Chapter 457: How Simple, How Kill

The lake surface was shrouded in mist, creating an ethereal, fairyland-like scene. From within the mist, a melodious and clear flute sound drifted. Lin Hongyuan pricked up her ears, listening intently to the flute, letting its notes dispel the bloody tang left by Xu Fengnian’s startling words. Lin Hongyuan was entranced; she simply closed her eyes. Seemingly an accomplished flutist herself, she murmured, "Deer Waist Ridge, beneath Mt. Hui's Great Bull Ridge, is surrounded mostly by purple bamboo, yet for some unknown reason, a unique green bamboo grows there. Moss clings to its base, and its shoots are too bitter to eat, hence its name, 'Bitter Bamboo.' But it is perfect for making flutes. This little folk tune, I've never heard it before. It sounds so bitter, filling my ears with a sense of sorrow. I wonder how much pain the flutist must be feeling. Bitter green, bitter green—it perfectly describes this person and this flute."

Xu Fengnian, unmoved by Lin Hongyuan's sentiments, remarked cynically, "Given your praise, if the flutist were a handsome, dashing man, imagine him standing by the river, playing crosswise with a sorrowful expression. He'd surely charm any passing female martial artists. They'd probably be unable to resist pulling him into their arms and showering him with affection."

As expected, Xu Fengnian's crude commentary, like an ox chewing a peony, left Lin Hongyuan leaning against the railing, rubbing her forehead in exasperation. Xu Fengnian twirled a strand of hair from his temple around his finger and asked, "How many people in this world do you think could wipe out Kuai Xue Mountain Villa in one go?"

Lin Hongyuan's brow twitched. After careful consideration, she replied, "Wang Xianzhi, Tuoba Pusa, and Deng Tai'a. No more than that. Even Mr. Nalan said that in five hundred years, besides Wang Xianzhi, who can rival Lu Zu, no one else could accomplish such a feat. The Northern Mang Military God, while close behind in martial rankings, significantly surpasses the next eight—or, to be precise, the seven after the Peach Blossom Sword God. Others, even if they achieved sainthood in the three religions, like Grand Official Cao Changqing or the White-Robed Monk Li Dangxin, couldn't do it. Because it goes against their core principles. Their path to sainthood carries too much celestial significance; if they act against natural law, they would suffer a severe fall in cultivation. For instance, Li Dangxin, who once severed the Yellow River and suspended hundreds of feet of water above the Daoist Sect's peak, would never let it fall on innocent people. They are unwilling and unable to 'lift Mount Tai to leap over the North Sea.' Especially the reclusive masters of Buddhism and Daoism—you never hear of them appearing on battlefields. Daoists from Longhu Mountain only receive imperial decrees to conduct rituals and build auspicious altars to accumulate merit. How could they dare to indiscriminately slaughter the innocent? And at a realm like Deng Tai'a's, an Earth Immortal who roams freely, they wouldn't typically bother with common mortals. It's like a strong man seeing a chick pecking rice by the roadside—he wouldn't grab a stick to kill it. If he did, it would only mean he's mentally ill. The crazy monk who chants wordless songs falls into this category; he's destined to suffer divine retribution sooner or later."

"The sword is good, but the wielder is not," Xu Fengnian sighed softly.

Lin Hongyuan, with her astute mind, immediately grasped the implication and carefully asked, "Was that monk perhaps an exceptionally skilled swordsman before his ordination?"

Xu Fengnian leaned his elbow on the railing, gently tapping it with his other hand, and chuckled, "I'll give you a piece of advice, free of charge: 'Too much cleverness in stratagems often backfires and costs one their life.'"

Lin Hongyuan laughed, "Duly noted. But young master, you're being generous with someone else's wisdom. You know, I've also bought 'First Snow.' Truth be told, the talented woman who said that apparently lives on Spring God Lake. If I'm fortunate enough not to die by your hand, I'll definitely go see her and ask her some questions that have puzzled me for ages. When I appear before her, I'll make sure to act virtuous and demure, so as not to startle the literary master whom this humble woman has long admired."

