Chapter 2, Cactus

The monk Shede pondered: "Blaming the cactus is false, but blaming the benefactor is true"

Is he really doing well? This question was asked by Xiaodie herself, and an indescribable sadness spread in her eyes, causing even the cactus flowers to lower their heads in sorrow.

Yu Furong urgently called out: "Young Master, you... you must be careful, the leader of the Red Dragon Hall is very likely to be the renowned Loyal Sword Murong Qiuyue from twenty years ago." In fact, Yu Furong knew in her heart that if anyone in today's world could kill Murong Qiuyue, it would definitely be Ren Piaoping.

Ren Piaoping turned around and smiled, saying: "You are also a friend." Yu Furong replied with a bitter smile: "As long as you do not consider me an enemy in the future, I will be content."

Perhaps in haste, the hand pouring the wine revealed an arm, fair and delicate, on which was prominently tattooed a green cactus, identical to the one on the plain paper.

In Yu Furong's eyes, there was an unexpected mixture of compassion, a hint of affection, a touch of jealousy, and a sense of regret. Yu Furong softly inquired, "Young Master, would you like to hear another piece of 'Sheng Sheng Man'?" Although Ren Piaoping was still smiling, she did not respond. Yu Furong could not help but feel a twinge of anger; when had any man ever treated her with such indifference? She stood up and walked forward, only to be taken aback to find that Ren Piaoping had already fallen asleep.

Cacti predominantly grow in hot and arid regions, capable of adapting to any harsh environment; the flowers of cacti are vibrant and beautiful, yet never alluring or seductive; cacti possess thorns that can inflict pain and toxins that can be lethal.

Liu Rujun turned and walked towards Yu Furong, asking with concern: "Are you alright?"

All of this happened so quickly, as if Ren Piaoping had been sitting there all along, not moving at all

Liu Rujun muttered to herself: But why should the blame be placed on Brother Ren

"Young master has a keen eye," praised Yu Furong, perhaps a double entendre, while her eyes signaled Ziyun to leave. However, Ren Piaoping pretended not to see and said, "Ziyun, what a lovely name." Yet Ziyun was unable to leave, for no matter which direction she moved, Ren Piaoping stood in front of her.

Thus, Ren Piaoping and Liu Rujun are now sitting in the meditation room of Shaolin Temple, savoring tea. The tea is high-quality Xinyang Maojian, and the person brewing the tea is Master Shide, the chief elder of the Damo Courtyard at Shaolin Temple. Master Shide certainly understands Ren Piaoping's intentions, but he did not expect Liu Rujun to also be present, especially since Liu Rujun has been out of the public eye in the martial world for three years. Master Shide did not inquire further, and Ren Piaoping, of course, knows where Liu Rujun has been during these three years, yet she chooses not to speak of it. Master Shide is well aware of Ren Piaoping's purpose, but he did not anticipate Liu Rujun's arrival, given her three-year absence from the martial world. Master Shide refrains from asking, and Ren Piaoping, naturally aware of Liu Rujun's whereabouts over the past three years, also remains silent.

The monk Shede nodded and said: "The incident of Ouyang Xiaodie being abducted is quite puzzling. She spends her days taking care of her husband and children, never involving herself in the affairs of the martial world. The Cactus has no reason to kidnap her, and moreover, the Cactus only kills, not saves. As for the matter of Old Master Zhao being murdered, it is hard to say. One must know that in order to revitalize the Zhen Tian Gang, he has killed countless people. Therefore, his prominence has attracted many enemies, making it difficult to determine who the murderer is"

Ren Piaoping and Liu Rujun were both waiting for the next words. After a long while, Master Shede finally spoke in a deep voice: "The loyal and righteous sword Murong Qiuyue, how could he have become an assassin? Eighteen years ago, I was defeated by his sword by a narrow margin."

Jade Hibiscus sighed, "Young Master, why must you go through this again!"

Ren Piaoping is too tired, even when faced with a charming person like Yu Furong

The jade hibiscus has retreated to a point of no return, yet within her pair of eyes, there is no fear, only a pool of heart-wrenching melancholy. The jade hibiscus gently closes her eyes, locking away that pool of heart-wrenching melancholy.

Yu Furong took one of her own thin shirts and covered him, quietly watching him.

... ...

Liu Rujun could certainly sense the indifference of Yu Furong, but she had grown accustomed to it, and had even begun to appreciate Yu Furong's coldness

The monk Shede said: "This old monk cannot say for certain."

"Young Master, do you now understand that what you seek is the Red Dragon Hall and not my Jade Phoenix Hall?" Yu Furong said innocently, "I believe you are a reasonable person and would not put a young woman in a perilous situation."

Liu Rujun chuckled and said: "My dear brother, I truly apologize. I do not wish to always meet you with a sword in hand."

