Chapter Fifty-One: Turbulent World

  Hua Xiao Shuang took one look at the symptoms and cried out in a loud voice: "Divine reversal!" Liang Xiao Xian asked: "Xiao Shuang, did you do this?" Hua Xiao Shuang was also surprised, shaking her head: "I didn't poison them, besides..." She pointed at Hu Chi Yin and the others: "Why are they still standing?"

  A barbarian suddenly laughed and said, "Master Nephew is indeed from the same school as me, even using the same **." He spoke in fluent Mandarin, and Hua Xiaoxiao was amazed. The man scratched his face, and on his hand appeared a golden mustache mask made of human skin. Looking at his face, it was actually Chang Ning, "Laughing King Yan". He mixed into the crowd, taking advantage of everyone's attention to the stage to secretly administer poison, knocking out hundreds of southern heroes at once.

  He suddenly heard He Tuo's strange laughter, and a sharp blade danced into a huge ball that fell on Jiu Ru's head. Just as he was about to behead his lifelong enemy, he felt a strong gust of wind behind him, and the momentum was shocking. He Tuo dared not to be careless, and with one palm, he slapped open a large stone. Liang Xiao threw out the stone, swept over five zhang away, and slapped it towards He Tuo.

  He Da Lu's foot was about to land when Liang Xiao suddenly split his palms, the left palm making a "whooshing" sound as it swept away Ban Ruo Feng's attack. The right palm transformed into a claw, grasping onto Jiu Ru's arm and pulling him over. Jiu Ru took a deep breath, sat down on the ground, and began to meditate to force out the poison.

  In an instant, the shadows of Liang and He crossed each other. A flash of light swept past Liang Xiao's shoulder, bringing up a streak of blood. Liang Xiao's palm edge struck He Tuo Luo's right arm. He Tuo Luo retreated two steps in pain, his arm almost numb. Suddenly, Hu Chi Yin saw the advantage and whistled loudly, and the crowd of barbarians rushed forward to surround Liang Xiao. Seeing their agile movements, Liang Xiao knew that they were all skilled fighters, and with He Tuo Luo and Hu Chi Yin, he had no chance of winning tonight. Strangely, in this dangerous situation, his heart was not afraid at all. With one hand on his waist, he let out a long, loud laugh.

  He Tuo's arm ached unbearably, he had no intention of winning easily and was not about to let his guard down. Seeing Liang Xiao laughing loudly, he merely secretly regulated his breathing. Yun Shu had also been hit, but his inner strength was profound, and for the time being, he had not yet fainted. Gnashing his teeth, he said: "He Tuo... what is the meaning of this? You once swore a poisonous oath to help me revive the Han dynasty..."

  He Tuo Luo smiled and said: "You Hans have a saying, 'No emotions, no righteousness for merchants.' We Muslims do business with the word 'profit' as our priority. I ask you, is it more profitable to follow the Mongols or to follow you Southern Barbarians who have lost your country?" Yun Shu's face turned red with anger and shame, he shouted: "Good thief..." Before he could finish his sentence, he spat out two mouthfuls of blood and fainted.

  Hei Tuo Luo was delighted and burst out laughing, when suddenly he heard Liang Xiao shout: "What a great profit! Hei Tuo Luo, take a look at this palm of mine, is it profitable or not?" With a left palm raised, the "Tao Tian Qi" surged and churned, coming like a vast ocean. Hei Tuo Luo was taken aback by his momentum and his expression changed slightly. He sent out both palms with great force, but unexpectedly Liang Xiao's palm turned to the right halfway through, suddenly changing into "Gou Xuan Jin". These six great strange powers were created by him after he returned to the mainland, and Hei Tuo Luo didn't know their cleverness, so his fist power was immediately led astray. It landed on three Huren people nearby, who happened to be in the way of two top masters joining forces for a single strike. They didn't even have time to make a sound before they were finished off.

  Hu Chi Yin, seeing the situation, leapt up and swung his staff at Liang Xiao's back. Liang Xiao spun around, his left palm still using "Tao Tian Qi", while his right palm changed to "Xian Kong Li". The staff and palm intersected, causing Hu Chi Yin's mouth to bleed profusely. The copper staff was torn from his grasp by two opposing internal forces, flying off in a curved trajectory. Before the staff had even reached its peak, Liang Xiao changed his left palm to "Xian Kong Li" and his right palm to "Guo Xuan Jin". The staff suddenly folded in mid-air and swept towards He Duo Luo.

  He saw Liang Xiao turn around to meet the enemy, intending to sneak up on Jiu Ru, when he suddenly saw a copper rod sweeping in. He had no choice but to turn around and use his fist to force the copper rod back. Liang Xiao didn't harden his stance, instead using his left palm to pull inward and his right palm to rotate outward. The copper rod borrowed momentum to make a full rotation, colliding with two Huren who were charging forward. Those two were struck in the waist by the copper rod, their tendons severed and bones broken, both of them dying instantly.

  Between the two unions, Liang Xiao killed five people in a row, and the group of Hu souls flew away with their gallbladders bursting. They shouted in unison and jumped back several feet. Jiuru watched with relish and exclaimed: "Good palm technique!" He took off his gourd and threw it to Liang Xiao, saying: "Such a palm technique should be celebrated with strong wine." Liang Xiao caught the gourd, pulled out the stopper, and drank it all in one breath, praising: "Good wine." The group of Hu saw him looking down on them with disdain, their faces all red with anger. Suddenly, one of them limped out, shook his sleeves, and shot countless silver pellets at Liang Xiao's back.

  As if seeing a sudden change, Liang Xiao seemed to be unaware of it, but when he suddenly turned his head, the wine in his mouth sprayed out like a sudden rain. The silver pellets and wine droplets collided, unable to withstand the true power of the "Whale Breath Skill", which returned swiftly. The barbarian dodged too late, and the silver pellets hit him all over his body, with blue flames burning fiercely. He let out a mournful howl, tearing at his clothes with both hands, but the blue flames burned extremely fast, and in the blink of an eye, his clothes were burnt to ashes, with the toxic fire seeping into his skin. Liang Xiao saw that his face was burnt through, but another face appeared underneath, which upon closer inspection turned out to be Huo Zhenren.

  Huoren and Chang Ning hid in the Hu people's team at the same time. He was resentful of Liang Xiao, seeing him drinking, thinking there was an opportunity to secretly release "Ghostly Fire" to plot against him, but unexpectedly he was forced back by Liang Xiao's divine skill. Only to see him dancing with his hands and feet, shouting wildly, in an instant turning into a ball of fire, jumping up and down several times, falling to the ground, bones and flesh burning to extinction, leaving only a pile of flying ash, blown away by the wind, slowly dispersing. The Hu people saw this poisonous fire was so overbearing, for a time they were as silent as cicadas in winter.

  Liang Xiao spat out a mouthful of wine to extinguish the fire, threw an empty gourd and laughed: "Are there still seven?" He knew that if he let the group of Hu people take action, none of the Southern Dynasty's heroes would be spared. With both arms swinging wildly, his internal energy was like thunder and lightning, sweeping towards the group of Hu people.

  Hua Xiao Shuang saw Liang Xiao standing alone against a strong enemy, and her heart suddenly skipped a beat with anxiety. Suddenly, Gong Yang Yu said: "Little girl, give me the antidote and I'll let bygones be bygones, otherwise that stinky boy will die sooner or later!" Hua Xiao Shuang thought for a moment and said: "Letting you go is also good, but you must promise not to...not make things difficult for him." Gong Yang Yu angrily said: "You dare to coerce me?" Hua Xiao Shuang pursed her lips, feeling very conflicted in her heart. She wanted to let Gong Yang Yu go and retreat from the enemy, but she was afraid he would harm Liang Xiao. It was really hard to make a decision. As she hesitated, suddenly Gong Yang Yu shouted: "Be careful!"

  Hua Xiao Shuang only felt a gust of wind on her right side, and her body slightly tilted. A golden needle hit her arm, causing numbness. She turned to look, and Chang Ning was approaching with a sly smile. Hua Xiao Shuang immediately used the "Dark Fragrance Fist Method", her two fists brushing and sweeping, Chang Ning did not expect that she could still move after being hit by the "Congealing Blood Needle". Unprepared, he was thrown into a somersault by Hua Xiao Shuang, his lip bleeding, and he got up angrily saying: "Little girl, do you dare to throw your father?" Gong Yang Yu's face turned cold, shouting: "Chang Ning, who are you cursing?" Chang Ning was intimidated by his glare, and coldly said: "Gong Yang old man, today is not the day for you to be arrogant. Later, I will make sure to deal with you properly." Gong Yang Yu was furious, his hair standing on end, thinking: "A tiger fallen into a plain is bullied by dogs, a dragon trapped in shallow water is teased by shrimp. An old poor scholar who has looked down on the world all his life, could it be that he will suffer humiliation at the hands of this treacherous little man?"

