Chapter 196: Lady Nangong Doesn

Major sects and powerful families who received invitations to the Heroic Gathering were assigned mansions as lodging, scattered across the county for privacy.

Zhang Guan of Zihui Mountain and the Buddhist monks dispatched by TianTai Temple to oversee the event—though Wei Wuyi disliked them—still received proper courtesies; their lodging was placed at the county’s edge, pleasant in environment but distant from all major sects, clearly to prevent Dao and Buddhist factions from overshadowing the gathering.

As night deepened, over a dozen disciples of Zihui Mountain, swords strapped to their backs, stood outside the mansion, while outside, throngs of young heroes waited eagerly, hoping to catch a glimpse of Lady Nangong.

Though Zihui Mountain had clearly stated the Sect Master would not attend—only the Deputy Sect Master was coming—Lady Nangong feared curious onlookers might gather; she had said this before, and what if they came anyway?

Thus, many young heroes stubbornly waited on the streets for this “ice-cold mountain beauty, untouched by mortal desires, dismissive of men, only to be admired from afar, never touched”—even a glimpse of her back would make the journey worthwhile.

Inside the mansion’s reception hall, Lady Nangong Ye sat in the main seat, clad in a black dress, utterly indifferent to the clamor outside, her eyes fixed on the intelligence in her hands.

Zhang Guan sat beside the tea table, opposite two senior uncles and aunts of Zihui Mountain, who were currently conversing:

“Everyone arrived this morning. Wei Wuyi hosted a welcoming banquet at Fengbo Tower, but we’ve found no way to learn what was discussed…”

“It’s understandable we couldn’t find out. Wei Wuyi, Duan Yuechou, and Long Poyuan are all present, plus the Four Little Dragons, and the seven top martial patriarchs of Daqian’s martial world are all in one room—even Lu, the Sect Master, couldn’t control them.”

“Fengshan Alliance relies on TianTai Temple to open trade routes to the Western Regions; Longyun Valley sits right outside Shang Lianbi’s door; Jiangzhou Guild trades with the Southern Frontier. These six men each command thousands who depend on them for food—no matter how Wei Wuyi negotiates, he can’t possibly bring them all under his command.”

“Exactly. The Sect Master isn’t a lone cultivator—he governs the rise and fall of an entire sect. In martial cultivation, only during a great calamity do people unite as one; otherwise, everyone just tries to get by—no one has time to play Wei Wuyi’s grand game.”

…

Lady Nangong Ye understood the Seven Martial Titans well and didn’t care how they negotiated; she was only concerned with the next generation of experts competing for the Tiger Bone Vine, and now she interjected:

“Bao Xiaolin is over sixty—why is he still competing for the Tiger Bone Vine?”

Zhang Guan stroked his beard and sighed:

“Who wouldn’t want to try for the Supergrade? Even if you won’t use it yourself, you can leave it to your children or disciples. If Jinghua Manor doesn’t produce another Supergrade, it’ll be erased from Weizhou’s rolls.”

“But Bao Xiaolin has no chance. Strength favors the young—this time, even Huo Zhonghu and Zhang Jian of Liuhe Gate can subdue nine out of ten martial cultivators, let alone all the other hidden masters with faces veiled…”

Lady Nangong Ye looked at the list of elite experts and felt Xie Jinhuan’s burden weigh like a mountain.

With this lineup, even making the top five would be considered a marvel of this generation, let alone winning.

But cultivation has always been this way: many wolves, little meat. Without the strength to crush everyone else, you don’t deserve to enter the Supergrade—or climb any higher.

As they chatted idly, a disciple hurried in from outside and reported:

“Sect Master, the county office just sent word—Xie Jinhuan, Master Xie, has captured a wanted criminal.”

“Oh?”