The key is Murong Qiuyue from the Red Dragon Hall

The monk remains silent; there is always a reason behind what a friend chooses to do.

Liu Rujun then said: "Does the master mean that someone is trying to frame the cactus?"

Ren Piaoping said with a bitter smile: "Liu, you truly are perceptive. Why is it that every time I see you, I end up so unfortunate"

In Yu Furong's eyes, there seemed to be a hint of reluctance as she softly said, "If the young master wishes to listen to a tune, you may come again to the Elegant Quiet Pavilion."

Before going to Chang'an, Ren Piaoping wants to see someone, a friend

Ouyang Xiaodie gazed at the cactus before her and couldn't help but say with pity: "It is said that your exterior is as hard as iron, but who knows that your inner self is as soft as water, alas..."

Yu Furong merely cast a faint glance at Liu Rujun and said: "Thank you, Young Master Liu"

In fact, Yu Furong knew in her heart that Ren Piaoping would not kill her. Firstly, Ren Piaoping is not someone who kills casually, and he is not entirely sure of his own identity; secondly, even if Ren Piaoping had confirmed his identity, he would not kill her if he could not see Ouyang Xiaodie; thirdly, there is no killing intent in Ren Piaoping's techniques.

Ouyang Xiaodie did not answer but urgently asked, "Have you seen him?"

Yet in Liu Rujun's eyes, there was endless sorrow and helplessness as she said: "If you consider me a friend, then Ji Qingyun from Chang'an is my friend. You know, I haven't had much to do lately"

At this moment, Ren Piaoping is listening to a melody sung by the most popular diva, Yu Furong, from the largest brothel in Luoyang, "Yajing Pavilion." Although the song is beautifully sung, it pales in comparison to her beauty. The singer is dressed in pure white feathered gauze, immaculate and seemingly out of place in such an environment. Her brows carry an indescribable charm that captivates all the men in the world, leaving them in a state of melancholy.

... ...

Hope is given by oneself, while disappointment is given by others. To give others hope is not to give them disappointment

Ren Piaoping seems to be intoxicated

In fact, Ren Piaoping is also at a loss regarding the matter of Xiao Die. She is well aware of Xiao Die's martial arts skills, and there are likely very few in this world who could abduct her.

The sound of the pipa had unknowingly ceased, the piece had come to an end. At this moment, Yu Furong's pair of exquisite eyes was fixed motionlessly on Ren Piaoping. Ren Piaoping was certainly not the kind of man that women would instantly take a liking to, but he was undoubtedly the kind of man that women would never forget once they had seen him. His face bore signs of exhaustion, accompanied by an indescribable melancholy; between his brows seemed to be embedded a natural indifference, as if everything in the world had nothing to do with him; the corners of his smiling mouth subtly concealed a hint of pride, and the two dimples, barely visible, were filled with immense determination. His face bore signs of exhaustion, accompanied by an indescribable melancholy; between his brows seemed to be embedded a natural indifference, as if everything in the world had nothing to do with him; the corners of his smiling mouth subtly concealed a hint of pride, and the two dimples, barely visible, were filled with immense determination.

Yu Furong gazed at Ouyang Xiaodie, captivated.

The monk Shede exclaimed, "The Red Dragon Hall? The Red Dragon Hall of the Cactus? Murong Qiuyue?!"

Yufurong sighed softly and said: "I have seen it!"

The jade hibiscus flashed her bright eyes and lightly parted her vermilion lips to say: "I am not very clear either, I only know that its headquarters is located in Chang'an"

"Benefactor, are you going to Chang'an to meet him?" the monk asked

Although Yu Furong knew that Ren Piaoping would never kill her, she did not understand why she felt so melancholic

Ren Piaoping laughed heartily and said: "We are all lost souls in this vast world, why must we have known each other before we meet?" The person was already outside the door

Ren Piaoping stated: "Good tea, picked before Qingming, consisting of one bud and one leaf, has an elegant aroma and a rich, mellow flavor, with a sweet aftertaste that brings forth a refreshing sensation."

The woman in the purple dress suddenly withdrew her hand. Ren Piaoping, seemingly oblivious, stood up, finished the wine in her cup, and sat down again, saying: "This is good wine; it must be top-quality daughter red that has been aged for thirty years!"

"Are you talking about flowers or people?" This is clearly the voice of Yu Furong

"Well, we must meet at some point," Ren Piaoping replied

Whenever faced with a tricky situation, Ren Piaoping would always seek a place like this to relax, as tension often leads to mistakes, especially since he currently has no idea where to start

Liu Rujun said: "May I ask, Master, how many people in the martial world are capable of killing Old Master Zhao?"

