li Erniang covered her mouth and laughed: "Oh dear! Young master comes from a good family, how can you do such rough work?" The two then made an agreement that Lao Tie would take Jie Zhao to the city the next day. Jie Zhao returned to the room and saw Wen Qiongyu sitting reclining on the couch, reading a leather scroll, with "The Embroidered Sun and Tattooed Evil" beside her legs, her focused expression tinged with a hint of weariness.

These past few days, her mind had been completely focused on this box of peerless, ferocious artifacts. Even after their nights of tender intimacy, when she finally came to her senses, she would rest her head on her lotus-leaf arm, gazing at the moon in a daze, her slender

, jade-like fingers constantly writing on the damp, disheveled bedsheets. Sometimes, she would accidentally write on Jie Zhao's body, incurring his wrath. Not wanting to dampen her brother's enthusiasm, she would inevitably engage in another round of caresses. Seeing her disheveled hair and furrowed brows, Jie Zhao felt a pang of heartache and gently embraced her, saying softly, "Don't look! Who is Lian Qingxie? A world-renowned old monster. What's so interesting about his books? Be careful not to read too much and turn yourself into a seductive, alluring female monster." Wen Qiongyu chuckled, about to retort, when Jie Zhao suddenly picked her up, causing her to gasp in surprise.

"Don't look anymore!" Jie Zhao swept the jade-like woman in his arms and kicked open the door. "Come on, let's go to the hot spring! We'll wash her clean so we can cut her up and stew her until she's tender and fragrant." Wen Qiongyu was both amused and annoyed, a sweet feeling welling up inside her. She

pouted and said coquettishly, "Fine, do you think I'm a sow?" The two walked through the bamboo forest. Jie Zhao closed the thatched hut's wooden door, filled half a tub with milky hot spring water, tested the temperature, and then carried his sister into the tub. Wen Qiongyu blushed as he stripped her naked. As she slid into the hot spring, her delicate body trembled slightly, her shallow breaths quickening. She was so ashamed she almost fainted.

Even though they were extremely intimate, she was still not used to exposing her body without any cover in front of him. So, in bed, unless Jie Zhao was burning with lust and pouncing like a hungry tiger, she would crawl under the covers, wearing only a small undergarment, sometimes covering her chest with a brocade blouse, sometimes with a gauze garment, coyly inviting and shyly allowing him to take her. Compared to her incredibly beautiful and passionate body, this gentle and delicate reserve was far more alluring than her wanton and lewd behavior. This was one of the reasons why Jie Zhao sought pleasure with her day and night without tiring of it.

Seeing his sister's shy yet seductive expression, Jie Zhao couldn't help but swallow his saliva, unable to look away, and could only bend over and endure it. He casually pulled out the bamboo pipe that drew the water, only to find that the water flowed out in a thin, intermittent stream. Suddenly, he heard Wen Qiongyu cry out in surprise, covering her chest and turning away. Jie Zhao quickly carried her out of the bathtub and asked anxiously, "What's wrong?"

"That water...that water is so hot!" Wen Qiongyu was still in shock, her fair and smooth breasts heaving.

Jie Zhao reached into the water and, sure enough, the spot where the bamboo pipe dripped was extremely hot. His hand lingered for a moment before feeling the burning sensation, and he quickly withdrew it. Wen Qiongyu hurriedly dried herself and dressed, and Jie Zhao urgently called Li Erniang to come and see.

"Strange!" Erniang tested the water temperature, quickly withdrew her scalded hand, and pondered, "This hot spring was brought from the back mountain by our master. Could it be that the spring is blocked, or the pipe is broken?"

"Has this ever happened before?" Jie Zhao asked.

"The bamboo pipes are sturdy, but they can still be damaged by wild animals or rain. But this sudden scalding of the water is the first time in all these years."

Jie Zhao pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Second Sister, are there any other families around here? Do they use the hot springs?"

Li Erniang shook her head: "There are a few households on the other side of the mountain, but we don't have much contact, so I don't know. This bamboo pipe system was our head of the household's idea; I don't know if others would use it." She smiled, two rosy clouds rising on her round cheeks, a hint of pride in her expression.

Jie Zhao nodded and smiled, "Uncle Lao Tie isn't here, I'll go check on the back mountain. Please look after my wife, Second Sister." Wen Qiongyu's pretty face flushed slightly. Seeing him straightening his clothes and composed, not at all impetuous, she gazed at him and said softly, "Be careful, don't cause trouble. I... I'll wait for you here."

Jie Zhao smiled, "Don't worry, Sister, I'll take care of it." He left through the gate and headed towards the back mountain.

Only after he had gone far away did Wen Qiongyu turn her gaze back, brushing a damp strand of hair from her temple, and sighed softly.

Li Erniang smiled and said, "Since you're worried, why not just not let him go?"

Wen Qiongyu came back to her senses, shaking her head shyly; after a moment, she smiled slightly, her gaze fixed on the distance.

"I've heard that lions push their cubs off cliffs so they can climb back up themselves. Rather than keeping a man tied to your side, it's better to let him walk his own path; although it will hurt if he falls, I'm ready to rub his bruises and soothe his pain at any time."

"Let him... walk his own path?"

Li Erniang fell silent upon hearing this, her smile freezing on her face, her eyes suddenly becoming distant.

Jie

Zhao strolled through the forest along the bamboo pipes. Old Tie's water channel was ingeniously constructed, not far from the path, but one had to observe carefully for a moment to discern its direction. As he walked, he was gradually led deeper into the back of the mountain. The vegetation thinned, revealing gray-white rock ridges, and the terrain became steeper, requiring him to hold onto the rock face to continue. The wind carried a faint, pungent smell of sulfur, warm and suffocating.

Jie Zhao climbed for most of the hour, panting heavily, and several times considered turning back. But the thought of his sister bathing in the hot spring, her unconsciously blissful state, made him steel himself and grit his teeth to continue his struggle against the rugged rocky path. In fact, the Shima Hot Spring's water was gentle and nourishing, not only greatly beneficial to women's skin, making it smooth and delicate, but also very helpful for Wen Qiongyu's naturally cold constitution.

The bamboo pipes, having turned from their original dark green to a burnt brown, were covered with a layer of curd-like yellowish-white paste. Touching it, they found it to be hard—crystals of sulfur.

Jie Zhao climbed a small cliff, where a flat area, like a stone platform, stretched out. The bamboo pipes, which had been joined along the path, ended at the edge of a simple, dilapidated thatched hut. Several shallow streams of water, emitting steam, flowed out from outside the hut, but they were thin and weak, unlikely to form a stream or river, and probably would disappear underground before reaching the halfway point. Since Lao Tie's bamboo pipes could draw hot spring water from the hut, it seemed the spring itself was located inside.

Jie Zhao disassembled a section of the bamboo pipe and, sure enough, found only a few remnants inside, with no water flowing. He sneered inwardly, "Good! I've run into a highway robber."

The Jie family owned several mansions and gardens on the outskirts of Zhongjing, each serving as a retreat from the summer heat or winter cold, depending on its location. One of them, "Yan Shan Garden," was built near a famous spring on Ziyun Mountain. It had a hidden brick path leading to sweet water, and was quite famous in the capital. When Jie Zhao was young, he had visited the garden with his father to escape the summer heat, and a strange incident had occurred where the sweet water well dried up. Later, an investigation revealed that someone had dug open the brick waterway in Yan Shan Garden, presumably to steal some of the spring's good water. However, the thief was ignorant of hydrological engineering; after digging the path, he couldn't rebuild it, and the sweet water overflowed from the opening, leaving Yan Shan Garden at the foot of the mountain without a drop of water.

Upon seeing the dry bamboo pipe, Jie Zhao guessed that someone had stolen the water. He had brought his sword up the mountain not only for self-defense but also to sever his worldly ties and achieve a state of tranquility. He put the bamboo tube back in, stood up, and looked around, but couldn't find any other branch. Only Old Tie's bamboo tube extended from the hut; there were no other branches.

"Could the spring have dried up?"

Jie Zhao wondered, and was about to push open the door when he suddenly heard a sharp "clang." His chest and abdomen felt as if they were being violently shaken, bubbling and churning. His blood boiled and then suddenly froze; he could neither see nor hear. Everything went black, and though he opened his mouth, no sound came out, yet his consciousness was perfectly clear. This feeling was less like pain and more like an extremely eerie experience.

Jie Zhao stood there in front of the hut, mouth agape and hands raised, for an unknown amount of time before slowly taking a step back.

This step was like flipping a switch that had been blocking his senses. Suddenly, his blood seemed to flow again, and all the stinging pain, nausea, vomiting, and dullness... jolted him awake. Jie Zhao jerked backward, collapsing to the ground and dry heaving, vomiting profusely, feeling dizzy, and seeing stars. Then, that void enveloped him again.

(He'd...he'd been possessed!)

Jie Zhao vomited until tears streamed down his face, his limbs weak. In his hazy consciousness, the "Cloud Dream Body" concentration technique naturally activated. His mind seemed to be locked in a completely dark chamber. Although his five senses were temporarily cut off, his mind became clearer.

This was definitely not due to internal energy. A master of the Six Absolutes level might be able to unleash invisible force from their internal energy, attaching it to the sound of a zither or the flow of air to kill, just like Feng Nan's invincible "Heavenly Monarch Blade" in the dilapidated temple that night. But no matter how the form changes, internal energy is internal energy. Entering the body might injure tendons and sever meridians, shatter bones and congeal blood, resulting in death or injury, but it's not this eerie feeling of the soul being ripped away. It's like... it's like...

something has "occupied" his body!

As his thoughts reached this point, his body's reactions seemed to recover somewhat. He felt himself move his fingers, and images seemed to flicker before his eyes, but something blocked the connection between "consciousness" and "perception," preventing what he saw from connecting with what he knew and thought...

A terrifying chill crept up Jie Zhao's spine—but this was only in his imagination; in reality, most of his body was still not under his control. Jie Zhao tried to sense his fingertips, trying to drive them, desperately trying to awaken various sensations, including pain, nausea, vomiting, dullness...

Jie Zhao suddenly opened his eyes.

A sharp pain in his forehead made him groan involuntarily. The sunlight on the mountainside was dazzling, almost blinding him. Jie Zhao imagined raising the back of his hand to shield his eyes, the soreness in his shoulders and neck feeling incredibly real. "I...I got it back! I...I got my body back..."

But the thought was so absurd.

Just before regaining consciousness, he vaguely heard a deep male voice say, "...Life and death are predestined. If you are reborn as a human in your next life, don't be so foolish." His neck loosened, his collar was lifted and lowered, a gust of wind whipped his face, and Jie Zhao opened his eyes to see the jagged rocks at the bottom of the cliff growing larger and larger. His heart leaped into his throat, and his feet and scalp tingled—(Someone threw me off the cliff!)

"Mom!"

He screamed in agony, when suddenly a sharp gust of wind rushed past him from behind, and a blur of green light swept past him, flying right in front of him. Before Jie Zhao could even comprehend what was happening, he was suddenly flipped over, losing his balance and spinning wildly, completely disoriented. Opening his eyes, he saw the cliff drawing ever closer, closer and closer. With a cry of "Ouch!", he was thrown back onto the cliff top.

