Wang Anfeng''s expression never wavered as he simply said, "I have an agreement with Tan Tianxiong..."

    Just then, another clear voice, filled with laughter, sounded, "If Brother Wang is referring to the matter of finding friends, please rest assured."

    "As long as Brother Wang stands aside this time, whether it''s I or any member of the Twenty-Seven Allied Gangs, we will help Brother Wang to find them."

    Before the voice had dissipated, Yu Jiu, clad in black clothing, descended from above and stood on the left side of the courtyard, not joining the members of the Twenty-Seven Allied Gangs. Though there were only four or five people behind him, each one possessed an extraordinary aura; even if they were not Middle Third Rank Masters capable of levitating, they were certainly formidable.

    Beside them stood a gaunt man carrying three longswords, his eyes as cold and sharp as ice, and his bearing and demeanor far from the ordinary.

    Middle Third Rank Martial Artist.

    Yet another Middle Third Rank Martial Artist...

    Wang Anfeng''s heart grew heavy; with his current level of martial power, facing such caliber and number of foes, he could at most ensure his own safety and escape with his life. To protect two powerless young girls was almost akin to a fool''s dream.

    Yu Jiu scanned the courtyard, looked at Wang Anfeng, then at the white-clothed girl behind Wang Anfeng, and pursed his lips, speaking indifferently, "Brother Wang, have you come to a decision?"

    Wang Anfeng gripped tighter with his right hand, and the wooden sword, still in its scabbard, slid out and landed on the ground.

    It seemed to be just an ordinary wooden sword scabbard, but it was unusually heavy. When it hit the ground, it raised a gust of wind and a surge of energy.

    "Sorry."

    "The one who made the agreement with me was Tan Tianxiong, not you."

    Yu Jiu seemed not at all surprised, nodded and said, "I see, truly worthy of being the young hero Wang... the Guardian of the Hidden Books of Fufeng."

    With a slight pause, he raised a detached smile and continued, "However, do you really think that you are protecting mere simple young girls?"

    "Those born into true Jianghu forces, no matter how naive, wouldn''t be so naive as to be completely unguarded, Young Hero Wang..."

    "Yan''er, speak... tell us what you have seen."

    Hearing the name Yan''er, Wang Anfeng''s expression changed slightly. Behind him, the white-clothed girl who had seemed incapable of martial arts lightly tapped her foot and retreated backward, standing aside and bowing to Yu Jiu. Straightening up, she spoke softly, "Yes."

    After a brief pause, her gaze swept over those in the courtyard. The white-clothed girl bit her lip and said evenly, "The young miss simply used Young Hero Wang as a pawn..."

    "From the beginning, she was merely using Young Hero Wang for self-protection. The people she brought on the first day were all spies at her disposal. Even though such an action could damage Young Master Wang''s reputation, she proceeded, and her so-called closeness afterward was only to ensure that Young Master Wang would protect her. In reality, she never trusted you."

    "For example, the food you cook every day, Young Master, was actually only fed to the young miss''s cat."

    "You were only ever considered a disposable pawn... And there''s more..."

    Yu Jiu stood with his hands behind his back.

    He watched as Tan Yurou''s complexion seemed to gradually lose its color, as the girl''s expression appeared increasingly flustered, and a sense of indescribable joy began to rise in his heart.

    Yes, that''s it...

    Yu Jiu''s eyes slightly closed; to this day, he still couldn''t forget his own sordid and filthy past, nothing more than a beggar by the roadside, and the girl as exquisite as a fairy. It was very cold that day, but his heart was burning hot, as if there was a fire inside.

    Then, he suffered countless hardships and finally made his way into the Tan Residence.

    Many a matter of life and death.

    But when he saw her again, he wasn''t as confident or calm as he had imagined.

    He couldn''t even bring himself to speak in front of Tan Yurou; he could only watch as the girl passed by him, hugging her white cat, her steps light while his body remained stiff as stone.

    That night, he wandered the streets like a walking corpse, only to return home and receive thirty lashes.

    He finally understood, no matter how strong the martial arts he cultivated, no matter how powerful his strategies and schemes, no matter how many people he killed, no matter how luxurious the clothing he wore, how exquisite the food he ate, he was still just the ugly beggar from back then.

    He understood.

    He finally understood.

    In the courtyard, Yu Jiu watched the girl whose complexion was turning pale, his hands behind him gradually clenched.

    His expression was calm and steady.

    His black eyes were like an iron prison, capturing Tan Yurou within.

    If I am not worthy of you...

    Then I simply need to destroy you.

    Once you fall into the mud, you''ll understand. And at that time, I''ll protect you.

