Chapter 21: Heart Like Ashes

  A Xue rubbed the sore spot, shaking her head repeatedly. Liang Xiao looked at it clearly and scolded in secret: "Useless girl, you can obviously beat her, why did you lose and admit defeat?" A Ling smiled with joy and said: "Well said, sister, I'm not happy in my heart, if I don't find someone to hit a few times, I won't be able to vent. Alas, you're not as good at palm techniques, just give me some benefits, make me happy inside." A Xue wiped away tears and said: "Sister, what do you want? I have it, I'll all give it to you." A Ling was overjoyed, pointing at Liang Xiao and laughing: "I don't care about other things, just give me half of him and that's fine."

  A Xue's face turned pale, and she waved her hand: "No way, no way. He's a living person, split in two, wouldn't he die?" A Ling laughed and scolded: "Stupid girl, why would I want to kill him? Alas, let me put it bluntly, I want you to share the credit of capturing him with me. Tell our master: 'We caught him together.'" A Xue was not on the same wavelength, she couldn't hold back and finally spoke her mind clearly. Only then did A Xue understand, and she exclaimed in surprise: "This...this is deceiving our master!" A Ling's face sank, and he coldly laughed: "Heaven knows, earth knows, you know, I know. If you don't tell our master, how would she find out?" A Xue felt a chill in her eyes, her heart panicked and confused, and she could only say: "I'll listen to sister's words."

  Ah Ling was overjoyed, stepped forward and hugged her, affectionately saying: "Ah Xue, you are really my dear little sister!" Suddenly glancing at Liang Xiao, his eyes turned cold, "I forgot, he also heard it, I must cut off his tongue, so that he can't speak from now on." With a flick of his wrist, he drew out a dagger.

  A Xue was shocked, pulling her back: "Sister, don't..." A Ling glanced at her and smiled slyly: "What's wrong, do you think he's handsome?" A Xue's face turned bright red, in her anxiety, a sudden flash of inspiration struck her, and she blurted out: "He...he's mute!" A Ling was taken aback, only then realizing that she had been there for a long time, but hadn't heard Liang Xiao say a single word.

  A Xue saw her face gloomy, and her heart was racing. In a moment of trepidation, A Ling let out a light laugh and scolded: "Liu Yuan is really blind, she's taken a liking to a mute." With a look of disdain, she put away the dagger. A Xue breathed a sigh of relief, glanced at Liang Xiao, but when their eyes met, her face flushed again, as if covered by a large red cloth.

  Ling was over the moon, beaming with joy, and sat down with a smile, her eyes sparkling like stars as she gazed at Xiang. Suddenly, she furrowed her brow and exclaimed loudly, "Where did that little vixen A Bing run off to? Why hasn't she come back yet?" A Xue was taken aback and hastily said, "Ling sister, why are you scolding A Bing?" Ling glared at her and cursed, "You don't understand anything. Stupid and foolish dead girl."

  Ah Xue was scolded and glared at by Ah Ling, not daring to make a sound, only lowering her head to play with the hem of her clothes. Ah Ling waited for a moment, then became impatient, got up and paced back and forth, loudly cursing Ah Bing, with vicious language, as if they had a deep grudge. Not long after, a small black dot appeared in the distant sky, and when it got closer, it turned out to be a carrier pigeon. Ah Ling's expression changed, and he shouted loudly, the pigeon fluttered down into his palm, Ah Ling removed the bamboo tube from the pigeon's leg, pulled out a paper strip, scanned it with his eyes, and coldly said: "Little vixen." Turning around to Ah Xue, he said: "Ah Bing says that the situation has changed, and we need to go to Wulon Ridge. Hmph, she thinks she can issue orders, little vixen, isn't she impressive?" He spat twice, then angrily mounted his horse and left.

  A Xue picked up Liang Xiao and helped him onto the horse. The three of them rode for a while, when they saw a group of people approaching from the opposite direction. At the front was a young nobleman in fine clothes, riding a grey donkey, with an air of elegance about him. When he saw A Ling and A Xue, his eyes lit up immediately.

  She burst out laughing, suddenly opening her throat to sing loudly: "Spring day outing, apricot blossoms blowing all over my head. Who is the young man from a distant family so elegant and refined? I'd like to marry him for life. Even if he abandons me heartlessly, I won't be ashamed." Her singing voice was melodious, and as she sang, she exchanged flirtatious glances with the young nobleman. She was born with a seductive charm, and just by raising her eyebrows and moving her eyes, she made the elegantly dressed young nobleman's muscles go soft and his bones weak. Listening to this lewd song, he felt his body lighten by several pounds.

  The two groups of people passed each other by, and Ah Ling's mouth was hanging with a sly smile. Before long, the sound of hooves was heard, and the young master rushed over on his donkey, laughing and rushing towards Ah Ling to shake hands: "Listening to your song is like hearing heavenly music, please tell me your name." Ah Ling smiled and said: "Are you only asking me?" The young master glanced at Ah Xue, looked dazed, and laughed: "Of course, I'm asking both of you ladies." Ah Xue was swept by his sly eyes, and her face suddenly turned bright red, turning her head away.

