RNP Page 48
Page 48
The scene instantly became extremely bizarre.
Wang Yuyan was stunned when she saw her distraught mother and then Duan Yu, who was staring blankly at the woman with her mother and calling her "Fairy Sister".
Duan Zhengchun was initially captivated by Madam Wang's affectionate "Duan Lang," thinking to himself that she still harbored feelings for him. He was about to step forward with his irresistible, charming smile to reminisce when he was suddenly stunned by his son's thunderous shout of "Fairy Sister!" He followed his son's gaze and saw it fall on the woman in white.
The woman in white, Li Qiushui, was experiencing an extremely complex and fascinating emotional state at that moment!
She was already displeased when she saw her daughter's pathetic attitude towards Duan Zhengchun. Then, Duan Yu, the young man she had a brief affair with and who had left a deep impression on her, actually appeared here and called her "Fairy Sister"! This made her eyelids twitch.
Then, in a flash, her mind went blank, and she instantly sorted out the chaotic relationships:
Her own daughter, Qingluo, was infatuated with Duan Zhengchun and even gave birth to Yuyan.
Duan Zhengchun is the father of Duan Yu!
And this young man... and himself...
What... what kind of messed-up relationship is this?!
Li Qiushui felt an indescribable surge of anger erupt from the depths of her heart, rushing straight to the top of her head! She had lived a life of carefree adventure, never before encountering anything so absurd and infuriating. The source of all this was Duan Zhengchun, the womanizer who had accumulated countless romantic entanglements!
She suddenly looked up, her phoenix eyes filled with murderous intent, and fixed her gaze on Duan Zhengchun, who was still trying to maintain his composure. With her inner strength surging, the air around her seemed to freeze, and the camellias in the courtyard trembled without any wind.
Her jade-like fingers, sharp as halberds, pointed at Duan Zhengchun. Her voice was icy cold, as if it came from the deepest hell, each word carrying boundless rage:
"Duan—Zheng—Chun—! You—deserve—to—die—!"
Chapter 142 He actually dared to be disgusting
Taihu Lake · Mantuo Mountain Villa
"Duan—Zheng—Chun—! You—deserve—to—die—!"
This murderous shout resounded like thunder in the courtyard of Mantuo Manor.
Duan Zhengchun was startled by the shout. Looking closely, he recognized the stunning woman before him—it was none other than the mysterious woman who had abducted his son, Duan Yu, with ghostly movements at the foot of Wudang Mountain! He was immediately bewildered, utterly perplexed: 'This woman… I have no grudge against her. Her abduction of Yu'er last time was already strange, but why is she shouting for blood and violence the moment we meet today? And why does she seem so consumed by hatred? Anyone who didn't know better would think I had seduced and abandoned her…'
His mind raced, but his face quickly adopted his usual composed and dashing smile. After all, his old flame, Madam Wang, was watching intently from the side. How could Duan Zhengchun, the dignified Prince of Zhennan of Dali, lose his composure in front of his former lover?
He stepped forward, cupped his hands in a slight bow, and spoke in as gentle a tone as possible, with a touch of perfectly timed doubt and innocence: "This... senior? I wonder where I have offended you to provoke such anger? If I have unintentionally offended you, I apologize in advance. However..." He glanced at Madam Wang, who was on the verge of tears beside him, and tried his best to maintain his composure, "In front of the children, senior, is it......"
He wanted to put it more politely, to maintain his image as a charming but not vulgar person.
However, to Li Qiushui, his words, especially his feigned innocence, were utterly shameless!
Seeing her mother's murderous intent almost materialize, Lady Wang, Li Qingluo, was terrified. She knelt down with a thud, grabbed Li Qiushui's leg, and cried out, "Mother! No! Please don't kill Duan Lang! All the blame lies with me, it has nothing to do with him!"
Her cry of "Mother" was like a bucket of cold water being poured into a boiling oil pan!
