Li Wenjun said coldly, "I don't like it."
How straightforward! Li Wanxue secretly exclaimed, surprised that her daughter, whom she had always thought similar to herself, had suddenly become as defiant as a younger sister. She quickly gave Li Yunxian a look. Li Yunxian had become her grandmother's most favored person in recent years, holding more sway than Li Wanxue, a disciple designated to inherit leadership.
Li Yidao sighed softly, her voice imbued with its usual loving kindness. "What you like today may bore you in a few years, and in over a decade, you might even find it hateful and regretful. Life requires consideration for those around you."
Li Wanxue was aghast, recalling Li Yunxian's secret report years ago: their grandmother had used her, Li Wanxue, who was pregnant with Jun'er, to coerce her sister into agreeing to the marriage!
Li Yidao continued, "Lin Xingsheng is loyal and values righteousness; it is both his strength and his weakness."
Li Wanxue saw Li Wenjun's eyelids droop slightly, fearing she might be swayed.
Li Yidao added, "You will inevitably fall into the circle of him and Chi Qianyue. They are the kind of people who, if they love you, will want you to live, but if they hate you, will seek your demise. You are my proud great-granddaughter, and I believe you can withstand it. Him? He will hesitate with fear, and then remorse will breed resentment."
With a strength she didn't know she possessed, Li Wanxue interjected, "Why not use Lin Xingsheng's words to explain to the Chi faction our grandmother's difficulties in handling matters, and the deceit of those who act hypocritically? This would also allow Jun'er to clearly see the Lin family's capabilities and attitude."
Li Yidao glanced at her, her face tilting slightly to the left.
Li Yunxian said, "In two months, Wanyan Zonggan will visit with the Crown Prince of the Jin Kingdom. This will showcase the strength of the younger generation of the Magic Peaks and Swords alliance, and it will be the opportune moment."
Li Yidao, after a moment's thought, nodded in agreement. "May he live up to expectations."
The core members of the Chi faction had already fled west or gone into hiding upon hearing the news. As for the remaining few groups, Li Wanxue had entrusted Zhan Cunmao to use his connections, either through open investigation or covert inquiries, to find leverage against them, thereby subduing them. Thus, as Lin Xingsheng wished, he "persuaded hearts," eased the atmosphere within the cave, and even created a momentum of "gathering the remainder and winning over their hearts."
In the days that followed, Li Wenjun often accompanied Lin Xingsheng. Disguised as village girls and artisans, they immersed themselves in appraising stones and carving seals, blending fragrances and tasting teas, shaping and firing pottery, transplanting bonsai, grinding ink, and drying paper, even spending time on clay figurines and shadow puppets. Li Wanxue observed them secretly, wondering: was that young man employing the strategy of "concealing one's strength and biding one's time"? Seeing her usually languid daughter become so animated, she hoped he treated her with genuine sincerity.
Thirty-four days passed in this manner.
Li Yidao assigned Lin Xingsheng to assist in handling the affairs of the Jin Crown Prince's visit to the Magic Peaks and Swords alliance, primarily aiding Chen Tiyu, the head of protocol, with the arrangement of the procession. Zhan Cunmao, who was sharing the responsibility of security and order during the itinerary with Jiang Chudao, was secretly summoned by Li Wanxue for a nighttime meeting. Li Wanxue frankly confessed her worries, saying, "Since forging ties with that surname Chi, the elders of the non-Sanxing families have accused him of forgetting his roots and being rebellious. You are well aware of the Chi faction; they outwardly submit, but in their hearts, they frequently condemn his moral decay and his friend-betraying, love-snatching ways. The indifference of the latter three families is a given. In such a situation, even twice the effort may not yield half the result, and a single oversight could be disastrous." Zhan Cunmao replied, "Jun came to find me yesterday." Li Wanxue understood that her daughter's concerns were naturally even greater than hers. Zhan Cunmao continued, "She is concerned about another group of people." Li Wanxue asked, "Chen Tiyu?" Zhan Cunmao answered, "She has never mentioned him to me. Her concern is for Jiang Chudao." Li Wanxue thought to herself: that perfectly sculpted face was like a mask, its true appearance impossible to discern. Zhan Cunmao said, "I will keep a close watch on him myself." Li Wanxue said, "Thank you for your trouble." It truly was inconveniencing you.
Five days before the arrival. Zhan Cunmao and his trusted subordinates had been meticulously monitoring Jiang Chudao's movements, while also paying attention to Chen Tiyu's actions. Gazing at the plaza, where groups of people followed Chen Tiyu's instructions, Zhan Cunmao understood the unspoken disappointment of such an outstanding individual being ignored by his beloved, the inability to vent his anger at being slandered behind his back, and the feeling of a thorn in his side towards Lin Xingsheng, all while feigning friendliness. These circumstances were like five fingers strangling his throat, preventing him from shouting or breathing, leading him to deeply understand that even if malicious thoughts arose, they were forgivable. At this moment, seeing Chen Tiyu and Lin Xingsheng looking over, Zhan Cunmao offered a friendly smile. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
The Jin Dynasty's Aobanbo Jilie, meaning Crown Prince. Hailing from Khara in the Kaibao Ancestral Hall, he sat at the center of the steps, observing rows upon rows of young people around his age, vigorously waving flags or weapons. He was pleased, realizing that this was the strength needed to curb the covetousness of his paternal uncles and cousins within the royal clan.
