Madam, please listen to my explanation.

Chapter 103 Niao Niao, you're wrong! You should have asked me about this first. (4K)

"Xu Jinhuan greets the senior."

"It's nice to see you again, Niao Niao."

Unexpectedly, at the top of Tian Shu Pavilion, besides Gu Niaoniao and Xiaoyu, there was a third person present.

The little fish hid behind a tall pillar, occasionally peeking at the middle-aged man with messy hair who looked like he was not to be trifled with.

Xu Jinhuan cupped his hands in greeting to the person and then smiled at Gu Niaoniao, which was considered a greeting.

Even though it was the first time Xu Jinhuan had seen this person's face, he recognized him at a glance by the other person's profound and imposing aura.

"Oh? You brat, you're so young, how come you have no temper? I've been chasing you all the way from Bianzhou, and now that we're face to face, with a seventh-rank Saint backing you up, don't you ever think about getting revenge?"

'Xu Jinhuan, he's so annoying, I really want to beat him up.'

Within her sea of ​​consciousness, Xiaoqing complained.

'I really want to too. Let's wait a bit longer; one day I'll give him a good beating!'

'Um! ’

Recalling the experience of being brutally beaten by the other party along the way, Xu Jinhuan's eyes twitched.

Before entering the dungeon, even if he knew he was no match for his opponent, he would still wait for an opportunity to strike and try to teach his opponent a lesson.

Nowadays?
"Senior, you flatter me. If it weren't for you, I would probably still be sitting in a well, complacent about reaching the fifth rank at such a young age."

"Niao Niao, do you know each other?"

Xu Jinhuan was slightly surprised.

It wasn't that I was surprised that the two knew each other, but rather that it hadn't been long since their last meeting.

When they met again, for some reason, Gu Niaoniao seemed to be deliberately distancing herself from him.
She still looked somewhat dazed, but her already lifeless eyes seemed to be subtly avoiding her gaze.

Upon hearing her own question, Gu Niaoniao remained expressionless and replied calmly:

"This is Senior Brother Zhou Jin."

Senior Brother Zhou Jin!

Upon hearing these four words, many of Xu Jinhuan's doubts were resolved.

Zhou Jin is not simply Lu Yuan's third disciple.

Former General Who Guards the South, Tutor to the Crown Prince, First Place on the Earthly Ranking, and so on.

This middle-aged man, who looked as unkempt as a brother-in-law, had a frightening number of titles on his head.
That said, I should have figured out from the other person's unremarkable appearance where they came from.
After all, none of the disciples under the renowned Sword Saint Lu Yuan seemed to be quite normal.
And it's number one on the local rankings.
More than a hundred years ago, this former General Zhennan led a thousand cavalrymen from the southern border of the Great Yan, fought his way through the vast southern marshlands, and arrived at the foot of the Ten Thousand Mountains, bringing back the thousand men unharmed.

No matter how talented or brilliant the people who come after them are, even if they fight tooth and nail for it, they can only reach second place on the Earthly Ranking.

The vast southern border region was severely damaged as a result, remaining dormant for a full century.

Only now have they begun to recover their strength.

Furthermore, although he had retired from the military and returned to his hometown after that battle, he remained indifferent to worldly affairs.

However, every ten or twenty years, he would return to Kyoto to teach adult princes and princesses, as well as some of Kyoto's talented individuals, about cultivation.

To be able to catch his eye and receive his guidance is a blessing that many people would rather die for.

This person is the master of Ruoxi, An Qing, and others.
"Hahaha, kid, what's with that expression?"
"What, having witnessed the incredible feats of those two kids, Niao Niao and Xiao Yu, you look down on this old man who's been a celestial being for millennia?"

Xu Jinhuan cupped his hands in a respectful bow: "This junior dares not presume. It is my great honor to receive guidance from you, senior."

Don't try that on me—

Zhou Jin waved her hand impatiently.

"You brat, tell me, did that punch I gave you in the face that night hurt?"

Xu Jinhuan narrowed his eyes.

Although I had heard long ago that this guy had a strange temper and was difficult to get along with.

Now that I've seen it for myself, I realize that the rumors have finally subsided somewhat!
"Of course it hurts!"

Meeting his gaze, Zhou Jin's sour face seemed to soften slightly, and he laughed loudly:
"Yes! That's the look in your eyes, that's more like it!"
These are the eyes I saw when I was chasing you all the way.

"Considering that you were able to break through the first mental demon tribulation overnight, I'll say a few more words, young man. Do you know how many sixth-rank martial artists there are in this world?"