Duan Yu felt as if a beehive had been stuffed into his head, with countless bees swarming inside! He stared blankly at Li Qiushui, then looked incredulously at the kneeling, pleading Madam Wang, his mind struggling to process what he was seeing:
'Wang...Madam Wang's mother? Then...then isn't that fairy sister...Miss Wang's maternal grandmother?!'
'Wait! Miss Wang's mother and my father... are having an affair?'
'Then...that Miss Wang...could she...be my...sister?!'
This thought struck Duan Yu like a bolt from the blue! His face instantly turned deathly pale, his body swayed, and he looked at the stunningly beautiful Li Qiushui opposite him, his eyes filled with extreme pain, disbelief, and a hint of physical nausea and disgust! He had actually fallen head over heels for someone who might be his own sister's grandmother?! This…this was simply…
Wang Yuyan was equally struck by lightning! She watched her mother kneel down to protect the Prince Duan, who was called "Duan Lang," and then heard her mother call the woman in white "Mother"... This Prince Duan, was he in that kind of relationship with her mother? And that woman who looked too young and was too beautiful to be ordinary was actually her... grandmother?! This sudden revelation of her family relationships left her dizzy and almost unable to stand. Her beautiful eyes looked at her mother, then at Duan Zhengchun, and then at Li Qiushui, filled with confusion and shock.
Li Qiushui took it all in!
Seeing her daughter kneeling and begging so humbly for Duan Zhengchun already enraged her; seeing Duan Yu's complex gaze towards her, a mixture of heartache and disgust (how dare he be disgusting!), made her even more furious; but what she found most unbearable was that Duan Zhengchun, the culprit, even in this state, still dared to stand tall in front of her, putting on a sanctimonious and dashing act! Did he think he was attending some kind of romantic gathering?
That bastard! Even now he's still trying to pull off his old tricks of seducing ignorant women and children! He doesn't even realize how many sins he's committed or how many people he's offended!
New and old grudges, the extreme agitation brought about by ethical confusion, and Duan Zhengchun's unrepentant "romantic" attitude instantly overwhelmed Li Qiushui's last shred of rationality!
She kicked her daughter, who was clinging to her leg, away with a sudden shove. A terrifying aura emanated from her, sweeping through the courtyard like a storm, scattering countless tea petals in a flurry! Her phoenix eyes widened, burning with a fury capable of incinerating everything. With a flick of her jade palm, she unleashed a palm strike imbued with the power of her life's work, ready to slam it down on Duan Zhengchun's crown!
"You bastard! Go—to—die—!"
Chapter 143 No Slapping in the Face
Shaolin Temple Sutra Repository
The night was deep, and only a few ever-burning lamps flickered in the Sutra Repository, illuminating countless scrolls and two busy figures. Xu Zhu had just neatly arranged a batch of scattered fragments of the Diamond Sutra and wiped the fine sweat from his brow with his sleeve. Abbot Xuan Ci—now just an ordinary handyman monk in the Sutra Repository—was silently wiping the dust off the bookshelves.
"Xuzhu, you've worked hard." Xuanci's voice was calm, with a slight, barely perceptible hoarseness. In recent days, he had witnessed Xuzhu's honesty, diligence, and his incomparably pure innate internal energy, and his heart was often filled with indescribable complex emotions.
"It's no trouble at all!" Xu Zhu quickly waved his hand and smiled sheepishly. "Organizing scriptures is also a form of cultivation. Fang... Senior Brother Xuan Ci, you should rest too." Seeing that Xuan Ci's clothes were soaked with sweat and clung to his back, he said, "Senior Brother, your clothes are wet with sweat. I have two clean old monk's robes in my bundle. If you don't mind..."
Xuan Ci initially wanted to decline, but seeing Xu Zhu's sincerity, he nodded. Xu Zhu happily ran to a corner, took off his old monk's robe, which was also soaked with sweat, and prepared to change into a clean one.
The instant he turned around, the light of the ever-burning lamp clearly illuminated his bare back. In the center of that not-so-broad spine, a blood-red birthmark shaped like a lotus flower and nine Buddhist ordination scars stared directly into Xuan Ci's eyes!
