Chapter 33 033 (Includes 15,000 nutrient solution and additional updates) [VIP]

The moonlight was like water.

In the silent night of the Misty Heaven Alliance, it seemed as if only the upstairs and downstairs remained.

The people upstairs smiled and asked from a high place, indescribably at ease, while the people downstairs…

Ye Gucheng pursed his thin lips into a line, a cold white glow in the pouring moonlight, as if he was still momentarily at a loss for what to do at this unexpected encounter.

But the next moment, he had already leaped onto the small building, standing before Shi Qingruo, and slowly asked, "What kind of answer does Madam Shi wish to hear?"

With his skill, he had broken free from his previous trance and looked around. He could not fail to notice the Misty Heaven Alliance guarding the area.

But at such close range, even Shi Qingruo, with the internal energy gifted by Guan Qi, would find it difficult to withstand his sword strike, "Flying Fairy from the Sky.

" Her "midnight murder" was not impossible.

Shi Qingruo, however, seemed unsurprised by Ye Gucheng's daring move upstairs. She gestured to the bench beside the railing, as if to signal to the intruder to sit down like a visitor.

Even though Ye Gucheng had a strange intuition that this wasn't his first encounter with the Saint Leader of the Misty Heaven Alliance, she was still taken aback by her behavior.

Even if things weren't tense between them, it didn't seem right...

A flash of sword light flashed before Ye Gucheng's eyes.

He instinctively tightened his grip on his sword, only to see Shi Qingruo casually grab a nearby sword and swing it in a sword flower with her left hand.

The sword flower was held with remarkable stability, and as it swung back, it lifted a wine glass from the round table to the left.

The sword pointed at Ye Gucheng, merely to deliver the half-empty glass of wine to him, not to stab him.

"They say that when you raise your glass to the bright moon, your shadow and you become three. City Lord Ye's reputation as a sword immortal perfectly embodies the white jade immortal within the bright moon. I think this answer seems more poetic than the other two, doesn't it?"

Ye Gucheng gazed at her expression for a moment, then reached out to take the glass of wine held aloft on the tip of his sword. For a brief moment, he seemed dazzled by the moonlight in the glass, but without much hesitation, he raised his glass and downed it in one gulp, like a perfectly qualified guest.

Shi Qingruo smiled brightly, "City Lord Ye, aren't you afraid I'll poison this wine? The Misty Heaven Alliance isn't a place where people can come and go as they please."

Ye Gucheng replied decisively, "There's no murderous intent in your sword. Your expression and words may deceive, but your sword can't. Besides—"

The moment he took the glass and drank, Shi Qingruo had already quickly sheathed the sword in his hand. The speed with which he retracted his sword not only didn't seem like someone who had just gained internal strength, but it also gave him an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

It was as if...

"What's more?"

Ye Gucheng calmed his mind, letting the bright moon cast a cold gaze on his stern face. "Besides, I came here to seek the way of the sword, not to become an enemy of the Misty Heaven Alliance. Why would you poison me?"

He asked about the marriage, and since Shi Qingruo hadn't agreed, he didn't force it. He submitted a visiting card and was asked to choose one of two options, which he answered the next day.

At least the Misty Heaven Alliance saw that he was indeed following the rules, so why would they disregard their reputation and poison him?

Of course he could drink this glass of wine.

Shi Qingruo didn't seem surprised to hear such words from him, and followed up on Ye Gucheng's response, "Then I'm very curious, what is City Lord Ye's swordsmanship like?" "

I originally thought that City Lord Ye, living in seclusion in Baiyun City in the South Sea, would have the aura of a free and unrestrained crane in his sword moves. But when Xiao Shitou used his sword to test you yesterday, and although City Lord Ye's counterattack was hasty, it was clear that your sword energy was magnificent and dazzling, destined to shock the world and shatter the heavens. In my humble opinion, this doesn't seem to be a sword that follows the rules."

When someone who doesn't follow the rules of the sword is forced to abide by worldly norms, he must be scheming.

Although Shi Qingruo didn't say this last sentence, Ye Gucheng clearly understood its meaning.

