Shu Ke peut regagner une fortune perdue

Chapitre 2

Zhang Weiyi glanced at Xu Lianning and said meaningfully, "So gentle and refined... I see." He loosened his grip, and Xu Lianning took two steps back, glanced at him, and then turned her head away.

Seeing the humiliation she had just suffered, Zhou Xi felt a surge of sympathy: "Are you alright? That scoundrel will surely die a horrible death."

Her eyes were clear and shallow. She glanced at Zhou Xi, pursed her lips slightly, and then heard Ruan Qingxuan ask in a low voice, "Lian Ning, are you injured?" Xu Lian Ning looked up at her and shook her head, "No." She turned to look at Zhou Xi and smiled faintly, "Miss Zhou, I was rude just now. Actually, we originally intended to pay a visit to your sect, but we didn't expect this to happen."

Zhou Xi had no idea what she was thinking, so she said, "Then it's the same going down now. I'll lead the way." She took a couple of steps, then turned back to look at Zhang Weiyi with a grim expression: "Young Master Zhang, would you like to come to our sect to rest for a while?" It was truly the tragedy of a scion of a prestigious family. He clearly wanted to kill the other person, but he still had to be polite and respectful.

Zhang Weiyi glanced at the other two women, whose expressions were somewhat unnatural, and said indifferently, "I'm afraid we'll have to disappoint Miss Zhou's kindness." Zhou Xi turned and left. Ruan Qingxuan's usually composed expression also changed slightly, as if she had breathed a sigh of relief.

Xu Lianning walked past him, a faint smile playing on her lips: "Young Master Zhang, there's no need to guess. We certainly weren't there to do good deeds. We should thank you for your kindness."

Zhang Weiyi lowered her eyes, her expression a mixture of a smile and a frown: "Saying thank you is too formal. It's a real pity that I've never had a lady as wonderful as you by my side." Xu Lianning gritted her teeth in anger, unable to think of a retort for a moment.

Mo Yunzhi said only after they had walked away: "Your Highness really showed mercy just now."

Zhang Weiyi glanced at him but didn't say anything.

"Miss Xu could break even a wrist with just one move." She herself probably realized it, which is why she retreated and used a poisoned hidden weapon. This level of martial arts is already rare for a woman, but the way she used it was undeniably ruthless.

Zhang Weiyi said calmly, "Given her young age and the fact that she is a top student of Lingxuan Palace, it's not wise to make a big deal out of it." It's remarkable that Young Master Zhang, who is not necessarily older than the other party, speaks so confidently at such a young age.

Mo Yunzhi just smiled and remained silent.

The autumn waters in the courtyard stretch deep.

The three crossed the Xiling Bridge and stopped in a pavilion overlooking the water. Zhou Xi took out a bamboo whistle and blew it three times, long and short, before someone rowed a boat over.

Qiushui Gate is backed by a mountain and bordered by water on one side, with access via waterways.

Ruan Qingxuan and Xu Lianning exchanged a glance and boarded the boat. As they walked along the way, they could see figures faintly visible beneath the tall lotus branches. If someone were to barge in, a fight would inevitably break out here. It was already inconvenient on the boat, and if someone were to accidentally fall into the water, it would be extremely embarrassing.

However, Lingxuan Palace and Qiushui Sect have no prior relationship. To openly visit them would be detrimental to the latter, and if word got out, it would damage Lingxuan Palace's reputation. On the contrary, having Zhou Xi lead them in would only be like inviting a wolf into the house. As for the Qiushui Sect suffering a loss, they would probably be too ashamed to spread it.

Originally, he only intended to lure the Qiushui Sect out, and incidentally test their martial arts skills before befriending them. However, he unexpectedly ran into Zhang Weiyi, which backfired somewhat. Ruan Qingxuan transmitted his voice to the woman beside him: "Judging from the Qiushui Sect's posture, we might have a fierce battle when we come out."

Xu Lianning looked at her and also transmitted her voice: "Later, put the sword to their sect leader, and I doubt anyone will dare to make a move."

Ruan Qingxuan smiled slightly: "So, you're going to hold Qiushui Sect accountable for the loss you suffered at the hands of Young Master Yujian?"

Xu Lianning remained silent, which was taken as tacit agreement.

