Xia Wenjin felt a stir in her heart, could this Jade Pendant be related to some force in the Jianghu?

No, this Jade Pendant is supposed to be Huang Zheng’s family heirloom, isn’t it?

If she were to combine the timeline of her past life with this one, it would be three years later when an old monk would give her this Jade Pendant. But now, she was seeing it three years early in Huang Zheng’s hands.

Her heart skipped a beat again.

Perhaps she wants to uncover the origin of this Jade Pendant because she wants to understand its history, and wants to know why that monk said those inexplicable things to her in the past life. Deep down, does she also have some curiosity about Huang Zheng’s origins?

She and Huang Zheng, after parting ways in Liangzhou, should have no chance of crossing paths again. She had always warned herself, her scarred heart was unworthy of such a clean and bright youth.

Heaven gave her another chance to redo life, intended for her to make up for past mistakes, to properly protect her father, uncles, and brothers, not to continue being lost in romantic feelings.

So, when she noticed some unexplainable stirrings in her heart, she closed her heart and decisively parted ways with Huang Zheng.

However, the Jade Pendant from Huang Zheng was still in her hands, indicating there was still some entanglement.

Now, her father was once again deceived into coming to the Capital City by Huangfu Yuxuan, and she had no choice but to go to the Capital City. She must stop her father from being used by Huangfu Yuxuan and walking the disastrous path of her past life.

She suddenly thought, when they parted in Liangzhou, did Huang Zheng say he was coming to the Capital City?

Well, if there’s a chance to meet again, she would return the Jade Pendant to him.

That pure and bright youth, with the most innocent heart, would one day meet the love of his life. She was, after all, just a passerby in his life.

Xia Wenjin collected her thoughts and said to Gu Chixiao, "Jianghu forces, there are at least a thousand if not eight hundred. Which forces is Master Gu referring to?"

Gu Chixiao smiled gently and said, "Naturally, those forces are ancient and renowned in the Jianghu, the super first-class ones."

Xia Wenjin suddenly realized from Gu Chixiao’s smile that he was being slightly sarcastic?

Speaking of Jianghu forces, even her Feiyun Pavilion is one.

But the disparity between forces is enormous, for example between Feiyun Pavilion and Hidden Pavilion, it’s like heaven and earth?

Yet, facing this harmless sarcasm, Xia Wenjin couldn’t be angry; obviously, Master Gu’s question was about the top-notch Jianghu forces.

The top-notch forces are not that many.

Besides, Gu Chixiao even categorized it among the super first-class, which Haotian Village can’t even rank.

Xia Wenjin hesitated for a moment and said cautiously, "So this Jade Pendant is related to an extraordinary force in the Jianghu?"

"You could say that!"

Xia Wenjin thought for a moment and said, "The currently renowned East Concealing Moon, West Break Yuan, South Seven Stars, North Fire, these four families of the Jianghu?"

Gu Chixiao shook his head slowly, "Still missing something."

Xia Wenjin furrowed her brows; these four families are now considered the pinnacle in the Jianghu, exceeding these four doesn’t leave much room.

Xia Wenjin teased softly, "Master Gu wouldn’t mean something like the Shadow Pavilion, would you?"

Unexpectedly, Gu Chixiao shook his head again and said, "Even older than Shadow Pavilion!"

Xia Wenjin: "..."

Older than the Shadow Pavilion, wouldn’t that be something mythical?

Could Gu Chixiao be tricking her? Yet, could a small Jade Pendant really be linked to such a force? Or was this simply a test for her?

Looking at the Shadow Pavilion Master Gu Chixiao before her, who excluded his own Shadow Pavilion, Xia Wenjin said speechlessly, "Master Gu, are you implying the legendary three Hidden Sects of Jianghu, Nangong, Baili, Xiahou?"

"Hmm, close enough!"

Close enough, so it’s not quite right?

Xia Wenjin decided to throw caution to the wind and said, "Could it be the legendary Shadowless Valley?"

Gu Chixiao’s gaze held a leisurely longing, "Ah, Shadowless Valley... that truly is a legendary existence. According to my Shadow Pavilion’s history, the first Pavilion Master Shangguan Qianyu entered Shadowless Valley and received a great fortune there, the second Pavilion Master Shangguan Beichen was even born in Shadowless Valley, educated there, and became an unparalleled emperor, maintaining the Tianqian dynasty for centuries. Even though the country is now called Nanxia, the rulers are still descendants of Shangguan Beichen! Unfortunately, after those two generations of pavilion masters, no one has been able to enter Shadowless Valley for hundreds of years. That mystical valley seems to have vanished into thin air, existing only in legends since."

He looked at Xia Wenjin, "Shadowless Valley has no presence in the Jianghu, so this Jade Pendant doesn’t belong to Shadowless Valley."

Xia Wenjin: "..."

This time, she really couldn’t think of any other forces.

She shook her head and said, "I can’t guess!"

Gu Chixiao seemed to be in a good mood, even feeling inclined to chat casually, he said, "Well, does Miss Xia know the story of the first Pavilion Master of the Shadow Pavilion?"

Xia Wenjin thought for a moment, seeing Gu Chixiao’s eyes filled with admiration, it was evident he had great respect and admiration for those two pavilion masters, and she knew little to begin with, thanks to her experiences from two lifetimes, she slowly said, "I’ve heard a bit!"

Gu Chixiao said with great interest, "Let’s hear it."

Xia Wenjin briefly recounted what she knew: "That Shangguan Pavilion Master had a legendary life, originally the prince by divine right, and the Emperor’s legitimate grandson. During a conspiracy by the Emperor’s second son to seize the throne, he murdered his father and brother to usurp the throne. Fortunately, the late Emperor had made arrangements, the Crown Princess saved the heir’s orphan and raised him by her side. But the usurping ruler was tyrannical and suspicious, governing haphazardly, ignoring the lives of the people, plagued by natural and human disasters, incurring public resentment. The Royal Family’s children fought for power, and the court was in turmoil. The late Emperor’s will was revealed, exposing Shangguan Pavilion Master as the rightful heir, restoring order to the Imperial Family. But upon ascending to the throne, he withdrew to the Jianghu with his beloved wife, abandoning the Emperor’s position, preferring to live as a Jianghu drifter. At the time, the six-year-old son of Prince Chengtian, Shangguan Beichen, was coaxed to take the throne, allowing for the smooth completion of the ascendancy ceremony." (For details, see "Abandoned Princess, Long Time No See")

Gu Chixiao smiled and said, "You seem well-acquainted with that part of history. Do you know what identities Shangguan Qianyu had?"

Xia Wenjin thought for a moment, indeed this person’s identities must be recounted.

She counted on her fingers, "During the usurper’s reign, he was titled Prince Qinghe! Pavilion Master of the Shadow Pavilion, Prince Chengtian, reportedly he had several Jianghu identities! A grandson-in-law of the Xiahou Family, a son-in-law of the Nangong Family..."

Listening to Xia Wenjin list Shangguan Qianyu’s identities, Gu Chixiao’s smile grew wider, clearly proud of it, and as Xia Wenjin could no longer count, he said somewhat unsatisfied, "Has Miss Xia ever heard of Thousand Mountains, Ten Thousand Buddhas?"