Wandering Sword Seller's Life in the Qin Dynasty

"Why should I be surprised?" Yan Fei's tone remained calm, but there was a hint of tension hidden in her eyes. "The law of the jungle is the ultimate truth of the world. You defeated me, so it is perfectly reasonable for you to do whatever you want with me, the loser."

“Compared to Xu Fu, you are much more honest and pragmatic.” Xu Qing couldn’t help but praise you, his tone tinged with admiration. “No wonder in the Yin-Yang School, you are the Lord of the East, while he is merely the Lord of the Clouds.”

Yan Fei remained silent and did not respond.

Despite this, her state of mind was far from as calm as it appeared.

She was an arrogant person by nature, and almost everyone in the Yin Yang School carried this arrogance. From Donghuang Taiyi to the five elders, which one of them did not fight their way out from among many disciples and step on the corpses of countless people to reach a high position?

They are geniuses, the pride of heaven, and the word "failure" has never existed in their dictionary. In the Yin-Yang School, failure means losing the value of existence. They either become "medicinal catalysts" for refining elixirs or "cannon fodder," without even the right to survive.

Yan Fei was no exception. She was exceptionally talented and incomparably beautiful. From a young age, she had a smooth journey, defeating all her competitors and eventually ascending to the position of Dong Jun.

Even when Yun Zhongjun suffered a crushing defeat in Linzi and lost all his power, and even when Shao Siming disappeared in Qi, she never felt the slightest fear.

So what if the waters of Qi are deep? She is the golden crow dwelling above Fusang, the proud sun roaming the nine heavens; no matter how deep the water, it cannot touch her skirt.

But this pride was shattered in the illusion woven by Xu Qing.

If she were to lose to Xu Qing in a direct confrontation, she might still be dissatisfied. As long as she has a breath left, she will fight with all her might.

But this time, she lost without any resistance.

He had clearly gathered all his strength to prepare for an attack, but before he could even touch the hem of his opponent's clothes, he was silently pulled into an illusion.

She could clearly sense that she was in a dream, and she tried to break free countless times: from forcibly activating Yin-Yang magic to break the deadlock, to trying to find loopholes in the illusion, but every attempt ended in failure.

The dream ended not because of her efforts, but because of the will of the person before her.

This person was absolutely the most terrifying opponent she had ever met in her life. Even the Sect Leader Donghuang Taiyi, whose aura was awe-inspiring, still left room for resistance. But Xu Qing, who was standing there quietly, gave her a deep-seated despair, as if no matter how much she struggled, she could not escape his grasp.

What kind of entanglement does this person have with the Yin-Yang School? Do the Yin-Yang School's long-buried past hold secrets related to him?

Yan Fei couldn't help but calm down and think, but as soon as the thought crossed her mind, a sharp pain came from her sea of ​​consciousness, as if she had been grabbed hard. She could only interrupt her thoughts and force herself to face the reality in front of her.

"You're keeping me here so you can extract information about the Yin Yang School?" Yan Fei asked again after catching her breath.

"I already know almost all the information about the Yin Yang School." Xu Qing's voice remained calm, but it carried an undeniable certainty. "Whether you like it or not, in that dream, when your defenses were completely broken down, your past, your obsessions, and your weaknesses were no secrets to me at that moment."

He paused, then added, "This is to imprint my heart with yours."

"As for keeping you around... didn't I say before that it's better to resolve conflicts than to let them fester?"

This answer far exceeded Yan Fei's expectations.

Her pupils contracted slightly, a ripple of emotion stirring within her. She had expected the other party to use this as leverage, but she hadn't anticipated this response.

She pressed further, "So, you want to resolve your grudges with the Yin-Yang School?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing shook his head slightly, his tone somewhat nonchalant yet each word clear: "There has never been any 'grudge' between us. If there is, it was your Yin Yang School that provoked us. Xu Fu provoked me, and afterwards, it was your Yin Yang School that sent people to cause me trouble. I was merely responding accordingly. Whether or not to form a grudge, the choice has always been in your Yin Yang School's hands."

"Now that you're awake, I should be going." Xu Qing seemed to have no interest in talking any further. After saying this, she turned and walked towards the door.

Yan Fei was slightly taken aback. She had never imagined that her reunion with Xu Qing would be so hasty. He neither threatened nor humiliated her, nor even made any unnecessary attempts to test her, and he was leaving just like that.

