At noon the next day, Wenren Qi and the others arrived at Luoyue Spring as agreed, only to find a person dressed in black and wearing a hideous demon mask waiting there.
Bai Yuxiao stepped forward and asked, "Where is he?"
The masked man asked, "Where's the book?"
Bai Yuxiao pulled out an old book with a blue cover from his pocket, waved it around, and said, "I brought the Blood Evil Manual. Now you can let me see how Xiaoyou is doing."
The masked man clapped his hands, and immediately two people dressed in purple, face-covered outfits brought out a woman. Qin Xiaoyou's exact condition couldn't be seen from a distance, but she had no injuries and should be fine for now.
Bai Yuxiao winked at Wenren Qi and Qin Wu, then said loudly to the masked man, "Release the man the same time I throw out the book."
The masked man nodded: "Okay!"
Bai Yuxiao flicked his wrist, and the Blood Evil Manual arced through the air before landing smoothly in the masked man's hand. At the same time, two servants in purple, close-fitting clothes pushed Qin Xiaoyou forward, and Wenren Qi quickly leaped forward to catch her. Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the matter was over, Qin Xiaoyou, held in Wenren Qi's arms, suddenly slapped him in the chest. Caught off guard, Wenren Qi coughed up blood and staggered back two steps.
Zui Linglong looked at Qin Xiaoyou with disbelief: "Xiaoyou, what are you doing?"
Suddenly, Qin Xiaoyou, who had been extremely weak, burst into a man's laughter. Then, under everyone's watchful eyes, after a series of crackling sounds, Qin Xiaoyou transformed into a tall, imposing man.
The turn of events happened so fast that everyone was stunned. Fortunately, Bai Yuxiao was the first to react, shouting, "Oh no, we've fallen into a trap! Run!"
"Leave? You think you can escape?" Standing on the left side of the group, Kong Kongzi, who had been silent all along, suddenly gave a sinister smile.
"Senior Kongkongzi, what do you mean by this?" Rendong couldn't help but ask.
"Hehe, what do you mean? Of course, it means you all have to die." Seeing that he had gotten what he wanted, Kongkongzi was too lazy to pretend anymore.
"Oh, the fox's tail has finally been revealed," Qin Wu mocked.
Kongkongzi shrugged, "So what if you know? It's too late now. This day next year will be your death anniversary. Prepare to die!" With that, Kongkongzi swung a palm at Zui Linglong, who was closest to him. Wenren Qi wanted to help, but the palm strike he received was so powerful that he couldn't muster any internal energy. Bai Yuxiao and Qin Wu were too far away to help.
Just as Zui Linglong closed her eyes, thinking she was truly about to die, a powerful palm strike came and blocked Kong Kongzi's palm. Seeing who it was, Qin Wu exclaimed in surprise, "Grandpa!"
Kong Kongzi took two steps back, puzzled as to why the old man from Cangjiu Manor had suddenly appeared. But so what if he was here? He wasn't going to let go of this perfect opportunity to wipe them all out. Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Kong Kongzi whistled, summoning the hidden guards who had been lying in ambush.
Chapter 76, The Truth
"Hurry up and take them down!" Kong Kongzi ordered when he saw that none of his men were making a move.
"Hahaha, you think they'll listen to you?" The old man burst into laughter.
"How could they not..." At this point, Kong Kongzi looked at the veiled guard with a strange expression. This wasn't one of their people at all! He'd been switched! Realizing something was wrong, Kong Kongzi turned to run away. Qin Xiaoyou was still in his hands, and Bai Yuxiao wasn't about to let him go so easily. With a leap, he and Qin Wu formed a pincer movement, blocking the person impersonating Kong Kongzi.
Seeing that escape was impossible, the fake Kongkongzi was not in a hurry. Instead, he calmed his mind and fought with all his might. Every move he made was a desperate attempt to escape. Bai Yuxiao and the others were worried about Qin Xiaoyou's whereabouts and could not bring themselves to kill him. So, for a while, he fought to a draw.
But even the most determined person has their limits. Just when the fake Kongkongzi realized he was completely powerless to fight back, he feinted an attack and then plunged a poisoned sword from his sleeve into his own chest. The poison was potent, and in the blink of an eye, the fake Kongkongzi died from it.
Seeing that getting any information from the fake Kongkongzi was hopeless, Bai Yuxiao turned to look for the masked man who had met with them earlier. Unfortunately, the masked man had already escaped in the chaos. Everyone was caught up in the fighting, and no one had noticed. Now it was all over; Qin Xiaoyou was still in their hands, and her chances of survival were slim. Bai Yuxiao felt as if she had been punched hard in the chest, a dull, indescribable discomfort.
