“You don’t need to worry about the specific method,” Jun Shu looked at Xie Gutang, then turned back around, very confident. “I’ll go back first to scheme a bit. Once I have a plan, I’ll naturally contact you. At this location,” Jun Shu pointed at the ground, “I’ll imitate a cuckoo’s call three times, and you come meet me.”
“Alright.”
Jian Xingzhi nodded. “I’ll wait for you, but I don’t understand—why are you helping me?”
“I…” Jun Shu was stumped by his question. After hesitating for a moment, he found an excuse. “You saved me. I’m just being helpful.”
Jian Xingzhi was even more stunned. Remembering the flying kick he had given Jun Shu, he inexplicably felt a bit guilty.
Jun Shu patted his shoulder, looking back at Qin Wanwan with reluctance. “You keep crouching. I need to go sweep the courtyard. See you another day.”
With that, Jun Shu bent over, holding the broom, and quietly left.
After Jun Shu left, Jian Xingzhi crouched behind the flower bushes for a while. Then he saw Qin Wanwan and Xie Gutang put away their swords. Qin Wanwan looked at the sky and remembered, “It’s light out now. I’ll go wake Master for breakfast.”
Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi was startled. Instinctively not wanting Qin Wanwan to know he was already up, he saw Qin Wanwan turn around the corridor and hurriedly spun around and sprinted back to his bedroom.
Jun Shu swept the ground, watching Jian Xingzhi’s frantically fleeing figure disappear, revealing a sinister smile.
He absolutely had to sow discord between Jian Xingzhi and Xie Gutang so they would kill each other. Right now Jian Xingzhi wasn’t vicious enough. He needed to create more misunderstandings, then make them show their ugliest sides in front of “Qin Wan.” After “Qin Wan” gave up on them, he would appear gracefully and take the beauty home.
These two stinking sword cultivators—what good was all their martial prowess? He had brains!
Thinking of the future, Jun Shu was filled with hope. Gripping the broom, he looked up at the sky nostalgically.
He’d been transmitting messages to his father for several days now. Why hadn’t his father come yet?
As Jun Shu dutifully cleaned the corridor, Jian Xingzhi raced back to his bedroom, jumped through the window, and the moment before Qin Wanwan knocked on the door, took off his clothes and lay down on the bed.
Qin Wanwan knocked. “Master?”
Jian Xingzhi pretended to sleep. Qin Wanwan knocked again. “Master, are you awake?”
Jian Xingzhi didn’t answer. Thinking about Qin Wanwan secretly practicing swordplay with Xie Gutang made him a bit unhappy. He didn’t want to acknowledge her, yet he did want to acknowledge her. Thinking left and right, he blamed it all on Xie Gutang and began considering how to tell Qin Wanwan later that from now on when practicing swordplay, she must bring him along.
Seeing Jian Xingzhi wasn’t speaking, Qin Wanwan felt somewhat worried and couldn’t help saying, “Master, I’m coming in, okay?”
With that, she pushed open the door and walked to Jian Xingzhi’s bedside. Jian Xingzhi instinctively closed his eyes, yet didn’t understand what he was doing. He wanted to open his eyes, but felt that would be embarrassing. Hesitating, he simply lay there playing dead.
Qin Wanwan glanced at Jian Xingzhi. Seeing he hadn’t woken yet, she thought perhaps he was still too tired recently, especially yesterday when Jian Xingzhi had broken all four of his own limbs. The consumption must have been too great.
Although Jian Xingzhi was strong, he was ultimately in a small world. His actions went against this world’s Heavenly Dao. If he were in the Upper Realm, Jian Xingzhi might not fear a single Heavenly Dao, but here was this world’s Heavenly Dao’s home turf. Fighting on an away field was still inconvenient. The longer Jian Xingzhi stayed here, the more restricted he visibly became.
Qin Wanwan sat at the bedside, looking at Jian Xingzhi, instinctively beginning to worry for him.
She used her divine sense to examine him, and after confirming there were no injuries, she lifted his hand and lowered her eyes to observe.
These hands that gripped the sword were extraordinarily beautiful. Apart from the calluses on his palms, the back of his hand could be called a work of jade craftsmanship, exceptionally lovely. After Qin Wanwan confirmed his broken bones had healed well, she couldn’t help but hold it in her palm to look at it a bit longer.
These movements were all very small, but as she did them, Jian Xingzhi inexplicably felt his heart panic a bit, yet also carried a few parts of indescribable happiness.
Mm, his disciple cared about him!
So filial!
He was somewhat attached to this feeling, so he kept pretending to sleep. Seeing him sleeping soundly, Qin Wanwan simply got up and went back to bathe. After she left, Jian Xingzhi opened his eyes and involuntarily raised his hand, beginning to examine his own hand.
