Jianghu Demolition Squad

The Child Returns Home (Part Seven)

Though injured, Yu’er’s wound was only to her ear, and she continued to fend off the walking corpses with her sword.

No matter how many walking corpses they killed, they seemed endless. Yu’er knew well that to completely eradicate these creatures, they needed either a divine weapon for each person or to eliminate the person hiding in the shadows who was controlling them with insect-like sounds.

She suddenly remembered her last visit to Minjian Manor, when Qing Jiu had stealthily killed those who controlled the walking corpses. Her clothes had been soaked with blood then, and Yu’er had thought Qing Jiu herself was wounded.

Whenever Qing Jiu came to mind, Yu’er couldn’t suppress her longing. She was not a weak person; even surrounded by danger, she wasn’t afraid—she simply wished to have Qing Jiu by her side.

Out of nowhere, as if guided by a sudden instinct, Yu’er spun around to see a walking corpse standing five steps behind her slowly fall, revealing the person hidden behind it.

Seeing that person, Yu’er’s eyes instantly brightened. She hurried forward, her lips parting as if to speak volumes, but all her words condensed into one heartfelt phrase: “I’ve missed you so much.”

Qing Jiu had said something, but Yu’er was so focused on her that she didn’t catch it. Snapping back to reality, she asked blankly, “Huh?”

Qing Jiu chuckled and repeated herself. It was then that Yu’er remembered, “I can’t hear.”

Qing Jiu’s smile faltered. Her hand reached out to Yu’er’s ear, her fingers brushing against the dried blood on her earlobe. “You’re injured?”

Yu’er simply smiled, her eyes fixated on Qing Jiu. She rarely smiled these days, and most of those rare smiles were reserved for Qing Jiu. Yet Qing Jiu was never satisfied, cherishing every smile, her heart aching with tenderness.

It was their first reunion since facing death and separation. Though only a few months had passed, it felt like a lifetime.

Yu’er longed to embrace Qing Jiu, to kiss her, but they were surrounded by others.

As if reading her thoughts, Qing Jiu unfastened her cloak and draped it over Yu’er’s head, stepping under its cover and pulling Yu’er close. Their lips met, a soft, lingering kiss.

She finished with a delicate lick of Yu’er’s lips.

The cloak concealed their upper bodies, hiding their actions from the others, who only saw two figures huddled together, their behavior somewhat strange but not entirely unusual given the circumstances.

Jun Lin frowned, observing the scene. “Sixue,” he asked, “who is that? Why is she whispering secrets to Yu’er under a cloak? At a time like this? It’s reckless and disrespectful to treat a battlefield so lightly.”

Jun Sixue, recognizing Qing Jiu, immediately understood what was happening. Her face flushed as Jun Lin’s question hung in the air, leaving her speechless.

Qing Jiu pulled away, the cloak slipping from Yu’er’s head to settle around her shoulders. Yu’er clutched it tightly, her eyes fixed on Qing Jiu. Qing Jiu’s lips curved into a gentle smile, her features glowing in the firelight. Her eyes, reflecting the warm flames, burned into Yu’er’s soul.

Yu’er remembered the carefree, untamed spirit Qing Jiu once possessed.

Six years of separation, the burden of concealing her identity, the shadow of her illness, all those heavy chains had clipped her wings.

Unable to resist the surge of emotion, Yu’er ignored their audience and leaned in, embracing Qing Jiu tightly.

Memories of their past trials resurfaced, sending shivers down her spine, her heart aching for Qing Jiu’s suffering. Now, finally reunited, with the promise of a lifetime together, Yu’er cherished every moment, her happiness so intense it felt unreal.

Lost in their own world, they were oblivious to those around them.

A cough broke the spell. Qing Jiu glanced at the source of the interruption, her eyes cold and sharp.

Yang Chun chuckled awkwardly, pointing to the side. It was Jie Qianchou.

Jie Qianchou stood nearby, observing them with a puzzled expression.

He knew his disciple shared a close bond with this Qing Jiu girl, and physical affection between young women wasn’t unusual. But somehow, their embrace felt different, charged with an unspoken intensity that he couldn’t quite decipher.

Yu’er, unfazed, greeted her master, “Master.”

“It’s good to see you both reunited,” Jie Qianchou said with a smile. “But perhaps we can save the reminiscing for after we’ve dealt with this predicament, wouldn’t you agree?”

