Under everyone’s gaze, a flash of pink like fresh peaches on branches livened up from among the uniform dark green. Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t pink clothing—still properly wearing plain mourning garments, but the pink embroidered sash around her impossibly slender waist was truly eye-catching. That figure was petite and delicate, with lustrous black hair and bright eyes. Though the colors should have been very gentle and ladylike, she somehow wore them with fire-like vividness and intensity.
She swept over like a gust of wind, firmly grasping Su Xuan’s sleeve.
Everyone’s gaze shifted from that tightly gripped sleeve to the world’s number one person’s handsome face, watching this dashing and elegant man raise his eyebrows, a trace of embarrassment flickering across his expression.
Everyone then looked at that woman—oh no, still a young girl. When did the Shui family have such a little miss? Look how bold and reckless she was, daring to pull and tug at a man in front of everyone in the world… The moral standards were declining and people’s hearts were not as pure as in ancient times…
Gently brushing away Shui Linghuai, Su Xuan’s gaze swept across the scene and suddenly met a pair of bright eyes peering through tent flaps. Those eyes held a hint of laughter yet were clear and cold like moonlight over frigid water. Seeing him look over, they mischievously winked.
A flash of light appeared in Su Xuan’s eyes. After seeing the other party’s hand signals, he gained a knowing smile.
But Shui Linghuai didn’t notice, only focused on pestering Su Xuan, treating everyone present as nothing.
“Oh my, peach blossoms, naked peach blossoms!” Qin Chang Ge grinned as she held open the tent flap for Chu Feihuan to see. “Feihuan, we have a good show to watch.”
Chu Feihuan smiled without speaking. He had been very quiet these past few days.
Xiao Jue glanced at him and murmured: “Actually, those two are quite well-matched…”
“Mm, Your Majesty,” Qin Chang Ge smiled, seeing through someone’s thoughts, “you should hurry and swallow up Nanmin. Once the Shui family becomes your subjects, you can issue an imperial decree for their marriage.”
Xiao Jue laughed: “I’ll bestow seventeen or eighteen beautiful concubines on him, making that jealous jar live in chaos day and night, haha.”
His laughter had just ended when commotion arose outside the tent. Looking again, Su Xuan had already dismounted, and Shui Linghuai was also obediently standing aside.
The mountain wall ahead suddenly parted, revealing a luxurious broad avenue, spacious and magnificent. At the road’s end, one could vaguely see azure lakes and forests, with houses arranged in neat rows, distributed layer by layer along the mountain’s natural contours. At the very top of the peak stood white buildings, lofty and expansive, silently and peacefully overlooking the deep emerald earth. Amidst swirling mists and flying clouds, it actually produced an immortal realm atmosphere.
At this time of early morning light rain, the mountain scenery was dreamlike. Among the scattered clouds, flocks of birds danced with celestial bearing. Sanskrit chanting could be heard faintly in the distance, tranquil and profound. The Nanmin martial arts people had already assumed solemn expressions and bowed in unison.
Qin Chang Ge and Xiao Jue exchanged glances… Who would have thought that in this wilderness valley among endless forests, there would be such a hidden paradise? They wondered how much manpower it had taken to carve out this otherworldly realm?
In this otherworldly realm, the plain-robed man dressed simply. His moon-white fabric, though neither luxurious in material nor style, made people feel as comfortable as sinking into a cloud upon seeing it—a cloud that was pure and elegant, outstanding and composed. Even his light bow made people feel as refreshed as a spring breeze.
He said: “Having come from afar, I, Jingchen, failed to welcome you properly. Please forgive me.”
Everyone hastily returned the courtesy. Qin Chang Ge gazed at that man like pear blossoms and soft clouds, her mind flooded with various memories… the night of violent rain and murder… the long sword that struck down from the rooftop like lightning through trickery… the wretched middle-aged uncle who boldly broke through formations… the man on the tip of emerald leaves who moved about with sinister methods… all flashed like lightning.
