[Wuxia] Embroidered Robes and Cloud-like Hair (Complete) - 1

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

Chapter One: The Young Master of the Castle

Night fell, pitch black, so dark one could not see their own hand in front of their face. A fierce wind howled, like a collapsing mountain or a raging tsunami, the sound of trees snapping and bamboo breaking echoing intermittently. The torrential rain poured down like a colossal waterfall cascading from a precipice. Thunderclaps shook the mountains and forests, followed by flashes of blinding lightning, one after another, causing the earth to tremble and the thunder to rumble incessantly, intensifying the storm's fury and the night's terror.

Just as the wind and rain raged, the lightning amplified the suffocating chaos of the sky, suddenly the sound of galloping horses, their iron hooves striking the mountain path, filled the air. Another intense, blinding flash of lightning ripped through the darkness, bringing a momentary glimmer of light to the trembling, towering mountains. A strong, blue-bearded horse, head held high, charged against the wind and rain, along the man-made stone path leading to "Mooring Boat Peak."

Immediately following was a man dressed in a black silk robe with a long sword slung over his back and a black veil covering his face. He gripped the reins tightly, leaning forward on the saddle, his legs gripping the horse's flanks. His eyes, like cold stars, gleamed through the peepholes of the veil, revealing his urgency and anxiety. Using the flashes of lightning in the night sky, he skillfully controlled the horse's speed and direction.

Judging from the masked man's piercing eyes and masterful horsemanship, it was clear he was not only a martial arts master with profound internal strength but also a highly skilled equestrian. His familiarity with the mountain paths suggested he lived in this region, and the black veil clearly indicated he feared being recognized.

Obviously, his willingness to risk his life in the pitch-black night, amidst the storm and lightning, to urge his horse on at breakneck speed, meant he had an extremely urgent and important message to deliver. Or perhaps he was about to seize this thrilling, terrifying opportunity to accomplish something far more worthwhile than destroying lives.

The blue horse traversed towering ancient forests, traversed rugged, precipitous ridges, and circled several peaks before reaching the mouth of a canyon. The masked man's horse maintained its speed, galloping into the valley at breakneck speed. The deep valley was vast, covering several hundred acres, with sheer cliffs to the south, towering peaks to the north, and a precipitous wall running horizontally to the west. At the valley entrance were two south-facing ridges.

This was a dead valley, filled with ancient pines that required two people to encircle, their branches dense and lush, a verdant expanse. Deep within the dense forest, a massive stone castle vaguely appeared, reflecting a dark, bluish-gray white under the intense lightning of the night sky. The castle consisted of nine tower-shaped fortresses, eight lower ones resembling satellites, surrounding a central, towering, solitary watchtower that stood out prominently against the night sky, like a crane among chickens. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that this ancient castle was built according to the principles of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams.

The interior was pitch black, without a single light, giving it an eerie, terrifying, and deathly atmosphere, like a colossal monster waiting to devour its prey. The masked man glanced briefly at the valley's layout before his galloping blue horse raced along the wide stone path into the forest. After advancing several dozen paces, the masked man abruptly turned his horse, dashed off the path, and headed straight for a large, concave rock about seven or eight paces away. Reaching the rock, he lightly braced his right hand on the saddle and leaped off. He quickly tied the reins to the saddle, hastily patted the rain-soaked beard of his blue horse, and turned to gallop deeper into the forest.

Reaching the inner edge of the pine forest, he encountered the artificial moat surrounding the castle, now overflowing with water, its banks indistinguishable. The masked man seemed to know the moat's width; upon reaching the edge of the forest, he immediately leaped into the air, soaring over the moat and landing before the castle's towering stone walls. The fortress walls, a pale gray-blue, were all constructed of eight-foot-high bluestone, standing seven zhang (approximately

33 meters) tall. The masked man, standing beneath these massive walls, appeared as a tiny black dot. He shielded his eyes from the rain, glanced up at the walls, then tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, and with a light leap, soared into the air like a swallow taking flight. The walls were about ten zhang (approximately 3.3 meters) wide, and deserted. The masked man was directly facing a suspended steel cable bridge leading to the central fortress. There were four such bridges in total, connecting the four corners to the center, symbolizing the four cardinal directions. Each bridge was thirty zhang (approximately 33 meters) long but only four chi (approximately 1.3 meters)

wide. The bridge the masked man was facing was the safest. Based on the masked man's various demeanors, he clearly knew the fortress's layout intimately. Concealing himself among the ramparts, the masked man glanced warily at the two satellite fortresses with their iron gates tightly shut, then immediately leaped down the ramparts, dashing across the violently swaying cable bridge, heading straight for the central, independent fortress. Seeing the masked man's alert actions, it was clear that this ancient castle was guarded by highly skilled guards. Presumably, due to the terrifying thunderstorm, a rare event in decades, they had all taken refuge in the eight satellite towers, perhaps believing no one would dare to provoke them. However, just as they were confident of their safety and sheltering from the rain in the towers, an unexpected and daring guest arrived.

At this moment, the masked man had already crossed the rope bridge and leaped onto the middle-level stone railing of the central tower. The middle level of the tower had eight identical iron gates with animal-shaped rings, but each gate was a different color; the one directly opposite the flying bridge was a red gate. The masked man jumped down from the railing and hurried towards a black iron gate. This black iron gate faced directly west, overlooking the steep, precipitous cliffs at the bottom of the valley. The vast and magnificent gardens located below the cliffs outside the castle were clearly visible from the black gate.

The masked man flicked his wrist, sheathed his sword, and immediately rushed up the sloping stairs as if flying. Watching him leap and bound, his steps seemingly chaotic and disordered, yet each footstep followed the principles of the Eight Trigrams. His movements were light and swift, as agile as a cat, utterly silent. Reaching the top floor, the masked man immediately looked up and saw a small, greyish-white bag hanging from the dark, pointed roof. Before he even landed,

a powerful laugh echoed from below: "You dare to venture alone tonight, sword in hand, into the Nine Palaces Fortress, alone to the Star-Picking Tower! Your courage and boldness truly earn the admiration of this old man, Ma Yunshan, who reigns supreme over the Nine Provinces!" With that word, he swung his crutch, aiming a fierce blow at the masked man who had just landed. The

masked man remained silent, dodging the crutch, and swung his long sword back, severing the man's wrist. At the same time, he saw that the man was an old man in purple robes with frosty eyebrows, a silver beard, and a furious expression, wielding an iron crutch. Seeing the masked man's unpredictable movements and lightning-fast sword strikes, the old man with the cane knew he had met a formidable opponent. He roared and unleashed a powerful downward strike, swinging his cane again towards the masked man's head. The masked man, having obtained his prize, was eager to escape Jiugongbao and had no desire to fight. He flashed to the top of the stairs and began his mad dash down.

The old man with the cane was enraged and roared, "Trying to escape without leaving your life?" With that, he gave chase.

The masked man moved like smoke, swift as a fox, reaching the tower entrance in the blink of an eye. Just as the masked man reached the entrance, another person appeared. This person was about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, dressed in a silver satin outfit, with tiger-like eyebrows, bright eyes, a round, plump face, and wielding a bright silver spear with a red tassel. The masked man recognized him; it was Zhong Qing, the top-tier martial artist of Jiugongbao, nicknamed "Little Li Guang."

Little Li Guang Zhong Qing suddenly saw a masked man rushing down towards him like lightning. Knowing he was one of those who dared to climb the Star-Picking Tower, he immediately shouted and thrust his spear forward. The masked man deflected the spear with his sword, the tip grazing past him, and in a flash, he dashed towards the steel cable bridge.

At this moment, the wind and rain intensified, thunder roared, lightning flashed, and the steel cable bridge swayed terrifyingly. Below, cold light flashed, shadows flickered, and shouts rang out. On the opposite wall of the fortress, more than a dozen skilled warriors were already on guard.

