The deepest affection in Gu Long's world

Chapter 167 A Fei (13-word long chapter with advance monthly votes)

[After returning, observe carefully and find areas where you can leverage them. Consider how to successfully utilize this information, how to conveniently use your position to gain more benefits, how to utilize all available relationships, and most importantly, how to make the most effective strategic choice.]

Long Xiaoyun was somewhat frightened.

Although in his heart, the position of the Great Demon King was already so high that nothing could shake it.

But this seemingly prophetic hint accurately pointed out his current predicament.

He naturally didn't understand that these roundabout, all-purpose answers could actually be verified in many things, not to mention that Long Xiaoyun's every move was right under Fang Yunhua's nose.

Long Xiaoyun then regained her confidence and decided to clean up the mess her father had made in her own way.

Regardless of how Long Xiaoyun devised her self-rescue plan, Fang Yunhua on the other side had already met Afei.

Ah Fei had thick eyebrows, large eyes, thin lips pressed tightly into a line, and a straight nose that made his face look even thinner.

This face easily evokes images of granite: stubborn, resolute, indifferent, and apathetic towards everything, even himself.

In Fang Yunhua's assessment, the other party was much like a lone wolf that had just broken away from its pack, with a faint sense of detachment from everything in the world, yet forcibly using indifference to disguise itself in order to cope with the impact of these unfamiliar scenes.

Meeting Afei, or rather, the fact that Bai Xiaosheng actually managed to find Afei, was a completely unexpected surprise for Fang Yunhua.

As for the purpose
Actually, I didn't have any particular thoughts about him; it was just that Fang Yunhua was curious about him, which is why this idea came to mind.

Many things in this world don't need a plan; just do them as you please, go with the flow, and do what you want to do.

At that moment, upon seeing Fang Yunhua for the first time, without needing any introduction, Afei had already recognized him as the mysterious Master of Tianji Tower, simply because his appearance and aura made him seem to belong to a different level from everyone else.

Some people become the absolute center of attention the moment they appear.

Fang Yunhua is that kind of person.

Ah Fei, on the other hand, gripped the sword that was tucked diagonally at his waist. It was hardly a sword at all; it had no blade, no guard, and not even a hilt. It was just two pieces of cork nailed to it, which served as the hilt.

It's just a piece of iron about three feet long.

But this piece of iron can be used to kill people. Fang Yunhua has a deep understanding of this, because more than ten years ago, he and Lin Xian'er used the iron piece they had ground to complete the first change in their own destiny.

Uh-huh! ——

A dark sword light pierced straight towards Fang Yunhua's throat!
It can't be said that it was completely unexpected. When the other party grasped the cork that resembled a sword hilt earlier, Fang Yunhua had already guessed whether A Fei would really use such a reckless method to get an answer.

Immediately afterwards, the iron plate, its tip polished to a bright and sharp point, stopped three inches in front of its throat.

It wasn't that Afei stopped voluntarily, but rather that two fingers stopped the sword light and firmly pinned it at this dangerous distance.

Afei was somewhat stunned to see that the other party had caught his invincible sword-drawing technique with just two fingers.

"The moves are quick, but that's all there is to it."

After giving this assessment, Fang Yunhua flicked his finger, producing a clang like metal clashing, and the metal piece fell back, then tucked diagonally into his waist.

Fang Yunhua then walked past the stunned boy, and after sitting down in the main seat of the hall, he even brewed a pot of tea with considerable pleasure.

At this moment, Ah Fei, who finally reacted, also spoke up.

"How did you do that just now?"

"See your sword, then clamp it, and spring it back. It's that simple."

Actually, it's not that simple. If he didn't have the "Indestructible Vajra, Great Searching Hand"—a trophy he took from the Great Joyful Bodhisattva—it would have been impossible for him to replicate Lu Xiaofeng's Spiritual Rhinoceros Finger.

Because he had simply used brute force to touch the sword's edge, and Lu Xiaofeng's two fingers could not erase the intense sword intent carried by the blade.
No, before witnessing this move firsthand, Fang Yunhua couldn't judge just how exquisite and profound the techniques were, especially since this martial art, hailed as a bug-level skill in Gu Long's world of martial arts, was.

