Chapter 48

This caused Jiang Yulang immense suffering.

Although Jiang Yulang was not yet old and appeared timid, refined, and harmless to man or beast, he was actually deeply scheming and extremely good at enduring.

During his year and more as a male concubine, taking advantage of every toilet break, he endured the choking stench and filth covering his body to dig a hole in the ground within the latrine, where he secretly stored various supplies.

Seeing the time was ripe, he ruthlessly killed several male concubines, hid himself in the hole to confuse Xiao Xiao Mimi's judgment, make her think he was dead, and then wait for an opportunity to escape.

Unexpectedly, just as his plan was about to succeed, he was exposed by Jiang Xiaoyu.

With no other choice, Jiang Yulang could only take him along.

However, Xiao Xiao Mimi was not so easily deceived and soon saw through their trickery.

In their despair, the two accidentally discovered the Earth Spirit Palace adjacent to the underground palace.

Inside, they found many treasures, but the most valuable among them were Jiang Yulang's tube of "Heaven-Severing, Earth-Annihilating Bone-Piercing Heart-Shattering Needles" and the "Five Greats' Sacred Art" on Jiang Xiaoyu's person.

Suddenly, Xiao Xiao Mimi burst in.

The two were no match and were captured by Xiao Xiao Mimi.

Unfortunately, Xiao Xiao Mimi carelessly fell for Jiang Xiaoyu's trap and was tricked into opening an earthen door, behind which lay water.

Xiao Xiao Mimi was a landlubber who feared water and was ultimately drowned to death.

Jiang Xiaoyu and Jiang Yulang took advantage of the flood destroying the Earth Spirit Palace and escaped along with the water flow.

Unexpectedly, they ran straight into Lian Xing, who had come to seek treasure.

After listening to Jiang Xiaoyu's account, Lian Xing was also left speechless with shock.

At this moment, she felt like the great female protagonist in a storybook, with overwhelming good fortune!

Such a highly improbable great good fortune had coincidentally fallen into her lap.

Lian Xing felt she would wake up laughing from her dreams tonight.

For a moment, her mood was excellent, and she waved her hand at Jiang Xiaoyu: "Alright, you may go."

Hearing these words, Jiang Xiaoyu felt as if he had heard heavenly music, rejoiced greatly in his heart, and without a second thought, turned and left.

He was terrified that Lian Xing would change her mind!

After all, no matter how you looked at it, the "Five Greats' Sacred Art" was a sacred scripture of great importance; once exposed, the Flower Moon Palace would immediately face the danger of collapse!

However, although Jiang Xiaoyu had been robbed of the "Five Greats' Sacred Art," he held no grudge in his heart and had no thought of going back on his word afterward.

There were five reasons.

First, he had already seen the "Five Greats' Sacred Art" in the Earth Spirit Palace and had long since memorized it in his mind; the opportunity had not been lost.

Second, he still felt a bit of goodwill toward Lian Xing, after all, she had let him go, and she was so beautiful.

Third, although he was mischievous and troublesome, his Ren Tianxing was inherently kind, and he did not wish to see the Flower Moon Palace in trouble.

Fourth, he had already sworn a deadly oath.

Fifth, he also feared retaliation. Setting aside the possibility that Yao Yue and Lian Xing might survive and seek revenge on him, if Lian Xing simply publicly "framed" him by saying he had also learned the "Five Greats' Sacred Art," he would still be in trouble.

However, what Jiang Xiaoyu did not know was that the reason Lian Xing let him go was not so simple.

Jiang Xiaoyu had indeed spoken out to warn Lian Xing, but it had almost no effect.

So this act merely made Lian Xing feel slightly more goodwill toward him.

As for the deadly oath, she was not so naive as to completely believe in its binding power.

The safest method was still to kill to silence the witness, ensuring absolute safety.

What truly made Lian Xing decide to spare him was the protective light shield that had saved her life.

Lian Xing was very smart and instantly thought of the diary copy, roughly guessing the truth.

Thinking of the terrifying defensive power of that light shield, even a heavenly being would likely worry, Lian Xing's confidence instantly surged!

With something to rely on, she naturally did not mind showing a bit of kindness.

After all, she had a good impression of this "gift-bringing boy."

However, to be safe, she still wanted to verify her guess.

Immediately, she waved her hand, and a burst of force rushed toward Hua Hua Xingnu's left shoulder, moving with fierce and urgent momentum.

As expected, an identical protective light shield sprang up, blocking her attack.

"Second Palace Master..." Hua Hua Xingnu looked at Lian Xing in shock, not knowing what mistake he had made.

Lian Xing did not hide it and directly stated her discovery; Hua Hua Xingnu would learn of this sooner or later anyway.

Hua Hua Xingnu was left speechless with shock upon hearing this.

Just then, a loud shout full of internal energy came: "Who dares to commit violence in my Emei territory?!"

Lian Xing frowned, glanced at the dying Jiang Yulang, and struck out with a palm, killing him completely.

Although Jiang Yulang was already barely breathing, half-dead, she was unwilling to let him say anything he shouldn't before he died.

