Pearl Order [Complete] - 1

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Two Cases
Chapter 2 The Blue-Clad Master and Servant Chapter 3
The Green-Clad Girl Chapter 4 Arrogance Chapter 5 Sword Breaks the Poisonous Blade Formation Chapter 6 Boundless Spring Scenery Chapter 7 Dragon Sleep Manor Chapter 8 Dust-Free Manor Chapter 9 Changing Commanders Chapter 10 Empty Building Chapter 11 The Wine-and -Meat Monk Chapter 12 Protecting the Flower Chapter 13 The Hundred Flowers Gang Leader Chapter 14 Captured by Mistake Chapter 15 Nine Jars of Medicine Chapter 16 A Concubine's Wish Chapter 17 Selection Conference Chapter 18 The Three Swords of Flying Dragon Chapter 19 Boundless Spring Scenery Chapter 20 Chapter 21: Carelessness Leads to a Trap; Chapter 22: Total Defeat ; Chapter 23: A Woman Throws Herself into His Arms; Chapter 24: Fire Burns the Stars; Chapter 25: Straight to the Heart of the Army ; Chapter 26: Enemy and Friend are Unpredictable ; Chapter 27: Fighting the Ten Thousand Flowers Sword ; Chapter 28: Exploring the Stone Path in the Deep Night ; Chapter 29: The Flower Master Displays His Power; Chapter 30: Rising to Prominence; Chapter 31: The Net of Heaven is Vast; Chapter 32: A Perfect Match; Chapter 1: Two Cases. The term "Jianghu" (江湖), I wonder who coined the name for the martial arts world. Comparing the martial arts world to Jianghu is truly apt. The Yangtze River and the great lakes, when is there no storm? Even in calm times, the waves are still magnificent, one wave pushing another, endlessly rolling. Jianghu is the same; how many people vie for fame and fortune, the strong preying on the weak. Unsavory winds and waves arise one after another, when is there ever a day without them? This spring, after a period of calm, two astonishing pieces of news spread like wildfire through Jianghu. One is the Sichuan Tang Clan, renowned in the martial arts world for its poisons and hidden weapons, whose patriarch, Tang Tianzong, has suddenly disappeared. The other is the South China Sea Wen Family, famous for its sleeping potions and incense, whose patriarch, Wen Yifeng, also vanished without a trace recently. It's said this happened before the Lunar New Year, and because both families kept quiet, the news only began to circulate three months later. The Sichuan Tang Clan and the South China Sea Wen Family are located in opposite directions, and the disappearances of these two patriarchs seem unrelated at first glance. However, the fact that both disappeared before the Lunar New Year is already a coincidence, and if you listen to the rumors circulating in the martial arts world, it becomes even more mysterious and intriguing. It is said that after the two patriarchs' mysterious disappearances, their families found a pearl the size of a soybean beside their pillows. Finding a pearl wasn't unusual, but this pearl bore a tiny, vermilion "令" (order) character, thinner than a fly's head. This very "令" made things complicated. The "Pearl Order" was practically unheard of in the martial arts world. Did it represent an individual or an organization? Rumors circulated, but no one could say for sure. What was the purpose of the "Pearl Order" in kidnapping the two heads of the families? Three months had passed, and it remained shrouded in mystery, without a single clue. Aside from the two families still searching, the "Pearl Order," after its initial sensation in the martial arts world, had faded into obscurity. April brought clear skies and a sudden shower—a fine day. Taiyuan Pawnshop on East Street in Kaifeng was the city's premier pawnshop, facing south. The large "当" (pawn) character atop its wall alone was over two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) high. Upon entering, a wooden screen hung at the entrance, bearing a character for "pawn" taller than a person, effectively blocking the view of passersby. Those so poor they had to pawn their belongings were always afraid of being seen. It was late afternoon, and a young man arrived at the entrance of Taiyuan Pawnshop. He was a young man in a blue robe, appearing to be in his early twenties. He was quite handsome, with fine eyebrows and bright eyes, and a refined air, like a scholar. However, he carried a three-foot-long blue cloth bag on his back, which looked more like a weapon than an umbrella, somewhat incongruous with his appearance. The young man in the blue robe stepped through the gate of Taiyuan Pawnshop, crossed the small courtyard, approached the counter, coughed lightly, and called out, "Manager." The old manager, wearing reading glasses and working on an abacus at the counter, hurriedly stood up, glanced at the young man in the blue robe, and immediately smiled obsequiously, "Sir, do you wish to pawn something?" The young man in the blue robe nodded, reached into his robe, and took out a bead threaded with gold thread, handing it over. The pearl was the size of a pigeon egg, pale yellow in color, and radiant with a brilliant light; it was clearly a priceless gem. The old appraiser took it, weighed it in his hand, and asked, "How much do you wish to pawn, sir?" The young man in the blue robe replied, "Five thousand taels of silver." The pearl's value was well over ten thousand, but five thousand taels was no small sum. The old appraiser had to proceed with caution, squinting his aging eyes to examine it more closely. Upon closer inspection, the old appraiser's heart nearly leaped out of his chest. Why? Engraved on the pearl was a vermilion character, "令" (Ling). The old appraiser's face paled, but quickly turned to joy. This, of course, did not escape the young man's notice, but he pretended not to see it. The old clerk deliberately examined the pearl for a while, then smiled broadly and said, "Sir, this pearl is priceless. Five thousand taels of silver isn't much..." The young man in the blue robe asked, "So, the shopkeeper wants it?" The old clerk replied with a forced smile, "Five thousand taels of silver is no small sum..." The young man in the blue robe said, "What, you won't accept it?" The old clerk hurriedly said, "No, no, this is a pawnshop, how could I not accept it? But five thousand taels of silver is too much for me to decide; I must ask the owner to examine it." The young man in the blue robe nodded and said, "Alright, then go and ask the owner to come out." The old clerk said, "Sir, you are a very important customer of this shop. Please come inside for tea. I will immediately send someone to inform my owner." As he spoke, he opened a large door on the right side of the counter and bowed repeatedly, saying, "Sir, please come inside and sit down." The young man in the blue robe didn't stand on ceremony and stepped into the shop. The old clerk smiled and offered him a seat, and a servant immediately brought over a cup of tea. The old swindler returned the pearl with both hands, saying, "Sir, please keep the pearl safe for now. You can take it out when you see my master." The young man in the blue robe accepted the pearl and put it back in his pocket. The old swindler whispered something to the servant, who nodded repeatedly and quickly left. The old swindler smiled and said, "My master lives near the South Gate. I've already sent someone to inform him." The young man in the blue robe said, "Thank you, sir." The old swindler seized the opportunity to ask, "May I ask your surname, sir?" The young man in the blue robe replied, "Ling." The old swindler continued, "Judging from your accent, you don't seem to be a local, do you?" The young man in the blue robe said, "Yingzhou." He seemed unwilling to elaborate, hence his extremely brief answer. The old swindler smiled and said, "A fine place." This was a polite remark; the young man in the blue robe simply smiled slightly and remained silent. With that, the old swindler had nothing more to say. He took out his water pipe, lit a paper wick, and began to puff away. After about the time it takes to eat a meal, a middle-aged man wearing a blue cloth gown and tightly tucked-in trousers walked in from outside. This man had a purplish face, thick eyebrows, and was quite burly. Behind him followed the servant who had gone to announce his arrival. The old magistrate hurriedly put down his pipe, stood up, and said with a smile, "He's here, he's here."

The young man in the blue robe stood up. The middle-aged man had already stepped into the shop. He looked the young man up

and down, then bowed to the old shopkeeper and said, "Is this the gentleman Old Master Hu is talking about?" The old shopkeeper nodded repeatedly and said, "Yes, yes, this is Lord Ling of Yingzhou." He then smiled at the young man in the blue robe and said, "This is Master Zheng Shijie, the eldest disciple of my master. My master has rarely consulted on matters in recent years; Master Zheng has made the decisions on everything, big or small."

The young man in the blue robe cupped his hands and said, "So it's Master Zheng."

Zheng Shijie returned the bow and said, "I dare not accept such a thing. I have been ordered by my master to invite you to come for a chat."

The young man in the blue robe said, "I've come to pawn some things." Indeed, pawnshops only pawn goods, not people; if you can pawn something, you can pawn it; if you can't, then don't.

Zheng Shijie smiled and said, "My master heard that you're pawning a priceless pearl for five thousand taels of silver. According to the rules of the trade, anything over a thousand taels is considered a big deal and requires negotiation between both parties. Therefore, I urge you to come and help me."

The young man in the blue robe smiled faintly and said, "In that case, I have no choice but to go."

The old man in the shop smiled and said, "Yes, yes, it would be best if Master Ling and my master could reach an agreement in person."

Zheng Shijie clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Brother, I'll lead the way for Master Ling." He took the lead and walked out.

The young man in the blue robe followed him out of the shop, and the old man in the shop saw him to the door, saying repeatedly, "Have a good journey."

The young man in the blue robe followed Zheng Shijie, crossing two long streets and walking for about half a mile before turning onto a neat and wide stone-paved road, with ancient trees towering on both sides, providing a shady green space. Whether Zheng Shijie was intentionally testing the young man in the blue robe or not, after stepping onto this stone-paved road, he suddenly quickened his pace and walked briskly. Although he didn't outwardly display any flying abilities, he moved with incredible speed; even an ordinary person running at full speed probably couldn't keep up with his pace. The young man in the blue robe followed behind him, not racing, but walking at a leisurely pace, seemingly nonchalant, yet always maintaining a few feet's distance from Zheng Shijie, never falling behind.

The stone-paved path was about two miles long, and Zheng Shijie walked swiftly, reaching a large mansion in no time. He thought the young man in the blue robe was probably far behind, so he stopped and looked back. He saw the young man in the blue robe, his robes fluttering, his expression calm, following behind him and also stopping. He was greatly surprised, thinking to himself, "Among the lay disciples of Shaolin, I am known as the 'Swift Traveler.' Traveling at high speed, unless I use my land-based lightness skill, it's difficult for anyone to catch up with me. This kid's speed is astonishing; he's actually no less than me." As these thoughts raced through his mind, he let out a long sigh and said with a smile, "We've arrived."

The young man in the blue robe looked up and saw a large, imposing mansion with many buildings. At this moment, the two black lacquered gates were already open, and two young men in blue cloth robes stood at the entrance, their features imposing and heroic. This was the famous "Golden Cauldron Manor" in the martial arts world. The old master, Jin Kaitai, was also the head of the lay branch of Shaolin. In the martial arts world, everyone called him "Old Master Jin Ding."

"Jin Ding" was the nickname of Master Jin. It is said that he was originally called "One Punch Shatters the Golden Cauldron," but later everyone found the five characters inconvenient to pronounce, so they simply called him Jin Ding. At the same time, the two characters "Jin Ding" also imply that one's word is as weighty as nine tripods.

Accompanied by Zheng Shijie, the young man in the blue robe entered the gate, crossed the courtyard, and saw two young men in blue robes standing at the second gate

. Seeing Zheng Shijie leading the young man in the blue robe, they immediately bowed and said, "Master is waiting in the West Flower Hall and asked Senior Brother to invite the guests to the West Flower Hall for tea." Zheng Shijie nodded and led the young man in the blue robe inside. After passing through the long corridor, they arrived at the West Flower Hall. This was a bright and clean open hall with lush flowers and trees in front of the courtyard, artificial hills and flowing water, and a tranquil atmosphere. On the steps in front of the courtyard, two young men in blue robes were also standing, apparently all of them were Master Jin's disciples.

The young man in the blue robe followed Zheng Shijie into the open pavilion. On the east side, against the wall, sat a bald old man with white hair and a ruddy complexion. His piercing eyes immediately caught sight of his eldest disciple leading the young man in, and he stood up with a smile.

Zheng Shijie paused slightly, turned around, and said, "This is my master."

The young man in the blue robe stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said loudly, "I have long admired the name of Elder Jin. It is an honor to be summoned."

Zheng Shijie quickly whispered to his master, "Master, this is Master Ling."

Jin Kaitai's narrow eyes merely scrutinized the young man in the blue robe before him. Of course, what was most striking was the long, blue cloth bag slung over his back; anyone with a discerning eye could see that it contained a longsword. Elder Jin scrutinized him, then pointed with his right hand and chuckled, "A rare guest, a rare guest, please sit, please sit."

The young man in the blue robe did not stand on ceremony and sat down in a chair opposite him. Then, a young man in a blue long robe brought over a cup of fragrant tea. Jin

Kaitai coughed lightly and said with a smile, "What is your name, Master Ling?"

The young man in the blue robe said, "My name is Junyi."

Jin Kaitai asked again, "Where is your residence?"

Ling Junyi replied, "Yingzhou." Jin

Kaitai nodded and said, "I heard that Master Ling has a pearl that he wants to pawn for five thousand taels of silver?"

Ling Junyi said, "That's right."

Jin Kaitai said, "Master Ling, could you take it out and let me see it?"

Ling Junyi reached into his robe and took out a pearl strung with gold thread, and handed it over. Jin Kaitai took it, examined it carefully for a while, slowly raised his eyes, and said, "I would like to ask Master Ling a question. I wonder if Master Ling would be willing to tell me?"

Ling Junyi smiled faintly and said, "What does Master Jin want to ask?"

Jin Kaitai's gaze sharpened, and he said, "Does Master Ling know the origin of this pearl?"

