Rebirth of a Stunning Beauty (Complete) - 8

~Chapter Three: Ruthless Supremacy, Section Four~

Young Master Yu paused, then said to the black-clad figure, "Venerable One, this game is getting more and more interesting. When will the Nine Yin Saintess be deployed?"

The Venerable One smiled sinisterly and said, "Boss, there's no need to rush. There's still plenty of time; the Martial Arts Tournament is still eight days away! The Nine Yin Saintess is the final trump card; she shouldn't be used lightly unless absolutely necessary. Moreover, in my opinion, this game is almost over. Often, the most exciting part is at the end, isn't it? Hmm, perhaps we could let her make contact with Qin Ren first..."

Young Master Yu nodded and said, "Venerable One is right. However, this game is gradually escalating..." "Aren't you worried about our control, Venerable One?"

The Venerable One said coldly, "It's just a game, why worry so much? Competing for supremacy in the world is not the same as vying for dominance in the martial arts world. No matter how powerful the Free and Unfettered Manor is, it only has three thousand disciples. What use are they to the grand plan of the world? It's just that they have too many experts, and keeping them around might cause great trouble. If these forces in the martial arts world cannot be subdued, then they will have to be completely eliminated! Except for Qin Ren, who possesses the 'Asura Demon Eye'... I wonder if the big boss wants to kill or spare this guy?" Young Master

Yu pondered, "What Taigong Wang said back then, 'He who obtains the 'Asura Demon Eye' will rule the world,' this prophecy, no one can truly understand it to this day. Killing or sparing, both involve great risks, and this young master really finds it difficult to..." "The decision will be made. What is your opinion, Venerable One?"

The Venerable One said, "In my opinion, it is not unreasonable to keep this boy for now. Those martial arts forces such as Xiaoyao Manor and Iron Blood Howling Sky Fortress that can be recruited will be kept; those that cannot be subdued will be eliminated. This time, I have brought 'Wind, Rain, Thunder and Lightning,' 'Extremely Heinous,' 'One Hundred and Eight Misty Rains of Jiangnan,' and 'Three Hundred and Sixty-Six Swift Blades of the Northern Desert,' plus the Big Boss's 'All the Stars of the Heavens.' When both sides in the martial arts tournament are exhausted, our forces can then reap the benefits and wipe out all the participating masters in one fell swoop! Without a leader, the remaining disciples of those martial arts forces will have no chance to cause trouble. As for Qin Ren, we will act according to the circumstances." "Let him stay and observe for now. If the interpretation he should receive is the second one, then kill him. As long as we can firmly control Qin Ren, whether to kill him or keep him is entirely up to us. We're not afraid of him causing any trouble."

Young Master Yu said, "The two sides in the martial arts tournament are going to fight, and Qin Ren is key. If he doesn't appear, things won't get out of hand. But Qin Ren has already disappeared. How can we dig him out?"

The Venerable said, "There's no need to dig him out anymore."

The Venerable's voice was indescribably cold: "One of the four great demons who betrayed our sect many years ago, Qiao Qitian, has appeared beside Qin Ren. I sent people to negotiate with him, but those three good-for-nothings disappeared after they left..." He vanished without a trace, surely killed by Qiao Qitian. The reason I didn't rush to eliminate him after learning of his whereabouts was to keep him by Qin Ren's side and incite him.”

Young Master Yu asked with some surprise, “Time waits for no man? The most terrifying of the four great demons is still alive? How can he incite Qin Ren?”

The Venerable One said, “Qiao Qitian is cold and cunning. He must have seen that Qin Ren has fallen into a trap, and he will definitely guess that the trap was set by me. Given the hatred between Qiao Qitian and me, he will definitely want to use Qin Ren and the power behind Qin Ren for revenge. I'm not afraid he won't incite Qin Ren. Qiao Qitian is most skilled at manipulating people's hearts, and Qin Ren is naive and cannot resist his temptation. Therefore, I…” "Your Excellency believes that Qiao Qitian will definitely find a way to get Qin Ren to participate in the martial arts tournament. Hmph, once Qin Ren participates, the course of events will be beyond his control!"

Young Master Yu praised, "Your Excellency's calculations are flawless; I admire you. But now, Du Gongfu's daughter, Du Xiaoyan, has also been seduced by Qin Ren. What do you think we should do about this, Your Excellency?"

The Venerable sneered, "Du Gongfu is nothing but a dog. Although he can bite, there's no shortage of dogs that bite. We don't need to expose him; let him embarrass himself at the martial arts tournament. Once he's embarrassed, he'll naturally transfer his resentment to Qin Ren. Without us urging him, he'll spare no effort to fan the flames and incite a fight between the two sides. In this way..." The effect would be better. Otherwise, if Du Gongfu, in his name of impartiality, incited the crowd's emotions without any reason, it would only arouse suspicion.

Young Master Yu nodded and said, "What you say makes sense, Venerable One. However, I'm afraid Qin Ren is not easy to control..."

The Venerable One said, "Boss, don't worry. My Nine Yin Saintess is an important pawn to control Qin Ren. In this martial arts tournament, whether Qin Ren wins or loses, I will ensure his safety. At that time, I will take the opportunity to place the Nine Yin Saintess by Qin Ren's side. Even if Qin Ren is heartless and loveless, there is no reason why he cannot be controlled by the Nine Yin Saintess!"

Young Master Yu laughed and said, "Venerable One's plan is naturally without problem. My innate charm is..." "They can't be relied upon anymore. Fortunately, with the Venerable One's assistance, how could this grand plan for the world fail?"

The Venerable One bowed slightly and said, "It is my honor that the Great Boss thinks highly of me. It is my great fortune to serve the Great Boss."

A cold smile appeared on Young Master Yu's lips as he pointed to the last rays of the red sunset on the horizon and said, "How can this boundless land be allowed to go to that good-for-nothing Ah Hai? This colorful world is only worthy of me, Young Master Yu! The martial world and the Jianghu are merely the prelude to the entire game of vying for supremacy! Once all the heroes of the world are caught in the trap, the game will officially begin, hahahaha..."

The Venerable One stood quietly beside Young Master Yu, saying nothing, coldly watching Young Master Yu's arrogant demeanor. No one knew what he was thinking, and no one could see the expression on his face, which was shrouded in mist...

※ ※ ※ ※

The sky was beginning to lighten.

The cool morning dew dampened the lawn in the courtyard, and the rolling dewdrops, like pearls, slid off the blades of grass and shattered on the bluestone path hidden among the lawn.

It was a cloudy day, and a thin mist had risen sometime earlier, shrouding the courtyard in a hazy mist. Combined with the exotic pines and trees, flowers and tender grass transported from the mountains, the courtyard resembled a fairyland.

This was a house located in the west of Dingzhou City, an unremarkable residence from the outside. No one would imagine that such a house, which looked like something any moderately wealthy family could own, was actually the residence of Li Guding, one of the four former notorious villains, now known as the "Illusionary Demon Lord," the number one gambler in Yan Province.

The world inside the courtyard couldn't be judged by its appearance. In fact, given Li Guding's current wealth, the courtyard was exquisitely furnished, comparable to that of royalty.

And the Third Young Master, whom many had searched for in Dingzhou City for over ten days without success, was currently residing in this courtyard.

In an elegant attic in the west courtyard, the bedroom, exuding a subtle fragrance, resembled the residence of a noblewoman—exquisite, luxurious, yet elegant.

On the large bed, framed with fine sandalwood, covered with velvet mattresses and sheets of the finest silk, the Third Young Master lay fast asleep, shirtless, a bandage wrapped around his shoulder.

He was curled up on his side, his face pressed against Qiu Ruomei's snow-white, firm breasts, as if trying to bury his head between them. His right hand tightly embraced her rounded shoulder, his left hand resting on her right breast. The

Third Young Master's posture resembled that of a child yearning for its mother's milk, nestled in her arms, clutching a happiness that belonged only to him, one he would never allow to be taken away.

Qiu Ruomei, however, had been awake for some time.

She placed one hand on the Third Young Master's head, stroking it with utmost gentleness, while her other hand rested on his injured shoulder, massaging it lightly with a special technique to improve blood circulation.

The Third Young Master slept very comfortably and soundly.

Looking at him, Qiu Ruomei sighed inwardly, "Look at you sleeping like that, you really are like a little child… Hiding in my arms like this, are you afraid of getting hurt? Do you want me to protect you?"

Qiu Ruomei vaguely remembered her master saying that if someone likes to bury their head and chest in the chest of the person they share a pillow with while sleeping, it means that person has a strong sense of insecurity and hopes to be protected by that person.

But Ah Ren, what is there to be insecure about? You are the third young master of the Qin family, the son of the Heaven-Covering Hand, your eldest brother is the Star River Sword Saint, your second brother is the Mad Thunder Blade God, your mother is Tie Ling'er, and your maternal uncle is the Iron-Transforming Hand.

You yourself are a peerless genius who has never been defeated.

In terms of wealth, your family is richer than a country, and you have enough money to squander for your entire life.

In terms of responsibility, you are the youngest son in the family, and your older brothers will shoulder even the biggest responsibilities.

What else do you have to worry about? Why do you show such insecurity when you sleep?

As a man, shouldn't you be holding a woman in your arms, giving her safety and warmth with your chest?

Alas, you are still just a child. No matter how powerful or how bad you are, you are still just a child.

Sighing inwardly, Qiu Ruomei gently, very gently, removed the Third Young Master's hand from her body, then quietly slipped out of bed. After tucking him in, she began to dress.

Once dressed, Qiu Ruomei opened the wardrobe opposite the bed, took out a small bundle, and casually picked it up. She then retrieved her sword from a hook on the wall. She

tiptoed to the door, gently pushed it open, glanced back at the Third Young Master, who was facing away from her and back to the wall, and sighed softly, preparing to leave.

"Is Sister Mei leaving already?" the Third Young Master's voice suddenly sounded from behind.

Qiu Ruomei turned around, only to see that the Third Young Master was still facing away from her and hadn't moved at all.

She didn't speak; she wasn't sure if what she had just heard was a hallucination.

"Is Sister Mei leaving already?" the Third Young Master repeated. Qiu Ruomei finally understood; the Third Young Master had woken up.

Looking at the Third Young Master with his back turned, Qiu Ruomei sighed softly and said, "Aren, I only promised to take care of you until you were healed. Now your injuries are healed."

"Sister Mei won't stay with me, is it because of my identity? Or is it because Sister Mei thinks a woman who travels the martial world is not suitable for me?" The Third Young Master's voice was indifferent, as if he had no emotion.

Qiu Ruomei didn't answer. After a long silence, she said, "Aren, you often say, 'It's better to forget each other in the martial world than to be together in hardship.'"

Qin Ren was also silent for a long time before saying, "Okay, Sister Mei, have a safe journey. Please

close the door for me. I want to sleep a little longer." Qiu Ruomei was stunned. Seeing that Qin Ren still didn't turn around, she bit her lip sadly and said, "Take care." She quickly slipped out the door, gently closed it, and used her fastest movement to leap out of the pavilion and run towards the courtyard.

After running for about ten feet, Qiu Ruomei suddenly stopped and looked back at the exquisite pavilion.

The window was tightly shut, showing no sign of opening.

Two crystal tears slid down Qiu Ruomei's cheeks. She slowly turned her head and strode forward.