Watching Xu Qing's figure disappear through the doorway, Yan Fei, enduring the pain in her sea of ​​consciousness, suddenly spoke: "Aren't you afraid I'll expose your manipulation of Hou Sheng?"

Xu Qing stopped in his tracks, slowly turned to the side, and looked at her.

His gaze was calm and unwavering, without a trace of murderous intent, yet it made Yan Fei's heart tighten.

He spoke slowly, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger: "In that case, it seems I cannot keep you here."

Yan Fei quietly clenched her clothes, preparing for a surprise attack. She knew Xu Qing's strength; if he really wanted to make a move, she would have no power to resist.

But the next moment, Xu Qing turned back around, took a step, and left with only a light, casual remark: "Whatever."

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure had completely disappeared outside the door, leaving only the still fresh air in the room, reminding everyone that the conversation had not been an illusion.

It took Yan Fei nearly an hour to barely suppress the agitation in her mind, and the discomfort in her body gradually subsided.

According to the rules of the Yin-Yang School, one must not easily back down before the mission is completed. She has many missions to undertake in Qi State this time.

The first priority is to find the missing Shao Siming and confirm her fate.

Although I had learned from the rumors in Mount Tai that Shao Siming was still alive, her exact whereabouts remained a mystery.

It can only be said that Yanfei was unlucky. She had just infiltrated Housheng's mansion when Xu Qing discovered her secret.

When Xu Qing realized that the Yin-Yang School had once again infiltrated Hou Sheng's residence, he decisively hid Xiao Hei and Xiao Bai. After that, Yan Fei directly encountered Xu Qing, which meant that she didn't have much time to investigate the true situation in Hou Sheng's residence. Naturally, she didn't know that the Shao Siming Hei Bai she had been searching for was hiding in Hou Sheng's residence.

Now, we can go back to Hou Sheng's residence to continue investigating the truth.

But when she thought of Xu Qing staying in Hou Sheng Mansion, Consort Yan suppressed that thought.

Previously, when she was secretly observing Hou Sheng, she had caught a faint trace of illusion, and at that time she thought she had found Xu Qing's "secrets".

But after actually fighting him, she realized that Xu Qing's strength was far beyond her comprehension. Now that he had let her go, if she were to offer herself up again, she would not have a second chance.

Rationally speaking, abandoning the investigation of "Mr. Qing" and even leaving the State of Qi as soon as possible would be the wisest choice.

Ultimately, apart from the disappearance of Shao Siming, the Yin-Yang School did not suffer any major losses. Although Shao Siming was one of the five elders, she was not irreplaceable. The Yin-Yang School had many exceptionally talented disciples, and with some resources and time, they could always cultivate the next "Shao Siming".

Even so, leaving the State of Qi in such a dejected manner left her somewhat unwilling.

She was Dongjun Yanfei; when had she ever been so disheveled? What disturbed her even more was the illusion created by Xu Qing.

She told herself countless times that it was all fake, a lie woven by the other party using illusion magic. But she couldn't withstand the repeated reincarnations. Even after returning to reality, her body actively eliminated some unimportant memories in order to protect her mind. However, those profound fragments were engraved in her sea of ​​consciousness like brand marks.

There are scenes of the Yin-Yang School collapsing and heading towards its end, the ruthless Donghuang Taiyi using any means to achieve his goals, and the despair of "oneself" being abandoned as a pawn... Every scene is terrifyingly real, as if it were not an illusion, but a future that had already been predetermined.

Yanfei suddenly remembered that the Yin-Yang School had the art of "astrology," which could glimpse fragments of the future by calculating the trajectory of stars.

Xu Qing's mastery of illusion techniques is so terrifying that he has probably already cultivated the Yin-Yang School's "Illusion Technique" to an unprecedented level. Even Donghuang Taiyi's illusion techniques may not be able to make a person experience so many reincarnations in a short period of time.

If he also has considerable expertise in "astrological laws," then could the "future" in the illusion be real?

Once the thought arises, it can no longer be suppressed.

What is Xu Qing's purpose in telling her about these "futures" through dreams?

Yan Fei wasn't a mindless brute. She used to solve problems with force, but when force failed, her rationality would regain its advantage. The more she thought about it, the more she felt that Xu Qing's intentions were not simple.

