Flower Stealing Master

Chapter 1065: A Failed Attempt Backfires

(G: I translated this chapter on my phone, so there might be some formatting issues and errors. Please kindly put up with it until I get a laptop. Update: I got a second hand one, funded solely by RusterLop.)

“Northern Darkness Divine Technique!” A martial art suddenly flashed into Song Qingshu’s mind. Since Li Qingluo knew the Cold Sleeves Flicking Acupoints and the Minute Ice Treading Steps, it wasn’t surprising that she knew the most famous Northern Darkness Divine Technique of the Carefree Sect.

Song Qingshu inwardly lamented how careless he had been today. He was focused on saving her and hadn’t been on guard against her Northern Darkness Divine Technique. In the original novel Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, Duan Yu only practiced a simplified version of the Northern Darkness Divine Technique, yet he completely absorbed the internal energy of the top master, Kumārajīva. Li Qingluo clearly knew the complete set, and its power was far beyond Duan Yu’s. Wouldn’t he be drained dry by her?

 Thinking of the terrifying implications, Song Qingshu shuddered and hurriedly said in a low voice, “I kindly saved you, and this is how you repay me?”

Li Qingluo slowly opened her eyes and sneered, “I hate Jurchens more than anything in my life, especially since you’ve made advances on me several times before! Hmph, but don’t worry, considering your previous help, I’ll spare your life after I drain your inner strength.”

So she had been pretending to be asleep. Song Qingshu understood immediately; she must have discovered his identity when he entered the Daotai Yamen earlier.

“You’re saying I should thank you?” Song Qingshu said irritably.

 “You don’t need to hate me; blame your own stupidity. The martial world is treacherous. Who told you to be so blinded by my beauty? I know exactly what you were plotting. But I, the dignified White Lotus Holy Mother, am not the kind of girl who would fall for a man just because he saved her?” Li Qingluo sneered, her beautiful exterior suddenly revealing the majesty of a underworld tycoon.

“I was indeed careless,” Song Qingshu suddenly sighed. “If I said now that I wasn’t a Jin person, would you still ‘repay’ me like this?”

“I know, aren’t you the Golden Serpent King Song Qingshu?” Li Qingluo said calmly.

Song Qingshu was greatly shocked. His impersonation of Tang Kuo Bian was a closely guarded secret; he had never told anyone except a few close female friends.

Now that the White Lotus Holy Mother knew, all his plans for the Jin Dynasty were ruined.

 “How do you know?” Song Qingshu didn’t deny it. At their level, sophistry and deception were beneath them, especially since Li Qingluo’s tone was certain; she must have some solid evidence, not just wild guesses.

 “That girl Mu Wanqing has tried to assassinate me time and again. I had to investigate her background thoroughly. If it weren’t for the fact that she’s the Golden Serpent King’s woman, do you think I would have let her leave alive after repeatedly trying to assassinate me at Mantuo Manor?” Feeling the surging true energy within her, Li Qingluo finally smiled, her usually icy face revealing a hint of a smile. “Mu Wanqing is stubborn and unwavering in her love; she couldn’t possibly have fallen for someone else so quickly, especially a bearded man from the Jin Dynasty.”

“Furthermore, the martial arts you displayed earlier were truly exceptional. Such masters are few and far between in the martial world. I know the background of everyone involved, and after eliminating them one by one, only the Golden Serpent King, who has become famous in the martial world in the last two years, remains.”

After finishing speaking, Li Qingluo casually removed the mask from his face. Seeing the handsome man before her, especially the unique charm between his brows that was unforgettable at first glance, she couldn’t help but subconsciously sigh, “No wonder he could bewitch that girl Mu Wanqing; he is indeed quite handsome.”  “I wonder if I can charm you, Madam?” Song Qingshu smiled slightly, inwardly letting out a long sigh of relief. It turned out that Mu Wanqing had given him the clue; it was only by chance that Li Qingluo guessed it. How could anyone else possibly guess his true identity?

“The Golden Serpent King truly lives up to his name. His composure and calmness in this situation are truly admirable,” Li Qingluo said, but her actions betrayed her fear. She quickly sealed his acupoints, then tightly grasped his hands, unleashing the full power of her Northern Darkness Divine Art.

Song Qingshu glanced at their hands and smiled slightly. “As the saying goes, the ten fingers are connected to the heart. Now that our fingers are intertwined, wouldn’t that mean our hearts are connected?”

His reminder made Li Qingluo realize that their hands were now tightly clasped together. For some reason, she suddenly felt a tremor in her heart.  You see, Wang Yuyan’s father died early, and since marrying into the Wang family, she hadn’t contacted Duan Zhengchun. Therefore, for almost a decade, she had lived alone, never allowing a man within three feet of her, let alone being so intimate as to embrace and hold hands today.

The masculine aura emanating from him stirred a few er0tic thoughts within her, and her b0dy gradually heated up.

However, she was no ordinary woman, and quickly forced herself to regain her composure: “Hmph, it’s just to absorb his inner energy. So what if there’s skin-to-skin contact?”

“Stop with your disgusting act. Your methods of seducing young girls won’t work on me,” Li Qingluo said sternly.

