Chapter 544

Chapter 544

Li Zhuiyuan nodded, which was his way of responding to the wave of respectful bows.

As the boy took the girl's hand and stepped forward, the crowd in front automatically parted to make way for them.

Regardless of the future, at least for now, most of them approve of this young man.

Relying on extraordinary talent, he shoulders the responsibility of reviving two Dragon King sects. This story is very much to the liking of young people in the martial arts world.

Of course, this is on the premise that their own family sects don't become mere embellishments in the story.

Some things are destined to be unavoidable; it's just a matter of whether they come sooner or later.

Compared to Uncle Qin, who traveled the river in the previous generation, it arrived earlier.

Despite his extraordinary talent, Qi Longwang entered the Xuanmen sect by "eating from a hundred families" and even personally slaying the drought demon, a mythical being, he was considered a dragon king who had been cheated and gained an unfair advantage. This was because during the great struggle of the previous generation, Uncle Qin and a group of outstanding individuals "exploded".

But for Li Zhuiyuan himself, it came a little too late.

In Lujiazhuang, Yuxi, Li Zhuiyuan dared to make a name for himself because of his confidence in his own strength. This confidence was not based on the absolute level of his strength, but rather on the difference in strength between him and his contemporaries.

In that wave, Runsheng, Lin Shuyou, and Tan Wenbin were each able to hold off an entire team of Jiangzhe, which is the most straightforward demonstration of their abilities.

At that time, Li Zhuiyuan believed that he had the ability to protect himself, and he was confident that he would not be trapped and besieged like Uncle Qin.

As a result, first, the Emperor of Fengdu descended upon the Ming family of the Dragon King and extinguished all the spirits of the Ming family with a single slap; then, he broke the deadlock by asking Grandma Liu to lead Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu to start a massacre in Tingfeng Canyon; later, he summoned the evil spirits from the Qin family's ancestral home and created the prelude to a catastrophe in the Chen family of Qiongya.

The series of large-scale moves stunned the martial arts world, bringing them closer together but also making them more cautious, thus buying Li Zhuiyuan more time.

They thought they had been decisive enough, but with Li Zhuiyuan, they were still too slow.

From Lujiazhuang onwards, every day that followed saw the smallest gap between Jiang Shang's peers and Li Zhuiyuan's side.

Now, after two bloody battles at the True Lord Temple, the boy's opponent has been elevated to the level of an orthodox sect elder.

Upon his return, the boy completed a new round of training for his companions, and even Ah Li wasted her talent by starting martial arts training ahead of schedule.

This relentless and frantic pursuit of improvement is essentially a response to the ever-increasing difficulty of navigating the river, and has little to do with the competitors of the same generation.

As Li Zhuiyuan walked, his peripheral vision swept across the faces around him.

They were all older than him, yet they were also very young.

The previous respectful greetings and the current junior's etiquette were largely due to Li Zhuiyuan's status as the "senior head of the family".

What they didn't know was that, even from the perspective of strength, Li Zhuiyuan was now their senior.

Originally, when the boy looked at the script in his hand, he thought he would organize a large wolf pack, just like Yu Xi did, and at most kill a few troublemakers to establish his authority.

Now, the direction of the script hasn't changed, but the core has. The consequence of this is that the wolf pack will likely turn on itself and tear it apart.

Ah Li sensed the dampness in the boy's palm.

It wasn't a projection from Wangjiang Tower, but rather the two of them holding hands in reality.

Is it fear or excitement?

He wasn't afraid; even when the giant turtle came ashore, the boy didn't show any fear.

That's excitement.

Ah Li smiled, revealing two adorable dimples on her face.

She is happy when the boy is happy.

To the young people present, this scene resembled that of a divine couple, sharing each other's glory and taking pride in each other's achievements. It's just that this divine couple was a little too young.

Amidst the gazes from within the Wangjiang Tower, the Qin Liu Clan, believing their rise to power was imminent, prematurely indulged in a sense of satisfaction and pride.

Little did the boy know, it meant something else entirely.

I just wanted to take this opportunity to bleed the old folks dry.

But since the old folks intend to use this as an opportunity to build this platform and let the younger generation recreate the old days when they joined forces to suppress Uncle Qin...

Then I wouldn't mind taking action to clear out the area on the river in advance!

Upon reaching the entrance of Wangjiang Tower, the middle-aged man who always stood at the entrance to greet guests at meetings bowed to Li Zhuiyuan.

"Greetings, Senior Li."

