A faint, cool fragrance wafts in on the river breeze, its subtle aroma captivating the heart.
"How could you..." Jun Guan was somewhat bewildered, quite surprised.
"How did I get here?" He blinked, his long, curled eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings. "I came by boat. Oh, or you're asking how I got in? Luo Qiu, huh? Last time he easily defeated two of our family's protectors. Since we've met again this time, to prove them wrong, you see, I couldn't stop them even if I wanted to.
He looked great, and his smile was as radiant as a flower and as clear as water. Looking at him, I felt at peace.
"What are you dawdling about? Why are you so late?" As she spoke, she realized her voice was trembling.
Only then did he slowly look at me and stare at me directly, his eyes dark and bright.
"Missing me?" After a long pause, he managed to utter this sentence.
I stared at him, speechless, and felt my face flush. He was teasing me, and I really did blush.
Just as I was wondering how to end this, I suddenly felt a little short of breath. I turned around and saw that Jun Guan had grabbed my collar.
"Was Master Huizhi ultimately incapable?"
“The master is already in his fifties. Why did you have to incite him to come? He is too old to take any serious injury. Brother Jun Guan, you are holding on too tightly.”
"Hmph, useless thing." Jun Guan laughed again. "It's better to tighten it, otherwise what if she escapes?"
Master Huizhi is useless? Jun Guan, your expectations are too high.
I shifted my body in dissatisfaction. It was so frustrating that Yunzhi was right in front of me but I could only look at her and not touch her.
Chapter 76
"City Lord or Rong Lian, which one do you want?"
Nangong Ling blinked at him, "Of course I want both."
"You can't have your cake and eat it too. There's no such thing as a free lunch."
"There's no such thing as a free lunch, it's just that this set of rules doesn't apply to me."
He found a more comfortable spot to lean against the door, half-closing his eyes, fiddling with a very familiar jade thumb ring in his hand.
"You!" Jun Guan suddenly opened his eyes wide, his face deathly pale.
"What's wrong? Does it look familiar?" He shook the ring on his finger, his expression as playful as if he were teasing a cat.
"Han Xuanmo... So everything was planned by you all along? We were just following your plan. You were just using my need to get rid of those useless crooks, and incidentally eliminate the Nine Ministers, so you could legitimately consolidate your own position... Did you already take over the capital city?!" Jun Guan analyzed step by step, and couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat as he spoke. "Even my ability to bring her out of the capital city was part of your plan?"
"You understand quickly. If we're going to take action, there are too many spies in the city, and it's dangerous everywhere. So I think it's better to hand her over to you; at least her life won't be in danger." He put away the jade ring, his eyes suddenly sharpening. "But what happened to the wound on her neck?"
He didn't ask anything, but when I asked, I remembered that Yan Hailan had disappeared somewhere and I hadn't seen her since I woke up that day.
Jun Guan's expression was very unpleasant, and he tightened his grip on my collar.
"Do you really think that old fox Tan Gongqing would just hand you over to the position of city lord? Do you know how many years he's coveted this position? He was the one who killed the old city lord, and he was the one who spread the rumor that the city lord hadn't designated a successor. That's how he managed to steal this time to change the rule that nobles can't be city lords, but Yan Moluo has always refuted it. After all these years, do you think he'd just willingly give you what he's about to have?"
He said something and Jun Guan's hand tightened. Damn it, Nangong Ling, can you stop talking so much nonsense? I'm about to burst!
"Ah, that's too much stimulation. Loosen your grip a bit, or Lian'er will be in pain."
Stop just talking and start moving around. Don't just sit there glued to the door and do nothing.
"However, no matter how cunning you are, you probably didn't foresee that kiss." A cruel gleam of pleasure flashed in Jun Guan's eyes.
With just one sentence, Nangong Ling's expression instantly turned cold, but the coldness was fleeting, yet it left an indelible mark on people's hearts.
"Yes, what a pleasant surprise." He said softly, but his gaze towards Jun Guan was so sharp that it made one afraid to meet his eyes.
It was only then that I realized why he hadn't moved. He was bothered by this and complaining that I hadn't pushed Jun Guan away in time.
Jun Guan led me slowly back to the window. "You've already gained so much, it doesn't matter if you lose a few insignificant things."
The person behind him spoke with slightly abnormal low breathing; his body was ultimately too weak.
"What do you mean by something insignificant?" he asked, smiling as he approached.
“Once you reach a high position, Rong Lian will become your most fatal weakness. Before that, I will take away this hidden danger for you. You should thank me.”
Nangong Ling laughed as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world, clapping his hands and pressing his hand to his chest for a while before calming down.
“Brother Jun Guan, don’t lump me in with you. You can’t even protect your own woman. Do you think I’m that weak?” After he finished laughing, his eyes suddenly turned cold. “Besides, you don’t even have the courage to admit that you like someone. You don’t deserve her at all.”
I think I overheard a very significant conversation. Some things that were hidden and obscure were brutally exposed by Nangong Ling, which is why a strong sense of bitterness spread.
His low breathing gradually subsided, and Jun Guan raised his head. His overly pale skin made his blue, pulsating pulse easily visible, as transparent as a fragile, easily broken piece of glass, as if only in this way could he maintain his last bit of pride and not be too pathetic.
