Chapter 30 030[VIP]

Huang Rong, Guo Jing, and the others were unaware of the unusual behavior of these escorts.

Upon arriving in Gusu, these Imperial Guards, tasked with escorting and assisting them, temporarily parted ways with Huang Rong and her group, hiding in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to "encounter" them again. They refrained from pursuing them.

Huang Rong and Guo Jing, however, separately set out to investigate Duan Tiande's whereabouts.

Fortunately, with the assistance of disciples from the Gusu branch of the Mi Tian League, they quickly learned of Duan Tiande's whereabouts, along with a wealth of information related to him.

Duan Tiande, following Fu Zongshu's orders, led his troops to siege Niujia Village, resulting in the death of Guo Jing's father, Guo Xiaotian, and the disappearance of Yang Tiexin.

Furious, Qiu Chuji pursued Duan Tiande for revenge, leading him all the way to his master, where he had taken refuge. Ultimately, Master Jiaomu was killed, and Duan Tiande escaped once more.

However, with the backing of the treacherous Fu Zongshu, Duan Tiande not only escaped his pursuit but also, with his previous apprenticeship, secured a place as a lay disciple at the Putian Shaolin Temple. He was also entrusted with the "important task" of transporting the late emperor's flower and stone tribute from the south to Bianjing.

Since the late emperor's passing and the ascension of Emperor Fang, the trade in Taihu stones has ceased, replaced by the transportation of taxes and grain, now passing through Taihu Lake.

After Huang Rong temporarily settled Yang Tiexin and Mu Nianci at the headquarters of the Misty Heaven Alliance, she and Guo Jing rented a small boat, intending to disguise themselves as fishermen to observe Duan Tiande's fleet's arrangements and find an opportune moment to strike.

That night, a small boat emerged from the reeds along the shores of Taihu Lake, with two fishermen at the bow and stern.

The sturdier man at the bow cast his net into the river and set up several bamboo traps along the way.

Even if someone briefly glanced at the fishing fire in the darkness, it would be difficult to detect. The fisherman's movements were clearly clumsy, clearly just learning the techniques, not that of a true fisherman.

As for the slimmer figure at the stern, he was clearly a slacker, already sprawled on the deck, his hat covering his face, only occasionally swishing the oars, pushing the boat forward.

As the night deepened, both the bow and stern had fallen asleep. Even the illuminated fishing fire was extinguished by the night breeze, leaving only the small boat, slowly drifting with the current.

To the vast fleet on Taihu Lake, the small boat was no different from a piece of driftwood, simply moving forward.

Huang Rong, however, had already slowly removed her hat from her face, her gaze shifting from the starry sky above to the vast lights in the distance, her eyes clear and devoid of any trace of sleep.

When the midnight bell rang, her eyes suddenly froze, and she sat up straight. "Brother Jing, look over there!"

Guo Jing had studied breathing techniques with the Quanzhen Sect's Wang Chongyang for several years, so his breathing was naturally lighter than that of an average person. Hearing the gentle call, he hurried and cautiously moved closer.

He looked in the direction Huang Rong pointed, and saw, on the moonlit lake, a small boat suddenly approaching Duan Tiande's fleet.

It was clearly no ordinary boat.

A spark lit at the bow, alerting the fleet ahead, but also making it easy for martial artists to see the occupants.

A young man in a white monk's robe held one hand in front of his chest in a single-palm salute, the other hand hanging at his side. Even at a distance, his features were difficult to fully discern, but a hint of transcendence was evident from the half-profile. The faint moonlight cast a hazy, misty haze over the boat.

Still several feet away from the large ship ahead, he suddenly gathered his strength and leaped, tapping the surface of the river several times. Like a white crane skimming across the water, he soared up from the ground and disappeared behind the ship's mast.

"This..." Guo Jing's eyes widened. He hadn't expected to witness such exquisite martial arts on his first night of surveillance of Duan Tiande, witnessing such a remarkable monk.

