Early in the morning, while Hua Yan was savoring a bite of an eight-treasure shaomai, she was suddenly called out to. Turning around, she saw a group of beautiful women holding musical instruments.
They were all dressed in smoke-yellow skirts, the hems as light and thin as gauze, overlapping like layers of ink wash, giving a misty, rainy charm. Some of the women openly displayed their lovely faces, while others covered their faces with light veils.
The woman who called Hua Yan was among the latter. She covered her face with a light veil, revealing only her exquisitely made-up eyebrows and eyes. Her brows were like willows, her eyes like mist, and a silver hairpin shaped like a guqin adorned her complex and elaborate hairstyle, with golden gauze as decoration and a pair of pear-shaped golden pendants hanging from her earlobes.
From head to toe, she was dressed like an unparalleled beauty.
Hua Yan was stunned.
“Uh… Qiqin Tianxia? Qin Muyan?”
A trace of pride flashed in the veiled woman’s eyes. She lifted her chin and nodded reservedly, then casually removed her veil, revealing a beautiful face.
Due to the large number of female disciples, the area around the seats of Qiqin Tianxia in the Dongfeng Buye Tower was specially draped with smoke-yellow curtains to prevent lecherous men from peeping. Thus, even though it had been two days, this was Hua Yan’s first time seeing the face of this young lady.
Hua Yan crossed her arms and looked at Qin Muyan very strictly, scrutinizing this young lady with the standards she used to choose a wife for Lu Chengsha.
A peerless swordsman naturally deserves the most beautiful woman in the world!
Hua Yan had specifically inquired about this. Currently, there was no widely recognized most beautiful woman in the martial world, and Qin Muyan was the highest-rated candidate. As for whether she was really that beautiful, rumors were unreliable; Hua Yan thought her own judgment was more reliable. After looking at her, she understood why Shui Se gritted her teeth in hatred towards Qin Muyan. The two clearly clashed in style—they were both the type to evoke pity with their delicate beauty. However, Shui Se’s appearance was more pure and innocent, while Qin Muyan’s was more delicate and charming. Both were beautiful, but only marginally different…
While Hua Yan was assessing Qin Muyan, Qin Muyan was also sizing her up.
This beautiful girl who suddenly appeared by Lu Chengsha’s side had recently become very famous. Even yesterday, when clearly Lu Chengsha defeating Chu Jun in the martial competition was the major event, the two cities were abuzz with the girl’s earth-shattering “Be careful!” and the sight of Lu Chengsha bending down to whisper in her ear after coming down from the competition stage.
Those who had been there knew what was going on, while those who hadn’t already turned this girl into an unparalleled celestial maiden, unmatched anywhere.
Storytellers in the city had started setting up stalls to narrate love stories between a young hero and a maiden, with such detail it seemed as if they had seen it firsthand. Despite knowing it was made up, crowds listened intently, much to Qin Muyan’s displeasure.
In the triennial Sword-seeking Tournament, the much-anticipated Qiqin Tianxia concert, she was supposed to remove her veil, sit in the center, and play the qin, stunning the audience as the most dazzling woman.
Moreover, the one who stole the spotlight was Lu Chengsha.
God knows how much effort she had put into spreading the rumor that after a bloody battle, Lu Chengsha had plucked a peony for her. As expected, for years after that, Lu Chengsha’s name was tied to hers, making other women feel ashamed and dare not approach him.
Lu Chengsha was the one she had set her eyes on, and no other woman should get ahead of her.
Qin Muyan lightly bit her lower lip, maintaining her proud demeanor.
Indeed, the girl before her was truly beautiful, with bright eyes and white teeth, her face radiant. Though her clothes were simple, they couldn’t hide her charm. Her lips were naturally red, her eyes sparkling with a seductive allure. As she walked, many had already been watching her, but she seemed completely unaware, wholeheartedly enjoying her shaomai. Unbeknownst to her, this made her even more eye-catching, and several tables of guests had already called for more shaomai from the waiters.
The girl looked quite young now, but in a few years, she would likely grow even more beautiful.
Unfortunately, she was a coarse woman lacking in manners, unfit for elegant occasions. No matter how beautiful she might become, she could never compare to Qin Muyan.
