"..."
"I saw that the young master's archery skills are excellent; he can truly be described as hitting a willow leaf from a hundred paces. It is truly admirable."
"...Thank you."
"No need for thanks, I'm just telling the truth. Actually, your archery skills aren't the best, what's rare is having such great skill and such a kind heart. When I saw you shoot the wolf king with a broken arrowhead, I was truly impressed. Perhaps someone like you, young master, is what everyone calls a chivalrous knight-errant? I've really learned something new."
She rattled off a string of words, and finally saw a hint of a smile in his clear eyes. Overjoyed, she was about to press on when she heard him turn around and order, "Bring a bag of water for the young mistress. She must be thirsty after saying so much."
The men in white behind them were barely holding back their laughter, almost to the point of internal injury. They quickly brought water to Xiaoman. She gripped the leather bag tightly, her teeth itching with hatred, wishing she could smash the water bag onto his arrogant head.
Frustration! She had never experienced such utter defeat before! This man completely disregarded her, watching her play like a cat toying with a mouse. Fun, isn't it?! Damn it, she'd go for it! Let's see who has the stronger willpower!
She went over with a smile and said softly, "Young master, you don't need to be so polite, always calling me 'Miss.' My name is Xiaoman, you can just call me that!"
He seemed not to hear her, his beautiful eyes fixed straight ahead, leaving no corner untouched for her.
Xiao Man suddenly felt a chill, alarmed by her own impetuousness and agitation. What was wrong with her? In the past, she wouldn't have bothered with such an unyielding person. Even the most charming and shrewd person would be met with a cold shoulder. Knowing when to quit while she was ahead was something she excelled at.
Why would she pick a fight with someone like that?
Just because he couldn't even see a single hair on her head?
She immediately felt disheartened and lost all interest in talking to him.
Bored, she stopped playing.
Xiao Man tilted her head back to drink water, intending to leisurely admire the scenery, when she suddenly heard Tian Quan say, "We've arrived. Please go first, young master."
She nearly choked on her water, coughed several times, and barely managed to dismount the camel. Looking up, she saw a winding mountain path, shrouded in dense forest, with a half-worn stone tablet in front of it bearing three dark characters: No Return Mountain.
Looking up a little higher, she realized the mountain was quite tall. Her legs started trembling again, and seeing everyone dismount from the camels, she couldn't help but ask, "Did we...walk up here?"
Old Sha laughed and said, "The mountain road is rugged. Camels are suitable for walking in the desert, but not on mountain roads. I'll trouble you to walk for a while first, and a car will come to pick you up halfway up the mountain."
As a result, they walked for more than an hour. Xiaoman was so tired that she couldn't breathe, and her vision was blurry. She wished she could lie down on the ground and never move again.
Just as she was about to complain of being tired, she suddenly heard several crisp female voices from ahead: "Your subordinates greet Young Master, Young Mistress, and Mr. Sha."
Upon closer inspection, she saw a row of six women dressed in white standing in front of her, all wearing black hats with wider brims and black veils draped over their faces. Behind them was a small carriage. Upon seeing the carriage, Xiaoman felt as if she had seen a long-lost relative, and was so moved that she almost cried.
"Is Master Jin here?" Tianquan asked casually.
A woman in white respectfully replied, "Young master, all five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—are present. They are awaiting your arrival."
Tianquan nodded, turned around and gestured for Xiaoman to enter, and the two of them boarded the carriage together. Just as he was about to close the door, he suddenly remembered something and added, "Tian Zexiu might come these days. If he does, just say I'm not here."
Zexiu? The name sounded familiar. Where had she heard it before? Xiaoman leaned against the cushion and tried hard to remember, but she couldn't recall.
"My lady." The soft voice called her several times before Xiaoman finally came to her senses, turned around and looked at him, wondering what he wanted to say to her.
Tianquan glanced at her sleeve and said, "Your Highness is injured."
