Chapter 111: Outside Xingyang City

When mentioning the word "mother," Shui Linglong hesitated slightly. As for the reason, Han Tanyi naturally had no way of knowing. He had seen the woman named Shui Lianhua before, but he could no longer recall what her face looked like. Perhaps due to his upbringing, he had never felt any fondness for this Shui Lianhua, even to this day. If anything, he felt a mixture of mystery and fear; there was always a chilling, inscrutable aura about her that made one uneasy.

"Forget it. Since I cannot figure it out, there is no point in guessing wildly. If this Xiao character truly has any ulterior motives, they will surely manifest in time, and I will know then. Besides, the purpose of my journey is merely to sever the debts of my past. Once I have rescued Hua Hudie, I will return to the Northern Desert. The vast sands and yellow dust may not be much of a landscape, but after living there so long, one grows accustomed to it." Han Tanyi did not want to dwell on the matter. Perhaps it was as he said; there was little left of his past. He felt as if he had been reborn, and even these affairs of the martial arts world seemed disconnected from him. Seeing this, Shui Linglong did not quite know how to respond. She naturally longed for him to retire from the world with her, leaving behind the turbulence of the pugilistic sphere—for a life of simplicity is the only true way. Such a truth is hard not to grasp for someone who has walked the edge of life and death, but she ultimately had no choice. With a mission upon her shoulders, letting go was easier said than done.

In truth, Shui Linglong’s inner thoughts were far more complex than they appeared. At the beginning, she even felt the urge to rescue Hua Hudie on Han Tanyi’s behalf. Yet, for a person—especially a woman—to save a so-called romantic rival was an awkward endeavor in every sense. Even after finding Han Tanyi, she could not bring herself to mention it. But paper cannot wrap up fire; if he remained oblivious, perhaps the city of Shuozhou would become his final resting place, and they would remain forever strangers. In that case, it was better to take a gamble. There was still time, and therefore still opportunity. As for who would prevail between her and Hua Hudie, it remained an unknown.

The bright moon hung in the sky, its light filtering through the window and casting a hazy glow over the room. The delicacies of the Central Plains were indeed quite different from those of the Northern Desert. While the flavors lacked that rugged intensity, they were far more refined—much like the contrast between men and women. Perhaps because he had not encountered such food in a long time, Han Tanyi felt a brief moment of awkwardness as he first moved his chopsticks. But soon, that initial resistance gave way to enjoyment, and for a fleeting moment, he felt as if he were seeing the past once more.

He wanted to forget, yet it was difficult. Perhaps this was a fundamental mockery of his nature. But this man hid his feelings deep; his expression remained largely unchanged throughout the meal. His face was silent, masking his inner thoughts. As for whether Shui Linglong could discern them, only she knew. Perhaps she, too, was deep in thought, deliberately wearing a mask to keep him from seeing anything.

The night at the inn did not pass quickly. For those in a foreign land, such scenes are hard to escape. There are always too many worries, leading to endless, restless thoughts. Once something is held onto, it is difficult to let go. This was the state of Han Tanyi’s mind. After all, this was Qingzhou, the territory of the Prince of Qi. If any spies had discovered his presence, the Prince’s estate would surely take action. Though he did not know what they intended, it was best to be cautious in such circumstances; one’s life is not a trivial thing to be gambled with.

However, this anxiety seemed somewhat superfluous. Though the morning arrived slowly, it arrived all the same. The most direct sign was the sunlight slanting through the window from the east, carrying a hint of warmth. At this moment, the worry in the young man’s heart eased significantly. If the enemy intended to act, the night would undoubtedly have been the best time. Since it had passed, he could rest easy. The innkeeper was exceptionally attentive, having prepared hot water and breakfast early in the morning. He had seen many martial artists like them; stopping for a night was common, and they usually departed at dawn. Seeing no need to detain them, he thought it better to serve them respectfully and send them on their way, so he could then go to the Prince of Qi’s estate to collect his reward.

