Chapter 866 Midnight Ambush
"There's such a rule?"
After Song Zhian finished speaking regretfully, Sha Ergou, who was still a little sleepy, immediately became anxious.
I doubt he would be so worried and concerned about his own personal matters.
"Is second place not good enough? It's only one place away, just three or four breaths. Why can't it be good enough? This is too unreasonable."
Ouyang Rong's felt hat covered his eyebrows and eyes, and his gaze under the hat was somewhat calm. However, to outsiders, his face was mostly expressionless, silent and honest, and it was impossible to see anything unusual about him.
“It is very strict. These are the rules of Jianze, and there are no exceptions.”
Song Zhian composed herself, lowered her eyes slightly, and shook her head with a sigh:
"Just like here, in Peach Valley, those who reach the Hundred Breaths level can be directly accepted as disciples by the Queen."
Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned, and their eyes involuntarily turned to Song Zhian, who was on the verge of death.
The young woman from Jiannan Road had a calm expression.
He was just one breath away from being personally accepted as a disciple by the Queen.
Although the Sword Goddesses have different personalities and varying strengths, as the hidden goddesses of the Goddess Palace, they represent the most orthodox and direct lineage of the Goddess Palace.
Becoming her disciple means that the probability of entering the noble and mysterious Queen's Palace and obtaining a title will become extremely high.
Of course, the standards for accepting disciples are extremely strict. The difficulty of walking out of Peach Valley in a hundred breaths is something we have witnessed today.
Originally, the boys and girls sent from Peach Blossom Town were all carefully selected, but only two of them could achieve the goal of staying within a hundred breaths.
With such exceptional talent and the ability to closely follow the Queen and receive her guidance, it was naturally easier for her to enter the Queen's Palace than for ordinary Yue maidens from other halls.
Therefore, among the newly arrived girls, those who were more precocious and easier to manage were secretly vying for this opportunity to become the Queen's apprentices. In the future, they would be the chosen ones in the Sword Swamp, naturally superior to others.
Song Zhian was well aware of this matter; the fact that she had inquired so much about it meant she cared a lot about it.
However, she hasn't brought it up since their meeting in the evening. If it weren't for Miss Yu and Lu Jinghong asking, it would probably have just passed by like that.
Just like Ouyang Rong's silence.
However, Ouyang Rong was an exception. He genuinely didn't care. From the moment he entered Yunmeng Sword Marsh, he never thought about joining the Bamboo Hall or becoming an apprentice.
He was prepared to come in and "ring the bell," or perhaps do some other inconspicuous, insignificant job. Ouyang Rong just wanted to quietly be A Qing's ordinary older brother, infiltrate the Sword Swamp, find the embroiderer, and try to obtain a certain sword manual. He wanted to avoid being exposed too early and causing trouble for the "Yue Nu's den."
However, it's unclear what Miss Zhi Shuang has been busy with lately; it seems she's forgotten about her "brother A Qing"...
The atmosphere in the courtyard was somewhat quiet, and everyone looked at Song Zhian with complicated expressions.
Ouyang Rong slightly raised the brim of his hat and glanced at the poised and elegant Song Zhian.
Lady Yu played the role of a comforting expert:
"Sister Song, don't be discouraged. There are still two more challenges ahead, one for cultivating Qi and the other for developing mental fortitude. Brother Liu, you too, keep up the good work for the last two challenges. I think Sister Song and Brother Liu are both extraordinary and capable people. They will definitely do well in the last two challenges and may easily take first place."
Before Ouyang Rong could wave his hand, Song Zhian spoke first.
The beautiful woman shook her head and sighed softly:
"It's going to be tough. I'm not talking about Brother Liu, but all of us Yue women need to get first place in the last two rounds to be accepted as disciples by the Queen. But we've seen what's happening in the first round. That tattooed girl's talent is terrifying. According to my senior sisters, based on past experience, such a prodigy would crush everyone else and wouldn't give anyone a chance."
Song Zhian paused, glanced outside the courtyard, and whispered;
"Moreover, according to rumors, this tattooed girl seems to have some connection with the Great Queen. It is said that she was brought back to Sword Swamp by the Great Queen. In other words, she has already been chosen. Her participation in this assessment is just a formality by the Great Queen in accordance with Sword Swamp tradition. In fact, the outcome has already been decided."
Lu Jinghong's eyes widened in surprise:
"Predetermined by the First Queen? She can be accepted as a disciple by the First Queen?"
Song Zhian gave a wry smile:
"Yes, but it's just a rumor, it can't be confirmed yet."
Yu Xiaoniangzi muttered:
"She was favored by the First Queen? It would have been better if she had gotten in through connections. Now, she's just taking up a spot in our batch. It's a pity for Sister Song."
Ouyang Rong suddenly asked, "Is she on the next island?"
Song Zhian nodded, a hint of envy in her eyes:
"That should be true. Although I've heard that the Great Queen has a bad temper, she is still very disciplined. No one can be brought into the depths of the Sword Swamp without passing the Yue Maiden test."
