Chapter 196: Youngest Sister Mu Doesn't Want To Either (Request for Monthly Tickets)

The great families and sects that received invitations to attend the Hero Gathering were assigned courtyards as residences by Xueying Ridge; for privacy's sake, they were scattered across various parts of the county town.

Zhang Guan of Mount Zihui and the monks sent by Tiantai Temple to supervise were, though Wei Wu Yi disliked it, given proper courtesy; their residence was arranged on the edge of the county town, with a pleasant environment but far from the various major sects, clearly indicating a desire to prevent Daoists and Buddhists from overshadowing the hosts on such an occasion.

As night deepened, outside the courtyard where Mount Zihui had taken up residence, more than ten male and female disciples carrying magic swords on their backs stood guard, while outside was a sea of young heroes, craning their necks in anticipation, eager to catch a glimpse of Nangong Xianzi.

Although Mount Zihui had clearly stated that the Sect Master would not attend and that the Deputy Sect Master was coming instead, Nangong Xianzi feared that busybodies would gather; they had said so before, but what if she actually came?

For this reason, many young heroes still waited stubbornly on the street for this "cold as Bingshan, untouched by worldly dust, unyielding to men, only to be admired from afar and never trifled with" number one beauty of the Daoist path, for even catching a glimpse of her back would make the trip worthwhile.

Inside the living room of the courtyard, Nangong Ye, dressed in a black skirt, sat in the main seat, ignoring the noise from the street, simply looking at the intelligence report in her hands.

Zhang Guan sat beside the tea table, while opposite him were two senior uncles from Mount Zihui, who were currently conversing:

"Everyone arrived this morning; Wei Wu Yi set up a welcome banquet at Fengbolou, but what was discussed there, there is truly no way to find out..."

"Not being able to find out is understandable; Wei Wu Yi, Duan Yuechou, and Long Boyuan are all present, and behind them are the Four Little Dragons; seven martial arts ancestors of the Great Qiang Jianghu sitting in one room, even if Sect Master Lu came, he couldn't suppress them..."

"Fengshan will need Tiantai Temple to open the Western Regions trade route; Longyuan Valley is right at the doorstep of Shanglian Bi; the Jiangzhou Gang does business with Southern Jiang. Under these six people are thousands of mouths waiting to eat; no matter how Wei Wu Yi negotiates, it is impossible to bring them all under his command..."

"Yes, the Sect Master is not a lone cultivator; he bears the rise and fall of an entire sect. This martial way can only be forged into a single rope when facing a great calamity for all living beings; in normal times, everyone must make a living, so who has time to play grand chess with Wei Wu Yi..."

Nangong Ye knew the seven martial arts heroes quite well and did not care how these few were talking; at this moment, she only cared about the next generation of experts competing for the 'Hu Gu Teng', so she interjected:

"Bao Xiaolin is already over sixty; is he still coming to snatch the Hu Gu Teng?"

Zhang Guan stroked his beard and sighed:

"Who wouldn't want to try if there is a chance to enter Super Rank? Even if one is reluctant to use it oneself, one can save it for children, grandchildren, or disciples. If Jinghua Manor fails to produce another Super Rank expert soon, it will be removed from Weizhou."

"However, Bao Xiaolin definitely has no chance; in boxing, the young and strong prevail; this time, just Huo Zhonghu and Zhang Jian of Liuhe Gate could suppress ninety percent of martial artists, let alone the many experts hiding their heads and covering their faces..."

Nangong Ye looked at the list of gathered experts and felt Xie Jinhuan's pressure was like a mountain.

With such a lineup, not to mention winning first place, even making it into the top five would already count as being an outstanding figure of the current generation.

But the path of cultivation has always been this way; there are too many wolves and too little meat; without the ability to outcompete everyone, one is not worthy to step into Super Rank or go even higher.

While everyone was chatting idly like this, a disciple walked quickly from outside and reported:

"Sect Master, just now the county government office sent news saying that Xie Jinhuan, Young Master Xie, has captured a wanted criminal."

"Oh?"

Zhang Guan was stunned, and then sighed to his senior brothers:

"Look, this is what 'sacrificing oneself for the sake of all living beings' means; wherever he goes, he never forgets to eliminate harm for the people; this state of mind is truly impeccable..."

