"Just how strong was the founding Ding Guohou?"
Suppressing the question in his heart, Liang Xiao drew the bowstring taut.
Jian Qinwan, Gongsun Jing, and Qin Jiu held their breath simultaneously!
The Sunset Bow was the divine bow exclusively used by the first generation Ding Guohou, Ma Zhan, at least a six-stone bow. What did that concept imply?
Only a handful of people under heaven could draw the Sunset Bow while on horseback!
And he had just drawn it so casually?
The Dragon's Tooth Arrow was already nocked.
"Whoosh!!"
The arrow leaving the string made a faint whistling sound as it flew into the distance, embedding itself directly into the rock face of the mountain!
"Is this the Sunset Bow?" Everyone was dumbfounded.
Amidst their exclamations, Liang Xiao shot several more arrows, all of which disappeared into the rock.
After testing a few more arrows into the air, Liang Xiao was overjoyed!
Paired with the Dragon's Tooth Arrow, the Sunset Bow's maximum aiming range, measured in meters, was an incredible over three hundred meters. Ignoring accuracy, its maximum killing range definitely exceeded five hundred meters!
As for its absolute maximum range, it likely reached a staggering thousand meters, but killing an enemy beyond five hundred meters would be nearly impossible, the Dragon's Tooth Arrow merely a spent force, like a strong bow at its end.
Within three hundred meters, Liang Xiao was confident in his aim!
After repeatedly testing a few more arrows, Liang Xiao suppressed his elation, nocked an arrow, and walked away from the group, positioning himself about three hundred meters from the target.
"An Guohou, that's over two hundred paces..." Chen Shaoling reminded him.
"Hitting the bullseye from a hundred paces" was already impressive; this was only a little over a hundred paces away!
Liang Xiao signaled for everyone to move aside, ensuring their safety, before drawing his bow and nocking an arrow, aiming at the target.
"Whoosh!"
Everyone faintly heard the sound of air being broken, and when they looked again, the Dragon's Tooth Arrow had pierced the inner iron bullseye, its shaft embedding itself in the target!
"Good!"
The crowd erupted in thunderous cheers. Before they could even praise him, Liang Xiao had already drawn his bow and shot again.
Another sound of air being broken, and everyone stared intently!
The second Dragon's Tooth Arrow pushed out the first arrow that had pierced the bullseye, and embedded itself in the bullseye once more, just as Liang Xiao had done with the log in the northern military camp!
The cheers of the Tianshan swordsmen were incessant.
Jian Qinwan and Yue Lian covered their mouths, staring blankly at Liang Xiao, their eyes full of admiration: "My goodness..."
But soon, everyone snapped back to reality, their hearts churning like stormy seas!
At such a distance, drawing such a powerful bow, to be able to hit the bullseye repeatedly – an ordinary person would probably not even be able to see the bullseye clearly...
Gongsun Jing sighed deeply, "Since the ancestor Ding Guohou, no one has been able to use the Sunset Bow. This Sunset Bow has been dusty for a hundred years, perhaps waiting to meet you!"
Everyone looked at Liang Xiao, their emotions complex.
Was this An Guohou truly just a scholar who needed their protection?
Liang Xiao pouted, "Actually, I'm just a weapon collector..."
"Here we go again..." Jian Qinwan's gaze was filled with longing, but she didn't voice it, nor did she dare to give Liang Xiao her usual eye-roll.
At least in front of Gongsun Jing, she was this rogue's wife.
If she were rude to this rogue and her master misunderstood, they might be sent to "consolidate their achievements" again...
"A weapon collector? That reminds me of someone," Gongsun Jing said with a smile.
Without waiting for Liang Xiao to respond, the Tianshan swordsmen burst into laughter, "Of course, it's our master!"
Chen Shaoling called out loudly, "An Guohou, marry our junior sister, and all of Master's swords will be yours..."
This time, Jian Qinwan did not voice her "threat" to her senior brother.
"Oh my, junior sister isn't even struggling this time... Wait!" Chen Shaoling teased with a smile, then his expression changed, "An Guohou, is that sword at your waist the Ephemeral Sword?!"
Only then did everyone notice Liang Xiao had changed to the Ephemeral Sword and recognized it.
"An Guohou, since you've taken two dowry items, you must marry our junior sister!" everyone exclaimed with joy.
Liang Xiao nodded, "Of course, but I am definitely not marrying her for the Sunset Bow and the sword."
