Chapter 71 Do you know how I've spent these past five years...?
After this process repeated for half a month, the precarious Yu'an Tower finally began to show signs of improvement.
Zhou Lang's plan failed, but the men he sent to Black Mountain dug up a lot of gold, enough to cover an entire table. His men also said they had discovered the entrance to a collapsed tomb.
It's possible that the people of Yu'an overlooked that spot, which allowed them to get the better deal.
Touching the gold on the table, Zhou Lang couldn't hide his smile when someone suddenly burst in. Before he could collect the gold, his smile froze.
"Elder."
"It's been half a month, and Yu'an Tower has come back to life. Don't tell me you were also tricked by that kid into going up the mountain to dig for gold."
"I just want to see what tricks that kid is up to, but since we've already found gold, why not make the most of it?"
Seeing that he was still oblivious and foolish, the elder cleaved the gold on the table with his sword, "Is it still gold?"
"...a gilded iron lump?"
According to Zhou Lang, the elders didn't take that pretty boy seriously at first, but this kid actually pulled off a scheme to get something for nothing, so he's clearly not a simple-minded character. It's possible that Yu'an Tower might be preempted by him.
"To avoid any unforeseen complications, deal with that kid quickly."
Zhou Lang repeatedly agreed, "Elder, don't worry. That little girl has already put the hairpin on her head, so the Gu worm must have entered her body. As for that kid, I think he's a useless piece of trash with no cultivation, and I have him completely under my control."
"Be discreet. That kid's cunning. Don't let him fool you again." The elder tossed the iron lump into his arms, his tone sarcastic.
*
Today, Xu Zangyu wasn't lounging on that bench; instead, Liu Yidao was there, as Xu Zangyu still owed him over ten days' wages.
Liu Yidao agreed because he had made a bet with Xu Zangyu that whatever amount of silver they received today, whether it was more or less, it would all belong to him, Liu Yidao.
Liu Yidao was by no means a gambler, but he really couldn't resist such temptation. Xu Zangyu didn't have to persuade him much before he readily agreed.
Early in the morning, Liu Yidao started shouting and boasting about the treasures in the Black Mountain, and he actually earned over a thousand taels of silver, making back all the wages he'd earned in the past ten days. He immediately felt like he'd hit the jackpot and wished these good days could last a few more days.
Just as he was about to press on, a group of people surged up, coming with great force. Liu Yidao subconsciously put the silver into his pocket.
"It's the same whether that kid comes looking for you or not."
The shattered gold was thrown in front of Liu Yidao. "You actually used counterfeit goods to cheat people! Give us our money back! You'll be sorry if you don't return our money intact!"
Liu Yidao hadn't even had a chance to warm the silver in his arms, how could he bear to part with it? Besides, this silver was money he had worked so hard to earn over the past few days, why should he hand it over to someone else?
Liu Yidao wasn't good with words, but after so many days of brainwashing by Xu Zangyu, his mind had become much sharper. Pointing to the sign next to him, he said, "You should at least be able to read a few words. It says 'tourist base' on it. Didn't you guys go up the mountain to play?"
"You've already experienced all the attractions, why should we refund you? We didn't tell you before you came that gold would be included. Besides, who knows if it's fake gold you got from somewhere and you're just trying to scam us out of money?"
"Damn your tourist attractions! I think you're just trying to trick me into doing free labor." The men were furious and didn't waste any more words. They immediately drew their swords. "I'll show you who's in the right."
Liu Yidao wasn't afraid of fighting, but he was afraid that these shameless people would cause trouble in front of his sect. So he immediately shifted the blame, saying, "I'm just a laborer. I don't have your money in my hands, so what's the use of coming to me?"
"Who are you kidding? No worker works as hard as you. I think you're in cahoots with that kid."
Liu Yidao was already at the peak of the Golden Core stage, while the opponents were only at the early stage of the Golden Core stage. However, the opponents were numerous and powerful, and surrounded him from both sides. Liu Yidao was exhausted from advancing and retreating, and fled in panic.
He suddenly realized that he had been set up.