"If Master finds out, we'll inevitably have to face the wall in seclusion for three months." Despite saying this, Ruan Qingxuan seemed quite indifferent.

At this moment, the boat lurched slightly, probably having struck a stone step in the water. Zhou Xi disembarked first and said, "Gentlemen, we've arrived."

Before them stood a courtyard house with white walls and black tiles. The main gate was exquisitely crafted and imposing, with large characters in vermilion ink above it: "Qiushui Gate." The calligraphy was vigorous and dignified, displaying the style of a renowned master. Zhou Xi walked ahead, asking, "I wonder how our sect compares to Lingxuan Palace?" His words revealed his high regard for Qiushui Gate.

“Lingxuan Palace is located in the ancient Helan path, where it is cold all year round. Naturally, it is not as beautiful as the warm spring weather and the blooming flowers and leaves in Jiangnan,” Xu Lianning said. “If Miss Zhou is interested, why not stay for a few days? The entire Liushao Pavilion will certainly do its best to be a good host.”

Seeing that she was avoiding the main point, Zhou Xi didn't press further and instead said, "Thank you for your kindness, Pavilion Master Xu."

Ruan Qingxuan listened with a smile on her lips, thinking to herself that with such a pavilion master in Liushao Pavilion, her hospitality would probably make her vomit blood.

"The sect leader is currently resting in the inner courtyard. Please come this way," Zhou Xi said, pointing to the ancestral hall on the left. "This is where the relics of past sect leaders are kept, and it's also a forbidden area of our sect." As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her waist, and her whole body went limp and she collapsed. Ruan Qingxuan reached out to support her, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for the guards at the ancestral hall to hear clearly: "Miss Zhou, are you alright?"

Some of the Qiushui Sect disciples who were originally guarding the ancestral hall were on good terms with Zhou Xi and immediately came over: "Senior Sister Zhou, what's wrong?" Zhou Xi wanted to speak, but couldn't make a sound. Xu Lianning flicked her sleeve, and the disciples who came over fell to the ground. She turned her head, glanced at Zhou Xi who was glaring at her, and said softly: "By seniority, I should also call you Senior Sister, but it seems that's not the case now."

Ruan Qingxuan drew his sword, its blade as cold as frost, and a chilling aura emanated from it: "Lian Ning, you go in first."

Xu Lianning nodded, and in a flash, she was already at the entrance of the ancestral hall. The disciples of the Autumn Water Sect raised their hands to stop her, but she ignored them and simply used her lightness skill to pass by. A gust of wind came from behind, and a woman's sharp voice rang out, "Autumn Water Sect's forbidden ground, how dare you..." The last few words were immediately cut off by a series of soft, clanging sounds. Xu Lianning didn't even turn her head, and walked straight into the ancestral hall. The ancestral hall of the Autumn Water Sect's successive leaders was a forbidden area; no one except the sect leader was allowed to enter. Those outside could only look at each other, hesitant to proceed.

When Zhang Weiyi sparred with Zhou Xi earlier, Ruan Qingxuan had already seen it all clearly. The woman in the lotus-colored dress now was far superior to Zhou Xi in terms of the beauty of her movements and the precision of her attacks. However, Ruan Qingxuan had studied under a famous master and had extensive experience in the martial world. Even though he was outmatched in terms of weaponry, his swordplay remained perfectly organized.

The woman swung her brocade ribbon straight out like a bolt of silk, the copper bell atop it ringing crisply, its alternating slow and fast notes causing inexplicable irritation. She spoke softly and calmly: “The Autumn Water Sect and the Lingxuan Palace have no prior enmity. Why have you two trespassed into our sect’s forbidden area?”

Ruan Qingxuan remained calm and composed: "He possesses a treasure, yet he is unaware of it; even if he is innocent, he is guilty." Her short sword flashed with sword energy, unleashing three consecutive strikes that sliced half of the copper bell on the brocade ribbon. The bell was hollowed out, and several iron filings suddenly burst forth, colliding and changing direction in mid-air. Ruan Qingxuan swiftly retreated, flicking her sleeve and lightly flicking her left hand. Something resembling shattered jade shot out, gently colliding with the iron filings, producing a melodious, clear sound.

The woman in the lotus-colored dress had a pale face, and she could see several iron spikes embedded neatly in the ground a few steps away from her.