Suddenly, a frantic, rapid sound of a guzheng, like a stampede of horses or the clash of swords, yet containing endless tenderness, came from the attic. Then came the Third Young Master's generous and sorrowful singing:

"The treasured sword of the world is drawn, its skill revealed in a single strike.

Love and hate intertwine, true feelings and false intentions are hard to discern.

The sea of humanity is both tearful and laughable, unable to sever the bond between gratitude and resentment.

The barrier of love is ambiguous, impossible to fathom.

Swords are like dreams, grudges like the wind, are they light or heavy?

As long as love is strong, martial arts are unnecessary, love and hate are hard to reconcile.

I fear only hot tears, not the blade, with a sword in my hand and you before me,

yet all my efforts are in vain!" Qiu

Ruomei finally couldn't hold back her tears. She didn't look back; she strode out of the courtyard as if flying. She knew that if she turned back, she would never be able to leave again.

Behind her, the Third Young Master's song drifted like smoke…

"The wind of fists can be released or withdrawn, let's compare the shadows of swords and the light of blades.

"The sea of love has wind and waves, but no true shore can be found.

"Difficulties can be attacked or retreated, just wave your hands to block them.

"The barrier of love is beyond my power, I can't think of how to overcome it.

"Swords are like dreams, grudges are like the wind, is there any weight to it?

"As long as love is strong, I don't need martial arts, love and hate are hard to reconcile.

"I only fear hot tears, not the blade, I have a sword in my hand, you are before me,

"yet all my efforts have been in vain!

"Can we embrace for a lifetime?"

"I'm more afraid it's all just a dream!"

Qiao Wei stood beneath a cluster of artificial hills, watching Qiu Ruomei's departing figure, and sighed, "The supreme ruler has no love, the highest authority has no righteousness. Third Young Master, if you wish to dominate the world, you must remember—the supreme ruler is ruthless!"

~Chapter Four: A Dream of Beauty, Section One~

"Are you alright?"

"What could be wrong with me?"

"Your woman is gone, aren't you even a little sad?"

"What's the use of being sad? Besides, why should I be sad? I have plenty of women! With my wealth, martial arts skills, and good looks, I could just snap my little finger and girls would rush up crying and begging me to sleep with them..."

"Uh... never mind, I asked for nothing. The weather's nice today, quite sunny and breezy. Why don't you go out for a stroll? Don't stay home all the time, you'll get moldy. Anyway, you've decided to participate in the martial arts tournament in seven days. With me and Lao Li protecting you, no one can capture you. Once you get to the tournament venue, there might be a fierce battle, and the peaceful days afterward will be shorter. You should take advantage of these few days to have some fun. Hmm, you can ask Xiao Ye to go shopping with you~~~"

"Xiao Ye is coming too? Okay, I'll get ready right away. Go find my prettiest dress! Hmm, it looks like it's going to rain... Brother Wei, didn't you say it would be sunny and breezy?"

...

The Third Young Master walked smugly down the rain-dampened street, fanning himself with a folding fan. Li Xiao Ye, holding an umbrella, pouted and walked reluctantly beside him, the umbrella mostly covering the Third Young Master.

Qiao Wei and Uncle Li followed behind the Third Young Master, one on each side. Both of them wore straw hats and raincoats, and their appearances were indeed quite different from the Third Young Master's.

"Hmm, strolling around in the rain feels quite different from usual!" The Third Young Master looked around leisurely and said, "The streets are deserted, and even the beauties aren't going out much. It's so peaceful!"

Qiao Wei laughed, "It's good to be quiet. If there were too many people, it might cause some trouble. Recently, quite a few martial arts practitioners have gathered in Dingzhou City. If they run into us, there might be another fight. Killing someone in the street isn't a big deal, but it will still leave a bad impression on the people!"

The Third Young Master said disdainfully, "A few puppies and cats in Dingzhou City, do they think they're worthy of causing trouble for me? Hmm, there seems to be a casino over there. Anyway, we won't get anything out of it while strolling around. Brother Wei, Uncle Li, shall we go in and play a couple of rounds?"

Qiao Wei rubbed his hands and said, "That would be great. It's been quite a while since I've touched dice."

Uncle Li also said, "Hmm, it's been a long time since I've tried cheating. Have my skills deteriorated?"

"Let's go in then!" The Third Young Master led the way, swaggering into a lavishly decorated gambling den on the street with Li Xiaoye, Qiao Wei, and Uncle Li by the lead.

The atmosphere inside the casino was quite different from the deserted street.

Inside, the place was bustling with noise. Large groups of people, their faces flushed, surrounded each gambling table, shouting at the top of their lungs. After the results were revealed, some were ecstatic, while others looked ashen. As

soon as Qiao Wei entered the casino, his face lit up with a rosy glow, and Uncle Li's wrinkles smoothed out as he grinned foolishly.

The Third Young Master glanced at the two and muttered to himself, "I didn't expect these two old guys to be such hardcore gamblers. Just smelling the casino makes them this excited. If they actually got to touch the gambling equipment, would they have a heart attack and die?"

At that moment, a man who looked like a bodyguard approached the Third Young Master and his group, bowed respectfully, and said, "Welcome to our esteemed guests. Would you like to exchange some chips?"

The Third Young Master chuckled, took a silver note from his sleeve, and stuffed it into the man's hand, saying: "The chips are too heavy, young master, can I gamble with cash instead?"

The man glanced furtively at the silver notes in his hand, his face immediately lighting up with a smile: "Of course you can. In our casino, you can gamble with cash if you like, or with banknotes if you like. If you find carrying cash troublesome, you can exchange it for chips. In short, as long as you're willing, young master, you can gamble however you like."

The third young master gave a soft hum, fanning himself with a folding fan, and leisurely strolled around the casino lobby, casually surveying the scene inside.

The bodyguard, who had received a hundred taels of silver as a tip from the Third Young Master, bowed slightly and followed behind him respectfully, explaining, "Our casino has a complete range of games, all kinds of gambling. Mahjong, Pai Gow, dice, cockfighting, black market boxing, you name it, we have it all. We guarantee you'll have a great time, young master... I wonder which one you'd like to play?"

The Third Young Master thought for a moment and said, "Let's play dice! Big or small is the simplest, wins and losses are even, it's quite fair."

The bodyguard led the Third Young Master and his group to a large gambling table, casually pulling aside a few gamblers who were shouting the loudest in the crowd but only betting a single copper coin each time, to make room for the Third Young Master and his group.

There was a row of chairs in front of the gambling table, but they were already full. Those gamblers sitting in the chairs were betting with silver ingots, so the bodyguard couldn't very well ask them to leave.

"Young master, you see... there are no chairs left..." the bodyguard said, looking at the Third Young Master with some difficulty.

The Third Young Master smiled slightly, glanced at the gamblers sitting in chairs, took out a few silver notes, placed them in front of one of the gamblers, and without saying a word, just watched him with a grin.

The gambler was having a run of bad luck, losing dozens of taels of silver in a row. Seeing the five hundred-tael notes in front of him, he immediately stood up with a beaming smile, bowing and scraping, saying, "Young Master, please sit down. I'll be watching from the side."

The Third Young Master patted the gambler's shoulder and said with a chuckle, "Hmm, not bad, little devil, you know what's good for you!"

The Third Young Master sat down casually in the chair, with Li Xiaoye standing beside him, and Qiao Wei and Uncle Li standing on either side of him behind him. The two old devils appeared to be standing casually, but in reality, they had sealed off any possible openings for an attack on the Third Young Master from behind.

At this moment, the dealer had already shaken the dice cup. Qiao Wei squinted at the dealer's hands, Uncle Li tilted his head to listen to the sound coming from the cup, while the Third Young Master looked up, studying the ceiling.

While absentmindedly looking around, Li Xiaoye suddenly felt a hot hand cover her thigh, shamelessly moving upwards. Startled and embarrassed, two red blushes quickly spread across her face. Looking down, she saw the Third Young Master looking up at the sky with a holy expression, one hand fanning himself with a folding fan, the other gently groping her thigh from bottom to top. Li Xiaoye suppressed
her anger, gritting her teeth and whispering, "You... what are you doing?"

"The road ahead is long and arduous, I will search high and low... I got some dust on my hands, so I found a cloth to wipe them clean. Now they're clean. Hmm, this cloth is really nice, quite elastic." The Third Young Master said sincerely, withdrawing his hand.

Li Xiaoye was so angry she almost fainted. If the Third Young Master's "Demon Eyes of Asura" hadn't already frightened her once, she probably would have already kicked him.

"Place your bets now!" The dealer shook the dice cup and called out according to the rules.

"Big or small?" the Third Young Master asked the two old devils behind him.

"One, three, four, eight, small," Qiao Wei and Uncle Li said simultaneously.

The Third Young Master nodded, took out a hundred-tael silver note, and placed it on "big." Just as Qiao Wei and Uncle Li were about to stop him, the Third Young Master took out a thousand-tael silver note and placed it on "small.

" "Can I bet on both big and small at the same time?" the Third Young Master asked the dealer with a grin.

Seeing the Third Young Master casually throw out a thousand and one hundred taels of silver, the dealer knew that this was a wealthy young master and flattered him, "Of course, young master, please feel free."

The Third Young Master nodded in satisfaction and said to Qiao Wei and Uncle Li, "Learn from this, don't be too flashy. While you're winning money, you also need to leave others a way out, otherwise, be careful not to lose your life while winning money."

Qiao Wei and Uncle Li exchanged a glance and nodded helplessly. In Qiao Wei and Uncle Li's view, with these three experts present, even if they bet a million taels of silver at once and win everything in the casino, who could bother them?

After all the gamblers had placed their bets, the dealer shouted, "Open! One, three, four, eight, small!"

The Third Young Master lost one hundred taels but won one thousand. He threw out two fifty-tael chips from his winnings and handed them to the dealer: "Here's your reward!"

The dealer smiled and said, "Thank you, young master! I'm sorry, young master, you bet silver notes, but I can only give you chips."

The Third Young Master smiled indifferently: "It's alright, these chips can be exchanged for silver too! Come on, keep rolling."

In this way, Qiao Wei watched the dealer's moves, and Uncle Li listened to the dice rolls. With the help of these two experts, the Third Young Master, who knew nothing about gambling, placed thirty bets and won every single one. Each time, he bet one hundred taels on other things and then one thousand taels on the big bet, giving the dealer one hundred taels of chips as a reward for each win.

In total, the Third Young Master only won 800 taels of silver per bet, but after thirty consecutive bets, he had won 24,000 taels.

This was naturally a small sum for the Third Young Master, but the bookmaker was already struggling to keep up. He was just an employee at the casino, his winnings and losses going to the boss. Besides his salary, he only earned tips from customers. But now, having lost 24,000 taels, even though he received 3,000 taels in tips, he couldn't feel happy.

If the boss knew he had lost 24,000 taels, wouldn't he chop him into mincemeat and make dumplings?

Even worse, seeing the Third Young Master's repeated wins, the other gamblers treated him as a guiding light, following his bets every bet. Although they didn't bet as much as the Third Young Master, their numbers meant they were numerous, and each bet totaled around 500 taels. As a result, the bookmaker had already lost nearly 40,000 taels of silver!

Moreover, gamblers from other tables kept arriving, eager to join in. As the number of gamblers around the table grew, by the thirty-first round, the dealer's hands were trembling, and cold sweat poured down his forehead. He held the dice cup, hesitant to shake it.

"Shake it!" the third young master said with a smile, "Don't worry, I never gamble everything. A steady, gradual approach is best! Don't tell me your casino can't afford to pay out such a small amount!"

