Xuezhi quickly made a "shh" gesture: "Spare me, don't speak so loudly."
"Alright, let's go upstairs and talk." With that, he pulled Xuezhi upstairs, leaving Feng She behind as nothing more than a foil.
Xianshan Yingzhou Inn remains situated by the water. With each floor climbed and each corner turned, glimpses of flowing water beyond the window lattices, small boats crossing Suzhou, and large red lanterns swaying in the wind, can be seen. Reaching the second floor, the backyard unfolds before you: doors are adorned with "福" (good fortune) characters, and the inn is filled with rose apple and locust trees. Several round straw hats, some ears of rice, and dried chili peppers hang from the second-floor railing, their red and yellow hues gleaming, lending the otherwise magnificent inn a touch of rustic simplicity.
Qiu Hongxiu pointed to a few flowers and leaves in the courtyard: "See those balsam and four o'clock flowers? The balsam was given by Yipintou, and the rouge flower was given by Langya. He said it was to dye my nails and apply rouge. But I knew at a glance that if Langya would give these things, it must have been Yipintou who ordered them. Could that big, clumsy guy think of such trivial things? I even praised Yipintou for understanding women back then, but I didn't expect that in such a short time, he would become like a fool."
Xuezhi looked resentful: "Cunning as a fox, fierce as a wolf, how is she stupid?"
"Did you hear that? Zhi'er said I'm not stupid."
"She's your wife, of course she'll side with you."
Xuezhi stood up straight, and heard the door behind her open and someone come out.
The author has something to say: Ever since my last signature, I've had this feeling: why did I choose the name "Tianlai Zhiyuan" for myself? I should have named myself Yiyi instead.
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After Shangguan Tou approached, he simply stood beside her, maintaining a distance: "Don't say that, Zhi'er doesn't mean it that way."
Qiu Hongxiu glanced at Xuezhi, a smile appearing at the corner of her eyes: "Drinking wine from an empty jar, one can hardly know its taste."
Feng She also laughed in a strange way, and even nudged Xue Zhi's arm with his elbow.
The eerie silence made Xuezhi lose her temper once again: "What are you all looking at and laughing at? Sister Zhaojun and I are sisters!"
Someone inside the room burst out laughing. Everyone turned around and saw Zhong Tao chewing on a chicken leg, his ten fingers rubbing against the hem of his shirt. He strode over and patted Shangguan Tou's shoulder heavily.
"You can't even get a woman, and you still dare to call yourself my brother?"
Shangguan Tou's expression was clearly unpleasant, and he said in a deep voice, "Besides gloating, all Muscle Young Master does is take off his clothes and stand in the yard to sunbathe."
"It's all because that damned woman Hongxiu said that men need to be dark-skinned to be handsome."
"Muscle Prince?" Xuezhi couldn't help but glance at Zhongtao's arm and then at his chest.
Zhong Tao quickly covered his chest: "Girl, your eyes remind me of the goldfish that Hongxiu fed to death a few days ago."
Xuezhi didn't speak, but Hongxiu narrowed her eyes: "What did you say?"
“I said the beautiful woman in red has hair as blue as clouds.” Zhong Tao chuckled dryly. “Don’t stand at the door, go outside.”
Xuezhi originally planned to go find the disciples of Chonghuo Palace, but then she heard that because of the reappearance of "Lotus Wings", Lin Yuhuang suddenly remembered the "Samadhi Flame Yellow Blade" that he had abandoned for a long time, so he took the people of Chonghuo Palace back and said that he would come back in a few days. He only left Yanhe behind, saying that she would take good care of Xuezhi.
Not long after the group entered the room, Yanhe came down as well.
Originally, Qiu Hongxiu and Feng She were sitting alone next to Xuezhi, but Qiu Hongxiu insisted on pulling Shangguan Tou over. Xuezhi quickly pulled Yanhe to her side and sat down. Shangguan Tou paused slightly, then sat down as well.