  A Ling smiled and said, "My sister's face is delicate, young master, come down, I'll secretly tell you her name." The young man in the fine clothes was delighted and hastily dismounted his donkey. A Ling also got off his horse, and his small mouth approached the young man's ear. The young man caught a whiff of fragrance and his heart skipped a beat, forgetting himself, he reached out to grab A Ling's slender hand. A Ling didn't dodge or avoid him, his smile unchanged, as if he wanted to say something, but suddenly his right hand swiftly rose, two fingers inserting into the young man's eyes. The young man suffered this severe blow, opening his mouth to cry out, but was covered by A Ling's hand, wanting to shout but unable, letting out a muffled groan, and fainted away.

  Liang Xiao was shocked by the cruel scene, his eyes fixed and his mouth agape. Ah Xue's face turned pale, her red lips trembling. But Ah Ling seemed to have done something ordinary, giggling and wiping the bloodstains from her fingertips with a handkerchief, slapping the young master awake with two loud smacks. The young master lay on the ground, his face covered in blood, groaning incessantly. Ah Ling chuckled and said: "You asked me what my name is? I'll tell you now, remember it, my name is Liu YuanYuan, the 'Liu' of willow, the 'Yuan' of oriole." Liang Xiao's heart skipped a beat as he suddenly realized something.

  Young Master Qiu shouted: "You lowly person, I...I want to report to the authorities......and have you torn into a million pieces......" Ah Ling smiled and said: "Good, couldn't ask for more." He beckoned to Ah Xue and said: "Let's go!" Ah Xue glanced at the person on the ground, let out a soft sigh, turned her head and mounted her horse, following behind Ah Ling.

  The two of them continued on their journey, and in front of them, a mountain ridge gradually rose up, its shape resembling a coiled dragon. Liang Xiao thought to himself, "Could this be the Five Dragon Ridge?" As he thought of Liu Yingying, his heart ached with pain, "She's gone missing, I wonder if she'll be heartbroken?" He pitied himself and his eyes became blurry with tears. Suddenly, from the grass beside the path, a rustling sound was heard, and out came a woman, tall and slender, with a beautiful face, her eyebrows like frost, looking very cold and detached.

  Before Ah Xue could speak, Ah Ling jumped off the horse's back and warmly called out: "Ah Bing sister, I haven't seen you for a moment, I thought I was going to die." He held onto the woman's left hand and shook it back and forth. Just now he had been scolding Ah Bing, but as soon as they met, he was so affectionate, Liang Xiao secretly praised: "This woman is really good at acting, her changes in expression are faster than turning pages."

  A Bing shook off her hand, coldly saying: "Let go of the horse and come with me." She glanced at Liang Xiao, frowned and said, "Who is he?" Ah Ling smiled and said: "He's Liu Xiangxian's lover, caught by me and Ah Xue." A Bing raised an eyebrow, lightly said "Hmm" and entered the forest.

  Three people abandoned their horses and followed Ah Bing for a while, coming to a tree. Ah Bing sat down, staring at Liang Xiao, seemingly distracted. Ah Ling laughed and said: "Ice sister, what's going on?" Ah Bing sighed and said: "I found Liu Yueyue." Everyone was shocked, especially Liang Xiao, who couldn't speak out loud, but only listened intently.

  A Ling forced a smile and said, "Congratulations, Ah Bing sister, you've achieved great merit again." Ah Bing said, "It's too early to talk about achieving merit. I found Liu Yueyue, but I didn't dare provoke her, so I gathered all of you." A Ling responded with an "oh" and said, "That woman surnamed Liu indeed has some skills." Ah Bing shook his head and said, "She's nothing, the one who's really formidable is Yun Shu, who's with her. Even our master might not be able to defeat him." Liang Xiao was shocked as he listened, feeling like he'd been struck by lightning, his mouth agape in stunned silence. After a while, he suddenly saw Ah Bing looking at him with a mocking glint in his eye.

  "A Ling suddenly laughed and said: "I didn't expect that the one with the surname Liu is a good-for-nothing, changing his mind as easily as the weather, truly shameless." Liang Xiao heard her insult her loved one, extremely angry but unable to retort back, could only glare fiercely. Ah Xue glanced at him and let out a soft sigh, a hint of sympathy showing in her eyes."

  "Ai coldly smiled and said: "What's so strange? Yun Shu's family is prominent, his talent is outstanding, and his martial arts skills are immeasurable. In what way doesn't he surpass this kid by ten times? Moreover, it's rare that he would give up everything for Liu Yueyue. If I were him, I'd be moved too." Liang Xiao listened to these words, staring blankly at Ai, with a mind full of confusion."

  A Ling saw Ah Bing's expression and couldn't help but ask, "Good sister, don't be mysterious." Ah Bing calmly said, "Didn't the master tell us to split up and track down Liu Yingying? I lost her halfway. Hmm, how did you guys catch this kid?" A Ling was taken aback, glanced at Ah Xue, and Ah Xue hesitantly told them what had happened, only mentioning herself, making it seem like she and A Ling were together.

  Ah Bing nodded and said, "So that's what happened. Liu Yingying must have been careless for a moment and you captured her lover. I was on the road and saw her riding that divine steed, rushing back like crazy, and when she met me, she didn't even give me a second glance." Liang Xiao listened with a burning heart, wishing he could immediately meet her.