Qin Muyan took a deep breath and said softly, “You must be the young lady rescued by Young Hero Lu? I have already discussed with Senior Lu Huaitian. Given that Tingjian Manor is filled with men, it’s not suitable for a young lady like you to stay there. Our Qiqin Tianxia is a martial sect just like Tingjian Manor, and we are willing to take you in for the next few days…”
Hua Yan quickly finished her shaomai and waved her hand dismissively, interrupting her, “No need, I don’t mind.”
Qin Muyan took another deep breath, maintaining her smile. She repeatedly reminded herself that her status was noble, and the girl in front of her was just a rustic village girl, not worth getting upset over. “If you stay, you will cause trouble for Young Hero Lu and the others…”
Hua Yan waved her hand again, “It’s fine, I don’t think he minds either!”
Qin Muyan’s lips twitched slightly.
Suddenly, Hua Yan looked up and said, “Hey, Great Hero Lu, you’re down already?”
Qin Muyan was momentarily stunned, her eyes a bit flustered as she turned her head nervously yet with dignity.
But upon closer inspection, there was no sign of Lu Chengsha behind her!
Turning back, she saw Hua Yan clutching her stomach, laughing heartily, “You actually believed it!”
Qin Muyan almost lost her temper but held back. Her eyes shifted as she smiled, “Since you have such a good attitude, I won’t say more. However, there are some things you should understand. Young Hero Lu saved you merely because…”
Hua Yan was curious, “Merely what?”
Qin Muyan smiled faintly, “Merely because he pitied you.”
Hua Yan found this odd, “Yeah, what other reason could there be?”
Qin Muyan was speechless. This girl was infuriating!
How could this girl be so unconventional!
Qin Muyan, with her noble birth, outstanding qin skills, and beautiful appearance, had always been adored and admired. Other women in the martial world felt inferior in her presence, and the disciples of Qiqin Tianxia never dared to oppose her. She had never encountered anyone who would argue with her like this.
“Hey, Great Hero Lu, do you want some shaomai?”
Qin Muyan scoffed, “Using the same trick twice won’t work. How could Young Hero Lu…”
A cold male voice interrupted from behind her.
“Yes.”
Qin Muyan’s entire body stiffened, and she slowly and stiffly turned her head.
The black-clad youth still looked cold and unfeeling, his black hair tied high, his brows and eyes like ice. However, the aura of aloofness that kept people at a distance seemed to have diminished slightly. He walked out from among the group of Tingjian Manor’s people, took the oil-paper package Hua Yan handed him, slowly opened it, and, oblivious to those around him, began eating.
“The eight-treasure shaomai from that shop in the east of the city is very popular! I had to wait in line for quite a while! It’s still hot, you should try it. Oh right…” Hua Yan pointed at the dumbfounded Qin Muyan, “I’ll chat with her for a bit, you can go ahead.”
“Okay.” Lu Chengsha glanced at Qin Muyan as indicated by Hua Yan.
Qin Muyan’s entire body stiffened even more.
Lu Chengsha’s gaze quickly swept past her, and he left with the shaomai, as if he didn’t even remember who she was.
Hua Yan was puzzled, “Aren’t you two acquainted?”
Qin Muyan regained her composure, realizing how inappropriate her expression was, and hurriedly adjusted her demeanor, but it was already a bit late.
Hua Yan became even more curious, “Why do you seem afraid of him?”
Of course she was afraid!
Qin Muyan almost shouted it out loud.
The first time she met him was at an inn. They were being besieged by dozens of demonic cult members. Lu Chengsha descended from the sky, blade in hand, and charged into the cultists. His black figure moved like a knife through tofu or some kind of meat grinder, with screams and blood splattering everywhere.
Forget about peonies, there was blood everywhere around them.
In a quarter of an hour, Lu Chengsha killed from start to finish, neither his eyes turning red nor going berserk, calmly slaughtering all the demonic cultists without saying a word, like an ancient, emotionless weapon.
She had seen killings in the martial world, but never like Lu Chengsha’s. It felt like one more glance at him would lead to being devoured.
Qin Muyan was so scared that she fell to the ground, unable to speak, and the other female disciples of Qiqin Tianxia were trembling as well.
Even knowing that Lu Chengsha was there to save them and only killed the demonic cult members, they still felt fear.
But Lu Chengsha was undeniably strong. After witnessing that night, Qin Muyan was convinced he would become famous in the martial world. He was someone worthy of her reputation. So she had someone spread the rumor.
The two sects already had family ties, and Tingjian Manor wouldn’t bother to clarify.
