Love and Sword [Complete] - 27

Volume Ten, Chapter Eleven: At the Foot of Mount Emei

. Mount Emei is renowned throughout the world for its beauty. After a long and arduous journey, as night fell, Zhao Changkong and his group arrived at the foot of Mount Emei. Looking up, under the dark sky, Mount Emei seemed even more beautiful.
"It's been two years since I've been here, and it seems nothing has changed." Huang Yingying sighed softly, her tone carrying a special emotion. After all, this was her sect. Two years ago, she had completed her training here and descended the mountain. Unexpectedly, two years later, she had come here to save her sect from danger.
"We've finally arrived. We can finally breathe a sigh of relief." Zhao Changkong was somewhat emotional. He had been worried the whole way, but the fact that they hadn't found any trace of the enemy made him feel much more at ease. He looked at everyone and smiled slightly, "Let's go up!"
"Everyone, be careful!" Fang Xia suddenly shouted in a deep voice. Before his words even finished, Zhao Changkong already felt the murderous aura surging from all around. His heart sank. What was bound to happen had finally arrived, but he hadn't expected them to choose this moment to make their move.
Countless figures in black rushed towards them, gleaming blades flashing in the darkness, their swift movements seemingly capable of killing them at any moment.
"Form a formation!" Thirteen Sister shouted, her voice sharp and unexpected. No one had expected that among the sixteen disciples of the Love Pavilion, she would be the one giving the order.
White figures danced in the air as the Love Pavilion disciples, who had previously been in pairs, suddenly formed a strange formation. Not only that, they also surrounded Fang Xia, Zhao Changkong, and Huang Yingying within the formation, while the enemy was kept outside.
"Brother Zhao, don't come out yet. This is a blade formation, very powerful. Let us deal with it for a while, so you can observe their weaknesses," Thirteen Sister said without turning her head, wielding her sword.
"Brother-in-law, let's observe first. If they can't hold out, then we can act," Huang Yingying said thoughtfully. Zhao Changkong pondered for a moment, then nodded.
The battle was exceptionally fierce. There were roughly thirty or forty black-clad swordsmen. From Zhao Changkong's observation, even in one-on-one combat, these men were comparable to top-tier martial arts masters. Frankly, although his martial arts had greatly improved, and he considered himself capable of handling one or two of them, he wasn't sure how long he could last within this sword formation, as its power seemed truly immense.
However, the high level of martial arts among the Qinglou disciples surprised Zhao Changkong even more, and this strange sword formation was astonishingly powerful, able to fight a black-clad group that outnumbered them by a significant margin.
Suddenly, a wisp of flute music rang out, piercing the tranquil night sky. Coming from afar, the flute music was extremely shrill and somewhat eerie, creating a sense of oppression and unease.
The flute music drew closer, and moments later, four white-clad figures appeared before them. One of them, a beautiful woman, held a flute between her lips, from which the shrill sound emanated.
The sword formation began to crumble. The Qinglou disciples, who had initially been evenly matched with the black-clad swordsmen, started to frequently find themselves in perilous situations. Although they managed to dodge each attack, it still sent chills down the spines of Zhao Changkong and his companions.
"The flute music is strange. I'll deal with that woman; you two take on the other three," Fang Xia whispered. Before his words even finished, he had already lunged out of the formation, thrusting his sword at the flute-playing woman.
Zhao Changkong and Huang Yingying followed suit, rushing out of the sword formation.
The four white-clad figures were naturally the White-Clad Four Killers, while the flute-playing woman was naturally Xiao Wudi. Seeing Fang Xia approach, she showed a slight hint of disdain and gracefully retreated a few feet. At the same time, Shan Xiaoyao lunged to the side, blocking Fang Xia, while Huang Yingying and Zhao Changkong were respectively stopped by Dao Zongheng and Jian Tianxia. The
flute music continued, and the Qinglou disciples faced one danger after another. Strangely, however, in the critical moments, they always managed to escape the fatal blow.
Half an hour passed, and the fierce battle between the two sides continued. Clearly, the disciples of Qinglou were at a significant disadvantage, yet after so long, there were still no casualties—a miracle indeed. Zhao Changkong and his two companions were also evenly matched with the three members of the White-Clad Four Killers. Even the White-Clad Four Killers had been defeated by Fang Xia, yet Fang Xia couldn't defeat Shan Xiaoyao. While this was partly due to Fang Xia being influenced by Xiao Wudi's flute playing, it also demonstrated that Shan Xiaoyao's martial arts were definitely no less than the White-Clad Four Killers'.
Xiao Wudi's face slowly turned ashen, tinged with anger, perhaps due to the prolonged, fruitless battle. Suddenly, the flute playing changed; it didn't sound unpleasant to the ear, but became exceptionally sharp and resonant, piercing the sky and carrying for miles.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu and his group traveled day and night, heading straight for Emei. Since that night he spent with Hua Tianxing in the tavern, he hadn't seen her again. No matter how much he called out to her in his heart, Hua Tianxing never appeared before him, leaving Hua Ruoxu deeply melancholy.
The only thing that brought Hua Ruoxu solace was that Hua Yuluan was gradually emerging from the shadow of losing her son, and a sweet smile occasionally appeared on her face. Perhaps this was the only thing that brought him joy in these past few days. It would
take about two more days to reach Emei. Hua Ruoxu felt a slight anxiety; he worried that Emei might suffer the same fate as Shaolin. But there was no use in being anxious; all he could do now was get to Emei as quickly as possible.
Suddenly, a man in tight-fitting clothes appeared in their sight. Hua Ruoxu instinctively reached for his Love Sword. With the sword in hand, he suddenly became like a puppet, his face instantly turning pale.
"Wentian, the leader of the 63rd branch of the Demon Palace, greets Young Master Hua!" The man in tight-fitting clothes bowed deeply to Hua Ruoxu. "The Palace Master has something and a letter for you, Young Master. Please accept them!" He held up a letter and a crimson brocade box with both hands.
"Junior Brother, what's wrong?" Hua Yuluan asked with concern when she saw that Hua Ruoxu had no reaction and his expression seemed very wrong.
"Oh, I'm fine. Senior Sister, please accept the things for me." Hua Ruoxu seemed to have come to his senses and gave Hua Yuluan a forced smile, which she did.
"This subordinate takes his leave!" The man in tight-fitting clothes bowed deeply to Hua Ruoxu again and was about to leave.
"Wait!" Hua Ruoxu stared blankly at the contents of the brocade box. It was the jade pendant he had returned to Su Daier. He opened the letter, which contained only a few words: Brother Ruoxu, Daier is waiting for you to come back! A sudden indescribable feeling welled up in his heart. After thinking for a moment, he called out to the man from the Demon Palace.
"What are your orders, young master?" the man in the tight-fitting clothes asked respectfully.
"Tell Dai'er I will return to Jinling to find her as soon as possible," Hua Ruoxu said with a soft sigh.
"Yes, I will certainly convey your message, young master." The man in the tight-fitting clothes was secretly pleased. He had been worried about how to explain himself since Hua Ruoxu hadn't given him any reply, but now he didn't have to worry.
After the man in the tight-fitting clothes had walked away, Hua Ruoxu's face suddenly turned grim again.
"Junior brother, what happened?" Hua Yuluan asked softly.
"Senior sister, the Love Sword is gone!" Hua Ruoxu said in a low voice, his tone unusually heavy.
"What?" Hua Yuluan exclaimed. "When did this happen?"
"I don't know either. I just discovered it. I think it must have happened in the last couple of days." Hua Ruoxu gently shook his head, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I remember the Love Sword was still here a few days ago, but I haven't touched it these past two days, so I didn't notice anything. Just now, as soon as I touched the sword, I felt something was wrong. The sword I have now is just a very ordinary sword."
"Who could have taken the sword from you?" Hua Yuluan murmured, then suddenly remembered something. "Could it be that someone took it after you got drunk that night?"
"That night?" Hua Ruoxu's heart skipped a beat, and a thought suddenly popped into her head, "Could it be that my sister took it? But what use would she have for it? If she really took it, she should have told me."
*** *** ***
The three women, Hua Feimeng, Hua Feihua, and Hua Feihua had searched all over Wudang but couldn't find her. Night had fallen, and Hua Feihua still hadn't returned.
"Miss Meng, we found this in Young Master Hua's room." Just as the three women were wondering what to do, a man dressed as a Wudang disciple hurriedly approached them.

