Gemächlicher junger Meister

Kapitel 42

"Where does it hurt? This dart didn't hit you at all."

"You're pressing on my foot...it hurts!" Ye Xiao cried out in grievance.

Luo Qingcheng moved away, and then heard Ye Xiao shout, "My new cotton-padded coat! Why did you tear my new cotton-padded coat for no reason! I just put it on for the New Year!"

Luo Qingcheng grunted, tore a long strip from his black cloak, tied it around her flowery sleeves, and made a knot.

"They're tied up like a spindle! It looks awful..."

Luo Qingcheng untied the ugly knot, carefully and neatly tied it again, and made a pretty bow.

Ye Xiao let out another loud shout, still about to find fault, when she suddenly wondered why Luo Qingcheng was being so obedient and compliant today. Looking up, she saw him leaning against the car wall, a smile playing on his lips, his eyes alluring, encircling her completely in an unusually ambiguous posture.

A sudden jolt went through Ye Xiao, and she suppressed her arrogance, smiling gently at him: "I recognized you as soon as you reached the street corner. I recognize your black cloak."

A desperate counterattack (Part 1)

Luo Qingcheng simply stared at Ye Xiao with a smile. At fifteen, driven by revenge, he had used a self-inflicted injury to gain Guo Qiwu's trust and join the Martial Alliance. He endured unimaginable hardships to gradually gain access to key locations like the Hero's Pavilion, finally achieving his goal of finding out the whereabouts of what he desired. During his five years in the Martial Alliance, he had witnessed its various methods and learned some of its core secrets. A little over a year ago, he had seized the opportunity of being sent on a mission by Guo Qiwu to steal that item. However, his experiences over the past year had shocked him, making him realize that the Martial Alliance was far more complex and powerful than he had initially thought, containing many unknown secret organizations and mysterious figures.

So seeing Ye Xiao safe and sound, he felt incredibly fortunate. He had spent five years in the capital, gradually building up his own power, thinking he had done so discreetly. However, the very place he had arranged for Ye Xiao and the others this morning was already surrounded by the Martial Alliance by evening, with the long-absent Alliance Leader, Huang Chongshan, personally directing the operation. If Guo Qiwu hadn't revealed Huang Chongshan's whereabouts, and if he hadn't rushed off to seek revenge, only to fail in his assassination attempt and then hear this shocking news, what would Xiao Xiao's situation be now? He dared not think further, simply holding her shoulders tightly, drawing her firmly into his embrace. It was as if he were making a promise, a promise to protect her forever, to ensure she suffered no harm.

Ye Xiao touched the strange bow tied around her arm, feeling a surge of joy. Suddenly, Shen Wan screamed from the side, and with a clang, someone stabbed a hole in the carriage with a knife, letting in a howling north wind.

Ye Xiao shivered and angrily lifted the curtain to look outside. A dozen men were chasing after the car in the biting cold wind, occasionally brandishing large knives and stabbing at the car. The man in front was the same silly man who had started selling soybeans on the street.

Ye Xiao grinned maliciously, turned around, picked up the basket of soybeans, and poured half of it out. The soybeans hopped happily onto the bluestone pavement, quickly rolling everywhere. The foolish man selling soybeans was chasing after them when he suddenly stepped on them, slipped, and fell headfirst, hitting his forehead on the back of a knife, immediately raising a large bump. While he was still bewildered, one of his brothers behind him also fell, tumbling down beside him. That brother, with his fiery temper, immediately yelled at him, "You glutton! Of all things to sell, why did you have to sell soybeans!" The foolish man pouted aggrievedly. The soybeans were fragrant and crunchy, good with alcohol and delicious; anyway, he wasn't really a peddler, and if he couldn't sell them, he could eat them himself. He had thought about this brilliant idea for a long time…

Luo Qingcheng grabbed Ye Xiao and pulled her back into his arms to protect her. He then picked up a small handful of soybeans and flicked them out one by one. The man was ruthless; the men chasing the carriage collapsed silently one by one, and the pursuers quickly disappeared from sight.

