Chapter 18

"Hasn't!" the girl in red whispered in response.

"Why did he get off the carriage then?" Yang Dingtian asked.

"After we arrived at the Yin-Yang Sect, there would be many people. Getting off a public carriage would be embarrassing, so he got off early," one of the rangers said.

Yang Dingtian said, "That's understandable. After all, he's from the Qin family in the northwest, a prestigious lineage. He can't afford to lose face for his family."

"Bullshit about a prestigious lineage," one of the rangers sneered. "He's just the son of a servant from the Qin family in the northwest. Someone who doesn't even deserve a surname, yet he calls himself Qin Huaiyu, the biggest braggart among wandering warriors. Who from a prestigious lineage would ride in a public carriage?"

Yang Dingtian was slightly taken aback. No wonder Qin Huaiyu didn't mention his name. This man loved to brag and was lecherous, but he didn't seem like a bad person. Behind his smile, there must be a lot of bitterness. Yang Dingtian felt sympathy for him and didn't show any ridicule on his face.

After a while, the four remaining rangers also got off the carriage, though they hadn't yet arrived at the Yin-Yang Sect. They too got off early for the sake of their pride. Now, only the old man, the girl in red, and Yang Dingtian were left on the carriage.

After these people got off, the girl in red, who had been slightly restrained, let out a long sigh of relief. Her posture relaxed, and her beautiful eyes looked at Yang Dingtian more boldly.

On her pretty face, her eyes were very lively. At this moment, Yang Dingtian realized that the girl's big eyes weren't just shy; they also had a hint of wildness, not the kind of wildness like Ximen Yanyan, but the boldness of a mountain girl from the countryside after shedding her restraint.

"Those people's eyes were so disgusting. If I were at home, I would have dug out their eyes," the girl in red said.

"Everyone appreciates beauty. They're not bad people," Yang Dingtian said. "It's just that you are beautiful, so they look at you like that."

The girl in red's face turned slightly red, and she said, "You didn't look at me like that."

Yang Dingtian said, "I wanted to, but I didn't feel right about it."

The girl in red's face turned red, and her wild eyes became even bolder, not caring much about her father's presence.

Yang Dingtian quickly changed the subject, "They are all quite strong. Do you think you can beat them if you want to dig out their eyes?"

"They are all cowards, they can't beat me," the girl in red said proudly, her cherry lips slightly upturned.

Yang Dingtian, surprised and admiring, said, "You are that strong?"

The girl in red, a bit embarrassed, said, "Not really strong, but not bad. It depends on who I'm compared to."

"By the way, don't believe what that Qin guy said. He loves to brag," the girl in red said.

Yang Dingtian said, "So everything he said is a lie?"

The girl in red said, "Not exactly, but he likes to put on airs. The things he talks about are well-known, but he makes them sound like high-level secrets."

"What's your name?" the girl in red asked boldly.

"My name is Yang Dingtian."

The girl in red's face turned slightly red, and she said, "Why such a name?"

It seemed she wasn't completely naive.

"My name is Shui Hongshao. My father is Li Guinong, and I take my mother's surname," the girl in red said.

The old man, hearing his daughter eagerly reveal their names, smiled helplessly and lovingly.

Yang Dingtian said, "Your name sounds beautiful."

"Haven't you heard of my father's name?" Shui Hongshao asked, puzzled.

Yang Dingtian was slightly taken aback. Could this farmer-like old man be famous? He shook his head and said, "I am quite ignorant. I just came from a place with no people. I even heard Zhu Qingzhu's name for the first time."

Shui Hongshao said, "That's fine. My father is quite famous, but not in a grand way. It's a kind of fallen fame."

Saying this, Shui Hongshao had a hint of sorrow.

"What are you doing at the Yin-Yang Sect?" Shui Hongshao asked.

Yang Dingtian said, "I'm here to deliver something."

"Is it a gift? We are also here to deliver a gift. We traveled a long distance just for this. We even sold a lot of our fields for the gift and travel expenses. The Yin-Yang Sect is very arrogant; they wouldn't care about our gift," Shui Hongshao said, annoyed. "But I just treat it as a trip. I have never left home before."

After that, Shui Hongshao kept talking to Yang Dingtian. Yang Dingtian gradually learned that this father and daughter came from the Wooden Sword Fort in Pingliang Prefecture, and Li Guinong was actually the fort's master. What surprised Yang Dingtian even more was that the Wooden Sword Fort was also listed among the three sects, nine gates, and twenty-seven schools, a famous and prestigious sect. However, its glory belonged to the past, and it was now so impoverished and fallen that it was almost on the verge of being removed from the list.

This long journey to deliver a gift was to get the Yin-Yang Sect to speak up so that the Wooden Sword Fort wouldn't be removed from the list.

The more they talked, the more Yang Dingtian understood that Shui Hongshao, though a mountain girl, was very intelligent and innocent, bold and wild.

Time passed quickly as they talked. After more than half an hour, they arrived at the Yin-Yang Sect.

