Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Upon hearing this name, Luo Wanqing's eyes widened.

Qin Jue?

This is Qin Jue?

The Qin Jue who is the target of the current Rain and Wind Pavilion assassination plot, and the future second Chief of the Inspectorate?!

Staring blankly at him, Luo Wanqing was observed by Qin Jue, who asked in confusion, "Do you know me?"

"No," Luo Wanqing snapped back to her senses and promptly denied it, "I don't."

She couldn't let anyone detect any unusual feelings she had towards Qin Jue, or else she would become a suspect if he were ever assassinated in the future.

However, still feeling somewhat resentful, she couldn't help but ask, "If you're not Jiu Shuang, then why did you respond when I called your name?"

"Well…" Qin Jue didn't dare look into her eyes as he forced himself to reply, "I was just going along with what you said."

"And what about your inner strength?" Luo Wanqing sharply recalled, reaching out to grab his wrist. Upon touch, she discovered that his inner energy was incredibly weak.

Surprised, Luo Wanqing lifted her gaze to see Qin Jue innocently raise his hand, placing the other on his arm. Instantly, his pulse revealed an immense amount of inner strength.

She stared at him in disbelief as Qin Jue awkwardly smiled. "Just a little trick I picked up in the jianghu."

"You..."

Luo Wanqing opened her mouth to scold him but reconsidered. Though she didn't wish to befriend this man, she also didn't want to make an enemy of him. She gritted her teeth, held back her anger, and turned away from him. Addressing the man holding the heavy sword before her, she bowed and said, "I apologize for the misunderstanding earlier. If the hero wishes to have this room, I shall leave immediately."

"Smart move!"

The white rat spoke promptly, then turned to bow at Jiu Shuang. "Thank you, Brother."

Luo Wanqing's face fell, but she didn't say anything further. Turning around, she went back into the room to pack her belongings.

Seeing this, Qin Jue hurriedly followed with his teacup, asking with confusion, "Xiniang, just let them go like that?"

"If you want to stay, figure it out yourself. I'll sleep in the shed," Luo Wanqing replied, finishing packing and heading outside.

Qin Jue hastily followed after her, addressing Luo Wanqing, "Xiniang, how could I bear to let you sleep in the woodshed alone? If you're there, I'd certainly have to…"

"Don't follow me!" Luo Wanqing turned back and sternly said, "I came for Hero Jiu Shuang, not Mister Qin. Mister Qin deceived me first, but I'll let that slide. I hope you'll respect yourself and keep your distance."

"Hearing you speak like this truly breaks my heart," Qin Jue sighed. "Does it mean you won't help me if I'm not Jiu Shuang?"

"How can you even ask such a question?" Luo Wanqing restrained her urge to strike out, frowning deeply. "Is it amusing to toy with me?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Jue's smile faded slightly, and he grew more sincere.

After some thought, he bowed in apology. "It was indeed wrong of me to deceive you, and I apologize. However," he lifted his head and continued persuasively, "what you seek is merely a higher chance of entering the Inspectorate. If Jiu Shuang can assist you, so can I, and I genuinely need someone to accompany me on this journey. It seems we both have our needs met in this arrangement. Shouldn't we continue with the deal?"

Luo Wanqing pondered his words.

She wasn't sure if Jiu Shuang had entered the Inspectorate.

But Qin Jue would eventually become the second Head of the Inspectorate. By the look of his confidence, he likely had connections to enter the organization.

But…

Qin Jue's entry into the Inspectorate doesn't guarantee the same for her. There are too many variables around him; the Pavilion of Wind and Rain keeps a watchful eye on him. If she gets too close to Qin Jue, they might take the initiative to approach her, increasing her chances of being exposed. Once that happens, not only is her own death highly probable, but it would also endanger Liu Xiniang. Her death wouldn't hold much significance.

After a moment of contemplation, Luo Wanqing was interrupted by Qin Jue's reminder, "Miss?"

"No need," Luo Wanqing turned away, declining the offer. "I don't collaborate with deceivers."

With that, she turned and walked off.

Qin Jue stood there, stunned for a moment, then hurried to catch up. He persisted, "Xiniang, please reconsider. Just now, didn't you feel powerful and impressive when I guided you? Don't you want that again? Actually, I'm no worse than Jiu Shuang. He's just a rough, unrefined man. My Qin family has held high offices for three generations, with wealth and influence. We've merely fallen on hard times temporarily. Once my innocence is proven, my family will regain its prestige, and I promise, I won't treat you unfairly."

