People in the Qin Dynasty, entertained during the Warring States period

"The owner of the Jingni Sword, Jingni, a top-ranking member of the Luo Wang organization?"

"Are they here to hunt down this old man?"

Jing Ke froze, instinctively looking at Cao Ze.

My mind was filled with "Holy crap!"

Dude, that's not fair of you!

Chapter 82 There's a girl in the village named Xiaofang

Cao Ze straightened his clothes, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Junior Cao Ze greets the Grand Master."

Lu Goujian looked away from Jing Ni and turned to Cao Ze with surprise.

"You're Cao Ze?"

Cao Ze smiled confidently, "It is indeed this junior."

Being famous is good; if you just give your name, people will give you face.

Lu Goujian asked in surprise, "How many girls from Handan have you wronged? Even Xiao Fang from our village says you're a heartless man who has wronged her."

Li Wu couldn't help but chuckle.

The mockery in his eyes as he looked at Cao Ze was impossible to hide.

Jingni turned her face away and suddenly realized that the scenery here was quite nice.

Jing Ke asked blankly, "Who is Xiao Fang? Another confidante of Brother Cao Ze?"

Cao Ze suddenly had a strong urge to drag Li Zuoche, who had gone to Li Mu's place for training, back and give him a good beating to ruin his reputation!

"Ahem, senior, this junior does not know this Miss Fang. Perhaps it is a misunderstanding."

He swore he didn't know a girl named Xiaofang, let alone had wronged her.

He spends his days either doing good deeds at Zhao Qian's mother's place, enjoying romantic moments with Xue Nu, or constantly unlocking his giant salamander. He has no time to go looking for Xiao Fang.

Lu Goujian said, "Impossible. What that girl said was very logical and well-founded. How could it be so true if she hadn't experienced it herself?"

Cao Ze had calculated everything, but he knew that Jing Ni might run into trouble with Lu Goujian because of her past as a Luo Wang assassin.

But who would have thought that he would run into a wall with Lu Goujian because of a girl named Xiao Fang, who was completely unrelated to him!

"Uncle Lu, Master Lu, how about we let this matter drop for today?"

Lu Goujian shook his head, "I'm afraid we can't get past this."

Cao Ze was taken aback.

Suddenly, he heard a sweet, somewhat familiar voice calling his name from afar.

"Mr. Cao Ze~"

Cao Ze felt as if he had fallen into an abyss, his whole body went cold, and he stared stiffly at the scene.

A chubby, slightly goofy, and somewhat cute little girl was seen skipping and hopping towards him.

Gong...sun...ling...long!

When these four words appeared in Cao Ze's mind, he felt a moment of bewilderment.

Is this really Xiao Fang from the village?

Lu Goujian smiled and said, "How is she? She is the granddaughter of Gongsun Long, the head of the Ming family. Her name is Gongsun Linglong, and her nickname is Xiaofang. She is fourteen years old."

Cao Ze swallowed hard.

He knew that Gongsun Long was from Handan, but he had no idea that Gongsun Linglong would be in Niushou Village.

If he had known that Gongsun Linglong was here and was still infatuated with him, he would rather be exploited to death by the Empress than come here even once.

"May I ask, is Senior Gongsun Long here?"

Cao Ze raised the issue that he was most concerned about at the moment.

Lu Goujian shook his head and said, "He's not here. He went to Qin to travel and study. He hasn't returned yet. He asked me to take care of his granddaughter."

Cao Ze breathed a sigh of relief; it was good that the third generation of the family wasn't around.

She's just a chubby little girl, things aren't too bad.

It would be even better if Zhang Liang were here.

Gongsun Linglong is still a sunny and cheerful chubby girl, without the later eccentricity and affectation.

However, with its full armor, it's already capable of competing with a donkey that's just been fattened up.

"This young lady..."

"Oh dear, Mr. Cao Ze, why are you being so formal? Just call me Xiao Fang."

Cao Ze: "..."

Li Wu leaned on Jing Ni's shoulder, almost laughing through her tears, "Is this his retribution?"

Jing Ni nodded in deep agreement.

Gongsun Linglong had not yet taken the initiative as she would later, and was still somewhat reserved.

"Mr. Cao Ze came to our Niushou Village, but it was for..."

"Ah, I have come to Niushou Village today with my wife and children to pay a visit to the esteemed elder Lu Goujian."

Cao Ze immediately and without hesitation told Gongsun Linglong that he was already taken and that she shouldn't think about him anymore.