Ruan Qingxuan sheathed his sword and said, "Sect Leader Tang, you flatter me."

The previous leader of Qiushui Sect passed away very early, leaving no time to teach his disciples the most profound fighting techniques. Therefore, although Tang Yishui succeeded him as leader, his fighting skills were far inferior to his predecessor's. In fact, this is true for most sects throughout history; only a few martial arts prodigies prevent them from declining forever. In contrast, Lingxuan Palace has grown stronger with each generation, enduring through time, which is why it enjoys its current formidable reputation.

Seeing that she had suffered a crushing defeat as the sect leader, Tang Yishui suddenly saw Xu Lianning emerge from the ancestral hall, holding a sword left behind by the former sect leader: "Please, both of you, hear me out." Although she felt deeply ashamed of this defeat, she was not a malicious person: "If you trust our sect, please return this sword to its original place. This was originally an ominous object, which happened to fall into the hands of our sect's ancestors. Back then, our sect leader was curious and wanted to take a look at the sword, but... after our sect leader passed away, this sword also became a forbidden item."

Xu Lianning smiled faintly, "Sect Leader Tang, you're too kind." She grasped the scabbard, and with a clang, the blade was drawn. The sword was a little over a foot long, its blade extremely thin, yet dull and black, devoid of any luster. She raised her hand and lightly traced a line on the thin blade, a few drops of crimson blood dripping from her fingers. As the blood fell onto the sword, a hissing sound was heard, and the blade subtly became translucent, as if it were alive.

Tang Yishui looked at it and murmured, "So that's how it is..." Xu Lianning sheathed his sword: "This sword is called Flame Breath. It was given to me by Mr. Ouyang, who forged this sword. Senior Sister Tang, it seems you don't remember either." Tang Yishui asked in surprise, "You're the Sect Leader's Martial Uncle...?"

Xu Lianning smiled slightly but did not reply.

“Back then, Qiushuimen also sent people to look for you. We all thought you were gone. We never expected—” She stopped mid-sentence, suddenly realizing it was inappropriate and unsure how to continue.

Xu Lianning shook his head slightly: "Since I've survived, it's to get back everything from those who wronged me. But Sect Leader Tang, you can rest assured, Qiushui Sect is nothing to me." He paused for a moment, then added: "But I'll still have to trouble Sect Leader Tang to see us out."

Ruan Qingxuan said in a calm tone, "Sect Leader Tang, please go first."

Tang Yishui's face was somber, and each step he took was extremely heavy: "Please follow me, both of you."

"Should we go back now, or wander around some more?" After leaving Qiushui Sect, Ruan Qingxuan looked at the fisherwomen singing happily on the lake in the distance and sighed a little. "Qiushui Sect has declined. The entire sect can't even find an opponent who can stop us. It's really sad and lamentable."

Xu Lianning casually remarked, "Lingxuan Palace isn't necessarily doing any better."

"When it came time to choose a sect leader, dozens of fellow disciples either died or went mad, leaving only the four of us. If we were to choose a sect leader someday, there would inevitably be a lot of infighting."

Xu Lianning lowered her eyes: "If I were to say it, I never wanted to be the Palace Master of Lingxuan Palace in the first place..."

“Then we can travel together through the mountains and rivers of the Central Plains, and even stay in the palace on Lonely Mountain for a long time,” Ruan Qingxuan said with a gentle smile as he looked at her.

Xu Lianning gave a soft "Mmm": "Let's go back and rest first. We've been out for most of the day and we're all covered in dirt."

The two returned to their dwelling on Lonely Mountain, where they saw a child squatting at the entrance, digging in the soil with a twig. Seeing them approaching, the child hurriedly called out, "Big sisters, wait for me!"

Xu Lianning frowned slightly. She saw the boy carefully examine her face and take out an exquisite visiting card: "This is a card that an older brother asked me to give to a pretty older sister. It must be for you."

Ruan Qingxuan turned around slightly and looked on with great interest.

The child scratched his head and added, "The older brother also said that the older sister is gentle and refined, but she pretends to be fierce and ruthless. I don't think she is."

Xu Lianning gritted her teeth in anger, took the visiting card and glanced at it. There was only one line on it, which had the style of Wang Xun: "Muxiang respectfully invites you to my humble abode for a short chat." The signature was Zhang Weiyi.