Seeing that everyone looked dejected, the old owner of the wine estate assumed they were frustrated that they hadn't gotten anything useful out of this fake Kongkongzi. So he comforted them, saying, "Don't be discouraged. Although we didn't catch the mastermind in the end, we still achieved something."
"Grandpa, what are you talking about? We're worried that Xiaoyou is in danger since she's missing." Qin Wu glanced at his eccentric old man speechlessly and explained.
"So that's what you were worried about." The old man slapped his forehead and said, "Oh dear, people get forgetful as they get older. I forgot to tell you that Yu Laoxie has already gone to rescue the Qin family's little girl. By now, she should have been rescued by now."
Forgot? Everyone looked at the old man with a blank expression. His look of watching a good show was clearly not like he had forgotten. He was obviously deliberately not saying anything! However, Bai Yuxiao was not in the mood to argue with the old man. After hearing that Qin Xiaoyou had been rescued by the master of Yucheng Manor, he hurriedly used his lightness skill to run towards the house where they had stayed before.
When Bai Yuxiao arrived at Qin Xiaoyou's door, he ran into the manor lord coming out. Bai Yuxiao was eager to go in and see him, but the manor lord stopped him, saying he had something to tell him. Then, without saying another word, he pulled Bai Yuxiao into the next room. The two stayed inside for most of the day, not coming out until the moon was high in the sky.
After they came out, the manor lord briefly explained Qin Xiaoyou's condition to everyone before letting Bai Yuxiao go to Qin Xiaoyou's room. If he had kept her there any longer, Bai Yuxiao would probably have been frantic with worry. Although he had assured everyone that Qin Xiaoyou was alright, Bai Yuxiao wouldn't feel at ease without seeing her for himself.
"Grandpa, why did you suddenly appear?" Ren Dong, unable to suppress her curiosity any longer, hurriedly asked as soon as everyone was seated.
"Well, haha, that's because Grandpa can predict the future and knew you were in danger, so I came here on purpose." When the old man heard that Ren Dong asked him first, he couldn't help but reveal his latent charlatan nature and try to tease her.
As soon as the old owner of the wine estate finished speaking, everyone was speechless again. Qin Wu rubbed his forehead and silently sighed in his heart: Grandpa, you have to be selective about who you lie to. Everyone here knows you. Who would believe what you're saying?
Sure enough, the master of Yucheng Manor first snorted disdainfully through his nostrils, then tapped the table with his index finger and said, "Old man, aren't you ashamed? You're so old and you're still lying to the younger generation."
The old man's words, "You old bastard," successfully angered him. He stood up angrily, his beard twitching, and said, "You old liar, who are you calling an old bastard?"
"Whoever answers is the one," the owner of Yucheng Manor said calmly, adding fuel to the fire.
Seeing his grandfather on the verge of exploding, Qin Wu quickly pulled him back and soothed him gently. Once the old man calmed down, he began to explain the situation seriously. It turned out that when the fake Kong Kongzi first went to the head of Yu Cheng Manor, the head of the manor sensed something was amiss, but not knowing what the man intended to do with Kong Kongzi's identity, he remained silent. Later, Bai Yuxiao suddenly approached the head of the manor, saying he needed to concoct an antidote for Kong Kongzi's fake death medicine and asked to borrow something. The head of the manor then became more cautious. That day, the old man and the head of Yu Cheng Manor went out to spar, half-jokingly, half-heartedly. They ostensibly went out to fight, but actually hid somewhere to watch. If the younger generation could handle it themselves, they wouldn't interfere. Although this matter was somewhat dangerous, it was also a good training opportunity. If there was danger, they would lend a hand. So, upon seeing Qin Xiaoyou being taken away that day, to prevent any trickery, the master of Yucheng Manor secretly followed them. As for the old man, he went to Luoyue Spring with Bai Yuxiao and the others the next day.
The whole story has been explained, but Qin Wu still feels regretful. He worries that since he failed to find the mastermind behind it this time, that person might come out again to cause trouble and do something outrageous.
Chapter 77, Returning to the Spring Breeze Pavilion
The matter of the Blood Evil Manual has finally come to an end. As for the real Kong Kongzi, no one mentioned it, and Qin Xiaoyou didn't ask. In fact, when she learned that the Kong Kongzi who had died and come back to life was an imposter, Qin Xiaoyou knew that the real Kong Kongzi was probably in grave danger. If the real Kong Kongzi were alive, he would never allow someone to use his identity to cause trouble everywhere.