The carriage sped along, heading straight for the outskirts of the capital. As a vital transportation route connecting the capital region, although it was a mountain road, it did not feel narrow or rugged at all, and the carriage traveled smoothly and quickly.

Suddenly, a long neighing of a horse rang out, and the carriage lurched forward before coming to a stop. Ye Xiao quickly lifted the curtain, revealing a group of people blocking the road, the leader of whom was none other than Huang Tingfeng.

Huang Tingfeng, dressed in fine clothes and fur coat, stood proudly in the wind. Although he was missing an arm, he still maintained his elegant demeanor. If it weren't for the long sword in his hand pointing at the neck of a haggard and thin woman, he would have been quite a sight.

"Aunt Ru!" Luo Qingcheng rose from the carriage, leaping forward with a fierce glint in his eyes. "Huang Tingfeng! You dare touch a single hair on her head!"

Huang Tingfeng was slightly taken aback: "Xiao Ding? You can talk?"

"Release her. Otherwise..." Luo Qingcheng flicked his finger, and a soybean flew out like lightning, embedding itself between the eyebrows of a person next to Huang Tingfeng. The person's legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground.

Huang Tingfeng's astonishment deepened: "Xiao Ding! When did you learn such superb martial arts?" Suddenly, he felt that Xiao Ding's voice sounded very familiar. After a moment's thought, he suddenly realized: "You... are Luo Qingcheng! You... weren't poisoned to death?" His face turned pale, and his long sword trembled.

"How could I die before you?" Luo Qingcheng's eyes narrowed, his gaze sharp.

Huang Tingfeng sneered, "I didn't expect... Little Ding! It was you all along... Good! You actually managed to deceive the suspicious Right Envoy Guo! So it was you who colluded with Madam Ru to harm my Martial Alliance! That's fine... Little Ding, I know your intention is that golden dragon... Unfortunately, it has already fallen into my hands... I know it is related to the Netherworld Ring, the sacred artifact of Netherworld City. If you still want Madam Ru's life, obediently tell me the secret of the Netherworld Ring, and I will release your Aunt Ru!" He tightened his grip on the longsword, pressing it firmly against Madam Ru's skin, and a trickle of blood slowly flowed down the blade.

Luo Qingcheng's heart skipped a beat, his eyebrows shot up, and his fingernails dug deep into the flesh of his palm. He held a small handful of soybeans in his other hand, but dared not raise them. He was secretly calculating the chances of accidentally hurting Aunt Ru.

“Cheng’er…” Madam Ru suddenly spoke.

Luo Qingcheng's gaze suddenly softened, and he looked at her reassuringly: "Aunt Ru, don't be afraid. Today I will definitely take you away from this awful place forever and never let you suffer any more grievances."

Madam Ru gently shook her head: "Cheng'er... If I wanted to leave, I would have left with you the first time you came... But I have no face to face you... so I cannot leave with you. I have long since given up on living in this world, but I also have no face to face Zifu in the afterlife, I dare not see him, so I have clung to life until now. I thought I could stay out of this and no longer participate in this struggle, but I never expected that in the end I would be used as a hostage to hinder your great cause. His promises are ultimately worthless..."

Luo Qingcheng shook his head: "No...that father and son are treacherous villains. It has nothing to do with Aunt Ru. Aunt Ru, I must take you away, I must show you how I take my revenge!"

Madam Ru looked at Luo Qingcheng with loving eyes: "Cheng'er... whether or not you seek revenge is not important. Aunt Ru only hopes that you live happily... Aunt Ru will never stop my Cheng'er..." Her body suddenly tilted, and her slender, white neck was slashed fiercely from the long sword. A spurt of blood shot up several feet, and she collapsed.

