Love and Sword [Complete] - 24

Volume Nine, Chapter Seven: Hanxue's Departure

"Sect Leader Ouyang, where is your daughter?" Hua Ruoxu took the jade pendant, feeling its coolness against his skin. He thought for a moment and asked.
"She's still in the Snow Mountain. My daughter's name is Ouyang Bing'er; her name is engraved on the jade pendant." Ouyang Jianping suddenly coughed violently, his breathing becoming rapid and shallow. "Young Master Hua, please be sure to hand her over to my daughter personally. I... I, Ouyang Jianping, have nothing to repay you with, so... I'll kowtow to you first." With that, Ouyang Jianping struggled to his feet, preparing to kneel.
"Sect Leader Ouyang, please don't do this!" Hua Ruoxu was startled and quickly supported him. "Sect Leader Ouyang, I think you should come back to the Heavenly Star Alliance with me first. I have a doctor there who can heal your injuries."
"Young Master Hua, I know my injuries are beyond repair." Ouyang Jianping coughed twice and said breathlessly, "Young Master Hua, can you promise me that you will definitely deliver this jade pendant to my daughter?" "
Sect Leader Ouyang, please rest assured. I, Hua Ruoxu, will personally go to the Snow Mountain to deliver the jade pendant to Miss Ouyang." Hua Ruoxu nodded.
"Then, then I'm relieved." Ouyang Jianping murmured, a strange expression suddenly appearing in his eyes. He looked up at the distant void, "Yan'er, I, I can finally see you."
As if driven by a strange force, Ouyang Jianping suddenly straightened up and ran forward. Although his steps were somewhat unsteady, Hua Ruoxu frowned and started to chase after him.
"Ruoxu, don't go," Ximen Lin said softly. She had been observing coldly the whole time, but now she finally spoke.
Hua Ruoxu sighed softly. He had seen Ouyang Jianping fall again and never rise again. He slowly walked over, bent down to check, and found that Ouyang Jianping had no breath left.
"Changkong, you go back first. After the fire has completely stopped, send your disciples to search carefully." Hua Ruoxu pondered for a moment and said, "Sister Lin, let's give him a proper burial."
*** *** ***
"Tomb of Ouyang Jianping, the leader of the Snow Mountain Sect," there was no inscription.
Outside Jinling City, there was a mound of yellow earth and a solitary grave. Hua Ruoxu and Ximen Lin stood quietly in front of the grave.
"Sometimes, human life is really fragile," Hua Ruoxu sighed softly. "I've seen many people die, most of whom I killed with my own hands. But I'm starting to have a feeling that perhaps I really shouldn't have killed those people." "
Life and death, the arising and ceasing of fate, these are not things we can control. Let everything take its natural course," Ximen Lin said softly.
"I actually had no connection with him, but now that he's dead in front of me, I still feel a pang of sadness." Hua Ruoxu turned around and slowly walked back to the city. "Ye Bu'er is nowhere to be found, and everyone else has vanished as if from the face of the earth. Yet he died here. Truly
, life is unpredictable." "Some things are truly unpredictable," Ximen Lin said softly. She never imagined she would emerge from that desolate valley, nor did she expect to encounter Hua Ruoxu .
*** *** ***
The Ye family of Jinling was reduced to ashes overnight, and no one knew the reason. However, people in the martial arts world naturally linked this to Hua Ruoxu, even suspecting that he was the one who did it. Hua Ruoxu didn't refute this, as it was pointless.
"Alliance Leader, we searched thoroughly but found no bodies. According to my deduction, Ye Bu'er led everyone away from the Ye family and then set the fire himself," Zhao Changkong said.
"Have you found any Kunlun disciples or disciples of the four great families?" Hua Ruoxu asked after a moment's thought.
"No, it's as if they've all vanished from this world." Zhao Changkong shook his head helplessly.
"Changkong, go to Piaoxiang Restaurant and see if Feng Ping and Xue Piaopiao are still there." Hua Ruoxu frowned and asked.
Zhao Changkong quickly sent back news that Piaoxiang Restaurant was deserted.
*** *** *** ***
"Feng'er, do you have any news?" Hua Ruoxu asked, his brows furrowed and looking slightly tired.
"No definite news yet, let's wait two more days." Hua Yufeng shook her head.
"So many people, just disappearing like that, it's unbelievable." Hua Ruoxu shook his head and murmured.
“Ye Bu'er has been scheming for so long, and his hidden subordinates haven't shown themselves, so it's actually quite simple for him to leave,” Hua Yufeng said after thinking for a moment. “It's just that the sudden disappearance of the four great families is a bit strange.”
“Why did so many people disappear, but Ouyang Jianping stayed behind?” Hua Ruoxu's face was full of doubt.
“I heard from Sister Lin that you promised Ouyang Jianping that you would give something to his daughter on his behalf?” Hua Yufeng suddenly asked.
Hua Ruoxu nodded and took out the jade pendant from his pocket. The pendant didn't seem unusual at first glance, but this time he could see clearly that the words “Bing'er” were indeed written on it.
Hua Yufeng took the jade pendant and examined it carefully for a while, then returned it to Hua Ruoxu. She didn't find anything wrong with it either.
"The journey to the Snow Mountain is long and arduous; it's no easy feat," Hua Yufeng said after a long pause. "Ouyang Bing'er is ranked first on the Phoenix Ranking, known as the most beautiful woman in the world. However, rumors say she's mentally unstable. Although she's eighteen, her mind remains that of an eight-year-old, which is why she's never left the Snow Mountain. The Snow Mountain is far from the Central Plains, so few people have verified its authenticity. However, according to information gathered by the academy disciples, Ouyang Bing'er rarely appears in front of outsiders, but the Snow Mountain disciples all know she's mentally unstable."
"A round trip to the Snow Mountain might take several months. I think we should wait a while before going," Hua Ruoxu said after some thought. Hua Yuluan's due date was approaching, and he wanted to wait until after the baby was born before going to the Snow Mountain. Ouyang Jianping hadn't said when he would deliver the supplies to the Snow Mountain, so a slight delay shouldn't be considered breaking his promise to him.
"Ruoxu," Ximen Lin's voice came from the doorway.
"Sister Lin, what's her reaction now?" Hua Ruoxu was referring to Ye Wuying.
"Judging from her expression, it seems she already knows Ye Bu'er will be alright." Ximen Lin looked puzzled. "When I mentioned that no bodies were found at the Ye family's residence, her expression was completely as if she already knew." "
She is, after all, Ye Bu'er's daughter; she should know many things, but I'm afraid we can't get her to say anything," Hua Ruoxu said helplessly.
*** *** ***
In a basement somewhere in Jinling, the atmosphere was tense.
If Hua Ruoxu saw this scene now, he would be shocked, because he certainly wouldn't expect these people to be gathered together.
The four elders of the Divine Palace—Fengyun Leidian, Nangong Feiyun, and the heads of the four great families—Fenghua Xueyue, were gathered together.
The four elders and the heads of the four families, a total of eight people, stood on either side, while Nangong Feiyun stood in the center. He slowly glanced at the eight people, revealing a smug expression.
"Now everyone knows that Ye Bu'er is under pressure from Hua Ruoxu and is temporarily lying low. Hua Ruoxu is also constantly worried that Ye Bu'er will reappear. Therefore, this is a good opportunity for our Immortal Palace to develop. I can assure you that Ye Bu'er will not appear for three to six months. We will use this time to spread our Immortal Palace disciples throughout the martial world! By then, even if Hua Ruoxu and Ye Bu'er want to stop us, it will be too late. Moreover, they will continue to fight each other like dogs!" Nangong Feiyun said slowly, a fanatical look in his eyes. "Soon, the martial world will belong to our Immortal Palace!"
"You are right. Soon, the martial world will indeed belong to the Immortal Palace, but it will not belong to your Immortal Palace, Nangong Feiyun." A faint voice came from inside, not from the eight people present, but from another person who entered. This person was someone Nangong Feiyun probably never expected—it was Feng Guoyun.
"Feng Guoyun, what did you say?" Nangong Feiyun said coldly, "Don't forget, I am the Palace Master of the Immortal Palace, and you are merely the eldest young master of the Feng family, who are subordinate to the Immortal Palace!"
"Is that so? Then ask them who the Palace Master of the Immortal Palace is?" Feng Guoyun seemed to smile with some disdain.
"Feng Yundong, if you continue to let your son act so presumptuously, don't blame me for being impolite." Although Nangong Feiyun said this, he had a vague sense of unease.

"Nangong Feiyun, it's time to wake up!" Elder Feng suddenly spoke, his eyes filled with pity as he looked at Nangong Feiyun. "Do you really think I betrayed the Divine Palace because of you? You were just a pawn in our game." "
Nangong Feiyun, it's laughable that you think the Immortal Palace was established after Uncle Feng betrayed the Divine Palace, and that Uncle Feng is the Palace Master. You think you can control the Immortal Palace just by controlling Uncle Feng? How laughable!" Feng Guoyun chuckled. "The Immortal Palace has existed for a long time, and I am the Palace Master. You are just a pathetic wretch I used."
Nangong Feiyun looked at everyone present, at their eyes, and finally understood that what Feng Guoyun said was true.
"Feng Guoyun, how can someone as useless as you be worthy of being the Palace Master of the Immortal Palace?" Nangong Feiyun said bitterly.
"You won't shed a tear until you see the coffin," Feng Guoyun sighed softly. "In other people's eyes, I'm just a pathetic man who desperately pursued Hua Yuluan but couldn't win her favor. I've done many ridiculous things for women, but unfortunately, no one knows that it was all an act. Someone like me, of course, no one would take me seriously, no one would pay attention to me. That's why you, Nangong Feiyun, failed today."
"One day, I will make you know that I, Nangong Feiyun, am the reason for your failure!" Nangong Feiyun said through gritted teeth, his body suddenly springing up and flying away.
"You have no chance anymore," Feng Guoyun chuckled, his wrist flicking lightly as he slashed at Nangong Feiyun from mid-air. At the same time, the other eight also moved, countless palm strikes and sword shadows swirling towards Nangong Feiyun.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu returned to her room, somewhat uneasy.
"Young Master!" A soft, sweet voice rang out, and a fragrant, supple body nestled into his arms. Hua Ruoxu almost mistook it for a hallucination, as Hanxue hadn't acted this way for days.
"Xiaoxue, are you feeling better now?" Hua Ruoxu immediately realized it wasn't a hallucination; it was indeed Hanxue in his arms.
"Young Master, Xiaoxue is all better now." A fleeting sadness appeared in Hanxue's eyes. "Young Master, A-Lie died so tragically."
"Xiaoxue, we will give him a proper burial." Hua Ruoxu sighed softly. He too felt deeply saddened by Sima Lie's death, especially since he had died saving Hanxue. While grieving, Hua Ruoxu felt a pang of gratitude towards Sima Lie; otherwise, he didn't know how he would cope with the loss of Hanxue.
"Young Master, will you stay with Xiaoxue today?" Hanxue pleaded softly. Hua Ruoxu thought for a moment and nodded.
Hanxue seemed to have returned to her former self, clinging to Hua Ruoxu all day, almost never leaving his side.
*** *** ***
The next morning, Hua Ruoxu woke up to find the person beside him gone. He was secretly puzzled, as Hanxue never woke up before him before.
He vaguely remembered that Hanxue seemed to have asked him something the night before, but he had only given a casual answer in his daze and couldn't remember what it was. Last night, Hanxue was unusually passionate towards him, contrary to her usual shyness. Her delicate body was clearly no match for his advances, yet she repeatedly took the initiative to make love to him.
A sense of unease rose in Hua Ruoxu's heart. He hurriedly dressed and got out of bed, but just as he was about to go out, he found a plain note on the bedside table, and his heart pounded.
He reached out with trembling hands, quickly glanced at the words on it, and sat down weakly. However, he immediately jumped up and rushed out.
"Sect Leader, about half an hour ago, Miss Xiaoxue summoned us all, saying she needed our help. But somehow, we all fainted." This was what several Shaolin disciples guarding the gate told Hua Ruoxu. The other night watch disciples nodded in agreement; they had all suffered the same fate half an hour earlier.
"Changkong, give the order! All disciples prepare fast horses and immediately chase after Xiaoxue on all roads! Bring her back!" As Hua Ruoxu spoke, the words on the plain paper flashed before his eyes again: Young Master, Xiaoxue is gone. Take care!
"Miss Xiaoxue is gone?" Zhao Changkong was also greatly surprised and immediately gave the order. Moments later, dozens of fast horses galloped out from the Tianxing Alliance. "Xiaoxue
, why did you leave?" Hua Ruoxu still couldn't understand.

