Chapter 116
Meng Jing hurried along the deserted street.
A biting wind blew, and there was no one in sight, nor any bright lamps. Only the gentle moonlight fell, tenderly illuminating the path ahead.
An unbearable, throbbing pain gripped his chest. He had lost count of how long he had walked down this quiet street; tonight seemed exceptionally long, so long that even as Meng Jing struggled to hold on for a long time, it felt like there was no end in sight.
Jiuxian Hall... Where is Jiuxian Hall?
Meng Jing recalled that on the day she first arrived in Weicheng, Yin Qiu had pointed out a general direction to her along the way. However, since moving into that house in the west of the city, she had not even left the house. In addition, with no one to ask for directions at this late hour, how long would it take to find Jiuxiantang aimlessly?
The pain intensified, and his breathing became increasingly labored. Meng Jing had no choice but to stop, leaning against the wall and panting heavily.
Her heart condition had already relapsed tonight, and the fact that Yin Qiu had sneaked out only made her more worried and anxious. As a result, the colic was more intense than usual. She could run a few steps when she first went out, but she soon became breathless and had difficulty walking.
If only she could find Jiuxiantang soon, that would be good. What she feared was that she wouldn't be able to find it in a short time. What she feared even more was that she would find the place with great difficulty, only to have Manjiangxue miss her and leave first.
Fortunately, she always carried some pills with her. Meng Jing swallowed a pill with trembling hands. Once the pain in her chest subsided slightly, she dragged her unsteady steps forward again.
Suddenly, the bright moonlight seemed to be obscured by clouds, and it dimmed abruptly.
A chill suddenly ran down Meng Jing's back. He paused, his face covered in sweat, and looked up to see a masked man in black holding a long sword standing on the wooden archway above him.
It turned out that the moonlight wasn't dim; the man in black was blocking it.
The two, one tall and one short, met each other's gaze.
Meng Jing was slightly taken aback. She briefly met the man's gaze, then slowly hid her trembling hands in her sleeve. A sense of unease crept into her heart, but she maintained a calm demeanor. After averting her gaze, she acted as if nothing had happened and walked past the archway on her own.
Soon, the sound of something rubbing against something behind them could be heard.
Without even turning around, Meng Jing knew it was the sound of swords being drawn. Her expression changed, her heart raced, and an even more intense pain spread through her. But she remained calm, neither speeding up her run nor stopping, and simply continued walking as if nothing had happened.
“If you wish to inform Man Jiangxue,” the man in black stood on the wooden railing, looking down at Meng Jing, “then I will have no choice but to see you off.”
After saying this, he leaped down towards the people below, his long sword pointing directly at Meng Jing's back.
Sensing the menacing killing intent, Meng Jing's eyes turned cold. He gritted his teeth, threw himself to the ground, and rolled away to avoid it.
Sure enough, someone was secretly watching Yin Qiu!
Seeing Meng Jing's slow movements and pale face, the man in black chuckled, "Don't make a futile struggle. You're just a medical disciple who has never learned martial arts. You can't escape."
That dodge had almost exhausted all his strength. Meng Jing clutched his chest and leaned against the wall. In this perilous moment, his calm facade crumbled, and fear was revealed in his eyes.
"You know me?" But in an instant, Meng Jing calmed down and looked at the man in black in front of him.
The man in black pressed the tip of his sword against Meng Jing's chest, took a sip of wine from the wine gourd at his waist through his mask, and said with a smile, "I know him, of course I know him." He leisurely looked Meng Jing up and down and said, "When you first entered Yunhua Palace, you were a hot-tempered troublemaker. These past few years, after going to Wenxin Peak, you've become quite respectable."
Meng Jing suddenly raised his eyelashes and affirmed, "You are also a disciple of Yunhua!"
“Yes, you still have to call me senior brother,” the man in black chuckled softly, seemingly in a good mood. “Even though we don’t see each other often in the palace, you were notoriously mischievous in your younger days, it’s hard not to know about you, and besides…”
He paused deliberately at this point, his tone revealing undisguised pleasure: "You used to bully one of my junior sisters. To teach you a lesson for her, I would often secretly throw your clothes into the girls' quarters, you didn't know that, did you?"
Upon hearing this, Meng Jing looked surprised and asked hesitantly, "You...you are..."