Huang Rong nudged him awake with her elbow. "Who do you think he is?"

Guo Jing thought for a moment and replied, "He must be a renowned and accomplished monk."

"Do you even need to tell me?" Huang Rong chuckled. "This man possesses exceptional martial arts skills and a majestic appearance. Judging by his age, he must be in his early twenties. He must be a disciple of Master Tianfeng of Putian Shaolin Temple, one of the Seven Wonders."

The first thing Guo Jing noticed in this long series of analyses was the words "Putian Shaolin."

Thinking of the news he'd read earlier that day, he asked, "This master and Duan Tiande are considered fellow disciples. Could he be here to advise him on his actions?"

Huang Rong raised her hand and tapped him on the head, gently scolding him, "Brother Jing, you think too highly of people."

It had to be said that even the fleeting glimpse of the two of them over Taihu Lake had left a lasting impression on Master Wuhua's figure and demeanor. Coupled with his reputation as a Shaolin disciple, no one would suspect him of any ill intentions. They only assumed this radiant and bright figure was bound to do good.

However, Huang Rong had once stayed in the Misty Heaven Alliance and interacted with Shi Qingruo, and she hadn't forgotten one thing.

"Do you remember when Chu Xiangshuai tracked down the thief who stole the Tianyi Divine Water and pursued him to Bianjing? He recounted the events that had occurred, and Master Lu suggested an interesting idea: that Chu Xiangshuai investigate the wonderful monk Wuhua."

A monk truly aloof from worldly affairs shouldn't be around corpses floating on the sea, much less have such a chance to come into contact with the Tianyi Divine Water.

Of course, he certainly shouldn't be mingling with a villain like Duan Tiande at night.

Perhaps, as Guo Jing suggested, he might have gone to dissuade Duan Tiande from his evil deeds, but Huang Rong didn't mind assuming the worst.

She pondered for a moment, then whispered something into Guo Jing's ear.

Guo Jing exclaimed, "How can that be? Rong'er, you're taking a huge risk." But

Huang Rong was determined to uncover the true identity of this wonderful monk Wuhua.

In the space of a cup of tea, the white-robed monk had landed back on the small boat, parting ways with the larger ships. She immediately tied her clothes tightly around her and dove into the water like a swimming fish.

Guo Jing had no time to intervene; he only saw a ripple on the water before Huang Rong disappeared.

He wanted to jump in pursuit, but Huang Rong, having grown up on Peach Blossom Island, was a skilled swimmer, while he, raised in the desert, couldn't compare his swimming prowess. He resigned himself to his fate and continued to follow Duan Tiande's fleet.

Huang Rong, on the other hand, had carefully followed Wuhua, following him from a distance to avoid being noticed.

He sailed westward until he reached the shore and then headed towards a distant estate.

...

"Taihu Lake Guiyun Villa?"

Huang Rong reached out to take the towel handed by Mu Nianci, wiped the remaining water stains on her face, nodded and replied: "It is Guiyun Villa."

"I originally wanted to sneak into the villa to continue to gather information, but as soon as I climbed over the wall of Guiyun Villa from a corner, I found that it was difficult to walk inside." "

That's natural. Guiyun Villa and Yongcui Villa are considered the two most prestigious forces in the Taihu Lake area. It's just that Yongcui Villa has rarely been mentioned in recent years because the owner Li Guanyu never leaves the villa. But neither of them can be trespassed without permission."

Huang Rong said, "No, what Chu Xiangshuai said isn't what I said."

She hadn't expected to see him again at the Mi Tian League after meeting Wu Hua the previous night.

He had only just arrived.

As a friend of Shi Qingruo, Huang Rong didn't mind adding a few words. "The layout of Guiyun Manor is based on the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams. That's not surprising, but the Iron Eight Trigrams and Qimen Dunjia techniques seem to be from Peach Blossom Island."

However, what was urgently needed wasn't the lineage of the master who orchestrated Guiyun Manor, but something else entirely.