His skin was extremely white, and it was bathed in moonlight, and his sword-like eyebrows were dark and clear, like black feathers immersed in clear water. At this moment, a slight tremor brought a layer of clear waves to his face.

"So, Madam Shi wants me to come straight to you, sword in hand, and disregard your earlier terms?"

"I didn't say that. I'm just curious." Shi Qingruo lazily withdrew her hand from the railing and tilted her head to the side, watching the changes in Ye Gucheng's expression with increasing concentration.

Perhaps due to the bright moonlight, the hand holding the sword, with its distinct joints, gave a hint of embarrassment. Yet, his expression maintained the dignity that only befitted the Lord of Baiyun City.

A moment later, he even flaunted a faint smile. "If that's the case, I'm curious too."

"Curious about what?"

Ye Gucheng replied word by word. "I'm curious about why Madam Shi seems to understand me so well."

He favored white clothing, appearing untouched by dust, but he wasn't truly a sage, living on wind and dew. For example, he still enjoyed strong liquor, especially warmed.

The glass Shi Qingruo had just handed him was such a drink.

Add to that the earlier calculations and negotiations before the Misty Heaven Alliance, and the images that kept popping up in his mind, and it seemed more than just coincidence.

Yet, he could clearly see the calculations of the Prince of the Southern Prince and his companions, and the thoughts of those who moved through Baiyun City, but he couldn't see the woman before him, whose eyes were as bright as spring water.

"Are you curious about this?" Shi Qingruo asked with a raised eyebrow. "You know, everyone has secrets. For example, City Lord Ye just evaded my question by asking a new one. Now I can choose not to answer. If City Lord Ye insists on knowing, why not trade your own secrets?"

Ye Gucheng frowned, clearly lacking a secret suitable for exchange at this moment.

Shi Qingruo had already drawn her sword again and pushed another glass of wine towards him.

"Then let's try a different approach." Shi Qingruo, noticing Ye Gucheng had already taken the wine glass, continued, "City Lord Ye has decided to challenge Ximen Manor Master of Wanmei Villa to a duel to determine who will see the sword art ruins left by her late husband. This is a major event in the Bianjing martial arts world. Unfortunately, the Mitian Alliance is small and poor. Due to the losses of the past few years, they are even more short of money, so they can't afford to offer a sword as a gift to a hero. If City Lord Ye can win, I will tell you the answer to this question, how about that?"

"Are you serious?" Ye Gucheng asked.

He had always felt that Shi Qingruo wasn't someone who would be so easy to talk to.

But she spoke so earnestly, as if it was impossible not to believe her.

"Of course I am serious," Shi Qingruo replied, pulling a short hairpin from her temple and holding it to Ye Gucheng. "How about this as a token of City Lord Ye's guestship today?"

Ye Gucheng held out his hand, allowing Shi Qingruo to drop the hairpin into his hand.

I don't know if it's a coincidence, but the pattern on the silver hairpin is exactly a cloud.

...

When Shi Qingruo handed Su Mengzhen another auspicious cloud hairpin, a hint of surprise was evident in his recently improved complexion. "What is this...?"

Shi Qingruo curled her lips. "How about Master Su, guess what I mean?"

"..." Su Mengzhen was speechless for a moment. He had the feeling that after Guan Qi shattered the void and left, Shi Qingruo, far from feeling threatened by the loss of that protective shield, had become even more lively. Otherwise

, he wouldn't have done something like "assassinating" Fu Zongshu with the Nine Heavens, Ten Earths, and Nineteen Divine Needles right before Zhuge Shenhou's eyes.

But this hairpin suddenly made him guess...

He seemed to have thought of something, and suddenly coughed several times, covering his lips. After the pain subsided, he said in a hoarse voice, "Master, if Wenrou has said anything strange lately, please don't take it to heart."

The intelligence gathering department of Jinfengxiyu Tower was extremely rigorous. The words Wenrou said while blocking Shi Qingruo when Ye Gucheng came that day were reported to Su Mengzhen verbally, leaving him silent for a long time as he gazed at Bianjing from atop the Jade Pagoda.

