A dozen or so bandits surrounded a carriage. Inside, a young girl dressed in a blue, flowing dress with wide sleeves and a white shawl was being protected by several guards. She had an oval face, phoenix eyes, long hair, and snow-white skin. Every frown and smile of hers could captivate anyone's heart.
However, the girl was now in tears, panicked, and her eyes were somewhat dim, as if she could see her tragic future.
Opposite her, a dozen or so bandits leered at the beautiful young woman, spewing vulgarities as they slowly approached, brandishing their machetes.
When Hua Wuxi saw this girl, even though he had seen countless women, he couldn't help but marvel at her unparalleled beauty. He raised his sword for a moment, then cracked his whip on his steed and led a group of cavalrymen in a charge. He didn't even consider these mere mountain bandits a threat.
Hearing the noise, the bandits turned around and saw a well-equipped cavalry charging forward, running around aimlessly like headless flies.
But how can a human's legs compare to a horse's? Hua Wuxi rode past a scarred bandit who was galloping wildly, and thrust her long sword down, piercing his heart directly. Then she pulled out the sword, and hot blood sprayed out, staining the white blade crimson.
Although some clever bandits tried to resist, it was too late. Moreover, the poorly trained bandits were only concerned with their own escape and had no idea that continuing like this would only lead to their deaths.
Before long, the bandits were killed one by one, while the cavalrymen were all unharmed, demonstrating the vast difference in strength.
Hua Wuxi sheathed her sword, wiped the blood from her face, tidied her appearance, walked up to the girl, and said politely, "Are you alright, young lady?"
"Thank you for saving me, General. I'm alright, but it's a pity that these guards and maids were killed by these bandits." The girl in the blue dress bowed to thank Hua Wuxi for saving her, then her eyes glistened with tears, as if she was grieving for the dead guards and maids.
What a kind woman!
Hua Wuxi sighed inwardly, thinking that this girl was not only beautiful but also kind-hearted; she was truly a rare beauty. An idea unconsciously popped into her head: why not offer him a ride?
Hua Wuxi realized that the immortal was not in the group, and that she could make some decisions herself, so she asked the girl, "Miss, where are you going?"
"I'm going to Chaoge to seek refuge with my uncle," the girl replied softly, bowing her head.
Hua Wuxi was overjoyed and suggested, "Miss, this place is fraught with danger. Since we're traveling together, let us give you a ride."
"Thank you, General." The girl bowed gracefully, knowing that Hua Wuxi was helping her. Her face was filled with joy, like a hundred flowers blooming, which made Hua Wuxi stare in amazement.
So the girl in the blue dress and her guards joined the escort convoy.
After everyone left, a group of men in black appeared, dragged away and buried the body of the guard. One of the thinner men in black let out a low, sinister laugh in the direction the convoy had left.
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Chapter 41: One Step, One Thunderclap; Fire Lotus Arises in the Void
Hua Wuxi led the girl to the carriage and learned about some of her experiences along the way.
The girl in the blue dress is named Xue Lingyun. She was originally a young lady from the Xue family in Yuecheng, Jizhou. However, a great change occurred in her family, and both her parents passed away. Therefore, Xue Lingyun came to Chaoge with her loyal maids and guards to seek refuge with her uncle.
Hua Wuxi learned all this and wanted to ask more questions, but seeing the girl's tearful appearance, she felt as if her heart was being cut by a dull knife, and at the same time, she believed the girl's words without a doubt.
Upon arriving at the caravan, Hua Wuxi realized that there was no carriage for the girl to ride in, and that her frail body would clearly not be able to withstand the pressure of riding a horse.
"General, it's alright. I'm not that delicate. I can ride a horse. I'm already very satisfied that we arrived in Chaoge safely," Xue Lingyun said understandingly when she saw Hua Wuxi's hesitation.
Upon hearing this, Hua Wuxi suddenly felt a pang of guilt, thinking: Lingyun is truly a kind and understanding girl.
Hua Wuxi seemed unaware that he had begun to become obsessed with the girl in front of him, wholeheartedly caring for her, and her every move captivated his heart.
