"Let's worry about future matters later," Yan Shouyi comforted him, "At worst, it won't escalate to the point where you need to betray your sect."
Ling Xiaoxiao nodded heavily, feeling a sense of relief and a little better.
Lin Zitong asked, "What happened when you were kidnapped? What did that赊刀人 say to you?"
Mentioning this, Ling Xiaoxiao became serious and quickly replied:
"Last night, the 赊刀人 sneaked into my room and kidnapped me. Later, he heard that I was here to cause trouble for Brother Yan, so he revealed his true identity. That's when I realized we had been deceived... So, we decided to put on an act. The 赊刀人 wanted Lin Fan, and I wanted to kill Brother Yan. That's how what just happened came about."
Ling Xiaoxiao paused and then added, "However, that 赊刀人 was very strange. He had a young boy with him, who looked only five or six years old, but he seemed to possess some skills."
The 赊刀人 with a little boy?!
Yan Shouyi and Lin Zitong exchanged glances, both surprised.
The 赊刀人 had always traveled alone in the martial world. Why would he bring a little brat with him as a burden?
Could that little boy be Zou Xiazi's son?
The two felt it was unlikely. By rights, Zou Xiazi's son should already be over twenty years old, not the young boy beside the 赊刀人.
Unless... the 赊刀人 used some secret technique to stunt the boy's growth?!
At this thought, Yan Shouyi felt a glimmer of hope. If they could capture the 赊刀人, they might find that boy. If the boy was indeed Zou Xiazi's child, then Zou Xiazi's wish would be fulfilled.
Therefore, Yan Shouyi immediately said:
"It's not over yet. Let's hurry down and help. First, let's catch the 赊刀人!"
Lin Zitong and Ling Xiaoxiao quickly got up.
However, when the three turned around, they were shocked to find that Yi Hehuan, who should have been lying on the ground, had disappeared!
"She's over there!" Ling Xiaoxiao exclaimed.
Yi Hehuan was seen clutching her neck, already at the edge of the lighthouse. She was attempting to risk her life by jumping off to escape!
Yan Shouyi couldn't let this woman escape so easily. He immediately unleashed a terrifying palm strike, hitting Yi Hehuan squarely in the abdomen.
Yi Hehuan grunted, enduring the pain and spasms, and leaped off!
The three arrived at the edge and looked down, only seeing a massive splash of water. Afterward, Yi Hehuan's figure was no longer visible.
"Damn it, she got away!" Yan Shouyi said grimly, "Yi Hehuan and Fukada Ichiro are both threats. As long as they are alive, we will have endless trouble!"
To prevent the two from escaping, Yan Shouyi quickly released San Yuan and instructed San Yuan to patrol the surrounding area, to notify him immediately if Yi Hehuan was spotted.
At this moment, Yan Shouyi noticed that the dilapidated boat carrying Long Feicheng away had actually drifted back.
On the boat were Yan Nanfei, Chang Shan, and Long Feicheng. Besides them, there was also the familiar yet strange 赊刀人 and a little boy.
Seeing this, Yan Shouyi quickly led the two women down the lighthouse and to the shore.
As they reached the shore, the dilapidated boat also docked, and the people on board disembarked.
From a distance, Yan Shouyi saw Yan Nanfei and the others, and instinctively reached up to touch his face, wanting to put the golden mask back on.
But then he heard Yan Nanfei shout, "Yan Shouyi, don't wear the mask anymore. We already know your identity!"
Hearing this, Yan Shouyi gave a wry smile, ceased his struggle, and walked towards them with his true face, openly and honestly.
The two sides met on the sandy beach. Yan Nanfei sneered, "So there was never anyone called Wu Nian or Chi Qing. It was all just Yan Shouyi, the descendant of Lu Ban, and Lin Zitong, the successor of the Lu Shan sect..."
Long Feicheng sighed, realizing he still didn't deserve a name.
Chang Shan slowly said, "Amitabha, lying is not a good thing."
"It seems you've figured it out."
Yan Shouyi spread his hands and said calmly, "Then how do you plan to deal with me?"
Yan Nanfei and Chang Shan exchanged glances, surprised by Yan Shouyi's composed reaction.
Yan Nanfei looked at Ling Xiaoxiao, "Junior Sister Ling, aren't you coming over?"
Ling Xiaoxiao, however, stood firmly by Yan Shouyi's side. She frowned and said, "Senior Brother Yan, Senior Brother Chang, Yi Hehuan and Fukada Ichiro just arrived."
Upon hearing the appearance of these two "demons," Yan Nanfei's expression also darkened, "Where are they?!"
"They used me as a hostage, threatening Brother Yan to hand over the Lu Ban book and cripple his own arms. Brother Yan complied with everything," Ling Xiaoxiao said softly. "Even though I betrayed Brother Yan and injured him, he didn't hold a grudge. He even went so far as to cripple his own hands to save my life... I think Brother Yan is completely different from what Master and the others described. Perhaps, he's a good person?"
These words silenced Yan Nanfei and Chang Shan.
They had witnessed firsthand how Yan Shouyi had treated them these past few days.
If Yan Shouyi were truly a bad person, he would have had ten thousand ways to kill them when he figured out their origins.
But Yan Shouyi didn't do that.
On the contrary, everyone had gotten along harmoniously these past few days.
Yet, Yan Nanfei still felt deceived.
He said to Yan Shouyi in a cold voice, "Like your father, you can lie with your eyes closed. Even if you are a good person, I can no longer trust you."
"Perhaps, but everything I said was not to harm anyone, only to protect myself," Yan Shouyi replied. "And, I genuinely like friends like you."
Yan Nanfei was taken aback, unsure how to respond.
Suddenly, Chang Shan clasped his hands together and said to Yan Nanfei, "Senior Brother Yan, I am naturally slow-witted and don't understand worldly affairs, but I can feel who is good to me and who is bad to me. Brother Yan has taken good care of us these past few days. I don't think he's a bad person. Perhaps there are some conflicts and misunderstandings."
"How could even you..."
Yan Nanfei was speechless. Even his most loyal follower had "betrayed" him and fallen into Yan Shouyi's "embrace."
They had arrived as three people, and now, Ling Xiaoxiao and Chang Shan had both become Yan Shouyi's people.
This was a significant blow to Yan Nanfei.
"Senior Brother Yan," Yan Shouyi said with a smile, "I apologize for my lies earlier."
Yan Nanfei was silent for a long time, and finally let out a cold laugh, "Hmph, do you think an apology is enough?"
Yan Shouyi's heart tightened. Could he and Yan Nanfei still not become friends?
Unexpectedly, Yan Nanfei said in the next second, "An apology alone is not enough. To get our forgiveness, you need at least a barbecue!"
There's nothing that a barbecue can't solve!
If there is, then two!
This is the truth!
Yan Shouyi couldn't help but smile, "Alright, as long as you're still in Rongcheng, I guarantee enough barbecue!"