Jie Zhao struggled to his feet, when suddenly a gust of green wind swept past him, spinning him halfway around, so that he was facing away from the thatched hut and towards the cliff. Jie Zhao sat down heavily, only to find himself completely paralyzed. His inner energy was blocked in several major acupoints on his back, including "Fengfu," "Dazhu," "Fufen," and "Weizhong." He had no idea when or how his opponent had attacked.

"You...you're still alive?" the newcomer said sinisterly.

The deep voice carried a barely concealed, sharp edge, piercing the skull and making one's chest and abdomen tremble.

Startled, Jie Zhao couldn't help but chuckle, blurting out, "Am I supposed to die?"

The man sneered, his voice already behind Jie Zhao. Jie Zhao's face paled in horror. Instinctively, he swept his arm back, twisting his waist and pushing off with his heels, his previously seated body spinning upwards. With a "whoosh!" his fingers swept down!

This strike utilized the ingenious technique of the "Frostfall Sword," allowing him to freely shift his center of gravity. On that day in the Suiping Prefecture's main hall, Jie Zhao had used the power of the wind to whirl among the pillars, never touching the ground, precisely because of the benefits of this technique. Since comprehending the principle of "a lion hunting a rabbit," Jie Zhao had abandoned his flashy moves, only to discover the more subtle and profound aspects of this swordsmanship. Now, facing imminent danger, he used it without hesitation.

His attack was slow, aiming to buy himself space to react, prepared for a missed strike; indeed, where the gust of wind landed, there was nothing behind him. He caught a glimpse of a blue shadow disappearing, and the man had silently floated behind him again.

Jie Zhao unleashed a flurry of kicks, neither of which seemed to injure him. He leaped forward and whirled around abruptly; but a chilling laugh suddenly reached his ears, and the person was still behind him. Jie Zhao broke out in a cold sweat: "Am I seeing a ghost in broad daylight?" He tried to ram his elbow, but was suddenly pressed back by a cold, soft hand. The hand had little force, yet it pushed him so hard that his shoulder tilted, and he fell forward.

Jie Zhao tried several moves, showcasing his recent mastery of martial arts, but he couldn't even see the person's shadow. Hearing the person's sneer, he was enraged: "Damn it! I'll risk my life to see if you're flat or round!" A sudden inspiration struck him, and he rolled over into a "spread-eagle" position, his back to the ground, thinking: "Heh heh, go ahead and burrow underground!"

Looking up, he saw a tall, slender figure walking further and further away, hands behind his back, heading straight for the thatched hut.

Jie Zhao leaped up, then suddenly thought, "Wait a minute! This guy's movements are as fast as a ghost; he might just disappear behind me in the blink of an eye." He quickly pressed himself against the cliff edge.

The man stopped in front of the gate, not turning his head, and coldly said, "What kind of monkey show are you putting on?"

Jie Zhao shouted, "If you're more skilled than me, I have nothing to say, but a coward who hides his head and tail isn't a true hero. No matter how skilled you are, it's useless."

The man sneered, "Who's hiding their head and tail?" He turned around, revealing a pale-skinned, jet-black man with a thin, long face, a pointed chin, and slightly sunken cheeks. His eyebrows slanted upwards towards his temples, and his long, narrow phoenix eyes gleamed with a sharp light, yet his age was impossible to discern.

The strange man wore a blue robe, white cotton socks, and black cloth shoes, and a dark, gauze-covered crown with two long, black ribbons trailing down to his waist. Although he was dressed like a scholar, he exuded an indescribable wildness and domineering aura. A cold smile played on his lips as he glanced at Jie Zhao with his phoenix eyes. In that instant, Jie Zhao felt as if he had been pierced by a sharp sword, a chill running down his spine.

The strange man in the green robe sneered, "You were born with the Six Yin Meridians, it's not easy to have lived to this age. Next time you come here, be careful you don't lose your life. Get lost!" He turned and was about to push open the door.

Jie Zhao hurriedly said, "Wait!" He took a few steps forward. The man didn't move at all. Only when he got closer did he realize that the man wasn't very tall, just thinner than the average person. Seeing that he could reach out and touch the back of the door, Jie Zhao suddenly became suspicious: "With his martial arts skills, how could I dare to act rashly? Could it be that he's deliberately trying to lure me in..." His mind raced, and suddenly the sword at his waist rang out of its sheath with a "clang"!

(What...what's going on!)

Jie Zhao had no intention of hurting anyone; the sword had simply been drawn by itself, as if by some supernatural force.

"This...how am I supposed to explain this to him?" He reached out to grab it, but the blade of the "Jade Dragon Sword" at his waist flicked, and he dodged it. The strange man in the green robe suddenly turned around and forcefully shoved the Jade Dragon Sword back into its sheath. Jie Zhao's breath caught in his throat, as if he had been gripped by an invisible giant hand, his body frozen in place. The two stood face to face, both speechless.

The Jade Dragon Sword, pressed back into its sheath, creaked and clanked, as if trying to break free from the strange man's grasp, almost like a living thing. This sword was forged for him by a renowned craftsman from the capital at Jie Zhen's behest; its craftsmanship was exquisite, making it a formidable weapon, but it was by no means a spiritual object. Since its forging, such a strange thing had never happened before.

"When you approached the thatched hut just now, did the sword behave strangely?" the strange man in the green robe asked.

Jie Zhao was stunned for a long time before stammering, "No... nothing strange. At least... it wasn't... not like that." As he spoke, the Jade Dragon Sword's sharkskin and ironwood sheath continued to vibrate. He stared at the strange man's pale, paper-white hand, with a few blue veins showing, feeling utterly incredulous. The man in the green robe had unusually long, thin, bony fingers, resembling withered claws. His five fingernails were sharp and long, especially the little finger, which was over two inches long and as white and shiny as a finely sharpened curved knife.

"This is strange,"

the man in the green robe murmured. Without making any move, Jie Zhao was suddenly shoved back several steps by a hidden force. Just as he was about to draw his sword to examine it, the hilt remained unmoved. No matter how hard he tried, the scabbard's mouth was as if it had been scalded with molten iron, and he couldn't pull the sword out. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the bronze mouth of the scabbard was stuck shut, tightly gripping the sword inside the scabbard.

"Turning gold into mud" was not a remarkable skill. Eleven out of ten schools in the Zhongchen martial arts world, famous for their finger strength, could do it. But to do it so effortlessly and silently, without any fingerprints or dents on the bronze, as if it had been cast that way since then, was something not everyone could do.

"You sealed my sword?"

the man in the green robe sneered.

"That piece of junk is nothing to be ashamed of. You'd be better off getting a woodcutter's knife or a kitchen knife."

Jie Zhao's face turned pale with anger. He roared, "Your martial arts are so high, yet you come to bully a junior like me. What kind of senior conduct is that? You're monopolizing the hot spring, do you know that the stream below has dried up because of it, leaving not a single drop of hot spring usable? How is this any different from street bullies blocking the road or thugs robbing people?"

The man in the green robe glanced at him with his phoenix eyes and chuckled, "So what if you have high martial arts? Does high martial arts mean I owe you something? Why should those with high martial arts have to yield to those with low martial arts? All things in nature are subject to the law of the jungle. You dare to talk about senior conduct with lions and tigers? If you want something, come and take it with your own ability!"

Jie Zhao was speechless after being rebuked like this, unable to utter a word for a long time. The man glanced at him, hands behind his back, and sneered, "But you've got guts. You're the first person in twenty years to dare speak to me like this. Seeing that you're not entirely stupid, you must have something more valuable than your life."

"I... my wife has a congenital cold ailment and needs the hot spring to strengthen her constitution."

The man in the green robe snorted twice and flicked his sleeve, saying, "Your bravery will earn you half an hour of hot spring water every day for the next three days. Open your eyes wide and watch carefully, it won't wait."

Jie Zhao was overjoyed upon hearing this and quickly asked, "Then... what about after three days?"

"Either you take back the spring with your own abilities, or you bring something else in exchange." The man in the green robe smiled sinisterly, "If you choose the latter, remember to bring one more thing to exchange for your own life to get down the cliff; I don't know which is more important, the hot spring or your dog's life. Get lost!"

Jie Zhao touched his nose, put the jade dragon sword back on his waist, and suddenly said, "Senior's friend... is he perhaps very ill?"

He only realized this when he mentioned Wen Qiongyu: Shima Hot Spring was famous throughout the world for its miraculous therapeutic effects, and the green-robed man's insistence on occupying the thatched hut was most likely to be treating someone seriously ill. This also explained why he was willing to release half an hour of hot spring water every day—it was naturally out of empathy.

The green-robed man smiled coldly.

"Bloodlust...isn't that a kind of disease?" He pursed his thin lips, his cold, contemptuous gaze devoid of any smile:

"If so, then you are indeed seriously ill. If I hadn't returned early today, your dog's life would be over."

◇ ◇ ◇

When Jie Zhao returned to the foot of the mountain, it was already dusk. Fearing that his second aunt or Lao Tie might also have gone to the back mountain to investigate and run into the green-robed man, he claimed that the mountain path had collapsed and he couldn't reach the stone platform. Li Erniang tilted her head and thought for a moment, then pondered, "Maybe the spring has collapsed too! After a major landslide in the mountains, there will be smaller ones. Don't go up the mountain for the next few days. Wait until the landslides have subsided, then have your Uncle Tie go and take a look." Jie Zhao quickly agreed.

The experience of losing his soul and being captivated in front of the thatched hut was truly too eerie, so Jie Zhao didn't tell his sister to avoid worrying her. Later that evening, Lao Tie returned carrying an empty load. The four of them ate together at the table, and Erniang told Lao Tie about Jie Zhao's desire to go to the city. Lao Tie didn't comment, just silently ate his rice.

That night, Jie Zhao went to bed early.

Wen Qiongyu thought he was afraid he wouldn't be able to get up the next day and would miss Lao Tie's departure time, so he went to bed early. In fact, Jie Zhao once again fell into a dream of a small river island. With a wave of his hand, a cloud of blue mist appeared on the island, slowly transforming into the shape of a strange man in a blue robe.

He closed his eyes, trying to recall memories from all parts of his body, imagining the breeze on the cliff, the sulfurous smell in the air, the color of the distant mountains and forests, and how the afternoon sunlight changed… As he thought, he suddenly felt something close behind him, his elbow bumping against a cold, soft hand—Jie Zhao opened his eyes and found himself in a stone platform hut. Two misty figures in front of him exchanged blows quickly. The strange man in the green robe flicked his sleeve, pushing a young man in front of him forward, causing him to fall to the ground—it was himself. The

"Cloud Dream Body" could recombine subconscious impressions and reconstruct the situation. Just like entering a room and talking to someone, what the consciousness remembers most clearly is probably the person and content of the conversation. As for the surrounding furnishings, the temperature of the room, and even the smell in the air, they are just fleeting glimpses and do not leave a deep impression—but these will be faithfully preserved in the deeper layers of consciousness. Having cultivated the "Cloud Dream Body," one can, like entering a library and flipping through books, unearth these intricate yet real "records," reconstructing them into the original context.

Although Jie Zhao couldn't witness his own combat with others, through the wondrous mental techniques of the "Cloud Dream Body," he could "observe" directly in his dreams.

He sat cross-legged on the ground, resting his chin on his hand, repeatedly scrutinizing the scene: the green-robed stranger's legs were somewhat blurry; below the knees, they were essentially two wisps of smoke gradually fading. This was because Jie Zhao had always been facing away from him during the fight, and even through the overlapping and combining of subconscious fragments of perception, his knowledge was still limited.

