Chapter Four: A Glimpse of Beauty
On the martial arts field of Xiyu Manor, a man and a woman were sparring. The young man was about twenty-one or twenty-two, and the young woman was about eighteen or nineteen. The man wore a magnificent Confucian purple robe, adorned with a bright red jade hairpin and two white silk ribbons that cascaded down his black hair. A brocade belt was tied around his waist, with a purple sachet hanging from it. The woman wore a pink, double-breasted ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), exuding a captivating allure. The dress was decorated with pink silk ribbons, each tied with a purse. Her beautiful hair was styled with a purple hairpin, with the remaining strands falling over her shoulders.
After the sword duel ended, a sweet, clear voice rang out: "Brother! Can't you concentrate a little? I feel like your swordsmanship hasn't improved at all! How will you manage Drizzle Manor in place of Father in the future!"
The young man said, "Every day it's just practicing martial arts, nothing but practicing martial arts, there's no fun at all!"
The two young men were Ling Qichen, the son of Ling Beixiao, and Ling Xueyan, the daughter of Ling Beixiao, from Xiyu Manor.
Ling Xueyan said, "A man should have heroic spirit, stand tall and upright, like our father. Why do you only think about playing all day?"
Ling Qichen: "Alright, my dear sister! I know! Your brother will definitely become a great hero in the future!"
...
Outside Longyang City, a wooden donkey cart slowly made its way from east to west through the streets, preparing to enter the city. The cart was covered with straw, and two men lay on it: Xiaoyao Lang and Zui Mochou, their heads intertwined. Xiaoyao Lang lay on his back, head facing east, his legs crossed as usual, a small blade of grass in his mouth, hands behind his head, watching the passersby. Zui Mochou lay on his back, head facing west, legs stretched out, a gourd of wine in his hand, drinking alone.
Zui Mochou was getting impatient and said, "Hey! Can you hurry up? You've made me suffer so much just to get you to treat me to a drink! Tell me! I've gone into Longyang City with you three times, and three times in total, and I haven't encountered Yi Yunke! I even suspect that Yi Yunke died in Yuyang Village?"
Upon hearing this, Xiaoyao Lang immediately said, "Hey old man! You know it's a donkey! It's normal for it to be slow! And Lord Yi is a very busy man, he does everything himself, and besides, his martial arts are so good! How could he die so easily?!"
Zui Mochou: "Yi Yunke's martial arts are quite good, and he's a decent person too! He's a true hero!" He then took a sip of wine.
Xiaoyao Lang: "Hey old man! Why do you sound like you know City Lord Yi very well?!"
Zui Mochou laughed and said, "Hehe! Of course! This Yi Yunke was once a wandering swordsman, traveling around upholding justice and punishing evil. Later, he came to Longyang City and was taken in by the daughter of a wealthy merchant, so he became her son-in-law. Unexpectedly, one day, his father-in-law was killed by bandits on his way to trade. So he recruited many disciples and taught them martial arts. Later, he led his disciples to conquer the entire Longyang City, killing many villains who occupied the villages and oppressed the people. He also gathered all the gangs in Longyang City together and gave them unified orders. Only then were the people of Longyang City able to live in peace and prosperity. The villagers in several villages supported him with all their might!"
Xiaoyao Lang: "I see!"
Zui Mochou: "So how did you come to know him?"
Xiaoyao Lang chuckled foolishly, "Hehe! Old man, let me tell you! City Lord Yi thinks highly of me! He has repeatedly asked me to be his disciple, saying that I should be the successor of his Cloud-Turning Palm and his fist techniques!"
Zui Mochou laughed, "Oh my! You're quite the lucky guy! So you didn't agree?!"
Xiaoyao Lang: "I'm used to being free! I really don't want to be controlled by others!"
Zui Mochou: "Hahaha! You're just my type!"
Just then, Xiaoyao Lang saw two young people riding horses towards him from the opposite side, a man and a woman walking side by side. He didn't even look at what the man looked like, because the woman was just too beautiful!