She asked, "Chu Xiangshuai, based on your understanding of Wu Hua, what was his purpose in visiting Duan Tiande and then Guiyun Manor?"

Chu Liuxiang gave a wry smile. Before arriving in Gusu, he had passed through the Beggars' Sect's branch in Jinan, where he had gathered considerable information that led him to suspect the Tianyi Divine Water incident was connected to his friend, Nangong Ling, the current leader of the Beggars' Sect.

It seemed as if he hadn't understood the other person for years.

If he couldn't even see Nangong Ling clearly, how could he claim to understand the even more difficult-to-understand Monk Wuhua?

"I'll personally investigate this place tomorrow. Miss Huang, please guide me. I also need a favor. This Tiande is related to Fu Zongshu and perhaps even the situation in Bianjing. Please write a letter as soon as possible and send it to Madam Shi in Bianjing."

Huang Rong replied, "Even if Chu Xiangshuai doesn't tell me, I'll do it."

He wondered what the situation was like back there.

Calculating the time she left Bianjing, it should be... the time for someone there to be formally convicted.

...

Regarding the massacre of the Changkong Gang, Zibai Choufei was quickly taken away from the Six Gates after being sent to them by Shi Qingruo.

Not to mention the close ties between Shi Qingruo and the Divine Marquisate, since this was one of the five key announcements made by the new Saint Lord of the Misty Heaven Alliance upon ascending to the throne, the charges must be brought to justice swiftly. Bai Choufei's own crimes were also a heinous crime, irritating both humans and gods.

Having zeroed in on Bai Choufei, Fang Geyin and Sang Xiao'e immediately mobilized the resources of various factions, including the Golden Signboard, the Blood River Sect, and the Heavenly Feather Sword Sect. Combined with intelligence gathered and deduced from the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower, they were able to piece together a clearer picture of Bai Choufei's early career.

They also uncovered past events from the Battle of Fanlongpo, when Bai Choufei was still in the army.

This combined punishment resulted in Bai Choufei's execution according to official law, without even delaying until autumn; it was already underway in the late spring, the summer ahead.

However, Shi Qingruo believed that

behind this major case, two other hands were secretly working to hasten Bai Choufei's demise.

Some hoped he would die quickly, atone for his sins in the underworld, and no longer be associated with the Misty Heaven Alliance.

Others, however, hoped Bai Choufei would remain as he was now—since he was going to die anyway, they'd better avoid getting involved in other matters and shut him up sooner rather than later.

Regardless of which side contributed more, Bai Choufei's execution day had finally arrived.

To prevent any hidden connections from disrupting the execution, Shi Qingruo took a seat not far from the execution ground, so she could witness the fall of this villain's head.

She was accompanied by Lu Xiaofeng, who had recently had some free time off from playing cards and drinking with Yan Tieshan, and...

Shi Qingruo rubbed her forehead, feeling a slight headache, but she still handed the neatly folded silk handkerchief from her sleeve to the girl beside her.

The girl, usually dressed in red and carefree, now had tears welling up in her eyes, perhaps due to the recent rainy weather.

"Don't cry! There's no need to cry over such a scumbag," Shi Qingruo whispered soothingly.

Upon hearing this, Wenrou burst into tears, even borrowing half of her shoulder.

Although she didn't understand what Shi Qingruo meant by "scumbag," she could guess the meaning behind it. She sobbed, "I'm not crying for him, I'm..."

She pursed her lips and hesitated for a long moment before asking, "Senior Sister, am I a failure?"

Shi Qingruo softly replied, "Why would you think that?"

Wenrou's gaze flickered to the distance. Over there, at the execution ground, a new group of men had arrived. It seemed the culprit, destined for public execution, would soon be brought there.

She mumbled, "When I first left home, I met Chen Huchan, one of the Seven Great Bandits. But he only treated me as a sister, so I had no choice but to accept him as my sworn brother..."