  Ah Bing paused, then said: "I saw her strange appearance and chased after her on horseback, but couldn't catch up to her fast horse. After chasing for a while, I suddenly saw many people standing in front of me on the road. As I approached, I saw that it was Leigongbao and Shenyingmen's group surrounding Liu Yanyan." Liang Xiao's heart sank, his throat dry. Ah Ling exclaimed: "With such a fast horse, why didn't she avoid them?"

  A Bing said: "I also feel puzzled, now guessing, it must be that she was so anxious that she lost her head, thinking that the child had been kidnapped by those people, so she dared to die and asked them face to face for the person." A Ling laughed and said: "It's wonderful! We unintentionally performed a great play of 'Framing Jiangdong'. Good sister, what happened later? Hurry up and finish telling, don't make people anxious."

  Ah Bing said: "Lei Xingkong walked up with a stern face, stretched out his hand and shouted: 'Give it to me?' But Liu Yuying said: 'You give me Liang Xiao, I'll give you Chun...' She hadn't finished speaking when Lei Xingkong suddenly pounced forward, clenched his fist and struck her." Ah Ling interjected with an "Oh", asking: "Did he hit her?" Ah Bing replied: "Lei Xingkong is known as the unbeatable master of Western Yueyang Tower's Fist. He launched a surprise attack, how could Liu Yuying defend against it? She was instantly struck by a heavy punch, although she didn't fall to the ground, blood began flowing from her mouth." Liang Xiao's face flushed with anger upon hearing this, and he almost jumped up.

  A Xue's face showed concern, and she asked: "Ice sister, so to say, Liu Yueyue was caught?" A Bing shook her head and said: "She took that punch, retreated a few steps, a wry smile flashed across her face, then she drew out a dagger and stabbed it into her heart." A Xue exclaimed in shock: "Ah, isn't she dead?"

  "Ai Bing sighed: "Foolish girl, if you were dead, what would I call you for? Wouldn't it be to collect your body?" Ai Xue stroked her chest and let out a breath, saying: "So that's how it is, was she saved by Yun Shu?" Ai Bing nodded, saying: "Yun Shu is really something, at the critical moment when there was no time to spare, he threw out his long sword and knocked down Liu Yingying's dagger. Then with one palm, he sent Lei Xingkong flying back and stood in front of Liu Yingying, shielding her. Everyone was very surprised, Jing Fei said: 'Yun Shu! Have you gone mad?' Yun Shu had a strange expression, saying: 'Even if she is ten times more evil, she is still a woman, why must you all make things difficult for her?'"

  Ah Ling sneered, "You're all talk, but deep down you still look down on women. Don't you think women are worthy of being treated as equals by men?" Ah Bing said, "What do you know? A true hero should cherish and respect women, and be willing to risk his life for the woman he loves." Ah Ling smiled wryly, "Sister, you're right, what happened next?" Ah Bing continued, "Jiang Fei was furious and shouted loudly. Yun Shu's face turned ugly, but she refused to back down. Liu Yingying also said, 'You, Cloud, don't pretend to be something you're not! I won't fall for your tricks!' She reached out to push Yun Shu away, but Yun Shu's feet seemed rooted to the ground. Just then, Bai San Yuan jumped out and accused Liu Yingying of killing his son, demanding that Jiang Fei avenge him. Jiang Fei had no choice but to take action. Yun Shu didn't want to fight her senior brother, so she said 'Sorry' and grabbed Liu Yingying, tossing her onto the horse's back. She then fended off Lei Xingkong with one palm, wounded Chu Gong with two swords, and kicked Bai San Yuan to the ground before leaping onto the horse and fleeing to Wulon Ridge with Liu Yingying."

  A Ling said with a sneer: "Cloud Shu has come, isn't this a great defeat for our sect? Hmph, for that kind of trash, it's not worth it!" Her words were laced with acid. A Bing coldly smiled and said: "What are you eating, vinegar? You think Cloud Shu is not worthy of Yan Yingying, but you are? Cloud Shu's love for Yan Yingying is a fact. Speaking of which, they rode that divine steed together, it was incredibly fast, if I wasn't skilled in tracking, I'm afraid I would have lost them." A Ling was rebuked by her a few times and secretly seethed, but didn't show it on his face. Hearing A Bing's proud tone, he hurriedly smiled obsequiously: "Elder sister Bing, your tracking skills are unmatched under the heavens, except for our master." A Bing nodded slightly, neither confirming nor denying.

  "A Xue asked, "Ice sister, are they still on the mountain?" A Bing nodded and said, "They're still there, but I didn't dare to approach rashly. I only left trail marks along the way and will wait for the master to arrive before making a move."

  Ah Ling said, "Ice sister, I've always been puzzled, why do we have to track down that Liu Yueyue?" Ah Bing furrowed her brow and said, "You must still remember, last time we followed our master to Jiangnan Tianxiang Mountain Villa to steal treasure, set fires, and killed people, expending a lot of effort. Afterwards, our master framed that Liu Yueyue for the theft, and had us kill people and set fires along the way, maiming men, and imitating Liu Yueyue's handwriting, leaving notes everywhere to ruin her reputation." Liang Xiao heard this and became very indignant: "Who is that 'master'? Truly despicable!"