There seems to be a carriage available for passengers.
A thought flashed through Hua Wuxi's mind: the huge carriage being escorted by the caravan. He hesitated at first, but seeing Xue Lingyun's charming appearance, only one thought remained in his mind: he couldn't let her suffer.
So he straightened his chest and strode toward the carriage. The dazed Hua Wuxi did not notice that as he walked toward the carriage, the girl behind him, whom he thought was weak, lowered her head and revealed a strange smile. Gone was her frailty, replaced by a charming allure.
Hua Wuxi shared her idea with one of her siblings, Yiming and Wan'er. They were kind-hearted and felt sorry for the girl after hearing about her experience, so they agreed to Hua Wuxi's idea.
Having obtained permission, Hua Wuxi enthusiastically brought Xue Lingyun over.
When Yiming saw this delicate and beautiful girl, his face flushed. After all, he was just a young boy, and he turned his head away somewhat embarrassedly.
Wan'er happily stepped forward and grasped Xue Lingyun's slender hand, saying with a grin, "Sister, I heard about your experience from the adults. You don't need to worry anymore. My brother is here, and he will definitely protect you. There's also the shadow warrior that the immortal brother gave us."
Shadow Warrior!
When Xue Lingyun heard about the immortals and shadow warriors, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. Although she was somewhat disappointed that she did not see the legendary immortals after getting on the carriage, the two people in front of her were clearly related to immortals.
Xue Lingyun asked curiously, "What immortals and shadow warriors are?" Her puzzled and adorable expression left the two men speechless.
"An immortal is indeed an immortal, and a shadow warrior is..."
"Alright, Wan'er, don't go around talking about these things. Master instructed us not to spread them." Coming back to his senses, Yiming interrupted Wan'er, who wanted to tell him everything. Then, realizing that women were like a raging flood, he closed his eyes to calm himself down, and the carriage instantly fell silent.
Wan'er was interrupted by her brother and pouted angrily, but remembering that her immortal brother had indeed instructed her on this matter, she could only obediently shut her mouth.
A hint of embarrassment flashed across Hua Wuxi's face before she left. Xue Lingyun, somewhat disappointed, sat down and began to chat with Wan'er, quickly improving their relationship.
The convoy continued its journey. Although Hua Wuxi wanted to wait for the immortal to return before rushing to Chaoge, the seven-day deadline given by His Majesty was almost up, so he had no choice but to speed up.
Before long, the magnificent city of Chaoge appeared before them. Yiming and Wan'er pulled back the curtain of the carriage and saw in the distance a densely packed army of black-armored soldiers, wielding axes and halberds, standing ramrod straight. Behind the army, a large, dark mass of civilians watched from afar.
Looking down from the sky, the black-armored soldiers spread outwards in a V-shape, with a canopy in the center of the V-shape. Black brocade hung down, and two beautiful girls stood beside it, holding huge fans and waving them with great effort.
In the center of the canopy, Yin Que embraced a beautiful woman, drinking the wine she had given him, his gaze fixed on the distance, seemingly looking at something unknown.
Below, a large number of tables and chairs were set up, and all the civil and military officials sat down, raising their cups to drink together, waiting without the slightest impatience.
The Shang Dynasty's worship of immortals had such a profound influence.
In the distance, a convoy appeared, the soldiers' marching kicking up dust that drew everyone's attention.
Yin Que ate a grape that his concubine had offered him, picked up the wine on the table and drank it down in one gulp. He laughed heartily and said, "My beloved concubine, look, an immortal has arrived."
Yin Qin was filled with uncontrollable excitement, but in order to maintain the dignity of a monarch, he could not stand up. So the beautiful woman beside him became a good way to vent his emotions.
Yin Que applied pressure, stroking her skin up and down, his hands roaming over her smooth, delicate skin. The beautiful concubine blushed, her eyes brimming with tears, gazing at Yin Que with watery eyes, her voice soft and seductive, captivating his heart. Yin Que couldn't resist kissing her, their lips locked in a passionate embrace. After a long while, they parted, a trace of saliva lingering at their lips.