Chapter 39 039[VIP]

Su Mengzhen's tone and expression left her no doubt whether what she had heard was a lie or had been verified.

But what kind of situation was this!

"A son of a wealthy family shouldn't sit in the palace, and he's an emperor..."

Even an emperor from a martial arts world could be a little special. "How could he come to the Misty Heaven Alliance!"

What emperor would do such a thing?

At most, thinking about the terrible things his father had done during his reign, he didn't think what he was doing now was so terrible...

Shi Qingruo turned and asked, "How can he hold a position in my Misty Heaven Alliance while handling state affairs?"

If she remembered correctly, the young emperor didn't know any martial arts, let alone the art of cloning. So how did he manage his time?

Su Mengzhen replied, "I've asked the Divine Marquis, and His Majesty has been ill quite a bit lately."

Shi Qingruo: "..."

Su Mengzhen: "Fu Zongshu has always disliked His Majesty's overreaching. His Majesty's pressure on him, coupled with his frequent illnesses and closures, has him feeling a mixture of love and hate. But I'd say His Majesty has actually made a good move."

Shi Qingruo pondered for a moment. "Even though His Majesty is ill, he still has the will to challenge Fu Zongshu and doesn't want him to continue holding the position of regent. If his condition worsens, there's no guarantee he won't make a desperate move to eliminate the traitor—that's certainly what the old thief Fu is thinking."

The Prince of the Southern Prince bears a striking resemblance to His Majesty, but to replace the young emperor, Fu Zongshu and the

Southern Prince would have to reach some kind of agreement. Fu Zongshu wouldn't be as enthusiastic about this move as the Southern Prince's Palace. While replacing the emperor would certainly hand him a powerful handle, it would also introduce a powerful enemy into the court.

The Southern Prince had kept the resemblance between the Crown Prince and the Emperor a secret for so many years, demonstrating his ambition.

Fu Zongshu might not be willing to coexist peacefully with him.

However, if the current Emperor presented him with only disadvantages and no benefits, his mind would be tilted in his favor.

The young Emperor's move was precisely intended to spur Fu Zongshu to make a real decision.

"Indeed," Su Mengzhen agreed with her theory. "Although His Majesty is young, he is not a puppet to be manipulated at will. On the contrary, he is extremely intelligent. He was able to send people to support Wang Xiaoshi and help him send Duan Tiande to Bianjing. As for the Southern Prince's Palace's actions... I imagine he also knows something."

On this point, it was the Jinfengxiyu Tower that lagged behind in information.

However, Yang Wuxie and Su Mengzhen couldn't be blamed for this.

Previously, Fengyu Tower and Liufenbantang had reached a critical juncture in a life-or-death battle. To ensure that the last remaining gang in Bianjing City was Jinfengxiyu Tower, and not Liufenbantang, the White Tower's intelligence department had devoted the majority of its manpower to investigating the various Liufenbantang leaders. This allowed His Majesty to focus on the actions of court officials and various princes.

Different perspectives naturally reveal different things.

Su Mengzhen sighed, "In some cases, rather than allowing them to continue to secretly collaborate and slowly grow stronger, it's better to force them into a dead end and seize the stolen goods. However..."

Shi Qingruo understood his doubts: "Your Majesty, by doing this, isn't your trust in us too much?"

The alliance between Fu Zongshu and the Southern Prince was far more than just an alliance between a powerful court official and a border prince.

Judging from the current situation in Bianjing City, Fu Zongshu has backing him from top masters like Yuan Shisanxian, as well as the talents he has recruited since his early years in power. The arrival of the Southern Prince also brought with him the swordsman from Baiyun City.

Add to that Di Feijing lurking in the shadows, and Gongzi Yu, who yearns for unrest—

enough to turn Bianjing upside down!

To replace the emperor, these people would unleash their full might, determined to put Your Majesty to death.

While this would certainly incriminate Fu Zongshu, if the combined forces of the Divine Marquisate, Fengyu Tower, and the Misty Heaven Alliance failed to repel the enemy, history would simply be written by the victor.

