Love and Sword [Complete] - 25

Volume Nine, Chapter Fourteen: The Past of Ximen

"Miss, Elder Nangong has gone to the Heavenly Star Alliance!" Liu Yun rushed into Su Dai'er's boudoir. "Elder Lu has already gone; he told you to go and see him too."
"What's he doing there?" Su Dai'er's face turned cold, and she suddenly stood up. "Elder Sun, Liu Yun, let's go!"
*** *** ***
At the entrance of the Heavenly Star Alliance, Nangong Xuanyuan was coldly watching Hua Ruoxu.
Hua Ruoxu had just come out of Hua Yufeng's room when he heard that Nangong Xuanyuan wanted to see him, and he couldn't help but feel a little confused.
"Hua Ruoxu, I'm here only to know where those little maids from the Divine Palace are?" Nangong Xuanyuan said coldly.
"For Dai'er's sake, I didn't hold a grudge against you for what happened in the past, and now you're coming here demanding people back?" Hua Ruoxu felt both annoyed and amused. "Nangong Xuanyuan, have you lost your mind?"
"Hua Ruoxu, I'm only doing this for the Palace Master's sake. Otherwise, I would have already been ruthless towards those little girls from the Divine Palace." Nangong Xuanyuan retorted sharply.
"That's utterly ridiculous! Nangong Xuanyuan, I can tell you clearly now, Youyou, Sister Qing, and Meng'er are already members of the Hua family. As for the others from the Divine Palace, even if I knew, I wouldn't need to tell you!" Hua Ruoxu was already in a bad mood today, so her tone was naturally impolite, especially towards Nangong Xuanyuan. "
I, Nangong Xuanyuan, am irreconcilably opposed to the Divine Palace. Hua Ruoxu, if you insist on protecting those little girls from the Divine Palace, don't blame me for being impolite to you." Nangong Xuanyuan said coldly, his face icy.
“Elder Nangong, the Palace Master has repeatedly ordered that you not to oppose Young Master Hua. You have disobeyed the Palace Master's orders time and again. Do you really think the Palace Master will not punish you?” A voice slowly came, its tone very authoritative.
As soon as the words were spoken, the person appeared. “Elder Lu, it's good that you've come.” Hua Ruoxu nodded with a smile to the person who came, who was naturally Lu Yunchang.
“Lu Yunchang, don't keep using the Palace Master to pressure me!” Nangong Xuanyuan glared at Lu Yunchang fiercely.
“I'm only doing this for the Palace Master's sake, and also for Elder Nangong's sake. The Palace Master will be here soon. Elder Nangong, you can speak to the Palace Master yourself!” Lu Yunchang said calmly.
Before Lu Yunchang finished speaking, Hua Ruoxu saw three slender figures rushing towards them. A moment later, a fragrant breeze wafted by, and Su Daier's soft body had already thrown herself into Hua Ruoxu's arms. Always uninhibited, Su Daier didn't care that they were in front of everyone and began to act coquettishly in his arms.
"Brother Ruoxu, you haven't visited me for months!" Su Daier pouted and said unhappily.
"Daier, let's go inside first," Hua Ruoxu said helplessly, turning and walking inside with Su Daier in his arms.
"You all go back, I'll stay here with Brother Ruoxu," Su Daier waved her hand behind her.
"Palace Master, don't you remember how your mother died? Don't you want to avenge her?" Nangong Xuanyuan said in a deep voice.
"I know what I'm doing, you don't need to teach me!" Su Dai'er's face turned cold, and she nimbly jumped down from Hua Ruoxu's arms, coldly looking at Nangong Xuanyuan. "If you dare disobey my orders again, I will remove you from all your positions in the Demon Palace and expel you from the Demon Palace!"
Su Dai'er's voice was exceptionally cold, her beautiful eyes devoid of any emotion. That cold light pierced Nangong Xuanyuan's heart, and he couldn't help but shiver slightly.
"Nangong Xuanyuan, long time no see!" A soft voice came over. Nangong Xuanyuan was startled
and looked up.
"Sister Lin." Hua Ruoxu called softly, and Ximen Lin slowly walked to Hua Ruoxu's side, looked at Nangong Xuanyuan, and then at Su Dai'er, her eyes filled with complicated emotions.
"You are Ximen Lin?" Nangong Xuanyuan naturally knew that Hua Ruoxu had this person with him.
"It seems you don't recognize me anymore. Well, ten years have passed, and I've changed a lot." Ximen Lin sighed softly. "But, I wonder if you still remember Lin Xi, the one you pushed off the cliff?"

"Lin Xi, Lin Xi!" Nangong Xuanyuan gritted his teeth and called out softly twice, his voice filled with anger and endless resentment. Suddenly, his expression changed drastically, and he looked at Ximen Lin with disbelief, pointing at her as he backed away. "You, you are Lin Xi?"
"No, impossible, you are not Lin Xi, how could you be him? He's not like this, not like this!" Nangong Xuanyuan shook his head repeatedly, muttering to himself.
"I am Lin Xi, also known as Ximen Lin. My original name is Ximen Lin, and Lin Xi is just an alias." Ximen Lin gently shook her head. "Nangong Xuanyuan, even now, I don't want to hide it anymore. And I must tell you, you keep saying that Sister Mei'er died at the hands of the Divine Palace, but in reality, you killed her. You bear full responsibility for her death!"
"You're talking nonsense!" Nangong Xuanyuan roared. "If you hadn't seduced her and made her fall in love with someone else, how could she have died?"
"Nangong Xuanyuan, what nonsense are you spouting? Sister Lin is a woman." Hua Ruoxu couldn't help but interject. "
Young Master Hua, there are too many people here. Could we perhaps find another place?" Lu Yunchang suddenly said.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu, Su Dai'er, Lu Yunchang, Ximen Lin, and Nangong Xuanyuan, a group of five, went to the backyard, while Sun Yunyan and Liu Yun remained in the main hall.
"Miss Dai'er, I think you should know that Nangong Xuanyuan is your father, right?" Ximen Lin said quietly.
“Sister Ximen, I just want to know the real cause of my mother’s death. I hope you won’t lie to me.” Su Dai’er nodded gently.
“At that time, I was dressed as a man, using the alias Lin Xi. When I met Sister Mei’er, I couldn’t understand why she was the Palace Master of the Demon Palace. I found her so pitiful, so lonely and helpless.” Ximen Lin’s thoughts drifted back to ten years ago, and her voice became ethereal, as if coming from the distant horizon.
“Actually, less than two hours after I met her, she saw through my disguise. But according to Sister Mei’er, she knew I was a woman disguised as a man as soon as she saw me.” Ximen Lin continued to recall, while Nangong Xuanyuan’s expression changed constantly. However, this time he didn’t say anything. The four of them, including him, listened quietly to Ximen Lin’s story.
“I spent over three months with Sister Mei’er. Those months were truly wonderful, and Sister Mei’er was happy too. We were like best sisters, sharing everything. I even told her my original intention to steal her zither. But Sister Mei’er also told me that even if someone else stole the zither, she could still play the magic zither. She even said that if I really wanted the zither, she would give it to me.” Ximen Lin’s tone carried a faint sadness. “I gradually learned a lot about her. I learned that she was actually very lonely. Her husband hardly had time to spend with her, and her son was sent away somewhere shortly after birth. Her most beloved daughter also left her at that time. Therefore, Sister Mei’er was truly lonely back then. That’s when I started to notice that something was wrong with her. I never expected that she would actually commit suicide. Nangong Xuanyuan, do you know that the reason Sister Mei’er committed suicide was entirely because of you!” At the end, Ximen Lin suddenly shouted at Nangong Xuanyuan.
“Lin Xi, don’t talk nonsense! It was clearly you who killed Mei’er!” Nangong Xuanyuan said, startled.
"I later checked some medical books, and I also asked Xiaoxue. Actually, Sister Mei'er suffered from severe depression at that time, and the reason she got this illness was entirely because of you!" Ximen Lin said coldly. "Sister Mei'er's first child was a boy, and you took him away when he was just a month old. You didn't tell Sister Mei'er where he went. From that time on, Sister Mei'er began to have depression. However, it wasn't too serious at first, but you only spent a few days a year with her. All you did was fight for power in the Demon Palace. She didn't have a single friend to talk to, which made her depression worse and worse. After Sister Mei'er met me, her condition started to improve a little. But you didn't even bother to find out the truth and pushed me off a cliff when I wasn't paying attention. Sister Mei'er thought I had left without saying goodbye, which was a huge blow to her. Plus, Dai'er never came back. Sister Mei'er finally couldn't bear the loneliness and committed suicide! Nangong Xuanyuan, tell me, have I wronged you? Did you kill Sister Mei'er?"
"Sister Ximen, you said I have an older brother?" Su Dai'er suddenly interjected.
“Back then, Mei’er didn’t interfere in the affairs of the Demon Palace at all. Countless people below wanted to harm her. If I hadn’t taken control of the Demon Palace, Mei’er would have been in danger at any time. I also wanted to spend more time with her, but where would I find the time? How can you blame me?” Nangong Xuanyuan’s tone softened considerably, but he still tried to defend himself. “Besides, I’ve never heard of any depression. I think you’re just talking nonsense!”
“I don’t want to explain any further. What I said is the truth. Finally, I want to tell you that I have no connection with the Divine Palace. So, don’t say that the people of the Divine Palace killed Sister Mei’er. If you really want revenge, the first person you should look for is yourself!” Ximen Lin seemed somewhat disheartened, saying indifferently, “I’ve let the events of ten years ago go. I consider Lin Xi of ten years ago dead. Now I am just Ximen Lin, Ximen Lin of the Hua family.”
After saying this, Ximen Lin slowly turned around and gracefully left. Watching her retreating figure, Hua Ruoxu was lost in thought.
"Brother Ruoxu, Dai'er is going back first," Su Dai'er said softly. Hua Ruoxu nodded gently; he knew Su Dai'er needed some time to process this.
Sun Yunyan finally breathed a sigh of relief, because Su Dai'er was finally out, and she could escape from Fang Xia's infatuated gaze.
*** *** ***
"Qingyue, Feimeng, have you seen Yue'er and Xinjing?" Hua Yuluan rushed into the hall, asking anxiously.
"Senior Sister, what's wrong?" Hua Ruoxu asked quickly, seeing Hua Yuluan's anxious expression. "
Junior Brother, Bao Bao is missing, and Yue'er and Xinjing seem to be missing too!" Hua Yuluan said, then hurriedly ran off again, apparently to look in other rooms.
A strong sense of unease welled up in Hua Ruoxu's heart; his intuition told him that something had happened to Bao Bao!
Sure enough, they searched the entire Hua mansion but couldn't find Bao Bao, and Hong Yue'er and Bai Xinjing were nowhere to be seen either, as if they had vanished into thin air. Hua Yuluan's face turned ashen, her beautiful eyes blazing with fury. How dare they even plot against her precious son! No wonder she was angry.
"Senior Sister, don't panic," Hua Ruoxu said softly, though she was also anxious. Her mind raced. Nangong Xuanyuan had just caused trouble, and now the child was missing. Could it be related to Nangong Xuanyuan? Hong Yue'er and Bai Xinjing had also disappeared. Had they taken the child, or had they been kidnapped as well?
*** *** ***
Demon Palace. Su Dai'er stood coldly. Lu Yunchang and Nangong Xuanyuan stood respectfully below her.
"Sister Ximen said I have an older brother. Is that true?" Su Dai'er glanced at Nangong Xuanyuan and suddenly asked.
"Yes, that's true." Nangong Xuanyuan took a deep breath and said in a low voice. He was very unsettled. He suddenly discovered that Lin Xi, whom he had always thought was Su Meier's lover, was actually a woman, now known as Ximen Lin. He was conflicted. Logically, he should be happy to learn that Su Meier hadn't betrayed him back then, but Ximen Lin's words made it impossible for him to be happy. At this moment, he also began to wonder if he had really killed the woman he loved most.
"Is he Nangong Feiyun?" Su Daier suddenly asked again.
Nangong Xuanyuan's body trembled, and he looked up at Su Daier with surprise.
"Others may not know, but I could tell that the martial arts Nangong Feiyun used against Brother Ruoxu that day were your unique Guiding Divine Skill. I suspected it then, but I didn't know what your relationship with him was," Su Dai'er said calmly. "Now that I think about it, since he's my brother, it's normal for you to teach him martial arts."
"Palace Master, Elder Nangong sent Nangong Feiyun to infiltrate the Divine Palace for the sake of the Demon Palace. Please don't blame him," Lu Yunchang said respectfully.
"Is that so? It's a pity that my brother here is determined to kill me," Su Dai'er smiled faintly. "The time I was poisoned and chased was all his doing. I wonder if Elder Nangong knows about this?"

