The Madame's Teachings Imprinted on His Heart; That Stinking Bitch, Haunting Him Like a Restless Ghost

Li Xian shook off his pursuers, listening to the wails of agony behind him. He thought to himself, "After this incident, I too have stained my hands with blood. So be it—whether it's sin or evil, let them judge. Why bother? Why think about it?"

He fled far away, traveling dozens of miles in one breath, until he came upon a dense water forest. He then steered his boat quickly into it, using the leaves for cover, and traveled another ten miles or so, figuring that it would be difficult to catch him.

Li Xian gazed at the sky; the moon tonight was full and round, bright and clear, a truly beautiful sight. He pondered, "After this calamity, they probably won't pursue us any further. Firstly, the casualties must have been heavy. The wounded need to be treated as soon as possible. Secondly, with the ship destroyed and people scattered, any further pursuit will have to be carefully considered."

The next day, the lake area was peaceful as before. Li Xian left the water forest, looked around, and pondered where to escape to. Although he was safe for the time being, he still needed to be wary of the Pure Jade Divine Bird.

Now that he has no bow, he can do nothing to the Divine Bird. But ever since Li Xian shot it down, it has become a frightened bird, as if it is very afraid of his gaze, or afraid of "Double Pupils". As soon as Li Xian stares at it, it trembles uncontrollably.

"If it dares to appear today, it proves that Zhao Zaizai plotting against me and wants to track me down. I will then scare it away with my eyes and choose another way to escape. If the Divine Bird is not seen today, it proves that they have given up looking for me. I will then follow the water map to reach the shore."

Li Xian paid attention to the sky, but did not see the Divine Bird for a day. He then took out the "Water Map" to examine it. This Water Map was obtained from the extermination of "Water-Gold Den". Following the Water Map, Li Xian traveled for about four days, and the Black Boat arrived at the shore.

We finally left Dongran Lake.

The endless lake region holds countless mysteries. Countless fortuitous opportunity encounters lie buried in its deepest recesses.

Li Xian patted the hull lightly, knowing that although the hull was ordinary, it was extremely valuable and made of a very unique material, and he was reluctant to give it up. However, carrying it around would be rather strange, and if it attracted the attention of others, it would inevitably reveal his whereabouts. With no other choice, he decided to hide it well and reuse it when needed in the future.

Seeing black mud, weeds, and large rocks on the lake shore, he had a sudden inspiration. He first covered the Black Boat with black mud, filled it with lake water, and sank it directly into the lake.

In the future, all that's needed is to pull it out of the lake and wash away the black mud. Li Xian brushed off the dust, exhaled a breath of fresh air, and carried away the filth. Gazing into the depths of the lake, he sighed deeply. The bee farm and orchard of the Water Altar —all gone. Now nothing remains.

Li Xian examined the waterway Terrain Map, which mostly depicted waterways, but also marked the locations of several towns. He noticed a town in the northwest called "Swallowing Water City."

F

In the past, Water-Gold Den was a local tyrant who controlled the waters, robbing passing ships and selling the treasures, pearls, and silks he obtained to "Swallowing Water City". This city has a unique location, west of Huaiyin Prefecture, north of Flowerwater Prefecture, and south of Ridge Prefecture. Surrounded by deep waters and high mountains, it was a breeding ground for bandits and fostered a fierce and tough folk culture.

The area was difficult for the government to manage, so it became a place where all sorts of people mingled and where stolen goods were exchanged.

Water bandits, mountain bandits, and the likes of the Crimson List villains frequently visited the area. Considering his current identity, Li Xian was neither a good person nor a kind person; he was also a villain. Although Swallowing Water City was a place fraught with danger, it could provide cover for him.

Following the Terrain Map, they hurried along the road. After more than a day, they crossed a mountain forest and came to a mountain city. The city walls were cast from "Town-Suppressing Ironstone," and were jet black, sturdy, and towering. Thirty-four heads, both male and female, hung on the city walls. Judging from their headdresses, they seemed to belong to wealthy families.

Li Xian didn't rush into the city; he first observed for a moment. He noticed that many of those entering and leaving the city were dressed in gold and silver ornaments, appearing extremely wealthy at first glance, but upon closer inspection, they exuded a strong sense of banditry. Li Xian murmured, "No wonder it's called Swallowing Water City. Ordinary people who enter this city will probably be reduced to bones."