The middle-aged man glanced at the square out of the corner of his eye.

The meaning is simple: inside the building, regardless of power level, only the head of the family is qualified to enter.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at him.

The middle-aged man stepped aside, gesturing for the man to come in.

Alright, both Dragon King's gates are qualified for two people to enter.

Li Zhuiyuan and A Li entered the building. The first floor was much more crowded than when Li Zhuiyuan had been there before.

This can be interpreted as the martial arts world taking the Yu family crisis as a lesson, and thus paying more attention to the closure of Qinglong Temple. Alternatively, it can be interpreted as the need for more "lighters" to participate in a particular matter, since even the top martial arts forces only have one "lighter" per generation, and they need to gather more manpower.

Back when Qin Shu was targeted, the inheritors of top powers generally remained hidden behind the scenes, while a large number of lower-level figures in the martial arts world, and even grassroots troublemakers, acted as human front-line fighters.

"Master Li."

"Master Li."

Since they were all family heads or sect leaders, Li Zhuiyuan returned their greetings.

Then, the boy and girl went upstairs.

The round table was full of people, with only one empty seat left. The chairs placed around it were also occupied.

Some people stood up to greet them, while others simply ignored them.

The person who gets up to greet you isn't necessarily a friend. For example, the most enthusiastic one was the son of Ming Qinyun, the new head of the Ming family.

The man sitting there intently picking his nose was Tao Yunhe, the head of the Tao family, known as the Dragon King.

Tao Yunhe dipped his finger, which he had just picked his nose with, into the teacup in front of the Ming family head as he stood up and turned his back, as if to clean it.

Li Zhuiyuan walked to the round table and asked, "Is the abbot of Qinglong Temple here too?"

Qinglong Temple has already announced its closure, so the abbot will not be coming.

But since one person is missing, there should be an extra seat at the round table.

"Hahaha, I was sitting in the wrong seat. Please forgive me, Patriarch Li."

An elderly man with a long white beard got up and left the round table.

The seating arrangement in the martial arts world is left to the individual; since the abbot of Qinglong Temple didn't come, he, who was originally supposed to sit on the outer bench, can now sit at the table.

But since someone has pointed out to him that he wants the position, he naturally has to give up the position; there's no need to fight for it any longer.

Tao Yunhe smiled and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

He probably drinks tea at home in real life, and he probably spits it out.

Tao Yunhe said, "Absolutely, absolutely. The Qin and Liu families should each have two seats."

No one objected, and the one who stepped down didn't say anything more.

Li Zhuiyuan and A Li sat down.

The tea in front of them is fake. Except for the person who is actually in the real Wangjiang Tower, everything that others see and hear is fake.

But the aroma of the tea is real.

Li Zhuiyuan picked up the glass and took a sip.

The Ming family head asked, "Is this the first time you've tasted this famous Wangjianglou tea, Master Li? How does it taste?"

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head: It's not as good as the Ming family's.

The people at the table and around them all showed subtle expressions.

You, the head of the Ming family, are subtly mocking someone for drinking this tea for the first time. But in terms of the length of time you've been the head of the family, haven't you been there longer? It's as if you were entitled to sit here and drink this tea before.

The second floor is full of ancient foxes; managing their expressions is the most basic requirement. The fact that they can clearly express this is a deliberate attempt to put pressure on the Ming family, which is now in decline.

Tao Yunhe's previous actions were not about washing his fingers clean; he was deliberately putting boogers on the Ming family's nose.

Putting everything else aside, the Qinliu family, with its resurgence, is indeed more significant than the Ming family, which is only on the decline.

Li Zhuiyuan ignored the Ming family head and spoke:

"My Qin Liu family is small in number. Regarding the Qinglong Temple matter, we will take the same stance as we did with the Yu family. My Qin Liu family will not directly participate. You can discuss it yourselves and just let me know the result."

That time with the Yu family, Grandma Liu didn't send Uncle Qin or Aunt Liu. She even hinted to Li Zhuiyuan that if conditions allowed, he should lend a hand out of consideration for the fact that they were both from the Dragon King's family.

Not directly involved means not participating openly; the fact that the river water pushes him over doesn't count, since he, as the head of the family, is also walking along the river.

"In that case, let's begin our discussion."

The meeting began.

Li Zhuiyuan remained silent, and A Li sat quietly beside the boy.

There was some information exchanged at the meeting, which was somewhat interesting, but that was about it.

For example, many people suspect that Qinglong Temple may be doing something taboo.

