Seeing the attire of Yu and Qiao, and the way Yu Qing held his sword, it was obvious they had just come out of the room after being alerted. Wu Heyun asked, “Are you two alright?”
Yu Qing replied, “I suddenly found someone landing on our balcony. What is going on, and who is it?”
Wu Heyun sighed. “It is exactly that demonic creature causing trouble!”
Yu Qing was stunned. He realised it was exactly as that long haired man had said. There was an immediate response. It truly was “the demon they speak of”.
Looking in the direction where a group of figures were chasing, he asked, “Where does this demon reside?”
Wu Heyun said, “We do not know, nor do we know where or when it came. Since your situation is unclear, you might as well rest for now. The manor will handle matters here and will not let any evil creatures disturb you esteemed guests again.” Having said this, he clasped his hands in farewell and immediately leaped away with his men.
Under the bright moonlight, several more figures swiftly disappeared into the vineyards.
Only Yu Qing and Qiao Qie’er were left at the scene, looking at each other with suspicion.
A moment later, Qiao Qie’er could not resist leaning close to his ear and whispering, “When did you save that black clad man’s son?”
Yu Qing was silent for a moment. Since she had already heard, he simply explained, “While exploring the underground channel today, I noticed something unusual and found a child trapped underground. I did not do much, just lent a hand. I was quite surprised myself.”
Qiao Qie’er believed this. Otherwise, he would not have been disturbed while they were in the midst of a romantic moment. “Was it when you sent us away?”
Yu Qing hummed in agreement.
Seizing the opportunity, Qiao Qie’er asked a couple more questions. “Then what was it about sending us away in the village later? Also, what exactly are we doing running all the way here?”
Yu Qing gazed at her. “I came here to help you pay off your debt. The reason for coming here is mainly for you. Do you believe me?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Qiao Qie’er, unable to control her emotions, suddenly hugged him. Resting her head against his, she whispered in his ear, “I believe you, and I know. Did you not notice the black clad man came to repay a kindness? He seems to be telling you it is dangerous here. The fact that he risked being captured by these people just to warn you shows there might truly be danger. He is reminding you to leave as soon as possible. Will you listen to him?”
Yu Qing replied, “Do you think I can just sit back and watch you go to Panlong Island to become that island master’s plaything? Or do you want me to go directly and fight to the death with that Upper Xuan realm Island Master Su?”
Qiao Qie’er instantly burst into tears and fell silent. She only hugged him tighter, her fingers almost digging into his flesh.
Yu Qing gently patted her back to comfort her. “It is alright, do not worry. If all else fails, we will figure out a way to escape.”
He had wanted to persuade her to leave first, or rather, he did not want her to follow and face the danger. However, he knew persuasion would be useless. Especially under the current circumstances, leaving was even more impossible.
For himself, discovering that the “Golden Valley” and the “Halberd Bearer” from the clues truly existed meant the legendary Golden Ruins might be right before his eyes. With endless wealth and the legendary promise of immortality, it was hard for him to remain indifferent.
The occasional figures flashing by outside pulled his thoughts back.
He had previously been able to detect a mocking tone in the black clad man’s words about “the demon they speak of”. But what was the deal with that golden blood? Was it not a demon?
Yet it did not seem as evil as the Rift Valley Manor claimed. A demon that knows gratitude and repays kindness, how bad could it be?
Suddenly, a knocking sound came from outside the door.
Qiao Qie’er quickly separated from Yu Qing, turning sideways to wipe her tears. Her tears had already soaked Yu Qing’s shoulder.
Yu Qing went back into the room and quickly opened the door. Outside were Nanzhu and Mu Aotie.
After the two entered, Nanzhu immediately asked, “What is going on with all this flying around outside?”
Yu Qing whispered the general situation to them.
The black clad man repaying a kindness? How could such a thing happen? Nanzhu and Mu Aotie were instantly plunged into shock and doubt.
There were also the woman’s changed clothes nearby, and it was late at night in someone else’s room. It was not appropriate for two men to stay long. Having understood the situation and confirmed everything was fine here, the two left.
As soon as the door closed, Qiao Qie’er came back in from the balcony. She blocked Yu Qing’s path and said seriously, “I want to know what you plan to do next. Perhaps I can help you think of a way. Is it not good to have one more person helping to think of a solution?”
Yu Qing cupped her face with both hands. “You said you would not ask too many questions.”
Qiao Qie’er said, “That black clad man came to repay a kindness. There must be a reason he said that. No matter what happens in the end, I hope you can leave here alive and well. Right now, when things happen, I have no idea how to handle them. Yu Qing, I am not just a pretty face. I also have cultivation. Let me have some peace of mind, alright? Just pretend it might work. What if I can think of a way to help you?”
