Chapter 59 Extra: Su Mengzhen if Line (2) [Extra]

According to this girl named Qiu Qianchi, Jueqing Valley was originally a hidden place. She had the good fortune to travel here two years ago and only then discovered that there was a different world here.

The master of Jueqing Valley, Gongsun Zhi, happened to be about the same age as her. Seeing that her palm skills were extraordinary, he invited her to stay here to learn from him and learn more about the martial arts in the world.

"I have two brothers. The eldest brother is called Qiu Qianzhang. Perhaps you haven't heard of this name. But my second brother, although he is a twin brother, has a high talent for martial arts and has mastered a martial art called Iron Sand Palm."

"So he is the Iron Palm Gang's Iron Palm Floating on Water - Qiu Qianren." Shi Qingruo said.

"You have heard of him too?" Qiu Qianchi's expression suddenly became more gentle than before.

"Yes," Shi Qingruo replied.

Of course I have heard of him and I have dealt with him.

However, over a year ago, Qiu Qianzhang, a man with only a rudimentary martial arts background, assumed his second brother's identity and infiltrated the Wulin Alliance, hoping to secure a high position and greater prestige. However, his identity was revealed, and he was also detained by Shi Qingruo.

Qiu Qianren, feeling embarrassed by his unlearned brother, was forced to journey north to confess his crime to Shi Qingruo, and now works as a laborer on the front lines.

It was only because Qiu Qianchi had spent the past two years secluded in the valley, virtually ignoring the outside world, that she hadn't heard the latest news. Otherwise, she would have known that Qiu Qianzhang and Qiu Qianren probably had no desire to know her. There was

no need to tell Qiu Qianchi about these matters.

Qiu Qianchi herself had already changed the subject, discussing the events of the Unfeeling Valley.

Her family's martial arts were extraordinary, even more powerful than that of the Unfeeling Valley Master. Her encounter with that man upon entering the valley should have been cause for pride.

But to Shi Qingruo and Su Mengzhen, Qiu Qianchi kept repeating how handsome and elegant Gongsun Zhi was, possessing a far more refined demeanor than the "vulgar women" outside the valley.

She had stayed here to complete the secret manuals of Jueqing Valley, and Gongsun Zhi had treated her with courtesy, even handing her the valley's most crucial ingredient, the Jueqing Pill. He was truly a true gentleman in this world of depravity.

Shi Qingruo and Su Mengzhen exchanged a subtle glance, each witnessing a tacit silence.

The inexperienced Qiu Qianchi had poured her heart into Gongsun Zhi, but Gongsun Zhi didn't necessarily have true feelings for her. Instead, it seemed as if he was using her for his own gain.

"Why are you hurting again?" Shi Qingruo, perceptive enough to notice Su Mengzhen's momentary shift, turned and asked.

Qiu Qianchi paused, looking back, finding the two men even more intriguing.

Judging by appearance alone, this young master's radiance was like the morning glow, her graceful demeanor a fairy's, a stark contrast to the sickly-looking Master Su. Yet, Master Su possessed a grace unmatched by ordinary men, and, shrouded in the heartache and restraint of his moment, it was his eyes that caught one's eye, not his features.

Only one figure could be seen within them. This

inevitably left her momentarily lost in thought, and she couldn't help but compare Su Mengzhen to Gongsun Zhi, as if she had missed something earlier...

Su Mengzhen shook her head, indicating that she was fine. "Hearing this Miss Qiu talk about life in the valley reminded me of your earlier plan to visit Xiaohan Mountain."

Had he truly met her sooner, even before the time of his apprenticeship, who knows what would have happened. But even if, as Shi Qingruo had said in Jinling, they each had their own ambitions, it wasn't destined to be the complex relationship between Li Chenzhou and Zhao Shirong, or between Gongzi Yu and Shi Qingruo.

As he subconsciously imagined this beautiful dream, he was wounded by the Jueqing Flower's poison. Heartache raged again, and he finally pulled his thoughts back.

"You can even relate to this, you really are..." Shi Qingruo felt a little helpless. At that moment, both the Misty Heaven Alliance and Fengyu Tower were far away in Bianjing. She wanted to say that Master Su wouldn't set a good example for his followers.

The torment caused by the love flower only manifested itself for a moment before he suppressed it with immense self-control.

