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Capítulo 58

“Senior Li…” Ye Xiao couldn’t bring himself to call him “Uncle” when he thought of him as Luo Qingcheng’s father’s killer. “Do you know that the Alliance Leader Huang just now is also the Enforcement King of Youming City?”

Li Zhong paused slightly, then gave a bitter smile: "I know. He became the Enforcement King for my sake. For my momentary lapse of judgment back then. Back then, both Lu Mingfei and I fell in love with Xiao Hanqing. Hanqing only loved me and was betrothed to me, but Lu Mingfei disregarded the rules of the Central Plains and forcibly took her away. At that time, Youming City had just emerged from the martial world, and few people knew their background. Chongshan went to Youming City to infiltrate at that time..."

"Oh?" Ye Xiao raised an eyebrow. "I heard from Qingcheng that the selection of the Four Heavenly Kings of Youming City is extremely rigorous. How could he gain the trust of City Lord Lu and become a Heavenly King so quickly? Furthermore, he knows the martial arts of the Eighteen Forms of Youming and has used this skill to kill many people. How could Lu Mingfei so easily pass on his secret techniques to him?"

Li Zhong paused slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said, "I don't know the details. After that, he spent most of his time in Wudu City. I even went to great lengths to plan an operation to rescue Hanqing. But fate was unkind, and despite my best efforts, I mistakenly brought back Hanqing's younger sister, Ruqing. The sisters looked very alike. Not long after, Lu Mingfei forcibly married Hanqing. Despite my best efforts, I still lost her..."

Ye Xiao frowned, feeling something was amiss: "Is Heaven not on your side? Does Senior know that Huang Chongshan has been in love with Xiao Ruqing for many years?"

Li Zhong paused again, then shook his head slightly, clearly unaware of the matter.

Ye Xiao then asked, "I heard Madam Hanqing say that Xiao Xun is your son. So, are he and Qingcheng half-brothers?"

Li Zhong gently shook his head: "No. I had made up my mind to forget Hanqing and focus on the affairs of the Martial Alliance. Soon, I married at my mother's behest and had Xiao Xun. My wife died in childbirth, and at that time, Hanqing had just escaped from Youming City and was being chased by Lu Mingfei to the point of desperation. I took her in. She helped me take care of the child and treated Xiao Xun as her own. Miss Ye, it was truly a moment of weakness. If I had been willing to resign from the nominal position of Martial Alliance Leader for her and wander the world with her, perhaps there would have been no entanglements later. Unfortunately, I couldn't let go of fame and fortune, which ultimately led to Lu Mingfei's bloodbath in the martial world, killing innocent people..."

"Wrongfully killing the innocent? But back then, in order to kill Lu Mingfei, you actually used his young son Luo Qingcheng as a hostage, and even threw him off a cliff, almost killing him. Wasn't he innocent too? What's the difference between you and Lu Mingfei?" Ye Xiao tried to hold back again and again, but still couldn't suppress the anger in his heart. If it weren't for this, Luo Qingcheng's life would have taken a completely different trajectory.

Li Zhong's expression was one of utter helplessness: "It's all my fault. Although I was unaware of the situation, Han Qing harmed her own son because of me. Although I didn't lay a hand on him, Chong Shan threw the child off the cliff because of me. So, although I didn't lay a finger on Lu Mingfei, he did die because of me... I am indeed the murderer..."

Ye Xiao was utterly shocked: "You mean... Huang Chongshan threw Qingcheng off the cliff!"

Li Zhong sighed, "That time, Lu Mingfei challenged me to a duel to the death. If I won, Youming City would never set foot in the Central Plains again; if I lost, Youming City would massacre the martial arts world of the Central Plains... This battle was crucial, but Lu Mingfei's martial arts were unbelievably high, and I had no confidence in winning. But I never expected that Hanqing would abduct her own son for me, and that Chongshan would throw the child off a cliff for me, leading Lu Mingfei to jump off the cliff to save him, ultimately causing a human tragedy..."

