Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Upon hearing this, Luo Wanqing's expression shifted slightly.

Behind her, Qin Jue cast her a sidelong glance. Using the branch he had just plucked, he poked her shoulder and reminded, "Did you hear that? He said they'll kill everyone. You can't escape."

Luo Wanqing shot him a cold glare. Qin Jue promptly adopted a shut-up gesture and hid behind Luo Wanqing, no longer speaking a word.

She clenched the knife she had just seized, feeling a bit nervous.

Aside from Jiang Shaoyan, she had never intended to intentionally take a life.

In prison, there were wardens to keep order; no matter how fiercely they fought, it was still just a brawl. But now, these men were clearly intent on murder. One misstep, and her life would be over.

Most importantly...

If even one person escaped today, the Wind and Rain Pavilion would soon learn of her strength, putting her identity as Liu Xiniang in immediate danger.

Not only did she have to kill them, but she had to wipe them all out.

But how could she manage that?

Luo Wanqing's breathing grew uneven. She tried to activate the inner strength Liu Xiniang had left her, but the moment it coursed through her veins, it brought excruciating pain.

Withstanding the agony, Luo Wanqing lifted her knife and prepared for a standoff. At the slightest movement from the surrounding crowd, she sprang back with a deft tap of her foot!

Slaughtering them all was a daunting task, but if she could escape, there would still be a chance at survival.

She retreated swiftly and unexpectedly, leaving everyone stunned. Qin Jue was the first to recover, promptly chasing after her and calling out anxiously, "Xiniang, why are you running away?!"

Luo Wanqing ignored him, pouring all her strength into distancing herself from the pursuers.

Qin Jue's lightness kung fu didn't seem impressive – he ran and leaped – but strangely, he managed to keep up without falling behind.

Spotting their frenzied dash, one of the assassins in the rear blew a whistle. The moment Luo Wanqing heard it, she knew they were in trouble. Liu Xiniang had taught her the various signals of the Rain and Wind Pavilion, and this whistle was summoning reinforcements. There must be more enemies ahead!

Luo Wanqing instantly turned in another direction, but it was already too late. Three separate groups emerged from three other directions, converging with the initial pursuers to surround them tightly.

"What do we do now?" Qin Jue and Luo Wanqing found themselves backed against each other, encircled by the crowd, as if they were part of some spectacle. Qin Jue commented with a hint of irony, "There sure are a lot of people here."

What should I do?

Luo Wanqing had no room for idle talk; she was immediately met with a dense flurry of blade flashes.

She held her breath, striking out purely on instinct, her blade intersecting with the incoming slash. The impact numbed her arm.

Qin Jue shot her a disdainful glance and hissed, "Tsk." He bent to avoid the strike, and the blade swung towards Luo Wanqing instead.

Perceiving the knife approaching from behind, Luo Wanqing swiftly kicked, breaking out of the encirclement with deft agility, ensuring she maintained her forward-facing stance as she continuously countered her adversaries' onslaught.

She dared not exert too much inner strength, for it brought her pain with every use. But without it, she realized she had little chance of victory.

These were all seasoned killers, their instincts honed in the bowels of death row, instincts that could only keep them alive.

This stalemate can't continue.

With a resolute determination in Luo Wanqing's heart, she instantly poured all her inner strength into her arm. In that instant, her skin seemed to rupture, seeping blood that dripped onto her blade. Roaring fiercely, she swung the knife downward with a mighty strike from above!

Her movements were swift and fierce, like a torrential flood sweeping through with unstoppable force. The blade's wind pierced through the air with a resounding clash, leaving the adversary no time to react. In an instant, the sword broke with a harsh sound, followed by the emergence of a deep trench nearly ten yards long on the ground.

The move stunned everyone. Luo Wanqing, gasping for breath, lifted her gaze to the motionless figure before her, and unease seized her.

Why was there no reaction? Was he not dead yet?

Before she could probe further, blood spurted from the person, splattering her face as the body split in half and fell to either side.

Luo Wanqing's body tensed, her eyes widening in shock.

In that instant, a cry rang out, "Liu Xiniang!"

She instinctively turned back, only to see a flash of a blade descending. She deflected it with her own sword, catching sight of Qin Jue perched high in a tree, his hand cupped near his mouth as he loudly warned her, "Don't daydream when you're killing! Focus on what you're doing!"

