Flower Stealing Master

Chapter 738: Drastic Ups and Downs

When Song Qingshu was taken back by the Jin soldiers from the abandoned temple, Huang Yaoshi was speaking to Zhou Botong, saying, “Old Imp, that mysterious man’s Qinggong may be impressive, but this time, he had a head start. If you two were to compete under the same conditions, he might not necessarily win against you.”

Zhou Botong subconsciously nodded. “Old Heretic Huang, I didn’t expect you to have such keen insight and say something so profound. I thought about it carefully just now. That man’s short-distance speed is indeed faster than mine, but if we were to run for hundreds or even thousands of miles, his internal energy might not be able to sustain it. If I hadn’t been worried about you all waiting here and if I wasn’t in a hurry to find out about my sworn brother, I would have kept chasing him.” As he spoke, Zhou Botong scratched his head, his tone filled with regret.

Huang Yaoshi chuckled. “If that’s the case, why don’t you find him and race again?”

Zhou Botong’s face scrunched up in distress. “Didn’t Rong’er just say she doesn’t know his identity? Where am I supposed to find him?”

“Of course Rong’er knows who he is,” Huang Yaoshi’s words made Huang Rong’s heart skip a beat. He glanced at his daughter and continued, “I was the one who told her not to tell you the truth just now.”

Zhou Botong instantly flared up, circling around Huang Yaoshi in frustration. “You old heretic! You actually teamed up with your daughter to trick me! After all these years, you’re still just as annoying!” The memories of being locked up on Peach Blossom Island for ten years after having his legs broken flooded his mind. Overwhelmed by old and new grudges, Zhou Botong shouted furiously and charged at Huang Yaoshi.

Huang Yaoshi seemed to have anticipated this, effortlessly sidestepping his attacks and calmly saying, “Old Imp, you’ve misunderstood me. The reason I didn’t tell you was for your own good.”

“What?!” Zhou Botong was so enraged that he laughed instead. However, his curiosity was piqued, and he stopped attacking. Folding his arms, he asked, “Alright, Old Heretic Huang, tell me, how is this for my own good?”

“Didn’t Rong’er just say that the man had suffered a great loss of internal energy? If he were in his normal state, his martial arts would surely surpass both of ours. Not only is his Qinggong exceptional, but his cultivation is also unfathomable. If you provoke him, I’m afraid you’ll be in danger,” Huang Yaoshi said with a concerned expression.

“Hah! There’s nothing in this world that scares me! Just tell me who he is—I must challenge him properly!” Zhou Botong rolled up his sleeves, speaking with determination.
Huang Rong could tell that her father was using reverse psychology, but she didn’t understand why. Besides, she hadn’t even mentioned Song Qingshu’s name to him, so how did he know who the man was?

Seeing that Zhou Botong had taken the bait, a barely noticeable smile flashed across Huang Yaoshi’s lips before he quickly put on a troubled expression. “We are friends, and I’m genuinely worried about your safety.”

“Bah! Old Heretic Huang, you jinx! With my skills, what could possibly happen to me? Hurry up and tell me!” Zhou Botong urged impatiently.

“If you insist…” Huang Yaoshi feigned reluctance. “Alright then, that man is none other than… the Golden Serpent King, Song Qingshu.”

Huang Rong had been watching her father tease Zhou Botong with amusement, but when she suddenly heard those three words, she nearly jumped out of her skin. ‘Father knows! Father knows!’ Her mind went completely blank.

“Song Qingshu?” Zhou Botong’s eyes lit up. “That young expert who has been making waves in the martial world these past two years? Haha! I’ve always wanted to ask him how he manages to stir up such storms. This is perfect! Old Heretic Huang, Rong’er, and that fool Guo Jing, I’ll leave him to you—Old Imp is off!” Without waiting for a response, he immediately used Qinggong and darted toward the east.

Huang Yaoshi smiled faintly and turned to say something to his daughter, only to find her standing there, looking utterly dazed. He couldn’t help but ask, “Rong’er, what’s wrong?”

Having been constantly caught off guard by Song Qingshu’s tricks these past few days, Huang Rong’s reflexes had been sharpened. Realizing from her father’s words that things might not be as bad as she feared, she quickly forced a smile. “N-nothing…”

“Do you know why I sent Zhou Botong away?” Seeing his daughter’s odd expression, Huang Yaoshi assumed it was because of what had happened earlier and didn’t think much of it.

“I don’t know,” Huang Rong replied absentmindedly, her thoughts consumed by whether her father had truly figured out Song Qingshu’s identity.

“It was for your sake,” Huang Yaoshi sighed. “After what that man did to you, I wasn’t sure if Zhou Botong saw everything clearly at the time. If he were to accidentally blurt it out in front of Jing’er, how would you face him?”

“Ah—!” Huang Rong gasped, breaking into a cold sweat. If Zhou Botong mentioned anything in front of her dear Jing-gege, it wouldn’t be hard for him to guess it was Song Qingshu. Then, everything would be exposed.

Seeing his daughter turn pale, Huang Yaoshi softened. “You don’t need to worry too much. At the time, Zhou Botong’s attention seemed entirely focused on that flying kite, so he might not have noticed anything between you and that man. Plus, I’ve sent him thousands of miles away to Shandong. Given his playful nature, who knows when he’ll see Jing’er again? By then, your situation will likely be resolved, so you won’t have to worry about him slipping up.”

“Thank you, Father,” Huang Rong said gratefully, deeply impressed by his foresight. After a moment of hesitation, she cautiously asked, “But… why did you say that man was Song Qingshu?”

“That Song Qingshu has been in the limelight these past two years, painted by the martial world as a young hero full of miracles. But in my eyes…” Huang Yaoshi sneered, “He’s nothing but a shameless womanizer! Along the way, I’ve heard countless rumors about his affairs with various women—the Emei Sect’s Miss Zhou, the former Ming princess, and even gossip involving Li Mochou… Utter nonsense! Letting Zhou Botong teach him a lesson isn’t a bad idea.”

Huang Rong’s expression turned odd. Her father had been a devoted man all his life and despised philanderers. She knew this well. But she hadn’t expected that his strong distaste for womanizers would lead him to accurately guess Song Qingshu’s identity.

Of course, she wasn’t actually worried about Song Qingshu being “taught a lesson.” With his level of skill, he was at least on par with Zhou Botong, if not stronger. Besides, Zhou Botong was heading toward the Golden Serpent Camp in Jin territory—he was bound to come up empty-handed.

Huang Yaoshi glanced at his daughter, who seemed lost in thought, and sighed. “Rong’er, love is a complicated matter. No one can predict where their heart will lead them. No matter who you choose in the end, even if it’s that man, I will support you. But I have only one condition—he must never be someone like Song Qingshu, a man who cannot remain loyal!”

Huang Rong’s heart pounded, and she quickly acted coy. “Don’t worry, Father. I know what I’m doing. I would never choose a womanizer like that.”

At the same time, she inwardly cursed, ‘Even Li Mochou? What a shameless scoundrel!’

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