"Let's go. There's no need to waste time on me."

Xiaohan Mountain and Jueqing Valley are not far apart, yet it seems like more than a season separates them.

As the two slowly journeyed deeper into the valley, led by Qiu Qianchi, the vibrant red love flowers blossomed more and more ostentatiously in the forest. The lingering mist and miasma, perhaps one of the conditions that fostered the love flower poison, also made those who wandered through it feel like they had stumbled into a fairyland.

And...

"Look!"

Shi Qingruo pointed, and saw a figure in green in the forest, flying towards them with the help of vines hanging from the ancient trees above. She was as light as a fairy in the forest, and was obviously from the Jueqing Valley.

In just a few breaths, she had walked in front of the three people and landed on the ground.

Looking closer, the girl had a gentle and lovely face. Perhaps because there were not many ornaments in the valley, she only tied her hair with silk cloth, which made her look more like a mountain elf.

She carefully looked at the two strangers following closely behind Qiu Qianchi, and a moment of curiosity flashed in her eyes. Then she turned back to Qiu Qianchi, "Husband... Miss Qiu, the Valley Master asked me to look for you."

Shi Qingruo and Su Mengzhen looked at each other again.

But this time, there was no silence in their eyes, but amusement.

Both of them heard it right. The word "husband" that the maid said was by no means an ordinary slip of the tongue, but more like a deliberately shouted word.

Qiu Qianchi had been somewhat curious about Su Mengzhen's behavior, but now her attention was completely drawn to the maid who had come to greet her.

The more she noticed the maid's disparate treatment of her and strangers, the softer the smile on her normally tough and heroic face grew.

She didn't notice, however, the momentary flicker of disdain in the maid's downcast gaze.

"I guarantee that the word 'husband' she didn't mention earlier must have meant 'madam,'" Shi Qingruo condensed her voice into a line, transmitting it to Su Mengzhen's ears. To prevent the two people in front from overhearing, she took Su Mengzhen's arm and whispered, "Perhaps it was Gongsun Zhi who instructed the maid to treat Miss Qiu as the Valley Master's wife."

"If Miss Qiu accepts the title of 'madam,' and is permanently bound to the Unfeeling Valley, then the plan will be accomplished," Su Mengzhen replied, his gaze fixed on the arm that held him, a little distracted.

But as soon as the word "Madam" left his mouth, his heart suddenly tightened, drawing his attention back.

Furthermore, a gentle twist on his arm caused him to turn and meet Shi Qingruo's warning gaze.

"Mind your appearance, Su Louzhu..."

This was referring to Qiu Qianchi, the wife of the Jueqing Valley Lord, who Gongsun Zhi was expected to recognize, not her, the "Madam Shi" whom everyone in the martial arts world had to address respectfully.

Don't tell her, Su Mengzhen was planning to follow Gongsun Zhi's example and make the people at Fengyu Lou make a slip of the tongue as well.

"Eh—has this young master been poisoned by the love flower?" The maid Rou'er, finally drawn to the noise behind them, noticed something unusual about Su Mengzhen.

Shi Qingruo's eyes darkened, but she hadn't missed it. After noticing her and Su Mengzhen's intimacy, Rou'er breathed a sigh of relief, and the glance she gave Qiu Qianchi from the corner of her eye seemed less and less loyal, giving her more confidence in her theory.

However, the details would only be known after meeting Gongsun Zhi.

Her smile didn't reach her eyes, but her response betrayed no hint of displeasure. "That's right. I didn't know what a sweet flower was, so I rashly picked it and was injured by its thorns. I need medicine from the owner of this place."

"Don't worry, Master-Miss," Qiu Qianchi replied. "I'll give you two the Heartless Pill when we return to the Heartless Cottage."

Her earlier reluctance to give out the antidote had been a joke.

Hearing that Shi Qing had met her brother had already given her a slight boost in favor. Seeing that these two, despite their martial arts prowess, still observed proper etiquette in the Heartless Valley, she felt they were giving Gongsun Zhi and her, further favoring her.

Furthermore, she was attracted to Gongsun Zhi, believing them to be a match made in heaven. The fact that they were a pair, like a pair in love, and that they had stumbled into the Heartless Valley by accident was a kind of fate, adding to her admiration.

