Chapter Four: The Girl in White Appears

Lin Jian quickly averted his gaze and stammered, "I apologize, miss, it was truly unintentional... Please forgive me." The girl in white retorted angrily, "You say it was unintentional, yet I clearly saw you staring!" Lin Jian found it hard to defend himself; having stared at the girl, he had no retort to her anger and could only nod in apology, saying, "I truly beg your pardon. I could not help but look a few more times due to your celestial beauty, and I have offended you. I hope you can forgive me." The girl in white blushed slightly and scolded, "You are quite the smooth talker, clearly not a good person. It is one thing to look at me, but why did you harm my snow rabbit?" Lin Jian was taken aback and could only nod in apology again, saying, "I truly beg your pardon. I could not help but look a few more times due to your celestial beauty, and I have offended you. I hope you can forgive me." The girl in white blushed again and scolded, "You are quite the smooth talker, clearly not a good person. It is one thing to look at me, but why did you harm my snow rabbit?" Lin Jian was stunned and asked, "Snow rabbit?" His heart sank as he thought this was not good. The girl in white shifted her embroidered shoe, revealing the rabbit that Lin Jian had been teasing, now calmly sitting behind her. Lin Jian gasped inwardly, realizing he had encountered the owner while trying to catch the rabbit, truly caught red-handed, with no words left to say. He never expected that a rabbit in this vast forest would belong to someone. He forced a smile and said, "Miss, I thought your snow rabbit was so adorable that I wanted to catch it and take it home to raise." He should have kept quiet, but upon speaking, the girl became even angrier. She pointed at the branch in Lin Jian's hand and exclaimed, "Are you going to use that to catch it and take it home?" Lin Jian hurriedly hid the branch behind him, stubbornly insisting, "No, no, it’s not like that. I... I was just thinking... if it weren't so cunning, I could catch it without this branch..." The girl was furious and, before he could finish, swung a whip towards Lin Jian.

The young girl blushed deeply, and suddenly the whip's momentum changed, becoming incredibly fierce, forcing her to use all her might in her techniques. Lin Jian watched in alarm, while Hu Jun could not help but retreat step by step. He had to be careful not to harm the girl while also trying to evade her desperate attacks, truly in a state of confusion. In the heat of battle, the girl executed a move: "Long River Setting Sun," skillfully twisting her wrist, the whip's tip coiling around Hu Jun's neck. This move was the same one she had used to entangle Lin Jian's wrist in the forest that day. Hu Jun leaned back, lifting his single knife from below to hook the girl's whip tip. Then, his body spun like a top, pulling the whip back as if it were a string. The girl immediately lunged toward Hu Jun, who raised the hilt of his knife and struck her shoulder, while his left hand pulled, wrapping the golden whip around his own hand. The girl fell to the ground, and Hu Jun said, "Alright, come back with me obediently." He approached the girl. After being struck on the shoulder, the girl felt numb on one side and found it difficult to move for a moment. Lin Jian, furious, shouted, "If you dare to touch the girl, I will never let you go!" Hu Jun laughed, "Oh? Is that so? Then I will touch her for you to see." Saying this, he reached out to touch the girl's face, who was already in tears. Lin Jian's blood surged, his body trembled violently, and with a fierce roar, the two thick pillars bound by iron chains were actually torn apart by his shout. With a thunderous crash, the two pillars fell, leaving the girl and Hu Jun stunned. Lin Jian swung the iron chain and smashed it toward Hu Jun. Startled, Hu Jun blocked with his single knife, and with a clang, he was pushed back two steps. Seizing the opportunity, Lin Jian did not relent, gripping the iron chain tightly and swinging it continuously, creating gusts of wind that sent dust swirling throughout the room.

