Chapter 37 037[VIP]

Half a quarter of an hour later, the two had gone from a standoff hanging on the rock face to sitting opposite each other on the clifftop.

The man had also examined the inscriptions on the sword tomb and behind it.

Shi Qingruo noticed that, although he was seated, he remained ready for battle at any moment. Just like... a wolf hunting in the wild, even while enjoying a meal, it always maintains a sense of vigilance.

This must be a habit accumulated over the years.

"So Dugu Qiubai is dead," Ah Fei said.

This was the name he had given Shi Qingruo, a name familiar to the people of the martial arts world.

When Xiao Li Feidao roamed the martial arts world, his friend Ah Fei was also famous for his swordsmanship, earning the nickname "Flying Swordsman." However, in the martial arts world, the new generation always replaces the old. Since the retirement of "Little Li Tanhua" Li Xunhuan, Ah Fei has rarely been active in the martial arts world.

Even if you consider it, he's only thirty-five or thirty-six now, the prime of life for a chivalrous warrior. He seems to have become the "older generation" in other people's gossip.

Shi Qingruo pondered the news about the "Flying Swordsman" but didn't show it in her demeanor. Her Ziwei soft sword remained poised. She simply nodded. "You've made it here, so you must have passed through the cave ahead. Didn't you see the stone tomb there?"

"There's no name on the tomb. If you live alone in the mountains, you could have left a grave for yourself," he replied seriously.

Shi Qingruo was silent for a moment, feeling that the man before her might not be making an assumption, but rather, "Situational change—something he could do."

This savage aloofness made him, despite his endearing face, seem like a barrier between him and others.

Just as she thought this, she heard a movement from the rock face below.

Turning to look, he saw the eagle, leaping to the clifftop with its characteristic leaping style, carrying its prey with it, dangling from its wings.

But before it could land, the eagle was startled to discover another person atop the cliff.

And one it hadn't brought up.

How could this be?

Shi Qingruo was about to rise to explain when the eagle, having already shaken off the three strange snakes dangling from its wings, launched a powerful gust of wind towards Ah Fei.

But the next moment, its path was blocked by a short staff.

It was merely an ordinary wooden staff, but in the man's hands, it became a supremely effective weapon. With a few swift strikes, he deflected the eagle's wings and pointed at its chest, as if poised to pierce it.

But at that moment, a nimble longsword, like a whip, wrapped around the staff, pulling and swishing away his counterattack, now positioned itself between Ah Fei and the eagle.

But Shi Qingruo's attack was swift, and Ah Fei's was equally swift.

In an instant, the short stick was swiftly retracted to his waist, as if it had never been used.

"This is..."

"I can read," Ah Fei replied briefly.

Shi Qingruo understood his meaning. He had previously replied to her that he had indeed passed through the cave. If so, he must have seen the inscription left by Dugu Qiubai on the rock wall.

The inscription read, "I live in seclusion in the deep valley, with eagles as my friends," and now there was a strange eagle, there seemed no other explanation except that it was Dugu Qiubai's friend.

He had come to visit, not to kill or plunder, so why would he attack someone else's friend?

Shi Qingruo shook her head and sheathed her sword. "You are truly an eccentric and polite swordsman."

The eagle cried out in anger, pacing back to where it had climbed the cliff and tossing one of the dead snakes in front of Ah Fei.

Shi Qingruo couldn't help but feel even more amused, patting the eagle's wings. "Come on, you're also a quirky yet polite eagle."

Ah Fei gazed at the interaction between the man and the eagle in amazement, wondering how such a spiritual eagle could be raised. Shi Qingruo then praised both the man and the eagle equally, and likewise ignored the previous conflict, turning back to pick up the other two snakes.

"Didn't I tell you? The prey is by the water." She rehung one snake from the eagle's wing and wrapped the other around her arm. Turning to Ah Fei, she said, "It just took that snake as an apology. Do you want to come down with it?"

Ah Fei hesitated for only a moment before grabbing the dead snake and following Shi Qingruo's footsteps, landing with her and the eagle at the campsite by the stream.

