Chapter 103: Maiden Shu Yao Sees A Ghost In Daylight
In the blink of an eye, a night passed.
After many days of gloomy weather with rain and snow, a bright sunny day finally arrived.
The warm sunlight streamed through the window lattice, scattering over the bed where a youth with refined eyebrows and eyes, radiating divine light, lay, making his entire figure appear extraordinarily majestic.
Hong Yuan had withstood the test.
He looked down to see a delicate girl with flushed cheeks nestled in his arms.
Although the sky had cleared, the melting snow made it even colder. The girl was like a cat afraid of the cold, her two small fists lightly clenched and pressed against Hong Yuan’s chest, her whole body curled up into a ball, rolling into his embrace.
The girl wore a light green undergarment on her upper body, so thin that the crystalline, snow-white skin beneath was visible.
Originally, she had worn a jacket skirt over it last night, but she didn’t sleep honestly, and now the outer skirt had slipped to the foot of the bed.
Her lower undergarment had also slid to her knee bend at some point, and Hong Yuan could feel the smooth tenderness pressed against him, though he wasn’t surprised—he had known last night.
This girl was named Ou Shuyao, and she lived up to her name, with a scholarly elegance in her brows and eyes, like a noble lady.
Although Hong Yuan was not a pretentious person, he wouldn’t rush into things upon first meeting, so last night he had only held her and talked heart-to-heart.
Under his gentle comforting words and deliberate guidance, the little girl went from initial panic and shyness to smiling with curved brows and eyes, unable to hold back from opening her heart and sharing many of her inner thoughts with him.
The girl was from a branch line of the Ou family; her parents had passed away early, but because she was adorably cute like jade and snow since childhood, the main line had taken her in to raise, teaching her proficiency in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, embroidery, tea ceremony, and flower arranging.
By seniority, Ou Shuyao was of Ou Zhenyun’s granddaughter generation and would have to call Xu Qingjing “aunt” if they met.
Hong Yuan’s five fingers lightly stroked the girl’s smooth and soft body. Although nothing substantial had happened, they had already passed the first subject and understood the traffic rules.
Ou Shuyao’s body gradually trembled, her cheek pressed against his chest growing hot. Hong Yuan knew she was awake, so he withdrew his palm, ruffled her waterfall-like, cloud-like beautiful hair, and smiled, “Awake?”
As he spoke, he sat up.
Ou Shuyao couldn’t pretend to sleep anymore and opened her eyes. Her beautiful eyes carried the haziness of just waking, like the moon in water or flower in mist. Her flawless, bright face was densely flushed as she still spoke out, “Young Master, let this servant help you dress.”
Her voice was soft and melodious, making it indescribably comfortable to listen to, and one hand was already supporting her as she tried to sit up.
The next moment, an “Ah!” of surprise escaped her lips, her hand shrinking back quickly as if it had touched a hot coal.
Ou Shuyao lowered her little head extremely low, and now not just her cheeks but her entire body quickly flushed with clouds of red.
Hmm? Hong Yuan glanced at her. I haven’t even started the car, yet this little girl dares to touch the gear shift?
It was well known that he, Hong, had always been an upright gentleman, so his current state was predictable.
He threw off the quilt and got out of bed, ignoring the spring scenery leaking behind him, quickly dressed in a few moves, then turned back to press Ou Shuyao back into the quilt and pinched her cheeks that still had some baby fat.
“The weather is cold and dewy; no need to get up so early. Sleep in if you want to laze in bed.”
“Mm!”
Ou Shuyao softly agreed, obediently closing her eyes. Her two red ears listened to the movements in the room, and soon after, the sound of the door closing came.
She quietly poked her head out, peeking like a thief. Seeing that Hong Yuan had indeed left, her panicked mood gradually faded, and scenes from last night up to this morning floated back into her mind.
Ou Shuyao immediately let out a low “Woo,” quickly shrinking her head back into the quilt, her two slender, long legs clamping the quilt as she curled into a ball.
Suddenly, as if discovering something, an extremely shy low cry came from under the quilt, followed by the rustling sound of dressing.
As soon as Hong Yuan stepped out of the private room, a maid waiting in the courtyard came forward to lead him to breakfast.
“No rush!”
Hong Yuan waved his hand and first walked toward the outside of the mansion.
Last night, he had tied that Ghost Fan Tower Night Roaming God to the iron lion outside the Ou family mansion, so now he had to check if it was still there.
After all, it was a rare species, worth some effort.
In no time, he reached the gate. Hong Yuan glanced over—good, this Night Roaming God hadn’t slipped away during the night.
However, the other had already woken up and was studying the cloud pattern iron chain. Upon seeing Hong Yuan, he gave an embarrassed smile and crouched down beside the iron lion.
“One night in the cold wind—Your Excellency has suffered. Feed him a pancake.” Hong Yuan pointed at the Night Roaming God and instructed the following maid.
