Misty Rain of the Old Times

Chapter 614 Something bad happened!

The night was cool and still, the crescent moon hung like a hook. Under the hazy moonlight, Yan Quan continued to circle Yang County at a normal walking pace, crossing field ridges and ditches without trampling on other people's farmland and crops. He just couldn't stop.

In the quiet night, the sounds of insects chirping and birds singing occasionally drifted from unknown places, along with the occasional crowing of roosters and barking of dogs. He silently walked in circles, which was rather eerie and unsettling.

Yang County is neither too big nor too small. In this era, there weren't many tall buildings. If you built a wide area, it would take about 10 or 20 miles to circle around. Even though Yan Quan walked non-stop for most of the day, he didn't manage to circle around many times, since he wasn't very fast.

Shame, anger, rage, regret, terror, numbness, mechanical... In all his decades of life, Yan Quan's emotions had never fluctuated so violently as they had today.

His cultivation had not disappeared, and his martial arts could still function normally, but he was out of control and was circling around like an ordinary person. He had tried every method he could think of, but he could not get rid of this behavior. He was horrified and could not imagine how Chen Xuan had done it. He had not done anything, but he had been tricked in just a few words.

In this way, he no longer doubted the authenticity of the rumored Grandmaster Chen Xuan's cultivation level. If he wasn't a Grandmaster, how could he have been attacked silently?

Then he was extremely grateful that Chen Xuan hadn't gone too far with him, otherwise he probably wouldn't have had the power to resist. He thought to himself that the other party was indeed worthy of achieving the Grandmaster realm at such a young age, and his magnanimity was far beyond his own. If he had been harassed by someone repeatedly, even the best temper would probably have turned into anger and resorted to violence.

Although Yan Quan is a humble person, he is actually quite arrogant at his age and with his cultivation level. Now he realizes how ridiculous he is. Compared to Chen Xuan, what is he?
He reached the Grandmaster level at the age of eighteen.

Even though he understood it very well, he did not change his opinion of Chen Xuan. Chen Xuan must have used some underhanded means to make He Hongyi devoted to him. Otherwise, how could He Hongyi have traveled so far to offer herself up and even become his concubine after knowing him for so long and having only met a few times?

She's one of the top ten beauties in the martial arts world of Yuhua Kingdom. What kind of man couldn't she find? Why is she so humble towards Chen Xuan?

As the saying goes, men understand men best. In Yan Quan's opinion, Chen Xuan was always surrounded by a bunch of beautiful women whenever he went out, so he must be a womanizer. Therefore, it was not surprising that he would use dishonest means against a great beauty like He Hongyi.

He has no choice in the matter now, but he will definitely tell He Hongyi the truth later, so that she can see what kind of person Chen Xuan really is and not be deceived by him.

Yan Quan had carefully investigated Chen Xuan and found that he had never done anything wrong, so he must have been hiding it very well.

Just wait, I will definitely tear off your hypocritical mask!

Regardless, Chen Xuan was a Grandmaster-level expert. He believed that tearing off Chen Xuan's hypocritical mask was the best he could do. What else could he do? He couldn't beat him. Even if he brought up his sect, Chen Xuan was still the son-in-law of the Emperor of Jing. He was completely helpless.

As Yan Quan silently circled, a lot of thoughts were running through his mind. Just as he was lost in thought, a figure came up to him and said in surprise, "Brother Yan, I heard that someone was idly circling Yang County. I guessed it was you from the description. I thought it was just a rumor, after all, how could you be so bored, Brother Yan? I didn't expect you to be serious."

The newcomer was dressed in a green robe and was none other than Tian Bin, who hadn't been able to speak with Chen Xuan during the day. Both of them were young innate masters in the martial arts world of Yuhua Kingdom, so they naturally knew each other and were both infatuated with He Hongyi. However, their relationship was neither that of friends nor enemies; they were rivals in love. Now that He Hongyi had fallen for Chen Xuan, they were, in a way, on the same side.

He Hongyi was furious at Tian Bin's words during the day. Although she didn't use her full strength in her palm strike, she didn't hold back either. As a result, Tian Bin was seriously injured, his breathing was unstable, and his voice was weak.

However, after he finished speaking, Yan Quan remained silent, continuing to walk with his head down. The look he gave Tian Bin seemed to be saying, "Brother Tian, ​​please help me. I have no choice but to be controlled by someone using mysterious methods." However, he couldn't utter a single word of these words.

As night fell, Tian Bin noticed that Yan Quan ignored him and didn't even notice his gaze. He stepped forward, frowned slightly, and said, "Brother Yan, we've known each other for a while. It's a bit much for me to ignore you while I'm speaking to you. Although we both like red clothes and are competitors, we can't be considered enemies, can we?"

Yan Quan remained silent, unable to express his thoughts. His mind was clear, but he couldn't take any other action before completing the three-day circling Chen Xuan had mentioned. He couldn't even utter a single word; only his eyes could slightly convey his thoughts.

Tian Bin had no idea, and feeling somewhat displeased, he said stiffly, "Brother Yan, this is not very interesting. Could you explain your intention in doing this?"

