Minglong

Chapter 192 First Encounter Under the Moon (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
September 17th night.

A full moon hangs in the sky, and the loess land between the two rivers has been transformed into a sea of ​​lights. Thousands of boats, large and small, cruise along the riverbank like fireflies, and the noise can be faintly heard from the opposite bank.

The large ferry was moored on the riverbank. Since returning again would have meant missing the Heroes' Gathering, it did not set sail again. Instead, it was used as a temporary passenger boat and sightseeing boat to provide lodging for wandering travelers who had nowhere else to stay.

In a room on the third floor of the large ship, Nangong Ye sat cross-legged with his back to the silver moon outside the window, his eyes closed and his mind focused, like an unmelting iceberg.

Coal Ball squatted alone by the window, gazing at the rows of barbecue stalls along the riverbank, but he couldn't muster any appetite, like a bird-like sword immortal who had already seen through the vanities of the world.

On the bed, Xie Jinhuan lay upright, spending the last three days forging his body with the help of rare and precious herbs.

Although the Vitality Pill doesn't significantly improve one's cultivation level, it can solidify one's foundation and raise one's upper limit. After digesting the pill containing a Jiazi Lotus, he is now slightly faster than the half-demon He Man, and other aspects have also improved.

The Transcendent Pill is an external elixir of the Dan Ding School, specifically designed to improve one's cultivation level by targeting the Qi Meridians and Qi Sea. After complete absorption, most of the Qi Sea condenses into jade liquid, while a small portion remains in a misty state.

Because the 'Divine Realm' is artificially divided into three, two, and one grades, it is actually difficult to accurately judge the boundaries based on physical condition. However, Xie Jinhuan felt that he should be right on the threshold of the first grade.

With his current superhuman physique, coupled with his martial arts skills specifically designed to kill martial artists, and his combat experience integrated into his subconscious, he is confident of winning against a martial artist at the peak of the first rank, but it is certainly not a very safe bet.

After all, he had his own opportunities, and so did other prodigies. Among those who came to the Three Rivers Estuary to seize these opportunities, there were many monsters who excelled in every aspect.

If he could improve it a little more, to 0.75 grade, he would be confident that I would be invincible below the super grade, but he simply didn't have the resources to make that improvement.

As the surging blood and qi within her body gradually stabilized, Xie Jinhuan regained consciousness. She silently opened her eyes, saw the dark room, and was momentarily bewildered. Only when she saw the icy heroine sitting by the window did she breathe a sigh of relief.

"Yun Hong?"

"..."

Nangong Ye had been cultivating in seclusion for three days and his mind was as still as water. However, when the man's voice came, a thousand waves were stirred in his heart and his whole body tensed up.

Once this child wakes up, the detoxification process will begin...

Nangong Ye hesitated to open her eyes in response, but without the antidote, she couldn't defeat the witch from the sorcerer sect. After a moment's consideration, she turned her head with her expression unchanged.

"how?"

"feels good."

Xie Jinhuan flipped over and stood up, feeling as light as a swallow, while his body contained boundless explosive power. With the tenacity of a donkey, he could easily chip away at the ice block in front of him.

Xie Jinhuan first stretched his limbs, and then, upon approaching, was surprised to find that Coal Ball, gazing at the brightly lit earth outside the window, hadn't gone to beg for food.

"Heh~ Why are you being so well-behaved today?"

"Gurgle..."

Coal Ball didn't turn around, its voice carrying a hint of indifference, as if to say—the bird has probably realized! All things have a spirit, yet all living beings only know how to kill each other; birds become knives, and you become fish and meat…

?

Xie Jinhuan thought Coal Ball was still angry with him, so he picked it up and ruffled it, then looked out the window:

"We've arrived? It's so lively! I've never seen anything like this before in my life."

Seeing that the boy's waist and abdomen were practically touching his face, Nangong Ye leaned back slightly:
"I need to visit a few seniors. You can go to the county town first and come back soon."

Xie Jinhuan looked down and saw the disgusted, evasive look in her eyes. She propped herself up with her hands behind her back and found it somewhat amusing.
"Why are you hiding? It's not like we haven't touched it before."

"?!"

Nangong Ye did touch the abs, but that was an unconscious act done while he was in a daze. Now, his lips moved slightly, but he turned his head to look elsewhere and did not respond.

Seeing this, Xie Jinhuan lowered his head and gave the icy man's profile a quick kiss.

boo~
Nangong Ye closed his eyes, gritted his teeth inwardly, but ultimately said nothing. The result:

Kiss kiss~
"you!?"

"Okay, I'll go out."

Xie Jinhuan got up and started packing his things, glancing at the coal ball:

"Come on, let me take you to get something to eat."

"Guji..."

