Chapter 3

Chang'an gritted his teeth and said, "I can't break through anymore. My inner energy has been scattered..." A small part of the reason he desperately fled down the mountain back then was that he had been beaten into submission by Yang Qingling. Yang Taiyi taught him martial arts, and Yang Qingling acted as his sparring partner. He would never forget those hellish days. His childhood was drenched in blood.

Yang Qingling let out a cold snort and paced a few steps before scolding, "Useless trash."

Neither Chang'an nor Yu Fu responded. Yang Qingling actually cared deeply for them and was extremely protective, but his outward coldness hid an inner warmth. His constant scolding was simply a matter of his personality.

As expected, after his scolding, Yang Qingling stared at Chang'an and said, "Tell me, what kind of person beat you like this?"

Chang'an recounted the entire battle with Lu Jing, detail by detail. Yang Qingling grew more astonished with each word. By the end, his white eyebrows were knitted together. He then unexpectedly said, "You will resolve this matter yourself. Wherever you were struck, strike back. If Dragon Yang Sect has produced such a character, you shouldn't fear those old geezers. Lu Jing still needs to be beaten, and you must not fear him in the slightest. Do you understand?!"

Chang'an nodded, his heart filled with bitterness. Grandfather seemed to have forgotten that his inner energy was completely gone. How could he possibly defeat Lu Jing?! Furthermore, he had lost the Dragon Head Sword, which his grandfather had forged with his own hands, bringing immense shame upon his grandfather.

Yang Qingling said not a single word about the Dragon Head Sword, which had taken five full years to forge.

Chang'an's heart was filled with unease.

Yang Qingling turned his head and said, "Come with me, I have something for you!"

Chang'an and Bai Fu followed silently behind, unsure what their grandfather intended to give them. They were curious but dared not ask. The two quietly clasped hands, their steps in unison, feeling that their fiery Thunder God grandfather was somewhat different today.

Yang Qingling walked silently into the inner room of the three earthen houses and stopped before a chest made of dark pear wood with carved floral patterns and a bronze lock. He carefully opened it and took out a sandalwood box inlaid with gold and jade from the very bottom. He handed it to Chang'an, his expression tinged with a cold sorrow, saying, "This belonged to your parents. You should see it."

Chang'an was startled, his hands trembling slightly. He slowly opened the box and saw its contents: a jade pendant, a jade hairpin, and a key. The jade pendant was tied with a red string, its hollowed-out patterns and ancient style, finely carved, with a "Ning" character in the center – Chang'an's surname. The key was exceptionally intricate, with complex, uneven teeth, clearly crafted by a master artisan. Finally, there was the jade hairpin, adorned with a sparkling, lustrous pearl flower, exceptionally beautiful.

Chang'an's emotions surged, rendering him speechless. A thousand thoughts swirled chaotically in his mind. He could only gently close the box, hug it to his chest, and look at Yang Qingling.

Yang Qingling's eyes flickered, as if his own memories were being stirred. He vaguely said, "Your father's name was Ning Shengdao. He was skilled with the sword, wielding a Dragon Head Sword, and was unmatched in the jianghu. Your mother's name was Li Mingshu, a remarkable woman of the jianghu, knowledgeable in all martial arts, with a vast intellect. You must remember these two names. Furthermore, in Longyuan Province, you have another relative – your father's younger brother, your uncle, named Ning Maodao, who took over your father's business. This is not me trying to keep you here! You must go there. Your parents left some things for you there. And, the investigation into your parents' deaths must also begin from there. Go, leave now!"

As Yang Qingling spoke, he seemed to have grown weary of Chang'an.

Yu Fu, upon hearing this, anxiously said, "Grandfather, how can Chang'an handle this? You can't just send him away immediately."

Yang Qingling's demeanor changed in an instant, as if he had aged considerably. His back slightly hunched, he looked at Yu Fu and said earnestly, "What future is there for him staying on the mountain forever? No eagle stays in the nest forever. Without cultivation, it's like a fledgling with broken wings. As long as it endures, no matter how high the sky, it can still fly. Fu'er, you always coddle this boy, and it does him no good!"

Yu Fu shook her head repeatedly. "I won't! Grandfather, I want to go with Chang'an!"

Yang Qingling's face darkened, while Yu Fu and Chang'an looked at each other with determination, their hands instinctively clasped, stubbornly insisting. After a long, long moment, the old man waved his hand heavily, turned his back, and roared, "Go, all of you, get out, all of you..." Tiles on the roof shattered one after another, and half of them were broken in an instant.

Chang'an and Yu Fu exchanged a glance and then fled, making their way down the mountain.

Shortly after they left, Yang Taiyi quietly appeared on the mountaintop beside Yang Qingling, sighing, "How could you let Chang'an go out at this time?" Chang'an had many enemies; no one in the jianghu was without grudges.

Yang Qingling replied, "Ning Maodao is in decline. He was poisoned not long ago and won't last much longer. If Chang'an doesn't go now, everything might be too late. Who exactly killed Ning Shengdao back then? Many secrets are held by Ning Maodao, and they must be uncovered. Moreover, the things Ning Shengdao left behind must not fall into the hands of others. Someone is already becoming impatient... Alas! I didn't expect Yu Fu to truly fall for this boy. Foolish child, will her future days ever know a moment of peace?!"

