Chapter 87

Huang Zhonggong stood on the pavilion of Meizhuang, looking at West Lake, eagerly waiting for the painted boats that had appeared on the lake in the past few days.

“Brother, you’ve been standing here for ages, go and take a break!” Black and White, pale as a zombie, advised.

“Alas…” Huang Zhonggong sighed deeply, “He didn’t come yesterday, perhaps he has already left. Such music, such a master, it is truly a lifelong regret not to be able to learn from him in person!”

He turned to look at Hei Baizi, his eyes, which had been filled with regret, instantly becoming incredibly sharp.

“Big brother…” Hei Baizi swallowed hard.

“Second brother, are you still not giving up?”

Huang Zhonggong said with exasperation, “That man was a figure of immense stature back then, far beyond your comprehension! The reason we four brothers went into seclusion at Plum Manor was precisely because we were tired of the intrigue and backstabbing, which is why we asked the Eastern Cult Leader for this job. You’re so eager to obtain the Star Absorbing Skill, do you want the four of us to die without a burial place?”

“Brother, I…I’m also unwilling to accept this!”

Hei Baizi, having his thoughts exposed, was somewhat flustered, but still argued vehemently, “We four brothers, in terms of martial arts and seniority, aren’t we far superior to those good-for-nothings on Blackwood Cliff? Why should we be oppressed and bullied by them, spending our lives alone in Plum Manor?”

“You…” Huang Zhonggong wanted to slap his foolish second brother. “Do you think you can dominate the martial world just because you’ve learned the Star Absorbing Skill? How imposing that man was before he was imprisoned in the dungeon! Have you forgotten how he got in? And the Eastern Cult Leader on Blackwood Cliff, although he has neglected the affairs of the cult in recent years and entrusted them to Yang Lianting, do you think his formidable reputation of ‘The sun rises in the east, and I am invincible’ is just for show? How do you think you can pull any tricks under the noses of these two people?”

Hei Baizi was so angry at being scolded that he didn’t dare to raise his head, but he didn’t take it seriously.

“Alas…” Huang Zhonggong sighed deeply, waved for Hei Baizi to leave, and then walked downstairs with a melancholy expression. Before going downstairs, he couldn’t help but take one last look at the lake.

But that one glance made his beard bristle with excitement. He strode to the window, gazing at the painted boat that had appeared on the lake, and murmured, “He’s here! He’s here! Heaven has eyes! No, I must pay a visit to such a master of the zither!”

As he was about to turn around, he suddenly heard the sound of a zither coming from the painted boat.

The zither music started very slowly, and after a while, just as it seemed to be stopping, a very low and delicate xiao (vertical flute) sound also joined the zither music.

The peaceful sound of the zither mingled with the melodious sound of the xiao flute, the two seemingly engaged in a question-and-answer dialogue, complementing each other perfectly.

“This… could it be that besides that master, there is another xiao master?” Huang Zhonggong was captivated by the unfamiliar yet incredibly beautiful qin and xiao duet.

The sound of the zither gradually rose higher, seemingly carrying a murderous intent, while the sound of the xiao remained gentle and melodious, only slowly becoming somewhat low, yet continuous.

The clear and beautiful sound of the flute rose and fell, sometimes soft and sometimes loud. When it reached its lowest point, it swirled a few times before sinking down again. Although it was extremely low and delicate, each note was still clearly audible, making it all the more poignant and moving.

After a while, the music became softer, and the two notes suddenly changed, as if seven or eight zithers and seven or eight flutes were playing music at the same time.

Although the sounds of the qin and xiao are ever-changing, each tone is melodious and captivating.

Huang Zhonggong felt his blood boil and couldn’t resist the urge to draw his sword and start dancing.

After listening for a while, the sounds of the qin and xiao changed again. The xiao music became the main melody, while the qin music became the accompaniment. The qin and xiao complemented each other more and more perfectly, rising and falling, inseparable.

