As a result, the entire congregation in the room, following the cold-hearted Palace Master, completely collapsed.
Chapter Fourteen, First Gate
As the martial arts tournament drew closer, the leaders of various sects began heading to Jinling City.
"Young Master, what are you pondering?" At the Fu Man Lou restaurant in Jinling City, sat a figure in light green. His hair, which was tied up in the same color, was completely bound together. His eyes were alluring, and his lips were like peach blossoms, shimmering and warm.
Two small white jade swords hung at his waist, with slender tassels hanging from their hilts. They swayed gently in the breeze, giving him an indescribable air of elegance and handsomeness.
“I was thinking,” he frowned, looking utterly bored, “whether we could set up a security escort agency here permanently, delivering small packages and providing intermediary services; that would be profitable.”
The guard in blue was overjoyed and clapped his hands in praise, saying, "Young Master is indeed a business genius who possesses both beauty and wisdom, a once-in-a-century talent."
These two, master and servant, were actually Duan Shuixian and her servant who had arrived in Jinling earlier.
"Why can't I be happy even when I'm full of brilliant ideas?" He rested his chin on his hand, his brows furrowed, his phoenix eyes half-closed, looking mournful. Before long, a girl downstairs, who had been staring at him so intently that she almost hit the wall, screamed with her face covered in dirt.
"Sigh." He looked around resentfully, then turned back listlessly, saying languidly, "No amount of worship can rouse my passion. I have indeed matured."
[Produced by the Orange Garden Hand-Typed Team. Welcome to visit ]
The servant in blue lowered his head and remained silent, holding his bronze mirror, raising it a few inches higher with both hands, above his head.
Duan Shuixian craned her neck to look at herself, feeling even more desolate. She picked up an empty wine cup next to her, filled it to the brim, and spilled the wine on the ground. She muttered to herself in a very depressed mood, "Brother Wushuang, life is so boring without you."
Ever since he made it onto the rankings, he had always taken Leng Wushuang as his role model. Now, having lost his goal, he felt completely lost.
He remained lost in thought for a long time, then suddenly came to his senses and asked, "Xiao Wei, what about Master Xiao...?"
“Young Master, the problems that have arisen in these shipments have all been handled by the Xiao family’s head steward. Master Xiao is so distressed because he can’t find Wushilang that he’s fallen ill and is now bedridden.”
Duan Shuixian suddenly realized and muttered to herself, "Could it be that the problem lies with the head steward? If so, we really should inform Master Xiao."
He suddenly stood up, the jade sword at his waist jingling melodiously.
"Xiao Wei, go to the Xiao family and have a good chat with Master Xiao. Find out what's going on and report back immediately if anything happens. I'll also be looking for something to do recently. I've been calculating the days, and it's about time the First Gate recruits its members. I can go and take a look while I'm at it."
He tilted his head, his eyes deep and bright, gazing at the blue sky outside the window. After a long while, he sighed helplessly, "Besides, how can I bring up the matter of Young Master Wushuang with Wushilang?"
The guard in blue was in a difficult position and stammered, "Young master, I really don't know."
Duan Shuixian sighed again, weakly flicked her sleeves, signaled the guards to leave, turned around and continued to look out the window at a 45-degree angle, her face filled with melancholy, as she planted her family's business flag in front of the window.
Outside the window, downstairs, a group of girls were gathered, watching with fascination and screaming incessantly.
Duan Shuixian was melancholy for a long time, then suddenly felt bored. With a leap, she touched the willow outside the window and flew ten steps away, naturally causing the girls to scream in surprise.
He grew increasingly smug, gathering his strength as he rushed forward. His hair, soft as silk, fluttered in the wind, and the white jade sword at his waist trembled with its tassel. He moved with the grace of a startled swan, further highlighting his ethereal and otherworldly demeanor.
"I never imagined that the mature young master would still be so charming." A guard in blue robes nearby exclaimed in admiration.
At the same time, what puzzled them even more was: why was their young master constantly circling around the restaurant with his qi?
In short: Ah, the young master's thoughts are too unfathomable.
After passing through the woods and crossing a mountain, they arrived at Jinling City. Wu Shilang and his group were all exhausted; after being attacked at night for three nights, no one would maintain their full energy.
"Fifty Sister-in-law, why is your face so pale?" Leng Wuqing leaned closer, quite surprised. She placed her finger on Fifty Lang's wrist, then her gaze suddenly sharpened, and she exclaimed in shock, "You've been poisoned by me?"