That kid gave him a piece of bread to lure him in, then ran away early – what a clever way to shift the blame.
What he received today wasn't wages, it was clearly money to buy his life.
Don't let this kid get caught, or Liu Yidao will definitely crack a hole in his head.
At this point, Xu Zangyu had already shed his skin like a cicada, now sporting a jade crown and brocade robes, with the graceful bearing of a bamboo shoot, and was once again a refined young scholar.
Who would have thought he was the young man from before?
The storm has passed, and I'm washing my hands of this business today. After all, it's a shady business that preys on others, and it can't last forever.
He emerged leisurely from behind the tree, still admiring his own scheme.
But then I crashed head-on into a mountain, my nose throbbing with pain, tears welling up in my eyes. Only then did I realize I had bumped into someone's chest, the solid muscles bulging and hard. No wonder it hurt so much.
This man had a broad back and a narrow waist, and his face was handsome like a young man's, but his eyebrows and eyes were cold and aloof, making him seem unapproachable.
Xu Zangyu felt that this person looked familiar. Upon closer inspection of the face, a flood of memories immediately came to mind.
"Sorry, I bumped into you by accident."
"You ran so fast in Yu'an Tower, what were you afraid of?"
Was he the masked man that day?
Xu Zangyu subconsciously touched his face. "Are you sure you haven't mistaken me for someone else?"
"Mistaken identity?" Xue Wenxiang said slowly and deliberately, forcing Xu Cangyu to retreat step by step. She held him in her arms and lowered her head to lock her gaze on him, licking him aggressively inch by inch.
"Who else but you, Xu Zangyu, could come up with such a wicked trick?"
Upon being exposed, Xu Cangyu froze, but quickly feigned ignorance, "You must have mistaken me for someone else. I am not the Xu Cangyu you speak of. My name is—"
"Is that so?" His wrists were lifted up and pinned above his head, while his cheeks were kneaded by another person's clapping. A finger brushed against his lips and then knocked into his mouth, forcing his jaw open. "Dark Fragrance Pavilion is best at prying open people's mouths, especially those who are glib."
His soft, wet tongue was pressed down with a finger, and Xue Wenxiang whispered in his ear, "Usually, if someone refuses to confess, we'll cut off their tongue first, and then put it back on when they're willing to talk."
With his fingers gesturing a cutting motion, Xu Zangyu felt a chill on the back of his tongue and couldn't help but swallow the drool that was flowing down his throat. A pill also went down with him.
Xu Zangyu was unaware that the Face-Changing Pill had already lost its effect and his face had returned to its original appearance. He only felt that the other person's gaze was more aggressive, as if he wanted to devour him alive, and even his breathing became heavier.
He pulled his finger out of his mouth and traced Xu Zangyu's facial features against his skin. His movements were light, but Xu Zangyu felt as if his skin was about to be scraped raw.
Five years have passed, and he hasn't seen Xu Zangyu's face in five years. He can only rely on those pitiful memories to savor and fill the increasingly empty heart.
Xu Zangyu was still a dashing young man, seemingly the only one suffering in the past five years, while nothing could shake him in the slightest.
Even to Xu Zangyu, he might just be a passerby. Even if they meet again, he would pretend not to know him, for fear of getting involved.
He's the only one suffering...
"I am a disciple of the Wumen Sect. Release me at once! If you dare to be disrespectful again, my master will come after you."
She thought the other party would back down, but to her surprise, Xue Wenxiang's eyes immediately reddened upon hearing this, and she gasped for breath, "You don't hide from that little girl, you don't hide from your master, but you only hide from me, is that it?"
"Am I the only one you've made a fool of, thinking you've been harmed and are recklessly seeking revenge against the Tianyi Sect?"
“Xu Zangyu, do you know how I’ve spent the last five years? And now you’re still avoiding me. How much do you hate me that you’d pretend to be dead for five years?”
His bloodshot eyes were fierce, yet tears welled up uncontrollably in the corners, like a wild beast driven to its wits' end, its ferocity outwardly revealed, yet still yearning for a sliver of pity.
