Minglong

Chapter 217 Some are happy, some are sad

As the moon rises and the sun sets, the turbulent river has long since calmed, but the clamor along the banks continues unabated. Even a light autumn rain in the evening cannot dampen the enthusiasm of those who are eager for something better.

Lying in the room, raindrops pattered against the window, making a soft tapping sound, and in the distance, one could faintly hear a cacophony of voices.
“That’s amazing…”

"Even the Martial Ancestor Ye Sheng was probably no more than this back then..."

"Hua Ruyue is definitely Xie Jinhuan's lover. Not only did she forfeit to let a man participate, but she was also the second person to run up and help him up just now..."

"Who was the first female warrior in black? She was wearing a veil, so I couldn't see her face clearly, but her figure and demeanor were no less impressive than the Flower Girl Warrior..."

"Who else could it be? His lover, of course. There are plenty of older women vying to dote on someone like Young Master Xie..."

"Thank you, my love... Thank you, my love..."

……

Xie Jinhuan had overexerted his body and lost consciousness before he even collapsed. When he regained consciousness, he found himself in an elegant room with incense burning. The room was quiet, but it seemed that hundreds or even thousands of people were gathered outside the mansion. He had no idea where he was or when.

"Guji?"

Perhaps seeing him wake up, the large, black lump of coal landed beside the pillow, peered out, and chewed on a piece of withered vine that it had taken apart out of boredom, leaving only a small fragment...

"Holy crap—?!"

A sharp, explosive sound came from the room!

Xie Jinhuan, on his deathbed, sat up in shock, grabbed the wretched maid, and carefully picked up the withered vine to examine it, only to find that it was just a tattered vine he had picked up from somewhere...

Seeing that he had startled Xie Jinhuan awake, Coal Ball shook his head and tugged at his sleeve, indicating that he should go out for dinner.

Xie Jinhuan was nearly scared to death. He only breathed a sigh of relief when he realized it was Meiqiu who had messed things up, and then lay back down.

"Where's Bingtuzi?"

"Gurgle..."

Coal Ball gestured wildly, making no sense of what it was saying, before skipping and hopping outside, seemingly to call someone.

Xie Jinhuan calmed down a bit before his mind was fully clear. He carefully examined his internal organs and found that the injuries to his bones and muscles were still there, but most of his internal injuries had been healed. He guessed that he had taken some kind of valuable elixir.

Realizing that the damage wasn't fundamental and that he only needed some rest, Xie Jinhuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Looking around, he noticed the Zheng Lun Sword, the Tian Gang Mace, and the Minglong Spear were all on the table and called out:
"daughter in law?"

"Hmm~"

A response came from the inside of the bed.

Xie Jinhuan turned his gaze and saw the alluring A Piao lying on her side on the bed, her hand supporting her cheek, the autumn quilt draped under her armpits, her fragrant shoulders and jade-like arms like carved white jade, her front a vast expanse of white flesh, but part of it was covered by the autumn quilt...

? !
Xie Jinhuan instinctively lifted the blanket to look inside, but was stopped and held back. He could only ask:

"Where is this place? Hopefully nothing else went wrong in the end."

“County town, Zihui Mountain settlement.”

Ye Hongshang twirled a strand of her hair between her fingers and gave a brief account of what happened after the arena ended.

After he sent Wei Yin flying with a single punch, the outcome was naturally clear. Zhang Guan of Zihui Mountain had his disciples take him to a place in the county town to rest and recuperate, while the spoils of the victor were handed over to Zhang Guan of Zihui Mountain, who would later help send them to the capital.

After the arena ended, the various groups of people who had come did not immediately disperse. The Seven Martial Arts Heroes went to Fengbo Tower for a meeting, but due to a change in Xie Jinhuan's situation, the outcome of the talks was not very ideal.

Wei Wuyi set up such a large platform, clearly not just to give benefits to the younger generation.

Originally, Wei Wuyi's idea was to let Wei Yin make a name for himself and let the Daqian court see the potential of Snow Eagle Ridge for the next hundred years.

Wei Wuyi has raised a disciple capable of reaching the pinnacle of martial arts, and now the Daoist sect has encountered another mishap. It would be unreasonable not to appoint Wei Wuyi as the supervisor, since the imperial court can't just expect its disciple to be loyal to the court in the future while neglecting its master and not giving him any benefits.

