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However, this carefree period only lasted for five days.

On the sixth day, when Sui Qinghan returned to the bamboo house to fetch wine with a cheerful smile, Lan Qi, feeling an itch to tease him, said, "Old Sui, I forgot to tell you, you should go and see the pear blossom forest over at the hot spring lake." She was referring to the pear blossom forest with the "Three Talents Return to Origin" and "Five Stars Align" formations.

Sure enough, after Sui Qinghan went to see it, he returned furious and flew into a rage.

The group wasn't surprised. They had already witnessed the tragic state of the pear blossom grove that day. As the owner who had worked so hard, it would be strange if Sui Qinghan didn't have a temper.

Then, the days that followed were rather tough. They were all forced by Sui Qinghan to plant pear trees, water the pear orchard, prune the pear trees, catch insects for the pear blossoms... Everything that Sui Qinghan could think of was added to their shoulders.

Yuwen Luo lamented that the days of peace and comfort were gone forever. Ning Lang diligently planted trees, Feng Yi silently buried himself in pruning, Ming Er used catching insects as practice for his lightness skills, eyesight, and speed, and Lan Qi was having a great time watering the plants. However, sometimes the water would accidentally fall on Yuwen Luo's speech acupoint, sometimes accidentally give Ning Lang a bath, and sometimes the water droplets would silently and swiftly hit Ming Er...

One day, Kong finally appeared. Yuwen Luo assumed he had come to rescue them, but the senior looked at them and simply said, "Young people should do more." Then he drifted away.

Overall, those days weren't too bad. So much so that years later, when the group recalled those times, they would sometimes feel a little dazed, then a smile would creep onto their lips, and they would murmur, "Back then..."

Time flies like water, and half a month seems to have passed in the blink of an eye. The day they set sail is drawing near.

On September 18th, the group took their leave. Before leaving, Sui Qinghan only said one sentence: "After you leave, never mention this place to the world, or I, the leader of this sect, will kill you!"

His tone and gaze told them that he was not bluffing.

Yuwen Luo shuddered, then suddenly remembered Lan Qi's words: "Even if you see it, it will still be a secret."

Yes, Lan Qi and the others knew about it, but for the martial arts world, it remained a secret.

Life in the mountains is carefree, and all worldly troubles have passed.

When they left Pear Blossom Tomb and returned to the martial world, a shocking piece of news awaited them.

The first group of three thousand martial arts heroes who set sail perished in the Eastern Sea! Chapter 52, Part 18: A Tree of Heartless Green (Part 1)

Updated: [2008-11-28 14:07:31.0]

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18. A tree of green, utterly heartless.

After leaving Pear Blossom Tomb, walk east for half a day and you will reach Yecheng. From there, you can go to Yingzhou, which is located by the sea.

As soon as the group entered Yecheng, the news reached their ears without them even needing to ask, as the entire martial arts world was talking about it.

The group was resting in a roadside teahouse when they heard loud, boisterous conversation emanating from inside. Upon closer listening, they were all utterly shocked, Ning Lang being completely stunned. Ming Er and Lan Qi frowned, scrutinizing the conversation before their hearts sank. What other sect in the world possessed the power to wipe out three thousand martial arts masters in a single night? And just what kind of terrifying place was the Eastern Sea? Had those three thousand lives vanished so easily?!

“Let’s find an inn to stay in first, then find out the details. Once we’ve confirmed that, we can discuss what to do next.” Kong was the first to regain his composure and led the way out of the tea pavilion, with Feng Yi following silently behind him.

Lan Qi and Ming Er glanced at Kong, their hearts stirred, and they also got up and left, while Yuwen Luo dragged the still-soul-stirring Ning Lang behind them.

When they reached a relatively secluded place, Lan Qi spoke up, "Senior, do you..." but didn't finish his question, only looking at him, while the others also turned their gazes to the sky.

Kong stopped, pondered for a long while, and then said, "Indeed, I have always had doubts about the Dongming Sea and even Dongming Island. I always felt that our journey was fraught with unpredictable danger, as if it were a trap that someone had set up long ago, and we had no choice but to walk into it. So I told Brother Changtian to be careful in everything, but I never expected... Alas!"

