Chapter 42

The room was quiet.

Lu Wushuang, who had already returned to her room, was now beginning to feel a growing sense of fear. The reason was simple: at this moment, there was someone she knew all too well in her room—Hong Lingbo.

If her senior sister was in this inn, it meant that the Crimson Lotus Fairy, Li Mochou, was also here.

This was like a lamb entering the mouth of a tiger!

For the limping girl Lu Wushuang, this was exactly what she was thinking at the moment.

"Senior Sister, are you here to capture me?"

Facing Hong Lingbo, Lu Wushuang was quite nervous, tightly gripping her curved saber and watching her senior sister with caution. When she went upstairs, she had bumped into Hong Lingbo, who was about to go downstairs, and both of them were taken aback at the time.

In the end, it was Hong Lingbo who was abruptly pulled into the room by Lu Wushuang, leading to the current situation.

Looking at the somewhat trembling Lu Wushuang, Hong Lingbo was still quite surprised by her junior sister's nervousness. She had not expected to meet Lu Wushuang in the same inn. After a long moment of eye contact with Lu Wushuang, Hong Lingbo said calmly, "If Master orders me to capture you, then I will capture you!"

Hong Lingbo had always been very caring towards her limping junior sister, especially when it did not go against Li Mochou's wishes. Sometimes, even when it did go against her wishes, Hong Lingbo would reduce the severity of the punishment she inflicted on Lu Wushuang on behalf of her master.

Lu Wushuang, of course, knew this.

"But..."

"Junior Sister, return the stolen secret manual to Master!"

The word "but" was the most feared, and in Lu Wushuang's nervousness, Hong Lingbo indeed voiced her opinion.

"No!"

Without a second thought, Lu Wushuang directly refused, saying, "If I give it to her, she will definitely beat me to death!" Moreover, I want to use the manual to take revenge!

"If you don't return it, Master will beat you to death directly!"

Seeing Lu Wushuang's stubbornness, Hong Lingbo's face was filled with worry.

To die if I give it back?

To die if I don't give it back?

Why should I give it back then?

Lu Wushuang's resolve to resist was only strengthened by Hong Lingbo's words. Moreover, if it really came to an unavoidable situation, she did not think the golden-robed Taoist would ignore her!

As the two were arguing, a clear sound of a leaf flute came from outside the window, and both of them immediately lowered their voices and began to listen quietly.

Next door.

Yang Guo's expression was somewhat gloomy. The journey, combined with the ride and his worries, made him look less lively than usual.

Originally, it was Yang Guo who was supposed to go downstairs to order food, but after seeing his state, Cheng Ying went down instead, leaving the space for Yang Guo and Wanyan Ping.

Moreover, Wanyan Ping's expression seemed a bit strange, so Cheng Ying decided to go down herself, otherwise, the two of them might have continued to starve.

When Cheng Ying returned upstairs with the food and entered the room, everything was still the same.

The two of them had not moved at all.

The only difference was that Yang Guo's face was even more troubled and helpless, while Wanyan Ping's gaze was fixed on Yang Guo, lost in thought.

"..."

Although Cheng Ying had a good impression of Yang Guo, and his appearance had already given her a good first impression, seeing this scene, she decided it would be wise not to bring up any related questions and instead called out, "Big Brother Yang, Sister Wanyan, let's eat!"

"..."

"Ah?"

"Um?"

Both of their reactions were similar, caught off guard. However, they quickly recovered their composure and walked to the table, the three of them slowly eating their meal.

Even so, Yang Guo and Wanyan Ping were eating distractedly, picking at their food with little interest.

Seeing this, Cheng Ying, who had been eating steadily, also slowed down, her gaze constantly shifting between the two of them.

What happened while I was downstairs?

Wanyan Ping's feelings for Yang Guo were obvious, even to a blind person, and Cheng Ying naturally knew this. However, she did not know what had just happened between them. But this did not stop her from making guesses.

"..."

Yang Guo, of course, was aware of Cheng Ying's puzzled gaze. At this moment, he felt a sense of weariness and had no interest in caring about others' opinions.

Turning his head, he glanced sideways at Wanyan Ping, who was sitting quietly but full of sorrow, and felt his heart ache.

Since childhood, he had never regretted anything so much.

He had never regretted acting on impulse like this.

He knew what it meant to do such a thing to a woman. Even though he had been mischievous and carefree since childhood, he understood the implications. Abandoning someone like that would make him a heartless person. After all, his aunt, the Crimson Lotus Fairy Li Mochou, had once been abandoned... and what had she become in the end? A notorious figure in the martial world.

Thinking of what might happen if he did the same and Wanyan Ping ended up like his aunt, Yang Guo shuddered involuntarily.

Sigh!

What should I do?

Leaving would be irresponsible to Wanyan Ping, but staying would be irresponsible to his aunt!

For a moment, Yang Guo was at a loss.

Just as Yang Guo, Wanyan Ping, and Cheng Ying were each lost in their thoughts, a clear sound of a leaf flute came from outside.

The three of them were startled, then stopped eating and listened intently.

The sound was clear and crisp, yet filled with sorrow.

Yang Guo and Wanyan Ping did not know what a leaf flute was, but to them, the sound was pleasant, yet it conveyed a sense of unspoken frustration and helplessness.

It was like a lonely note in a bustling world, out of place and highlighting a deep sorrow.

Unconsciously, Yang Guo and Wanyan Ping exchanged a glance, both feeling that the sound had touched their hearts. However, what they were truly thinking, or if there were any differences, remained unknown.

Cheng Ying, on the other hand, was surprised. As a disciple of the eccentric Huang Yaoshi, she had her own expertise in music.

The bamboo flute and jade flute were the instruments she spent the most time on.

However, the music she was hearing now, though it sounded like a flute, was definitely not a flute. The sound, though clear, was sharper, almost as if it were produced by a leaf.

Could it be...

Cheng Ying's eyes lit up. Her efforts in music allowed her to recognize the unique, sorrowful melody. Moreover, she felt that this playing style was not the best match for the melody, suggesting there might be other ways to play it.

Thinking of this, Cheng Ying's hand involuntarily touched the jade flute at her waist.

She did not think of joining in, but instead focused on appreciating the melody. Regardless of the player's intentions, Cheng Ying found it to be a good piece of music.

At least it suited certain scenes.

Cheng Ying's gaze involuntarily fell on Wanyan Ping again.

...

Time passed quickly, and the melody, though not long, finally came to an end under the attentive listening of the audience.

The lingering sound was enough to savor, even if it did not linger for three days.

In the room, Cheng Ying could not help but sigh, regretting that she had not joined in with her jade flute. Wanyan Ping and Yang Guo, on the other hand, fell into silence.

Just as Cheng Ying was about to get up to clear the cold food, a loud explosion sounded overhead. Looking up in surprise, she saw—

Amidst the flying tiles, a golden figure fell from the roof.