Love and Sword [Complete] - 6

Volume Three, Chapter One: Love's Thinness Across the World.

Hua Yuluan sat quietly on the edge of the bed, her face lacking the shyness expected of a bride, instead displaying unease. She gazed at Hua Ruoxu's back, repeatedly hesitating to speak.
Hua Ruoxu had been standing there for half the night, motionless and silent.
"Junior Brother!" Hua Yuluan finally couldn't hold back any longer, calling out to Ruoxu in a sweet voice. Ruoxu turned his head as if waking from a dream, looking at Hua Yuluan's beautiful face, and slowly walked to the bedside, gently embracing her. "Senior Sister
, sleep!" Ruoxu said softly. Hua Yuluan's fears hadn't come true; Ruoxu didn't question her about Jiang Qingyue.
The two red candles, which had almost burned out, finally went out. In the darkness, Ruoxu's eyes remained open. Hua Yuluan noticed that her beloved, who had been so passionately devoted to her just two days before their wedding, was now merely holding her gently, without any movement.
Not far from the bridal chamber, a pair of bright, beautiful eyes stopped watching after the lights went out. Within days, Hua Ruoxu's name had become the talk of the town. His story of abandoning Jiang Qingyue for Hua Yuluan was embellished with exaggerated tales. The most widespread version was that Hua Ruoxu only stayed with Jiang Qingyue for the Love Sword, and then discarded her after obtaining it. In their mouths, Hua Ruoxu had become a shameless swindler who cheated her out of money and sex.
Meanwhile , on Mount Hua, Hua Ruoxu acted as usual. During the day, he and Hua Yuluan visited relatives and friends like any ordinary newlywed couple. At night, they were still affectionate with each other. However, only Hua Yuluan knew that Hua Ruoxu did nothing more than hold her that night. Another night passed, and Hua Yuluan noticed something was wrong with Hua Ruoxu. As soon as darkness fell, he led her into the bedroom. What surprised her even more was his next move: he kissed her passionately and roughly. Hua Yuluan responded shyly, but was secretly delighted. Their naked bodies intertwined until Hua Yuluan finally collapsed against Hua Ruoxu, her body limp. A sweet smile graced her face, a blush spreading across her fair cheeks; her beauty was breathtaking! "Senior Sister, I have to go!" Hua Ruoxu finally spoke, and the smile vanished from Hua Yuluan's face the moment his words left her lips. "Where are you going?" Hua Yuluan's voice trembled. "Senior Sister, I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't leave now, but I have to go. But I don't know where to go." Hua Ruoxu's tone was tinged with guilt, yet resolute. "Are you going to find Jiang Qingyue?" Hua Yuluan wasn't stupid; she immediately guessed Hua Ruoxu's intentions. However, her heart was heavy. She had thought Hua Ruoxu was ready to settle down with her, but it turned out he still couldn't forget Jiang Qingyue. "Senior Sister, for you, for us, I should go find Sister Qing." Hua Ruoxu's voice was gentle, but to Hua Yuluan it felt incredibly cold. "Go away, go away, and don't come back!" Hua Yuluan suddenly cried out. Hua Ruoxu suddenly noticed that her face was covered in tears. "Senior sister, please don't cry, okay?" Seeing Hua Yuluan's tears, even Hua Ruoxu's hardened heart softened. He murmured, kissing her cheek. "Junior brother, please don't leave me, okay?" Hua Yuluan's eyes were brimming with tears. Only in front of Hua Ruoxu would she be so vulnerable. "No, no, senior sister, how could I leave you?" Hua Ruoxu murmured, and began to invade Hua Yuluan's delicate body again, comforting his beloved senior sister. *** *** *** Hua Yuluan opened her eyes, feeling that her clothes were already neatly dressed. A bad premonition rose in her heart. She reached out her jade hand to her side, and as she expected, there was no one there. A wave of sorrow and resentment rose in her heart. Junior brother, have you finally left? "Hua Ruoxu, am I, Hua Yuluan, really inferior to Jiang Qingyue? You're a bastard!" The door was gently pushed open, and Hua Yuluan abruptly sat up in bed, only to slump back down. It wasn't Hua Ruoxu who entered, but her beloved younger sister, Hua Yufeng. "Sister, you're awake?" Hua Yufeng's soft voice rang out. "Where is he?" Hua Yuluan found her voice trembling. She realized how much Hua Ruoxu held in her heart; she so desperately wished he were still on Mount Hua. "Junior Brother has left, but..." Hua Yufeng sighed softly. "But what?" Hua Yuluan asked urgently, her previously dim eyes brightening again. "Before he left, he asked me to take good care of you, sister, and he had a few words for me to tell you," Hua Yufeng said softly. "He said that in his heart, you will always be the most important person. Although you drove Jiang Qingyue away, he won't hate you or blame you. However, as a man, he must find Jiang Qingyue, and he will come back after he finds her." "What if he can't find her in his entire life? Will he never come back?" Hua Yuluan said indignantly. "He also said that if he still can't find Jiang Qingyue within three years, he will come back and won't look for her again. He said that you will always be his wife, and he must fulfill his responsibilities as a husband, so he will only take a maximum of three years to find Jiang Qingyue," Hua Yufeng sighed softly. "Damn it, once you leave, you're not coming back!" Hua Yuluan said bitterly, but it was unclear who she was talking to. "Don't you really want him to come back?" Hua Yufeng sighed inwardly, but didn't say it aloud. Hua Ruoxu knew he couldn't leave while Hua Yuluan was awake, so he secretly pressed her pressure point to induce sleep. He then found Hua Yufeng and asked her to take care of Hua Yuluan. He then left Mount Hua at this time; no one stopped him—neither Hua Yufeng nor Hua Tianyun. Hua Ruoxu made this decision after a long internal struggle. On the wedding day, when he learned that Hua Yuluan had forced Jiang Qingyue away with her sword, and when he learned that Su Daier had only used the pretext of a wedding to test Mount Hua's strength, he felt an unprecedented sadness and helplessness. However, he ultimately couldn't blame Hua Yuluan, nor did he want her to be condemned by the world. So he took on that burden for Hua Yuluan, and with a stroke of his sword, severed his ties of affection, putting an end to his relationship with Su Daier. Although he knew he still couldn't forget her, he felt he should do this. Although he took the blame for Hua Yuluan, he couldn't truly abandon Jiang Qingyue. He had to find her, even though he knew Hua Yuluan might not agree so easily. But since he felt it was his duty, he had to do it. Slowly descending Mount Hua, the Love Sword in his hand, Hua Ruoxu felt somewhat lost. The world was vast; where could he find Jiang Qingyue? In this sea of people, finding someone was no easy task, especially since he didn't know if Jiang Qingyue would even see him. The weather was gradually getting hotter, but Hua Ruoxu felt quite cool, probably due to the Love Sword's effects. Walking along the official road, his mind was filled with countless thoughts. Unconsciously, he arrived at a valley. Looking closely, he felt a sense of familiarity. He remembered passing through this place with the Dajiang Escort Agency, where they had been besieged. Hua Yuluan had appeared just in time to rescue them, but ultimately, she couldn't save them. Hua Ruoxu sighed softly. He thought of Xiaoyue, that lovely and devoted beauty, but alas, fate was cruel, and her soul was gone. He thought of Zhang Lie, the expert on the Earth Ranking, the one who had driven Xiaoyue to her death. But was he now Zhang Lie's match? Perhaps he was still unable to avenge Xiaoyue.