So, how could she be reluctant to part with the Heartless Pill?

This Jueqing Pill was given to her by Gongsun Zhi. Giving it to an outsider was a testament to their love.

Shi Qingruo thanked him

, saying, "Then Miss Qiu will have to fetch the medicine later." Qiu Qianchi was about to reply when she heard Rou'er call out, "Valley Master," in a certain direction.

Her unconcealed feelings prompted her to turn and follow the sound. She saw a handsome young man in a dark green robe approaching from the forest path ahead. Who else could it be but the Jueqing Valley Master, Gongsun Zhi?

At the end of the path, the mist between the mountains and forest gradually dissipated, revealing a faint glimpse of a house behind. It seemed as if he had stepped from a divine abode into the mortal realm.

Judging solely by his appearance and stature, the Jueqing Valley Master, Gongsun Zhi, was indeed a striking figure. However, as he approached the four people, Shi Qingruo was unmistakably impressed by the glint of greed in his eyes.

Her eyebrows twitched, and Gongsun Zhi felt as if he'd been stabbed by two sharp knives. He quickly retracted his offending gaze. Shi Qingruo had regained her composure and smile, but the man beside her was still looking at him with displeasure.

Fearing his unusual behavior would be noticed by the nearly cooked duck, Gongsun Zhi quickly changed the subject: "Who are these two—"

He observed Su Mengzhen's behavior for a moment, then suddenly realized something: "Excuse me, sir, are you a disciple of the Red Sleeves Divine Nun on Xiaohan Mountain?"

"Do you know him?" Qiu Qianchi asked curiously.

Gongsun Zhi had regained his gentle demeanor, so it was no surprise that Qiu Qianchi praised him as a "gentleman of the corrupt world." He said, "I once went to Xiaohan Mountain, hoping to learn from her. Unfortunately, the Red Sleeves Divine Nun didn't accept disciples easily, and the King of Luoyang happened to be sending his daughter into the mountains, which further delayed my chance. Later... although I never left the deep valley, I had heard of the names of the people on Xiaohan Mountain, especially Young Master Su."

Su Mengzhen's sickly appearance and the red-sleeved sword at his waist were the two most recognizable signs to Gongsun Zhi.

He put on a smile and said, "Today, distinguished guests are here, and my humble home in Jueqing Valley is honored. I hope you will honor me by allowing me to entertain you."

Su Mengzhen agreed. Shi Qingruo noticed his expression was stern. While seemingly polite, he was actually wary of Gongsun Zhi.

He hadn't shown this at the welcoming banquet, but his expression quickly darkened when he was escorted to the guesthouse afterward.

"He said he once went to Xiaohan Mountain. Does that seem true?"

"Yes," Su Mengzhen nodded. "That happened about eight years ago. Wenrou mentioned it to me. She said that on her way up the mountain, she met a young man in green who started talking to her. After learning her identity, he became even more attentive. She went to the master and complained about him. The master only met him once before sending him down the mountain."

Shi Qingruo chuckled. This sounded like something Wenrou could do.

Miss Wen loved being praised, praised for the good deeds done by the female hero Yan Wen of Xiaohan Mountain, but she also disliked such flattery as being too low-brow, as if they were simply trying to get the better of her.

Gongsun Zhi back then must have been less mature than he is now. He accidentally stepped on Wenrou's trap and was immediately eliminated.

The current Gongsun Valley Master is much more respectful. When he mentioned Xiaohan Mountain earlier, his tone was full of respect, without a trace of the regret or resentment that came from a failed attempt to become a disciple. If it weren't for the leer he'd earlier given Shi Qingruo, revealing his ferocious heart, anyone would have assumed Gongsun Zhi was truly gracious. With Qiu Qianchi's help, he had his own opportunities.

Shi Qingruo tossed the medicine bottle in her hand and asked, "Since he has some personal grudge against you, Xiaohan Mountain, do you think there's something hidden in the antidote to the Jueqing Pill he sent?" "

No, he wouldn't have the guts to do that," Su Mengzhen replied coldly.

Besides, it was only a minor wound from the love flower thorns. According to Qiu Qianchi and Gongsun Zhi, as long as he could survive these twelve hours, the poison would be completely eliminated from his bloodstream, making the antidote irrelevant. The Jueqing Pill was necessary only if multiple thorns were at work.