The green-robed stranger stood upright, hands behind his back, motionless, like a zombie. The secret to his ghostly speed lay in the footwork of his legs.

When Jie Zhao saw it for the seventy-eighth time, he finally felt his eyes sting—if fatigue had broken through the body's protective mechanisms and begun to manifest in the dream, the pain upon waking would inevitably be far greater than during the dream, which was a serious matter. Jie Zhao was unwilling to give up, gritting his teeth as he watched it for the seventy-ninth time, when suddenly he felt a chill.

—On the ground…there was no shadow.

He restored the colors and light in the air, but forgot the changes in light and shadow as he moved.

“Light!” He snapped his fingers, and shadows suddenly appeared beneath the two combatants. The omen of calamity in front was still clearer than the green-robed figure behind—this was still due to the limitations of sensory information.

Once the method was found, filtering and combining became simple.

“Wind!”

“Sound!”

“Smell!”

“And…the change in temperature!”

With each additional variable, the image became clearer, as if layers of mist were being peeled away to reveal the true form.

Looking at the green-robed figure, now solid and without a trace of smoke, the omen of calamity was dumbfounded.

—The green-robed man who kept circling behind the omen of calamity, moving with ghostly speed, had eight calves below each knee!

But the green-robed figure didn't have sixteen legs. However, for Jie Zhao's senses—eyes, ears, nose, and skin—the green-robed man's movements required sixteen legs simultaneously to achieve. If Jie Zhao's movements (or perception speed) were twice as fast, the simulated image would only show eight legs, four legs, or even revert to two...

(There's an eightfold speed difference between him and me!)

"That person's internal strength is incredibly high, and his evasion is divine. No matter how carefully I use my internal strength, how can I defeat him?" Jie

Zhao was somewhat discouraged, yet it seemed he had grasped something, as if continuing down this path wasn't entirely a dead end.

But fatigue was gradually seeping into his dream. Recreating the scene required filtering through a large number of fragments of consciousness, far more tiring than practicing swordsmanship in a dream for several hours. Jie Zhao waved his hand, and in the light smoke, the stone platform, the thatched hut, the green-robed man... all disappeared. Birds chirped in the distance, and a cool, watery breeze swept across the island, bringing a refreshing fragrance of grass.

Jie Zhao lay sprawled on the reeds of the small river islet, his body sinking into the fine, soft sand. Suddenly, he thought, "My encounter in front of the thatched hut was so strange. Why not recreate the scene and see what really happened?" He tried to search his memories using his inner energy, but found nothing.

In the instant he lost all sensation, it was as if someone had truly taken over his body.

Nothing he heard or saw was stored in the depths of his consciousness, and he didn't know how long that "instant" lasted.

Hypnotic techniques like the "Soul-Stealing Technique" were like a robber encountering a thief—completely ineffective. Yet, Jie Zhao had lost consciousness in front of the thatched hut, offering no resistance, and was even mistaken for a corpse by the man in the green robe, nearly burying himself at the bottom of the cliff for eternal damnation.

(Why...why is this?)

It must be related to the strange man in the green robe...and his friend hiding in the thatched hut, refusing to show himself. In the instant that a wave of weariness gripped Jie Zhao, he vaguely made his final conclusion.

◇ ◇ ◇

The next morning, when Li Erniang knocked on the door, Jie Zhao was in so much pain he felt like committing suicide.

He got up, his eyes swollen and dark, and dressed, feeling utterly exhausted. Erniang handed him a clean, mended set of peasant clothes, covering her mouth and teasing, "Knowing we have to travel today, don't work so hard tonight!" The beauty, Wen Qiongyu, who never woke up early, was fast asleep. Jie Zhao, speechless, reluctantly picked up his load and set off with Lao Tie.

As usual, Lao Tie remained silent along the way. Although Jie Zhao was prepared, the further they walked, the sleepier he became, and he had to speak, lest he accidentally close his eyes and fall to his death in a ravine.

"Uncle Lao Tie, how long until we reach Quling City?"

"Long." The old man was quite cooperative.

"Uh… is Quling City big?"

"Big."

"Oh! Then there must be a lot of people in the city, right?"

"Many."

No way! This kind of conversation is more dangerous; it could destroy any remaining enthusiasm. Jie Zhao decided to change tactics.

"Uncle Tie, how much longer until we reach Quling City?"

—This is a question that cannot be answered with a single word. Jie Zhao had meticulously designed a trap; unless the old man refused to answer, the response would certainly not be just one word…

“A long time.”

Three…three words. Jie Zhao thought, tears welling in his eyes.

But “a long time” was not just a casual remark. When Jie Zhao saw the city walls hidden on the horizon, it was nearly noon. Quling City could not compare to Zhongjing in scale, but upon closer inspection, he discovered that the city walls were very high, with five gates on the front, and crenellations and watchtowers on the walls, unlike the simple fortifications of ordinary county towns; it was clearly a carefully constructed fortification.

"Dan County is only a hundred li from the capital, barely considered to be under the emperor's nose. In case of trouble, the garrison from the capital can arrive within two or three days. How could this be a place for military action?" Jie Zhao chuckled inwardly. "The prefect here is trying too hard to appear diligent and capable in governing the city."

Approaching the city walls, he saw that the central gate was tightly closed, and the main road was blocked by wooden chevaux-de-frise. Only one side gate was open for entry and exit, with armed soldiers strictly checking people. The long queue of people waiting to enter or leave the city stretched for more than half a li. Half a li away, thatched huts had been erected along the roadside, and many people who had hired carriages and horses were waiting inside. Their clothes were obviously more luxurious and neat than those queuing to enter the city, probably wealthy merchants.

Jie Zhao covered his brow and looked around for a moment, his heart sinking.

The narrowing of the entrance gate was obviously to check the identity of each person's name card. Jie Zhao, being of noble birth, never carried a business card. The Jie family of Suiping Prefecture was incredibly powerful in Zhongjing; who would dare ask Fourth Master Jie for his card? He had hastily escaped from the dilapidated temple that night, without even searching his baggage for it. To the soldiers checking at the checkpoint, Jie Zhao was precisely a suspicious individual of dubious origin, someone to be apprehended and severely punished.

Just as he hesitated, Lao Tie, carrying his load, walked towards a large shed. Inside, a middle-aged man in fine clothes, with a leopard-like chin and a thick beard, raised his eyebrows and beckoned to him: "Lao Tie! What a coincidence today! Come, come!" He was surrounded by many people, all slightly surprised by his warm greeting to this one-eyed, crippled old farmer, and quickly made way for him.

Lao Tie led Jie Zhao to the middle-aged man's seat, bowing and saying, "Greetings, Master Xu." Those around felt this was impolite and couldn't help but glance at him sideways.

The middle-aged man didn't seem to care, looking around and laughing heartily, "You don't know, if it weren't for his 'Eight Hundred Hands' noodles, my Pingcui Tower wouldn't be open!" Knowing his high self-regard, and rarely praising someone like that, everyone chimed in, "Only Master Biao's tower deserves such fine noodles!" The middle-aged man stroked his beard and laughed loudly, his voice echoing through the roof.

Jie Zhao thought, "So this fellow is the owner of Pingcui Tower."

Master Biao laughed for a moment, then his sharp eyes swept across Jie Zhao's face, raising an eyebrow, "Old Tie, who is this young man?" Jie Zhao's heart skipped a beat, and he was just figuring out how to fool him when Old Tie slowly said, "A relative of my wife, surnamed Zhao."

He glanced up at Jie Zhao.

Jie Zhao immediately understood, bowing his head and stammering, "Master Biao... hello."

Master Biao stroked his beard and laughed, "Old Tie! If you hadn't told me, I would have thought your wife was incredibly capable, giving birth to a son in one night." Everyone laughed along. Old Tie remained expressionless, like a piece of rotten wood, showing no sign of joy or anger.

Jie Zhao, hearing the deliberate flattery from those around him, almost laughed himself silly, but inwardly he felt a surge of annoyance. Suddenly, he was patted heavily on the shoulder twice, and saw Biao Ye nod, saying, "You're quite sturdy, and you look presentable. Where are you from?"

Jie Zhao spoke fluent, standard Zhongjing Mandarin, unable to feign a rural accent. On a whim, he stammered, "I... my great-grandmother was originally the daughter of a landlord in Cheng'en County. By my grandfather's generation, war had struck, and the family fortunes had declined. They barely managed to make a living by farming."

"Can you read?" Biao Ye asked.

"I... I've read some."

Cheng'en County was the largest county near Zhongjing, under the jurisdiction of Jingzhao Prefecture. It supplied Zhongjing with fresh meat and vegetables, and was known as the "Capital Kitchen." It had many wealthy landlords and had long been influenced by the customs of Zhongjing, with most of its people being literate, making it superior to other counties.

Biao Ye grunted in acknowledgment, glanced at him a few more times, and casually asked, "Are you close to Lao Tie? Want to learn his noodle-making skills?" Jie Zhao swallowed hard, feigning embarrassment, "I call him Uncle. I... I'm very clumsy, I watched for a while, but I didn't quite get it."

Biao Ye laughed and scolded, "Pah! How old are you? If you could learn this, what would I have left to sell my Cui Lou for!" Everyone burst into laughter again. Biao Ye patted his shoulder, his fingers quite strong, making Jie Zhao's body weak, but he gritted his teeth and didn't utter a sound. "Here's what we'll do, if your uncle ever doesn't want you to learn how to make noodles anymore, come to Quling City and find me, I'll find you a job."

Jie Zhao forced a happy expression, "Thank you... thank you, Biao Ye." The onlookers were surprised, but all showed envy. Biao Ye smiled and stroked his beard, his gaze suddenly drifting elsewhere.

At this moment, the other city gate slowly opened, and a troop of soldiers filed out, lining both sides. The two officers at the head of the gate, with long swords at their waists and wearing full armor, were clearly of different status.

Those resting in the sheds, seeing this, rose and headed towards the newly opened gate. Master Biao, surrounded by his entourage, rose and turned back, saying, "Old Tie! Don't queue up, come along with me." Before he could reply, he was already being ushered onto a carriage. Old Tie slung his load over his shoulder and followed silently behind the long queue.

Jie Zhao glanced at the scene from afar and immediately understood.

It turned out that this city gate was specifically for wealthy merchants. The two officers responsible for checking people were merely going through the motions, issuing passes without a second thought; if a cargo vehicle was caught, a few silver ingots could be secretly slipped in, and it would be allowed to enter the city without even being searched.

The "Master Biao" from the Green Pavilion seemed to be of high status; as his carriage approached, everyone made way, and he soon reached the front of the procession. The steward accompanying the carriage stepped forward to exchange a few pleasantries, and the officer in charge of inspection coughed twice, then, without further ado, signed off on everyone's travel slips. When it was Jie Zhao's turn, the officer rolled his eyes, frowned, and looked him up and down: "You're a complete stranger. What's your name?"

"My surname is Zhao, and my given name is Zhao... Zhao Ping," Jie Zhao stammered, a cold sweat trickling down his face. A porter carrying a load chimed in, "Sir! He's the nephew of Old Tie, the noodle seller, and he's here to visit relatives. Master Biao said he wants to hire him!"