"If you wish to see Lan Xuerou, go to the Immortal Palace North South Branch, ten miles south of Wudang," Hua Feimeng slowly read out, word by word.
"Lan Xue Rou? The Immortal Palace?" Hua Feimeng's expression changed slightly. "So, Fei Hua went to find that girl Lan Xue Rou?"
"He went there alone. I'm afraid he won't be able to save her, and he'll get himself killed." Jiang Qingyue sighed softly. "I didn't expect Fei Hua to be so fearless for Miss Lan."
"The Immortal Palace killed Ruo Xu's baby. We haven't settled accounts with them yet. Well, let's settle this score with them today." Hua Feimeng's face showed a cold expression as she said in a low voice.
"There's no time to lose. Let's go there quickly." Jiang Qingyue nodded and said. A moment later, the three women and the disciples of Qinglou left Wudang. Originally, the three women didn't want the disciples of Qinglou to come with them, but they insisted on going anyway. It was just unknown whether they were going to deal with the Immortal Palace or worried about the three women's safety.
*** *** ***
"Princess." Mei'er called out helplessly to Princess Wushuang, who was engrossed in playing with the baby.
"Mei'er, don't be so loud, you'll frighten the child." Princess Wushuang turned around and glared at Mei'er.
"I say, Princess, if you really like him so much, why don't you marry Young Master Hua? Right now, Young Master Hua is grieving over the death of his child. If you take the child back, he'll be overjoyed. When he's happy, he'll agree to anything you ask. Then you can make him your Prince Consort." Mei'er looked at Princess Wushuang with a disappointed expression.
"Don't talk nonsense or have unrealistic fantasies. Anyone can become my consort, except for Hua Ruoxu." Princess Wushuang said calmly without turning her head. "But Mei'er, if you really want to marry him, I can make an exception for you. You don't need to come with my dowry; I'll marry you off to Hua Ruoxu alone."
"Princess, I really don't understand why Hua Gongzi can't be married off? You like his precious son so much, and Hua Gongzi is a good person, except for having a few too many girls around him. But that just shows he's a good person, right? So many girls like him." Mei'er sighed. "Princess, are you perhaps going to marry that bastard Nangong Feiyun? I see you're wholeheartedly helping him now."
"That's not impossible. Maybe I really will marry Nangong Feiyun." Princess Wushuang turned her head and smiled slightly. "Nangong Feiyun is treacherous and ruthless. He will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Such a person is very suitable for establishing himself in the officialdom. Being my consort would be a good fit. Besides, Nangong Feiyun is also handsome and dashing, not much worse than Hua Ruoxu."
"Oh no, oh no, Princess, have you lost your mind? You don't need to go to the palace to fight for power. Why do you want to find a treacherous and ruthless villain?" Mei'er jumped up and down anxiously. "Besides, that bastard Nangong Feiyun even schemes against his own sister. If you really marry him, he might not even spare you, Princess, one day."
"Alright, what's the rush? I never said I had to marry him. I'm not married yet, so of course I can marry anyone. That's why I said marrying Nangong Feiyun is also possible. Look at you, you're more anxious than marrying me off to some old geezer." Princess Wushuang glared at Mei'er, annoyed.
"But Princess, something's not right. You just said you would never marry Young Master Hua, so why are you saying you could marry anyone now?" Mei'er seemed quite observant, noticing the flaw in Princess Wushuang's words.
"He and I can only be enemies. Perhaps one day, he will die by my hand." Princess Wushuang remained silent for a while before speaking softly.
"Why, Princess?" Mei'er was still persistent, determined to get a clear answer.
“Although he’s facing a lot of trouble now, he’s still the person most likely to unify the righteous and the wicked in the martial arts world. I can’t allow such a person to exist in the world, Mei’er, do you understand now?” Princess Wushuang sighed softly, her gaze turning back to the baby in the cradle. “Perhaps, all I can do is raise this child for him, so we’re even.”

Volume 10, Sword Madman, Chapter 12, Slaughter Fairy.

“What? I think you’d be better off having a child for him yourself and raising it yourself, why raise someone else’s child?” Mei’er pouted and muttered a few times. This time, Princess Wushuang simply pretended not to hear and ignored the unusually curious girl.
*** *** ***
At the foot of Mount Emei, a fierce battle raged, but Xiao Wudi’s face revealed a smug smile. In her vision, dozens of black figures appeared, getting closer and closer.
Dozens of agile men in black rushed in from afar, joining the battle. The already disadvantaged disciples of Qinglou faced even greater pressure and were increasingly stretched thin. Xiao Wudi's flute playing changed again, returning to its original shrill and irritating tone. Her face was filled with a cruel expression, and her eyes seemed to see death beckoning to these people.
Suddenly, a string of melodious, silvery laughter rang out, seemingly from the heavens. At the same time, a dazzling light erupted in the sky. A beautiful, indescribable fairy in white, with flowing hair and a flowing dress, slowly descended from the sky. A celestial maiden descending to earth—this was something only found in legends—had now become a reality. The fairy in white held
a sword in her hand, its blade gleaming with a dazzling light that illuminated the night sky.
"The young lady has arrived! Kill!" A delicate shout rang out, and the disciples of Qinglou seemed to suddenly increase their power several times over. They had been at a disadvantage, but suddenly the tide had turned, and they had gained the upper hand.
The fairy suddenly vanished, the piercing flute music abruptly ceased, and Xiao Wudi's body slowly slumped, falling silent.
A faint white shadow moved through the fighting crowd, while a dazzling light seemed to spread all around, growing ever brighter. No screams were heard, no blood was seen. After a short while, Zhao Changkong and his companions, along with all the disciples of Qinglou, stopped. Their opponents lay limp on the ground, and even more terrifyingly, not a drop of blood flowed from their bodies; instead, they gradually turned into desiccated corpses. A
night breeze blew, awakening Zhao Changkong and his companions from their shock and fear. They had never witnessed anything so unbelievable. Looking at the corpses before them, they finally believed that what they had just seen was not a dream.
"How could this be? Just now, wasn't Fairy Hua here?" Zhao Changkong murmured.
"Is she even human? Can someone possess such high martial arts skills?" Fang Xia also looked incredulous.
Compared to Zhao Changkong and his companions, the disciples of Qinglou appeared quite calm, seemingly unsurprised by everything.
"Brother Zhao, we should head to Emei now. Miss just said the Pavilion Master will arrive in a couple of days, and she told us to wait for him here," Thirteen Sister's clear voice rang out.
"Thirteen Sister, did your Miss kill all these people?" Zhao Changkong still seemed somewhat incredulous, finding it hard to believe that such a beautiful fairy could be a murderous demon.
“Brother Zhao, none of these people deserved to die. What’s wrong with Miss killing them?” Thirteen Sister looked at Zhao Changkong with a questioning gaze.
“Of course there’s nothing wrong with it,” Zhao Changkong quickly replied. “It’s just that I really didn’t expect Fairy Hua’s martial arts to be so high.”
“Miss is omnipotent,” Thirteen Sister said calmly, but these words sent a chill down Zhao Changkong’s spine.
*** *** ***
Emei Sect.
Zhao Changkong, Huang Yingying, Fang Xia, and the current Emei Sect Leader Huimin were talking quietly in the room. Huimin was surprised to learn that there had been a fierce battle down the mountain, and she was even more astonished when she heard that all the enemies were dead.
“Brother-in-law, what’s wrong? You haven’t looked well,” Huang Yingying couldn’t help but ask. Ever since Zhao Changkong killed those black-clad swordsmen, his expression had been off.
"Tell me, who exactly is Hua Tianxing, the Fairy Hua? I dare say even the Alliance Leader doesn't possess her level of martial arts. What's even stranger is that this person has never appeared in the martial arts world before. I used to only wonder how the Alliance Leader could have an older sister, but now I'm even more suspicious." Zhao Changkong remained deep in thought.

