A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 287 Suspicion

Inside the thatched cottage, He Yanrong stared blankly at Shangguan Yun, who only smiled wryly. Seeing this, Shangguan Feiyan immediately said, "Mother, Father brought a lot of things this time. Why don't you go and take a look?"

As she spoke, Shangguan Feiyan pulled He Yanrong by the arm and led her to the table, which was piled high with brocade boxes of all sizes.

“Mother, look, isn’t this the ‘evergreen’ you’ve been searching for all this time?”

Shangguan Feiyan casually opened a brocade box, inside which was a pure green branch with six green leaves. A refreshing fragrance wafted out, and after taking a whiff, one felt refreshed and invigorated.

This "evergreen" grows deep in the mountains and forests, tempered by the essence of the sun and moon, and contains a vital energy, making it a supreme treasure for alchemy and medicine making.

He Yanrong glanced at the "evergreen" plant. It was both precious and not precious, mainly because it could only be used to make medicine and could not be taken directly, otherwise it would have the opposite effect. And apart from He Yanrong, no one else was proficient in the technique of making medicine.

"This 'evergreen' has been around for sixty years. Finding this must not have been easy. You've worked hard."

He Yanrong put the "evergreen" back into the brocade box, then glanced at Shangguan Yun, who said, "If my wife likes it, I will do my best to find it. It's not hard work."

When Shangguan Yun heard He Yanrong speak to him, his heart immediately stirred. Seeing this, Shangguan Feiyan, who was standing nearby, immediately seized the opportunity and began to open the brocade boxes on the table one by one.

"Snowflakes, silver toad skin, nine-bend grass, purple ganoderma, three-leaf ginseng..."

Shangguan Feiyan read aloud the words pasted on the brocade box one by one. He Yanrong's expression was no longer calm. The value of these things together was immeasurable, especially the purple fungus. A three-inch piece was worth two gold coins. This one was a foot and a half long, at least a hundred years old, and in excellent condition. Its medicinal power had not dissipated. If it were refined into a medicinal pill, it would be a treasure that martial artists would dream of. He Yanrong could not help but be moved.

"Put your things away first. Feiyan, go check on Lu Yi. I'll talk to your father for a bit."

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Feiyan's face lit up with joy, and she immediately replied with a smile, "Yes, Mother."

As she spoke, Shangguan Feiyan called someone in to put the brocade box away and place it in the medicine room. After tidying it up, Shangguan Feiyan gave Shangguan Yun a wink and then quickly left.

"Madam, have all the toxins in Feiyan's body been completely removed?"

"Most of it has been cleaned up, with only a few residual toxins remaining, but they are no longer a big problem. In about six months, those residual toxins will be excreted through the bloodstream."

Although Shangguan Feiyan had only been under the influence of "Yellow Spring Powder" for a short time, the journey had been arduous, and the toxins had already entered her meridians. He Yanrong dared not forcibly expel the poison, but could only use the method of drawing out the poison with golden needles to slowly expel most of it. However, in doing so, some stubborn toxins were difficult to draw out and could only be resolved over time.

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Yun first frowned, then relaxed. He knew He Yanrong's abilities, and since the lady had chosen this method, she must have her reasons. He decided not to ask any further questions.

“Madam, now that Feiyan is alright, I plan to take her back to Zhongxin Hall. You should come back with me too, so the three of us can enjoy family bliss.”

After Feiyan turned five, the days our family of three could be together were few and far between. Feiyan is a rather strong-willed child; every year on her birthday, we had to travel back and forth between Kongtong Mountain and Zhongxin Hall. Madam, do you really want Feiyan to endure this pain of separation from her loved one any longer?

Shangguan Yun's words left He Yanrong speechless. There was always a thorn in her heart, a thorn she was unwilling to ignore but also didn't want to ignore. The longer it went on, the more it hurt her heart.

“Feiyan has grown up and will get married in the future. As her mother, you should teach her some things properly so that she won’t be bullied in the future.”

"Let me think about this."

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Yun was overjoyed. He had tried to persuade He Yanrong to return to Zhongxin Hall before, but she had always refused to his face. This time, she was willing to consider it, which made him very happy.

"Very well, Feiyan would be very happy if she knew."

Shangguan Yun felt relieved and looked at his wife's beautiful face. He then said, "When I went up the mountain just now, I heard Jiang Che say that Biyu Sheng had come up the mountain to ask for your help, Madam?"

“That’s right. Mr. Bi brought someone suffering from the Three Insect Gu poison, so I just lent him a hand. Is there a problem with that?”

