Der Gipfel der Kampfkunstwelt

Kapitel 6

"remuneration!"

The man in black chuckled softly, unable to stop himself.

"I never imagined that one day you would talk about payment like an ordinary assassin who is busy chasing money."

Adi felt no shame whatsoever. He was already unwilling to be forced to kill, so what was so strange about asking for a reward? He needed to make a living and support another person, so he could never have too much money.

"Okay, how much do you want?"

"One hundred thousand taels."

"...Are you asking for an exorbitant amount?"

"You've bought the life of royalty. If you think that's too high-class, you can find a cheaper assassin."

"...Never mind, I didn't expect that you would become a different person after only being gone for a short time."

"Without leaving that narrow cage, how can one truly see the outside world and find one's true self?"

The man in black scrutinized him carefully but said nothing more. “You can go back now. I will send someone to inform you of the details before the operation begins.”

Watching Adi's departing figure, he began to doubt, faced with such a change in him... Could it be that his successful escape from the Dark Pavilion was actually a deliberate act by his master to let him go out and broaden his horizons? Then... the other end of the chain was still in his master's hands, ready to be brought back at any time. Did he really think he could escape?

How will I sleep this night?

Adi lay on the bed fully clothed, staring absently at the rafters—she shouldn't have told Zhijin about this. But as clever as Zhijin was, it would be hard for her not to notice, so she might as well not hide it.

He waited until dawn, then got out of bed and knocked on Queyue's door.

He said yesterday that he wouldn't keep the appointment... How should I explain this to Zhijin...?

He was still fretting when the door opened. Queyue, standing inside, immediately recognized his expression and knew he had something to say. Adi, unsure what to say, simply blurted out, "Uh, Zhijin… things have changed a bit. I have to go to Shuimei Residence today. Will you… come along?" Even he himself didn't know why he'd blurted out that he'd take her along. She couldn't really help with this, could she…? But even if she couldn't help, Zhijin certainly wouldn't hold him back.

Queyue glanced at him and replied indifferently, "Okay."

"Well?"

"I'll go with you, wait for me." She quickly tidied herself up, grabbed a cloak, and followed him out the door.

Adi glanced sideways at Queyue beside her... Her personality... was indeed decisive and efficient, without uttering a single wasted word. Moreover, she was intelligent, courageous, and not delicate... Hmm, a good woman.

Did he... find a treasure?

Shui Mei Ju is completely different during the day from at night. It is quiet and elegant. It is famous as an "elegant place" and is mostly frequented by literati and scholars. However, at night, it is used to entertain high-ranking officials and dignitaries, which gives it a different charm.

Rao Ran had clearly not slept all night, and looked slightly haggard, but the makeup concealed her fatigue so well that it was almost unnoticeable.

If Adi had only come to check on the situation and offer some advice before leaving last night, he would have been powerless to help if there truly was no solution. However, now that he knew the "Dark Pavilion" was behind the assassination attempt on the Prince, and he had accepted the mission, the matter was now related to him. He would certainly do his best to save Raoran's life. But even though he was at the banquet, if a fight broke out, he might not be able to protect Raoran... No, the Prince had many guards, all highly skilled; he certainly couldn't protect anyone else!

His conversation with Rao Ran did not shy away from mentioning Queyue.

Rao Ran knew nothing of martial arts, nor even of singing, dancing, or music—nothing a courtesan should possess. How could she possibly protect herself or save herself in that situation?

"Isn't there a way to replace it with someone else?"

"But who can go? Whoever goes will die. The sisters may have already sensed the importance of this banquet from the eldest sister's seriousness, and few of them are confident enough to handle it—besides, the eldest sister has already announced that the top dancer of Shui Mei Ju will perform for the young prince. Who else but me can go? If we find someone to take our place, what if those high-ranking officials see through it and blame us..."

Adi frowned slightly; this was indeed a problem. Although the young prince didn't know what the top dancer of Shui Mei Ju looked like, there were many local dignitaries at the banquet, and they certainly would. Finding just anyone to replace her was impossible… unless—

“Unless it’s a dancer who can surpass Miss Rao Ran.” Que Yue, who was sitting to the side, suddenly spoke up. The two of them looked at her with slight surprise, seemingly not expecting her to speak. “The dancer who will perform for the young king will be the number one dancer of Shui Mei Ju. In other words, it doesn’t matter who it is, as long as that person is [number one].

"Yes...that's true, but finding someone here who surpasses me is simply..."

"I can." Queyue remained indifferent, her face expressionless, and said to the two somewhat dumbfounded people, "I can go in Raoran's place."

