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Junyu and Zhu Yu went on stage first.

To ensure fairness and safety, all weapons were standardized during the examination; at this moment, they both held ordinary iron swords. The two men touched sword tips together, exchanging a gesture of respect as fellow disciples. They exchanged a glance, neither speaking, and simultaneously thrust their swords forward. For a moment, the sword light flashed, sometimes fast, sometimes slow. After fifty moves, Zhu Yu's sword tip flicked back, thrusting diagonally. Jun Yu leaped aside, parrying Zhu Yu's sword with a backhand stroke. He then spun around, launching a swift attack. Zhu Yu had no time to dodge; the sword tip was already aimed directly at his chest.

Zhu Yu's face turned pale. He quickly glanced at Prime Minister Zhu, whose face was full of disappointment and anger, on the platform. Jun Yu smiled slightly and sheathed his long sword.

Just as Junyu turned around, a gust of wind rose behind her, and Zhu Yu suddenly thrust his sword at her shoulder. Everyone was shocked. In an instant, Junyu's left shoulder was slashed open, and at the same time, she turned around and stabbed Zhu Yu's arm with an incredibly fast backhand.

With a loud shout, Prime Minister Zhu, who had leaped off the stage, grabbed Junyu's pulse point. "You brat, who is Lan Xisi to you? Tell me! Where did you learn that 'Five-String Hand' move?"

Prime Minister Zhu's voice was stern, and he raised his palm. If Junyu were to answer carelessly, he would likely be killed instantly. Even Zhu Yu seemed to have forgotten the blood and pain on his arm, looking at his father with extreme fear.

Jun Yu's pulse was held firmly by Prime Minister Zhu, rendering her unable to move. Blood streamed down her shoulder, yet she proudly declared, "She is my mother."

Prime Minister Zhu sneered, "The hatred of killing one's son is irreconcilable. Tell me quickly, where is Lan Xisi? Otherwise, I will kill this bastard..."

"No one is allowed to kill anyone at Qiansi Academy!" Young Master Nongying shouted, his movements swift as the wind, pulling Junyu towards him. Young Master Nongying was the academy's policy advisor, teaching only literature and not martial arts; this was the first time the students had seen him in action.

Two of Prime Minister Zhu's close attendants leaped to the side, and a fierce battle was about to begin.

Mei Mei stared at Prime Minister Zhu and said in a deep voice, "Prime Minister, Lan Xisi has long since passed away, and Young Master Zhu has also been gone for many years. It is better to resolve enmity than to perpetuate it."

"Lanxisi is dead?" Prime Minister Zhu was stunned. More than ten years ago, Lanxisi injured his only son at the time. Although his son did not die directly at her hands, he became depressed and bedridden, dying less than a year later. For the past ten years, he had been thinking about how to kill his enemy. It turned out that Lanxisi was already dead.

He seemed to remember Zhu Yu only then, and turned his head. The two gentlemen were already bandaging Zhu Yu's wounds. Although the situation was dangerous, he and Junyu had only suffered minor injuries and were not in any serious condition.

"Prime Minister, both Lan Xisi and Young Master Zhu are deceased. I hope you will spare this child." Mr. Zhu finally spoke, stunned by the sudden turn of events. Over a year ago, his wife brought this child home, saying he was the son of an old friend, orphaned at a young age and raised at an academy. His wife had traveled the world in her youth, met Mr. Zhu, and then retired from public life. She never spoke of her past, and Mr. Zhu never inquired about it. Although he was unaware of the feud between Lan Xisi and Young Master Zhu, he absolutely could not allow Junyu to die on the spot.

Prime Minister Zhu stared viciously at Junyu: "Since Lanxisi is dead, I can spare this bastard, but he must leave the academy and never appear in front of me again in this lifetime."

"The academy has the final say on whether students stay or leave," Young Master Nongying said coldly.

"Then you can just wait for the academy to close down." Prime Minister Zhu sneered, and personally pulled Zhu Yu along. "Yu'er, let's go."

"Prime Minister..." Mr. Zhu chased after him.

The group of gentlemen looked at each other in bewilderment and had no choice but to disperse.

Mei Mei had already bandaged Junyu's wound and asked with concern, "Junyu, does it hurt a lot?"

Junyu shook his head and hesitated, "What deep-seated hatred does my mother have with Young Master Zhu?"

"It was an accident, it was an accident..." Mei Mei clearly had no intention of discussing this topic further.

Seeing Junyu's confused and frightened expression, Mr. Nongying smiled and comforted her, "Junyu, this injury will heal quickly. Don't worry about anything, just stay at the academy. Although Prime Minister Zhu is angry, he wouldn't hold a grudge against a child..."

