Chapter 36 036[VIP]

"Sword Demon..."

Among the Seven Absolute Divine Swordsmen serving in the Prime Minister's Mansion, there was indeed one known as the Sword Demon, but it went without saying that he was undoubtedly less worthy of the title than the one who left these words.

If Shi Qing understood swordsmanship, he would have seen clearly that the words on the stone wall were at least ten years old. The moss in the cave had already climbed up from below, even growing within the very strokes of the characters. Yet, in that first glance, one felt as if they were witnessing an unstoppable, renowned sword.

Whether this thirty-year reign of unrivaled power was due to misfortune is unknown, and whether he truly possessed unrivaled power is also difficult to determine.

But one thing is certain—

the one who wrote these words must be the world's greatest swordsman!

But such a person…

Shi Qingruo glanced at the green branches of the stone pestle nearby and asked the giant eagle that had pulled her in, "Is your friend here?"

Dugu Qiubai, befriending the eagle, lived in seclusion in the deep valley. If he hadn't finally encountered the opportunity like Guan Qi and shattered the void, he would indeed have been reduced to a pile of dry bones and yellow earth in the deep mountains. Fortunately, the eagle was still alive and had been able to bury his body and bring him new branches as an offering for his grave.

The eagle was indeed very spiritual. Upon hearing Shi Qingruo's question, it tilted its head as if lost in thought for a moment, then nodded, then shook its head.

Shi Qingruo couldn't quite understand what it meant. She had a vague guess in her mind, but she couldn't really verify it by digging through the pile of rocks that looked like a grave.

Before she could continue her thoughts, the eagle had already grabbed the corner of her clothes and dragged her backwards.

Shi Qingruo was startled.

If the giant mountain snake was a bizarre creature that ordinary people would never want to see, brimming with deadly poison, then this eagle was a beast seemingly clumsy and ugly, yet possessing astonishing strength and speed!

Even if Shi Qingruo had tried to stop it, she likely wouldn't have been able to withstand its immense force.

But the eagle was psychic and harbored no malicious intent. She paused for a moment before following the eagle inside.

Beyond the cave, a passage narrower than the entrance remained, barely wide enough for the eagle to pass. Beyond this passage, a breathtaking valley

opened up. "You don't have to drag me along. I'll go with you," Shi Qingruo said, patting the eagle's wings.

The eagle readily let go of her and, once again, sped backward, forcing Shi Qingruo to once again summon her Qing Gong skills to keep up.

The chase brought them to a steep cliff.

It was this very cliff face that blocked the path of the man and the eagle.

The eagle cried twice.

Shi Qingruo followed the direction of its head and looked up, seeing that this steep cliff face was different from ordinary cliffs.

Where there should have been only a few mosses growing in the cracks of the rock, or a clump of branches growing from the cracks of the stone,

now there were perfectly regular clumps of green grass, winding upwards like stairs.

However, these grasses were clearly not steps, and could not be used as a direct step.

Shi Qingruo reached out and touched the clump closest to her, and discovered another secret.

It was actually a pit left in the cliff face, even broken by someone's extremely precise force, but it had not expanded to form a further crack to serve as a foothold for the climb.

So, after years of no one trampling on it, new grass and trees had grown on the exposed soil.

Seeing that Shi Qingruo had discovered the "path" up the cliff, the eagle suddenly let out a clear cry and soared into the air. Its wings weren't strong enough to propel its massive body into the air, yet it relied on the powerful grip of its sharp claws and its leaping ability to leap upward from one landing point to another.

Shi Qingruo wasn't about to fall behind.

The various light skills in the Taixuan Sutra were not ordinary, and they weren't simply about speed, like "killing one person in ten steps." But after a few leaps and drops, she had mastered the balance of leaping between the pits, propelling her upward.

Anyone looking up from below would have seen the eagle and the man atop the cliff face, following the path carved by their predecessors, leaping and moving as if on flat ground, until they reached the summit.

