Huancheng Shen Shen

Chapitre 22

"Huh?" Che Shui was slightly taken aback and involuntarily looked at Shuang Jing. The latter also looked up at him, and then the two of them turned to look at Xuan Sheng. Seeing the two of them like this, the others also turned their attention to the second young master of Half Moon City.

"?" Xuan Sheng raised an eyebrow, looking back in confusion: "What?"

"Xuan Sheng told us to steal these two items," Che Shui shrugged. "So we went."

You guys are really obedient... Plum Blossom looked at him speechlessly: "But there has to be a reason."

"There's no reason. We were all young back then, and we heard that the number one thief's manor in the world was very difficult to break into. In order to establish ourselves in the martial arts world and make a name for ourselves as soon as possible, Xuan Sheng said we could come here to take a look. We were young and reckless back then, and we were capable of doing anything crazy. We were fearless." The master of Chongchonglou spread his hands indifferently: "Before that, we also went to Fengdaige, Honghubao, Peach Blossom Village... It seems like we've been to almost every place in the martial arts world, except for Half Moon City..."

"Was it difficult to break into Jianrou Manor back then?" Xuan Sheng asked unconsciously, looking around. Today, he and Mei Hua had easily run in, even though they were chased and exhausted.

“It must be difficult to get through even now, if you really want to steal things out of here.” Che Shui shook his head and explained, “The Jianrou Manor I’m talking about is different from this place. This is just a tiny, tiny part of this manor.” He looked around, turned around and pointed to the cliffs on the horizon: “When we came to steal things, we stole them from inside that mountain. There’s a huge maze inside. Just like this palace embedded in the mountain, there are many places in Jianrou Manor that I’ve never seen before. It’s a seemingly boundless manor.”

"But back then, didn't Xuan Sheng say why he wanted to steal these two things?" Mei Hua asked, frowning.

"No. There's no need for explanations between us," Che Shui replied calmly and indifferently.

"Between us, no explanation is needed." Hua Wushuang and Jing Shan, standing nearby, were slightly taken aback. It's said that there are many life-and-death friendships in the martial world, but the bond between the four young masters of Chongchonglou, Qishimen, Ziweitang, and Banyuecheng is unparalleled. When Chongchonglou seized power, the entire martial world sighed, partly out of regret for the death of Shen Tiansha and the serious injuries to Xuansheng and Shuangjing, and partly out of emotion for the friendship between the four. It seems that even now, nothing has changed.

Looking at the few people standing silently under the moonlight and torchlight, Hua Wushuang couldn't help but sigh inwardly and said softly, "It's alright. Perhaps you will know the reason soon."

Suddenly a heavy sound came, and the bulky door in front of them slowly opened.

Sword and Soft Manor: Don't Bully a Young Man in the Jianghu (5th Edition)

Suddenly a heavy sound came, and the bulky door in front of them slowly opened.

"Please." Hua Wushuang gestured and said.

Everyone following behind him and Jing Shan couldn't help but squint to see clearly.

Before me lay a spacious, dark room, with only a few dim lights illuminating the front section. Dozens of bookshelves stood neatly arranged, overflowing with books and scrolls. Some shelves were overflowing, with white paper haphazardly stuffed into the gaps. On the floor lay scrolls of paper, dried-up pens, and cracked inkstones. Between the bookshelves stretched a bottomless aisle, leading endlessly into a vast, dark abyss at the back. Looking up, all was shrouded in darkness; it seemed all light had been blocked out, and the air was filled only with the dry, dusty smell of sand.

The only light came from a direction about several dozen steps away from the door. Everyone turned to look and saw several tables set up together, with an extremely long sheet of white paper spread on it, several feet long, trailing on the ground. There were several candles and writing implements on the tables, indicating that someone was studying hard all night.

"Lord of the Manor." Suddenly, a voice came from the darkness. Shuang Jing and the others recognized the person who had opened the door earlier. They all looked in that direction, and then... they all lowered their heads and looked down.

