Pearl Order [Complete] - 27

Chapter Thirty-Two: A Perfect Match

Lin Ziqing had no time to say more. Following instructions, he leaped up, tapped the wall again, skimmed across a patch of grass, and swiftly darted into the woods. Looking back, the white-robed scholar was nowhere to be seen. Instead, he saw seven or eight dark figures leap from Qi Chengchang's study, chasing after him in the opposite direction. Lin Ziqing understood that this was the direction the white-robed scholar had fled. He seemed to be deliberately drawing the enemy away so he could leave. If he wasn't familiar with the palace's paths, he wouldn't have willingly walked into a trap to save him. Right, he had said he was alright.

Who could this person be? Lin Ziqing wondered, his feet never stopping as he continued to use the "Heavenly Dragon Wind-Riding Technique," walking along the treetops. Although the guard camp was thrown into chaos, the white-robed scholar was right; he retreated along the same route, and surprisingly, the path remained undisturbed. He successfully withdrew from the palace, not daring to linger along the way. Returning to the back of the Dongsheng Inn, he slipped in unnoticed through the back window, took off his boots, pulled up a quilt, and went to sleep. He was still preoccupied with the white-robed scholar, wondering if he had already left. They were complete strangers; how did the scholar know his surname was

Lin [Ling]? Just as he was pondering this, he suddenly heard footsteps approaching and stopping at the door. He heard the innkeeper's voice say, "Master Lin is staying in this room. He's probably fast asleep. Let me knock and see." Then he heard a cracking sound on the door, and the innkeeper's voice called out, "Master Lin, Master Lin, wake up!"

Lin Ziqing mumbled, "Who is it?"

The innkeeper said, "A friend of yours, he has urgent business with you." Before he finished speaking, Wu Congyi's voice interjected, "Brother Lin, it's me, Old Wu."

"Old Wu?" Lin Ziqing jumped up, went out the door, still half-asleep, but upon seeing Wu Congyi, his eyes snapped open. He hurriedly said, "Brother Wu! It's so late, what brings you here?"

Wu Congyi seemed extremely anxious, and quickly slipped into the room, saying, "Something's happened inside. Elder Qi specifically asked me to come quickly, Brother Lin."

Lin Ziqing grabbed his long robe and draped it over himself, surprised. "What happened inside?"

Wu Congyi said, "Elder Qi, wait here. We'll talk on the way." Lin Ziqing nodded in agreement, and the two hurried out. Lin Ziqing asked the shopkeeper to bring out his blue-maned horse.

Wu Congyi had also come on horseback. The two mounted and rode towards the palace. On the way, Wu Congyi briefly told him about someone infiltrating the guard camp that night, but he didn't know much. Lin Ziqing, worried about the white-robed scholar's safety, feigned surprise and asked, "Such a thing could happen? I wonder if that person has been caught?"

Wu Congyi replied, "I don't know. The commander has been urging the brothers to come and fetch the second foreman back. It seems that the person hasn't been caught yet; everyone is searching separately."

Lin Ziqing's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, thinking to himself, "Judging from his tone, could it be that Qi Chengchang has already suspected me? Hmph, it's just inconvenient for me to kill him in the palace guard camp, because that would inevitably cause a lot of trouble. If he really discovers my whereabouts, how could those hawks of the guard camp possibly contain me?" As he pondered this, the two horses were already close to the palace gate. The two dismounted and hurriedly entered through the side gate. Once inside the palace gate, the situation changed. Imperial guards were stationed every three steps and sentries every five steps, each with their swords drawn and bows nocked, as if facing a formidable enemy. Wu Congyi said nothing more, leading Lin Ziqing, quickening his pace towards the guard camp. Qi Chengchang's study was brightly lit but quiet, with only Qi Chengchang sitting angrily in a large armchair. With the incident at the palace, all the senior and junior supervisors had naturally been mobilized.

Lin Ziqing stopped at the study door and said, "Your subordinate Lin Ziqing has arrived."

Qi Chengchang said, "Please come in." Lin Ziqing and Wu Congyi entered one after the other.

Lin Ziqing bowed and said, "The commander must have orders to give me."

Qi Chengchang waved his hand and said, "Sit." Lin Ziqing sat down in a chair beside him. There was no seat for Wu Congyi in the commander's study, and the commander hadn't told him to leave, so he stood with his hands at his sides behind Lin Ziqing.

Qi Chengchang asked, "You already know about the assassination attempt in the camp tonight?"

Lin Ziqing bowed and replied, "I heard the gist of it from Sergeant Wu on the way here."

Qi Chengchang chuckled coldly, pointed to the table, and said, "Go take a look."

Lin Ziqing went over as instructed, feigning surprise, and said, "The commander's chair has been destroyed?"

Qi Chengchang said, "Brother, this chair was made by a skilled craftsman in the capital. It has a hidden mechanism. Anyone other than you who sits on it will be bound by iron hoops." "Stop. Unexpectedly, that kid Ling Junyi was lucky; his body was bound, but his hands weren't. If it were anyone else, these iron hoops, forged from refined steel, would be impossible to break free from. But this guy carries a blade that can cut through iron like mud, and he actually sliced through all four iron hoops..." He finished speaking and continued, "Go open the drawer and take a look." Lin Ziqing did as instructed, pulling open the drawer and looking up at Qi Chengchang, clearly seeking his instructions: the drawer is open, what are your orders?

Qi Chengchang said, "Take a look at Gu Hongsheng's report. Is there anything unusual?"

Lin Ziqing glanced at it and said, "I can't see anything unusual. Could someone have switched it?"

Qi Chengchang said, "Turn to a page and see."

Lin Ziqing did as he was told, but the "report," which was still intact, crumbled into dust the moment his fingertip touched it. He was extremely surprised and exclaimed, "What happened?"

Qi Chengchang smiled coldly and said, "This is the 'Pure Yang Skill' from the Seventy-Two Arts of Shaolin. It can melt gold and destroy stone, and it is similar to the 'Samadhi True Fire' and 'Three Yang Divine Skill' of the Xuanmen."

Lin Ziqing asked, "Is Ling Junyi a disciple of Shaolin?"

Qi Chengchang said, "He is a disciple of the Reverse-Hand Tathagata. The Reverse-Hand Tathagata stayed in Shaolin Temple for twenty years. It is said that in the past hundreds of years, Shaolin Temple has never had anyone who is proficient in more than a dozen of the Seventy-Two Arts, but the Reverse-Hand Tathagata is proficient in more than a dozen." Lin Ziqing looked up and said, "

Since Gu Hongsheng's report is completely destroyed, should we have him write another one?"

Qi Chengchang nodded and said, "That's right, that's one of the reasons I asked you to come. With Gu Hongsheng's report destroyed, Gu Hongsheng himself is naturally at risk of being killed to silence him. His current situation is extremely dangerous, but perhaps Ling Junyi and the others don't yet know where he is. The first thing we need to do is have him write another report, and order a squad of brothers to disguise themselves as various people and stay at Longji Inn after dawn, to secretly protect them. We might as well use him as bait..."

Before he finished speaking, a series of footsteps were heard, followed by the voice of Pei Fuji, the head of the squad, saying, "Your subordinates Pei Fuji and Fei Shihai report in."

Qi Chengchang looked up and said, "Come in." Pei Fuji and Fei Shihai walked in and nodded to Lin Ziqing.

Lin Ziqing quickly stood up and bowed, saying, "Your subordinates greet the two head squad leaders."

Before the two could speak, Qi Chengchang asked, "What were the results of your search?" Pei

Fuji bowed and replied, "I searched the Qin Zheng Hall, Taihe Hall, and the area up to Donglai Pavilion, but found no trace of spies."

Qi Chengchang's gaze shifted to Fei Shihai, who asked, "The man in white, protecting Ling Junyi, fled westward. Did you catch up with him?"

Fei Shihai awkwardly replied, "I searched from Taiyi Pavilion and Wanxiang Pavilion all the way to Cangshi, but found no enemy..."

Before he could finish, Qi Chengchang angrily said, "Could they have sprouted wings and flown away?"

Just then, someone at the door announced, "This subordinate, Huo Rulong, reports for duty." This person was the head of the second team.

Qi Chengchang shouted, "Come in."

Huo Rulong entered the study, and Qi Chengchang immediately asked, "You didn't find any spies either, did you?" Huo Rulong lowered his head and replied, "Yes."

"Bang!" Qi Chengchang slammed his hand on the coffee table, roaring, "You're all useless idiots! The rebels have already reached our camp! There are only two of them, and you sent dozens of men to surround and capture them, yet you couldn't even find a trace of them! How dare you show your faces to me?" The three head foremen exchanged bewildered glances, none daring to speak.

After a long while, Pei Fuji bowed and said, "Reporting to the commander, in my opinion, Ling Junyi and that man in white seem extremely familiar with the palace's routes. They escaped from the Cangshi area, which is the most remote and least guarded area. Once you cross the back mountain, you'll be in the suburbs. Although there's a battalion of imperial guards stationed there, they're no match for highly skilled martial artists." With a single sentence, he shifted the blame for failing to capture the spies onto the imperial guards. Lin Ziqing secretly found it amusing, but dared not show it on his face.

Qi Chengchang gave a soft "Hmm" and slowly said, "Fei Shihai, send a group of men to garrison the Cangshi area. It's a remote location, and the presence of Imperial Guards behind the mountain has made us less vigilant in our defenses. Tell the leader of the group to inform Commander Lu of the Imperial Guard camp to strengthen security." Fei Shihai put his feet together and replied with a "Yes, sir."

Qi Chengchang pondered, "I think that the man in white is most likely Peony, the leader of the Hundred Flowers Gang. But how do they know the palace paths so well?"

"Peony." Lin Ziqing's heart skipped a beat.

Pei Fuji asked in surprise, "Does the commander think that man in white is a woman?"

Qi Chengchang stroked his beard and said, "When Ling Junyi left, I was about to follow him when I heard him shout 'Attack!' Although he deliberately kept his voice extremely low, how could I hide it from him?" "That's clearly a woman's accent. Besides, he threw a cluster of plum blossom needles, the kind of hidden weapon most often used by women. And this person is extremely slender and agile; he might be the leader of the Hundred Flowers Gang." Lin Ziqing was secretly surprised after hearing this. Recalling the events of last night, Qi Chengchang, with his experience, was right. The white-robed scholar was slender and had a clear accent, definitely not like a man. Of course, he knew the white-robed scholar was definitely not Mudan, and she was certainly not a girl he knew. So who was she?

Qi Chengchang slapped the tea table and continued, "No matter who they are, our Rehe City is not the Black Dragon Society, where we can let traitors run rampant. I give you three days to capture Ling Junyi and that white-robed man, or at least find out their whereabouts."

"Yes, sir." The three head stewards responded without saying a word.

Qi Chengchang turned around and said, "Brother Lin, you can go now. You have two things to take care of. First, secretly protect Gu Hongsheng's safety and make sure he writes another report as soon as possible. Second, find out if there are any suspicious people in the inns in the alley."

Lin Ziqing said, "Your subordinate obeys." He bowed and left.

