Chapter 240: Where Did This Wild Girl Come From? (Revised)

Bu Yuehua adjusted her floral dress and stepped out from the partition; her modest, village-girl attire only heightened the aura of a mistress.

Seeing Xie Jin hunched over his sword, she hesitated slightly, then sat beside him, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear:

“Just now, the situation was dire, and my mind was scrambled—I said some ill-timed things. Um… you…”

Xie Jin knew it was A Piao pushing his hips to help him rise; he wasn’t about to seize the moment to scold her, so he shook his head with a smile:

“No harm done. Anyone would’ve been flustered in that situation. I didn’t take it seriously. Rest well, and let’s aim to depart soon.”

Didn’t take it seriously…

Seeing Xie Jin so understanding, Bu Yuehua genuinely felt ashamed.

She had intended to take the opening to sit and meditate, pretending nothing had happened.

But since meeting Xie Jin, she’d always been reaping benefits without giving anything in return—today, it was because she wanted to investigate her father’s old grudge that she walked into the ambush, and only his divine arts saved her…

In the midst of peril, she’d acted like a lunatic, teasing a child—now that they’d escaped, she was calmly letting him be understanding. Even a witch cult demoness wouldn’t be this brazen…

Bu Yuehua clasped her hands at her waist; after a long hesitation, she stole a glance at Xie Jin and, seeing no malice in him, clenched her teeth and, with lightning speed, pressed a fleeting kiss to his cheek.

Pop~

Then she immediately sat cross-legged, assuming the composed demeanor of a frostbitten lady lord, her expression now solemn:

“I always keep my word. What I say isn’t to be taken lightly. But don’t take it seriously—I was just confused then, I don’t know why I said that. Focus on your training. No more talk.”

The words tumbled out in a rush, and before he could react, she slipped into meditation, serene as a female bodhisattva—though her cheeks were unmistakably flushed.

?

Xie Jin, still gripping Tingxue Sword, froze for a moment, then set the blade down and gazed at her calm, mature face, thinking inwardly:

“No wonder she’s a witch cult demoness—she’s got guts.”

Whoosh…

Outside the room, wind howled, occasionally punctuated by Meiqiu’s light footsteps; inside, silence reigned.

Bu Yuehua sat with eyes closed, her expression tranquil as still water, yet her heart churned like needles pricking her skin—she’d clearly lost her mind today…

But at least she’d kept her promise. Let it be this way…

Just consider it a flirtation with a Daoist nun. Don’t think further…

Xie Jin, too, was lost in thought—wondering what unorthodox, unvirtuous things his mind was conjuring—when the ghost bride suddenly appeared, gazing out the window:

“Oh my~ This little constable’s got some real skill.”

Gulp!

A warning came from the roof—Meiqiu.

Xie Jin’s expression shifted; he instantly dismissed his thoughts, seized his weapon, and rushed toward the door.

Bu Yuehua opened her eyes, rose, and followed close behind.

But this time, the opponent was far stronger than either had imagined.

The moment Xie Jin flung open the door, a sound came from the courtyard wall:

Whoosh~

Snowflakes as large as goose feathers drifted down, and a female constable in blue robes landed atop the wall, a six-foot saber slung over her shoulder, her tiny braids fluttering in the snowstorm, her almond eyes fixed on the two in the yard, brimming with hunger for glory:

“Hah! Caught you at last!”

??

Where did this little brat come from?

Bu Yuehua, seeing it was merely a teenage girl constable, blinked in confusion.

Xie Jin had seen this female constable in Baihua County, but he didn’t know how she’d tracked them down, nor why she had the nerve—just as he scanned the surroundings for any elite cultivators nearby, another sound came from beyond the wall:

Whoosh whoosh~

Two figures in blue robes leapt from either side and landed beside the blue-robed constable.

Shen Cang, the deputy constable, had been maintaining the dignified bearing of a golden-medal hunter—but upon seeing the yin-yang demons in the courtyard, he stumbled backward, nearly collapsing, his mind flashing with life-review images!

His subordinate, Old Wang, reacted the same way—immediately turning to flee—but the distance was too short now.

As a government official, even if he died, he had to die with dignity—so Old Wang forced himself to stand firm, adopting the stern visage of the Iron-Faced Judge, thinking inwardly:

Oh, goddess! What on earth are you thinking?!

This is just handing yourself over…

Jiang Xian, seeing her two bodyguards arrive, stood six feet tall but radiated an aura of over ten feet, her voice deep:

“Who are you? Why are you causing chaos on Lishan? And why did you kill Master Li and Lord Lu?”

“… ”

Bu Yuehua blinked, thinking this girl had real guts.

Xie Jin, though not underestimating the trio, recognized their attire—they were officials from the Yanjing Criminal Bureau.

The Criminal Bureau was established by Empress Dowager Guo, staffed entirely by her loyalists; his father served as Squire in the department overseeing prisons, so Xie Jin didn’t resort to violence immediately, but asked:

“Who are you three?” “Criminal Bureau Jiang Xian.”

As Jiang Xian spoke, she leapt into the courtyard, then noticed her companions hadn’t followed—she turned back to look.

“?”

Shen Cang wanted to die—but since he’d come this far, whether he ducked or stood tall, the blade would fall anyway; he landed before them:

“Shen Cang, Criminal Bureau. Who are you, sir?”

“Xie Jin, military officer of the Southern Court’s envoy team.”

“Xie Jin?”

Before Xie Jin finished speaking, the three blue-robed constables froze.

