Probing

This fleeting thought came as quickly as it went.

The notion of the world being "patched" was far too metaphysical.

Without sufficient evidence, anything derived purely from speculation could only serve as a reference, not as truth.

To verify it, one had to proceed step by step.

At present, there was only one thing Xu Yuan could confirm: regardless of which faction Mr. Qin belonged to, he was, in all likelihood, targeting him, the Third Young Master.

The female lead, who should have appeared at Xiaoxiang Pavilion, had been brought by him to Drunken Immortal Pavilion for no reason; if one were to call that a coincidence, it would be far too convenient.

Stopping his train of thought, Xu Yuan looked at Yue Niang again and chuckled softly:

"Since she is the top courtesan personally selected by Mr. Qin, this Young Master certainly cannot afford to miss out."

The smile on Yue Niang's face faltered.

Having seen the Third Young Master remain silent for so long, Yue Niang had assumed he would give up, yet she heard exactly this.

She hurriedly said:

"If Mr. Qin were to blame, Third Young Master..."

Xu Yuan raised a hand to interrupt, looking into her eyes and observing every subtle expression on her face as he smiled:

"Blame? If Mr. Qin wishes to cast blame, Yue Niang, just tell him to come find me. I am, in fact, quite curious about this Mr. Qin who is rumored to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with my eldest brother."

Having said that, Xu Yuan laughed heartily and turned to leave.

Zhou Chen followed silently.

Yue Niang opened her mouth, wanting to continue her obstruction, but ultimately swallowed her words.

The garden alley fell into silence.

Watching Xu Yuan and his companion force their way into the Bamboo Garden where Jinxuan resided, the door closing behind them, Yue Niang finally let out a soft sigh and slowly rose to walk back to her own quarters.

The Bamboo Garden lived up to its name; pushing the door open and passing the screen wall, one was greeted by a courtyard enclosed by bamboo trees.

The bamboo leaves were verdant, scattering with the breeze, and a pool of water rippled with emerald waves.

The garden carried a faint fragrance of earth. Xu Yuan scanned the area but saw no one.

Behind the garden was the hall, and behind the hall lay the chambers.

Since he was playing the part of a dissolute playboy, he naturally had no intention of notifying Miss Jinxuan; Xu Yuan led Zhou Chen directly toward the innermost chamber.

Walking along the stone path, Xu Yuan asked casually:

"Mr. Zhou, you mentioned earlier that this Mr. Qin could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Xu Changge over a decade ago?"

This piece of information was the direct reason Xu Yuan had developed the idea that Mr. Qin was a product of the world's "patching."

Xu Changge was a ruthless man who dared to venture alone into the Ancient Abyss to hack off the head of the Snake Demon Princess.

If this Mr. Qin could stand on equal footing with him, there was no reason for him not to appear in the plot.

Zhou Chen raised his eyes to look at Xu Yuan's back, not minding that the Third Young Master addressed his eldest brother by name, and nodded slightly:

"Indeed. When the Eldest Young Master was in his prime, his fame shook the Imperial Capital, and many people across the world emerged claiming they could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him."

"Oh?"

Xu Yuan frowned slightly and asked:

"Mr. Zhou, do you mean to say that this Mr. Qin is actually just a flashy show-off? No, if that were the case, why would you have mentioned him separately just now?"

Zhou Chen followed behind Xu Yuan and said:

"Third Young Master is sharp. This Mr. Qin is indeed different from those who use the Eldest Young Master to fish for fame."

"How is he different?" Xu Yuan asked softly.

Zhou Chen weighed his words carefully:

"When the Eldest Young Master was traveling the world, he did have some dealings with this Mr. Qin, and the two traveled together for quite some time."

"Traveled together?"

Xu Yuan murmured. In his memories, although his eldest brother was usually gentle with others, his arrogance was etched into his bones.

If this Mr. Qin could travel with him, he must have been truly exceptional.

After a pause, Xu Yuan continued to ask:

"Is that all?"

Zhou Chen shook his head:

"Does the Third Young Master know that every seven years, the Tianyuan Sword Sect sends out wide invitations, inviting the young disciples of all sects under heaven to hold an assembly within Tianyuan City?"

Xu Yuan pondered for a moment and nodded:

"I know."

He knew about this.

Not only did he know, but he also knew what lay behind the Tianyuan Assembly.

Information from his past life.

The Tianyuan Assembly, while ostensibly held to inspire the younger generation of the world, was in truth a venue for the sect masters and elders of various factions to meet and discuss the affairs of the martial world.

It was a collective conference of warlords, spearheaded by the Tianyuan Sword Sect, the number one sect in the world.

However, despite the ulterior motives behind it, the Tianyuan Sword Sect offered a "Gold" grade treasure as the first-place prize every time, ensuring that each Tianyuan Assembly remained a grand event for the entire world.