Tian Bin, who had followed, didn't expect Yan Quan to answer, given Yan Quan's attitude. He continued, "Even if you don't say it, I can guess what's going on. Either you're observing Yang County, or you're trying to attract Hongyi's attention through this unconventional method. Am I right?"

Yan Quan wanted to roll his eyes, thinking to himself, "You're overthinking it. How bored would I be to do something like that?" But he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Then Tian Bin curled his lip and said, "Brother Yan, you're quite naive. You think you can attract Hongyi's attention like this? This is not like your usual personality. You want to play the contrast game, huh? The contrast game is something I recently learned from a very popular storybook in Jing Kingdom. It tells a story of a magical and bizarre world. The author is called Tingfeng Jushi. It's not finished yet, but a volume has already been published, making everyone itch with curiosity."

Even Yan Quan, who couldn't speak, wanted to curse. Who wants to hear what you're saying? Can't you see I'm helpless? Not only do you not help, but you keep nagging in my ear. Are you trying to make a fool of me?
Realizing he'd talked too much, but given how captivating his words were, Tian Bin shook his head and said, "Alright, Brother Yan, stop pretending. It's the dead of night in the middle of nowhere, not even a ghost in sight, let alone trying to attract Hongyi's attention. It's useless. Do you think she'll even glance at you?"

Are you fucking annoying? Either think of a way to help, or get away from me, okay?

After all that had been said, Yan Quan remained silent. Tian Bin, somewhat embarrassed and annoyed, said coldly, "Brother Yan, were you even listening to me? Don't you think you've gone too far?"

Even after he said that, Yan Quan still ignored him. Tian Bin felt embarrassed and grabbed Yan Quan's shoulder, asking, "Brother Yan, do you look down on me? Did I offend you in some way? If so, explain it clearly. If I'm wrong, I'll apologize to you. If you ignore me for no reason, I don't need to fawn over you!"

However, just as he grabbed Yan Quan's shoulder to stop him, he felt Yan Quan's shoulder tremble and a surge of powerful true energy erupt. Caught off guard, Tian Bin was sent flying backward. Already struck by He Hongyi, he was further injured and coughed up blood.

"No one can stop me from circling around for three days. Brother Tian, ​​I didn't mean to! Why did you touch me? This is a huge misunderstanding. Damn it, what kind of tricks did Chen Xuan use? I actually subconsciously react differently to different people!" Yan Quan was filled with mixed feelings and was shocked. This is too strange. Are the methods of a Grandmaster so magical? I have never seen my master use them. Could it be that my master does not have such ability?

The problem is that Chen Xuan's methods didn't involve any extra words or hints, so why did I do this against my will? It's as if this was the effect he wanted.

Chen Xuan was merely annoyed and teasing him, making him run around for three days as a scapegoat. He didn't really intend to do anything to him, so he didn't seal his cultivation. Under the invisible influence of a Grandmaster's spiritual will, he would react appropriately according to different situations. Otherwise, if even his cultivation was restricted, what if some ferocious beast suddenly appeared while he was running around? He would be doomed. Tian Bin, who was blasted away, fell more than ten feet away, blood streaming from the corner of his mouth, his arm swollen and sore. Surprised by the torrent and purity of Yan Quan's true energy, and seeing him leave without looking back, without saying a word, he couldn't help but grit his teeth and say, "Fine, very well. Yan, it's my fault for not being worthy of your company, alright? The green hills remain, the green waters flow on, until we meet again!"

With those words spoken coldly, Tian Bin turned and left, quickly disappearing into the night.

Yan Quan was secretly on the verge of tears. What kind of situation was this? He didn't even have a chance to explain. He had offended someone for no reason, and Tian Bin might even hold a grudge against him. He would have to go and apologize to him properly afterward.

But what can he do now? He can only keep going in circles, one step at a time...

Tian Bin, who was leaving, was initially extremely angry, but gradually he felt that something was wrong. Yan Quan was not like this usually. He was humble, helpful, and a well-regarded upright person in the Yu Hua Kingdom's martial arts circles.

Although he was He Hongyi's lickspittle... well, he was completely infatuated with He Hongyi, and his IQ seemed to drop sharply when he was in front of He Hongyi, he was still a master of the innate realm. No matter how he got there, people at this level are not too stupid.

Realizing Yan Quan's unusual behavior, he secretly returned to observe him. He saw that Yan Quan was still walking silently with his head down when he was alone. It would be strange if this were normal. Even a fool wouldn't be bored enough to take a walk in the wilderness late at night after eating his fill.

There's something wrong, a really big problem, it's not normal at all, especially since I heard that he was like this even when so many people were following and watching him during the day!
Tian Bin silently observed until the middle of the night and discovered that Yan Quan kept circling around Yang County, his steps never stopping and never tiring, as if he were possessed.

Completely baffled, he simply reappeared beside Yan Quan, forgetting his anger, and asked, "Brother Yan, what's wrong? Say something!"

However, Yan Quan couldn't say it and remained unchanged.

