Chapter 1496

Yan Nujiao was still showing this kind of nervousness and unease in front of peers her own age for the first time, even though she had previously asked Hu Xiaotian to arrange a meeting with Long Xi Yue; but once they actually met, she felt guilty, as if she had stolen someone's belongings and been caught in the act, even though she clearly knew she had no reason to fear Long Xi Yue and that, emotionally, there should be no distinction of superiority or inferiority.

Long Xi Yue whispered: "Yan Nujiao, I know everything about you and Hu Xiaotian."

Yan Nujiao's pretty face flushed; Hu Xiaotian, this shameless wretch, could he have spilled everything between them? She gathered her courage, lifted her lovely eyes, glanced at Long Xi Yue, and said: "Your Highness, please don't misunderstand; between him and me... there's really... nothing." She said this, obviously lacking confidence, even she couldn't convince herself.

Long Xi Yue smiled gently: "Yan Nujiao, you are not as frank as he is in this regard." The "he" she referred to naturally was Hu Xiaotian.

Yan Nujiao gave an embarrassed smile; after all, she was a girl, and moreover, in front of Long Xi Yue, admitting to having a private affair with Hu Xiaotian was no easy thing. She whispered: "He isn't frank; he's just thick-skinned beyond ordinary people." Every girl has her schemes; Yan Nujiao used this clever way to answer—if she weren't close to Hu Xiaotian, how could she say such things about him?

Long Xi Yue laughed: "But I just like that about him; if a man doesn't even have this bit of courage, then he's not worthy of anyone's love."

Yan Nujiao blinked her eyes; she still couldn't be sure whether Long Xi Yue was speaking truth or false. In this world, few are willing to share what they love with others, let alone a lover. After hesitating, she finally gathered her courage and asked: "You don't mind?"

Long Xi Yue said: "Liking someone isn't about possession; it's about making them happy. When he's happy, I'm happy. When he's joyful, I'm joyful."

Yan Nujiao bit her cherry lips: "Actually... actually I never thought about having any outcome with him; in my heart, only the Princess is worthy of him. What the Princess said is exactly what I want to say." She asked herself she didn't have Long Xi Yue's breadth of mind, yet she also knew that with Hu Xiaotian's temperament, it was absolutely not something she could control.

Long Xi Yue reached out and seized her delicate hand, saying: "I understand!"

Qiao Fangzheng suddenly vanished, without any sign, without bidding anyone farewell. After Long Xi Yue noticed this, she immediately went to find Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian also felt deeply puzzled; they had already agreed to cooperate with Qiao Fangzheng to jointly deal with Shangguan Tianhuo and his son, but tomorrow is the Beggar Sect's Red Sea Assembly, and Qiao Fangzheng chose to leave at this moment—who knows what scheme he has in mind?

Long Xi Yue anxiously said: "Senior Qiao is blind; where could he possibly go?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "He won't go far. I'll have people look for him right away."

Long Xi Yue regretted repeatedly: "I should have thought of this earlier; I should have thought of this earlier."

Hu Xiaotian noticed her emotions were somewhat abnormal; previously she had never been this flustered. Logically, she and Qiao Fangzheng had only known each other a short time, so why would she care so much about him? He gently comforted her: "Xi Yue, don't panic; calm down and tell me exactly what happened."

Long Xi Yue nodded, and only now did she reveal that Qiao Fangzheng had taught her martial arts. She said tearfully: "He forbade me from telling anyone about my becoming his disciple, including you. He also asked me to keep that iron bowl safe for him."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Is that the big bowl he found at Suolong Terrace?"

"That's the one!"

Hu Xiaotian had Long Xi Yue bring the bowl over, examined it carefully, and found nothing special about this iron rice bowl; yet since this iron rice bowl is ranked alongside the green bamboo staff as one of the Beggar Sect's two great treasures, it must have its own value.

Long Xi Yue said: "My master taught me a set of staff techniques."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Is it the Dog-Beating Staff Technique?"

Long Xi Yue nodded.

Hu Xiaotian, hearing of her fortunate encounter, felt happy for her and softly asked: "How many routines did he teach you?"

Long Xi Yue's answer startled him greatly: "Thirty-six routines!"

Hu Xiaotian thought he had misheard; the thirty-six routines constitute the complete set of the Dog-Beating Staff Technique, and only the Beggar Sect's chief is qualified to learn the whole set. Moreover, the thirty-six routines are divided into four parts, with each of the four senior transmission elders mastering nine routines; Qiao Fangzheng should only know nine routines. Yet Hu Xiaotian suddenly recalled that after the other three transmission elders were killed, he had passed the secrets of those twenty-seven routines to Shangguan Yun Chong, asking him to entrust them to Qiao Fangzheng for safekeeping. Given the condition that the thirty-six routines of the Dog-Beating Staff Technique be assembled, Qiao Fangzheng would inevitably be moved. If he could transmit all thirty-six routines to Long Xi Yue, that would prove he had previously violated sect rules by examining the entire set. If he truly passed all thirty-six routines to Long Xi Yue and also handed over the iron rice bowl—one of the Beggar Sect's two great treasures—for her to keep, then his departure this time must be with the resolve of never returning. Hu Xiaotian had already guessed Qiao Fangzheng's destination: he must have gone to the Red Sea.

But Hu Xiaotian couldn't fathom Qiao Fangzheng's thoughts; the Beggar Sect's Red Sea Assembly gathers masters like clouds—would he alone go there just to die? They had clearly agreed to cooperate, so why did he change his mind at the last moment?