Although He Yanrong knew that Jiang Che was someone left behind by Shangguan Yun, she was very displeased by his reporting to Shangguan Yun in every detail.

"No problem, no problem. It's just that Bi Yusheng has never had any dealings with the various martial arts sects. His sudden arrival at Mount Kongtong is somewhat unexpected. Madam, you don't know, but this Mr. Bi has quite a reputation. A few months ago, the Four Ghosts of Wushan, Tie Di of Henggu, and Master Rouhui of Shuiyue Nunnery all died at his hands."

At this point, Shangguan Yun said admiringly, "These people are no ordinary people. Mr. Bi was able to kill them so easily. His cultivation has reached the pinnacle."

Hearing this, He Yanrong snorted coldly and said, "The Four Devils of Wushan are greedy and lustful, ruining countless young girls. Lian Heng and Tie Di are hypocritical, seizing the property of their sworn brothers. The nuns of Shuiyue Nunnery are even more despicable. A proper Buddhist place has been turned into a place of debauchery. If you ask me, Mr. Bi did a good job killing them. The morals of the martial arts world have deteriorated because of people like these!"

“What you say is true, my wife. If I weren’t tied up, I would have wiped out these scoundrels of the martial arts world one by one. The martial arts world is nothing like it was decades ago. The atmosphere of the martial arts world is very different now. Just for a dragon pearl, several sects have been wiped out one after another, and many martial arts people have lost their lives. The atmosphere is like this, what can we do? Even though I am the leader of the martial arts alliance, I feel quite powerless to do anything about it.”

Recently, Ni Qingfeng of the Tianshan Sect led his disciples to wipe out the Evil Ghost Cave, subdue the Golden Whip Sect, and form an alliance with the An family of Xiyuan City. The martial world is once again in turmoil.

Shangguan Yun sighed, looking troubled.

Upon hearing Shangguan Yun mention the Dragon Pearl, He Yanrong's heart stirred, but she remained calm and instead asked, "Is it that recently renowned martial arts master, Ni Qingfeng, who killed the Divine Fire Master and two immortals from the Nine Immortals Sect, Tang Sen and Tang Yong?"

Although He Yanrong lived a secluded life in a thatched hut, she still heard about some major events in the martial arts world, not to mention the many achievements of this Taoist Master Ni, which would be hard to ignore.

"That's right. Madam may not know this, but Li Kong of the Flying Knife Sect and Meng Baichuan of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect also died at his hands."

"Li Kong is alright, except for his throwing knife skills which are passable, everything else is mediocre. Meng Baichuan is a top-notch master, yet he died at the hands of this Master Ni. It seems that Master Ni's martial arts have reached the realm of oneness with heaven and man."

Upon hearing this, He Yanrong was startled. More than ten years ago, Meng Baichuan was already a top martial arts master, with martial arts skills comparable to Shangguan Yun's. If Meng Baichuan was no match for Ni Qingfeng, then Shangguan Yun would not have much of a chance of winning either.

Thinking of this, He Yanrong suddenly realized that Shangguan Yun had said so much simply because he felt threatened by the Tianshan Sect, especially by this Daoist Ni.

"The martial arts world is currently in turmoil. If this continues, it will inevitably lead to chaos. Once those above intervene, the entire martial arts world will be severely weakened, and the situation I have painstakingly maintained for twenty years will collapse in an instant. This is not what I want to see."

Shangguan Yun stood up and looked at He Yanrong, saying in a deep voice, "Madam, I only have one question for you: Did your brother entrust you with something important before he passed away?"

After speaking, Shangguan Yun stared intently at He Yanrong, who chuckled and said, "You were the one who discovered my brother's death in the Northern Desert. I was far away in Kongtong at the time and didn't have time to receive anything. Speaking of which, I'd like to ask you, what exactly did you, my brother, Xuanwu of the Diancang Sect, Meng Baichuan of the Wandu Sect, and others do? Why have they all died one by one over the past ten years? What secrets lie behind this?"

"It's better for Madam not to know about this matter. Since Madam says it's nothing, then it's nothing. I won't ask any more questions. I'm going to see Yan'er. In a few days, I'll take Yan'er down the mountain. By the way, does Madam know about Lu Yi's background?"

"What is his background?"

Upon hearing this, He Yanrong felt a sense of foreboding. Just then, she heard Shangguan Yun say, "Lu Yi is the son of the Black and White Heroes."

"what!"