Her words were vague, but Shi Qingruo understood. It was a story of love and indifference. For Wenrou, a young woman just beginning to fall in love, stepping back and accepting the position of sworn brother and sister must not be easy. But if they were to remain friends, this was the only way.

"Then I met you in Hubei. Back then, Dabai... Bai Choufei seemed like a good man."

And a completely different kind of good man, one entirely different from Shen Huchan.

Wenrou liked those who were brave enough to draw their swords in a rage, and also those who spoke duplicitously but did good deeds.

However, this second crush also ended in vain, now facing the revelation of Bai Choufei's true identity and impending execution.

Wenrou wiped away her tears, wanting to say that as a disciple of the Xiaohanshan School, known in the martial arts world as "Xiaohanshan Swallow," and a woman of chivalry, she shouldn't let such things bother her. But she couldn't help but feel that she had truly failed in love. And

it was at this very moment that Bai Choufei was "dragged" to the execution platform.

The short half-month in prison had left him even more miserable than when he had been sent away from the Misty Heaven Alliance, not to mention the proud look he had displayed before, his hands clasped behind his back, gazing heavenward at the Yellow Crane Tower. He stared at the ground with numb

eyes

, as if he had completely cut off from the outside world, and he didn't notice the gazes from all sides.

Of course, he wouldn't look at whether there was a silly girl among the mixed gazes, mourning her unrequited love.

"Don't look."

Wenrou sniffed, and felt a hand appear in front of her, blocking the light in front of her. It was Shi Qingruo who stretched out her hand to block her.

Obviously, there was not much comfort in these three words, but because of this raised hand, it became a tenfold protection.

"Senior sister..."

"Who hasn't liked the wrong person when they were young? Just worry about it for two days and forget it. Otherwise, I think your Star Sword Skill will have to be renamed Black Sky Sword Skill."

Wenrou said "Huh?", as if she didn't understand the cause and effect of these words.

Then she heard Shi Qingruo jokingly say, "It's still raining at night, doesn't that mean there are no stars, only darkness?"

Gentle tears suddenly froze on the spot, but she found it difficult to smile at this moment, so she just blinked gently.

The hand covering her eyes was not generous or warm, and there was even a hint of spring chill on the fingertips, but it made her instinctively feel dependent.

It seemed as if even the surrounding noise was isolated outside, making her forget for a brief moment that this was actually Bai Choufei's execution ground.

No wonder Senior Brother...

"Besides, a blessing in disguise?" Shi Qingruo's voice sounded in her ears. She

nodded gently and silently. After experiencing the incident with Bai Choufei and seeing Fang Yingkan's execution, she found that there were more two-faced people in the martial arts world than she had imagined. With the martial arts she learned on Xiaohan Mountain, it was not enough for her to break all the schemes and destroy all these conspiracies.

Maybe her father was right, she shouldn't have come out so early.

Not only did she hurt herself, but she also dragged others down.

She was a little tempted to go home…

Wenrou had just thought this when she heard Lu Xiaofeng, cracking a nut in his hand, casually ask, "What did Madam Master mean by that?"

Shi Qingruo turned her head. "What did you mean by that?"

Lu Xiaofeng popped the peeled almond into his mouth, then, as if realizing he shouldn't have asked, awkwardly looked away. "Nothing."

Shi Qingruo shook her head, amused by Lu Xiaofeng's attempt to cover up by rubbing his mustache. Her eyes, however, seemed to casually glance at the area beneath the stage.

Wenrou hadn't noticed while she was brooding over Bai Choufei. Perhaps even if it weren't for Bai Choufei, his subtle expression made it difficult to detect. At that moment, someone in the audience was actually looking in her direction.

This young man's status was truly unusual.

Since he had studied under Wang Wenwan of Luoyang, Wenrou could be considered his junior apprentice.

He was also the only son of Wang Xiaoshi's master, Tianyi Jushi, and the Divine Needle Grandma Zhinu. If anything, Wang Xiaoshi could be considered his junior apprentice.