In his eyes, the girl looked to be eighteen or nineteen years old, wearing a light blue cross-collar ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress). Her blushing face was so fair and flawless, her delicate eyebrows were thick and pretty, her large, bright eyes were sparkling with black and white, her dark eyelashes were long and thick, and her well-defined double eyelids were exquisite. Her delicate and pretty nose was so exquisite and translucent, and her rosy lips, combined with her chubby cheeks, always showed a sexy and affectionate smile. He couldn't help but want to kiss her when he saw her.
Her jet-black hair was adorned with four butterfly hair clips, snaking and weaving together. Two strands of hair were left at each end, cascading down her shoulders to her chest, while the rest of her black hair fell to her waist. A jade-green belt was tightly wrapped around her waist, making her slender waist appear incredibly sexy. He fantasized about holding her slender waist and riding horses with her. He was already infatuated with the girl before him and didn't even notice that she was also looking at him with a smile that seemed to hold affection.
Murong Hanchan rode her horse through the streets, captivating all who passed by with her breathtaking beauty. Even the stall vendors were mesmerized, their gazes lingering long after she was gone. But Murong Hanchan paid no heed. She knew her celestial beauty attracted the admiration and longing of many men, even her two senior brothers, whom she had considered like brothers since childhood, had harbored feelings for her. They were outstanding in every way, but she simply didn't reciprocate their feelings. It wasn't that she was heartless; rather, seeing them, being with them, didn't evoke the feeling she desired.
Seeing that Murong Hanchan seemed preoccupied, Yin Xiaosheng teased, "Madam! What are you thinking about?! That guy just now, he's no good. Look at the way he looked at you, it was utterly filthy!"
Upon hearing the word "Madam," Murong Hanchan was filled with rage! She glared at him disdainfully and replied, "I don't need you to remind me. One look from him, and I know he's up to no good!"
Yin Xiaosheng exclaimed in surprise, "Junior Sister! Really?! You can tell he's up to no good at a glance?! Then look at me! What can I see with my eyes?!" He then feigned infatuation as he stared at Murong Hanchan.
Murong Hanchan glanced at him and said, "You men look at women and only glance at their faces, then look at the rest of their bodies! We women look at you, at least for the first three glances, we look at your eyes!"
Yin Xiaosheng blushed slightly after hearing this, and then secretly glanced at his junior sister's face: "That seems to make sense!!"
Just as Murong Hanchan was about to say that her senior brother was also indecent, a donkey-drawn wooden cart came up to her right! There were two people lying on it, a young man of about twenty years old, who was staring into her eyes! Their eyes met, and it was inevitably a little awkward. Murong Hanchan deliberately avoided his gaze for a moment. After a while, Murong Hanchan glanced at him again, only to see that the young man was still staring at her intently. Murong Hanchan felt a little shy and looked away again.
Through her eyes, she saw the man clearly: dressed in light gray cloth, with glossy black hair tied in a ponytail with a ribbon. The ponytail, though not long, cascaded down from his shoulders to his chest, and a tuft of hair covered his right eye. His features were regular, his face delicate and handsome. He sat with one leg crossed, a blade of grass between his lips, giving him a somewhat carefree appearance. She couldn't help but glance at him again. This time, she saw his full forehead, his fair and radiant cheeks, his slightly benevolent expression, his symmetrical, arched eyebrows, and his deep, expressive eyes, revealing a refined elegance. His double eyelids were strikingly prominent, and his long, thick, dark eyelashes were exceptionally handsome and alluring. His lips were rosy and sensual, with a slight upturn at the corners. From the way he looked at her, she could tell he was a devoted man. Murong Hanchan didn't know how long she had been looking at him, but she had found herself, the feeling she had been searching for. Murong Hanchan was about to miss him, but the handsome man in front of her was still staring at her blankly, and a sudden sadness welled up in her heart.
Looking at the woman before him, Xiaoyao Lang felt as if he had seen the entire mortal world. Her shy, tender face, her delicate and beautiful figure, her elegant attire, and her ethereal aura as she rode on horseback—all these qualities made Xiaoyao Lang feel a strange sense of loss. This peerless beauty had passed by in a single glance.