Given Su Mengzhen's demonstrated endurance during the meal, Gongsun Zhi couldn't have failed to see that he could survive without the antidote. Why bother poisoning the Jueqing Pill and thus offending others?

Perhaps what he wanted more than anything else was to send these two unskilled individuals away to prevent them from ruining his plans. How could he dare to cause any trouble?

"...Why are you looking at me like that?" Su Mengzhen turned around and saw Shi Qingruo placing the medicine bottle on the table beside him, moving closer to him.

Shi Qingruo rested her hand on her chin, her gaze fixed, making him blush. "I see you're only interested in romantic relationships today, not at all like the Su Mengzhen I know. The only difference is what you just said about not having the courage. You have the unwavering spirit of the master of Jinfengxiyu Tower."

Su Mengzhen muttered, "...Even if you're a master of strategy, it's hard to remain calm when it comes to love. It's impossible to calculate."

"I'm not disliking you," Shi Qingruo laughed. "I just think your loss of composure is just right for a younger person."

She leaned in a little closer, just enough for her to rest her hand on the side of Su Mengzhen's collar. Su

Mengzhen

swallowed subconsciously, as if the action could shield her from the rapid heartbeat she felt through his neck.

"Master Su, you're really not calm today. You can't take this medicine for now, and it's not just because you can handle it, there's another reason." Shi Qingruo suddenly dropped the teasing in her tone, sounding several times more serious. "Didn't you notice? You haven't been sick all this time."

Su Mengzhen's illness wasn't something to be hidden from outsiders. Even when Lei Sun was alive, he never minded letting this formidable enemy know that he was seriously ill.

So, just because he was in Gongsun Zhi's territory, he didn't feel the need to show off in front of him and force himself to hold back a cough.

Rather, he truly wasn't having the same frequent attacks as before!

His slightly thin face was reflected in the clear eyes before her. Even though she had unknowingly released her hand from his collar, it felt as if a stronger hand was still there, grasping his heart, pulling at the internal organs that extended from it.

But while suppressing the pain, he seemed to have found a glimmer of hope within his already broken lungs, saving him from coughing up the blood in his chest, as if he were about to die in the next moment!

"This flower poison..."

"Your body is suffering from a combination of cold poison and accumulated injuries. It's hard to tell at this point. Is the flower poison paralyzing your symptoms, or is it truly due to the harsh growing conditions, effectively fighting poison with poison?" Shi Qingruo continued. "But regardless, your performance today necessitates that we bring these unfeeling flowers back to Bianjing for careful study. This is a major achievement of this trip."

"But—" a stern look flashed across her brow. "Before we pick the flowers and take them back, we must do one more thing."

She wanted to play a game with Gongsun Zhi.

"...I increasingly feel that the name of this love flower is truly apt," Su Mengzhen muttered, a voice only she could hear.

Sweet at first, bitter aftertaste, her heart ached with worry, yet she didn't know if the other person could experience the torment she was enduring.

Having obtained Su Mengzhen's permission to partner, Shi Qingruo had already escaped under the cover of night, with Su Mengzhen following closely behind.

The Jueqing Valley is sparsely populated, but even with its tight defenses, it was no different from an uninhabited place for these two people.

Shi Qingruo first found a cluster of Jueqing flowers in the woods outside the house, carefully removed a thorn from it, and then, following what she had seen before, sneaked towards the location of Gongsun Zhi, the master of Jueqing Valley.

It was not known whether Gongsun Zhi was brave or timid. When she and Su Mengzhen landed on the branches one after the other and looked over there silently, they saw a pair of figures standing in an embrace in the window where a ray of light was shining.

One was Gongsun Zhi, who was only a shell, and the other was Rou'er, the maid who came to greet him today.

Gongsun Zhi lowered his voice and spoke in Rou'er's ear, but his words were loud enough to be heard by the other two people with sharp ears and eyes.

"Don't come to me for the next few days, lest Qiu Qianchi discover anything. And we need to be careful with those two guests."

Now that he wasn't at the banquet, Gongsun Zhi's polite manners had vanished, his eyes filled with a dark cloud.