  At this time, Hua Xiao Shuang suddenly smelled a strange fragrance like orchid and musk, but after smelling it for a few breaths, she felt annoyed in her heart. Suddenly, Chang Ning clapped his hands and laughed: "Good! Good!" Hua Xiao Shuang's mind flashed with inspiration, and she shouted: "Ghost Musk Magic Orchid?" Chang Ning was caught off guard by her calling out the poisonous medicine, and Hua Xiao Shuang took advantage of the opportunity to launch a double-fisted attack. Chang Ning dodged the left fist with his mediocre martial arts skills, but his nose bridge was hit by Hua Xiao Shuang's right fist, causing his eyes and nose to ache, and tears flowed from both eyes.

  "Good job, little girl!" said Gong Yang Yu. Chang Ning was both shocked and angry, and with a wave of her left hand, she scattered a cloud of red powder. Hua Xiao Shuang retreated several steps, but still had some powder on her clothes. Chang Ning reached for a box at her waist, opened the lid, and out flew over a hundred black bees as big as thumbs, swirling around Hua Xiao Shuang's head like a dark cloud.

  Hua Xiao Shuang had thoroughly read the "Shen Nong Jing" and knew that this strange bee was called a "Corpse Bee". Its sting was incurable, and its body was hard and fast. It loved to absorb the "Blood Rain Flower", so before driving away the bees, one must apply the pollen of the Blood Rain Flower on the enemy's body. Although Hua Xiao Shuang knew the reason, it was too late to remove the pollen now. Moreover, with the Corpse Bees flying wildly, she feared that innocent people would get hurt. So, she secretly used her "Reversing Yin and Yang" technique and slapped out with her palm. These days, with Liang Xiao's help, her cultivation had gradually increased, and she no longer needed a medium to expel the "Nine Yin Poison". The Nine Yin Poison was extremely potent and could counteract all poisons in the world. As soon as the Corpse Bees came into contact with her palm wind, they fell to the ground, dead.

  Chang Ning was caught off guard and hastily threw out a few more poisonous pills. However, Hua Xiao Shuang had the body of Jiu Yin, which made her immune to all poisons. Chang Ning's poison was ineffective, and in his haste, he was about to use his fists when he suddenly felt a strong gust of wind behind him. Before he could dodge, he was struck by a heavy object on his back, and his throat turned sweet as he spat out a large mouthful of blood. He turned around to see that the object was a corpse with dark hair and deep eyes, its mouth still flowing with fresh blood.

  Chang Ning's heart skipped a beat, and in the blink of an eye, only five people were left on the scene. He Tuo Luo, Hu Chi Yin, and three Huren masters surrounded Liang Xiao, turning around him chaotically. Liang Xiao was covered in blood, but like a mad tiger bursting out of its cage, he turned around and killed another person, catching with ease the one who had just thrown a powerful punch at him. Chang Ning's heart was about to burst, and he hastily retreated, being a turncoat who would flee as soon as things didn't go his way. He took three strides and two leaps, disappearing into thin air like a wisp of smoke.

  Liang Xiao's heart was hung with dew, and he threw two corpses to try to kill Chang Ning, but he was seriously injured, his internal strength weakened, and in the urgent moment, he could only hurt the enemy without taking his life. Seeing him escape, he secretly called it a pity. He slightly divided his mind, and later, Hou Xin had eaten a heavy blow from Liang Xiao, who swallowed the surging blood, turned around like a whirlwind, and with a single palm, he chopped off Huo Zhiyin's two arms with a cracking sound.

  He Darton was shocked and angry, pounced on him, and the sharp blade flashed in the light, hitting Liang Xiao's thigh. Liang Xiao let go of the sudden redness and snapped his fingers, making a "dripping water" sound, and the sharp blade was knocked open three feet away. Then his left hand grabbed towards He Darton's heart like lightning. He Darton quickly retreated, but his chest was brushed by the finger wind, leaving him feeling suffocated for a long time. In his heart, he was shocked and couldn't think of anything else, thinking that if it were in the past, this kid might not have been able to defeat himself, but today, with so few people, he had defeated nine top-notch masters one after another, truly a hero who could take on an army alone.

  Liang Xiao forced He Tuo to retreat with one move, and a severe pain shot through his leg, causing him to fall to the ground. He Tuo saw this and was overjoyed, pouncing on Liang Xiao. Although Liang Xiao couldn't get up, he was forced to unleash his hidden potential. He sat still, his palms circling around his body, his palm force surging back and forth, once again forcing He Tuo to retreat. He Tuo let out a series of shrill cries, dashing around Liang Xiao like a whirlwind, the cold light flashing in his hand threatening to snatch away Liang Xiao's soul. Unexpectedly, Liang Xiao countered with one palm on the left and one on the right, his movements not unusually fast, but his palm force was like a boundless ocean. He Tuo spun around more than ten times but still couldn't find an opening, becoming increasingly anxious: "I, who claim to be the champion of the Western Regions, can't even defeat a heavily injured person? If this gets out, won't I become a laughing stock?" But the more anxious he became, the harder it was for him to gain the upper hand.

  Hua Xiao Shuang saw Liang Xiao's body covered in scales, and her heart felt like it was being cut by a knife. She gritted her teeth, took out the antidote, and wanted to give it to Gong Yang Yu to drink. He Tuo Luo saw from afar, suddenly used "Void Movement", flashed several meters to appear behind Hua Xiao Shuang, and threw a punch. Liang Xiao was too weak to get up, could only angrily shout but couldn't rescue her.

  Hua Xiao Shuang felt a strong gust of wind hit her body, and before she could react, she was grabbed by the shoulder and pulled forward four feet. He Tuo Luo's fist fell empty, stirring up dust and dirt everywhere. When he looked up, Gong Yang Yu was standing tall, and he couldn't help but be startled. His hands and feet moved in unison as if he wanted to rush forward. Just as Gong Yang Yu was about to counterattack, He Tuo Luo suddenly bowed his head and turned around, retreating towards the pine forest. Gong Yang Yu didn't expect this master to be so cunning and slippery, and before he could react, Jiu Ru stood up, shaking her clothes, and shouted loudly: "You poisonous snake, where are you going?" She chased after him with big strides, and in an instant, the two of them were running one behind the other, their speed like a shooting star chasing the moon. They disappeared into the dark pine forest in the blink of an eye. It turned out that Gong Yang Yu and Jiu Ru had deep internal energy, and they took advantage of Liang Xiao holding back He Tuo Luo to force him out with all their might. At this moment, each of them had achieved a perfect state of martial arts.

  Hu Chi Yin and the remaining two Hu people saw this, and they all pulled their legs and ran away. Gong Yang Yu Qing's sword was held in his palm, and he rushed forward to stab down the two Hu people. Just as Hu Chi Yin's footsteps were flying and had already gone ten zhang away, he suddenly shouted loudly, and the soft sword transformed into a lightning bolt that flew out of his hand, hitting Hu Chi Yin's back, making a humming sound, and pinning him to the ground.

  Gong Yangyu drew his sword and looked back at Liang Xiao, not saying a word. Liang Xiao thought to himself that if they were to engage in battle now, he might not be able to withstand even three of Gong's swords. He gave a miserable smile, with his left palm up and right palm down, silently guarding his chest and abdomen. The tip of Gong Yangyu's sword trembled slightly, emitting a humming sound, when suddenly a figure flashed by, and Hua Xiaoshuang rushed forward, grabbing his wrist and urgently saying: "Xiao Gege, you must leave quickly!" She was still afraid it wasn't enough, so she opened her small mouth and bit down hard on Gong Yangyu's wrist. Gong Yangyu seemed to want to struggle free, but in the end let out a long sigh and lowered his hand.

  Liang Xiao's tears flowed like two clear springs, washing away the bloodstains on his face and dripping onto the ground. He stood still for a moment, then turned to help Ming Sanqiu up, his gaze shifting as he fixed intently on Hua Qingyuan: "The heavenly mechanism bestowed upon me today, Liang Xiao will never dare forget; whether it be ten years or eight years, I will certainly return to repay the debt." Hua Qingyuan and the others were currently resisting the medicinal properties with their internal energy, and they all started in surprise at his words. Gong Yangyu's eyebrows shot up as he was about to speak, but saw that Liang Xiao had already limped away into the distance.

  Hua Xiao Shuang gazed at Liang Xiao's receding back, her mind relaxed, her whole body limp, leaning against the public sheep and collapsing to the ground.

  Suddenly, Jiu Ru turned back with big strides, and when he glanced around, he didn't see Liang Xiao's body. Only then did he feel at ease, and asked: "Where is that little brat?" Gong Yangyu coldly smiled and said: "I let him go. Who were you chasing?" Jiu Ru coldly replied: "The monk's heart was hung up in this place, so I'll spare his life for now." Gong Yangyu snorted and glared at Hua Xiaoxian, saying: "Little girl, you've had your way, quickly revive the people on the ground!" Hua Xiaoxian took out the antidote but her legs were weak and she couldn't stand up. Gong Yangyu had no choice but to personally administer the rescue. After a while, the antidote was used up, fortunately, Chang Ning's "Divine Reversal" was also effective, Jiu Ru found several bottles of antidote on the dead Hu man's body and gave them to everyone to take.

