Former Sweetheart — Chapter 8 Part 2

Chapter 8 Part 2: “Listening to gossip in the teahouse.”

You Jiang wasn’t skeptical of the righteous way hiding filthy matters. However, he didn’t think something like that would be handled in such an obvious manner, where even poor people could see through it.

This was especially the case for a sect like the Azure Sky Mansion, which had become prosperous through its good reputation.

If the Azure Sky Mansion really colluded with a demonic cultivator, it ought to have been done in a very rigorous manner, where not even a single drop of water would leak out. It would have been impossible for them to let bystanders find any flaws.

Thus, You Jiang really doubted what the teahouse owner said. He asked, “You personally witnessed Young Lady Li getting captured by the Zhang family?”

Sure enough, the teahouse owner immediately shook his head. However, he still insisted on saying, “Although that isn’t the case, Li family’s daughter only has animosity with the Zhang family ah.”

“Then have you seen any traces of her in the Zhang family?”

Hearing You Jiang ask this question, the teahouse owner was at a loss for words. He shook his head again and said, “Zhang family is the richest household in the entire city. How could someone like me, who merely owns a teahouse, be invited there?”

In places where the crooks mixed with the honest folk, this was one of the particularly annoying aspects when one tried to gather intelligence. If you didn’t ask clearly, you would never know if the information you found was just wild babble invented by other people.

You Jiang glanced at the teahouse owner before smiling coldly. “Sounding so certain when holding no proof or evidence. If you stick two pieces of green onion into that pig nose of yours, wouldn’t it be even more amazing than the noses of the old ox from the Heavenly Alliance?”

Not everyone could bear the ridicule from the demonic way’s leader. The teahouse owner’s face immediately flushed. 

Unfortunately, an ordinary mortal like him couldn’t offend a cultivator, so he could only endure it. 

Fu Hongye also didn’t know where You Jiang’s skill—in which he was capable of finding someone to fight regardless of place or time—came from. However, the white-robed youth was only concerned about one thing.

He asked, “Has that young lady been found yet?”

For the teahouse owner, this was an unexpected question. He replied subconsciously, “I recall Old Li being deranged just a while back, so she probably hasn’t been found yet.”

Upon seeing this, Fu Hongye knew that this person had thrown Li family’s matter to the back of his mind. He only regarded this entire affair as gossip for him to discuss with other people. The teahouse owner was never concerned with whether or not that girl could be rescued.

But Fu Hongye was a kind and generous person. Unlike You Jiang, he didn’t destroy the façade concealing this unpleasant reality. Instead, he only asked again, “Where is the Li family located?”

The teahouse owner saw how the white-robed person was quite polite. As a businessman, it was still better to not argue with his customers. Thus, he quickly said, “Next street, near the prosperous shop selling rice. That house is owned by the Li family.”

Since he received the information he wanted, Fu Hongye disregarded everything else. Although he regretted how he hadn’t really achieved his wish of eating together, he still firmly said, “Many thanks, please give me the bill.”

Qiu Yuebai, who this old bastard was fabricating bad rumours about, was someone from the Heavenly Alliance. But Fu Hongye actually thanked him?

Rotten brat, as the leader of the Heavenly Alliance, aren’t you a bit too careless and muddle-headed?

This youth had originally been frowning because he thought he couldn’t order any dishes. But when he encountered an injustice, he immediately forgot about everything else.

What You Jiang hated most about Fu Hongye was precisely his overly chivalrous heart. Grabbing onto this person to stop him from leaving, he immediately mocked, “Pay what bill? Why can’t you learn from others ah. Cursing the Azure Sky Mansion is the same as speaking out in justice. Why must you waste time to find someone? Besides, if you really can’t find her, perhaps it’s because you were also bribed by the Zhang family.”　　

You Jiang randomly getting angry was something Fu Hongye had long gotten used to. At this moment, he just pretended he couldn’t see him. However, in Fu Hongye’s heart, the youth sighed helplessly.