Volume 9, Chapter 15, Holy Maiden of the Divine Palace

"Your subordinate is loyal to the Palace Master, as clear as the sun and moon!" Nangong Xuanyuan said in a deep voice.
"Palace Master, your subordinate also absolutely believes that Elder Nangong would not do such a thing," Lu Yunchang added.
"I hope so!" Su Dai'er hummed softly. "However, please tell me everything you know about Nangong Feiyun, Elder Nangong, so I can understand what kind of person my brother, whom I haven't acknowledged for so many years, really is."
"Your subordinate obeys!" Nangong Xuanyuan replied softly. He found himself increasingly unable to understand this girl who was supposed to be his own daughter.
**** *** ****
Three days passed, and there was still no news of the child. Hua Ruoxu was extremely anxious, while Hua Yuluan remained much calmer. The women originally wanted to split up and search, but Hua Ruoxu stopped them. He had a feeling that countless enemies were secretly eyeing the Tianxing Alliance, and he couldn't let them separate carelessly, lest something unexpected happen.
Several more days passed, and there was still no news of the child. Meanwhile, news came from Shaolin, Wudang, Emei, and Qingcheng. They had all been attacked to varying degrees a few days ago, resulting in some casualties, but they had no idea who the enemy was.
Hua Ruoxu's face was grave. The recent series of events clearly told him that a storm was brewing, and what was bound to happen was finally here!
"Junior Brother, we've found Hong Yue'er." Hua Yufeng hurriedly entered.
"Where is she? Where's Bao Bao?" Hua Ruoxu abruptly stood up, asking anxiously.
"We only found her alone. She's in a nunnery outside Jinling City, but we haven't found anyone else. The disciples who found her dare not act rashly, so we haven't disturbed her yet," Hua Yufeng said softly.
"Feng'er, let's go see!" Hua Ruoxu said after a moment's thought.
*** *** ***
Hong Yue'er looked somewhat haggard, her eyes somewhat lost. When she saw Hua Ruoxu and Hua Yufeng, there was no surprise in her eyes, as if she had known they would come.
"Miss Hong, where is your sister?" Hua Ruoxu looked around. It was a small, somewhat dilapidated nunnery, but it seemed to have just been renovated. The nunnery appeared to be deserted, and there were no nuns in sight.
“Young Master Hua, my elder sister is not with me. If you are looking for her, you will be disappointed,” Hong Yue’er said calmly.
"Yue'er, why did you suddenly leave the Heavenly Star Alliance?" Hua Yufeng's tone was gentle.
"That's not my home after all, it's normal to leave." Hong Yue'er remained calm and composed.
"Yue'er, I think we haven't wronged you sisters in any way these past few days, have we?" Hua Yufeng hesitated slightly before speaking.
"Of course, everyone in the Heavenly Star Alliance treated us very well, and Yue'er is very grateful to you." Hong Yue'er remained the same.
"Yue'er, no matter what your reason is, as long as you tell us where the child is now, we can overlook the mistakes you made." Hua Yufeng sighed softly.
"Child? What child?" Hong Yue'er was clearly taken aback this time.
"Yue'er, you actually like that child very much, can you really bear to see something happen to him?" Hua Yufeng said softly, "Even if you have any complaints about us, it has nothing to do with the child."
"What? You mean something happened to the baby?" Hong Yue'er exclaimed in surprise, seemingly completely unaware.
"Yue'er, when you and Xin Jing disappeared, the baby disappeared with you. Don't you really know?" Hua Yufeng's eyes showed a hint of surprise. Looking at Hong Yue'er, she really didn't seem to be faking it.
"I... I really don't know. How could this happen? How could the baby disappear? So many of you were watching him, how could he disappear?" Hong Yue'er shook her head and murmured. These past few days, she had spent a lot of time playing with the child and had developed a deep affection for him.
"Then why did you suddenly leave?" Hua Ruoxu suppressed her anger and asked in a deep voice.
"I... I can't say." Hong Yue'er hesitated for a long time but ultimately didn't reveal the reason.
"Yue'er, do you know that you'll kill the baby!" Hua Yufeng found herself feeling a sense of disappointment and shouted angrily.
"I really don't want anything to happen to the baby, I really don't want it." Hong Yue'er's face changed rapidly, her body trembled slightly, and she seemed to be struggling fiercely inside.
"Feng'er, forget it. Don't expect her to say anything. Let's take her back first." Hua Ruoxu said, preparing to act.
"No, I... I can't go back." Hong Yue'er pleaded hurriedly.
"I'm afraid that's not up to you!" Hua Ruoxu sneered, suddenly flashing to Hong Yue'er's side, striking her pressure points and grabbing her.
"Feng'er, let's go!" Hua Ruoxu lifted Hong Yue'er and turned to leave.
"Young Master Hua, please let me go, I really can't go back." Hong Yue'er pleaded softly, but Hua Ruoxu remained unmoved.
"Stop!" A clear, delicate shout rang out, and Hua Ruoxu stopped, turning to look in the direction of the voice.
A strange woman in plain clothes stood about ten feet in front of him. The woman was dressed as a nun, with long flowing hair, a beautiful and refined face, and her age was indiscernible. She exuded an unusual charm.
"What advice do you have for me, young lady?" Hua Ruoxu asked calmly.
"A grown man bullying a weak woman? Don't you know the meaning of shame?" The woman in white had a slight anger on her face, her
beautiful eyes fixed on Hua Ruoxu. "Young lady doesn't understand the reason, please don't meddle." Hua Ruoxu didn't want to explain further. After saying this, he turned and continued walking. Hua Yufeng stared intently at the woman in white for a long while, and only hurriedly followed after seeing that Hua Ruoxu was far away. The woman in white wanted to chase after him, but suddenly stopped, a look of surprise on her face.
"Yaqian, why won't you let me chase?" A moment later, a girl in white palace attire appeared beside the woman in white. The woman in white looked at her with a puzzled expression.
"Uncle-Master, that's Hua Ruoxu of the Heavenly Star Alliance, and also the most formidable person in the martial arts world right now." The girl in palace attire looked in the direction Hua Ruoxu had disappeared and said softly.
"To forcibly abduct a woman in broad daylight, I think he's nothing special," the woman in white said with a hint of disdain.
"While Hua Ruoxu is indeed amorous, he wouldn't go so far as to forcibly abduct a woman. I think there must be other reasons," the girl in palace attire shook her head. "Uncle-Master, the Immortal Palace's power is growing stronger. With our current strength, we don't have a sure chance of victory. But if Hua Ruoxu is willing to lend us a hand, then we'll be guaranteed victory."
"Yaqian, didn't you say your senior sister has a group of subordinates? Besides, even with our current numbers, I think dealing with the Immortal Palace wouldn't be difficult," the woman in white said dismissively.
“Uncle-Master, I used to believe that no one in our Divine Palace could defeat us. But after everything that's happened, although I still have confidence, I also know that we can't underestimate our opponents’ abilities.” The girl in palace attire gently shook her head. “Moreover, once we start attacking the Immortal Palace, our whereabouts will soon be exposed. In that case, the Demon Palace will probably also attack us, and then it might be very difficult for us to deal with them.”
“That’s true. Alas, Senior Sister was too confident back then.” The woman in plain clothes sighed softly.
“If Hua Ruoxu can give us some appropriate help, we won’t have to worry so much.” The girl in palace attire said softly. “I’ve already contacted Senior Sister. She’s already in Jinling. She said that the Immortal Palace’s headquarters must be in Jinling, and the Immortal Palace’s main force must also be in Jinling, but we don’t know where they’re hiding yet.”
“Are you sure Hua Ruoxu will help us?” The woman in plain clothes asked after thinking for a moment.
“Actually, my senior sister and I haven’t understood Hua Ruoxu well enough. If we had used gentle methods with him back then, perhaps he would have come to our aid long ago. But we shouldn’t have used Youyou and the others to blackmail him,” the girl in palace attire said softly. “However, now that we’ve kept Youyou and the others by his side, he should have some goodwill towards us. And there’s another person, I think she can be of great help to us.”