Qingzhou was not far from Xingyang, but for this very reason, one had to be even more careful. In this martial world, a figure of Shen Wansan’s stature naturally drew both envy and fear. Even if he kept a low profile and avoided making many enemies, there were countless people eager to use his fame and status to make a name for themselves. Of course, these were secondary concerns. If the position of the Mingyue Villa were so easily shaken, Shen Wansan would never have reached a level where even high-ranking court officials like Xiao Jinghao found him troublesome. Yet, it was precisely because of this that the Prince of Qi’s estate, the Qilian lineage, and the Mingyue Villa had been at odds since the martial arts gathering three years ago. While they had not yet openly torn up the peace, the undercurrents were already surging. Shen Wansan was known for his caution and did not wish to stumble at such a critical juncture. Thus, everything he did was marked by extra care, and the atmosphere in Xingyang City felt more oppressive than ever.

"The border of Xingyang City is just ahead. On the surface, it is still guarded by men dispatched by the Prefect of Xingyang, but according to reports from our scouts, the guards have long since been replaced by Shen Wansan’s men. It seems this old fox has quite the capability. The Prefect is no small figure; even the Prince of Qi must show him a modicum of respect. For a man of the martial arts world to possess such influence, he is truly not to be underestimated. You and I must be careful!" Seeing the city walls, Shui Linglong could not help but remind him. Even without her words, Han Tanyi could see it for himself. Ordinary soldiers, while sturdy, usually only possessed basic training. Under the weight of heavy armor and long halberds, fluid movement would be difficult. But the lightness and agility he observed now—the way they moved in and out with ease—made it clear that these soldiers were, as Shui Linglong said, martial artists from the Mingyue Villa disguised among the ranks.

Han Tanyi remained silent. In Qingzhou, their current disguises might have been effective, but here in Xingyang, they were a liability. One had to realize that those skilled in martial arts could easily distinguish others of their kind. Unlike the warm reception of Xiao Jinghao, Shen Wansan would certainly be highly suspicious. It was difficult for an ordinary martial artist to escape his notice, let alone a man from the Northern Desert who had traveled thousands of miles. If he drew Shen Wansan’s attention, it would not be a good thing. After all, they were here to save someone, and it was best to avoid unnecessary trouble before making their move.

The young man remained silent, pulling his horse to a halt. His expression was grave, as if he were deep in thought. Seeing his silence, Shui Linglong, who was no fool, naturally understood his concerns. Her gaze swept over his face before shifting toward the city gate. She continued, sounding somewhat puzzled: "I do not believe that a man like Shen Wansan captured Hua Hudie simply to take revenge on you. For this, please forgive me for having hidden things from you back in the Northern Desert."

"You need not apologize. I had already figured that out; it was my own choice to come. I am just sorry to have dragged you into this, Linglong." Before she could finish, Han Tanyi interrupted. The reasons were not difficult to fathom. Han Tanyi’s sudden disappearance was not necessarily a bad thing for Shen Wansan. Even if he could not be used to exact revenge against the Daoist Tianji, he could still be used for other schemes. Furthermore, if Hua Hudie were truly just an ordinary recluse in the Qilian Valley, how could she have recognized the Hanchan Treasure Pearl at a glance, and how could she know so much about the affairs of the martial world? Moreover, how would Shen Wansan even know of the connection between them? Even if it were purely for revenge, he could have killed her with a single strike. To capture her and keep it a secret—what kind of revenge is that? Based on these points, the young man had realized that it was less about revenge against him and more about targeting Dao Tianfeng. A bargaining chip is only useful while it is alive; that is why he captured her instead of killing her. Behind these actions lay something hidden from his knowledge. Many events could not be mere coincidences; there had to be an inseparable link. Perhaps this was one of the reasons why Han Tanyi had returned from the Northern Desert to the Central Plains.