Chapter 311: Pursuit

Reality never changes because of the mood of the parties involved; no matter how Xue Hanmeng regretted or suffered, Xue Bangzhu's story had already reached an unchangeable ending.

By the time the morning light was faint and the chirping of insects and birds began to rise, "No-Trace" had already become a pool of blurred flesh, completely unrecognizable as human. Xue Hanmeng was still lying on his corpse, biting incessantly.

Zheng Yi calculated the time, flashed behind Xue Hanmeng, and pointed at her "Fengchi Acupoint," true energy penetrating, and Xue Hanmeng collapsed to the ground.

She had completely changed; her mouth and face were full of blood foam and flesh fragments, horizontal lines bulging between her brows; rather than a human, she looked more like a man-eating wild beast.

It was just that this beast, even in a state of unconsciousness, still had tears streaming from the corners of her eyes.

Zheng Yi placed her flat on the ground, reached out and pressed on her dantian, and as promised, wasted her Wu Gong. When the last wisp of true energy disappeared from Xue Hanmeng's dantian, blood suddenly overflowed from her seven orifices, and she instinctively choked and coughed.

Although it was only half an hour, Xue Hanmeng had gone into Qi deviation several times, and the meridians in her body were already in a mess.

Especially the Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian governing "anger," the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian governing "sadness," the Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian governing "resentment," and the Hand Yangming Large Intestine Meridian governing "regret" were already riddled with holes. Being able to collapse the meridians of a Heaven-Man expert to this extent showed just how surging the emotions in Xue Hanmeng's heart were.

Zheng Yi had anticipated this; with a single exhalation of true energy, she smoothed out the tremors in his meridians.

An hour later, Zheng Yi raised her hand and turned to look at Xue Hanmeng's side.

The half-booklet left by Xue Bangzhu was tightly gripped in Xue Hanmeng's hand.

Zheng Yi reached out to pull out the booklet, tried several times, and actually lifted Xue Hanmeng's arm along with it.

Even in a state of unconsciousness, Xue Hanmeng still gripped the half-booklet tightly, refusing to let go.

Zheng Yi frowned, lowered her head, and pried Xue Hanmeng's fingers open one by one, only then pulling the booklet out.

She flicked off the flesh and blood stuck to it and was about to put it into her bosom, but her gaze swept across Xue Hanmeng's face, and her movement paused.

The tears in the corners of Xue Hanmeng's eyes, which had stopped as her meridians were smoothed, flowed again.

After Zheng Yi smoothed her meridians, her face had calmed down, returning to the appearance of a young girl, looking even paler and more haggard. At this moment, her brows were furrowed, and two lines of clear tears flowed incessantly, as if she were a lost child.

Zheng Yi suddenly stood up, her willow-leaf brows arched, walked back and forth a few times, and cursed in a low voice.

"Damn it, damn it, who are you putting on this look for now!"

"Where did that fighting spirit from last night go!"

"Now you know regret, what were you doing earlier!"

After walking back and forth for a long while, Zheng Yi suddenly stopped and stamped her foot.

"Forget it, forget it!"

Tucking the half-booklet into Xue Hanmeng's bosom, Zheng Yi struck the ground with her palm, smashing "No-Trace's" corpse into the dirt, and then raised her sword to slash wildly at the cave entrance.

The mountain stones shattered, covering the entrance.

Only then did Zheng Yi carry Xue Hanmeng and use her light-body technique to rush toward Kaifeng City.

She knew where Xue Hanmeng should be sent.

The residence prepared by Li Miao for Xue Hanmeng was exactly the small courtyard where Xue Bangzhu lived when she first entered the city, connected with Yan Fan's ancestral home, quite spacious.

Letting Xue Hanmeng grow old here could be considered a beginning and an end.

Before dawn, the people in that residence were smashed open by Yamen runners and driven out; they were a bit aggrieved, but when a stack of silver notes was smashed into their faces, they immediately bowed and scraped, holding the silver notes and rolling away.

Zheng Yi jumped down from the roof; the Yamen runner guarding the door saw her at a glance, and hurriedly ran over and prostrated himself.

"You are the sister of the Battalion Commander, right?"

Zheng Yi's face was embarrassed, but she couldn't say anything.

With that face of hers, no one would believe it if she said she had no relationship with Li Miao, and she couldn't explain it to this Yamen runner. She had to nod in default.

The Yamen runner hurriedly reached out to lead the way, taking Zheng Yi into the residence.

"The residence has long been prepared, and everything has been cleared out. According to the Battalion Commander's instructions, we found the old people who knew Xue Bangzhu back then, and the things inside were all set up according to how she lived back then, absolutely identical."

Zheng Yi nodded and stuffed Xue Hanmeng into the Yamen runner's arms.

"The Battalion Commander has already instructed you, right?"

The Yamen runner nodded.

"Yes, please rest assured. From now on, we will send people to look here every day, and we have also found a careful old woman to accompany her. Whether it's official or Jianghu, if there is any mistake, I will offer my head!"

