Xiao Man hugged Lian Yi's head and whispered, "That old man is despicable and shameless. He can't beat us all by himself, so he's calling for help!"
Lianyi frowned and said, "Then... what should Master do? I'll listen to you."
"We need to get out of here quickly." Xiaoman bent down to jump onto her back and escape, but then a commotion erupted outside the door, and a group of servants rushed in in a panic, crying out, "Master! Master... Young Master, he..."
Upon hearing that it concerned his son, Old Master Chang panicked immediately, forgetting all about the matter of the real and fake young master, and hurriedly said, "What is it? Don't panic!"
One of the servants breathed a sigh of relief and said haltingly, "The young master went into the bridal chamber. We originally thought we were going to go and make a fuss, but we heard him shouting in a panic. We thought it was just some intimate marital fun, so we didn't dare to go over. But the more we listened, the more something seemed wrong. The young master started calling for help. We were so scared that we rushed in and found him lying unconscious on the bed. The bride... was gone!"
Mr. Chang didn't bother to ask any more questions. He turned his face away and left, completely forgetting about Tianquan and the others in the study.
Everyone was stunned by this unexpected turn of events and stood there dumbfounded for a while. Yao Guang stammered, "Should we... uh, go and take a look too?"
Tianji clapped his hands and sneered, "See? What did I just say? This marriage was indeed suspicious, but this time it's not the wife who died, but the bride who disappeared. There are many strange things happening in this manor!"
Tianquan glanced at him and said calmly, "Stop talking nonsense and go take a look."
Tianji was eager to see the excitement, so he grabbed Yaoguang and ran off. Tianquan followed to the door, then suddenly turned back to look at Xiaoman. Seeing that her face was still a little green, probably because her wrist was hurting badly, he whispered, "Are you alright?"
"I won't die!" Xiaoman said irritably. Tch, now they're pretending to be so kind as to ask her what they did when she was captured? They said they'd protect her! What a load of rubbish! Luckily, she had the foresight to hire a jumpsuit.
Tianquan said softly, "I'm sorry you had to go through this, but if you encounter the same thing again, it's best to say less."
Xiao Man sneered, "Yes, next time I'll shut up and pretend to be mute, and let you do whatever you want, then you'll be satisfied!"
Tianquan raised an eyebrow, seemingly hesitating for a moment, before saying, "You..."
He didn't get to ask that question in the end. He turned and left, saying, "You are the true master. The truth will prevail. There's no need to get angry at others' doubts. After all, this kind of thing isn't so easy."
Xiao Man snorted and ignored him. Lian Yi turned around and asked, "Master, should we go too?"
Xiao Man's eyes darted around, and she shook her head, saying, "No, don't go. Lian Yi, I'm asking you, you only listen to me, don't you?"
Lianyi nodded.
"You never listen to what other people say, do you?"
He nodded again.
Xiaoman patted her head. "Good child. I will always remember your kindness to me. Let's not go with them, nothing good will come of it. You're fast on your feet, carry me on your back, and we'll go out through the back gate of the manor and go as far away as possible."
Lianyi hesitated for a moment, "But...Young Master Tianquan is a good person...he will be angry."
Xiao Man took a breath and laughed, "Don't worry, we're not trying to shake them off, it's just a game. Let's go first and see if they can catch up. Isn't that fun?"
Lianyi nodded and said, "That's fun. Master, you always have so many interesting ideas."
Xiao Man jumped onto her back, hooked her arms around her neck, and laughed, "Then why don't we hurry up and go?"
Lianyi quickly agreed, pushed open the window, and jumped out.
Hehe, the game of soldiers catching robbers is really interesting. But the question is, if the robber is determined to run away silently and with lightning speed, can the soldiers still catch him?
Xiao Man lay on the back of the dress, the scenery around her rushing past. She ran incredibly fast, bobbing up and down as if she were carrying a small pebble instead of a person, without feeling any strain. Looking back at Baiyang Village, which was getting further and further away, a smile involuntarily appeared on Xiao Man's face.
Now she's saying goodbye to this inexplicable world of martial arts. "Young Master," "Cangya City"—none of it will be hers anymore. She was just a nobody to begin with, and she'll continue to be a nobody, except now she'll have two words added to the title—"Wealthy Nobody," consider it interest for her trip to the martial arts world.
Xiao Man's smugness didn't last long. As she ran, she suddenly said, "Master, someone is chasing us. They're very skilled."
No way! Tianquan and the others caught up way too fast! Xiaoman hurriedly turned around, but all she could see was a dark forest and pale snow, not a single person in sight.
"Where is anyone! I can't see anyone!" Xiaoman looked for a long time, making sure that there was something wrong with her eyes.
Lianyi said, "They're quite far away, and you can't see them because you're not skilled enough. That person is very powerful... very powerful! Even more powerful than Lianyi! Lianyi definitely can't beat him!"
Xiao Man immediately panicked: "What do we do?! The game hasn't even started yet and we've already been caught, how boring is that!"
