Chapter Thirty-Three: Rainy Night in Xiangxiang

  Lu Bai chased after the white figure in front of him, relying on his deep skills and agile movements. In the blink of an eye, he was only seven or eight meters away from the person. Just as he was about to catch up, the person vanished at the end of the corridor. Lu Bai stomped his foot in anger and suddenly sprinted forward, covering three to five steps before reaching the other end of the corridor.

  However, passing through the corridor, what appeared before his eyes was a medium-sized flower hall. Inside the hall were over ten tables of people from the jianghu, many of whom still didn't know what had happened in the front hall and were still drinking and playing dice.

  Lu Bai took a rough look around and found that there were at least one or two hundred people here, so how could he distinguish who was the person who had ambushed him on the rooftop earlier.

  He glanced around the hall several times, trying to find that person, but there were not a few people wearing white clothes here, men and women, old and young, even if he had fiery eyes and golden pupils, it was unlikely that he could distinguish them immediately, in the end, he could only sigh angrily and turn away.

  Ling Jing was sitting at a wine table near the corridor, and when he saw Lu Bai chasing him here, he didn't panic at all. He poured himself a cup of wine, turned his head to look at Lu Bai with feigned confusion, and then turned back around with an air of "not understanding what's going on".

  After Lu Bai left, he sat in his original position and still didn't make a move. In his heart, he was certain that someone like Lu Bai with rich experience in the Jianghu wouldn't give up so easily. As expected, after about a moment, Lu Bai returned again, wandered around the hall for a while, and then left once more.

  Ling Jing sat calmly on the seat, with a faint smile at the corner of his mouth. About a minute later, Lu Bo's figure was no longer seen, and he slowly got up from his seat, walked through several courtyards, and carefully left the Liu residence.

  He was also anxious in his heart, after all, helping Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang escape this time was only one part of the main storyline. Next, he had to help Linghu Chong obtain the "Laughing at Jianghu" song co-authored by Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang. He knew that if the plot didn't deviate, then after Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang escaped, most of the masters of the Songshan School would chase after them, and in the end, these two people were seriously injured and caught off guard by "Dà Sōng Yáng Shǒu" Fei Bin.

  But at the moment, he still had some doubts in his heart. After all, two of the three great masters of Songshan School had been led away by him earlier, and Fei Bin was being held back by Liu Zhengfeng. At that time, only one Ding Mian was left watching Liu Zhengfeng. If Qu Yang really made a move at that time, with their skills, it wouldn't be difficult for them to retreat unharmed. But what he feared was that Liu Zhengfeng would start showing mercy again. If he released Fei Bin ahead of time, given Fei Bin's ruthless and vengeful personality, once he escaped, if he didn't take the opportunity to retaliate, that would be strange.

  He was somewhat worried, even though Liu and Qiu had already met with Linghu Cong and others, but after all, Linghu Cong was seriously injured at the moment, and Yilin's martial arts were not very high. In the original story, when Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang escaped, they were both cut off from their spiritual veins, and only relied on their thick internal strength to barely support their escape. Although he was still uncertain in his heart whether the two had really been injured or not, and whether they could handle Fei Bin, this task was not allowed to fail.

  If this task fails, his overall attributes will be reduced by 50%, internal strength, physical skills and root bones are fine, but if even his comprehension is permanently reduced by 50%, then he really can't cry. After all, comprehension is a necessary condition for understanding martial arts, and the higher the level of martial arts, the higher the requirement for comprehension. Moreover, his current strength is still far from enough, and the tasks released by the system are getting harder and harder, so he must continue to maintain a brave and progressive attitude in order to cope with the next main task.

  He thought to this point, he even more hastily went to the city outside, thinking that this time no matter whether Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang were like in the original story with their heart meridians being sealed off, he must find them before Fei Bin arrived.

  He walked all the way with his mind preoccupied, but didn't notice that since he left Liu's mansion, a shaky and hunched figure had been following him from afar.

  From a distance, this person's movements were fleeting, only occasionally drawing near and then receding as he trailed behind Ling Jing. He had a bundle slung over his shoulder, was gaunt and frail, with a gloomy expression on his face, looking for all the world like a sickly old man of seventy or eighty who was on the verge of meeting his maker.

