"Second Master Lin isn't that interested in your broken pill. Just give her one, Zhi'er."
So Feng She picked up the gourd at his waist, pulled out the stopper, and gently broke it open. Two tiny golden pills fell out of the stopper. He gave one to Xue Zhi and put the rest back in.
Xuezhi held the golden pills and said, "Aren't there two of them?"
Lin Yuhuang said, "There's another one in the jade pendant next to the gourd."
Xuezhi glanced at Lin Yuhuang and exclaimed in surprise, "Huang'er, did you search someone else's body?"
Feng She, however, was not surprised, and looked away with a forced smile.
"I don't have that much time," Lin Yuhuang said, patting Xuezhi on the shoulder. "You'd better hurry up, or you won't be able to catch up."
"Wait a minute, I don't even know what these pills are for. How am I supposed to chase after them?"
"My dear girl, you've never even heard of such a strange medicine. How are you going to survive in the martial arts world? Anyway, just take it. Those two sect leaders won't find out."
Xuezhi nodded, swallowed the golden pill, and once again leaped onto the roof. She immediately felt as if all her internal energy and weight had been drained, and her movements were dozens of times lighter than before.
She quickly caught up with the group. Seeing them enter a large courtyard, Xuezhi jumped onto the roof, tiptoed over, and hung upside down from the eaves of the backyard, clinging to the window.
As expected, only Feng Cheng and Yuan Shuangshuang remained in the room.
"My darling, come here quickly, I've missed you so much, Brother Feng."
If it weren't for Fengcheng's distinctive voice, Xuezhi would have thought there was someone else inside.
"Shuangshuang, why are you avoiding me?" Fengcheng sighed. "Are you still angry that I took Manman as my girlfriend? If I wasn't afraid of gossip damaging your reputation, I wouldn't be with her... Please don't be angry."
"You damned men, you all talk a good game. Tsk, what secrets don't leak out? That bitch surnamed Bai already knew something, openly badmouthing Chong Xuezhi outside, and secretly belittling me. If you had waited until your wife died before marrying me, would there be so much trouble?"
"Just marry me, just marry me. We've been together for so many years, are you afraid of waiting a few more days?"
"To be honest, are you even eyeing Chong Xuezhi?"
"How could that be? She's just a little girl."
"Is this little girl worth all this help?"
“We older folks will always take care of the younger generation in the martial arts world. Shuangshuang, you wouldn’t hold a grudge against her too, would you?”
"She's really not worth talking about, but I'm afraid her presence might affect our plans."
"We are going to defeat Wudang and Emei, what does it have to do with Chonghuo Palace?"
"Just thinking about it makes me angry!" Yuan Shuangshuang raised her voice, seemingly slamming her hand on the table again. "It's all because of your damned cousin! He's the reason our Fengzi hasn't recovered yet! If it weren't for his powerful backing, I would have killed him long ago!"
"You seem to favor him a lot when you're out there. I was just saying you mentioned it, but I've completely forgotten."
"Feng Zi is like my own daughter to me. If your daughter were to be forced into that kind of thing when she was only ten years old... Waaah, wouldn't you want to kill that person?"
89
Feng Cheng's voice softened considerably: "Alright, alright, let's not dwell on the past. I just want to know if Lianyi really did leak out?"
How would I know about such a thing?
At that moment, Xuezhi's long hair fell out from her clothes and hung down. She didn't even have time to reach out and grab her hair before she suddenly opened her eyes wide and moved closer to the window. But what she heard next, the sound that Yuan Shuangshuang made inside, gave her goosebumps.
"You dead men, all you ever think about is Lianyi, Lianyi! Have you ever thought about us women? You even said you only love me and would give up the world for me!"
"Silly Shuangshuang, I'm here to take care of you."
Then came a series of shoving and kissing sounds. Xuezhi blushed and shrank back, only to bump into something. Turning around, she saw Feng She hanging upside down beside her, quickly covering her mouth with his hand, then shaking his finger and smiling sinisterly. Once Xuezhi had calmed down a bit, Feng She released her hand, beckoned her with his finger, and told her to follow him.
After a while, the two sneaked up to the roof.