"So, Senior, you know something about Dongming Island?" Ming Er asked.

Kong paused for a moment, as if considering how to phrase his words, before saying, "As you all know, our sect's founder, Han Pu, was very close to 'Bai Fengxi.' His notes recorded that 'Bai Feng Hei Xi' visited Dongming Island more than a hundred years ago."

"Huh?" The group was surprised. The mysterious Dongming Island, which was so mysterious to the people of the dynasty, actually existed, and some people had even been there and returned safely.

"Since 'White Wind and Black Breath' have been there, why did Senior Yu conclude that Dongming Island is dangerous?" Yuwen Luo asked疑惑地, "Could it be that he has a record of Dongming Island...?"

"No." Kong waved his hand. "Besides mentioning that 'White Wind and Black Breath' had been to Dongming Island, there are no other records. But... if 'Lan Yin Bi Yue' was truly taken by Dongming Island, they could have left no clues at all. Why would they leave half a 'Wang Ran Palm' imprint? Dongming Island is a completely unknown place to the people of the Dynasty, and they have never had any connection with it. Why would they want to seize this sacred decree? And at such a high price! Thinking about it carefully, it all seems suspicious. It feels like a trap, but it's just a feeling, a guess. It can't be confirmed, so it can't stop the heroes from being so eager to fight. Besides, with the sacred decree stolen, as members of the martial arts world, no matter what the future holds—fortune, misfortune, injury, or death—we must go and get it back."

“I see, no wonder,” Lan Qi said, her emerald eyes gazing into the void. “No wonder Senior went to the Pear Blossom Tomb.”

Kong's gaze sharpened. He turned and looked in the direction of the Pear Blossom Tomb. He stared at it quietly for a long while before softly saying, "I think this may be the last time I see your master in this life, so I'm going to see her."

The group, suddenly realizing his plight, were deeply moved by his unwavering devotion. Who would have thought that the number one martial artist in the world could also have such a painful past, such tender emotions? Upon further reflection, they felt a growing unease about their journey to Dongming Island, their hearts heavy with worry. This might truly be a one-way trip!

“Then my senior brother… and Senior Qiu and the others… really…” Ning Lang, who had just come to his senses, suddenly spoke up. His face, which was originally slightly dark, was now as white as paper, and his usually bright eyes were filled with grief.

No one answered; everyone remained silent. At this moment, no words of comfort could be offered, nor could any predictions be made.

"Let's go." Kong suddenly turned around resolutely and strode away.

The group exchanged glances and then followed.

They searched several inns, but unfortunately, they were all full. Finally, Lan Qi said, "Follow me," and led the group to the largest inn in Ye City, "Hua Ye Inn," where they ran into an old friend.

Yuwen Lindong hadn't noticed anything at first, but then he realized that his son's gaze had suddenly become fixed on one spot, and his whole body tensed up. So he followed his son's gaze.

At noon, the sun was shining brightly. A person stood backlit at the entrance of the inn. Normally, a face should be dim and indistinct in the shadows, but that person seemed to have a radiance that surpassed the sun's brilliance. Their dazzling beauty and radiant appearance attracted everyone's attention. One glance was enough to captivate and stun them.

Yuwen Lindong was also taken aback. When he turned back to look at his son, he saw that his son had already withdrawn his gaze, coldly lowered his eyes, and tilted his head back to gulp down a glass of strong liquor.

Then, several more people walked in behind that person, and instantly the hall was filled with a sense of brilliance. From the manager to the waiter to the guests, everyone exclaimed what a wonderful day it was to see so many outstanding figures!

Upon seeing the person behind him, Yuwen Lindong stood up and greeted him warmly, "Brother Kong!"

"So Brother Yuwen is here too." Kong walked over with a smile.

"Greetings, Senior." Yuwen stood up and greeted him.

