Although they had agreed to set out early in the morning the next day, it was already noon by the time the five of them departed.

The reason, of course, was that Feng Rugu had overslept again.

Chang Boning pulled over the yawning Feng Rugu and added a parasol to his already heavy luggage: "Summer is coming, and the sun is always fierce."

Feng Rugu mumbled: "Only you, senior brother, would find the sun too fierce."

Chang Boning: "Take it."

Feng Rugu: "Oh."

Ruyi had already finished his morning practice and had been waiting outside the Bamboo Hall with his eyes closed. Upon hearing this, he opened his eyes and gazed at this pair of senior and junior disciple brothers, his eyes inevitably reflecting traces of past events.

He closed his eyes again, collecting his thoughts, not wanting to dwell on it too much.

Chang Boning, who rarely left the hall, accompanied them all the way to the Sword Stone, and whispered in a low voice: "...When three flowers bloom, don't delay, be sure to come back."

Feng Rugu mumbled with a sleepy nasal voice: "A mother's thread in hand, a wandering son..."

Before he could finish reciting the poem, Feng Rugu was smacked on the head.

Chang Boning's words were overheard by Hai Jing, who had exceptional hearing.

After all, he was young and his temperament was unsettled. Having traveled with the taciturn Ruyi for a long time, he was already feeling quite stifled. So he went to ask Sang Luojiu, who seemed to be the same age as him: "May I ask, what is the 'three flowers blooming' that Daoist Chang mentioned?"

"...Huh?"

Sang Luojiu was in the middle of checking the items in his Qiankun bag for the third time. When he first heard it, he was completely baffled. Only after Hai Jing relayed the original words did he smile apologetically: "I have only been apprenticed for three years and don't know my master very well. If you have doubts, why not ask Senior Brother Luo?"

But Luo Fuchun was also completely unaware: "Flowers? What flowers?"

Seeing that no one knew the answer to this question, the little monk became even more curious about Feng Rugu: "Then, may I ask, what are the two swords on Lord Yunzhong's back?"

At the mention of these two famous swords, Luo Fuchun's stern face finally showed a hint of a smile, and he patiently explained: "They are my master's personal swords. The one with the turquoise sheath is called 'Yesterday'; the one with the white jade sheath is called 'Today'. Back then, it was with these swords that my master slayed demons and protected over a hundred Daoists in perilous situations..."

Just as Luo Fuchun was in full flow, Feng Rugu slowly strolled over with the swords on his back and his hands empty.

He looked around: "Who is the best at sword riding? Take me for a ride."

Luo Fuchun: "..." Here we go again!!

Feng Rugu yawned again: "I had a restless night of dreams and couldn't sleep well. I'm afraid I might lose control of my sword."

Hai Jing listened with his mouth and nostrils wide open.

He asked Luo Fuchun in a low voice: "With Lord Yunzhong's level of cultivation, would he also worry about 'losing control of the sword', the kind of mistake that only lower-level disciples would make?"

Luo Fuchun said through gritted teeth: "Nonsense. He's just lazy!"

However, Sang Luojiu volunteered: "Master, I'll do it."

"I'll do it."

Ruyi's slightly cold voice cut off Sang Luojiu's words, with a hint of undeniability.

Sang Luojiu fell silent.

Buddhism had been passed down for a long time. According to the Buddhist name "Ru", Sang Luojiu should be of the same generation as Ruyi. However, Ruyi's reputation was well-known, and Sang Luojiu knew that he was no match for him.

Moreover, since he had volunteered to carry his master, out of courtesy, he could not refuse and make him lose face.

Feng Rugu was not polite either. He stepped onto his sword and casually wrapped his arms around his waist: "Thank you for your trouble."

Ruyi's body moved slightly, and he looked down at Feng Rugu's naturally encircling arms in surprise, as if he could not understand how this person could be so thick-skinned.

Feng Rugu didn't care what he thought. He turned his head and called out to Chang Boning: "Senior Brother, I want to eat sunflower seeds. Plant more of them in the back hall."

Chang Boning laughed: "Yes, yes, yes. I'll plant an acre of sunflower fields and wait for your return."

The five of them left Fengling Mountain.

The latest victim was a disciple of Wenshi Sect. If they wanted to find clues, their first stop would naturally be Wenshi Sect.

"Luojiu, don't always indulge Master. Martial Uncle indulges him, and you indulge him too." On the way, Luo Fuchun, who was following Feng Rugu and Ruyi from a distance, put on the air of a senior brother and scolded Sang Luojiu, "His current laziness is all because you've spoiled him."

Sang Luojiu also said in a low voice: "Senior Brother, the golden silk sword tassel that Master has been thinking about for half a year was also bought by you after saving up money."

"What's the use of buying it?" Luo Fuchun said angrily, "It's just for show!"

As he spoke, he raised his head and met eyes with Feng Rugu on the sword in front of him.

Feng Rugu smiled before speaking, blinking at him.