The sound of the flute grew louder and louder, then suddenly a sharp, clear sound rang out, and the music stopped abruptly, the flute music also ceasing. In an instant, the entire lake was silent, with only the bright sun and blue sky visible.

Huang Zhonggong sighed deeply and clapped his hands, saying, “Only today do I understand what it means to say, ‘This music should only exist in heaven; how often can it be heard on earth?’ The music is good, and the performance is even better. Only a master like him could play such a timeless masterpiece. No, I must visit him in person!”

After making up his mind, Huang Zhonggong quickly left Plum Manor and used his lightness skill to rush towards the direction where the painted boat was docking.

********************

Inside the painted boat, Nie Yun stretched and said to Ren Yingying, “Huang Zhonggong must be waiting for us on the shore. I wonder what his reaction will be when he sees that the master he admires is so young.”

Ren Yingying wore a thick veil today, covering her face completely, except for her bright eyes.

“I hope everything goes well…” She put down the jade flute, a hint of unease in her eyes.

Just then, Xiang Wentian’s voice rang out from outside the painted boat: “Brother Nie, Huang Zhonggong has indeed reached the shore.”

“Hehe, hobbies can really drive people crazy!” Nie Yun teased Ren Yingying, extending his hand. “Let’s go, my wife.”

Ren Yingying’s heart skipped a beat at his call and she quickly said, “Pretending to be your husband is just a temporary measure. You…you mustn’t push your luck.”

“I know, my wife.” Nie Yun shrugged nonchalantly and grabbed Ren Yingying’s hand.

“You…” Ren Yingying was about to break free when she heard Xiang Wentian shout from outside, “Young Master, Young Madam, the ship has docked.”

Nie Yun chuckled and raised an eyebrow, saying, “My wife, let me help you off the boat.”

Ren Yingying’s cheeks instantly turned as red as fire as they were covered by the veil. She lowered her head and followed Nie Yun out of the cabin shyly.

The two men spotted Huang Zhonggong waiting eagerly on the shore, but pretended not to see him and disembarked from the boat, walking away into the distance.

Huang Zhonggong was clearly taken aback when he saw the two of them. It was obvious that the young man and woman were very different from the image of the wise men he had in mind.

Before they knew it, Nie Yun and Ren Yingying had walked quite a distance.

Huang Zhonggong hurriedly called out, “Please wait, both of you.”

Ren Yingying’s heart tightened and she wanted to turn back, but Nie Yun gently pulled her back and whispered, “Keep going.”

Ren Yingying was puzzled, but out of trust in Nie Yun, she continued to walk forward.

Seeing that the two men ignored his greetings, Huang Zhonggong quickly shouted, “Please wait, gentlemen. May I ask if the piece you played the other day was ‘Guangling San’?”

Nie Yun stopped in his tracks. He gently squeezed Ren Yingying’s hand to signal her to be quiet, then turned around and said with a hint of surprise, “I never imagined that there would be anyone in the world who recognizes this piece. It’s quite an unexpected surprise.”

Upon hearing this, Huang Zhonggong became even more excited, his voice trembling slightly: “Is it really ‘Guangling San’?”

Nie Yun smiled and nodded, saying, “It seems you are also a lover of the zither.”

Huang Zhonggong suppressed his excitement and respectfully bowed to Nie Yun, saying, “My name is Huang Zhonggong. I have always loved music. These past few days, I have listened to your music and have been filled with admiration. Your performance of ‘Guangling San’ has been particularly unforgettable. I apologize for my intrusion in coming here today.”

Nie Yun smiled and returned the greeting, saying, “So you are Senior Huang Zhonggong. I am sorry for my rudeness. I am Nie Xibei, and my wife and I have come to West Lake to enjoy the snow scenery.”

After exchanging a few polite words, Huang Zhonggong invited Nie Yun and Ren Yingying to visit Plum Manor. Ren Yingying immediately wanted to accept, but Nie Yun looked hesitant. Finally, after Huang Zhonggong’s earnest persuasion, he agreed.