"Yes, the younger generation is awe-inspiring..."

Nangong Ye, seeing that Xie Jinhuan had gone out to play and this young man still ran off to catch thieves, felt a touch of gratification in her sharp, icy beautiful eyes.

This nature of hating evil as if it were an enemy indeed made elders unable to help but love him.

But how could such a good young hero of the righteous path, once in a boudoir, start doing nothing but evil...

But this was also to help her detoxify...

Perhaps fearing that the yellow-haired one was getting impatient, Nangong Ye sighed silently, stood up, and said:

"I will go out for a while; you continue to monitor the movements of the Jianghu; do not leak the news of my coming out."

"Sect Master, take your time."

——

A ferry boat by the river.

The crowd of onlookers were all near the county town; at night, there were not many people on the boat, and the top deck of the boat building was almost empty.

Xie Jinhuan returned to the river boat silently and soundlessly; only after confirming he had shaken off the sister-in-law did he enter the room, close the window, and secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

"Gugu~"

Meiqiu rolled once on the bed, faced outward, and greeted him.

From childhood to adulthood, this was the first time Xie Jinhuan had seen a personal servant so obedient; he sat down in front of the bed, picked up Meiqiu to check her back and forth, and after confirming she was not sick, took out a small piece of dried meat:

"Gegge~"

"Gu?"

Meiqiu was not excited at all; she even shook her head to indicate she was not hungry.

Xie Jinhuan was somewhat shocked, thinking Meiqiu must have a problem, and started checking her back and forth again.

Finally, the Ghost Wife appeared from beside him and teased:

"Seeing Bing Tuozi fed her a Pill of Avoiding Grain, and the medicinal effect hasn't worn off yet; let her move around more, and she'll get hungry."

"Is that so."

Xie Jinhuan suddenly understood, thinking the Pill of Avoiding Grain was truly a good thing; however, after Meiqiu recovered, she would probably never let Seeing Bing Tuozi feed her again. He rubbed his head, had Meiqiu practice backflips in the outer hall, and then looked at the Ghost Wife.

Ye Hongshang, wearing a long red skirt and red-soled high heels, stood before him, leaning against the four-poster bed with her arms crossed over her chest:

"Why are you looking at sister?"

Although Xie Jinhuan had caused trouble while flirting just now, his goal had been achieved; at this moment, he stood up and leaned against the chair:

"You just said that once I ask for the name, you would pull open the bow; you must not bluff me."

"Hmph~"

Tap, tap, tap...

Ye Hongshang walked in cat-like steps to the front, her gaze looking down from above, carrying a hint of reluctance, but she still kept her promise, raised her long leg, and placed it in Xie Jinhuan's lap.

The silky skirt hem slid down along the white leg, revealing a small red cloth and the thin string bow on the side of the hip.

Amazing!

Xie Jinhuan leaned back in the chair, waiting to see what would happen:

"Come on."

Ye Hongshang's charming face showed a perfectly placed hint of disdain, but her fingers still pinched the bow, slowly pulling the thin cord open.

Whoosh, whoosh~

The knot loosened; the plump little red fabric, naturally losing its support, slid down...

?!

Xie Jinhuan's pupils contracted slightly. Just as he made out the plump, soft outline, the skirt hem was pressed down by a hand, blocking his view.

"Eh? Don't be shy..."

"Sister keeps her word. I said I'd pull it open, and I did. I never said how long you could look. Don't push your luck."

Xie Jinhuan had indeed had his fill of the sight; seeing this, he couldn't accuse the ghost bride of deceiving him:

"Fine. If there's one, there will be two."

"Hmph~"

Although Ye Hongshang held the skirt down, she didn't retract her long legs; instead, she draped her right leg over Xie Jinhuan's shoulder, stretching it, and performed a full split.

Legs longer than life itself, pressed into a straight line across his shoulder, red-soled high heels dangling beside his face, the robe's lapel pressed against her legs and threatening to burst open, her peerless face inches away.

Although it looked like she was loosening up her muscles, this pose was something Ah Huan couldn't handle...

Xie Jinhuan's breathing grew a bit ragged. Instinctively, he tilted his head to look, but the skirt was truly in the way. He raised a hand to lift it, only for the ghost bride to show slight displeasure:

"Hmm?"

"Hehe, I was just joking. You continue stretching."

