Hua Yan acquired a scroll of maps from the guards of Jiang Louyue. This map was quite ordinary, something one could buy at any inn of Dongfeng Buye Tower, and it had no special markings. However, Hua Yan found a small bottle and sprinkled some fine powder on the map. Certain areas had less powder sticking to them, indicating places that had been frequently touched, places often visited.
The major cities were of course unremarkable, but after a meticulous examination, some smaller locations stood out.
Upon returning, Hua Yan relayed everything to Xie Yingxian, except for the parts involving her and Lu Chengsha.
He nodded thoughtfully for a moment and then advised her not to provoke Jiang Louyue personally anymore: “I didn’t know Jiang Louyue could fight. I investigated and found that a hundred years ago, the first Jiang Louyue was indeed a woman. She founded Dongfeng Buye Tower and expanded it. Later, fearing that possessing such wealth would bring trouble, she instructed her clan to speak cautiously and live in seclusion. She also donned a mask and changed her attire, living like a puppet.”
Hua Yan was puzzled, “A puppet?”
Xie Yingxian explained, “Yes, like a deity that isn’t real. If she were a person, especially a woman, she would inevitably face jealousy and slander. Her marriage and offspring would be topics of public scrutiny. Jiang Louyue is naturally an alias. She lived under this false name, almost losing her sense of self. People found it hard to view her as an ordinary woman. For this reason, she even made the head of her family continue this name through generations. But this is just my speculation.”
Hua Yan asked, “So, it’s confirmed that Jiang Louyue is a woman?”
Xie Yingxian replied, “Not confirmed. It’s unknown, hence the need to investigate. After being a deity for so long, it’s inevitable to develop personal desires, especially since the person beneath the deity might change. When a sect war breaks out, the righteous factions immediately target our sect, but almost no one suspects Dongfeng Buye Tower because their image of being detached from worldly affairs is too ingrained.”
Hua Yan felt a sense of empathy, much like how any wrongdoing is first attributed to the demonic sect by the righteous path.
Preconceived notions are deeply rooted.
After looking at the map for a while, Xie Yingxian said, “Jiang Louyue’s guards have also been to Liuxian City.”
Hua Yan replied, “That’s not surprising. Everyone went there to watch the commotion.”
After Yu Ye exposed that Xie Changyun and Lu Huaixian had once stayed in Liuxian City, Xie Yingxian sent people there almost immediately. After all, it was Xie Changyun’s property. The people from Tingjian Manor arrived a bit later, finding only old books and clothes covered in dust and cobwebs, with a thick layer of black ash. The garden’s plants were reduced to roots and withered leaves, making it uninhabitable, and it was hard to imagine that it once housed a pair of lovers who defied the world.
It was said that many martial artists came to visit out of curiosity, but most left disappointed.
Afterwards, Xie Yingxian gave Hua Yan some poetry and manuscripts, saying that she could pass them to Lu Chengsha if she saw him.
Hua Yan looked through the manuscripts, which were excerpts of poems and casual writings left by Lu Huaixian. Her handwriting was elegant, with each stroke precise and neat. It was evident that even in such circumstances, she did not show any signs of anger or sorrow. Even a wildflower blooming in the corner, or new shoots emerging from a dead branch after a night of rain, could bring her joy.
She truly was Lu Chengsha’s mother!
Hua Yan, puzzled, asked what had happened back then that caused Xie Changyun and Lu Huaixian to separate—they seemed to live well in Liuxian City.
Xie Yingxian shrugged helplessly and said, “Xie Changyun is the kind of person who leaves when he gets bored. He never had much persistence.”
Just like how he abandoned the grand Tiancan Sect without a word of explanation to anyone.
Hua Yan couldn’t help but curse, “The former leader was too much! How could someone be like this!”
Xie Yingxian nodded in agreement, “Indeed.”
Hua Yan once had a glimmer of hope, “Leader, do you think there’s a chance Lu Huaixian is still alive?”
Xie Yingxian, knowing what she was thinking, said, “If she’s alive but has ignored her son for over twenty years, finding her wouldn’t be what you hope for. It’s better to think she’s dead.”
His blunt words left Hua Yan speechless.