A beautifully sculpted child was holding a lantern, blinking and scrutinizing them. He was probably only seven or eight years old, incredibly adorable, with bright, clear eyes that darted around curiously as he looked at the group of people before him. His robe seemed a little too big, its soft, fluffy fabric trailing on the ground, causing him to stumble as he walked. Fine beads of sweat covered his forehead, a result of the effort he had put into opening the door.

Everyone fell silent, and then all eyes turned to Hua Wushuang and Jing Shan.

Are you bullying a child?! How dare you lock such a cute child up in this place, never seeing the light of day?

"Sect Master...?" The child spoke up, his soft voice tinged with impatience. He pouted, "Who are they?"

“Cai Ren, they are my guests. They have urgent business to investigate.” Hua Wushuang said with a smile, patting his head.

Unexpectedly, the child's face darkened, and his still-childish expression suddenly took on a comical, sullen look. His cheeks puffed out, and he pointed angrily at the crowd, saying, "Oh, I see, they must be the Seven Stones Sect Master and the Chongchonglou Sect Master, right?" Seeing the Sword Soft Manor Lord nod, he snorted and turned to mutter, "They stole things from us and dare to ask where they came from..." Ignoring the astonishment of the others, he put his hands on his hips and angrily looked at Hua Wushuang, saying crisply, "Manor Lord, really! Don't you know the library's hours are long over? Even the manor's owner can't ignore the rules here. If you can't set an example, how can you expect everyone to be convinced? Hmm?"

The words left everyone speechless, and they all turned to look at Hua Wushuang, who was being lectured. Hua Wushuang was still squatting on the ground, smiling, when he reached out and patted Cai Ren's head, ruffling his hair. He then pulled Cai Ren's cheeks to the side, saying, "Oh my, you're so cute! This feigned maturity is just too adorable... I love it so much! >w<" He said, hugging Cai Ren tightly and kneading him vigorously.

Cai Ren became even more impatient with him, kicking and waving her hands in struggle, shouting, "Master, there are guests here, what kind of behavior is this... what kind of behavior is this..."

"..." Jing Shan rubbed her temples, turned to the crowd who were watching the spectacle with bated breath, and said, "Come with me, I'll explain why we're here." With that, she picked up a lamp from the table and gracefully walked deeper into the library. The others exchanged glances and followed her.

Darkness enveloped the room, the lamp flickering, its light dancing and then extinguishing wherever they passed. Shuangjing peered out by the light; the rows of bookshelves seemed endless, their shadows cast on the distant walls like phantoms traversing a deep forest. Several enormous bronze mirrors stood among the bookshelves, reflecting their countless images, making the study appear to stretch on and on.

Half of Jing Shan's face was illuminated by the light, the golden patterns on her mask gleaming brilliantly, swaying in the lamplight like golden butterflies floating in the air. Her voice echoed in the silent space: "The Master once told me that the Locked Heart Bronze Mirror and the Half-Moon Luo Ying are both related to the Thousand Heroes Pavilion and the Ten Thousand Heroes Fortress. These two gangs had already declined when they rose to power in the previous dynasty. That was about two hundred and sixty years ago." She stopped in front of a row of bookshelves: "These are records from unofficial folk histories from the early days of the previous dynasty. Over there are historical records that were ordered to be burned by the Emperor of the Tian Qin Dynasty. If you search here, you're sure to find some records."

"..." Everyone stared in complete silence at the two rows of shelves piled high with books and scrolls.

"How long will it take to find them?!" Che Shui couldn't help but groan.

"It shouldn't be long... Among you, you have the most capable spy, don't you? She should be able to find clues soon." Jing Shan said with a cold smile to Mei Hua. The latter was silent for a moment, then immediately rolled up her sleeves, ready to start searching.

"No way, Plum Blossom? You're taking this so seriously?" Che Shui, who thought she would complain in the same way, looked at her in surprise.