He looked at Meng Yuanjing, who had run over and was staring at Junyu with a panicked expression, and said, "You go back with Junyu first."

Meng Yuanjing immediately helped Junyu away.

Five days later, Junyu's wounds had completely healed. In her spare time, she still practiced chatting and laughing with Meng Yuanjing, Sun Jia, Qin Xiaolou and others, full of energy.

Mei Mei breathed a sigh of relief; at this age, many things tend to go smoothly.

That evening, after class, Meng Yuanjing was packing his books when a note suddenly appeared in his hand. Junyu winked at him, as if telling him to be quiet, and then quickly walked away.

Early that morning, seeing that his classmates were already asleep, Meng Yuanjing quietly got up and went to the back mountain. Junyu had written a note asking him to meet her there.

In the dim moonlight, he saw Junyu carrying a bundle and was taken aback. He whispered, "Junyu, what are you doing?"

Junyu said softly, "I'm leaving soon, take care."

"Does Master's wife know?" Yuan Jing looked at her hurriedly. "Master Zhu is so renowned, Prime Minister Zhu won't make things difficult for him, will he..."

“If I don’t leave, Prime Minister Zhu will never let the academy go.”

Mr. Zhu was renowned throughout the land, yet he was repeatedly impeached by some officials in the court, who accused him of gathering followers in the remote mountains to preach "false learning" and accept "false disciples," warning the court against his "misdeeds." Because of this, Mr. Zhu's works were once banned by the court, but the ban was lifted in less than six months. The Qiansi Academy was able to survive in such times not only because of its secluded location deep in the mountains, but more importantly because the son of Prime Minister Zhu was studying there. The academy's main income came from the "school land" at the foot of the mountain. These school lands were allocated by the government and rented by nearby farmers. Although the academy's expenses were very simple, it often struggled to make ends meet due to the large number of students. Mr. Zhu had applied for subsidies from the government several times, but to no avail, until Prime Minister Zhu, having heard of the academy's reputation, sent his son there, and immediately allocated a thousand acres of fertile land to the academy.

Junyu tugged at the headscarf on her head with some unease: "Look, he's taken Zhu Yu away. If I stay, I don't know how much trouble I'll cause Mr. Zhu. Mr. Zhu is a man of integrity; how can he be controlled by someone because of me..."

Meng Yuanjing looked at her with concern, "Where can you go?"

“There’s always somewhere to go.” Junyu forced a smile, picked up her bundle, which contained two sets of clothes and the “Niijing” sword that Mei Mei had given her. She remembered what Mei Mei had told her, “From now on, you will have to rely entirely on yourself to grow up.”

Before Meng Yuanjing could say anything more, Junyu waved to him and strode away.

"Take care, Junyu!" He took a step forward. This was the first time he had faced parting. He stood there blankly in the darkness, tears streaming down his face.

Junyu neither answered nor turned around, but quickened her pace and ran. Soon, her figure completely disappeared into the darkness in the distance.

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Chapter 4: The Big Auction of Beautiful Girls

This is a desolate town on the border between the Han and non-Han peoples.

For a considerable period, the Han Chinese in the surrounding areas traded ironware, tea, grain, and silk for jewels and horses from the nomadic tribes beyond the Great Wall. However, since the border war began three years ago, trade has been severely disrupted. Wherever the Hu king's army went, those valiant knights discovered that a victorious war could effortlessly plunder vast amounts of wealth, ironware, women, and children... Thus, they grew enamored with this kind of unearned gain, obtained at the cost of their own or others' lives.

However, before they could even fully enjoy the wealth and women they had easily plundered, they discovered a new problem: most of the border residents had fled, and trade had almost ceased. After several brutal wars, they found it increasingly difficult to obtain necessities such as tea, salt, and grain.

Two years ago, to replenish its supplies, the Hu King dispatched the "Tanmaqi Army," skilled in long-distance expeditions, to launch a deep raid on Phoenix City, located 200 li (approximately 100 kilometers) from the border. Phoenix City was nestled against mountains and beside water, rich in resources. The army was led by the Monlier brothers, generals. The Monlier brothers had spent half their lives on the battlefield, experiencing no fewer than 100 battles, large and small. Two years ago, they led 3,000 men and routed the 10,000-strong army led by General Peng Dong, who was then stationed at Xifeng Pass.

When scouts reported that the current general defending Phoenix City was none other than Peng Dong, Monlier laughed three times and personally led 5,000 elite troops to meet his defeated foe at night. Three days later, as the King of Hu awaited news of victory in his tent, Monlier's brother, Mongkechi, rushed in alone. He opened a box containing Monlier's head and a short note. Monlier's 5,000 elite troops had been completely annihilated. The note contained only one sentence: "Those who offend Phoenix City, though far away, shall be punished."

