This small town was in a remote area, barely known to anyone unfamiliar with the region. Its name was so obscure that it was hard to locate even on a map. Yet, strangely enough, the inn was packed with people today, which seemed rather unusual for a place like this.
As someone entered, the patrons inside turned their heads toward him.
Song Qingshu, being skilled and confident, sensed the strange atmosphere but remained unfazed. Calmly, he addressed the waiter approaching him. “Find me a quiet spot.”
“Oh my, sir, you’ve come at just the right time! There’s exactly one spot left—this way, please!” The waiter was overjoyed. Business had never been this good, and he had no idea why the usually empty inn was suddenly so crowded. If it weren’t for a guest who had just paid and left, there wouldn’t have been a single table available.
“Waiter, bring me a pound of beef, a roast chicken, two vegetable dishes, and a jar of fine wine,” Song Qingshu ordered with ease after sitting down. Having seen heroes in martial arts dramas order this way in his previous life, he followed suit. Although his appetite wasn’t large enough to devour ten pounds of beef like those characters, he compromised with one pound instead.
When he first arrived in this world, he had hesitated to order beef, recalling from various travel guides that slaughtering cattle without permission was a serious crime in ancient times. Naturally, inns wouldn’t offer beef. He was worried he might embarrass himself by asking.
However, it turned out that in this world, possibly due to the influence of nomadic nations in the north, beef was common and readily available in inns.
“Got it! One pound of beef, a roast chicken, two vegetable dishes, and a jar of wine for our guest here!” The waiter, delighted by the generous tip, sang out the order cheerfully.
The lively voice of the waiter caught the attention of the other patrons, who glanced at Song Qingshu. Noticing his fine clothes, lavish order, and generosity, several rogue-like individuals started considering whether they should rob this easy target somewhere quiet.
“Father, this guy clearly has no experience in the martial world. Doesn’t he know not to flaunt his wealth? I bet he’s just some rich young lord out on a leisurely trip,” a crisp female voice commented. Although she tried to lower her voice, it was still audible to Song Qingshu’s sharp ears.Glancing in the direction of the voice, Song Qingshu was momentarily stunned. It was none other than the Mount Hua Sect, with the speaker being Yue Lingshan, the girl who had captured the heart of Linghu Chong.
Since the inn was crowded when he entered, Song Qingshu hadn’t paid much attention to the people inside. He hadn’t noticed the presence of the Mount Hua Sect earlier and was surprised to see them now.
“Lingshan, don’t speak nonsense. Though he looks like a spoiled young master, the way he carries himself suggests he doesn’t regard these people as a threat. And that strange mask of his—he could very well be a master in disguise,” said a gentle voice. It was Ning Zhongze, Yue Lingshan’s mother.
“He doesn’t seem much older than me. How could he be some kind of expert?” Yue Lingshan pouted, clearly unwilling to accept her mother’s words.
“Senior sister, that’s not necessarily true. The new Golden Serpent King isn’t much older than us, yet he’s recognized as one of the world’s top martial artists,” a handsome young man interjected—it was Lin Pingzhi, whose family had been destroyed.
Song Qingshu had privately taught him the Five Sacred Mountains Divine Sword techniques during his stay at Mount Hua Sect, and Lin Pingzhi had been diligently practicing ever since, hoping to exact his revenge. Subconsciously, he spoke up for Song Qingshu.
“Hah! So even you’re making fun of me now, little Lin?” Yue Lingshan huffed in frustration, though her defiance wavered. “There aren’t many like Song Qingshu in the world.”
Even Yue Buqun, her father, couldn’t help but intervene, clearing his throat. “Lingshan, stop fooling around and finish your meal. We need to leave soon.”
Yue Lingshan stuck her tongue out playfully at Lin Pingzhi, who smiled back and secretly held her hand under the table. Her cheeks turned bright red, though her expression softened with a trace of sweetness, and she quieted down.
Observing the interaction at their table, Song Qingshu chuckled inwardly but made no move to greet them. Since he was deliberately traveling incognito, he had no intention of revealing his identity.
Taking a sip of wine, Song Qingshu mused to himself, ‘Yue Lingshan is no more than cute at best—far from being a great beauty. I don’t understand what has Lin Pingzhi and Linghu Chong so obsessed with her. While Lin Pingzhi’s attachment is understandable, Linghu Chong has a saintly woman by his side, whose looks, family, and personality surpass Yue Lingshan in every way. Yet he’s still hung up on his first love. First love truly is mysterious.’
‘If you ask me, her mother, Ning Zhongze, is far more beautiful. No wonder she was once known as a famed beauty in the martial world. Yue Buqun really is lucky. I still can’t figure out why he gave up such a wife to practice that ridiculous Evil Exterminating Sword Manual.’ Luckily, Song Qingshu’s mask concealed his expression; otherwise, anyone who saw his odd grin would’ve thought he was crazy. (G: Clearly a man of culture.)
As Song Qingshu’s thoughts wandered, the lively inn suddenly fell silent. Curious, he looked up to see a girl in black entering through the door.
She had a pointed chin, flawless porcelain skin, and a small cherry-like mouth. Her lips were thin, and her neat rows of teeth gleamed like shattered jade. She was truly a rare beauty. However, her all-black attire, along with her furrowed brows, gave her a cold and imposing presence.
‘It’s her!’ Song Qingshu’s hand froze mid-air, wine cup suspended as his thoughts drifted back to Huashan. The stunning girl who used to call him “Little Fool” was none other than Mu Wanqing. (G: Introduced in chapter 40.)
The two had grown closer over their journey together, but at Jinling, Mu Wanqing left in anger after being provoked by Shui Sheng. Song Qingshu had hesitated at that critical moment, failing to stop her. Since then, they hadn’t seen each other for a long time.
“Waiter, find me a quiet spot,” Mu Wanqing’s crisp yet cold voice broke the silence. Many of the martial world men, initially drawn to her beauty, hesitated under the weight of her icy demeanor and dared not approach her.
The waiter snapped out of his daze, troubled by her request. “Miss, the inn is full. Would you mind sharing a table with someone?”
At the mention of sharing a table, Mu Wanqing’s brows furrowed.
Several bold men whistled flirtatiously. “Come sit with us, pretty girl. We’ve got space right here…”
Before the man could finish, a sleeve arrow whizzed past, embedding itself in the pillar beside his ear.
Mu Wanqing raised her arm, her gaze icy. “Say one more word, and next time, I won’t miss.”
Her swift action silenced the rowdy patrons, leaving no one willing to provoke her further.
‘Still the same temper, she hasn’t changed a bit,’ Song Qingshu thought with a hint of fondness.
Mu Wanqing scanned the inn coldly before striding directly toward Song Qingshu’s table. With a “clink”, she tossed a silver ingot onto the table. “This table is mine now. Consider the silver compensation for your loss.”
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