Luo Wanqing ignored him, turning into the shed. Qin Jue continued his plea from behind, "I have connections for the Inspectorate. Trust me, this time, I'm not lying!"

As Qin Jue shouted, Luo Wanqing pushed open the shed door, stepped in, and then turned to shut it behind her.

Qin Jue hurriedly used his body to brace the door, revealing a ingratiating smile. "Xiniang..."

"Leave," Luo Wanqing looked up, "or don't blame me for taking action."

"Well," Qin Jue hesitated, glancing outside, "all the rooms are assigned now. If you don't let me sleep in the storeroom, I'll have nowhere to go."

Luo Wanqing's actions paused, and Qin Jue quickly assured her, "I promise I won't bother you. I just need a place to sleep."

Luo Wanqing lifted her gaze to meet his, and Qin Jue offered a sincere smile. However, before it could fully bloom, she suddenly kicked him, sending him stumbling away as she hastily slammed the door shut.

"Scram!"

She barked fiercely.

Then, she locked the main door and turned to seek a spot in the shed. Leaning against a wall with her eyes closed, she began to ponder her next move.

Most of the medicine she had brought was consumed by Qin Jue, and she had spent money on him as well. Not to mention the conflict she had provoked between him and the real Jiu Shuang's followers. Now, seeking refuge with Jiu Shuang might not be reliable.

Moreover, it seemed that many were already aware of the Inspection Bureau's preliminary team formation. Jiu Shuang was well aware of his advantage, assembling such a large group of followers on just the first day. It appeared that relying on Jiu Shuang to advance to the second round was a slim prospect.

Now, she could only rely on herself.

She took a deep breath and put aside her thoughts. Following Liu Xiniang's guidance, she closed her eyes, meditated, and directed her inner strength to flow.

The inner strength Liu Xiniang left her was immense, stretching her meridians to their limits. While in the dungeon, she seldom used her inner strength in combat. Not only was it for physical training, but she also discovered that whenever she activated her martial arts technique, her meridians would throb in pain.

This was a flaw of forcefully inheriting someone else's inner strength, a deficiency that required a long time to gradually mend.

As she pondered, she guided herself into a meditative state.

Just as her mind was settling, Qin Jue's voice echoed from outside, "Xiniang, the guards brought some meat. Did you ask for this? Thank you so much, I...?"

Hearing these words, Luo Wanqing's temper flared up again, making it impossible for her to focus. She stood up, pulled open the door, and saw a young man sitting cross-legged at the entrance, holding a bowl of chicken.

Qin Jue turned his head upon hearing her and his eyes lit up.

Luo Wanqing looked at him coldly, extending her hand. "Give me the meat. This is mine."

"I know it's yours, I haven't touched it," Qin Jue replied with a smile, passing the bowl of meat over. "But I still appreciate your help."

Luo Wanqing remained silent, taking the meat in her hand before promptly shutting the door again.

After a day of eating buns, she was also famished.

Now that they were on the move and practicing martial arts, she made sure to eat properly every day. If there was meat available, she would consume it.

In the past, she didn't behave this way.

She wasn't fond of meat, preferring vegetarian snacks instead.

Meat was merely a seasoning for her.

Recalling the past, she couldn't help but think about her family, wondering how they were doing and where Liu Xiniang had ended up. Had they met? Did they recognize Liu Xiniang?

If they did, then they must have learned of her death. Her family...

They must be devastated.

The thought brought a sourness to Luo Wanqing's heart.

She suppressed her emotions, lowered her head to grab the meat, planning to devour it in large bites. But as the meat neared her nose, she instantly detected something amiss.

It was Heartbreak Grass - a deadly poison that could kill upon contact with blood.

Luo Wanqing's actions froze, and she promptly put down the meat bowl. With hands that hadn't touched the meat, she hurriedly opened the door and rushed to the well in the courtyard.

The young man sitting by the entrance noticed her haste and asked anxiously, "What happened?"

"Did you touch that bowl of meat?!"

Luo Wanqing immediately inquired. The young man, Qin Jue, quickly waved his hands. "Don't worry, I absolutely didn't sneak a taste. I... "

"Did you touch the meat?!"