“Yaqian, you mean your senior sister?” the woman in plain clothes asked after thinking for a moment.
“No.” The girl in palace attire shook her head. “It’s Xiaoxue.”
“Xiaoxue? You mean the little girl I met on the road?” the woman in plain clothes said with some surprise.
“Uncle-Master, I haven’t shown myself to her because she knows me.” The girl in palace attire nodded. “Actually, her name is Hanxue. She’s a maidservant of Hua Yufeng from Mount Hua. Hua Yufeng’s sister is Hua Ruoxu’s wife, and Hua Yufeng is actually Hua Ruoxu’s lover.”
“What use can a maidservant be?” the woman in plain clothes still couldn’t understand.
"Uncle-Master, I haven't finished yet." The girl in palace attire smiled slightly. "Actually, everyone in the Heavenly Star Alliance knows that although Hanxue is just a maid, she is Hua Ruoxu's most favored servant. She left the Heavenly Star Alliance for some unknown reason, but Hua Ruoxu has been searching for her. If we find Hanxue for Hua Ruoxu, he will be very grateful to us."
"No wonder you've always wanted me to keep her by my side. But she's already here; what if she runs back on her own? Wouldn't all our efforts be in vain?" The woman in plain clothes finally understood the girl in palace attire's meaning, but her tone still held some doubt. "Don't
worry, Uncle-Master. If she wants to go back on her own, don't stop her. But if she wants to leave for somewhere else, then you should find a way to inform Hua Ruoxu." The girl in palace attire smiled slightly. "Uncle-Master, I'm going to find my senior sister now. You all stay here and wait for me to return."
"It seems I've really aged after being away from the martial world for so long." Watching the girl in palace attire's departing figure, the woman in plain clothes sighed softly.
*** *** ***
"Senior Sister!" "Junior Sister!"
In an inn in Jinling City, a girl in palace attire and a girl in white, veiled, embraced.
"Junior Sister, did no one notice?" the veiled girl asked softly.
"Don't worry, Senior Sister, I'm not that useless." The girl in palace attire smiled sweetly.
"Of course I know your martial arts skills, Junior Sister, but it's always better to be cautious. We can't afford another failure." The veiled girl sighed softly.
"Senior Sister, are the rumors about you and Hua Ruoxu true?" The girl in palace attire seemed to have hesitated for a long time before finally asking.
"It's half true, half false," the masked girl said softly after a moment of silence. "It's just that I killed him, but for some reason he's been framed and hasn't reacted at all. Now everyone probably assumes he's admitted it."
"Senior sister, he might really have fallen in love with you," the girl in palace attire said after a moment's thought. "Maybe he's even worried about you now."
"Anyway, I'll never like him," the masked girl said quietly. "Actually, how could a womanizer like him truly love someone?"
"Senior sister, if one day he finds out you're using his feelings, it'll probably be very troublesome," the girl in palace attire said with some worry.
"If that's the case, he only has himself to blame. Besides, he's deceived countless girls' feelings; being deceived once is his retribution," the masked girl said somewhat unnaturally.
“Senior sister, I know you're doing this to avenge Mother, but you really didn't have to. We had other ways.” The girl in palace attire sighed softly. “Actually, I've calmed down and thought about many things these past few days. I realized that I might have been too young before, and I didn't do many things well enough.”
“Junior sister, people always grow up eventually.” The masked girl gently held her hand, her eyes filled with affection. “Actually, everyone makes mistakes. We can only do our best to avoid making irreparable mistakes.”
“Senior sister, although I don't understand matters of the heart, you still need to be careful. Sister Youyou told me that he's a sentimental person, and I'm afraid it will be too late for you to make amends.” The girl in palace attire thought for a moment and said.
“Junior sister, our most important thing right now is revenge. As for personal feelings, I won't care.” A trace of confusion appeared in the masked girl's eyes. She looked out the window and said softly, “Junior sister, let's not talk about him anymore. Let's talk about serious matters first.”
“Alright then.” The girl in palace attire nodded helplessly.

Volume Nine, Chapter Sixteen: Storms from All Directions.

Nangong Feiyun stared intently at a painting on the wall, his eyes filled with tenderness. The person in the painting seemed to be Jiang Xiaoyue. Strangely, the paper of the painting was clearly yellowed, indicating it was quite old.
"Young Master, the Young Madam wishes to see you!" a respectful voice called from outside the door. "What do you think?"
"Let her in!" Nangong Feiyun said calmly, his eyes still fixed on the painting.
A moment later, Jiang Xiaoyue, dressed in plain white, rushed in. Her pretty face was noticeably thinner, and she looked somewhat haggard, her eyes listless.
"I've done as you said, why haven't you given me back my child?" Jiang Xiaoyue shouted at Nangong Feiyun's retreating figure, her tone filled with anger, but even more so with panic and worry.
"Look, do you recognize her?" Nangong Feiyun seemed completely oblivious to Xiaoyue's question, still gazing at the beauty in the painting. Jiang Xiaoyue suddenly looked up, startled. The girl in the painting looked remarkably like her; at first glance, they were practically identical.
"You, when did you paint me like this?" Jiang Xiaoyue's face was unnatural, her tone tinged with surprise.
"She's dead. She died five years ago. I painted this myself after her death," Nangong Feiyun said slowly, his tone calm, devoid of sorrow or any other emotion.
"This, isn't this me?" Jiang Xiaoyue was startled, looking more closely before finally noticing subtle differences between the girl in the painting and herself.
"Do you know how she died?" Nangong Feiyun suddenly turned around, two sharp beams of light sweeping over Jiang Xiaoyue, his tone abruptly turning grim.
"What does her death have to do with me? I just want you to give me back my child!" Jiang Xiaoyue felt a chill run down her spine and involuntarily took a step back. She took a deep breath and forced herself to speak.
"Six years ago, I met her, and we fell in love. Unfortunately, unfortunately, she later fell in love with someone else and betrayed me. On the same day that we met, a year later, I strangled her to death with my own hands." Nangong Feiyun's tone returned to its usual calm as he turned back to look at the girl in the painting. However, his words sent chills down Jiang Xiaoyue's spine, and her body trembled slightly.
"You, you said you strangled her to death?" Jiang Xiaoyue's teeth chattered, and her voice trembled.
"Don't you think this kind of woman deserves to die?" Nangong Feiyun suddenly threw his head back and laughed wildly. His handsome face gradually contorted, and the sharp laughter gave off a sinister and chilling feeling. Jiang Xiaoyue felt an indescribable sense of oppression pressing down on her, and for a moment, she didn't dare to breathe.
After a long while, Nangong Feiyun finally stopped laughing, slowly turning around. His expression had returned to calm, his eyes cold as he looked at Jiang Xiaoyue.
"Don't worry, I won't kill you, because you're still very useful to me." A smile even appeared on Nangong Feiyun's face, while Jiang Xiaoyue lowered her head, not daring to look at him.
"However, don't forget, you and I are legally husband and wife. Your child is naturally my child, Nangong Feiyun's child. The child will be safe with me; I'll find someone to take good care of him." Nangong Feiyun continued, "Of course, if one day I don't like him anymore, I will naturally return him to you."
"What do you want from me to give me the child?" Jiang Xiaoyue suddenly raised her head, screaming hoarsely.
"I won't ask you for anything. As for when I'll return the child to you, that depends on my mood, haha." Nangong Feiyun laughed twice, striding out, leaving Jiang Xiaoyue, her eyes filled with tears, standing alone in the room.
**** *** ****
Tianxing Alliance. Hua Yuluan, Hua Ruoxu, and the other women all looked rather grim. Hua Ruoxu only had one son, and the child was so adorable that he was naturally adored by all the women. Now that the child had been missing for so many days without a trace, how could they not be worried?