Luo Wanqing frowned, unable to comprehend how he had managed to climb so high, but there was no time for pondering. Blades kept coming at her from all sides, and she bore the searing pain of her rupturing meridians, meeting each strike with her own.

From a distance, Qin Jue watched her with a slightly grim expression. After a moment, he plucked a leaf and began to play a gentle, melodious tune. Instantly, the music alleviated the agony caused by the turbulent flow of energy within Luo Wanqing's meridians.

Lifting her head, Luo Wanqing saw under the moonlight a young man leaning against the trunk of the tree, blowing on the leaf, and turning to her with a playful raise of his eyebrow.

She immediately realized that Qin Jue's music was assisting her.

Free from the pain, Luo Wanqing no longer held back. Empowered by Liu Xiniang's inner strength, she fiercely slashed at her surroundings.

She had no idea how powerful Liu Xiniang was, but just half of her inner energy was enough to overwhelm these opponents.

Lacking formal martial arts techniques, Luo Wanqing relied on her experience in combat. Combined with Liu Xiniang's power, her chaotic swings proved too much for the assassins to handle.

As the last man was pinned against a tree, his throat under the blade, he desperately clutched Luo Wanqing's saber and said, "Liu Xiniang, someone has already informed the Master. Are you insane to eliminate us all?"

Luo Wanqing paused, but as he aimed a kick at her vital spot, she instinctively pressed down with all her might, burying the blade into his neck and decapitating him.

Splattered with blood, Luo Wanqing stood still, maintaining her defensive stance. It wasn't until a gentle tap on her shoulder with a branch that she instinctively swung her saber.

The blade was sharp, yet the young man didn't dodge or evade. Upon recognizing his face, Luo Wanqing abruptly halted her swing.

"Aiyo," Qin Jue pinched the blade between his fingers. Gazing at the blood-covered Luo Wanqing amidst the corpses, he smiled. "Such intense killing intent, huh?"

With a steady hand, he removed the blade from his neck and then took hold of Luo Wanqing's hand, calmly sliding the saber back into its scabbard, which he had retrieved earlier.

As the blade was retracted inch by inch into its sheath, Luo Wanqing felt her own wounded heart retracting along with it.

The young man's voice was tranquil, soothing amidst the rustling of leaves. He spoke leisurely, "One who draws a sword must know how to sheathe it. It's easier to sharpen than to control; an unmanageable blade is better left untouched."

With the knife fully sheathed, Qin Jue lifted his gaze, his eyes smiling. "How do you feel?"

Luo Wanqing remained silent. Having regained her composure, memories of the night's events flooded back to her.

She was unsure if the man before her knew about the poisoned meat or if he was aware of being hunted. But regardless, one thing was certain to her:

This calamity tonight was brought upon by this ill-fated star.

At this thought, she turned around without hesitation, grabbed the knife, and started walking towards the inn, muttering, "Go wherever you please, just don't follow me."

"But..."

"I said not to f...,"

Before she could finish her sentence, Luo Wanqing felt the world spin, and darkness enveloped her vision as she collapsed.

Qin Jue stood behind her, his voice tinged with resignation. "But you've damaged your meridians for my sake. Can a magnanimous soul like me just let you go?"

Speaking, he stepped forward and scooped Luo Wanqing up in his arms, as if utterly helpless. "Come on, let's count this as my good deed for the day."

******

Luo Wanqing was unaware of what was happening. She felt a jolt, and in her daze, she began to drift into a dream.

In the dream, she was sixteen, and it was her first time accompanying her mother to provide medical aid in a rural village. The villagers were mostly elderly, sick, or disabled, and there were rumors of bandits from nearby areas robbing wealthy households.

Initially, she had been worried, but Jiang Shaoyan reassured her, saying that with her by his side, they could go anywhere together.

So, she rode in a carriage with Yao Zelan, leaving Yangzhou City for the village filled with patients.

That day went smoothly; they encountered no obstacles. Luo Wanqing treated the villagers while Jiang Shaoyan waited at the entrance. After she finished seeing all the patients and stepped out, she found Jiang Shaoyan nowhere to be seen.

She led a search party, and as they walked down an alley, the stench of blood grew overpowering. Her foot sank into a pool of blood, and she cried out in alarm, alerting those in the alley.

Jiang Shaoyan was holding a knife to someone's throat. Hearing her voice, he looked up in surprise, though his hand didn't pause. The blade sliced across the man's neck before he panicked and asked, "Miss?"

