The Condor Heroes: The Quanzhen Sect has produced a vengeful master!

Chapter 142 Farewell

Feeling the warmth coming from her hands, Cheng Ying paused in her steps.

She hesitated to turn around, perhaps afraid that Wang Jiuling would say something cruel, or perhaps not wanting Wang Jiuling to see her predicament.

Wang Jiuling did not loosen his grip.

"I know you're good to me, and you've never asked anything of me, but feelings shouldn't be a one-sided effort."

"I'm here today to give you the answer."

Cheng Ying held her breath and listened quietly; Wang Jiuling's voice behind her was almost continuous.

"You're in my heart too."

Tears streamed down Cheng Ying's face as she finally turned around, and their eyes met.

With just that one sentence, all her defenses and all her sorrow melted away in her heart.

Cheng Ying didn't speak, but her gaze spoke volumes.

Sometimes, all it takes in a relationship is a little openness, and perhaps then regrets will never come.

Wang Jiuling took a deep breath.

"However, the Quanzhen Sect's rules forbid romantic relationships between men and women, and I am also the Sword-Holding Elder..."

Give me some time. I need to return to Zhongnan Mountain to give my master and the Quanzhen School an explanation.

"But before this, I was still the Sword-Holding Elder of the Quanzhen Sect. I had been deceiving myself before, but now that I have realized the truth, I can no longer break the law."

I cannot tarnish the reputation of the Quanzhen School, nor can I allow you to be criticized because of it.

So... I need time.

"But I will not let you down."

If you're willing to wait for me, I will definitely give you an explanation.

From disappointment and fear to a sudden turning point.

Cheng Ying had never felt so happy before, and the gloom in her heart was swept away.

He thought to himself how foolish he had been; if he had actually run away, it would have been a regrettable situation.

Is she going to wait for Wang Jiuling?

For Cheng Ying, this was never a choice.

"Brother Wang, I'm waiting for you!" Cheng Ying's eyes crinkled into a smile, her face as radiant as a flower.

A smile also appeared on Wang Jiuling's face.

A promise from a heartless person is worthless. But a promise from someone who shares your heart is priceless.

At this moment, the sunlight shines down, casting dappled shadows on the bamboo.

The scenery in early spring is breathtaking.

...

Day two.

"Senior brother, I will trouble you to lead them to Xiangyang to help Senior Brother Guo defend the city!"

Wang Jiuling had already bid farewell to Guo Jing, and before leaving, he entrusted Zhen Zhibing with his affairs.

Zhen Zhibing nodded. "Junior brother, go ahead with peace of mind!"

"Senior brother, be careful on your journey!" Gongsun Lü'e instructed Wang Jiuling, while Lu Wushuang pouted.

"Senior brother, you always do something fun by yourself."

She's very playful.

Beside her, Cheng Ying smiled and said, "Cousin, the Western Regions are not as prosperous as our Central Plains. If you want to have fun, your cousin will accompany you when we get to Xiangyang."

"Alright!" Lu Wushuang thought about it and agreed.

"Take care!" Wang Jiuling smiled and bid farewell to everyone before turning and leaving to embark on his journey to seek the truth.

Wang Jiuling's departure signifies the complete end of the Heroes' Gathering in Lujiazhuang.

After a long while, Zhen Zhibing turned around.

"Let's go too! Now that my junior brother has become the vice leader of the alliance, it is also my responsibility as a member of Quanzhen. Let's go to Xiangyang."

Just then, a servant from Lu Family Village ran over.

"Master! We have received your letter!"

Zhen Zhibing went over and took it, but his expression changed upon opening it.

"Has the headmaster suddenly fallen seriously ill?"

...

On the other side, Wang Jiuling traveled day and night.

He did not take the official road from Dasheng Pass to Xiangyang and then to the Hexi Corridor, because once he left Xiangyang, he would enter Mongolian territory.

Wang Jiuling had offended the Mongols. Although he was not afraid, he was too lazy to cause trouble when he had urgent business.

