The Complete Book of Immortals, Heroes, and Demons - Chapter 19

Episode 8: Woyun Water Manor / Chapter 3: Seeing Through the Treachery

In the hexagonal pavilion in the backyard of the Yang Mansion, Huo
Qianqian wildly striking the ground with it, cursing incessantly: "I'll beat you to death, you bastard! You heartless scoundrel
! Die..." A perfectly good branch was quickly reduced to a shower of leaves and fragments
.

Suddenly, a soft voice sounded from behind her: "Miss Qianqian, is something bothering you?"

Huo Qianqian stopped, turned around in surprise, and saw a beautiful woman dressed in white, her beauty as pure as snow
, standing in the pavilion. This woman was none other than Ziqiong.

Ziqiong smiled slightly, walked slowly to her, took her hand, and asked, "Are you angry with
Dou'er ? Am I right?"

Hearing this, Huo Qianqian felt a surge of grievances with nowhere to vent, and tears welled up in her eyes. "He...he..." Before she could
finish, her heart ached, and she buried her face in Ziqiong's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

Ziqiong already knew perfectly well how Xin Xing treated Huo Qianqian, and gently patted her back, comforting her, "
Dou'er has never been one to know his place, you don't need to take it to heart."

Huo Qianqian cried for a while, then slowly raised her head. "I...I've been so good to him, but he actually...he actually...
with another woman in front of me..." Thinking of this, grief overwhelmed her, and she burst
into .

Ziqiong led her to sit down on a stone bench and said, "Qianqian, do you truly like him? I
heard from Dou'er that you approached him on your father's orders. Is that true?"

Huo Qianqian was always straightforward and without guile. Hearing Ziqiong's words, she nodded without hesitation and said
, "That was true at first, but I really like Dou'er. Don't you believe me?"

Ziqiong smiled and said, "What good is it if I believe you? It's important that he believes you."

Huo Qianqian sighed, "I know that, but he just teases me and argues with me all the time."

Ziqiong stroked the back of her hand and smiled slightly, "Since you like him, you shouldn't be sulking and bickering with him all day long
. Dou'er is all bark and no bite. As long as you are more tolerant of him..." "Let him care for you,
let him feel your feelings for him, understand?"

Huo Qianqian immediately exclaimed, "Yes, I've already humbled myself before him, but he doesn't appreciate it at all,
what do!"

Ziqiong said, "You need to know that in his heart he has already decided that you came with an ulterior motive, which is why he treats you this way
. It won't be a matter of a day or two for him to change his mind, you must be patient. Take today's incident, for example, you became
extremely jealous as soon as you saw him being with other women. If this continues, Dou'er will only become more and more disgusted with you. You should
know that it's not uncommon for men to have three wives and four concubines. If you can't tolerate this, it's better to give up sooner rather than later. You
might as well think about it seriously."

After hearing this, Huo Qianqian lowered her head and remained silent, clearly thinking about what Ziqiong had just said.

Ziqiong continued, "Happiness isn't something you can snatch or steal; it comes from feeling and giving. Even if you
force yourself to stay by Dou'er's side, you won't win his heart. Will you be happy?"

Huo Qianqian asked, "I... what should I do?"

Ziqiong smiled slightly, "What you need to do now is first think about whether you truly like him or are just
acting on impulse. If you're not doing this for a specific purpose, but genuinely like him, then you should patiently
try to move him with your sincerity. Although Dou'er talks to you all day long..." "If I'm not mistaken, Dou'er isn't entirely without
feelings ."

Huo Qianqian was delighted to hear this: "Is...is it true?"

Ziqiong nodded gently: "You need to be patient. It's getting late, go back and rest."

A few days later, Gao Lishi came to see Li Longji. The two found a secluded place, and Gao Lishi said: "Your Majesty,
have you heard of the auspicious omens of the songs 'Sang Tiao Wei Ye' and 'Nü Shi Wei Ye' circulating in the streets?" Whenever he was in private or alone
, Gao Lishi, grateful for Li Longji's kindness and not forgetting his former master, would address him as "Master." Only in the palace or
in front of would he address him as "Shaoqing."

Li Longji frowned slightly and said, "I have indeed heard of it. This 'Wei' must refer to Empress Wei, right?"

Gao Lishi nodded and said, "Exactly. So all of this was orchestrated by Zong Chuke."

Li Longji's brows furrowed even more: "It was him! His scheming is quite something."

Gao Lishi said, "A few days ago, Zong Chuke went to the palace to have an affair with the Empress. As the Empress's close attendant, I naturally stood
outside the door to keep watch for them. I overheard Zong Chuke discussing the creation of auspicious omens. He basically said that the ballads
have spread throughout Chang'an and are even better than 'Wu Zetian.'
He

told Li Longji to just wait to become the second Wu Zetian, but when that time comes, he shouldn't forget about me, Zong Chuke, just because he has a pretty boy." Li Longji was furious. Gao Lishi continued, "This is no small matter. Since before Emperor Gaozu
ascended the throne , the world sang 'Peach and Plum Blossoms.' When Emperor Taizong was the Crown Prince, the world sang 'The King of Qin Breaks the Enemy's Formation.' Since those
two times, regardless of whether it's inside or outside the palace, officials or commoners, everyone..." He began to believe in auspicious omens. Zong Chuke then said that
a stone bearing the inscription "The Holy Mother descends upon the people, the imperial enterprise will be forever prosperous" was found in the Luo River. In fact, this whole affair was
a hoax, orchestrated by Wu Chengsi. Later, when people retrieved the stone and presented it to the court, he secretly laughed at the astonished expressions of the
ministers , calling them foolish and ignorant. "My lord," Li Longji said, "everyone in the streets is saying
that a second female emperor will surely appear in the near future."

Li Longji replied, "These deceptive tricks and schemes can't possibly succeed."

Gao Lishi shook his head, "You can't say that. During Emperor Gaozong's reign, before Empress Wu Zetian even
ascended the throne, the song 'Wu Meiniang' was sung everywhere, and Wu Zetian eventually became emperor. If Empress Wei becomes emperor, she will definitely turn against the Li family.
My lord , this matter must not be taken lightly."

This concerned the rise and fall of the Li family, and Li Longji was not going to be careless. He knew that to save his life, he had
to eliminate Empress Wei's entire faction. After returning to the capital, he began to observe Empress Wei's movements and constantly cultivated relationships with
anti-Empress Wei figures in the court, such as Ge Fushun, Chen Xuanli, and Li Xianzuo, intending to seize the opportunity to strike first and defend
the Li Tang dynasty.

Hearing Gao Lishi's words, he nodded and smiled, saying, "Lishi, my good brother. I entrust Empress
Wei to your care."

Gao Lishi replied, "My lord, how can you say such a thing? You flatter me. There is a saying: 'A subject should die for his country, a son should die for his parents
.' I will certainly do my utmost, even unto death."

Li Longji patted his shoulder: "Thank you! Lishi, you should go back now. If some villain sees us together
, it'll be troublesome."

He had just approached Hanguang Gate, thinking of leading his horse to the stable, when he saw Xin Xing strolling out of the palace. Li Longji smiled
and went to greet him. Xin Xing saw him and was delighted, laughing, "Brother, what a coincidence!"

Li Longji smiled slightly: "I heard you've been causing quite a stir at the East and West Markets these past few days, you've been incredibly busy."

Xin Xing sighed and shook his head: "Alas! It makes me furious. Of all the gifts from India, they had to send
the Emperor a peacock fur coat. That's bad enough, but the worst part is that Empress Wei saw it and started imitating it, wanting to weave
a of a hundred bird feathers. Isn't that just asking for trouble?"

Li Longji laughed: "This is the palace gate; you'd better watch your words."

Xin Xing retorted angrily: "So what if they hear?" Although he himself wasn't afraid, he didn't want to
provoke Li Longji because of this. Before he could react
, Xin Xing looked around to make sure no one was watching before lowering his voice and asking, "Brother, do you know how many bird feathers are needed to weave a robe made of a hundred birds' feathers?" Li Longji shook his head. Xin Xing replied, "According to the weavers' calculations, it would take at least
ten catties of feathers."

Upon hearing this, Li Longji asked, "How many birds would it take to collect so many feathers?"

Xin Xing said, "I don't know. I've searched all over the flower and bird shops in the East and West Markets these past few days, and I've only found a few hundred birds, but
their feathers don't even weigh a catty. Roughly estimating, one robe would require several thousand birds. What's even more ridiculous is that this
task was originally assigned to the Bureau of Imperial Decree, but because the Bureau of Imperial Decree is under the jurisdiction of the Palace Secretariat, I..." The Palace Attendant
was merely ordered to supervise. Every time the Fengmian Bureau men arrived at a flower and bird shop, they loudly proclaimed, "Today, all the birds
have been bought by the court; we only want the feathers, not the birds themselves, so we'll buy them all at half price!"

Li Longji laughed heartily, "So you plucked the feathers right there and then?"

Xin Xing replied, "Indeed, at the order of the Fengmian Bureau supervisor, every bird in the shop was instantly stripped bare.
The poor birds were either dead or injured; it was an unprecedented disaster for them."

Li Longji shook his head repeatedly, saying, "Brother, it's been a long time since we had a drink together."

Xin Xing said, "Very well, this time it's my treat, let's go!"

The two arrived at Sixi Residence in the West Market, found a seat on the second floor near the window, ordered wine and dishes
, and Li Longji said, "Brother, you've been in the palace for some time now, have you discovered anything?"

Xin Xing shook his head and sighed, "No, even with the Demon-Revealing Mirror, I haven't gained anything."

Li Longji raised his eyebrows and said, "Demon-Revealing Mirror! What is that?"

Xin Xing took out the Demon-Revealing Mirror from his bosom and said, "This is a treasure given to me by my master. This thing
looks inconspicuous, but it's quite effective. Any demon or monster can be exposed once it's reflected in it." He
couldn't say it belonged to the Goddess Xuan Nu, so he could only say it was a gift from his master.

Seeing the ancient and elegant object, Li Longji couldn't help but ask, "Is it that powerful? May I take a look?"

Xin Xing, without hesitation, handed it to him, saying, "During my time in the palace,
I've examined everyone, men and women, concubines and palace maids, from high-ranking officials to lowly soldiers and eunuchs. I haven't found
a single demon, let alone a ghost. This monster is indeed extraordinary! But I will not give up; I will find it sooner or later."

Li Longji looked at it for a while, then returned it to Xin Xing, saying, "As the saying goes, where there's a will, there's a way. Besides, evil cannot
prevail over good. Take your time."

Xin Xing said: "Yes, did the Emperor give you any trouble that day?"

