I began to understand the myriad things by chopping wood

Yunzhou Prefecture.

The Wuyi Lane, with its deep alleys and ten-foot-high walls, is home to wealthy families.

On one side, most of the long alley belongs to just one family.

In the mansion, in the waterside pavilion.

The beautiful lady in a goose yellow long skirt sat quietly by the lake.

Her hair was tied into a bun, with a strand of black hair falling on the side of her face and resting on her shoulders, making her skin look white as snow and her neck slender, as elegant as a swan.

Her eyebrows were like distant mountains, her eyes were like mirror-like lakes, her nose was like a jade, her lips were like red. Her oval face was so delicate that it looked as if it could be blown away, and her facial features were flawless. She was so beautiful that it didn't seem like she was meant to be seen in the world.

Zheng——

The peerless beauty is playing the piano, waving her hands and watching the scenery like flowing clouds and running water, adding three points of elegance.

She had a calm expression, and she had a noble and aura, as if she was born aristocrat. Her appearance was like that of an immortal, so people dared not approach her or blaspheme her.
However, her eyes were clear and her big eyes were very lively. She looked around with a bright look and seemed to be smiling slightly, which did not make people feel distant.

After the song was over, she took a cup of tea from the maid next to her, blew on it gently, and took a sip.

Inadvertently, she glanced at the empty seat next to her and asked:

"Hey, you still haven't received the letter today?"

"Miss, no. How can I ask you every day? I will get back to you when I have one."

The personal maid whispered.

The woman curled her lips, and the peerless beauty suddenly became more lively and approachable like a girl next door.

The maidservants spoke casually to her, and she spoke even more casually, always with a generous heart and without caring about anything.

However, Situ Qin was a little absent-minded.

Why didn't he reply for so long this time?

Maybe he is too busy...

Situ Qin helped him think of a reason.

His situation is indeed not easy, as he has to face so many bad things every day.

In fact, he doesn't like these things the most.

Situ Qin sighed slightly, regretting that she couldn't go to help him.

With her current strength and her usual intelligence and knowledge, if she were by Xie Yuan's side, she could be a great help.

But the place called Chenjun...she really couldn't go there.

Situ Qin felt a little aggrieved.

They obviously love each other and are attracted to each other, but they have been apart for most of the years.

Sometimes Situ Qin secretly thought that it would be better to let him be a small escort leader in Yunzhao, or a small swordsman in Yunshan.

She can support him anyway!
But it's just a thought. The restricted Xie Yuan is not Xie Yuan.

A great man like him, no matter what his status is, will sooner or later make a name for himself.

Just like I thought long ago.

If he can't stay with me, it's okay for me to follow him.

"But my mother took action again..."

Situ Qin sighed softly.

She could have stopped thinking about what happened in the past in order to stay with Xie Yuan.

But now it seems that others may not think so.

For example, that stubborn little girl, I'm afraid she must be hating her to death.

But he is a person who values ​​friendship very much, and he doesn't know how difficult it is.

Situ Qin was lost in thought, her heart was in turmoil, and she didn't notice that her personal maid Xiao Qing was waving her hand in front of her eyes:
"...Miss? Miss? Miss!!!"

Situ Qin was startled, and even trembled with fear from the little maid, and couldn't help but spit:

"What are you yelling so loud for—what's the matter?"

She asked, noticing the maid's agitated expression.

Xiaoqing opened her eyes wide:
"Miss, a guest is coming!"

"Oh? Which guest is it?"

Situ Qin forced herself to cheer up.

I wonder which high-ranking official in Yunzhou, an old friend of the Prince of Pingxi’s Mansion, or a relative of the Prince of Yunshan?

Anyway, she was bored, so it would be nice to have a visitor to chat with, which could distract her.

Xiaoqing said mysteriously:

"It's the guest the young lady wants to see."

Situ Qin's big eyes opened even wider.

After a while.

Xie Yuan walked into the water pavilion and saw the beautiful woman sitting gracefully by the lake.

She has picturesque features and a lively temperament. She is still in her prime, but less childish.

He felt a little emotional. After they parted in the capital, they waited for more than a year before they met again.

The two have known each other for several years, but have not been able to be together most of the time in the past two years.

The playful girl back then has now grown into a graceful and beautiful lady with a breathtakingly beautiful face, and she vaguely resembles her mother in terms of her extraordinary beauty.

Xie Yuan cupped his hands:

"Ms. Qin, long time no see."

Situ Qin immediately revealed a brilliant smile of great surprise, and the warm pavilion was filled with light.

She stood up and walked quickly to Xie Yuan, looking up and smiling with eyes curved:
"Hey, why did you come here so suddenly? You didn't even tell me!"

"This is not a surprise for you."

Xie Yuan smiled slightly, then directly embraced Situ Qin.

Situ Qin buried herself in his arms, her face slightly red and her heart beating faster.

