Zhou Qingmei's warning came a step too late.
The man's swordsmanship was exceptionally fierce, leaving the man in black scrambling to defend himself. Finally, his defenses fell wide open, and the man drove his sword through his heart, killing him on the spot.
By the time Zhou Qingmei rushed over, the man was sheathing his sword. He grinned when he saw her:
"Junior Sister Zhou, long time no see."
Zhou Qingmei ignored him and crouched down to check on the man in black.
Only after confirming that he was dead did she sigh helplessly:
"Senior Brother Zhang, I told you to show mercy. Why did you still kill him?"
"Huh? Why would you want to keep a lecher like him alive?"
Senior Brother Zhang was baffled.
Zhou Qingmei wanted to explain, but for a moment she didn't know where to begin.
She could only ask helplessly:
"What are you doing here?"
"I heard you were in trouble, Junior Sister Zhou. Naturally, I couldn't stand by and do nothing. I came down the mountain this time to help you out of your difficulties."
Senior Brother Zhang said with a smile:
"Junior Sister, what trouble have you gotten yourself into? Tell me about it, and I'll stand up for you."
"I crossed the Black Sha Cult."
"Hahaha, I wondered what it was. It's only the Black Sha Cult. I'll... What?"
His confident voice suddenly cut off, and Senior Brother Zhang stared at her, slack-jawed:
"Do you mean the Black Sha Cult from thirty years ago?
"Wait, weren't they wiped out thirty years ago? When did they crop up again?"
Zhou Qingmei was somewhat too impatient to explain.
The Fang family was a lead to begin with, and she had happened to arrive at just the right time tonight. She had thought she could capture the man in black, only for Senior Brother Zhang to arrive at the very same moment, of all times.
He had even killed the man in black first, bringing that lead to a dead end.
She was already in a bad mood and had no patience to explain everything to him from the beginning.
She went over to Fang Shuwen, who looked up at her and let her take a look at the young woman in his arms in the dim night light:
"Is this the Fang family's eldest daughter?"
"That's right."
Zhou Qingmei nodded:
"How is she?"
"She was probably drugged. It's nothing serious. She'll wake up once the drug wears off."
"That's good."
Senior Brother Zhang came over as well, looking at Fang Shuwen and then at Zhou Qingmei:
"Junior Sister Zhou, who is this brother?"
"I'm Fang Shuwen."
Fang Shuwen glanced at Zhou Qingmei:
"I'm currently employed to protect Miss Zhou."
"Employed..."
Senior Brother Zhang gave Zhou Qingmei a surprised look.
Zhou Qingmei said:
"It's a long story, and this isn't the place to talk. Miss Fang was abducted, and the Fang family must be frantic by now. Let's go back first and talk there."
"All right."
Senior Brother Zhang nodded.
But as they walked, he couldn't help asking one question after another.
If he wasn't asking about the Black Sha Cult, he was asking about Fang Shuwen.
Thanks to the man's incessant chatter, Fang Shuwen learned a little about him.
He learned that Senior Brother Zhang's name was Zhang Fang.
He and Zhou Qingmei did not have the same master; he was a true disciple of Xu Chongshan, her master's senior brother.
Among the Pearl Pavilion disciples of Zhou Qingmei's generation, the foremost was Li Nanchen, the Pavilion Master's first personal disciple.
Second was Zhou Qingmei's senior sister, Lu Xiaoqing.
Zhang Fang came third.
His martial arts were formidable, and he was a carefree sort.
His only problem was that he talked too much...
Fang Shuwen understood when he heard this. No wonder the Pearl Pavilion had dared to send him down the mountain alone to help Zhou Qingmei.
As they talked, the three of them returned to the city, where they happened to run into the people the Fang family had sent out in pursuit.
The Fang family's steward promptly led everyone back to the Fang residence.
Fang Mingxuan, the head of the Fang family, was pacing back and forth in front of the gates. Only when he saw everyone return and laid eyes on the apple of his eye did he let out a long breath of relief.
He ushered them inside and had someone take his daughter back to her chambers before coming to the hall to receive his guests.
"Thank you all for your help tonight."
Fang Mingxuan cupped his fists in salute.
Fang Shuwen silently glanced at him.
He was rather different from the man in his memories.
He had grown older and heavier, and no longer looked quite so full of vigor.
But it really was him...
He smiled wryly. The Fang family really was his family after all.
This twist of fate was quite interesting.
He stole glances at Fang Mingxuan, unsure how to handle their relationship.
When they had parted, he had been no more than a baby in swaddling clothes. He couldn't very well rush forward, crying and calling him Father. Even if he could bring himself to say it, the man might not believe him.
What baby in swaddling clothes could remember what his parents looked like?
More likely, he would be taken for someone with ulterior motives and thrown straight out the door.
As for a token of proof, he had originally possessed one.
But the old beggar had pawned it, and after changing hands, who knew where it had ended up?
Without any proof, he might as well say nothing.
In any case, with his current abilities, he could live well whether they acknowledged each other or not.
Rather than agonize over the matter, he might as well set it aside for now.
As for what happened later, he would leave it to fate.
"Young brother, may I ask your name?
"I heard you saved my daughter tonight. I can't thank you enough."
At some point, Fang Mingxuan had come over to Fang Shuwen.
As he studied the face before him, he found it familiar somehow, and even couldn't help feeling a little fondness for him.
Fang Shuwen smiled:
"I'm Fang Shuwen. Greetings, Master Fang."
"Your surname is Fang too?"
Fang Mingxuan laughed:
"In that case, we were one family five hundred years ago."
It was a pleasantry on Fang Mingxuan's part, but Fang Shuwen didn't know whether to laugh or cry when he heard it.
He could only nod along.
Zhou Qingmei spoke up:
"Family Head Fang, would it be convenient for you to tell us Miss Fang's birth date and hour?"
Fang Mingxuan was taken aback:
"Heroine, are you asking... because it has something to do with the two incidents involving my daughter?"
"It's only a suspicion."
Zhou Qingmei said gravely:
"So, Family Head Fang, if it's convenient, please tell us her birth date and hour."
Fang Mingxuan immediately nodded and told her his daughter's birth date and hour.
Zhou Qingmei counted on her fingers, then suddenly sucked in a cold breath:
"This... she was born in a yin year, a yin month, a yin day, and a yin hour!
"She has all four extremes of yin in one body. No wonder the Black Sha Cult has its eyes on her."
"It really is the Black Sha Cult?"
Zhang Fang's expression suddenly turned grave:
"If the Black Sha Cult is involved, this is no small matter. I'm afraid it's more than the two of us can handle.
"We should hurry back to our sect and ask the Pavilion Master to decide what to do!"
Zhou Qingmei looked at Fang Shuwen.
Fang Shuwen gently shook his head:
"Distant water can't quench a nearby thirst. You two can leave, but what about the Fang family?"
That single remark left Zhang Fang speechless.
Zhou Qingmei said:
"In that case, let's write a letter to the sect explaining what happened."
"All right, leave it to me."
Zhang Fang volunteered.
Fang Shuwen looked at Fang Mingxuan:
"Family Head Fang, the Fang family has deep roots in Guangning City, so I imagine you're exceptionally well informed.
"Have you ever heard of the Great Xuan Bank?"
"The Great Xuan Bank? Of course I know of it."
Fang Mingxuan was somewhat curious:
"But why do you ask, young hero?"