"Why is Sister Yue'er like this? We've been so good to her, and now she won't say a word!" Xue Youyou pouted and said unhappily. Since being brought back, Hong Yue'er hadn't said a word, but had been begging Hua Ruoxu to let her go.
"She won't say anything, and there's nothing we can do. Even killing her wouldn't help," Hua Yufeng sighed softly. "If I'm not mistaken, this matter might be related to Xue Rou's disappearance."
"Perhaps someone is using Xue Rou to blackmail Yue'er and Xin Jing. But we don't know if they stole the baby. If they did, since the baby isn't with Yue'er, is she with Xin Jing, or was she given to someone else?" Ximen Lin pondered for a moment before speaking.
"Hua Lang, I have a feeling that this was either done by the Immortal Palace or by Ye Bu'er. Their goal is to create panic here, and they might even use this opportunity to attack our Hua family," Jiang Qingyue said, frowning.
"Perhaps I was wrong this time." Hua Yufeng's expression suddenly changed slightly, and she said softly, "I thought the child would definitely be with one or two of them, Xin Jing or Yue'er. That's what I told my men when I sent them to search. Now it seems that the child might not be with either of them at all. The baby is so small and doesn't have any obvious features, making it hard to distinguish. This makes it easy for the baby to be hidden."
"Feng'er, don't blame yourself." Hua Ruoxu's tone was very calm. He gently hugged Hua Yuluan and patted her body to comfort her. "Senior sister, I think whoever kidnapped the baby, their ultimate goal is to deal with me. The baby is a bargaining chip for them. Therefore, before they make specific demands on me, the baby should be safe, so don't worry too much."
"Junior brother, don't worry, I'm fine. But you must remember, you must not get hurt. Don't agree to anyone's requests. If the baby is gone, I can have another one for you, understand?" Hua Yuluan appeared unusually strong at this moment. Unlike an ordinary mother who would be helpless after losing her child, she was very calm and even comforted Hua Ruoxu.
“Sister Yu Luan is right, Brother Hua. What if… what if something happens to the baby? Youyou can help you give birth.” Xue Youyou chimed in sweetly.
Normally, Hua Feimeng would have teased her for saying this, but not this time. She looked at Hua Ruoxu tenderly, conveying the same meaning.
Hua Ruoxu’s eyes welled up slightly. He nodded gently, but tried to control his emotions, not letting them show.
*** *** ***
Ximen Lin returned to her room. Ye Wuying’s eyes lit up when she saw her enter, and she quickly came to greet her.
“Senior Sister, has Young Master Hua’s child been found?” Ye Wuying asked anxiously.
“Not yet. We found Hong Yue’er, but unfortunately she won’t say anything.” Ximen Lin sighed softly, her brows furrowing, revealing a hint of anxiety.
“How could this be? Why won’t these people even spare a baby?” Ye Wuying murmured.
"Wu Ying, has your father contacted you recently?" Ximen Lin stared at Ye Wu Ying for a while before suddenly asking.
"Ah, no." Ye Wu Ying's delicate body trembled slightly, and she quickly replied.
"Senior Sister, are you saying that my father did this?" Ye Wu Ying then asked.
"It's hard to say, but your father is highly suspicious." Ximen Lin pondered for a moment before saying, "Wu Ying, I know your difficulties, and I won't force you to help Ruo Xu deal with your father. However, you must not help your father, understand?"
"I, I understand, Senior Sister, I really haven't seen my father, and I don't know where he is now." Ye Wu Ying lowered her head and said softly, but her expression was somewhat unnatural.
*** *** ***
Mount Song, Shaolin Temple.
"Uncle-Master, Uncle-Master, something terrible has happened!" Wu Chen was woken up early in the morning by a Shaolin disciple.
"What is it?" Although Wu Chen was relatively young, because he was trained by Zen Master Jue Yuan, and Hua Ruo Xu had also instructed him to temporarily preside over Shaolin affairs, the disciple would naturally come to him if something happened.
The Shaolin Temple's usual water source had been poisoned, and the upstream water supply had been cut off, meaning the temple was practically without usable water. Shaolin had always been self-sufficient, growing its own vegetables and never worrying about food, but even its vegetable gardens had been devastated. Many disciples had been poisoned, though the poison didn't seem fatal; however, those poisoned were essentially incapacitated.
Wuchen sent several disciples down the mountain, but only one returned with terrible news: all the main routes down from Shaolin were swarming with assassins. It seemed the assassins had deliberately let him return to deliver the message, allowing him to survive, while the others were all dead.
The Shaolin Temple was almost completely sealed off, and panic gripped the temple.
"Uncle-Master, why don't we ask the Sect Leader for help?" finally, a disciple couldn't help but ask.
"Alright, send a message to Jinling by carrier pigeon!" Wuchen hesitated for a long time before finally speaking. He already understood that this was a conspiracy; their goal was to get him to seek help from Hua Ruoxu. However, he had no choice but to help them carry out this scheme, because he couldn't just stand by and watch Shaolin be destroyed.
Meanwhile, Emei, Wudang, and Qingcheng all faced annihilation.
*** *** ****
"Master, why don't we deal with Huashan?" In a dark basement, a thin man in black bowed behind Ye Bu'er.
"We don't have that many men. Besides, given Hua Tianyun's personality, he won't ask Hua Ruoxu for help," Ye Bu'er said calmly.
"Master, according to our information, Hanxue seems to have left Hua Ruoxu. If she's not here, why don't we deal with Hua Ruoxu directly?" The thin man in black still seemed somewhat confused.
“Poison isn’t a panacea. Hua Ruoxu himself doesn’t seem to be afraid of poisons. Moreover, I have a feeling that Hua Ruoxu’s power in Jinling is far more than it appears. It’s unwise for the enemy to be in the dark while we are in the light. But when Hua Ruoxu divides his forces into five to aid the four major sects, not only will his power be greatly weakened, but most of his strength will also be exposed. At that time, we will be in the shadows.” Ye Bu’er pondered for a moment and said, “Actually, there’s another important reason. I’m not sure if Hanxue has really left, but Wuying is still with Hua Ruoxu. If anyone in the Tianxing Alliance is poisoned, that brat will definitely help them with the antidote.”
Ye Bu’er’s face turned angry at the end, probably because he didn’t expect his precious daughter to be unwilling to help him.
“Master, what should we do once Hua Ruoxu receives the news and rushes to aid the four major sects?” The thin man in black asked again after a while.
"Some people think they've grown wings and want to fly away. Let's just deal with them while we're at it!" Ye Bu'er said slowly, a few cold glints flashing in his eyes.
**** *** ****
Hua Ruoxu appeared at the door of Hua Tianxing's house. Hua Tianxing was coaxing the ferret named Xiaoxue. Ever since she saw the ferret last time, she had taken it. Although Hua Ruoxu felt a little uncomfortable, since the ferret wasn't his, he still had to obediently leave it with Hua Tianxing.
"Sister." Hua Ruoxu smiled bitterly to himself. He didn't know when, but his status seemed to have fallen below that of the ferret. He had been there for a while, but Hua Tianxing still ignored him.
"Little brother, don't say that your sister treats you badly. If you could stay with me every day like the little ferret, I would treat you even better than the little ferret." Hua Tianxing said with a grin, putting the ferret down and floating to Hua Ruoxu's side, wrapping her arms around his neck. Hua Ruoxu began to have a feeling that Hua Tianxing seemed to treat him like a pet; hugging him was the same as hugging that ferret.
"Hmph, I'm ignoring you! I like hugging you, and you don't even appreciate it!" Hua Tianxing pouted, let go of his hand, and floated over to the ferret, hugging it tightly. Only then did Hua Ruoxu remember that Hua Tianxing knew everything about him.
"Sister, I need your help." Hua Ruoxu took two steps forward, this time taking the initiative to hug Hua Tianxing. Her body was still so light and weightless, still so soft and boneless.
"Sister said you can freely move the disciples of the Love Pavilion; you don't need to ask me." Hua Tianxing quickly kissed him on the cheek and giggled.

End of Volume Nine, "Deep Affection."