The masked man had long since disregarded life and death, already determined to gamble everything. At this moment, he leaped onto the cable bridge and rushed towards the fortress wall. Upon seeing this, the warriors on the ground immediately shouted loudly and launched a barrage of various hidden weapons. Because the cable was several meters high, and with the violent wind and rain, the warriors on the ground could not look up, so the hidden weapons were knocked to the ground by the wind and rain before they even reached the cable bridge. The old man with the cane, who had chased after them from the Star-Picking Tower, Ma Yunshan, the "Suppressing Cane

and Shaking the Nine Provinces," and Zhong Qing, the "Little Li Guang," were stunned to see the masked man already running onto the flying bridge. The masked man sprinted to within five zhang of the fortress wall, let out a fierce shout, and leaped into the air. His longsword flashed with hundreds of silver blades, aimed directly at the dozen or so experts, its momentum unstoppable. The experts on the wall were terrified, shouting wildly and brandishing their weapons. The few in front were terrified and retreated hastily, the situation instantly turning chaotic. Taking advantage of the chaos, the masked man swiftly landed on the wall, lightly touched the ground with his toes, leaped onto a beam, and with a swift movement, plunged down to the other side of the wall. The water outside was deeper. The masked man landed with his feet firmly on the ground, his heart pounding with uncontrollable excitement and exhilaration. He immediately leaped across the river and headed straight for the pine forest.

The masked man rushed into the pine forest. Looking back and seeing no one pursuing him, he let out a bitter laugh. As the laughter subsided, he sheathed his sword and ripped off the black cloth. A handsome, fair face, like that of a king, was immediately revealed. Thick, slanted eyebrows swept towards his temples, a pair of bright black eyes, a straight nose, and lips painted crimson. Despite the intense fighting, the murderous aura between his brows remained strong. Judging by his age, he was at most eighteen or nineteen, yet he possessed astonishing martial arts skills.

The sword-wielding youth dared not linger and galloped straight towards the large rock where the horse was kept. Before even reaching the rock, he saw his blue horse, head raised, ears pricked, eyes gleaming, tail swaying rapidly, neighing softly incessantly. The sword-wielding youth knew that the horse had been waiting impatiently in the storm, so he immediately quickened his pace. Reaching the horse, the youth first opened the saddlebag and hurriedly placed the white silk bundle inside. Just as the young man placed the small bag into his saddlebag, a middle-aged man dressed in a yellow silk robe, wielding a Burmese knife, and with a sinister and cunning expression, suddenly emerged from behind the concave rock.

Upon seeing him, the blue horse reared up and neighed angrily, retreating rapidly. The young man carrying the sword immediately sensed this, turning around with lightning speed. With a dragon's roar, a flash of cold light appeared, and the longsword was already drawn from its sheath. Simultaneously, his left hand swiftly covered his handsome, jade-like face.

The sinister and cunning middle-aged man, seeing the young man turn, draw his sword, and raise his hand to cover his face with such lightness and speed, was truly rare in his half-life of wandering the martial world. The middle-aged man knew he had encountered a master, so he gave a sinister, cold smile and said in a deep voice, "This steward has been waiting here for you for quite some time." As he spoke, he drew his Burmese knife and slowly approached.

Upon seeing the newcomer, the young man's anger flared instantly. The middle-aged man in yellow was none other than Min Wu Kui, the steward of Jiugong Fort, whose martial arts were second only to the old fortress lord, the Land God Jiang Haohai—and also his sworn enemy.

Seeing the young man's silent, face hidden behind his back, his eyes flashing with cold light, Min Wu Kui, the steward of Jiugong Fort, realized it was the gardener watering the flowers outside the fortress. Enraged, he pointed his Burmese sword and shouted, "Wei Ming, how dare you..." With that shout, he lunged forward, his Burmese sword flashing down like lightning.

The young man, realizing he had been discovered, was filled with murderous intent. He dodged, quickly drawing his sword to parry the Burmese sword with a resounding clang, and unleashed three rapid sword strikes, the blades swirling and dazzling.

Steward Min Wu Kui, who hadn't expected Wei Ming, watering flowers in the back garden, to possess such astonishing martial arts, was caught off guard by the three consecutive sword strikes and was thrown into disarray. With a roar, he leaped back eight feet, only to be stunned.

The young man quickly stopped, brandishing his sword and shouting, "Who is Wei Ming? I am Jiang Tiantao, the young master of Jiugong Fortress, whom you and my wife secretly carried out of Jiugong Fortress eighteen years ago and abandoned on the Mooring Bee."

The steward, Min Wu Kui, shuddered upon hearing this and instinctively took two quick steps forward. He looked closely and saw that the young man indeed had a small red birthmark, the size of a grain of rice, on each of his thick, slanted eyebrows. Min Wu Kui was utterly shocked. His face changed drastically, and he hurriedly shouted, "Nonsense! My young master Jiang Tian Tao is in the fortress..."

The young man was immediately enraged, his sword-like eyebrows furrowing as he roared, "Shut up! That's your bastard son with Poisonous Lady Zhang Lihua! You think I don't know?"

Upon hearing this, Min Wu Kui turned ashen-faced. He hastily glanced in the direction of Jiugong Fortress, then suddenly shouted, "Bullshit!" With that shout, he lunged forward, his Burmese knife slashing fiercely at the young man, Jiang Tian Tao.

Jiang Tian Tao, enraged by Min Wu Kui's insolence, flashed forward, his wrist flicking as he drew his sword, creating a dazzling display of power that forced Min Wu Kui back three steps. Just then, several loud neighs of horses came from the direction of Jiugong Fortress. Upon hearing this, Min Wu Kui's spirits lifted. He desperately attacked while shouting repeatedly, clearly trying to let the experts who were about to leave the fortress to pursue him know the location of his fight.

Jiang Tiantao was startled. He shouted and immediately advanced, his longsword flashing with each strike. Instantly, light surged, and waves of sword energy roared like the Yangtze River, rushing towards Min Wu Kui. Min Wu Kui was terrified, letting out a scream and turning to flee.

Jiang Tiantao's eyebrows furrowed, and he roared, "You villain, leave your life behind!" With that shout, he leaped forward, his movements as fast as lightning. In less than five steps, he had caught up, thrusting his sword straight at Min Wu Kui's back. A cold glint appeared, followed by a piercing, heart-wrenching scream that soared into the night sky. Min Wu Kui threw his hands up, dropping his sword, and collapsed.

At that moment, the neighing of horses and the clatter of hooves gradually came from the direction of the drawbridge at Jiugong Fortress. Jiang Tiantao was both shocked and furious. In a flash, he grabbed Min Wu Kui's still trembling body and ran towards the wide stone path. Upon seeing its master gallop towards the stone path, the blue horse neighed softly and followed closely behind Jiang Tiantao. Jiang Tiantao hurried to the wide stone path, casually tossing Min Wu Kui's corpse into the center, leaping onto the horse and galloping towards the valley entrance.

At this moment, a group of cavalry, galloping like lightning, could be vaguely seen dozens of feet behind him. Having learned his lesson once, Jiang Tiantao sheathed his sword, quickly took out a black cloth, and covered his face again. In the blink of an eye, the blue horse had reached the valley entrance, and behind him, he heard the neighing of horses and the shouts of men. Jiang Tiantao knew that the pursuing cavalry must have discovered the body of the steward, Min Wu Kui, and he couldn't help but feel a secret joy.

Galloping out of the valley, Jiang Tiantao's mood immediately brightened, but he still skillfully and quickly steered the blue horse, galloping wildly along the stone path. Circling peaks, crossing streams, and passing through forests, he returned to the place where he had just entered the man-made mountain path. Jiang Tiantao spurred his horse and galloped down the mountain path, rushing along the edge of a deep ravine towards a precipitous cliff beneath a high peak. The wind had weakened, and the distance between the two cliffs had narrowed, but the lightning in the night sky remained intense.