The coal ball, devoid of worldly desires, flew to the bed and fell asleep immediately.

Xie Jinhuan looked slightly puzzled, but didn't say anything. After washing up and tidying his clothes, he turned and left.

Click~
Nangong Ye maintained a distant, aloof posture with his head tilted to the side until the door closed. Only then did he let out a silent sigh, rise, fasten his veil, and leave the room…
-
The moon was bright and the stars were few, and the town of Jiang'an was bustling with activity.

Xie Jinhuan walked on the street in the center of the county town and finally understood the meaning of the phrase "crowded with people".

The streets were brightly lit, but all that could be seen were moving straw hats, veils, and headscarves. Traffic was almost paralyzed, and horses and vehicles could no longer enter the county town.

Xie Jinhuan had read books as a child and had fantasized about grand gatherings of martial arts heroes, but he never expected the scale to be so large, and not just filled with fighting and killing. Instead, it resembled a temple fair, with many martial arts practitioners setting up stalls on the streets.

"Fortune telling, observing one's aura, and examining one's physique are all taught by Huang Linguan of the Northern Zhou Dynasty..."

"The swords and blades produced in Dragon Cloud Valley are all from the Valley Master, who lives in Wind and Waves Tower. I guarantee they're fake..."

"The Danyang Academy has just published a 'Chronicle of Jianghu Customs,' a must-have for young heroes just starting out in the martial world. Would you like a copy, young hero? It includes portraits of many beauties..."

……

Xie Jinhuan paused, took out thirty coins, and bought a book. The cover featured a beautiful female warrior holding a long sword upside down, with delicate features and excellent drawing skills. Her figure was also quite remarkable. However, the name marked below was 'Nangong Ye'.

Is this what my dream wife looks like?
Xie Jinhuan frowned slightly, feeling that this was a hundred times worse than Bing Tuozi, only somewhat similar in aloofness. He then casually flipped through the other beauties and saw that Bu Yuehua, also known as Fairy Bu, was depicted as a witch from the Gu poison sect, wearing a cloak and carrying a small medicine bottle at her waist...

You can't even see their faces...

Xie Jinhuan then looked through the portraits of big shots like Wei Wuyi, Duan Yuechou of Fengshan Society, Yang Qing of Jingzhou Gang, and Shen Jinyu of Xueyu Tower, and thought they looked plausible.

But after flipping to Lu Wuzhen's page, he immediately threw the book away.

After all, Lu Wuzhen looks to be in his forties, while the book describes him as a centenarian. Apart from the stereotypical image of a sage, there is no resemblance between them.

Because the county town was indeed bustling, Ye Hongshang also appeared. With no space for modeling due to the crowds, she transformed into a tiny sprite about a foot tall, perched on someone's shoulder. Still carrying her red umbrella and wearing high heels, she looked around.

"There are quite a few chivalrous women out there. Would you like your older sister to help you find one?"

Xie Jinhuan saw the small cart, paused slightly, and reached out to touch it, only to have his finger slapped by his ghost wife before he withdrew his hand.
"I'm being generous now, and I'm really flirting with you. You're definitely going to get jealous again."

"Heh~ It's just an extra pair of chopsticks in the house, why would I, as the older sister, hold a grudge against a little sister who just arrived..."

Since Xie Jinhuan had nothing else to do, he wandered around the streets.

Ye Hongshang then transforms into a 'ghost radar,' searching for all sorts of people on both sides of the street.

Because the county town itself wasn't very large, as they approached the Fengbo Building where the super-rich tycoon was staying, the little devil wife on his shoulder looked up at the inn on the street:

"That girl there is quite special. She's beautiful, and it seems she has a magical artifact to conceal her aura. She has a very strong yang energy, and we can't tell her exact background..."

Xie Jinhuan turned his head and saw that the inn's lobby was packed with people, and a storyteller was telling stories.

On the table inside the window sat a female warrior wearing a veiled hat, a dark blue dress, and a beige cloak to protect her from the wind and sand. She carried a sword on her back. Although her face could not be seen, her temperament was quite graceful. The way she sat there was like a peach blossom with a subtle fragrance, beautiful but not vulgar, charming but not seductive.

Xie Jinhuan, hearing that the yang energy was very strong, inquired:
"Could this girl also be infected with the Immortal Burning Gu?"

"No, it's just that it carries a supremely yang magic treasure, which conceals all its energy, so nothing else can be seen."

Xie Jinhuan considered for a moment, then shook his head: "The Sanjiang Estuary is full of hidden talents, and there are too many top-tier individuals to count on one hand. You can't even figure out their backgrounds, so randomly striking up a conversation could easily cause trouble."