Yang Dingtian got off the carriage and bowed to Li Guinong and his daughter, "Master Li, Miss Shui, farewell! I wish you success in your endeavors."

He had already decided that after entering the Yin-Yang Sect, he would speak up for the Wooden Sword Fort to his master's wife so that they wouldn't lose the reputation their ancestors had earned.

Li Guinong returned the bow, "Wishing you a bright future, Young Master Yang."

Shui Hongshao, somewhat reluctant to part, said softly, "If you have time in the future, you must come to the Wooden Sword Fort to visit."

"Definitely!" Yang Dingtian smiled and then turned to leave.

Shui Hongshao stood there, watching Yang Dingtian's back until he was out of sight, still unwilling to leave. Her father, Li Guinong, smiled and said, "Daughter, you have good taste, but it's a pity he has high aspirations and wouldn't look at us."

Shui Hongshao's face turned red, and she glared at her father, "Father, what are you talking about? Who would look at him?"

*********

The Yin-Yang Sect is located on Mount Wu Liang, with its gate at the mountain's waist. After getting off the carriage at the foot of the mountain, it still takes several miles to reach the gate of the Yin-Yang Sect. According to Yang Dingtian's calculations, the altitude here is already over 3,000 meters. Eastern Yunzhou is not too cold, and the foot of the mountain is warm, but the waist of the mountain is already covered in snow and ice.

Mount Wu Liang is very large. From the foot to the waist, the altitude is only 3,000 meters, but the green stone path winds up the mountain for dozens of miles. On the way, there are countless people traveling with them, most of whom are rangers without a sect or disciples from small sects, who only have the right to deliver gifts at the gate on the mountain waist.

Standing at the gate of the Yin-Yang Sect, Yang Dingtian was once again strongly impressed.

The stone path that wound up the mountain like a snake ended here, and in front of him was the gate of the Yin-Yang Sect. This gate was a huge crack in the stone wall, about ten meters wide, with stone walls on both sides reaching forty to fifty meters high. Standing under this massive gate, Yang Dingtian felt incredibly small.

What was even more astonishing was that this crack, ten meters wide, forty to fifty meters high, and over a hundred meters deep, was actually cut out, with the marks of swords and knives still visible.

In front of the gate was a huge stone square, where hundreds of tables were set up, filled with banquets and people eating and drinking. After one group finished, the tables were quickly cleared, and a new group took their place.

In front of the gate, there were nine long queues, each person holding various gifts.

These were all people without status, who didn't even have the right to enter the Yin-Yang Sect. They could only deliver their gifts at the gate and then eat a meal on the stone square before leaving. Despite this cold treatment, countless people still flocked here.

Sighing, Yang Dingtian found a shorter queue and joined the end, waiting to present his gift.

After waiting for over an hour, it was finally Yang Dingtian's turn to present his gift. He took out the Li Huo Nine-Ring Pendant from his chest. This was given to him by Ximen Wuyuan to help him meet his master's wife. The Li Huo Nine-Ring Pendant was extremely precious and was the only one of its kind today.

The person receiving the gifts was not a disciple of the Yin-Yang Sect but a common servant. After taking the gift, he asked expressionlessly, "Name, sect, and what gift?"

"Yang Dingtian, no sect, Li Huo Nine-Ring Pendant," Yang Dingtian replied.

The servant's face changed, and he looked up at Yang Dingtian, then said coldly, "Li Huo Nine-Ring Pendant? Thirty lashes and expulsion from the mountain. A ban will be issued, and no sect in the world will accept you."

Immediately, four strong warriors rushed forward to take Yang Dingtian away.

Yang Dingtian, confused and angry, said, "What do you mean? Is this how you treat someone who brings a gift?"

The servant said coldly, "Even if you brought a goose feather, we would invite you to a meal. But if you deceive us, it is an insult to the Yin-Yang Sect. Thirty lashes and a ban are already lenient."

Yang Dingtian said, "How did I deceive you?"

The servant said, "You are the 99th person to bring a Li Huo Nine-Ring Pendant today."

He then opened a box next to him, which was filled with Li Huo Nine-Ring Pendants, identical to the one Yang Dingtian had brought.

Yang Dingtian was speechless. The Yin-Yang Sect's search for the Li Huo Nine-Ring Pendant was well-known, so some opportunistic rangers had brought fake ones, and Yang Dingtian had been caught in the crossfire.

"This one is real," Yang Dingtian said.

"55 people have said the same thing," the servant said expressionlessly. "Take him away, thirty lashes!"

Immediately, the four warriors grabbed Yang Dingtian's arms and pressed him to the ground.

"Who dares?" Yang Dingtian was furious and was about to act.

"Wait..." Suddenly, a clear and cold voice rang out, and a snow-white figure appeared like the wind. Everyone around bowed in respect; this was a true disciple of the Yin-Yang Sect.

The Yin-Yang Sect disciple picked up the Li Huo Nine-Ring Pendant Yang Dingtian had brought and looked at it in the sunlight. His expression suddenly changed.