Although they had only been here for ten days, the camp had already begun to look somewhat organized for their comfort. Outside the simple tent stood an earthen stove, atop which sat a repurposed wine jar.

Shi Qingruo deftly skinned the snake, removed the gallbladder, and washed the remaining flesh by the stream, slicing it into the "pot." The eagle had already used its wing to retrieve a bundle nearby.

Ah Fei took a quick look and saw that the bundle contained nothing but flint and spices.

He simply used his hand as a knife to remove the snake gallbladder, part of his "apology."

When Shi Qingruo had removed the venom and entrails of the strange snake from the pot, he turned to look at Ah Fei, who had already adapted to the situation and sat down by the pot.

The eagle waited for the fire to be lit and drank the soup, while Ah Fei slowly devoured his share of the snake gallbladder.

The gallbladder was bitter, but his expression was so serious that he made it seem like a delicacy.

Perhaps because of this, even the eagle that had attacked him earlier was a bit more "friendly" to him. Add to that the man's aura...

at least to Shi Qingruo, they looked like the same kind sitting together.

Shi Qingruo raised his chin and asked, "Do you want me to take care of your snake, or roast it yourself? There aren't many wild fruits or ferocious beasts in this mountain. Snakes are the most common, and you won't catch anything by hunting on your own."

Ah Fei nodded, "Thank you."

Shi Qingruo reached out and took the snake carcass. "I thought you looked so cold and would rather do it yourself."

Ah Fei looked at the wine jar, his eyes blurry for a moment, and replied, "I was like this in my early years. I never accepted anything I didn't buy myself, whether it was wine, meat, clothes, or weapons. But then I met someone who said that if I continued in the martial arts world like this, I wouldn't make any friends. If I insist on my own way, then I should repay kindness with kindness and revenge with revenge. It's better than simply refusing." "

It seems he's become a good friend of yours," Shi Qingruo said.

Ah Fei answered decisively, "That's right."

As he uttered those two words, even the coldness on his face melted considerably, and a subtle smile flickered across his lips.

With that smile, his face instantly gained a touch of friendliness, like... someone else Shi Qingruo had met before.

But this person before her was different from the hermit who had been a sort of teacher to her.

For example, he seemed far more suited to silence than that other person.

The stream and waterfall ahead roared as it had when Shi Qingruo first arrived. Nearby, the bubbling water of a modified pot gurgled.

A man with deep-set eyes, clutching a wooden stick, listened to the wind in the forest, his expression relaxed and at ease.

"Yours." Snake soup was served in a wooden bowl to Ah Fei.

"Yes."

He had always been one for unwavering focus on what he was doing. Having previously traveled from the town, exploring and exploring, he hadn't eaten much on the way, and was indeed feeling a bit hungry. He thanked Shi Qingruo and took the bowl from her.

After finishing his soup, he turned around to see that the remaining soup from the jar had been poured into a basin carved out of a wooden stake, where the eagle had devoured it ravenously.

The man in charge of the soup, trying to maintain a stern expression, tossed the two remaining snake gallbladders into his mouth and quickly sat cross-legged, digesting the inner energy brought by the bile from the strange snake.

Ah Fei's eyes flashed, and he simply stood up and took all the pots and pans to the stream, carefully washing them.

When Shi Qingruo opened her eyes, she saw a short stick pointed in front of her. "Try it, you and it."

Shi Qingruo pointed at herself in surprise.

Ah Fei nodded: "I don't owe anyone a favor. Today, you helped me solve a problem, and I also want to see the swordsmanship of the newcomers in the martial arts world. Let's have a competition."

He went to the border town for some things a few years ago and met a few disciples of old friends. He didn't know if it was because he saw his own shadow in those young people under twenty at that time. In the past two years of traveling around the martial arts world, he also had some thoughts of being a teacher.

But it seemed that until today, he had never seen someone worth teaching.