Lin Jian rested for a while; he could endure his hunger, but the thirst was unbearable. He took out his wine gourd, hoping to find at least a drop of water inside, but the gourd was completely empty, not even a grain of sand. Lin Jian lay on the grass, and suddenly an idea struck him. He turned over, sat up, and pulled apart several layers of grass, taking some of it and chewing it. It turned out that in the deep mountains, the nights are cold and the dew is heavy, and the grass close to the ground often retains dew. At this moment, dawn was just breaking, and the dew had not yet evaporated. Although it was only a little, it could still moisten his parched throat. While Lin Jian was chewing the grass, he suddenly heard a tinkling laugh behind him. He was startled and turned around to see a young girl standing outside the window, her delicate hand covering her cherry lips as she giggled. Lin Jian asked, "What are you laughing at!" With grass still in his mouth, he could only be understood by himself. The girl shook the water bottle in her hand and said, "I didn't know you had this trick. I originally wanted to bring you some water, but seeing you gnawing on grass like this, I thought you could last a day or two without dying of thirst." Lin Jian hurriedly replied, "Miss! I’m just playing around with the grass; how could I survive a day or two without water!" He spoke quickly, and as he did, the grass in his mouth flew around with his opening and closing lips. By the time he finished spitting out the grass, the girl had already gone far away. Lin Jian was momentarily stunned, then he smiled bitterly and shook his head, grabbing another handful of grass and stuffing it into his mouth.

The young girl, seeing the urgency of the situation, waved her hand, and a golden whip shot out like a dragon emerging from its cave, striking towards Hu Jun's face. Hu Jun had no choice but to withdraw his attack, turning his saber to deflect the golden whip. The girl then shifted her whip downward, launching a rapid attack on Hu Jun with the move "Fishing for Needles at the Bottom of the Sea." Although Hu Jun was stout, his agility was remarkable, and he managed to evade several strikes. The girl's long whip continued relentlessly; before she could execute the move "Poisonous Dragon Emerges from the Cave," she immediately followed up with "Sweeping Across Thousands of Troops," creating an impenetrable barrage. However, Hu Jun deftly dodged left and right, wielding his saber with ease and composure. Lin Jian observed that Hu Jun's saber technique was steady, only changing his moves around his body, which was an extremely conservative style. Suddenly, he thought: "So that's it, he intends to use this saber technique to exhaust the girl in white. She is already injured, and this whip technique is quite energy-consuming. At this rate, she probably won't last more than a dozen moves." As he had anticipated, the girl in white soon showed signs of fatigue after just over ten moves. Hu Jun laughed heartily and said, "You should obediently come back with me to be my wife!" Lin Jian was taken aback and suddenly thought: "So that's it, he intends to use this saber technique to exhaust the girl in white. She is already injured, and this whip technique is quite energy-consuming. At this rate, she probably won't last more than a dozen moves." As he had anticipated, the girl in white soon showed signs of fatigue after just over ten moves. Hu Jun laughed heartily and said, "You should obediently come back with me to be my wife!" Lin Jian was shocked and angrily retorted, "What kind of joke is this!" Hu Jun replied with a laugh, "That's none of your business. After I deal with this girl, I'll take care of you next." He looked at Lin Jian, whose hands were shackled with iron chains, resembling meat waiting to be butchered. Lin Jian angrily exclaimed, "You are like a toad wishing to eat swan meat!" Hu Jun laughed heartily and said, "You are worrying for nothing; this girl is not going to marry me, and even if she did, I wouldn't dare to take her." Lin Jian asked, "Then who is she going to marry?" Hu Jun replied, "Of course, she is destined for the young master Hu Liancheng, the son of the chief of Tiger Mountain Village. Only he is worthy of her; you are the one who is like a toad wishing to eat swan meat!"

