Within the Jiuhua Alliance, in a garden courtyard.
A man in blue robes sat upright on a stone stool within a pavilion.
The man had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, his demeanor steady, gentle and refined like jade. Sitting properly, his gaze was fixed on an incomplete chess game laid out on the stone table. Holding a cup of fragrant tea, he took a light sip, seeming somewhat puzzled, yet also deep in thought.
Beside him stood a gray-robed elder, bowing respectfully with his head lowered, remaining silent.
The man was none other than Wei Qing, and the elder was Elder Hui, who had followed him for many years.
Wei Qing did not enjoy drinking wine; he preferred fragrant tea, and even more so, playing chess. He played the Tai Chi Chess, also known as Heaven and Earth Chess, which was based on profound laws.
In the past, when he savored tea, he could still taste the subtle charm within it. Now, though he still could, it was very faint.
In the past, when he played chess, he could still grasp some of the profound mysteries of Tai Chi. Now, though he still could, it was very little.
All these changes stemmed from his inner state.
His mind could not find peace. Ever since his trip to Yunxia Sect, it had never been calm again; instead, it grew increasingly disordered. Sometimes, he couldn't even concentrate his spirit, his thoughts always drifting and unfocused.
"Sigh."
Wei Qing sighed mournfully, closed his eyes, set down the teacup in his hand, and asked softly, "Who came looking for me earlier?"
Elder Hui, standing bowed, replied truthfully, "People from the Murong family. Several of Murong Fei's older brothers have come. This old servant warned them as per the Young Master's instructions, only... they did not take it to heart. These past few days, they have been searching outside for the Chiyan Young Master."
"Having warned them is enough."
Wei Qing took a deep breath and shook his head slightly. "Whether they listen or not is their business. The favor I owed Old Master Murong has already been repaid to them."
"If Old Master Murong does not emerge from seclusion soon, his descendants might..." "Playing with fire isn't terrifying. What's terrifying is that some people simply don't know they are playing with fire."
Wei Qing reached out and picked up a black chess piece, then continued, "They think the Jiuhua Alliance is the entire world, but that's merely their own delusion. A bunch of frogs at the bottom of a well, unaware of the heavens beyond heavens, the people beyond people. That man's existence... forget the Jiuhua Alliance, forget this world alone—I'm afraid even heaven and earth are not enough to contain him..." As for who Gu Qingfeng was...
Elder Hui had asked this question many times, and he clearly knew that the Young Master also did not know the answer.
"Young Master, do you think he... could he be related to our affairs?"
Wei Qing shook his head. This was a question he also wished to know.
"If he truly is related to our affairs, then what should we do? The plan for Her Ladyship's awakening..."
What to do?
Wei Qing shook his head again. The answer to this question, he also wished to know. Unfortunately, he did not know either.
Sigh.
Elder Hui also sighed. Then, as if remembering something, he asked, "In two days, Chixu Mountain Villa is holding an auction, and what's being auctioned is precisely the Taiyin seed from the Cave Manor Eye. Didn't the Young Master investigate? Do you know who is auctioning it?"
Wei Qing pinched the black chess piece in his hand, placed it on the board, then picked it up again. With a rather helpless and worried expression, he shook his head once more. "I went to investigate, but unfortunately found no results. I only know it's a woman auctioning it. Who she is, I don't know either. However, I suspect it might be someone from the Chizi Tou."
"Even you don't know?"
Elder Hui raised his head, his face also filled with worry. "Now, of the seven soul-seeds, Leng Yanqiu holds one, the Chiyan Young Master holds one, the Jiuhua Alliance holds one, Miss Liu also holds one. As you said, the Chizi Tou might also have one. But who holds the other two?"
"I don't know."
Wei Qing looked at the chessboard and said, "Her Ladyship said the soul-seeds might undergo unforeseen changes. I always thought it was Zhu Xia's betrayal, trying to use Leng Yanqiu to replace Her Ladyship. Now it seems... things are far more complicated than I imagined. Especially with the Chiyan Young Master also getting involved... If this matter is related to him..." At this point, Wei Qing did not continue. Instead, he changed the subject. "As for the soul-seeds, I think the reason the Chizi Tou is holding this auction is likely to lure out the whereabouts of the other seeds."