The dealer gritted his teeth, stamped his foot, and made a decision!

He was going to cheat!

Meanwhile, in an exceptionally luxurious room on the second floor of the casino, a woman dressed in a low-cut pink dress, revealing a large expanse of her white chest and a section of her deep red bra, her face veiled in red, only her eyes visible, giggled after hearing the report from the bodyguard who had received the Third Young Master's reward. She said, "Oh? He's here to gamble? Great! Invite him to his VIP room, I'll gamble with him myself. Hehe, the peerless lecher Qin Ren… I'm really looking forward to meeting him!"

~Chapter Four: A Dream of Allure, Section Two~

The dealer began shaking the

dice cup. One hand rested on the lid, the other on the base. And that hand on the base was already preparing to make some subtle moves.

Those who run the casino all possess some gambling skills. Cheating is an essential technique for every seasoned gambler, and for the dealer, the requirements for cheating are even higher.

However, the dealer was unaware that among the two men behind the Third Young Master sitting opposite him, the elderly man with white hair and beard was none other than the legendary master gambler of Yan Province.

Qiao Wei, though not an expert in gambling techniques, was still a master-level expert; his eyesight was far superior to ordinary people.

So, when the dealer started his tricks, Qiao Wei and Uncle Li noticed his unusual behavior at the same time.

The Third Young Master, on the other hand, didn't even look at the dealer. Every time the dealer started shaking the dice, the Third Young Master would tilt his head back, intently studying the color of the ceiling.

Of course, his hands were never idle, constantly harassing Li Xiaoye standing next to him.

The reason for his harassment was always the same: "Hey, why are your hands dirty again? Sigh, I need to wipe them again..."

Li Xiaoye blushed as the Third Young Master took advantage of her, but dared only to silently resist. She knew that her godfather was now on the Third Young Master's side; without her backer, she could only resort to non-violent non-cooperation.

Every time the Third Young Master's hand touched her thigh, she would stare at him with a murderous gaze, her eyes filled with endless resentment and a tearful accusation against this lecherous scoundrel.

But the Third Young Master's skin was made of iron; he remained unmoved by Li Xiaoye's innocent yet angry gaze. His expression was serious, his eyes sincere, as if he were doing something sacred.

"I'm a germaphobe," the Third Young Master explained. "If my hands get even a speck of dust, I have to wipe them clean immediately. There's no way around it; so many people have touched this gambling table. I need to gamble, to place bets, so it's inevitable that my hands will get dusty."

Li Xiaoye's understanding of the Third Young Master's shamelessness had deepened. Originally, after hearing his poignant and deeply melodious singing that morning, her dislike for him had lessened slightly. But his current behavior had completely revealed his true colors to her.

"This is an incorrigible, shameless scoundrel!" Li Xiaoye thought angrily. "All he can think about is women's naked bodies! Ah... how could I think like that? It's so wrong of me. I'm a good girl, I shouldn't have such filthy thoughts. But this lecher... he's truly shameless to the extreme! Heavens, why don't you send down lightning and strike him dead?"

The Third Young Master, of course, had no idea what Li Xiaoye was thinking. After the dealer shook the dice, he slowly removed his hand from Li Xiaoye's supple thigh to get his silver notes to place his bet.

"What are we betting on this time?" the Third Young Master asked Qiao Wei and Uncle Li.

Qiao Wei sneered, "This time, we won't win no matter what we bet on."

Uncle Li smiled sinisterly, "Third Young Master, you could spend some silver to buy a pair of hands. Hehe..."

Seeing Qiao Wei and Uncle Li staring at the dealer's hands with ill intent, the Third Young Master already understood what was happening.

Looking at the dealer, his forehead was covered in cold sweat, his face pale, trembling with fear under the cold gazes of Qiao Wei and Uncle Li, and nearly fainting from their malicious smiles.

The Third Young Master chuckled and said, "Running a casino isn't easy either. Let's know when to stop, don't push them too far."

Qiao Wei was taken aback: "Oh, Third Young Master, when did you become so compassionate?"

Uncle Li mocked, "Third Young Master, it seems you weren't the one who let them off the hook, were you?"

The Third Young Master smiled and stood up, saying, "My Qin family also owns casinos. In my Qin family's largest casino, if a customer wins more than 200,000 taels, our bouncers will use some tricks. Although we've only won a little over 20,000 taels, other customers have already won over 10,000 with us. This small casino probably can't afford to lose that much." " Lots of silver. We're all in business, so let's be lenient... Let's go, there's nothing fun here anymore. Wei-ge, Uncle Li, take the chips, let's exchange them for silver."

Qiao Wei muttered under his breath, "When we encountered the flower thief, you didn't say you'd let him go... Business rivals are enemies, but this isn't your business, so why should we let him go?"

Uncle Li replied, "Given my temper, if someone dares to cheat under my nose, I'd at least cripple their hands. Third Young Master, you've been incredibly magnanimous this time."

Uncle Li didn't deliberately lower his voice, and the dealer trembled slightly upon hearing this, looking at Uncle Li with almost fearful eyes. Hearing this, the surrounding gamblers shouted, "Damn it, cheating? No wonder I lost every hand in the last few dozen rounds; I barely broke even thanks to this young master! Damn it, cheating? Brothers, kill him!" The

gamblers playing dice at the table were furious. The dealer was cheating; wasn't that blatantly cheating them?

Especially some of the gamblers who had lost money were filled with righteous indignation. More than ten people jumped onto the table and rushed over, beating the dealer mercilessly. A large group of people also bypassed the table, wielding benches, chairs, chips, silver ingots, banknotes, shoe soles, daggers, machetes, swords, spiked clubs, butcher knives, and other weapons, adding insult to injury.

Third Young Master, Li Xiaoye, Qiao Wei, and Uncle Li took advantage of the

chaos to squeeze out of the crowd. The dealer's screams echoed, and the casino's bodyguards rushed over, trying to restrain and calm the angry gamblers. However, none of the bodyguards dared to lay a hand on the gamblers. There was no way around it; their dealer had cheated first and been caught. Even if the customers killed the dealer, the casino's bodyguards would have no grounds for complaint.

Casino owners fear nothing more than being caught cheating by customers, otherwise they would definitely lose a large number of customers. Even if they killed the cheating dealer to quell public anger, they couldn't recover the damage to their reputation.

The Third Young Master shook his head, fanning himself with a folding fan. "Uncle Li, your move is ruthless. This casino will probably lose more than half of its customers in the future."

Uncle Li chuckled sinisterly, "If you dare to open a casino, you have to be prepared to encounter experts. Since they can't afford to lose, and their cheating was exposed by us, they can only blame their bad luck. Third Young Master, don't tell me that Old Li thinks this is a bad thing."

The Third Young Master smiled slightly, "I, your young master, have always believed in 'I don't offend others unless they offend me; if they do, I won't forgive them.' When have you ever seen a man who attacked me survive? Since the dealer tried to cheat me, it's only right that they learn a lesson. Damn it, when you're in the game, you have to be a tough guy." "If casino owners can't afford to lose money, what's the point of running a casino? Alright, I've already let that dealer off the hook. It was just his bad luck. Getting beaten up isn't my fault. I'm a compassionate young master, after all! Let's go, after exchanging our silver, let's have a big meal. We have to spend all the money we won today!"

The Third Young Master and his group swaggered towards the counter where they exchanged chips. They exchanged 24,000 taels of silver in front of the counter, and just as they were about to leave, the bodyguard who had led them to gamble on dice rushed over, bowing and scraping: "Young Master, please wait. Our boss has heard that you are an excellent gambler and would like to challenge you to a game."

The Third Young Master waved his hand and said, "Forget it, I've won enough today. I don't want to win any more of your money. You should go check on the dealer who's being beaten up by the crowd. His screams are getting weaker and weaker; he's probably done for."

The bodyguard chuckled and said, "It's alright. That useless guy should be hacked to death by the customers so they can vent their anger. Young Master, our boss said that if you don't want to gamble against him, you'll regret it."

The Third Young Master's smile vanished, and he said coldly, "What do you mean? You dare threaten me? How many guts do you have?"

The bodyguard... Without changing his expression, he smiled and said, "Young Master, those words weren't spoken by me, but by my boss. If you want trouble, please go find my boss."

Qiao Wei sneered from behind the Third Young Master, "Well, you certainly have some nerve! You're so eager to betray your boss, aren't you afraid he'll cause you trouble?"

The bodyguard said, "What kind of person is our boss? How could she stoop to my level? Besides, as long as you, Young Master, don't report me to my boss, she won't know that I said anything disrespectful to her."

Qiao Wei stared at the bodyguard, his eyes slowly narrowing. He sized up the bodyguard from head to toe, a sharp glint in his eyes, and said, "Third Young Master, how about we go and gamble against the casino owner?"

The Third Young Master frowned. "Brother Wei, gambling is about knowing when to stop, retreating gracefully, and not getting entangled!"

Qiao Wei said with a double entendre, "Third Young Master, I understand that principle. It's not just gambling; there are many things in this world that require knowing when to stop and retreating gracefully. But Third Young Master, it's not time for you to stop yet, much less time to retreat gracefully." "There are many things we can't afford to back down from!"

The Third Young Master stroked his chin thoughtfully and nodded, "Alright, Brother Wei, I'll listen to you this once and go gamble with the casino owner. But you guys will have to be on the field, as I know absolutely nothing about gambling."

Qiao Wei and Uncle Li nodded simultaneously, "No problem, Third Young Master, just tell us how much you want to win."

The Third Young Master nodded and said to the bodyguard, "Lead the way."

The bodyguard bowed and scraped, saying, "Alright, young master, please follow me..."

Just as he was about to turn and start walking, Qiao Wei suddenly stepped forward, lightly patted the bodyguard's shoulder twice, and whispered in his ear, "You haven't mastered the 'Cloud Shadow Phantom' footwork of the Demonic Cloud Sect enough, otherwise you wouldn't have given yourself away so easily while walking."

The bodyguard visibly flinched, but quickly regained his composure and forced a smile, "What did you say, sir? I don't understand what you mean."

Qiao Wei smiled nonchalantly, "Nothing..." "Well, with my young master here, what right do I have to speak? Lead the way!"

As the bodyguard led the way, with the Third Young Master and his group following behind him towards the second floor of the casino, Uncle Li leaned close to Qiao Wei and whispered, "Old Qiao, that's ruthless! You need to use such ruthless methods to deal with such a junior?"

Qiao Wei smiled mysteriously, "I, Old Qiao, hate it when people play tricks on me."

The two old foxes whispered amongst themselves as the Third Young Master and his group followed the bodyguard up to the second floor and into the VIP room.

As soon as the Third Young Master entered the opulent, almost extravagant VIP room of the casino, he was struck dumb, as if by lightning, his whole body trembling, and then he stood there dumbfounded...

~Chapter Four: A Dream of Beauty, Section Three~

Not only the Third Young Master, but even Li Xiaoye, Qiao Wei, and Uncle Li were all stunned.

Because at one end of the large gambling table made of the finest sandalwood in the VIP room sat a person.

She was a woman, a woman of captivating charm, naturally alluring, so dazzling that one dared not look directly at her, fearing that a single glance would burn one's eyes with her radiance, yet one could not bear to look away, willing to risk blinding oneself to gaze upon her.

