Ich bin ein Gott in der Chatgruppe aller Reiche

Kapitel 60

Shao Yang had anticipated her response, so he gently advised her, "You can't stay in Merlin forever, can you? Are you really not going to see anyone again? Besides, Wei Heng is someone we've known for a while, and the late Master Wei treated you well. It would be unreasonable for you not to visit his grave even once. If you don't want to talk to others, we can go up the mountain when there are fewer people. After the ceremony, we won't stay long and will return to Luzhou immediately. What do you think?"

His words were reasonable, leaving Yue Ruzheng with no choice but to agree. After much hesitation, she finally gave in.

Two days later, Shao Yang and Yue Ruzheng bid farewell to their master and headed towards Tingyu Villa in Huangshan.

Chapter Forty-One: The Wind Rises High in the North, Horses Neigh Long

The two rode swiftly, making the most of their journey and braving the cold wind to reach Huangshan. Since the passing of the late Master Wei Qingcang two years prior, Wei Heng had inherited the position of Master of Tingyu Manor. Though only twenty years old, he was already a formidable figure. Wei Qingcang had been chronically ill and retired from the martial world long ago, but since Wei Heng took over, his decisive and efficient actions had propelled Tingyu Manor, previously not particularly prominent, back into the spotlight.

This visit to pay respects to the old Master Wei attracted many sects and families to send representatives. Some wanted to see Wei Heng in person, some were eager to re-establish relations with the Wei family after previously neglecting them, and others wanted to test the true strength of Tingyu Manor in order to make their next move.

For this reason, as soon as one approaches the Huangshan region, groups of people carrying various sects' banners frequently rush towards Yuping Peak along the official road. These people compete with each other, displaying extreme extravagance in both clothing and horses, fearing to fall behind others.

Having witnessed the coldness and warmth of human relationships over the years, Shao Yang and Yue Ruzheng had become indifferent to such things. Because Shao Yang was worried about encountering those kinds of people if he went there now, he deliberately slowed down his journey.

A day later, when the two arrived at the foot of Huangshan Mountain, it was already late, and dark clouds covered the sky, as if a heavy snow was brewing. Seeing that Yue Ruzheng's hands were red from the cold, Shao Yang pointed to an inn ahead and said, "Junior Sister, the weather is bad right now. Let's stay here for the night and go up the mountain tomorrow."

Yue Ruzheng looked up and gazed into the distance; the mountains were hazy and indistinct, making it difficult to see the mountain path. She nodded in agreement. The two dismounted and arrived at the small inn. Just as they were about to hand their horses over to the innkeeper at the door, they heard the sound of galloping hooves behind them. The innkeeper, seeing them, hurried forward, his face beaming, and said, "Ladies, are you looking for lodging?"

"What else would we do here if not stay the night?" The lead girl in green had a clear, bright voice. She dismounted and tossed the reins to the waiter. Behind her were three other girls, all dressed in light yellow outfits with swords at their waists. Though not heavily made up, their exquisite attire suggested they came from prestigious families.

"Yes, yes, yes, I'm so clumsy." The waiter said with a smile as he hurriedly led the horses for the four girls, completely forgetting about Shao Yang and Yue Ruzheng who had arrived earlier.

Shao Yang had no choice but to lead the two horses himself to the roadside and tie them to tree stumps. When he and Yue Ruzheng returned to the inn, the four girls were already carrying their luggage and preparing to go upstairs. The innkeeper, flipping through his ledger, looked up at Shao Yang apologetically and said, "Young master, our inn is full. Please find lodging elsewhere."

Shao Yang paused, then pointed displeasedly at the young woman going upstairs and said, "These ladies clearly arrived after us, so why are you telling us to go somewhere else?"

Before the innkeeper could answer, and the waiter, who was tethering his horse behind the shop, didn't come in, the girl in green, however, came to her senses, frowned, and sized up Shao Yang, saying, "You're being unreasonable. Who said we were lagging behind?" She then turned to another girl beside her and said, "Ninth Junior Sister, did you see them standing in this inn early on?"

The girl smiled and said, "No, I only saw them standing at the door. Who knows if they're here to stay?"

"Indeed." The girl in green nodded, gripping her sword, and looked at Shao Yang and Yue Ruzheng, saying, "I'm sorry, please find another place to stay."

"You!" Shao Yang couldn't stand her arrogant attitude and stepped forward to argue with her, but Yue Ruzheng grabbed him and whispered, "Senior brother, what's the point of arguing with her? Do you think they'll give up their room?"

Shao Yang sneered, pulled Yue Ruzheng around, and left the inn. The two returned to the roadside and untied the reins. Shao Yang said, "There probably aren't any inns around here. It seems we'll have to climb the mountain tonight."

Yue Ruzheng followed him onto his horse, and the two rode slowly along the mountain path for a while. Shao Yang murmured, "Judging from the accents of those girls, they sounded like they were from the Southwest. I wonder if they were from the Emei Sect."

When Yue Ruzheng overheard the two girls talking, she realized they were from the Sichuan region. For some reason, a sudden flutter of emotion stirred within her. Deep in her memory, she had once pestered a boy to speak the Chengdu dialect she remembered from her childhood. He would smile shyly and then pronounce her name in the dialect.

Shao Yang had no idea what Yue Ruzheng was thinking. Seeing her silent, he assumed she was angry because of the girls' behavior earlier, so he moved closer to her and said, "Ruzheng, if we encounter them tomorrow, let's not talk to them."

Yue Ruzheng was lost in thought and didn't quite hear what Shao Yang was saying, so she just nodded blankly.

Seeing that she was still depressed, Shao Yang sighed softly and stopped talking to her, silently accompanying her towards Tingyu Villa.

