The head of Emei who was fooled by children

"Master Zhang possesses extraordinary abilities, performing miraculous feats that are truly awe-inspiring. I witnessed his lone battle against the masters of the six major factions at Guangmingding. In comparison, my martial arts still fall short of Master Zhang's prowess," Zen Master Ku Rong pondered for a long while before reaching his conclusion.

"Now, does the master understand why I yearn for the noble school's Six-Meridian Sword?" Song Qingshu forced a bitter smile. As soon as the words left his lips, he knew that the coveted sword would forever be beyond his reach. Such was his nature—a complex character with occasional despicable actions, yet always true to himself. He refused to sink to the depths of deception, even if it meant embracing his own shortcomings.

In response to his words, Ku Rong silently chanted the Buddha's name. "Your candidness reveals your integrity, my son. However, the Six-Meridian Sword of our school has never been shared with outsiders, and I do not wish to become complicit in the Duan family's sins for another century. I hope you can forgive me."

"I understand. I shall not disturb the masters any further tonight. Please forgive my intrusion," Song Qingshu bid farewell with a long laugh and turned away.

The monks made no attempt to stop him, their gazes fixed upon Song Qingshu's retreating figure. Each of them pondered in their hearts, foreseeing potential troubles that lay ahead in the world of martial arts.

As Song Qingshu left Tianlong Temple, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret. He had finally opened up to the old monks, only to be met with disappointment. Why had he bothered with the pretense? But the thought quickly passed, his mind inaccessible to such contemplation. What use was the Six-Meridian Sword without the old monks' approval? He consoled himself with a few words, reminding himself that the world held countless marvelous martial arts techniques, and he need not fixate on a single flower.

With this thought, Song Qingshu regained his cheerfulness and embarked on his journey with renewed enthusiasm in search of hidden martial arts secrets.

The Beiming Divine Art, Lingbo Weibu, and the elusive Six-Meridian Divine Sword appeared to be unattainable. The remaining Musashi-style swordsmanship required further consideration. The Nine Suns Scripture was concealed within the impenetrable Kunlun Mountains—an endeavor fraught with challenges. Moreover, he already possessed both the Divine Art of the Sunflower and the Nine Yin Scripture, rendering the Nine Yang Divine Art of little use. Besides, it was Zhang Wuji's martial arts, and the thought of it repulsed him. Song Qingshu swiftly dismissed the idea of venturing to Kunlun.

The Baishou Taixuan Scripture of the South China Sea seemed too elusive, lost in the vastness of the ocean. He feared he would meet his demise before finding it, buried within the depths of Xiake Island. Shaking his head, he dismissed this plan.

The Evil-Shielding Sword Manual... No, onto the next one!

Within the Shishui Pavilion of Manduo Mountain Villa, there appeared to be a trace of the elusive Phaseless Power. However, since the Nine Suns True Scriptures held no relevance for Song Qingshu, he quickly dismissed the notion of pursuing this small fragment of power.

Unable to learn the sword technique of Jade Girl Suxin from the Ancient Tomb School—drawing a circle with the left hand and a square with the right—he attempted it multiple times, only to see misshapen figures etched in the sand. Despite his wit and cleverness, mastering this intricate technique proved beyond his grasp. The Jade Girl Suxin Sword Technique would remain elusive, and besides, its contorted style clashed with his own charismatic temperament.

Dressed in white, exuding an air of elegance, wielding a sword with unparalleled skill—such was the heroic stance that every man aspired to achieve!

Today's quest revolved around the remains of Dugu in the Shendiao Valley and the legendary Dugu Nine Swords of Huashan. The mere thought of these renowned swordsmanship styles ignited Song Qingshu's enthusiasm, propelling him to embark on a nocturnal journey.

Somewhere deep in the valley outside Xiangyang, Hubei, Song Qingshu scowled at a patch of bird droppings he had inadvertently stepped on, muttering under his breath, "That foolish giant eagle truly has no regard for cleanliness!"

With this foul reference point, Song Qingshu swiftly located the burial site Dugu had chosen for his bones. Gazing upon a heap of rocks and a few imposing words etched on the wall, Song Qingshu fell into a contemplative silence before finally addressing his mother, "@#%￥, what good is being forced upon? You can keep this manual or whatever it is!"