She was dressed entirely in dazzling red. Her

long hair, dyed a deep crimson, was a dark purple; her eyeshadow was a pale, vermilion red; her lips, painted a vibrant, almost intoxicating red, were sexy and fiery; her dress was a thin, almost translucent pink gauze; her bodice was a deep red, like fresh blood; and her fingernails, painted fiery red and adorned with flame patterns, were so delicate they seemed to drip with moisture.

Amidst that dazzling red, a patch of snow-white shimmered.

It was the expanse of snow-white skin, barely concealed by her extremely low neckline, extending from her chin to her bodice.

And her arms, resting lightly on the gambling table, reaching to her elbows, were perfectly proportioned, their beauty surpassing even the frost and snow.

The red and white colors blended perfectly, like a dancing flame enveloping a patch of pure, seemingly unblemished snow.

She sat quietly in the chair, a smile on her face, graceful and elegant, radiating an indescribable aura.

It wasn't just allure; it was also coldness and warmth.

Coldness and warmth, iceberg and flame—the two qualities combined perfectly within her. Seated there, she was like a queen wielding ice and fire, captivating everyone who saw her, regardless of gender.

Even Li Xiaoye, a beauty of exceptional looks and figure, was deeply attracted upon seeing her, unable to look away.

She possessed a fatal attraction, not only to men but also to women.

The Third Young Master was infatuated, Li Xiaoye was mesmerized, and even Qiao Wei and Uncle Li were completely captivated.

The four of them stood dumbfounded at the entrance to the VIP room, neither going in nor backing away, just standing there, stunned.

The bodyguard who led them in kept his head down, not daring to even raise it slightly.

His body trembled, sweat pouring from his forehead, soaking through his clothes.

He dared not look up, not even daring to steal a glance at the woman in vibrant red.

He knew that if he dared to look at her now, his mind would be completely lost, turning him into a mindless, thoughtless idiot.

The young master's body was burning with lust. He had never experienced anything like this before; merely looking at a woman who appeared so dignified could ignite such intense desire.

That desire was so strong, it was like placing him on the crater of an erupting volcano, scorching him with heat enough to reduce him to ashes.

The young master's throat was dry, his forehead dripped with sweat, and his lower body was already subtly erect.

The dignified woman in vibrant red, in the young master's eyes, was now completely invisible, standing on the gambling table, performing an extremely seductive and sensual dance.

Every part of her body, every mysterious part capable of driving men mad, was displayed to the Third Young Master to the fullest extent, her most alluring eyes frequently conveying lewd messages.

Not only the Third Young Master, but also Li Xiaoye, Qiao Wei, and Uncle Li all reacted to varying degrees.

Li Xiaoye, with the shallowest cultivation, reacted the most uncontrollably; her cheeks flushed, her eyes were languid, brimming with desire, and her breathing was incredibly heavy.

One hand caressed her breasts, pressing against the protrusions, kneading them lightly and heavily. Her

other hand moved between her legs, stroking them incessantly. After a while, seemingly feeling the sensation wasn't intense enough, she slipped her hand inside her trousers to stimulate the already soaking wet

, mysterious area. This gamble, before it even began, already showed signs of defeat for the Third Young Master and his companions.

But even in a gamble where defeat is inevitable, there can be a one-in-a-million exception.

Turning defeat into victory wasn't impossible!

Just as the Third Young Master felt the woman in bright red had stepped down from the gambling table and was swaying her body, caressing him as she walked towards him, a sudden sense of unease arose within him.

This unease was entirely irrational, based solely on his most instinctive reaction to danger.

Like a stray dog that had never seen a tiger before, experiencing instinctive fear upon seeing one approaching, the Third Young Master's biological instincts awakened him at that moment.

"Something's not right… Young Master, I came here to gamble, not to watch a striptease!" the Third Young Master thought with difficulty, his eyes, wide as saucers, suddenly closing.

In that instant, the woman in bright red, sitting upright in her chair and doing nothing, flashed a hint of surprise, followed by a slight excitement and anticipation.

Then the Third Young Master opened his eyes again.

When he did, his gaze had completely changed.

The infatuation in her eyes vanished, replaced by an indescribable coldness and cruelty.

Through the Third Young Master's pupils, which seemed to radiate an eerie red light, the crimson-clad woman vaguely saw a vast, frozen plain, blood-stained earth, mountains piled with bones, a sky as dark as ink, a howling hurricane like a knife, blood-red lightning tearing through the sky, and atop a peak of bones, a disheveled figure with blood-red hands, laughing wildly.

The crimson-clad woman's heart was thrown into turmoil. The moment she saw the Third Young Master's eyes, her mind was completely disrupted. She felt a bone-chilling cold, the undisguised killing intent in his eyes.

She felt that when the Third Young Master looked at her, there was no life in his eyes, as if he were looking at a cold, rotting corpse.

Then her breathing became erratic, chaotic energy surging through her meridians. She involuntarily opened her mouth and coughed up a mouthful of pink blood.

The moment she coughed up blood, Li Xiaoye, Qiao Wei, and Uncle Li all regained consciousness.

Li Xiaoye immediately realized what she was doing. She was both ashamed and angry, and quickly straightened her clothes. At the same time, she glanced at the Third Young Master and saw him staring at the crimson-clad woman with those terrifying "Asura Demon Eyes," seemingly oblivious to her presence. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Qiao Wei and Uncle Li, however, simultaneously darkened their faces, their expressions becoming incredibly grim.

"The highest bewitching technique of the Demonic Mind Sect, 'The Alluring Dream'!" Qiao Wei's voice was like a cold wind blowing from a high valley. "Girl, you are the Nine Yin Saintess of the Demonic Sect!"

The crimson-clad woman didn't say a word. She remained seated in her chair, making no movement, but her body, along with the chair, flew backward.

As she retreated, a portal suddenly opened in the wall about three zhang behind her, just large enough for her to pass through.

"Time waits for no one!" Qiao Wei let out a somber roar, his entire body rising like a feather, drifting in the wind, flying towards the vibrant red-clad woman with an extremely lingering grace. The instant Qiao Wei took flight, everything around him seemed to freeze, both the air and time itself seemed to stand still. The entire VIP room seemed isolated from the rest of the world, existing in a unique space, where it appeared that only Qiao Wei could move.

No, it wasn't just Qiao Wei who could move; it was merely an illusion created within the range of his power at the moment he moved.

In fact, at the instant Qiao Wei moved, Uncle Li also moved!

"Illusionary Demon Hand!" Uncle Li also let out a low whistle, his movements like lightning piercing the air. The moment his palm was extended, it transformed from withered yellow to crystal clear, shimmering with a diamond-like luster, dreamlike and ethereal.

Space seemed to cease to exist under the Illusion Demon's hand. The Illusion Demon's hand seemed to be able to freely traverse any space, almost sweeping past the gambling table and catching up with the crimson-clad woman in an instant.

It was a mysterious and profound feeling. In fact, whether it was the time-space pause caused by "the relentless passage of time" or the feeling of ignoring space and directly attacking the target caused by the "Illusion Demon's Hand," it was all just an illusion.

Just like the vortex that forms in the palm of the hand when the Heaven-Covering Hand is used, absorbing everything, it was merely an illusion influenced by a wondrous technique.

However, to the target, this illusion was almost indistinguishable from reality!

An illusion indistinguishable from reality is no longer an illusion, but something undeniably real.

"Bang!" The gambling table suddenly shattered into pieces, and eight people shrouded in black robes leaped up from beneath the broken pieces. Eight gleaming swords emitted a fierce whooshing sound, unleashing sword energy nearly a foot long, each aimed at Qiao Wei and Uncle Li.

The outcome was decided in an instant. Qiao Wei's movements changed drastically. He spun around among the four swordsmen attacking him, his left toe lightly touching the back of the first black-clad man's hand, his right foot stepping over the shoulder of the second. In the instant he brushed past the third black-clad man, Qiao Wei's shoulder touched that man's shoulder, and then he lightly flicked his finger at the tip of the fourth black-clad man's sword.

The swords of the first three black-clad men aimed at Qiao Wei all missed their mark. The foot-long sword aura on the fourth black-clad man's sword was extinguished by Qiao Wei's flick, and a gray energy swiftly flashed along the blade into the black-clad man's hand. Wherever the gray energy passed, the longsword in the black-clad man's hand immediately developed patches of rust, quickly turning into a rusty sword.

Uncle Li's movements were even more swift and decisive. His hand seemed to exist outside this world, completely ignoring all the rules of physics, following the most unbelievable trajectory, striking the hearts of four black-clad men in different locations simultaneously.

It was an inexplicable feeling. Uncle Li had only used one hand, only struck once, yet the four men in black, positioned in completely different locations, were all struck in the same spot by the crystalline, diamond-like Illusionary Demon Hand at the same time.

Although Qiao Wei and Uncle Li had instantly struck the eight black-clad swordsmen blocking their way, their obstruction allowed the woman in crimson to retreat smoothly to the doorway in the wall, about to disappear into it.

Just then, the Third Young Master made his move. He leaped into the air, like a roc spreading its wings, then changed direction mid-air, swooping forward like a giant eagle pouncing on its prey with lightning speed. In that instant

of swooping, the Third Young Master slowly extended his palm.

The palm screen that enveloped the heavens and earth reappeared, and the Third Young Master slammed down from the air, his ever-growing palm striking the woman in crimson with boundless majesty.

A single hand could cover the sky!

~Chapter Four: A Dream of Beauty, Section Four~

With a single palm strike, the Third Young Master's "Heaven-Covering Hand" combined with his "Asura Demon Eye" was enough to destroy any will to resist.

The howling palm wind was like the strongest storm from the depths of the universe, seemingly capable of tearing everything in the world apart. That colossal palm covered not only the entire sky, but also everything beneath it, everything on the earth, and all life!

"Boom—" A deafening roar shook the entire room violently. Countless cracks appeared on the ceiling, and dust and debris rained down incessantly, filling the VIP room with endless smoke and dust.

Half of the wall had already been shattered by the Third Young Master's palm, leaving only a crumbling ruin standing precariously, while the woman in bright red was nowhere to be seen.

She wasn't actually smashed to pieces by the Third Young Master. In fact, although his palm strike destroyed half the wall, the woman in bright red managed to retreat into the portal the instant his Heaven-Covering Hand struck, and then vanished without a trace.

The Third Young Master stood coldly before the ruins, staring at what had once been a portal.

Behind the portal was a vertical passage leading downwards. After retreating through the portal, the woman in bright red plummeted into the passage.

The square entrance to the passage was pitch black, and a cold, damp aura emanated from it, carrying a faint sweet scent.

The Third Young Master knew that the sweet scent was a poisonous gas; while it wouldn't kill him, it would be enough to deter ordinary pursuers.

He waved his hand to dispel the poisonous gas, noticing that his clothes had already been corroded with it, leaving holes.

"Such potent poison!" the Third Young Master sighed inwardly, striking a section of the crumbling wall with his palm, knocking it down and blocking the entrance to the passage, preventing the poison from spreading.

After all, Qiao Wei and the others in the house weren't immune to all poisons.

The Third Young Master turned around, looking at Qiao Wei and Uncle Li, whose faces were filled with murderous intent, and slowly said, "Don't pursue a desperate enemy. There are many strange things in this passage; it's not advisable to act rashly."