Shi Qingruo had barely stopped when a massive stone, standing on the mountaintop platform before her, caught her eye.

Written on it in calligraphy worthy of praise, two large characters were inscribed: "

Sword Tomb ."

What is a sword tomb? It's a place where swords are buried.

Beside these two large characters, two lines of smaller characters clearly read: Dugu Qiubai, unrivaled in the world, buried all his swords here.

"The heroes lay down their hands, the swords are useless..."

Thus buried the swords.

Shi Qingruo stroked the words, a faint frown forming on her brow.

Dugu Qiubai simply sought an opponent. No longer able to gain from fighting, he buried all his swords here, sighing, "Isn't it a tragedy?"

This was somewhat different from Guan Qi's.

Her ex-husband, now departed, seemed to have grasped the truth much earlier: once fighting humans was no longer of much use, then one could fight the heavens.

It was unknown what the sword demon Dugu Qiubai ultimately achieved.

As she pondered this, the sculpture pushed her behind the boulder and, following its instructions, moved the large stone slab from the ground.

Beneath the stone slab, just as Dugu Qiubai had inscribed on the sword tomb's stele, lay the swords he had used throughout his life, buried there.

However, the four pits contained only three swords, prompting Shi Qingruo to instinctively focus her gaze on the empty spot. She saw two lines of small inscription on the bluestone within the cave.

They read: "Purple Wei Soft Sword, used before the age of thirty. Accidentally injuring a righteous man, it was a misfortune, so it was abandoned in a deep valley."

She lowered her gaze to the shimmering purple sword in her hand, certain it was the one Dugu Qiubai had discarded.

No wonder, when she unearthed the sword according to the strategy, it attracted the eagle. She

wondered why the discarded sword had been swallowed by the giant python, achieving a strange equilibrium within its body, preventing it from passing through. It wasn't

until Shi Qingruo, using that method, lured the vengeful giant python and slew it at the head that the sword finally saw the light of day.

The sword to its left seemed somewhat ordinary. At least after seeing treasures like the Red Sleeve Blade, the Unbearable Blade, the Wanliu Sword, and the Blood River Divine Sword, she considered it, at most, a gleaming azure weapon.

Sure enough, the words beneath it confirmed her judgment. According to Dugu Qiubai's writings, this sword was used by him before he reached the age of twenty, capable of competing with the heroes of the Heshuo region.

The sword to its right was far more special.

This black sword, about three feet long, weighed seventy or eighty kilograms in a single grasp. If Shi Qingruo hadn't been prepared, it would have nearly dragged her directly into the pit.

Not only was the sword incredibly heavy, but its tip and blade were also bare, making it seem anything but a deadly weapon. Only the words written on the stone slab by Dugu Qiubai justified its reputation.

"A heavy sword without a blade, great skill without craftsmanship. Before the age of forty, I relied on this to dominate the world." Shi

Qingruo sighed softly, pondering for a moment before replacing the heavy sword in her hand.

The calligraphy on the stone slab was identical to the one she had seen earlier in the cave, but the four characters "great skill without craftsmanship" seemed deliberately rounded and fuller, harbouring a subtle, rustic beauty.

The sword in the final pit was even more remarkable.

Even without holding it in one's hands, one could clearly see that beneath the stone slab, a layer of dust and sand inevitably covered it, it was a wooden sword.

It was simply forged from the most common wood, not some rare or precious wood.

The path leading to the clifftop was overgrown with weeds, and the stone carvings in the cave were covered in moss. Naturally, the wooden sword had also begun to decay and become somewhat tattered.

To prevent the sword from falling apart if lifted, Shi Qingruo simply didn't lift it. Instead, he carefully pushed it aside and looked at the inscription on the stone slab.

It read: "After the age of forty, one will not be attached to material things. Grass, wood, bamboo, or stone can all become swords. From this time on, practice diligently, gradually reaching the state where swordless swords are more powerful than swords."