Life is unpredictable. Just a few months ago, Hua Ruoxu could never have imagined he would be like this now. Yet, in those short months, he had undergone a complete transformation, becoming a true member of the martial world. "
Once you're in the martial world, you're no longer in control of your own destiny," and he was beginning to live out the meaning of that saying. Clad in white, tall and elegant, with handsome features and a refined air, Hua Ruoxu was undoubtedly a refined gentleman. Although a hint of melancholy lingered in his eyes, it only enhanced his charm.
Ruoxu arrived in Chang'an weary from his journey. After all, Chang'an was crowded, and finding someone in a crowd might be easier. However, he had already asked countless people if they had seen a young woman dressed in white with a veil, but everyone he asked shook their heads. "
Sister Qing, oh Sister Qing, where did you go? Did you not even take this road?" Hua Ruoxu sighed inwardly. Without a single clue, finding someone was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
He sat by the window, even while eating, unwilling to waste this time, watching the passersby on the street.
"Hua Ruoxu, you despicable man!" A furious shout rang out, the wind whistling past his ears. Hua Ruoxu dodged, a gleaming longsword slashing diagonally past him, but the poor restaurant table suffered the consequences, struck squarely.
"Brother Hua, I wonder what I did wrong?" Hua Ruoxu asked with a bitter smile. The owner of the longsword was none other than Hua Feihua, whose face was somewhat haggard, his eyes filled with rage as he glared fiercely at Hua Ruoxu.
"Hua Ruoxu, don't you know what you've done?" Hua Feihua laughed wildly, "Now that your martial arts are high, you can do whatever you want. I truly regret not being a villain sooner and killing you with a single sword strike!"
"Brother Hua, it seems you've misunderstood me. I truly don't know what you're after." Hua Ruoxu's expression was helpless; he didn't fully understand, but he vaguely suspected it was related to Jiang Qingyue.
A commotion began to rise in the restaurant; there's always someone who enjoys watching a fight.
“Hua Ruoxu, I finally see through you. Hua Ruoxu, it's one thing to want the Love Sword, but why did you have to deceive Qingyue's feelings? I, Hua Feihua, have never seen anyone more shameless than you!” Hua Feihua's handsome face was slightly distorted, clearly furious.
“I deceived Sister Qing for the Love Sword? So this is the kind of person I've become.” Hua Ruoxu murmured, his expression strange, like he was about to cry, yet also like he was laughing.
“I should have known, public opinion can be deceiving. But Sister Qing, you don't think so too, do you?” Hua Ruoxu muttered to himself, his voice so low that even Hua Feihua couldn't hear him, and it was filled with bitterness.
“Hua Ruoxu, what do you have to say now? If you have nothing to say, I'll seek justice for Qingyue right now!” Hua Feihua asked with a cold smile.
“Brother Hua, I want to ask a question first, have you seen Sister Qing?” Hope appeared in Hua Ruoxu's eyes.
“Hua Ruoxu, why are you still looking for her? Qingyue has nothing left for you to deceive.” Hua Feihua said coldly.
"So, you've seen Sister Qing? Or is Sister Qing at the Hua family right now?" Hua Ruoxu asked urgently, his voice trembling slightly.
"None of this concerns you. Now it's time for you to pay your debts. Don't think that just because you're the son-in-law of Huashan I won't dare to do anything to you!" Hua Feihua didn't give Hua Ruoxu any answer, and as she spoke, her longsword came at him again.
Hua Ruoxu had no choice but to dodge. Today, Hua Ruoxu was indeed beyond Hua Feihua's ability to deal with. If Hua Ruoxu hadn't wanted to avoid hurting him, Hua Feihua would probably have fallen to Ruoxu's sword in less than ten moves.
Hua Feihua's attacks continued relentlessly. A bitter smile appeared on Ruoxu's lips. He leaped into the air, and in a flash, he was already at the entrance of the restaurant. With a light flick of his hand, a streak of white light flew towards Hua Feihua.
Hua Feihua dodged it, but the white light flew to the innkeeper; it turned out to be a piece of broken silver.
"Everyone says I'm heartless and ungrateful, what's the use of my explanation?" Hua Ruoxu's voice was tinged with desolation. As he spoke, he was already on the street, his movements fluid and graceful, disappearing from sight in an instant.
Hua Feihua stared blankly in the direction Hua Ruoxu had vanished, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Whispers began to rise in the restaurant, discussing how heartless and despicable Hua Ruoxu was!
Public opinion was a powerful force; Hua Ruoxu finally understood this. He now realized how utterly despicable he was in the eyes of others. Not only had he stolen Jiang Qingyue's sword of love, but he had also deceived her feelings and her body. However, he didn't regret it. He should have expected this outcome. From the moment he announced to everyone that he had instructed Hua Yuluan to force Jiang Qingyue away, he should have known he would be seen this way.
But he wasn't worried. He believed Jiang Qingyue would understand his heart. All he needed now was to find Jiang Qingyue. He suspected Jiang Qingyue was with the Hua family, but it was clear that going openly wouldn't get him the answer he wanted.
Therefore, Hua Ruoxu stayed in Chang'an for the time being.

Volume Three, Seeking Love, Chapter Two: A Love Affair with a Beautiful Woman (Part 1)

In the clear lake water, fish swam freely. In the middle of the lake stood a small pavilion, and in the center sat a girl in white palace attire. She held a zither in her arms, her eyes slightly closed, her slender fingers gently gliding across the strings. The melodious music floated in the air, graceful and moving.
"Miss." Another girl in a white dress appeared behind the young lady, her eyes filled with worry as she looked at the girl in palace attire.
"Liu Yun, how is he now?" The music suddenly stopped, and a sweet, melodious voice floated from the girl in palace attire.
"People in the martial arts world say that Young Master Hua deceived Jiang Qingyue's feelings for the sake of the Love Sword, calling him despicable, shameless, and heartless," Liu Yun said softly. "However, Young Master Hua has already left Mount Hua and just arrived in Chang'an today. He had a conflict with Hua Feihua in Chang'an."
"Hua Feihua? Was he injured?" The girl in palace attire, Su Dai'er, asked with some worry.
"Miss, Young Master Hua's martial arts are already very high; he has few rivals in the martial arts world," Liu Yun said helplessly. Didn't Miss already know that Hua Ruoxu's martial arts were quite good?
"Oh, I forgot for a moment. I only remember him as someone who didn't know martial arts," Su Dai'er sighed softly, seemingly troubled.
"Miss, why didn't you explain that day?" Liu Yun finally couldn't help but ask.
"I am the Palace Master of the Demon Palace; I cannot explain," Su Dai'er finally answered after a long silence. Brother Ruoxu, why did you believe me so easily? Didn't you really know that Dai'er was serious about you?
*** *** ***
Mount Hua. At Luanfeng Tower, in the Phoenix Pavilion,
Han Shuang rushed in, somewhat flustered.
"Miss, something terrible has happened!" Han Shuang gasped.
"What is it? Where's Xiao Xue?" Hua Yufeng frowned slightly.
"Miss, Xiao Xue... she secretly ran away while I wasn't looking," Han Shuang said urgently.
"Do you know where she went?" Hua Yufeng didn't seem particularly surprised, but sighed softly.
"I don't know, but Xiao Xue asked me about the young master. She asked when he would return, and I said at most three years. Then Xiao Xue didn't say anything more, and not long after, I wasn't paying attention and found she was gone." Han Shuang glanced at Hua Yufeng worriedly, seemingly afraid of her scolding.
"Junior brother, you've really caused a lot of trouble! My sister has been neglecting her meals because of you, and now Xiao Xue has run away from home because of you," Hua Yufeng thought to herself.
"Miss, should we go find Xiaoxue and bring her back?" Han Shuang asked timidly when
Hua Yufeng remained silent. "My sister stays locked in her room all day, unable to manage affairs, and the Demon Palace is watching us closely. How can I leave?" Hua Yufeng sighed. "Xiao Shuang, go and tell a few disciples to look for Xiaoxue. That's all we can do now. I hope she can find her junior brother soon."
Xiaoxue, it's clearly hopeless, why are you so infatuated?
*** *** ***
Chang'an.
At midnight, a white figure slipped out of an inn and headed straight for the Hua family.
At the Hua family, two people were facing off.
The Hua family head, Hua Cuo, ranked eighth on the Earth Ranking, wore a brocade robe and had a cold expression. Opposite him stood a handsome man in white, the White Robe Pavilion Master, ranked second on the Human Ranking.
"The White Robe Pavilion Master has actually come in person. I don't know whether to say it's an honor or an misfortune for me," Hua Cuo suddenly said with a faint smile.
"Having taken their money, I'm obligated to solve their problems. I didn't want to come to Brother Hua's place, but unfortunately, the reputation of this establishment needs my personal protection," the man in white said with a sly smile.
"So, there's no room for negotiation between us," Hua Cuo said coldly.
"Originally, I wanted to wait for Miss Yue to leave, but unfortunately, while I can wait, my client cannot. So, I have no choice but to offend you today," the man in white said calmly.
"Although Master Bai is an assassin, he is also a ruthless and ambitious man. I hope Master Bai can agree to one condition of mine," Hua Cuo said after a moment's thought, silently surveying his surroundings and sensing that there were dozens of top-tier experts present.
"Brother Hua, please speak," the man in white said calmly with a slight smile.
"Master Bai's target is naturally my niece, Tianhong. However, if Master Bai agrees, we should have a duel. If I, Hua, lose, I will no longer interfere in Tianhong's affairs. If Master Bai loses, then as long as Tianhong remains in the Hua family, Master Bai cannot make a move. Does Master Bai agree?" Hua Cuo finished speaking and stared intently at Bai Yi. "
Brother Hua overestimates me. I admit I am no match for you, so I will not agree to such conditions." Bai Yi refused outright. "I am merely an assassin. An assassin's purpose is only to kill. How one kills is unimportant. For me, I will only choose the method most advantageous to me." "
Since that's the case, then I, Hua, will not be polite." Hua Cuo did not expect Bai Yi to be so unmoved. With a deep shout, he raised his hand, and countless palm shadows struck towards Bai Yi, striking first.
Bai Yi smiled slightly, avoiding the enemy's strength and attacking their weakness. With a swift movement, he shifted more than ten feet to the side, letting out a clear whistle. Before the whistle had even finished, Hua Cuo had already seen more than a dozen figures rushing towards the Hua family's backyard.
Hua Cuo's expression changed, and he retreated rapidly. The White Robe Tower assassins seemed to be even more skilled than he had estimated; their lightness of movement alone was enough to tell.
"Brother Hua, is there any need to rush?" Bai Yi chuckled, following closely behind. Hua Cuo felt the wind whistling behind him, and a sword aura was already attacking him. Helpless, he could only dodge to the side and turn to engage Bai Yi in combat.
The White Robe Tower had gone all out this time, sending out eight gold-level swordsmen and four silver-level swordsmen. The gold-level swordsmen were skilled enough to stand alone, and the silver-level swordsmen were also considered first-rate. Considering Hua Cuo's high skill level, Bai Yi personally took action to restrain him, showing no mercy until he achieved his goal.
Yue Tianhong, Zhang Lingyun, Hua Feihua, and others were all in the backyard. Hua Cuo and Bai Yi had been facing off for some time, and they had long been prepared. In fact, ever since Yue Tianhong and Zhang Lingyun arrived at the Hua family, the family had been on high alert. However, today they were dismayed to find that the Hua family's usually proud thirty-six iron guards were so vulnerable in front of Bai Yi Lou's gold-level swordsmen. Twelve against thirty-six, apart from the four silver-level swordsmen who suffered some minor injuries, the eight gold-level swordsmen were unscathed, while half of the Hua family's thirty-six iron guards had already fallen. Although they were not dead, they had all lost their ability to fight. Hua Feihua felt a chill in her heart.

