Chapter 83

【Jin Lingzhi is the youngest granddaughter of Old Lady Jin of Wanfu Wanshou Garden; she has a very impatient nature, speaks hurriedly and quickly, has a flamboyant personality, and dares to act and dares to take responsibility】

【Because of her considerable charm, she once attracted Hu Tiehua, and Jin Lingzhi also came to like this man through their daily interactions】

????????? begging for flowers??????????

【However, at that time Jin Lingzhi had another hidden identity — the mistress of "Bat Young Master"!】

【After an intense inner struggle, Jin Lingzhi ultimately gave up the treacherous and vicious "Bat Young Master" and chose Hu Tiehua instead】

【But as expected, Hu Tiehua's old habit flared up again, and he ran off without even looking back】

【Several years later, Jin Lingzhi passed away】

Suzhou, Wanfu Wanshou Garden.

"I would fall for this perverted man? And become the so-called mistress of 'Bat Young Master'?"

Jin Lingzhi stared at the contents of the diary in disbelief, her eyes wide as saucers.

If Jiang Sishui hadn't pointed out her identity and personality, Jin Lingzhi would have thought he was talking about someone else with the same name as her, not her.

"The one I clearly liked was Young Master Yuan Suiyun — how could I possibly become the mistress of some 'Bat Young Master'? Pure nonsense, absolutely outrageous!"

After recovering her wits, Jin Lingzhi grew angry again, wishing she could rush over to Jiang Sishui and confront him.

Although Jiang Sishui was only talking about the version of her in the story, she still couldn't stand it, always feeling insulted.

"No, although what he said is just a story, it might not necessarily stay as fiction — could something have happened in between?"

Jin Lingzhi suddenly furrowed her brow again, her heart filled with doubt and unease: "What on earth happened that I would willingly become the mistress of a man I'd never even heard of, and in the end even die?"

"No, I must get to the bottom of this!"

Before obtaining a copy of the diary, Jin Lingzhi already had someone she liked in her heart, so although she knew Jiang Sishui was extraordinary, she had no intention of making contact with him.

But now she had changed her mind.

Because she wanted to learn more about herself from Jiang Sishui's mouth, so she could take precautions and prevent the unfortunate fate in the story from happening in reality.

At the very least, there was one thing she had to figure out — why she would become the mistress of that so-called "Bat Young Master"!

And to know more, she had to appear before Jiang Sishui, so he would mention her more in the diary.

Jin Lingzhi was already impatient as fire by nature — once she decided to do something, she did it. She immediately packed up a bit and left Wanfu Wanshou Garden.

"Leigushan? No, that's not right! He was entrusted by Wu Wu Ya Zi to look after his descendants. Wang Yuyan... Li Qingluo..."

Jin Lingzhi's eyes lit up, and she immediately set off for Taihu.

Next, Jiang Sishui would definitely go to Mantuo Shanzhuang! Shang.

091 Boiling Oil Cooks the Hand, Old Wife Young Husband

【Gao Yanan's love ran deep and absolute — it's just a pity she chose the wrong person. Moreover, she was stubbornly devoted; even after hitting a wall she wouldn't turn back. From a certain perspective, she's just as stubborn as Hu Tiehua】

【Her second flaw, however, is foolish filial piety!】

【The fact that she could chase Hu Tiehua for eight whole years shows how deep Gao Yanan's feelings for him ran. Yet with just one word from her master, Withered Plum Grandmaster, she obediently obeyed and raised a deadly hand against the man she loved】

【Perhaps in her eyes, honoring her master and respecting the Dao were the most important things — for them she could even abandon the ability to distinguish right from wrong, good from evil】

"Master wants me to kill Hu Tiehua?" Gao Yanan shook her head.

Her master hadn't left Mount Huashan for over twenty years — how could she possibly know Hu Tiehua, how could the two of them have a grudge, and how could she order her own disciple to kill him?

"Could it be that Master saw me chasing him for eight years, and that bastard still didn't respond, and out of indignation for me, she ordered me to kill him?"

A sudden thought struck Gao Yanan, and the more she thought about it, the more possible it seemed.

【Speaking of this Withered Plum Grandmaster, she was truly a ruthless character!】

【Story background: Wu Lin has seven major sword sects, and only the Huashan Sect's leader is a woman】

【The Huashan Sect has been controlled by women ever since "Lotus Fairy" Xu Shuzhen became its leader】

【After that, although the Huashan Sect gradually declined in talent, it never produced any scoundrels, because these female leaders all strictly followed Xu Shuzhen's dying instruction: be extremely strict in choosing disciples, better to have too few than too many】

【At its peak, the Huashan Sect once had over seven hundred disciples, but by the time it passed to Rain-Drinking Grandmaster, there were only seven disciples left】

【Rain-Drinking Grandmaster's strictness in choosing disciples became known throughout the world from then on】

【And Withered Plum Grandmaster was Rain-Drinking Grandmaster's dharma heir】

【Rumor in the jianghu has it that when Withered Plum Grandmaster was a young girl, in order to join the Huashan Sect, she knelt at the peak of Mount Huashan through biting snow for four days and four nights. By the time Rain-Drinking Grandmaster agreed, her entire body had been buried in the snow, and she had nearly lost her life】

