Chapter 89: Heatstroke

In the warm afternoon sun, two figures flying on swords glided slowly across the sky, drawing quite a bit of attention.

"Look, what is that?"

"Xu Xiaoshou?"

"It really seems like him, using Fan Xiang Yu Jian Shu!"

People were getting excited. Xu Xiaoshou was quite famous in the Wai Yuan right now, having won the championship and often doing unexpected things, so many people recognized him.

"Who's the one next to him? That sword is so big, it's blocking the person completely."

"It looks like Su Qianqian from the Nei Yuan, but that's impossible. I must be seeing things—why would Su Qianqian be out here with Xu Xiaoshou, just cruising around?"

"Yeah, you're definitely mistaken, but she's actually using 'Fan Xiang Yu Jian Shu' too. That's impressive!"

"Is it impressive? It just looks really dizzying to me…"

Up in the sky, Su Qianqian was indeed feeling a bit dizzy, but she forced herself to overcome it. "Xiao Shou gege, why are we flying so slowly?"

Xu Xiaoshou widened his eyes. "How can you call this slow? It's steady!"

"You, you're just too impulsive. You have to be steady in everything, got it?"

"Oh." Su Qianqian obediently accepted the lecture.

Xu Xiaoshou glanced at his information panel:

"Received envy, Bei Dong Zhi +32."

"Received praise, Bei Dong Zhi +4."

"Received jealousy, Bei Dong Zhi +122."

"…"

This wave of gains was solid—who would want to go faster?

Besides, to go faster, he'd have to be able to fly properly first. The current speed was already about his limit…

The Bei Dong Zhi he'd stocked up had dwindled to single digits after drawing prizes, and then the masked assailant's sword energy attack had contributed over a thousand points.

But gains from that method were nowhere near as comfortable as this.

Look, they'd only flown from the courtyard to E Hu, and by accumulating little by little, like grains of sand forming a tower, drops forming a river, or fur making a fur coat… he was almost at two thousand Bei Dong Zhi already.

Xu Xiaoshou felt like he'd discovered a new way to make money.

With the competition over and no safe fights to pick, he could just come out for a couple of laps every day, get some fresh air, and rack up Bei Dong Zhi that was almost as much as from a fight.

If he hit a peak crowd time…

"Hehehe!" Xu Xiaoshou was practically drooling.

The two flew to E Hu, and Su Qianqian finally dropped her playful attitude, speaking seriously: "Xiao Shou gege, was someone trying to kill you last night?"

Xu Xiaoshou snapped back to attention. He hadn't expected the news to spread so quickly—was this the real reason Su Qianqian had come to find him?

"Was it Xiao Zhangzhang who told you?"

Su Qianqian shook her head. "My master wouldn't tell me things like that."

"Actually, I came to congratulate you, that's one part, but more importantly, I want you to watch out for a few people in the Nei Yuan."

"Related to last night's attacker?" Xu Xiaoshou raised an eyebrow.

Su Qianqian nodded: "It could also be related to attackers in the future."

Xu Xiaoshou's unsteady Yu Jian Shu almost lost control. He wobbled for a moment before quickly steadying himself.

So, it really was as he'd guessed—this was just the beginning?

"Wen Chong?" he ventured.

Surprise flashed in Su Qianqian's eyes. "You know?"

"I guessed…" Xu Xiaoshou's expression darkened. As expected, things always went in the worst direction. "Tell me more."

Su Qianqian organized her thoughts and said: "Xiao Shou gege, do you know about the 'Nei Yuan San Shi San Ren'?"

Xu Xiaoshou nodded, then shook his head—he'd only heard of it vaguely.

Su Qianqian explained: "The Nei Yuan San Shi San Ren, as the name suggests, are the thirty-three strongest among the over a hundred people in the Nei Yuan."

"It's also a ranking list, with a reselection every year, usually before the Wai Yuan's Feng Yun Zheng Ba."

Xu Xiaoshou nodded. He hadn't known about that before.

Su Qianqian continued: "Not many disciples enter the Nei Yuan each year—sometimes even zero. But there are a lot who give up after failing to make the thirty-three and lose heart."

"Among them, plenty have struggled for years but fallen short in the end."

"With repeated setbacks, plus their potential maxing out, they can't get any more Nei Yuan resources. Staying around might even mean getting surpassed by new Nei Yuan talents…"

"So, most of these people choose to leave Ling Gong and develop on their own outside."

She paused, looking at Xu Xiaoshou. "Before they leave, some decide to make a quick score and slip away quietly, never to return!"

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly understood. So, those two guys from last night were probably like that—bold enough to attack in Ling Gong, and as Nei Yuan members, targeting a mere Wai Yuan disciple like him…

"So, people in the Nei Yuan connected to Wen Chong sent assassins because I killed Wen Chong?" Xu Xiaoshou quickly grasped the key point.

"Yes." Su Qianqian nodded firmly. "Those assassins were just minor players, nothing major. The real concern is the one behind them."

Xu Xiaoshou's Yu Jian Shu wavered again. Minor players…

They'd nearly scared your Xiao Shou gege half to death!

"The one behind them?" he repeated.

A hint of wariness flashed in Su Qianqian's eyes. "Zhang Xin Xiong."

This was a name Xu Xiaoshou had never heard before. He was a bit confused. "Related to Wen Chong?"

"Um, they're in-laws."

"The eldest son of the Zhang family from Tian Sang Jun. He's tall and burly, with an inherited bloodline power. He entered the Nei Yuan five years ago, and his strength is unfathomable."

Five years ago?!

Who could handle that?

Xu Xiaoshou lost his balance completely, plummeting from the sky.

Luckily, they weren't flying high. He landed on his knees, dusted off his clothes casually, and waved up to her as if nothing had happened.

"Come down and talk. It's a bit cool up there."

Su Qianqian tilted her head, glancing at the blazing sun above. Cool?

On a hot day like this, flying so slowly without any breeze, where was the coolness?

But she obediently jumped down, scratching her head.

Xu Xiaoshou led the way, his mind racing with the name "Zhang Xin Xiong." He asked, "Shang Ling Jing?"

Su Qianqian nodded. "At the peak!"

Xu Xiaoshou stumbled a little.

Su Qianqian thought for a moment and added: "He was at Shang Ling Jing peak a year ago, but he's been suppressing his level for the Dong Tian Wang Cheng competition in half a year."

Xu Xiaoshou's legs went weak, and he quickly grabbed onto the white jade railing to avoid falling.

Dang it!

What was going on?

That meant the guy who wanted to kill him could already be at Zong Shi Jing Jie if he wanted?

I'm not worth it!

Xu Xiaoshou was on the verge of tears. Would a big shot like that feel it's beneath him to go after me?

Not to mention the cultivation difference—we're still separated by the Wai Yuan and Nei Yuan!

"The ones who tried to kill you—one was Feng Kong, the other Shao Yi. But I asked around, and it doesn't seem like they were sent by Zhang Xin Xiong."

A glimmer of hope flashed in Xu Xiaoshou's eyes. Not him?

That was great!

But Su Qianqian wasn't done: "This time, it was probably He Yu Xing's people. He listens to Lan Xin Zi, and Lan Xin Zi listens to Zhang Xin Xiong…"

"Uh, if you think about it that way, it does seem like Zhang Xin Xiong's doing…"

Xu Xiaoshou felt overwhelmed. "Who are these two?"

Su Qianqian replied: "They're both in the Nei Yuan San Shi San Ren."

Thud!

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't hold onto the railing anymore and face-planted onto the ground.

Su Qianqian panicked.

"Xiao Shou gege, what's wrong?"

"Did you get heatstroke?"