Li Longji sighed. "No, thankfully Shangguan Wan'er helped me, and I escaped unscathed. But just thinking about Empress Wei
and that bald guy's appearance makes me furious!"

Xin Xing asked with a smile, "You mean that Zong Chuke?"

Li Longji nodded and said, "That guy doesn't have any other skills, but his flattery and scheming
are all incredibly fresh and insidious. He'll show no mercy to anyone who opposes or harms Empress Wei."

Xin Xing said, "I've met him in the palace before. He walks with an air of superiority, quite imposing." "
He's even more impressive than Wu Sansi. What's his family background? What kind of person is he?"

Li Longji said, "I heard he's from Hedong. He has three brothers and two sisters. His eldest brother is Zong Qinke, and
his younger brother is Zong Jinqing. He's the son of my grandmother's cousin."

Xin Xing said in surprise, "So he's the son of Wu Zetian's own sister. That means you're related."

Li Longji nodded and said, "Before my grandmother ascended the throne, the three brothers served in the court. Later, they
were demoted to Lingnan for corruption. The eldest brother, Zong Qinke, died in exile. The following year, due to a general amnesty, Zong Qinke and Zong Jinqing were recalled to the court.
Zong Qinke was the most..." " A man who climbed the social ladder by fabricating charges against others finally gained my grandmother's favor and was appointed prime minister.
But once he gained power, he used public funds to build a private residence, and was demoted again, never to return to court." Xin Xing said, "Indeed a coward. How could he be so powerful now that he's already been demoted?" Li Longji shook his head and said, "Until the current emperor ascended the throne, Zong Chuke attached himself to Wu Sansi and was appointed Minister of War . After Wu Sansi's death, he suggested that Empress Wei and the princes submit a memorial to honor the emperor as 'Emperor Yingtian Shenlong.' The emperor was naturally delighted with this title. Then, Zong Chuke led the officials to submit a memorial requesting that Empress Wei be granted the title of 'Empress Shuntian Yisheng.' 'Yi' means to assist. 'Yisheng' means to help the emperor govern the country, which undoubtedly laid a reasonable groundwork for Empress Wei's interference in politics. From then on, Zong Chuke was even more highly regarded by Empress Wei and was considered one of her own ." Xin Xing's expression suddenly turned serious, and he said in a low voice, "Brother, just listen to me, don't look around . It seems we're being watched." Li Longji was startled and asked, "Where? Can you tell who they are?" Xin Xing said, "Three people are sitting against the wall, and two others are guarding the corner across the street. Judging from their clothes and the fact that they're all carrying weapons, they're clearly people from the martial arts world, not just ordinary thugs. Actually, I noticed them a long time ago. These people have been following us since Hanguang Gate, all the way here." Li Longji pretended to look at the scenery on the street, and casually glanced across the street. He saw two , dressed in short, tight-fitting clothes, each holding a long sword. Xin Xing asked, "Do you know these two people?" Li Longji shook his head and said, "They're completely unfamiliar faces. I've never seen them before. I never expected you to be so perceptive, brother. You're truly remarkable." Xin Xing laughed and said, "I've been wandering the martial world since I was a child, so I'm naturally quite sensitive to everything. If I were being followed without even realizing it, I wouldn't be able to save my life even if I had ten lives." As he spoke, he reached into his waistband and pulled out the pair of...

Xin Xing handed one of the enlarged dragon staffs to Li Longji, saying, "Just in case, brother, keep this one in
your hand." Both were fourth-rank civil officials, forbidden from carrying swords, but these dragon staffs were Xin Xing's
lifeblood , naturally never leaving his side.

Li Longji took them, noticing their lightness and shortness, even thicker than his fingers, and momentarily puzzled,
asked , "What is this?"

Xin Xing laughed, "Brother, don't underestimate it. This is a life-saving magic weapon. With a single incantation,
it gradually grows larger, not only usable as a weapon but also capable of withstanding any precious sword."

Li Longji was skeptical, laughing, "Such a strange and unusual thing exists; I must see it for myself."

Xin Xing smiled, "These people are staring intently; I wonder if their target is me or you. Brother,
let's go and see if they follow." Li Longji nodded, tossed down a few copper coins, and stood up.
Sure enough, the three men stood up simultaneously. Seeing this, Xin Xing chuckled inwardly and walked downstairs with Li Longji. Just

as they were about to leave the shop, two burly men blocked their way. Xin Xing immediately recognized them as
the men guarding the opposite street and said with a smile, "Brothers, excuse me, excuse me!"

One of them reached out to stop them, asking Li Longji, "Is this Li Shaoqing of the Imperial Guard?"

Li Longji smiled slightly and said to Xin Xing, "Brother, so it was me you were after." He then looked back and saw
that the three men had followed behind, forming an encirclement. He nodded and said, "It is indeed I. May I ask what brings you here
?"

The man raised his head and said, "My master wants to see you. Come with us."

Xin Xing asked from the side, "Who is your master? Where do you want us to go? If you don't explain clearly, we won't go
anywhere ."

Another man standing outside the door snorted coldly, "This is none of your business. If you know what's good for you, leave quickly."

Xin Xing smiled and said, "You've followed me all the way from Hanguang Gate, but you haven't shown yourself yet. So you were waiting for me to leave
? Why are you so impatient now? Hmm, I understand! That old fox from earlier..." "What did you whisper in your ear?
Did you tell me to take action immediately? I told you so, right?"

The five men's expressions changed slightly upon hearing this. Xin Xing continued, "You still haven't answered me, who is your master?"

One of the men said, "Young man, I've already said this is none of your business. If you don't want trouble, get out of here, or don't blame me
for being impolite."

Xin Xing said, "Since you won't tell me, I won't force you. But I'd
like to see . You're blocking the shop's entrance like this, obstructing their path to wealth. Let's go." After saying this, he and Li Longji
led the way out of the shop.

A burly man coldly said, "Boy, you asked for this. Don't regret it later."

Xin Xing laughed, "I've never understood the word 'regret.' Enough with the nonsense, lead the way."

Seeing Xin Xing and Li Longji's composed demeanor, the men were slightly surprised. However, all five were
skilled members of the underworld, and they wouldn't take these two refined-looking young men seriously. They quickly escorted Xin Xing and
Li Longji .

It was early evening, the sun was setting, and after leaving the Golden Gate and walking for more than two miles, they turned onto a desolate
path. The path was overgrown with weeds, creating a somber atmosphere. After walking a while, they saw a dilapidated temple with green tiles and yellow walls.
Seeing the desolate surroundings, Xin Xing smiled and asked, "Could your master be a monk in this temple?"

The five men remained silent and led the two inside. The dilapidated temple, with its broken beams and leaning pillars, had clearly been abandoned for many years. Just
then, a cold laugh came from inside, followed by footsteps, and two people strolled
out . Li Longji was greatly surprised to see them and said, "So it's you! Xue Chongxun, what do you want me to do here
?"

Xin Xing saw that the two were an old man and a young man. The old man was sallow and thin, with a goatee under his chin; he was the same
old man who had spoken with the burly man on the street earlier. The other man had a round face, large ears, a straight nose, a square mouth, and a stout build.
Without a doubt, this man was Xue Chongxun, the eldest son of Princess Taiping. Xue

Chongxun was slightly taken aback when he saw Xin Xing, and asked the old man, "Who is this person?"

The old man replied, "I don't know either. I just saw the two of them drinking together at Sixiju, but I didn't know he
would come here."

Xin Xing glanced behind him and saw five burly men standing at the temple gate, blocking the entrance. Hearing the old man's
words, he immediately smiled and said, "So you are Xue Chongxun. My apologies. Whether I tell you or not, it
probably doesn't matter. I believe you wouldn't care, would you?" His words were icy and cold, and he looked ashamed to be outdone
.

Seeing his arrogant demeanor, Xue Chongxun felt a surge of anger: "What an ignorant brat! Judging by your
court robes, you're just a lowly fourth-rank official, not even worth a second glance in my eyes."

Li Longji, knowing this man's arrogance, didn't waste any more words and said, "Now that I'm here,
get to the point."

Xue Chongxun smiled sinisterly: "Fine! I won't beat around the bush. If you're willing to give up on Yan Ying, I
can let you both go without further ado. If not, don't blame me."

Xin Xing laughed loudly beside him: "Brother, wasn't I right before? This fat pig isn't going to just
sit back and watch Yan Ying marry you. He doesn't even look at himself! He's really overestimating himself, a
toad trying to eat swan meat, laughable, laughable!"

Xue Chongxun immediately flew into a rage and shouted, "You brat, what are you saying?"

Xin Xing laughed: "Of course..." "Speak plainly. Stop spouting nonsense and acting all high and mighty! Miss Yan Ying
has long been my brother's woman. The Emperor has already decreed their marriage. What are you still babbling about? Do you know
how serious the crime of disobeying an imperial decree is? Even your mother, Princess Taiping, probably couldn't protect you."

Xue Chongxun raised his head and chuckled: "The Emperor decreed their marriage. Bah! Let me tell you both, if you don't
agree today, don't even think about leaving here. If you want to compete with me for a woman, you'd better consider your own abilities."

Li Longji said: "There's no need to say anything more now. It's absolutely impossible for me to give up Yan Ying,
and besides, you don't have the ability to snatch her from me. Brother, let's go and see how much he can do to keep
us here."

Xue Chongxun laughed loudly, thinking: "A brat who doesn't know his own strength dares to oppose me. He's like a mantis trying to
stop a chariot ." With a wave of his right hand, the five men in front of the door immediately drew their weapons and surrounded the two of them. Xue Chongxun said loudly,
"Judging from our relationship, I'll give you another chance."

Xin Xing smiled, "Brother, this fat pig doesn't seem to be joking." He moved closer to Li Longji.
Standing back to back, he whispered, "Put those sticks behind your backs, don't let them see them." He then silently
chanted incantation, and the double dragon staffs in their hands began to grow larger.

(Episode 8, Part 3)

Episode 8: Woyun Water Manor / Part 4: Enchanting Poison

Li Longji felt the objects in his hands growing increasingly larger, both surprised and delighted, and laughed, "Truly wondrous!"

Xin Xing said, "Although this staff is light, each strike carries the force of a hundred jin. But brother, you must be careful;
these people are no ordinary folks, their martial arts are quite formidable."

Li Longji nodded, "I'm getting a little itchy, let's strike first, let's do it." As soon as he
finished speaking, he swung his staff and struck first, smashing it down on the head of the person in front of him.