Though curious, he didn’t pry. After all, it was their business. As an old man, he didn’t want to intrude.

Yang Chun, whose leg was injured, was being carried on Qi Tianzhu’s back. He was quite cheerful and asked, “Elder Jie, you came with Miss Qing Jiu, but what took you so long? It’s like you were waiting until the last moment to make your appearance.”

He saw that both Jie Qianchou and Qing Jiu had arrived, bringing allies from the Ghost Sect; it was like divine weapons descending from the heavens. Even though their numbers might not be enough to handle the walking corpses, he had immense respect for both of them, feeling as if their presence meant that all was safe now. So much so, he even began to casually chat on the battlefield.

Jie Qianchou chuckled. “This old man was quite eager to arrive sooner,” he admitted, “but that reckless girl Qing Jiu insisted on striking a deal with the Ghost Sect first. She’s barely recovered, and sending her alone to such a dangerous place… well, I couldn’t allow it. So I accompanied her to Jiangnan.”

“So it really was you who brought the Ghost Sect, Miss Qing Jiu!” Yang Chun exclaimed, despite already knowing about the Ghost Sect’s business practices, he couldn’t hide his astonishment.

He thought that the relationship between Qing Jiu and the Ghost Sect was truly indescribable. To the Ghost Sect, Qing Jiu was a traitor, and they always pursued and killed traitors relentlessly. As for Qing Jiu, although she had a benefactor within the Ghost Sect, she also had enemies.

He remembered the intense hatred Qing Jiu had against the Dao Gui and Gui Shou in the Tomb of King Cheng, fighting desperately as if their lives depended on it.

But six years ago, it was the Ghost Sect who had saved Qing Jiu’s life, and now, six years later, they were willing to help again.

This strange mix of affection and resentment, love and hate, was truly baffling.

Yang Chun couldn’t help but wonder: What kind of person dared to approach the Ghost Sect, and what kind of business did they accept?

Qi Tianzhu glanced around, noting the significant force Ghost Sect had mobilized, and asked, “Qing Jiu, how did you manage to convince them?”

He knew even less about the Ghost Sect than Yang Chun, and his wariness stemmed not from malice but from the gravity of the situation. They couldn’t afford any further complications and needed to tread carefully.

His suspicion wasn’t entirely unfounded. They had no prior relationship with the Ghost Sect, perhaps even some animosity. Why would they send so many people to their aid? These walking corpses were formidable opponents, and any battle would result in casualties. It seemed like a losing proposition.

“The Fenghou Sword, Xuanji Tower’s intelligence network, money,” Qing Jiu replied, slashing down a walking corpse that attacked from behind and holding up three fingers, lowering one with each word.

Yang Chun almost jumped off Qi Tianzhu’s back, exclaiming, “The Fenghou Sword, Miss Qing Jiu, how could you give it to them?”

Qing Jiu paused, glancing at the sword she held. “What’s so precious about it?” she asked, her tone nonchalant. “If they wanted it, why not give it to them? It saves me the trouble. After all, one of the unspoken conditions for them saving my life six years ago was that Fenghou would belong to the Ghost Sect after my death…”

She chuckled a little at this. They thought she would not live long, but her poison had been cured and survived. According to the rules, the Fenghou Sword wasn’t theirs yet, and now, killing her wasn’t going to be easy. So, they couldn’t get their hands on the sword just yet.

Considering the situation, a new deal was made.

The intelligence network of Xuanji Tower had long been coveted by Ghost Sect. With profit as their primary motive, Ghost Sect was quite willing to strike this deal.

Yang Chun felt it was a pity to give away a treasure like the Fenghou Sword, but ultimately, it was Qing Jiu’s decision. Since she seemed reluctant to discuss it further, he changed the subject “Even if we destroy Xuanji Tower,” he said, “the rest of the wulin won’t allow the Ghost Sect to control their entire intelligence network. And they must have demanded a hefty sum to deploy the Five Ghosts. Miss Qing Jiu, how do you plan to handle all of this?”

Qing Jiu, with a mischievous smile, turned to Yu’er and said, “Elder Jie, Mingjian Manor, and Jiuxiao Manor hold considerable influence within the wulin. Surely, Yu’er and Elder Jie can find a solution. As for the money… well, Hua Lian should be able to handle that. And if not, Famous Sword Manor has vast resources…”

Qi Tianzhu, feeling somewhat helpless, interjected, “Qing Jiu, that money and influence belong to others. For something of this magnitude, shouldn’t we at least consult with them first?”

