Jianghu Qimen Lu

"Enough of this nonsense!" Bai Shandian roared at him in a fit of rage! A cold smile flashed across Xue Heng's eyes, but he maintained a serious expression, swallowed hard, and said painfully, "Lord Bai, I am a dying man! As the saying goes, a dying man's words are good. I wish to tell you the truth in my dying moments, so that you may find repentance and forgiveness!" Bai Shandian said impatiently, "Quickly tell me where the 'Complete Book of Jianghu' is now!" Unexpectedly, Xue Heng remained stubborn and said, "Let me finish what I have to say, otherwise, I will not tell you where the 'Complete Book of Jianghu' is! Lord Bai, do you know that I like Master Xiang so much, why did I betray her?" Bai Shandian looked at him coldly, his eyes filled with vicious hatred, and simply remained silent, letting him spout nonsense!

"Actually, I've seen through the court's schemes. The reason His Majesty made Master Xiang a wanted criminal is undoubtedly because of the 'Complete Guide to the Martial World'! If Master Xiang were to hand over the 'Complete Guide to the Martial World' to His Majesty now, he would be overjoyed and surely pardon all her crimes, restoring her reputation and status! However, even Buddhas fight for a stick of incense, and people fight for their pride. Master Xiang, out of consideration for her reputation, will absolutely not compromise! Lord Bai, think about it, for a lonely and destitute woman, to be a fugitive, toiling in the martial world, what immense pain and hardship that would be! To save her from this misery and escape her current situation, I had no choice but to come up with this foolish and ineffective method: to hand over the root of her trouble, the 'Complete Guide to the Martial World,' to the authorities, and return her to you, Lord Bai!" This was indeed a well-chosen reason, quite dignified! White Lightning was secretly alarmed: "No wonder this ruthless guy is clinging to Quan'er, he's damn good with words! Young women's hearts often can't withstand this kind of barrage of sweet talk, and they'll surrender immediately!"

Xuehen continued, "But I'm afraid my deduction might be wrong. What if the Emperor keeps pressing Xiang Dazhangmen, and doesn't pardon her entirely just because she handed over the *Complete Guide to the Martial World*? What if he still holds a grudge against her? What should I do? I've come up with a clever, albeit misleading, method. I secretly had someone copy a book exactly like the *Complete Guide to the Martial World*. Of course, aside from the identical title and chapter names, the content is completely different—it's just a copy of an ordinary scripture! It's complicated, lengthy, and difficult to understand, making it hard to distinguish the real from the fake! I've decided to hand over the counterfeit to the government first. If the court doesn't let Xiang Dazhangmen go, I'll hand over the real *Complete Guide to the Martial World* and try to exchange it for Xiang Dazhangmen!" Bai Shandian clapped and cheered, "Xuehen, you're so clever! But where is the real *Complete Guide to the Martial World* now?"

Seeing Xue Hen gradually fall into his trap, Xue Hen was secretly pleased and immediately told the truth: "The publication of the 'Complete Book of Jianghu' immediately triggered countless bloody battles among martial arts sects! What virtue or ability do I have to dare to keep it at home? In order to avoid attracting attention and divert attention, I deliberately placed it on the plaque of 'A Bright Mirror Hangs High' in the main hall of Yangzhou County Government!" Bai Shandian was impressed by Xue Hen's extraordinary imagination and was immediately reluctant to kill him. He walked to the door, opened it, and saw Warden Yue Zhongyun standing guard outside. He smiled and said, "Warden, thank you for your hard work! Now take this prisoner back. I have finished interrogating him. Oh, by the way, I used some torture on him earlier. You can have the prison doctor bandage him up!" Yue Zhongyun picked up the dying Xue Hen, knowing that Bai Shandian had been a bit too rough, but he didn't dare to ask and went straight away.

Bai Shandian emerged from the prison, mounted his Ferghana horse, and galloped away, disappearing into the vast expanse of white snow. Like a flash of lightning, he arrived at Mengyou Manor by dusk. Just as Xuehen had said, Xiangquan's brocade sachet was indeed hanging above the headboard of a luxurious, carved bed! He quickly snatched it and saw a porcelain bottle inside. A small piece of paper was attached to the bottle, which read: "Bone-Soothing Powder, red pill for medicine, black pill for antidote." He was immediately horrified: "That Xuehen is truly despicable! To control Quan'er more easily, he didn't hesitate to completely destroy Quan'er's martial arts!" Hatred surged from his sides, and evil thoughts took hold. He drew his sword, channeled his inner energy, and pierced his right wrist. With a flash of cold light and a flurry of wood chips, the carved bed was destroyed in an instant, as if struck by a divine weapon!

