I've never felt happy to become an immortal.

Chapter 130 Quietly Entering the Village (6k Second Update)
Bai Xuan was also surprised that the other party would choose him.

Do I look like an easy target?
No way.

I just took down a level 3 Finger Profound Realm expert yesterday.

Or does he feel that he would be more decisive if he took action himself?

Or...

“I can indeed perform painless abortions. You have a good eye, kid.” Bai Xuan cast a subtle glance at him.

He then casually drew his sword.

The sword drawn this time was the famous Lone Goose.

Jiang Chengzi, somewhat displeased, began to tremble in her sword sheath, as if she had seen her husband visiting the main room of the newly arrived concubine, biting her handkerchief and stomping her feet.

Miao Shou didn't actually intend to just have a straightforward spar with Bai Xuan.

His original intention was still to run away.

Even a grandmaster, with the ability to use the Mysterious Step and his knowledge of the surrounding terrain, could possibly escape.

There is an underground tunnel about 500 meters away.

As long as I can get to that place...!
He focused his gaze and held his breath. All he needed to do next was slowly spar with this kid, gradually approach the underground tunnel, and then use his earth-遁术 (earth-遁术 is a type of martial arts technique) and 迷踪步 (迷踪步 is a type of martial arts technique) to have a good chance of escaping.

On the surface, one must feign an appearance brimming with murderous intent.

His hands trembled slightly, and he had already prepared a large number of hidden weapons.

Be ready to release at any time.

The two were like Western gunslingers facing each other, ready to draw their guns and duel at any moment.

Victory or defeat can be decided in an instant.

Waiting for an opportunity, searching for a weakness, a weakness, a vulnerability...

Damn it, why isn't there a hole in my butt?!
Sweat beaded on Miao Shou's forehead as he silently told himself not to panic; even if there were no flaws, he could create them.

"Hey, what's behind you!"

He suddenly shouted.

His acting exploded, and he showed a dumbfounded expression as he looked at Bai Xuan's back, as if there was a Hakimi doing a backflip behind Bai Xuan.

however……

The three people present didn't even shift their gazes; they simply stared at him calmly and normally, as if he were a wild, silly turtle.

Miaoshou continued shouting, "Really, look back—!"

Terrible acting.

Bai Xuan took a step forward.

The mastermind's eyes lit up; he'd spotted a weakness. His words, sharp as thunder, proclaimed: "You've fallen for my trap!"

He unleashed the Cloud-Piercing Hand technique, preparing to launch a feint attack that would create distance and disrupt the battlefield's line of sight.

The next moment, a sword flew straight towards them.

A sliver of pale blue light.

The doctor's skill was completely effective.

He was just a thief.

Neither the Cloud-Piercing Hand nor the Mysterious Step were originally skills intended for direct combat.

Anyone who has played the Legend of Sword and Fairy series knows that the Flying Dragon Cloud-Piercing Hand technique can never compare to the Ten Thousand Swords Technique and the Carefree Wine God's Curse in terms of damage.

He had barely raised his hand when Bai Xuan unleashed an Infinite Love attack.

Even the leader of the Moon Worship Cult would have to exclaim that this is illogical.

The skilled hand immediately collapsed to the ground.

The battle is over.

Bai Xuan's swift execution of the skillful man surprised the other two.

Xi Qingqing thought he would need at least two moves, but he was killed in one sword strike, and she had never seen this move before.

The woman who suddenly appeared was slightly taken aback, her gaze following the flying Lone Goose Sword.

After piercing through the expert's hand, the sword's speed decreased sharply, and it simply stuck in the wall twenty paces away.

This may seem ordinary, but those in the know can see the intricacies.

For example, it's like someone just fired a shot from a large-caliber sniper rifle, but the bullet didn't penetrate the wall twenty paces away; it just stopped on the surface of the wall.

Before killing Miao Shou, Bai Xuan's sword strike was powerful enough to easily travel several miles, but after killing the enemy, its kinetic energy and power began to decrease sharply.

Even after the weapon is released from the hand, one can still maintain complete control over it.

This is a step that most semi-masters simply cannot take.

This is the white moonlight of the top-ranked strategist...

The book review of "Mending the Sky" states that his swordsmanship is close to the Dao.

So terrifying.

The woman bent down and picked up the unconscious Lin Jiaolu, whispering, "Young Master Bai, is that sword strike just now famous?"

"Hundred Steps Flying Sword."

Bai Xuan frankly admitted that this was not a profound sword technique, but merely a basic version of the Immortal-Slaying Flying Knife of the Fuguang Sect.

