Chapter 282 - 173: Hidden Sword Manor, Martial World Assembly, Plum Blossoms in the Snow

Chapter 282: Chapter 173: Hidden Sword Manor, Martial World Assembly, Plum Blossoms in the Snow

Xie Luohe was leaning against the wall, her eyes closed in rest and her breathing even. When Zheng Xiu walked in, she opened her eyes and glanced at Xiaotao.

Xiaotao presented a folded fan to Zheng Xiu with both hands. "Sir, this is... from my lady."

She didn’t even notice the sour, jealous tinge to her own voice as she spoke.

Zheng Xiu didn’t refuse, nor did he ask any questions. He was gradually getting used to Xie Luohe’s domineering ways, and was even starting to enjoy it. The paper fan was surprisingly heavy in his hand; its ribs were forged from fine iron. With a sharp SNAP, Zheng Xiu flicked the fan open. Four carefree words were written on its surface: "Carefree in the Mortal World."

Huh?

Suddenly, Zheng Xiu’s eye twitched. "Xiao Buping’s fan?"

Xie Luohe looked up and retorted, "Is there a problem?"

"Nope. You’d just say that everything in Yunhe Village belongs to you, and you can give it to whomever you please," Zheng Xiu retorted.

Xiaotao was dumbfounded.

’Come to think of it, that really does sound like something my lady would say.’

’Sir, how do you know my lady so well?’

Hearing this, Xie Luohe froze. Zheng Xiu had taken the words right out of her mouth, leaving her speechless. She turned her head away in a sullen huff.

Xie Luohe explained that there was a hidden mechanism on the inner side of the fan’s ribs. Pressing it would shoot out steel needles—twelve per volley, with enough for six volleys, totaling seventy-two needles.

Zheng Xiu immediately asked, "How do you reload it once they’re all gone?"

Xie Luohe thought for a moment before stating matter-of-factly, "You pick them off the corpses."

’...How lame.’

At first, Zheng Xiu thought Xiao Buping’s gimmick was pretty cool. But after hearing Xie Luohe’s explanation, his image of Martial Knights plummeted once again. ’They’re not even as cool as Miracle Masters.’

Zheng Xiu didn’t really want it; the whole thing felt strange. Xiao Buping, the Iron Fan Scholar whose wife was stolen, now had his signature weapon stolen by Xie Luohe, only for it to end up in Zheng Xiu’s hands... Zheng Xiu found the whole situation bizarre. ’It seems poor Xiao is the only one who keeps getting screwed over.’

After a long day of bouncing on horseback, it wasn’t long before Xiaotao fell into a deep sleep. By the light of the fire, Zheng Xiu took out the so-called "Heroic Invitation" to examine it again.

The contents of the Heroic Invitation were written in a flowery, formal style, but it all boiled down to one thing.

Time: The first day of the third month.

Place: Hidden Sword Manor.

Event: The Manor Master of Hidden Sword Manor cordially invites the heroes of the Martial World to an assembly to re-rank the Weapon Manual.

Of course, someone of Xie Luohe’s caliber wouldn’t possibly be interested in her ranking on the Weapon Manual.

She had said it herself: the only reason she was ranked fiftieth on the Weapon Manual was because she chose to be ranked fiftieth.

The important part was the last sentence.

After the Martial World Assembly, Dugu Xiang—the Manor Master of Hidden Sword Manor and the man publicly acknowledged as the "World’s Number One Sword"—would reveal the "Plum Blossoms in the Snow" map he had come across by chance. He would show it to the new top ten masters of the Weapon Manual, so they could discuss the secrets of Nie Gong’s Treasure Vault together.

Plum Blossoms in the Snow—the winter map from the Four Seasons Map!

’So it’s in Dugu Xiang’s hands.’

No wonder Xie Luohe was taking action. She had been waiting all this time for news of the Four Seasons Map.

Zheng Xiu stared at every word on the Heroic Invitation.

The invitation was for Xie Luohe.

But Zheng Xiu felt something was off. Ever since the National Preceptor appeared, first Gongsun Mo had shown up, then Chu Chengfeng had hijacked a Prisoner Transport Vehicle—only for Xie Luohe to interfere—and now, the Plum Blossoms in the Snow had surfaced.

’Good grief,’ he thought. ’It’s like these Four Seasons Maps grew legs. They were scattered all over the place, in the hands of different people, and now they’re all converging through a series of unbelievable coincidences.’

’Coincidence?’

Zheng Xiu didn’t buy it. He rubbed his furrowed brow, lost in thought.

Suddenly, a cool voice spoke from right in front of him. "What are you worried about?"

Zheng Xiu jolted and looked up at the person before him.

He saw "Xie Luohe" wearing a smile. A lock of hair fell to cover her right eye. She was squatting in front of him, her hands clasped and hidden behind her back.

"Don’t worry. I’m here."

"Xie Luohe’s" right hand slowly reached for Zheng Xiu’s face, only to suddenly pull back halfway.

Zheng Xiu’s pupils contracted sharply. "Feng Bei?"