"The corpses in the righteous manor, and Yan Fan's corpse, we have also collected and buried; they are buried outside the city, and we are currently asking a master to chant sutras for their salvation."

Zheng Yi nodded and looked deeply at Xue Hanmeng.

"She might seek death, so you must look after her more these few days; don't leave any sharp objects in the room. After a few months, she should be fine."

"After that, I will have to trouble you to take care of her."

The Yamen runner's expression changed, and he nodded in agreement.

Zheng Yi didn't say anything more and turned to leave.

A moment later, she arrived at the small courtyard where she was temporarily staying with Li Miao; as soon as she entered the door, she heard Li Miao laughing inside.

"What's wrong with eating imperial grain?"

"What Jianghu or imperial court, where is there such a clear distinction? Human hearts are sinister, intrigue, and deceit are never limited to the imperial court."

"They all say 'learn literary and martial arts, sell them to the emperor's family,' not to mention whether you like wealth and glory, you should have some interest in 'Heaven-Man inheritance,' right?"

"Forget about what the Imperial Guard was like before, now it's my call. If you don't come—could it be that you have some dissatisfaction with me?"

Zheng Yi walked in and saw Cao Hanyan shaking his head violently to explain, while Yin Suqin beside him was anxious and scratching his ears, wishing he could go up and press Cao Hanyan's head to agree.

Li Miao saw Zheng Yi return, nodded to signal her to come over, and then waved his hand, saying unquestioningly.

"Anyway, there has never been a precedent for someone I've taken a fancy to running away."

"Cao Hanyan, I'll give you half a day to pack your things and say goodbye to your relatives and friends; tomorrow morning, you will move with me, and from today on, you are a Company Commander of the Imperial Guard."

"If I don't see you tomorrow morning—"

Li Miao's gaze swept toward Yin Suqin, squinting and saying.

"I will have to investigate the matter of your friend editing me... go."

Before Cao Hanyan and Yin Suqin could speak, Li Miao waved his hand and swept the two out of the door; the door closed with a *bang* without wind.

Leaving the two looking at each other outside the door.

Zheng Yi saw that Li Miao's business here was done, and cupped her hands.

"My lord, Xue Hanmeng has been settled... thank you."

Li Miao shook his head.

"No matter."

He reached out and took out the first half of the booklet left by Xue Bangzhu, shaking it in the air.

"Xue Bangzhu's matter is settled."

"The information she left behind, although not much, is very critical... I think you should have some guesses too."

"About yourself, and your mother."

Zheng Yi pursed her lips and nodded.

"Yes."

"If the information Xue Bangzhu left behind is all true... then there will be two doubts about me."

"First, my background."

"If a Penglai person gives birth outside of Penglai, mother and child can only survive one... yet when I achieved success in Wu Gong, my mother was still a living Heaven-Man Realm expert."

"The second is—"

Zheng Yi gritted her teeth, paused for a long while, and then continued.

"My mother's identity."

Li Miao smiled and nodded.

"Exactly, you are indeed much stronger than Xue Hanmeng."

"Judging from the information left by Xue Bangzhu, your mother is not as simple as an ordinary Penglai disciple who fled to the Great Ming."

"When the sect was annihilated back then, Penglai disciples fled in all directions, each reaching the Great Ming, and didn't know who had escaped or where they were hiding. But your mother left behind a few words, guiding us to Kaifeng and finding Xue Bangzhu."

Li Miao used a finger to open the booklet and flipped to the page recording Zheng Yi's mother's name.

"Xue Bangzhu died in the hands of a Penglai fellow disciple, and she marked the names of some fellow disciples in this booklet, among which is your mother."

"Is she marking the fellow disciples who might still be alive... or is she guessing who is the murderer hunting down fellow disciples?"

"What is the basis for her marking your mother?"

Zheng Yi pursed her lips and was about to open her mouth to argue, but was stopped by Li Miao's wave.

"You don't need to explain; this matter has not yet been concluded, but the doubts about you and your mother can never be escaped."

"There is one thing I must tell you in advance."

Zheng Yi frowned, looking at Li Miao, whose smile carried malice, and immediately understood that what the other party was about to say was absolutely not serious.

I don't know if it was because their bloodlines were close, but after only a month of getting along, Zheng Yi felt she had already mastered Li Miao's temperament.

Sure enough, Li Miao saw she didn't take the bait, and continued to say with a smile.

"Actually, it doesn't count as serious business, it's just a rule I discovered recently, I'll tell you, believe it or not."

"That is, the opponents I've met since I started walking in the Jianghu, eight out of ten have two commonalities."

Li Miao extended a finger.

"First, their background is a mystery."

Then he slowly extended the second one.

"The second one... is that they don't die cleanly."

"You didn't see your mother killed with your own eyes back then, right?"

"Take Xue Hanmeng as a lesson, you'd better prepare in your heart first, so you don't lose your composure if you really discover some truth you are unwilling to accept later."

