Chapter 208: Two Years, Coming Out of the Sect (Part 1)

"Have you seen him?"

Bao Xiruo didn't look at the paper on the table; she bit her lip, her eyes gradually blurred, and tears couldn't help but fall.

Yang Kang, seeing this, hurriedly snatched the brocade handkerchief from Mother's hand, nodded, wiped her tears, and comforted, "Mother, you mustn't cry, otherwise if Senior Uncle finds out when he returns, he'll definitely break my leg!"

Bao Xiruo couldn't help but laugh through her tears.

But after taking the handkerchief and wiping her tears, she still couldn't calm down; she looked toward her own son, opened her mouth, yet suddenly didn't know what to ask.

"He's okay, right…"

Finally, Bao Xiruo used the handkerchief to wipe the corner of her eye and asked softly.

Yang Kang nodded.

"Mother, take a look at this first."

He pushed the paper on the table in front of his Mother, glanced at her expression, and hesitated, "Matters among adults aren't my business, but I hope Mother can live well and happily in the future."

"Mother, don't treat me like a child; many things Yang Kang understands in his heart. Sign this; Yang Tiexin is my father, I've already accepted him and will treat him as father, but after that it won't involve you."

Bao Xiruo's jade‑like face changed; she picked up the paper, opened it, and her complexion turned pale in an instant.

In Xiangyang City, Yang Tiexin, wielding a cleaver, wandered the streets in a daze; the red cloth tied on his head had been torn off and he didn't know where he had thrown it.

Because of the scarlet blood on his face, pedestrians gave way wherever he passed.

When he passed the city gate, the garrison was about to stop him, but a soldier walking down the street shook his head.

Obviously, someone had already greeted him.

Half an hour later, Yang Tiexin returned to the small courtyard on Jiugong Mountain; on the drying rack in the courtyard were a few freshly washed clothes.

His daughter Mu Nianci was no longer in his own room; he knew she must have gone to seek the Hong Sect Leader to learn martial arts.

While carrying the great sword and about to return to his room, Yang Tiexin's gaze involuntarily fell on the bronze lock on the neighboring door.

Remembering the warm‑hearted Grandma Sun, who had long since passed away, he couldn't help but sigh softly.

Entering the house, he dropped the blood‑stained cleaver, took a washbasin and towel, and went to the well to thoroughly wash his body.

Back inside, he changed into a brand‑new set of clothes, which Niu Dingtian had sent after he and his daughter began living here, but he had never even touched them before.

Today, however, he finally wore them for the first time.

A quarter of an hour later, when Yang Tiexin stepped out of the room again, a bundle was slung on his back and he held an iron spear in his hand.

He placed a letter at the doorway, stood in the courtyard, glanced reluctantly a few times at the small courtyard where he and his daughter had lived peacefully for over a month, and finally, resolutely stepped out of the courtyard and closed the gate.

At dusk, Mu Nianci, dressed in a red martial outfit, left Hong Qi Gong's small courtyard, and her steps unintentionally became much lighter.

Today, after mastering the entire Xiaoyao You fist style, she not only met a gentle lady named He Yuanjun, but also received careful guidance on her martial arts from Master Yideng and Lord Huang.

Originally, before Niu Dingtian's seclusion, he had instructed her to find Chen Jin'er or to ask Han Xiao Ying for martial instruction, but she always felt a bit embarrassed and kept postponing any action.

She never expected to have the chance to receive simultaneous guidance from three great masters.

Leaving the small courtyard, Mu Nianci walked beside a pond lined with withered lotus, where a shining horse could be seen crossing a bridge arch, the emerald water reflecting floating clouds and the setting sun; before she could take many more looks, something at the pond's edge caught her attention.

There, a girl in white, hands supporting her chin, sat cross‑legged on the bank, not watching the sunset scenery, but staring blankly at the faintly outlined crescent moon.

Because she had met a stranger, Mu Nianci initially wanted to leave directly, but seeing the girl stare without blinking, as if something was off, she couldn't help but stop and asked softly, "Little sister, what are you doing?"