However, although her martial arts skills were not low, she didn't seem to have been practicing swordsmanship for a long time. If she didn't want to be beaten for nothing, she had to bring a helper.

Shi Qingruo didn't mince words, immediately leaping to her feet, clutching the Ziwei soft sword. "Alright! My apologies then."

The eagle, having previously held a grudge against Ah Fei for his attack, now understood the situation and leaped to Shi Qingruo's side.

The eagle and the man had previously engaged in a fierce battle, but perhaps because of that earlier encounter, their moves bore a striking resemblance as they attacked Ah Fei together.

And then…

before, it was only Shi Qingruo herself who fell into the waterfall, but now, both the man and the eagle were drowning.

Ah Fei sat on the shore, watching Shi Qingruo continue to harness the force of the waterfall to master the soft sword, and felt he needed no further advice.

For example, the lighter the sword, the more difficult it was to wield, but once mastered, its power could be far greater than that of a heavy sword. Her approach was a bit advanced, but not in the least wrong.

He had only one caveat: "Dugu Qiubai befriends the eagle, but the eagle has its own nature and can't completely mimic a human's moves. Didn't you always try to fight the eagle with your human mind? But remember, you can fool it, but you can't fool a swordsman with a sharp mind."

"What you need to learn is to exploit the eagle's attacks, to master the art of controlling the heavy with the light, and to adapt to ever-changing situations with the unchanging."

Shi Qingruo swung her sword while listening thoughtfully to Ah Fei's words.

Half an hour later, when she leaped ashore again, her expression more composed. "Senior, please challenge me again."

Ah Fei nodded. "Come."

The word "come" was spoken decisively, and his attacks were astonishingly fast.

The eagle's attacks were still clumsy, but Ah Fei had long since moved past the stage of mastering the art of controlling the heavy with the light. In his hands, the wooden stick was a perfectly suited sword. If it weren't for the soft chime emanating from the Ziwei soft sword, in that split-second moment, it would have been virtually impossible to detect his thrust.

This time, Shi Qingruo suppressed her instinct to speculate on his next move, grasping the sword directly and approaching the swordsman with the speed of a swimming fish.

Although this attack ultimately ended with the wooden stick piercing her throat, Shi Qingruo could clearly sense that the previous days' battles with the Divine Eagle had accumulated considerable experience, and it was only when her opponent switched from an eagle to a human that she gradually began to master it.

Ah Fei watched as she clutched her sword, muttering something to the nearby stone wall. Suddenly, she perked up and ran to him, her eyes gleaming with surprising energy, "Senior, please, let's fight again."

"...Okay."

He wondered if it was his imagination; he had come to meet the senior swordsman, only to find himself being used as a sparring partner.

He could have turned and walked away, but seeing Shi Qingruo's incredible progress, reflecting his former fighting spirit, he longed to see how far she could advance in another fight.

Although this girl looked very energetic, her face drooped when night fell.

Because she saw with her own eyes that the usually very amiable big eagle, after being beaten repeatedly today, actually secretly hid the snake gall of the strange snake behind its back.

"..." Shi Qingruo swore that she was not wrong, it was doing such a bad thing of eating alone.

While hiding, it looked at Ah Fei with eager eyes, as if eating two more snake galls and becoming a little balder, it could get back the ground it lost today.

"Why don't you fight it?" Ah Fei asked behind her.

"...Ah?" Shi Qingruo turned around blankly, and saw that Ah Fei had a calm face, without any intention of instigating.

Ah Fei said, "You're responsible for cooking the snake meat, so in exchange, it should give you its gallbladder. Now that it's hiding it, it's embezzling your money. You must take it back. Wild animals don't always have a lot of indulgence in their survival. If they don't take what they deserve, they won't have enough to eat..."

This was his advice from experience.

Shi Qingruo nodded and immediately, without mercy, charged at the eagle, sword in hand.

Ah Fei couldn't help but chuckle as he watched the man and the eagle engage in another brawl over the spoils before dinner, a unique kind of sparring match.

He was used to traveling alone, though, and since today had been an exception, he should continue his journey tomorrow.

