Song Shidao, as elegant as before, stepped out of the foreign guesthouse, still carrying the dignified air of an offspring of a famous family, the younger generation of a family influential for generations, he laughed and said, “The feeling of meeting an old friend in a foreign land is certainly incomparably moving. I have just arrived two sichen ago, Junqiang cursed you in front of me for at least a sichen. But whatever the case, Yuwen Huaji finally received his due, Junchuo’s spirit in heaven ought to rest in peace.”

Coming between the two boys, he wrapped his arms on both boys’ shoulders. They crossed the vehicle and horse’s lane toward a wine shop diagonally opposite to the guesthouse.

Kou Zhong spoke with bitter laugh, “That was a very unjust misunderstanding.”

“How’s Yu Yi [aunt Yu]?” Xu Ziling asked.

Song Shidao replied, “Fu Dashi personally undertook the task to save and wake her up, but her body was very weak. According to Fu Dashi, Junyu must rest until the autumn or winter in order to fully recover. Before coming to Longquan, I was in Pingrang [Pyongyang] all the time to accompany her. At first she was very cold toward me, but when I was leaving she wanted me to stay a little longer.”

The three sat down at a table in the corner of the wine shop and called for food and drink.

Grabbing his head, Kou Zhong said, “I have more than a dozen questions I’d like to consult you, the Senior, but I don’t know where to start.”

Song Shidao blurted out laughing and said, “The Senior, this appellation I definitely am unwilling to accept; you are allowed to call me Song Xiong, nothing else is acceptable.”

Meeting again after a long period of separation, it felt as if it were a lifetime ago. The three were extremely happy.

Song Shidao’s single-minded deep feeling toward love, his n.o.ble moral character and integrity in sending Fu Junyu back to Gaoli based on friendship – has earned the respect that was bubbling up from its source at the bottom of the two boys’ heart.

Xu Ziling raised his cup to toast Song Shidao; casually, he sounded out, “Why didn’t Song Xiong comply with Yu Yi’s request to stay in Pingrang for a while?”

Staring blankly at the empty cup, Song Shidao spoke slowly, “She only regards me as a good friend. The man really occupying her fragrant heart is Ba Fenghan and not me, Song Shidao. Besides, in my heart, other than your Niang, there is no place for another.”

Hearing that, the two looked at each other. Unexpectedly Song Shidao was still infatuated with Fu Junchuo until this moment; wouldn’t that mean Song Que was going to lack male offspring?

Kou Zhong said, “I wonder if you, LaoGe misinterpret what you saw? Yu Yi was willing to speak to you, asking you to stay, naturally she has a bit of interest on you. Ay! You rejected her, perhaps she would be broken-hearted, or even shed tears.”

Seeing the more he spoke the more blatant he was, the only thing lacking was the big sunflower fan in his hand as the matchmaker matron, Xu Ziling fiercely kicked his leg under the table, and then said, “Yu Yi and Qiang Yi both have some kind of temperament that is very much alike Niang’s; looking at them feels like seeing Niang being reborn.”

Song Shidao nodded and said, “That is precisely Fu Cailin’s temperament. He reminds me of my Die. Only martial art masters of their caliber can have that kind of transcending-generation grandmaster’s lofty quality.”

Kou Zhong forgot about Fu Junyu, his spirit greatly aroused, he asked, “Exactly what kind of outstanding figure Fu Cailin is? Of the three grandmasters of the present age, he is the only one whom I have not seen.”

Aghast, Song Shidao said, “Didn’t you fight against Ning Daoqi and Bi Xuan?”

“Just barely,” Kou Zhong replied, “Ning Daoqi only used one hand in his fight against me. It was after inflicting serious damage to Ba Fenghan did Bi Xuan sound out the difficulties and retreat to avoid defeat under the two of us joining hands.”

Turning toward Xu Ziling, he asked, “Was I exaggerating it?”

Xu Ziling shook his head negatively. He explained to Song Shidao, “Old Ba is all right! Song Xiong need not worry about him. Right now he has work to do outside the city, he ought to be back in a couple of days.”