He scooped up some yellow soil, dampened it with water, and casually wiped it on his face. Then he blended into the city. Swallowing Water City was poorly regulated; as soon as he entered, he heard shouts. Both sides of the street were lined with gambling dens, where all sorts of people were passionately shouting and yelling.

Suddenly, a commotion arose in the distance, and blood flowed freely on the ground. It turned out that someone had lost all their money and, in a fit of rage, had started a fight, hacking and slashing indiscriminately, killing several people. Then, they were attacked by a group of people and hacked to pieces.

Li Xian remained calm, hiding among the crowd and carefully observing his surroundings. Beside the numerous small gambling dens stood a towering pavilion, from which shouts of battle could be heard.

Originally, both the mountain bandit leader and the river bandit leader were skilled at raising chickens. At this moment, they were enjoying cockfighting and betting on territory. There was a vicious mountain bandit who, in order to show off his banditry, made human bones into beads and wrapped human intestines around his neck.

Li Xian walked for several miles through streets lined with gambling dens and brothels—not a single restaurant or inn. Li Xian adopted a somewhat bandit-like air and blended in. After searching for another half hour, he came across several inns in a row, Li Xian casually stepped into the "Peaceful Inn."

He couldn't help but think to himself, "Swallowing Water City, water represents wealth, this is a city that devours wealth and people. Those who come and go are either bandits or fierce, either evil or wicked, yet it's named ' Peaceful Inn,' which is rather ironic. I have nowhere else to stay, so I'll just stay here."

Upon entering the inn, Li Xian saw the innkeeper, a fierce-looking man with three scars on his left cheek and a tall, muscular build, who glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. Li Xian remained calm and composed, renting a room and ordering two jars of wine, some meat, and other food. The innkeeper chuckled twice, too lazy to speak, and pointed to the signboard behind him.

The sign was blank, but it had a picture on it. It read: Room two taels, drinks two taels, beef three taels. Negotiate and you'll lose your hands and feet. Li Xian frowned, cursing the filthy inn in his heart, its prices even higher than those in Flying Dragon City. But since he was already here, and he had some spare money, he figured he might as well stay for two nights.

Li Xian fled from the Water Altar, anticipating that he would need gold and silver valuables when traveling the world. He carried several dozen taels of silver with him.

He then took out ten taels of silver and gently tapped it on the table. The shopkeeper, seeing the silver, immediately gleamed with a shrewd light. Instead of taking it, he began to scrutinize Li Xian from head to toe. He gave a cold, sneer and said in a hoarse voice, "Please choose a seat anywhere; the food will be served shortly."

Li Xian chose a corner to sit in, with a wooden stake beside him providing cover so that passing customers would not easily notice him. There was a wooden window on his left, making it easy to escape by jumping out. He observed carefully, sat down calmly, and glanced sideways at the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper called over a waiter, a tall, burly man with a bald head and bare chest. The shopkeeper glanced at Li Xian out of the corner of his eye and secretly gave him instructions. The waiter nodded slightly, secretly sizing up Li Xian, licking his lips and grinning greedily.

The innkeeper patted the waiter on the shoulder. The waiter then retreated to the kitchen and summoned five skilled men to discuss a grand "honey trap" plan. How could there be any legitimate merchants in Swallowing Water City? This inn was truly an inn that devoured money and took lives, skinning and slaughtering people.

Swallowing Water City is located at the junction of Huaiyin Prefecture Ridge Prefecture, and Flowerwater Prefecture. It was already difficult to govern when the Great Wu was at its peak. The people are known for their fierce and unruly nature, but the city is well-connected by waterways, with Dongran Lake and Black Dragon River nearby. However, there are many shortcuts across the prefectures, requiring one to pass through the surrounding area.

Occasionally, traveling merchants would mistakenly enter the Swallowing Water City. After wandering around for a while, they would stay overnight at an inn in Swallowing Water City, hoping to continue their journey the next day or travel by water. Seeing that the inn was very expensive, they knew that the innkeeper was overcharging them, but thought that they could just pay honestly.