He thought he considered Shi Qingruo a like-minded partner, but he had no idea how special his repeated exceptions to the rules, and the frequent trances caused by those memories, were to others.

Wenrou, though usually careless and reckless, was still Su Mengzhen's junior sister, a friendship of many years. How could she not understand this?

But even if Guan Qi was no longer here, and Shi Qingruo was no longer the wife of the Saint Lord of the Misty Heaven Alliance, Su Mengzhen knew clearly whether certain things should be said at this time.

The instability in Bianjing City was a huge variable.

His own body, repeatedly considered a miracle, was another one!

He was the kind of person who would have dared to do it if there was a 60% chance of success, but…

Shi Qingruo suddenly burst out laughing: "Master Su, I didn't even care what Wenrou said, but you're trying to cover your ears and steal the bell."

Whether Wenrou was talking nonsense or not, Su Mengzhen wasn't the only one who knew.

What made him feel that he was truly covering his ears and stealing the bell was that he couldn't figure out how to associate Shi Qingruo's behavior with Wenrou's innocent words.

Seeing a rare, subtle look of embarrassment on the face of the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower's owner, Shi Qingruo smiled and waved her hand, "Alright, I won't keep you in suspense."

She wrapped the auspicious cloud hairpin in a nearby silk handkerchief and pushed it towards Su Mengzhen.

"This thing originally came with a pair, but one is missing. The other is in the hands of Ye Gucheng, the Lord of White Cloud City. I previously asked Sikong Zhaixing for a special incense and soaked the two hairpins in it for a long time, so the fragrance has long since adhered to them." "

This incense..."

"It's non-toxic and has a very light scent, but it's difficult to dissipate through ordinary means. Sikong Zhaixing originally used it to track down treasures that couldn't be immediately obtained, but now it has another use."

Su Mengzhen was a very astute person. When he heard Shi Qingruo's words, he immediately understood her meaning. "Some of the intelligence officers at Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower have trained birds that can identify people by scent. Once they've caught a whiff of that scent, they'll track them. Are you sending my people to keep an eye on Ye Gucheng?"

"Indeed. He broke into the Misty Heaven Alliance last night. If he hadn't been so preoccupied and hadn't happened to encounter Xiao Shitou on night patrol, he wouldn't have been spotted. With his lightness skills, if he had planned something in Bianjing, regardless of whether his movements were clear to outsiders or his whereabouts were in plain sight, he could easily have avoided detection and met with his conspirators. If I want to save manpower, I can only resort to other methods," Shi Qingruo replied.

She certainly wouldn't do something foolish like poisoning Ye Gucheng, nor would she have directly clashed with him during their conversation last night.

She simply took advantage of Ye Gucheng's similarities to Su Mengzhen's and performed a minor trick.

With this one clue, it would be truly unbelievable if Yang Wuxie, Su Mengzhen's capable subordinate, couldn't figure out who was behind Ye Gucheng, given his abilities.

Shi Qingruo raised his eyelids. "Master Su, does it seem you have more questions?"

Su Mengzhen took a deep breath, suppressing the sudden surge of thoughts that had surged in his mind after hearing those words, beneath the deep pain in his chest. He then asked, "I simply want to know your opinion of the current situation."

He wasn't just asking about Ye Gucheng's arrival, but also about the frame-up at the Prime Minister's residence a few days ago.

Shi Qingruo reached out and dropped several chess pieces onto the previously empty chessboard before him. Pointing to a black piece in the center, he replied, "There's no doubt that old villain Fu Zongshu doesn't want to be surrounded and eliminated."

But in truth, he had nearly reached this point before.

Lei Sun's Liufenbantang, once a pillar of both the underworld and the underworld in Bianjing, was also close to Fu Zongshu. However, due to Lei Sun's own misjudgment, Lei Mei's betrayal, and Shi Qingruo's deliberate withdrawal of support, the Jiangnan Pilitang collapsed before it could even receive support.