When five figures donned masks, having undergone quadruple checks by Lin Xingsheng, Chen Tiyu, Jiang Chudao, and Zhan Cunmao, the red-robed Fushins entered after the honor guard was positioned on both sides, standing before the steps. This added to the festivity and served the purpose of intercepting assassins. After the band's performance, dozens of performers, dressed in apricot-colored female and willow-green male attire, somersaulted from the flanking rows. They held cymbals adorned with colorful ribbons, and the rustling sound they produced while striking them evoked the continuous sounds of water, wind, and grass in nature, captivating the soul and cleansing the spirit.
At that moment, the second Fushin from the left in red suddenly leaped up. Lin Xingsheng, who had been subtly sensing something amiss with this performer compared to the previous checks and had been paying attention, soared through the air, using his flailing sleeves to obstruct. The red-robed Fushin drew a long sword from his robe and lunged at Khara, but Chen Tiyu, arriving first and positioning himself before Khara's seat, kicked him away. Lin Xingsheng, his sleeves swirling like stars and clouds, surrounded and apprehended him in mid-air. However, the red-robed Fushin retaliated with his sword, his movements fierce and deadly, as if intending to kill anyone who stood in his way.
"Even now, why are you still holding back due to past favors and only defending, not attacking!" Li Wenjun exclaimed in anger, launching her attack with "Spring Greetings Like a String," a move from the "Spring Willow Swordplay," creating several afterimages attacking from different angles. The red-robed Fushin spun his sword, his strikes resembling falling raindrops. Li Wenjun was astonished, "How does he know 'Murmuring Streams Outside the Curtain' from the 'Sand Washing Swordplay'?" This was one of the five forbidden techniques! Lin Xingsheng, seeing Li Wenjun in danger from the counterattack, was forced to reveal the edge of his sword from his sleeve and engage the enemy. It was a scene of: Golden sleeves, carelessly revealing the jade peak. The two of them, fighting together, withstood several blows. Li Wenjun discovered that the red-robed Fushin only knew one move from the "Sand Washing Swordplay." She became even more pleased that she and her beloved could fight with twin swords, gradually gaining the upper hand.
When the red-robed Fushin drew his sword to attack, some of the cymbal performers also rushed to the front of the steps, forming a line to block those attempting to rescue Khara. Jiang Chudao, trapped within the cymbal formation with Zhan Cunmao, broke through the gap and lunged forward, thrusting his brush-fork towards the back of the red-robed Fushin's head. The red-robed Fushin parried with his sword, which was entangled by the brush-fork. He channeled his energy, drawing his sword in a circle to break free. Jiang Chudao employed the secret technique "Water Veins Shifting Reflections," using subtle force to disarm the red-robed Fushin. However, the sword shot directly towards Khara's direction, but Lin Xingsheng timely threw his sleeve to deflect it. The red-robed Fushin then flew forward, striking with a palm, a lightning-fast attack aimed at Khara. Chen Tiyu, supported by one leg, met the blow head-on with "Heavenward Kick" and staggered back two steps before regaining his balance. The red-robed Fushin, using the force of the impact, retreated and fell into the cymbal formation. Instantly, fire erupted and smoke billowed. The remaining seven members, along with him, escaped in the ensuing chaos.
Zhan Cunmao and his men led the pursuit to the cliff. Li Wenjun swiftly overtook them, descending in front of the red-robed Fushin's group. Her posture was graceful and elegant, leading everyone present to suspect she was a celestial maiden descended to earth. Li Wenjun attacked the red-robed Fushin with her sword, her movements unpredictable, changing halfway through her strikes, leaving her opponent unable to anticipate them. After several exchanges, the red-robed Fushin was struck in three places. Heartbroken that his beloved had betrayed him with such cruel, deadly intent, and with his supporters slaughtered, he cried out in anguish, "Jun'er, do you truly have no regard for our past affections?" Li Wenjun did not respond, her sword pressing harder. The red-robed Fushin, filled with grief and indignation, cursed, "I will take your life, you woman who steals men!" Using his left palm and right claw, he unleashed a mutual destruction technique.
Lin Xingsheng rushed to the scene and, seeing the situation, quickly moved his sleeves and danced his sword, desperately protecting his beloved. The red-robed Fushin became increasingly frenzied. Finally, at the moment Li Wenjun was in peril, Lin Xingsheng, with no other choice, found an opening and thrust his sword through the red-robed Fushin's left chest.
The red-robed Fushin staggered back several steps, lifted his mask, and declared, "You two, disloyal, unrighteous, shameless… impure!" Chi Qianyue finished speaking and burst into triumphant laughter, as if his objective had been achieved. Glancing at the surrounding crowd closing in, Chi Qianyue smiled proudly, fixing his gaze on Li Wenjun, and said, "I will become a vengeful spirit and exact my debt from your descendants for all eternity!" He feigned a lunge at her, misleading everyone, then retreated rapidly to the cliff edge and leaped off, his chilling laughter echoing for a long time.