Zhang Guan blinked, then turned to his fellow elders with admiration:

“Look—this is what ‘devoting oneself for the people’ means. Wherever he goes, he never forgets to rid the world of evil. Such character is beyond reproach…”

“Indeed—this younger generation is formidable…”

…

Seeing Xie Jinhuan, whom she’d told to go out and relax, had gone straight to catch a criminal, Lady Nangong Ye’s icy, beautiful eyes softened with quiet approval.

This hatred of evil truly made elders love him.

But how could such a righteous young hero become utterly wicked in the boudoir…

Though, it was all to help her detoxify…

Perhaps fearing Huang Mao would grow impatient, Lady Nangong Ye sighed inwardly and rose:

“I’m going out. Keep monitoring the martial world’s movements. Do not reveal that I’ve arrived.”

“Sect Master, take care.”

…

—

Riverside ferry boat.

Most people seeking excitement stayed near the county; the boat was nearly empty at night, the upper deck almost deserted.

Xie Jinhuan returned silently to the riverboat, confirmed he’d lost his sister-in-law, then entered his room, shut the window, and exhaled softly in relief.

“Gū jī~”

Meiqiu rolled over on the bed, facing outward and greeting him.

From childhood to now, Xie Jinhuan had never seen his personal maid so well-behaved. He sat beside the bed, lifted Meiqiu, examined her back and forth, confirmed she was healthy, then pulled out a small strip of dried meat:

“Gē gē gē~”

“Gū?”

Meiqiu showed no excitement—she actually shook her head, indicating she wasn’t hungry.

Xie Jinhuan was stunned—he thought Meiqiu must be ill, and began checking her again.

Finally, the ghost bride materialized beside him, teasing:

“The ice lump fed her a Grain Grain Bigu Pill—she hasn’t even used up the medicinal effect yet. Let her move around a bit, then she’ll be hungry.”

“Is that so.”

Xie Jinhuan suddenly understood—Grain Grain Bigu Pills were truly useful. But once Meiqiu recovered, she’d probably never let the ice lump feed her again. He rubbed his head, then told Meiqiu to practice backflips in the outer room, and turned to the ghost bride.

Ye Hongshang stood before him, dressed in a long crimson gown, red-heeled shoes on her feet, arms crossed, leaning against the bed frame.

“Why are you staring at me?”

Though Xie Jinhuan had caused trouble while flirting earlier, he’d still achieved his goal. Now he leaned back in his chair:

“You said—if I asked your name, you’d untie the bow. Don’t trick me.”

“Hmph~”

Tap. Tap. Tap…

Ye Hongshang walked over in feline steps, looking down at him with reluctant compliance—and kept her promise. She lifted her long leg and placed it in Xie Jinhuan’s lap.

The silken hem slid down her white thigh, revealing red undergarments—and the thin-string bowtie at her hip.

Absolute!

Xie Jinhuan leaned back, waiting expectantly:

“Go on.”

Ye Hongshang’s lovely face showed a perfectly executed look of mild disdain, yet her fingers still pinched the bowtie and slowly pulled the strings.

Shhh~

The knot loosened; the plump red fabric, deprived of support, slipped down…

?!

Xie Jinhuan’s pupils shrank slightly—he’d just glimpsed the soft, rounded shape when the hem was abruptly pressed down, blocking his view.

“Hey, don’t be shy…”

“I keep my word—I untied it, but I never said you could look as long as you wanted. Don’t push your luck.”

Xie Jinhuan had already gotten a full view; he couldn’t accuse the ghost bride of lying:

“Fine. One leads to two.”

“Hmph~”

Though Ye Hongshang held the skirt down, she didn’t withdraw her long leg—instead, she draped her right leg over Xie Jinhuan’s shoulder, performing a full split.

Her impossibly long leg, pressed straight against his shoulder, the red-heeled shoe swaying near his face, her robe stretched taut over her thigh, her exquisite face mere inches away.

Though it looked like she was stretching, this pose… Ah Huan couldn’t take it…

Xie Jinhuan’s breathing grew uneven; he instinctively tilted his head to look—but the skirt was in the way. He reached to lift it, and the ghost bride frowned slightly:

“Hmm?”