With a deep sigh, Li Zhong continued, "Young lady, over the years, the thought of that innocent child who died unjustly has kept me awake at night, tormented by my conscience every moment. Fortunately, he has survived and has even become friends with Xun'er. I am very gratified and hope that from now on, our two factions can turn hostility into friendship..."

Ye Xiao lowered her head. Li Zhong was full of remorse, and she couldn't blame him any further. But as for Luo Qingcheng, the hatred was too deep to forget easily.

The road suddenly appeared before them, winding and turning. Li Zhongdao said, "Miss, we've arrived. You'll soon find people if you follow this road. I need to return to Wudu to find out about the mother and child and do my best to protect them. You should find Luo Qingcheng as soon as possible; I think only he has the ability to save them now..."

The true young master

Fallen Leaf Manor boasts the most vibrant autumn colors in the world, with mountainsides ablaze in crimson, orange, yellow, and green, and mountain streams meandering through them, creating a myriad of enchanting and alluring scenes. Ye Xiao sighed; the second brother really knew how to pick a place. A place like paradise on earth—to live here for a lifetime would truly be a wonderful thing.

Luo Qingcheng, a far cry from his usual simple attire, donned brocade robes and a jade belt, making him appear even more radiant, like the rising sun, dazzling and impossible to look directly at. Ye Xiao, feeling ashamed of his appearance, stammered, "Second Brother."

Luo Qingcheng was slightly surprised: "Xiaoxiao? You escaped from Wudu City?"

Ye Xiao's heart skipped a beat: "You knew that Lao San and I encountered danger in Wudu City? You already guessed what happened afterward?"

Luo Qingcheng raised an eyebrow: "I am fully aware of the undercurrents in Wudu City, and of course I can foresee the consequences of even the slightest change. Isn't the boss always smarter than me? How could he not think of such a simple question?"

Ye Xiao was stunned for a moment. Thinking of Xiao Xun's current life and death, the hardships she had endured on her journey, and the people who were originally supposed to share happiness and hardship, were now leisurely watching the show and making sarcastic remarks, she suddenly felt a pang of sadness and didn't want to say another word.

Looking at her expression, Luo Qingcheng guessed at her thoughts and felt a little sad. He didn't explain further, but just leaned back lazily, casually playing with the teacup on the table.

After a long silence, Ye Xiao broke the silence first: "Second brother? I don't know if I can still call you that? Now that you know about the third brother's situation, I hope you can put aside past grievances and take the time to go and save him from his predicament."

Luo Qingcheng said coldly, "I cannot ignore past grievances, and I must go to Wudu City."

Ye Xiao was somewhat disappointed, but still carefully reminded him, "Qingcheng, the third brother has been imprisoned for some time now. If you're going to Wudu, you'd better hurry..."

A fleeting trace of desolation crossed Luo Qingcheng's face: "The young city lord of Wudu City won't die so easily, even if he's a fake. Besides, as long as I don't show myself, what evidence do they have to prove he's a fraud? Unfortunately, I will eventually show myself and expose his false identity..."

"..." Ye Xiao was a little stunned, feeling that the person in front of him was extremely unfamiliar.

Over the next few days, Luo Qingcheng appeared quite relaxed, showing no intention of setting off. Ye Xiao was extremely anxious and kept urging him, but Luo Qingcheng's attitude grew increasingly indifferent.

The atmosphere in the entire manor seemed somewhat mysterious, everyone bustling about. Ye Xiao, bored out of her mind, could only wander aimlessly through the mountains. Fortunately, the scenery here was exquisite, often allowing her to forget her worries. One day, she passed a pool of water, its clear, deep blue reflecting the colorful trees and flowers around it, like a piece of seven-colored glass. Ye Xiao found a rock, dipped her feet into the water, and felt the silky smooth water gliding over her skin, cool and refreshing, temporarily sweeping away all her troubles. She sighed softly. Since she stepped into the martial world at the age of twelve, she had experienced many risks and crises, but never had she felt so troubled. She suddenly felt homesick. Luo Qingcheng had said that her father had always sent people to protect her, but recently they hadn't appeared. Had she gone too far? After resolving the matter with Xiao Xun, she decided to return to Guyun Fortress and stop wandering. The vastness and turmoil of the martial world had already worn her out.