But when she smelled that familiar scent, she gradually relaxed and felt very peaceful.

The two hugged each other quietly for a while, and a warm atmosphere filled the pavilion.

"cough."

Xiaoqing, the personal maid, saw that it had been taking too long and coughed lightly.

Xie Yuan and Situ Qin separated with a little awkwardness.

Xie Yuan glared at Xiao Qing quietly, but Xiao Qing rolled her eyes in return.

Situ Qin held Xie Yuan's hand, looked at him for a while, and suddenly smiled:
"Have you broken through?"

Xie Yuan nodded:
"The first thing I did when I returned to Yunzhou this time was to go up Yunshan Mountain..."

He and Situ Qin both sat down beside him and told him about what happened this time.

"Originally, when I returned to Yunzhou, the person I wanted to see the most was you...but Xie Qian couldn't be delayed, so I took care of the chores first."

Xie Yuan explained, and what he said was from the bottom of his heart.

Situ Qin held up her face and looked at him without blinking, her eyes sparkling.

She smiled:
"It's okay, business is more important..."

"I came to see you for business."

Xie Yuan corrected.

He immediately looked at Situ Qin, whose aura was deep and slightly different from before, and said with a smile:
"It seems that you are already a Grandmaster Situ."

Situ Qin smiled:
"My cultivation level is much higher than yours, and I have less things to do than you. I haven't seen you much in the past two years, and there's nothing fun to do except cultivation! But even so, I didn't break through much earlier than you."

She was a little surprised.

Before, her cultivation level was not only much higher than Xie Yuan's, but it was also higher by at least one realm.

As a result, Xie Yuan slowly caught up and unexpectedly broke through to the Grandmaster level so quickly!
The two of them have made equal progress in the Grandmaster realm. Situ Qin has a slight advantage, but the gap is only one or two steps.

Even though Situ Qin knew that Xie Yuan had extraordinary talent and was advancing at a very fast speed, when he saw him again as a master, his heart was filled with turmoil and he could not calm down for a while.

But no matter how surprised you are, the person in front of you is your sweetheart, so the more outstanding the person is, the happier you will be.

Situ Qin looked up at Xie Yuan, her eyes becoming clearer.

Then her expression softened and she said:
"I guess it's not easy for you either. Remember to rest if you are too tired! Well, the letter is not detailed enough. Please tell me more about it! As for the Tianwaitian and the elders of the Xie family..."

She asked Xiaoqing to bring a lot of candied snacks:

"This is the freshly made sweet cake made by the kitchen. This is from a newly opened fruit shop in Yunzhou Prefecture. And this is the candied fruit from this shop. Business is very tight and the quantity is limited. I can only grab a box every once in a while. I usually can't bear to part with it... These taste so good! Let's talk while we eat."

Xie Yuan smiled as he looked at Situ Qin and told him everything, then pushed all the delicious food to him.

The two of them ate and drank while chatting and talking about their experiences over the past year.

Xie Yuan certainly had some adventures, but the games and disputes in the Chenjun clan land were actually not very interesting. However, Situ Qin listened to them with great interest, and his mood fluctuated;
Situ Qin himself led a simple life in Yunzhou Prefecture. He either tried new snacks and fruits, new piano music techniques, or practiced and practiced.

But at the same time, Xie Yuan listened carefully and didn't feel bored at all. He just didn't want to miss every day of Situ Qin.

The two of them seemed to have endless things to say, and they kept on chattering for a long time without stopping.

far away.

The square-faced Li Tai and the charming Aunt Hong stood there, quietly watching the young man and woman reunite.

"really not bad."

Aunt Hong sighed softly.

Li Tai nodded:
"Indeed, he became a Grandmaster so quickly! Why do I feel that he is practicing faster than Miss? How is this possible?"

His tone was full of admiration.

Aunt Hong couldn't help but roll her eyes. She was certainly not talking about cultivation.

But this wood is old, and no new buds can grow on an iron tree. Aunt Hong has long been accustomed to this.

She was also quite surprised at Xie Yuan's speed of cultivation. Although they had always known that this boy was not an ordinary person, they could not help being shocked to see him reach this level.

Aunt Hong nodded slightly:

"Young lady, whether in terms of talent, comprehension, or skills and resources, is top-notch. Logically, no one can practice faster than her. As long as she is willing to work hard, no one in history will be faster.

"It's just that she has been practicing at home after all."

Li Tai also nodded:
"If you don't venture out, you will eventually have fewer opportunities and fewer training. But Xiao Xie overcame all difficulties and hardships, and made such rapid progress -

"But it's still shockingly fast. I'm afraid the prince wasn't as fast as this back then?"

He and Aunt Hong looked at each other, thought about it, and both showed some shock.

It seems that the King of Pingxi, who is feared by the eight great families, has not risen as fast as Xie Yuan!

