Stance

Chu Qing did not know what Xia Wanshuang was thinking. In truth, he had never taken her to heart at all.

Women and the like were like drifting clouds to him at this stage.

Nor would he truly ask for such a reward.

What mattered most to him was still the system's reward.

If only he had met Xia Wanshuang sooner. Otherwise, would Mei Qianluo and Ge Jingchun not have become his rewards as well?

And now, the only question was how to find Cheng Sihai.

As he pondered, Chu Qing walked over, lifted Ge Jingchun, turned, and headed out of the courtyard.

Xia Wanshuang froze.

"Where are you going?"

"Miss, I am a very fair man. I only claim my reward after I have killed someone."

Without looking back, Chu Qing said:

"So I will not be staying the night here."

Is that what I meant?

Xia Wanshuang could not help asking:

"What am I supposed to do after you leave?"

"Figure it out yourself."

Chu Qing spoke as he walked. In almost the blink of an eye, he had vanished into the darkness.

Xia Wanshuang stared blankly as Chu Qing disappeared from sight, utterly speechless for a time.

Though she knew perfectly well that she and Chu Qing were strangers, and he had no reason to help her... the problem was, they had already made that sort of deal, yet he was not even willing to lend her a hand?

At the very least, he could have taken her out of danger, could he not?

"Heartless... cold-blooded... hateful!"

Muttering under her breath, Xia Wanshuang struggled to her feet. After glancing at Mei Qianluo's headless corpse, she picked up her sword from the ground and limped out of the courtyard.

Only after she had gone a long way did Chu Qing emerge from the darkness.

He turned to look at the courtyard, then at Ge Jingchun.

"So it seems there really were only the two of you. What a pity..."

Ge Jingchun felt a chill run through his entire body.

This fellow truly was no good person. He had deliberately left early in order to use Xia Wanshuang to test whether there were any watchers nearby.

If there were, he could follow the vine to find the melon and trace them to Cheng Sihai.

If there were not... he would lose nothing.

Where in the world had this man come from?

That night, at the Chu Family residence.

When Chu Qing appeared before Chu Tian carrying Ge Jingchun, who looked like a corpse, over his shoulder.

Chu Tian was startled as well.

His first reaction was that Chu Qing had gotten into trouble outside and had come to ask him to help destroy the corpse and erase the traces!

But when he saw clearly who was lying on the ground, Chu Tian's expression turned grave.

"Ge Jingchun of the Divine Sand Gang? What happened?"

Ge Jingchun had already fallen completely unconscious. He had lost a great deal of blood and suffered severe injuries.

The fact that he had held on until now and was still alive already showed that his internal cultivation was formidable and his vitality strong.

Chu Qing nodded, then casually took the teapot from the table and poured himself a cup.

"There was Mei Qianluo too."

He briefly recounted everything that had happened that night.

"Wen Rou was poisoned? Plum Blossom Needles..."

Chu Tian gave Chu Qing a strange look.

"That girl really does like picking up all sorts of random junk. I never expected it would bring her a fatal disaster."

"So you should have Second Brother talk some sense into her. She should stop treating every little thing she finds as treasure and bringing it home..."

Remembering that she had even picked up his bowl before, Chu Qing felt rather speechless.

It was only because she was Chu Fan's junior sister that he had not considered killing her to silence her.

"...I heard they tried."

Chu Tian smiled.

"Her master told her too... but it seems to have done no good."

"Come to think of it, what sort of background does that girl have?"

Chu Qing asked:

"Can she really distinguish people's scents so clearly?"

"It is not merely a matter of scent..."

Chu Tian said:

"I asked your Second Brother about it before. He said it was a special constitution of Miss Wen's.

"She had been like this since birth.

"Moreover, Miss Wen comes from no ordinary background. She had no need to be sent to the Great Easy Sect to learn martial arts... but when she was little, she always found the private money her father had hidden and handed it to him in front of her mother.

"Over time, her father just... well, in Miss Wen's own words, anger rose in his heart and evil sprang from his gallbladder. He actually sent her off to the Great Easy Sect."

"..."

Chu Qing thought it over and suddenly understood Wen Rou's father's despair.

He shook his head and changed the subject.

"Big Brother, I need you to handle something for me."

"Say it."

Chu Tian walked over to Ge Jingchun, took his pulse, and pondered for a moment before pulling a small bottle from his robes. He took out a pill and stuffed it into Ge Jingchun's mouth.

"Find a few sharp ones to keep watch on his residence."

Chu Qing said:

"We can most likely follow the vine to find the melon and trace our way to Cheng Sihai."

Chu Tian turned back to look at Chu Qing.

"What about Mei Qianluo?"

"Dead."

"Shall I handle the rest?"

Chu Tian asked tentatively.

Chu Qing decisively shook his head.

"You can have the Four Great Guardians, but Cheng Sihai is mine."

"Why?"

Chu Tian was puzzled.

"Do you have some deep blood feud with him?"

"Someone paid me to kill him."

Chu Qing smiled.

"Do not ruin my business."

Chu Tian nodded in sudden understanding.

"Fine.

"But are you certain you can face Cheng Sihai alone?

"The Mount Yue Tactic he cultivates cannot be underestimated.

"Why not let me go with you?"

Chu Qing thought it over and did not stand on ceremony.

"We will see when the time comes. If outsiders are present, I will act alone.

"If no one is around, then the two of us brothers will kill him together."

"Good."

Chu Tian agreed once more.

Seeing that Chu Tian had agreed to every request he made, Chu Qing could not help feeling conflicted. He waved a hand.

"All right, I will be going now.

"Wen Rou was poisoned by Plum Blossom Needles. I need to deliver the antidote to her."

"Understood."

Chu Tian nodded, then asked:

"Will you not take this chance to see Father?"

"There are probably quite a few eyes watching this place right now. If the old man suddenly rises from the dead, he might scare a few more people to death."

Chu Qing said with a smile:

"If we are going to scare anyone to death, it should be people like Gu Qianqiu. These foot soldiers are not worth using such a great killing weapon on."

"Hahaha."

Chu Tian was amused by Chu Qing and could only nod.

"All right, then be careful.

"Oh, and if there is a suitable chance, tell your Second Brother about your identity.

"Otherwise, he spends every day like a headless fly... it is painful to watch."

Chu Qing pondered for a moment.

"We will see. Second Brother cannot hide what is on his mind. Not knowing about me may actually be better for him.

"All right, I am leaving."

Chu Tian did not try to keep him. Only after watching Chu Qing leave the courtyard, leap into the air, and vanish from sight did he turn back to Ge Jingchun.

The Divine Sand Gang's appearance in Heavenly Dance City had not only exceeded Chu Qing's expectations, it had left Chu Tian utterly bewildered as well.

And according to what Chu Qing had just said, Falling Rain Hall had single-handedly brought this matter about...

Then what stance did Tang Yinfeng, who was still imprisoned in the City Lord's Mansion dungeon, truly hold?

Why had he remained tight-lipped about it all along?

"Something worth concealing even at the cost of one's life... was it truly only for so-called fame and profit?"

Chu Tian murmured to himself, then sighed.

"Once again, there will be no good sleep tonight."