Schatzkammer von Jianghu

Kapitel 10

The boy waved his hand dismissively. Leng Qi bowed and retreated with her head down. Only when she reached the door did she raise her head and leave quietly.

The three old men in brocade robes looked at each other, their eyes calm and indifferent, but they both thought of the same thing: it seemed that not telling them about their chance encounter with the young man in blue on the mountain road was indeed the best thing to do.

"The Divine Calculator," the white-robed youth coldly uttered the name to the air.

The old man in white robes strode to the table, bowed respectfully, and replied loudly, "The fortune teller has gone to the ancient well platform in Wuzhou."

"Dungeon?"

"Exactly. We'll wait for Guard Leng to go."

The young man in white stood up, his black amber eyes fixed on a certain spot on the sheepskin pattern, reflecting a cold, detached light.

"Have the three elders clearly seen their own goals?"

Before the white-robed elder could answer, the other two immediately raised their hands in a salute: "We will keep it in mind."

"You can only make a move after you lure them to the Falling Goose Pagoda," the young man suddenly said coldly, his tone shifting.

The three elders exchanged glances, not too surprised by the sudden change in orders, knowing that their young master must have a reason for doing so, and respectfully replied, "Yes, young master."

Seeing that the young master was once again looking down at the map of mountains and rivers, the Three Hermits of Cangshan bowed and left the room.

After walking a few steps, Leng Qi, dressed in black and looking solemn, stood at the corner of the corridor.

The three elders stepped forward in silence. Leng Qi waited until they were close before saying, "Thank you for your help in the mountains earlier, San Yin." Song Bai and Zhu Lao seemed not to have heard them and continued on their way. Only Lan Jun stood in front of Leng Qi and smiled, "It was just on the way."

Leng Qi knew that the fact that these three old eccentrics were willing to obey his orders from the shadows and launch an attack on Chu Yi was already a huge favor. To put it bluntly, they only dared not antagonize him because they saw that he still held a place in the young master's eyes. At the same time, Chu Yi's first powerful sword strike against the three old men matched his guess that Chu Yi might be a master swordsman. The battle in the mountains of Youzhou must have greatly shocked the minds of several people, including himself.

This strange first-year student, this clever and cautious first-year student, gradually gave him the desire to kill him as soon as possible.

December 9th, night.

The cold wind howled beyond the Great Wall, whipping up white grass that covered the land. Meanwhile, Yingyun Town in Youzhou was ablaze with lights, a secluded corner of the northern state, enjoying a life of peace and prosperity.

The inn's main building, on its southern corner, has three floors. The owner has combined some rooms, creating a brightly lit space filled with the sweet chirping of birds. Outside, the wind howls and autumn frost lingers; inside, the scenery is enchanting, and the room is warm and cozy.

This main room was extremely large, subtly exuding the air of a royal or aristocratic residence. The room was divided into three seating arrangements, with the main seat facing south occupied by a burly man with broad shoulders and a heroic face. His eyes, like copper bells, darted left and right as he looked at the spring flowers filling the room and couldn't stop smiling.

A dozen or so figures sat or stood beneath him, with beautifully dressed women moving among them, their graceful movements and tinkling ornaments creating a scene reminiscent of a fairyland.

Chu Yi stood in the shadows and sighed softly.

Ruan Si turned around and saw that the young man in front of him had a calm and still face, and his eyes shone with a light that was like glass. His eyes were fixed on the hall, looking at the room full of beautiful women, whispering sweet nothings, neither looking away nor staring, and blending into the dark shadows all around him, except for that barely audible sigh.

Suddenly the lights dimmed and background music started playing.

Several young girls, resembling palace maids, walked to the four corners of the hall and covered the dazzling luminous pearls with curtains. As the light dimmed, it became soft and hazy, and music began to play.

Two women in crimson gauze skirts gracefully stepped out of the hall, their figures indescribably beautiful. They twirled and crawled, their long, flowing sleeves billowing in the air, filling the room with a swaying, flower-like beauty. Chu Yi couldn't help but recall a line: "The stage is warm with the sounds of song, bathed in the gentle warmth of spring; the dance hall is cold with the chill of wind and rain."

The journey has been marked by constant war and widespread famine, yet even in this hellish chaos, there exists a paradise on earth. This paradise was built upon the countless bones of the masses, forged from the sacrifice of countless insignificant lives. Before us lies the invisible gears of fate—women in this chaotic world suffer the most, their circumstances utterly tragic.

Chu Yi knew that if he wasn't mistaken, the main characters tonight would be the man at the table and the even more tormented woman, who could vaguely foresee what was about to happen but was powerless to change it.

The beautiful women prostrated themselves gracefully, their bodies drooping like clusters of purple azaleas. Among them, a vibrant and alluring white peony bloomed, its shimmering eyes fleetingly glancing at the main seat, filled with boundless charm. Her waist was so supple and delicate it seemed one could encircle it with a single stroke; she swayed gently, the white peony at her temples trembling softly.

Four words came to mind when I was in the first year of junior high school: a rare beauty.