(Volume 9, Chapter 8: The Joy of Birth of a Son

) Nangong Feiyun roared, his body spinning rapidly, his hands drawing arcs. The nine men immediately realized their attacks had deviated from their original direction, turning into a nine-on-one fight.
A hint of disdain and mockery flashed in Nangong Feiyun's eyes. He suddenly struck out with another palm, this time targeting Yue Tianying, the weakest of the nine. With a muffled groan, Yue Tianying was sent flying backward, crashing into the wall behind him before falling to the ground.
"A bunch of trash! I'm taking my leave now. I'll settle accounts with you later!" Nangong Feiyun's cold voice faded into the distance. Several screams echoed outside the door, clearly Nangong Feiyun had casually injured those who tried to stop him.
"Chase!" Feng Guoyun shouted angrily. He never expected Nangong Feiyun to escape under these circumstances.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu paced anxiously back and forth in the study. The people who went to search for Hanxue had all returned, bringing the same result: no one had found Hanxue.
"Ruoxu, don't worry too much, Xiaoxue will definitely be alright." Ximen Lin's gentle voice came from the doorway. "Yufeng has already sent her men to search for her. Don't worry, they'll find her soon." "
Just a few days ago, someone tried to assassinate Xiaoxue, and now she's actually running away on her own. Sister Lin, how can I not be at ease?" Hua Ruoxu's tone was still anxious.
"Xiaoxue is a lucky person, and she's a disciple of the Medical Valley, so she should have her own way of protecting herself. So don't worry, Xiaoxue will definitely be safe. As long as Xiaoxue is alright, one day, she will come back." Ximen Lin comforted her softly.
"Medical Valley. By the way, Sister Lin, do you think Xiaoxue might have returned to the Medical Valley?" A thought flashed through Hua Ruoxu's mind, and she asked hurriedly.
“That’s possible. If she really did return to the Medicine Valley, then we don’t need to worry about her safety,” Ximen Lin said after thinking for a moment. “But nobody knows where the Medicine Valley is, so it will be even harder for us to find her unless Xiaoxue comes out on her own.”
“As long as Xiaoxue is safe, that’s good.” Hua Ruoxu’s anxious expression eased slightly, and she sighed softly. “I just really don’t understand why she left at this time. If she just wanted to go back to see her master, she should have told me. Why did she leave secretly?”
“Xiaoxue seems to have changed a bit since A Lie died. Ruoxu, did she say anything to you before she left yesterday?” Ximen Lin asked after a moment of contemplation.
“I don’t remember. Xiaoxue seemed to have asked me something, but I was confused at the time. I can’t remember what she asked, and I don’t know how I answered.” Hua Ruoxu looked troubled.
At this moment, hurried footsteps came from outside the door, and a moment later, Hua Yufeng appeared at the door.
"Feng'er, have you found Xiaoxue yet?" Hua Ruoxu rushed over and asked anxiously.
"No news of Xiaoxue yet." Hua Yufeng looked somewhat tired; she had spent a lot of time and energy on the Ye family and Hanxue's affairs.
"However, there is another piece of news, about the four great families." Hua Yufeng continued, "Two hours before the fire at the Ye family, members of the four great families had already left the Ye family, but we don't know where they went."
"What about Ye Bu'er? Is there any news?" Hua Ruoxu asked after a moment's thought. Hua Yufeng shook her head.
"Feng'er, our main target is Ye Bu'er. As for the four great families, we can keep a close eye on them." Hua Ruoxu thought for a moment and said, "Right now, we can only investigate Ye Bu'er's whereabouts. But if we don't have enough manpower, let's hold off for now. Finding Xiaoxue is the priority."
"Don't worry, I know." Hua Yufeng nodded and looked at Hua Ruoxu gently. "Don't worry, Xiaoxue will be alright."
"That's all I can hope for." Hua Ruoxu sighed softly.

Feixu's facial wound had healed, as expected, leaving a faint red mark. Her once pretty face was now significantly diminished, losing its beauty.
A bronze mirror sat before her. Looking at it, she gently touched the mark on her face, her hands trembling slightly. Finally, she angrily threw the mirror to the ground, collapsed onto the bed, and burst into tears.
Hua Ruoxu stood quietly outside the door, hesitating for a long time before finally entering.
"Don't cry," Hua Ruoxu gently bent down and touched her shoulder.
"Get away from me! I don't want to see you!" Feixu screamed hoarsely, burying her face deeply in the blankets, her shoulders heaving even more. Her sobs subsided somewhat, but a deliberate suppression could be heard.
"Actually, for a girl, appearance isn't the most important thing," Hua Ruoxu sighed softly. He had known for a long time that Feixu's appearance was ruined, but he had been busy searching for Hanxue in the past few days and hadn't had time to care about Feixu. Now, although Hanxue hadn't been found, his mood had calmed down a lot. However, he hesitated, unsure how to comfort Feixu. Although Feixu had caused him a lot of heartache before, this time her face could be said to have been injured while saving Hanxue. Not to mention that he still cared about her, just for Hanxue's sake, he felt it was only right for him to come and see her.
"Of course it's not important to you, since you won't want me anyway," Feixu suddenly turned her head, tears still streaming down her face. She looked at Hua Ruoxu with a strange gaze, her tone even more peculiar, a mixture of sadness, self-mockery, and an indescribable feeling.
“Feixu, when will you understand?” Hua Ruoxu sighed softly. “If I like someone, I won’t dislike her just because she’s not pretty.”
“Yes, even if you are like that, would you like her if she weren’t pretty?” Feixu’s tone was tinged with mockery and sarcasm. “Now that I’m like this, would you like me?”
Hua Ruoxu was speechless. He didn’t know what he felt for Feixu. He couldn’t say he liked her, but he did care about her, though he didn’t know why.
“Hanxue is gone. You can send everyone to look for her. If I leave, you’ll be overjoyed. I’m so stupid. I came here to kill her. Why did I save her? I’m so stupid, so stupid.” Feixu murmured, her head down, but her words shocked Hua Ruoxu.
“Feixu, what did you say? Who did you come to kill?” Hua Ruoxu suddenly grabbed her shoulders, his grip tightening slightly.
"I came here to kill Hanxue, haha, how ridiculous! I never thought I'd save her. I should have just watched her get killed!" Feixu laughed, her face expressionless. She looked at Hua Ruoxu with a mocking gaze. "Are you angry? If you're angry, then kill me, hahaha." Feixu laughed wildly until her laughter grew softer and softer, finally turning into a low sob. She turned away, buried her head in the blanket again, and ignored Hua Ruoxu.
"You!" Hua Ruoxu wanted to lash out, but then his heart softened.
"You stay in the room and don't go anywhere!" Hua Ruoxu turned away angrily, leaving behind these words.
*** *** ***
"Hua Lang, what's wrong? You look so pale?" Just as he came out of Feixu's room and crossed the corridor, he ran into Jiang Qingyue.
"Sister Qing, I'm fine," Hua Ruoxu forced a smile.
"Hua Lang, don't worry too much, Xiao Xue will come back," Jiang Qingyue said softly, apparently thinking that Hua Ruoxu was too worried about Han Xue.
"Sister Qing, I know. By the way, Sister Qing, did you come to see me?" Hua Ruoxu asked softly.
"Hua Lang, did you ask Sister Tianxing about the person who entrusted the Love Sword for me?" Jiang Qingyue asked after a slight hesitation.
"Sister Qing, I'm sorry, I forgot for a moment." Hua Ruoxu suddenly remembered that Jiang Qingyue had indeed asked this question before, but every time he saw Hua Tianxing, he would forget about the important matter, so he still hadn't gotten an answer from Hua Tianxing.
"Hua Lang, let's not ask for now. Don't let this distract you." Jiang Qingyue's face darkened slightly as she spoke softly. "Actually, I just wanted to ask, but what good would it do? Father and elder brother are both dead; they can't come back to life."
"Sister Qing, I'll go ask her now. Don't worry, if she knows, she'll definitely tell me." Hua Ruoxu felt a pang of guilt, realizing he owed Jiang Qingyue far too much.
However, the result Hua Ruoxu received from Hua Tianxing disappointed him. Hua Tianxing said she only knew about what happened after Hua Ruoxu obtained the Love Sword; she knew nothing about what happened before. Although Hua Ruoxu felt something was amiss, he didn't suspect anything, as he wouldn't doubt Hua Tianxing.
*** *** ****
Time flies, and three months have passed in the blink of an eye.
Many things happened during these three months. For Hua Ruoxu, the most important thing was that Hua Yuluan successfully gave birth to a son. The son was already a month old, but they hadn't been named yet. Hua Yuluan was even more radiant after childbirth, and her body had fully recovered.
Three months have passed, and Hua Ruoxu still has no news of Hanxue, filling him with unease. Similarly, Ye Bu'er, the four great families, and the disciples of the Kunlun Sect all seem to have completely disappeared; they haven't been seen in the martial world for the past three months.
The martial world now seems to have returned to peace. Hua Ruoxu and Su Daier have met many times, and the Demon Palace has remained inactive. Of course, this may also be largely due to Hua Ruoxu; five of the seven major sects have close ties with him, so Su Daier naturally cannot attack them. Naturally, the disciples of these five sects have not actively provoked the Demon Palace. The Divine Palace seems to have completely disappeared from the martial world; Gong Yaqian has not been seen since leaving the Hua family mansion. It
's not a long-term solution for the disciples of the four major sects to remain in the Tianxing Alliance. After careful consideration, Hua Ruoxu decided to let them return to their respective sects. Huimin, Zhou Changfeng, Zheng Yunfan, and Wuchen also returned with the disciples of their respective sects. During this time, Hua Ruoxu held a simple memorial ceremony for Zen Master Jueyuan at the Tianxing Alliance. He plans to personally go to Shaolin Temple to pay his respects after fulfilling Zen Master Jueyuan's last wishes.
Feixu remained at the Tianxing Alliance. Hua Ruoxu didn't send her away, but he also didn't tell anyone that Feixu had once planned to assassinate Hanxue, perhaps because of his own selfish motives. Feixu rarely left her room, staying cooped up inside. Hua Ruoxu would visit her every few days.
Ye Wuying still stayed with Ximen Lin, but she became increasingly silent.
Hua Tianxing insisted on staying in her own place, and Hua Ruoxu could only visit her alone each time. The disciples of Qinglou were becoming increasingly skilled in martial arts, but they still hadn't officially appeared in the martial world.
The Three Beauties of Dongting seemed not to have given up, but surprisingly, Lan Xuerou was spending less and less time bothering Fang Xia, and more time going out for strolls with Hua Feihua. Hong Yue'er and Bai Xinjing, on the other hand, spent more time with Jiang Qingyue and the other women.
Zhao Changkong and Huang Yingying finally clarified their relationship. They would marry once the affairs of the martial world were settled. Hua Ruoxu secretly wished them well, but thinking of his own feelings, he sighed deeply. The only thing he could be thankful for now was that Hua Yuluan and Jiang Qingyue seemed to be getting along well.
It was said that Princess Wushuang had left Jinling and returned to the palace, but no one had actually verified this. Whether she had truly chosen a suitable husband was unknown.
Fang Xia remained at the Tianxing Alliance, but he hadn't seen Sun Yunyan since. He often stared blankly at the sky, lost in thought. It seemed impossible for him to move on from this relationship for the time being.
*** *** ***
In Hua Yuluan's room, a group of beautiful women were playing with a delicately carved baby—Hua Ruoxu and Hua Yuluan's beloved son.
Hua Ruoxu walked in and couldn't help but smile wryly upon seeing the group of women. They practically ignored him now. Hong Yue'er and Bai Xinjing seemed a little embarrassed to see him, but Xue Youyou, Jiang Qingyue, Hua Feimeng, and the others showed no reaction, continuing to fondle the little one.
"Junior Brother, you're here," Hua Yuluan greeted him. In her eyes, her husband was still the most important; the child was secondary.
"Hehe, Brother Hua, the baby is much cuter than you," Xue Youyou suddenly giggled.
"Youyou, since you like babies so much, why don't you and Ruoxu have one?" Hua Feimeng teased her from the side.
"I won't have one! I'm still too young!" Xue Youyou pouted.
"Senior Sister, I have something to discuss with you. I want to go to the Snow Mountain," Hua Ruoxu said, immediately silencing the playful noise.