Upon hearing that he was one of Master Biao's men, the officer's arrogance vanished instantly. Resentful, he muttered, "Out of town?

Where is he from?" Jie

Zhao swallowed hard and lowered his head, saying, "I...I'm from Cheng'en County."

The steward of the Xu family, seeing the procession stalled, was greatly displeased. He called out, "Sir! What's going on? Why don't we all show our name cards and see if that makes things easier? I'll go tell Master Biao right now." The officer was terrified, his legs went weak, and he repeatedly said he dared not. He hurriedly wrote "Zhao Ping, Cheng'en County, Jingzhao Prefecture" on the pass, stamped it with the seal, and shoved it into Jie Zhao's arms.

Jie Zhao breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at Old Tie, who pulled a crumpled pass from his pocket. The officer, quite familiar with him, gave him a new one without even glancing at it. It read, "Li Er, from Quyin County, Tongdan Prefecture."

"So Old Tie really isn't surnamed 'Tie'," Jie Zhao thought.

"Li Er, Li Er, they share the same name, how interesting."

With a clatter, the carriage arrived at the sentry post.

Master Biao lifted the curtain, ordered the steward to give him a reward, and stroked his beard, smiling, "A distinguished guest is arriving! Sir, you've worked hard! This is just a small token; please have some wine and water to cool off." The officer wiped the sweat from his brow, bowing and smiling obsequiously, "Master Biao, you flatter me! The sun is scorching; Master Biao has been waiting since early morning. It's good that you return to the city to rest. The

special envoy will arrive at the post station outside the city soon; I'll send someone to inform you then."

Master Biao grunted an "Mmm," perhaps provoking the impatience of waiting in vain. His expression darkened slightly, and he nodded, "Thank you for your trouble."

Jie Zhao followed Lao Tie and entered Quling City with the main group. The area near the city gate, which used to be a morning market, was now almost empty, with crowds surging. Master Biao's four carriages drove along the central bluestone avenue into the city. Pedestrians couldn't walk on the main road, so the porters had to squeeze through the dispersing market, shoulder to shoulder with the flow of people.

"Why are the checks so strict?" Jie Zhao, who had become familiar with several porters, took the opportunity to inquire.

"You didn't know this?" The porters' eyes widened. "The 'Intestineless Army' rebels from Yun County are here! I heard these rebels are possessed by hungry ghosts. They never prepare food for battle; when they're hungry, they capture people, dismember them, and cook them in boiling water! Zhongjing has even sent a special envoy. If the rebels really reach Quyin and Quyang, the Eighth Prince will come out of the mountains to suppress them!"

Jie Zhao's heart skipped a beat, suddenly remembering what Wen Qiongyu had said that day.

"Is it the Eighth Prince of the Three Immortals Sect?"

"Who else?" A young porter blushed and said excitedly, "I heard that the Eighth Prince's martial arts have reached the level of immortals. With a single shout, he can sever a person's head with his sword! If the Eighth Prince is willing to come out of the mountains and recruit righteous soldiers in our Quling, I'll join the army! Maybe I can even earn fame and fortune and bring glory to my ancestors." Several young men were eager to try, chattering excitedly.

The oldest porter's face darkened, and he sneered, "Wealth my foot! In war, it's just dead bodies. What good can come of it?" Another young porter argued, "Fifth Uncle, if the rebels really attack, we can't just sit here and wait to die, can we? Er Gouzi's talk of fame and fortune is just a joke. If none of us join the rebels, and they break through the city, we'll be skinned alive and cooked."

"Yes, yes! Xiao Qi is right," everyone echoed.

The old porter, called "Fifth Uncle," was speechless for a moment, his face grim.

Jie Zhao found it strange and blurted out, "The court has soldiers and generals, so even if there's a real war, why would they need to recruit volunteers in Quling?"

The young porter Xiao Qi, who strongly advocated joining the army, retorted angrily, "Even if the court has soldiers and generals, they don't need to be in Quling. Otherwise, they would have sent troops to quell the rebellion years ago. How could things have come to this? I heard that even if the Eighth Prince were willing to come out of seclusion to quell the rebellion, the court might not provide soldiers. That's why the Prince sent an envoy here—to see if there are any good men left in the five counties of Danjun willing to defend their country!"

His group of young companions, their blood boiling, shouted "Good! Good! " Jie Zhao also

responded with a few "Yes, yes!" "Good! Good! "

Uncle Wu smacked Xiao Qi on the head and hissed, "I'll teach you to talk nonsense again! What do you know about the court's affairs?

Getting down to work is the real deal." Xiao Qi was indignant but dared not argue further.

Jie Zhao surveyed his surroundings and, sure enough, each household along the street had two large vats side by side in front of their doors, each filled with water and sand—a precaution against fire arrows attacking the city. The widest blue-brick avenue in the center was deserted; this was to train residents to clear the way for carriages and horses, for the purpose of troop deployment.

It seemed that although Quling City appeared peaceful, preparations for war had already begun in secret.

The noisy crowd passed through the market, and Jie Zhao, listening intently for information, suddenly noticed a horizontal sign hanging from a wooden post by the street. The notice depicted a half-length portrait of a noble young man wearing a golden crown and brocade robes, with a thousand taels of silver offered by

the Zhao Ri Mountain Villa in Zhongjing for information on the whereabouts of the fourth young master of the Jie family. The figure in the painting was handsome, but bore no resemblance to Jie Zhao himself. From childhood to adulthood, Jie Zhao had painted at least ten portraits for others, all by renowned painters in Zhongjing, each one incredibly lifelike; even the portrait he had at age ten was a hundred times more similar to the one on the notice.

However, to spread this reward throughout the eight prefectures and sixty-one counties surrounding Zhongjing, at least three to five hundred notices would need to be drawn and posted at all the important land and water ports. Moreover, time was of the essence; they couldn't be drawn slowly and carefully, otherwise, if he managed to abduct Fourth Master and escape Zhongchen Prefecture, even posting a thousand notices would

be futile. Since ancient times, unless the target of the reward had distinct features—like a scar on the face, a birthmark, or large ears reaching to the shoulders, hands past the knees, and two henchmen, one in red and one in black, selling straw sandals—"pictures and images" were merely a formality and never a good method for finding people.

Jie Zhao pressed his stomach, struggling to suppress a laugh; his body was hunched over like a cooked shrimp, trembling uncontrollably.

"Jie Ping, you've really put in a lot of effort. Thank you for drawing me so handsomely!" Jie Zhao finally caught his breath, rubbing his twitching abs. Suddenly, he noticed the signature "Xu, Great Righteous Branch of the Hundred Armies Alliance" under the notice and was taken aback: "So Quling City is also part of the Hundred Armies Alliance's territory. But isn't the Hundred Armies Alliance always active in the south? How come there's a stronghold in the north?"

He had some knowledge of martial arts anecdotes, but he had never paid much attention to the current state of the martial arts world. Knowing only a little, he quickly memorized the words on the notice to discuss with Wen Qiongyu when he got back. Xiao Qi frowned when he saw him staring intently at the wooden post: "It's this guy who's caused us to be checked at the docks these past few days. They won't let us pass until they know our ancestors for eight generations. It's so troublesome."

Jie Zhao pretended to be confused: "Jie Zhao... the Fourth Master of Suiping Prefecture? I think I've heard of him. What has this guy done? He's worth a thousand taels."

"The heads of Zhaori Manor, Jie Zhen and Jie Jinglei, have both disappeared. Second Master Jie died a violent death, and Third Master Jie was severely injured. It's said that this scoundrel colluded with a demoness from the Demonic Sect to do it. He escaped with the demoness, and now Zhaori Manor has issued a kill order, searching the whole world for him, dead or alive."

Xiao Qi spat out a mouthful of phlegm and muttered, "I heard that demoness is extremely beautiful, and the two of them have been having an affair for a long time. This scoundrel is bewitched and even laid hands on my father and uncles. Damn it! He's got quite the luck with women, but we're suffering." Before Jie

Zhao could even get angry, he suddenly felt a chill: "Luckily, Sister sent me to investigate first! If I..." "If the two of us rashly take a carriage or boat, we're doomed. My sister's beauty is stunning; she's eye-catching even without a drawing, so Jie Ping only offered me the bounty and deliberately made the drawing look unlike her. If I'm careless and show myself with my sister, I'll fall into her trap."

He had been slashed across the face by Wu Yaoji's sword in the dilapidated temple that day, leaving a faint scar between his eyebrows. Coupled with the hard work he'd done chopping wood and carrying water under the scorching sun these past few days, his once fair skin had turned a deep, dark red. After changing out of his fine clothes, "Zhao Ping" from Cheng'en County looked nothing like Jie Siye from Suiping Prefecture—at least not like the person in the drawing.

But Lao Tie and Er Niang had seen his original attire and had witnessed Wen Qiongyu's breathtaking beauty. Even though Lao Tie was illiterate, this conversation was enough for him to connect the fleeing Jie Siye with the beautiful enchantress.

Jie Zhao broke out in a cold sweat, glancing furtively at Lao Tie, who remained motionless, limping forward with his load.

They walked through several streets and arrived at Pingcui Tower, the largest restaurant in Quling City. Jie Zhao, having grown up in Zhongjing, was accustomed to grand buildings and didn't find anything particularly special. The manager of Pingcui Tower told them to take the noodles to the kitchen, counted the money, and handed it to Lao Tie, complaining, "Why are you so late today? You won't make it for the second trip, will you?"

Lao Tie remained expressionless, only saying, "I'll send more tomorrow."

"Good," the manager slapped the ledger on the table, delighted, "You said it, don't go back on your word."

Jie Zhao needed to purchase the items Wen Qiongyu had entrusted to him, so he parted ways with Lao Tie, agreeing to meet again in half an hour. Quling City was not as prosperous as Zhongjing. Jie Zhao felt it was hot and crowded, and he couldn't stand it for long. He went to a shop to exchange his personal items for a white jade thumb ring and a small jade pendant. He quickly asked for directions and bought what he needed. When he returned to Pingcui Tower, he couldn't find Lao Tie anywhere.

"Could it be... that he went to betray us?"

Jie Zhao was filled with doubt and didn't dare to linger in front of Pingcui Tower. He went around to another small wine shop on the street corner and chose a seat by the window against a pillar.

From here, one can see the comings and goings in front of Pingcui Tower. If Lao Tie really brings people back to arrest him, this place will be clear at a glance—that's the first advantage. Secondly, if the other side discovers Jie Zhao is missing, they will definitely search along the movement lines out of the city, never expecting him to be hiding so nearby.

Jie Zhao calmed down slightly, only to realize that he wasn't the only guest in the private room. He had hurriedly taken his seat, actually occupying someone else's table.

Sitting opposite him was a petite woman, wearing a lake-green narrow-sleeved top, over which was a peacock blue pointed-collar blouse. The blouse was in the Hu-style fashion currently popular in Zhongjing, with short sleeves covering the shoulders, and the hem only reaching below the waist. The two panels of the blouse were fastened with a small gold butterfly at the chest, covering a pair of delicate, budding breasts that were almost enough to be grasped in one hand.

The woman wore a bright green ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with a wide, matching belt tightly wrapped around her waist, resembling a man's apron, creating a captivatingly slender silhouette. Her waist was narrow yet shapely. Beneath the ruqun were pale yellow silk trousers and white satin boots—clearly travel attire, yet it exuded the elegant style of a lady from the capital, mixed with a touch of youthful dreaminess.

