Chapter Fifty-Four: The Twin Heroes of the Wind and Cloud Pavilion

Seeing a group of women flying over to surround him, Li Yurang quickly closed his folding fan, slightly flustered as he spread his palms and took a step back with a smile. "Hold on, hold on! Why aren't you watching the good martial arts match, and all running over here for?"

The female martial artists ignored his words entirely. "No martial arts match is as handsome as you!" they chimed. Then, with a chorus of "young master" here and "elder brother" there, they fired off questions not because they actually wanted answers, but simply to exchange a few words with Li Yurang. Some deliberately tugged at the hem of his robe and his sleeves, or brushed against his dark-gold folding fan.

Li Yurang smiled and shook his head, turning slightly to pull his robe free. Finding it held fast, he turned his gaze to the woman standing behind him. With a smile in his eyes and remaining silent, he simply looked at her with a helpless expression. That gaze, radiant enough to rival the starry river, rooted the woman in place, and she hastily released her grip. For a long moment, not another word was heard.

Meanwhile, someone else at the front pinched Li Yurang's cuff. Raising an eyebrow, Li Yurang broke into a brilliant smile, looked down at the woman, and asked playfully, "What are you doing? There's nothing hidden inside my cuff, is there?"

The woman froze blankly. Her fingers loosened, and she turned away, covering her face and stamping her foot in joy as she whispered to her companion, "Did you hear that? The number one handsome man of the martial arts world spoke to me!"

Suddenly, a young maiden in the front row was shoved forward by someone pressing in from behind. She stumbled headlong toward Li Yurang. Before she could crash into him, a flash of pink appeared as the flower-picker Tao Zui leapt close. Reaching out, he grabbed the girl by the arm, slid his hand down to her palm, and pulled her smoothly into his arms. With a lecherous, wicked grin, he said, "I, One-Stem Red, love it when beauties throw themselves into my arms." As he spoke, one of his hands was already reaching for the girl's face.

Li Yurang had intended to slip away in the chaos, but recognizing the girl as an acquaintance, he flicked his folding fan to sweep at the flower-picker. Hearing the incoming rush, Tao Zui didn't block the attack; instead, he quickly pushed the girl aside. Li Yurang adjusted his momentum and caught the falling maiden in his arms. Half-embracing her, he snapped his folding fan shut and shouted Tao Zui's infamous moniker, "One-Stem Red! You really dare to take advantage of anyone!"

Noticing the two sturdy maid-servants following behind the girl—judging by their attire and waist plaques—Tao Zui guessed their identities within a second. He plucked the red flower from his hair, sniffed it, and laughed, "And here I thought who it might be. So it's the eldest miss of the Yuan family? Truly, there isn't a woman in this world that One-Stem Red doesn't dare touch. But since she's in the arms of the peerless young master, I suppose I'd better leave her alone." With that, Tao Zui leapt forward, executing the "Blooming Flower Hand" technique with agile grace. Before the two sturdy maids could react, several spots on their clothing had been sliced open by Tao Zui's flower stem, exposing their grimy underbodices.

Furious and humiliated, the two maids raised their fists, scanning back and forth for Tao Zui's whereabouts. Suddenly, each felt a mysterious grab at her chest. As they instinctively crossed their arms to cover themselves, the crowd saw that Tao Zui had already bounced back onto an outer outcrop of rock, holding up two sweat-stained underbodices and proudly waving them for all to see.

The men and women present could not help but feel disgusted by the sight of the soiled undergarments. One man sneered, "This flower-picker is truly desperate—he'll take anyone's underwear."

Unbothered, Tao Zui retorted, "This isn't desperation. We flower-pickers respect every woman. Beautiful or ugly, young or old, we treat them all equally and fairly." With that, he deliberately continued to wave the maids' underbodices.

Suddenly, a flash of white darted across the scene and gracefully landed beside Li Yurang. The onlookers blinked and looked closer: it was none other than the Cold-Faced Scholar, Wu Yuqiu, arriving to clear the siege. The women standing near the two men gasped in astonishment. What kind of incredible fortune had they stumbled upon today? The Peerless Young Master Li Yurang and the Cold-Faced Scholar Wu Yuqiu, the twin jewels of the Wind and Cloud Pavilion, united side by side—it was an absolute feast for the eyes, leaving every woman present green with envy and longing.