Alas, he couldn’t order dishes nor could he pay the bill. It was really hard to have a meal with this person.

Perhaps Fu Hongye’s kindness gave the teahouse owner some courage, but he was no longer scared of You Jiang. Hearing what he said, the teahouse owner actually retorted, “Guest, saying that is wrong. It’s as if you’re saying I’m slandering the Azure Sky Mansion.”

“Oh? Then do you have proof for anything you said?”

You Jiang truly didn’t believe the teahouse owner’s conjectures. He could understand if there was a demonic cultivator tempering with things in the background. 

After all, if the Azure Sky Mansion was truly as righteous as its appearance, then they’ll indeed be helpless with regards to the rumours circulated by the ordinary mortals.

But if they were even the tiniest bit dirty, the Azure Sky Mansion would naturally have countless ways to let these blabbering people disappear forever. They absolutely wouldn’t have let the people create such a big uproar, one that even alarmed Fu Hongye.

The world has always been like this. As long as you didn’t abide by the rules, solving a problem was actually very simple.

Who knows why the teahouse teahouse owner hated the Azure Sky Mansion to this degree. When he saw how You Jiang didn’t believe him, he immediately became anxious again.

After sweeping his eyes around the room in a guilty manner and seeing nobody paying attention to them, the teahouse owner gained the courage to tell them a secret.

 “You guys are unaware of something. My cousin from the paternal side of my family used to work in the Rain Monarch Cave. I heard him say that the thirtieth person who will go missing is precisely the Azure Sky Mansion’s Young Lord Qiu. The Azure Sky Mansion has already suppressed this news, not allowing people to tell outsiders. So you guys must not tell other people too ah.”

This was actually an unexpected piece of news. It was no wonder the Azure Sky Mansion’s defenses were so thorough lately. Recently, Qiu Yuebai hadn’t even walked past his front door.

Lowering his gaze, You Jiang asked thoughtfully, “You mean, that piece of paper was thrown into the well just the day before?” 

Since You Jiang was no longer questioning him, the teahouse owner became spirited again. He immediately added more details to make the story more interesting, “Guest, I’m telling the truth. This well is really spiritual, so it wouldn’t accuse good people. The people who have gone missing are all guilty of something and definitely should be punished!”

However, what wasn’t known was if this Young Lord Qiu had really done something sinful, or……if it was because he had offended certain people, hated by everyone since he had hindered their livelihoods.

You Jiang sneered coldly in his heart. Although the teahouse owner’s obsession with the wishing well was awfully suspicious, he didn’t continue to interrogate him. 

Instead, You Jiang casually threw his money bag onto the table before saying in a light voice, “Mister, this lord wants the information and history of all the people who have gone missing. If you can accomplish this for me, all this gold will be yours.”

The teahouse owner was already lamenting over the loss in profits from the last three months. He never thought he’d encounter unexpected wealth like this. Immediately forgetting his previous annoyance, the teahouse owner smiled obsequiously, “No problem! Guest, please wait for a moment. This little one will immediately write it all out for you!”

The annoying guy finally left. You Jiang glanced at Fu Hongye, who was still worried about the missing people. He immediately said unhappily, “Serves them right if wicked people like this gets eaten by a demonic thing. I really don’t understand why righteous people like you must look for trouble and protect them.”

The common people were simple and honest? This was precisely the funniest joke under the heavens!

The basic instincts of people were to seek advantages while avoiding harm. The more incompetent someone was, the more weak. Only idiots would die for the sake of other people.

What You Jiang hated the most in his entire life was precisely idiots; those who were good to others before dying without permission, leaving the surviving person at a loss for what to do. He truly felt annoyed the moment he saw something like this.   

Not forgetting to meddle in other people’s business even after his qi deviation, it serves Fu Hongye right to be swindled to death!

You Jiang wasn’t afraid of any evil people. He had the confidence to become the most ruthless demon, one who could kill all his opponents. 