After a pause, Xu Yuan asked:

"Does Mr. Zhou mean that Xu Changge participated in the Tianyuan Grand Competition during his travels?"

"Yes, the destination Mr. Qin and the Eldest Young Master were heading toward at that time was the Tianyuan Assembly in Tianyuan City."

"So he sparred with Xu Changge? Is he very strong?"

Zhou Chen nodded slightly:

"Very strong. He is one of the few people who survived under the Eldest Young Master's sword."

"..." Xu Yuan.

A person who survived?

Stunned for a moment, Xu Yuan then let out a low laugh.

The son of the Prime Minister of the Great Yan Dynasty goes to participate in a competition meant for local warlords, and then proceeds to go for the kill against those sect disciples on the field.

Xu Yuan roughly guessed what had happened at the Tianyuan Assembly thirteen years ago, and he also had a general understanding of Mr. Qin's limits. He chuckled:

"I think I know what kind of person this Mr. Qin is now. Heh."

Having obtained sufficient information, Xu Yuan said no more.

The Bamboo Garden was indeed vast. Moving inward, passing through the courtyard hall and two stone archways, Xu Yuan saw a bamboo forest and a winding path snaking through it.

The two followed the path, rounded a corner, and at the end of the road, the bamboo forest opened up.

A circular clearing had been left in the center.

Sunlight poured down like a waterfall, and a rustic bamboo building stood in solitary silence, appearing exceptionally quiet and profound amidst the desolate, swaying bamboo.

The resonant, melancholic sounds of ancient music drifted from the inner chamber, reaching Xu Yuan's ears.

Xu Yuan stood still for a moment, listening quietly, then glanced sideways at Zhou Chen beside him and said:

"Mr. Zhou, there are two beauties waiting on the top floor. Aren't you... going back to check on them?"

He didn't want to be watched by this bearded man, Zhou Chen, via soul sense while he was trying to have a private conversation.

Hearing this, Zhou Chen stroked his stubble, looking somewhat dumbfounded. He gave a dry cough and cupped his hands:

"Ahem, then this Zhou shall wish the Third Young Master great success in his martial endeavors."

"..." Xu Yuan.

They looked at each other in silence, then both burst into laughter.

Once the laughter faded, accompanied by the zither music from the bamboo building, Zhou Chen turned and left, while Xu Yuan stepped forward.

The bamboo forest rustled in the wind. Entering the building alone, he followed the music up to the second floor and stopped before a guest room.

Soon, the song ended, and a melodious female voice drifted from within:

"Since the Third Young Master has arrived, why stand outside the door?"

As the words fell, the pleasant zither music began to play once more.

Xu Yuan shook his head, stopped lingering, and pushed the door open.

Lifting the beaded curtain of the inner chamber, he walked into the lady's boudoir amidst a soft clattering sound.

Inside, a woman sat gracefully behind an ancient zither, her beautiful eyes lowered, her slender fingers dancing continuously as graceful musical notes flowed from the strings.

The woman wore a bright red silk dress with a low neckline, revealing a generous expanse of snowy white skin.

Her face was like a lotus, her brows like willow leaves, and her eyes—more alluring than peach blossoms—were deeply captivating. Her skin was like snow, and her black hair was coiled into a high, elegant bun, with a jade hairpin reflecting the soft light of the sun.

Seeing her face, Xu Yuan understood why his predecessor, a veteran of the flower fields, had been so obsessed with her, even to the point of being manipulated into a sycophant.

A natural-born seductress.

Suppressing the inexplicable flames rising in his heart and steadying his mind, Xu Yuan leaned over and sat on the cushion opposite the woman.

Once he was seated, a delicate maid immediately poured him a cup of fragrant tea before gracefully retreating.

A faint scent of sandalwood permeated the room, and sunlight filtered through the lattice windows, casting dappled shadows.

Sipping tea, listening to music, and admiring a beauty—a truly pleasant life.

In the stillness, Xu Yuan closed his eyes, intoxicated.

He did not know how much time had passed, nor how many songs had ended.

Su Jinxuan slowly raised her eyes, which were like autumn waters, and looked at the man sitting opposite her with his eyes closed in appreciation. She smiled, pursing her lips:

"Third Young Master, it seems you have some understanding of music as well?"

As her voice drifted over, Xu Yuan slowly opened his eyes, dazed for a brief moment.

Coming back to his senses, he chuckled and shook his head, then pointed directly at the bright red dress worn by the heroine, saying:

"I don't understand music. Compared to melodies, I prefer the most natural human voice. Miss Jinxuan, you should know why I asked for you, right?"

As he spoke, Xu Yuan cast a sidelong glance at the soft, large bed in the private room, which was obscured by red curtains.