The man was completely unprepared for his sudden attack, especially with the black, glistening sword from the Southern Kingdom in his hand.
He was momentarily stunned, unable to fathom where the sword had come from. Suddenly, a dark shadow crashed down from above, and he hastily raised his sword to block it
. With a resounding "thud," the man's hand split open, and his sword flew away.

Li Longji, already a skilled fighter, was now even more formidable with his divine weapon. Gaining the upper hand, his ambition
surged, and he swung his staff horizontally. Another man raised his sword to parry, but was instead sent flying several feet away, unable
to get up for a long time.

Xin Xing, intentionally letting Li Longji have his fill of fighting, used the Double Dragon Steps, constantly circling around him for protection
, simply deflecting each attack. After several rounds, he realized the five men's martial arts were only average, and his confidence
grew. He gracefully parried each blow without actively pursuing them.

Xue Chongxun sensed something was wrong, his face turning pale and then flushed. The old man beside him said urgently, "Young master, it seems
best to leave first." Xue Chongxun suddenly realized this and turned to leave.

Xin Xing, seeing this, was not about to let him go so easily. He immediately used his flying and teleportation skills, appearing
behind the two men in a flash. He picked them up, one in each hand, and laughed, "You should have said something before leaving." He casually pressed their
pressure points , then swayed back into the arena. With a large hand, he grabbed one man by the back of the neck. Seeing that Li Longji had just
cut down a man, he shouted, "Brother, this one's yours." He exerted force and threw the man towards Li Longji
.

Li Longji laughed upon hearing this, and swung his dragon staff horizontally, striking the man squarely in the abdomen. With a cry of "Ah!"
, the man clutched his stomach, curled up on the ground, and could not stand up again.

In an instant, five burly men lay sprawled on the ground. Xin Xing laughed, "I thought they were some
important figures, but they're all just cowards."

Li Longji returned the double-dragon staff to Xin Xing, exclaiming with satisfaction, "Truly a fine piece!"

Xin Xing pointed at Xue Chongxun and said, "Brother, what should we do with this pig-headed fellow?"

Li Longji thought to himself, "This man is, after all, my aunt's son. If I go too far, I'll inevitably fall out with her, which will
do me no good. But this grudge is hard to swallow."

He then walked up to Xue Chongxun and said, "We originally had no deep-seated hatred for each other, but I never expected you to be so ruthless for a
woman . To be honest, do you think you can rely on..." "
It is a grave mistake to think that authority and power allow one to act arbitrarily . I will let you go today, and your head will remain on your neck for now. But if there is a next time, I will
not be so lenient. Brother, let's go!"

Xue Chongxun breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing that Li Longji had let him go, thinking to himself, "I will
avenge myself ."

Xin Xing had not expected Li Longji to let him go so easily, and laughed, "Brother, you are truly magnanimous!" As he
spoke, he bent down and released the pressure points on the two men, saying, "You are lucky to have met your brother
." After saying this, he dusted himself off and walked out of the dilapidated temple with Li Longji. At

the beginning of the night, all was quiet. Although the princess's mansion was a large and secluded place with many rooms, it was no challenge for Xin Xing.
At this moment, Xin Xing, dressed in black, leaped over the rooftops of several buildings in a few bounds, and in the blink of an eye, he arrived at
a large building on the west side. Following Ziqiong's calculations, Xin Xing knew that the house below was Xue Chongxun's residence. He immediately leaped down
the corridor , passed through the wall, and entered the room.

Since leaving the dilapidated temple, Xin Xing had been troubled, feeling that today's events were highly inappropriate. Although he knew that Li Longji
didn't want to harm Xue Chongxun, there must be some reason or other concerns. However, if
Xue Chongxun wasn't taught a lesson, it was hard to guarantee he wouldn't cause trouble for Li Longji again. After returning home, he immediately discussed it with
Ziqiong shared the same feeling. Even if they didn't physically punish him, they should at least scare him, making him think twice and not dare to be arrogant again
.

At this moment, the lamp in the room flickered weakly, and two people could be vaguely seen sleeping on the bed
. Xin Xing moved swiftly to the bedside and opened his eyes. One of them had a round, plump face—it was Xue Chongxun. Beside him
slept a woman of about twenty years old, with delicate features and a beautiful face. It was the height of summer, and the two were fast
asleep , covered only by a thin blanket. Xin Xing thought, "This woman is quite pretty;
could she be this fat pig's wife?" He immediately drew his twin dragon staff from his waist and poked the head of the staff
a few times on the pig's chubby face.

Xue Chongxun slowly opened his eyes, and through the blur, he saw someone by the bed. He was
immediately Xin Xing swiftly sealed his speech acupoint. Then, he lifted the blanket and saw that the two
were completely naked. The woman's breasts were firm, round, and full; she had a rather attractive figure.

Taking advantage of the woman's still-sleeping state, Xin Xing pressed her pressure points before saying, "You pig-headed fool, listen up!
If you try to cause trouble or make a scene in front of me, don't blame me later, unless your pig brain is harder than mine."
As soon as he finished speaking, he braced his staff against the wall, secretly channeling his inner power, and the staff slowly sank into the wall, more than three inches deep.

Xue Chongxun, though holding the title of Right Thousand Bull Guard General, was a figurehead. He was
utterly ignorant of martial arts, and his horsemanship was mediocre at best. He had never seen such formidable martial arts before, and
was momentarily stunned, speechless.

Xin Xing wanted to establish his authority over him, to subdue him and prevent him from acting recklessly again. He raised his right palm, unleashing the
Golden Light Palm, which controlled the Five Thunders, concentrating his power in his middle finger. With a "whoosh," a golden light
shot out from his middle finger, instantly releasing Xue Chongxun's pressure points.

Xue Chongxun stared blankly, speechless for a long time. When he finally came to his senses,
he hurriedly reached up and rummaged through his chest, finding no injuries, and then he felt relieved.

Xin Xing laughed and said, "Don't worry, I only released your pressure points just now. If I had used even a fraction more force, that
golden light would have pierced through your chest. If you don't want a hole in your body, just sit quietly."

Xue Chongxun was already drenched in sweat from fright, and asked in a trembling voice, "You... what exactly do you want?"

Xin Xing smiled slightly and said, "Nothing much. My brother couldn't bear to harm you today, only letting
you go because of our kinship. But I have no relation to you, and I really
can't . What do you suggest I do?"

Xue Chongxun inwardly cursed and quickly said, "Today was just... just a misunderstanding. I didn't mean to
make things difficult for you, brother. If you forgive me, I'm willing to offer you gold and silver as a token of my apology. Please name your
amount ."

Xin Xing said, "The glittering silver is indeed tempting, but unfortunately, I have no interest in such things
. You don't need to waste your time. If you want me to swallow this grievance, I can give you two choices: leave your arms
or leave your legs. Choose one, and think about it."

Upon hearing these words, Xue Chongxun trembled violently, nearly fainting, and pleaded, "Brother
...brother, I know my sins are grave, please...please forgive me, brother. If you'll show mercy, I'll
agree to anything." Xin

Xing sneered, "You princes and nobles are always two-faced, your words are like farts,
forgotten the moment you turn your back. How can I trust you?"

Xue Chongxun hurriedly said, "Please...please believe me, brother. As long as I can do it, I'll agree to anything you say, I'll never
go back on my word..."

Xin Xing said, "To be honest, I only believe two or three tenths of what you say. Alright! If you agree
to a few things, I'll believe you this time."

Hearing this, Xue Chongxun naturally had no choice but to agree. Xin Xing said, "Don't be happy, my
requests won't be easy to fulfill. Let me ask you first, those five guys today, were they your..." "The people from your manor?"

Xue Chongxun shook his head and said, "No...no, they were all hired by me. As long as you're willing to pay, you can have as many of these
thugs as you want. If you want to settle accounts with them, I can send men to arrest them all and let you do as
you please."

Xin Xing laughed and said, "If I wanted to settle accounts with them, I doubt these people could escape my grasp, and I don't need
your help. From today onwards, my brother will be under your and those five men's protection, but you mustn't let my brother
know . Just protect him secretly. If my brother loses even one hair, I'll cut off two of your fingers. Once all ten
fingers are gone, you'll use your arm as a substitute. I'm a man of my word, so you can try me."

Xue Chongxun felt a chill run down his spine and said, "What if...what if he slits his own throat? Could it be..."

Xin Xing said, "That would be your bad luck. You want to keep those ten fingers?" " From now on, you must bless my
brother with good fortune and freedom from injury. There's one more thing: if you dare to approach Miss Yan Ying again, if I find out, I
guarantee you won't see the sunrise."

Although Xue Chongxun was unwilling, he had no choice but to agree under the current circumstances. He thought, "
What's the point of living if I'm led by the nose for the rest of my life? It seems I must discuss this with my mother; she'll definitely have a way to deal with this
brat."

Xin Xing continued, "If you want to be safe, you must abide by
these
two things. Oh, right, I haven't introduced myself yet. My surname is Yang, and I'm the young master of the Yang Clan in Guanzhong. We Jianghu people never listen to the officials. Before, I had a feud with Wu Sansi, and he sent a large army to besiege my Yang Clan, but I easily
dealt . Everyone in Chang'an knows about this; you must have heard about it too."

Xue Chongxun was stunned and speechless. The feud between Wu Sansi and the Yang family
had long been a topic of conversation both inside and outside the palace. He thought to himself, "Even someone like Wu Sansi couldn't do anything to him, so even my own mother
would be no match for him! I never imagined I'd stir up such a hornet's nest and run into this jinx!"

Xin Xing laughed, "There's something else I haven't told you. My position as a fourth-rank official was recommended by your mother and
Consort , who arranged for me to work for her in the palace. I can't tell you what it is. I
'm letting you off the hook today, mostly because of your mother. Otherwise, you'd probably have lost your arms long ago.
If you're still not satisfied, you can go ask your mother. We might as well have another fight." With that, he stood up, used
his flying and teleporting skills, and disappeared through the wall.

Xue Chongxun, seeing him suddenly disappear from the wall, could hardly believe his eyes. He stood there, mouth
agape, stunned for a long while before finally snapping out of his daze. He jumped off the bed and stroked the wall repeatedly, thinking, "What kind of strange martial art is this? It's
so miraculous!"

The next morning, Xin Xing finished washing and dressing, and was about to leave in his court robes when he suddenly heard Zi Qiong's voice
: "Dou'er, come here for a moment. I'm in Shangguan Wan'er's room."

Upon hearing this, Xin Xing felt uneasy. He knew perfectly well that Zi Qiong would
never . Xin Xing hurriedly left his room and headed straight for Linglong Pavilion, his mind churning
with a vague sense of foreboding.

