Time Travel: I'm a Flower Thief

Xie Xiaoyi followed the Honglin Escort Agency, traveling day and night, and within a few days they entered the Wangjiang River area.

The mountains here are gentle and the water is soft, and the place is well-ordered. In the teahouses and taverns along the official road, the latest rumors from the martial arts world always circulate.

Xie Xiaoyi rode his horse, following in the middle of the caravan, his ears constantly catching the whispers around him.

The day before yesterday, I stopped at the ferry crossing to rest. At the next table, two men who looked like porters lowered their voices and I could clearly hear the words "heaven on earth" in their words.

"Have you heard? Those people from the Lower Three Gates have gone mad lately, especially at Heaven on Earth. They're engaging in all sorts of lewd acts, and there's not a place where you can have peace."

"That's right! The female chieftain of Qingfeng Village in the south, who was skilled in martial arts, was tricked by them with sleeping pills. Afterwards, unable to bear the humiliation, she drew her sword and slit her own throat."

"There was also the young lady from the Zhang family in the west of the city, who was kidnapped when she went out to offer incense, and was only thrown back three days later."

She's gone completely insane; she avoids men. A perfectly good young woman, ruined.

Xie Xiaoyi tapped the saddle with his fingertips, his brow furrowing.

It's been a year since I last picked flowers, hasn't it?

How could the five evils coexist?

It must be those four good-for-nothings who can't control their second son, who comes out to pick, pick, pick every day.

He had been hiding in the Five Evils under the guise of "Middle Class B" and hadn't committed any crimes for so long. He never expected that the Eastern Evils would cause such a stir these past few days.

Lin San Niang rode alongside him on horseback, listening intently, her brows furrowing in worry:

"This Heaven and Earth Palace is getting more and more arrogant. With the five kinds of lust combined, women in the martial arts world are suffering."

Xie Xiaoyi pursed his lips.

Women in the martial arts world suffer?

If you knew that you had ridden the "Zhong Xiao Yi," the most notorious of the Five Evils, like a horse, you could brag about it for half your life.

......

The hooves of the caravan clattered as they rolled over the last stretch of dust on the official road. Ahead lay a vast expanse of misty waters, the very boundary of the Wangjiang Lake and Mountain region.

"I've arrived at Wangjianghu," Xie Xiaoyi said, reining in his horse. "It's time for us to part ways."

Although Lin San Niang was reluctant to leave, she had no other choice and was about to turn her horse around and go.

Xie Xiaoyi looked at her figure and suddenly felt a pang in his heart. He called out to her, and Lin Sanniang understood and told the caravan to go ahead.

Seeing that no one was looking, Xie Xiaoyi quickly stepped forward, reached out and supported her breasts on both sides, gently pulling them together.

"If you keep doing horse stances, boxing, and practicing external martial arts every day, your body might sag and go astray. Let me help you straighten it out first."

You'll have to take good care of it from now on, otherwise it won't feel as comfortable to touch later.

Lin San Niang thought he had something important to say, but he pulled this stunt instead.

She hurriedly pushed his hand away, "You lecherous scoundrel, your sagging is also a result of your actions along the way!"

Xie Xiaoyi laughed heartily, mounted his horse, and one of them headed into the depths of the mountain mist, while the other continued on the official road.

......

In the world of martial arts, there are no fixed rules, but there are established standards.

The origin of this assessment lies in the number one manor in the world, located at the top of Wangjiang River.

The reason why the number one manor in the world can stand firm in the martial arts world is not because of its martial prowess that dominates a region, but because of the master of the manor, Situ Rui—

The Calculator Xie Daoyun carried the pen in his hand and those two lists.

The Hidden Dragon List lists the young heroes in the martial arts world who are more promising than their predecessors. Those on the list are all rising stars who are not yet thirty years old.

Whether by innate talent or by fortuitous opportunity, a dragon may lie dormant in the abyss today, but one day it may soar to the heavens and stir up the winds and clouds.

The Heavenly Dragon Ranking is a list of grandmasters who have reached the pinnacle of the martial arts world.

Those who made the list were all powerful figures who commanded respect in their respective regions. Every move they made could influence the fate of the martial arts world, making them true legends of their time.