Later events proved Qin Muyan’s judgment correct. Before long, Lu Chengsha became the most renowned young hero in the martial world, and her reputation naturally rose along with his, shrouded in mystery by the many rumors.
The only regret was that despite visiting Tingjian Manor several times with her aunt, she never managed to speak with Lu Chengsha.
And she was still a bit afraid.
However, to Qin Muyan, these were minor issues. If she couldn’t succeed, how could any other woman? Lu Chengsha was the grandson of the old manor lord, with a past like that, and her status matched his perfectly. Given time, she was confident she would win him over, and becoming the number one beauty in the martial world would be inevitable.
But who would have thought a girl named Zhou Xiaohua would appear out of nowhere?
Just by her name, you could tell she was likely a rustic village girl! Even if she was beautiful, how could she compare to Qin Muyan?
Qin Muyan steadied herself and said, “Have you ever seen Young Hero Lu kill?”
Hua Yan replied, “Yes, I have.” More than once, in fact.
Qin Muyan choked, her composure slipping.
The scene that had just unfolded was fresh in her mind, and the disciples of Qiqin Tianxia around her wore similarly shocked expressions. Yesterday, through the veils, they had only seen this girl and Lu Chengsha whispering closely, appearing very intimate, but none had witnessed how they interacted.
Surprisingly, shockingly, they interacted so normally!
To be able to interact normally with Lu Chengsha was, in itself, an incredibly abnormal thing!
“What’s wrong with you, are you stunned?” Hua Yan waved her hand in front of Qin Muyan’s face.
Qin Muyan stared at Hua Yan, her expression complex. After a moment, she suddenly asked, “How… how did you manage it?”
Hua Yan was puzzled, “Huh?”
Qin Muyan clarified, “I mean, how did you… how did you get close to him?”
Hua Yan replied, “He didn’t chase me away, did he?”
She had figured it out; this girl in front of her might be someone who had sought but never attained Lu Chengsha’s affection. She’d seen this kind of scenario in storybooks!
In the tale “The Righteous Hero,” even though Hero Shang had many female confidants, there were always a few women who loved him in vain and left in sorrow. It was so tragic! It had even made Hua Yan shed a few tears.
Thinking of this, Hua Yan placed a hand on Qin Muyan’s shoulder, full of sympathy, and asked, “Do you really like Great Hero Lu?”
Qin Muyan was furious, feeling as though Hua Yan was flaunting her relationship with Lu Chengsha.
Hua Yan continued sympathetically, “There are plenty of other fish in the sea. I know it’s hard because Great Hero Lu is indeed handsome, has a good temper, is easygoing, and is pleasant to talk to…”
She’s definitely showing off!
Qin Muyan was trembling with anger. She shook off Hua Yan’s hand and coldly said, “Do you really think Lu Chengsha will marry you? You should know that Young Hero Lu is the legitimate grandson of Tingjian Manor, and there’s no way he would marry a girl with an unknown background who can’t even practice martial arts.”
This time, it was Hua Yan’s turn to be dumbfounded.
“Why would Great Hero Lu marry me? If he were to marry, he would marry the most beautiful woman in the world.”
Qin Muyan was speechless. Isn’t that supposed to be me?
“By the way, are there any women in the martial world more beautiful than you? Or at least as beautiful?”
Qin Muyan instinctively replied, “There aren’t any!”
Hua Yan was confused. Is she that arrogant?
Hua Yan began to find it difficult to communicate with her.
As the saying goes, it’s hard to communicate when there is no common ground. Hua Yan had initially wanted to ask Qin Muyan if Lu Chengsha really had given her a peony, but now it seemed unnecessary.
She wanted to leave, but Qin Muyan wouldn’t let her go.
Qin Muyan felt that Hua Yan needed a reality check. Her voice gradually took on a superior tone as she said, “Think about it carefully. Once the Sword-seeking Tournament is over, they’ll all return to Tingjian Manor. Tingjian Manor won’t take in a girl with an unknown background who can’t even practice martial arts. At most, they’ll leave you with a nearby farming family.” She paused, “Out of respect for Tingjian Manor, we at Qiqin Tianxia are willing to take you in as an outer disciple. If you’re sincere, after two years of training, you can find a husband more suitable for you, such as… uh…” She glanced around and spotted a young male disciple with a pitiful yet foolish expression, “someone like him?”
Zhao You was immersed in his inner sorrow and didn’t notice that he was being pointed at.