Hua Yan just hoped that besides her, there could be someone else who cared for Lu Chengsha.
Xie Yingxian put down the map and said, “I will have people investigate each location. Also, the wedding announcement for Yu Ye and Ling Tianxiao’s daughter, Ling Aoxue, has been made. It’s next month. Are you interested in causing some trouble?”
Hua Yan immediately nodded.
Xie Yingxian had one more concern, “Do you have any feelings for him…?”
Hua Yan replied, “Not a single bit of feeling left!”
She only felt a bit of sympathy for the deceived Ling girl.
A month passed quickly. Hua Yan handed Xiao Hei back to Lu Chengsha, telling him that she wouldn’t be leaving the sect this month. Lu Chengsha understood.
Not long after, Hua Yan heard news about him.
The once famous Lu Chengsha, the young hero, had re-emerged in the martial world!
In the past, his fame always came with slaying members of the demonic sect. This time, it was different—he killed a gang of bandits who had been preying on women.
It was said that this gang had taken over a mountain, committing all kinds of atrocities. They were so ruthless and unreasonable that even the authorities didn’t dare to confront them. They were extremely alert, always evading disciples from the major sects, which is why they remained free until now.
However, they happened to encounter a young girl traveling to visit relatives. Seeing her beauty, they decided to abduct her, but Lu Chengsha intervened. He followed them to their lair and, with his sword, killed them all.
It was laughable that the gang of bandits, seeing Lu Chengsha dressed plainly and alone, did not avoid him. Instead, they attempted to overpower him with their numbers, intending to send this “ignorant boy” to the King of Hell. However, they were all wiped out by Lu Chengsha single-handedly.
Afterwards, he not only saved the young girl but also rescued a dozen women who had been imprisoned in the bandits’ lair. They were all deeply grateful to him.
It was said that the young girl immediately wanted to offer herself to him in marriage.
Hua Yan, who had been listening attentively, suddenly raised her eyebrows at this point: “Oh?”
The subordinate reporting to her quickly added, “Of course, he immediately refused!”
Hua Yan nodded, “And then? Any more details?”
The subordinate thought hard and said, “The news came from the women he saved. They mentioned that he seems to have become very considerate, even telling them to close their eyes before he began killing. He used to kill directly without such gestures!”
Hua Yan felt a mixture of happiness and complexity.
He really has become more considerate, though she hadn’t had much chance to experience it herself!
“And now, many people are trying to confirm if it was really him. There are mixed reactions—some are impressed, some are sighing, and some are amazed. Many thought he would remain in seclusion, defeated by his past.”
Hua Yan, resting her face in her hands, said, “Go and see if there’s any more news.”
Within half a month, Lu Chengsha killed another infamous figure in the martial world—a notorious rapist who had once been a righteous disciple. He had excellent lightness skills and preyed on women at night without killing them, similar to a male version of Yin Xiangsi, though he did not use any martial arts to absorb their energy.
His victims were mostly from ordinary families who were reluctant to publicize the incidents, allowing him to go unnoticed for years. Eventually, he targeted a female martial artist who fought back fiercely, almost resulting in mutual destruction. She reported the incident to her sect, making the matter widely known.
The rapist was immediately punished and expelled from his sect. However, as an outcast, he became even more vicious, publicly boasting of his past deeds and causing more women to suffer, some driven to suicide. His slyness, combined with his excellent lightness skills, and the lack of pursuit from major sect disciples, kept him at large.
Somehow, he crossed paths with Lu Chengsha, or perhaps he tried to lure Lu Chengsha, seeing him as another outcast. Regardless, Lu Chengsha killed him on the spot during his next crime, saving the girl’s honor and ridding the martial world of a menace.
This news led to many families with daughters setting off firecrackers in celebration.
Even families whose daughters had committed suicide wanted to send gifts to Lu Chengsha to express their gratitude but couldn’t find him. Eventually, they sent the gifts to Tingjian Manor, making the guards there feel quite awkward.
This incident sparked quite a bit of discussion in the martial world. It wasn’t that the man Lu Chengsha killed was particularly notable, but rather that both men were outcast disciples expelled from their sects, yet their actions were worlds apart.
