Luoyang City, Green Bamboo Lane.
Dongfang Bubai alighted from the carriage, flicked his sleeves, and then looked up at the lush green bamboo forest in front of him.
An old man stood deep in the bamboo forest path ahead, looking at him from afar. When he saw him, he bowed slightly to welcome his arrival.
This old man was Green Bamboo Elder. His master called Ren Woxing "Uncle-Master," while he called Ren Yingying "Aunt." Ren Yingying was close to him, and after descending Blackwood Cliff, she went straight to Luoyang to find him. Green Bamboo Elder lived in Green Bamboo Lane. Although he was a member of the Divine Sect, he never interfered in sect affairs and always lived in seclusion there. Even when Ren Woxing was still the leader of the Demonic Sect, he rarely appeared in the sect.
Dongfang Bubai and he had a casual relationship, but since the Holy Maiden of the Sun Moon Sect had descended the mountain, it was only right and proper for him, as the sect leader, to visit her. Therefore, after handling the sect's affairs and hiding the Evil-Repelling Sword Manual and the Sunflower Manual, Dongfang Bubai also descended Blackwood Cliff and made a special trip to Luoyang.
"Master."
When Dongfang Bubai walked up to him, Green Bamboo Elder called out to him in a nonchalant manner.
Green Bamboo Elder was aloof and capricious, and he was indifferent to Dongfang Bubai, the leader of the Sun Moon Cult.
Dongfang Bubai was not surprised at all. He nodded calmly, accepted the greeting, and walked side by side with Green Bamboo Elder into the courtyard behind the green bamboo forest.
Several bamboo utensils were laid out on the ground in the courtyard. Dongfang Bubai glanced at them and found that they were bamboo baskets. He casually praised, "Your craftsmanship is quite good."
Green Bamboo Elder said calmly, "Thank you for your praise, Master."
Upon hearing the melodious sound of the zither, Dongfang Bubai looked towards the source of the sound and asked, "Is that Yingying practicing the zither?"
"yes."
Dongfang Bubai stood there listening for a while, then asked, "How long does she practice on a regular basis?"
"Two hours."
Dongfang Bubai seemed to understand something and laughed: "It's too boring to stay here all day practicing the zither. Why don't you come out for a walk with me?"
Ren Yingying was overjoyed to see Dongfang Bubai enter through the door. She quickly left her zither and said, "Uncle Dongfang, what brings you here?" She then playfully scolded Green Bamboo Elder, "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Of course I was worried about you when you suddenly came down the mountain," Dongfang Bubai said kindly. "Don't blame Green Bamboo Elder, I told him not to tell you."
He was very kind to Ren Yingying, and no one would have guessed that he had imprisoned the girl's father, the former leader of the Sun Moon Cult, at the bottom of the West Lake dungeon in Hangzhou.
Afterwards, Dongfang Bubai invited Ren Yingying to take a walk in Luoyang City. Ren Yingying happily agreed and, after bidding farewell to Green Bamboo Elder, went out to the street with Dongfang Bubai.
She was still quite young, and no matter how mature she looked, she was still quite fun. Green Bamboo Elder couldn't accompany her on her wanderings, so she was very happy whenever Dongfang Bubai mentioned it.
Dongfang Bubai pondered for many days on Blackwood Cliff. Although he had almost figured things out, he still felt that something was not clear. His purpose in coming down the mountain this time was twofold: first, to visit Ren Yingying, and second, to clear his mind.
When his mind changed due to practicing the Sunflower Manual, the first woman he admired was Ren Yingying. Ren Yingying was in her prime at that time, and she is still young and beautiful now. She has everything that Dongfang Bubai once hoped for but could not have.
Even though she was a woman, she was still subject to his authority as the leader of the cult.
As Dongfang Bubai gazed at Ren Yingying's retreating figure, he realized something.
Regardless of gender, only those with power, influence, and sufficient ability will not be controlled by others.
Looking back now, his feelings of envy and jealousy were utterly meaningless.
Just as Dongfang Bubai was feeling pleased with himself for having figured this out, he noticed that someone had thrown something from above.
Dongfang Bubai dodged the projectile by tilting his head, and caught the hidden weapon (which felt like a peanut) between his fingers. He then looked up at the person who had thrown the weapon.
On the second floor of the restaurant, two people peeked at him.
Judging from his martial arts skills, it was undoubtedly Wang Lianhua who threw the peanuts. Yan Liang smiled and waved to him over the railing, his voice not loud: "Brother Dongfang."