Guo Dongshen Lei Mei of the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower practiced a sword technique called "Swordless Sword." She also wielded a wooden sword, but Shi Qingruo could tell that her martial arts skills were unique; her swordsmanship had not yet reached the point of "swordless swords are more powerful than swords."

But Dugu Qiubai must have reached

that point. Looking at this sword tomb, it's not difficult to imagine Dugu Qiubai's life after he turned forty.

No one in the martial arts world could rival him, so he retreated to this deep valley, where he lived in seclusion, armed with a wooden sword and a divine eagle as his friend. He immersed himself in the beauty of nature, yet felt a deep regret that

he had never had a rival. Seeing nothing but rock and sand beneath the stone slab, Shi Qingruo reached over and covered it with the stone. He addressed the eagle, saying, "Your friend is truly a peerless swordsman. It's fate that I've been fortunate enough to possess this Ziwei soft sword."

The eagle had been gazing at the swords in a daze, a palpable sadness in its piercing eyes. Hearing Shi Qingruo's words, it suddenly perked up and flapped its wings, waving towards Shi Qingruo's face.

Shi Qingruo's pupils shrank.

The eagle's wings, already adorned with exceptionally hard and sharp feathers from years of life, seemed to have been saturated with poison from the mountains. A shimmering purple mist swirled over the yellow and black feathers, rivaling even the sharpest weapons in the world.

Perhaps it was because of its past as a companion to Dugu Qiubai, serving as his swordsmanship sparring partner, but this flap of its wings felt like a supreme swordsman swinging a sword at the person before him.

Those who failed to parry quickly would be cleaved in two by this "sword."

Shi Qingruo grasped the Ziwei soft sword in her hand and slashed at the eagle before her.

A soft sword isn't as easy to control as a hard sword. Even though Shi Qingruo had mastered the art of swordsmanship, she couldn't master this kind of force in the moment.

But the eagle before her clearly didn't appreciate her difficulty, and the force of its wing strike remained unchanged.

Though sharp, the soft sword was still bent and returned in the sudden clash, carrying with it the "sword" blast from the eagle.

Shi Qingruo retreated several steps before her sword was once again under her control.

But as she stood still, the eagle swept its other wing low to the ground, like a broad-bladed heavy sword, sweeping towards her lower body.

The mountaintop platform wasn't very large to begin with. Aside from the sword tomb, there were only a few areas cleared for human exploration, let alone a fight like this.

Shi Qingruo glanced back and saw she had retreated to the edge. One more step would have plunged her body. It seemed her only option was to seize the momentum and vault over the eagle's head.

But out of the corner of her eye, she saw the eagle gather power with its other wing, as if it had a backup plan. It suddenly fell backward, tumbling down.

The eagle cried out, and hurried after her. But Shi Qingruo hadn't fallen from the clifftop. Instead, she had entangled her soft sword in a vine dangling from the clifftop, using the force to pull her into the stone pit on the cliff face. She planted her foot, then lightly "hung" on the rock wall with the tip of her toes. The soft sword in her hand released the vine and lunged straight at the eagle.

The eagle wasn't even angry at the surprise attack. Instead, it seemed to have been struck by something, its claws gripping the rock pit more steadily, unleashing another gust of wind-like force at Shi Qingruo. The

Taixuan Sutra, combined with Guan Qi's teachings, had originally been largely externally-assisted, but diligent training within the Misty Heaven Alliance had only given her the ability to defend herself.

Now, on the cliff face, facing an unstoppable opponent, she became even more absorbed in the fight, unnoticed, having retreated while fighting.

While her newly acquired Ziwei soft sword wasn't yet as powerful as her arm, it no longer buckled from colliding with the eagle, nearly injuring her.

But this eagle wasn't like any other bird, capable of flying freely with its wings. While on the cliff face, it had to pay careful attention to its landing point, now, once on the ground, its movements were many times more agile than before. With

another loud cry, it felt like a palm wind and a sharp sword were hurling towards her simultaneously.