Jiang Tiantao glanced up at the night sky, secretly grateful to heaven for giving him such a golden opportunity. Gradually, the cliff edge narrowed, becoming dark, rugged, and slippery. The water level in the ravine rose sharply, its roar deafening. Just then, the sound of a herd of horses galloping rapidly, like a sudden downpour and a deep thunderclap, faintly reached his ears. Jiang Tiantao knew the experts from the fortress had caught up, so he leaped off his horse and quickly pulled it forward.

Reaching the foot of the cliff, he found himself surrounded by tangled, lush vines and creepers. Jiang Tiantao ran to a section of these vines, pushed hard with both hands, and a four-foot-wide, seven-foot-high vine gate immediately appeared. His spirit-powered blue horse immediately rushed inside. Inside the vine-covered gate was a square stone cave, nearly ten feet high and eight feet wide. Jiang Tiantao followed his blue horse inside, immediately closing the vine gate behind him and turning to walk into the cave.

The cave was about nine feet deep and very dry. At about five feet, there was a side cave extending to the right, and the sound of water could be clearly heard from the depths at the entrance. Jiang Tiantao quickly removed the saddle and patted the horse's rump; the blue horse obediently entered the side cave. At that moment, the thunderous sound of hooves, like a storm passing through, rushed past the stone path and headed straight out of the mountains. Jiang Tiantao had no time to think about anything else; he impatiently removed the black cloth and hurriedly took out the small silver bundle from the saddlebag.

Just as he took out the bundle, a clear and melodious long whistle came from the direction of Jiugongbao. The long howl, high-pitched and clear, echoed through the night sky, lingering for a long time. Anyone with experience would immediately recognize it as coming from a master of profound inner strength. Immediately afterward, another high-pitched howl resounded from a nearby peak.

In an instant, faint echoes of howls followed from many other peaks. Clearly, the experts of Jiugongbao were conducting a large-scale search of the mountain. Although Jiang Tiantao was anxious, he was confident that those people wouldn't find this place. However, he was very worried that the searchers would discover he was no longer in the stone chamber in the back garden.

At this point, he couldn't worry about anything else. He immediately channeled his inner energy, clenched his fingers tightly, and with a sharp clang, the iron ring on the silver silk bundle snapped. Jiang Tiantao hurriedly opened the small bundle, and a soft ray of light immediately shot out. Upon closer inspection, his heart leaped with joy. Inside the small bag, neatly folded, lay an eight-inch square of deep blue silk satin, adorned with pearls and jade of varying sizes and colors, and gold thread patterns. Its shimmering light was dazzling, instantly casting a hazy, rosy glow upon the surrounding cave walls.

Jiang Tiantao stared blankly at the auspicious blue satin, tears welling in his eyes. His dream of rising from a mere gardener to the young master of the fortress was about to come true. For the past six months, he had worked tirelessly, racking his brains, and finally, the embroidered garment his mother, the Jade Maiden Xuanji, had personally woven was within his grasp. Heaven had indeed rewarded those who persevered.

With trembling hands, he grasped a corner of the embroidered robe and slowly lifted it. Upon closer inspection, he was utterly stunned. Inside the small bag wasn't the entire robe, but a left sleeve with a long, white, ribbed cuff. Jiang Tiantao's handsome face turned ashen, tears streaming down his face. He held the left sleeve, heartbroken, unable to put it down for a long time.

Just then, a sharp whistling sound of clothes tearing through the air reached him clearly. Startled, Jiang Tiantao quickly covered the small bag, plunging the cave into darkness. Listening intently, his expression changed drastically; the person was already at the cave entrance. Startled, Jiang Tiantao leaped up, grabbed the small bag and the saddle, and leaped into the side cave. As he entered, the rattan door at the entrance creaked as it was pushed open.

A thought struck Jiang Tiantao; he seemed to remember something. Peeking in, he saw a stunningly beautiful young woman wearing a hooded hat and a yellow velvet dress slipping in. The girl in yellow appeared to be about sixteen or seventeen years old, with a peach-shaped face, crescent-shaped eyebrows, bright phoenix eyes, a delicate nose, cherry lips, and two particularly deep dimples on her cheeks. She was frowning, her expression one of extreme anxiety. She quickly closed the rattan door and rushed into the cave.

Jiang Tiantao, recognizing her as his aunt, the Shadowless Heroine Xue Lijuan's only beloved daughter, Wang Yanling, dropped his saddle and hurried to meet her, anxiously whispering, "Ling-mei, why have you come in such a storm?"

Upon seeing Jiang Tiantao, tears immediately welled in the girl's eyes. She covered her face with her hands, her voice trembling with sobs, and said, "Brother Tao… I was so worried…"

Seeing Wang Yanling soaked to the bone, Jiang Tiantao quickly reached out to support her arm, urgently saying, "Ling-mei, come inside and sit down." As he spoke, he helped Wang Yanling towards the depths of the main cave.

The girl in yellow, Wang Yanling, walked forward, tears still streaming down her face, and said

in a trembling voice, "Just now, at the foot of the Star-Picking Tower, seeing so many masters attacking you and so many hidden weapons hitting you, I almost fainted from fright." Jiang Tiantao said sadly, "Brother, you had long since disregarded life and death; at that time, you couldn't care less about anything else." As they spoke, they arrived at a small stone table and a large stone platform covered with soft, withered leaves.

Wang Yanling raised her hand and took off her hood, revealing a cloud of beautiful hair and a delicate face like a pear blossom in the rain. Jiang Tiantao was very grateful to Wang Yanling for coming to see him in the rain. Seeing his beautiful cousin take off her hood, he hurried forward with concern and kindly took off her long cloak, which was soaked through by the rain. But the moment his hand reached out, Wang Yanling was startled and clutched her delicate body tightly, quickly taking two steps back. Her face flushed with embarrassment, she said hastily, "Brother Tao, I'm not cold."

Jiang Tiantao thought for a moment, then suddenly realized: Although my cousin is wearing a long cloak, how can she withstand the wind and rain when she uses her light-footed skills to fly? Her clothes will inevitably get soaked. If she takes off the cloak, wouldn't her exquisite body and high, firm breasts be fully exposed? Thinking this, his handsome face turned red, and he unconsciously tightened his own cloak, smiling awkwardly, "I'm not cold either."

Normally, Wang Yanling would laugh at him, "Who asked you that?" But at this moment, she was extremely anxious and had no mood to tease her beloved cousin anymore. So, with her bright phoenix eyes wide open, she asked anxiously, "Brother Tao, did you get it?"

Upon hearing the question, Jiang Tiantao immediately gave a bitter smile, then threw the small silver bundle he was carrying under his arm onto the large stone platform. At the same time, he said disappointedly, "Ling-mei, look for yourself..."

Wang Yanling was incredibly clever. Upon seeing Jiang Tiantao's gloomy and disappointed expression, her heart skipped a beat. Knowing something was wrong, she blurted out in a panicked voice, "What..." As she spoke, she hurriedly took two steps forward, stretched out her slightly trembling slender hand, and quickly opened the small bundle. A flash of light, and Wang Yanling exclaimed excitedly, "Ah, Brother Tao, this is it!"

But when she lifted it with her slender hand, revealing a left sleeve embroidered with pearls and jade, she suddenly froze, immediately saying in bewilderment, "How could the embroidered garment be like this? When my mother entrusted this garment to my younger sister on her deathbed, she told her that it was a blue garment embroidered by your aunt, the Jade Maiden Xuanji. My younger sister opened it and saw that it was a complete garment..." As she spoke, Jiang Tiantao, staring blankly with his bright phoenix eyes and slightly parted, crimson lips, seemed to be asking, "What's going on?"