  "Ah, yes, I'm also curious. What deep grudge does the master have against her? And if there really is a grudge, with the master's skills, killing her wouldn't be too difficult, why go to so much trouble! Hmm, Ice sister, you continue, what's the connection between the stolen treasure and today's events?" Ah Bing sighed: "I'm also just guessing. The master obtained the treasure, but only enjoyed it for one night, and by the next morning, her face was iron-green, very unhappy. I didn't dare ask her, only heard her muttering to herself, saying she'd been cheated. So I guessed that the treasure might be fake."

  "A Ling exclaimed: "Fake?" Ah Bing said: "No, master's eyes are sharp, how can't he tell if the treasure is real or fake? She brought us to Lei Gong Fortress this time, probably related to that treasure." A Ling frowned: "Could it be that the real thing is in Lei Gong Fortress? Hmm, sister, do you know what treasure it is?" Ah Bing gave her a white eye and said: "Master's actions are mysterious and unpredictable, he doesn't say, I don't know. We're just maids, whatever master says, we'll do." A Ling forced a smile: "Ice sister is right, we're not afraid of hardship, nor death, master says east, we can't go west."

  A Bing nodded and stood up, saying: "I'll go take a look to see if those two have left." A Ling smiled and said: "I'll go too!" A Bing shook his head and said: "Too many people will cause trouble." A Ling said: "Since Yun Shu is so formidable, it's better to have more people to keep an eye on things." A Bing was extremely wary of Yun Shu and hesitated before saying: "Alright. A Xue, bring this little guy along too, in case we need him as a hostage."

  Ah Xue nodded, grabbed Liang Xiao. The three of them focused their minds and quietly entered the forest. Before long, they heard human voices coming from within the forest. Liang Xiao recognized it as Yun Shu's voice, initially very soft, but gradually growing louder: "...Liu Niang, although my words are not satisfactory, this heartfelt intention can be testified by heaven and earth..."

  In the quiet woods, after a while, there was a sigh. Liang Xiao recognized the voice as Liu Xiang's and his heart skipped a beat. He only heard her say: "Gongzi Yun, this is difficult for me to say, you've been very good to me, but I knew Liang Xiao first." Liang Xiao felt warmth in her words and couldn't help but feel anxious, his heart racing with unease.

  "Ah, Liu Niang, I also know that this is all wrong. But for some reason, since the day I saw you, I haven't been able to forget you for a moment. When I walk, I think of you; when I eat, I think of you... Ah, saying something silly, even in my dreams, I dream of you. Liu Niang, after hearing these words, perhaps you'll think me a scoundrel, but from childhood till now, I've never liked a woman so much, let alone say such foolish things. When I saw you were injured earlier, everything else was forgotten... Alas, I betrayed my Shixiong; he must be very angry."

  Liu Yingying was silent for a moment, then said: "Yun Gongzi, what do you plan to do from now on?" Yun Shu sighed and said: "Except for wandering the world, I have nowhere else to go." Liu Yingying said: "Yun Gongzi, people are not like trees or wood, who can be without emotions? It's just that little... hmm, Liang Xiao's life or death is still unknown, in terms of emotions and reason, I cannot abandon him." Liang Xiao heard this and his mind went "buzz", almost losing consciousness. But then he heard Yun Shu say: "Don't worry, I'll accompany you to find him!" Liu Yingying said: "Thank you for your kindness... hmm... you betrayed our sect for me, I won't let you down either!"

  The words had barely left his lips when the forest fell silent. Yun Shu's voice trembled as he said, "To be able to gain your favor is just a foolish fantasy of mine, I dare not take it seriously. But I only hope you can understand my intentions, and even if I were to be sliced into a thousand pieces, I would be content." He sighed, "Unfortunately, that Liang Xiao has formed an alliance with the Mongolians. As they say, 'barbarians and Han Chinese cannot coexist.' Since you bear a Han surname, you must be a Han person, and you cannot be swayed by his flowery words. But looking at your face, next time we meet, I won't make things difficult for him." He spoke faster and faster, clearly overjoyed in his heart. Then he heard Liu Yingying say, "I appreciate your feelings. Yes, what happened to his internal energy?" Yun Shu let out a sigh and said, "I've rendered his internal energy useless. I hope that now that he's lost his martial arts abilities, he'll abandon his evil ways and become an ordinary citizen." Liang Xiao heard these words and felt as if his heart had fallen into the depths of an abyss, everything before him turned black, and he fainted.

  Yun Shu was furious that Liang Xiao had protected Bo Yan on the Yangtze River, hindering his own great undertaking. Secondly, Liang Xiao had mastered the "Three Talents Returning to the Origin Palm", which was a taboo for Yun Shu's school. With his internal strength several times stronger than Liang Xiao's, he took advantage of the moment when they were facing each other and launched the "Two Instruments Hun Tian Gong". His double palms' inner force moved in and out, like an invisible grinding wheel, slowly draining Liang Xiao's inner force away bit by bit. Liu Yingying only saw Liang Xiao looking strained, thinking that the two were competing in internal strength, never expecting Yun Shu to actually disable Liang Xiao's inner force. Fortunately, the fire broke out on all sides, and Yun Shu was forced to let go, but even so, most of Liang Xiao's internal force, which he had practiced since childhood, was lost, with only a tiny fraction remaining.