Little did they know that the inn was a bottomless pit, preying on its guests. Not only did they demand money, they also sought to take their lives. As soon as you checked into the inn, they would falsely accuse you of causing trouble and eating without paying—first throwing mud at you, then using threats and intimidation to gradually trick merchants into admitting the truth, and finally demanding money to avoid further trouble.

If merchants believe their rhetoric and try to settle things peacefully, they are playing right into the hands of the innkeeper and his cronies. Even after their money is gone, the innkeeper and his men will not let them go. They will continue their schemes, demanding money, jewelry, goods, and women. By the time the merchants realize something is wrong, they have already lost all their spirit and resign themselves to their fate, perhaps even becoming slaves to survive. If they fight back, their heads will roll, and only then will they understand why they were taken from the city walls.

Seeing that Li Xian spent ten taels of silver at once, the shopkeeper assumed he was quite wealthy and would have more money after extorting him. So, he instructed his waiter to deliberately spill the dishes on Li Xian when they were served. Immediately afterward, the waiter rushed out and used the "Five Tigers Grappling Formation" to subdue Li Xian. Through constant pressure and coercion, they extorted money from him.

The innkeeper, amused that the waiter had already brought out the wine, dipped his finger in the tea and drew circles on the table. Suddenly noticing that the silver hadn't been collected, he reached for it. Suddenly, he heard a hissing sound, and his palm burned; the flesh of his palm was now cooked!

He took two steps back, wincing in pain. Looking closely, he saw that the ten taels of silver were inexplicably red-hot, sizzling and emitting black smoke from the table. The shopkeeper was astonished. Then he saw that the ten taels of silver had melted into a lump, turning into molten silver, deeply embedded in the table. The surrounding wood had turned to charcoal and burst into flames. The shopkeeper immediately poured tea to extinguish the flames, but the silver remained scalding hot. He was utterly bewildered and stared in shock at Li Xian.

Who didn't know that Li Xianqi had exerted his power and said beforehand, "Don't mess with me." The shopkeeper muttered in his heart, already regretting it. He knew that this man looked young, but he was actually a seasoned man in the world. He was extremely vigilant and well-informed, and his methods were very sophisticated. He was definitely not a fuel-saving lamp. He was a petty profiteer, so there was no need to provoke him. He immediately ran to the clerk and kicked him away. He canceled the plan, served good wine and meat as promised, and sent someone to prepare the berths.

The innkeeper smiled kindly at Li Xian and didn't disturb him any further. Li Xian picked up a piece of braised beef, sipped some wine, and ate with great relish. He recalled Wen Caishang's teachings and sighed, "Madam's teachings are excellent. Having strength is one thing, but knowing how to use it is another. I'm already Second Realm martial artist; these shady inns can hardly harm me. Even if they have underhanded tricks, I can counter them without fear. But if I wait for them to make the first move, I can then find a way to deal with them. At that time, I might use force to intimidate them, or reason with them. While this would resolve the matter, it would be a less effective Lower Vehicle, ruining my enjoyment. Whether I kill or intimidate, neither would be satisfactory. If I anticipate their intentions and detect their malice beforehand, I can intimidate them at a certain point, avoiding a major conflict and turning the tables on them."

Wen Caishang world, and Li Xian listened attentively, gradually learning a thing or two. Wen Caishang once said that even with equal strength and methods, the timing, method, and application of one's abilities in the face of crisis, danger, or confusion will all affect the course of events. It might escalate conflicts into major battles that are difficult to reconcile. Or it might temporarily quell the conflict, but leave a lingering resentment, leading to future retaliation. Or it might forcefully suppress the conflict, creating enemies. Alternatively, one could turn enemies into friends or extricate oneself from the situation. If one relies solely on superior strength and methods without careful consideration before acting, success will be difficult to achieve, and many troubles will arise.

Li Xian felt a slight buzz from the wine, and he seemed to hear Wen Caishang voice whispering in his ear, "You little rascal, you still have a lot to learn." Li Xian drank heartily, his fighting spirit soaring. He ate meat heartily, planning to stay for two more days before finding a new place to go. He would diligently practice martial arts, improve his skills, and strive to surpass his wife.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded outside the inn. Someone said, "Finally found an inn." "What kind of godforsaken city is this? The atmosphere is so corrupt." "Heh, they're all just ordinary peasants. If they dare to mess with me, I'll make them suffer!" "Peaceful Inn, Peace-of-Mind Inn, Peaceful Intent Inn —three inns in a row. That should be manageable." "Miss Zhao, what do you think?" "We'll just have to stay here for now and discuss other matters later."