Yu Qing remained silent. Looking at her eyes flashing in the dark, he could feel her heartfelt worry. He hugged her with heartache and tenderness, whispering in her ear, “Did you see the Rift Valley Manor clan emblem?”
Qiao Qie’er remembered the reaction of the three fellow disciples when they saw the emblem and asked in return, “A halberd?”
Yu Qing said, “Yes! It is a halberd. That should not just be an empty legend of the Wu ancestors. That halberd should truly exist, and it is very likely hidden somewhere in the Rift Valley Manor.”
Qiao Qie’er asked, “You want to find that halberd?”
Yu Qing replied, “Yes. Right now, many things have no clues. It is also not good to let the people of Rift Valley Manor discover our intentions, making it inconvenient to even inquire. So the matter is a bit difficult. The best direction to start is that halberd. As long as we get that halberd, we get the greatest possibility. It is like getting a master key that can unlock doors and also open the mouths of those in the know.”
Qiao Qie’er looked thoughtful.
Yu Qing released her and flicked her nose with his index finger. “Beauty, you got your wish. Have you thought of any good solution for me?”
Qiao Qie’er ignored the teasing, took it seriously, and pondered, “Let me think about it carefully.” Saying this, she turned and walked away.
What did this woman mean? Should she not have been moved and offered herself to him? Yu Qing blinked. Ultimately considering the chaos of the night, he could only be speechless and went to sit on a chair nearby to ponder.
When a gust of wind blew in from the balcony door, he finally came to his senses. He found Qiao Qie’er was not in the room. He immediately stood up and went to the balcony to look. Sure enough, she was sitting on the balcony, fiddling with a glowing fluorescent stone in her hand, looking deep in thought.
Yu Qing walked over, leaned over the back of the chair, and whispered in her ear, “It is only the first day here. There is no need to rack your brains. Once we gradually gather more information, the solution will come naturally. Rest early.”
Qiao Qie’er looked up at him. Feeling his genuine care and tenderness, infinite sweet affection welled up in her heart. She reached up with one hand to caress his cheek, then wrapped her single arm around his neck and pulled him down. Their faces pressed close together, and she closed her eyes.
Yu Qing immediately knew what she wanted. Taking the initiative outdoors was rare. He immediately kissed her lips.
After some entanglement, Qiao Qie’er suddenly turned her head away. Panting, she rubbed her cheek against his and whispered deliriously, “Carry me inside.”
“Alright.” Yu Qing happily obeyed, immediately sweeping her entirely into his arms and carrying her into the room.
With a loud bang, the door was closed…
The next morning, someone knocked on the door. Yu Qing opened it and saw his two senior brothers standing outside. He could not help but roll his eyes. “I say, you two, can you be more sensible? Do you think it is appropriate to knock on my door this early in the morning?”
Nanzhu glanced at his loosely draped clothes and sneered. “Fifteenth, I am not trying to lecture you, but you are indeed enjoying yourself a bit too much. Have you two not had enough of each other along the way? Do not make a fuss everywhere you go.” His voice was slightly loud, meant for the person inside to hear as well.
To be honest, he was indeed a bit dissatisfied. Running to this wretched place, they did not know what dangers they might face. Instead of staying alert, they were playing at romance. What would they do if they encountered danger?
To tell the truth, regarding the task at hand, he strongly opposed bringing this woman along. However, this guy Fifteenth had taken a fancy to her, so there was nothing to be done. No one could persuade him otherwise.
It was not that he opposed the two being together, but he just could not stand it. The current situation was indeed highly inappropriate.
Hearing that Qiao Qie’er was also mentioned, Yu Qing immediately lost his temper and became displeased. His face darkened. Just as he was about to raise his finger to warn him, Nanzhu slapped his hand away and said in a deep voice, “Do not point fingers. Something happened. That young lad is dead.”
Yu Qing was stunned. His anger vanished, and he asked in shock, “Which one?”
Nanzhu replied, “Who else could it be? The one who guided us yesterday, the one who played in the mud with you yesterday. He was harmed by the demon.”
Yu Qing was suspicious. “How do you know?”
Nanzhu pointed at Mu Aotie and explained the situation.
Mu Aotie used to call himself a martial arts maniac. Even at the Linglong Temple, he developed the habit of getting up early to train his body with weights while shirtless, basically torturing himself. Later, after travelling around, he only had the title of a martial arts maniac. Many times, there was no environment to display this mania, such as right now, which was inconvenient.