Volume 3, Seeking Love, Chapter 2, Love Ties to a Beauty (Part 2)

A clear, crisp shout rang out, followed by a hissing sound as a slender figure flew through the air, appearing like a ghost before Hua Feihua and the others. Her face was veiled in black, her figure slender, her eyes gleaming with cold light, and the words she uttered were as chilling as the biting cold of winter: "Kill!"
With a flick of her slender hand, a small weapon, resembling a sword but not quite, appeared in her hand, gleaming with a cold light. If the weapon moved, it would writhe like a serpent, creating a flurry of sword flowers as it coiled towards the eight gold-level swordsmen.
Hua Feihua seemed relieved to see the woman in black, nodded to the others, and swiftly pounced on a silver-level swordsman. Yue Tianhong and his wife, along with the eighteen iron guards of the Hua family who were still capable of fighting, also surrounded her, leaving the eight gold-level swordsmen to the woman alone.
The woman in black was incredibly agile, her body flitting among the eight men like a butterfly, dazzling them. Her attacks were ruthless, each strike aimed at vital points, effectively binding the eight men and preventing them from escaping. The situation changed drastically. The four silver-level swordsmen from the White Robe Tower were clearly no match for the large group from the Hua family. They quickly found themselves stretched thin and began to suffer injuries.
The eight men entangled by the woman in black were inwardly groaning. She seemed to be wielding a soft sword, a weapon difficult for most to handle, but a skilled user was a formidable opponent. Even when their swords seemed to have blocked an attack, they suddenly realized they hadn't. The soft sword's tip had changed direction and continued its attack upon impact. A gold-level swordsman broke out in a cold sweat; he had narrowly escaped being wounded.
"I never imagined the Hua family would have such a master. No wonder they've remained a force to be reckoned with in the martial world. Truly admirable!" A soft sigh rang out, and the faces of the White Robe Tower members lit up with joy. The newcomer was
also dressed in white, tall and slender, with handsome features and an extraordinary bearing. He slowly walked towards the woman in black, his steps light, yet exuding an invisible pressure. Hua Feihua's expression changed slightly; he abandoned the silver-ranked swordsman opposite him and blocked the way for the newcomer.
"The dashing young master Hua Feihua, perhaps no one can compare to you in terms of romance, but in terms of martial arts, you are far inferior." The newcomer shook his head, his tone very calm. However, the calmer he was, the more chilling it became.
"It is truly an honor that Shan Xiaoyao, one of the four most renowned assassins of the White Robe Tower, has also come." Hua Feihua forced a smile. However, in his heart, he was extremely shocked. In the White Robe Tower, people said that the highest martial arts skill might not be held by the White Robe, but by his four assassins: Shan Xiaoyao, Xiao Wudi, Dao Zongheng, and Jian Tianxia, known as the Four Assassins of the White Robe. Xiaoyao Wudi, the peerless master. The four assassins of the White Robe Tower rarely make a move compared to the White Robe Tower's leader, Bai Yi. Some in the martial arts world even speculate that these four might not be Bai Yi's subordinates, but rather have some unknown relationship with him. There's a saying in the martial arts world: "When the four assassins strike, not a single chicken or dog is spared.
" "If you had handed over these two earlier, why would I have had to personally intervene? Alas, what a pity." Shan Xiaoyao looked at Hua Feihua with pity, his tone full of regret.
The woman in black began to stagger, clearly distracted; Shan Xiaoyao's appearance had put immense pressure on her.
"People say people die for money, and it's true. Coming here to die for a little money, alas, what a pity, what a pity, what a pity." Another soft sigh rang out. The Hua family members felt a chill in their hearts upon seeing the newcomer, who was also dressed in white.
However, Yue Tianhong and Zhang Lingyun showed a hint of joy, while Hua Feihua's expression was strange, for the newcomer was none other than Hua Ruoxu.
"Your tone is quite arrogant. May I ask who you are?" A cold glint flashed in Shan Xiaoyao's eyes as he slowly turned to face Hua Ruoxu and asked coldly.
"I am Hua Ruoxu, and I am an old acquaintance of the White Robe Tower." Hua Ruoxu smiled slightly, and the oppressive aura emanating from Shan Xiaoyao vanished without a trace before him.
"Hua Ruoxu?" Perhaps the Hua family members were not too surprised by this name, although Hua Ruoxu was now very famous. However, for the people of the White Robe Tower, they all gasped in shock, because they all knew that this Hua Ruoxu had, not long ago, left twelve silver-level swordsmen of the White Robe Tower dead with a single sword strike.
"I am but a nobody, my name is probably not worthy of Brother Shan's attention. However, I have some matters to ask of the Hua family, so I have no choice but to step forward. Alas, I am quite helpless. If Brother Shan could grant me some face and lead the White Robe Tower away, I would be eternally grateful." Hua Ruoxu's current demeanor gave off a somewhat cynical and unserious air. "
Hua Ruoxu of Mount Hua, husband of the Heartless Fairy Hua Yuluan, disciple of Hua Tianyun, the head of Mount Hua, and a disciple of the top-ranked master on the Heavenly Ranking, Zen Master Jueyuan, how could I be a nobody? Today, I am fortunate enough to test whether Brother Hua's reputation is truly deserved." Shan Xiaoyao laughed heartily, his face showing excitement, and his eyes even more so, a hint of fanaticism, like a hunter spotting his most desired prey.
"In that case, I won't stand on ceremony," Hua Ruoxu said with a smile, his hand gently gripping the Love Sword. A slight coolness emanated from the blade, making his mind clearer. But at this moment, he thought of Jiang Qingyue and the suddenly vanished Hua Tianxing.
Sister, today is my first real fight. If you are still in this world, please protect your brother!
Shan Xiaoyao and Hua Ruoxu stood facing each other, both dressed in white, strikingly conspicuous in the night sky. Hua Ruoxu stood quietly, waiting for his opponent to make the first move. He wasn't in a hurry, because only Shan Xiaoyao would be anxious. The four silver-level swordsmen of the White Robe Pavilion were already heavily wounded, while the woman in black had turned the tide and was now in an unbeatable state.
Shan Xiaoyao moved. Suddenly, half of a golden fan appeared in his hand, its golden color seemingly cast from pure gold. With a flick of the fan, a whooshing sound rang out. Hua Ruoxu saw countless needles flying towards him; Shan Xiaoyao had used hidden weapons from the very first move. At the same time, a dazzling light emanated from the fan, shooting towards Hua Ruoxu.