Gongsun Linglong was so young; she had never experienced such ups and downs.

I always thought I was eloquent, but now I find myself at a loss for words.

Upon seeing this, Lu Goujian could only shake his head. He knew from the first meeting with Cao Ze that Xiaofang had no hope.

"Xiao Fang, is there something you need from Grandpa Goujian?"

"what……"

Little Fatty Gongsun Linglong suddenly came to her senses and quickly said, "My grandfather wrote to say that he will be back soon and just wanted to let you know."

"Okay, I understand. You can go back now. Grandpa has something to do here."

Gongsun Linglong left with some reluctance and a sense of desolation. She had only heard that Mr. Cao Ze had wronged so-and-so while she was in Handan, but she had never heard that Mr. Cao Ze had gotten married and had children!

Cao Ze breathed a huge sigh of relief. Even when he was facing Qian Sha Shen Leping alone, he hadn't felt this much pressure.

Lu Goujian threw away the willow branch in his hand and said, "Come in, all of you."

Cao Ze and his group entered the courtyard.

Inside were chicken coops and dog kennels, freshly stacked haystacks and firewood stacks, and some small gadgets that looked like mechanical devices.

Lu Goujian looked at Jing Ni and said, "A few days ago, I heard that someone from Luo Wang had defected. I suppose it was you?"

Li Wu raised her hand and said, "Me too."

Jing Ni respectfully said, "Junior Jing Ni greets Senior."

Cao Ze thought to himself, "As expected of the former leader of the Mohist school, his information network is truly impressive."

"I have already stepped down from my position as Grand Master and retired from the martial world. What brings you here to see me?"

Jing Ke drank his wine casually and said, "Brother Cao Ze said he wants to see us have a sword fight."

Cao Ze smiled and said, "It would be even better if you could give Jing Ni some pointers."

"Guidance? She already has her own way of swordsmanship. All she lacks is the experience of walking too little. She doesn't need my guidance."

Cao Ze was taken aback; he had little knowledge of swordsmanship.

The only sword technique he knew was the authentic Tai Chi sword that he had borrowed from Wang Ye, but he hadn't even scratched the surface of it; it was all just for show.

Jing Ke hadn't expected Jing Ni to be so powerful. As a newcomer to the martial world, he had no concept of the top-tier Luo Wang.

He suddenly felt an urge to fight Jing Ni with his sword.

Everyone present could sense the sword intent emanating from Jing Ke.

Lu Goujian picked up a carved wooden sword from the side and said to Jing Ke, "Little Ke, make your move and let your grandpa try out your new sword."

Jing Ke held his breath and said, "Uncle Lu, please watch carefully."

"A Celestial Immortal from Beyond the Heavens!"

Before Jing Ke could even draw his sword, Cao Ze saw chickens and dogs dancing and scattering all around him, even though there was no wind.

When Jing Ke made his move, his sword flashed like a bolt of lightning, striking straight at Lu Goujian.

The sword light was dazzling and swift, without any variation, leaving no room for follow-up attacks.

All the power of his body was poured into this one sword strike.

Cao Ze couldn't help but imagine how powerful the Heavenly Immortal's Ten-Step Kill was, and how powerful the Five-Step Kill that assassinated Ying Zheng would be. Was it really as powerful as the recorded description of a rainbow piercing the sun?

Lu Goujian's relaxed expression turned serious, and he murmured to himself, "Ink Sword - Non-Aggression."

In the eyes of Jing Ni and Cao Ze, Lu Goujian suddenly became like a high mountain and a fortified city, with a faint sense of indestructibility and a great deal of weight.

Jingni seemed to be deep in thought, vaguely grasping at something, yet gaining nothing in return.

Jing Ke's seemingly invincible sword strike landed on Lu Goujian's sword tip, making it impossible for him to advance any further.

The celestial being's ten-step killing move came to an abrupt end.

Jing Ke stood there, stunned. It was because of the offensive sword that Lu Goujian had used last time that he had comprehended the Heavenly Immortal technique of the Ten-Step Deadly Kill.

But this time, Lu Goujian did not use the Ink Sword: Non-Fate, but the Ink Sword: Non-Aggression.

But the blow to him seemed even greater.

Jing Ke was disheartened.

Lu Goujian said, "Why be discouraged? You are only a first-rate innate power. You can be proud that you were able to hurt me."

In Cao Ze's group's eyes, blood was seeping from the corner of Lu Goujian's mouth.

Jing Ni suddenly said, "You're about to die."