After resting for a few days and seeing that Qin Xiaoyou had recovered enough, the group decided to take their leave. After all, this was the place where the owner of Yucheng Manor practiced seclusion, and they had already disturbed him by staying for so long.
Undoubtedly, Qin Wu and the old owner of the Wine Cellar Manor were returning to the manor. As for Ren Dong, Qin Xiaoyou chuckled, walked up to Qin Wu, and held out her hand: "Give me two taels of silver." Although he didn't understand Qin Xiaoyou's intentions, Qin Wu still lowered his head and took out two taels of silver from his purse to give to Qin Xiaoyou. After putting the silver into her purse, Qin Xiaoyou patted Qin Wu's shoulder and said earnestly, "I bought Ren Dong for one tael of silver back then. Now I'm asking you for two taels. One tael is for redeeming Ren Dong, and the remaining one tael is my betrothal gift. You'd better treat Ren Dong well from now on, don't think I won't beat you up just because you're my cousin!"
Hearing Qin Xiaoyou's words, Qin Wu smiled so wide his mouth almost reached his ears, and nodded happily: "Of course, I will take good care of Ren Dong."
"Miss, why did you make this decision without even asking my opinion?" Ren Dong said, stamping her foot with a flushed face.
"What? You don't want to?" Qin Xiaoyou smiled mischievously.
"I," Ren Dong had barely uttered the word "I" when the old man from the winery pulled her away. Looking at the sly little Qin girl, he couldn't let his granddaughter-in-law linger there; what if she got tricked into not marrying him after a few words?
As his grandfather and Ren Dong's figures grew smaller and smaller, Qin Wu apologetically cupped his hands to the crowd: "I'm sorry, my grandfather is a little impatient."
"Aren't you anxious?" For once, Wenren Qi even joked with Qin Wu.
Qin Wu smiled shyly, said nothing more, made a farewell gesture, and then used his lightness skill to chase after his grandfather and wife.
"Xiao You, where do you want to go?" Seeing that Qin Wu had already walked far away, Bai Yuxiao lowered his head and asked Qin Xiao You gently.
"Well," Qin Xiaoyou rubbed her chin, she really hadn't thought about where to go. Before, Qin Zhongli and his wife had left a note to say goodbye and travel around, and the Su brothers, Su Lin and Su Xiao, had also silently gone off to find that secluded paradise. At that time, Qin Xiaoyou thought that once the matter of the *Blood Evil Manual* was resolved, she would also travel around. But today, when it really came time to make a decision, she suddenly felt that there wasn't anywhere she particularly wanted to go.
Seeing Qin Xiaoyou's hesitant expression, Wenren Qi said, "Xiaoyou, why don't you come back to Chunfeng Yidu Tower with me? You were poisoned when you were captured last time. Although the poison has been cleared now, your body is still weak. Come back with me and recuperate for a while. Once you're better, you can go wherever you want to go."
“Young Master Wenren is right, Xiaoyou, why don’t you come with us to the Spring Breeze Pavilion?” Zui Linglong also spoke up to persuade her. After all, the two of them were the only people in the world who knew each other inside and out, and she really didn’t want to be separated from Qin Xiaoyou.
"Okay." This time, without hesitation, Qin Xiaoyou nodded readily.
Thus, five figures appeared on the way to Chunfeng Yidu Tower. The two extra figures were Bai Yuxiao and the master of Yucheng Manor.
Qin Xiaoyou was going to Chunfeng Yidu Tower, and Bai Yuxiao naturally wanted to go with her. But Qin Xiaoyou was puzzled by the owner of Yucheng Manor. Didn't he say he was going into seclusion for cultivation? What did it mean that he was going to travel with them now? And he was being so mysterious, pulling Bai Yuxiao aside every day to talk about something.
That night, because they were rushing to reach their destination, they missed their lodging and had to find a dilapidated temple to rest for the night. Although she was very tired, Qin Xiaoyou had never slept on straw before, and she felt uncomfortable down there, so she lay there with her eyes closed for a while, but her mind was still clear.
Suddenly, a rustling sound rang out, startling Qin Xiaoyou so much that she broke out in a cold sweat, thinking it was a rat crawling out from behind the Buddha statue. She cautiously opened her eyes a crack to peek, only to see the master of Yucheng Manor pulling Bai Yuxiao away.