The army was shaken. King Hu immediately sent people to inquire and learned that the person in charge of Phoenix City was no longer General Peng Dong, but a mysterious young man. The soldiers and people in Phoenix City called him "Flying General of Phoenix City", and the army he led was called "Phoenix Army".

A year ago, the Hu King allied with the newly rising Chijin tribe on the vast grasslands, sharpening their swords and reigniting war on the border. This time, 3,000 elite Chijin soldiers led the charge. The Chijin cavalry were renowned for their bravery, but when they encountered 1,000 Phoenix cavalry on the Black Wind Pass grasslands, they were almost completely annihilated. The Chijin Khan was shocked; in their history of battles against the Han Chinese, cavalry had always been a weakness of the Han army, and he hadn't expected the Phoenix cavalry to be so skilled in combat.

The Crimson Gold Clan and the Hu King were not satisfied. Half a year ago, they mobilized 10,000 elite troops to annihilate the Phoenix Army. This time, their army was ambushed before even reaching Black Wind Pass. The Crimson Gold Khan was directing his troops to stabilize the situation when a swift horse suddenly charged out. A young man leaped up, drew his bow, and shot the Khan from afar. Until his death, the Crimson Gold Khan didn't even see the man's face clearly. Only amidst the cheers of the Phoenix Army did he learn that this man was none other than the "Flying General of Phoenix City," who had repeatedly defeated the Hu King.

After several defeats, the Crimson Gold Clan and the Hu King's army were forced to retreat and instead harass other passes, while "Phoenix City Flying General" became even more renowned. Afterwards, trade in the town almost ceased, gradually degenerating into a criminal underworld marketplace and a human trafficking center.

One day in early autumn.

The sky had completely darkened, and the intense heat of the day was slowly fading. In front of the only shop in the town, a yellowish flag fluttered lazily for a moment.

The inn was located at the very end of the town, outside of a large, dusty open space. The owner of this transaction had erected a huge platform in the open space, where 66 enormous wooden candles, burning brightly, illuminated the night sky of this border town as if it were daytime. On the platform, there was only a table and chair made of jade, and dozens of guards stood on both sides of the platform.

The crowd below was buzzing with excitement, with many people secretly wondering who the owner was, able to set up the stage like this in just half an hour. Although similar trading and auction activities were often held here, none had ever been as mysterious as this, because even now, no one knew what kind of goods the owner had.

Amidst the noise, a giant fat man, at least 10 feet tall, strolled onto the stage and calmly sat down in the chair in the center.

This fat man is named Jiang Zhilin. He is the most famous lone bandit in the Qinling Mountains. In his early years, he had connections in both the legitimate and criminal worlds. However, in the last ten years, he has gradually retired from the underworld and started a business of laundering goods. Today, he is holding a grand auction. Is he going to display black goods or white goods?

Jiang Zhilin then said: "Dear guests, a new shipment has arrived today. Please feel free to take a look."

With a clap of his hand, the curtain behind the stage was flung open with a "whoosh," and more than twenty young women were shoved out. These women all looked haggard, some terrified and uneasy, others blank and expressionless. Some were clearly kidnapped from the border region between the Han and non-Han peoples, while a few, dressed in Wu-style clothing and Suzhou brocade, had actually come from Jiangnan!

There was an uproar in the audience, but no one stepped forward.

Jiang Zhilin spoke again: "Distinguished guests, this is the first batch of goods for this transaction. The price starts at 50 taels of silver per head, based on the number of people. As usual, the highest bidder wins."

Although these girls have different expressions and clothing, upon closer inspection, each one, regardless of their size or plumpness, has a unique and charming beauty. The starting price of 50 taels is very reasonable.

After the initial shock, before Jiang Zhilin could speak again, many men swarmed forward, pinching and groping her buttocks, examining the group of women who were being sold like livestock.

Amidst the rising and falling shouts, more than twenty women screamed and dodged, their shrill cries only fueling the interest of the frenzied men, who, as if dazzled by the choices, burst into laughter.

"Three thousand taels, I'll buy it all..."

The noisy atmosphere on stage instantly quieted down; almost everyone, both on and off stage, had clearly heard those words. Only then did everyone realize that a young man had suddenly appeared on stage. As for when and how he had gotten on stage, almost no one had seen him.

