Chapter 246: Once Upon a Time There Was a Hero

"A long, long time ago, such a legend circulated throughout the martial arts world."

"There will be a young lady of illustrious birth who will carry a massive Spirit Sword and unify the martial arts world."

"She will pacify the evil in the world, sweep away the treacherous, and return a bright and clear universe to the world."

"..."

The fortune teller, dressed as a Daoist, spoke eloquently, occasionally citing classics to increase the credibility of his words.

After rambling on for a long time, the fortune teller paused abruptly, as if he had suddenly noticed the appearance of the person before him.

"Hiss!"

"This young lady, no! This young hero, please stay!"

Stepping out from behind a small table, he hurriedly blocked the customer who was making a move to leave, and said exaggeratedly:

"Wait! You must listen to me finish."

He bowed repeatedly, and only with great difficulty did he get the expressionless person to stop.

But the fortune teller seemed completely unable to see the indifference in the other's eyes, and continued speaking to himself:

"Young hero, I see that your bone structure is extraordinary; you must be a genius for martial arts."

Pulling a copy of "Tathagata Palm" with palm prints drawn on it from his bosom to block his front, the fortune teller looked pained but feigned generosity as he said:

"This poor Daoist has a martial arts secret manual here. Seeing that we are fated, I will... sell it to you cheaply for three hundred taels of gold."

And as the sucker being pestered by him, Li Qiushui only gave a cold glance.

"... Move aside."

The fortune teller frowned instead and began to lecture loudly:

"You think it's too expensive? Heh! How can a young hero walking the martial arts world be so stingy?"

"In those years, this secret manual stirred up countless bloody storms in the martial arts world; countless people went crazy for it, and countless died or were injured."

"This poor Daoist was only lucky enough to snatch this unique copy from the hands of ten thousand people. Thinking that meeting is fate, I am selling it to you cheaply for three hundred taels of gold, and you are actually ungrateful!"

"Since that is the case, this poor Daoist will grit his teeth again and lower the price by one hundred taels for you! I'll sell it to you for two hundred taels of gold! How about it?"

Having finished speaking with difficulty, the fortune teller saw that Li Qiushui was still unmoved, and immediately changed his tune on the spot:

"No, one hundred! How about one hundred gold! This is already a cabbage price! It cannot go any lower."

"Still no? I am warning you, one cannot be too greedy!"

"Fifty! No... thirty!"

"Ten taels will do, right?"

"Five taels! That is the price, it cannot go any lower!"

Having said that, the fortune teller angrily flicked his sleeves, turned around, and strode away.

His manner had the air of "If you don't stop me, I will really leave!"

Then... Li Qiushui really didn't stop him.

Watching the performance with indifference, Li Qiushui did not say a word and turned to leave.

Yes.

She was new to the martial arts world and had little experience; she had been cheated a few times along the way.

But she was not an idiot without a brain.

Even if you want to cheat, please put some effort into your acting!

You dare to sell her anything for three hundred taels?

Do you really take this young lady for an idiot with no experience?

This tattered book, which I don't know where it was dug up from, is worth at most... two taels of gold!

Don't even think about cheating me!

And the most important point... she was out of money!

How much money could a young lady who snuck out carry? It had long since been spent.

Li Qiushui, with a shy purse, did not want to be pestered by others anymore, so she moved her feet and walked quickly.

"Young hero, please stay! We can discuss the price again!"

"If you really cannot come up with the money, then bring me the City Lord's writing brush, and I will give you this secret manual for free!"

"Moreover, I will also tell you a shocking secret!"

"About the whereabouts of the person you miss most in your Heart Star!!!"

Li Qiushui's footsteps paused, but she did not look back, and soon lifted her feet again, quickly disappearing into the marketplace.

"Young hero! Stay—ah, gone."

Watching Li Qiushui slip away without any attachment, the fortune teller finally lowered his raised hand.

He smacked his lips in low spirits and sighed:

"Tsk, this is clearly a fledgling who just entered the martial arts world, why didn't she fall for it?"

The surrounding merchants had been watching the fun for a long time and had remained silent, but at this moment, they finally began to mock:

"It's because your acting was too over the top; let alone her, even a fool could see you aren't reliable!"

"Three hundred taels of gold? Why don't you go rob someone!"

"Exactly, exactly! Is this Daoist poor to the point of madness?"

"Selling things is one thing, but the story you made up earlier was also no good; what a mess."

Being scolded for being greedy was nothing, but as soon as the fortune teller heard the others say his story-making was no good, he was unhappy on the spot.

