Murong Qingqing of Tianqin Sect

Murong Qingqing of Tianqin Sect

The so-called three teachings and nine schools were sects; those who took to the hills as bandits were outlaws.

Though Jiang Dali had become Slightly Notorious in the martial world and held the nominal position of Third Boss of Black Wind Stronghold,

such an awkward, tainted identity was, in the eyes of disciples from prestigious sects, no more than that of a forest bandit whose head could be taken whenever needed to boost one's reputation.

Who would ever think highly of him?

Qiu Xuemei likely never could have imagined

that, at this moment, a Grass-Head Emperor unafraid of death would travel a thousand miles with blade in hand to kill her.

Qiu Xuemei had reached the lower seventh rank of the Inner Qi Realm and was a disciple who had emerged from the Ancient Tomb Sect in recent years.

The fact that she had evaded the imperial court and enemies seeking revenge for so long without ending up a corpse showed that she had some skill.

Few knew that she wore Golden Silk Armor beneath her clothes, armor with exceptionally strong defensive properties.

Ordinary hidden weapons and blades could not harm her at all.

And even if someone's martial arts were stronger than hers, it would still be difficult for them to get close.

That was because she had obtained a fragmentary secret art from the Five Poisons Sect for raising poisonous creatures and had secretly raised a Poisonous Centipede.

That Poisonous Centipede was an extremely venomous centipede.

It could normally be hidden in her sleeves or hair, or perhaps inside her Gale Whip.

Anyone who dared to rush in carelessly would, with the slightest lapse, be bitten by the Poisonous Centipede, poisoned until their body stiffened, then have their neck snapped by a single whip and lose their life.

Therefore, anyone who wished to kill Qiu Xuemei had to not only deal with her Gale Whip, but also avoid her Poisonous Centipede.

They also had to seize a fleeting opportunity and strike her brow or throat, killing her in a single blow.

Thus, although Qiu Xuemei was merely a martial artist who had just entered the Inner Qi Realm,

killing her required not only solid martial skill, but also unwavering courage and an assassin's precision in delivering a fatal blow.

After two days of travel,

Jiang Dali rode at full speed from Huizhou to Qingyang County in Yuanzhou.

The county town was not large.

Even in ordinary times, the flow of people entering and leaving was pitifully sparse.

Rashly entering the county town to seek his target would only alert her.

After arriving in Qingyang County, Jiang Dali did not enter the town directly.

Instead, he disguised himself as a hunter from outside the town.

He spent five days familiarizing himself with the area and deliberately befriending the nearby villagers.

Then he spent another five days pretending to be a hunter, entering the town with the villagers each day to buy supplies and sell game, making himself a familiar face.

Afterward, by offering game at low prices, he became the long-term supplier for Qingyang County's only tavern, which was also the tavern Qiu Xuemei visited every few days.

Only then had he truly blended into Qingyang County without drawing anyone's attention, like a drop of water melting into a lake.

His long-term preparations and patient stakeout finally began to bear fruit.

Over the next three days,

he not only observed Qiu Xuemei from afar twice, confirming details such as her height, habits, mealtimes, and when she left Hidden Inn,

but also found an opportunity to approach the little performer Qiu Xuemei had frequently listened to lately, confirming the performer's true identity.

After being reborn into this world, the one difference between Jiang Dali and everyone else was that he had retained the traits he possessed as a player in his former life.

Thus, whenever he came into contact with anyone in this world, there was a certain chance of triggering a prompt, obtaining information about their identity, or even learning the conditions for triggering hidden quests.

And on the day he came into contact with Xiao Ling, Jiang Dali received a hidden quest prompt.

"Murong Qingqing, a disciple of the Tianqin Sect, bears a blood-deep vendetta. Her purpose in coming to Qingyang County is unclear. Perhaps after interacting with her for some time and building trust, you may ask whether she needs any help."

"As expected, this little performer who happened to pass through Qingyang County and just happened to catch the attention of a wanted criminal like Qiu Xuemei was far from simple. She was actually a disciple of the Tianqin Sect.

This Tianqin Sect seemed to be the sect that once controlled the Sky Demon Zither.

Two years from now, when the Sky Demon Zither emerged, the Six-Fingered Zither Demon would also arise in response.

By that reckoning, this Murong Qingqing was also a character with additional storylines."

As someone who had already been one of this world's top players before being reborn here, Jiang Dali's instincts for such melodramatic martial-world quests had long surpassed those of ordinary people.

With only a single prompt, his thoughts spread outward, and he immediately connected it to many things.

And in his mind, he had already found a shortcut to accepting the quest.