  Hua Wu Qing's face turned red with anger, and Hua Xiao Shuang coldly laughed: "You've learned to use poison after becoming Wu Changqing's disciple? Humph, what a big deal. It seems that the Tianji Temple can't afford to raise a great Bodhisattva like you. From now on, everything you do will have nothing to do with the Tianji Temple." Hua Xiao Shuang lowered her head and remained silent. Although Hua Qingyuan and his wife felt sorry for their daughter's emotional distress, they knew that she was in the wrong for offending her elder, so they didn't dare say anything more, hoping that Hua Wu Qing's anger would subside before explaining things to her and her grandson.

  The heroes were poisoned but not unconscious, and they could see everything clearly before and after. They only felt bored in their hearts. The alliance of the East and West ended up like this, and everyone was disappointed and cold-hearted, all bidding farewell to Yun Shu. Yun Shu was ashamed and had no face to ask them to stay. In less than half an hour, hundreds of heroes dispersed in all directions, leaving none behind. Yun Shu's heart was filled with resentment and bitterness, and he couldn't help but shed tears. Everyone in the Tianji Palace sighed as they watched. Hua Mu Rong's face was cold but her heart was soft, she wanted to comfort him a few words but didn't know how to start.

  "What are you crying about? Han Gaozu had the shame of White Deer Plain, Cao Mengde had the regret of cutting off his hair. Throughout history, heroes have been unable to avoid difficulties. Only by persevering can one achieve great things. Can your crying kill the Hu barbarians and revive the Chinese people?" Yun Shu was shocked, hastily wiping away her tears. Gong Yangyu shook his head and sighed: "You were deceived by a treacherous person and almost harmed everyone, which is indeed wrong, but compared to Liang Xiao, it's only a minor mistake. Liang Xiao lost his integrity and can't be forgiven. Therefore, small mistakes are unavoidable, but on major issues, one must hold firm." Yun Shu repeatedly nodded in agreement.

  Jiuruo Dao said, "Farting and farting, both smelly and empty." Gong Yangyu just coldly smiled, but in his heart he remembered the words Liang Xiao threw out as he was leaving: "That little brat is already formidable now, who knows how he'll be ten years later? At that time if you want to seek revenge, in Tianji Palace, I'm afraid no one will be able to withstand him." Thinking about it, he secretly worried.

  By dawn, everyone found a small town to settle in. Gong Yangyu arrived late and didn't know the beginning and end of Yun Shu and Ming Sanqiu's fight, so he asked about it immediately. Yun Shu told him the truth. Gong Yangyu took him to a quiet place to help him recover from his injuries through internal energy circulation. Jiu Ru didn't want to stay with the others, so she went out to beg for food with Hua Sheng. Hua Xiao Xue was alone among them because Hua Wuyan's anger hadn't dissipated yet, and the people in the palace also found it inconvenient to talk to her.

  Hua Xiao Shuang was feeling depressed and thought of Liang Xiao's serious injury, which added to her worries. She lay down in the side room for a while but couldn't fall asleep. After a while, she got up again and went out of the house, only to see Ling Shuang Jun holding Hua Jing Yuan and coaxing him to sleep, while Hua Qing Yuan was also by their side, stroking the baby's face with a loving smile on his brow.

  Hua Xiao Shuang looked for a moment, and her heart felt a pang of sadness: "Father and mother have a younger brother, I am already an extra person, staying here is really boring." She looked for a while, took a step out the door, and Ling Shuang Jun couldn't help but call out: "Shuang Er, where are you going?" Hua Xiao Shuang didn't have time to answer, when suddenly she heard Hua Wu Xian say coldly: "She uses poison so ruthlessly, where can she go?" Hua Xiao Shuang's nose felt sour and she didn't turn her head back, coming outside to see that the white idiot was lazily sunbathing, seeing its master it ran over excitedly. Hua Xiao Shuang hugged it tightly, thinking of Liang Xiao again and unknowingly shedding tears. Jin Ling Er also jumped out from who-knows-where, burrowing into her arms, the clever monkey saw her crying and used its fluffy little head to wipe away her tears. Hua Xiao Shuang didn't want to disappoint it, so she could only sigh, hold back her tears, and stand up.

  She walked aimlessly along the road for seven or eight steps, when she suddenly heard a low voice. She quickened her pace and saw an old woman sitting at the corner ahead, dressed in tattered clothes, clutching her chest with a sorrowful expression. Hua Xiao Shuang, despite being flustered, didn't lose her composure as a doctor and approached the old woman, saying: "Old lady, where are you uncomfortable?" The old woman replied: "My heart hurts terribly." Just as Hua Xiao Shuang was about to take the old woman's pulse, she saw that the wrist was smooth like jade and was taken aback. Before she could finish her sentence, a numbness spread through her waist, and her body suddenly went limp. The only sound was the old woman's clear and crisp laughter. Jin Ling'er saw its master being captured and let out a cry, stretching out its claws to dig into the old woman's chest. The old woman cursed and swept Jin Ling'er away with a wave of her hand, sending it tumbling to the ground. As she looked down, she felt pain again and saw that Bai Chi'er was biting onto her ankle. Her anger rising, she kicked Bai Chi'er on the head, killing it instantly.

  Hua Xiaoxiang watched as her heart broke, tears gushing like a spring. Suddenly, she heard the wind rustling in her ear, and the old woman grabbed her hair, pulling her to run wildly, soon arriving at the banks of the Han River.

  The old woman looked around and saw no one chasing after her, so she stopped in her tracks, pinched Hua Xiao Xue's cheek, patted open her mute acupoint, and chuckled: "Little cheap thing, you've finally fallen into my hands." Just as Hua Xiao Xue realized the voice was familiar, the old woman wiped her face, revealing a beautiful face like a flower. Hua Xiao Xue cried out in surprise: "Han Ning Zi..." Han Ning Zi laughed: "You still recognize me?" Suddenly, her hand rose and fell, heavily slapping Hua Xiao Xue's ear, causing fresh blood to flow from her mouth and nose.

  Han Ning's face suddenly turned ferocious, and she gritted her teeth, saying: "Ling Shuangjun that cheap woman and that heartless scoundrel actually dared to be so intimate, humph, even if I tear them into pieces it would be hard to dispel the hatred in my heart." As she cursed, she pinched Flower Xiaoshuang's neck. Flower Xiaoshuang felt a surge of dizziness, her ears buzzing, and vaguely heard Han Ning say: "Today, I'll take out my anger on you." Before she finished speaking, her abdomen took a heavy kick. Flower Xiaoshuang only felt her internal organs squeezed together, her throat sweet with the taste of blood, and she spat out a large mouthful of fresh blood before fainting again.

  Liang Xiao carried Ming Sanqiu for a while, looking for a temple to stay in. He had been practicing medicine with Hua Xiaoxue for some time and was somewhat familiar with the medical arts, so he prepared several doses of medicine and applied them externally and internally. After seven or eight days, both of their injuries were much improved, and they discussed academic matters, feeling deeply compatible. Ming Sanqiu smiled and said: "Brother Liang, who would have thought that after our battle at Lingtai, we would end up like this today? The unpredictability of life is truly beyond measure!"

  More than a month had passed, and the two of them had recovered from their injuries. On this day, the weather was particularly fine, and Liang Xiao strolled along the corridor of the temple, suddenly seeing a copper mirror inlaid on the powder wall, guessing it was where the monks in the temple dressed up. He looked at himself in the mirror, and the scar on his face was still there; he knew that this scar was too deep and feared that it could not be removed. Even if the scars on his face were removed, the scars in his heart would last a lifetime. Thinking about this made him feel desolate, and he walked a few more steps before suddenly seeing some ink marks on the wall with several lines of small characters: "The heart is like dead ash wood, the body is like an unmoored boat; where are the achievements of one's life? Huangzhou, Huizhou, Zhanzhou."

  Liang Xiao silently recited the poem several times, thinking to himself: "My heart is like dead ash wood, my body is like an unmoored boat. Where are my lifelong achievements? Is it in the Tianji Palace, Xiangyang, or the vast ocean, the Tiangong Temple?" Suddenly, he felt that nothing had been accomplished for his country or family, and a sense of desolation arose within him. He hesitated for a moment, then turned back to the Chan room and said to Ming Sanqiu: "Brother Ming, we've been together for over a month, and I've benefited greatly from our time together. But there's no banquet that doesn't disperse, so let's part ways here today." Ming Sanqiu was reluctant to see him go: "Are you going to look for Miss Shuang?" Liang Xiao replied: "If I go looking for her, it will inevitably lead to another battle. It's better not to go."