Kong nodded with a smile. Behind him, Feng Yi, Lan Qi, Ming Er, and Ning Lang also stepped forward to greet Yuwen and his son, while Yuwen Luo timidly hid behind them.

Yuwen Lindong had already seen the boy, but he had just met with Kong and the others and had to exchange pleasantries, so he didn't have time to pay attention to him. Looking at Feng Yi, Ming Er, Lan Qi, and Ning Lang, each with their elegant and extraordinary bearing, he couldn't help but feel even more annoyed by the boy's incompetence. But as he looked, his gaze suddenly froze. Only then did he realize something was wrong. He didn't have Kong's unwavering composure, nor Qiu Changtian's gentle and refined manners, so he directly expressed his surprise.

"Seventh Young Master Lan...you...this appearance..." Perhaps it was because this person's emerald eyes were too distinctive and striking that he recognized her as Lan Qi just by looking at her eyes, completely overlooking her current appearance. Yuwen Lindong couldn't help but feel a little shocked. Could it be that even this old man of several decades had been blinded by her beauty, failing to recognize her obvious disguise? Recalling the rumors circulating in the martial arts world, he wondered to himself, could this person truly be both male and female?

Lan Qi Na Riyi was dressed in white women's clothing.

When the group went to Pear Blossom Tomb, none of them brought any luggage. Fortunately, there were enough clothes in Sui Qinghan's bamboo house. According to Lan Qi, those were all prepared by Sui Qinghan for herself and Dong Weiming. It was just a pity that Dong Weiming never stayed in the bamboo house for a single day, but all the white women's clothes were given to Lan Qi to wear.

"Senior Yuwen, do I not look good like this?" Lan Qi waved her jade fan and looked at Yuwen Lindong with her green eyes.

Those emerald eyes glanced at him calmly, yet an invisible aura made Yuwen Lindong's chest tighten, leaving him speechless. You can't expect a man in his fifties, a senior, to praise a junior for being handsome, can you?

Just then, Ming Er suddenly spoke up, "Where are you going?"

Yuwen Luo was taking advantage of the moment to sneak away.

Yuwen Lindong quickly turned his gaze to his youngest son, who was cowering to the side. He immediately gained momentum, glared at him, puffed out his beard, and shouted sternly, "You brat, how dare you sneak around under your father's nose! You've got some nerve! Tell me where you've been all this time. If you've done anything wrong, I'll skin you alive!"

"Father, I didn't do anything wrong." With nowhere to hide, Yuwen Luo walked slowly to Yuwen Lindong. "I just went to..." Suddenly remembering Sui Qinghan's warning, he quickly stopped talking.

"Where did you go?" Yuwen Lindong asked immediately.

“I went…” Yuwen Luo looked at Kong and the others for help, but they either smiled and remained silent or looked away. “I went…” Yuwen Luo stammered, but his usually quick mind was now blank and he couldn’t remember anything.

“Uncle Yuwen, my elder brother and I followed Brother Ming and the others to visit several martial arts seniors. We didn’t do anything wrong,” Ning Lang suddenly said. Although his face was still pale, he had regained his senses. “Later, we met Senior Kong and traveled together. I never expected to run into you here, Uncle.”

Yuwen Lindong hadn't originally intended to do anything to his youngest son here; he was merely using this opportunity to escape his previous predicament. Furthermore, Ning Lang's words sounded completely sincere, so he had already believed him. Seeing Kong Han nodding with a smile beside him, he knew it was true and said, "Since that's the case, I'll spare you for now. I'll settle the score with you when we get home!"

Yuwen Luo breathed a sigh of relief at escaping unscathed and looked gratefully at Ning Lang. This sworn brother was indeed more reliable. Moreover, it was unexpected that someone who was usually too honest could be so resourceful at this moment. Sui Qinghan and Dong Weiming were indeed senior figures in the martial arts world. Saying that was both stating the facts and not revealing the truth. Hmm, honest people can be clever sometimes.

"Fifth brother, what have you gained this time?" Yuwen suddenly asked without warning.

