Reborn Song Qingshu: Besieging Bright Peak at the Start

Chapter 78 The Sacred Flame Token Arrives!

Brother Xie?

Granny Jin Hua's call was powerful and clear, and Song Qingshu and the others who were hiding more than ten feet away could hear it clearly.

Upon hearing the word "thank you," Zhang Wuji's heart skipped a beat.

The tragic events of her parents' suicide at Wudang and her childhood being plagued by cold poison, all traced back to their roots, were closely connected with her adoptive father, Xie Xun.

Therefore, he was particularly sensitive to the word "thank you".

Could it be that the "Third Brother Xie" mentioned by Granny Jin Hua is her godfather?

The thought had barely crossed his mind when he suppressed it.

Ling Snake Island and Icefire Island are separated by thousands of miles of waves. My godfather is far away in the far north of the icy sea. How could he appear here?

Besides, Granny Jin Hua calls him "Third Brother," and her adoptive father has been a powerful figure in the martial arts world for decades. When did he acquire this sister?

When he was young, he was on Icefire Island and would pester Xie Xun to tell him stories of the martial arts world in the Central Plains. Xie Xun loved him dearly and told him about his own experiences and anecdotes of the martial arts world.

I did hear my adoptive father mention that he was the third of the four great protectors of the Ming Cult. According to his status, the Purple-Robed Dragon King was the highest-ranking among the four great protectors, but he was the youngest. Therefore, the Purple-Robed Dragon King usually called my adoptive father Third Brother Xie.

But that was the Purple-Robed Dragon King, completely unrelated to the wrinkled, white-haired Granny Golden Flower before him.

What kind of beauty did the Purple-Robed Dragon King possess? When her adoptive father spoke of her, he only said that her appearance was radiant and incomparably beautiful, like a celestial being, and that she was the most beautiful woman in the martial arts world twenty years ago.

Judging from Granny Jinhua's age, she is much older than her godfather. Besides, even if she were thirty or forty years younger, she would definitely not be considered a "beauty".

With a low nose, thick lips, a square face, and large, protruding ears, how can one bear even a trace of the Purple-Robed Dragon King?

No wonder Zhang Wuji never expected this. Dai Qisi's disguise skills were truly superb. Even if one looked closely and examined her skin closely, it would be difficult to distinguish the truth from the falsehood.

On second thought, Zhang Wuji realized he was overthinking things.

Whether it is true or not, we will know once the person in the thatched hut comes out and sees it. Why bother to think wildly here?

He steadied himself, his gaze fixed intently on the thatched door, waiting for the door to open so he could see who it was.

But when Granny Jin Hua finished speaking, more than ten breaths later, the thatched hut remained completely silent, without the slightest sound.

Granny Jin Hua frowned slightly, then took a deep breath and said loudly, "Thank you, Third Brother. Your sister is back. Please come outside for a chat!"

This sound was even louder, its echo reverberating through the valley, yet the thatched hut remained deathly silent.

Song Qingshu, who was hiding in the shadows, also frowned.

His mind raced, his eyes flickered with uncertainty, and a sense of foreboding crept into his heart.

After calling out twice without receiving a response, Granny Jinhua no longer hesitated, strode forward, and pushed the wooden door open with a "creak".

The room was completely empty; there wasn't a soul in sight. Granny Jin Hua's face instantly turned terrifyingly grim.

If Xie Xun were to disappear, wouldn't all her efforts in traveling to Icefire Island and painstakingly inviting him to Spirit Serpent Island be in vain?

In a fit of shock and anger, she flipped her wrist, and with a loud "bang," a pine wood table next to her was shattered into pieces by the force of her palm, with wood chips flying everywhere.

Seeing that she was angry, Zhu'er quickly stepped forward and gently advised, "Grandma, please calm down. Perhaps Master Xie is just taking a stroll on the island and has gone far away. He will be back in a while."

Upon hearing this, Granny Jin Hua's anger subsided slightly, and she nodded gently.

That makes sense.

She considered herself to be extremely secretive in her actions. Although she had pressed Wu Lie for Xie Xun's whereabouts that day, Wu Lie only knew that Xie Xun was on Icefire Island, but he knew nothing about the specific route.

Therefore, no one in the world could have predicted that he would cross the vast ocean to find Icefire Island with only a few scattered clues, and then invite Xie Xun to this place.

Since no one knew that Xie Xun was on Ling Snake Island, how could a blind man like him possibly escape by boat alone?

I guess I was just being overly anxious and fearful.

This Spirit Serpent Island is neither too big nor too small, and it is full of mountains, forests and caves. If Xie Xun were to wander around, it would not be surprising if he could not find it for a while.

Instead of searching blindly, it's better to wait here patiently.

Thinking of this, she turned and left the thatched hut, walked to a flat rock in front of the hut, sat down, closed her eyes to rest, and waited for Xie Xun to return.

Zhu'er and Zhou Zhiruo stood on either side of her, their hands hanging down.

