Meng Qing shook her head, her beautiful eyes filled with anticipation.

Although she hadn’t known Lin Hao for long, she undoubtedly already considered him the person closest to her. She didn’t want anything to happen to him.

The Evil-Slaying Sword belonged to Mingjian Manor, and she was genuinely worried that Lin Hao dared to treat it this way.

Hearing Lin Hao’s question, she was eager to know the answer.

"This sword possesses a righteous aura," Lin Hao said, gently stroking the Evil-Slaying Sword.

Meng Qing was bewildered.

"Ten years to forge a sword to slay Evil Demons, one strike’s cold gleam chills forty prefectures. The one who forged this sword not only had a righteous aura, but also ambition."

As he spoke, the Evil-Slaying Sword hummed and CLANGED within its sheath.

Meng Qing still didn’t understand.

But seeing the Evil-Slaying Sword’s sudden movement, a thought abruptly surfaced in her mind: ’The Evil-Slaying Sword belongs in Lin Hao’s hands; only then can it fulfill its true purpose.’

Gazing at the sharp, brilliant Lin Hao, Meng Qing said no more.

"Meng Qing, if the Misty Palace really did come to the Danling Sect, they would have been received as honored guests by now. Why don’t we head up there too?"

Meng Qing had been unhappy these past few days. Lin Hao saw it but could do nothing. Now that they were in Cyan Forest Town, very close to the Danling Sect, he wanted to cheer her up as soon as possible.

"No, it’s fine. A few more days won’t make a difference." Meng Qing was startled by his suggestion.

Even Mingjian Manor, one of the four great sects, was staying at this inn. What was their status in comparison? Going to the Danling Sect now would only be asking for a snub.

Besides, with Lin Hao’s personality—he’d rather die than submit—it would be disastrous if he angered one of the major sects.

Lin Hao didn’t know what Meng Qing was really thinking. He just assumed she was nervous about the impending reunion.

After a slight smile, Lin Hao said, "Meng Qing, let’s go for a walk."

A walk was a great way to relieve tension.

"Mm."

The two of them tidied up and went downstairs.

The moment they appeared, the once-bustling inn fell silent.

Meng Qing’s cloaked face might have sparked the imagination, but the great Young Manor Master of Mingjian Manor himself had been defeated by Lin Hao. Anyone who thought of causing trouble for her would have to think twice.

Moreover, Lin Hao’s name was famous throughout the Southern Border Prefecture. This was the man who dared to annihilate a Soul Gathering Realm expert and openly challenge the Zhengyang Sect.

They were even more afraid to make a move.

’He’s a menace.’

"Sir, they seem to be very afraid of you," Meng Qing said softly outside the inn.

Lin Hao smiled. "That’s because I’m too handsome."

"Sir, what does being handsome have to do with it?"

"I’m so handsome they feel insecure."

"Pfft..."

As the two walked further and further away, the Martial Artists in the inn wore pained expressions.

Cyan Wood Town wasn’t large, but it was prosperous.

As soon as they stepped from the inn onto the main street, they were surrounded by the shouts of vendors.

"Authentic Harmonization Pills from the Danling Sect! Eighty-eight taels of silver! Don’t miss your chance, step right up!"

"Come, come, a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity! The Alchemy Hand Seal for the Rejuvenation Blood Pill, ten taels of silver per copy! Only one left!"

...

Because they were so close to the Danling Sect, it was no surprise that everyone was hawking various pills, pill formulas, and Alchemy Hand Seals.

Lin Hao smiled, pausing at each stall for a moment before moving on.

Meng Qing followed behind him without a word.

Suddenly, Meng Qing jumped in fright when she felt someone grab her clothes.

When she turned to look, she was stunned.

A little girl of about twelve or thirteen, dressed in rags, was looking at her with pleading eyes.

"Big sister, Xiaoman is so hungry," the little girl said pitifully when she saw Meng Qing turn around.

"Sir," Meng Qing called out.

Lin Hao turned and stared at the girl for a good while before smiling.

The little girl timidly hid behind Meng Qing.

"Here, take this and buy something to eat." Lin Hao took out a silver ingot and handed it over.

The little girl looked at Meng Qing, then at Lin Hao, before snatching the ingot and disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Lin Hao watched her leave, his gaze tightening slightly.

"Sir, what is it?" Meng Qing keenly sensed that something was off about Lin Hao’s mood.

Lin Hao shook his head. "Seeing her reminded me of another little girl. I wonder where she is now."

The girl Lin Hao spoke of was naturally Yan’Er. So much time had passed with no word from her; it was truly worrying.

"Sir, let’s continue our walk," Meng Qing said with a smile, changing the subject.

This was a mark of her cleverness. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

She didn’t ask what shouldn’t be asked.

She knew that Lin Hao would tell her what he wanted to when he was ready. Prying into someone’s privacy would only make them resentful.

"Meng Qing, when the time is right, I’ll tell you everything I can," Lin Hao said with a smile.

Meng Qing returned his smile. Though he couldn’t see it, he could feel it.

They hadn’t walked far when the little girl returned, stuffing a steaming bun into her mouth with one hand while holding out the other.

Lin Hao gave her another silver ingot, watching her run off, her two pigtails swinging.

By the time Lin Hao and Meng Qing had strolled through all the not-so-long streets of Cyan Forest Town, the sun had set behind the West Mountain and the moon was rising.

A gentle breeze blew, carrying Meng Qing’s faint, pleasant fragrance straight to Lin Hao’s nose.

"The moon rises above the willow trees; we meet after dusk has fallen." The famous line slipped from Lin Hao’s lips.