Volume 3, Chapter 3: The Sword of Love (Part 1) The

Heavenly Star Sword Technique: Heavenly Star Dance. Clad in flowing white robes, Hua Ruoxu's body moved slightly, appearing absurd to others, for they found him to resemble a beautiful woman dancing. In truth, even Hua Ruoxu himself might not know that every sword technique taught to him by Hua Tianxing contained a hidden movement technique, one created by Hua Tianxing himself, very feminine. Thus, to others, Hua Ruoxu seemed to have become a woman.
Hua Ruoxu, however, remained oblivious to this, the light from the fan having no effect on him whatsoever. He only knew to focus on wielding the sword with his heart; the sword also had a heart, and only by controlling the sword with the heart could the sword technique unleash its full power. Suddenly, countless needles appeared clearly in his mind, their movement seemingly slowing dramatically, slow enough for Ruoxu to knock them down one by one.
A series of clinking sounds followed, and the ground was covered in glittering golden needles. Shan Xiaoyao was truly wealthy; even his hidden weapons appeared to be made of pure gold.
Hua Ruoxu, however, was not content with merely resisting this attack. This time, he launched the attack himself, unleashing the Heavenly Star Sword Technique's Heavenly Star Wrath. A boundless rage seemed to suddenly press down, causing Shan Xiaoyao a slight tremor. No one had ever given him such a feeling before. In truth, very few could withstand his first move.
How far is the distance between hearts? It can be very far, or very close. The distance between hearts is unrelated to physical distance. A pair whose hearts are intertwined can communicate even across vast distances, while those destined to be apart remain forever separated, even if physically close.
How fast can a sword move be wielded with the heart? Hua Ruoxu was unaware, and Shan Xiaoyao was even more oblivious. Shan Xiaoyao only knew that his opponent's sword had instantly reached him, as if it had suddenly appeared out of thin air beside him. The sword flashed, its momentum rapid. Shan Xiaoyao had little time to think; his fan suddenly opened and then snapped shut, seemingly trapping the Love Sword. Shan Xiaoyao felt a slight surge of pride, but it was too early.
Suddenly, a dazzling light erupted from the point where the sword and fan met, illuminating the dark night sky. Hua Ruoxu channeled his true energy, causing the Love Sword to shine even brighter. Shan Xiaoyao immediately felt a lightness in his hand; the fan had vanished.
Shan Xiaoyao was utterly horrified. The fan hadn't simply slipped from his grasp; it had truly disappeared, turning into dust. A golden hue filled the ground, and yellow dust still drifted in the air. Shan Xiaoyao was completely stunned, while Hua Ruoxu seemed equally bewildered, remaining motionless.
"Brother Shan, would you like to stop now?" Hua Ruoxu quickly regained his composure. Although he hadn't expected the Love Sword to shatter Shan Xiaoyao's fan, now was not the time to dwell on that.
"My skills are inferior, and I have nothing to say. Since Young Master Hua is here today, my White Robe Pavilion will cease hostilities." Shan Xiaoyao's expression returned to calm, but there was a hint of desolation in his eyes. Perhaps this was the first time he had suffered such a crushing defeat.
"In that case, thank you very much, Brother Shan. I am extremely grateful." Hua Ruoxu smiled slightly, cupping his hands in a fist salute.
The people from the White Robe Pavilion retreated quickly, disappearing in an instant. The white-robed figure who had been fighting Hua Cuo also left at the same time, their arrival and departure both mysterious.
"Young Master Hua, you are such a hero, I am truly ashamed. If it weren't for your help today, my Hua family would probably be in grave danger. Please accept my bow, Young Master Hua." Hua Ruoxu was still lost in thought when he suddenly heard a loud voice and saw a middle-aged man in brocade robes bowing to him, which startled him.
"Senior Hua, you are too kind. I haven't been of much help, and besides, this is what I should do. I cannot accept such a great bow from you." Hua Ruoxu quickly stepped aside and bent down to support Hua Cuo.
"Uncle, Brother Hua is a friend of ours, so please don't make such a big gesture." Yue Tianhong saw that the two were a little embarrassed and quickly advised from the side.
"Yes, Senior, please don't be so formal. Besides, I have something to ask of you. If you ask me to do this, I really don't know whether I should speak or not." Hua Ruoxu also quickly said.
“Since that’s the case, then I’ll call you Nephew Hua. If you’re not too formal, Nephew Hua, you don’t need to call me senior; just call me Uncle.” Hua Cuo straightened up, a smile on his face, and said gently.
“Ruoxu greets Uncle Hua. You can just call me Ruoxu.” Hua Ruoxu’s face showed a hint of happiness as he bowed respectfully. This time, Hua Cuo accepted it without hesitation.
“Meng’er, Hua’er, quickly give the order to prepare a good meal. Father has recognized a good nephew today; it’s a great joy!” Hua Cuo was quite excited. Seeing his happy expression surprised Ruoxu. Ruoxu didn’t know that his status in the martial arts world was now extraordinary. Moreover, everyone had just witnessed his martial arts skills. Although Hua Cuo was the head of one of the four great families, in terms of status in the martial arts world, Ruoxu was no lower than him. Now that Ruoxu was nominally his nephew, he was naturally overjoyed.
The entire Hua family treated Hua Ruoxu with utmost respect, and the banquet was filled with laughter and pleasantries. Ruoxu finally realized that the woman in black was Hua Feimeng, the eldest daughter of the Hua family. He was a little surprised that she, like Jiang Qingyue, liked to cover her face. Hua Feimeng was indifferent to Hua Ruoxu, occasionally greeting him. However, it was normal for a girl to be reserved, and Ruoxu didn't find anything wrong with it. But Hua Feimeng never gave Hua Ruoxu a friendly look, and her gaze towards him was always terrifying. Hua Ruoxu knew why she was doing this, but he could only sigh inwardly. There was no point in explaining now, and besides, there were some things he didn't want to explain.
As the wine flowed freely, Hua Cuo seemed to remember something and looked at Hua Ruoxu, asking, "Ruoxu, didn't you say you needed to see the Hua family for something? Now that we're all family, just say what you need our help with."
"Actually, I wanted to ask Brother Hua about someone's whereabouts." Ruoxu sighed slightly, the image of Jiang Qingyue's beautiful and ethereal face appearing in his mind.
"Hua Ruoxu, I can tell you, Qingyue has never been here, and I don't know where she went. I'm grateful for your help to the Hua family today, but that doesn't mean I'll forgive the shameless things you did to Qingyue. I'm no match for you now, but one day, I will avenge Qingyue!" Hua Feihua suddenly stood up, coldly looking at Hua Ruoxu.

Volume 3 Seeking Love Chapter 3 The Sword of Love Displays Its Power (Part 2)

"Hua'er, sit down, what are you doing?" Hua Cuo shouted angrily.
"Father, it's true that Hua Ruoxu saved our family today, but if he hadn't shamelessly tricked Qingyue into giving him the Love Sword, would he have achieved what he has today? Hua Ruoxu, I will not submit to you!" Hua Feihua's handsome face was flushed red, completely ignoring Hua Cuo's livid expression.
"Meng'er, take your brother away!" Hua Cuo suppressed his anger, glared fiercely at Hua Feihua, and then spoke gently to Hua Feimeng. Hua Feimeng nodded, got up, and left. Strangely, she didn't say anything, and Hua Feihua obediently followed behind her.
"Ruoxu, don't take Hua'er's words to heart." Seeing Hua Feihua finally disappear into the living room, Hua Cuo said with a slight apology.
"Uncle Hua, don't worry, Brother Hua didn't do anything wrong." Ruoxu sighed softly.
"Uncle Hua, it's getting late, I should go now." Hua Ruoxu stood up and began to bid farewell to Hua Cuo. Hua Cuo earnestly tried to persuade him to stay, but Ruoxu was determined to leave. He already knew what he wanted to know, and since Jiang Qingyue wasn't here, he would continue to look for her. Although Hua Feihua was very dissatisfied with Hua Ruoxu, even hating him, Ruoxu believed that Hua Feihua wouldn't lie.
"Since that's the case, I won't keep you any longer. As far as I know, my niece Qingyue hasn't been
here, but I'll send someone to inform you as soon as I have any news about her." Hua Cuo, seeing he couldn't persuade him to stay, could only say helplessly. "Thank you, Uncle Hua. Also, the White Robe Tower might come here again, so please be careful, Uncle." Ruoxu said softly, a warmth welling up in his heart. Although he had only known Hua Cuo for a few hours, Hua Cuo had been quite good to him, though this was mostly out of gratitude.
Watching Hua Ruoxu's receding figure, Hua Cuo's brows slowly furrowed, lost in thought.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu walked slowly down the quiet street, a faint melancholy rising in his heart. Sister Qing, do you know I'm looking for you? If you know I'm looking for you, please don't hide from me!
Entering the inn and then his room, he paused slightly before closing the door, then ignored it.
"Since you're here, come in. The door's open!" Hua Ruoxu said calmly. He sensed someone following him, but it didn't seem malicious.
"It's truly hard to imagine that in just three months, Young Master Hua has transformed from a mere scholar into a peerless master. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes." A somewhat cold voice rang out at the doorway. Startled, Ruoxu turned around.
Black clothes and a black headscarf, a beautiful figure, and extraordinary elegance—these weren't what surprised Hua Ruoxu. What surprised him was that she was Hua Feimeng.
"I never expected it to be Miss Hua. Please, have a seat." Hua Ruoxu quickly recovered after a slight pause.
"Young Master Hua, you don't need to be so polite. I've only come to ask you a few questions. Whether you're willing to answer or not is irrelevant." Hua Feimeng's voice became sweet and melodious, still slightly cold, but very pleasant to listen to.
"Miss Hua, please ask away." Ruoxu smiled slightly, but inwardly he wondered what Hua Feimeng wanted to ask.
"On the day of your wedding, Young Master Hua personally admitted that you asked your wife, Hua Yuluan, to force Jiang Qingyue away. This is common knowledge. I don't think Young Master Hua would deny it, would he? What I want to know now is, did Young Master Hua mean what he said?" Hua Feimeng stared at Hua Ruoxu, as if trying to pierce his heart.
"I can tell you, Miss Hua, that when I said those words, I was not pressured by anyone. It was entirely my own decision." Hua Ruoxu pondered for a moment before speaking.
"So you're saying that Young Master Hua really approached Jiang Qingyue to trick her into giving him the Love Sword, and then abandoned her after obtaining it?" Hua Feimeng's tone carried a hint of coldness.
"If I had to choose between the Love Sword and Sister Qing, I would choose Sister Qing without hesitation." Hua Ruoxu glanced slightly out the window and said calmly.
"Everyone in the martial world says you are heartless and ruthless. Have you thought about explaining yourself?" Hua Feimeng seemed to have thought for a moment before asking.
“There are many things in this world that cannot be explained, and many things that cannot be explained or that one does not want to explain. I am the latter, so I will not explain.” Hua Ruoxu’s face darkened slightly.
“You don’t regret it?” Hua Feimeng asked.
“I believe, Sister Qing will believe me.” Hua Ruoxu slowly shook his head, his tone full of tenderness for Jiang Qingyue.
“Farewell, Young Master Hua, take care of yourself.” Hua Feimeng hesitated, then finally sighed softly and turned to walk towards the door.
“Please apologize to your brother for me.” Hua Ruoxu said with a sigh.
“You’re wrong. I came to ask you only because of Jiang Qingyue, it has nothing to do with my brother.” Hua Feimeng’s voice reached Hua Ruoxu’s ears before she disappeared through the door.
“Isn’t it because of Hua Feihua? Could it be that Hua Feimeng knew Sister Qing before? Did she know Sister Qing because Sister Qing knew Hua Feihua, or is there some other relationship between her and Sister Qing?” Hua Ruoxu was secretly taken aback, thinking.
Hua Ruoxu rushed to the door, only to find that Hua Feimeng had vanished without a trace.
He collapsed onto the bed, his eyes half-closed, unable to fall asleep. Thinking of Jiang Qingyue, he was suddenly filled with questions. Why was only Sister Qing from the Dajiang Escort Agency alive? Why was the Love Sword in Sister Qing's possession? And why was Sister Qing's martial arts so much superior to everyone else in the Dajiang Escort Agency? Sister Qing had never told him who her master was; it seemed her martial arts were all family-inherited, but if it were family-inherited, her skills shouldn't be that high. Why did Sister Qing always like to cover her face? Hua Feimeng also covered her face, and Hua Feimeng's martial arts were surprisingly much higher than Hua Feihua's. Could it be that Hua Feimeng and Sister Qing really had some unknown relationship? Suddenly, Hua Ruoxu realized that he had never truly understood Jiang Qingyue before; he now discovered that he knew almost nothing about her. However, thinking of the striking similarities between Hua Feimeng and Jiang Qingyue, he felt a surge of excitement and almost wanted to go find Hua Feimeng right now to ask her about it. But upon reflection, he knew that asking Hua Feimeng now would be pointless, and besides, these were just his guesses, almost entirely unfounded. If they weren't related at all, it would be rash of him to ask. He had no choice but to restrain himself and make further plans.
The next morning, Ruoxu got up early, but his eyes were slightly bloodshot, indicating that he hadn't slept well.