Lianyi shook her head: "It's not Young Master Tianquan or the others, it's a stranger! Ah... he's coming!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Xiaoman felt herself sink down. Lianyi had actually fallen from the tree. As soon as she landed, she felt a wisp of wind behind her head, carrying a chilling feeling. Goosebumps rose on the back of Xiaoman's neck, and she suddenly felt dizzy. Lianyi gently tossed her onto the snow and drew her Crimson Cloud Blade. With a "crack," she knocked down a huge black sword that was shooting towards her.
The dark clouds dispersed from the sky, revealing a silvery moon high in the air, its light instantly clear for miles around. A gust of wind rustled overhead, and Xiaoman instinctively looked up, only to see a figure leap from the treetop, a large cloak behind him unfurling like a pair of black wings.
Like a night owl hunting its prey, his movements were swift, ruthless, and precise. He swooped down, his toes arched, aiming straight for Lianyi's face. Lianyi raised her hand to block, only to feel the man's immense strength. Her Crimson Cloud Blade was nearly kicked away, forcing her to stagger back several steps.
The man sneered, "You do have some skill! No wonder you're called the Heavenly Fiend of the Ten Directions!"
Huh? That sound...
Xiao Man squinted to look at him, and felt that the more she looked at him, the more familiar he seemed. The black cloak, the thick braid, the stubble on his chin—suddenly he turned his head, and the moonlight reflected in his eyes, like lightning, stunningly beautiful.
"Ah! Uncle... Uncle!" Xiao Man suddenly exclaimed.
The man stopped abruptly, turned around sharply, and was met with a pair of flirtatious and frivolous peach blossom eyes.
Chapter Six of the Treasure Scroll: White Poplar Village (Part Three)
Updated: 2008-10-04 15:09:07 Word Count: 3439
"It's you!" Zexiu was also very surprised. He suddenly turned around to look at Lianyi and was even more surprised when he saw her beautiful face.
"How did you get here!" Zexiu walked over and pulled Xiaoman up from the ground.
Xiao Man patted the snow off her bottom and said while thinking, "Well, we... came to Baiyang Village to find that old man Chang."
Ze Xiu sneered, "As expected, it's still the same old routine: finding allies and combining everyone's strength to deal with Tian Sha Shi Fang. How disappointing!"
"Yeah, yeah, so cliché!" Xiao Man cursed inwardly. Looking back, she realized Tianquan and the others hadn't noticed her escape yet. Then she looked up at Zexiu. Unfortunately for her, she'd run into him. Plans never go as expected; she was afraid she wouldn't be able to escape again.
"Who is she?" Ze Xiu raised his chin slightly, his eyes showing some admiration. "She's young, and a woman, but her skills are quite good."
Xiao Man coughed and beckoned to Lian Yi: "Come here, let me introduce you."
Lianyi obediently walked over, now certain that the unshaven uncle wasn't a bad person, so she sheathed her knife, bowed, and said, "I'm sorry for offending you, uncle!"
Zexiu's expression was complicated. After hesitating for a long time, he finally said, "Don't call me 'uncle'!" Then he glared at Xiaoman fiercely, "You're just causing trouble!"
Xiao Man laughed heartily, "Lianyi, come here, this is Zexiu, Uncle Zexiu. This is Lianyi, my personal bodyguard."
Lianyi greeted him respectfully, "Hello, Uncle!"
Ze Xiu cursed, bent down to pick up the black sword that had been thrown to him earlier, slung it over his waist, and put his hands on his hips, saying, "You hired a fairly skilled bodyguard, but you brought a guard to a place like this in the middle of the night. Let me guess, what kind of gold and silver treasures did you steal from Mount No Return this time, and are you planning to run away?"
Just as I guessed! Xiao Man chuckled dryly, "What are you talking about! Do you think I'm that kind of person? We were just... well, taking a walk!"
Zexiu chuckled, too lazy to expose such a ridiculous lie. "Tianquan and the others shouldn't have caught up yet. If you want to run away, you can do it now."
Xiao Man asked curiously, "Uh? Why...aren't you going to stop me?" Everyone was shouting about revenge, about restoring the glory of the nation, but this person was surprisingly calm.
Zexiu lowered her eyelashes and looked at her small face, then sneered, "Why should I stop you? You're not a thing, you have legs of your own. Whether you want to stay or leave is your own decision. Last time I brought you back to Mount No Return to confirm your identity, but this time I can't be bothered with you. Go if you want."
He patted the remaining snow off his sword, then turned and left.
Xiao Man grabbed his sleeve and looked up, asking, "But... how did you get here? I just heard you talking about the Ten Directions of Heavenly Fiend... are you here to avenge Cangya City too?"
Ze Xiu pulled his sleeve back and patted it off in disgust. "Don't touch it! I have some connections with Cangya City, but it's not to the point where I need to avenge it. I roam the world alone, doing whatever I want, without needing any reason!"
Xiao Man was momentarily moved by his carefree attitude and felt a little envious. She whispered, "Living like you is probably what happiness is all about."