Aunt Hong pursed her lips and said:
"Your Highness truly rose from humble beginnings, and he rose through the military without the many opportunities that Xiao Xie had. It's normal that he was a little slow at first."

Li Tai nodded:

"Of course. If it were the prince, he would definitely be no worse than Xiao Xie; and if it were Xiao Xie, the prince's situation would not necessarily be worse."

Both of them were the most loyal followers of Pingxi King Xue Minghe, and naturally regarded Pingxi King as a god.

But even so, they all started to compare Xie Yuan and Xue Minghe.

It's time for dinner.

Situ Qin naturally prepared the most sumptuous banquet to entertain Xie Yuan, who had come with great difficulty. The banquet was so grand that many servants thought it was another New Year's Day.

There were not so many rules at the banquet at the Pingxi Palace. Xie Yuan, Situ Qin, Li Tai and Aunt Hong were all present.

Xie Yuan greeted the two elders, and then asked Li Tai for advice:

"Tai Bo, I am going to the Western Regions to look for golden mandala flowers and newly grown Manjusari flowers. But I have never been there before. Do you have any advice for me?"

Although Xie Yuan had learned some information from Yuan Yong and Xie Qian, when it came to the real expert on the Western Regions, it was naturally the Flying General who had traveled across the countries in the Western Regions and knew much more.

Li Tai put down his chopsticks and frowned:

"Golden mandala? Mandala flowers are quite common among spiritual medicines, but there are white, red, blue, and even black ones. I have never seen the golden one, I have only heard of it. Golden mandala is considered to be quite rare among spiritual medicines.

"The same is true for Manjusari, which is not bad in itself. Many royal palaces in many countries grow them. But it is not easy to find newly planted and newly sprouted ones."

Xie Yuan nodded and said:
"Indeed. As for the new Manjusari, I only know that there is one in the palace of the King of Kucha, but there is really no news about this golden Mandala."

Yuan Yong inquired for a long time, but all he heard was hearsay, and in the end he didn't get any valuable information.

"Kucha?"

Li Tai thought for a moment and said:
"That is the country closest to us. The first country in the Western Desert is Qiuci, which is the most important node on the East-West trade route.

"The Kingdom of Kucha is not big, but its power is very complex, and there are many experts. But the commercial atmosphere there is very strong, and it may be possible to take something without bloodshed.

"But the golden mandala..."

Li Tai pondered for a long time and said slowly:
"Perhaps it can only be found in the Sky Garden. It just so happens that when spring arrives, it will be time to open it there."

"Sky Garden?"

Xie Yuan raised his eyebrows.

Never heard of this place before, at least not here.

Li Tai nodded and said solemnly:

“It’s a strange place deep in the Western Regions. It’s an ancient relic, but it’s not entirely a secret place. It’s a place that straddles the world and the secret place.

“It is said that the Sky Garden was built by the emperor of the ancient Western Region Empire for his homesick wife.

"It is over a hundred feet high, with layers upon layers that gradually become smaller, somewhat like a terraced field. Each layer is planted with exotic flowers and plants, fairy flowers and spiritual seeds. From a distance, it looks like a giant garden suspended in the sky.

"After the Sky Garden, the emperor also built the Tower of Babel so that his beloved wife could overlook her hometown.

“The Tower of Babel is higher than the clouds, its top is unknown, and it is a legendary place.

“It is said that after the Tower of Babel was completed, the queen climbed to the top and looked out, and finally smiled, allowing the great emperor to fulfill his wish.

“However, after the two wonders were completed, a huge amount of manpower and resources were consumed, and the huge empire fell apart within a few years.”

After Li Tai finished telling the story, the three people next to him listened with fascination.

Aunt Hong nodded gently:

"Although this emperor is a tyrant, he is also a passionate man."

Situ Qin enjoyed listening to the story, but commented:

"Not fit to be an emperor."

Xie Yuan shook his head:

"It's a romantic legend, but if you were in that period, the people would have been forced to do forced labor year after year, the empire was in turmoil, and wars broke out suddenly. It was really hard."

Everyone was silent for a moment. Li Tai shook his head slowly and said:

“But I’ve heard another version.

"In ancient times, these things were not just for beauty. At that time, it was a time of spiritual practice. The emperor's every move had a great impact. The construction of this strange place may be related to increasing the country's fortune.

“The Sky Garden can obtain the spiritual treasures of heaven and earth, and the Tower of Babel can attract luck and spiritual energy, laying the foundation for the cultivation of the country’s strong men.

"At that time, the Western Region Empire had reached its end and was already on the verge of collapse. The emperor was trying to prolong its life by mobilizing the entire country's strength to resist foreign enemies.

"But in the end, the winners are the kings and the losers are the bandits. He lost and became a tyrant who was greedy for beauty and built a lot of buildings."

Xie Yuan nodded and said:
"That sounds much more reasonable."

Xie Yuan and Li Tai were very serious, but the two women found it boring.