Volume 3, Chapter 4: Love Enters the Painting (Part 1)

The city was bustling with activity. Hua Ruoxu walked slowly down the street, his eyes searching everywhere, but his heart was heavy with sorrow. Last time Jiang Qingyue left, he at least had a goal, knowing she might return to the Dajiang Escort Agency. But this time, he felt like a headless fly, running around aimlessly.
Suddenly, Hua Ruoxu's eyes lit up. A thin, middle-aged man in a gray scholar's robe had set up a worn-out table. On the table were several sheets of white paper, a brush, ink, and inkstone, and a rather conspicuous sign: Portraits.
"Sir, can you paint portraits?" Hua Ruoxu quickly stepped in front of the painter and asked respectfully.
"Yes, of course! Do you need a portrait, young master?" The painter was overjoyed, not expecting to be in business so soon after setting up his stall.
"If the person who needs the portrait isn't here, can you still paint it, sir?" Ruoxu's eyes showed a glimmer of hope. He had just realized that his descriptions might not be fully understood by others. If he could paint a portrait, finding Jiang Qingyue would be much easier.
"This is a bit difficult. It depends on whether you can clearly describe the appearance of the person you want painted, young master. However, we can take our time until you are satisfied." The painter's face showed some difficulty, but he didn't want to give up this business so easily.
However, two hours passed, and Ruoxu became more and more disappointed. The painter's skills were indeed good, but he could never meet his requirements, no matter how many times he revised it. A crowd had already gathered around the painter's stall, but many of them were attracted by the beautiful woman painted by the painter. The woman in the painting had a slight frown and a smile, seemingly both angry and happy. Although her face was covered with a thin veil, she was still exceptionally beautiful. However, in Ruoxu's eyes, this painting was still not good enough, because he always felt that something was missing. He always felt that this was not Jiang Qingyue, not his Qingjie whom he longed for day and night.
"Young master, is it ready now?" The painter was too weak to speak. Seeing Hua Ruoxu staring blankly at the portrait without speaking, he finally couldn't help but ask.
"Excuse me, sir, could you lend me your brush and ink for a moment?" Ruoxu hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and sighed.
Taking the brush and ink from the painter, he laid out the white paper, but didn't immediately begin painting. Actually, when it came to painting, he only had a rudimentary understanding, hardly worthy of serious consideration. However, the painter consistently failed to satisfy him, so he decided to paint himself.
His mind was filled with vivid images of Jiang Qingyue and his time together—her charming silliness, her laughter, her face, her spirit. The brush gently touched the paper, Hua Ruoxu closed his eyes, and his wrist moved swiftly, completing the painting in one smooth motion, without any pause. A portrait of a beautiful woman appeared on the paper.
"So you're a master painter indeed! I'm truly impressed. In all my years, I've never seen such a lifelike painting. This young lady is practically standing right in front of me!" The painter stammered, and the crowd gasped in amazement. The contrast between the two portraits—one by Hua Ruoxu and the other by the painter—was astonishing. The woman in the first portrait seemed completely different from the woman before him; one appeared lifeless and dull, while the other was ethereal and graceful.
Ruoxu opened his eyes, looking at the portrait before him, his heart filled with emotion. "Sister Qing, oh Sister Qing, this is the real you!"
Although Hua Ruoxu had finished the painting himself, he still paid the painter a generous fee, considering he had taken up the painter's entire morning. However, the painter refused to accept the payment, instead demanding that Hua Ruoxu teach him some painting techniques, which Hua Ruoxu himself didn't know.
“Perhaps, a painting isn’t done with the hands, but with the heart,” Hua Ruoxu sighed softly. “I think as long as you feel what you want to paint with your heart, you can definitely paint it well.” That was the only explanation he could offer.
Hua Ruoxu hurriedly returned to the inn. He had no choice but to leave, because he suddenly found himself surrounded by a group of people asking him to paint their portraits. However, he knew in his heart that he couldn’t paint anyone else, so he had to flee in a panic.
For the entire afternoon, Hua Ruoxu stayed in his room, and he didn’t rest at all. He frantically painted portraits of Jiang Qingyue, one after another, each one different, depicting Jiang Qingyue in various expressions—anger, joy, laughter, and tears.
Night had fallen, and Hua Ruoxu was still staring intently at the portraits, as if he could see Jiang Qingyue beside him.
Sister Qing, where are you? Hua Ruoxu called out in his heart.
Hua Ruoxu let out a long sigh, changed into his night clothes, put away the portraits, and quietly left his room.
This was his second visit to the Hua family mansion. Before his last visit, he had secretly inquired about the place, and having been there once before, he was somewhat familiar with it. However, this time he was looking for Hua Feimeng. He had a feeling that there was some connection between Hua Feimeng and Jiang Qingyue, and perhaps Hua Feimeng knew where Jiang Qingyue was now.
He flew lightly into the Hua family mansion, silently heading towards Hua Feimeng's boudoir. The light in Hua Feimeng's room was still on. Ruoxu breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that there shouldn't be any problems getting in. He gently pried open the window and jumped in, only to be immediately stunned.
The room was filled with white mist, and a woman was bathing in a tub. When he entered, she had just stood up and made a beautiful turn, revealing her naked, delicate body almost without reservation before his eyes. Water droplets still dripped slowly from her flowing hair, her delicate skin glistening with them. Her stunning beauty was in no way inferior to Jiang Qingyue's; her crescent-shaped eyebrows and dark eyes shone like stars in the night sky. Her skin was flawless and delicate, with a blush on her cheeks. Hua Ruoxu had never seen a young girl's body like this before. For a moment, all notions of propriety and etiquette vanished. He just stared blankly, his mind a complete blank. The
white silk ribbon was just approaching. Hua Ruoxu instinctively dodged, but was still struck in the shoulder. A sharp pain brought him back to his senses.
"Miss Hua, I am Hua Ruoxu," he said hastily, quickly pulling off his veil.
"It's you?" Hua Feimeng seemed both angry and ashamed, scolding, "What are you looking at? Turn your head away!"
"Yes, yes, yes," Hua Ruoxu stammered, now filled with regret. He was in deep distress; he had gotten himself into serious trouble.
"Alright, turn around." Hua Feimeng's tone returned to calm. Hua Ruoxu turned around and found that she was now wrapped in a white veil, completely covering her beautiful body. Her face was flushed, and her gaze towards Hua Ruoxu was filled with anger, but at this moment, she seemed even more captivating than before.