Li Xian felt a sense of foreboding; the voice sounded familiar.

The door creaked open, and several young men and women entered. Li Xian glanced at them discreetly and thought to himself, "This is terrible." It was Nangong Xuanming, Nangong Wuwang, Zhao Zaizai, and their group.

Li Xian never expected that he would run into him so soon after getting away. Fortunately, he was in a secluded place, and his face was dirty, his figure was slightly altered, and he was disheveled, so he was not easily recognized.

Li Xian glanced at Zhao Zairan, seeing her haughty demeanor and utter disdain, and cursed inwardly, "That wretched woman, she's such a persistent ghost!"

On that day, all the ships capsized.

Once upon a time, Li Xian single-handedly wiped out a bandit stronghold and happened to obtain a "strange Marvelous Book of Fish Herding." He learned that the bandits raised a large number of "Golden-Mouthed Fish," and that they could attract the fish to gnaw through the hull of a boat simply by blowing a wooden flute.

Using this method, no passing ship escaped unscathed. Even those with martial artists at the Second Realm of cultivation were captured alive and left helpless. Li Xian had anticipated that Zhao Zaizai and the others would give chase two days ago.

Although Li Xian's Black Boat was sturdy, its speed was average. Even with the mighty River-Sinking Sword propelling the water, it couldn't withstand the encirclement of the net. Until he could completely break free...

Then I couldn't sleep a wink all day.

Recalling the stories of "Water-Gold Den" and the "Marvelous Book of Fish Herding," and having also acquired a waterway Terrain Map, he headed towards the waters near Water-Gold Den, cutting down trees along the way to make a flute and attempting to herd fish.

The Golden-Mouthed Fish usually inhabit the lake, but they are scattered. Li Xian tried several times and was actually able to gather the Golden-Mouthed Fish together. He felt that the plan was feasible. However, he knew that this plan was vicious and would cause many deaths and injuries. So he still preferred to run away. If he could quietly escape to a distant place, that would be the best. If the situation forced him to use ruthless methods, he was not afraid.

Unexpectedly, they still caught up. Li Xian tried to dissuade them, but the pursuers only laughed loudly, treating it as a foolish act, and ignored him completely. Li Xian thought to himself, "Since you are determined to chase me, let fate decide my fate. What does it have to do with me?"

The Golden-Mouthed Fish gnawed through the bottom of the boat, causing all the heroes to sink into the lake. The fish's mouths were extremely sharp, and since these Golden-Mouthed Fish were not raised by him, Li Xian could not control them at will. Suddenly, the fish went berserk, gnawing at the boat's iron, chewing flesh and sucking blood. Because they had not been active for a long time, after they finished gnawing at the boat, they tore at it wildly, biting the heroes of the martial arts world, injuring them with their skin and flesh.

In an instant, the lake was filled with screams of agony, a heart-wrenching and utterly tragic scene. Most of the martial artists were ordinary Clay Embryo, clay figures, with only a few being martial artists of the First Realm martial artists could still protect themselves, but the ordinary Clay Embryo and the Second Realm martial artists all sank into the water.

Zhao Zaizai's methods were unpredictable; with a flick of her longsword, she sent the martial artist who had fallen into the lake flying into the air. Her figure moved gracefully, and one after another, figures took to the air. Su Lan Feng, holding a folding fan, hovered in the air, fanning himself back and forth.

The martial arts technique evolved, creating a condensed gust of wind in the air. It caught the martial artist who had been sent flying by Zhao Ying, swirling around him and preventing him from falling into the water.

Because the incident happened suddenly, many people fell into the water. Nangong Wuwang, Nangong Xuanming, Bian Chengfeng, Bian Qiaoqiao, and others used various methods to try their best to rescue them.

Although Bian Qiaoqiao was Second Realm martial artist, her lightness skill was quite good, enough to protect herself and even rescue others. But as time went on, she became increasingly exhausted. The dangerous situation in the lake was not in her favor.