Is this old man deliberately making things difficult for me?
Xu Jinhuan shook his head: "I don't know."

Zhou Jin: "Although the world's vital energy is now depleted, a so-called sixth-rank master will be respected as the 'peerless master of the human world' no matter where he goes."

However, after thousands of years of accumulation, even a sixth-grade Celestial Realm martial artist is not like the legendary saint who is said to be able to live forever.

But as long as they don't do anything reckless, they can still live for one or two hundred years.

Therefore, if the various states of Qin and Lu, along with that bunch of scum from the southern border, were to gather enough sixth-rank experts, they could probably still manage to assemble several thousand.

Gu Niaoniao stood silently to the side, seemingly not paying any attention to their conversation.

Only a pair of eyes were always gazing, seemingly unintentionally, in the direction of Qiyun Altar.

Zhou Jin raised the wine pot, took a sip, and continued, "If it weren't for that, that little fellow who likes to forge swords wouldn't have created a ranking list, which would have attracted heroes from all over the world to flock to it and fight tooth and nail for it."
Have you ever wondered why, among those who are both at the peak of the sixth rank, some are able to ascend to the Earth Ranking, while the vast majority of the rest remain unknown?

Leaving aside the distant past, my unfilial disciple, who is single-mindedly devoted to studying military strategy and cunning tactics, could be easily defeated by you. Even if you train him for another fifty years, he might not be able to make it onto the list!

And don't even mention your unfortunate master. He pointed to himself: "Have you ever considered why there's such a huge difference between people at the same level?"

This old man chased me across most of the Yan Kingdom. Could it be that he came to avenge his disciple?

Xu Jinhuan fell into deep thought.

Perhaps because breaking through realms was too easy, he had never seriously considered this issue.

As the other party said, even though they are both experts in the Celestial Phenomenon Realm, the difference between them is like heaven and earth!
Fortunately, the other party seemed to have already prepared an answer for themselves:

"The so-called sixth-grade peak is actually just a general term for those of us who have one foot in the sky."

Anyone who has accumulated enough power in the Celestial Phenomenon Realm to be able to glimpse the vast and mighty power that fills the world can be considered to be at the peak of the sixth rank.

However, once you reach this level, you'll find that it seems to be a road without limits, a road that may never reach its end.

The disheveled man in front of him raised his hand and tapped his cheek twice, his smile full of provocation:

"Words are no proof. Here's what we'll do: once you've overcome the three tribulations of inner demons, you'll be on the same level as me."

Back then, were you confident you could return that punch?

Is this old scoundrel challenging me to a duel?

Xu Jinhuan's lips curled up, and he cupped his hands in greeting:
"Since you have made this request, senior, then I shall respectfully comply!"

"Hahahaha!" Zhou Jin laughed so hard she almost fell over, seemingly laughing until tears streamed down her face.

"Alright! I'll give you a year."

Within a year, go and take care of the six ahead of you, then come back to me to avenge this punch!
"I'm not bragging, but even if all nine of you were combined, you wouldn't be a match for me!" Xu Jinhuan looked at the old man's arrogant attitude and wished he could rush up and punch him right then and there.
Can he really challenge all the top ten masters on the rankings within a year?
Interesting. I, Xu, accept this challenge!
"It's a deal, senior. Please wash your face and wait for me!"

Although he didn't know why, even someone as stupid as him could tell that the old man was guiding him to explore that path to heaven.

Having come to this world, how could one possibly win the Empress's hand if one could not even glimpse the profound and mysterious realm of the Supreme Saint?

"Alright! You guys chat!"

Zhou Jin stood up and jumped down from the windowsill of Tian Shu Pavilion.

"I'm going to see my good-for-nothing disciple and see if he's really been ruined by wine and women!"

Just as his figure disappeared, a voice rang directly in his ear:

'Kid, talk to Niao Niao more.'

If you can cure her brain, I will tell you the secret about the demonic phoenix inside you!

Demon Phoenix!

Xu Jinhuan clenched his fists involuntarily.

Sure enough, Xiaoqing's feeling of familiarity with this person was not a misperception.

Although Zhou Jin was not even born when Lu Yuan slew Qingluan with his sword.
But for some reason, the two seemed quite familiar to each other.

From this perspective, I have even less reason not to accept this challenge!

A loud 'bang'.

Zhou Jin was in mid-air when she forcefully stomped through the air and sped away towards the outside of the city.

