Chapter 87: Assassination in Linhe City

Beyond the peach blossom curtain, there was no flow of rich spiritual energy. The cold wind was chilling, and the entire desolate plain resembled withered lotus leaves covered in autumn frost, displaying varying shades of dry, bleak colors. It was a desolate sight. However, in the fields close to the peach blossom curtain, seemingly blessed by the immortal mountain, clumps and thickets of trees with deep green leaves could still be seen growing.

The paths that had once been cleared through thorns and brambles were now overgrown with withered grass, blending in with the desolate landscape due to long disuse.

Further in the distance, rolling mountain ranges appeared, moving from far to near in their line of sight, one connecting to the next. As the cloud boat swept overhead, these mountains resembled giant, unmoving rocks flying past beneath them.

"Martial Uncle Lu, have you been to Linhe City?" Ning Xiaoling asked.

Lu Yuanbai was delighted that the talented young girl had initiated conversation with him. "Been there, been there," he said. "Within a radius of ten thousand li, there's no town, big or small, I haven't visited. Those elders on other cloud boats, once they start cultivating, they become like sheltered women. But Martial Uncle Lu is different from them. Back in the day, I extensively traveled the Southern Province; I went everywhere."

Ning Xiaoling asked, "Then why don't we see Martial Uncle Lu go out anymore?"

Lu Yuanbai stroked the short, dark stubble on his chin and sighed, "It's hard to be young again. When I was younger, I was too wild, which delayed a lot of my cultivation. Now, seeing you all so vibrant every day on the peak, it makes me very happy."

Ning Xiaoling pretended to listen intently.

The cloud boat soared high above the wilderness, birds skimmed over water, and flowing clouds approached like massive waves crashing forward.

It was winter, and thick snow accumulated on many mountains, making them appear white-capped from a distance. The weeds, withered vines, strange rocks, and moss all carried the unique frosty chill of winter. The four peaks were now far behind, and the peach blossom curtain swayed silently under the sky, concealing the truth behind the desolation.

Ning Changjiu sat quietly. Suddenly, he remembered something and asked, "Then have you been to the center of the Southern Province?"

Lu Yuanbai was startled, then recalled some legends. He retorted, "If I had the power to go to the center of the Southern Province, would I still be here piloting this boat for you?"

Ning Xiaoling asked curiously, "The center of the Southern Province?"

Lu Yuanbai's expression softened slightly as he explained, "Near the center of the Southern Province, there's an extremely perilous and chaotic region. It's the ruins of an ancient battlefield, known as the Southern Desolation. It's said that the restrictions there, which haven't dissipated in centuries, have formed a massive field that ordinary people simply cannot enter. I've heard that many from other sects who ventured there either died or fell ill. Some unexpectedly gained opportunities, but their endings were never good. Even figures like our Grandmaster, so they say, couldn't penetrate to its true core."

Ning Xiaoling was startled by what she heard. "It's that dangerous?" she exclaimed.

Lu Yuanbai chuckled, "Indeed. So, you should properly advise your senior brother. Don't be foolish and chase after some vague, illusory fortune. That place, even Martial Uncle Lu wouldn't dare set foot in it."

Ning Changjiu said, "Yes, Martial Uncle Lu is an Immortal in the Immortal Realm. If even you dare not venture there, then that place must be extremely dangerous."

Ning Xiaoling suppressed a laugh.

Lu Yuanbai retorted angrily, "You brat, you don't even know when you'll reach the Profound stage, and just because you luckily lit a sword star with some messy methods, you think you can mock me?"

Ning Changjiu replied, "This junior genuinely admires Martial Uncle's cultivation realm."

Lu Yuanbai, unable to bear it any longer, rolled up his sleeves, intending to teach him a lesson. But then he glanced at Ning Xiaoling beside him and grudgingly withdrew his hand. It wasn't out of consideration for the girl's feelings, but because he wasn't entirely sure if he could defeat this young girl who had only recently joined the sect.

Ning Xiaoling leaned over the boat's rail, looking down. The boundless wilderness, from their elevated view, showed little in the way of steep undulations; it was as flat as a lake surface.

"Martial Uncle Lu, aren't you going home for the New Year?" Ning Xiaoling suddenly asked.

Lu Yuanbai crossed his arms, gazing in a certain direction. "I will go back," he sighed. "After I've seen you off, I'll return."

After an unknown period, the desolate mountains and wilderness finally faded from view. A great river lay stretched out beneath them. The river's surface was extremely wide, its murky currents a yellowish-brown. Even in winter, there was no sign of freezing; it still rushed turbulently through the vast lands, its waves rolling endlessly.

Lu Yuanbai said, "This is the Sha River. Over a decade ago, beyond the Sha River, the State of Zhao and the State of Jin fought a war. In that battle, hundreds of thousands of people from Zhao died, and they ceded over six hundred li of land just to secure a brief period of peace. If it weren't for the State of Rong eyeing them from the side, Jin might have just swallowed Zhao whole back then. These fortresses and strongholds used to be empty, but now they finally have garrisons again. It's said that this is because Zhao has a new emperor, a woman. She places great importance on military affairs and is already training troops to avenge the humiliation of more than ten years ago."