Today he was not wearing his monocle. Under the sunlight, his right eye was slightly lighter in color than his left, looking quite charming.

Luo Fuchun's face turned red with a whoosh.

Feng Rugu wanted to tease this disciple who loved his face a little more, but then he heard a command coming from the front: "Don't move around."

Feng Rugu turned his head and looked at the young man who was half a head taller than him, smiling: "Sorry, did I distract you?"

Although it was a normal sentence, he said it in an extremely affectionate way.

Ruyi paused: "No."

Feng Rugu smiled: "Ah, how cold."

Perhaps not wanting to talk too much with Feng Rugu, Ruyi directly said: "Lord Yunzhong has no sincerity. With no sincerity, how can he have the ability to distract others?"

Feng Rugu, who was suddenly confronted, curiously tilted his head: "For you to say that, you must be very familiar with me?"

"Not familiar at all." Ruyi said, "This poor monk only knows that Lord Duanrong is worried about Lord Yunzhong in every way. If Lord Yunzhong cherishes the bond between fellow disciples, he should quickly resolve this matter instead of wasting time on trivial things."

Even with such blunt words, Feng Rugu was not angry. He didn't even loosen his arms around Ruyi's waist, saying: "Well said. Did your adoptive father, my senior brother, teach you this back then?"

Ruyi did not speak.

He regarded the past events as precious jewels and never mentioned them to outsiders. But it was well known that his adoptive father doted on Feng Rugu, so it was normal for him to tell Feng Rugu in detail.

Feng Rugu: "However, did my senior brother ever teach you not to rashly judge others' hearts?"

Ruyi was about to speak, but was interrupted by Feng Rugu: "Ah, we've arrived."

There was also a Sword Stone on the east side of Wenshi Sect, with disciples on both sides, specifically responsible for receiving and sending off guests.

Those young disciples, seeing that they were from Fengling and hearing Lord Yunzhong's name, did not dare to neglect them in the slightest. One ran to inform the sect leader, while two led the way in front, heading towards the main hall.

Who would have thought that halfway there, a young man wielding a whip in his left hand and a sword in his right hand, with eyes red, would rush out from the road ahead. A whip swept away a Wenshi Sect disciple who had rushed up to greet them with a greatly changed expression.

Another one shouted in a panic: "Second Young Master, you can't! This is Lord Yunzhong from Fengling--"

"The one I want to kill is Feng Rugu of Fengling!"

He flung off his sword sheath, the cold glint of the blade aimed straight at Feng Rugu's vital point: "Feng, give me back my third sister's life!!"

Hearing this shout, Luo Fuchun and Sang Luojiu took the lead and stepped forward with their swords. However, as they were guests, they had no reason to harm the host. Second Young Master Wen, Wen Min, had come with a death wish, seemingly crazed. The two were unsure how much restraint to show, and with a moment of carelessness, Wen Min found an opening, parried their sword tips, and charged straight towards Feng Rugu with his sword.

Yet Feng Rugu stood there, unmoving.

Wen Min thrust his sword, the sword gleam like snow, clearly about to land on Feng Rugu's right eye—

A hand with a thin red thread tied to the little finger casually blocked in front of Feng Rugu.

Wen Min exerted all his strength, yet the sword tip hovered three inches from that palm, unable to get any closer.

Seeing Wen Min as if in a trance, Ruyi did not tangle with him further. Flexing his fingers, he shattered the sword gleam with a grasp. The sword blade crumbled inch by inch from the tip until the middle of the sword.

Luo Fuchun saw that this young master had truly gone mad and dared not hold back. Together with Sang Luojiu, they restrained his hands and feet.

Feng Rugu stood in place from beginning to end.

Indeed, the shrewd outnumbered the foolish. The matter of the character riddle could not be hidden from the world.

"I express my deep regrets for your sister's death," Feng Rugu said mildly. "But Young Master Wen should use this swordsmanship to kill the one who murdered your sister."

"She died because of you!" Seeing that he could not kill Feng Rugu, Wen Min's eyes brimmed with tears as he roared hoarsely, "If it weren't for you, Lord Yunzhong, seeking a Dao companion, how would she have died?!"

Feng Rugu: "Wrong. If she had not encountered a villain, she would not have died."

Wen Min had thought that with Feng Rugu's status, he would obediently apologize. He never expected him to make such a specious argument.

Wen Min choked, then erupted in towering fury: "How can you still be so nonchalant and numb, shirking responsibility?! You did not kill Boren, but Boren died because of you*!!"

*T/N: This phrase originates from a story during China's Eastern Jin Dynasty, where Boren (Zhou Yi), a loyal official, was executed due to political turmoil. His friend Wang Dao, though not directly responsible, felt guilty for not intervening to save him, leading to the idiom's meaning of indirect culpability.

"Wrong again," Feng Rugu said. "It's 'I' did not kill Boren, but Boren died because of 'me'. This is introspection, not a demand."

Wen Min was at a loss for words.

Feng Rugu: "Understand your mistake?"