Since switching identities with Tongxia, Shangguan Wan'er had been living in Tongxia's room. Before Xin Xing even reached the
door , Zi Qiong came out to greet him, whispering, "Be quiet, Tong Xia is casting a spell on her."

Xin Xing knew something was amiss and entered the room, only to find Tong Xia sitting cross-legged on the floor, facing the bed,
chanting incantations. Lying on the bed was Shangguan Wan'er, now back to her original form. If it weren't for Tong Xia's spell
and their clothing, Xin Xing would have had difficulty distinguishing them.

Looking at Shangguan Wan'er, her alluring eyes were half-open, her face flushed as if drunk, and her captivating
body swayed like a water snake, her hands constantly tugging at her clothes and clutching her chest, appearing to be
in great pain.

Zi Qiong gave Xin Xing a wink, signaling him not to disturb Tong Xia. Xin Xing understood and nodded.

A moment later, Tongxia sighed softly, slowly stood up, and shook her head, saying, "Sister Ziqiong,
I am truly powerless. Luocha Yeji cultivates a unique demonic art, which cannot be broken by the magic power of the immortals
!"

Xinxing opened her eyes wide and looked at Ziqiong, asking, "What exactly happened to Shangguan Wan'er? Could it be that Luocha Yeji
was here?"

Ziqiong shook her head, "I don't know either. This morning, as soon as I came in, I found her like this, and immediately
tried to heal her with magic, but to my surprise, it was all ineffective. I remembered that Tongxia had switched identities with her before, which might be related to this matter.
The one who tied the knot must untie it, so I summoned Tongxia with my celestial voice, but she was still helpless. Alas! If Luocha Yeji
really came here, and I was able to do so without even noticing, that is truly terrifying."

Tongxia said, "In my opinion, Luocha Yeji may not have been here before. The aphrodisiac in Shangguan Wan'er's body must have
been planted some time ago. Before I left Yaochi to come here, the Goddess Xuan Nu told me that Luocha Yeji's magic
is profound . Besides the 'Earthly Fiend Palm' and 'Heavenly Illumination Demon Finger,' she also has several extremely powerful demonic arts. One is 'Soul-
Chasing Body Possession,' which can possess the body of any creature, disrupting its will and making it under her control. The other is 'Shadow Shift.'" "
It can transform into hundreds or thousands of forms, using clones and shadows. There's also the 'Seductive Gu Technique,' which uses a lewd and evil poison planted
in the body of a man or woman to stimulate lust and provide for their lewd pleasure. In my opinion, this is the 'Seductive Gu' poison."

Xin Xing asked, "Is this kind of Gu poison truly incurable?"

Tong Xia shook her head and said, "This kind of bone-deep, heart-corroding lewd poison, once planted in a person's body, is like a dragon entering the sea,
truly causing endless trouble! Judging from this situation, I believe only she herself can save herself. If I'm not mistaken, Luo Cha Ye Ji
, in order to defile the palace and create chaos, had already planted a lewd and evil poison in Shangguan Wan'er's body. It's just that because she switched
identities with me and settled here, she couldn't have contact with men for a long time, causing the lewd poison to accumulate in her body. Without a place
to release it , it caused her lustful desires to flare up." "This is hopeless."

Xin Xing scratched his head and paced back and forth, muttering to himself, "Even you can't do anything about it, who else can
save her? Are we just going to watch her like this forever...?"

Zi Qiong said, "Although we can't help her, perhaps you can." Xin Xing's eyes widened
, and he pointed to his nose. Zi Qiong nodded, "Because you're a man, understand?"

Xin Xing tilted his head and thought for a moment, then immediately understood, "Yes! How could I forget that?"

Tong Xia nodded, "Sister Zi Qiong is right, it seems this is the only way. Although the Gu poison in her body
has already taken effect, I dare not say whether it will be effective now, but we have to try." As she spoke, she began to undress
Shangguan Wan'er.

Xin Xing quickly took off his court robes, pulled down his pants, and jumped onto the bed, waving his penis. At this moment, Shangguan
Wan'er had already been stripped naked by Tong Xia and was lying naked on the bed. Xin Xing, holding his jade stem, said, "
I am now at my wit's end and have no other choice but to act. Please forgive me, Your Majesty." He then used the method taught to him by Zi Qiong, gathering his energy at his
fontanelle, passing through his dantian, and traversing his nine orifices, causing his lower body to instantly harden.

Although Shangguan Wan'er had suffered greatly from the torment of desire, her mind was still somewhat clear.
She had vaguely heard the conversation between the three, but her whole body felt like it was on a hot stove, with clumps of heat surging and churning within her, unable to escape, burning
her throat and making even breathing difficult, so she could not speak to them.

At this moment, Xin Xing gripped his penis tightly, pressing it straight against her jade gate. He said, "Excuse me!" As soon as he finished speaking,
his glans had already forced open the gate, thrusting straight in, reaching deep into the palace, filling the entire flower gate to capacity.

As the massive object suddenly thrust into Shangguan Wan'er, she couldn't help but let out a soft "ooh." She felt the object inside her was unusually large
, squeezing her with a hissing sound. She felt the penis thrusting and pumping back and forth. As soon as

Xin Xing entered her, he felt a burning heat inside, like a dragon thrown into a fiery pit. What was most amazing was
the series of contractions that squeezed his penis, making it feel incredibly comfortable and pleasurable. He couldn't help but pull his face up, cup her
slender waist in his hands, and thrust his lower body rapidly, pumping vigorously until she was wet with spray, soaking the bedding.

Zi Qiong said from the side, "Dou'er, you must remember, to be careful, never use 'Rongcheng Vagina,'
just let it be natural."

Tong Xia said at the same time, "This is to save her, not to be happy. We must let her absorb yang energy as soon as possible
to solve our current predicament. If this doesn't work, I'm afraid..."

Xin Xing also understood the implications and immediately released his semen, attacking fiercely.

Shangguan Wan'er's alluring eyes were half-open as she propped her head up, moaning softly, whether from pleasure or pain, it was
unclear. Xin Xing leaned down, his breasts pressed against hers, holding her tightly, his lower body thrusting vigorously, asking, "
Is Your Highness feeling any better?"

Shangguan Wan'er nodded, "Hmm,...it's alright..."

Everyone was delighted to hear her answer, clearly indicating some progress. Xin Xing was overjoyed and immediately
intensified his thrusting. After hundreds of thrusts, Shangguan Wan'er convulsed repeatedly, her vagina gripping his penis tightly, contracting
and sucking incessantly. After a moment, she finally ejaculated.

Xin Xing could no longer hold back; his penis opened, and a large gush of semen shot out, all of it pouring into her womb.

The two embraced, panting. Once they had calmed down, Shangguan Wan'er whispered, "Thank you so much!"

Xin Xing exclaimed happily, "Your Majesty, you...you seem to have fully recovered. That's wonderful!"

Zi Qiong smiled slightly and said, "That's good. Everyone can rest assured now."

Tong Xia laughed, "I didn't expect it to go so smoothly. It seems that the aphrodisiac poison wasn't too severe."

Xin Xing smiled and said, "Since Your Majesty has improved, please rest for a while." After speaking, he climbed off the bed,
covered her with a blanket, and put his trousers back on.

Ziqiong sat on the edge of the bed and said in a low voice, "It is all my fault that Your Majesty has suffered this time."

Shangguan Wan'er quickly said, "Miss Ziqiong, please don't say that. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't know that I was
harmed by villains. By the way, who exactly is that Luocha Yeji? Could she be
the demon ?"

Ziqiong nodded and said, "That is indeed her."

Shangguan Wan'er said, "I didn't quite believe what you said before, but after what just happened and after hearing
your conversation, I can't help but believe you now. Miss Ziqiong, have you found her yet?"

Ziqiong said, "Not yet."

Xin Xing smiled and said, "Your Majesty can rest assured. Although this demon is extremely difficult to deal with, for the sake of all living beings,
we will eliminate her sooner or later..." Before he could finish speaking, Shangguan Wan'er suddenly groaned a few times, and her body
began to twist again.

Ziqiong's eyebrows furrowed, and she hurriedly asked, "Your Majesty, what's wrong?"

Shangguan Wan'er shook her head wildly, trembling as she said, "Again...again...ah!"

Xin Xing and Tongxia knew something was wrong and rushed to the bedside. Xin Xing glanced at her and saw that her forehead was covered in sweat and
her cheeks were flushed, just like before. He exclaimed, "It seems the aphrodisiac has flared up again. What...what should we do
!"

Tongxia quickly said, "The only thing we can do now is try again."

Xin Xing didn't think much more. He took off his pants and jumped onto the bed. After circulating his qi a few times, his penis was erect again
. He quickly spread her legs and thrust into her.

In the following hour, Xin Xing and Shangguan Wan'er had sex three times in a row, and each time it was the same. They could only
suppress the poison temporarily, and it would relapse soon after.

Xin Xing sighed deeply, threw his head back, and pounded the bed, shouting, "Luo Cha Ye Ji, you devil, you wicked
woman, you vile vixen! What exactly is this Gu poison you've been using...?"

Tong Xia said, "Sister Zi Qiong, if this continues, how can Her Majesty bear it? Even if she doesn't die, she'll go
mad. This 'Charming Gu Technique' is so powerful that even the Heavenly Heart Immortal Technique can't cure it. I believe that
techniques like 'Resurrection' and 'Star Shift' might not be able to work either."

Zi Qiong pondered for a long time, then suddenly stood up and said, "Now that things have come to this, we have no choice but to ask the Mysterious Maiden for help
."

Episode 8, Part 4 (End)

Episode 8 / Part 5: The Fairy of the Wildflower,

Zi Qiong, walked to the east window, opened it, slowly knelt on the ground, clasped her hands together, and silently chanted.

Tongxia helped Shangguan Wan'er put on her clothes, saying, "Sister Ziqiong and I are trying to think
of a solution. Your Majesty, please be patient a little longer. We believe there will be a way." Although she said this, after so many failures, she
was truly uncertain.

Shangguan Wan'er was now burning with desire, her blood surging, her senses blurred. She
didn't hear Tongxia's words, only opening her small mouth and mumbling, "Give it to me...please give it to me...I
want it so badly..."

Hearing this, Tongxia looked at Xinxing and sighed softly, thinking, "Although Dou'er is incredibly brave, how can he do such a thing
without sleep If there's no way to save him, the consequences will be dire..."

Just as her thoughts settled, the entire room suddenly brightened, a beam of seven-colored light shining in from the east window. Xinxing
and Tongxia looked at it simultaneously, seeing the shimmering light, dazzling and beautiful. Tongxia quickly tugged at Xinxing's sleeve and
whispered , "Dou'er, the Goddess Xuan Nu is here! Quickly kneel to welcome her."

