Chapter 22: The Depth of a Noble Family

  The sunlight passing through the river surface shone on the countless facets of quartz on the ship's body, instantly scattering out millions of bundles of colorful glass-like halos. "Wow, it's so beautiful!" Bi Han couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

  Murong Xuanfeng smiled slightly and asked, "I've always had one thing unclear, how did Bi Han Miss become acquainted with Liang Brother and Su Shaoxia?"

  Originally, Suifeng had met Liang Ze by chance and then coincidentally saved Bi Han. Mu Rong Xuanfeng didn't think there was anything wrong with this question and should have answered casually. However, Suifeng's expression turned gloomy and he didn't want to speak. Bi Han looked at him and also fell silent for a moment. She had no choice but to tell Mu Rong Xuanfeng the whole story from start to finish.

  When he heard that Su Feng had disregarded his own safety and rushed to save Bi Huan, Murong Yu's eyes lit up with admiration. He praised: "Su Xiaoxia's martial arts are only at the beginning of the path, but she can already be a one-hit killer against her enemies. Moreover, seeing people in trouble, she completely disregards her own safety, this kind of heroic spirit is truly admirable. I'm sure that in the future, her prospects will be boundless, and she will become a new legend in the Jianghu."

  His heart was heavy with emotions, and he didn't even care about Murong Xuanyu's words, so he just smiled and said, "You're overpraising me."

  Liang Ze's words were cut off by a sudden interruption: "Brother Murong, originally we had planned to escort Bi He to Qiantang. Since the esteemed Murong family has sent such an illustrious Water Dragon Whistle here, we won't bother you further and will take our leave." With that, he bowed slightly towards Murong Xuanfeng, his expression a picture of polite farewell.

  Dazed for a moment, I didn't expect Liang Ze to leave so soon. Immediately regaining my composure, I imitated his gesture and bowed slightly. However, I couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment in my heart. Facing Mu Rong Xuan Feng's dazzling talent, I was truly unhappy. Yet, when it came to bidding farewell now, I somehow felt reluctant to leave, lingering over something. Perhaps even he himself couldn't explain it clearly.

  Murong Xuan's expression didn't change, and he said: "Excuse me for speaking bluntly, but Brother Liang, this move is really not suitable. If you can recite the Water Dragon Humming Tune of my Murong family, then you are a noble guest of my Murong family. How could we let a noble guest leave like this? If it gets out, people in Jianghu will only say that my Murong family doesn't understand etiquette. Moreover, if Uncle knows that I met you today and didn't invite you to stay as a guest in Hangzhou, he will definitely blame me for it. Furthermore, Young Master Sui is the only son of the famous hero Sui from Yangzhou, and his father's name is known throughout the land, respected by millions of people in Jianghu. My Murong family has been secluded in one corner, unable to interact with him, which is truly regrettable. Today, due to fate, I was able to meet his son, Young Master Sui. Since we've met, it's a sign that we have a connection. This time, I must go to Hangzhou with you. As for the journey, both of you can rest assured. When the time comes, my Murong family will send a boat to take you directly to the border of Qi and Lu."

  Murong Xuanfeng's words left Sui Feng stunned. To go or to stay? Both options seemed somewhat inappropriate. Liang Tou'er chuckled and said, "Brother Murong has already spoken, if you decline again, it would be impolite. Never mind, Xiao Feng, we were originally planning to visit Qiantang anyway. With the Murong family's Water Dragon Chant escorting us, there won't be any danger along the way. The only question is, how long will it take to reach Qiantang with the speed of the Water Dragon Chant?"

  "Sighing silently in her heart: 'It seems I have to stay after all, then so be it.'"

  "Within the limits of the Water Dragon's body, this time we'll take the Yangtze River and pass through the Tongji Canal to reach Qiantang. At most, it will only take a day and night to arrive."

  After that, it was another round of nonsense from all over the world, plus some clichés from the rivers and lakes. Su Feng found it really boring to listen to, so he apologized and went to the deck alone.