Volume Nine, Chapter Nine: Climbing the Snow Mountain

"Hua Lang, are you leaving?" Jiang Qingyue exclaimed first, followed almost simultaneously by Xue Youyou and Hua Feimeng rushing to Hua Ruoxu's side, their faces full of questions.
"It's been three months. I promised someone, and I have to do it." Hua Ruoxu nodded. He was also reluctant to leave; his beloved woman, his newborn son, and his friends were all here.
"Does my sister and Sister Lin know?" Hua Yuluan asked softly.
"I haven't told them yet. I want to discuss it with you, Senior Sister. You just gave birth not long ago, and I know I shouldn't leave now." Hua Ruoxu shook his head apologetically.
"You should do what you promised, especially since you've postponed it for months for me. But I'm a little worried about you going alone. How about I go with you?" Hua Yuluan said after thinking for a moment.
"Senior Sister, the journey is long, and you need to rest well. It's not advisable to travel too much," Hua Ruoxu shook her head. "Don't worry, I know how to take care of myself. Just remember to take care of yourself."
*** *** ***
"Sister Lin, Feng'er, the martial world seems peaceful now, but Ye Bu'er and his group could return at any time, so you must be careful. I'm leaving this place to you. Also, find Xiaoxue as soon as possible," Hua Ruoxu said to the two women before her. Hua Yufeng's eyes showed deep reluctance, and she nodded gently.
"Ruoxu, be careful on your journey!" Ximen Lin said softly.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu mounted her horse, steeled herself, turned her head forward, gently patted the horse's back, and the steed galloped away. Even after traveling a long distance, Hua Ruoxu could still feel the deep affection and longing in her eyes behind her.
Just as she left the city gate, a heavenly voice rang out.
"Little brother, your sister is waiting for you to come back!"
Hua Ruoxu suddenly stopped his horse and turned around. The stunningly beautiful woman in white was standing on the city gate. Just as he was about to say something, she suddenly floated towards him.
Hua Tianxing gently landed on the horse and sat down in front of Hua Ruoxu.
"Little brother, your sister will see you off for a while," Hua Tianxing said softly, leaning against Hua Ruoxu's chest. Her alluring fragrance wafted into Hua Ruoxu's nose.
Hua Tianxing slapped the horse's back forcefully, and the horse suddenly accelerated. Hua Tianxing leaned back slightly, and Hua Ruoxu instinctively embraced her delicate body. Her captivating figure gave him an indescribable feeling, and his heart stirred.
"Sister, just take me this far. It's already quite far," Hua Ruoxu said softly, stopping the reins ten miles outside the city.
"Little brother, let your sister see you off a little longer," Hua Tianxing said gently, suddenly turning around, wrapping her arms around his neck, and pressing her cherry lips to his.
Hua Ruoxu's mind went blank for a moment. He didn't realize when he had released the reins, his hands tightly embracing Hua Tianxing's slender waist, greedily sucking on her sweet lips.
"Sister, I, I..." Hua Ruoxu suddenly came to his senses, his mouth agape, unsure what to say. He felt immense self-reproach, cursing himself for his lack of self-control, for doing such a thing to Hua Tianxing. For a moment, he seemed to have forgotten that it was Hua Tianxing who had initiated it.
"Little brother, sister won't blame you. What are you afraid of?" Hua Tianxing chuckled softly. "Sister will see you off here. Little brother, come back soon, sister will be waiting for you." With that, Hua Tianxing suddenly floated up, her graceful figure turning in mid-air, smiling sweetly at Hua Ruoxu, then quickly disappearing from his sight. But at that moment, a sentence from her echoed in Hua Ruoxu's mind.
"Little brother, I've always understood what you're thinking. Come back soon, I'm yours."
Hua Ruoxu finally understood why Hua Tianxing always seemed to know everything about him.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu traveled day and night, focusing solely on his journey and rarely concerning himself with anything else. His urgency stemmed from his desire to resolve this matter quickly so he could return home. From the first day he left Jinling, he noticed his longing for the women growing stronger with each passing day.
A few days later, however, he noticed something was amiss. Someone was secretly following him, and every time he stopped at a place, his food and lodging were meticulously arranged, which amazed him.
Before he left, Hua Yufeng had prepared a detailed route map for him. He had already reached the border region of the Central Plains; before reaching the snow-capped mountains, he would have to cross a desert and a large grassland.
Seeing that it was getting late, Hua Ruoxu decided to rest well that night and continue his journey the next day, as he might begin crossing the desert. Hua Yufeng had also prepared some information about the desert for him, which he planned to study carefully that night in case of any problems.
Arriving at the inn, as expected, arrangements were already made for him.
"Innkeeper!" Hua Ruoxu suddenly called out, and the innkeeper approached with a beaming smile.
"Young Master, what are you doing?" the innkeeper exclaimed suddenly, his voice trembling, for a gleaming sword was already pressed against his neck, the other end of which was, of course, held in Hua Ruoxu's hand.
"Tell me honestly, who ordered you to prepare food and lodging for me?" Hua Ruoxu said coldly.
"Young Master, I... I can't say! If I do, I'll lose my life!" the innkeeper pleaded tremblingly. "
Don't worry, as long as you tell me, I can guarantee you'll be alright. However, if you don't tell me, you should have your funeral arrangements made right now," Hua Ruoxu said slowly.
The innkeeper thought that he would die whether he spoke or not, and if he didn't speak now, he would die immediately, but if he spoke, he might live a little longer. He gritted his teeth and had no choice but to tell him.
*** *** ***
"Why did you follow me again?" Hua Ruoxu gently pushed open a door, looked at the slender figure inside, and sighed softly. Although her face was covered by a veil, he recognized her at a glance; it was none other than Fei Xu.
"Damn old bastard, how dare you say it!" Fei Xu cursed under her breath, picked up her sword, and prepared to go out.
"Stop!" Hua Ruoxu hissed. "Have you made enough of a scene?"
This time, Feixu obediently stopped moving.
"Go back tomorrow. Don't follow me. It's a long way to the snow mountain from here." Seeing her like that, Hua Ruoxu couldn't get angry anymore and said after thinking for a moment.
"I'm not going back!" Feixu said stubbornly.
"I have business at the snow mountain, not going sightseeing. Why do you have to follow me?" Hua Ruoxu said, somewhat annoyed.
"I, I," Feixu mumbled, head down, then suddenly raised her head, her tone angry. "I just want to take care of you. Why do you have to send me away?"
"I can take care of myself. Why do you have to follow me?" Hua Ruoxu said helplessly.
"I know you think I'm ugly, but, but I really just want to spend some time alone with you. Why do you have to send me away?" Feixu said, collapsing onto the bed and sobbing softly.
"What are you thinking about now?" Hua Ruoxu was somewhat amused and exasperated. "No one dislikes you, and besides, you're not ugly. Can't you think of something nicer all the time?"
"If you really don't dislike me, then let me go to the snow mountain with you," Feixu said, her voice choked with emotion.
*** *** ***
Three days later, Hua Ruoxu and Feixu arrived at the grassland. Gazing at the boundless green grass and the blue sky, they felt an overwhelming sense of peace and tranquility.
Hua Ruoxu had finally managed to prevent Feixu from returning. They spent three days crossing the not-so-large desert to reach this seemingly endless grassland.
"If only I could live here from now on!" Feixu murmured.
Perhaps influenced by the grassland's open-mindedness, Feixu's mood seemed to brighten. A few days later, she simply removed her veil. Along the way, she encountered many hospitable grassland people, and no one ever mocked her. A rare, happy smile appeared on Feixu's face.
Hua Ruoxu was also deeply moved. If he weren't in such a hurry to reach the snow-capped mountains, he might have lingered longer on the grasslands. The place gave him a tranquility he had never experienced before—a tranquility that no one else or any other place could provide, uniquely belonging to this grassland.
*** *** ***
The snow-capped mountains are covered in snow year-round, but the climate isn't particularly harsh. Aside from the extremely low temperatures, which are generally unbearable for ordinary people, there's nothing else to complain about.