  "Then why did you put down your stubbornness and seek revenge at the Tianji Palace with a ten-year deadline?" Liang Xiao sighed, "Hua Xiaoxue abandoned her parents and relatives to save me, she must be punished. I said so, they will not dare to treat her too badly because of me." Ming Sanqiu pondered, "So what's your plan, little brother?" Liang Xiao said, "I don't know either, can only take it one step at a time. If fate permits, we'll meet again on the rivers and lakes, and I'll drink with you to make up for past grievances." After speaking, he bowed and headed north. Ming Sanqiu watched his figure disappear before sighing and heading southeast.

  Liang Xiao's life was not his own, drifting with the currents of the world. Today, he had easily cast aside all worries, yet a sense of desolation arose in his heart. He had wandered aimlessly for over twenty days when he saw countless refugees approaching from afar. Upon inquiry, he learned that the Yellow River had burst its banks. Climbing to a high vantage point, he gazed out at the endless expanse of yellow water surging forth, as tens of thousands of acres of fertile fields became a sea, and hundreds of thousands of disaster victims scattered like ants, struggling and crying out in anguish, their mournful cries filling the air.

  In a daze, I suddenly heard someone singing a sorrowful song from afar: "The mountains are like a gathering, the waves are like anger, the mountains and rivers are all about Tongguan Road. Looking west to the capital, my heart is hesitant, this was once a place where Qin and Han emperors passed through, but now the palace is nothing but dirt. When it prospers, the people suffer, when it declines, the people suffer." The song's mournful tone pierced Liang Xiao's heart with a hidden pain, he turned his head to look, but only saw the people wailing, without seeing the singer's shadow, and couldn't help but think: "The song says 'when it prospers, the people suffer, when it declines, the people suffer', but if we do nothing, won't we forever endure suffering?"

  He made up his mind, inquired about the direction, gathered dozens of refugees, and rushed to the river monitor's mansion at night. The river monitor was having a party with his colleagues, listening to music and watching dance, when he saw Liang Xiao, he shouted loudly. Several family slaves came forward but were all kicked down by Liang Xiao, the officials scattered and ran away, but none of them could escape, they were all caught and tied up. Liang Xiao sat on the seat, called over the river monitor, and asked him why he didn't take care of the flood situation. The river monitor replied in a trembling voice: "In mid-summer, the water is full, it's inevitable that the dike will burst. In previous years, the imperial court had strategies for flood control, but now the western border is invaded by the Huns, the eastern border is at war with Korea and Japan, and the southern region is still attacking Annan and Champa; the imperial court is raising troops everywhere, how can it take care of the flood situation? Now there are no grains or salaries, how can we control the flood? Moreover, this year's water momentum is fierce, the thousand-mile-long dike is in danger everywhere, I...I don't know where to start."

  Liang Xiao said, "As far as I know, there are nine granaries within a hundred miles this week. We can open the granary and distribute grain to gather river workers to control the flood." The river monitor's face turned pale, and he waved his hands wildly, saying, "That is military rations, it cannot be distributed." Liang Xiao smiled slightly, ordered some refugees to guard the officials, and went to the governor's office himself. He pulled the governor out of his concubine's bed and ordered him to issue an order to open the granary. The governor was so frightened that he lost his soul, saying, "That is military rations for the northwest battlefield. If we distribute it, my head will not be spared." Liang Xiao put his palm on the governor's neck and smiled, saying, "If you don't distribute it, your head will still not be spared. In any case, it's not spared. If we succeed in controlling the flood, we can redeem our mistakes with merit."

  He coaxed and intimidated, using both his tongue and force, until the officials could not bear it and had to sign the order to release the grain. Liang Xiao tied up the provincial governor and the river official together and threw them into prison, where they were guarded day and night. He himself falsely claimed to be an imperial envoy and took over the provincial government office. His manner was extremely arrogant, he spoke Mongolian fluently, and having been familiar with official procedures when he led troops in previous years, although the officials suspected him, they did not dare to speak out of turn.

  Liang Xiao opened the granary and released grain, slightly relieving the disaster victims, but mostly using it to recruit river workers. Within seven days, he gathered 60,000 laborers. Liang Xiao carefully observed the flood situation, drew maps of the mountains and rivers, and assigned the laborers to different tasks: some dug canals to divert the water, others built high dikes, made tools, or excavated dams to store water, washing away mud and sand. He had always had exceptional talent, and now that he could finally use it, his strategy was flawless. Without half a month's work, he had contained the floodwaters. By the end of the month, the river waters had receded, and the refugees returned home. At this time, the imperial court also gradually heard rumors and sent people to investigate. Liang Xiao knew that he could not stay long and released the officials and river inspectors, letting them go back to report.

  The two men were overjoyed and furious, hastily sending people to catch them, but they only disturbed the countryside without finding any trace of Liang Xiao. Kublai Khan was delighted to hear that the river disaster had been eliminated, and he not only did not investigate the matter of opening the granary to release grain, but instead praised them highly. The two men were overjoyed and took all the credit for the flood control work, without mentioning a word about being captured and humiliated or chasing Liang Xiao.

  After Liang Xiao escaped, he looked at the turbulent river water and thought about his experience over the past month. He pondered: "This river carries mud and sand, rushing down. If it's cured this year, it will inevitably overflow again next year, repeating the cycle endlessly. How can this be a long-term solution? Xiaoxiao often says 'treating the root and clearing the source' when treating illnesses. It should be the same with treating rivers, but to treat the root and clear the source, I'm afraid we need to go to the source of the great river to investigate."

  As he thought of this, he followed the Yellow River westward. On this day, after passing through Tongguan Pass, he arrived near Chang'an and suddenly remembered his old friend, so he went to the foot of Mount Hua and asked about his hometown, only to learn that the survivors of the Zhao, Yang, and Wang families had all been taken in by Li Ting to be supported in the capital. Liang Xiao's heart was filled with mixed emotions, and he walked to a small hut south of the mountain, where he saw lush bamboo forests, clear springs, and a small waterwheel spinning incessantly in front of the house. He pushed open the door and entered, only to see that the bed was still made, the table and chairs were intact, but the walls were already covered with fine spider webs.

  Liang Xiao picked up a bamboo bird from the wooden table, which was a toy he made for Ah Xue. It had been placed there for a long time and was covered with dust. With blurred eyes, it seemed as if he saw that round-faced girl sewing clothes in the distance, but when he reached out to wipe away his tears, there was nothing. Liang Xiao pressed the bamboo bird against his face, and tears streamed down his cheeks, wetting the dry yellow wings of the bird.

  It was a long time before he finally stepped out, adjusted the bamboo bird's mechanism, stretched out his palm, and the bird flew up into the sky. Liang Xiao gazed wistfully for a long time, then suddenly sighed, and without waiting for the bamboo bird to land, quietly walked westward.

  When Hua Xiao Shuang woke up, she only felt the cool breeze blowing on her body, slightly relieving her severe pain. She struggled to open her eyes and saw a mountain slope with ancient trees surrounding it. Suddenly, Han Ning Zi laughed and said: "Do you know where this is?" Hua Xiao Shuang turned to look at her, shaking her head in confusion.

  "This place is called Bai Zhang Shan. Liang Xiao once stationed his troops here and defeated 100,000 Song soldiers with just 1,000 iron cavalrymen. What a magnificent feat!" As soon as she mentioned Liang Xiao, Hua Xiao Xue's spirits lifted slightly, and she looked up to see the outline of Xiangyang City in the distance. But before she could react, Han Ning Zi grabbed her hair and slapped her twice, cackling with laughter: "This is for Yingying! That little scoundrel Liang Xiao abandoned my cousin and hooked up with you, a little slut. Hmph, do you think you'll ever see him again? Let me tell you, I've already sent word to Hua Qing Yuan and Ling Xue Jun to come here and meet me. Not only will I make them die without a burial ground, but I'll also make them taste the pain of losing their daughter. Do you believe it? If they dare not come, I'll sell you into prostitution and let all the stinky men in the world love Ling Xue Jun's precious daughter!" She burst out laughing maniacally again.

  Hua Xiao Shuang was originally heartbroken, but after hearing this, she couldn't help but shudder. She thought to herself: "If it comes down to that, I'd rather die than live. If they call my parents and use me to coerce them, how could I harm them?" After a brief moment of silence, she suddenly said, "Han Ning Zi, you were originally defeated by me, so what's the big deal about secretly attacking someone?" Han Ning Zi's face changed color, and she shouted angrily: "You little slut, what are you saying?!" She slapped Hua Xiao Shuang twice, causing her mouth to bleed, and coldly laughed: "If it weren't for that little thief Liang Xiao's cunning, with your trivial skills, how could you be my opponent?" Hua Xiao Shuang said: "I may have trivial skills, but if you can't even defeat me, then aren't you the most trivial of all?"