Ling Junyi said, "This is a family heirloom of my humble family."

"A family heirloom?" Jin Kaitai pondered. "What is your father's name, Mr. Ling?"

Ling Junyi replied, "My father passed away many years ago. When you inquired about him, I wonder if it's related to this bead?"

Jin Kaitai said, "I was just asking casually. Hmm, Mr. Ling always carries a sword sheath; you must be a martial artist, right?"

Ling Junyi said, "I have some knowledge of fist and sword techniques,

and I'm new to the martial world." A glint of light flashed in Jin Kaitai's narrow eyes. He nodded and smiled, "Mr. Ling, you seem quite refined; you must be from a martial arts family?"

Ling Junyi said, "My father and mother were not skilled in martial arts. My own rudimentary skills were learned from my master."

Jin Kaitai said "Oh," and asked, "May I ask what your master's name is?"

Ling Junyi coldly replied, "My master has no name and doesn't wish for it to be known."

Jin Kaitai stroked his white beard. "Master," Jin Kaitai nodded, "perhaps you are a reclusive and eccentric figure who prefers to remain unknown."

Ling Junyi said, "Old Master Jin inquired about my background and origins based on a bead passed down in my family. If he wasn't interested in the bead itself, he must have some doubts about it..."

Jin Kaitai paused slightly, then chuckled, "Master Ling misunderstands."

Ling Junyi paused again, then continued, "I have answered all your questions truthfully. I would also like to ask you something, would you be so kind as to grant me your request?"

Jin Kaitai still smiled and said, "Please speak, Master Ling."

Ling Junyi said, "I think you may have seen a bead similar to mine, Old Master Jin?"

Jin Kaitai's expression changed slightly, then he smiled and said, "Since you are a member of the martial arts world, you must have heard of the 'Pearl Token' that is widely circulated in the martial arts world."

Ling Junyi nodded and said, "That's right. I came to Kaifeng to see the legendary 'Pearl Token' that's so famous in the martial arts world." Jin

Kaitai's face showed a hint of surprise as he asked, "Did you see it, Master Ling?"

Ling Junyi raised an eyebrow and laughed heartily, "Then we'll have to ask if Master Jin would be willing to lend me a copy."

Jin Kaitai's expression changed, and he said angrily, "Master Ling, what are you saying? I have no 'Pearl Token' here."

Ling Junyi said, "When I set off, I heard that Abbot Leshan of the Medicine King Hall of Shaolin Temple had disappeared, leaving behind a 'Pearl Token.' The Abbot of Shaolin has already given the token to Master Jin. Could it be just a rumor?"

Jin Kaitai's eyes narrowed with cold light, and he said in a deep voice, "Who told you that?"

Ling Junyi's expression remained unchanged, and he said leisurely, "From my master."

Jin Kaitai said coldly, "From Master Ling's tone just now, I thought your master was a reclusive master who had never set foot in the martial world..." Although he didn't say the rest, it clearly showed that "your master is just a martial artist who likes to spread rumors."

Ling Junyi laughed loudly, "My master has always been fond of meddling in other people's business, just as he was thirty years ago, and he remains so today." Jin

Kaitai frowned and asked, "Who exactly is your master?"

Ling Junyi replied, "As I just mentioned, my master has no name. If you insist on asking, then you can only find the answer in my martial arts techniques."

Jin Kaitai's face darkened with anger, and he snorted, "So, you didn't really come here to pawn the bead?"

Ling Junyi laughed heartily, "Likewise, you summoned me, but perhaps not really to discuss pawning the bead with me?"

Jin Kaitai retorted, "What an arrogant young man!" Over the years, no one had dared to be so presumptuous in front of him; no wonder he was angry.

Ling Junyi laughed loudly and said, "My master has never put anyone in his eyes throughout his life. I am his only successor, so who would he possibly put in my eyes?"

These words caused Jin Kaitai to change color in anger. He laughed and said, "Very well, I was just wondering who you are from!" He placed the pearl on the table and said, "Since you didn't come to pawn the pearl, please keep it safe." Ling

Junyi said, "What you say is true, Master Jin." He reached for the pearl and put it in his pocket.

Jin Kaitai's eyes flashed coldly, and he said in a deep voice, "Shijie."

Zheng Shijie bowed and said, "Disciple is here."

Jin Kaitai instructed, "Since you came for me, Master Ling, why don't you ask him for a few moves? Perhaps I can discern his lineage from that."

Zheng Shijie said, "Disciple obeys." After speaking, he turned to Ling Junyi, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "If you wish to teach me, please go outside the hall; it is more spacious." Ling Junyi smiled slightly and said, "

Testing martial arts isn't about long spears and halberds, or fighting on horseback. A few steps are enough. Let's spar a few times in the hall; Old Master Jin can see it more clearly then."

Zheng Shijie coldly smiled and said, "Since Master Ling thinks the hall is enough to demonstrate, I have no objection." As soon as he finished speaking, he cupped his hands and said, "Then please, Master Ling, give me your moves."

Ling Junyi looked at him and smiled, "I never strike first; there's no need for you to be so polite, Master Zheng." He clearly didn't take Zheng Shijie seriously.

Zheng Shijie was Old Master Jin's first disciple, considered the best among the Shaolin lay disciples. Now, being so disrespected by Ling Junyi, he was furious and chuckled, "Then I'll have my hairpin." He secretly took a breath, his right hand raised to his chest, ready to strike.

Jin Kaitai shouted, "Shijie, wait!"

Zheng Shijie quickly withdrew his stance and bowed, saying, "What are your instructions, Master?" Jin

Kaitai said, "Lord Ling is a guest from afar; you mustn't strike too hard." "Not too hard" meant not to kill him, but to teach him a lesson.

Zheng Shijie replied, "Disciple obeys." He turned around, his left fist raised, and swung it towards his chest, saying, "Lord Ling, be careful." His left hand flashed, and his right fist aimed straight for Ling Junyi's left shoulder, using a "piercing flower fist" technique.

Ling Junyi neither dodged nor yielded, waiting for Zheng Shijie's fist to approach before slightly shifting his body, stepping forward half a step with his left foot, and raising his left hand to strike Zheng Shijie's right shoulder and back. This move was incredibly fast; although the strike was light, Zheng Shijie's fist missed its mark, and he couldn't stop his momentum, staggering forward five steps.

Jin Kaitai's expression changed slightly, because Ling Junyi's technique was very similar to "Pushing the Dragon into the Sea" from the "Twelve Dragon-Capturing Hands" of his sect, except that he used it with a reverse hand. The "Twelve Dragon-Capturing Hands" is ranked twelfth among the seventy-two arts of Shaolin. It is a profound technique that was comprehended by the disciples of Bodhidharma from the "Yi Jin Jing" (Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic). It is not taught to lay disciples except for the disciples who protect the temple. Zheng Shijie, as the eldest disciple of Master Jin, was pushed back several steps by a palm strike in the first move. Naturally, he lost face. He snorted and spun around, launching a counterattack with a series of palm strikes. He suffered a great loss in the first move, so he changed his stance and used the Shaolin "Tiger-Taming Palm Technique," a martial arts masterpiece known for its fierce and powerful style. When unleashed, it is extremely powerful. Each palm strike brings a whistling wind through the air and has the power to shatter stone tablets, hence the name "Tiger-Taming Palm."

Ling Junyi remained unfazed, standing still with his feet planted firmly on the ground. He merely shifted his upper body slightly to the left and right, easily dodging the two palm strikes. However, Zheng Shijie, enraged, launched a third attack, a "Leopard's Gallbladder" strike, aimed at Ling Junyi's left ribs with lightning speed. This move was incredibly fast; the two were extremely close, and Ling Junyi, having already shifted to the left while dodging the second strike, was unable to evade further. Zheng Shijie watched with a cold smile, channeling his energy into his right arm and accelerating the strike. Just as his palm was about to touch Ling Junyi's clothes, he suddenly felt a tight grip on his right wrist. He was startled and tried to struggle, but it was too late. It all happened in an instant. Ling Junyi, still smiling, flicked his left hand, sending Zheng Shijie, a tall figure, flying into the air and crashing several feet away.

Zheng Shijie, a high-ranking lay disciple of Shaolin, was naturally skilled. He immediately used the Thousand-Pound Drop technique, landing firmly on his feet. His purple face flushed red, and he forced a smile, saying, "Master Ling is indeed brilliant."

He was about to leap again when Jin Kaitai, with his sharp eyes, recognized Ling Junyi's second move as the "Feigned Indifference" technique from the "Twelve Dragon-Capturing Hands," and it was used with his left hand. Jin Kaitai's heart skipped a beat, and he thought to himself, "Could he be that old man's successor?" Before Zheng Shijie could leap, Jin Kaitai hurriedly shouted, "Shijie, stop!"

Hearing his master's shout, Zheng Shijie hurriedly lowered his hands and stood respectfully, raising his eyes and saying, "Master, this..." He wanted to say, "This cannot be considered a defeat for your disciple."

Jin Kaitai stopped him, saying, "There's no need to continue. You are no match for Brother Ling." Zheng Shijie dared not say more, but he was truly unwilling to accept defeat.

Jin Kaitai ignored him, suddenly stood up, his face beaming, and cupped his hands to Ling Junyi, saying, "Brother Ling, please sit down."

His sudden change from "Master Ling" to "Brother Ling" made his tone much more intimate. Zheng Shijie was secretly astonished, but he could guess that his knowledgeable master would surely recognize this Master Ling's background. Ling Junyi smiled casually and indeed sat down in his original seat.

Jin Kaitai looked at Ling Junyi earnestly and said, "This old man would like to ask you a question, brother. Would you be so kind as to grant me your request?" He even changed his pronoun from "this old man" to "this humble one," clearly showing that he regarded this young man with new respect and dared not presume upon him.

Ling Junyi asked, "What does Elder Jin wish to ask?"

Jin Kaitai replied, "I wish to ask if your master is a monk?"

Ling Junyi smiled and said, "As I just mentioned, my master has no name and does not wish for anyone to know. I am deeply sorry that I cannot answer Elder Jin's question."

Jin Kaitai quickly said, "It is alright. Since Brother Ling is unwilling to speak, how could I dare to ask further?" He paused slightly, then focused his gaze and asked, "So, Brother Ling, you have truly come for the 'Pearl Token'?"

Ling Junyi replied, "That's right."

Jin Kaitai then asked, "Brother Ling, could you elaborate?"

Ling Junyi replied, "If you insist, I must tell you. My mother suddenly disappeared at the end of last year..."

Jin Kaitai exclaimed in surprise, "Oh? Was your mother also a martial artist?"

Ling Junyi said, "No, my mother didn't know martial arts."

"Your mother didn't know martial arts?" Jin Kaitai asked in astonishment, "That's strange. Could it be that you believe your mother's disappearance is also related to the 'Pearl Token'?"

Ling Junyi said, "I didn't know that at first. My master told me that Master Leshan, the abbot of the Medicine King Hall of Shaolin Temple, disappeared, leaving behind a pearl. He asked me to come to Kaifeng to find you, Master Jin, to see if the 'Pearl Token' is similar to the pearl passed down in my family."

Jin Kaitai said, "The matter of Senior Brother Leshan's disappearance is a secret of Shaolin Temple. It can be said that no one in the martial arts world knows about it." "Brother Ling, since you've come under the guidance of your master, I can't hide it. When Senior Brother Leshan disappeared, a 'Pearl Token' was indeed found in his meditation room. Because Shaolin monks rarely travel in the martial world, the abbot entrusted me with the task of investigating Senior Brother Leshan's whereabouts. This pearl is indeed with me." He stood up and said, "Brother Ling, please sit down. I'll go and fetch the Pearl Token."

Ling Junyi said, "Please, Elder Jin."

Jin Kaitai turned and hurried towards the side door. A short while later, he emerged from behind the screen carrying a yellow cloth bundle and returned to his chair. Opening the bundle, he found a small wooden box. He carefully opened the box, took out a pearl the size of a thumb, and said, "Brother Ling, this is the 'Pearl Token'." Ling Junyi took it and examined it closely. He saw that this "

Pearl Token" was also strung with yellow thread, and had a vermilion "Token" character on the front. It was almost identical to his family's heirloom bead, except for the size. Even the knot on the gold thread was exactly the same. There was only one difference: the "Token" character on his own bead was engraved with double lines, meaning that the characters were outlined with fine lines along both sides, a technique known as double-line engraving, or hollow characters. However, the "Pearl Token" in front of him only had extremely fine lines engraved on it.

Ling Junyi raised his eyes and asked, "Has Grandpa Jin found anything?"

Jin Kaitai shook his head slightly and said with a wry smile, "Even though Brother Ling is unwilling to reveal the origins of our sect, the fact that your master sent you to Kaifeng to find me shows that our connection is very deep. To be honest, Shaolin lay disciples have established as many as forty-five escort agencies across the country, not counting branches. For the past three months, I have ordered all my disciples in various places to keep a close watch and have also launched searches in various places. Not only is there no news of Senior Brother Leshan, but we haven't found a single clue about the 'Pearl Token' either. I think I've thought of something..." He stroked his white beard with one hand, and his voice suddenly stopped.

Ling Junyi asked, "What has Grandpa Jin thought of?"

Jin Kaitai did not answer, and after pondering for a long time, he asked with focused attention, "Does your mother know how to use poison?"