“Belong to others?” Qing Jiu said with an ambiguous smile.

Qi Tianzhu paused, his expression changing several times, eventually settling into a strange look. Qing Jiu added, “This was an emergency; there was no time for discussions.”

Jie Qianchou remained silent. Qing Jiu hadn’t discussed these matters with him either; this was the first time he was hearing of it.

Yu’er, still struggling with her hearing, didn’t understand what was being said. She just saw Qing Jiu smiling at her and returned the smile, which made Qing Jiu impulsively reach out and touch her.

Jie Qianchou coughed twice and said, “Qing Jiu girl, you didn’t discuss this with me either. If these three things are given to the Ghost Sect, their power will greatly increase. They are neither righteous nor evil. If one day they become as deranged as Lingyun, the wulin will be plunged into chaos.”

Qing Jiu smiled, but this smile was for Yu’er, her voice calm and detached. “That would be none of my concern.”

“Um…” Jie Qianchou stammered, unsure how to respond.

Qi Tianzhu and Yang Chun recalled her temperament from the past; after having dealt with ‘Zhi Huan’ for some time, they had forgotten what kind of person she originally was. Qi Tianzhu sighed, “It’s said, ‘Worry about tomorrow’s problems tomorrow.’ Regardless, we first need to survive today. None of this matters if Lingyun is still alive.”

“Oh!” Yang Chun cried out strangely and said, “Lingyun is still in the back of the valley. I wonder if Brother Hua Lian and the others have intercepted him. Miss Qing Jiu, don’t you want to go check?”

He was aware of Qing Jiu’s personal vendetta against Lingyun and knew she would want to handle him personally.

“I’ll go see him,” Qing Jiu said. Those issues had been brewing for twenty years; it was time to settle them. She didn’t want to spend half her life in sorrow over a man like Lingyun.

As Qing Jiu turned to leave, Yu’er, who had only vaguely grasped the earlier conversation, knew enough to understand what Qing Jiu was about to do.

She grabbed Qing Jiu’s hand, saying, “I’m coming with you.”

Yang Chun waved to get Yu’er’s attention and then, fearing she couldn’t hear well, exaggerated his lip movements: “Miss Yu’er! Miss Qing Jiu is going to confront Lingyun, do you understand? She’s confronting Lingyun!”

He assumed Yu’er was unaware of the situation and worried for Qing Jiu’s safety, hence her desire to tag along. But he felt that seeking revenge was something Qing Jiu should do alone, and he suspected Qing Jiu shared that sentiment.

To his surprise, Qing Jiu considered it for a moment, then smiled at Yu’er. “You’re right, you should come. This family grudge is now yours to bear as well.”

Yu’er didn’t understand what Qing Jiu was saying, but from her expression, she knew she had agreed.

Qi Tianzhu and Yang Chun seemed to understand Qing Jiu’s words, nodding as if they were in complete agreement.

Jie Qianchou found Qing Jiu’s statement quite strange. What did it mean that the family’s grudge now hers to bear as well? He was about to ask for clarification when Qing Jiu suddenly spoke up, “I’ll have to trouble Elder Jie to watch over things here. My master is a bit reckless and lacks restraint. When she loses control, please hold her back.”

No sooner had she finished speaking than a series of intense, storm-like zither sounds echoed, mixed with the crazed laughter of Qin Gui. Even from a distance, the sound stirred their blood and made them feel uncomfortable.

Her indiscriminate zither attack was meant to combat the walking corpses, but it also affected those around her, causing them great pain. She always acted without regard for others, not only ignoring them but also exerting more internal energy.

“Ah, such karma!” Jie Qianchou had no choice but to swallow back the words he wanted to ask and could only manage to say to the two, “Be careful,” before he went off to manage the chaotic situation.

Qing Jiu then asked Qi Tianzhu, “Where is Linzhi?”

“Probably still in the back valley.”

“Brother Qi, go find Hua Lian and ask him to locate Linzhi. Together, they should go deal with the person hiding in the shadows and controlling the walking corpses. Linzhi might not know the way, but she’s excellent at tracking people.”

“Alright.”

After giving her instructions, Qing Jiu took Yu’er’s hand, and together they headed toward the back of the valley.