Shi Qingruo's earlier gloom at having fought her way down the cliff was instantly extinguished by this shout. While desperately fending off the eagle's attacks, she retreated toward a more open area in the distance, one that seemed more suitable for practicing her light footwork.

Swordsmanship and footwork are two of the most crucial components of the Taixuan Sutra.

Now, with the renowned sword in hand and the guidance of Dugu Qiubai's former friend, the Divine Eagle, it was a godsend!

However, her entire attention had been focused on the clash, and now, a fraction of it, she noticed a rumbling sound growing louder as she approached.

When she reached the other end, she could clearly see that the area was indeed clear of trees and vines, but rather a turbulent underground river bursting out of the surface, plunging down the cliff ahead, transforming into a white dragon-like waterfall.

The roar of thunder and water instantly drowned out the rustling of the eagle's wings.

"Wait..."

Shi Qingruo's words were barely uttered when the combined melody of mountain wind and waterfall swallowed them, completely failing to reach the eagle's ears. For years, it had been confined to the company of venomous snakes, and now, having suddenly encountered a rival worthy of its combat, it flapped its wings with excitement.

Perhaps recalling Dugu Qiubai's sword practice with it, despite the turbulent current behind it, it unhesitatingly slapped Shi Qingruo into the waterfall.

The figure in hemp clothing immediately fell into the current along with the branches and rocks, plunging into the stream several feet below.

Shi Qingruo nearly gasped, but being submerged in water made such a move impossible. Instead, she had to quickly retrain her soft sword in the turbulent current.

She had heard, almost as she was being blown down from above, another sound in the water: something heavy crashing down, creating a startling splash.

Shi Qingruo raised her eyes and saw a dark shadow coming towards her across the water.

But it wasn't an attempt to pull her out of the water; it was another aggressive attack.

The purple sword light twisted in the water like a serpent, suddenly swirling upwards, carrying Shi Qingruo out of the water with it.

But she was caught off guard and struggled to adjust her stance. The eagle that leaped down was well prepared, accustomed to the assaults of the current. As one gained

strength while the other lost, the eagle still held the upper hand in the clash of "swords."

Had it not paused for a moment, glancing suspiciously at the object swept away by the stream, this single blow would have nearly knocked the sword from Shi Qingruo's grasp.

It finally stopped, flapping its wings and leaping out of the stream, landing on the shore.

Shi Qingruo sheathed her sword and wiped her face with her free hand. Only then did she realize that, while Sikong Zhaixing's disguise was reasonably waterproof, it had inevitably slipped from her face under the intense pressure.

She turned back, only to find the mask had been swept away by the rushing stream, out of sight.

"You..."

Shi Qingruo, thinking of the trouble she'd have to deal with on her way back, wanted to settle the score with the eagle.

But firstly, the eagle—no, perhaps it should be more accurate to say, the divine eagle—had been instrumental in her martial arts training. She shouldn't be angry, she should be grateful. Secondly,

the eagle, having leaped ashore, had, in just a few breaths, pecked out several strange snakes from the grass like a seasoned hunter, scooped out their gallbladders, and placed them on a rock by the shore like an apology.

Shi Qingruo couldn't help but smile, then snatched up the three purple balls and swallowed them without hesitation.

The snake gallbladder melted in her mouth, bitter as hell, but it quickly transformed into a surge of internal energy that lingered in her dantian and spread throughout her body, practically dispelling the pain of her fall from the waterfall and the fatigue from the continuous sword strikes.

It was like... a rebirth!

Shi Qingruo's brows relaxed. Seeing the eagle once again eager to strike, she immediately shook her sword and laughed, "Come again!"

With such favorable timing and location, how could she waste time?

...

A similarly tight battle was unfolding on Taihu Lake.

Or rather, it could be argued that the lake had been a scene of intense tension for half a month.

When the Taihu pirates gathered that day, Chu Liuxiang, Guo Jing, and Huang Rong were watching. They happened to encounter Hong Qigong, who was also there, and learned some information from him.

