Chapter 30 (Second Update) Brothers
Chapter 30 Brothers
Is the autumn heat wave really here?
Otherwise, why would it be so hot?
As Lu Wenqu fanned himself, he watched the unruly figure receding into the distance and thought to himself, "Perhaps Master Huo intends to take advantage of this autumn to give He Lingyun a good workout..."
These past two days, some people have been acting like they're possessed.
But it's not necessarily a bad thing.
However, as the weather gets warmer, the effect of the tracking incense dissipates faster. In a few more days, it will probably be impossible to find it.
Lu Wenqu was pure of heart; one cannot have both fish and bear's paw.
Unless, of course, you have friends who treat you like a fish.
He was He Lingyun's accomplice.
*
On the third and fourth days, the cry was, "Again!" "Again!" "Again!"
He Lingyun seemed to have been given a cheat code, becoming more courageous with each setback, completely different from the arrogant and domineering playboy who had previously been utterly incompetent.
Previously, the younger brother from Qingyun Manor watched from afar as Master Huo and the Second Young Master practiced swordsmanship. He thought that since the Master was so strict, the Second Young Master wouldn't be able to keep it up for long, but he never expected that they would persevere for the past few days.
I also heard that there has been a lot of noise coming from the Cliff of Contemplation every night these past few days. I initially thought it was wild animals coming out to hunt for food, but it turned out that the Second Young Master was practicing his swordsmanship alone on the Cliff of Contemplation.
It's like he's become a completely different person.
Since his sword sparring session with the old master at Nanshan Garden, the Second Young Master seems to have been constantly improving.
Now they've started arguing about temper with the owner of the manor, and things seem to be progressing very quickly.
On the fifth day, finally, after He Lingyun's tireless and relentless attacks and racking his brains, the tip of his sword finally cut Huo Lianchi's sleeve.
He Lingyun shouted loudly, panting heavily, but proudly reached out his hand.
Clutched in his palm was the corner he had just cut from a corner of his sleeve.
He Lingyun scoffed, "Didn't you say I couldn't touch your sleeve? Take a good look, what is this!"
He Lingyun felt an indescribable sense of exhilaration. This exhilaration was incomparable to fishing in the river, catching birds in trees, or hanging out with other shady friends he'd met in the martial arts world!
That kind of exhilaration was the feeling of practicing swordsmanship all night on the Cliff of Contemplation, practicing until one's arms could no longer be lifted, practicing until one fell asleep as soon as one's head hit the pillow in the morning, and then coming to the Pavilion of Refined Wind to spar with Huo Lianchi, being constantly crushed and ridiculed by him, but finally making a triumphant comeback.
This is proof that the old man's Qingyun Sword has finally been put into his hands!
It was a breath he had been holding back, a breath he had been holding back in front of Huo Lianchi!
"Indeed, not only did we run into it, but we also managed to cut a scrap of fabric from the sleeve." Huo Lianchi readily admitted, "One should look at a person with new eyes after three days of separation."
Having endured his uncharacteristic ridicule these past few days, He Lingyun felt a sense of relief upon hearing this remark, though he habitually let out a soft hum.
But the next moment, Huo Lianchi continued, "However, there's nothing to be proud of in being able to touch He Lin. Are you going to make a big fuss about it in the manor, saying that your Qingyun Sword has finally managed to touch my sleeve?"
"You!" He Lingyun was furious and embarrassed.
It's one thing to belittle him, but to bring up the old man's Qingyun Sword and belittle it is unbearable for He Lingyun. "Speak, what do you want this time?"
Huo Lianchi said calmly, "Starting tomorrow, if I don't knock the sword out of your hand, you win."
He Lingyun scoffed, "You really think you're some old man?"
At that time, he was sparring with the old man, and the outcome depended on whether the old man would knock the sword away.
Huo Lianchi wanted to use the same tactic to challenge him, but as long as he gripped tightly enough and avoided Huo Lianchi's strength, he could easily catch his move. This was much easier than cutting off a scrap of his sleeve.
He Lingyun wiped the sweat from his forehead and said casually, "There's no need for tomorrow, let's do it today."
