"No, Xiao Wu, I won't listen to you this time either." I slapped Xiao Wu's hand away, stood up, and looked at Xiao Wu with sad eyes. Xiao Wu tried to grab my hand again, but I dodged it.
I stared intently into Xiao Wu's eyes, overwhelmed by grief and indignation. The words I had been about to say were now bursting forth. "You know what? Xiao Wu, ever since I entered this Blood Tower, I've been so confused. I'm confused about your identity, I'm confused about Jue's identity, I'm confused about Leng Tian and the others' identities." I clutched my head, tears welling up but refusing to fall.
"Before, I could tell myself that you were just the secret guards of the merchant Jue, but now I don't understand. I don't understand you at all. I feel like I'm lost in a maze, unable to find my way. No one tells me which way to go, and no one tells me what to do. And now you want me to stay behind you like a child being protected? That's impossible." My emotions were running high. Those thoughts were weighing on my heart, and I almost broke down. My words were a bit directed at Xiao Wu. I don't know why I'm like this. Now I only know that I need to shout it out. I need to let Xiao Wu know what I'm thinking.
Xiao Wu fell silent. She pursed her lips, lowered her head slightly, and finally uttered a soft call, "Zi Xue."
I froze, then calmed down. I sat in the chair, head drooping, eyes lowered, like a deflated balloon. "Xiao Wu, I'm sorry, but please don't say anything more. My decision won't change, even if you think I'm being capricious."
Xiao Wu left the room silently and gently closed the door for me.
I buried my head low, my wispy bangs obscuring my eyes, only my pale lower lip was bitten tightly by my teeth, and tears streamed down my face like a waterfall. I couldn't hold back anymore. What on earth have I been doing?
I was in a daze all day, and Xiao Wu didn't come in either. Maybe she wanted me to calm down. Originally, getting the secret manual was a happy thing, but now I've completely lost my mood.
With swollen and aching eyes, he took out the martial arts manual from his sleeve and began to study it carefully. He couldn't afford to waste even a little time. Since he had decided not to add to the burden of others, he had to keep his promise.
Opening the book, the first page was about internal energy. According to the book, the internal energy needed to swing the Moon Shield was different from other internal energies; it needed to be done in reverse. Based on what the book said, I calmed my mind and tried to circulate the energy without thinking. At first, I felt something was wrong. I didn't have the energy described in the book at all. I had never learned martial arts, so how could I understand such things? Only by slowly practicing could I perhaps find the pattern.
Unexpectedly, perseverance pays off. After searching through all the books in the room and looking for explanations of the words in the manual, I finally understood everything I didn't understand. Then I started practicing my skills on my own. Before I knew it, two days had passed. Xiao Wu outside was extremely anxious, unsure whether to break down the door or go to find her mistress. But if she went to find her, she would really put her mistress in a dangerous situation. On the second day, she finally couldn't hold back any longer. Just as she was about to push open the door, I opened it and leaned weakly against the doorframe, saying to Xiao Wu, "Xiao Wu, I'm so hungry." After saying that, I collapsed limply to the ground.
Xiao Wu was really startled by me. She hurriedly helped me to a chair and ordered someone to bring in some food.
"Miss, even if you're angry, you can't joke around with your health. If something happens, how am I supposed to explain it to the master?" Xiao Wu was really angry. This young lady never took her health seriously.
"What's there to be angry about? I just lay in bed and fell asleep, losing track of time," I said weakly to Xiaowu, slumped over the table. I knew she was worried, but it really was just sleeping. I closed my eyes to practice my skills, and when I opened them, I realized I was starving.
No sooner had I finished speaking than some people placed food in front of me. As I ate, I glanced up and saw the disdain and mockery in their eyes. It seems I'm really unpopular here!
The last woman went even further, throwing the food onto the table, splashing a few drops of water onto it, and then arrogantly threatening to leave.
I don't care about their attitude when they say "Stop!" After all, I'm not that familiar with them, so why should I care about a stranger's attitude? However, people's patience has its limits. You can glare at me however you want, but the key is that if you don't show any manners and don't understand the hard work of farmers, treating food like that is shameful.
"Is there anything I can do for you?" The men stopped, and the woman looked at me with an impatient expression.
"Apologize!" I stood up and said sternly. Xiao Wu didn't say anything, she just stood behind me.
"Heh, I say, young lady, you're already lucky to have someone serving you, so don't be so picky," the woman said, crossing her arms and mocking me. The people behind her were watching our fight with expressions of amusement.
"What's going on?" At that moment, Xuanqin walked in and asked us.