Qi Chengchang then said, "Wu Congyi, go and tell the brothers in your unit to change their disguises. After dawn, they should each stay at Longji Inn. Tell them not to let anyone notice anything amiss. Also, they are not allowed to gamble or drink in groups in the inn. Anyone who disobeys will have their head chopped off." Wu Congyi stood up straight and repeatedly replied, "Yes," and was about to leave.

Qi Chengchang said again, "Wait. After you pass on the order, come back immediately. I have other orders to give." Wu Congyi replied, "Yes," and hurriedly walked out.

Qi Chengchang glanced at the three head stewards and said, "You can all go and rest for a while. After dawn, go out and scout the area. Oh, and remember, I've ordered Lin Ziqing to scout the inn. You just need to focus on scouting the houses."

Huo Rulong asked suspiciously, "Commander..."

Qi Chengchang waved his hand and said, "No need to say more. Just do as I say, but remember one thing: don't alert them." The three head stewards, not knowing what their commander was up to, replied in unison, "Yes, sir," saluted, and left together.

A short while later, Wu Congyi returned with the order, bowing and asking, "Does the commander have any further instructions?"

Qi Chengchang raised his eyes and asked, "I ask you, when you went to the Dongsheng Inn just now, was the second head steward sleeping in his room?"

Wu Congyi replied in surprise, "Yes, yes."

Qi Chengchang then asked, "Did a waiter from the inn take you there?"

Wu Congyi replied, "Yes."

Qi Chengchang then asked, "Did you knock on the door, or did the waiter knock?"

Wu Congyi replied, "The waiter knocked."

Qi Chengchang asked, "Was the second head steward sleeping soundly?"

Wu Congyi replied, "Yes, but the waiter knocked twice, and the second head steward came to open the door."

Qi Chengchang asked, "Did you go into his room?"

Wu Congyi replied, "The second head steward called me in."

Qi Chengchang then asked, "What did he say to you?"

Wu Congyi replied, "The second head steward sent the waiter away and asked me what he wanted. I said that you had invited him over." He recounted what had just happened in detail, and Qi Chengchang simply nodded as he listened.

Wu Congyi asked in alarm, "Is there something wrong with me?"

Qi Chengchang smiled slightly and said, "No, I just wanted to know if the second head steward was alert enough. He was sent to the Dongsheng Inn and can't reveal our identities, so I wanted to ask him carefully. It's nothing, you can go now, but you mustn't reveal a single word of what I asked you, understand?" Wu Congyi repeatedly replied "Yes," before leaving.

Qi Chengchang put his hands behind his back and muttered to himself, "So, I was just being paranoid."

Lin Ziqing left the palace and rode off at full speed. It was only around four in the morning, and there were no pedestrians on the streets. The horse ran very fast, and in no time, he returned to the Dongsheng Inn. The servants who tended the horses hadn't gotten up yet. A shop assistant saw him return and immediately rushed out of the inn to take the horse. Lin Ziqing returned to the room. As soon as he stepped inside, he suddenly sensed someone was there. Startled, he quickly closed the door and whispered, "Who is it?"

Before he finished speaking, someone darted out from the darkness and whispered, "It's my brother, Ding Qiao."

Lin Ziqing recognized Ding Qiao, disguised as an old servant, and exclaimed in surprise, "Brother Ding, what urgent matter brings you here at this hour?"

Ding Qiao replied, "Brother Ling, you're only arriving now? Where have you been?" Lin

Ziqing said, "I just came from the imperial palace. After dawn, the imperial guards will be conducting a major search. Brother Ding, you shouldn't stay here any longer.

" Ding Qiao said, "The old lady has moved to Baiyun Nunnery outside the city. She was worried about Brother Ling and sent me here to inform him. Qi Chengchang is the commander of the imperial guards. If he is killed in the palace, things will escalate. Therefore, she urges Brother Ling not to act in the palace."

Lin Ziqing smiled and said, "Mother worries too much. I understand this principle, otherwise I would have killed him tonight." Ding

Qiao said, "I'm here to inform Brother Ling that Qi Chengchang's family is not here, but he has a mistress living in the Gu family garden in the east city. He stays there at least five out of ten days."

Lin Ziqing asked curiously, "How did you know, Brother Ding?"

Ding Qiao smiled and said, "I heard it from the gang leader. There is a courtesan in the Hundred Flowers Gang named Yingchun who works as a maid there." Lin Ziqing was certainly familiar with the name "Yingchun." Ding Qiao continued, "It's almost dawn, brother, I must go too."

Lin Ziqing said, "Oh, Brother Ding, there's something you should ask Miss Mudan when you get back. Back in the day, the Governor-General of Shandong, Guotai, had a secretary named Yin Shipan Gong Qian Junren, who is said to be hiding in Rehe. I wonder if she knows anything about him? I've been searching for him for days, but I haven't found any trace of him."

Ding Qiao nodded and said, "I'll remember it. I'll come back to inform you as soon as I have any news." After saying that, he opened the door and slipped out.

After Ding Qiao left, Lin Ziqing rested in bed for a while until it was already broad daylight. He went out, and the maid in green was already waiting outside. Seeing Lin Ziqing get up, she immediately brought him water to wash his face and helped him finish washing up. Then she brought him breakfast. Lin Ziqing realized then that the VIP rooms at Dongsheng Inn were truly well-served, making him feel right at home, something other inns could never match. After breakfast, Lin Ziqing left Dongsheng Inn, went downstairs, and entered Longji Inn. There he saw three of the first-shift brothers. Two of them were dressed as cloth merchants, and one, wearing a felt hat and a cloth jacket, was holding a riding whip, looking like a coachman, sitting in the inn, drinking tea with his legs crossed. Apparently, they were guests who hadn't left yet and were waiting for their rooms.

Lin Ziqing pretended not to recognize them and headed towards the upper rooms. When he reached Gu Hongsheng's room, he saw that the head waiter, Wu Congyi, was staying next door, his door open. Lin Ziqing slowly walked past his door, and Wu Congyi immediately came to greet him. Lin Ziqing looked around to make sure no one was watching, then lowered his voice and asked, "Have you all checked in?"

Wu Congyi respectfully replied, "There are only five superior rooms here, and they're all full. The rest of you are staying in the ordinary guest rooms at the front and back."

Lin Ziqing nodded and said, "Very good. You don't need to greet Brother Gu." Wu Congyi responded with a "Yes," and quietly withdrew.

Lin Ziqing raised his hand and gently knocked twice on Gu Hongsheng's door, calling out, "Brother Gu, are you up?"

Gu Hongsheng recognized Lin Ziqing's voice and hurriedly replied, "It's Brother Lin! I've been up for a while now, please come in." He quickly opened the door and stepped aside to let the guest in.

Lin Ziqing stepped into the room, and Gu Hongsheng immediately closed the door, bowing and saying, "Brother Lin, please sit."

Lin Ziqing sat down on a chair by the window and looked up, saying, "Something happened in the camp last night."

Gu Hongsheng was startled and opened his eyes wide, saying, "Something happened in the camp! Someone infiltrated the palace?"

"Hmm," Lin Ziqing said slowly, "He destroyed Brother Gu's 'report' with his 'Pure Yang Skill,' and even used a sharp sword to cut through a chair with a mechanism attached to it. He exchanged three sword blows with the commander before escaping through the window."

Gu Hongsheng asked in surprise, "He escaped?" Lin Ziqing nodded.

Gu Hongsheng was even more astonished, saying, "This person went specifically for Brother's report. To escape from the commander, his martial arts must be extremely impressive. I just wonder who he is?"

Lin Ziqing looked up at the sky and said, word by word, "Ling Junyi."

"Ling Junyi." Gu Hongsheng's eyes widened in surprise, his facial muscles contorting in a sudden grimace. He muttered to himself, "It's him! He's really here."

Lin Ziqing sneered, "Brother Gu seems quite wary of him?"

Gu Hongsheng said in alarm, "If he gets to Rehe, he will definitely not let me go. Just think, he even destroyed one of my reports, would he leave me alive?"

Lin Ziqing sneered, "Brother Gu is a man who has weathered many storms, his skills are certainly among the best." Why are you so timid at the mention of Ling Junyi?

Gu Hongsheng smiled bitterly, "Brother Lin, you are unaware of this. This Ling is the successor of the 'Reverse Hand Tathagata,' and even Master Han is no match for him. With my meager skills, I'm afraid I wouldn't last ten moves against his sword."

Lin Ziqing thought to himself, "I'm afraid even three moves would be too many." He rested his chin on his hand and chuckled, "Brother Gu speaks so highly of him, I must fight him." Then he smiled faintly and said, "But Brother Gu, rest assured, the commander has already anticipated that he might..." "Brother, you're in trouble. I've already ordered my brothers to protect you. This morning, I brought a group of men disguised as various merchants and travelers, and they've moved into the Longji Inn, right around your room. If he dares to come, we'll stop him no matter what."

Gu Hongsheng felt a little relieved and breathed a sigh of relief before asking, "I wonder if the commander has given me any instructions?"

Lin Ziqing smiled slightly and said, "Yes, the commander wants you to rewrite a report."

Gu Hongsheng replied, "Yes, yes, brother..." "Yes, sir." Then, raising his gaze, he asked, "But I wonder if the commander has given you a few days to finish writing?"

Lin Ziqing replied, "No, I think you should finish it as soon as possible, Brother Gu."

Gu Hongsheng said, "Brother Lin is right, I will definitely finish it as soon as possible."

Lin Ziqing stood up and said, "Alright, Brother Gu, then write it as soon as possible. I won't disturb you any longer. You can rest assured. There are brothers from the guard camp in the surrounding rooms, and I think there will be no trouble during the day. I will come after nightfall." After saying that, he opened the door and left.

Gu Hongsheng said, "Take care, Brother Lin. I won't see you off."

Lin Ziqing strolled out of Longji Inn, his mind racing. Qi Chengchang's whereabouts were already known, but he didn't know where the underworld judge Qian Junren was staying. If he hadn't found Qian Junren, he couldn't make a move against Qi Chengchang first. Because with Qi Chengchang dead, things in Rehe City couldn't be delayed any longer, and Qian Junren would surely go into hiding after hearing the news of Qi Chengchang's death. Wouldn't this make finding him even more difficult?

Ding Qiao told himself that Qi Chengchang had a mistress in the Gu Family Garden in the East City. He needed to scout the area first, so he'd have a backup plan if he made a move. He was currently in charge of investigating "bandits," which was official business, so he could take this opportunity to look around. He strolled along West Gate Street, pretending to wander, secretly observing every side street and alley, not easily overlooking teahouses and taverns. But he didn't know Qian Junren; in such a vast city as Rehe, it was like searching for a needle in a haystack. After circling around to the East City, the sun was already setting and dusk was falling.

The northern part of the East City was mostly residential. Standing at the entrance of a small street, he hesitated. Ding Qiao had only told him that Qi Chengchang's mistress lived in the Gu Family Garden in the East City, but hadn't specified the exact location of the "Gu Family Garden." There weren't many people around. But he couldn't easily ask someone to eavesdrop. He wasn't planning to make a move against Qi Chengchang yet. What if he inquired about anyone connected to the Gu family garden? Wouldn't that alert them? Qi Chengchang was the commander of the Imperial Guard, a powerful figure in Rehe City. His secret mistress, though not publicly known, was an open secret. Since she was his concubine, wouldn't she be protected by his trusted confidants?