Suddenly the boat rocked slightly, and a sound that hadn't been heard in a long time drifted across the river.
"I knew you were hiding here! Come out now, brother, I'll take you to see the Ten Kings of Hell!"
Some people were standing at the bow of the boat, holding oars and waving them around. I felt like either they were about to fall into the water or the oars would slip from their hands and hit me.
Wherever there's excitement, there you'll find Gemini An. Who said that again?
"Rong Lian, do you want to meet the real King Yama?" He lowered his voice, spoke hurriedly, and his breathing was very unsteady.
"I...I'm not interested..." My throat was pressed tightly, and I started glaring at Nangong Ling, which made me really angry. I'll bite you to death if I turn around.
The man merely raised the corner of his eye, slightly lifted his hand, revealing his delicate and beautiful fingers. At that moment, a gentle breeze rose outside the window, and in the blink of an eye, several white flowers suddenly bloomed from his slender and beautiful fingertips. Before anyone could see what was happening, the soft petals suddenly transformed into sharp blades and shot towards him.
Jun Guan flicked out a Qilin whip from another sleeve, but it only managed to deflect three white flowers. He dragged me back a few steps, but the grip on his hand had loosened considerably.
"Not interested? This is what you owe me..." As he spoke, he started coughing, coughing until the Qilin Whip slipped from his hand without him even noticing.
His words, tinged with a chilling sorrow, gradually seeped into my heart. As I stood there stunned, Nangong Ling clicked his tongue and strode over.
The person behind me took a deep breath and suddenly pushed me forward. I felt dizzy and my vision went black. I heard a "plop" behind me. When I turned around, there was no one by the window, only the splashing water on the distant river.
Nangong Ling hugged me, looked me up and down carefully, then loosened my collar. His cool fingertips slowly stroked the wound on my neck, his dark eyes filled with undisguised worry.
"Does it still hurt? Who did this?" The voice was so gentle, it seemed to melt one's heart.
I felt a lump in my throat, and a flood of emotions welled up inside me. After a moment of blankness, I came to my senses and found myself tightly embracing the person in front of me, almost greedily inhaling his scent.
"It's alright, it's alright now, I'm here, don't be afraid..." He gently patted my back, one pat after another, which made me feel so at ease.
"No matter how dangerous it is, you shouldn't have abandoned me. Didn't you say that I was safest when I was by your side? You actually left me with Jun Guan, the one who's always wanted to kill me. You even said I was heartless, but you're the most ruthless one. If something like this happens again, I'll throw you to the dogs!"
He chuckled softly, kissed my cheek, and straightened my clothes for me.
"Okay, okay, whatever you say, let's go back, alright?"
"Mmm." I snuggled against his chest, feeling content before looking towards the window. "Yunzhi, you said Junguan..."
"...Good people are always blessed by heaven. Whether it is a blessing or a curse is his fate. I have already done more than enough by letting him escape from my hands."
For a long time afterward, Jun Guan remained missing, his fate unknown. No one ever saw that pale yet beautiful man again, sitting languidly in a soft chair, sipping tea, his gentle smile eclipsing even the most beautiful flowers and the moon.
Chapter 77
Ghost in red stood before the Nine-Story Tower, dressed in a blood-red python robe, like a gatekeeper.
Her pink lips curved into a smile, but her brows were always slightly furrowed.
"How many should we keep?" he asked abruptly.
"Two remain, the rest are all wiped out."
Nangong Ling actually understood, although his answer left me completely bewildered. But judging from their tone, when did these two become so in cahoots?
"See that?" Gemini An leaned close to my ear and whispered mysteriously, "This is the legendary Yamaro."
What? I stared at him, completely bewildered.
"You can't believe it, can you? It took me a long time to accept this fact."
"He is... Yama, the King of Hell?!"
I looked at Gemini and pointed, only to find that the place where people used to stand was now empty.
"Actually, I don't want to believe it either, but that's the truth."
"...You think it's too frustrating to keep your surprise to yourself, so you want to drag me along, right?"
Gemini An looked at me and said, “My parents gave me life, but Ronglian understands me.”
"Hey, you're really willing to get involved in any kind of drama, aren't you? Aren't you afraid of losing your life? What if you get dragged into it?"
"No, no." He waved his hand. "With you here, I'm absolutely safe. Besides, do you think Nangong Ling would allow any other man to get this close to you, except for me?"
What kind of twisted logic is this? I glanced at him and saw his smug look, and I immediately understood.
“I think we look like sisters when we stand together, so it’s true that he doesn’t mind.”
Upon hearing my words, Gemini Ann's face turned pale instantly. He hated it most when people said he looked like a woman.
"Rong Lian, you think you've grown wings again, haven't you?"
Just as I was about to refute him, Nangong Ling in front started calling for people.
"I'm not talking to you anymore."
"Hmph, they forget their humanity when it comes to the opposite sex!"
I chuckled when I heard him humming behind me. After talking to Gemini for a while, I felt much better. After all that happened, to say I felt no guilt would be to ask if I were a heartless person. Jun Guan just wanted to use this highest position to get rid of his past cowardice. Everyone has their own stance to uphold and their reasons for not backing down. There are so many people who want to prove themselves.
"What are you laughing at?" The man stood on the jade steps, his smile as faint as smoke, his outstretched hand long and strong, as if the whole world was in his jade-like palm.