PFC Chapter 544 Qin Mu begins registering for the competition!
Chapter 544 Qin Mu begins registering for the competition!
Xu Longxiang's pupils contracted slightly, as if pricked by a needle:
"Chen Wangbei? The city lord of Canglan City? Didn't he... retire many years ago?"
Fan Li nodded, his voice even softer, as if afraid of disturbing a speck of dust in the wind.
"It's him. It must be him, there's no mistake."
"His technique of the Severing Pulse Sword is exactly the same as the legendary style of Chen Wangbei back then. I can't think of another person in the world who can master this sword technique to such a level."
Xu Longxiang's eyes suddenly lit up.
Chen Wangbei!
Of course he'd heard that name!
The city lord of Canglan City in the East Sea is surrounded by the sea on three sides, isolated from the world, and has guarded that small city for decades without ever setting foot on the sea.
Most importantly, when he retired, he had already reached the pinnacle of the Celestial Phenomenon Realm. He must be even more powerful now, otherwise how could he possibly have reappeared?
If he could get help from the other side, his chances of winning the rebellion would definitely increase significantly.
Xu Longxiang took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly with excitement:
"If it really is him, then... then his appearance here means he's been moved, right? If he didn't want anything, he wouldn't have left Canglan City. Since he's here, it means he has something to gain."
Fan Li did not respond immediately.
His gaze fell on that figure for a moment, then he lowered his eyes.
"Your Highness is right. The fact that he has come shows that there are still things on his mind. But I also worry that what he is after may not be the same as what Your Highness is after."
Xu Longxiang frowned slightly again, remained silent for a moment, and then shook his head.
His voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable certainty: "How will we know if we don't try? In any case, I want both of them."
His gaze shifted from Bai Yujing to another direction, where Yan Shisan was sitting in the shade, head down, slowly wrapping his injured right wrist with strips of cloth.
His movements were slow and patient, like he was repairing an old object, neither rushing to exert force nor giving up.
"Whether it's Yan Shisan or Bai Yujing," Xu Longxiang's voice lowered further, as if speaking to himself, "I want both of them. Not one less."
Fan Li stood behind him, looking at his serious expression, but did not answer immediately.
He simply lowered his eyes, as if he were thinking about something, and only spoke after a moment:
"I'm quite confident about Yan Shisan. He's a rogue cultivator, without any sect or ties. As long as you show sincerity, offer good wine and meat, and treat him with respect, he'll be willing to stay. After wandering the martial world for so many years, he might want a stable place to settle down. But that Bai Yujing..."
His voice paused slightly, as if he were choosing his words carefully: "As for that person, all I can say is that I will do my best."
Xu Longxiang turned to look at him, his eyes filled with a rare solemnity: "Don't worry, sir, I will go to see him personally after the martial arts tournament ends."
After saying that, he turned his gaze back to the ring, the smile on his lips becoming even more pronounced.
He is never afraid to wait.
What he feared was that he wouldn't even have the chance to wait, and that the person he was waiting for wouldn't come.
Now, he not only met the Moon Goddess, but also someone who shouldn't have been there.
He felt that this was God telling him that he had chosen the right path.
Fan Li felt very gratified looking at His Highness.
In any case, it's a good thing that His Highness wasn't too deeply influenced by the Moon Goddess and still remembered his grand ambitions.
..........
at the same time,
Qin Mu put down his wine glass and stretched.
He stood up, brushed off non-existent wrinkles from his robes, and glanced at everyone in the room, his voice calm:
"It's almost time. I need to go register. You can wait here."
Jiang Zhaoyue raised her head, glanced at him, and slightly curved the corners of her mouth, like a pool of spring water rippled by the wind: "Then this concubine will wait here for your triumphant return, young master."
Qin Mu smiled, turned his head, and glanced at everyone in the room.
Yin Sutang sat in the seat closest to the wall, next to a half-open window. The autumn sunlight shone through the crack in the window, shining directly on her right wrist, which was wrapped tightly in white cloth.
She lowered her head, her slightly wavy, dark brown hair falling down, obscuring most of her face and making her expression unreadable.
She had changed into a clean, plain-colored dress, no longer the dark green robe, and no longer bearing the insignia of an elder of the Northern Mang Xuan Yin Sect.
Her face was still pale, and her lips were slightly pink.
She followed Qin Mu all the way from Huaiyuan City to Zhenbei City, from the dilapidated temple to the inn, from the dark alley to the edge of the martial arts tournament.
She didn't ask where we were going or what we were going to do.
She simply followed along, like a plant uprooted and transplanted into new soil, not knowing if she could survive, but she had already stopped struggling.
Qin Mu's gaze lingered on her for a moment, but he didn't say anything before looking away.
The other people in the room sat quietly, as if waiting for something.