Lin Ziqing felt he should go take another look, but after only two steps, he discovered two boundary stones beside the entrance to this deserted alley, clearly inscribed with the words "Gu Residence." It turned out that this narrow alley, wide enough for two carriages to pass side-by-side, wasn't a street at all, but rather Gu's private property—a wide passageway leading to his residence.

East City! The Gu family! A thought flashed through Lin Ziqing's mind, and he turned to gaze into the alley. This wide alleyway was lined with tall trees on both sides, giving it a rather eerie feel. This was truly like a small street—no, many of the city's narrow streets paled in comparison. At the end of the alley, at least a hundred paces long, stood a tall gatehouse, its two vermilion doors tightly shut, adorned with a pair of black door knockers, ancient and imposing. A single glance at the gatehouse was enough to conjure up the image of a vast and deep mansion.

While there were many large mansions in the eastern part of the city, none could surpass this one. Clearly, the Gu family was wealthy; perhaps it was the villa of a high-ranking official in the capital. If the emperor could come to Rehe to escape the summer heat, then officials and wealthy merchants could naturally build their own summer villas there. Given Qi Chengchang's status in Rehe, even his mistress should live in such a grand place. Finally, he had found it—a case of finding something without even looking for it.

He surveyed the large mansion at the bottom of the alley, then slowly moved, turning off the side street. The terrain gradually became more desolate, with a small river and a stone bridge leading to fields beyond which the city walls could be seen in the distance. Lin Ziqing walked along the riverbank for a while, now circling around to the back. He guessed that the Gu family's mansion was on the other side of the river. He looked up and saw a tall wall and a water gate. Standing on the opposite bank, even in the twilight, he could vaguely see lush trees and numerous pavilions and towers within the walls. It was indeed the Gu family garden. Now

that Lin Ziqing had confirmed it, there was no need to linger. He retraced his steps, crossed the small bridge, and headed towards the east gate. At this time, the streetlights were just coming on, and the west gate street was brightly lit, bustling with pedestrians, as if he had entered another city. As he walked, he suddenly heard someone shout, "Attack!"

Upon hearing the sound, he felt a sharp, wisp of wind brush against the back of his head. Lin Ziqing was startled; someone was actually attacking him on the street. He didn't care, of course; being ambushed, he barely turned his head, casually touching his ear with his left hand as he caught the incoming weapon. As soon as he caught it, he realized that although the wind was strong, it was extremely light, unlike a hidden weapon—it was just a crumpled piece of paper. Especially the word "hit," it sounded very familiar.

Wasn't it? Last night, when the white-robed scholar who suddenly appeared threw a shower of "plum blossom needles" at Qi Chengchang, he also shouted "hit!" The voice was exactly the same as the one just now. Qi Chengchang, as expected of a seasoned veteran, could distinguish the white-robed scholar as a woman from just one word, "hit." This "hit" was indeed a woman's voice, and it even carried a very slight, coquettish laugh. Lin Ziqing reacted quickly, his movements even faster. In the blink of an eye, he had turned around. But the night market was just beginning, and the streets were bustling with people; where was the white-robed scholar? Perhaps she wasn't wearing white tonight. In any case, Lin Ziqing couldn't find the person he was looking for, not even a trace of her.

The crumpled paper was still clutched in his palm. He knew there must be a reason why she had sent him this paper. Given her sudden appearance to help him last night, she was probably a friend, not an enemy. To be honest, he hadn't expected Qi Chengchang to be sleeping in the study last night. With Qi Chengchang's martial arts skills, and the fact that the entire guard camp had been alerted, if the white-robed scholar hadn't told him to leave first and led the others away in the opposite direction, even if he wasn't afraid, breaking through wouldn't have been easy. How mysterious this girl was! So, did she send him this crumpled paper because she had some important message, secretly informing him? The more he thought about it, the more certain he was that his guess was correct. The fact that they were using a hidden weapon was clearly a precaution to avoid attracting attention; he couldn't very well stand in the street and open the note to read it. With this thought in mind, he didn't hesitate any longer. He glanced left and right, and saw a tavern not far ahead. He walked in and found a seat. The waiter came over, asked about the food and drinks, and quickly left.

Lin Ziqing looked around to make sure no one was watching, then quietly opened the note under the table and looked down at his husband. What he saw almost made his face change. The note contained only a single, hastily written line: "Your friend is staying at a family's house in Jidi Lane near Xiaonanmen. His whereabouts have been exposed, and it may be too late if we delay." There was also a smaller line that read: "Qian Deren, also known as Qian Junren, is the owner of Dongsheng Inn. This is to inform you."

Lin Ziqing was both surprised and delighted. He was surprised by the "your friend" on the note—he didn't know who it was. Their whereabouts had already been exposed, and it was already dark. He didn't even know which family's house in Jidi Lane it was. How could he find him? The good news was that he had finally found Qian Junren, the judge of the underworld, after searching for days without any success.

A waiter brought wine and food, and overwhelmed with joy and relief, he could barely eat. After drinking two cups of wine, he suddenly made up his mind. Without waiting for the waiter to bring the rest, he got up, tossed down a small silver ingot, and hurried out. Reaching a secluded spot, seeing no one, he wiped away the disguise on his face, quickened his pace, and ran towards the South Gate. Not knowing where Jidifang was, he asked a street vendor for directions and hurried there.

Jidifang was a winding alley lined with simple, low houses, but as he approached the alley's entrance, he noticed a person standing in the shadows at the corner. This person was wearing a blue cloth gown, and his felt hat was pulled low. Seeing someone approaching the alley, he walked slowly forward, as if he were someone who had finished eating and was out for a stroll. Lin Ziqing sneered inwardly, and in a flash, he was behind the man. But the man reacted quickly and nimbly, noticing the whoosh behind him, he dodged and turned around abruptly. Before he could speak, Lin Ziqing asked in a low voice, "Which team are you from?"

The man was taken aback, staring intently at Lin Ziqing as he asked, "Friend, what did you say?"

Lin Ziqing smiled slightly and said, "You don't recognize me?"

The man said coldly, "Who's 'friend'?"

Lin Ziqing said, "You don't recognize me, but you probably recognize this, right?" He stretched out his hand, revealing a silver plaque in his palm, and offered it to the man.

The man was stunned, and stammered, "You're the second foreman..." He hurriedly tried to bow to Lin Ziqing.

Lin Ziqing grabbed his arm and whispered, "This isn't inside, brother. Let's talk as we walk, so as not to attract attention." As he spoke, he put away the silver token and slipped it into his robes.

The man said fearfully, "I am Zhang Xuchu, from the first squad of the second team. I was blind just now, I didn't know you were an old man..."

Lin Ziqing smiled and continued, "So it's Brother Zhang. We've never met before, please forgive my ignorance. I am Lin Ziqing, I just took office yesterday, and the commander has assigned me to handle this case of bandits. I just received a secret order from the commander to..." "Brother Zhang, what's the situation here?"

Zhang Xuchu said, "We've all been out here today, searching the houses. We received a report that an old man and three young women came to the fifth house in this alley two days ago

. They spoke with accents from another province and their behavior was suspicious. The foreman ordered his men to keep a close watch on them." Lin Ziqing's mind raced: "An old man and three young women...that must be Zhu Wenhua, Fang Ruping, Tang Wenqing, and Zhu Yaqin." He nodded and asked, "Have they made any moves?"

Zhang Xuchu said, "No, they haven't shown themselves."

Lin Ziqing deliberately frowned and said, " "Your foreman only sent you here?"

Zhang Xuchu replied, "There's another one at the end of the alley, his name is Jiang Yigui."

Lin Ziqing snorted, "They have four people, and your foreman only sent two. Isn't that too careless?"

Zhang Xuchu smiled obsequiously, "Yes, yes, I'm just secretly monitoring them. The foreman has already reported to the head foreman, and we're preparing to make our move at the second watch to arrest them first."

Lin Ziqing said, "What if they aren't bandits?"

Zhang Xuchu said, "The head foreman said, 'Better to arrest a hundred innocent people than let one guilty person go free.'"

Lin Ziqing said, " "That makes sense. Hmm, take me to see."

Zhang Xuchu exclaimed in surprise, "Second Foreman, you..." He looked at Lin Ziqing and continued, "The First Foreman just instructed us that we don't have enough manpower, so we mustn't alert them."

Lin Ziqing said, "I understand. I'm here on the orders of my superior to get a feel for the situation in this area. You naturally have to take me to investigate. Otherwise, if they escape, will you take responsibility?"

Zhang Xuchu naturally couldn't take responsibility and said repeatedly, "Yes, yes, I'll take you there." He turned around and walked into the alley.

The alley was dark, and there was no one in sight. Zhang Xuchu led Lin Ziqing for seven or eight steps, then suddenly stopped and said in a low voice, "It's that house up ahead."

Lin Ziqing could see clearly that it was a dilapidated low-roofed house with a broken handcart in front of it. It was obviously the home of a peddler who did small business. The lights inside were off, and it was so dark that not a sound could be heard. They were probably asleep. Lin Ziqing asked, "Is this the peddler's house?"

Zhang Xuchu nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, this is it."

Lin Ziqing grunted, pointed a finger at his back, grabbed his arm with his right hand, and shoved him to the door. He gently knocked twice, but no one answered. Anxious, Lin Ziqing knocked twice more. Still no response. Fearing he would be discovered, Lin Ziqing disregarded everything and silently channeled his inner energy into the wooden door with his left index finger, making a small hole. He then put his mouth to his lips and used his internal energy to project his voice, saying, "Is anyone inside?" The voice was inaudible outside, but very loud inside.

Sure enough, the person inside heard him. An aged voice asked, "Who's outside? What brings you here in the middle of the night?"

Lin Ziqing chuckled inwardly. Who else could it be but Qianlong Zhu Wenhua's voice? He hadn't learned any techniques to alter his voice, so no matter how well he pretended, it was still obvious. He immediately switched to using "voice transmission" to speak into the house: "Master Zhu, open the door quickly, it's me."

Zhu Wenhua inside clearly hadn't recognized Lin Ziqing's accent. After a slight pause, he asked, "Who are you? My surname is Wang, don't have the wrong person."

Lin Ziqing said urgently, "Time is of the essence. If Master Zhu opens the door quickly, we'll find out!" A very faint sound of clothes fluttering in the wind could be heard from inside the house. It was as if two or three people had flashed out from the inner room and disappeared behind the door. This, of course, did not escape Lin Ziqing's ears.

Then the firelight flickered, and heavy footsteps sounded. The wooden door creaked open: a hunched old man stood in the doorway, saying, "What brings you here, friend?"

Lin Ziqing immediately recognized the hunched old man as Qianlong Zhu Wenhua in disguise. Before he could finish speaking, he had already darted in with Zhang Xuchu, shouting in a low voice, "Master Zhu, quickly close the door!" Zhu Wenhua

barely saw his face before Lin Ziqing had already slipped into their guest hall. He was startled. In that instant, his aged appearance vanished, and he whirled around, his right elbow across his chest, a glint of steel in his eyes. He shouted, "You…"

At the head of the guest hall, behind a door, holding an oil lamp, stood a young girl in plain clothes—it was Zhu Yaqin. At the entrance, on either side, were two figures, Fang Ruping and Tang Wenqing, both disguised.