Amidst a sudden burst of roaring laughter from the crowd, Tao Zui abruptly realized that his own trousers had slipped down to his ankles. He hurriedly bent down to pull them up, pointing the flower in his hand at Wu Yuqiu and cursing angrily, "Cold-Faced Scholar! I never took you for such a refined yet despicable fellow!" With that, he clutched his loose trousers and fled in a panic.

***

Amidst the uproarious laughter of the crowd, Meng Xiaoli on the stage swept her gaze outward and spotted Wu Yuqiu—the very man who had saved her from the clutches of danger several times back at the border inn. Her movements faltered for a fraction of a second, and she narrowly avoided a punch from her opponent. With a casual wave of her hand, she knocked her attacker off the stage and turned her gaze to follow the crowd toward the perimeter.

Wu Yuqiu stood before Li Yurang, smiling and nodding. Li Yurang's brows relaxed as he laughed, "I should have guessed you'd be here too."

Wu Yuqiu glanced briefly at Liang Keyong, who was seated at the base of the stage, before looking back at Li Yurang. "I'm here on official business. What brings you out?"

Even as they spoke, a young woman rushed over to grab Wu Yuqiu's arm, only to have the back of her hand struck sharply by Wu Yuqiu's revolving Heart-Piercing Brush. Nursing her hand in pain, the girl looked at him with a grievance-stricken expression. Wu Yuqiu glared coldly at the crowd, and though the women looked sullen, none dared to leave.

Li Yurang gently shook his folding fan and asked with concern, "Are you alright, miss?"

The girl tearfully reached for Li Yurang's hand, stammering, "You... you care about me? I'm fine! It's just..."

"As long as you're fine," Li Yurang said, using the face of his fan to gently push her hand away before walking off briskly with Wu Yuqiu.

The eldest miss of the Yuan family refused to give up. She lunged forward toward the Cold-Faced Scholar, but Wu Yuqiu side-stepped with a fluid motion. Missing her target, the young woman tumbled face-down onto the ground. Refusing to get back up, she stayed prone and cursed furiously, "Wu Yuqiu, you just wait! I'm not through with you!"

Shaking his head, the Cold-Faced Scholar ignored her completely and kept walking.

Meanwhile, Li Yurang looked back helplessly at Wu Yuqiu's retreating figure, then extended a hand to the fallen Yuan miss with a smile. "You really need to be careful with my second junior brother's temper; he's prone to hurting people."

Seeing Li Yurang's outstretched hand, the young miss raised hers and placed it in his palm. He pulled her to her feet, withdrew his hand, and gently swished his folding fan. A faint, elegant fragrance drifted into the air, leaving all the women nearby dazed and yearning. Li Yurang then turned and walked toward Wu Yuqiu, who was waiting for him ahead.

Looking back, Wu Yuqiu was not watching Li Yurang or the Yuan miss, but rather Meng Xiaoli up on the stage.

*That Demonic Yama Ghostess...* Wu Yuqiu thought to himself. *Where have I seen her before? Back then, her martial arts were mediocre, and she was always getting bullied. She nearly ended up as minced meat inside pork buns at that border inn. How on earth did she transform overnight into a public enemy of the world, declaring war on the entire martial arts realm under the banner of the Demonic Yama Ghostess?*

Seeing Meng Xiaoli looking back at him as well, Wu Yuqiu became even more certain that this woman was indeed the girl he had saved three times. After all, he rarely traveled beyond the frontier, and saving the same girl three times during an expedition was a first for him. Although Wu Yuqiu had saved countless lives, this girl had left a deep impression on him—not because of her appearance or her actions, but because the entire series of events was utterly unique.

Meng Xiaoli's journey through life had been bitterly cold, leaving her with little fondness for the world. Aside from her master, the Grand Elder Dugu, the rare drops of compassion and warmth she had known came from this very Second Young Master of the Wind and Cloud Pavilion, who had saved her thrice and even given her travel money. During those desperate, desolate hours, he had become a deity in Meng Xiaoli's heart. Perhaps Wu Yuqiu had merely acted out of casual convenience, but to Meng Xiaoli, who had been trapped in the jaws of hell, it was a matter of life and death. The young swordsman in his early twenties from back then was now in his early thirties, yet he remained poised, handsome, and dashing—as if even the passage of time had spared him.