  Han Ningzi's face turned pale, and she raised her hand but stopped it in mid-air. Hua Xiaoxue's two sentences had struck a chord in her heart, for she had always thought that her beauty and talent far surpassed Ling Xuejun's, yet that good-for-nothing woman had taken the man she loved from her. This hatred was as deep as the sky, losing to anyone else wouldn't be a big deal, but losing even an inch to this mother-daughter pair was absolutely unacceptable.

  In an instant, she turned several ideas over in her mind, patted the flower Xiaoxue's acupoint, and coldly said: "Good, let's compare again, see if you have any other tricks to beat me?" She retreated a few steps, her beautiful eyes gleaming with frost. Hua Xiaoxue silently got up, suddenly raised her hand and slapped it towards the top of her head. Han Ningzi wouldn't let her die easily, flew forward, hooked her wrist pulse with his left hand, and pointed at her chest with his right index finger.

  Hua Xiao Shuang's injuries were severe, her movements slow and clumsy. She didn't expect Han Ning Zi to attack so quickly, and in an instant, her wrist was caught. Without thinking, she swung her right palm at an angle, and her left knee shot up, aiming for Han Ning Zi's abdomen, using the "Treading Snow Seeking Plum" move from the "Dark Fragrance Fist Method". Han Ning Zi secretly sneered, shouting "Good!" as she used the "Small Frost Scattered Hand" move from the Whirling Snow Divine Palm, wrapping her arms around Hua Xiao Shuang's right arm and shouting "Break!".

  She lost to Hua Xiao Xue that day, and afterwards repeatedly pondered on it, feeling that the "An Xiang Fist Method" was restrained by the "Piao Xue Divine Palm" everywhere, and it was difficult to break through. However, Hua Xiao Xue's internal energy was weak, and if she used grappling hands to entangle with her, she could make her have no power to display her fist techniques.

  Hua Xiao Shuang only felt a severe pain in her right arm, and remembered that there was a grappling technique called "Broken Plum Hand" in the "Dark Fragrance Fist", so she used it to shake off her hand and turn her wrist. Han Ning Zi was caught off guard and almost let go of her, but suddenly felt a surge of rage: "This little girl is covered in injuries, how can she still break free?" With an angry hum, he circulated the "Ice River Mysterious Skill" into Hua Xiao Shuang's right arm.

  Hua Xiaoshuang only felt a cold flow entering, without thinking, she applied the "Turning Yin into Yang Technique", the yin pulse entered, and the yang pulse exited. The "Ice River Divine Skill" was originally a pure yin internal skill, but after one turn in the nine major yang pulses, it instantly transformed into nothingness.

  Han Ningzi's true energy surged forth, but it was like a stone sinking into the ocean. Hua Xiaoxue's pale face glowed with a faint red light, as if her internal energy was full. Han Ningzi secretly felt shocked and fearful: "Not having seen you for several months, little girl, your inner strength has made great progress?" She had always been arrogant and never believed that this little girl could surpass her own decades of cultivation. At this moment, she slightly withdrew her right hand and grasped Hua Xiaoxue's left palm, their internal energies surging back and forth as they launched a continuous attack on each other.

  Hua Xiao Shuang didn't care how the other person changed, and with a surge of internal energy, she led in with her left palm and attacked with her right palm, then led in with her right palm and attacked with her left palm, turning yin into yang. She dissolved Han Ning Zi's shocking and fierce attack one by one. After holding out for the time it took to burn an incense stick, Hua Xiao Shuang had a faint sheen of sweat on her temples, and her face was pale with a hint of red, as beautiful as a peach blossom in March. Han Ning Zi's face grew increasingly pale, and a thread of dark energy appeared between her eyebrows. She suddenly let out a stifled groan, withdrew her palms, and retreated several steps. Hua Xiao Shuang saw that her face had turned green, and the tip of her brow was trembling, as if she were resisting extreme pain. Just as she felt puzzled, Han Ning Zi suddenly let out a shrill cry: "You little slut, you used poison on me!"

  Hua Xiao Shuang suddenly realized, just now she was forced to use the "Reversing Yin and Yang Technique", unintentionally passing on the "Nine Yin Poison". Han Ning Zi unknowingly got the way, after the pain, furious, drew out a short sword, and rushed up to stab wildly. Hua Xiao Shuang dodged while shouting: "You... don't move first, I'll teach you how to force out the poison."

  Han Ningzi didn't believe her at all, thinking she was intentionally mocking her, and her attacks became even more ruthless. In less than two moves, Hua Xiaoshuang's arm was struck by a sword, blood seeping through her sleeve, and seeing Han Ningzi's frenzied state, she knew that if she didn't escape, she would surely die under the sword. She had previously thought of dying but was forced to give up, and since there was still a glimmer of hope for survival, she wouldn't easily give up, so she covered her wound and ran down the mountain slope. Han Ningzi was about to chase after her when she suddenly felt dizzy and disoriented, her whole body turning cold, and she couldn't help but fall to the ground. She knew that if she didn't resist, the poison would enter her five organs, and it would be difficult to save herself, so she sat down cross-legged and focused on circulating her energy, not daring to move even a fraction of an inch. This Nine Yin Mysterious Poison was something she had created with her own hands, and today she was suffering from its effects, also a case of "what goes around comes around" and "retribution is not satisfied".

  Han Ningzi's "Ice River Mysterious Skill" was originally a purely yin technique, the same as the Nine Yin Poisonous Needle. Once she started practicing it, it would only help to increase its power and could not eliminate the poison at all. Her whole body suddenly felt itchy and painful, cold and chilly, and all sorts of strange flavors rushed up together. The suffering that Hua Xiaoshuang had endured from the Nine Yin Poisonous Needle in her lifetime, she was now experiencing one by one. Han Ningzi hated Hua Xiaoshuang to the bone, and wished she could eat her flesh and sleep on her skin, just to satisfy her anger.

  She gritted her teeth and leaned against the tree, stumbling down to the foot of the mountain. All she saw was the desolate wilderness, with no sign of her enemy in sight. Just as she was getting anxious, two figures appeared on the road ahead - it was Hua Qingyuan and Ling Shuangjun. The couple walked side by side, one wearing a long robe with wide sleeves, looking elegant and refined like jade, while the other wore a green dress with a spiral coiffure, looking pure and uncommonly beautiful, the two of them forming a perfect pair.

  Han Ningzi gazed at the two approaching, her heart as if being fried in a pot of oil, her blood boiling and congealing by turns, her eyes hot and sour. Suddenly she saw Hua Qingyuan stop about ten feet away, staring blankly at her, his eyes seemingly joyful and sorrowful at the same time, while Ling Shuangjun bit her lip, two flames shooting out from her eyes.

  The three of them gazed at each other in silence for a long time, until Huā Qīngyuān let out a sigh and said softly, "Zǐér, it's been many years since we last met, you've become even more frail!" The two women didn't expect him to break the silence with these words, and they both paused slightly. Hàn Níngzǐ couldn't help but blurt out, "You...you've changed a lot too..."

  Ling Xuejun's body trembled with rage, and she turned to leave. Hua Qingyuan was startled and hastily grabbed her back, asking, "Where are you going?" Ling Xuejun angrily said, "You don't even care about Xiaoxue, why should I bother?" Hua Qingyuan hesitated, bitterly smiling, "How could I not care about Xiaoxue?" Ling Xuejun glared at him, gritting her teeth, "You see this poisonous woman and don't ask about our daughter's whereabouts. Instead, you're affectionate with her, treating me like a transparent person? Among all the heartless men I've met in my life, you, Hua Qingyuan, are the worst."

  Hua Qingyuan's face turned white, and he was speechless. As soon as he saw Han Ningzi, he involuntarily blurted out those words, knowing they were wrong but unable to hold them back. Ling Shuangjun saw his stunned expression, knew he was filled with remorse, and felt even more wronged, unable to help but sob. Hua Qingyuan sighed, embracing her in his arms, and said to Han Ningzi: "Zi'er... cough... Miss Han, my daughter is innocent, the one who wronged you is me. If you spare my daughter, I will submit to your punishment."

  Han Ningzi and he reunited after a long time, originally ecstatic and forgetful of everything, but when she saw him comforting Ling Shuangjun with tenderness, her jealousy reignited, her face pale and uncertain. She smiled lightly and called out: "Miss Han, Miss Han..." Her voice was low and slightly choked. Hua Qingyuan saw her strange expression and couldn't help but call out: "Han... Ningzi, what's going on with Ling Shuangjun?" Han Ningzi's eyebrows furrowed, and she suddenly shouted: "Are you calling me Han Ningzi?" She gazed at Ling Shuangjun, coldly smiling: "Your precious daughter has already been chopped into eighteen pieces by me and thrown into the Han River to feed the fish."