Lin Ziqing stood in the middle of the reception hall. Tang Wenqing had already quickly closed the wooden door, surrounding Lin Ziqing, seemingly preparing to attack. But just as Zhu Wen uttered the word "you," everyone recognized who had entered. Zhu Yaqin, Fang Ruping, and Tang Wenqing almost simultaneously exclaimed in surprise, "It's you!"

Zhu Wenhua's eyes lit up, and he laughed, "Brother, it's you! How did you know we were staying here? Ah, who is this person?"

Lin Ziqing put down Zhang Xuchu, cupped his hands towards Zhu Wenhua, and said, "Master Zhu, there's no time to go into the details now. Your presence here has been exposed. This person is a henchman of the Imperial Guards. They are preparing to arrest you at midnight. Master Zhu should leave this place quickly. My mother is currently staying at Baiyun Nunnery outside the East Gate; it would be best for her to go there for now. I have other urgent matters to attend to, so I must take my leave." He turned to leave.

Tang Wenqing asked anxiously, "Where are you going?"

Lin Ziqing replied, "There's another henchman at the end of the alley; I'm going to deal with him too."

Zhu Wenhua asked, "What should we do with him?"

Lin Ziqing said, "I've already struck his vital point; he'll just stay here. You all hurry on your way. I'll go to Baiyun Nunnery after I'm done." He turned and opened the wooden door, then slipped out.

The narrow alley was as dark as ink, providing perfect cover for Lin Ziqing. He quickly reached the end of the alley and saw a dark figure standing under someone's roof from afar. Lin Ziqing's movements were incredibly fast. By the time the man became alert, Lin Ziqing was already in front of him. The man was also quick-witted; he dodged to the side, his right hand swiftly gripping the hilt of his knife, and he shouted, "Who goes there?"

Lin Ziqing said, "You're Jiang Yigui, aren't you?"

In the darkness, the man couldn't see his face clearly. Hearing Lin Ziqing call out his name, he exclaimed in surprise, "You know me? You..."

Lin Ziqing confirmed that he was indeed Jiang Yigui, so there was no need for further explanation. Before he could finish speaking, Lin Ziqing pointed and struck his pressure point, then casually picked him up and turned to leave. Back at the low house, the wooden door was ajar. Zhu Wenhua and the others had already left. He put Jiang Yigui down, casually bolted the door, then opened the back window, slipped through it, and used the "Heavenly Dragon Wind Riding Technique" to move like a wisp of smoke, heading towards the alleyway leading to the inn.

The guards assigned to the Longji Inn, squad one by one, dared not sleep after nightfall. They dared not sleep, nor drink, nor gamble. These men usually gathered together for drinking and gambling, two indispensable activities, but tonight none dared, forced to linger in their rooms, trying to doze off. This was their longest night ever; it had been dark for who knows how long, and it was still only the first watch of the night.

Wu Congyi, their squad leader, dared not slacken his efforts even slightly. His door remained ajar, and he barely dared to doze off. The commander had placed the responsibility of protecting Gu Hongsheng entirely on their shoulders. Wouldn't it be safer to take Gu Hongsheng to the palace guard camp? But this was the commander's decision; he was responsible for the palace's safety and couldn't allow constant trouble there. Settling Gu Hongsheng in the inn was a brilliant move.

Ling Junyi, who had risked entering the palace to destroy one of Gu Hongsheng's "reports," would certainly not let Gu Hongsheng go. As soon as he received news that Gu Hongsheng was staying at the Longji Inn, he would surely rush over, but he had already laid a trap, waiting for Gu Hongsheng to walk right into it. The brothers of the first squad of the first team of the Imperial Guard Battalion were the most elite fighters in the entire battalion. Not only were they all capable of high-flying maneuvers, but they were also all skilled in concealed weapons. They had already surrounded Gu Hongsheng's room, but this was only Qi Chengchang's first move. He had a second move in mind: the brothers of the second and third squads of the first team and the two squads of the second team, led by two squad leaders, had also moved into the Zhaoshang Inn to the right of the Longji Inn and the Yuelai Inn opposite it, respectively.

Of course, Qi Chengchang had a considerable understanding of Gu Hongsheng's martial arts and swordsmanship, which were enough to place him among the top-tier masters. Even if Ling Junyi was highly skilled in martial arts, he might not be able to kill him within ten or eight moves. As long as Gu Hongsheng could withstand a few moves, the people guarding the Longji Inn could make their move in time. As soon as there is an alarm at Longji Inn, the people hiding in the other two inns can immediately respond and surround Longji Inn. Not even a bird, let alone a person, could escape. This is called setting up bait to catch a golden turtle! Qi Chengchang had instructed that, regardless of whether they were dead or alive, the people coming must be captured. The actions of these two groups were highly confidential; even Lin Ziqing and Wu Congyi were unaware of them.

But just as Lin Ziqing hurriedly reached the alleyway leading to the inn, a burly man in blue was already standing at the entrance. Seeing Lin Ziqing, he walked towards him with a smile and said, "This must be Master Lin?"

Lin Ziqing was taken aback and asked, "Friend..." Before

Lin Ziqing could finish, the man said with a smile, "I am acting on the orders of Master Ren, and I have a letter to present to Master Lin in person." He then took out a secret document from his pocket and handed it over. Master Ren—that was Ren Zigui of the Commander-in-Chief's Office. Lin Ziqing's mind raced, and he casually took the document.

The man bowed respectfully and said, "I'll take my leave." He then walked towards the street corner.

Lin Ziqing thought to himself, "It's already past midnight. Ren Zigui has rushed here with a message; I wonder what urgent matter it is. Wait, how did he know I was only returning at this hour and send someone to wait at the alley entrance?" Thinking this, he quickly looked up, but the man in blue who delivered the message had disappeared in the blink of an eye. His suspicions deepened, and he hurriedly tore open the envelope. Inside was only a long, narrow strip of paper, the handwriting messy: "Qi Chengchang has secretly sent men to ambush both the Zhaoshang and Yuelai inns. Be careful."

The paper was unsigned, but the handwriting matched the warning slip from the previous night—clearly from the same hand? Lin Ziqing was stunned! Who was this person? He had repeatedly warned him; how could his intelligence be so readily available? Qi Chengchang had actually sent men to stay at the Zhaoshang and Yuelai Inns again. How could he not know? Indeed, he had mentioned to him that a group of brothers should stay at the Longji Inn to secretly protect Gu Hongsheng. Perhaps he could use him as bait…

A cold smile crept onto Lin Ziqing's lips. He quickly rubbed the note in his palm and calmly walked into the Longji Inn. Light footsteps approached Wu Congyi's door. Wu Congyi quickly opened it and, seeing Lin Ziqing, breathed a sigh of relief, bowing and saying, “Brother Lin has arrived.”

Lin Ziqing nodded and asked, “Is everything alright here?”

Wu Congyi replied, “It’s fine. The brothers are on high alert. It’s good that Brother Lin is here.”

Lin Ziqing said, “I’ll go see Brother Gu first. I have an important mission later.” With that, he turned and walked towards Gu Hongsheng’s room, knocking twice on the door. Gu Hongsheng, of course, was still awake and quickly opened the door.

Lin Ziqing stepped inside, smiling, and asked, "Brother Gu, are you still awake?"

Gu Hongsheng closed the door and smiled wryly, "I was initially at ease staying in this small inn, but given the current situation, I'm finding it increasingly unsettling."

Lin Ziqing said "Oh," and then asked, "We have men all around Brother Gu's room now, so you can rest assured. Why are you feeling uneasy?"

Gu Hongsheng smiled bitterly, "Brother Lin is no outsider, so I might as well speak frankly. Commander Qi's arrangement for me to stay here is a trap, intended to lure Ling Junyi into it using me as bait." Lin Ziqing rested his chin on his hand and uttered a soft "Hmm."

Gu Hongsheng continued, "I've fought Ling Junyi before. His swordsmanship is superb. I'm sure I can only withstand eight or ten of his moves at most. If I make a slight mistake, I'll surely die by his sword. How can I be careless? I was meditating on the bed with my sword just now."

Lin Ziqing saw a long sword lying horizontally on his bed and couldn't help but laugh, "Brother Gu is too cautious. Didn't you say you could withstand eight or ten of his moves? If he really wanted to enter your room, you wouldn't even need to strike once. Just a shout would be enough for them to come running. What are you afraid of?"

Gu Hongsheng said, "That's true, but I must be careful. It's said that Ling Junyi is skilled in disguise. So these past few days, even when the waiter brings tea, you..." "I'm a little worried. I really hope he comes soon so we can all work together to get rid of him and finally breathe a sigh of relief." Then, pointing to a short paper scroll about a foot long on the bed, he added, "Just now, the commander sent someone to deliver a signal cannon, saying that once Ling Junyi's whereabouts are discovered, brothers should throw it out the window as soon as possible, and reinforcements will arrive immediately."

Lin Ziqing thought to himself, "The secret letter that the white-robed scholar passed on to me was indeed correct. The signal cannon, along with the people in the inn across the street and next door, will surely be heard and come." He smiled slightly and said, "The commander's plan is good, but if Ling Junyi really comes in, I'm afraid Brother Gu won't have the chance to fire the signal cannon..." Gu Hongsheng was startled and exclaimed "Oh."

Lin Ziqing still smiled and said, "Brother Gu, didn't you just say that Ling Junyi is skilled in disguise? Perhaps he's standing right in front of you, and you don't even know it." Gu Hongsheng's face changed slightly.

Lin Ziqing took a step forward and slowly said, "Perhaps I am Ling Junyi."

Gu Hongsheng was taken aback, but forced a smile and said, "Brother Lin is joking with me."

Although Lin Ziqing had taken a step forward, he was the second captain of the guard battalion, and Gu Hongsheng dared not back down. Lin Ziqing's left hand moved with lightning speed, grabbing Gu Hongsheng's pulse point. Gu Hongsheng exclaimed in surprise, "You..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Ziqing pointed his right finger at his "mute point" and laughed, "Now Brother Gu understands who I am, right?"

With his right pulse seized, Gu Hongsheng lost all his strength and could not even struggle. Furthermore, with his "mute point" suppressed, he could not speak. But he knew perfectly well what was going on. His facial muscles contorted, his eyes widened in shock, and sweat poured down his forehead like soybeans. Lin Ziqing spoke calmly and slowly, “Old Master Rong probably didn’t know that you were also involved in betraying the Black Dragon Society back then. He only spared you because you were one of the Thirty-Six Generals. You still remember Old Master Rong’s parting words: we are all descendants of the Yellow Emperor, and he told you to be an upright person. Who knew you would be blinded by greed and remain unrepentant, leading to this end?” Gu Hongsheng looked terrified, opening his mouth as if to protest, but unable to utter a sound. As

soon as Lin Ziqing finished speaking, he pointed his right finger at Gu Hongsheng’s heart, then lifted him with his left hand and placed him on the bed, casually grabbing a quilt and covering him with it. Turning around, he walked to the door, opened it, and deliberately whispered, "Brother Gu, no need to see me off." Stepping out of the room, he casually closed the door behind him, quickly slipped to Wu Congyi's door, pushed it open, and said, "Brother Wu, immediately select six brothers with superior concealed weapon skills to come with me."