"You actually enjoy peeping at things like this, what a lewd girl." As soon as he regained his footing, Feng She shrugged helplessly and quickly added, "But don't lose your temper here, people down below can hear you."
Xuezhi held her breath, her eyes almost bursting with flames.
"The two people down there are Yuan Shuangshuang and Feng Cheng. Didn't you hear anything?"
“No, I have absolutely no interest in these people… What?” Feng She was taken aback. “You mean, Yuan Shuangshuang and… Feng Cheng?”
"Yes." Xuezhi observed him for a moment, then asked suspiciously, "What is Fengcheng to you?"
"nothing."
Xuezhi didn't ask too many questions, and soon saw two women from Xueyan's sect walk side by side through the backyard, talking and laughing. The women's voices weren't loud, but they were so familiar that Xuezhi couldn't ignore them. After listening for a while without recognizing them, she quickly followed them along the eaves to a well. One of them held a rope, her back to Xuezhi, pulling a bucket of water up, while the other leaned against the well, sighing softly.
"At first I thought the sect leader was tormenting Feng Zi like this because she was a bad person, but I was wrong. Tell me, why is the sect leader so good to that girl? Her martial arts skills aren't high, and she's not clever either. Everyone hates her."
She shook her hand, and Xuezhi finally saw her face clearly.
It looks very familiar; I almost remembered it.
The woman carrying water did not reply.
"Why did the leader tell us to throw Chong Xuezhi into the Bright River and say it was Lin Fengzi's idea?"
While Xuezhi was observing her face, the woman fetching water spoke:
"Keep your mouth shut, or you won't die."
"How can you talk like that? You were involved back then, weren't you?" The woman clapped her hands. "You were even more enthusiastic than me back then, why are you pretending to be mute now? If you're going to do something, then don't be afraid of trouble!"
"...I have a question for you."
"you say."
"Did you and Shangguan Tou ever get together?"
"have!"
"You think you can fool me just because you can fool Chong Xuezhi?"
"Why...why do you need to know this?"
Xuezhi suddenly remembered who the woman standing there was—Yanzihua, the Emei female disciple who had just fought her at the Fengzi Shou Banquet a few days ago and was also entangled with Shangguan Tou. This person's way of speaking and appearance had not changed at all, but what was puzzling was that she had now become a member of the Xueyan Sect.
At this moment, the woman carrying water said, "I was just curious. Your actions towards Shangguan Tou seem to be outside of your plan. Could it be that you have fallen in love with him?"
"How could that be!" Yan Zihua's face flushed red. "I only wanted to sow discord between Chong Xuezhi and him, so as to prevent him from helping the sect leader and causing him great trouble."
"What the sect leader is most worried about is that Chong Xuezhi and Lin Fengzi's relationship has improved, and it has nothing to do with Shangguan Tou. If you really want to sow discord, you should focus on her relationship with Lin Fengzi and bring up the old story of Lingjian Manor. You are quite selfless, taking the lead yourself."
"Your mouth is really annoying, stop being so sarcastic! Don't always impose your way of doing things on others... Hey, wait a minute, don't go..."
The woman carrying the water bucket walked away. Unfortunately, she had her back to Xuezhi the whole time and couldn't see anything. Soon, Yanzihua also left, and Xuezhi was momentarily confused: Why did Yuan Shuangshuang try to sow discord between her and Feng Zi? How would her improved relationship with Feng Zi affect Yuan Shuangshuang? Yanzihua was just a fly, not a wolf. And the taciturn woman seemed to know more.
But there was no time to think about it further.
Xuezhi quickly returned to the roof ridge, where Fengshe was also hanging.
The two people inside had already finished their intimate moment and started discussing other things.
Yuan Shuangshuang said coquettishly, "Feng Lang, I know I am not as good as the 'Nine Forms of the Lotus God,' but if it is true that this secret manual has been leaked, and you happen to have obtained it, you should still be cautious before practicing it."
"Hahahaha, that martial art makes men look less manly and women look less womanly, how could I possibly practice it?" Feng Cheng laughed loudly. "Although I only have one son, I'm still a father. How could a father do something so irresponsible?"