Yang Taiyi looked solemn. "It seems the two old fellows won't be able to intervene in this matter. The agreement from back then cannot be broken. It's good that Yu Fu is going with Chang'an; they've been childhood sweethearts. Brother, what regrets do you still have? You're interfering too much in the affairs of the young; it's counterproductive. Let nature take its course! With such good children, what more could you ask for?"

Chang'an was desperately short of money. After his battle with Lu Jing, not only had he spent all his savings on medical treatment, but he had also incurred a large debt. His current skills were probably inferior to even a second-rate jianghu master, and he had become so plump that few people would recognize him.

On the dirt road outside Lan You Village, Chang'an opened the box again. He tucked the key and jade pendant into his clothes, keeping them close, and then held the jade hairpin in his hand, fiddling with it repeatedly. The more he looked at it, the more he liked it. The entire jade hairpin was crystal clear, exquisitely crafted with no flaws, as if naturally formed. Coupled with the pearl flower, it was radiant. Judging by Chang'an's standards, it was priceless.

Chang'an looked at Yu Fu, who had quietly stopped beside him, and said softly, "Fu'er, are you truly willing to suffer hardship with me?"

Yu Fu blinked and shook her head. "There's no hardship! I can't rest easy leaving you alone."

Chang'an gave a bitter smile. "If one day, I want to marry you, will you be willing?"

Yu Fu's eyes shone brightly. She looked at Chang'an and smiled gently. "I've been asked this since childhood, and I've answered countless times. Haven't you remembered yet? This time, I don't want to answer!"

Chang'an sighed softly and gently placed the jade hairpin on Yu Fu's head. He reached out and adjusted it, the pearl flower swaying, shimmering brilliantly. It perfectly complemented Yu Fu's beauty. Chang'an grabbed Yu Fu's soft hand, holding it tightly, and said firmly, "Besides you and me, don't let anyone else touch this hairpin!"

Yu Fu nodded, her cheeks slightly flushed.

Suddenly, a low, deep bovine moo echoed. Chang'an paused in surprise. "Green Ox? How did my Green Ox come back?!" He quickly quickened his pace and ran forward. In moments, he saw the incredibly sturdy Green Ox galloping towards him, its hooves pounding like thunder.

The Green Ox was truly sentient. It stopped before Chang'an and knelt on all fours. Chang'an's eyes immediately fell on the bloodstains on its horns. He climbed onto the ox's back, his expression grave. "Fu'er, I fear Erhu is in trouble. Green Ox, hurry and take me there!" Yu Fu tapped her toes and also climbed onto the ox's back, leaning into Chang'an's embrace. The Green Ox galloped off again, its speed no less than that of a fine steed.

On the dirt road, a Green Ox sped away, leaving dust in its wake.

It stopped thirty miles away, at the edge of a dense forest. Chang'an and Yu Fu were immediately assailed by a pungent smell of blood. In the overgrown grass by the forest's edge, they saw the corpses of Liu Xuanfeng and Old Liu. Their chests bore massive holes, clearly caused by the Green Ox's horns. Yu Fu suddenly said, "Chang'an, look at the black mist in their eyes. They must have been poisoned."

Chang'an leaned closer and indeed saw a hazy black spot in the pupils of Liu Xuanfeng and Old Liu's eyes, a definite sign of poisoning. They had likely died not long ago. The blood had already clotted into dark purple masses, but the smell of blood hadn't changed, and it hadn't yet begun to rot. Chang'an deduced, "It seems these two were poisoned soon after they took the Green Ox and Erhu. However, the poison didn't take effect immediately. They must have struggled all the way here, and only when they were extremely weak did the Green Ox gore them to death. These two died not long ago! Where did Erhu go? Who poisoned them? It seems our plan to go to Longyuan Province must be postponed. We must find Erhu first."

Yu Fu nodded obediently.

The two mounted the Green Ox and hastily left the area, returning to the main road.

As dusk fell, the lamps were lit. By the Rouge River, pleasure boats and flower barges bobbed, accompanied by the constant sounds of drums, lutes, and flutes. A Green Ox slowly entered the city gates of Danyang City and headed straight for Yongan Pawnshop. Danyang City was the capital of Qingshan Prefecture, a city that never slept. Because of the Rouge River, it was filled with countless courtesans and entertainers, and many chivalrous heroes and scholars lingered, lost in pleasure. On the flower barges of the Rouge River, beautiful women were renowned throughout the land. Every flower barge and every brothel was a place where fortunes were spent; a single night of pleasure could see thousands of taels scattered like common change.

Chang'an and Yu Fu entered the highly reputable Yongan Pawnshop and saw a plump shopkeeper busily counting with an abacus. The shopkeeper, with his ample flesh and beady eyes flashing with shrewdness, let out a hearty laugh upon seeing his guests. "So it's Ning family's Chang'an. Boy, quickly bring some tea, the Longyuan Daughter Tea."

Longyuan Daughter Tea was a fine tea, a top-grade brew.

As he spoke, the shopkeeper had already emerged from behind the counter, extremely cordial. He gestured for Chang'an and Yu Fu to sit at a guest table. A waiter had already brought the tea and respectfully retreated. The plump shopkeeper then chuckled and said, "What good things do you have for me this time?"

Chang'an said calmly, "Shopkeeper Wang, let's not discuss pawn business for now. I have some matters I need to inquire about first. With your extensive network, you surely must know."