As the sound of hooves faded away, Xiaoyao Lang, wanting to take one more look, stood up and turned to gaze at the graceful figure that had passed. Suddenly, he clearly saw something fall from the woman's clothes! He hurriedly called out, "Miss! Fairy-like girl! You dropped something!" Hearing his shout, the woman finally stopped riding, but did not turn around.
Startled by his shout, Zui Mochou retorted angrily, "What?! What's wrong with you?!"
Seeing that she had stopped but not turned around, Xiaoyao Lang hurriedly dismounted and picked up the object. Upon closer inspection, he saw it was a piece of lustrous blue jade. He ran to the girl's mount and said with a smile, "Miss, you dropped something!" As he spoke, he was actually a little nervous.
Yin Xiaosheng looked bewildered: "Junior Sister! This really is your personal jade pendant!"
She ignored Yin Xiaosheng, turned to Xiaoyao Lang, and smiled, "Thank you!" She then casually accepted the jade pendant.
At this moment, Xiaoyao Lang was completely captivated, only he could blame himself for the voice, so sweet and gentle, so utterly enchanting. Xiaoyao Lang stood beside his horse, lost in thought, lingering for a long time, when the gentle voice rang out again: "You... is there anything else!?"
Xiaoyao Lang immediately said, "I...I...I'm called Xiaoyao Lang! May I ask your name, young lady? Where do you live? Can we be friends?!" After saying this, Xiaoyao Lang actually blushed and his heart started pounding! He was usually quite talkative, he didn't know what was wrong with him today!
Murong Hanchan looked at the blushing Xiaoyao Lang and couldn't help but smile at him slightly! Then she turned her face and looked ahead slowly and said, "Then listen carefully! Remember this! My home is in Dongyue Shenzhou, Changfang Street, Liujiang Riverbank, Murong Mansion, and my name is Murong Hanchan!" After saying that, she didn't even look at Xiaoyao Lang and rode away on her horse.
Xiaoyao Lang listened with delight to the soft voice, each word distinct. Although she wasn't facing him directly, he could see her sexy little mouth and long, curved eyelashes from the side. Watching her retreating figure, he sighed inwardly, "Her natural beauty is like snow, her shy fragrance intoxicatingly alluring; her smile, with a furrowed brow, captivates the world; her graceful figure is breathtaking."
Yin Xiaosheng turned to her and asked in confusion, "Junior Sister, your jade pendant is always in your pocket, how did it fall out?"
Murong Hanchan retorted fiercely, "It's none of your business!!!"
Yin Xiaosheng: ...
Not far from where the two had gone, a domineering voice suddenly rang out from behind Xiaoyao Lang: "Please wait! I just paid your debt on your behalf, and you didn't even say a word of thanks. To leave like this is far too inhumane!" The newcomer was none other than Yin Qianqiu.
At this moment, Yin Xiaosheng said to Murong Hanchan, "Junior sister! This guy is so shameless, he's truly a scoundrel!" The two ignored him and continued walking forward.
Zui Mochou muttered to himself, "Heh! What a small world! I've run into this despicable scoundrel again!"
Xiaoyao Lang leaned on Zui Mochou's shoulder and said dismissively, "Old man! Who is this? Do you have a grudge against him?"
Zui Mochou took a sip of wine and said, "I almost died at the hands of this villain!" As he spoke, he glared angrily at Yin Qianqiu and cursed.
Xiaoyao Lang: "Seriously?! You didn't run away when you saw him?! If he tries to hurt you again, I won't be responsible!"
Zui Mochou: "Run?! Just wait! He may not come looking for me, but I'll come looking for him!" He was about to provoke Yin Qianqiu when, unexpectedly, Yin Qianqiu leaped over him.
Seeing that the two men ignored him, Yin Qianqiu leaped into the air and flew towards Yin Xiaosheng, delivering a palm strike mid-air. Yin Xiaosheng, sensing the danger, spurred his horse, which was then struck down. At this moment, all the merchants on the street fled the scene, fearing for their lives. Only Xiaoyao Lang, Zui Mochou, and Yin Qianqiu's subordinates remained nearby to watch.
Xiaoyao Lang: "Wow! Old man! This guy is really strong! No wonder you couldn't beat him!"