"Wait, wait, Zhijin..." Adi hurriedly said, "It's not that I don't trust your dancing skills, but your injuries haven't fully healed. Putting aside whether you can dance or not, in such a dangerous environment, it would be difficult for an ordinary woman to escape, let alone someone injured like you. If we take you down with us to save Raoran, what's the point of doing this?" Considering Raoran was beside him, Adi couldn't say it outright—but if it meant putting Zhijin in danger, he would rather do nothing at all!

Call him heartless and ungrateful, or say he doesn't care about past relationships, but that's what he was thinking at that moment.

"It's just a dance... it should be fine. I just need some temporary pain medication."

“Zhijin, you don’t need to…”

“Adi, I might be able to help you.” Adi paused slightly at these words, clearly understanding the implication of their earlier conversation. She knew he would also be at the banquet. “Besides, I know how to protect myself, though it might be difficult, at least I won’t hold you back.”

Queyue's expression remained calm, yet it exuded an undeniable authority. Even though he knew she was barely better than a cripple, unable to even lift a bucket of water, he still felt that she could stand so steadily beside him, reliable no matter the situation or danger.

If he were more rational, he should have treated this feeling as an illusion and rejected it.

But he agreed, even he himself didn't understand... Perhaps, subconsciously, he also hoped that Zhijin could be the woman who walked alongside him.

Chapter Twelve

"...Alright, Zhijin, you go. But you must be extremely careful, and if anything goes wrong, find a way to get out immediately..." Even as he said this, he knew in his heart that the situation was beyond his control. In a crisis, could she really protect herself? If anything unexpected happened, even if it meant abandoning the mission, he had to find a way to bring Zhijin out...

But he really didn't expect that the indifferent and detached person would actually help Rao Ran...

His confusion was written all over his face. Queyue seemed to understand, and gave him a faint look in return—she was willing to help not because she wanted to save Raoran, but because Adi wanted to save Raoran…

For a moment, Adi really wanted to give up, not to save Raoran, not to assassinate the young prince, and just to escape with Zhijin... But he knew it wouldn't be that easy. The Dark Pavilion had already found him and must have sent many people to monitor him to prevent him from escaping before the banquet.

The best time for them to leave is during the chaos following the assassination...

“In that case, I will personally take Zhijin to talk to my elder sister. There are still some details that need to be discussed with Zhijin... Let’s go back to the inn first. Raoran, you’d better be prepared for the banquet as well. As soon as the banquet starts, leave Shuimei Residence and go as far away as possible.”

After the assassination, Shui Mei Ju would inevitably be implicated. He pulled Que Yue to see his eldest sister—he knew she wouldn't refuse, because she knew the inside story and his mission that day.

As expected, the alluring woman from last night didn't say much after listening to Adi's words. Adi was the one carrying out the mission. Although the plan was formulated by the Dark Pavilion, the specific details still had to be arranged by Adi. She simply looked at Queyue carefully and said, "Okay, but she has to stay here for the next two days. I must review her singing and dancing skills, otherwise I can't bear the responsibility if there are any mistakes."

Adi turned to look at Queyue, who nodded and had no objection.

Although he was worried, he had no choice but to do this; he also had things he had to do. Adi had instructed Queyue, "I will come to tell you all the details before the banquet and bring you the medicine you need. Also... I will be at the banquet, so don't be afraid of causing me trouble. If anything happens, come to me. I won't let you get hurt."

The crescent moon's face remained unchanged, but a faint, gentle smile seemed to appear in its eyes, almost imperceptible, like an illusion.

These past two days, Queyue has stayed at Shuimei Residence to work with the musicians and get to know each other better.

The eldest sister once tried to figure something out from her, thinking that she had seen countless people and rarely made mistakes, but she was still unsure what kind of person Queyue really was.

Such a woman seemed to possess a good family background and upbringing, yet she was completely at ease in this world of pleasure. Her repertoire of music and dance ranged from refined to vulgar, and she was even quite proficient in "obscene songs and dances" that were despised by so-called upright people. After watching her graceful dance, my initial apprehension completely vanished.

This sense of relief lasted only until evening before being shattered again. Queyue asked a maid from Shui Mei Ju to fetch her usual medicine from the inn. When her elder sister saw the wounds covering her body beneath her clothes, she exclaimed in shock—

"Heavens! What is this?! How could you be injured like this—how could someone in a body like yours possibly perform a dance? You know, once the young prince takes a liking to you, serving him drinks is commonplace, and you might even have to serve him in his room—"

Queyue glanced at her indifferently, "He won't live to see that day."

That's true...

"But what about the dance costume? If you're wearing a dance costume, there's no way to cover up your scars..."

The crescent moon paused slightly. Indeed, a geisha's costume often reveals her waist, arms, and legs... and those unsightly scars on her body simply cannot be shown...

"The only thing we can do is make some changes to the clothes."

