Qin Shi: I went astray in the Heavenly Sect

Chapter 245 Wei Zhuang's Speculation, Qing Xu Makes Another Move

"Shashasha~~"

The wind blew by, and the trees on the hillside rustled. Wei Zhuang and Bai Feng looked at the empty hillside, and their expressions turned grim.

"She must have been taken away by someone."

Bai Feng squatted down and looked at the footprints on the ground. One of them was very faint, but it was still discernible that the footprint belonged to someone else.

"And something strange is that she didn't have any conflict with the person who came."

Wei Zhuang narrowed his eyes, and a strange look appeared in his eyes as he stood leaning on his sword. Although Hong Lian rarely made a move, her level of skill was not low. Even Yan Ling Ji, who came from Baiyue, might not be Hong Lian's match.

A calm mind is needed in battle, and Honglian is undoubtedly an excellent executor in this regard. However, Yanlingji has a fiery temper and is easily provoked. Of course, this may also be related to the fire-attribute techniques she practices.

“She’s not some helpless coward. There are only two possibilities for her being taken away without any resistance.”

Wei Zhuang's gaze swept over the surroundings, but unfortunately, nothing had changed at all.

"The first possibility is that the person who came was a powerful individual who gave her no time to resist. Even I couldn't do something like that, so silently and without warning."

After saying this, Bai Feng frowned subconsciously. Wei Zhuang's strength was among the best in the martial arts world. If even he couldn't do it, there could only be one possibility: the person who came was a Grandmaster.

However, there are only a handful of grandmasters and powerful figures in the martial arts world, most of whom are reclusive old monsters who rarely get involved in martial arts affairs.

However, upon thinking of this, Bai Feng seemed to remember something. He couldn't help but look at Wei Zhuang. He dared not speak for the other Grandmasters, but there was one in Jinghu Medical Manor, and he was a very young Grandmaster.

"The second scenario is simpler: the person who comes is an acquaintance, and she doesn't think the person is dangerous."

Upon hearing this, Bai Feng guessed, "Is it Master Qingxu from the Taoist Heavenly Sect?"

Wei Zhuang's hand tightened. Hong Lian had previously told them not to scheme against that person, and now it seemed that her words had come true.

"Won't that grandmaster harm her?"

Wei Zhuang's eyes flickered uncertainly. Qingxu did indeed have some strange connection with Liusha, and he had even made great contributions to Honglian's current status. However, no one could guarantee whether the other party would take action.

After a while, Wei Zhuang spoke softly, "Do you believe there are tigers in this world that don't eat people?"

Bai Feng remained silent for a moment, then gently shook her head.

"So what should we do now?"

Standing here, gazing at Mirror Lake, Wei Zhuang's thoughts drifted far away. Qingxu appeared and took away Honglian. In the end, there was only one thing.

Before Yan Lingji left, Honglian told her some information about the Daoist Tianzong sect. So after confirming that the person who took Honglian away might be Qingxu, he guessed where she had gone.

Taiyi Mountain – a sacred site of Taoism.

Now he has two choices: first, leave this place and head to Mount Taiyi, where he might be able to catch up with them before they reach Mount Taiyi with the help of Bai Feng's big bird; second, continue to complete their mission here.

“That person is no ordinary martial artist. Even if we get to him, what do you think our chances of winning are? The reason Qingxu took her away is probably more of a warning, to tell us not to make a move at Mirror Lake and disturb the peace here.”

Bai Feng slowly stood up. As for Qingxu, Wei Zhuang seemed to think that Qingxu would not make things difficult for Honglian. However, there was one situation that neither of them mentioned: what should they do if the person who made the move was not Qingxu?
"What if the one who made the move wasn't Qingxu?"

Upon hearing this, a hint of killing intent flashed in Wei Zhuang's eyes. Since Bai Feng could think of this situation, he naturally thought of it as well.

"Then there will be another person on my kill list. Not just anyone can touch the people of Quicksand. Although it is very difficult to cultivate to the level of a Grandmaster, it is not a dead end."

Upon hearing this, Bai Feng smiled slightly. He admired Wei Zhuang's ambition, just like his own. Two people who pursued the ultimate would be friends on the same boat.