He pondered, then sat down against the tree beside the tent and closed his eyes. Suddenly, Shi Qingruo nudged him, motioning him to move to the side.

He turned back and saw that the tree trunk he'd been leaning against was indeed different. Two "正" characters had been scratched into it, and Shi Qingruo was about to fill it in with a stone.

"What is this?"

"The number of days I'm here." Shi Qingruo answered, "I can only stay here for twenty days at most."

Ah Fei has never been so curious about other people's affairs, but since this person in front of him was a student he had taught for half a day, he asked one more question, "Why only twenty days?"

From his observation, twenty days might be enough for Shi Qingruo to fight back and forth with the eagle, but it was still far from the bottleneck period for her to improve her swordsmanship, so there was no need to leave the mountain in such a hurry.

Shi Qingruo hesitated for a moment, patted the ground beside her, and sat down.

Ah Fei originally thought that if this was related to her privacy, it would be okay not to ask, but suddenly he heard Shi Qingruo hesitate and throw out an unexpected question: "...Do you know Shen Lang, the number one hero in the world in the past?"

"..."

Shi Qingruo didn't hear an immediate reply, and subconsciously turned to look at Ah Fei.

The campfire burned brightly, not to dispel the nighttime chill, but to repel any snakes or insects that might venture out, casting a rosy glow on Ah Fei's face.

Although Shi Qingruo had only spent less than a day with him, she could tell that while he appeared to possess formidable swordsmanship and possessed the aloofness of a lone wolf, his heart was not stone-hard. To say he was cold on the outside but warm on the inside was no exaggeration.

But at that moment, his deeply defined face seemed to suddenly freeze, and even the corners of his tightly pursed lips sharpened, as if the name had suddenly brought back memories.

He seemed to suddenly remember that there was someone beside him, and he uttered two words stiffly: "I've heard of you."

"Why does it sound like you two are related?" Shi Qingruo muttered.

Ah Fei had amazing hearing and didn't miss this sentence. He replied, "No, it's not really a connection, nor is there any hatred. It's just some old things from the previous generation."

Shi Qingruo looked at him carefully and saw that the eyes, still dark and bright in the night, did not show any hatred. So he continued, "Okay, then I will continue. Back then-"

"The great hero Shen Lang, along with his wife Zhu Qiqi and their friends, journeyed overseas. After destroying Happy Forest, they retired to an island and took in a disciple. I won't go into detail about this disciple's original name, but when he began to roam the martial arts world, he adopted a nickname, or rather, a respectful title from his subordinates: Young

Master Yu." Shi Qingruo rested his chin on his hand and commented rather indignantly, "You see, even a man without a name, being called Young Master seems to give him a higher status than others."

Ah Fei searched for information and said, "I don't think I've heard of this man's name in the martial arts world."

Shi Qingruo nodded, "But you've certainly heard of the Azure Dragon Society. He's a very intelligent individual, not only gifted in martial arts but also highly skilled in manipulating people's hearts. So, when he emerged from seclusion at the age of twenty—no, after arriving in the Central Plains from overseas—he quickly gained control of several underground factions. With their help, he seized the position of leader of the Azure Dragon Society, using this as a springboard to stir up even greater waves in the martial arts world."

"Then you..." Ah Fei began, then stopped.

Someone who practices martial arts so relentlessly must have their reasons. Based on what she had said earlier about Gongzi Yu's actions, he was very likely to exterminate his entire clan and seize power while annexing other factions, leading to a tragic outcome.

Shi Qingruo, as if guessing his thoughts, quickly waved her hand, "It's not what you think."

"Well, how should I put it..." Shi Qingruo suddenly leaned closer and pointed at her face. "Do you think I'm pretty?"

Ah Fei was almost startled by her gesture, but thankfully, he was no longer the young novice martial artist. He quickly composed himself and replied with a sincere "Yes."

