"What's the point of fighting all this time? We share the same planet and the same heart. We shouldn't hurt each other's feelings. Why don't you just give in to me..." Xue Qing said indirectly.
Linghu Julin wasn't having it: "I'll give you one more chance. If you lose this time, you'll have to give me back the Ling Shu."
"...Let me think it over," Xue Qing said, troubled.
As Xue Qing walked, she pondered a solution. Reaching Linghu Zhencai's room, she noticed a wooden sign hanging outside her door that read: "Bathing, Do Not Disturb." The handwriting was quite beautiful, Xue Qing thought approvingly, as a lewd little idea slowly crept into her mind. This method should work; that brat seemed to have some sense of shame after all. Good, in ancient times, there weren't many people as shameless as her.
Xue Qing called Linghu Julin over, and the two stood outside Linghu Zhencai's house. It was a dark and windy night for their tryst, and the sight of two straight, dark figures standing outside the door of a woman who was taking a bath was extremely eerie.
"What do you want to do? A contest to see who kills my second sister first?" Linghu Julin asked.
"No, didn't you say that if you can't do what I can do, you'll admit defeat? I dare to walk in now, do you dare?" Xue Qing said as she entered Linghu Zhencai's room where she was taking a bath.
Linghu Julin stood outside the door, staring intently at the "Bathed in" sign hanging on Linghu Zhencai's door. He felt as if a thousand ants were tearing at his heart, his eyes practically spitting fire, yet he still dared not step into Linghu Zhencai's room. The human body instinctively remembers pain; being burned by fire, one remembers not to go near it again; a fish that keeps bumping into a bathtub remembers it's impossible to swim there. Linghu Julin's fear of Linghu Zhencai was also an instinctive memory. He desperately wanted to take that difficult step, but instinct suppressed his nerves. Etiquette and literature told him that forcibly entering a women's bathhouse was shameful. He hesitated; he hadn't lost to Xue Qing, but to himself.
Linghu Zhencai was puzzled as to why Xue Qing suddenly came in while she was taking a shower. She had already hung a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door. Could Xue Qing not read? Since they were both women, she didn't make a fuss. She simply made eye contact to indicate that she was currently naked and unable to speak.
"So you were taking a shower. I'm so sorry, so sorry. It's nothing, I'll go out now," Xue Qing said apologetically, and left with a smile.
"Kid, you lost." Xue Qing said proudly to Linghu Julin, though she didn't use any honorable methods.
“A bet is a bet,” Linghu Julin said through gritted teeth. “I’ll give you the Ling Shu.”
"Really? You're so... adorable!" Xue Qing excitedly rushed over, hugged Linghu Julin, and kissed him.
Linghu Julin surprisingly did not dodge. He then said, "I've thought about it. Your previous suggestion was very good. If you are mine, then what is yours is mine. A great hero should have a beautiful woman by his side. You look quite good, so I will marry you."
Old love
At Broken Sword Manor, it was Xi'er's turn to be on night watch. After nightfall, she carried her favorite lantern, painted with peony patterns, and patrolled the manor. The manor's security was maintained by servants, and there were also watchmen who continuously checked the candles and storerooms throughout the night. Maids like Xi'er were responsible for more meticulous tasks.
With the master and mistress both deceased, only three young masters remained in the manor. Two of them were already adults, and the second young master often went out, making the maids' work quite easy. Xi'er first went to check on the third young master, Jian Wuyi. Jian Wuyi was already asleep, with two personal maids guarding him on the kang outside. Jian Wuyi was only ten years old. Although inevitably childish, the loss of his mother at a young age made him exceptionally mature and sensible. He was very focused on learning to read and write with his master and never needed much attention. Every maid in the manor doted on him. Xi'er was often bullied when she was young, and in her memory, boys Jian Wuyi's age were all fierce and annoying. Jian Wuyi was different. If it weren't for his sulking refusal to eat when arguing with the second young master, and his frequent attempts at difficult feats because of his admiration for the eldest young master, she would almost have forgotten that he was still a child.
As soon as Xi'er entered the room, the maid on the kang outside woke up. Seeing that it was Xi'er, the two of them went back to sleep without worry. Xi'er tiptoed into Jian Wuyi's room. Jian Wuyi was sleeping on the bed. He lay very straight while sleeping, just like the young master. She wondered if he would grow up to be as scary as the young master. Xi'er leaned closer and saw Jian Wuyi grind his teeth a couple of times. Could he be eating something in his dream? Xi'er almost laughed out loud. She tidied up Jian Wuyi's blanket and left the room with her peony lantern.