Lin Hongyuan's words were lively, like a familiar and amiable girl next door. Unexpectedly, after gently tapping the railing, Xu Fengnian suddenly delivered a heavy slam. Lin Hongyuan stumbled, slumping to the ground, clutching her chest. Her face was ashen, and her eyes, filled with both grievance and fury, glared menacingly at the man who had just been chatting and laughing. Xu Fengnian, still resting his chin on his hand, looked down at the Dragon Palace noblewoman who seemed to have suffered an undeserved calamity. He said, "The flutist is Zhao Ningshen. His flute playing is clear and transparent; to an outsider, it's merely pleasant to the ear. But you and I both know that while many listen without intention, the player has a purpose. He's using the flute's melody to probe the ripples of energy in the surroundings to gauge the cultivation levels of everyone on the lake. Your feigned praise was nothing more than an attempt to make me release my energy to listen intently to the flute. Even if your identity wasn't immediately revealed, it would attract the attention of that young Daoist from Longhu Mountain. I kindly offered you a proverb about not being overly clever in your dealings, and you said you accepted it, but it seems you haven't truly learned from it."

Lin Hongyuan, her inner energy churning like boiling water, suppressed the biting pain and asked bitterly, "What strange technique is this? How can you so easily usurp my energy, drawing it with a simple tap?"

Xu Fengnian chuckled, "It's harmless to tell you. I secretly learned it from a blind female zither player in Northern Mang—the 'Eighteen Flutes of Hu Jia.' Originally, I only had the form, not the essence, but after a life-or-death battle, I finally gained insight. And since you were so ill-advised, I decided to play a little trick on you."

Lin Hongyuan shrieked wildly, "Xu Fengnian, what is your connection to that eunuch Han Diaosi, the 'man-cat'?! That esoteric technique you used earlier, tearing at my skin and peeling it back like silk, is Han Diaosi's unique skill! And now this trick to seize one's heart rhythm clearly bears a resemblance to Han Diaosi's method of extracting people's souls!"

Xu Fengnian ignored the enraged woman. He turned his head to gaze at the lake shrouded in white mist and murmured to himself, "That cat's head truly is a good thing; it's far better than Fifth Mo's."

A flash of vermilion leapt and fell within the mist, silently, joyfully, unrestrained.

Xu Fengnian, still resting his chin on his hand, had warm eyes. Lin Hongyuan looked up at that moment, her gaze fixed on his phoenix-like eyes, and she was momentarily lost in thought.

"Steed, autumn wind, the northern frontier; apricot blossoms, misty rain, Jiangnan. How can one have both?"

Could this devil, whom she feared, also possess such a tender side? Lin Hongyuan wondered what he was looking at, or what he was thinking about. In that moment, she only thought that if she could make him into a human whisk in this life, she must preserve his eyes.

Xu Fengnian stood up, lazily stretched his neck, then bent down to meet Lin Hongyuan's gaze. "Dragon Palace has several pseudo-Zhi Xuan techniques. I've taught you one, so you must teach me one in return."

Lin Hongyuan felt furious and bitter, thinking, *Why don't you just stand still and let me churn your qi sea until it boils, let me beat you half to death?* She could only press her lips tightly together. Xu Fengnian's fingertip touched Lin Hongyuan's brow, completely without any hint of negotiation. He smiled slightly and said, "I've seen many esoteric Zhi Xuan techniques, and this kind of thing, the more the merrier. You, Lin Hongyuan, are destined to be the mistress of the Dragon Palace. Such a brilliant future. What good would it do to die for no reason at Kuai Xue Mountain Villa, other than providing gossip after dinner? My appetite isn't that big; I'm not asking you to reveal everything. Just one technique, and we're even, how about that? Then, you complete the task Mr. Nalan gave you, and I'll kill my targets."

Lin Hongyuan sneered, "You won't kill me, you just want this?"

Xu Fengnian had no time to be gentle with her. With a light tap of his finger, Lin Hongyuan, whose brow was forcefully struck, crashed through the railing and fell into the lake. Then, as if kicked back onto the outer corridor by a water ghoul, she became a drenched chicken in the dead of winter.