Ye Hongshang twirled her small umbrella, as if a succubus were whispering in her ear:

"This girl is indeed pretty, but asking her won't get you beaten up. You think you're so capable? You managed to find out this girl's name today, so I'll give you another kick, and this time I'll definitely untie your bow."

"..."

Xie Jinhuan was powerless against the ghost's seductive charms. Since he had nothing else to do but wander around, he hesitated for a moment, then listened to the ghost's lies and turned to enter the inn.

The inn was already packed with people, and the storyteller was recounting the origins of the Jingzhou canal gang:

"Speaking of Yang Qing, he became famous at the age of twenty after defeating Du Mushan, and became the leader of Jingzhou. In just twenty years, he has already become one of the Seven Heroes of Martial Arts..."

"Did Du Mushan ultimately become Li Gongpu's dog?"

"Yes, Li Gongpu's entire family was wiped out by Guo Taihou's entourage, and Du Mushan has also disappeared without a trace..."

……

Xie Jinhuan, wearing a bamboo hat, entered the hall, paying no attention to the joke. After glancing around, he arrived next to the veiled heroine, whose seat was the only one available.
"The place is full, could I please find a seat?"

The woman slightly raised her veil, glanced at him, then gave a graceful nod before continuing to look at the storyteller.

Xie Jinhuan sat down beside him, listened for a moment, and then spoke up:
"It's a pity about Du Mushan. Twenty years ago, he was a powerful figure in the region, but in his old age, he became a servant to a court jester. I met him once before. I never imagined that such an old man had fought with Yang Qing."

The woman in the veil seemed not to hear.

Xie Jinhuan's attempt to strike up a conversation was met with a cold shoulder once again, leaving him feeling embarrassed. However, in order to convince A Piao to untie the bow, he pondered for a moment and glanced at the woman's appearance out of the corner of his eye: "Miss doesn't seem to be a swordsman."

?

The woman in the veil moved her veil and turned her gaze:

"Young hero, what makes you say that?"

Her voice was soft and gentle, sounding like that of a dignified and quiet young woman, giving people a feeling of being bathed in a spring breeze.

Xie Jinhuan felt that this girl must be extraordinary, and said with a smile:
"The young lady's sword is too new; it's from the Fengshan Society, probably bought temporarily at the weapons shop near the county town gate. Besides, in martial arts, each school has many rules and regulations. Carrying a sword on one's back is for quick draw. Look at that female warrior..."

Xie Jinhuan slightly raised his chin, gesturing to a heroic female warrior sitting opposite him.

The woman in the veil glanced over and noticed that the female knight-errant also carried a sword on her back, but her left shoulder was facing the wall and the hilt of the sword was pointing outwards.

Xie Jinhuan continued, "Sitting like this, if an opponent attacks from anywhere in the hall, they can simply raise their sword and strike. There's no one on the left side because of the wall, so we've created a blind spot for protection there. But your right shoulder is facing the wall and the window. Think about it, if I launch a sneak attack from the hall, how awkward would it be for you to draw your sword and retaliate?"

"..."

The veiled woman uses a sword, but she sits here because she mainly uses a knife. The knife is hidden under the cloak and hung on her left waist. If something happens, she can just raise her hand and draw the knife. It is also safer to have her back against the corner of the wall. However, it is quite awkward to draw a sword from behind to attack an enemy on the left.

If one were to sit in Xie Jinhuan's seat, drawing one's sword would indeed be smoother, but drawing the knife with one's right hand would require first cutting the table, which would present some obstacles.

"Young hero, you have a good eye."

"I wouldn't call myself a good eye. The young lady must have known these things too. She just picked up a weapon at random and didn't intend to use it to defend herself."

Xie Jinhuan looked at the woman in the veil as she spoke:

"The young lady had her hands folded on her waist, her posture was very graceful, but this posture is also suitable for taking something out of the waist, such as a hidden weapon. She could flick her hand and throw it out without any warning, and her sleeves would also block the opponent's view. So I guess the young lady probably knows how to use hidden weapons. Of course, coming from a wealthy family and cultivating her demeanor from a young age, she may also like this more dignified posture."

The woman in the veil carefully examined Xie Jinhuan, finally fixing her gaze on the weapon wrapped in black cloth at her waist:

“Young master, it doesn’t seem right for you to sit like this with your weapon hanging on your left waist.”

Xie Jinhuan spread his hands slightly and smiled, "This is the only table left. If I don't sit here, I can only face the window with my back to the hall. Although I'm closer to the young lady, the hall is full of people. I don't feel at ease with my back to me. Besides, it's easier to block the young lady's flying knives this way, especially those flying from under the table."

"..."

The veil obscured the woman's face, and although her expression was not visible, she appeared to have smiled.

"Young master is an expert, and quite witty."

