Chapter 107: Canhezhuang!

Hearing the footsteps outside gradually fade into the distance, Li Qingluo sat before her dressing table, quietly shedding tears.

After a long while, she let out a faint sigh.

She stepped out of her room, leaned against the doorframe, and gazed outward.

From afar, she could just barely make out that man, already seated on the boat she had prepared for him, slowly drifting away.

Her brows held a trace of melancholy and unwillingness as she murmured to herself:

“You had better not break your word…”

The lake mist shimmered gently over the rippling surface, reflecting glittering light.

🍃

Canhezhuang neighbors Mantuo Villa, so it was not too far.

Drifting downstream by boat, it only took about an hour and a half to arrive.

Fang Han vaulted alone across the water, his feet tapping lightly upon the surface of the flowing current, leaping ashore at Canhezhuang.

As for Miss Cheng and Mu Wanqing, they remained waiting on the small boat.

After all, the purpose of coming here was to investigate the Murong family’s secret martial manuals. Too many people would only make concealment more difficult.

Better, then, to go alone.

🍃

From afar, Fang Han looked upon the terrain of Canhezhuang. Built beside the water, its pavilions and towers stretched continuously across the grounds. To one unfamiliar with its layout, it would be nearly impossible to spy out the true structure of the manor. Even with Fang Han’s mastery of qinggong, it would be difficult to explore thoroughly in a short time.

But Fang Han withdrew from his robes a map, marked with the detailed terrain and key locations of Canhezhuang. Matching it against what he saw, he quickly had a clear grasp of things.

As for where the map had come from…

Well, naturally, Li Qingluo had given it to him.

Though she still held resentment at his departure, refusing to speak to him, knowing he intended to go to Canhezhuang, she nevertheless prepared the map for him.

The Wang family and the Murong family were bound by marriage ties. In years past, Li Qingluo had frequent dealings with the Murong clan, so she was well acquainted with the grounds of Canhezhuang.

What’s more, she never held much fondness for the Murong family.

For one, the Murongs often coveted the martial manuals hidden within Langhuan Jade Cave, which displeased Li Qingluo. For another, they were consumed by their dream of restoring their fallen kingdom, which she avoided out of caution.

The Great Yan dynasty has been gone for so many years, and yet they still cling to such fantasies. Better not gather men for rebellion and drag others into disaster.

In recent years, she had even severed ties completely with them. Thus, giving Fang Han the map had been done without the slightest hesitation.

She merely warned him to be careful in all matters — for the Murong family was not to be underestimated.

Fang Han, however, was perfectly clear about this and carried no real concern.

So long as he did not encounter Murong Bo, none of the others could withstand him in battle.

In truth, even if he did run into Murong Bo, with Fang Han’s current martial skill, the man could only retreat in defeat.

Had he not already fought Kumozhi and emerged victorious? Murong Bo’s skills were at best on par with Kumozhi. Fang Han certainly had no reason to fear.

Once his Six Meridians Divine Sword unleashed its Invisible Sword Qi, sword energy filling the air — even Kumozhi had fled at the sight of it. If you dare, come face it yourself!

And if worst came to worst, he still carried on him a host of poisons prepared by Miss Cheng. Should he truly lose patience, a mere scattering would bring anyone to their knees.

🍃

After comparing the map carefully, Fang Han stepped forward, his body moving like a swimming dragon.

His practice of Lingbo Weibu had by now reached an advanced stage. Combined with his deep reservoir of internal power, his speed was extraordinary beyond imagining.

He slipped past patrols, servants, and maids within the manor with ease.

Following the map’s guidance, he arrived deep within Canhezhuang, at the Returning Currents Pavilion.

Entering within, Fang Han did not even bother to conceal himself, for he had already confirmed this place to be empty.

The layout bore some resemblance to the Langhuan Jade Cave.

But in terms of martial manuals, the difference was stark.

Browsing casually, Fang Han soon discovered that not only were the manuals here fewer in number, their quality was also inferior.

In Langhuan Jade Cave, the manuals were nearly all complete and intact. Here, however, most were missing moves or techniques — and many were mere duplicates of those in the cave.