********************

“Young Master Nie, I never imagined that in addition to being proficient in music, you also possess such profound attainments in calligraphy, painting, and even Go. Your swordsmanship is also superb. Your talents are truly astounding!”

Huang Zhonggong stroked his beard, a hint of desolation in his voice.

Behind him, Hei Baizi and Tu Biweng were both ashen-faced and dejected.

Dan Qingsheng shook his head repeatedly, muttering, “I can’t compare in painting, I can’t compare in wine, and I can’t compare in swordsmanship. I’ve lived such a long life in vain!”

There’s no way around it; anyone would react this way if they discovered that they couldn’t compare to a young person under twenty in a skill they’d honed their entire life.

Actually, once inside Plum Manor, Nie Yun could easily have taken down several people, but a man is made of iron and a woman is made of steel; he can’t stand not showing off for a day! How could Nie Yun miss such a perfect opportunity to show off?

So, “unintentionally,” Nie Yun revealed several skills that he had already maxed out, successfully showing off and utterly defeating the Four Friends of Jiangnan.

Although Huang Zhonggong’s “Seven-String Invisible Sword” could infuse superior internal energy into the music to disturb the mind, Nie Yun possessed the combined power of three great skills, with profound and pure internal energy as solid as a rock. It was not something that mere music could shake.

As for the other three, they were defeated instantly, with almost no chance to fight back.

Of course, this series of outrageous actions also shocked Ren Yingying even more. Her beautiful eyes sparkled as she looked at Nie Yun. If this were a cartoon world, she would probably be bursting with hearts.

“Not at all, as the saying goes, the sea of ​​learning is boundless and the art has no end. I am just a little luckier than you guys to have found these treasures, which is why I have such attainments.”

Nie Yun’s face was calm and composed. He gently patted the package next to him with his right hand, which made the Four Friends of Jiangnan look on with envy.

Bald-headed old man stepped forward and said, “Young Master Nie, that ‘Shuaiyi Tie’…”

“Hehe… Third Master, it’s not that I’m unwilling to part with it. We made a deal beforehand: if anyone in the manor can surpass me in any one of the four arts of music, chess, calligraphy, painting, or martial arts, I will offer this package to you without hesitation.”

Nie Yun smiled slightly, interrupting their conversation.

“This…” Bald Pen Old Man was speechless, his face full of resentment.

“Alright, it’s fate that we got to know the four of you today. If I have the time in the future, I will definitely come to bother you again. It’s getting late, so we’ll take our leave now.”

Nie Yun stood up to leave, which made Ren Yingying very anxious. After all, her biological father was so close, and now that she had finally gotten in, how could she leave so easily?

“My lady, it’s getting late, let’s go.” Nie Yun took her hand and quickly gave her a wink.

Ren Yingying’s heart stirred, and she nodded and followed him outside.

The Four Friends of Jiangnan escorted the two to the gate of Plum Manor, bidding them a reluctant farewell. If they hadn’t been staring at the package in Nie Yun’s hand, Nie Yun might have thought he was just too charming, appealing to all ages.

“Why did you come out like this?” Ren Yingying asked anxiously, tugging at Nie Yun’s sleeve, after they hadn’t gone far.

“Hehe, no need to rush. Believe it or not, I’ll count to twenty, and they’ll definitely call us back.” Nie Yun patted Ren Yingying’s hand and chuckled.

Ren Yingying shook her head and said, “I don’t believe it. You made such a definitive statement just now, they definitely won’t come looking for you.”

“How about we make a bet? If they come to call me back, you’ll willingly let me kiss you.”

Nie Yun reached out to stop Ren Yingying, who was so embarrassed she wanted to hit someone, and continued, “If they don’t call me, I’ll grant you one request. How about it?”

“You said it yourself…” A sly glint flashed in Ren Yingying’s eyes, “Any conditions are acceptable?”

“That’s right, any conditions are fine.” Nie Yun nodded with a smile.

“Okay, it’s a deal,” Ren Yingying said confidently.

No sooner had he finished speaking than Dan Qingsheng’s voice came from behind him: “Young Master Nie, please wait.”

