No, gentlemen also guard against

Chapter 861 Bamboo Hall
Lu Jinghong suddenly fell silent, at a loss as to what to do.

Suddenly, a snow-white sword light appeared from behind the ivy-covered courtyard wall in front of me.

Before the sword energy reached their feet, it was already cutting their clothes like a knife, making rustling sounds.

Lu Jinghong and Li Wan took a few steps back, both speechless.

I don't know why this lady is in a bad mood.

A cold voice came from behind the courtyard wall:
"I'll say it again, for the last time. There is no Hidden Lord in our sect. That person has nothing to do with our sect, and we don't want to have anything to do with it. If anyone else makes random speculations, it's tantamount to bullying Jianze. I will teach him a lesson!"

Xue Zhongzhu emphasized.

Lu Jinghong and Li Wan looked at each other.

Lu Jinghong's eyes were somewhat doubtful, fortunately there was a wall blocking the view, so Xue Zhongzhu and others in the yard could not see his expression, otherwise he would have probably been "taught a lesson".

Sensing that the atmosphere was not right, Li Wan pulled Lu Jinghong's sleeve, and the latter reacted and quickly clasped his fists:

"Yes... yes, Your Excellency, the Great Lady! I was just talking nonsense and gossiping."

Xue Zhongzhu was silent for a while. It was unknown what he was thinking. He seemed to be asking Li Wan and the others, or talking to himself:
"Does everyone in the world view our relationship with that person in this way now..."

Lu Jinghong and Li Wan were a little puzzled when they heard this. It was obvious that there was something behind this, but they had also learned to be smart, so they decided not to ask about the gossips between these big shots...

If they were still in the secular world at the foot of the mountain and in the north, they would certainly be considered of noble status. However, when they came to this secluded place, to the territory of other hidden sects, there were no laws or order. Money, power, and even fame were of no use. Of course, whoever had a higher level of cultivation and the bigger fist was right.

The authority of this eldest lady in the courtyard is, of course, the greatest in the entire Jianze, and even one of the greatest in Yunmeng.

The candle in the snow asked softly:

"Did Third Junior Sister say where she was going?"

Li Wan shook her head:

"No, but before my aunt left, someone came to see her."

"Who?"

Li Wan recalled:
"It was a female guest who asked a member of the tribe to bring a message to my aunt, saying that she was from Yunmeng. Hmm, I don't know if she is from your clan. Oh, by the way, a member of the tribe saw that the female guest had a red gourd hanging from her waist."

The candle in the snow suddenly spoke:
"Fourth Junior Sister?!"

Li Wan shook her head:

"Maybe. I'm not sure. I only know that after my aunt received the guest, she left that night. She left in a hurry without leaving any instructions. But by then, the trouble of our five surnames was almost solved...

"Afterwards, no one knew where my aunt had gone. When I went south with Jinghong to worship our ancestors, she had not returned."

The courtyard was quiet for a while.

Lu Jinghong and Li Wan waited obediently. It was strange to say, because they were in the wild and in the lake, so there should be a lot of mosquitoes.

But the two people who were close to the courtyard surprisingly did not encounter any biting mosquitoes.

There is a faint smell of strange fragrance around the courtyard, I don’t know if it is because of this.

When Li Wan and her son were a little distracted, Xue Zhongzhu spoke again:
"I understand."

The coldness in her voice faded a little, and she said lightly:
"Lu Jinghong, right?"

"It's down!"

"Do you know that I knew you were from the Third Junior Sister's clan the first time I saw you? Speaking of which, the bloodline of your Fanyang Lu clan is very special. Both the men and women have good looks, and most of them have similar eyebrows. You can tell you're from the Fanyang Lu clan at a glance."

Li Wan smiled and said, "That's true. This matter is often talked about in the clan circles in Luoyang..."

Xue Zhongzhu ignored him and continued in a cold voice:
"It would be fine if you were a girl. No matter what, Jianze only accepts girls and not boys. This is an iron rule that has never been broken in the past thousand years. Not to mention Third Junior Sister, even I cannot disobey it. This is not only the rule set by the first generation of Yue Chuzi, but also because the Taoist lineage inherited by our sect is only suitable for girls, and naturally cannot accept boys.

"Although I cannot teach you Qi Refining, I can teach you swordsmanship. As the number one swordsmanship sect in the world, our sect has never been complacent or selfish in the swordsmanship. We have always welcomed the world's top swordsmen or swordsmanship geniuses to come and ask for advice. Whether it is the Taogu Swordsmanship Asking held every five years or the Bamboo Hall that has been established for a hundred years, they are all for the purpose of promoting the swordsmanship, climbing the swordsmanship with the world's swordsmen, and leaving more exquisite swordsmanship to future generations."

Lu Jinghong's heart surged, his mouth was dry, and he nodded vigorously: "What I want to learn most is swordsmanship, I hope the eldest lady will help me!"

"Have you ever heard of Zhutang?"

"Yes, I heard about it."