    And at this moment, Yan''er finally uttered her last word, glanced at the pale-faced Tan Yurou, then turned to leap over a distance of several meters, landing gently beside Yu Jiu, standing quietly like a solitary winter plum.

    Tan Yurou pursed her lips, looking around and then at Wang Anfeng, her face showing a look of panic. She reached out to tug at the young man''s sleeve, urgently saying:

    "Don''t listen to their nonsense..."

    "I, I didn''t, you, you need to protect me! Protect Yurou..."

    "You must listen to Grandpa''s words, you can''t just leave me behind!"

    Her voice was anxious, yet it carried a bit of willfulness, such behavior elicited laughter from the surrounding crowd. Yu Jiu simply watched with detached interest, watching a person who once stood high above now deserted and fallen into the mire, his heart full of satisfaction.

    Tan Yurou, still holding Wang Anfeng''s sleeve, continued to speak urgently. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Like a clown begging for attention.

    No one saw, deep within those brown pupils, there resided a serene and lonely separation.

    People are always like this.

    If one says to leave, it actually makes it harder for the other to go due to guilt, for all the noisy farewells are but another form of reluctance.

    To say "you may go..."

    Is actually asking "can you stay?"

    What is a real farewell?

    The young girl''s eyes were very tranquil.

    It''s about giving the other person every reason to truly hate you and leave you completely.

    From now on, the Jianghu is vast, you don''t have to miss me, don''t have to care, and least of all, feel any guilt.

    Just move forward.

    Wang Anfeng pulled away from Tan Yurou''s hand, turned back, and looked into the girl''s eyes with full wariness.

    This reaction was just as she gathered from the intelligence, Fufeng detested being used as a pawn by others. Read exclusive adventures at My Virtual Library Empire

    The Gang Leader of the Twenty-Seven Allied Gangs glanced at Wang Anfeng, indifferently said:

    "Young Hero Wang, what I said just now still stands."

    "If you want to leave, the Twenty-Seven Allied Gangs will absolutely not stop you."

    Wang Anfeng looked at the man before him, nodded slightly as if extremely vexed, and without turning to look at Tan Yurou again, he took large strides away, sword in hand.

    Tan Yurou''s palm trembled slightly as she reached out reflexively.

    The young man''s fluttering clothes just brushed past her fingertips.

    Her reaching hand stiffened for a moment, then slowly retracted, Tan Yurou stood alone, raising her eyes to watch Wang Anfeng holding his sheathed longsword, striding away. A quiet smile seemed to play in her brown eyes.

    Farewell...

    Young Hero.

    The sixteen-year-old girl, clad in white as snow, stood alone amid a circle of wolves, surrounded by high walls. Above and below the walls were martial artists with gleaming blades in their hands, watching her with predatory eyes.

    The situation was nearly indistinguishable from that of three years ago.

    Tan Yurou''s quiet eyes gradually shifted to a deathly cold stillness, and at that moment, there was suddenly a violent surge of air accompanied by the grandiose sound of Buddhism, shaking everything around her, leaving her slightly startled as she looked upwards.

    Amid the many experts of the Twenty-Seven Allied Gangs, Wang Anfeng suddenly spun around in mid-walk.

    His sheathed longsword in hand sending out countless cold gleams and sword shadows. When he struck, he had already employed the Divine Thieves Sect''s ''White Rainbow'' mental method, swiftly moving so fast that in an instant, five or six people had fallen to the ground, incapacitated by Medicine King Valley''s acupoint striking technique, losing their ability to fight.

    The eyes of the Gang Leader of the Twenty-Seven Allied Gangs widened slightly, and his Heavy Blade was suddenly raised for a diagonal slash.

    Wang Anfeng shouted, his sword still sheathed, stabbing out. Upon the meeting of sword and blade, thunderous force surged on the sword scabbard, and for a moment, it was a stand-off. With the force of the clash, Wang Anfeng surged across the sky, blocking in front of Tan Yurou.

    The deadly stillness in the young girl''s eyes stopped spreading.

    Yu Jiu''s expression changed subtly, the scene before him outstripping his imagination. He frowned and said:

    "Brother Wang, what do you mean by this?"

    "Don''t tell me you are fighting for a woman who used you?"

    Wang Anfeng closed his eyes and replied:

    "All my life, I have hated being used. The promise I made earlier is now null and void..."

    "Then why did you come back!"

    Wang Anfeng looked at Yu Jiu, whose face showed a fierce look, the longsword in his hand rising slightly as he said calmly:

    "It''s simply righting wrongs when one sees them, drawing the sword to render aid."

    The deadly stillness and ice in Tan Yurou''s eyes quickly dissipated.

    PS: First update presented...