At this moment, Lu Jinghong took the initiative to ask:
"I heard that after these three trials, if one is selected, there will be a special test before entering the sect. Miss Song is well-informed, do you know what it is? Why didn't Senior Sister Yuan tell you about it?"
Song Zhian frowned slightly, as if pondering for a moment, before speaking:
"Actually, I've noticed it too, but nobody around me knows. When Senior Sister Yuan mentioned it, someone asked. Senior Sister Yuan just said that the assessment is very special. It requires a rare talent that is one in ten thousand, even rarer than the sword talent that one hundred breaths after leaving Peach Valley. It is something that can only be obtained by fate and cannot be sought by oneself."
"Moreover, Senior Sister Yuan also said that the test was the only opportunity to enter the Queen's Palace in a capacity other than that of the Queen.
"However, it's just a formality. Over the years, no one has ever been able to pass it. Setting it up is just a matter of luck..."
The group looked at each other, somewhat confused.
Sha Ergou seemed to remember something, and grinned at Ouyang Rong:
"By the way, Brother Liu, when are you going to eat those green peaches?"
"Green... peach?"
Song Zhian and Yu Xiaoniangzi cast curious glances at Ouyang Rong.
Sha Ergou recounted the story of the monkey giving him peaches during the day, which drew sidelong glances from the two women.
Without any hesitation, Miss Yu stretched out her small hand and said earnestly:
"Brother Liu, Tao Lai! Let me help you wash up."
Ouyang Rong shook his head.
Lu Jinghong glanced at Yu Xiaoniangzi and interjected:
"Stop calculating. I offered a large sum of money this afternoon to buy it, but Brother Liu wouldn't give it to me. He's keeping these Qingyan Late Peaches for himself without eating them. I wonder what he's going to do with them, or who he's saving them for. Could it be for a young lady he likes?"
Song Zhian looked over.
Ouyang Rong pursed his lips and still spoke frankly:
"It's not good for me to eat it, I want to give it to my sister."
"Sister?"
"You have a younger sister?"
Song Zhian, Lu Jinghong, and the others all looked somewhat surprised.
Sha Ergou bumped Ouyang Rong's shoulder with his fist:
“I understand Brother Liu. I also have an older sister. Although we used to fight a lot when we were kids, she still cares about me now that we're older. She's always worried that I'll be hungry or cold, and she always brings me delicious food when she comes back…”
Lady Yu, with a greedy mouth, said:
"Brother Liu's cooking skills are also excellent, and he even knows to save peaches. It's such a blessing to be Brother Liu's sister."
Song Zhian then offered her routine inquiry:
"Is your sister married? Brother Liu, do your family know you're here? They probably didn't tell you. Are your sister worried about you?"
She shook her head gently again:
“Actually, these past two days, I’ve always felt that Brother Liu is like an outsider, detached from everything. He doesn’t seem to react much to things that interest us, and he doesn’t seem very enthusiastic about these three tests… I heard from Young Master Lu that Brother Liu went into Jianze with him and Madam Li that day, so does Brother Liu want to go home?”
Ouyang Rong thought for a moment, then became unusually talkative:
"This place is actually not bad, and I don't regret coming here. But please forgive me for not having high ambitions. If I can do some simple work without having to go through the trouble of cultivating and learning swordsmanship, that would be just fine."
Upon hearing this, Lu Jinghong maintained a calm expression and nodded along with the others, but in his heart, he silently lowered his opinion of a certain person by one level.
They assumed that someone still didn't understand the meaning of the four characters "Yunmeng Jianze," and was even more hopeless than Sha Ergou, who was both confused and cunning.
Lu Jinghong suddenly realized that her mother was right when she said that a person's background is indeed very important because it affects their perspective from the very beginning.
Those born into poverty lose not only because they lack support and resources, but also because they are short-sighted and fail to seize fleeting opportunities. They must understand that failing to seize a gift from heaven will only bring misfortune.
Lu Jinghong shook his head secretly.
However, the thought that even such a muddle-headed country bumpkin could get out of that peach valley faster than him made him realize that he was wrong.
Lu Jinghong suddenly felt somewhat bored again.
Upon hearing this, Song Zhian was somewhat speechless. However, compared to the eccentric young master Lu, she was well-mannered, resilient, and straightforward, and never looked down on rough country bumpkins like Brother Liu and Brother Sha.
She immediately offered her advice, speaking sincerely:
“Brother Liu, you are mistaken. Being able to enter the Bamboo Hall of Jianze is definitely better than going back to be a servant. I don’t know how to explain it, but since you’re already here, why don’t you be a little more patient and wait until you get through the next two hurdles? Because no matter what the outcome is, at least you won’t regret it later.”
"Uh-huh."
Ouyang Rong responded.