“You guessed right,” the man in black snapped his fingers. “You’re about to die, so it won’t hurt to say a few more words to you. Junior brother, it’s all your fault for not sleeping properly in the middle of the night and insisting on getting up and walking around. Now that you’ve fallen into my hands, you won’t suffer. I’ll give you a quick death.”
"So you're a spy for the Ziwei Cult!" Meng Jing was instantly enraged, all his fear turning into flames of hatred.
However, the man in black shook his head and chuckled, saying, "You've guessed wrong. I have absolutely no connection with the Ziwei Sect."
As soon as he finished speaking, he thrust the longsword forward a few inches, and the sharp tip pierced Meng Jing's heart, from which a stream of warm blood flowed down.
"Oh, right, there's something else I need to tell you before I kill you," the man in black said mischievously, not completely piercing Meng Jing's body, but only piercing the flesh there with the tip of his sword. "Your poor parents, who were killed by falling rocks on Sangyu Mountain, were killed by me and my men. It has nothing to do with the Ziwei Sect. How about that? Surprised?"
Upon hearing what he said, Meng Jing felt as if he had been doused with a bucket of ice water, and his blood froze instantly.
Her lips moved slightly, her limbs trembled, and her face, illuminated by the moonlight, was deathly pale. Her wide eyes were filled with unconcealed shock and disbelief.
“Now it’s your turn,” the man in black said, his movements unusually slow as if he were deliberately torturing Meng Jing. “Haven’t you been unable to let go of the hatred in your heart? Then you might as well go and reunite with them.”
The sword tip was slowly pushed deeper into his flesh, and blood flowed out, quickly staining the fabric there. But Meng Jing remained motionless, as if he felt no pain. The expression in his eyes gradually darkened, and for a moment, he lost his usual brilliance.
Seeing her dejected and lost appearance, the man in black watched her with interest for a while, then took a few sips of wine before finally plunging his longsword into Meng Jing's heart.
Just as he exerted a little force on his wrist, he saw a strange shadow suddenly appear on the ground beside him, like a jar placed on two wooden frames, or like someone raising their arm and holding something.
He narrowed his eyes, about to turn his head to take a look, when he heard a loud "bang!" as a huge wine jar was smashed against the back of his head, instantly causing him to bleed profusely and his vision to go black.
Before he could react, another heavy wine jar slammed down on his head. At the same time, a thin, soft whip wrapped with wire wrapped around his neck, and a girl's voice rang viciously in his ear: "You beast, worse than a pig or a dog, die!"
·
Bai Ling poured the last bit of tea on the table for Man Jiangxue, walked to the door and looked into the courtyard for a moment, her face showing deep irritation and impatience.
The night wind blew the red plum blossoms in the courtyard so sadly that the fallen petals covered the ground.
The small building was brightly lit by candlelight, with faint piano music playing all around. There were no other people in the building, and no one else came for a long time.
"What time is it? Why hasn't Master Meng come to see us yet?" Bai Ling looked up at the moon and said angrily, "It's almost past the hour of Yin! If we wait a few more hours, it will be dawn. What on earth is the Nine Immortals Hall up to?"
A gentle breeze stirred the curtains, and soothing sandalwood incense burned on the low table beneath the window. Man Jiangxue sat upright before the table, her eyes lowered as she gazed at a white hairpin in her hand.
It was a very ordinary hairpin.
It was very old, with mottled rust all over the hairpin, and many of the pearl flowers had fallen off. At first glance, it looked yellowed and worn, as if it had been picked up from the street. In short, there was nothing special about it.
However long Man Jiangxue sat there, she stared at the hairpin for just as long.
She sat there quietly, her expression serene and silent, as if deep in thought or simply lost in meditation.
Bai Ling leaned against the door frame, glancing back at Man Jiangxue with mixed feelings. Recalling the events of the day, she felt even more angry.
During the day, the two stood by the stone bridge over the moat for a whole morning before slowly making their way to the Nine Immortals Hall. They were then invited to this small building by the welcoming disciples. After waiting for a while without seeing Meng Wugui, they were told that Meng Wugui was busy with official business today and would not be able to come for a while, and that they should wait.
Man Jiangxue had no objection and readily agreed. However, to Bai Ling's surprise, they waited for nearly two hours.
