Chapter 61 Extra: Gongzi Yu if Line (1) [Extra]

The Yangtze River, once a place with many ships, has seen very few ships passing through in recent days.

Even the few large ships that do exist are traveling at an unusually fast speed.

Today, however, something is amiss.

A sentry at a water fort along the river, looking from a high vantage point, saw four battleships slowly sailing on the water, seemingly oblivious to the smoke of war on both sides of the river. They even blatantly displayed large flags, seemingly unaware of any danger on the river.

"...Are they crazy? Ouch!" He covered his head and turned around angrily. "Why did you hit me?"

He had just said a word when his companion hit him hard on the head.

"Why do you ask? Because you're blind! Didn't you see whose ship that was?"

The sentry rubbed his eyes, saw the situation on the river in the distance more clearly, and immediately gasped.

At first, he couldn't see it clearly from the distance, but now that the boat was closer, the words on the ship's banner suddenly caught his eye: a massive "Song" character.

The "Song" of the Lingnan Song Clan!

After the Sui Dynasty ended the chaotic Southern and Northern Dynasties, warlords across the country still wielded power. The Yuwen, Dugu, Li, and Song clans were the most powerful, with the Song clan having the greatest influence in the south. The head of

the unicorn

Lingnan Song Clan was none other than Song Que, renowned for his swordsmanship as the "Heavenly Blade."

Although he accepted the imperial title of "Duke of Zhennan," he didn't truly submit to the court and disband his army. Instead, he followed the advice of his brother Song Zhi and engaged in various lucrative businesses.

One of these was transporting sea salt from the coastal counties inland.

In times of peace, smuggling salt would be a heinous crime. But with Emperor Yang of Sui incompetent and rebels surging, how could he possibly care about illicit salt trafficking?

Putting aside the fact that the Song clique was powerful in the south, bribed government checkpoints while secretly supporting the rebels to weaken the Sui court, let's take today's situation for example.

The four smugglers' boats on the water seemed to be moving slowly, as if they were just enjoying the scenery. But if anyone dared to cross them, they would face certain death!

...

"Miss Shi, rest assured. No one will dare to stop us on our journey to Yangzhou. A few days ago, Li Zitong's rebel army from the East China Sea crossed the Huai River and, in alliance with Du Fuwei, defeated the Sui army. They marched south to seize Liyang, cutting off the Yangtze River waterway. However, our Lingnan Song clan still has some face in front of these two people." "

That's good. Young Master Song is thoughtful."

The young man known as "Young Master Song" had a momentary daze on his face, but his eyes were still fixed on the beautiful figure in white. He spoke again: "Miss Shi, there is no need to be so polite. I am the second child in the family. If you don't mind, you can call me Second Brother Song."

The old man at the stern covered his forehead, his face speechless.

Although the young man who spoke was wearing a scholar's long gown, he did not look weak at all. It was still clear that beneath his tall and long physique, he had a straight back and strong bones and full muscles. It was obvious that he must be practicing a superior martial art. That extraordinarily handsome face only enhanced his beauty.

Adding his identity to the mix, he became even more remarkable. This was because his father was none other than the world-famous Heavenly Sword Master Song Que.

Song Que was a brilliant young man, and his son, Song Shidao, was also a rare talent. But who would have thought that in front of this "Master Girl", he became an unpresentable young man!

Beauty is alluring, beauty is alluring!

But the old man felt sorry for her and felt that it was shameful that Song Shidao was so easily captured. He also had to admit that if he were a few decades younger, he would have fought hard to win the heart of the beautiful woman.

The girl in white, wearing a veiled hat, stood tall and graceful. The breeze from the Yangtze River blew aside the gauze curtain, revealing a face that was not like that of a human being. Such a stunning beauty seemed destined for the most vibrant colors, but wrapped in this plain garment, it lost none of its ethereal beauty. The lustrous jade-like hue between her eyebrows, combined with the swaying gauze curtain, made her resemble a moon floating through the mist, almost untouchable, yet captivating.