In short, facing Afei's sword strike just now, he did indeed do it very easily, just as he had said.

In fact, within the grand context of Gu Long's martial arts world, "speed," while acting as akin to "poison," allows one to achieve victory against stronger opponents despite insufficient raw power. However, this also presents a bottleneck that prevents one from threatening truly powerful individuals.

For example, once you reach T1 level, you will basically have no obvious weaknesses. So, with just your eyesight, you can completely see through Afei's sword strike, who is still extremely inexperienced.

However, if one wants to hunt down stronger opponents quickly, then increasing the difficulty is actually more difficult than breaking through through orthodox cultivation.

After all, as the fastest queen, Shi Guanyin was able to completely suppress Chu Liuxiang, who already had an extremely fast attack frequency, and could launch an extreme counterattack that turned one move into seven moves in an instant. However, she was still frightened by the Water Mother Yin Ji and hid in the desert.

At this moment, after witnessing A Fei's sword strike, Fang Yunhua had some ideas in mind about the second move of A Fei's Qingfeng Piaomiao sword style.

Then his gaze toward Afei became even more amiable, while the boy seemed to have been taken aback.

He stood there blankly, the last three words the other person had said still echoing in his ears.

It's very simple. Very simple. Very simple.
When he noticed that the other party was only a few years older than him, yet displayed combat power that completely overwhelmed him, he suddenly became somewhat insecure about his own martial prowess.

"From now on, follow me."

Fang Yunhua's words made Afei raise his head, his eyes filled with confusion.

"Follow me, and you can become famous, or you can become stronger."

"Why choose me?"

"Your killing technique is very interesting and has considerable potential for improvement. It can inspire me to create my own second sword style. By the way, I find you quite pleasing to the eye."

Fang Yunhua was speaking from the heart.

After all, Ah Fei's only value to him right now is the inspiration he provides for developing sword skills. As for other things, given his current level of martial arts, he doesn't need another fighter.

The most important thing is that it looks good to you.

Because he realized that Ah Fei was like a piece of raw jade, which anyone could carve into the shape they desired.

In the original storyline, he met Li Xunhuan and was thus passively drawn into a series of conspiracies. This also deeply influenced him, and after overcoming his emotional tribulations, he underwent a complete transformation, becoming a true flying swordsman.

So, after his own transformation, how high will this young man achieve?

Fang Yunhua was very interested.

If you're interested, just do it. It's that simple.

"You've been here for a few days now, so you should naturally understand what Tianji Tower is. If you want to make a name for yourself, having me help you is the best option. Of course, you'll have to give up something, like protecting my safety at all times."

Ah Fei remained silent.

Having lived in the wilderness for a long time, he has a kind of instinctive malice towards others, like a wild animal. In the original storyline, this talent is only temporarily disabled when he is in love.

Now he could feel that Fang Yunhua's words were completely genuine and sincere, without any pretense or concealment.

Most importantly, when inviting him into the pass, the other party mentioned that the Master of Tianji Tower knew his parents' identities and was aware of some secrets about them, but the man in front of him did not use this to blackmail him.

Even before he brought it up, the other party seemed to deliberately ignore this information.

Having spent the past few days at this Tianjilou branch, he has come to a deep understanding of just how formidable this intelligence organization is.

The weapon rankings are determined by the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion.

Major events in the world are also spread from here to the entire martial arts world.

The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion Master before him had once again demonstrated overwhelming strength, and he needed a place to realize his own combat level.

There were too many reasons for Afei to refuse. He had originally intended to venture into the Central Plains martial arts world, so he took the initiative to step into this first stop by accepting the other party's invitation.

However, the impact of this stop made him start to think about whether his current strength was enough to make him famous.

"it is good."

Ah Fei nodded in agreement.

In fact, setting aside these complicated thoughts, the reason he chose to follow the person in front of him was because he sensed a similar aura about the other person to his mother—a kind of madness deeply hidden beneath reason.

Then, Afei didn't mention his parents again; he was seriously asking what level his strength was at.

"What level? Just average."