"Just tell him one thing: as long as he has the ability to come in, everyone at Meiheju will treat him with courtesy. This small talk is unnecessary." She handed the visiting card back to the child.

He looked at the other person with bright eyes, revealing a few small tiger teeth: "Big brother said you would definitely say that, so he asked me to tell you to pack your bags first, because we'll be on a long journey later. So I've delivered my message. Pretty sister, why do you look a little strange?"

Xu Lianning forced a smile: "I'm a little tired. Thank you for passing on the message." She casually took off the jade ornament she was wearing and handed it to him, saying, "You can take this and play with it."

The child accepted the jade ornament and left happily.

Xu Lianning frowned, a hint of murderous intent emanating from her: "If we can really find the entrance, I will do whatever he says."

Ruan Qingxuan spoke slowly and deliberately: "Lian Ning, how could you forget that even if you could kill Zhang Weiyi with a single sword strike, it would only be a momentary pleasure." She turned around and walked into the valley: "If you get angry like this every time, I don't know who is bullying whom."

Silent night, the horse's hooves pound the ground.

A pot of clear tea, with wisps of steam rising gently.

Ruan Qingxuan gently put down her teacup and looked at the sky: "It's about time. It seems that there are more than just Young Master Yujian who are going to challenge the mountain tonight." She pursed her lips, as if she were disdainful: "Speaking of which, there have been far too many martial artists coming to Jiangnan lately. The swordsmith, Mr. Ouyang, had Young Master Tianjian pass on a message that even unrelated people are coming to dig up the place."

"Mr. Ouyang is referring to the Flame Breath Sword, but it's a treasure map that appeared out of nowhere, supposedly containing gold and silver treasures buried by Chen Youliang after his defeat." Xu Lianning put down his teacup. "Shall we go out and check the situation now?"

Ruan Qingxuan stood up, his smiling eyes sweeping over her: "Lian Ning, do you know Ji Zhenyao?"

"I am naturally aware of the great talent of Xuanji."

"She once wrote an inscription for a fan for Young Master Zhang, and also said that among all the men in the world, only Young Master Yujian deserves the title of 'fine young master'."

Xu Lianning stopped, turned around, and asked, "And then what happened?"

Ruan Qingxuan shook his head slightly: "It's a pity that the beauty can only suffer from unrequited love. I have never believed that women can only win by being weak. Weakness only wins sympathy and pity. So I think it sounds better to call her a vixen than a beauty."

Xu Lianning reached out and took her senior sister's hand: "I once thought that Senior Sister Qingxuan must have looked very beautiful before, but it's a pity that I've never seen her."

"How did you know that?" She smiled bitterly, unable to resist raising her hand to touch her face beneath the veil. The old scars had faded considerably, but removing the veil would still frighten others.

The two chatted and laughed, and soon arrived at the outside of the valley.

The moonlight, like silver, gently spread across every blade of grass and every tree. The scenery in the valley was bathed in the moonlight, making it appear even more serene and beautiful.

Not far away, white smoke rose into the air, and a few people were huddled around a small campfire. Suddenly, a long whistle rang out, and a dark figure came running from afar, soon arriving nearby.

Ruan Qingxuan said in a low voice, "He doesn't look like Young Master Yujian."

The figure stopped by the campfire; it was a short Taoist priest with gray hair and beard. The people gathered around the campfire immediately surrounded him. The Taoist priest sneered, his voice grating: "I just went around in circles and returned to the same place three times. The path in this valley is rather strange."

Xu Lianning leaned against the tree: "These people come from all over the country, I wonder what they're up to."

After the group gathered and discussed for a while, the Taoist suddenly raised his voice and said, "I am Zhao Wushi of the Kunlun Sect, and I request an audience with the Divine Physician of Gushan." His voice was sharp and carried far.

After saying this, he paused, then raised his voice and said, "Since we can't find the way into the valley, let's set fire to this mountain and burn it flat. I don't believe the master won't show up." He took out a tinderbox and pretended to start a fire.

Ruan Qingxuan was disgusted and sneered, "All you do is put on airs, and you don't even know how to ask for help properly."