The sound of "rustling" outside the window once again echoed, indicating that they were taking action. Lin Jian felt curious and thought, "Who are they? Could it be that they are coming to deal with this girl? If that is the case, I cannot stand by and watch!" He seemed to have forgotten that the young girl still had to deal with him. After a moment, the noise subsided, and the surroundings fell silent, with only the sound of insects chirping. Lin Jian let out a sigh, secretly thinking, "It must be about the thieves, checking if the owner is here; it seems they have already left." He gazed at the bright moon outside, and in the soft moonlight, the visage of a young girl gradually emerged. After a moment, the noise subsided again, and the surroundings fell silent, with only the sound of insects chirping. Lin Jian let out a sigh, secretly thinking, "It must be about the thieves, checking if the owner is here; it seems they have already left." He gazed at the bright moon outside, and in the soft moonlight, the visage of a young girl gradually emerged, and Lin Jian watched until he fell asleep. In the midst of his deep slumber, Lin Jian faintly heard a sound, and he unknowingly woke up as if from a dream, slowly opening his eyes. The girl from last night's moonlight suddenly appeared before him, and Lin Jian smiled, saying, "You are here!" The girl was slightly taken aback, seeing his beaming face, and huffed, saying, "You must have had a good dream!" Lin Jian was startled and sat up, realizing it was already high noon. He had unknowingly slept until midday, feeling hungry and exhausted. Lin Jian looked at the girl, unsure if he was still dreaming. The girl said, "It seems you slept quite soundly." Lin Jian replied, "What new trick do you have to deal with me this time?" The girl smiled slightly and walked away, revealing two servants each carrying two wooden buckets. Seeing the situation was not right, Lin Jian felt a surge of fear, secretly wondering what was in those buckets. The girl said, "It seems you slept quite soundly." Lin Jian replied, "What new trick do you have to deal with me this time?" The girl smiled slightly and walked away, revealing two servants each carrying two wooden buckets. Seeing the situation was not right, Lin Jian felt a surge of fear, secretly wondering what was in those buckets. Could it be excrement? The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became, while the girl became increasingly pleased, laughing, "Are you scared? You might as well admit defeat; I might still consider whether to let you go."

Lin Jian rushed to the young girl’s side in just a few steps, and upon seeing her face filled with joy, his chest involuntarily warmed, and his blood surged within him. The girl forced herself to stand up. Lin Jian, feeling worried, gently said, "It would be better if you do not stand up; wait until I deal with these people before we escape together." The girl slightly shook her head and leaned against him. Lin Jian steadied his mind and noticed that the faces of those people were all filled with horror, and they could not stop him, which made him feel relieved. However, when he turned around, he could not help but feel tense again. He saw another group of people rushing over, led by a man wearing a short jacket of yellow and black colors, with a dark complexion and a domineering presence. Lin Jian steadied himself again, noticing that the faces of these people were all filled with horror, and they could not stop him, which made him feel relieved. But when he turned around, he could not help but feel tense again. He saw another group of people rushing over, led by a man wearing a short jacket of yellow and black colors, with a dark complexion and a domineering presence. Seeing this situation, he was taken aback and looked up at Lin Jian, only to find Lin Jian dressed in coarse cloth, looking entirely like a peasant, making it hard to believe he had such abilities. When he turned his gaze to see Hu Jun's corpse, he was shocked again. He saw this situation and was taken aback, looking up at Lin Jian, only to find Lin Jian dressed in coarse cloth, looking entirely like a peasant, making it hard to believe he had such abilities. When he turned his gaze to see Hu Jun's corpse, he was shocked again, and he shouted at Lin Jian, "Did you kill Hu Jun?" Lin Jian replied, "That fat man was too overbearing; what’s so regrettable about killing him?" The man angrily retorted, "What a bold statement!" But then he thought, "This kid actually killed Hu Jun; his skills must be quite good. For a peasant to have such abilities, he must have been taught by a reclusive master. I need to find a way to clarify his background and avoid provoking someone I cannot afford to offend." He was naturally cautious and overly concerned, so he suppressed the anger in his heart and said to Lin Jian, "I am Hu Dawei, the chief of Tiger Mountain Stronghold. You have impressive skills! May I ask your esteemed name and which master you are a disciple of?" He suppressed the anger in his heart and said to Lin Jian, "I am Hu Dawei, the chief of Tiger Mountain Stronghold. You have impressive skills! May I ask your esteemed name and which master you are a disciple of?"