  The Shui Long Yin is famous throughout the land, and the speed of the boat cannot be said to be slow. The north wind blows like a small dagger, blowing on the face, making people feel sore. In front of us is the vast and open river surface, with thick snow accumulated on both banks. However, this is the Jiangnan region, unlike the North where the rivers freeze in winter. Throughout the year, regardless of the season, the river water is vast and flows eastward day and night. As I think about it, my mind becomes a bit fuzzy, as if I really saw the scene of Cao Mengde's 700,000-strong army advancing into the Yangtze River with a thousand miles of oars and flags covering the sky back then.

  "What are you standing there for?" Just as Sui Feng was lost in thought, a gentle and soft female voice suddenly came from behind him.

  Without looking back, he let out a sigh in his heart and said, "I've been feeling a bit stifled inside, I just came out to get some fresh air."

  Bi Han said softly: "You don't have to deceive me, I know you're unhappy."

  Su Feng was slightly startled and turned back to look at her, but then smiled: "Nothing, from now on you don't have to worry about Li Linfu's assassins anymore, and you've also safely arrived at the Murong family. How could you not be happy?"

  Bihong shook her head, lowered her head and said in a low voice: "Actually... I'm not happy at all."

  She turned around with the wind, squatted down and looked at her worried face, asking: "Why are you unhappy?"

  Bihuan bit her lip, and for some reason, a hint of shyness appeared on her face. "I saw that you're unhappy, and I don't know why, but I'm also unhappy now." After saying this, she didn't even glance at Feng, and hastily ran away.

  He stood there in a daze, his mind echoing with "I saw you unhappy, and for some reason I became unhappy too..." He was stunned for a while, then suddenly broke into a silly smile, as if the gloom that had been accumulating in his heart for a long time had finally dissipated. Mu Rongxuan's treatment of him and Liang Tou'er was all within a dignified and reserved demeanor, just a superficial casualness, but deep down he was still proud. Only when it came to Bi He, did his face truly flash with a hint of tenderness.

  He was also born into a prominent family from a young age, and naturally had seen many sons of noble families. This cannot be said that Murong Xuanfeng is overly arrogant, but rather the sons of noble families have been this way since childhood, and their education has also been so. These noble families view themselves as superior, and their children all have some haughty and proud emotions, but walking the jianghu with too much arrogance ultimately brings harm without benefit, so it's no wonder that most of these noble sons are generally like Murong Xuanfeng, with a reserved temperament, majestic yet extraordinary.

  After this, Bi Han entered the Murong family, although she no longer had to worry about being killed, but living under someone else's roof meant that many things were beyond her control. "In a few more years, she'll probably marry Murong Xuanyi," Feng thought to herself as she gazed up at the sky, her smile from just moments before instantly fading away, her expression unwilling yet filled with an unstoppable melancholy.

  "Some people, some things, are just passing by, and it's up to you to distinguish them clearly." Along with the wind, he heard a voice, paused, turned his head back, and saw Liang Ze standing in front of the cabin with a smile on his face.

  "So, you mean I'm just a passerby?" Feng Ru said with some bewilderment.

  "The young man's heart is indeed a fleeting guest, and it's hard to discern how he will change. Perhaps you'll understand later. For now, everything is beyond your control, and all you can do is follow the trend. Fate comes and goes, no regrets, no complaints. The future will unfold as it should, regardless of whether it has been predetermined or not. It's not something that can be interfered with at present. Rather than sighing in vain, why not charge forward bravely? There are more important things waiting for you in the future."

  He was amused by his words and retorted, "You're telling me this as if you're my superior. You're not much older than me, and I'm not that concerned about it."

  Liang Ze didn't get angry, took a few steps forward, gazing at the vast river water, and said in a low voice: "From here to Qiantang, it's called visiting, but in fact, it's better not to say that we're being investigated. If I had insisted on leaving just now, there would have been several people from the Murong family following us from behind."

  Liang Tou'er was silenced after a few short sentences, and he didn't utter another word. Liang Tou'er smiled slightly and continued: "The Mu Rong family's thousand-year-old foundation is unknown to anyone, including the size of their business. Even the dragon boat has been carved out, do you really believe they are content with just being in a corner? Mu Rong Xuan Feng was young and had already stepped into the pre-heavenly realm, such a stunning talent should have been cultivated quietly, why was he sent out so early to take charge of one side? Even the Water Dragon Whistle was controlled by him. Observing his demeanor and speech, his ambition was evident, truly a hero among men, probably unmatched in the world. The Mu Rong family's intentions can be seen from this."