Sweating profusely, Isoro clutched his arm, which felt like it was being cut by a knife, and weakly said, "It seems that there is such a thing."
Perhaps due to her continuous travel, the poison gradually spread across her wrist. The original dark mark slowly faded outwards, and although the area was small, it caused her unbearable pain for a period of time each day. (Typed by Orange Garden Bubble Fish)
“This poison is not simple.” Leng Wuqing frowned, his jade-like face serious. “Even I don’t have the antidote for this poison.”
Isoro stared wide-eyed and asked, "Then who has it?"
This poison was set by the Third Madam. If even Leng Wuqing is helpless, then there is only one answer!
“There is no cure for this medicine…” Leng Wuqing bit her lip, her eyes filled with deep sympathy and… reluctance.
Isoro immediately burst into laughter, his laughter growing louder and louder until tears welled up in his eyes: "How could there not be? Isn't this poison from your palace? Aren't you a master of poisoning?"
Her smile was tinged with sorrow and resentment, and she simply grabbed Leng Wuqing's sleeve with both hands.
Leng Wuqing just stood there, offering no comfort, letting her vent. After a long while, Wu Shilang regained his composure and calmly asked, "How much longer do I have?"
She no longer held out hope, but simply wished she had enough time to arrange the things she hadn't done.
“A year, if you don’t have such big emotional fluctuations.” Leng Wuqing frowned, then smiled, “It’s not so hopeless. I might be able to cure your poison in less than a year.”
Isoro ignored him, muttering to himself repeatedly.
"It's only a year, how can I bear to let it go?" She raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears, yet she held them back. "Am I only destined to be with him for a year?"
Leng Wuqing remained silent, his expression complex and ever-changing.
Actually, it wasn't even a year, because the person who could be called the older brother had already been pushed off a cliff by his own followers.
He dared not say it aloud, and for the first time he understood the word "worry". For him, Isoro was something very special. Countless unintentional gestures made him instinctively look for the feeling of family in her.
But this feeling, barely sprouting, is about to be lost, like painstakingly awaiting hope only to discover that greater disappointment lurks behind it. It would be better to have no hope at all.
His eyes gradually deepened, and his hand, which was clenched in his sleeve, loosened and released repeatedly, remaining hesitant.
"What if it's only a year?" Ishiro suddenly had a change of heart. He blinked his big eyes, tears welling up in his lashes, and gave a pale, weak smile. "I want to use this year to live a wonderful life."
She seemed to be instantly infused with life, and her entire face looked different.
Leng Wuqing's hands, which had been trying to exert force, gradually clenched into fists again. Since that's the case, then let her be happy.
The closer you get to Nanjing, the more prosperous it becomes.
Isoro even changed into a very festive peach-pink dress, which made her look cheerful and happy.
"In a few more days, I will be able to see my Wushuang." She twirled around happily, her skirt swaying like a blooming flower. If it weren't for her pale face, one would really think she was a fairy who had flown down from the heavens.
"Hmm." Leng Wuqing remained silent. In the past two days, he had rarely smiled, which made the group of followers behind him feel uneasy.
“Before that, we must go to a place.” Leng Wuqing narrowed his eyes and pondered to himself. “It is said that the number one martial arts sect, Master Shu Ke, recruits a disciple every year. Let’s go to the outside of Plum Blossom Mountain and try our luck at the number one sect.”
"Huh?" Igarashi turned around and asked curiously, "Is it hard to understand why you want to become his apprentice?" They hadn't known each other for long, but Igarashi already knew that Leng Wuqing was incredibly arrogant, and he would absolutely disdain this kind of apprenticeship thing. (Typed by Orange Garden Bubble Fish)
Sure enough, he smiled slightly and denied it, saying, "It wasn't me."
Isoro raised an eyebrow, signaling him to continue.
“It’s you.” He stood there with a smile. “The one who will become your disciple is you, Goro.”
"Why?"
“Because he has a very valuable jade pendant,” Leng Wuqing turned his gaze, then frowned and said, “It can suppress all poisons in the world.”
Isoro suddenly realized, and a look of joy appeared on his face.
"Don't be too happy yet. Master Shu is very strict in accepting disciples. He only accepts one disciple each year. The disciple must be proficient in all four arts: music, chess, calligraphy, and painting."