Even just looking at her back was breathtakingly beautiful, the perfectly concealing white gauze dress inspiring endless fantasies. Every gesture and movement exuded charm, every turn and flick of her sleeve made her seem like a celestial being gracefully floating on water.

Chu Yi stared intently at her figure. The man in the hall followed her every move; his eyes were fixed on her, seeing no one else but her.

Ruan Si watched all this calmly, and in the gaps between the flowing light and shadow and the sound of drums, he used telepathy to tell Chu Yi, "It is Madam Ru."

"Those who are meant to come will not escape," Chu Yi said calmly, staring at the side seats in the hall.

Ruan Si recalled the more than a month of wandering and hardship. They had survived and arrived in this far north, but what lay ahead was still an inescapable fate that had been arranged for them.

Because they are pawns in the hands of the young master who avoids evil.

"I just don't understand, there are delicate and charming women everywhere, why send Madam Ru from so far away?" Chu Yi was still looking at the hall, his eyes flickering with an unclear light.

"A woman more beautiful than a flower," Chu Yi murmured again.

Ruan Si remained silent for a moment before finally revealing the secret: "Madam Ru possesses a skill that no other woman can match—the art of seduction."

Chu Yi's face turned around, his eyes holding a faint light, like the pale earth that had been nourished by sweet rain, emitting wisps of blue smoke.

Ruan Si knew that Chu Yi had understood his implication. The gentle charm of a concubine was little known in the martial arts world, and the number of her lovers was countless. However, he wondered why the seemingly clever and quick-witted young man, who could clearly understand many of the secrets of the martial arts world, was somewhat unclear about life experience and historical figures.

Ruan Si sighed that Chu Yi's slowness was justified. It seemed that Chu Yi had only been studying books at Bixie Manor for three months, and he couldn't connect many historical figures and events with real-life events.

Ruan Si stared at Chu Yi's face, who was fixed on the hall. After examining him closely, he suddenly seemed to remember something and asked in surprise, "You understand lip reading?"

Chu Yi remained still, only calmly uttering a voice: "Fourth floor, east corner, the 'Auspicious Purple Qi from the East' room number 'Heaven'."

Ruan Si looked at Chu Yi, completely bewildered. Chu Yi then transmitted her voice: "The man in the main seat said this to the guard beside him."

Ruan Si was clearly shocked. He looked at Chu Yi with that burning gaze in his eyes: "Chu Yi, you really surprise me."

Chu Yi lowered his eyelids, the pearly light in the hall outlining a blurry contour on his face. "Ruan Si, I have suffered all the punishments of God. In my youth, I had no choice but to learn many skills to survive."

In just a moment, he looked up at the boy in front of him again, as if the silent and dull boy from before was just an illusion.

As the dance ended, the elegantly dressed lady, radiant in white, curtsied. The man in the brocade robe grinned, "Beauty..."

Lady Ru lowered her head shyly, and the man approached her and embraced her.

Ruan Si felt a faint sense of loneliness and sorrow emanating from the young man in blue before him. Before he could sort out his thoughts, he heard Chu Yi's calm and cautionary words: "He's here."

The burly man and his concubine, who had been seated at the head of the table, were nowhere to be seen. A faint, sweet fragrance filled the room. The young women who had danced so gracefully were now lying like soft, boneless flower petals in the arms of the guards in the hall. Apart from them, there were no other new faces in sight.

"Someone's come in," Chu Yi said flatly. Ruan Si searched intently, but could only hear the howling wind outside the window and couldn't see any human figures.

"Don't move. If we can feel it, others can too."

Ruan Si gently touched his left arm. Chu Yi suddenly reached out and grabbed Ruan Si's right hand. A cold, snow-like breath touched his hand, and Ruan Si frowned tightly after feeling Chu Yi's coldness.

"You on the left, I on the right, supporting each other to defend against the enemy." Chu Yi wrote these words on his palm.

Ruan Si nodded. Chu Yi's caution was especially necessary. Previously, the two could communicate telepathically because the hall was spacious and people were far apart; but now that a master had entered the hall, it was inevitable that someone would use their internal energy to steal the conversation, so he gestured with his palm.

The ambush mission for tonight was directly ordered by Leng Qi, who simply said a few words: "On my command, kill anyone you see."

11. Jingqi

After a few wisps of wind, the candlelight in the glass lamps went out one by one. By the dim, hazy light of the luminous pearls, the situation in the hall was obscured.

But for Chu Yi, who possessed profound inner strength, these lights were like daylight.

The purple-clad dancers drew white silk threads from their arms, gleaming coldly, and looped them around the necks of the men before them. Their movements were synchronized and swift; where was the delicate, vulnerable girl they had appeared to be just moments before?

All that could be heard was a muffled groan, and a dozen or so figures in purple dresses lay scattered across the empty hall like a circle of fallen petals.

Chu Yi sighed inwardly, but held onto Ruan Si's hand tightly.

After shaking off their burdens, more than a dozen figures in the hall slowly stood up and walked out from behind the curtains that had previously concealed them.

A burly man with a bushy beard and long hair stood in the center and shouted in a deep voice, "Come out."