Bai Ling's patience was wearing thin, and she was filled with displeasure. She thought to herself that Meng Wugui was clearly doing this on purpose. Her martial uncle had only been delayed for a morning, and their Nine Immortals Hall hadn't explicitly stated when they would meet. What if her martial uncle came at night? Why was Meng Wugui being so petty as to leave her hanging?
As the sun set and dusk approached, Bai Ling finally couldn't hold back any longer and found a disciple of the Nine Immortals Hall to give him a good scolding. The disciple then immediately gave Man Jiangxue a white hairpin flower and said, "Just now, my hall master specifically instructed that seeing the flower is like seeing the person. If you see this flower, you will know the purpose of our hall master's invitation to you today. However, seeing the person is not an easy matter. It depends on whether you have enough sincerity."
Bai Ling was so angry she wanted to punch someone. She grabbed the Nine Immortals Hall disciple by the collar and said, "What a big shot! Your Nine Immortals Hall has quite a reputation, but you're so petty! Get this straight, it's not us who asked to see you, it's you who invited us! I've traveled the martial world and dealt with many sects, but I've never seen such hospitality! Enough nonsense! Go and invite your Hall Master Meng here, or we're leaving immediately! This is simply outrageous!"
She vented her anger in a fit of rage, leaving the disciple looking embarrassed, while Man Jiangxue calmly said, "Alright, please tell Hall Master Meng that I will wait patiently."
Bai Ling was puzzled when she heard this, but Man Jiangxue did not explain anything to her. She just told her to be patient and continued to wait.
Up until this moment.
The melodious zither music played all night long. No one knew where the zither player was. When Bai Ling first arrived, she found it pleasant to listen to, but now she became more and more irritable. She was restless and felt an uncontrollable restlessness in her heart. She also couldn't understand why Man Jiangxue was willing to wait for so long.
Bai Ling pondered for a moment, and was about to suggest that Man Jiangxue return home when a disciple of the Nine Immortals Hall hurriedly walked through the courtyard, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "You two honored guests have been waiting for a long time. My hall master invites you to the waterside pavilion for a chat."
Bai Ling immediately rolled her eyes: "Finally, someone has arrived! I thought everyone from your Nine Immortals Hall was dead. Don't you know anything about hospitality?"
The disciple of the Nine Immortals Hall looked embarrassed and said with an awkward smile, "This... I was just following the instructions of the Hall Master. I apologize for neglecting you two distinguished guests."
"Anyone would mind!" Bai Ling was furious and wanted to give this person another good scolding. However, seeing that Man Jiangxue had already gotten up and walked out of the courtyard, seemingly not caring at all, she couldn't go past Man Jiangxue and do anything, so she could only shut her mouth and follow.
After leaving the courtyard, the three of them strolled around the secluded garden. Before long, a long corridor appeared ahead, at the end of which stood a pavilion on the water, surrounded by water on all sides, with gauze curtains fluttering. Inside, two indistinct figures sat. As soon as the three of them approached, the lingering zither music stopped. The next moment, a young and beautiful zither player came with her zither and curtsied to Man Jiangxue.
"My master has been waiting for you for a long time. Please come in, esteemed guest."
Hearing her say "We've been waiting for you for a long time," Bai Ling rolled her eyes so hard they almost reached the sky. Just as she was about to follow Man Jiangxue into the corridor, the zither player reached out and stopped her.
"I'm sorry, my master said that he will only receive your Uncle Yunhua," Qin Niang said apologetically with a smile. "This way, please. Tea and food have been prepared in the guest room. Please follow me down to rest for a while."
Considering that it was indeed inappropriate for her to accompany the two important figures during their conversation, Bai Ling snorted coldly and followed them without hesitation.
Without the faint sound of the zither, the garden became exceptionally quiet, and the evening breeze carried the fragrance of plum blossoms. Man Jiangxue, holding a flower hairpin, walked along the long corridor, and amidst the fluttering gauze curtains of the pavilions, she caught sight of a graceful figure in purple.
There were no lanterns in the pavilion, only colorful river lanterns floating on the surrounding lake. The lights flickered, making the waterside pavilion seem both ethereal and desolate. Hearing the noise, the person inside the pavilion turned around, revealing a face covered with a white veil. Manjiangxue stopped at the end of the long corridor. The two looked at each other through the gap in the curtain at the same time, their eyes revealing a scrutinizing look.
