I've never felt happy to become an immortal.

Chapter 128 Three Women Make a Drama (6k)

Langya Hall, the next morning.

Bai Xuan had just woken up, washed up, and pushed open the door to go out. He saw a temple master carrying a basket walking by.

"Young Master, did you sleep well?"

What's that in your hand?

"These are all visiting cards," the temple master replied. "The news of last night has already spread, and many people have sent their visiting cards, hoping to catch a glimpse of your brilliance."

Bai Xuan saw that there were at least a hundred visiting cards in this basket. Did the local forces have that many?

"Actually, most of them are just people who come to curry favor with us. We don't need to pay them any attention. When Juyi Pavilion was in decline, these people didn't say a single good word to us. They're like weather vanes, swaying to both sides in the wind. Master Ning told me to burn these."

Bai Xuan arrived at the front hall and stood outside the door. He could hear Ning Jianshuang having a meeting inside.

Langya Hall needs manpower to expand, so it needs to reorganize its internal affairs first.

Master Zhang's injuries are too severe, and he is expected to need to recuperate for a long time. He will not be able to continue serving as the head of the hall for the time being, so she needs to select a suitable person to replace him.

Bai Xuan never interfered with the internal management of Juyi Pavilion, and was happy to have a peaceful life.

He walked into the side hall and saw Xi Qingqing lying on her side on the daybed, her mouth open as Zhang's second daughter-in-law fed her fruit.

"You certainly know how to enjoy yourself." Bai Xuan sat down casually.

"If you want to enjoy it, you can try it." Xi Qingqing, true to her reputation as a vixen, didn't mind at all. Instead, she teased flirtatiously, "I'm sure there are plenty of women in the martial arts world willing to feed you grapes."

Bai Xuan returned a subtle look.

Xi Qingqing rested her head on her right hand: "I can come if you want, but I'll have to charge you."

"So you secretly followed me all this way just for this? You knew I was in danger, so you waited until I was in jail before stepping in to rip me off?"

Xi Qingqing paused slightly, then snorted: "A business that only earns fifty taels is an utter disgrace in my life. I will not rest until I have squeezed a thousand taels of silver out of you."

Bai Xuan waved his hand: "All my assets add up to less than two hundred taels. If you can take a thousand taels from me, I'll change my surname to yours."

Watching the two bicker, Zhang's second daughter couldn't help but chuckle. She still didn't know Xi Qingqing's true identity, only thinking of her as someone she didn't know in the Gathering Righteousness Pavilion. If she knew that the woman lying here eating the fruit she fed was the infamous demoness on the Crouching Dragon List, she wondered how Xi Qingqing would react.

Rumors should not be taken at face value; rumors often have no basis in fact.

Actually, it's very simple to escape from Xi Qingqing's clutches. Just give her enough money and she'll let you go.

Bai Xuan didn't forget the important business he had come to do, and asked, "I came to Langya Hall this time to borrow Langya Hall's eyes and ears. The Lin family never deliberately suppresses matters of the martial arts world. Miss Zhang should know about that case that has been making headlines recently, right?"

“Young Master, you can just call me Second Madam.” Zhang Erniang’s cheeks flushed slightly, then she tentatively asked, “Young Master, are you referring to the Jiao Rong case?”

"Yes." Bai Xuan nodded. "How much do you know?"

“It’s not very detailed, I just noted it down when I was helping my father organize the case files,” Zhang Erniang said. “There are currently five victims in the Jiao Rong case, and each of them has an extremely strange way of dying. Their ages, genders, and identities are all different.”

"The first victim was a peasant woman; the second victim was a merchant; the third victim was a wandering swordsman from out of town; the fourth victim was a schoolteacher; and the fifth victim, who was also the most recent victim, was the prefect of Langya Prefecture."

"The manner of death of all the victims was not exactly the same, and the fatal wounds were different. The only thing they had in common was that their faces were charred, as if they had been burned by high temperatures, with their skin torn open, their flesh and blood ripped out, and their facial features destroyed."

Xi Qingqing touched her arm: "If you're going to kill someone, why go to the trouble of disfiguring their features? Is it to cover up your identity?"

Zhang Erniang shook her head: "It shouldn't be. Although the face was destroyed, the body still exists, which can prove the identity of the deceased. At least the death of the prefect cannot be hidden. He was born with six toes on his left foot, which cannot be faked."

Bai Xuan asked, "What about the specific cause of death and the investigation related to the body?"