The young girl asked, "What of it? If his skills are not impressive, how could he possibly defeat others?" Steward Wang replied, "The master often says that if a person's internal strength reaches a certain level, then practicing any advanced martial arts will come easily to them, without any effort. This young gentleman possesses such skill at a tender age, which is indeed remarkable." The girl felt quite dissatisfied and retorted, "I have fought him before, and he doesn't seem to be anything special; he merely relies on his greater physical strength as a man." Her words were filled with disdain. Steward Wang inquired, "Miss, have you fought him? How exactly did this young gentleman come to be captured by you?" The girl replied, "Indeed, yesterday while I was strolling in the woods, I happened to see him trying to harm the snow rabbit I raised. I caught him red-handed, and he even tried to deny it. I was furious at the time and engaged him in a fight." Steward Wang listened attentively and then asked, "Miss, was he unarmed when he fought you?" The girl huffed, "He doesn't have that capability! However, he was quite arrogant, using a branch to spar with my Golden Dragon Whip." Steward Wang asked, "Did you win, Miss?" The girl said, "His footwork is indeed very strange; no matter how I attacked, he was able to evade my strikes." Steward Wang was greatly intrigued and asked, "What is so strange about it?" The girl explained, "His footwork is very quick, and his body moves in a way that is hard to fathom, yet it appears as if he is merely strolling, without any effort at all."

Lin Jian took a breath, fearing that the urine would not be fresh, and had no choice but to drink it down hard. After finishing, Lin Jian was already drenched in sweat. He tied the wine gourd back to his belt and sat down to circulate his energy and adjust his breathing. He had consumed half a gourd of urine; although it was difficult to drink, it was still water and could quench his thirst. After drinking, Lin Jian felt somewhat revitalized. As the day gradually faded with the sunset, the girl did not come today, and Lin Jian had no interest in speculating about it. The next morning, Lin Jian was awakened by hurried footsteps. He peeked out the window, but unfortunately, the woodshed was secluded, and he saw nothing, only hearing the distant sound of a gong and the hurried footsteps. As the day faded with the sunset, the girl did not come again, and Lin Jian was still disinterested in speculating. The next morning, he was startled awake by the hurried footsteps. He looked out the window, but the secluded woodshed revealed nothing, only the distant sound of a gong and hurried footsteps. The sounds were mixed, clearly indicating that something was very urgent. Lin Jian thought, "Could it be that the village is on fire? I am trapped here; if no one comes to rescue me, will I not be burned to death!" He sighed inwardly in despair. Suddenly, someone ran towards the woodshed, and Lin Jian was overjoyed: "They have come to rescue me!" The door was quickly opened, and Steward Wang entered, holding a bottle. He walked up to Lin Jian, placed the bottle down, and said, "Young Master, this is Baihua Lu, which can greatly replenish your vital energy." He seemed quite anxious, and before finishing his sentence, he placed the bottle down and turned to leave. Lin Jian was taken aback; Steward Wang had come in a hurry and left just as quickly, not even closing the door. Lin Jian felt that this was quite strange, but he had no time to think much about it. He picked up the bottle and uncorked it, and a wave of fragrance rushed out. Lin Jian felt invigorated, took a sip, and felt a refreshing coolness throughout his body, indescribably comfortable. He drank the entire precious Baihua Lu in one go. After circulating his energy and adjusting his breathing, he had already recovered.

