Chapter 63: Xuanbingyu has lived here alone for thirteen years

Shen Juansheng picked up a cup of tea and cleared away the mist on it.

Qing Guiyu's heart was also moved a little.

Nothing is more likely to dominate the rumors in the martial arts world than two top masters fighting to the death for a woman.

The dirty water thrown on her has now been mixed with Lu Guiyan's innocence, turning it into a pot of muddy soup that no one can distinguish.

"I'll go find him." Qing Guiyu stood up suddenly, her chair moving backward with a sharp scraping sound. Her gaze was fixed on Chen Jiansheng, but her words were addressed to the entire private room.

"Yeah." Shen Juansheng responded, put down the teacup, and stood up.

He didn't even ask her where to look or how to look. He just raised his hand calmly and naturally, and gently tucked a strand of her hair, which was wet by the hot tea, behind her ear.

His movements were so familiar that she even doubted herself.

"I'm with Miss Qing," he said.

"Pavilion Master," Fuxi shook his head, his cynical smile gone, "The top of the snowy mountain is like a sieve now, full of holes. With you making such a big show of accompanying Miss Qing, I'm afraid the news would spread all over the foot of the mountain in less than half an hour."

"So what?" Shen Juansheng turned his head and chuckled, "It's spread everywhere, isn't it bad?"

Fuxi was choked by his question and was speechless.

Yeah, isn't it good?

Young Master Jin Sheng, Shen Yansheng, is trapped by the love poison. In order to win the smile of his beloved, he is willing to take risks and accompany his sweetheart to find her old lover, his senior brother.

This story is so bizarre and erotic that it is enough to overshadow "The Secret Treasure of the Snow Mountain" by half.

Those eyes would only stare at them with more excitement, thus ignoring any real conspiracy.

"Sister," Li Chengjin saw her serious expression, his eyes rolled, and he smiled and moved closer, the pearls and jade on his body jingling. "Chengjin is not trying to sow discord, I just feel sorry for you. If Lu Baiyi really remembered our old friendship, how could he let you be alone with the Pavilion Master..."

Before she finished speaking, Shen Jiansheng tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

Deep.

There was a slight sound, and the whole room was silent.

Li Chengjin shut up immediately.

"This place is crowded and noisy, not a good place to talk. If there's anything Miss Qing wants to know, let's find a quiet place to recuperate, and I'll tell you slowly."

He said this naturally, as if all the plans that had stirred up the world were just for the purpose of finding a "quiet place" with her.

"Leave?" Fuxi asked curiously, "Those Helan tribe members are still waiting outside. Is Pavilion Master planning to just walk out like this?"

"Well," Chen Juansheng turned his head, and his beautiful peach blossom eyes glanced at Fuxi indifferently, "Thank you for your help."

Fuxi was stunned, "Pavilion Master, you can't let me..."

"It's not you," interrupted him in a deep voice, turning his gaze towards the door, "Pulao."

As soon as he finished speaking, the door of the private room was silently pushed open, and a young man in gray clothes, of medium build and with an ordinary face so ordinary that he would be lost in a crowd, quietly slipped in and bowed.

Pulao, the leader of the Nine Dragons in Tianji Pavilion, is proficient in the art of disguise and onomatopoeia.

Young Master Jinsheng didn't even look at him. He simply said to Fuxi, "You play me." He then pointed at Pulao and said, "He plays Miss Qing. The two of you take that carriage and head east towards Longcheng. Make a good show. The people from the Helan tribe will naturally follow."

"I won't! I'm disgusted!" Fuxi was furious, pointing his finger, his voice trembling, "Pavilion Master, you want me to ride in a car with a grown man, and be as... as intimate with him as you are?"

"Hmm." Shen Juansheng smiled slightly, and under his black clothes, golden threads flowed. "The little skills I learned in the brothel are not useful."

Fuxi instantly wilted, and glared hatefully at Pulao, who was looking down beside him, gritting his teeth and saying, "That's exactly..."

Qing Guiyu was conflicted for a moment. She really didn't want to go with Shen Juansheng, but now there were so many people in the martial arts world, and none of the leaders of the Tianji Pavilion were easy to deal with.

It is better to seek the skin of a tiger than to be surrounded by wolves.

Therefore, when Chen Juansheng left from the back door of Yanlai Tower, he could still hear Fuxi in the private room, deliberately imitating Chen Juansheng's gentle and somewhat sickly tone, and softly said to "Qing Guiyu" played by Pulao,

"Madam, the wind is strong, you must be careful..."

She felt a chill down her spine and quickened her pace.

*

The two of them escaped from the surveillance of the Helan tribe and walked in the desolate yet lively market town in the north, looking like ordinary wanderers.

Chen Juansheng was not in a hurry to leave. Instead, he did as he said and found a quiet inn to stay in. He just accompanied her to recuperate from her injuries every day.

He could actually cook dishes that were light but had a long-lasting flavor; he could also find spring water and make ginger tea; he even bought a few Southern Dynasty vernacular novels and legends from that small bookstore.