Hua Ruoxu, with his profound martial arts skills, felt no cold. However, Feixu seemed unable to withstand it, shivering.
Hua Ruoxu sighed inwardly and took her hand. Since he had brought her along, he should naturally take good care of her. Feixu had originally come to take care of Hua Ruoxu, but at this point, she could only rely on him.
"I am honored to have such a distinguished guest grace Snow Mountain with your presence! Ouyang Qi of the Snow Mountain Sword Sect greets you!" A deep voice boomed. Hua Ruoxu suddenly noticed a young man standing not far in front of him. The man was around thirty years old, with thick eyebrows and large eyes, exuding a heroic air. He was tall and slender, dressed in snow-white robes, almost perfectly matching the color of the pristine white snow.
"I am Hua Ruoxu, here to see Miss Ouyang Bing'er. Please, Brother Ouyang, introduce me." Hua Ruoxu bowed respectfully, somewhat surprised. He hadn't sensed any warning whatsoever before Ouyang Qi's appearance.
"Young Master Hua, are you here to see Miss Ouyang?" Ouyang Qi frowned. "May I ask what brings you here
, Young Master Hua?" "Oh, it is like this. Before your sect's leader, Ouyang, passed away, he instructed me to personally deliver this jade pendant to Miss Ouyang no matter what." Hua Ruoxu said, taking out the jade pendant from his robes.
"What? You said the leader is dead?" Ouyang Qi exclaimed in surprise upon seeing the jade pendant.
"Sect Leader Ouyang passed away more than four months ago. I should have come here to inform you sooner, but I'm sorry I couldn't get away. I hope Brother Ouyang and your sect can understand," Hua Ruoxu said apologetically. Judging from Ouyang Qi's expression, the Snow Mountain Sect still didn't know their sect leader was dead.
"Please come with me, Young Master Hua!" Ouyang Qi's expression changed several times, then he fell silent for a while before bowing to Hua Ruoxu with clasped hands. His voice was low and filled with undisguised sorrow.
*** *** ***
The Snow Mountain Sword Sect didn't have many disciples, but there were still several dozen. They were all gathered together, each with a sorrowful expression. The news of Ouyang Jianping's death had spread to everyone. Strangely, Hua Ruoxu didn't see Ouyang Bing'er.
"Young Master Hua, I would like to ask you to explain the cause of our sect leader's death to all the disciples of the Snow Mountain Sect," Ouyang Qi said, bowing to Hua Ruoxu.
"Actually, I don't know the reason for Sect Leader Ouyang's death. According to his last words, he was assassinated. I just happened to meet him before he died," Hua Ruoxu sighed softly. "However, since Sect Leader Ouyang died at the Ye family's residence in Jinling, and everyone in the Ye family disappeared that night, perhaps finding Ye Bu'er or other people who disappeared that night will help us understand the specific cause of Sect Leader Ouyang's death."
"Where is the Sect Leader's body?" A young man next to Ouyang Qi asked.
"I have temporarily buried Sect Leader Ouyang in a place outside Jinling City," Hua Ruoxu said.
"Snow Mountain is deeply grateful for Young Master Hua's kindness. However, the Sect Leader can only rest in peace at Snow Mountain. Therefore, I'm afraid we will have to trouble Young Master Hua to guide us. We Snow Mountain disciples will go and retrieve the Sect Leader's body," Ouyang Qi said softly.
"This is something I can do, and I will certainly do it," Hua Ruoxu said after thinking for a moment. "May I ask where Miss Ouyang is? I still need to give her this jade pendant."
"Young Master Hua, I'm truly sorry, but we'll probably have to wait until evening to see Miss Ouyang," Ouyang Qi said apologetically. "If you insist on personally delivering the jade pendant to Miss Ouyang, we can only ask that you wait patiently for a while, and we will take you to see her later. What do you think?"
"Alright then, we'll have to trouble you all for now," Hua Ruoxu said after a moment's thought, feeling a little puzzled as to why they had to wait until evening to see Ouyang Bing'er. However, he didn't ask, as Ouyang Qi clearly didn't intend to tell him the reason.
Ouyang Qi arranged guest rooms for Hua Ruoxu and Feixu, their rooms being directly opposite each other. Feixu, however, simply came to Hua Ruoxu's room.
"Is it just because she's pretty? She's so arrogant. We came to deliver something to her, and she still won't see us!" Feixu complained.

Volume Nine, Chapter Ten: Snow Mountain Beauty

"Perhaps things aren't as you think," Hua Ruoxu shook his head. "After all, they just learned of the sect leader's death, and we've heard that Ouyang Bing'er's mental state isn't quite right. Maybe it's related to that."
"No one would believe them! The person's been dead for so long, how could they only find out now?" Fei Xu said with a skeptical look, pursing her lips.
"We're just here to give the jade pendant to Ouyang Bing'er. Let's not worry about anything else," Hua Ruoxu said after thinking for a moment. Actually, he shared Fei Xu's suspicions. Ouyang Jianping was, after all, the Snow Mountain Sect leader. Surely the Snow Mountain disciples wouldn't be completely unaware of his whereabouts? Moreover, the Snow Mountain was one of the seven major sects; how could they be completely ignorant of what was happening in the martial world? Although the Snow Mountain was far from the Central Plains, they weren't isolated from the world.
"Young Master, would you accompany me to see the snow?" Fei Xu suddenly said softly. Feixu nestled gently against Hua Ruoxu. She didn't actually want to see the snow, but rather to experience the feeling of enjoying the scenery with him.
" Young Master, Feixu has no regrets in this life," Feixu said softly, tears glistening in her eyes. "I'm already very content to have spent these days with you." "Feixu, the future is long. I only hope you won't make any more mistakes. I've forgiven you twice; there won't be a third time," Hua Ruoxu sighed softly. "Young Master!" Feixu threw herself into Hua Ruoxu's arms, hugging him tightly, tears streaming down her face. "Big brother, big sister, what are you doing?" Hua Ruoxu finally understood what heavenly music meant. This voice couldn't be simply described as beautiful; it was otherworldly, from beyond the heavens. Hua Ruoxu turned around and was struck by a breathtaking sight. Not far ahead stood a beautiful girl in snow-white clothes. Phrases like "naturally beautiful, with jade-like bones and ice-like skin" are inadequate to describe the girl before him. She was so beautiful, indescribably beautiful! Even though Hua Ruoxu had seen countless beautiful women, and even had a peerless beauty like Hua Tianxing by his side, he was still captivated by this girl. In terms of looks alone, she wasn't actually more outstanding than Hua Tianxing, and was only on par with Su Dai'er. However, she possessed a unique ethereal beauty that neither Hua Tianxing nor Su Dai'er had, which, combined with her appearance, reached the pinnacle of perfection. Perhaps only the purity of the snow-capped mountains could nurture such a beauty! The girl held a ferret in her arms, looking at Hua Ruoxu and Fei Xu with curious eyes, her face showing confusion. "Miss, Miss!" Two anxious voices called out, followed by two beautiful young women in snow-white robes, around thirty years old. Hua Ruoxu immediately understood; this girl was Ouyang Bing'er, hailed as the most beautiful woman in the world. No wonder her beauty was so breathtaking. "Excuse me, are you Miss Ouyang Bing'er?" Hua Ruoxu took a deep breath, trying to calm his somewhat excited heart, and asked loudly. "Yes, my name is Ouyang Bing'er, I'm eight years old. Big brother, what's your name? Did you come to play with me?" Ouyang Bing'er tilted her head and smiled sweetly. "Young Master Hua, I heard you have something your master asked you to give to Miss, is that right?" At this moment, one of the two young women beside Ouyang Bing'er spoke up. "Yes, yes, big brother, what fun things did Daddy bring me? Give it to me quickly!" Ouyang Bing'er said, as if she was about to pounce on him, but was held back by the two women beside her. "Young Master Hua, you can give us the item now. I thank you on behalf of my young lady for your kindness." At this moment, another young woman also spoke up. Hua Ruoxu took out the jade pendant, wanting to give it to Ouyang Bing'er, but it was taken by the woman on her left. "Young Master Hua, Miss is a little weak and needs to rest, so we'll go back first." Taking the item and leaving immediately, how opportunistic. Watching Ouyang Bing'er leave with the two unknown women beside her, Hua Ruoxu felt a surge of indescribable emotion. Perhaps it was a woman's innate jealousy, but ever since Ouyang Bing'er appeared, Feixu had been coldly watching her until she disappeared. Three days later, Hua Ruoxu and Feixu left the Snow Mountain. During those three days, he hadn't seen Ouyang Bing'er again. However, the entire Snow Mountain sect had mobilized, including Ouyang Bing'er, but Hua Ruoxu still couldn't see her, because Ouyang Bing'er was sitting in a sedan chair. The Snow Mountain sect had only thirteen disciples, all surnamed Ouyang, named Ouyang Da, Ouyang Er, and so on up to Ouyang Shisan. The two beautiful women beside Ouyang Bing'er were people Ouyang Jianping had found to take care of her ten years ago after Ouyang Bing'er's accident; one was named Ouyang Lan, and the other Ouyang Zhi. Although the Snow Mountain disciples were few in number, they were still considered one of the seven major martial arts sects, clearly indicating their exceptional martial arts skills. Of course, this was merely Hua Ruoxu's conjecture. Snow Mountain believed in receiving their sect leader's remains with the utmost solemnity, so everyone descended the mountain together. As for Ouyang Bing'er, although mentally challenged, as Ouyang Jianping's daughter, she still had to go. Hua Ruoxu found this decision perfectly normal and even felt a sense of joy. However, Fei Xu, for some reason, appeared increasingly depressed. For some unknown reason, the Snow Mountain disciples seemed to harbor a subtle hostility or even rejection towards Hua Ruoxu. Although they traveled together, almost no one spoke a word to him, and Hua Ruoxu hadn't seen Ouyang Bing'er, even though he heard her voice every day. *** *** **** Hua Ruoxu sat down, then stood up again, walked to the door, turned back, and sat down once more, appearing restless and anxious. Fei Xu watched him quietly, without speaking, but the worry in her eyes grew increasingly profound. They had successfully arrived in the Central Plains and were on their way to Jinling, expecting to return in about half a month. It was already quite late, so they found an inn to stay in. Although they were in the same inn, the Snow Mountain Sect members were in a separate back courtyard, while Hua Ruoxu and Feixu were in another area. "Feixu, it's getting late, you should go back to your room," Hua Ruoxu said with a soft sigh, seemingly only just noticing Feixu's presence. "Young Master, you've fallen for her," Feixu said softly. "But, Young Master, you can't like her! She's not stupid!" "Don't overthink it!" Hua Ruoxu said somewhat reluctantly. "It's getting late, I'll rest now." His implication was that Feixu should return to her room.