Zhang Erniang shook her head: "The ways of dying are all different. Some were slit in the throat, some were pierced in the heart, some were from behind, and some were dismembered. The methods of the crimes are completely random. The prefect's skull was shattered, but the prefect's cultivation level was also quite high. It is hard to imagine who could kill him silently."

"The strangest thing is actually Jiao Rong. Although the face was charred and torn, there were no traces of flames, and it did not seem to be caused by a True Martial Artist with fire-attribute true qi."

Xi Qingqing sat up: "How did you manage that without flames? Did you use a red-hot branding iron stuck to your face?"

Bai Xuan said, "It would be great if we could see the body."

“The bodies have all been taken into custody by the Lin family,” Zhang Erniang said. “After the prefect’s death, the Lin family has not allowed anyone to interfere in this case.”

Indeed, this matter has touched upon the Lin family's reputation. If the real culprit cannot be found, it will damage the Lin family's accumulated prestige.

...It seems I need to find time to visit the Lin family, but before that, I still need to visit the hidden stronghold of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

While I was thinking, I suddenly heard a noise outside the door.

A disciple ran in, shouting, "Young Master, Master Ning! We have distinguished guests!"

He added, "It's the Lin family. People from the Lin family have come."

"Don't panic, explain clearly, who from the Lin family has come?" Ning Jianshuang asked calmly.

"Yes……"

“Of course it’s me.” Before the disciple could finish speaking, a young girl in a plain white dress walked in through the main entrance. She had her hair tied in bright and youthful pigtails and a long sword hanging at her waist. She looked both heroic and had the air of a girl next door, but she lacked the domineering nobility of the eldest daughter of the Lin family.

You can tell what this girl is thinking just from her attire.

If someone harbored any intention to flaunt their status, they certainly wouldn't dress in such a down-to-earth style.

"It's been several months, Sister Ning, you're still as charming as ever." Lin Jiaolu smiled gracefully. "I hope my abrupt visit hasn't bothered you."

She took the initiative to walk up to Ning Jianshuang, affectionately took her hand, and smiled sincerely.

"Flying Snow, a gift."

As she spoke, she handed over a top-quality sandalwood box that was at least five hundred years old: "Sister Ning, this is a small gift for you, nothing more."

Ning Jianshuang glanced at it, her gaze hardening: "Jade Beauty Cream? I remember that Medicine King Valley only produces less than thirty bottles a year."

This thing is actually more famous than practical... If you really want to maintain your youthful appearance, improving your cultivation level is the most direct way.

Take Master Jingxuan of the White Plum Sect for example. She is about the same age as Jiang Baichuan, but looks only in her thirties. Her high cultivation level is the only reason for her success. Any grandmaster can easily achieve rejuvenation and beauty.

"It's nothing. Our Lin family has a pre-allocated quota, so we won't buy it on the market." Lin Jiaolu winked mischievously.

Ning Jianshuang nodded: "Thank you for your thoughtfulness."

"Hehe..." Lin Jiaolu smiled shyly after being praised.

Those present at the meeting were all key members of Langya Hall, and even they had no chance to see the true face of this little princess of the Lin family.

Lin Jiaolu is the legitimate daughter of the Lin family. At least within Langya, her status is higher than that of a royal princess. If she loses a hair, a bunch of people will rush to catch her, and if she sheds a drop of blood, a group of people may die.

When everyone saw her personally come to visit, and then looked at Ning Jianshuang's calm expression as she stood up to greet her, they all sensed something was amiss. This was an unusual signal.

People tend to act based on what they see; if they think something has investment value, they'll rush in headlong.

No matter how many times Ning Jianshuang had repeatedly said that Langya Hall would expand and take off, no matter how sweet her promises were, they were not as effective as Lin Jiaolu's appearance.

In the stock market, some company owners can boost their stock prices simply by inviting Warren Buffett to dinner.

At this point, even if Ning Jianshuang said nothing, this group of people would spontaneously carry out and support all her decisions.

This is the influence of prominent families and aristocratic clans.

Ning Jianshuang asked curiously, "You just came like this? All by yourself? Did your family agree to it?"

"Of course they agreed. You don't know those uncles and elders, especially Fifth Uncle. They had been urging me to practice my skills, and when they heard that I was going out today, they would frown. But when they knew I was coming to see them... they all agreed with smiles on their faces."

While Lin Jiaolu was complaining, he was actually expressing his stance and hinting between the lines.

This matter has already received support from within the Lin family, and even most of the elders have given their approval, including his parents.

Ning Jianshuang pondered silently. Although she had anticipated this before coming, the Lin family was indeed shrewd, judging by their speed in acting...