Fang Yunhua did indeed think that his opponent was quite ordinary. Although his sword-drawing speed was fast, it was only average. Compared to Shi Guanyin, whom he still couldn't catch up with at her peak speed, the difference was too great.

Moreover, the speed at which he drew his sword was extremely fast. Although his subsequent sword speed was still considered fast by people in the martial arts world, it was not considered very fast by Fang Yunhua.

His swordsmanship lacked depth; in fact, the term "swordsmanship" shouldn't even be used to describe his killing techniques. Furthermore, his lack of formal training resulted in a significant deficiency in martial arts knowledge.

This also makes his weaknesses too obvious.

Clearly, it's not the right time to fully improve him. The only way is to keep going fast, fast enough to break through that bottleneck, so that he can truly enter the ranks of experts that Fang Yunhua can take seriously.

The other party also possessed the necessary qualifications, which is why Fang Yunhua dared to let him be determined to take this path.

But upon hearing Fang Yunhua's evaluation, Afei visibly slumped down again. He hung his head, looking like a pitiful little dog, and muttered an "oh."

Upon seeing this, Fang Yunhua stroked his chin. He naturally understood what the other party was thinking. He was afraid that A Fei had mistakenly thought that what he called "ordinary" was barely passable in the martial arts world, and that it was actually ranked according to the original weapon ranking.

To reach its general evaluation, one would need at least the skill level of the fifth-ranked Lu Fengxian, the Silver Halberd General, who had not yet mastered the three metal fingers.

But let the misunderstanding be. Encountering his own big boss at the beginning can motivate him to improve.

"Next, your sword needs to be faster, and you need to learn some basic martial arts principles."

During the lecture, Fang Yunhua was actually sorting out his own martial arts skills. At the same time, based on A Fei's progress, he could also create his own second sword move. In his idea, the second sword move only needed one word.

fast!
It is a speed fast enough to break through the limits of even the strongest eyesight, a truly swift and fatal blow.

He was quite certain that after the battle at the summit of Mount Lu, Shangguan Jin Hong would privately study and refine his sword style repeatedly. Moreover, the first move, "A Sword in the Breeze - Ethereal and Limitless," was originally more suitable for a tough, robust type of fighter like the Great Joyful Female Bodhisattva.

So he secretly prepared another ultimate move, specifically designed to deal with squishy targets.

However, after only meeting him for the first time, Afei was somewhat moved by the other party's candid teaching.

Even though he was weak in interpersonal relationships, he understood that such a sincere approach required a great deal of trust.

At the same time, he kept Fang Yunhua's kindness in mind and felt a sense of urgency to improve. After all, he was already so ordinary, how could he make a name for himself and how could he protect the other party's safety?

Due to the major shift in public opinion, the discussion surrounding the battle atop Mount Lu has largely taken place in the south, while in the north, under Fang Yunhua's control, the focus has shifted to the Plum Blossom Bandits.

This meant that when Afei returned from beyond the Great Wall, even if he wanted to find out some information, he mostly heard about how terrible the Plum Blossom Bandit organization was, and was completely unaware that the talkative young man in front of him had recently killed the number one on the Weapon Ranking.

Despite being a joint effort.

He simply felt deeply that the world was a complex place, full of powerful figures, and that he still needed to improve himself.

Afterwards, Fang Yunhua took Afei back to Xingyun Manor.

He didn't hide A Fei's existence from Long Xiaoyun, only saying that the other party was a little brother he had hired to protect him. After all, the rumors about the Plum Blossom Bandits causing a big disturbance were getting more and more intense, and as a boy, he also had to protect his own safety.

Long Xiaoyun merely glanced at A Fei, mentally concluding that he was a hothead and unreliable, before letting the matter rest, as his mind was now completely occupied by Li Xunhuan.

With Li Xunhuan's carriage now in sight, every day was an ordeal for Long Xiaoyun.

Closer! Closer! Closer still!
Every day when the messenger delivered the information to Long Xiaoyun, he would see that the other party had a gloomy face. Even though Long Xiaoyun thought he had prepared everything, the torment of waiting for the other party to fall into the trap made him feel more and more irritable.