Zui Mochou retorted angrily, "Who can't beat him?!"
Xiaoyao Lang: "Then go beat him up! Don't dare, right?"
Zui Mochou said, "I think these two young men are no ordinary people! When necessary, I will take action and deal with this villain." After saying that, he continued to drink and watch the battle.
Yin Qianqiu's palm strike missed, so he turned his hands into claws and attacked Yin Xiaosheng again. Yin Xiaosheng did not draw his sword, so he fought Yin Qianqiu with his bare hands.
Zui Mochou: "I never expected this villain to know how to use Iron Fist and Tiger Claw!"
Xiaoyao Lang: "Old man! What Iron Fist Tiger Claw?"
Zui Mochou blurted out, "It's a combination of fists and claws!"
Unexpectedly, Yin Qianqiu's tiger claws were ruthless, each move vicious and cruel; a single misstep could result in broken bones and tendons! Thinking this, Yin Xiaosheng immediately drew his sword to meet the attack. Yin Xiaosheng drew his sword, a flash of white light, then spun it three times in his right hand, before flicking it upwards diagonally. As he channeled his inner energy, a chilling aura emanated from the sword. It was one of the three ultimate techniques of the Murong clan—the Frost Sword Technique! In an instant, he countered Yin Qianqiu's attack. His movements were swift, his swordplay even faster; wherever his sword energy struck, ice formed. After a single exchange, Yin Qianqiu was wounded in two places. Suddenly, Yin Xiaosheng saw Yin Qianqiu's eyes turn red, and a murderous aura instantly coursed through his body, an unprecedented sense of oppression closing in on him.
Yin Qianqiu felt a surge of killing intent, which actually aroused the resonance of the red dragon soul within his body. Then, his true essence poured into his head, and his killing aura shook the surrounding area!
Seeing this, Yin Xiaosheng launched a preemptive attack, his sword carrying immense power, aiming straight for Yin Qianqiu's right chest. Yin Qianqiu not only didn't dodge, but his domineering left claw gripped the incoming sword tightly, while his right claw countered with a flurry of attacks. Yin Xiaosheng sidestepped the attacking right claw, then swung his right hand with increased force, breaking free of the sword. He immediately unleashed a flurry of attacks: a series of delicate, fluid swordplays, combined with nimble footwork. Several moves were exchanged in a single round. Although he landed several blows, this time, the sharp sword couldn't harm Yin Qianqiu's strong defenses. Seeing Yin Qianqiu about to launch another powerful attack, Yin Xiaosheng steeled his resolve, switching the sword to his left hand and transforming his right hand into a palm strike—his signature move, the Frost Palm. As the cold energy within him surged, the surrounding temperature plummeted, and the attack, striking Yin Qianqiu, instantly turned to ice. Yin Xiaosheng swiftly blocked Yin Qianqiu's right arm with his sword, his right palm meeting Yin Qianqiu's left claw, freezing Yin Qianqiu's upper body in an instant. Just then, Yin Qianqiu shouted, unleashing a powerful burst of energy that swept through his body. However, Yin Xiaosheng's palm hadn't been withdrawn, and the ice had already shattered. In that split second of missing his chance, Yin Qianqiu grabbed both of Yin Xiaosheng's hands and then slammed his fists into Yin Xiaosheng's chest! Yin Xiaosheng was struck and sent flying several feet before collapsing to the ground, vomiting blood uncontrollably.
Just as Zui Mochou was about to make a move, Murong Hanchan moved like a flying eagle, and with a powerful palm strike, she struck Yin Qianqiu in the chest. Yin Qianqiu was forced back several steps by the force, and upon seeing that it was Murong Hanchan, his killing intent was even stronger than before.
Xiaoyao Lang, standing to the side, was taken aback! He never expected that the fairy in his mind would be so domineering! He began to fantasize, how wonderful it would be to have her, so beautiful and skilled in martial arts!