“Young Master, Ouyang Bing’er is really pretending to be stupid!” Fei Xu was about to shout it out.
“Fei Xu, she’s clearly eighteen years old, but she still says she’s eight. She had an accident when she was young, which affected her mental development and caused her to stagnate. That’s already unfortunate enough. Why do you have to say such things about her?” Hua Ruoxu seemed slightly dissatisfied.
“Young Master, as the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In your eyes, she is naturally innocent and flawless. I know you won’t doubt her.” Fei Xu shook her head and said, “But don’t worry, Young Master, one day I will find solid evidence and let you know that she’s just pretending.”
After saying this, Fei Xu turned to walk out. Hua Ruoxu was slightly startled, quickly stepped aside, and reached out to pull Fei Xu back.
"Feixu, don't be silly." Hua Ruoxu was clearly worried that Feixu would go to Ouyang Bing'er right now. "Don't make wild guesses. I just feel sorry for Ouyang Bing'er. Actually, neither the Snow Mountain Sect nor Ouyang Bing'er has much to do with us. Even if Ouyang Bing'er is really pretending to be stupid, it's none of our business. Why should we add to our troubles?"
"Young Master, are you really just feeling sorry for her?" Feixu looked at Hua Ruoxu with suspicion. She didn't really believe what Hua Ruoxu said, but she preferred to believe it anyway.
"Of course it's true. Think about it, she was originally a very smart and lovely girl, but because of an accident, her mind will never grow up. She needs to be taken care of in her daily life. Don't you think she's very pitiful?" Hua Ruoxu sighed softly, but he didn't know if he was lying to Feixu or to himself. He wasn't sure if he had fallen in love with Ouyang Bing'er. He only knew that he would probably never forget her in this lifetime.
"Young Master, she doesn't seem like someone with the mind of an eight-year-old at all. And I have a feeling she's been hiding in the sedan chair for so long, afraid we'll discover her secret," Fei Xu said softly. Beautiful women are the natural enemy of other women, and because of this, Fei Xu's hostility towards Ouyang Bing'er was almost innate. Adding to this, she noticed that Hua Ruoxu seemed to care a lot about Ouyang Bing'er, which deepened her animosity.
"Fei Xu, let's not talk about her anymore, okay?" Hua Ruoxu sighed softly. Thinking of Ouyang Bing'er, her peerless beauty kept appearing in his eyes, his mind a jumbled mess.
"Young Master, shall I keep you company tonight?" Fei Xu said softly, leaning gently against Hua Ruoxu, her soft body slowly heating up.
Hua Ruoxu barely suppressed his troubles, looking down intently at Fei Xu. The scar on her face was still there, but it seemed to have faded considerably. In fact, Fei Xu had changed a lot these past few days, no longer acting recklessly as before. Therefore, Hua Ruoxu's feelings for her had changed considerably.
He could already feel the heat of her body in his arms. Hua Ruoxu wasn't a saint; in the past, he had too many reservations about Fei Xu, which was why he could resist her repeated temptations. But now, a casual remark from Fei Xu was an even more fatal temptation for him.
He tightened his grip, pulling her delicate body into his arms.
*** *** ***
"Young Master, I feel so happy right now, really." The passion subsided, and Fei Xu nestled softly in Hua Ruoxu's arms, murmuring gently.
"Go to sleep early," Hua Ruoxu said softly, kissing her gently.
"Young Master, I don't want to sleep yet." Fei Xu gently shook her head. "There are some things I want to tell you."
What Fei Xu had told Hua Ruoxu before was half true and half false. When Fei Xu was heartbroken over Hua Ruoxu, Nangong Feiyun did indeed appear at just the right time and capture her heart. However, things didn't develop exactly as Fei Xu described.
Fei Xu became Nangong Feiyun's spy for Su Dai'er, and later even participated in the plot against Su Dai'er and Hua Ruoxu. As Fei Xu had said before, she suddenly found herself very reluctant to leave Hua Ruoxu, and became depressed, eventually leaving Nangong Feiyun. But she didn't expect that Nangong Feiyun had secretly poisoned her, forcing her to return to him and work for him again.
It's strange, though, that Nangong Feiyun's main target seems to be Su Dai'er. Perhaps this is also his main reason for seeking out Fei Xu, since Fei Xu was, after all, Su Dai'er's personal maid and quite familiar with her.
Recently, Nangong Feiyun had asked her to assassinate Hanxue, but Feixu hesitated many times and ultimately didn't do it.
"Has Nangong Feiyun contacted you recently?" Hua Ruoxu asked after a long silence.
"He hasn't contacted me since he asked me to kill Xiaoxue," Feixu shook her head, paused slightly, and then said timidly, "Young Master, I only liked Nangong Feiyun because I was foolish for a moment. Nothing really happened between us. You have to believe me."
"Let's not talk about the past," Hua Ruoxu gently tightened his grip on her body. "By the way, didn't you tell me you heard something about Xiaoyue? Is it true?"
"Young Master, I really overheard it secretly," Feixu nodded.
Hua Ruoxu fell silent again. What Feixu told him hadn't lessened his doubts; on the contrary, it had increased them. He had initially assumed that Ye Bu'er and the Poison Sect were working together, and that the assassination of Han Xue was orchestrated by Ye Bu'er. However, it now seemed that Nangong Feiyun was behind it all. Could it be that the Poison Sect was actually colluding with Nangong Feiyun? Or were Nangong Feiyun and Ye Bu'er always together?
*** *** ***
The next morning, while Feixu was still fast asleep, Hua Ruoxu quietly got up, put on his robe, and went outside.
Taking a breath of fresh air, he felt much refreshed. Strolling leisurely, he suddenly realized he had unintentionally wandered into the backyard, the place where the Snow Mountain Sect was based. He quickly turned around, intending to return the way he came.
"Big brother, help me catch Xiao Xue!" A melodious voice suddenly rang in his ears. Hua Ruoxu's body trembled, and he abruptly turned around. Ouyang Bing'er stood not far away, and the ferret he had seen being held in her arms last time was now running quickly towards him. Could the Xiao Xue she spoke of be this ferret? A feeling of both amusement and exasperation welled up in Hua Ruoxu's heart. The ferret

that

had run up to Hua Ruoxu actually stopped. Hua Ruoxu squatted down and gently picked it up. The ferret affectionately licked Hua Ruoxu's hand, lying obediently in his arms, seemingly quite content with his embrace.
"Hehe. Big brother is so good!" Ouyang Bing'er clapped her hands happily, giggling as she ran over and took the ferret from Hua Ruoxu's arms.
"Little Xue, don't be naughty, okay? Don't run around, or who will I play with?" Ouyang Bing'er gently stroked the ferret's beautiful white fur, murmuring to herself.
"Miss." The two women who watched Ouyang Bing'er every day appeared again. Their clothes were exactly the same, but Hua Ruoxu knew that the one with the slightly rounder face was Ouyang Lan, and the one with the oval face was Ouyang Zhi.
"Big brother, thank you! Bing'er's going back now. Aunt Lan and Aunt Zhi are coming to drag me back again." Ouyang Bing'er's tone was still so innocent, but Hua Ruoxu could faintly detect a hint of loneliness. Ouyang Bing'er seemed somewhat dissatisfied that Ouyang Lan and Ouyang Zhi always prevented her from running around alone.
Ouyang Bing'er was pulled back by Ouyang Lan and Ouyang Zhi. Hua Ruoxu stared blankly at her retreating figure. Suddenly, Ouyang Bing'er secretly turned her head, gave Hua Ruoxu a sweet smile, and then quickly turned back.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu and Ouyang Bing'er's meeting was fleeting, like a flash in the pan. After that day, Hua Ruoxu never saw her again. Hua Ruoxu was filled with melancholy, but fortunately, the gentle and kind Feixu accompanied him every day, which eased his heart somewhat. They were
only two hundred li from Jinling. That noon, Hua Ruoxu, Feixu, and Xueshan passed through a market, only to find a crowd gathered in the center, with shouts and screams coming from within.
Four young men dressed in black were punching and kicking a man. The man's face was obscured, and he lay there barely alive. The four men in black continued their beating. Occasionally, people around whispered among themselves, but no one dared to speak up.
"Stop!" Hua Ruoxu parted the crowd and, seeing this scene, immediately shouted to stop them. She was secretly puzzled; in broad daylight, these people were openly committing violence in the market, yet no one intervened, not even offering a word of advice. This was too strange.
The four men glanced at Hua Ruoxu and continued beating the man, who was clearly barely breathing.
"Didn't you hear me say 'Stop'?" A white figure flashed, and four crisp slaps rang out. Fei Xu slapped each of the four men, her voice sharp and delicate.
Fei Xu's blows were not light; four screams rang out as the four men were knocked to the ground, blood trickling from their mouths.
"You bitch, you even dare to hit me?" One of them struggled to his feet, glaring hatefully at Fei Xu.
"That was a lesson for disobeying my young master!" Fei Xu said coldly, twisting her lithe body and lunging forward again. Two more sharp slaps echoed as she struck the man's face, leaving two more bright red handprints.
"This is the consequence of speaking disrespectfully to me!" Fei Xu returned to Hua Ruoxu's side, coldly staring at the man.
"Fine, you win. You'll see what happens here!" The man, several teeth already knocked out, still threatened Fei Xu with bluster, trying to leave with the help of the other three.
"You have to judge a book by its cover. Looks like your master is about to appear after I've beaten you dogs. Perfect, I'll wait here!" Fei Xu suddenly leaped forward, three sharp slaps echoing as the three men supporting the man fell to the ground. "If you want to get reinforcements, you can go alone. I'm waiting." She then kicked him again, sending him flying.
Feixu was never one to be trifled with, and these people, oblivious to their own mortality, dared to threaten her; naturally, they wouldn't have a good end. Hua Ruoxu went over to check on the man who had been beaten by the four of them, only to find he was already dead. A nameless anger rose within her. A perfectly healthy man, beaten to death like that—these people were too cruel!
"Feixu, ask them who they are," Hua Ruoxu said, her tone already tinged with anger.
"My young master is asking who you are. Quickly, tell us honestly, what's your name? What do you do?" Feixu kicked each of the three men.
"Don't be so smug..." one of them said hatefully, before another scream rang out.
"I asked you what your name is? What do you do? Why are you talking so much nonsense?" Feixu kicked that man again. The wicked always have their wicked counterparts to deal with them; these men deserved their misfortune, having encountered Feixu, a witch raised in the Demon Palace.
"So it was Young Master Hua who dared to openly oppose my Immortal Palace." A cold laugh rang out, and upon hearing the voice, the three men on the ground immediately beamed with joy.
Hua Ruoxu frowned; the voice sounded familiar. Turning around, he recognized the man—it was Feng Congyun. Beside Feng Congyun stood the man who had just been beaten up by Fei Xu.
"Sect Master, it was this wretched woman!" the man pointed hatefully at Fei Xu.
A scream rang out, and he was dead, killed by Feng Congyun himself.
"Young Master Hua, this disciple of mine was blind and dared to offend you. I have executed him. I wonder if Young Master Hua is satisfied?" Feng Congyun said calmly. "If this is still not enough for Young Master Hua, I will make them also pay their respects with their deaths. Their lives or deaths are entirely up to Young Master Hua!" As he spoke, Feng Congyun glanced at the three men on the ground, whose faces turned ashen.
"So, Young Master Feng is from the Immortal Palace. My apologies for my disrespect." Hua Ruoxu smiled calmly. "I have no intention of interfering in the affairs of the Immortal Palace, nor do I have the right to. I simply disapprove of their behavior. As for their life or death, I have no right to decide. This is all your sect's business and has nothing to do with me."
"I was merely dealing with a traitorous disciple, which may have caused a misunderstanding, Young Master Hua. Since you say so, I will instruct my subordinates to be more careful in the future. I hope you will not take it to heart." Feng Congyun smiled slightly. "The Immortal Palace and Young Master Hua have always maintained
a clean relationship. I hope you will not let today's events affect our relationship." "It's best if Young Master Feng says so. I have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave." Hua Ruoxu smiled slightly, turned around, and left with Feixu. Feng Congyun, who had been wearing a faint smile, suddenly turned ashen-faced, his eyes filled with resentment. Of course, Hua Ruoxu could not see this.
*** *** ***
“Master, why are we so afraid of him?” The three who had just narrowly escaped death pressed on.
“Useless fools, look more carefully next time!” Feng Congyun coldly glanced at the three. “If you want to know why, go find out who Hua Ruoxu is first!”
“Master, you, you said he is Hua Ruoxu, the leader of the Heavenly Star Alliance?” The three’s expressions changed drastically, and one of them asked cautiously.
“Nonsense! If it weren’t him, would I be so polite?” A few ruthless glints flashed in Feng Congyun’s eyes. “We can’t confront him directly right now. Be smarter next time, or don’t blame me if you lose your life!”
“Hua Ruoxu, I’ll put up with you for now, but I, Feng Congyun, am not someone to be trifled with!” Feng Congyun thought bitterly.
At this moment, Hua Ruoxu was also thinking about Feng Congyun. Since the members of the four great families disappeared from the Ye family, Feng Congyun was the first person from one of the four great families he had seen. However, he hadn't expected Feng Congyun to become some kind of altar master in the Immortal Palace. Given Feng Congyun's status, it was highly likely that the Feng family had joined the Immortal Palace, or even that all four great families had become members of the Immortal Palace, since the four great families always acted in unison.
Speaking of the Immortal Palace, he had no direct grudge against it, but Nangong Feiyun seemed to be a member of the Immortal Palace as well. Back then, Youyou had almost died at Nangong Feiyun's hands. If he wanted to settle scores, he could hold the Immortal Palace accountable. However, he couldn't understand how the Immortal Palace, which was supposedly founded by traitors of the Divine Palace, had become allied with the four great families.
The four great families left the Ye family a few hours before the fire broke out; was this related to the Immortal Palace? For a moment, he couldn't figure it out.
*** *** ***
“Young Master, it’s so late, why aren’t you asleep yet?” Fei Xu groggily got out of bed. She now stayed in Hua Ruoxu’s room every night.