"Your swordsmanship is truly impressive, almost mystical." The woman introduced herself, "I am Xue, the wet nurse of Jiaolu. I have come to take her home... Madam is outside at the moment. Would you mind taking a moment to spare?"

Bai Xuan readily agreed: "Alright."

Upon arriving at the entrance, the street was deserted, with not a single pedestrian in sight.

Lin's matriarch, Lu Shu, did not sit inside the carriage but stood outside. Seeing the sleeping deer, she reached out and gently touched her daughter's face, touching the drool at the corner of her mouth. She chuckled and said, "This girl is probably having some sweet dream before being sent to the carriage."

Feixue took the young lady from the carriage and carefully carried her onto the carriage.

Lu Shu's gaze fell on the young man in white robes and a sword. At this moment, the mother-in-law had already begun to evaluate and scrutinize her son-in-law. He was dignified, neither humble nor arrogant, and his appearance and temperament were both excellent.

However, Lu Shu doesn't particularly value appearance... or rather, she's seen many handsome people, so this is a basic requirement, not a bonus.

“I am Lu Shu, the mother of the banana deer.”

"Jiang family, Bai Xuan... greets the matriarch of the Lin family."

Bai Xuan looked directly at the other person.

Although he knew that such an attitude might be somewhat impolite to a woman, he was already used to it. Politeness was mostly verbal, while demeanor and actions reflected his mindset. No matter how high the other person's status was, he would at most bow slightly, and often just clasp his hands in a fist and nod.

...He appears humble, but is actually quite unruly; he harbors lofty ambitions.

Lu Shu made another assessment.

She said calmly, "This form of address feels a bit too formal."

Bai Xuan shook his head and said, "I'm not very good at trying to get close to people, or calling someone 'Auntie'?"

Lu Shudao said, "At such a young age, it's already commendable that you know when to advance and when to retreat... but it's also a form of polite refusal. What do you think of Jiao Lu?"

Bai Xuan said, "She's fine."

Lu Shu laughed: "What a cunning boy, but it's a good thing that he can play dumb."

Bai Xuan glanced at the sky: "It's so late, Auntie, would you like to come inside for a chat?"

“No need. I’ll just say a few words and leave immediately,” Lu Shu said. “You’re already in the midst of turmoil. If you’d like to find some peace and quiet, you might as well come directly to the Lin family.”

"Let's do it another day. I will definitely pay you a visit."

"Hmm." Lu Shu boarded the carriage and asked before leaving, "Do you understand poetry?"

Bai Xuan was a little confused as to why he was being asked this.

At that moment, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Fei Xue, who was driving, speak in lip reading—"Woman's good writing."

Bai Xuan understood and replied, "I know a little."

Lu Shu thought for a moment and said, "I went to Suzhou a few days ago and attended a poetry gathering, but I didn't find any good poems. Since you are so talented, why don't you write a poem related to Suzhou?"

Before Bai Xuan could answer, she continued, "I won't make things difficult for you. You can come and visit whenever you finish within three days... At that time, the Lin family will take care of the business at Langya Hall. How about that?"

A poem can bring in business? Is there really such a good thing?
Bai Xuan asked, "Is what you said true, Auntie?"

"I have always kept my word."

In reality, this is just an empty promise. The Lin family was going to do business with people anyway, and it didn't matter who they did business with. Ning Jianshuang approaching them to discuss cooperation was already a done deal. In the future, the expansion of Langya Hall would also be inevitable, and the Lin family would naturally be responsible for the safety of their business partners.

Lu Shu simply wanted to take this opportunity to test Bai Xuan's literary talent.

She always felt that her husband was a brute and that her daughter had never liked studying since childhood.

Now that my son-in-law is also a true martial arts genius, I'm afraid my literary talent will have no successor.

"If it's not finished after three days, you can visit me in person..." Lu Shu didn't make it absolute: "However, the reward will be gone then."

"What reward?"

“What reward do you want? I can grant you one request,” Lu Shu added, “provided it’s within my means and not excessive.”

Bai Xuan shrugged: "Can I pay you?"

Lu Shu retorted, "Just money?"

Juyi Pavilion is a century-old establishment in the martial arts world, how could it possibly be short of money?
She was somewhat displeased: "Young man, you are underestimating the Lin family by saying that... You should think about the poem more carefully."

"Why wait three days?" Bai Xuan said, "I'll copy it down right now... and recite it aloud to the heavens."