Xiao Man looked down and saw bloodstains on her sleeve, as if the old wound from the wire had flared up again. Strangely, just like when she was first injured, she didn't feel any pain.
She pulled up her sleeve, and sure enough, it was an old wound that had flared up. The wound was gaping open like a child's mouth, looking extremely gruesome. But what was most terrifying was that, despite being injured like this, she didn't feel any pain at all. Xiaoman quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe away the blood and was about to get some wound medicine when she suddenly heard Tianquan say, "Let me see."
Without a word, he grabbed her wrist, examined the wound closely, pressed his finger on it, and asked, "Does it hurt?"
Xiao Man shook her head.
His handsome eyebrows furrowed, and after looking at it for a long time, he took out a small purple bottle from his pocket, poured out some white powder and sprinkled it around the wound, then wrapped it with her handkerchief.
"Do not get the wound wet for three days. If it is still bleeding after three days, please tell me."
Seeing his serious expression, Xiaoman suddenly remembered the strange tales of the martial arts world told by the storytellers in the town's teahouse—poisons, hidden weapons, all sorts of bizarre stories. Her face changed drastically, and she cried out, "I...am I poisoned?"
No way! I hope this tragic thing doesn't happen to her! She died before she even got started, she didn't do anything, and she was inexplicably poisoned to death?
Tianquan said calmly, "It's not poison, so you don't need to worry, young master."
Really? She looked at him skeptically.
Tianquan stopped speaking and looking at her, as if she didn't exist in the carriage at all.
Xiao Man couldn't help but admire his ability to play dead.
He's ruthless.
Chapter Eleven of the Horned Scroll: The Mountain of No Return (Part Two)
Updated: 2008-10-04 15:08:53 Word Count: 3626
Xiaoman didn't know when she fell asleep. These past few days had really been tough on her. Being frightened, crossing the desert, and being frightened again—it was more exciting than all the exciting moments in her sixteen years of life combined.
The carriage suddenly stopped, startling her slightly. She immediately woke up and heard Tianquan whispering instructions, as if telling people not to wake her. So the women in white came up and gently carried Xiaoman down from the carriage, not daring to breathe.
Xiao Man simply pretended to be asleep, squinting to see what they were up to. She vaguely sensed that after passing through the gate, all the houses along the way were exceptionally magnificent.
This was a huge high-rise building built on a mountaintop. Xiaoman dared not look up to see how tall it was, for fear that others would find out she was awake. She relaxed her whole body, letting out sweet breaths, and slightly raised her eyelids. But when she entered the main hall, she saw that it was full of people, all wearing ivory white long robes and black hats.
She quickly closed her eyes, unable to bear looking any longer.
Tianquan was speaking to someone in front, but his voice was so low that it was impossible to hear anything. The fact that there was so many people, yet not a sound could be heard, was unsettling.
Xiao Man was carried into a room and placed on a fragrant and soft bed. The footsteps gradually faded away, and after a while, there was no sound in the room. She suddenly opened her eyes, her eyes darting around quickly as she looked around the room.
It was certain that her earlier guess that Mount Bugui was wealthy was correct. She had never seen or imagined the magnificence and exquisiteness of this house before. It smelled wonderful everywhere and seemed to radiate a dazzling light—a light that said, "I am so rich."
Xiao Man quietly jumped off the bed, looked around to make sure no one was in the room, then rushed to the bookshelf and pried off the pearls embedded in the candlesticks one by one, stuffing them into her bosom.
She's about to strike it rich! Two thousand taels of silver, plus so many precious jewels and gems, and the guards aren't around. It's perfect timing, location, and people. If she doesn't escape now, why wait until they discover she's a fake mistress?
Xiaoman stuffed her bosom full, pressing it against her collar, afraid the jewels and pearls would fall out. She then tiptoed to the door, listening carefully first—hmm, no sound. She happily opened the door, only to find four women in white standing there, staring at her without moving.
