Virtual room generates electricity
Wan Qiqing asked with surprising patience, "What rumor?"
Su Rouhua smiled and said, "That is to say, if the Grand Preceptor wanted to, there is no woman in the world that he could not win over."
A flash of pain crossed Wan Qiqing's eyes, and he said irritably, "Are you done talking? If you are, then you can start."
Su Rouhua looked at Wan Qiqing with a strange light in her eyes and smiled, "It seems that the rumor that the Imperial Preceptor is a man of deep affection and unwavering devotion is true."
Wan Qiqing finally lost his patience and said coldly, "If the clan leader continues to be so curious about my private affairs, don't blame me for not being able to cherish women."
No matter how Su Rouhua tried to appear weak and affectionate, Wan Qiqing remained unmoved and showed no interest in her whatsoever. Finally, a green light appeared in his eyes, and he said softly, "Very well, do as the Grand Preceptor wishes." She moved to the side, made a gesture of invitation, and said gently, "Grand Preceptor, please make your move. I will cover for you and block his escape route."
Even now, A-Qiu still couldn't figure out what Su Rouhua was up to, but she knew that anyone who trusted Su Rouhua would definitely suffer the consequences.
Wan Qiqing's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he stared at Su Rouhua without any politeness. He said in a low voice, "The position of the Great Qiang Queen, the place where a nation can live forever, does the clan leader think that you can obtain it by simply standing by and watching?"
No matter what, Su Rouhua could not make Wan Qiqing lower his guard against her. Knowing that she had finally encountered a formidable enemy, she smiled and said, "With the Grand Preceptor in front of us, how can I, a mere woman, presume to take the lead? However, since the Grand Preceptor does not mind, I would be happy to be your vanguard."
A Qiu knew that she must be saying this against her will. Someone as selfish and good at protecting herself as her would never want to be the one to stick her neck out in this delicate situation where it was hard to distinguish friend from foe.
However, under Wan Qiqing's shrewd and all-knowing pressure, she had no choice but to resort to any tricks.
Su Rouhua, with her back to Li Chongyu, said softly, "If the Marquis of Guannei is ordered to leave tonight, remember not to so easily refuse the proposal of a bad person in the future."
Li Chongyu had his sword drawn, poised to strike, his attention fully focused on waiting for her to make her move.
His martial arts skills were all taught by Su Rouhua, who could discern his true strength without even looking at him. But he never imagined in his life that he would one day face Su Rouhua in arms.
Upon hearing this, he felt extremely complicated, but he only smiled slightly and said, "Does the clan leader always have to crocodile tears before killing someone?"
Su Rouhua did not answer. A blinding beam of light, like a golden sun, shot out from the sleeve of her snow-white robe like lightning, heading straight for Li Chongyu.
Just as Li Chongyu was about to strike with a splitting motion, a slender, jade-like white hand suddenly swept past his eyes, its five fingers like eagle claws, striking the strangely shaped golden weapon adorned with delicate flowers. The sound was clear and resonant, like the clanging of gold and jade, demonstrating the immense strength of the finger strike.
Su Rouhua's face showed surprise. Even with her skill, she had to be on guard and retreat backward.
A woman dressed in a black brocade robe that trailed on the ground, with an arrogant and aloof appearance, and a golden sparrow embroidered on the hem of her robe, stood abruptly between Li Chongyu and Su Rouhua, standing proudly.
Her fair hands, hanging from the cuffs of her black silk sleeves, even her fingernails seemed to gleam with a chilling silver light.
However, in stark contrast to her luxurious attire, her hair was half-undone, she looked quite disheveled, and there were several bloodstains on her body.
A Qiu and Li Chongyu recognized her as none other than Mu Huaying, the widow of Pei Yuanli, who had died at Li Chongyu's hands. She was the former Minister of Justice of Dayan, known as "The Queen of Hell with Fair Hands".
She had already attempted to assassinate Li Chongyu once before the emperor, but was stopped by A Qiu. Later, her daughter Pei Yu led the Divine Hound Battalion to intercept A Qiu and Li Chongyu at the Grand Marshal's Gate, but was stopped in time by Gongyi Xiu leading the Imperial Guards. Unexpectedly, she did not give up and chased after them alone to this place.
Mu Huaying spoke, her tone harsh and cold: "I don't care who you are, Li Chongyu will die by my hand tonight. You may leave now, I will not make things difficult for you."
Su Rou looked at Mu Huaying with great interest and said softly, "Dressed in black with fair hands and a cold and ruthless face, you must be Mu Huaying, the 'Black Eagle Guard' of the Flying Phoenix Four Guards of the Southern Dynasty."
Mu Huaying glanced at her coldly and said, "I have no interest in forming ties with anyone. If you know what's good for you, get out of here immediately."
At this moment, two unharmed experts stood before the ancestral hall: Wan Qiqing was tall and elegant, with an outstanding demeanor, while Su Rouhua had golden hair and blue eyes, and an unusual appearance, clearly not from the Central Plains. However, Mu Huaying dared to speak so harshly because her goal on this trip was revenge; she didn't care about anything else, including their origins, let alone whether she should try to win them over.
A name that will live on for a thousand years, yet a lonely legacy after death. Throughout her life, she schemed and plotted for the Southern Dynasty, meticulously planning every step. But on this night of Pei Yuanli's passing, she suddenly felt that everything was so futile, desolate, and meaningless.
That doesn't mean she felt everything she did for the country and for Xie Lang was wrong. Rather, it means she believed that those things could have been done without her.