Song Shidao watched, dazed, her voice reminiscent of the mermaid song from behind the reefs of the sea and moon.

Though, that was probably not the response Song Shidao had hoped to hear.

"Young Master Song, you've overstepped your bounds."

"Sorry... I'm sorry!" Song Shidao apologized profusely, taking two steps back.

His stature was already impressive, and this behavior had a certain aloofness to it that made the audience laugh.

He caught a glimpse of that fleeting smile, and his heart skipped a beat. He breathed softly, fearing that disturbing this unparalleled beauty would cause Chang'e to flee into the moon.

But when he tried to catch Miss Shi's expression through the swaying curtains, she had already turned north, as if gazing out over the distant horizon at the war-torn Liyang. A hint of melancholy crossed her cold features.

"Master...never mind, I won't bother you any more."

He spoke too much, fearing he'd become annoying.

When he'd just left the Song clan and was wandering the martial arts world, he'd heard stories of his father, Song Que, and a relationship with Fan Qinghui, a disciple of the prestigious Cihang Jingzhai sect. Because Fan Qinghui, devoted to the Dao, rejected Song Que, he later returned to Lingnan to marry her.

Raised in the unyielding spirit of Lingnan, Master Song felt Fan Qinghui's actions were ulterior motives, a clear attempt to keep his father in suspense. Cihang Jingzhai, a highly regarded sect within the righteous path, was apparently composed of nuns, yet they were concerned with worldly affairs, clearly showing signs of impurity.

But when he met Miss Shi, this impression, which had lingered for years, was completely forgotten.

As the second son of the Song clan in Lingnan, Song Shidao had far more extensive access to information than most. Naturally, he'd heard that, after breaking up with Song Que, Fan Qinghui had overcome numerous trials and tribulations to become the head of Cihang Jingzhai, and had also taken in a particularly gifted disciple, Shi Feixuan.

Though this young lady hadn't revealed her origins, her celestial swordsmanship and profound inner strength couldn't possibly have come from Cihang Jingzhai.

She'd first encountered him on the Yangtze River and was now on her way to Yangzhou, presumably following her master Fan Qinghui's orders to observe both the Song clan and the Yuwen clan in Yangzhou during this period of impending chaos.

It was remarkable that at such a young age, she was already preoccupied with such a struggle for power.

Song Shidao thought as he tiptoed back, watching the old man at the stern slap his forehead again and sigh that the Second Young Master Song was too cheap.

Little did they know that the mistake they made was not only that Song Shidao lost the status of a young master of the Song clan in front of "Miss Shi", but also that

they had recognized the wrong person from the very beginning!

The swordsman in white clothes who looked like an immortal and had an unparalleled appearance was not the Saint Lady Shi Feixuan of Cihang Jingzhai at all, nor was she using the Cihang Sword Canon. She went to Yangzhou not to test which of the Yuwen and Song clans was more suitable for the world hegemony, and now she was looking north, not to worry about the battle situation in Liyang.

Shi Qingruo's thoughts at this moment could be summed up in one sentence -

it was all the fault of this scourge, Chen Guyan!

Had this fellow not been so eager to impress her and appear more capable than the others, he wouldn't have discovered an ancient tomb and found a strange jade disk within.

It was this jade disk that had caused her to awaken from a dizzying, world-shaking turmoil, one moment as the Master of the Misty Heaven Alliance, and the next, to arrive in this world.

Even more tragically, upon opening her eyes, not only did she fail to see the instigator, but before she had even ventured far, she encountered a terrifying woman who also became her "captive."

Even with her exceptional martial arts skills, she still fell short of that woman's.

After all, in Shi Qingruo's opinion, the woman's skills were only marginally inferior to Guan Qi's, who had shattered the void and escaped.

Without knowing her true identity and whether all the masters here were of her level, Shi Qingruo was completely unable to act. She could only contend with the woman's attempts to recruit her and accept her as a disciple, while inquiring indirectly about the situation.

It wasn't until half a month ago, almost a year after her arrival, that she was temporarily freed from her bonds and allowed to wander the world.