Lost in these thoughts, Ye Xiao watched the sky gradually darken until she heard voices. Not wanting to be seen, she hid behind a rock, but the voices grew closer, and she could clearly hear the conversation.

"Sha Xiong has already sent someone to contact my people, asking me to go to Wudu again to expose Xiao Xun's fake young master identity." It was Luo Qingcheng's voice.

"Oh? That's wonderful! My men and the Wealthy King's forces are already ready. We're just waiting for this final opportunity! We'll set off tomorrow!" Feng Sihai's voice was full of joy.

Luo Qingcheng sighed: "There's something... about Xiaoxiao. I don't want her to go with us. She's still a child at heart, and I'm worried she won't be able to handle the pain of separation."

Feng Sihai also sighed: "Qingcheng, things will work out better with time. You're too hasty. Let's discuss this matter further."

"No. I don't want to wait any longer for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I'm afraid things might change if I wait too long. Grandpa Feng, let's leave first thing tomorrow morning, without disturbing Xiaoxiao. She can't find her way to Wudu by herself." Luo Qingcheng made his decision at the end.

Ye Xiao listened from behind the rock. A separation of life and death? Could it be that Luo Qingcheng actually intended to kill Xiao Xun? Was he not taking her along because he was afraid she would get in the way? The coolness of the pool water rose straight up from her feet, making her shiver all over.

Early the next morning, Luo Qingcheng tiptoed into Ye Xiao's room; she was still fast asleep. Luo Qingcheng gently stroked her cheek, bent down and hugged her for a long time before getting up and leaving.

After he left, Ye Xiao opened his eyes, somewhat confused, and touched his collar, which was damp. Had he cried? Ye Xiao got up, a little bewildered, and went out as planned.

They traveled by carriage again, this time splitting up. Feng Sihai led the majority of his men away first, while Luo Qingcheng took only three people, heading west, soon to enter the desolate mountains. That day, the group rested at a roadside teahouse. Luo Qingcheng stepped out, gazing forlornly at the horizon. The sun was setting, casting colorful clouds across the sky. He wondered how Ye Xiao was doing. Did she hate him for knowing he had secretly left?

He seemed to catch a glimpse of Ye Xiao's eyes, but when he looked closely, he saw nothing. Only a rather magnificent chestnut horse slowly approached, carried by a thin man dressed as a Central Asian. Luo Qingcheng sighed. Was he overthinking things? His gaze shifted to the rider's hand gripping the reins; his eyelids trembled, and he almost couldn't breathe. On the man's wrists, there were clearly two shallow scars.

The rider, head bowed, slowly passed by Luo Qingcheng. Suddenly, a gust of wind swept by, catching him off guard, and he tumbled off his horse. He cried out softly, but luckily, he didn't fall to the ground; instead, he landed in a warm embrace.

Luo Qingcheng caught him, yanked off the tightly wrapped headscarf, revealing a familiar face that he had longed for day and night.

Ye Xiao's actions were exposed, and the thought of being driven away by Luo Qingcheng and never being able to return to Wudu filled her with despair, tears welling up in her eyes. Luo Qingcheng, however, was filled with the joy of having her back. He hugged her tightly and whispered, "Xiao Xiao, you've been following me all this time? And disguised as a man! Luckily, I recognized the scar on your wrist—it was from when Huang Chongshan strangled you while you were hanging from the city wall. There are wolves here…it's too dangerous." He then helped her into his carriage, saying softly, "It's safer if you ride with me. You and Lao San stay in Wudu and wait for me to rescue you. Don't just wander around aimlessly…"

Ye Xiao looked at him with some doubt. Would he save Xiao Xun? Didn't he say he didn't want her to come along? Had he changed his mind so quickly? Luo Qingcheng didn't explain further, but his previous coldness vanished, replaced by gentleness and consideration towards her. As they approached Wudu City, he hesitated for a moment, then disguised Ye Xiao as a man. "Xiao Xiao, it's inconvenient for you to appear before Sha Xiong right now, but I'm worried about leaving you outside the city. Besides, I want to spend a little more time with you. I'm sorry to trouble you."