Aunt Hong rolled her eyes again, and even Situ Qin pouted her lips. It was not until she took a bite of the food that her eyes narrowed with a smile.

Li Tai took a sip of wine, picked up two peanuts, and continued:
"That's a bit far-fetched. But this sky garden has been passed down, and as long as you go to the Golden City, you can see the shadow of the garden on the hillside.

“So it’s not entirely a relic, because it spans the real world and the secret realm, and can be seen from the outside. It is the best scenery in the Golden City.

“But the Tower of Babel cannot be seen from the outside. Only by going deep into the ruins can you find the legendary Tower of Babel.

“To really enter the ruins, we have to wait until it is open, and qualified Western Region warriors will be able to go in and explore.

"Although the Sky Garden has been in ruins for more than ten thousand years, it still has its own wonders. It contains many natural treasures and ancient species. If there is a golden mandala, it can only be there."

Xie Yuan nodded repeatedly after hearing this.

This information would be hard to hear anywhere else if it weren't for the Flying General who had traveled deep into the Western Regions.

"So, how can we obtain that qualification?"

Xie Yuan humbly asked for advice.

Li Tai glanced at him:

"Simple. If you lead a large army like the prince and bring the troops to the gates of the Golden City, no one can compete with you for it, not to mention qualifications.

"Back then, the prince entered the Golden City under the watchful eyes of the people, walked into the Sky Garden with confidence, plucked a fairy flower from the top floor, and gave it to the queen, thus winning her heart."

Situ Qin held her face in her hands, a look of reminiscence in her eyes.

Of course, she was not recalling that scene, but she had heard this story many times when she was young with her parents. Every time, her father would look pleased and her mother would look shy. At that time, the Pingxi Palace was full of joy.

Xie Yuan was silent.

This sounds difficult, but it is not easy at all.

Li Tai shook his head and said:
"Do you understand? The place is full of people from the Western Regions now, it's not like when we fought there. Let's not talk about how you get the qualification to enter, even if you go there, how can you be a match for those wolves?

“Although the Western Region is desolate, with less than one-hundredth of the Central Plains in terms of both its strength and population, even the Church of Light has long moved its foundation to the center of the world, but that doesn’t mean that people can come and go freely there.

"They have a small number of experts, but their quality is not bad. There are still some top-level masters among them."

Xie Yuan nodded slowly:

"Tibo, I understand. I won't take risks easily. But I still have to go and take a look. At least try to get Manjushaka first."

Li Tai looked at his expression and stopped trying to persuade him. He just said:
"Just think it through. Not only is the Golden City the center of the Western Regions, with many experts, but the Sky Garden also has many mysteries. It is definitely not a place that can be easily visited.

“When the prince went in, he also saw the Tower of Babel deep inside.

“But after he came out, he just told no one to go into the Sky Garden again, especially the deep part.”

Xie Yuan raised his eyebrows when he heard this.

It sounds like there is something strange there?
Tower of Babel...

Did the legendary father-in-law see something there?

However, when Xie Yuan asked two more questions, Li Tai didn't know the details and couldn't say more.

Xie Yuan took note of this matter and asked Li Tai a lot about the humanities, geography, strong people, taboos, and many other things worth noting in the Western Regions.

Li Tai naturally answered his questions one by one. This former vanguard general under the King of Pingxi knew the Western Regions very well. Even though he had not been there for many years, he knew them like the back of his hand.

However, many of the information may already be outdated. After Xie Yuan goes there himself, he will have to carefully identify them.

After dinner, Xie Yuan and Situ Qin walked hand in hand in the mansion.

There is a bright moon in the sky and two people on the ground.

"I go with you!"

Situ Qin said with a firm face.

Xie Yuan was helpless:

"Tai Bo and Aunt Hong have both issued death orders..."

"Do I have the final say or do they have the final say?"

Situ Qin interrupted, very dissatisfied.

Although Xie Yuan saw Situ Qin's angry expression, he still said without comment:

"When it comes to your safety, they do have the final say..."

"Humph."

Situ Qin's stunning face reflected in the moonlight, looking extremely moving even though a little unexpected.

She muttered to herself for a while, then suddenly sighed:

"When the Qi and Blood were at the first level of transformation, they talked about the second level of transformation. The second level of transformation was about the third level of transformation. Now they are all Grandmasters, but they still don't trust me. If this continues, I will become a Grandmaster in this mansion!

"How can you grow without going through hardships? I see you are about to surpass me, but I let you take risks alone!"

Xie Yuan smiled and held Situ Qin's soft and boneless little hand, knowing that this slender palm could actually break gold and jade.

"But the Western Region is definitely not suitable for you."

The reason why Situ Qin couldn't go to the Western Regions was the same as the reason why he couldn't go to the place ruled by the Shijia, or even worse.

If his identity were to be exposed over there, all the powerful men in the entire Western Region would probably hunt him down, and the consequences would be more terrible than in the Central Plains.