The secrets that each family obtains through its own unique channels are not to be revealed here; they are all discussed privately. Not only are the listeners on the first floor not qualified to know, but many of those sitting outside the table on the second floor are also not qualified to have their secrets shared.

For example, Qinglong Temple itself has connections and collusion with certain top powers.

It's true that Qinglong Temple has taboos, but it's also true that Qinglong Temple wants to use this as an opportunity to eliminate itself. In this martial arts world, everyone gets what they need.

Li Zhuiyuan listened patiently, analyzing the situation in his mind.

The boy even thoughtfully put himself in their shoes, thinking about where there were loopholes in the script that needed to be fixed.

The most important catalyst is Yayoi.

Yayoi left with a predestined connection, and when she returned this time, she had just exhausted her original connection.

Yayoi is key to this plan.

He was the bait, but he deliberately fed it to himself, specifically to catch the fish that was him.

But it's uncertain whether Yayoi truly betrayed him, or whether he completely sided with him this time.

Just like in the previous Zhenjun Temple, if that mad monk had actually squeezed into the Pudu Zhenjun Hall, no amount of explanation would have made a difference.

A stance is something you need to confirm and even refine yourself; it's never static.

Even the foreign teams that are to be summoned this time, their positions need to be reassessed and finalized.

After all, not every foreign team is like Zhao Yi.

This isn't to praise Zhao Yi, but rather to say that this script has a distinct "Code of Conduct for Traveling Along the River" feel to it.

Perhaps Zhao Yi is the mastermind behind this.

This guy secretly came to Nantong to help me upgrade my team and also witnessed our new strength.

But this did not stop Zhao Yi from continuing to vigorously promote the plan after returning.

If he could suffocate himself, all the better. If he couldn't, he could use his own hands to help Zhao Yi clear out the area. There were far more monks than porridge on the river, so he would benefit.

The next time they met, Zhao Yi could still pat his chest and say: "Hey Li, look how good I am to you, I'll pack them up and feed them to you."

Currently, the script still has one major flaw.

Even if you say that the Qin Liu family will not participate in the affairs of Qinglong Temple, is it okay to suddenly change your mind and make a last-minute decision?

It's true that we have few family members, but we are very capable fighters.

Li Zhuiyuan looked down at the tea in his cup.

The most suitable entity to step in and plug this loophole is Qinglong Temple.

Qinglong Temple provides the venue and is also suitable for setting the rules.

As the meeting progressed, some people began to look to their sides, while others lowered their heads to read, indicating that new intelligence had been delivered to them.

Aunt Liu wasn't home, so there was no one to receive the letter, and news from Tan Wenbin's second-hand team was also consistently delayed.

But that doesn't matter much, since there will be a notice on the table anyway, and if nothing unexpected happens, this intelligence will be tailor-made for me.

The Ming family patriarch said, "Qinglong Temple has sent out an invitation, asking each of our sects to send one person to the temple to witness the grand opening of the thousand-year-old Buddha lotus."

A new round of discussion has begun regarding this news, with everyone exchanging opinions.

Li Zhuiyuan remained silent.

This martial arts world severely underestimated the current strength of its team. Since it had decided to use a large number of people on the river, it was unlikely that it would go to the trouble of bringing in the old guys again.

In the wave that the Yu family entered, most of the old guys were buried alive. Those who stayed behind to block the gate either had graves in Luoyang like Xu Fengzhi, or had to go back to seclusion.

Matters involving cause and effect on the river are best handled by the one who lit the lamp. Forcible intervention by outsiders comes at too high a price, not only affecting themselves but also potentially harming the lineage.

Therefore, the purpose of this invitation to the ceremony was essentially to bring in a group of old-timers to restrain the three elders behind them who might make a move.

"Patriarch Li, we have decided to each send an elder to observe the ceremony. Firstly, we will take this opportunity to enter the temple and see what exactly is happening at Qinglong Temple. Secondly, if Qinglong Temple is indeed practicing some kind of taboo, we can communicate with the outside world in time and call on our fellow martial artists to come and help us."

Of course, we all hope that the closure of Qinglong Temple was just a misunderstanding, and we don't want the tragedy of the Yu family to repeat itself. The righteous path of the martial world cannot afford to suffer any more losses.

I wonder what the Li family's decision is?

The problem was once again presented to Li Zhuiyuan.

This is setting rules.

The clearer the rules, the less chance there is to take advantage of a situation. Last time at Tingfeng Canyon, Grandma Liu brought Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu to the scene, causing heavy losses to the Ming and Ling families. This time, they will not give them such an opportunity again.