At night, he would light a lamp, sit at the table, and read to her stories about talented men and beautiful women in his clear and soft voice.

His gentle and calm demeanor made it seem as if the world's turmoil and the turmoil in the martial arts world had nothing to do with him. This Young Master Jin Sheng was just an ordinary man trying hard to please his beloved.

With such meticulous care, the shoulder injury healed quickly, but my heart grew increasingly anxious.

Beneath this warm and gentle exterior lies a deep, scheming, isolated plot. The more attentive he is, the tighter the invisible net tightens.

She walked around the town several times and heard more and more rumors.

"The white-robed swordsman Lu Guiyan appeared in the snowy mountains and picked up seven or eight skilled fighters with ill intentions. It is said that he was looking for the treasure of the snowy mountains!"

"What Snow Mountain Treasure? I heard it's for the Snow Mountain Sect's martial arts secrets!"

"Whatever it is, the Tianji Pavilion has announced that whoever can obtain the secret treasure will be rewarded with a huge sum of gold!"

The news snowballed, tying Lu Guiyan and the "Snow Mountain Secret Treasure" together and pushing them to the forefront.

So we can't wait any longer.

That evening, she looked out the window at the desolate mountain ridges dyed red by the setting sun, and finally made up her mind.

"Chen Juansheng," she turned around and looked at the young man who was lowering his head to wipe the medicine cup for her, "I'm going to the snow mountain."

Shen Juansheng paused and slowly raised his head.

"Miss Qing," he said softly, "it's very dangerous there."

"I know." Qing Guiyu met his gaze, put on her bamboo flute, and said word by word, "I'm leaving now."

"..." Shen Jiansheng was silent for a moment, and there was a tremor in his misty eyes, which eventually turned into a quiet, almost sad swaying.

"I'll go with you," he said. "How can I not accompany Miss Qing when she wants to do something?"

He put down the medicine cup, walked in front of her, and looked at her gently.

"It's just..." Chen Jiansheng lowered his eyes, his eyelashes trembling slightly, "That place is a forbidden area of ​​the Tianji Pavilion. It is heavily guarded and has many traps."

He raised his eyes, pleading in them, "Miss Qing, you must promise me that you will obey me in everything and never act on your own."

Qing Guiyu's heart trembled.

"Do you know where I'm going?"

Yes.

Shen Juansheng said with some embarrassment,

"Miss Qing, your senior brother practices the 'Ice Stream Cleansing Meridians Technique.' While it differs from my 'Cold Marrow Technique,' it ultimately uses cold energy to cool the meridians. If you want to improve this technique, or if you suffer internal injuries... you need an extremely cold place and pure black ice as a guide."

Qing Guiyu felt his heart suddenly skip a beat and grabbed the bamboo flute.

Why did Lu Guiyan appear in the snowy mountains? Why did he leave even though he was labeled a traitor?

If he was injured, or if something went wrong with the Qi-washing technique, with his cold and aloof personality, he would never ask for help easily. He would only find a solution himself.

The black ice from the Tianji Pavilion is indeed the greatest aid to the practice of cold skills.

"So..." She heard her voice a little dry, "You want me to... go there and take a look?"

"No," Shen Juansheng denied immediately, "I don't want you to go. It's too dangerous there."

He looked at her, the ice in his eyes dispersed and gathered, filled with deep fear and struggle.

"But Miss Qing will find out sooner or later," he said with difficulty, as if stating a fact that he was extremely reluctant to admit, "...If Miss Qing knows, she will go alone."

Chen Juansheng tightened his fingers, his voice so low and hoarse that it seemed as if he was tapping blood. "I would rather... go with you."

He pulled her close, forcing her to look into his eyes.

"Miss Qing," the master of Tianji, who drives the hearts of the people, said sadly in an almost pleading tone,

"Take me with you, okay?"

*

The road to the snow-capped mountains becomes more and more desolate.

They abandoned their horses and, led by Shen Juansheng, turned into a very secluded mountain path. The cold wind was like a knife, scratching people's cheeks painfully.

After passing a huge glacial cliff, the view suddenly opened up.

It was a vast valley surrounded by mountains, with several checkpoints at its entrance. Guards, dressed in the attire of the Tianji Pavilion and armed with weapons, patrolled the area, maintaining a tight security. Deep in the valley, the faint glow of fire could be seen, along with the dull, heartbeat-like sound of chiseling through the wall.

"This is it." Shen Juansheng whispered in her ear. Seeing the black clothes and gold thread, the guards stepped back respectfully and led them deeper into the valley.

The further we went, the colder it became. Countless deep caves had been carved into the mountain walls on either side. Torches burned at the entrances, illuminating the figures of prisoners within. Most of them were emaciated, ragged, and bound in heavy shackles.

"These people..." Qing Guiyu felt very uncomfortable looking at those numb eyes.