After unleashing a flurry of sword strikes that shattered the large bed, he strode out of the room amidst the astonished stares of the servants in the Bloodthirsty Manor. He leaped onto his horse and galloped away. Under the cover of night, he rode to the entrance of the Yangzhou County Government Office, concealed his prized horse in the shadows, leaped onto the rooftops, and traversed the ridges to reach the entrance of the main hall. Finding the door ajar and the interior pitch black, he gently pushed it open and stealthily crept inside. Using his Night Vision, he scanned the hall, then leaped onto the desk. With a swift somersault, he soared onto the high-hanging plaque inscribed with "A Bright Mirror Hangs High," reached down, and indeed found a small package! Then, with a deft flick, he landed lightly on the ground. With a few leaps, he was already outside the door; with another burst of speed, he was on the roof. Stepping on the thick snow, with a few light skimming motions, he disappeared into the vast night like a wisp of smoke!

When Bai Shandian returned to the Hangzhou General's Mansion, it was already broad daylight. Fortunately, with Hong Yueliang's careful care, Xiang Quan was safe and sound in her room. Bai Shandian quickly took out the antidote and had Hong Yueliang feed it to her. The medicine was indeed effective; after a short while, Xiang Quan, who had been unconscious for so long, coughed and slowly woke up! She quickly squatted on the bed, crossed her legs, placed her hands on her dantian (lower abdomen), palms facing upwards. She focused her gaze on her nose, her breath on her heart, and silently circulated her internal energy, circulating it through her internal organs, opening her Ren and Du meridians, and slowly restoring her strength. Bai Shandian was overjoyed at the sight. He quickly took off his shoes and climbed onto the bed, sitting cross-legged behind her. He placed his palms on her back, silently channeling his internal energy, continuously injecting his powerful power into her body to help her recover her strength! After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, both Xiang Quan and Bai Shandian were drenched in sweat, their heads steaming with white vapor. Finally, the treatment was complete, and Xiang Quan had returned to normal.

Seeing that there was no one else in the room, Bai Shandian couldn't contain his excitement and said to Xiang Quan, "Quan'er, look what this is?!" He took out the small package from his bosom, placed it on the bed, and slowly untied it. It really was the Jianghu treasure, "The Complete Book of Jianghu"!

Unexpectedly, upon seeing the extraordinary book, Xiang Quan didn't become excited at all; instead, she burst into tears! She jumped out of bed, knelt on the floor with a thud, faced Bai Shandian, raised her delicate face like a pear blossom battered by rain, and said with heartbreaking sorrow, "Shandian, I am no longer worthy to be your wife! Divorce me! That way… I'll feel better!" Bai Shandian, of course, understood that Xiang Quan, upon seeing the "Complete Guide to the Martial Arts World" restored, had undoubtedly guessed that he knew everything! That's why she felt ashamed to face anyone and was overcome with grief!

Red Moon, unaware of the inside story, thought it strange that Fragrant Fist was acting so unusually, willingly letting White Lightning divorce her!

Bai Shandian jumped out of bed and helped Xiang Quan up, saying tenderly, "Quan'er, this isn't your fault. Try to think positively! Don't worry, no matter what you become in the future, I will always love you. My love is as clear as the sun and moon, unwavering and steadfast! My love will last a lifetime!" Xiang Quan had suffered so much during this time. She had always longed for Bai Shandian to save her! Yet, her dreams had been shattered time and time again, leaving her despairing and heartbroken, ultimately causing her to become insecure… Now, hearing her husband's heartfelt confession, she was completely moved! She buried her face in his arms and burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably, overwhelmed with grievance and sorrow!

Bai Shandian was also deeply saddened by her ordeal. He held her tightly, gently patting her shoulder as he comforted her, "Don't worry, I've already nearly killed that beast Xuehen. It's a miracle he's still alive! Oh, by the way, I'm going to the capital today to meet the Emperor and present him with the 'Complete Guide to the Martial World,' so he can pardon your crimes!" At this moment, Xiang Quan no longer possessed her former ambition. Looking back on the past, she was truly horrified and appalled! As the saying goes, "You can't fight city hall!" How could a mere commoner like herself possibly contend with an emperor whose "breath of his own is as powerful as the mountains and rivers, whose authority shakes the five sacred peaks and whose power over the world is as vast as the four seas"?! For the sake of a stable life in the future, she had no choice but to sacrifice her chariot to save her general, to compromise and submit! This was fate. Accepting fate meant survival; defying fate was tantamount to defying heaven! Such was destiny; what could she do?

It is said: Countless rivers flow to the sea, where raging waves clash fiercely! As the sun sets, the azaleas bleed with blood, and heroes, with tears in their eyes, bow to their officials! Since ancient times, black and white have been difficult to record, and wise rulers and loyal ministers still linger! What is the purpose of this fierce battle between dragons and tigers, that they leave their mark on history, a defeat that will last for eternity!

After Bai Shandian submits the "Complete Guide to the Martial World" to the imperial court, will Emperor Qianlong pardon Xiang Quan's crimes? What will become of Chou Jiao, the Red Flower Society, and the heroes of the Southern Fist School? Dear readers, please stay tuned for the sequel to Jian Chuang Tianya's "The Records of the Martial World"! The work is currently being updated…