The young emperor's decisiveness was a blessing, but the trust placed in him, and the significance behind his actions, was truly too heavy a burden.

Su Mengzhen remained silent for a moment, a similar question lingering in his mind.

Suddenly, Shi Qingruo said, "If Master Su has no other plans tonight, could you please come with me to see how my new leader of the Misty Heaven Alliance conducts his affairs?"

Some things went without saying; Su Mengzhen understood her meaning. "With pleasure."

Coincidentally, the young emperor hadn't returned to the palace yet.

When Shi Qingruo landed on the rooftop, he was still adhering to his principle of "doing one's job well" and providing literacy training and guidance to several new gang members under his command.

Land was extremely scarce in Bianjing, and the houses these new recruits lived in, though located in the suburbs, were modest. Even the candlelight inside seemed faint.

Yet, in the candlelight, the young man, despite the yellow makeup he'd applied to conceal his tanned complexion, still stood out. It

was no wonder he held the leading position despite his near-absence of martial arts.

Most importantly, among the rabble, he could read!

This was a tremendous advantage.

Just then, a burly man approached the young man. "Brother Zhu, could you please tell me more about what we should pay attention to in the assessment the day after tomorrow?"

Though he was significantly older than the young man calling himself "Zhu Tang," he still managed to address him with ease.

Zhu Tang snatched up his scribbled "notes" and said with a smile, "Didn't I tell you? The first test upon joining the alliance will reveal it. Newcomers don't have to be incredibly smart, but they must not be too clever and must understand what others are saying. This test isn't about your martial arts prowess, but about getting to know your teammates and friends, and understanding the proper procedures for going out on the road. Don't just go with the old days of drawing your sword..."

"Relax, I've already taught you."

Seeing the burly man still hesitate, he patted him on the shoulder and soothed him, "Look, I need to secretly seek out someone with connections today to learn more about the inside story. I'll be leaving soon. Cover for me, and I'll guarantee you'll pass. You can even climb the ladder with the extra characters you've learned recently."

These words, especially the mention of connections, were more effective than anything else.

The others in the room nodded obediently, "respectfully seeing off" their influential Brother Zhu as he strolled out the door.

As soon as the young man disappeared from their sight, he quickened his pace and joined Yin Xian, who was waiting outside, preparing to rush back to the palace as quickly as possible.

Seeing that His Majesty had already boarded the carriage, Yin Xian urged the carriage on, muttering, "Your Majesty shouldn't have gotten this small position as a steward. You know your status, and mixing with these people is already outrageous. If you want to keep your identity private, you should be more restrained in your work." What if

he helped those people pass the test and was transferred from the suburbs of the capital to the headquarters? Would he have to meet the Holy Lords of the Misty Heaven Alliance?

What if someone had seen His Majesty's portrait and noticed that his identity was different, causing trouble?

And if these illiterate members fail to reason and cause harm to His Majesty, how will the matter be handled?

If something goes wrong, Yin Xian doesn't have the backbone or the back to shoulder all the responsibilities.

As for the Misty Heaven Alliance...

His Majesty sent himself to the Misty Heaven Alliance, not the Misty Heaven Alliance forcibly abducted an emperor here, so it seems they can't be blamed.

Is it their teacher's wife who is too beautiful and the test questions she set are too interesting, attracting His Majesty's attention?

"I'm not staying here just for Master's wife." Zhu Tang casually grabbed the fan from the carriage and fanned his face. The heat finally dissipated a little, and his tone remained calm. "I was made Crown Prince shortly after I was born. I was still very young when I ascended the throne, so I never understood the principle of sweeping the whole world without sweeping away my own family. Now I understand a little better. This corner of the Misty Heaven Alliance is just a tiny place, but the learning involved in socializing, teaching fellow members, and going out on business is quite interesting."

Such a rare opportunity to see the bigger picture from the small, so why wouldn't he want to miss it?