Outside the carriage, Madam Xue reminded her, "Are you that confident? Ordinary doggerel won't do; Madam has always had high standards for poetry."

Bai Xuan was naturally certain.

In the realm of martial arts, we cannot yet claim to be invincible.

But in literature, I only need to make a slight move to reach the pinnacle of talent.

He remembered that he used the pseudonym Bai Qinglian to copy the most poems, but they were mostly Tang poems, because poetry and prose were popular in the early Qin Dynasty.

By the time his lyrics became popular, he had already shed his plagiarism persona, started studying art, and then stopped studying art altogether, starting to give speeches and get involved in politics.

The next song is probably one that hasn't been widely circulated, since I always seem to mispronounce it.

Listen carefully.

Bai Xuan cleared his throat and immediately began to sing.

"The moon sets, the crows cry, and the sky is filled with frost."

The opening seven words immediately changed Lu Shu's expression.

The descriptive quality of this poem is...extremely high.

She couldn't help but start looking forward to what would happen next.

"Returning to Jiangling in a single day, a thousand miles away."

"Do not let the golden goblet face the moon in vain."

"Wait a minute!" Lu Shu interrupted, "What nonsense is this? How did it suddenly veer off onto Bai Qinglian's work?"

Bai Xuan: “…”

Buhou, you've messed up again.

Thank goodness I was interrupted, otherwise I almost started singing it... It's Hu Yanbin again, you've ruined my life!
"I understand, I'll try again."

Bai Xuan coughed.

"The moon sets, crows cry, frost fills the sky; river maples and fishing lights accompany my sorrowful sleep."

"Outside Gusu City, the bell of Hanshan Temple reaches the passenger ship at midnight."

Snapped……!
The commotion was made by Xi Qingqing, who was sitting on the roof. She unconsciously broke the brick in her hand, her big eyes wide open, full of disbelief.

No, they're all in the top five of the Crouching Dragon List. Do you have to be that outstanding?

We agreed that you were going to be a barbarian king who slaughters people, but you've suddenly started taking the artsy route? Lu Shu also silently pondered the poem, and it took her a while to recover.

"What a wonderful travel poem... It's not something someone your age could write. Did you really go to Hanshan Temple?"

"It doesn't necessarily have to be Hanshan Temple; Jinshan Temple would be just as good."

Poems that are included in textbooks are of high quality.

Bai Xuan didn't really like this poem, so much so that he never copied it when he was a plagiarist.

There are two reasons. First, I always mispronounce the poem and unconsciously start singing it. Second, I was tricked into going to Hanshan Temple by this poem and was ripped off for several hundred yuan as soon as I arrived.

“This poem… is excellent.” Lu Shu’s voice was filled with joy. “You are excellent too.”

A purse was tossed out of the carriage.

"Since you want money, here's your money pouch. If it's not enough, you can come to the Lin family anytime... As long as there are any good poems, your aunt will buy them for a hefty sum."

The carriage slowly drove away.

Bai Xuan opened the purse in his hand and glanced at it briefly. In addition to silver notes and gold, there was also a jade pendant engraved with the character "Shu," which was obviously a personal item.

A not-so-clean small hand reached out from the side. Bai Xuan flipped his hand and put the item into his storage ring: "What are you doing? Are you having an occupational hazard?"

"See, see it and get a share." Xi Qingqing said breathlessly, "Before, I couldn't rob you because you didn't have money, but now I've finally caught my chance."

"You have no shame. I earned this by exchanging poems. If you're so capable, go and exchange it yourself." Bai Xuan waved his hand. "Look how generously the Lin family rewards you."

Xi Qingqing: “…”

Clenching his fists and gritting his teeth.

...If I had that kind of skill, would I need to resort to robbery? I'd just debut right there, become a rising star in the literary world, and amass a huge following!

She then thought, if she can't do it, isn't there someone else who can?
"What do you think about me?"

"Ok?"

"Does this inspire you to write a poem?"

"I feel a bit nauseous," Bai Xuan said with disdain. "Why do you have to act so innocent?"

"I'm only 18 and 16 months old this year!"

……

On the carriage.

Lu Shu gently kneaded her daughter's face, rubbing and kneading.

She played like this when her daughter was little and chubby... because it was so much fun.

Children are essentially just oversized toys for their parents.

"Madam, are you in a bad mood?" Madam Xue could tell.

"No, actually I'm in a pretty good mood. This child has good taste." Lu Shu reached out and wiped Lin Jiaolu's drool. "Much better than me."

Madam Xue's heart skipped a beat.