Lin Jiaolu leaned closer and whispered, "Actually, it was Uncle Twelve who sent the message back, saying that Prince Yun intends to take him as his son-in-law."

Ning Jianshuang suddenly realized.

No wonder this little girl came out looking so fresh and lovely; she must have sensed danger.

Compared to a princess of a country, Lin Jiaolu's status did not offer much of an advantage.

Because my second son is a rare commodity, everyone is getting restless.

However, the Lin family probably never took me seriously from the beginning. After all, I signed the marriage contract with Lin Jiaolu without her even realizing it. In their eyes, I was even the supporter and matchmaker.

Really interesting.

I wonder if Lin Buren regrets it, wondering why he insisted on setting a time limit for the engagement.

Ning Jianshuang's mind raced. She felt that she could buy herself as much time as possible. She knew that she couldn't fight against Jiang Lianxing and Lin Jiaolu on her own, but if she stood in the middle and balanced the two sides, she could buy more time.

She put on a sighing expression and whispered, "You probably don't know, but the current Prince Yun is my close friend, and she does indeed have those feelings for me."

Lin Jiaolu frowned: "But isn't Prince Yun several years older than him?"

“Being a few years older is an advantage, you don’t understand… Being older actually makes you more open-minded.” Ning Jianshuang poked Lin Jiaolu’s cheek: “You’re only this age, do you think he sees you as a younger sister or as a woman?”

Lin Jiaolu looked shocked, as if struck by lightning, and then looked down at her clothes... Oh no, should I not have gone for the youthful, girl-next-door style?
Little sister, who wants to be a little sister!

What I want to be is a wife, a wife, a legal wife, a first wife!
Seeing that she had intimidated him enough, Ning Jianshuang said quietly, "Now you know how difficult this is for me, caught between you all. It's really tough for me too."

"Sister, I got here first." Lin Jiaolu pitifully grabbed her wrist and waved it, "You have to help me."

...Who do you think you are, arriving first? I was the first one here!
Ning Jianshuang thought to herself, then said, "I can't favor either side, and besides, I can't easily interfere with Erlang's decision—how about this, you go back today and prepare well, and I'll take Erlang to visit the Lin residence another day."

Lin Jiaolu blinked, somewhat reluctant to leave, and poked her fingers with her head down.

Girls' feelings are always poetry.

It cannot be easily suppressed.

Since we're already here, and it's so close, how could we bear to wait until tomorrow?

Ning Jianshuang was about to continue speaking when someone walked in through the door.

Feixue had just turned her head when she saw the young man in white robes and sword slowly step in. A look of amazement flashed in the maid's eyes. She was not amazed by his appearance or demeanor, but by his naturalness as if he had blended into the environment.

As a suicide squad member, she knows best how to hide her presence and conceal herself. Tracking, assassination, hiding, and escaping are all essential skills for her.

Therefore, Bai Xuan, as a swordsman, should have been sharp and had an overwhelming presence, but he sheathed all his sword blades.

This is not merely a state of mind at the level of concealing one's sharpness, but rather a attainment of the realm of 'returning to nature'.

Is this a swordsman? If so, how did he conceal his sword among the myriad things in heaven and earth?
Feixue was more convinced that the other party was actually a top-notch assassin, only that he happened to be using a sword.

Before Feixue could react, a fragrant breeze swept by.

My heart fluttered like a deer returning to its nest.

She lunged at the young man in white, crashing into his arms.

"elder brother!"

The brother-sister relationship began in Wuxian County, but the one she called out was clearly not "brother" but "lover".

When Bai Xuan saw someone rushing towards him, still using that same cheesy "giegie," his first reaction was to raise his hand to refuse.

He raised his hand to press down on Lin Jiaolu's head, but the latter, like a nimble little deer, gently shook her head, brushing his hand away. The movement just now was imbued with the agile control of the Finger Profound Realm.

Bai Xuan was somewhat taken aback. Although he hadn't really used force, the little girl had managed to break free... What kind of supreme bone soup had she been eating in just two or three months?

Looking down at the little deer-shaped dumpling rubbing against him, he said to the group of Juyige members around him, whose faces were saying, "Yes, yes, yes, I want to see this," and who were wearing maternal smiles, "Everyone, disperse."

"Alright, alright, I won't bother you any longer, Young Master."

"The meeting will be held later."

"Let's all have something good for lunch today, hehehe..." Everyone wore maternal smiles, beaming with delight.

Even after they've gone far away, you can still hear their voices.

"Did you see that?!"

"The eldest daughter of the Lin family has taken such initiative; it seems the rumors are true."