She trembled and could no longer hold her clothes up. With a few clanging and clattering sounds, the jewels and pearls in her arms scattered all over the ground.
The four women in white silently looked at the things on the ground, then looked up at Xiaoman, whose face turned pale and then flushed. Finally, she touched her head and gave a sweet smile, saying softly, "Oh dear, where am I? Am I suffering from sleepwalking disorder?"
So she was firmly held in the middle by four women, and no matter how much she shouted or explained, it was useless. They took her all the way to another hall. There were many people in the hall. After a quick look around, Old Sha was not there, but Tianquan was standing among them, looking at her expressionlessly.
"You've endured a long and arduous journey, my lord. Are you feeling better now?"
Five large chairs were arranged in a circle in the hall, large enough for two people to lie down on. Each chair was occupied by a person dressed in a manner quite different from the usual ivory white and black hats worn here. Some were gleaming gold and exuded an air of nobility, like a nouveau riche merchant; others were dressed in simple clothes with deep turbans, clearly reclusive old teachers living in the mountains.
The person speaking seemed to be a woman, sitting in the third-to-last chair, dressed in expensive silk and satin, her face covered with a light purple veil, making it impossible to see her features. However, her voice was soft, melodious, and very pleasant to listen to.
Xiao Man hummed in agreement and casually replied, "It's fine."
As soon as she finished speaking, the five people on the chair stood up at the same time, bowed to her, and said in unison, "The Mountain of No Return welcomes the young mistress of Cangya City. Please forgive any abruptness."
At that moment, everyone in the hall bowed respectfully to her and said in unison, "Greetings, Your Highness!"
Xiao Man was stunned by the force of the shouts. She had never seen anything like it before, and it was a miracle her legs didn't go weak. Turning around, she suddenly saw Tian Quan among those bowing to her, and she was overjoyed. Haha~ Even that icy-faced guy with his nose in the air had to submit to her!
Feeling a surge of joy, her nervousness dissipated considerably, and she quickly smiled and said, "You're all too kind, Xiaoman can't possibly accept such hospitality."
The elderly man in plain clothes in the center waved his hand and said, "Please sit down, young master."
She glanced around and saw that there was only one large chair nearby, covered with a delicate cushion, presumably for her. She tried sitting down for a moment, and since no one objected, she felt reassured and sat down.
The old man in plain clothes in the middle said again, "We haven't introduced ourselves yet. This is Mount No Return. I believe you have already heard of the name of Mount No Return."
Seeing that he paused for a moment, as if waiting for her to speak, Xiaoman quickly and readily agreed with a smile: "Yes, Mount Bugui is a very famous sect in the martial arts world, dedicated to doing good deeds and being good people. I admire them very much."
There seemed to be laughter below. The old man in plain clothes glanced at them indifferently, and everyone fell silent. He continued, "I am old and frail. In the martial arts world, I am known as Mr. Mu."
After he finished speaking, a smiling, middle-aged man with the air of a general next to him continued, "I am General Shui."
As they were introduced one by one, the expressionless, somewhat mean-looking man in his fifties was Doctor Huo; the woman veiled in purple gauze was the nouveau riche boss; and the well-dressed man with a small mustache, looking like a nouveau riche, was Master Jin.
This group is quite strange; they've got generals, doctors, bosses, and even a wealthy landowner added at the end. Are they putting on a grand opera?
Xiao Man had only heard of Master Jin's name before; Lao Sha and Tian Quan had both mentioned him. At the time, she thought he was a real wealthy man, and that Lao Sha and Tian Quan were his family's long-term servants and lackeys. It turned out that this wealthy man was actually a leader in a major martial arts sect—truly unexpected.
She forced a smile, and each of them, whom she had long admired, approached. After she had finally finished greeting all five of them, seven more people suddenly stepped forward—men and women, young and old, all handsome and distinguished. Tianquan was among them. The seven of them said in unison, "The Seven Envoys of the Big Dipper greet Your Highness."