Ling Junyi was taken aback, and then smiled faintly, "As I said, my mother is not a martial artist, so naturally she doesn't know how to use poison." Jin Kaitai then asked, "

So, is your mother skilled in medicine?"

Ling Junyi replied without hesitation, "My mother doesn't know anything about medicine either."

Jin Kaitai coughed lightly and said, "That's strange. They seem to have no reason to kidnap your mother."

Ling Junyi said, "I don't understand what you mean, Master Jin."

Jin Kaitai nodded slightly and smiled, "This is my judgment based on three recent events in the martial arts world. Now, your mother is neither a martial artist nor skilled in poison or medicine, yet she has suddenly disappeared. And your master instructed you to come find me. Given your master's abilities, if he believes it's related to the 'Pearl Token,' then it is indeed related. However, this means my deduction is invalid."

Ling Junyi said, "What is Master Jin's deduction? May I hear it?" Jin Kaitai said, “

After Senior Brother Leshan disappeared, rumors circulated in the martial arts world that the two old leaders of the ‘Lingnan Wen Family’ and the ‘Sichuan Tang Clan’ also mysteriously disappeared at the end of last year, and they also left behind a ‘Pearl Token’. This proves that the three disappearances, despite being thousands of miles apart, were actually the work of the same group of people.”

Ling Junyi said, “My mother disappeared, how could the thieves not have left a ‘Pearl Token’?”

Jin Kaitai continued, “Of the three missing people, the ‘Sichuan Tang Clan’ is famous throughout the world for its poisons and hidden weapons; the ‘Lingnan Wen Family’ is known for its sleeping potions; and Senior Brother Leshan presided over the Medicine King Academy and devoted his life to the study of medicine. Therefore, I deduce that the purpose of kidnapping these three people is nothing more than two points…”

Ling Junyi’s expression changed, and he asked anxiously, “What are those two points?” Jin Kaitai said, “

First, there’s a very important person among these people who has been poisoned and is unconscious. He may have already taken various antidotes, but none of them have worked. Therefore, they had to kidnap the old masters of the Sichuan Tang Clan and the Lingnan Wen Family, as well as Senior Brother Leshan, to treat him. This is the good side, because although they kidnapped three people, their purpose was to save him.”

Ling Junyi asked, “What about the bad side?”

Jin Kaitai said, “Secondly, and also badly, this group has ulterior motives. They kidnapped the three people to coerce the two old masters of the Tang and Wen families into handing over their ancestral secret recipe…”

Ling Junyi asked, “Why did they kidnap Master Leshan?”

Jin Kaitai sighed slightly and said, “The Shaolin Temple’s secret recipe, ‘Xuan Tan Wan,’ can cure all kinds of poisons. The method of preparation has been passed down through generations, and only the abbot of the Medicine King Academy knows it. They kidnapped Senior Brother Leshan, naturally for the recipe of ‘Xuan Tan Wan.’” "This is a minor matter. If, besides the two old masters Tang and Wen, and Senior Brother Leshan, they have also kidnapped other skilled physicians, it would be even more terrifying."

Ling Junyi asked, "Why?"

Jin Kaitai replied, "That would prove that these people are carrying out a huge conspiracy. They kidnapped people skilled in poisons, sedatives, and medicine to create some kind of terrible drug to harm more people." He then added, "These people are elusive and leave no trace. If they didn't leave this 'Pearl Token,' wouldn't they leave no trace at all?" Suddenly, his gaze sharpened, and he asked, "Brother Ling, do you know the origin of this pearl passed down in your family?"

Ling Junyi replied, "I don't know. Since I was old enough to understand, I have always worn this pearl."

Jin Kaitai asked, "Didn't your master tell you about it?"

Ling Junyi replied, "No." After saying this, he stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Elder Jin. I will take my leave now."

Jin Kaitai said, "Brother Ling, please sit for a moment longer. I have something else to tell you." Ling

Junyi asked, "What else do you have to say, Elder Jin?"

Jin Kaitai said, "Besides the Tang Clan of Sichuan and the Wen Family of Lingnan, there is another family in the martial world known for their poisons..."

Ling Junyi asked, "Which family is it?"

Jin Kaitai said, "Longmian Manor. However, they never travel in the martial world and are little known. As far as I know, the 'Pearl Token' group hasn't yet made a move on 'Longmian Manor.' You might want to keep an eye on them."

Ling Junyi said, "Thank you for your guidance." After saying this, he took the blue cloth bag from the chair, slung it over his shoulder, and strode out.

Jin Kaitai escorted him all the way down the steps before his eldest disciple, Zheng Shijie, saw him off. Zheng Shijie had followed his master for over ten years and knew that this young man surnamed Ling was someone of great importance. After seeing Ling Junyi off and returning to the flower hall, he couldn't help but ask, "Master, did you figure out his background?" Jin Kaitai's expression was solemn as he slowly said, "

He showed two moves, both of which were techniques from our sect's 'Twelve Dragon-Capturing Hands,' and he used them with his backhand. If I'm not mistaken, he might be..."

Zheng Shijie asked in surprise, "Master, are you saying that he is the successor of that grandmaster uncle?" Jin Kaitai didn't speak, but simply nodded.

Legend has it that over fifty years ago, a chivalrous thief emerged in the martial arts world. A chivalrous thief is one who is both a hero and a thief. He was righteous and chivalrous, yet also robbed the rich to help the poor. Because of his swiftness, high martial arts skills, and elusive nature, people only knew his name but never saw him, and naturally, no one knew his background. Therefore, everyone nicknamed him "A Gust of Wind," saying that he came and went like a gust of wind. "A Gust of Wind" had a strange temper: he hated evil as if it were his enemy. Corrupt officials, local tyrants, and bullies—if he encountered them, he would not let them go easily. Those in the martial arts world who were bloodthirsty and had committed many evil deeds met him with a vengeance; at best, their martial arts would be crippled, at worst, they would be killed on the spot, with no chance of survival. Later, for some unknown reason, "A Gust of Wind" suddenly disappeared from the martial arts world. It turned out that he had been ordained as a monk at the Shaolin Temple in Henan, taking the Dharma name Datong. Twenty years passed in the blink of an eye. It's said that the Buddhist order is vast, and one could lay down the butcher's knife and instantly become a Buddha. However, one day, he was recognized by an enemy whose martial arts had been crippled as the former "A Gust of Wind." Shaolin Temple has strict rules, and the monks, upon hearing that he was the infamous "A Gust of Wind," felt he had tarnished the temple's reputation. Discussions raged, and some advocated stripping him of his martial arts and expelling

him from the temple. Monk Datong was naturally furious, saying, "Buddha, since you forbid me from laying down the butcher's knife, I don't want to become a Buddha. However, my martial arts skills weren't learned at Shaolin Temple, so you can't take them away. As for what I learned at Shaolin, I can simply not use it after leaving Shaolin."

Monk Datong left Shaolin Temple just like that. Of course, some monks tried to stop him, but after twenty years of quiet cultivation in the temple, his martial arts skills were unmatched. No one in Shaolin Temple could stop him. From then on, the martial arts world gained a peculiar hero who hated evil and called himself Monk Datong. The martial arts he used, of course, also followed the Shaolin style, but he used his left hand, going against the Shaolin methods. Therefore, everyone called him "Reverse-Handed Tathagata," and this was thirty years ago. In terms of seniority, "Reverse-Handed Tathagata" was the senior uncle of the current Shaolin abbot, and naturally, also the senior uncle of "Golden Cauldron" Jin Kaitai.

The sky wasn't completely dark yet, but Kaifeng was already ablaze with lights, the streets bustling with pedestrians, and the clanging of carriages and horses filling the air. At this moment, a young man in a blue robe, carrying a blue cloth bag on his shoulder, was crossing a side street, heading towards the end. There happened to be a narrow alley here, and in the dim light at the alley's entrance stood a person. His face was obscured, but anyone standing in the darkness at this time was either a thug or someone from a respectable background. This person saw the young man in blue approaching, hunched his shoulders, and stared intently at him.

The young man in the blue robe gradually approached, passing by the alley entrance. In that instant, the man spotted what he was looking for on the young man: a purple silk sash tied around his waist, and a bright pearl strung on silk hanging from his left waist. The pearl was about the size of a longan. Without hesitation, the man hurriedly stepped forward, catching up with him and saying with a fawning smile, "Sir, this is your letter."

The young man in the blue robe paused, abruptly stopping, his piercing eyes like two frost-covered blades, staring directly at the man's face. The man hastily shoved a secret letter into the young man's hand and turned to leave. The young man in the blue robe was none other than Ling Junyi. He held the secret letter in his hand, feeling a sense of unease. He casually opened it and glanced down, only to see a line of hastily written characters: "Deliver to the one-eyed man outside the Black Ridge River Temple."

Ling Junyi was startled again, quickly thinking, "This secret letter isn't for me; this person has clearly mistaken me for someone else." Thinking this, he immediately looked up, but the messenger had already vanished without a trace.

A thought struck Ling Junyi: "Judging from the tone of the secret letter, it's probably someone from the martial arts world delivering something. I'm here to investigate the 'Pearl Token,' should I go to the Black Ridge River Temple to find out?" Then he thought, "The secret letter clearly states that the item should be delivered to the one-eyed man outside the Black Ridge River Temple. I don't have anything; what use would it be for me? Besides, if the secret letter falls into my hands, the person delivering the item won't be able to deliver it without it." "Upon realizing this, he immediately thought that the reason the man had mistakenly given him the secret letter must be because the person delivering it looked similar to him. Why not wait here and see if anyone who looked like him would come along, and have him deliver the letter to the River God Temple? Wouldn't that be great?

He moistened his lips with some saliva, sealed the secret letter again, retreated to the alley entrance, took the blue cloth bag from his shoulder, placed it in a dark corner, then bent down, grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground, smeared it haphazardly on his cheek, and leaned against the alley wall, waiting quietly. Before long, he indeed saw on the west side of the street..." A figure approached, a man in blue robes carrying a long cloth bag on his back. He was tall and slender, but his face was obscured by the distance. The man walked slowly, but with an air of arrogance and disregard for others. In the blink of an eye, he was nearing the alley entrance. Ling Junyi looked up; the man appeared to be about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, quite handsome, but with a stubborn expression and a cold demeanor.

Ling Junyi waited until he had passed the alley entrance before catching up, saying, "My lord, this is your letter." He handed over the secret document with both hands.

The man in blue paused slightly, took the document, and without even turning his head, casually struck out with his palm. Ling Junyi hadn't expected such a sudden attack and was about to parry when a thought struck him: "He's trying to silence me; I can't fight back." His mind raced, and he took a deep breath, protecting his vital points to withstand the blow.

A sharp "clang" rang out; the blue-clad man, without even turning his head, struck with pinpoint accuracy, his palm landing squarely on Ling Junyi's chest. Ling Junyi let out a muffled groan and fell backward. The blue-clad man, after unleashing his palm strike, didn't even look back and continued walking forward.

Ling Junyi, secretly astonished by the blow, thought, "I didn't realize he used such a powerful internal martial arts technique." Once the man was far away, Ling Junyi immediately leaped up, grabbed his blue cloth bag, slung it over his shoulder, and followed at a distance.

The blue-clad man, of course, had no idea someone was following him. He walked leisurely, and upon reaching the north city wall, which was several meters high, he stomped his feet, his body moving like an arrow piercing the clouds, soaring into the air, leaping onto the wall, and then gracefully descending to its base. Ling Junyi was secretly astonished: "Leaping four or five zhang high is nothing special for martial arts masters, but this person is so young, yet his skills are so remarkable." He became increasingly suspicious and wanted to see what the man in blue had delivered.

With that thought, he leaped up and landed lightly on the city wall. Looking up, he saw a figure moving swiftly like an arrow, flying north. Ling Junyi dared not delay. He inhaled his inner energy, landed, and used his lightness skill to follow the man in blue. After running for about ten li, they arrived at a small hill—Black Ridge. The man in blue reached the foot of the hill, his flight suddenly slowing, then he raised his head and walked slowly up the hill.

Ling Junyi chuckled inwardly, thinking, "This man is putting on airs; he's probably very arrogant."

Having reached Black Ridge, the River God Temple was naturally located there. Ling Junyi wanted to see what the blind man had given him, so he couldn't stray too far. Fortunately, this loess hill was covered with a dense thicket of mixed trees. Ling Junyi slipped into the woods and, using the trees for cover, quickly climbed the hill. He then saw a yellow wall emerging from the trees on his left. It turned out this was the back of the temple. The temple gate of this River God Temple faced north, towards the Yellow River. Ling Junyi didn't know the identity or background of the blind man, so he dared not be careless. Still using the trees for cover, he quietly slipped past from the right. The River God Temple had only three buildings. Ling Junyi circled around to the right side of the temple gate and saw a blind old man dressed in gray clothes standing quietly in front of the temple. After a while, a man in blue clothes slowly approached.

The one-eyed old man hurriedly stepped forward, bowing repeatedly and smiling obsequiously, "I have been waiting here for quite some time on the orders of the River God."

The man in blue coldly said, "Your left eye is blind, but your right eye is still intact."

The one-eyed man smiled obsequiously, "Yes, yes, I am blind in the left, but not the right."

The man in blue said, "Very good." He reached into his robes and took out a small paper packet, handing it over, and then said, "This is of great importance; you must be careful."

