Bat Prince, roaming the heavens

With the matter settled, the atmosphere became more relaxed and harmonious.

Ren Yingying chatted with Yuan Suiyun for a while about his experiences in the martial arts world and his insights into music. She found the blind young master to be very knowledgeable and insightful, and talking with him was like a gentle breeze.

Green Bamboo Elder stood by, occasionally interjecting, and his attitude toward Yuan Suiyun became increasingly respectful.

Before they knew it, dusk had fallen. Yuan Suiyun, who had only asked for a cup of tea, naturally stayed in Green Bamboo Lane for dinner.

The simplicity of the meal was somewhat unexpected to him; there were no delicacies or rare dishes on the table for this Holy Maiden of the Sun Moon Sect.

It was nothing more than a few plates of crisp and tender seasonal vegetables, a few refreshing wild mushrooms, accompanied by Luoyang's local thin pancakes and a bowl of rice porridge.

Compared to the exquisite tonic dishes at Wuzheng Mountain Villa, which are meticulous in controlling the heat, harmonizing the medicinal properties, and perfecting the color, aroma, and taste, this one is far inferior. However, the rustic authenticity and comforting home-style flavor it offers has a unique taste.

After the meal, Ren Yingying personally led Yuan Suiyun to the guest room in the east wing.

The bamboo house is quiet and secluded, with a couch, a small table, a zither, and a stand. The furnishings are simple, but they all show care and attention.

Outside the half-open window, the night breeze carried the unique, refreshing scent of bamboo leaves, seeping into the room in wisps.

"Brother Yuan, please rest here. My humble abode is simple and I hope you will forgive me," Ren Yingying said, standing outside the door.

"I apologize for disturbing you." Yuan Suiyun stood inside the door and bowed slightly.

Ren Yingying said no more, returned the greeting, and then quietly left with Green Bamboo Elder. The sound of their footsteps and the soft rustling of their clothes quickly disappeared into the night breeze of the bamboo forest.

Along the way, Ren Yingying gestured to Green Bamboo Elder with her eyes not to speak.

Ren Yingying stopped and looked back towards the east wing after walking more than a hundred feet away.

"What do you think of this Young Master Yuan?" Ren Yingying's pretty face was expressionless, and she deliberately lowered her voice.

Green Bamboo Old Man glanced awkwardly in the direction of the east wing, thinking that the Holy Maiden was indeed very cautious in her actions.

He hesitated for a few moments before saying, "Young Master Yuan is a man of exceptional talent, with remarkable literary and martial skills, and his mastery of music is unparalleled. In addition, his demeanor, temperament, and conversation are all exceptional. If it weren't for his blindness, he would truly be considered a... perfect match."

Upon hearing this, Ren Yingying was taken aback at first, then a very faint blush rose on her face, almost imperceptible in the moonlight.

She never expected that Green Bamboo Elder would think from this perspective, and she was even more surprised that he would so bluntly say the words "good match".

Although Green Bamboo Elder was of low seniority and was her subordinate, he was older and had taken good care of her. His words probably reflected the consideration of an elder for her sake.

Ren Yingying composed herself and glared reproachfully at Green Bamboo Elder: "Old Bamboo Elder, who asked you that! Don't bring up such nonsense again."

Her gaze swept over Green Bamboo Elder, and seeing his embarrassed yet concerned expression, she knew that he was genuinely impressed by Yuan Suiyun, which was why he had such thoughts, so she did not blame him excessively.

"I'm asking you what you think of his background and intentions," Ren Yingying reiterated her question.

Upon hearing this question, the Green Bamboo Elder's attitude became much more serious: "Someone as outstanding as Young Master Yuan could probably not be cultivated by an ordinary family. But in this vast martial arts world, I really can't imagine which sect or school he would come from."

His gaze suddenly sharpened, and he pointed to the sky with a hint of disbelief: "He knows the origins of the Sunflower Manual in great detail, could it be...?"