Although the world is big, her parents who are well-connected did not leave much space for her.

Situ Qin's eyes changed for a long time, and finally he sighed:
"You must be careful."

"Don't worry, maybe I'll go to the Sky Garden and pick a magical herb for you."

Xie Yuan smiled.

Situ Qin shook her head:
"I just want you to come back safely."

Under the moonlight, her stunning face was serene, bathed in a faint glow, and even looked holy.

"Do not worry."

Xie Yuan looked at that beautiful face with a bright and elegant look, and his heart was touched. He slowly lowered his head.

The next morning.

Xie Yuan left under Situ Qin's reluctant gaze.

Although I walked and chatted with Situ Qin in the yard all night.

But as masters, they would not be exhausted after staying up all night.

But I always felt that Aunt Hong was wandering around, like a ghost in red in the dark night of the Pingxi Palace - for Xie Yuan...

So Xie Yuan had no choice but to hold Situ Qin's hand and hug her at most, not daring to overstep the line in the slightest, as it would have been a waste of the moonlight they were reunited under after a long separation.

Situ Qin looked at Xie Yuan's back as he walked away to the west, her expression showing reluctance.

When Xie Yuan's back disappeared, her eyes kept flickering, and finally she remained silent and walked back to the mansion without saying a word.

Li Tai and Hong Yi, who had put Situ Qin under "house confinement", were terrified at the sight of this and dared not say anything.

Xie Yuan left Yunzhou Prefecture and headed west.

He changed direction slightly and soon arrived at a relatively prosperous small county town in the northwest.

Yunzhao County. I haven't been back for a long time.

Xie Yuan walked around and arrived at the door of a bungalow, where he saw Sister Lanhua and Brother Shitou, a family of three whom he hadn't seen for a long time.

A few years later, Xie Yuan was somewhat surprised that Li Lan actually looked younger than before.

Wang Lei is the same, his face is full of fat.

It seems that they are living a much better life now that they have no worries about food and clothing and do not have to worry about stuttering.

A child was studying at the desk. Tiger Boy was so big that he was almost unrecognizable.

Looking at the couple's serene expressions, looking back at the light in the inner room where they were reading from time to time, smiles appeared on their faces involuntarily.

A farmer has an educated child who has no worries about food and clothing. How can he not be happy?
Xie Yuan watched silently, thinking that this was probably the life they had always dreamed of.

He didn't disturb, he just passed by like the wind.

Li Lan returned to the inner room and suddenly saw a porcelain bottle on the box, and under the porcelain bottle were several large-denomination silver bills.

She was stunned for a moment, then walked over, picked up the thing and took a look.

The porcelain bottle contained elixirs for replenishing blood and strengthening energy, which were not rare treasures; although the denomination of the silver note was large, it was not enough to cause trouble to Yunzhao.

Li Lan's expression changed, and she swung her strong body and rushed out of the house, leaving Wang Lei stunned.

But when Li Lan looked around, she couldn't see anyone.

Xie Yuan left here and went to the escort agency again.

He saw that many familiar faces had rosy blood and some even had breakthroughs in strength. The remaining members of the escort agency were all living well.

Xie Yuan smiled with satisfaction, went into the ancestral hall, and respectfully lit a stick of incense towards the tablet of the chief escort leader.

Then he left some pills that could assist in cultivation and left.

After leaving Yunzhao, Xie Yuan headed southwest again.

This time he went straight to the Xiguan Hulukou, the major pass where Yunzhou and Shuzhou meet.

The old friend had already visited, and with Xie Yuan's current physical condition, it didn't take long.

A streak of light flew by unnoticed by anyone.

Xie Yuan had already left the West Gate and stepped onto a piece of soft sand.

He took a breath of the dry air with the smell of wind and sand, looked at the endless yellow sand, chose a direction, and ran quickly.

Wind and sand collection.

“The first restaurant in the Western Desert”.

There were quite a few diners in the restaurant, but in such a chaotic place, these diners were quiet and extremely well-behaved.

A charming proprietress was leaning behind the counter, happily calculating her calculations on an abacus and smoking a pipe.

Swish.

The door curtain was lifted.

A man wearing a bamboo hat walked in.

The diners looked around instinctively, and when they couldn't see anything, they turned back silently.

The proprietress took a glance, but suddenly sat up straight with a serious expression.

"Sir! Are you here for a quick meal or to stay overnight?"

The waiter greeted him enthusiastically.

Xie Yuan waved his hand and said directly to the proprietress:

"Madam, I want to get some information."

To date, Xie Yuan already knows many inside stories that are unknown to ordinary people.

For example, the proprietress of Fengshaji was once related to Chunyu Tower, and now she is in charge of the news flow of the Western Desert.

Xie Yuan rushed here to ask about the news of Lu Lao San.

"Sir, information costs money. I'm afraid the price of the information you want is not low."