The one-eyed man took it with both hands, bowing repeatedly, "I understand."

The man in blue said, "Good, when you arrive in Huaiyang, someone will tell you where to send it."

The one-eyed man bowed again and said, "I know." The man in blue coldly snorted, his feet stomping as he soared into the air, a figure disappearing like lightning down the mountain.

Ling Junyi, hidden nearby, clearly heard their conversation and thought to himself, "What could be in this little paper package? He's so careful. The one-eyed man is a messenger; I wonder where he'll deliver it next, and to whom?" Then he thought, "If the man in blue hadn't received the secret letter I gave him, he wouldn't know who to deliver it to either. Therefore, the little paper package must contain either a priceless treasure or something highly confidential." The more suspicious he became, the less he wanted to let it go, determined to find out the truth no matter the danger.

While he pondered, the one-eyed man had already hurriedly left. Judging from his gait, Ling Junyi's skills weren't particularly impressive, far inferior to the man in blue. Tracking such a person would be effortless for Ling Junyi, given his extensive martial arts training. However, Ling Junyi was meticulous. Considering the twists and turns of the evening and the mysterious nature of these people, he deduced that if the small paper package contained something extremely valuable and confidential, it wouldn't be entrusted to a blind man with such poor martial arts skills. There might even be a hidden expert escorting it. With this in mind, he dared not be too careless. Only after the blind man had gone far away and he was certain no one was lurking around did he slip out of the forest and head down the mountain. The blind

man walked quickly, and Ling Junyi followed at a distance, not daring to get too close. To avoid attracting attention, he even put away the pearl his master had instructed him to wear on his left waist. That night, the one-eyed man traveled seventy or eighty li (approximately 35-40 kilometers), and by daybreak, he had reached Ku County and headed into the city. Ling Junyi followed him into the city. The one-eyed man seemed very familiar with the streets, first eating a bowl of soy milk and some rice cakes at a street stall before entering a small inn called Xinglong at the end of the street.

Ling Junyi knew he had been traveling all night and needed rest, so he sat down at a wonton stall opposite the inn and ordered a bowl of wontons. Just then, a man wearing a felt hat and gray clothes walked from the street and headed straight for the inn. Judging from his light and quick steps, he was clearly a skilled traveler, and his decision to stay at an inn at this time indicated that he had also been traveling all night. Ling Junyi's heart stirred, thinking, "Could this man be an accomplice of the one-eyed man?"

After finishing his wontons, he took out some coins, paid the bill, and went into the inn. Those who stay at this kind of small inn are mostly peddlers and laborers; they all leave long before dawn, making this the quietest time of day.

As soon as the innkeeper saw someone enter, he hurried over to greet him: "Sir, you are…?"

Ling Junyi said, "Looking for a room."

Upon hearing this, the innkeeper bowed repeatedly, saying, "Yes, yes, sir, please follow me." He then led Ling Junyi inside.

As they walked, Ling Junyi asked, "How's business at your inn?"

The innkeeper replied, "Our prices are cheap, so business is pretty good." He then added with a smile, "If more people like you come to stay in the morning, our business will be even better."

This was true; those who stayed the night before left early this morning, and then others came to stay—one room was practically equivalent to two. As they spoke, the innkeeper opened a guest room and said, "Sir, how is this room?"

Ling Junyi nodded and said, "It's fine."

The innkeeper said, "I'll go make you some tea." He was about to leave when…

Ling Junyi asked, "Do you usually have very few people coming to stay here in the morning?"

The innkeeper had no choice but to stop and replied, "Those who come to stay in the morning are all people who traveled at night the previous night. Recently, the area has been quite unsettled, so there aren't many people traveling at night..." Suddenly, he chuckled and said, "This morning, there are three of you, including you, sir."

Ling Junyi said "Oh," and casually asked, "Where are they staying?"

The innkeeper replied, "Our inn only has six rooms here. The two large rooms opposite are bungalows. This room is number three, sir. The other two gentlemen arrived before you, so they are naturally in rooms number one and number two."

Ling Junyi thought to himself, "That means the one-eyed man is in room number one, and the man in gray is in room number two."

The innkeeper quickly left and returned a moment later with a pot of tea, smiling obsequiously, "Sir, your tea is here." He had already poured a cup of tea for Ling Junyi and placed it on the table.

Ling Junyi deliberately yawned and said, "I'm going to sleep. Close the door for me, no need to serve me anymore." The waiter readily agreed, left the room, and closed the door behind him.

Ling Junyi could tell that the gray-clad man next door was still awake. He thought, "If this person isn't an accomplice of the one-eyed man, then he's like me, tracking him down." He picked up a teacup, took a sip, then undressed and went to bed.

With his martial arts skills, even if he was fast asleep, he wouldn't miss the slightest movement from the two people in the next room. Since they would have to pass by his door to leave the inn, he would hear their footsteps, so he slept peacefully. But he hadn't been asleep for long when he suddenly heard someone in the next room snort angrily, "Good heavens, you're quite slippery."

Although the words weren't spoken loudly, they were enough to wake Ling Junyi. He sat up abruptly and listened intently. He heard the gray-clad man in the next room push open the back window and, with a "hiss," slip out. Ling Junyi thought to himself, "Could it be that the one-eyed man has already left?"

Each of the three rooms had a back window, which he had already checked upon entering. Outside the window was a narrow alley; it was clear the gray-clad man had already caught up. Ling Junyi quickly got out of bed, gently opened the window, and leaped out. Sure enough, the back window of room number two was wide open, and the gray-clad man was nowhere to be seen. Looking at room number one, the window was ajar, and the one-eyed man was also gone.

Ling Junyi silently felt ashamed. If it weren't for the gray-clad man's curse, he wouldn't have noticed anything. It seemed his experience in the martial world was still insufficient. He returned to his room, slung his sword pouch over his shoulder, and went out. As soon as the waiter saw Ling Junyi emerge, he hurried to greet him, asking in surprise, "Sir, aren't you leaving soon after a little more sleep?"

Ling Junyi replied, "That's enough, I have other matters to attend to. Oh, waiter, I'll pay for room number one as well." He had seen the gray-clad man in room number two leave silver on the table, but the blind man in room number one hadn't even paid.

The waiter asked curiously, "Do you know that old gentleman?"

Ling Junyi smiled and said, "From the same village."

The waiter settled his bill. Ling Junyi had heard the man in blue mention someone waiting for him in Huaiyang. From here to Huaiyang was an official road, so he left the city and hurried south.

Around noon, he arrived at Longqu, a small town with only one noodle shop at the town entrance facing the main road, catering to travelers and merchants. It was midday, and the small noodle shop was already quite full. Ling Junyi stepped into the noodle shop, his gaze sweeping around. The shop was small, with only four or five tables, each occupied by two or three people. The one-eyed man sat at the left-hand table, having ordered a pot of wine and a plate of braised dishes, and was eating and drinking with his head down. At a table near the door sat a man in gray, who, seemingly afraid of being recognized, had deliberately pulled his felt hat low, but Ling Junyi recognized him quickly.

As soon as Ling Junyi entered, a waiter quickly greeted him, leading him to an empty seat at a table in the middle, pouring him a cup of tea, and asking what he would like to eat. Ling Junyi also ordered a pot of wine and a plate of snacks. After the waiter left, he picked up his teacup, took a sip, and glanced around. All the diners were passing merchants; only the one-eyed man and the man in gray were江湖人士 (jianghu figures, people of the martial arts world).
Just then, another man dressed in a blue cloth robe entered the shop. He was tall and thin, with a sallow complexion. Stepping inside, his eyes flashed, and he sat down at a table near the entrance. He tapped three fingers on the table with his right hand and called out loudly, "Hey, waiter!" Though his tapping was light, the food and wine on the table jumped up.

The man in gray was eating and drinking with his head down, and the food and wine splashed all over his face and body. This time, the man in gray could no longer tolerate it. He pushed up his felt hat, wiped his face, glared at the man in blue, and snorted angrily, "Friend, didn't you see there's someone else sitting at this table? You should be a little quieter!"

The man in blue had no smile on his face and said coldly, "You think I'm too heavy-handed? Why don't you move it to another table?"

The man in gray, seeing that the man not only showed no remorse but actually wanted him to move it to another table himself, felt a surge of anger and snorted, "You slammed the table and splashed wine and vegetables all over my face, and I'm the one who's wrong?"

The man in blue said indifferently, "I told you to move it to another table, what's wrong with that?" The customers in the noodle shop, hearing the two arguing, all looked at them.

A glint flashed in the gray-clad man's eyes, and he laughed loudly, "Friend, you're acting so aggressively, you're clearly looking for trouble."

The man in blue spat and said, "Looking for trouble? Do you think you're worthy?"

The shopkeeper hurriedly came over, his face full of smiles, "Gentlemen, this is a misunderstanding, we're all just travelers..."

The gray-clad man suddenly stood up, reached into his long robe and pulled out a goose-feather knife with a whoosh, shouting, "Come on, let's go outside and have a go."

The man in blue sneered, "You want to fight me? Unless you're tired of living."

The gray-clad man snorted angrily, "I wonder who's tired of living."

The man in blue said coldly, "I've already warned you, since you're courting death, you can't blame me."

As he spoke, he slightly raised his left hand, and a flash of blue light shot straight towards the gray-clad man's throat, not only incredibly fast but also silently. Just then, a wine cup suddenly flew out from the side, intercepting the green light with a "clink," grazing past the gray-clad man's side, and then crashing into the wall with a "bang." Everyone turned around and saw a small, greenish-blue arrow, about two inches long, piercing the bottom of the cup and embedding itself in the wall. Although the bottom of the cup was pierced, it did not break.

The gray-clad man's expression changed, and he roared angrily, "My friend, how dare you attack me from behind!" Suddenly, he lunged forward, his left hand reaching out to grab the green-clad man's shoulder. The green-clad man

sneered, and with a flick of his left hand, before anyone could see clearly, the gray-clad man had already retreated two steps, a bloody gash on the back of his left hand, the wound tinged with green. He only opened his mouth, but without uttering a word, he slowly sat down on the ground. It all happened in an instant. The man in green didn't even glance at the man in gray, his fierce eyes fixed on Ling Junyi, and he coldly asked, "Was that wine cup you threw?"

Ling Junyi replied, "Yes, I can't stand your underhanded tactics."

The man in green said coldly, "Young man, you'd better mind your own business."

Ling Junyi slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping over the man in gray, and asked, "What's wrong with this friend?"

The man in green said coldly, "He'll be dead in about the time it takes to eat a meal."

Ling Junyi said angrily, "Did you tamper with him?"

The man in green sneered, "You're right, he's been poisoned, he's bound to die."

Ling Junyi's face turned cold, and he asked, "Where's the antidote?"

The man in green said, "Of course we have the antidote."

Ling Junyi said, "Then..." "Hurry up and hand it over!"

The man in blue laughed loudly. "What a joke! If I gave him the antidote, I wouldn't have had to hurt him!"

Ling Junyi said, "A life for a life, a debt for a debt. You hurt him, so you naturally have to hand over the antidote. Do you really want to take his life over a few words?"

The man in blue said, "He deserves to die."

Ling Junyi said in a deep voice, "I want you to hand over the antidote."

The man in blue glanced at Ling Junyi and said coldly, "I advise you to stop making trouble for yourself. It would be a pity to lose your life at such a young age."

Ling Junyi's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he shouted, "A life is at stake! I want you to hand over the antidote immediately!"

The man in blue nodded and said, "Young man, if you insist, then I'll tell you, the antidote is in my pocket. If you have the ability, just come and take it."

Ling Junyi said, "Very well." He walked over slowly.

The man in blue sneered, raised his right hand, and with a whoosh, slashed at him. Just as Ling Junyi was about to capture him and find the antidote, he saw the man swing his palm to strike. Ling Junyi's left hand reached out to grab the man's wrist. His grab contained several subtle variations, but the man in blue moved with incredible speed. Before his right palm could strike, he suddenly withdrew it, while his left hand flashed out again, attacking Ling Junyi's right ribs. Ling Junyi's hand sank, changing his grab to a parry, striking downwards. Their wrists clashed, and both men took a step back. Ling Junyi felt the man in blue's right wrist was hard and cold, as if he had struck an iron rod, and he was secretly horrified.

The man in blue stepped back, not immediately attacking, but merely smiled coldly and waved his hand, saying, "Young man, you forced me to take action. Now you should go back and prepare for your funeral."

Ling Junyi asked, "What did you say?"

The man in blue replied, "You have twelve hours to live, after which you will surely die. Hurry up and prepare for your funeral; there's still time."

Ling Junyi raised an eyebrow, staring at the man in blue, and said coldly, "You poisoned me?"

The man in blue sneered, "You touched my wrist."

Ling Junyi asked, "Your hand is poisoned?"

The man in blue said, "You're right."

A strange light flashed in Ling Junyi's eyes, and he smiled arrogantly, "Since you have repeatedly used poison to injure people, I really can't let you go today." Suddenly, he lunged forward, his left hand, with fingers like hooks, grabbing at the man in blue's right arm.