Someone greeted them at the city gate and led them to the council hall. All the leaders of Wudu City, big and small, were present, their emotions running high as they argued about something. Ye Xiao listened intently; it was about how to deal with Xiao Xun.

A young man slammed his fist on the table, angrily saying, "This is definitely a fake young master! He's a pawn that Wen Yunchun planted to sow discord among us!"

An older leader scoffed, "This matter was debated back then. When Feng Tianwang questioned the young master's identity, both Sha Tianwang and Wen Tianwang supported him. In the end, Feng Tianwang left Wudu for the Central Plains and disappeared without a trace for many years, causing Wudu City to decline. Wen Tianwang is a spy for the Martial Alliance, but that doesn't prove the young master is a fake. What everyone wants is solid evidence!"

When Sha Xiong saw Luo Qingcheng enter, his eyes lit up, and he laughed, "The solid evidence has arrived! You all saw this Young Master Luo Qingcheng last time; his Netherworld Divine Skill has already reached a divine level. He is the true young master of Wudu City! He has the mark of our Shmaha Sacred Ring branded behind his ear! You can all check if you don't believe me!"

Luo Qingcheng straightened up and surveyed the crowd with an imposing air. Everyone felt a chill run down their spines, and the arguing gradually subsided. Luo Qingcheng then spoke: "My original name was Lu Qian. My father was Lu Mingfei. Sixteen years ago, a tragedy occurred; my father was murdered by villains, and I was forced to wander the Central Plains. To escape the eyes and ears of the Martial Alliance, I changed my surname, taking half of each character from Lu Qian to form the character Luo. My father left me a martial arts manual, recording the Netherworld Divine Skill and the Eighteen Forms of the Netherworld, instructing me to master the Netherworld Divine Skill and lead everyone to revive the Shimohe!"

A moment of silence followed, and finally someone cautiously approached to examine the brand behind his ear. Still, some remained unconvinced: "According to the rules of the Shamoha, each successor chosen by the leader is branded with the Shamoha Holy Ring at birth to signify lifelong devotion to the Holy Spirit. However, the Shamoha Holy Ring is a sacred object; aside from the leader, almost no one has ever seen it, and it has been lost for many years. Only a few Heavenly Kings saw this brand back then. Wen Heavenly King was a spy, Shancai Heavenly King's identity is secret, even his name is unknown, and Sha Heavenly King is fickle and untrustworthy! Only Feng Heavenly King has the closest relationship with the leader and is said to have seen the young master. If we can find him and verify the truth, we are willing to believe!"

Ye Xiao touched the Shimoha Sacred Ring on his body, wanting to hand it over to Luo Qingcheng to verify his identity, but he was worried that it would be detrimental to Xiao Xun. Just as he hesitated, he heard Sha Xiong say, "Feng Tianwang is a veteran of Shimoha for three reigns, with a prestigious position, but unfortunately, there has been no news of him for many years. After we support the new city lord, we can spread the word that I think Feng Tianwang will definitely return to Wudu!"

Luo Qingcheng smiled slightly: "Not only have I found the Heavenly King Feng, but I've also found the Heavenly King Shancai. They're right outside the city now, and we can welcome them back right now! The revival of Shimohe is in sight!"

Sha Xiong was utterly astonished. Before he could react, a commotion arose outside, and two men entered, surrounded by a crowd. The first man, with his white hair and beard, was recognized by almost all the elders present—it was Feng Sihai. The other man, however, was completely unknown. The identity of the Wealthy Heavenly King was shrouded in secrecy; he was only accountable to the sect leader and possessed a Heavenly King Seal proving his identity—a fact known to everyone in Wudu. This man now held a square seal, engraved with the image of the Holy God Shimoha and the characters for "Wealthy." It was indeed the Seal of the Heavenly King Shimoha, the proof of his identity!