Moreover, he was using the people and events here to get a better look at the Seventh Saint of the Misty Heaven Alliance, who had suddenly arrived in Bianjing.

To see if she could shoulder such a heavy responsibility.

"Don't you find this place quite interesting? Ever since Guan Qifeng's death, the Misty Heaven Alliance has harbored corruption. Since Madam Shi took over, she's been trying to teach these people, who only care about factional fighting and not their country, a lesson in propriety and law. She's also trying to prevent them from feeling trapped by rigid rules and regulations, and to give them every possible reward. Believe it or not, if you put the unruly men in that room before Fu Zongshu, they'll know more about loyalty to the emperor and patriotism than that scoundrel."

Zhu Tang scoffed, unaware that as he spoke, the carriage he was riding in suddenly blew past him, disappearing several feet away.

He didn't continue speaking to Yin Xian. This small glimpse into the larger picture wasn't just about his understanding of the principles of governing the world from a small corner of the Misty Heaven Alliance; it was also about his understanding of Madam Shi's true character through the way she nurtured these new members. Otherwise, how could he have so easily entrusted his life and death to someone like her ? 

When he hurried back to the palace, he quickly washed off his disguise and applied a fresh coat of whiter powder, giving him a slightly sickly appearance. 

It's fair to say he'd returned at the perfect time. He should be grateful to Guan Qi, the former Holy Master of the Misty Heaven Alliance, for eliminating Mi Youqiao before the Shattering Void. This allowed him to enter and exit the Forbidden Palace with less worry, preventing the emperor from getting caught climbing over the wall. 

He had just reclined on his bed, a memorial in hand, when he heard the voice of Wang An, the chief eunuch, outside the door, asking if he'd like another bowl of sweet soup before bed. 

"Have them bring it," Zhu Tang's weak voice echoed. 

Wang An lowered his head, appearing respectful outside the door. However, a hint of sarcasm flashed in his small eyes at the voice, and he uttered "yes" before retreating. 

Zhu Tang couldn't see his expression, and Wang An certainly couldn't see it either. The "sickly" little emperor suddenly twitched his lips silently, a look of amusement filling his expression. 

... 

Under the veil of darkness, the city of Bianjing seemed hushed, its only sounds the summer cicadas and the intermittent drumming of the night watchmen. 

Yet, it seemed as if conflicts far more profound than mere factional rivalries were brewing in the darkness, fermenting under the heat of summer. 

A letter passed from a side gate of the imperial palace, carried by the guards who had taken over the gate shift. It then passed through several stages before reaching a secluded courtyard within Bianjing, where it ultimately reached the hands of a young man who bore a striking resemblance to the current emperor. 

He seemed to let out a few hearty laughs before immediately settling on his desk, writing down his plans and sending them on. 

Had he been more educated, he would have heard the saying, "Secrecy leads to success, while disclosure leads to failure." 

With so many people involved, no matter how bizarre the plans, problems were always likely to arise. 

By comparison, the communication between Guan Chun and Di Feijing was much simpler and faster. 

On the second night after the "SOS" and "Action" signals were sent, the Misty Heaven Alliance welcomed an uninvited guest. 

They had intruded into the courtyard of the Seven Saints of the Misty Heaven Alliance. 

The guards originally stationed nearby, perhaps because they had only recently been assigned, hadn't noticed them when the next shift arrived. Most of them weren't even on the rotation list. 

But seeing that these people looked familiar, likely members of the Misty Heaven Alliance, they dismissed the change of shift tokens and handed them to the next group. 

But at that moment, flashes of cold light, as swift as lightning, suddenly emanated from the other side. 

The guards, who had just turned their backs, didn't even have time to cry out before they collapsed, dead beyond mortal combat. 

Among the guards on the shift, a figure hidden behind them suddenly moved. 

He had been keeping his head down, seemingly exhausted from standing guard at night, and hadn't attracted anyone's attention. 