Jiang Tiantao, equally clueless, could only shake his head woodenly. Wang Yanling's phoenix eyes flashed, and she said urgently, as if she had realized something, "Hmph, this matter is probably the work of Steward Min Wu Kui and his wife, the Poisonous Lady Zhang Lihua, again."

Jiang Tiantao's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, and he asked anxiously, "Do they also know the secret of the embroidered garment?"

Wang Yanling pondered for a moment, then said hesitantly, "They may only know the embroidered garment's value, but not its true mystery." She paused, then suddenly perked up, as if she had thought of a solution to the problem, and said urgently, "After I return to the fortress, can you have Steward Min Wu Kui's dog, 'Upturned Nose'..." "Go ask Min Wu Kui..."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tiantao's expression changed drastically, and he said with annoyance, "I just killed that dog Min Wu Kui."

Wang Yanling was indeed taken aback and said urgently, "Senior Fairy Haitang, didn't you repeatedly tell us that it would be best to keep the couple alive before the truth comes out?"

Jiang Tiantao said with annoyance, "But he already knows my true identity."

Upon hearing this, Wang Yanling said with certainty, "Then you must have taken off the black cloth?"

Jiang Tiantao nodded with shame and had no choice but to recount what had just happened.

Wang Yanling sighed sadly and said softly, "If it were my uncle, 'Land Dragon' Jiang Haohai, waiting by my side back then, figuring out your origins would be harder than climbing to heaven."

Jiang Tiantao thought about it and couldn't help but shudder, but he asked with concern, "When will Father return from Spider Island in the East China Sea?"

Wang Yanling gently shook her head and said, "He's rarely home, maybe only a few days a year. Besides, Min Wu Kui's son, Upturned Nose, is good-for-nothing, thinking he's the real young master of the fortress, and he's greedy all day long..." "They were just playing around, so all the power in Jiugongbao fell into the hands of Min Wu Kui and Poisonous Lady."

Upon hearing the name Poisonous Lady, Jiang Tiantao's eyes suddenly lit up, and he immediately whispered, "Lingmei, when you go back, tell Gouzi to point his nose and ask Poisonous Lady..."

Before Jiang Tiantao could finish speaking, Wang Yanling hurriedly shook her head and said, "No, these past two days Poisonous Lady has often treated Gouzi with a gloomy face, and I heard she even wanted to..." She paused, and two blushes suddenly rose on her beautiful face, and she stopped talking.

Jiang Tiantao immediately asked, puzzled, "What did you hear, Ling-mei?"

Wang Yanling, her face flushed, stammered, "I heard from the maid Xiao Cuihua that the night before last, Young Master Gouzi sneaked into Poison Lady's room and hid under her bed."

Without thinking, Jiang Tiantao asked, "Why, Ling-mei?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Yanling's beautiful face instantly turned as red as a peach blossom in March. She covered her face with her hands, lightly tapping her boots, and said with a mixture of shame and anger, "Who knows what he was doing hiding under the bed? You'd better ask Xiao Cuihua!"

Jiang Tiantao was stunned for a moment, then suddenly understood. His handsome face flushed red, thinking, "No wonder my cousin is so embarrassed; it turns out Gouzi wanted to molest Poison Lady." Then, still puzzled, he blurted out, "Ling-mei, Gouzi..." "Doesn't Chaotianbi know that Min Wu Kui and Poisonous Lady are his biological parents?"

Wang Yanling, knowing her cousin had figured things out, suppressed a laugh and said seriously, "Of course he doesn't know, otherwise, he wouldn't dare, as the young master of the fortress, scold the steward Min Wu Kui for being useless in front of so many experts."

Jiang Tiantao frowned, even more puzzled, and asked, "Why don't Min Wu Kui and Poisonous Lady tell Chaotianbi the truth?"

Wang Yanling immediately said seriously, "That's precisely Min Wu Kui and Poisonous Lady's cleverness. They know that if they tell Chaotianbi the truth, Gouzi will inevitably be accommodating and obedient to them in everything. Imagine, the whole fortress is full of experienced martial arts masters; after a while, how can they not arouse suspicion?"

Jiang Tiantao couldn't help but interject, "When will they finally tell Chaotianbi the truth?"

Without hesitation, Wang Yanling said, "Of course, it'll be after my uncle passes away, when Gouzi officially inherits the title of Lord of Jiugong Fortress!" Jiang Tiantao's anger flared, and he couldn't help but sneer.

After a moment of silence, Wang Yanling said, "Brother Tao, let's go." She reached for her hood, and Jiang Tiantao quickly stepped forward, eagerly helping her tie the long ribbon at the brim.

Wang Yanling, both shy and sweet, suppressed her wildly beating heart, slightly tilting her round, alluring chin as her beloved brother tied the ribbon for her. Although Jiang Tiantao and the beautiful Lingmei had had many secret meetings, their conversations mostly revolved around revealing their true identities and the intricate mechanisms of the Star-Picking Tower within the fortress. But this intimate encounter, with fingers touching her skin and their fragrant breaths, was a first. His heart pounded, and his fingers seemed to be moving on their own.

Wang Yanling tilted her jade-like chin slightly, her phoenix eyes gently closed, quietly experiencing the movement of her brother Tao's fingers around her neck. Deep within her heart, an uncontrollable joy and pleasure welled up. Jiang Tiantao's heart fluttered, and he could no longer restrain himself. He reached out and pulled Wang Yanling into his arms.

"Brother Tao...you..."

Wang Yanling was startled, her face flushed with embarrassment. Instinctively, she tried to push him away, but her body was limp and powerless. This was the first time she had been so intimate with a man, and the man was her fiancé. His scent made her dizzy. Wang Yanling half-heartedly resisted, letting out a soft "hmm," her delicate body leaning helplessly against Jiang Tiantao's chest, her breathing rapid, her cheeks as red as blooming camellias. Her passionate reaction immediately infected Jiang Tiantao. He felt the heat and fragrance emanating from Wang Yanling, causing his blood to surge and a strange change to occur in his lower body. Jiang Tiantao

held Wang Yanling tightly in his arms and kissed her cherry lips. Wang Yanling yielded gently, and the two kissed. Wang Yanling's tongue, tender and sweet, rolled rhythmically in his mouth, exploring it with her own. When he slipped his tongue into her mouth, she immediately sucked on it, causing her whole body to tremble. Wang Yanling exhaled, her breath sweet as orchids, as she passionately kissed Jiang Tiantao's tongue, each kiss more forceful than the last. Wang Yanling's face flushed crimson, and she trembled slightly, her poetic murmurs broken and fragmented…

Jiang Tiantao sucked out Wang Yanling's delicate tongue, savoring it slowly in his mouth, while his left hand roamed over her body. In just a moment, Wang Yanling was driven mad by his kisses, panting, trembling, and dizzy in his captivating hands. Wang Yanling, her hair disheveled and hairpins askew, her skirt half-undone, moaned softly, "Brother... I... feel so good... I love you..."

"Ling-mei, I love you too..."

Wang Yanling's moans of love were like a bird's song in spring. Their body temperatures soared and trembled; they forgot their own existence, even the affairs of the world, the only reality being their unbridled enjoyment. That youthful spark, from their tongues, spread throughout their bodies, every cell active, caressing, and excited. He and Wang Yanling began to feel aroused, their breaths like drifting white clouds. They continued to kiss and caress each other deeply. Wang Yanling, her eyes half-closed, moaned softly...

