Chapter 813: How Deep the Courtyard’s Heart
In the quiet courtyard, a man and woman embraced, their feelings deep, beyond measure.
Across the courtyard stood an ancient locust tree, its few remaining leaves clinging on even in the harsh winter. Beneath the tree stood a figure in green robes.
The figure wore a bronze mask, making him look like a ghost.
Mu Jiushi rested her head on Bie Tianxin’s shoulder, calmly watching this green-robed person.
The scene was truly eerie.
Bie Tianxin remained completely unaware.
The green-robed figure shook his head, and the shadows of the locust tree’s withered leaves shifted slightly on his bronze mask.
Mu Jiushi furrowed her brow slightly, closed her eyes, and stopped looking at that person.
Bie Tianxin sensed her movement, his heart warming, wanting to reach out but not daring to.
After an unknown amount of time, the cold wind rustled the locust tree, producing a rustling sound. Bie Tianxin left the courtyard with reluctance.
Mu Jiushi walked to the ancient locust tree, stared at the eyes of the green-robed man visible through his bronze mask, and asked, “Why won’t you let me kill him?”
The green-robed man’s voice was like gravel: “You should know very well that killing him is only our means, not our end.”
Mu Jiushi’s voice turned sharp, filled with anger: “I finally managed to make Chen Changsheng and this waste meet—how could I miss this opportunity!”
The green-robed man said, “Even if you kill Bie Tianxin, you can’t frame Chen Changsheng for it.”
Mu Jiushi sneered, “Isn’t the Frost Dragon’s Breath enough as evidence? Remember, in the entire continent, only one person by his side has it.”
The green-robed man replied, “The problem is that today, Zhusha is not by Chen Changsheng’s side.”
Mu Jiushi was stunned for a moment, then asked, “Then who is that little girl beside him?”
The green-robed man said, “I don’t know. Someone is investigating.”
Mu Jiushi thought back to the earlier scene, a look of intense disgust flashing across her delicate, beautiful face. “Then how much longer must I endure?”
The green-robed man was silent for a moment before saying, “No one knows when the right time will come. It requires waiting.”
Mu Jiushi sneered, “So we just have to watch Chen Changsheng enter Wenshui City with our own eyes?”
The green-robed man affectionately ruffled her hair and said, “Even if he enters Wenshui City, he won’t have any impact on the situation inside the city or the broader trends outside. Most of the people living in that city are surnamed Tang. Even Tianhai and Yin couldn’t do anything back then. What can he do? Of course, to avoid accidents, many people will try to keep him outside—including me.”
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A beard like a messy tangle of shrubs might attract some fearful or disdainful looks in the prosperous and gentle south, but in this northern land, soaked in blood and fire for years, it only brings convenience. For example, you can curse and snatch a bowl of strong liquor meant for another customer from the tavern owner’s hands, and no one dares to say a word.
But drinking comes with some inconvenience.
Whether sipping slowly or gulping down like a whale, it’s easy for the liquor to wet the beard.
At the time, it seemed dashing and carefree, but after waking up drunk, it always felt sticky and unpleasant, requiring several washes.
After growing his beard for three full years, Luobu watched the liquor dripping from his beard to the ground and, for the first time, considered whether to shave it off.
Then he was slightly startled, thinking, when did he start caring about such trivial matters?
The scene of eating meat and drinking with a full beard had happened countless times in his life. Why hadn’t he cared about it back when he was in the Qilixi Rangers or at Banya Horse Ranch, but now he had different thoughts?
Maybe it was because, in recent days, he had met someone who was particularly obsessed with cleanliness? That guy, when he first woke up, couldn’t even move his fingers but was already signaling others to wipe his face. Even while recovering from injuries, he never forgot to change into clean clothes every day, like a woman.
Luobu suddenly fell silent, thinking, could it be that his junior sister liked that kind of person?
Just then, he sensed something and looked up toward the tavern entrance. He saw Bie Tianxin walking out of that alley.
Earlier this morning, outside that perfume shop, he had spotted Bie Tianxin and followed him here, discovering the quiet courtyard in the alley. But he hadn’t entered because he vaguely sensed someone inside—someone very strong.
Luobu took out a charcoal pencil and began drawing on a prepared sheet of white paper.
He drew Bie Tianxin and the surrounding environment, like the alley and the faintly visible corner of the ancient locust tree deeper inside.
Clearly, he was skilled at this. With just a few casual strokes of the charcoal pencil, the alley and locust tree took on a rough outline. As for Bie Tianxin’s portrait, it grew clearer with each movement of the pencil tip, until it was lifelike—the two eyebrows seemed ready to fly off, as real as could be.
If that painter by Wang Zhice’s side saw this drawing, he would definitely try to snatch Luobu away to be his disciple at the Garuda Temple.
Yes, his drawing was that good, just like in other fields.
After finishing the drawing, he didn’t leave but continued sitting in the tavern, waiting. After a long time, he finally saw the person he wanted to see.
Mu Jiushi and a strange green-robed man wearing a bronze mask left in a carriage. Just then, a gust of wind lifted the cloth curtain over the window.
It was only a fleeting glimpse, not enough to leave a clear image in one’s eyes—but in Luobu’s hands, it could.
It didn’t take long to complete another drawing.
This drawing was rich in detail, carrying a subtle spirit. Anyone who knew Mu Jiushi and the strange green-robed man would never mistake them.
Looking at the two figures in the drawing, Luobu raised an eyebrow and said, “The Western Continent certainly has ambition. But who exactly will it fall on?”
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Chen Changsheng didn’t believe his encounter with Bie Tianxin in Hanqiu City was a coincidence, because the probability was too small.
This meeting was most likely arranged by someone, which meant his whereabouts were no longer a secret.
In fact, the monster he encountered at the Liu Su Inn had already proven that.
From Hanqiu City to Wenshui, there were still over a thousand li. Along the way, he would encounter many more things.
If it were up to him, he certainly wouldn’t want to walk into such a situation. After leaving Banya Horse Ranch, he wouldn’t notify anyone from the State Religion and would head straight to Wenshui City first. But that letter had made it very clear: if he wanted to return to the capital safely, he first had to find that person.
Who was the one who had leaked his whereabouts?
Back then, on the wasteland, he had studied swordsmanship with Su Li and also learned military strategy and tactics. But because of his temperament, he still couldn’t fully understand the complexity of human hearts or the complexity of this world. Fortunately, the person who wrote that letter understood these things very well, so now he basically knew the answer.
It was simple: only three people knew his itinerary.
Chen Changsheng looked at the white stones by the roadside and fell silent for a long time.
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(For the time being, the first chapter should be updated in the afternoon. If there’s no update before nine in the evening, it means there won’t be a second chapter, so everyone can stop waiting. If three chapters somehow appear, I’ll let you all know again.)