Before Yu Xingliang even opened his eyes, the murderous aura surging from all directions instinctively triggered his combat instincts.
Feeling his feet touch the solid ground, a flood of memories instantly rushed into Yu Xingliang’s mind.
Yu Xingliang hesitated for a split second, immediately exposing a vulnerability that two opponents seized, each grabbing one of his arms from behind.
Yet this body was on an entirely different level from his assailants. With a casual kick backward, Yu Xingliang sent his captors flying with two swift, heavy blows.
Based on these memories, Yu Xingliang had evidently transmigrated into a martial arts novel.
This was a peaceful era where the world was divided into four main regions centered around the central imperial capital: East, South, West, and North. Innumerable heroic youths emerged from all four districts, and the absolute most outstanding individual among them was granted the region’s name as a prefix to their own.
For instance, Gu Shaoyuan, the character Yu Xingliang had transmigrated into, was the most brilliant youth of the Southern District, earning the title Nan Shaoyuan.
Throughout the entire Southern District, only Gu Shaoyuan was qualified to bear the Nan prefix before his name, just as the Eastern, Western, and Northern districts each had only one person entitled to use their respective directional characters.
This was starting right off the bat as a heavyweight contender. Yu Xingliang recalled an online review he had read previously: Characters surnamed Gu in novels are either immensely wealthy or born into nobility.
Could he actually be the male protagonist this time? Yu Xingliang could not suppress the smile threatening to break across his face. Not to mention, he had always harbored a secret martial arts dream!
Suddenly, a rush of wind signaling an incoming arrow swept up from behind. Yu Xingliang’s body reacted with automatic reflex, swaying sideways to evade the projectile.
The arrow veered off course, striking deep into the ground, its shaft vibrating with residual force from the impact.
At such close range, Yu Xingliang felt the sharp thrill of a survivor who had just brushed past the grim reaper.
Scanning the area where the arrow had originated, he found no trace of the archer.
According to his inherited memories, Yu Xingliang was currently deep inside the headquarters of Beiyu Hall.
After parting ways with Prefect Jiang, Gu Shaoyuan and Meng Ren had headed straight for Beiyu Hall.
Gu Shaoyuan possessed a sharp mind and decisive execution. He had stationed Meng Ren outside to maintain a perimeter while he used his formidable martial arts proficiency to infiltrate Beiyu Hall alone, aiming to uncover clues regarding the murder case on the outskirts of Yichuan.
However, Beiyu Hall was heavily guarded with a complex, labyrinthine layout. While evading a patrol of guards, Gu Shaoyuan had accidentally collided head-on with another squad rounding the corner.
Fortunately, Gu Shaoyuan’s speed and skill allowed him to neutralize and knock out the guards before they could sound the alarm, though the commotion had still alerted the two guards he had initially bypassed, setting the stage for the confrontation Yu Xingliang had just resolved.
This was no place to linger! A wave of panic washing over him as he stared at the now-stationary arrow, Yu Xingliang turned on his heel and bolted.
Yet, immediately afterward, he lost his way.
In Gu Shaoyuan’s memories, Beiyu Hall appeared from the outside to be a simple square compound, yet its interior was a maze of twists and turns.
Yu Xingliang’s sense of direction was abyssal to begin with, and he was now thoroughly turned around.
Just as despair began to creep in, the faint sound of female voices drifted to his ears from nearby.
Following the sound, Yu Xingliang discovered the voices originated from behind a high stone wall. Stepping back, he took a deep breath, leaped upward, and miraculously caught the top of the two-story wall!
While Beiyu Hall looked like a fortified enclosure from the outside, its interior housed an entirely different world.
The Liuli Garden was one such sanctuary, boasting a small waterfall alongside flourishing flora and fauna.
It presented a vibrant, flourishing scene that formed a stark contrast to the deathly gloom of the rest of the compound.
In the center of the Liuli Garden, Fang Qiongya sat upon a jade stool draped with a duck-down blanket, leisurely sipping flower tea.
Rongzhi was briefing Fang Qiongya regarding the merchants and officials entering Beiyu Hall that day.
Reporting with a submissive bow, Rongzhi stated, “One of the junior bailiffs from Yichuan remains under surveillance, but we lost track of the other. It is possible…” Rongzhi paused slightly. “It is likely that Gu Shaoyuan of Yichuan has infiltrated us.”