She thought that this would force Lin Jian to let go, but unexpectedly, Lin Jian practiced the "Fei Xue Ling Bo Bu" technique, and his agility surpassed that of the young girl. Lin Jian secretly found it amusing: "Today, I will let this unreasonable girl taste some hardship!" He tightened his grip on the branch, and his body began to spin faster. The girl was taken aback; her internal energy was no match for Lin Jian's. If this continued, she could barely keep up for a while, but eventually, she would not be able to hold on. In the blink of an eye, they had spun several zhangs, and a tree stood in their path. If this continued, they would inevitably get entangled. However, they had reached a point where they could not stop. Lin Jian suddenly shouted loudly, channeling his internal energy, and forcefully broke the branch. The girl loosened her grip, and her long whip recoiled. Lin Jian secretly breathed a sigh of relief, looking at the girl in white, whose chest was heaving, and her pale face had turned slightly blue, clearly still in shock. Lin Jian said, "Let’s consider this a draw and stop fighting." If he were to concede, the girl might still relent, but Lin Jian knew he had the upper hand. Calling it a draw made him feel wronged, and he absolutely could not concede again. The girl in white, having been raised in privilege since childhood, had developed a character that believed she could only win. However, upon hearing Lin Jian's words, her brows furrowed, and with a slight tilt of her delicate chin, she said, "Hmph! Today, we must determine a winner!" Lin Jian, slightly angered, replied, "Why are you being so unreasonable! I have matters to attend to at home and do not wish to waste time with you!" With that, he tossed his head and walked away.

Lin Jiandao said: "I do not know you, and you need not know me; we are unrelated. I only ask that you let this young lady go!" Hu Dawei coldly replied: "You think quite beautifully, but after you have harmed so many of our brothers, you expect to simply brush aside this grievance. I fear my many brothers will not agree!" As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd behind him immediately erupted in uproar, raising their weapons high. Lin Jian thought for a moment and said: "These brothers of yours were all injured by me. If you let this young lady go, I will take full responsibility for my actions! I fear my many brothers will not agree!" As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd behind him immediately erupted in uproar, raising their weapons high. Lin Jian thought for a moment and said: "These brothers of yours were all injured by me. If you let this young lady go, I will take full responsibility for my actions! If there is anything, just come find me!" Hu Dawei sneered: "Well said, but unfortunately neither of you will be leaving!" With a wave of his hand, he shouted: "Surround them!" The group could no longer contain themselves; upon hearing the command, they immediately rushed forward to encircle Lin Jian and the young lady. Lin Jian sighed inwardly, thinking that if he could die with her, it would not be in vain for this life. The young lady gently whispered in Lin Jian's ear: "If we can die together, I will have no regrets." Lin Jian's heart stirred, and he thought to himself: "No matter what, I must protect her." With this thought, he tightened his grip on the iron chain. Just then, Hu Dawei drew his large knife, and at that moment, someone suddenly shouted loudly: "The young master has arrived!" Upon hearing this, the others quickly dispersed, standing on either side. A group of people emerged from the crowd, leading the way was a young man dressed in splendid attire, around twenty years old, presumably the young master. This person had thin eyebrows and small eyes, a long and pale face, exuding an air of arrogance and superiority. Lin Jian secretly laughed to himself, thinking that this person looked quite the opposite of Hu Jun.

As he was resting with his eyes closed, a person rushed in at the door. Lin Jian couldn't help but smile, thinking it must be that steward Wang who forgot to close the door and had come back to shut it. When he opened his eyes, he was taken aback; standing at the door was not steward Wang, but a girl in white. She was still dressed in white, her complexion paler than her clothes, and her left shoulder was injured, blood staining half of her white attire. The girl in white ran breathlessly to Lin Jian's side, took out a key from her bosom, and unlocked the iron shackles on his feet. Lin Jian was startled and hurriedly asked, "What happened to you!" Seeing the concern on his face, the girl felt greatly comforted and said, "You, you just need to leave quickly!" Lin Jian asked, "Why? What on earth happened?" The girl urged, "Don't ask so much!" Saying this, she took out a sword and thrust it into Lin Jian's hand, saying, "You, you have high martial arts skills, escape on your own!" Lin Jian questioned, "Escape? Why should I escape when everything is fine?" The girl touched the iron shackles on Lin Jian's wrist and insisted, "You, you just need to leave quickly!" Lin Jian pressed, "Why? What on earth happened?" The girl anxiously said, "Don't ask so much!" She took out a sword and thrust it into Lin Jian's hand again, saying, "You, you have high martial arts skills, escape on your own!" Lin Jian asked, "Escape? Why should I escape when everything is fine?" The girl touched the iron shackles on Lin Jian's wrist again, and picked up the key to unlock them, but her hands trembled violently, unable to hold it steady, clearly filled with deep fear and conflict. Suddenly, Lin Jian reached out and grasped her smooth, jade-like hand. The girl was slightly startled but did not struggle. Lin Jian felt a secret joy in his heart as the girl held his hand back and whispered, "No matter what, you, you must not forget me." Lin Jian was taken aback, and the girl continued, "Once you leave, just keep running back to the village, do not return here." Before Lin Jian could respond, the girl reached out to unlock the handcuffs, when suddenly a coarse voice shouted, "Where do you think you're going!" Both of them were startled; this person had come without a sound!