Volume Ten: Sword Madman. Synopsis: A thousand-mile journey to aid the Heavenly Star

Alliance; a long and arduous road ahead; internal strife, a heart filled with sorrow. For the sake of her weak child, Jiang Xiaoyue is forced to help Nangong—alas! For her husband, Hua Yuluan tearfully severs ties with her own flesh and blood—tragedy! For her sisters, the Dongting woman betrays her friend for personal gain—regret! For her lover, Hua Feihua bravely ventures alone into the Immortal Palace—courage! ……………… Volume Ten: Sword Madman, Chapter One: A Thousand-Mile Journey to Aid the Heavenly Star Alliance. Council Hall. Night falls. The hall is brightly lit. Everyone from the Heavenly Star Alliance is present: Hua Ruoxu, the Hua Yuluan and Hua Yufeng sisters, Xue Youyou and her two sisters, Ximen Lin, Fang Xia, Hua Feihua, Zhao Changkong and Huang Yingying, even Ye Wuying is there. "The four factions are on the verge of collapse, and we naturally cannot stand idly by. Although I know there will be many traps waiting for us on the road, we still have to go." Hua Ruoxu slowly glanced at everyone and said in a deep voice, "Before we set off, there is one thing I must make clear to everyone: I, Hua Ruoxu, am not asking you to become heroes, nor am I asking you to fight to the death with the enemy. If we encounter the enemy, we will fight if we can, and retreat if we cannot. Our goal is to retreat unscathed, and the one who survives to the end is the biggest winner." "Feng'er, tell everyone about the possible opponents beforehand." Hua Ruoxu looked at Hua Yufeng and said, then looked up outside, "You all come in as well." As soon as he finished speaking, a group of young men and women in white suddenly appeared in the hall. “Although Ye Bu’er mysteriously disappeared more than half a year ago, his power remains the largest and most difficult to deal with. The recent incident involving the four major sects is most likely orchestrated by him.” Hua Yufeng smiled gently at Hua Ruoxu and nodded, saying, “While we don’t yet know Ye Bu’er’s true strength, a rough estimate suggests he has a group of assassins stronger than the White Robe Tower. And, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the White Robe Tower will likely be hired by them as well. Furthermore, there’s the Poison Sect, which is incredibly difficult to guard against; we must be careful with all of these.” “Another one is the Immortal Palace. We recently learned that the Immortal Palace’s master is Feng Guoyun, and Feng Congyun was also once the Immortal Palace’s altar master. Given that almost all four great families have mysteriously disappeared, the Immortal Palace likely possesses most of the original God Palace’s strength, as well as a large portion of the four great families’ manpower. However, compared to Ye Bu’er’s subordinates, while the Immortal Palace has a large number of people, they have very few experts.” Hua Yufeng continued, “The last one is Nangong Feiyun. We don’t know much about him yet, but we should still pay some attention to him.” "Fairy Hua, you said the people from the four great families are all in the Immortal Palace? That's...that's unlikely, isn't it? I've never heard of that before," Hua Feihua said with some doubt. "Brother Hua, many things are beyond our imagination," Hua Ruoxu smiled slightly. "Feng'er didn't say things were definitely like this, but we must be prepared for this now, otherwise, if it comes true, we might be caught off guard." "Alliance Leader, I believe that with our current strength, even if they all attack our Heavenly Star Alliance together, we can still have the absolute upper hand," Zhao Changkong interjected. Since receiving Hanxue's help, his inner strength had greatly improved, and his martial arts had also advanced by leaps and bounds, making him increasingly confident in his speech. “Chang Kong, I believe what you say, but now we must divide our existing manpower into five groups. We are in the open, while the enemy is in the shadows, which inevitably adds many unknowns.” Hua Ruoxu nodded and said, “Everyone knows that our Tianxing Alliance is in Jinling, and this is our base, so nothing can happen here.” “Those people are really annoying. If we had killed them all, everything would have been fine.” Xue Youyou suddenly muttered. “We can’t kill them all.” Hua Yufeng sighed softly. “Let’s not talk about that for now. We’re setting off tomorrow, and the main issue now is the allocation of manpower. The sixty-four disciples of Qinglou will be divided into four groups of sixteen people each, heading to the four major sects.” “I am now nominally the head of Shaolin, so I will lead sixteen Qinglou disciples to Shaolin.” Hua Ruoxu spoke first. Indeed, he was the most suitable person to go to Shaolin. “Hua Lang, isn’t it a bit inappropriate for you to go alone? Why don’t I go with you?” Jiang Qingyue asked softly. "I want to go to Shaolin with Brother Hua too!" Xue Youyou said sweetly. "Youyou, Ruoxu isn't going there to play," Hua Feimeng said, amused and exasperated. "I'll keep an eye on Brother Hua. What if he becomes a monk there?" Xue Youyou pouted. Although the atmosphere was tense, everyone couldn't help but smile upon hearing this. "I'm not too comfortable with Junior Brother going to Shaolin alone. How about I go with him?" Hua Yuluan, who hadn't spoken until now, suddenly chimed in. Xue Youyou fell silent. There was nothing she could do; if Hua Yuluan wanted to go, she couldn't stop her. "Senior Sister, you should stay home," Hua Ruoxu said, reluctant to go with Hua Yuluan. "I'm worried about you alone. Besides, I've been home for a long time. I'll go out for a walk," Hua Yuluan shook her head, seemingly having made up her mind. "Then I'll go to Emei. I heard it's quite fun there," Xue Youyou muttered. "Youyou, what if you have too much fun there and don't want to come back?" Hua Feimeng said with a grin. "That's alright, it's fine to stay a few more days." Xue Youyou said naturally. "There are nuns there, what if you don't want to come back? You'll end up being a nun there." Hua Feimeng chuckled and glanced at Hua Ruoxu, "Ruoxu will be worried sick then." "I won't become a nun, you be the one to do it!" Xue Youyou finally understood, her pink face slightly red, and she retorted to Hua Feimeng, not giving up. "Alliance Leader, Yingying used to be an Emei disciple, I think it would be better if I went with Yingying." Zhao Changkong volunteered. "Alright, but I'm not too comfortable with just the two of you. How about this, Brother Fang, you go to Emei with Changkong and the others." Hua Ruoxu thought for a moment and said. "No problem." Fang Xia readily agreed. "Brother-in-law, what about me? You're not going to make me stay here, are you?" Hua Feihua started to complain. "Meng'er, Youyou, Qingjie, you go to Wudang. Feihua, you go with them too." Hua Ruoxu hesitated for a moment before saying this. Perhaps it was out of personal consideration, although he knew that the three women's martial arts were actually very high, and that few could gain an advantage against them if they joined forces, he was still a little worried. So he included Hua Feihua with them. After all, all three of them were women, and sometimes it might be inconvenient for them to do things. It would be better to have a man by their side. "Ruoxu, since that's the case, then Wuying and I will go to Qingcheng." Ximen Lin spoke up at this time. So far, she was the only one who hadn't made any arrangements. "Sister Lin, thank you for your trouble." Hua Ruoxu nodded, then turned his eyes to Ye Wuying and said, "However, Miss Ye is still our guest, so you should stay here." "Young Master Hua, it's alright. I'll go with my senior sister. That way, we can look after each other." Ye Wuying quickly said. The matter was settled, and everyone returned to their rooms to prepare. However, Ximen Lin, Hua Yufeng, and Hua Ruoxu reunited in Hua Yufeng's bedroom.