Unlike the unofficial rankings in the martial arts world, which are often based on personal connections, Xie Daoyun is known for his "unpredictable strategies."

With discerning eyes, he could see through the inherent qualities and destiny of all beings; his commentary was never biased; once the two lists were set, no one in the martial arts world dared to object.

......

Xie Xiaoyi, all alone, stayed at an inn in a small town at the foot of "Wangjianghu" Mountain.

At that time, there were still more than half a month before the list of winners from the World Assembly was released, so he wandered around the town every day, waiting for the day to come.

But these days, every time the gong sounds at midnight, there is an uncontrollable aura surging within him, and each time he can only grit his teeth and use his internal energy to forcibly suppress it.

They endured this for half a month, and finally the day arrived for the World Association to release the list.

As dawn broke and the morning mist still lingered, Xie Xiaoyi got up, dressed, and pushed open the wooden door of the inn.

They headed straight up the "Wangjianghu" mountain, heading towards the world-renowned martial arts event.

We arrived at the foot of the mountain.

Xie Xiaoyi climbed the steps. The "Looking at the Rivers and Lakes" mountain was majestic, and the higher he went, the more open and expansive the world seemed.

A mountain breeze caressed my face, and the clouds and mist swirled around me. I felt all the pent-up emotions in my chest dissipate, and my heart and mind suddenly felt refreshed.

Xie Xiaoyi stood in a wide-open spot on the mountain path, facing the wind, and couldn't help but recite aloud:

Breaking through countless layers of white clouds,

The water in Yangtianchi is calm and still.

The vast atmosphere swept across the mountains.

This peak is the pillar of humanity!

As the poem ended, the mountain breeze carried its lingering sound through the treetops, and suddenly a clear and melodious exclamation came from behind:

"What a fine poem! What a powerful and majestic line! It truly embodies a sense of heroic spirit!"

Xie Xiaoyi looked back and saw a young Taoist priest walking on the mountain path. He was dressed in a black Taoist robe and had a decent appearance, but he had a somewhat lazy air about him.

He carried an ancient sword box slung across his back. The box had sharp edges and corners, and one could vaguely see the seven-star pattern inlaid on its body.

The young Taoist priest approached slowly, his gaze falling on Xie Xiaoyi, and said with a smile:

"I am Lu Fang of the Zhenwu Dao Sect. I just heard you recite a poem, and the words and phrases were so powerful that I couldn't help but stop and praise you. My apologies."

Xie Xiaoyi was taken aback.

True Martial Dao Sect?

That's the number one in the Taoist sect!

Could the sword box behind him be the legendary "Big Dipper" of the martial arts world?

But the "Big Dipper" is the "family heirloom" of the Zhenwu Dao Sect. How could it be given to a young Taoist priest?

Xie Xiaoyi dared not be careless and quickly clasped his hands in a salute:

"You flatter me, Daoist Master."

I was merely moved by the majestic scenery of Jianghu Mountain and spontaneously composed a few words. They are not worthy of the Taoist priest's praise for my extraordinary spirit.

"I am Xie Mo, a carefree wanderer of the martial world, who has come today specifically to observe the 'World Alliance'."

Lu Fang's brows did not bear the austere and rigid demeanor of a Taoist; instead, they carried a hint of nonchalant ease.

"Since it was just a spontaneous thought, a random rambling, then give me these few lines of poetry, and from now on, consider them my work, how about that?"

Xie Xiaoyi smiled and waved his hand, replying, "It's just a few lines of casual poetry. If you like them, Daoist, feel free to take them."

Hey!

Anyway, it wasn't a poem I wrote.

This poem was written by Niu Zhaolian, a great Confucian scholar from Guanzhong in the late Qing Dynasty. Today, I'm going to generously share someone else's work.

Lu Fang's eyes lit up, and he immediately laughed heartily, his previous laziness replaced by a touch of efficiency:

"That's great! Let's be friends then, and go up the mountain together."

Xie Xiaoyi readily agreed, and the two walked side by side up the steps, chatting along the way. Before long, they arrived at the summit of Wangjiang River.

The majestic gate of the No. 1 Manor under Heaven stands tall, and the area in front of the vermilion gate is already bustling with people.