Xu Fengnian squatted beside her, arms crossed. Lin Hongyuan coughed up a mouthful of blood, clearly lacking her former vitality. She slumped and said, "If you go back on your word, and after knowing what you want, you still kill me in the end, then what?"

Xu Fengnian's eyes were clear. He shook his head and said, "You can rest assured about that. I also have a message for your benefactor, Mr. Nalan. Neither Zhao Weiping nor that sneaky Yang Maoliang has the qualifications for it."

Lin Hongyuan steadied her breathing, her lips curling into a sneer. "To grasp the subtleties of Zhi Xuan as easily as reciting a few poems? Young Master Xu, could it be that you are a rare genius, like Wang Xianzhi, seen only once in five hundred years?"

Xu Fengnian burst into laughter.

Lin Hongyuan was bewildered.

Xu Fengnian extended a finger and tapped Lin Hongyuan, shamelessly saying, "I thought I had a jinxing tongue, but I didn't expect you to be even better than me. You hit the nail on the head!"

Lin Hongyuan sighed inwardly, truly wishing she could punch that bastard and break his legs.

Xu Fengnian sobered his expression and said, "Seriously, first tell me about the essence of the esoteric Zhi Xuan techniques hidden in the Dragon Palace. If you only talk and don't practice, it won't be very useful. I don't mind serving as your training dummy. You can even openly seize the opportunity for revenge."

Lin Hongyuan hesitated, clearly in a moral struggle. Xu Fengnian scoffed, "Lin Hongyuan, do you know that precisely because you understand too much about schemes and calculations, you're easily blinded by your own cleverness? Women without courage, who only resort to petty tricks, cannot achieve great things. Excessive cleverness leads to harm; this is petty cleverness, not true wisdom. Truly intelligent people pretend to be foolish and are willing to suffer losses. If it were that woman from Mount Hui right now, she would have already started doing business with me based on her intuition, without a second thought. *She* possesses true wisdom. You, on the other hand, are too petty. I've always believed that a woman's intuition is very close to the premonition inherent in the core of Zhi Xuan."

Lin Hongyuan didn't disappoint Xu Fengnian. She went straight to the point, asking calmly, "Have you ever personally made a rubbing of an inscription?"

Xu Fengnian shook his head.

Lin Hongyuan frowned, then smoothed her brow before saying, "Three hundred years ago, the Dragon Palace once rescued a great Daoist master. He imparted a unique form of Zhi Xuan to that generation's patriarch, one similar to tracing or copying."

Xu Fengnian, who had been listening intently, suddenly smiled and said, "You should change your clothes first."

Lin Hongyuan, her graceful figure fully revealed, did not refuse. She stood up to change. A woman's love for beauty has always been unrelated to her martial prowess. The Dragon Palace accumulated countless riches. If she wanted to be adorned in jewels, Lin Hongyuan could dress in such a way that one would see only the gems, not the person. Even the phoenix coronets and ornate robes that the Southern Tang empress didn't have time to retrieve from the weaving bureau were held by the Dragon Palace. Just as Lin Hongyuan finished changing into a relatively simple and elegant outfit, Zhao Weiping, the bearded swordsman, respectfully announced at the door, "Villa Master Yuchi has arrived."