Su Lan Feng looked around and saw an island in the distance. He then fanned himself with his folding fan, creating gusts of wind, demonstrating his considerable martial arts skills. Nangong Xuanming and the others were secretly astonished and filled with admiration upon seeing his strength. The condensed wind blew everyone onto the island. This was repeated several times, and dozens of people escaped from the jaws of death.

The group regrouped on the island to tally the casualties. They found eight people had drowned in the lake, and the rest were all injured. Some had minor cuts and lacerations, with blood flowing freely. Others had severed limbs, with bones visible, and their faces were almost entirely eaten away, a truly pitiful sight.

Seeing that the fishing boats were completely destroyed and it was impossible to pursue them, and seeing the mess on the ground and the constant wails of pain, Zhao Ranran felt extremely frustrated and frowned as she stared into the distance. After waiting a while, the Golden-Mouthed Fish all dispersed, and the lake returned to calm.

Zhao Zaizai, Bian Qiaoqiao, and others went into the lake to fetch water. Zhao Zaizai used the "Pure Severance Swordplay," a Swordsmanship with the wonderful effect of clearing away turbidity and restoring purity. The lake water was originally murky and mixed with blood, dirt, filth, and floating debris. She used her Swordsmanship, a martial arts transformation, to draw out the purest and cleanest lake water. She used it to wash wounds and help the martial arts travelers bandage their wounds.

With everything settled and the injuries stabilized, it was already late at night. Looking out at the dark lake, Nangong Wuwang sighed, "It seems that Flower Thief really did escape."

Zhao Yingying hesitated, though she was extremely unwilling, it was already a fait accompli. Around midnight, the wounded gradually calmed down and all fell into a deep sleep. Zhao Ran, who had a bamboo flute at her waist, sat on the top of the bamboo and played the flute under the moon. The sound was melodious, it was "Xiao Xiangzi's" "Lovesickness Melody". The melody was winding and mournful, fully expressing the pain of longing.

She was quite skilled in music, yet she suffered from unrequited love. She found the music pleasant and soothing, a way to relieve her worries. Trapped in the vast lake region, unable to escape her predicament, she played the flute to pass the time. The melodies accompanied her to sleep, and soon it was dawn.

Bian Qiaoqiao tended to the wounded on the island. The group of prodigies built a raft and went out to find a fishing boat. Around noon, Nangong Wuwang and the others returned empty-handed, Zhao Zaizai on a bandit boat.

Zhao Zaizai was blessed with unparalleled good fortune, favored by heaven and earth, and everything went smoothly for her. The Wondrous Splendor Heavenly Garment further enhanced her beauty, making her stand out in the lake like a fairy maiden. The bandits admired her from afar and drove their boat closer, intending to raid her hideout. However, they were thrown into the lake and their boat was captured instead.

The wounded boarded the boat one by one. Zhao Zaizai the bandits familiar with the waterways take the helm and quickly sail back to the shore to find a town to settle the wounded. The bandits had lived in Dongran Lake for a long time and only knew of "Swallowing Water City". So they drove their boat to "Swallowing Water City". After several days, the bandit boat docked at the shore of Water-Swallowing Lane.

And so it happened—whether it was a deep fate or Zhao Zaizai's divine favor, she inexplicably found herself in the same city as Li Xian. She was unaware of this, much less could she have foreseen the coincidence.

Taishu Yuzhu said, "Junior sister, the most urgent thing is to find a place to stay." Zhao Zaizai and then ordered the martial arts travelers to help each other and find an inn to stay in.

Swallowing Water City was extremely treacherous. Zhao Zaizai, arriving for the first time, couldn't help but frown. Countless gambling dens and brothels teemed with corruption and chaos, the people fierce and ruthless, all rife with vicious bandits. Zhao Zaizai was about to draw her sword when Nangong Xuanming stopped her, saying, "Miss Zhao, wait. This city is teeming with bandits. If you incur their wrath here, you'll be attacked by a mob. You may be free to come and go, but many of your fellow heroes will perish here."

Zhao Zaizai pondered this carefully and found it to be true. He then ignored it and searched for an inn along the way. He found "Peace-of-Mind Inn," "Peaceful Intent Inn," and "Peaceful Inn." Zhao Zaizai dispersed the group of travelers and led them into "Peaceful Inn."

Although Li Xian was in a corner, no one noticed him, let alone expected that, in addition to Zhao Zaiying, Nangong Xuanming, Bian Qiaoqiao, Ka Bianyun and other scions of powerful families, there were also several martial arts practitioners following him, enough to fill three large tables.