Ren Yingying's heart skipped a beat as she followed the direction Green Bamboo Elder's finger pointed.

The Imperial Palace?

She immediately understood the unspoken meaning of the old man from the green bamboo forest.

But then she shook her head and whispered, "It doesn't seem like it. If he really came from there, why would he appear here alone, and why would he entrust these three things to us?"

Old Man Green Bamboo nodded slightly, agreeing with this statement.

If Yuan Suiyun were truly a member of the imperial family, these three matters would be a piece of cake for him, so why would he need to ask others to do them?

Not to mention that there was also a copy of the "Evil-Repelling Sword Manual" that was practically given away for free.

"Could it be that you really came for Miss?" Green Bamboo Elder couldn't help but glance at Ren Yingying.

This thought startled even Green Bamboo Elder, who quickly averted his gaze and shook his head inwardly.

Although the Holy Maiden is exceptionally beautiful and intelligent, what kind of person is Yuan Suiyun?

If it were only for beauty or romantic love, why make such a show of it, and why involve such a huge secret as the "Sunflower Manual" and the conflicts of the martial arts world?

This underestimates the other party and simplifies the matter.

"Then... could it be some ancient family that has been in seclusion for hundreds of years, or perhaps a descendant of a previous dynasty?" Green Bamboo Elder pondered, trying to guess.

"Besides gathering intelligence from our spies in Luoyang, let's secretly send some reliable people to Shanxi to investigate," Ren Yingying suddenly said, her voice calm and composed.

"Yes." Green Bamboo Elder accepted the order without hesitation.

Yuan Suiyun believed that his Mandarin was very standard, and it was basically impossible to tell where he was from from his accent.

Unfortunately, the world of Swordsman speaks the official language of the Ming Dynasty, so he had to use the original owner's voice pack, thus exposing the original owner's background.

However, Yuan Suiyun had no connection with Shanxi in this world, so the people Ren Yingying sent would ultimately return empty-handed.

"Also, have Lan Fenghuang personally make a trip to Fuzhou," Ren Yingying gave another order.

"Master Lan?" Green Bamboo Elder was somewhat surprised.

Lan Fenghuang is the leader of the Five Poisons Sect, and her poison skills are unparalleled in Miao territory. She is Ren Yingying's most capable subordinate. Is it too much of a fuss to ask her to personally retrieve a sword manual?

"After all, it concerns the Evil-Repelling Sword Manual, which has attracted the attention of many parties. The Qingcheng Sect and the Huashan Sect are involved, and there are countless other eyes secretly watching the Fuwei Escort Agency."

"Only by having her personally handle this can we ensure everything goes smoothly and avoid any unforeseen complications," Ren Yingying explained.

She paused, then added, "Also, tell her to bring as few attendants as possible, dress as a Han Chinese woman, and be sure to keep a low profile and avoid attracting attention. After obtaining something, she must not look through it and must take it back immediately."

If a group of brightly dressed Miao women were to march south to Fuzhou, it would be tantamount to openly wielding firearms, and they would immediately be discovered by righteous people, thus becoming the target of public criticism.

Upon hearing this, Green Bamboo Elder was taken aback and had no further objections: "Miss's considerations are thorough. Tonight, I will arrange for manpower to travel south to the Miao region to deliver the order."

He knew that although Lan Fenghuang was somewhat unconventional and unruly, she always obeyed the orders of the Holy Maiden and was indeed capable of handling things independently.

"What instructions does Aunt have for Ping Yizhi over there?" Green Bamboo Elder asked tentatively.

"Ping Yizhi..." Ren Yingying tapped her fingers and pondered, "Let him come to make a house call tomorrow."

She knew that Yuan Suiyun was a master, and could not be easily manipulated by some low-level tricks. Moreover, she was also eager to know if there was any hope of restoring his sight.

Just before Green Bamboo Elder was about to leave to receive his orders, Ren Yingying said one last thing: "We still need to investigate Linghu Chong of the Huashan Sect carefully."