Volume 3, Seeking Love, Chapter 4, Love Enters the Painting (Part 2)

"What are you looking at? Didn't you see enough just now?" Hua Feimeng felt a surge of inexplicable anger and glared at Hua Ruoxu resentfully.
"I... I've seen enough, ah no, no, I haven't seen enough, ah no, it's, it's..." Hua Ruoxu stammered, incoherently, his handsome face flushed red, and he lowered his head, not daring to look at Hua Feimeng.
"Let's pretend that tonight's events never happened. What do you want from me? Why didn't you use the proper front door, but instead learned to sneak around." Hua Feimeng sighed softly and said gently. Could she pretend that nothing had happened? Could Hua Ruoxu do the same? She didn't know.
"Miss Hua, I'm so sorry! I... I didn't expect things to turn out this way." Hua Ruoxu lowered his head. No matter how he looked at it, he was definitely in the wrong tonight. It was truly fortunate that Hua Feimeng didn't pursue the matter.
"What's the use of saying this? If there's nothing else, you can leave. I don't want to see you again in the future." Hua Feimeng's tone suddenly turned cold again, and she seemed to be quite unpredictable.
"I wanted to ask if Miss knows Qing's whereabouts? Based on my deduction, Miss should know something about Qing." Seeing that she had already given him the order to leave, Hua Ruoxu had no choice but to quickly explain his purpose, otherwise he was afraid he would really be seen as a lecher.
“I know some things about her, but all I can tell you is that she’s not in Chang’an.” Hua Feimeng didn’t seem surprised by Hua Ruoxu’s question. She glanced at Hua Ruoxu with a complicated look, hesitated for a moment, and then said.
“Then where is she now?” Hua Ruoxu asked anxiously.
“I said, I can only tell you she’s not in Chang’an right now.” Hua Feimeng said, sounding somewhat annoyed.
“Then, thank you, Miss. I’ll take my leave.” Hua Ruoxu felt a pang of sadness. After a moment of silence, he turned and walked towards the door.
“Please leave the way you came in. And it’s best if you never appear before me again!” Hua Feimeng’s voice was cold. Helpless, Hua Ruoxu had no choice but to jump out of the window.
“Qingyue, for your sake, I’ll let him go today.” Hua Feimeng stared blankly, thinking to herself, suddenly feeling a wave of helplessness. Her innocent, virgin body had been completely exposed to a man. If he were truly a lewd scoundrel, or even just a stranger, she would have killed him without hesitation. But now, it's not possible.
"Hua Ruoxu, if one day I discover you've truly wronged Qingyue, or that you're a lecherous scoundrel, I, Hua Feimeng, will kill you, I promise!" Hua Feimeng gritted her teeth, secretly vowing in her heart.
Hua Ruoxu was also deeply troubled. He hadn't expected this to happen so suddenly. He began to feel sorry for himself. If he had known it would turn out this way, he would have just gone to find her openly. Men and women shouldn't touch each other. Although people in the martial world might be a little more unrestrained, if a woman's body were completely seen by a man, it would be against all propriety. What made him even more ashamed was that he had actually stared for so long.
That night, in different rooms, at the same time, a man and a woman, both sleepless over the same thing.
The next morning, Ruoxu received a letter with only a few words: "To find your beloved, bring the Love Sword to Luoyan Forest, thirty miles west of the city."
The letter was unsigned, and the handwriting was rather messy. Hua Ruoxu's heart tightened: Had something happened to Sister Qing?
The injury on his shoulder had already healed. Since the injury wasn't serious to begin with, and Hua Ruoxu's body seemed to have a strong healing ability, probably due to the modifications his body had undergone by the Love Sword, Hua Ruoxu hurriedly ran out of the city, his heart filled with worry. Sister Qing, please don't let anything happen to you.
*** *** ***
Luoyan Forest, its name derived from the phrase "fish sink and geese fall," is a very beautiful forest. Some people even swear that they saw a flock of geese that were about to migrate south stop here and never leave again.
Hua Ruoxu had already arrived at Luoyan Forest. The morning light shone through the dense branches into the forest, creating a beautiful scene, but he had no mind to appreciate it.
"Young Master Hua is indeed a sentimental man, coming as soon as he heard news of his beloved." A clear voice rang out. Hua Ruoxu coldly looked in the direction of the voice; he already recognized it somewhat.
"Zhang Lie, so it's you!" Hua Ruoxu suppressed his anger. "Where's Sister Qing? What have you done to her?"
"The Sister Qing you speak of, Young Master Hua, could it be Miss Jiang Qingyue? I'd also like to find her. If I had her in my hands, I believe she would be of greater importance." Zhang Lie smiled slightly, looking nothing like someone who would resort to extortion.
"You mean, the one in your hands isn't Sister Qing?" Hua Ruoxu's heart skipped a beat. Not Sister Qing? Could it be his senior sister? Impossible. Zhang Lie shouldn't be able to do anything to his senior sister.
"Although I don't have Jiang Qingyue in my hands, I think you would value this person highly. Although people in the martial world say that you, Young Master Hua, are heartless and fickle, I know you well. I know you're a romantic." Zhang Lie still smiled. "Young Master Hua must be very curious about who it is, right? It's simple. Just bring out the Love Sword. Oh, don't misunderstand, I just want to see if you brought the Love Sword." Zhang Lie's smile was utterly detestable in Hua Ruoxu's eyes.
"The Sword of Love is in my hands, Zhang Lie. Let me see who you're talking about!" Hua Ruoxu gritted his teeth.
"It seems Young Master Hua is a little impatient. Alright, I'll show you now!" Zhang Lie's smile vanished. He leaped into the air, landing instantly with a person in his arms. The person was petite, dressed in a white dress, and seemed to be unconscious.
"Young Master Hua, do you see clearly now?" Zhang Lie laughed, lifting the girl's face. Hua Ruoxu was shocked. How could it be her?
"Zhang Lie, release her pressure points!" Hua Ruoxu took a breath, trying to calm himself down.
"No problem, don't worry. I, Zhang Lie, only want the Sword of Love. I won't do anything to her." Zhang Lie said, pointing to a few points. The girl whimpered and woke up.
"Let me go!" the girl cried out, suddenly seeing Hua Ruoxu. "Ah, Young Master, are you alright?" She tried to break free and rush towards Hua Ruoxu, but she couldn't move. Zhang Lie merely released her pressure points from unconsciousness.
"Xiaoxue, how did you end up like this?" Hua Ruoxu suddenly felt a pang of sadness. The first thing she asked after waking was if she was alright; she hadn't even considered that she was still in someone else's hands.

Volume 3, Chapter 5: Love Through the Sword (Part 1)