Ren Yingying turned her head in surprise and saw Dan Qingsheng running towards the two of them with a big smile. His bulging belly swayed back and forth, which was quite comical.

Ren Yingying’s mouth was wide open as she looked at Nie Yun as if he were a deity.

Nie Yun smiled slightly and said softly, “My wife, don’t forget our bet!”

A hint of panic flashed in Ren Yingying’s eyes, but she still pretended to be calm and said, “Perhaps Dan Qingsheng forgot to say something, so he chased after us. It may not be to ask you to go back.”

Nie Yun shook his head and sighed, “You won’t give up until you’ve reached the Yellow River. Let’s see how long you can keep up your stubbornness.”

As they were talking, Dan Qingsheng had already come up behind the two of them and said with a smile, “Young Master Nie, please wait. I still have several kinds of fine wine that I haven’t brought out yet. Would you like to go back and taste them?”

“Hehe…” Nie Yun glanced at Ren Yingying, who was too shocked to speak, and nodded, “Since the Fourth Master is so hospitable, I will take the liberty of accepting.”

Seeing that he agreed, Dan Qingsheng’s smile became even brighter, and he said repeatedly, “Okay, okay, let’s go quickly then.”

Nie Yun took Ren Yingying’s hand and said with a smile, “My wife, since I have already agreed, I naturally cannot go back on my word. Please come with me.”

Ren Yingying naturally understood the hidden meaning in Nie Yun’s words. She glanced at him with a mixture of shyness and annoyance, and gave a soft “hmm”.

********************

The Four Friends of Jiangnan were so obsessed with music, chess, calligraphy, and painting that they almost went to extremes. Even though Huang Zhonggong could maintain some composure, the other three simply couldn’t bear to watch Nie Yun leave.

After some debate, Huang Zhonggong, who was not very firm to begin with, was persuaded by his three brothers to agree to let Nie Yun and Ren Woxing fight.

In his mind, even if Nie Yun’s swordsmanship was divine, Ren Woxing’s cultivation was unfathomable. He was one of the top figures in the martial arts world and had dominated the martial arts world for decades. He was bound to be able to defeat Nie Yun.

Nie Yun had come specifically for Ren Woxing, and upon hearing the four’s request, he was more than willing in his heart, but outwardly he shook his head and refused.

In the end, it was Ren Yingying’s “soft heart” that persuaded Nie Yun, who reluctantly agreed.

When Nie Yun agreed, the Four Friends of Jiangnan were overjoyed and extremely grateful to Ren Yingying. So when Nie Yun suggested that Ren Yingying accompany them, none of the four refused.

The six people were hooded, just like in the original story, and led into the dungeon by Huang Zhonggong. The dark and damp environment made Nie Yun frown. Ren Yingying thought of her father being imprisoned here for more than ten years, and her delicate body trembled slightly, and her eyes reddened. If Nie Yun hadn’t pinched her quickly, she probably would have burst into tears.

However, the access control mechanisms along the way left Nie Yun speechless. If he forced his way through, the lake water would probably overflow instantly, and no matter how high Ren Woxing’s martial arts skills were, he would only be fish food.

After walking several more feet, Huang Zhonggong stopped, lit a tinderbox, and lit the oil lamp on the wall. In the dim light, he saw another iron gate in front of him, with a hole about a foot square in the gate.

Huang Zhonggong addressed the square hole in a loud voice: “Mr. Ren, the four Huang Zhonggong brothers have come to visit you.”

The sound was very loud in the silent dungeon, but no one answered.

Huang Zhonggong then said, “Mr. Ren, we have been neglecting to visit you for a long time, and we are very sorry. Today we have come to tell you something important.”

A deep voice inside yelled, “To hell with all this big and small stuff! Spit it out if you have something to say, or get the hell out of here!”

Upon hearing her father’s voice, Ren Yingying could no longer contain her excitement and shouted, “Father, are you alright?”