Seeing Yin Qianqiu retreat, Murong Hanchan seized the opportunity to attack again, unleashing a series of martial arts techniques from various schools. Xiaoyao Lang was dazzled by the speed of the attacks, which left Yin Qianqiu no chance to retaliate, each strike causing him to cough up blood. Seeing this, Yin Qianqiu's dozen or so subordinates drew their swords and attacked Murong Hanchan. Murong Hanchan, having lost the will to fight, rose and soared into the air. She flicked her fingers together, and with a single swing, all her men were struck and fell to the ground, severely injured. Then, hanging upside down, she unleashed a powerful palm strike from the sky, striking Yin Qianqiu's head. Yin Qianqiu's legs buckled, the ground shattered instantly, and he collapsed dead, bleeding from all seven orifices.
Upon seeing this, Zui Mochou exclaimed in amazement, "This girl is no more than eighteen years old, yet she is not only proficient in all kinds of martial arts, but she can also unleash such power in striking acupoints from a distance. Her cultivation has already surpassed mine by far." After saying this, he casually continued drinking and paid no more attention to what was happening.
Murong Hanchan was worried about Yin Xiaosheng's injuries, so she hurriedly used her inner energy to heal him. At the critical moment, Yin Qianqiu quickly stood up from behind her. Unable to fight back (healing by circulating energy throughout the body and clearing all the blocked meridians, if the energy suddenly stops, the true energy left in the injured person's body will become disordered and out of control, which may cause the injured person to become mentally disabled or even die from internal organ rupture), she suddenly raised her inner energy and prepared to withstand Yin Qianqiu's poisonous palm.
However, Xiaoyao Lang's eyes had never left Murong Hanchan. Seeing Yin Qianqiu make another move, he hurriedly cried out, "Miss, be careful!" As he spoke, he rushed to the middle and blocked the powerful palm strike. Xiaoyao Lang, who had no internal energy, only felt a sharp pain in his back, as if his body was on fire. He then spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed beside Murong Hanchan.
Upon hearing the shouts, Zui Mochou rushed forward to attack Yin Qianqiu, but no matter how he fought, Yin Qianqiu coughed up blood, yet seemed to feel nothing. The two fought endlessly.
After healing, Murong Hanchan was deeply distressed. How could Yin Qianqiu be so invincible? Seeing Xiaoyao Lang still trembling beside her, she was instantly enraged. She unleashed her ultimate move, gathering all her inner energy into her hands. Slowly, a small energy bead appeared in her palms. As the bead grew larger and larger, almost escaping her grasp, she used her palms to strike Yin Qianqiu's body. Yin Qianqiu did not retreat from the blow. She then kicked him several feet away. Yin Qianqiu suddenly screamed and then exploded, his body shattered, leaving only a pool of blood on the ground.
When Xiaoyao Lang was struck, he felt a burning pain, but gradually his body felt cool and refreshed, and now he was completely fine. Seeing Yin Qianqiu's gruesome death, he couldn't help but steal a glance at Murong Hanchan. Seeing Xiaoyao Lang get up, Murong Hanchan quickly stepped forward and asked, "How are you? Let me see if you're alright!" She then took Xiaoyao Lang's left hand and began to check his pulse.
Xiaoyao Lang said happily, "I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm great!"
Murong Hanchan suddenly looked up and asked, "Why is there a faint chill in your body? Are you really alright?" She then looked somewhat worried.
Xiaoyao Lang laughed and said, "Miss Murong! I'm really fine! You should take another look at your senior brother!"
Murong Hanchan smiled and said, "My senior brother is fine now, he's just temporarily unconscious and needs to recuperate."
Xiaoyao Lang said, "Then let's go to that inn right away! Then you and your senior brother can rest!" After saying that, he carried Yin Xiaosheng on his back and went to the Sihe Inn.
Seeing this, Zui Mochou cried out in alarm, "Hey! You brat, don't you want your donkey and cart anymore?!"
Xiaoyao Lang replied irritably, "Old man! Didn't you see my friend was injured? If you still want to eat roast chicken and drink good wine, then take the donkey with you!"
Zui Mochou muttered, "When did we become your friends?" as he pulled on the clumsy donkey.
Not long after they left, the red dragon soul was seen gathering again from Yin Qianqiu's corpse pieces and flying high into the distance.
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