Qiu Hongxiu, as always, possessed features that, while not particularly refined, exuded a captivating allure. Her ample bosom, always prominently displayed, was especially striking against the backdrop of Taiping Shouyanhe, paired with an incredibly alluring water-red gauze dress. Every smile and gesture evoked a sense of mystery. Zhong Tao, on the other hand, had indeed tanned considerably, but his muscles remained as well-developed as ever, creating a stark contrast with the tall, slender, and voluptuous man who had recently completed his growth spurt. In this comparison, Qiu Hongxiu and Zhong Tao actually seemed quite well-matched.
Xuezhi glanced at the two strikingly different people, then at Shangguan Tou beside Yanhe. He was pouring tea for Qiu Hongxiu from a jade teapot, his figure tall and handsome, adorned with very few ornaments—Xuezhi only then realized that Sister Zhaojun didn't actually favor ornate clothing; her refined elegance seemed to seep into her very bones, captivating the soul and making one instantly understand what true dashing charm was. He held the teapot's emerald handle, his lowered brows adding to his exceptional handsomeness…
Suddenly, those eyes lifted and met Xuezhi's gaze. Xuezhi, without any self-respect, looked away and put a piece of chicken on Fengshe's plate.
Feng She became strangely obedient: "Thank you, Palace Master Xue. Palace Master Xue is so kind."
Xuezhi said nonchalantly, "That's what everyone says."
Upon hearing this, everyone, including Yanhe except Shangguan Tou, put down their chopsticks, stared at Xuezhi for a long time, and then continued eating. Finally, Feng She clicked his tongue and sighed, "You're not a very good person, but you certainly have the thickest skin."
"Shut up!"
Feng She's eyes narrowed into slits with a smile: "If a woman isn't gentle at all, even if she looks like Palace Master Xue, she'll scare away a lot of men. So, like just now, it's okay to be a little gentle."
“Indeed, no one will want a girl who is too fierce. But Zhi’er is just fine as she is.” Shangguan Tou pressed down on the teapot lid and put the teapot down. “It’s best if no one wants her, then she’ll only have me.”
"Who says nobody wants me?!"
Shangguan Tou tapped the teapot lid and said, "Hongxiu, I didn't see you buy this last time I came. If you don't look closely, it doesn't look like a teapot, but rather like a stone stalactite with cicada wing patterns."
"You think it's good too?" Qiu Hongxiu rested her chin on one hand. "I also bought a few wine glasses, all made of jade, which I plan to give to you and Muscular Young Master."
"Then we'll have to trouble you. Muscle and I are extremely grateful."
Zhong Tao said, "Don't call me by that name!"
Qiu Hongxiu said, "I always thought that jade cups were not as beautiful as jade cups, but this set is really well made without any artificial carving."
“Speaking of the Jade Cup, I’m reminded of the ‘Hibiscus Heart Sutra’,” Shangguan Tou said. “The contents of the manual were originally carved on the inner wall of a white jade cup, and the characters would only appear after being burned with fire. The Plum Shadow Sect Leader who used to possess the Jade Cup was the only person in the martial arts world who was on par with the Lotus Palace Master at the time, but he died earlier, and it is said that he committed suicide.”
The leader of the Plum Shadow Sect, originally named Huan Nongyu, was the eldest son of the Sixth Prince. At the time, a jade cup containing the contents of the *Hibiscus Heart Sutra* was considered an antique from the previous dynasty and had been secretly kept in the Prince's mansion for over ten years. Several important leaders of major sects, who had long coveted the manual, conspired to kill the Sixth Prince and imprison his youngest son, but they never found the manual in the Prince's mansion. Since the deed was done, they could only frame Huan Nongyu, the eldest son who had returned to the capital. Huan Nongyu kept the jade cup and bore the guilt of murdering his father and brother for over ten years, finally resolving to cultivate the *Hibiscus Heart Sutra*. Although he wasn't as inhuman as the rumors suggested, he was eccentric and ruthless. Despite this, he was a martial arts prodigy, perfectly suited to the cold-blooded mental cultivation method of the *Hibiscus Heart Sutra*, which was not easily accepted by ordinary people. He encountered no difficulties in the first few levels, but got stuck on the most crucial one.