Judging solely from her shoulder and waist curves, Jie Zhao deduced that she was no more than fifteen years old, and perhaps even younger.

The girl wore a veiled hat, the veil hanging down to her chest; although the veil was divided in two for easy eating and seeing, the layers upon layers of veil remained perfectly still, seemingly three or four layers deep. Combined with her upright posture, her face was not easily seen, only the skin peeking out from the gaps was fair and smooth, like ivory with a soft, rosy glow; her delicate, straight nose was small and straight, and even through the layers of white veil, her fluttering eyelashes were visible, indicating their thickness.

(When she grows up, she will definitely be an extraordinary beauty.)

Strangely, although both were young girls, Jie Ying did not have this youthful innocence. At fourteen, although Jie Ying was not yet fully grown, her still-childlike, tender naked body had already captivated him; she was an unmistakable woman, radiating a sweet aura that attracted men, completely unaffected by physical development. Jie Zhao had never entertained the idea of "waiting for her to grow up." Jie Ying was Jie Ying; in terms of emotions, tactics, and even her awakening and desire for matters of the heart, she was always superior to him.

Was it Jie Ying's problem, or his? Jie Zhao suddenly felt a lump in his throat, shook his head to dispel the chaotic thoughts in his mind, and smiled at the girl.

"I'm truly sorry," he said softly, "Could you please move aside a little and offer me this table?"

The girl didn't move. Her posture was extremely elegant and upright, chest out and back straight, meticulous in every way; her legs, pressed together under the table, were slightly turned to one side, and her hands, clasped together, rested flat on her knees.

Jie Zhao waited for a long time without a reply, then said again, "Then... if you don't mind, would you like to sit at the same table as me?" The girl remained silent, her thick eyelashes fluttering slightly through the gap in the curtain, her large, clear eyes appearing and disappearing, as if she were biting her pink lips, her small chest rising and falling slightly.

Even if she refused, Jie Zhao couldn't possibly give up this important surveillance point. He got up and walked to the counter, picked up a few large coins, and casually ordered, "Make two pots of tea, one for me and one for that young lady." He also ordered several dishes of peanuts, braised dishes, and fresh fruits like dates and pears to accompany the tea for the girl.

The clerk at the counter was overjoyed, nodding vigorously, his whole body radiating enthusiasm for service. Jie Zhao was just feeling strange when the clerk, carrying a lacquered tray of peanuts and braised dishes, smiled obsequiously, "Sir, you've come far too late. That young lady has been waiting for you for a long time!"

"Waiting for me?" Jie Zhao's expression changed slightly, and he frowned, "I've never met her before. How do you know she's waiting for me?"

"She...that young lady isn't your friend?" The clerk seemed even more surprised than him.

Jie Zhao shook his head. "No. I borrowed a table from her to sit with her, which is why I asked her for a pot of tea."

The clerk was stunned for a long time, then couldn't help but pour out his grievances. It turned out that the young lady had been sitting in the shop for at least half an hour, refusing to answer any questions, completely ignoring everyone, and not ordering tea or dishes. Seeing the girl's luxurious clothes, the waiter didn't dare assume she was there to freeload, nor did he dare kick her out, so the two remained in a stalemate.

"These days, there are all sorts of strange people! Look at her, either she's born mute or she's gone mad! Why don't her parents keep a close eye on her? She's wandering around everywhere, isn't she just harming people? Sigh..." Jie Zhao quickly slipped him a few coins to send him away and returned to his seat at the table.

The girl's fair hands rested on her knees, her right hand adorned with a finely carved triangular floral pattern, seemingly made of pure gold. Each triangle had a delicate gold chain wrapped around its palm, leading to her slender wrist. The light under the table was dim, but her fair hands didn't appear dull; instead, they were translucent with a slightly rosy hue, like fresh apricots.

Jie Zhao leaned back slightly, gazing at the beautiful woman's hands under the table. He suddenly found the girl incredibly pleasing to the eye. At first glance, she wasn't as radiant as her sister or Jie Ying, nor did she possess Yingying's captivating beauty that blended heroic spirit with delicate charm, instantly drawing attention. However, the more he looked, the more beautiful she became; even the smallest details like her fingers revealed delightful surprises, and her overall appearance was inexplicably pleasing and harmonious.

He was slightly stunned, when he suddenly heard the girl murmur something, but it was hard to hear clearly.

"What?"

The girl turned her head away, indicating she wouldn't speak to him, and repeated herself in a low voice.

Jie Zhao heard her clearly this time, but couldn't quite process it at first. After much deliberation, he finally realized she had said, "Bold."

"Does the young lady mean I'm 'bold,' or the waiter? Or perhaps the young lady herself is very brave? Hmm, that's something worth mentioning too. Of course, it's also possible that the young lady is waiting for someone, and 'bold' is just a nickname for her friend..."

The girl became anxious, her small, dove-like breasts heaving frequently. Listening to his rambling, she suddenly interrupted, "No... no looking at what is improper." Jie Zhao laughed, "It's just that the young lady's hands are too beautiful. I was momentarily impolite and glanced at them a few more times. Please don't be angry, young lady. I apologize to you and ask for your forgiveness."

As the saying goes, "Flattery will get you everywhere." The young lady rarely had the opportunity to hear others praise her directly. Suddenly, she felt that the person in front of her wasn't so bad after all. She pursed her lips and said nothing more. Jie Zhao pressed his advantage: "My name is Zhao Ping, from Cheng'en County. May I ask your name, young lady? And where do you come from?" He asked for a long time, but the girl remained silent, sitting upright.

Jie Zhao, annoyed and amused, raised his cup to drink and turned his gaze to the distant Pingcui Tower. Suddenly, he heard the girl say softly, "I cannot speak to you."

Jie Zhao asked in surprise, "Why?"

"Because your status is not worthy. There needs to be... there needs to be someone to relay the message."

Jie Zhao almost spat out his tea on the table. Peeking through the curtain, he saw that the girl's eyes were very serious, as if she were reminding him to be careful on his feet and to behave properly. It wasn't a joke at all.

"Damn it! Am I really having the luck of a madman? I met one yesterday on the mountain, and I met another one in the city today."

Jie Zhao had a sudden inspiration and turned to the ground: "Who is speaking to you? I am speaking to the ants on the ground. Hey, ants, do you think this young lady is from Zhongjing?"

The girl was startled, looked down at the clean ground, and then breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't expected such a shameless method, but since there were "ants" to relay messages, it wasn't against etiquette, and communication was much easier. She looked down at the ground and said, "Yes! I'm from Zhongjing." Perhaps finding it amusing herself, she pursed her lips and covered her

mouth with a soft "chirp. "

Jie Zhao guessed she came from a wealthy family in Zhongjing. Recalling the rumors circulating in the city, he thought to himself, "Could she have been abducted?

It's said that abductors often drug little girls with candy and tea, making them dazed and confused, so they can be sold elsewhere."

"Could it be..." The more he thought about it, the more he felt this young girl was a bit off, something was definitely amiss. He quickly asked, "Ant, Ant, could she have been taken out of Zhongjing by someone? Or perhaps the young lady herself... didn't actually want to come?"

The girl trembled upon hearing this, realizing that she indeed had no choice in this journey, and whispered, "I didn't want to come." She had never said this to anyone before, and for some reason, she had naturally uttered it to "Ant" in this filthy rural tavern.

Jie Zhao was already seventy or eighty percent certain, but just to be on the safe side, he asked again, "Where is the person who brought you here? Where did they go?"

The girl's lips trembled, and she whispered, "I... I got separated from Qing'er! I... I'll wait for her here."

Although she maintained a high-handed demeanor, her slightly trembling voice still revealed a hint of panic.

"Qing'er? Is she a woman?"

The girl's eyes widened, a mixture of surprise and anger flashing across her face. Asking such a seemingly obvious question was an insult; she had never encountered such rudeness since she was old enough to understand. "I can't talk to you," she said, turning her head away as a small protest, though her posture remained elegant. Jie

Zhao nearly fainted. However, he had slowly grasped the knack of communicating with her: this little girl resisted

simple "yes" or "no" answers, especially affirmative ones, as if such responses would damage her dignity and compromise her composure.

According to this rule, "I can't talk to you" actually meant "Qing'er is a girl."

These days, even child abduction rings have become strange, hiring female abductors to kidnap little girls! Jie Zhao couldn't help but sigh.

Suddenly, a large group of strong young men appeared in front of the distant Pingcui Tower, each dressed in dark blue robes and carrying weapons; there were roughly several dozen of them. "They're here...they're here!" Jie Zhao's heart skipped a beat. Instinctively, he ducked behind a pillar, but he didn't see Lao Tie in the crowd. Instead, Steward Wang from the Xu family stepped forward. He gave a few shouts, and the crowd split into several groups. They then pulled Biao Ye's carriage to the front of the building, and soon marched in formation towards the city gate.

Some people in the group carried large flags, with cloth banners rolled up on poles, obscuring the flags. Others carried gongs and drums; they didn't look like they were arresting people. Jie Zhao hesitated for a moment, then got up and left the shop, furtively approaching the entrance of Pingcui Tower. Just as he was about to ask someone for directions, he was suddenly patted heavily on the shoulder.

"Zhao Ping! Why are you still dawdling here?"

Jie Zhao almost jumped up. Turning around, he saw the young porter Chen Xiaoqi, along with Er Gouzi and a group of seven or eight others.

"No...no. Waiting for my uncle!" Xiao Qi tossed him a dark blue short-sleeved shirt made of coarse cloth. Jie Zhao then noticed that they were all wearing the same color outer garments and carrying carrying poles on their shoulders. "

Here, change quickly!" Xiao Qi pushed him towards the direction of the main force, urging him repeatedly, "Let's go and fill in for Master Biao! If we're late, he might be unhappy."

"Fill in what kind of scene?"

"Don't ask!" Xiao Qi laughed, "You'll know when we get there! I guarantee you'll see a scene you've never seen before." Jie Zhao

felt relieved that it wasn't his business, and secretly thought, "I might as well sneak out of the city gate with them and get back before Lao Tie. If he really brings people back to arrest us, at least I'll still have Er Niang as a hostage." As soon as the thought arose, he suddenly felt a pang of anxiety. Er Niang's kind smiling face appeared in his mind, and he thought, "Or maybe my sister and I can escape first and let him miss us. We'll never see each other again in the future, and it won't matter anymore."

A group of robust teenagers were laughing and joking, seemingly in high spirits. Er Gouzi suddenly exclaimed, "Look at you! " Following his direction, the crowd saw a young woman in purple blocking their path.

She was short and slender, dressed in a light purple outfit. A striking dragon pattern was embroidered on her rounded left shoulder, resembling a shoulder guard; a matching long bracer encased her left wrist. She wore white scabbard boots, which accentuated her shapely legs, making them appear perfectly proportioned.

A long, thin brocade bundle was slung across her back, tied with a red rope, its contents unknown.

Quling City was not small, and there were many beautiful women both inside and outside the city, but whether they were wealthy ladies or fisherwomen washing clothes, their beauty was typically feminine and delicate. This young woman in purple, with her boots and armor, exuded a chilling aura. Her pointed chin was held high, contrasting with her bright eyes and white teeth. Her beauty, seven parts beauty and three parts heroic spirit, instantly stunned the group of country lads.