Upon hearing this, Isoro's face immediately fell again, and all her emotions were written on her face. Anyone could tell what she was thinking just by looking at her.
Leng Wuqing chuckled, twirled the gold-flecked fan in his hand, pressed it against his chest, and said arrogantly with an air of nonchalance, "With this palace master here, there is no obstacle that cannot be overcome."
He spoke with such confidence that it stirred up Goro's passion as well.
"Brother-in-law, you're really something." When she got excited, she would ramble on and on. "It's all worth it for your sister-in-law to love you. If you help me get into Shu Ke's family, I'll make you that Pearl Jade White Jade Soup every day."
Her incoherent ramblings caused even the most fervent followers, including Leng Wuqing, to turn pale.
From then on, they remained silent the entire way.
Behind Plum Blossom Mountain, there is a secluded place. The roof is high and elegant, the lintel is vermilion, and a lush green bamboo wind chime hangs above it, making a soft tapping sound when the wind blows.
Above the lintel is a large plaque with gold characters on a black background, written in a vigorous and elegant style: First Gate.
When Ishiro and his group arrived, a crowd had already gathered at the entrance. They were dressed in different clothes, speaking different dialects, chattering away and making a racket.
"Why is it so noisy?" Ishiro had specially changed into a simpler outfit today, a light blue dress embroidered with a few lotus buds that had not yet bloomed. Her face had become even fairer these past few days, and against the backdrop of the simple dress, her large eyes appeared strikingly dark, brimming with a lively spirit.
“They’re all here to participate in the selection of disciples,” Leng Wuqing replied with a smile, slowly raising one hand. The black-clad followers behind him immediately stood ready.
"What are you going to do?" Isoro asked alertly, his expression righteous and indignant. He grabbed Isoro's hand as I was about to strike. "Don't hurt anyone. Even if I don't get elected, you can't hurt anyone."
Leng Wuqing looked at her with cold eyes, a smile playing on his lips, and said indifferently, "You don't want the antidote anymore? You don't want the jade pendant anymore?"
"I don't need your help!" Igorō roared, pointing at the other candidates who were still spitting as they spoke, "Look at them, they're all ugly and worthless, how can they compare to me!"
Upon hearing this, Leng Wuqing immediately withdrew his hand and looked over with a smile: "But no matter how incompetent they are, they are still ten times better than you," he paused, "because they all have internal energy."
Damn it, I completely forgot about that.
Isoro's sense of justice vanished instantly. He closed his eyes and said, "Go ahead and do it, you heartless young master. Go ahead and do it, do it until you're satisfied. I'll pretend I didn't see anything."
Leng Wuqing pursed his lips, crossed his arms, but stopped moving.
Having been thoroughly humiliated, Isoro could only turn away listlessly.
Amidst the chatter, the first gate creaked open, and a tall, elegant scholar stepped out. He bowed politely to everyone and said, "Our Master Shu said that you are all welcome to enter the manor first and rest for a while. The first round of selection will begin tomorrow at noon." (Typed by Orange Garden Bubble Fish)
As soon as he finished speaking, he left without a care in the world, acting nothing like a host who would entertain guests.
[Produced by the Orange Garden Hand-Typed Team. Welcome to visit ]
Everyone was stunned for a moment, then they all rushed in through the door.
Isoro was at the very back when he was jostled hard by the person next to him, and he stumbled and almost fell to the ground.
A long, clean hand reached out and lifted her elbow, helping her regain her balance.
Ichiro looked over gratefully, then froze, exclaiming in surprise, "Duan Shuixian?"
"Yes, it is me." He still had a seductive look, wearing a light blue silk dress with a peach-red peony in full bloom, and two jade swords with green tassels hanging from his waist. "Fifty Sister, have you forgotten your betrothed husband?"
Ishiro was quite annoyed that Duan had grabbed his elbows, so he looked at him seriously and, instead of responding to his teasing, said solemnly, "Young Master Duan, your hair is disheveled."
Upon hearing this, Duan Shuixian immediately exclaimed in surprise, released her hands from holding Wushilang, pulled out a bronze mirror from her waist, and looked at herself from left to right.
"And who is he?" Leng Wuqing asked indifferently as he saw Isoro sneaking up behind him.
“He’s irrelevant.” Ishiro automatically ignored Duan Shuixian’s identity and denied it outright. “He has a certain degree of fanaticism for men.”