"Brother Hua doesn't have an older sister; everyone knows that. Actually, if I'm not mistaken, Fairy Hua is probably Brother Hua's confidante. Perhaps this name is just an alias." Fang Xia pondered for a moment and said, "Brother Zhao, I think you shouldn't think so much. In any case, I don't think Fairy Hua is a bad person; we can rest assured."
"That's true. We shouldn't think so much." Zhao Changkong thought for a moment and nodded.
*** *** ***
"What? How, how is this possible? Our entire army was wiped out, and they didn't even have a single wounded?" Ye Bu'er could clearly feel his body trembling.
“My lord, if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe it either,” the black-clad man behind Ye Bu’er said in a low voice, a hint of fear on his face, seemingly still shaken. “That woman was truly terrifying!”
“Could it be that fate has truly forsaken me, Ye?” Ye Bu’er murmured, his eyes fixed on the empty space outside the window, as if trying to find the answer he sought there.
*** *** ***
Jiang Qingyue suddenly stopped in her tracks.
“Qingyue, what’s wrong?” Hua Feimeng quickly stopped as well.
“Sister Meng, Youyou, don’t you think that letter was strange?” Jiang Qingyue said in a low voice. “I remember going to Feihua’s room, how come I didn’t see that letter?”
“Yes, it is a bit strange. I was only worried about Feihua and didn’t think much about it.” Hua Feimeng nodded.
“Oh no, we have to go back quickly. I’m worried we’ve fallen for someone’s diversionary tactic.” Jiang Qingyue exclaimed softly, gave a signal, and the group quickly turned and headed towards Wudang Mountain. About three miles
north
of Wudang Mountain, a handsome young man stood proudly.
"Protector Nangong, everyone from the Heavenly Star Alliance has left Wudang," someone hurriedly reported.
"A few foolish women, I don't think you'll fall for it!" The handsome young man chuckled smugly, then suddenly lowered his voice and said in a deep voice, "Pass down the order, let's depart!"
"But, Protector Nangong, what about the Palace Master…" the man hesitated slightly.
"What are you worried about? We'll pretend we didn't receive any orders. Besides, my Flying Cloud Altar isn't among the 108 branch altars she mentioned, nor does it belong to the four halls of the main altar." The handsome young man sneered and shouted in a deep voice, "Why aren't you passing on the order?"
"Yes, Your subordinate will go right away!" the man nodded hurriedly and retreated. The
Wudang
disciples and the Demon Palace disciples seemed to be on completely different levels. Although Zhou Changfeng's martial arts were decent, he was entangled by Nangong Feiyun, while the other Wudang disciples were no match for the Demon Palace disciples and were naturally retreating step by step. It seemed that Wudang was about to follow in Shaolin
's footsteps. "Monks and Taoists are all one family. You should go down there and keep the Shaolin monks company!" Nangong Feiyun laughed loudly, his laughter full of smugness.
"Sister Yue, Sister Meng, why does his laugh sound so awful? It's disgusting!" A delicate voice came over, and Nangong Feiyun forced himself to stop laughing halfway through. He turned around abruptly, and his expression changed drastically.
"Go!" Nangong Feiyun shouted in a deep voice, and then suddenly pounced on the group of Wudang disciples, grabbing one of them in each hand and throwing them towards Jiang Qingyue and Xue Youyou. Then he quickly flew down the mountain.
"How could that shameless guy run away so fast?" Xue Youyou complained. They probably never expected that Nangong Feiyun would run away with his men as soon as he saw them, leaving no one behind.
"He's afraid of dying!" Hua Feimeng chimed in, but a worried expression appeared on her face. "Where did Feihua go?"
*** *** ***
Two days later, Hua Ruoxu and his group indeed arrived at Emei. Zhao Changkong told him about what had happened at the foot of Emei Mountain two days ago and tried to glean something from Hua Ruoxu's expression, but unfortunately, Hua Ruoxu didn't show any particular reaction after listening.
However, Zhao Changkong didn't know that Hua Ruoxu's mind was already in turmoil. He was basically certain that the Love Sword had indeed been taken by Hua Tianxing, but he still wasn't sure why she had taken it. Hua Ruoxu was even more surprised that Hua Tianxing could arrive at Emei in such a short time, but having already experienced this once before, he could accept it somewhat. As for how high Hua Tianxing's martial arts skills were, he couldn't be sure. However, since she had taught him all his martial arts, it was probably normal for her skills to be higher than his, right?
The night was cool and still, with a chilly wind blowing. Around midnight, Hua Ruoxu seemed to sense someone calling him. After hesitating for a moment, he sat up in bed, put on his clothes, and went out of the room.
Stepping out of the Emei Sect's gate, he saw the familiar white-clad fairy standing before him, smiling sweetly at him.
"Sister!" Hua Ruoxu called out affectionately, quickening his pace to meet her. He reached out and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly, as if afraid she would fly away.
"Little brother, carry your sister to the summit," Hua Tianxing said sweetly, wrapping her arms around his neck. Hua Ruoxu listened as if receiving a divine decree. With a slight effort, he lifted her soft, boneless body and leaped towards the summit. At the summit of Mount
Emei
, Hua Tianxing lay in Hua Ruoxu's arms, her starry eyes slightly closed, a sweet smile on her face. Hua Ruoxu gazed intently at her pretty face, momentarily captivated.
"Hehe, is there something on your face, sister? You lecherous little brother, why are you looking at me like that?" Hua Tianxing suddenly opened her beautiful eyes and smiled sweetly at Hua Ruoxu.
"Sister, I missed you so much. Please don't hide from me anymore, okay?" Hua Ruoxu said softly.
"As long as you behave a little, little brother, sister will naturally come to see you." Hua Tianxing said, sitting up, still nestled against Hua Ruoxu.
"Sister, did you take the Love Sword?" Hua Ruoxu nodded silently, then suddenly asked after a long while.
"Yes, hehe, little brother, you're very clever. You knew it was your older sister who took it." Hua Tianxing chuckled. "Now I'm giving the sword back to you, little brother, don't move." As Hua Tianxing spoke, a sword suddenly appeared in her hand. Hua Ruoxu recognized it at a glance as the Love Sword. Hua Tianxing smiled sweetly and put the Love Sword on Hua Ruoxu's belt, then suddenly kissed him on the face.
"Hehe, this is your reward from your older sister." Hua Tianxing seemed very happy today.
Perhaps influenced by Hua Tianxing, Hua Ruoxu also unconsciously smiled. Looking at Hua Tianxing leaning against him like a little bird, a feeling of happiness welled up in his heart.
"Sister, meeting you is the greatest happiness of my life." Hua Ruoxu gently embraced Hua Tianxing and whispered. What more could one ask for in life!
*** *** ***
Hua Tianxing and Hua Ruoxu stayed on the summit of Mount Emei until dawn before leaving. Surprisingly, Hua Tianxing actually followed Hua Ruoxu back into the house. Hua Yuluan
wasn't surprised to see Hua Ruoxu and Hua Tianxing come in together. Many people vaguely understood the relationship between Hua Ruoxu and Hua Tianxing, and Hua Yuluan was no exception.
That day, disciples from the Martial Arts Academy came to report that there was still one last group of enemies in Qingcheng, about ten people, who were preparing to retreat. The others, of course, had already died by Hua Tianxing's sword two days ago.
Hua Tianxing ordered Hua Ruoxu to intercept these people. Although Hua Ruoxu hesitated for a moment, he ultimately did not disobey her. This time, Hua Tianxing did not act herself, nor did she send anyone else to fight. Instead, she left Hua Ruoxu to face the enemy alone. Thus, dozens more souls were lost under the sword of passion. Upon hearing the news, Ye Bu'er was so angry that he almost vomited blood and died. All the assassins he sent were thus laid to rest forever in the Sichuan region.
Later, Hua Ruoxu and Ximen Lin met up, and after discussing the matter, they decided to return to Jinling. What had seemed like a perilous rescue seemed to have been easily overcome. A strange thought arose in Hua Ruoxu's mind. He seemed to sense that Hua Tianxing could easily handle the whole matter, but she seemed unwilling to act personally. As for why this was, he had no idea.
On the eve of leaving Qingcheng, Hua Tianxing quietly left again. Although Hua Ruoxu was mentally prepared for this, he still couldn't help but feel a little melancholy. However, he was powerless to do anything about it. All he could do was hope that Hua Tianxing would soon reappear by his side.

Volume Ten, Sword Maniac, Chapter Thirteen: The Mischievous Girl.