"Why are you so nervous? I'm just telling the truth." Lu Shu leaned back on the cushion: "He is both scholarly and martial, and has achieved something in both fields. Such a genius is rare in the world. I feel that it is not worth it for him to be engaged to this girl."

"Miss is very nice too."

"But I'm far inferior to when I was sixteen." Lu Shu wasn't arrogant. She grew up under the strict education of the Lu family. At the age of fourteen, she went up the mountain to meet Master Zhang. After receiving a comment from the old master, she became famous throughout the country. By the age of sixteen, her literary reputation covered the entire prefecture.

Lin Jiaolu is far from being a suitable daughter.

Lu Shu said with some envy, "If I were twenty years younger, this girl wouldn't even have a chance."

Mrs. Xue was sweating profusely.

"I'm not saying Lin Chongxiao is bad, he's very good, but it depends on who you compare him to... Eighteen-year-old Lin Chongxiao was also a reckless scoundrel."

Lu Shu sighed: "Back then, I thought I would have to get married sooner or later, so I might as well choose the one I liked the most. I chose him, thinking it would be easier. Who knew he would turn things around and rise all the way to the position of head of the Lin family, leaving me with an uneasy life... I really don't want to stay in this position of head of the Lin family. I prefer to do my studies quietly. It's too tiring to be scheming and calculating every day."

"On the contrary, this young man... he gives me the feeling of innate purity and pride."

"He is not weary from chasing fame and fortune. He is exactly the kind of person I hope for: to live freely and to die gracefully."

"What a wonderful poem... Have you seen his hands? Those hands are naturally suited for writing. I must have him write a piece for me next time... How could someone like that be a swordsman? If he were to study under me, he would surely become a great Confucian scholar and leave his mark on history."

Xue was speechless.

A single poem completely deepened and strengthened Lu Shu's fondness for literature. His wife truly valued literature far more than martial arts, and always treated talented scholars with special regard.

Xue was even more amazed by Bai Xuan's superb swordsmanship.

But it's not that we can't understand the lady's thoughts.

Even the strongest martial artist, whoever reaches the pinnacle of the martial world, will be remembered after a hundred years or so, when new talents replace the old.
Jiang Shenlong was once so powerful, but nowadays few of the rising stars in the martial arts world probably still remember him, let alone the generations of masters from the previous dynasty.

But literature and thought... cannot be killed. On the contrary, they will be passed down through the ages, becoming more and more relevant, and radiating new vitality.

Scholars achieve three things that will last forever.

Lu Shu was fond of literature and reading; she should have married a scholar.

But she was unfortunate, because the place she was in was too high, and almost no one dared to approach or touch her, just like Lu Shu, the fairy of the moon palace, who always stood at that high place.

Only one reckless young man, who knew neither literature nor manners, reached out to her, and she took his hand and they eloped.

Lu Shu chose the person she found most agreeable and who was most suitable for her in her own time, and this person happened to become the head of the Lin family.

Lin Jiaolu, in her time, chose someone she liked, who happened to be a peerless genius skilled in both literature and martial arts.

To outsiders, the mother and daughter were both incredibly lucky; their potential was immediately recognized.

However, Lu Shu would envy Lin Jiaolu more, because this girl probably never thought that much about it from beginning to end.

"Lucky little girl."

"Thank goodness you're my daughter."

Lu Shu gazed at the magnificent moonlight.

"I wonder when this girl will realize that in order to protect the one she loves, she has to fight against the whole world."

……

Under the moonlight.

A figure quietly left Langya Hall.

Bai Xuan changed into some inconspicuous clothes, put on a mask, and left quietly without alerting anyone.

He originally planned to go after dark the next day.

But plans changed.

The assassination attempt tonight made him feel a sense of crisis, realizing he couldn't wait any longer.

Moreover, the attackers are already dead, so normally there shouldn't be a second wave overnight.

He spent five hundred taels of silver to bribe Xi Qingqing to stay behind as a bodyguard, with the main task being to protect Ning Jianshuang's safety.

……

Inside a residential house.

Scarface has a very ordinary name: Li Hao.

He didn't like the name, so he changed it to his mother's surname, Yelü Hao.

Before he was twenty-five, he was one of the top twenty geniuses on the Crouching Dragon List, but after he was removed from the list, he still couldn't get on the Human List at twenty-nine.

This was unbearable for him... because if he wasn't on the list of successful people for a day, his treatment wouldn't improve, and to be on the list required merits and achievements.

Bai Xuan was his prey.