When the river flows in, the karmic consequences of nature will descend, and the matters discussed at today's meeting will become the rules of the next wave.

The loophole has been plugged. In the next wave, elders from all families are not allowed to interfere in the affairs of those who light lamps. If they do, they will be involved in terrible karmic repercussions.

A smile appeared on Li Zhuiyuan's lips.

I really couldn't resist.

The fact that Yayoi has fallen into demonic possession has not been exposed indicates that this wave was not driven by the will of Heaven.

This time, it must have been the combined efforts of several top martial arts factions, who paid an unknown price to launch this wave in an attempt to drown themselves.

But look at all the effort they've put in, what exactly have they arranged? Such a meticulous and complicated plan can be simplified into two points in Li Zhuiyuan's ears.

Article 1: Let a large group of "little sheep" who light lamps on the river surround and kill him.

Article 2: All the old folks must not interfere.

Li Zhuiyuan was not afraid of the first point.

As for the second point...

If it were like the time with the Yu family, where everyone was in chaos and had their own agendas, Li Zhuiyuan would have had to be more careful and try to find opportunities to assassinate each other. But now, before he even made a move, the old guys have all put on a shackle themselves.

If Zhao Yi was indeed behind this, then there's no need to doubt his stance.

Li Zhuiyuan began:

"My Qin Liu family will not send anyone to attend the ceremony."

but,

I agree with the matters discussed at Wangjiang Tower today.

The rest of the attendees nodded in agreement.

That's how it was decided.

Li Zhuiyuan got up from the table, and A Li followed him.

Many people on the second floor remained still, keeping things as they were. But in reality, some were relieved, some sighed, some felt regret, and most were relaxed and happy.

Li Zhuiyuan and A Li walked out of Wangjiang Tower.

At this moment, the boy understood why Uncle Qin had failed back then. Such a scheme was only possible because he had encountered someone who was specifically targeted by the Heavenly Dao. Anyone in other eras would have found it difficult to escape such a crushing defeat.

It's truly remarkable that Uncle Qin managed to break through the encirclement and escape with his life.

King Qi probably wouldn't care about such empty fame, but the fact that he took action against those mythical beings so early after becoming the Dragon King was probably because of this river, which made his journey somewhat less fulfilling.

The young people in the square were still there. They had been chatting in small groups, but when they saw Li Zhuiyuan come out, they all prepared to bow and see him off, just like when he came.

"Respectfully seeing off the senior."

"Respectfully seeing off the senior."

Li Zhuiyuan, holding A Li's hand, walked through them again and stood in the same spot where they had come in. The figures of the boy and girl gradually faded away.

Before leaving Wangjiang Tower, Li Zhuiyuan nodded to them again in response.

It's hard to say how many people will still be standing in this square after the next wave.

Ah Li's gaze swept carefully across the entire room, as if she lingered in the atmosphere of being respectfully surrounded.

The incense on the desk went out, and Li Zhuiyuan and A Li opened their eyes.

Li Zhuiyuan stepped out of the house and stood on the terrace.

Sitting on the dam, Liu Yumei looked up at Li Zhuiyuan:
"Xiao Yuan, it's too windy up there, be careful not to catch a cold."

"It's okay, Grandma. I was just trying to cool myself down."

Ah Li walked to the painting table, unrolled the new scroll, and began to paint.

The girl was drawing Wangjiang Tower. She drew it very quickly. The figures in the square were blurry and seemingly real, so there was no need to depict them in detail. After all, many of them would soon be gone, so it wasn't worth wasting ink on them.

When it was time for dinner, Li Zhuiyuan went into the kitchen.

The stove was excessively clean; the pot had just been scraped clean, and there wasn't a speck of ash inside the stove.

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at the kitchen inventory and noticed that Aunt Liu had made three bowls less of the wontons she had prepared beforehand.

It seems that Miss Liu wanted to try cooking wontons herself, but failed and then got angry and cleaned up the traces.

Li Zhuiyuan planned to cook dinner himself, but just as he started the fire, A Li, who had finished painting, walked into the kitchen. The girl rolled up her sleeves and picked up a spatula.

Li Zhuiyuan had no choice but to continue tending the fire in silence.

It's still four dishes and one soup.

When the dish was served and placed on the table, Ah Li looked puzzled.

The dinner dishes were visibly inferior to those at lunch.