"Yes. They are all death row prisoners who have committed serious crimes in the martial arts world or are enemies of the Tianji Pavilion." Shen Yansheng's voice sounded calmly beside her, "Rather than letting them die in prison, it's better to leave them here."

Qing Guiyu turned his head away, unwilling to look anymore.

She forced herself to focus on finding clues about Lu Guiyan, which made her even more uneasy. She could only carefully observe every cave and every fork in the road, so that she could remember them in her mind and slip away when needed.

The fork in the road twists and turns, as if it were carefully regulated.

She should have been lost. But she wasn't lost at all, as if she had been here before.

Qing Guiyu thought about it carefully and suddenly remembered.

This place is exactly the same as the "Heavenly Tribulation Formation" that the young man in the medicine house taught her using golden needles.

"Chen Juansheng," she looked around, her heart suddenly skipped a beat, and she felt a little panicked, "I've seen the formation layout here before."

She added nervously,

"You taught me when I was in the medicine house."

Indeed, as a reward for her acupuncture, not long ago, she had used this formation to repel pursuers from Medicine King Valley in the magnolia tree.

"What?" Shen Juansheng walked in front of her and paused, "Hmm."

"Yes, Miss Qing," he turned around, looked at her, and said in a daze,

"I once thought, if...if...one day, Miss Qing came out of Medicine King Valley and was willing to come find me,"

Shen Juansheng slightly widened his icy eyes. A few strands of hair fell, and his face became even paler than snow. The golden hair was reflected by the ice wall, reflecting the bright spots like fireflies.

"...but they are blocked by the formation in front of the gate. They can't find me. What should I do?"

"That's why... I taught it to Miss Qing."

He said he came here to look for him.

Qing Guiyu's heart suddenly sank, and he had a bad premonition. His hands became nervous and he didn't know how to continue with his words.

Fortunately, Shen Juansheng didn't ask her to say anything, but just led her to the deepest part of the cold prison, which was a huge natural ice cave.

Unlike the crude mines outside, this place was remarkably well-maintained. The ground was paved with smooth stone slabs, and the walls were inlaid with night-shining pearls, emitting a cool and soft light.

In the center of the cave is a cold pool surrounded by black ice. The water in the pool is crystal clear, but there is no sign of movement. It looks like a huge piece of black glass, with a small house beside it.

This is too weird.

She subconsciously broke free from Chen Juansheng's hand, walked quickly forward, and pushed open the door of the hut.

There was nothing inside, so the door seemed like a decoration.

The place, like a snow cave, was empty.

"You..." Qing Guiyu turned around suddenly and looked at Chen Juansheng who had been standing behind her without her knowing.

The gentle smile on his face was gone, and his peach blossom eyes were covered with a layer of gloomy and troubled pain.

"What do you mean by bringing me here?" she said in a trembling voice.

Shen Juansheng didn't answer, but walked past her and to the door.

"Here I am," he murmured, as if to himself, "living alone for thirteen years."

"From the age of four to seventeen, I wondered every day when someone would come and take me out."

His fingertips brushed against the door latch, and his voice was thin and light. "But no one showed up, so I left on my own."

Qing Guiyu stood there in a daze, his mind blank.

Thirteen years...

That seventeen-year-old boy, the boy who was dying from the cold poison and didn't even dare to touch a firefly.

The boy's life was like being freed from such an empty cage for a short time in that summer with the chirping of cicadas, and then returning to another bigger cage.

"What...what's going on?"

Qing Guiyu looked down from the window of the hut. Below the hut was a cold pond. Inside the pond was a huge ice coffin carved from a whole piece of black ice.

The ice coffin was crystal clear, emitting a bone-chilling coldness, and a figure in gorgeous clothes could be vaguely seen lying inside.

In front of the ice coffin, a figure was sitting cross-legged with his back to the cave entrance, motionless, as if he had merged into one with the ten thousand year old black ice.

Is it him?

Qing Guiyu almost instinctively used his lightness skills and took a deep breath to rush over there.

"Don't go."

A cold hand suddenly grabbed her wrist.

She turned around and met those eyes that could cut through ice and snow.

"That's not him." Shen Juansheng said softly, without any emotion in his voice, but the hand holding her was trembling slightly.

"Let me see," Qing Guiyu waved his hand and said anxiously, "Let me go!"

As if worried about her shoulder injury, Chen Juansheng actually let go of her hand obediently. Qing Guiyu took a few steps closer and saw that it was an old man with white hair and beard, and a haggard face. He was sitting cross-legged, and his body was locked with several thick iron chains. The other ends of the chains were deeply embedded in the surrounding ice walls.

At this moment, the old man who was tied up with chains seemed to feel the breath of a living person and slowly opened his eyes.

Those were a pair of cloudy yet sharp eyes. They swept across Qing Guiyu, and finally, fixed their gaze firmly on Chen Juansheng who was standing behind her.

"You..." The old man's cracked lips moved, and a hoarse and dry voice trembled from his throat.

"...You dare to come back to see me?"