The reason he had tied him up and left him unattended all night was not only because the cloud pattern iron chain was indeed tough enough and not easy to break, but also because Hong Yuan had left a hidden move.
After knocking him out last night, Hong Yuan had planted a mass of Six Void Force in several major qi and blood nodes in his body.
In this life, martial artists, even at the Microscopic Level Grandmaster stage, when injecting formless, intangible force into another’s body, would see it dissipate in moments without continuous support.
But Hong Yuan’s Six Void Force was extremely different; after incorporating multiple forces, it was highly stable and could last a night.
And if this Night Roaming God woke up in the middle of the night and tried to circulate his force to break free, he would encounter the second characteristic of the Six Void Force.
Force Concealment.
The moment he condensed his force and it entered the qi and blood nodes, it would be directly converted and absorbed by the Six Void Force Hong Yuan had left, instead replenishing the consumption.
From his expression, Hong Yuan could tell he had suffered this loss.
This Night Roaming God was highly valuable; as one of Ghost Fan Tower’s core high-level members, he might not dare reveal important secrets of Ghost Fan Tower.
But what about other forces?
Ghost Fan Tower was already one of the top forces in this world, a killer organization spanning hundreds of years—wouldn’t the other top-tier forces try to infiltrate and probe it?
What Hong Yuan wanted was that information.
After successive clashes with Song Yinglong and the Night Roaming God, Hong Yuan had a vague sense of his own positioning—his strength undoubtedly ranked among the world’s top echelon.
The problem was not knowing if there were any hidden demons or ghosts.
With Ghost Fan Tower’s centuries of foundation, prying open the Night Roaming God’s mouth would clarify many things.
Back in the banquet hall, he was greeted by Ou Zhenyun’s enthusiastic hospitality.
Ou Shuyao hadn’t stayed in bed either; soon after, she arrived in the banquet hall, wearing a light purple satin fur coat outside. Clearly, she had groomed and dressed up—without much jewelry, she was still elegantly otherworldly and extremely charming.
Her eyes were like a pool of clear water; when they turned to Hong Yuan, her pretty face instantly flushed, making her even more alluring.
She came to Hong Yuan’s side and curtsied gracefully: “Young Master!”
“Sit down and eat.” Hong Yuan said.
“Yes!”
Ou Zhenyun had sharp eyes and could tell from Ou Shuyao’s gait that she was still a virgin, feeling a bit disappointed, but since Hong Yuan hadn’t left Ou Shuyao’s room last night, the two must be extremely intimate.
He composed himself and asked respectfully, “Alliance Leader, how long do you plan to stay in this town this time?”
“Leaving after the meal.” Hong Yuan smiled.
“Then this subordinate will go prepare the carriage. As for Shuyao, will she go with the Alliance Leader, or…”
Ou Zhenyun asked carefully, still referring to himself as “this subordinate.” Whether Hong Yuan took Ou Shuyao now or they sent her later, the Ou family would prepare a generous gift.
Sitting beside Hong Yuan, sipping porridge in small mouthfuls, Ou Shuyao’s expression grew a bit tense.
Hong Yuan glanced at her and waved his hand: “As for Shuyao, let her stay in the town.”
Ou Zhenyun was slightly stunned.
With a “Clink,” Ou Shuyao’s spoon bumped against her small bowl, her eyes dimming slightly.
“Don’t overthink it. There’s no difference between the prefectural city and Black Iron Town for me. When I have time, I’ll come see you.” Hong Yuan pinched Ou Shuyao’s face, feeling that the soft, plump little face had an excellent touch.
To him, Tao Xiyue was radiant like a rose, Xu Qingjing bold and lively, while this Ou Shuyao had a scholarly aura, soft and glutinous, looking very easy to bully, like an orchid in a secluded valley.
If they bloomed separately, each would have their own color and beauty, but together, looking too long might make them all blend.
Moreover, the prefectural city and Black Iron Town were only about thirty miles apart—a trip took no longer than stopping the car.
Ou Shuyao lightly bit her lip and nodded.
Hearing this, Ou Zhenyun first felt some regret, then joy—if Hong Yuan visited often, it would deter all forces and show the Zhenhai Dragon King’s regard for Black Iron Town.
“Alliance Leader, rest assured—Shuyao won’t suffer the slightest grievance in the clan.” Ou Zhenyun guaranteed.
Then Ou Zhenyun looked around, waved his hand to dismiss the servants, and found an excuse to leave himself.
Soon, only Hong Yuan and Ou Shuyao remained in the hall.
Ou Shuyao kept her head down, looking elegantly obedient on the surface, but her eyes held some grievance. To her, she was already Hong Yuan’s person, yet not being taken along made her feel lost.
“Come here.” Hong Yuan patted his thigh.
Soon, Ou Shuyao sat over with a red face.
After the meal, Hong Yuan didn’t want a carriage, just a horse. With the “clanking” of the iron chain in hand, he patted the horse’s back and swiftly left Black Iron Town amid the clopping sounds.
Behind the horse, the Night Roaming God used his movement technique to chase, cursing inwardly.