He also realized that Wuhua's visits to Duan Tiande and the owner of Guiyun Manor weren't just a matter of resorting to physical persuasion because he couldn't dissuade Duan Tiande from his evil ways. He was simply in cahoots with Duan Tiande.

He was willing to sacrifice the lives of Duan Tiande's followers to earn him a reputation for pacifying the Taihu pirates, while also securing a small fortune for the Beggars' Sect under Nangong Ling's command.

Although Chu Liuxiang didn't know what Nangong Ling and Wuhua were planning, or how they'd formed an alliance, he knew clearly that now that he knew there was something else going on, he needed to find a solution as soon as possible.

Whether the Taihu Lake pirates were truly robbing the rich to help the poor, particularly those at odds with the government, was still unclear, as they'd only been here a few days. Duan Tiande was clearly a lackey of the Prime Minister's household and no good.

Furthermore, Hong Qigong didn't want the Beggars' Sect disciples to be deceived and dragged into this conflict, which perfectly aligned him with Chu Liuxiang and his group.

Unfortunately, they learned of this too late. The Taihu Lake pirate fleets had already assembled and were about to depart. The fleet deployments had already been issued, making it impossible for them to easily intercept them.

Therefore, they had no choice but to find another way to disrupt Wuhua's plan.

They immediately split into three groups.

Huang Rong led Guo Jing to Guiyun Manor to meet with its owner, Lu.

She already had a suspicion about Manor Master Lu's identity due to the layout of Guiyun Manor. If the situation remained favorable, she could slowly test the waters. But now, with the situation at hand, she had no choice but to take the risk. If her suspicions were correct, perhaps convincing Manor Master Lu to cooperate would be easier.

The second plan involved Hong Qigong heading to a nearby Beggars' Sect headquarters that hadn't been relocated and inviting the resident elders to bear witness to the sect's current state.

Chu Liuxiang, on the other hand, joined the Taihu Lake pirates, preparing for action.

That night, on Taihu Lake, Duan Tiande's fleet transporting money and supplies was surrounded by pirates. Despite his preparedness, Duan Tiande was nearly terrified by the onslaught.

He wore his official uniform and hat, clutching his official seal, fearing the pirates wouldn't recognize him. This allowed him to be abducted and aboard, rather than being hacked to death like his fellow pirates.

Following Wuhua's instructions, he negotiated with the masked pirate leader.

He explained that the pirates were merely seeking wealth, not the responsibility of killing an imperial official. He also didn't want the reputation of being robbed by pirates to spread, potentially costing him his official title. So, he sent someone to redeem him from his family's private wealth. As expected,

the pirates didn't kill him immediately, but instead temporarily detained him.

Whether they truly dared not kill him and were willing to accept a ransom, or planned to extract more money before killing and escaping, at least he was safe for now.

As long as Wuhua arrived with imperial reinforcements and Beggars' Sect disciples, the Taihu Lake pirates would be completely annihilated!

However, once the naval battle subsided, Duan Tiande was startled to discover that the pirates' boats were not heading towards Guiyun Manor, but instead headed east, disappearing into the vast sea.

Under the cover of darkness, the boats diverted their course, avoiding the sight of nearby fishermen, and finally stopped at a bend in the river.

Duan Tiande, bound in the cabin, was unable to move, completely oblivious to what was happening outside. Through the cracks in the cabin, he could only see swaying reeds.

After three whistles, his boat finally began to move again, only to quickly come to a stop.

He was dragged onto the deck by a brute force and dropped at the feet of a man in a wheelchair. Looking up, he saw Lu Chengfeng, the owner of Guiyun Villa on Lake Taihu.

Beside him stood his son, Lu Guanying, who had recently been kidnapped by Chu Liuxiang, and a striking young woman, Huang Rong, who had previously visited Guiyun Villa.

Duan Tiande was greatly surprised to find that the owner of Guiyun Villa, a highly respected figure in the Taihu region, was not only a martial artist, but also addressed the young woman as "Junior Sister," with a hint of flattery and respect.