Lin Jianxin thought that under the current circumstances, it would be wise to escape to the back mountain. He turned to the young girl and exchanged a knowing glance, and she immediately understood, running with him towards the back door. Lin Jian wrapped the iron chain around his hand and ran with ease. When he reached the door, he turned to check if the girl was following, and his heart sank at the sight of her being surrounded, sitting helplessly on the ground. At this moment, if Lin Jian dashed out the back door, he could escape and reunite with Lin Qiu. However, if he went back, he might not only fail to save her but also lose his own life. He thought, "I should escape first, regain my strength, and then come back to devise a plan for her." But then he reconsidered, "If I leave now, she will surely be forced by others!" He also reflected, "She is not related to me; she has always tormented me, yet I still think of her goodness. Why should I throw away my life for her? Moreover, who will take care of my grandfather if I die?" As these thoughts crossed his mind, he felt a pang in his chest. He looked up at the girl, who was gazing back at him with a sorrowful expression, as if bidding a final farewell. Lin Jian's heart tightened, and he steeled himself: "Enough is enough! If I die, then I die. A man should be able to protect even a woman; how can I face the world if I cannot?" With his blood surging, Lin Jian let out a long howl and charged forward. The ten or so people surrounding the girl were taken aback, and the timid ones stepped back, while a few bold ones with knives advanced towards him. Lin Jian shouted, "Get out of my way!" He swung the iron chain horizontally, knocking several of them to the ground. The others, terrified, fled as Lin Jian charged in, swinging the two iron chains relentlessly, striking down anyone who came near, truly unstoppable, sweeping through the crowd.

The young girl glanced at Lin Jian, who murmured, "May I ask what brings you here, Miss?" The girl, with her phoenix-like eyes turning, smiled and replied, "Oh, it's nothing much." Lin Jian felt a sense of unease, unsure of how to respond. The girl then asked, "Tell me, who is more skilled in martial arts, you or I?" Lin Jian pondered for a moment, while Steward Wang subtly gestured to him, seemingly urging him to concede. Understanding the implication, Lin Jian realized that the girl was not satisfied and wanted him to admit defeat before she would relent. Lin Jian thought to himself, "I, Lin Jian, am a good man and have done nothing wrong; why should I concede to a headstrong girl? Hmph! Doing so would only fuel her arrogance!" Lin Jian smiled slightly, and the girl repeated, "Tell me, who is more skilled in martial arts, you or I?" Lin Jian reflected again, and Steward Wang gave him another discreet signal, as if to say he should yield. Lin Jian, seeing that expression, understood that the girl was still unwilling to back down and wanted him to admit defeat. He thought, "I, Lin Jian, am a good man and have done nothing wrong; why should I concede to a headstrong girl? Hmph! Doing so would only fuel her arrogance!" Lin Jian smiled slightly and said, "This matter happened just the day before yesterday; you are still young, so you shouldn't forget so quickly, right?" The girl's expression changed slightly, and she said, "What I ask, you should answer; why so many words!" Lin Jian replied, "Don't you know who is more skilled in martial arts?" The girl insisted, "I want to hear you say it yourself!" Lin Jian admitted, "Indeed, I acknowledge that your whip technique is quite formidable, but unfortunately, you have not managed to strike me." The girl let out a cold laugh and asked, "Is that true?" Lin Jian smiled and began to respond, "That is..." but his expression suddenly changed, and he could no longer continue. He then saw the girl slowly draw a golden whip from her sleeve and brandish it in her hand, asking, "Is that true?" Lin Jian smiled and began to respond, "That is..." but his expression suddenly changed, and he could no longer continue. He then saw the girl slowly draw a golden whip from her sleeve and brandish it in her hand.