Seeing that Lian Xing, after his shout to stop, not only did not stop but dared to commit violence, the newcomer was filled with raging anger and immediately Unleashed Lightness Skill to rush forward.

Behind him followed a group of Emei disciples.

The maids of the Flower Moon Palace quickly gathered behind Lian Xing, standing ready for battle.

When the newcomer entered within ten zhang of Lian Xing, Lian Xing suddenly shifted, her figure flashing out.

Ming Jade True Qi gathered in her two palms; palm shadows fluttered like ten thousand flowers falling together, carrying a bone-chilling, cold, and Yin force that enveloped forward.

The newcomer's face changed slightly; his left hand's long blade moved with wide, sweeping power, while his right hand's great sword was light and swift, alternating between hardness and softness, meeting those two bare palms!

Neither side dodged or avoided; they clashed fiercely.

Where the bare palms met the blades, the sound that rang out was the crisp and rapid clashing of weapons.

The blade's momentum was fierce and heavy, yet it all struck the sword; the sword light was illusory and swift, yet it all sliced against the blade.

And those two bare palms moved with ease amidst the blade light and sword shadows, completely unharmed.

The newcomer's blade and sword swept aside; borrowing the force transmitted from Lian Xing's palm, he leaped backward, looking at the young woman before him with a Solemn Gaze.

She looked to be about twenty years old, dressed in a palace gown of brocade like rosy clouds, her long skirt trailing the ground, her long hair flowing over her shoulders like drifting clouds.

Her sweet, lovely face outshone the spring blossoms.

A pair of clear, limpid eyes blinked, their lively, playful gaze flitting about; within those twin pools—eyes that seemed able to speak—shone an indescribable light of wisdom, and also a childish innocence.

A kind of childish innocence that did not belong to someone of her age.

Yet the beauty of her features was enough to astonish anyone.

And the excellence of her bearing was, moreover, a rare sight under heaven, reaching a degree that no one could possibly overlook.

She stood upon the rock like a proud phoenix perched atop the branch of a paulownia tree—lonely and aloof, gazing down upon the four quarters.

The newcomer studied Lianxing's appearance and bearing closely, then finally spoke: "Are you from the Yihua Palace? Palace Master Inviting the Moon? Or the Second Palace Master, Lianxing?"

By this time the Emei Sect disciples had already arrived, and hearing these words, those who had originally been dazzled by Lianxing's beauty all felt a sudden flash of enlightenment.

Indeed, in the southwest of the Central Domain, only the two Palace Masters of Yihua Palace could possibly possess such heaven-shocking beauty, bearing, and martial arts.

Among the younger generation of Emei, there were seven outstanding female disciples of exceptional looks and character, whom the many admiring male disciples called the "Seven Spirits of Emei."

They were: Xie Yunzhen, Zhou Zhiruo, Yuan Ziyi, Ma Xiuzhen, Ye Xiuzhu, Sun Xiuqing, and Shi Xiuyun.

Because the last four all had the character "Xiu" in their names, they were also known as the "Four Xius of Emei."

At this very moment, present among them were Xie Yunzhen and the "Four Xius of Emei."

At the very first glimpse of Lianxing, the five women could not help but grow slightly dazed, and then inexplicably felt a sudden emptiness within, as though they stood a head shorter than she.

It was not that they were truly far less beautiful than Lianxing.

In fact, they themselves were rare great beauties; even if their looks and figures fell somewhat short, they would by no means be much inferior.

Like the Six Beauties of Wuliang Mountain, their sense of defeat stemmed mainly from bearing and presence.

Yihua Palace's fame spread far and wide; as one of its Palace Masters, Lianxing—like her elder sister—had naturally cultivated a quality beyond the reach of ordinary people, something these "ivory-tower" fledglings could never match.

While the newcomer was sizing up Lianxing, Lianxing was also looking at him.

He was an old man, his expression stern, his back ramrod-straight, his pitch-black beard and hair sharp as steel needles, his face densely covered with deep wrinkles.

In his left hand he held a long saber, nothing remarkable about it.

But the long sword in his right hand was quite out of the ordinary.

Generally speaking, the sword follows lightness and nimbleness; those who wield swords choose blades that are light and sharp.

Yet the sword in the old man's hand was somewhat thicker than an ordinary sword, its blade also especially long and especially broad.

With such an unusual great sword, and the use of both saber and sword, and being a man of the Emei Sect, the old man's identity was all but obvious.

Lianxing's brows and the corners of her eyes curved with a smile, not in the least daunted: "You are Dugu Yihe, I suppose? You do have a good eye—no wonder you could become the Fuzhang Sect of the Emei Sect."

Dugu Yihe said coolly: "What you use is the method of borrowing force to strike back; there are no few similar martial arts in this world, such as: Qiankun Great Shift, Star-Shifting, Taiji, and Phantom Shadow Divine Art."

"But in the hands of a woman of such appearance and bearing, this old fellow, unworthy as he is, can think only of Yihua Palace's 'Flower-Shifting Jade-Connecting.'"