And on this very day, Xingyun Manor welcomed another guest.

Originally ranked ninth on the Weapon Ranking, disciple of Qingmo Shou Yi Ku, and ranked first on the Little Li Flying Dagger fanfiction death list, Qiu Du.

Upon hearing the news, Fang Yunhua shook his head slightly. At that moment, he was admiring the plum blossoms that had already bloomed in the garden. Sitting opposite him, Lin Xian'er thoughtfully poured him a cup of hot tea.

"His obsession with Li Xunhuan runs too deep; he won't let go of any power he can utilize, but..."

A fierce glint flashed in Lin Xian'er's eyes.

As discussions about the Plum Blossom Bandits intensified, the crude and unfounded rumors that falsely accused Li Xunhuan were suppressed by Long Xiaoyun himself. Perhaps he felt it was inappropriate, or perhaps a wise person within the small group that had formed an alliance with him offered him advice.

In short, he changed his strategic approach, but the specific plan still mainly involved digging pits.

As for how Fang Yunhua found out, when Qin Xiaoyi was also quietly preparing for the small alliance, Fang Yunhua, as her sworn brother, was also summoned into this circle.

When Qin Xiaoyi first learned that Long Xiaoyun was so audacious as to plot against the third-ranked weapon on the weapon ranking list, she was somewhat frightened.

Although he did not personally experience the battle atop Mount Lu, the large number of participants he hosted allowed him to learn the details of the battle.

This made him realize that the strong who can now be listed on the new weapon rankings are, to some ordinary martial arts practitioners, as strong as monsters.

Long Xiaoyun, a nobody, actually dared to scheme against Xiao Li Tan Hua, who had firmly held third place on both lists. He was really courting death.

If Fang Yunhua hadn't needed him to stay inside and keep track of Long Xiaoyun's plans, he would have run away long ago and refused to play with this bunch of lunatics.

Qiu Du, who has now been invited, is naturally meant to be an ally that Li Xunhuan can rely on.

Of course, the key issue is not Qiu Du, but the Green Demon Hand behind him. Just by looking at how the other party can carry his personal weapon around and swagger around, one can tell how much Na Yiku values ​​this precious disciple. This also makes it easier for Long Xiaoyun to lure him into becoming his ally.

As for the method used to seduce Qiu Du, after hearing that he loved beautiful women, he deliberately spread the word that Lin Xian'er was now the most beautiful woman in the world.

"It's really courting death!"

With Lin Xian'er's current strength, it wouldn't be difficult for her to kill Long Xiaoyun, who has neglected his martial arts for many years.

But she quickly calmed down, as if she had imagined Long Xiaoyun's future miserable situation. After a wicked laugh, the coldness on her face disappeared.

"Brother Yunhua, how about I try out the Soul-Hooking and Mind-Capturing Technique on him?"

This was one of the spoils of war that Fang Yunhua found in the secret lair of the Great Joyful Bodhisattva after subduing Supreme Treasure and others, guided by the other party. In addition, there was the "Iron-Chewing Technique". These martial arts were also of great reference value to Fang Yunhua.

Having previously studied the mind-controlling techniques recorded in the "Pitying Flower Treasure Mirror," Lin Xian'er naturally found it easy to grasp the basics of the "Soul-Hooking and Mind-Capturing Technique."

Comparatively speaking, the latter is more profound, after all, in the original storyline, when the Jade Flute Taoist used it, it had a pretty good practical performance.

Of course, this is just a trick to bully novices. It's hard to use against real experts. For example, when the Great Joyful Bodhisattva was facing Fang Yunhua and Shangguan Jin Hong together, she shouted so loudly that her voice almost cracked, but she still couldn't avoid being blown up in the head.

"Let him go to his death according to Long Xiaoyun's plan."

Fang Yunhua sighed softly. In fact, because of his own actions and his influence on Lin Xian'er, the original plot line had been completely messed up. For example, before returning to Xingyun Manor, Li Xunhuan had to go through the events related to the Golden Silk Armor.