Yunluan placed her hand on the sword hilt, her back straight.
Xu Fenghua sat by the window, her gaze lowered, fixed on the cup of tea that had gone cold. She seemed lost in thought, her eyelashes trembling slightly, like two feathers fluttering in the wind.
Yun Suxin sat in the shadows on the other side, her hands folded on her knees, her face indifferent, like a pool of water with a thin layer of ice, seemingly calm, but the water beneath the ice was constantly flowing.
Han Xin'er sat next to Yun Suxin, still holding the small flower she had picked at some point in her hand. The petals were already wrinkled from being twisted, but she couldn't bear to throw it away and just held it quietly.
Su Wan sat on the other side of Han Xin'er, her posture upright, her hands folded on her knees, like a well-bred young lady.
Chen Wanqing leaned against the other side of the window frame, her gaze fixed on Qin Mu with deep affection.
Mingyue squatted on a low stool in the corner, her slightly curly long hair hanging down, covering half of her face. She was as quiet as a blade of grass growing in the corner, living silently and waiting for something.
Yin Sutang remained leaning against the wall in the far corner, her gaze lowered, fixed on the wrist wrapped in white cloth.
Qin Mu's gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on Chen Ruoyao's face.
"You will come with me."
Chen Ruoyao was slightly taken aback, then stood up very quietly without making a sound, and said in a very soft voice: "Yes, young master."
Qin Mu turned his head to look at the door, and said with a smile as he walked, "Xu Longxiang is still looking for you everywhere. If you don't show up in front of him soon, he might not even be able to concentrate on watching the martial arts tournament."
Chen Ruoyao smiled and quietly followed behind Qin Mu, like a cloud blown by the wind, silently drifting towards the door.
The air inside the room was quiet for a moment.
Xu Fenghua kept her head down, the teacup in her hand was already warm from holding it, but she didn't take a single sip.
Her lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but the words lingered in her throat and ultimately did not come out.
When Qin Mu reached the door, he stopped, turned to the side, and looked at her.
His voice wasn't loud, but it was clear enough for everyone in the room to hear him: "What? You want to go too?"
Xu Fenghua raised her head and met his gaze.
Her eyes were slightly red, but she shook her head and forced a smile: "I wouldn't dare. If I go over there, Xu Longxiang will surely recognize me. I'll wait here for His Majesty to return."
She spoke calmly, as if she were talking about something that had nothing to do with her.
Qin Mu looked at her, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment, then smiled and said:
"Don't worry. There will be a time when you siblings can meet again."
Xu Fenghua's heart skipped a beat.
She lowered her head, her voice even softer than before: "Yes, young master."
She had something she wanted to say.
She wanted to say, "Your Majesty, could you please not make things difficult for him?"
The words rolled around in her throat several times, but ultimately didn't come out.
"Now is not the time," she told herself.
Wait until evening, wait for a quiet moment when it's just the two of you, wait until he's in a good mood, then bring it up.
Qin Mu didn't look at her again and turned to walk towards the door.
He took a couple of steps, then suddenly stopped, turned his head, as if remembering something: "Oh right, when we're out and about, we should address you as 'Young Master.' Remember that?"
Xu Fenghua's eyelashes trembled slightly, like butterfly wings being gently fluttered in the wind.
She lowered her head, her voice even softer than before: "I'll remember, young master."
Qin Mu smiled and said, "Good boy."
Then he stepped across the threshold, his moon-white robe flashing in the morning light outside the door, like a cloud blown by the wind, disappearing at the end of the corridor.
Chen Ruoyao followed behind him, her steps light and graceful, her skirt trailing on the ground, making a soft rustling sound, like a silent river.
The corridor was quiet, and the autumn sunlight slanted in through the cracks in the windows, spreading a thin layer of golden light on the floor.
Qin Mu walked for a while, then stopped at a corner, turned to the side, and looked at Chen Ruoyao.
His voice lowered, as soft as the wind whispering through an alley: "You should know what to do, right?"
Chen Ruoyao raised her head and met his gaze.
Her eyes were bright, like two stars washed clean, but without a trace of extra light, as quiet as two deep wells.
"Don't worry, my lord, I know what to do."
Qin Mu looked at her for a moment, nodded, said nothing more, and turned to walk in another direction.
His pace was neither hurried nor slow, as if he were strolling in his own backyard, but every few steps, his expression would subtly change.
Her cheekbones were slightly higher, the curve of her brow bone narrowed a bit, and the lines of her jaw became softer.
In just a few seconds, Qin Mu seemed to have become a completely different person.
Chen Ruoyao stood there, watching his figure disappear into the crowd. Then she withdrew her gaze, took out the white jade mask from her sleeve, slowly put it on her face, straightened her robes, and walked in another direction.