Li Zhuiyuan knew that this was because Grandma Liu's big cleaning had changed the environment of the stove, causing A-Li to make mistakes in controlling the heat and other aspects.

Liu Yumei didn't eat any more rice that night, but she drank more alcohol than usual.

She admits that she is a lazy old lady who doesn't do any physical work, but isn't it a blessing that such an old lady can be a hands-off manager at home and have her two children cook and take care of her?
After dark, Li Sanjiang returned with his herd of mules.

Aunt Liu took the letter into the east room and reported the situation to Liu Yumei.

"It seems that something really happened to Qinglong Temple. Ha, they deserve what they got today."

Aunt Liu's tone was filled with undisguised schadenfreude.

Liu Yumei placed the letter into the drawer of the altar, which was covered in protective spells. She rubbed her temples with her fingertips, feeling somewhat uneasy.

"Madam, what's wrong?"

"Perhaps he drank too much tonight."

Instead of using any methods to sober up, Liu Yumei deliberately made herself a little tipsy, seeking a state of mild intoxication.

Aunt Liu said with a sigh, "So all the meals I've cooked for you over the years can't compare to these two meals made by my granddaughter and grandson-in-law. Sigh, they were adopted, they can't compare to their own children."

Liu Yumei didn't tolerate her and said, "Of course."

Aunt Liu wiped her eyes and sobbed, feeling wronged: "I knew it, I knew it. In the end, all my sincerity over the years has never been taken seriously. I was just being delusional."

Liu Yumei: "You'll understand when you have your own children."

Aunt Liu stopped her performance and sighed, "Alas, that's unlikely."

Liu Yumei: "Alright, alright, hurry up and go for a walk with your blockhead, lest you have another episode of your hysteria."

Aunt Liu walked out of the house with a smile, while Uncle Qin stood waiting under the dam.

The two walked side by side towards the outside.

Aunt Liu continued talking, and Uncle Qin listened, at most responding with an "uh-huh." Considering how obvious Aunt Liu's hysteria had been last time, Uncle Qin increased the dosage of treatment.

First, the distance for evening walks has increased threefold compared to the past, from the east to the west of the village, and then from the south to the north.

In other words, both of them were martial artists with extraordinary physical abilities. Ordinary people, even if they hadn't worked during the day, wouldn't be able to walk that many miles at night.

Secondly, on the return trip, Uncle Qin would lift Aunt Liu onto his shoulders.

This is how Uncle Qin managed to bring Aunt Liu back from her hysteria last time, so he's been clinging to the past and carrying Aunt Liu back every night.

Aunt Liu was used to it; he carried his own load while she took out a handful of sunflower seeds to eat.

Inside the dojo, everyone gathered together.

The first unusual thing Chen Xiyuan noticed when she first met Li Zhuiyuan's team was that the younger brother's team liked to hold meetings.

At this moment, everyone sat around the altar, and Tan Wenbin took a thermos and poured a cup of tea for each person.

A meeting should be conducted in a proper manner, even if some people never use their brains during meetings, some never speak, and some like to perform during meetings.

Li Zhuiyuan shared his latest analysis of the next wave with everyone. As is typical for young people, he spoke rather briefly, only mentioning the key points.

Runsheng slept with his eyes open.

Lin Shuyou nodded repeatedly.

After understanding what Xiao Yuan was saying, Tan Wenbin expanded on it and recounted it.

Runsheng's eyes turned white as he reached out and gripped his new Yellow River shovel.

Ayou's Meishan twin swords trembled half a beat slower than Runsheng's movements.

Fortunately, the temple was there to block the view; otherwise, Yayoi, who was sitting on the dam meditating against the wall and falling asleep, would have sensed two clear killing intents directed at her.

Runsheng's idea was straightforward: since Yayoi was bait sent by the enemy, he would take her down first.

After careful consideration, Lin Shuyou agreed with Runsheng's opinion.

Although Ayu and Yayoi had a good relationship and he truly considered Yayoi a good friend, this betrayal from a friend was even more infuriating.

Tan Wenbin: "Relax, everyone. This is not what Brother Xiaoyuan meant. If we wanted to deal with Yayoi, we should have brought her into this dojo as well."

Runsheng released the Yellow River shovel and continued to sleep with his eyes open.

Lin Shuyou: "But Yayoi shouldn't have kept it from us. She should have told us the truth as soon as possible."

Tan Wenbin: "If he tells you the truth as soon as he arrives, would you believe him?"

Lin Shuyou was taken aback for a moment, then subconsciously asked, "Otherwise what?"