The man in blue was greatly astonished to see that Ling Junyi, despite being poisoned, could still fight back. Especially considering Ling Junyi's young age and extraordinary skill, displaying the demeanor of a master, the man dared not let him seize his vital points. He abruptly lowered his shoulders and spun around, avoiding Ling Junyi's attack. Ling Junyi's right palm was aimed at his chest, while his left hand swiftly seized the vital points, his technique incredibly profound, clearly indicating that he had learned his skills from a renowned master. The man in blue dodged three moves in succession. He reasoned that after Ling Junyi's initial attacks, the poison in his body would take effect, so there was no need to entangle with him. Therefore, he avoided three moves. Seeing that he could not dodge the fourth, he extended his left arm and automatically offered it up. Ling

Junyi grabbed the man in blue's left wrist, feeling the hand was icy cold, as if he had grasped an iron rod. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the man's left hand was bluish-green, with five fingers like steel hooks, revealing sharp, pointed iron claws. It turned out that this man's left hand was actually a prosthetic hand cast in steel, clearly coated with a potent poison. Ling Junyi tightened his grip on the man's iron hand, sneering, "You actually use an iron hand as a weapon, and it's even been coated with poison. You're truly vicious."

The man in blue struggled, but it didn't budge. He was even more shocked. Without a word, he swiftly raised his right hand, striking at Ling Junyi's chest. Ling Junyi raised his hand to meet the man in blue's right palm. With a "clang," their palms collided, and the man in blue was forced back a step. However, Ling Junyi still held onto his iron hand tightly.

Chapter Two: Blue-Clad Master and Servant

The man in blue was both anxious and furious. He shouted and rushed forward, his right wrist swinging rapidly. In a short time, he unleashed three attacks with his right palm. These three attacks were dense and swift, as fast as lightning. They forced Ling Junyi to retreat two steps, but his left hand remained firmly in place, dragging the man in blue forward two steps. Seizing this fleeting opportunity, Ling Junyi immediately launched a counterattack, unleashing three more attacks—finger strikes and palm strikes—all deadly moves. His left hand tightly gripped the blue-robed man's iron hand, leaving both men with only their right hands to defend.

These close-quarters combat moves, though not outwardly powerful, were incredibly dangerous to experts, a matter of life and death in the blink of an eye. The speed of the attacks was lightning-fast, each strike like a bolt of lightning; several exchanges occurred in the blink of an eye. The blue-robed man hadn't expected such a young man to possess such superior martial arts skills. What shocked him most was that his left hand was intoxicated with a deadly poison; anyone touched even a small amount would suffer immediate effects, yet Ling Junyi, with his iron hand firmly held, seemed completely unaware. For a moment, Ling Junyi forced him to defend, almost unable to retaliate.

Just as he was retreating, a cold, stern voice suddenly shouted, "Stop!"

The blue-robed man hurriedly replied, "Please release me, sir!"

Ling Junyi paused his right-hand attack, but his left hand remained firmly gripping the man in blue's iron hand. He asked, "Who are you?"

The man in blue struggled, shouting angrily, "Why aren't you letting go?"

Ling Junyi replied, "Hand over the antidote, and I'll release you immediately."

The man in blue, unable to break free, grew anxious and lashed out with his right hand towards Ling Junyi's chest. Ling Junyi stood still, but his clothes suddenly fluttered. The man in blue's palm strike was like hitting water, seemingly real yet unreal. It felt like something was there, yet nothing was there; the force of his palm strike was impossible to apply. Startled, Ling Junyi pulled his left hand to the left, while his right hand flashed out, striking the man in blue's right shoulder and back. He released his grip with his left hand, throwing the man in blue to the ground. The man in blue had no strength to resist and crashed to the ground with a thud, unable to move for a long time.

Ling Junyi stared at the man in blue, coldly asking, "Will you hand over the antidote or not?"

From the moment someone shouted "Stop!" to the man in blue's attack and being thrown to the ground, only a few words had passed. The same cold voice had said, "Good technique."

Ling Junyi looked up and saw a man in blue standing at the door, hands behind his back. This man was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, handsome, carrying a long cloth bag on his shoulder. He stood there, his face cold and his expression extremely arrogant. It was none other than the man in blue he had encountered in Kaifeng.

At this moment, the man in blue had gotten up from the ground and respectfully bowed to the man in blue, saying, "This humble one greets the young master." The man in blue was, after all, his young master.

The man in blue coldly snorted, "You've caused trouble here again?"

The man in blue said, "This humble one wouldn't dare."

The man in blue waved his hand, and the man in blue obediently stepped aside. The man in blue glared at Ling Junyi with two icy eyes and said coldly, "We seem to have met somewhere

before?" Ling Junyi replied, "I have never traveled the martial world."

The man in blue asked, "What is your name, sir?"

Ling Junyi did not answer but asked, "Is he your esteemed servant?"

Seeing that he had given an irrelevant answer, the man in blue was furious, and a murderous intent flashed between his brows. He said coldly, "Indeed. May I ask what he did to offend you?"

Ling Junyi smiled arrogantly, "After my servant entered the shop, he got into a dispute with someone and immediately fired a poisoned arrow, which..." "My wine cup slipped, but fortunately no one was injured. I didn't expect him to use his poisoned iron hand to try and kill me. I feel that to kill someone over a few words is far too cruel, so I demand the antidote."

The blue-clad man's face was cold and stern. He glanced at the green-clad man and snorted, "Is that so?"

The green-clad man dared not speak. The blue-clad man said, "Hurry up and give him the antidote."

The green-clad man dared not disobey. He reached into his robe, took out a flat porcelain bottle, poured out a pill, and handed it over. Ling Junyi took it and nodded to the blue-clad man

, saying, "Thank you, sir." The blue-clad man's gaze fell on the gray-clad man lying on the ground and asked, "Is he your friend?"

Ling Junyi smiled and said, "We don't know each other." He then said to the waiter, "Waiter, pour me a cup of water."

The waiter readily agreed and poured a cup of tea. Ling Junyi pried open the gray-clad man's teeth and put a pill into his mouth. At this moment, the one-eyed man had already quietly stood up, paid his bill, and left.

The man in blue glanced at Ling Junyi, coughed lightly, and said, "Your skills are extraordinary. May I ask which sect you belong to?"

Ling Junyi smiled calmly and said, "I am Ling Junyi, and I do not belong to any sect."

The man in blue chuckled, "Well said, 'Does not belong to any sect.'" He turned to the man in green and said, "Let's go." He turned and walked out, with the

man in green following closely behind. Ling Junyi thought to himself, "He really did follow the one-eyed man all the way, secretly protecting him." He suddenly remembered that he had just given his name, and he should also ask the man's name.

At this moment, the man in gray stood up, cupped his hands in thanks to Ling Junyi, and said, "Thank you for saving me, sir. I am deeply grateful."

Ling Junyi returned the gesture and smiled, "Brother, you're too kind."

The man in gray took out a silver ingot and called to the waiter, "Pay this gentleman's bill together, keep the change." The waiter took the silver and thanked him profusely.

The man in gray then cupped his fists again and said, "I have urgent business to attend to and cannot delay you. Please excuse me for taking my leave."

Ling Junyi saw that he had saved the man's life, and the man hadn't even asked his name before leaving in such a hurry, clearly afraid that he would ask about his background. He thought to himself, "I'm afraid you don't know that the man in blue and his servant are from the One-Eyed Man's faction, secretly protecting him." But he couldn't say this outright, so he could only smile faintly and say, "Brother, please go ahead if you have business to attend to."

The man in gray cupped his fists again and strode out of the shop. Ling Junyi watched his figure disappear into the distance, increasingly convinced that the small paper package the blind man had passed must be something extremely important. He lost his appetite for drinking and, once the gray-clad man was far away, he rose and left the shop, heading out of town. He knew that his display of skill at the noodle shop had likely attracted the attention of the blue-clad man, making his future actions difficult. With these thoughts racing, he left the south of town and, after walking a short distance, came upon a dense forest. Without hesitation, Ling Junyi darted into the woods.

Just as he entered the forest, he suddenly heard a sharp shout: "Who goes there? Stop right there!"

The voice barely faded before a blur of movement and a fragrant breeze swept over him. A pair of slender, white hands, as delicate as jade, swiftly pushed towards his chest. Before Ling Junyi could even see the figure clearly, he raised his left hand and grabbed the wrist that had been pushed towards him.

A sharp, piercing scream rang out, and the slender wrist trembled as it pulled back. A sharp, shrill cry followed: "You audacious madman, let go!"

A three-inch embroidered shoe flew silently towards him. This series of events occurred in the instant Ling Junyi flashed into the woods. Ling Junyi heard the clear, crisp cry and held a smooth, delicate wrist in his hand. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly released his grip, his body leaping backward. Looking closely, he saw a girl in light blue clothes standing at the edge of the woods. Her cheeks were flushed, and her clear eyes were wide with anger and embarrassment. She shouted, "You scoundrel, are you blind?"

Ling Junyi stared at the girl in blue, stunned. He hadn't noticed and grabbed her wrist. He was about to apologize, but the girl's scolding made him frown slightly. He thought, "I didn't see anyone when I slipped into the woods, so she must have seen me enter and then came to greet me. Besides, she attacked first. If I hadn't grabbed her hand, wouldn't I have been slapped? Thinking about it, I haven't done anything wrong." He couldn't help but smile slightly.

The girl in blue saw that he was just staring at her with thieving eyes and didn't say anything, and she became even angrier. No, her face turned even redder. Now she saw clearly that there was a handsome young man with a jade-like face and red lips standing there, looking quite dashing. No, that slight smile of his was utterly despicable. He was clearly taking advantage of me and was getting carried away. This only fueled her anger. Her pretty face instantly darkened, and she coldly snorted, "You filthy scoundrel, what are you laughing at? I think you're tired of living."

Ling Junyi's eyes flashed with a chilling light as he coldly asked, "Who are you cursing, young lady?"

The girl in green put one hand on her hip and pointed at Ling Junyi, saying, "I'm cursing you. I can tell at a glance that you're no good."

Ling Junyi was also angered by her insult and coldly said, "Does the young lady have any sense of reason? I have not offended you in any way, yet you suddenly barge in front of me, attack me, and start cursing me. Am I the one who is wrong?"

The girl in green retorted, "Have any sense of reason? You're not blind. Where did you get your military connections?"

Ling Junyi said, "I have already been very tolerant. You should be more polite. Even if this grove belongs to the young lady, you should make it clear that no one is allowed to enter..."

The girl in green's delicate face suddenly turned red, and she said defiantly, "I won't let you in, and I won't let you in."

Ling Junyi asked, "Why?"

The girl in green replied, "No reason, you barged in, so I'm teaching you a lesson."

Seeing her unreasonable behavior, Ling Junyi coldly smiled and said, "I won't stoop to your level." He turned and walked away.

The girl in green turned pale with anger and stomped her feet repeatedly, saying, "Stop right there!"

Ling Junyi suddenly turned around, raised his sword-like eyebrows, and said in a deep voice, "What else do you want, young lady?"

The girl in green said, "You bullied me; you can't just leave so easily."

Just then, a sweet, bell-like voice came from the woods, "Xiao Yan, who are you arguing with?"

Xiao Yan's face lit up with joy, and she called out, "Alright, Miss is coming out."

A slender figure in a peach-colored dress, a beautiful and charming young girl, had appeared in the woods. Ling Junyi's eyes lit up. This girl not only had a slender, tall figure, but also a fair complexion with a rosy glow, a face like a lotus blossom, and eyebrows like willow branches. Her clear, bright eyes shone with an irresistible charm. She was simply ethereal, beautiful beyond compare, untouched by worldly concerns. Ling Junyi's handsome face suddenly flushed. Only now did he understand why the girl in green, Xiao Yan, had been guarding the entrance to the forest, preventing him from entering—it was because this beautiful girl was inside.

Upon seeing the beautiful girl, Xiao Yan immediately bowed and said, "Miss, this madman is so bold."

Before she could finish, the beautiful girl frowned slightly and stopped her, saying, "Xiao Yan, you mustn't speak ill of others."

Xiao Yan said, "Miss, he..."

The beautiful girl glanced at Ling Junyi with her bright eyes and said, "I heard everything. You attacked him first, didn't you?"

Xiao Yan said anxiously, "That was him..."

The beautiful girl said, "No need to say more." "Why don't you go and apologize to this gentleman?"

Xiao Yan seemed greatly surprised, her face flushed red with anxiety. She protested, "Miss, he bullied me, he grabbed my hand..."

The beautiful girl said, "Don't say any more, quickly apologize to him."

Xiao Yan blinked, looking at her mistress, then at Ling Junyi. She seemed to understand something, pursed her lips, and smiled as she replied, "Yes." She walked up to Ling Junyi, bowed slightly, and said sweetly, "My mistress wants me to apologize to you, sir."

Ling Junyi smiled slightly and said, "Miss, it's all said, why take it so seriously?"

Xiao Yan glanced at him and chuckled softly, "Look at you, if you had been so agreeable earlier, we wouldn't have argued."

Ling Junyi smiled, turned to leave, and then heard a sweet voice call out, "Sir, please wait." The voice was like a silver bell, and it was clear that it came from the beautiful girl.

Ling Junyi immediately stopped involuntarily, his eyes fixed on the beautiful girl. He clasped his hands in greeting and said, "May I ask what brings you here, young lady?"

Xiao Yan interjected, "My mistress has summoned you; naturally, she has something to discuss." The

beautiful girl said, "Xiao Yan, don't be nosy." Her face flushed slightly, and she said softly, "I see that you, sir, possess extraordinary skills. May I ask your honorable name and how you should address me?" It turned out that she had stopped him simply to ask his name.

