Chapter 45

A boat drifted lightly, traveling between the water waves. Huang Fei pointed out the lake scenery and objects along the way, laughing and talking in a leisurely manner, his clothes fluttering, possessing a unique flair. Ji Cang leaned on the bow of the boat, drinking wine with his eyes narrowed. Huang Fei turned his head and said, "When did you become so unguarded? You followed me into the lake without any precautions, not afraid that I would set a trap and take your life?"

Ji Cang played with the small ice-porcelain flower-patterned cup in his hand, raising his eyes lazily. "How many years have we known each other? If you wanted to kill me, it would be more satisfying to have a great battle. Sneak attacks and secret harm would only disgrace the reputation of the Shao Yuan Jun."

Hearing this, Huang Fei smiled again. "You know me well. Come to think of it, if I really killed you, the world would lose such an opponent, and I'm afraid it would make people feel a bit bored."

Ji Cang looked into his spirited eyes. "Since that is the case, why don't you consider my other condition? You are determined to get the 'Ye Zi Secret Record'; why drag it out like this?"

A sharp light flashed in the depths of Huang Fei's eyes. "Some time ago, it was rumored in the Jianghu that the 'Ye Zi Secret Record' was hidden in the Chu state, causing spies from various countries to enter Chu one after another—so annoying. You released such news, wanting nothing more than to find out where I put the secret record. I'm not the only one determined to get it."

Ji Cang sat up straight, a domineering aura faintly appearing in his long eyes. "The same to you. But I still say the same thing: if you are willing to enter the Xuan state, let alone a 'Ye Zi Secret Record', if you and I join forces, even the world can be easily obtained."

"You are a smart person; one mountain cannot hold two tigers." Huang Fei said dashingly and faintly, pointing his hand. "Is this place good?"

The boat traveled quietly, the light mist on the lake blurring, gently enveloping the peach forests on both banks. The residual red was of a thousand kinds, falling like rain, dyeing half the lake surface like clouds. Looking at it, one only felt that the water and sky were filled with gorgeous colors. Under the thin mist, even the moonlight carried a red that was like truth and illusion.

The peach shadows fluttered, melting into the depths of Ji Cang's demonic eyes. He nodded. "Good, a good place, a good intention."

Huang Fei smiled slowly with his hands behind his back, looking at him steadily. "When I saw this place earlier, I felt it would be quite suitable for that 'Blood Luan' of yours. I believe you won't disappoint me in tonight's battle."

Ji Cang flicked his sleeves and stood up, his magnificent red clothes fluttering like heavenly fire, his black hair dancing in the air, and a sharp blood-colored blade slowly unsheathed.

Ten thousand peach blossoms were silently extinguished on the faint sword edge. In the chaotic world, only the figure standing out from the dust remained opposite.

Huang Fei shook his sleeves slightly, as if the light of tomorrow shot out, and the world-shaking Zhuri Sword appeared in his hand.

A line of the setting sun's afterglow was half-submerged in the edge of the twilight smoke and waves. Ye Xuanshang lay drunk alone in the boat, red silk curtains flowing beside his black robes, gathering all the soft light and beautiful shadows.

A day of joy, sifting through a thousand cups of fine wine, drinking up the jade nectar—the banquet before him was a mess, golden cups overturned. Lv Yi and other women all thought he was deeply drunk and retreated softly, not knowing that in the depths of the smoke curtains, a pair of eyes were quietly watching the beautiful and intricate patterns on the top of the tent, deep, bright, and clear, like cold stars.

Ye Xuanshang placed his hands behind his head, changing to a comfortable position, the arc of his lips carrying a faint, mocking smile. After lying for a while, he closed his eyes, the True Essence in his body flowing naturally, passing through the meridians and the Chong Lou, wandering through the three hundred and sixty acupuncture points of his whole body, finally merging Yin and Yang and returning to the Qi Sea. Repeating this cycle continuously, performing the great and small heavenly cycles to nourish the meridians, this moment of absurd drunken lying became an excellent opportunity for practicing internal arts.

Across the silk curtains, the cabin was silent. Wherever the True Essence in his body went, his consciousness became exceptionally clear and sharp, as if the subtle changes of stillness and movement, life and death in the world were all clearly perceptible. The clear wind was carefree, riding the cloud Qi to turn into mist; the smoke waves filled the banks, fish leaped lightly into the water, and a ripple quietly slipped into the depths of the misty moonlight... all kinds of strange feelings were intoxicating. Ye Xuanshang was immersed in it, his body and mind almost entering a state of emptiness. It was at this moment that he suddenly felt a powerful sword Qi in his sea of consciousness without any warning.

The Guili Sword, quietly displayed by his pillow, hummed for no reason. He opened his eyes abruptly. The painted boat swayed slightly, and the Longling crystal lamps hanging around made a *ding-dong* sound, then returned to silence. Such a vibration might be thought of as ordinary waves by ordinary people, but for someone like Ye Xuanshang, whose martial arts had reached the realm of an expert, he could perceive that at that very moment, the entire lake surface had been stirred into deep waves and undercurrents by an incomparably tyrannical sword Qi.

In the center of the lake in the distance, a white shadow fluttered like a startled swan, landing on a light boat swaying with the waves. The Zhuri Sword pointed obliquely at the blue waves, and a wisp of bright red, translucent and clear, slowly wound its way down the sword edge.