She only thought the person was petite, with a pretty white face, and took her as a younger sister.

"Guai Bao is practicing." Sha Gu replied without blinking an eye.

Mu Nianci then recalled that Niu Dingtian seemed to have an unusual younger sister, nicknamed Guai Bao.

But what kind of martial arts could someone like that practice? She thought the sister might truly have issues; she wanted to return quickly, but worried the girl might be in danger by the pond, so she coaxed, "It's getting dark, staying by the pond is dangerous; sister, go back to your room to practice, otherwise your brother will worry."

Perhaps hearing the word "brother," Sha Gu's eyes flickered.

She turned her head, looked at Mu Nianci, and asked curiously, "Do you think Guai Bao is stupid?"

"……"

Mu Nianci's face froze.

Sha Gu turned her head again, continued to rest both hands on her chin, stared blankly at the crescent moon, and said, "Guai Bao is just dazed, not stupid; don't disturb Guai Bao's practice."

If you're like this, how could I dare to leave?

Mu Nianci sighed, and couldn't help blaming Niu Dingtian for not arranging anyone to look after such a child.

The clothes were already washed at noon, and someone delivered Father's dinner; now going back seems to have nothing left to do.

Thinking of this, Mu Nianci simply found a stone beside Sha Gu and sat down.

Thus, by the pond, a red silhouette stared blankly at the sunset on the horizon, while a white silhouette stared blankly at the moon above. Unnoticed, twilight gathered, the sun set, and the sky gradually darkened.

"Hey hey hey!"

"What are you two playing?"

At that moment, a figure appeared under the arched bridge, holding a torn lotus leaf over his head, sneaking a peek this way.

Mu Nianci flinched, about to speak, when the person darted between them, squatted, and with a mischievous grin said, "Are you two seeing who can blink first? Take me, the old rascal, one! Take me, the old rascal, one!"

He leaned in to glance at Sha Gu, tugged his beard, and excitedly said to Mu Nianci, "Little girl, be the judge; we'll go first! Whoever wins becomes the boss!" Then, imitating Sha Gu, he rested both hands on his chin, sat on the bank, and stared without blinking at the moon.

Sha Gu ignored him, withdrew her gaze from the moon, and gently brushed the pond with her right hand.

Zhou Botong, catching a glimpse, kept his eyes fixed and, mimicking her, brushed his hand out.

Mu Nianci, watching, couldn't help but burst into a giggle.

But the next moment, the charming smile on her jade face froze, and she slightly opened her mouth, staring at the water surface in shock.

It was the spot of emerald water and withered lotus; after that small hand brushed it, a sheet of ice instantly formed, its terrifying cold spreading rapidly across the surface, instantly freezing a small portion of the pond.

Zhou Botong stared blankly at the ice surface in the pond, involuntarily lifted his hand, and glanced at his palm.

He brushed again.

No reaction? Unwilling, he brushed once more.

Still no reaction? Zhou Botong hurriedly raised his hand, brushed his two long white eyebrows, his eyes wide with disbelief, looked at Sha Gu, and whispered:

"You did this?"

Sha Gu ignored him, stood up, her eyes clear as water, pure and innocent, she glanced at Mu Nianci and said, "Gu bao is not stupid; just now she was really practicing martial arts, gu bao needs to go eat."

Having said that, she no longer paid attention to the two, and with light steps headed toward the inner courtyard.

"Hey hey hey!"

Zhou Botong reacted, hurriedly released the long eyebrows in his hand, waved his hand and shouted loudly.

Then, while chasing, he excitedly shouted: "Lao Wantong also wants to learn! Lao Wantong also wants to learn! Will you teach me, Lao Wantong? Lao Wantong wants to take you as master! Master! Wait for me!"

Just as he caught up, Sha Gu's figure paused, then suddenly turned and struck with a palm; Zhou Botong, grinning, waved his palm to meet it.

"Bang!"

Sha Gu's jade-like face instantly turned pale, she staggered back a few steps; Zhou Botong's smiling face instantly froze, then he clenched his teeth and sucked in a breath of cold air.