“He defeated me but didn’t kill me, and even took me out of the Prime Minister’s residence. Could it be that he wanted to do me a favor and win me over?” Thinking of this, Yan Fei’s lips curled into a cold smile, her heart filled with disdain. “If that’s the case, then it’s too ridiculous.”

She is the Eastern Lord of the Yin-Yang School and the most capable arm of Donghuang Taiyi. How could she be swayed by this little bit of "favor"?

But she forgot that the human heart is the most unpredictable thing, and even she herself may not be able to completely control her own heart.

……

"A person may be able to deceive their own words and actions, but it is very difficult to deceive their own heart."

"Your heart has already begun to waver."

Xu Qing was still in the Prime Minister's residence.

This is probably my last time here.

He was a wanderer, rarely staying in one place for too long.

He could have chosen a comfortable life in the State of Chu, but he gave it up and chose to travel.

Xu Qing had already spent a considerable amount of time in Qi. After becoming a fourth-tier swordsmith, he intended to travel the world again. With the fall of Han, the world situation had changed drastically. Under these circumstances, staying in a place like Qi would be a waste of time.

Because he had long intended to leave, he was completely unconcerned about whether Yanfei would expose his manipulation of Housheng.

The one who won through manipulation was "Mr. Qing," so what does he have to do with Xu Qing?

However, he successfully planted a thorn in Yanfei's heart, making him look forward to the day when Dongjun Yanfei and Donghuang Taiyi would become estranged.

The cycle of dreams not only gave Yan Fei more unforgettable memories, but also allowed Xu Qing to see into her heart, and the seeds of doubt had already been sown.

Yan Fei herself hadn't realized it, but Xu Qing knew perfectly well.

This is also why he let Yanfei go so easily.

Chapter 220 Gathering in Linzi, Sharing Secrets

It was still the best restaurant in Linzi, and the place where Xu Qing and Situ Wanli had met before.

Today, he met another friend from a farming family here.

The chivalrous leader Tian Guang!

Xu Qing and Tian Guang have always maintained a close relationship. Their trip to Yan Kingdom brought them together, and Tian Guang played a significant role in enabling Xu Qing and Da Tiechui to leave Yan Kingdom without any trouble.

Later, he brought the large iron hammer to the farmhouse and did not give up his contact with Xu Qing.

It was during this honeymoon period that Wu Kuang was sent to Xu Qing's place by Tian Guang.

Tian Guang was also aware that Wu Kuang had been arranged by Xu Qing to infiltrate the Luo Wang organization.

Although it's unclear what Xu Qing's true intentions are, Wu Kuang's entry into the Luo Wang (Net of Heaven) is actually a good thing.

Tian Guang, having followed Lord Changping, was naturally aware of the terrifying nature of Qin's Luo Wang (Net of Heaven). If they were ever targeted by Luo Wang, it would be a terrible thing. Now that Wu Kuang had infiltrated Luo Wang, it was a good move, representing that their Farmer's School had a brilliant piece within Luo Wang.

Although this chess piece was not placed by him, the leader of the farming family.

"It's been a long time since we last met, but Mr. Xu's charm remains unchanged!"

Tian Guang looked much more weathered than when we last met, perhaps due to his constant travels to different countries and the resulting overwork.

"Mr. Tian Guang has come all this way to meet me; surely it's not just to reminisce?" Xu Qing said calmly, getting straight to the heart of the matter.

If Situ Wanli were a businessman, he might have maintained a superficial friendship out of self-interest, and his meetings with Xu Qing would have been purely for drinking and chatting.

As the leader of the peasant clan, Tian Guang always had a motive for whatever he did.

Tian Guang's expression also turned serious.

He had dealt with Xu Qing many times and knew Xu Qing's character.

He possesses exceptional strength, and every sword he forges is a divine weapon. He may seem to be playing around in the mortal world, but his skills are far from simple, displaying a remarkable ability to manipulate events at will.

When dealing with someone like this, trying to get information indirectly might not be effective.

On the contrary, the other party may pretend not to understand, so it is best to get straight to the point.

"Is Mr. Xu able to contact the Mo family?"

Tian Guang spoke in a deep voice, asking Xu Qing a crucial question.

Xu Qing raised an eyebrow. He didn't answer Tian Guang's question directly, but instead thought of the grudges and entanglements between the peasant and Mo families in the original work, as well as the Azure Dragon Plan.

All I can say is that Changping Jun's scheming was indeed ruthless.