"You've come." Meng Wugui's lips curved into a smile hidden beneath her veil, but her eyes, shimmering with the glow of the river lanterns, remained devoid of any emotion.
Man Jiangxue's white dress billowed gracefully in the evening breeze. She held the hairpin to her chest, and without exchanging pleasantries with Meng Wugui, she asked directly, "Where is she?"
"Who?" Meng Wugui looked at Man Jiangxue's remarkably calm face in the dim light and said in a low voice, "Who are you looking for?"
Man Jiangxue said, "Shen Mandong."
Meng Wugui chuckled softly, his eyes cold and indifferent: "Shen Mandong? She doesn't want to see you."
Man Jiangxue said, "I want to see her."
Meng Wugui asked, "What are you going to do with her?"
Man Jiangxue said, "It's none of your business. I'm only asking where she is."
“She’s dead,” Meng Wugui said, scrutinizing Man Jiangxue with eyes that seemed to be fixed on prey. “She died more than ten years ago, didn’t you know?”
Before Man Jiangxue could reply, she continued, "Seventeen years ago, you used the excuse of going south to leave her alone in danger. You indirectly caused her death. You were an accomplice in the Ruyi Gate Incident and also an accomplice in the Ziwei Sect. How can you face her?"
Man Jiangxue didn't care about her sarcastic and blaming words; she had heard similar things countless times over the years.
Man Jiangxue said, "You really are a former member of the Ruyi Sect."
Meng Wugui chuckled, "I am, but so what?" She lifted the gauze curtain and took a few steps toward Man Jiangxue. "You dare to come alone? Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?"
Man Jiangxue looked at her calmly: "If you want revenge, the person you should kill most is not me."
“Nangong Min can’t escape,” Meng Wugui said, “but I hate you more than her, so you have to die first.”
Man Jiangxue remained silent.
“You’ve waited this long for this hairpin,” Meng Wugui said, walking to the railing and gazing at the ripples on the water. “It’s clear you still remember this.”
Man Jiangxue glanced at the hairpin.
Of course she remembers.
This was the birthday gift she gave to Shen Mandong on her last birthday.
“She liked it very much and never took it off after wearing it,” Meng Wugui said softly as a few water droplets fell from the corner of the pavilion. He opened his palm to catch them. “Your Yunhua Palace only respects the capable. The more skilled a person is in martial arts, the more qualified they are to sit in the position of sect leader. But Ruyi Sect is different. Ruyi Sect was founded by the ancestor of the Shen family and is passed down only within the family. Mandong is an only daughter and has been raised as the successor since childhood. She lives a life of luxury and has been the center of attention since birth. There are countless jewels and ornaments in her room, but she only likes this hairpin that you gave her. I asked her why, and she said that you made it by hand. She said that you never make anything by hand for anyone, and you only gave her one.”
Meng Wugui turned his head slightly, his gaze, which was a little cool, fell on Man Jiangxue: "So she feels that she is a special existence to you."
Man Jiangxue met her gaze, but still remained silent.
The hairpin was indeed made by her own hands, but it wasn't something she did voluntarily.
That year, Shen Mandong pestered her for a long time, saying that she didn't want anything that money could buy, but wanted a gift that was very meaningful. She drew out the design of the hairpin and told Man Jiangxue that she wanted a hair accessory that she could wear at any time. Man Jiangxue was so pestered that she had no choice but to find other senior sisters who were good at needlework and learn from them for many days. Finally, she made the item and gave it to Shen Mandong on her birthday.
She still remembers Shen Mandong's smiling face that day, and she also remembers Shen Mandong kissing her on the cheek, hugging her and saying, "Good junior sister, you are so obedient. I have taught so many junior brothers and sisters, but you are the best to me. I really like you!"
·
"She really likes you."
Meng Wugui lowered her voice, seemingly unconcerned by Man Jiangxue's silence. She continued to mutter to herself, "She even chose to confess her feelings to you on the eve of her wedding. If you were willing to accept her, she would give up Ruyi Gate and Yunhua Palace for you and go wherever you wanted. But you rejected her. You made her marry another man, and at the same time, you blamed her for not choosing a suitable man. You were utterly heartless towards her, treating her with coldness and indifference. You didn't attend her wedding, nor did you visit her during childbirth. You broke your promise back then, leaving her alone in the sea of fire on Liucang Mountain."