"With such little self-control, you seek immortality..."

As the one human and one ghost played around like this, lasting perhaps a moment, the door was pushed open.

Creak~

Nangong Ye entered the room wearing a veil hat. Having learned that Xie Jinhuan had gone to perform another act of chivalry, his mood had originally been quite good.

But upon entering, he saw Meiqiu doing a backflip while Xie Jinhuan lay in a chair, his neck twisted at ninety degrees, as if it had been snapped.

?

Nangong Ye's steps halted, his gaze bewildered.

Xie Jinhuan instantly sat upright, straightened his neck, and cleared his throat lightly:

"I almost fell asleep. Why are you only back now?"

Nangong Ye thought Xie Jinhuan was possessed. He approached to inspect him closely, then discovered this fellow was again...

"What exactly are you doing?!"

"Nothing. Just got a bit dazed from waiting so long."

Xie Jinhuan found it hard to explain, so he simply bent down, scooped up her legs at the knees, and carried the Iceberg horizontally in his arms, walking toward the inner room:

"Detox, detox. Don't waste time."

"You..."

Nangong Ye felt this fellow was just indulging in wild fantasies, hoping she would return to do evil!

She wanted to struggle a bit, but the act was meaningless, so she chose to turn her head outward, adopting the Iceberg's aloof demeanor that kept others at a thousand li away, until she was placed on the bed and the veil hat was removed.

Xie Jinhuan, perhaps a bit aroused from the teasing, stood before her and unfastened his robe, revealing a sleeveless soft armor and trousers. His chest and abdominal lines were perfect. Seeing Bing Tuozi's eyes widen as she shrank backward, he suppressed his impulse, took out a medicine bottle, and swallowed a pill:

"How about you do it?"

Nangong Ye was indeed frightened by this fellow's frantic appearance. Seeing him calm down slightly, she frowned:

"I am accompanying you in your suffering; what more do you want from me?"

"Hmm..."

Xie Jinhuan glanced slightly at Bing Tuozi's magnificent figure, his gaze landing on her bulging lapel. He raised both hands in a virtual hold, making a gesture as if cradling a watermelon.

?

Nangong Ye had already weathered many storms. After a moment's thought, she understood the meaning. She gripped the bedsheet with both hands, averted her gaze, and her Iceberg face showed a hint of disdain: "You are a righteous knight; where do you get all these ghostly ideas?"

"Unwilling? Then I must..."

"Eh?!"

Nangong Ye was unwilling, but this was more acceptable than the previous times, so she slowly rose, sat upright on the edge of the bed, and pinched her trousers:

"I... if I do this, will you want nothing else?"

"This... fine, fine. Today, just this."

Rustle, rustle~

Nangong Ye saw the hard lines of the mermaid abs. Instinctively, she averted her gaze, then thought better of it, took out a handkerchief, covered her eyes first, and only then unfastened the buttons of her lapel, revealing the small undergarment embroidered with white cranes...

Moments later, the inner room door was closed, leaving only Meiqiu alone outside, flipping somersaults.

Xie Jinhuan sat on the bed's edge, looking down at Bing Tuozi, who had her eyes covered and was gently biting her lower lip, and at the red stone pendant hanging from her neck. He felt only joy, thought for a moment, and asked:

"By the way, how many experts does the Green Mist Sword Manor actually have?"

For convenience, Nangong Ye knelt before the bed. Hearing this, she lifted her face, frowning slightly:

"Why do you ask this?"

"Hmm... just curious. There are no rumors from insiders on the Jianghu; I don't know the situation regarding the Manor Master and the disciples..."

"..."

In the past, when she walked abroad, using the name of the Green Mist Sword Manor was because this sect was powerful yet rare; as long as one knew how to use a sword and possessed great skill, ordinary people found it hard to distinguish.

As for exactly how many people were inside the sect and what they were called, she was actually unclear. To speak more was to err, so she simply said:

"The Qingming Sword Manor is a semi-reclusive immortal sect, traveling the world to slay demons and vanquish evil. They don't casually take disciples, and in other matters, they don't disclose anything to outsiders."

"Oh…"

Xie Jinhuan mentioned Hua Ruyue, so Bing Tuozi would definitely know he'd met her elder sister-in-law. He couldn't very well press further at the moment, so he merely silently urged forth the Extreme Yang Fire, gently stroking Bing Tuozi's fine hair and cheeks…

……

Meanwhile, on the riverbank.

