Wandering Sword Seller's Life in the Qin Dynasty

Although she failed to obtain the Azure Dragon Seven Constellations, she did not return empty-handed; instead, she brought Gongsun Liji back to the Yin-Yang School.

If it weren't for this sudden interest in the lower-level disciples of the Yin-Yang School, Xu Qing would never have imagined that an old friend was hiding right under his nose.

"You've had a tough time these past few days," Xu Qing said gently to Gongsun Liji.

Gongsun Liji shook her head and asked Xu Qing her question, "Why is Mr. Xu also in this Yin-Yang School?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing looked at the puzzled expression in Gongsun Liji's eyes, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly spoke, his tone calm but carrying an undeniable weight: "I am now the new leader of the Yin Yang School."

"Sect Leader?"

These two words were like a thunderclap, exploding in Gongsun Liji's ears. She shuddered, and the bitterness and confusion on her face were instantly replaced by extreme shock. Her clear eyes widened suddenly, staring intently at Xu Qing, as if she were seeing this person for the first time.

She staggered back half a step, the bluestone beneath her feet making a slight creaking sound. Her fingertips clenched unconsciously, her knuckles turning white, and even her breathing became rapid.

The head of the Yin-Yang School is the one who governs the entire Yin-Yang School.

Having been forcibly brought to the Yin-Yang School over the years, she has witnessed the Moon Goddess's indifference and the strictness of the Yin-Yang School disciples, and is deeply aware of the Yin-Yang School's ruthlessness and heartlessness.

Those lower-level disciples who were forcibly brought here, just like her, were all burdened with resentment and pain, and some were even tortured to the point of losing their former vitality.

She had always thought that this was the nature of the Yin-Yang School, and that those in power regarded human life as worthless. She never imagined that the one in charge of all this now was Mr. Xu Qing, who had treated her kindly in Xinling and had once escorted her and Jing Ke to safety.

How could this be?

Gongsun Liji's mind was in chaos. Xu Qing's gentle smile from years ago and his current identity as the leader of the Yin Yang School were constantly intertwined and colliding in her mind, creating an extreme sense of disconnect.

She looked at Xu Qing, the shock in her eyes gradually fading, replaced by deep indifference and detachment. Her gaze was as if she were looking at a complete stranger, even carrying a hint of undisguised resistance and disgust.

She slowly turned her face away from Xu Qing's gaze, her voice icy cold and devoid of any warmth: "So, it turns out that the one in charge of the Yin Yang School is now Sect Leader Xu. It was my poor eyesight that prevented me from recognizing him."

The way he addressed him as "Master Xu" carried a deep sense of unfamiliarity, and Xu Qing's brows furrowed slightly.

Clearly, Gongsun Liji had misunderstood something.

After realizing what had happened, Xu Qing said to Gongsun Liji in a gentle tone, "It seems you have some misunderstandings about me, Liji!"

Gongsun Liji frowned, her tone complex: "Misunderstanding? Didn't you say you were the leader of the Yin-Yang School? Aren't those forcibly abducted disciples suffering right under your nose? My abduction here, my torment day and night, is that none of your business?"

"I know you harbor resentment." Xu Qing said calmly. Combining what Gongsun Liji had said earlier, he understood why Gongsun Liji's expression changed immediately after hearing that he was the leader of the Yin-Yang School. It was because she regarded him as the culprit of everything.

However, it is clear that Xu Qing has no intention of taking the blame for Donghuang Taiyi, and he still needs to explain when necessary.

"It was not long ago that I became the leader of the Yin-Yang School. Before that, I wasn't even considered a member of the Yin-Yang School."

Gongsun Liji was slightly taken aback. The coldness in her eyes faded slightly, replaced by a hint of doubt. However, she remained vigilant, simply watching him quietly, waiting for him to continue.

"I was originally an outsider, and by chance, I unexpectedly became the leader of the Yin Yang School. To be honest, even I find it inexplicable."

Xu Qing's tone carried a hint of helplessness, yet also a touch of sincerity. "The reason I paid attention to the lower-level disciples of the Yin-Yang Clan was not because I wanted to control anything. It's just that I had only recently taken office and wanted to truly understand the inner workings of the Yin-Yang Clan, to see how many unknown things were hidden here, and also to see if I could find some old acquaintances. I never expected to meet you here."