Dongfang Bubai raised an eyebrow, not expecting such a coincidence to exist in this world.
"Want to come up?" Yan Liang smiled warmly, "Long time no see, want to come up for a drink?"
Wang Lianhua mocked him from the side: "You passed out after just one drink, yet you still dare to invite others to drink."
Yan Liang: "I'll stop drinking after just one cup."
Dongfang Bubai looked at Ren Yingying, and the little girl looked at Yan Liang and then at him, looking somewhat incredulous.
"Would you like to go up with your Uncle Dongfang?" Dongfang Bubai asked with a smile. "Those two are my friends. It's a pleasant surprise to see them again."
Ren Yingying was surprised. After hesitating for a moment, she nodded.
Yan Liang saw Dongfang Bubai call Ren Yingying downstairs and turn to enter the restaurant. He then glanced at Wang Lianhua and said, "Do you always find this fun? Last time it was me, this time it's Dongfang."
Wang Lianhua withdrew her gaze and said to Yan Liang, "It's fun, especially when it hits you."
Yan Liang: "I think it looks fun too. Why don't you go down there now and let me have a turn?"
Wang Lianhua: "Dream on."
Tsk.
Having high martial arts skills is nothing special.
Yan, the weakling, snorted.
Dongfang Bubai led Ren Yingying upstairs and went straight to their table. Looking at the food on the table, he raised an eyebrow and said, "You said you were going to treat me to a drink, but there's only so little food?"
"Come up and choose for yourself."
Yan Liang answered him, glanced at Ren Yingying, and greeted her with a smile: "Do you remember me?"
Ren Yingying was a little shy when she saw two strange men, but she still answered Yan Liang seriously after hearing his words: "I remember you."
"She is Yingying, Ren Yingying," Dongfang Bubai said slowly and deliberately. "Have you met her?"
Wang Lianhua narrowed his eyes. He remembered that the former leader of the Sun Moon Cult was named Ren Woxing, and also had the surname Ren.
"Yes, we've met before, we shared a table together." Yan Liang recounted the time he shared a table with an old man and a young man, and said, "It's true that fate brings us together from afar. I never imagined that you, Dongfang, and Miss Ren are uncle and niece."
Ren Yingying sensed that the two people in front of her probably knew Dongfang Bubai's identity.
Dongfang Bubai remained noncommittal, then called over a waiter and ordered a few dishes. After the waiter left, he asked, "Why are you in Luoyang? Did you come here specifically to wait for me?"
He looked at Wang Lianhua's words and remembered that he had overheard someone in Fuzhou reporting that Ren Yingying had gone to Luoyang. Wang Lianhua had been eavesdropping at the time, and Dongfang Bubai believed that Wang Lianhua had heard about it.
Wang Lianhua sneered upon hearing this: "You're overthinking it. It's just that my home is in Luoyang."
Dongfang Bubai remained calm and composed, saying, "It is true that fate brings people together even from a thousand miles away. I thought we would never meet again."
"As long as you don't feel guilty, that's fine."
Wang Lianhua's words were pointed, and Dongfang Bubai realized that the other party was referring to the "Evil-Repelling Sword Manual." However, he couldn't possibly take out the manual and give it to Wang Lianhua. He smiled nonchalantly and said, "Why would I feel guilty? After all, we're all on the same side."
Rumors circulate in the martial arts world that Wang Lianhua has joined the Sun Moon Cult and is now colluding with Dongfang Bubai.
This rumor originated from the two people at the center of it; apart from the outcome, the cause and process are all false.
Wang Lianhua felt that his move, made to watch the spectacle, had somehow backfired and gotten him into trouble.
Yan Liang laughed gleefully from the side, then sighed with feigned profundity, "This is probably what they call reaping what you sow."
Wang Lianhua gave him a cold glance, thinking he was reaping what he sowed.
Ren Yingying was insightful and connected the dots, suddenly realizing the truth.
—This person is Wang Lianhua.
Moreover, she has a good relationship with her Uncle Dongfang.
Ren Yingying was quite surprised. Dongfang Bubai and Yan Liang were very easygoing when talking to Wang Lianhua, a rare sight when they were in the sect. Even when they were with Tong Baixiong, they maintained a certain distance; she could tell the difference in their interaction styles at a glance.
Dongfang Bubai climbed to his current position all by himself, with only Tong Baixiong occasionally helping him. Tong Baixiong was his benefactor, his elder brother, and his subordinate, but not his friend.