Bu Yuehua, wearing a veiled hat, walked along the river, her gaze sweeping over the motley assortment of tower-ships. In her heart, she felt that the local young heroes were just as cunning as those in the Southern Frontier!

She had just been waiting at the county office for Xie Jinhuan to come out, but after a long while, no one appeared. When she rushed inside to look, he was long gone.

To find Nangong Ye and discuss matters, Bu Yuehua would definitely have to keep tracking him. Although she couldn't find Xie Jinhuan, she could find Nangong Ye.

Nangong Ye wasn't with Xie Jinhuan, so the places he could go were nothing more than the Wind Wave Tower or the Mount Zihui base.

She ran to the vicinity of the residence where the Mount Zihui disciples stayed and lay in wait. Before long, she spotted a dark shadow emerge from the house and head toward the river.

She didn't reveal herself at the time because she was curious—Nangong Ye sneaking out late at night to find Xie Jinhuan, and even using an "alias"—just what was she up to?

Nangong Ye's cultivation was also very high, so she didn't dare tail her from behind. She only watched from afar and saw Nangong Ye slip to the river's edge and board this ferry, naturally understanding that the two's secret meeting place was on the ferry.

At this moment, Bu Yuehua displayed the hallmark of Gu Du Pai, concealing herself like a phantom, silently and soundlessly approaching the tower-ship. But Nangong Ye's vigilance was sharper than she had imagined…

……

Inside the room, Xie Jinhuan was in the midst of "seize the day while fortune smiles," completely unaware of the danger about to approach.

Fortunately, the all-capable ghost bride, sitting at his side "recording," was also keeping an eye on the surrounding phenomena of heaven and earth. Sensing someone approaching the tower-ship, Ye Hongshang slightly raised her brow:

"Oh~ something good's about to happen. Your elder sister-in-law is here."

"Huh?"

Xie Jinhuan shuddered all over.

Nangong Ye was so busy wrestling with her inner emotions that she hadn't noticed anything outside. Discovering that this fellow was pushing her away, she couldn't help but be bewildered:

"What's wrong?"

Xie Jinhuan, seeing that trouble was brewing, couldn't afford to overthink. At the speed of light, he helped fasten her collar, pulled Bing Tuozi to her feet, and winked and gestured toward the outside:

"Your senior sister's here—Hua Ruyue!"

"Senior…"

Nangong Ye had been a bit confused, but Hua Ruyue was clearly taken from "Yuehua." Besides, even if she weren't a witch, being caught by anyone else wouldn't do!

Nangong Ye's heart jolted. She hurriedly clutched her lapels and rose, going to the bedroom window to peer out cautiously.

The result was discovering a lingering shadow slip out from the shadows and onto the tower-ship…

It's over…

Nangong Ye was struck as if by lightning, panicking on the spot.

After all, being caught red-handed by this witch was far more terrifying than being caught by Linghu Qingmo.

Seeing Mo Mo might complain, but at worst she'd never acknowledge her as her master again—she could still try to salvage things.

But if caught by the witch, not only would her disguise fall off, she'd be eaten alive by this witch for the rest of her life, having to give her whatever she wanted…

Sensing imminent disaster, Nangong Ye had no time to ponder how Xie Jinhuan had detected the witch in advance. She swiftly tidied her dress and hurried outside:

"You hurry and tidy yourself up. If you let anything slip…"

Xie Jinhuan knew the consequences of being caught by his elder sister-in-law. He had already tidied his robe at the speed of light and signaled Bing Tuozi to quickly go send her away.

……

On the deck.

Bu Yuehua entered the ship's cabin without a sound. She could see a few wandering martial world travelers in the hall, but she didn't alert any of them, heading straight for the staircase leading to the private rooms upstairs.

But before she had taken a few steps, a voice came from behind:

"What are you here for?"

The voice was cool and ethereal, like an emotionless, desireless, untainted by worldly dust iceberg.

Bu Yuehua turned her gaze back, looking at the black-clad heroine standing at the hall's entrance, slightly surprised:

"How did you know I came?"