Earlier Qin Wanwan had held his hand for a while—what was she doing? It seemed like she was looking at him?
Why look at him?
Worried all his fingers had broken off? But that wouldn’t need such a long time, right?
Or could it be…
Suddenly the shrieks of past female immortals when they saw his hands flashed through his mind, and he suddenly realized a possibility—could it be because his hands were too beautiful?!
Jian Xingzhi was stunned for a moment, then immediately told himself not to think about such nonsense. He hurriedly got up, put on his clothes properly, and waited for Qin Wanwan outside the door.
After Qin Wanwan bathed, she saw Jian Xingzhi waiting at the door. In the sunlight, the youth was fresh and clean, lowering his head to look at his own hand, seemingly in a daze.
Qin Wanwan happily smiled. “Master.”
Jian Xingzhi instinctively turned back. Seeing Qin Wanwan, he turned around properly. “Oh, you’re up?”
“Master slept very long last night. Is your body well?”
Qin Wanwan walked to Jian Xingzhi’s side. Jian Xingzhi nodded. “Pretty good.”
As he spoke, he put his hand behind his back, but after thinking about it, instinctively raised it again. The hand facing Qin Wanwan’s side shook his robe, revealing the hand outside, as if deliberately showing off something.
Qin Wanwan glanced at the pale, slender hand glowing in the morning light, silently withdrew her gaze. After master and disciple went to the dining hall together, the five people ate breakfast together. Cuilu glanced at Qin Wanwan and instructed her, “In ten days will be the Gentleman’s Sword finals. You need to rest well.”
“I understand.” Qin Wanwan nodded. “But we still need to gather information. Today I’ll trouble Master, Nanfeng, and Lord Cuilu,” Qin Wanwan glanced at the three people, “to go out and ask about the situation?”
“Good.” Cuilu pulled out a list from her sleeve. “This is a list of old people from the Ning Manor over a hundred years ago. Most are mortals—not many are still alive. The remaining few at Foundation Establishment Stage are still in the Ning Manor. We probably can’t pry open their mouths. There are only a few rogue cultivators who left the Ning Manor we can ask. Let’s divide up the people.” Cuilu glanced at Jian Xingzhi, Nanfeng, and Xie Gutang. “Shall we go gather information today?”
“You all go.” Hearing this, Qin Wanwan immediately spoke up. “Elder Brother Xie won’t go.”
“Why isn’t he going?”
Jian Xingzhi immediately looked at Xie Gutang. His gaze was too oppressive. Xie Gutang’s smile became forced. “I… I’ll protect Wanwan.”
“Wouldn’t it be better if I stayed behind instead of you?”
Jian Xingzhi frowned, not quite understanding. Nanfeng sensed the atmosphere wasn’t right and lowered his head, curling up his body. Cuilu’s eyes swept across several faces. She seemed to suddenly understand something and hurriedly stopped Jian Xingzhi. “When Wanwan says Xie Daojun stays, Xie Daojun stays. As a master, you can’t be too domineering. These few people are all tough nuts.” Cuilu raised her hand and slapped the names of several sword cultivators in front of Jian Xingzhi. “You go.”
“Mm-hmm.” Seeing Cuilu speak for her, Qin Wanwan quickly spoke up. “Master, you should go out and wander around today. It’s beneficial for your health.”
“That’s right, that’s right.” Seeing his master speak, Nanfeng hurried to chime in. “Daojun, you also haven’t gone shopping in a long time. Go out and buy some candied hawthorn.”
“Xie Gutang.” Seeing everyone form a united front, Jian Xingzhi coldly looked at Xie Gutang. “What do you think?”
Xie Gutang pretended to calmly drink water, turning his head to look at the window. “I don’t mind either way.”
Jian Xingzhi didn’t speak. He looked around at everyone, finally deciding to ask his own system. “666, tell me, wouldn’t my protecting Wanwan be better than Xie Gutang protecting her?”
“Uh…” 666 deliberated, reminding him quietly, “I think the female lead doesn’t actually need protection.”
What she needed was love.
Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi’s heart seized up. He had the illusion he was fighting against the whole world—even the system wasn’t on his side.
He snatched up the list and stood up. “Fine, then I’ll go investigate people. You rest and recover well.”
With that, he was the first to leave the hall.
As soon as he left, everyone looked at each other. Nanfeng grabbed the paper with the fewest names. “Then I’m leaving too…”
Cuilu leisurely took a sip of tea. “You young people enjoy your youthful happiness. I’m going to handle business.”
With that, only Qin Wanwan and Xie Gutang remained in the room. Xie Gutang relaxed quite a bit. He was somewhat worried in his heart. “Senior doesn’t seem to like me.”
“It’s fine.” Qin Wanwan comforted him. “He doesn’t like anyone.”
“Then, shall we first go find Yan Wushuang today?”