  Hua Qingyuan took a step back, his face completely pale. Ling Shuangjun saw Han Ningzi alone and had already guessed that her daughter was in trouble. Upon hearing this, the twenty-year-old grudge surged up in her heart, and she broke free from Hua Qingyuan, pouncing on him. Han Ningzi swung his sword to meet her, and in an instant, the two sworn enemies were fighting together.

  As for martial arts, Han Nianzi was far superior to Ling Fengjun, but she had been poisoned by the "Nine Yin Toxin" and her movements were slow. After exchanging over twenty moves, she was struck by Ling Fengjun's palm on her chest. Han Nianzi stumbled backwards, almost falling down. Ling Fengjun was about to deliver the final blow when a figure suddenly appeared before him, and Hua Qingyuan supported Han Nianzi in his arms. Ling Fengjun felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, stunned for a moment, and said sorrowfully: "Good, twenty years ago it was like this, twenty years later it's still the same, Hua Qingyuan, have you been protecting this poisonous woman all your life?"

  Hua Qingyuan's expression changed several times, and he glanced around to see Han Ningzi's face pale and blood flowing from the corner of her mouth. For a moment, he couldn't bear to lay a hand on her, so he said, "No matter what, I have to get to the bottom of this..." Before he could finish speaking, he heard an angry growl and turned to see Hua Wuyan's furious face. Gong Yangyu, Jiu Ru, Yun Shu, and Hua Sheng were each standing in a corner, and only then did he remember that they had agreed earlier that he and Ling Shuangjun would lure the enemy forward while the four great masters waited for an opportunity to capture them.

  Gong Yangyu took a step forward and said sternly, "Han Ningzi, are your words just now true?" Han Ningzi had not seen Qiong Ru before, but Gong Yangyu's attire was enough to reveal her identity. She knew she couldn't escape the truth, so she became defiant and sneered, "Why would I deceive you? I personally killed that little wretch, can't you see the bloodstains on this sword?" Hu Qingyuan snatched the short sword and took a look, the bloodstains on the spine of the sword were still wet, suddenly his heart felt empty, staring at Han Ningzi as if he was in a daze.

  Gong Yangyu was stunned, then suddenly let out a loud shout and slapped his palm towards Han Ningzi's head. Hua Qingyuan saw the palm coming and instinctively raised his hand to block it. The two men's palms clashed, and Hua Qingyuan's left knee softened, causing him to kneel on the ground with a surge of purple energy on his face. Gong Yangyu was taken aback, withdrew his palm, and sighed, "Forget it, I won't intervene." Hua Wuying's eyes were red with anger as she said, "Like father, like son, humph, you're not worthy of managing him either!" Gong Yangyu smiled wryly, "You're right, I'm indeed unworthy." He rolled up his sleeves and retreated to the side. Hua Wuying took a step forward, glaring at Hua Qingyuan, "Are you still going to protect her?" Hua Qingyuan's mind was in chaos, but he refused to let go of Han Ningzi.

  "Alas, the heavens are unjust to good people. Xiaoxiang's benevolence has saved countless lives, yet she ultimately met a tragic end. Sigh... it's all over, many things in this world are like this. Huasheng, let's go!" Huasheng was taken aback, his eyes suddenly widening as he exclaimed loudly, "Master, you're saying Xiaoxiang is dead?!" Jiuru gazed at his disciple, secretly sighing and nodding, "Yes..."

  Huasheng jumped up three feet, pointing at Jiuru's nose and shouting: "Old monk deceived me! How could Xiaoshuang die? Why would she die?" Jiuru said: "She is also a mortal, why wouldn't she die?" Huasheng was like an ant on a hot pot, pacing back and forth, shaking his head and saying repeatedly: "No, no, others may die, but someone as good as Xiaoshuang, how could she die? Liang Xiao won't die, Xiaoshuang won't die either." In his heart, he couldn't believe Xiaoshuang was dead. His eyes were wide with anger, staring at Jiuru's face. Han Ningzi sneered: "I killed her myself, isn't that right?"

  "Ah, you're deceiving me! I don't believe it!" Hua Sheng shouted. Han Ningzi said, "You don't believe? Look at the sword..." Before he could finish speaking, Hua Sheng let out a loud roar and swung his fist, but Hua Qingyuan countered with his hand. However, the "Great Vajra Divine Power" had an earth-shaking might, and Hua Qingyuan's mind was preoccupied, causing him to be pressed into a flurry of activity.

  "Hua Wu frowned and said, 'Jiuru monk, the affairs of Tianji Palace are for Tianji Palace to handle. What right do you and your disciples have to interfere?' Jiuru sneered and shouted, 'Hua Sheng, let's go! It's best not to meddle in other people's family matters.' Hua Sheng was taken aback, then suddenly turned around and ran wildly into the distance. Jiuru watched his back, shook his head, and sighed, 'Old poor scholar, farewell for now.' Gong Yangyu had a great deal of respect for him despite their argument, and joined his palms together in salute: 'Forgive me for not seeing you off far.' Jiuru let out a long sigh, tapped his staff on the ground, and was already several dozen feet away."

  Hua Wu glared at Hua Qingyuan and said in a harsh tone, "I'll ask you again, are you really determined to protect this poisonous woman?" Hua Qingyuan's eyebrows twitched repeatedly, then he gritted his teeth and shouted, "Yes, I, Hua Qingyuan, have neither the martial arts skills of Liu Shui Gong nor the extraordinary knowledge of Yuan Mao Gong, nor do I have your cunning calculations. I...I am the first incompetent and useless person in Tianji Palace since ancient times."

  Hua Wu didn't expect him to say such things, and she felt a slight chill. Suddenly, Hua Qingyuan continued: "From childhood to adulthood, looking at the legacy of my ancestors, I have always despised myself from the bottom of my heart, so I never dared to disobey my mother. You forced me to marry Frost Lord, I didn't resist; you wanted me to be the Palace Master, I didn't refuse; you wanted me to secretly plot against Liang Xiao, and I did as told...

  "You say these things for what, am I wrong?" Hua Qingyuan smiled wryly and said: "Mother's plan is flawless, how can it be wrong? A thousand mistakes, ten thousand mistakes, the mistake lies with me, only because I didn't have the courage or ability. Sometimes, I really envy Liang Xiao, he dares to act, dares to love, dares to hate, even if there are a thousand faults, it's still better than me, Hua Qingyuan, tenfold." Hua Wuyan's face turned pale, and she said in a hoarse voice: "Yes, I restrained you too much, you should really hate me!"

  Hua Qingyuan shook his head and sighed, "How could I dare to resent my mother? In the past, when Yuanmao Gong passed away early, the Tianji Palace was on the verge of collapse. Mother single-handedly supported it and endured many hardships. If not for her wise decisions, there wouldn't be today's situation." Gong Yangyu sighed, "It's true, it's my fault. From young to old, I haven't been able to teach you well. If you had my martial arts skills, what would the Hua Liu Shui be?" Hua Qingyuan shook his head, "It's not father's fault either. Everyone has their own aspirations and can't be forced. You have a carefree personality, if you were confined within the Tianji Palace, it would also be too humiliating." Since Gong Yangyu and his wife had fallen out, this was the first time Hua Qingyuan addressed him as "father". Gong Yangyu felt a mix of emotions, glanced at Hua Wuhen, and suddenly felt a bit ashamed.

  Huā Qīng Yuān turned his head and sighed softly, "Líng Shuāng Jūn, I have wronged you the most in my life. However, emotions are beyond reason, and although I am useless, from start to finish, my heart has only had room for one person. Today, seeing Zǐ ér again, I finally understand that when we parted ways back then, Huā Qīng Yuān's heart was left with her, and this life... it can never be retrieved!" His tone was calm and even, but Líng Shuāng Jūn burst into tears. In her heart, she loved Huā Qīng Yuān deeply, knowing that his heart wasn't with her, yet she forgave him again and again. After hearing these words, she felt utterly hopeless in her heart, knowing that she had forever lost to Hán Níng Zǐ and could never win back this man's affections.

  Hua Qingyuan raised his eyes to the sky, and tears flashed in his eyes. He sighed softly and said: "I was wrong again and again, sorry to my parents, sorry to my wife, sorry to Liang Xiao, and even more sorry to Xiao Feng. Hua Qingyuan is an unlucky person, all the troubles are caused by me, all the mistakes are borne by me. I only hope that you will spare Jingzi for my sake..." As he spoke, he suddenly turned his sword around and pointed it at his neck. This move was so sudden that everyone felt their blood rushing up, and their minds went blank.

  Blood splattered within five steps, Huā Qīng Yuān's arm was suddenly held tight, and when she turned to look, Hán Níng Zǐ smiled with a radiant face, her eyebrows blooming with spring color, and her eyes revealing unending warmth. Huā Qīng Yuān felt a daze in her heart, as if she had returned to the time of their passionate love affair. Unconsciously, she softly sighed: "Zǐ'ér, why must you stop me?" Her voice was gentle, extremely tender.