The speed with which he darted into the courtyard was astonishing, like that of a rare master! 

The swaying lanterns hanging high outside the courtyard dimly illuminated half of his profile as he brushed past the courtyard wall. While his features, mostly shrouded in shadow, were still obscured, it was easy to discern his perfectly formed features. 

Adding to that the fact that he had to keep his head bowed, it seemed only possible for him to do so. 

The former Grand Master of the Liufenbantang—Di Feijing. 

His martial arts were already exceptional, and this operation had unearthed a number of former followers who remembered his kindness. He had arrived without alerting a single sentry. 

When he quickly climbed through the small, ventilated window and entered the room, the place was already as planned. The occupants had already prepared their departure attire, changing into narrow, easy-to-move-in clothing and tightening their belts to prevent dragging down those accompanying them. 

In a corner of the room, a young woman lay prone. Her face was unclear in the shadows, so one could only guess she was a maid who had been knocked unconscious. 

The man placed his hand on the standing woman's shoulder and quickly shouted "Go!" 

However, instead of her immediately following him, he saw the belt he was about to tie transform into a streak of purple lightning, aimed directly at him. No, it wasn't a belt, but a flexible sword! 

The dim candlelight cast a shadowy hue on the purple sword's light, and the swordsman's face, caught in the combined light of the sword and candle, shone with a bewitching beauty. 

Even the hazy image was enough for the man to discern: this wasn't Guan Chun, who was supposed to be taken away as planned, nor was she the young lady who was supposed to return to the Six and a Half Hall, carrying many of the secrets of the Misty Heaven Alliance. Instead, it was Shi Qingruo. 

Even more surprising was the man's reaction. 

His lips curled slightly, and he struck back at the clumsy dagger attack from behind. With his other hand, brimming with purple internal energy, he grasped the flexible sword before him. 

He was also grabbing the person in front of him. 

It was as if the person he wanted to take away was not Guan Chun from the beginning.

It was Shi Qingruo who now drew her sword.

The muffled sound and the spitting of blood behind him caught his eye completely. In those cold, gray eyes, suddenly raised, only a glimmer of light flashed before him.

The sword flashed with incredible speed, like an elusive cloud, suddenly covering his head, escaping the palm wind with an unfathomable technique, and aimed directly at the attacker's throat.

With a crisp sound, the Ziwei soft sword suddenly advanced another inch, shattering the attacker's hair crown with a single blow.

Shi Qingruo's face showed no trace of joy.

With the initiative, her sword thrust intensified. A hand grabbed the shard of the hair crown and slammed it into the sword's blade.

The momentary pause was enough for a master like him.

The hand that had struck out before was heading straight for Shi Qingruo's shoulder.

Without hesitation, she abandoned the attack and grasped the long silk ribbon at her side, allowing the force from the other end to pull her away.

The man rushed to catch up, but was forced to stop the moment he flew out of the window.

This was because a flash of extremely light and swift crimson knife suddenly fell from above his head.

The boundless moonlight also shone down from above, illuminating his white hair after his crown was knocked off.

He raised his eyes and sneered. Despite the threat of the red sleeve knife, he still insisted on killing his only target.

The knife light came lightly, but it seemed to pierce an illusion.

If someone on the other side had not pulled Shi Qingruo over, the hand would have almost grasped her waist and carried her over the courtyard wall in front.

Instead, as he did now, the moment he realized that it was impossible to achieve his goal, he had already fallen to the treetops in the distance like a floating cloud.

The face beneath the white hair, rarely hidden by the bronze mask, also made it clear that it was a face that was extremely young and in stark contrast to the white hair.

He stood atop a tree, so light that not even a single leaf swayed, lending him an air of ethereal presence. Yet, those cold gray eyes, seemingly impervious to light, drew him back to the mundane world.

Those eyes, beneath slightly pale brows.

Su Mengzhen glanced upward, seeing that cold gray still fixed with unwavering persistence in Shi Qingruo's direction, possessed by a complex, inscrutable emotion.