At this point, her voice suddenly rose, and she stared intently at Man Jiangxue, saying, "You are the beginning of all evil, the instigator of all tragedy. You made her marry Yin Xuan, and you caused the bloodshed at Ruyi Gate!"
With a "plop," fish from somewhere were startled, creating huge splashes on the surface of the water. Several river lanterns went out in the splash, and the light in Meng Wugui's eyes dimmed as well.
The dim light cast flickering light in their eyes. Man Jiangxue's long silence finally ended the moment Meng Wugui finished speaking. She looked directly at Meng Wugui and said, "So you called me here just to list my crimes?"
Meng Wugui straightened up, the imposing aura she had just exuded instantly vanishing. She regained her usual composure and smiled enigmatically, "Yes, and not entirely."
“You were able to get Zhu Bing and this hairpin, which means you saw her at least one last time,” Man Jiangxue said. “I want to see her alive or dead. You can ask me for revenge, but I must see her with my own eyes tonight.”
Meng Wugui lowered her eyelashes, then raised them again after a moment. She looked at Man Jiangxue and said, "Do you dare to see her?"
Man Jiangxue said, "I dare."
"Then why not do it yourself?" Meng Wugui said, moving closer to Man Jiangxue.
Upon hearing this, Man Jiangxue's eyes flickered.
“Take off the veil,” Meng Wugui leaned closer to her, his tone revealing a blatant seduction and allure, “Look at this face before you, is it still the same as you remember it?”
Man Jiangxue's expression faltered slightly, her eyes filled with undisguised surprise: "You..."
"What are you hesitating for?" Meng Wugui chuckled softly. "Didn't you say you dared?"
At such close range, Man Jiangxue took a serious look at Meng Wugui for the first time. The lower half of her face was completely covered by a veil, but her eyes and brows, which were exposed, were as bright as stars. The smile in her eyes had lost its previous coldness and become bright and charming. For a moment, it seemed to overlap with the eyes she had seen before.
Man Jiangxue's expression changed several times, but her lips remained silent for a long time.
Meng Wugui looked at her with satisfaction, his tone playful: "In the end, you don't dare. You don't dare to face me."
Upon hearing her words, which could be considered a complete admission of who she was, Man Jiangxue seemed to be greatly shocked. Her usually calm and composed demeanor collapsed instantly, revealing an extremely rare look of bewilderment and astonishment.
She raised her arm slightly, then quickly pulled it back. She couldn't speak, and could only subconsciously repeat the action of raising and lowering her hand, as if she was hesitant to remove the veil.
She had never been so flustered before.
Meng Wugui took in all of Man Jiangxue's reactions. She observed Man Jiangxue's every move before slowly saying, "Are you willing to give me your life?"
Man Jiangxue looked stunned.
“Or I can spare your life,” Meng Wugui said. “I can forgive you, but you have to do something for me.”
"What is it...?" Man Jiangxue's voice had become hoarse when she spoke again.
“Help me rebuild Ruyi Sect,” Meng Wugui said. “I will kill Nangong Min and destroy the Ziwei Sect.”
Man Jiangxue stared at her blankly: "Okay..."
"Furthermore, I want Yunhua Palace," Meng Wugui continued. "After you leave Weicheng, go back and kill Xie Yijun and those disciples and followers who are skilled in both literature and martial arts. I want the rebuilt Ruyi Sect to dominate the martial arts world. I need you to remove all obstacles in my way. Are you willing?"
"I..." Man Jiangxue hesitated, lowering her eyes, and said, "I do..."
Meng Wugui stared at her: "Really?"
Man Jiangxue looked pained and replied, "I... I promise you everything."
The river lanterns gathered together on the rippling lake, their colorful yet dim lights highlighting Man Jiangxue's pained face. Her hands hung limply at her sides, and her body beneath her snow-white dress seemed frail at that moment. Her brows were furrowed, her eyes closed, and her face showed unbearable pain.
She dared not look at Meng Wugui; she even breathed so softly and cautiously.