Although Nangong Ye had just been holding a watermelon and doing things that would die in the light, she absolutely could not show weakness now. She raised her sword and walked closer:

"With your paltry three-legged cat skills, you think you can sneak up on me? If you have something to say, say it straight. I don't have time to catch up with you."

Bu Yuehua glanced upward, saw that Xie Jinhuan hadn't dared show his face, and wasn't surprised. She walked over with graceful steps, circling around Nangong Ye:

"Mu Mu Shimei Mu doesn't want the matter of your identity to be known by that young hero up there, does she?"

?

Nangong Ye's face was like an iceberg; she had the mind to silence her for good. But she couldn't beat this witch right now, so she merely said evenly:

"I'm a hidden protector, afraid he'd grow arrogant and overconfident, so I approached him under an alias. You still want to use this to threaten me?"

Although Bu Yuehua was somewhat suspicious, no matter how far she guessed, she wouldn't guess that the gate representative of Nangong Xianzi standing before her was actually doing things with her disciple's lover that even a witch wouldn't dare do…

Seeing Nangong Ye's bearing as steady as an iceberg, without a trace of guilt, Bu Yuehua thought for a moment and said:

"You're clean and pure—what could I threaten you with? But I'm going to challenge the arena tomorrow. As long as you're at Sanjiangkou, you'll recognize me. If you snitch, I'm a Southern Frontier cultivator and will be driven out. So I came to negotiate: you don't snitch tomorrow, and I won't leak your identity to that fellow."

"…"

Nangong Ye felt a weight lift, thinking this witch was still workable!

But at this moment, she absolutely couldn't nod eagerly like Meiqiu and expose her guilt. She deliberated slightly before saying:

"Hu Gu Teng is an opportunity for the Great Qian martial artists. You shouldn't have taken it, but I don't need to snitch. According to the rules, if you didn't succeed, I'll act as if I never saw you; if you did succeed, split thirty percent of the profits with me as hush money."

Because her momentum was strong and she opened her mouth lion-sized, Bu Yuehua's few remaining suspicions were dispelled. She sighed softly:

"Sister Nangong, thirty percent is a bit excessive. I still have to help you keep the secret—at most one-tenth."

Nangong Ye couldn't possibly let the witch get her hands on Hu Gu Teng. Otherwise, once the witch entered Super Rank, she really wouldn't be able to beat her anymore, losing both the person and the wealth!

But to avoid ruining his reputation, Nangong Ye still had to negotiate, so he spoke with a very tough tone:

"Twenty percent. If you tell him my identity, it won't affect me; it merely lets that fellow know he has an extra backing. Given his temperament, he shouldn't be careless."

Seeing the Daoist nun's tone was too hard, Bu Yuehua considered for a moment, then nodded:

"That works."

Nangong Ye had wanted to hurry and drive this demoness away, but then he thought and asked in confusion:

"How did you know I contacted him under a pseudonym?"

Bu Yuehua didn't want to make her son-in-law too difficult, so she said softly:

"I was strolling in the city today and happened to see that fellow. I felt his bearing was extraordinary, so I approached and chatted a bit. I used the pseudonym Hua Ruyue of the Green Void Sword Manor, but he asked if I knew 'Mu Mu Yun Hong'. I knew it was you, so I covered for you a little. Come to think of it, you should thank me."

Nangong Ye suddenly understood. He sized up the demoness wearing a veil hat, showing a hint of disgust:

"You, a demoness of the Wu Sect, still want to seduce a righteous young hero?"

Bu Yuehua was the one being approached, but she didn't explain, merely responding casually:

"How can you call it seducing? I just saw his bone structure was not bad and wanted to take him as a disciple. Finding you had already beaten me to it, I gave up. I said you were my junior sister; don't go slipping up and revealing it yourself."

"..."

Nangong Ye's anger froze a thousand miles; no emotion showed on his face:

"After the tournament ends, whether you succeed or not, you'd best not leak any secrets. If not, I won't hold back at the end of the month."

"Fine. See you tomorrow."

Bu Yuehua said no more, nodded, and gave a graceful bow. She walked out slowly and steadily; her hips didn't sway much, yet she moved with captivating grace.

Nangong Ye came to the deck to see her off. Only after confirming the demoness had gone far away did he feel relieved. His face turned red then white, and then he stormed up the stairs with murderous intent...

—

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(End of this chapter)