"Junior Sister, what do you think should be done with this man?" Lu Chengfeng asked.

When Huang Rong barged into Guiyun Manor earlier, he had been preparing to apprehend her. Instead, the young woman, perceiving his Iron Bagua, displayed in the main hall, posed a question:

Did he know the Pikong Palm?

How could he not know it? It was a martial art taught to him by his mentor, the East Evil Huang Yaoshi, on Peach Blossom Island.

If it weren't for the fact that Mei Chaofeng and Chen Xuanfeng had stolen the Nine Yin Manual and his wife had died from exhaustion while re-recording it, his mentor wouldn't have broken his and his fellow disciples' legs in a rage and expelled him.

He settled in Taihu Lake, but his heart was always on returning to his master's sect.

Now that Huang Rong had revealed her origins, he could hardly bear to see her trespassing. Furthermore, the information she brought made it all the more imperative for him to cooperate.

Huang Rong's answer satisfied him greatly: "First, we need to extract more information from this man, and then remove the stolen goods as quickly as possible. I'll just have to trouble Senior Brother Lu to put on a show back home."

Duan Tiande was interrogated that night and signed several confessions before being handed over to Chu Liuxiang.

Lu Chengfeng and Lu Guanying returned to Guiyun Manor.

When Duan Tiande's "reinforcements" arrived at Guiyun Manor, they could find no trace of the bandits in this peaceful and harmonious place, known for its loving father and filial son. Only the "hospitable" Manor Master Lu, accompanied by his officers, had thoroughly searched the entire manor.

Therefore, even with Wuhua's summons, the reinforcements couldn't simply pin the crime on Lu Chengfeng.

After all, everyone knew the owner of Guiyun Manor was fond of literature and had many influential friends. Unless they were catching the thief and seizing the stolen goods, they couldn't easily deal with him.

Even more problematic, following the Beggars' Sect's instructions, they searched for the Taihu Lake pirates' usual haunts, but found no one.

Unbeknownst to them, the pirates had already roamed the lakes and marshes, preparing to temporarily store the looted money and grain in a less visible location.

...

"Commander Chu Xiang, what do you think about the Seventh Lord?" Huang Rong and the others had hidden in a reed marsh for several days, waiting until the government's search fleet had passed before continuing their operation.

Their target was Tiger Hill ahead.

If there was any place around Taihu Lake least likely to harbor such stolen goods, it would be Yongcui Villa.

Everyone in the martial arts world knows that Li Guanyu, the owner of Yongcui Villa, is a man with a deep hatred for evil. He has slain countless criminals with his longsword.

He frequently invites swordsmen from various prestigious and upright sects to the Tiger Hill Pavilion for tea and swordplay, prompting the Taihu Lake bandits to increasingly avoid that area.

But Hong Qigong knew more than just the activities of Wuhua and the Beggars' Sect disciples; he also learned another secret thanks to the delicious butt of the beggar chicken.

He recently wandered into Yongcui Villa, hoping to sample the fine tea and delicacies of Tiger Hill, but unexpectedly stumbled upon a piece of information.

Li Guanyu had become possessed years earlier due to excessive martial arts training and improper swordplay.

While Guan Qi's possessedness only affected his mind, not his martial arts, Li Guanyu was left completely paralyzed, unable to even speak.

With proper management, Li Guanyu wouldn't blame them for temporarily using his villa to eradicate the scoundrels of the imperial court and the martial arts world. He can't even move, so of course he can't be blamed, right?

As for Hong Qigong...

Hearing Huang Rong's question, Chu Liuxiang replied, "Miss Huang, there's no need to worry. The more chaotic things get, the more anxious they become. Once he sees that a Beggar Gang disciple is too close to Wuhua and is involved in activities related to the imperial court, Hong Qigong will definitely find an opportunity to take him down. He already suspected something was wrong with the Beggar Gang, and that Leader Ren Ci might have been tricked into passing the throne to Nangong Ling. Now that he has a handle on him, he can use it as an opportunity to go to the headquarters and investigate Nangong Ling's background."

