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Глава 114

"What? Go to Hengshan?" Jiang Shuying exclaimed in surprise.

Lan Baichen said, "Don't worry, I won't take your disciple away. I'm just taking him to relieve his worries."

Jiang Shuying sighed deeply and said, "Shao Yang is my senior brother's posthumous son, and logically, he should inherit Yinxi Xiaozhu in the future. Unfortunately, Ruzheng has disheartened him..."

Yu Hezhi smiled faintly: "Junior sister, there's no need to worry too much. Do you know that Brother Baichen's daughter is only eighteen years old, and is said to be quite beautiful? Perhaps Shao Yang's trip..."

Lan Baichen quickly waved his hand and said, "He Zhi is joking! My daughter is always acting crazy; it would be great if things could be a little more peaceful."

Jiang Shuying was relieved to hear this.

After all these matters were settled, Lan Baichen returned to her room to pack her luggage. Seeing that Yu Hezhi seemed very concerned about her, she dismissed the servants and said softly, "Senior brother, there is something that puzzles me."

Yu Hezhi was slightly taken aback. "I noticed you weren't quite right earlier. Could it be related to Ruzheng's injury...?"

"It's not that her injuries have changed, but rather it's about her background." Jiang Shuying sat by the window with a heavy heart, relaying Lin Bizhi's words to Yu Hezhi.

Yu Hezhi's expression gradually turned serious. He lowered his head and pondered, "Junior Sister, I know you've always harbored resentment towards Seven Star Island because of Senior Brother's matter. Since Lian Haichao had a child, Lian Junchu, with a mistress, could he also have entanglements with other women...? What if Ruzheng is also his daughter? How do you plan to handle that?"

Jiang Shuying stared blankly at the picturesque scenery outside the window, her voice hoarse, "This is the result I least wanted to see... She was too close to Lian Haichao's son before, but at that time, in order to retrieve the Divine Pearl, I tolerated it. Now she herself is involved with the Lian family..."

"I think we absolutely mustn't let her know about this," Yu Hezhi said in a low voice, standing beside her. "First, she hasn't fully recovered, and we shouldn't let this upset her. Second, the Divine Pearl is back in our hands. If she finds out about her origins later and sides with Seven Star Island, wouldn't all our efforts be in vain?"

Jiang Shuying considered his suggestion carefully and then said, "Senior Brother, Master Lin just said that the person who injured Ruzheng must have also practiced the Divine Firmament Palace's Thunderclap Heart Method. When I arrived, our eldest brother had already committed suicide. We searched his residence but couldn't find the Divine Pearl or the copy of the Heart Method. Do you think the Heart Method is still on Seven Star Island? But Lian Haichao is dead. Who in the Lian family could possess such internal energy?"

Yu Hezhi laughed and said, "Since that mental cultivation technique has already been taken by Lian Haichao, how do you know he won't secretly pass it on to someone else? Besides, Seven Star Island has always been distant from the outside world, so how much do we really know about them? Junior sister, you've lived in seclusion in Yinxi Cottage for many years, so you don't know much about the affairs of the martial world... Ruzheng is similar to you in this respect, often misjudging people and unable to distinguish between good and bad."

Jiang Shuying raised her eyebrows, looked directly at him, and said, "You mean her feelings for Lian Junchu?"

Seeing that no one was around, Yu Hezhi moved closer to her and said, "That young man isn't as refined as he seems. Do you know that Lian Haichao might have died because of him?"

Although Jiang Shuying didn't have a good impression of Lian Junchu, she was still taken aback by Yu Hezhi's words.

"The death of Lian Haichao was kept very secret. How do you know the inside story?" she asked urgently.

Yu Hezhi snorted and said, "Over the past few years, in order to reclaim the Divine Pearl, I've secretly gathered a lot of information." His eyes flashed, and he lowered his voice, "Lian Junqiu's departure from Seven Star Island is also related to Lian Junchu... As the older sister, she and Lian Junchu had long been entangled in an ambiguous relationship. I think Lian Haichao was likely driven to his death by this incestuous sibling relationship, which is why Seven Star Island has remained silent about the cause of his death."

Jiang Shuying's fair face flushed red with anger. She had always been deeply influenced by her parents' teachings on the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues, and she simply could not tolerate such a thing.

"Senior brother, stop talking! I don't even want to hear such filthy things." She stood up abruptly, took a few steps, then turned back and said, "Regardless of whether Ruzheng is a member of the Lian family or not, I will not allow her to have any further contact with them!"

In the following days, seeing that Yue Ruzheng had long forgotten her childhood experiences, Lin Bizhi did not press her for details, but instead gradually treated her internal injuries. Jiang Shuying took out the divine pearl, and Lin Bizhi infused it with her inner strength, supplemented by the Junlei Heart Method to cleanse her mind and spirit. The coldness in Yue Ruzheng's body gradually melted away.

