Mysterious Woman

A smile crept onto Yue Qianchou's lips. He recognized the jar of wine as the one he had given him. It was indeed fine wine, the Yin Feng Wine he had obtained from Yu Ji of the Demon Ghost Domain —a rare delicacy not everyone could afford.

The old man's gaze seemed to always be directed at him, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Their eyes met several times, Yue Qianchou responded with a smile, while the old man's gaze remained cold.

This left Yue Qianchou feeling quite aggrieved, so he simply turned around. Before him, nearly a thousand people were gathered, drinking and eating heartily, exuding a free and unrestrained chivalrous atmosphere—a feeling Yue Qianchou particularly enjoyed, which lifted his spirits...

"Heavens above, earth below, I wander aimlessly in this place, where can I find refuge..."

Under the starry night sky, a bonfire blazed below. Some people danced wildly around the fire, their bodies contorted in bizarre movements, resembling giant crabs. Some even drew their flying swords, clanging and banging them together, their voices a wild, raucous chorus of howls, yet undeniably masculine. Triumph and despair were both roared from their throats. Even in their drunken stupor, they would sober up. Though the world was vast, tomorrow they would still be insignificant, unknown rogue Rogue Cultivator ...

"You are from Misty Rain Tower! We're here to help you!"

The group of people sitting nearby had been watching this scene. Seeing that the six women were actually doing rough work, someone finally couldn't resist striking up a conversation. As soon as he opened his mouth, seven or eight ravenous men couldn't wait to get up and rush over like they were fighting for something.

"Get out of the way!" Yan Xia roared, startling the group into sitting back down sheepishly. This drew a burst of laughter from the surrounding crowd. Although the laughter was hearty, it concealed a hint of bitterness. It was unclear whether they were laughing at those who had been humiliated or at themselves for wanting to have their cake and eat it too.

The girls busied themselves around Yue Qianchou's feet. Yue Qianchou stood there with his arms crossed, looking at the commotion from earlier with a faint smile on his face. He was not angry because of the people who had bumped into him.

Having risen from humble beginnings in his previous life, he naturally had a deeper understanding of the mindset of ordinary people. These people were clearly trying to curry favor with the female disciples of the Misty Rain Tower, hoping to gain their favor and shed their wandering, aimless Rogue Cultivator status.

If he were like them now, would he also resort to such methods to curry favor and climb the ladder? Yue Qianchou into the distance with a profound look, the answer in his heart being no! He admitted that he wasn't a good person, and that his methods might be more bloody, violent, or even evil. But he would never use such methods.

Because I have big ambitions, dare to dream, dare to work hard, dare to fight, dare to challenge unfair fate, and unwaveringly move forward, I am destined to have a bigger stage.

If success is impossible, then death is the only option; a man must do so. To grovel at a woman's feet, begging for pity or seeking sympathy, is but a lowly path. Once that is done, the road ahead will be more arduous, and the humiliation more profound.

Just then, Fu Chun and Qin Jiaxing returned carrying large bundles of firewood, along with a pheasant and a rabbit each. They proudly waved them at the girls, their faces beaming with smiles. The girls cheered and rushed over, grabbing the bundles to prepare for the barbecue.

Yue Qianchou glanced at the two men with a flickering look in his eyes, then stepped aside, making room for them to pile up firewood.

After the campfire was lit, the group sat down around it. The three men here were the envy of everyone; there was one man between every two women, and the other two women were busy grilling things.

Yue Qianchou took out several jars of fine wine and tossed them to the group. He then picked up a jar, broke the seal, and drank it all in one go before putting it down and listening intently to the conversations of those around him.

Damn it! These girls stole my thunder! Yue Qianchou cursed inwardly, noticing that almost everyone around him was talking about the six women beside him, seemingly eager to get close to them. Fortunately, there were still a bunch of people discussing serious matters.

"Forget it! Stop looking! No matter how delicious the meat is, we can't get a bite. Let's talk about that Yue Qianchou instead!"

"What's the use of saying anything? That butcher has disappeared somewhere, making it hard for everyone in the world to find him."

"Have you heard? Guan Zhongkai of the World Commerce Association has taken a large amount of reward money and is stationed in Zhujin City. Anyone who can get information about Yue Qianchou can report him and claim the reward."

"It's not just Guan Zhongkai; I heard that he was accompanied by eight late Tribulation Transcendence stage experts from the World Commerce Association."

"Hehe! That's nothing. It's said that Yin Baikang's eldest disciple Sikong Jue, is leading a large group of experts from the World Commerce Association, ready to be dispatched at any time. As soon as Yue Qianchou is discovered, he will personally take action."

"So it seems the World Commerce Association is determined to win!"

"Of course! The World Commerce Association 'World Commerce Association wealth is unparalleled, its influence is the greatest in the world, and Yin Baikang's cultivation is among the top ten in the Cultivation World... Hey! Look. That woman has really big breasts!"

