Fearing being killed for his overwhelming merits, the empress decided to marry him.

A cold wind was blowing along the long river.

Zhuque stood on the bank with her hands behind her back, gazing at the surging river, letting the evening breeze lift the hem of her bright red dress.

The gaze emanating from behind the mask was fixed on the rock where Shen Lang had sat.

In the upper corner, there was a communication code that only the Jingwei Division could understand.

"Blackwater City, the Celestial Venerable?"

Just as Suzaku was feeling puzzled.

"Jie~"

Suddenly, an eagle swooped down from overhead.

As Zhuque extended her left arm, the eagle immediately and obediently landed in her arms.

He took the secret letter from the eagle's claw, unfolded it, glanced at it, and then it turned into powder.

"Qingzhou..."

After a moment of contemplation, she turned to the guards behind her and said, "His Majesty has ordered the entire army to cross the river immediately. Target: Qingzhou!"

……

Shen Lang and Xue Wuying have been in Pingyuan County for seven days, but they have no intention of continuing north.

At this time, heavy snow fell in the north, and many houses in Pingyuan County collapsed under the weight of the snow, leaving countless residents homeless and hundreds of people freezing to death or suffering from frostbite.

Pingyuan County falls within the sphere of influence of the sect and is administered by the Xuanyu Sect.

Yes, strictly speaking, it's the sect that Chu Youwei's family belongs to.

However, one shouldn't expect too much from the sect's ability to govern a region.

According to the old saying in the martial arts world, you just have to endure it and it will pass. So what if you lose your house? You take the sky as your back and the ground as your bed; it's all about being carefree and unrestrained...

And so the people of Pingyuan County stood there in the wind and snow, enduring the cold, and then casually wrapped themselves in tattered mats, thus ending their lives.

Shen Lang, who was lost in thought gazing at the swirling snow outside his inn room, was startled by the sound of the door being pushed open behind him.

"where did you go?"

Shen Lang didn't even turn his head, and asked directly.

Xue Wuying smiled but didn't answer. Instead, she went to the table, poured herself a glass of water, and said, "This weather is really cold, much colder than in the south."

Shen Lang turned around and sat down in front of him: "Sect Leader Xue, is there something you're hiding from me?"

Xue Wuying chuckled lightly but remained silent.

Upon seeing this, Shen Lang immediately stood up and prepared to leave.

"Brother Shen, where are you going?"

Shen Lang pushed open the door and said to Xue Wuying behind him, "I've figured it out now, you still don't believe me."

Since that's the case, it's better to break up early than to waste time here. Let's leave it at that.

"Brother Shen, don't be angry."

Xue Wuying smiled and tried to persuade him to stay.

"I may tell you the truth, but I went to the Xuanyu Sect these past few days. You probably don't know, but things have changed at the Zixia Sect as well."

"Oh? What happened to the Purple Cloud Sect?"

"It's been almost a month, and the Zixia Sect is under siege by the imperial court."

The entire sect was under the Empress's control; only the Daoist nun Chu Youwei of Qingxuan, rescued by Prince Murong, managed to escape and settle here.

"Heh, it seems you Jianghu forces aren't as simple as I thought," Shen Lang chuckled, his tone sarcastic. "You've even been in contact with the Hu people of Northern Yan. What happened to only getting involved in Jianghu affairs?"

"Haha," Xue Wuying said frankly, "After all, having more options means more security. I'm sure Brother Shen understands such a simple principle."

Besides, if sects truly had no dealings with the government, how could they have remained a force to be reckoned with until now?

"Ah."

Shen Lang chuckled.

"It doesn't matter, do whatever you want. Anyway, my eyelids have been twitching a lot these past few days. Staying with you probably won't end well. It's better to leave this place of trouble as soon as possible."

"Brother Shen, don't get excited. Wait a few more days. In a few days, the Heavenly Venerable will emerge from seclusion and start the Black Water Chariot. At that time, he will be able to uphold justice for us."

Shen Lang's face was full of doubt.

Xue Wuying said, "Don't worry, at this point, we're all in the same boat."

No one can live without the other. As long as the Empress is in power, we will never have peace.

"Let's wait a few more days. Once we enter Blackwater City, meet the Celestial Venerable, and explain the situation to her, everything will be alright."

Upon hearing this, Shen Lang sat back down by the window.

Xue Wuying approached him with a teacup in hand and whispered, "Brother Shen, you've been feeling cooped up these past few days, haven't you? How about this, I'll take you out for some fun tonight?"