Ten miles south of Wudang, there was indeed a branch of the Immortal Palace. The branch wasn't large, but it had a considerable number of members. However, the skills of these Immortal Palace disciples were truly underwhelming. Hua Feihua, driven by passion and his feelings for Lan Xuerou, was determined to rescue her even at the cost of his life. Unexpectedly, he easily stormed in without hindrance. When he saw the so-called leaders of the Immortal Palace's North and South Branches, he was even more surprised.
"Feihua, what are you doing here?" Before Hua Feihua could express his surprise, they asked first.
"Cousin, brother-in-law, what are you doing here?" Hua Feihua couldn't help but smile bitterly. These two were actually Yue Tianhong and Zhang Lingyun.
"Feihua, don't you really know? The four great families are now all subordinates of the Immortal Palace." Yue Tianhong sighed softly.
"So that's really how it is. Then my father and the others are here too?" Hua Feihua's voice was somewhat heavy as he thought for a moment before asking.
"My uncle is at the main altar. Lingyun and I aren't important figures, and Tianying didn't want us to take on any heavy responsibilities, so he transferred us to a more distant place." Yue Tianhong's face showed a faint bitter smile. In fact, in terms of ability and talent, she was no less capable than Yue Tianying. It was just that Yue Tianying was a man, so he took the position of head of the Yue family. Originally, she didn't care much about this position, but Yue Tianying was worried about her.
Finally, when Hua Feihua asked why he had come here, Yue Tianhong told him that there was no such thing. She had no idea whether Lan Xuerou was really in the Immortal Palace, and even if the Immortal Palace had really kidnapped Lan Xuerou, it was impossible for them to keep her here with Yue Tianhong. Hua Feihua wasn't stupid. He immediately realized that he might have fallen into someone's trap, but thinking that Hua Feimeng and the others were still in Wudang, he wasn't too worried. Even so, he hurriedly said goodbye to Yue Tianhong and rushed back to Wudang.
“Feihua, I’ll see you off.” Yue Tianhong hesitated for a moment before saying this, and Hua Feihua nodded.
The two walked slowly side by side. Yue Tianhong looked at Hua Feihua, hesitating several times as if she wanted to say something.
“Cousin, I know you have something to say to me, so just say it.” Hua Feihua slowed her pace and said softly.
“Feihua, has your uncle ever told you that there’s a common secret among the four great families?” Yue Tianhong’s expression shifted between light and shadow, and after a long silence, she finally spoke.
“A secret? I don’t know. Father never told me anything.” Hua Feihua was slightly taken aback.
“My father didn’t tell me either. I only heard about it by chance. The four great families are forced to unite because of this secret. I even suspect that the reason they all joined the Immortal Palace this time is because of this. It’s just a pity that I don’t know what the secret is.” Yue Tianhong sighed softly and stopped. “Feihua, I’ll see you off here. Be careful on your journey!”
Hua Feihua nodded and strode forward. His steps seemed a little heavy, which reflected his current mood.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu and his group arrived in Jinling from Qingcheng, and it was almost the end of the year. Hua Ruoxu stood outside the Tianxing Alliance gate, somewhat lost in thought.
“Young Master!” A petite white figure rushed over like a swallow returning to its nest. Her sweet voice was so familiar, yet it made him overjoyed.
“Xiaoxue, you’re back?” Hua Ruoxu was pleasantly surprised. Hanxue’s return home was the most joyful thing that had happened to him since he left Jinling.
“Xiaoxue has been back for a while now. She knew you were coming back and waited for you at the door every day. Today, she finally arrived.” Her soft tone, though calm, couldn't hide her inner joy. However, her naturally reserved nature prevented her from expressing her feelings as openly as Hanxue.
“Brother Hua, Youyou missed you so much!” A girl in emerald green rushed out, her slender and alluring body throwing herself into Hua Ruoxu's arms. Xue Youyou's natural charm was becoming increasingly captivating, and Hua Ruoxu felt a faint surge of desire. In comparison, although Hua Yufeng was also more beautiful than before, her deliberate concealment meant her allure was far less than Xue Youyou's.
“Let's go inside first,” Hua Ruoxu said with a smile, barely suppressing his lustful thoughts. Hua Feimeng and Jiang Qingyue also came into his view, but unlike Xue Youyou and Hanxue, they weren't as bold, only gazing at Hua Ruoxu with affectionate eyes.
"Senior Brother!" Suddenly, a gray shadow rushed over and knelt down in front of Hua Ruoxu.
"Junior Brother Wuchen, you, you're still alive? That's wonderful, wonderful!" Hua Ruoxu was overjoyed. He had thought that everyone in Shaolin had perished, but Wuchen had actually escaped.
"Senior Brother, you must avenge them!" Wuchen said, choking back tears. He looked extremely haggard. His physical injuries weren't very serious, but his psychological trauma was the most severe. He had witnessed hundreds of Shaolin members die before his eyes, and he was powerless to do anything about it. If it weren't for the fact that he had to stay alive to report to Hua Ruoxu, he probably would have fought to the death with the people from the Demon Palace.
"Junior Brother Wuchen, get up!" Hua Ruoxu felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on his heart. He bent down to help Wuchen up and said slowly and with some difficulty, "Don't worry, I won't let them die in vain."
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu instructed Hanxue and Xue Youyou to accompany Hua Yuluan into the house to rest. Hua Feimeng and Jiang Qingyue also went in. The others went back to their rooms, except for Ximen Lin and Hua Yufeng, who went with Hua Ruoxu to Hua Yufeng's boudoir.
Hua Ruoxu was initially quite happy because he first saw Hanxue, who had been away from home for several months, return home. Then he discovered that Wuchen, whom he thought was dead, was actually still alive. However, Wuchen's request reminded him of something else, making him feel extremely depressed and oppressed, and he couldn't be happy at all.
“According to what Wuchen said a few days ago, and the information I gathered, it’s basically the same: it was Nangong Feiyun who destroyed Shaolin. A few days ago, Nangong Feiyun used a diversionary tactic to lure Youyou and the others away from Wudang, intending to attack Wudang at the opportune moment. If Qingyue hadn’t noticed something was wrong and returned in time, Wudang would probably have followed in Shaolin’s footsteps by now.” Hua Yufeng’s eyebrows furrowed slightly as she sighed softly. “Although Su Dai’er has repeatedly tried to weaken the power of Nangong Xuanyuan and Nangong Feiyun, it doesn’t seem to have much effect. Nangong Feiyun is still doing as he pleases, as if he doesn’t take her, the Palace Master, seriously. I think that besides being Su Dai’er’s brother, he must have some other reliance, otherwise he wouldn’t be so presumptuous.”
“Ruoxu, I think I should handle Nangong Feiyun’s situation. After all, if you take matters into your own hands, it won’t be good for you to face Su Dai’er in the future,” Ximen Lin said softly.
“Sister Lin, thank you for your kindness, but no matter what, I must do this myself.” Hua Ruoxu shook his head. “If I have to rely on others for even this, I will be ashamed before my master in the afterlife, and also ashamed before all the Shaolin disciples who once regarded me as their leader.” Hua Ruoxu
’s tone was resolute. He had made up his mind that no matter what, he would personally kill Nangong Feiyun and seek justice for the unjustly killed Shaolin disciples.
Seeing Hua Ruoxu’s determination, Ximen Lin did not insist any further and had no choice but to comply with his wishes.
"I've found Ye Bu'er's hiding place, and those black-clad swordsmen are indeed his subordinates. Ye Bu'er should have recalled all his men. My initial assessment is that his strength has been reduced by half, and I estimate he won't dare to take any action for the time being," Hua Yufeng continued. "Originally, I wanted to take the initiative, but since we haven't found the Poison Sect's hideout, we're not entirely confident in eliminating them."
"As for the Immortal Palace, I've also found their headquarters, and we can act at any time. In addition, it seems that Gong Yaqian of the Divine Palace intends to make peace with us. Hanxue's return is largely thanks to her." Hua Yufeng explained in detail how Hanxue returned.
"Feng'er, I'll go to the Demon Palace first. You should also arrange a strategy to deal with the Immortal Palace," Hua Ruoxu said after thinking for a moment. Because Feng Yundong directly caused him to suffer the pain of losing his son, the Immortal Palace was still the one he hated most in his heart.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu lingered outside Su Dai'er's door for a long, long time, but still didn't go in. Su Dai'er, for some reason, didn't come out to greet him. Liu Yun opened the door several times and saw Hua Ruoxu, but said nothing.

"Dai'er, I came only to tell you that I will do what I should do, and no one can stop me." Hua Ruoxu ultimately didn't go in. After slowly finishing these words through the door, he turned to leave. However, a sentence coming from inside made him unable to take another step.
"Brother Ruoxu, Dai'er also wants to tell you that even if you kill Dai'er, Dai'er won't blame you." The voice was sweet yet tinged with resentment. With these words, Hua Ruoxu involuntarily stopped. After a moment, he turned and pushed open the door. A hot, delicate body rushed into his arms.
"Dai'er!" Hua Ruoxu called softly, holding her tightly.
"Brother Ruoxu, it's my fault for being useless and letting you down," Su Dai'er said softly. "But don't worry, it won't happen again."
"Dai'er, I don't want to make things difficult for you either. As long as you don't blame me, that's fine." Hua Ruoxu's tone was full of helplessness. He had made up his mind to kill Nangong Feiyun with his own hands, but no matter what, Nangong Feiyun was Su Dai'er's brother. Moreover, once he was going to make a move against Nangong Feiyun, Nangong Xuanyuan would definitely not stand idly by. In Su Dai'er's view, it would inevitably lead to a situation where her father, brother, and lover would kill each other, which would indeed be a great hurt to her.
"Brother Ruoxu, I have already instructed Sister Yunyan to help you. Sister Yunyan can now mobilize most of the Demon Palace's forces. I think she can be of some help to you." Su Dai'er smiled sweetly, and there seemed to be a hint of cunning in her eyes as she looked at Hua Ruoxu.
Hua Ruoxu was slightly taken aback. Sun Yunyan was a woman who gave him a headache, but he couldn't very well refuse her help, given her current status, which was indeed a great asset. With Sun Yunyan by his side, some innocent Demon Palace disciples wouldn't side with Nangong Feiyun against him, making his future dealings with Su Daier easier.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu had never felt so restrained walking with any woman before, all because the woman beside him was Sun Yunyan. He had seen her waiting for him after leaving Su Daier's place; it seemed Su Daier had anticipated his refusal.
"Miss Sun, are you coming back to the Hua residence with me, or do you have somewhere else to go?" Hua Ruoxu found silence even more unbearable, so he decided to try and start a conversation.
"The Palace Master told me to follow you these days. Wherever you go, I'll go," Sun Yunyan said curtly, her tone seemingly dissatisfied. It appeared she wasn't very willing to follow Hua Ruoxu around.
Hua Ruoxu smiled awkwardly, said nothing more, and continued walking forward. He was now only hoping to return to the Hua Mansion as soon as possible.
"Stop thief! Stop thief!" Suddenly, shouts rang out in the street, and Hua Ruoxu saw a small, thin figure rush towards him.
Hua Ruoxu slightly turned to the side, grabbing the person's arm. Upon closer inspection, he saw a thin little beggar, who turned out to be a young girl. Her clothes were tattered and covered in rags, but still relatively clean. Her face was dirty, but she seemed to possess a peculiar, faint fragrance, which secretly amazed him.
A moment later, a group of people arrived, glaring menacingly at the little beggar. The little beggar timidly hid behind Hua Ruoxu. Hua Ruoxu couldn't help but find it amusing; it seemed he was the one who had caught her, yet she now treated him like her savior.
Hua Ruoxu turned to look at the girl, only to meet her pitiful, pleading eyes, which inexplicably softened his heart.
"Gentlemen, I wonder what this young lady has done to offend you?" Hua Ruoxu sighed inwardly, finally deciding to help this seemingly pitiful girl this once.
"Young master, this wretched girl, instead of learning good things, she's become a thief, stealing our silver. We chased her for half an hour before finally catching up with her. We hope you won't stop us; we're determined to take this girl to the authorities," said a bearded man, who, perhaps sensing Hua Ruoxu's unusual status, was quite polite to him.
"I'm so hungry," the girl said timidly, hiding behind Hua Ruoxu. "My sister is very sick, and I need money to buy her medicine. I have no money, so of course I have to steal."