Of the remaining underworld forces, the Jinfengxiyulou and Mitianmeng League comprised the majority, and were allied against Fu Zongshu. Even if the remaining smaller players could truly serve the Prime Minister, their contributions were limited.

Fang Yingkan of the Shentong Marquisate, despite harboring ulterior motives, at least publicly showed goodwill towards Fu Zongshu and even maintained a close relationship with Fu Zongshu's adopted son, Fu Kang. However, he ultimately fell into disgrace. As Fang Geyin prepared to evacuate Bianjing with the connections he had previously gifted Fang Yingkan, Fu Zongshu would be left with one less source of support.

The attitudes of Zhuge Shenhou and the Six Gates were self-evident.

The growing young emperor was no longer content to let imperial edicts become Fu Zongshu's dictates, nor was he content to let his promotions and demotions be controlled by him. If the imperial court's experts weren't outmatched by Fu Zongshu's followers, he might have chosen to kill first and then convict.

Such a predicament, both internally and externally, was something Fu Zongshu had never faced in his years of rule. How could he not retaliate?

"Let's talk about the Jianghu first," Shi Qingruo raised a black piece, his expression no longer playful, but rather serious. "I've had people search everywhere for Di Feijing's whereabouts, but they've discovered he hasn't reunited with the Jiangnan Thunderbolt Hall members, nor has he contacted Guan Chun. He's still hiding. I suspect someone is shielding his whereabouts."

Whether this "someone" was Fu Zongshu or not was uncertain. But there was no doubt that if Di Feijing was still alive, the Six-and-a-half-minute Hall could stage a comeback, bringing the once-eliminated piece back onto the board.

"Your Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower was able to allow Lei Sun to arrange so many spies, even among the Five Great Devils. There's no guarantee that there might not be Fu Zongshu's trusted followers among them, ready to slow you down if necessary. The complexity of the Misty Heaven Alliance is obvious to all, and it's also weaker than the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower, so he targeted them first." He

also took advantage of Wen Xue'an's death and the change of ownership of the Nineteen Divine Needles to frame them.

"Not only that, to counter the losses in the Jianghu, I suspect Fu Zongshu has done two more things."

Shi Qingruo reached out and placed the other two black pieces on the chessboard. "Yesterday, when I went to the Prime Minister's Mansion, I met the six disciples of Yuan Shisanxian, collectively known as the Six Harmonies Azure Dragons. I have a hunch that their respect for Fu Zongshu is unusual, and it's very likely that the deal between Fu Zongshu and Yuan Shisanxian has changed again."

Fu Zongshu didn't become Yuan Shisanxian's disciple before becoming an official. Instead, he sought his protection after ascending to high office. Therefore, their relationship wasn't a simple master-disciple relationship, but rather a special transaction.

If Fu Zongshu had intended for Yuan Xian to come to the capital for assistance, then Liuhe Qinglong's behavior wouldn't be surprising.

"Another..."

Su Mengzhen keenly noticed a flicker of emotion across Shi Qingruo's face. "If it's inconvenient to talk about it, then don't."

"No," Shi Qingruo smiled, the fleeting trance fading from her face. "I must tell you. But please, Master Su, don't ask me where this information came from."

"The Divine Demon Flying Needle that Fu Zongshu used to frame the Divine Marquis Mansion is likely, like the original, a product of the Tang Clan in Shu. But judging by the Tang Clan's recent actions, they won't help Fu Zongshu in this matter."

They were too late. This was the more important reason.

"I suspect those magic needles were created by Tang Lan, the former eldest daughter of the Tang Clan. Now, she's adopted a new name, Ming Yue Xin, and affiliated with an organization called the Azure Dragon Society. I hope Master Su can investigate this name and see if this is a ploy by Fu Zongshu to break the encirclement."

Su Mengzhen nodded.

This wasn't the first time he'd noticed Shi Qingruo's mystical qualities, and at such a critical moment, he certainly wouldn't question them.

He simply asked, "What about Ye Gucheng? Is Baiyun City also a ploy for him to manipulate the Jianghu?"