The inn's lobby was spacious. Everyone sat around a table. Seeing that the inn was of ordinary size and that there were many people traveling with them, Nangong Xuanming said, "Everyone, eat as much as you like. Innkeeper, this inn is all ours for tonight. Bring out all the wine, meat, and dishes you have, as well as fresh lake, river, and lake seafood."

Having said that, he tossed out a gold ingot. The innkeeper picked it up, weighed it in his hand, and laughed, "Sir, this little bit of money might not be enough." Nangong Xuanming raised an eyebrow and said, "With your inn, I don't see many customers. My gold isn't enough to book the whole place?"

The shopkeeper said, "My supplies are scarce, so the prices are a bit high. You can add two more ingots of gold, and that should be just about right." Seeing that Nangong Xuanming and his group were numerous and well-dressed, he dared not overcharge them easily, but his greed was hard to suppress.

Nangong Xuanming sneered, "How ridiculous! This one ingot of gold is enough to buy your inn. Enough with the nonsense, hurry up and bring the wine! If you dare to play tricks, you'll be sorry." He slammed his hand on the table and stood up. If the innkeeper encountered Nangong Xuanming and his men in a bustling city, he would avoid them like the plague and would never dare to defy them. However, this was his territory, and countless underlings were secretly watching. He could not easily back down and lose face.

Provoked by this, the bandits' ferocity flared, and they retorted, "Fine, you look so respectable, I was thinking of letting you off the hook and paying you some silver or gold to settle things. We were just going along with it. But you really think you're the bosses!"

He blew a long whistle, and dozens of figures suddenly appeared from all directions of the inn. They had all practiced several styles of "Upright Mountain Fist" and possessed internal strength. Occasionally, a few of them had the cultivation of "Palm Immortal Insight" and "Chest-Drum Thunder Resonance".

On the second floor, a dozen men, armed with iron mesh netting, stood ready. The door was closed, and dozens more crossbow bolts were set up in the shadows. The innkeeper shouted, "Take them down! Kill the men, leave the women!"

A chaotic battle is imminent.

Nangong Xuanming, Bian Chengfeng, Taishu Yuzhu, and the others slowly rose, sneered, and vanished in an instant. Then, screams erupted from all sides.

Zhao Yingying leisurely drank her water, gently swirling her teacup. The moment she put down her teacup, all the noise ceased. Nangong Xuanming and the others returned to their seats. The bandits, their faces bruised and swollen, lay sprawled on the ground.

Nangong Xuanming shouted, "Hurry up and prepare enough wine and food!" The innkeeper knew he was no match for him, so he had no choice but to obediently serve him and go to prepare the food.

Bian Qiaoqiao said angrily, "These people are utterly despicable; you can tell at a glance they are no good. They shouldn't have given them the gold."

Nangong Wuwang said, "That's the principle, but we can't do it that way. We're in a den of thieves, so we need to stop short of causing trouble. Making things worse will bring us no benefit. Gold can be used to appease them, but force should be used to deter them. Only by combining these methods can we subdue them."

Bian Qiaoqiao said, "That's too abstract. It's better to just rely on your strength and Qi Ingestion everyone."

Everyone burst into laughter upon hearing this. Bian Bianyun said, "Qiao Mei's experience in the martial world is still limited; she will understand in the future."

Li Xian eavesdropped, thinking to himself, "People like you, making a huge fuss just to get food and sleep, aren't exactly clever. Madam has much more experience. I'll have to learn a lot from her when I'm traveling the world."

Wen Caishang's social skills were far superior to those of the scions of noble Aristocratic Clan.

I overheard a conversation among several people.

Nangong Wuwang said, "Speaking of which, we've been so badly tricked by that Flower Thief, are we really powerless against him?"

Bian Bianyun cursed, "This thief is cunning, far surpassing those other Flower Thief by dozens of times!"

Bian Qiaoqiao stared blankly at the bottom of the bowl, her eyes filled with melancholy. Bian Chengfeng said, "No matter how cunning Flower Thief is, he's still nothing more than someone who wallows in the mud. What use is he anyway?"