Damn it! They can change the subject like that! Yue Qianchou was listening intently and almost choked on his words when the conversation was abruptly cut off. Following the gazes of those people, he saw that they were talking about Yan Xia, which left him speechless.

"Woo... woo... woo woo..." Suddenly, a clear and melodious sound of a bamboo flute rang out all around, drifting leisurely through the night sky.

The surrounding noise immediately subsided as everyone searched for the source of the sound. Finally, all eyes fell on the Kaoshan Pavilion atop the hillside.

On the hillside illuminated by the bonfire, beneath the incandescent lanterns of the pavilion, a graceful figure faced downwards. A light blue gauze dress and a light blue veiled hat concealed her face. Slender, jade-like fingers moved deftly, holding a bamboo flute vertically and playing it beneath the veil.

The melody carried a faint, inexplicable melancholy, leaving one wondering what the player was thinking. Yue Qianchou, now possessing a rudimentary understanding of music, listened intently and sensed an endless loneliness and bewilderment permeating the woman's tune. In truth, some parts of the piece were out of tune, entirely improvised.

After listening for a while, the crowd grew bored and began to discuss amongst themselves, all speculating about the woman's appearance beneath the veil. Her graceful figure was undeniably stunning. The veil concealed a slender, well-proportioned body; she was of average height, and her hands were fair and delicate. They simply couldn't discern her face.

What was most puzzling was that the one-armed old man stood respectfully behind her, head slightly bowed in silence. Everyone who knew anything about the Ghost Manor knew that this old man's cultivation was quite high! Although he was disabled, his presence alone deterred anyone from causing trouble in the Ghost Manor.

In truth, the Rogue Cultivator who manage to find shelter here should be grateful to this old man. Without his presence, Ghost Manor would likely have long been abandoned. He has been quietly managing it, providing everyone with a place to stay. Most importantly, if anyone encounters enemies chasing them, they are safe if they hide here; it seems no one dares to seek revenge in the Ghost Manor.

Such a mysterious old man was now obediently standing behind a woman, something that the wandering Rogue Cultivator had never seen before. Without a doubt, this woman's background was extraordinary.

"Does anyone know the origin of this one-armed old man?" Yue Qianchou asked those around him, as he himself knew nothing about the old man.

Qin Jiaxing turned his gaze away from the pavilion and shook his head, saying, "I don't know. Anyway, I heard from some senior Rogue Cultivator that he has always been here, but I don't know when he started."

Yue Qianchou looked at Fu Chun, but he also shook his head, indicating he didn't know. Yan Lan, however, frowned and said, "This senior's identity is very mysterious. He never speaks to anyone and rarely harms others. Rumors say he's deaf and mute, but whether it's true or not, nobody knows. That's what everyone says. However..."

"But what?" Yue Qianchou asked curiously.

Yan Lan hesitated for a moment before saying, "Our Misty Rain Tower has given instructions that none of our disciples are allowed to cause trouble in the Ghost Manor, and they are even more forbidden from being disrespectful to this old man, or they will be severely punished!"

"Oh!" Yue Qianchou exclaimed in surprise, re-examining the one-armed old man. Yan Lan then asked softly, "Sir, even with your experience, do you not know his origins?"

"Damn! I have absolutely no experience!" Yue Qianchou stammered, "Mmm."

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh..." Suddenly, another flute melody drifted over, joining the xiao (vertical bamboo flute) playing, creating a flute and xiao duet. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a person standing up from beside the campfire, playing a flute towards the woman in the green gauze dress on the Kaoshan Pavilion.

Yue Qianchou turned his head and was stunned. It was indeed the same scoundrel who had almost gotten him into a fight during the day. He hadn't expected her to be putting on a cool act again. However, upon listening, he realized that the flute in this person's hand was not just for fun; she actually knew a bit about music and had filled in the gaps in the woman's melody. For a moment, it complemented each other perfectly, adding a touch of beauty to the piece.

However, the four people beside that person seemed to spoil the scene. "Great! So beautiful..." They clapped and cheered in unison, showering the woman with flattery that could drown an elephant. As a result, the flute music in front of the pavilion stopped, and the woman gently put down her flute, seemingly watching the scene below silently.

The flute music immediately became monotonous, and Fang Ming also stopped playing. He glared at the four people beside him, and they immediately fell silent in embarrassment.

Fang Ming Orthodox God, stepped out from the group, and strode towards the Kaoshan Pavilion. He stopped at the foot of the hill, cupped his hands, and said, "I am Rogue Cultivator Fang Ming, a rogue cultivator. I was suddenly struck by the celestial music of the young lady and couldn't help but play a duet with her. I hope you will not take offense at my abruptness."

After his polite words, the woman seemed unwilling to acknowledge him. The night breeze rustled her veil, and she stood there motionless. A burst of snickers came from below, and someone whispered, "Look, another toad trying to eat swan meat."

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