“Yu Feng, Wu Ying seems to have a premonition that her father will do something bad to this place. Perhaps she doesn't want to confront him directly, so she wants to avoid him.” Xi Men Lin sighed softly, then took out a white porcelain bottle from her bosom and handed it to Hua Yu Feng. “She asked me to give this to you. She said it contains an antidote specifically for the Poison Sect. Now that Xiao Xue isn't here, it could be troublesome if someone gets poisoned, so take this just in case.”
“So it seems the Poison Sect must be under Ye Bu Er’s command.” Hua Ruoxu pondered for a moment and said.
“Wu Ying is actually suffering a lot. She wants to stop her father, but she can't betray him. She's tormented by this contradiction every day. Perhaps this is all she can do. Let's take this as a hint from her to us.” Xi Men Lin nodded and said softly.
“Feng’er, you must take good care of yourself. My sister promised me she would help you secretly.” Hua Ruoxu looked at Hua Yu Feng affectionately and said softly.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine. If Ye Bu'er dares to come here, I'll make sure his men never return." Hua Yufeng smiled sweetly, her tone full of confidence.
"That's good. Feng'er, you should rest early. Sister Lin, you too. I'll go out now." Hua Ruoxu glanced at the two women gently, then turned and left the room.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu went to the Demon Palace and found Su Dai'er. After all, he was about to embark on another long journey, and he felt he should inform her.
It wasn't until the early hours of the next day that Hua Ruoxu returned from Su Dai'er.
"Elder Sun, go do something for me." After Hua Ruoxu left, Su Dai'er had Liu Yun invite Sun Yunyan in.
"Palace Master, please give your orders!" Sun Yunyan was always very polite to Su Dai'er.
"Brother Ruoxu's child has been stolen. Go and find the child." Su Dai'er said casually.
*** *** ****
"My lord, Hua Ruoxu and the others have already left the city." The next day, in a basement somewhere in Jinling City. The speaker was still the same thin man in black, standing behind Ye Bu'er.
"Was it Hua Yufeng who stayed in Jinling?" Ye Bu'er asked in a low voice after a brief silence.
"Your Majesty is wise, it was indeed Hua Yufeng. Everyone else has left Jinling." The thin man's tone carried a hint of flattery.
"How many people did Hua Ruoxu bring to Shaolin? Which ones are we haven't seen before?" Ye Bu'er asked again.
"Hua Ruoxu and Hua Yuluan, and eight pairs of young men and women. These sixteen people have never appeared before. The other three groups also have eight pairs of similarly dressed young men and women." The thin man seemed surprised, pausing slightly as he spoke.
"Just as I expected, Hua Ruoxu, Hua Ruoxu, at this point, you can no longer hide, can you? Hahaha..." Ye Bu'er laughed smugly.
"How should this subordinate act? Please give your orders, Your Majesty!" the thin man asked respectfully, bowing his head.
"Give me the list of those who went to the four major sects." Ye Bu'er said calmly.
"
Don't act rashly against Hua Ruoxu and Hua Yuluan's group. Either of them is more than capable of handling dozens of experts with ease. We shouldn't make unnecessary sacrifices." After about half a cup of tea's time, Ye Bu'er said in a deep voice, "Don't worry about those heading to Qingcheng for now. As for the Wudang group, those three women from the Divine Palace, especially Xue Youyou and Jiang Qingyue, are difficult to deal with. They could easily be wiped out. In comparison, the three who came to rescue Emei are the weakest. Moreover, the journey from Jinling to Emei is long, so this group should be the easiest to deal with."
"Does the master mean we should ambush them first?" the thin man asked.
"Don't rush. We must first find out the background of those young men and women. Let a few people test them first, and then we can make a plan." Ye Bu'er shook his head and said.
"Yes, I understand!"
"Also, spread the news quickly that the four major sects are besieged and Hua Ruoxu is rushing to their rescue!" Ye Bu'er's lips curled into a sly smile. "There are always many who want to take advantage of the chaos, but we'll see who robs whom then!"
*** *** ****
Ten fine horses galloped away, the two leading them being Hua Ruoxu and Hua Yuluan. The eight pairs of young men and women were all riding together. Looking at them, Hua Ruoxu felt somewhat ashamed. Even though he and Hua Yuluan were already husband and wife, they wouldn't be so unrestrained in broad daylight.
"Senior Sister, this is our first time riding together in the martial world, isn't it?" After traveling several dozen miles outside the city, everyone slowed down. Hua Ruoxu looked at Hua Yuluan beside him and said with a touch of emotion.
"Yes, when I was little, I longed for the day when we could travel the martial world together. Now it has finally come true!" Hua Yuluan said softly, a strange feeling gradually welling up in her heart. Looking back, she couldn't help but feel a sense of loss and a profound sense of vicissitude.
Two years ago, she was almost in despair, believing that Hua Ruoxu would never be like this, traveling the world with her, fighting evil and upholding justice together. At that time, she never imagined that one day she would tacitly allow Hua Ruoxu to be intimate with other young women, enjoying romantic moments under the moonlit flowers. Life is unpredictable. Two years is neither long nor short, but for Hua Yuluan and Hua Ruoxu, it felt longer than the previous twenty years, and more had happened during that time.
"Senior Sister, once this matter is completely over, I will accompany you to travel all over the Central Plains, even beyond the Great Wall, to all the mountains and rivers, to all the places you want to go. What do you say?" Hua Ruoxu said affectionately.
"With you by my side, anywhere is fine," Hua Yuluan said softly, looking deeply at Hua Ruoxu.
No matter how many mountains and rivers I traverse, no matter how many hardships and dangers I face, as long as I am with you, that is enough for me!

Volume Ten, Sword Madness, Chapter Two: The Rise and Fall of the Wind and Clouds.

Hua Ruoxu gently pressed down on the horse's back, his body leaping into the air, flying several feet diagonally, landing
lightly behind Hua Yuluan, and embracing her slender waist. "Senior Sister, let's do the same as them," Hua Ruoxu whispered in Hua Yuluan's ear, taking the reins from her hand at the same time.
"Whatever you want," Hua Yuluan's pretty face flushed slightly, glancing shyly at the sixteen disciples of the Love Pavilion behind her. Finding that they didn't seem to be looking this way, she felt a slight sense of relief.
The Love Pavilion had a total of one hundred and twenty-eight disciples, half male and half female. Whether it was Hua Tianxing being lazy or for some other reason, their names were all replaced with numbers. The boys were called Dalang, Erlang, up to Liushisilang, while the girls were called Damei, Ermei, and so on, except the last one wasn't called Liushisimei, but Yaomei.
The sixteen people following Hua Ruoxu were the first eight couples, from the eldest brother and eldest sister to the eighth brother and eighth sister. Judging by their appearance, they were all outstanding, perhaps this was why Hua Tianxing had chosen them specifically. The boys were all quite handsome, and the girls were also quite beautiful. Although they were far less striking than Hua Yuluan and her group, they were still beauties among beauties.
"Third Brother, do you think the Master and Madam are a good match?" Hua Ruoxu and Hua Yuluan probably never imagined that these disciples of the Love Pavilion were discussing them, and that it was the Third Sister who spoke.
"They are a good match, but I think Miss and the Master would be an even better match," Third Brother said after thinking for a moment.
"No way! I think the Master is completely unworthy of Miss," the Fifth Sister chimed in, "Nobody is worthy of Miss at all!"
"Fifth Sister, you can't say that. I think if Miss really wants to find a suitable match, only the Master is qualified." Fifth Brother seemed a bit more mature. He glanced at Hua Ruoxu not far ahead and said in a low voice.
"But I think the Master's favorite person isn't Miss. He seems to like Madam more." Seventh Sister had a mischievous look, and her tone seemed to be indignant on Hua Tianxing's behalf.
"Seventh Sister, you don't understand. I dare say the Master's favorite person is definitely Miss. But Miss is like a fairy in heaven, and ordinary people don't dare to get close to her. Although the Master is close to Miss, he doesn't dare to act recklessly. So on the surface, it seems that the Master likes Madam more, but in reality, he definitely likes Miss the most." This time it was Eldest Brother who spoke. It seems that the eldest is different; he analyzes problems very clearly.
"But I think it's not fair to Miss. Look how kind Miss is to only the Master, while the Master is kind to so many women. If I were Miss, I wouldn't do that." Seventh Sister pouted, glaring at Hua Ruoxu's back with dissatisfaction.
"Seventh Sister, what are you doing? You're not allowed to be so disrespectful to the Master, understand? What did Miss tell us?" Seeing Seventh Sister's expression, Eldest Brother's face suddenly changed, and he scolded her in a low voice.
"I won't do it again." Seventh Sister looked aggrieved, muttered, and then fell into Seventh Brother's arms without saying a word.
"Eldest Brother, Seventh Sister is just being childish, don't blame her." It seems the eldest sister wasn't just a figurehead; the eldest sister stepped in to smooth things over. "Actually, we all know that the Master is the most important person to Miss. We protect the Master because it's also for Miss's sake. Similarly, if we respect Miss, we must also respect the Master. Do you all understand what I mean?"
Everyone nodded, and Seventh Sister straightened up, nodding repeatedly.
"Alright, let's pick up the pace. We've fallen quite far behind. While we shouldn't get too close to the Master and Madam, we can't be too far either, lest something happens and we're caught off guard." Da Lang glanced ahead, then spurred his horse, sending it galloping forward like an arrow.
*** *** ***
"Brother-in-law, do you think Sister will be happy for us?" Zhao Changkong and Huang Yingying rode side by side when Huang Yingying suddenly asked softly.
"She definitely will!" Zhao Changkong paused for a moment, a gentle yet sorrowful expression flashing in his eyes, then nodded firmly and said in a deep voice.
Fang Xia was about ten feet behind the two. Seeing their backs, a beautiful figure involuntarily appeared in his mind.