So they left Dasheng Pass and headed northwest straight into the Funiu Mountains.

Relying on his superb lightness skill, Wang Jiuling followed the southern side of the Qinling Mountains, bypassed Nanyang, and arrived in Hanzhong.

Then from Longnan to Qinghai Lake.

This departure lasted for a month.

However, Wang Jiuling had to stop after reaching Qinghai Lake.

To fully enter the Western Regions, one needs to start from Qinghai Lake. Since the Qilian Mountains are on both sides, there is no way around them, so one must cross the Qaidam Basin.

The roadside was lined with Gobi Desert and salt marshes, sparsely populated.

In that era, that place was called the "Great Desert".

In this day and age, there is no such thing as a national highway.

When Wang Jiuling asked the local Han people, he learned that even the fastest camel caravan would take at least twenty or thirty days.

That's quite a distance.

Even if Wang Jiuling was highly skilled in martial arts, he wouldn't dare to barge in alone.

When people enter that vast Gobi Desert, they get confused as soon as they encounter yellow sand. Even if they don't encounter yellow sand, as long as they go deep into the desert, they can hardly distinguish southeast from northwest.

Importantly, resupply along the way will also be a problem.

If a person enters alone, they could easily get trapped and die.

It's best to find a camel caravan to follow; they have guides, are experienced, and it's safer.

In the small town, Wang Jiuling looked at a Han Chinese boy who was arranging sheepskins in front of him.

"Young man!"

"I just asked someone else, and they said it would only take a month. How come you're saying it could take several months?"

The boy was about fifteen or sixteen years old, with rough skin, dark hands, and very bright eyes.

He looked up, his voice clear and bright.

"That person clearly has never been to the desert before. It's springtime now, and the desert is very windy and dangerous!"

"If you're not in a hurry, why don't you wait?"

After saying that, the boy lowered his head and went back to his work.

"Young brother, I am indeed in a bit of a hurry. I wonder if you have any connections?"

Wang Jiuling placed two copper coins beside the boy's hand.

The boy looked up and sized Wang Jiuling up and down. "You really want to leave? I have a way, but it's very dangerous."

He specifically pointed to the sword on Wang Jiuling's back. "It has nothing to do with your martial arts skill level!"

Wang Jiuling smiled and cupped his hands in greeting. "Please show me the way!"

Seeing Wang Jiuling's extraordinary bearing, the young man thought for a moment, then picked up two copper coins. "If you have enough money, come with me!"

The boy carefully arranged the sheepskin, carried it on his back, and led the way for Wang Jiuling.

On the way, Wang Jiuling learned that his name was Zhao Xiaoer. It turned out that his uncle worked in a camel caravan, and he was with him.

"You've come to the right person. Not many people in town dare to venture into the desert this time of year, but our camel caravan is one of them!"

"But you'll have to spend more money, look!"

Zhao Xiaoer led Wang Jiuling to the entrance of a shop.

"You outsiders always like to carry paper money, but our caravan doesn't accept it." (Paper money was a form of currency in the Song Dynasty at that time, and it was severely devalued at the end of the Southern Song Dynasty.)

"That's where you exchange money. You can exchange your paper money for silver, either loose silver or silver coins!"

Wang Jiuling was somewhat surprised.

He took out his purse and squeezed it; inside were loose silver and copper coins. Although there weren't many, it wasn't a small amount either.

"Isn't that enough?"

Zhao Xiaoer shook his head.

"If you save up a few more months, it might be enough, but not now!"

Wang Jiuling sighed helplessly. "Alright, wait for me!"

Just as Wang Jiuling was about to enter the shop, a voice rang out from behind him.

"Hey! Taoist priest! Wait a minute!"

As soon as Wang Jiuling turned around, he saw a young man with a face full of pockmarks running over.

As soon as the pockmarked man came over, he moved closer to Wang Jiuling.

"Do you need to exchange money?"