His gaze was clear and sincere, without the slightest hypocrisy or pretense; his genuineness seemed unaffected.

Gongsun Liji met his gaze, looking at the familiar gentleness in his eyes, and memories of her days in Xinling resurfaced in her mind.

At that time, Xu Qing was gentle and kind, and would never do anything like kidnapping or taking lives lightly.

The ice in her heart gradually began to melt under Xu Qing's sincere gaze and words.

She remained silent for a long time, then slowly loosened her grip on her fingers, the coldness on her face gradually faded, and the doubt and resistance in her eyes were slowly replaced by relief.

She looked at Xu Qing, her tone much gentler. Although it still carried a hint of probing, it no longer had the distance from before: "Is what you said true? You really only recently became the sect leader, and you weren't the one who kidnapped me and brought me here?"

Xu Qing nodded. "It's absolutely true. If I had known you were kidnapped to the Yin Yang School, I would never have let you suffer here for so long. Li Ji, I know you've been through a lot and suffered a lot of injustices, but please believe me, I'm not like those heartless and cold-blooded former members of the Yin Yang School."

Gongsun Liji looked at the sincerity in his eyes, remained silent for a moment, and finally sighed softly, the last trace of doubt in her eyes disappearing.

She slowly stepped forward, her steps no longer stiff, and her tone regained some of its former gentleness: "I...I believe you, Mr. Xu."

The two then talked for a while longer.

The barriers between them disappeared.

Ultimately, although Xu Qing and Gongsun Liji had not seen each other for many years, their relationship was indeed quite good back in Xinling.

Especially since Gongsun Liji was still a young girl at that time, and a young girl's feelings are always poetic. Although Xu Qing did not show his talent at that time, compared with Jing Ke at that time, he was superior in terms of both modeling and stunning appearance. In particular, he was also filled with a sense of mystery, which deeply attracted Gongsun Liji, making it inevitable that Gongsun Liji would develop some feelings for Xu Qing.

However, this relationship ultimately did not develop into anything.

But for Gongsun Liji, Xu Qing was indeed an unforgettable figure in her memory.

"Mr. Xu is truly remarkable!"

Previously, Gongsun Liji had explained how she came to the Yin-Yang School. In return, Xu Qing naturally told Gongsun Liji in more detail about how he became the leader of the Yin-Yang School.

Gongsun Liji then understood the meaning of what Xu Qing had said earlier.

A flood of emotions welled up within her.

Once upon a time, on the streets of Xinling, Mr. Xu was still selling swords to people everywhere. Who would have thought that now, even the unparalleled and once-powerful Donghuang Taiyi has become Mr. Xu's dead body. Moreover, the other party is an outsider who has dominated the Yin-Yang School and become its new leader.

"Although our meeting was accidental, as long as you remain in the Yin Yang School, I guarantee that no one will ever be able to bully you again!"

Xu Qing made a promise to Gongsun Liji.

Chapter 356 A desperate battle, the Chu Kingdom perishes!

The war between Qin and Chu continues.

The uproar caused by Xiang Yan's death has not subsided.

With Xu Qing bringing back Xiang Yan's head, Ying Zheng began to exert his influence in Xianyang.

By using Xiang Yan's death as a pretext, the news was spread rapidly, causing widespread panic throughout the Chu state.

In the past, Xiang Yan could be called "Shangzhuguo" in the State of Chu. What does "Shangzhuguo" mean? It means the pillar of the state. Because of this, he was supported by many nobles and people and became a great general of Chu in resisting Qin.

But now that this great general is dead, it's as if the sky has fallen for the State of Chu.

The Chu army, in particular, inevitably fell into chaos.

Even though Xiang Liang and Xiang Bo tried to reorganize the four major legions as soon as they woke up after being severely injured by Xu Qing, the four major legions of Chu belonged to a complex faction, and their soldiers were drawn from the noble families, so their morale was not united.

When Xiang Yan was around, they respected him and were naturally willing to obey his orders.

