Fang Zhiyuan looked at Lin Fuqing and signaled with his eyes.
Although Ye Fu said “you both”, Fang Zhiyuan used a double-edged sword, and so this sword manual could basically be regarded as a gift to Lin Fuqing alone.
Ye Jianshen cast a longing glance at the sword manual that embodied his lifelong understanding of the sword path, and sighed. “I, Ye, owe two people in this life. The first is to my daughter, Ye Huaguo. I am indebted to Xuyun Sect for taking care of her…
Lin Fuqing’s mood was subtle.
“…”
Ye Fu Jianshen’s Nineteen Divine Swords, the most powerful sword manual in the world, fell into his hands just like that.
With Demon Lord Lin’s extraordinary comprehension, if he could thoroughly comprehend this manual in front of him, although he may not be able to surpass Ye Fu in swordsmanship, at least he would be able to compete with the Sword God as an equal.
So here comes the question.
Why were the Dragon King and the Sword God all rushing to offer them these once-in-a-millennium opportunities?
Could it be that he really had a face that said, “I love picking up orphans”, and exuded the aura of “Please come to me if you have orphans?”
Ye Fu was a mysterious man, and Lin Fuqing didn’t dare speculate, nor did he want to take any more responsibilities. He said cautiously, “Ye Jianshen, please speak clearly.”
A bitter look appeared between Ye Fu’s brows. After a long pause, he sighed and said, “I am Sword Valley’s leader, but I haven’t been able to do anything for them over the years.”
Fang Zhiyuan understood and waved his hand, saying, “That’s not a problem. Sword Valley didn’t expect you to do anything for them anyway.”
Ye Fu: “……”
Lin Fuqing also sincerely advised, “Ye Jianshen, don’t worry about it. Look at our Xuyun Sect master. He’s also like this, so it’s really nothing.”
Ye Fu: “……”
In the end, Lin Fuqing didn’t make any promises, nor did Ye Fu seem to care either. He came more for his daughter.
Mission accomplished, the Sword God stood up to leave, riding on his gray donkey.
Before he could leave, Lin Fuqing insisted on taking him to Huichun Peak, where he could take a look at Ye Huaguo from afar on a secluded cliff.
“…When I first met Huaguo, she was a homeless beggar on the street. She was starving, with a pale face and skinny body. Her hair was like a bird’s nest.”
Lin Fuqing looked at the girl from a distance and spoke softly to Ye Fu.
Ye Huaguo seemed to have just returned from practicing medicine on another mountain. She was squatting on the ground with her green skirt wrapped around her, concentrating on organizing her medicine box.
“She’s only at the level of Qi Refining. She stutters and is shy. She’s so timid that her legs would often go weak and tremble when someone speaks to her. She likes medicine, not swords.”
The green-robed girl was hunched down, occasionally smoothing her hair from her forehead. She didn’t have the grace of a fairy from the celestial realm, but rather looked like a herbalist from the mortal world.
“But she…”
Lin Fuqing smiled.
In fact, they met Ye Huaguo on one of their trips outside Xuyun.
As they passed through a town, Fang Zhiyuan suddenly reported the presence of yin monsters. Unfortunately, by the time they arrived, it was already too late; the town had already been ravaged and was in ruins.
Fang Zhiyuan lured out the remaining yin monsters out of town and slew them cleanly, only suffering a minor injury when a monster grazed his wrist.
Lin Fuqing insisted on dealing with them and so they went back into town. They found that Furong Pavillion had heard the news and came to treat the wounded, their skirts fluttering everywhere.
“Please, please, please…please, fairy sisters…!”
Passing by by the street corner at dusk, they witnessed a dirty beggar girl raising her pale face to stop the medical immortals who were about to leave. Her face was pale from fright, with tears muddying the dirt on her face. She looked dirty and somewhat ugly.
She stammered, “There are, there are, still people in town! They-They haven’t gotten medicine yet.”
A female disciple from Furong Pavillion looked at the leading senior sister and said in embarrassment, “Shijie, this…”
The senior sister frowned and shook her head, saying, “There’s no time. The sect has already urged us three times. If we don’t return quickly to report, master will punish us.”
“—I-I can make the medicine!”
The beggar girl was so panicked that she couldn’t speak clearly. She begged repeatedly, “N-no… I-I dare not w-waste the fairies’ time! I c-can make the medicine, I can make it!”
The medical immortals of Furong Pavilion burst into surprised laughter.
Of course, they didn’t believe that such a dirty beggar girl could make medicine. They just thought that she wanted to cheat some medicine from them and then sell it for money.
“Oh, are you worthy?” An arrogant female disciple cast a mocking glance at her. “Little beggar, why don’t you look in the mirror? How can you be worthy?”
In a hurry, Lin Fuqing didn’t bother to care about the dispute on the roadside. He dragged Fang Zhiyuan into the inn.
Fang Zhiyuan’s mood was rather unstable from his fight with yin monsters. It took Lin Fuqing a long time to coax him into agreeing to stay inside the inn while he went out to look for medicine.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he stepped out of the inn, someone grabbed the corner of his clothes.