If it weren't for Su Mengzhen's exceptional martial arts skills, Gongsun Zhi would have wanted to tell him that it wasn't regret he didn't join Xiaohan Mountain, but rather a grudge he harbored for all that happened back then, a feeling he'd been looked down upon. If he had a father like the Prince of Luoyang, why would he have

bothered to curry favor with Qiu Qianchi? This woman was still being tricked by him, but her inherent toughness and ruthlessness had long been exposed in their interactions. If she discovered she was merely a stepping stone for Gongsun Zhi, not his true love, Qiu Qianchi, once she came to her senses, would no longer be deceived and would seek his life. How could she compare to Rou'er's unwavering devotion?

He had to quickly make Qiu Qianchi accept him as his own, squeezing every last ounce of his energy out of her.

Once she was no longer useful, everyone in this Valley of Unfeeling would be under his command.

He pushed Rou'er away, signaling her to leave immediately. "Go! Don't come looking for me alone these few days. I'll make it up to you later."

Rou'er nodded, extinguished the candle, and walked out.

Perhaps because another stranger had arrived in the Valley of Unfeeling today, Gongsun Zhi lay down in his clothes, still tossing and turning. His vision flashed by the disdainful face of the young girl in red, then Shi Qingruo's terrifying face, then Qiu Qianchi's slightly fierce face.

The tenderness suddenly faded, replaced by a murderous aura that nearly jolted him awake, but he felt still drowsy, only the hand holding Qiu Qianchi felt a sharp pain.

But perhaps because he was still dreaming, the momentary tingling quickly faded.

Su Mengzhen took the medicine Shi Qingruo tossed over and applied it to Gongsun Zhi's hand, which had been pricked several times.

With the help of the Misty Heaven Alliance's superior medicine, this minor wound would surely be healed by the time Gongsun Zhi woke tomorrow. Combined with another medicine, it would appear no different from a mosquito bite.

But the Jueqing Flower poison, lurking in the blood and undetectable even to Su Mengzhen, was still effective within its twelve-hour window, perfect for giving Valley Master Gongsun a surprise.

Shi Qingruo was satisfied. "Let's go." They

would return tomorrow to visit Valley Master Gongsun.

The two had arrived without attracting any attention, and their departure was equally silent. Even when they returned to their residence, no one in Jueqing Valley had noticed; the two distinguished guests had been gone for quite some time.

The candles in the room were unlit, giving the impression that the two had long since retired.

Now, it was indeed time for rest and sleep.

So when Su Mengzhen stood by the table, placing the two bottles of medicine Shi Qingruo had handed him, he suddenly felt that the presence of another person besides himself in this dark room was too ambiguous and too tormenting.

He cracked his knuckles and whispered, "It's time for you to go back."

The sound of breathing was within five steps, and although he hadn't looked over there, he could easily imagine Shi Qingruo's every frown and smile from this distance.

Under the influence of the love flower poison, the torment was even worse than usual.

But what he heard next was not Shi Qingruo climbing out the window, but her taking another step towards him.

"Su Mengzhen, you know what? Some of your reactions today, although not quite befitting the title of Su Louzhu, are truly endearing."

But... endearing?

Su Mengzhen's pupils trembled. He hadn't even noticed how, in his moment of distraction, Shi Qingruo had pulled and pushed, using his strength without resistance, to push him into the chair beside the table.

Too close! In that split second, the breath that was already so close was just above his, enough for him to feel the warmth of her breath.

"Isn't it lovely?" As if hearing his true feelings, a smile bloomed in the night on the face that was so close. "When it comes to naive love, you have to think of me. When it comes to the word 'wife', you have to think of me. I'm right here in front of you, and you still think of me..."

She reached out and cupped Su Mengzhen's face.

Shi Qingruo could feel the skin beneath her fingers, bearing the frost of the battles in Bianjing, the traces of illness and torture, and the pull caused by the slight upturned corner of her lips.

She whispered softly: "If you want to take an antidote in advance, I allow it."

"...What?" Su Mengzhen's brain, which had been working fast, stopped working at this moment, and he was unable to react to what Shi Qingruo meant by this.

And the next moment, a slightly cool temperature was already on his lips, bringing that breath completely between his lips and teeth.

...

Su Mengzhen grabbed Shi Qingruo's arm.

He couldn't tell whether it was the pain of the love flower or another more exciting emotion, like a ball of fireworks exploding in his heart.