  Han Ningzi let out a sigh, resting her head on his arm, and said softly: "You used to be an idiot, and you still are." Hua Qingyuan smiled wryly: "I've always been an idiot, you know that. Now, except for dying, I can't think of any other way to save you." Han Ningzi looked at him steadily, saying slowly: "I killed your daughter, don't you hate me?" Hua Qingyuan sighed: "I didn't wrong you, or else things wouldn't have ended up like this today."

  Han Ningzi grasped the short sword, holding it in her hand, and sighed: "I really hate it, if she were my daughter, how good would that be." She said lightly, "Yuan Ge, I'll ask you a question, you must answer me carefully." Hua Qingyuan said: "Go ahead." Han Ningzi said: "You just said that your heart has always been here with me, is it true or just to coax me?" Hua Qingyuan blurted out: "Absolutely true, not a single false word."

  Han Ningzi's face was filled with satisfaction and joy, her eyebrows relaxed into a smile. Since they had parted ways, Hua Qingyuan had not seen this smiling face again, and for a moment, he was stunned. Han Ningzi sighed: "Qingyuan, do you still remember that day when I left the Tianji Palace to find my sister in the Heavenly Mountains? You recited a poem for me back then." Hua Qingyuan's expression turned nostalgic, and he suddenly whispered: "The new moon is like a curved eyebrow, without the intention of reunion. The red beans are unbearable to look at, with tears of longing in one's eyes. Every day, I split open the peach blossoms, with you in my heart. Two flowers separated by a wall, soon to be joined together..." As he recited this far, he suddenly felt Han Ningzi's body tremble, and a hint of pain flashed across her eyebrows. Hua Qingyuan looked down, and his soul flew away. He saw a short sword inserted into Han Ningzi's heart, with only the hilt visible. Hua Qingyuan let out a sharp cry: "Zi'er, Zi'er..." Han Ningzi endured the pain, grasping Hua Qingyuan's arm tightly, gasping: "Zi...Zi'er returns her heart to you, from now on, you...you must treat your wife and daughter well..." Her eyes lost their luster, and before she could finish speaking, she had already taken her last breath.

  The scene changed suddenly, and everyone's mind was shaken. They were all stunned. Hua Qingyuan was so grief-stricken that she wished she were dead, and she hugged Han Ningzi tightly, wailing loudly. Although the crowd felt that Han Ningzi was evil and treacherous, they had not expected her to make such a move at the moment of her death. Even Ling Shuangjun felt empty in his heart, and he could no longer muster up any hatred. The people from Tianji Palace had all arrived, and they saw everything clearly. Hua Mu's eyes were filled with tears as she whispered: "Two flowers separated by a wall will eventually become intertwined." Yun Shu understood her intention and grasped her hand tightly, making a silent vow: "From now on, I will treat Mu with a single heart, and I will never again be indecisive or harm others and myself."

  Hua Qingyuan first lost his daughter, and then lost his beloved. He cried until the sky turned dark, and only stopped when he was out of breath. Ling Shuangjun helped him up, and Hua Qingyuan finally calmed down. He said to Hua Wuyan: "When a person dies, all things become empty. Zi'er is already dead, let me bury her on the spot."

  "From now on, you're in charge of everything. Don't ask me again." Huā Qīngyuān didn't say much more, and with bare hands dug a hole, putting Hán Níngzǐ inside. As the soil fell, he gazed at his beloved's face for a long time, finally sighing, covering her with earth, carving a wooden tombstone, originally writing "The Old Companion Hàn Níngzǐ's Grave", but after some thought, ultimately erasing the two words "Old Companion".

  He fell silent for a moment, then stood up. Gong Yangyu suddenly said: "Qingyuan, when a person is about to die, their words are good. Han Ningzi entrusted you to take good care of his wife and daughter before he died. Is Huaxiao Feng still in this world?" Yun Shu shook his head: "No, if Huaxiao Feng hadn't died, why would Han Ningzi have ended his own life?" Gong Yangyu let out a cold snort, thinking to himself: "What do you know? Love is an unreasonable thing. If Han Ningzi hadn't died, how could he and Qingyuan have escaped this entanglement?" Suddenly remembering the misfortunes of his past life, he couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

  After discussing for a while, they decided to disperse and search. They searched all day but found nothing. Just as they were about to return, they suddenly saw He Shuangyang leading a group of southern heroes walking towards them from the front road. Each of their faces was bruised and swollen. Yun Shu couldn't help but call out: "Brother He, what happened? Where is the Emperor?" He Shuangyang's face twisted in pain as he replied: "We were guarding the Emperor with him when that little bandit suddenly returned, not even asking about our well-being, and just grabbed the Emperor and left. We tried to stop him but he beat us up badly." Yun Shu was furious upon hearing that Hua Sheng had taken Zhao Yi away, and without regard for his dignity, he loudly cursed the bandit.

  Gong Yangyu said coldly, "Scolding is useless, that child is young, let him go. Besides, Little Monk's martial arts are very high, not to mention them, you won't be injured, but you may not be able to defeat him." Yun Shu didn't think so and remained silent. Gong Yangyu looked at him with a cold smile, "You don't have to be unconvinced, you can't beat Little Monk, let alone Liang Xiao. That person's martial arts are even stronger than Xiao's in his prime. In the future, if he seeks revenge, you must practice day and night to defend against one or two moves."

  He seemed to be teaching his disciples, but in fact he was reminding the people of Tianji Palace. The crowd remembered what Liang Xiao said when they parted ways: "Liang Xiao and Hua Xiaoxue's love is deep and strong, if Xiaoxue were here, even if he came, he wouldn't dare to be unreasonable, now that Xiaoxue's life or death is unknown, with his temperament, the outcome is really unpredictable."

  He Xunyang said with a sigh, "Young Master Yun doesn't have to worry, that guy is the public enemy of Nan Wulin. As long as he shows up, we will definitely work together to make him suffer." Gong Yangyu sneered, "What's the use of having many people? The tens of millions of Song people were defeated by the Yuan people!" Everyone was exposed and their faces flushed with shame and anger. Gong Yangyu let out another cold laugh, turned around and left quickly. Cloud Shu wanted to call out to him, but he had already gone far away.

  Liáng Xiāo fēng cān lù sù suō dà hé ér shàng, yuè wǎng xī xíng, qì hòu yuè shì kǔ hán, hàn hǎi qiān lǐ, miǎo wú rén yān, jù dà yán hú shí shí kě jiàn, huáng hé shuǐ yóu zhuó biàn qīng, hé dào yóu kuān ér zhǎi, tǔ zhù yǔ yǔ Liáng Xiāo jiàn nán liǎo jiě, wéi yǒu píng jiè shǒu xí gōu tōng.

  That day, he crossed the mountain of stones, and the river water became smaller, people and animals could wade through it. He knew that the source was not far away, so he hurried on for several days until he reached the foot of a large mountain. The mountain ridge was covered with glaciers, and the snow was dazzlingly white. Liang Xiao asked the locals and learned that this mountain was called "Bayan Kala". After resting for a while, he climbed up the mountain, turned over a steep rock wall, and saw a small spring gushing down from the top of the mountain, gathering into a stream. The stream water carried countless ice fragments, crashing sounds rose and fell like a rhythmic beat.

  Liang Xiao knew that this was the source of the great river, so he took off his sheepskin wine pouch and drank all the Qingke wine in it. He then threw the pouch into the water, where it floated eastward among the ice blocks with a clattering sound. Liang Xiao felt a sense of wonder: "People say that the river's source is where the current begins to flow, but I imagine the downstream waters are incredibly powerful and turbulent. Yet here, the water isn't even enough to float this wine pouch." After watching for a while, he suddenly had an epiphany: "The Yellow River's waters start as a fine stream and become a mighty torrent - the principle behind it is just like the inner workings of my internal strength. What a wonderful thing!" With that thought, he felt as if he had gained some insight.

  He sat at the source of the river until sunset before descending, suddenly seeing the southern foot of the mountain, within a hundred miles, stars and sparks were scattered everywhere, dazzling to the eye. Liang Xiao was greatly surprised, looking far into the distance, he saw that the light came from hundreds of springs, scattered and sparkling like stars, gathering in one place, flowing into the Yellow River. Liang Xiao suddenly realized: "This should be the 'Star Sea' mentioned in the geographical records, at first glance, it is indeed like a sky full of stars scattered among the people, the ancients did not deceive me."