"Young Master Hua, now that you've seen the person clearly, shouldn't you give me the sword? Only if you hand over the Love Sword will I return it to you unharmed." Zhang Lie looked at the sword in Hua Ruoxu's hand with greedy eyes, already showing signs of impatience.
"Fine, release Xiaoxue first, and I'll give you the Love Sword!" Hua Ruoxu suppressed her hatred, trying to control the raging anger within her, her eyes gleaming as she stared at Zhang Lie.
"Young Master Hua, you seem to treat me like a three-year-old. If I give her to you first, will you still give me the sword? If Young Master Hua doesn't want anything to happen to her, then you should give me the Love Sword first." Zhang Lie said coldly.
“Zhang Lie, how can I trust you to release her after you get the sword?” Hua Ruoxu said, somewhat annoyed.
“As a top-ranked expert, how could I go back on my word? All I want is the Love Sword. You treat this little girl like a treasure, but she means nothing to me.” Zhang Lie glanced at Hanxue. “Besides, Young Master Hua, do you think you have any other choice?”
“Young Master, no! Don’t give the Love Sword to this scoundrel! I’m already grateful that you care about me.” Hua Ruoxu remained silent, but Hanxue cried out softly, her voice plaintive and filled with deep affection.
“Zhang Lie, I’ll trust you this once. I’ll give you the Love Sword, and you release me.” Hua Ruoxu looked at Hanxue’s beautiful face, gritted his teeth, and made his decision. He had no other choice. He couldn’t bear to watch Hanxue die at Zhang Lie’s hands. He had to take a gamble.
"Young Master Hua is indeed straightforward. First, place the Love Sword a foot in front of me, then please step back three feet. Once I have the sword, I will release this little girl." Zhang Lie laughed heartily, his laughter filled with smugness.
Hua Ruoxu had no choice but to comply. As he stepped back, Zhang Lie suddenly leaped forward, seizing the Love Sword. His face was filled with unbridled joy and smugness, his eyes gleaming with greedy light.
"Hahahaha!" Zhang Lie laughed wildly, his voice deafening, echoing through the forest and startling countless birds into flight. The leaves in the trees trembled.
"Zhang Lie, can you release Xiaoxue now?" Hua Ruoxu's voice held a hint of anger. Zhang Lie was so caught up in his joy that he hadn't even released Hanxue yet.
"Of course, of course, I, Zhang Lie, will certainly keep my promise. Now I'll return this little girl to you!" A cruel glint appeared in Zhang Lie's eyes as he spoke. With a flick of his wrist, Han Xue's petite body flew towards Hua Ruoxu.
Hua Ruoxu gently caught Han Xue, but the moment his hands touched her, he sensed something was wrong. A powerful force surged from Han Xue's body without warning. Caught completely off guard, Hua Ruoxu never expected Zhang Lie to be so shameless as to use such a tactic of transferring force through another's body. He immediately felt a sweet taste in his throat, as if his internal organs had been struck a heavy blow.
"Ugh... Pfft!" Hua Ruoxu groaned in pain, staggering back several steps, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and collapsing to the ground. However, Zhang Lie wouldn't let him off so easily. The flash of a blade was already before his eyes, and a sinister smile appeared on Zhang Lie's face.
Zhang Lie had initially intended to release Hua Ruoxu only after obtaining the Love Sword, but after acquiring it, he changed his mind. He first used Han Xue to severely injure Hua Ruoxu, then unleashed his strongest attack, determined to kill him.
The heavily wounded Hua Ruoxu had no time to defend against Zhang Lie's attack. In desperation, he grabbed Han Xue and rolled away, barely managing to dodge.
Seeing Hua Ruoxu avoid the blow, Zhang Lie showed no surprise; instead, a smug expression appeared on his face. Hua Ruoxu suddenly realized his mistake, a complete blunder. Zhang Lie's attack wasn't over; the blade followed relentlessly, aiming straight for his chest.
The blade pierced the body, but not Hua Ruoxu's.
"Xiao Xue!" Hua Ruoxu cried out in a hoarse, desperate voice, blood gushing from Han Xue's petite body.
"Young Master, run! Don't... don't worry about Xiao Xue," Han Xue uttered in a low, broken voice.
"Xiaoxue!" Hua Ruoxu called softly, tears welling in his eyes, Hanxue's face deathly pale.
"Hahaha, since you two are so deeply in love, I'll grant your wish and let you be a pair of lovers destined for the same fate." Zhang Lie laughed wildly, a flash of lightning illuminating Hua Ruoxu's face once more.
"Zhang Lie, I will make you pay!" Overwhelmed by grief, Hua Ruoxu suddenly seemed to gain immense strength. He abruptly stood up, embracing Hanxue as they retreated two zhang, his body standing straight, tall and resolute. His eyes flashed with a blood-red light, his handsome face slightly distorted, giving him a somewhat ferocious appearance.
An aura of anger and sorrow filled the air.
"Ah..." Hua Ruoxu suddenly roared to the sky, the sound piercing the heavens. The air around him began to swirl rapidly, faster and faster, until it became a massive whirlwind, and he stood within it. His scholar's cap had fallen loose, his hair flowing freely, billowing in the still air, his white robes billowing, his otherworldly elegance tinged with an eeriness. Hanxue, nestled in his arms, lay silently, seemingly fast asleep. A chill ran through Zhang Lie. His right hand gripped the golden knife tightly, while his left still clutched the Love Sword. He stared intently at Hua Ruoxu, unaware of the strange transformation occurring within the Love Sword. A faint glow emanated from the sword, slowly intensifying until it became dazzlingly bright.
A clear, resonant sound emanated from the sword, and Zhang Lie finally sensed something was wrong.
The Love Sword clattered as it shot from its sheath, emitting a blinding light. Simultaneously, Hua Ruoxu moved, creating a massive vortex as it lunged at Zhang Lie. The Love Sword suddenly charged towards Hua Ruoxu, then paused abruptly before him. Hua Ruoxu instinctively reached out, and the Love Sword was already in his hand. Vast sword energy and astonishing sword light flashed in the air, converging on Zhang Lie from all directions. Zhang Lie was utterly terrified; he had never seen such a bizarre phenomenon, much less such peculiar swordsmanship. With
a deep shout, Zhang Lie, like someone who had burned their boats, made a desperate gamble, advancing instead of retreating to clash head-on with Hua Ruoxu. Countless blade shadows met the wisps of sword light.
"Ah!" With a miserable groan, Zhang Lie stared in disbelief at his left arm, which was now completely empty.
"Hua Ruoxu, I will not let you go!" Zhang Lie roared hoarsely, retreating rapidly as he shouted. Hua Ruoxu's eyes gleamed with a bloodthirsty light. He started to chase after Zhang Lie, but suddenly stopped.

Volume 3, Seeking Love, Chapter 5, Love Controls the Sword (Part 2)

"Zhang Lie, I, Hua Ruoxu, will not let you go either!" Hua Ruoxu knelt on the ground, his internal injuries flaring up, and he spat out another mouthful of blood.
"Xiaoxue, Xiaoxue." Hanxue in his arms remained motionless. Hua Ruoxu, his hands trembling, reached for her nose, feeling a slight sense of relief; she was still breathing.
"Xiaoxue, you must hold on. I'll go find a doctor right now," Hua Ruoxu murmured. He looked at the severed arm on the ground with disgust, yet a surge of pleasure welled up within him. He grabbed his sword sheath, hastily scooped Hanxue up, and raced towards the city.
Hua Ruoxu's steps quickened, his initially heavy gait gradually becoming lighter. His only thought was to get back to the city as soon as possible to find a doctor for Hanxue, unaware that his own injuries were healing at an astonishing rate.
In the city, passersby were astonished to see a white-clad youth covered in blood carrying a white-clad girl equally covered in blood, running frantically.
"Doctor, quick, please help me save her!" Hua Ruoxu crashed into a pharmacy.
*** *** ***
“Young Master, your wife has lost too much blood and her internal injuries are too severe. I am powerless to help.”
“Young Master, unless there is a peerless elixir, I am powerless to save her. Moreover, your wife probably won’t make it through the night.”
…
Ruoxu held Hanxue’s body, staring blankly at her pale face, which was devoid of any color. He walked aimlessly down the street, ignoring the pointing fingers of passersby, his mind filled with the doctors’ answers. Xiaoxue, it’s all my fault. Why were you so foolish? A peerless elixir, where am I supposed to find it in half a day?
“Young Master Hua!” A clear female voice rang in Hua Ruoxu’s ears. He stopped and slightly raised his head. It was Liuyun, Su Dai’er’s maid.
“Young Master Hua, Miss requests your presence.” Liuyun looked at Hua Ruoxu’s current state and seemed somewhat reluctant to leave.
"Please tell Palace Master Su that I dare not presume to presume," Hua Ruoxu said calmly, then continued walking forward with his head down, his steps somewhat unsteady.
"Don't you want to save Hua Hanxue anymore?" Liu Yun was somewhat annoyed by Hua Ruoxu's answer, but remembering her mistress's instructions, she could only suppress her dissatisfaction and say.
"She...can she save Xiaoxue?" Hua Ruoxu's dim eyes suddenly brightened.
"Come with me!" Liu Yun gave a soft hum and turned to leave. Ruoxu was stunned for a moment, then quickly followed.
*** *** ***
In an exquisite boudoir, Hua Ruoxu was restless. Beside him, a girl in white palace attire smiled sweetly at him. She was Su Dai'er.
"Brother Ruoxu, don't worry, Sister Hanxue will be alright. Protector Li's medical skills are superb; he can definitely save her," Su Dai'er gently comforted him.
"Thank you, Palace Master Su," Hua Ruoxu said softly, keeping his head down and not daring to look at her.
"Brother Ruoxu, are you still angry with me?"
"I only hope that Xiaoxue will be safe and sound." Hua Ruoxu finally raised his head and looked at Su Daier. Her beauty was still dazzling, and her charm was still irresistible. However, when she heard Hua Ruoxu's words, her face was slightly saddened.
"Greetings, Palace Master!" A middle-aged man in black appeared at the door. He was thin, but his eyes gleamed with wisdom. He was Li Buren, one of the four guardians of the Demon Palace, known as the Healer Ghost. He was originally a wandering physician with extremely high medical skills. However, without sufficient payment, he would watch people die right before his eyes without treating them, thus offending many people. Later, he joined the Demon Palace.
"Come in!" Su Dai'er frowned. "
Palace Master, Miss Hanxue's injuries are too severe, so..." Li Buren was interrupted before he could finish.
"So what? Is Xiaoxue alright?" Hua Ruoxu asked anxiously.
"Young Master Hua, don't worry. Miss Hanxue's life is not in danger, but I'm afraid she will be unable to practice martial arts in the future." Li Buren had long heard that the Palace Master and this Young Master Hua had a close relationship, so he naturally dared not offend him and treated him with great respect.
"It's alright, it's alright. It doesn't matter if she can't practice martial arts, as long as she's still alive," Hua Ruoxu murmured, sitting down blankly. Suddenly remembering something, he jumped up and ran outside.
"Young Master Hua, Miss Hanxue shouldn't be disturbed yet," Li Buren said quickly, knowing exactly what Hua Ruoxu was up to.
"Then, when can I go see her?" Ruoxu stopped.
"Brother Ruoxu, you're tired too. Rest for a bit. I'll let you know when Sister Hanxue wakes up," Su Daier said softly. Hua Ruoxu nodded subconsciously.
The melodious sound of a zither began, and in a hazy state, Hua Ruoxu felt someone pick him up and pull him into a fragrant bed. He then fell into a deep sleep.
Su Dai'er looked at Hua Ruoxu, who was sleeping soundly like a baby on the bed, with a complicated expression. She sighed softly. Suddenly, she felt a pang of envy for Hanxue. Unfortunately, she knew she could never treat him the way Hanxue treated her, and he could never treat her the way Hanxue treated him, simply because they were fundamentally different people. Hanxue could be devoted to him, but she couldn't.
*** *** ***
Hua Ruoxu woke up the next day at noon. A strand of hair fell across his face. Turning his head, he found Su Dai'er asleep beside him. He quietly got up, dressed, looked at Su Dai'er, and finally hesitated before lifting her onto the bed, covering her with the blanket, and then tiptoed out of the room.
"Young Master," Hanxue called out happily when she saw Ruoxu enter, her voice soft. She struggled to get out of bed but couldn't.
"Xiaoxue, let's go," Ruoxu said softly. Hanxue nodded gently. Ruoxu carried Hanxue out. No one questioned him, and no one stopped him.
"Young Master, this is what Doctor Li asked me to give you." Back at the inn, Hanxue suddenly pulled a letter from her bosom.
"Young Master Hua, there's something I feel I should tell you. Although Miss Hanxue's life is temporarily out of danger, if things continue like this, she probably won't live more than three years. However, if we can find a suitable elixir, not only can Miss Hanxue live to a hundred, but her martial arts can also be restored. However, as far as I know, there are only two such elixirs in the world: one is the Great Rejuvenation Pill from Shaolin Temple, and the other is the Rejuvenation Pill from a legendary place called Medical Valley."
After reading the letter, Hua Ruoxu's mood improved considerably. He had been very worried when he first saw it, but now he was relieved. Since the Great Rejuvenation Pill had such an effect, then there wasn't much of a problem. With his connections, it shouldn't be too difficult to get a Great Rejuvenation Pill from Shaolin. As for Medical Valley, he seemed to have never heard of it.