"This girl..." Xiao Qi stared in disbelief, his eyes glued to her shapely waist and legs, muttering,

"So...so beautiful!"

The girl's expression turned icy. Her almond-shaped eyes snapped open, and she said in a deep voice, "Stop!" Her voice was clear and melodious, with a hint of childlike innocence, yet it was imposing and commanding, like a general leading an army. Her sharp rebuke caused everyone on the street to stop what they were doing, speechless for a moment. Xiao Qi and Er Gouzi's teasing words were stuck in their throats, their faces flushed and sweat pouring down their backs, yet they dared not utter a single word.

"Who among you..." she surveyed the crowd, her gaze sharp as a hawk, "Have you seen a girl in a green dress and veil?"

Jie Zhao's heart skipped a beat: "Could it be the little madwoman from the tavern? Could it be...that female kidnapper?" He looked up and glanced around, sighing, "The world has really changed. A fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl is abducting a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl, and she's doing it in broad daylight, yelling and threatening in the street...

" The girl in purple noticed his gaze and gave him a sharp look. Jie Zhao quickly lowered his head to avoid arousing suspicion. The girl asked a few questions, and seeing that it was quiet, she waved her hand and said, "It's alright, everyone disperse!" The crowd felt relieved and quickly dispersed. Xiao Qi and the others, deeply hurt by Mu Shaoai's actions, lowered their heads and hurried away.

Jie Zhao, dressed in a blue-brown coat, followed through the crowd. Suddenly, the girl reached out and grabbed his collar, dragging him close. She coldly said, "You! Have you seen that girl in green?" Her almond-shaped eyes flashed with icy murderous intent. She casually threw the grown man to the ground. Er Gouzi and the others turned pale with fright. Xiao Qi tried to smooth things over, but suddenly the girl turned sharply, her two sharp gazes shooting towards him like lightning:

"Accomplices?" "

Little Seven" swallowed hard, waving his hands wildly and taking several steps back.

"No...we don't really know each other! I...we've only met once today!"

The girl glanced around and suddenly hissed, "If you have nothing to do with me, get out of here!"

Startled by the shout, the young men didn't have time to think and ran away, disappearing in a flash.

Jie Zhao cursed inwardly for being "disloyal," while being shocked by the girl's strength. He secretly struggled a few times, but her jade-like wrist remained unmoved, as if cast in metal. The girl was unreasonable, her beautiful almond eyes coldly staring at him, as if she were certain he had something to hide.

This kind of opponent, who relies entirely on intuition, is the most difficult to deal with. Fortunately, Jie Zhao had been a womanizer since childhood and had more than ten years of rich practical experience. He immediately put on a bitter face and said in a low voice, "Miss...I...I'm a grown man, and you've dragged me down like this in the street, you...you don't even want me to live like this?"

The girl snorted coldly and lifted him up. "Speak." "

I...I think I've seen her before. A little girl, wasn't she? Wearing a white hat, acting all mysterious." He gestured to his chest and pointed west of the city: "It seems she went that way, but...I'm not entirely sure. Why don't you look there, young lady? Maybe you'll find her."

The girl stared at him for a moment, then released his grip.

Jie Zhao had expected her to say something like, "You better not be lying to me," but her icy gaze was far more intimidating than any harsh words. He felt a chill run down his spine and hurriedly tried to make conversation: "Yes...yes! If I see that girl in green again, where should I report to you? What is your name, young lady?"

The girl coldly replied, "Pingcui Tower." After hesitating for a moment, she added, "My surname is Yu." Then she turned and ran towards the west of the city.

Jie Zhao watched her figure disappear around the street corner before slowly returning to Pingcui Tower, chatting idly with the waiter. The staff at Pingcui Tower knew he was a relative of Lao Tie, so they weren't on guard. Jie Zhao seized a moment when no one was watching and quickly flipped through the guestbook on the counter. He saw that among the five newly written pages, there was only one guest with the surname Yu. The handwriting was delicate yet crisp, and it read "Yu Qing'er."

"It really is her!"

Jie Zhao hurriedly closed the book and quickly walked out of Pingcui Tower. Just as he was about to head towards the small wine shop, he saw a pretty figure in light purple standing in front of him. The girl named "Yu Qing'er" stood with her hands clasped at her sides, her slender waist slightly tilted, coldly staring at him.

He could easily explain why he returned to Pingcui Tower, and even come up with a good reason for looking through the guest list; regardless of whether he could explain or not, Jie Zhao was confident that he could stand up to the law. But from the first glance, he knew that this little girl named "Yu Qing'er" was a complete intuitive person.

Her intuition led her to come back and block Jie Zhao immediately.

(...Escape!)

Jie Zhao rushed towards her, a reaction that clearly surprised the girl. Yu Qing'er opened her beautiful eyes wide, suddenly stood in the middle of the street, and blocked with both hands. No matter how Jie Zhao rushed left or right, he could not escape her reach.

"Good!" Jie Zhao gritted his teeth and attacked, his right index and middle fingers together, swiftly stabbing her left shoulder.

Unexpectedly, Yu Qing'er did not dodge or avoid. The moment the sword was about to strike her, she retreated smoothly, and her left hand suddenly grabbed Jie Zhao's right wrist!

Jie Zhao, having missed his attack, didn't stop. In a flash, he shifted his stance, stepping forward and backward, advancing right and retreating left, employing the "Chicken Walk" technique to circle her in a seemingly impossible manner. Yu Qing'er's left hand was twisted behind her back, and she instinctively loosened her fingers. Jie Zhao seized the opportunity to dart past her.

Yu Qing'er let out a sharp cry and struck back with her palm. The two clashed! Jie Zhao's palm force was no match, and he was sent flying backward by the force of the blow, landing three zhang away.

He endured the pain, got up, ran around the street corner, and swiftly climbed up the wall and rooftop, lying low and motionless. A moment later, Yu Qing'er came down after him. Although she was petite, her agility was not as formidable as Vajra's strength. Unable to find Jie Zhao anywhere, she continued to chase after him along the long street, disappearing into the distance in the blink of an eye.

"That female kidnapper... she's incredibly strong!" Jie Zhao's blood was churning from the blow, his right wrist weak and sore. He was still shocked: "These kidnapper gangs nowadays have such skilled fighters. Should we say the world is going to the dogs, or should we praise them for striving for excellence?"

He didn't dare linger and quickly leaped off the roof, heading back to the small tavern in the opposite direction.

The green-clad girl wearing a veil was still sitting in the same spot. Jie Zhao, panting heavily, clutched his chest and said, "Miss... Miss!

The bad guys... the bad guys who've got you here! If you trust me, I... I'll take you out of the city right now, okay?"

The girl was annoyed by his sudden departure and felt that his question was extremely rude. She turned her head away and snorted, "I'm not talking to you."

Jie Zhao really wanted to strangle her. Actually, he was in a precarious situation himself and didn't know what to do with this little girl. However, being from the same capital, he felt a strong connection to her and pitied her for being young and helpless. He couldn't bear to see her sold into a brothel by the kidnapper gang, or even worse, into a rural brothel, where she would live a life of unbearable suffering.

He steeled his resolve, grabbed her hand, and pulled her out of the shop. Through her soft, yielding hand, Jie Zhao could feel her stiff, trembling body. The girl seemed unaccustomed to struggling and pulling, unable to utter a word of reproach or protest, obediently letting him lead her on a wild run. Soon they reached the city gate.

The checkpoints were, as usual, divided into two sides. However, with few merchants coming and going in the afternoon, this side was crowded with burly men in dark blue robes, seemingly all under Master Biao's command, numbering in the hundreds. The sentries didn't bother to check closely, lazily leaning on their batons, letting pass whoever came.

Jie Zhao spotted Chen Xiaoqi from afar and rushed forward, pointing at his nose.

"Wow! You ungrateful brat! You run faster than the wind!"

Xiaoqi jumped up in fright, then, seeing the girl behind him, retorted defiantly.

"Wow! You still have the nerve to say that? It really was you who kidnapped that girl!"

Jie Zhao roared. "Go to hell, that little brat is the kidnapper!" He then gave a brief account of what had happened. Xiao Qi gritted his teeth and glared at him, saying, "I knew that woman wasn't a good person! So domineering, she really is a kidnapper from the capital. Zhao Ping, don't worry! Old Master Biao is the most righteous. In our territory, no one can touch that girl."

The group left the city together and arrived at a thatched hut half a mile away. The thatched hut, where only a few wealthy merchants rested at midday, was now crowded with people, mostly young and strong men, all dressed in blue and green. They were divided into groups and occupied the hut, their banners clearly visible. Among them, the largest group wore dark blue robes.

"Don't be afraid!" Jie Zhao whispered to the girl in green, "No matter what happens, I will protect you."

Her small hands were slightly cold, and her body trembled slightly, but her demeanor was inexplicably dignified. She let him lead her through the crowd without showing any fear or timidity.

Jie Zhao was secretly amazed. He led her and Xiao Qi into a low shed and sat down on the ground. The girl in green stood upright, refusing to sit on the muddy ground. There were no tables or chairs around, so Jie Zhao had a sudden idea. He beckoned to Er Gouzi, "Come on! Be good, come to Brother Zhao Ping."

"What for?" Er Gouzi saw his sly smile and resisted fiercely.

"Damn it! A beautiful, snow-white bottom, you're lucky." Jie Zhao slapped him on the head: "Get down! All fours on the ground."

Er Gouzi saw her slender waist and snow-white skin; although young, her figure was perfectly proportioned. He couldn't see her face, but just smelling that faint, virginal fragrance was enough to make him beautiful. Without saying anything else, he obediently lay down to be a stool. Jie Zhao folded a few newly made blue and brown clothes he had looted on his back, looked at the ground, and whispered in the girl's ear: "Ant, oh ant! In this desolate wilderness, please tell the girl that this stool will have to do."

The girl in green just stood there without moving. After a moment of stalemate, she looked at the ground and said softly, "A two-legged stool is for commoners. It's improper... improper."

Jie Zhao became anxious and started hitting Er Gouzi's limbs wildly, saying, "This isn't two legs! It's clearly four! Look at it! It's incredibly sturdy." With each blow, Er Gouzi cried out in pain, complaining, "Brother Zhao Ping, only two of my four legs are legs, the other two aren't." Jie Zhao was filled with hatred and sneered, "Is that so? Cut them off and compare their lengths, maybe I really am wrong."

Seeing that the girl was determined to stick to the word "stool," he had no choice but to give in, "Ants, ants, two stools make a chair, surely that can't be wrong?" The girl nodded slightly, indicating that they had reached a consensus. The second stool came easily, and everyone rushed to grab one. The girl sat down gracefully, her posture elegant and charming, and the two fleshy stools beneath her were captivated by her beauty, obediently remaining still.

Inside the tent, everyone was dressed in blue. The girl in green was surrounded by burly men and didn't stand out much. Jie Zhao looked around and saw that Master Biao was sitting in the front tent, on a tiger-skin chair with claw-shaped armrests. He was surrounded by a tight guard, all of them with bulging muscles and temples, clearly masters of martial arts.

That tent was larger than the others. Outside, four large blue flags stood, edged with bright red triangular flags. On the flags were written eight characters: "Xu, Branch of the Hundred Armies Alliance of Righteousness." The strokes were bold and exuded a rugged and heroic spirit, fluttering in the wind, awe-inspiring and powerful.