Watching everyone’s reverent and worshipful gazes, she couldn’t help but smile. She saw Su Xuan and Shui Jingchen exchanging courtesies, both elegant and refined with extraordinary bearing. No one would imagine that on a certain stormy night last year, these two had pursued each other for thousands of miles in mortal combat, with one knocking the other off a cliff.
With Shui Jingchen’s subtle gesture, the mysterious Yilan Valley finally opened to the world’s martial arts community. Of course, everyone couldn’t bring their entourages in chaotically—that would be too disrespectful to their hosts. The leading figures of each sect and school consciously entered the valley according to their status. Su Xuan and Shui Jingchen walked arm in arm at the front, talking and laughing cheerfully. Upon seeing her third brother, Shui Linghuai became well-behaved and followed behind obediently.
Qin Chang Ge turned to smile at Chu Feihuan: “Rest well. When you wake up, we’ll be back.”
Chu Feihuan’s expression was calm as he only said: “Take care.”
Before Qin Chang Ge could say anything more, he had already closed his eyes and ignored everything. Qin Chang Ge naturally understood his mood. However, no matter how he disguised himself, he could never fool Shui Jingchen, so this journey could no longer include his companionship.
For Feihuan, who sought not to share this lifetime but only to accompany her side, his heart was naturally melancholy now. Qin Chang Ge took a breath and struggled fiercely with the chaotic emotions in her heart before giving Xiao Jue a cheerful smile: “Let’s go—let’s really stir things up!”
All mourning halls in the world are solemn and quiet, just as all filial sons and worthy grandsons maintain dignified appearances.
Even if the filial sons and worthy grandsons had been fighting over inheritance until everything was in chaos, leaving the deceased thrown aside like firewood for a long time.
Inside the spacious mourning hall, the Shui family members, dressed in hemp clothes and straw shoes with solemn bearing, each gracefully received the mourning guests. Thick sandalwood incense burned in the hall, and amidst the curling light smoke, a large rosewood coffin rested in the center. The massive, imposing elegiac characters seemed to weep blood stroke by stroke, though whose blood they wept was unknown.
Qin Chang Ge looked at that large coffin with a face full of grief, while mentally calculating the Shui family’s wealth—rosewood was worth its weight in gold. To produce such a standard, luxurious coffin in haste, the Shui family was indeed formidable.
She vaguely heard Shui Jingchen recounting how his father had fallen ill, how he had lingered on his sickbed until death, how before dying he had instructed simple burial without disturbing the martial arts world, and how the entire Shui family was grateful that everyone had traveled far despite hardships to come. His father would feel honored even in the netherworld, and so on. His tone was heavy yet reminiscent, sorrowful yet laudatory, with words measured just right, making everyone nod frequently with deep sighs.
Xiao Jue silently sneered—fallen ill? Lingered on sickbed? Didn’t want to disturb the world? What a filial son’s composition.
Qin Chang Ge was carefully observing the terrain. This wasn’t the topmost white palace-like building, only halfway up the mountain. The hall was extremely large, with arrangements that vaguely suggested battle formations, yet seemed ambiguous. The entire Shui family appeared deeply wary of Su Xuan—all members intentionally or unintentionally positioned themselves before him, closely attending his every action and ritual of offering incense and paying respects.
Qin Chang Ge closely watched Su Xuan’s movements, vaguely seeing him slightly raise his sleeve when offering incense, while at that moment Shui Jingchen happened to approach the coffin with appropriately sorrowful expression, lifting his little finger.
Between the raise and lift, it was already a silent exchange. Su Xuan withdrew and when turning around, nodded slightly at Qin Chang Ge.
Qin Chang Ge, positioned last, let her gaze wander as she properly stepped forward to offer incense. Her current identity with Xiao Jue was “Left and Right Protectors of Zhongchuan’s Daming Sect.” Daming Sect was originally Huang Meng’s cover, and Shui Jingchen knew of this small sect. The good-natured Third Young Master Shui naturally wouldn’t be snobbish—he treated them with the same serious attitude as he had Su Xuan, leading his brothers to bow respectfully in return.