But one thing was unmistakable: the unwavering, possessive desire.

Su Mengzhen frowned, tightening his grip on the knife.

But he didn't stand in front of Shi Qingruo, knowing full well that

she had accurately guessed Di Feijing wouldn't be able to arrive today, or perhaps had set a trap to ambush him. She must have something to tell him.

This was something she wanted to confront personally.

Gongzi Yu lowered his gaze toward

the courtyard. In the moments between his exchange with Shi Qingruo, several torches suddenly lit up, illuminating the bodies of those who had cooperated with him.

Zhu Xiaoyao, Wang Xiaoshi, and the others who arrived shortly after him acted just as Su Mengzhen had, ready to attack him at any moment.

Together with Shi Qingruo and Lu Xiaofeng, who had restrained her, they defeated the intruder instantly.

But alas…

a flick of sarcasm crossed his beautiful features. "Zijin, you know this won't keep me."

Shi Qingruo flicked her sword, seemingly oblivious to his arrogance. "Since I knew it wasn't Di Feijing coming today, I didn't intend to keep you. I simply wanted everyone to recognize your face. Otherwise, who knows if, over the years, your mask has become as old as your hair? If anyone knows, they'll think I'm bullying you."

Gongzi Yu's martial arts were a blend of strengths from various sources, especially his Qinggong and palm techniques. He also had the Qinglong Society's backing. Even with Qinggong masters like Chu Liuxiang, Lu Xiaofeng, and Sikong Zhaixing present today, there was no way they could have kept him here.

But since he'd come, letting him go without irritating him would be too easy.

Shi Qingruo tilted her head and smiled, "Isn't that so, Ayu?"

"You know exactly what I'm like, so there's no need to provoke me with such words," Gongzi Yu replied.

Everyone present could see that as he spoke, his eyes were always greedily fixed on the sword-wielding beauty, the longing in his eyes evident.

Even if one ignored his behavior, no one would have thought that the name "Zi Jin" and Shi Qingruo's response, "Ayu," were the proper gestures between two casual acquaintances.

Shi Qingruo's smile faded. "What a joke! If you want to be my enemy, I won't be friendly or polite to you. Do I even need to state that clearly?"

Gongzi Yu's eyebrows twitched, his voice rising sharply. "Am I the one who wants to be your enemy, or are you the one who insists on blocking my path? Don't you understand? No one in this world is as distorting right and wrong as you."

Shi Qingruo didn't reply, but it seemed as if her silent gaze contained so much meaning, including a response to Gongzi Yu.

He suddenly felt a little irritated. Thinking of the sudden sword strike earlier—if he had dodged a little slower, it would have cut his throat instead of his hair—Gongzi Yu felt a surge of long-lost emotions rising in his throat.

But the person who meant the most to him didn't care. She didn't care about him.

She had reappeared in this world, but chose to marry the long-deranged Guan Qi. And now... now she had so many protectors by her side.

He took a deep breath, and the cold gray in his eyes seemed to fade a little.

In their solitude, the accusation he'd uttered countless times, "You lied to me," remained silent in front of everyone.

Shi Qingruo heard a question drifting like moonlight: "Zijin, we were childhood sweethearts, learning our trade on a remote island overseas. We should have been a match made in heaven. Why did it have to come to this?"

Everyone assumed that Di Feijing and Guan Chun were the stars of the night. Either Di Feijing had successfully rescued his daughter, or Guan Chun had already defected to Shi Qingruo, deciding to sacrifice Di Feijing's life to secure a better future for herself. Yet, each of them was so certain that the other would eventually arrive.

Didn't this demonstrate their tacit understanding?

He was particularly pleased to see that the moment the words "childhood sweethearts" were uttered, several of the people present immediately changed their expressions.

Su Mengzhen, almost unconsciously, glanced in Shi Qingruo's direction, only to see that her bright face was devoid of any trace of nostalgia.