Ling Junyi said, "My name is Ling Junyi."

Xiao Yan blinked and asked, "Is it Shuangmulin?"

Ling Junyi said, "No, it's Ling, the 'Ling' of 'soaring ambition.'"

Xiao Yan asked again, "What are the two characters of your esteemed name, sir?" This time, the beautiful girl didn't stop her, clearly wanting to hear more clearly.

Ling Junyi said, "The 'Jun' in 'gentleman' and the 'Yi' in 'to achieve results with perseverance.'"

Xiao Yan tilted her head and asked, "What does 'to achieve results' mean?"

The beautiful girl smiled sweetly and said, "These are two sentences from the 'Zuo Zhuan': 'To kill the enemy is to achieve results, and to achieve results is to persevere.'" Xiao

Yan said "Oh," and laughed, "This servant understands. It means that Master Ling is very skilled and has the art of killing enemies."

The beautiful girl chuckled and lightly scolded, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Xiao Yan said, "Am I wrong?"

Ling Junyi smiled and said, "The 'Yi' in my name means decisive perseverance."

Xiao Yan pouted and said, "Why didn't you just say 'perseverance'?" She paused, glanced at the beautiful girl, and said coquettishly, "My young lady's surname is Wen..."

Ling Junyi cupped his hands and said, "So you are Miss Wen. My apologies for my rudeness."

Xiao Yan chuckled. She chuckled, "I haven't finished yet. Miss's given name is Wan Jun, and it shares a character with your husband's name. Isn't that a coincidence?"

The beautiful girl blushed and softly called out, "Xiao Yan." This "Xiao Yan" contained a hint of obstruction, but if she really wanted Xiao Yan to say it, she should have stopped her earlier. This is called: "Her words seem to express regret, but in reality, she is deeply pleased."

Xiao Yan retorted, "Miss asked for Master Ling's name, so naturally she should tell Master Ling her name as well." Wen Wan Jun rolled her eyes at her, but before she could speak, a long, piercing whistle suddenly rang out from afar.

Wen Wan Jun's expression changed slightly, and she exclaimed in surprise, "Uncle is looking for me! What should we do?"

Xiao Yan said, "The Second Master might be coming soon. In my humble opinion, Miss and Master Ling should quickly hide in the woods."

Wen Wan Jun gazed at Ling Jun Yi with tender affection, her mouth opening and closing, but she hesitated to speak. Seeing the expressions of the mistress and maid, which seemed somewhat panicked and flustered, Ling Junyi remained standing still and asked, "Why should I hide?"

Wen Wanjun suddenly sighed softly and said, "My uncle has a bad temper." Her gaze fixed on the distance, she said, "I hope my uncle doesn't find this place." As soon as she finished speaking, a long howl echoed from the distance, clearly much closer than before.

Wen Wanjun looked terrified and hurriedly said, "Master Ling, time is short, come with me quickly." She turned to leave, but didn't move her feet, looking back at Ling Junyi.

Ling Junyi was full of suspicion, but seeing the pleading look on Wen Wanjun's beautiful face, he felt a pang of pity and nodded, saying, "Alright, I'll go hide in the woods for a while."

Wen Wanjun glanced at him gratefully, her cheeks flushing, and turned to disappear into the woods. Ling Junyi hesitated for a moment, then followed. Xiao Yan followed closely behind them, also disappearing into the woods. The three of them barely slipped into the woods when they saw two dark figures approaching in the distance.

Ling Junyi was secretly alarmed, thinking, "Who are these two? Judging from their lightness skill and martial arts prowess, they must be top-notch." Just as he was pondering this, he suddenly felt a soft hand gently pulling his right hand, and a clear, melodious voice said in his ear, "Master Ling, my uncle is almost here. Quickly, crouch down."

Ling Junyi felt a strong fragrance of pollen fill his nose, his heart pounded, and he crouched down in a daze, hiding in the bushes. But he couldn't suppress his curiosity and secretly peeked outside. In that instant, the two figures flashed through the air like arrows, landing on the path outside the woods. It was a thin, elderly man in his fifties, wearing a square bronze robe and a silk sash around his waist. He had a ruddy complexion, high cheekbones, and piercing eyes, and carried a broadsword on his shoulder. It was Wen Wanjun's uncle. A young man in a yellow shirt followed closely behind him, appearing to be in his early twenties, quite handsome. He had sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, a face like jade, and lips as red as painted vermilion, though they were a bit thin, and a slightly hooked nose.

As Ling Junyi observed him, he noticed Wen Wanjun holding his slender hand, not letting go but gripping it even tighter, as if it were trembling slightly. He immediately returned the grip, and Wen Wanjun's face flushed even more.

The old man's piercing gaze swept over them quickly, and he stroked his sparse beard, clearing his throat lightly, saying, "Wan'er and the others clearly came this way."

The young man in yellow shirt replied respectfully, "Uncle is right, but I wonder if Wan'er will encounter any mishaps?"

The old man coughed lightly, then turned around and smiled, "Nephew, you can rest assured. With Wan'er's skills, she can go anywhere in the martial world. What's there to fear? Perhaps they're resting in town. Come with me to town and take a look." The young man in yellow bowed and replied, "Yes." The two figures quickly darted towards the town.

Ling Junyi thought to himself, "It seems these two are looking for Miss Wen. Why is she hiding from them?" Thinking this, he couldn't help but turn his head to look. He saw what appeared to be tear stains on Wen Wanjun's cheeks, which made him even more puzzled.

Wen Wanjun seemed to sense something, quickly releasing her slender hand and gracefully standing up, her cheeks flushed. She said shyly, "I was momentarily frightened; please forgive my rudeness, Mr. Ling."

Ling Junyi straightened up and said, "Please don't mind, Miss." He paused, then asked with concern, "Is your uncle very fierce?"

Wen Wanjun shook her head slightly, saying, "No, my uncle is very kind to me, but... but I don't want to go back..."

Xiao Yan said anxiously, "Miss, the Second Master and Mr. Xiao are looking for us; we should leave quickly."

Wen Wanjun retorted lightly, "I know, I don't want to go back, and no one can force me."

Ling Junyi hurriedly said, "Since you don't wish to see your uncle, Miss, it's indeed not advisable to stay here any longer.

" Wan Jun said, "It's alright to stay a little longer. Actually, I'm not avoiding Uncle..." She paused slightly, her beautiful eyes lingering on him, and asked with deep affection, "I see that you, Master Ling, are quite young. Perhaps you are also new to the world?"

Ling Junyi replied, "Indeed, this is my first time venturing out."

Wen Wan Jun suddenly smiled, reached out and took a light green silk pouch from her side. Inside was a small, flat, white jade bottle. She handed it to him casually, her face slightly flushed, and said softly, "Master Ling and I met by chance, and I have nothing to give you. This is a secret recipe from the Han family called the 'Clear Mind Pill,' which is specially used to counteract all kinds of sleeping potions and aphrodisiacs. Master Ling, please take it with you when you travel the world; it may be useful." She turned and walked away with her head down, without mentioning that she had woven the pouch herself.

Ling Junyi was taken aback, then immediately understood, saying, "You've been so kind, Miss. I don't know how to thank you enough."

Xiao Yan followed closely behind her mistress out of the woods, turning back to say, "Master Ling, we're leaving now. You must come to Lingnan to see my mistress in a while."

As their figures gradually disappeared into the distance, Ling Junyi stood before the woods, lost in thought. He played with the light green silk pouch, faintly catching a whiff of its delicate fragrance, and seemed to still faintly hear Xiao Yan's voice saying, "This was woven by my mistress. When Master Ling sees this pouch, it's as if he sees my mistress."

Just then, he suddenly heard someone coldly say, "Friend, what are you holding in your hand?"

Ling Junyi was highly skilled in his field, and how could he not notice someone approaching? It was because he was new to love, and now, holding the gift from his beloved, he was overcome with longing and lost in thought. Startled by the words, Ling Junyi quickly looked up and saw a young man in yellow standing before him, a cold smile on his lips, his sharp eyes fixed on the silk pouch in his hand. Ling Junyi immediately recognized him as the same young man who had appeared in front of the woods with Uncle Wen Wanjun earlier, and hurriedly stuffed the silk pouch into his robes.

The young man in yellow coldly shouted, "Wait! I'm asking you what you're holding!"

Ling Junyi arrogantly replied, "Are you speaking to me?"

The young man in yellow smiled deeply and said, "Is there a third person here?"

Ling Junyi said, "We're complete strangers. What brings you here?"

The young man in yellow impatiently said, "I'm asking what you were holding just now?"

Ling Junyi smiled faintly and said, "This is my thing. Why trouble yourself to ask?"

The young man in yellow said, "It looks familiar. Show it to me."

Ling Junyi said, "I'm afraid I cannot comply."

The young man in yellow's expression changed several times. He suddenly took a step forward and said in a deep voice, "Will you show it to me or not?"

Ling Junyi raised an eyebrow and smiled faintly, "Do you intend to use force?"

The young man in yellow seemed to be pondering something, as if he hadn't heard what Ling Junyi said. After a long while, he said, "Could it be hers?" Her? He was naturally referring to Wen Wanjun.

Ling Junyi's face flushed unexpectedly. He asked, "What are you saying?"

The young man in yellow suddenly shouted, "That's right, it's something Wanmei wears." As soon as he finished speaking, two murderous gazes pierced Ling Junyi's face. He shouted, "Where did you get that silk pouch? Tell me quickly!"

Ling Junyi said, "What do you care where I got it?"

The young man in yellow seemed very agitated. He coldly shouted, "How did something from the Wen family of Lingnan end up in your hands?"

"The Wen family of Lingnan," could it be that Miss Wen's surname is Wen? Ling Junyi said, "I don't know the Wen family of Lingnan. This silk pouch was given to me by someone."

The young man in yellow's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly asked, "Who was that person?"

Ling Junyi said, "A friend."

The young man in yellow said, "I asked you who that person is?"

Ling Junyi smiled and said, "My friend. Even if I told you, you wouldn't know."

The young man in yellow asked urgently, "Tell me, what's her surname?"

Ling Junyi said, "Wen."

The young man in yellow pressed, "Is she male or female?"

Ling Junyi smiled and said, "She is my cousin."

The young man in yellow said, "Show me." "Look, as long as it's not something belonging to the Wen family girl, I'll return it to you."

Ling Junyi shook his head slightly and said, "You're making things difficult for me..."

The yellow-robed youth's gaze sharpened, and he said coldly, "So, you're going to refuse a toast only to suffer a penalty?"

Ling Junyi smiled arrogantly, "Sometimes, refusing a toast only to suffer a penalty is quite interesting."

The yellow-robed youth said coldly, "Since you want to suffer a penalty, I'll grant your wish." Suddenly, he flicked his wrist and pointed straight at Ling Junyi's chest, shouting, "Lie down." With a single flick, he targeted a vital point, showing how ruthless he was.

Ling Junyi smiled arrogantly, "I'm afraid not." As soon as he finished speaking, he subtly shifted to the side, dodging the attack. Just as he flashed away, he suddenly felt a hidden force of a fist strike his chest.

Ling Junyi had already circulated his inner energy to protect himself. Although the punch came suddenly, it was blocked by his protective inner energy, and he was fortunate enough to escape injury. However, he was greatly surprised and said, "When did this punch come out? It's so fast!" Looking up, he saw that the yellow-robed youth's right fist was clenched and held in front of his chest, not striking. Upon seeing this, he was even more impressed and secretly exclaimed, "Invisible Fist!"

The yellow-robed youth saw that his "Invisible Fist," which he had casually unleashed, had clearly struck the opponent's chest, yet the opponent seemed completely unaffected, standing still. His expression changed slightly, and he thought, "So he has cultivated protective inner energy." This happened in an instant. Although both of them were shocked, they did not stop fighting.

The yellow-robed youth sneered, his right fist turning into a palm, and swiftly struck Ling Junyi's left shoulder. With a shrug of his left wrist, his index and middle fingers struck the "Qi Hai" acupoint with lightning speed. Ling Junyi slightly turned his body, and with his right hand, he used the "Angry Dragon Pushing Clouds" move to meet the yellow-robed youth's right hand. With a seemingly non-parrying motion, Ling Junyi's left hand, fingers curled together in a "reverse dragon horn" strike, easily grabbing the index and middle fingers of the young man in the black robe. These two moves were lightning fast. First, with a "snap," Ling Junyi's right palm struck the young man in yellow.

The young man in yellow felt an extremely strong force contained in Ling Junyi's palm, involuntarily forced back half a step to the right. At the same time, he felt his left index and middle fingers tighten, being pulled back by Ling Junyi. Thus, the two men, who had been facing each other, now had the young man's left hand behind his back, and his body turned around, facing away from Ling Junyi. Ling Junyi raised his right knee, lightly nudging the young man's buttocks, and released his left hand, sending the young man rushing forward four or five steps.

Ling Junyi didn't pursue, coldly laughing, "Sorry, you'll have to drink the punishment yourself."

The young man in yellow suddenly turned around, his handsome face ashen. With a clang, he drew a dazzling silver sword and demanded sharply, "Show me your weapon!"

Ling Junyi sneered, "I've already shown mercy. Are you still unwilling to back down?"

The young man in yellow roared, "Today, it's either you or me! Let's settle this with our weapons!"