As a protective armor capable of withstanding the Plum Blossom Bandits' direct, heart-piercing martial arts technique, it was hailed as essential equipment for defeating the Plum Blossom Bandits, leading to a frenzy of competition among martial artists. However, the Plum Blossom Bandits have now evolved into a sizable organization, and while many still covet their leader's head, they are no longer focusing their efforts on investigating the whereabouts of such an item.

This means that Li Xunhuan's return will not involve the theft of the Golden Silk Armor.

However, Qiu Du's visit seemed to bring back some of the plot lines that had long since deviated, because he was originally hiding in Xingyun Manor for Lin Xian'er, but he misunderstood Li Xunhuan's intentions and suddenly launched an attack on him, only to be the unlucky guy who was shot to death by a flying knife.

Now he's here again for Lin Xian'er, truly deserving of being one of the three biggest sycophants in the original storyline.

The first simp was You Longsheng, who gave away the Fish Intestine Sword in the original storyline, and who has now died a tragic death after triggering a major event.

The second sycophant is Qiu Du, who also sent away the Green Demon Hand. With his willpower, he would probably be brainwashed and confused by Lin Xian'er's "Soul-Hooking and Mind-Capturing Technique" with just a glance.

As for the third simp
Fang Yunhua looked at Afei, who had silently returned after Lin Xian'er left.

When the other party first saw Lin Xian'er, he blushed deeply, after all, this young man had never seen such a beautiful woman in his life.

However, despite his naivety, the young man quickly regained his composure after learning about the relationship between Lin Xian'er and Fang Yunhua, and focused all his attention on studying martial arts.

In recent days, he has absorbed a lot of basic martial arts theory knowledge from Fang Yunhua, and has also had a completely new idea and made changes to his previous training methods. Now he has begun to concentrate on drawing his sword three thousand times a day.

And gradually he came to understand the true meaning of martial arts that the other party was talking about.

The pursuit of extreme speed in sword drawing techniques clearly allows one to comprehend the sword intent sufficient to break through bottlenecks; at least Afei possesses the talent to achieve this.

Seeing his opponent draw his sword every day, Fang Yunhua also had many thoughts.

"You need to completely reduce the sound when you draw your sword. If there is a sound, it will alert your opponent. Right now, your sword is just a pure killing technique. Only after you can ensure that it can accurately kill anyone can it be transformed into a sword technique that is only suitable for you."

This is also Fang Yunhua's concept for the second move of his sword style.

He wouldn't completely replicate Ah Fei's sword-drawing technique, but he could absorb some useful parts and use them as a reference.

Ah Fei is now single-mindedly focused on becoming stronger, and he also possesses a lot of brilliant and imaginative ideas.

After nodding to Fang Yunhua, he continued his training session with a plum tree. Upon closer inspection, one would notice a tiny hole in the tree trunk. A flash of sword light appeared, and the tip of the sword reached the hole.

Ah Fei is no longer the timid boy he once was. The sword in his hand is three feet and seven inches long, forged from mixed black iron. Its blade is long and narrow with a black scabbard. Despite its weight being beyond that of an ordinary weapon, it retains its sharpness and can definitely be called a rare divine weapon.

It is quite famous in the martial arts world, and its name is the Soul-Stealing Sword.

Originally a treasure of the Hidden Sword Manor, it is said in the martial arts world: Zhuan Zhu Yu Chang, martial arts overpowering emotions, people are named after their swords, and swords are passed down because of people. Man and sword complement each other, and their spirit soars to the heavens.

It was later handed over to You Longsheng. However, during the battle at the summit of Mount Lu, You Longsheng died at the inn, and the sword ended up in the hands of the Lady of the South Sea. But recently, she disguised herself and sold it to a wealthy man in the North.

When this wealthy man publicized the sword, those who knew its value recognized its origin, and the information was immediately received by the Tianji Tower.

The wealthy man sensed that the sword might get into trouble, so when Fang Yunhua sent someone to make initial contact with it, he quickly sent it to Tianji Tower, but he also required Tianji Tower to publicly announce that they had purchased the sword.

After that, Fang Yunhua gave the Soul-Stealing Sword to Afei to use first.

After learning about the history behind the Soul-Stealing Sword, Ah Fei became even more enamored with it.