Several figures suddenly appeared in the hall, all with cold, wooden faces and ramrod-like postures. They moved like leopards gracefully emerging from the shadows, silent and still. The boys' eyes were icy, each staring intently at the person before them.

"Let's settle this tonight," the tall man said with a cold laugh.

The youths remained silent, yet each slowly drew a narrow sword. One of them wielded a sword with a bluish light, its blade gleaming coldly like frost, its ancient surface adorned with dark, intricate patterns, and a chilling aura emanating from its edges. He was handsome yet indifferent; he was none other than Shadow Leng Qi.

Chu Yi swayed slightly. Ruan Si, puzzled, looked up at the person beside him.

Chu Yi released his arm and walked out of the shadows, his steps slow and deliberate, as if treading on floating ice. His expression was silent and serene, like a gentle and harmless scholar in a blue robe, yet his eyes revealed a vulnerable and confused light. He walked slowly to Leng Qi's side and asked coldly, "The Dragon Pattern Sword?"

Ruan Si was terrified. This was no ordinary first day of the lunar month. His figure flashed out like a ghost, and he drew his knife.

The atmosphere on the field was strange and unpredictable, and no one moved.

Chu Yi continued to stare intently at Leng Qi. Leng Qi uttered a single "Yes" from her thin lips. Her face remained unchanged, her gaze fixed on the people opposite her like needles.

Behind the tall man, someone grew impatient and lunged at Chu Yi from behind.

Without even glancing at him, he listened to the sound and pinpointed the location. He rolled up his sleeve and slammed the intruder's sword against the wall, making a tinkling sound. The man's expression changed slightly, and he clapped his hands out.

"Deputy General Li!" the tall, bearded man shouted. Before he finished speaking, Leng Qi flipped his hand, a flash of blue light, and the man flew out like a willow catkin, falling to the ground, unable to get up.

The others remained still, only Chu Yi's hoarse voice rang out again: "Is there a character 'cold' engraved on the bottom of the sword?"

All eyes fell on the dragon-patterned sword. The sword was encased in a gilded bronze handle, clearly engraved with two winding, intertwined golden dragons, but it was unclear whether Chu Yi's words contained any text.

Leng Qi pursed her lips and didn't look at Chu Yi.

"An ancient weapon, possessing it grants one the title of king. This is the Dragon Pattern Sword that you've been striving for all this way. Now, here, you can rest in peace."

In Leng Qi's view, despite Chu Yi's bewildered behavior, tonight's mission should still proceed as planned.

"General Li, don't waste words with them; they're stalling for time."

Behind the tall General Li, two identical middle-aged men slowly emerged. They wore gray robes with white collars, had calm expressions, and held a black iron rod of suitable length in their hands, exuding an ancient and simple air.

"So, Shuang Tang Gun has also become Li Jingtang's lackey." Leng Qi coldly mocked.

Chu Yi stood swaying between the two groups of people, seemingly oblivious to the murderous aura permeating the room. He stared intently at the dragon-patterned sword in Leng Qi's hand, his expression dazed.

The two men with the double Tang staffs did not answer. They calmly picked up their iron rods, assumed a fighting stance, and remained silent.

"From Shangqiu to Shangjing, from Shangjing to Youzhou, haven't you been leading us here all along? So Yingyun is your young master's destination!" Li Jingtang said calmly, his hands behind his back, showing no sign of panic.

Ruan Si looked at Li Jingtang. He was tall and strong, with well-defined features, and indeed possessed the imposing and heroic air of a valiant general. Thinking about how they had launched attacks with their men along the way in order to seize the sword, and how only five of the two groups of Evil-Repelling Youths remained, all because of the man before him, Ruan Si felt a slight sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex feeling of mixed emotions, including regret and sadness).

He stared intently at the boy at first glance, and saw that the strangely behaving boy was now pale-faced, head bowed and silent.

Leng Qi's gaze swept across the faces of the people in front of him, and he said coldly, "Li Jingtang, one of the four great warriors of Jingxiang Kingdom, the Twin Tang Staff Masters, and a former subordinate of the old regime, very well, they are all here. None of them will leave today!"

"You think you can keep us here?" Li Jingtang smiled arrogantly. "You're the one who won't be leaving tonight, and the Dragon Pattern Sword will have to be returned to its rightful owner!"

Leng Qi held the sword coldly to his chest and sneered, "Is that so? I'm afraid even your master can't protect himself."

Suddenly, a faint, persistent female cry echoed through the silent night sky, like a swan being gripped by the neck, its final note short and sharp.

Li Jingtang, sitting in the hall, laughed loudly: "Leng Qi, did you really think that Lady Jingru, skilled in seduction, was a foolproof plan to assassinate the Emperor of Jingxiang? Finding a charming woman who wasn't good at martial arts to get close to the Emperor was indeed a good plan. You were wary of Jingxiang's personal bodyguards who were always by your side, so you actually thought of the inferior strategy of sleeping with Yan Hao. Did it succeed?"

Seeing Li Jingtang laughing heartily, Leng Qi remained coldly composed: "Don't forget, the King of Jingxiang has a fatal weakness—lust. Once he touches Consort Ru's body, the Emperor is a dead man."