However, remembering that Zhang Qiqiao had taken advantage of this time to launch a surprise attack on Mingjian Manor in the plot, Li Ling made some arrangements before leaving, transferring the thirty-six Heavenly Generals and seventy-two Earthly Fiends who were originally stationed outside Zuixianlou back to Mingjian Manor to be responsible for the defense of Mingjian Manor.
Given that these guards, along with Yi Yun's still considerable skill, and considering his cultivation level as a Grandmaster of the Innate Realm, he is virtually unmatched in the martial world except for the Carefree King. With him in charge, the safety of the Famous Sword Manor can be guaranteed.
Li Ling's journey was relatively smooth. He reached the desert, dodged several sandstorms, and finally arrived at the border region, where he encountered Yi Tianxing again.
"How did you get here?" Yi Tianxing couldn't help but ask when he saw Li Ling at the entrance of a blacksmith's shop in a small desert town.
Li Ling pouted: "That's what I should be asking you. Why aren't you bothering Qin Sirong anymore? Have you already figured things out?"
At this point, Li Ling looked at Yi Tianxing and teased, "So, you got dumped, that's why you came to the desert to heal your wounds?"
"Go away, don't talk nonsense. Miss Qin is just shy. She still likes me very much."
Yi Tianxing was very unwilling to listen to Li Ling's words and retorted, "I came to the desert just to see the scenery. What are you doing here?"
Thinking about why he came here, Li Ling said irritably, "I didn't want to come here at all, but my grandfather insisted that I come to find that so-called princess of the Great Song Dynasty, which resulted in me being driven from the desert to here."
She's just a princess of the Song Dynasty. During the Jingkang Incident, countless princes and princesses were captured. Ultimately, it was the Zhao family's own incompetence that caused me so much trouble!
Hearing Li Ling's complaints, Yi Tianxing laughed and said, "Haha, I didn't expect you to say something like that. I really can't imagine what that old man would think if he heard that. Tell me, are you really Yi Jifeng, whom he personally trained?!"
"Is there ever another Yi Jifeng in this world? My greatest pursuit in this life is actually the pinnacle of martial arts, but I'm not like you, a guy with absolutely no sense of responsibility," Li Ling said disdainfully to Yi Tianxing.
"At least I won't just abandon the important task of Mingjian Manor. What I'm thinking about now is when my son is born, I'll train him to be a master, and then I can hand over the management of Mingjian Manor to him. That way, I can relax and focus on practicing martial arts!"
At this point, Li Ling suddenly looked at Yi Tianxing and said, "Our battle in Black Wind Town last time is still unresolved. Recently, my skills have improved, and I won't be able to live a fulfilling life without giving you a good beating. Let's have a match!"
"You want to fight me? Fine, I'll oblige!" Yi Tianxing came to the desert because he was feeling frustrated and wanted to have an opponent to fight and vent his anger, so he immediately agreed.
The two got into position, but before they could even stand still, Yi Tianxing's ears suddenly twitched, and he shouted, "Wait a minute!"
As he spoke, Yi Tianxing pressed his ear to the ground, and after confirming that he heard some familiar hoofbeats, he jumped up and said, "Wait a minute, let's save this fight for next time. I need to leave now!"
"What, you're not trying to run away, are you?!" Li Ling suddenly stepped in front of him and said.
"I am fleeing, but not from you. It's someone else. Oh dear, I can't waste any more time. I'm leaving now. If you want to fight, we'll have a good match when we get back to the Central Plains!"
After saying that, Yi Tianxing bypassed Li Ling, mounted a fast horse parked in front of the blacksmith shop, and quickly left.
Before leaving, he shouted, "Keep an eye on this blacksmith shop for me! Anyone who comes here must say they've never seen me before!"
Seeing that Yi Tianxing seemed unable to avoid him, Li Ling had a thought, but then did not stop him and let Yi Tianxing leave.
Sure enough, not long after, a girl dressed in white with red patterns, carrying a flower drum at her waist and a short knife in her hand, riding a horse arrived. As soon as she saw Li Ling, she pulled down her veil.
Li Ling sized up the girl and noticed a black pattern on her cheek. Before Li Ling could speak, the girl asked directly, "Hey, is Yi Tianxing here?"
"You're looking for Yi Tianxing? He just left not long ago. If you go there now, you might still be able to catch up with him!"
Li Ling pointed in the direction Yi Tianxing had left. He had no intention of keeping Yi Tianxing's identity a secret and betrayed him outright.
"Thanks." With that, the girl spurred her horse and chased after them.
But after a short while, the girl rode back on horseback to the blacksmith's shop and asked Li Ling, "My horseshoe is broken. How much will it cost to replace it?"
Li Ling shrugged: "I really don't know. Yi Tianxing asked me to check this place out for him, so I don't know the prices. If you're in a hurry, just pick one that suits you and pay next time you come!"
Then Li Ling couldn't help but ask, "You've met Yi Tianxing, haven't you?"
“I’ve seen him!” the woman said, sizing up Li Ling.
The girl's scrutiny made Li Ling frown slightly, but before he could speak, she continued, "Thank you. By the way, he asked me to tell you that he is returning to the Central Plains, and his duel with you will have to wait until after you return."
“It’s alright. Even if you hadn’t said it, I would have guessed it. I was already quite surprised that he would stay in the desert for a few months instead of bothering Qin Sirong,” Li Ling said casually.
"Qin Sirong, could she be Yi Tianxing's sweetheart? Is she very beautiful?" the girl asked curiously.
"He is indeed the one he loves, but it's unrequited love on his part. She doesn't care about him at all," Li Ling chuckled.
Then, looking at the girl's pretty face, he said, "In terms of looks, I should be on par with you, young lady."
"I didn't expect you to be so good with words, thank you!" the woman said with a smile.
"By the way, my name is Zhao Yu'er, what's your name?" (The rest of the text appears to be unrelated and likely refers to a different character or phrase.)
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Chapter 193: Are the people of the Central Plains really that rich?
"It really was her!"
Actually, Li Ling had some guesses when he first saw the girl, and he was certain after hearing her answer.
This Zhao Yu'er is the original wife of Yi Jifeng in the story of "Young Zhang Sanfeng".
Born in the desert, she longed for the prosperous life in the Central Plains and wanted to leave the desert. Later, she followed Yi Jifeng to the Central Plains, only to witness the massacre of the Mingjian Manor.
Afterwards, Zhao Yu'er tried every means to help Yi Jifeng restore his family's reputation. During this time, she also showed a lot of longing for a wealthy life. In modern terms, she was a bit of a gold digger.
However, Li Ling had a decent impression of Zhao Yu'er. Although she pursued fame and fortune, she did not leave Yi Jifeng when he was down on his luck, and even tried her best to help him.
In the end of the TV series, in order to help Yi Jifeng marry the princess who was actually the disciple of the Carefree King, "Lightning," Zhao Yu'er committed suicide by poisoning herself, hoping to help Yi Jifeng revive the Famous Sword Manor.
Judging from these events, Zhao Yu'er's nature is not bad.
“My name is Yi Jifeng,” Li Ling said. “I plan to stay in the desert for a while. Do you know the original owner of this blacksmith shop?”