"As for us, after we've settled this batch of money and grain, we'll quickly avoid the spies in Bianjing and send Duan Tiande to the Mi Tian League. We'll see if we can follow the clues he's given us and cause trouble for Fu Zongshu!"

Although Guo Jing desperately wanted to kill Duan Tiande and avenge his father's death, he also knew now wasn't the time to act. He nodded in agreement with Chu Liuxiang and added, "We need someone to deliver a letter to Uncle Yang and Aunt Yang to inform them of the situation."

Huang Rong noticed something else: "When Chu Xiangshu mentioned Wuhua and Nangong Ling, he didn't seem as distressed as before."

Chu Liuxiang sighed, "We've got to prioritize the important matters."

The current situation was indeed about exposing Wuhua and Nangong Ling, preventing them from causing further trouble in the martial arts world. Furthermore, if Fu Zongshu learned of Duan Tiande's disappearance, he would undoubtedly conduct additional checks along the way to prevent anyone from using him as a pretext.

After resolving these two major issues, it wouldn't be a bad idea to lament his poor choices.

"Let's go explore Yongcui Villa first!"

As darkness enveloped Tiger Hill, the three men, after briefing their fellow pirates, infiltrated the area.

Although none of them had ever been there before, finding Yongcui Villa wasn't difficult, especially considering the tower within. A blood-red lantern hung from it, seemingly as a guide.

Guiyun Villa, with its Bagua layout as a defensive barrier, couldn't stop the intruders, let alone Yongcui Villa.

Since Li Guanyu's complete paralysis, his only son, Li Yuhan, has assumed management of Yongcui Villa.

However, Li Yuhan was untalented and not particularly intelligent. His sole focus was to keep the news of Li Guanyu's illness as secret as possible, leveraging his father's protection to maintain the villa's appearance.

As for the villa itself, even in the darkness, it inevitably looked somewhat desolate.

Huang Rong observed this, feeling more confident about temporarily storing the pirates' "loot" here. She also secretly considered that if Li Yuhan proved uncooperative, she could temporarily restrain him; it wouldn't be that troublesome.

Just as she was thinking this, she heard a scream from the direction of the main courtyard.

"Oh no!"

This clearly wasn't a normal noise, nor could it be a simple accidental sword strike. It was a far more terrifying cry, like someone scratching their throat. Chu

Liuxiang, upon hearing the sound, quickened his pace, rising like a wisp of smoke and landing on the roof of the main hall.

As he landed, he noticed that the guards he had seen along the way were significantly fewer than those outside, practically nonexistent. Not only were there no guards, but there were no servants serving in the main courtyard.

This clearly couldn't be explained by the decline of Yongcui Villa!

Hearing the screams continue, he quickly pushed aside the roof tiles and peered inside. He saw a woman, barely clad in a single layer, struggling on the ground, clutching at her throat. A young man was desperately holding her, hoping to ease her pain. To prevent her from biting him, he simply extended his hand in front of her.

Chu Liuxiang took note of the young man's attire and concluded that if he was right, this must be Li Guanyu's son, Li Yuhan. This woman...

must be Li Yuhan's wife, Liu Wumei.

He just couldn't understand why she was acting this way.

Chu Liuxiang had roamed the martial arts world for many years and was familiar with many notorious poisons, but he had never seen anything like this. The woman's face didn't show any signs of poison, yet her pain was unmistakable.

Suddenly, Chu Liuxiang's brows furrowed.

The woman, struggling in agony, tried to free herself from this horrific torture, and she instinctively cursed. At first they were just fragments of words, but soon they became vaguely recognizable words.

He was sure that he had heard the names "Shi Guanyin" and "Wuhua".

...

When Liu Wumei slowly recovered from the torture of the "poison" and focused her sight with a pale face, she saw Li Yuhan had been knocked unconscious and thrown aside, and in front of her, a pretty little girl was gesturing at her face with a dagger.