Wu Congyi responded with a "Yes," then looked at Lin Ziqing and asked, "Where do you want them to go, Brother Lin?"

Lin Ziqing said, "I've already found a hiding place for bandits. Take them there to arrest them. You don't need to ask any more questions."

The head foreman had instructed that the brothers outside must obey the second foreman's orders, so Wu Congyi naturally dared not say more and simply replied with a "Yes," then asked, "Where do you want them to assemble, Brother Lin?"

Lin Ziqing said, "You want them to leave the inn, go to the end of the alley, and wait in the shadows. You and the other four brothers stay in the inn and are not allowed to leave without permission." Wu Congyi bowed and accepted the order, then hurriedly left.

Lin Ziqing also left. Emerging from the alley, they found themselves on a quiet, deserted street. Soon, several people emerged from the alley. Lin Ziqing gestured to them, and they quickly came running. He led them to a dark corner, counted them—six in total—and then asked, "Did Foreman Wu already tell you?"

One of the men bowed and replied, "Yes, Second Foreman. Foreman Wu instructed us that you have a special mission and we must await your orders."

Lin Ziqing lowered his voice and said, "That's right. I've discovered a hiding place for bandits. They'll gather around midnight and make their move. Prepare plenty of concealed weapons. When they arrive, don't bother questioning them; just use your weapons and kill them all."

The six men responded in unison, "Yes." Lin Ziqing said, "Good. You will all come with me immediately." With that, he leaped into the air. Six guards followed closely behind, and in no time they arrived at the entrance of Jidifang Alley. Lin Ziqing glanced at the sky; it was still about half a watch before the second watch. He then led the six men into the alley. He had already assessed the situation, so he didn't need to look around much. He leaped onto a nearby house and instructed them to hide in the shadows on the rooftops. He gave them instructions, mainly about concealing their movements and waiting for the enemy to approach the fifth house before making their move. After making the arrangements, he felt a surge of pride, thinking, "When the second watch comes, let them fight like dogs." He crouched down and swiftly landed on the ground, exiting the alley. He then used the "Heavenly Dragon Wind Riding Technique" to rush towards the Gu Family Garden in the east of the city.

The night was deep, and the Gu Family Garden, with its high walls and lush trees, was shrouded in a misty fog. Because this was the residence of Qi Chengchang, the commander of the Imperial Guards, Lin Ziqing, despite his exceptional skills and daring, dared not be careless. After leaping onto the wall, he carefully surveyed the surroundings before gently landing on the ground. This was the side of an artificial hill, the most secluded spot in the entire garden, with a white stone path leading to a hexagonal pavilion. The pavilion was surrounded by a circle of short, neatly trimmed holly bushes. Lin Ziqing, of course, had no time to appreciate the garden's scenery. He glanced around briefly, about to leap, when suddenly he heard a soft "chi" laugh from not far away.

The laughter was extremely soft, high-pitched, and crisp, clearly coming from a woman's mouth. At this time and place, even though it was a woman's laughter, Lin Ziqing was startled and quickly stopped, staring intently around. Without needing to look, a slender figure slowly rose from a row of short holly bushes. Before Lin Ziqing could get a good look at her, the slender figure spoke softly, "Young Master Lin, you've just arrived? This humble servant has been waiting here for quite some time." The girl was dressed in a blue robe, tall and slender, with two thick, black braids hanging down her back. She covered her face with her hand, turning to the side, so her features were obscured. She called herself a servant, indeed befitting a maid.

Lin Ziqing was taken aback and asked, "Miss..."

The slender figure giggled, "Young Master Lin, don't you recognize me? This humble servant is Yingchun!"

This time, she turned around! Indeed, it was Yingchun. Lin Ziqing saw her clearly—a sweet, oval face, dark, bright eyes, and a beautiful, alluring smile. Lin Ziqing breathed a sigh of relief, his gaze settling on Yingchun. He called out softly, "So it's you. How did you know I'd come?"

Yingchun smiled lightly, mysteriously replying, "Young master, there's no need to ask. Time is short; please follow me." She remained as cunning as she had been at Juechen Manor, refusing to answer questions directly. With that, she turned and left.

Lin Ziqing naturally harbored no suspicion, but still asked, "Where are you leading me?"

Yingchun replied, "When we reach our destination, young master will know." She still wouldn't say.

As they spoke, they had already walked some distance. What puzzled Lin Ziqing was Yingchun's leisurely pace, seemingly without any attempt to conceal herself. This naturally aroused suspicion. Considering Yingchun was merely a maid, perhaps she had received a message from the leader, Mudan, instructing her to meet him; even then, it could only be done secretly. Leading a stranger, especially late at night, should have been done discreetly to avoid being discovered, but she seemed utterly fearless, unafraid of being seen by anyone in the garden. Qi Chengchang's residence would not have been without security measures.

Lin Ziqing was, of course, Ling Junyi. He had already washed off the disguise drug from his face before arriving at the "Gu Family Garden." He intended to use his true identity as Ling Junyi to rightfully avenge Qi Chengchang's blood debt and the Black Dragon Society's grudge. Yingchun walked briskly ahead, leading the way, with Ling Junyi close behind. The garden was densely wooded, the shadows of flowers blurred, and in the darkness, many pavilions and towers appeared indistinct, only the shadows of flying eaves and painted beams visible. Not only were there no lights, but not a single person was in sight.

Yingchun parted the flowers and willows, walking very quickly, and soon arrived in front of the five-bay building. This was a magnificent building, with high-carved eaves, its red and green hues reflecting each other, exuding a grand and imposing air. Four or five white stone steps led to the entrance, surrounded by vermilion railings. In the very center was what appeared to be a spacious hall. In the vast garden, only this place was brightly lit. Judging by the imposing presence of the characters "Five Oaks Building," it was undoubtedly the main house in the garden. The owner, of course, lived in the main house, so this was certainly Qi Chengchang's residence.

Yingchun led the two up the stone steps, paused, and bowed slightly, saying, "Young Master, please come in."

Although Ling Junyi was filled with doubt, he stepped inside without hesitation. It was a spacious hall, apparently Qi Chengchang's daily living quarters. Therefore, it lacked the extravagance of a typical hall, but every table and chair was exquisitely elegant. However, the hall was still empty. This situation only deepened Ling Junyi's astonishment. What trick was Qi Chengchang playing? Just as he stepped into the hall, a thin old man with a ruddy complexion, high cheekbones, and piercing eyes appeared through a round doorway on the right wall, through which a round curtain was lifted. He stood facing the doorway, smiling and beckoning to Ling Junyi, saying, "Nephew Ling, why are you only arriving now?"

Ling Junyi was taken aback and quickly bowed, saying, "It must be Uncle-in-law." He was none other than Wen Yiqiao, the second master of the Wen family in Lingnan.

Wen Yiqiao smiled and said, "Everyone is inside, please come in quickly." Ling Junyi was filled with even more doubts, but he respectfully replied, "Yes," and stepped inside. Yingchun quickly followed him in.

It was a study, brightly lit at the moment. Besides Wen Yiqiao, there were four other people inside. As soon as Ling Junyi stepped into the room, he was startled again. These three were none other than the old master of the Wen family, Wen Yifeng, Wen Wanjun, and Mudan, the leader of the Hundred Flowers Gang, and the "Black-Clad Rakshasa" whom he hadn't seen for a long time. On another ornately carved high-backed chair sat the head of the table, none other than Qi Chengchang, the commander of the imperial guards.

Although he sat imposingly, his eyes wide open and his face contorted with shock and anger, it was clear to anyone with eyes that he had been restrained; aside from his eyes, his body was completely immobile. Ling Junyi understood somewhat: with Old Master Wen present, everyone in the Gu family garden had undoubtedly been drugged. No wonder he had been able to penetrate so easily, as if entering an empty field. He hurriedly stepped forward and bowed deeply, saying, "Your son-in-law greets father-in-law."

Wen Yifeng turned to Ling Junyi and said, "My dear son-in-law, time is short. I've already crippled this Qi fellow's martial arts, just waiting for you to arrive. Hurry up and make your move."

Ling Junyi's eyes were filled with tears as he excitedly said, "Tonight, I came to seek revenge for the blood debts of the Black Dragon Society martyrs and my late father. I am deeply grateful for the help from my father-in-law and uncle."

Wen Yifeng said, "This is all thanks to Miss Chu."

Ling Junyi turned to "Black-Clad Rakshasa" Chu Yuying and said, "Sister Ying..."

"Black-Clad Rakshasa" Chu Yuying said, "I have finally found out that my sister died at the hands of that old thief Qi and that vile woman 'Bewitching Fairy.' I have already killed that vile woman."

Ling Junyi nodded, then suddenly stepped forward, pointed at Qi Chengchang, and glared at him, shouting, "Old thief Qi, do you know who I am?" Wen Yiqiao said, "

Nephew Ling, his 'silence point' is restricted, and he cannot make a sound." Ling Junyi raised his hand and released his 'silence point' with a palm strike.

Qi Chengchang snorted angrily and said, "You traitors, how dare you act so lawlessly! Even if

you kill me, I'm afraid the imperial court won't let you off the hook." Ling Junyi said, "Old scoundrel, you're about to die, and you still use the word 'imperial court' to intimidate people? You were personally trained by the old man of Huangshan Shipu. The old man of Shipu devoted his life to restoring the nation and was one of the eight protectors of the Sun Sect. I never expected you to be blinded by greed and willingly become a lackey of the Manchus, harming innocent people and destroying the Black Dragon Society to curry favor with your master. You traitorous lackey, I came to Rehe to take your dog's life, to avenge the martyrs of the Black Dragon Society, and to avenge my dead father. Now you should know that no one who becomes a traitorous lackey has a good ending. Gu Hongsheng is already dead, and I'm going to find Qian Junren soon. I'm going to take your head..." He reached out and took the short sword from Wen Wanjun's hand. The sharp blade exuded a strong killing intent.

Qi Chengchang's face turned ashen, but he was a man who had weathered many storms. With a sword at his neck, he showed no fear, and said in a deep voice, "Wait, I have something to ask you."

Ling Junyi said, "Speak."

Qi Chengchang said, "You are Ling Junyi."

Ling Junyi said, "That's right."

Qi Chengchang said, "You said you've already killed Gu Hongsheng?"

Ling Junyi said, "You thought you had people lying in ambush at the Zhaoshang and Yuelai inns, trying to use Gu Hongsheng as bait to lure me into a trap. Let me tell you, I went in honorably, killed Gu Hongsheng, and came out honorably. I didn't even need to use the signal cannon you sent. Do you believe me?"

Qi Chengchang hissed: “That’s impossible,”

Ling Junyi said. “Let me tell you something else. With a little trickery, your first and third squads of guards are currently locked in a fierce battle at Jidifang.”

Qi Chengchang gritted his teeth and said, “You…”

Ling Junyi didn’t wait for him to finish. He reached into his robes and pulled out a silver token. He spread his palms out and said, “Because I’m the second-in-command, I have the authority to command him. Now you understand?”