"Although our sect's Bamboo Hall is located on the outskirts of our sect and does not allow entry to some secret places deep inside our sect, it is the only place where outsiders can stay. Foreign sword cultivators, regardless of gender, must meet the requirements in terms of morality, character, and aptitude. After passing the test, they can remove the badge and enter the Bamboo Hall. After three years of pure cultivation, they can obtain some resources provided by our sect. During this period, they can exchange sword skills and improve their sword skills. If they are successful, they can go to the cliff and pick a sword with their own ability before leaving."

Lu Jinghong nodded heavily:
"I have heard of Zhutang's name a lot. Many respected swordsmen have come out of Zhutang, which has benefited the sword arts world."

Xue Zhongzhu said in a surprisingly serious tone:
"This is also the original intention of setting up the Bamboo Hall. True sword cultivation does not distinguish between men and women. It is enough to hear the truth in the morning and die in the evening. The true sword way is definitely not monopolized by one family or one household. I, Yunmeng Jianze, am no exception..."

She changed the subject and said calmly:
“But I will not allow you to enter the Bamboo Hall directly. This is unfair to those undeclared swordsmen who entered the Bamboo Hall with their own abilities and perseverance. It is an insult to them.

“Even if you are a member of Third Junior Sister’s clan, I believe that if Third Junior Sister were here, she would be the one to refuse and even be more strict with you.

“So, I will only give you one chance to enter the Bamboo Hall. Remember, it is an opportunity. Otherwise, you would have been eliminated by our sect’s three no-acceptances. Now, you have a chance to be selected and enter the hall.

"It just so happens that these two days are also the time when our sect recruits a new batch of Yue girls to enter the marsh. Those new girls will also be screened and enter the various halls based on their abilities... I believe you have encountered them when you first came."

"My Lady, I did see some, they were all people about the same age as me."

"Well, you have the chance to seize it yourself. If you want to stay, then you have to rely on your ability. Although because of the special bloodline of your Fanyang Lu family, you may have enough talent like the third sister... but I will not give you any privileges. Just follow the process.

"Also, there are a few boys among this batch of newcomers who will also participate in the selection of the Bamboo Hall. You will be with them. If you are lucky enough to enter the Bamboo Hall, you must remember to be modest and not arrogant. There are not many pure sword cultivators in the Bamboo Hall. In the battle with the Great Buddha in Xingzi Lake, many righteous sword cultivators died... There are still some who are eccentric and have bad tempers, but some are easy to talk to and are willing to be seniors and teach others. You should be more considerate and learn from them, but don't disturb the peace in the hall."

Lu Jinghong took a deep breath and clasped his fists solemnly:
"Thank you, Lady. I am very grateful for the opportunity you gave me."

However, he looked confident and not depressed at all. Instead, he seemed eager to try.

Xue Zhongzhu shook his head slightly:
"It's not me who gave you this opportunity. It's you who came down south to pay respect to your ancestors. You have the fortitude and determination to do so. You are also someone who remembers your roots... In addition, do you know why your ancestor came down south to settle in Yunmeng three hundred years ago?"

Lu Jinghong was stunned and shook his head:

"No, I don't know. Aren't they fleeing?"

Xue Zhongzhu murmured, "Escape?... Using Master's words, it is indeed 'difficult', a calamity that has been following our ancestors for generations..."

She paused before speaking.

Outside the wall, Lu Jinghong and Madam Li heard a hint of inexplicable pity in the eldest lady's tone, and they didn't know who she was addressing:
"Fanyang Lu Clan, Fanyang Lu Clan... All right, go back and prepare well. Remember, never disgrace the glory of your ancestors. Don't be as clever and cunning as your mother. Remember the family tradition and virtues of your Fanyang Lu Clan. If you have learned and become capable, don't let your aunt shoulder some things alone. You are a man of the Fanyang Lu Clan, so you must fulfill your responsibilities... Go."

Lu Jinghong only understood half of what was said and was confused.

Li Wan, who was standing by, looked a little embarrassed when she heard Xue Zhongzhu calling her name, and looked around.

However, the lady was middle-aged and experienced, so she was naturally thick-skinned and pretended not to hear.

After Xue Zhongzhu finished explaining, she asked timidly:
"My Lady, I wonder if I can stay. I am a woman... Of course, I am not saying that I want to join Jianze. I just want to stay by Jinghong's side and take care of him. I live in two different places from his father. I spent more time in Luoyang before and could not get away. I spent less time with him. Now his father is gone..."

Hearing this, Lu Jinghong looked impatient. If it weren't for the presence of the eldest daughter, who would have taken care of her mother's feelings, he would have probably complained or even quarreled. Li Wan glared at him, who was hesitant to speak. After winking, the woman took out a pink handkerchief, wiped her eyes, and sobbed slightly:
"I don't know whether Jianze allows family members to come in... I already know what happened before, and I hope the eldest lady will give me a chance to correct it."