It was rumored that its earliest owner was the swordsman Di Wuzi, who killed his fiancée Peng Qiong with this sword on the eve of their wedding because she had an affair with his friend Peng Qiong. From then on, Di Wuzi severed all romantic ties and focused on the way of the sword.

In reality, his childhood experiences gave him a certain psychological aversion to matters of love and romance. If he hadn't encountered a top-tier succubus in the original storyline, he might have embarked on the path of ruthless swordsmanship.

Now, the Soul-Stealing Sword seems to suit his mind even better. After learning about the vastness and profundity of the path of martial arts, he is increasingly showing a tendency to develop into a martial arts fanatic.

At this moment, Afei suddenly stopped drawing his sword. He looked at Fang Yunhua, who did not raise his head and kept his eyes on the tea leaves in his cup, but said something.

"Keep practicing, it's Xiaoyun."

Afei nodded and drew his sword towards the plum tree.

As Long Xiaoyun entered a corner of the back garden, he was unsurprised to see the flashing sword lights. He first greeted A Fei warmly, calling him "Brother Fei," but A Fei ignored him, which didn't bother him.

Because he knew that's how Ah Fei practiced swordsmanship.

When Fang Yunhua first brought Afei back to Xingyun Manor, Long Xiaoyun felt that this person was not simple. After all, who could be favored by the Great Demon King? He himself was an example!

Afterwards, through their interactions, their relationship warmed up.

This also made him realize that Brother Fei had fallen into a certain kind of thinking error.

For example, Afei casually mentioned his troubles to him, saying that his strength was not very good. Then he showed Long Xiaoyun the sword technique that could kill all the members of his father's small alliance with one sword.

This left him stunned, prompting him to ask, "Is this really not quite right?"
Ah Fei assumed the other person was just a naive child and explained that his uncle only gave him an average assessment of his abilities.

This made Long Xiaoyun's mouth drop open even further. On the way back from Jiujiang Prefecture, he had heard Fang Yunhua comment on the strength of the current martial arts masters. In his eyes, the average ones were all the senior leaders of the seven major sects.

Ximen Rou, who has already joined Tianji Tower, is now being let go by Fang Yunhua to explore various martial arts secrets. The original seventh-ranked weapon on the weapon list is barely at the average level in Fang Yunhua's opinion.

For Ah Fei to receive a complete general evaluation already makes him a very strong master in the martial arts world!

Long Xiaoyun thoughtfully praised the other party, saying that they were very capable.

But Afei still treated him like a child who didn't know anything, which made Long Xiaoyun purse his lips and stop praising him. He wanted to see if the other party would reach the level of a top expert before he would realize the truth of how strong he was.

Then, watching Ah Fei's rapid sword-drawing technique, which produced two, three, and four overlapping sword shadows, he first calmed his mind before speaking.

"Uncle, Uncle Li will be back soon, probably in the next day or two."

"Oh." Fang Yunhua still didn't look up; he was still staring at the tea leaves floating on the water.

The cold winter has arrived, and the passing wind ripples the water in the teacup, but the tea leaves still float gently in it, until they either float to the surface or sink completely.

He seemed to have vaguely sensed something.

However, this did not affect his conversation with Long Xiaoyun. After all, sudden enlightenment was not a rare thing for him.

"I know about their past experiences." Long Xiaoyun's expression was complicated. As the eldest son, knowing about the love triangle in his parents' generation was really too exciting.

"How did you know? Didn't Shion have another argument with your father about this?"

Long Xiaoyun's face scrunched up again. After being rebuffed by Long Xiaoyun, he started targeting Lin Shiyin. But just as he had managed to cheer up his mother and asked the first question, Lin Shiyin's expression changed.

Next, Lin Shiyin asked him questions, which inevitably led to discussions about rumors circulating outside about Li Xunhuan. Although the public opinion that he was the leader of the Plum Blossom Bandits had been suppressed, it had still had some negative impacts.

Immediately afterward, Lin Shiyin got into a big argument with Long Xiaoyun without saying a word.

Arguments are always hard to start. Originally, Lin Shiyin was too weak to talk back, but with her best friend Lin Xian'er constantly stirring things up, plus the influence of her mindset over the years, she started to argue.