Luo Wanqing interrupted him. Qin Jue shook his head, sensing that something was off. "What's going on?"

"Fetch water quickly."

Luo Wanqing instructed Qin Jue, and the young man obediently fetched water. She stretched out her hand, guiding Qin Jue to stand where the water wouldn't reach, asking him to hold the bucket and rinse her hands with it.

The youth appeared scholarly but possessed remarkable strength, effortlessly lifting the bucket to his waist.

As soon as the water touched Luo Wanqing's hands, they turned red. The youth looked astonished, "What is this?"

"This is Heartrending Grass," Luo Wanqing explained. "One of the fastest poisons to kill. We have no other solution right now but to dilute it with water. Otherwise, the soil here will be contaminated with deadly toxins."

After rinsing her hands, Luo Wanqing immediately said, "Again...,"

But before she could finish, dizziness overcame her. The young man promptly dropped the bucket to support her, asking anxiously, "What's wrong?"

Luo Wanqing didn't respond. At that moment, she detected a faint scent of medicine and blood in the air.

She had been too preoccupied earlier to notice. Now, she realized the presence of a sedative.

These assassins had released a widespread cloud of seductive smoke throughout the courtyard.

They had poisoned Qin Jue with a deadly toxin, while the entire courtyard was filled with a sedative and the smell of blood...

Luo Wanqing shook her head, using the remaining fragments of her clarity to ponder the situation. The Rain and Wind Pavilion undoubtedly aimed to kill Qin Jue, but did their use of this smoke mean they planned to attack only the officials or everyone present?

However, Luo Wanqing didn't have time for further contemplation as her body began to weaken. Qin Jue caught her, his voice urgent. "Xiniang, what's wrong with you?!"

"Run..."

Struggling to maintain consciousness, Luo Wanqing gritted her teeth and said, "You have to go."

Stay away from me.

She didn't vocalize this thought but instead pushed Qin Jue aside with her actions. However, Qin Jue's expression turned extremely solemn, and he declared, "No way, we're leaving together."

As they spoke, voices could be heard from outside. Qin Jue clenched his teeth and lifted Luo Wanqing into his arms, rushing out of the building in a stumble. With a deft touch of his toe, he leaped over the wall amidst the chaos and dashed towards the outskirts of the city, deep into the dense forest.

It was clear that his martial arts skills were lacking as he stumbled along, half-running, half-flying.

Once Luo Wanqing was out of the reach of the smoke, she leaned against him, sensing a subtle fragrance emanating from the young man. After a moment, she felt much better, her energy returning. She croaked, "Y-You should put me down and escape on your own."

Amidst this peril, he was the greatest threat. She needed to distance herself from him.

However, the young man frowned and said earnestly, "No, Xiniang, I can't leave you now."

"No..."

Before she could finish, Luo Wanqing sensed a whistling arrow heading their way. Wide-eyed, she clutched the youth tightly and unleashed all her strength, pulling both of them down to the ground in a roll.

In that instant, two black-clad figures caught up with Luo Wanqing and Qin Jue, ready to strike with their blades.

Qin Jue pushed Luo Wanqing forward just as one of the attackers' wrists came within reach. Reflexively, Luo Wanqing grabbed hold of the assassin, snapping the wrist with a sudden force. As she seized the blade, she instantly kicked the assailant away!

The other black-clad figure lunged at Qin Jue, but Qin Jue rolled towards a tree, dodging dozens of slashes. The assassin's final blow struck the tree, lodging the blade within its trunk.

Taking advantage of the moment when the assassin was extracting his sword, Qin Jue turned and dashed away, swift as lightning. In an instant, he was behind Luo Wanqing.

As Luo Wanqing stood up, clutching the blade, she felt someone grab her clothes from behind. "Xiniang, it's all up to you now!" he urged anxiously.

By then, the assassins had surrounded them. With the knife in hand, Luo Wanqing composed herself and spoke calmly, "Folks, I have no relation to this Qin gentleman behind me. If you wish to kill him, I won't stand in your way. But please spare us a path to survival."

"Xiniang?" Qin Jue turned in shock. "After I just saved you, you're so heartless?"

But these words failed to sway the assassins. They looked at Luo Wanqing and merely waved their hand. The leader coldly commanded, "Kill them all."