He flicked his sleeves forcefully, raised his head proudly, and huffed:

"Hmph! What making up stories, I am telling you all that this is slander!"

"Where did I ever make that up? That is clearly the truth, it's just that you all are ignorant and have never heard of it before!"

The few people did not believe him, their faces still wearing expressions of distrust, and one of them even spoke bluntly:

"Even if you didn't make it up, you must have stolen it from someone else."

Rubbing the copper coin he had picked up from the ground against his long gown and lining it up on the tabletop, the fortune teller said indifferently:

"Besides, can the affairs of a scholar be called stealing?"

"A woman stealing a man is called stealing; at most, what I am doing is... pilfering!"

"Alright, the business didn't go through today, and since I'm idle anyway, I might as well teach you how to write."

"First off, there are four ways to write the character 'hui'..."

While chatting and pulling strings with the surrounding merchants, Ren Yidao was thinking to himself.

"Besides, I didn't intentionally sell it to her for that high a price."

"This is a clue leading to the next stage, how could I let her get it easily?"

Ever since he kidnapped Shi Xue, Ren Yidao had actually never disappeared from Li Qiushui's vicinity.

An old man in the mountains, a child by the river, an old woman at the head of the village, a fortune teller... He appeared before Li Qiushui in all sorts of identities.

On one hand, he could observe Li Qiushui's agitation and anxiety after losing Shi Xue at close range, gaining spiritual solace.

On the other hand, he also used these identities to adjust the direction of Li Qiushui's progress bit by bit.

He issued small tasks time and again, ultimately guiding the immature hero onto a path of no return.

Just like this time, if Li Qiushui harbored even a shred of suspicion, she would take a risk to steal the quest item from the City Lord's Mansion, return to report, and trigger the next round of tasks...

Ren Yidao was experiencing the joy of cultivation.

Or rather, he had already invisibly controlled Li Qiushui's will, yet she was completely unaware.

Step by step, step by step, she walked toward the abyss he had set for her.

This feeling of treating others like marionettes made his mood exceptionally good.

Shaking his head, Ren Yidao lay lazily on the table, humming:

"Once upon a time, there was a hero~"

And finally, after three days and dozens of various tasks, big and small, Li Qiushui finally arrived at the location designated by Ren Yidao—his hideout.

Of course, in Li Qiushui's own view, she had followed subtle clues bit by bit through her own intelligence and wisdom.

There is no need to worry about that point.

As long as the child is happy, that is enough.

"Li Fengyao! I know you are hiding here!"

Although the mountain peak before her eyes seemed empty, after sensing the aura of "Li Fengyao," Li Qiushui knew the other party was hiding right there.

"Hurry up and hand over Shi Xue to me!"

While she was searching everywhere, Ren Yidao in the room smiled at Shi Xue and asked:

"Did you hear that? Do you know who has come?"

Never knowing from the beginning what purpose this Li Fengyao had in kidnapping her, Shi Xue did not speak easily.

And just as she prepared to remain silent, she noticed Ren Yidao's suggestive gaze moving up and down.

Cooperate, and everything will be fine.

Don't cooperate, and don't blame me.

Glaring fiercely at Ren Yidao, Shi Xue had no choice but to say in a low, unwilling voice:

"... It's Li Qiushui's voice."

Very satisfied with her knowing the current situation, Ren Yidao nodded, his slow tone full of emotion and a sigh:

"That's right, she has been looking for you these past few days, and only after experiencing thousands of hardships did she finally arrive before you."

"Seeing the hero work so hard, this Princess, are you moved?"

Smiling meaningfully, Ren Yidao asked a heart-piercing question:

"Because of her, you have received such treatment; do you hate her?"

Shi Xue: "..."

Hate?

During these days of imprisonment, Shi Xue had actually thought about the pros and cons of this.

Li Fengyao and Li Qiushui have a connection, while she has no ties to them at all.

The other party is clearly targeting Li Qiushui, not her, this Knight-Thief.

He captured her only to use her as a hostage to threaten the other party.

Which is to say...

If it weren't for Li Qiushui getting entangled with her, she wouldn't be suffering such shameful treatment now.

Resentment?

There is some, blaming Li Qiushui for dragging her into this kind of mess.

But to say she hates her?

That is probably not the case.

The profession of Knight-Thief is inherently both righteous and evil, and she, Shi Xue, being able to become a Knight-Thief, is also the type of person who values loyalty highly.

Although the two haven't spent much time together, they hit it off immediately, and there is some friendship between them.

Therefore, upon hearing these words, Shi Xue gave a dashing smile and snorted coldly:

"Kill me or carve me up, do as you please!"