"

Give me the silver you stole," Hua Ruoxu said, turning to the girl behind him. The girl shook her head, pouting, clearly unwilling.
"I've already used it to buy food. There's a little left, but I need it for my sister's medical treatment, so I can't give it to you," the girl quickly added, seeing Hua Ruoxu's somewhat angry expression.
"How much silver did you steal?" Hua Ruoxu was truly exasperated by this girl; she was practically willing to risk her life for money. Even though there was no way to escape, she stubbornly clung to her money.
"Only three taels of silver! You chased me this far, a bunch of stingy fools!" the girl said, making a face at the bearded man.
"Brother, here's ten taels of silver as compensation. Please don't pursue this further; after all, this little girl is quite pitiful." Hua Ruoxu took out ten taels of silver from his pocket and handed it to the bearded man, speaking gently.
"No, no, I'll give the silver back to them. Please give me the silver!" Seeing the silver in Hua Ruoxu's hand, the girl's eyes seemed to light up, and she lunged forward, trying to snatch the silver.
Sun Yunyan, who had been observing coldly, suddenly reached out and grabbed the girl, preventing her from moving.
"Let me go! They chased me this far, why should I give them money? They should give me money!" the girl said indignantly.
"Alright, let's go. Here, this silver is for you. Go and get your sister treated." Hua Ruoxu dismissed the group, then stuffed a silver note into the girl's hand, said goodbye to Sun Yunyan, and turned to leave.
"You've been fooled. Look at her hands. How could she be a beggar? Even a rich family's daughter wouldn't be as well-maintained as her," Sun Yunyan said coldly to Hua Ruoxu, glancing at the girl.
"Wow, this sister is amazing!" Strangely, the girl wasn't nervous at all after being exposed, nor did she show any intention of running away. Instead, she praised Sun Yunyan in an exaggerated manner.
"Forget it, let's go." Hua Ruoxu was a little annoyed, but thinking about it, it was just a loss of some silver. Besides, even if he wanted to hold a grudge, he couldn't do anything to the girl.
"Hey, wait, wait, where are you going? Can you take me with you? I'm so bored by myself." The girl suddenly jumped in front of the two of them, blocking their way.
"Get out of the way!" Sun Yunyan shouted coldly. Hua Ruoxu felt both angry and amused. He was already being lenient by not causing her trouble, and she actually wanted to follow them. It seemed that this girl was probably a rich family's daughter, used to being willful, and now she was acting recklessly.
"Don't be so fierce! I'm out alone, what if I run into bad guys?" The girl looked scared and a little aggrieved. She slowly walked to the side and suddenly grabbed Hua Ruoxu's hand. "Brother, you're so kind, you won't abandon me, will you?"
"This girl is strange, it's best to avoid trouble," Sun Yunyan's voice transmitted to Hua Ruoxu.
"Kind brother, please have mercy! I ran away from home all by myself. Look how pretty I am! I don't know martial arts, it would be terrible if I ran into bad guys. Please take me with you!" The girl kept shaking Hua Ruoxu's arm, looking pitiful.
Hua Ruoxu felt a little amused and exasperated. This was the first time he had encountered a girl like this. Pretty? Her face was dirty, you couldn't tell at all. She didn't know martial arts? She escaped from so many people chasing her even though she didn't know martial arts. It seemed none of what she said was true, yet her pitiful appearance didn't seem feigned. Seeing her like that, he couldn't help but feel a surge of pity, wanting to harden his heart and send her away, yet he couldn't bear to.
"How about we take her back?" Hua Ruoxu said with some difficulty, looking at Sun Yunyan with questioning eyes. Sun Yunyan snorted coldly and turned to leave.
"If you're looking for trouble, then it's none of my business." Hua Ruoxu heard Sun Yunyan's voice transmission again. Hua Ruoxu smiled awkwardly and started to follow, the girl naturally following as well.

When the girl, accompanied by Hua Yufeng, finished bathing and changed her clothes and came out, everyone was stunned. Only then did Hua Ruoxu realize that the girl's claim of being very beautiful wasn't a lie. He almost doubted that the girl before him was the same dirty little beggar from before. Her face was like a lotus blossom, her eyebrows like willow leaves, and her black hair cascaded down naturally. Her natural beauty, unadorned, was exceptionally alluring. Her clothes were somewhat loose, but that didn't detract from her perfectly curvaceous figure. She was now a world apart from the skinny little beggar she had just been. However, none of that mattered most. What mattered most was the natural, endearing aura she exuded. Every gesture seemed to tug at one's heartstrings; a single step she took made one worry she might trip and fall, a sip of water made one fear she might choke.
"Wow, so pretty and cute! Little sister, what's your name?" The first to exclaim was Xue Youyou, who ran to the girl's side and stared intently at her, as if she had discovered something fascinating.
"Hehe, my name is Zhu Zhu. Miss, you're so pretty and cute too! What's your name?" The girl who called herself Zhu Zhu giggled. In no time, she mingled with a group of beautiful women from the Hua family, except for Hua Yu Luan and Hua Yu Feng. Hua Yu Luan had never liked crowds, and after her child's death, she became even more aloof. Hua Yu Feng, however, seemed lost in thought, staring at Zhu Zhu.
"Feng'er, what's wrong?" Hua Ruoxu walked to Hua Yu Feng's side and gently embraced her.
"Come with me." Hua Yu Feng shook her head to indicate she was alright, then turned and went back to her room. Hua Ruoxu followed her in.
*** *** ***
"Junior brother, how did you meet Zhu Zhu?" Hua Yu Feng asked in a low voice. Hua Ruoxu told her the truth, and Hua Yu Feng fell into deep thought after hearing it.
“Feng’er, is something wrong? Right, Miss Sun has been against me bringing Zhu Zhu back. Perhaps she's discovered something. Feng’er, could you arrange accommodations for her later and ask her about it?” Hua Ruoxu said after thinking for a moment. Hua Yufeng softly hummed in agreement.
Leaving Hua Yufeng’s room, he went to the hall and found Zhu Zhu still playing happily with Xue Youyou and the others. Hua Ruoxu shook his head with a wry smile and turned to go to Hua Yuluan’s room.
Hua Yuluan stood quietly by the window, hearing familiar footsteps behind her, but she didn’t turn around.
Hua Ruoxu gently embraced her slender waist from behind.
“Senior Sister, don’t think too much about the past, okay? I don’t want to see you unhappy,” Hua Ruoxu whispered in her ear.
“Junior Brother, I’m fine, you don’t need to worry about me,” Hua Yuluan turned her face, wrapped her arms around his neck, looked at him tenderly, and whispered.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu stayed with Hua Yuluan until it was late at night before he got up to leave.
"Junior brother, it's so late, where are you going?" Hua Yuluan glanced at Hua Ruoxu with a slightly reproachful look, her face flushed, and her voice became soft, "Stay with me tonight."
Since the child's accident, Hua Yuluan hadn't been very happy, so Hua Ruoxu had been very respectful to her. But today, Hua Yuluan had taken the initiative to ask him to stay, and even a fool would understand her meaning. Overjoyed, he kissed the pretty face so close to his.
They spent the night together, until the sun was high in the sky, and Hua Ruoxu was still reluctant to get up. He temporarily put aside thoughts of the Heavenly Star Alliance and Zhu Zhu.
However, Hua Ruoxu couldn't stay still now, because that clingy girl Hanxue had come knocking.
*** *** ***
Hanxue was again pestering Hua Ruoxu to go out with her, and she could only come with him. Hua Ruoxu was somewhat unwilling, but he could only give in this once. Hanxue had finally returned, and it would be troublesome if she ran away again in a fit of anger.
Hanxue finally got her wish and started strolling through the streets and alleys of Jinling City with Hua Ruoxu. However, it seemed that she didn't really want to go shopping, but just wanted Hua Ruoxu to accompany her. She didn't look at the scenery on the roadside at all, but her dark eyes kept darting around Hua Ruoxu.
"Sister Wan'er!" Hanxue suddenly called out joyfully. Following her gaze, Hua Ruoxu looked over, but couldn't help but pause slightly. There were three stunningly beautiful women not far ahead. Upon closer inspection, he recognized all three. There was Gong Yaqian, the girl in white palace attire; the veiled girl who had once been a holy maiden of the Divine Palace; and the woman in plain clothes, whom he had met when he found Hong Yue'er, with whom he had even had a minor conflict. According to Hua Yufeng, and seeing Hanxue excitedly rushing towards her, it seemed that she must be Zhao Wan'er.
"Young Master, this Sister Wan'er is very kind to Xiaoxue, come here quickly!" Hanxue pleaded, seeing that Hua Ruoxu was still standing there. Helpless, Hua Ruoxu had no choice but to take a few steps closer.
"Thank you for taking care of Xiaoxue, Miss Zhao." Hua Ruoxu cupped his hands to Zhao Wan'er, then turned to Gong Yaqian and the Holy Maiden of the Divine Palace, smiling slightly. "Ladies, it's been a long time!"
"Young Master Hua, you're too kind. I had some misunderstandings with you last time, I hope you won't mind." Zhao Wan'er said with a smile.
"Young Master, Sister Wan'er, so you know each other." Hanxue pouted, looking disappointed.
"There's no need to dwell on the past." Hua Ruoxu smiled faintly, glancing at Gong Yaqian with a double meaning.
"Young Master Hua is magnanimous, Wan'er admires him. Wan'er has prepared a small feast to thank Young Master Hua for his continued help to the Divine Palace. Does Young Master have some free time?" Zhao Wan'er said softly, her tone carrying a unique flavor.
"Yes, yes, I'm a little hungry." Before Hua Ruoxu could speak, Hanxue clapped her hands happily.
"Your kindness is appreciated, young lady," Hua Ruoxu said somewhat helplessly. Since Hanxue had said so, it wouldn't be good for him to refuse.
*** *** ***
With fine wine in hand and beautiful women in his arms, this should be a man's greatest pleasure. However, Hua Ruoxu didn't seem happy at all. He had a feeling that the three beautiful women opposite him were not easy to deal with. Although they were currently being polite to him, they certainly wouldn't have invited him to a banquet without a reason. Moreover, the three women's open appearance in the conspicuous marketplace was already somewhat abnormal. Logically, with so many enemies in the Divine Palace, they shouldn't be so ostentatious.
Hanxue, sitting in Hua Ruoxu's lap, was quite happy. Although she was a maid, Hua Ruoxu seemed more like her servant, as he was basically the one serving her.
Zhao Wan'er kept urging her to drink or joking with Hanxue, but didn't say a word about anything serious. Hua Ruoxu thought, "Since you won't say anything, I won't ask either," and continued to play dumb, even though he knew Zhao Wan'er definitely had something to ask him.
"Little brother, you're so naughty! Why didn't you let your sister come drink with you?" A voice suddenly rang out, startling Hua Ruoxu, but more so, making him happy.
Zhao Wan'er and the other two girls stood up abruptly, their expressions changing drastically at the same time. They hadn't even noticed how the person had entered, and what astonished them even more was the woman's beauty—a beauty that made them feel ashamed of themselves.
"Sister, why are you here?" Hua Ruoxu quickly released Hanxue, stood up, and strode to Hua Tianxing. He hadn't seen her for many days, and was naturally overjoyed.
"Young master is so biased! He doesn't care about Xiaoxue anymore now that he has sister," Hanxue muttered discontentedly.
Hua Tianxing was holding the little snow ferret in his arms. The usually docile ferret suddenly began to struggle in his arms for some reason. A sly smile appeared on Hua Tianxing's lips as he released his grip. The snow ferret suddenly pounced on someone, and that person was none other than the veiled Holy Maiden of the Divine Palace.
"Little brother, look closely, see if you recognize her." Hua Tianxing whispered in Hua Ruoxu's ear. Hua Ruoxu's heart skipped a beat. The Holy Maiden dodged the ferret, but it kept trying to pounce on her, chirping happily. Suddenly, the Holy Maiden raised her hand and slapped the ferret, seemingly wanting to kill it. Hua Ruoxu's face gradually turned extremely
ugly. He subtly moved aside, reached out and picked up the ferret, straightened up, and stared intently at the Holy Maiden, his eyes growing increasingly sharp.
"It's you!" Hua Ruoxu uttered the two words with great difficulty, almost as if he were gritting his teeth. The Holy Maiden seemed unable to meet his eyes, lowered her head, and involuntarily took two steps back.
"Xiaoxue, sister, let's go!" Hua Ruoxu glanced at her coldly, turned his head, and said in a low voice.
"Hehe, this little ferret is so cute, I'll take it with me, lest you cruelly beat it to death." Hua Tianxing took the ferret from Hua Ruoxu's arms, but said to the Holy Maiden with a grin.
"Young Master, what's wrong?" Hanxue opened her beautiful big eyes with a confused look, looking at Hua Ruoxu with a questioning gaze.