Next, she went to the room of the second young master, Jian Wuxin. As soon as she entered the room, Xi'er noticed something was wrong. She went over and pulled back the quilt. Sure enough, there was a pillow inside. The quilt was covering him up tightly. If it were a real person, he would have suffocated long ago. The second young master had gone to spend the night with some girl again. Xi'er sighed. Tomorrow, she would have to report this unfortunate news to the eldest young master again. She would pick a time when he was in a good mood... Does he ever have a good mood?
Only the eldest young master Jian Wuming's room remained. Xi'er carried the lantern and went there. Jian Wuming's bed was clean, with the blankets and pillows neatly arranged. He hadn't been sleeping again today. Jian Wuming had been like this a lot lately. Xi'er knew where to look for him. Following the pebble path, Xi'er arrived at Jian Wuming's private furnace room. From the outside, she could see an oil lamp burning inside. Sure enough, he was here again.
Jian Wuming hated being disturbed while working. Xi'er didn't knock; she gently pushed the door open and saw a roaring fire still burning in the stove. Jian Wuming was sitting beside it, his hand propped on the stone table, chin resting on his hand, eyes closed, dozing off. Honestly, if he's sleepy, he should just go to sleep. Why torture himself like this? Even with the stove nearby, sleeping like this will still make him catch a cold. Luckily, he'd brought a thick fur cloak. Xi'er took off her own cloak, tiptoed to Jian Wuming's side, and draped the cloak over his shoulders.
Jian Wuming didn't know martial arts, but his senses were very sharp. He woke up and turned his head to see Xi'er standing beside him.
"It's your turn to be on night duty again today? It seems like you've been on night duty all the time lately. Are they bullying you, saying they don't want to come out because it's cold, so they just push all the work onto you?" Jian Wuming said.
"Sister Fang caught a cold, Sister Rong has been having stomach problems lately, and Sister Qiao sprained her ankle. I'm healthy, so I volunteered to help them keep watch at night," Xi'er quickly explained.
"Are you in good health? You fall down even when climbing a ladder," Jian Wuming said disapprovingly.
Recalling that day, Xi'er blushed with embarrassment. She and several other maids were flying kites in the courtyard. She had never flown a kite before. The kite got caught on the roof, so she borrowed a ladder from the storeroom to get it down, but she lost her footing and fell. Just then, Jian Wuming happened to be passing by and caught her with his body. At that moment, her whole body was on top of Jian Wuming. Every time she thought about it, she felt extremely embarrassed.
"Well... I've always done manual labor since I was little, so a little tiredness is nothing to me. But you're so delicate, how can you not get enough sleep?" It was rare for Xi'er to have the courage to speak like this in front of Jian Wuming's cold face; she was very worried about his health.
"Do you still remember the war between the desert and the Central Plains? You were too young then, so you probably don't know. Weapons are needed most during times of war and chaos. Suwen appeared during that time. Unfortunately, that senior passed away before completing the final step of the process. The martial world has been very turbulent lately. I have a feeling that something unexpected is about to happen. Divine weapons appear more often during times of chaos. I also want to forge a famous sword like Ling Shu." Jian Wuming said very seriously.
Xi'er knew Jian Wuming's ideal; it was the family's wish. The eldest young master hoped for it, as did the third young master. Even the usually unserious second young master seemed like a different person when forging the sword.
"Yes, you will definitely forge a famous sword that will attract worldwide attention. I'll go make you some tea to refresh you!" Xi'er said.
"Thank you," Jian Wuming replied. Was it Xi'er's imagination? That face, which always seemed angry, seemed to have a gentler look.
Yan Ming set off for the Central Plains. Nangong Luoluo didn't know his purpose in going there. She only knew that it was an opportunity for her. She had never given up searching for her origins and agreed to return to the Underworld with Yan Ming. She dared not escape easily. Last time she escaped from the Underworld, several guards and maids were beheaded by Yan Ming. She didn't want to sacrifice anyone for her. This was a good opportunity for her. Yan Ming was going to the Blissful Peak, which was in the far north. It would take Yan Ming at least several days to get there. She only wanted to go to Wudang Mountain so that she could return to the Underworld before Yan Ming and he wouldn't take his anger out on anyone.
