70: Chapter 70 Settling a romantic debt, enemies meet again on a narrow road.

Chu Sheng left the secluded small courtyard, not heading directly out of the city.

He walked through the alleys of Jin Xiao City, his steps instinctively turning toward the direction of Qingshi Town.

Unfortunately, now only rubble and overgrown weeds remained.

"It's all in the past," he murmured, turning to leave.

Just then, a waft of wine fragrance drifted over.

Chu Sheng paused, looking in the direction of the fragrance.

Not far away, there was actually a small tavern open.

The storefront was small, with an old wooden plaque hanging above it, inscribed with three characters: "Listening to Bamboo Pavilion".

Chu Sheng was stunned.

Driven by an inexplicable impulse, he walked inside.

There were only three or four tables in the tavern, with very few customers.

A woman stood behind the counter, head bowed, calculating accounts.

She looked up.

Their eyes met.

A flicker of emotion crossed the woman's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure.

"What would you like to drink, sir? This humble shop has homemade rice wine and a few side dishes."

Chu Sheng stood frozen in place.

"Bring me a pot of wine."

The woman nodded and turned to get the wine.

Her hands trembled slightly, and the wine pot nearly slipped from her fingers.

"Wan Qing," he suddenly said.

The woman's steps faltered, her back to him, trembling slightly.

"You have mistaken me for someone else, sir," she said, her voice tight. "My name is A'Qing, not Wan Qing."

Chu Sheng was silent for a moment: "Very well, A'Qing. Will you have a drink with me?"

The woman stood still.

After a long while, she turned around and sat down opposite him.

The two drank in silence, neither speaking.

Cup after cup.

They didn't know how long they had been drinking; the woman's cheeks flushed, and her eyes began to glaze over.

She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the edge of the wine cup, muttering softly:

"This wine... why is it a bit bitter?"

Chu Sheng looked at her and said softly: "If it's bitter, drink less."

The woman shook her head, poured herself another cup, and downed it in one gulp.

"What else can I do if I don't drink?"

She murmured, "I can't sleep if I don't drink. Every time I close my eyes, those things come back... the Lin Manor, Father, Mother, Xiao Huan, and..."

She paused, not continuing.

Chu Sheng took her hand, which was resting on the table.

The woman shuddered and looked up at him.

Her eyes were filled with tears, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.

"You... you have mistaken me for someone else," she said, her voice trembling.

Chu Sheng didn't speak; he just gently wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes.

The woman finally couldn't hold it in any longer; she collapsed onto the table and wept silently.

The night deepened, and the tavern closed.

The woman sent off the last guest, then turned to look at Chu Sheng with a complex expression.

"Are... are you leaving now?"

Chu Sheng stood up and walked over to her.

Critical Choice Triggered: In this situation, how will you respond?

1. Agree. Since you are mutually attracted, why not fulfill each other? But it might be an impulsive act, leading to later regret.

2. Refuse. Keep your distance and don't drag things out. Rational, but it might hurt her.

3. Let it be. Don't force it, don't demand it, let everything happen naturally.

"Sigh, let it be."

Chu Sheng looked at these options and sighed to himself.

Chu Sheng didn't speak, but simply took her hand gently.

The woman shuddered and looked up at him.

Chu Sheng lowered his head and kissed her forehead gently.

"Tonight, I am not leaving."

That night, the two spoke a great deal.

The old family head had died of old age, the Chief Steward had been taken away to suppress demonic beasts and was gone, the servants and guards had dispersed, Lin Hao had run away, and Lin Bufan was nowhere to be found...

They talked about the tavern's business, the customers who came and went, and the past they occasionally remembered.

As they talked, they cried, and as they cried, they laughed.

Chu Sheng listened, occasionally responding with a word or two, and occasionally stroking her hair.

When dawn broke, the woman woke up, looked at him, and her eyes turned red again.

"Will... will you take responsibility?" she asked softly.

Chu Sheng smiled.

"Nonsense. When have I, Chu Sheng, ever been a heartless man?"

"Come with me to the Yan Kingdom. I have a residence there, and there will be people to take care of you. Once things here are settled, we will get married."

The woman was stunned.

"Get... get married?"

Chu Sheng nodded.

"What? Are you unwilling?"

The woman shook her head frantically, tears streaming down uncontrollably.

She was willing.

How could she not be willing?

She had waited for over a decade, and finally, she had heard those words.

A month later, Lin Wanqing was secretly sent to the Yan Kingdom.

Chu Sheng entrusted Fairy Yunxia to personally escort her, ensuring there would be no mishaps.

Two months later, news arrived—

Lin Wanqing was pregnant.

"This efficiency..."

He murmured, "'Many Children, Many Blessings' has truly not deceived me."

Three years later.

Over these three years, border frictions between the Yan Kingdom and the Tianfeng Kingdom had constantly escalated.

At first, it was only small-scale troop probes, but later, the grand army of Fengxian Prefecture pressed against the border, their blades pointing directly at the capital of the Yan Kingdom.

Now, the moment of the decisive battle had finally arrived.

Chu Sheng was appointed as the vanguard general, commanding three thousand elite troops, responsible for a frontal breakthrough.

"Three years," he murmured. "It is time to put an end to this."

Footsteps came from behind him.

The deputy general handed over an intelligence report.

"General, the list of the enemy's vanguard."

Chu Sheng took it and glanced at it.

Then, he was stunned.

Vanguard Deputy General: Liu Feng. Formerly the Second Elder of the Hall of Punishments of the Qinglan Sect.

The Second Elder of the Hall of Punishments.

That Second Elder of the Hall of Punishments who had sent people to hunt him down.

Chu Sheng's gaze gradually turned cold.

"Interesting," he laughed. "Truly, enemies are bound to meet on a narrow road."

Three days later, the two armies faced off.

In the crowd, he recognized the Second Elder of the Hall of Punishments at a glance.

The old man was riding on the back of a demonic beast, still wearing that same sinister expression, only his hair had turned much whiter.

In that great battle back then, he had been severely injured and had yet to fully recover.

"Vanguard, take orders!" Chu Sheng raised his long sword.

"Here!" The three thousand elites responded in unison.

Chu Sheng pointed his sword tip directly at the direction of the Second Elder of the Hall of Punishments.

"That unit, I will deal with personally."

He said coldly, "Everyone else, proceed according to the plan."

The deputy general was taken aback: "General, although that old man is injured, he is, after all, in the Gu Zhen Realm..."

"Gu Zhen?" Chu Sheng laughed. "It is precisely the True Firmament that I kill."

He charged out, leading the charge!

Behind him, the three thousand elites surged toward the enemy formation like a tidal wave!

The great battle broke out!

On the battlefield, the shouts of battle shook the heavens.

Chu Sheng's gaze remained locked onto that figure.

Closer, even closer.

The Second Elder of the Hall of Punishments saw him too, and his expression changed drastically.

"It's you?!"

Chu Sheng raised his long sword, the blade glowing with a faint, eerie light.

"Second Elder of the Hall of Punishments, long time no see."

"Today, let's catch up properly."