These words were like a thunderbolt. The four friends of Jiangnan were stunned into a blank mind by her shout, and Nie Yun knew something was wrong when he saw Ren Yingying inhale. He quickly struck the four people’s pressure points.

The six people were already very close together, and Nie Yun’s speed was as fast as lightning. By the time the others reacted, only Hei Baizi had not yet been hit.

He shouted, “You scoundrel!”

At the same time, his left hand suddenly reached out and pointed at Nie Yun’s back.

His finger techniques emitted wisps of cold air, a testament to his unique skill – the Mysterious Heaven Finger.

The power of this skill lies entirely in the fingertips. Once a finger strikes, it will inject cold energy into the body, freezing the blood vessels in an instant. It is extremely powerful.

Nie Yun, without turning his head, threw a punch straight at the finger attacking from behind. Hei Baizi felt as if his finger had struck steel, and with a “crack,” his finger bone broke.

He was terrified and quickly retreated, but suddenly felt a numbness in his back and could no longer move.

Ren Yingying turned around from behind him and looked at Nie Yun somewhat awkwardly, saying, “I…I’m sorry, I was too excited when I heard Father’s voice just now.”

Nie Yun shook his head, about to speak, when suddenly a shocked voice came from inside the cell: “Who are you? Why are you calling me father?”

Ren Yingying leaned against the door and called out, “Father, it’s me, Yingying!” Tears were already streaming down her face as she spoke.

“Yingying! Are you really Yingying?”

The owner of the voice was clearly agitated, then, as if realizing something, his expression immediately turned murderous. “No, you must have been sent by that scoundrel from the East to impersonate my daughter and kill me!”

“No, I really am Yingying, Father!” Ren Yingying quickly explained.

Nie Yu sighed and slapped his forehead, then stepped forward and said, “Are you two out of your minds? Just open the door and go inside to see if it’s true or not. Why do you have to shout through the door?”

Ren Yingying’s crying stopped instantly. She turned to look at Nie Yun, her small mouth slightly open, tears glistening in her big eyes, her nose twitching. In modern terms, she looked adorably silly.

Ren Woxing was clearly also annoyed by Nie Yun’s words. After a moment’s pause, he shouted, “Boy, who are you?”

“Me…” Nie Yun approached the Four Friends of Jiangnan, searching for the prison key. “I’m the one who’s going to marry Yingying. Who do you think I am?”

“What?! How dare you ruin my daughter’s reputation? I will kill you!” Ren Woxing was so angry that he was about to go crazy when he heard Nie Yun’s words.

Nie Yun took the key and walked to the cell door, gently waving it as he said, “Hey, old man, you’re in this state and still bragging! Should I put the key back in?”

“How dare you mock me! You have some nerve! When I get out of here, I’ll tear you to pieces!”

I, Ren Woxing, have been imprisoned for over a decade, and my temper is already volatile. Now, being provoked by Nie Yun like this, I am even more furious.

“Oh dear, I’m so scared!”

Nie Yun curled his lip and said disdainfully, “Since you’re so angry, then go ahead and enjoy the cool air at the bottom of West Lake all by yourself!”

He turned to leave after he finished speaking, but Ren Yingying grabbed him.

“Stop up to my father, just open the cell door!” she pleaded, pulling and shaking Nie Yun’s arm.

“I’m not trying to criticize him, but look at your father! He’s been a prisoner for over ten years, and he’s still so arrogant!”

Nie Yun turned to look at the cell door and deliberately said loudly, “If he’s so capable, why doesn’t he stay in there? We came to rescue him out of kindness and got scolded. It’s like a dog biting Lü Dongbin, not recognizing a kind heart!”

“You bastard!” Ren Woxing’s furious voice reverberated throughout the dungeon.

“With his temper, I really admire that you grew up safely and didn’t go astray!” Nie Yun shrugged at Ren Yingying and inserted the four keys into the lock one by one.

With a series of creaking sounds, the iron gate opened a few inches inward, releasing a pungent, musty smell. Nie Yun grabbed an oil lamp, pushed it open forcefully, and strode inside.