“Hehe, just joking. Keep stretching.”

“With this little self-control, you seek immortality…”

…

As the human and ghost played, a few moments passed—then the door opened.

Creak.

Lady Nangong Ye entered, wearing a veil hat. She’d been in good spirits, having heard Xie Jinhuan had once again acted righteously.

But as soon as she stepped inside, she saw Meiqiu doing backflips, Xie Jinhuan slumped in his chair, his neck twisted at a ninety-degree angle, as if broken.

?

Lady Nangong Ye froze, her eyes blank.

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

“Almost fell asleep. Why are you back so late?”

Lady Nangong Ye thought he’d been possessed. She stepped closer, inspected him closely—and realized this boy was…

“What exactly are you doing?!”

“Nothing. Just got drowsy waiting.”

Xie Jinhuan couldn’t explain well, so he bent down, gripped her knees, and lifted the ice mountain woman into his arms, carrying her toward the inner chamber:

“Detoxify, detoxify—no time to waste.”

“You…”

Lady Nangong Ye felt this boy was fantasizing, eagerly awaiting her return to misbehave!

She tried to struggle, but it was useless—so she turned her head away, assuming her icy, distant demeanor, until he laid her on the bed and removed her veil hat.

Xie Jinhuan, perhaps overheated from being teased, stood before her and unfastened his robe, revealing his sleeveless soft armor and trousers, his chest and abdomen sculpted perfectly. Seeing the ice lump widen her eyes and shrink back, he suppressed his urge and took a pill from a vial:

“Why don’t you do it?”

Lady Nangong Ye had been startled by his frantic behavior, but now that he’d calmed slightly, she frowned:

“I’ll endure the pain with you. What more do you want from me?”

“Hmm…”

Xie Jinhuan briefly sized up the ice lump’s imposing figure, his gaze landing on her bulging chest, then raised both hands in a Xutuo gesture, mimicking the motion of holding a watermelon.

?

Nan Gongye, having weathered many storms, pondered briefly and understood—he clenched the bedsheet in both hands, turned his gaze away, and his icy expression betrayed a faint flicker of distaste: “You’re a righteous hero—where do you get all these scheming ideas?”

“Unwilling? Then I’ll have to…”

“Eh?!”

Nan Gongye was unwilling, but this was at least more bearable than the previous times; reluctantly, he rose and sat upright on the edge of the bed, gripping his trousers:

“I… I’m like this—do you really want nothing else?”

“This?… Fine, today will do.”

Rustle-rustle~

Nan Gongye caught sight of the sharp lines of his waistline and instinctively averted his eyes; then he thought better of it, pulled out a handkerchief, tied it over his eyes, and only then undid the fastenings of his robe, revealing the small inner garment embroidered with a white crane…

…

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

Xie Jinhuan sat on the bed’s edge, gazing down at the ice lump, her eyes covered, lips gently bitten, and the red stone pendant hanging from her neck—his heart swelled with joy; after a pause, he asked:

“By the way—how many experts are there in Qingming Sword Manor?”

Nan Gongye, kneeling before the bed for convenience, lifted his face, frowning slightly:

“Why are you asking that?”

“Hmm… just curious. There are no rumors from insiders about the manor’s personnel—I don’t know anything about the sect master or disciples…”

…

Nan Gongye had previously used the Qingming Sword Manor’s name while traveling because the sect was powerful yet rare; as long as one could wield a sword well, ordinary people couldn’t tell the difference.

As for the exact number of members or their names, she didn’t actually know—better to say too little than too much—so she simply replied:

“Qingming Sword Manor is a semi-reclusive immortal sect. It roams the world slaying demons and purifying evil, rarely accepts disciples, and never discloses other details to outsiders.”

“Oh…”

Xie Jinhuan mentioned Hua Ruyue—the ice lump would surely realize he’d met her elder sister; he wisely dropped the subject and quietly summoned the Supreme Yang Fire, gently stroking the ice lump’s hair and cheeks…

…

Meanwhile, on the riverbank.