Xie Jinhuan was indeed afraid that the female knight would throw a flying knife at him. His left hand seemed to be holding the table, but he was ready to grab the Heavenly Mace at any time. At this distance, there was no time to draw the mace, so he could only use the sheath to block. In a way, he was taking a risk to flirt with the girl.

"That's how it is when you're in the martial world. You shouldn't have the heart to harm others, but you can't be without the heart to guard against them. After talking for so long, I still don't know your identity, young lady. May I ask which sect or school you belong to?"

The woman in the veiled hat paused for a moment, then nodded in response:

"I will not change my name or surname, I am Hua Ruyue of Qingming Sword Manor."

"Clouds yearn for clothes and flowers... Hmm?!"

Xie Jinhuan wanted to compose a poem, but after realizing what he had said, his expression froze. He then looked at the female knight opposite him, hesitant to speak.

Seeing that the handsome young swordsman opposite her looked off, Bu Yuehua blinked:

"Young hero, have you heard my story?"

Xie Jinhuan felt there was probably a big story behind this!
He was very skeptical of the woman's true identity; if she was, then Bing Tuozi's identity would be even more questionable.

After all, the Azure Sword Manor is a minor sword sect, with only three to five members per generation. How could they possibly appear so frequently, and two of them be exceptionally beautiful...

However, Bing Tuozi also had a magical artifact to conceal his aura, and the two looked quite similar...

Although this female warrior doesn't seem to rely on the sword on her back and doesn't resemble a professional swordsman, we can't be certain she can't use a sword. What if she's sitting like that for another reason, to guard against an opponent outside the window...

If both of them are true...

What kind of female sword immortal must the master of Qingming Sword Manor be...?

"Um……"

To confirm the truth, Xie Jinhuan hesitated for a long time before finally asking:

"I once traveled the martial world and met a female knight-errant named Mu Yunhong. Have you heard of her?"

?

Bu Yuehua sat up a little straighter and carefully examined the young hero in front of her:

“Of course I’ve heard of her. She’s about your height, wears a black dress, and carries a green-sheathed sword on her back.”

Xie Jinhuan was genuinely shocked to learn that this woman knew Bing Tuozi.

"Really? What a coincidence! May I ask who you and that female knight are...?"

"I am her senior."

"..."

Oh no, I've hooked up with my sister-in-law...

Xie Jinhuan felt quite embarrassed and bowed respectfully.
"So it's Sister Hua. I was rude earlier."

Bu Yuehua nodded in return: "Young hero, is your surname Xie?"

?

Xie Jinhuan never expected that after a few words of conversation, he wouldn't get any information, but instead, this female knight would have thoroughly explored his private parts.

Could it be that this female knight-errant is my nemesis, and I've encountered a calamity...?

"Uh... how did you figure that out, young lady?"

"In terms of appearance and martial arts skills, there are very few men as outstanding as Young Master Xie in the Great Qian Jianghu."

"Oh, you flatter me, young lady. Well..."

Where is Yun Hong?

"..."

Xie Jinhuan had already ruined that junior sister's life. Without discussing it with Bing Tuozi, he dared not take her back directly. He said with shame:

"The Heroine Mu is also at the confluence of the three rivers, but I don't know exactly where she is."

Bu Yuehua saw the people from Zihui Mountain yesterday, so it's not surprising that her mortal enemy came here.

It's understandable that his arch-enemy knew Xie Jinhuan, after all, Xie Jinhuan was a rising star of the righteous path, who started his career in Danyang, and had an ambiguous relationship with his arch-enemy's disciple...

But she didn't understand why Nangong Ye would use the alias they had used when they first met...

Could there be something else hidden behind this...?

Thinking of this, Bu Yuehua became somewhat suspicious and said softly:

"Yun Hong is unaware of my trip here, so don't tell her about it yet. If you encounter me in public in the future, pretend you don't know me."

Xie Jinhuan was a little puzzled: "Why?"

Bu Yuehua explained softly, "Qingming Sword Manor has a rule that the manor master only passes on the skills to the most powerful disciple. Yun Hong and I are sisters, but we have to compete with each other for this kind of thing. I don't know where she is, and she doesn't know where I am. If you happen to bump into me and tell her, you'll make an enemy of me."

Xie Jinhuan understood the meaning—the rivalry between the two sisters of Qingming Sword Manor!
This girl's flirting is a bit complicated; he obviously can't afford to offend his sister-in-law...

If the two of them start fighting, no matter who he pulls aside, this marriage will face tremendous obstacles in the future...

Xie Jinhuan sensed that something was wrong and stood up, saying:

"In that case, I'll pretend I never saw Miss Hua and take my leave."

Bu Yuehua didn't try to stop her obedient disciple's husband, but simply nodded slightly.

"Goodbye."

Xie Jinhuan ran away quickly...
-
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(End of this chapter)