Huo Lianchi frowned slightly.
But He Lingyun had already drawn his Qingyun Sword and was heading straight for Huo Lianchi.
He would have won if his sword hadn't been knocked away, but he was so arrogant as to launch an attack. Huo Lianchi hesitated for a moment, but decided not to give him any face.
With a "clang," there was no sign of any attempt to loosen the valve.
When He Lingyun swung his sword, Huo Lianchi had not yet drawn it. But when He Lingyun's sword was right in front of him, Huo Lianchi flicked his sleeve, and the sword was drawn. In the blink of an eye, the Qingyun sword in He Lingyun's hand was knocked away by an extremely powerful internal force.
Not only was the Azure Cloud Sword thrown, but He Lingyun himself was also flung away.
The Azure Cloud Sword clattered to the ground beside him. When He Lingyun fell heavily, he landed on his buttocks, and although he had been trying to get up, the pain made it difficult for him to stand.
He Lingyun looked at Huo Lianchi in surprise, clutching his right arm and shoulder that were still sore from the shock, and suddenly realized that Huo Lianchi was serious, and that he was completely unable to withstand Huo Lianchi's seriousness.
He was exaggerating.
The only way to describe the relationship between him and Huo Lianchi is as vast as an chasm...
In a short period of time, he has no chance of surpassing Huo Lianchi.
This was the first time He Lingyun clearly realized the gap between himself and Huo Lianchi, but he was unwilling to be a clown in Huo Lianchi's eyes.
He Lingyun reached out and grasped the Qingyun Sword, then used it as a support to barely stand up, enduring the pain as he spoke, "Again..."
Before he could finish saying "Again," Huo Lianchi had already turned around.
*
When they returned to the dungeon, it was already long into the night.
He doesn't usually come at this time, and these past few days he's been sparring with Master Huo, returning each time breathless and full of resentment, ready to take up his sword again.
But this time, the dungeon had been lit for a long time before He Lingyun arrived, and he seemed very dejected, as if his earlier fighting spirit had vanished.
"What's wrong? Didn't you just say last night that you had a plan to separate Huo Lianchi's robes, and you were so confident?" Lu Wenqu noticed that he was acting strangely.
He Lingyun looked up at him and said dejectedly, "I got it cut."
Lu Wenqu was surprised, "Isn't that a good thing? We've been entangled for several days. Didn't you say that touching his sleeve meant you won? You've already cut his robe. Do you think he can cheat us?"
He Lingyun glanced at him. In the past, he would have been indignant and then scolded Huo Lianchi in front of Lu Wenqu, saying that he was shameless, changed the rules when he saw that Huo Lianchi had won, and even provoked him.
But today, after witnessing the true difference in strength between the two, He Lingyun found it difficult to say such a thing.
He's not a clown, he's like a mantis trying to stop a chariot...
If he were the Azure Cloud Sword, he would probably prefer to be in Huo Lianchi's hands; he didn't want Huo Lianchi to look down on him and say that he was not worthy of the old man's Azure Cloud Sword.
He Lingyun was furious.
But it seems clear that he was actually angry at himself.
There is no solution to this.
On this Qingyun Mountain, he had no friend closer than Lu Wenqu. He Lingyun said in a low voice, "I cut his robe, and I knew he was trying to provoke me, but I still lacked self-awareness and agreed to a sword duel with him. As long as he didn't knock my sword away, I would win. But today, after just one exchange with him, even though he hadn't used his full strength, I was sent flying, sword and all. I don't know how many chasms are between us..."
What's more terrifying than not having self-awareness before is suddenly having self-awareness and realizing how foolish you were before, and how you became so arrogant.
But the old man's Qingyun Sword is still in Huo Lianchi's hands. He can't leave the Qingyun Sword at Qingyun Manor and then go down the mountain...
"How much longer will the tracking incense last?" He and Lu Wenqu had also agreed to go down the mountain together to find the thief who had taken over the chicken's territory.
But right now, his Qingyun Sword has been confiscated.