Shi Qingruo shook her head. "I don't think you consider this Jianghu."

Just as Shi Qingruo had granted Huang Rong the privilege of mobilizing forces but hadn't bothered to inquire about how she and Guo Jing were proceeding with their plans to provoke Duan Tiande, the same was true for Baiyun City.

It was too far from Bianjing, and even if it had made an impact, it would have been too late.

Ye Gucheng alone would have limited destructive power.

"Look, of the various forces I mentioned earlier that were circling Fu Zongshu, the Divine Marquis Mansion, the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower, and the Mysterious Heaven Alliance have all been targeted. The only one left is the little emperor on the throne."

Su Mengzhen's face darkened. "Are you saying that his target might be His Majesty?"

Shi Qingruo shook her head. "I don't have concrete evidence to prove that. I can only say that it's a possibility, so—"

Her gaze fell on the auspicious cloud hairpin, enough for Su Mengzhen to understand her unspoken intentions.

Even if the means weren't entirely aboveboard, it was Fu Zongshu who had framed her first, so why should she feel guilty or hesitant?

Su Mengzhen immediately responded solemnly, "Don't worry, I'll have someone take care of this matter as soon as possible. If he tries to defeat them one by one, I won't give him that opportunity!"

"Then—happy cooperation again?" Shi Qingruo said, extending a hand toward Su Mengzhen.

Su Mengzhen was stunned for a moment, seemingly unaware of the etiquette, but she subconsciously extended her hand.

The hand before him was fiddling with the chessboard. Even though it was still fragile, the moment their palms touched, it was still incredibly hot.

Su Mengzhen was about to release his grip when Shi Qingruo's grip tightened.

Before he could even begin to think, he saw Shi Qingruo's expression suddenly change. The tightening grip was simply an instinctive reaction to her unstable state.

She stared intently into Su Mengzhen's eyes, as if she had finally found the strength to speak after a moment's struggle. "You said earlier that we wouldn't be able to defeat them one by one?"

"Yes," Su Mengzhen replied.

This didn't seem to be a problem.

"Among the various forces I just analyzed with you, besides the uncertain Baiyun City, there's another one."

Su Mengzhen's expression suddenly changed. "Where is Mr. Fang now?"

Compared to the already hostile Divine Marquis Mansion and the previously less-than-friendly Misty Heaven Alliance, for Fu Zongshu, the biggest change in this chessboard was actually the "Divine Power Marquis," who had gone from friend to foe!

No matter how carefree Fang Geyin might be, he was still the leader of several major factions, commanding thousands of followers. While he was only evacuating Fang Yingkan's former followers from Bianjing, he had earned the title of "Great Hero," so he wouldn't side with Fu Zongshu.

Furthermore, if he chose to lend out forces like the Xuehe Sect out of a favor owed to Shi Qingruo, that would only add to the pressure on Fu Zongshu.

If Su Mengzhen were Fu Zongshu, he would have eliminated this unstable factor from the chessboard!

So the question was—

where was Fang Geyin?

"He...seems to have left Bianjing two days ago."

...

To be more precise, Fang Geyin had taken Bai Choufei's head with him.

According to his and Sang Xiao'e's plan, his disciple Gao Xiaoshang would remain in Bianjing to manage the staff, while they would return to Hubei with Bai Choufei's head, offering it as a tribute to the fallen members of the Changkong Gang.

After completing this task, he considered another question.

Regarding Fang Yingkan, he could definitely be called a misjudge of people. So… if he truly had reached a point of confusion, wouldn't it be better to cede the positions of gang leader and alliance leader to younger people?

However, this matter wasn't so easy to arrange immediately. Gao Xiaoshang was a skilled martial artist and a filial son, but after experiencing the sudden changes in Bianjing City, Fang Geyin instinctively felt that while he was worthy of being the leader of a faction, he definitely didn't have the ability to shoulder so many responsibilities.

He needed to carefully select the right person.