Luo Qingcheng was shocked. With a flick of his sleeve, a handful of soybeans flew out like a rain of lightning, aimed directly at Huang Tingfeng. At the same time, he moved like an arrow to catch the falling Madam Ru. Caught off guard by the sudden change in the situation, Huang Tingfeng was horrified and let Madam Ru go. He retreated rapidly, but he was no match for the rain of soybeans. Just as he was about to be hit, a dark figure flashed by, blocking Huang Tingfeng's path. The figure struck the soybeans with both palms, shattering most of them, but a few still hit him, causing him to stagger.

Huang Tingfeng stared intently, then exclaimed with delight, "Right Envoy Guo, you..." Before he could react, Guo Qiwu struck him squarely in the face, knocking him to the ground. Knowing he had committed a grave offense, Huang Tingfeng dared not utter a sound, shrinking silently to the ground.

Guo Qiwu turned around, quickly walked to Madam Ru's side, bent down to check her injuries, and was shocked and heartbroken.

Madam Ru remained lucid, raising her hand to lovingly stroke Luo Qingcheng's cheek: "Cheng'er, don't... be too obsessed with hatred, you'll lose a lot... You were a gentle and quiet child when you were little." Luo Qingcheng reached out to press the wound on her neck, but blood still rushed out from between his fingers.

“Aunt Ru…” Luo Qingcheng looked at her in fear, suddenly at a loss, as if he had returned to the day when he was five years old when the sudden change occurred. “Aunt Ru, I should have taken you away sooner… I was wrong.”

Madam Ru's eyes began to glaze over, and she suddenly remembered something important: "Cheng'er... Huang... Chongshan is actually... the King..."

"Don't speak anymore... I can save you... Xiaoxiao, Xiaoxiao..." Luo Qingcheng suddenly turned around and looked at Ye Xiao as if pleading for help. Ye Xiao, who was in a daze, suddenly woke up and hurriedly found the Nine-Turn Rejuvenation Pill. Without caring whether it would work or not, she rushed over and stuffed it into Madam Ru's mouth, which was slightly closed. However, Madam Ru did not move at all. She just lay in Luo Qingcheng's arms, as beautiful as a painting.

Guo Qiwu was the first to come to her senses, turning back to look at Luo Qingcheng with even greater sorrow in her eyes: "Xiao Ding... how could it be you?"

Luo Qingcheng was in turmoil. He forced himself to calm down several times, but ultimately couldn't resist the overwhelming heartache. He heard Guo Qiwu sigh, "The time you saved me, you were seriously injured, and your leg was broken... Later, after you recovered, you were left with a leg disability. Was it all a lie?"

Luo Qingcheng didn't speak, but Ye Xiao jumped up in pain and smacked him on the head: "Your leg is really broken? How can you not take care of yourself? Never do this again!" She pinched his leg hard, gave him a look, and whispered: "Hostage... Ah Huang..." Her meaning was very clear. In the current situation, if they could take advantage of the chaos to capture Huang Tingfeng as a hostage, they could escape.

Unfortunately, Luo Qingcheng was clearly out of sorts, failing to grasp Ye Xiao's intentions for a long time. He simply held Madam Ru, lost in his own grief. Guo Qiwu, on the other hand, became alert and quickly retreated to protect Huang Tingfeng.

Ye Xiao was greatly disappointed. He quickly weighed the strength of both sides in his mind, but was at a loss.

The desperate counterattack (Part 2)

A rumbling sound came, and a carriage screeched to a halt outside the arena. "Ru Qing!" A pale-faced middle-aged man lifted the curtain and called out, staggering as he rushed forward, a few drops of blood spilling onto the ground he passed. Ye Xiao was slightly taken aback. Ru Qing? Was that Madam Ru's name? It sounded very familiar; he must have heard it somewhere before.

Guo Qiwu's eyelids twitched, and he quickly shouted, "Alliance Leader! No!" He made a gesture, and immediately some people rushed up to try to protect Huang Chongshan.

The Alliance Leader? Huang Chongshan? Ye Xiao was overjoyed; a living, breathing hostage had fallen from the sky! Watching him stumble and fall with every step, she saw him as a clumsy, fat sheep. Her eyes flickered, and she glanced with pity at Luo Qingcheng, who was holding Madam Ru in a daze, heartbroken. She sighed and decided to take matters into her own hands.