The eldest sister sighed softly, "Well, that's all we can do." Those wounds... what kind of torture could inflict such damage? How can a woman ever get married with her vital skin so badly injured?

“The brocade weaver…” Rao Ran seemed to have something to say, but didn’t know what to say.

"You don't need to say anything to me. What I did wasn't for you. I was simply helping Adi." She didn't say much to Raoran. Because Adi wanted to save her, she helped Adi... It was only natural, wasn't it? Because Adi had saved her before and had been taking care of her ever since, and this woman was an old friend of Adi's... long before she and Adi had known each other... As for those slight anxieties in her heart, there was no need to care...

There's absolutely no need...

The day of the banquet arrived in the blink of an eye. Queyue, who was going there as a dancer, waited in a side room with the band. The external and internal medicines were all ready, temporarily suppressing the pain. As long as she could bear it, she would have no problem dancing a dance.

"Weaving brocade! Are you ready? It's your turn!"

Queyue stood up, her tight-fitting dance costume adorned with strings of lustrous, milky-white beads that seemed to reflect light against the bright, sky-blue satin dress.

She gently closed her eyes, then opened them again, her expression changed, and she strolled forward—the music had begun, the melody melodious and graceful, the crescent moon resembling a water snake in the music, alluring and smiling.

Enjoying springtime travels, forgetting the three thousand miles

Kunming Lake Meeting Rain Mistaken for Su Causeway

A slender shadow casts a light reflection on the lakeside, where Zhang Luxin tears a small piece of emerald silk.

A gentle voice flowed from her throat, as soft as the green shade of a lakeside in March, enchanting yet refreshing.

Her waist was as lithe as a snake, her eyes as clear as water, and her smile as alluring as a demon. She glanced indifferently at the noble young man seated at the head of the table, her body swaying gracefully, yet her gaze lingered on him, as if silk threads were capturing him layer by layer.

Making the best of a bad situation and taking advantage of spring's beauty

The shore is far from Kunming. Seventeen lines of poetry, crowded with clouds, tea, and plain eyebrows, awaiting the arrival of water.

Two strands of spring light permeate the heart of the lake.

Farewell, silent and still, I will remember the tones and rhythms of the poem.

Her eyes never left the young prince, whom she still held captive, yet that didn't stop her from seeing someone else. One of the guests seated on either side… a figure in flowing blue robes, slender and graceful, even while holding a wine glass, his gaze still lingered on her, seemingly casually…

Spring comes, flowers bloom, spring goes, love is not mentioned.

Lakeside and mountains, yet my heart resides in Kunming

Disguised as a tea horse, I send you off.

Kunming turns its lake waters into tears

I wish to entrust my heart to spring so that it may warm once more.

Ah Di gently swirled his wine glass, releasing a rich aroma... He never put the glass down, but he didn't drink much.

He was the Jade Flute Gentleman, and although he rarely traveled the martial world, his flute playing was extremely renowned, earning him the reputation of a refined scholar. With such an outward identity, it would be quite easy for the Dark Pavilion to arrange for him to be introduced to the banquet.

He raised his glass and took a small sip, using this gesture to carefully observe the familiar yet unfamiliar dancer. He had never known that Queyue could possess such alluring charm and captivating grace. Her smile, like enchanting spring water, was mesmerizing and captivating, yet utterly genuine. Had he not known the real her, he probably wouldn't have been able to discern the slightest flaw in that smile.

Zhijin was smiling. She could smile so easily, so frivolously. However, what he wanted to see was not this fake smile.

He appeared slightly tipsy amidst the aroma of wine, but his eyes never left the young prince. The young prince's eyes lit up at the appearance of Queyue, his gaze fixed on her smile. He beckoned to his steward, gave him a few instructions, and as soon as Queyue finished her dance, someone led her to the backyard. Adi watched indifferently, a murderous glint in his eyes amidst the alcohol's fumes—

Chapter Thirteen

Time is up--

Suddenly, a sharp whistle pierced the air, and several assassins in black leaped into the courtyard from all directions, attacking the guards. Almost simultaneously, Adi leaped from his seat like an arrow towards Xiao Wang—

"Assassins! Protect the Prince!!"

In an instant, swords flashed and several steel blades pierced towards the blue figure approaching the young prince. However, the figure suddenly stepped forward three feet and drew a soft sword from its waist, thrusting it towards the young prince.

In that instant, Xiao Wang suddenly pulled over a maidservant, and the software pierced through her body, slicing past her side and leaving a bloody mark. It was only a few inches away from her heart.

Adi swiftly drew his sword, but in that brief moment, the young prince rolled backward, escaping his attack range. Simultaneously, the guards' steel blades formed a dense net, blocking Adi's path. He retaliated, breaking through the guards' blockade, and chased after them towards the backyard—