The three of them knelt in a line before the window, paying their respects according to etiquette, and said in unison, "Greetings, Goddess Xuan Nu."

A soft, clear voice reached everyone's ears: "Dou'er, go and help Shangguan Wan'er to the window.
" Xinxing heard this and quickly replied, "Yes.

" Shangguan Wan'er was still dazed and confused, murmuring softly, "I want more, quickly...give it to me
..." Xinxing supported her delicate body with both hands and helped Shangguan Wan'er to kneel before the window.

The voice of the Goddess Xuan Nu rang out again: "Shangguan Wan'er is ravaged by a demonic curse; even the finest
delicacies cannot completely eradicate it." Then, a beam of white light shot from the window, striking Shangguan Wan'er's forehead
. Suddenly, her whole body trembled violently, and the raging lust within her instantly subsided. The white light flashed and
vanished without a trace, and Shangguan Wan'er immediately regained consciousness.

Stunned for a moment, Shangguan Wan'er realized she was kneeling on the ground with everyone else, and seeing the colorful light shimmering in the window, she
wondered , "How...how did I end up kneeling here?"

Xin Xing, overhearing this, exclaimed joyfully, "Goddess Xuan Nu, she...she's alright now?"

Shangguan Wan'er was startled by Xin Xing's words. She had vaguely overheard the conversation and seemed
to recall hearing about a mysterious goddess. She wondered, "Could it really be…?" Just as Shangguan Wan'er was pondering this, a clear
voice drifted from afar: "Shangguan Wan'er, listen. We can only temporarily suppress the demonic poison in your body.
Once winter arrives, the flesh-shaped fungus will be beyond saving. To eradicate it, we must find the 'Spiritual Treasure Divine True Secret Method' to break the curse.
" Upon hearing this, a sense of awe arose within Shangguan Wan'er. She said "Yes" and prostrated herself on the ground.

While responding verbally, Shangguan Wan'er thought to herself, "Could it be…could I really have met a deity?" Her eyes
glanced sideways at the crowd, where Ziqiong and Tongxia knelt respectfully, listening with utmost sincerity. Suddenly,
Xin Xing asked, "May I ask, Goddess Xuan Nu, what exactly is the 'Spiritual Treasure Divine True Secret Method'? Where
can found? Please enlighten me, Goddess."

Goddess Xuan Nu replied, "This secret method originated from the founder of the Shangqing School, 'Nanyue Immortal Granny Zixu Yuanjun.' More than three hundred
years ago , Zixu Yuanjun had two disciples. The elder disciple was named Huo Li, and the other was named Shangfang Xiumen. Both disciples
deeply inherited their master's true teachings, were proficient in Taoist arts and magic, and learned the 'Spiritual Treasure Divine True Secret Method.' Unexpectedly, the elder disciple, Huo Li, was arrogant
and ambitious, and was determined to... " Surpassing his master, the Purple Void Primordial Lord, he strayed from the original teachings and gradually fell into the demonic path, ultimately abandoning his master and leaving.
This Huo Li is the ancestor of the Heavenly Demon Luo Huo You.”

Except for Shangguan Wan’er, the three were all astonished upon hearing this. Then, the Mysterious Maiden said, “The Purple Void Primordial Lord knew that Huo Li’s
departure would inevitably bring disaster to the world, so she gave the Demon-Subduing Pearl to the Shangfang Cultivation Sect to restrain Huo Li. Huo
Li’s Heavenly Demonic Curse originates entirely from the precious scripture ‘Lingbao Shenzhen Secret Method.’ As long as a descendant of the Shangfang Cultivation Sect is found and
the incantation to be broken within the scripture is obtained…” "And with the Demon-Subduing Pearl, the demonic poison can be completely eradicated."

Ziqiong said, "How can we find the descendants of the Shangfang clan? I humbly request Your Majesty's guidance."

The Goddess Xuan Nu said, "For over three hundred years, the Shangfang clan has lived in seclusion on the shores of Puqi Lake.
That place is said to be a place of 'the Spirit Turtle Watching the Waves.' If we find the Spirit Turtle, we can find its descendants, not only to remove
the demonic poison, but also to help Dou'er in vanquishing demons."

Xin Xing mentally calculated the days, thinking, "The tenth of the first month of winter... " " It's been less than four months since the last one. If
we can't find , wouldn't Shangguan Wan'er be in big trouble!"

Before her thoughts could settle, the voice of the Goddess Xuan Nu rang out again: "Shangguan Wan'er, you are the reincarnation of the Kui Star,
with a deep affinity for immortality. I will now accept you as my disciple and give you the name Yuan Hua."

Xin Xing exclaimed happily, "If the Goddess Xuan Nu accepts you as her disciple, won't you become Zi Qiong's junior sister and a goddess?
Yuan Hua Fairy, what a nice name!"

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Wan'er was momentarily speechless, unsure whether to be surprised or delighted.

Tongxia said, "Sister Yuanhua, why don't you quickly thank the Goddess Xuan Nu?"

Shangguan Wan'er immediately knelt down. The Goddess Xuan Nu said, "Ziqiong, Yuanhua is entrusted to your care and guidance .
Huo Qianqian, the daughter of Tianmo Luo, comes from the Demonic Sect and will surely understand the method to break the curse. You can take her with you."

Ziqiong bowed and said, "Ziqiong will obey Your Majesty's decree."

The Goddess Xuan Nu continued, "Within two years, the Tang Dynasty will undergo a great upheaval. If you, Yuanhua, remain in the palace,
you will surely face death. From today onwards, Tongxia will take your place." Yuanhua responded with "Yes."

Just then, a magical chant came from afar: "Sweet dew and magical rain, returning to simplicity and purity..." Several crystal-clear
water droplets shot in from outside the window, swirling three times in mid-air, transforming into specks of golden light, and sprinkling onto Yuanhua's head. Yuanhua
instantly felt her mind clear and her spirit invigorated.

As the chanting subsided, the colorful light slowly disappeared, indicating that the Goddess Xuan Nu had departed. Everyone stood up, and Xin
Xing laughed, "I never expected that the Goddess Xuan Nu would take in Shangguan... no, I should call you Yuanhua."

Ziqiong stepped forward and took Yuanhua's hand, saying, "We've been sisters since the beginning. I'll tell you about my and Tongxia's
identities , and about Dou'er." She led her to sit down on the edge of the couch and slowly
began to tell Yuanhua.

Upon hearing this, Yuanhua said, "So, that demon is planning to overthrow the Tang Dynasty. No wonder the court is
in chaos, filled with filth."

Xinxing said, "According to what the Goddess Xuan Nu said earlier, the current emperor's throne is doomed. Tongxia
also , telling us to purge the demons from the court and support a new emperor. But I wonder who that new emperor is?
By the way, Yuanhua, you've been in the palace for so long, you must have noticed some clues, right?"

Yuanhua said, "Although Empress Wei, Princess Anle, Zong Chuke, and others have ambitions to seize the throne, in my opinion, they
are all short-sighted and only seek immediate gains. Their attempt to seize the throne is not going to succeed. Moreover, they have all overestimated themselves
. Even if they do something unscrupulous, they will surely die young. People's minds are now..." "The Tang Dynasty, the Wu Zhou era, and
the era will never return. If I'm not mistaken, the Tang Dynasty will still be ruled by the Li family."

Xin Xing said, "Besides the current emperor, the only remaining member of the Li imperial family is Prince Anguo, Li Dan. Could it be..."

Yuan Hua only smiled and didn't answer. Xin Xing thought to himself, "Brother Li Longji is the son of Prince Anguo. If the old man becomes emperor,
he will be a prince. That's right, when Zi Qiong saw him, she said he had the appearance of a true dragon. In that case,
it's not impossible for my brother to succeed his father and become emperor!"

At this moment, Tong Xia said, "Yuan Hua, to avoid arousing suspicion, I have to trouble you for now." She then
used magic to turn her back to her original appearance and said, "You will be restored to your original form in twelve hours."
Yuan Hua nodded and thanked her.

Tong Xia continued, "Yuan Hua, you are afflicted with demonic poison. We really can't delay any longer. I think we should set off as soon as possible."
Then he said to Xin Xing, "During this time, I will explain to the court that you are on my orders to go out on some business.
Go with peace of mind. As for Xiao Que'er, as far as I know, she is pregnant with your child. You must tell her
properly so that she doesn't worry."

Xin Xing nodded and said, "Of course. And what about that girl, Yun'er? I wonder what she will think if she knows I am going to Puqi
! Zi Qiong, are we really going to go with that demoness?"

Zi Qiong said, "Do you dare disobey the words of the Goddess Xuan Nu? Actually, Huo Qianqian is not as bad as you say
. You have to change your way of addressing her from now on. Don't call her demoness this and that."

Xin Xing had no choice but to nod and agree, "But if she continues to argue with me, then it's hard to say!"

That day, Xin Xing went to see Xiao Que'er and Yun'er. When the two girls heard this, they were naturally reluctant to let him leave and pulled him to
go with them. Xin Xing knew that Zi Qiong and his own identities couldn't be revealed to them yet, and given Xiao
Que'er's advanced pregnancy, it was even more inappropriate for her to travel. He could only offer words of comfort, promising
to marry Xiao Que'er immediately upon his return, which slightly eased their anxieties. He then explained the situation to Yang Quting and his wife, and wrote
a letter, entrusting someone to deliver it to Li Longji, saying he had to leave Chang'an for several months and there was no need to worry.

Huo Qianqian jumped for joy upon hearing that Zi Qiong wanted her to go to Jiangnan with her. She said it was all
Zi Qiong's idea, intentionally facilitating her and Xin Xing's union, and thanked her profusely.

The four set off early the next morning. Xiao Que'er, Yun'er, Yang Jingxiu, and others saw them off for ten miles before returning
. It was almost dawn, just past the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), and there weren't many travelers on the road. Ziqiong led Xinxing and the other two to a small hill
. Seeing that no one was around, she parted her cherry lips and silently chanted an incantation. A cloud of colorful light slowly appeared beneath their feet.

Yuanhua and Huo Qianqian were stunned. In a moment, the cloud slowly rose and floated away
, heading south. Huo Qianqian clapped her hands and laughed, "Sister Ziqiong is so amazing! How do you know about my father's
thing ? I often ask him to teach me, but he always refuses. Sister Ziqiong, will you teach me?"