Especially after taking the opportunity to vent her anger and release her pent-up resentment, she felt only one word: awesome!

After telling Lin Xian'er how he felt, Lin Xian'er also spoke very sincerely.

"Shion-nee, if you feel good about it, then continue. Why force yourself to suppress your feelings? If you're happy, laugh out loud; if you're unhappy, just curse. You've already done it once, so just keep having fun."

Lin Shiyin's inherently conservative views were somewhat unacceptable to her, but in Gu Long's martial arts world, women were not deeply influenced by these traditional ideas. On the contrary, after they had their outburst, they would become even more eccentric and oblivious to the world.

Thus, a crack was pried open in Lin Shiyin's tightly closed heart, and now she is even more adept at criticizing Long Xiaoyun.

Thinking about how she had caused the conflict between her parents to escalate again, Long Xiaoyun sighed again.

“I found some elderly people in Baoding who have lived in the city for more than ten years. As long as they are willing to spend money, they can still find out some things about the past.”

"So what's your opinion on the relationship between the three of them?"

"If I don't put myself in the son's shoes, I think all three of them are sick! Seriously sick!"

Long Xiaoyun was also quite depressed by the atmosphere of Xingyun Manor during this period, as well as her father's various foolish actions and her mother's frequent outbursts.

In front of Fang Yunhua, he had nothing to hide, so he criticized the three of them for their awkward behavior, awkward feelings, awkward thoughts, and the awkward lives they had created by their entanglement.

Finally, he let out a heavy sigh.

"This family still needs me!"

Long Xiaoyun did not elaborate on his plans. He came to Fang Yunhua to talk and relieve his stress, after all, he had not forgotten that this was a test given to him by Fang Yunhua.

He then got up and left.

The sight of a child just over ten years old, with a somewhat lonely figure that seemed to carry a mountain on his back, made Afei, who had temporarily ended his training phase, feel a flash of recognition.

"I understand him."

Fang Yunhua rolled her eyes at Afei. At least Afei has both parents alive. You, on the other hand, have a dead mother and don't even know if your stepfather has you as his son. You're such a jerk.

Time is slipping away quietly.

Regarding Qiu Du, Lin Xian'er only said that it was all taken care of when she returned, and Fang Yunhua didn't ask any further questions.

Because in Long Xiaoyun's small group's scheme, this person was considered cannon fodder who could be used for a short time.

Let him come out and test the strength of the young scholar Li, who hasn't been seen for more than ten years. If he wins, everyone will be happy. If he loses, it will make it easier for them to invite the more influential Qingmo Shou Yi Ku.

Speaking of the battle atop Mount Lu, the fact that the Great Joyful Bodhisattva nearly wiped out all the masters on the original Weapon Ranking actually highlighted that Yi Ku, originally ranked ninth, was a powerful figure worth scheming against.

Long Xiaoyun had been hoping to use past connections to find Hu Bugui, who was ranked eighth on the new weapon list, to come and help him. However, Hu Bugui's whereabouts were too elusive, and it would obviously take some time to find him.

As Li Xunhuan drew ever closer to Baoding Prefecture, he had no choice but to temporarily suppress the idea.

Fang Yunhua, as the behind-the-scenes controller, learned about Qin Xiaoyi's entire plan through her. Although he noticed many loopholes, he did not point them out to fill in the gaps.

He also has a backup plan if the other party messes up.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere inside Xingyun Manor was getting worse and worse.

Long Xiaoyun had completely given up on those lousy parents and focused all his attention on investigating the past and understanding Li Xunhuan.

Despite spending a lot of money, they actually found several former servants who had been dismissed by Long Xiaoyun more than a decade ago and who had worked at Li Garden.

This gave him a comprehensive understanding of Li Xunhuan.

Finally, the day arrived when Li Xunhuan returned to Baoding Prefecture, which he had longed for!
"Young Master, I think we need to do some more investigation!" Tie Chuanjia said solemnly.

Because they had been keeping an eye on Tianji Tower's information along the way, they inevitably went to its branches in various places to purchase intelligence several times.