The two men made their way up the mountain, but the sky was overcast and the wind was strong. The mountain path was narrow, forcing them to dismount and walk. It wasn't until nightfall that they finally arrived at the gates of Tingyu Manor. Guards had already spotted Shao Yang's arrival and went inside to announce his arrival before they could approach.

Since Yue Ruzheng went to the Valley of Bliss with Wei Heng four years ago, she has never seen him again. All she can remember is the image of that arrogant and haughty young boy.

She stood by the gate, leading her white horse. After a short while, a bright lantern flickered inside. A young man carrying the lantern, dressed in a brown cotton robe, with a round face and long eyes, appeared respectful. Behind him stood a man in a long blue robe with embroidered trim, his sleeves sleek and his feet in riding boots. He had handsome, arched eyebrows and bright, sparkling eyes.

"Master Wei." Shao Yang smiled slightly and clasped his hands in greeting to the blue-robed youth.

This young man was none other than Wei Heng, who had become the master of the manor. He was no longer the slightly immature boy he once was, but a tall and elegant man with extraordinary bearing. However, the proud look between his brows remained unchanged.

"I told you long ago, there's no need for such formalities between us." Wei Heng said to Shao Yang while sizing up Yue Ruzheng. Suddenly, he stepped forward, beaming, and said, "Sister Yue, it's been a long time! I'm so glad you've finally graced my humble abode with your presence."

Yue Ruzheng blushed slightly. In the past, she would always be at odds with Wei Heng, but now he was a handsome young man, while she was no longer the cheerful person she used to be.

"When Elder Wei passed away, I was unable to come and pay my respects, for which I feel deeply guilty. I have only come to pay my respects today, and I ask for your understanding, Young Master Wei," Yue Ruzheng said softly, her expression somewhat somber.

Wei Heng paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Sister Yue, why are you being so formal? I was already quite surprised that you could come." As he spoke, he turned to the young man carrying the lantern and said, "Qi Yun, take the two of you to the other courtyard to rest."

Qi Yun responded and led Shao Yang and Yue Ruzheng into the manor. After walking with them for a while, Wei Heng stopped at a fork in the road, whispered a few words to Qi Yun, and then clasped his hands in a fist salute to Shao Yang and Yue Ruzheng: "Gentlemen, there are some things waiting for me to handle. Qi Yun will arrange everything for you. If you need anything else, just give the servants your orders."

Shao Yang and Yue Ruzheng returned the greetings one by one, and Wei Heng then hurried off down another path.

They followed Qi Yun to a secluded courtyard. Yue Ruzheng looked at Qi Yun and said, "Qi Yun, your master seems to have changed quite a bit since before."

"Of course," Qi Yun said with a smile as he opened the door for them. "In recent years, the Master has handled all matters, big and small, bringing great honor to Tingyu Manor. This year, on the anniversary of the old Master's death, many prestigious sects have come to pay their respects." He then sighed, "However, we can also see that many of these people are snobbish. When the old Master was ill in the past, where were they? It was your master who often came to visit."

Shao Yang sighed, "Master Wei had been ill for many years, and it was already quite remarkable that he managed to hold on until the year before last. It's truly lamentable; no matter how unparalleled one's martial arts skills were in life, one cannot escape birth, aging, sickness, and death."

"There's nothing we can do about it. Look at Lian Haichao of Seven Star Island, wasn't he once the most powerful man in the world? I don't know how he suddenly..." Qi Yun stopped there, then realized Yue Ruzheng was beside him. He quickly stopped talking, gave an awkward smile, and said, "You must be tired from your journey. You should get some rest."

After saying this, he bowed to the two men and then hurriedly left.

That night, Yue Ruzheng lay alone in bed, unable to fall asleep. She hadn't left Yinxi Xiaozhu for a long time, and this rare short trip left her feeling quite exhausted. She smiled bitterly to herself. She thought about how she used to be able to travel back and forth without a care in the world, but now she felt like an old woman, frail and weak.

Qi Yun's unfinished words stirred her already numb heart once again. Just as Qi Yun had said, Lian Haichao, once arrogant and possessing extraordinary skill, had suddenly passed away. When this news reached the martial arts world, it sparked much speculation. However, Seven Star Island had always maintained a seclusion from the outside world, and all the speculations were merely baseless rumors, ultimately fading away without a trace.

Since Lian Haichao's death, Lian Junqiu, who used to frequently appear in the martial arts world, seems to have vanished without a trace. All of this has added an even more eerie aura to the already formidable Seven Star Island…

Yue Ruzheng tossed and turned, unable to close her eyes even at midnight. So she put on her cloak and strolled out of the courtyard under the dim light of the night. She had been to Tingyu Manor before and knew there was a pavilion opposite it, so she wanted to go there and sit for a while.

As I walked slowly along the path, I passed a fork in the road and heard Wei Heng's voice in the distance.

"Miss Liang, please rest assured, this matter is also related to Tingyu Manor, and I will not stand idly by."

"Master Wei, I didn't really want to involve you in this," a woman said softly, "but Xiu Rong is too impulsive; she relayed the message without consulting me."

"You two had an accident on your way to Tingyu Manor, how can I absolve myself of responsibility? Besides, the two young ladies are indeed seriously injured, and those people were quite ruthless; I couldn't stand by and watch." Wei Heng said, seemingly taking a few steps forward, then added, "However, please don't spread this matter for now. Two friends just arrived, and I don't want them to know."

The woman softly replied, "I understand. By the way, Master Wei, what about those people who are imprisoned..."

"I've already checked again, there won't be any problems, Miss Liang, please rest assured." After saying this, Wei Heng seemed to walk away with the woman, their voices fading into the distance.