Yanhe listened intently and couldn't help but ask, "What's the problem with that level?"
Before Shangguan Tou could answer, Xuezhi said, "To break through that level, you must kill your beloved."
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Huan Nongyu was cold-blooded and ruthless, a man of few words but also a fool and a homosexual. Shortly after leaving the capital, he adopted Wen Cai, the orphan of the chivalrous hero Wen Hengyu and the Chang'an musician Shangguan Yayu, as his godson. He soon developed feelings for Wen Cai. Although he had long since given up on his reputation and didn't care about further discrediting himself, Wen Cai's future was limitless, so he suppressed his feelings and never confessed. Unfortunately, Wen Cai was a hopeless case, insecure and cowardly, yet his constant displays of affection for his adoptive father were undeniable. Thus, the two of them became infamous throughout the martial arts world. In the end, unable to bring himself to kill, Huan Nongyu, after taking revenge, burned himself to death in the small house where he had lived with Wen Cai for many years, leaving not even ashes. Sadly, Huan Nongyu's schemes were in vain; not long after his death, Wen Cai also fell ill and passed away the following spring.
After Wen Cai's death, Huan Nongyu's younger brother buried the Qiong Shang in his grave. Later, Chong Lian's enemies dug it up and secretly practiced martial arts to fight Chong Lian, but they were still no match for him. After Chong Lian's victory, Lin Yuhuang had Hua Yijian destroy the Qiong Shang.
Compared to the Lotus Heart Sutra, the Nine Forms of the Lotus God are much more difficult to master. Moreover, because they are different styles of techniques, the practitioners themselves will undergo tremendous changes as they cultivate to different levels.
The first form causes the practitioner to become noticeably gloomy; the second form causes them to crave power and wealth; the third form causes their personality to rapidly split into two, their true self and their opposite, accompanied by a wicked personality devoid of conscience brought by the "Lotus God"; the fourth form, like the "Hibiscus Heart Sutra," causes a dramatic change in the body, ultimately leading to androgyny, where men can bear children and women can absorb yin to replenish yang, with both personality and appearance becoming androgynous; the fifth form requires practitioners of the "Hibiscus Heart Sutra" to kill their loved ones, while practitioners of the "Nine Forms of the Lotus God" must kill their closest relatives, with the latter's pupils turning deep purple upon completion; the sixth form grants unparalleled power; the seventh form grants eternal youth; the eighth form causes a red lotus totem to appear on a certain part of the body, indicating the practitioner has reached a state of bloodlust; the ninth form grants omnipotence, but leads to a lonely and miserable old age.
Many say that after the fourth or fifth stage, even the greatest ambition will turn to despair, and the cultivator will become a walking corpse, indifferent to life and death. Only with this kind of mentality can one successfully complete the later stages. Therefore, truly inhuman people cannot cultivate to the "Lotus Wings" stage; they will only suffer a qi deviation. People with too much humanity will not cultivate. Those in between often choose suicide. Huan Nongyu belongs to the third type.
Chong Lian's mastery of the "Nine Forms of the Lotus God" is inextricably linked to his martial arts fanatic father, Chong Zhen. Chong Zhen orchestrated Chong Lian's murder, plunging him into despair. Chong Lian possessed exceptional self-control and mental fortitude, persevering to master this inhuman martial art. Rumors circulated that maintaining ruthless ruthlessness and controlling all desires, free from emotional entanglements, could grant eternal youth and even immortality. However, even the only person in the past century to have mastered it could not achieve this.
As long as a person is alive, they will inevitably have desires.
Therefore, these two secret manuals will only harm people.
Originally, it was thought that the bloody storms brought by "Lotus Wings" for more than 20 years would come to an end, but unexpectedly, more than ten years later, it reappeared in the martial arts world.
The group fell silent.
Yanhe blurted out out of the blue, "How wonderful it would be if my husband were like Master Meiying in the future."
