**Chapter 81: The Gate of Qingmen, The Twin Serpents Beyond the Pass** - Ah? The Wives I Abandoned Turned Out to Be Real

**Chapter 81: The Gate of Qingmen, The Twin Serpents Beyond the Pass** *【Turning around, you spot a young man with a face like a jade crown, dressed in a dark robe.】* *【Upon seeing your features, the young man’s eyes visibly show a hint of amazement.】* *【He hadn’t expected you to be so beautiful.】* *【He’s dumbfounded and lost in thought.】* *【You feel slightly vexed, as you’ve always perceived yourself as a man, and becoming a woman is merely a temporary plan.】* *【The young man salutes you courteously.】* "Greetings, I am Ouyang Shan. May I ask the lady’s name?" "Xiao Xiyue." *【To avoid revealing your true identity, you’ve deliberately chosen another name for yourself.】* *【Ouyang Shan instantly brightens up.】* "Xiao Xiyue." "What a wonderful name!" "Does Miss Xiao have any history with the Su family?" "No." *【Your concise responses leave Ouyang Shan at a loss for continuing the conversation.】* *【But beauties like you are rare in the martial world, making it hard for him to abandon this chance.】* *【You feel quite bored.】* *【Deep inside, you yearn to master the Imperial Daughter’s Skill to its pinnacle, so you can transform from yin to yang and be a man again.】* *【With this thought, you mount your horse, preparing to head southwards, seeking out the people of Yan Yu Lou to understand the purpose of the Black Iron Token given by Uncle Ning.】* *【Seeing you depart, Ouyang Shan quickly mounts his horse to ride alongside you.】* "Miss, I am the top disciple of the third generation at Kunlun Sect. This time, I’m here at the Su residence to see if I can capture that fellow Su Mo." "Someone has offered a reward of 100,000 taels of silver for him. That amount could last a lifetime." *【Hearing Ouyang Shan’s words, you feel a wave of anger.】* *【If not for this calamity, how could these little fish and shrimp dare to stir trouble?】* *【However, you restrain yourself, not letting your emotions show.】* "Who else is after Su Mo?" *【Upon your inquiry, Ouyang Shan believes he stands a chance, so he shares everything he knows.】* "Miss Xiyue, the three strongest organizations are Yan Yu Lou, the Assassin Alliance, and Qingmen." "They are professional assassin groups with intelligence networks spanning the entire nation." "In addition, some freelancers seek him out too, including some old enemies of the Su family." "Since the Su family’s fall, these people have become active again." "The one with the highest martial prowess is Old Man Kuhuong, who was hunted down to Shengtian Cliff by the Su family’s head, Su Tianhong, thirty years ago. After falling off the cliff, he had a fortuitous encounter." "His poison skills have claimed countless masters." "This time, he returned to the martial world upon hearing the Su family’s destruction." "He wishes to capture the last remaining descendant of the Su family for revenge!" "Old Man Kuhuong?" *【You desire to investigate Old Man Kuhuong’s whereabouts, to see if he’s connected to the Su family’s massacre.】* "Do you know where he is?" "Due to his unparalleled poison skills, the Qingmen, specializing in poisons, invited him as an esteemed elder." "Where is Qingmen located?" *【Your persistent questions and clear eyes make Ouyang Shan see you as a martial world novice.】* *【He’s glad about this; novices need guidance.】* "No one knows the headquarters of Qingmen, but I know one of their outposts." "Where is the outpost?" "In Lin’an Prefecture." *【Upon hearing this, you immediately set off, with Ouyang Shan sticking to you like glue.】* *【You can handle someone like Ouyang Shan in a hundred different ways.】* *【You plan to use him as cannon fodder, hence you don’t chase him away.】* *【Along the journey, Ouyang Shan self-assumes a familiarity with you, continuously addressing you as ‘Sister Xiyue.’】* *【It takes half a month to reach Lin’an Prefecture.】* *【At this time, Lin’an enjoys fair weather, wind and sun in beautiful harmony.】* *【It’s a prosperous southern fortress, bustling with merchants and filled with culture.】* *【Renowned for its scenic beauty, known as the ‘First Prefecture of the Southeast.'】* …… Viewing Lin’an Prefecture’s vibrancy, Su Mo couldn’t help but be envious. This was a true big city. Linjiang City didn’t compare. Too remote. Even seeing a few martial artists was rare there. If he had money, he’d definitely move there. Su Mo enjoyed bustling crowds. …… *【You arrive at the Qingmen outpost Ouyang Shan mentioned.】* *【It’s named Huaiya Residence.】* *【A simple tavern’s name.】* *【From the outside, it looks like an ordinary tavern, the food and wine being quite average, with no defining features.】* *【Even the patrons are mostly merchants and martial artists; refined scholars rarely visit such a place.】* *【However, because of its frequent martial patrons, it’s an excellent spot for gathering information.】* *【Tying your horse, walking into the tavern, the entire place falls silent as everyone turns their attention to you, captivated by your beauty.】* *【Ouyang Shan beside you feels a pang of jealousy, promptly raising his voice.】* "Waiter, waiter!" "Where is everyone?" *【Hearing Ouyang Shan’s shout, a waiter quickly bows and hurries over.】