Ye Xiao drew her golden pestle, about to rush forward, when a flash of sword light appeared, and someone had already grabbed the fat sheep before her. Xiao Xun turned around with a grin, the Sun Chasing Sword in his hand gleaming coldly: "Boss, are you planning to capture him as a hostage?" Ye Xiao was overjoyed and praised: "Third brother and I are really on the same wavelength!" Xiao Xun was smug.

Huang Chongshan stopped in his tracks, his gaze slowly shifting to Xiao Xun's face, his expression sorrowful: "Let me see her first..." Xiao Xun's heart trembled, a sudden wave of grief washing over him. He paused slightly, then led Huang Chongshan to Luo Qingcheng, gently patting Luo Qingcheng's shoulder to signal him to accept his loss.

Huang Chongshan slowly squatted down and gently stroked Madam Ru's face. Her blood had already drained away, but the wound on her neck was still gaping open in a gruesome manner. Her entire body was a dull, bluish-gray, devoid of any life. A tiny tear gently drifted into the air, and Huang Chongshan suddenly spoke, addressing Luo Qingcheng: "Leave her to me, and I will spare your lives today."

Luo Qingcheng finally came to his senses and glared at Huang Chongshan with hatred: "Are you worthy?"

Huang Chongshan chuckled softly, staring intently at Madam Ru on the ground: "She is unworthy. No one is worthy. ... I only want to give her a proper burial. From today onward, I will use all my elite troops to hunt you down. I am worried that you are not capable of properly handling her funeral arrangements. She suffered injustice her whole life, and I do not want her to die with you, running around and never finding peace."

Luo Qingcheng held Madam Ru's hand in sorrow, remaining silent. Ye Xiao sneered, "Alliance Leader Huang! A wise man submits to circumstances. You were once a powerful figure, but now you're a hostage in our hands. What right do you have to negotiate with us?"

Huang Chongshan tenderly smoothed Madam Ru's hair, then slowly looked up at Ye Xiao: "Miss Ye, I've seen you more than once. You're clever, but not a wise person. Since I'm willing to risk my life for her, I'm prepared to die. I've guarded her for over twenty years, exhausting all my schemes and tricks, only to end up with nothing. What use are all my power and schemes? I only have one life, which I cherish dearly. But now, I truly regret not being able to die with her, and I have no desire to live on... I long to follow her to the afterlife... But how will you escape danger today?"

Luo Qingcheng sneered with red eyes: "Since that's the case, I'll grant your wish and send you to the underworld!" He flipped his hand and slashed straight at Huang Chongshan's head, but stopped half a foot away from the target.

Huang Chongshan smiled contemptuously: "I think I already know who you are. Where do you want her buried? I will grant your wish. I know she always regarded you as her own heart and soul. But you can't even give her a peaceful funeral..."

Luo Qingcheng's body jolted, then he suddenly calmed down, sneered, reached out and slapped Huang Chongshan to the ground, tossing him to Ye Xiao. He then hugged Madam Ru tightly and led Ye Xiao into the carriage. Xiao Xun also quickly leaped onto his seat, raising his whip. The members of the Martial Alliance quickly made way for the carriage to pass.

Huang Tingfeng glanced at Guo Qiwu somewhat timidly: "Right Envoy Guo, my father..."

Guo Qiwu said coldly, "The alliance leader's thoughts are not something we can presume to fathom. I think he must have his own plans."

Huang Tingfeng breathed a slight sigh of relief, then suddenly stammered, "Madam Ru is dead, will he...?"

Guo Qiwu's voice grew even colder: "Young Master Huang, forgive my bluntness, but you are a grown man, how can you not even tolerate such a weak woman? Her life of sorrow and loneliness is all thanks to your Huang family!" With a flick of his long sleeves, he drifted away.

Upon reaching a nearby town, Luo Qingcheng carried Madam Ru's coffin and walked alongside it. Grief and exhaustion took their toll, leaving him emaciated. Ye Xiao sighed, scooped up a mouthful of rice, and forced it into Luo Qingcheng's mouth. Luo Qingcheng's fingers traced the coffin, tears slowly streaming down his face.