“Fei Xu, you should sleep first. I’m thinking about some things.” Hua Ruoxu found himself facing more and more mysteries that he couldn’t unravel, and the situation was becoming increasingly perplexing.
“Young Master, let’s think about it tomorrow. We’ll be arriving in Jinling soon. Can’t you spend more time with me?” Fei Xu said softly.
“I can still spend time with you when we get to Jinling, can’t I?” Hua Ruoxu sighed softly and gently embraced her.
"Once we reach Jinling, our fate will be over." Feixu nodded reluctantly, secretly thinking to herself that she had already planned to leave Hua Ruoxu forever once she returned to Jinling. She always felt somewhat inferior about her appearance, and of course, there were other reasons as well. She didn't want Hua Ruoxu to have trouble explaining things to Su Daier later. She knew Su Daier's temper well; she would never allow someone who had betrayed her and framed her and her lover to stay by their side.
Hurried footsteps sounded at the door, followed by a loud knocking. Hua Ruoxu was secretly puzzled. Who could be coming so late?
"Young Master Hua, open the door quickly! Miss is missing!" came an urgent cry from outside. Hua Ruoxu was startled and hurriedly opened the door, only to find Ouyang Lan and Ouyang Zhi standing anxiously outside.
"Ladies, what happened?" Hua Ruoxu asked quickly.
"Young Master Hua, Miss ran away while we weren't looking. We couldn't catch her. Young Master Hua, have you seen Miss again?" Ouyang Lan asked anxiously.
"How could this happen? Where could she have gone?" Hua Ruoxu shook his head, his face showing worry.
"Miss doesn't know the way at all, and she doesn't know any martial arts. What if, what if..." Ouyang Zhi hesitated to finish her sentence.
"Go find her quickly!" Hua Ruoxu shouted at Ouyang Zhi, then ran out first, seemingly even more anxious than Ouyang Lan and the others.
Just as he reached the entrance of the inn, Hua Ruoxu suddenly spotted a small white figure running towards him at high speed. Upon closer inspection, he recognized it as Ouyang Bing'er's ferret named Xiaoxue, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
However, he immediately became worried again, because he only saw the ferret, not Ouyang Bing'er. The ferret ran to Hua Ruoxu's side, jumped onto his hand, licked it, then jumped down, turned around, and ran back the way it had come.
Hua Ruoxu's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly followed the ferret.
The ferret ran quickly and then disappeared into a small alley. Hua Ruoxu followed, but found that the ferret had stopped in one place, but he didn't see Ouyang Bing'er.
A strong sense of unease suddenly rose in Hua Ruoxu's heart. He walked over quickly and carefully examined his surroundings. Suddenly, something shiny caught his eye.
He bent down and picked it up, only to find that it was a beaded hairpin. He vaguely remembered that it seemed to be the one Ouyang Bing'er wore.
“Miss’s hairpin!” Ouyang Lan’s voice came from behind him. “Where is Miss? Where is Miss?”
“The ferret brought me here, and I found this hairpin.” Hua Ruoxu’s tone was somewhat bitter. “Miss Ouyang, are you sure this is Bing’er’s?”
“Miss always wears this hairpin, of course I recognize it.” Ouyang Lan murmured. “Something must have happened to Miss. What should we do? What should we do?” She instantly became completely disoriented.
“Someone’s coming. Let’s hide first.” Hua Ruoxu suddenly said, leaping up abruptly. Ouyang Lan hesitated for a moment, then jumped up as well.
“Fifth Brother, that woman was really something. I’ve never seen such a beautiful woman in my life. It’s a pity we can’t enjoy her. We have to send her to the higher-ups. Damn it, beautiful women are always given to the Palace Master!” Two men in black, one tall and one short, walked over. The shorter one was speaking now.
“Of course, she’s the most beautiful woman in the world. How could she not be beautiful?” "We lowly minions naturally can't enjoy that, but the Altar Master might be a different story. I heard that every time a woman was given to the Palace Master, the Altar Master would use her first. It's really good to be the Altar Master." The man clicked his tongue in envy.
"Where is that girl you're talking about?" The two suddenly found themselves unable to move. Hua Ruoxu gracefully landed in front of them, her sword already at one of their necks. Her tone was cold, yet somewhat anxious.

Volume 9, Chapter 12: The Beauty's Whereabouts Are Hard to Find.

"This, this young master, what girl are you talking about?" The shorter man in black said tremblingly, his eyes glancing sideways at the sword at his neck, his body shaking uncontrollably.
"If you don't want to die, speak quickly!" Hua Ruoxu's face turned cold. Ouyang Bing'er's disappearance, coupled with the discomfort and unease he felt from overhearing the two men's conversation, had almost made him lose his composure. "
Reply, replying to Young Master, it's not our fault. It was the Altar Master who ordered us to do it," the short man in black said timidly, clearly a coward.
"Are you from the Immortal Palace? And is the Altar Master you mentioned Feng Congyun?" Hua Ruoxu noticed that the two men's clothing was exactly the same as the people from the Immortal Palace he had seen during the day, and considering their conversation about the palace, his first thought was naturally that they were from the Immortal Palace. "Replying
to Young Master, we, we are indeed disciples of the Immortal Palace, and our Altar Master's name is indeed Feng Congyun." This time, his answer was much faster and smoother.
"Was the girl you mentioned earlier sent to Feng Congyun? And where is Feng Congyun now?" "Hua Ruoxu coldly snorted, feeling somewhat anxious.
"This is the Outer Jinling Branch of the Immortal Palace. The Outer Jinling Branch is just outside this alley, a few dozen feet to the left, and you'll see it. The Branch Master is inside." This time it was the tall man who spoke. As soon as he finished speaking, Hua Ruoxu had already disappeared from their sight.
The two men simultaneously felt a sharp pain in their chests, turned around to look behind them, their eyes filled with resentment.
"You, you broke your promise!" After saying these words, they collapsed to the ground with a thud, never to make a sound again. The one who attacked them was none other than Ouyang Lan.
*** *** ***
"Where is Feng Congyun?" Hua Ruoxu quickly arrived at the so-called entrance of the Outer Jinling Branch of the Immortal Palace and barged in. With his current martial arts skills, even Feng Congyun couldn't stop him, let alone the ordinary Immortal Palace disciples. He grabbed one Immortal Palace disciple in each hand and asked coldly.
"The Branch Master is, is inside!" The Immortal Palace disciple was already terrified. He pointed inside and then collapsed to the ground.
Hua Ruoxu rushed inside, stepping into Feng Congyun's room. He was shocked by what he saw.
Feng Congyun was lying silently in a pool of blood, but there was only Feng Congyun in the room; Ouyang Bing'er was nowhere to be seen.
"Ah, you, you killed the Altar Master!" someone cried out in terror, then turned and ran out abruptly.
"The Altar Master is dead!" "The Immortal Palace disciple went outside and started shouting wildly.
*** *** ****
The Immortal Palace, which had been at the height of its power in the martial world for the past few months, suffered a severe blow. Its Jinling branch was destroyed, and hundreds of people, including its leader Feng Congyun, were killed. Only one survived because he was not at the branch and witnessed the general course of events. Hua Ruoxu, the leader of the Tianxing Alliance, had a minor conflict with the Immortal Palace during the day and slaughtered all the Immortal Palace disciples that night. As soon as
this news spread, almost every day there was a premonition that something big was about to happen in the martial world. Everyone knew that Feng Congyun was the second young master of the Feng family, one of the four great families. The four great families and Hua Ruoxu had always been at odds. Now that Hua Ruoxu had killed Feng Congyun, the four great families would definitely not let it go. Moreover, since Feng Congyun was the leader of the Immortal Palace's branch, the Immortal Palace would definitely stand up for him. The Immortal Palace had been gaining momentum recently and seemed poised to become the number one sect in the martial world. However, no one dared to underestimate the strength of the Tianxing Alliance. What would happen if these major forces clashed head-on? No one could predict."
When Hua Ruoxu heard the news, he had already returned to Jinling, three days after the incident at the Immortal Palace. Three days earlier, after seeing Feng Congyun dead, he didn't leave immediately but searched the house for a while, where he found a silk handkerchief. Ouyang Lan confirmed that it belonged to Ouyang Bing'er. Later, he interrogated an Immortal Palace disciple and learned that Ouyang Bing'er had been sent away before his arrival. As for what Feng Congyun had done to Ouyang Bing'er, he couldn't imagine it, and of course, he didn't know how Feng Congyun had died.