Ning Xiaoling's eyes brightened. "Zhao Xiang'er?"

Lu Yuanbai was slightly surprised. "Oh? Little junior sister, you know her too? This newly ascended Empress is said to have lived in seclusion for many years, but her reputation is immense. I heard the imperial capital was in great turmoil this time; I'm not sure what exactly happened. In any case, Zhao Xiang'er took the opportunity to ascend and now governs the State of Zhao. But Zhao is ultimately not like the mountains; how can a group of mortals gather spiritual energy? For true cultivation, one must still go to an immortal sect beyond the world. I feel it's quite unworthy for that female emperor to neglect her cultivation for worldly power."

Ning Xiaoling listened to his rambling, merely smiling as she said, "Sister Xiang'er is truly beautiful."

Lu Yuanbai asked, "Is that just hearsay, or have you actually seen her?"

Ning Xiaoling replied, "Of course, I've seen her with my own eyes."

Lu Yuanbai considered that they had been brought back from the imperial capital by Lu Jiajia, so it was normal for them to have met Zhao Xiang'er. He looked in the direction of the State of Zhao and said, "That Zhao Xiang'er is said to be exceedingly beautiful. Not only that, but rumors also say she has a fiancé. I wonder who could be so fortunate as to have such good luck; it's truly enviable..."

Ning Xiaoling glanced at her senior brother, then chuckled to herself for a moment before chiming in, "Yes, yes, even I, as a girl, am very envious."

Lu Yuanbai then casually asked, "Oh, by the way, Xiaoling, since you've met Zhao Xiang'er, who is prettier, her or your Master?"

Ning Xiaoling's heart skipped a beat, and the smile on her face slowly faded. She glanced at Ning Changjiu, who was also smiling at her.

Lu Yuanbai noticed her prolonged silence and felt a slight oddness. He wondered why she was deliberating so long over a simple casual question.

After much consideration, Ning Xiaoling whispered, "Sister Xiang'er and Master are eight years apart. Let me compare them again in eight years..."

Outside Linhe City, Ning Changjiu and Ning Xiaoling disembarked from the cloud boat, bid farewell to Lu Yuanbai, and walked towards the moderately sized city.

"Martial Uncle Lu is quite pitiful, isn't he?" Ning Xiaoling suddenly said.

Ning Changjiu asked, "Why do you say that?"

Ning Xiaoling became gossipy. "Rumor has it," she began, "that Martial Uncle Lu was once a talented disciple. He fell in love with a young female disciple from another peak, and she liked him too. It was supposed to be a good match for them to become dao partners, but another disciple intervened... and so, Martial Uncle Lu had his love stolen by a male disciple more than ten years younger than him."

Ning Changjiu thought, *No wonder he harbored such deep resentment for the phrase "abandoning after initial involvement."*

Ning Changjiu agreed, "Martial Uncle Lu truly is a pitiful person... Which peak was that female disciple from?"

Ning Xiaoling replied, "How would I know that? I just happened to overhear it; I don't know if it's true or not."

Ning Changjiu asked with a smile, "What else did you hear? Anything about our Master?"

Ning Xiaoling also smiled, her eyes glinting mischievously. "Isn't the biggest gossip about our Master the days we spent together? Only we can tell those stories. Ah... if the other disciples knew about Senior Brother applying medicine and bandages for Master, with Senior Brother's current cultivation, you might be... Ah! Senior Brother, I was wrong."

Ning Changjiu pressed down on her head, saying helplessly, "Sigh, little girl, your cultivation realm is getting higher and higher; it really worries your Senior Brother. If I can't beat you anymore in the future, won't your sharp tongue wear me down to death?"

Ning Xiaoling glanced at him, disbelievingly. "Senior Brother, you're lying. You're clearly very happy."

Ning Changjiu froze, then asked curiously, "You can sense that?"

Two months had passed. Were Master's teachings truly that profound?

Ning Xiaoling hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded. "Actually, I've always been able to, but I was afraid Senior Brother would mind, so I never said anything."

Ning Changjiu let out a long sigh and resignedly asked, "Then what... was my mood earlier?"

Ning Xiaoling recalled for a moment. "It's always been generally okay... but last month, Senior Brother seemed a little down."

Last month... that was when his cultivation had hit a bottleneck. He had thought he wasn't worried, but unexpectedly, his emotions had indeed been somewhat low.

He had managed to deceive himself, but not his junior sister.

Sigh, his mind cultivation was still insufficient.

Ning Changjiu sighed, "Hearing you say that makes your Senior Brother even sadder."

Ning Xiaoling asked worriedly, "Senior Brother, you wouldn't kick me out because of this, would you?"

Ning Changjiu poked her on the back of her neck. "I'll send you straight home then."