As a result, he emerged as a dark horse, stealing all the limelight. It's clear that Wei Yin has no connection with becoming the future martial arts champion, and his plan has naturally failed.

Seeing that Wei Wuyi was unlikely to become the leader, the Seven Heroes of Martial Arts obviously wouldn't try to curry favor or pledge allegiance beforehand.

Of course, this is only the surface-level motivation and result; there are some 'big plans' hidden behind it, which are difficult to figure out by just looking at the surface.

After the Dragon Head Meeting concluded, the various sects dispersed one after another, but the wandering martial artists did not leave. Many of them went to block the Zihui Mountain camp, half of whom were meddlesome female warriors.

Xie Jinhuan, upon hearing the commotion, felt as if he could now go out and choose any concubine he wanted. However, with the ghost present, he couldn't be too greedy.

After Ye Hongshang finished recounting what had happened, he glanced at Xie Jinhuan and suddenly raised an eyebrow:

"You did a great job today, how about I give you a reward?"

Xie Jinhuan had the same idea, and turned to the side:

"What reward?"

Ye Hongshang lay back on the pillow, adopting a submissive expression, and pouted:
"Suckling~"

?

Xie Jinhuan hadn't expected his ghost wife to be so sensible, so he immediately stopped being polite, turned over, and placed his hands on either side of her beautiful face:

"I really kissed him."

Ye Hongshang hummed softly, then closed her eyes and slightly raised her cheeks to wait.

Xie Jinhuan always felt that his ghost wife wouldn't let him off so easily, so he cautiously approached to test her. To his surprise, he found that her lips really did have a soft, moist feel, as sweet as orchids and as sweet as honey...

Ah?
Xie Jinhuan's eyes lit up, and he immediately became impolite...

……

stomping on...

The streets were bustling with noise, but the mansion was quite quiet.

After arranging the disciples' trivial matters and instructing everyone not to approach or reveal any information, Nangong Ye quietly carried the nourishing soup he had personally prepared and tiptoed towards the guest room, while Meiqiu went off to have a one-on-one duel with Acai.

Autumn rain pattered outside the eaves, while the guest room was completely silent.

As Nangong Ye walked to the door, thinking of Xie Jinhuan's desperate struggle and battered appearance today, he couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache. He had thought that at this moment, the child would be lying weakly on the pillow, but upon seeing her, he would get up listlessly and give her a warm smile that seemed to be seeking praise.

But when I pushed open the door, I saw a muscular man without a shirt, his hands on either side of the pillow, staring at the air below...

???

Nangong Ye suddenly stopped, her icy eyes widening slightly. She thought Bu Yuehua was in bed, but upon closer inspection, she realized there was no one there!

"Xie Jinhuan?!" "Uh..."

The man on the bed froze for a moment, then smoothly changed to a push-up position, rising and falling on the bed:
"I'm just stretching my arms and legs, I was spacing out for a moment..."

"is it?"

Nangong Ye is no innocent naive girl. The way Xie Jinhuan acted just now clearly indicated that he was about to kiss the girl!
Could it be that this kid has tasted the sweetness and is waiting for me to come...?

Thinking of this, Nangong Ye was hesitant to enter the room, but seeing Xie Jinhuan diligently doing push-ups to rehabilitate, he still went into the room and closed the door with his foot.
"You should lie down properly. You have a full-body muscle strain and you're still messing around like this. Doesn't your arm hurt?"

Xie Jinhuan's arm was almost cramping, but even if he fell, he couldn't lose his composure. He had to explain what had gotten into him earlier, so he stopped his stance once the ice block was right in front of him.
"It's just a minor internal injury, nothing serious. Where did you go just now?"

Nangong Ye couldn't very well claim to be the boss here, so he simply picked up the nourishing soup and blew on it with a spoon.
"I had a brief chat with the seniors at Zihui Mountain. You can rest here for the night. Tomorrow morning, Zihui Mountain will help arrange the boat, and I will take you back to the capital."

As she spoke, she brought the soup spoon to Xie Jinhuan's lips, wanting to help the young man replenish his body. Her demeanor was both that of a classmate's mother and an icy wife...