"What rumors? That's the truth! The truth!"

"I must immediately inform the entire city!"

"From now on, this street will be renamed Juyi Street!"

They've all gotten carried away, one by one they've all gotten carried away.

Bai Xuan patted her head: "Aren't you going to let go?"

"No, I miss you so much." Lin Jiaolu couldn't hold back anymore: "I've been missing you a lot while I was in Langya."

Bai Xuan: “…”

This is my old man’s girlish heart.

Xi Qingqing stood outside the door watching this scene, and unconsciously curled her lips under her veil—tsk tsk tsk, look at this little girl's appearance, she's already been hooked by you guys, just because she looks so innocent and virtuous, as if anyone can't pretend.

Bai Xuan swore that he had no improper thoughts about Lin Jiaolu; it was entirely her doing that he, this old man, had feelings for her.

Ning Jianshuang also felt that Erlang had come at the wrong time. It would have been better if they hadn't met, because everything would have been in chaos once they did.

In the end, Lin Jiaolu felt embarrassed as a group of people stared at her, so she let go of his hand on her own.

To ease the awkwardness, he repeatedly waved for Feixue to bring the gift.

"This is a gift I prepared."

She sent over a sword case.

Xi Qingqing immediately laughed when she saw this scene.

Even though she wasn't very worldly-wise, she knew that giving a swordsman a new sword was definitely not a good choice.

Who would give up a sword that suits their hand?

Moreover, Xi Qingqing knew that Bai Xuan's Jiang Chengzi sword had reached the point where it moved according to his will, and it was impossible for him to change swords.

Bai Xuan took the sword box, opened it, and exclaimed, "Isn't this the Lone Goose Sword? You gave me this sword, what will you use?"

“I’ll use Sunset Glow,” Lin Jiaolu said. “Lone Goose isn’t really suitable for me; it’s too heavy.”

“Sunset Glow, Lone Wild Goose…” Bai Xuan paused, “These two swords…”

"The sword of the former dynasty's sword master has quite a few stories." Ning Jianshuang, with his extensive knowledge and excellent memory, said, "Would you like to hear them? They range from a hundred years ago to a hundred days ago."

What was the story like a hundred days ago?

"The story of Lady Ruan chasing her husband under the moonlight."

"..."

"I know!" Lin Jiaolu proudly raised her little hand.

“The Ruan family woman.” Xi Qingqing seemed to be thinking, then suddenly realized, “I remember now, it’s that portrait…”

"We've gone off-topic." Bai Xuan took out the Lone Goose Sword from its case: "It's a famous sword of its time."

He gently swung his sword, creating a flurry of sword shadows, while softly reciting an ancient verse.

"The sunset glows and the lone wild goose fly together; the autumn waters blend with the vast sky."

With just a few words, he drew the attention of several women in the room.

The silence was so profound you could hear a pin drop.

Bai Xuan asked, puzzled, "What kind of looks are those?"

"Where's down there?"

"The following..." Bai Xuan asked curiously, "Never heard of 'The Yueyang Tower'?"

He remembered that Yueyang Tower existed in this world, and that a record of Yueyang Tower was written during the Qin Dynasty.

“There’s no such line in the Yueyang Tower inscription.” Lin Jiaolu, being a lady from a prominent family, recited the Yueyang Tower inscription on the spot.

"..."

Oh no, I remembered it wrong.

It's not the Yueyang Tower Inscription, it's the Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng.

They look so alike, it's easy to get them mixed up.

There is no Tengwang Pavilion in this world, so naturally the Preface to the Tengwang Pavilion was not copied here.

Bai Xuan's memory isn't bad; it's just that with so much stuff in his head, quantum entanglement is inevitable.

"Um... I remembered it wrong."

"And then?" Ning Jianshuang pressed. "The sunset glows and the lone wild goose flies together; the autumn water blends with the sky... This line is simply exquisite, a timeless masterpiece."

The full text will only get more beautiful.

Her intuition was right.

The Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng is hailed as the finest example of parallel prose throughout the ages.

"I am a swordsman, not a poet."

There is no Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng in this world, yet there are still swords named Sunset Glow and Lone Wild Goose. That's why I blurted it out subconsciously... I was ruined by exam-oriented education, and in all these years I have never seen anyone use this line as a question on an exam. Even the old man who sells junk has heard this line.

As a Sigma man, even with the temptation of beautiful women, Bai Xuan was too lazy to recite the Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng—in fact, he had forgotten quite a bit, and recalling it would be too much of a mental ordeal, especially since many of the historical allusions he used were not present here.