The man named Xu Tianyi had been tasked by Wen Wan to bring Wen Rou home, but, infatuated with his younger junior sister, he dared not show up too soon, thus interrupting her adventures in the martial arts world. Instead, he remained by her side, and, as the Prince of Luoyang's favorite general, he investigated an old case in Bianjing.

But at this moment, Shi Qingruo reached out to stop Wen Rou from looking at Bai Choufei, and Xu Tianyi gazed at her intently from the audience. To the onlookers, it looked like a heartbreak.

Wen Xue'an couldn't help but sneer in the crowd.

He had assumed that the Master Saint of the Misty Heaven Alliance had come today to showcase the Misty Heaven Alliance's prestige, but he had only come to understand that she was merely trying to help Wen Rou resolve her issues so she could curry a favor with the Prince of Luoyang.

Ultimately, it was petty.

However, the most ridiculous thing today wasn't Wen Rou, but Bai Choufei on the stage.

Wen Xue'an pressed the hidden sword at his fingertips, deeply satisfied with Bai Choufei's silent and submissive death.

Bai Choufei must have known full well that he was now a prisoner. Even if he revealed Wen Xue'an's name and revealed his connection to the Prime Minister's Mansion, he would have no chance of survival. As for Wen Xue'an, he had a capable master and the protection of the Prime Minister's Mansion. As long as he stayed hidden, he would never run into trouble. He

might as well just die.

Perhaps Wen Xue'an, out of respect for their past conspiracy, would send someone to collect his body once he was dead!

As if sensing this amused and mocking gaze, Bai Choufei glanced towards Wen Xue'an as he was wheeled onto the execution platform.

But days of hunger and illness had left his vision hazy.

It seemed as if the person he saw wasn't Wen Xue'an hiding in the crowd, but

the Changkong Gang members he had murdered!

The warmth of spring had already spread across the land, but he felt only a chill enveloping him from all directions.

An even more stern and chilling voice echoed from behind him.

It was the executioner who tossed the token to the ground and shouted, "Execute!"

The death card behind him was then snatched away by the executioner.

Wen Xue'an smiled maliciously, watching with immense satisfaction as Shi Qingruo's hand, covering her gentle eyes, tightened its grip. The executioner, with a mouthful of strong liquor, sprayed the blade onto the edge of his blade, raised the sharp blade, and struck Bai Choufei's head.

"Do it!"

Wen Xue'an's expression froze.

Bai Choufei's head, severed by the unstoppable blade, was about to tumble to the ground.

The word "do it" came not from the executioner or the supervising official, but from a clear voice on the platform he had treated as a joke. It

came from Shi Qingruo's mouth.

Before he could even utter the two words, a presence locked onto him.

Despite being several meters apart, two silver threads, as thin as ox hairs, hurtled straight towards his face.

No, not silver threads, but silver needles!

Wen Xue'an felt a chill run down his spine, completely daunted by the attack, and retreated quickly.

But the double needle thrust from Xu Tianyi had already caught him off guard, and now, with a sudden burst of sword energy, it reached him in a split second.

Almost instantly, another icy ray pierced from behind him.

Even without turning back, he knew it was no simple sword move.

The solitary, cold sword energy, imbued with an unyielding resolve, instantly reminded Wen Xue'an of someone—Leng

Xue, one of the Four Great Constables!

In front of him was Xu Tianyi, Wen Wan's protégé, and behind him was Leng Xue, Zhuge Shenhou's beloved general. Both had launched their attacks before Wen Xue'an, and even Wen Xue'an, known for his pride, felt a momentary shudder.

He also knew clearly that relying on his own sword power to break out was utterly impossible.

He had only one thing to rely on.

With so many people watching, the chaos he'd created when he unleashed the Nine Heavens, Ten Earths, and Nineteen Divine Needles would surely give him a glimmer of hope. Coupled with the martial arts he'd learned from Yuan Shisanxian...