Fang Qiongya paused mid-sip, then slowly raised his head, eyes narrowing slightly.
Rongzhi prepared to continue her report, but a subtle gesture from Fang Qiongya silenced her instantly.
Understanding her master’s intent immediately, Rongzhi withdrew quietly.
Climbing atop the wall, Yu Xingliang saw a lone figure in pink robes sitting with their back toward him at a stone table in the vast garden. Slender and graceful, with dark hair cascading to the ground and blending seamlessly with the garden waterfall, the sight was breathtakingly beautiful.
After taking a few seconds to steady his nerves, Yu Xingliang gazed at the back of the figure in pink and dropped silently over the wall with his eyes closed.
The body was remarkably agile. Upon touching the ground, he barely grazed his toes before executing a rapid, fluid flip akin to an Olympic diver, landing right behind the figure in pink in the blink of an eye.
“Hello there, beautiful lady. Could you tell me if you know the way out?”
Fang Qiongya was momentarily startled. While he knew Gu Shaoyuan possessed exceptional qinggong, he had not expected the youth to cross the garden from the wall to stand directly behind him without making a single sound.
Sensing a fleeting stiffness in the pink-clad figure’s posture, Yu Xingliang recalled from his memories that this place was the lair of the wicked grandmaster Fang Qiongya.
Such a stunning maiden must surely have been abducted and imprisoned here, he reasoned, quickly offering reassurances. “I am not a bad guy, did Fang Qiongya kidnap and lock you up here?”
Receiving no response from the pink-robed figure, Yu Xingliang stepped around to the front of the stone table, opening his mouth to speak further before he was utterly paralyzed by Fang Qiongya’s ethereal visage.
The young woman appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen years of age, featuring a complexion like hibiscus blossoms, delicately arched brows, and charming eyes that carried an alluring yet refined grace. As an unapologetic admirer of beauty, Yu Xingliang was completely transfixed.
Though Yu Xingliang had previously invested in several entertainment industry projects, the pink-clad maiden before him possessed a devastating beauty that genuinely transcended mortal standards!
Words like falling geese, eclipsing the moon, or shaming flowers were entirely inadequate to describe her stunning appearance. Convinced beyond doubt that this beauty must have been imprisoned solely because of her looks, Yu Xingliang’s sense of chivalry flared.
Fang Qiongya calmly scrutinized Gu Shaoyuan, noting his sharp brows, star-bright eyes, and jade-like complexion.
True to the rumors, he was indeed an exceptionally handsome youth.
Catching sight of the young man’s dazed expression, Fang Qiongya could not help raising a hand to cover his lips in amusement.
Coming back to his senses, Yu Xingliang offered a traditional martial arts bow with a flushed face. “Forgive my rudeness, miss.”
Fang Qiongya rose to his feet and returned the bow with subtle grace.
Sitting down, her height had gone unnoticed, but as she stood, the pink-clad maiden proved to be half a head taller than Yu Xingliang.
Caution gleaming in his eyes, Yu Xingliang asked, “Miss, are you unable to speak?”
Fang Qiongya blinked his large, expressive eyes and shook his head.
Indignation surged in Yu Xingliang’s chest. What a magnificent creature, to be poisoned mute and locked away by an old brute like Fang Qiongya.
He offered immediate comfort. “Do not be afraid, miss, I will definitely rescue you from this place. Do not let my lean frame fool you, I am exceptionally strong!”
With that, Yu Xingliang flexed his arm to display his biceps to the young woman.
Fang Qiongya smiled and nodded in response.
Yu Xingliang grinned back, though remembering the primary mission that had brought this body here, he quickly pivoted to business. “Ah, by the way, miss, do you happen to know where the information archive of Beiyu Hall is located?”
Tilting his head in mock contemplation, Fang Qiongya dipped a slender finger into his cup of flower tea and traced three characters onto the stone table surface: Wind Bell Pavilion.
“Wind Bell Pavilion?” Yu Xingliang’s enthusiasm surged. “Wonderful! Wait here for me, miss, I will be right back!”
Yet before Yu Xingliang could take a single step, his wrist was caught by a hand as cold as ice, pulling him directly back before Fang Qiongya until only a hair’s breadth separated them.