Jiang Tiantao called softly, kissing her half-naked, alabaster-white breasts. Wang Yanling trembled under his passionate kisses, tightly embracing his waist, responding to him, feeling lost and intoxicated. Jiang Tiantao, burning with desire, swept Wang Yanling into his arms and carried her to the bed. He placed her on the bed and reached for her clothes. Startled, Wang Yanling shrank back into the bed and whispered, "Brother… I'm scared…"

Jiang Tiantao embraced her, saying, "Ling-mei, I will love you well, I will love you forever."

Wang Yanling covered his mouth with her small hand, smiling shyly, "Brother Tao… I will love you forever too…" She covered her face with her hands, her shy demeanor incredibly endearing.

Jiang Tiantao was overjoyed. He embraced Wang Yanling and began to undress her, quickly stripping her naked, revealing her snow-white body. Wang Yanling covered her face, not daring to look at him. Jiang Tiantao stared, dumbfounded, at Wang Yanling's beautiful young body. Her snow-white skin was delicate and smooth, so supple it seemed as if it could be broken by a touch, so exquisitely beautiful it looked like it was about to drip water. Her rosy cheeks were alluring, her shy and fearful expression quite adorable. Her large, watery eyes stared at the ceiling, trying to maintain her composure. Wang Yanling had a slender figure, with curvaceous figures, high and full breasts, and the bright red nipples on her two snow-white nipples were incredibly tempting. Her snow-white nipples were adorned with a captivating navel, and below were

lush green grass, with a stream flowing at the entrance to her Peach Blossom Spring. Jiang Tiantao stroked Wang Yanling's hair, her rosy cheeks, her firm and elastic full breasts, her long, white, and tender legs, and finally, her full, plump, white, and protruding vulva, a place full of mystery. Wang Yanling's breasts now resembled two full, round, and elastic peaks. Her nipples were already pink, and when Jiang Tiantao sucked on them, they bounced incessantly in his mouth, a truly delightful sight. Especially that private area, truly mysterious, like a piece of uncarved jade. The entire area resembled a beautiful, uncut gem. The dense pubic hair was a glossy black, a striking contrast to her fair skin, incredibly alluring, making Jiang Tiantao drool. Her skin was delicate and soft, with a patch of snow-white, tender labia protruding from her pubic hair, and the thin stream of fluid already flowing from it was even more captivating.

Seeing such a beautiful sight, how could Jiang Tiantao resist? He pounced forward, grasping and kneading Wang Yanling's snow-white breasts, then lowering his head to taste her nipples. Wang Yanling clung tightly to his strong waist, softly crying, "Brother...it hurts...be gentle..."

Jiang Tiantao felt a pang of tenderness, embracing Wang Yanling's slender waist and gently kissing her earlobe, saying, "Ling-mei, I'm sorry! I hurt you."

Wang Yanling gave him a playful glare and scolded, "Brother...you're not being honest..."

Jiang Tiantao kissed her hard, laughing, "Who told you to be so beautiful, my good wife, you've mesmerized your brother."

"Brother Tao...you..." Wang Yanling blushed, wanting to say something but hesitating.

Jiang Tiantao's heart pounded wildly. He boldly parted Wang Yanling's jade-like legs, fully admiring the most beautiful and mysterious part of her body. He saw that Wang Yanling's mons pubis was full, with dark pubic hair evenly distributed around the petals, and the pink petals were half-open, with a few glistening dewdrops hanging on them. Overwhelmed with shame under his gaze, Wang Yanling struggled to close her legs, letting out dreamlike moans, "No...no..."

But Jiang Tiantao held her legs tightly, and she couldn't move an inch. Jiang Tiantao began to gently part her labia with his fingers. Her clitoris, close to the labia, was already swollen and throbbing slightly, its surroundings glistening with lustful fluid, truly alluring and adorable. They had been together for so long, yet because they were both so young, they hadn't considered this matter and had never had the chance to take real action. But today's caresses had made Jiang Tiantao unable to control himself. Before Jiang Tiantao lay Wang Yanling's captivating vulva, truly a masterpiece of art in the world. This mysterious place, which had long been coveted by Jiang Tiantao, was now overflowing with lustful fluid, exuding an alluring fragrance that stimulated the lustful swordsman's thirst.

Wang Yanling covered her face with her hands, her snow-white neck turning pink with shame. Seeing Wang Yanling's soft moans and her watery, alluring eyes, Jiang Tiantao knew she was aroused and burning with desire. He stripped off his clothes, revealing his large, thick, red member, and placed it in Wang Yanling's small hands.

"This...it's so big..."

Wang Yanling was both attracted and afraid. Holding the hot, erect member, she didn't know what to do, wanting to let go but unwilling to.

Jiang Tiantao smiled and said, "Sister Ling, touch it..."

Wang Yanling blushed deeply, her delicate hands gently stroking his penis again and again. Her eyes, filled with desire, glanced sideways at Jiang Tiantao. Gradually, her hand moved downwards, touching the thick pubic hair, gently pinching it. Wang Yanling played with it gently, finally gripping it tightly, stroking it up and down. The stimulation from Wang Yanling's hands aroused Jiang Tiantao's penis, making it even harder and more swollen. Taking advantage of this, Jiang Tiantao stroked Wang Yanling's buttocks, then her clitoris, pubic hair, labia, and finally her erect clitoris—the tender white flesh was so lovely. When Wang Yanling had had her fill of playing with Jiang Tiantao's penis, Jiang Tiantao gently stroked her clitoris with his fingers, causing her to tremble. Then, Jiang Tiantao slightly turned over, his right hand slowly caressing Wang Yanling's hard nipple.

"Ah...ouch...Brother Tao...you...you...stop kissing...ah...I...really...can't...take it...um...ah...Brother...I...I don't know...why...it's so...so itchy down there..."

Jiang Tiantao felt a surge of heat rush to his groin, his penis painfully hard. He knew he couldn't hold back any longer. Jiang Tiantao laid Wang Yanling down on the bed, parted her long legs, and rubbed her wet petals with his glans a few times before suddenly thrusting his hips down...

"Brother Tao...slow...slow down...it hurts...it hurts...I...um...hum...hum..."

Wang Yanling's eyes welled up with tears from the pain. As Jiang Tiantao thrust downwards, she felt her vaginal muscles tear. The pain in Wang Yanling's vagina felt like needles pricking her, and her whole body trembled uncontrollably. This stinging pain, Wang Yanling thought, meant her hymen had ruptured. She felt a sticky substance flowing out of her vagina, running down her buttocks onto the bed.

“Tao…Brother…slow…slower…it hurts so much inside…ouch…humph…I…I can’t take it…Brother…be gentle…be gentle…”

Jiang Tiantao kissed her red cheek tenderly, comforting her, “I’m sorry, it’s my fault, I’ll pull out right now.”

Wang Yanling grabbed his arm, her voice trembling, “Brother…I can bear it…”

Jiang Tiantao gently wiped away her tears, “Don’t force yourself!”

Wang Yanling bit her lower lip and nodded. Jiang Tiantao said gently, “Ling-mei…don’t worry…I…I’ll go in slowly…if it hurts…just scream…”

After saying that, seeing Wang Yanling’s delicate appearance, he felt even more affection for her, so he leaned in and gave her a deep kiss, as if in return for Wang Yanling’s actions, a mixture of excitement and gratitude. Not long after, Wang Yanling’s vagina slowly began to react. She felt a growing itch deep inside her vagina, an indescribable discomfort, as if it were a burning passion. Wang Yanling frowned slightly, gently twisting her slender waist. At first, there was some pain, but soon her body felt a tingling and itchy

sensation that was very comfortable. So, Wang Yanling couldn't help but twist her delicate body, allowing her cervix inside her vagina to collide with Jiang Tiantao's glans. At the same time, she gasped, "Brother Tao... inside... it's... starting... itchy... I... I... it's so uncomfortable... hum... hum... hurry... hurry... hurry and stop the itch for me... hum... hum..."