Back when the elders of Baiya Peak harshly criticized him, many thought Lu Chengsha’s punishment was too lenient.
Now, in comparison, some wondered if the punishment had been too severe. After all, apart from saving that demonic woman, Lu Chengsha hadn’t truly done anything that violated moral principles.
Despite being despised by the demonic woman and exiled from Tingjian Manor, he still strived to do good, which was no easy feat.
Tingjian Manor, however, remained silent on these matters.
Lu Chengsha continued to perform good deeds, swiftly and decisively killing both demonic sect members and evildoers alike. Soon, it was not the demonic sect but the wrongdoers who feared his name.
His old symbol was the blue sword tassel and blue headband of Tingjian Manor. Now, just seeing a man in black with a long sword on his back was enough to make people’s hearts race.
Those who had seen him recently reported that Lu Chengsha’s martial skills seemed to have improved rather than deteriorated, and his lightness skills had become even more elusive and terrifying. However, he didn’t seem as frightening as before; he appeared more amiable when not in combat.
Suddenly, many female martial artists realized that the once famous and hard-to-approach young hero Lu Chengsha was actually very handsome, not much different from the dream man of many female warriors, Bai Yijiang.
In the past, Lu Chengsha’s terrifying aura and stern expression made people too scared to scrutinize his appearance. As the direct disciple of Tingjian Manor and the grandson of the old manor lord Lu Zhenxing, his high status made him unattainable for ordinary female disciples. Now, fallen from grace, expelled from his sect, and deceived by a demonic woman, many female warriors began to think they might have a chance with him.
Couldn’t they just approach him with gentle words and easily win him over?
After all, Lu Chengsha’s martial skills were still top-notch.
Hua Yan had naturally heard these rumors. Thus, she stood with her arms crossed, sternly interrogating someone she couldn’t see, “Have you met a lot of beautiful girls recently?”
Lu Chengsha’s voice sounded bewildered, “Huh?”
Hua Yan demanded, “Don’t play dumb. Spill it!”
Lu Chengsha replied, “No.”
Hua Yan wasn’t convinced, “Wasn’t there a girl who wanted to offer herself to you?”
Lu Chengsha said, “No—I didn’t agree.” He paused, “I’m already married.”
Hua Yan was quite pleased with this statement.
“But truly, no girls have come looking for you? I don’t believe it!”
Given that Lu Chengsha was currently without a sect but highly skilled in martial arts, it was reasonable to assume that not only were there those who wanted to get close to him, but other sects might also want to recruit him. Lu Chengsha could easily boost the prestige of any sect he joined, not to mention the potential attention he could bring at the upcoming Sword Conference next year—even if it was just as an honorary guest.
After a moment, Lu Chengsha admitted, “There were.”
Hua Yan exclaimed, “Then why did you say there weren’t!”
Lu Chengsha corrected himself, “There were no beautiful girls.”
Hua Yan thought about it. She wasn’t sure about Lu Chengsha’s taste in women, so she asked, “Which girls do you think are beautiful?”
Lu Chengsha paused before saying, “You.”
This response didn’t surprise Hua Yan. She pressed on, “And who else?”
Lu Chengsha said, “No one else.”
Hua Yan blushed a little, and couldn’t help but say, “Where did you learn to say things like that to charm girls? Haven’t you met Qin Muyan? She’s quite pretty, isn’t she?”
Lu Chengsha was confused, “Is she?”
Seeing that he genuinely didn’t seem to be lying, Hua Yan felt relieved, and she rubbed her face, saying, “It’s been so long since we last saw each other. Have you almost forgotten what I look like?”
Lu Chengsha replied, “No.”
Because every time he closed his eyes, he saw her.
Hua Yan asked, “Are you that sure? I almost forgot what you look like.”
Lu Chengsha: “…”
“Alright, I’m just teasing you. How could I forget?” Hua Yan laughed, “Now tell me everything you’ve been doing! I want all the details! The versions I’ve heard are all mixed up, and I don’t know what’s true or false. I want to hear it from you!”
Lu Chengsha hesitated, “Uh…”
He got stuck on the first sentence.