She was indeed beautiful. Even in her plain clothes, her sword training leaving her with a rather unassuming appearance, she was as beautiful as a deity in the wilds. He had a past with Lin Xian'er, the once-famous beauty of the martial arts world, and had also met people like Qiu Lingsu and Shi Guanyin during his travels, but there was no denying that no face could compare to the girl before him.

Even more remarkable than her beauty was her aura, enough to make heroes bow down to her.

Shi Qingruo raised an eyebrow and said angrily, "Young Master Yu wants me to be the mistress of his Azure Dragon Society, but I refuse to fulfill his wish. I must be more capable of defending myself in his presence. Half a month ago, he teamed up with Yuan Shisanxian to kill Fang Geyin, the renowned hero Fang Juxia, and then threatened me with evidence of his actions. Naturally, I immediately set out here to seek a way to improve myself."

"But the situation in Bianjing is pressing. I only have this month to spare. Excluding travel time, that's only twenty days."

Ah Fei was startled by the words.

The reflection of the bonfire and the rage on her face made the beautiful face before him appear even more radiant, almost instinctively believing what she said.

He sighed and said, "Okay... I'll teach you for another ten days. How far you can go depends on your ability."

He would leave after ten days.

Most people in the martial arts world didn't know why he felt such a surge of emotion upon hearing Shen Lang's name. Even his close friend, Li Xunhuan, didn't understand earlier in his life why, after resolving the Jinqian Gang issue and freeing himself from his emotional shackles, he decided to travel overseas to seek out people and old items.

Just as many people didn't know, over thirty years ago, when the Happy King dominated the martial arts world, the renowned hero Shen Lang was imprisoned in a subterranean palace. The Ghost Palace Master, Bai Feifei, drugged him, causing him to conceive a child. However, the child didn't inherit either his father's or mother's surnames; they were simply named Ah Fei.

In other words, if Shi Qingruo was correct and this "Young Master Yu" was Shen Lang's disciple, then the villain who forced Shi Qingruo into the mountains to learn martial arts was actually

the disciple of Ah Fei's biological father.

What kind of fate was this?

...

Ten days later, in Xiangyang, a strange pairing appeared.

A man in his thirties, dressed in plain clothes, looked like a simple wanderer. He possessed no iron weapons, save a short staff tucked from his belt. But his handsome features and flawless muscular build were starkly inconsistent with his attire. The young man accompanying

him was the opposite extreme, swathed in black clothing. The looseness of the garment obscured his form, leaving only a pair of eyes as bright as the morning stars.

Behind them, two horses, evidently of exceptional strength, followed.

Shi Qingruo patted the feathers on her shoulders, remembering the eagle's reluctance to leave them at parting. She secretly decided that after resolving matters in Bianjing and even in the martial arts world, she should find time to visit her eagle friend again.

"Senior," Shi Qingruo pointed ahead, "let's have lunch first, then leave as soon as possible."

Ah Fei nodded.

Honestly, he didn't know why he'd chosen to be a good person and accepted Shi Qingruo's invitation to travel to Bianjing City. With his current martial arts prowess, he'd already come to terms with some things, like his youthful obsession with fame and his complex feelings towards his father. He didn't necessarily wonder why he'd raised a scoundrel like Gongzi Yu.

Or perhaps, while he'd been guiding Ye Kai and Fu Hongxue years ago in letting go of their hatred and cultivating their mindset, he also harbored some unspoken internal issues of his own.

As for Shi Qingruo's way of addressing him...

he felt he didn't have the skills to teach a disciple well. He'd only coached her swordsmanship for ten days, not imparting any systematic techniques. He didn't deserve the title of "Master," preferring "Senior."

He and Shi Qingruo entered the restaurant together and took a seat in a private, screened-off room on the second floor. He watched her examine him for a moment before serving a simple meal and removing the black cloth covering her face.

"Senior, you may not know this," Shi Qingruo said with a wry smile, "In order to leave this place unnoticed, someone disguised themselves as me in Bianjing City. Naturally, I had to hide my appearance along the way and change back when I returned to the capital."