Ling Junyi's brows furrowed, and he asked, "Is this necessary?"

The young man in yellow's face was filled with murderous intent, and he coldly said, "No need for words. If you don't show your weapon, I'll take your life anyway."

Ling Junyi laughed heartily, "Since that's the case, there's no need for pretense. Just go ahead and do your thing."

The young man in yellow snorted, "Fine, watch out." With that, he thrust his sword forward.

Ling Junyi watched as the young man's sword flashed with a resounding hum, displaying three large sword flowers, and couldn't help but praise, "Excellent swordsmanship." He took a deep breath and suddenly retreated three feet.

Seeing that he had only retreated three steps to avoid the sword's attack, and still hadn't drawn his weapon, the young man in yellow was even more enraged. He gave a cold laugh, lunged forward, and unleashed three consecutive sword strikes. Though he only struck three times, the sword shadows scattered across the sky like surging waves. Ling Junyi laughed loudly, swiftly raising both hands to grab at the sword shadows. A precious sword capable of cutting through gold and jade—Ling Junyi dared to grab its blade with his bare hands! Even the usually arrogant young man in yellow was taken aback. Although he usually looked down on everyone, he was still a disciple of a martial arts family, experienced and knowledgeable. A thought quickly crossed his mind: "This kid wouldn't dare to lightly display his sword without a unique technique."

Before understanding his opponent's method, how could he allow Ling Junyi to grasp the sword? He swiftly retreated half a step, flicking his wrist, sending hundreds of silver threads shooting from the tip of his sword, uneven and scattered, descending upon Ling Junyi. His move, "Ten Thousand Willow Silks," nearly covered all of his opponent's acupoints. At its highest level, it could strike thirty-six major acupoints with a single strike—one of the seven renowned ultimate techniques of the "Southern Xiang Xiao Family."

The yellow-robed youth's sword strike had barely begun when Ling Junyi roared, his right hand slashing out with a palm strike, while his left hand flashed forward, grabbing the youth's sword. The palm strike and grab were almost simultaneous. The palm strike, with its swift, powerful force, swept through the air, deflecting the yellow-robed youth's hundreds of silver threads like willow branches in the wind, sending them flying out of the door. His left hand, at that very moment, was about to grasp the sword hilt. The yellow-robed youth never dreamed his opponent's skill would be so profound; his heart jolted, he gasped and leaped back several feet. Little did he know that Ling Junyi's palm strike and grab were of great origin. The palm strike was the "Muni Mudra," derived from the Buddhist martial art "Yi Jin Jing." The grab was "Bare-Handed Dragon Fighting," a move from the "Twelve Dragon-Capturing Hands," only he used his left hand, the opposite of the Shaolin technique.

Just as the yellow-robed youth leaped backward, a person suddenly appeared in front of the forest. This person arrived silently and, before the two could make another move, hurriedly shouted, "Stop right now!"

Ling Junyi turned to look and saw that the newcomer was wearing a bronze robe with a silk sash around his waist; it was the red-faced old man, Wen Wanjun's uncle.

A hint of joy flashed across the young man's face, and he hurriedly bowed, saying, "Uncle has arrived."

The red-faced old man's piercing eyes sized up Ling Junyi, and he asked, "Who is this young man? How did you two end up fighting?"

The young man in yellow said, "I don't know who he is. I only saw the silk pouch he was playing with, which is something Wanmei always carries. So I went up to him and asked where it came from. He actually stammered and refused to take it out."

Ling Junyi said, "Nonsense! It was a gift from my cousin. What does it have to do with you?" He was right. All girls in the world wear silk pouches. How could he show something his cousin had given him to outsiders?

The red-faced old man stroked his white beard and smiled slightly, saying, "You two are both young and impetuous. This is a misunderstanding. Once it's cleared up, it's over. It's not a deep-seated grudge, why fight to the death?"

The young man in yellow said, "But the silk pouch in his hand is clearly Wanmei's. I would never mistake it."

Ling Junyi sneered, "You're simply going too far. Is your family the only one in the world that has silk pouches?"

The red-faced old man chuckled, "That's exactly what you're arguing about. In short, it's youthful impetuosity. Neither of you is willing to give in, so naturally, things are getting more and more tense. Come, come, a fight is necessary to make friends. You two are both young talents. Let's clear things up. How about I act as a mediator for you?" Saying this, he turned to Ling Junyi with a smile and said, "I am Wen Yixia." Then he pointed to the young man in yellow and said, "This is Xiao Qiqing, the sixth son of the Xiao family of Nanxiang, known as 'Golden Ring Sixth Son'." As he spoke, he subtly winked at the still ashen-faced young man in yellow, then fixed his gaze on Ling Junyi and asked, "Where is my brother? Where is your home? What is your esteemed name?" Ling Junyi

replied, "I am Ling Junyi from Yingzhou."

Wen Yixia said, "Brother Ling, your skills are extraordinary. May I ask how you address the renowned martial arts master, 'Reverse-Handed Tathagata'?" It seemed he had already seen through his disguise.

Ling Junyi felt a chill run down his spine, thinking, "This man is not only highly skilled in martial arts but also very knowledgeable. He immediately discerned my origins. But even if you see my lineage, how do you know that my master intentionally instructed me to reveal it? My master said that revealing one's lineage is precisely a way to conceal one's true origins, and even he himself knows nothing of his true origins."

Ling Junyi hesitated for a moment before raising his eyes and saying, "Senior Wen is referring to my master."

A hint of surprise flashed across Wen Yixia's face. He chuckled and said, "Brother, you are indeed a disciple of the extraordinary monk. It's a pleasure to meet you." Then, his gaze sharpened, and he asked, "So, your master is still alive? I wonder where he is now?" Ling

Junyi replied, "My master's whereabouts are unpredictable; I don't know either."

Wen Yixia nodded repeatedly and said, "In the past, your master roamed the martial world like a dragon in the clouds, appearing and disappearing without a trace. I was just asking casually."

Ling Junyi cupped his hands and said, "I have other important matters to attend to and cannot delay. Please excuse me for taking

my leave." Wen Yixia smiled and said, "Brother Ling, please feel free to do as you please." Ling Junyi nodded to the two of them and walked away.

Wen Yixia watched Ling Junyi go, a sinister smile flashing across his face. He turned to Xiao Qiqing and said, "Let's go with him." "

Xiao Qiqing said, "Uncle also suspects this kid..." He still couldn't shake the feeling that Ling Junyi had been playing with the silk pouch.

Wen Yixia nodded slightly, hummed in agreement, and then said, "I think there must be a reason for this kid's appearance here." Before Xiao Qiqing could ask further, he hurriedly chased after him.

Ling Junyi walked quickly for a while, then suddenly stopped, his eyes scanning the surroundings rapidly. He then vanished into a grove of trees by the roadside. He had been tracking the blind man, and because he had just shown off his skills at the Longqu Noodle Shop, he feared he had attracted the attention of the man in blue, which might hinder his future actions. Therefore, after leaving Zhennan, he wanted to find a secluded place to disguise himself, but unexpectedly encountered Wen Wanjun and her maid. Although Xiao Yan had falsely claimed to be surnamed Wen to conceal her whereabouts, Ling Junyi now knew they were from the Wen family of Lingnan.

Ling Junyi was the sole successor of the "Reversed Hand Tathagata," a renowned chivalrous thief in the martial arts world before becoming a monk at Shaolin Temple. Masters of disguise, Ling Junyi naturally inherited this skill. He slipped into the forest, found a secluded spot, and immediately began to disguise himself. In no time, he had transformed into a country old man with graying temples and a goatee. He packed his belongings, concealed his longsword, and was about to leave the forest when he heard two people walking and talking outside.

Ling Junyi stopped abruptly. He heard a young man's voice say, "That kid is quite slippery. He clearly came from this road, how could he disappear so quickly?"

Then an aged voice rang out, coldly laughing, "Actually, it's not necessarily necessary to follow him. I just feel..." The voice trailed off, becoming indistinct. Needless to say, the old man and the young man were Wen Yixia and Jin Huan Liu Lang Xiao Qiqing.

Ling Junyi was taken aback and thought to himself, "So they actually followed me down here. This really fits the saying, 'The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.'" Then, with a slight smile, he said smugly, "If I were to be followed by you, I wouldn't be a successor of the 'Reversed Hand Tathagata'."

He arrived in Taikang around dusk. Taikang was a strategically important city, but it only had two main streets. It was fairly bustling, with only three small inns. Ling Junyi strolled around the streets and quickly spotted the blue-clad man and his servant eating and drinking in a restaurant. He didn't go in to disturb them. He then spent some silver coins and made connections with the staff of the three inns, quickly finding the one-eyed man's lodgings. It was a small, dirty inn on a side street. Ling Junyi stayed there, and the innkeeper arranged for him to stay in the room opposite the one-eyed man.

Nothing happened that night. The next morning, before the one-eyed man had even gotten up, Ling Junyi had already left. He went outside the city to a secluded place, changed his clothes, and disguised himself as a... A middle-aged merchant. This time, he bought an oiled paper umbrella from a shop, concealed his long sword inside, put it in a cloth bag, leaving only the handle exposed, so that no one would suspect that he carried a weapon in the bag. Then, carrying the bag, he headed towards Huaiyang.

From Taikang to Huaiyang, it was only sixty or sixty li. Ling Junyi, disguised as a middle-aged merchant, naturally couldn't walk very fast, partly to wait for the one-eyed man. Around noon, while having a meal at his hometown market, he saw the one-eyed man hurrying past the shop. Ling Junyi followed him, quickening his pace, and arrived in Huaiyang before the sun had even set. Since the one-eyed man had already arrived, Ling Junyi naturally didn't let up, and after entering the city, he continued to follow him at a distance. Once in the city, the one-eyed man immediately slowed his pace, swaggered around several main streets, and then went into a restaurant called "Wufuju".

Ling Junyi quickly followed him inside. His gaze swept over the one-eyed man, who sat alone at a table by the window. He then sat down at a nearby table. It was already dark, the streetlights were just coming on, and more and more diners were coming upstairs. The one-eyed man, with his single eye, kept scanning the crowd. Ling Junyi knew perfectly well that his earlier wanderings through the streets and his deliberate choice of a prominent seat in the restaurant were all aimed at attracting attention. He had arrived in Huaiyang, and now, unsure of who to give his belongings to, he needed to be found.

The one-eyed man ordered a pot of wine and slowly ate and drank. Ling Junyi also ordered a pot of wine and slowly ate and drank. The one-eyed man kept an eye on each diners coming upstairs, and Ling Junyi kept an eye on each diners as well. But until the diners were drunk and full, and returned to their tables, not a single one greeted the one-eyed man. The restaurant was now nearly empty, with only a handful of diners. The one-eyed man, clearly impatient, suddenly got up and went downstairs.

Ling Junyi stood up after him, passed the restaurant's signboard, and strode out, following him at a distance. The one-eyed man suddenly quickened his pace, crossing two side streets and heading south. After walking about two miles, the area became extremely deserted. A short while later, he arrived at an ancestral hall. He glanced back, then suddenly leaped over the wall, scaling it.

Ling Junyi followed to the right side of the hall, subtly gathering his breath, and quietly scaled the wall. Looking up, he saw the one-eyed man leap into the courtyard, hesitate briefly, and then walk towards the main hall. Ling Junyi didn't hesitate. He lightly touched the top of the wall with his toes, transforming into a blur of motion, swift as a shooting star, and before the blind man could reach him, he shot into the hall. His gaze shifted rapidly, and he leaped behind a horizontal plaque hanging high in the main beam. His speed was truly astounding. This hall was spacious, with seven rooms. Ling Junyi entered from the right, and the blind man, whose martial arts were mediocre, naturally didn't hear a sound. He seemed to have drunk too much, appearing somewhat out of breath. Upon entering the hall, he lay down comfortably on a sacrificial table in the center.

Not long after he lay down, two muffled groans suddenly echoed from outside the shrine. In the darkness, all was silent, so the groans were clearly heard. They came from not far outside the shrine, sounding as if someone had been ambushed. The one-eyed man was startled and hurriedly sat up. He saw a tall, thin figure appear silently in the corridor in front of the hall, like a ghost, and slowly walk towards the hall.

The one-eyed man panicked and said in a trembling voice, "Who..."

Ling Junyi stared intently and recognized the tall, thin figure as the man in blue with the iron hand in his left hand. The man stopped in the hall and said coldly, "I've come to deliver a message to you. So you're called Right One-Eyed?"

Hearing that he had come to deliver a message, the one-eyed man hurriedly stepped forward and said with a forced smile, "No, no, I'm one-eyed, not one-eyed."

The tall, thin figure snorted, reached into his robes, took out an envelope, and handed it to him, saying, "Take it." The one-eyed man took it, and the tall, thin man turned and walked away without saying a word.

Ling Junyi was secretly puzzled, thinking, "The man in blue delivering a letter to this one-eyed man is quite similar to the situation I had with the man in blue the night before. The letter must be instructing the one-eyed man where to deliver the item. Could it be that it hasn't arrived yet?"

The one-eyed man took the envelope, respectfully saw off the tall, thin figure, examined the envelope carefully for a while, then turned and walked to the altar. With a "snap," he lit a candle, took half a stick of incense from beside the incense burner, lit it over the candle flame, inserted it into the incense burner, and then respectfully placed the letter on the table.