Song Qingshu and the others watched from afar and saw that Granny Jin Hua called for people twice without getting a response. She went into the house for a while and then came out with a sullen face, sitting upright on the stone without moving. They knew that there was no one in the house and that she was waiting there.

Song Qingshu felt even more hesitant.

Is Xie Xun actually on the island?

What he was certain of was that the plot of Ling Snake Island had already deviated from the original story.

Putting everything else aside, since arriving on the island, not a single member of the Beggars' Sect has been seen.

According to the original text, Zhang Wuji and his party had not yet reached the shore when they heard Xie Xun's angry roar from the island.

He was besieged by Chen Youliang and his Beggars' Sect masters. Blind, he was unable to defend himself from their sneak attacks. It was only thanks to Granny Jin Hua's advice that he was able to hold out.

In the original story, Chen Youliang was able to find Ling Snake Island because the information was leaked by the original owner of the body, Song Qingshu.

But now that his soul has transmigrated here, where can Chen Youliang get any information?

Therefore, the absence of the Beggars' Gang on the island was exactly what he expected.

It's one thing if the Beggars' Sect is gone, but surely Xie Xun can't have vanished into thin air too?

Unsure of how the plot would unfold, Song Qingshu decided to remain still and observe the situation, just like Granny Jin Hua.

When Zhang Wuji noticed that "Third Brother Xie" was not in the room, his thoughts turned to Zhou Zhiruo.

He wanted to suggest taking the opportunity to rescue her, but Granny Jin Hua stayed close by, and Zhou Zhiruo was always under the influence of her palm strikes, leaving him no chance to take advantage of her. He could only patiently wait for the right moment.

As the sun slowly moved westward, both sides, each with their own thoughts, remained locked in a stalemate.

During this time, Zhu'er would occasionally steal glances around, her gaze sweeping across Lin Yan's various parts, as if searching for something.

Granny Jin Hua closed her eyes to regulate her breathing and didn't notice anything, but Zhou Zhiruo, who was standing to the side, saw it clearly.

A glint flashed in her eyes, and she immediately had a thought: This girl's expression is strange, could there be someone else hiding around?

If there were outsiders following her, why didn't she inform Granny Jinhua?

Unless—that person is someone she knows.

Given Zhu'er's reverence for Granny Jin Hua, anything that she would deliberately conceal must hold immense weight in her heart, at least no less than Granny Jin Hua's.

After much thought, the only one who fits this description is Zhang Wuji.

That day in the abandoned garden, everyone could see that from the moment Zhang Wuji appeared, the girl's gaze never left him.

In a short while, Zhou Zhiruo had a pretty good idea of ​​what was going on. She was certain that Zhang Wuji had followed her and had been in contact with the girl. He was probably hiding nearby.

Thinking of this, her anxious heart quietly settled down a bit.

As the sun dipped below the horizon and the moon rose in the east, Xie Xun still had not returned.

Granny Jin Hua's patience finally ran out.

She suddenly opened her eyes, her body swayed, and her left hand gripped Zhou Zhiruo's neck like an iron clamp, shouting sharply, "Speak!"

What secrets are hidden within the Heaven-Slaying Sword?

This attack was extremely sudden, catching Zhou Zhiruo completely off guard, and a hint of surprise involuntarily flashed across her face.

Her mind raced: How did this wicked old woman know the secrets of swords and knives? No, if she knew everything, why would she ask?

She's bluffing me!

In an instant, she regained her composure, her throat tightening slightly, and answered with difficulty, "I—I don't understand what my mother-in-law is saying."

Although Zhou Zhiruo was meticulous, she was still young and could not compare to the shrewdness and cunning of Granny Jin Hua.

She launched her attack suddenly, precisely to see Zhou Zhiruo's unexpected reaction.

Seeing the fleeting look of surprise and doubt on her face, Granny Jinhua was already certain:

The Emei Sect truly knew the great secret hidden within the swords and sabers; the expression on a person's face when they are completely unprepared is more truthful than a thousand words.

She was already anxious because of Xie Xun's disappearance. After waiting for most of the day without seeing him, she figured that Xie Xun was probably no longer on the island. She was sure that something must have happened on the island while she was away.

Since Xie Xun has vanished without a trace, it's not a wasted trip if we can pry the secrets of the swords and sabers out of Zhou Zhiruo.

Seeing that Granny Jin Hua was going to be ruthless towards Zhou Zhiruo, how could Zhang Wuji hold back any longer? He was about to let out a long cry and appear to save her.

Just then, a sharp sound of something cutting through the air was heard behind them, mixed with the clanging of metal. Three figures rushed over.

The visitors were two men and one woman, all dressed in loose white robes.

The three stood with their backs to the moon, their faces obscured in shadow. Each of them had a crimson flame embroidered on the hem of their robes, clearly the symbol of the Ming Cult!

The three men raised their hands high, each holding two black tokens about two feet long. The tokens collided and made a clear, unusual sound.

The tallest man in the middle announced loudly, "The Holy Flame Token of the Ming Cult has arrived! Dragon King, protector of the cult, why don't you kneel down to welcome it? When will you do it?"