Jiang Tiantao had been waiting for a long time and was suffering greatly. So, as soon as Wang Yanling finished her moan, he immediately thrust hard, and his thick penis rushed in, reaching deep into her core.

Wang Yanling trembled and moaned, "Mmm... Ouch... Brother Tao... It's... It's so beautiful... But... It still hurts a little... Oh... Ouch..."

"Oh... Sister... I'm in heaven... Hmph... My... My little hole... Every part... Is... Not... So comfortable..."

"Brother... Why did you only... Only today... Only now... Do you... Do I... I hate... You..."

"Brother Tao... You're... Doing it... I feel so good... Ouch..."

"Hmph... I... I'm so beautiful... Hmph... Hmph... Hmph..."

Wang Yanling closed her eyes tightly, but waves of pleasure washed over her lower body, and she couldn't help but cry out, "Brother... I feel so good... Harder..."

All that could be heard was Wang Yanling's continuous moans, and her pink face revealed the radiant beauty of sexual satisfaction. Jiang Tiantao was making her feel so good. Wang Yanling was now entering a state of ecstasy, her slender waist twisting wildly to meet Jiang Tiantao's movements, her vagina feeling a tingling and numb sensation, an indescribable feeling, and that excitement made her moan and gasp again.

“Hmph… Ouch… It’s… it’s killing me… Brother… your… treasure… is so long… every time… it feels… so… so good…”

“My… bones… are going to melt… Hmph… Hmph… It’s… so good… it’s killing me…”

“Brother Tao… I’m going to die… Oh… Oh… it’s… so good… Ouch…”

“So… so good… Hmm… Hmm… I… I can’t… I can’t live anymore… Hmph…”

“I’m… I’m… I’m going to… go to heaven… Brother… Brother… I… I’m going to… lose… lose it…”

"Faster...faster...faster...oh...hum...hum...I...can't take it anymore...I...I'm...I'm...I'm...Ah..."

Wang Yanling's vagina suddenly contracted, the vaginal walls sucking on Jiang Tiantao's glans. Jiang Tiantao couldn't help but tremble a few times, his large glans throbbing, ejaculating a large amount of semen, which sprayed directly onto Wang Yanling's vagina, like parched land suddenly receiving a burst of rain. Her flower core was drenched by the hot semen, and her cervix suddenly spasmed and contracted, releasing a gush of vaginal fluid.

Both of them were experiencing their first time making love, deeply affectionate and intimately intertwined, reaching their climax. They embraced each other, enjoying the pleasure of intercourse.

After a while, they came to their senses. Wang Yanling, having just experienced lovemaking, had a face as delicate as a peach blossom, and her breasts were high and firm, indescribably beautiful. Jiang Tiantao couldn't help but greedily kiss every inch of the girl's body.

"Lingmei, is it comfortable?"

"Mmm, it hurt a lot at first, but it got very comfortable later." Wang Yanling said shyly.

"Good sister, does it still hurt now?" Jiang Tiantao gently kissed her.

"It still hurts a little, but it was definitely worth it. Brother, are you comfortable?"

"Mmm, brother is very comfortable too. I want you to stay with me often in the future!" "

Brother, I'm a little scared..." Wang Yanling said with a blush.

"Scared of what?" Jiang Tiantao asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Scared that your big... can't handle it!" Wang Yanling said shyly, biting her lip.

"Big what?"

"Your big treasure is really killing me. I can't handle it alone." Wang Yanling said with a blush.

"Do you like it?" Jiang Tiantao kissed her and asked with a smile.

"Mmm, I love it so much!" Wang Yanling blushed, becoming even more beautiful.

Jiang Tiantao reached out and lifted her chin, giving her a quick kiss. "Lingmei, you're really quite the flirt!"

Wang Yanling immediately replied nervously, "I don't know what happened, the moment your magic hand touched me, I fainted. I screamed so loudly just now, it's so embarrassing, brother, don't you like it?"

Jiang Tiantao laughed, "The more flirtatious you are, the more I like it. We're about to become husband and wife, so we should be more open with each other!"

Wang Yanling nestled happily in Jiang Tiantao's arms, saying wistfully, "I hope we can get married soon, then we can stay together forever."

Jiang Tiantao nodded, about to say something, when the faint crowing of a rooster from a woodcutter's house in the mountains came from outside the cave. The two realized that dawn was approaching. They quickly got up, dressed, and got ready. Wang Yanling urged them repeatedly, "Let's go!"

Jiang Tiantao hurriedly folded the small silver pouch, carefully placed it in his bosom, and then walked side by side with Wang Yanling towards the cave entrance. Wang Yanling, having just lost her virginity, walked with noticeably awkwardness; Jiang Tiantao noticed this and gently put his arm around her. Stepping out of the vine-covered gate, it was still pitch black outside. The wind and rain had stopped sometime earlier, with only faint flashes of lightning on the distant horizon and occasional weak rumbles of thunder. The only sound in the entire Mucao Mountain area was the despairing, terrifying roar of rushing water from the deep ravine.

Jiang Tiantao closed the vine-covered gate, first carefully examining any suspicious areas nearby, then he and Wang Yanling raced along the edge of the ravine towards Jiugongbao. The terrain was rugged, and the rocks were slippery after the rain. Because this was a dark path they often used to traverse at night, their figures moved with the speed of lightning, as swift as arrows. Rounding the last peak, they reached the narrow valley entrance outside Jiugongbao.

The two stopped and hid under a clump of trees, carefully observing the valley entrance and the surrounding wide stone path. Only after confirming there were no hidden experts from the fortress did Wang Yanling wave goodbye to Jiang Tiantao and dash towards the valley entrance. Jiang Tiantao stood quietly under the tree, watching Wang Yanling until her graceful figure disappeared into the valley. Then he covered himself with a black cloth, unleashed his lightness skill, and soared up the ridge.

The ridge was covered with ancient pines and bamboos, and strangely shaped rocks. Jiang Tiantao flew along the ridge, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. Since he hadn't encountered any experts from the fortress, he deduced that they must have realized they couldn't catch the masked man and had mostly returned to the fortress. Jiang Tiantao circled around to the western cliff of the valley and peered out. He saw that the Nine Palaces Fortress, dozens of feet below, was brightly lit, with ancient stone steps, pavilions, and towers. Under the bright lights, many dark figures moved along the wide corridors; presumably, these were servants, maids, or experts from the fortress.

Unable to discern the activities of those people, Jiang Tiantao descended in sections while simultaneously observing the terrain of the cliff. Below lay a vast garden, with low pines lining the paths, lush bamboo groves, and orderly flowerbeds. A clear stream meandered through the center, leading directly to the moat. A vermilion bridge spanned the stream, with pavilions at each corner and a large lotus pond displaying shades of vermilion, pink, white, yellow, and purple. Adjoining the pond were winding corridors and flower halls, and countless oddly shaped rocks were scattered throughout the garden. A flower wall surrounded the area, encircled by giant pines. In the northwest corner of the garden stood three stone houses, where Jiang Tiantao resided.

After carefully observing the garden, finding it eerily quiet, Jiang Tiantao swiftly descended, heading straight for the stone houses. Reaching the doors, he entered, finding nothing amiss inside. Concluding that no one had been there, he went into the inner room, quickly changed into simple clothes, and immediately went to bed to meditate.

Dawn dispelled the darkness, and the bright sun brought light. The torrential rain and fierce winds of last night had vanished without a trace, and the Mufu Mountains had returned to their usual tranquility. However, within the usually peaceful Jiugong Fortress, unease and tension remained palpable. The fortress's guards were all renowned and upright figures in the martial arts world, mostly recruited by the former fortress lord, the "Land Dragon Jiang Haohai." Now, a masked stranger had suddenly appeared, braving the thunder and rain, storming the fortress, climbing the tower, and stealing the former lord's beloved treasures. Everyone felt ashamed and disgraced, having failed their lord. In particular, based on the masked stranger's familiarity with the inner workings, they all suspected him of being a highly skilled expert who had infiltrated the fortress beforehand, and thus, most felt they were highly suspicious.