Song Shidao said, “Fu Cailin is a man in pursuit of perfection, everything related to him is very much carefully selected for quality. Each of the three disciples that he accepted is as beautiful as the immortal, with orchid heard and intelligent character. ‘Yi Jian Ge’ [lit. graceful/abundant sword pavilion] is situated in the most beautiful part of Pingrang, it’s like paradise in the human world. His Yijian Method is so perfect to the point of terrifying. Ay!”

“You have fought with him,” the two boys spoke in chorus.

Smiling wryly, Song Shidao said, “I am the ‘Heavenly Saber’ Song Que’s son, how could he be willing to let me off? But in the end I am the benefactor who saved his beloved disciple’s life, hence he was only defending without attacking, which doesn’t make any difference, I would rather he strike back at me. When your every sword strike is sealed off by him, that kind of unbearable and helpless feeling, only you alone know. In less than ten strokes, I vomited blood and received injury, and had to rest for more than ten days before I recovered. The most tragic thing is the blow to my self-confidence, which is carved deeper and more unforgettable compared to the bodily injury.”

The two boys were speechless.

Song Shidao has received Song Que’s handed-down teachings, his own apt.i.tude was superior, yet unexpectedly Fu Cailin, purely using defense in place of offense, was able to make him vomit blood and injure him. Such swordsmanship was indeed shocking and hard to believe.

“How’s Fu Cailin’s sword technique compared to your Die?” Kou Zhong asked.

Shaking his head, Song Shidao replied, “It’s hard to say! Die is good at offense but not good at defense, yet Fu Cailin’s defense is flawless. How good his offense is, I still have no opportunity to see.”

After a slight pause, he continued, “He really cares about you and Ba Fenghan, many times he asked me in details about anything concerning you.”

Kou Zhong said, “Listening to the tone of your, LaoGe’s voice, you and Shi Gong ought to be quite similar, right?”

Song Shidao smiled and said, “Fortunately, I am a person who have always been meticulous and very particular about anything in life, hence I got along extremely well with him. Fu Dashi is certainly a very particular man. I don’t know how to describe him. His appearance is a bit effeminate, yet there is no feminine quality about him. Probably because of his tall frame, the immortal air, and the Taoist bones’ out-of-the-dust bearing. Whether he was walking, standing, sitting or lying down, most of all, when his hand was grasping the Yi Sword, each movement was perfect and good-looking. He is worthy to be one of the three grandmasters of the world.”

Kou Zhong said, “If Xiao Shiyi’s misunderstanding cannot be resolved, sooner or later there will come a day where Shi Gong would come to settle the account with us. Laoxiong, I was wondering if you could think of a way to recognize him?”

Song Shidao cheerfully said, “Of course that is not a problem. Junqiang is a lovely girl, it’s just that Fu Dashi spoiled her a little bit. To me, she could still be considered respectful. So what’s this misunderstanding really about?”

Kou Zhong explained it all the way through.

Listening to that, Song Shidao’s eyebrows were deeply furrowed; he said, “Of course I understand you, but I’m afraid it is very difficult for Junqiang to accept, simply because the three of them, martial sisters have always been very close. And the most crucial problem is that Junchuo taught you their school’s xinfa for one night, which is a big taboo for Fu Cailin. None of the Gaoli people does not hate us, Han people. Until now, Fu Cailin still does not understand why Junchuo was very good to you. But, since things have come to this, the only thing I can do is to strive my hardest to mediate and defuse the conflicts for you guys.”

“Have you ever met that fellow Han Chao’an?” Kou Zhong asked.

Song Shidao nodded and said, “He and I stay at the same guesthouse, we even had dinner together; he is very polite and courteous to me.”

Kou Zhong happily said, “At the guesthouse these past few days, have you seen some new faces?”

What he wanted to inquire was Shen Mohuan, husband and wife.

Song Shidao shook his head and said, “Not in my eyes at all, can you be a bit more specific? Ay! You seem to forget that I just got here.”

Kou Zhong thought he might as well narrated briefly the reason they came to the prairie and what happened afterwards to him. When Song Shidao heard that Shi Feixuan and Zhu Yuyan, because Shi Zhixuan, had graced Longquan with their presence, Song Shidao’s mouth was agape from the shock.

Finally, Kou Zhong said, “There is something that I almost forget to tell you, I went to Lingnan to see your Die, the Senior, and received the favor of his promise to support me; furthermore, he also promised that if I could obtain the world, he would give Zhizhi to me.”