Ling Junyi, hiding behind the plaque, found his actions very strange and was secretly puzzled. He couldn't help but strain his eyes and look down at the envelope on the table. His internal energy was refined, and though the distance was great, he focused his vision and could still clearly see the handwriting on the envelope: "Light the incense and candles on the table, and only open it when the incense has burned out."

Ling Junyi didn't know what kind of mystery the letter writer was playing, but the more he saw it, the more he felt that the small paper package they had been escorting all this way was incredibly mysterious. The incense burned quickly, filling the entire hall with a faint fragrance, which soon dissipated, leaving behind a refreshing aroma. It seemed that the half-burnt incense stick was indeed high-quality Indian agarwood.

As soon as the one-eyed man saw the incense burn out, he immediately took the envelope and opened it. Ling Junyi looked down and saw the one-eyed man pull a note from the envelope. Inside was a white pill, and on the note was a line of scrawled handwriting that read: "Swallow this pill immediately, exit through the south gate, and arrive at the Dragon King Temple before dawn."

The one-eyed man held the white pill in his hand, seemingly hesitant. Suddenly, his upper body swayed, as if he couldn't hold on any longer. He hurriedly put the pill in his mouth, then picked up the note and burned it over the candle flame. Just then, a "ding" sound was heard, and a figure somersaulted out of the shrine and fell to the ground.

The one-eyed man was startled, dodging several feet in a flash. His eyes widened as he looked at the man, saying, "No wonder they told me to finish burning the incense before opening it; someone was indeed following me. There's a long-standing order: anyone found following is to be killed without mercy. You little brat, don't blame me for being ruthless..." As he spoke, he abruptly drew a sharp, ox-ear-shaped knife from his side and slowly approached.

Suddenly, someone shouted, "Stop!" A gust of wind blew, and a stern-faced middle-aged man appeared before the one-eyed man, staring at him coldly. "Why don't you get lost?" he coldly demanded.

His eyes alone were as sharp as two swords. The one-eyed man's gaze met his, and he felt a chill run down his spine. He quickly replied, "Yes," and turned to run. This middle-aged man was Ling Junyi. He ignored the one-eyed man, took a step forward, and bent down. The girl in green had her eyes closed, her long eyelashes framed by a delicate, flawless face, as red and radiant as a ripe apple. She possessed a straight, jade-like nose and a small, water-red mouth. This girl was no more than seventeen or eighteen years old, her face still bearing the innocence of youth, charming and adorable.

Ling Junyi understood that the incense stick lit by the blind man was likely a sleeping potion; otherwise, the letter wouldn't have included an antidote, and the girl in green wouldn't have smelled the smoke and retrieved it from the shrine. If it was a sleeping potion, and he had smelled it himself, how could he be unharmed? His mind raced, and he immediately remembered the silk pouch Wen Wanjun had given him, which she said could counteract sleeping potions and intoxicants. He reached into his robes, took out the pouch, and opened the hinge. A fragrant aroma immediately wafted out. It turned out that the jade bottle lid had five tiny, plum-blossom-shaped holes, from which the fragrance emanated. Upon closer inspection, the words "Qing Shen Dan" (Clear Mind Pill) were engraved on the bottle's body, with another line of smaller characters below: "Made by the Wen Family of Lingnan."

Ling Junzhi quickly unscrewed the bottle cap and discovered that the small jade bottle contained two layers. The upper layer held yellow powder, the fragrance emanating from the tiny holes in the cap. Removing the powder layer, he found the bottom half-filled bottle with tiny black pills, each the size of a sesame seed. Ling Junzhi silently exclaimed "Oh!" He immediately understood. The jade bottle had two layers. The powder on the upper layer, with five tiny holes in the cap, was a special antidote for the sleeping potion. It was contained in a silk pouch, meant to be worn around the neck; once the fragrance emanated from the holes, the sleeping potion would dissipate, posing no harm. The pills in the lower layer were for counteracting sleeping potions. Therefore, if the green-clad girl was under the influence of the sleeping potion, he only needed to bring the bottle to her nose and let her smell it; there was no need to administer the pills. He immediately capped the bottle, then bent down and brought the tiny holes of the bottle to the green-clad girl's nose, allowing her to inhale the medicinal aroma as she breathed.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the girl in green suddenly opened her eyes. When she saw herself lying on the ground with a strange man crouching beside her, she was startled and quickly sat up, screaming, "Who are you? What are you doing…?"

Her face turned deathly pale, but upon sitting up, she noticed that Ling Junyi was holding a jade bottle and didn't seem to have any ill intentions. Ling Junyi smiled slightly at her and said, "Don't be afraid, young lady. You were just under a drug and passed out. What I gave you was the antidote."

The girl in green blushed, her bright eyes sparkling, and she curtsied to Ling Junyi, saying, "Uncle saved me. I don't know how to thank you enough."

Hearing him call her "uncle," Ling Junyi paused, suddenly remembering that he had disguised himself as a middle-aged man. He chuckled, stroking his short beard, and said with a smile, "Young lady, you're too kind. I was just passing by when I encountered a one-eyed man who was about to kill you." "Mother, how can we stand idly by?"

The girl in green looked surprised and asked, "Uncle said that one-eyed man wanted to kill me? I have no grudge against him, why would he want to kill me?"

Ling Junyi said, "That's because he's afraid of leaking secrets, and he killed you just to silence you."

The girl in green blinked and asked curiously, "What secrets does he have? That man is so wicked."

Ling Junyi stared at the girl in green, finding her beautiful, lively, and charming, especially her clear and melodious voice, like a hundred warbling orioles. He was mesmerized by her beauty. The girl in green noticed Ling Junyi staring at her without speaking, and a slight blush crept onto her cheeks.

She lowered her head and called out, "Uncle." Her call snapped Ling Junyi back to reality, realizing his lapse in composure. His ears burned, and he forced a smile, asking, "Why are you hiding here alone, young lady?"

The girl's blush hadn't faded as she replied, "I often heard my uncle say that inns aren't good places, and that single girls staying in them are easily bullied. So I came to this ancestral hall..."

Ling Junyi chuckled, "And then you saw the one-eyed man climb over the wall and hide in the shrine?"

The girl nodded, then her eyes lit up, and she exclaimed, "Oh, I remember now! " "There was clearly a figure in front of the one-eyed man, who darted into the hall first, but disappeared in a flash. I thought it was just my eyes playing tricks on me. It turns out it was you, Uncle. You followed the one-eyed man here, didn't you?"

Ling Junyi secretly praised, "This girl is quick-witted and insightful." He then simply smiled and said, "I was just curious for a moment."

When the girl in green heard that Ling Junyi had indeed followed the one-eyed man and that she had guessed correctly, her face immediately lit up with joy. She hurriedly asked, "Yes, Uncle, you just said that the one-eyed man wanted to kill me to prevent the secret from being leaked. What secret does he have? Uncle was just curious, so he followed him to the ancestral hall. I wonder what strange thing he saw?" The girl's curiosity was even more intense.

Ling Junyi said, "He was delivering something for someone. I followed him because his behavior seemed strange."

The girl in green wasn't about to let up and pressed on, "What is he delivering?"

Ling Junyi replied, "If I knew, I wouldn't have followed him. "

The girl in green raised her eyes and asked, "Does Uncle know where he's delivering it?"

Ling Junyi said, "It seems to be to the Dragon King Temple outside the South Gate..." At this point, he suddenly realized he shouldn't have told her. The world was dangerous; what if she, out of curiosity, secretly followed and was discovered by the blue-clad man and his servant? It wouldn't be a joke. With this thought in mind, he abruptly stopped talking, using another excuse to ask, "May I ask your surname, young lady?"

The girl in green said, "My surname is Fang..." Still preoccupied with the thing the blind man had delivered, she hurriedly said, "The Dragon King Temple outside the South Gate, Uncle, we can still catch up now." "Just as I expected, this little girl is precocious despite her young age, and her curiosity has been piqued."

Ling Junyi quickly said, "I only came in to take a look because the one-eyed man was acting suspiciously. Every gang and sect in the martial world has its own secrets, which outsiders are not allowed to pry into. Besides, it's at least sixty or seventy miles from here to the Dragon King Temple, and I don't want to go. Why should you take that risk, young lady?"

The green-clad girl curled her red lips and snorted, "I'm not afraid of him at all. If you don't go, I'll go myself. Humph, he used sleeping incense to knock me out; I'll settle the score with him, otherwise he'll think I'm easy to bully." Oh no, she's getting stubborn.

Ling Junyi frowned slightly and advised, "He lit the sleeping incense only to prevent people from peeping at our secrets, not to harm you. Why bother with such a villain? You're out alone; you naturally have your own things to do. Why don't you rest here for the night and take care of your business?" The girl in green said, "

I'm just out having fun. I have nothing to do. If you're not coming, Uncle, I'm leaving." She turned to leave, but then seemed to remember something, stopped, turned back, looked at Ling Junyi, and asked, "Excuse me, I forgot to ask your name, Uncle?"

Ling Junyi replied, "My name is Ling Junyi from Yingzhou."

The girl in green said, "I've got it. Goodbye, Uncle Ling."

Seeing her leave so readily, Ling Junyi felt a pang of regret. He shouldn't have told her about the blind man going to the Dragon King Temple. What if something went wrong with her, a young woman? Wouldn't he be putting her in danger? Thinking this, he quickly called out, "Miss, please wait."

The girl in green had already reached the door. Hearing this, she stopped, turned back, and asked, "Uncle Ling, is there something you need?"

Ling Junyi said, "If you insist on going, then come with me."

Hearing that Ling Junyi was willing to accompany her, the girl in green smiled sweetly and said, "Uncle Ling, you're so kind."

Her smile was like a lily in full bloom, two small dimples instantly appearing on her apple-like cheeks, her smile so sweet. Ling Junyi didn't dare look at her any longer, turning his head away and saying, "If you're going, hurry up and go." The

girl in green nodded, and the two walked out of the courtyard. The girl in green deliberately showed off, swaying her shoulders and leaping ahead of Ling Junyi, gracefully soaring into the air and over the high wall. This move, "Purple Swallow Skimming the Waves," was truly agile. Ling Junyi followed suit, laughing loudly, "What excellent lightness skill, young lady!"

The girl in green didn't dare to look up, pointing to the corner of the wall and saying, "There are two people over there."

What's so scary about people? Ling Junyi secretly chuckled, "That's all the courage you have, young lady." He comforted her, saying, "Don't be afraid, young lady, let me go and take a look." Looking back, he indeed saw two people lurking in the shadows at the corner of the wall.

His eyesight was so sharp that he immediately recognized one of them as the gray-clad man he had seen at the Longqu Noodle Shop at noon, and the other was undoubtedly his companion. Ling Junyi suddenly remembered hearing two muffled groans before the man in green appeared. Could they have been killed? With that thought, he rushed over and looked down. He saw the two men hunched over like shrimp, their faces bluish-green. They had indeed been poisoned and died. The gray-clad man's felt hat had fallen off, revealing a clear ordination scar on his forehead—he was a monk.

A sudden thought struck Ling Junyi: "Shaolin monks? Could the things the blind man gave us be related to the disappearance of Master Leshan, the abbot of the Shaolin Medicine King Hall?"

The green-clad girl, standing some distance away, asked, "Uncle Ling, what happened to these two?"

Ling Junyi slowly straightened up and said, "They're dead."

The girl in green trembled slightly and asked, "Were they killed by the one-eyed people?"

Ling Junyi shook his head slightly and said, "No, the murderer is someone else."

The girl in green asked, "Was it the person who delivered the message just now?"

Ling Junyi said, "Maybe."

The girl in green asked curiously, "Was it also to silence them? I think there must be a huge secret here."

Afraid that she would ask more questions, Ling Junyi quickly said, "Let's go."

The two went around to the south gate, climbed over the city wall, and ran south. The journey of sixty or seventy li was not far, but it was not short either. Fortunately, it was night and there was no one around, so the man and woman used their lightness skills to leap. The girl in green was ultimately less skilled, and after running for a while, her cheeks were flushed and she was panting heavily, but she still gritted her teeth and ran with all her might. Ling Junyi saw this and felt quite sorry for her, so he reduced his skill to seventy percent, so that the girl in green could barely keep up.

But the girl in green immediately noticed, raised her eyebrows, and blushed, saying, "Uncle Ling, it seems your skills are no less than my uncle's."

Who her uncle was, Ling Junyi had no idea. He smiled slightly at her and asked, "Is your uncle's martial arts very high?"

The girl in green replied, "My uncle's martial arts are naturally very high. My cousin and I both learned from him. My cousin is much stronger than me; I'm so stupid." She was naive and spoke with a childlike innocence.

Ling Junyi said, "I think it's quite remarkable that you, young lady, have such skill at such a young age."

The girl in green raised her eyebrows and said, "My cousin is only a year older than me. Not only does she look like a fairy descended from heaven, but her martial arts are also far superior to mine. I'm her defeated opponent, but I lost completely and utterly. Uncle Ling, you don't know how breathtakingly beautiful she is. Sometimes, even if I wanted to beat her, I couldn't bear to."

She spoke softly, her voice both delicate and captivating, revealing her kind heart. Pure as flawless jade, she was praising her cousin to the skies, calling her a "fairy descended from heaven." In truth, she herself was also beautiful and charming, breathtakingly so. Ling Junyi had never met her cousin, so he couldn't comment and could only respond casually.

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