He merely hated Fu Hongye, because You Jiang knew—even if he killed this person right now, he wouldn’t feel happy.

You Jiang never thought there would be an opponent like this in the world. The moment he imagined Fu Hongye potentially dying in someone else’s hands, he would immediately feel extremely unhappy. 

This kind of feeling was really baffling. You Jiang ultimately couldn’t understand what was happening to him.

He could only continue to talk maliciously to Fu Hongye. “What are you standing up for? Angry, so you wanna compete with this lord? Come ah, make a move.”

The righteous leader has always been polite and gentle. You Jiang had even wondered before—even Buddha could get angry, so why couldn’t Fu Hongye?

However, the youth who had qi deviated lost his former restraint. After being provoked by the demonic cultivator countless times in succession, he gradually lost his smile. Pulling on You Jiang’s hand, Fu Hongye walked out of the teahouse and said, “Fengzhi, let’s practice swordsmanship.”

Fu Hongye was actually angry. After fighting with this brat for a hundred years, did You Jiang finally not have to act in a one-man show?

You Jiang had provoked Fu Hongye for so many years, but this was the first time he had gotten a response. Arguing with the righteous leader for the first time actually made him a bit nervous. For a moment, You Jiang didn’t know what to say, so he subconsciously asked, “Rotten brat, isn’t your sword……”

Currently, the Fengzhi sword is still missing. You Jiang had just been puzzling over how Fu Hongye could practice swordsmanship with him, when the veil covering his face was lifted. 

The latter half of his question was completely swallowed by a deep kiss.

Obtaining a decisive opportunity thanks to You Jiang’s moment of inattention, the youth bit the ruthless thin lips hard. 

Despite originally deciding to use a lot of strength in this bite, when Fu Hongye saw how You Jiang had been shocked to the point his eyes had widened, he ultimately dispelled eight points of power so the other wouldn’t bleed.

Despite being very good at combat, how could You Jiang know there was also this type of fight?

Only after Fu Hongye lifted his head, his expression serene once more, did You Jiang realize what had just happened. However, a demonic cultivator like him couldn’t act grieved and indignant, as if he was a chaste woman who would die for her honour ah! 

Thus, You Jiang could only ask, “What sect’s swordsmanship is this?!”

The delusional Fu Hongye’s face wasn’t as thin as it was in the past. In a situation like this, he actually replied with awe-inspiring righteousness, “The unification between the sword and people.”

Combining himself with the Fengzhi sword. Wasn’t that indeed the unification between the sword and people?

Heh, this brat was truly a sword genius!

Although these words sounded rather profound, You Jiang didn’t want to praise the youth at all. He was even more unwilling to let this person finish his good deed. Pushing the youth away, You Jiang said, “To hell with combining! Scram away to find that girl of yours!”

However, there was a truth in the jianghu; if you do something bad, sooner or later you will face retribution. 

You Jiang provoked Fu Hongye for so many years. Now that the youth has forgotten that the righteous must defend against the demonic, he no longer chose to retreat.

Thus, the day of retribution had finally arrived.

The white-robed youth buckled his hand over the vital meridian on You Jiang’s wrist. With a serene expression, he said, “You must come with me. Otherwise, I will practice the sword.”

F*ck you! When all was said and done, exactly what kind of a heavenly tribulation was capable of bashing an upright gentleman into a flirty rascal?!

Sure enough, You Jiang needed to settle accounts with the evil god!

Fu Hongye’s naturally soft voice made even his threat sound incomparably gentle. However, it didn’t stop You Jiang from wanting to dig up the youth’s ancestral tomb.

A promise made by the Sect Leader of the Profound Sect was worth a thousand in gold. Gritting his teeth, You Jiang hesitated briefly over his two choices; finding someone, or meeting Fu Hongye in bed. 

Ultimately, You Jiang still surrendered to Fu Hongye’s terrible bed skills. Admitting defeat with hate, You Jiang said, “Sooner or later, this lord will snap your sword! Let’s go.”