"If you die in the hands of others because of a moment of hesitation, don't blame me for not reminding you."

Zheng Yi didn't answer.

Li Miao didn't continue, and handed the booklet to Zheng Yi.

"Look at these names written by Xue Bangzhu, which ones do you still know? How many locations did your mother mention? Are there any that match?"

Zheng Yi took the booklet, looking at those names while carefully recalling. After a long while, she looked up and pointed to a marked name.

"This one."

Li Miao looked at the name: "Zheng Huaijin, looking at the name, it shouldn't be 'main family.' Where is he?"

Zheng Yi pondered for a moment and said slowly.

"Jiangxi Administration Commissioner's Office, Guangxin Prefecture!"

————————

Autumn rain, evening.

Hoofbeats trampled the mud, water splashes like curtains, drops of muddy water hit the stirrups, scabbards, and cloaks, and were shaken into the air by violent movements.

"Thief, don't run!"

"Don't run, you can't escape, struggling is just suffering in vain! Why not stop and let me stab you with a sword; if you can take it, we'll let you go, how about that!?"

"My Kongming Sect is a righteous sect, we keep our word! Friend, consider it!"

A sorrowful and indignant voice came from ahead.

"Do you think I'm an idiot!!!"

"Setting a trap to lure me here, poisoning the wine, setting crossbows under the bed, putting bear traps on the bed! And even poisoning them!"

"The most excessive thing is, you actually ambushed me while I was urinating! Damn it, what kind of righteous sect are you!"

The words were full of sorrow, indignation, and desolation, and even a trace of grievance.

Lightning flashed, illuminating the face of the person being chased.

If there were Jianghu people present, they would be shocked. Because the person being chased was actually the famous evil expert in the Jianghu of Ganzhou Province, "One-Slip" Shu Qingyi! He was in the "flower-picking" trade that even the greenwood people despised!

Because his Wu Gong was high, and he was very cautious when picking targets, his life was still quite comfortable.

But everything changed after the Songshan Moon-Viewing Banquet.

Since the fifteenth of the eighth month, Shu Qingyi suddenly discovered that he, who was originally hated by people and dogs, had suddenly become popular, and even many righteous sects sent letters to him, saying they wanted to give him a guest position.

He didn't know why, so he picked one to see—and then fell into a trap.

That sect leader actually suddenly smashed his wine cup to the ground while drinking with him! And then the disciples ambushed all around swarmed up, almost killing him!

He barely escaped with his life, just thinking about how to retaliate in the future, only to find that the Jianghu had changed.

Almost all righteous sects, upon seeing him, were like him seeing a beauty—eyes shining!

Fortunately, the righteous sects were used to pretending, and their methods were slightly pedantic, so he survived. But now, the methods of these righteous sects were becoming increasingly vicious and increasingly unscrupulous!

Ambushing while he was urinating! And it was a gang fight! This was something even the evil path couldn't bring themselves to do, yet these people behind him did it!

His pants were still wet!

Who was the righteous path, and who was the evil path!

Shu Qingyi was crying without tears; his thigh had been slashed by a sword, and he couldn't run well, and the other party was riding a horse, so he couldn't escape no matter what.

Behind him, there were faintly excited conversations.

"Senior brother, the method taught by Battalion Commander An is really useful! After taking this head, should we exchange it for money with the Imperial Guard, or exchange it for secret manuals?"

"Of course, secret manuals! After we practice well, we will go find more deserving villains to kill, and then exchange for better secret manuals! This is called what, 'virtuous cycle'!"

"Well said! Hahaha!"

Shu Qingyi became even more desperate.

Fortunately, as he ran, firelight faintly appeared ahead. Shu Qingyi looked closely and saw a ruined temple ahead, and a person with a saber at his waist was faintly standing at the door, clearly also a Jianghu person!

He thought: "Heaven has no dead end!"

He hurriedly ran toward the ruined temple.

Upon reaching them, he shouted.

"Friend, friend!"

"Save me! I am a bodyguard of the 'Tiger Might Escort Agency,' thieves are chasing me! Please block them for me, and there will be a heavy reward in the future!"

After saying this, he reached into his bosom and took out a stack of stolen silver notes and threw them over.

"This is the deposit, I will definitely come to thank you in the future!"

The other party didn't even move, letting the silver notes fall.

Shu Qingyi's face showed despair.

Suddenly, a blur passed before his eyes, only a *whoosh* was heard, and the silver notes disappeared.

Then a lazy voice came from inside the temple.

"Little Cao, this is not our style."

"We don't have the principle of not taking money when we see it—of course, whether to do the thing or not is another matter."

Cao Hanyan pursed his lips, let out a long sigh, drew his saber from its sheath, held it across his waist, and prepared to stop Shu Qingyi first to ask what was going on.

Suddenly, a shrill sword sound came from his side!

Followed by a sharp shout.

"His head is mine!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 312 =====