Bu Yuehua walked along the riverbank, her veil hat casting shadows over her face as she scanned the various riverboats—she thought the local young heroes were just as cunning as those from the Southern Frontier!

She had just been waiting at the county office for Xie Jinhuan to emerge, but after a long wait, he never showed; when she rushed inside to look, he was already gone.

To find Nan Gongye and consult with her, Bu Yuehua had no choice but to keep tracking—though she couldn’t find Xie Jinhuan, she could find Nan Gongye.

If Nan Gongye wasn’t with Xie Jinhuan, her only possible destinations were Fengbo Tower or the Zihui Mountain outpost.

She lurked near the residence of Zihui Mountain disciples; after hiding for a short while, she spotted a shadow slipping out of the building and heading toward the riverbank.

She chose not to reveal herself—she was curious: why was Nan Gongye sneaking out at night to meet Xie Jinhuan under a false name? What was she up to?

Nan Gongye’s cultivation was high—she couldn’t trail her from behind, so she watched from afar and saw Nan Gongye reach the riverbank and board this ferry; she immediately understood: their secret meeting place was aboard the boat.

At this moment, Bu Yuehua employed her Gu Du Pai’s signature stealth, gliding like a phantom toward the riverboat—yet Nan Gongye’s vigilance proved sharper than she’d imagined…

…

Inside the room, Xie Jinhuan was enjoying “life’s joys must be savored to the fullest,” unaware of the danger approaching.

But fortunately, his all-knowing ghost bride, seated beside him “recording,” also monitored the surrounding qi fluctuations—when she sensed someone approaching the boat, Ye Hongshang raised an eyebrow slightly:

“Oh? Looks like we’ve got a show—your sister-in-law’s here.”

“Huh?”

Xie Jinhuan jolted.

Nan Gongye, absorbed in battling her inner emotions, hadn’t noticed the outside—when she felt him pushing her away, she blinked in confusion:

“What’s wrong?”

Xie Jinhuan realized trouble was coming; he didn’t have time to hesitate—he swiftly buttoned up her collar, pulled the ice lump to her feet, and signaled toward the outside with frantic eye movements:

“Your senior sister’s here—Hua Ruyue!”

“Senior…?”

Nan Gongye was initially confused, but Hua Ruyue clearly derived from “Yuehua”—and even if she weren’t a demoness, being caught by someone else would be disastrous!

Nan Gongye’s heart lurched; she hastily gathered her robe and rushed to the bedroom window, peering out cautiously.

And there she saw a persistent shadow slinking onto the riverboat from the darkness…

Oh no…

Nan Gongye was struck as if by lightning—she panicked instantly.

After all, being caught red-handed by this demoness was far worse than being caught by Qingmo.

Even if Mo Mo scolded her, the worst that could happen was she’d disown her as a master—she could still try to make amends.

But if this demoness caught her, she’d lose her disguise forever—and be forced to serve her for life, giving her whatever she demanded…

Sensing imminent disaster, Nan Gongye had no time to ponder how Xie Jinhuan had detected the demoness; she quickly tidied her robes and strode toward the door:

“You get yourself presentable—if you so much as whisper a word…”

Xie Jinhuan knew the consequences of being caught by his sister-in-law—he’d already hastily adjusted his robes and signaled for the ice lump to go deal with the intruder.

…

On the deck.

Bu Yuehua slipped silently onto the boat, noticing a few martial travelers moving about the main hall; she didn’t disturb anyone, heading straight for the staircase leading to the upper private chambers.

But before she’d taken more than a few steps, a voice came from behind:

“What are you doing here?”

The voice was cold and ethereal, like an icy mountain untouched by worldly dust.

Bu Yuehua turned her head, seeing the black-clad female hero standing at the hall’s entrance—she looked slightly surprised:

“How did you know I was here?”

