Chapter 124: Stop Right There
"This is... a sword? How come I didn't see you with this the whole time? And there's no way this thing could get through a security check!" Staring at the long, sheathless sword Chu Qianqian had handed him, Zhou Fan was completely dumbfounded!
"This was passed down from our ancestors. Originally, my father wanted to give it to me as a dowry when I got married, but then an accident happened. I only got it back ten years ago!"
"Try saying its name in your mind, and you'll understand how I was able to bring it here without you noticing!" Chu Qianqian looked at Zhou Fan with a smile—or rather, at the sword in his hand!
"What's the sword's name?"
"Li Hen!"
'Li Hen?'
Zhou Fan looked at the sword in his hand. It was entirely ink-black, its blade about three feet long. Its touch was bone-chillingly cold, as if it could freeze a person's blood solid. He tried saying its name in his mind, and in an instant, the longsword vanished from his sight!
Immediately, Zhou Fan could feel that the sword hadn't truly vanished. Instead, it was now hidden inside his body, just like that withered tree branch from before!
A moment later, however, the Li Hen Sword reappeared in Zhou Fan's hand.
"Close your eyes!" Chu Qianqian's voice reached Zhou Fan's ears. For some reason, he subconsciously obeyed. Then, Chu Qianqian extended her wrist and swiped it lightly across the Li Hen Sword, drawing drops of blood!
Then, Chu Qianqian pressed the wound on her wrist to Zhou Fan's forehead. An astonishing scene unfolded: the blood from her wrist actually seeped into his forehead!
As if it had sensed something, the Tai Chi Diagram formed by the Bodhi Heart and Nether River Dead Water began to spin uncontrollably inside Zhou Fan's body, frantically absorbing Chu Qianqian's blood!
In just a moment, Chu Qianqian's face had turned pale and she was swaying on her feet. Just as she was about to faint, Zhou Fan's eyes snapped open, and he caught her in his arms!
"Qianqian, you..." At that moment, the way Zhou Fan addressed her changed. Even though he didn't know the Li Hen Sword's history, even if it were just a piece of scrap iron, he knew he could not betray the devotion Chu Qianqian had shown him.
"From now on, the Li Hen Sword is yours. Treat it well!" Chu Qianqian's voice was a little weak. "Although my father said it was a Chu Family heirloom, for some reason, no one in our family has ever been able to use it!"
"You don't need to be confused. The Chu Family is an Ancient Martial Clan with a legacy stretching back hundreds of years. It's just that an accident happened in my grandfather's generation that caused us to fall so far. It's like the Chu Family is under a curse—no one has any talent for the Martial Dao anymore. But I believe you can do it!"
Chu Qianqian told Zhou Fan the secret she had buried in her heart and had never spoken of to anyone!
'An Ancient Martial Clan?'
Zhou Fan remembered what Divine Doctor Ouyang had said about the Martial Arts Realm.
'Looks like I'll have to check out this so-called Martial Arts Realm when I get the chance. I wonder if they also have weapons that can be stored inside the body?'
"Don't worry. I, Zhou Fan, swear I will never let you down in this life!" Zhou Fan's tone was sincere as he slowly raised one hand, swearing an oath to the heavens.
"Okay, okay, I get it. Now go get dressed, you're a mess!" Chu Qianqian laughed and playfully nudged Zhou Fan, her words full of insinuation.
"How about Qianqian helps me get dressed?" Zhou Fan grinned mischievously. 'Since I've decided to treat Chu Qianqian well, I won't worry about other things. As for what happens if Chu Yan finds out... I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.'
By the time Zhou Fan arrived at Black Water Square with his arm around Chu Qianqian, he had already given her a simple summary of his own story. The tale left Chu Qianqian gasping in shock at every turn.
Watching the two of them approach, Fan and Zhang Lei instinctively exchanged a glance, both seeing the flames of gossip burning in the other's eyes.
'There's definitely something going on between those two!'
'They were always this close and affectionate before, but it's definitely different now!'
"Don't let your imaginations run wild, you two. And even if they do, you can't say a word, got it?" Noticing their expressions, Zhou Fan immediately slung an arm around each of their necks, pulled them aside, and warned them in a low voice.
"You're amazing, man. I concede!" Fan glanced back at Chu Qianqian, whose face was bright red, then looked at Zhou Fan and gave him an admiring thumbs-up.
"Have you confirmed Chu Yifeng's location? When are we making our move?" Zhou Fan passed cigarettes to both of them and asked in a low voice.
"It's confirmed. He's in a private residence not far from here. We'll move late at night to avoid harming any innocent people!" Fan looked towards a residential complex about four or five hundred meters away.
So the four of them found a nearby open-air food stall to wait. It was just approaching evening, so the place wasn't too crowded. Seeing Chu Qianqian leaning weakly against Zhou Fan's shoulder, Fan and Zhang Lei once again gave him a conspiratorial thumbs-up.
Zhou Fan paused for a second, then quickly realized what those two jokers were thinking. But instead of correcting their misunderstanding, he raised his chin smugly, like a rooster puffing out its chest after winning a fight.
"Zhou Fan? It really is you! Stop right there! You owe me an explanation for what happened!"
Just then, a voice called out from nearby, startling the whole group and making them sit bolt upright in an instant.