However, his habit of waking up early remained unchanged. This morning, as soon as he got up, he could not resist going for a walk alone. He suddenly noticed a crowd gathering at the entrance of the village. Running over to take a look, he saw someone crying and realised the young lad had been harmed by the demon.
There was nothing more to say. Yu Qing told the two to wait outside first. He closed the door, went back inside to get dressed, and naturally, Qiao Qie’er came out with him.
Running outside and seeing Nanzhu and Mu, Qiao Qie’er felt somewhat embarrassed. She had heard their previous reminder.
The group quickly rushed towards the village entrance. Sure enough, they saw a large crowd gathered outside the courtyard where the wall was plastered yesterday, layer upon layer.
As the few of them pushed through the crowd and squeezed into the courtyard, they happened to see someone taking down a door panel from the inner room to carry inside. There was the sound of a woman weeping bitterly from within the room.
Wu Heyun was also in the courtyard. Yu Qing squeezed his way to his side and greeted him, “Third Manor Master.”
Wu Heyun turned his head. Seeing the few of them, he nodded in greeting. He then pointed to an elderly man beside him with white hair but three strands of ink black long beard, and introduced, “This is the Second Manor Master of our humble manor, responsible for the manor’s affairs, Wu Xieshan. Second Manor Master, these are the esteemed guests who arrived yesterday.”
“So it is the Second Manor Master.” Yu Qing clasped his hands in greeting, and Nanzhu and the others did the same.
Wu Xieshan, with a serious and unsmiling expression, hummed in his nose and nodded slightly. That was all, considered as a greeting, which left Yu Qing and the others somewhat stunned.
Wu Heyun quickly said, “The Second Manor Master does not interact much with outsiders. Please do not take offence, esteemed guests.”
“Not at all, not at all.” Yu Qing replied politely.
At this moment, four people came out of the room, carrying a door panel. The corpse lying on the panel was exactly the young lad from yesterday.
As they passed by, Yu Qing raised his hand to signal them to stop. He saw a bloody hole in the lad’s chest, right at the heart. It had been hollowed out. The heart was gone. The corpse’s face was deathly pale, and the look of terror on his face had not faded.
Wu Heyun sighed. “It was probably done by that demon last night.”
Nanzhu and Mu Aotie looked at each other.
Yu Qing’s jaw tightened. To think he had some good feelings towards that black clad man yesterday. He did not expect him to be a monster who only cared about his own son’s life and death, yet slaughtered another’s son like a chicken or a dog!
Killing was one thing, but digging out the heart? Did he really dig it out to eat it?
Thinking of this, he was filled with rage, and his fists clenched with a loud crack.
At this time, a country woman ran out of the room crying. She threw herself in front of the carried door panel, wailing endlessly, her voice already hoarse from crying.
Obviously, it was the young lad’s mother.
The unsmiling Wu Xieshan waved his hand. A group of women who had followed out of the room immediately supported the weeping woman and escorted her back inside.
Wu Heyun sighed again. “She had two sons, and both ended up dying at the hands of the demon. After suffering such a blow, I am afraid she does not even want to live anymore. Second Manor Master, you probably need to arrange for more people to keep an eye on her.”
Wu Xieshan hummed in agreement and waved his hand at the people carrying the door panel again.
Thus, the corpse was carried out like this.
Turning around, Wu Xieshan swept his eyes over the dense crowd around him and suddenly shouted, “What time is it? What are you still looking at? Have you never seen this before? Hurry up and prepare to go to work.”
More than half of the people surrounding them in layers immediately dispersed.
Subsequently, Wu Heyun led Yu Qing and the others out of the gate, slowly following the direction in which the corpse was carried away.
A large pile of firewood had already been stacked at the village entrance. No one knew where it came from. The Wu clan members placed the corpse on top of it and then directly lit the firewood.
Yu Qing, who had walked along with the crowd, was a bit stunned and asked, “They are just burning it like this?”
Wu Heyun sighed. “We have suffered for it. There have been instances of corpse mutation in the past, and even plagues, which have harmed many clansmen. Later, a rule was established. As long as someone is killed by a demon, they are immediately cremated to avoid repeating the same mistakes.”
Yu Qing was speechless. It was the clan’s custom. What could he say?
Before long, the peculiar smell of cremation emerged, and many of the onlookers dispersed immediately.
Not long after, villagers from various households successively came out of their doors carrying their working tools, heading towards the fields where they needed to work.
Except for the household that had a funeral, almost everything in other households was as usual. Their expressions and reactions were as if nothing had happened. This in itself was abnormal.