Qin Xiaoyou had been curious for a long time about what the two of them were doing so mysteriously. Seeing that she had such a good opportunity to peek, she got up quietly, crouched down, and slipped to the door to peek.
The master of Yucheng Manor seemed to be asking Bai Yuxiao something, but Bai Yuxiao's answer greatly displeased him, causing him to frantically wave his hands in the air. After watching for a while, still unable to understand what the two were doing, Qin Xiaoyou considered taking a few more steps forward to hear what they were saying, but then realized that both were highly skilled in martial arts, and getting too close would surely alert her. However, she couldn't hear them if she didn't get close, and Qin Xiaoyou was frantic with worry.
The next morning, when everyone awoke, they discovered that the master of Yucheng Manor had suddenly vanished. However, those powerful figures were always elusive in their movements, so Wenren Qi didn't pay much attention to it.
After three more days of travel, they finally arrived at the entrance of Chunfeng Yidu (Spring Breeze Once More) at dusk. Looking at the long-unseen "Chunfeng Yidu" sign, Qin Xiaoyou felt a pang of emotion. It was here that she first met Bai Yuxiao. How could she have known then that she would later become entangled with him? Thinking of the past, Qin Xiaoyou couldn't help but turn her head to look at Bai Yuxiao, unexpectedly meeting his tender gaze. Qin Xiaoyou's heart skipped a beat; it seemed he remembered too. Her ears instantly turned red.
After traveling for so long, Bai Yuxiao and Wenren Qi were alright, but Qin Xiaoyou and Zui Linglong were exhausted. After finishing their meal, they both pushed their bowls aside and insisted on going back to their rooms to sleep. However, once they were actually lying in bed, Qin Xiaoyou couldn't fall asleep no matter what. A question had been bothering her all the way: what exactly Bai Yuxiao and the master of Yucheng Manor had talked about that night, and why the master had suddenly left the next day?
Qin Xiaoyou never considered herself a gossip, but for some reason, whenever Bai Yuxiao's affairs came up, she felt an intense urge to get to the bottom of it. As a member of the martial arts world, life and death were never entirely in one's own hands. Knowing that Bai Yuxiao was in constant danger, Qin Xiaoyou paid extra attention to everyone around him.
Perhaps it was because the deeper their feelings for each other, the more telepathic they became, but as Qin Xiaoyou was pondering this, Bai Yuxiao climbed in through the window. Smiling, Bai Yuxiao wrapped her in a blanket and held her in his arms, asking, "Did I scare you?"
"No," Qin Xiaoyou answered softly. Her body, which had felt a little cold before, instantly felt warm.
“I guessed you wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight, so I came to find you,” Bai Yuxiao said.
"How did you know?" Qin Xiaoyou asked in surprise. Could this person read minds?
Bai Yuxiao affectionately tapped Qin Xiaoyou's nose, "That night, someone stood by the door listening for a long time while the wind blew, but couldn't hear anything. They must have been terrified."
"You...you know I was eavesdropping on your conversation that night?" Qin Xiaoyou stammered, her face as red as a boiled shrimp. How unlucky! She never expected to be caught eavesdropping on her very first attempt.
"You made such a commotion, of course you noticed." Bai Yuxiao still had a gentle expression on her face as she asked, "Do you want to know why the Master followed us on our journey but then suddenly left halfway through? And what did the Master say to me that night?"
Qin Xiaoyou nodded hurriedly; she was so eager to know that she was practically driven mad by her own curiosity.
Bai Yuxiao put his arm around her and began to recount the complicated love triangle between her maternal grandparents and the master of Yucheng Manor. When she heard that her grandmother ultimately chose to leave the master of Yucheng Manor due to family pressure and public opinion in the martial arts world, Qin Xiaoyou sighed heavily and said, "If it were me, I wouldn't care what others say. I would definitely choose what I like. There has never been a clear line between good and evil in the martial arts world. Who says that the righteous path is full of gentlemen? Who says that there are no good people in the evil path? Speaking of which, I prefer those who are both righteous and evil to those hypocritical gentlemen."
“It’s a pity my grandmother isn’t you,” Bai Yuxiao said with a sigh. After a pause, she continued, “The lord of the manor has been asking me about my grandmother these past few days. He plans to go to the valley to find her. But I haven’t seen her in a long time, so I really can’t give her any useful information.”