  However, this person's movement technique was extremely impressive. From the moment he left Liu's residence, his movement technique had already been fully displayed. He possessed the mid-grade lightness skill of the Huashan School, and although he hadn't yet reached the realm of perfection, compared to ordinary second-generation disciples, his movement technique was undoubtedly much more impressive. Nevertheless, the old man behind him was still able to follow closely with ease, without showing any signs of fatigue.

  Ling Jing's heart had an idea, and he rushed out of the city for several miles. He naturally knew where Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang were going after they left, so after leaving the city, he just casually asked a few questions and figured out the direction. He then rushed to this place, but at this time, he finally discovered that someone was still secretly following him. His heart suddenly skipped a beat, thinking it was the Songshan Sect's people who had caught up with him. He felt a bit anxious, if the person behind him was one of the "Thirteen Taibao" of the Songshan Sect, he would not be able to resist.

  At this moment, he had walked to a pine forest outside the city. From a distance, there was a faint sound of water flowing, and he knew that his destination was not far away. However, the person following him made his heart suddenly tense up again. A faint light flashed in his eyes, and he ran for several steps before suddenly turning left and hiding into the woods.

  He hid aside, already holding his breath, his right hand slowly pressing the hilt of his sword, a hint of cruelty flashing in his eyes, waiting for the person to reveal himself before drawing his sword.

  But after waiting for a long time, there was no movement behind him. He didn't dare to make any slight movement, he just tightly grasped the hilt of his sword and stuck his body firmly to the tree trunk, his ears slightly trembling as he carefully listened for any sound from behind.

  However, at this moment, he suddenly felt that his left shoulder was lightly patted by someone. In an instant, his entire body became somewhat stiff, and his heart was shocked to the extreme. He did not expect that despite his strict precautions, he still unknowingly let someone get close to him. The person's strength must be several levels higher than his own. Now, his life might already be in that person's hands.

  A faint bitter smile appeared on his face, but there was still a struggle in his heart. Suddenly, he heard an old man's gentle voice beside him say, "Young man, don't be afraid, I have no ill intentions." The voice chuckled a few times.

  The voice seemed to have no malice, and it was clearly not the voice of those masters from Mount Song. Ling Jing's heart slightly relaxed, but his vigilance did not let up, only then slowly turning his head.

  A gaunt and wrinkled old face appeared before his eyes, with a stooping figure, white hair, and a long gown that was crumpled and seemingly unwashed for ages. On his back, he carried a long bundle, from which a corner of a white-and-black striped cloth faintly protruded.

  However, after Ling Jing clearly saw the man's attire, he finally let out a sigh of relief. From the man's appearance, he could almost determine his identity. If his guess was correct, this person would be Mo Da, the current leader of the Hengshan Sect, known in the Jianghu as "Xiao Xiang Ye Yu". He was skilled in the "Hui Feng Luo Yan Sword Technique" and had a reputation for being able to make his sword moves sound like music. The object on his back could be identified by its strings as his ever-present zither.

  Ling Jing smiled wryly, thinking to himself that he had been scared out of his wits by this eccentric old man, and said: "Master Mo, you've really given me a fright."

  Mo's face flashed a hint of surprise, he had never revealed his figure in front of people since he came to Hengshan City, but unexpectedly, this young man still saw through his identity, and asked strangely: "How did you see through my identity, nephew?"

  Ling Jing smiled slightly, thinking to herself, I've read the original book, you're a very famous person, how could I not know your identity? But she said aloud: "Disciple has often heard Shifu mention the great name of Master Mo of Mount Heng, and has long admired Master Mo in her heart, that's why she was able to recognize Master Mo at once."

  Mo Da burst out laughing and said, "It's actually Brother Yue who is being too kind, but my nephew is also quite bold. That Mount Song 'Immortal Crane Hand' Lu Bai isn't just a name for nothing." He looked at Ling Jing with an expression of admiration and continued, "My nephew really is a man of great courage and spirit."

  Ling Jing smiled humbly and said "overpraise", knowing that the old man had seen his entire process of taking action in the Liu mansion. Mo Da, however, suddenly furrowed his brow and said: "Now I still have a troublesome matter, and I need your help again, but I don't know if you are willing?"

  Ling Jing slightly hesitated, but the system's voice in her mind immediately followed Mr. Mo Da's words: "Host triggers branch task: Mr. Mo Da's request"

  P.S. Just got off the train, had a meal and started typing, don't know if I can make it in time for the second update, but starting tomorrow I'll resume two updates a day, I'll try my best for tonight's chapter...