Compared to Hu Xiaotian, Long Xi Yue better understood her master's painstaking intentions. Recalling what her master had previously told her, Qiao Fangzheng's inner state was undoubtedly extremely conflicted; he naturally wanted to take revenge on Shangguan Tianhuo, yet he feared that Hu Xiaotian's involvement would bring disaster upon the entire Beggar Sect, so he ultimately abandoned the idea of using another as a proxy. Qiao Fangzheng should know that his trip to the Red Sea Assembly is fraught with danger, more likely to be fatal than not; thus, resolved to die, he beforehand transmitted the Dog-Beating Staff Technique to her and entrusted the iron rice bowl to her safekeeping.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Xi Yue, you needn't be anxious; I will surely find Senior Qiao. He's alone and can't see the road, so he won't wander far."

Things didn't turn out as Hu Xiaotian expected; although he mobilized many people to search, everyone returned empty-handed. Hu Xiaotian speculated that Qiao Fangzheng must have found a place to hide, but no matter how well he concealed himself, he would eventually have to go to the Red Sea Assembly.

Hu Xiaotian also prepared to go there; even if Qiao Fangzheng no longer wanted him to intervene, Hu Xiaotian still had to avenge Zhan Peng's blood debt.

Zhan Peng's postoperative condition was not bad; the arm Hu Xiaotian had reattached for him had survived, and his other wounds showed no infection. However, because the injuries were severe, it would likely take two or three months to recover to his former state; even after the wounds heal, he would need a considerable period of rehabilitation training to regain his former martial prowess.

Zhan Peng regarded this calamity lightly; he smiled at Hu Xiaotian and said: "My lord, it's all my fault for being rash; if I hadn't recklessly given chase, I wouldn't have ended up in this predicament."

Hu Xiaotian asked: "How did it feel to cross swords with him?" While he changed Zhan Peng's medicine and rebandaged the wound.

Zhan Peng replied: "He has reached the stage where sword qi can be emitted externally, and he can control its release at will; I think... his martial prowess is not inferior to yours, my lord."

Hu Xiaotian asked: "Did he say anything?"

Zhan Peng said: "He said to spare my life and have me relay a message to my lord..." Upon saying this, he involuntarily paused.

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "Speak!"

Zhan Peng had no choice but to truthfully repeat Shangguan Yun Chong's words.

Hu Xiaotian wasn't angry; he smiled and said: "This person is truly arrogant." Yet inwardly he also felt relieved by Shangguan Yun Chong's arrogance, for if it weren't for his arrogance, Zhan Peng would likely have already died under his sword.

Zhan Peng said: "My lord, there's something I don't know whether I should say or not."

Hu Xiaotian replied: "If you feel it's inappropriate, then don't say it!"

Zhan Peng laughed, but the laughter tugged at his wound, making him grit his teeth in pain; after catching his breath, he then said: "Actually, our purpose in coming to Red Wood Creek was not to clash with the Beggar Sect. Now that Fire Tree City is pacified, stabilizing the Red Yi tribe essentially means we already control Red Wood Creek. My lord... my lord has no need to attend the Red Sea Assembly." Only having experienced that battle would one know how terrifying Shangguan Yun Chong's martial arts are; Zhan Peng's advice to Hu Xiaotian was actually out of concern for his safety.

Hu Xiaotian, of course, understood his intent; he softly said: "If the Beggar Sect's affairs aren't settled, Red Wood Creek cannot possibly be at peace. Rest easy, I won't confront them head-on. Heal your wounds in peace; I'll wait for you to recover soon, then we can fight side by side."

Zhan Peng nodded.

Hu Xiaotian decided to go to the Red Sea to attend the Beggar Sect assembly; with Jiang Shaoyang guiding him, sneaking into the Beggar Sect was not difficult. Jiang Shaoyang thought Hu Xiaotian had fed him the Ten Thousand Insects Bone-Corroding Pill, so he naturally dared not disobey his orders. That afternoon, Hu Xiaotian and Xia Zhangming disguised themselves as beggars, then quietly followed Jiang Shaoyang out the rear gate of the Butterfly Garden. As they just arrived at the rear gate, they saw Princess Long Xi Yue of the Full Moon already standing there; she had changed into a set of martial attire, holding a bamboo staff in her hand, evidently having waited here for some time. Her clear, beautiful eyes fixed on Hu Xiaotian as she said: "I knew you wanted to slip away silently, and I intend to follow you."

Hu Xiaotian felt both amused and exasperated; he had Xia Zhangming and Jiang Shaoyang wait outside first, then stepped forward to take Long Xi Yue's hand, saying: "Xi Yue, it's not that I don't want you to go, but the Red Sea Assembly is fraught with danger; I don't want you to take risks."

Long Xi Yue said: "I must go—not only for you, but also to rescue my master."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Xi Yue, obey me; later I'll still have to divide my attention to look after you..."

Long Xi Yue said: "I don't need your protection; I have already mastered the Heavenly Net Elusive Step you taught me. My master said that relying on that set of footwork, I should be able to keep myself safe."

Hu Xiaotian deliberately put on a stern face and said: "Will you listen to him or to me?"

Long Xi Yue said: "Of course I'll listen to you, but only after I've rescued my master."

Hu Xiaotian was left speechless, yet he also knew Long Xi Yue's nature—externally gentle, internally resolute; once she made a decision, there was no changing it. Since he couldn't persuade her, he could only acquiesce. However, Long Xi Yue couldn't blend in dressed like that, so Hu Xiaotian had her change into ragged clothes, put on a human-skin mask, don the Black Silkworm Armor, take full defensive measures, and only then agreed to let her accompany him. (To be continued~^~)