Tan Wenbin reached out and patted Ayou on the shoulder: "You will trust us, but we won't."

Lin Shuyou: "So, how should we deal with Yayoi next?"

Tan Wenbin shrugged: "Let him be."

Lin Shuyou: "Huh?"

Tan Wenbin: "In the next wave, Yayoi is key, but Yayoi is not key."

Lin Shuyou: "I didn't understand."

Tan Wenbin: "Yayoi was given an exorcism order by Qinglong Temple. The role he was initially positioned in in the next wave was Zhao Yi from the Yu family's wave, who would be hunted down by people in the martial arts world and on the river."

"If we just leave him alone, he can't just stand there and wait to be killed, can he?"

Lin Shuyou: "Brother Bin, I think I understand now."

The boy said, "Then tell me quickly, so I can give you some pointers."

Lin Shuyou thought to himself, "You go first."

The boy remained silent.

Tan Wenbin looked at Li Zhuiyuan: "Brother Xiaoyuan, do we still need to notify the other teams?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "If we want the fish to take the bait, we have to keep acting until the next wave comes."

Tan Wenbin: "Understood."

The meeting adjourned.

Runsheng walked past Yayoi and went back to lie down in the coffin to sleep.

Lin Shuyou was forcing himself to remain normal, but as he passed by, Yayoi opened her eyes and smiled at him.

Tan Wenbin put his hand on Ayou's shoulder and asked Yayoi:
"How much did Uncle Li give you this time?"

Yayoi: "A lot."

"Be more specific."

"The senior colleague said we can't tell anyone."

"Grandpa Li really likes you."

“This humble monk can sense it.”

"Let's go, Ah You, we're outsiders, we should go back to sleep."

After Li Zhuiyuan escorted A Li back to the east room, he stopped in front of Yayoi.

Good night, Master.

"May Senior Li sleep well."

"I'm not in a rush to sleep tonight."

In the middle of the night, Liu Yumei opened her eyes. She turned her head to look at A Li sleeping beside her, then got up, walked to the offering table, picked up a cup of cold tea and drank it.

The effects of the alcohol should have worn off long ago, but her heart was still somewhat uneasy.

Westinghouse.

Uncle Qin, fast asleep, was breathing rapidly with his brows furrowed.

Aunt Liu sat up, puzzled.

Was I having a nightmare?
Aunt Liu's eyes were filled with disbelief. How could the Qin family have the leisure to dream?
Get out of bed and approach gently.

Aunt Liu was very worried that her hysteria might have just subsided when Ali started having problems again.

Suddenly, Uncle Qin opened his eyes, sat up, and broke out in a cold sweat.

"Ali, what's wrong?"

Uncle Qin stared blankly at his hands. He found it strange that he dreamed. In his entire life, he had always slept very well. For him, sleeping was always just a matter of closing his eyes and then opening them again.

"Ah Ting, I dreamt about that day..."

The door to the west room was pushed open, and Uncle Qin came out.

He first looked at the rooms on the second floor, hesitated whether to go into the main house and upstairs, but finally went into the kitchen first.

Uncle Qin stood in front of the condiment shelf, staring blankly at the soy sauce bottle placed there.

The lights on the second floor came on, and Li Zhuiyuan pushed open the door and came out.

Standing on the terrace, by the moonlight, I could see the figure in the kitchen.

The boy originally thought that Grandma Liu was the one who needed comforting tonight. The old lady was indeed old, and if she wanted to have a proper fight, she could use secret techniques to trace back her youth, but her perception in certain aspects was becoming more and more acute.

The fact that the elderly person was trying to cook and drinking too much alcohol both indicate that the person was restless.

But the boy didn't expect that the one who would react the most would be Uncle Qin.

Li Zhuiyuan went downstairs and into the kitchen.

"Uncle, aren't you asleep yet?"

Uncle Qin turned around, looked at Li Zhuiyuan, and murmured something.

He was just a martial artist who knew nothing but his fists, and he didn't know how to bring it up or even how to explain his dream.

"Go to sleep, Uncle Qin."

Uncle Qin was still hesitant; his mind was inexplicably in turmoil.

To reassure Uncle Qin, Li Zhuiyuan spoke again:

"Uncle, I'm smarter than you."

Upon hearing this, Uncle Qin's expression immediately relaxed.

But Uncle Qin still didn't move, his eyes still glancing at the soy sauce bottle.

Li Zhuiyuan had no choice but to continue:

"Uncle, you're so stupid."