Song Zhian glanced at the inky black sky after nightfall, then stood up and began to see the guests off:
"Alright, it's getting late, Brother Liu. Leave the kitchen to me and Sister Yu. You two should go back and rest early."
The beauty's gaze fell on Sha Ergou again:
"Brother Sha, you should also go to bed early tonight and not stay up all night."
Sha Ergou was simple and honest, and he never dared to look directly at the beautiful Song Zhian.
Being stared at by a pretty young woman would make him blush instinctively and feel flustered, but luckily he had thick skin and dark skin, which provided some cover-up.
"Alright, Miss Song."
Song Zhian turned to look at Lu Jinghong.
The latter raised his head slightly, laughed heartily, and made a fist salute while holding his sword:
"Miss Song, there's no need for further explanation. I understand."
"Actually, I still have a competitive spirit. You and Brother Liu were so outstanding today, I can't fall too far behind. I will do my best in the next two rounds, I'm not kidding."
Sha Ergou also stood tall and proud:
"Me too!"
Lu Jinghong glanced at him with some displeasure.
Upon hearing this, Song Zhian smiled sweetly:
"good."
His smiling face drew sidelong glances from Lu Jinghong and Sha Ergou.
Song Zhian added another sentence:
"Young Master Lu, it would be best to bandage the wound."
Lu Jinghong was immediately embarrassed and stood there awkwardly.
This young woman from Sichuan looked around, displaying a rather assertive and domineering air about her, and said bluntly:
"Then the five of us, though from all corners of the country, are fortunate to have met. Let's all strive to enter Jianze, establish ourselves, and then look after each other. That way, we won't feel so lonely in this unfamiliar place."
"good."
Ouyang Rong and the other two responded, then got up and left the bamboo courtyard.
They each returned to their own courtyards.
Back at his lodgings, Sha Ergou, with remarkable self-discipline, went to the well, took a shower, and returned to his room shirtless, not forgetting to wave in Ouyang Rong's direction:
"Brother Liu, I'm going to sleep now. I'll wake you up tomorrow morning! You can sleep a little longer."
The short-haired young man was very ambitious. He walked back to his room under Ouyang Rong's watchful gaze.
Just as the door closed, only seven breaths later, snoring could be heard drifting out from the crack in the door.
Ouyang Rong shook his head:
"Sure enough, a woman's words carry more weight. As for what my elder brother says, it's like water off a duck's back."
Ouyang Rong chuckled, turned around and went to the courtyard to fetch water, where he quickly washed up.
He soon returned to his room, the oil lamp by the window was blown out, plunging the room into darkness, and the young man lay down on the bed fully clothed.
Ouyang Rong silently took the Qingyan Late Peach from his bosom, smelled it, and then stuffed it into the Peach Blossom Spring painting.
Ouyang Rong lay down again, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.
About half an hour later, a small inkstick slipped out of his arms.
The little inkstone grew a pair of short legs, moved to the pillow, and stretched out its little hands to pull out the scroll that was being pressed down below.
In the next instant, she was firmly held down by a large hand and slammed onto the chopping board like a salted fish.
In the darkness, Ouyang Rong opened his eyes, his clear gaze fixed on the little ink spirit who was trying to put on a smile.
"Little Rongzi is so kind. She even knows to save peaches for me. It's no wonder I love you so much."
"Sleeping is for Aqing, to celebrate for her."
"But this fairy is hungry..."
"You won't be hungry when you're asleep."
"?"
Before she could finish her protest, someone anticipated her words and interrupted her.
Ouyang Rong stuffed the ingenious idea, reminiscent of Sichuan opera face-changing, back into his arms.
I put the Peach Blossom Spring picture back under my pillow, and pressed my head against it, making it even tighter.
As dawn broke.
Suddenly, there was a strange noise coming from under the pillow!
In the darkness, Ouyang Rong suddenly opened his eyes and, like a spring, nimbly flipped in the air.
His palm immediately pressed onto the Peach Blossom Spring painting.
Pulling back the pillow, one could see the bronze scroll trembling precariously, as if something was about to break free of its cocoon and could no longer be contained.
In that instant, Ouyang Rong's eyes, which had adapted to the darkness, were suddenly pierced by a sharp pain.
From the gaps in the scroll he was tightly gripping, a familiar, snow-white sword aura was gushing out wildly.
It was a formation never seen before.
Like the Yellow River flowing down from the sky, or the Milky Way hanging upside down from the heavens, it will never return until the scroll is broken!
"This is... a sneak attack?"
Ouyang Rong suddenly remembered the sword of Lady Zhi Shuang.
...
"Senior Sister, Sixth Sister is here."
Under the moon, on a lonely island, on a cliff, in a bamboo courtyard.
First, a clear bell rang out, followed by the gentle female voice that Lu Jinghong and Li Wan had heard that day.
The candle in the snow seemed to be half-asleep, and only spoke after a while, its voice somewhat ethereal:
Where are they?
"I told her to wait in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, just waiting for us to arrive..."
(End of this chapter)
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