On the other side, Honglian looked at the scenery rushing past her with a complicated expression. This was the first time she had felt the power of a Grandmaster so directly.

Even with Qingxu carrying her, their travel speed was astonishing; she felt they were even faster than Bai Feng's large white bird.

"Actually, Wei Zhuang wouldn't choose to make his move at the Medical Manor."

Honglian exhaled softly, her breath sweet as orchids.

Qingxu, who was on his way, seemed oblivious to Honglian's words. After a while, he replied, "He is a smart man. I knew that back in Xinzheng."

When she mentions Xinzheng and those days, Honglian still feels a little reluctant to leave. It was once her home, a place filled with her beautiful memories.

"If possible, I hope things can always be the same as before."

"I still have my father, my ninth brother, and my sister Zi Nu."

Upon meeting Qingxu, Honglian sensed that although he was much older and more handsome, he hadn't changed. Deep down, he was still the same person she had met years ago, so she was willing to share some of her innermost thoughts with him.

Over the years, she had stayed in the quicksand, and all she had come into contact with were the people of quicksand, such as Wei Zhuang, Bai Feng, Yin Fu, Cang Lang Wang, and Wu Shuang. Having walked in darkness for many years, their hearts had gradually become cold and ruthless, so she had no desire to confide in them at all.

Qingxu, however, is different. The Taoist principle of harmony with nature gives him an aura that is extremely in tune with the natural world. Coupled with his own temperament, people who come into contact with him will subconsciously feel at ease, which is why we see this scene before us.

"Things always change. Even without the Qin state and without war, your father would have succumbed to the passage of time. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the natural order, and no one can escape them."

Qingxu did not turn around. After a moment of silence, he directly used the Taoist technique of Heavenly Sound Transmission to send his voice into Honglian's heart.

Upon hearing this, Honglian's eyelids lowered slightly.

"Life's journey is long, and often you have to walk it alone. In this world, everyone is an independent individual, destined to have their own thoughts. Not everyone can always empathize with you, so seeking something that doesn't even exist is exhausting."

Qingxu's voice seemed to possess a touch of magic, unknowingly drawing the girl beside him into a special state of mind.

When a person has no desires and wants, and no external things on their mind, their heart will not be tired.

Just as the Taoist patriarch said in the Tao Te Ching, "Those who act will fail, and those who cling will lose. Therefore, the sage does not act, so he does not fail; he does not cling, so he does not lose."

From a certain perspective, this is a state of mind, a mindset. When a person is not attached to something, he will not lose his composure because of it, and his mind will be at ease.

"After I find that answer, may I go to Mount Taiyi to find you?"

After a long while, Qingxu heard Honglian's voice again.

"Looking for you." For a girl, this is more like a confession, a very bold confession.

"What if your ninth brother were still alive?"

Qingxu did not answer the question immediately, but instead brought up another matter, which was also a fact: Han Fei was indeed still alive, and if Han Fei was still alive, would she still go to Mount Taiyi?

Upon hearing this, Honglian trembled slightly. In fact, among all the royal families of South Korea, there were only two people with whom she had the best relationship, and only two people with whom she missed her dearly: one was King Han An, and the other was Han Fei.

In the end, in order to stabilize the court, King Han An betrothed her to Ji Wuye. Of course, the outcome was not good, because after King Han An made this decision, Ji Wuye died at the hands of Wei Zhuang.

But after this incident, the scales in the girl's heart began to tip, and her ninth brother's position gradually surpassed that of her father.

For this girl, if Han Fei were alive, he would be her only remaining family member in the world, while Qingxu was a special person who could give her a place to belong.

Honglian couldn't quite define her feelings for the young man beside her. It didn't seem to be romantic love between a man and a woman; she simply wanted to stay by his side.

"I don't know, but if Ninth Brother were still alive, he probably wouldn't be able to stay still."

Upon hearing this, Qingxu suddenly looked up, his gaze lingering on the distance. The description of him as someone who can't sit still is truly apt!

"Actually, what you're looking for might not be me, but the answer you've been searching for in your heart. Everyone has their own path to walk, and every path is different. There's never just one way to put your mind at ease. Just like that girl from Jinghu Medical Clinic, her answer isn't with me, but in the martial world, in the patients she's treated."