 Song Qingshu sighed, “I don’t know how to persuade Madam to spare me.”

Li Qingluo, thinking he had finally given in, couldn’t help but show a smug look on her face: “Give up on that idea. If you don’t nip it in the bud, it will grow back in the spring. As the Holy Mother of the White Lotus Sect, how could I make such a low-level mistake as letting a tiger return to the mountain?”

“But what if I say we’re on the same side?” Song Qingshu suddenly said.

“On the same side?” Li Qingluo almost choked on her breath, glaring at him angrily, “Who said we’re on the same side!”

She was always very chaste and couldn’t stand even being verbally taken advantage of by a man.

 “Wang Yuyan and I are deeply in love and have long been engaged. I originally planned to come to Mantuo Manor to propose, but I didn’t expect to meet you under these circumstances.” Song Qingshu fabricated the story without batting an eye. He believed that given Wang Yuyan’s kindness and their past relationship, she wouldn’t mind even if she knew he was making this up. “Does Madam consider this relationship ‘one of us’?”

“Yuyan?” Li Qingluo was taken aback, then flew into a rage. “Nonsense! Yuyan clearly loves her cousin, how could she possibly be engaged to you…?” Even knowing it was likely a lie, Li Qingluo’s face remained extremely pale.

“Unfortunately, Murong Fu’s heart isn’t with Yuyan. He’s only thinking about reviving the Great Yan Kingdom and has hurt her several times, which created this opportunity for me.” Song Qingshu explained calmly.

 “Murong Fu is indeed ambitious beyond his capabilities, and coupled with his wicked nature, he is absolutely unsuitable for Yuyan.” Li Qingluo, who had always disliked Murong Fu, nodded in agreement.

However, she quickly realized her mistake and scoffed, “I know my daughter’s character best. How could she so easily fall for someone else?”

“Madam, ask yourself honestly, in terms of martial arts, appearance, character, even family background and power, in which way am I not superior to Murong Fu? Besides, true feelings are revealed in times of hardship. What’s so surprising about Yuyan liking me?” Song Qingshu put on an extremely wronged expression, speaking as if it were the truth.

 Li Qingluo fell silent, knowing he was right. In martial arts, he far surpassed Murong Fu; in appearance, Murong Fu lacked his unique charisma; in family background, the Wudang Sect was far superior to the empty shell of the Murong family; in power, one commanded tens of thousands of elite soldiers, while the other had only a few retainers…

However, she wasn’t so easily swayed. She sneered, “The rest is fine, but I don’t think your character is anything special.”

Song Qingshu replied calmly, “I bravely rescued you from danger, tirelessly healed your wounds, and then you betrayed me. I wonder whose character is worse.”

Li Qingluo’s face flushed crimson. Enraged, she retorted, “Even if Yuyan truly loves you, so what? You’re a womanizer, and you already have a wife at home. Are you a suitable match for Yuyan? Even if Yuyan blames me in the future, I’ll get rid of you today, so her future happiness won’t be ruined by you.”  Song Qingshu was dumbfounded: “You said you’d only absorb my internal energy and wouldn’t kill me, but now that you know Yuyan and I are in love, you want to kill me?”

“It’s all your fault for provoking my daughter.” A hint of murderous intent flashed between Li Qingluo’s brows, yet it didn’t diminish her beauty in the slightest; instead, it added a unique charm.

Song Qingshu finally dropped his playful smile and said in a deep voice, “Are you really not going to let me go?”

Thinking of her daughter’s naivety and simple-mindedness, how she had been deceived by this old fox, Li Qingluo’s anger surged: “I will not only kill you, but I will also kill that little bitch Mu Wanqing to vent my hatred.”

She had now completely subdued his acupoints, and with the Northern Darkness Divine Art continuously absorbing his internal energy, victory was already assured, so she wasn’t afraid of provoking him.

 Song Qingshu’s eyes gradually reddened, and his voice became somewhat hoarse: “Fine, you said it yourself, don’t regret it later.”

“Hmph, what could I possibly regret?” Li Qingluo sneered.

 A strange smile suddenly appeared on Song Qingshu’s face. He said in a deep voice, “I originally thought that if you could stop halfway, I would pretend nothing happened. Unfortunately, I gave you several chances, but not only did you not stop, you even intensified your actions. So don’t blame me for being impolite.”

Li Qingluo frowned, confirming once again that the Northern Darkness Divine Art was functioning normally, before saying with relief, “You don’t need to bluff me. As the White Lotus Saintess, I’ve seen all kinds of storms. How could I be fooled by your tricks?”

Song Qingshu didn’t argue, but simply said calmly, “Do you know why I was rambling on with you so much before?”

Li Qingluo sneered repeatedly, “You were just trying to stall for time. But the longer the time passes, the greater the effect of the Northern Darkness Divine Technique will be. I’m too lazy to expose your little scheme.”

“That’s right, I’m waiting for the effect of your Northern Darkness Divine Technique to reach its maximum.” A faint smile appeared on Song Qingshu’s lips.

“What do you mean?” Li Qingluo felt a sense of foreboding.