The remaining flags were slightly smaller, with similar designs; upon closer inspection, they were identified as the "Great Etiquette Branch," "Great Filial Piety Branch," "Great Brotherly Love Branch," and "Great Loyalty Branch." The flags did not bear the surname of the branch leader, and each branch only had two flags. Upon entering, the leaders would first greet Biao Ye in his tent. Behind Biao Ye stood a triangular yellow flag embroidered with a ferocious, white-browed tiger with bared teeth and claws. He sat beneath the tiger-shaped flag, his eyes narrowed, clutching a pair of gleaming iron-cast hero's gall bladders. He bore no resemblance to a peaceful, wealthy merchant; he was clearly a powerful underworld tycoon, completely different from what had been seen before.

Jie Zhao felt a slight chill, suddenly remembering the signature on the notice. He thought, "Could this 'Master Biao' be the leader of the Hundred Army Alliance in Quling?" Feigning surprise, he casually asked, "So Master Biao is from the Hundred Army Alliance?" Xiao Qi laughed, "You really have no eyes. In the five counties of Danjun, who doesn't know that 'One Roar Creates the Wind' Xu Lingbiao is the leader of the Quling Righteousness Branch under the great leader of the Hundred Army Alliance, Qi?"

Jie Zhao quickly echoed, "Master Biao is truly remarkable!"

Xiao Qi looked smug, "Of course! The Hundred Army Alliance... " The ten northern branch strongholds are all personal guards of Alliance Leader Qi. Among them, the five strongholds of "Wisdom, Faith, Benevolence, Courage, and Strictness" are veterans who followed the Alliance Leader across the Zulong River and northwards to establish the cause in the early years. Although they are senior, they have not made any significant achievements. Master Biao has only been a member of the Hundred Armies Alliance for a few years, yet he has already established five major branch strongholds in Dan County: "Righteousness, Propriety, Filial Piety, Brotherly Love, and Loyalty." He easily commands a thousand or so men and is highly valued by the Alliance Leader. Therefore, it is not surprising at all that this "Victory Showdown" is being held in our Quling.”

“What is the 'Victory Showdown' for?” Jie Zhao asked again.

Xiao Qi paused, his face flushed, and said, "A 'Battle of Might' is just a 'Battle of Might,' it's just to let others see the might of our alliance. Why are you asking so many questions? You wouldn't understand even if I told you." Jie Zhao chuckled inwardly, "Even if I told you, you still wouldn't know what this 'Battle of Might' is."

As he spoke, a large white flag suddenly rose in the west. Before the men and horses arrived, a powerful and majestic shout shook the earth.

"We are not afraid of the cold and snow, nor do we eat people when we are hungry; is human flesh not sweet? What we hate is harming our spirit!"

The voice grew louder and louder, and in an instant, more than a hundred white-clad men were seen running side by side in four rows. Not only were their clothes neat, but even the red silk single-edged swords they carried were identical. The leader, a white-robed man holding a golden sword, rode in on a fine horse. Behind him, a white flag bore the eight large characters "Bai Jun Alliance Da Zhi Branch Chang."

The five leaders on the thatched hut were dumbfounded. Some sat, some stood, whispering among themselves, creating a buzzing and chaotic scene.

Biao Ye's face darkened, and before he could speak, a cannon boomed, and a large black banner rose in the northeast. Over a hundred men shouted in unison, "Taishi is our home, Mengmen is our neighbor; all beasts are our food, and the five dragons are our guests!" The golden characters on the banner shone brightly in the sun, reading "Baijunmeng Dayong Branch Tang." The black-robed knight leading the group carried a longbow, and his men were all archers carrying carved bows and short swords.

At this moment, an ochre banner rose in the southwest, the words "Baijunmeng Dayen Branch Hu" fluttering in the wind. A group of burly men dressed in ochre-red robes charged forward, their voices like a hundred drums beating in unison, carrying an aura of thunder and fire.

"How majestic is the Mengma, even floating on the river with benevolence. Its colorful insignia shines in the morning sun, its claws and teeth are those of a mighty warrior!"

Before the roar had even faded, a fiery red horse leaped out, and a short, red-faced man with a pair of dark axes crossed on his back pulled hard on the reins. Before the red horse could even put down its hooves, he had already rolled off the golden saddle, stopping the horse on its feet. His movements were surprisingly agile.

Biao Ye watched coldly, his Hero's Gallbladder spinning in his hand, and suddenly raised his voice: "The three leaders are making quite a show of themselves, aren't they afraid of scaring us country folk? Now that Chang, Tang, and Hu are here, Mu Laowu, stop hiding and playing tricks!"

Suddenly, a clear and melodious voice laughed: "Biao Ye has given the order, how dare we disobey!"

"High clouds float with the breath, thick earth trembles with the sound; if you can add your remaining courage, we will be close day and night!"

As the dust settled, a middle-aged scholar with a five-strand beard, wearing a square scarf and a robe, stepped out with his hands behind his back. His face was very handsome and refined, and at first glance, he seemed somewhat childish, but when he smiled, there were dense crow's feet at the corners of his eyes. He was Mu Yuchen, the famous literary leader of the ten northern branches of the Hundred Army Alliance, known as "Following the Breath and the Sound," the leader of the Daxin branch.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Master Biao. Today's 'Victory Gathering' is graced by the presence of distinguished guests. Both aspects must be presented in detail and nothing should go wrong. I'll have to trouble you to take care of things."

When Master Biao saw that he had come alone, a slight ripple appeared in his usually calm and indifferent eyes. His heroic courage suddenly turned, and he sat up slightly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Fifth Master Mu." He changed "Old Fifth Mu" to "Fifth Master Mu," but a cold sneer flashed in his eyes: "I, Xu, have been diligent and conscientious, daring not to slack off. I'm just afraid that someone doesn't intend for me to live a peaceful life, changing the itinerary time and time again, making the brothers in the five counties wait in vain."

The fat man with the ochre clothes and red face, Hu Kun, known as "Tianxiong Axe," was the leader of the Daren branch, but he was not kind at all. His bushy, one-line eyebrows suddenly rose: "You're talking nonsense!" With a roar, he twisted his hands behind his back, and with two swift movements, the pair of ghost-head axes engraved with intricate blood grooves and gleaming with a ferocious black light slid into his hands, but were stopped by the black-clad archer's arm.

The skilled longbow-wielding leader of the Dayong branch snorted and turned to say in a deep voice, "Xu Lingbiao! You don't need to be so sarcastic. We encountered a mishap on our way to welcome our distinguished guests, which is why we are late. The Alliance Leader hasn't arrived yet, are you going to criticize him too?"

Master Biao—or rather, "One Roar Creates the Wind" Xu Lingbiao—squinted and sneered, clapping his hands and saying, "Tang Xian, what a formidable accusation! In my opinion, you shouldn't be called 'Five Dragons Divine Archer,' but 'Five Hats Divine Button' would be better. I guarantee you'll hit the bullseye every time." The members of the five branches of Danjun all burst into laughter.

Tang Xian was only in his early forties, but had been a branch leader for fifteen years, practically ruling a region in Huanzhou. Accustomed to being arrogant and domineering, he couldn't bear such humiliation. His face immediately turned ashen. The members of the Dayong branch behind him gritted their teeth, some even shouting insults at the Danjun faction. The atmosphere was so heated that it seemed like a fight was about to break out.

Mu Yuchen frowned as he watched.

Xu Lingbiao, you third-rate scoundrel, a local bully, a country bumpkin who can't stand up to scrutiny! Just because you have more people and are on your own turf, you don't take the Upper Five Branches seriously and don't know how to know your place. Unless the Alliance Leader comes in person, even if Boss Deng comes, he might not give in... no, that will only fuel his desire to cause trouble and provoke.

(A petty thug's nature. Arrogant, reckless, and lacking in manners!)

Mu Yuchen stroked his beard, immediately processing five or six different arguments in his mind, confident that he could control the situation. Before he could speak, the white-robed swordsman beside him suddenly stiffened, his entire body radiating sword intent, instantly entering a perfect state of combat readiness.

Chang Baili, known as the "Golden-Armored Divine Warrior," was widely recognized as the second-best swordsman among the Five Upper Branches. This meant that even Deng Laoda, the most skilled among the five, admitted inferior swordsmanship, aside from the Alliance Leader's "Heavenly Monarch Blade."

Indeed, amidst the chaos, it was Chang Baili who first noticed the anomaly and immediately relaxed his stance, raising his sword to prepare for battle. As

soon as the more than five hundred men from the Great Wisdom, Great Courage, and Great Benevolence Branches arrived, the forces of the Five Upper Branches of Dan County surrounded them from the outside. The Five Upper Branches had always been the elite troops surrounding the Alliance Leader. Under the management of the five branch leaders for over a decade, their discipline, quality, and even their martial arts convictions far surpassed those of the Five Upper Branches of Dan County, which were primarily composed of thugs and porters. However, even ants can kill an elephant; the thousand or so men spreading out in a circle seemed to underestimate the well-trained elites of the Five Upper Branches.

However, at this moment, whether it was the elite of the Upper Five Divisions or the local ruffians and porters of the Lower Five Divisions, they were all pushed aside by a figure in light purple, as if she were an unstoppable arrowhead, causing all the troops to retreat wherever she went, and everyone involuntarily made way for her.

The young girl, exuding a murderous aura, stepped into the arena step by step. Her almond-shaped eyes were wide open, her willow-leaf eyebrows were raised, and her pretty face had a menacing and fierce look. No one could have predicted that such a powerful aura would come from a beautiful young woman. A moment of silence fell over the entire arena; the previous noise and conflict vanished instantly, but the tension continued to build and intensify with each step she took…

“Following the Qi and Sound,” Mu Yuchen, being the chief strategist of the Upper Five, composed himself, stepped forward, and bowed, saying loudly, “Please wait, young lady! This is the gathering place of our Hundred Army Alliance, and unauthorized entry is strictly prohibited. Please state your purpose clearly; otherwise, we would appreciate it if you could take another route and not disturb our alliance’s gathering.”

He noticed that the young woman’s attire had a distinctly southern martial arts style, resembling the gold-embroidered robes popular among military commanders in Jiangnan. The long brocade bundle on her back clearly contained weapons such as multi-tools, but among the leading figures of the various armies of Jiangnan, he couldn’t find a skilled gunner matching her age and appearance.

The girl in purple pursed her cherry lips slightly, forming a beautiful, full lip line. A smile, the first of its kind, appeared on her cold, snow-white face, but it was utterly contemptuous: "A rabble like this, do they even deserve to call themselves the 'Hundred Armies Alliance'?"

Mu Yuchen's heart stirred: "Could this girl... be a master sent by Ironclad War Soul Mountain?" The

"Hundred Armies Alliance" was actually a collective name, originally referring to a group of armed forces from a foreign land.

It is said that three hundred years ago, a turmoil broke out in the distant Southern Zhanzhou, and the throne was usurped by treacherous officials. A group of troops loyal to the rightful ruler failed to come to the aid of the emperor and fled by sea for thousands of miles to Zhongchenzhou, seeking a base to recuperate and launch a counterattack to revive the dynasty.