If the old man knew that on the very first day he left, his Qingyun Sword was confiscated by Huo Lianchi, and that he never got it back, but instead went down the mountain...
Lu Wenqu remained noncommittal, but shook his fan and suddenly asked, "Can Brother Lingyun trust me?"
"Hmm?" He Lingyun looked up at him, then said softly, "If I didn't trust you, would I have sent the brocade pouch to Bazhenlou without even meeting Wang Sumo?"
Lu Wenqu smiled and said, "You can't have your cake and eat it too, but if you have friends who are good at taking advantage of you, that's a different story."
He Lingyun frowned. "What do you mean?"
Lu Wenqu put down his fan and said seriously, "I've released tracking incense, so I can catch up with you. You should stay in Qingyun Manor for now and retrieve the Qingyun Sword from Huo Lianchi. Then you can come looking for me openly. Don't worry, I'll send people to deliver messages to you along the way. Sharpening your axe won't delay your work; one needs some real skills to stand firm. Once you can retrieve the Qingyun Sword from Huo Lianchi, you'll be able to find out whoever ransacked that piece of land."
He Lingyun looked at him.
Lu Wenqu sighed, "A gentleman knows what to do and what not to do. Let me go on Lingyun's behalf."
He Lingyun hesitated.
Lu Wenqu leaned closer and said, "Give me my chicken gizzard lining. I'll leave tomorrow. If I delay, things might change."
“Wenqu…” He Lingyun knew that the other party was talking about something serious in a joking tone, “You are the only successor of your Tianxiang Sect, don’t you still have a lot of spices to find?”
“Of course, it’s just something we have to do throughout our lives. It’s okay to take a few days to catch our breath occasionally. The goal can be roundabout, right? The world is vast, and I look forward to meeting Brother Lingyun again.” Lu Wenqu bowed with his hands clasped.
He Lingyun chuckled.
"Take care." Lu Wenqu gradually stopped smiling, then raised his palm. He Lingyun smiled and gave a loud slap like a shooting star streaking across the night sky.
*
On the fifth day, the sixth day, the seventh day, "Again!" "Again!" "Again!"
If you can't hold on for an hour, how about fifteen minutes? If fifteen minutes isn't enough, how about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn?!
He Lingyun gritted her teeth.
Although Huo Lianchi showed no mercy in every move he countered, he would coldly point out where He Lingyun's weakness was afterward. It must be said that Huo Lianchi's tips were spot on, but He Lingyun's comprehension was indeed much higher than that of his peers.
But Huo Lianchi already knew that he couldn't show this joy on his face, but had to keep it hidden in his heart, and the more so, the more he had to say the opposite.
"Come again tomorrow." Huo Lianchi sheathed his sword.
Behind him, he heard the sound of He Lingyun collapsing to the ground from exhaustion.
Huo Lianchi's lips curled up slightly.
*
He Huai'an watched from afar as a disciple from Qingyun Manor stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Young Master, the Second Young Master had Lu Wenqu taken out of the dungeon and sent down the mountain a couple of days ago."
He Huai'an said calmly, "Let him go. Originally, it was Lu Wenqu who refused to leave, but Uncle thought that Ling Yun would have no one to keep him company, so he turned a blind eye. Now that Ling Yun has something important to do, let him go."
"Should we have someone follow us?" the person next to me asked.
He Huai'an thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No need. He stayed at Qingyun Manor because of Lingyun. Now that Lingyun is on the right track, he shouldn't have anything to worry about. The world is vast, and we'll meet again someday."
He Huai'an seemed to remember something and asked again, "The wind and waves on the river have been strong these past few days, and the passenger ship has had to stop at other docks to take shelter from the storm. It should have arrived today, right?"
"They should have already disembarked."
He Huai'an nodded. "Then let me know when you have any news."
"yes."
He Huai'an withdrew his gaze and looked at the Tingshui Wharf in the distance.
Although his great-uncle was old, he was not afraid of ordinary young martial artists outside the manor. Even if he wanted to travel with Miss Wang, he wouldn't need He Ping to escort him all the way.
Uncle must have other things to tell He Ping to do...