"If you want to know the truth, then come and help me." The Plum Blossom Hall Master said coldly, pointing at each book on the bookshelf without turning her head, taking down whatever she found. In no time, she had several dusty books and scrolls in her arms.

Che Shui sighed and turned around to ask, "Could you bring us a few more lamps?"

“Okay.” Jing Shan put down the lamp in her hand, lit some candles that had already melted next to the bookshelf, and said, “I’ll get you some more candles.”

Seeing that both Shuangjing and Cheshui and Meihua had started to search for relevant information on tiptoe, Shuangjing glanced at Xuansheng, who was also looking at the book title, and then jogged ahead to catch up: "Miss Jingshan... I have something to ask you."

"?" Jing Shan looked at the beautiful woman who had once dominated the martial world. Remembering that the Sword Soft Manor Master had given her a grand salute, she felt a greater sense of respect and nodded slightly, saying, "Sect Master, there's no need to be so polite. Please ask."

"Hmm... what is that Cai Ren doing here?" Shuang Jing asked, looking at the child who was angrily scolding Hua Wushuang.

“Cai Ren? He’s in charge of keeping records. Jian Rou has many thieves. Every day, thieves come from all directions, bringing the latest news. He goes down the mountain every day to keep records, recording all the happenings in the world.” Jing Shan smiled: “This library can be said to be a folk history.”

"This is a massive undertaking." As Jing Shan had expected, Shuang Jing did not question Cai Ren's abilities because of his age, but simply exclaimed with admiration.

"And what's more, he's also organizing and recording all the scrolls and books in this library, as well as the internal history of the manor," Jing Shan said proudly, then pointed to the white paper spread out on several tables put together, "Although this project has been going on for a while, such a meticulous approach was started by Cai Ren."

"You mean, ever since the Sword Soft Manor was founded, someone has been recording everything that happens here?" Shuang Jing stopped and raised an eyebrow as she asked.

"Yes.

“That’s a great idea. Maybe I’ll do the same when I return to the Seven Stones Sect,” Shuangjing said with a smile.

“Yes, although outsiders view our Jianrou Manor with the eyes of thieves, the original founders…” Jing Shan continued to speak eloquently, but Shuang Jing was no longer listening. She lowered her gaze, concealing the calmness and thought that flickered in her eyes.

The information about the Locked Heart Bronze Mirror and the Half-Moon Jade Pendant, which even the Tianxia Inn couldn't find, could be found at Jianrou Manor.

If these two items are extremely useful, why didn't Jianrou Manor use them in the first place?

Why did Xuan Sheng come to steal these two items five years ago? Is his return to the martial world after losing his memory related to this?

And what about Eagle Fortress? Why is this nearly defunct gang hunting down these two items and their group?

Based on speculation, there are currently three conclusions.

First, the ones chasing them are Eagle Fortress, and they want these two items.

Second, these two items are related to Qianxiabao and Wanyingcheng, and perhaps the decline of these two gangs is related to them.

Third, some people in Half Moon City also know this, so it is highly likely that Xuan Sheng's amnesia was caused by the mastermind behind it all, and he may now be seen as a pawn and has returned to the world.

Looking at Xuan Sheng, who was engrossed in reading by the dim candlelight, Shuang Jing suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest.

If the above speculations are true, then to whom can we seek redress for those fleeting years of bitter waiting and longing? To whom can we ask for an explanation for the pain of a heart that has been hollowed out and tears that cannot flow?

She was so tired.

If it were the fearless Ye Shuangjing of five years ago, she would have been determined to find the answer no matter what, but the current her...

Hunted and unable to fight back, the Seven Stones Sect needs the Chongchonglou and Ningshuangmen to stabilize its position in the martial arts world; the pursuers are fleeing for their lives, unable to walk or travel, and even returning to their own sect is a dangerous affair. Since when did the Seven Stones Sect leader, who once defeated more than forty martial arts masters on the Tianya Altar with just a wooden sword, fall to such a wretched state?

Shuang Jing's pupils narrowed, and a restless murderous aura, which he hadn't felt for years, suddenly and slowly awakened in his heart.