Now that Xiang Yan is gone, why should they care about Xiang Liang and Xiang Bo? Although these two are indeed Xiang Yan's sons, they are not the private army of the Xiang clan.

While some people were still willing to obey the orders of the Xiang clan, others harbored ulterior motives.

In particular, the spies of the Qin state did their utmost to spread rumors during this process. Although many of them were exposed and exposed as a result, their goal had already been achieved.

The Chu army was thrown into chaos, which led to a lapse in their encirclement of Wang Jian.

As for the other side, Lord Changping, who is behind Wang Jian, is also in a precarious situation.

His initial idea was quite good: to steadily and surely recover the lost territories of Chu, while gathering soldiers and waiting until a great momentum was formed before cooperating with Xiang Yan to deliver a fatal blow to Wang Jian's army.

But plans are plans, and changes are changes.

First, the tenacity of Wang Jian's army was unexpected. Even when their supplies ran out, they did not choose to sit and wait for death, but instead forged a path to survival by eating from the enemy. Second, there was the death of Xiang Yan. Xiang Yan's death caused a huge flaw in Lord Changping's perfect plan.

There is no one left who can work perfectly with Changping-kun.

On the contrary, Changping Jun himself found himself in an exceptionally difficult situation in the State of Chu amidst the subsequent rumors.

Amidst the rumors, the uprising of Lord Changping in Huaiyang was portrayed as a scheme by the Qin state.

It was Qin that deliberately instructed his right prime minister to feign betrayal in order to deceive Chu and create an opportunity for Qin to destroy Chu.

Xiang Yan died because of the intelligence provided by Lord Changping.

Numerous rumors circulated, some with seemingly plausible details.

Even though Changping Jun tried his best to explain, rumors stop with the wise, and not everyone is wise or intelligent.

Most of them are foolish.

They only believe what they hear with their own ears.

Moreover, Lord Changping's betrayal is somewhat incomprehensible. Lord Changping was indeed the son of King Kaolie of Chu, but he never lived in Chu for a single day. In Qin, he served as the Right Chancellor, a position second only to the king. Why would such a person betray Qin? Was he a fool?

It can only be said that ordinary people find it difficult to understand Changping Jun's way of thinking.

Or rather, even extraordinary people cannot understand Lord Changping.

If Xiang Yan were still alive, with Xiang Yan's endorsement, Lord Changping's situation wouldn't be so difficult. But now that Xiang Yan is dead, there are rumors that Xiang Yan's death is related to Lord Changping. How can the people of Chu not hate Lord Changping?

In an instant, Changping Jun became a figure hated by everyone.

The rebel army he led mutinied repeatedly.

Even though he used ruthless methods to suppress the rebellion, such actions only addressed the symptoms, not the root cause. Instead, many people believed that he had returned to the State of Chu with ulterior motives.

"Am I really wrong?"

With a deep sense of bewilderment, Changping Jun was somewhat confused.

He didn't know where things went wrong or what he had done wrong.

He devoted himself entirely to the state of Chu, making immense sacrifices.

As a result, no one could understand him.

Right now, he is clearly doing something to save the State of Chu, but all these people are questioning him.

This made Changping Jun very upset.

Now that Xiang Yan is dead, the only person who could wholeheartedly trust him and cooperate with him is gone. What should he do next?

If he remained in Chu, everyone there would suspect him of being a spy sent by Qin and would not trust him at all. The King of Chu was even more wary of his elder brother.

Return to Qin?

With his uprising in Chenying, which cut off Wang Jian's supplies, he is now unable to return to Qin.

Even going down a single path to the bitter end is extremely difficult.

Unlike Changping Jun, who was lost in confusion.

Wang Jian, however, saw a glimmer of hope in breaking the deadlock.

With Xiang Yan dead, the army blocking their path has already thrown itself into disarray.

The rebel army led by Lord Changping behind them also seemed to fall into disarray.

In addition, the people of Qin have already made contact with him, new supply routes have been opened, and new supplies are about to be delivered. At this time, in principle, holding the position and waiting for reinforcements would be a good choice, but Wang Jian insisted on doing the opposite.