https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-325-Is-This-Also-Taught-by-the-Emei-Sect-/12536543/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-327-A-Change-of-Plans-Unforeseen-Consequences/12536545/
Chapter 326: Ma Xiuzhen Arrives
Chapter 326: Ma Xiuzhen Arrives
"Well, isn't this a coincidence? Where's Xue Bing?"
Su Shaoying, while strolling through the streets of Jinling, happened upon Lu Xiaofeng, who was swaggering along like he owned the place, craning his neck to peer curiously at everything around him. Su Shaoying greeted him with a casual salute.
Lu Xiaofeng rolled his eyes at Su Shaoying, not bothering to hide his annoyance. "Wherever Ouyang Qing goes, that's where Xue Bing will be!"
"Why aren't you at the Red Shoes gathering?" Su Shaoying asked.
Lu Xiaofeng countered with a question of his own, "Then why aren't you there?"
"Well, I'm the heir to the Emei Sect, so naturally, I need to stay impartial." Su Shaoying waved his hand dismissively, feigning nonchalance. "As for you, with no notable background or affiliations, it's not like they would deny you entry for being unqualified."
Lu Xiaofeng was speechless.
"Of course not," Lu Xiaofeng replied, feigning indifference. "I simply have no interest in participating in a gathering of women. Besides, I'm not particularly intrigued by the affairs of the Red Shoes."
"I understand," Su Shaoying said with a smile. "What truly piques your interest now is undoubtedly the impending duel between Ye Gucheng and Ximen Chuixue." He continued, "So, have you made a decision yet?"
"A decision about what?" Lu Xiaofeng inquired.
"Why, about offering to escort Ye Gucheng and Ximen Chuixue to their duel, of course." Su Shaoying relished the prospect of Lu Xiaofeng's misfortune. "Your reputation as Lu Xiaofeng, the possessor of the extraordinary Lingxi, precedes you. I'm certain they would be intrigued by the offer."
Lu Xiaofeng felt an urge to spit in Su Shaoying's face.
Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng were both his friends, and he was well aware of their personalities. They were not the type to be easily dissuaded, and attempting to interfere in their duel as a friend would be disrespectful to them.
Su Shaoying was no fool; he could clearly see this. His suggestion was merely a ploy to create trouble and stir up drama for Lu Xiaofeng's sake.
Lu Xiaofeng let out a cold huff, counterattacking with his words, "I suggest you bring out your master instead. Defeat them both, and not only will you establish the might of the Emei Sect, but you'll also knock them down a peg or two."
Su Shaoying feigned surprise, then turned to look behind Lu Xiaofeng. "Master, Lu Xiaofeng is urging you to fight Ye Gucheng and Ximen Chuixue!"
Lu Xiaofeng jumped in shock and spun around. However, amidst the bustling street filled with commoners in simple attire, peddlers carrying their goods, wealthy individuals adorned in luxurious silks, and ladies clad in delicate robes, there was no sign of an elderly Taoist priest.
"How boring! Who do you think you're scaring with such childish tactics?" Lu Xiaofeng glared at Su Shaoying.
"Scared of whom?" Su Shaoying finished his sentence and continued to look behind Lu Xiaofeng, waving his hand and smiling, "Here comes my junior disciple. Master, where are you?"
Lu Xiaofeng's smile was strained as he said, "Are you trying this again? If I fall for it this time, I'll be Lu Xiaozhu—a real pig!"
"Master isn't here. It's just me," a female voice sounded from behind Lu Xiaofeng, and light footsteps soon brought her to his side. "So, are you Lu Xiaozhu now?" she asked, her tone cool.
Ma Xiuzhen brushed past Lu Xiaofeng and joined Su Shaoying. Her smile faded after a few sniffles.
"Why do you smell like perfume?" Ma Xiuzhen asked.
Lu Xiaofeng's stiff expression softened into a smile as he replied, "Because he just crawled out of some famous courtesan's bed."
