Général volant de Fengcheng

Chapitre 69

He was so angry that the veins on his forehead bulged, and his thin lips couldn't utter a single word: "You, you..."

I didn't have time to waste words with him. I squeezed his neck hard, and his bones cracked slightly. His face turned red because he couldn't breathe, and the whites of his eyes started to roll back.

Without hesitation, I said expressionlessly, "Tell me, how do you break the blood curse?" I never thought I would be threatening someone like this.

He was struggling to hold it in, but still managed to say, "I won't tell... I'd rather die than..."

A murderous glint flashed in my eyes, and my face darkened. Just as I was about to take things a step further and teach him a lesson...

He struggled with his hands, saying, "Unless...unless you promise me one thing..."

"What is it?" My eyes gleamed. I didn't have much time, and I didn't have the energy to waste on other things.

Just as he was about to faint, he finally said, "Unless you teach me how to set up and break the formation, how did you break my formation?"

I was slightly taken aback. Do I really need to teach this?

But I still said calmly, "Okay, it's a deal."

It was only then that I learned that this famous, eccentric doctor had a childlike quirk: setting up various formations and creating all sorts of traps.

So, in exchange for him telling me how to break the blood curse, I had no choice but to stay and give him a lesson that lasted for several hours.

All the formations and mechanisms I know, have seen, heard of, or seen in movies in modern times.

He was indeed passionate about it, listening to me with great interest the whole time. In some places, because I was in a hurry to know how to save Yijun, I only mentioned it briefly, but he wouldn't let me off the hook, pressing me for details until he dug out almost everything I knew.

By the end, I was parched, but he looked delighted and as if he had learned a great deal.

Knowing I was extremely anxious, he finally spoke up: "I don't know how to break the blood curse either, and it was cast by the most powerful sorcerer."

Before he could finish speaking, my gaze almost killed him. If he didn't have it, why should I waste my time here?

"Hey, hey, don't rush me—" he interjected just before I could make a move, "The Wuxie Flower is an essential ingredient, and this flower is only found in the residence of the Ninth Prince Yuwen Ruojian in the entire Later Qin Dynasty. You can go there to find it."

"Thank you," I said to him in a deep voice. Then I got up to leave.

He said from behind in a very emotional voice, "If you come back alive, remember to visit this old man. I still want to ask you about the formation I learned today."

I glanced back at him and smiled faintly. Then, like the green bamboo in the courtyard, I drifted away with the wind.

Chapter 145 Ghostly Appearances

Prince Liu's Mansion.

The residence of the ninth prince of the Later Qin Dynasty.

The cold wind howled through the night, and the courtyard was deserted with few people around. I squatted on the wall, and although I couldn't see anyone in the pitch-black courtyard, I knew that the calmer the place, the more likely it was to be the calm before the storm.

The mansion was eerily quiet. Normally, a noble family like this would be brightly lit at night, filled with revelry and constant laughter. But this mansion was completely silent. It was like a quiet tomb, or a giant, bottomless vortex, sucking in all my thoughts. I had a strange feeling, a bad premonition, as if stepping inside would drown me, never to escape.

A dark and hopeless world awaits me...

But I had no way out. I had no choice.

I could vaguely see a house with lights flickering; that was it.

I lightly leaped down from the wall and wandered like a cat through the dark corners, circling for a long time without reaching my destination. Just as I was wondering about this, I suddenly felt a cold, murderous gaze behind me. A strange and somewhat shrill whistle sounded, and suddenly, the area around me became brightly lit. A guard shouted and chased after me with a torch.

For a time, the entire mansion echoed with cries of "Catch the assassin!"

I had a bad feeling and glanced back. Amidst the bizarre and surreal sight, I saw the cold, numb face of an old man. To my horror, I noticed that he also had an ugly scar on his neck, just like the one on the boy's neck. His gaze was as cold and ruthless as the most untamed and indifferent wolf in the wilderness.

Unable to speak, he could only use that eerie whistle, like a piercing whistle, to notify the guards hidden in the shadows.