The proprietress said cautiously.

She actually didn't know what news Xie Yuan wanted.

But she could feel that his strength was extremely impressive.

This is a dragon crossing the river.

Xie Yuan placed a gold ingot on the counter, and the golden light dazzled everyone's eyes.

The diners stopped eating with their chopsticks at the same time and turned their heads to stare at the huge gold ingot.

"What are you looking at? The food is in the bowl in front of you, not here!"

The proprietress snatched the gold ingot away with a whoosh and yelled:

"Or do you not like the food I cook? If you don't like to eat, be careful that I will make you eat my shit!"

Everyone turned around immediately, but one swordsman stood up and held the hilt of his sword:
"Madam, this gold is too big for you to hold."

He looked greedily at the two of them:

"Give me the gold. And how much gold do you have on you? Give it all to me, or else..."

Whoosh!
The swordsman's voice stopped abruptly.

A chopstick was stuck in his forehead, halfway embedded.

He didn't make any sound and fell down with his head raised.

The lady boss waved her hand in disdain:

"Drag it to the kitchen."

The waiter came up swiftly and dragged the swordsman into the kitchen very skillfully.

The other diners are not surprised, there are always new people here.

But why drag it into the kitchen?

Even the brave warriors who loved blood and swords suddenly couldn't eat anymore when they saw the fat meat on the table.

"Everyone, rest assured, we are not a shady shop. The quality of the meat is guaranteed. It is all black pork shipped from Dali! We never use human flesh! I just feed it to the dogs."

The proprietress was in a good mood and smiling.

Several guests from the Western Regions looked strange and said gloomily:

"Madam, didn't you say it's not pork?"

The proprietress glanced at them, exclaimed, and said with a smile:

"Slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue, it's black lamb, big-eared sheep."

Under the proprietress's scorching gaze, the guests couldn't help but lower their heads and said nothing more.

The proprietress looked at Xie Yuan and saw that he was indeed indifferent. Her eyes flashed, and then she smiled and whispered:

"Sir, what news do you want?"

"Where is Lu Lao San?"

A voice became a line and penetrated into the proprietress's ears from Xie Yuan's mouth.

The proprietress's expression changed for a while, and she said:
"Everyone knows that Blue Water Oasis City now belongs to him, so he is naturally..."

"I want his specific movements in the next few days."

Xie Yuan bid for another gold ingot, but this time no one dared to show any surprise.

Of course he knew Lu Laosan's sphere of influence.

Lu Laosan has been doing better and better in the past few years. He was just one of the leaders of the Blue Water Oasis City before, but now he has annexed and driven out several other forces and become a big bandit leader who rules an oasis city, with more than a thousand bandits under his command.

But Lu Laosan might not be in the old nest. Xie Yuan didn’t have time to look for him slowly, so he wanted to lock him down directly and cut the Gordian knot.

The proprietress's breath stopped when she looked at the pure gold ingots.

Such beautiful gold...

This gold can only be the top-grade gold ingots cast in the big places in the Central Plains.

From the Central Plains.

She carefully put away the gold ingot, rolled her eyes, and said softly:
"He has been in his old lair these past few days, seemingly discussing matters with an envoy from some unknown country.

“It is rumored that although Third Lu is becoming more and more powerful, he has the intention of retiring because the Xie Yuan he offended in the past has now become the patriarch of the Xie family in Chen County!

"Haha, this Lu Lao San really provoked someone he shouldn't have provoked, but he didn't kill him, which made him very powerful. Now he probably can't sleep every day."

The proprietress kept looking at Xie Yuan, but Xie Yuan's face was so gloomy behind his bamboo hat that it was hard to see clearly, and his whole body showed no reaction.

He nodded lightly, then turned around and walked out of the restaurant.

It took the proprietress a long time before she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Who is this? Is he from the Xie family? He has such a strong aura. I'm afraid Third Brother Lu is going to be in trouble!"

She frowned and thought for a long time but couldn't figure it out.

She exhaled, took out two gold ingots and played with them for a while, then couldn't help but smile:
"I don't care!"

Blue Water Oasis City.

The oasis city got its name because the water of the oasis lake in the middle is as blue as sapphire.

The oasis is not small, so the Blue Water Oasis City formed by it is also very large. It is considered one of the largest oasis cities in the Western Desert.

Such a large city is usually managed jointly by several major forces.

But in the past two years, there has been only one voice here.

In a large mansion that can be called a palace here, but it is built in a very messy way.

Bang.

A loud noise was heard from a study room. Lu Lao San, who had a beard as thick as steel needles and muscles all over his body, slammed the table with an angry look on his face:

"I've done so much for you, and now you want to recruit so many of my people, and this is the only condition?"

Opposite him was a figure covered in a white robe, his face unclear:

"If you didn't have our support, would you be able to become the only bandit in the area for thousands of miles?
“It was originally something we gave, so we don’t need to pay for it back.