Volume 10 Sword Madman Chapter 15 Beauty Trade

"Nothing, Xiaoxue, let's go back." Hua Ruoxu forced a smile, took Hanxue's hand, and Hua Tianxing took Hua Ruoxu's arm. The three walked outside side by side.
"Young Master Hua, please wait!" The Holy Maiden suddenly spoke.
"I think there's nothing more to say between us!" Hua Ruoxu said coldly, without turning around or stopping, and continued walking outside.
"Are you afraid of me?" the Holy Maiden suddenly sneered. "Or are you afraid to face the reality of being deceived? "
A surge of inexplicable anger welled up in Hua Ruoxu's heart. He abruptly turned around, his eyes shooting out beams of light as he glared fiercely at her. The Holy Maiden, however, remained unfazed, calmly observing Hua Ruoxu, a hint of mockery in her eyes.
"Sister, take Xiaoxue back first," Hua Ruoxu said softly. Hua Tianxing sweetly agreed and half-forcefully dragged the unwilling Hanxue away.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu slowly walked to the Holy Maiden, his hand slowly rising, finally stopping beside her cheek. He remained motionless for a long time before finally lowering his hand.
"Don't you just want me to help you get revenge? It's simple, just agree to one condition!" Hua Ruoxu's tone turned cold.
"Come with me." The Holy Maiden slowly turned and gracefully walked forward. Hua Ruoxu was slightly taken aback, hesitated for a moment, and then followed. Zhao Wan'er and Gong Yaqian remained where they were, Gong Yaqian's face showing deep worry.
Passing through several corridors, they arrived at a side room. The Holy Maiden pushed open the door and entered.
Clearly, this was a young woman's boudoir; the furnishings, though simple, exuded elegance and nobility.
The Holy Maiden closed the door, then turned to face Hua Ruoxu. She gently raised her hand and slowly removed her veil, revealing a stunningly beautiful face. As Hua Ruoxu expected, it was Ouyang Bing'er, the world's most beautiful woman, known for her eternally eight-year-old mind. However, the innocence he had first seen in her was gone from her face; her eyes held no trace of naivety, only worldliness, coldness, and a faint, veiled mockery—a mockery that drove Hua Ruoxu almost mad.
"You killed Feng Congyun and those people from the Immortal Palace, didn't you?" "So, you're the one who spread the news that framed me? You've been using me all along, haven't you?" Hua Ruoxu forced himself to suppress his agitation, asking through gritted teeth.
"Since you already know, why ask me?" Ouyang Bing'er said calmly, looking at Hua Ruoxu with disdain. At the same time, she made a move that shocked him: she slowly began to undress.
"What are you doing?" Hua Ruoxu's voice trembled. Ouyang Bing'er had already removed her outer garments, revealing glimpses of her skin, her perfect curves stimulating his eyes.
"Fulfilling your conditions." Ouyang Bing'er still looked at Hua Ruoxu with that disdainful gaze, a look that Hua Ruoxu found unbearable, making him feel humiliated.
"Did I state my conditions?" Hua Ruoxu was furious, feeling completely controlled by this woman.
"Who doesn't know you, Young Master Hua, are a womanizer? Who doesn't understand your intentions? You just want me, don't you? I'll give it to you now." Ouyang Bing'er's tone was full of sarcasm as she continued to undress her. A sharp
"slap" rang out, and five bright red finger marks appeared on Ouyang Bing'er's fair face.
"Ouyang Bing'er, let me tell you, I did like you, but I liked the pure, innocent, and naive Ouyang Bing'er, not a treacherous and vicious woman like you who will stop at nothing to achieve her goals!" Hua Ruoxu finally couldn't bear her gaze and tone, and he couldn't tolerate her willingness to give herself away so easily. So he slapped her hard across the face, and Ouyang Bing'er, whether she didn't expect Hua Ruoxu to hit her or for some other reason, didn't dodge.
"Self-deception!" Ouyang Bing'er seemed unaffected by Hua Ruoxu's slap, remaining calm and composed. "There's no such thing as an innocent and pure Ouyang Bing'er in this world. What you see before you is the real me. You dare say your condition isn't to possess me? If you want, I can give you my body, but if you want me to fall in love with you, don't even dream about it. I can love any man, but I will never love you. At most, you can only have my body, not my heart."
"Ouyang Bing'er, don't flatter yourself! My condition isn't you!" Hua Ruoxu was nearly driven mad by this woman. He angrily left these words behind and strode away.
Watching his retreating figure, an indescribable expression gradually appeared on Ouyang Bing'er's face, a hint of disappointment creeping in. After leaving Ouyang Bing'er's residence,
Hua
Ruoxu didn't immediately return to the Hua mansion. His mood had never been so bad. This feeling was completely different from the heartache of losing a child. Now, he felt an unprecedented oppression and sorrow, as if a huge stone was pressing on his chest. Ouyang Bing'er's beautiful image involuntarily appeared in his mind, yet he couldn't connect the Ouyang Bing'er he had met in the snowy mountains with the current Ouyang. He even wanted to tell himself that this wasn't the same person at all, that the Ouyang Bing'er was dead, and the current Ouyang Bing'er was just someone else. However, he knew even more clearly that this was just self-deception.
He strolled through the city and suddenly noticed a large sign for wine not far ahead, so he rushed inside.
Drinking alone, about half an hour passed, and Hua Ruoxu was already slightly drunk. At this moment, a woman in plain clothes walked in and sat opposite him.
“Young Master Hua, may we talk?” The woman in plain clothes sighed softly. Hua Ruoxu looked up at her, then slowly exhaled a breath of stale air and nodded.
“It’s too crowded and noisy here, Young Master Hua, please come with me.” The woman in plain clothes seemed relieved and stood up first.
“I don’t want to go to that godforsaken place again.” Hua Ruoxu said calmly. Actually, he was also somewhat curious about this woman named Zhao Wan’er. It seemed that she had a close relationship with Gong Yaqian and Ouyang Bing’er, but as far as he knew, there shouldn’t be anyone in the Divine Palace with a similar status to Gong Yaqian and Ouyang Bing’er.
“Don’t worry, Young Master Hua, I won’t go there.” Zhao Wan’er’s face darkened slightly.
*** *** ***
Zhao Wan’er seemed to have prepared in advance and expected that Hua Ruoxu wouldn’t go to that place, so she booked a quiet back courtyard at the inn. She brewed a cup of tea for Hua Ruoxu and then sat down opposite him.
"May I ask what your status is in the Divine Palace, Miss Wan'er?" Hua Ruoxu asked, getting straight to the point, voicing his biggest question.
"I am the martial aunt of Yaqian and Bing'er, and the junior sister of the previous Palace Master of the Divine Palace," Zhao Wan'er answered decisively. "At the same time, I am also the previous Holy Maiden of the Divine Palace."
Hua Ruoxu was slightly surprised. It seemed that Zhao Wan'er was no ordinary person; her high status in the Divine Palace was completely beyond his expectations.
"You seem to be quite young, how could you be the junior sister of the previous Palace Master?" Hua Ruoxu still seemed somewhat skeptical, because Zhao Wan'er looked to be only in her early twenties. Could she have become a Holy Maiden at such a young age?
"To be honest, Young Master Hua, Wan'er is already thirty years old this year," Zhao Wan'er smiled slightly. Although women don't usually like to reveal their true age, she didn't seem to mind.
"Then, Miss Wan'er, what is it you wish to discuss with me? First of all, let me clarify that I have no interest in helping you seek revenge." Although Hua Ruoxu admired Zhao Wan'er's ability to maintain her youthful appearance, he quickly realized that Ximen Lin seemed to be in a similar situation, so he felt relieved and began to get down to business.
"I already know about what happened between Bing'er and Young Master Hua," Zhao Wan'er sighed softly. "Actually, Yaqian and Bing'er are still children, quite young, yet they have to shoulder so much responsibility. Speaking of which, I, as their martial uncle, haven't fulfilled my due responsibility."
Hua Ruoxu fell silent, recalling Ouyang Bing'er's disdainful gaze and mocking tone not long ago, and a surge of anger welled up within him for no reason.
"Actually, Bing'er isn't what you imagine..." Zhao Wan'er continued, but was suddenly interrupted by Hua Ruoxu.