Swallowing hard, Yu Xingliang offered an unnatural chuckle. “Miss, you certainly have a strong grip. Heh heh.”
Fang Qiongya’s eyes retained their smiling warmth, tinged with a sharp glint of amusement.
Yu Xingliang retreated a step, his face reddening as he stammered, “I… I was not trying to abandon you. I was only worried that bringing you along might put you in danger. My plan is to finish the task assigned to me by the Yichuan NPC and then come straight back for you. Since I am the male protagonist, I promised to save you, and I always keep my word!”
Though entirely oblivious to the nonsense terminology tumbling from Yu Xingliang’s lips, Fang Qiongya watched him with deep, inquisitive fascination, leaving Yu Xingliang increasingly flustered.
Did she not believe him?
Leaning down, Fang Qiongya dipped his finger once more to trace a single word on the table: Directions.
Only then did realization dawn on Yu Xingliang. “Right… I honestly have no sense of direction.” He offered an embarrassed bow. “It seems I must trouble you to accompany me, miss. I will do everything in my power to ensure your safety and bring you out of this place!”
Quietly studying Yu Xingliang, Fang Qiongya offered a gentle, acquiescent nod.
Throwing an arm casually around Fang Qiongya’s shoulder, Yu Xingliang grinned, “Pardon me, miss. I cannot see a proper exit, but do not worry, I am the protagonist, and I can fly.”
With those words, he swept the pink-clad figure up into his arms and leaped toward the high perimeter wall.
Guided by Fang Qiongya’s subtle directions, Yu Xingliang located the Wind Bell Pavilion in short order.
From a distance, the Wind Bell Pavilion resembled an octagonal nine-story pagoda. Upon closer inspection, enormous bells hung from every corner of each tier, connected by intricate red cords that spanned the structure. When the wind blew, the entire building resonated like a giant musical instrument, producing a melodious chime.
Yu Xingliang marveled, “This Wind Bell Pavilion truly lives up to its name.”
A faint smile touched Fang Qiongya’s lips as he pulled Yu Xingliang along into a secluded side path.
“This… this path bypasses all the guards and leads straight inside the pavilion?”
Staring in astonishment at the pink-clad beauty, Yu Xingliang blurted out, “Miss, who on earth are you?”
Tossing a playful, coy glance over her shoulder, Fang Qiongya walked ahead unbothered.
The interior of the Wind Bell Pavilion was a maze of red strings and suspended chimes, divided neatly into four distinct sections by gold bells, silver bells, white jade bells, and cyan jade bells.
Yu Xingliang wove back and forth among the chimes, finding no useful intelligence whatsoever—only bells. Not a single scrap of paper was visible, let alone any actionable information.
Leaning lazily against a wooden pillar nearby, Fang Qiongya watched with amused interest as Yu Xingliang grew increasingly disoriented amidst the hanging chimes.
After searching fruitlessly for a while, Yu Xingliang began to harbor doubts. “Is this really the intelligence hub of Beiyu Hall?”
Noticing his growing skepticism, Fang Qiongya stepped gracefully into the sea of bells, reached casually into a nearby white jade chime, and withdrew a small, tightly rolled slip of paper.
Holding it up before Yu Xingliang’s eyes, he wordlessly proved his point.
Taking the paper, Yu Xingliang offered an awkward laugh. “Heh heh… so they were hidden inside the bells all along. Haha… thank you.”
Imitating the technique, Yu Xingliang shoved his fingers inside a silver bell, and sure enough, his fingers brushed against a hidden slip.
“I found a paper slip!” Yu Xingliang exclaimed excitedly, tugging hard to pull it free. Instantly, every silver bell throughout the floor erupted in a resounding chorus of loud chimes.
“Oh crap! The guards are going to come running from the noise!” Yu Xingliang turned a panicked look toward the pink-clad companion.
The young woman stared back at him and nodded with an innocent, smiling expression.
Hearing commotion approaching from outside, Yu Xingliang lost his nerve. Sweeping his arm around Fang Qiongya’s waist, he pressed their bodies together and leaped upward to cling to the overhead rafters.
Lacing her arms around Yu Xingliang’s neck, Fang Qiongya hung suspended against him, looking thoroughly content with the arrangement.