Qiao Wei nodded and said, "Third Young Master, this seems to be a stronghold of the Demonic Sect. Those eight swordsmen were fast swordsmen from the 'Bewitching Heaven Sect,' one of the three sects and five halls of the Demonic Sect, while the woman was the Nine Yin Saintess of the 'Bewitching Heart Sect,' and the bodyguard leading the way was a low-level disciple of the 'Bewitching Cloud Sect.' It seems that the Demonic Sect's influence has already infiltrated Dingzhou City. With the three sects gathered here, the five halls should also be present. It seems that the Demonic Sect is determined to stir up trouble at this martial arts tournament!"

The Third Young Master sneered, "The Demonic Sect ruined my reputation, and before I could even seek revenge, they attacked me first! I won't offend others unless they offend me; if they do, I will..." "I won't let this slide! Hmph, it seems that if this young master wants to live a peaceful life in the future,

he has no choice but to deal with the Demonic Sect to the very end!" Uncle Li frowned, somewhat worried, and said, "If the Three Sects and Five Halls have all gathered in Dingzhou City, then the Demonic Sect Master, Ximen Wudi, might also appear in Dingzhou City. Ximen Wudi is a martial arts prodigy. Ten years ago, at only twenty-three years old, he had already comprehended the fifth level of the 'Destroying God Heart Sutra' and the fourth level of the '

Immortal Slaughtering Treasure Talisman.' Now, he must have mastered these two Demonic Sect classics... If he has truly mastered these two Demonic Sect classics, I'm afraid there will be no one in the world who can rival him." Qiao Wei also said, "Old Li is right. Ten years ago, Ximen Wudi could already fight me to a draw. Although I, Old Qiao, despise his character and claim to not take him seriously, his strength is indeed not to be underestimated."

"Compared to my father, who is stronger?" At this point, the Third Young Master certainly couldn't be arrogant. The Nine Yin Saintess almost tricked all four of them at the same time, let alone Ximen Wudi, the number one expert of the Demonic Sect, who is above the Nine Yin Saintess.

Qiao Wei shook his head and sighed, "Hard to say, hard to say. Your father hasn't fought anyone for many years. Although Lao Li and I are confident that the two of us can restrain your father, we'll only know the truth after the fight."

The Third Young Master curled his lip and said, "All that talk is pointless. Ximen Wudi probably won't kill me. Didn't you say he wanted to use my situation to deal with Xiaoyao Manor and Iron Blood Howling Sky Fortress? If I die, can he still make a big deal out of it? Besides, if he wanted to kill me, wouldn't it be very easy for him to do it himself? Alright, let's not care whether he's Ximen Wudi or Dongfang Bubai, let's get on with our business. I'm starving. Damn it, I was already hungry, and now I've used up a lot of my true energy fighting, so I'm even hungrier! We've smashed up the place, we should go!"

The Third Young Master and the other three swaggered out of the VIP room, which had been completely destroyed. All that remained in the damaged room were wrecked pieces and nine dead bodies.

However, the nine dead men were no longer recognizable as human.

The four black-clad swordsmen who had been stepped on, grazed, or flicked by Qiao Wei stood frozen in place, their faces contorted in pain, their bodies aging rapidly at a visible pace.

Their muscles atrophied quickly, their skin lost its luster and wrinkled, their teeth loosened and fell out, and their hair turned gray and then fell out rapidly.

Even their clothes and the longswords in their hands were simultaneously rotting and rusting at an astonishing speed, as if time itself was passing by at a speed ten thousand times faster than their own.

The four black-clad swordsmen who had struck Uncle Li with the "Phantom Demon Hand" also remained frozen in their final pose. Their bodies, clothes, and weapons slowly transformed into shimmering, diamond-like objects, but these "diamonds" were clearly extremely fragile; even a piece of debris falling from the ceiling would cause large cracks in them.

As for the bodyguard who led the way, Qiao Wei had already patted him lightly on the shoulder twice before they entered. At the same time, Qiao Wei had planted the "Time Waits for No Man" spell within him!

When the Third Young Master and his group left the casino, the VIP room on the second floor was completely devoid of any human form.

The VIP room, now a scene of ruins, contained five piles of dust that could be blown away by the wind at any moment, and four piles of glittering, crystal-like powder.

Walking down the street, on their way to a restaurant, the Third Young Master suddenly seemed to remember something and asked, "Brother Wei, do you remember what the Nine Yin Saintess looked like?"

Qiao Wei was taken aback, then carefully recalled every detail, from entering the room to the Nine Yin Saintess's escape. He even remembered the alluring woman performing a striptease in the illusion that appeared when he was bewitched by the Nine Yin Saintess's ultimate charm—the Alluring Dream. Finally, he helplessly concluded, "Third Young Master, it's strange, I clearly remember seeing her face the first thing I saw after entering the room, but now, if you ask me to recall, I really can't remember what she looked like." The Third Young

Master looked at Uncle Li, who also shook his head and said, "Don't ask me, old people's memories are naturally poor, and that demoness used the most powerful charm of the Demonic Sect, so I don't remember what she looked like either."

The Third Young Master then looked at Li Xiaoye, whose face flushed red as she immediately remembered how she had lost control and made a fool of herself under the Nine Yin Saintess's charm. Although everyone else was under the spell and no one saw her face, she still felt uneasy.

Remembering the intoxicating sensation of touching her sensitive areas after being under the spell, Li Xiaoye felt her face flush and her breathing quicken. When the Third Young Master looked at her questioningly, she immediately lowered her head in embarrassment and cried out, "What are you looking at? Haven't you seen it before?"

The Third Young Master was both amused and exasperated: "Who wants to see you? I wanted to ask if you remember what that vixen looked like!"

Li Xiaoye lowered her head and said, "You, you great masters, can't remember, how could I? Don't ask me, I don't know anything."

The Third Young Master shook his head helplessly.

This time, he had truly fallen for her.

Although the Nine Yin Saintess's charm was powerful, it was no match for his innate "Asura Demon Eyes." As their eyes met, the "Asura Demon Eye" shattered the "Alluring Dream," but the Nine Yin Saintess was truly formidable. Even under the gaze of the Asura Demon Eye, no one could clearly see her true face.

In fact, the Nine Yin Saintess didn't wear any mask, nor did she use any means to conceal her true appearance. When the Nine Yin Saintess unleashed the "Alluring Dream," she amplified the allure of every part of her body a thousandfold.

In this way, those under her spell would only remember the magnified, completely distorted areas of her charm.

For example, if someone is attracted to a woman's breasts, they will only remember the breasts; if someone prefers to look at a woman's eyes first, they will only remember the eyes.

Even if someone remembers the appearance of a specific part, it is a completely distorted illusion and cannot be used as real evidence.

Therefore, although everyone, including the Third Young Master, saw the Nine Yin Saintess upon entering, none of them could clearly see her face.

Of course, the Third Young Master was unaware of the intricacies involved. Even Qiao Wei and Uncle Li, the two elders of the Demonic Sect, only knew the names of the "Bewitching Heart Sect's" charm arts and seductive techniques, but not their details. Naturally, they wouldn't understand the mystery of the ultimate charm art, "The Alluring Dream."

This greatly frustrated the Third Young Master. If word got out that he had stared at a stunning beauty for almost an incense stick's time, only to fail to even see her face clearly, wouldn't people laugh their heads off?

Even worse, even if the Nine Yin Saintess reappeared before him, he wouldn't be able to discern her true identity. And given his tendency to kill rather than let a beautiful woman go unnoticed, the Nine Yin Saintess could very well take advantage of his vulnerability.

The Third Young Master knew his own weakness, thinking to himself, "Damn it, I can't possibly suspect every beautiful woman I see is the Nine Yin Saintess, can I? What will I do then? Will I still be able to pick up girls? What will I do with this fake Casanova act? Damn it, whatever! Better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free! Even if she is the Nine Yin Saintess, next time I see her, I'll take her first!"

Just as he was gritting his teeth, the Third Young Master suddenly stopped walking, saying in a deep voice, "Not good! My intuition tells me that something very unfavorable to me is about to happen!"

~Chapter Five Deadly Tenderness, Section One~

A light drizzle fell, a gentle breeze blew.

Dingzhou City appeared exceptionally gentle in the drizzle and wind.

Li Xiaoye held an umbrella, shielding the Third Young Master from the wind and rain, but the rain, blown off course by the wind, hit her body, wetting half of her thin summer dress.

The slightly damp dress subtly accentuated the girl's exquisite figure; often, complete exposure is less attractive than a hazy, alluring charm.

However, the Third Young Master, a notorious womanizer, didn't even glance at Li Xiaoye at this moment.

All his attention was drawn to the two people emerging from the restaurant.

His expression was grave, his breathing rapid, and beads of cold sweat even appeared on his forehead.

Some people's predictions are unreliable, but their bad ones are incredibly accurate; such people are often called "jinxes."

The Third Young Master, after uttering that ominous premonition, saw those two men striding out of the restaurant and then displayed this expression.

So, for the time being, the Third Young Master had also become a member of the "jinx" club.

Li Xiaoye sensed the Third Young Master's serious and tense demeanor. She curiously watched the two men who emerged from the restaurant; they didn't seem particularly menacing, wondering why the Third Young Master acted like a mouse before a cat upon seeing them.

The two men wore identical bright red outfits, had the same hairstyle, and were even similar in height, each with a thin toothpick in their mouth.

The only difference was their gender.

On the left was a strong man with a thick beard, a seemingly honest face, but whose eyes occasionally flashed with a shrewd light. His muscles were so developed that they filled his entire coat, as if they were about to burst out of it.

On the right was an unusually tall girl, almost as tall as the Third Young Master.

At first glance, the girl could almost be mistaken for a man, because her attire, hairstyle, the way she held a toothpick in her mouth, crossed her arms, and tilted her head—she looked exactly like the street thugs. Her appearance was also very masculine; her eyebrows were sword-like, her nose was high and straight, and her facial features were sharply defined, full of sculpted features.

Even her shoulders were much broader than those of an average girl.

But upon closer inspection, Li Xiaoye discovered that the girl possessed an indescribable charm.

Her eyes were alluring; if Li Xiaoye had to describe her eyes in one word, after much thought, she could only use "very feminine."

A girl exuding masculine charm had surprisingly feminine eyes. After Li Xiaoye looked her over repeatedly, she transformed from a street thug into a stunningly beautiful woman.

At this moment, this incredibly beautiful woman, a toothpick dangling from her mouth, looked at Qin Ren with a mocking gaze, walking step by step towards the Third Young Master alongside the muscular, bearded man.

Cold sweat streamed from the Third Young Master's forehead into his eyes, but he didn't even blink or wipe it away.

Standing behind the Third Young Master, Qiao Wei and Uncle Li sensed his tension; they clearly noticed that his breathing was completely disordered.

"Could it be that he's aroused by seeing a beautiful woman?" Qiao Wei wondered to himself, but then realized something was wrong. Having been with so many celestial and even femme fatale beauties, Third Young Master's immunity to beauty was unparalleled. Even the "alluring charm" of the Nine Yin Saintess of the Demonic Sect couldn't completely captivate him. What other beauty in the world could make him so disoriented?

"Could these two be Third Young Master's old enemies?" Uncle Li wondered. But he quickly dismissed the idea. Third Young Master did have many enemies, but almost none worthy of his attention. Moreover, with Qiao Wei and Uncle Li protecting him, aside from the Demonic Sect Master Ximen Wudi and that mysterious expert from ten years ago, Uncle Li couldn't think of anyone else who could cause Third Young Master to act this way.