Uncle Qin breathed a sigh of relief, a smile spreading across his face as he scratched his head.

"Xiao Yuan, you should go to sleep early. I'm going to sleep too."

"Uncle, I heard some noise in the east room when I came down. Could you go to the east room and tell the old lady to get some rest as well?"

"it is good."

Uncle Qin obediently walked to the east room and whispered through the crack in the door:

"Madam?"

There's no response inside.

"Xiao Yuan wants you to get some rest."

The sound of a teacup being set down came from inside the room.

Liu Yumei lay back on the bed, closed her eyes, and calmed down.

As Li Zhuiyuan walked back into the house, Yayoi spoke up:

"This humble monk is very envious."

"Do you envy those who are Bodhisattvas and have such spiritual sensitivity to those around them?"

“Senior knows that this is not what I envy.”

Some people worry about you and have trouble falling asleep, and you also postpone your sleep for these people. What Yayoi envies is this mutual concern.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Would you like to try it?"

Yayoi looked puzzled.

Li Zhuiyuan: "There are some methods that I disdain to use."

Yayoi: "Is it because I am not qualified?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "It's because I don't like to take advantage of people I care about."

Yayoi: "The young monk is stupid."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Then I'll tell you in advance that this is intentional. Don't take it seriously or get to the heart of it. In my own plans for the next wave, there is no arrangement for your position. I don't care whether you can be relied on or not."

You said you envied me, so I'll let you experience it for yourself, because there are some things I didn't understand before.

Yayoi: "Please enlighten me, senior."

Li Zhuiyuan went upstairs, but instead of returning to his own room, he pushed open his great-grandfather's door and went inside.

The boy gently woke his grandfather.

"Young Marquis Yuan... what's wrong?"

“Grandpa, when I got up in the middle of the night, I saw a monk sleeping on the dam.”

"What?"

Li Sanjiang wrapped himself in a coat and ran out of the house. He walked to the edge of the terrace, peered down, and sure enough, saw Yayoi sitting cross-legged outside.

"What bad luck, what a disaster!"

Yayoi looked up at Li Sanjiang, and the monk's eyes widened in panic.

From beginning to end, Li Sanjiang had no idea that Yayoi slept here every night. He thought Yayoi was either sharing a coffin with Zhuangzhuang and the others or sleeping at Big Beard's house.

In the dead of winter, people are sleeping outdoors; how can you treat mules like this?

Li Sanjiang jogged down the stairs, walked out of the room, and stood in front of Yayoi, cursing as he went:

"Little shovel boy, why are you sleeping here? Why are you sleeping here!"

He raised his foot and kicked Yayoi.

Yayoi liked to sleep with his back against a wall outside, where the view was open and there were stars in the sky, and the wall behind him gave him a sense of security... He couldn't tell Li Sanjiang any of these reasons.

Yayoi noticed that Li Sanjiang was only wearing a coat, and given his age, it was easy for him to catch a cold if he was out in the wind late at night.

Yayoi hurriedly stood up.

Li Sanjiang kicked Yayoi into the main house, then kicked the monk all the way upstairs, finally continuing to kick him on the balcony until he kicked Yayoi into his own room.

"Quick, take off your clothes and lie on my bed to warm up. I just slept in a warm bed."

Yayoi obediently took off her clothes and lay down on the bed.

Li Sanjiang also lay down inside, trembling.

Yayoi slept at the head of the bed, and Li Sanjiang slept at the foot of the bed.

Li Sanjiang reached out and touched Yayoi's feet.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed? Your feet are freezing cold!"

Yayoi wanted to explain that her feet were cold because she was no longer a person.

Immediately afterwards, Yayoi felt her feet being held by a pair of rough hands and pulled into an embrace.

At that moment, Yayoi suddenly realized how cold it was outside.

The next morning, Li Zhuiyuan and A Li carried baskets and tools to the herb garden to collect herbs.

Yayoi was sweeping the ground on the dam with a broom.

As they passed each other, Yayoi spoke up:

"senior."

Li Zhuiyuan: "I've said before that I'm not interested in your stance this time."

Yayoi: "My stance was set when I came here, and it will not change."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Then what do you want to say?"

Yayoi: "Thank you."

Li Zhuiyuan waved his hand and walked down the dam with A Li.

Xiao Yingying brought out a bowl of porridge and an egg. Benben was brushing his teeth, about to start class.