With more and more mysteries swirling around her, she felt like she was caught up in a storm she couldn't see clearly.

The more you know, the more questions surface.

The series of events she had experienced over the past few months, when connected, all seemed to have some subtle connection, a tangled web that left her completely bewildered.

However, if we were to really delve into the details, it would definitely lead to an unmanageable situation.

You can almost smell the approaching storm with its towering waves.

However, the leader of the Seven Stones Sect has retired from the martial world, and the leader of the Chongchonglou Pavilion has gone into seclusion in a high place; neither of them cares about these turbulent affairs anymore.

The next generation of young heroes, such as Lin Meihua and Hua Wushuang, should have already risen to prominence.

The dust has settled, her glory days are over, and she absolutely cannot withstand another storm, either psychologically or physically.

Everyone told her that she was no longer the Ye Shuangjing she was five years ago.

Everyone believes that the legends of the past will never return.

Everyone says that when you're in the game, you're not in control of your own destiny.

But, but...

Shuang Jing clenched her fists.

She didn't believe it.

In this martial world devoid of any respectable adversaries, in the soon-to-be-declining Flying Eagle Fortress that only knows assassination, in the irresponsible Half-Moon City that only knows how to evade responsibility… why should she be unable to control her own destiny amidst all this?!

Ye Shuangjing, the top disciple of the invincible heroine and the leader of the Seven Stones Sect, once dominated the martial arts world. She never let others control her destiny, which is why she became an immortal legend that has been passed down for hundreds of years.

She was the one who chose to sacrifice her martial arts skills and health, she was the one who chose to wait patiently for Xuan Sheng, she was the one who chose to risk everything to accompany him to the ends of the earth, and now, she is the one who chooses to get to the bottom of things.

So, so...

"...Therefore, all the bronze mirrors in this library are used for..." Jing Shan was talking to herself when she suddenly noticed that the light in the lamp she was holding flickered, as if it had been blown out by something and gone for a moment.

wind?

But there shouldn't be such strong air circulation inside this stone palace.

She frowned and turned her head, only to see Ye Shuangjing's silent profile illuminated by the dim firelight.

The lamp in his hand flickered again.

"?!" Jing Shan looked around in surprise, but the two of them had just walked halfway down the library corridor. Che Shui and the others behind them, as well as Hua Wushuang and Cai Ren in front, were all some distance away from them. Only rows of bookshelves and a patch of darkness and dust surrounded them.

"Sect Master..."

"Um?"

Jing Shan was about to raise her head to speak when she was suddenly stunned into silence, staring blankly at the woman in front of her.

A few pages of the basic books laid out on the bookshelf were turned over, making a rustling sound in the darkness.

The woman, standing quietly with her head slightly bowed, had her profile illuminated by the candlelight. The warm glow cast a golden glow on her face, and when it was reflected in her eyes, it seemed as if one could see an air of unparalleled arrogance in that instant.

She suddenly understood.

That gust of wind was an aura of power.

It's the kind of aura you only feel when facing a powerful opponent.

Jing Shan felt her palms were sweating.

This woman...this woman, wasn't she supposed to have lost all her martial arts skills? Why does she still have such power?

In the past, I had heard legends about Ye Shuangjing.

Compared to the Sword Mistress, he would surely lose in ten moves; and the Sword Mistress had lamented that he would lose in three moves against Du Cheshui. Du Cheshui, at the age of seventeen, was defeated by Ye Shuangjing, who was only sixteen at the time. If this woman hadn't taken that final blow for Xuansheng, what kind of unparalleled martial arts skills would she possess by now?

Now, standing in the darkness, her body frail and unable to even climb a hill, she exuded such intense morale in an instant. Jing Shan looked at her in the dim light, and in her clear, calm eyes, he seemed to see majestic mountains and rivers, and in that instant, it was as if he saw a vast and magnificent landscape, like rivers flowing eastward to the sea and towering peaks reaching the sky.