During this time, Wei Heng also arrived at Yinxi Xiaozhu, only to find that Lin Bizhi had arrived before him. It seemed her lightness skill was indeed extraordinary, and she had traveled day and night; even he couldn't help but secretly admire her. Yue Ruzheng saw Wei Heng and tried several times to ask him questions, but each time there were others present. Only once did Wei Heng accompany Jiang Shuying to inquire about her illness. They were originally supposed to leave together, but Jiang Shuying unusually asked Wei Heng to stay and talk more with Yue Ruzheng.

Yue Ruzheng noticed that her master had been speaking less and his expression was rather strange lately, but she couldn't figure out why. After Jiang Shuying came downstairs, she hurriedly stood up and said to Wei Heng, "Little Wei, I heard from Ah Hong that when he found you, he happened to run into Lian Junchu."

Wei Heng smiled awkwardly, "As expected, you keep mentioning Lian Junchu."

Yue Ruzheng blushed slightly and said, "I was just asking."

He sat on the chair by the bed, crossed his legs, and smiled. "Don't worry, I won't fly into a rage like your senior brother does whenever Lian Junchu is mentioned."

Yue Ruzheng paused, then lowered her head and said, "My senior brother left with Senior Lan. I wonder if he will ever return to Luzhou..."

"He waited for you for so many years, and you two usually got along well, but the moment Lian Junchu appeared, your heart was completely captivated. How could he not be angry?" Wei Heng, though with a childlike face, feigned maturity, saying, "But there really is no logic to matters of the heart between men and women, don't you think?"

Yue Ruzheng pursed her lips, looked up at him, and said, "You're good at talking."

"I'm more than just good with words. It's just..." Wei Heng shook his head and sighed, "Even Lian Junchu's perpetually cold demeanor makes you lose your mind. By the way, he's already back on Seven Star Island, did you know?"

Although Yue Ruzheng had guessed this, she was still very disappointed.

"Did he go back after receiving my letter?" she murmured.

Wei Heng hesitated for a moment, then, seeing her downcast mood, said, "No... he went to Tiantai Mountain with me, and left afterward."

"Mount Tiantai?" Yue Ruzheng was taken aback. After thinking for a while, she suddenly said, "Isn't that where he lived when he was a child? Why did you go there?"

Wei Heng was taken aback and said, "I didn't hear him mention that. The reason we went to Tiantai Mountain was to find Hai Qiongzi for you, but didn't we find Lin Bizhi? Otherwise, by the time I got to Lingnan and came back, it would probably be next year."

After listening to him, Yue Ruzheng smiled quietly. After a moment, she said, "If you hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known about this."

"Actually, he told me not to tell anyone when he left," Wei Heng said, frowning. "He said he didn't want anyone to know, afraid of causing trouble..."

Yue Ruzheng's initially cheerful expression dimmed slightly as she said, "Is he afraid my master will be angry?"

"Probably." Wei Heng nodded, resting his hands on his knees and leaning forward slightly. "Have you ever considered that if you want things to work out with him, you can't avoid your master's approval?"

Yue Ruzheng smiled helplessly and said, "I don't even know what I'll consider a result."

Seeing her gaze gradually become unfocused again, Wei Heng couldn't help but say, "If you really can't let him go, you really don't need to worry about so much."

Yue Ruzheng paused for a moment, then asked, "Did he say what he would do next?"

"No," Wei Heng said calmly, "but you should understand that he rarely speaks his mind."

During the Great Cold season, auspicious snow fell from the sky.

After Lin Bizhi's treatment, Yue Ruzheng's internal injuries were healed, but she needed to rest for three months and could not easily engage in combat. As Lin Bizhi was saying goodbye, she told Jiang Shuying, "The Divine Pearl was a gift from my master to Yinxi Xiaozhu; please keep it safe. As for the cultivation method, it is now out of reach. To prevent further harm, I will inform my master, and he will definitely investigate thoroughly."

Jiang Shuying expressed her gratitude repeatedly, then asked He Zhidao, "Master, are you planning to return to Lingnan this time, or will you go to search for Senior Hai Qiongzi again?"

Lin Bizhi said, "My other junior brothers have also recently left the mountain to travel. I will find our master as soon as possible to discuss this matter with him." She looked up at the rustling snow in front of the door, bowed, and said, "Alright, I won't say any more. Farewell, both of you."

Having said that, she took the whisk in her hand, held the paper umbrella, and quickly left.

Jiang Shuying stood in front of the door for a moment and said, "Senior Hai Qiongzi's skills are profound. If he can investigate this matter, I think the person who injured Ru Zheng will have nowhere to hide."