Chapter 89

In the warm afternoon sun, two figures riding their swords slowly flew across the sky, drawing quite a bit of attention.

"Look quickly, what's that?"

"Xiao Xiaoshou?"

"It seems to be him, the Reverse Sword Technique!"

Some people were excited; Xiao Xiaoshou was currently quite famous in the outer courtyard. After all, he was a champion and often made impressive moves, so many people knew him.

"Who's the one next to him? That sword is so big, it's blocking the view."

"It looks like Su Qianqian from the inner courtyard, but that's impossible, I must be mistaken. How could Su Qianqian be out with Xiao Xiaoshou?"

"Right, you must be mistaken, but she can also use the 'Reverse Sword Technique,' that's amazing!"

"Amazing? I feel dizzy just looking at it..."

In the sky, Su Qianqian was indeed a bit dizzy, but she forced herself to overcome it. "Brother Xiaoshou, why are we flying so slowly?"

Xiao Xiaoshou glared, "How can this be called slow? This is called steady!"

"You, you're just too impatient. Everything needs to be steady, understand?"

"Okay." Su Qianqian obediently accepted the scolding.

Xiao Xiaoshou, however, glanced at the information bar:

"Received admiration, passive value, +32."

"Received praise, passive value, +4."

"Received jealousy, passive value, +122."

"..."

This wave of gains was solid; how could it be fast?

Moreover, to be fast, one must be able to fly. The current speed was already about his limit...

The passive values he had in reserve had been reduced to single digits after the lottery. The masked man's sword qi had contributed over a thousand passive values.

But gaining values this way wasn't as comfortable as now.

Look, just flying from the courtyard to Goose Lake, by accumulating little by little, it was almost two thousand passive values.

Xiao Xiaoshou felt he had discovered a new way to earn money.

Since the competition was over and there were no safe matches to fight, he could come out for a walk every day, getting fresh air while earning passive values that were almost equivalent to a match.

If he encountered a peak in foot traffic...

"Hehe!" Xiao Xiaoshou was almost drooling.

The two flew to Goose Lake, and Su Qianqian finally put away her playful attitude, saying solemnly, "Brother Xiaoshou, was someone trying to kill you last night?"

Xiao Xiaoshou came back to his senses; he hadn't expected the news to spread so quickly. So this was the reason Su Qianqian came to find him?

"Did Elder Xiao tell you?"

Su Qianqian shook her head, "My master wouldn't tell me such things."

"Actually, this time coming to find Brother Xiaoshou, congratulating you is one part, but more importantly, I want Brother Xiaoshou to be cautious about a few people in the inner courtyard."

"Related to the assassins from last night?" Xiao Xiaoshou's eyebrows raised.

Su Qianqian nodded, "It might also be related to future assassins."

Xiao Xiaoshou's not-so-steady sword technique almost lost control. He swayed and quickly regained his balance.

So, it really was just the beginning, as he had guessed?

"Wen Chong?" he probed.

Su Qianqian's eyes widened, "You know?"

"I guessed..." Xiao Xiaoshou's eyes dimmed. Indeed, things always seemed to go in the worst direction. "Tell me more."

Su Qianqian organized her thoughts, "Brother Xiaoshou, have you heard of the 'Thirty-Three of the Inner Courtyard'?"

Xiao Xiaoshou nodded and then shook his head; he had only heard a little about it.

Su Qianqian explained, "The 'Thirty-Three of the Inner Courtyard' are, as the name suggests, the thirty-three strongest among the over a hundred people in the inner courtyard."

"It's also a ranking list, and it is reselected every year, usually before the 'Fengyun Zhenba' in the outer courtyard."

Xiao Xiaoshou nodded; he hadn't known this before.

Su Qianqian continued, "Every year, few disciples enter the inner courtyard, and it might even be zero, but many become disheartened after failing to become one of the thirty-three."

"Among them are those who have struggled for years but ultimately failed."

"Continuous setbacks, combined with the end of their potential, mean they can no longer obtain resources from the inner courtyard. Staying longer might even lead to being surpassed by new geniuses entering the inner courtyard..."

"Therefore, these people generally choose to leave the Spirit Palace and develop on their own outside."

She paused and looked at Xiao Xiaoshou, "Before leaving, some choose to make a quick profit and then secretly leave, never to return!"

Xiao Xiaoshou suddenly understood.

So, the two from last night were like this. No wonder they dared to act within the Spirit Palace, even with the identity of the inner courtyard, attempting to assassinate a mere outer courtyard disciple...

"So, there are people in the inner courtyard related to Wen Chong, and because I killed Wen Chong, they sent people to kill me?" Xiao Xiaoshou keenly grasped the crux of the matter.

"Yes." Su Qianqian nodded, "These assassins are just small fry, not a big deal. The main concern is the person behind them."

Xiao Xiaoshou's figure wavered again as he rode his sword. Small fry...

Almost scared the life out of me, Brother Xiaoshou!

"Person behind them?" he repeated.

A hint of fear flashed in Su Qianqian's eyes, "Zhang Xinxiong."

This was a name Xiao Xiaoshou had never heard before, and he was a bit dazed, "Related to Wen Chong?"

"Um, in-laws."

"The eldest son of the Zhang family in Tiansang County, very tall and strong, with inherited bloodline power. He entered the inner courtyard five years ago, and his strength is unfathomable."

Five years ago?!

Who can handle that?

Xiao Xiaoshou couldn't keep his balance and fell from the sky.

Fortunately, they weren't flying high. He knelt on the ground, patted his clothes, and casually waved up.

"Let's talk down here, it's a bit cold up there."

Su Qianqian tilted her head and looked at the big sun overhead, cold?

In the scorching heat, flying so slowly that there wasn't even a breeze, where was the cold?

But she obediently scratched her head and jumped down.

Xiao Xiaoshou walked ahead, his mind constantly revolving around the name "Zhang Xinxiong," and asked, "Upper Spirit Realm?"

Su Qianqian nodded, "Peak!"

Xiao Xiaoshou staggered.

Su Qianqian thought for a moment and added, "He has been at the peak of the Upper Spirit Realm for a year. He has been suppressing his realm to prepare for the competition in Dongtian City in six months."

Xiao Xiaoshou's legs gave out, and he quickly grabbed the white jade railing to keep from falling to the ground.

Oh my!

What's going on?

In other words, the person who wanted to kill him, if he wanted to, could already be at the Master level?

I'm not worth it!

Xiao Xiaoshou was almost in tears. For such a big shot to target him, wouldn't that be beneath him?

Not to mention, he hadn't even crossed the gap between the outer and inner courtyards!

"The two who tried to kill you are called Feng Kong and Shao Yi, but I checked, and it doesn't seem like Zhang Xinxiong sent them."

A glimmer of hope appeared in Xiao Xiaoshou's eyes, not?

That's great!

But Su Qianqian wasn't done, "This time, it should be He Yuxing who sent them. He follows Lan Xinzi, and Lan Xinzi follows Zhang Xinxiong..."

"Um, so it seems Zhang Xinxiong is behind it..."

Xiao Xiaoshou's head was spinning, "Who are these two?"

Su Qianqian: "Both are among the Thirty-Three of the Inner Courtyard."

Thud!

Xiao Xiaoshou couldn't hold onto the railing anymore and fell to the ground.

Su Qianqian was immediately panicked.

"Brother Xiaoshou, what's wrong?"

"Did you get heatstroke?"