One of the two men had crane-white hair but a childlike face, his skin as smooth as a babyâs, without a single wrinkle. Though his head was full of white hair, his lively, darting eyes lacked the steadiness of an elder, making him look more like⊠a child.
The other man was lean and tall, dressed in a long, straight, blue robe with a matching square hat, exuding the air of a scholar.
At a glance, Song Qingshu couldnât help but admire him inwardly: â
What an elegant and refined demeanorâdistinguished, yet effortlessly poised. He must have been a heartthrob in his youth, charming countless women.â
When Huang Rong caught sight of the two men, especially the scholarâs face, she turned deathly pale, instinctively pushing Song Qingshu away.
Realizing that there were outsiders present, Song Qingshu immediately withdrew his hand from inside Huang Rongâs collar, his expression turning solemn as he faced the two men. âI do not recall ever meeting the two of you before. If I have somehow offended you, may I ask what the matter is?â
He could tell that both men possessed martial prowess comparable to Ouyang Feng, the Western Poison. He quickly curbed his usual arrogance, not wanting to recklessly provoke two supreme masters.
The white-haired, childlike elder sidestepped and pointed at the scholar. âHeâs the one who ambushed you just now. It has nothing to do with me.â
The scholarâs expression was dark, almost ominous. He ignored Song Qingshuâs inquiry and instead fixed his gaze on Huang Rong. âRongâer, did this despicable man take advantage of you?â
Huang Rongâs face turned even paler. Her emotions were a tangled messâshe didnât know whether to say yes or no, so she remained frozen in place.
Song Qingshuâs expression became quite colorful at that moment. He finally noticed that the refined scholar bore a striking resemblance to Huang Rong. Recalling the stone-like hidden weapon from earlier, he raised a hand to his forehead and groaned inwardly:
âDonât tell me⊠this isâŠâ
âSenior, this is surely a misunderstandingââ Song Qingshu quickly attempted to explain, but he was cut off before he could finish.
âSilence! Shameless scoundrel, how dare you defile Rongâer! Do you think I, Huang, will let you live?â The moment the words left his lips, he lunged at Song Qingshu with a deadly strike.
With only a fraction of his true strength left, Song Qingshu knew he was no match for this man. His best option was to take Huang Rong h0stage, forcing Huang Yaoshi to hold back. However, such a dishonorable tactic was beneath him. Gritting his teeth, he braced himself for the incoming storm of relentless attacks.
Meanwhile, the white-haired elder didnât join the fight. Instead, he curiously examined the damaged glider by Huang Rongâs side. He circled around it a few times, occasionally poking at the fabric with his finger, clicking his tongue in amazement.
Huang Rong watched as Song Qingshu struggled in the battle, her heart in turmoil. Not long ago, she had wished nothing more than to see this man torn to pieces. Yet now, watching him on the verge of death, she found herself unable to take any pleasure in it.
Lost in thought, she suddenly felt a tug on her sleeve. Turning around, she saw the white-haired elder looking at her with hopeful eyes. âRongâer, how does this thing fly? Do you know?â
Huang Rong had no time for such trivial matters. She shook her head absentmindedly. âI donât know.â Her attention was fixed on the battle before her.
Hearing her response, the elder looked utterly disappointed. But after a moment, his eyes sparkled as he turned to Song Qingshu, who was barely holding on. âYoung man, how does this thing fly? Teach me, wonât you?â
Song Qingshu was both startled and irritated. He was already struggling to stay alive in the middle of a fierce battleâhow could he entertain such a ridiculous question? Yet, the old man persisted, pestering him endlessly. Frustrated, Song Qingshu snapped, âWhy should I teach you?â
âYouâre right. Why should you?â The old man didnât seem offended at all. Instead, he nodded in agreement. âIf I knew something this incredible, I wouldnât teach anyone either.â Yet, the thought of soaring through the sky made him itch with excitement. Desperate to learn, he scratched his head furiously, making his messy white hair look even more like a birdâs nest.