The martial arts world has been peaceful for so long; hopefully, no more trouble will arise.
*
"Finally off the boat~" The moment He Lin stepped off the landing platform, he seemed to have been reborn. "Yo-ho!"
Sure enough, He Qingque was He Qingque wherever he went, except on the river.
The river has been rough these past two days, so we stopped at another dock for two days to avoid the storm. The old man must be worried.
"Miss Wang, you really can't ride a horse? The old master is planning to ride a horse to Bazhenlou~" He Lin still asked. Last time he came to the dock, Miss Wang took a carriage. He didn't know if Miss Wang couldn't ride or didn't want to, but if Miss Wang could ride a horse, it would be much faster.
Wang Sumo shook her head, "No, I get seasick, just like you get seasick."
He Lin: (⊙o⊙)…
Now he knows how awful seasickness is!
"Then, I'll go rent a carriage first." He Lin said and went to do so. Wang Sumo turned around and saw Old Master He picking out a horse.
After finishing up the rest, He Ping stepped forward and said, "Miss Wang."
Wang Sumo brought it up herself, saying, "He Lin went to prepare a carriage for me, but I can't ride a horse."
He Ping chuckled, "You've become sensible."
Wang Sumo also laughed.
"By the way, Miss Wang, may I ask where you're going to find the Eight Treasures Pavilion and the old master on this trip?" He Ping asked. Before leaving last time, he found a courtyard to stay in, but he didn't know if the old master would stay in the previous courtyard.
Wang Sumo naturally knew that "there is a herbal tea shop on the official road from Guangcheng to Licheng. The herbal tea shop is run by a proprietress, and Bazhenlou and the old man are both there."
He Ping was slightly taken aback, recalling the herbal tea shop and the proprietress he had encountered on the official road.
— We know everything that flies in the sky, swims in the water, runs on the ground, and even burrows underground—anything that passes through this area. But we're a tea shop, and our rule is to provide tea and a place for passersby to rest.
— It's best not to have any ulterior motives. There are quite a few people in the martial arts world who want to mess with Bazhenlou. Guess why everyone says that Bazhenlou is not to be trifled with?
He Ping seemed thoughtful, then chuckled softly, "You two know each other?"
The fact that he asked that means he's met her before. Wang Sumo smiled and said, "Yes, I know her. That's Sister Zhen. When I leave, Grandpa will definitely drive Bazhenlou to Sister Zhen's place. Sister Zhen makes pastries, and Grandpa likes to eat her pastries, but he can't stay for too long, or the two of them will quarrel."
He Ping paused for a moment, then suddenly laughed. The word "arguing" perfectly matched his memory of the beautiful, somewhat feisty proprietress.
“Sister Zhen has a fiery temper. She’ll kick people out if she argues with the old man, and he’ll get angry. It’s always better to arrive early.” Wang Sumo said sullenly, but who knew that they would encounter a storm on the way, and the river was not safe, so they stopped for two days.
Suddenly, He Ping had a vivid image in his mind, and at the same time, he understood that they must all be acquaintances, otherwise, the old man's Cloud Piercing Mountain Breaking Hand...
"By the way, will you be staying a few more days this time, or will you return to Qingyun Manor after seeing the old man off?" Wang Sumo asked, still concerned about the journey.
After this separation, who knows when we'll see He Qingque again!
Suddenly, the chattering He Qingque is gone, and people might feel a little unaccustomed to it.
"Actually, the lord asked me to do something, so I won't be going back so soon," He Ping said softly.
Wang Sumo looked at him. He Pinghui would mention it in front of her, so it must be something she knew about, and it must be related to her.
He Ping didn't hide anything. He looked around and, seeing that no one was paying attention, lowered his voice and asked, "Miss Wang, do you remember the adulterated rice we encountered at the dock last time?"
There had been so much going on these past few days that she had completely forgotten about it, but He Ping's sudden mention brought it back to her mind.
Wang Sumo nodded; of course she remembered. Back then, the young swordsman was chased to the point of jumping into the river, and some people saw her watching the commotion beforehand, but they probably weren't sure if she had noticed anything. Later, because people from Qingyun Manor were there, the matter was dropped.