  In the woods, it was quiet, and Liu Yingying's breathing sounded heavy and dull. After a while, she said, "It's okay, you've thought this through..." Before she finished speaking, Yun Shu suddenly called out, "You're injured, don't move around." Then Liu Yingying let out a sharp cry, saying, "Don't touch me!" Next, Yun Shu apologized, saying, "I'm sorry, I was rude." Liu Yingying breathed softly, saying, "You...you shouldn't be angry. Wait until I've made things clear with Liang Xiao, then...then it will be fair to him." Yun Shu sighed, saying, "Miss has feelings and righteousness, making people respect her. If I were to be rude to Miss..." Liu Yingying cut him off, saying, "Don't make random vows, if I trust you, that's enough..."

  Ah Xue held her breath and listened, suddenly feeling that Liang Xiao's body was getting colder. She lowered her head to look at him and saw that his eyes were tightly closed, his face pale white. When she checked his breathing again, there was no air coming out, which made her jump in surprise and let out a soft cry. Ah Bing and Ah Ling heard the cry and turned pale. In an instant, Yun Shu shouted loudly, "Who?" The two of them were about to make a run for it when they heard Yun Shu's cold laughter say, "Take one step and leave behind a leg, take two steps and leave behind your head!" The two of them were intimidated by him and their legs turned weak and soft. They didn't dare move again and both turned around to glare at Ah Xue with fierce eyes before slowly standing up. Ah Xue was also frightened out of her wits and stood up along with them, but her heart was still worried about Liang Xiao's life or death. She looked down and saw that he wasn't moving, curled up in a ball on the grass, which made her feel a pang of sadness.

  The ones who appeared were three beautiful women, Yun Shu was greatly shocked, thinking that those secret words had been heard by them, feeling ashamed and embarrassed, stuttering: "Who are you?" Ah Ling blinked, smiling slyly: "We are people from the mountain village, came to play in the mountains, unintentionally overheard your conversation, afraid of disturbing the young master's pleasure, so didn't dare to show our faces."

  Although Yun Shu felt suspicious, he didn't want to argue with the woman, so he turned his back and waved his hand, saying: "Go away, the farther you go, the better." Before he finished speaking, he heard Liu Yingying say coldly: "These three people are sneaky and deceitful. Yun Shu, you should kill them all." Yun Shu was taken aback and frowned, saying: "Liu Niangniang, this isn't right, is it?" Liu Yingying's eyes turned red, and she trembled with rage, saying: "Fine, now you won't even listen to me... later on, who knows how you'll humiliate me..." Yun Shu saw her pitiful expression and felt a surge of warmth in his chest. He blurted out: "Don't cry, I'll capture them and hand them over to you for punishment." As he spoke, he walked towards the three women.

  Ah Bing and Ah Ling's hatred for Liu Yuan had reached the bone marrow, things had come to this point, and there was no way to avoid it. Each of them drew out their weapons. Ah Bing wielded a soft sword, while Ah Ling held a crystal scepter. Ah Xue hesitated for a moment before taking out a foot-long golden lotus, its petals already sharpened into blades that looked extremely sharp.

  A Bing's martial arts skills were the highest, and she thought to herself that it was better to strike first. Before Yun Shu could rush over, a sword light flashed, and A Bing stabbed towards him. Liu Xiangxiang coldly smiled and said: "The fox's tail is revealed so quickly, are you also from a mountain village?" Yun Shu furrowed his brow and didn't speak, waiting until the soft sword was about to reach his chest before extending his finger to tap on the back of the sword. With a "ting" sound, the sword body bent and turned around to stab towards A Bing instead. A Bing's eyes were quick, and her body rapidly dodged upwards; the soft sword brushed past her face, startling her into breaking out in cold sweat.

  Yun Shu's sudden move startled Ah Ling, who panicked and looked around frantically, wanting to escape. Ah Xue saw Ah Bing in danger and didn't hesitate, swinging her golden lotus and pouncing forward. Yun Shu sneered slightly, sweeping his hand across the lotus, causing Ah Xue's mouth to ache and the lotus to jump out of control. Just as Yun Shu was about to strike the lotus away with his palm, he exclaimed "Ah!" and turned his gaze, extending a claw towards Ah Xue's neck.

  This grasp was as swift as lightning, and Ah Xue was shocked. Just then, she heard a "whooshing" sound, and a long, slender, striped silk rope shot out from behind the big tree, straight as an arrow, sweeping past her waist, and lightly binding her. Ah Xue's body moved involuntarily, and she slid backwards. Yun Shu's grasp fell empty, his heart secretly trembling with fear, and he gazed at the big tree saying: "Which superior person is it? Please show yourself!"