Lin Hongyuan did not immediately go out but instead went to inform Xu Fengnian. He told Lin Hongyuan to attend to her main business first, while he himself lay by the outer corridor railing, out of sight from the inner hall. Villa Master Yuchi Liangfu of Kuai Xue Mountain Villa was as busy as a bamboo dragonfly, never idle for a moment. The unexpected arrival of Zhao Ningshen from Longhu Mountain's Celestial Master's Residence brought great prestige to the villa, making Wu Shizhen of Qingyang Palace and Qiu Mian of Butterfly Sword seem like mere embellishments. It wasn't that Zhao Ningshen, who had become renowned throughout the Liyang court and countryside, was more important than Xie Lingzhen of Caotang or others; rather, the latter were expected, making Zhao Ningshen's arrival more surprising. In the past two days, Yuchi Liangfu had personally received over thirty martial arts luminaries, most of whom were in their sixties, with a good number of septuagenarians as well. Among the younger generation, looking around, Li Yibai from Dongyue Sword Pool was like an unsharpened blunt sword, very easy to get along with. Li Huoli of Wild Goose Fort was arrogant, looking down even on the villa master himself. Only Young Celestial Master Zhao Ningshen, dressed in a Longhu Mountain Daoist robe, wearing hemp sandals, and with a bitter green bamboo flute tied to his waist, always maintained eye contact when speaking to others, showing exceptional focus. This gave others the impression that conversing with him was not idle pleasantries but more like a reunion after a long separation. This young Daoist, whose gaze held warm sincerity, inspired respect. Yuchi Liangfu's pride had been somewhat wounded by the young Li Huoli earlier, and Zhao Ningshen's presence conveniently compensated for it. Comparing goods and comparing people, the villa master, in his prime, felt an added layer of goodwill towards Zhao Ningshen. After personally escorting Zhao Ningshen to his quarters, they had a very pleasant conversation. Yuchi Liangfu almost didn't want to leave the room; if not for the head steward constantly winking at him, reminding him that the "great Bodhisattva" from the Dragon Palace was waiting in the lakeside courtyard, Yuchi Liangfu would have truly wished to converse with Zhao Ningshen until nightfall. When discussing cultivation, Zhao Ningshen spoke pearls of wisdom, holding nothing back, which made Yuchi Liangfu determined to use this opportunity to build a good relationship with Longhu Mountain. The villa held several rare and invaluable Daoist scriptures that had broadened his horizons, and he was willing to part with them, despite the heartache.

As the Dragon Palace visitor to Kuai Xue Mountain Villa was merely an Imperial Scroll Official, not a top-tier figure in the strictly hierarchical Dragon Palace, Yuchi Liangfu was initially unwilling and deemed it inappropriate to open the formal ceremonial gate for a welcome. However, while he could deliberately neglect the Imperial Scroll Official, he couldn't truly ignore the Dragon Palace altogether. Reputation is reciprocal. The Imperial Scroll Official had not made the excessive demand for the ceremonial gate to be opened, which was a show of respect for Kuai Xue Mountain Villa. Thus, Yuchi Liangfu's hurried personal visit now was to return a considerable gesture of respect to the Dragon Palace.

Yuchi Liangfu waited briefly in the courtyard, then saw a young woman of unremarkable beauty cross the threshold and greet him with a smile: "Lin Hongyuan of the Dragon Palace greets Villa Master Yuchi."

Yuchi Liangfu, who had only heard that an Imperial Scroll Official was visiting, paused, then quickly recovered, stepping forward with an even wider smile. He cupped his hands and said, "I never imagined it would be Young Palace Mistress Lin herself! Kuai Xue Mountain Villa is certainly guilty of failing to give you a proper welcome."

Lin Hongyuan stepped down and then ascended the steps alongside Yuchi Liangfu, speaking softly, "Your niece knew that Uncle Yuchi would surely be swamped today, so I took the liberty of not revealing my true identity, to save Uncle Yuchi any unnecessary trouble for your niece."

The "niece" and "uncle" address settled Yuchi Liangfu's heart considerably. Not to mention, as they crossed the threshold, Young Palace Mistress Lin subtly lagged half a step behind, clearly establishing the guest-host dynamic. Dressed plainly, Yuchi Liangfu laughed heartily, "If everyone were like you, niece, your uncle would have an easy time! Unlike now, where I wish I could be in two places at once. Take that Sparrow Mound Mountain, which claims to be the greatest sect in Southern Jiang. A young man named Yue arrived, whom your uncle has never even heard of. Not only did he demand the villa open its ceremonial gate for them, but he also insisted that Spring God Tower in the villa be vacated for their use! What outrageous demands! To send such an ignorant youth to represent their sect at a once-in-a-century event like this, Sparrow Mound Mountain has truly entrusted their affairs to the wrong person!"