“This is our bottom line, please think about it carefully.

"I heard that people from the Xie family in Chen County have been hanging around here recently, and they seem to be asking about you."

The man stood up, smiled, and his white robe shook a few times.

Lu Laosan's face was solemn:

"The Western Desert is under the jurisdiction of the Western Regions. With the Ming King in charge, the masters from the Central Plains dare not come."

"Then why are you in such a hurry to retire?"

The man in white robe smiled, his attitude was very tough:

“Think about it yourself, I’ll give you a month.

"You found us so you know us well. With your ability, you can have a good ending. If it were anyone else, haha."

The man in white robe left, leaving Lu Lao San with a gloomy look on his face.

Bang.

There was another loud bang, and he smashed the desk to pieces, gritting his teeth and saying:

"Who the hell knew that this little bastard from a remote place was actually a direct descendant of the Xie family who was stranded outside! And he was picked up and brought back to be the head of the family!"

Xie Yuan had been in the Xie family for a long time, and the people he interacted with were all important people, so he no longer felt anything.

Moreover, he was oppressed by the Cui and Wang families, and there were many rebellious people within the family. He felt that his family was in a precarious situation, and sometimes he felt that it was similar to the leaky earthen house in Xiaoshi Village.

But actually in the outside world.

The four words "Chenjun Xie Family" are like a mountain that makes one's breath stop.

Even in the chaotic area of ​​Western Desert, it is the same.

Therefore, Xie Yuan became the head of the family more than a year ago. Two months later, when the news reached Western Desert, Lu Lao San simply prepared to sell everything and run away.

At least we should go to another place and hide our identities, and not be a target in this Oasis City.

However, it was not easy to sell thousands of bandits, and Lu Laosan wanted to exchange them for enough money and resources for the rest of his life, so the deal was not made for a long time.

"It shouldn't be that fast anyway. He has a lot of things to do..."

Lu Laosan thought so.

It was because I was bewitched by that damn devil Deng Wan!
What is the Black Book? Is it something I can get involved with?
In the past few years, he has been searching secretly, neither giving up nor publicizing it.

As a result, now that he knew Xie Yuan's true identity, he dared not look for it, nor did he dare to publicize it.

"These bastards are asking for too much. I might as well just run away if I sell it to them. It's no use giving it to them..."

Lu Laosan was thinking as he walked:
"If it doesn't work, let the younger guys do a big job, and I'll take the valuables. Don't think about making the last penny.

"Then, I'll take that and go to Golden City to fight for the last vote. Maybe, there will be a chance to break through again!"

There was hope in his eyes.

I spent a lot of money to get a ticket, just for a chance.

If he relies on himself, he will never be qualified to make further progress in his life.

But if you go there, everything is possible.

Maybe we can even build a bridge to heaven, and then we can go anywhere in the world, and we don’t have to be afraid of the Xie family!
Once you go there...

There was fire in Lu Laosan's eyes, and he couldn't help but reach into the front of his clothes and touch it.

He felt his blood boiling and became interested:
"How many good wives are left among the ones we offered to you recently? These women are so frivolous that I forgot to count them.

"Never mind. I'm in a good mood today. Let's use them together!"

Lu Laosan took big strides and walked to the door of his bedroom and opened it.

"My dears, I am here! I will love you well..."

He let out a wild and lewd laugh, entered the door, and then suddenly stopped.

Several half-naked women were placed on the bed, seemingly knocked unconscious and motionless.

Sitting on a chair next to the table was a young man who was more handsome than those women, looking at him quietly.

Lu Laosan suddenly felt dry mouth.

He had had this nightmare many times over the past year.

But today it seems to have come true.

"Lu Laosan, long time no see."

Xie Yuan leaned back in his chair and said with a smile.

"Xie Yuan."

Lu Laosan said in a hoarse voice.

He looked around nervously:

"You came here alone? Where are the experts from the Xie family? Don't hide your head!"

"It's just me."

Xie Yuan said calmly.

"Cut the nonsense!"

Lu Lao San shouted:

"Let your elders come out! Let's have a good fight and see who can kill whom!"

Xie Yuan shook his head:

"Just me. I could have found someone to kill you, but I won't let anyone else do it."

"you?"

Finally, Lu Lao San stared at Xie Yuan, looking him up and down, and gradually revealed an expression as if he had seen a ghost:

"Wait, you're already a fucking Grandmaster?"

Xie Yuan did not answer, and Lu Lao San looked incredulous:
"It's only been a short time... Damn! The elixirs from you aristocratic families are damn useful! You are just lucky!"

He was indignant:
"I fought hard in the Western Desert, licked blood on the edge of a knife, and worked so hard that I finally achieved a lot of cultivation. You bastards just lie at home and eat delicious food, without any cultivation! People are so happy!