Volume 3, Seeking Love, Chapter 6, Heartache (Part 1)

However, Hua Ruoxu soon discovered that things were not as simple as he had imagined. Hanxue's body was so weak that he couldn't believe it. She now needed Ruoxu's help with almost everything and often suddenly fell asleep.
"It seems Li Buren didn't just casually let me read this letter," Hua Ruoxu thought to himself, vaguely understanding that Li Buren might not have fully revealed something. Hanxue had suddenly fallen asleep again while they were talking, and he was now considering whether he should go to Su Daier's place to ask again. However, he had just left without saying goodbye, and going back now felt inappropriate. He hesitated for a moment.
"Who is it?" Hua Ruoxu called out in a low voice.
"Young Master Hua, it's me!" A person jumped in through the window; it was Li Buren. Hua Ruoxu was overjoyed; he had been wondering whether he should go to him.
"Young Master Hua, is Miss Hanxue alright now?" Li Buren glanced anxiously at Hanxue on the bed.
"Xiaoxue often faints for no reason, and her body is very weak. I was just about to ask Senior Li about it," Hua Ruoxu sighed softly.
"Young Master Hua, you have a deep personal relationship with Shaolin. You must go to Shaolin immediately, the sooner the better, ideally within seven days, and obtain the Great Rejuvenation Pill for Miss Hanxue. Otherwise, Miss Hanxue may be in danger at any moment." Li Buren sounded very anxious.
"What? Didn't you say Hanxue's life was safe?" Hua Ruoxu was shocked.
"Young Master Hua, I won't hide it from you now. Actually, I can only temporarily save her life. But if I didn't say this, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to save my own. Palace Master, the Palace Master said that if I can't save Miss Hanxue, I'll dig a hole and bury myself." Li Buren's face was somewhat panicked.
"Is that really so?" Hua Ruoxu was a little doubtful. Wasn't Dai'er being a bit too cruel? But looking at Hanxue's current state, he couldn't help but believe it.
*** *** ***
"Elder, I have done as you said!" Somewhere in Chang'an, two middle-aged men were talking. The thinner one spoke respectfully to the taller one.
"Well done. But is that little girl really that seriously ill?" The tall man nodded, his tone satisfied.
"Reporting to the Elder, if Hua Ruoxu can find the Great Rejuvenation Pill within three months, she will be fine." The thin man remained respectful.
"So, you lied to the Palace Master before?" The tall man's voice turned cold.
"Elder, I, I..." The thin man was drenched in cold sweat.
"Hmph, I won't hold it against you this time!"
"Thank you, Elder!"
*** *** ****
Hua Ruoxu kept urging the man driving the carriage, his mood plummeting again. Seven days, he had to reach Shaolin within seven days. Han Xue was fast asleep again; she spent almost ten hours a day sleeping.
Hua Ruoxu had changed carriages countless times, as no coachman could withstand his torment. They traveled day and night without rest, covering hundreds of miles a day, and after three days, they arrived in Luoyang. Seeing that they were not far from Mount Song, Hua Ruoxu felt a little relieved. Although Hanxue remained lethargic and weak these past few days, there were no signs of her condition worsening.
"Young Master, I want to eat something," Hanxue said, waking up again in his arms. Now, Hua Ruoxu granted Hanxue's every wish.
Hanxue lay softly in Hua Ruoxu's arms, her bright eyes gazing at him intently. For three days, he hadn't eaten or slept well, yet he had treated her like a princess, caring for her meticulously. She felt sorry for him, so she lied and said she wanted to eat, when in reality she just wanted her beloved young master to have a good meal and rest. She didn't know the extent of her injuries, but she wasn't worried at all. On the contrary, she felt very happy. She felt that she had been satisfied with these three days in her life.
Hua Ruoxu's face showed some weariness, but his eyes were even more bright and deep. Hanxue's face was radiant with a sweet smile, and soft notes floated from her cherry-like lips, making even the waiter beside her somewhat lost in thought. However, Ruoxu was surprised to find that all the dishes Hanxue had ordered were his favorites.
"Young Master, feed me!" Hanxue pleaded in his arms. Hua Ruoxu felt a pang of sadness, but he forced a smile and gently fed the delicate baby. However, he eventually realized that he ate almost all of it himself, as Hanxue always found one reason after another to make him eat what was originally intended for her.
"Young Master, is it too hot? Try a little first." Hanxue pleaded.
"Young Master, is it delicious? Try a little first, and if it's good, I'll eat it too." Hanxue continued to plead.
"Young Master, this is so big, I can't eat it all at once, you should eat it." As soon as Hanxue finished speaking, some people in the restaurant burst into laughter. However, it was clear that the laughter wasn't malicious; they simply found the young couple amusing.
Hua Ruoxu's handsome face flushed slightly, and he felt somewhat embarrassed. He had clearly told Hanxue that she was just finding excuses to let him have a proper meal.
"People say Hua Ruoxu of Mount Hua is heartless and fickle, and now it seems it's true. He's already abandoned his newlywed wife so quickly to find someone new." A mocking voice rang out at this moment. At the entrance of the restaurant, a young man in a blue robe looked at Hua Ruoxu with disdain. He had thick eyebrows and large eyes, and while not very tall, he was quite burly. However, Hua Ruoxu felt a sense of familiarity about him, as if he had seen him somewhere before.
"Xiaoxue, have you finished eating?" Hua Ruoxu glanced at him briefly before looking away and asked softly.
"Yes, young master," Hanxue said softly, but there was a hint of worry in her eyes as she looked at Hua Ruoxu.
“Let’s go then. We’ll arrive in one more day.” Hua Ruoxu said, picking up Hanxue and raising his voice, “Shopkeeper, check please!”
“Could you please move aside, sir?” Hua Ruoxu reached the door, but the young man in blue was still blocking the way, showing no intention of moving.
“Hua Ruoxu, are you trying to slip away now that I’ve exposed your true colors?” the young man in blue said sarcastically.
“I don’t know you, sir, nor am I interested in knowing you. I don’t care what others think of me; I only do what I feel I should do,” Hua Ruoxu said calmly. “It seems inappropriate for you to be blocking the door like this. Please move aside.”

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