This also made them aware that recently, news of the Plum Blossom Bandit organization frequently making moves, centered in Baoding Prefecture and spreading throughout the Hebei region, had been spreading, and even that its leader had made an appearance.

Furthermore, some time ago, there were rumors that Li Xunhuan, who had returned from beyond the Great Wall, might be the leader of the Plum Blossom Bandits.

This is utter nonsense!
Although the news was suppressed after only a few days, Tie Chuanjia, with his rugged appearance and meticulous mind, felt that there was a trap, a huge trap!

It seems there are people in Baoding Prefecture who don't want Li Xunhuan to return!

Compared to the original storyline, the two did not experience the struggle for the golden silk armor, there was no incident of saving A-Fei with a flying knife, and they did not go to the "Wonderful Doctor" Mr. Mei Er, one of the Seven Wonderful People, for treatment after being accidentally poisoned.

This led to an unexpected encounter with Long Xiaoyun, who was treating Qin Zhong's injuries. As a result, Li Xunhuan saw that she was too vicious for her young age and crippled her.

Their journey was incredibly smooth. Although they noticed that many martial arts figures were gathering in Baoding Prefecture, Li Xunhuan, suffering from longing, was clearly having a bit of a mental strain.

When it comes to the issues involving Lin Shiyin and Long Xiaoyun, he is just like Afei in the original storyline who was blinded by love, and he subconsciously ignores some suspicious points.

Even if he hears the truth with his own ears, and his reason tells him what is right, he will deliberately act like a quail and live only in his own perception.

"I can ask my older brother to help me investigate the source of this rumor!"

Upon hearing Li Xunhuan's words, Tie Chuanjia fell silent.

He suspected the man surnamed Long, and he knew very well that if he said this in front of Li Xunhuan, the usually good-tempered man would probably get angry.

What could he do? He was helpless too.

Immediately, Tie Chuanjia could only become secretly vigilant. When they arrived at what used to be Li Garden, now Xingyun Manor, the two stopped in front of the gate, both looking somewhat wistful.

Especially when Li Xunhuan saw that the two couplets personally written by the emperor were still in front of the gate.

Seven members of one family passed the imperial examination.

Father and son three times to visit the flower.

Upon seeing this couplet, it was as if someone had kicked him hard in the chest, rendering him unable to take another step.

At this moment, he was probably filled with intense guilt towards his ancestors. After all, the Li family was a prestigious family with a long history, but in his generation, they had given away the family land to others. Even though his spiritual realm was so high that others could not understand it, he was still bound by some worldly ties.

Especially when recalling the glorious past of the Li family.

This made Li Xunhuan smile sadly, and he seemed to hear a mournful song in his ears: "I watched him build a tall building, I watched him entertain guests, I watched his building collapse."

He savored the flavor of it all, experiencing the joys and sorrows of life, the tragic song of existence, and felt a deep sense of desolation, on the verge of tears.

Tie Chuanjia also looked somber, and he whispered:
"Young master, shall we go in?"

Li Xunhuan sighed and said with a wry smile:
"Now that you're here, you'll have to go in sooner or later, won't you?"

Just as he stepped onto the stone steps, he suddenly heard someone greet him warmly.

"You must be Uncle Li!"

Li Xunhuan was stunned for a moment, staring at Long Xiaoyun, who was dressed like Red Boy, running all the way from the gate. He remained silent for a long time.

“My father is the owner of Xingyun Manor, and my nephew is named Long Xiaoyun.”

Then he blinked and said.

“My mother’s name is Lin Shiyin. I once heard my mother talk about her cousin, who was also my father’s sworn brother and a famous figure in the martial arts world, known as Little Li Tan Hua. So when I heard that my uncle had recently returned from beyond the Great Wall, I have been paying attention to your news.”

"Poetic Sounds. Poetic Sounds"

The name Lin Shiyin seemed to have stolen Li Xunhuan's soul. He stood there blankly, staring at Long Xiaoyun, but he could vaguely make out some of Lin Shiyin's features in her face.

This caused him, who was already in a melancholy mood, to burst into tears without him even realizing it.

(End of this chapter)