"You don't have to worry so much." Sang Xiao'e, riding her horse, glanced back at Fang Geyin, who had unknowingly fallen behind, and comforted her husband, "Perhaps sometimes, things will work out in the end." "

Look, after we rescued Xiaobai, we've been worried about her and Guan Qi's future, wondering if they'd both end up with regrets. But unexpectedly, Guan Qi would unexpectedly see through the calamity of love and reach the realm of Shattering the Void. As for Xiaobai, she seems to have let go of some of her old obsession, but she's temporarily staying in the suburbs of Beijing out of concern for her daughter's future." "

But if you ask me, she doesn't have to worry so much."

Even the daughter of Luoyang Prince Wen Wan had been tamed and obedient by Shi Qingruo. Guan Chun had simply been led astray by her adoptive father, and she should be able to be turned back on her feet.

Sang Xiao'e always had the best of intentions, and this was no exception.

But even after she finished speaking, Fang Geyin's expression didn't improve. Instead, it grew even more serious.

It seemed this wasn't just due to concern for the situation in the capital.

The next moment, Fang Geyin's golden-red sword slashed fiercely towards the ground.

"Go!"

Sang Xiao'e heard the call and immediately launched herself into the air, dodging the sudden cloud of dust.

The toxic mist swirling within the dust was also dispersed by her mid-air palm strikes.

The earth-shattering force of the golden-red sword clashed with the cold light rising from the ground. Where the sword lights intersected, blood and flesh flew everywhere.

Both the previously hidden assassins and the two horses carrying Fang Geyin and Sang Xiao'e were killed or wounded in this swift confrontation.

But neither Sang Xiao'e nor Fang Geyin looked relieved.

No one truly believed they could kill a renowned hero with such an ambush.

And anyone who would strike at this moment would be such a fool.

Their troubles were far from over.

Almost as Fang Geyin drew his sword and succeeded in his murder, a gust of wind swept in from afar.

It wasn't the gentle summer breeze sweeping across the plains toward them, but—

"Back off!" Fang Geyin shouted sharply.

Sang Xiao'e, coordinating with him, had already leaped over and retreated behind Fang Geyin.

She immediately saw that her husband's sword swing was a defensive one.

If there's one sword technique in the world most capable of containing an enemy's attack, even neutralizing it, it's undoubtedly "The Line Between Sea and Sky," one of the four remarkable moves passed down by the great hero Xiao Qiushui.

Fang Geyin's swordsmanship has reached the pinnacle of perfection. Amidst this sudden shift in the sword's wind, the trembling golden-red sword seemed unremarkable, but the moment that strange little arrow hurtled towards him, it transformed into a barrier, a line between sea and sky.

The waves could never break through this barrier, soaring into the sky, nor could the white clouds above plunge into the sea, transforming into the spray of swimming fish.

Naturally, the arrow couldn't move forward either!

"Go back!" The golden-red sword's move, unknowingly, transformed from a line between sea and sky into a bow shooting down the sun.

The incoming arrow's momentum was peculiar, seemingly devoid of any pattern, and Fang Geyin's return arrow was equally unpredictable.

Even as he shouted "Go back," he had already launched the arrow in the other direction.

Sang Xiao'e followed the arrow, transforming her palms into claws in mid-air, unleashing five piercing blasts of force, directed at the same opponent as Fang Geyin.

It wasn't the person who had launched the arrow, but a young man who had already moved closer.

However, even though Sang Xiao'e's divine finger and Fang Geyin's arrow had already pierced their opponents, they suddenly seemed to be bogged down, then "repelled" in a strange manner.

As she was startled, a fierce palm wind reached her.

It was then that she finally saw the person who had attacked.

Previously, she and Fang Geyin had relied on their aura to determine age, but they were surprised to find that the young man who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere had snow-white hair.

A bronze mask obscured his features, making it impossible to see clearly. Only his exposed hands allowed a vague idea of his age.

He seemed young, yet not quite.

Because of his martial arts skills...

Sang Xiao'e didn't have the time to dwell on it.

The white-haired young man's palm slashed through the air, emitting a dangerous purple hue. It then transformed into a finger, meeting the tip of the golden-red sword.