The jade disc proved truly magical, transporting her to the chaotic world of the late Sui Dynasty.

But this chaotic world was vastly different from historical records, much like the time and space she had previously inhabited, where martial arts played a crucial role. The martial arts of the top fighters were many times more formidable than those of the former Bianjing martial arts world.

Besides the uprisings that rose up across the country to resist the tyranny of the Sui Dynasty and the four major clans, the righteous and demonic sects also held a significant presence in the martial arts world.

One representative of this righteous sect was the Cihang Jingzhai, misunderstood by Song Shidao.

The demonic sects, on the other hand, were divided into two factions, the Yin Gui Sect and the Huajian Sect. The Yin Gui Sect was where she had spent the previous year.

The woman who had captured her and forced her into apprenticeship was the Yin Gui Sect's leader, Empress Zhu Yuyan.

But while Shi Qingruo had perfunctorily agreed to Zhu Yuyan's promise to roam the martial arts world as a disciple of the Yingui Sect and help her restore the Demon Sect, her mind was truly preoccupied with finding a way back home, leaving her indifferent to the myriad issues at hand.

If she didn't strike back at Zhu Yuyan to avenge the previous robbery, she'd be considered a man of character.

And the most alluring object in this martial world for her was the legendary Heshi Bi. In

times of turmoil, objects imbued with prophetic wisdom often gain magnification, and the Heshi Bi was a prime example.

Since Shi Qingruo's return from seclusion, she'd repeatedly heard people mention things like, "The Heshi Bi, the treasure of Yang Gong; possessing one of them would bring peace to the world."

Recently, she'd heard another piece of news from Song Shidao: According to legends passed down through the Song family, the Heshi Bi is a jade stone descended from the immortal realm, possessing incredible powers.

If anything could bring her back, it would likely be the Heshi Bi.

Recently, rumors have circulated that someone in Luoyang saw a precious light, possibly related to the Heshi Bi.

This suggests that the Heshi Bi is very likely to be in Luoyang.

But while Shi Qingruo is eager to find clues to the Heshi Bi, she can't just go out and sever ties with Zhu Yuyan, declaring her intention to strike out on her own. She should first fulfill her wish and establish a friendly relationship with the Lingnan Song clan.

After all, she hadn't claimed to be Shi Feixuan, the Saintess of Cihang Jingzhai; she had only given her surname, not her given name. She hadn't done anything nefarious to Song Shidao. His misunderstanding was his fault, not hers.

In short, if Song Shidao truly wanted to find someone to blame, it would be Chen Guyan...

Just as this thought reached her, Shi Qingruo's gaze suddenly sharpened, and she grasped the handrail in front of her.

"Master-Miss!" Song Shidao hurried over.

The ship suddenly stopped, nearly catching him off guard, and he tumbled over the railing.

Fortunately, he remembered that he couldn't let his gaze become fixated on the beauty, and with his martial arts prowess, he ground himself firmly to stop his fall. If his flurry of movements hadn't been observed, it wouldn't have been so embarrassing;

at first glance, he still looked the same elegant young man. As he glanced at the speedboats sailing alongside him in the distance, a stern look crossed his lips, evidently expressing his displeasure at the

sudden arrival of the other party. Had they not suddenly appeared, he wouldn't have nearly lost face in front of Miss Shi.

"That's..."

"The Yuwen clan!" Song Shidao recognized their identities at a glance.

He beckoned to a Song clan expert on the same boat, "Go ask what's going on over there."

If he was right, the Yuwen clan wasn't targeting him, but rather had blocked the river for some other purpose.

Three warships, along with hundreds of speedboats, stretched across the river like a chain, but all pointed east, not west, as he had come.

Shi Qingruo studied them for a moment and said, "They look like they're looking for someone."

"Right." Song Shidao agreed with Shi Qingruo's assessment.

They looked like they were searching for someone.

He thought for a moment, then added, "If they were really looking for someone, the Yuwen clan would have told me what they were looking for. Rather than having me guess, or even try to find someone before they did, it would be better to tell me exactly what they're looking for, and have the Song clan remain silent."