Yuwen Luo, who was deep in thought, was startled by the voice, and then mumbled, "Yes, I met some more seniors. I am deeply impressed by your expertise and plan to practice martial arts diligently when I return home."

"How rare." Yuwen snorted and looked away without saying another word.

Yuwen Luo chuckled dryly. Actually, he really wanted to brag to his father and brothers: "I met Sui Qinghan, the leader of the Demonic Sect! I also met the most beautiful woman in the world, Dong Weiming… ah, no, I heard Dong Weiming's voice! I even stayed with them… ah, I stayed at their residence for half a month! Hmph… I've met people you'll never have the chance to meet in your entire lives!"

It was lunchtime, so they ate together. During the meal, they talked about the three thousand heroes who had perished in the Eastern Sea, and everyone was filled with sorrow. After the meal, Lan Qi's subordinates brought their luggage, and they all checked into the inn for the night. They went back to their rooms to rest for a while before going out to investigate the situation.

When Lan Qi stepped out the door again, he had already changed back into men's clothing, dressed in purple robes and with a jade fan, looking quite dashing.

Alone, he went out and walked east along the street, enjoying the scenery. When he reached a quiet corner with few pedestrians, a man suddenly rushed out from an alley on his right, a long sword following closely behind, thrusting out diagonally. It was sudden and swift. Just as the man was about to collide with him and the sword was about to strike, Lan Qi waved his jade fan with his left hand, sending the man flying three steps to the side. With a flick of his right hand, the sword was caught between two fingers. The movement was fluid and seamless, seemingly unhurried but perfectly timed, leaving onlookers in awe of his skill.

Lan Qi first looked at the person he had slapped to the ground, and was surprised to see that he said, "Oh, isn't this Palace Master Mei? Why do you look like this?" Then he turned to the right and smiled faintly, "So it's Miss Shang. Your swordsmanship is even more exquisite now."

Shang Pinghan tried to draw his sword, but the blade remained motionless, and his already cold face grew even colder.

Lan Qi tapped his fingertips, causing the sword to vibrate. Shang Pinghan's entire arm holding the sword went numb. She couldn't help but look up at him, only to see those emerald eyes watching her with amusement, as if to say: If you stay still, I might consider returning your sword. But if you move again, don't blame me for breaking it. She gritted her teeth and didn't draw her sword again.

Lan Qi released the sword with satisfaction, and Shang Pinghan made no further moves, but kept his eyes fixed on the person lying on the ground, ready to strike with his flying sword at any moment if the person made a move.

Lan Qi turned her gaze to the person on the ground who was unable to move. The fan had sealed Mei Rudai's acupoints, so she fanned her jade fan again to release the acupoints and said, "Palace Mistress Mei, please get up first."

Mei Rudai got up from the ground, her clothes tattered and filthy, her appearance withered and haggard, looking like an old woman or a beggar, with not a trace of her former charm. Lan Qi looked at her, her brows furrowing slightly, then turned her head to look at Shang Pinghan. The bloody wound on her face that day was now just a faint scar, almost invisible from a distance, so the cold beauty was still the cold beauty.

"Is this... seeking revenge?" Lan Qi raised an eyebrow. Anyone could probably see that.

"Otherwise, does Seventh Young Master think we're playing a cat-and-mouse game?" Mei Dairu sneered twice, her voice as alluring and seductive as ever, but unfortunately, paired with that face, it only made people feel disgusted.

"Oh." Lan Qi nodded and said, "Given the noble status of the Mei Palace Master as the head of a palace, even if she lost her martial arts, she shouldn't have fallen to this state."

"The master of a palace... has lost her martial arts..." Mei Rudai sneered repeatedly, her eyes filled with resentment and hatred as she glared at Lan Qi. "Isn't my current state all thanks to Seventh Young Master! You crippled my martial arts, damaged my meridians, and left me a cripple. How could I possibly be the master of Baiyan Palace? My junior sister seized the opportunity to take over the position. If I hadn't escaped in time, my grave would be overgrown with weeds by now! It's a pity that I escaped one wolf's den only to fall into another!" As she spoke, her gaze shot towards Shang Pinghan, equally venomous and ruthless.