A sharp glint flashed in He Yanrong's eyes, but her expression remained calm. She gave Shangguan Yun a deep look and said in a deep voice, "The grudges of the previous generation should not be imposed on the younger generation. Moreover, Lu Yi saved Fei Yan's life. I will not make things difficult for him for either reason or emotion. You, the head of Zhongxin Hall, would not be so petty, would you?"

"Madam, you flatter me. I value loyalty and trustworthiness very much. Since Yan'er is happy, let's grant his wish. Let's find a time for our two families to discuss it and finalize the marriage as soon as possible. What do you think, Madam?"

"You decide what to do. I've lived in this thatched cottage for so long that I'm no longer familiar with worldly affairs. But I have only one request: that Yan'er not be wronged and that she have a grand wedding."

"It's natural."

Shangguan Yun readily agreed and quickly walked out of the thatched hut. Watching Shangguan Yun leave, He Yanrong's face immediately darkened. On the other side, Shangguan Yun went into the inner room and looked at Lu Yi's daughter taking care of her by the bedside, and a trace of jealousy arose for no reason.

"Feiyan."

Seeing that his daughter showed no sign of turning around, Shangguan Yun coughed, waking Shangguan Feiyan. The latter was slightly startled by the sound, then got up and saw Shangguan Yun. She quickly walked over and said softly, "Father, have you finished talking with Mother? What do you think? Is Mother willing to return to Zhongxin Hall?"

“Your mother said she needs to think about it, but in your father’s opinion, things are already 70-80% settled. If you persuade her a little more, things will be settled.”

"Really? Thank you, Dad."

Shangguan Feiyan was overjoyed and wanted to shout a few words, but she was afraid of disturbing Lu Yi, so she had to hold back.

Over the years, she was aware of the problems in her parents' relationship, but as a junior, she dared not speculate. She could only try to subtly influence them and reconcile them. This poisoning incident, however, turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as it showed signs of thawing the ice between her parents.

"Alright, you're not getting any younger. You should be more mature. You can't be like this when you get married. How is Lu Yi?"

Shangguan Yun took a few steps forward and looked at Lu Yi on the bed, whose face was rosy. Although his breath was weak, he was full of vitality and was no longer in danger of dying, which relieved him.

Although he looked down on Lu Aotian, Lu Yi had saved his daughter's life, and he couldn't bring himself to repay kindness with enmity.

"Mother has already used the Qi-building needles to treat Lu Yi, and he should wake up in the next day or two."

"That's good, Yan'er. The martial arts world is not safe right now, and the power your father can provide from Mount Kongtong is limited. Once Lu Yi wakes up, you and your mother will come back to Zhongxin Hall with me."

"Got it, Dad."

After exchanging a few more words with Shangguan Feiyan, Shangguan Yun left the room and went outside. He saw Jiang Che standing guard outside, gave him a wink, and walked away into the distance. Jiang Che understood and immediately followed.

Reaching a secluded spot, Jiang Che bowed to Shangguan Yun, who immediately asked, "What requests did Madam make to Biyusheng?"

"Master, please forgive me, I did not hear it."

Jiang Che hurriedly knelt down, his body suddenly covered in a cold sweat.

"Get up. It's not your fault. Tomorrow you will go down the mountain and return to Zhongxin Hall, where Elder Ri will reassign you to a new position."

"Thank you, Master."

Jiang Che was taken aback at first, then his face lit up with joy. Although being a guard by the young lady's side was easy, it meant less opportunity to climb the social ladder. With the destruction of Qiushui Manor, some people who were previously of lower status than him had risen to high positions, which he envied greatly. Now, his luck had finally turned around.

"Go down."

Shangguan Yun waved his hand, and Jiang Che bowed again before retreating. Just after Jiang Che left, Yue Sha came to his side and said in a deep voice, "Hall Master, the Tianshan Sect has wiped out several evil sects on its way back to the mountain. Now the reputation of the Tianshan Sect is becoming more and more renowned."

"It was bound to happen sooner or later. If it weren't for Ni Qingfeng, Xue Wanshan wouldn't have been so high-profile. But now is not the time to deal with the Tianshan Sect. How is the situation at Qiushui Manor going?"

"Although Qiu Tanggui left behind account books and other items, it will take at least half a year to fully sort out the business of Qiushui Manor. Hall Master, such a long time may easily lead to changes. Tianshan Sect has two trade routes, Xiyuan City and Sihai Inn, plus its existing industries, which will surely become a major threat in the future."

“I know that, but Zhongxintang’s operations are too large and its strength is inevitably weak. If we were to clash with the Tianshan Party at this time, we would be the ones who suffer. Ni Qingfeng, unless I personally take action, is no match for you two even if you both come together.”