Xuan Ci froze as if struck by lightning! The rag in his hand fell to the ground with a thud. His eyes were fixed on the birthmark, his breathing suddenly became rapid and heavy, his chest heaving violently, as if an invisible hand was gripping his heart tightly!
This birthmark! This location! This shape! He will never forget it!
"You...you..." Xuan Ci's voice trembled uncontrollably. He staggered forward two steps, reaching out his withered fingers to touch the birthmark, but then abruptly withdrew them as if afraid of disturbing some phantom. Tears welled up in his eyes instantly, sliding down his wrinkled cheeks.
Xu Zhu was startled by Xuan Ci's reaction. He hurriedly turned around and saw Xuan Ci looking at him with tears streaming down his face and an agitated expression. He was at a loss for words: "Xuan... Senior Brother Xuan Ci? What's wrong? Is... did I do something wrong?"
"My child...my...my child!" Xuan Ci could no longer hold back. He suddenly stretched out his arms and hugged Xu Zhu tightly. His voice choked with sobs, filled with endless regret, pain, and overwhelming joy at having his child back. "It's you! It really is you! I...I am your...your father!"
Xu Zhu was completely stunned by the sudden embrace and words, his mind blank. Father? Abbot Xuanci…is my father? He stood there dumbfounded, letting Xuanci hug him, feeling the old man's body tremble violently. After a long while, a deep-seated throbbing and warmth from his bloodline slowly welled up in his heart. His nose tingled, and he hugged Xuanci back, choking back tears, and said with a mixture of disbelief and joy: You really are my father?
The father and son embraced and wept, filling the library with a bittersweet atmosphere.
After a long while, Xuan Ci calmed down a little, stroked Xu Zhu's head, and tearfully recounted that unbearable past, mentioning his mother...
"Your mother...she is that 'wicked' Ye Erniang..."
When Xu Zhu learned that Ye Erniang, who was notorious in the martial arts world for stealing and killing infants every day, was actually his biological mother and had already committed suicide on Shaoshi Mountain, he was struck dumb!
"Mother... Mother..." Xu Zhu's face turned deathly pale, overwhelmed by a massive wave of grief. He remembered the seemingly insane woman on Shaoshi Mountain, remembered her final, resolute strike... So, that was his mother! He hadn't even had a chance to acknowledge her, hadn't even had a chance to ask her why, and she was gone forever! He burst into tears, his sobs echoing through the silent Sutra Pavilion, breaking the hearts of all who heard them. Xuan Ci held his weeping son tightly, their tears mingling together!
Wilderness Forest Campfire
"Ouch—ouch..." Jinzha grimaced in pain as he carefully turned the roasted rabbit over the campfire. His once handsome face was now half swollen and bluish-purple, making him look quite miserable.
The woman in white sat on a blue stone opposite him, her posture elegant and spotless. Looking at Jinzha's frustrated yet daring expression, only able to vent his anger on the rabbit, a rare smile involuntarily crept onto her lips, and she felt a rare sense of smugness and...amusement.
She had lived most of her life, possessing profound martial arts skills, yet she had almost never set foot in the real world of martial arts. These past few days, following this roguish, troublemaking, yet strangely vibrant young man, watching him steal chickens and dogs, watching him stand up for justice, watching him talk to himself for ages while staring at the silly fish in the stream… she suddenly realized that this mundane world, this so-called “martial arts world,” wasn’t as filthy and boring as she had imagined; on the contrary… it was quite interesting. Especially this young man before her, he was practically a walking source of amusement.
"Hey, brat." The woman suddenly spoke, her voice still cold, but the killing intent had faded.
Jinzha looked up irritably, his swollen cheek making him look somewhat comical: "What? You little devil, what new tricks are you coming up with to torment me now?"
The woman looked at him, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes: "Take me on my adventures in the martial world. If you agree, I will never hit you again."
Jinzha was stunned, almost throwing the roasted rabbit into the fire: "What? Take you to explore the martial world? Me?" He looked the woman up and down suspiciously, "Your martial arts are so high, and you've never been to the martial world? You're kidding me!"