The two chatted about various topics, but Xuezhi grew increasingly sleepy. Turning around, she realized Feng She was gone. It was dusk, and fiery clouds partially obscured the setting sun, casting a crimson glow upon countless homes. Xuezhi secretly slipped away from the rooftop and saw him standing stiffly on it, his figure faintly outlined by the golden edge of the setting sun. His thick hair, with its several dense braids and the gourd-like ornament at his waist, danced erratically in the wind. Behind him stretched the city of Suzhou, bathed in the intense flames, its small bridges, flowing water, and fishermen's paths all enveloped in a soft, red glow.
After a long silence, Xuezhi asked softly:
"What's wrong?"
“That person is the one who gave me birth,” Feng She answered quite decisively.
90
"You mean...Fengcheng?"
"Yes, he knew I existed, but he thought I was dead."
"Then why don't you acknowledge him as your father?"
“He is the leader of the Huashan Sect, a hero in the eyes of the martial arts world.” Feng She turned to Xue Zhi, flashing his signature smile. “He abandoned me, and Man Feiyue raised me. Why should I acknowledge him?”
"Who told you all this?"
"Of course, it's the Holy Mother."
Have you ever considered that she might be lying to you?
“I had thought about it, so I had been keeping an eye on Fengcheng’s whereabouts. But he never mentioned my mother or me, and he always told people that he only had one son, Feng Mo.”
The north wind howled, and the setting sun cast a hazy glow. A small boat glided leisurely along the river. In the distance, amidst the green mountains, a temple bell suddenly rang. The last rays of light peeked through the clouds, illuminating the layers of red buildings in the distance like a burning flame. Feng She turned around; backlit, his figure was extremely dark. Standing in the twilight, he resembled a lone phoenix, separated from its flock.
“I heard my mother was a beautiful and composed woman, unlike any other woman I’ve ever met.” Feng She’s voice was low and soft, with an almost imperceptible smile on his lips. “Although people always say she died young and it’s no use talking about it, I still feel very proud. The people of Hongling Temple have all been driven mad by the Holy Mother, thinking she is the most beautiful woman… Sigh, it’s so annoying, there’s really no point in living.”
Xuezhi, as if she knew no martial arts, walked towards him on the bumpy roof tiles and stretched out her hand:
I completely understand how you feel. You often feel lonely... right?
Feng She slapped Xue Zhi's hand away, saying, "You're so mushy!"
Xuezhi still smiled and extended her hand: "When we get back, we'll become sworn sisters. I'll be your older sister, and no one will dare to bully you anymore."
Feng She looked at Xue Zhi as if she were looking at a strange creature.
Seeing that he was hesitant to give her a high five, Xuezhi walked over and patted the man, who was much taller than her, heavily on the shoulder: "Xiao She, your older sister will take care of you!"
"So... is Big Sister going to send a kiss?"
Feng She rubbed his bruised arms and returned to Yingzhou, the Immortal Mountain, with Xue Zhi. From afar, they saw the hall bustling with business as always. As soon as they stepped inside, a woman rushed over, handkerchief in hand, and grabbed Xue Zhi's hands: "Sister, where have you been? We've been looking for you everywhere!"
At this moment, even without looking at the person in front of her, Xuezhi could tell from Feng She's reaction who was holding her: Feng She's eyes were practically glued to her neck and lower abdomen.
Xuezhi stomped hard on Feng She's foot while laughing, "It's been a long time since I've seen Sister Hongxiu."
"It's amazing you still remember me!" The two hadn't seen each other for years, and Qiu Hongxiu was surprisingly eager to reconnect, chattering away, "Look at our little girl from back then, she's grown into a stunning beauty! No wonder so many men fought tooth and nail for her..."
As Xuezhi listened, she couldn't shake the feeling that the person was talking about her. Could it be that Sister Qiu, like Lin Xuanfeng, had a peculiar penchant for romanticizing the martial arts world?
"Hey girl, as your older sister, I really have to apologize to you."
"No, no, I wouldn't dare."
"What do you mean you wouldn't dare? I even told Yipintou to be careful not to let you fall for him, lest that womanizer let you down... I never expected that he would be the first one to fall for you!"