Observing their expressions, Wu Heyun seemed to know the guests’ thoughts and offered a remark, “We experience a few such incidents every year. Everyone is used to it.”
Yu Qing asked, “Was the demon from yesterday caught?”
Wu Heyun replied, “By the time we noticed, it was already too late. It escaped.”
Yu Qing asked, “Is there no way to track it to its lair?”
Wu Heyun said, “This is a desolate place. There are no traces to follow.”
Yu Qing frowned. He thought of the animal trap buried by the underground channel. If it was really going after that child with golden blood, how could it be said there were no traces to follow?
He looked around. This Rift Valley Manor gave him an indescribable feeling. He always felt something was a bit off.
The raging fire continued to send plumes of smoke rising.
The sun had also completely risen above the horizon, radiating brilliant light. It illuminated the ten thousand acres of vineyards, making them full of vitality. This was probably the most pleasing and beautiful place in this desolate land, and the distant horizon was so vast.
Just as the smoke from the cremation was gradually subsiding, in the distance, at the end of the main road, three riders suddenly rushed down from the mountain pass, galloping towards them in a trail of dust.
This time, Wu Heyun frowned, watching from a distance.
Some of the men accompanying him were also looking over there.
Their actions also attracted the attention of Yu Qing and the others. It seemed they did not recognise the newcomers.
The three riders, galloping freely, quickly rushed past the archway, slowed down, and reined in their horses in front of the bonfire. Seeming a bit curious about what was burning, they then dismounted.
The newcomers were three women, all extremely beautiful like flowers. They did not appear to be carrying any weapons.
But anyone would know that three women daring to travel in this desolate place were definitely not weak women incapable of wielding weapons.
One woman was dressed gorgeously, with her cleavage and fullness half exposed, a patch of snowy white. She also appeared to be the youngest of the three women.
Another woman wore a long black dress, with a small white flower pinned at her temple. Yu Qing and his two senior brothers twitched the corners of their mouths slightly upon seeing this, finding that this woman’s attire was exactly the same as Tie Miaoqing’s.
The third woman wore a light green dress. She looked gentle and refined, her slender figure giving a sense of graceful elegance.
The woman in the long black dress sniffed the air and asked suspiciously, “What is burning?”
The youngest woman, dressed revealingly, fluttered her nostrils and casually replied, “Burning a corpse.”
The woman in the light green dress immediately covered her mouth and nose with one hand, looking disgusted.
Seeing these three, Wu Heyun’s face was full of shock and suspicion. He hesitated, stepped forward, and clasped his hands, asking, “May I ask if you three are the Three Flowers of the ‘Flower Full Tower’ in Yinxi?”
The gorgeously dressed, youngest, and most sensual woman immediately covered her mouth and chuckled. She laughed so hard her body trembled, and her breasts jiggled. “I did not expect anyone in this desolate place to actually know us sisters.”
This statement was tantamount to an admission. Wu Heyun became even more puzzled. He clasped his hands and said, “I am Wu Heyun of the Rift Valley Manor. I was unaware of the arrival of the three beauties and failed to welcome you properly. However, I wonder what brings you esteemed guests here?”
The flowery dressed woman chuckled, “So it is the Third Manor Master. We came to buy wine. Are you not welcoming us?”
Wu Heyun immediately laughed heartily. “Business coming to our door, how could we not welcome it? Please, the three esteemed guests, please come inside.” He quickly extended his hand to invite them, but the doubt in his heart remained. Buying wine was one thing, but what was the meaning of this grandmother, mother, and daughter generation all coming here in person?
Indeed, the so called “Three Flowers” of the “Flower Full Tower” were not sisters at all. They only looked to be about the same age. In reality, their generational hierarchy was that of daughter, mother, and grandmother.
At this moment, someone immediately went over to lead the horses for the Three Flowers.
Just as the host and guests were about to leave, someone whispered something to Wu Heyun and pointed a finger towards the end of the main road.
Everyone immediately followed the gesture and looked. They saw another rider emerging from the mountain pass. However, this one was not galloping. Instead, it was slowly wandering over. This looked even less like the way people from here would return. At a glance, it was obvious it was an outsider.
That speed made it impossible for the crowd to clearly see who the newcomer was for a while.
Instead, the flowery dressed woman lifted her sleeve, covered her mouth, and smiled. “Third Manor Master, you have an esteemed guest arriving at your home.”
Judging from the newcomer’s speed, it could be inferred that the Three Flowers must have seen them on the way. Listening to the implication in her words, she probably recognised them.
However, just at this moment, two more riders rushed out from the mountain pass, galloping loudly and quickly, soon overtaking the slow moving rider.