After Yan Ming left, Nangong Luoluo became increasingly furtive. Knowing her kind nature, Yan Ming assumed she wouldn't dare run away and therefore didn't send anyone to watch her. To avoid suspicion, Nangong Luoluo didn't take any luggage, only a few pieces of valuable jewelry Yan Ming had bought for her, which she could pawn for travel expenses. In the long, dark corridors of the Underworld, Nangong Luoluo encountered Lei Ji, the leader of the Asura Path, one of Yan Ming's six subordinates. Nangong Luoluo looked at her timidly; she was somewhat afraid of this woman. Although she was very beautiful, Nangong Luoluo always felt she was a scorpion in human skin, because none of the men she had brought into the room had ever emerged standing.
Lei Ji swayed her hips and stopped as she walked seductively past Nangong Luoluo. She said in a mesmerizingly seductive voice, "With the master not here, even playthings can't stand the loneliness and have to come out for a walk on their own?"
Nangong Luoluo felt very uncomfortable upon hearing this. She didn't dare to refute it, but simply lowered her head and didn't dare to turn away. She always felt that this woman had no fear of Yan Ming and wouldn't give Yan Ming any face. Moreover... she always felt that this terrifying woman wanted to kill her.
Lei Ji seemed to see through Nangong Luoluo's thoughts, and used her crimson fingernails to lift Nangong Luoluo's chin: "Do you know that Yan Ming killed my husband? I should kill you too, that would be fair."
Nangong Luoluo's eyes widened, as if Lei Ji were a terrifying ghost.
Lei Ji smiled alluringly, her beautiful lips parting slightly. "I was just kidding. Anyway, I didn't love him that much. If he's dead, he's dead." Lei Ji smiled seductively, released Nangong Luoluo, and continued to sway away. Nangong Luoluo watched her retreating figure, truly never wanting to see this woman again in her lifetime.
"You're alright," a gentle male voice said.
Nangong Luoluo turned around and saw a refined and gentle man standing before her, around thirty years old, wearing a blue robe with ink-colored patterns. This man was also one of Yan Ming's six subordinates, the Human Path Master, Mo Qingshan. Mo Qingshan was the person Nangong Luoluo had the most contact with in the Underworld besides Yan Ming. She had heard that he used to be a disciple of the Wudang Sect. Perhaps because they were both from the Central Plains, Mo Qingshan was the only person in the Underworld who didn't make Nangong Luoluo nervous. He was always polite. What puzzled Nangong Luoluo the most was how such a person could appear in the Underworld.
"No, it's nothing," Nangong Luoluo hurriedly replied.
“Xiao Lei is a bit willful, so I apologize to you on her behalf,” Mo Qingshan said elegantly.
"It's alright," Nangong Luoluo said hurriedly. Xiao Lei was obviously referring to Lei Ji. She felt it was very strange that someone like Mo Qingshan would have such a close relationship with Lei Ji. What an odd combination.
"Be careful on the road," Mo Qingshan whispered to Nangong Luoluo before leaving.
Nangong Luoluo stared wide-eyed in surprise. How could this man always see through her thoughts? She didn't seem to feel any resentment at being spied on. Indeed, such a monster should stay in the Underworld.
Thanks to her previous experience of escaping, she was quite adept at this escape. Once she reached the Central Plains, she could pawn her jewelry and hire a carriage at the post station to go directly to Wudang Mountain. Nangong Luoluo tightly gripped the black jade carved with a falcon on her chest. This time, she was determined to find out if she was truly a descendant of the Nangong family.
On the peak of bliss, Xue Qing and Linghu Julin stood facing each other.
Linghu Julin said, "I've thought about it. Your previous suggestion was very good. If you are mine, then what is yours is mine. A great hero should have a beautiful woman by his side. You look quite good, so I will marry you."
"What did you say?" Xue Qing wondered if she was hallucinating.
“I said, every great hero has a beauty by his side. Although you have a bad personality, low character, are despicable, shameless, cunning and lewd, and like my second sister, you are an old woman who can’t get married, I will marry you because you are still pretty.” Linghu Julin patiently repeated.