No one else is allowed to interfere.

A mouse crawled onto the back of his hand and made a squeaking sound.

Yelü Hao's eyes flickered, and he suddenly stood up: "The opportunity has arrived."

Bi Dongyou, who was originally dozing off, was jolted awake by those words: "What opportunity?"

“The white moonlight has gone out alone,” Yelü Hao said.

"Are you sure?" Bi Dongyou asked tentatively, "It's not some kind of trap, is it?"

“My little rat saw everything very clearly.” Yelü Hao sneered, “I also saw through its eyes that someone tried to assassinate someone at Langya Hall tonight, but was caught red-handed. It must be because of this incident that he lowered his guard.”

"Half an hour later, Bai Yueguang quietly changed his appearance and left Langya Hall. He was indeed very careful. Even if someone was watching nearby, they wouldn't notice him leaving. I didn't expect him to be so knowledgeable about assassins."

Bi Dongyou rubbed his hands together: "How did you find out?"

“It’s the scent!” Yelü Hao said confidently. “A person can change their appearance through disguise and their height through bone-shrinking techniques, but they can’t change their scent. My rats track me by scent.”

Bi Dongyou nodded in agreement, letting out a train conductor-like exclamation: "That makes sense!"

“We can’t miss this opportunity.” Yelü Hao made a decisive decision: “Others have already set their sights on him. Now is the perfect opportunity for us to secretly intercept and kill him.”

Bi Dongyou tentatively asked, "The Tiger and Leopard Duo has arrived, and I know their location. Can we send a message to them to try?"

"Fool!" Yelü Hao said unhappily, "What if we get killed by the Tiger and Leopard Duo? Whose credit will it be?"

...I must personally remove his head to be included on the list of human beings!
Bi Dongyou wanted to say something more.

Are you scared?

"I'm just making a reasonable question: why did Bai Yueguang leave secretly? Could it be that she went to see someone?" Bi Dongyou was thinking a little more deeply.

"Or perhaps he's taking this opportunity to leave Langya. He makes a high-profile appearance, then leaves overnight, leaving a double here under the Lin family's nose. Who can harm him then?" Yelü Hao's speculations became increasingly plausible: "What a cunning fellow!"

Scarface came out, touched the wall with his fingers, rubbed them, and said, "The weather is getting damp. It might rain tomorrow. Once it rains, the smell will be washed away, and I won't be able to track it anymore."

He turned to look at Bi Dongyou: "If Bai Yueguang doesn't die now, I don't need to say more about the fate of your Bijing Manor. At the very least, you won't be able to stay in Langya anymore, and even the forces in various parts of Wuzhou will be hesitant to act against you..."

Hearing these words, which were tantamount to threats, Bi Dongyou rubbed his fingers together, his eyes flickering uncertainly. After a short while, he made his decision, took a deep breath, and said, "Okay, I'll go with you!"

……

Bai Xuan stealthily made his way to the entrance of an alley, where a brightly lit, bustling place awaited him.

This is one of the very few places that stays open all night... commonly known as a brothel.

He took off his clothes, turned them inside out, and quickly changed into a different outfit.

"It was hidden here."

"Who on earth came up with this idea?"

"I need to discuss my thoughts with him."

After saying that, he walked towards one of the 'Red Sleeve Pavilions'.

……

"No, are you sure he came here?"

Bi Dongyou stared at the rows of brothels in front of him, his eyes twitching slightly.

"Hey grandpa, come play!"

'You rascal, how annoying, hmph~'

'Mom, you still look quite charming.'

The air was filled with the sounds of warbling birds and dancing butterflies, and decadent music.

Bi Dongyou's toes gripped the ground.

He is actually quite self-disciplined, focused on his career, not a womanizer and never goes to places like this. At most, he has brought clients here a few times for business purposes, but he never stays overnight because he always feels it's unclean.

Yelü Hao said indifferently, "Heroes love beauties. What's wrong with visiting brothels and listening to music? Scholars and martial artists alike love eighteen-year-old beauties."

Bi Dongyou said, "You even washed him?"

He spat dismissively: "What top-ranked strategist! He couldn't wait to come to the brothel to listen to music and spend the night after just meeting the Lin family girl. He's handsome, but he's a complete lecher. I wasted my feelings on him and thought he was some kind of troublesome person."

“That’s a good thing,” Yelü Hao said. “His lustfulness means he has a weakness… He’s not on guard when he’s doing that.”

Bi Dongyou snorted coldly and silently followed.

(End of this chapter)