"Retreat!"

Luo Wanqing, realizing the situation, hastily stopped the servants following her. Gazing at the corpses in the alley, she was utterly distraught; each of them held weapons and wore short garments, clearly indicating they were bandits pillaging homes.

In that instant, she understood that their journey hadn't been smooth sailing – it was Jiang Shaoyan who had eliminated all obstacles to ensure their progress.

Silent, the two faced each other in the alley. Luo Wanqing's foot was dipped in blood, and after a long while, she managed to regain her composure, her voice barely steady as she spoke, "I've found Young Master Jiang. You may step back for now."

Upon hearing this, the servants retreated. Jiang Shaoyan pressed his lips together, sheathed his blade, and emerged from the shadows.

He stood before Luo Wanqing, seemingly gathering his thoughts. Luo Wanqing, lowering her gaze, observed the still bleeding wound on his hand. After some consideration, she finally asked, "Are you unhurt?"

Jiang Shaoyan was taken aback for a moment. He quickly regained his composure, appearing somewhat delighted yet managing to suppress his emotions. He simply replied, "No."

Noticing the blood on her feet, he promptly turned around, crouched down, and spoke softly, "I'll take Miss back to change her clothes."

Luo Wanqing climbed onto his back, and he carried her back to the village, where he had already prepared a room for her. Gently kneeling, he removed her shoes and then fetched water to wash her feet.

She gazed quietly at the young man kneeling before her, hesitating for a long moment before saying, "In the future, if there's ever something this dangerous again, you must tell me. I won't come then."

"How could that be?" Jiang Shaoyan shook his head, ladling warm water from the basin beside him into her foot bath.

As the water temperature rose, so did the gentleness in Jiang Shaoyan's voice, like the soothing warmth of the water. "Shaoyan wishes for Miss to go wherever her heart desires in this world, and I will pave the way for you," he said earnestly, lifting his head. "There is nowhere you cannot go, nothing you cannot do."

Upon hearing this, Luo Wanqing was taken aback. Jiang Shaoyan lifted her feet and dried them with a cloth.

"It was my fault that Miss was exposed to blood today. Miss, rest assured, as long as I'm around, you'll never have to touch such filthy things again. In the future, you can go wherever you want, do whatever you desire. Live your best life, and Shaoyan will always be here to protect you."

It was his fault for letting her get stained with blood.

He would always be there to guard her.

In an instant, the image before her eyes was of a person sliced in half, blood splattering everywhere.

She screamed in her dream, cursing, gasping in horror.

Where are you?

Jiang Shaoyan, where are you?

Jiang Shaoyan...

"If you dare come, I'll kill you."

The firm words echoed abruptly, and Luo Wanqing snapped open her eyes.

She was gasping for breath, her entire body aching terribly. However, it was evident that someone had tended to her wounds as they were all wrapped in bandages.

Lying flat on the ground, she gazed at the vast expanse of stars above. As she blinked, a tear that had gathered at the corner of her eye rolled down her cheek.

Beside her, there was an unusual warmth accompanied by the crackling sound of burning charcoal.

Then, a leisurely voice rang out, tinged with a hint of helplessness, "Finally awake?"

Upon hearing this, Luo Wanqing struggled to sit up and turned her head. She found herself in an open field, with a small river nearby and a fire pit. "Qin Jue," dressed in a prisoner's attire, sat on a stone beside the fire, roasting two birds over the flames. The birds were perfectly cooked, their golden-brown exterior exuding a mouthwatering aroma.

"You were crying loudly in your sleep just now," he said, half-truthfully, "I'm not skilled in comforting girls. But I thought my roasted meat skills are decent, so I caught these two magpies especially for you."

The youth handed her the bird, smiling as he said, "Eating such an auspicious bird should cheer you up, right?"

Luo Wanqing didn't respond. Lowering her gaze, she examined the bird in front of her, clearly larger than an ordinary one, and then glanced at the nearby feathers. She spoke frankly, "Magpies aren't this big."

"Hmm?"

"It might be a crow."

Qin Jue was taken aback. He lifted the bird on the wooden stick and studied it carefully, frowning. "Could it be a plumper type of magpie?"

Hearing Qin Jue trying to prove that it was indeed a magpie, Luo Wanqing didn't argue. She looked down, took the roasted bird, and whispered, "Let's just consider it a magpie then."