He saw my astonishment, but remained expressionless, simply staring at me coldly like a statue. His gaze was as sharp as a blade, and even from that distance, I felt a sharp pain as if he were cutting me.

I turned around and quickly hid in the dark courtyard. The guards knew the terrain better than I did. Although I had already used the Ethereal Assistance technique to escape, they still chased after me closely, leaving me no gap to escape their sight.

That's some impressive tracking skill. The owner of this house must be quite a formidable individual.

Finally, I arrived at a quieter courtyard. With no way forward and pursuers behind, I had no choice but to steel myself and rush into the courtyard. I saw a slightly tilted window and leaped inside.

If I had known the consequences of my leap and the unprecedented situation I would encounter, I would have preferred to continue fighting with those pursuers rather than jump in.

With a "plop," contrary to my expectations, I felt a sudden buoyancy and a sense of being adrift. The warm touch on my body and the oppressive feeling of almost suffocating inside told me that I had fallen into water. And it was warm water.

I swam quickly towards the light. With a leap, I finally broke free from the tight confines and surfaced. As soon as my head broke the surface, I gasped for air.

My face was covered in water, and my hair was plastered to my cheeks, making me look rather disheveled.

Suddenly, a low laugh came from not far away, extremely seductive, but it made me feel very uncomfortable.

Only then did I realize my current situation. A huge pool, filled with mist and wisps of smoke, with many flower petals on the surface, a marble pool inlaid with luminous pearls.

I looked up in the direction the sound came from, but because it was dark and the light was dim, I couldn't see his face at all.

Just then, the incessant voices of the guards came from outside. They seemed to want to come in, but hesitated, lingering outside the door.

Fearing the man would cry out, I immediately swam over and covered his mouth, then coldly threatened, "If you want to live, don't make a sound. Otherwise—" My tone was sinister.

Perhaps he sensed my wariness and prickliness, and he nodded obediently.

By the light of the jade, I could barely make out his face.

What a face this is!

Her alluring beauty surpasses even that of a woman.

A man more beautiful than any woman. I was stunned. I never imagined I'd fallen into a pool of handsome men.

His eyes, upturned like a fox's, held a captivating allure, shimmering with a seductive, wicked charm. He was looking at me with a half-smile. His skin was whiter than snow, his complexion like jade, and his breath as sweet as orchids. Because he was taking a bath, his chest was bare, and I, eager to stop him from getting out, was pressed intimately against his skin.

His face was slightly flushed, probably from the bath. Beads of sweat dripped from his long eyelashes and landed on the back of my hand. For some reason, I couldn't help but blush.

I wondered if this stunningly handsome man was one of the male favorites of the carefree and philandering Ninth Prince. Since such male favorites were common in wealthy households, I made this assumption. A hint of pity crept into my gaze as I looked at him.

However, I felt that face was somewhat familiar, very familiar. But so much has happened these past few days, my mind is a complete mess, so I just can't remember where I've seen that stunningly beautiful face before.

I watched him stand there, stunned, for a long time. His steady breathing sprayed onto my palm, which was now sweating profusely. I looked at him awkwardly. Not only had I disturbed his shower, but I had also taken advantage of him in an ambiguous way because I was trying to avoid him.

"I'm sorry," I said softly, turning my face away somewhat awkwardly.

At this moment, the voices of the guards outside the window gradually faded away, and finally, they seemed to disappear into thin air.

I sighed with a sense of relief.

Seeing that he didn't struggle at all, letting me cover his mouth and choke his neck, I felt a little guilty.

"If you don't make a sound, I'll let you go, okay?" I whispered, my tone softening.

A fleeting, enigmatic look crossed his bright eyes, and then he nodded obediently.

I made up my mind that those people had probably already left since they couldn't find him. If he started yelling after I let him go, I would knock him unconscious immediately. If he didn't resist, I could try to find out where his master, the Ninth Prince of this house, lived.

He's so handsome, he must be one of the most favored, and he should know where his master is.

I slowly released him, and he obediently didn't bark.

I swam to the shore, preparing to climb out of the pool. Before climbing out, I casually asked, "Do you know where the Ninth Prince lives?" I was just asking casually, but I didn't expect him to answer so readily.