Lin Hongyuan smiled but said nothing. Sparrow Mound Mountain was indeed a prominent sect in Lingnan, and it had been openly vying with the Dragon Palace for two centuries. Sparrow Mound Mountain occupied an ancient temple on the coastal border of Southern Tang. When the Southern Tang emperors ascended the throne, critical state affairs such as praying for rain, stopping epidemics, or seeking heirs all required dispatching important ministers or local officials to worship the sea god enshrined in the temple. Each time, a stele was erected to record the event; to date, there were twenty-nine Tang steles. After Liyang unified the Spring and Autumn period, with Beiliang dominating the northwest gateway, exiled officials had only two choices: go to Liangliao or Lingnan, with the latter being more common. The imperial court clearly trusted Yan Chiwang Zhao Bing more than Jiaodong Wang Zhao Sui. Most of these banished officials settled locally, and Sparrow Mound Mountain had a strong scholarly atmosphere. The two often exchanged poetry, greatly enhancing Sparrow Mound Mountain's prestige. If the Dragon Palace was Nalan Youci's concubine-maid, then Sparrow Mound Mountain was Nalan Youci's fisherman. For years, the two had merely been competing for favor.

Yuchi Liangfu's demeanor was merely a common tactic of alternating flattery and criticism, a skillful use of social dynamics. Ultimately, it was about letting others know his intentions without being too direct; otherwise, if he was too vague, veiled in clouds and mist, no one would know whether he was speaking well or ill, and what good would that do? Lin Hongyuan did not echo his sentiments or deliberately disparage Sparrow Mound Mountain; that would only make Yuchi Liangfu, the old fox, look down upon the Dragon Palace behind her. The two sat down on Huangli wood Grand Tutor chairs. Yuchi Liangfu rested his hands on the smooth armrests, while Lin Hongyuan sat upright, her back not touching the chair, fully demonstrating the etiquette of a junior. In Yuchi Liangfu's eyes, the middle-aged man, who occupied the primary Grand Tutor chair at Kuai Xue Mountain Villa, subtly withdrew his hands from the armrests and asked gently, "Is your niece accustomed to her accommodations? Spring God Lake isn't like the Dragon Palace; winter here is always bone-chilling. And now, the heavy snow has just stopped. The villa has a quiet courtyard with underfloor heating, which is essentially my daughter's private chambers. If you don't mind, niece, you could move there to rest. My girl has also longed for the Dragon Palace for a long time, always complaining to me that she was born into the wrong family and wished she could be a fairy in the Dragon Palace."

Lin Hongyuan smiled, "If Sister Yuchi were to go to the Dragon Palace, your niece would certainly yield to her."

Yuchi Liangfu laughed heartily, waving his hand. "Her half-baked swordsmanship is nothing but a frog in a well. I just earnestly hope she can quickly find a good family and marry."

Lin Hongyuan's eyes narrowed into crescent moons. "Sister Yuchi would worry about marrying? From my perspective, Uncle will definitely bring home a son-in-law of the first rank in the future."

Yuchi Liangfu said cheerfully, "Thank you for your auspicious words, niece."

Immediately, the Villa Master of Kuai Xue Mountain Villa looked wistful. "That stubborn girl, just mentioning her gives your uncle a headache. I don't know where she picked up such absurd rumors, but she's completely devoted to that Northern Liang Young Master, whom she's never met. She says he's the most heroic man in the world, and she speaks of His Royal Highness's deeds as if recounting her most treasured possessions, like she's possessed. Half of your uncle's white hairs are because of her trouble. Niece, in your uncle's opinion, while your Sister Duquan is a few years older than you, she's ten thousand miles behind you. Your uncle still hopes you'll move over there and persuade her for me. When I reason with her, it goes in one ear and out the other, it's useless. If you talk to her, she'll surely listen. If she can truly get past this obsession, your uncle will personally take her to visit the Dragon Palace then, and I must thank you face-to-face!"

A flicker of imperceptible strangeness passed through Lin Hongyuan's eyes, then she spoke flawlessly, "Then I'll go stay with Sister Yuchi by myself. As long as Sister Yuchi doesn't turn me away, I'll shamelessly stay. Uncle can just arrange a remote courtyard for these servants, anywhere habitable will do. Uncle, please don't be formal with your niece."