In the next moment, his lips quickly turned purple, his long eyebrows gradually formed ice crystals; when Mu Nianci rushed to Sha Gu's side, he finally couldn't help curling up his body, shivering and shouting: "So cold! So cold!"

"Freezing to death, Lao Wantong! Freezing to death, Lao Wantong! Lao Wantong can't take it!"

Shouting, a figure rushed toward him; Zhou Botong, shivering, stamped his feet, his legs turning into blurs as he sprinted away into the distance.

Just as he left, among the several figures that had rushed over, the three senior guardians did not pause, desperately pursuing in that direction.

"What's wrong, little sister?"

Chen Jin'er, Miss Huang, and Han Xiao Ying rushed to her side; seeing Sha Gu's ashen face, Chen Jin'er couldn't help but ask anxiously.

Sha Gu's gaze was innocent and pure; she laughed happily and said, "Gu bao is fine; just now someone tried to trick Gu bao out of her martial arts, and Gu bao chased him away."

Obviously, she had firmly remembered Niu Dingtian's instruction: whoever wants to teach you martial arts, you strike them with a palm; unexpectedly, Zhou Botong became the first to receive such a strike.

The three, hearing this, couldn't help but feel doubtful; Mu Nianci then softly recounted what had just happened.

After hearing that, Miss Huang raised her brows, unable to help but angrily say: "This old brat is getting more shameless! Next time we catch him, we'll definitely break his legs!"

Chen Jin'er stroked Sha Gu's pale cheeks, heartbroken, pulled her into an embrace, and comforted: "Once we catch him, sister-in-law will definitely avenge Gu bao."

Just then, Niu Ben led a few Xuan-clad guards rushing over, glanced at Mu Nianci, and bowed to Chen Jin'er, saying: "Madam, Uncle Yang has left!"

As those words fell, Mu Nianci froze, then reacted, her pretty face changing instantly.

"What happened? Why wasn't anyone stopping him?" Chen Jin'er released Sha Gu, furrowed her brows, and asked.

Niu Ben bowed and said: "He didn't take the main gate nor the mountain path; likely he avoided the guards by climbing over the wall down the mountain. Earlier, Yang Kang and his mother went to the cottage and found a letter pressed at the door; Uncle Yang's clothes and iron spear were missing."

Chen Jin'er couldn't help but sigh; seeing Mu Nianci looking panicked and at a loss, she stepped forward and took her hand.

After pondering, she ordered Niu Ben: "Send people down the mountain to search with all efforts; if found and he refuses to return, do not force him. But keep track of his whereabouts at all times, and assign some experts to protect him covertly."

"Yes!" Niu Ben replied with a bow.

After he led the Xuan-clad guards away, Chen Jin'er embraced Mu Nianci and comforted: "Sister, don't worry; Uncle Yang has just taken revenge, his heart inevitably feels a bit unsettled; once we have news, I'll inform you right away."

Mu Nianci bit her lip, nodded slightly, and tears kept streaming down her eyes.

Three days later, the regions of Xiangfan gradually regained peace; the Xuan-clad guards sent word that Yang Tiexin's traces were found in Datong, Shanxi.

But despite earnest persuasion, he refused to return; the Xuan-clad guards had no choice but to let him go, while secretly assigning people to protect him.

Five days later, Yang Tiexin rode alone westward and arrived at Mount Zhongnan.

During his three-day visit to the Quanzhen Sect, he spent most of the time drinking at the tomb of Qiu Chuji.

Three days later, Yang Tiexin left the Quanzhen Sect; eventually, he found a place beneath Mount Zhongnan to build a hermitage and settle down.

Now that he had found a fixed residence, Mu Nianci naturally would not let it go.

But a month later, when she and Yang Kang's mother and son, under the escort of the three elders of the Divine Sect, arrived at Yang Tiexin's residence beneath Mount Zhongnan, they saw an unexpected person.

"Granny Sun?"

In front of a wooden cottage, upon seeing a woman holding a basket of vegetables, Mu Nianci felt both surprised and delighted. (End of chapter)