Wen Min: "..."

Feng Rugu: "Then you need to apologize to me for your slander just now."

Wen Min nearly cried from anger on the spot.

At this point, even Luo Fuchun felt pity for him. "Master, say a bit less."

Wen Runjin arrived belatedly at this time. Seeing this scene, his eyes widened in shock. He cursed his unfilial son a few times, then went to welcome Feng Rugu: "Lord Yunzhong, don't argue with a child. He doesn't know any better."

This time, Wen Min truly burst into tears.

He and Third Young Lady Wen were twins. His sister had died unjustly, yet he could not even avenge her.

How could he not know that his sister died at the hands of a villain? But that "Feng" character composed of sixteen lives made him feel his sister had suffered the utmost injustice.

Wen Min looked at Feng Rugu with hateful eyes. Seeing his father fawning beside him, seemingly unaware that his daughter's death was closely connected to this man, he picked up the shattered sword and whip, wiped his reddened eyes, and quietly followed, wanting to find another chance to stab him with his sword.

Wen Runjin was still apologizing profusely.

Feng Rugu said, "It's perfectly normal for children to be ignorant and unappreciative. Someone always has to teach them."

Wen Runjin said smoothly, "Yes, yes."

"...However, in front of outsiders, even if the child makes a huge mistake, the parents should still defend them a bit. Otherwise, just be a single gentleman, why be a parent?"

This was a direct insult. Even Wen Runjin's expression stiffened a bit.

Wen Min, who had been secretly tailing them, suddenly paused, not expecting Feng Rugu to speak up for him. For a moment, he felt a complex mix of emotions. He no longer followed and just stood there dumbly behind a tree, holding his sword.

"Daoist Wen, no need to accompany me," Feng Rugu said, disregarding Wen Runjin's expression. "I'm here to take a look at where Third Young Lady Wen's corpse is laid out."

No matter where Feng Rugu went, he never spoke like a normal person. His skill at offending others was first-rate. In the past, his two disciples never understood why, despite saving so many people, his reputation and relationships with others were still so poor. Today, seeing this, they finally understood the truth.

Wen Runjin was also a tough man. Even with things said to this point, he still asked if the few wanted to stay the night.

But Feng Rugu actually agreed readily.

After Wen Runjin left to prepare accommodations for the guests, Luo Fuchun immediately showed a difficult expression: "Master, I'm afraid the entire Wen family will hate you now. Why stay here?"

But Feng Rugu replied, "I heard the hot spring water here is unparalleled. Master will take you all for a bath tonight."

Luo Fuchun: "..." He knew this person had no proper form!

Led by a disciple of Wenshi Sect, they arrived at the tree where Third Young Lady Wen's head was hung.

Feng Rugu asked that disciple, "Where is your young miss's corpse?"

The disciple answered, "Only the head remains. The body vanished."

Feng Rugu made an "oh" sound, unsurprised. He walked around, looking here and there, not seeming to investigate but rather sightsee.

As he passed by Ruyi, Ruyi, who had not spoken a word since earlier, suddenly asked him, "Why not dodge?"

Feng Rugu turned his head to look at him.

Ruyi said, "That sword just now, you could have dodged."

Feng Rugu smiled brilliantly: "Wasn't I waiting for you?"

Ruyi said, "What if I didn't save you?"

If he had not saved him, once struck by the sword energy, Feng Rugu would have at least lost an eye.

If Ruyi had not heard about this person's character early on, he might have thought he wanted to use an eye to repay this debt.

Feng Rugu gazed at him for a moment, his eyes filled with a mischievous smile: "If you didn't save me, my senior disciple brother would not have let you off."

Ruyi: "..."

Having said that, Feng Rugu strode away. He took out a crystal monocle from his bosom and put it on his eye, glancing around again. Suddenly, he bent down and dug out a leaf from the mud.

The leaf was more than half-rotten, seemingly buried in the soil by the mountain winds in recent days.

Due to the warm weather and several rainfalls, the leaf had decayed very quickly.

Feng Rugu brought the rotten leaf to his nose and sniffed lightly, then called out, "Excuse me, are there any zelkova trees planted anywhere on Wenshi Mountain?"

"Zelkova trees?"

"Old mao zelkova, chicken oil tree, smooth elm." Feng Rugu listed several alternative names in one breath. "Zelkova trees. Are there any?"

That disciple was dumbfounded by the question: "Wenshi Mountain is famous for its sea of pines... Daoist Wen also uniquely loves pine trees to demonstrate his lofty character. Therefore, the entire mountain only allows the planting of pine trees..."

"...Zelkova trees," Ruyi spoke up. "Mizhi Mountain, where the Hanshan Temple disciple's corpse is laid out, is full of zelkova trees."

"If that's the case..." Feng Rugu raised his eyebrows with interest, "Is the murderer giving us directions?"

Author's Note:

Luo Fuchun: ...My fate with my master has ended, and it's all thanks to his face that it continues.