"As she saves one wounded person after another, her heart grows ever more fulfilled. This is the path she walks. All living beings in this world have their own path. If one day Honglian finds her own path and wishes to come looking for me, then let her come find me."

After listening to Qingxu's words, Honglian's brows had been furrowed without her noticing. It seemed that the Daoist Heavenly Sect had always been a place for cultivation and a place for seeking the Dao.

After thinking for a long time, Honglian still couldn't figure out what her path was. There weren't many things she wanted to do at the moment: seek the answer to Han Fei's death back then, and then take revenge.

War leaves people with more grief and hatred than anything else, and she was no exception.

A breeze blew past the two of them, gently lifting the hair at their temples. Honglian seemed to have given up on her previous question and instead asked, "Then what is the path of cultivation?"

Qingxu suddenly smiled.

"I'm looking too, I've been looking all along."

The Dao that Qingxu mentioned is a pursuit hidden in everyone's nature; it seems that everyone wants to understand one thing.

Where did I come from, and where am I going?
This is actually the Dao that Qingxu spoke of.

"Can you find it?"

"Let it go!"

Time flew by, and a day passed in the blink of an eye. Honglian opened her eyes from her sleep and felt the fire in front of her that was still radiating heat. She subconsciously looked around, but there was no one around. Even Qingxu was nowhere to be found.

After a day's journey, they had actually reached the territory of the former Qin state. She estimated that they would reach their destination in half a day at most.

"you're awake?"

Before long, a voice came from afar. Honglian nodded subconsciously. The owner of the voice was none other than Qingxu.

"The closer we are to Xianyang, the more tentacles the empire will have, and the stronger its influence will be. After we entered the former territory of Qin yesterday, we started to have some followers following us."

Hearing Qingxu's explanation, Honglian asked in surprise, "You went to deal with those people?"

In her memory, Qingxu was an extraordinary being who would not usually get involved in court affairs. Now that he was being followed, he took action to get rid of the tails, which seemed to be somewhat different from the person she remembered!
Seemingly having guessed Honglian's meaning, Qingxu shook his head.

"The net of heaven and earth is all-pervasive. Most of the people I've taken down were spies of the Net. Since the Net is targeting us, there's no need for these spies to stay."

"The people from the Net?"

Upon hearing this, Honglian was startled. They were traveling at an extremely fast pace. Although there was still half a day's journey ahead, don't forget that this was the journey of a Grandmaster. The actual distance to Mount Taiyi was still at least eight hundred li!
The fact that the Luo Wang organization has already appeared in such a distant place shows just how powerful this assassin organization, which relies on the power of the Qin court, is within the Qin state.
“You’re right. The Net is indeed targeting Sanhepu. I previously used a secret technique to obtain intelligence from those spies, which was almost identical to the intelligence intercepted by the Quicksand.”

Honglian nodded.

"Has Xiu Yuan considered what the purpose is of mobilizing so many people from the Luo Wang organization this time?"

As a top-notch strategist, Honglian demonstrated her value at this moment, which was also a very important reason why Qingxu brought her here.

Sanhepu.

This was the target of the net this time, but there was nothing of strategic significance in the Sanhepu. Even the refined salt and white paper were gradually released.

So what is the significance of Luo Wang's targeting of Sanhepu?
“Xiuyuan, this matter requires consideration of some special intelligence. Whatever is in the Sanhe Shop, it has always been a mystery to the outside world. Only the shopkeeper and the staff know about the operation of the shop; no one else knows anything.”

Honglian's words were concise and to the point.

Upon hearing this, Xiu Yuan narrowed his eyes. Considering this situation, things were probably not as simple as he had imagined.

"You mean the two things that Taoists deal in—white paper and refined salt?"

Honglian nodded.

"A treasure trove—everyone would love that!!"

Suddenly, Qingxu raised his hand and pointed into the distance, while simultaneously letting out a cold shout.

"Peach blossoms!!"

With a whoosh, the peach sword was instantly drawn, turning into a streak of red light and disappearing from the spot.

When Honglian saw this scene, her heart suddenly tightened.

"what happened?"

"They are friends of the farmers."

(End of this chapter)