In light of this, the experts led by Tieguai Zhen Jiuzhou Ma Yunshan were secretly investigating which experts had not been present at the scene last night, and which had been ordered to leave the fortress on business.

The young master of the fortress, with his upturned nose, was usually arrogant and domineering. Hearing that masked men had come, scaled the tower, and stolen treasures, defeating all the heroes, and

that before leaving, they had killed the chief steward, Min Wu Kui, the young master hid in the inner fortress in fear. The middle-aged, alluring, and venomous woman lay on the corpse of her lover, Min Wu Kui, wailing and lamenting for his untimely death, which had made her a widow at thirty-six.

The servants and maids, all tense and anxious, whispered amongst themselves, but none knew what had been stolen from the Star-Picking Tower the previous night.

As the unease within the Nine Palaces Fortress grew, the rising sun climbed the ridge at the valley entrance, illuminating the lush green Xizhou Valley, painting the nine ancient and massive towers of the Nine Palaces Fortress with a golden hue, and bathing the vast garden below the cliffs in a magnificent glow.

Jiang Tiantao, dressed in simple clothes, stood quietly in the flower hall of the garden, his brow furrowed with worry. He gazed at the withered and ruined flowers, unsure how to begin tidying them up. In the lotus pond, the once vibrant, cloud-like lotuses were all broken and drooping on the water. Along the clear stream, the delicate daffodils, the peonies around the water pavilion, the rare and beautiful herbs in the flowerbeds, and the fragrant orchids on the strange rocks—most were now bare, their petals withered, branches broken, and leaves covered in mud.

Jiang Tiantao thought of his father, the Land God Jiang Haohai, whom he had never met. A lifelong martial arts enthusiast, he loved flowers most of all. He wondered how heartbroken he would be if he knew that the garden's beautiful flowers had been destroyed by the storm. He didn't want his father, who was away from home year-round, to know that the storm had left the garden unrecognizable. He vowed to restore the garden to its former splendor before his father returned to the fortress. Encouraged by his filial piety, Jiang Tiantao immediately took his pruning shears and began the work of pruning and cultivating the soil.

He first tended to the cockscomb, impatiens, crabapple, and roses in front of the flower hall steps, and then wove a screen frame with fine bamboo. Half an hour later, a magnificent, colorful screen was erected in front of the hall. Just then, a heavy splashing sound came from the back gate of Jiugongbao.

Jiang Tiantao turned around at the sound and saw the tall drawbridge connecting the garden to the back gate slowly being lowered. Then, with another series of laborious creaking sounds, the heavy back gate slowly opened. Jiang Tiantao found it strange. In the past six months, apart from his cousin Wang Yanling visiting the garden a few times, even the steward Min Wu Kui rarely came. Who could it be today?

As he thought this, a group of figures, adorned with flowers, emerged from the back gate. Jiang Tiantao looked closely, his spirits lifted, and he immediately smiled. The person in front of him was none other than his beautiful and naturally charming cousin, Wang Yanling. Wang Yanling had changed into a brand-new goose-down cloud-shaped dress and pleated long skirt. Her hair was styled in a high bun, adorned with a golden phoenix holding a pearl, and two rows of jade flowers were slanted into her hair. Her delicate, flawless face seemed to be lightly powdered, making her exquisite cherry lips beneath her delicate nose appear even more vibrant and crimson.

Jiang Tiantao was somewhat stunned, because this was the first time Wang Yanling had dressed up so deliberately, appearing ethereal and otherworldly.

Playful and mischievous, dressed in a light red dress, Xiao Shuixian was unruly and difficult; Xiao Cuihua, dressed in green, was honest and kind; Xiao Xianglan, dressed in pale blue, was slender and silent; and Xiao Dujuan, dressed in light purple, were four maids of varying heights and builds, all with beautiful and charming appearances, who followed behind the stunningly beautiful Wang Yanling like stars surrounding the moon.

Just then, Wang Yanling, walking slowly towards the garden, saw Jiang Tiantao, his handsome face splattered with mud and holding long shears. She immediately smiled, a smile so serene and sweet. Seeing Wang Yanling's cheerful expression and deliberate attire, Jiang Tiantao, recalling their passionate night, felt a surge of joy and, without thinking, smiled as he went to greet her at the garden gate.

The mischievous little daffodil, dressed in bright red, widened her eyes upon entering the garden, staring at the mess of flowers. She threw her hands up in the air, crying out in anguish, "Oh dear, what happened? One night you've ruined this beautiful garden..."

Before her words had even faded, Little Cuihua, Little Azalea, and Little Xianglan had already fluttered like butterflies to their respective flowerbeds. Wang Yanling stood at the garden gate, smiling gently, her bright phoenix eyes gazing affectionately at Jiang Tiantao, who was walking towards her with a smile from the direction of the flower hall. Just then, a sharp, cat-like shout rang out from inside the back gate: "Sister Ling, I've been looking for you for so long! So you're here!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Yanling's face, which had been smiling shyly at Jiang Tiantao, immediately turned annoyed and frosty. The four girls, including Xiao Shuixian, also frowned upon hearing the voice, their joy vanishing. Jiang Tiantao quickly stopped and looked up, only to see a thin, slender boy with slicked-back hair, a folding fan in his hand, wearing a young master's hat and a pink silk robe, running out of the back gate. The boy in pink, holding a folding fan, was about eighteen or nineteen years old, with fair skin, a pair of almond-shaped eyes, and two flat, low eyebrows. Although he had thin, rosy lips, he had an upturned nose, especially his two large, dark nostrils.

Upon seeing the pink-clad youth, Jiang Tiantao knew who it was. A surge of anger rose within him, fueled by regret, and his handsome face instantly hardened with murderous intent. However, realizing the timing wasn't right, he suppressed his burgeoning rage. He secretly vowed that one day he would drive this scoundrel out of Jiugongbao. So, feigning ignorance, he turned and walked to a nearby flowerbed, squatting down to arrange the flowers. But his bright eyes, flashing with cold, angry light, still occasionally glanced towards the garden gate.

At this moment, Gouzi, with his upturned nose, had run up to Wang Yanling, who was frowning and looking downcast. With a fawning smile, he chuckled lightly and said in a deliberately obsequious tone, "Sister Ling, what an elegant air you have! You've come out to admire the flowers so early."

Wang Yanling, her face frosty, disdainfully raised her eyes, not even glancing at Gouzi, and said sarcastically, "What time is it now? The sun has already risen above the fortress."

Gouzi's fair face flushed red, and he immediately frowned. He glanced at the bright sunrise, then feigned sudden realization and slapped his folding fan shut. With a self-deprecating laugh, Jiang Tiantao said, "Last night, there was a thief in the fortress, which completely confused me."

Wang Yanling immediately retorted coldly, "As the young master of the fortress, why didn't you come out and catch the thief? I heard that the thief stole my uncle's beloved possession, and I even chased him out of the mountains in the pouring rain!"

The dog with the upturned nose let out a soft "Oh," and immediately flattered her with a fawning laugh, "How can my amateur skills compare to yours, Sister Ling? If I had half of your skills, I would be perfectly content." With that, he laughed heartily, his whole body trembling.

Seeing the dog with the upturned nose's repulsive appearance, Jiang Tiantao's anger flared again, and he abruptly stood up. Although Wang Yanling patiently dealt with the dog with the upturned nose, her bright phoenix eyes were keenly watching Jiang Tiantao's every move. Just then, Jiang Tiantao, who had been squatting in front of the flowerbed not far from the hall, suddenly stood up with a face full of anger. Fearing that his anger might cause trouble, she immediately gave him a cautious look. At the same time, she slowly walked towards the lotus pond and coldly said to the upturned nose, "Hmph, if you had gone to intercept him with Steward Min, Steward Min might not have died."