"Guardian Qin, you don't know, this young lady asked me to apologize for no reason. I don't know why either. So, let me explain to you the reasoning behind the guest's behavior." The woman put away her ugly face and came to Xuanqin with a fawning manner, not forgetting to find fault with me in every few words.
“Why bother arguing with a servant, young lady?” Xuanqin said to me in a seemingly pleasant tone, but I could hear the warning in her voice.
"Like master, like servant." Seeing the woman following Xuanqin, I could tell she was one of Xuanqin's people. I suppose Xuanqin didn't send her here to be enslaved by me!
Xuanqin narrowed her eyes upon hearing my words, her sharp and fierce gaze shooting towards me. I suppressed my fear and met her gaze, determined not to show any weakness.
With a 'slap,' Xuanqin's face was swelled up and turned to the side. Before she could recover from her shock, she hurriedly knelt down, her eyes filled with love and fear.
I don't know how Jue got in. I only know that a black shadow flashed and I was already in Jue's arms. Jue still had that beautiful face. The only difference was that her hair color had changed to be as beautiful as moonlight, and her hair was flying in the air. Sure enough, I still prefer Jue's original hair.
Everyone in the room trembled and knelt on the ground. The woman who had been so arrogant just moments before was now shaking with fear. Her eyes, like the scythe in the hand of death, sent chills down everyone's spine. No one dared to look up at Jue; their pupils were constricted sharply. Jue hadn't done anything, yet she had terrified them like this.
"What... happened?" He gently stroked my hair, but his tone was suffocatingly cold. Although his eyes were on me, I still caught sight of Xiao Wu kneeling on the ground.
Chapter Seventy-Seven
"Haha, it's nothing, it's nothing," I started to laugh it off. If I didn't say anything now, it would definitely provoke everyone's anger. I wanted to have some fun here, not be on guard like I was in the palace. My nerves would break down sooner or later if I did that.
I'm certain that my words didn't add fuel to the fire, but why do I feel the chill around me intensify? Looking at their pitiful state, kneeling on the ground shivering, I feel deep sympathy for them.
"Um, Jue, it's really nothing. Look, I'm very hungry. Do you want me to eat? Do you want them to kneel there and watch me eat?" I said, a little unsure of myself. Xiao Wu and the others were afraid of Jue when he was angry, but so was I. Just imagine, if someone who exudes coldness hugs you, you'll feel a chill all over your body.
Jue glanced down at me, and I immediately zipped up my mouth like a zipper, looking apologetically at the people on the ground, "I'm sorry, I can't help you anymore, good luck to you!"
The surroundings seemed frozen; no one dared to speak or breathe loudly, for fear that even a heavy breath would mean certain death.
Xuanqin Jue finally turned his gaze to Xuanqin, who was kneeling on the ground with a swollen face.
"Master" Xuanqin hated this woman who suddenly appeared and gained the master's favor. She had loved the master for so many years, but all she got in return was to stay by his side as a protector, without even a gentle look in his eyes. Over the years, she had stopped begging for the master's love and only hoped to stay by his side. However, the appearance of that woman shattered her thoughts. Seeing the tenderness in the master's eyes when he looked at that woman, she really wanted to tear that woman to pieces.
"Shuo" hugged me and sat me down on a chair. I tried to stand up, but he wouldn't let me. He held me tightly around the waist and played with my hair.
"Miss Zixue has done something that requires a small apology, and I am currently mediating." Xuanqin deftly deflected the question, making it sound like it was all my fault.
"What kind of talk is that? Calling her 'Xiao Qing' is so rude! If you hate me, just say so! Why throw food around like that? Can't I even ask her to apologize?" I was angry and sulking. Fine, offend them if you want. I don't need to be nice to those people. From the moment I came in, they've been giving me disdainful looks non-stop. What kind of behavior is this? Fine, I won't mind their looks, but why are they talking nonsense and making false accusations like that old man Luo? If it weren't for Jue Chong's favor, I would have been dragged out and killed. Since you've all acted this way, I don't need to say nice things to you anymore. Let's just part ways. At least I can be sure that they don't dare to touch me right now.
Jue turned his gaze to Xiao Qing, who was almost paralyzed on the ground. Before he could say anything, the chill alone made Xiao Qing foresee her tragic death. Thinking of this, Xiao Qing's face turned pale, cold sweat gathered on her forehead, her whole body was trembling, and her eyes were filled with despair and fear.
"Master, spare me! Master, spare me!" Xiao Qing knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly. Each kowtow made a sound, and soon her forehead was bruised and bleeding, but she continued to kowtow as if nothing had happened.
No one around dared to plead for them. Everyone here had lived on the edge of hell. There was no sympathy here; all that existed was infighting and ruthlessness.