Xinxing said, "With your mortal appearance and impure nature, of course your father won't teach you, and Ziqiong certainly won't either
." Huo Qianqian's face immediately changed color. She was about to explode, but then she remembered Ziqiong's words, telling her to be more tolerant of Xinxing
. She swallowed her anger and turned her head away, ignoring him.

Ziqiong glared at Xinxing, then put her arm around Huo Qianqian's waist and whispered, "He's such
a jerk, let's ignore him."

Xinxing, seeing the two so affectionate and constantly whispering to each other, felt quite annoyed. He moved closer to Yuanhua and
tried to coax her into talking. After flying for over two hours, Xinxing peeked out from the clouds and saw a landscape of lakes and rivers,
crisscrossed by —a beautiful scene of Jiangnan. He asked, "Ziqiong, are we almost there?"

Ziqiong nodded and said, "Puqi Lake shouldn't be far from here. It's a pity I don't know
who the descendants of the Shangfang clan are, so I can't calculate their location. We can ask them when we get to Puqi Lake."

Soon they arrived at Puqi Lake. Ziqiong landed on a secluded mountain peak, surrounded by verdant
peaks and lush green mountains. The four descended the mountain and looked out over a vast lake. Sunlight
shone on its surface, creating a shimmering effect; the scenery was truly captivating.

Puqi Lake was quite large, covering over 30,000 mu (approximately 20 square kilometers). As they walked along the lakeshore, they saw the lake covered in
red and white lotus flowers. Flocks of ducks frolicked and played around the lotus blossoms in the sunlight. Xin Xing gazed at the scene with longing and
exclaimed, "What beautiful lotus flowers! What a beautiful lake!"

Zi Qiong smiled slightly and asked, "Do you know the origin of this Puqi Lake?"

Xin Xing shook his head and replied, "Oh! What is its origin?"

Zi Qiong said, "More than eight hundred years ago, during the reign of Emperor Jing of the Western Han Dynasty, there was an ancient city here
called Shaxian County. On the banks of the Jinshui River north of the county town lived a kind and hardworking young man named Xue Liang,
who made his living by fishing. One day, the weather was fine and sunny, a perfect time for fishing with nets. However, Xue Liang fished all day
but couldn't catch even a small fish, only a golden clam. Seeing the clam's radiant golden light and extraordinary beauty
, Xue Liang packed up his fishing gear, took the golden clam home, and kept it in a water tank."

"It turns out this golden clam was actually the fairy Hibiscus in disguise. She longed for the beauty of Jiangnan in the mortal realm, so she secretly came down to
earth. Seeing Xue Liang's handsome appearance, she fell in love with him and transformed into a golden clam for him to take home.
Late at night, Hibiscus revealed her true form, sitting on the edge of the vat, gazing intently at the sleeping Xue Liang. Unexpectedly, Xue
Liang suddenly awoke from his dream and saw Hibiscus. Seeing her unparalleled beauty, he naturally fell deeply in love.
Not long after , the two became husband and wife, beginning a happy life of hunting and weaving."

Xin Xing laughed, "Isn't it just like the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl? Would the Queen Mother of the West let them go?"

Ziqiong smiled: "At that time, the Queen Mother of the West was still unaware of this matter. News of Furong's marriage to Xue Liang soon
spread. The magistrate, upon learning of Furong's beauty, became lustful and used various means to try and take her for himself.
One day, the magistrate sent two constables to arrest Xue Liang and bring him to the county office. He said to Xue Liang, 'A high-ranking
official has specifically requested carp whiskers. You must immediately go to the lake to catch some for me and deliver them on time, without fail.'
Then, with a cold laugh, he added, 'If you can't get any, you'll bring your wife to the banquet to drink with me and the magistrate
, understand?'"

Helpless, Xue Liang went home and discussed the matter with Furong. Furong told him to go to the lake and get some aquatic plants,
put them in a plate, and then cast a spell, which immediately turned them into a plate of carp whiskers. Xue Liang was overjoyed and rushed to
the county government office, infuriating the magistrate. A few days later, the magistrate tried another trick, demanding that Xue Liang deliver a
plate of live dried shrimp. Live dried shrimp—wasn't this deliberately making things difficult for him? Furong, suppressing her anger, cast another spell
and produced a plate of live dried shrimp. The magistrate, at his wit's end, falsely accused Xue Liang of being a "monster" and sent him to
jail.

"Furong waited at home for Xue Liang for a long time, but he didn't return. She calculated with her fingers and knew something had happened to him, so she went to the county government office.
The magistrate, seeing Furong's beauty, was overjoyed. He pretended that Xue Liang was at a banquet, trying to lure
Furong into the inner hall. Furong, being a fairy in disguise, naturally saw through his scheme and berated him. The magistrate said
, 'If you don't obey me, I will kill Xue Liang immediately.' He immediately ordered his men to bring Xue Liang in, only to find him
beaten and bruised all over. Furong, weeping, used her magic to touch Xue Liang's wounds, and wherever she touched
, the wounds immediately healed."

"The magistrate, seeing this, flew into a rage and ordered his men to capture Furong. Furong, unable to bear it any longer, raised her hand,
and instantly a deafening roar, accompanied by thunder and lightning, unleashed a torrent of floodwaters that swept away the government office, causing it to crumble. Then,
a white dragon descended from the sky, carrying Xue Liang away. The flood subsided, and the entire county was submerged into a large lake—
this is Puqi Lake. Not long after, the lake was covered with red and white lotus flowers, which later generations called water hibiscus
."

Huo Qianqian asked, "And what about the two of them? Has Furong returned to the Heavenly Palace?"

Ziqiong said, "The devastating flood couldn't be hidden from the Queen Mother of the West. Knowing it was Furong's doing, she immediately summoned
her back to Heaven and imprisoned her in the Lingxiao Golden Palace. Xue Liang was saved by the White Dragon and ended up on Snow Peak Mountain, becoming a
monk . He never saw Furong again."

Xin Xing listened in silence, thinking, "The Queen Mother of the West is so heartless. If she dares to imprison Ziqiong
, I'll fight her to the bitter end."

The four of them walked for quite a while and felt hungry. Finally, they arrived at a small town and found a small shop
to eat at. This was a remote and impoverished place, naturally incomparable to Chang'an. The shop only had a few wooden tables, a simple dwelling with a thatched roof and earthen windows, and
very basic furnishings. Even so, Puqi Lake was a source of fresh fish and crabs. Upon hearing this, Xin Xing immediately became
excited , gesturing wildly and ordering fresh fish, shrimp, and crabs. Soon, the table was filled with them.

While eating, Xin Xing said, "Her Majesty said that as long as we find the spirit turtle, we can find the descendants of the Shangfang family, but
we have no clue where to start. Where should we look?"

Yuan Hua pondered for a moment and said, "I remember Her Majesty mentioned the phrase 'spirit turtle watching the waves.' It seems that the
spirit turtle must be near water, otherwise how could there be such a thing as watching the waves?"

Xin Xing smiled bitterly, "There are countless mountains and rivers, lakes and ponds here. If we search one by one, it might
take months to find it!"

Huo Qianqian said, "The mouth is by the roadside; surely someone will know."

Xin Xing slapped his thigh, "Yes! I'm so stupid, how could I not think of that?"

Huo Qianqian laughed, "You..." "He's a complete idiot."

Xin Xing glared at her with a pair of eyes, then called over the shopkeeper and asked, "
Waiter is there a spirit turtle in the vicinity of Puqi Lake?"

The waiter thought for a moment and shook his head, "I've never heard of a spirit turtle, but there's a Suiyang Mountain to the southwest of here
, and on the mountainside there's a Chita Temple. There is indeed a large stone turtle in front of the temple."

Xin Xing hurriedly asked, "Hmm! Waiter, how do I get to Suiyang Mountain?"

The waiter said, "It's not too hard to find. Walk south for about ten miles from here, and you'll see a stone tablet with eight red characters written on it: '
The mountain follows the sun, and the sun moves with the mountain.' Follow the path up the mountain, and you'll see Chita Temple." Xin

Xing thanked them profusely and then said to the others, "It seems this is where the spirit tortoise is. Now that we have eaten and drunk our fill,
as the saying goes , 'Walk a hundred steps after a meal, and you will live to ninety-nine.' Let's set off immediately."

Following the waiter's instructions, the four of them slowly climbed the mountain along the path. They saw that the mountain was lush and verdant, with dense
forests and beautiful bamboo all around, a truly idyllic and spiritual place.

Xin Xing took a deep breath and said, "It's so comfortable here, with green bamboo covering the mountains!"

Zi Qiong asked, "Do you know why there are so many bamboo trees here?"

Xin Xing shook his head and said, "Is there some story behind it?"

Zi Qiong said, "The bamboo trees of Suiyang Mountain are recorded in the Immortal Records. Legend has it that during the Jin Dynasty, this place was just
a desolate wilderness, overgrown with weeds. Some people who had fled to the army hid here. After more than ten years, the population gradually
increased, and they relied entirely on digging wild vegetables and planting sweet potatoes for survival, living a very hard life. One day, an immortal named Ge Hong came and
built a hermitage in the Immortal Cave on the mountain to cultivate. The people here prayed to him to save them from their suffering and improve their difficult
lives.

"Ge Hong went to Mount Putuo to ask Guanyin Bodhisattva for help. Guanyin asked, 'What are the people suffering from?'"
Ge Hong said, "The people pray for enough food and clothing." Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "If you want enough food and clothing, plant more bamboo
!" Ge Hong asked again, "Where will the seeds come from?" Guanyin Bodhisattva did not answer, but pointed to the South Mountain.
In , a dense forest of purple bamboo appeared on Suiyang Mountain. Guanyin Bodhisattva finally said, "Leave the seeds,"
and tens of thousands of bamboo seedlings sprouted from the purple bamboo forest, then disappeared.

Ge Hong was overjoyed and distributed the bamboo of Suiyang Mountain to the people on the mountain. The following year, a heavy snow fell, and the bamboo was flattened by the snow.
Seeing this, Ge Hong went to Mount Putuo in the South China Sea to find Guanyin Bodhisattva again. He saw that the Bodhisattva had written
the two characters "Nanzhu" (楠竹, meaning bamboo) at the entrance of the preaching hall. Ge Hong understood that the mountain only had bamboo forests but lacked trees. He immediately rushed back to Suiyang Mountain and instructed
the people to plant some trees among the bamboo forests to prevent the bamboo from being flattened by the heavy snow. To express his gratitude to Guanyin Bodhisattva, Ge Hong established
a rule that every sixty years, a "Guanyin Bamboo" should grow in the bamboo grove and be sent to the temple as a token of
thanks .