The golden-red sword, not a strong blade, buckled again at the impact of this powerful blow, imbued with internal energy.

But this time, it failed to easily shrug off the external force and return the blow with sword energy. Instead, it trembled with increasing tension.

"You..." Fang Geyin's eyelids twitched.

This young man's martial arts skills were among the best he had ever encountered, surpassing even Sang Shuyun, the "Everlasting Sky Divine Finger."

The eyes beneath his mask seemed unmoved by the fact that the assassin was Fang Geyin, instead displaying a cold, indifferent expression.

Who was this person?

When had such a prominent figure appeared in the martial arts world?

Fighting instinct compelled Fang Geyin to draw the Blood River Divine Sword without hesitation.

After Fang Yingkan's death, the sword he had once gifted to his adopted son returned to Fang Geyin's hands. He immediately swung it, unleashing a streak of blood-red sunset, aimed directly at the white-haired youth.

The young man finally let go and retreated, not attempting to meet Fang Geyin's lightning strike.

But in this life-or-death clash, he still had enough strength to transform his fingers into fists and slam down Fang Geyin's other sword.

The moment the golden-red sword left his hand, the same gust of wind that had struck him before resurfaced.

This time, it was even faster and closer!

Fang Geyin's heart tightened.

Not only had he failed to defeat the white-clad youth with his strange moves before he arrived, but his skillful maneuvering had blocked his attack, allowing his helpers to arrive.

And that wasn't just a simple helper!

If one were to rank the martial arts of the world, it would be difficult to arrive at an accurate ranking, as masters from all walks of life and death are not yet engaged in a duel.

However, simply ranking the world's most exquisite archery skills would be much easier.

The arrow whistled, and the person swinging his palm also let out a sharp cry at the moment of attack, causing the old sword wounds on his face to twist.

Fang Geyin immediately called out his name: "Yuanxian, what are you doing!"

The person who came was none other than Zhuge Shenhou's junior apprentice and Fu Zongshu's master—

Yuan Shisanxian!

He seemed to hold a bow, but the arrow he fired didn't seem to be shot from a bow, but rather, it was fueled by his Mountain Sutra and the Divine Art of Forbearance, transforming it into the world's most supreme archery technique—

the Heartbroken Arrow!

When this arrow was first honed, it had already been sacrificed with the blood of Yuan Shisanxian's wife, Zhi Xiaojing. Now, it had been dictated by his will, transforming it into an unavoidable killing move.

He offered no response to Fang Geyin's questioning, and barely noticed his helper.

While the previous arrow remained in mid-air, his swung palm seemed to unleash another sharp arrow, far faster than the previous one.

Fang Geyin's Blood River Sword slashed down, and the wielding arrows from the Blood River Three Treasures transformed into two golden beams, one large and one small.

One aimed directly at the white-haired youth whose hand was locked onto him like lightning, while the other met Yuan Shisanxian's sorrowful arrow.

The two arrows collided in mid-air, emitting a sharp sound.

The golden light and the cold iron arrow fell together, apparently the slower golden arrow had the upper hand.

But Fang Geyin's face showed no sign of joy; instead, it turned pale the next moment.

He saw that the golden arrow, far from living up to its namesake's agility, exploded with a loud bang as it fell.

One of the Blood River Three Treasures was now useless.

What was even more bizarre was that among the golden fragments, the iron arrow that had been shot down seemed to be pulled by the arrow that was shot later, and it turned around and was pulled up again!

The cold wind behind him forced Fang Geyin to turn back to fight, fearing that the white-haired young man, who had caught another arrow from the flying blade, might unleash some extraordinary move.

But just as he was about to turn back, he witnessed a scene that would have been nearly fatal.

The two arrows fired by Yuan Shisanxian weren't aimed at him at all, but at—

"Xiao'e!"

Sang Xiao'e, already not far from Fang Geyin, hadn't been able to withdraw from the battlefield.

If the attackers were of different martial arts skills, the couple would have been able to coordinate their efforts.