Ugh, it hurts to see that. If he keeps hitting his head like that, he'll probably become stupid, if not stupid. I feel a little sorry for him. I tugged at Jue's clothes.
"How come?" Jue turned her gaze back to me and looked at me gently.
"Um, I want to eat, please let me eat. Let's just forget about that woman," I said, pointing to the small, rhythmically tapping object on the ground.
"Go down," Jue finally spoke. After such a long standoff, everyone thought they had been living in an ice cave, waiting for death. Now, their master's words brought them all a sigh of relief. No matter how much they resented that woman, at least they couldn't touch her for the time being. Otherwise, they probably would have been reporting to the King of Hell before they even got to her.
Everyone withdrew in an orderly fashion, and even Xuanqin dared not say anything more. However, as she left, the hatred and resentment in her eyes deepened.
I can finally relax and have a meal. I barely ate anything at the dinner table, and now my stomach is churning with acid.
After finishing my meal, watching Jue sitting there reading a book, I muttered to myself, or perhaps to Jue, and for some reason, I started complaining, "Why am I so unlucky? I was schemed against as soon as I entered the palace, then schemed against by Old Man Luo when I entered Luo Manor, and now I'm being schemed against again in this Blood Tower. Am I just destined to be antagonized by scheming? Why does it always seem to target me?"
"Miss, it's all your own fault." Xiao Wu, who came in from outside, heard my complaints. Seeing that her mistress was unmoved, and knowing that her mistress had some strange ideas again, she said these words. Seeing that her mistress did not react, she felt relieved and started teasing her mistress.
"Really?" I rested my chin on my hand and looked at the table, lost in thought.
“Miss, think about it. If you don’t provoke those people in the palace, will they come after you? If you don’t cause trouble at Luo Manor, will Master Luo come after you? Now, if you don’t argue with that little lover, will Xuanqin have anything to say?” Xiaowu stood next to me and analyzed for me, her words carrying a hint of reproach.
I puffed out my cheeks, glared at Xiao Wu defiantly, stood up and paced back and forth, then turned back to Xiao Wu and said, "How can you say that? Think about it, if Baili Xinru hadn't come to me, would I have even thought about how to deal with them? As for that Luo Zhuang, I said I was just fooling around, but look at that old man Luo's irresponsible behavior, it made me grind my teeth in anger. I was afraid I'd go crazy if I didn't vent. And that Xiao Qing, just apologize, it's like I'm being unreasonable. I'm angry too, but didn't I do anything to her?" Speaking of Xiao Qing, I felt a little guilty. Well, I didn't do anything, I just indirectly disfigured her.
“Miss, you can’t do those things just to spite someone. Sometimes, necessary patience is good.” Xiao Wu saw that I was talking a lot of nonsense and couldn’t do anything about it. She could only hold my hand and say it earnestly.
I pouted and didn't say anything.
Xue'er suddenly looked up at me, her reproachful gaze following me. I knew that she hadn't stopped Xiao Wu from saying those things because she wanted to use Xiao Wu to teach me some lessons. However, I still felt very sad, but I couldn't let them worry.
"Okay, I'll watch my mouth from now on, I'll be more tolerant, I won't argue with people, and I won't cause trouble," I said helplessly, rolling my eyes and making funny gestures.
"Master, the elder requests your presence," Leng Tian suddenly flew in, his face grave.
Chapter Seventy-Eight
Jue slammed the book down on the table, stood up, and walked over to me. His eyes, as dark as a winter night, looked at me, and he reached out and tapped my forehead, saying, "Stay here obediently."
"Okay, I know," I pouted, looking unconvinced.
That's as if all I do is cause trouble.
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The spacious hall featured four towering pillars adorned with carved Qilin, their piercing eyes radiating a chilling aura. Rare, round luminous pearls, placed in the corners of the ceiling, illuminated the entire hall. A large chair covered with a soft cloth sat on the floor, flanked by five chairs on each side. These chairs, though ornate, paled in comparison to the large one. Five people sat on each of the five chairs; these were the elders Leng Tian had mentioned. They did not possess aged faces, but rather exquisite appearances, each exuding a powerful presence.
A gust of wind blew by, and Jue was already leaning back in the large chair, his left hand supporting his head, his right hand turning the thumb ring on his thumb, his wicked eyes exuding a cold aura as he casually looked at the five people below.
No one spoke; an unspoken tension hung in the air.
"Master, why did you bring an unknown woman into the Blood Tower?" one of the men below finally spoke, his tone accusatory.
Jue glanced sideways, uttering cold words, "My affairs are none of your concern."
"Master, not just anyone can enter the Blood Tower." Another handsome man rubbed the edge of his chair, looking at the ground indifferently, but his words were intriguing.