The questions rained down on Xu Zangyu's head: "Why are you pretending not to know me! Can you erase the past with just a mistaken identity?"
A water mirror floated in the air, reflecting the image of Xu Zangyu being pinned to a tree. Xue Wenxiang pinched his chin and turned his head toward the water mirror.
"Before you lie, take a look at yourself right now."
The bloody marks on her face from being pinched only added to the ambiguous atmosphere. Xu Zangyu couldn't utter a word in rebuttal. Seeing Xue Wenxiang's fierce eyes, he hesitated and could only soften his tone, "Calm down first. Actually, I have amnesia. I'm not acknowledging you rashly just to avoid causing trouble."
Xue Wenxiang seemed to laugh in anger, and sharply mocked him: "Xu Zangyu, you really can come up with any lie!"
Xu Zangyu has truly experienced what it means to have something to say but no one believes him now when he tells the truth.
He was pinned down by Xue Wenxiang and kissed wildly, as if he had been bitten by a dog. Just like before, this guy's kissing skills were shockingly bad.
The tip of his tongue was scraped by the canine teeth, causing a tingling pain. Xu Zangyu tasted the blood and bit Xue Wenxiang hard.
Xue Wenxiang groaned in pain, the blood from the cut on his lip being sucked into his mouth by his tongue. His tone remained fierce: "Why won't you even let me kiss you now? Are you planning to remain chaste for some good senior brother of yours?"
Xu Zangyu stared at him silently. Xue Wenxiang thought he had hit the nail on the head, and a surge of anger rose in his chest. But when he saw Xu Zangyu's slightly parted lips, that anger surged to his lower abdomen.
He grabbed Xu Zangyu by the waist with one hand, lifted him up, and pinned him to his waist.
Losing his balance, Xu Zangyu had to grab onto his neck.
A sudden chill ran through him, and a dull pain made him curl up, tears welling up in his eyes one after another.
Enraged, Xu Zangyu slapped him across the face. The loud sound jolted Xue Wenxiang awake, her anger instantly subsiding. She wiped away his tears and asked cautiously, "Are you alright?"
"Of course not, put me down right now." Xu Cangyu gritted his teeth, so angry that he felt dizzy. Seeing that he was really in pain, Xue Wenxiang stiffened her body and retreated awkwardly.
Xu Zangyu shuddered again, breaking out in a cold sweat.
Xue Wenxiang's heart tightened, realizing that her rashness had hurt Xu Zangyu. She reached out to wipe the cold sweat from his brow and said, "Let me take a look."
"roll."
Xu Zangyu slapped his hand away, not wanting to say another word to him.
He turned to leave, but Xue Wenxiang continued to pester him until someone blocked his way with a sword and pulled Xu Cangyu into their arms.
When Xiao Mingxin came out of seclusion, he found that Xu Cangyu was not at Zhuyu Peak. He rushed over and found the two entangled.
Xue Wenxiang discovered Xu Zangyu. He had known this day would come, but he was even more unsettled than he had anticipated. The more he looked at Xue Wenxiang, the more he loathed him.
Seeing Xu Cangyu's pale face, he sensed something was wrong. He examined Xu Cangyu's body and found that Xu Cangyu's internal injuries were more severe than before he went into seclusion. He immediately turned the sword in his hand into a long whip and lashed it at Xue Wenxiang.
"You hurt him?"
Xue Wenxiang didn't know how Xiao Mingxin could see through it at a glance, but she didn't refute it and took a whip from Xiao Mingxin.
His sturdy chest was instantly slashed open, and blood stained the silver whip. Just as he was about to strike again, a hand stopped him.
"My internal injuries have nothing to do with him."
Xue Wenxiang was surprised that he would defend her, and her eyes lit up immediately. However, Xu Cangyu did not look at him and pulled Xiao Mingxin past him.
“Let’s go back. Don’t let a fool dirty your sword.”
The two naturally held hands, as if they had done this countless times before. Xue Wenxiang immediately understood who had always been by Xu Cangyu's side.
So Xu Zangyu is just excluding him like this?
But he waited five years, which is unfair.
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