"Those with different ideals cannot work together. This seems to be more than just an isolated case. Your greed is too strong, so strong that it disregards human relationships, etiquette, and the opinions of others. Why should I insist on walking with you?"

Shi Qingruo's eyes met the gaze above her, and in this eye contact, it was difficult to detect much affection from her.

She also remembered that when Gongzi Yu came from overseas to the inland, when he went from an unknown young knight to the leader of many factions, he seemed to always have the most special attitude towards her, but he always had that last ray of hope, allowing him to add chips to other areas.

This is the difference between 99 and 100.

But this answer was clearly not what Gongzi Yu wanted to hear.

He was accustomed to wearing a bronze mask, accustomed to hiding his expression beneath it, even now that he had removed it.

But Shi Qingruo, who knew him so well, could not be mistaken. As she finished her words, Gongzi Yu's hand, hanging by his side, suddenly tightened, and the muscles at the side of his neck tensed slightly.

"Different paths—unable to work together?"

A thunderous boom suddenly erupted in the distance, drowning out his burst of wild laughter.

He stepped on a branch and leaped up, like a feather caught in the wind, heading towards the distant signal.

But a word, after the thunder, fell here.

"You play with the world, and I am your companion, and you tease the world... Why do you treat me like this!"

"Zi Jin, how unfair you are!"

Lu Xiaofeng was about to give chase, but Shi Qingruo immediately raised her hand to stop him.

"No need! Tang Lan's already here. Chasing after him is pointless. Let him go."

It was Tang Lan who had sent the signal.

If Gongzi Yu hadn't evacuated in time, the Azure Dragon Society would have broken through the Misty Heaven Alliance's defenses at top speed.

Today wasn't a serious battle preparation; it was simply a chance to see an old friend. There was no need to risk one's life.

Wang Xiaoshi sheathed his sword and scratched his head. "Did this guy leave too quickly? He skipped a few words. I thought he was going to threaten a fight before leaving..."

Now he looked like a resentful husband, his only words lamenting being abandoned by his lover.

Oh, no, according to what he'd said before, it was his childhood sweetheart who had abandoned him.

Before Wang Xiaoshi could finish his words, he felt a gentle elbow to the chest. "If you can't speak, you can hold off."

No wonder Fengyu Tower said Wang Xiaoshi had been heartbroken over ten times. There was a reason for that.

Didn't you see? Gongzi Yu had always been a formidable foe for both the Misty Heaven Alliance and Fengyu Tower. Now, he was finally more than just a name in the mouths of his senior sister, having truly appeared before everyone. While his predicted whereabouts diminished his aura of mystery, it also brought a new kind of pressure.

Gongzi Yu's words, while perhaps not meant to be harsh words before a duel, finally caused a moment of daze in Shi Qingruo's gaze as she gazed in his direction. And it also… it also made the owner of the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower feel a little less confident.

Wenrou sighed, observing Su Mengzhen's behavior.

She couldn't help but feel more certain that when Uncle Wenwen came to Bianjing a few days ago and praised her for her growth and composure, it wasn't just a rhetoric, but a sincere one. Now she felt much calmer than her senior brother.

Unexpectedly, it was Ah Fei, who arrived a little later, who spoke first.

Although he only said "you" before pausing, as if he wasn't sure whether to address Shi Qingruo with that question.

When he was "forced" to stay here before, he was already filled with indescribable emotions, and this was even more so when he suddenly met Gongzi Yu tonight.

Gongzi Yu's martial arts skills were indeed as Shi Qingruo had said. Due to his practice of the Demon Cult's treasure, "The Great Compassion Sutra", he had completely surpassed the level expected of someone of his age. If Shi Qingruo had not been prepared tonight, Gongzi Yu might have taken the opportunity to kidnap him.

His lightness skills also vaguely matched what Ah Fei had heard while traveling in the martial arts world, like the lightness skills used by Shen Lang.

The story of the isolated island overseas almost confirmed Shi Qingruo's previous statement about Gongzi Yu's origins.