Xin Xing laughed, "No wonder the bamboo grove here is so lush and dense." As he spoke, a bamboo shoot emerged from the green bamboo thicket.
A glimpse of a red spire appeared, and Xin Xing pointed, saying, "It seems that Chita Temple is just ahead."

(Episode 8, Part 5)

Episode 8/ Part 6: The group from Woyun Water Manor

arrived at the temple, only to find it was a small, dilapidated temple with crumbling walls and a worn-out gate, clearly
neglected for many years. The large plaque above the gate bore the inscription "Chita Temple." To the right of the temple stood a seven-story
ancient pagoda, painted entirely crimson, the paint peeling off due to years of neglect.

In front of the temple gate, sure enough, lay a large stone tortoise, its body dotted with moss. Its head faced northeast,
gazing into the distance towards Puqi Lake, perfectly embodying the phrase "The Spirit Tortoise Watching the Waves."

Xin Xing said, "That's strange. This is clearly a Buddhist temple, but wasn't Shang Fang Xiumen a Taoist?
How come his descendants have become monks?"

Just as the four of them were walking towards the temple gate, they suddenly saw an old monk slowly walking out of the temple. The old monk was tall and thin,
with downcast eyes and a listless appearance. Xin Xing strode forward and asked, "May I ask, Master, is there
anyone here named Shang Fang?"

The old monk was slightly taken aback, then put his palms together and said, "No, you've come to the wrong place."

Xin Xing firmly believed in the words of the Goddess Xuan Nu and was unwilling to give up, so he said again, "Master, please tell me..." "Think about it," the old monk said, "as far as I
know, his original surname was Shangfang. Perhaps he has changed his name or adopted a Buddhist name."

The old monk shook his head. "Besides myself, there are only two junior disciples in this temple. There are no others
. How could I not know? But the person you are looking for, I believe, is the Shangfang family by Lake Puqi."

Hearing this, everyone exchanged glances. Xin Xing was secretly delighted and hurriedly asked, "Is it true? That...that's
wonderful May I ask where the Shangfang family is located in Lake Puqi?"

The old monk said, "Please follow me, benefactor." He then walked towards the mountainside in front of the temple. Zi Qiong and the others followed behind
. Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, the old monk pointed and said, "Please look, benefactor. That island by the lake is the Shangfang
family's Woyun Water Manor. In the Puqi area, everyone knows about Woyun Water Manor. Just ask around when you get down the mountain,
and you'll find the path to the manor."

The four looked in the direction he pointed and saw dozens of islands of varying sizes scattered across Puqi Lake.
The place the old monk had mentioned was a large island on the south side of the lake. From a distance, they could see that it was covered with numerous houses,
densely packed together, their number unknown.

Ziqiong asked the old monk, "Master, do you know who is in charge of Woyun Water Manor?"

The old monk replied, "As far as I know, Woyun Water Manor has always been the ancestral property of the Shangfang family. A year ago,
the head of the Shangfang Alliance, Shangfang Manor, passed away, and his eldest daughter, Shangfang Yingxue, took over."

The group thanked the old monk and descended the mountain along the way they had come. Xinxing said as they walked, "The Shangfang Alliance obviously has no sons,
otherwise why would it be passed on to a daughter?"

Ziqiong shook her head and said, "After learning her name from the old monk, I did some calculations and realized that Shangfang
Yingxue is an extraordinary woman. She is not only well-versed in the principles of the I Ching and proficient in
divination using yarrow stalks and tortoise shells, but she is also a female Hua Tuo, with exceptionally high medical skills. Madam Shangfang has one son and two daughters, but because Shangfang Yingxue is not concerned with trivial matters and is exceptionally talented, she was
chosen by the clan to be the head of Woyun Water Manor."

Xinxing was speechless, thinking that such extraordinary talent was indeed rare in the world.

Yuanhua secretly thought to herself, "I've been well-read since childhood. I'm familiar with the Nine Classics and the Three Histories.
I excel in everything—music, calligraphy, painting, palace arts, embroidery—comparable to Cai Wenji among women. I never imagined there was such an
extraordinary woman as Shangfang Yingxue."

Huo Qianqian asked with a smile, "Since this Miss Shangfang is so skilled in divination, she must know the past and future.
We've come here to find her, Sister Ziqiong, do you think she'll know?"

Ziqiong smiled slightly, "It won't be long before you know, little sister."

Xin Xing was somewhat skeptical, shaking his head and saying, "Even with Zi Qiong's extraordinary abilities, she can't predict the future. I don't believe
she has that ability."

Zi Qiong said, "If one is well-versed in the I Ching and understands the changes in the hexagrams, predicting the
future 's fortune is not difficult. Zhuge Liang's brilliant strategies and his use of the wind to set up formations are good examples, aren't they?
He might even be more powerful than the gods in heaven. Dou'er, don't underestimate this kind of knowledge."

Xin Xing nodded and disagreed, still somewhat unconvinced. Suddenly, they heard Xin Xing exclaim softly,
"Come and see, what does that Woyun Water Village look like?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound, and Xin Xing said, "Look, doesn't Woyun Water Village look like a giant tortoise?"

After Xin Xing's words, they indeed found that the island resembled a crouching tortoise, with its head, tail, and four legs clearly visible
. Huo Qianqian exclaimed happily, "Yes, it really looks like a giant turtle lying on the lake."

Yuanhua nodded, "So the real spirit turtle is here."

Xin Xing said, "That's right, that's right. If we weren't at such a high place, how could we have discovered this secret?"

Ziqiong said, "It's getting late, we should hurry down the mountain so as not to keep them waiting."

Xin Xing was puzzled, "Ziqiong, you said someone is waiting for us? Who is it?"

Ziqiong said, "You'll understand in a moment, let's go."

The four of them descended the mountain and faintly heard the sounds of swords and knives coming from afar. Xin Xing was very surprised and said, "
It seems like . Yuanhua doesn't know martial arts, you stay with her, I'll go and see." As soon as he finished speaking, he moved
swiftly and flew away using his flying ability.

Huo Qianqian said from behind, "I want to go too, wait for me..." and immediately followed.

When Xin Xing arrived at the foot of the mountain, he saw dozens of people wielding swords and knives, fighting fiercely. Xin Xing dodged
behind a stone tablet at the entrance to the mountain path, peeking out to see what was happening. He discovered that dozens of people were besieging two men and a woman. The three being attacked
were all young teenagers.

Even so, their martial arts skills were exceptionally high. Despite being outnumbered, they not only held their own
but also injured several of their enemies in an instant.

Xin Xing's eyes widened as he watched intently, his gaze already fixed on the young woman. He muttered in admiration, "What a
beautiful girl. How can she be so beautiful?"

Just then, Huo Qianqian's cursing voice suddenly rang out beside him: "You lecherous devil! You're still looking at
women at a time like this!" She had just followed him and heard Xin Xing's words, so how could she not lash out?

Xin Xing said, "So what if I am? You're just jealous. But it's understandable; when it comes to looks and figure,
she definitely better than you in every way."

Huo Qianqian spat at him and scolded, "Why would I be jealous of her? That's ridiculous!" Although she
said that, her gaze never left the girl. The more she looked at her, the more ashamed she felt, thinking, "She really is a beauty."
"Such beauty is no less than that of Sister Ziqiong; no wonder this brat stares at her without blinking."

Xin Xing saw that the girl was only eighteen or nineteen years old, not only with unparalleled beauty but also with a stunningly beautiful
figure . At that moment, the two sides were locked in fierce combat, and as the girl moved and wielded her sword, her pair of full and firm breasts
swayed and bounced, making Xin Xing stare in disbelief, his heart pounding wildly.

Just as Xin Xing was watching intently, he suddenly heard the girl shout, and the light from her long sword burst forth
, buzzing as she unleashed several attacks, forcing the surrounding enemies back a few steps. She scolded, "You gang up on the few with your numbers
; what kind of righteous sects are you?" The speed, precision, and discipline of her sword moves
were all the hallmarks of a first-rate master.

Xin Xing secretly praised, thinking, "My godfather's Thirteen Floating Swords is already considered unparalleled in the martial arts
world with few rivals. But compared to this girl's swordsmanship, it seems to pale in comparison. I didn't expect her
to possess such extraordinary skills at such a young age. Truly impressive!"

Just then, a middle-aged man suddenly jumped out of the battle and said loudly, "You immoral and dissolute monsters
are deserving of death by everyone in the martial arts world. Today, you've fallen into my hands, and you won't live to see the rest of your lives." Xin Xing opened his eyes and saw that the middle-aged
man was dressed in green brocade robes, looking like a wealthy merchant. He had thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a square face, and he was quite imposing
.

Hearing the man say this, Xin Xing felt puzzled: "Could these three be wicked people
who it doesn't seem like it! In fact, it's really hard
to tell which side is good and which side is evil. Sigh! Who cares if they're black or white, what does it have to do with me?"

At this moment, the three stood back to back, and one of them, a young man of about twenty years old, shouted and swiftly swung his sword
several times. With a few sharp slashes, his sword flew like shooting stars, incredibly
fast
, and he immediately wounded one of the enemies. He said, "Yue'er, these so-called righteous people are all charlatans who deceive the world and seek fame and fortune. Why bother talking to them!" As he spoke, his long sword flashed out like lightning, wounding another person.

The middle-aged man coldly said, "You bastards, you dog couple! A heretical sect like Woyun Water Manor dares
to spout such nonsense? You're tired of living! Everyone, get them! But this girl is the gatekeeper's
person; take her alive!"

The girl, upon hearing this, flew into a rage: "What heretical sect? Watch your mouth!"