Shen Lang glared at him, clearly indicating his rejection.

Xue Wuying disagreed: "Brother Shen, you can't do it this way. Now that you've entered the martial world, you have to adapt to its way of life. Live for today, for tomorrow we die."

"Listen to me tonight, I'll make arrangements to make sure you forget all your unhappiness."

"Okay, whatever you want."

Shen Lang snorted expressionlessly and continued to look out the window at the snow-covered landscape.

……

That night, the brothels in Pingyuan County were brightly lit.

"Grandpa, come and have a drink!"

"Young man, will you choose me?"

The hall was warm and cozy, filled with beautiful scenery.

Countless scantily clad, alluring women of the brothel lingered among all sorts of men.

A woman dressed in purple Suzhou embroidery sat next to Xue Wuying, serving him wine with great charm.

After several attempts to provoke him, Xue Wuying's lust was aroused. After drinking the wine offered by the prostitute, he slapped the woman's buttocks, which were covered by a thin veil, hard. The woman moaned softly and kept throwing him seductive glances.

Shen Lang, sitting to the side, continued drinking alone, seemingly unaffected by his surroundings.

His eyes kept glancing around, as if searching for some suspicious target.

After a few rounds of drinks, Xue Wuying noticed that Shen Lang wasn't in much interest, so he immediately came over and asked, "Brother Shen, what's wrong?"

Why are you so gloomy in a place like this? Are you trying to relax?

Shen Lang sneered: "Do you think we still have the mind to play games in our current situation?"

"Haha, live for the moment, the sky isn't going to fall."

Xue Wuying smiled, then stood up and picked up the prostitute.

"Look at me, I'm having a great time, aren't I?"

What's there to worry about? Since you don't want to play, Brother Shen...

Then I won't keep you company any longer. I'll be going now, hahaha.

After saying that, he abandoned Shen Lang and carried the woman up to the second-floor room.

Shen Lang tilted his head back and downed a mouthful of wine. He felt annoyed by the sight of these vulgar women in front of him, so he got up and decided to go somewhere else.

Since meeting Jiang Mengxuan and becoming his wife, Shen Lang seems to have been under a spell. He has lost interest in all other women. Even if they stand naked in front of him, all he sees is a pile of pink skeletons.

He pushed aside several women who were trying to persuade him to drink, took the wine jug, and went to the backyard of the brothel, wanting to cool off in the cold wind to calm himself down.

But as they passed a side room, they could faintly hear shouts and curses coming from inside.

Listen closer...

"You filthy bitch, you're utterly despicable. Do you think you're some kind of chivalrous woman?"

"Heh, by day you're a chivalrous knight-errant, so noble that no one dares to look you in the eye, but at night you still have to obediently lie under me and let me ride you, don't you?"

"Where's your chivalrous spirit? Why aren't you showing it off? Hahaha, let's see how I punish you today!"

Through the crack in the window, Shen Lang saw a man as fat as a pig torturing a woman who was only wearing a bellyband.

The woman knelt on the ground, enduring the man's beatings and curses, her face flushed, showing no sign of resistance.

Shen Lang recognized the woman at a glance; she was Yun Siyue, the chivalrous woman from the Jade Maiden Sect who had just entered Pingyuan County that day.

At this moment, Yun Siyue was completely different from the dashing and spirited woman she had met a few days ago; she was as docile as a rabbit.

When the man got tired of beating and scolding her, she said with a smile, "Sir, are you tired? Let Siyue serve you properly."

"Hahaha, you're truly despicable. I really want all the people in the city to see that their heroine is now nothing more than a piece of trash to be played with by everyone."

"Get down on your knees and wait till I get my hands on you. If I don't make you feel like you're in heaven, all this money will have been wasted."

"Yes, sir, whatever you say, Siyue will do."

Shen Lang had no interest in watching what happened next.

After all, it's their life choice, and it's none of my business.

But just as he turned around, a cold, sharp blade pressed against his neck.

"I advise you to take this piece of junk off me."

Shen Lang's expression remained unchanged, and he simply replied calmly.

A hoarse voice sounded from behind: "Who are you? Why are you..."

blow……

The next moment, before the voice behind him could finish, Shen Lang had already turned to the side, leaving behind a blur.

"what!"

"Don't move. Now, the roles have reversed."

In the blink of an eye, Shen Lang's dagger was already pressed tightly against his opponent's neck.