"Sigh. At this point, there's not a single clue about Her Ladyship. We don't know who has inherited her bloodline. If... if unforeseen changes truly occur that we cannot salvage, what are we to do then!"
The gray-robed elder shook his head and sighed, both worried and feeling powerless. "And to make matters worse, there's Zhu Xia and the others scheming behind the scenes. It's really..."
At that moment, a black shadow suddenly appeared in the garden. The shadow knelt on one knee and respectfully called out, "Young Master."
Wei Qing's eyebrows rose slightly. "What is it?"
"There is news about the Chiyan Young Master. He has been at Chixu Mountain Villa all along. The news is now exposed, and it's believed it won't be long before it spreads everywhere. When this subordinate returned, several young masters from the Murong family, as well as people from Lingdu Sect and Bingxuan Sect, were already rushing over."
"Chixu Mountain Villa."
Wei Qing seemed to suddenly realize something, his expression changing slightly. "If I recall correctly, Liu Piaopiao entered Chixu Mountain Villa two days ago?"
"Miss Liu has indeed been at Chixu Mountain Villa all along, and... she even... performed on stage."
"That woman! Really..." Wei Qing abruptly stood up, his brows knitted, speaking with some anger. "With her temperament, she will definitely go to test Gu Qingfeng. I already told her, why does she still... Things are chaotic enough as it is, can't she let me have some peace of mind... Simply!"
With a slap, Wei Qing waved his hand, and the chessboard on the table instantly turned to dust.
He was not an impulsive person, nor was he someone easily angered.
Never had been.
But he still couldn't help but flare up, angry that Liu Piaopiao wouldn't listen to his advice. Because this meant he would have no choice but to make a trip to Chixu Mountain Villa.
To be honest, Chixu Mountain Villa itself wasn't frightening, at least Wei Qing did not fear it. What truly frightened him was the person residing within that villa.
If possible, he really did not want to face that mysterious, bizarre person—terrifying when still, even more terrifying when in motion.
"Let's go. We'll make a trip to Chixu Mountain Villa."
Wei Qing closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, looking very weary and speaking with a sense of powerlessness. "I hope Liu Piaopiao hasn't made things irredeemable. I hope so... We can only hope..."
The sun set in the west, like evening clouds.
The reason the Liujin Region was called Liujin (Gilded) was also due to its peculiar geology. When sunlight fell upon it, it looked like a ground full of dazzling, golden-yellow gold. Now, as the sun set in the west, bathed in the glow of sunset, though not the golden brilliance of sunlight, it was still warm and yellow.
Chixu Mountain Villa, within a garden courtyard.
A man in white robes was currently leisurely reclining on a rocking chair. On his cold, handsome face, his expression could not be described as relaxed, nor could it be said to show joy or anger. It seemed very plain. His eyes were slightly closed, as if he was resting his spirit.
Beside him, a short, rotund man with a round figure stood bowing respectfully, head lowered, hands tucked into his sleeves, standing quietly.
The man in white was none other than Gu Qingfeng, who had returned from the gambling house.
Who knows how much time passed before he opened his eyes and sat up. Fei Kui beside him hurriedly poured a cup of wine.
Gu Qingfeng took the wine, took a sip, and murmured, "Shuiyun wine... Could it be her..." Thinking, he shook his head again. "Probably not."
"Young Lord, would you like this humble one to investigate for you?"
"Investigate?"
Gu Qingfeng did not respond immediately. He merely toyed with the wine cup, just looking at it. After quite a while, he slowly said, "Forget it. Some things are better left unknown. Some old acquaintances... are also better left unseen."
Having said that, Gu Qingfeng seemed to sense something and looked toward the entrance.
A moment later, a woman walked in and asked respectfully, "May I ask, sir, is your surname Gu, given name Qingfeng, with the Dao title Chiyan?"
Gu Qingfeng glanced at her. "What is it?"
"Our young lady is about to perform and would like to invite you to come and appreciate it."
"Who is your young lady?"
"Liu Piaopiao."