*Da! *

The sound of water was slight, and the moonlight accompanied the ripples, folding into the depths of the blood color, interweaving into mottled shadows.

On the opposite side, the light sandbar lay horizontally. The Blood Luan sword in Ji Cang's hand glowed with a daunting, unusual light because it was stained with a faint red, just like his eyes looking across the water at this moment.

A lingering fragrance wafted on the lake, and bursts of falling red dyed a bright peach blossom among the man's fluttering white clothes. In the mist and light, Huang Fei stood there quietly, his sleeves filled with wind, his peerless demeanor making one's heart and soul intoxicated.

Suddenly, Ji Cang leaped across the waves and stepped onto the bow of the boat. His gaze glanced at his arm, seemingly hesitant, but he finally asked, "Is the wound serious?"

Huang Fei raised his eyebrows as if nothing had happened, his sword edge sweeping obliquely to scoop up a jade cup filled with wine nearby, sending it to him. "Last time I defeated you by half a move; this time you wounded me with one sword, so we are even again."

A cup of clear wine trembled on the sharp sword tip, flashing with a crystal-clear light. Ji Cang seemed to be stung by the brilliance of that hearty laugh, his long eyes narrowing slightly as he took a step forward.

With this step, Huang Fei's sword was only half an inch from his throat.

In a duel between experts, a hair's breadth determines life and death. If Huang Fei were to strike with his sword at this moment, no matter how fast his movement technique was, it would be impossible to avoid.

The sword was like autumn water, the eyes like stars, constantly reflecting cold, icy light. The sword Qi pierced his skin, but Ji Cang ignored it, instead taking a scroll of residual silk from his bosom and handing it over.

Huang Fei lowered his eyes to look, his brows suddenly furrowing, and the long sword tilted slightly due to the tight force in his hand.

Amidst the mist and under the sword edge, Ji Cang's expression could not be seen clearly, but his voice seemed to be enveloped in a cloud of water mist, spreading enchantingly in the air. "This is the remaining scroll of the 'Ye Zi Secret Record'. Next time we fight, if I defeat you again, you will be mine."

Huang Fei stared at him for a long while, then suddenly laughed out loud. With the laughter, his wrist shook, and the transparent wine cup on the sword tip suddenly shattered into countless pieces of jade, splashing into the center of the lake. "Good! If I defeat you again, your life will be mine!"

Staring at Ji Cang deeply once more, he moved his body and left the boat just like that, using his light-body skill to tread on the water and ride the waves, disappearing gracefully into the boundless peach-colored landscape on the shore.

In the painted boat, Ye Xuanshang had been attracted by the sword Qi that appeared and vanished on the lake. Just as he was about to find a way to sneak out and check, he heard a light knock on the cabin door just as he stood up.

He felt slightly strange, then turned back and closed his eyes to lie down. He only heard the cabin door creak, and with a pour of moonlight, a slender, clear, and beautiful figure drifted in quietly.

The light in the room was dim, and the person was veiled in a layer of soft, shallow shadows, casting a beautiful outline on her features. Her eyes turned, seeing that there was no one else in the cabin. She moved lightly to the couch, carefully lifted a corner of the smoke curtain to look inside, and seeing that Ye Xuanshang was motionless, she smiled charmingly and reached out quietly toward his neck.

Just as her fingertips were about to touch Ye Xuanshang's skin, Ye Xuanshang suddenly opened his eyes wide, his hand moving like lightning to clasp her slender wrist. The woman was pulled to the side by him unexpectedly, and with a light "Ah," she fell into the tent. Ye Xuanshang turned his body to rise, meeting a pair of black, lacquer-like eyes, and was stunned. "Zi Rao?"

Brocade quilts and soft curtains, embroidered silk in disarray. The woman beneath him had black clothes and smiling eyes, her black hair like a waterfall sliding through a section of white wrists and scattering between his powerful fingers, enchanting and bone-eating. Ye Xuanshang was extremely surprised, letting go of her wrist to look, but he immediately saw a faint wound under her loosely covered collar. His sword brows furrowed slightly. "What happened?"

Zi Rao was not in a hurry to get up, lightly brushing her fingertips across her neck, and said simply, "I was hunted by someone. Are you willing to take me in?"

Ye Xuanshang smiled. "With your status and martial arts, who would dare to provoke you, and even run to me to avoid the enemy?"

Zi Rao rested her chin on her hand using the fragrant pillow, glancing at him sideways. "Why, what is my status that I should be afraid of nothing? Are you unwilling to help me, or are you afraid?"

Ye Xuanshang's gaze paused in the depths of her eyes. "If I am both willing and dare, then what?"

Zi Rao smiled and leaned closer to his side. "Then I will be safe."

A smile appeared faintly on the corners of Ye Xuanshang's lips. He turned and lay down beside her. In the narrow and private space of the Joy-Union tent, their breathing intertwined, filled with the charming, soft scent of her body. He took a deep breath and asked with a smile, "What incense are you wearing today?"

She leaned down and whispered softly in his ear, "This is a scented incense made from the essence of tuberose, night-blooming jasmine, and jade hairpin flowers picked after dusk, then blended with clear dew under the moon. It gathers the beauty of an evening and combines the affection of a night, so it is called Night-Union Incense."

Ye Xuanshang closed his eyes and nodded. "Hmm, very special."

It was itchy in his ear; she was deliberately breathing lightly. "Do you like it?"

(End of Chapter)