But what Ah Fei was more concerned about was Shi Qingruo's origins.

He had only been in Bian Jing for a short time, but he had heard a lot of rumors, saying that the Seventh Saint of the Misty Heaven Alliance was like a god who had fallen from the sky, and no matter how capable the intelligence organization was, it would be impossible to know her origins.

If she and Gongzi Yu were childhood sweethearts, both raised overseas by the renowned hero Shen Lang, then everything seemed to explain itself.

It would also explain why she so deliberately mentioned Shen Lang so repeatedly, aiming to keep Ah Fei in the Misty Heaven Alliance.

Ah Fei opened his mouth, but didn't dare ask if the man so special to him had also mentioned his name so many times to his apprentice.

Was there even a possibility that Shi Qingruo's name was fake, "Zi Jin" the real one, and her real surname...?

"Excuse me for now, we'll talk about other things later." Shi Qingruo pushed him aside and rushed towards the room she had been in.

The next moment, a frantic voice rang out from the room, "Chun'er!"

Many members of the Misty Heaven Alliance had already gathered in response to the commotion. From the open room, Shi Qingruo lifted up a blood-stained figure, vaguely visible as Guan Chun.

Because Guan Chun had been frequenting Shi Qingruo in recent days, and she was highly regarded by Shi Qingruo, shouldering many important tasks within the alliance, no one suspected her presence in Shi Qingruo's room so late at night. Unexpectedly,

Young Master Yu's sudden arrival, while failing to injure Shi Qingruo or take her away as hoped, actually injured Miss Guan, who lacked martial arts skills.

Shi Qingruo shouted, "Go fetch the doctor!"

"Chun'er—" She turned and grasped Lei Chun's pale hand.

Using Shi Qingruo's presence as a barrier, Lei Chun half-opened his eyes and gave her a look that said, "The plan is going well. "

...

The white-haired man had intruded into the Mitian Alliance at night and was forced to retreat, leaving Miss Guan, who lacked martial arts skills, severely injured.

This news was accidentally leaked by members of the Mitian Alliance almost the next day, and through word of mouth, it reached the ears of the person who most deserved to hear it.

Di Feijing silently prayed to himself three times to calm down, but ultimately couldn't contain himself. He angrily shouted at the white-haired young man standing before him

, his hands behind his back. "You were going to see your old friend, and you were afraid I'd be plotting against you if I acted without permission, so you knocked me out without even asking for my consent. Fine, I understand." He gritted his teeth, realizing that the man before him, once considered a key figure in the restoration of the Six and a Half Sect, was now considered nothing more than "evil." "But why did you hurt her?"

Gongzi Yu, suddenly confronted with this question, pondered for a moment before searching his memories of last night. At that moment,

he had charged at Shi Qingruo with a clear purpose. From behind, it seemed, someone with no martial arts skills had so presumptuously stabbed him, seemingly attempting to coordinate with Shi Qingruo.

While Shi Qingruo's swordplay had surprised him, making it difficult for him to succeed and requiring him to take it seriously, blocking the attack from behind was still a piece of cake for him.

He had noticed from the corner of his eye that the person hadn't disguised themselves; they were actually quite pretty.

If he hadn't thought it was Shi Qingruo's man and had used less force, knocking the person unconscious at best, the daring assassin would have been dead long ago.

Oh, so this is Guan Chun...

"Hasn't it occurred to you that if you'd been there in person last night, facing that crowd, could you have escaped unscathed with your forsaken grappling skills?" Gongzi Yu scoffed. "I see your eldest daughter has already obeyed Zijin's orders. When she's not seeking power, she's a carefree wanderer. But when she really wants to gain someone's support and affection, she easily inspires jealousy."

"What are you trying to say?" Di Feijing's tone didn't soften at all.