Seeing no response, Zhao Wushi was unsure what to do and repeated, "Please grant me an audience, senior..." Before he could finish speaking, the sound of hooves suddenly rang out, and everyone involuntarily looked towards the source of the sound. A magnificent horse, as dark as night, suddenly approached from afar, yet the rider remained perfectly still. In the blink of an eye, a tall figure leaped off the horse, gently pulled on the reins, and the horse reared up, neighing loudly. He patted the horse reassuringly, and the jet-black steed obediently went to graze to the side.

"Are you perhaps the Sword Master of the Wudang Sect?" An elderly woman stepped out from the crowd; judging by her attire, she was a lay disciple of the Emei Sect.

Zhang Weiyi approached, his tone respectful and measured: "Junior Zhang Weiyi greets all seniors." Excessive humility can easily become obsequious, while insufficient humility can be perceived as disrespectful by some self-important individuals. Zhang Weiyi's demeanor was clearly just right, displaying a gentle and refined manner.

"I heard that Young Master Zhang was harassed by someone by Xiling Bridge today. That person insisted on entrusting his sister to Young Master Zhang." Zhao Wushi smiled insincerely. "When I was young, I was not so romantic, far inferior to Young Master Zhang."

Zhang Weiyi's expression remained calm, and his tone was still humble: "Senior Zhao is too kind."

Ruan Qingxuan said in a low voice, "Judging from Zhao Wushi's behavior, he wasn't exactly upright when he was young. He has no shame in saying such things." Xu Lianning was getting annoyed and said, "If they keep talking like this, there won't be any results next year."

The older woman who had spoken earlier seemed unable to bear it any longer and said, "Mr. Zhao, the disciples of Wudang have always been upright and disciplined. There must be some misunderstanding. Let's think about how to get into the mountain."

Back on Mount Jun, Zhang Weiyi defeated the younger generation of five sects and eighteen schools, gaining fame in a single battle. Most of those were future leaders, including Zhao Wushi's disciple. He was usually very protective of his own, always believing that even if his disciple had a thousand faults, the blame lay with others. Now, encountering him, he couldn't help but use his seniority to mock and ridicule him.

In fact, every sect has its own selfish motives, and they were not happy to see the Wudang disciples take the lead.

Zhang Weiyi paced a few steps, seemingly sensing a hidden danger nearby, and frowned slightly. He took several steps, each time landing precisely on the array's core. Ruan Qingxuan remembered that her senior uncle had specifically instructed them not to step on the core points of the array when setting it up, as these were the most unstable areas, and any mistake would be extremely dangerous. Just as she was pondering this, Zhang Weiyi stepped onto the Guimei position, the last core point. He paused, his next step seemingly about to step into the center of the array. Xu Lianning tugged at Ruan Qingxuan's sleeve: "Go outside." Her expression was tense, and even her palms were slightly damp.

Almost the instant they leaped away, the rocks near the valley suddenly exploded, sending debris flying everywhere. Ruan Qingxuan looked back at the spot where they had just stood; it was completely unrecognizable due to the backlash from the destroyed formation.

Xu Lianning pushed Ruan Qingxuan aside first, but ended up somewhat disheveled herself. Almost as soon as she landed, three gleaming weapons were pointed at her. Even though she was confident in her unparalleled lightness skill, she wasn't sure she could escape unscathed from being surrounded by cold weapons. In just a moment, she weighed the pros and cons and stopped.

"Young lady, are you a disciple of the divine physician of the valley?" Zhang Weiyi strolled over leisurely. "Everyone here has come to earnestly request the divine physician's miraculous healing skills and compassionate healing. We would be grateful if you could help us introduce us."

"You..." Xu Lianning couldn't figure out the meaning behind his words for a moment.

"My name is Zhang Weiyi. I wonder if I have the honor of becoming friends with you, young lady?" His expression was extremely gentle and refined.

I vaguely recall that just three or four hours ago, this person had shamelessly declared, "This is the first time in my life I've been called a lecher, so I'd better make the most of it." This shows how much a person can change.

"The miracle doctor you're talking about must be my senior uncle." Xu Lianning paused, but in her heart she didn't think that old man had any ability to be called a miracle doctor. "Unfortunately, he passed away half a year ago."

"What?" The person behind her, pointing a weapon at her, trembled involuntarily.