So Jiang Dali spent another two days reaching a partnership with Murong Qingqing, and they discussed joining forces against Qiu Xuemei.

If it had been an ordinary person trying to gain Murong Qingqing's trust based on that prompt before accepting the quest,

it would certainly have taken a great deal of time.

They might not even have been able to gain Murong Qingqing's trust at all.

But Jiang Dali did not need to make things so troublesome.

In the martial world, openly declaring one's background was often the easiest way to earn another person's trust.

After revealing that he was an assassin from Green Robe Pavilion and explaining his purpose, he naturally won Murong Qingqing's trust with ease and successfully accepted the task of helping her kill Qiu Xuemei.

After the two conspired and discussed matters, they waited for the right time, studied the weather, and decided to act on the evening of the third day.

On the evening of the third day, a torrential downpour was certain to arrive.

And in rainy weather, Qiu Xuemei's Poisonous Centipede would be at its most sluggish and unwilling to move.

,

The appointed time soon arrived.

Inside the attic of the residential courtyard behind the tavern,

the candle flame flickered.

The air was so heavy it seemed one could squeeze water from it, a sign that a storm was about to descend.

As agreed,

on this evening, Murong Qingqing would lure Qiu Xuemei to the tavern to play music and drink.

And that would be the moment for the two of them to act.

Inside the attic,

Jiang Dali's eyes reflected the faint firelight, gleaming brightly.

More than a dozen dark willow-leaf throwing knives forged from refined iron lay in his hands as he inspected them one by one.

His hands were long and slender. Though covered in thick calluses, they looked clean and well-shaped. Holding the dozen narrow willow-leaf throwing knives, they resembled a stone platter bearing murderous weapons.

Suddenly, his hands came together and swept.

The dozen willow-leaf throwing knives vanished from between his hands, disappearing like a magic trick.

Hidden Weapon: Sky Full of Flying Rain

Realm: Slight Accomplishment 2%

Comprehended Killing Technique: Flying Star Spreading Hatred (Armor-Piercing Damage)

"This hidden-weapon skill, Sky Full of Flying Rain, which I obtained from the Second Boss, has reached Slight Accomplishment.

My technique for putting away these concealed weapons has become much more proficient.

I can now use this hidden weapon's ultimate technique, Flying Star Spreading Hatred."

A faint smile curled at the cold corners of Jiang Dali's lips.

His gaze moved away from the status panel. His star-like eyes shone as he looked toward several flashes of lightning outside the window.

The candle flame suddenly swayed violently several times.

Footsteps and the waiter's call came from the entrance of the tavern.

The prey had entered the scene.

Shortly afterward,

the wind rose.

The oppressive sky seemed finally unable to bear such stifling tension. It squeezed its heavy crimson clouds, sending out a continuous spray of raindrops.

Several drops of rain fell onto the tiled eaves, striking them with crisp sounds.

Soon, the sounds thickened into one continuous sheet, and the world outside became hazy and blurred.

From Winner Restaurant across the way, Xiao Ling's music drifted faintly through the rain, intermittent and distant.

Jiang Dali fastened the collar of his blue robe.

He put on a bamboo hat and covered his face with a veil.

As an assassin of Green Robe Pavilion who had been in the business for more than two years, it was time for him to send someone on their final journey.

Patter, patter—

Urgent raindrops shattered against the dark eaves, dripping down in strings and striking the ground, their sounds blanketing every corner inside and outside Qingxi City.

Inside Winner Restaurant, Qiu Xuemei, bare-faced and unadorned, drank small cups of wine with a plate of broad beans as she listened to Xiao Ling sing. Her famed weapon, the Gale Whip, rested beside the table, within easy reach.

The song was written by Xiao Yan.

Xiao Ling was singing, "After the dream, the tower was locked high; after waking from wine, the curtains hung low."

The melody mingled with the sound of rain, seeming especially mournful, winding and sorrowful enough to intoxicate the heart.

Someone who could play such a heartrending melody must also be a person with a story.

Qiu Xuemei appreciated people with stories.

She also liked creating one tragic story after another.

Thus, once the wine was finished and the song had ended, the person within the song could be buried along with it.

Another mouthful of clear wine slid down her throat.

Xiao Ling's lashes lowered slightly as another line of lyrics emerged from her crimson lips.

"Remember when I first met Xiaoping, in a gauze robe embroidered with twin hearts."

As the lyric reached this point,

with a snap, a zither string suddenly broke, and lightning flashed outside the window.

A gleaming throwing knife abruptly flew from Xiao Ling's sleeve, whistling straight for Qiu Xuemei's throat.