Nan Gongye, though moments ago had been doing something that would’ve killed her reputation if seen, now refused to show weakness; she drew her sword and stepped forward:

“With your third-rate skills, you think you can sneak up on me? Say what you want—I have no time for idle chitchat.”

Bu Yuehua glanced upward, seeing Xie Jinhuan dared not show his face—she wasn’t surprised; she glided gracefully closer, circling Nan Gongye:

“Don’t you think your senior sister would prefer it if the young hero above didn’t learn of your true identity?”

?

Nan Gongye’s face was as icy as a frozen mountain—she even considered killing her—but she couldn’t defeat this demoness now; she replied coolly:

“I’m a covert guardian, hiding my identity to prevent him from becoming arrogant and reckless. You think you can blackmail me with this?”

Bu Yuehua was skeptical, but even if she imagined the worst, she’d never guess that the woman before her—the immortal maiden—was having illicit relations with her disciple’s lover…

Seeing Nan Gongye’s demeanor as calm and icy as a frozen lake, with no trace of guilt, Bu Yuehua mused:

“You’re pure and innocent—what could I possibly blackmail you with? But tomorrow I’m entering the tournament; if you’re at Sanjiangkou, you’ll recognize me. If you betray me, I’ll be expelled as a Southern Frontier cultivator. So I came to make a deal: you don’t betray me tomorrow, and I won’t reveal your identity to him.”

…

Nan Gongye felt a weight lift—this demoness was still reasonable!

But now she couldn’t nod like Meiqiu and reveal her guilt; after careful thought, she said:

“Tiger Bone Vine is an opportunity meant for Daqian martial cultivators—you shouldn’t take it. But I have no reason to betray you. By the rules, if you fail, I’ll pretend I never saw you; if you succeed, give me three-tenths as hush money.”

Her boldness and audacious demand dispelled Bu Yuehua’s few lingering doubts; she sighed softly:

“Nan Gong sister, three-tenths is excessive—I’m also keeping your secret. One-tenth is my limit.”

Nan Gongye couldn’t let the demoness obtain the Tiger Bone Vine—if she ascended to Supergrade, Nan Gongye would truly be powerless, losing both person and treasure!

But to avoid total ruin, she had to negotiate; her tone remained firm:

“Two-tenths. If you tell him my identity, it won’t hurt me—it’ll just give him one more advantage. Given his nature, he won’t grow careless.”

Seeing the nun’s unyielding tone, Bu Yuehua hesitated, then nodded:

“Fine.”

Nan Gongye wanted to drive the demoness away immediately, but then she paused, puzzled:

“How did you know I used a false name to meet him?”

Bu Yuehua didn’t want to make her disciple’s lover suffer; she replied gently:

“Today, while strolling through the city, I happened to see him—I thought his bearing was exceptional, so I approached and chatted. I introduced myself as Qingming Sword Manor’s Hua Ruyue—he asked if I knew ‘Mu Yunhong.’ I recognized you and covered for you a little. You should thank me.”

Nan Gongye suddenly understood; she studied the demoness beneath her veil, her expression tinged with distaste:

“You’re a witch cult demoness—do you really want to seduce a righteous young hero?”

Bu Yuehua had been the one approached, but she offered no explanation, only replied casually:

“Seduce? I merely noticed his exceptional roots and considered taking him as a disciple. When I found you’d beaten me to it, I gave up. I told him you were my junior sister—don’t go and slip up yourself.”

…

Nan Gongye’s demeanor froze like a thousand-mile ice field, revealing no emotion:

“After the tournament, whether you succeed or not, don’t leak a word. Otherwise, I won’t hold back at month’s end.”

“Alright. See you tomorrow.”

Bu Yuehua said nothing more, bowed gracefully, and walked away slowly—her hips swayed subtly, yet with irresistible grace.

Nan Gongye watched her from the deck until the demoness vanished; only then did she exhale in relief, her face flushing red then pale, before storming upstairs with murderous intent…

—

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(End of chapter)