All Heavens: At the beginning, I was forced to marry into the family by the Bodhisattva of Great Joy

Since it was Sigumen's territory, Shi Shui quickly found the inn where Cao Hansheng was staying. When she arrived at Cao Hansheng's room without stopping, she did not knock on the door immediately, but took a few quick breaths to calm herself down.

Before she could knock, the door suddenly opened, and the person who opened it was Cao Hansheng, still looking like a handsome Taoist priest. The smile on his face made Shi Shui take a step back, her face turning slightly red.

"Dean Shi, since you're here, why don't you come in?"

"Mr. Cao, what exactly did you mean by that letter you wrote?"

"Literally, I mentioned back in Yucheng that I would come to challenge the four academy masters of Baichuan Academy. I just didn't expect to happen to run into your sword appreciation tournament. It seems that I have come at just the right time, and you have quite a few people with you."

"Mr. Cao, you can't do this."

Upon hearing Shi Shui's words, Cao Hansheng had no intention of listening to her finish. Instead, he turned around, walked back to the main seat inside, sat down, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and remained silent. Seeing that Cao Hansheng was not responding, Shi Shui quickly followed him inside.

But she didn't say anything, just stood in front of Cao Hansheng, looking at him like a stubborn child. Seeing her like this, Cao Hansheng simply leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes to rest.

Seeing his posture, Shi Shui scrutinized him with his eyes, especially noticing that his Adam's apple seemed to have been meticulously sculpted, with a perfectly shaped protrusion that made one want to touch the thin skin with their fingertips and feel the pulsating life force beneath.

Time ticked by, and finally Shi Shui couldn't bear the suffocating atmosphere any longer. "Cao Hansheng, if you can spare Baichuanyuan, I'll do anything for you."

Upon hearing Shi Shui's words, Cao Hansheng slowly opened his eyes. "Do anything for me? Then why didn't you take the opportunity to kill me just now? Wouldn't that have ended everything?"

"I'm not as stupid as you think. If I had attacked just now, I'd probably be lying dead on the spot by now. Can you grant my request?"

"Then tell me, what can you do for me?"

"I can leave Hyakusawain and join Tamashiro, becoming your subordinate."

"No need. I have no intention of building a martial arts faction, and even you yourself can't guarantee your loyalty to me, so what use are you?"

"So what exactly do you want from me?"

"I never thought about what I wanted from you. I came here this time just to see what kind of Jianghu woman Xiao Zijin, a former member of Sigumen, was like, so unconventional and swaggering around with the former sect leader's fiancée."

Furthermore, this also allows everyone to see how the Jianghu Punishment Hall, Baichuan Academy, fairly, justly, and openly deals with the murderer who poisoned the former sect leader.

"Cao Hansheng, why did you do this? It will ruin Sigumen and Baichuan Academy."

"So what? What does it have to do with me? Hehe, Dean Shi, ask yourself honestly, would Sigumen still be Sigumen without Li Xiangyi?"

As for Baichuan Academy, ha! To appoint someone who poisoned the former sect leader as its head, and yet still have the audacity to call itself the Jianghu Punishment Hall—it's utterly laughable.

"Yes, some people's behavior is chilling, but Baichuan Academy is the only remaining branch of Sigu Sect. It really cannot be destroyed. If Baichuan Academy is destroyed, he really will never be able to come back."

Cao Hansheng, I beg you, please let Baichuan Academy go!

He really was Li Xiangyi's loyal follower. Just like Cao Hansheng thought, he stood up from his chair, took two steps to Shi Shui, and lightly lifted her chin with his right index finger.

"If Li Xiangyi knew of your feelings, he would definitely be moved. For someone who has been missing for ten years, are you really willing to give up everything for him?"

Cao Hansheng, who was originally a head taller than her, forcefully broke through her safe distance, and the psychological and physiological discomfort caused by this made her somewhat uneasy.

But as Cao Hansheng's warm, jade-like fingers caressed her chin, this feeling intensified, though not in a uncomfortable way, but rather in a strange, indescribable sensation.

She tried to break free, but a feeling of reluctance welled up in her heart for no reason. Along with this reluctance came a deep sense of shame that made her face burn red.

When Shi Shui joined the Si Gu Sect, she was already sixteen or seventeen years old. Ten years later, she has reached the age of blossoming youth. Although she has not experienced those things, she has been traveling in the martial world for a long time. What is there that she doesn't understand?

"Mr. Cao, I, I can, I really can."

Shi Shui's words were somewhat hesitant at first, but by the last sentence, the determination in them was unwavering, just like when Cao Hansheng agreed to let One-Eyed take down the old god.

"You're great, but is it worth it?"

Upon hearing Cao Hansheng's question, Shi Shui raised his head this time, looking at Cao Hansheng with a firm gaze, "Baichuan Academy is very important to me, and I think it's worth it."

"Are you betting that I'm soft-hearted?"

This time, Shi Shui didn't answer. Instead, he took a step back, his eyes still fixed on Cao Hansheng, but his hand slowly reached for his belt—one, two, three, four…

She was exceptionally beautiful, like a water lily bowing its head in shy grace. Her graceful figure, honed by years of martial arts training, combined with the scars from battles on her body, made her charm even more extraordinary.

... (3,129 words omitted here.)

"I can agree not to challenge Baichuan Academy, but I cannot let Xiao Zijin go. Since you've become a hero, you should act like one. You should understand that."

"But this will implicate Baichuan Academy, after all, he is a former member of Sigu Sect."

Shi Shui's voice was a little hoarse. Cao Hansheng wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes. "So you have to work hard. Make sure to talk to the other heads of the academies and don't choose the wrong path, otherwise I can't guarantee what they might do."

"You promised me."

"I know, but that's all on the condition that Baichuan Academy doesn't do anything reckless. Shishui, in the world of martial arts, there's no such thing as fairness or unfairness. The very existence of Baichuan Academy is unfair."

The martial world has its own rules, which cannot be determined by any single sect or faction. If the martial world becomes stagnant, what's the point of it?

"You're wrong. Whether it was the Sigu Sect in the past or the Baichuan Academy now, they are all trying to do one thing: quell the conflicts in the martial arts world and give people in the martial arts world a place to reason things out."

"That's because Li Xiangyi is too young. The battles in the martial world are nothing more than new forces replacing old ones. The logic of the martial world is that whoever has the strongest fist is right."

When Li Xiangyi first appeared, his Junior Master Sword dominated the era. But Li Xiangyi's era has passed, and the Sigu Sect has also fallen. Baichuan Academy is relying on Li Xiangyi's remaining power to survive, but how long can this remaining power last?

Besides, the core of Baichuan Academy's struggle to stay afloat ultimately boils down to self-interest. Shishui, if you want to see this clearly, you need to stand on higher ground. Perhaps you don't understand today, but one day you will.

Cao Hansheng's words made Shi Shui hesitate. Various thoughts flashed through her mind. She felt that Cao Hansheng was right, but she also found it hard to accept. Cao Hansheng looked at her changing expression and then mounted his horse.

"Let me help you understand..."