The woman's gaze fell upon the leaping campfire, as if she could see into the distant past through the flames. Her tone was calm: "No. I've been with my master since I was a child." She didn't say anything more, but a sense of isolation and loneliness inadvertently revealed itself.
Jinzha, ever quick-witted, immediately sensed something unusual! This female demon… actually needed his help? He instantly felt his back straighten, and the swollen side of his face seemed to hurt less. He immediately adopted an arrogant expression, facing the woman with his unswollen side, and sneered, “Heh! Now you know how to beg me? Look at me! Look at my face! Is this how you beg?”
The woman raised an eyebrow: "So what do you want?"
"Compensation! You must compensate me!" Jinzha pointed at the woman's face and figure again, "With your looks and figure, you're too attractive! You're the center of attention wherever you go! Yesterday, I went... uh, to borrow a chicken, and the homeowner was about to go inside, but after glancing back at you, he absolutely refused to go in! This seriously affected my experience in the martial arts world and... my business operations!"
The woman chuckled at his absurd logic, her laughter as sweet as a blooming ice lotus, leaving Jinzha momentarily stunned. She looked at Jinzha with interest: "I see your swordsmanship has a few moves that aren't quite perfect; it's rather clumsy in its execution. How about this, I can be your sparring partner, practice with you, and help you refine your swordsmanship, what do you say?"
Jinzha's eyes lit up instantly! This female demon's martial arts were unfathomable; to have her as a sparring partner would be an incredible opportunity! But he refused to back down, pointing to his face and emphasizing, "Sparring is fine! But—no hitting my face!"
Seeing his nervously protective expression, the woman smiled and picked up a cup of sake that seemed to appear out of nowhere, saying leisurely, "No problem."
The crackling campfire illuminated Jinzha's swollen face and the woman's enigmatic yet intrigued and delighted smile. This strange pair seemed to come alive even more because of this unusual combination.
Chapter 144 Old Witch! Die!
Taihu Lake · Mantuo Mountain Villa
"You bastard! Go—to—die—!"
Li Qiushui unleashed a palm strike in fury, the wind from which was sharp and tangible, carrying a piercing whistle that tore through the air, aimed directly at Duan Zhengchun's crown! If this palm strike landed, not only flesh and blood, but even the finest steel and stubborn rock would be reduced to dust!
"Duan Lang!" Madam Wang, Li Qingluo, let out a shrill scream, her face turning pale with fright, and she almost fainted.
In the blink of an eye, no one expected that Duan Yu, who had been in a daze, would suddenly burst out with unprecedented speed! Almost instinctively, he flashed in front of Duan Zhengchun and used his back to meet Li Qiushui's earth-shattering palm strike head-on!
Li Qiushui never expected Duan Yu to suddenly rush out. She was determined to strike, and had already used all her strength. Just as she was about to hit Duan Yu's back, her heart clenched! Although this silly boy was hateful, she ultimately did not want to take his life with her own hands!
"Hmph!" She grunted, and at the critical moment, she forcibly reversed her internal force, managing to withdraw seventy percent of the palm strike she had unleashed!
Even so, the remaining 30% of the palm force still landed solidly on Duan Yu's back!
"puff--!"
Duan Yu felt as if he had been struck in the chest with a heavy hammer, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. His body fell forward like a kite with a broken string, and he was caught by the still-shaken Duan Zhengchun.
"Yu'er! My Yu'er! How do you feel?!" Duan Zhengchun looked at his son in his arms, his face ashen and his breath barely a whisper, and his heart trembled with fear, his voice trembling.
Lying in his father's arms, Duan Yu tremblingly raised his hand and tightly grasped Duan Zhengchun's hand. His voice was weak, but he still managed to say, "Father...Father...please...please don't blame the Fairy Sister...it's...it's because of me...and her...that she took her anger out on you."
These words struck like a thunderbolt, leaving everyone present stunned and speechless!