The candle in the snow groaned for a moment:
"Of course you can, but Jianze has many rules, and many places are forbidden to outsiders. Don't run around. In addition, if you repeat the lie you told today, I will no longer care about the relationship between Third Junior Sister and Fanyang Lu. You'd better take care of yourself."

Li Wan shook her head vigorously, her tearful face suddenly bursting into tears of joy:

"Yes, yes, I will never do it again. Thank you, my lady, for your generosity."

We talked a lot tonight, and I don’t know what memories it brought back. Xue Zhongzhu is a little absent-minded.

"Okay, step back."

"Yes!"

Lu Jinghong and Li Wan turned around and went down the mountain.

On the mountain path, the middle-aged Vietnamese woman stood under the moon and waited. The two followed her again, returned along the same route, boarded the raft, and left the island.

The raft returned to the original island by the same route.

On the way, the middle-aged Vietnamese woman who had been silent before suddenly spoke:
"Boy, what is your relationship with the Third Lady?"

Lu Jinghong, who was thinking with his head down, turned around and clasped his fists helplessly:

"It's my aunt."

The middle-aged Vietnamese woman looked at the young man's rather feminine face and nodded slowly.

There are indeed many people in Jianze who are familiar with the appearance of the three female monarchs.

Lu Jinghong touched his face with worry.

Turning his head, he gave a righteous advice:

"I will attend the initial screening of the Bamboo Hall tomorrow and enter based on my ability. Your Excellency and the other goddesses do not need to take care of me because of my relationship with the Third Lady. The so-called family relationship is external. We should fight with our own abilities!"

Middle-aged Vietnamese woman: …

Li Wan pulled her narcissistic son's sleeve and told him to stop talking.

The graceful woman stepped forward and greeted:
"Sir, I heard that the Third Lady was in charge of some thatched cottage before. May I ask where this place is?"

After saying this, she pursed her red lips, took out a purse from her sleeve, and silently handed it to the middle-aged Vietnamese woman's cuff.

The middle-aged Vietnamese woman glanced at her, took a step back and silently refused.

"You will know later."

She didn't say much, just turned around and continued to sail the raft.

This time, perhaps because the wind at night was blowing in the same direction, the speed was faster.

At about three o'clock in the morning, the raft arrived at the original island.

"Go find an empty courtyard to live in."

The middle-aged Yue woman pointed to the bamboo forest with dim lights, said a few words, and left.

There was no chance for Lu Jinghong and Li Wan to ask more questions.

I don’t know if this is the rule or if they deliberately ignore the feelings of the “Three Lady Kings”.

Li Wan looked calm as she led her son across the beach and into the bamboo forest.

"Miss Song?"

Lu Jinghong's eyes were attracted by a figure in front of him on the right and he stopped.

Li Wan, who was picking the yard, frowned and turned around, only to find that Lu Jinghong had disappeared.

Walked over there.

The lady had no choice but to follow patiently. When she came in front of Lu Jinghong, he was talking enthusiastically to Song Zhian and Yu Xiaoniangzi.

"Miss Song, why are you still outside so late?"

Song Zhian glanced at Li Wan who was walking behind her and explained softly:

"I think Brother Liu just arrived and probably hasn't had dinner yet. Sister Yu happened to have some leftover pastries, so I just sent some over."

"Oh, that's it."

Lu Jinghong didn't care and looked directly at Song Zhian who was speaking in a soft voice.

Li Wan glanced at the cake box in Miss Yu's hand:
"My concubine and Jinghong are also hungry..."

Miss Yu sucked her two fingers and shook her head like a rattle:
"We're done. Brother Liu and the others didn't want to eat, but Sister Song and I finished eating."

Song Zhian looked somewhat helpless.

After a while, she politely said goodbye to the mother and son.

Lu Jinghong's eyes were still looking at the direction where Song Zhian left, but Li Wan had already walked to a yard in front.

She just saw two familiar figures in the yard and just closed the door.

"Is it Brother Liang?"

There was silence in the house, and then Ouyang Rong and Sha Ergou came out and looked at the mother and son outside the yard.

Lu Jinghong reluctantly withdrew his gaze and walked over. He politely clasped his fists towards Ouyang Rong:
"Brother Liu."

After all, they came in together and were acquaintances. Although the young man was dull, he was very knowledgeable and pleasing to the eye, so Lu Jinghong greeted him.

Ouyang Rong also responded in a low voice:

"Mr. Lu."

Then he turned around and asked, "What's the matter, ma'am?"

Li Wan smiled and said, "You haven't rested yet. By the way, is there anyone in the yard next to you?"

After saying that, he took something out from his sleeve.

"No one." Ouyang Rong answered, lowered his head to look at the purse, and refused to take it: "Madam, you are too polite. It's just a small favor."

Li Wan continued to hand over the purse and shook her head apologetically:
"It's good that no one is here. I want to stay here. It's just a small token of my appreciation. Brother Liang, please accept it. By the way, I'm not very strong, and Jinghong can't do the rough housework..."

(End of this chapter)