The two Heavenly Kings approached Luo Qingcheng, bowed respectfully, and stood on either side of him. Feng Sihai smiled and said, "Brothers, how have you been? Back then, Sihai knew that the lady had brought back a fake young master, but he lacked evidence. In a fit of anger, he went to the Central Plains, vowing to find the real young master! Thanks to the Holy God's blessing, he finally got his wish! This time, being able to return to Wudu with the young master is a long-cherished wish of Sihai's! The Martial Alliance is already eyeing us covetously. At this critical juncture, we must support a new city lord and obey his orders to fight against the Martial Alliance."

No one questioned this anymore; they all knelt down, bowed, and cheered in unison. The council hall erupted in applause. Only Sha Xiong, realizing his power in Wudu City was actually less than before, felt a deep resentment and couldn't help but say bitterly, "Excellent! Xiao Xun is indeed a fake young master! Men! Go to the jail and behead him!"

Several people stepped forward upon hearing the voice, but retreated under Luo Qingcheng's suddenly sharp gaze. Luo Qingcheng said coldly, "Sha Xiong, I am the city lord. When did it become your place to give orders? I have my own procedures for dealing with Xiao Xun. You are the Heavenly King of Settlement. Many of your brothers have just arrived in Wudu, travel-worn. You should think carefully about how to treat them!"

Sha Xiong was filled with indignation, but there was nothing he could do, so he could only retreat meekly.

Ye Xiao finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Separation

As night fell, Luo Qingcheng went to the dungeon where Madam Xiao and Xiao Xun were imprisoned. Xiao Xun, after all, had once been the young master of Wudu City, so his cell was warm and dry, with a comfortable and clean bed. Coupled with his naturally magnanimous nature, he remained unperturbed, not even losing a shred of flesh. Upon seeing Luo Qingcheng, he was overjoyed: "Second Brother! You're here! How are you? Have you seen Eldest Brother? The last time I saw her being chased, I lost all contact with her. I've been so worried about her!"

Luo Qingcheng snorted unhappily: "I didn't see any worry on your part! You've even gained some weight in the two months I haven't seen you! By the way, I'm already the city lord of Wudu. Xiaoxiao is biased and won't let me take your position. I took it back from Sha Xiong, so it's not like I stole it from you. You can't go to her and complain later!"

Xiao Xun chuckled: "Judging from your confident look, the eldest sister is definitely alright. She's incredibly smart and will surely turn misfortune into good fortune. My worries are pointless. This position originally belonged to you, so it should be returned to its rightful owner. Besides, I've only been a puppet all these years! Second brother, my mother has already told me everything that happened. My father wronged you, and I don't know how to apologize to you..."

Luo Qingcheng was clearly unwilling to bring up the past: "I'll take you to see Xiaoxiao now, so she won't be upset..."

Suddenly, an angry woman's voice rang out: "Luo Qingcheng, you really are still someone who values profit over righteousness! Do you know how much bloodshed you will unleash upon your return in the Central Plains martial arts world! How could I have given birth to such a ruthless son!"

Luo Qingcheng's body stiffened, and he slowly turned around. Xiao Hanqing's face was twisted with hatred. He slowly took out the toy chick pecking at rice from his pocket and threw it on the ground. The wooden toy shattered with a crash.

"You are my mother? No, I don't believe it. I could never have such a selfish and vicious mother. For so many years, I've wanted to see you and ask you this question on behalf of my father: no matter how he treated others, he was always devoted to you and obedient to you in everything. Why did you scheme to kill him?"

“I didn’t…” Xiao Hanqing cried out, but then she heard Luo Qingcheng continue, “I also want to ask on behalf of Aunt Ru, she is your own sister, and you have always been very close to her, why did you plot against her? Not only did you trick me away, but you also caused her to fall into Huang Chongshan’s hands, suffer all kinds of bullying from the Huang family, and finally die far from home…”

"Ruqing is dead? How could she be dead? I..." Xiao Hanqing finally panicked.

Luo Qingcheng gave her a cold look: "Not only are you selfish and vicious, but you're also incredibly stupid! I really don't understand how my father could have liked a woman like you back then!"