"Don't you understand?" Gongzi Yu replied. "If, by some chance, it's as you say, Guan Chun still prefers to be called Lei Chun, and Zijin discovers her plan to join forces with you, then in order to eliminate suspicion and continue to lie dormant within the Misty Heaven Alliance, she must injure herself and gain their trust. If, unfortunately, she's already sided with the other side, this injury would be a complete self-torture tactic used against you. Either way, her injury is inevitable. What does it have to do with me?"

Gongzi Yu truly felt he had done his utmost for this partner.

If he hadn't intervened, the news circulating in Bianjing City today wouldn't be about Guan Chun being injured and Fengyu Tower's renowned physician accompanying Master Su into the Mitian Alliance, but rather the death of Di Feijing, the Divine Dragon! That would be laughable to anyone who heard it.

Di Feijing hung his head in silence.

He had to admit that Gongzi Yu's words were correct. If he analyzed the situation calmly from an outsider's perspective, perhaps that was exactly what Gongzi Yu described.

However, with his mind already biased, he naturally considered the situation from a different perspective.

Just when Gongzi Yu thought he had convinced Di Feijing, he suddenly heard a soft yet resolute voice. "Do you know? When that mistress cut off our hopes of temporarily seeking refuge with the Marquis of Shentong, forcing the young lady to join the Mi Tian Alliance, the young lady once told me something." "

She said that back then, Chief Hall Master Lei was willing to become a monk to escape his enemies, to humble himself to compete for the position of Chief Hall Master, and to risk his life to assassinate Zhuge Shen Hou to help the Six-and-a-half Hall. As the Chief Hall Master's adopted daughter, she should have her father's courage. But since she has no siblings, she's alone, so—" "

She promised me that no matter how difficult it was, she would never play with her life in the Mi Tian Alliance!"

That was why Di Feijing had such a firm belief, even when his life was in danger in the Mi Tian Alliance, even if it meant another blow to the Six-and-a-half Hall, that the young lady's request for help was genuine. He had to respond as quickly as possible.

He also firmly believed that the young lady's injury wasn't caused by any of the possibilities Gongzi Yu had suggested, but rather by the unfortunate Gongzi Yu, who saw no one else in his sight.

It was just a simple statement, yet some people refused to admit their mistakes!

Di Fei lowered his head in shock, his gaze gradually growing colder.

...

Outside the temporary inn, a sudden commotion erupted.

Gongzi Yu, distracted, glanced out the window and saw a sweat-soaked figure running towards the inn in the midsummer sunlight, shouting, "Big news, terrific news—" "

To compete for the swordsmanship inheritance of the former Saint Lord of the Misty Heaven Alliance, the clash between Ye Gucheng, Lord of Baiyun City, and Ximen Chuxue, owner of Wanmei Villa, has been scheduled for seven days from now, right in front of the Jinshui River!"

An uproar erupted downstairs.

Anyone who had been to Bianjing knew what the Jinshui River was.

It was the moat that preceded the imperial city of Bianjing.

This meant that the duel between the world's two greatest swordsmen had actually been placed before the very feet of the emperor!

The man's second words were already surfacing: "All the major gambling houses have already set up the odds. Who knows who will win—"

Was there any need to wait for him to finish?

As soon as the curious heard the first half of his words, they rushed out of the inn one after

another, running in all directions. Whether or not to place a bet was secondary; the most important thing was to discuss who would win the duel. What was the point of discussing it in an inn? Of course, arguing over money was the kind of brawl that only the Jianghu people would engage in.

Bianjing City was about to become truly bustling.

"See? Something more important is happening. I hope you don't do anything you'll regret," Gongzi Yu warned, turning back from the window with his hands behind his back.

Di Feijing's eyes slowly lifted, but his voice dropped. "What a coincidence... That's what I wanted to tell you."

Author's Note:

Gongzi Yu: Please don't be so love-struck.

Di Feijing: That's what I wanted to tell you.

Why can't Gongzi Yu get points! You see, his arrival has solved Qingruo's background. Childhood sweethearts, different ideals, no way to work together (funny). What a good guy!

See you tomorrow night at 6 o'clock.