The swordsmen were almost moved to tears of joy: there was finally hope of returning to Tianshan!
Jian Qinwan merely turned her head away, afraid to look at her senior brothers and sisters, lest she give herself away. But hearing Liang Xiao's words, her heart secretly rejoiced.
As the Tianshan swordsmen went to prepare for their journey to Jinling, Liang Xiao and the other two followed Gongsun Jing back to the mountain dwelling.
"Good brother-in-law, when will you come back to tell Xiao Yu the Journey to the West!"
Learning that Liang Xiao was leaving, Xiao Yu was on the verge of tears, clinging to Liang Xiao's hand and acting spoiled.
"Then does Xiao Yu want to go to Jinling with her brother-in-law?" Gongsun Jing asked.
"Xiao Yu can't bear to leave Mother, she's afraid Mother will be lonely!" Gongsun Yu said tearfully, looking wronged.
Just as Gongsun Jing was moved, she heard her daughter say, "Then Mother should go to Jinling too!"
Everyone chuckled.
"Xiao Yu will stay to accompany your mother. Besides, there will always be a day when the Journey to the West is finished. Then brother-in-law will tell you other stories," Liang Xiao comforted.
Gongsun Yu then obediently agreed.
Gongsun Jing said unexpectedly, "You should set off tomorrow morning. Little Qinwan wasn't acting like your wife outside just now. You two still need to go and consolidate your achievements tonight."
Liang Xiao, Jian Qinwan: ...
The furniture and wedding chambers were moved out again.
Jian Qinwan hugged Liang Xiao's arm, and this time, she proactively offered him a kiss.
"Mwah~"
Jian Qinwan buried her face in Liang Xiao's hand, hugging his arm, and said coquettishly, "Forget it again the day after tomorrow! I've already given you compensation, now continue telling me the Romance of the Three Kingdoms..."
"The compensation tonight isn't enough," someone said, smiling and revealing his shameless face again.
Jian Qinwan was both embarrassed and annoyed. She kissed Liang Xiao again and said, "You, you mustn't push your luck, or I'll draw my sword and hack you the day after tomorrow..."
"Where did you hear up to yesterday?"
"Huh? Where did you get to yesterday..."
Liang Xiao: "If you compensate me again, I'll tell you."
"Mwah~" "That's three times! You're annoying! You're not allowed to push your luck tonight..."
Liang Xiao said softly, "Where you were when you fell asleep, that's where I'll start telling you again, okay?"
Jian Qinwan was stunned for a moment, then nodded emotionally, "At least you have some conscience..."
"How about we leave the day after tomorrow, you compensate me again tomorrow night, and then you forget again the day after that?"
"No! You're bullying me to death, you're deliberately taking revenge on me, I'm going to be your female Rakshasa for a month..."
Liang Xiao's expression changed: "Oh, then I need to make up for it quickly in one go."
Before Jian Qinwan could react, Liang Xiao suddenly kissed her red lips.
...
The next morning, Jian Qinwan, blushing, held Liang Xiao's hand as she came to pay her respects to Gongsun Jing, "daring not to speak of her anger."
This rogue was too shameless; she had almost forgotten she was a Qin Xian (Zither Immortal)!
Three hundred Qin Sect musicians came to the foot of the mountain to see them off, their music harmonious and peaceful.
Jian Qinwan also regained her usual composure, her fair hands plucking the strings, returning a piece to everyone, like a sound from heaven.
"Farewell, Qin Xian, farewell, Madam An Guohou!"
Jian Qinwan, about to leave, nearly stumbled into Liang Xiao upon hearing the musicians' calls.
Finally, Jian Qinwan bid farewell to Gongsun Jing and Xiao Yu with tears.
Liang Xiao, with the Ephemeral Sword hanging at his waist, left Tianshan with Jian Qinwan and Yue Lian, heading for Jinling, the famous city in Jiangnan where Zhuo Zifang resided.
Half a day after Liang Xiao's departure, Gongsun Jing was chatting with Qin Jiu. Several female soldiers hurried over from a distance, their captain holding a letter.
"Master, news has come from Jinling that the culprit who painted the slanderous picture of An Guohou has been identified!"
Gongsun Jing opened the letter and glanced at it with Qin Jiu. Their pupils contracted.
"It was her?"
"Alas, with such profound skill, we should have realized it was her long ago. We just trusted her identity too much, thinking she was the least likely person!"