Song Shidao cheerfully said, “Then I really should congratulate you. In that case, I should have no problem in delaying my return to Lingnan.”

Xu Ziling sounded him out, “I wonder if Song ErGe is going to return to Gaoli to accompany Yu Yi for a while?”

Song Shidao was slightly startled; shaking his head, he said, “I just want to roam around the prairie, to experience the local conditions and customs of the peoples beyond the Great Wall, and then I’ll return to the Central Earth to accompany Junchuo. As for Die’s wishes, I am afraid Xiao Zhong will have to accomplish it.”

The two cried, ‘Bad!’ inwardly. But there was nothing they could do. This man’s pa.s.sion was simply too deep, it already reached the point of infatuation.

Song Shidao said, “About Shen Mohuan, husband and wife, I will keep my eyes open as well. If I have news, I will immediately inform you. Is there anything else I might be of any use?”

Kou Zhong did not want to involve him in the dispute, hence he said that there was no other thing. And then after agreeing on a good way to contact each other, they parted ways and left.

After a series of twists and turns, time did not allow them to look for Yuekepeng, they hastily rushed back to the courtyard house, changed into the nightwalker outfit that Shuwen prepared for them, and hurriedly went out of town.

Using the forest as cover, the two boys flew over the barren hills; after making sure that no one followed them, they made half of a big circle to the hilltop south of the city, located right in the middle between Longquan City and the Jingbo Lake. They could see both the famous lighthouse outside Longquan’s south gate and Ma Ji’s camp, glittering with lanterns, by the bank of Jingbo Lake.

Jingbo Lake, which stretched for several dozen li – was like a boundless mirror, reflecting the gentle light of the bright moon in the sky above. They saw two additional boats moored by Ma Ji’s camp. Although they were far inferior to the huge ships and big vessels of the Central Earth, but because Jingbo Lake was connected to the river courses nearby, the ships provided an extremely convenient way either to retreat or to transport anything.

For the first time, the two boys thought that there was a very good chance that the batch of bows and arrows was shipped via the water.

“You guys came early!” Shi Feixuan’s voice came from the dense forest behind them.

The two turned around to look, Shi Feixuan was standing gracefully, wearing a complete nightwalker outfit, which hugged her fine physique tightly. Her beautiful hair was tied above her head in a bun, the Color Empty Sword was hanging on her back. Her clothes fluttered in the night breeze, light and graceful, free and easy. Under the hazy moonlight, her beauty appeared out-of-the-world even more, full of female tenderness and beauty.

They were both gasping in amazement and felt that it was eye-opening, while also recalling that this would be the first time that they were having an operation together; a bizarre feeling welled up in their hearts.

The three retreated into the dense forest at the hilltop.

Gasping theatrically, Kou Zhong said, “I am so nervous!”

In the darkness of the dense forest, Shi Feixuan spoke in astonishment, “Shaoshuai is a veteran of a hundred battles, what situation you had not seen? Why are you nervous?”

Kou Zhong sighed and said, “Xianzi’s putting on the nightwalker outfit, not only this is the first time that I’d seen it, before, not even in my dreams would I ever imagine it. Therefore, I am so afraid of saying the wrong words or do the wrong things, and then you, Feixuan would blame me.”

Shi Feixuan spoke in displeasure, “If Shaoshuai does not crack jokes, then you pretend to be nervous.”

Turning to Xu Ziling, she asked, “Why did you choose this route?”

Xu Ziling was standing on her other side, smelling her fragrant scent, his mind turned tranquil, peaceful and in harmony. He explained, “It was Zhu Yuyan’s idea. She pointed out that Jin Huanzhen is most likely hidden in the ship in a certain bay of the Jingpo Lake. From this place, not only we have room to maneuver, it could also become an active reconnaissance station, and broaden the scope of our search.”

Kou Zhong praised, “Ginger is, after all, the older the spicier. As I am standing here looking at Jingpo Lake, I begin to think about this possibility.”

Shi Feixuan spoke indifferently, “She is wholeheartedly looking for Shi Zhixuan, naturally her thinking is more thorough.”

Xu Ziling asked, “Is there any movement on the fake Laotan’s side?”