Qin Chang Ge held three incense sticks, gazing at the coffin for a long time without speaking. Tears rolled in her eyes, appearing very sorrowful, though she was actually just trying hard to work up emotions.
Her trembling hands, quivering lips, and expression of wanting to weep bitterly yet trying desperately to hold back moved everyone in the hall, who all turned their gazes toward her.
The Shui family relatives also moved closer to the coffin in unison.
Shui Jingchen glanced over intentionally or not.
But Qin Chang Ge had already finished offering incense and performing the ritual, respectfully inserting the incense and turning around.
A trace of relief appeared in the Shui family members’ calm expressions.
Beside the crowd, Su Xuan suddenly raised his hand.
Shui Jingchen and the others immediately turned their gazes toward him.
“Old Master Shui!!!”
Though she had already turned around and was about to withdraw, the tear-streaked, grief-stricken, unknown martial artist Qin Chang Ge suddenly whirled around forcefully, stumbling yet extremely quickly, with sorrowful expression yet wildly gesticulating, lunging toward Shui Yingqi’s coffin!
“Old Master Shui! Years ago when I was down and out in the martial world, penniless with unmastered martial skills, bullied by tyrants, in destitute desperation I rose up in anger to kill, was surrounded and beaten nearly to death. Fortunately you saw injustice and drew your sword to help, allowing me to keep this wretched life and struggle to today’s modest position… This kindness and virtue, this body and will, were all bestowed by you, old master… The great debt unpaid, yet you have already departed westward! How can I bear it, how can I bear it…”
Desperately clinging to the valuable large coffin, Qin Chang Ge banged it with her head until it rang loudly—mm, Su Xuan was right, it definitely wasn’t an empty coffin.
Xiao Jue stared heartbrokenly at Qin Chang Ge’s head, grinding his teeth over the lost skin, secretly vowing that when attacking Nanmin in the future, he would first level Yilan Valley!
The Shui family members quickly rose, their faces full of sorrow as they went to “console” this “grief-crazed person.” The mourning visitors also crowded forward chaotically. The quiet, solemn mourning hall became as noisy as a boiling pot due to this super crying deity. Su Xuan rushed forward first, reaching out as if to pull Qin Chang Ge while cleverly blocking Shui Jingchen’s path.
“Old Master Shui…”
In one long cry comparable to contemporary professional mourners with perfect pitch and harmony, the “extremely distraught” Qin Chang Ge, with hands and feet flailing wildly, after kicking away a pile of people, with a “crash” sound, pushed open the heavy coffin lid!
Instant silence filled the room.
…Why had the stench suddenly disappeared?
According to secret reports, the Shui family had been in internal strife for over a month, meaning the family head had been dead at least a month. In Nanmin’s humid, rainy climate where bacteria easily bred, even the most powerful corpse preservation techniques couldn’t guarantee no decay. There should be a terrible stench, so Su Xuan and Qin Chang Ge, who had already reached agreement, upon discovering the thick sandalwood fragrance in the hall and even the coffin being made of aromatic wood, knew the old master must be severely decomposed. Su Xuan’s test when offering incense confirmed there was a corpse inside, along with thick corpse odor.
Human noses can be numbed—staying in this incense-filled hall for long naturally made other smells undetectable. But Su Xuan had come with purpose, and Qin Chang Ge’s nose was even sharper than a dog’s. Such corpse stench couldn’t be masked even by precious sandalwood and aromatic wood—who else could it be but Old Master Shui?
It was precisely because of this confirmation that Qin Chang Ge decided to push open the coffin publicly. She wasn’t unaware that with Shui Jingchen’s cunning, there should be precautions, but Feihuan’s condition had already made her anxious as fire. Every minute was precious and couldn’t afford more delay.