Xie Jinhuan's heart skipped a beat, but fearing that outsiders would discover it, he first took a sip and asked:

Where is Senior Sister Hua?

"She can't stay still, so she went out for a stroll."

After Nangong Ye fed him a mouthful, he was still a little confused:
"What kind of supernatural power was that 'Dragon Soul Hidden Meridian' you used today...?"

"It was just a stroke of luck given by Master Qixia. I made up all the words on the spot. Actually, it's the same even if I don't recite them."

Xie Jinhuan casually offered an explanation, then looked out the window:

"Will no one bother us here?"

Nangong Ye blinked, his eyes slightly wary:
"You're resting quietly, so normally no one comes over, but if someone needs to visit..."

Seeing that no one was coming over, Xie Jinhuan was naturally relieved. He took the soup bowl, drank it all in one gulp, and then put down the bowl and pulled the ice cube over.

Nangong Ye knew this would happen, his eyes turning slightly cold:

"What are you doing? You're injured!"

Upon seeing this, Xie Jinhuan immediately stopped what he was doing, leaned against the headboard, and picked up the "oil-pouring pills" (a traditional Chinese medicine for adding fuel to the fire).

"Eh?"

Nangong Ye, who was initially aloof, found this kid reckless and immediately grabbed the hand holding the 'Instant Carving of the Pill':
"Are you crazy? Can you handle this?"

"You have important business at the end of the month, and the poison hasn't been cured yet. What would it look like if I stayed in bed until the end of the month? Don't worry, I can manage..."

What are you capable of?

Although Nangong Ye had agreed with the demoness to fight her one-on-one after obtaining the opportunity at the Vermilion Bird Tomb, she still needed to detoxify herself before going there. If she let the demoness take action, she would definitely be killed; she could only rely on this kid.

But Xie Jinhuan was so badly injured that even if he took a lot of miraculous medicine, he would need to rest for two days. How could he possibly continue to resist the fire poison?

Nangong Ye wanted to stop him sternly, but Xie Jinhuan had indeed performed amazingly today. He didn't even praise him afterwards, which would inevitably damage the child's confidence. After hesitating for a moment, he took the pills and put them away, then sat down in front of him silently, a hint of disdain showing between his brows.

Seeing this, Xie Jinhuan understood that he was being told to take whatever he wanted. She was immediately satisfied, pulled him close to her chest, lowered her head to taste the rouge, and slipped her hand inside the black dress...

"Woo~?"

Nangong Ye found this boy to be a bit presumptuous and even tried to push him away, but the brat went to find medicine again. At that moment, he could only close his eyes and silently endure it. After a while, he subconsciously raised his hand and put it on the man's shoulder. His sleeve slid down, revealing a watercolor bracelet that shone brightly under the light.

rustling...
-
Wow…

Rainwater slid down the tiles, forming a curtain of rain that pattered against the blue bricks of the old street.

Soldiers from both the north and south gathered in teahouses and taverns, discussing the day's battle. Sect leaders and gang chiefs led their troops back to their bases, and the sound of large troop hooves occasionally echoed through the streets.
Hoof-tapping hoof-tapping...

A horse-drawn carriage traveled through the streets of the county town, surrounded by dozens of Jiangzhou Gang disciples dressed in fine clothes and riding spirited horses.

Inside the carriage, Liang Yue of the Black Yan Gang sat by the window, his upper body bare, his chest and abdomen wounds already bandaged, and his brows furrowed with worry.
"With Xie Jinhuan's skills, he could wipe out more than just the Black Yan Gang in the future. This young man hates evil like poison. If he discovers that Chief Xu has connections with Southern Xinjiang, he will definitely not let it go..."

After his defeat, Liang Yue did not flee but hid in the Jiangzhou Gang's territory. After all, this was Daqian's territory. His identity was exposed and he was injured. If he dared to step out of the Sanjiang Estuary, he would most likely be attacked by both the righteous and the evil factions. If he did not go with the Jiangzhou Gang, he would not be able to return to the Southern Frontier alive.

Xu Guanfu was able to take in Liang Yue because the two families had business dealings. He used the sea route to exchange cheap daily necessities from Jiangzhou for cheap medicinal herbs from the southern border. The two groups cooperated to smuggle goods secretly without paying taxes, and the profits were a hundred times higher than those from running ships in the Great Qian Dynasty.