"Second son!" Xiao Xun frowned. "You can't do this! She's your mother, and she's my mother too! Always!"

Luo Qingcheng lowered his head and went out: "Third brother, I'll take you to see Xiaoxiao first."

"Then my mother..."

"I will arrange for her to leave Wudu with you. Although I hate her to the core, if Father were here, he would not bear to see her suffer..." Luo Qingcheng thought of the golden ring. Even after her betrayal, her father still placed that token alongside the Shmaha Sacred Ring, demonstrating the importance he placed on it. Love, indeed, is utterly incomprehensible.

Ye Xiao was finally relieved to see that Xiao Xun was safe and sound. Her worries of the past few days vanished, and she became lively again. She smiled at Luo Qingcheng and said, "Qingcheng, I misunderstood you these days. I lied before. Actually, I..." Suddenly, she felt a numbness in her waist. Her sleeping acupoint had been pressed. She looked at Luo Qingcheng in surprise, but then she suddenly fell into a deep sleep.

Luo Qingcheng pulled her into his arms and laid her horizontally on the bed. He heard Xiao Xun ask in surprise, "Second brother! What are you doing!"

Luo Qingcheng gently stroked Ye Xiao's cheek, tears streaming down her face again. "I'll arrange for someone to escort you down the mountain, all the way to Guyun Fort. Xiao Xiao is cunning; I was afraid she'd cause trouble, so I put her to sleep. Third brother... I'm entrusting Xiao Xiao to you. She's still a child; you can't bully her, and you can't let anyone else bully her. I used to be jealous of her favoritism towards you, and I often lost my temper with her. Now I realize that being able to spend every day with her, seeing her happy smile, is the happiest thing in the world. Why worry about the final outcome? I regret it so much; I've been trying to make up for it these past few days. I want to use these last days to fulfill all her wishes and see her smiling every moment. I hope... she'll remember my kindness and forget my coldness towards her..."

Luo Qingcheng was always cold and aloof, and Xiao Xun had never seen him like this before. He knew something was wrong, but he didn't understand why.

Luo Qingcheng continued, "On the way...don't say anything to her, just say that you...were driven out of Wudu by me and will never be able to come back...say...I have severed ties with you, and we are no longer brothers..."

"Then... how can you expect Xiaoxiao to keep praising you?" Xiao Xun asked in surprise.

"..." Luo Qingcheng could hardly speak, and after a long while he managed to squeeze out a sentence, "She will eventually understand... the world is dangerous. Third brother, you should stay with her in Guyun Fort from now on." Suddenly he pulled out the dagger.

Xiao Xun saw a flash of cold light and cried out in surprise, only to see Luo Qingcheng cut off Ye Xiao's long braid: "The first time I saw Xiao Xiao, her long braid was quite eye-catching. Consider it a keepsake for me..." He slowly stood up, walked to the door, and as if he had used up all his strength, turned back to instruct Xiao Xun: "Third brother, don't cause trouble on the road, don't talk to people from the martial arts world, and go home as soon as possible. Xiao Xiao's family has been looking for her..." He gritted his teeth, turned around, and walked away quickly.

Xiao Xun chased after him out the door, but only saw his somewhat lonely figure, which quickly faded into the distance under the cold moonlight...

Two days had passed when Ye Xiao woke up, ravenously hungry. The carriage rumbled along, Xiao Xun holding a large bowl of rice, his heart burning with hunger. Seeing her awake, he finally breathed a sigh of relief: "Eldest brother, you're finally awake! That idiot second brother! I told him a thousand times to release your pressure points at the stroke of midnight, lest you starve, but he forgot that he used a unique technique, one I couldn't undo. He almost starved you to death!"

Ye Xiao was indeed so hungry that she was dizzy. She lifted the carriage curtain and looked outside, exclaiming in surprise, "Why aren't we in Wudu City anymore?"

Xiao Xun hesitated for a moment: "Uh... the second brother kicked us out..."