Yuchi Liangfu laughed heartily and said loudly, "Others might not say so, but there's no way I'd let my niece feel wronged. You can absolutely continue to stay in this courtyard with peace of mind. Although Kuai Xue Mountain Villa cannot compare to the Dragon Palace's opulence, it's not so shabby that it can't offer a decent courtyard. Your uncle is laying it on the line right now: from now on, this courtyard is reserved for you, niece. You can come and stay whenever you like. When you're not here, aside from having the maids diligently clean it, no outsiders will be allowed in. Come, come, your uncle will take you to your Sister Yuchi's place right now."

Lin Hongyuan stood up and shook her head. "Uncle, you go ahead and busy yourself. I still have some scattered belongings to pack. I'll ask for directions myself and go disturb Sister Yuchi, and enjoy the scenery along the way."

Yuchi Liangfu stood up, thought for a moment, and nodded. "That works too. I'll send someone to tell my daughter first. Your uncle is sure you two will get along instantly."

Lin Hongyuan joked, "Uncle, hurry and attend to your business. Your niece here still has to worry about what kind of respectable meeting gift to give Sister Yuchi."

Yuchi Liangfu exchanged a few polite words, his face revealing an undisguised expression of contentment, and quickly walked out of the courtyard with his usually silent head steward.

After walking a dozen yards, Yuchi Liangfu looked back at the courtyard and sighed, "If Duquan had half of Lin Hongyuan's composure, I, as a father, would have no worries."

The elderly steward, nearing seventy, softly consoled him, "Villa Master, the Young Mistress's innocent heart is truly precious. As the old saying goes, 'Blessings come to those who cherish them.'"

Yuchi Liangfu laughed and chided, "What old saying? Ten to one, you made that up again. Duquan is right, you should publish a book of cautionary tales; it wouldn't be much worse than 'First Snow'."

The old steward, as if having savored a fine wine, stroked his beard and smiled slightly. "One must understand not to deceive oneself. Villa Master, I'm just a dabbler; there's no need to make a fool of myself."

Yuchi Liangfu pointed a finger at the old steward, "You, you."

The two then hurried to the next courtyard, where a sect known for its mastery of poisons—ranking among the top three in the jianghu—was staying. They were the kind of people it didn't matter if you befriended, but absolutely could not afford to make enemies with. Yuchi Liangfu had to steel himself to deal with them. He had heard that the eccentric old leader had a liking for male beauty, so Kuai Xue Mountain Villa had specially hired two handsome young male escorts from a famous brothel in Xiangfan City, paying a hefty sum for them to reside in the courtyard, discreetly mixed among the maids, just in case. As he walked, Yuchi Liangfu was filled with emotion. This time, in an effort to have the martial arts alliance leader chosen from their villa, they had paid a considerable price not only to Spring Poem Thatched Hut and Dongyue Sword Pool. Just for inconspicuous food ingredients alone, over three thousand taels of silver were spent daily, not to mention the ridiculous additional expenses like renting highly-priced male escorts from brothels.

Inside the courtyard, Lin Hongyuan walked to the outer corridor and saw Xu Fengnian leaning against the wall outside the door, tinkering with something, his head bowed. She smiled and said, "Have you heard? That Miss Yuchi is absolutely smitten with you, Young Master."

Xu Fengnian looked up, revealing an unfamiliar face. He was wearing a "rooted skin" mask that he hadn't used much since returning from Northern Mang. He said, smiling, "Miss Yuchi certainly has exceptional taste; it's practically unparalleled."

Lin Hongyuan's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

Xu Fengnian stood up and chuckled, "Go get me a plain mink hat. Let's make another bet."

Lin Hongyuan asked, "What are we betting on?"

Xu Fengnian interlaced his fingers, stretched them above his head, and lazily shook his head. "We bet on whether I can kill Xie Lingzhen tonight. If I do, in addition to the rubbing technique, you tell me one more Zhi Xuan technique. If I fail and get killed instead, you'll have even less to lose."