  A soft, sweet laugh echoed through the trees. In the midst of the laughter, Jin Suo released Ah Xue and suddenly shot towards Yun Shu's face like a python spitting out its letter. Yun Shu saw that the rope was coming at him with an unpredictable trajectory, so he dodged to the side and reached out to grab it. But unexpectedly, the rope missed him and wrapped around Ah Bing's waist instead, causing her to spin around Yun Shu like a windmill. Ah Bing took advantage of the momentum to draw her sword, each strike faster than the last, with rays of light flashing out like stars in the sky.

  Yun Shu stood still, his eyes fixed on the big tree, his fingers waving freely. The sound of sword clashes was incessant as Ah Bing's fierce and violent sword moves were parried one by one. The person on the tree couldn't help but exclaim in admiration: "Good skill!" As soon as the words fell, Liu Yanyan's face lost all its color.

  Yun Shu sneered, "You're hiding your head and showing your tail, but the truth is quite sparse!" The person laughed, "Good, look at this." Before he finished speaking, Jin Suo swung his sleeves, released Ah Bing, and wrapped up Ah Ling again. He wielded his willow whip, pointing it at Yun Shu's chest. Yun Shu raised an eyebrow, swung his hand, and the crystal willow whip shattered. Ah Ling's blood was boiling, and she fell out of bounds. Jin Suo flew out with a "whoosh" sound, gently caught her, swung his sleeves again, brought up Ah Xue, and wielded the golden lotus needle. For a moment, the three girls were like puppets on strings, advancing and retreating with Jin Suo. Yun Shu seemed to be fighting against three people, but in reality, he was fighting against four, with the woman on the tree directing them with precision, making her especially formidable. Yun Shu's heart was anxious, and he let out a long whistle. He moved his body and launched six palms and six legs.

  He easily switched from defense to offense, his reputation intimidating. Ah Xue's heart skipped a beat, her counterattack slightly delayed. The three women had been executing a clever formation, but when one person messed up the rhythm, the entire formation was disrupted. Yun Shu's palm pierced through, striking Ah Xue right in the back of the heart. Thinking she was a woman, he had already held back. But his internal energy was too strong, Ah Xue flew out several feet, spitting out blood, and fell to the ground.

  Yun Shu's move was successful, and with a flick of his wrist, Ah Ling and Ah Bing were both knocked to the ground. Yun Shu's eyes followed the silk rope as it retracted, and he swiftly grabbed hold of the end, shouting: "Come down!" The sound of tearing fabric filled the air as the silk rope snapped in two. The person on the tree lost their footing and floated gently downwards. It was a woman in green clothing, with disheveled hair and a face as pale as wax, her eyes shining brightly as she scanned the crowd before fixing intently on Liu Yingying. She let out a soft, husky laugh, the sound sending shivers down people's spines, as if scratching at their very souls.

  Liu Yingying's face turned pale, she gritted her teeth and said in a hoarse voice: "It was you!" The woman in green clothes looked at her for a while, then smiled and said: "Long time no see, Liu Yingying has grown into a beautiful young lady! Ah, you've seen your master's sister, why don't you pay respects?" Yun Shu had been waiting for an opportunity to strike, but upon hearing these words, she was taken aback. Suddenly, Liu Yingying said coldly: "Since that night, you are no longer my master's sister, but my arch-nemesis." The woman in green clothes smiled and asked: "What about your master, is she still not dead?" Liu Yingying's eyes reddened, and she trembled as she said: "As you wished, she... passed away last year." The woman in green clothes fell silent for a moment, then nodded and said: "She died well, someone like her who thought herself superior, if she hadn't died, it would have been a pity for the heavens."

  Liu Yingying thought she would be grief-stricken and ashamed upon hearing the news of her master's death, but instead she was overjoyed. This enraged Yun Shu to the point where he almost choked on his own blood, his face turned red with anger, and he shouted: "Yun Shu, you...you go kill her for me!" Yun Shu hesitated for a moment, Liu Yingying's eyes welled up with tears, and she said sorrowfully: "Will you help me or not?" Yun Shu's expression changed slightly as he looked at Han Ningzi, his hand grasping the hilt of his sword.

  The woman in blue glanced at him and suddenly laughed: "Foolish boy, do you think she really likes you? Ah, it's no wonder that I, Han Ningzi, have a good disciple who is born with the ability to deceive men." Yun Shu felt strange and slightly hesitant, then heard Liu Yuying shout in a shrill voice: "Yun Shu, take action!" Yun Shu secretly thought: "What nonsense am I thinking? How can anyone come between me and Miss Liu?" With a flick of his hand, he drew out his long sword. Han Ningzi let out a chuckle and shook out the silk rope in her hand. Just as Yun Shu was about to raise his sword to defend himself, the rope suddenly darted into the thicket and pulled out a person. The person's eyes were tightly closed, and it was unclear whether they were dead or alive.

  Liu Yingying's face lost color as soon as she saw the person, and she cried out in surprise: "Yun Shu, wait!" Yun Shu also recognized Liang Xiao and hesitated for a moment. Han Ningzi held Liang Xiao in her hand and smiled: "Good Liu Yingying, this trick of yours can deceive Yun Shu, who is inexperienced, but how can it deceive me?" Liu Yingying wanted to argue a few words, but seeing Liang Xiao's pale face, she was speechless.

