Gu Long's World: Starting with the Legend of Chu Liuxiang

Aunt Hua, hiding behind Steward Hua, said, "Murder? What murder? Who wants to kill someone?"

Chu Liuxiang walked over slowly and said gently, "You're offering such a high price to kill someone who must be a remarkable figure."

Steward Hua frowned and said, "Then why don't you tell me, who are we going to kill?"

Jiang Fengyue said, word by word, "King Shi."

Aunt Hua and Steward Hua were speechless upon hearing the name.

Hu Tiehua jumped up, having figured out the whole thing.

He dragged out Aunt Hua, who was hiding behind Steward Hua, and yelled, "So you two conspired to trick me, didn't you? You wanted me to protect the princess on her wedding day, while you were secretly plotting to kill that damn Heavenly King."

Jiang Fengyue sighed, "These two things may not be contradictory, but they really shouldn't have kept it from you. Besides, they only brought these people here so that they could go and die in front of King Shi."

Aunt Hua climbed up the bamboo pole, and when she heard Jiang Fengyue speak up for her, she instantly gained confidence.

She shouted, "You're so capable, seeing through our plan. Do you intend to just watch our princess marry that gorilla?"

Jiang Fengyue coldly replied, "Now that I've seen through your plan, and given your tendency to meddle in other people's business, do you think I'd just let King Shi do nothing?"

Steward Hua exclaimed in surprise, "Are you confident you can kill King Shi?"

Jiang Fengyue sneered, "It's still more reliable than the few people you invited."

Aunt Hua couldn't help but exclaim, "But we called those people here precisely to send them to their deaths!"

Jiang Fengyue said, "If it's about going to one's death, wouldn't it be the same if I went?"

After a long silence, Steward Hua finally made up his mind and slowly said, "Alright, if you want to try, none of us can stop you. But before that, I want to take you somewhere to meet someone."

Jiang Fengyue asked, "Where? Who are they?"

Hua Zongguan: "Yujian Villa, Mr. Du."

The group was ready to head to Jade Sword Manor.

Chu Liuxiang and Jiao Lin started drinking. They chatted happily and laughed heartily, and the two unexpectedly got along well.

Jiao Lin seemed to have regained his fighting spirit, as if no matter how big the blow, it could not defeat him.

Although his hand holding the wine glass was still trembling, and his stubble covered in wine droplets still made him look disheveled, he was still happily drinking.

Aunt Hua hadn't seen Hu Tiehua for a long time, so she hugged Hu Tiehua's hand and wouldn't let go, spouting mushy words as if she were retaliating against Hu Tiehua's attitude towards her earlier.

They and Steward Hua had already gone quite far when Jiang Fengyue turned around and called out to Chu Liuxiang.

He laughed and said, "Old Chu, if you don't leave now, you won't have a chance to join in the fun at Jade Sword Manor."

Chu Liuxiang raised his wine cup above his head and said, "Wait until I finish this cup of wine."

Jiao Lin also picked up his wine glass and laughed loudly, "After I finish this glass, I'm leaving too."

Chu Liuxiang asked in surprise, "You also have urgent business?"

Jiao Lin sighed, "It wasn't supposed to be urgent. I planned to do this after I finished this murder job and had some money in hand, but now I've changed my mind."

Jiang Fengyue asked, "What are you going to do?"

Jiang Fengyue knew that Jiao Lin wanted to find his daughter, so he decided to go along with it and help Jiao Lin out.

Jiao Lin said sadly, "I want to find my daughter. I just want to see her once, even if I die right after, I will be satisfied."

He knew he shouldn't be seeing his daughter in his current state, but after nearly dying at the hands of Steward Hua, he just wanted to ignore everything else, whether he was still down on his luck or penniless, he had to see his daughter one last time.

Jiang Fengyue smiled and said, "If you're looking for your daughter, perhaps you can come with us. We're going to a place where there's also a daughter who can't find her father."

Jiao Lin looked up, his eyes filled with hope, and asked urgently, "Where?"

Jiang Fengyue said, "Jade Sword Manor."

What exactly is Jade Sword Manor?

Azaleas are in bloom on the hillside, and the distant green mountains are washed by the spring rain, turning them as green as jade. Butterflies are flying around in the garden.

The group stepped into the garden full of spring colors; this was Jade Sword Manor.

No one can easily come here. Even those masters with extraordinary skills dare not cross the line. The reputation of Jade Sword Manor is already showing signs of surpassing the three major sects and four great families of Jiangnan.

But here there was only bright spring scenery, unlike the bleak atmosphere of the rumors.

Mr. Du only agreed to meet with Jiang Fengyue.

Jiang Fengyue insisted on bringing Jiao Lin along, and no one could sway his opinion or stop him from doing what he wanted to do.

On the stone steps outside the long corridor.

Jiang Fengyue looked at the disheveled Jiao Lin and smiled, "You just wait here. I'll let you see the person you want to see soon."

Jiao Lin asked in a daze, "The person I want to see... could they really be in a place like this?"

Jiang Fengyue did not reply. He had already stepped into the long corridor, the place where Mr. Du had arranged to meet him.

Mr. Du arrived earlier than Jiang Fengyue.

At the end of the corridor, a woman in a floor-length gown waited gracefully. Though she was past her prime, she refused to use rouge and powder to cover the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.

Jiang Fengyue walked over slowly, seemingly unfazed by the fact that Mr. Du was a woman.

He smiled and said softly, "Mr. Du."

The beautiful woman, also smiling, said, "You think I am Mr. Du?"

Jiang Fengyue said, "There's no need to think so, because you are."

The beautiful woman's smile grew even more captivating, seemingly accepting that she was indeed Mr. Du, and she said, "You're not surprised at all that Mr. Du is a woman?"

Jiang Fengyue gently shook her head and said, "Mr. Du is Mr. Du, regardless of whether he is male or female."

He pondered for a moment. It was perfectly normal for the person in front of him to be Mr. Du. In Chu Liuxiang's world, women's martial arts skills were usually superior to men's.

Mr. Du smiled and said, "Just because of what you said, you can stay and admire the flowers with me today."

Mr. Du was standing right under a camellia tree, which was in full bloom.

Jiang Fengyue shook her head again and said, "I came here not to admire the flowers, but to discuss the matter of murder. If it's something unrelated to King Shi, I'm afraid I have no interest in it."

Mr. Du sighed, "The rain just stopped the night before last, and you've come just in time for the flowers to bloom. If you don't appreciate them, wouldn't you be wasting the good intentions of the spring rain?"

As she spoke, she gently broke off a camellia branch, on which eight petals had already bloomed.

Mr. Du's smile had vanished, and he said in a deep voice, "I heard from Steward Hua that your swordsmanship seems quite good. Since you have no interest in appreciating the flowers, how about we discuss swordsmanship?"

She lifted the branch, and the eight-petaled white camellia petals drifted down, landing on the shiny floor.

The sword-like flower branch stabbed towards Jiang Fengyue; this stab was the essence of unparalleled swordsmanship.