"If this Knight-Thief even lets out a single sound, consider it my loss!"

Ren Yidao blinked and pressed further:

"Are you certain?"

Shi Xue glanced at him sideways with disdain and said haughtily:

"Certain! I definitely won't... Ying!"

Shi Xue couldn't even hold it for a second before completely breaking, instinctively letting out a charming, soft moan.

???

"What are you doing!!?"

Glared at by the young girl, Ren Yidao asked back with a perfectly straight face:

"Torturing you, what else could it be?"

It was just a light tickle, is it worth screaming so excitedly?

Making it seem like I pinched something I shouldn't have...

Am I, Huhu, that kind of person!?

"Xiaoxue!!? Is that you?"

Outside, Li Qiushui also heard Shi Xue's soft cry just now, and her expression changed abruptly.

"Li Fengyao! What have you done to her?"

"If you have any issues, come at me, don't make things difficult for her!!!"

Ren Yidao: "..."

Watching Li Qiushui's expression gradually turn violent, Ren Yidao suddenly felt a strange impulse stirring in his heart.

Following the thought in his mind, he put it into action without the slightest hesitation.

Tickle.

"Ying—you!!?"

Tickle, tickle, tickle!

"Ah~ wait! Ah!!!"

Li Qiushui:???

"What are you two doing?"

"Ah!!!"

Violently brandishing her Giant Sword, Li Qiushui destroyed everything within her line of sight, just to find the thief hiding somewhere.

But no matter what she did, she could not find a single trace of the other party, and could only continue to swing in resentment...

The victim outside listened in impotent rage, while inside the room, the homewrecker and the lady were tangled together.

This composition is simply perfect!

"Ha, ah... you, you beast, ha..."

The other party's devilish claws finally left her body, and Shi Xue weakly lowered her head, panting as she said:

"Are you even human? You are simply a..."

Controlled by the chains, Shi Xue could not escape at all and could only passively endure the other party's inhuman torture.

Although it was frustrating to admit, the other party's technique was truly too superb.

There was not a shred of emotion in his finger technique, yet it possessed a devilish magic that made her uncontrollably let out cries that didn't sound like her own from her throat.

It's so itchy—

Clang!!!

A huge, booming sound shattered the amorous atmosphere inside the room.

With a ferocious expression, Li Qiushui blasted the door open with a sword strike and rushed into the room like a ghost.

"Finally found you!"

Upon seeing Ren Yidao, Li Qiushui's expression became even more ferocious.

"You damned lecher!"

"Prepare to die!!!"

Having said that, she didn't give Ren Yidao a chance to speak at all, instantly rushing behind him and swinging with all her might!

Whoosh!!!

"That... holy crap!"

Before he could even speak, Ren Yidao was cut in half at the waist!

Ren Yidao:?

Didn't I just tease you a little?

Is it worth going straight for a waist-cut?

You are a bit too extreme...

But before he could speak, his body broke into two pieces and fell to the ground.

Thud.

"Uh..."

Having heartlessly dealt with her fiancé, Li Qiushui didn't even look at the corpse and rushed straight toward the chained Shi Xue.

"Xiaoxue! You've suffered! I'm here to save you!"

Looking at her flushed cheeks, Li Qiushui dared not imagine what kind of treatment she had endured over these past two days.

"…You have suffered, but rest assured, I will absolutely not speak of this to anyone."

Seeing Li Qiushui's pained expression, Shi Xue knew she must have misunderstood.

"Um, you might be overthinking it; I'm not, I didn't, don't talk nonsense…"

"No! You don't need to explain!"

Li Qiushui shook her head and said sincerely:

"I understand everything! Believe me, the villain has already been executed! Everything is fine now!"

Seeing that Li Qiushui was completely unwilling to listen at this moment, Shi Xue sighed, intending to explain properly later, and could only chime in:

"Yes, everything is fine now."

In fact, he really hadn't done anything.

Shi Xue chimed in casually, looked regretfully at the corpse on the ground, and suddenly her expression changed drastically as she cried out:

"Look out!!!"

"He is still alive!"

"What!?"

With no time to think, Li Qiushui turned and struck with her sword, but she didn't even manage to cut a single hair.

In Li Qiushui's shocked gaze, the enemy who had been cut in half at the waist was now hanging upside down from the ceiling.

!!?

Furthermore, a strange roar erupted from his throat:

"Wryyyyyyyyy——"

Young hero!

I admire your valor!

However…

Don't you know that those who can serve as the final boss…

ninety-nine percent of the time have a second phase?