Xu Jinhuan finally had a moment to turn around and look at the true goal of his trip:

"Niao Niao, are you troubled by something?"

Gu Niaoniao withdrew her gaze from the Qiyun Altar and asked in confusion:
"What's on your mind? Why would you ask that?"

"Because you look like you have something on your mind."

Xu Jinhuan smiled calmly.

When faced with a woman who is terrifyingly strong yet innocent like a child, sincerity is the most crucial thing.

Regardless of whether Zhou Jin made a promise or not, she would try her best to talk to him.

Gu Niaoniao shook her head expressionlessly, coldly saying it was suffocating.

Xu Jinhuan had a vague feeling that a window she had inadvertently opened in the other person's heart had been gently closed by her for some reason.

"Nothing's bothering you, Xu Jinhuan. What brings you here?"

"Where do you think I should be, Niao Niao?"

Xu Jinhuan was not discouraged and chuckled softly.

He didn't know what caused all these changes.

But now is not the time to consider that.

Gu Niaoniao looked thoughtful and pointed in the direction of Qiyun Altar:
"There they are, Xiaoqi and the others are all there. A fight is about to break out over there."

Xu Jinhuan looked in the direction the other person was pointing.

Through Xiaoqing's incredibly powerful divine sense, it was clear that the wave of divine sense formed by nearly ten thousand people and the dark red, imminent, soaring demonic aura were echoing a certain being in the far south.

He certainly knew what was about to happen there.

This woman would never do something like thinking ahead and observing the situation here early in the morning.

Or rather, the act of 'thinking' itself is something that is inherently incompatible with the other party.

"Niao Niao, someone told you that something big is going to happen over there, and that you should be prepared, right?"

Gu Niaoniao: "."

"Let me guess. If I guess the person's identity correctly, you'll answer one question for me, okay?"

Gu Niaoniao remained silent, but Xu Jinhuan noticed that one of her hands was nervously gripping the hem of her clothes.

"Don't be so nervous, it's actually quite easy to guess."
After all, from beginning to end, you'll most likely only need to take orders from two people. One is your mentor, Lu Yuan, but as long as the Great Yan Dynasty doesn't fall, he probably won't care about such trivial matters.
That leaves only one other possibility.

Emperor Yan, Zhao Wuji.

He's not dead, am I right?

"No, he's dead!!!"

As soon as she said it, Gu Niaoniao quickly covered her mouth.

Xu Jinhuan, who already knew the answer in advance, was naturally not surprised at all.

He approached Gu Niaoniao step by step and continued to express his conjecture:
"Although I don't know exactly what principles you have always followed, one of them must be 'to obey the orders of the Yan Emperor,' right?"

It's pitiful that a dignified seventh-rank saint was cornered by a nobody who couldn't even beat Zhou Jin.

Gu Niaoniao lowered her head, her eyes darting around, like a child who had done something wrong.

"If you feel awkward, you don't have to answer me and you can keep guessing."

Zhao Wuji may indeed be dead, but he remains active in some special state. It is precisely because of this that you are repeatedly faced with difficult dilemmas.

Xu Jinhuan bent down slightly, facing Gu Niaoniao:
"The real Emperor of Yan is dead, and the successor is not of Yan-Zhao blood, which puts you in a difficult position. This situation is completely beyond what your master Lu Yuan instructed you to do."

After weighing the pros and cons, you decided to continue following Zhao Wuji's instructions. Or perhaps, Zhao Wuji had already arranged everything before his death, am I right?

Gu Niaoniao felt the scorching heat emanating from Xu Jinhuan and shook her head vigorously.

"This is something you can't say."

Seeing the other person's embarrassed expression, Xu Jinhuan felt both amused and exasperated.

I don't know why, but I had a feeling that I was bullying a child.
“Niao Niao, you’re wrong.”

"When you're unsure about something, you should ask me."

Gu Niaoniao finally raised her head and looked over.

Indeed, during this period of time, whenever I didn't know what to do, Xu Jinhuan was always the one who helped me find a solution.
"Then what should we do? Master didn't say."

"Since the real Emperor of Yan is dead, and the current ruler has questionable bloodlines, the only way to restore order is to help the person with true Yan-Zhao blood reclaim the throne!"

Xu Jinhuan placed his hands on Gu Niaoniao's shoulders and said solemnly:

"I don't care what else Zhao Wuji said to you during this time."

Remember, he is no longer the emperor of Yan. There's no need to listen to him anymore, understand?

(End of this chapter)