Wang Sumo also asked softly, "You mean, Master Huo asked you to investigate the adulteration of rice?"
He Ping nodded. "That's right. That shipment of grain was transported by water, coming from the river. There was a drought in the west before, and the grain was being transported from east to west, so it would definitely have passed through the Ting River. The fact that such a large amount of relief grain was transported by cargo ships at this dock suggests there's probably something fishy going on."
"Qingyun Manor is located in Tingshui. Although the matter of disaster relief grain is a matter for the imperial court, there were other sects present that day. The adulterated disaster relief grain showed traces of other martial arts sects and passed through Tingshui in batches. The manor lord wanted to find out in advance to be prepared."
After He Ping finished speaking, Wang Sumo understood and said, "That's true."
Even if this matter has nothing to do with Qingyun Manor, Tingshui is Qingyun Manor's territory. If a martial arts sect passes through Tingshui with such disaster relief grain, who knows how many troubles it will cause.
Compared to sitting and waiting for death, Master Huo's concerns are justified.
"When are you leaving?" Wang Sumo knew that this matter could not be delayed.
“He Lin and I will go with the old man first, and we will also leave some people here to inquire. There should be quite a few people who saw this on that day, and they all have some traces. The rest of us will go to the docks along the coast to inquire separately, and we should get some results soon.”
"For safety's sake, Miss Wang should not mention this matter to anyone in the future to avoid getting into trouble," He Ping reminded her. "After all, we don't even know who the other party is, so it's always better to be cautious."
"I understand, thank you, Master He."
Seeing that she seemed to be thinking, He Ping added, "But Miss Wang, you don't need to worry too much. There were many people at the dock at the time, and many people were watching the excitement. Everyone's attention was on the person who jumped into the river. His whereabouts are still unknown. We don't know if he is alive or dead. I hope he is alright."
Upon hearing this, Wang Sumo did not respond, but he remembered seeing that person on the cargo ship heading to Tingshui. The person had jumped into the river, but was alive and well, able to hide, eat, and sleep, except for being hungry.
She even saved an extra spinach and egg roll for him.
Later, when they arrived at Tingshui, she disembarked with He Ping and his group, not knowing where he would go next.
We were just strangers who met, but I ended up helping him out in the end. Consider it a good deed for the old man.
Not far away, He Lin had already driven his carriage back.
Master He also selected a good horse, stroking its face with anticipation.
There aren't many places on Qingyun Mountain where you can ride a horse, so it must have been a long time since Master He has ridden a horse.
Master He envied the old man, who at his age could still roam the martial world freely; with Master He around, the old man probably wouldn't be so bored. It was a reunion of old friends after many years, and the old man certainly never imagined that her trip to Qingyun Manor would lead him back to Bazhenlou.
But the old man will surely be pleasantly surprised to see Master He.
She suddenly found herself a little late in anticipating the old man's expression!
All good things must come to an end. The old master may not stay at Bazhenlou for long, and so will Lu Wenqu, who left before. There will always be old people leaving and new people arriving at Bazhenlou, but a journey together is enough.
*
On the official road, Lu Wenqu spurred his horse onward, following the scent of the incense as it had not yet completely dissipated.
More than Ling Yun, he wanted to know who had been lurking in Qingyun Manor for so long.
The location of the free-range chickens was special, and it was right under the old man's nose, so it wouldn't be easily discovered or found. If it were just ordinary stuff buried under that spot, no one would take such a big risk.
The poison used by this person came from the Tianxiang Sect and was a forbidden drug. It could kill people silently, and no one except a disciple of the sect would be able to detect it.
The other party didn't want to attract more attention, so they only targeted the chicken; but if the old man suddenly realizes this one day, he will definitely investigate the matter from among the missing disciples or the people of the manor...
Whether it was because of the Tianxiang Sect or because of the old man, he wanted to find out the truth about this matter first.
The pavilion is located by the river, so the weather is very changeable. One moment it's sunny, and the next it's covered with dark clouds. Luckily, I was wearing a raincoat and cloak, so I wasn't afraid of the wind and rain.