  Liáng Stole only cared about himself, completely disregarding the wind. After a long time, he raised his head to gaze at the sky and let out a deep sigh: "Although the Great Tang is currently in a prosperous era, what kind of hidden undercurrents are lurking beneath this seemingly calm surface?"

  Liang Ze'er lowered his head again, looking at Su Fengdao: "Bihuan is in a precarious situation this time, and it's hard to get out of the Mu Rong family. The Mu Rong family attaches so much importance to her, probably because they have guessed what Zhao Fengzhang gave her before he died. Based on our previous inference, it's likely related to the so-called auspicious sign. But I couldn't guess what this auspicious sign is. Is it worth their big fuss?"

  Upon hearing this, I was shocked and surprised. I had never thought of these things before. I asked: "Once you enter the worldly family, it's like entering the deep sea. Since you knew, why didn't you speak out earlier?"

  Liang Ze's hands pressed down on his shoulders, and he sighed: "The Mu Rong family has been around for a long time, their reputation and family business are not something we can compare to. Plus, this is her father's arrangement, it's not convenient for us outsiders to intervene. The most important thing is that the assassins we encountered before were already difficult for me to handle. If we encounter them again next time, who knows if I'll be able to cope, being at someone else's mercy is better than dying nine times out of ten."

  After listening to Liang's words, a long silence followed. After a long time, he said: "Liang brother, how do you compare with Murong Yu?"

  Liáng Tuō ér thought for a moment, then said: "From what I saw of him at the lakeside of Héng Táng Lake today, his internal energy is profound and immeasurable. The rumors in the Jianghu that he has already stepped into the Xian Tian realm with one foot are probably true, and it's even possible that he's already a high-ranking Xian Tian expert. As for me, I'm at most a peak of the Hòu Tiān realm, and even if several more like me were to come, we still wouldn't be his match. Among the young generation of this era, almost no one is his equal anymore; it's just that I don't know whether any other ancient families have such a talented youth."

  Sui Feng secretly measured himself, and even his Qi Hai had been cultivated to perfection. He was already a master close to the Xian Tian realm. Chang Ming Shu said that he had exceptional innate talent, but what about Murong Xuanyi? If I started practicing martial arts from a young age, could I surpass him at this age? Even if I intensified my training, would Murong Xuanyi wait for me in place? You will make progress, and others naturally will too. Moreover, Murong Xuanyi's innate talent might be even higher than his. Thinking about the future, Sui Feng felt a wave of powerlessness rise up.

  Liáng Stole laughed lightly and said, "What if Murong Xuan's Wind is fierce? If I wanted to escape, could he catch up with me? Even if he practiced the Water Dragon Chant to the ninth level, it would still be no match for Hua Jiū Gōng. Perhaps not even your father can compare. The Water Dragon Chant's technique may be extraordinary, but it is also inferior to the Analyzing Heaven and Returning Heaven techniques. Regardless of which one you learn, there is no need to fear him."

  The speaker was unintentional, but the listener had a mind of his own. He felt a sudden shock in his heart and thought that he already knew about his possession of the Heavenly Separation Technique. Astonished, he asked: "Do you know I'm going to find Elder Hua?"

  Liang Ze smiled and said, "The first time I saw you, you said you were Yangzhou's Suifeng. I had already guessed that you are the son of the great hero Su Tian. You said you wanted to go to Qi and Lu for a trip. Everyone knows that Su Tian and Hua Qianbei are old friends who have forgotten their age. Naturally, you went to Shandong to find him. Looking at you, not even a hint of internal energy is present, so I can roughly guess that either you haven't practiced the Analyzing Heaven Technique yet, or you're going to learn Hua Qianbei's Returning Heaven Skill."

  It wasn't until now that he understood why, when Murong Xuan said he was the son of Heaven, Liang Shuang didn't show even a hint of surprise - it turned out he had already guessed.