Li Qiushui's brows twitched violently, her eyes twitched, and an indescribable sense of shame and anger surged to her head. She wished she could slap this mute brat unconscious! How could he say such a thing?!
Duan Zhengchun was struck dumb, his head snapping up as he stared at Li Qiushui in utter shock, his eyes filled with disbelief and an extremely strange expression. His mind raced: 'My son... wasn't my son infatuated with Miss Wang? How... how could he be with her grandmother... Qingluo's mother... this... this is outrageous!' The thought of their utterly chaotic relationship made even the self-proclaimed charming but not vulgar Prince of Zhennan feel a wave of dizziness wash over him, his face instantly turning even more ashen than Duan Yu's.
Madam Wang and Wang Yuyan were dumbfounded. Looking at the dying Duan Yu and then at Li Qiushui, whose face was ashen and whose murderous intent was rising again, the amount of information was too much for them to process.
"Pfft—" Duan Yu seemed to think that the shock from the crowd was not enough, and he spat out another mouthful of blood. His eyes began to glaze over. He tried to turn his head and stared blankly at Wang Yuyan, who was standing to the side in shock and speechlessness. With his last bit of strength, he confessed his feelings: "Miss Wang... I... I, Duan Yu... am so happy to... meet you... I only... I only hope that you... will not... forget me..." After saying that, his head tilted to the side and his arm fell down, as if he had already breathed his last.
Watching Duan Yu's "final act" and listening to his nauseatingly sentimental confession, Li Qiushui felt goosebumps rise all over her body, and a chill ran down her spine. She could no longer bear it. She stepped forward, roughly pushed aside the bewildered Duan Zhengchun, and placed her jade-like fingers on Duan Yu's wrist for a pulse.
After a brief examination, Li Qiushui's expression instantly became incredibly complex, a mixture of speechlessness, annoyance, and a disdainful "I knew it" attitude. She swiftly struck, pressing several acupoints on Duan Yu's chest to seal his somewhat disordered qi and blood, then flung his hand away as if discarding something dirty, coldly snorting in annoyance:
"What are you wailing about! You won't die! It's just that you twisted your internal energy and got a bit of internal heat, causing you to vomit a few mouthfuls of blood! You'll be fine after a few days of rest and some medicine! Idiot!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Duan Yu, who had been on the verge of death, seemed to twitch his eyelids slightly, and his breathing became much more stable.
At this moment, Duan Zhengchun, who had finally managed to piece together some of the events from his extreme shock and confusion, erupted in a volcanic rage! He finally understood! This old hag was not only possibly his "mother-in-law," but she also... had an ambiguous relationship with his son, Yu'er?! This was an immense insult to the Duan royal family and to Duan Zhengchun himself!
He abruptly stood up, no longer caring about manners or past feelings, pointed at Li Qiushui, his hair and beard bristling, and roared:
"You old hag! Die!"
Wudang Back Mountain - Small Thatched Hut
In stark contrast to the chaotic scene at Mantuo Villa, the small thatched cottage on the back mountain of Wudang Mountain is now filled with a warm and cozy atmosphere.
Qiao Tian, Yao Yao, and Huang Shang were having dinner with Qiao Sanhuai and his wife. The dishes on the table were nothing more than simple mountain fare, yet they smelled wonderful. Mrs. Qiao kept putting food on Huang Shang and Yao Yao's plates, her eyes filled with loving affection. But as they ate, she would sigh softly and mutter, "I wonder if Feng'er is used to the food in the border region. It's cold there; I hope he doesn't catch a cold..."
Qiao Tian put down his chopsticks, grasped his mother's rough hand, and gently comforted her, "Mother, don't worry. My second brother is highly skilled in martial arts and has a bold and unrestrained nature; he can adapt to anywhere. The vastness of the frontier is perfect for him to roam freely on horseback. He might even be more carefree and happy than we are." He thought to himself, with Miss A'Zhu taking meticulous care of him, with a loyal servant like Xie Xiaoyu protecting him, and with the health he had prepared for him beforehand and the martial arts insights he had left behind, he probably wouldn't have to become the Southern King again in this life, burdened with the heavy responsibilities of family, country, and nation. He only hoped that he could live a peaceful and joyful life on the grasslands with his beloved.