âAha!â The old manâs eyes lit up. He grinned slyly and said, âYoung man, you donât seem like you can hold out much longer against Huang Yaoshi. How about this? Teach me how this thing flies, and Iâll hold him off for you.â
Song Qingshu hesitated for a moment, but before he could respond, Huang Yaoshi roared in anger. âOld Imp! This man has harmed Rongâer. If you dare help him, I will be your enemy till the end of time!â
ââOld Imp?ââ Realization dawned on Song Qingshu.
âSo heâs Old Imp Zhou Botong! No wonder he feels so familiarâhis eccentric behavior is exactly as described in the original stories.â
Zhou Botong scratched his head in distress. âNow that puts me in a difficult spot. Young man, why did you have to mess with Rongâer? Donât you know women are the most troublesome creatures in the world?â
A sudden thought flashed through Song Qingshuâs mind. Right now, his greatest need was timeâif he could just get a moment to recover his strength, he wouldnât have to fear Huang Yaoshi at all. Zhou Botong was naĂŻve and whimsicalâperhaps he could use that to his advantage.
âOld Imp, if you hold off Huang Yaoshi for just the time it takes to burn three sticks of incense, Iâll teach you how to fly. Then, you can soar freely through the skies.â
Zhou Botongâs excitement was obvious. Huang Yaoshi, however, had been watching him closely and immediately grew furious. âZhou Botong! Rongâer isnât just my daughter; sheâs also the wife of your sworn brother, Guo Jing. Are you really going to side with an outsider against her?â
Zhou Botong knew Huang Yaoshi had a point, but the temptation of flight was overwhelming. He paced back and forth like an ant on a hot pan. In the end, curiosity won over loyalty. He chuckled sheepishly, âOld Huang, with your Qinggong, what difference does three incense sticksâ worth of time make? You could catch up to him anytime. Besides, Iâll help you chase him afterward. Back in the day, I chased Iron Iron Palm Skimming on Water, Qiu Qianren, from Jiangnan all the way to the desertâover ten thousand miles! Thereâs no one in this world I canât catch.â
Huang Yaoshi snorted coldly. âIf it were any other matter, I might agree. But this is non-negotiable.â As he spoke, his sleeve flicked, sending a tiny, colorful snake flying toward Zhou Botong.
âAhhh! A snake! A snake!â Zhou Botong shrieked, flailing in panic. His fear of snakes rendered him utterly helpless.
Seeing Zhou Botong momentarily incapacitated, Huang Rong suddenly bit her lip, as if making a difficult decision. In a flash, she leaped toward Song Qingshu, shouting, âScoundrel! Iâll kill you myself!â
Despite his weakened state, Song Qingshu was still more than capable of handling Huang Rong. But he was wary of hurting her, so he merely neutralized her attack. As he whispered into her ear with a wry smile, âRongâer, we were just intimate, and now youâre already turning against me?â
Huang Rongâs face flushed red. Taking advantage of the moment, she whispered urgently, âNowâs your chanceâtake me hostage!â
Song Qingshu, quick-witted as ever, immediately caught on. Without hesitation, he grabbed her arm and pulled her into his embrace just as Huang Yaoshiâs palm strike arrived. Seeing his daughter in Song Qingshuâs grasp, Huang Yaoshi withdrew his attack and leapt aside.
Song Qingshu laughed heartily and pushed Huang Rong toward Huang Yaoshi. âMany thanks for your mercy, Master Huang. Until we meet again!â In a flash, he vanished into the distance.
Huang Yaoshi, fearing that Song Qingshu had used some hidden force against his daughter, instinctively reached out to catch her. This brief delay cost him his chance to pursue.
Meanwhile, Zhou Botong, who had been watching intently, immediately took off after Song Qingshu, shouting, âYoung man, wait! You still havenât taught me how to fly!â
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