Qin Chang Ge wasn’t afraid of the Shui family using a fake corpse. Her cries had already attracted everyone to the coffin’s side. These people all knew Shui Yingqi. Disguising a living person could work through actions and expressions, but disguising a dead body, due to muscle rigidity and cellular destruction, wasn’t so easy.
As long as Old Master Shui’s decomposition level and death appearance exceeded what should be expected within the official death time provided by the Shui family, Qin Chang Ge had ways to expose the Shui family’s hypocritical facade before the martial arts community!
Those who are eternally evil can redeem a thousand sins with one good deed, but those who are eternally falsely virtuous can destroy their entire reputation with one evil act!
Such prestigious families that had deceived the world with virtuous reputations for years were actually easier to destroy than ordinary families that were both righteous and evil!
However, when the coffin lid was pushed open and shocking changes occurred, though the corpse stench had been thick, it suddenly dissipated the moment the coffin opened!
Qin Chang Ge peered into the coffin and saw the corpse inside was intact and orderly, without the fierce appearance of “sudden death,” its complexion not exactly lifelike but merely pale and stiff, matching what a “long-ill and lingering” corpse should look like.
With one glance around, everyone’s expressions showed no abnormalities—apparently this was indeed Old Master Shui’s corpse.
A slight thundering in her heart told Qin Chang Ge she had fallen into Shui Jingchen’s trap.
She blamed herself for being too hasty, actually losing her composure. How could Shui Jingchen so simply open Yilan Valley? Without solid backing, would he dare risk the Shui family’s century-old reputation?
Her thoughts raced like lightning—all this happened in an instant.
Fortunately, Qin Chang Ge never acted absolutely. When one plan failed, she would temporarily abandon it.
A “victim who lost composure and pushed open the coffin in extreme grief”—surely the prestigious family wouldn’t speak harshly or openly attack, right?
Unwilling to give up, Qin Chang Ge prepared to roll into the coffin while she was at it. Old bones, let me roll around with you and see what’s really wrong with you!
Unfortunately, someone didn’t give her this opportunity to transgress. A person quietly extended their hand, supporting her arm while saying gently: “Please be careful not to stumble into the coffin. In our Nanmin customs, living people entering coffins is inauspicious.”
Everyone praised as they watched Shui Jingchen peacefully help up Qin Chang Ge—truly worthy of being the banner of the prestigious family! Truly worthy of being the compassionate Third Young Master Shui! Even after she caused such a scene and disturbed Old Master Shui’s remains, he didn’t blame her at all but was considerate and tolerant. Such virtuous bearing was truly beyond reach…
No one knew that in that supporting gesture, hidden force surged toward Qin Chang Ge’s heart meridian.
Qin Chang Ge hooked her fingers.
Su Xuan suddenly appeared on Qin Chang Ge’s other side, also with a sorrowful face supporting her—one on the left hand, one on the right.
His fingers supporting Qin Chang Ge trembled.
Two great masters, using Qin Chang Ge’s body as medium, instantly clashed with hidden force.
Qin Chang Ge’s face turned red, then white.
Then returned to normal.
Looking up at Su Xuan, whose gaze was helpless, Qin Chang Ge pulled at the corner of her mouth, knowing he was protecting her and struck only to shield her, with no intention of using her body to compete in internal force with Shui Jingchen—otherwise how could he only match him?
Naturally, Shui Jingchen wouldn’t consider her as the medium, but Su Xuan had no choice but to care.
Qin Chang Ge could only step back. Those two men faced each other and raised their gazes, almost creating sparks in mid-air with a thunderous clash!
Exchanging glances with Xiao Jue, who had been trying to intentionally or unintentionally impede other Shui family members, Qin Chang Ge helplessly realized that with tomorrow’s burial, everyone staying tonight, and herself remaining, she was destined to face a dark and windy murderous night.
Well then, so be it…
You kill me, I’ll kill the corpse!