The Yuwen clan shouldn't worry about their illicit salt trafficking, and the Song clan shouldn't worry about the search for someone.

Although Shi Qingruo didn't answer, he had a higher opinion of Song Shidao's behavior.

Compared to his previous inappropriate behavior, this assessment was more in line with the standards of the four major clans.

Song Shidao's assessment was indeed correct. In just a stick of incense, the people sent to inquire had already brought back the news.

"Grand Steward Yuwen said he had intended to retrieve a martial arts manual called 'The Secret of Immortality' from Yangzhou and send it to Your Majesty, hoping it would yield something valuable and grant His Majesty immortality. However, he arrived too late, allowing two petty thieves to steal the manual. A Korean assassin then escorted the two thieves away. To prevent their escape, they had no choice but to block the river." "

...'The Secret of Immortality'?" Song Shidao frowned in thought, feeling he must have heard the name of this martial art from his father before.

But for a moment, he couldn't place it.

It must be a unique martial art, perhaps.

Yuwen Huaji's power had grown in recent years, and he didn't seem to wish the tyrant Emperor Yang Guang a long life. Perhaps by forcing the tyrant to die sooner, he could even achieve a higher position by supporting a new ruler, or even replacing him.

"Either he wants to use the excuse of looking for martial arts secrets for His Majesty to get the "Eternal Life Secret" into his own hands, or..."

"Or the martial arts secrets are not ordinary martial arts. The more you practice, the easier it is to make mistakes, and you may even reach heaven early."

Song Shidao was a little surprised: "Miss Shi, you put it very bluntly."

Shi Qingruo nodded: "I should have the freedom to speak on Mr. Song's boat."

A blush flashed across Song Shidao's face, "...Of course."

This shyness did not last long, because Song Shidao suddenly saw that there was a small boat approaching in the distance. The young man who got out of the boat first had met him once before, so he always had to say a few words to him.

After a distant eye contact, the elegant young man in embroidered clothes took a step forward, his figure ethereal and floating through the air, landing on the bow of Song Shidao's boat.

Song Shidao's smile didn't reach his eyes, but he still bowed. "Why are you here, Young Master Hou?"

he asked, taking a few steps forward, just enough to block Shi Qingruo's view.

Seeing Song Shidao's reaction, the young man in embroidered clothes paused as he unfolded his folding fan. "Young Master Song, you're being a bit too cautious. I, Hou Xibai, may have earned a reputation as a passionate young man in the martial arts world, but I'm not a mean or lecherous person. While I enjoy seeing beautiful women and requesting them to be painted on my folding fan, I always respect their opinions and never force them—" "

You don't have to be as wary of me as a wolf."

He was simply troubled by the Yuwen clan's attempt to block the river, and figured that if he could rely on the Song clan's protection, he'd at least avoid interrogation. Who knew Song Shidao was actually accompanied by a beautiful woman on his boat? It even made him want to kick him off.

What the hell!

But when Hou Xibai saw Song Shidao blocking the girl, his folding fan suddenly loosened its grip, dropping to the deck with a clatter.

Shi Qingruo's voice was cold, "Who is this..."

Hearing this, Hou Xibai, not caring about the beautiful woman fan he had painstakingly painted, quickly replied, "My last name is Hou—"

"I'm not asking you," Shi Qingruo stared intently behind Hou Xibai. "I'm asking about the person behind you."

Everyone on the boat could see that the amorous young man Hou Xibai hadn't come aboard alone. He had also jumped onto the larger ship from a small boat with a young man in a dark robe. His Qinggong skills were comparable to his, and unlike Hou Xibai, he hadn't lost his composure and made such a commotion.

Song Shidao also admired this handsome and arrogant young man, noting that he was far more composed and composed than Hou Xibai. He hadn't shown the slightest sign of misconduct towards Miss Shi. He wondered which faction in the martial arts world had cultivated him.

He had striking white hair, making him easily recognizable. Logically, if he had previously roamed the martial arts world, he wouldn't have been unremarkable.

Unless... like Miss Shi, he had previously been in retreat within the sect.