"Hmm?" Jue sat up straight, his hands folded on his crossed thighs, his deep eyes looking down at the calm and collected man below. With a flick of his finger, the man was thrown off his chair, fell to the ground, and coughed up blood.
"No one can question this." His sharp, sword-like gaze swept over the person lying on the ground, exuding an aura of nobility like an emperor. His words instilled a sense of dread, and although his eyes were fixed on the person on the ground, they also served as a warning to the other four.
"Has the leader forgotten her?" One of them suddenly stood up and confronted Jue Jue, his words revealing his dissatisfaction and murderous intent. As for who he was targeting, it was unknown.
The low-pressure air added even more cold air, clearly enraging Jue. Before long, the shouting man also collapsed to the ground, but it wasn't just a matter of vomiting blood; his body was covered in horrifying wounds. What was even more terrifying was that the person who had injured him was still sitting there, motionless, as if he hadn't been the one who had hurt him.
"I'll say it again, no one can question it," came the chilling, deadly tone from his thin lips.
The stench of blood and the chill of the air mingled, creating a suffocating atmosphere that silenced the remaining people. ... ...
"By the way, Xiao Wu, what did Leng Tian say the elder wanted to see Jue about?" I picked up the grapes from the plate to admire them and asked casually.
"Miss, I have no idea," Xiao Wu answered me without hesitation, but I still felt something was off.
From the moment I entered this building, I felt uneasy, for some reason. It felt like everything was a dream, which explained my dazed state. Now, I've found the Moon Spirit Manual and started practicing. I've basically mastered the fundamentals of Moon Spirit, but if I were to fight someone with better martial arts skills, I'm certain I would lose. There's a reason I say this. These past few days, taking advantage of my free time, I've been asking Xiao Wu to teach me martial arts. Although it's different from Moon Spirit's, having a basic foundation is still good. So, during my fight with Xiao Wu, I unintentionally used a move I learned from the Moon Spirit Manual, which startled her. She was stunned until I said I had learned some of it before, and she was fooled.
"Xiao Wu, what's wrong with Jue these past few days? He hasn't come to see me at all." Unable to bear the loneliness, I thought of Jue. I haven't seen a trace of him these past few days. Even though this has happened before, Jue would never leave me here for so many days without coming to check on me.
"My master's whereabouts are never something I, as his subordinate, can know." I noticed that Xiao Wu's hand was clenched a little. I didn't know why, but I was just surprised and didn't think much of it.
"That's true. But seeing how fresh the air is outside, let's go for a walk." I stretched and felt my bones loosen up, realizing I hadn't been getting enough exercise these past few days.
Xiao Wu stopped me from taking a step forward, looking at me with slightly worried eyes, and said, "Miss, it's better not to go out. The people in this Blood Tower are not simple."
I was puzzled by Xiao Wu's actions, and remembering what had happened before, I laughed and said, "What's the big deal? I'm not going to provoke them, it'll be fine, let's go."
Xiao Wu couldn't refuse me, so she had no choice but to follow closely behind me.
Unexpectedly, what I saw when I entered the Blood Tower was just the tip of the iceberg. Seeing the pavilion standing alone in the center with a hundred flowers in full bloom, the beauty was indescribable. In the face of such beauty, any words of praise would be pale. Speaking of which, I have read in novels how the heroines described the ancient scenery as so beautiful, and now it seems that there is some truth to that.
"It's so beautiful!" I stammered, then happily ran to the pavilion and looked around, as amazed as someone from the countryside seeing a big city.
"Master, you can't!" Xiao Wu stopped me from touching anything in the pavilion. The tension and panic in her voice made me suspicious.
"Stop!" Just as I was about to touch the cup in the pavilion, a hand pushed my hand away.
I touched my sore hand and looked at the owner of that hand. I saw a woman who could rival Xiao Wu in beauty glaring at me coldly. She was startled when she saw my face, but her expression quickly returned to its icy coldness. Unlike Xuan Qin, her eyes were filled with deep killing intent.
"Xuan Yin," Xiao Wu called out to the woman standing in front of me. Seeing the woman looking at her, Xiao Wu said, "Miss, she doesn't know."
"Hmph, it's just a fake, Xuanwu, do you really need to be like this?" The woman with the mysterious voice said something that puzzled me. What did she mean by "fake"?
Xuanwu's expression changed, but because I was behind her, I couldn't see it. However, Xuanyin on the other side saw it and sneered, "Xuanwu, you can do this too." After saying that, she deliberately glanced at me.
In the end, Xiao Wu didn't refute me. She just stood there, frozen, and watched as I watched her give me a cold look before leaving.