At that time, the Zhongchen Kingdom was unified, and the world was at peace, so there was no need for military action. The Zhongchen Emperor greatly admired the loyalty of these foreign warriors and originally intended to incorporate them into the Imperial Guard. However, the representatives elected by the Southern Zhan armies said, "We would rather be ghosts without graves than be buried in a foreign land!" The Emperor then bestowed upon them a vast and secluded territory south of the Zulong River, naming it "Ironclad War Soul Mountain." He allowed the armies to retain the old Southern Zhan system, serving as hereditary guest generals, exempt from annual court attendance, and calling it the "Hundred Armies Alliance."

The Hundred Armies Alliance had an alliance leader, nominally the commander-in-chief of all armies, but in reality, each commander still controlled their own troops, especially the elders of Ironclad War Soul Mountain, who might not necessarily obey the alliance leader. Otherwise, the Southern Zhan tribes, with their complete cavalry, navy, and archery and weaponry, having honed their war skills for three hundred years, and whose Iron-Oared Sail Army, Unconquerable Army, and Vanguard Army controlled half of the Zulong River's water transport power, would have needed to cross the river north to establish branch armies.

Upon seeing the purple-clad girl's imposing manner, Mu Yuchen knew she must have some connection to the Jiangnan military faction; her tone was exactly the same as those old fogies from Ironclad War Soul Mountain. However, her words violated a major taboo of the Jiangbei Ten Leaders, sounding equally offensive to both the upper and lower leaders, causing an immediate uproar. Hu Kun's face flushed crimson, almost dripping blood, and he roared like thunder, raising his axe: "You stinking flower girl! What nonsense are you spouting?"

The girl's pretty face hardened, and she said in a deep voice: "Shrimp soldiers and crab generals, not worth talking to! Where's Qi Tianfang? Or perhaps Elder Deng from Chuzhou will do, call him out and give an answer!" Everyone's expression changed, even Xu Lingbiao couldn't help but stand up, a fierce glint flashing in his cold eyes. "Five Dragons Archer" Tang Xian untied his longbow, pointed it into the wind, and said, "Little girl! You speak so rudely, have you thought about the consequences? Your elders..."

Before he could finish speaking, the girl suddenly turned her head, pointed at a low shed, and shouted, "You villain! Where do you think you're going!"

A purple shadow flashed, and she was about to dart out!

◇ ◇ ◇

This girl in purple was none other than Yu Qing'er, who had followed the trail.

Jie Zhao hadn't expected her to catch up so quickly. While listening to the Five Branch Leaders' dealings with her, he craned his neck and looked around, waiting for an opportunity to leave. Who knew that Yu Qing'er's eyes were like a hawk's, and she spotted his furtive look at a glance; her voice was clear and melodious, with a hint of childish softness, but her shout, delivered with true strength, had the power of thunder. The people in the shed involuntarily stood up, instantly obscuring the petite girl in green.

Yu Qing'er, only sixteen years old and not very tall, instinctively tiptoed in her panic. Chang Baili, the "Golden Armored God," who had been waiting in ambush, saw her move and, without hesitation, drew his golden sword! In the nick of time, Yu Qing'er bent over, the golden sword slicing past her face, sending a few strands of silk flying.

Seeing that the attack had begun, Hu Kun, his eyes red with rage, lunged forward with his axe. But Tang Xian had the same idea; he drew his longbow, the gleaming dragon-head blade at the bow sweeping across, the tip aimed directly at Yu Qing'er's slender waist! Given their status, there was no reason for them to join forces against a young girl, but having been sworn brothers for over a decade, their minds were united, and in their fury, they attacked together.

Tang and Hu, midway through their attack, abruptly stopped, their lips spurting red from the impact, but their weapons were too late to retract.

Tang Xian's longbow was forcefully drawn, slicing past the girl's waist. Yu Qing'er, behind her iron bridge, swiftly executed a "carp leap," her slender yet strong waist moving like a slippery fish, barely dodging the dragon-headed bow's blade. However, the axe behind her was already too late to avoid. With two clangs, one axe was deflected by Chang Baili's golden saber, while the other struck Yu Qing'er squarely in the back, hitting the silk bundle.

As the yellow silk fluttered, two sections of a silver spear appeared in Yu Qing'er's hand. Suddenly, they locked together, and the incredibly flexible silver spear, like a swimming dragon, came to life, unleashing a dazzling white light!

Chang Baili, who had turned his saber to save her, paled drastically and hurriedly brandished his golden saber to protect himself. Amidst the gleaming silver arrow, Hu Kun roared, and Tang Xian retreated silently… Just as Mu Yuchen drew his iron chain to come to the rescue, the blinding light suddenly vanished. Hu Kun's axe fell to the ground, and Tang Xian's bowstring snapped. Chang Baili, renowned for his defensive swordsmanship, staggered a few steps, a bright red peony blooming on his left shoulder—but the silver spear suddenly turned back, sweeping across a second time, soft as a whip, yet with the force of thunder, encircling all four of them!

(This weapon… is the legendary "Canghai Divine Arrow"!)

Mu Yuchen was enveloped in the dragon-like brilliance of the gleaming arrow, the overwhelming force pressing down on him, making his hair stand on end, leaving him no time to cry out.

"Spare his life!"

In this life-or-death moment, a long howl suddenly rang out, piercing through the distance of an arrow's flight, accompanied by the clatter of hooves, as a golden light pierced the air and spun into the silver light. A dull thud reverberated through the air, and two beams of light reverted to their original shapes.

The tip of the silver spear resembled a coiled dragon, heavy and ancient, while the supple, smooth shaft hummed and trembled, its end still held in Yu Qing'er's hand. The tip of the strange, golden weapon crossed with the silver spear and plunged into the ground, its shape neither spear nor halberd, but rather like a tiger's head biting a flat, soaring eagle, its beak and wings both being unparalleled blades. The owner of the golden spear was jolted back more than ten steps, and suddenly the horse reared up and neighed mournfully, then fell to the ground with a "thud!" and died instantly. The man on horseback leaped into the air, landed gracefully, stroked his pointed mustache, and recited loudly:

"The sun darkens and clouds rise, the tiger gazes upon the common people; there is no time to destroy a nation, only the general can forge a sword!"

Yellow dust rose behind him, and more than twenty knights in green robes rode up, the leader carrying a large green banner that read "Deng, Great Yan Branch of the Hundred Armies Alliance."

Yu Qing'er flicked her silver spear, the tip pointing to the ground: "Are you Deng Cangxing, the 'Soaring Tiger' of Chuzhou?"

"Easy! A wild man from Chuzhou, not worth a laugh." The man, around thirty or forty years old, wore a green robe and a golden crown, leather boots, a leather jacket, and leather cuffs. His smile was warm, yet it exuded a rugged, untamed spirit. "Miss Yu's 'Overturning Fish Spear Technique' is truly formidable. I admire it. She truly deserves to be a successor of 'Canghai Divine Arrow.'"

Mu Yuchen and the others stepped forward, clasping their fists and saying, "Brother!"

Deng Cangxing waved his hand, pointing at Yu Qing'er and laughing, "This Miss Yu is the granddaughter of Elder Yu of the Longjie Army. We're all on the same side; this was originally a misunderstanding. Even words can be accidentally hurt; how can brothers and sisters not quarrel and fight? As the saying goes, 'No fight, no friendship.' Today we've formed a bond on the sword; in the future, we'll be even stronger through bloodshed. Don't hold grudges."

He glanced at his sworn brothers as he spoke.

Hu Kun, still furious, blurted out, "This girl's talk is so arrogant! She even called the Alliance Leader..." Deng Cangxing crossed his arms, staring intently at him. Hu Kun suddenly felt guilty under that gaze, his words caught in his throat, unable to continue. Tang Xian was quiet for a moment, then nodded, "Brother is right. In the end, it was our fault for attacking first." Holding his longbow, he cupped his hands, "Miss Yu, I was wrong just now, please forgive me."

Yu Qing'er, being young and inexperienced, nodded, her expression softening slightly.

Deng Cangxing nodded in satisfaction, casually patting Chang Baili's shoulder. The two exchanged glances but remained silent. Mu Yuchen suddenly remembered something extremely important and blurted out, "Brother! Did...did they receive the special envoy?" He swallowed the rest of the "special envoy" part.

Deng Cangxing's expression darkened slightly, and he shook his hand, signaling him not to discuss the matter.

Yu Qing'er sheathed her silver spear and went straight into the low shed. Jie Zhao had originally intended to escape with the girl in green, but who knew this female kidnapper was actually in cahoots with the Hundred Army Alliance? The thousands of people present instantly became her friends and acquaintances. Where could they possibly escape to?

Not to mention, there were also experts like Deng Cangxing and Chang Baili present, none of whom were within his capabilities.

(What...what should he do?)

Just as he was getting anxious, he suddenly saw Yu Qing'er walk up to the girl in green, respectfully prostrate herself and kowtow, whispering, "Qing'er failed in her duty of protection, causing Your Highness to be frightened. Please punish me, Your Highness." Jie Zhao was taken aback: "Your Highness?" What kind of "Your Highness" is this little crazy girl?

The girl in green remained seated, gladly accepting her deep bow, and said softly, "Get up. It's not your fault, I didn't do anything wrong." Yu Qing'er kowtowed three more times before standing up.

Deng Cangxing, watching from afar, suddenly changed color and called out, "Miss Yu! This person is..." He appeared rough and unrefined, but was actually quite shrewd. He had already figured out the answer halfway through his question: "So... it was Ironclad War Soul Mountain who took on the responsibility of guarding. And... who arranged this?"

Yu Qing'er nodded calmly and said, "Send someone to inform the Alliance Leader to stop searching at the ferry and come quickly." Deng Cangxing whispered a few instructions to Mu Yuchen, whose expression changed slightly before she immediately turned and left. Deng Cangxing led

the rest of the group to the low shed. Thousands of people knelt down, shouting, "Long live Your Highness! Long live Your Highness! Long live Your Highness!" The girl in green waved her hand dismissively and said to Yu Qing'er, "Tell them all to get up!" Jie Zhao

was stunned for a moment, forced to finish shouting "Long live Your Highness!" before realizing, "So... this little crazy girl is the 'special envoy' they've been looking for!" The Eighth Prince, Fu Fengzhi, had a son and a daughter; no one stipulated that only his son could represent him in exercising the full power of an imperial envoy. Since his beloved son, Fu Pijiang, hadn't come, it must be the Eighth Prince's darling daughter, the "Princess Cuiwei," Fu Pihan, who was as famous as Jie Ying, the "Pearl of the Imperial Palace," in Zhongjing.

According

to etiquette, nobles with the title of Prince were not allowed to speak directly with commoners.

Only when proclaiming royal decrees or expressing their status could they be exempt from this rule—proclaiming decrees and reciting titles were not considered dialogue, but rather a celebration of His Majesty's imperial power.

The green-clad girl… no, it was "Princess Cuiwei," Fu Pihan, who stood up gracefully. Just as she had been trained in court etiquette since childhood, she surveyed the prostrate commoners and slowly, clearly said, "I, by His Majesty's decree, have come to inspect Dan County to demonstrate His Majesty's wisdom. May you all follow His Majesty's teachings, govern with virtue, and not fail His Majesty's deep love for the people. Rise."

She was very good at this. What she was doing now was no different from the last time, the time before that…

except for the "ants" lying at her feet.

Author: Silent Monkey

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Chapter Twelve of the Heavenly Tribulation of the Sun: The Lion Hunts the Rabbit, Princess Cuiwei

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