In reality, not many Immortal Palace disciples had died at his hands. However, he didn't want to refute the rumors circulating in the martial arts world. According to his guess, if the Jinling branch of the Immortal Palace was indeed attacked, and all the disciples of the branch were killed, it was very likely that the Snow Mountain Sect was behind it. It was normal for the Snow Mountain Sect to retaliate against the Immortal Palace for attacking the Snow Mountain Miss.
Yesterday, he led the Snow Mountain Sect members to Ouyang Jianping's grave. He had invited them to stay temporarily at the Heavenly Star Alliance, but they declined, instead finding an inn to stay at. Hua Ruoxu couldn't force them. The Snow Mountain Sect members were filled with grief and indignation. Their sect leader had just been murdered, and now his daughter was missing, her fate unknown. This was indeed a heavy blow to the
Snow Mountain Sect. Hua Ruoxu gently stroked the ferret in his arms. After Ouyang Bing'er disappeared, this ferret named Xiaoxue stayed by Hua Ruoxu's side, unwilling to leave. So Ouyang Lan and Ouyang Zhi simply left the ferret with Hua Ruoxu. Perhaps this was a memento Ouyang Bing'er left for him.
After Ouyang Bing'er's accident, Hua Ruoxu truly felt his feelings for her. Although he had only met her twice, his memory of her voice and smile was unforgettable. This feeling was something he had never experienced before.
Hua Ruoxu sighed softly and stood up. A stunningly beautiful woman stood at the door; it was Hua Yufeng, who had been there for a while.
"Feng'er, haven't you found her yet?" Hua Ruoxu's tone clearly carried disappointment.
"Although the Immortal Palace has started recruiting disciples everywhere with great fanfare, since their original headquarters in Luoyang disappeared, we have no idea where their new headquarters is." Hua Yufeng shook her head and said softly, "Moreover, for some reason, we can't see any of their disciples in Jinling."
"Feng'er, do you know who the Palace Master of the Immortal Palace is?" Hua Ruoxu asked softly after a long silence.
Hua Yufeng shook her head, glancing at the ferret in Hua Ruoxu's arms, a strange look appearing in her eyes.
"Junior brother, is Ouyang Bing'er really that important to you?" Hua Yufeng suddenly asked softly.
"Feng'er, I just hope she's safe and sound." Hua Ruoxu's expression became slightly unnatural, and he said softly after a moment of contemplation.
Feixu
left. She said she wasn't worthy of Hua Ruoxu and didn't want to cause him any more trouble, so she chose to leave. She said she was already content with the few months she had spent with Hua Ruoxu in this life, and that heaven had been kind to her. From now on, she would perhaps spend her life with a solitary lamp and a Buddhist statue, praying for him every day.
Hua Ruoxu was perhaps somewhat numb, so he wasn't particularly shocked by Feixu's departure, nor did he send anyone to look for her. However, he felt a deeper sense of melancholy and sorrow. Even surrounded by beautiful women, he remained somewhat unhappy.
It had been almost two years since he officially entered the martial world. He was eighteen when he first left Mount Hua, and now he was nearing twenty. The past six months have been relatively peaceful in the martial arts world compared to the last two years. However, for Hua Ruoxu, these past six months have been eventful. First, Han Xue left without giving him any reason; then Ouyang Bing'er disappeared; and now Fei Xu has also left. Perhaps fate is truly fair to him. He has gained much, but he has also lost much. Because of them, he has experienced more joy, but also more troubles and sorrows.
Hua Ruoxu strolled alone through Jinling City. His delicate and elegant face, his seemingly slender yet tall and upright figure, accentuated by his white robes, highlighted his unparalleled elegance. Yet, his figure now appeared somewhat desolate and weathered.
However, Hua Ruoxu did not intend to wander aimlessly through the streets. He was going to Hua Tianxing's place. He would never forget Hua Tianxing's enchanting farewell before he went to the snow mountain. He had been back for three days, but had not immediately gone to see her, because he was truly worried that he might lose control of himself.
Although the matter of Ouyang Bing'er and Fei Xu had put him in a bad mood, when he actually appeared outside Hua Tianxing's door and saw her fairy-like face smiling sweetly at him, his gloomy sky instantly brightened.
"Sister, I missed you." Hua Ruoxu had never been so proactive with Hua Tianxing before. He gently pulled her into his arms and murmured. Since Hua Tianxing completely understood his feelings, there was no need for him to hide them anymore.
"Little brother, you've become naughty again." Hua Tianxing giggled, hooking her arms around his neck and tiptoeing to give him a light kiss.
"Sister, I'm so annoyed right now." Hua Ruoxu looked troubled.
"Little brother, are you still annoyed after seeing your sister?" Hua Tianxing seemed a little unhappy.
Hua Ruoxu paused, then shook his head.
"What a beautiful ferret!" Hua Tianxing suddenly exclaimed softly, releasing her arms from Hua Ruoxu's neck and running to the door. Hua Ruoxu turned around and realized that Ouyang Bing'er's ferret had actually followed them here.
Hua Tianxing happily picked up the ferret, but Hua Ruoxu felt a pang of sadness. Seeing the ferret reminded him of Ouyang Bing'er, and he silently prayed that nothing bad had happened to her.
"Little brother, is this ferret Ouyang Bing'er's?" Hua Tianxing suddenly asked quietly, his previous cheerful expression gone.
"Sister, I feel so useless. I know she's in danger, but I can't do anything about it," Hua Ruoxu said, nodding gently, his voice filled with self-reproach.
"Don't worry, she'll be fine." Hua Tianxing frowned slightly, then suddenly smiled sweetly at Hua Ruoxu. "Little brother, you're not allowed to think about other girls when you're with your sister, okay?"
"Sister, I..." Hua Ruoxu was about to say something, but found himself unable to continue. Hua Tianxing's soft body pressed against him again, her warm cherry lips pressing against his.
Without realizing it, Hua Ruoxu had taken the initiative, greedily sucking on Hua Tianxing's sweet lips, his arms tightly embracing her delicate body. Time slowly slipped away in their kiss, and Hua Ruoxu knew he never wanted to let go.
"Little brother, it's time to let go of your sister." Hua Tianxing's voice suddenly echoed in Hua Ruoxu's mind. Hua Ruoxu reluctantly released her, but still held her delicate body, unwilling to let go. However, he only went so far; he still dared not make any further intimate moves with Hua Tianxing.
That night, Hua Ruoxu stayed in Hua Tianxing's room. He hadn't slept as soundly as he had in a while. Hua Tianxing lay docilely in his arms, gently stroking his cheek, her eyes filled with doting affection, as if Hua Ruoxu were her beloved darling.
However, that very night, a significant event occurred within the Tianxing Alliance: Lan Xuerou disappeared.
Lan Xuerou's disappearance naturally worried her two sworn sisters, Hong Yue'er and Bai Xinjing. They frantically searched everywhere, but still couldn't find a trace of her. Besides them, Hua Feihua seemed the most worried. For the past few months, Lan Xuerou and Hua Feihua had seemingly developed genuine feelings for each other through their playful banter. In the last two months, Lan Xuerou had almost completely stopped bothering Fang Xia, instead spending all her time with Hua Feihua. Now that Lan Xuerou had inexplicably disappeared, Hua Feihua was frantic with worry.
Hua Ruoxu only returned the next morning, naturally only learning of Lan Xuerou's disappearance at this time. Since the disciples of the four major sects had all returned, the Tianxing Alliance didn't have many people left—excluding the Qinglou disciples, of course. Therefore, finding her basically depended on Hua Yufeng mobilizing the Martial Arts Academy's manpower.
Hua Yufeng had been feeling quite overwhelmed these past few days. Ye Bu'er, Han Xue, Ouyang Bing'er, and the Immortal Palace were already keeping her busy, and now Lan Xuerou was added to the mix.
"Feng'er, perhaps someone has started to make a move against us," Hua Ruoxu said in a deep voice after a long silence. Lan Xuerou wasn't a child, nor was she mentally unstable like Ouyang Bing'er. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't disappear. Based on this analysis, something must have happened to her. Although Lan Xuerou wasn't strictly speaking a member of the Heavenly Star Alliance, it was a fact that she had been there for many days. Moreover, the three Dongting sisters' martial arts skills were quite average; they were arguably the weakest in the Heavenly Star Alliance at the moment. It was quite normal for the enemy to target them first.