* "Here, good sirs, this way, please." "You two can take the window seat, it’s spacious there." *【You and Ouyang Shan take the window seat.】* *【The tavern gradually becomes lively again.】* *【Despite being a stunning beauty, you still need food and drink.】* *【Ouyang Shan, having ordered the dishes, tries persistently to engage in conversation.】* *【You find him noisy, but remembering you need him upfront later, you offer a rare smile.】* *【Seeing your smile, Ouyang Shan feels his diligence has paid off.】* *【But before you can act, two swordsmen enter.】* *【They’re of similar height, one thin and the other stocky. The thin one’s complexion is sallow, resembling a ghost of illness, while the stocky one has a crafty look, with a face like an oil basin.】* *【The swords at their waists are familiar.】* *【The thin swordsman holds your cousin’s Chase the Wind Sword, and the stocky one your aunt’s Cold Autumn Sword.】* *【Seeing these familiar swords, you feel a surge of nameless rage.】* *【Your family’s relics, now scattered to the martial world!】* *【You’re about to act when the stocky swordsman’s fleshy cheek twitches, loudly addressing the tavern.】* "Whose red horse is that outside?" *【The crowd looks outside, spotting a majestic red horse chewing grass in front of the tavern.】* *【Anyone would recognize it as a prized steed.】* *【You immediately reply.】* "It’s mine, is there an issue?" *【The stocky swordsman leers at you.】* "Oh, such a pretty young lady. You claim the horse is yours, can you prove it?" "A few days ago, our horses went missing, and this red steed is among them!" "Didn’t expect it to be stolen by you!" *【Ouyang Shan hears this, sensing a chance to prove himself.】* *【He stands up, drawing his sword, and addresses the two swordsmen.】* "You say it’s yours, but do you have evidence?" *【The two swordsmen glance at each other, amused, responding in chorus.】* "Our horses are unmistakable; even if we had evidence, you’d have destroyed it." "Indeed, you little thieves dared steal from us, the Twin Serpents Beyond the Pass! Kneel, kowtow, and crawl out, and we may spare you!" "But if the young lady accompanies us for a night, perhaps even she may receive our mercy." *【The pair eye you, their intent unmistakable.】* *【You haven't heard of the Twin Serpents Beyond the Pass, but Ouyang Shan starts shaking, resembling a sieve.】* *【The tavern’s patrons whisper about their famed swordsmanship.】* *【Ouyang Shan, face ashen, surprises you by abruptly kneeling, sheathing his sword while crawling backwards out of the tavern.】* *【You’re surprised, having expected Ouyang Shan to be steadfast, he proves weaker than a woman.】* **The Twin Serpents Beyond the Pass laughed heartily.** "Who would have thought he was just a spineless coward?" "Little lady, you’ll be accompanying the two of us tonight." "Don’t worry; we have special concoctions that will have you enjoy every moment." **Ouyang Shan heard these words but didn’t dare look your way.** **Once at the entrance, he bolted away without even untying his horse.** **The crowd sighed in pity, thinking such a stunning lady like yourself likely wouldn’t retain your dignity.** "The Twin Serpents Beyond the Pass?" "Are they really that fearsome?" **Seeing your clear eyes and innocent words, a rugged man with a wild beard sitting in the corner of the hall couldn’t remain silent. He stood up, though the woman beside him tugged at his sleeve, clearly wanting to keep him out of trouble.** **The man ignored the woman's gesture and explained to you.** "The Twin Serpents Beyond the Pass are notorious. In the martial world, they’re simply known as Fat Snake and Thin Snake, but few know what vile deeds they've done, as those who know rarely live to tell." **The Twin Serpents glanced at the man who had spoken to you.** "And who might you be?" "Sui Bei Hand Lei Qingtian!" **Upon hearing Lei Qingtian's name, the two swordsmen looked surprised.** **Others in the tavern began whispering.** "Everyone in the martial world knows Lei Qingtian perfected the seemingly simple Sui Bei Hand technique to a level of seamless integration of strength and gentleness." "Who would've thought we’d encounter him today." "Indeed, this will be exciting." "I wonder who’s more skilled, the Twin Serpents or Lei Qingtian." "Hard to say, but there’s certainly something to watch." **Realizing things couldn’t drag on, you stood up.** "Thank you, brother, but I'd prefer to handle my own affairs." **Your declaration took the crowd by surprise; they couldn’t fathom how you intended to solve the situation.** **To avoid revealing your flawless sword technique, you didn't draw your sword but instead picked up two chopsticks to prepare for combat.** **Seeing your bold move, the crowd held their breaths in apprehension.** **The Twin Serpents laughed uproariously.** "This little lady thinks to take us on with a pair of chopsticks…" **Before the words "Twin Serpents" left their mouths, two chopsticks were already embedded in their throats.** **No one saw how the chopsticks struck, it seemed as though they had always been meant to pierce their necks.** **The entire room was stunned by this spectacle!** (End of Chapter)