Yu Furong seemed to be afraid of damaging that thin garment, or perhaps feared that the wall would break her palm, and could only retract her hand. The wall moved too quickly for Yu Furong to change her stance, forcing her to retreat. At that moment, Ziyun's pair of jade hands appeared to be about to land on Ren Piaoping's back, yet they would never reach it, simply because Ren Piaoping and Yu Furong's movements were too swift.

Jade Furong extended her hand, the same hand that had played the pipa, but it was no longer the delicate and feeble hand from before. Her slender hand transformed into countless thorny cacti, stabbing towards Ren Piaoping's left rib. Ren Piaoping did not evade; instead, she picked up the thin garment that Jade Furong had just draped over her, and the garment instantly turned into an incredibly hard wall

Sister! A beautiful woman in purple has entered from outside, holding a pot of wine. "Shh," Yu Furong quickly gestured for silence with her finger. However, Ren Piaoping had already woken up, sniffed, and said, "Good wine." She took the wine from the purple-clad woman's hand and said, "Thank you, the fragrance of the young lady is more enticing than that of the wine that entered the room earlier." A blush quietly crept onto the face of the purple-clad woman, who looked at Yu Furong and sweetly said, "Young master, let Ziyun pour the wine for you."

At this moment, Yu Furong was standing behind Ouyang Xiaodie, and she was, of course, referring to Ren Piaoping. However, when mentioning Ren Piaoping now, her heart was no longer calm as it had been in the past; it was in disarray.

Liu Rujun and Yu Furong did not speak a single word to each other during this period, nor did they exchange a glance. Liu Rujun was afraid, afraid of heartbreak, and even more afraid that she would be unable to resist the urge to stay; Yu Furong was unwilling, unwilling to give the other even the slightest hope, for with hope comes disappointment

The monk Shede replied: "Master Liu, what you inquire about is that in a direct confrontation, it is likely not to exceed twenty individuals; however, if other underhanded methods are employed, the outcome is uncertain"

Ren Piaoping stood up and thanked, "Thank you very much, I shall take my leave now"

Regardless of whether they are men or women, they are all quite petty, favoring those who do not reciprocate their feelings while desiring the affection of those who do not like them. Once they encounter someone they like who also likes them back, others will no longer be interested.

Ren Piaoping could only smile bitterly

Ren Piaoping, of course, understood the situation, and slowly said: "I would appreciate it if you could clarify, Miss." However, she was questioning in her heart: How did you know that I was looking for the Red Dragon Hall instead of the Jade Phoenix Hall, or rather, are you the very person who left the note?

The monk asked: "How is the tea brewed by the monk?"

Ren Piaoping only knows that the cactus engages in the oldest business of humanity in the martial world, which is killing. No matter who it is, as long as they can afford the price, regardless of who the victim is, they will undoubtedly die

At this moment, Ouyang Xiaodie stood amidst the cacti, surrounded by flowers of various colors. Yet, how could the beauty of these flowers compare to even a fraction of her own beauty? Her appearance bore no resemblance to that of someone who had been kidnapped.

Ren Piaoping laughed heartily and said, "Friend, good!" She then stepped forward and walked out the door

Ren Piaoping still smiled, and he felt that the Yajing Pavilion today seemed increasingly interesting. Liu Rujun not only had good looks and excellent martial arts, but his father, Liu Juyuan, was also the owner of one of the four major banks in Shanxi, the Kaiyuan Bank. Liu Rujun was the kind of handsome man that women would instantly be attracted to. Moreover, Liu Rujun had a way with women; almost every notable woman in the martial world had some connection with him, earning him the nickname 'the one who understands women's hearts.' However, today he appeared to be completely different.

At this moment, Ren Piaoping saw Liu Rujun again, who was understanding and empathetic.

Ren Piaoping indeed had no intention of killing Yu Furong. Just as he was about to withdraw, a strong surge of sword energy rushed towards the crown of his head, while behind him was Ziyun's palm. Ren Piaoping had no choice but to move sideways three feet, creating a distance that felt like a world apart, yet he had already retreated back to the chair he had just occupied, and simply sat down again on the chair.

Sometimes, friends need to have some secrets between them

Xiao Die smiled slyly, turned around, and said, "I guessed it right, hasn't he become the caterpillar in your heart?" Without waiting for Yu Furong to respond, she asked again, "Is he doing well? Has he lost weight? What is he wearing today?" A series of questions left Yu Furong even more flustered, and she could only reply, "He is doing well, everything is fine with him."

Yufurong was already seated in front of Ren Piaoping, directly exposing her left arm, which revealed a green cactus similar to that of Ziyun. Yufurong said: "The cactus is divided into four halls, with flower colors of red, green, yellow, and white, respectively named Chilong Hall, Yufeng Hall, Jinsah Hall, and Baihu Hall. Each hall operates independently without interaction, taking orders on their own, and in the case of assassinating important figures, they are coordinated and dispatched by the main hall."