Wang Lianhua was a prominent figure in the martial arts world in recent years, while Dongfang Bubai was the leader of the Divine Cult. It was not unusual for the two of them to know each other. After Ren Yingying figured this out, she looked at Yan Liang, her gaze lingering on the fortune-telling banner beside him for a moment, somewhat puzzled—Yan Liang was a fortune teller who didn't know martial arts, so how did he know these two people?
Yan Liang noticed her gaze and smiled slightly at her. Ren Yingying quickly looked away and smiled shyly.
Wang Lianhua looked at her thoughtfully.
After the four of them had dinner, Dongfang Bubai accompanied Ren Yingying for a stroll, then took her back to Green Bamboo Lane and went to Wang Lianhua's house in the western suburbs.
Green Bamboo Lane is in the eastern part of the city, while Wang Lianhua's residence is in the western suburbs. It would take quite a while to travel back and forth. When Dongfang Bubai arrived, Wang Lianhua and Yan Liang had already set out several tables of small dishes and some wine in the courtyard.
"Whose fruit wine is it?"
Dongfang Bubai detected the mixed aromas of two different wines: one was Nu'er Hong (a type of red wine), and the other was ordinary fruit wine.
He knew perfectly well whose it was—Yan Liang's. Asking that question was a rhetorical one.
"mine."
Yan Liang stared at Wang Lianhua and quietly admitted it.
"Don't stare at me. Who was it that passed out after drinking a cup of Zhuyeqing tea? I was the one who carried you back."
Wang Lianhua didn't even glance at him, but gestured with her chin towards the east, indicating that he should sit down.
Dongfang Bubai said, "And me too."
Yan Liang: "...Even so, discrimination is wrong."
Wang Lianhua glared at him: "If it were discrimination, they wouldn't even prepare wine for you."
Yan Liang was completely speechless.
He began to reflect on what had made these two people, who initially disliked each other, start mocking him together.
The three sat down to drink and occasionally eat some snacks. The full moon hung high in the sky, its light like water, and a gentle summer breeze blew by, carrying the fragrance of flowers and trees from the courtyard, making it all the more intoxicating.
The group talked about Ren Yingying, who had been following Dongfang Bubai during the day.
"Who is she to Ren Woxing?"
Wang Lianhua asked bluntly.
Dongfang Bubai replied frankly, "Daughter."
Wang Lianhua retorted sarcastically, "If I were you, I would definitely eliminate the threat completely and leave no future trouble."
Dongfang Bubai, thinking of Ren Woxing who was still imprisoned in the West Lake dungeon, disregarded Wang Lianhua's harsh tone and agreed, "You're right."
Wang Lianhua: "...???"
Even though he had people gathering information from all sides of the martial arts world, he still didn't know that Ren Woxing was alive. When Wang Lianhua arrived in this world by accident, Dongfang Bubai had already imprisoned Ren Woxing in the West Lake dungeon, keeping the news tightly under wraps, and few people knew that Ren Woxing was still alive.
Yan Liang laughed from the side. Dongfang Bubai glanced at him, and the two stared at each other for a moment before Dongfang Bubai looked away first.
He knew it after all.
Dongfang Bubai took a sip of wine, but he wasn't surprised at all.
As Dongfang Bubai spent time with Yan Liang, he was not only influenced by Yan Liang and his mindset changed; he also realized that the fortune-telling that Yan Liang kept talking about was probably true.
Yan Liang's way of dealing with people and situations had unknowingly given him some inspiration. The other man possessed a peculiar charm, drawing everything around him into his own rhythm and influencing people. Dongfang Bubai had a very good impression of Yan Liang, and it would be great if they could be friends, but he knew too much.
Dongfang Bubai wasn't even sure if this person knew what he had been hiding.
If only I knew...
Dongfang Bubai abruptly halted his wildly wandering thoughts, realizing that even if the man knew, he wouldn't be able to kill him.
He couldn't bear to kill such an interesting person.
Author's Note: I'm here.
As for the side stories, I'll write them after this world ends. I'll definitely write a side story for the first world. By the way, is there anyone who wants to read a side story for the first world?
Let me know if you want anything~ I'll release them all later w
When I woke up this morning and checked my phone, all I saw were news notifications about the novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, followed by Zhejiang, Xinjiang, and later South Korea…
Everyone, please take care of yourselves! Having a cold and fever in winter is the worst (actually, being sick is always uncomfortable, lol). Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 2020-01-18 21:33:50 and 2020-01-20 18:23:41!
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Mo Ming Qi Miao 7 bottles; Nobody! 5 bottles; Caught a live little angel 3 bottles;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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