Having experienced this before, Tian Bin dared not act rashly. He quickly thought to himself, "Brother Yan, if this is what you want, blink your right eye; if you can't control yourself, blink your left eye."

Tian Bin, being a naturally gifted cultivator, was able to see in the dark. Besides, it wasn't a pitch-black night. As soon as he finished speaking, he saw Yan Quan blinking rapidly with his left eye, as if afraid he couldn't see it. He was almost blinking until his eyes watered and his eyes cramped.

Yan Quan, on the verge of tears, thought to himself, "Brother Tian, ​​I take back my previous opinion of you. You're not stupid, just infatuated. If you can help me out of this predicament, you'll be my friend and brother from now on. But I still won't give up the red dress; it's a matter of principle. I'll go to great lengths for you in other matters."

Upon seeing this, Tian Bin immediately understood. Yan Quan had his reasons. It seemed that he had misunderstood him before. So he asked, "Brother Yan, you haven't said anything or made any other gestures. Since you have no choice, how can I help you?"

Being alone in a foreign land, and especially with a common rival in love, Chen Xuan, Tian Bin was so proactive after realizing the misunderstanding. If they were in China, the misunderstanding would have remained just that, and they wouldn't have bothered to find out the truth.

Upon hearing this, Yan Quan thought to himself, "Why don't you just carry me away? I really don't want to go in circles like this. If this continues, there will definitely be even more onlookers tomorrow. However, if you dare to touch me, I will definitely instinctively retaliate. This method won't work. What else can I do? I can't even break free from your control, let alone you, a mediocre person who stepped into the Innate Realm by external force. Going to find Chen Xuan is even more impossible; you might get caught up in it too. As for going to find He Hongyi to ask Chen Xuan to make an exception, I won't consider it. Not only would it be embarrassing, but I'd love for her to stay away from Chen Xuan. How could I let the girl I like get close to my love rival? That would be helping him out. This won't work, and that won't work. It seems that the only way is to ask for help."

Regardless, Yan Quan was unable to communicate verbally at this moment, and could only frantically give Tian Bin meaningful glances, constantly looking in the northwest direction, which was also the direction of Yuhua Kingdom.

Tian Bin wasn't stupid; he was just infatuated. Seeing Yan Quan's gaze, he immediately understood what he meant and nodded, saying, "Brother Yan, I understand. I'll send a message back to your sect right away, telling them you've been bullied here and asking them to come help immediately. Don't worry, I've raised a Radiant Swallow, which is very intelligent and quick. Your sect will receive the message tomorrow. You... I won't disturb you any longer. Continue, I'll go send you the message first."

Unsure of the situation, Tian Bin dared not act rashly. He left hastily after saying those words, thinking to himself that Yan Quan was clearly being bullied. As for who was bullying him, who else could it be in this small Yang County? Chen Xuan, of course. Oh right, Chen Xuan's wife is Princess Fuyao of Jing Kingdom, who can also bully Yan Quan. And the Gao family, they are not to be trifled with either. Right, He Hongyi seems to be able to control him as well. All things considered, there seem to be quite a few.

Seeing Tian Bin leave out of the corner of his eye, Yan Quan's heart finally died. Tears almost welled up in his eyes. "I, a top-tier cultivator with innate cultivation, one of the leading figures of the righteous path in the Yu Hua Kingdom's martial arts world, was actually bullied by you. Although it seems to be close, couldn't you have been a little more tactful? I even had to ask my sect for help. What kind of situation is this?"

So it's not enough to lose face in Yang County, you have to lose face in your own country and even in your own home. With such a dark history, forget about the position of sect leader, you'll probably never be able to show your face in public again.

Although losing to Chen Xuan isn't shameful, others don't see it that way, especially since I've never experienced such a setback before. I wonder how many people will secretly laugh at me afterward.

Since things have come to this, let's keep spinning. The dead leg just won't stop.

Soon after, a swallow the size of a palm took to the air, its feathers at the edges of its wings faintly shimmering with a silvery-white metallic sheen, clearly possessing the bloodline of a strange beast. It disappeared into the night with lightning speed, flying towards the direction of Yuhua Kingdom.

After finishing his business, Tian Bin found Yan Quan, who had been circling around, and reported back: "Brother Yan, I have sent the message back for you. Someone from your Qingyang Sect will probably be here soon. I might even get to see your master. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Despondent and heartbroken, Yan Quan just wanted to be left alone.

Given his master's personality, he would most likely come in person, but seeing him in such a sorry state, he probably wouldn't get away with it.

Yan Quan felt a headache coming on when he thought about his master's personality, which was still young despite his advanced age. He was in his fifties or sixties, but he was smug and vain all day long because he was one of the ten beauties of Yuhua Kingdom. Where was the composure and demeanor of a senior in the martial arts world?

Many times, Yan Quan wondered, was he really the apprentice, or did his master have a girlish heart that would never grow up? It was as if the master-apprentice relationship had been reversed.

Suddenly, Yan Quan had a bad feeling, because he suddenly remembered that his master was old but still young at heart and prone to infatuation. Usually, the sect didn't dare to let her go out, for fear of making a fool of herself...

(End of this chapter)