"Stop talking. I agree to help you, but you must agree to one condition." Hua Ruoxu felt inexplicably uncomfortable upon hearing Ouyang Bing'er's name, so he abruptly interrupted her, a vengeful thought rising in his mind.
"What condition does Young Master want Wan'er to agree to?" Zhao Wan'er was slightly taken aback, thinking that Hua Ruoxu's condition was probably aimed at Ouyang Bing'er.
"Marry me!" Hua Ruoxu said calmly.
"What? Young Master Hua, you...you're not joking, are you?" Zhao Wan'er's hand trembled, and the teacup in her hand fell to the ground and shattered. She looked at Hua Ruoxu with disbelief.
"I'm not joking. My condition is this: I want you, Zhao Wan'er, to marry me, Hua Ruoxu!" Hua Ruoxu said, enunciating each word clearly.
After confirming she hadn't misheard, Zhao Wan'er's face fell, and she didn't know what to say for a moment.
"I'll go first. I'll give you a day to consider. Whether you agree or not is up to you." A strange sense of pleasure welled up in Hua Ruoxu's heart, and he quickly walked out of the inn, leaving Zhao Wan'er standing there, lost in thought. Hua Ruoxu went to the tavern again and drank until evening without being disturbed. The women of the Hua family seemed indifferent to him, not recognizing him even after so long. Finally, when Hua Ruoxu was completely drunk, someone appeared – Sun Yunyan.
Sun Yunyan had been following him almost the entire time, as Su Daier had ordered her to, but she didn't want to interfere in his affairs. If she hadn't seen him finally pass out drunk on the table, she probably would have continued watching him drink until he was completely intoxicated. When Hua Ruoxu woke up, he felt a profound silence around him. The bustling city of Jinling seemed to have fallen silent; it was clearly very late. Normally, a drunkard like Hua Ruoxu might not wake up until the next night, but because of the Love Sword, his constitution was unique, causing him to wake up early – perhaps this was destined to be an eventful night. Sun Yunyan didn't want to carry a grown man around, so she took Hua Ruoxu to her residence nearby. Unfortunately, she only had one bed, and she couldn't very well mistreat Hua Ruoxu, so she had no choice but to throw him onto her own bed. She herself didn't sleep for half the night and meditated outside.

To be honest, Sun Yunyan had always been pampered and had never stayed up all night like this before. Around midnight, she felt unwell and secretly went to check on Hua Ruoxu. Seeing him still fast asleep, she assumed he wouldn't wake up and confidently went to the next room for a bath.
Sun Yunyan soaked comfortably for a full half hour, unwilling to get up, her eyes slightly closed, seemingly wanting to sleep all night. However, a sudden, innate sense of alertness jolted her awake; she felt as if a pair of eyes were watching her.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu, feeling a headache, got up and went outside for some fresh air. He suddenly realized the place was unfamiliar; he had never been here before. Curious to see who owned it, he noticed the light was on in the next room and went inside. There he saw Sun Yunyan in the bathtub. The steam was thinning, and Sun Yunyan's naked body became increasingly clear before his eyes.
"It's you? Why are you up?" Sun Yunyan woke up with a start and saw Hua Ruoxu, but subconsciously breathed a sigh of
relief. Perhaps her subconscious told her that it was better for Hua Ruoxu to barge in than for any other man. "I... I don't know how I got here, so I came to ask." Hua Ruoxu was a little embarrassed, but his eyes were still fixed on her alluring body. Although Hua Ruoxu was awake, his mind wasn't fully clear, so he was much more unrestrained and didn't hide his desires at all.
"You go out first, let me get dressed." Sun Yunyan covered her chest with her hands and said in a low voice, secretly annoyed. How could this man be so inconsiderate? How could he stare at a woman taking a bath like that?
Hua Ruoxu reluctantly looked away, turned around and took a few steps outside. Sun Yunyan slowly breathed a sigh of relief, leaned forward slightly, and gently beckoned her clothes to him. But at that moment, Hua Ruoxu suddenly stopped and turned around.

Volume Ten, Sword Maniac, Chapter Sixteen: A Beautiful Woman's Auspicious Date.

When Hua Ruoxu lifted Sun Yunyan out of the bathtub, Sun Yunyan seemed completely stunned. She didn't resist or push him away, completely letting him manipulate her like a puppet.
When he pulled her down onto her fragrant couch, she finally spoke.
"Do you know my name?" Sun Yunyan suddenly asked a question that sounded rather silly.
"Your name is Sun Yunyan." Hua Ruoxu seemed to pause for a moment, but quickly answered her question, and then he kissed her breasts.
A smile seemed to appear on Sun Yunyan's face, and she gradually began to respond to Hua Ruoxu, actively welcoming his gentle conquest.
*** *** ***
When Hua Ruoxu woke up again, it was already noon. Sun Yunyan was no longer in the room. Hua Ruoxu dressed, got up, walked out of the bedroom, and slowly stepped outside the door. Only then did he realize that this place was quite nice. Several large trees stood in front of the entrance, along with some unknown flowers and grasses. The air was fresh, and taking a deep breath, he immediately felt refreshed and invigorated.
He heard light footsteps behind him and turned to see Sun Yunyan gracefully approaching.
"I made you a bowl of soup, go and drink it first." Sun Yunyan's face seemed to glow, but other than that, there was nothing particularly special about it; she didn't seem to care much about what happened last night.
Hua Ruoxu nodded and followed her inside.
"Last night..." Hua Ruoxu opened his mouth, wanting to say something.
"You were drunk last night, so I brought you back." Sun Yunyan quickly interjected, a slight panic in her expression.
"I mean what happened between us last night." Hua Ruoxu didn't want her to change the subject.
"Nothing happened last night, you were drunk and have been sleeping until now." Sun Yunyan blushed slightly, lowered her head, and said softly.
“You even asked me last night if I knew you. You should know I was sober then, so don’t try to lie to me,” Hua Ruoxu sighed helplessly.
“You were indeed drunk last night, that’s why you acted that way,” Sun Yunyan whispered in defense.
“Fine, I won’t argue with you about this. I’ve been out for a long time, let’s go back first,” Hua Ruoxu said after thinking for a moment.
“I, I’m not going, you should go back,” Sun Yunyan stammered.
“Don’t forget, Dai’er made you follow me all the time,” Hua Ruoxu had no choice but to resort to this tactic. Sure enough, Sun Yunyan obediently complied this time and went back to the Hua residence with him.
*** *** ***
Just as they entered the Hua residence, they encountered someone who made everyone very awkward: Fang Xia. In fact, Fang Xia already knew that Sun Yunyan had stayed at the Hua residence the day before yesterday, but he was somewhat afraid to see her, so he deliberately avoided her. Sun Yunyan, on the other hand, was even more eager to avoid him. She was also somewhat afraid to see Fang Xia’s passionate and infatuated eyes, so naturally she avoided him as much as possible.
"Brother Hua, Miss Wan'er is waiting for you." Fang Xia was visibly excited upon seeing Sun Yunyan, but quickly regained his composure and spoke to Hua Ruoxu.
Hua Ruoxu felt a pang of guilt. He knew Fang Xia's feelings for Sun Yunyan, yet he had still taken her. Although the first time was due to circumstances, last night he had been the one to initiate the act.
"Anyway, Sun Yunyan doesn't like Fang Xia; she can't really be considered a friend's wife," Hua Ruoxu thought, consoling himself.
*** *** ***
"I agree to your request." Zhao Wan'er's words were tinged with difficulty.
Hua Ruoxu smiled slightly; he had known Zhao Wan'er would agree. However, the others in the Hua household were somewhat confused, as they didn't know what Zhao Wan'er's request was. Even Hua Yufeng was bewildered, looking at Hua Ruoxu with questioning eyes.
"When will you marry me?" Zhao Wan'er continued, and as soon as she finished speaking, dozens of eyes in the hall turned to look at Hua Ruoxu.
"Go back first, I'll arrange it as soon as possible." After saying this, Hua Ruoxu hurriedly fled the hall. He couldn't bear the gazes of the women any longer.
When Hua Yufeng finally understood the whole story, she only said one sentence to Hua Ruoxu: "By doing this, you'll only hurt yourself in the end."