Meeting Wu Yuqiu's gaze, Meng Xiaoli froze for a moment before turning away to leave alongside Li Yurang. That left only the murmurs and sighs of the surrounding crowd, while Liang Keyong sneered in disgust, "A man who primps himself up to look like some delicate maiden! I'll never understand what goes on inside these women's heads!"

***

Finding a quiet spot, Wu Yuqiu asked Li Yurang, "I've been tracking Liang Keyong's movements for ten years—wherever he is, I am. Why aren't you back at the Wind and Cloud Pavilion? What brings you out here?"

Li Yurang lowered his voice. "Master had people keeping an eye on the Demonic Yama Ghostess long ago. As the Red-Robbed Goddess Cult grows increasingly powerful, the Pavilion has sent out more and more manpower. I recently received a mission assignment from Master: all intelligence regarding the Demonic Yama Ghostess's movements is reported to my subordinates first, and I consolidate it before passing it directly to Master."

Wu Yuqiu placed his hands behind his back, spinning his Heart-Piercing Brush as he thought: *As the senior disciple, Li Yurang has always acted as Master Ji Shuishi's second-in-command, assisting him in organizing the world's intelligence. It has always been the junior disciples who monitor other sects out in the field. For even Li Yurang to be dispatched out into the world...* Feeling both surprised and baffled, he merely sighed, "It seems meeting up in the future won't be an easy task."

Li Yurang snapped his folding fan shut and smiled brightly. "This right here is a golden opportunity! Come on, let's find an inn and grab some drinks."

The two sworn brothers walked side by side toward the city.

***

Meanwhile, the martial arts tournament on the stage continued. A short man vaulted onto the stage. Without announcing his affiliation, he hopped from side to side near the edge, grinning broadly at Meng Xiaoli and hurling constant provocations: "I've come to spar with you! Come on, hit me! Come over here!" As he shouted, he gestured with his finger, inviting her to attack.

Knowing that this fellow was merely courting public attention with meager internal energy and a desperate bid for overnight fame, Meng Xiaoli saw no point in wasting time. With a fluid flash of movement, she darted right up to the short man and sent him flying off the stage with a single kick, eliciting a wave of cheers and mockery from the crowd.

Yet, several other martial artists, knowing full well they were no match for her, still leaped onto the stage to exchange blows with Meng Xiaoli. After lasting only a few moves, they would be battered black and blue, grinning foolishly as they crawled off the stage nursing their injuries. Their sole objective was simply to become a familiar face and spread their name; to dare challenge Meng Xiaoli was an honorable defeat, win or lose.

After clearing away a few more small fries, four men finally leaped onto the stage together. Dressed in short black martial attire, they surrounded Meng Xiaoli on all four sides. The leader cupped his fists and said, "The four of us brothers have also come to learn the martial arts of Cult Leader Meng. But before we cross swords, we must announce our origins so that whoever loses will do so with clear understanding. We hail from Songjiang Prefecture, disciples of the Ma Family's Songjiang Escort Agency. We are four of its escorts: I am Ma Da, this is Yi Er, that is Zhan San'er, and the last one is Shu Si'er. May I ask Cult Leader Meng who your master is, and what school of martial arts you practice?"

After Ma Da introduced his fellow apprentices in turn, Meng Xiaoli cast a glance at the four of them. Each possessed internal energy at the very end of the sixth tier, though she wondered what extraordinary techniques they possessed to be this confident on stage.

When Ma Da inquired about her master and martial arts, she recalled how her master had once concealed their relationship to protect her. Now, to protect her master's reputation, she felt she ought to continue keeping that secret.

Down below, Liang Keyong, who had a deep and abiding friendship with Meng Xiaoli's master, Grand Elder Dugu, had been observing Meng Xiaoli's moves for half a day. Her techniques felt vaguely familiar yet entirely unprecedented. Unbeknownst to him, Meng Xiaoli had suffered a deviation in her cultivation and was practicing the *Nine Characters of Dugu* in reverse; her wondrous techniques ran completely counter to tradition, leaving Liang Keyong utterly unable to make sense of them.

Addressing Ma Da, Meng Xiaoli replied coolly, "We are merely travelers in the pugilistic world. Since when do old acquaintances need to recount their pasts? Asking to check credentials before a fight is utterly tedious. If you want to fight, then fight; if not, get off the stage."