"Who exactly is she to you?" Ye Xiao stuffed some more food into his mouth.

“I was raised by Aunt Ru since birth. I have always regarded her as my mother.” Luo Qingcheng said in a low voice, his shoulders slowly trembling uncontrollably.

Ye Xiao's eyes darted around, seizing a major loophole in his words: "Take it as? Then...where's your mother? Haven't you seen your mother?"

Luo Qingcheng tried desperately to hold back, but his whole body trembled: "...That woman? I saw her once, I wish... I had never seen her..."

Ye Xiao was about to ask him more questions when she saw that he looked like a sieve and couldn't bear to leave him. She reached out and hugged him, offering a few words of comfort.

"Later, my family was destroyed... Aunt Ru was kidnapped by that villain Huang Chongshan. I went through countless hardships to find her, but she was fixated on the past and refused to come with me. I could only secretly visit her time and time again. This time, I was determined to take her and Xiao Wan away, but I never expected... Mo Yingxue was actually the eldest daughter of the Huang family, and she recognized the Jade Guanyin, which implicated Aunt Ru... In the end, it was those two vicious dogs, the Huang father and son, who caused all this trouble..."

"So... what do you plan to do with Alliance Leader Huang?"

A glint of malice flashed in Luo Qingcheng's eyes as he glared hatefully at Huang Chongshan, who was unconscious after being put to sleep by a pressure point technique: "Of course, we should kill him! But right now, with Aunt Ru's coffin in our hands, we're too conspicuous. Countless people are definitely watching us. I also have to handle Aunt Ru's funeral arrangements, so I can't be distracted. Once Aunt Ru's funeral is over and I have no more worries, I will definitely take that old dog's life and avenge myself!"

Ye Xiao looked at Luo Qingcheng with worry. His eyes were bloodshot and filled with hatred. He hoped that Luo Qingcheng would not be blinded by hatred.

Luo Qingcheng carried the coffin southwards, and as spring drew nearer, the scenery along the roadside gradually became lush and verdant. Upon reaching the Ning'an Mountains, Luo Qingcheng finally found a place halfway up a mountain to bury Madam Ru.

Huang Chongshan's chest injury had not yet healed, and he was listless all day. Even so, Luo Qingcheng still pressed his pressure points, making him able to move with difficulty but unable to fight back or escape. He was pragmatic and obediently followed the others in bowing. Once everything was settled, he looked at another grave nearby and whispered, "So he was buried here."

Luo Qingcheng looked at Huang Chongshan kneeling before the grave and gritted his teeth, saying, "Now it's your turn! What do you want?"

Huang Chongshan smiled faintly: "I know the whereabouts of someone, and I think you would definitely like to know news about him."

Luo Qingcheng hesitated slightly, then snorted, "No need. I'll find the person I want myself! You should choose a way to die! After all, you're the leader of the martial arts alliance; they'll give you a dignified death!"

Huang Chongshan laughed, his face pale: "Whatever you want. I just hope that when I die, I won't be too far away from Ruqing." He tried to stand up, but perhaps because his pressure points had been pressed, he swayed and fell onto Shen Wan beside him.

Shen Wan was startled and hesitated before reaching out to help him. Unexpectedly, Huang Chongshan flipped his arm, and a gleaming dagger was pressed against Shen Wan's body.

Ye Xiao let out a loud cry, but heard Luo Qingcheng sneer: "You're injured and your pressure points have been acupunctured. Do you think you can escape from these deep mountains with her?"

Huang Chongshan chuckled: "If I can't escape... I only need to escape ten steps..." As he spoke, he grabbed Shen Wan and ran a few steps with difficulty, already panting heavily. He turned around and saw Luo Qingcheng following not too far behind. He made up his mind, pushed Shen Wan down hard, and rolled down on the spot himself. The two of them quickly rolled down the hillside.