"but……"

Lu Laosan suddenly smiled strangely:

"Can you, these delicate and tender guys who are kept in luxury houses, really do anything?
“You’ve just made a breakthrough, and you dare to come looking for me? Haha, haha, hahahaha!”

He suddenly put his hands on his hips and laughed wildly:
"I don't know where you get the courage from? Even if you break through quickly, you are just a newly broken Grandmaster!
"You! Have you forgotten how I strangled you like a dead dog?"

Lu Laosan had a ferocious look on his face and strode over:
"That's perfect. Today I'll crush you, my pretty boy, to death. I don't have to move anymore!"

He suddenly walked to the table, slashed out a blood-red moon with his scimitar, and chopped it towards Xie Yuan on the head.

Ding.

A faint golden light lit up the room.

Xie Yuan's left hand was covered in bright gold, like a golden glove, and he directly grasped the moonlight.

Lu Laosan's pupils shrank suddenly.

He looked at Xie Yuan, who showed no signs of injury, and felt a sense of despair in his heart.

Even if his handy saber was not at hand, how could he catch this scimitar with his hands?
Xie Yuan held Lu Laosan's knife in his left hand and stared at him calmly.

He slowly pulled out a precious sword with his right hand.

Seeing this, Lu Laosan had a bad feeling.

He shouted, and before Xie Yuan could move slowly, he swung his scimitar back, and suddenly swung it again, already using all his strength.

The roof exploded directly, and the blood-red scimitar, with a momentum as strong as a mountain, pressed towards Xie Yuan's head.

Xie Yuan did not use his sword to block the attack, but continued to block it with his left hand.

With a loud bang, a golden light flashed, and he took it steadily without any injury.

However, Lu Laosan had been a master for many years and had considerable strength. Xie Yuan paused for a moment and failed to counterattack in time.

Lu Laosan's face turned ferocious, and he chopped with his knife again, and the crescent moon appeared again.

This time, Xie Yuan aimed and caught it with his hand, and was about to draw his knife.

But Lu Laosan's figure shook, and it turned out to be just a feint.

He retreated suddenly, picked up the women on the bed, and aimed at Xie Yuan who was following him like a shadow, and sure enough, he stopped.

Old Third Lu breathed a sigh of relief, sweat breaking out on his forehead.

After just the first move, he knew that he was no match for Xie Yuan!

Moreover, since Xie Yuan dared to come alone and had met him at such a close distance, it would be difficult for him to escape.

Lu Laosan has always been a seemingly rough but meticulous person, otherwise he would not have been able to rise to his current status from an ordinary small bandit.

He knew that Xie Yuan was a decent hypocrite, and that the Xie family was a useless family with a good reputation.

Just looking at how he put these women in order after knocking them unconscious and even covered them with a fucking blanket, you can tell he's a wimp.

So, he thought about taking hostages and giving it a try from the beginning.

If this guy is naive, maybe we can get rid of him once and for all!
Lu Lao San's eyes showed a cruel look, looking at Xie Yuan who was retreating, and sneered:
"Don't come over here! If you come any closer, I'll kill you."

Xie Yuan stopped and shook his head:

"How can such a strong man hide behind a woman?"

Click.

Lu Laosan simply twisted a woman's neck and used her as a throwing weapon, throwing her at Xie Yuan.

boom!
The broken and helpless body collapsed a section of the wall.

Xie Yuan dodged with a blank expression.

Lu Lao San smiled grimly:

"I still have three in my hand. If you keep talking nonsense, I'll kill two more and give them to you!"

Xie Yuan took a breath:

"Lu Laosan, you've killed too many people. Today I'm not here for myself, but to avenge the people you killed."

chapped.

Lu Laosan sneered, tore off an arm and threw it over.

Xie Yuan flashed past, stroking the precious sword in his hand:

“This knife was given to me by a generous elder.

"He and his family died at your hands."

"I have no impression of that. I never ask for names when I kill someone."

Lu Laosan said indifferently.

"His surname is Lin. You will die under the sword of the Lin family today."

Xie Yuan unsheathed his long sword, and the faint candlelight in the bedroom shone on it, also reflecting a shining light like autumn water.

He took a step and appeared directly in front of Lu Laosan.

Seeing this speed, Lu Lao San tensed up and threw all the other women at Xie Yuan except one.
"You don't want their lives anymore! You killed them all!"

He was halfway through smashing the ball when his hands suddenly felt empty and he felt like he had no strength left.

Lu Laosan was in a daze for a moment, and suddenly found that the scene had changed.

He was still standing at the door.

The bedrooms are in mint condition.

Several women were lying on the bed.

Xie Yuan stood in front of him, holding a long knife at his neck.

Xie Yuan looked at him and said calmly:
"You are so weak. After all these years, you haven't made any progress at all.

"Remember, the one that killed you was the knife from Lin Family Manor."

With a flick of his long sword, Lu Laosan's head flew up in astonishment, and the world spun around. (End of this chapter)