"I originally came here in disguise, and the pass I had for entering and leaving Bianjing was also under that disguise. But the mask broke and became useless, so I had to resort to some crude methods."

Ah Fei nodded understandingly and asked, "How are you going to get back to Bianjing?"

Shi Qingruo patted her backpack, which was still full. "That's easy. Just take the token and go find someone in the suburbs of the capital." Since

she was prepared, Ah Fei didn't ask any more questions. He simply felt that Gongzi Yu was truly a piece of shit, for forcing someone to this point. Fortunately, Shi Qingruo was clever enough to come up with this quick way to master martial arts and escape here to save himself...

Just as he thought of this, he saw Shi Qingruo silencing him with a hand gesture and tilting her head, reminding him to listen to the compartment to the right of the screen.

Their conversation was quiet, but the room next door was obviously less formal. For a martial artist, it was a real "high-sounding conversation."

Upon hearing this, he realized that the discussion on the other end was precisely about Bianjing.

Because one of the group had just arrived from Bianjing, the surrounding jianghu people questioned him, asking him to share more about recent events.

"Lately, Bianjing City has been a tough place for people like us without status," the man said, seemingly drunken. "You've probably heard of the name Gao Xiaoshang, the Dragon of Troubled Times, right?"

"Of course I haven't heard of him. News of Fang Juxia's death has already spread throughout the jianghu. It's natural that his disciple Gao Xiaoshang will take over the various factions. They may be missing Fang Juxia's support, but they've soared to prominence."

Who had ever taken Gao Xiaoshang seriously before? Fang Geyin was a man of great passion, even on inspection tours, preferring to ride a donkey, like a leisurely wanderer enjoying the world. Gao Xiaoshang would pack his luggage for him, like the servant of a donkey-riding wanderer.

Even if such a person had a high status, it would be difficult for anyone to associate him with someone of higher status.

On the contrary, after Fang Geyin's death, Gao Xiaoshang's status rose rapidly, and people belatedly realized that he was undoubtedly a master in the martial arts world.

"Hey, then you don't know, he's dead!" The man who spoke earlier slammed the table, "No one knows the identity of the person who killed Fang Juxia before. Gao Xiaoshang has been under the protection of the Six Gates since Fang Juxia's death, but he still lost his life inexplicably, and he couldn't even catch up with the elders of the Blood River Sect to come to Bianjing to seek justice for Juxia."

"Aren't you talking nonsense? The thief was so bold that he dared to kill even Fang Juxia, and he could kill a mere Gao Xiaoshang, isn't it easy for him to do so?" "

That's right," the man slapped himself on the mouth, "It's not Zhuge Shenhou who is personally responsible for supervising protection matters, it's just Jin Jiuling who is in charge of guarding it, so it's not surprising that he couldn't stop the deadly assassin. From this point of view, it's reasonable that he can't be among the Four Famous Constables."

"If that's the case, with such a thing happening, wouldn't all the factions under Fang Juxia have become a mess?"

"Of course, otherwise why would I say that people without some background can't survive in Bianjing City at all! Fortunately, these people from various factions who poured into the capital, were all arranged by the Holy Lord of the Mi Tian League and the Lord Su of the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower, and temporarily lived in Chuhe Town on the outskirts of the capital, finally allowing the order in Bianjing to be stabilized."

"Then the master's wife is a capable person."

"Who says she isn't? And if it was just this incident, it would be fine. Coincidentally, there is new news from the other side of Taihu Lake." The man paused, and continued, "The wife of the young master of Yongcui Villa suddenly declared that she hopes to severely punish the two villains Wuhua and Nangong Ling."

Uni exclusive

"Villains?" The person sitting next to him was immediately shocked. "Wuhua is a senior disciple of Putian Shaolin, a monk of the Seven Wonders respected by everyone in the world, and Nangong Ling assisted Ren Ci in managing the Beggar Gang early on, and later took over as the leader of the Beggar Gang. How can they be called villains!"