"Don't worry, I mean no harm." Huang Rong said with a smile.

Liu Wumei's face was stiff: "..."

Who would believe that there was no harm in such a show of showing up at the door?

But she didn't understand, since they came to Yongcui Villa, why did they target her instead of Li Yuhan or Li Guanyu!

"I just have a question for you." Huang Rong's expression grew increasingly innocent. "Do you know Wuhua?"

Before Liu Wumei could speak, Huang Rong continued, "I have some bad news for you. If you don't cooperate, he might come and cause trouble for Yongcui Villa soon."

...

After Shi Qingruo was thrown into the water by the Divine Eagle for the sixtieth time, she decided to hone her lower body skills.

It must be said that Dugu Qiubai had provided a perfect training ground for her, a newcomer.

If she wanted to practice her footwork, the smooth rock face was the best choice.

However, today's training aimed to minimize the impact of the Taixuan Jing Qinggong and rely on her own strength to maintain her balance.

She would also swing her sword as much as possible while ascending and descending the cliff, feeling the force of the Ziwei soft sword in the wind.

Of course, Shi Qingruo wasn't seeking death.

Considering that the Divine Eagle, having consumed too much snake gall, had only transformed itself into a bald eagle, unable to take flight and thus unable to catch her when needed, Shi Qingruo quickly wove several long vines and draped them down from the massive Sword Tomb atop the cliff, providing leverage.

This was truly the most necessary preparation she had made.

Because this time, as she reached the clifftop and was about halfway down, she suddenly saw someone diagonally below!

Startled by the sudden appearance of this stranger, Shi Qingruo immediately grabbed a nearby vine and stepped onto a small hole in the rock face, stabilizing herself as quickly as possible.

Only then, once she had stabilized, did she have the energy to study the man who had

suddenly charged out of nowhere. He had already surpassed her, standing still three feet away, looking up at her.

He was clearly not too young, at least a bit older than Ye Gucheng, but he still possessed a handsome, clean-cut face.

This cleanliness wasn't just about being impeccably dressed in plain clothes, but rather a more indescribable, aura of purity. Combined with his nimble physique, he seemed perfectly attuned to the forest, like a black wolf bounding up a cliff.

Even so, upon catching sight of him, Shi Qingruo couldn't help but tighten her grip on her sword.

Even though he carried no sharp weapons, the only weapon he could truly call his own being a short staff at his waist, he still looked like... a

swordsman!

A swordsman even more formidable than Ye Gucheng.

Perhaps he used a wooden staff, and perhaps he wasn't quite at the level of Dugu Qiubai, who could transform anything into a sword, but he was certainly formidable.

Shi Qingruo demanded, "Who are you? Why are you trespassing in the mountains?"

The man didn't miss her defensive stance, his already dark gaze growing even sharper.

This woman, hanging on the cliff face, wore only plain clothes, her hair tied up with just a few sashes, yet she was incredibly beautiful.

The bloodstain on her neck didn't mar this beauty; instead, it only heightened the wildness of the mountains and forests.

But what concerned him more was the soft sword in her hand, shrouded in purple light. It had already resonated faintly with the woman wielding it, and combined with her internal energy, still barely concealed, it transformed into a wielding blade.

Considering her age, she was undoubtedly one of the world's foremost swordsmanship prodigies.

He gazed at the hint of fighting spirit above him and slowly replied, "I heard there's a sword master living in seclusion in these mountains, so I came to visit him."

It seemed he had found the right place. "Are you—a disciple of the Sword Demon?"

The author has something to say:

①②③ In The Return of the Condor Heroes,

Dugu Qiubai's swordsmanship didn't have any mantras or anything like that during the Condor era. I'm guessing that the Dugu Nine Swords used by Feng Qingyang and Linghu Chong in The Smiling, Proud Wanderer were passed down from Yang Guo, so it's best to have the heroine teach through Brother Eagle. The last one to appear should be pretty obvious... right?

See you tomorrow night at 6 o'clock. The next chapter will return to Bianjing.