The Cycle of Reincarnation in the Four-Courtyard House: A Journey Through the Heavens

Upon hearing this, Li Xiao replied calmly, "I am Li Xiao from Pingjiang Prefecture."

His tone was neither humble nor arrogant, showing neither a deliberate attempt to curry favor nor a deliberate attempt to distance himself; he appeared completely at ease.

He was naturally aware of Murong Fu's doubts at that moment, but he was too lazy to explain further.

The two had no connection whatsoever, and he was already aware of Murong Fu's ambition and cunning, so there was no need for him to feign politeness.

Wang Yuyan stood aside, listening to the two's polite conversation, her heart filled with indescribable complex emotions.

On one side was Murong Fu, her cousin whom she had been infatuated with since childhood and who had vowed to marry no one but him. He was the object of her longing and dreams for many years. In the past years, her heart and eyes were filled with his image. She studied martial arts classics for him, worried about him constantly, and even her breathing seemed to revolve around him.

But today, when we meet again, that deep-seated love seems to have been diluted by the wind and rain in the apricot grove, leaving only an indescribable sense of estrangement and bewilderment.

She suddenly realized that her obsession with her cousin was perhaps more a youthful yearning and admiration than a true confidant.

On the other side, Li Xiao, having only spent a few days with her, took great care of her throughout the journey. Whenever she raised a question, he would explain it to her with a very novel perspective, without the slightest impatience.

His composure and decisiveness, his meticulous gentleness, and his astonishing skills in the apricot grove all left a deep impression on her heart.

This feeling was both hazy and intense, intertwined with her long-standing affection for her cousin, leaving her feeling somewhat flustered and confused.

She felt guilty for wavering feelings for her cousin, yet she couldn't deny the affection she had developed for Li Xiao. She was at a loss as to how to face this awkward situation, as if she were standing at a crossroads, to the left of her past obsessions and to the right of her newfound feelings. She was caught in a dilemma, and even looking directly at the two of them felt difficult.

Murong Fu was an extremely clever man. Observing people's words and expressions was his skill in navigating the world and winning people's hearts. At this moment, he naturally took in Wang Yuyan's subtle attitude.

He clearly noticed that when his cousin looked at him, the infatuation and passion in her eyes were gone. Now, she had a distant feeling towards him, and the intimacy that once lingered between them had faded to the point of being almost invisible.

The root of this change, without a doubt, is the man named Li Xiao standing before us.

This man was handsome and had an otherworldly air about him. Although he had only spoken a few words, they revealed an unfathomable composure. Even I could not see through the other man's martial arts skills or his true origins.

Murong Fu's displeasure had gradually turned into anger, and a barely perceptible hint of malice flashed between his brows, yet he still maintained his outward appearance as a gentle and refined gentleman.

He subtly observed Li Xiao, trying to discern something from the other's expression, but Li Xiao remained calm and composed, his gaze undisturbed, as if he were completely unconcerned by his scrutiny.

This attitude made Murong Fu even more wary, both suspicious of the relationship between Li Xiao and Wang Yuyan, and more cautious of this suddenly appearing formidable opponent.

Murong Fu suppressed his apprehension and displeasure, a perfectly measured, gentle smile appearing on his face. He took a half-step forward, his tone seemingly friendly, but every word carrying a sharp edge: "Brother Li has an extraordinary bearing, and his skills must be exceptional as well."

"Just now, Yu Yan mentioned being attacked in Xingzilin. I suppose it was Brother Li who helped her escape safely? I wonder where Brother Li's master is? I have been traveling the martial world for many years, but I have never heard of Brother Li. I am truly ignorant."

These words, seemingly polite and pleasantries, were actually full of probing—they pointed out that Li Xiao had saved Wang Yuyan, secretly investigating the depth of their connection, and using pretexts such as "where he learned his master" and "his reputation in the martial arts world" to explore his background and try to find out what kind of background this suddenly appearing man had and whether he posed a threat to them.

His gaze was fixed on Li Xiao's face, unwilling to miss any change in the other's expression, trying to find a flaw in it.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiao raised his eyes slightly, his tone remaining calm and unwavering: "I am from no particular sect or school, and have only learned a few rudimentary skills by chance, which cannot be considered outstanding. I merely happened to be passing through Xingzi Forest and offered my assistance as a matter of course, nothing worth mentioning."

He had already seen through Murong Fu's thoughts, so naturally he wouldn't tell him the truth. He glossed over it with just a few words, neither revealing his identity as a transmigrator nor his martial arts background, thus not giving the other party any opportunity to take advantage.

This airtight answer only deepened Murong Fu's suspicions.

"Such skills without any sect or affiliation? That's a rather perfunctory answer." Although he was unwilling to give up, he knew that pressing further would not necessarily yield the truth and would only make him appear aggressive.

Hearing the conversation between the two, Wang Yuyan felt increasingly uneasy and subconsciously clenched her sleeves.

She was afraid that Murong Fu would keep pressing her for answers, worried that Li Xiao would be put in a difficult position, and even more afraid that the atmosphere would become more tense. She could only stand silently in place, her expression full of helplessness.

Murong Fu pondered for a moment, then probed from a different angle: "Brother Li is too modest. To be able to save Yu Yan from the Western Xia First-Class Hall and escape unscathed, such skill is rare even in the martial world."

"I wonder where Brother Li is headed next? If it's on your way, you could travel with me, so I can do my part as a host and thank you for taking care of Yu Yan."

He wanted to use the excuse of being colleagues to closely monitor Li Xiao, find out his true intentions, and at the same time, he wanted to take the opportunity to win back Wang Yuyan's heart, which had been drifting away.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiao glanced at Wang Yuyan, who looked flustered beside him, and then looked at Murong Fu, saying, "I was about to tell Madam Li that I would like to take Yuyan on a trip to the north."

Upon hearing this, not only did Murong Fu's expression change drastically, but even Wang Yuyan abruptly looked up at Li Xiao, her eyes filled with astonishment and a hint of barely perceptible excitement, her fingers unconsciously loosening their grip on her sleeves.

Li Xiao had his own plans; he did indeed want to go to Henan.

Even though he saved Azhu and Abi in Xingzilin and changed their current predicament, the inertia of the plot is often difficult to completely reverse.

Based on the original timeline, A'Zhu is loyal to Murong Fu and will most likely still secretly go to Shaolin Temple to steal the Yi Jin Jing for Murong Fu, attempting to help him achieve his great cause.

A'Zhu is quick-witted and possesses an unparalleled skill in disguise, a skill that few in the martial arts world can match.

In the TV series, she disguised herself as an inconspicuous little monk and waited for an opportunity to steal the "Yi Jin Jing" from the library, hoping to use it to help Murong Fu achieve his hegemony.

Although she managed to steal the book by chance, she happened to run into Xiao Feng fighting with Master Xuanci. In the chaos, Xuanci struck the lantern that Xiao Feng had thrown with his palm. The lantern was knocked back by the force of the palm and hit A'Zhu hard, causing her serious injury and almost killing her.