Meng Qing murmured the words to herself, then praised him, "You’re so eloquent, Sir."

"Ahem..." Lin Hao realized what he’d said and was mortified.

’It’s just a line from the Carefree Divine Monarch’s memory, and it seems to describe a lovers’ rendezvous.’

"Sir, what’s wrong?" Meng Qing’s hand gently tapped Lin Hao’s back. Her soft, fragrant words were intoxicating.

"N-nothing... Meng Qing, that poor little girl... we should take her with us," Lin Hao said, the words tumbling out of nowhere.

Meng Qing looked up and saw the little girl who had just left, curled up in a corner, being bullied by several other young beggars.

"Okay." Meng Qing had actually been thinking the same thing, but she hadn’t dared to suggest it without Lin Hao speaking up first.

When Meng Qing approached, the young beggars had already scattered.

To them, Meng Qing was like a noble fairy. They didn’t have the courage to even look at her, let alone disrespect her.

"Come on, come home with Big Sister," Meng Qing said, extending her hand to the little girl.

The girl looked up, a glint in her eyes, and then reached out her hand.

Under the moonlight, their two joined shadows stretched long.

On the way back, Meng Qing’s motherly instincts took over. She showered the girl with questions, completely forgetting about Lin Hao.

"Sir, your letter." Lin Hao was feeling bored when someone suddenly rushed out, shoved a letter into his hand, and left just as quickly.

Lin Hao watched the person’s retreating back and confirmed they were from the Danling Sect.

He opened the letter, read it quickly, and then nonchalantly crushed it in his hand, letting the paper turn to dust and float away.

The three of them returned to the inn. Meng Qing busied herself with helping the little girl wash up, while Lin Hao stood outside the door, closely monitoring the movements within.

The letter had said that Third Master Hao would attack tonight. Lin Hao didn’t dare let his guard down.

When the sound of water stopped, Lin Hao knocked on Meng Qing’s door.

"Meng Qing, you’re staying in my room tonight." Meng Qing opened the door, and her already rosy face turned an even deeper shade of red upon hearing his words.

But in the end, she fidgeted with the hem of her clothes and gave a soft "mm." Even the tips of her ears were beet red.

If not for Lin Hao’s extraordinary Spiritual Sense, he wouldn’t have been able to hear it.

Lin Hao froze for a second, then his heart gave two traitorous thumps.

Meng Qing was beautiful, the kind of breathtaking beauty that could stir one’s soul.

In this situation, Lin Hao’s imagination started to run wild.

"Ahem... Meng Qing, it’s not going to be a peaceful night," Lin Hao said, reining in his thoughts with great effort.

Only then did Meng Qing realize she had misunderstood, and her face grew even redder.

"I... I’ll go check on Xiaoman..." Meng Qing turned, leaving a gust of fragrance in her wake...

In Lin Hao’s room, Meng Qing and the little girl, Xiaoman, naturally took the large bed, while Lin Hao sat meditating in a chair with his eyes closed.

Perhaps because it was her first time sleeping in a bed, the little girl fell asleep quickly. Meng Qing, however, was full of apprehension.

She wanted to talk to Lin Hao but was afraid of disturbing him. At the same time, she was worried that someone really would come looking for trouble. Caught in this anxious torment, she eventually couldn’t hold on any longer and fell asleep.

The night grew deeper, and the entire Shen Dan Inn fell silent.

In Lin Hao’s room, he was like a statue, with only the sound of the little girl’s and Meng Qing’s breathing.

CLANG!

Suddenly, Lin Hao’s eyes snapped open. The Evil-Slaying Sword leaped three inches from its sheath, and he blocked it in front of his face.

At the same time, sparks flew.

"When did you find out?" a cold female voice came from the bed.

The voice belonged to the little girl called Xiaoman.

"To think the Netherworld Hall would send a wet-behind-the-ears little girl to kill me. How disappointing." Lin Hao didn’t answer, just shook his head.

"When did you find out?" she asked again.

"When you took the silver."

She fell silent, then said, "I have calluses from holding a blade."

"You’re not completely stupid."

"The Netherworld Hall wants you dead. You have no chance of survival." After those words, there was only silence.

Lin Hao took a single step and was at the bedside.

Meng Qing’s eyes were tightly shut, sound asleep. The little girl was long gone.

Lin Hao let out a sigh of relief and sat back down in his chair.

Honestly, if he hadn’t been alerted by the calluses on the little girl’s hands when she grabbed the silver that afternoon, the blade just now might have truly slit his throat.

The reason was simple: Lin Hao had discovered that the little girl’s attack had no fluctuation of True Qi or True Essence whatsoever.

Moreover, her body was light, and her speed was incredible.

’For a little girl to have such skills, the Netherworld Hall is truly formidable.’ Thinking of all the experts who must have died at her hands, Lin Hao couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.

At the same time, Lin Hao couldn’t help but feel lucky.

’Whoever wants me dead must have underestimated my strength for the Netherworld Hall to send just a girl. If they had sent a more powerful assassin, I can’t imagine...’

With an assassin from the Netherworld Hall making a move, the so-called night raid by Third Master Hao was obviously a fake.

The rest of the night passed without incident. When Meng Qing woke the next day, Lin Hao gave a casual excuse to explain away the little girl’s absence.

The little girl’s departure worried Meng Qing for a long time, and the two of them didn’t go out for the rest of the day.

It wasn’t until the third day that Meng Qing’s mood improved.

But early that morning, while Lin Hao was still in his room, Meng Qing burst in without even knocking.

Having known Meng Qing for so long, Lin Hao was surprised. It was the first time he had ever seen her so flustered.

’Could something major have happened?’