Volume 9, Chapter 13: Reunion with Xiaoyue

"Junior brother, I'm really worried right now." A deep worry appeared on Hua Yufeng's pretty face. "If things really develop as I suspect, I'm afraid we'll be in a situation we can't handle."
"It's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark. Feng'er, it seems we need to be careful." Hua Ruoxu pondered for a moment and said, "But according to your guess, Feng'er, was it someone from the Immortal Palace who kidnapped Miss Lan, or Ye Bu'er, or someone else?"
"Who did it isn't the most important thing to us right now. Whether it's the Immortal Palace or Ye Bu'er, we will eventually settle things with them. If it's just a matter of attacking here, I'm confident no one can do anything to us. But I suddenly have a guess. If I'm not mistaken, the fire at the Ye family half a year ago was probably set by Ye Bu'er himself. Moreover, at that time, he had already planned how to deal with us, and now, he may be about to put it into practice." Hua Yufeng's face was still full of worry, and her voice was somewhat heavy.
"Feng'er, do you mean Ye Bu'er might target the four major sects?" Hua Ruoxu's heart tightened suddenly. Just as Hua Yufeng had said, he also believed that no one could do anything to the Tianxing Alliance. The Tianxing Alliance's apparent strength was already enough to deter many from challenging them, and with the hidden disciples of the Qinglou Sect, it was safe to say that no one could gain an advantage here. But if Ye Bu'er were to target the four major sects, with his strength, dealing with them would be more than enough.
“Everyone knows now that the four major sects are allied with our Tianxing Alliance. In fact, if something happens to them, we can't stand idly by. If Ye Bu'er really attacks them, we'll have to go and support them. This will inevitably disperse our forces and leave us constantly on the move.” Hua Yufeng nodded slightly. “The most troublesome thing is that even though we know they might use such methods, we don't have a good way to deal with it. After all, we can't keep the disciples of the four major sects in the Tianxing Alliance indefinitely. The fundamental solution is to improve the strength of the four major sects themselves, but this can't be done overnight.”
Hua Ruoxu frowned, thinking for a long time but still unable to come up with a good solution.
“Feng'er, why don't you send a message to Huimin and the others, telling them to be careful and, if attacked, to preserve their strength first and not to fight head-on.” Hua Ruoxu said to Hua Yufeng in a consultative tone, unable to think of any better solution.
“That's all we can do for now.” Hua Yufeng nodded, sighed softly, and said slowly.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu and Hua Yufeng entered the hall hand in hand, while Hong Yue'er and Bai Xinjing had just come in from outside, their faces filled with anxiety. They still hadn't found Lan Xuerou.
"Fairy Hua, is there any news?" Hua Feihua asked hurriedly when she saw Hua Yufeng come out.
"Not yet." Hua Yufeng shook her head, her tone somewhat helpless.
"This, what should we do? What if my little sister..." Hong Yue'er murmured softly.
"Miss Hong, Miss Bai, I think Miss Lan will be alright, don't worry too much." Hua Ruoxu could only offer this comfort, but at this moment, Ouyang Bing'er's beautiful face involuntarily appeared in his mind. He told others not to worry, but he himself was even more worried. Of course, he and they were not worried about the same person.
"Alliance Leader, someone requests an audience!" Zhao Changkong hurriedly walked in.
"Let him in." Hua Ruoxu frowned.
A moment later, a young man dressed in a yellow martial arts outfit walked in.
"My young master invites Young Master Hua to a meeting." The burly man in yellow bowed respectfully to Hua Ruoxu, his tone still respectful, and handed him a large red invitation.
"Nangong Feiyun?" Hua Ruoxu glanced at the words on it, his expression darkening slightly. "If Nangong Feiyun wants to see me, he can come to my Tianxing Alliance himself." Hua Ruoxu had no good feelings towards Nangong Feiyun.
"My young master is unable to leave, so he invited Young Master Hua to come. My young master asked me to apologize to you first. He also said that he and the young mistress will welcome you with great respect." The burly man in yellow appeared neither humble nor arrogant, but he deliberately emphasized the words "young mistress.
" "Feng'er, go and invite Sister Qing over." Hua Ruoxu was secretly annoyed. The burly man's words clearly carried a threat. He suppressed his anger and turned to Hua Yufeng in a low voice.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu coldly stared at the young man sitting opposite him. Undeniably, the man was handsome, but Hua Ruoxu felt a surge of nausea, not for any other reason than that he was Nangong Feiyun.
Jiang Qingyue leaned against Hua Ruoxu, appearing like a little bird seeking shelter, but her eyes darted around, taking in the surroundings.
Nangong Feiyun, dressed in a yellow robe, wore a slight smile.
"Nangong Feiyun, did you invite me here just to see the scenery?" Hua Ruoxu said coldly. He had been there for half an hour; Nangong Feiyun hadn't spoken since inviting him to sit down, but his eyes kept glancing towards the inner hall.
"Brother Hua, please be patient. Xiaoyue will be out soon," Nangong Feiyun smiled amicably. Just then, a woman in plain clothes emerged from the inner hall.
"Xiaoyue!" Jiang Qingyue rushed over and hugged the woman tightly.
"Miss, am I dreaming?" Jiang Xiaoyue murmured, the two sisters embracing and weeping, seemingly forgetting for a moment that Hua Ruoxu and Nangong Feiyun were still beside them.
"Young Madam, the young master is hungry." A maid-like girl came out from inside, speaking crisply, carrying a baby in her arms.
Jiang Xiaoyue's expression changed slightly, and she quickly released Jiang Qingyue.
"Miss, I have to go take care of the child," Jiang Xiaoyue said softly, then glanced quickly at Hua Ruoxu, before turning to Nangong Feiyun, "Feiyun, I can't accompany the guests with you, I'll go inside first."
Hua Ruoxu watched Jiang Xiaoyue's departing figure with a dazed expression. He hadn't seen her for over a year; she seemed even thinner, but also possessed a unique charm of a young married woman.
"Brother Hua, I'm truly sorry. I originally wanted Xiaoyue and your wife to spend more time together and catch up." Nangong Feiyun looked apologetic, his expression making it hard to tell if he was genuine.
"Brother Hua, there's plenty of time in the future. You and your wife can come to my place anytime." Nangong Feiyun smiled slightly.
"Nangong Feiyun, you didn't call me here just for such trivial matters, did you? Please say what you need to say earlier; I don't have that much patience." Hua Ruoxu felt a surge of inexplicable anger. When she saw the child, she felt a mix of emotions—sadness, helplessness, and a sense of injustice for Jiang Xiaoyue. Actually, when he first met Jiang Xiaoyue and learned she was already married, although he was saddened, he still wished her well. At that time, Nangong Feiyun seemed like a decent person. But now, he was beginning to see Nangong Feiyun's true colors.
At this moment, Jiang Qingyue sat back down next to Hua Ruoxu, but her face held a strange expression, and she seemed preoccupied.
"Actually, it's nothing major. I just wanted to discuss with you, Brother Hua, how to deal with our common enemy." Nangong Feiyun still smiled slightly, looking confident. Then he glanced at Jiang Qingyue and said to Hua Ruoxu, "Your wife is also here. I wonder if it's convenient for me to say something?"
"I have nothing I can't say to Sister Qing!" Hua Ruoxu's mood was clearly not calm today, while Nangong Feiyun had maintained a very calm demeanor. In this respect, Nangong Feiyun had already gained the upper hand.
"Brother Hua seems quite concerned about Miss Ouyang of the Snow Mountain Sect. I think this information is correct, isn't it?" Nangong Feiyun said calmly. "Miss Ouyang has fallen into the hands of the Immortal Palace. To be honest, Brother Hua, I was once a member of the Immortal Palace. Based on my understanding of the Immortal Palace, as long as you are willing to cooperate with me, I can guarantee that we can successfully rescue Miss Ouyang. I just don't know if you are interested, Brother Hua?"
"What? Has the Immortal Palace abandoned you after using you?" Hua Ruoxu said sarcastically, but he was indeed somewhat tempted. In his understanding, Nangong Feiyun should indeed know the Immortal Palace quite well. If he really had his help, perhaps they could really rescue Ouyang Bing'er.

"Brother Hua, you can understand it that way. I, Nangong Feiyun, am not afraid of losing face. Besides, there's nothing shameful about it. In the martial world, there are countless people who abandon their benefactors after using them. It's normal for me to encounter one." A trace of hatred flashed quickly in Nangong Feiyun's eyes, but then he returned to normal and smiled faintly.
"If Hua Lang is unwilling, I wonder what Young Master Nangong will do?" Jiang Qingyue suddenly interjected. To be honest, she and Nangong Feiyun were both originally envoys of the Divine Palace, but their identities had now changed.
"I think Brother Hua is a smart man, so naturally he wouldn't refuse," Nangong Feiyun said confidently, but then changed his tone, "Of course, if Brother Hua really doesn't want to, I, Nangong Feiyun, naturally won't force you."
"Nangong Feiyun, everyone knows you just want to use me, no need to be so polite," Hua Ruoxu said coldly. "However, cooperating with someone like you is like seeking a tiger's skin!"
"If Brother Hua knew who the Palace Master of the Immortal Palace is, I think Brother Hua certainly wouldn't refuse. Even if we're not friends, we have a common enemy. Besides, with Brother Hua's current martial arts and strength, are you afraid of me?" Nangong Feiyun smiled slightly. "If we're talking about using someone, I'm alone and weak, I just want to use Brother Hua's strength to vent my anger, and Brother Hua can use what I know to rescue your confidante and relieve your worries. I think this is a mutually beneficial arrangement, and Brother Hua wouldn't object, would he?"
"Who is the Palace Master of the Immortal Palace?" Although Hua Ruoxu disliked Nangong Feiyun, he had to admit that what he was saying made a lot of sense. He pondered for a moment and then asked in a deep voice.
"I'm afraid none of you would guess that the Palace Master of the Immortal Palace is Feng Guoyun, and Feng Guoyun is actually Feng Congyun's elder brother," Nangong Feiyun said slowly.
"What? Feng Guoyun?" Hua Ruoxu was shocked, his eyes showing disbelief. This was indeed hard to believe.
"I didn't believe it at first either, but in fact, it's absolutely true. And Feng Guoyun isn't as useless as he seems on the surface," Nangong Feiyun said calmly. "I don't think I need to elaborate on the grudge between Brother Hua and Feng Guoyun. However, Brother Hua, your conflict with the Immortal Palace is clearly inevitable. Rather than passively waiting for Feng Guoyun to deal with you, it's better for you to join me in actively destroying the Immortal Palace!"
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu and Jiang Qingyue returned to the Tianxing Alliance, both heavy-hearted. Jiang Qingyue hesitated several times, seemingly wanting to speak but not noticing.
Hua Ruoxu didn't agree to cooperate with Nangong Feiyun so easily. The news that Feng Guoyun was the Palace Master of the Immortal Palace left him somewhat bewildered. It wasn't fear, but rather that this meant he had to reassess Feng Guoyun's character.
Hua Yufeng was also clearly surprised to hear this news. It could be said that Feng Guoyun was someone they had always overlooked. However, she still had some doubts about the credibility of Nangong Feiyun's information.
After Hua Ruoxu left Hua Yufeng's room, Jiang Qingyue stayed behind.
"Yufeng, there's something I want to discuss with you, but I don't want Hua Lang to know," Jiang Qingyue said softly, seeing that Hua Ruoxu had already gone far away.
"Qingyue, actually, I noticed a while ago that your complexion was a bit off," Hua Yufeng sighed softly.
“Xiaoyue is pregnant, but the child is Hua Lang’s.” Jiang Qingyue’s expression turned serious. “Xiaoyue seemed normal on the surface today, but she secretly told me that Nangong Feiyun threatened her with the child’s safety.”
“Junior Brother’s child?” Hua Yufeng frowned slightly and murmured, “If that’s true, then it’s probably going to be troublesome.”
“Xiaoyue’s condition was very strange at the time. When I was holding her, I could feel her trembling. I even suspect that she told me this news at Nangong Feiyun’s behest, so that he could use it to blackmail Hua Lang after I relayed it to him.” Jiang Qingyue’s face was full of worry. “But I can’t be sure right now, I can’t even be sure if Xiaoyue’s child is Hua Lang’s. I don’t want Hua Lang to know about this right now, so I came to discuss it with you.” “Qingyue
, for now, please don’t tell Junior Brother. I will handle it.” Hua Yufeng thought for a moment and said.

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