Big Dipper... Seven shits? Xiao Man quickly bit her lip to prevent herself from laughing.
Since they are the Seven Envoys of the Big Dipper, their names are naturally arranged from Tian Shu to Yao Guang. She finally understood why Tian Quan was called Tian Quan; she had always thought it was "Tian Quan".
Aside from Tianquan, Tianji, and Yaoguang, the other four are all elders. Tianji is a handsome young man with rosy lips and white teeth, a dignified bearing, and eyes that exude a chivalrous spirit; he looks radiant. Yaoguang is the only woman, and she is not wearing a veil. Her eyebrows and eyes do have a touch of charm, but unfortunately, she looks like a child who is hungry and cold, pale and thin, and listless.
Xiao Man greeted everyone one by one, her head almost stiffening from exhaustion.
Finally, Mr. Mu spoke again: "The incident at Cangya City has caused a great uproar in the martial arts world, and we are all deeply saddened. The Ten Fiends of Tiansha have committed numerous evils in recent years, truly a disgrace to the martial arts world. However, their whereabouts are elusive and their martial arts are highly skilled. Even though ordinary righteous people hate them to the bone, they have no way to eliminate them in a short time. Who would have thought that they would commit such a heinous crime as slaughtering the entire Cangya City? Fortunately, the bloodline of our young master has been preserved. Otherwise, how could we face our former young master a hundred years from now?"
Xiao Man was completely bewildered by his half-classical, half-vernacular speech, having no idea what he was referring to. The previous young mistress? What was that?
The boss said softly, "Young mistress, do you still remember what happened two years ago? Perhaps recalling it will cause you pain, but in order to solve the mystery of Cangya City as soon as possible, please tell me who the murderer who wiped out the clan is."
How could she know who the murderer was?! Xiaoman's mind raced, and suddenly, remembering something, she said, "I...I don't remember. It was all very confusing, I didn't see clearly..."
"I can't remember" was the best excuse, she laughed smugly.
A soft murmur arose in the hall as the five men whispered among themselves. After a while, the Boss Tu said, "Young Master must be tired from your journey. Someone, take Young Master to bathe and rest. Tonight, we will open the altar and summon the lonely soul of Cangya."
What does it mean to open an altar and summon the lonely soul of Cangya? Does it mean to have her perform a ritual?
Xiao Man soaked in the large bathtub, completely baffled. How could she possibly know how to perform any rituals! Oh no, maybe once this altar is opened, the truth that she's a fake mistress will be exposed! But, didn't Old Sha already know she was an imposter? Hadn't he had time to tell the higher-ups yet?
Ugh, these things are giving me a real headache. I need to pack up some valuables and get out of here as quickly as possible. I have absolutely no interest in martial arts worlds, Cangya City, or Mount Bugui. I'll take the money, buy a mansion in a bustling town, live the life of a landlady, and occasionally stroll the streets admiring handsome men – that's the life a decent person should live.
She stood up from the water with a splash, and before she could even leave, a group of women in white rushed over and asked in unison, "Does Your Highness wish to change your clothes?"
Startled, she sat back down and said, "No...it's nothing."
With such tight security, how could she escape unless she turned to ashes immediately?
She played dejectedly with the colorful petals floating on the water's surface. The lives of the wealthy were truly different; they didn't even need wooden tubs for bathing, but rather pools. And the bathwater wasn't ordinary either, but medicinal broth, a deep, clear blue, sprinkled with petals, its fragrance intoxicating. The pool was shrouded in sheer gauze, the walls adorned with luminous pearls, and each of the four corners had a dragon head, presumably with some kind of mechanism, spewing steaming hot medicinal broth.
Xiaoman really wanted to pry off the black pearls embedded in the longan fruit, and those luminous pearls on the wall... To put it simply, if she could take just two of them out, she would never have to worry about food or clothing for the rest of her life.
Looking wistfully at the white-clad women standing around the bath, she could only keep her thoughts to herself.