But after Pei Yuanli's death, the hand that had been silently protecting her all along finally disappeared.
Perhaps only she in the whole world understood Pei Yuanli's forbearance and the carefully maintained balance he had endured over the years.
Pei Yuanli was certainly not a hero like Li Mingyuan or Li Chongyu, who enjoyed the respect of the world, but he was not without people behind him who stood up for him.
Wan Qiqing recognized Mu Huaying at a glance. Seeing the two women locked in a stalemate, he finally frowned and made a decision.
He said coldly, "I have no desire to fight with women and children. Ah Qiu, let's go."
This was indeed in line with his master's consistently proud nature. Before him stood a widow and a prostitute, and he did not wish to engage in any back-and-forth negotiations with them in this desolate ancestral hall, let alone wager a junior like Li Chongyu.
But A Qiu hadn't expected that Wan Qiqing would still want to take her away at this point, and she was caught off guard.
Before she could object, Li Chongyu smiled at her and said, "Go ahead, sister! You've done your best. The rest is no use with you."
Mu Huaying glanced at him with icy eyes and said, "The Marquis of Guannei is quite insightful. Tonight, this is the place where I will seek justice from the Marquis of Guannei. It's best for other irrelevant people not to get involved."
Wan Qiqing, however, could not prevent A Qiu from pushing him away. With a flick of his sleeve, he had already picked A Qiu up and carried her away.
The Moon-Carving Sword, passed down from Gu Yi, also fell with a clang, its light as clear as snow, landing on the ground.
Su Rouhua's expression was uncertain, but her deep green eyes were fixed on Li Chongyu. She parted her lips slightly and said, "If you are willing to beg me, I can help you get through tonight's ordeal."
Upon arriving at this moment, Li Chongyu witnessed Su Rouhua's fickle nature and was unsure whether to laugh or cry. He took a deep breath, looked up at the sky, and muttered to himself, "Li Mingyuan's descendants will not ask for help, and even if they do, they will never ask the clan leader."
Given his current situation, saying these words is tantamount to cutting off his own path to survival.
Su Rouhua's eyes finally became veiled with a misty, melancholic look, and she said softly, "Even if you don't think of yourself, you should think of the Shuofang Army in the north and the Yao clan. You are your father's only bloodline..."
Li Chongyu interrupted her, saying coldly, "Even ants strive to survive, so of course I don't want to die! But a true man should do what he ought to do, and how can he shirk his responsibilities when faced with a crisis! If a person is capable of anything just to live, and can collude with anyone, then what difference is there between him being alive and dead!"
These words were clearly a sarcastic jab at Su Rouhua. She kept saying that everything she did was for the sake of the people behind her, but little did she know that even in the same difficult circumstances, some people would not be as heartless and fickle as she was.
Mu Huaying, who had been expressionless, finally regained some vitality upon hearing Li Chongyu's words. She said in a deep voice, "The Marquis of Guannei is courageous and responsible, and still a man of character. After you die, I will give your body a proper burial here, so that you and your father can enjoy the incense offerings for a hundred years. This will not be in vain for the heroic name of your Li family for generations."
As she said this, Su Rouhua and Li Chongyu couldn't help but look up at the same time, gazing at the statue behind the curtain in the ancestral hall.
A gentle breeze swept through the hall, lifting the tattered curtains. The flickering candlelight illuminated the tall and majestic statue of the deity. Although it was dilapidated and much of the gold paint had fallen off, one could still vaguely discern that its bearing and demeanor bore a resemblance to Li Chongyu.
The long sword held by the statue was none other than the "Sky-Splittering Sword" that Li Chongyu was currently wielding.
Mu Huaying followed their gaze and said calmly, "So this Martial Saint Shrine actually houses a statue of Li Mingyuan? You and your son perished here together; you should have no worries about loneliness in the underworld."
She spread her palms apart, pointing them at Li Chongyu, her body radiating an invisible killing intent.
Li Chongyu held the airway horizontally in front of him, fully focused on preparing for her attack. Although he knew he was no match for her, he would not give up until the very last moment.
Meanwhile, Su Rouhua was caught in the greatest inner struggle of her life. Her guiding principle was that she would not act without self-interest and had no regard for human relationships. But seeing Li Mingyuan's only bloodline about to be destroyed on the very spot where his father had fought and died, she couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine.
She was unsure whether she should help Li Mingyuan, her only son, who was also her own flesh and blood.
But she also knew very well that even if she helped him now, he wouldn't be grateful to her in the slightest, or think highly of her.
He is exactly like his father.
Su Rouhua, the leader of the Hidden Moon Clan, was extremely rational and cold-hearted throughout her life. But she knew very well that Li Mingyuan was indeed her only weakness and inner demon. Because he was a good person, and also because she had never been able to conquer him.
Therefore, Li Chongyu was not the fruit of love, but rather the result of a struggle between reason and desire.
In the end, it seemed like she had won, but she knew she had never truly won.
Lust can make a hero bow his head, but it cannot make him willingly make mistake after mistake, because that is not love.
But if Li Chongyu dies at Mu Huaying's hands tonight, then the last trace of her dream in this world will vanish without a trace.
Because only what exists is real. What has passed away is all illusion.
She will no longer have any weaknesses and will become the perfect saintess of the Hidden Moon Clan.
Mu Huaying moved instantly, attacking Li Chongyu with a force that swept across the heavens and earth.
For a moment, the ancestral hall was as bright as day.
Electricity is generated in an empty room.
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