However, even just this one sentence is enough to leave a lasting impression.

"What a beautiful line," Lin Jiaolu said softly. "This pair of swords is truly a match made in heaven, like the setting sun against the lone wild goose, or autumn waters against the vast sky..."

She quietly imagined that scene, and unconsciously became a little lost in thought.

Her gentle, watery eyes gazed quietly at the young man who was bowing his head and caressing his sword.

These fourteen words were more powerful in her heart than a thousand words of love.

Amidst this moment of reflection, Xi Qingqing, that enchantress, suddenly spoke up rather unromantically: "I don't know what you're thinking, but if these two sentences get out, some people might burst into tears upon hearing them, do you believe it or not?"

Ning Jianshuang snapped out of her reverie and asked, "Are you referring to... that eldest daughter of the Ruan family?"

Xi Qingqing smiled knowingly: "The sword she couldn't give away herself fell into someone else's hands, and even gave rise to a timeless masterpiece, which in turn completely overshadowed the Vermilion Bird Sword's white moonlight... As a woman myself, I truly feel sorry for her."

Lin Jiaolu thought for a moment and immediately made a decision: "Then let's not spread it. This is a sword I gave you, and this sentence should be mine alone. There are only five of us here, so no one should spread it."

At this moment, Zhang Erniang walked in awkwardly from outside the door: "Um, Miss Lin, I didn't mean to, I heard it too."

"There are only six people."

"And I."

"And I."

"I am also here."

"I haven't gone far..."

"It's because you're all too loud."

"I was captivated by the young master's literary talent, and unconsciously copied it down..."

In the blink of an eye, five people became more than ten.

Lin Jiaolu exclaimed in shock, "The level of secrecy here is really terrible."

"This is the main entrance of Langya Hall, so it's normal for people to come and go," Ning Jianshuang ordered. "Listen up, all of you, no one is allowed to spread this out... Understand?"

"Leave some room for maneuver in others. That Miss Ruan is already being talked about. If this sentence gets out, she'll probably be in tears again."

"Yes, landlord."

They all agreed in unison.

But is it really possible to keep it from getting out?
It certainly can't be done.

How could so many people keep their mouths shut? To have such a revelation and yet remain silent is more painful than killing them.

The upturned corners of Xi Yaonu's mouth further indicated that this was absolutely impossible.

Bai Xuan secretly transmitted his voice: "Do you have a grudge against the Ruan family?"

Xi Qingqing gently raised her wrist, her index finger and thumb forming a silver river at her fingertips: "It's just a little misunderstanding."

In other words, I was chased by a shameless old man from the Ruan family for three months. I stole his 100th birthday gift, but I didn't do anything immoral.

Bai Xuan was too lazy to care about this matter. With a flick of his finger, he put the Lone Goose Sword into his Sumeru Ring.

Xi Qingqing said, "Just spoil her... she won't know how to use it anyway."

Why do you think I don't know how to use it?

"Don't swordsmen only use one sword?"

"Who told you that?" Bai Xuan asked curiously. "I can fight with a sword. If I hold another sword at the same time, wouldn't I be able to give my enemy double the pleasure?"

Xi Qingqing: “…”

Everyone forgot that this guy is someone who can't be judged by common sense.

She asked irritably, "You mean the more swords you have, the stronger you are?"

Bai Xuan replied without hesitation: "Isn't that obvious? The highest level of sword cultivation is to control a million swords. No matter how strong the opponent is, if you lift up a mountain of swords, the sheer number and weight of them will be enough to crush them to death."

The highest level of swordsmanship is to indiscriminately borrow swords from others.

After Bai Wuming became a sword immortal, no one dared to draw their sword in front of him anymore, because any sword was his weapon, regardless of friend or foe.

The quality of swords is important, but the quantity is equally important.

He gladly accepted the famous sword, Lone Goose, as it would increase his strength by at least 20%.

If he had had two famous swords and could wield them dual-wielded, Yuwen Jie would never have had the chance to kidnap Jiang Lianxing.

……

That very day, news spread throughout Langya.

The top-ranked swordsman, Bai Yueguang, accepted a sword gift from Lin Jiaolu, a daughter of the Lin family, and composed an immortal poem inscribed with the sword's name: "The sunset glows and the lone wild goose fly together; the autumn waters blend with the vast sky."

……

A member of the Nguyen clan from a collateral branch, who was drinking tea in a teahouse, immediately knocked over his teacup upon hearing the news, his mind filled with only two words.

——Spicy!
The second reaction is...

—You people surnamed Lin, you've gone too far!
(End of this chapter)