Pure Frost Flying Soft Stone

Two more gusts of wind swept towards the boat. One man had smooth skin, was handsome and refined, with white teeth, and a friendly, approachable demeanor, possessing a pair of clear, water-like eyes, like a big kid everyone could get along with.

The woman had a face as white as fine jade, with soft, elegant shadows, lively and beautiful, and a charmingly spoiled personality. She had a pure yet stunning appearance, and the way her thin, blade-like eyebrows rose and fell made her even more exquisitely pretty and spirited.

The five stood outside the cabin, unsure whether to enter or not, feeling slightly awkward.

After a while, the lights in the cabin, which had been extinguished during the recent fight, were relit.

A woman in embroidered robes slowly emerged from the cabin, her hands clasped in front of her chest. She gave a slight bow, then leaned forward and curtsied gracefully to the five, "This humble one is Tian Chun. Thank you, young heroes, for your rescue!"

Her voice had a faint nasal quality, like a sudden ripple from a bottomless abyss, drawing everything around it in.

Tian Chun's words broke the awkward silence. Qin Shuang was the first to cup his hands towards them, "I am Qin Shuang of the Dragon Guard from Chaoge City. A pleasure to meet you all!"

The woman in green sheathed her sword, "Wu Xuan Shuang from Bing Province. I look forward to your guidance."

The young man in white brocade robes chuckled proudly, standing out from the crowd, "My surname is Bai, and my given name is Choufei."

The man and woman who arrived last introduced themselves, "Wang Xiaoshi, the 'Wang' of emperor, the 'xiao' of small, and the 'shi' of stone."

"Lingnan, Wen Rou!"

As they spoke, Tian Chun led everyone into the cabin, instructing her maids to clean up the mess from the fight.

Qin Shuang watched Tian Chun as she instructed the maids to tidy the furniture damaged in the fight, deal with the corpses, wipe away bloodstains, and prepare tea and wine, handling everything with composure and grace. Her demeanor was extraordinary, not at all like a hostage who had just been released from a kidnapping, and he couldn't help but look at her with new respect.

After everyone was seated, Tian Chun raised her teacup and thanked the five again, "If not for you five tonight, the consequences would have been unimaginable. This kindness, this humble one will never forget. Allow me to offer you a cup of tea in place of wine!"

A cup of hot tea warmed Qin Shuang's chest like spring, "Miss Tian, you are too kind. Not to mention that we, as people of the jianghu, must draw our swords when we see injustice. That there are bandits causing trouble within Si Province is truly the responsibility of the court, and as a member of the Dragon Guard of Chaoge City, I am duty-bound."

"Young Master Qin is right. As people of the jianghu, we act for justice, and no thanks are needed," Wen Rou was the first to agree.

Wang Xiaoshi, however, said honestly, "Miss Wen and I were slow to react and almost caused Miss Tian and her companions to lose their lives. It is thanks to Brother Bai, Young Master Qin, and Miss Wu's timely intervention."

Bai Choufei, the oldest among them and the most experienced, spoke eloquently, "These seven people are named Zhao Dadao, Qian Erqiang, Sun Sanjian, Li Xiji, Zhou Wufu, Wu Liuyue, and Zheng Qigou. Their real names are now impossible to verify. Years ago, they gathered in the Pu River area, committing rape and plunder, calling themselves the Seven Fiends of Pu River. Each of them was skilled in martial arts, and neither the jianghu nor the court could do anything about them. However, in the last two years, they have joined the ranks of the Seven Saints of the Misty Heaven. For what reason they have returned to the Pu River to practice their old ways is unknown?"

Tian Chun smiled softly, charmingly and gracefully, "I don't know what I did to offend these so-called Seven Fiends of Pu River. But how dare these seven call themselves 'Fiends'? I saw them in your hands, they were simply no match for us, mere rats."

"Is it possible that we are just too strong?" Qin Shuang raised an eyebrow and chuckled lightly, speaking from the heart. "Miss Wu's swordsmanship is exquisitely sharp, the finest I have ever seen; Brother Bai's finger force is swift and piercing, impossible to evade; although Brother Wang and Miss Wen did not make a move, just their skill in crossing the river shows they are no ordinary people. I consider myself quite skilled among the younger generation of the Dragon Guard in Chaoge City, but having met you all on this trip, I realize I am like a frog in a well, ignorant and ill-informed!"

"Young Master Qin, you truly flatter me!"

"I dare not, I dare not!"

Seeing their humility, Qin Shuang continued, "Where do you all plan to go next?"

"Chaoge City!" Bai Choufei said concisely.

"My father is in Chaoge, and I am going there to find him," Tian Chun said softly.

"Chaoge City, I want to witness the splendor of the imperial capital of the Great Shang Kingdom!" Wang Xiaoshi's destination was also Chaoge City.

"I am also going to Chaoge, to seek out my aunt," said Wu Xuan Shuang.

Wen Rou looked left and right in surprise, "Is it that coincidental? I'm also going to Chaoge to find my senior brother. We can travel together, it will be much livelier!"

Everyone else also found the coincidence remarkable and agreed.

Fortunately, Tian Chun's boat was large enough, and accommodating five more people was not a problem at all.

The six, of similar age, traveled down the river on the same boat, drinking wine, enjoying food, and talking about the heroes and chivalrous figures of the jianghu, their lives of splendor and swift revenge. They boldly commented on the grandmasters and powerful figures who held sway over the martial arts world.

They witnessed Tian Chun's zither, Wang Xiaoshi's xiao, Bai Choufei's singing, and Wu Xuan Shuang's sword dance.

This kind of life made Qin Shuang feel very peaceful and comfortable, but every night when it was quiet, he clearly knew that once he became accustomed to such a life, it would erode his fighting spirit. At eighteen, he was far from the age to stop and appreciate the scenery or enjoy life.

Some things, once possessed, are enough!

So on the fifth night, Qin Shuang left behind a letter full of apologies and returned to Chaoge City alone.

The young man did not know how to face parting, so he chose to leave without saying goodbye.

After Qin Shuang returned to Chaoge City, he first reported his safety to Qin Hongmian, then returned to the Dragon Guard Yamen to submit his mission.

In the hall of the Yu Unit (Camp) Divine Department of the Dragon Guard Yamen, Qin Shuang spoke fluently, giving a detailed report to Yang Yuncong.

Yang Yuncong listened with a smile, then looked at Qin Shuang with a look of relief, "Good kid, you actually completed the promotion assessment mission so quickly! I thought this case would take you a month or two to investigate!"

"Heh heh, it was good luck, good luck!"

"What good luck? Why be so modest in front of me? The angle you chose was excellent, allowing you to grasp the core of the case and the key figures immediately. Very good, you're cut out for investigative work!" Yang Yuncong praised.

"Uncle Yang, you flatter me," Qin Shuang scratched his head, feeling a rare bit of shyness.

"By the way, are you willing to go undercover?" Yang Yuncong suddenly asked.

"What? Undercover?" Qin Shuang didn't react immediately, so he repeated the question.

"Uncle Yang, do I look like someone who would go undercover with this handsome face?" Qin Shuang exaggeratedly pulled at his face.

Yang Yuncong studied Qin Shuang for a moment, then said seriously, "Yes!"

"..."

Yang Yuncong continued, "I'm not joking. My intuition tells me that if you go undercover, you will succeed, and perhaps even become famous!"

"Uncle Yang, don't tease me. Undercover work, such a tense, exciting, and life-threatening job, you should find someone meticulous, cunning, quick-witted, and highly skilled in martial arts to go!" Qin Shuang said with a mournful face.

"Aren't you exactly that kind of person?"

"..."