Yesterday, he had also seen Hua Yan and Lu Chengsha’s intimacy but refused to believe it. This morning, he had witnessed their affectionate feeding of shaomai in the hall of the Dongfeng Buye Tower up close, and it had shaken him deeply.
He should have known! How could a demonic cult witch have any genuine feelings!
One moment, she was eloping with him, and the next, she had fallen for Young Hero Lu!
The prettier a girl is, the more heartless and fickle she is. Is this the inevitable path of a young man’s growth?
“What do you think?” Qin Muyan persisted, “You have no idea how many girls want to join Qiqin Tianxia every year. If it weren’t for…”
“No need,” Hua Yan interrupted, losing interest in her. “Don’t you have a performance? Shouldn’t you be heading there early?”
Hua Yan’s dismissive attitude was too obvious. Qin Muyan, furious, coldly flung her sleeve and snapped, “Ungrateful!” before turning to leave.
The disciples of Qiqin Tianxia followed her, but as they left, these beautiful women gave Hua Yan several more glances, their expressions a mix of astonishment and gossip.
Hua Yan turned to leave as well, but suddenly remembered something and pulled the dazed Zhao You aside, “Come here, I have something to ask you.”
Zhao You snapped back to reality and, seeing it was Hua Yan, blushed, “Uh?”
After being pulled a few steps away, he heard her lower her voice and ask, “How much do you know about Dangshan Sect?”
Zhao You was confused, “Uh, just the usual stuff.”
Dangshan Sect was a long-time rival of their Qingcheng Sect, separated by a river. It was impossible to know nothing about them. Senior brothers and sisters had passed down all sorts of insider information for generations, with at least half of it being unsavory secrets about Dangshan.
“I want to visit Dangshan Sect. Will it be very dangerous?” Hua Yan’s deliberately lowered voice had a coaxing tone.
The alluring sound seemed to captivate Zhao You, making him feel like he was walking on clouds, his mind unclear and his speech uncontrollable. “Usually, there are disciples patrolling, but recently they’ve been focused on the Sword-seeking Tournament, so it shouldn’t be very dangerous.”
Hua Yan thought for a moment and then asked, “When was the last time you cried?”
Zhao You, like a puppet, answered every question, “Last night.”
Hua Yan was surprised and couldn’t help but ask, “Why did you cry?”
Zhao You’s flat tone carried a hint of grievance, “The girl I cared about fell for someone else.”
“Oh,” Hua Yan didn’t expect such gossip, but she wasn’t very interested.
After confirming that Zhao You was telling the truth, she deepened the allure in her voice, making it even more seductive, “Then, can you tell me where Dangshan Sect’s dungeon is?”
After getting the information she needed, Hua Yan also subtly implanted a suggestion in Zhao You’s mind, ensuring he would not reveal her identity to anyone else.
Her mother’s taught Charm Voice was indeed very useful. Unfortunately, it had many limitations. For instance, it could only be used when facing the other person alone; if there were more than three people present, it would not work. Additionally, it was only effective on those with weak willpower and would be significantly less effective against those with strong determination.
In a good mood, Hua Yan couldn’t resist buying two more packets of sugar-coated pastry, planning to enjoy them while watching Qiqin Tianxia’s performance. However, just as she was about to leave with her pastries, she was stopped by two men dressed as ordinary city residents, who blocked her path with troubled expressions.
“Young lady, could you help us with something?” one of them asked.
“What kind of help?” Hua Yan asked.
“There are too many people here to explain. Could you come over to that corner to talk?” the man suggested.
Hua Yan, holding her sugar-coated pastries, smiled sweetly and said, “No, we’ll talk right here.”
The man gave a wry smile and, in a voice only Hua Yan could hear, said, “Holy Maiden, if you do this, it’ll be hard for us to explain to Leader Yu.”
Leader Yu?
The mention of that title gave Hua Yan goosebumps instantly.
She turned to run, but the man grabbed her arm before she could move. Hua Yan quickly flipped out her silk fan, ready to strike, but her move was intercepted. She then heard the man say, “Holy Maiden, forgive the offense. But if you leave now, aren’t you afraid we’ll turn around and tell Lu Chengsha your true identity?”
Hua Yan froze.
She slowly turned back, her voice now tinged with annoyance, “So what do you want?”
“Naturally, we want to take you to a safer place. Leader Yu will be arriving soon to meet with you.”
“And what if I say I don’t want to go?”
The man replied, “Then we might have to use some necessary measures.”