Lin Hongyuan sneered, "There's no gain without pain. Whether you kill Xie Lingzhen or not, what does it have to do with me?"

Xu Fengnian smiled, looking at Lin Hongyuan.

The latter giggled, "If you consecutively kill Xie Lingzhen, Li Huoli, and Li Yibai, then I'll bet with you."

Xu Fengnian tutted, "Finally, you're getting smart. But let's agree beforehand, I won't kill Li Yibai. Do you have an enemy you want to substitute?"

Lin Hongyuan said without hesitation, "No problem, let's change it to killing Yue Ximan of Sparrow Mound Mountain. The mink hat and their courtyard in Kuai Xue Mountain Villa, I can get them both to you before dark."

Xu Fengnian glanced at the succinct Lin Hongyuan and clicked his tongue in wonder. "You're full of surprises. You've had designs on that man named Yue for a long time, haven't you? This time, not only did you, the Young Palace Mistress, hide your identity, but you also brought Yang Maoliang, who didn't hesitate to blend in with the sedan-bearers, all just to target Sparrow Mound Mountain? Using my hand to kill, so your hands remain bloodless, and with Yuchi Duquan as your witness, the Dragon Palace will be completely exonerated."

Lin Hongyuan just grinned foolishly without speaking.

Xu Fengnian looked towards the mist in the distance over Spring God Lake. Lin Hongyuan, with her excellent eyesight, followed his gaze but saw nothing. A moment later, a woman's voice called out, "Hello? Hello? Is the Southern Jiang Dragon Palace staying here? Answer me. If not, I won't come ashore."

Lin Hongyuan approached the railing and saw a young woman with a merely delicate face but an exceptionally alluring figure, propelling a boat by herself. Her fur coat was made of high-quality fox fur, but it had inevitably become somewhat dull and old with time. For a woman to appear in such an unusual manner, Lin Hongyuan was quite surprised, yet she calmly retorted, "Are you Yuchi Duquan?"

The woman nodded. "And you are?"

Lin Hongyuan noticed that Xu Fengnian had already vanished, deepening her understanding of him. Facing Yuchi Duquan, the Eldest Miss of Kuai Xue Mountain Villa, she smiled and said, "I am Lin Hongyuan of the Dragon Palace. Greetings, Sister Yuchi."

Yuchi Duquan put down her bamboo pole, quickly leapt onto the outer corridor, and exclaimed joyfully, "You're Young Palace Mistress Lin, the Immortal?"

Normally, Lin Hongyuan wouldn't have thought much of it, but having heard the young devil's harsh mockery of female martial artists in the jianghu, she felt a little uncomfortable.

Yuchi Duquan paid no attention to it being their first meeting. She eagerly grasped Lin Hongyuan's hands, her face full of delighted surprise, and asked, "Immortal Lin, is your Dragon Palace truly built at the bottom of the sea, as the rumors say?"

Lin Hongyuan thought to herself, *For that fellow to be admired by such a naive girl doesn't seem like something to be too proud of.*

Unexpectedly, a sudden complication arose. Yuchi Duquan's face abruptly turned cold, and she said fiercely, "What are you hiding for, big man? Come out! Hey, hey, you in the room, I'm talking to you! You were just on the outer corridor, and now you're only ten yards from me. Don't think I don't know you're there just because you're behind a wall."

Lin Hongyuan was utterly stunned. Could this girl be as cunning as Xu, both liking to feign ignorance and foolishness?

Inside the room, Xu Fengnian was also quite surprised. After a moment of hesitation, he calmly walked out. Lin Hongyuan, standing shoulder to shoulder with Yuchi Duquan, subtly raised her hand and made a sharp, slashing motion as if drawing a blade, silently asking Xu Fengnian if he should eliminate this potential threat. Xu Fengnian feigned ignorance, already mentally drafting his response. Unexpectedly, the girl fixated on Xu Fengnian's white hair, then bounced forward, rushing up to him, almost nose-to-nose, and exclaimed in a startling voice, "Haha, I knew it was you, Xu