Shi Feixuan said, “That is precisely the reason I am asking the question. In his secret mark, the fake Laotan wanted me to meet him at the Jingpo Pavilion on the northwest corner of Jingpo Lake at the beginning of Zi hour [11pm – 1am], saying that he has an important information to report.”

Kou Zhong quietly said, “Isn’t it the same as the time he wanted to meet us? How could he, one person, split himself? Ling Shao did not guess incorrectly. They must be carrying out the luring the tiger from its domain in the mountains tactic. The real target is our Shi Xianzi.”

Slightly angry, Shi Feixuan said, “Feixuan is not any Xianzi, watch out of Feixuan will really blame you.”

Kou Zhong laughed and said, “Xiaojie, please calm down. Tonight we’ll let the fake Laotan to wait in vain. We’ll look for Jin Huanzhen and her true husband and call it good.”

Muttering to himself irresolutely, Xu Ziling said, “Don’t underestimate Da Ming Zun Jiao people. Merely Liexia is already not simple at all. If we did not fall into the trap, he would be alarmed, and then it would be harmful without any benefit to them, husband and wife.”

Shi Feixuan agreed, “Ziling Xiong is right. We will part to keep our separate appointments as planned, to see what trick they are going to use.”

“That’s too dangerous!” Kou Zhong blurted out.

Xu Ziling said, “I could escort Shi Xiaojie in secret, while you, Zhong Shao, keep the appointment by yourself. I’ll say most probably you will rush at thin air, but if you do see the fake Laotan, just make your move to catch him, and if necessary, we can use him in prisoner exchange.”

Kou Zhong nodded and said, “It can still be considered proper moving-an-army-and-send-a-general tactic; I have no choice but to be the small soldier. Ha! Huh? Someone’s coming!”

A dark shadow flew over from the direction of Longquan. The three focused their attention to look, and were all stunned.

Unexpectedly it was Shi Zhixuan, who had not shown his face for a long time.

How could there be such a coincidence? They nearly could not believe their own eyes.

“Don’t rush indiscriminately into action,” Shi Feixuan hissed.

From their high vantage point, the three looked down, Shi Zhixuan, at astonishing speed that was faster than a speeding horse, flashed by like a gust of wind sc.r.a.ping over the bottom of the hill, and in the blink of an eye they could only see his back in the distance, as he flew in the direction of Jingpo Lake, and disappeared in the dense forest region northwest of the lake.

Taking a deep breath, Kou Zhong said, “My Laotianye, what’s going on here?”

Were it not Shi Feixuan nearby, he would have at least explode into the phrase that he learned from Du Xing, ‘his granny’s bear’.

Xu Ziling spoke heavily, “At least we confirmed that Zhu Yuyan’s intuition is correct, Shi Zhixuan is indeed in Longquan.”

Shi Feixuan spoke indifferently, “He is going to kill someone!”

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling quietly looked at each other; they did not understand where did Shi Feixuan draw such conclusion from?

Tranquil, Shi Feixuan said, “He hid the Sheli in the mud deep underwater, which is another way outside keeping it inside the mercury so that others cannot sense it. Now he went to get the Sheli out, to draw out Zhu Yuyan, who can sense the Sheli, or even Jin Huanzhen and Zhou Laotan, in order to cut shot future disaster, henceforth he will be able to absorb the Sheli’s demonic qi in peace.”

Kou Zhong did not understand, he asked, “Zhu Yuyan has been chasing behind him; if he wanted to deal with Zhu Yuyan, he could just wait for a moment and that would work, why does he have to wait until they got here to make his move?”

Xu Ziling said, “Your a.n.a.lysis makes a lot of sense, but it won’t work with Shi Zhixuan. Most likely his split personality disorder only occur periodically. Each time it flares, the Bu Si Yin Fa will reveal the flaw. Perhaps after leaving Tong Wan, his split personality disorder flared out, he had no choice but to take the Sheli running away for a thousand li; this moment it is stabilizing, naturally he wants to strike back.”

Shi Feixuan spoke in astonishment, “Ziling Xiong’s remark is extremely penetrating and unique.”

Xu Ziling sighed and said, “Because I have been in contact with another deeply-contrite Shi Zhixuan, so my perception is particularly profound.”

Kou Zhong’s scalp went numb, he said, “My troop disposition is in a mess, what do we do?”