After pondering for a moment, Butler Wang truly could not think of any peculiar martial arts footwork in the martial world. He then said, "Miss, my knowledge is limited, and I cannot guess the name of this footwork. The master is well-versed in knowledge; he will surely know." The young lady replied, "It is a pity that he does not know when he will return to the library." Butler Wang asked, "That being said, how did you manage to capture him?" The young lady's face showed a hint of embarrassment. After a slight hesitation, she recounted the events to Butler Wang. He nodded in understanding and said, "If that is the case, then why did you want to capture him?" The young lady replied fiercely, "I want him to admit defeat!" Butler Wang knew that this young lady was the apple of the master's eye, spoiled since childhood, and after learning martial arts, she had become even more arrogant. No one had dared to defy her will until now. Women tend to have smaller hearts, and this was especially true for young ladies of wealth. He fell silent and, after a while, asked, "How do you plan to deal with him?" The young lady smiled slightly, exuding confidence, and said, "I have my own methods. I will gradually wear down his sharpness and pride until he submits!" After a slight pause, she added, "Butler Wang, what did he say when you went?" Butler Wang repeated Lin Jian's words. After hearing this, the young lady chuckled and asked, "Did he really say that?" Butler Wang replied, "I have been observing his expression; it cannot be false." The young lady thought for a moment and said, "Alright, I will meet him tomorrow." Butler Wang asked, "Then should we send him food tonight?" The young lady replied, "No need. He must be made to feel hungry to wear down his sharpness!"

After the steward stepped outside, he walked through a long corridor and entered a parlor where a young lady was seated. She had changed into a light yellow dress, looking even more enchanting. The steward approached and bowed, saying, "Miss, he has eaten his fill." The young lady waved her left hand and replied, "Steward Wang, you have truly gone to great lengths." Steward Wang hurriedly responded, "I dare not! I dare not! The Wang family has greatly benefited from the kindness of the master and the young lady; I would not hesitate to go through fire and water for the young lady!" The young lady smiled and said, "Steward Wang, you flatter me!" After a pause, she added, "Steward Wang, you have truly gone to great lengths." Steward Wang quickly replied, "I dare not! I dare not! The Wang family has greatly benefited from the kindness of the master and the young lady; I would not hesitate to go through fire and water for the young lady!" The young lady smiled and said, "Steward Wang, you flatter me!" After a moment, she continued, "Steward Wang, what do you think of him?" Steward Wang's heart raced, and he asked, "Miss, are you referring to ...?" The young lady replied, "I am talking about his martial arts; do not think of anything else." Steward Wang stole a glance at her expression and noticed her cheeks were slightly flushed, which made him somewhat enlightened. He then said, "This young man seems a bit dissatisfied; when I went to him, he even made a move ..." The young lady interjected, "I had already guessed he would throw a tantrum, which is why I asked you not to retaliate; otherwise, he would not be your match." Steward Wang shook his head and said, "On the contrary, this young man's martial arts techniques are indeed quite ordinary, but his strength when he strikes clearly indicates he has practiced a superior internal skill. I see he has a dignified bearing and a spirited expression, suggesting his internal cultivation has reached a certain level."