  Han Ningzi glanced at her, then smiled at Yun Shu and said: "Foolish kid, have you seen it?" Yun Shu's face turned pale as he stared at Liu Xiangxiang, but she was staring blankly at Liang Xiao, not noticing him at all. With a "clang", the long sword in his hand fell to the ground, and he had no more will to fight.

  Han Ningzi's purple eyes flashed, and she said: "Good disciple nephew, do you still want this little boy to live?" Liu Yingying gritted her teeth and shouted loudly: "Let him go, I'll let you leave." Han Ningzi smiled and said: "What are you calling me? You should call me something!" Liu Yingying was taken aback, lowered her head, and spoke in a soft and gentle voice: "Master... Master Uncle." Han Ningzi smiled complacently and said: "Good! Now that you've acknowledged your master uncle, you should show some filial piety!" She stretched out her hand.

  Liu Yingying frowned and said, "What?" Han Ningzi smiled and said, "Playing dumb? Hand over the pure yang iron box." Liu Yingying was slightly startled and suddenly said, "You're the one who framed me? Hmph... I should have thought of it earlier." Han Ningzi smiled and said, "Thanks for diverting those fools away from me. You really have skills, I've snuck into Lei Gong Fortress four times without success, but you succeeded in just one try."

  Liu Yingying gritted her teeth and took out the iron box, saying: "You let him go first." Han Ningzi's eyes gleamed with cold light: "Liu Yingying, you're playing tricks on me, but it's a hundred years too early. If you don't hand it over, I'll make this little brat splatter blood three feet high." Liu Yingying knew that her master was ruthless and cruel, the pure yang iron box was dispensable to her, but Liang Xiao couldn't afford to lose even a single hair, she hesitated for a moment before tossing the iron box over.

  Han Ningzi took the iron box, smiled and put it in her sleeve. Liu Yingying looked at her expression and felt something was wrong, she said urgently: "Han Ningzi, you have to keep your promise, now that you have the iron box, you should let us go!" Han Ningzi smiled faintly and said: "I'll ask you, what is my nickname?" Liu Yingying hesitated for a moment, then replied in a low voice: "Snow Fox."

  "Alright," Han Ningzi said with a smile. "Master Uncle, I'm as cunning as a fox. Since I've killed your master, I must leave a way out for myself, so you won't dare to seek revenge." Liu Yanyan was taken aback and angrily shouted: "You stinky fox...!" Her heart racing, she burst into tears. Han Ningzi laughed and said: "Cry well! Master loved watching people part ways in sorrow, crying until their eyes were dry and blind. That's what I call enjoyable." After finishing speaking, she kicked open the acupoints of Ah Bing and Ah Ling, and they struggled to get up. Han Ningzi glanced at Ah Xue with a look of disgust and shouted: "Take this foolish girl away too!"

  Two people helped A Xue up and followed her. Han Ningzi turned around and smiled, "Goodbye, young master, cry slowly, we will meet again." She laughed and walked out of the forest. Liu Yingying ignored the pain and ran two steps forward, but suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest and spat out a mouthful of blood. Yun Shu was anxious and rushed to support her, but Liu Yingying pushed his hand away and angrily said, "Get out! From now on, I...I will never care about you again."

  Yun Shu's body shook, and he lost his voice, saying: "You... what did you say?" Liu Yueyue's eyes turned red, and she said loudly: "You crippled Liang Xiao's internal energy, I hate to kill you! It's true, I deceived you, just wanted you to help me find him, then kill you with one knife, avenge him!" She couldn't do anything to Han Ningzi, so all her hatred was vented on Yun Shu, and she said everything that came to mind.

  Yun Shu felt a chill run down her spine, and her three souls and six spirits were all gone. After a long while, she vaguely heard the sound of horseshoes, looked up to see Liu Yingying crouching on horseback, galloping down the mountain. Yun Shu wanted to chase after her, but her legs felt as if they were filled with lead, so she leaned against a big tree and fell asleep in a daze.

  He didn't wake up until dusk, and when he did, he stood up dazedly, gazing out at the desolate wilderness shrouded in cold smoke. He felt the vastness of the world, with nowhere to go. This feeling was only experienced after his father's death, standing on Yanshan Baibuling, but that time he finally waited for his master to arrive. This time, however, the person he longed for would never come.

  He stood for a while, then walked forward in a daze, walking for half the night. At dawn, he suddenly heard the sound of horseshoes behind him. Yun Shu didn't want to turn his head to look, nor did he want to know who was coming, he just hoped to keep walking until he had no more energy and fell dead to the ground.

  The horse stopped behind him, and suddenly a loud shout was heard. Jing Fei flew over his head like an eagle, blocking his way. Yun Shu stopped in his tracks, still dazed. Jing Fei angrily said, "You beast!" He swung his palm to strike, but halfway through, he caught sight of Yun Shu's dull eyes and the sorrowful expression on his face, illuminated by the morning light from the east. Suddenly remembering that his master had only this one son, his hand softened, and he couldn't bring himself to hit him. But Bai San Yuan behind him was still fuming with anger, and he rushed forward, punching towards Yun Shu's back. Yun Shu stood there blankly, allowing the fist to approach without dodging. Jing Fei, however, couldn't help but stretch out his hand and grab Bai San Yuan's wrist.