Hou Xibai twitched his lips in frustration, and with a flick of his toes, his iconic beauty fan was back in his hands, without even bending or reaching.

He just failed to leave a good impression on the peerless beauty in front of him, and now he couldn't ignore her question anymore, so he replied with a fan in his hand: "This is my junior brother Shen Guyan, he has never appeared in the martial arts world before, so he has no reputation."

Song Shidao said "Huh", "So Mr. Hou has a junior brother. If he has just come out to walk around, he should have been learning martial arts from your master before?"

Hou Xibai smiled: "What are you talking about, Mr. Song. I am not like you, Mr. Song, who has a father known as the Heavenly Sword, and I don't have the ability to realize the truth and practice martial arts on the spot, so naturally I have a master. But you also know that I only have some elegant skills, and I would rather play with flowers. The only martial arts I can show off is Qinggong. My master... is naturally just an idle person in seclusion."

The words were just polite, but with Song Shidao's eyesight, he would not fail to see that there was some truth in Hou Xibai's words.

He could paint pictures of beautiful women everywhere without ever being bothered, so he must have been quite skilled. And his junior fellow apprentice, by any measure, looked anything but ordinary.

If it weren't for the youth named Shen Guyan's clear and honest gaze, who never once glanced at the young lady, and Hou Xibai's apology for his earlier impoliteness, Song Shidao wouldn't have acted so decisively, agreeing to Hou Xibai's request to temporarily borrow the boat and finding a guest room for the two men.

As long as the two men were determined to pursue the young lady, giving them a ride wouldn't be a problem.

But Song Shidao could never have imagined that as night fell, a dark figure, like a ghost in the night, would dart out from the guest room window, following the shadows between the cabins, and slipping into a half-open window.

The cabin window shook and silently closed, blocking out the moonlight.

At the moment the moonlight faded, a candlelight lit on the guest room table.

No, not just candlelight, but another light.

Chen Guyan did not retreat, but just stopped and looked down at his neck.

The moment he landed, a line of sword light illuminated by the candlelight was already across his front, as if if he took another step forward, the sword would cut off his neck.

This was obviously not just a punishment for his trespassing in the middle of the night, but also for other personal grudges.

Chen Guyan no longer looked straight ahead as before, and stared at the face not far away more obsessed than Song Shidao: "Zijin, it's been a year since we last saw each other. I haven't received any news from you in this year, I haven't eaten or slept well, and my hair has become even whiter. Don't you feel sorry for me at all?"

Shi Qingruo rolled her eyes, not looking moved by his words at all. "If I remember correctly, the amorous young man Hou Xibai was a mere wanderer in the Jianghu, but among the two sects and six paths of the Demonic Sect, his status was extraordinary. His art of painting beautiful women originated from the Huajian Sect, and his master was none other than Shi Zhixuan, the heir of the Huajian Sect, known as the Evil King."

Hou Xibai said that Shen Guyan was his junior apprentice, so who was Shen Guyan's master? There seemed to be no other answer.

What should she say?

"Chen Guyan, oh Shen Guyan, the Evil King of the Demonic Sect, Shi Zhixuan, truly saw through you and accepted you as his apprentice. Why should I feel sorry for you? I should be congratulating you on finding a perfect partner to work with you." Shen

Guyan lowered his eyes and chuckled, taking two steps closer to Shi Qingruo until he grasped her sword-wielding hand. The Ziwei Soft Sword remained across his neck, yet it was always just a hair's breadth away. The sword energy only brushed against his skin, not severing his throat, which only deepened the smile on his lips.

His little finger moved, and touched the golden bell on Shi Qingruo's wrist, making a soft clanging sound.

"Zi Jin, why are you talking about me alone? I am favored by the evil king Shi Zhixuan, and so are you—"

Chen Guyan's eyes were slightly raised, and his eyes under his long eyelashes were filled with a soft wave like water, "Aren't you also favored by the Yin Queen Zhu Yuyan, and just happened to be opposite to me?" As

soon as they meet, people want to sigh: What a fate.