"Senior Sister, when can we be like them?" Fang Xia murmured to himself, but he knew that this wish was probably impossible for him to fulfill in this lifetime.
*** *** ***
"Wu Ying, what is your greatest wish?" Ximen Lin looked at Ye Wu Ying and asked with a smile.
"Ah, Senior Sister, what...what did you just ask?" Ye Wuying seemed to have been lost in thought, only now being jolted awake by Ximen Lin.
"Wuying, don't overthink it. Don't worry, things will work out in the end. There's nothing that can't be solved," Ximen Lin sighed softly.
"Senior Sister, I know, thank you for your concern." Ye Wuying's face showed a hint of sadness. "By the way, what did you just ask?"
"I asked you, what is your greatest wish?" Ximen Lin hesitated for a moment, then repeated the question.
"My greatest wish, my greatest wish..." Ye Wuying murmured several times, a look of confusion appearing in her eyes. After a moment, she slowly said, "Before, my greatest wish was to uphold justice in the martial arts world, to make all the injustices in the martial arts world disappear in my hands, to make all the unfairness in the martial arts world cease to exist; later, my greatest wish was that everything I saw, everything I knew, was actually just a dream; and now, I don't know what wish I have
left. Perhaps, I only hope that everyone can be safe and sound, everyone." She murmured the words "everyone" repeatedly. Ximen Lin didn't press further. She knew that among the "everyone" Ye Wuying mentioned was her father, Ye Bu'er.
*** *** ***
"Feihua, are you troubled?" Hua Feihua had remained silent the whole way, which was completely unlike his personality. Jiang Qingyue finally couldn't help but ask.
"Qingyue, you don't need to ask him. I know he's worried about his new lover." Hua Feimeng cheerfully took over the conversation.
"A new lover? Ah, Brother Hua, who's your old lover?" Xue Youyou, having spent so much time with Hua Feimeng, had become just as curious as him.
"Hehe, Youyou, Feimeng's old lover is your favorite Brother Hua's current lover. Who do you think it is?" Hua Feimeng giggled at Xue Youyou.
"What? I'm not Brother Hua's old lover!" Xue Youyou glared at Hua Feimeng. "I'm going to tell Brother Hua next time that you're always bullying me!"
"Sister, I'm still your brother. You shouldn't make fun of me like this!" Hua Feihua finally spoke, seemingly somewhat dissatisfied with Hua Feimeng.
"Hey, don't forget that only I, your older sister, care about you now. Only I know you're so preoccupied with Xue Rou. You're such a heartless person!" Hua Feimeng glared at Hua Feihua.
"Alright, alright, you care about me more than you care about your brother-in-law, how about that? Now do I have a conscience?" Hua Feihua said irritably.
"Hey, don't get your hopes up. The one I care about most is Ruoxu, and then you." Hua Feimeng was still smiling. Hua Feihua had no choice but to shut up.
"So Brother Hua likes Sister Xue Rou, but Sister Yue'er has stolen the baby somewhere." Xue Youyou seemed to realize something. This girl was really slow to realize things. In fact, everyone in the Tianxing Alliance except her probably knew that Hua Feihua and Lan Xue Rou's relationship was not ordinary. Just look at how they went in and out together every day.
"Feihua, don't worry too much. Yu Feng will continue to look for Xue Rou." Jiang Qingyue comforted her. Hua Feihua finally had someone else to love, and she was relieved. Otherwise, she always felt a little awkward every time she saw him.
*** *** ***
Tianxing Alliance.
"You can go now!" Hua Yu Feng said to Hong Yue'er indifferently.
"What?" Hong Yue'er seemed somewhat disbelieving.
"I said you can leave. Since you want to talk, I won't force you. However, the Tianxing Alliance no longer welcomes you to stay," Hua Yufeng said coldly, then turned and walked out.
About fifteen minutes later, Hong Yue'er left the Tianxing Alliance.
Hong Yue'er headed straight for the city gates, her steps somewhat hurried. Suddenly, she felt dizzy and her body went limp.
"Miss, I followed Hong Yue'er to the city gates and found that she had been knocked unconscious and abducted," a man in black stood before Hua Yufeng.
"Do you know who abducted her?" Hua Yufeng frowned slightly. "
Reporting to Miss, it was Sun Yunyan," the man in black said in a low voice.
"Sun Yunyan? How could it be her?" Hua Yufeng was secretly surprised.
*** *** ***
Somewhere near Jinling.
Feng Guoyun sat on the high seat in the main hall, with the heads of the four great families and the four elders of the Divine Palace—no, now the four elders of the Immortal Palace—standing on either side of the hall.
"Palace Master, Hua Ruoxu is currently facing internal and external troubles. This is the best opportunity for us to deal with him. What are we hesitating for?" Feng Yundong finally couldn't help but ask.
"What we need to do now is simply sit back and watch the tigers fight. If Hua Ruoxu were so easy to deal with, Ye Bu'er wouldn't have been forced to go from the open to the covert." Feng Guoyun said calmly, clearly disapproving of Feng Yundong's suggestion.
"Guardian Feng, the Palace Master is right. We shouldn't ruin our plans because of momentary anger." Elder Feng also chimed in.
"Momentary anger? Does that mean Cong Yun will die at Hua Ruoxu's hands in vain? Have hundreds of disciples from the Outer Jinling Branch sacrificed themselves in vain?" Feng Yundong said angrily, his eyes flashing with intense hatred.
"Cong Yun is also my brother. I will naturally avenge him, but not now." Feng Guoyun's expression remained calm, unmoved by Feng Yundong's words.
"Your brother? Haha, yes, yes, your brother, hahahahaha." Feng Yundong suddenly burst into wild laughter, his laughter filled with resentment and injustice.
"Guardian Feng, we're still not certain whether Hua Ruoxu was behind the events at the outer Jinling branch. Besides, as the saying goes, a gentleman's revenge is never too late, even after ten years. Why are you in such a hurry?" Elder Feng sighed softly.
"It wasn't your son who died, of course you wouldn't be in such a rush!" Feng Yundong glared at Elder Feng, then turned and strode away.
"Palace Master, Palace Master, something terrible has happened!" Suddenly, a maid-like girl rushed in, panting heavily.
"What is it?" Feng Guoyun's expression changed slightly.
"Palace Master, Guardian Feng, Guardian Feng... he... he snatched the child!" the maid said breathlessly.
"What?" Feng Guoyun's face changed drastically. "Chase him!" With that, he vanished from the hall in a flash.
*** *** ****
Jinling Prefectural Government Office.
"This humble servant greets the Princess!"
A powerful figure was currently guarding the prefectural office—none other than the peerless Princess Wushuang, whom no one dared to easily provoke. Before her knelt a middle-aged man dressed as an ordinary citizen.
"Rise. How did things go?" Princess Wushuang, dressed in palace attire, waved her hand and asked.
"Reporting to the Princess, the main force of the Heavenly Star Alliance has left Jinling," the middle-aged man replied, bowing and handing over a thick notebook.
"Well done. You may leave now. I will reward you when we return to the capital." Princess Wushuang casually flipped through it, a satisfied expression on her face.
"Thank you, Princess!" The middle-aged man's face lit up with joy. He bowed and withdrew.
"Princess, come out quickly! Mei'er is exhausted!" As soon as the middle-aged man left, "Princess Wushuang" called out to him in a half-coquettish tone.
"No need to rush, Mei'er. Come and see this little guy, he's so much fun!" A clear voice came from inside the wall.
"Princess, since you love children so much, why don't you hurry up and find a suitable husband?" Mei'er complained, gently pressing on the wall. Suddenly, a large hole appeared in the wall, revealing a completely different world inside.
A veiled girl in yellow was playing with a delicately beautiful baby, who smiled sweetly and seemed very happy.
"You brat, what nonsense are you spouting? I don't want to have any children!" The veiled girl, who was actually the real Princess Wushuang, glared at Mei'er and spat lightly.
"That's fine too. You'll be this child's mother from now on. The child's father will definitely be overjoyed." Mei'er said with a grin.
"I think you're the one who wants to be his mother!" Princess Wushuang said irritably.
"Fine, I'll be. Anyway, if I become his mother, you'll do the same, Princess." Mei'er showed no shame and continued to smile.
"You brat, you're desperate to get married!" Princess Wushuang glared at Mei'er again.
"The palace is so boring. Once I'm married, I won't have to live there anymore," Mei'er muttered.