For Lu Chengsha, speaking at length was still a challenging task. He had grown up being reticent and not very fond of social interactions. Opening up his heart to her had already been a remarkable feat for him. He had intended to keep everything to himself and act in silence.
But since she wanted to listen, Lu Chengsha had to strain his memory and began to speak haltingly.
Luckily, Hua Yan was in no rush. On her way to Dangshan to cause some trouble, she had plenty of time to listen to Lu Chengsha slowly recount his experiences.
When one spends a long time with someone, their temperament changes. She used to be impatient, often making the other person nervous by pushing them to hurry up. But now she was incredibly patient, especially with Lu Chengsha, listening to him word by word.
Because he was the one she liked.
—
The wedding preparations at Dangshan were grand this time. Originally, Ling Tianxiao intended to keep it simple with just a family feast for the disciples, but Ling Aoxue, his daughter, disagreed. She argued that this was her first marriage and there was nothing shameful about it, so why shouldn’t it be a grand event? As the daughter of the Dangshan Sect leader, she felt she deserved no less than what the daughters of smaller sects received.
Ling Tianxiao couldn’t convince her otherwise and had to agree.
Invitations were sent to various sects across the martial world.
No one expected that Yu Ye, who had once been a demonic sect traitor, would become the son-in-law of the Dangshan Sect leader.
The news sparked widespread discussion. Some admired Yu Ye’s skills, while others criticized Ling Tianxiao’s daughter for being too indiscriminate, marrying a demonic sect traitor. Of course, there were also those who defended Yu Ye, saying he was inherently kind and not truly evil, and it wasn’t surprising that Ling Tianxiao’s daughter fell for him. Additionally, some women spoke sourly, knowing Yu Ye’s gentle and tender nature, which, if not for his low birth, could have rivaled Bai Yijiang in winning women’s hearts.
During his stay at Dangshan as an honorary guest, Yu Ye offered free medical consultations to martial artists, his skills excellent and often gifting medicines, earning him a good reputation.
Despite the gossip, no one openly opposed the match.
Of course, Hua Yan believed that he must be occasionally enraged by the bandits from their sect to the point of spitting blood.
Meanwhile, Tingjian Manor also received an invitation from the Dangshan Sect.
It was addressed to Lu Zhenxing personally.
Despite everything, the old manor lord was still alive, so it was necessary to inform him. Lu Huaitian reluctantly approached Lu Zhenxing, who predictably threw the invitation aside, exclaiming, “I’m not going! Ling Tianxiao is insane for marrying his daughter to a demonic sect traitor! I’ll never acknowledge knowing him!”
His temper had indeed worsened.
Lu Huaitian sighed and picked up the invitation from the floor.
Although Lu Zhenxing was severely injured, his strong constitution allowed him to recover after a period of rest, avoiding any life-threatening situations. However, he refused to see anyone except his loyal servant Xin Mo and his own son, Lu Huaitian. No one else could meet with him.
While others might not understand the old manor lord, Lu Huaitian knew his father well. Proud and concerned about his reputation, failing to end his own life and being saved was an unbearable humiliation. Had it not been for Lu Chengyang keeping a close watch on him during his recovery, he might have found a way to finish what he started.
Of course, it’s better that he’s alive.
Lu Zhenxing asked curtly, “What else?”
Though he didn’t say it, Lu Huaitian knew his father was eager to hear about Lu Chengsha. Previously, with no news, he had indirectly asked if his son had joined the demonic sect. Lu Huaitian could only reply that he hadn’t. Now, after some hesitation, he decided to share Lu Chengsha’s recent activities.
Lu Zhenxing remained silent for a long time before muttering, “It’s none of my business.”
Lu Huaitian replied, “Then I won’t mention it in the future.”
Lu Zhenxing: “…”
With a cold tone, Lu Zhenxing said, “What if he joins the demonic sect and commits evil deeds, disgracing Tingjian Manor’s name?”
You already know that’s impossible, so why say it?
Moreover, having been expelled from the sect, any disgrace should not concern Tingjian Manor.
Of course, Lu Huaitian wouldn’t say this to Lu Zhenxing’s face. After a moment of contemplation, he said, “I’ll keep an eye on him.”
Lu Zhenxing snorted and said nothing more.