Seeing the girl gathering herbs while the boy entered the peach grove, Xiao Yingying hesitated for a moment. It was early in the morning, so there was no need to buy wine. Besides, the wine shops weren't open yet.

Peach grove, by a pond.

Qing An was drinking tea, and Li Zhuiyuan was sitting opposite him. The two had just finished a conversation, which was mainly Li Zhuiyuan talking.

The boy poured himself a cup of tea to moisten his throat.

Qing'an raised her chin, revealing her long, slender neck.

It's not without reason that Chen Xiyuan mistook Qing'an for the old lady when she first entered the peach grove.

"Kid, I'm glad you came to see me."

Li Zhuiyuan picked up the teapot, intending to refill Qing'an's tea.

Qing An placed his hand on the teacup, his five fingers moving gently. He looked at Li Zhuiyuan and said:
"Beg me, as long as you can make me happy, I'll move Qinglong Temple for you."

Li Zhuiyuan: "You've misunderstood."

"You don't believe I can do it?"

"I believe."

When the main body was deducing Qing'an, it put itself into a deep sleep. This is the best proof that Qing'an has recovered its peak strength, even if it is only a brief final peak.

"Then why don't you beg me?"

Why should I ask you that?

"you……"

“If you dare to make a name for yourself, you naturally have the confidence to do so, especially since they gave me so much more time.”

"Kid, what are you planning to do?"

“They want to use bait to lure me, so I will take the bait and before they can react and reel it in, I will rush over along the fishing line and eat all the bait in their baskets.”

Last night's meeting did not discuss how to deal with the next wave.

Since there's no need for negotiation, it's incredibly simple. If they want to gang up on you, then you should rush over and defeat them one by one before they can band together and set up their formation.

Qing An squinted and said, "Kid, have you been holding back for a while now?"

Li Zhuiyuan remained silent.

Qing An: "Hehehe, yes, we've always been suppressed by the rules of the two Dragon Kings' sects. No matter what we do, we have to be legitimate and abide by these doctrines. We put on a show for outsiders, for the martial arts world, for our ancestors, and for those above us."

"Now that's great, they've handed you the opportunity willingly, so you can finally act without restraint."

Li Zhuiyuan nodded: "I am quite looking forward to this kind of pure pleasure of bullying the weak."

Qing'an: "Then why are you telling me?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Let me make you owe me a drink first."

Qing'an: "Where does the feeling of being drunk come from?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "I can become famous on the river. Next, I will kill on the river. Have you ever experienced such a legitimate way of showing off?"

Have you ever regretted following Wei Zhengdao to Jiang Chenglong, yet leaving no obvious trace? Centuries later, few even know of Wei Zhengdao's existence, let alone of your Qing'an?

Qing'an gripped the teacup with his five fingers pointing downwards, his breathing becoming heavy.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Drink up, drown your sorrows in alcohol, and let regrets accompany your drinks."

As the boy walked out of the peach grove, Old Tian was pulled over by Xiao Yingying to help set up the offering table. As for Xiao Yingying herself, she hurriedly rode her tricycle out, preparing to smash the door of the wine shop.

Li Zhuiyuan walked over to A Li and squatted down beside her, picking herbs with the girl.

"Ah Li, this time, we're going to avenge Uncle Qin for what he did back then."

……

Mount Lu, waterfall.

The surging water rushed down, creating a continuous, deafening roar.

Zhao Yi sat on the rock and took a letter from Chen Jing.

Setting up a residence here is indeed inconvenient; not only is it far to make a phone call, but it's also far to receive mail.

But there was nothing he could do; his family had no elders to protect them, nor did they have that peach grove to serve as a gatehouse.

In the past, we were often monitored, and if we didn't hide deep in the mountains, we would have no privacy at all.

The letter was opened, and it contained a record of yesterday's meeting at Wangjiang Tower.

As Zhao Yi read, he smoked his pipe. When he saw the last line, which read "Qinglong Temple has issued an invitation to all sects to attend the ceremony," Zhao Yi gasped. The tobacco in his pipe burned out instantly, and smoke billowed out from the crack in his chest.

"Who the hell changed my plan? Who the hell was it?!"

Seeing this, Chen Jing immediately asked worriedly, "Brother Yi, is Brother Yuan in danger after the plan was changed?"

Zhao Yi clutched the letter in his hand:

"Damn it, I was afraid of being discovered as an inside agent, so I didn't dare to come up with such an blatant plan. But they changed this part of my plan. It's like they're afraid that guy surnamed Li won't have enough fun killing people this time!"

(End of this chapter)