Shi Feixuan spoke decisively, “Things have slight or important, urgent or non-urgent differences, we will temporarily set Jin Huanzhen’s affair aside, and do everything we can to help Zhu Yuyan to strike and kill Shi Zhixuan, to get rid of this great evil of the human world.”

Xu Ziling nodded and said, “It ought to be so.”

Kou Zhong nervously said, “Zhu Yuyan’s good-self has arrived.”

Another dark shadow, like a phantom, flew out of Longquan; it was precisely Zhu Yuyan, whom they were expecting.

Xu Ziling flashed out of the forest and beckoned Zhu Yuyan across the distance to follow him, and then returned to the forest.

Zhu Yuyan turned her head around to take a glance first before continuing flying forward, and circled around to enter the forest from the other side. Coming to them, she saw Shi Feixuan, and calmly said, “Turns out it’s the disciple from Fan Qinghui’s Cult. A famous teacher trains a fine student; my admiration, my admiration.”

Saluting her as the younger generation would to the older generation, Shi Feixuan said, “Feixuan sincerely act on Shizun’s [revered master] behalf to pay respect and send her regards to Yin Hou [Empress Yin].”

If one did not know the opposition between Ci Hang Jing Zhai and Yin Gui Pai, which has been going on for a long time, a continuous fight for several hundred years, one might think that Shi Feixuan’s master Fan Qinghui and Zhu Yuyan have had friendship for many years.

Turning to the two boys, Zhu Yuyan spoke with slight displeasure in her voice, “What’s the matter?”

Kou Zhong replied, “A quarter of an hour ago we just saw Shi Zhixuan walked past the foot of the hill.”

Immediately the strange light in Zhu Yuyan’s pair of eyes flared greatly. Even though it was separated by a layer of muslin, plus the forest was as black as the lacquer, the three were still able to see clearly.

Xu Ziling repeated his a.n.a.lysis just now for her benefit, and finally said, “Whether our guess is correct or not, it will soon be revealed.”

“Someone’s coming!” Shi Feixuan spoke in low voice.

Three human shadows, fast as an arrow, pursued over. Just by looking at their shenfa, it was obvious that these were first-cla.s.s martial art masters.

Without stopping at all, the enemies were flying in the direction of the Jingpo Lake, and disappeared into the dense forest region where Shi Zhixuan was entering earlier.

With a sharp intake of air, Kou Zhong said, “These three fellows’ martial art skill is extremely high; I did not expect Da Ming Zun Jiao has a large number of such talent. Any three random persons they are sending out are already this formidable.”

Zhu Yuyan spoke heavily, “These are not three random people that they are sending out, but Da Ming Zun Jiao’s secret department Five Kinds of Demons’ Wave Fog, Extinguished Fire, and Vicious Wind. Humph! Da Ming Zun Jiao is really despicable, they even dare to scheme against me, Zhu Yuyan.”

Xu Ziling could not help asking, “This morning when Zongzhu was talking about Da Ming Zun Jiao, why you didn’t mention them?”

Zhu Yuyan responded indifferently, “Da Ming Zun Jiao has Light and Dark, two big departments. The Light Department is under Shan Mu and Five Bright Sons, their specific responsibility is to preach their religion. The Dark Department is under Yuanzi and Five Kinds of Demons, their specific responsibility is to eradicate differences; they are the Cult’s executioners. At that time I hadn’t had a falling out with them, hence I was unwilling to divulge their affairs. Ziling, please forgive me.”

A strange feeling welled up in the three people’s heart; the consider-oneself-unexcelled-in-the-world ‘Empress Yin’ Zhu Yuyan apologized to someone else?

Kou Zhong seized the opportunity to ask, “I wonder if Zhu Zongzhu know that Zhou Laotan has a twin brother?”

Zhu Yuyan nodded and said, “One of the Five Kinds of Demons is precisely Dark Air Zhou Laofang, Zhou Laotan’s twin brother, therefore, when Shan Mu sheltered Zhou Laotan, husband and wife, it was difficult for me to send punitive force.”

Kou Zhong wanted to ask further, Zhu Yuyan signaled him to stop talking. She was silent for half a day, and then said, “You guys did not guess incorrectly, I am sensing the Sheli!”