How did Yang Guo manage to transform from an average martial artist a few months ago to someone capable of contending against Yin Kexi and the Golden Wheel Fa King with a profound iron sword? Despite scouring the sword tomb, Song Qingshu found no magical secrets. Frustration welled up within him as he grappled with the feeling of being toyed with and belittled.

"The thief never leaves empty-handed, or else the next time will be worse." Song Qingshu hefted Dugu Qiqiang's wooden sword on his back and suddenly had a realization. He took a bite and muttered, "It seems that Duan Yu stole my luck that day, and after the Wuliangyudong event, I've been left empty-handed time and time again!"

"I refuse to believe that scaling the cliffs of Huashan will yield no rewards!" Song Qingshu resolved with a secret determination, setting forth on the path to Huashan day by day.

Now, let us turn our attention to Baima Temple Yaowangzhuang, located thousands of miles away by the Dongting Lake. Hu Fei and Cheng Lingsu stared wide-eyed at the enchanting woman before them and asked, "Beautiful lady, are you truly Brother Song's wife?"

Zhou Zhiruo's face twitched, forced to conjure a smile. "Yes, young ones, I am indeed Auntie to Qing Shu. He left me behind due to his severe injuries, unwilling to burden me. He embarked on a solitary journey across the realm in search of a cure. I have visited Songzhou Medical Doctor Xue and Kaifeng Ping Yizhi in my tireless pursuit. Recently, I heard whispers of Qingshu's presence near this village of Yaowangzhuang. Finally, I have found a clue. Dear young ones, could you please share with Auntie his whereabouts?"

To Zhou Zhiruo's dismay, she had been fruitlessly searching for Song Qingshu all this while. Finally stumbling upon Yaowangzhuang, her fear of the infamous Poisonous Medicine King had prevented her from employing forceful measures. Instead, she resorted to deceit.

"Hmph! I thought that Big Brother Song was a man of honor. He already had a wife, so why would he dare to provoke my mother?" Little Hu Fei sneered, his tone laced with cold disdain.

"You're absolutely right. The moment I caught him ogling at me, I knew he wasn't up to any good," Cheng Lingsu chimed in, clapping his hands in agreement.

"In that case, can you tell Auntie where he went?" Zhou Zhiruo couldn't contain her happiness as she listened to the two children berating Song Qingshu.

"He... upon hearing the master's mention of the mythical millennium ginseng, which supposedly has the power to revive dead flesh and bones, he foolishly rushed off to dig for it in Changbai Mountain," Hu Fei gleefully revealed.

Cheng Lingsu's eyes brightened, joining in the collaboration, "Yes, our master also mentioned that the millennium ginseng is nothing but a legend. We advised him not to get his hopes up. Nevertheless, upon hearing this, he embarked on a nocturnal journey to the northeast."

With Song Qingshu's whereabouts confirmed, Zhou Zhiruo felt an overwhelming sense of joy. She quickly expressed her gratitude to the two children, mounted a horse, and hastened off to the northeast, harboring thoughts of torturing him to death.

As Zhou Zhiruo receded into the distance, Cheng Lingsu turned back to Hu Fei, a sly smile playing upon his lips. "Brother Hu Fei, why did you deceive that woman?"

Little Hu Fei crossed his arms and assumed an air of maturity. "She thought we were just children and fell for our trickery. Even though she claimed to be Brother Song's wife, her hatred was unmistakable in her eyes. How could I possibly reveal his true whereabouts?"

Moved by a woman's empathy, Cheng Lingsu frowned and inquired, "But what if she was telling the truth? What if Uncle Song has truly abandoned her and all she seeks is revenge?"

Hu Fei chuckled knowingly. "Well, who brought Brother Song and my mother together? If this woman truly harbors ill intentions, my mother could be in danger. I must protect Brother Song. What if their conflict escalates and my mother gets hurt? Sometimes it's better to err on the side of caution. I figured it was safer to deceive her and send her off in the exact opposite direction—to the far northeast. Hehe..."

"Brother Hu Fei, you're quite the schemer," Cheng Lingsu smirked.

"Uh, I haven't learned from you yet..."

And so, our hapless Emei boss, unaware of the deceit orchestrated by two innocent children, found herself ensnared in the treacherous snow-covered lands of the northeast...