Just by looking at her current appearance, there's no need to ask any more questions; you can tell how difficult her journey has been.

Lan Qi's gaze then turned to Shang Pinghan.

Shang Pinghan's face was cold, his gaze even colder, and of course, his voice was just as cold, "In the martial world, grudges are settled and revenge is taken! You injured me and disfigured me, and if it were a fair fight, I would accept it! But you resorted to despicable means, so don't blame me, Shang Pinghan, for taking advantage of your weakness today!"

“Yes, that makes a lot of sense.” Lan Qi nodded in agreement.

Mei Rudai was no longer afraid or flustered when she tried to escape. She straightened her back, looked up at the two men, and said, "I am going to die today, but I have nothing to be afraid of. I will come back to take revenge on you when I become a ghost!" After saying that, she closed her eyes and waited for her death.

Shang Pinghan drew her sword, but Lan Qiyu waved her fan, stopping her. Her green eyes stared at Mei Rudai, and she said with a hint of surprise, "Palace Mistress Mei, you shouldn't be so forceful right now. Given your usual style, you should be kneeling down and begging for mercy, while also crying a few sweet tears to win my pity."

Mei Rudai opened her eyes and sneered, "Why are you crying? What's the use of crying? You can't cry for power, money, or status! You can't cry for food, clothes, or people who love and protect you! The weak crying and begging for mercy from the strong is nothing but a laughingstock! I, Mei Rudai, am no saint. Since I've already fallen to this point, why add to the ridicule?"

"Oh?" Lan Qi's green eyes lit up as she looked at the disheveled Mei Rudai and slowly nodded. "Palace Master Mei's words are exactly what I think."

"Hmph! No need for crocodile tears!" Mei Rudai glared coldly. Thinking of her junior sister's betrayal, the relentless pursuit, and the nearly month-long escape... her heart was filled with nothing but hatred and resentment! Since she couldn't live any longer, she would rather die a quick death, and as a ghost, she could find her enemies and avenge herself! Chapter 53, Part 18: A Tree of Heartless Green (Part 2)

Updated: [2008-11-28 14:07:32.0]

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Lan Qi, upon hearing this, did not get angry. Instead, he sighed and said, "Alas, I suddenly can't bear to see you die." As he spoke, he turned his gaze to Shang Pinghan.

Shang Pinghan's face was cold, and her gaze towards Lan Qi clearly told him: Even if you, Lan Qi, plead for mercy, I will never let this person go!

Lan Qi smiled, a hint of mockery flashing in her green eyes. Then she slowly raised her hand, a glint of light in her eyes. Shang Pinghan immediately became wary, raising his sword and retreating rapidly. But before he could take a step back, he felt a chill on his neck, his arm went numb, and his sword fell to the ground.

"You!" Shang Pinghan was both angry and hateful, but a cold white jade fan was pressed against his neck, like a sword across his neck, and the chilling killing intent seeped into his skin.

"Your life is in my hands right now. If I don't kill you, it's as if I'm giving you a life. I don't want you to repay the favor. I'm just exchanging your life for the life of Palace Master Mei. From this day forward, all your grudges with Palace Master Mei will be wiped clean." Lan Qi said to Shang Pinghan with a smile.

"You!" Shang Pinghan was so angry that he couldn't speak. He could only stare at that wicked face, wishing he could shove two holes into it.

"Remember my words, I mean what I say." Lan Qi was still smiling, but for no reason, Shang Pinghan sensed a chilling ruthlessness in her words, as if she would be killed instantly if she made the slightest move, and dared not move for a moment.

Lan Qi put away his jade fan, and once again adopted a dashing and debonair demeanor. His emerald eyes were full of spring-like charm, and he spoke tenderly, "Miss Shang, since we rarely meet, how about we go for a drink together? To be honest, I have long held a fondness for you on Mount Ying, but unfortunately, I have never had the chance to be intimate with you, which is a great pity."