Qinglong furrowed his brows, then laughed after a moment, “Who else could it be? An old friend, indeed.”
The woman chuckled, no longer concealing her identity. “Qinglong, you’re not dumb; you found the silver bell used by Tian Gang for communication. But you’re also quite foolish, always seeking what’s not there.”
“Though I don’t know why the Young Master always protects you, he’s not here now,” Qinglong said, his smile fading. “You’d better not provoke me.”
The woman removed her hood, revealing a strikingly beautiful face—it was none other than Bai Xue, the current favorite of the Young Master. She continued to laugh, stepping forward. “Little Qinglong, since I’m here, don’t you want to ask… where has the Young Master gone?”
Qinglong’s expression changed slightly. “The Young Master wouldn’t fall into your trap so easily!”
“Oh, you don’t believe me?” Bai Xue smirked, her lips curling slightly. “Little Qinglong, I like your face, so I won’t kill you. I’m here to ask, would you like to follow me from now on?”
In his rage, Qinglong didn’t respond but attacked with a move called “Mad Song of Five Willows,” aiming directly at Bai Xue’s chest. Bai Xue didn’t fight back but retreated gracefully, still laughing. “Your skills are impressive. The Young Master must have taught you everything, hasn’t he?”
Qinglong thrust forward with his sword, but Bai Xue revealed something in her hand, saying coldly, “Take a look at this first. What do you think it is?”
Under the moonlight, the object in Bai Xue’s hand shimmered faintly. Qinglong had to pull back his sword. “Who exactly are you?”
Bai Xue didn’t answer but put away the object and said lazily, “Qinglong, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise. Who do you think I am, Xuyao?”
“Xuyao” was indeed Qinglong’s real name. He pursed his lips, slightly masking his surprise. “Are you really Zhu Que?”
Zhu Que laughed. “If I weren’t Zhu Que, you’d have fallen into countless traps along the way.”
Qinglong knew of Zhu Que’s expertise in poisons and medicine, and he pondered her words. “I heard from Chuxia that you often went in and out of the kitchen at the Jun mansion…”
“Yes, yes, do you think I wanted to go? The Young Master instructed me to keep an eye on things there,” Zhu Que said, lazily waving her hand. “Besides Zhu Que, there’s another identity you’re unaware of. Come closer, and I’ll tell you.”
Qinglong approached with mixed feelings, leaning in to listen. Zhu Que whispered something in his ear, and he recoiled in shock, his face flushing red. “Why did you bite my ear?”
Standing under the moonlight, Zhu Que gave a half-smile. “I like you, so I want to tease you a bit. What’s wrong with that?”
Qinglong was at a loss, not knowing whether to confront her or leave. After a long pause, he said, “Since the Young Master sent you as an insider in Tian Gang, why are you showing yourself now?”
Zhu Que laughed. “Fool, because now, the Young Master no longer needs an insider.”
Qinglong looked skeptical. “Why is that?”
Zhu Que’s smile was enigmatic. “Wait for the news from Xuan Wu, and you’ll understand.”
Qinglong grew increasingly uncomfortable, feeling like everyone was in on a secret he was oblivious to. He asked, “Then why did you come here now?”
“The Young Master sent me. He said you’ve been fighting and killing enough,” Zhu Que laughed. “You’ve done well.”
“Done well?”
“Yes. If it weren’t for your bravery, causing chaos and attracting Tian Gang’s attention, things would have been much more difficult for the Young Master.”
Qinglong’s eyes widened. “The Young Master… anticipated even this?”
Zhu Que sighed gently. “Yes. The Young Master is unfathomable. Did you just find that out?”
Qinglong paced back and forth, then suddenly stopped. “I still have some things I don’t understand. Please enlighten me, Zhu Que.”
“Call me ‘sister,’ and I’ll tell you everything,” Zhu Que laughed. “Xuyao, remember, you’re three months younger than me.”
Qinglong’s cheeks reddened slightly, ignoring her playful tone. “Why did you lead Chuxia to that fabric shop?”
Zhu Que smiled softly. “To get the tiger’s cub, one must enter the tiger’s den.”
“She… she doesn’t know martial arts!” Qinglong was furious. “Have you thought about what would happen if something went wrong with that young girl?”
Zhu Que seemed to think seriously before replying with a smile. “If something happens to her, it would be the Young Master’s oversight, not mine.”
“Are you saying the Young Master ordered you to do this?”
“The Young Master never said so explicitly. But we both know it was the right thing to do. This time, the Young Master was somewhat hesitant, dragging it out until Da Liu Village. So, I took the initiative.”
“Hesitant?” Qinglong was taken aback. If there was ever a misstep in the Young Master’s decisions, it was not hesitation. In the world of martial arts, hesitation could cost lives. The Young Master had taught him that.
Zhu Que laughed softly. “Fool, why do you think the Young Master was hesitant? Because he couldn’t bear to let her go—he’s fallen for that girl!”
Chapter Seventeen spoke of a group heading rapidly towards Xiao Jing Lake through the deep mountains. Before dawn, Chuxia’s vision was far inferior to those trained in martial arts, making the journey arduous. Stumbling over vines and rocks, she didn’t cry or shout but got up and continued on.
After walking for about an hour, the scout who was exploring the path ahead returned to report that there was a large lake just ahead. He Butuo asked, “How much further?” “We’ll reach it by dawn,” the scout replied. “Not far.” “Good! Everyone, pick up the pace!” He Butuo instructed the group, then turned to someone beside him, “Any news?” “Everything’s normal. The message from last night said that Jun Ye’an has also reached the Qingchuan River, but he entered the South Gorge, which is about a hundred miles from where we are. Plus, the southern part of the Qingchuan River is famously surrounded by overlapping mountains and clouds; once you’re in, it takes at least five or six days to get out.” He Butuo nodded, “Very good. This way, we have plenty of time.” They navigated a narrow mountain path, and suddenly, the view opened up before them. “This is Little Mirror Lake.” As the morning light began to show, the dawn’s glow fell into the valley, highlighting the jade-colored lake like a fine piece of jade. Surrounded by mountain walls on all sides, with only a rather dilapidated path on the east side, Chu Xia exclaimed, “This is the place.” He Butuo walked over to Chu Xia and asked solemnly, “Are you sure this is it?” Chu Xia pointed forward, “Look, the waterfall, the clear spring, the pavilion halfway up the mountain, and the willow tree under the pavilion – it’s exactly like the painting.”
He Butuo carefully observed the picturesque scene, suppressing his excitement, and urged, “What’s next? Where should we look?” Chu Xia coughed lightly, her eyes seeming to cloud over: “I don’t know.” He Butuo snorted heavily and slapped her, knocking her to the ground: “Will you talk?” Chu Xia wiped the blood from her lip with the back of her hand, indifferent: “I really don’t know.” He Butuo narrowed his eyes, but then heard a subordinate whisper, “Leader, since we’ve found this place, should we—” He Butuo coldly interrupted, “Don’t rush to silence her. Let’s search around first, see if there are any hidden cave mechanisms on these cliffs. We’ll meet back here at dusk. If we don’t find anything, this girl might still be useful tonight.” He ordered her hands and feet to be bound, had her checked, and then threw her into a narrow crevice.