He said softly, "Turn left here, and his palace is not far away." His voice was as soft as the clouds in the sky, with a hint of uncertainty.

I turned around, ready to thank him, but before I knew it, he had silently appeared in front of me. A numbness ran down my neck, and I stared at him in shock. Before I lost consciousness, the only thing I remembered was that he had already put on a bewitching red robe, and a strange and charming smile. A devilish voice rang in my hazy consciousness: "Welcome, Young Master Jin."

Chapter 146 Daughter

Because of Feng Fei, my body's resistance became stronger, so I woke up early, even though I shouldn't have been awake.

However, when I tried to move slightly and found that my limbs were bound and I couldn't move, I felt a sense of despair. Moreover, my whole body was weak and I couldn't muster any strength. I secretly tried to circulate my internal energy, only to find that I had no internal energy at all. I was utterly astonished. Damn it, had he crippled my martial arts?

Moreover, my hands and feet felt icy cold to the touch, and when I moved, they made a piercing metallic clanging sound.

I was stunned, and finally understood my current situation.

My hands and feet were chained together, and I was lying on the bed in a spread-eagle position!

What did he take me for, a prisoner, or an animal?

That damned guy! Once I save Yijun, I'll definitely catch him and make him wish he were dead! Then, I couldn't help but smile bitterly.

I can't even take care of myself now.

I should have expected it. The reason those guards vanished without a trace and didn't continue the search wasn't because I was lucky, nor because they didn't see me enter. Rather, they knew it was a forbidden area, the place where their noble Ninth Prince resided. Therefore, they preferred to abandon the pursuit rather than trespass.

And I, that fool, actually fell right into the prince's bathing tub. I even threatened him to keep quiet, but he wasn't afraid at all and was completely deluded, thinking he was a male concubine! Thinking back on the pity I felt then, I now realize how utterly ridiculous I was!

I should have expected it—the old man who had been tortured when I entered. The reason this courtyard was so eerily quiet was because the Ninth Prince had disliked being close to others since childhood. Therefore, apart from some mute servants, the other guards were hidden in the shadows, secretly protecting the Ninth Prince. They couldn't show themselves.

Moreover, the prince's palace and his living quarters are off-limits to all; anyone who enters will be killed without mercy.

The guards knew that barging in would be a challenge to authority, and a certain death.

Therefore, they would rather give up than offend this devilish man.

I remembered the strikingly similar scar on the boy's neck to that of the old man, and then many things slowly became clear. The boy I had captured must have been one of his mute slaves. A pawn used to cast a curse on Yi Jun, and then lead me onto an unknown path.

So he had planned this all along. He probably knew that even knowing there were many suspicious points, I would still willingly go in. Because the person I wanted to save was Yijun. My daughter.

Remembering you was just bait; the real bait was me.

What terrifying psychological insight! It's as if he sees through everything. I finally understand why he's the second most wanted criminal in mainland China; it turns out I wasn't trying to climb the social ladder by associating with him.

But isn't that exactly what I wanted to achieve?

By following the clues, one must step into the trap, delve deeper into it, and become an insider, to find a way out of the darkness, to turn the tide, and to survive against all odds.

What I want is to save Yijun. That is my goal, and I am willing to pay any price to achieve it.

After thinking it over, a faint smile appeared on my lips.

In the eerily quiet room, the only sound was the whistling of the wind. I vaguely sensed someone nearby, their light footsteps drawing ever closer. I adjusted my breathing and decided to pretend to be asleep.

A soft laugh rang in my ear.

"Are you awake?" His voice, clear as a spring, was pleasant and soothing, like a gentle breeze. But why did I get goosebumps all over my body?

I could tell from his tone that he was certain, and he wasn't asking any questions. He probably already knew I was awake, and if I continued to pretend, I would only be deceiving myself.

I simply opened my eyes.

Upon opening his eyes, he was seen in an exceptionally alluring red robe, which made his fair skin appear even more pristine. If one ignored his bewitching eyes and the crimson smile on his lips, resembling a datura flower, he was almost unreal in his beauty.