"You're wrong," Su Shaoying said calmly. "It was I who almost kept her from crawling out of bed."
Su Shaoying turned to Lu Xiaofeng and said, "As the saying goes, we judge others by ourselves. It seems that despite your philandering ways, your abilities are rather mediocre."
Lu Xiaofeng jumped to his feet, "Nonsense!"
But Su Shaoying didn't give him a chance to refute. Instead, he chuckled and said, "Someone let something slip unintentionally. Whether or not they can hold their own is for them to know. Isn't that right, Lu Xiaozhu, the rooster?"
Without waiting for Lu Xiaofeng's response, Su Shaoying turned to Ma Xiuzhen and asked, "Master didn't come?"
"No, she didn't," Ma Xiuzhen nodded. "Master said that her sword style is different from Ye Gucheng and Ximen Chuixue, so there's no need for her to watch their duel."
Both Lu Xiaofeng and Su Shaoying understood the underlying meaning of Master Duguyihe's words.
Their martial arts had reached a level where witnessing a battle between peers would not aid their progress, especially when their styles were vastly different.
However, Mu Daoren seemed to relish being a busybody, even going so far as to follow the trail from Purple Gold Mountain to the Forbidden City just to watch the duel between Ye Gucheng and Ximen Chuixue.
Logically, as the old guard of Yuling Manor, he should have more important matters to attend to. Could it be that he foresaw his own limitations as the leader of the seven major sects, the Wudang Sect, and wanted to measure himself against the winner of the duel between Ye Gucheng and Ximen Chuixue?
"When did you arrive in Jinling?" Su Shaoying asked.
"I just arrived yesterday," Ma Xiuzhen replied. "Have you seen the second junior disciple?"
The second junior disciple was Sun Xiqing.
"I also arrived yesterday, and I haven't heard of anyone seeing Ye Gucheng or Ximen Chuixue either," Su Shaoying shook his head.
Ever since Ye Gucheng's message was delivered to Wanmei Manor, inviting Ximen Chuixue to duel him on Purple Gold Peak on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the two men seemed to have vanished from the martial arts world.
With Ximen Chuixue's disappearance, Sun Xiqing, who had always been by his side, was naturally nowhere to be found as well.
"It seems Ye Gucheng is a formidable opponent," Ma Xiuzhen frowned.
She had met Ximen Chuixue and knew him to be a top-notch expert who had nearly killed Duguyihe. For him to regard someone as a formidable foe, that person must be an exceptional swordsman.
"He's almost like another Ximen Chuixue," Lu Xiaofeng sighed.
"Have you met Ye Gucheng?" Ma Xiuzhen asked Lu Xiaofeng.
Lu Xiaofeng emphasized, "Not only have I met him, but your senior disciple has as well!"
Su Shaoying nodded, "Not only me, but the fourth junior disciple has also met him."
Ma Xiuzhen paused, then asked Su Shaoying, "Have you two been together this whole time?"
"Who's been with him!" Lu Xiaofeng and Su Shaoying exclaimed in unison.
Ma Xiuzhen was speechless.
"Don't you know about the Embroidery Bandit yet?" Su Shaoying asked.
"When I was on the mountain, I only heard that Jin Jiuling had sought Lu Xiaofeng's help," Ma Xiuzhen said. "Then I heard about Ye Gucheng challenging Ximen Chuixue to a duel."
Ma Xiuzhen didn't continue, but they all knew that she had come down from the mountain to find Su Shaoying.
"Jin Jiuling is the Embroidery Bandit," Su Shaoying revealed.
Ma Xiuzhen was taken aback, "Jin Jiuling is the Embroidery Bandit?"
Su Shaoying then proceeded to explain the case of the Embroidery Bandit to Ma Xiuzhen, who exclaimed, "I had no idea! I thought that aside from He Xiu, there was only one other person collaborating with the royal palaces, but I never expected there to be Red Shoes as well."
Lu Xiaofeng kept a straight face, feeling like he was the only one left in the dark.
(End of Chapter)
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