Luo Qingcheng swiftly darted past, scooped Shen Wan up from the ground, and was about to chase after Huang Chongshan down the hillside when a whistling arrow grazed past his ear, halting his steps. Several figures quickly appeared on the hillside, roaring as they charged towards the halfway point. Luo Qingcheng was slightly surprised: "As expected… they've been following us all along, but… how could they have arrived so quickly? I underestimated them?"

Ye chuckled and said slowly, "But... how come Alliance Leader Huang has a dagger?"

Xiao Xun quickly dragged Shen Wan away, saying, "All I know is... analysis is useless, escaping is the priority!" He slipped away and was the first to rush out.

Ye Xiao and Luo Qingcheng exchanged a glance, then turned and joined the fleeing group. Huang Chongshan had already been rescued, and outnumbered, the situation had rapidly deteriorated. It seemed that they were the ones who needed to be pragmatic now…

However, the pursuers were extremely fierce, and the frail Shen Wan was a major weakness, significantly hindering their speed. Ye Xiao, amidst the chaos, surveyed the terrain and said to Xiao Xun, "Third brother, take Miss Shen along this path around this mountain. There's a large castle at the foot of the mountain… wait for us inside…" Turning to Luo Qingcheng, he continued, "We'll hold off the enemy for now, then take a shortcut into the castle…"

Luo Qingcheng turned and charged into the enemy ranks, but was frustrated to find that Ye Xiao hadn't followed, instead hiding on the sidelines fiddling with something. Ye Xiao, seeing that Xiao Xun had disappeared from sight, shouted to Luo Qingcheng, "Go!" and ran towards the mountain. Luo Qingcheng quickly took down several men, broke out of the encirclement, and caught up with Ye Xiao. The pursuers, not to be outdone, relentlessly pursued.

The two hurried up the mountain and soon reached the summit. Dusk was approaching, and mist began to rise from the mountains. In the distance, verdant peaks rose, and at the foot of the mountain lay a vast, green plain. On this plain lay a colossal castle, majestic and imposing. The moat surrounding the castle, bathed in the setting sun, resembled a crimson ribbon, tightly encircling the jewel-like structure.

“There really is a castle!” Luo Qingcheng whispered. “But how do we take a shortcut?”

Ye Xiao didn't speak, but led him around the mountain a few more times until they arrived at a certain place. The sheer cliffs, as if carved by a knife and axe, plunged almost at right angles to the foot of the mountain. Below the cliffs, jagged rocks stood, and in the distance, the tall gate of the castle was clearly visible.

Ye Xiao quickly tied a rope around Luo Qingcheng's waist, carefully looping it around his shoulders and crossing it behind his back. He walked over and stood behind him, then with a snap, hooked a small hook from his own waist onto the rope around Luo Qingcheng's waist: "Let's jump down together."

"..." Luo Qingcheng estimated the height of the cliff, "...he would definitely fall to his death..."

“So,” Ye Xiao reached out and hugged him tightly from behind, “so you could be my cushion…” With a push of his feet, the two of them landed on top of each other and jumped off the cliff.

Luo Qingcheng sighed, "Why should I go crazy with you?" A sudden tightening around his waist halted his descent, causing him to float gently downwards. He was somewhat surprised and turned his head. On Ye Xiao's body, two enormous triangular wings had appeared, whistling in the wind.

Ye Xiao chuckled softly in his ear: "Wings of the Wind. I've said it before, they can glide through the sky. They won't die, I've played this trick countless times... only, this time there's one more person in it."

Luo Qingcheng remained silent. A light mist drifted past him; the mountain wind was strong, but spring had finally arrived, and the wind wasn't biting. The lush green below drew ever closer, and the breathing of the person behind him was clearly audible. Luo Qingcheng suddenly felt a pang of loss, and reached back to grip Ye Xiao's hand, hoping this flight would never end…

On the city gate, several armored guards were patrolling. One of them glanced at the setting sun and shouted, "Sun, sun, sun..."

"Fuck your mother! You stutterer!" another guard roared.