Furthermore, in Qiao Wei and Uncle Li's eyes, the man and woman in the fiery red outfit, while possessing extremely high martial arts skills, were still slightly inferior to Third Young Master, let alone these two old devils.

So, Qiao Wei and Uncle Li were bewildered. They couldn't understand what magic this man and woman possessed that could make the Third Young Master so stunned and solemn!

Like street thugs collecting protection money, the man and woman swaggered up to the Third Young Master.

Both of them smiled at him, their eyes filled with mockery.

The girl, who was both very masculine and very feminine, suddenly raised her chin at the Third Young Master and let out a snort from her nose: "Hmph!"

The Third Young Master's expression immediately changed, becoming incredibly humble and cautious.

He coughed twice, a sincere and radiant smile spreading across his face. He bowed deeply, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said respectfully, "Younger brother greets his cousins. It's been many years since we last met, and you two are still as charming as ever... oh, I mean, even more charming than before! Cousin, you are a man of exceptional talent, handsome and dashing. Cousin, you are as beautiful as a lotus flower, radiant and lovely. I never imagined the magic of time could be so powerful, causing such a dramatic change in you. If you hadn't come before me, I would never have recognized this pair of unparalleled beauties as my cousins! I am truly honored and incredibly proud to have such siblings..."

Hearing Qin Ren's ramblings, Qiao Wei and the others finally understood that the man and woman were none other than Tie Jian, the son of Qin Ren's maternal uncle Tie Kongshan, and his daughter Tie Xuanxuan!

Why did the Third Young Master act like this after seeing his cousins?

The answer will soon be revealed.

Tie Jian chuckled heartily, patting Qin Ren's shoulder with his large, fan-like hand as he said, "Ren, not bad! You still talk as well as you did when you were a kid! As for your cousin, I'm even more handsome than before. If I'm the second most handsome man in the world, then no one would dare claim to be the most handsome. You don't need to explain that! I'm also very broad-minded. My memory isn't very good, and I don't remember many things now, so you don't need to be so formal in front of me! We're all good brothers, right? It's been so many years, of course we should catch up! Hmm, you're quite sturdy, you haven't fallen down after so many pats, your body is still very good!"

As Tie Jian spoke, he patted the Third Young Master's shoulder countless times, each pat producing a heavy thud, like muffled thunder.

The seemingly affectionate gesture was terrifying to Li Xiaoye, Qiao Wei, and Uncle Li. When Tie Jian slapped them, he was clearly using his inner strength! An ordinary person would be finished after two slaps, but the Third Young Master, after so many blows, was only…only…pale-faced, his shoulder tilted downwards on the side Tie Jian slapped, the bluestone slab beneath his feet shattered, and one foot sank into the ground up to his ankle…that was all.

Li Xiaoye and the other two exchanged bewildered glances, wondering what hatred existed between these cousins that would drive the elder cousin to treat his younger cousin like this?

Their understanding of Tie Jian deepened. He was a seemingly honest and simple man, a terrifying figure easily deceived by his appearance. In fact, his cunning and treachery were no less than the Third Young Master's!

This was evident from the fact that he simultaneously expressed deep brotherly affection to the Third Young Master while brutally beating him!

After Tie Jian finally finished his intimate moment with the Third Young Master, Tie Xuanxuan approached him with a beaming smile: "Little 'Ren,' seven years have passed in a flash. You haven't changed much, still as clever and quick-witted, with a chubby face and plump figure! Only you've grown taller and stronger, hmm, your pectoral muscles have hardened quite a bit..." As she spoke, her hands began to grope the Third Young Master's body.

When Tie Jian had secretly beaten the Third Young Master earlier, the Third Young Master had only turned pale, but now that Tie Xuanxuan's hands were touching his body, a look of fear appeared on the Third Young Master's face, as if he had seen a monstrous beast.

Qiao Wei, Uncle Li, and Li Xiaoye exchanged glances, all with embarrassed expressions.

Although it was not uncommon for cousins to marry in the Qin Empire, to flirt with someone in the street like this, especially a cousin flirting with her younger cousin, was simply too indecent!

Luckily it was raining today, so there weren't many people on the street. Otherwise, a huge crowd would have gathered, bringing out benches and lining up to eat popcorn while watching a free show of a female hooligan harassing an innocent young virgin… no, that's not quite right. It should be called a good show of harassing a complete scoundrel.

To outsiders, Tie Xuanxuan was taking the opportunity to flirt with the Third Young Master. But the Third Young Master knew his own pain. Tie Xuanxuan wasn't flirting with him at all; she was clearly taking revenge by secretly beating him up!

Tie Xuanxuan's small mouth was close to the Third Young Master's ear. To outsiders, it seemed like a whispered conversation between lovers, but who knew that Tie Xuanxuan was saying: "This finger is revenge for the grudge you took my candied hawthorn nine years ago! This finger is revenge for the grudge you put a scorpion in my shoe nine years ago! This finger is revenge for the grudge you spied on me while I was taking a bath eight and a half years ago! This finger is revenge for the grudge you tore my favorite dress eight years ago! This finger is revenge for the grudge you cut off my hair that I had grown for a year while I was sleeping seven years and ten months ago! This finger is revenge for the grudge you pinched my nipples seven years, three months and eleven days ago! This finger is..."

Tie Xuanxuan's whispers were finally heard by Li Xiaoye, who was only a step away from the Third Young Master, and Qiao Wei and Uncle Li, those two old foxes, naturally also strained their ears to hear everything clearly.

The two old foxes immediately decided to pretend they didn't recognize the Third Young Master. They squatted down and started drawing circles on the rain-soaked flagstones with their fingers, humming a little tune as they did so.

Li Xiaoye, meanwhile, looked down at her toes, her expression incredibly shrewd.

Finally, Tie Xuanxuan finished his revenge, and the Third Young Master's face had turned green.

Letting out a long, satisfying breath, Tie Xuanxuan patted the Third Young Master's chest twice and said with a smile to Li Xiaoye, "Little girl, why are you looking down at the ground? Do you have some kind of problem?"

Li Xiaoye looked up at Tie Xuanxuan with an innocent expression and smiled sweetly, "Sister, can I give you a very good suggestion?"

Tie Xuanxuan smiled and said, "Of course. Little girl, you're so cute, how could I refuse your suggestion?"

Li Xiaoye nodded, pointed her slender index finger at the Third Young Master, and said, "Alright, sister, kill him! There's not much point in living someone like him. He was already so bad when he was a child, and now he's a hundred times worse. Keeping him in the world is simply a scourge to the world!"

The Third Young Master, his face turning greenish-blue, finally couldn't withstand the double blow to his mind and body. He swayed twice and collapsed to the ground with a thud.

~Chapter Five: Deadly Tenderness, Section Two~

"Oh dear! Ren, cousin, little Ren, what's wrong? Why did you collapse without a sound? You look so pale, are you sick?" Tie Jian exclaimed, feigning surprise.

"Little Ren, don't scare your cousin! I'm easily frightened, you can't handle that!" Tie Xuanxuan acted fearful, patting her chest as she spoke in a loud, exaggerated manner.

The two women talked, but didn't move at all. They watched the Third Young Master lying on the street, soaked by the cold rain, with faint smiles on their lips, showing no intention of helping him up.

These two heartless cousins didn't care about the Third Young Master, but someone else would.

Qiao Wei picked up the Third Young Master, touched his forehead, listened to his heartbeat, then placed his fingers on the Third Young Master's carotid artery for a while, and finally took his pulse. A heavy, sorrowful expression gradually appeared on his face.

Seeing the change in Qiao Wei's expression, Tie Jian and Tie Xuanxuan couldn't help but stop laughing.

Tie Xuanxuan said somewhat uneasily, "Hey, what are you doing? Our Ah Ren is in great health and has a century of internal energy foundation. My brother and I couldn't possibly have hurt him with those two moves. Don't scare us with that deadpan look!"

Tie Jian, on the other hand, was much calmer and said, "This... uh, this gentleman, Ah Ren has been cunning since he was a child. I remember when he was six years old, he had already learned to play dead to trick people. Once, he even used the Turtle Breathing Technique to play dead for three whole hours, which almost caused me to be beaten to death by my father..."

"Shut up!" Qiao Wei suddenly roared, his shout, generated by his dantian true energy, was like a thunderclap, exploding directly in Tie Jian and Tie Xuanxuan's ears, making their eardrums buzz, their vision go black, and they almost fell to the ground.

The two siblings stared at Qiao Wei in astonishment. They had never expected that this seemingly unremarkable middle-aged man would possess such profound skills!

"I am Qiao Wei, the miraculous healer, the one who can bring the dead back to life, the Ghost Valley Divine Physician. I may not be good at much else, but I have decades of dedicated practice in medicine. Do you think I wouldn't know if the Third Young Master was feigning death using the Turtle Breathing Technique?" While lecturing the Tie siblings, Qiao Wei swiftly pulled a porcelain bottle from his robes, carefully poured out a pill, and placed it into the Third Young Master's mouth. "The Third Young Master's meridians are in complete disarray. His heart meridian is being attacked by two different types of true energy, while his own true energy is automatically resisting them. The three types of true energy are fighting on the most vulnerable part of his heart meridian." "It could shatter him at any moment! You two little beasts, what does it mean if your heart meridian is shattered? Don't tell me you don't know! You're so cruel to your own cousins, you two are the most ruthless I've ever seen in my life! Fortunately, the Third Young Master's only life-saving elixir, the 'Resurrection Pill,' has always been on my person, otherwise the Third Young Master would truly be doomed this time!"

After feeding the pill into the Third Young Master's mouth, Qiao Wei asked Uncle Li to come up and help support the Third Young Master. He placed one hand on the Third Young Master's back, the Mingmen point, and made a gesture of circulating qi. Soon, white mist rose from his forehead.

After a short while, the Third Young Master's complexion gradually returned to normal. Although he hadn't fully recovered, he was only slightly pale.

Qiao Wei took a deep breath and said, "Life and death hang in the balance. I have no choice but to perform the medicine for the Third Young Master in the street. If we were to be ambushed by a powerful enemy at this moment, the Third Young Master and I would surely die! You two little beasts are simply idiots and morons. You're so clueless when things happen. You might as well change your names. One of you is called Iron Lump, and the other is called Iron Brain. Anyway, you're already beyond saving..."

Qiao Wei was still indulging in his verbal sparring when someone pinched his butt. Peeking over, he saw the Third Young Master winking at him while Uncle Li was blocking his view. "Enough, stop cursing. They're still my cousins, give them some face! Haha, I've tricked them again! Based on past experience, they'll be completely obedient to me for at least six months!" the Third Young Master mouthed to Qiao Wei. "But what kind of medicine did you give me, Brother Wei? It tastes so strange!"

"I couldn't find a suitable medicine right away, so I fed you 'Smiling Half-Step Fall,' a concoction of arsenic, peacock gall, viper juice, ghost grass, honey, platycodon, and lotus seeds. How does it taste?" Brother Wei replied nonchalantly, mouthing the words.

Third Young Master: "Huh? Aren't you afraid of poisoning me to death?"

Qiao Wei: "Tch—even the Demonic Sect's most potent poison, 'Soul-Destroying Bone-Corroding Smoke,' can't harm you in the slightest. What are my pills compared to that? Hmm, swallowing them directly is no match for those smoke-like poisonous powders or fumes, but it's nothing, at most you'll have diarrhea for a couple of days!"

Third Young Master: "..."