This Hong guy was too unscrupulous.
Fortunately, Hong Yuan had removed the Six Void Force from the Night Roaming God’s body, or unable to use force, he would have been dragged along.
Amid the galloping hooves, the prefectural city came into distant view. The Night Roaming God hurriedly shouted, “Let go! Let go! I won’t run. I can’t escape from Your Excellency anyway. I’m at least Ghost Fan Tower’s Night Roaming God—give me some face; let me move myself!”
Hong Yuan speechless glanced back at him. A killer with idol baggage?
With a flick of his hand, he casually tossed the cloud pattern iron chain and spurred the horse to dash forward.
In Linjiang Prefecture City, after the turmoil, it had regained its former prosperity and noise.
Many common folk found that compared to the noble clans’ rule, Song Yinglong and the Town Sea Alliance Leader dividing the city made life even better—at least the street-roaming bully sons of noble clans and gang thugs had decreased by eighty or ninety percent, and the rest didn’t dare show their faces.
In the marketplace, major restaurants and inns were crowded with people, swarming with idle guests, many of them martial artists carrying sabers or swords.
A storyteller took the stage, recently recounting that 《First Saber of Wind and Cloud》.
With 《Legend of the Condor Heroes》 as preamble, this 《First Saber of Wind and Cloud》 flowed out from the mansion of Mingzhou’s top recent figure, the Zhenhai Dragon King, and exploded in popularity upon release.
Not only popular in Linjiang Prefecture, it quickly spread to the prefectural city of Longyuan Prefecture in a short time.
Of course, ordinary people didn’t know the inside story and were unaware of the massive funds pushing its promotion.
Following “Five Great Masters of the World,” the concept of “Weapon Roster” rapidly became popular, with many in the jianghu eagerly discussing it.
“If there’s truly a ‘Weapon Roster’ in this world, I don’t know about other places, but in Mingzhou’s martial world, the Divine Prison Spear Master’s ‘Life-Snatching Throat-Locking Spear’ should be first!”
In a bustling restaurant packed with guests, a drunk martial artist shouted loudly.
“No, Vajra Temple’s Master Huiming’s demon-subduing staff has infinite power—that’s first.”
“Flower Stream Sword Sect’s sword technique is exquisitely peerless, truly unmatched under heaven!”
“What about Profound Ice Sect and the three great noble families?”
Amid the heated clamor, a wave of commotion suddenly arose. Someone in the building shouted “Zhenhai Dragon King” and “Divine Prison Spear Master,” all squeezing toward the windows.
Many craned their necks to look, seeing a fine horse slowly approaching, then speeding through after the street cleared.
On the horse was a handsome, heroic youth—none other than one of the subjects they were discussing. Soon, someone reacted.
“Eh? Alliance Leader Hong is heading toward Dragon Steed Mansion? Could he be going to trouble Manor Lord Song again?”
The man voiced his doubt, eyes still on the long street, when suddenly his eyes widened, pupils nearly popping out.
“What the heck?”
Immediately after, a series of exclamations erupted from various restaurants, inns, shops, and even pedestrians on the street.
Faces shocked, eyes horrified, as if they had seen a ghost.
Clank!
They saw a long chain slithering through the street shadows like a swimming snake or flood dragon, incredibly fast, with no one pulling it.
The chain was nearly three zhang long, its end floating in the air with an iron ring tall as a person’s shoulder, empty inside, yet suspended and moving.
The Night Roaming God had activated his Gang Body technique, using 【Mimic Skin】 to distort and absorb surrounding light, creating a near-invisible effect.
After all, being dragged through the bustling market by a several-zhang iron chain—did he, the Night Roaming God, have no face?
If he were a nobody, fine, but Ghost Fan Tower had operated for centuries, branding itself, and codename assassins were an honor.
“This…”
The crowd stared at the floating chain, some slapping their own faces hard, thinking they were still dreaming.
It wouldn’t be long before Linjiang Prefecture’s strange tales added another entry.
Hong Yuan sought Song Yinglong for no other reason; over a month had passed since their last clash.
After two fights with Song Yinglong, they could be said to have become friends through battle, bonding—so of course he had to visit.
Of course, verifying Ghost Fan Tower intel with Lao Song was secondary.
Not far from the former Wei residence, now Dragon Steed Mansion, Hong Yuan leaped from the horse, turning into a clear breeze, flashing into the mansion.
With such a good relationship with Song Yinglong, what need was there for announcement? He went right in.
Net Perception spread out; after a moment’s search, Hong Yuan easily avoided patrols and reached a core area. A slight sense revealed Song Yinglong in a secret hall.
Whoosh!
Hong Yuan landed at the door hall and suddenly pressed his palm down.
Bang!
The heavy, thick door buckled and flew out with a whistling roar, crashing with a boom that smashed the meditating Song Yinglong to the ground inside, followed by splintering wood shards flying everywhere.
“Old Song, your friend is here to visit!”