Ye Xiao's big eyes blinked, then quickly lost their sparkle, tears welling up in them. Because of her inferiority complex, she had always deliberately kept her distance from Luo Qingcheng. He always blamed her for being biased, and she couldn't give a reasonable explanation. Now he was really angry... and would never forgive them again...

The carriage took them all the way to Guyun Fortress. Xiao Xun remembered Luo Qingcheng's instructions and tried to avoid stopping for food and lodging in places frequented by martial arts figures along the way, so they got along peacefully. When they arrived at Guyun Fortress, the coachman, remembering Luo Qingcheng's words, said to the three of them fiercely, "Young Master said that he is single-mindedly focused on revitalizing Wudu City and does not want to be burdened by anything else. Therefore, he never wants to see you again in this life, nor does he acknowledge you as his brothers!"

Ye Xiao never expected Luo Qingcheng to be so heartless. Tears finally welled up in her eyes, and something in her chest shattered with a crack, leaving a hollow and painful feeling.

It was late autumn, and fallen leaves were everywhere. Lonely Cloud Fortress was indeed an unusual place in the martial world. Although it had a news agency that collected and sold all the information in the world, it was also peaceful and serene, like a paradise. If you didn't want to, you could hear absolutely nothing about the rumors of the martial world. Ye Xiao seemed truly weary of this martial world, staying home engrossed in reading, rarely venturing out. Only at sunset would she lean against the balcony railing, gazing into the distance, lost in thought. The autumn wind tousled her oddly short hair, casting it into strange silhouettes in the setting sun. She never asked why her braids had disappeared overnight.

Xiao Hanqing spent her days in the room arranged by Guyun Fortress, mostly lost in thought. Luo Qingcheng's words stirred up a thousand ripples in her heart, and she finally began to doubt everything that had happened before. Xiao Xun was even more preoccupied. Luo Qingcheng's unusual behavior when he left had etched a huge question mark in his mind. He knew that only Ye Xiao could probably answer this question. However, Luo Qingcheng's repeated warnings made him dare not speak easily.

Not long after, Xiao Xun finally learned that the Martial Alliance had mobilized its entire forces to attack Youming City. This was not unexpected. He had known Huang Chongshan for many years and knew very well that Huang Chongshan was a man who would never give up easily. He also knew that Wudu City's strength was no match for the Martial Alliance, which was at its peak. Moreover, Huang Chongshan had personally infiltrated Wudu for nearly twenty years and knew the city's terrain and strength like the back of his hand. Therefore, he couldn't see any possibility of Luo Qingcheng winning. However, the best of the thirty-six stratagems is to flee. If Luo Qingcheng was willing to abandon Wudu, leave his homeland, and live in anonymity, it might not be a bad way to survive. Back then, when Feng Sihai led his men into the Central Plains, the Martial Alliance hadn't been able to do anything to them all these years, had they?

Therefore, Xiao Xun couldn't understand Luo Qingcheng's outburst that day. His behavior that day was as if it were a matter of life and death; what exactly went wrong? He didn't tell Ye Xiao about this, but he often woke up in the night feeling guilty, asking himself, was Luo Qingcheng really in danger? Did he have some selfish motive in hiding the truth from Ye Xiao?

Inside the room, Ye Xiao quietly flipped through the account books. Her father was somewhat stubborn, yet deeply devoted to her mother. After her mother's death, he refused to remarry or take concubines, leaving her as his only child. The eldest daughter of the Long family was uneducated and incompetent, so the vast fortune of Guyun Fort would ultimately fall on her shoulders. Therefore, from a young age, she was forced to study these tedious accounts, even though at that time, her mind was entirely focused on venturing into the martial world. Now, she was weary, and aware of her future responsibilities, she could finally calmly sort through these dry accounts. Actually, it wasn't difficult, as long as she could endure the loneliness.

But… she glanced at the garden outside; the chrysanthemums had withered and fallen to the ground. Snow falls even in the eighth month of the lunar calendar in the northern regions; she wondered if it had snowed in Wudu City, nestled deep in the northwestern mountains.

Xiao Xun entered the room and dawdled over to her side: "Boss, the Martial Alliance is going to attack Wudu."