Qi Chengchang’s eyes blazed with fury, and he trembled as he said, “You’re Lin Ziqing?”

Ling Junyi said, “That’s right. Because I didn’t want to kill you in the palace, I let you live another day.” With that, he swung his sword, and Qi Chengchang’s head fell to the ground, rolling away. Wen Yiqiao had already prepared an oilcloth bag and quickly put the Qi Chengchang head into it. Wen Yifeng took out a bottle of “Bone-Melting Pill” from his robes, picked up a small amount with his fingernail, and flicked it onto the Qi Chengchang’s corpse. In no time, it turned into a pool of yellow liquid that seeped into the ground.

Ling Junyi sheathed his sword and said, "Father-in-law, Uncle, you should leave the city as soon as possible and reunite with my mother. I still need to find Qian Junren; I should be out of the city by dawn at the latest."

Mudan said, "I'll go with you."

Wen Wanjun followed, "I'll go too."

Ling Junyi said, "Qian Junren is the owner of Dongsheng Inn. I can go alone; you should wait for me outside the city." After saying that, Ling Junyi turned to "Black-Clad Rakshasa" and said, "Sister, you should take Yingchun and the others with you. Don't forget about Yinfeng and the others."

"Black-Clad Rakshasa" smiled and said, "Don't worry, I won't forget." Ling Junyi cupped his hands to the Wen family elders, then his figure flashed and he sped away.

Dongsheng Inn had seven courtyards. The seventh courtyard was Boss Qian's private residence. There was a two-zhang-high clear water wall, with dappled shadows of trees inside, making it seem like a very large area. The two vermilion doors, covered with iron sheets and studded with copper nails, had two animal-shaped rings that were polished to a high shine. These two doors are always closed. To enter from the Dongsheng Inn, one must go through a side door in the fifth courtyard and then turn into a long corridor. The sixth courtyard houses the VIP rooms, and even that side door is always closed. On either side of the side door are several low houses, where Boss Qian's guards reside. The gatekeeper would never allow anyone to enter.

Boss Qian rarely goes out for social engagements, and even when he does, he is always protected by four or five strong men. Therefore, very few people have ever seen him. Perhaps he knows he committed too many evil deeds in his youth and fears revenge, which is why he lives a secluded life. Ling Junyi didn't go through the long corridor, so he didn't alert the gatekeepers. But as soon as he climbed the Qingshui wall of the seventh courtyard, two figures, swift as eagles, darted towards him. One of them shouted in a deep voice, "Who goes there?"

These two men were skilled martial artists, even among ordinary guards, but they had encountered Ling Junyi. He smiled at them and said, "It is I." After saying only three words, the two men who had pounced on him collapsed to the ground with a "thud."

Ling Junyi didn't linger. He leaped from the wall, like a dragon riding the wind, soaring into the air and onto the building in front. It was past midnight, and time was running out. He glanced around; this row of seven orange-painted and carved buildings was so vast. He wondered where Qian Junren lived. At midnight, the master and servants were all asleep, and the entire mansion was almost completely dark, except for a faint sliver of light shining from a paper window on the right. Ling Junyi didn't stop. He lightly touched the ground with his toes and leaped towards the light.

It was a small room. Ling Junyi entered through the window. Inside, a young woman in green was undressing, preparing to get into bed. Suddenly, she felt a gentle breeze, and the light flickered back to life. A handsome man appeared before her. Her heart pounded with fear, and she gasped in surprise, taking several steps back.

Ling Junyi smiled slightly at her and said, "Miss, there's no need to be afraid."

The woman's face still showed signs of shock, two red clouds rising on her cheeks. She stammered shyly, "You...what are you going to do?" Clearly, upon seeing that the person approaching was a tall, handsome young man with red lips and white teeth, her fear was gradually lessening, replaced by a shy blush.

Ling Junyi said, "I'm looking for Boss Qian. Where does he live?"

The girl looked at Ling Junyi. Seemingly disappointed, she bit her red lips and shook her head, saying, "I...I don't know."

Ling Junyi took a step forward and said, "I don't want to hurt you, but if you refuse to tell the truth, then don't blame me." With a flick of his right hand, a gleaming short sword appeared in his hand, its tip slowly pointing towards the girl in green's chest.

The girl in green's rosy face turned deathly pale, and she trembled as she said, "You...you want to kill me?"

Ling Junyi calmly replied, "I won't kill you. Just tell me where Boss Qian lives, and I'll spare you."

The girl said, "He...he's in the Third Concubine's room."

Ling Junyi asked, "Where is the Third Concubine's room?"

The girl in green said, "The third room in the back."

Ling Junyi said, "You're not lying to me, are you?"

The girl in green said, "Everything I said is true."

Ling Junyi said, "Good." He tapped her pressure point through her clothes with the tip of his sword, then sheathed his short sword and went out the window again. Beyond the rooftops was an exquisite courtyard, followed by a row of seven-bay buildings.

Ling Junyi didn't hesitate any longer. He leaped up, and just as he was about to land on the opposite side, he suddenly heard a shout, followed by the sound of metal blades cutting through the wind, attacking from behind. Two figures had already attacked from the left and right. Judging from their skills alone, they were no ordinary fighters, but Ling Junyi didn't take them seriously. He barely turned around, his left hand flashing behind him. A muffled groan followed, then a loud thud as one of them fell backward off the roof. His right hand swiftly caught the other man's knife, delivering a powerful blow to his chest, sending him tumbling head over heels as well. The fall of these two would naturally alert those inside, but Ling Junyi didn't care. He swiftly raised his hand, slamming open the window of the third room, and leaped inside.

This was, of course, a very luxurious room, pitch black inside, but the two sleeping on the bed had already woken up, huddled under the covers, trembling. Ling Junyi lit a torch and lit the silver lamp on the table, instantly illuminating the room. He then called out to the bed curtains, "Boss Qian, come out."

The soft curtains were lifted by trembling hands, and a thin, pale-faced old man, timidly dragging his shoes, got off the bed. The man was about sixty years old, with graying temples and a mustache. His triangular eyes, which had initially revealed extreme fear, softened when he saw that the person standing in the room was just a handsome young man in a blue robe, unarmed. He quickly put on a smile, cupped his hands, and said, "Welcome to my humble abode in the dead of night, sir. What brings you here?" At that moment, a commotion could be heard downstairs, with people shouting "Catch the thief!"

Ling Junyi ignored him and slowly asked, "Are you Boss Qian from Dongsheng Inn?"

Seeing his gentle tone and the sounds of people coming from downstairs, the old man's courage swelled slightly, and he nodded, saying, "Indeed, I am Qian. Brave warrior, please tell me your purpose. As long as it is within my power..."

"Shut up!" Ling Junyi's eyes flashed sharply, and he said in a deep voice, "I'm not after your gold and silver."

Boss Qian swallowed hard and asked, "Then, brave warrior..."

Ling Junyi said, "I ask you, is your surname Qian, the Qian of money?"

Boss Qian shuddered and said, "No, no, my surname is Qian, the Qian of Qiankun..." He hadn't noticed the short sword beside Ling Junyi and suddenly shouted, "Help! Thief!"

"Clang!" A sharp flash of light flew from Ling Junyi's hand, the chilling tip of the sword already pressed against Boss Qian's nose. He said coldly, "You, surnamed Qian, if you utter another lie, I'll slice off your nose first. Tell me, are you Qian Junren?"

Boss Qian nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, I...I...am Qian...Junren."

Ling Junyi's face was filled with murderous intent. He continued, "I'll ask you again, were you once the secretary to the Shandong Governor-General Guotai?"

Qian Junren said bitterly, "Brave warrior, that was in the past."

Ling Junyi's sword-like eyebrows twitched, and he raised his sword in his right hand... A tremor ran through him as a sharp short sword blocked his shoulder. A harsh voice said, "Very well. Do you still remember twenty years ago, when you advised that old scoundrel Guotai to break the Black Dragon Society of Kunyu Mountain?"

Qian Junren trembled and stammered, "This... brave... brave warrior, this old man can't remember."

Ling Junyi gritted his teeth and said, "You can't remember, but I remember very clearly. You devised a vicious and treacherous plan for Guotai, 'using bandits to control bandits.' The Black Dragon Society's promising foundation was destroyed by those four words. Qi Chengchang has already been executed; now it's your turn."

Qian Junren's face turned ashen. He suddenly knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly, "Brave warrior, spare my life! This old man had no choice." "

Ling Junyi said, "You don't need to beg me. I've come to Rehe to avenge the martyrs of the Black Dragon Society, to settle the blood debt for my deceased father, and to let the people under Manchu rule know that traitors and lackeys never have a good end. At the same time, I want you to die knowing why. I am Ling Junyi, the son of Ling Changfeng, the former leader of the Black Dragon Society. Do you understand?" Even though Qian Junren was a clerk by trade, a cunning and shrewd official, upon hearing Ling Junyi's words, he was already utterly terrified, collapsing to the ground, unable to utter a sound. As
soon as Ling Junyi finished speaking, a flash of sword light appeared, and with a "whoosh," Qian Junren's head fell to the ground. The third concubine, hiding in the boudoir, let out a sharp scream, already fainting from fright. Ling Junyi kicked Qian Junren's corpse aside, calmly picked up his head, put it in the oilcloth bag he had brought, and transformed into a rainbow, disappearing through the window.

The sky was already showing signs of dawn, and Rehe City was in complete chaos. Qi Chengchang, the commander of the Imperial Guard Battalion, disappeared without a trace. Gu Hongsheng, who was staying at the Longji Inn, had his heart meridians severed. The owner of the Dongsheng Inn had his six yang heads cut off. The guards of the third team of Jidifang were ambushed by the first team of the first squad, suffering heavy casualties. It is estimated that this series of events was the work of the "bandits." The four gates are still tightly closed, and a large-scale search is underway to arrest the rebels. At this time, at the three-way intersection outside the East Gate of Rehe, under a large tree, two carriages were resting.

In one carriage were six women: a mother and daughter, a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and three maids in blue. The mother-in-law looked to be over sixty, the daughter-in-law was a young woman in her prime, and the youngest sister-in-law was about eighteen or nineteen. They were all dressed simply, clearly from middle-class families. In the other carriage were also several young women. Not far away were two cloth merchants, one in his fifties, somewhat rustic, and the other about forty-five or forty-six, with a red face and a thin stature. This group of people seemed to be waiting for someone, because they kept turning their heads to look towards the main road to the west.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in the carriage were Madam Tie and Peony, the younger sister-in-law was Fang Ruping, the maids were Yingchun, Xinghua, and Chunxiang, and the old servant was Ding Qiao. The two cloth merchants were Wen Yifeng and Wen Yiqiao. In another carriage were Zhu Yaqin, Tang Wenqing, Wen Wanjun, Yinfeng, Nongyue, and Xuanyi Luosha, and under the tree was Qianlong Zhu Wenhua. They had agreed to meet Ling Junyi here. Just as everyone was anxiously waiting, a figure appeared on the main road to the east, swift as a galloping horse, flying towards them.

Fang Ruping was the first to shout with joy: "It's my elder brother, he's here." It was naturally Ling Junyi, carrying an oilcloth bag, which was naturally the head of Qian Junren, the judge of the underworld.