To see this usually indifferent, or rather somewhat aloof person display such an expression, Meng Wugui felt an unparalleled sense of satisfaction in that moment.
She stared directly at Man Jiangxue, as if admiring her current appearance. After a long while, she turned around, facing the now calm lake, and said, "Then this time, don't disappoint me again."
Man Jiangxue's footsteps sounded behind her, and she seemed to have moved to Meng Wugui's side.
"Don't worry, I'll do whatever you say," she said.
A seemingly ordinary sentence suddenly took on a strange meaning for Meng Wugui. She secretly rolled her eyes, trying to see Man Jiangxue's expression, but what she saw was a long sword gleaming with a cold light.
Meng Wugui narrowed her eyes and immediately moved to retreat, but Man Jiangxue was faster. The sharp tip of her sword pierced the thin veil, and when Meng Wugui stood still, her true face, which had never been revealed before, was clearly shown.
A stray lock of hair drifted down from her cheek and fell to the ground along with the veil.
The pretense was ruthlessly torn apart, and even the darkness of night could not conceal the illusion. Those seemingly sincere conversations just moments before instantly turned into a back-and-forth confrontation.
Looking at that familiar face, Man Jiangxue held Ning Shuang tightly. The pain and regret she had just shown were gone. She had become the calm and composed Man Jiangxue again, and her voice was no longer hoarse.
“I recognize you,” Man Jiangxue said, a slight sneer playing on her lips. “You and my senior sister have always looked somewhat alike.”
"Is that so?" Meng Wugui showed no sign of panic; she was even smiling. "I thought I could fool you with these slight resemblances, but it seems I wasted my time."
“Senior sister won’t hate me,” Man Jiangxue said. “You gave yourself away from the very beginning.”
“Perhaps I deliberately revealed this flaw,” Meng Wugui said. “You can guess why.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Man Jiangxue flashed in front of her in the blink of an eye. Meng Wugui was kicked to the ground, and when she looked up, Ning Shuang's thin blade was already across her neck. Man Jiangxue said in a normal tone, "You can hide your identity for more than ten years, but tonight you suddenly take the initiative to reveal your identity to me. You are not such an impulsive person. What do you want to do by dragging me to this point?"
Meng Wugui looked back at her fearlessly and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Because the time is ripe, there are some things that you should know that no longer need to be hidden, and some plays that should be put on the stage should be staged one by one. Man Jiangxue, you should be mentally prepared."
Man Jiangxue snorted coldly, immediately sheathed her sword and left.
“But what I said before was true,” Meng Wugui stood up and looked at Man Jiangxue’s back. “I want to rebuild Ruyi Gate, and I need your help.”
Man Jiangxue paused, turned around and said, "If you only want to destroy the Ziwei Sect, I can help you with all my might, but if you also want to deal with the Yunhua Palace, then there is absolutely no way."
"Don't speak too soon," Meng Wugui said. "One day you will understand that there are no absolutes in this world. I am determined to take Yunhua Palace, and you can't stop me even if you don't want to help."
“Then you can try,” Man Jiangxue said, “and see if I will kill you.”
Meng Wugui laughed loudly: "I am the last bloodline of the Shen family. If you want to kill me, you'd better think about how you'll face Xiao Qiu afterwards."
“Then you’d better pray that Xiao Qiu doesn’t get into trouble right now,” Man Jiangxue said coldly. “If anything happens to her, no matter who you are, I will take your life.”
“Of course she will be fine,” Meng Wugui said, his hands behind his back, his smile growing even wider. “I’m helping her. As for you, you couldn’t protect Mandong back then, and if you can’t protect Xiaoqiu now, then you have no right to talk to me like this.”
After saying that, she walked slowly to Man Jiangxue and said, word by word, "After all, I am her real family, aren't I?"
A note from the author: Friends, I'm tired of writing with all my heart, haha.
These chapters focus on developing the plot. Because there are so many characters, each with their own storyline, I used this method of switching perspectives instead of just writing from Yin Qiu's point of view. Of course, I couldn't have written it from Yin Qiu's perspective indefinitely anyway (due to my own limitations).
I hope you won't find it abrupt.
The next chapter will focus on Qiuqiu's situation. You can guess in advance whether Teacher Wen will turn the tide this time or get beaten up again.
And who is the girl who saved Meng Jing in this chapter?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