Ever since Qiao Wei and the Third Young Master teamed up to deceive Lian Zhou, Luo Er, Qin Ni'er, and Du Xiaoyan, their acting partnership no longer required rehearsals or even pre-arranged lines; the other person would know exactly how to act.

This scene, of course, was another great performance by two powerful actors.

The Third Young Master wore "Indestructible Golden Silk Armor" underneath, and an equally impenetrable invisibility robe on the outside. Under this double protection, Tie Jian's palm strike didn't harm him in the slightest.

Although Tie Xuanxuan's acupoint striking skills were powerful, even the mighty palm strike of the Iron Hand Divine Skill couldn't penetrate it, and Tie Xuanxuan's finger strikes couldn't break through the Third Young Master's double defenses.

All of the Third Young Master's expressions, actions, and facial expressions were merely an act. As a child, he frequently played tricks on his older cousins, who had been fooled countless times, hence their determination to give him a good beating the moment they met.

Where would the Third Young Master have any resurrection pills? He had eaten his own as a snack. The one given to him by the eldest brother, Qin Feng, was used to save Qiu Ruomei. If Tie Jian and Tie Xuanxuan had known the Third Young Master's resurrection pills were long gone, they might not have fallen for it this time, but unfortunately, they were completely unaware.

After being lectured by Qiao Wei, Tie Jian was covered in sweat, his back hunched and his voice trembling as he said, "Senior is right to reprimand me, I was indeed reckless! I heard that A Ren is highly skilled and has superb martial arts, so I was just joking with him. We brothers used to play around like this all the time... But I never expected that A Ren would actually... actually let my true energy enter his body without resisting... I really... really deserve to die..."

Tie Xuanxuan said with a sob in his voice, "I... I never thought Xiao Ren would be so stupid! In the past, when we fought, he always relied on his thick skin to tough it out, or he would simply run away. Who knew, who knew he would be so stupid this time..." As he spoke, tears rolled down his cheeks.

Qiao Wei sighed and said, “You are relatives, and you often played together when you were young. It’s harmless for you to joke around with each other, but the jokes shouldn’t go too far, otherwise it won’t be good for anyone. Although the Third Young Master was naughty when he was young, he is now an adult and naturally has more respect for you two cousins. If you want to hit him, he will naturally let you hit him without dodging or resisting, after all, he cannot disobey his elder brother’s orders! As an outsider, I shouldn’t scold you, after all, nominally, you are my cousins, and I am just the Third Young Master’s servant. In this respect, you are naturally of higher status than me. But, alas…”

Tie Jian said with embarrassment, “The division of rank is not the issue, the key is whether it is reasonable. Senior’s teachings are very reasonable, and I have learned my lesson. I caused A Ren to lose the world’s most precious treasure, the Resurrection Pill, which is equivalent to killing A Ren’s life. In my heart, I am truly, truly…”

"Alright, you've learned your lesson. You don't need to blame yourselves too much. I've already scolded you, and you've admitted your mistakes. The Third Young Master is practically family to you, so there's no need to say anything too harsh. From now on, you must love and help each other, because you are family, a loving family..."

Hearing that Qiao Wei seemed poised to launch into a long speech, the Third Young Master immediately let out two hollow coughs, pretending to slowly wake up, and groaned twice.

"Ah Ren, you're finally awake!" Tie Jian rushed to the Third Young Master, tightly grasping his hands, his face full of shame. "Cousin, I'm so sorry, I almost killed you..."

The Third Young Master shook his head weakly, forcing a smile, and said, "Cousin, you're wrong about that. When we were little, I almost killed you three times! Back then, you never held it against me, so how could I hold it against you? Cough cough... If you just keep an eye out for beautiful women in the future, and help me find some, I'll be eternally grateful... cough cough..."

Tie Jian was taken aback: "Uh, Ah Ren, why are you thinking about... about these things right now? I remember Ah Feng brought two women from Xiaoyao Manor, supposedly concubines you chose yourself. Cousin thinks they're both of the best quality, why are you still..."

"Huh?" The Third Young Master's mouth dropped open. "The eldest brother brought those two girls? Damn, isn't this getting me into trouble... But cousin, will you grant me this request or not? You know I've always had a thing for this!"

Tie Jian gritted his teeth and stamped his foot, saying, "Alright, I promise you! Come to think of it, when we were little, you would always tug at Xuanxuan's skirt and peep at her while she was bathing. And according to Uncle, you were born with the ambition to be a flower thief. I know your hobby! No need to say more, I'm sorry this time. Whatever you say, goes!"

The Third Young Master nodded with relief, then looked at Tie Xuanxuan with difficulty.

Tie Xuanxuan, her face flushed with shame and tears welling in her eyes, spoke before the Third Young Master could speak, "Aren, just tell me what you want your cousin to do, and I'll grant you anything!"

The Third Young Master's gaze swept over Tie Xuanxuan, secretly admiring her: "Seven years have passed, and my cousin's figure has developed incredibly well! Of all the beauties I've been with, none can compare to her in terms of a stunning figure... Sigh, my parents seem to have told me that my cousin will be my wife someday, and my principal wife at that..." What if this incestuous marriage results in a deformed child? Damn it, I don't care anymore. A beauty like my cousin is so charming, why not take her? At worst, I'll just not have children with her!

Seeing that the Third Young Master didn't speak and just listlessly glanced at him, Tie Xuanxuan panicked and said, "Aren, say something! Don't scare your cousin!"

The Third Young Master found it amusing. His cousin was still the same as when they were children, a bit clueless and too straightforward.

“Cousin, I have something I need your help with, but I haven’t decided yet. How about this, cousin, you go back and tell my elder brother I’ll meet him tomorrow. And cousin, please come with me to my current place for the night; I need to pack some things. Firstly, it will be easier for you to guide me tomorrow, and secondly, the servants are clumsy and won’t be able to take good care of me since I’m injured. You’re so thoughtful and always dote on me, so I’d like to ask you to take care of me tonight… cough cough…”

~Chapter 5 Deadly Tenderness, Section 3~

A light rain fell, dusk settled, and the city of Dingzhou was exceptionally quiet in the rainy evening.

The usual hustle and bustle seemed to have quietly disappeared, and the tranquil night was adorned with twinkling lights, making it incredibly elegant. The world was so quiet that only the gentle patter of the rain remained.

Du Xiaoyan's heart was filled only with the sound of rain.

She stood quietly by the window of the Du family mansion on Qilin Street in Dingzhou City, looking at the distant mountains shrouded in twilight. Her heart seemed to be tinged with a tranquil twilight as well.

The twilight was black mixed with dark green, and the zither was a mottled patch of dark red.

The candlelight flickered in the room, and a chilly breeze drifted in through the window, lifting Du Xiaoyan's thin dress. Raindrops, carried by the wind, dampened her long, flowing hair.

She sighed softly, endless sorrow swirling in the air with that lingering breath, transforming into a deep, unyielding melancholy and longing.

She sat down, her slender hands caressing the zither, gently plucking the strings a few times. "Ting-dong..." Beautiful notes flowed from the strings like water.

"Do you know the difference between drinking wine and drinking water? The more wine you drink, the warmer you feel; the more water you drink, the colder you feel." His voice suddenly echoed in her mind, and she suddenly felt a urge to drink.

Remembering the song he often hummed, she slowly tried to play the melody. A tune never before heard in the Qin Empire, utterly unorthodox to orthodox musicians, flowed from her fingers, echoing softly in the room.

Why did the lyrics sound so difficult to pronounce? What dialect was that? And how was it sung?

She remembered, and she tried to hum the lyrics in that awkward, unfamiliar dialect:

"The past, the present, gone and never to return. Red fallen leaves buried in the dust.

Beginnings and endings never change, you drift beyond the white clouds in the sky.

Lovers part and never return, silently lonely, wishing to meet again someday.

Flowers may wither, but they will bloom again.

The one I love all my life, beyond the white clouds. In

the sea of bitterness, love and hate rise. In this world, fate is inescapable.

Dear ones, yet unable to approach.

Perhaps I should believe it is destiny..."

Her soft, clear voice sang this poignant song, which, combined with Du Xiaoyan's current mood, had a unique and enchanting charm.

The boy, walking stealthily through the rain, felt a sudden, inexplicable surge of emotion upon hearing the tender song drifting from the window…

“Whoosh—” A gust of wind suddenly rushed into the room, causing the candlelight to flicker violently, nearly extinguishing it.

The wind came abruptly, and along with it seemed to carry a faint warmth.

It was the warmth and heat unique to a man, and the scent carried on the wind was also uniquely masculine.

Du Xiaoyan finished playing the last note, her hands resting on the strings, staring blankly out the window.

On the windowsill sat a man, his hair and clothes soaked through by the rain, smiling at her. His warm, sun-like gaze dispelled the dark, gloomy twilight in her heart.

A lazy smile played on his lips. One leg dangled casually from the windowsill, swinging back and forth, while the other rested on the windowsill. His left hand rested on his knee, and his right hand held a folding fan painted with landscape patterns, which he waved casually, as if trying to use the weak breeze to blow away the raindrops.

"Drip..." A crystal-clear drop of liquid fell onto the zither and shattered.

Du Xiaoyan suddenly stood up, and he swept down from the windowsill like a gust of wind, rushing to her side and pulling her tightly into his arms. Then, he completely overwhelmed her with an incredibly passionate and deep kiss.

The candlelight flickered red, and her silk robes were loosened. All the longing needed no words...

※ ※ ※ ※

"Where's Aren? Have you seen Aren?" In Uncle Li's house, Tie Xuanxuan rushed into the kitchen and grabbed Li Xiaoye, who was preparing dinner, asking.

Li Xiaoye pointed in the direction of the attic where Qin Ren lived. "Hasn't the Third Young Master been sleeping in his room ever since he came back?"

Tie Xuanxuan shook his head and said, "Where is he sleeping in his room? I suddenly remembered the few techniques my master taught me about binding qi into needles and using acupuncture points to heal injuries. I was going to go to his room to help him treat his internal injuries, but when I went in, the bed was a mess. That kid Ren ran off without even making the bed!"

Li Xiaoye asked seriously, "Have you ever tried using the technique of binding qi into needles and using acupuncture points to heal others before?"

Tie Xuanxuan honestly shook his head: "No. I only learned it recently and have never tried it before! Since Ren is injured, I thought I'd use him as an experiment. First, I can test how well I've practiced my skills, and second, I can heal his injuries."

Li Xiaoye couldn't help but chuckle, "Sister Xuanxuan, I'm afraid the Third Young Master ran away because he knew you were going to use him for experiments, right? Don't worry, he won't go far. Maybe he's hiding in some corner of the yard right now, laughing to himself!"

Tie Xuanxuan muttered, "He ran away because he was afraid I'd use him for experiments? No way, he doesn't know I have the skill of turning qi into needles. Besides, I didn't tell him I was going to use him for experiments! I've searched every corner in the yard where someone could hide. Where could he possibly be hiding?"

Li Xiaoye deliberately teased this carefree, thick-headed man, saying, "Have you looked in the outhouse? Maybe the Third Young Master is hiding there!"

Tie Xuanxuan slapped her forehead, "Oh dear, how come I didn't think of that? Thanks for reminding me, little sister. I'll go find Aren right now!" With that, she dashed off.

After Tie Xuanxuan's figure completely disappeared, Li Xiaoye finally couldn't help but burst into laughter, muttering to herself between laughs, "I finally understand... why... when you were little... were... so... miserably... by the Third Young Master, haha... I'm dying of laughter..."