Ling Junyi ran to the front of the carriage, threw the oilcloth bag on the ground, and knelt down before Madam Tie, tears welling in his eyes. He said, "Mother, I have finally avenged Father and the senior members of the Black Dragon Society."

Madam Tie and her husband nodded tearfully, "Good child, get up! Mother knows everything. You are worthy of being Ling Changfeng's son, and you have done right by your grandfather. Come, we should go."

Mudan shifted her body slightly and said tenderly, "Hurry up and get in the carriage." Ding Qiao picked up the oilcloth bag and stuffed it into the carriage.

Ling Junyi didn't say much and climbed into the carriage. Ding Qiao skillfully lowered the carriage curtain, raised his whip in the air, making a crisp "crack" sound, and the two horses immediately set off, pulling the covered carriage. Then Wen Yifeng and Wen Yiqiao, disguised as cloth merchants, also mounted mules, while Qianlong Zhu Wenhua drove another carriage. They had only traveled about three miles when they spotted five elderly monks dressed in red sitting quietly on the main road ahead. They remained silent and motionless, seemingly oblivious to the rumbling of the approaching carriage! The double-bridled carriage moved extremely fast, and in the blink of an eye, it was close.

Ding Qiao, already prepared, pulled on the reins when they were still several dozen feet apart, slowing the carriage down. The two horses immediately let out a long, mournful neigh, and the wheels slid for about ten feet before coming to a stop. Zhu Wenhua, about ten feet away, also stopped the carriage. The Tie couple asked softly, "Elder Ding, what happened up ahead?"

Ding Qiao turned around and said, "Reporting to Madam, it's several monks blocking the road." As he spoke, he muttered, "It seems their route is a bit off."

The two sides were at least thirty feet apart, and Ding Qiao spoke the last sentence very softly. One of the five red-robed monks slowly said, "The approach is correct. This old monk is only looking for one person."

Peony suddenly stood up, lifted the carriage curtain slightly, and said, "Master, we are women, in a hurry to enter the pass. You haven't come to the wrong person, have you?"

The leading red-robed monk said, "How could this old monk come to the wrong person? Isn't there a young benefactor surnamed Ling in your carriage?" It was very clear that they were here for Ling Junyi.

Madam Tie frowned slightly and said softly, "These five people seem to be lamas."

The leading red-robed old monk said, "Excellent, excellent, Madam is right."

Ling Junyi said, "Mother, since they specifically asked for me, I'll go down and ask."

Zhuang Dan said, "They don't seem to have good intentions, be careful."

Fang Ruping said, "I'll go down too."

Madam Tie pulled her back and said, "Yi'er can go down and ask, but you don't need to."

Ling Junyi stepped down from the carriage and saw five red-robed lamas, each positioned in a different direction, sitting cross-legged with their eyes closed, forming a circle that was almost two zhang in diameter. He then cupped his hands and said, "Five... " "A senior monk seeks me out; what can I do for

you?" The leading red-robed lama slightly opened his eyes, clasped his hands in front of his chest, and said, "Amitabha, are you, young benefactor, Ling Junyi?"

Ling Junyi nodded and said, "Yes, I am."

The red-robed old monk slowly said, "This old monk has something to ask you, young benefactor."

Ling Junyi said, "I dare not presume."

The red-robed old monk said, "This old monk had a young disciple, whose Dharma name was Batu. Did he die at your hands, young benefactor?"

Ling Junyi's heart suddenly trembled upon hearing this. The red-robed lama Batu had died at the hands of his aunt, the Supreme One, but since his aunt was dead, he could not speak of it and had no choice but to take on this matter. With a thought, Ling Junyi nodded and said, "Indeed, your disciple was a protector of the Black Dragon Society. I sought revenge for my late father from Han Zhankui and fought with your disciple, who died by my sword."

The red-robed old monk showed no anger, nodding and saying, "I have heard that you, young benefactor, are a disciple of the Reverse-Hand Tathagata. I have long admired the name of the Reverse-Hand Tathagata and have only met him once in decades. Your ability to kill my disciple demonstrates your extraordinary martial arts and swordsmanship. My fellow disciples and I are quite eager to witness your swordsmanship. What do you say, young benefactor?" He clearly wanted to avenge his disciple, yet he said he wanted to witness Ling Junyi's swordsmanship. Ling Junyi was secretly startled. These five red-robed lamas were actually Batu's masters and uncles. He had personally witnessed Batu's martial arts, which were no less than those of the Supreme Master. These five red-robed old monks were of Batu's generation of masters, and any one of them was naturally much stronger than Batu.

Before Ling Junyi could speak, the leading red-robed monk continued, "I've also heard that you, young benefactor, are skilled in the 'Flying Dragon Three Swords,' adept at the Flying Dragon Thrust. My five fellow disciples and I will remain seated, refusing to move an inch. If you can fly out of our circle, I will concede defeat." This is strange. He seems to know perfectly well that Ling Junyi's "Flying Dragon Three Swords" allows him to soar through the air, yet he says that if all five of them remain seated, how can they possibly fight? Moreover, Ling Junyi only needs one move, "Divine Dragon Emerging from the Clouds," to fly out of their circle. Why would he say he'd concede defeat if he did?

Peony couldn't help but leap out and stand beside Ling Junyi, saying, "Master, you mean all five of you should attack together? Surely the two of us can join forces?"

The red-robed monk glanced at her and slowly said, "Female benefactor, it's best to step back."

Ling Junyi had already realized that these five red-robed monks were no ordinary people. They were seated according to the five elements, perhaps forming some powerful sword formation. He himself, having learned the "Nine Forms of Flying Dragon," might be able to handle it, but Peony only knew three sword techniques, and he feared she would have no chance of survival. Therefore, he said, "This master only wants to test my swordsmanship. You really should step back." As he spoke, he secretly transmitted his voice, saying, "I have learned the Nine Forms of Chongyang Zhenren's swordsmanship. Even if I cannot win, I might still be able to protect myself. But with you by my side, I will be unable to use my full strength."

At this moment, the sound of hooves approached, and Zhu Wenhua and the others had also arrived. Tang Wenqing and Wen Wanjun spotted Ling Junyi and Mudan standing side-by-side among five red-robed old monks. They barely had time to dismount before they both twisted their bodies and leaped from their saddles, landing beside Ling Junyi. Wen Wanjun asked sweetly, "What's going on? Are they trying to block our way? No problem, I'll deal with them."

Ling Junyi quickly waved his hand to stop them, saying, "Wanmei, don't be rash! You should all leave."

Madam Tie, sitting calmly in the carriage, said, "Yi'er is right. You should all leave so Yi'er can focus on learning from these masters." She held Fang Ruping's hand; otherwise, Fang Ruping would have also leaped away. Hearing Madam Tie's words, Mudan, Tang Wenqing, and Wen Wanjun had no choice but to leave together.

The leading red-robed old monk smiled calmly and said, "Young benefactor, please prepare."

Ling Junyi naturally dared not be careless and reached out to take out the Giant Sword from his side. At this moment, the five red-robed old monks also each took out a strange weapon about two feet long, resembling a sword but not quite! This kind of weapon had never been seen in the martial arts world before. It was a magic weapon used by lamas to subdue demons, called "Ga Zhang Ga". It was shaped like a sword, with gold thread engraving and gemstones inlaid on the hilt, making it extremely exquisitely decorated. The blade was only one foot long, shining with golden light, and seemed extremely sharp. The tip of the blade was a protruding cone, sharp and multifaceted, shaped like a snake's head.

Meanwhile, the five red-robed monks took out their "Gāzhāng Gā," held them upright against their chests, and remained cross-legged, eyes closed, silent and motionless, not at all like they were about to fight. However, Ling Junyi, standing among them, could already see that the five red-robed old monks were concentrating all their power into the strange weapons in their hands. Even before they made a move, a menacing killing intent was gradually intensifying from each of the strange weapons. This intense killing intent alone was enough to make one feel a chill. He knew that this battle would be extraordinary, and he had absolutely no confidence in whether he could withstand the combined attack of these five top experts. He didn't know what kind of weapon they were using, nor how they would attack. As the ancients said, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle." He didn't even know the slightest bit about their strengths or weaknesses. How could he possibly defend himself? He could only stand quietly in the middle, remaining unmoved in the face of any change.

After a full half-cup of hot tea's time, neither side made a move. Then, the leading red-robed monk slowly said, "Young benefactor, be careful." As he spoke, the "ga zhang ga" (a type of qigong) he held upright in front of his chest trembled slightly, and a wisp of energy shot out, sharp as an arrow, aimed

directly at Ling Junyi's brow. Ling Junyi was secretly startled, thinking, "This is sword energy." He didn't hesitate, swinging his short sword in his right hand to meet the attack. His swing was as cold as lightning, instantly blocking the leading red-robed monk's sword energy! But just as the leading red-robed monk made his move, the four red-robed monks sitting around him also attacked simultaneously. Four soft "chi" sounds rang out, and four wisps of sword energy pierced through their upright "ga zhang ga" and shot directly at Ling Junyi. There was no dazzling light, no crisscrossing sword shadows, only five extremely thin, cold, and chilling wisps of energy! Those around him, aside from hearing only a few faint whistling sounds, saw nothing amiss.

The five red-robed monks remained seated cross-legged, motionless. The only difference was that their eyes, which had previously been closed, were now piercingly fixed on the pointed tip of the strange weapon standing upright against their chests. The tip, however, was angled outwards, pointing directly at Ling Junyi. That was all! But Ling Junyi, standing in the center, felt differently. He sensed that the five strands of sword energy emanating from the five red-robed monks were like five bolts of lightning, their impact growing stronger with each strike. He wielded a short sword, circling it up, down, left, and right, tightly protecting his entire body. Each strike was imbued with true energy, swirling within a ten-foot radius around him, the sword light swirling, the wind hissing, barely managing to block the five sword energies. To onlookers, this was truly astonishing. The five monks hadn't even attacked; how could he alone wield his sword so rapidly? Of course, Madam Tie, Wen Yifeng, Zhu Wenhua, and Mudan had already vaguely discerned some clues. Although the five red-robed old monks remained seated, they were likely attacking Ling Junyi; otherwise, he wouldn't be dancing with his sword alone in the arena. However, this was merely speculation. If the five red-robed lamas were truly besieging Ling Junyi, such a supreme and unassuming contest would be impossible for others to intervene in. The five sword energies continuously intensified and clashed, weaving into a sword net around Ling Junyi, but this was invisible.

Ling Junyi stood upright, his essence, energy, and spirit simultaneously gathering and concentrating on the sword. Following the first sitting posture, he slowly sat down cross-legged. Strangely enough, the pressure from the five sword energies, which had been increasingly heavy as he swung his sword with all his might, suddenly lessened after he sat down in this posture. The five red-robed monks were straining to unleash their sword energy, on the verge of success, when suddenly they sensed Ling Junyi's protective sword energy intensify. Their sword energy, reaching only three feet in front of him, halted and could no longer penetrate. Each of them, focused entirely on the sharp, piercing point, hadn't noticed Ling Junyi sitting cross-legged in the center. Ling Junyi had

already mastered the first nine sword techniques left by Master Chongyang. While the last three of these twelve techniques were seated, they shared a common thread, though he hadn't yet grasped its essence. Now, sitting in the first seated posture, he immediately felt a sense of enlightenment, and the external pressure lessened dramatically. He realized that these three seated postures were truly the supreme methods of swordsmanship. He immediately held his short sword, focused his mind, and began to assume the second sitting posture. In that instant, he felt his body and mind become clear and open, and without realizing it, his spirit and sword merged, and the sword and his heart became one. He had already reached the third sitting posture. With each breath, his energy filled the universe, and the five sword energies around him suddenly disappeared without a trace. He only heard Fang Ruping's voice say, "Huh?" "What happened to these five red-robed lamas?"

