Flower Stealing Master

Song Qingshu’s expression turned solemn as he worried that she might suddenly strike. Without leaving a trace, he positioned himself protectively around Zhang Sanfeng, watching her warily.

The woman in the yellow dress shot him an annoyed glance but quickly replaced her expression with her usual warm smile when she turned to Zhang Sanfeng and the Sweeping Monk. She spoke gently, “Seniors, please listen to me. The conflict between Shaolin and Wudang has been instigated by an unseen hand. If the two of you continue fighting until mutual destruction, wouldn’t that be exactly what they want? I urge you both to stop.”

With that, she gracefully extended her hand, her slender fingers lightly tapping on the palms where Zhang Sanfeng and the Sweeping Monk were locked in combat. A soft force spread between them, acting as a buffer. Sensing the intervention, the two masters withdrew their internal energy and took a step back.

Song Qingshu’s eyes narrowed. This was a technique from the Nine Yin Scripture—somewhat similar to the Nine Yin White Bone Claw, but without its eerie, sinister nature. Instead, it carried an ethereal elegance. The fact that she could separate Zhang Sanfeng and the Sweeping Monk with a mere touch spoke volumes about her remarkable martial prowess!

“Thank you, miss.” Zhang Sanfeng cupped his hands in gratitude. Given that he and the Sweeping Monk were evenly matched, neither of them could afford to withdraw their inner strength lightly. If no one had intervened, their battle could have only ended when one of them was defeated or dead.

The woman in yellow gave a slight smile. “I should be the one thanking you, seniors. If either of you had refused to withdraw your internal energy, I would have been gravely injured by now.”

Zhang Sanfeng and the Sweeping Monk exchanged a glance and smiled slightly. She was right—by stepping in, she had taken a great risk. If either of them had continued their attack, she alone would have borne the full impact. Although her martial arts were impressive, they were still far below the level of these two grandmasters.

“You mentioned that someone is behind this conflict. Could you explain in more detail?” the Sweeping Monk asked.

The woman in yellow nodded and said softly, “Not long ago, Mongolia appeared to shift its strategic focus westward, gradually withdrawing its troops from the Central Plains. This left many power vacuums. The Song Dynasty took the opportunity to reclaim Sichuan, while the Jin Empire seized Hanzhong and Shangyong. With Mongolia no longer pressuring them, the Jin leadership turned its attention to Song territory, seeking to compensate for the lands they had lost to Mongolia over the years. However, due to the Treaty of Shaoxing, Jin needed an excuse to go to war.”

The crowd, all intelligent individuals, immediately connected her words to the ongoing conflict between Shaolin and Wudang, feeling a chill in their hearts.

She continued, “Shaolin is the most prominent sect within Jin territory, while Wudang is the largest sect in Song. Moreover, Master Zhang holds the imperial title of ‘True Immortal of Enlightened Manifestation’, making his status extraordinary. He enjoys immense prestige in both the court and among the people. If Shaolin and Wudang were to engage in a full-scale battle, Jin could claim that Song had provoked them and use it as a justification for war. If something were to happen to Master Zhang at Shaolin, the entire Song Dynasty would be enraged, and war would become inevitable, bringing untold suffering to the people.”

“You mean the mastermind behind this is the Jin leadership?” Abbot Xuan Ci’s face turned pale. The Jin Empire had tried multiple times to win Shaolin over, but Shaolin had always maintained a polite yet distant stance. He hadn’t expected such a ruthless retaliation from them this time.

Some brilliant strategist must have devised this scheme, fully exploiting the tension between Shaolin and Wudang. Knowing that Shaolin would strike at Zhang Sanfeng if given the chance, they had set a trap. If not for the unexpected intervention of the woman in yellow tonight…

A shiver ran down Xuan Ci’s spine. His original plan had been to eliminate Zhang Sanfeng and the Sweeping Monk, assuming that Shaolin could control the narrative afterward. But if Jin had planned this so meticulously, they wouldn’t simply allow Shaolin to dictate public opinion. With just a few leaked rumors, they could shift the blame for Wudang’s suffering onto Shaolin, painting them as scheming aggressors. In that case, Shaolin wouldn’t just be ostracized from the martial world—they would become the enemy of all Han Chinese. At that point, they would have no choice but to submit to Jin.

The woman in yellow nodded. “According to reliable intelligence, the attack on Wudang’s heroes was orchestrated by high-ranking figures within Jin. Unfortunately, the matter is extremely secretive, and we’ve been unable to uncover further details.”

“You claim that Jin is behind this, but do you have any proof?” Song Qingshu asked. While he was inclined to believe her, this was a grave matter—he couldn’t afford to be careless.

“This intelligence came at the cost of enormous effort from Song’s entire espionage network,” the woman in yellow said after a brief pause. She then turned to Zhang Sanfeng. “Esteemed Zhang, have you ever heard of Jianshan Academy?”

Zhang Sanfeng’s face showed surprise. “You mean the academy founded by Huang Shang?”

She smiled and nodded. “Exactly! I am the current Saintess of Jianshan Academy, representing the institution. Naturally, I would not deceive you with falsehoods.”

“If you come from Jianshan Academy, then I trust you,” Zhang Sanfeng said with a nod. He then turned to Song Qingshu. “Qingshu, did you find any trace of Yuanqiao and the others in the Sutra Library?”

“There was no sign of them,” Song Qingshu shook his head before asking curiously, “What exactly is Jianshan Academy? Why does Grandmaster hold it in such high regard?”

“Jianshan Academy was established by Huang Shang to promote Neo-Confucianism. The scholars who teach there are the greatest minds of the era, making it the most revered institution for all scholars in Song. Entering Jianshan Academy is considered the highest honor for any student. Additionally, due to Huang Shang’s legacy, the academy also maintains an Inner Courtyard, where disciples with exceptional martial talent are trained. These disciples assist the imperial court in intelligence gathering and handling delicate matters.”

“Huang Shang!” Song Qingshu murmured. No wonder the woman in yellow was so skilled in the Nine Yin Scripture—after all, its creator was none other than Jianshan Academy’s founder.

“I have delivered my message. I take my leave now.” The woman in yellow gave a faint smile and turned to depart.

“Wait—uh, miss,” Song Qingshu called out, momentarily flustered as he realized he didn’t know her name. “May I ask which Jin official captured Wudang’s heroes?”

She shook her head slightly. “Song and Jin are sworn enemies. Uncovering the fact that Wudang’s heroes are in Jin’s hands was already the limit of our abilities. As for their exact location, I’m afraid I cannot help. However, I have often heard tales of your remarkable feats in the martial world, Young Master. If anyone can accomplish the impossible, surely it is you.”

Song Qingshu silently grumbled—this woman bore a grudge, taking every opportunity to throw in a veiled jab at him.

As she walked farther away, he suddenly called out, “One last question! Miss, is your surname Yang?” This was the mystery that intrigued him most. In the original novel, the woman in yellow was a descendant of Yang Guo and Xiao Longnu. But here, Yang Guo was still unmarried, so that lineage was impossible. He was curious to see how her identity had been altered in this world.

She paused slightly before answering with a hint of melancholy, “I have two surnames. My original surname… is better left unmentioned. But you guessed correctly—I now bear the surname Yang, of the Yang Family Generals.”

With that, she drifted away, vanishing into the distance.

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