Qiu Hongxiu said, "Aside from Yipintou's family, this is the first time I've heard of a famous figure in the martial arts world with the surname Shangguan."
"You mean Shangguan Yayu?" Zhong Tao asked. "She's the bald man's great-aunt."
"Why is it someone related to you again?"
Shangguan Tou said, "This is not something I can control."
"However, Huan Nongyu is also brainless. What's the most important thing in life? It's naturally to save your life. If you lose your life, how can you live a decent life?"
"That's called being devoted, willing to do anything for love," Qiu Hongxiu said casually, arms crossed. "If you had to choose between your life and your lover, which would you choose?"
"Of course, I'd choose life. How can you love if you're dead?"
Qiu Hongxiu stiffened, pursed her lips, and remained silent. After a while, she simply stood up and left. Zhong Tao, still confused, looked around for help. Shangguan Tou gestured for him to chase after her, and he followed, bewildered.
Feng She laughed heartily: "This muscle-bound young master really doesn't know how to talk."
Xuezhi said, "Sister Hongxiu is indeed a woman among women, actually letting Brother Langya choose between her fate and his."
Shangguan Tou said, "Such things are very common. Wouldn't Zhi'er think about such things?"
The world is vast, the martial world is treacherous, and in this critical moment of life and death, with hidden dangers lurking everywhere, we are all innocent bystanders. Who has time to think about these things?
Xuezhi laughed and said, "I agree with Brother Langya. It's more important to think about how to save our lives."
Shangguan Tou remained silent.
Feng She let out a soft sigh: "Palace Mistress Xue, a woman who is too strong-willed and realistic will put a lot of pressure on a man..."
“My identity is first and foremost that of the Palace Master of Chonghuo Palace, then Chonglian’s daughter, and finally, the woman you call me.” Xuezhi put down her chopsticks and stood up. “I’m full. I’ll go back to my room to rest.”
The sky was a darkness that seemed to swallow everything, and red lanterns illuminated the entire backyard of the inn.
Xuezhi returned to the third floor and had just closed the door when someone knocked. She opened the door a crack and, seeing it was Shangguan Tou, said coldly, "What is it?"
Shangguan Tou looked around. The waiter had just walked past with a tea tray from the opposite corner of the stairwell, so he whispered:
"Nothing else, I just wanted to ask why you left without saying goodbye. I've missed you a lot these past few days."
93
The door was half-open, and Xuezhi stubbornly pressed down on both sides of the door with her hands, as if she was trying her best to suppress an emotion that was about to get out of control.
"Then what?"
Hundreds of miles beyond the inn, the city lights of Suzhou shone brightly. A breeze stirred the red lanterns, casting shadows on the courtyard. Balsam petals danced in the air, almost shattering in the wind. The fragrance of flowers wafted on the gentle breeze, and the red lanterns swayed erratically on the carved railings.
Shangguan Tou didn't ask to enter, but simply stood outside, a hint of tension that was barely perceptible to anyone else.
"I'd like to know what your plans are for us..."
"I have no plans."
Xuezhi's attitude was cold and hard.
I once heard Zhu Sha say that the young palace master is a very protective person, and it's hard to imagine what kind of steady, gentle, and reassuring man she will end up with.
Shangguan Tou... Xuezhi could not accept being with him, whether objectively or subjectively.
Almost every night she would silently repeat to herself, "Forget Shangguan Tou, forget Shangguan Tou." She found that the harder she tried, the harder it was to forget. So she decided to let things take their course. Then she would revert to her usual self, lost in thought and sighing for long periods.
Looking at him now, it's already difficult enough to not show affection.
Forgetting... will probably take time.
Shangguan Tou reached out and gently covered the back of her hand, which was resting on the door. Her amber-like pupils were a pale, almost transparent color.
"I know this is wrong, but... this is the first time I've ever wanted to have someone."
"Childish." Xuezhi shook off his hand.
"Zhi'er, don't you want me?"
"So cheesy! So disgusting!"