Ling Junyi felt strange, took a slow breath, and opened his eyes. He saw that the five red-robed old monks had been lying on the ground without a sound for some time. The three young ladies, Tang Wenqing, Mudan, and Wen Wanjun, all looked astonished and rushed over simultaneously, asking with concern and anxiety, "Are you alright?"

Ling Junyi leaped up, sheathed his sword, and said, "Thank you all. I'm so lucky to have escaped this ordeal. Those five red-robed lamas were using the Five Elements Sword Qi."

Fang Ruping then jumped out of the carriage and asked, "Brother, what is the Five Elements Sword Qi?"

Before Ling Junyi could answer, he suddenly turned and looked east, his expression changing slightly. He said, "Someone's coming."

Fang Ruping turned back and asked, "Where?" Before she finished speaking, the sound of rapid hoofbeats approached from afar, and in a short while, they were right in front of them.

The rider, a highly skilled horseman, reined in his horse, dismounted, and took an envelope from his robes. With a respectful expression, he approached Ling Junyi, bowed, and said, "I am here on Young Master Fu's orders to deliver this letter. Please open it." He then presented the letter with both hands. Ling Junyi took the letter and felt a sense of familiarity with the man. Before Ling Junyi could ask any questions, the man quickly mounted his horse and galloped away.

Watching his retreating figure, Ling Junyi suddenly remembered that he was the one who had delivered the letter to him at the second watch of the night last night. He quickly looked down at the envelope; on it was written in elegant handwriting: "Presented to Young Master Ling for personal opening."

She tore open the seal, pulled out the letter, and faintly smelled a delicate fragrance. It read: "To Young Master Ling Junyi: My sister is from the Azure Sky Clan, her art inherited from the Snow Mountain Clan. She is proud and aloof, and no man in the world can match her. Then, by the Black Dragon Pool, I met you. Like a dragon soaring and a phoenix dancing, I was defeated by your sword. Only then did I realize that among the masses, there truly is a unicorn, causing ripples to stir in my still heart. However, since you and I are now enemies, I have retreated quietly." How could my heart not be joyful? Knowing of your journey to Rehe, I, under the name of Fu Gefei, arranged this meeting at the inn, where we shared wine and laughter—a joy enough to comfort me for a lifetime. These two letters are a token of my gratitude to my kindred spirit, and the only thing I can do for you. However, this act betrays my family and shames my

heart. Once this letter reaches your eyes, I will have already retreated to the Western Hills, to live a life of quiet contemplation. Please take good care of yourself. Shui Qingying bows again. Ling Junyi held the pen and paper in both hands, lost in thought. It was Shui Qingying! She was Fu Gefei, the princess of the Fu residence—the white-robed scholar who had drawn away the pursuers for him that night in the palace. She was an extraordinary woman, and also a woman of deep affection. Seeing him holding the letter, so absorbed in his moment, everyone gathered around. After reading the letter, they couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

Suddenly, Peony said, "Brother, don't be sad. I'll go with you."

Ling Junyi turned around abruptly, "Sister, you mean..."

Madam Tie suddenly interrupted, "Yi'er, Peony is right. This Shui Qingying is indeed a devoted woman. I don't object."

Ling Junyi nodded, "Thank you, Mother."

Madam Tie said, "Let's get to the nearest town first, and then we can discuss it further." The group then got back into the carriage and continued their journey eastward...

Ling Junyi and his group settled down in a small town not far from the capital. Because of Shui Qingying's matter, Ling Junyi was somewhat listless. After eating, he returned to his room, lay on the bed fully clothed, and stared blankly at the ceiling.

"Knock! Knock! Knock." There was a knock on the door.

"The door isn't locked." Ling Junyi didn't even turn his head, still staring at the ceiling.

With a creak, the door opened. Judging from the sound, there were two people. A fragrant breeze wafted in. Ling Junyi knew it must be one of Peony and the others, so he didn't pay any attention and remained motionless. A person walked to the bedside and sat down. Ling Junyi looked and saw it was Fang Ruping. Fang Ruping smiled and said, "Big brother, don't worry. Tomorrow, Sister Mudan will accompany you to Xishan. Sister Mudan has already guaranteed that she will be able to make Miss Shui change her mind. Don't be so gloomy. Sit up quickly, look who's here?"

Ling Junyi sat up and saw that it was Zhu Yaqin, her face flushed with shyness. He quickly said, "So it's Miss Zhu, please have a seat."

"What Miss Zhu? Call me sister!"

Fang Ruping said coquettishly. "Sister Qin," Ling Junyi said sweetly. "

Little brother..." Zhu Yaqin was still a little shy.

"Giggle..." Fang Ruping laughed, "Cousin, why are you still shy?"

Zhu Yaqin glanced at Fang Ruping and said, "You wild girl, who's like you?"

"Giggle, cousin, you're kicking me out, so I'm leaving." Fang Ruping said with a smile.

"Cousin, don't go." Zhu Yaqin hurriedly grabbed Fang Ruping.

Ling Junyi looked on curiously: "Pingmei, what's wrong with you cousins?"

Hearing Ling Junyi's question, Zhu Yaqin blushed even more, unable to lift her head. Fang Ruping, on the other hand, giggled incessantly, laughing for a long time before finally stopping. Looking at Ling Junyi, she said with a smile, "Big brother, we sisters know you're unhappy, so we asked our cousin to come keep you company tonight. But she insisted on dragging me along. Now you know, if you keep looking so gloomy, our cousin won't be happy, and I won't agree to it."

Ling Junyi then realized that this was the women's good intention. Fang Ruping didn't hesitate, bringing over two glasses of wine and handing them to Ling Junyi. He said to Zhu Yaqin, "Cousin, today is your special day. Although it's not a formal wedding ceremony, we should still drink a cup of nuptial wine."

Zhu Yaqin blushed with embarrassment. Ling Junyi was an experienced man; after they drank, Fang Ruping smiled and said, "It's getting late, cousin, brother, a moment of passion is worth a thousand pieces of gold."

Zhu Yaqin whispered, "Cousin, I'm a little scared. You go first." Fang Ruping

smiled and said, "Cousin, really! Alright, I'll reluctantly warm up for you first." Ling Junyi naturally understood the meaning of "warming up." He hadn't been with a woman in a long time and was quite eager. Zhu Yaqin was a virgin and naturally couldn't satisfy him. With Fang Ruping's help, it was much better.

In the blink of an eye, Fang Ruping was only left in her nightgown; she had only worn another garment over it. Ling Junyi turned his head and saw Fang Ruping's attire, which made his heart flutter. Fang Ruping was dressed in a bright purple nightgown, the silk fabric of which was not worn underneath, revealing glimpses of her voluptuous, fair body and her firm, snow-white breasts. Her high, erect nipples trembled with each step, releasing a breathtakingly alluring fragrance. Her slender, exquisite curves were graceful and alluring, especially noticeable in the small underpants she wore. Ling Junyi was mesmerized, a burning desire coursing through him. Fang

Ruping noticed Ling Junyi's eyes fixed on her private parts, a surge of joy washing over her. Her gaze returned to Ling Junyi's crotch. A faint blush graced her fair, pretty face, making her already beautiful and sensual features even more alluring. She lay reclining on Ling Junyi's soft bed, her right elbow propping her up, her hand gently supporting her rosy cheek, her alluring eyes glancing at Ling Junyi, her lips brimming with desire. Her left hand deliberately lifted her robe, revealing two fair, shapely, and slender legs, a seductive pose.

Ling Junyi felt a surge of heat, and quickly stripped off his clothes, standing naked before her. His robust, masculine physique, full of vitality, was presented before Fang Ruping, causing her to widen her beautiful eyes, her lips slightly parted, letting out a soft gasp, her face flushed, shy and bashful. In an instant, Ling Junyi had removed Fang Ruping's robe and underpants. Fang Ruping's snow-white skin, slightly flushed, revealed a voluptuous, fair body with beautiful curves. Her full, alluring breasts stood high, topped with nipples like ripe grapes. Below was a smooth abdomen, and at the junction of her full, white thighs, a thicket of dark pubic hair grew, revealing three slightly protruding mounds of flesh with a fleshy slit in the middle—truly a beautiful sight.

Seeing his first woman lying naked before him, Ling Junyi could wait no longer. He quickly bent down, his strong body pressing against Fang Ruping's soft, smooth female form. His mouth moved towards Fang Ruping's two breasts, opening it to take her bright red nipples into his mouth, sucking hard. He used his tongue to move up and down, left and right, constantly swirling around her nipples. With one hand, he grasped her other breast, pressing it down forcefully, kneading and kneading the firm, white flesh, his fingers kneading and pinching her nipples. Fang Ruping, her desire surging, shifted restlessly in resistance, but this only fueled Ling Junyi's lust. He sucked on her nipple even more vigorously, his hands kneading her breasts with increasing force. This teasing of sucking and pressing made Fang Ruping unbearable.

"Ugh... hum... um... um... um..." Fang Ruping felt an unbearable tingling and itching all over her body. Her breasts felt numb and itchy, a tingling sensation that penetrated deep into her bones. She enjoyed this feeling, clenching her teeth in ecstasy, her breath coming in rapid gasps, letting Ling Junyi play with her beautiful body and breasts.

"Big brother... I... um... hum... no... don't suck my breasts... no... um... my... my little hole... it's so itchy... itchy... hum..." After his teasing, Fang Ruping clung tightly to Ling Junyi, moaning softly.

Ling Junyi knew she was already overcome with lust, so he quickly slid his right hand down, past her smooth abdomen and the downy, dark bush, towards Fang Ruping's alluring vulva. He felt a few soft pubic hairs around her vulva, her plump labia were hard and swollen, and the deep crevice between them was already overflowing with lustful fluid, so warm and sticky to the touch. Suddenly, Ling Junyi inserted his fingers into her vulva, probing and teasing her tender flesh, causing the vaginal walls to contract and spasm.

Fang Ruping's heart pounded like a deer's, her face flushed, her white flesh trembling slightly, and she cried out, "Big brother... don't tease... um... hmph... sister... sister will insert it for you... um... no... don't dig anymore... my pussy is itchy... itchy... hmph..."

Pressed against her soft and alluring body, Ling Junyi was already lost in a daze, his mind pounding wildly. Fang Ruping's moans only fueled his desire. He jumped off the bed, stood beside it, grabbed her legs, and lifted them high. His already hard and erect member was then placed against her wet, glistening vulva. He squatted down, thrusting his hips forward, and forcefully shoved his member into her vagina. With a "plop," their organs met.

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