Lin Fuqing looked down in surprise. It was the same beggar girl, but her face had become even uglier, with a bruising red spot on her forehead. She timidly pulled Lin Fuqing, “You…”
He blinked, and his brows relaxed softly. “Yes, is something the matter?”
“You, you…”
The girl’s eyes were filled with tears, teeth chattering in fear. “T-the person with you…the p-person in black…he, he’s injured! I-I-I saw it!”
Her words were incoherent, but she squeezed her eyes shut and stuffed the small bag into Lin Fuqing’s hand.
“This-This is–It’s…medicine! T-take it quickly, o-or else yin qi will a-attack and it’ll be very-very painful!”
“This is yours…?”
Lin Fuqing frowned, slightly startled. The bag stuffed in his hand was wet with the girl’s sweat and body temperature, and it was stained with two drops of blood.
Earlier, this girl was begging desperately in front of that group of Furong disciples, it was actually to ask for medicine for a stranger.
Dusk had fallen, and in the streets, pedestrians hurried by. The thin, beggar girl hunched into the shadows, shrinking even more timidly. “I-I made it. He…He’s a yin body, right?…This-This little bit of medicine might not be enough…b-but I don’t have any more. I’m sorry.”
“You know I’m a yin body.”
Suddenly, a cold and oppressive voice came from behind Lin Fuqing. He turned around and saw Fang Zhiyuan’s darkened face. “How dare you meddle in my business? Are you tired of living?”
The girl’s face became even more pale with fear. She covered her head with her hands, as if fearing being hit. Tears streamed down her face. “Wuwuwu! I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I-I’m sorry. Please-please don’t hit me!”
Saying this, she sped away as if there were some man-eating beasts chasing behind her.
She turned the street corner, panting. Something flashed before her eyes, startling her so much that she jerked backward, stumbling and falling to the ground.
“Hiss, ow…” Her little face scrunched up in pain. She raised her head shiveringly and saw the edge of someone’s white robe.
Lin Fuqing stood there calmly, appearing out of nowhere, yet looking as if he had been waiting for her for a long time. His shadow stretched out in front of him, covering the girl’s head.
The bag in his hand had been opened at some point. The youth in white lowered his eyes and sniffed the contents of the bag. “The medicine is well prepared, but it’s just this. What’s your name?”
“Ye H-Huaguo.”
The beggar girl stammered, peering up from under messy hair, secretly glancing at the handsome youth in white.
The youth leaned over calmly and asked, “Do you know why you only have this little bit of medicine?”
“The m-medical fairies only gave this much.”
“These were not ingredients you picked up yourself.” Lin Fuqing spoke softly, picking up the finely crushed grains of medicine from the bag.
Using spiritual energy, he grounded the medicine until it became more fine, and then he pulled out some clear water to dissolve it.
“It’s dependent on kneeling down and begging for alms, begging for a little kindness from others. You only get as much as they’re willing to give you. If they’re not willing to give you anything, then there’s nothing to blame.”
Ye Huaguo listened blankly with her eyes lowered, seeming both ashamed and sad.
Lin Fuqing squatted down and gently rubbed the medicine on the girl’s red, swollen and bruised forehead.
“……!”
Ye Huaguo looked up, eyes wide, mouth open.
“Do you like saving people? You need your own medicine to save the people you want to save.”
Lin Fuqing looked elegant and serious. He applied the medicine to her wound with one hand and flicked the qiankun bag on his waist with the other hand. Immediately, several bitter and fragrant medical ingredients appeared out of thin air.
Ye Huaguo let out an “ah”, eyes lighting up. But immediately, her face turned red and drooped sullenly.
Although she’d obtained the medicine with great effort, it turned out this youth already had them in hand. She was so embarrassed.
Lin Fuqing asked her again, “Do you know?”
“Mm, I know…” Ye Huaguo sniffed, and the tip of her nose turned a little red.
She whispered, “I-I want to be a doctor who collects herbs and saves lives, but I’m just… a beggar.”
Lin Fuqing suddenly lifted up Ye Huaguo’s drooping face. In the afterglow of the setting sun, the youth looked at the beggar girl face to face and spoke seriously.
“Then, if someone taught you to ride the clouds and mist, would you want to become a medical practitioner who goes deep into the mountains to collect magical herbs?”
The moment the words fell, Lin Fuqing saw that the girl’s eyes suddenly blossomed with a brilliant and ostentatious light.
Looking back at it now, she indeed looked very much like the child of Ye Jianshen and the Jade Girl Wu Mian.
=========
“Shixiong, do you need me for something?”
Ye Huaguo walked in, there carefully turned around and closed the door. She saw her two shixiongs sitting by the window, waiting for her. Their distinct black and white robes were bathed in sunlight, looking extremely harmonious.
Fang Zhiyuan waved to her. “Come here. Da shixiong has something for you.”
