Chapter 639

448 Are you not even eating?

The Knife of Slaughtering Deer, which Xiao Shiyilang could pull free with a casual tug.

In Lian Chengbi's hands, no matter how hard she strained, even when she unleashed her inner qi.

The Knife of Slaughtering Deer remained utterly motionless, showing not the slightest sign of being pulled.

"Huh? What's going on?"

Xiao Shiyilang found it strange, so he casually tugged at the Knife of Slaughtering Deer in Shen Bijun's hand.

The rust-covered useless blade was once again pulled out with effortless ease.

He didn't even use much force, let alone any inner qi.

"How could this be?"

Both Xiao Shiyilang and Shen Bijun, even Lian Chengbi in the sky, were utterly astonished.

It seemed this Knife of Slaughtering Deer was not truly useless, and indeed held some strange mystery.

"Hmph! Xiao Shiyilang, I look forward to you revealing the secret of the Knife of Slaughtering Deer soon.

I will surely keep my promise and let you and Shen Bijun leave Shanzhuang, and allow the two of you to be together."

With a cold snort, Lian Chengbi gradually faded from view at the horizon.

This eerie place known as Shanzhuang sank once more into deathly silence.

Shen Bijun tried again, but still could not pull out the Knife of Slaughtering Deer, and finally gave up.

By nightfall, the dining table once again miraculously appeared with food.

After eating, the two returned to their rooms to rest.

Although the two had already confessed their feelings to each other.

Given how Lian Chengbi had treated Shen Bijun, logically the two could have slept together without issue.

But Xiao Shiyilang felt Shen Bijun was like a flawless goddess.

He would never touch Shen Bijun before a proper marriage.

Thus, during these days in Shanzhuang, he had always kept his emotions in check, respecting propriety toward Shen Bijun.

Shen Bijun was deeply moved, yet also felt a strange sense of regret.

After falling into deep sleep at night, when they awoke the next morning.

The two stepped out of their rooms and exchanged morning greetings, preparing to return to the dining hall.

But when they reached the dining hall, they discovered two people lying sprawled on the table, as if unconscious.

"Huh? When did these two come in? How did I hear not a single sound?"

Xiao Shiyilang was a Grandmaster-level expert, and his hearing was far from poor.

How could a living person enter without him hearing any noise at all?

Shen Bijun also found it strange, but upon looking at the two, she immediately recognized them.

"Are these Bai Yang and Lv Liu? Has Lian Chengbi gone mad? Has she locked even these two in here?"

Lian Chengbi was known as the Pure Lord, and Lian Family Fortress was also called the Pure Shanzhuang.

The fortress housed many formidable experts.

Among them, the two old men, Bai Yang and Lv Liu, led the group.

Both had reached the brink of Earthly Immortal status in Wu Gong, and excelled in using poison without a sound.

The great reputation of the Pure Shanzhuang in southern Song Dynasty was largely due to these two.

Yet Lian Chengbi, for reasons unknown, had imprisoned her two loyal subordinates in this Shanzhuang.

After her astonishment, Shen Bijun quietly explained to Xiao Shiyilang, then woke the two old men.

"Young Mistress, where are we?"

After waking, Bai Yang and Lv Liu, upon seeing Shen Bijun, addressed her directly in this manner.

Although Shen Bijun and Lian Chengbi had not yet married.

In reality, Bai Yang, Lv Liu, and the others of the Pure Shanzhuang had long regarded her as Young Mistress.

"Lian Chengbi has severed all ties with me. You two elders must already know about the matter of the appointed time, correct?"

Upon hearing this address, Shen Bijun's expression darkened immediately, and she asked bluntly.

Bai Yang stammered, as if wanting to explain but unable to find words.

Lv Liu, however, was more lively, and ignored the topic entirely, saying instead,

"Young Master and Young Mistress are a match made by heaven, with elders presiding over your union—you are bound by a formal betrothal."

"Enough, let's not talk about this."

Shen Bijun did not wish to continue this subject, and changed the topic instead,

"You two have been utterly loyal to Lian Chengbi—why did she still lock you in this Shanzhuang?

Clearly, this person is cold-hearted and unworthy."

Bai Yang and Lv Liu were left uneasy by this remark.

Lv Liu said nothing in rebuttal, but Bai Yang rushed to speak up,

"It's because we discovered that secret..."

"What secret?"

Shen Bijun asked immediately.

"Bai Yang, are you mad?"

Lv Liu snapped at once.

"What's the harm? The Heavenly Dao Golden List has already been announced—our Lian family..."

Bai Yang didn't care at all and was about to reveal the secret.

"Shut up, have you forgotten what the Old Lord instructed?"

The so-called Old Lord was Lian Chengbi's father, though he had been dead for a long time.

Upon hearing "Old Lord," Bai Yang immediately drooped his head, utterly dejected, unable to speak a word.

Shen Bijun was curious—what exactly was this secret?

How could Lian Chengbi, disregarding their years of loyalty and their status in Wugu Shanzhuang, send them both to this prison-like Doll Shanzhuang?

If this secret were truly important, wouldn't Lian Chengbi's nature dictate killing them instead?

Just as he thought this, a laugh rang out, and then Lian Chengbi's large head emerged from behind the clouds.

"Bai Yang, Green Willow, what were you just saying?"

"Nothing, nothing!"

Even as impulsive as Bai Yang was, he now joined Green Willow in vehemently denying it.

"If you speak another word, it won't be imprisonment you face—but being sent underground."

Lian Chengbi's expression turned icy as he issued a direct death threat.

"Young Master, rest assured, we'll take this secret to our graves."

Green Willow immediately pledged—he naturally preferred life over death.

Even if Doll Shanzhuang was a prison, wasn't it better than being dead?

"Yes, yes, Young Master, Old Bai's lips are sealed."

Bai Yang made a gesture of sealing his own mouth, signaling he would say nothing.

"Enough! There's another matter I need you to verify now that you're inside."

Lian Chengbi dismissed the matter and added,

"In the front courtyard, there's a Knife That Cuts Deer—go and try to draw it."

"Knife That Cuts Deer?"

In Wu Lin, this knife was famed beyond measure, hailed as a divine weapon of Immortal rank!

No one in the martial world didn't crave it desperately.

And now, the Knife That Cuts Deer was right here in Doll Shanzhuang?

Bai Yang and Green Willow immediately abandoned Shen Bijun and Xiao Shiyilang, leaping to the front courtyard.

There, indeed, lay a magnificent greatsword, its scabbard ornate, planted quietly in the ground.

Though this blade was splendid and the duty of the Swordguard Clan,

Doll Shanzhuang was a prison all the same, so Xiao Shiyilang had simply left it planted where it was.

What he most wanted now was to court Shen Bijun right here.