"It's just that the news from Hubei is still not flowing through enough." The man took another sip of wine and burped. He paused as if he was intentionally keeping the secret. After hearing the dissatisfied voices of the people around him, he continued, "The young master's wife said that Wuhua and Nangong Ling were both children born to the Japanese warrior Tianfeng Shishilang and the Stone Guanyin from the desert. They have long since returned to their ancestors, and the abbot of Putian Shaolin has also confirmed the authenticity of this."

Everyone gasped.

"If it were just that, it would be fine, but these two villains didn't care about the cultivation of Shaolin and the upbringing of the Beggars' Sect. They actually conspired to assassinate the leader of the Beggars' Sect and used all kinds of despicable means to make money, killing many people. It was

n't until they took action in Taihu Lake this time and happened to meet Elder Hong of the Beggars' Sect that their evil deeds were discovered." "Also, the previous theft of the Tianyi Divine Water was first caused by Wuhua, not the thief Chu Liuxiang. This thief Wuhua relied on his reputation as a wonderful monk to enter and exit the Divine Water Palace. After stealing the Tianyi Divine Water, he killed his fellow martial artists and framed them on others."

"The wife of the young master of Yongcui Villa said that she was once Shi Guanyin's apprentice. Because she saw her brutal behavior, she was afraid that she would also suffer the same harm, so she finally plucked up the courage to speak out. Now the two villains and this witness have arrived in Bianjing. I wonder if Shi Guanyin would also come to Bianjing if she heard the news."

"...I think it's okay."

"If you ask me, she should have gone a long time ago. I heard that she really doesn't like women who are more beautiful than her. The wife of the master of the Misty Sky Alliance has lost her husband. Isn't this the perfect time for her to make a move?"

"Alright, alright," he said with a smile, "Is this kind of thing something we can control? Since there has been new progress in the affairs of the Shenshui Palace, I'm afraid that Jellyfish Yin Ji will also have to go to Bian Jing. It's just right to make the Hubei area less turbulent and it's just right to hide here. It's just a pity..."

"What's the pity?"

"Need I say more?" He patted the sword beside him, "Everyone knows that Guan Qi, the saint of the Misty Sky Alliance, shattered the void, and the trick that made him famous was the invisible sword energy that broke the body. The ruins left behind naturally became a holy place for sword masters all over the world. At most ten days later, Ximen Chuxue of Wanmei Villa will compete with Ye Gucheng, the lord of Baiyun City. The winner will sit in the treasured land and gain enlightenment. With such a grand event ahead, I think all other things should be put aside for the time being and go and watch the fight between the famous swordsmen in the world."

"If I had a little more skill, and wasn't afraid of being implicated and defenseless, I would definitely head to Bianjing right now."

"... Enough talk, let's drink."

"Yes, yes, drink, drink."

"..."

Ah Fei withdrew his attention, knowing there was nothing more to hear.

Given the skills of these jianghu people, the information they knew might not be the true inside story, only the rumors that had been spread. The exact circumstances would have to wait until we arrived in Bianjing to find out.

But remembering what Shi Qingruo had told him earlier, he asked, "...Did Gao Xiaoshang also die at the hands of Gongzi Yu of the Qinglong Society?"

Shi Qingruo shook her head. "I don't know either. I'll have to wait and see when we get back to Bianjing."

As she said this, she couldn't help but wonder, if she was right, it was probably Jin Jiuling who had attacked Gao Xiaoshang. With her instigating this, embezzlement was highly likely to happen; she simply hadn't expected it to happen so soon.

"Let's go then."

While the other end was talking, Ah Fei had already finished more than half of the meal that had been brought to him and was ready to leave. Shi Qingruo didn't bother to maintain her appearance, so she quickly finished her meal, went downstairs, and led her horse.

Perhaps it was the duel between Ye Gucheng and Ximen Chuxue, the shockwaves surrounding Fang Geyin and Gao Xiaoshang's deaths, and the upcoming trial of Wuhua and Nangong Ling in Bianjing. While many in the martial arts world, self-aware of their incompetence, chose to avoid Bianjing, a significant number were also flocking there.