After realizing that the manor lord hadn't asked Bai Yuxiao to do anything he didn't want to do, Qin Xiaoyou felt relieved. She silently considered the situation. The old man, though a bit stingy, was an excellent cook, a nice person, and most importantly, had character and was devoted. It seemed like a good idea to rekindle Bai Yuxiao's grandmother's romance with him. Qin Xiaoyou would never admit that her biggest reason for wanting to bring the two together was that she wanted to be able to eat the manor lord's cooking anytime.
Chapter 78, Under the Moon Among Flowers
Once upon a time, someone once said that the best place for lovers to express their feelings is amidst flowers and under the moon. With the moonlight hazy and the fragrance of flowers in the air, such a beautiful setting, coupled with a few tender words, can melt even the hardest heart into a pool of autumn water.
Unfortunately, Qin Xiaoyou has always been good at ruining the mood. For example, tonight, the moon is high in the sky, its light bathing the ground, and the fragrance of the night-blooming cereus fills the courtyard—what a perfect setting for whispering sweet nothings! But Qin Xiaoyou, quite the spoilsport, is sitting in the pavilion at the stone table, eating roast chicken with her hands covered in grease. While eating, she waves a chicken leg at Bai Yuxiao and says, "Don't be shy, this roast chicken is delicious, you should try some. Besides, you went all this way to buy it for me, I feel bad eating it all by myself."
Bai Yuxiao affectionately wiped the grease from Qin Xiaoyou's lips and said, "It's alright, you eat. I'm not hungry."
"Really not going to eat?" Qin Xiaoyou tore off another chicken leg and waved it in front of Bai Yuxiao, trying to lure him with the aroma of the meat. But Bai Yuxiao just smiled faintly and shook his head, unmoved at all. Seeing that Bai Yuxiao really wasn't going to eat, Qin Xiaoyou didn't bother to be polite and happily started eating it herself.
"Burp," Qin Xiaoyou rubbed her stomach, feeling stuffed, and leaned on the stone table. Suddenly, she accidentally let out a burp. Looking up guiltily, she saw Bai Yuxiao gazing at the moon, lost in thought. She guessed he probably hadn't heard her unseemly burp. Qin Xiaoyou quickly stood up and stretched to help digest her food.
Hearing the noise behind her, Bai Yuxiao smiled and turned around to ask, "Are you full?" Qin Xiaoyou nodded shyly. A whole chicken! Of course she was full. Although she hadn't eaten all day to make room for the most famous lotus leaf chicken in Miyang County, it still felt a little...unbelievable for a young lady to eat a whole roasted chicken by herself.
After asking her question, Bai Yuxiao didn't speak again, only smiling as she looked at Qin Xiaoyou. Qin Xiaoyou lowered her head, fiddling with the hem of her clothes, unsure of what to say. For a moment, a rare warmth and tranquility filled the air.
After a while, Qin Xiaoyou and Bai Yuxiao spoke at the same time, "I have a question to ask." Then they smiled and said, "You ask first." Seeing that they spoke in unison twice, Qin Xiaoyou didn't dare to speak, but Bai Yuxiao also remained silent. After waiting for a while, Qin Xiaoyou couldn't hold back and said first, "You ask first."
Bai Yuxiao reached out to touch Qin Xiaoyou's head, but for some reason, his hand fell back halfway up. After hesitating for a moment, Bai Yuxiao asked, "Xiaoyou, did you ever suspect me that day?"
"When?" Qin Xiaoyou asked, looking bewildered.
"Never mind if you can't remember." Bai Yuxiao suddenly breathed a sigh of relief and pulled Qin Xiaoyou into his arms.
Smelling the pleasant orchid fragrance emanating from Bai Yuxiao, Qin Xiaoyou felt incredibly content, her chest filled with an indescribable emotion. Perhaps this is what happiness is all about.
Suddenly, Qin Xiaoyou reached out and poked Bai Yuxiao's chest with her finger: "What kind of incense do you use on your clothes?"
Bai Yuxiao was surprised and didn't understand why Qin Xiaoyou would suddenly ask this, but he still honestly shook his head: "I didn't use incense."
"Nonsense! If you were useless, where would the fragrance on your body come from?" Qin Xiaoyou didn't believe it.
"Fragrance? What fragrance?" Bai Yuxiao was even more confused. When did he start to smell like fragrance? He didn't know.
Lifting her head from Bai Yuxiao's embrace, Qin Xiaoyou carefully examined the man's expression. Seeing that he didn't seem to be lying, she gave up on asking what kind of incense Bai Yuxiao used and decided to get some for herself to scent her clothes later.