"I've already decided to do this." This time, Hua Ruoxu was determined, and even Hua Yufeng couldn't make him turn back.
*** *** ***
"Xiaoxue, why did you leave last time?" Hua Ruoxu gently hugged Hanxue and asked in a low voice. Ever since the women learned that Hua Ruoxu was going to marry Zhao Wan'er, they were almost all speechless with surprise. Hua Ruoxu was also a little afraid to see them, so he stayed with Hanxue. At this time, you could see how good Hanxue was, because she wouldn't ask anything. As long as Hua Ruoxu was with her, she was happy.
"Young Master, please don't ask, okay? I won't leave again." Hanxue pouted and refused to say anything. Hua Ruoxu had no choice but not to force her to talk.
"Xiaoxue, when did your sister leave?" Hua Ruoxu thought of Hua Tianxing again. He hadn't seen her since he returned, so she must not have stayed.
"Sister Tianxing brought me back and then left, young master. Isn't it strange? Why is Sister Tianxing's ferret also named Xiaoxue?" Hanxue chattered incessantly, but Hua Ruoxu suddenly felt a chill in his heart, because Hanxue's reminder reminded him of that hateful woman, Ouyang Bing'er.
"Xiaoxue, I'm going out for a bit. You go and keep Miss company." Hua Ruoxu released Hanxue and got up to leave.
"Young Master, where are you going? Take Xiaoxue with you!" Hanxue said reluctantly, still clinging to him as always.
However, Hua Ruoxu was planning to go find Zhao Wan'er, so how could he take Hanxue with him? In the end, Hanxue had no choice but to run off to find Hua Yufeng, feeling wronged.
*** *** ***
"Young Master Hua, you've arrived." Hua Ruoxu stepped inside, and the first person to notice him was Gong Yaqian. Ouyang Bing'er was still wearing a veil, standing beside Gong Yaqian, but Zhao Wan'er was not there.
"What? Are you regretting pretending to be aloof yesterday?" Ouyang Bing'er sneered.
"I've come to see Wan'er," Hua Ruoxu said calmly, though he wanted to slap Ouyang Bing'er again in his heart, but he didn't show it on his face. However, it seemed that Ouyang Bing'er and Gong Yaqian were unaware of the deal between Zhao Wan'er and him.
"Master Aunt is in her room. Does Young Master Hua have something to discuss with her?" Gong Yaqian asked, slightly surprised.
"It's nothing, I just came to discuss my marriage with her," Hua Ruoxu said with a slight smile.
"Young Master Hua, what, what did you say? Your marriage to my martial uncle?" Gong Yaqian was shocked and began to stammer.
"Didn't Wan'er tell you, Palace Master? I'm getting married to her soon." Hua Ruoxu looked very surprised.
"Hua Ruoxu, you, you actually..." Ouyang Bing'er pointed at him angrily.
"I told you long ago, don't flatter yourself, I never wanted you at all, how about it? Do you believe me now? Oh, by the way, shouldn't you call me martial uncle from now on?" Hua Ruoxu's tone clearly contained a hint of sarcasm.
"Hua Ruoxu, you're despicable and vile!" Ouyang Bing'er said indignantly.
"Say what you want, in short, once Wan'er and I are officially married, you'll have to obediently call me martial uncle." Hua Ruoxu felt a surge of pleasure, seeing Ouyang Bing'er like this made him very happy, and he felt like he had vented his anger.
"Young Master Hua, I'm very disappointed in you!" Gong Yaqian sighed softly, pulling Ouyang Bing'er away.
"Come with me!" A soft voice rang out, and Zhao Wan'er appeared in the doorway.
*** *** ***
Zhao Wan'er sat in front of the mirror, slowly combing her hair. Hua Ruoxu sat on the edge of the bed, quietly watching her carefully groom herself.
"You have someone you love?" Hua Ruoxu suddenly asked, noticing Zhao Wan'er's absent-mindedness, lost in thought.
"I left the Divine Palace when I was eighteen, and since then I've always been with a group of girls. I've hardly ever seen a man in my life, so how could I possibly have someone I love?" Zhao Wan'er said with a faint smile.
"Why did you leave the Divine Palace?" Hua Ruoxu began to feel curious about this woman.
"My senior sister is obsessed with conquering the martial arts world. I don't like this kind of life, and I tried to persuade her to give it up, but she wouldn't listen to me," Zhao Wan'er said softly. "If she had listened to my advice back then, she wouldn't be in this state now."
"Since you don't like this kind of life, why did you come out now?" Hua Ruoxu asked again.
"I don't want to kill anyone, nor do I want to compete with anyone. Even if they destroyed the Divine Palace, I wouldn't blame them. But they shouldn't have killed my senior sister." Zhao Wan'er turned her face away, and Hua Ruoxu trembled slightly. With her light makeup, she looked exceptionally beautiful, no less so than Gong Yaqian and Ouyang Bing'er. The slightly weathered air about her was even more captivating.
"Do you want to marry me openly or make me your secret lover?" Zhao Wan'er seemed to see the infatuation in Hua Ruoxu's eyes and asked softly.
"Which do you prefer?" Hua Ruoxu asked in return.
"I don't care. You can do whatever you want." Zhao Wan'er turned her face away again and continued to work on her face in front of the mirror.
"Are you very unwilling?" Hua Ruoxu stood up and walked behind her.
"I'm willing," Zhao Wan'er said calmly.
"Don't you cherish yourself at all? Would you marry just anyone who says they're willing to help you get revenge?" Hua Ruoxu felt a sudden surge of displeasure.
"I should be the one happy that someone is willing to marry me. Besides, if you marry me, you'll naturally help me take care of the Divine Palace, so I won't lose out." Zhao Wan'er even smiled sweetly.
"Aren't you afraid I'll change my mind after marrying you?" Hua Ruoxu asked irritably. He couldn't understand why he still felt so passive in front of this woman.
"It's too late for you to change your mind now," Zhao Wan'er said leisurely. "Killing others might be difficult for me, but killing my husband is definitely a piece of cake."
Hua Ruoxu felt a surge of anger. Zhao Wan'er's current demeanor didn't seem like she was forced to agree to his conditions; rather, it seemed like he was the one being forced.
"What? Regretting it now?" Zhao Wan'er stood up, turned to face Hua Ruoxu, her tone slightly mocking.
"Regret what? I'll marry you right now!" Hua Ruoxu said irritably, and without hesitation, he pulled Zhao Wan'er close and kissed her cherry-like lips.
Zhao Wan'er's body trembled slightly, but she didn't resist, letting Hua Ruoxu kiss her lips freely and letting his hands roam freely over her body, though her breathing gradually became rapid.
Zhao Wan'er's lips were soft, slightly cold. At first, Hua Ruoxu only wanted to humiliate her in revenge, but gradually he became reluctant to let go, his hands gently caressing her body, giving him a strange feeling.
"I'll let you go today." Hua Ruoxu finally released her, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "I will marry you properly, don't worry!"
"You've fallen in love with me so quickly?" Zhao Wan'er straightened her slightly disheveled clothes and asked calmly.
"Gong Yaqian and Ouyang Bing'er don't deserve you treating them like this!" Hua Ruoxu said irritably.
"Everyone has their own pursuits and their own thoughts. Perhaps you think they're not worth it, but I think they are." Zhao Wan'er looked at Hua Ruoxu calmly, paused slightly, and then said, "If you really have even a little bit of feeling for me, I don't want you to marry me in such a grand way."
"You're simply insane!" Hua Ruoxu glared at her fiercely.
"More than ten years ago, when I left the Divine Palace, my senior sister said the same thing to me." Zhao Wan'er said quietly.
"You!" Hua Ruoxu wanted to get angry, but didn't know where to start.
"You married someone who was completely unrelated to you before for them, and now they don't even care about you. Don't you feel sorry for yourself?" Hua Ruoxu couldn't help but say.
"I told them not to interfere." Zhao Wan'er started to do her makeup in front of the mirror again. Everything she had carefully dressed up not long ago had just been ruined by Hua Ruoxu.
"You're already beautiful enough, why are you still dressing up?" Hua Ruoxu said resentfully.
“Today I’m the bride. A woman only gets to be this way once in her life, so of course I have to look my best,” Zhao Wan’er said naturally.
“Did I say I was going to marry you today?” Hua Ruoxu said angrily.
“I’ve already decided to marry you tonight,” Zhao Wan’er said softly. “There are some things I need to tell you as soon as possible, but I can only tell you after I marry you.” (

End of Volume Ten, *Sword Madman*)

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