Qiao Sanhuai also smiled憨厚ly and said, "Old woman, Tian'er is right. Feng'er has grown up and we don't need to worry about him anymore. Come on, let's eat."
On the other side, Huang Shang seemed somewhat absent-minded. He would steal glances at Yao Yao, who was eating quietly, from time to time. When he saw that her bowl was empty, he would clumsily pick up the serving chopsticks, pick up a piece of bamboo shoot that she seemed to have touched a bit more, and try to put it in her bowl. But then he felt it was too abrupt, and his hand hung in mid-air, unsure whether to go in or back, and his handsome face turned slightly red.
Yao Yao noticed his movement, raised her cool eyes to look at him, frowned slightly, and didn't say anything. She just silently moved her bowl a little to the side, and the atmosphere became a little awkward.
Qiao Tian saw all of this, a knowing smile playing on his lips, but he didn't say anything.
Seeing this, Qiao's mother, being kind-hearted, quickly smoothed things over, smiling and saying to Huang Shang, "Shang'er, you should eat more too. Yao Yao doesn't like to talk, so you should take the initiative and show her some care." As she spoke, she gave Huang Shang an encouraging look.
Encouraged by his "grandmother," Huang Shang seemed to have gained confidence and quickly put the bamboo shoot into Yao Yao's bowl, whispering, "Junior Sister...you...you should eat more."
Yao Yao looked at the bamboo shoots in her bowl, then at Huang Shang's expectant face and Qiao's smiling mother, and finally gave a soft "hmm" before lowering her head to eat in small bites. However, a faint blush seemed to appear on her ears.
Qiao Tian watched this heartwarming yet slightly awkward scene, a sense of peace settling over him. In the turbulent world of martial arts, such a moment of tranquility was a rare treat.
Chapter 145 Not even a fraction of your brilliance
Taihu Lake · Mantuo Mountain Villa
Li Qiushui's phoenix eyes flashed with murderous intent, and her aura locked onto Duan Zhengchun. It seemed that a conflict with a huge disparity in strength was about to erupt! She slightly raised her jade finger, her inner strength surging, and she was already truly enraged.
"Mother! No!" Lady Wang, Li Qingluo, saw clearly and knew her mother was ruthless and decisive. Although Duan Lang was skilled in martial arts, he was no match for her. She was extremely anxious and, disregarding everything else, rushed forward and tightly embraced Duan Zhengchun's waist from behind, burying her face in his broad back. Her voice was choked with sobs as she pleaded, "Duan Lang! Don't be impulsive! Mother... Mother is just angry, you... you should leave! Please!"
As Duan Zhengchun was embraced by the warm, soft body of the woman in his arms, feeling her trembling body due to fear, and smelling the familiar fragrance of her hair, even the hardest heart softened. Recalling their past affection and looking at the chaotic situation before him, his anger turned into a long, helpless sigh, and the internal energy gathered in his One-Finger Divine Skill slowly dissipated.
"Enough... enough..." He gently patted Li Qingluo's hands wrapped around his waist, his voice tinged with weariness and a hint of compromise, "Qingluo, don't be afraid, I won't do anything." For her sake, he would swallow his pride for the time being.
Seeing her daughter so protective of Duan Zhengchun, Li Qiushui felt even more frustrated. However, seeing that Duan Zhengchun had stopped, she couldn't force the issue any further. She simply said coldly, "Qingluo, come back with me! From now on, you are not allowed to have anything to do with this Duan man!"
Madam Wang dared not disobey her mother, so she had no choice but to release Duan Zhengchun, glance at him with teary eyes, and then secretly gave her daughter Wang Yuyan a look, signaling her to make proper arrangements for the Duan father and son's accommodations. Only then did she leave with Li Qiushui, looking back every few steps.