Chapter Fifty Nine.

After having taken enough rest,Hong Yi leaves White Pavilion to visit the disciples who are now taking their dinner. They have been impatiently waiting for him though they restrained themselves from disturbing him lest he becomes angry and draws his sword at them like he always does when he's angered.

Immediately he enters the hall, everyone's attention shifts towards him accompanied by indistinct chattering.

"Hong-ge, where is Shifu?"

Someone asks the question they've all been dying to ask.

"He's not coming back for now."

When talking to other people apart from Lei Qiang,Hong Yi has a tendency of not giving full answers;he never tries to explain his answers further so the disciples have to question him about the exact thing they want to know.

"Why didn't Shifu come back?"

"He had something to take care of so he will come back later."

"I heard you guys went with Hero Duan. Is he back?"Mu Zixin inquires about this because he has a rather close relationship with Duan Xinyue than the rest of the disciples.

"No,he's still with His Lordship."

"I knew it. Wherever Master goes that Duan gongzi has to be there,"one of the disciples comments.

After the question and answer session,Hong Yi calls Hong Rong aside to ask him about the progress of the sect as well as the whereabouts of Du Bai Xin.

"His Lordship Du Yuan has been sick lately so she went home to take care of him."

Hong Yi goes on to inquire about anything strange that may have happened in the sect,Wei Yi's visits and other sect related matters.

In the evening Du Yichen goes to Qingfeng Pavilion to see Qin Lanhua. The showgirls are happy to see him again after a while. Qin Lanhua agrees to have a drink with him to celebrate their reunion.

"Why didn't Xinyue come back with you guys?"

Du Yichen narrates about the incidents that led Duan Xinyue resort to stay in Moon City.

"I never expected him to involve himself in such things. No one can be carefree in their whole life,"Qin Lanhua comments as she sips her wine.

"He's being patriotic."

There's silence between them for a while before Du Yichen brings up an unexpected topic.

"Hey Lanhua-Jie,did you know Duan Duan knows martial arts?"

"Yes but he didn't want others to know."

"Why didn't you tell me earlier? I only found out when I saw him ruthlessly slaying raiders at the military camp. I've been his friend for long and yet I couldn't tell he knows martial arts."

"Maybe it's because he's too good at playing the sickly fella."

"I only thought the only thing he was faking is being a courtesan."

"I've been with Xinyue for a longer time than you but he's still mysterious to me."

Back at the Military Camp,in Lei Qiang's tent, Duan Xinyue is playing his zither while Lei Qiang is reading a historical book. Lei Qiang pauses his reading for a while and focuses on Duan Xinyue who is immersed in his own world of music. A while ago, Duan Xinyue mentioned about his Master being hunted because of a secret martial arts technique and recently Duan Xinyue mentioned something about Lei Qiang not knowing his master's real name. These two statements and the fact that Duan Xinyue has always refused to reveal the name of his sect,make him deduce that Duan Xinyue might be one of his junior martial brothers who remained at Wushu Mountain Sect after he was banished. He's dying to get a clarification from Duan Xinyue but considering Duan Xinyue's mysterious behaviour he's not sure if he will get the answer that he wants.

After satisfactorily ending the tune in a high note, Duan Xinyue takes a break from playing the zither to ask Lei Qiang's opinion about his performance.

"Not bad."

"Lei-xiong, you are so stingy that you can't even give me some nice remarks?"Duan Xinyue pouts.

"Duan Xinyue,what exactly is your identity?"

Duan Xinyue chuckles slightly before replying,"Of course I'm Duan Xinyue,the invincible master of Qingfeng Pavilion."

"What was your identity before that? How do you know my master?"

"Why are you asking such questions all of a sudden?"Duan Xinyue asks still startled.

"You often sound like you know my master so..."

Duan Xinyue gets a hint of what Lei Qiang is implying.

"Could it be that you think I'm one of your long lost junior martial brothers?"

"Something like that."

Duan Xinyue laughs.

"Since you're so curious then I won't hide it from you anymore. I used to be a disciple at Wushu Mountain Sect and your Shifu and my Shifu were martial brothers so that's how I got to know your Shifu."

"Wushu Mountain Sect? Why didn't you say it earlier?"

"I didn't see the need of saying it since I didn't stay there for too long. I learnt most of the martial arts techniques by myself."

"Then were you there when the disciples of Yanshi Sect joined your sect?"

"Yes but I was young then so I don't remember much."

"I never expected you to be a member of the strictest sect back then."

"I survived there because I was used to the punishments and I used to be punished with my friends so I found it fun instead."

"No wonder you have no sense of discipline,"Lei mumbles loud enough for Duan Xinyue to hear.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing,"Lei Qiang purses his lips together trying to hide his smile. Duan Xinyue gets up and walks towards Lei Qiang to attack him. Instead they end up falling on the bed with one directly hovering on top of the other. Feng Yi who just brought them dinner walks in on them and drops the food he's carrying with his jaw almost dropping due to shock.