The upturned nose snorted and said contemptuously, "The so-called wise man is one who knows when to yield. Only a fool like Min Wu Kui, who is arrogant, self-righteous, and thinks he's so great, would end up like that."

Upon hearing this, Wang Yanling suppressed a laugh and glanced sideways at Jiang Tiantao with her phoenix eyes. Jiang Tiantao was a rather sensible young man. At this moment, he couldn't help but shake his head with a sigh, feeling that the upturned nose was both laughable and pitiful, because he was also one of those who had been fooled. With this thought, the anger in his heart instantly dissipated, and he continued to squat down and work, but he still felt disgusted by the upturned nose's arrogant and ugly attitude.

At this moment, the upturned-nose boy followed closely behind Wang Yanling. As they passed Xiao Cuihua and the others scattered beside the nearby flowerbeds, the four women simultaneously gave him a deep bow and greeted him respectfully, "Good morning, Young Master!"

The upturned-nose boy, smugly nodding in response, watched Jiang Tiantao with a disdainful snort. Although the upturned-nose boy spent his days indulging in pleasure and showed no ambition, he clearly heard the deep snort carried on the wind. He quickly stopped and turned around, only to find Jiang Tiantao squatting in front of the flower hall, tending to the flowerbeds.

The man with the upturned nose was certain the deep groan came from Jiang Tiantao, and seeing that he hadn't come to greet him, he flew into a rage and shouted, "Come here!"

Wang Yanling, sensing trouble, had already stopped. Seeing the man's anger, she quickly intervened, saying, "He's working. Why are you calling him over?"

The man with the upturned nose snorted, but lowered his voice, saying, "We've been here so long, and he hasn't even come to greet us." As he spoke, noticing Jiang Tiantao's indifference and continued working, he shouted again, "I told you to come here, did you hear me?"

Wang Yanling immediately said unhappily, "Such a large garden, with thousands of flowers and branches. If we don't replant them today, they'll wither and die tomorrow. How could he have time to greet us?" She then feigned concern and glanced at Jiang Tiantao, who was slowly standing up.

Seeing her shout again, Jiang Tiantao had no choice but to slowly stand up, pretending to be bewildered as he looked at the man with the upturned nose. When the man with the upturned nose met Jiang Tiantao, he was stunned. He then realized that although Jiang Tiantao was dressed in plain clothes and his face was splattered with mud, his handsome and dashing temperament was far superior to that of the man with the upturned nose. A nameless flame of jealousy suddenly rose in his heart, so he pointed at Wang Yanling, glared at Jiang Tiantao, and asked resentfully, "This is Miss, do you know her?"

Jiang Tiantao nodded calmly and said, "Miss often comes to the garden, of course I know her."

Upon hearing the words "Miss often comes to the garden," the upturned-nosed man suddenly felt a pang of jealousy, but he asked sharply, "Knowing she is Miss, why don't you come and greet her?"

Jiang Tiantao replied without hesitation, "Miss once said that if she is working when she comes to the garden, she doesn't need to greet you."

The upturned-nosed man seemed surprised that Wang Yanling was so kind to this handsome garden servant, yet so disgusted with him. Hearing Jiang Tiantao's words, he trembled with anger, pointed at his own face, and asked hatefully, "Who am I, do you know?"

Jiang Tiantao was too lazy to answer, and only shook his head disdainfully. Knowing Jiang Tiantao's stubborn nature, Wang Yanling feared he wouldn't submit to the situation any longer. Therefore, she said meaningfully, "This is the young master of the fortress."

Jiang Tiantao still didn't bow or show any respect, instead coldly shaking his head and saying indifferently, "I don't know."

Upon seeing this, the man with the upturned nose flew into a rage, shouting, "Young Master wants you to know!"

Zhiyu, having spoken, leaped forward, his right palm meeting the attack, aiming sharply at Jiang Tiantao's handsome face. Suddenly, a yellow shadow flashed, and a delicate shout rang out: "What are you doing?"

With that shout, Wang Yanling had already darted to the man's side, and then, with lightning speed, flicked her finger, striking his wrist. The man with the upturned nose was startled, letting out a gasp and taking five steps back. His face was

ashen, and his peach-blossom eyes glared at Wang Yanling. He asked in surprise, "Ling-mei, you…" Wang Yanling stopped, realizing she had gone too far, but she still looked at the man with the upturned nose and said unhappily, "I don't like your vulgar behavior of cursing and hitting people."

The man with the upturned nose was both embarrassed and angry, and couldn't help but retort sarcastically in a deep voice, "I always felt you were particularly protective of this boy." As he spoke, he pointed at Jiang Tiantao, whose face was full of anger.

Upon hearing this, Wang Yanling's heart skipped a beat. Feigning anger, she pointed her slender finger at the man with the upturned nose and said angrily, "You are truly a person who doesn't know respect, doesn't know boundaries, and doesn't know what etiquette is!" With that, she turned and hurried towards the garden gate.

Upturned Nose realized he had misspoke. Seeing Wang Yanling rushing towards the suspension bridge, he waved and chased after her, calling out in a panicked voice, "Sister Ling, it's my fault! I deserve to die!"

Wang Yanling, intending to lure Upturned Nose away, refused to stop and continued running towards the bridge, maintaining a distance of about ten feet from him, preventing him from catching up. The four girls, including Little Narcissus, seeing their young mistress leave in anger, all hurried after her. However, only Little Cuihua seized the opportunity, flicking her jade hand, sending a white blur shooting straight towards Jiang Tiantao's face.

Jiang Tiantao, watching Wang Yanling run onto the bridge, secretly regretted his stubbornness in ignoring Sister Ling's hints. He saw a white blur flash before his eyes, and a small white ball was already in front of him. He quickly raised his right hand, his middle and index fingers instantly catching the object. Looking down, he saw it was a small piece of paper. Jiang Tiantao sensed something was amiss and quickly crouched down, pretending to work. He hastily unfolded the crumpled paper and saw a line of delicate handwriting: "At the first watch tonight, my younger sister has sent someone to fetch you."

Jiang Tiantao was overjoyed. Wang Yanling had deliberately dressed up and come in a cheerful mood; she must have something important to discuss. He put the paper away and looked up again. Xiao Cuihua and the other three had already rushed into the back gate. Wang Yanling had mentioned that under a large, strange rock behind the flower hall, there was a tunnel leading directly to her apartment. The stone building she currently lived in was her mother Xuanji Yu's former bedroom. He had long wanted to go into the inner fortress to see it, but Wang Yanling had always refused. Firstly, she feared it would stir up his grief and anger, causing trouble and making things worse. Secondly, the Poisonous Lady was extremely cunning and wary of Wang Yanling, so he had to be extra careful.

Now that his wish had been fulfilled, he was about to enter the inner fortress to see the place where he was born, and also to remember the place where his mother had lived in the past. A surge of filial piety welled up within him, and his longing to see his mother's kind face, the Jade Maiden of Xuanji, became even more urgent. He only wondered when he could find all the embroidered garments his mother had made, enter the Wanxiang Ancient Tomb beneath Jiugong Fortress, kneel before his mother's jade coffin, and weep bitterly, pouring out all the grievances he had suffered over the past eighteen years.

With this thought in mind, he lost all interest in his work. He strolled to the base of several large stones behind the Guihua Hall, examining them closely, but he still couldn't find any flaws or suspicious patterns. Disappointed, he returned to the stone chamber, hoping only that the midday sun would quickly move westward, and that night would come soon…

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