With two days remaining until Lunar New Year's Eve, Ning Changjiu and Ning Xiaoling entered the city together. They didn't need travel permits; a wooden token from the Yujian Heavenly Sect sufficed. After seeing the token, the city guards' gazes towards the two changed, filled with surprise and envy, as if Linhe City hadn't produced many cultivation talents in decades. The guards exchanged a few more pleasantries with them before finally letting them in.

Ning Xiaoling gazed at the old streets from her memory. Now, thick snow was piled on both sides of the road, and pedestrians, bundled in heavy clothes, moved to and fro. Though only a little over two months had passed, she felt as if she had been away for an eternity.

"When Ning Qinshui first brought me to Linhe City, I thought I was following an expert. I was full of anticipation, dreaming of mastering Daoist techniques, returning home, and wielding a peach wood sword to kill all the mountain demons. I never expected..." Ning Xiaoling involuntarily recalled that unforgettable night, a night when she had believed she would surely die.

Ning Changjiu's memories of this city slowly unfolded—his memories from this lifetime.

If he hadn't met his second senior brother who brought him back to the sect, he would have wandered through several places, originally learning woodblock printing at a craftsman's home. Later, Ning Qinshui took a liking to him, bought him for a considerable sum, and he had drifted aimlessly until reaching this point.

He had arrived much earlier than Ning Xiaoling, but he rarely moved about, always traveling with their Master. His memories of this city were not as deep as hers.

"It's still a home, at least," Ning Changjiu said. "We haven't been back in over two months; I wonder if it's been robbed."

Ning Xiaoling chuckled, "Don't worry, that old rogue of a Daoist hid his money very well. Ordinary thieves wouldn't be able to find it."

Ning Changjiu said, "Alright, then all the money will be yours. Xiaoling will become a little rich lady; don't forget your Senior Brother then."

Ning Xiaoling patted her chest, declaring spiritedly, "Don't worry, Xiaoling will take care of you from now on."

Ning Changjiu glanced at her and sighed, "Stop patting."

Ning Xiaoling froze, then her pretty face flushed red with indignation. "Senior Brother, everyone else becomes more and more like immortals after joining the sect, but you... hmph, you must have been pretending to be carefree before. I'm going to tell Master Jiajia about this and have her poke you with her sword!"

Ning Changjiu chuckled, "Didn't we trick her together back then? If you really do that, you'll be digging your own grave. Just wait until Lu Jiajia makes things difficult for you."

Ning Xiaoling glared at him. "Don't call Master by her full name!"

The front door wouldn't open, so Ning Changjiu pulled Ning Xiaoling, and they climbed over the wall to get in.

There weren't many valuable items inside the house, and while the walls were built quite high, they were naturally no obstacle for them now.

"Sigh, that old Daoist made a lot of money through his tricks and scams over the years, yet he was too stingy to buy a bigger courtyard."

After staying in the imperial capital and Sky Cavern Peak, Ning Xiaoling's standards had naturally risen considerably. Returning home now, her gaze held not only dissatisfaction but also a hint of nostalgia.

The moments spent here played out scene by scene in her mind. Ning Changjiu walked into the courtyard, his steps slowing. Every tree and every stone here seemed to clearly signify the passage of time, without any pretense.

The years spent in that Daoist temple were equally vivid.

How could one person possess two different life experiences simultaneously?

The two were like battling dragons and serpents, intertwining with the light and shadow of fate, tearing at each other, eager to devour one another.

In a slight daze, Ning Xiaoling had already expertly run back into the house, muttering to herself, "Compass... stove... hmm, bed... roof beam..."

These were all the places where they had secretly observed Ning Qinshui hiding his private stash of money back then.

Ning Changjiu also walked towards the house.

Suddenly, he stopped, frowning, as if sensing something amiss.

"Senior Brother! What is this?!"

Inside the house, Ning Xiaoling's somewhat surprised voice rang out.

"What's wrong?" Ning Changjiu entered the room and looked at the girl.

Ning Xiaoling was tearing off an auspicious portrait pasted on the wall, then pulled out a well-hidden letter from behind it.

"I was just trying to open my sword eyes to find where the lamp was, and I saw this at a glance..." Ning Xiaoling held the letter, blew on it, and waved it at Ning Changjiu.

Ning Changjiu took the letter from her hand, pulled out the letter paper, and unfolded it. His gaze was drawn to the bottom left corner of the paper, and he was momentarily stunned.

In the bottom left corner was a seal, a seal he had seen before and found extremely memorable!

"This is..." He rarely showed such shock.

Ning Xiaoling looked at his expression, growing even more curious. "What does it say?"

"It's..." Ning Changjiu was about to speak, but his brow twitched slightly.

"Watch out!" Ning Changjiu exclaimed in a low voice, grabbing Ning Xiaoling's arm and yanking her beside him. With an incredibly swift leap backward, he instantly retreated out of the house with her.

No sooner had they retreated than the sound of something cutting through the air suddenly echoed from inside the house.

On the back wall where they had just been, a short arrow pierced through the wall and lodged itself there.