  "Ah, Jing Daxia! You're protecting this unscrupulous person?" Bai Sanyuan exclaimed in anger. Jing Fei's face flushed with embarrassment as he stammered, "Bai Gege, my junior brother is young and doesn't understand..." Bai Sanyuan shouted, "Nonsense!" With a fierce struggle, he felt Jing Fei's grip like an iron hoop. In his rage, he spat a mouthful of thick phlegm at Jing Fei. It would have been easy for Jing Fei to dodge, but he felt ashamed and didn't avoid it, letting the phlegm land on his forehead and slide down his cheek without even wiping it away. Bai Sanyuan was taken aback, shook his head violently, and turned to leave.

  Lei Xingkong gazed at Yun Shu with a cold eye and suddenly asked, "Yun Shu, where is that female thief?" Yun Shu's body trembled slightly, and he slowly raised his eyelids, muttering, "She's gone, she'll never come back." Lei Xingkong saw the dejected look on Yun Shu's face and furrowed his brow, thinking to himself that since Yun Shu was here, Liu Yanyan shouldn't be far away. With a cold smile, he said, "Jiang Fei, this feud is settled, I'll make sure to pay you a visit someday!" Jiang Fei remained silent, but Fang Lan couldn't bear to listen and laughed, saying, "The few moves from the Lei Gong Fortress are well-known, old man. Do you want to challenge the Shenying Gate? You're still a bit short of that mark!" Lei Xingkong sneered, "Let's see who comes out on top in the end." He led the Lei couple away, leaving in anger. Chu Gong had been wounded by Yun Shu's sword and was still tightly bandaged around his leg. At this moment, he gritted his teeth and loudly said, "The brothers of the Jiang Gate are deeply affectionate! We'll meet again someday!" Afraid that Lei Xingkong would catch up to Liu Yanyan first, he urged his horse on, chasing after her in a flurry of wind.

  Others looked at Yun Shu with surprise, suspicion or disdain, but they didn't dare to make a scene in front of Fang Lan and Jing Fei. They shook their heads and dispersed one after another. In no time, the only ones left in the open field were Fang Lan, Jing Fei, and Xiao Shu Tong Feng Mian. Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, Feng Mian didn't dare to get too close, pursed his lips and looked on, making up his mind: "If these two people dare to touch a single hair of Young Master's head, humph, I'll fight them to the death."

  Jing Fei fell silent for a moment, then sighed: "I had originally wanted to unite the Lei and Chu families to resist external enemies together. Who knew that before we could become friends, we would instead become enemies." Fang Lan hummed in response, her gaze piercing as she stared at Yun Shu: "Young one, I'll ask you a question - what's the point of cultivating your martial arts skills?" Yun Shu had been waiting for the two to scold him, but upon hearing this question, he hesitated and replied: "To avenge Xiang Qian Yue." Fang Lan sneered: "Nonsense!" Yun Shu was taken aback once more. Fang Lan sneered again: "I think you're just doing it to win over the girls' hearts, aren't you?" Yun Shu's face turned red with embarrassment.

  Fang Lan said, "The ancients said that as long as the Xiongnu are not destroyed, how can one have a home? Now the Great Song Dynasty is in danger like a pile of eggs, and a great man should be galloping on the battlefield, killing enemies for the country. And you? Humph, but because of a thieving woman, you've lost your soul. Could it be that the Yun family's misfortune has fallen to having a tiger father and a dog son?" Yun Shu's body trembled, and his late father's voice and appearance flashed before his eyes: reading together under the lamp, passing on skills in the early morning, punishing evil and upholding justice, resisting foreign insults... countless past events flashed through his mind like a shadow play, making him break out in a cold sweat. Yun Shu looked at Fang Lan, then looked at Jing Fei, and with a softening of his knees, he knelt on the ground.

  Jing Fei let out a sigh, reached out to help him up, and said: "Forget it, just hope you remember Old Fang's words, come back and kill a few Tartars for me!" Fang Lan laughed and said: "If we're going to kill Tartars, I'll have to count on your old man too!" Jing Fei laughed and said: "Can't do without you, can I?" The two of them looked at each other and burst out laughing.

  The wind slept and saw the square waves staring angrily, thinking that it was going to be a disaster. Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, everyone's face lit up with joy again, and he couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. Yun Shu sighed: "Brother, I just offended many heroes..." Jing Fei waved his hand: "What others are like is their own business, as long as you have the heart to serve the country, it's just us two, what can we do?" As he spoke, his sword eyebrows rose sharply, and his heroic spirit was overwhelming.

  Fang Lan sighed, grasping the hands of both men and placing them together. "Old Jian is a man of the Jianghu, never forgetting Beiping's Central Plains. His last wish rests on your two shoulders. As brothers with one heart, their benefits can sever gold. Today's matter, I don't want to see it happen again!" Jing Fei grasped Yun Shu's hand and exchanged a glance with him: "Don't worry, Fang Lao, Yun Shu and I are brothers for life!" Yun Shu tightly clasped his senior brother's hand, his heart filled with mixed emotions!