Jiang Xian scrutinized Xie Jin’s face, surprised:

“You’re the Xie Lang everyone’s talking about?”

?

Xie Jin hadn’t expected his nickname to reach Northern Zhou—he nodded slightly:

“Yes. This matter is complicated. I harbor no disrespect toward the Northern Zhou court or Empress Dowager Guo.”

Shen Cang, having been too far to hear their earlier exchange, now studied the young man closely—his handsome features and noble bearing matched the rumors of the Southern Court’s prodigy—and a glimmer of hope surged in his chest:

“Our superiors specifically instructed us to monitor your movements, Xie Senior. If we encountered you, we were to arrange transport and hospitality. We never expected this mishap. This incident is serious, but if you’re innocent, our Great Zhou will never wrong a righteous hero. The situation outside is shifting rapidly—you’re not safe here. Why not let us escort you to the capital immediately?”

Shen Cang wasn’t lying—before setting out, Guo Deng, the deputy minister, had indeed told him to keep an eye out for Xie Jin of the Southern Court’s envoy team.

As for escorting them to the capital—it was simply because the Lishan Sword Lodge affair was too massive. As a Criminal Bureau officer, once he’d located suspects, he couldn’t possibly neglect his duty. If Xie Jin cooperated and went to Yanjing, it would satisfy both internal and external expectations.

Xie Jin’s safety was still uncertain—he didn’t want to travel with three constables—but as he hesitated, the ghost bride beside him suddenly spoke:

“Go with them. This girl’s unusual. Get to know her.”

Xie Jin also felt Jiang Xian was extraordinary; hearing the ghost bride say so, he no longer delayed, bowing:

“Then we’re in your care, my lords.”

—

Soon after, two swift horses escorted a carriage out of the snow-covered village.

Shen Cang and his subordinate Old Wang walked one on each side of the carriage, ostensibly guarding a high-priority target, but inwardly remained ever wary—yet dared not show it, for if the two inside chose to strike, they’d have no chance to react.

Jiang Xian, her braids tied tight, sat atop the carriage, driving, cradling the pitch-black Meiqiu in her hands, cheerfully chattering:

“This lady hero must be Hua Ruyue, right? I heard Hua Lady Hero and Xie Young Master both made the top three at the Sanjiangkou Martial Gathering—and to help her lover gain fame, Hua Lady Hero voluntarily withdrew…”

Bu Yuehua, still unclear about their current situation, leaned back in the carriage to rest; upon hearing this, she explained:

That’s just street gossip—I’m her senior sister.

Xie Jin had been observing the young constable; from her words and actions, she seemed like an innocent, immature girl—but her physical foundation and aura were extraordinary. After a long while of scrutiny, he still couldn’t fathom her origins, so he stepped outside the carriage:

“Miss Jiang, you’re truly skilled. Just now, when I fled this way, I thought no one could’ve tracked me—how did you find us?”

Jiang Xian, using Meiqiu as a hand warmer, looked up with a touch of pride:

“I followed your footprints. You can’t fly, and carrying someone while running—you can’t leave no trace at all.”

Xie Jin couldn’t ride the wind, but his lightness skill was decent, and his anti-tracking ability was exceptional—he was certain he couldn’t be followed. Even Lu Yan hadn’t caught up—how could these three constables possibly track them so precisely?

Could this girl also have a giant A Piao…

Xie Jin glanced at her again—this girl with a child’s face and ample curves was indeed large, but A Piao detected nothing unusual—he could only nod slightly:

“I see. Miss Jiang seems extraordinary. May I ask which esteemed clan you hail from?”

Jiang Xian lifted her chin proudly: “Donghai Jiang Family Fortress. My great-grandfather, Jiang Hehai, was known as the ‘River-Cutting Tiger.’ Have you heard of him, Xie Young Master?”

“… ”

Xie Jin had grown up in the Southern Court—he knew only the names of immortals like Shang Lianbi and Huang Lin True Person; figures of the second or third tier, he’d heard of, but didn’t know well.

Fortunately, the ghost bride beside him now looked enlightened:

“I remember—during the Witch Cult uprising, Huang Lin True Person and Qixia True Person joined forces against the Corpse Ancestor. Behind them was a martial man, wielding this very saber, with an extremely fierce demeanor. Lu Yan’s father was among them too.”

Xie Jin suddenly understood, bowing: “So you’re the descendant of Great Hero Jiang. I’ve long heard of your family’s name. Great Hero Jiang, alongside Qixia True Person and other elders, helped quell the Corpse Ancestor—he was truly a legendary figure. No wonder Miss Jiang serves in the Criminal Bureau.”

Jiang Xian shook her head confidently: “I’m just temporarily here. This trip to the capital? I aim to become Empress Dowager’s right hand! The Empress Dowager is incredible—she’s my role model…”

Listening to her chatter, Xie Jin understood clearly—she was a little fan girl of the orthodox sect’s Empress Dowager.

Though the girl’s foundation and skills seemed unusually strong, even humble origins could produce nobility—let alone a place like Jiang Family Fortress, a regional power. With such a background, some rare blessings or encounters weren’t surprising.

After some idle chatter, Xie Jin found nothing particularly special about Jiang Xian, and returned to the carriage.

Ye Hongshang, meanwhile, remained hovering nearby, studying the girl with the braids, her thoughts unreadable…

…

—

This volume has been rewritten; the rewrite has reached this chapter, and the subsequent plot does not connect — do not turn ahead, finish revising these few days as soon as possible or2!

(End of Chapter)