Lin Jian snorted, "What is there to be afraid of? There is nothing more serious than death! Even if the sky falls, I, Lin, would dare to bear it!" The young girl clapped her hands and laughed, "Good! What a bold claim! Friends, let him taste the good stuff I specially prepared for him!" The two servants responded and splashed the wooden bucket they were holding onto Lin Jian. Instinctively, Lin Jian raised his hands to protect his head, feeling a chill on his body, and a foul smell immediately arose. Lin Jian was furious and said, "You, you dare to splash me, splash..." As he spoke, he brought his arm to his nose to smell it, and angrily exclaimed, "You, you... you dare to splash my urine!" The young girl laughed like a blooming flower and said, "Are you convinced?" Lin Jian shouted, "I am not convinced! I am not convinced!" His body swayed, causing the iron chains to clink. The young girl said sweetly, "Good! We shall see!" After saying that, she walked away. Lin Jian was already wet, and by nightfall, the cold wind blew fiercely, making his body shiver uncontrollably. Lin Jian looked up and saw the sky full of stars. He sighed, "If it weren't for my hands and feet being bound by iron chains, how could this small firewood room possibly confine me?" Although he was humiliated this time, he would not be discouraged; he still forced himself to cultivate his energy to resist the cold. After cultivating, he felt warm, but after a short nap, he was frozen awake again, so he had to cultivate again. This went on repeatedly, and he hardly slept throughout the night. In the morning, he felt utterly exhausted and crawled into the sunlight to warm himself.

The girl said, "Do you think I can't hit you?" Lin Jian secretly regretted boasting and provoking this girl. He forced a few laughs and replied, "Miss, you really don't need to try..." The girl retorted angrily, "No need! Hmph! I see your slick tongue and cunning demeanor; your words are quite bold. You think I can't hit you? Fine, today I will make you taste my golden whip!" After saying this, she raised her hand to strike. Lin Jian was startled; he had experienced the power of this golden whip before, and the scars on his wrist had yet to heal. He hurriedly said, "Wait! Don't strike yet!" The girl asked, "What else do you have to say? Hurry up!" Lin Jian replied, "If you hit me like this, how can I be convinced?" The girl fiercely said, "I won't make you convinced, but I will make you submit!" Without waiting for Lin Jian to respond, she struck down with the whip. The whip came down swiftly, and with a loud "crack," a red mark immediately appeared on Lin Jian's arm. He endured the pain in silence as the girl struck him several more times. Although the blows were severe, she did not aim for Lin Jian's face or vital points, only hitting his hands and feet. But that was enough for Lin Jian to endure. After taking several lashes, he could no longer bear it and exclaimed angrily, "Why are you so unreasonable! You possess heavenly beauty, yet your actions are so tyrannical!" The girl was about to swing the whip again when she heard Lin Jian, in his anger, still complimenting her beauty. She couldn't help but feel a sense of delight, but upon hearing his next words, she retorted fiercely, "Good! I am indeed this unreasonable!" As she spoke, she swung the golden whip, continuously striking Lin Jian.

Lin Jian shouted loudly, leaping into the air, just as he was about to strike down with a branch. Suddenly, a flash of golden light appeared before him, and a sharp wind brushed past his cheek, causing a faint pain. Lin Jian was taken aback, quickly stabilizing his stance and looking up, only to see a girl of about sixteen or seventeen standing in front of him, holding a golden whip. It was clear that the whip just now had been wielded by her. She wore a dress as white as snow, gently fluttering in the wind. The forest was thick with shade, and the morning mist had yet to dissipate completely. From a distance, the girl appeared like a celestial being descended to earth, her delicate face as white as snow with a hint of rosy color, holding a golden whip, which had just been used. She looked ethereal, and her beauty was striking, truly embodying the saying from the Sword Palace: "Difficult to depict her uniqueness, comparable to an extraordinary fairy." Today, Lin Jian finally understood its meaning. He stared blankly, captivated, and as he gazed into her crystal-like eyes, he couldn't help but blush, his heart racing violently. He felt his ears burning intensely. This sensation was entirely new to him, and he secretly wondered why he felt this way. The girl, noticing Lin Jian's gaze, seemed a bit embarrassed and exclaimed, "What are you staring at! If you keep staring, don't blame me for gouging out your eyes!" Her voice was sweet, yet it carried a strong air of arrogance and defiance.