Chapter 13 Who's Talking Bad About Me
Chapter 13 Who's Talking Bad About Me
Inside the Valley of Heartbreak, in the study of Qi Yuxuan's mansion, candlelight flickered, and a faint sandalwood scent filled the air.
Qi Jiangfeng sat behind his desk, his sharp gaze sweeping over the scout in front of him.
The scout lowered his head, not daring to look Qi Jiangfeng in the eye, clearly very cautious about this report.
"Tell me, what's the situation in the Valley of Passion, the Valley of Desolation, and the Valley of Resentment lately?" Qi Jiangfeng's voice was deep and powerful, exuding an unquestionable authority.
The scout bowed slightly and said respectfully, "Reporting to the Valley Master, there is no new progress in Empty Valley and Valley of Resentment; they are both diligently practicing their zither and swordplay."
The scout paused, gathered his thoughts, and continued, "The atmosphere in the Valley of Passion seems a bit relaxed lately. The disciples there play games almost every day, especially Qiu Ziyue, who leads everyone in playing all sorts of games."
Qi Jiangfeng frowned slightly, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, seemingly pondering the spy's words.
He asked, "How long has this situation in the Valley of Passion lasted?"
The scout replied, "It's been a few days. It's said that after Qiu Ziyue lost the sword and zither duel and fell off a cliff, she became somewhat mentally impaired and increasingly lax with her disciples."
Upon hearing this, Qi Jiangfeng nodded slightly, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes, and waved for the scout to leave.
The scout respectfully withdrew and closed the study door. Silence returned to the study, and Qi Jiangfeng fell into deep thought.
Since the last Qin Jian martial arts competition held every five years, their Jueqing Valley had a slight advantage, so now he is in charge of the overall situation of the four valleys. He also clearly realized that the world of martial arts is dangerous and that they must be on guard at all times.
Qi Jiangfeng knew that although the Valley of Passion had split into four valleys, it still held a central position. With the current fragmentation of power among various warlords, if any valley did not maintain a firm stance, it could be exploited by treacherous officials.
If we anger the imperial court, it could lead to the destruction of the four grains. Therefore, we must pay close attention to the movements of each grain and not make the slightest mistake.
At this moment, Qi Yuxuan and Qi Yushuang came over, and Qi Yuxuan asked his father what was troubling him.
As Qi Jiangfeng watched the two children approach, his furrowed brows relaxed. Looking at the engaged couple, he felt a surge of joy.
The two looked very well-matched standing together. Qi Yuxuan was as handsome as Tao Ling'er had been when they first met, while Qi Yushuang was like a lotus flower in the morning rain, so charming and pitiful.
Qi Jiangfeng said, "Xuan'er, Shuang'er, what brings you here? It's nothing, it's nothing. Seeing you makes me forget all my worries."
Qi Yuxuan asked, "I just heard from the scouts that Qiu Ziyue from the Valley of Passion is the one who withdrew from the last martial arts competition because her zither string broke. All she does is play games all day, how can she not lose?"
“Xuan’er, Qiu Ziyue is from their Valley of Passion, don’t mention him. As long as Xuan’er and Shuang’er are doing well, that’s all that matters. If you can still win the crown in the next Qin-Sword Competition, your father will officiate and let you get married, okay?” Qi Jiangfeng said.
"Father, let's talk about it when we're older. I'm still young," Qi Yuxuan said.
Standing to the side, Qi Yushuang looked at Qi Yuxuan with a blush on her face, seemingly wanting to say something but too embarrassed to speak.
“Alright, you guys go practice your swordsmanship and dance,” Qi Jiangfeng said.
"Let's go, Junior Sister Yushuang," Qi Yuxuan said, pulling Yushuang's hand as they ran outside.
Meanwhile, in the Valley of Passion, Qiu Ziyue, who was practicing her sword, sneezed and unconsciously said, "Who's talking bad about me?"
Just then, three senior brothers came to visit Qiu Ziyue.
Since the three senior brothers pleaded for Qiu Ziyue last time, Qiu Ziyue has been very friendly to them. In her opinion, they are not only upright in character, but also highly skilled in martial arts.
She regarded her three senior brothers as her most trusted friends in the valley, and often went to the training ground to play with them.
The three senior brothers also took time to visit Qiu Ziyue, and the four of them became quite close over time.
Qiu Ziyue's skills improved rapidly, and the four masters turned a blind eye, giving them time and opportunities to spend time alone together.
As time went by, Qiu Ziyue and her three senior brothers grew closer, and they often practiced playing the zither and sword together.
The four masters were particularly strict with the four of them. Whenever they didn't play the zither well, or even played a wrong note, or practiced a sword move incorrectly, they would be punished by their masters, either by being hit with a board or by being made to stand or kneel.
Qiu Ziyue received the most punishment because, being a girl, her finger strength was often insufficient.
Every time Qiu Ziyue was punished, she would cry. Her three senior brothers saw this and the eldest brother would often secretly give her a cotton pad to put under her knees, or he would give her a string of candied hawthorns. He would also tell her how to skillfully use force to play the piano well when no one was around.
When her second senior brother saw her being punished, he would either chuckle to himself or jokingly say that she was so stupid.
When her third senior brother saw her being punished, he would always scratch his head and say playfully, "It seems that the masters value you the most. The greater the pressure, the greater the responsibility."
It is said that strict teachers produce outstanding students. Under rigorous training, Qiu Ziyue's kung fu skills reached a level that ordinary people could not defeat.
Whenever the three men came to visit her, Qiu Ziyue would always spar with them without any hesitation, and would even occasionally show off a few special skills.
What's particularly amazing is that Qiu Ziyue also knows how to innovate on the existing foundation.
She began to combine swordsmanship with dance, each step and each sword strike resembling the movements of a dancer, light and graceful.
In terms of her musical skills, she was not content with her own traditional skills; she began to try to combine the sound of the zither with the sounds of other instruments.
So she and her three senior brothers worked together: the eldest brother, Qiu Langyu, played the guqin; the second brother, Qiu Wentian, played the flute; and the third brother, Qiu Wenfeng, played the drum.
She closed her eyes and played the pipa, trying to feel the harmonious beauty of the sounds.
Ultimately, she successfully incorporated these elements into her piano music, making the sound richer, more varied, and more moving, as if it could penetrate people's hearts and bring endless peace and beauty.
In terms of disguise, she can change her appearance at will, making her unrecognizable.
They even started experimenting with combining disguise, makeup, and performance, enabling them to quickly change identities in different situations without anyone noticing.
Her fighting skills have reached an unparalleled level; every punch and kick is full of power and speed.
However, the training did not stop there.
On this day, Master Qiu decided to arrange a special combat exercise for Qiu Ziyue to test whether her fighting skills had reached a sufficient level.
In the center of the training field, a huge iron cage was erected, containing some obstacles and training equipment.
Master Qiu stood outside the cage, looking at Qiu Ziyue sternly, and said, "Ziyue, today I'm going to test your combat skills. You will be locked in this cage with a snow wolf for a real fighting exercise. Remember, this is not ordinary training; you must give it your all."
Qiu Ziyue frowned slightly, but then nodded firmly. She knew that this was Master Qiu's trust in her, and also a test of her abilities.
She took a deep breath and stepped into the iron cage.
To find out what happens next, please read the next chapter!
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