Volume Ten, Sword Madness, Chapter Three: The Weak Child's Life in Danger

. "Reporting to Elder, Hong Yue'er still won't say anything." A respectful Demon Palace disciple stood behind Sun Yunyan.
Sun Yunyan frowned slightly. She hadn't expected Hong Yue'er to be so tight-lipped; no matter how much she was threatened or bribed, she wouldn't reveal anything.
"Are the three Dongting sisters very close?" Sun Yunyan asked after a moment's thought.
"According to my investigation, although they are only sworn sisters, their actual relationship is even better than that of biological sisters," the Demon Palace disciple replied respectfully. "
Go and spread the word that Hong Yue'er, for disrespecting this elder, will be publicly executed here in three days as a warning to others!" Sun Yunyan said in a deep voice after a moment of silence.
"Yes, sir!" the disciple said, slightly startled.
**** **** ****
Feng Guoyun, along with the four elders of the Immortal Palace and a group of subordinates, appeared outside Jinling City, but had not yet found Feng Yundong or the Feng family disciples he had taken with him.
"Chase after them towards Shaolin!" Feng Guoyun shouted in a deep voice. Even without his order, the four elders already knew that Feng Yundong was clearly seeking revenge on Hua Ruoxu for killing his son, and Hua Ruoxu was on his way to Shaolin.
"I think you don't need to chase after them." A faint voice drifted over, and a woman in white appeared before them like a ghost, breathtakingly beautiful, alluring, and exceptionally gorgeous yet exuding a holy aura.
"You, you…" Elder Feng's expression changed drastically, pointing at the woman in white, his face filled with horror.
"It's been many years. How are you all?" The woman in white smiled slightly, her tone gentle, yet the four elders couldn't help but gasp.
"May I ask how this young lady should be addressed?" Feng Guoyun was also somewhat surprised. He couldn't sense any aura from the woman before him, nor could he fathom her strength, but judging from the expressions of the four elders beside him, they clearly knew this woman and even felt a sense of fear towards her.
"This young master must be Feng Guoyun, the Palace Master of the Immortal Palace." The woman in white turned her pretty face to face Feng Guoyun and said with a smile.
Feng Guoyun was startled. The fact that he was the Palace Master of the Immortal Palace shouldn't be known to many, let alone to someone he was a complete stranger to.
"Zhao Wan'er, weren't you already dead?" Elder Feng seemed to have recovered from his initial shock, but his tone was still somewhat unnatural.
"Feng Yunqi, I didn't expect that after more than ten years, you've become quite bold, daring to call me by my name directly." Zhao Wan'er smiled faintly, but her gaze was like ice, coldly piercing Elder Feng's heart, causing him to shiver slightly.
"Zhao Wan'er, stop pretending. Since you didn't die then, dying now is the same!" Elder Feng took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, his tone cold and disdainful. He had only lost his composure initially due to an unconscious fear that had developed over many years.
"You reap what you sow!" Zhao Wan'er sighed softly. "You can betray the Divine Palace, but you shouldn't have killed Senior Sister."
Zhao Wan'er slowly shook her head, turned around, and gracefully walked away. Feng Guoyun and the Fourth Elder didn't stop her, but stared blankly at her beautiful figure.
"Elder Feng, what exactly is Zhao Wan'er's identity?" After Zhao Wan'er disappeared from everyone's sight, Feng Guoyun finally asked.
*** *** ***
"Palace Master, Elder Nangong requests an audience!" Liu Yun hurriedly entered Su Dai'er's boudoir.
"Let him in!" Su Dai'er hesitated slightly before speaking.
Nangong Xuanyuan and Lu Yunchang entered together.
"Palace Master, I have something to report!" Nangong Xuanyuan now seemed much more polite to Su Dai'er.
"Speak quickly, whatever it is." Su Dai'er didn't turn her head, her back to the two, her tone devoid of emotion.
"The Divine Palace has been basically destroyed, and Nangong Feiyun played a crucial role in dealing with it. I request that Nangong Feiyun be promoted to Protector of this Palace." Nangong Xuanyuan bowed and said.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu and Hua Yuluan traveled side by side, day and night. Three days later, the group of eighteen had entered Henan Province. Winter had arrived, and the weather was somewhat cold and gloomy.
"Senior Sister, let's rest for a while." As dusk approached, the afterglow of the setting sun was particularly enchanting. Passing through a bamboo forest, Hua Ruoxu softly suggested. Hua Yuluan nodded. After all, almost everyone hadn't had a proper rest in the past three days.
"Master, we've been followed these past few days. Should we take action?" Dalang stepped forward and asked in a low voice.
"No need. Remember, don't act unless absolutely necessary." Hua Ruoxu shook his head. In fact, this was something Hua Yufeng had already instructed them to do: the Qinglou disciples shouldn't act first. If there weren't many enemies, there was no need to reveal their true strength.
"Yes, Master!" Dalang stepped back, and with a slight wave of his hand, the sixteen people suddenly disappeared into the shadows.
"Junior brother, did you feel that they seemed to have a lot of experience in the martial world?" Hua Yuluan said in a low voice.
"I had that feeling too, but maybe it's the result of my sister's training." Hua Ruoxu nodded. These disciples did indeed give him the feeling of being seasoned veterans, but he didn't think too much about it because he had absolute faith in Hua Tianxing.
"When will we be able to travel the world in peace, without a care in the world of martial arts?" Hua Yuluan sighed softly, a hint of longing on her face. Perhaps one day, she could truly ride the rivers and lakes with her lover, carefree.
"Senior Sister, don't worry." Hua Ruoxu gently embraced her slender waist and said slowly, "I have a feeling that the peaceful days of the martial world are not far away."
"Junior Brother, actually, as long as you can stay with me, even if we're constantly scheming and fighting in the martial world, I'm willing." Hua Yuluan nestled gently in Hua Ruoxu's arms and whispered.
"Senior Sister, I've wronged you all these years, but I will always be with you from now on." A look of guilt flashed in Hua Ruoxu's eyes as he said softly.
"Don't dwell on the past. I also had many faults." Hua Yuluan gently shook her head, about to say something, when suddenly her face changed slightly, and she stopped speaking.
A series of crackling sounds came from the bamboo forest, and a clearing several dozen feet in diameter appeared in a moment later.
"Wah..." A baby's cry followed, and Hua Yuluan and Hua Ruoxu exchanged a glance, their expressions changing slightly. In a flash, they appeared simultaneously in a clearing in the bamboo forest.
"Feng Yundong?" Hua Ruoxu was slightly surprised.
"Hua Ruoxu, you'd better not move, otherwise, your precious son might..." Feng Yundong smiled sinisterly, not finishing his sentence. Just then, the baby's cry rang out again.
"Feng Yundong, what do you mean?" Hua Ruoxu's heart skipped a beat, but he remained calm and asked coldly.
At that moment, Hua Ruoxu's mind reeled, for accompanied by the baby's cry, the infant appeared before him.
"Baby!" Hua Yuluan exclaimed, her body flashing as she tried to rush forward.
"Halt!" Feng Yundong shouted. "Hua Yuluan, although your martial arts are superb, I'm afraid you can't save your precious son under these circumstances. If you don't want him to die, you'd better go back to where you were!"
Hua Yuluan, who had just flown half a zhang away, turned back because she clearly saw that the baby's body, head, and neck were all covered with gleaming steel knives.
"Senior Sister, are you sure that's our baby?" Hua Ruoxu asked in a low voice. The two of them were a good twenty zhang away from the child, and the child's body was covered with knives, making it impossible to see his face.
"I don't know, but the clothes he's wearing, I made them." Hua Yuluan shook her head, and for the first time, a look of panic appeared on her face.
"Feng Yundong, what tricks are you playing? Just say it!" Hua Ruoxu didn't ask Hua Yuluan any more questions. A strong sense of unease welled up in her heart. After a slight hesitation, she turned her gaze to Feng Yundong in the distance.
"Hua Ruoxu, let your sixteen subordinates come out first." Feng Yundong said with a cold smile.
"Come out, all of you!" Hua Ruoxu glanced around and said in a deep voice. As soon as he finished speaking, eight pairs of young men and women suddenly appeared, standing in eight directions, effectively surrounding everyone.
"Tell them all to retreat behind you!" Feng Yundong continued to command.

"Feng Yundong, I, Hua Ruoxu, don't seem to need to obey your orders!" Hua Ruoxu said coldly, not following his instructions.
"So, you don't care about your son's life?" Feng Yundong's face showed hatred and ruthlessness as he said coldly.
"Feng Yundong, if you dare, I guarantee that everyone in your Feng family will disappear from this world!" Hua Ruoxu's handsome face changed slightly, and his tone suddenly turned cold.
"Hahaha, Hua Ruoxu, what do I have to be afraid of? Look, your precious son has twenty knives in his body. Even if you and Hua Yuluan are masters of martial arts, so what? If either of them makes the slightest move, your precious son will be dead!" Feng Yundong laughed wildly, then his tone suddenly became more sorrowful. "Hua Ruoxu, you killed my son, so I'll kill yours. Isn't that fair? Cong Yun is already dead. As long as I can avenge him, what does it matter if I die?" "Feng Yundong,
you are a sect leader, using a baby who is only a few months old to threaten others. Don't you feel ashamed?" Hua Yuluan said hatefully. According to her usual temper, she would probably have already drawn her sword. However, with the child in Feng Yundong's hands, she really had no confidence in rescuing the child under these circumstances, so she could only swallow her anger. "Shame
? I'm not afraid of death, so what's shameful about it?" Feng Yundong laughed wildly, a terrifying expression on his face, giving off a sense of madness.
"Senior Sister, Feng Yundong seems to have gone mad. Be careful." Hua Ruoxu felt something was very wrong with Feng Yundong, so she whispered to Hua Yuluan.
"Junior Brother, but... but what about the child?" Hua Yuluan's face was filled with anxiety.
"Don't worry, the child will be alright." Hua Ruoxu comforted her, but he had no confidence at all.
Suddenly, a whoosh was heard, and a faint whooshing sound came from the air. Hua Yuluan reached out and grabbed the object in her hand.
"Baby's longevity lock!" Hua Yuluan exclaimed, "Junior Brother, that... that really is our child!"
Hua Ruoxu took a deep breath, gently embraced Hua Yuluan, and stared intently at Feng Yundong.
"Feng Yundong, you can speak now. What conditions do you want for me to release the child?" After a long while, Hua Ruoxu asked in a deep voice.
"Make them all step back behind you first!" Feng Yundong looked at the eight couples in the Love Pavilion and said coldly.
"You can come here." Hua Ruoxu waved to Dalang, his tone full of helplessness.
“Master, this…” Da Lang hesitated slightly.
"Come here!" Hua Ruoxu raised his voice slightly.
"Yes, Master!" Dalang replied helplessly, waving his hand and flashing behind Hua Ruoxu. The other disciples naturally followed suit.
"Feng Yundong, what other demands do you have? Speak them all at once!" Hua Ruoxu looked coldly at Feng Yundong.
"Hua Ruoxu, I only want revenge for Congyun. If you want your precious son to live, it's simple, exchange your life for his!" Feng Yundong's face revealed a cruel expression.
*** *** ***
"Princess, Princess!" Mei'er clung to Princess Wushuang, but the princess ignored her, engrossed in playing with the baby in the cradle.
"Princess, I'm so bored, let's go out and play!" Mei'er said again.
"Mei'er, what do you think should be his name?" Princess Wushuang finally spoke.
"I say, Princess, his parents will name him themselves, so you don't need to worry about it, do you?" Mei'er felt a little amused and exasperated.
“Perhaps, he'll never see his father again in this lifetime.” Princess Wushuang suddenly sighed softly.
“Ah, really? Princess, are you going to take him to the palace?” Mei’er was startled.
“Don’t ask so many questions.” Princess Wushuang shook her head, then looked at Mei’er with some surprise. “Don’t you have anything to tell me?”
“No, oh, yes, Nangong Feiyun has become a protector of the Demon Palace.” Mei’er said casually.
“He’s acting quite quickly. It seems he’s somewhat unwilling to help us.” Princess Wushuang smiled faintly.
“I think so too.” Mei’er’s tone was clearly dissatisfied, and she snorted softly. “Without our help, let’s see what he can do alone. I don’t believe he can accomplish anything significant in the Demon Palace.”

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