The Black Yan Gang started as pirates and already had a terrible reputation. Now that Xie Jinhuan has made a tough statement about taking down the Black Yan Gang, given the strength he has shown, it should only take a year or two.

When the Black Yan Gang falls, its partners will naturally come to light.

Xu Guanfu's background is a factor, while Xie Jinhuan wields the imperial sword; in terms of martial arts, Xie Jinhuan is comparable to a prodigy, ranking youngest among the Seven Heroes of Martial Arts...

If Xie Jinhuan were to find a pretext to do this, wouldn't he crush him like a soft persimmon and confiscate his illegal gains? Would that be worthy of his reputation as a chivalrous hero?
Xu Guanfu had no grudge against Xie Jinhuan, but the situation was clear. Even though he ran a gang in Daqian, he dared not lay a hand on someone as important to the court as Xie Jinhuan. At this moment, he could only furrow his brow in deep thought.

Liang Yue spoke for a moment, then said:
"Most problems in the world stem from insufficient cultivation. If Chief Xu could advance further, even if Xie Jinhuan wanted to be unforgiving, he would have to be wary of the 'bloodshed' that comes with a common man's anger. The Fire Phoenix Valley is experiencing frequent strange phenomena, and the great opportunity at the Phoenix Mausoleum will surely appear this year. With Chief Xu's cultivation, he should understand how beneficial it would be to obtain this item..."

Xu Guanfu naturally understood that, not to mention the divine effects of the Five Directions Divine Gift, just the nourishment of his body alone would allow him to break through the bottleneck in his foundation and continue his cultivation.

However, the blessings from the Five Directions are not eternal and continuous; their power diminishes rather than increases, and the more they are used, the greater the loss. For example, the Northern Black Tortoise's life-extending ability, if a cultivator has truly exceeded their lifespan limit and their cultivation level is too high, the loss from extending lifespan is far faster than the loss from nourishing the body.

As a result, Beiming Lake has become the "Xiandeng Mass Graveyard". Whenever it appears, the old turtles who rely on this thing to survive must come forward to snatch it. Most of them die there. It has not been intense for the past two hundred years because the old generation was almost wiped out in the witchcraft turmoil. The new generation who took over is young and their own lifespan has not reached its limit. They do not want to fight to the death there.

The opportunity at Phoenix Tomb is relatively easy to obtain. After all, 'rebirth' sounds domineering, but if someone can kill you, would they be foolish enough not to take this opportunity away?
Therefore, this miraculous effect has only been seen a few times in history. Its power loss is small, resulting in a relatively large stockpile, which gives low-level cultivators the opportunity to acquire it.

However, a large stock does not mean that its effectiveness is worse than other things. If the news is true, anyone could end up in this situation.

If Xu Guanfu rashly ventures out of the pass in search of treasure and is caught by the Old Ancestor Sikong, he might end up as one of the "Seven Heroes Puppets," to be admired and played with by the Old Ancestor Sikong day and night...

But if Xie Jinhuan grows up in a few years and really causes him trouble, Xie Jinhuan's skills are insufficient; he won't even have the qualifications to fight back, and will only be at the mercy of others...

After deliberating for a long time, Xu Guanfu asked:

Are you sure the news is true?

Liang Yue nodded: "It's most likely true. The gang leader discovered it by chance, and the news hasn't spread yet. With Gang Leader Xu's skills, he should be able to infiltrate the area beforehand, and it shouldn't be difficult for him to succeed."

Xu Guanfu paused for a moment, then nodded slightly and said nothing more.

……

Gulu gulu...

The horse caravan followed the carts out of Jiang'an Town, boarded a ship at the port, and headed south.

On the city wall, Bu Yuehua, wearing a veiled hat, stood in the rain, observing the movements of the Jiangzhou gang through binoculars. She noticed Liang Yue hiding in the group, constantly whispering to the leader. She frowned, hesitated for a moment, and then turned and headed towards the Zihui Mountain encampment...
-
Ah Guan's word count is really only 2 words per hour. I updated today's post yesterday, which means I have to write today's post and tomorrow's post as well. The word count is a bit low. Sorry!

(End of this chapter)