More than ten years ago, on a similar day when the sun turned to clouds, he took Lingyun to seek refuge with his great-uncle, but every place they went, they were told that his great-uncle was not there. They traveled to many places, and Lingyun, who was only four or five years old and didn't understand much, only knew to follow him.
He was only six or seven years old at the time and had no idea how to find his great-uncle...
There were too many people that day, and it was raining, which separated him and Lingyun. Lingyun was still very young then, and he searched everywhere for Lingyun but couldn't find him.
Later, I heard that the torrential rain had washed away the streets to the south, and many begging children were taking shelter there when they were crushed to death by the collapsing walls.
He arrived at that place in a daze, saw the bracelet that Ling Yun always carried, and burst into tears.
He didn't know where his great-uncle was, and Lingyun was gone. Later, he met his master, who took him in. He was his master's only disciple and the only successor of the Tianxiang Sect. His master renamed him Lu Wenqu. And so, more than ten years passed in the blink of an eye.
When Huai Ti met Ling Yun, he felt a sense of familiarity with him and inexplicably wanted to get closer to him.
It wasn't until we were grilling fish that I noticed the birthmark on his arm.
He looked incredulous, and his heart remained unsettled for a long time.
Ling Yun lingered in Huai Ti's arms for a long time, staying with him the whole time. He said to him, "Brother Wenqu, I feel like we've known each other for ages."
He smiled but didn't say anything, mostly just listening.
Lingyun told him that when they were children, his older brother had taken him on a journey of escape, searching for news of the old man. His brother, being clever, eventually found the old man at Qingyun Manor after many twists and turns. He and his brother depended on each other for survival, but his brother had also lost him once when they were children. It was pouring rain, the city wall had collapsed, and he had been ill for a long time. When he woke up, he was still groggy, and his brother had carried him on his back ever since…
It took him a long time to piece together the missed time.
He got separated from Lingyun. The city wall collapsed during a rainstorm. It was He Huai'an, who probably didn't originally have the surname He. In any case, He Huai'an, who was also an orphan, saved Lingyun.
At that time, Ling Yun was young and had a high fever, which made him delirious. He Huai'an took his place and became Ling Yun's older brother.
He Huai'an was also alone, and originally had no purpose in life, but he met He Lingyun. He Lingyun often asked, "Brother, how do we find our great-uncle?" That must have become He Huai'an's hope at that time.
So He Huai'an told him, "Let's go, let's continue looking for our great-uncle..."
He Huai'an did not tell anyone about this, because it was a chaotic time, with disasters everywhere and people suffering. To He Huai'an, He Lingyun's brother might have died long ago.
But He Huai'an was a very clever man. He asked around and inquired about the things his grandfather left behind. With his intelligence, he guessed that the old man was the former master of Qingyun Manor. He took Lingyun to Qingyun Manor, and that's how things happened...
He was grateful to He Huai'an; without him, Ling Yun would have died long ago in that rainstorm and collapse.
For He Huai'an, Qingyun Manor was also the best place to settle down.
As long as he doesn't speak, everything will be perfect. Neither the old man, Master Huo, nor anyone from Qingyun Manor has ever mistreated He Huai'an and Ling Yun.
The moment he saw the old man, he was moved to tears.
The old man was his grandfather's brother; they looked very alike. He remembered his grandfather, and he remembered his grandfather's dying wish for them to seek refuge with their great-uncle. He searched, and despite the twists and turns, he and Lingyun found him…
The past six months at Qingyun Manor made up for many of his regrets, and he spent a lot of time with Lingyun.
Watching him grow up little by little, and watching him gradually return from the wrong path.
The old man gave him the Qingyun Sword, and Master Huo was also using reverse psychology to teach him. So the rest of the work was left to him to do on behalf of the old man and Lingyun...
[Author's Note]
Lu Wenqu was actually the first partner of Bazhenlou.
————————
There are weekend red envelopes in this chapter! The first 100 will receive them, all distributed together Monday noon. [cheering emojis]
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