This made Shi Qingruo and Ah Fei seem unremarkable amidst the crowd.

Upon arriving in the outskirts of Beijing, Shi Qingruo quickly used her token to contact the members of the Misty Heaven Alliance.

While the members of that branch didn't know why the Seventh Saint Master had suddenly appeared there, upon hearing that she simply needed a grain cart that could evade inspection and transport her and the chivalrous warrior to Bianjing, they fell silent, refusing to question further.

Several vehicles used for Misty Heaven Alliance procurement services brought the two to the Misty Heaven Alliance's backyard.

Shi Qingruo removed the cloth bag covering her and jumped out, only to see Ah Fei land on the ground a step faster than her.

However, because he was in a strange place, the coldness between his eyebrows spread again, and he cast a defensive look at the people around him.

It's not surprising that he behaved like this. Although he had no dealings with the Misty Sky Alliance, it was not that he had never heard of it.

He had heard them mention this name before in Hubei. It was said that after Fang Geyin's death, the mistress of the Misty Sky Alliance seemed to be the one who took charge of the situation.

"What is your relationship with that mistress?" Ah Fei turned his head and asked.

Shi Qingruo answered vaguely: "Almost, you will know in a while. Senior, you must be tired after traveling all the time. Go with the others to wash up and change clothes. I still have to exchange my identity with the person who disguised me."

Ah Fei had no objection. He followed her request and followed the servant who came to greet him to the guest room of the Misty Sky Alliance.

Unaware of Shi Qingruo's status within the Misty Heaven Alliance, she casually mentioned arranging some simple clothing. The garments delivered were indeed his usual linen garments, at most more respectable in cut and material than his previous outfit.

The attendant, seemingly aware of his lack of sociability, waited in silence for his action before finally saying, "Please follow me, sir."

Ah Fei tucked his short staff back onto his waist and followed the man. He saw him passing through several corridors, leading him to an open area, and then continuing forward, towards the main hall.

He couldn't help but frown, feeling that this treatment was extremely unusual. It seemed like the kind of treatment reserved for distinguished guests.

Confused, he stepped through the threshold and was ushered to a seat. Tea was immediately brought to his hands, further confirming his suspicions.

Only when he heard familiar footsteps approaching did he slowly relax.

But when the figure appeared at the door, he suddenly stood up again. "You..."

The one who greeted him was no longer the humble, plain-clothed mountain girl, but a beautiful woman in a rich, dark-bottomed, red-embroidered brocade. Beneath the gilded crown of hairpins and jade trees, she bore a familiar face.

Against the backdrop of red and black, her already exceptional features were amplified with a dazzling brilliance, yet without a trace of vulgarity, possessing an aura of superiority. The grand hall of the Misty Heaven Alliance, standing before them, was instantly overshadowed by her presence.

She smiled, bowed, and spoke, "I had to conceal my identity from you, Senior, for reasons that were truly unavoidable. I haven't given a false name; it's Shi Qingruo. But in Bianjing, this name also represents the Seventh Sacred Master of the Misty Heaven Alliance, the—"

"The Master of this place."

Ah Fei froze in his place.

This didn't seem like a surprise, but a shock.

The author has something to say:

Young Ah Fei is easily deceived, and middle-aged Ah Fei is also easily deceived (laughs)

. This is not the timeline of Moonlight on the End of the World. It is probably between The Border Town Wanderer and Swords of Legends. Ah Fei is about thirty years old. It seems that it is rare to write about Ah Fei of this age in martial arts novels. But since it is about Gongzi Yu, Ah Fei must be this age.

Then I would like to add a question. If we follow the calculation from The Sentimental Swordsman to The Border Town Wanderer, Ah Fei should be ten or eleven years older than Ye Kai. But according to September Eagle Flying, Shangguan Xiaoxian's age is here, and Ah Fei seems to be a little older. Here we still do not consider the situation of September Eagle Flying.

See you tomorrow night at six o'clock.