【At that time, she was only thirteen】

【Seven years later, Rain-Drinking Grandmaster traveled far to the South Sea, and Withered Plum stayed behind to guard Mount Huashan】

【The "Four Swords of Taiyin," to avenge a slap from years ago, launched a major attack, declaring they would burn the Xuanyu Temple and wipe out the entire Huashan Sect】

【Withered Plum Grandmaster suffered thirty-nine wounds, both light and severe, yet still fought on stubbornly through the bloodbath. In the end, the "Four Swords of Taiyin" were all broken at Mount Huashan】

【After this battle, everyone in Wu Lin began to call Withered Plum Grandmaster the "Iron Immortal Aunt"】

【Five years later, the "Cold-Faced Rakshasa" of Qinghai sent a challenge letter, demanding a decisive battle with Rain-Drinking Grandmaster at the peak of Mount Tai. If Rain-Drinking lost, the Huashan Sect would have to submit to the Rakshasa Gang】

【Huh? The Rakshasa Gang is from Qinghai, yet when challenging the Huashan Sect, the location chosen is Mount Tai?】

【That's a pretty confusing move!】

【This battle concerned the survival or destruction of the Huashan Sect, yet Rain-Drinking Grandmaster happened to go into qi deviation at this very moment】

【Since the Huashan Sect could not avoid the battle, Withered Plum Grandmaster had no choice but to fight in her master's place】

【Withered Plum Grandmaster knew full well she was no match for the "Cold-Faced Rakshasa." When she went, she had already resolved to die, determined to perish together with her enemy】

【On the day of the decisive battle, the "Cold-Faced Rakshasa" didn't take her seriously at all, and even let her "choose the topic and set the rules"】

【Withered Plum Grandmaster calmly lit a great fire under a wok of boiling oil, thrust her hand into the oil with a smile, and said: "As long as the Cold-Faced Rakshasa dares to do the same, Huashan will admit defeat."】

【The "Cold-Faced Rakshasa" immediately changed color, stamped her foot and left, and from then on her footsteps never again entered the Central Plains】

【But Withered Plum Grandmaster's left hand had already been burned to charred bone by the boiling oil】

【This is also the origin of the two characters "Withered Plum"】

"Hiss――"

At that moment, the women all drew in sharp breaths, their scalps tingling and arms prickling with goosebumps.

Because the story of "The Legend of Chu Chu Liuxiang" differed from reality, they felt little emotion toward Huashan Sect's strict recruitment or its two near-destructions.

But the final act—reaching into a pot of boiling oil, watching one hand char into blackened bone—was viscerally powerful!

They couldn't help imagining themselves reaching their hands into the seething oil…

Instantly, they shuddered.

Could any human endure such pain?

This was too monstrous!

No wonder Jiang Sishui called Master Ku Mei a ruthless figure!

Even Guan Yunchang, who endured bone-scraping treatment, wouldn't compare to her?

Shanzhou, Mount Huashan.

Yue Yue Lingshan rubbed her slightly stiff, pale face and asked Ning Zhongze beside her: "Mother, did Master Ku Mei have such a past?"

Ning Zhongze shook her head and smiled: "Foolish child, what are you thinking?"

"In the story, Huashan Sect's talent had dwindled, hanging by a thread; Master Ku Mei stood alone, forced into this desperate act."

"But our Huashan Sect, though not as mighty as Shaolin or Wudang, is now thriving—how could Master Ku Mei ever be driven to such a point?"

"Then why is Master Ku Mei called 'Ku Mei'?" Yue Yue Lingshan asked, puzzled…

Ning Zhongze smiled faintly: "Because she once created a Sword Technique; when her sword qi swept through, several winter plum branches in the snow withered instantly—she named that Sword Technique 'Ku Mei Sword Technique,' and from then on called herself 'Ku Mei.'"

Hearing this explanation, Yue Yue Lingshan suddenly understood.

After a pause, the girl added: "Mother, no wonder Senior Sister Gao Yanan rarely returns to Huashan—she must have found her beloved. I just wonder if Hu Hu Tiehua is still as vile as in the story."

"That depends on her own fate."

"Mother, do you think Senior Sister Gao Yanan has a copy of her diary?"

"Probably."

"Will she still chase after Hu Hu Tiehua?"

"... How would I know? I'm no goddess."

Yue Yue Lingshan was about to ask more, but the next entry in the diary shocked her so deeply she swallowed every word.

【After this battle, "Iron Immortal Auntie" Master Ku Mei became renowned throughout the martial world; at just twenty-nine, she took charge of Huashan Sect.】

【Perhaps it was precisely because of this past, and the debt of teaching and guidance, that Gao Yanan held her Master in extraordinary reverence.】

【But no one in the world would have guessed that the stern Master Ku Mei had a hidden side.】

【After thirty years of leading Huashan, she secretly stole the sect's ultimate secret, the "Clear Wind Thirteen Styles" manual, and conspired with the "Bat Young Master" of Bat Island.】

【The book does not clearly state her exact relationship with the "Bat Young Master," but it could only be one of two: lover or mother and son.】