※ ※ ※ ※

At dinner, after searching for more than an hour and finding nothing, Tie Xuanxuan, while tearing at a chicken leg, mumbled to Li Xiaoye, "Didn't you say Ah Ren would be in the outhouse? I can't find him."

Li Xiaoye very ladylike picked at her rice with small bites, speaking softly, "Sister Xuanxuan, the Third Young Master has two legs, he can run. And you must have experienced his lightness skill when you were little, right? Maybe the Third Young Master is playing hide-and-seek with you. Before you go to a place, he's there. But when you go, he slips away before you arrive, and after you leave, he goes back to hide there. His lightness skill is better than yours, so even if he's always..." "It's normal that you can't find him because the rooms in the courtyard are playing hide-and-seek with you!"

Tie Xuanxuan nodded in sudden realization. "Oh, I see! Okay, I'll go find him after I've eaten my fill! Really, Ah Ren is still like a monkey, running around everywhere. Hmm, he can run around now, doesn't that mean his injury has healed? I've long heard that the 'Resurrection Pill' has miraculous effects that can seize the power of heaven and earth, it seems that this is true. Hmm, if his injury heals so quickly, why do I still need to take care of him? Never mind, I'll ask him properly when I find him!" She muttered to herself as she rolled up her sleeves, lifted one leg, and stepped onto the chair that had been prepared for the Third Young Master, ready to make a scene.

Qiao Wei coughed sternly and said pretentiously, "The way of a lady is reflected in her words and actions. Miss Tie, as a lady of a prominent family, should always pay attention to your words and actions." As he spoke, his eyes fell on Tie Xuanxuan's long leg that was swaggering on the chair.

Tie Xuanxuan chuckled, somewhat embarrassed, and lowered her leg.

Uncle Li took a small sip of wine, wiped the liquid off his white beard, and asked, "Miss Tie, I've long admired your father, 'Iron-Melting Hand' Tie Kongshan, the Iron Fortress Master. I wonder what level the Iron Fortress Master's 'Iron-Melting Hand' skill has reached now?"

Although Tie Xuanxuan no longer put her feet on the chair, her movements as she tore at the chicken leg didn't become any more refined. In fact, in Qiao Wei and Uncle Li's opinion, a well-mannered lady should absolutely not be gnawing on a whole chicken leg.

Tie Xuanxuan, however, seemed completely oblivious, wiping her greasy mouth with her sleeve and mumbling, "I don't know... I was already at the thirtieth level ten years ago, and I don't know if I've improved since then."

Uncle Li nodded and said, "The Iron Hand Divine Skill is divided into thirty-three levels, representing the thirty-three heavens. It's extremely easy to enter the beginner's realm, and the power doubles with each level, but it becomes increasingly difficult as you progress. Before the twentieth level, one can only be considered a near-first-rate master, while reaching the twentieth level allows one to enter the ranks of first-rate masters

. "However, each subsequent level requires extremely firm perseverance and consumes a great deal of time. After reaching the twenty-fifth level, one can enter the ranks of super-first-rate masters. Your father reached the thirtieth level ten years ago, truly deserving of the title of a grandmaster-level super master. Naturally, the number one master of the Jiangbei White Path is none other than your father."

"I've heard that if one can cultivate to the thirty-third level of the Great Circulation Realm, not only can one's hands melt iron and gold, but any part of one's body can melt steel. In this way, no matter how powerful or sharp a weapon is, it cannot harm the person who cultivates the Iron-Melting Hand Divine Skill, because before the weapon even touches the body, it will be melted by the power that is even more intense than heavenly fire."

Tie Xuanxuan nodded and said with admiration, "Senior, your knowledge is vast, I admire you. My father said the same thing. Well, last year during the New Year, my father performed a demonstration in front of the disciples in the fortress. One hundred and eighty-eight steel swords were slashed at my father's entire body from different directions, and all the swords melted when they were still a foot away from my father's body, leaving only the hilts. I wonder if my father can melt steel with every part of his body now."

Uncle Li looked surprised and exchanged a glance with Qiao Wei, both seeing joy in each other's eyes.

Uncle Li pondered, "So, even if your father hasn't reached the highest level yet, he's not far off. I wonder if he'll attend this martial arts tournament?"

Tie Xuanxuan shook his head vigorously, "No. Father said this martial arts world belongs to the young people now, and he, an old man, shouldn't interfere. This time, the representatives of Iron Blood Howling Sky Fortress are my elder brother and me."

Qiao Wei and Uncle Li looked slightly disappointed. Qiao Wei sighed and said, "Iron Blood Howling Sky Fortress was named so because it was the number one martial arts fortress in Jiangbei, founded by three people. Now, the other two have passed away, and Tie Kongshan, in his prime, says he's old, clearly having lost his ambition. Iron Blood Howling Sky Fortress is no longer worthy of its name."

Tie Xuanxuan's eyes lit up. He asked, "Senior, do you know the origin of Ironblood Howling Sky Fortress?" Then, with a hint of dissatisfaction, he added, "Senior, my father hasn't lost his ambition; he just wants to give more opportunities to young people. If my father and uncle were also involved in the martial world, would young people still have a chance to rise above their station?"

Qiao Wei nodded and said, "What you say makes sense. After all, the martial world should be the domain of the young. The new generation surpasses the old... Oh, I mean, the old generation dies on the beach." Qiao Wei thought to himself, "Damn it, how did I pick up all the witty remarks from the Third Young Master? If the younger generation of the Demonic Sect knew, they would laugh at me to death."

He continued, "Back then, the four rising stars of the righteous path were Nan Xiaoyao, Bei Tieshou, Dong Kuangtu, and Xi Xiaotian. They were Qin Xiaoyao, Tie Kongshan, Xue Kuangtu, and Luo Xiaotian.

"These four had already shown the demeanor of leaders when they first entered the martial world. Later, the four became sworn brothers." At that time, Qin Xiaoyao was already setting up Xiaoyao Manor. Although he strongly invited the other three to join, Qin Xiaoyao was from a wealthy family, while the other three came from impoverished backgrounds.

"Tie Kongshan, Xue Kuangtu, and Luo Xiaotian were unwilling to rely on others' fame, so the three of them started from scratch and established the foundation of Tie Xue Xiaotian Fortress. The name Tie Xue Xiaotian Fortress is derived from the names of the three of them.

"Unfortunately, the Moon Worship Cult, the most powerful force in the North at the time, deliberately provoked them. Zuo Yuanfang, the leader of the Moon Worship Cult and once known as the number one expert in the North and even the number one expert in the world, was unhappy with the three young men developing their power within his territory and personally took action against them."

"In the ensuing battle, Blood Madman and Luo Xiaotian were killed, Tie Kongshan was seriously injured, and Zuo Yuanfang was also severely wounded. Three months after this battle, Qin Xiaoyao personally led the only three guest elders of Xiaoyao Manor at the time—the three great killing gods Liu Duanhun, Nu Hengmei, and Xiao Tianci—to the north to join forces with Tie Kongshan. The five masters stormed into the headquarters of the Moon Worship Cult and fought fiercely for a day and a night.

"In this battle, the two Moon Worship Cult's Moon Guardians were killed, the three elders were all wiped out, and only two of the hall masters and branch masters of the seven halls and thirteen branches remained, and they were crippled. The vast Moon Worship Cult, with countless masters and experts, was almost wiped out by these five. But strangely, Zuo Yuanfang disappeared in the headquarters."

"After this battle, the Moon Worship Cult declined forever. The title of the strongest power in the North was no longer held by the Moon Worship Cult. Although it has undergone several attempts at development, it can only maintain a mediocre position, and still has to outwardly submit to the Ironblood Howling Sky Fortress.

"Qin Xiaoyao, on the other hand, earned the nickname 'Bloody Hand Asura' in that battle, and almost everyone in the martial world turns pale at the mention of his name.

"While the three killing gods—Liu Duanhun, Nu Hengmei, and Xiao Tianci—are not renowned in the martial world, it's entirely because they are too low-key. Aside from killing, they do almost nothing else, so their brilliance is overshadowed by Qin Xiaoyao and Tie Kongshan, who should be their juniors.

"Heh, having said so much, I've been presumptuous. Calling Qin Xiaoyao by his name is inappropriate; I should address him as 'Master.'"

"Thinking back, that was over twenty years ago... Now, although Xiaoyao Manor and Ironblood Howling Sky Fortress firmly hold the top positions in the righteous path of the martial arts world in Jiangnan and Jiangbei, my master and your father haven't fought anyone for almost twenty years. People in the martial arts world have forgotten their past fame.

"This martial arts world has reached a point of great chaos!"

Qiao Wei finished speaking and sighed for a long time.

While Qiao Wei was reminiscing about the past, Tie Xuanxuan had already finished a whole roast chicken and ate several large bowls of rice. There was a reason why she was so tall.

Seeing that Qiao Wei had finally finished his story, Tie Xuanxuan picked her teeth with a toothpick and said, "Senior Qiao, those three old men who are known as the Three Killing Gods all seem very kind. They just doze off all day long, and their hands are always tucked into their sleeves. They're too lazy to even take them out except when they're eating. Are those three old geezers really as powerful as you say?" Qiao Wei and Uncle Li's eyes lit up .

The two old foxes exchanged a glance, and Qiao Wei said in a deep voice, "Miss, have you seen the Three Killing Gods? Where are they now?"

Tie Xuanxuan, biting her toothpick, said, "Of course I've seen them! When I was a kid, I even pulled their beards when I went to Xiaoyao Manor! Now, of course, they're living with my cousin Qin Feng in my Tie family's house in Dingzhou City."

The two old foxes laughed, laughing happily, "Oh? So the Three Killing Gods came with the young master too? Excellent, absolutely excellent! Miss, you mustn't look down on those three old geezers. Their hands are only used for eating and killing; otherwise, they would never stick their hands out of their sleeves!"

Tie Xuanxuan curled her lip and said, "I don't believe they don't stick their hands out when they go to the outhouse. Otherwise, how do they tie their belts? With their teeth?"

Qiao Wei and Uncle Li felt like they were about to faint. This young lady and the third young master were a perfect match! The two siblings were truly extraordinary; they were both geniuses! "

Pfft!" Tie Xuanxuan spat out a toothpick, patted her stomach, and said, "I'm full. Hmm, I'll go take a bath first, then come find Ah Ren. Little Ye, do you want to come with me?"

Li Xiaoye shook her head firmly: "No need."

Tie Xuanxuan shrugged, crossed her arms, and swayed out, saying as she walked, "Then you guys eat slowly, I'm going to take a bath first!"

Li Xiaoye kindly reminded her, "Sister Xuanxuan, remember to close the doors and windows when you take a bath, or someone might peep at you!"

Tie Xuanxuan laughed, "I, Tie Xuanxuan, possess unparalleled martial arts skills. Nothing within ten feet can escape my ears. How could anyone peep at me while I'm bathing without being discovered?" "Hahaha..."

Tie Xuanxuan laughed loudly and went out, leaving the three people in the room looking at each other in bewilderment.

"Is this... still a girl?" Uncle Li asked Qiao Wei.

Qiao Wei hesitated and said, "She probably is..."

Tie Xuanxuan had just stepped out of the dining hall when she suddenly felt a light breeze pass behind her. She immediately turned around alertly, only to find no one behind her.

"Hmm, she must be too tired from looking for Ah Ren and is being paranoid. Never mind, I'll go take a good shower first..."

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