  As he looked around, doubts arose in his mind. He sat down on a rock, furrowed his brow and pondered: "When I was young, I read the Shan Hai Jing at the Tianji Palace. The Da Huang Xi Jing says: 'The Kunlun Mountains are where the rivers originate.' The source of the Yellow River should be the Kunlun Mountains. It also says: 'South of the Western Sea, on the banks of the Flowing Sands, after the Red Water and before the Black Water, there is a great mountain called the Kunlun Mountains.' The Red Water refers to the Yellow River. According to ancient people's views, the Yellow River should originate from the Kunlun Mountains. But 'Bayan Har' Mountain is small and low-lying, how can it compare with the majestic scenery of the Kunlun Mountains? And where did this Star Lake come from? The Hai Nei Xi Jing says: 'The void of the Kunlun Mountains is in the northwest, the river water flows out of its northeast, and enters the Bohai Sea in the southwest, entering the mountain where Yu directed the accumulation of stones.' It seems that the Kunlun Mountains should be to the northwest of the Accumulated Stone Mountain. Li Daoyuan's Shui Jing Zhu says: 'The river flows from Puchang, underground, and emerges in the south at Jishishan', and also says: 'The water of Congling, divides into east and west, flowing into the Great Sea to the west, and becoming the source of the Yellow River to the east.' According to the geographical map, Congling and Puchang are thousands of miles away from here. Is it possible that the source of the Yellow River is far in the northwest, and then the river water flows underground for over a thousand miles before emerging from Star Lake?

  Thinking of this, Liang Xiao felt it was inconceivable. He was naturally curious and had doubts in his heart. If he didn't investigate thoroughly, he really couldn't explain it to himself. After thinking for a while, he decided to head northwest to find the legendary Kunlun Mountain.

  He finished the dry food he brought, and then killed a wild goat on the spot, roasted it and ate it. He rested in a cave for one night and set off northwards the next day. Along the way, the Gobi Desert was vast and sandy, with scorching sun beating down relentlessly. After about ten days of walking, there were signs of water and grass, and in the distance, the outline of a great mountain range could be seen, with snow-capped peaks reaching high into the clouds, shining brightly in the sunlight.

  Another day passes, and the majestic mountain stands before me, stretching across east and west, with lush greenery, its momentum like a flying dragon bathing in snow. The ice on the mountaintop melts away, winding and twisting, gathering into large and small lakes on the plain, shining brightly, with misty vapors filling the air, reflecting the sun's rays, and radiating colorful lights.

  Liang Xiao was unaware of the vastness: "How can a foreign land have such a magnificent atmosphere? The mountains and rivers in China are numerous, but compared to this, they all seem constrained!" Just as he was enjoying the wind and scenery, he suddenly felt the ground tremble slightly, and there was a faint sound of thunder in the western sky. He looked in the direction of the sound, and saw that the dust and smoke were swirling, condensing into a long gray line, rolling in from afar, growing thicker and thicker.

  Liang Xiao was startled: "Is there a battle here too?" Looking around, the endless grasslands offered no place to hide, so he hastily climbed up a gentle slope. The gray line gradually approached, but it turned out to be countless wild horses, their manes fluttering in the wind, galloping furiously. Behind the horse herd, within an arrow's distance, hundreds of herders were exerting themselves, cracking their whips, shouting hoarsely and ceaselessly.

  Suddenly, the sound of hooves came from the southwest, and hundreds of cavalrymen appeared, surrounding them from all sides. This encircling tactic was a familiar hunting technique used by the grassland herders, and when executed perfectly, the prey had nowhere to escape.

  A herd of wild horses was suddenly charged by a slanting stab, and chaos erupted. Suddenly, a fiery red wild horse burst out of the herd, with a sturdy skeleton, a head taller than ordinary wild horses, and a mane that was almost as long as its body. The red horse let out a long whinny, its voice very melodious. The herd heard the sound and galloped northward like a whirlwind. Suddenly, a large cloud of dust rose in the north, and hundreds of riders came charging towards them. The red horse whinnied again, and the wild horse herd suddenly turned around and rushed towards Liang Zhuo.

  Liang Xiao was accustomed to the battlefield and didn't pay much attention to the horse herd, but he felt a sense of unease: "According to reason, there should be people blocking the way in the southeast, could it be that the guide made a mistake?" As soon as this thought occurred to him, the sound of horseshoes echoed from behind, and when he turned his head to look, dozens of riders appeared in the distance. He was just thinking that the number of people coming was too small, but then he suddenly realized the subtlety: "It's true, these people are not here to block the way, but because they were startled, and if they repeatedly disturb the horse herd like this, it will surely cause chaos, and at that time, capturing the wild horses would be very easy."

  As expected by Liang Xiao, the horses from the southeast burst out and the horse array was in great disorder. The fiery red wild horse let out a loud whinny and jumped out again, neighing loudly. The horses seemed to be like soldiers hearing the horn, suddenly advancing together towards the east. Liang Xiao couldn't help but cheer: "The king of horses, truly impressive!" The wild horses also understood the situation, and the people from the east were all shocked, watching as several thousand wild horses rushed over, and they scattered in all directions to avoid them. Only a red-clothed woman remained fearless, riding her horse into the midst of the wild horses, swinging her lasso left and right, striking the horses. When a horse was hit, it would retreat in pain. Liang Xiao saw that the woman's lasso movements contained hidden soft whip techniques, and he couldn't help but secretly admire her.

  The woman dodged to the east and then suddenly appeared in the west, creating a path for herself as she approached the red horse. She flipped her body and landed on the horse's back, causing the knights to cheer and shout in excitement. Liang Xiao thought to himself: "To capture the enemy, one must first capture their leader. This move was quite skillful; this woman seems to be well-versed in Chinese martial arts."

  The red horse was fierce and untamed, able to make thousands of its kind bow their heads and lower their ears. How could it tolerate humans riding on it? Suddenly it bucked up and down, throwing left and right, its movements extremely violent. The woman in red tightly grasped the horse's mane and crouched on its back. At first she was still able to hold on, but after a moment she felt her strength weakening, her body like a kite being tossed about in the air.

  Suddenly, the red horse gathered its hooves and turned around, the woman let out a sharp cry as she flew towards the wild horse herd like a thrown arrow. At this moment, countless horses galloped by, trampling everything beneath their chaotic hooves, truly a desperate situation with no escape from death. All the riders couldn't help but shout in shock, when suddenly they saw a figure flashing by, Liang Xiao leapt and bounded through the air, embracing the woman tightly in his arms, then landed on the back of a wild horse. Lowering his head to take a look, the red-clad woman was only eighteen years old, her almond-shaped eyes shone bright like jade, extremely beautiful.

  The girl was still in a state of shock, her breathing rapid, and a faint scent of milk emanated from between her lips. Suddenly, she spoke quickly in hushed tones for two sentences. Liang Xiao didn't understand, the girl became anxious, pointed at the red horse and said another two sentences. Only then did Liang Xiao manage to make out what she was saying, as her words were interspersed with many Turkic phrases. Since there were also Turkic warriors in the Yearning Heart Camp, Liang Xiao had learned some of their language for convenience's sake, so he thought for a moment before asking: "You want me to catch that red horse?" The girl nodded repeatedly, and Liang Xiao sighed: "Each object has its owner, why must you force it?" The girl became anxious, her small mouth pursed, and she burst into tears: "We've been chasing it for over a month, if we can't catch it, we'll be finished..."

  Liang Xiao looked around, the knights were exhausted and powerless to set up another siege. He also heard the girl crying sadly, his heart softened, and sighed: "I'll try!" After finishing, he threw her on a wild horse's back, and himself whipped the horse towards Hong Ma. Hong Ma had suffered once before, as soon as it saw someone coming, it galloped out of the horse group, its hooves didn't touch the ground, throwing Liang Xiao two arrows away.

  Liáng Xiāo roused his competitive spirit, and urged on his horse to pursue closely, its tail streaming behind. At that moment, the east wind was blowing fiercely, whipping up his sleeves as he rode swiftly across the plain like a bird in flight. The other riders watched with wide eyes and gaping mouths as one man and horse flashed by in a burst of light, disappearing suddenly beyond the horizon.

  After galloping for over twenty miles, the red wild horse ran faster and faster, and Liang Xiao was gradually left behind. He secretly praised: "This horse is extremely fast and almost comparable to Xiangxiang's Rouge Horse!" He bent down and picked up a piece of hard mud, pinched off a small pellet, and used his "Water Drop Strength" to shoot it at the red horse's hind leg joint. The mud pellet made a hissing sound as it turned into a cloud of light smoke. This move was gentle in force, but it caused the red horse's hind legs to go numb, stumbling once. Liang Xiao took advantage of the situation and rushed closer, with the mud pellets flying out like pearls, not hurting the red horse's muscles or bones, only making its hooves soft and numb, unable to exert its strength, slowing down gradually.

  With a half-bucket of goat's milk, Liang Xiao rushed forward, grasped the horse's tail and flipped onto its back. The red horse exerted all its strength to struggle free. Liang Xiao displayed his light and agile skills, letting the horse rise and fall as it pleased. Seeing that things were not going in its favor, the red horse galloped wildly, but Liang Xiao wrapped his left arm around its neck and covered its eyes with his sleeve. The red horse's vision was completely blacked out, leaving it no choice but to blindly charge forward, finally exhausting itself after half an hour and surrendering.