The man chuckled loudly: "Do you think no one knows about the shameful deeds of Woyun Water Manor! No curtains separating the halls, rampant lewd
acts—it's utterly morally bankrupt and a complete disgrace. Isn't this kind of depraved behavior a heretical sect?" Upon hearing that the three were from Woyun Water Manor, Xin Xing was immediately taken aback: "What a coincidence! Could it be that
waiting for us are them? But what kind of talk is this about lewdness and depravity?" Huo Qianqian exclaimed happily, "Did you hear that? So all three of them are from Woyun Water Manor. What Let's go help them!" Xin Xing shook his head and said, "No rush, let's observe for a while longer." As soon as he finished speaking, Ziqiong and Yuanhua approached slowly. Huo Qianqian saw them, jumped out from behind the stone tablet, stood beside Ziqiong, and pointed at the three people in the field, saying , "So they are from Woyun Water Manor." Ziqiong nodded: "I already knew. If I'm not mistaken, she is Shangfang Yingxue's younger sister, and that young man in white is the youngest son of the Shangfang family." Huo Qianqian was stunned: "Sister Ziqiong, you seem to know everything." Ziqiong and Yuanhua smiled at each other but did not answer her. How could Huo Qianqian know their identities? At this moment, several burly men wielding steel knives rushed forward, pointing their halberds and asking, "Judging from your three charming and alluring appearances, you must be from the Woyun Water Manor, right?" Upon hearing this, Huo Qianqian's eyebrows immediately shot up: "What do you mean by 'alluring and alluring appearances'? What nonsense are you spouting?" She drew the soft whip from her waist and was about to step forward to strike. Ziqiong reached out to stop Huo Qianqian, but then saw Xin Xing leap over and block the three women, cursing , "You bunch of dogs, barking and howling like this, what do you want?" The burly men were stunned to see Xin Xing arrive in the blink of an eye, his agility truly astonishing One of the men looked him up and down and demanded, "Boy, judging by your martial arts, you don't seem to be from Woyun Water Manor. If that's the case, you'd better leave quickly to avoid trouble." Xin Xing smiled and said, "That's right. Although we are not from Woyun Water Manor, we are guests of the manor. The affairs of the manor are our affairs. If we're talking about trouble, we'd better see who's causing trouble." Upon hearing this, the burly men's faces immediately changed color. They shouted and charged forward, brandishing their knives. Xin Xing reached behind his back and drew his twin dragon staffs. Without moving his legs or dodging, several steel blades flew into the air with a series of clangs, leaving several burly men with split hands and numb bodies. Xin Xing struck with lightning speed, striking their pressure points and saying, "These people are making a fool of themselves with their skills." As soon as he finished speaking, the steel blades fell back to the ground, their blades bent and reduced to scrap metal. Xin Xing thought that since he had already made his move , he had no choice but to continue, and immediately rushed into the fray. Huo Qianqian was about to follow, brandishing her soft whip, but Zi Qiong, seeing that the men were skilled, feared for her safety and grabbed Huo Qianqian, saying, "Let him go alone." Then she called out loudly, "Dou'er, remember not to use too much force, lest you kill someone." Xin Xing responded, and his twin dragon staffs swung horizontally and vertically, like a tiger among sheep. More than half of the people in the arena were top martial artists of the time , yet upon encountering Xin Xing, they were utterly powerless to retaliate, unable to even mount a single move before being struck by his staff and falling to the ground. In the blink of an eye, more than ten people were either injured or had fled, no longer able to fight. Suddenly, the girl cried out, "Ouch!" and then exclaimed, "Wan Tian, you...you're injured!" Xin Xing looked in the direction of the voice and saw a young man in blue robes with his left hand hanging limply and his right hand pressed firmly against his shoulder , blood seeping from between his fingers. He said, "It's alright, just a little wound." Another young man in white robes sheathed his sword and reached out to support him. The girl said, "So much blood and you call it a minor injury." As she spoke, she tore a piece of cloth from her clothes, intending to bandage his wound. Ziqiong moved with lightning speed, appearing swiftly behind the girl. She said, "His injury is quite serious; the bleeding must be stopped immediately. Let me take a look." The girl turned around at the sound of her voice and saw a beautiful woman in white. Her beauty was striking, yet she possessed an air of dignified authority that commanded respect. The girl hummed in agreement and moved aside. Ziqiong stepped forward and gently touched the area around the wound several times.

She first sealed his acupoints, then raised two fingers and pointed them into the wound. A beam of white light shot out from her fingertips
, coalescing into a single line that lingered for a long time.

Not long after, Ziqiong withdrew her fingers and said, "It's alright now." Indeed, the bleeding had stopped, and even
the wound had healed. The girl and the white-clad youth were overjoyed and thanked her profusely.

Ziqiong nodded and smiled, saying, "I heard you three are from Woyun Water Manor, is that true?"

The girl replied, "Indeed, I am Shangfang Yingyue. May I ask how I address you, elder sister?"

After giving her name, Ziqiong continued, "The four of us have come south specifically to disturb your manor lord with important business
. May I ask what the relationship is between Shangfang Yingxue and my sister?"

Shangfang Yingyue said, "Shangfang Yingxue is indeed my elder sister. If I'm not mistaken, you must be
the guests my sister mentioned?"

Ziqiong nodded, saying, "Manor Lord Shangfang is truly learned beyond compare." "Her anger was soaring, she had calculated it all."

Shangfang Yingyue curtsied, "Sister, you are indeed a guest of Changzhuang. Please forgive my late arrival!"

Ziqiong said, "Sister, there's no need for such formality. We are all young people, so let's address each other as equals."

Shangfang Yingyue said, "Sister is right." Then she introduced to Ziqiong, pointing to the young man in white, "This is
my younger brother, Ji Dongsheng." Ji Dongsheng quickly bowed to the four of them, and Shangfang Yingyue continued, "This is my senior brother, Shi Wantian
." Everyone was puzzled, wondering why her brother had the surname Ji.

Shi Wantian clasped his hands and said, "I haven't yet thanked you for healing my injuries, Miss. I thank you."

Ziqiong quickly said, "Young Master Shi, you're too kind." Then she introduced Xin Xing and the others to the three of them.

After everyone had exchanged greetings, Xin Xing asked, "Miss Yingyue, what do you plan to do with these people?"

Shangfang Yingyue said, "These are all from the Tianlong Sect. That person is their second sect leader, named Jiang Yibao
." Then she pointed to the middle-aged man in brocade.

Xin Xing, who had been observing the fight from the sidelines, had already identified the man as the leader and thus subdued him with a single move
. Seeing Jiang Yibao lying motionless on the ground, he said, "So he's the Second Master. No wonder he was
so imposing earlier. By the way, why did you fight? Is there some grudge?"

Shi Wantian shook his head, saying, "It's a long story. I'll tell you later, Brother Xin. But we
can't let Jiang Yibao go back. We were lucky to capture him today, so we can use him to exchange for our people."

Xin Xing asked in surprise, "You have someone in the hands of the Heavenly Dragon Sect?"

Shi Wantian sighed and nodded, "The Heavenly Dragon Sect kidnapped two of our sisters a few days ago. After the Master learned of this
, he cast a divination and determined that they were not in immediate danger. He's planning a rescue, but the Heavenly
Dragon Sect is riddled with traps and its defenses are extremely tight. We still haven't come up with an effective rescue plan. Today,
Jiang Yibao..." "The leopard is in our hands; we can use him to exchange for it,"

Ji Dongsheng said. "If it
were n't for
my sister's advice to always be tolerant and not to resort to violence to avoid giving others cause for criticism and a potential attack from the martial arts world, I wouldn't have shown mercy today. But I never expected that this would lead to Brother Wantian's injury."

Ziqiong said to Xin Xing, "Go and release these people's pressure points and let them go.
As for Jiang Yibao, leave him to Young Hero Shi."

Xin Xing said, "Wouldn't it be too easy for them to leave like this?"

Ziqiong said, "Didn't you hear what Master Shangfang said? He's incredibly shrewd. There must be
a reason for his instructions."

Shi Wantian nodded and said, "Brother Xin, Jiang Yibao holds a prominent position in the Tianlong Sect. Having him is
enough ." He then walked towards Jiang Yibao.

Xin Xing followed Ziqiong's instructions and released their pressure points one by one. Shi Wantian said loudly, "Go
back tell Master Hua to release our people within three days. If they refuse, don't blame us for being impolite."

Ji Dongsheng stepped forward, led a few horses, and said, "We'll let you go this time. You can borrow these horses . We'll
return them to you after we release the people."

He handed four horses to Xin Xing, and everyone rode one horse towards Woyun Water Manor.

Xin Xing rode up to Yuan Hua's side and laughed, "I never imagined that you, a talented woman, would be such a skilled horseman."

Yuan Hua smiled and said, "Cao Zhi once wrote a poem: 'Riding in succession, they play polo, their skill and agility are boundless.' Since the Eastern Han Dynasty,
which imperial family didn't love playing polo? In our Great Tang Dynasty, it was especially popular. I
was already quite adept at it while following my mother and son."

Xin Xing nodded repeatedly, "No wonder, no wonder."

Yuan Hua smiled sweetly and said, "Speaking of polo masters, your elder brother Li Longji is the real expert
. The Tibetans are renowned for their horsemanship. Our dynasty has suffered heavy defeats in many matches against them. The year before last,
not long after your elder brother returned to the capital, the Emperor..." Knowing that he always loved playing polo, he was asked to compete against the Tibetans. I accompanied the Emperor
to watch , and saw your brother gallop like the wind, wielding the polo mallet with unparalleled skill, repeatedly piercing the opponent's goal, finally
achieving a great victory. That was the Tang Dynasty's first diplomatic triumph, much to the Emperor's delight."

Xin Xing listened, his eyes wide with amazement, and laughed, "Brother, are you really that amazing? I never expected it!"

Meanwhile, Zi Qiong and Shang Fang Yingyue rode side by side. Zi Qiong asked, "Sister Yingyue, your
sister is truly incredibly powerful; she even knew exactly when we would arrive at Suiyang Mountain."

Shang Fang Yingyue replied, "Actually, sister..." My sister didn't know she would be coming to Suiyang Mountain, but she knew she would be here; that
was a fact. Two days ago, she told me that distinguished guests would be visiting Wolong Water Manor, and that these guests
would help us resolve the current crisis at the manor. My brother and I asked who the guests were, but she
just smiled and didn't answer. My brother couldn't resist pressing her for an answer, so she told us that the guests would be traveling south from
the north and would be passing through Shangkou Town, and that she planned to send someone to meet them.

Ziqiong smiled and said, "Manor Master, you're too kind. Ziqiong thanks you in advance! By the way, what
about Shangkou Town? Is it that small town on the west side of Puqi Lake ?" "A town?"

Shangfang Yingyue nodded. "Puqi Lake doesn't have a large population; there's only that small town within a ten-mile radius."

Ziqiong said, "We did stop for lunch in town this noon, but we didn't run into you."

Shangfang Yingyue sighed, "This morning, my brother came to find me, saying he wanted to stroll around town to see
if he could meet you. Unexpectedly, not long after leaving the manor, we were stopped by the Tianlongmen. Although my sister said we must
keep our anger in check and not act rashly, we couldn't remain calm when we thought of our two kidnapped sisters. We
started fighting them, chasing each other, the battle intensifying until we reached Suiyang Mountain. Unexpectedly, we met..."
"Sister, we meet."

As they spoke, the group had already walked several miles. Shang Fang Yingyue said, "After turning over this small hill, and walking another mile or so, we'll reach
Woyun Water Village."

(End of Episode 8, Part 6)

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