The man with a sword at his side, who had been standing calmly to the side, suddenly showed a fleeting hint of doubt when he saw the young man on the stage. He stared intently at the young man, who wore a light blue robe and whose eyes, like cold stars, shone brightly. His gaze occasionally swept over the crowd below, revealing an imposing indifference, only showing a hint of warmth when he inadvertently looked at the group of flustered women on the stage.

Jiang Zhilin's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. "This young master offered three thousand taels... Is there anyone offering more?"

The men in the audience stared at the young man, speechless, not understanding why this pretty boy was buying so many girls at once! Jiang Zhilin asked three times, but no one bargained anymore. He waved his hand, and the group of men left the stage cursing.

"make a deal"!

Jiang Zhilin had barely finished speaking when a silver note fell from the sky, landing squarely on the table in front of him. The young man faced the group of girls and smiled gently. The girls, who had been cowering and dodging fearfully, huddled together on the stage, suddenly fell silent upon seeing the young man's smile, staring at him in a daze.

The man with the sword realized for the first time that a simple smile could have such great power. The candlelight in the hall seemed to dim for a moment, and the group of girls who were originally frightened and even sobbing quietly calmed down one by one under such a smile. They followed the boy and walked off the stage.

The man with the sword followed without a second thought.

The young man stopped at the entrance of the inn. The innkeeper didn't ask any questions and opened the door to welcome the God of Wealth. The young man glanced at the girl walking at the front; among the group of girls, she had consistently appeared the most composed.

"What's your sister's name?" The boy's dark eyes, as he looked at the group of girls, were like the spring sunshine, suddenly brightening the night.

The girl whose name was called was not shy at all. She smiled and said, "My name is Luo Luo!"

"Okay, Luo Luo, I'll come pick you up in a bit. You're in charge of taking good care of them." The young man gave a brief instruction, then turned around and glanced at the man with a sword beside him. The man smiled at him, but the young man didn't smile; his face remained lazy. "And who are you, sir?"

The man with the sword laughed loudly, "I am Wang Jun, from Jiangnan!"

The young man was a little surprised. Wang Jun came from "Louju," one of the four great martial arts families in Jiangnan. He was a famous young master from a prominent family. At this moment, he actually appeared at this human auction venue.

Just as Wang Jun was about to speak, the boy moved and turned around. In the darkness of the night, among the many shadowy figures, the boy was nowhere to be seen.

Even after the young man bought the group of women, the commotion below the stage didn't stop; everyone was clearly curious about what Jiang Zhilin's next item would be. A wicked smile flashed across Jiang Zhilin's eyes. He waved his hand, and two groups of people filed out from behind the curtain, instantly lining up on either side of the stage. The two groups, totaling 16 people, together with the two rows of guards below, subtly formed an encirclement.

Upon seeing this display, everyone felt a chill run down their spines, wondering what kind of rare treasure this was.

Jiang Zhilin's gaze was sharp, and he spoke with a strong voice: "Next, we will be auctioning off goods that I believe all the guests present will find very interesting..."

He clapped his hands again, and the curtain on the stage suddenly opened. Two burly women helped a tall girl sit on the only chair in the arena, and then stood on either side of her.

The audience fell silent instantly, all eyes fixed on the young woman. She possessed extraordinary beauty, her purple silk robes exuding an air of refined elegance and nobility. She was clearly immobilized, sitting motionless in her chair, completely at their mercy.

These powerful outlaws, who considered themselves experts in their field, realized upon seeing this young woman how utterly vulgar and clumsy the beauties they had previously perceived were. The girl's eyes were pitiful, filled with both resentment and a hint of stubbornness; the complex mix of emotions in her gaze was heartbreaking.

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Chapter 5: The Flying General of Phoenix City

Wang Jun leaped onto the stage in a flash: "Jiang Zhilin, what will it take for you to release him?"

Jiang Zhilin glanced at the many people below the stage who were already eager to participate, and sneered: "Quite a few famous figures associated with 'Lotus Manor' have come, haven't they? Since this is an auction, I suggest you listen to the rules and hear me explain the terms before you start bidding..."

It turns out that the "goods" Jiang Zhilin was referring to were actually Shi Lanni, the young lady of "Love Lotus Manor".

"Love Lotus Manor" is the head of the four great families in Jiangnan. The manor owner, Shi Daming, is the current leader of the martial arts alliance. In his early years, he was invincible in the martial arts world. In recent years, he has been in seclusion and rarely even his family members can see him. Now, his daughter has been captured by Jiang Zhilin and auctioned off like a commodity!

Wang Jun, his face full of anger, turned around. Two women stood behind the girl, each holding a sharp dagger. It seemed that if anyone dared to make a move, the girl would die instantly.

Wang Jun looked at the two gleaming blades and had no choice but to retreat immediately.