Ze Xiu said calmly, "Everyone is busy making a living, so what's the point of talking about happiness! Your life is your own, and you don't need to be controlled by anyone. No one has ever stipulated that you must take revenge. Compared to revenge, I think those who sacrificed themselves in Cangya City would prefer that you live a comfortable life."
This person… uh, Xiao Man actually felt quite moved. My God, this despicable male prostitute, neither male nor female, could actually say such things! It's simply… what's that saying? A scholar should be viewed with new eyes after three days of separation?
Zexiu took a couple of steps, then suddenly remembered something and turned back, saying, "If you're going to leave, leave quickly. It's not safe here. That old man from Baiyang Village has harmed a lot of people. Tiancha Shifang is coming to cause trouble soon. Hehe, I'm afraid the whole village might be wiped out."
Xiao Man was slightly startled: "Old man—you mean Old Master Chang? He's not a good person?"
Zexiu nodded. "You can't judge a book by its cover. There are plenty of people in the martial arts world who are all talk and no action. He's just one of them. You want to make him your ally... Heh, Buguishan didn't do it on purpose, he just made a fool of himself."
So that's how it is! That old man looked so fierce, he didn't seem like a good person at all, but he really was a bad guy!
Xiao Man wanted to ask what bad things Grandpa Chang had done, but Ze Xiu suddenly frowned and whispered, "Silence! Something's coming!"
Lianyi leaped over, scooped Xiaoman up in her arms, and together with Zexiu, jumped onto the nearest poplar tree. Zexiu exclaimed, "Wow, impressive skills! Who taught you?"
Lianyi shook her head: "Master is Master, I don't know her name."
As soon as he finished speaking, a very light footstep sound came from the snow. Almost in the blink of an eye, a woman dressed in a phoenix coronet and wedding gown floated over. Ze Xiu frowned. How could it be the bride?
He felt a warmth on his ear as Xiaoman pressed close to him and asked, "Did you think that Lianyi and I were from Tiansha Shifang, and that they would kidnap the bride?"
In the darkness, a faint, indescribable fragrance emanated from her breath. Zexiu wanted to quickly move away, but fearing that any sudden movement would startle the person below, he could only slightly turn his head. Her eyelashes were thick and long, beneath which lay a gleaming, cunning light, like that of a wild fox, piercing straight to the heart. He gripped his sword tightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, having in fact forgotten what she had wanted to ask.
The bride took a few steps and suddenly stopped under the tree. She raised her hand and gently patted the trunk twice. Zexiu frowned even more. Xiaoman whispered again, "Has she discovered us?" Zexiu suddenly raised his hand and covered her mouth. Ignoring her panicked resistance, he grabbed her vest and jumped down.
The bride was clearly not surprised at all. Her face was deathly pale, almost like a corpse, but her features were quite beautiful, though her age was impossible to discern. Each of her ten fingernails was about three inches long and painted with red nail polish. Paired with her phoenix coronet and wedding gown, her pale face was terrifying no matter how you looked at her.
Xiao Man's initial panic turned into terror upon seeing her. She changed her grip on Ze Xiu's clothes to clinging to his neck, kicking her legs wildly as she desperately tried to climb upwards.
"Ghost! Female ghost!" she screamed in a heart-wrenching voice.
Zexiu impatiently pulled her down and threw her onto the person in the dress behind him, coldly saying, "You good-for-nothing brat!"
The woman chuckled twice, her voice sweet and charming. "I was wondering why the renowned Mr. Zexiu had revealed his true colors so quickly. It turns out he had a burden by his side."
Ze Xiu said calmly, "My apologies. So you are Hong Gu Zi from Tian Sha Shi Fang."
Hong Gu Zi nodded and said, "Old Man Chang has done many evil deeds and deserves his retribution. I think that with Mr. Ze Xiu's open-mindedness, he should not come to stop him."
Zexiu spread his hands: "I don't care about that, but killing everyone in the village, from the old to the young, is the only way to do it. I can't stand it."
Hong Gu Zi chuckled and said, "Cut the weeds and eliminate the roots, Mr. Ze Xiu, haven't you heard of that?"
Zexiu remained silent, and the two stood there in a stalemate, neither of them moving an inch.
Xiao Man nervously gripped the sleeve of her jumpsuit and whispered, "Are they... planning to fight? Who will win?"
Lian Yi said softly, "I don't know either. They're all better than me. But, Master, weren't you going to play games with Young Master Tianquan and the others? If you don't leave now, is it too late?"
"They won't catch up so quickly, will they?"
"...It seems they've caught up with us."
Xiao Man jumped up suddenly, "Then let's go!"
Lianyi hurriedly tried to carry her on her back, but the woman in red suddenly attacked, kicking up a large cloud of snow with her embroidered shoes. Lianyi shoved Xiaoman to the ground and rolled away, barely managing to get past her. She heard a sharp gust of wind behind her, and when she looked back, she saw two figures, one in red and one in black, entangled together, their movements as fast as lightning, exchanging more than a dozen blows in an instant.
"Take her away now!" came Zexiu's voice.