In a battle of tacit understanding, they would have been unmatched. Furthermore, Fang Geyin possessed Sang Xiao'e's Changkong Divine Finger, and Sang Xiao'e, Fang Geyin's Tianyu Qijian. This intertwined attack would undoubtedly be a nightmare for most enemies.

However, they never imagined that today's assassins would be Yuan Shisanxian and a mysterious figure of comparable martial arts prowess.

In this two-on-one fight, Fang Geyin was actually at a disadvantage.

For Yuan Xian, as long as his goal was achieved, any means were irrelevant, especially since he was only attacking a weak link!

His two small arrows were aimed at Sang Xiao'e.

Having never fought Yuan Shisanxian before, even Fang Geyin might not have been able to withstand those small arrows, let alone Sang Xiao'e.

The moment Fang Geyin called out her name, one arrow had already pierced her heart.

Although the other arrow was deflected by Fang Geyin's "One Qi Piercing the Sun and the Moon", Fang Geyin had already launched a deadly attack from behind, aiming directly at her vitals.

Danger!

...

By the time Fang Geyin and Sang Xiao'e escaped the battlefield, his aura was countless times weaker than before, even more severe than the severe injuries he suffered in his youth when he was pursued by the Jieyu Old Monster.

If it weren't for his Qinggong, a fusion of the essence of various martial arts, which even allowed him to cross the cliff they had just passed, he would have been unable to shake off the two behind him.

But when he turned to look at Sang Xiao'e, his face was filled with grief and worry.

He could see that Sang Xiao'e's face was horrified beyond words.

Although his inner Qi had temporarily stopped the arrow of grief from piercing her body, it had already left her with a fatal wound.

If he didn't quickly mobilize his Qi to treat her, she would likely die.

To complicate matters, Fang Geyin hadn't forgotten the rumors he'd heard.

Yuan Shisanxian's arrows of grief had a long range, so far that if he could see them, he was guaranteed to hit them, even from hundreds of feet away.

It might not be as impressive as the rumors suggested, but it wasn't far off.

His current escape didn't guarantee safety.

Moreover... if his Qi continued to be depleted in order to build up his Qi, even if he managed to escape to safety, he wouldn't have the energy left to heal Sang Xiao'e's wounds, and he would be left to watch his wife die in his arms. As

he fled, his gaze darted around, and to his great surprise, he finally saw a government post station in the distance.

If only there were two horses at the post station...

no, just one would be enough.

A good horse at the post station would be more than enough to carry him and Sang Xiao'e away.

Fang Geyin didn't dare delay and immediately rushed in that direction with Sang Xiao'e, not even having time to inform anyone at the post station before heading straight for the stables.

Perhaps because this place was so remote, not many people passed by even the post station, but before night fell, the groom in charge of the horses in the stable had already fallen asleep, holding the reins.

Fang Geyin snatched the reins from his hand and saw the groom, startled awake and about to look up, so he whispered an apology.

However, in that split second, he was suddenly struck by the groom's hands: they weren't the rough hands of a laborer, but rather a pair of beautiful, well-maintained hands.

Fang Geyin was startled and met with an exceptionally beautiful face.

The "groom" still didn't raise his head completely, or perhaps it was impossible to really raise it. Only his pair of knife-like eyebrows were pushed from the end of his eyebrows to the temples, and there was a pair of eyes under the brow peaks...

The knife wind hit him unexpectedly, and Fang Geyin screamed suddenly.

Blood flowed down his face.

Almost at the same time, another voice sounded behind him.

"I really don't like to do it myself, but who told me..."

Fang Geyin couldn't hear the rest of his words.

He drew his sword to fight back, but only cut off two strands of snow-white hair, but a hand, with a "Soul-Quxing Yuan" move, suddenly pierced his chest.

The author has something to say:

Ex-husband No. 3 was a jerk from the beginning (holding his forehead) .

But it turns out that more words are good, and this chapter actually has all three ex-husbands. There are problems like a pitiful love line mixed in with a bunch of plots... At least I wrote it, right? I am working hard on it!

See you tomorrow night at six o'clock.