But as he shifted his form and reached for his waist, he was horrified to discover that the Nineteen Divine Needles, which he'd transformed and hidden there, had become nothing more than scrap metal. Someone hadn't figured it out at some point.

Another sudden blow slowed his light-body technique by a fraction of a second, and for Xu Tianyi and Lengxue, who had been bracing themselves for action, this moment was a golden opportunity they must seize!

Wen Xue'an's martial arts skills were indeed highly skilled; otherwise, he wouldn't have escaped Guan Qi's clutches that day, even by some clever trick.

Leng Xue's sword had become even sharper recently thanks to his sparring with Wang Xiaoshi. Before Wen Xue'an could even attempt to reach Xu Tianyi, he stabbed him from behind, severing half his shoulder.

At that exact moment, two strands of silk thread pierced Wen Xue'an's wrist.

The crowd had barely dispersed at the sudden change when Leng Xue ruthlessly pinned Wen Xue'an to the ground.

"You..."

"It was a deliberate, unintentional move. It wouldn't be considered a sneak attack." Shi Qingruo smiled as she looked at Wen Xue'an, meeting his glaring gaze.

Her

hand remained considerately placed over Wen Xue'an's gentle eyelids, shielding the young woman from the sight of Bai Choufei's head falling to the ground. She was like a caring sister, yet she was clearly the most experienced commander in this sudden and ultimately resolved capture.

"It's your own fault, actually. Why are you so arrogantly claiming the title 'Seventh in the World'?"

This "Seventh in the World" wasn't just a self-deprecating title; it was an arrogant boast of one's own worth. Among those he considered superior to him were Fang Geyin, Fang Juxia, Zhuge Shenhou, the renowned hero of a previous generation, Xiao Qiushui, and others. Not even his own master, Yuan Shisanxian, let alone Lei Sun, Su Mengzhen, and others.

An arrogant person can easily put himself in danger.

As if having solved another problem today, Shi Qingruo's already bright and radiant eyes darkened with a smile. "You wanted to see a joke where Bai Choufei died and you survived, but I only wanted to see the two perpetrators of the Changkong Gang massacre brought to justice. What a shame, I still won."

"You underestimate the world's heroes, but I believe everyone has their uses. For example, you can escape the sight of others, but you can't escape someone who has been investigating you. You can avoid most killing moves, but you can't avoid Sikong Zhaixing's hands."

The air was thick with the smell of blood, but Shi Qingruo's words held a calmness and composure. "You lost because of the word 'alone,' and I believe them."

Lengxue exchanged a glance with her, as if knowing what she was about to say. He drew his unsheathed sword and without hesitation, slashed it across Wen Xue'an's neck.

A single blow sealed his throat. Blood flowed from Wen Xue'an's neck, and continued to seep from Bai Choufei's broken neck, spilling onto the ground.

Soon , however, the arrival of a summer rain shower settled here, washing the blood into the ditches along the road, where it quickly vanished, carrying the foul blood underground. 

However, the torrential downpour, accompanied by muffled thunder and lightning, did not stop immediately. Instead, it continued for several days, as if waiting for the coming heat wave to dispel the dark clouds overhead. 

So, when the carriage, drawn by four fine horses, stopped in front of Chunhua Tower, two paper umbrellas were held before it, awaiting the arrival of its occupants. 

A figure soon appeared beneath the umbrellas. 

This man, about thirty, possessed a face as radiant as white jade and a pair of unforgettable amber eyes, the cold brilliance of which could be detected even through the rain. 

He stepped down from the carriage and onto the ground. The water beneath his feet did not fall onto his white clothes, but only gently rippled, like the expression that flashed across his face beneath his pearl crown. 

Although the rain was still falling, he looked like an immortal in the clouds, calmly taking his black-sheathed sword from the hand of a white-robed boy beside him. 

The person who leaned out of the restaurant heard a sentence that was filled with the sound of rain. 

"Send a visiting card to the Misty Sky Alliance for me, and say that Ye Gucheng, the Lord of Baiyun City in the South China Sea, wants to see you."