Ye Huaguo came over with small steps and said happily, “Da Shixiong, Second Shixiong…Has Ye-Ye Jianshen left? Huago listened to the little d-demon boy’s story today, and he talked about the story of Ye Jianshen and the Jade Girl Wu Miao…”
She actually had a beautiful and delicate face, and her smile was even more brilliant. However, she was often timid in front of others, and few people saw this piece of jade.
Lin Fuqing reached out and handed a thin book to Ye Huaguo.
The book was plain, its dark cover gleaming in the sunlight, and the string around its spine was a bit worn. The girl touched it curiously and felt that the cover was rather rough.
Lin Fuqing poked the book and calmly said, “Learn from it.”
Ye Huaguo raised her head and smiled happily. “Da-Da Shixiong, are you giving me another medical book?”
But when she opened the covers, her face fell and she said aggrievedly, “Why is it a sword manual…?”
Fang Zhiyuan raised his chin and sneered, “Don’t talk nonsense. If you dare not learn it, don’t cry when I teach you the moves.”
Ye Huaguo looked as if she wanted to cry but had no tears. She hurriedly put the sword manual into her qiankun bag, turned around, and ran away.
After all these years, she was still somewhat terrified of her second shixiong.
Even the funny posture when she escaped, as if there was a man-eating beast behind her, vaguely overlapped with the little beggar girl at the door of the inn that year.
At this time, Ye Huaguo was still just the Fourth Ye of Xuyun Sect, and a stuttering and timid little medical practitioner.
She had no idea about her shixiong’s painstaking efforts, nor did she know what she had actually obtained.
Lin Fuqing and Fang Zhiyuan watched Fourth Ye run out. They looked at each other knowingly and laughed together.
Fang Zhiyuan turned his head and whispered to Lin Fuqing with the corner of his lips raised, “Ye Fu treated his Nineteen Swords of Divine Wandering as a treasure. Tsk, he probably never thought that shi-ge would give it away in a flash.”
Lin Fuqing said quietly, “Don’t speak about it so lightly. Ye Jianshen’s Nineteenth Swords of Divine Wandering, as a swordsman, how could I not be moved…?”
He stroked the corner of his lips with his fingers, his brows curved. “But the reason Ye Fu was willing to give me this supreme sword manual, wasn’t it just to protect his daughter’s safety?”
“It’s better to rely on yourself than to rely on others, and it’s better to have the power to collect herbs than to beg for them.”
Lin Fuqing raised his head slightly, a cold light flashed across his calm brows, but his tone was casual.
“Since I brought Huaguo to Xuyun and recognized her as my shimei, how could I ask her to become that little beggar girl again…”
Fang Zhiyuan looked at him with deep eyes.
Lin Fuqing lowered his head, smiled, and waved his hand, saying, “Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore. Coincidentally, another message from Golden Osmanthus Palace arrived, and I haven’t had time to tell you yet.”
Fang Zhiyuan understood that the people who would enter the underground fantasy realm had most likely been selected, so this was a message Lu Kuifu had sent to inform his Lord.
Sure enough, Lin Fuqing tilted his head and looked at him with interest. “Regarding the list of people, there are now good news and bad news.”
Fang Zhiyuan said, “Start with bad news first.”
Lin Fuqing said, “The bad news is that a not-so-human person has sneaked in among the candidates. I’m afraid the Immortal Sovereign Huangyang will be disgusted again.”
“Who?”
“You abolished the Fang family’s prince, but there’s still one left, right?”
Fang Zhiyuan couldn’t help but laugh. “Fang Zhilong? That useless piece of trash can actually be ranked in the top twelve among the younger generation in the immortal realm?”
“Zhiyuan, do you know what the immortal realm is saying these days?” Lin Fuqing leaned back lazily against the back of the chair, closing his eyes comfortably to bask in the sun.
“People outside are saying… that the three great families of Liuhua Continent are too deep-seated. This symbolic significance is extraordinary. Never before has the direct descendants of the three great families been unable to even make it to the top twelve. This is a great shame…”
“So even the usually fair Thunder Sky Immortal Sovereign had to make some slight concessions against his will for the sake of the secret balance of Liuhua Continent.”
“Many people thought that the reason Lu Kuifu made an exception this time and personally selected the people for this opportunity is just so that he could squeeze Fang Zhilong in and save face for the Fang family.”
Fang Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow. “What’s the truth?”
Lin Fuqing pursed his lips and smiled, raising one eye. “The truth…”
“There’s no interference from the outside world in the small fantasy realm. Once you enter the underground, life and death are determined by fate.”
Lin Fuqing leaned sideways and draped his arm over Fang Zhiyuan’s shoulder, leaning on him. He whispered mysteriously into his ear:
“Lu Kuifu said that he has even arranged all the aftermath matters for you. Even if Fang Zhilong is carried out like a human pig, it won’t be a problem.”
In fact, his exact words were, “If the Consort wants to do something in there…please feel free to do so.”
“That’s good news.”
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Hahah i love them so much (≧∀≦)