Upon hearing this, Yue Sha was not unconvinced, but he couldn't help but worry. If Ni Qingfeng was so difficult to deal with now, how powerful would he be in half a year?

"With the Dragon Ball in hand, neither Ni Qingfeng nor Xue Wanshan can stand against me. Yue Sha, I need you to do something tonight."

"Please give your instructions, Master."

As night fell, the lights outside the thatched hut were sparse, and the inside was pitch black. A figure darted in through the window, flipped over, and landed lightly on the ground without making a sound.

The figure looked around and went straight into the inner room. It opened the mechanism with practiced ease and entered the secret chamber. The figure looked at the wooden shelf full of bottles and jars, opened and searched through them one by one, but did not find what it was looking for.

Just as the figure continued searching in another place, candlelight suddenly shone in the dark secret room. The face behind the mask was very calm, and a pair of bright black eyes looked at He Yanrong, who was holding a candlestick.

"You audacious madman, how dare you trespass into my thatched hut! You shall die!"

He Yanrong's jade-like face was frosty. She carefully placed the candlestick aside, gathered her inner strength, and unleashed a burst of palm energy, striking the figure with a chilling palm strike.

Seeing this, the man dared not take the "Frosty Palm" head-on. He hurriedly dodged to the side, pointed with his right hand, and a force that pierced through the air shot towards He Yanrong's Shenmen acupoint on her wrist.

He Yanrong snorted coldly, withdrew her palm force, and her figure swayed. A cold light suddenly appeared at her waist. A fine steel soft sword emerged from the sea like a dragon, bursting forth with several cold stars as it pierced towards the man. This move was "Cold Star Illumination" from the Kongtong Sword Technique.

With a single thrust of the sword, it could cover the opponent's vital points. If the opponent did not react in time, even if they did not die, they would be seriously injured. He Yanrong had been practicing the Kongtong Sword Technique for decades and had already mastered it to perfection. This move was made even more powerful. With a hissing sound of sword energy tearing through the air, the man's expression changed immediately. He shouted and released a series of crescent-shaped flying blade palm energies, which collided with the few points of cold stars. In just a few breaths, the palm wind and sword energy disappeared at the same time.

The man blocked Han Xing Leng Zhao's attack, then turned and left. With a few leaps, he jumped out of the secret chamber. He Yanrong's mind stirred, and she immediately chased after him. Just after she chased after the man, Shangguan Yun entered the secret chamber and searched it, but found nothing.

"Could it be that He Santai really didn't give the Dragon Pearl to the lady, and I was wrong?"

Shangguan Yun put the items back in their original places and then quickly left the secret room.

Is it really you?

He Yanrong extinguished the candle and muttered to herself.

Tianshan, Hongyi Hall
Sect Leader Xue Wanshan and Law Enforcement Elder Shen Henian stood in the main hall, waiting for Ni Qingfeng and the others.

"Fourth Junior Brother has been down the mountain for a long time and has finally returned. During this period, our Tianshan Sect has been under considerable pressure. With the destruction of the Evil Ghost Cave, some evil spirits and heretics have lost their suppression and have begun to stir up trouble. Yu Yang from Zixia Temple sent a personal letter the day before yesterday, saying that the bandits in Luanshi Mountain are restless again and hoping that the Tianshan Sect can send people to provide support. What do you think, Senior Brother?"

Zixia Temple is a branch of the Tianshan Sect. Yu Yang Daoist is Xue Wanshan's junior brother, but his martial arts are only mediocre and inferior to Fu Tianjiao. There are more than a hundred people in Luanshi Mountain, especially Qiu He, who is skilled in the Reversed Sword Technique.

How many people are available on the mountain right now?

"Besides the necessary disciples guarding the mountain, we can probably spare about 150 people. If we want to provide support, 30 people would be enough. But who does Senior Brother want to send as the leader?"

Currently, besides Zhang Yong and Zhuo Bing, the only elite disciple the sect leader can mobilize on Mount Tian is Pei Duan. However, his own disciples have made considerable progress these days, and this kind of mission is perfect for training them.

“Zhang Yong and Zhuo Bing lack experience and their swordsmanship is not yet perfect. Going down the mountain now might lead to failure. Pei Duan’s foundation is a bit weak, and he might not be able to subdue the leaders. Let Cheng Feng go. His martial arts are no less than Tian Jiao’s and Zhao Kai’s. Also, Junior Brother, you should personally select thirty good fighters to go down the mountain with him, and have Elder Li secretly protect them.”

"Yes, I will obey the sect leader's order."

(End of this chapter)