Glancing a few times more, Fang Han quickly lost interest.

This was not the purpose of his visit anyway.

He searched more carefully.

Roughly half an hour later, Fang Han held the Change Finger manual in his hand, sighing:

“This is indeed not bad, but at present I hardly lack finger techniques.”

After his journey to Dali, he had already obtained many such skills.

Flower Plucking Finger, Yi Yang Finger, Duoluoye Finger, Wuxiang Robbery Finger, and even the Six Meridians Divine Sword could all be considered finger-based techniques.

It was as if he had drawn a whole “finger technique gift pack.”

And now yet another — Change Finger.

Not that it was poor, but the overlap was excessive.

What he truly sought was the Dou Zhuan Xing Yi manual.

The Murong family’s core art! Its brilliance lay in borrowing the opponent’s strength to counterattack — to use his way against him, and return it upon himself!

But unfortunately, it was nowhere to be found.

Perhaps, like Xiao Wuxiang Gong, it was hidden in some obscure form in a corner. Or perhaps it was stored in a secret chamber elsewhere.

Yet Fang Han at the moment had no time to continue searching.

His earlier investigation confirmed that Murong Fu did not seem to be present in the manor. Without him, even if Fang Han captured retainers such as Feng Bupo or Bao Butong, intimidation would be useless. Loyal though they were, they would never betray their master.

And Fang Han had no patience for such things.

He sighed softly:

“What a pity.”

He combed through the Returning Currents Pavilion again, meticulously searching every corner, but still found nothing.

Following the map further, he explored key places like Murong Fu’s Swallow Dock.

Two more hours passed.

Finally, Fang Han shook his head with a helpless look, abandoning the search entirely.

He gathered his energy, ready to depart.

When suddenly, distant voices drifted to his ears:

“Recently, quite a few heroes in the jianghu have been killed by their own signature martial skills, in ways most tragic. Rumor has it that it was our Murong family’s work — ‘to use his way against him, and return it upon himself’!”

“Who is plotting this scheme, trying to frame the Young Master?”

The speakers did not seem headed toward his location, merely passing by. Soon, their voices faded into the distance.

Fang Han narrowed his eyes, thoughtful.

He roughly judged the stage of the plot.

Next should be the Beggar Clan upheaval — the revelation of Qiao Feng’s true parentage.

But Fang Han had no intention of getting involved.

Opportunities abounded across the world; he had plenty yet to pursue.

How could he spare time to meddle with the storyline?

That tangled web of chaos was near impossible to sort through — and once entangled, would surely bring endless trouble.

Having reached this thought, Fang Han collected himself.

With a step, his figure soared away into the distance.

🍃🍃🍃

FOOTNOTES

* * * * qinggong– Lightness skill; martial arts technique allowing practitioners to move swiftly and gracefully, often seeming to defy gravity.

* * * * Lingbo Weibu (凌波微步)– “Graceful Step upon the Waves,” a supreme lightness skill allowing one to move unpredictably and swiftly.

* * * * Six Meridians Divine Sword (六脉神剑)– Legendary Dali martial art, projecting invisible sword energy through finger techniques.

* * * * Invisible Sword Qi (无形剑气)– Forceless yet devastating sword energy, invisible to the eye.

* * * * Langhuan Jade Cave (琅嬛玉洞)– A cavern filled with rare martial arts manuals.

* * * * Canhe Finger (参合指)– Murong family finger technique.

* * * * Dou Zhuan Xing Yi (斗转星移)– “Stars Shifting in the Heavens,” Murong family’s core martial art, redirecting an opponent’s attack back onto them.

* * * * to use his way against him, and return it upon himself (以彼之道，还施彼身)– A phrase describing the essence of Dou Zhuan Xing Yi; to counter an enemy with their own method.

* * * * Swallow Dock (燕子坞, Yanziwu)– Murong Fu’s residence within Canhezhuang.

* * * * jianghu (江湖)– The martial world, encompassing wandering heroes, sects, rivalries, and hidden powers.