Chapter 685

「Love? 」

Xuanqing Daozhang muttered to himself, as if he had thought of something, his face full of yearning, but discussing love with Feng Yanrong at his age seemed somewhat indecorous, so he changed his tone and said:

「Feng Dao Friend, if you still want to stand up for Zhu Xing and look for the one who assassinated him, please go to someone else. I can assure you, I only had a conflict with Zhu Xing, but the ambush that happened outside Liangshui Town is unrelated to me. I have other matters, so I won't idle chat with you here! 」

He has roamed the jianghu for many years; although he is accustomed to seeing male thieves and female courtesans, he has still witnessed many immortal couples, among which love stories of life‑and‑death companionship are countless. Not to mention cultivators who would do things that anger heaven and man for the sake of their own sect companions. He firmly believes that love still exists in this world.

Even though it has nothing to do with him!

「Kumu Daozhang, not to hide from you, on the way here I have already become certain that you are unlikely to be the assassin of Zhu Xing! 」

Feng Yanrong smiled, seeing Xuanqing Daozhang's expression was strange, as if she wanted to question him—knowing he wasn't the killer, why he still came to knock on the gate of Kumu Guan. Without waiting for Xuanqing Daozhang to speak, she changed the subject and said:

「Kumu Daozhang, don't you want to know who was behind the ambush that occurred outside Liangshui Town? 」

【No, what's up with you, woman?】

Wang Ping'an, lying on the ground pretending to be dead, secretly eavesdropping on the gossip, heard Feng Yanrong's words, almost didn't wake up, shouted angrily, and thought to himself with resentment:

【You still have the energy to care about the ambush outside Liangshui Town. Even if you're not curious, how would my master deal with the River God of Liang Shui He? Don't you care about my talent? You just said that I'm destined to walk the Musician Path, and that I could elevate Leshan Sect Sect Sect Sect Sect another level. Is that how you focus on me?】

「Feng Dao Friend, who carried out the ambush outside Liangshui Town? I'm curious, but not really surprised! 」

Xuanqing Daozhang said calmly, 「That scoundrel Zhu Xing, all the misdeeds he's done over the years— even the beggars on the road might wish to cut him to pieces. If a passing chivalrous hero happened to encounter him and act righteously, what does that matter? 」

【Fortunately, fortunately, my master doesn't care about this matter!】

Wang Ping'an, hearing this, let out a sigh of relief, but still glared at Feng Yanrong with hidden resentment. To keep Feng Yanrong from bringing up the ambush outside Liangshui Town, he had made a big show in front of her.

Never imagined.

That woman, not knowing any better, still wanted to discuss the matter, nearly rendering his effort futile.

「Indeed! 」

Feng Yanrong opened her mouth, about to say something, but thinking of Zhu Xing's situation, the words stuck in her throat. Though she hasn't roamed the jianghu long, she's heard many tales of chivalry; if a hero encountered a scoundrel like Zhu Xing, assassinating him outside Liangshui Town would be perfectly normal. She sighed:

「Since you, Kumu Daozhang, aren't curious about who the assassin of Zhu Xing is, let's continue our discussion. I'll help you persuade this child's parents to let me take the child to Leshan Sect Sect Sect Sect Sect! 」

「Persuade Ping'an's parents? 」

Xuanqing Daozhang looked up at Feng Yanrong, his face full of oddity.

He couldn't help but wonder whether Feng Yanrong's mind was waterlogged; otherwise, why would she utter those words? From his earlier demeanor, any sane person could tell that she was not in agreement. The child Ping'an following Feng Yanrong to Leshan Sect Sect Sect Sect Sect—Feng Yanrong could not have missed that. She even expected him to help persuade Ping'an's family?

If it weren't for the fact that he and Feng Yanrong have no grudges or conflicts, he would have blurted out 'wishful thinking', even daring to say such a thing.

Feng Yanrong, seeing Xuanqing Daozhang's odd expression, didn't need to ask to guess his thoughts; she didn't mind, and smiled, 「Kumu Daozhang, don't you want to resolve the calamity of the River God of Liang Shui He? 」

「I... 」

Xuanqing Daozhang was about to speak, but before he could finish, Feng Yanrong cut him off:

「Whether it's the conflict inside Liangshui Town or the ambush outside, even though the ambush has nothing to do with you, Kumu Daozhang, both Zhu Xing and the River God of Liang Shui He will probably pin this matter on you. 」

「If Zhu Xing and this River God of Liang Shui He were merely uncle and nephew, and the River God knew that Xuanqing Daozhang was not to be trifled with, perhaps he wouldn't stand up for Zhu Xing. But they are not related in that way! 」

At this point, Feng Yanrong's words halted, her face showing unmasked disgust—not directed at Xuanqing Daozhang, but at the relationship between the River God of Liang Shui He and Zhu Xing. This completely upended morality, she said:

「Zhu Xing is actually the illegitimate child of this River God of Liang Shui He. From what the River God's subordinate just said, Kumu Daozhang, you should know that this River God has had no bloodline for many years. It was hard enough for him to have an illegitimate child like Zhu Xing, who almost lost his life at your hands. Daozhang, do you think this River God will cause you trouble? 」

「Feng Dao Friend, you don't actually believe that what the River God's subordinate said—that the River God flooded Liangshui Town—is true, do you? 」

Xuanqing Daozhang let out a cold snort. At this point, how could he not understand Feng Yanrong's scheme? He felt no resentment; using open scheming to gain benefits for oneself is a perfectly normal tactic—he had employed it before—so he had no right to be angry. He was not the petty kind.

Feng Yanrong teased, 「Kumu Daozhang, do you think this is false? 」

「This novel you have reached」

「If」

Zhu Xing and this River God of Liang Shui He are merely uncle and nephew; she does believe Xuanqing Daozhang's words. This River God might just be talking, but from Character: Wu Hongcai she learned something more secret. That Zhu Xing could be this River God's bloodline makes his remark 【flooded Liangshui Town】 seem not false.

You should know that Zhu Xing is this River God's only illegitimate child!

Xuanqing Daozhang sneered, 「Feng Dao Friend, don't forget what Character: Wu Hongcai just said about how their River God Master became the River God of Liang Shui He! 」

Feng Yanrong was first stunned, then a flash of insight flickered and vanished in her mind. She stared deeply at Xuanqing Daozhang, her face full of complex emotions, and said, 「Your meaning is…」

She didn't utter the rest, but she believed Xuanqing Daozhang understood what she wanted to say. She kept it unsaid, still not fully convinced.

A flash of disgust passed through Xuanqing Daozhang's eyes, his expression unchanged, and he said:

「This River God of Liang Shui He, in order to become the River God of Liang Shui He, would not hesitate to murder his own father-in-law, and even heartlessly kill his own pregnant daughter‑in‑law. You say he would risk his life to stand up for Zhu Xing—I do not believe it! 」

(End of chapter)