“Mm.” Qin Wanwan nodded. “Fighting is prohibited in Desolate City. If we want to capture Yan Wushuang, it’s best to lure him outside the city. Today we’ll first go find him and lure him outside the city.”
“How do we lure him?”
“First observe.”
“Then shall we leave now?”
When Xie Gutang asked this, Qin Wanwan fell silent. She pretended to be composed, picked up her tea and took a sip. Feeling Jian Xingzhi’s aura that hadn’t gone far yet, she spoke expressionlessly, “Wait a bit. I’ll have Nanfeng find the person first. After we find him, we’ll set out.”
Jian Xingzhi circled outside the manor for a while. After confirming Qin Wanwan wasn’t coming out, he finally felt much more at ease. Thinking Qin Wanwan was probably truly staying in the manor to recover, he left to find people.
The people Cuilu gave him were all sword cultivators. Although numerous, most were simple cases. Once he released his Pressure Aura, these sword cultivators immediately wept bitterly as if encountering a Sword Immortal, answering whatever was asked.
However, these sword cultivators had only been outer courtyard guards at the Ning Manor back then. They didn’t know any core information at all, only describing to him, “Over a hundred years ago, there wasn’t really any major incident. The biggest possibility is… Yan Wushuang from Mighty Sword Manor suddenly forced his way into the Ning Manor, saying the Ancestor had abducted his wife. But how could that be possible?”
The sword cultivator laughed. “Back then, Yan Wushuang was also Mighty Sword Manor’s chief disciple, about to inherit the position of sect leader. His wife wasn’t some celestial beauty either. Was there any need to snatch her? It was definitely just a misunderstanding.”
“What happened after?”
Jian Xingzhi inquired. The sword cultivator thought about it. “Can’t remember clearly. Anyway, later it was dropped. After a while, we heard Yan Wushuang had found his wife back, but she was seriously ill. He tended to her for about ten years, then she passed.”
With that, the sword cultivator sighed. “He’s also a devoted lover.”
Jian Xingzhi nodded, taking note of the information, then went to find other people.
After busying himself for quite a while, Jian Xingzhi’s mind suddenly emitted a crisp “ding-ling” sound.
【Congratulations, points credited +5.】
Jian Xingzhi froze, immediately feeling an indescribable restlessness in his heart. He had roughly figured out the pattern of these points—whenever Qin Wanwan had some development with other men, the system would give him points.
Like compensation for something.
Now the system was inexplicably giving points again…
Jian Xingzhi thought for a moment, then turned around and raced toward the Ning Manor.
He ran halfway and hadn’t yet entered the manor when he heard Jun Shu excitedly call out, “Daojun!”
Jian Xingzhi braked and turned back. Jun Shu rushed up urgently. “Daojun, Miss Qin ran off!”
Jian Xingzhi stared blankly at Jun Shu. Jun Shu was excited with a hint of enthusiasm, enthusiasm with a hint of anger, raising his hand to point toward the main street. “Just now I saw Xie Daojun and Miss Qin hand-in-hand, heart-to-heart, happily going out on a date! You need to catch up quickly!”
Hand-in-hand, heart-to-heart, date.
Three phrases, each one a mysterious critical hit.
Jian Xingzhi didn’t quite understand this feeling, only his instinct made him feel these two couldn’t shake him off.
Seeing him daze, Jun Shu continued with the information he’d been eavesdropping on for a long time. “Daojun, today I wiped the corridor floor ten times just to hear their conversation clearly. I heard it clearly—right now they’re going to Qingyue Pavilion to drink, and after drinking, tonight they’re even going to stroll the lantern festival. If you don’t seize the opportunity, in the future, Miss Qin will belong to Xie Daojun!”
“How is that possible?”
Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi immediately turned back. “How can one person belong to another person? She can only belong to herself.”
Jun Shu was stunned. He felt Jian Xingzhi hadn’t understood what he said, and also felt he couldn’t understand what Jian Xingzhi said, but this wasn’t important. He changed his phrasing. “If you don’t go now, in the future Miss Qin won’t have anything to do with you anymore.”
The dream of crying across from Qin Wanwan in pouring rain with Xie Gutang between them instantly flashed through his mind. This sentence he understood.
He immediately turned back. “Qingyue Pavilion, right?”
“That’s right.”
Jun Shu nodded, putting the broom to the side, full of momentum. “I’ll go with you!”
—
**Author’s Note:**
【Mini Theater】
Jun Shu: “I’m chasing after Jian Xingzhi.”
Jian Xingzhi: “I’m chasing after Wanwan.”
Qin Wanwan & Xie Gutang: “We’re chasing after Yan Wushuang.”
Yan Wushuang: “…Spare me. I shouldn’t be your ultimate target.”
**Alternate Long Aotian – Chapter Title: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole Behind**