Nangong Wuwang said, "If it were a one-on-one fight, this fellow would be no match for us. Even if we allow him to cause trouble for a few more days, he would be nothing more than a speck of dust, not worth our attention. He's just like a fly buzzing in our ear, extremely annoying."

Nangong Xuanming sighed, "It's this kind of person who has completely bewitched my cousin. She has no sense of right and wrong. To be honest—I was just humiliated."

Li Xian remained unperturbed by the insults and slander from others. However, when he heard them mention "Nangong Liuli," he imagined the beautiful woman defending him, her face pale and her figure haggard, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of anger.

He calmly ate and drank, continuing to listen in.

Bian Qiaoqiao said, "Brother Xuanming, you are Sister Liuli's cousin, you can't say that about her."

Nangong Xuanming shrugged and said, "To be honest, that Flower Thief caused countless deaths and injuries to our brothers, yet she secretly showed them pity. Even though I'm her cousin, I can't speak up for her."

The other martial arts practitioners chimed in, and unpleasant comments poured in. Bian Qiaoqiao said anxiously, "Sister Zaiying, say something! You've met Sister Liuli a few times; you should know her. She's definitely not that kind of person."

Zhao Zaizai, being Jade Maiden, rarely expressed her opinions about others, but she loathed Li Xian to the extreme, and by extension, hated him because of his reputation. She said, "Although we have met before, I do not know his character. Now that she is infatuated with the Flower Thief, I also dislike her."

Bian Qiaoqiao's pretty face turned deathly pale. Zhao Zaizai said again, "Besides her looks, that Flower Thief is utterly talentless, immoral, and incompetent. This relationship is absurd to the extreme; why should others comment?"

Bian Qiaoqiao said, "But if what Sister Liuli said is true, and that Flower Thief isn't actually that bad, then maybe—"

Bian Bianyun said, "Qiaomei, you are too concerned about Nangong Liuli. In trying to exonerate her, you are also exonerating that Flower Thief. This makes you biased."

Bian Qiaoqiao shook her head and said, "No, I—I feel that the Flower Thief doesn't really seem like a truly wicked person."

Zhao Zaizai coldly replied, "I've always believed that the corrupt are hard to cleanse, and the innocent are hard to corrupt. If he were upright, no matter how great the difficulties, he could maintain his integrity and would never associate with Flower Thief. Since he's already mingled with Flower Thief, what do his past experiences, reasons, or hardships have to do with me? I don't care. I only see that he's Flower Thief, and he deserves to be punished."

She harbored deep resentment towards Li Xian. Her words were even more condescending, displaying her self-proclaimed aloofness. Nangong Xuanming said, "Miss Zhao is right." Taishu Yuzhu laughed, "It's like the red bamboo, inherently upright, which can be broken but not bent. It's like the grass on the wall, truly supple; even if it stands straight for a moment, it will immediately slump to one side when the wind blows."

Bian Chengfeng laughed, "Brother Yuzhu's analogy is truly apt." Nangong Xuanming said, "Qiaomei, it's really not worth it for you to speak up for that Flower Thief. Don't forget, that Flower Thief once slandered you, claiming you were to marry Brother Ji Yuan, which not only tarnished your reputation but also damaged Brother Ji Yuan's name."

Although Zhao Zaizai's relationship with Ji Yuan was superficial, rumors circulated within the sect that the two might be destined for a marriage. Both were aware of this, and while no romantic feelings had yet blossomed, they both secretly paid attention to each other. She held Ji Yuan in higher regard than others, and recalling Li Xian's slanderous words, she said, "This humble one has come."

Li Xian glanced at Zhao Yingying out of the corner of his eye and saw her expression full of contempt and arrogance, as if she were talking about a disgusting vermin. He thought to himself, "You're so high and mighty, but you've forgotten that not everyone in this world is like you, favored by heaven and protected by earth. We crawl around in filth, ugly and repulsive in your eyes. Humph, so what? Why should we pay attention to your righteous and evil sects, your pedantic and rigid ways?"

Seeing Zhao Zaizai, favored by heaven and earth, sitting upright at the table, bathed in the light of the sun and moon, her beauty unparalleled, he suddenly thought, "If one day, fortune changes, and you are stripped of your heavenly robes and your Fortune dissipates, returning to the mortal realm, I wonder if you will still be able to look down on everything with such arrogance."