Safety

Chapter 22

Is this my master, Wende? My master is cold-hearted and always speaks with absolute certainty, never wasting a single word, let alone repeating or asking questions. I looked over with slight surprise. Dusk was deepening, and the corridor was not lit, but the previous mist had dissipated. Wende was dressed in white, which made him stand out even more against the dark background. His eyes and brows were not as calm as usual, and there was a hint of murderous intent in them.

I suddenly felt something was off, and a sense of unease crept over me. I couldn't help but look at him more closely.

Although Wen De is not talkative, he is incredibly efficient. Otherwise, he wouldn't have come alone to the Shijialou, grabbed me, and left. But now he has been talking to me for a long time across the waterside corridor without taking a single step forward. Even when he cut my chains, he only used a throwing knife. Could there be something strange about this corridor?

I started to panic. I tried to drag myself forward, still clinging to the chain, but I couldn't. All I could do was ask again from afar, "Master, are you alright?"

Wen De remained silent, when suddenly a voice drifted down, "Mr. Wen, Ping An asked if you were alright, didn't you answer her?"

The voice was hoarse and deep, startling to the ear. I looked up sharply and sure enough, it was Mo Li. He stood in the shadows at the end of the corridor, his hands behind his back, his mask contorted, but he seemed to be smiling as he spoke.

"Right Envoy, how have you been?" Wen De didn't make many movements, only slowly turning his head to face him.

"Mr. Wen, your skill is truly remarkable." Mo Li leisurely raised his hand, and the lights in the corridor instantly lit up, one after another, stretching out, making the entire manor seem as if it had fallen into a sea of stars.

A slightly sweet fragrance wafted in the wind. I had smelled it when I entered the Pillow Water Pavilion, and it was even stronger now. I glanced at Mo Li and couldn't understand why he, a grown man, would make such a sweet and cloying fragrance in his place of quiet cultivation.

Wende raised his hand to his lips and coughed.

I immediately turned my attention back to my master. "Master, are you cold?"

There was laughter, it was Mo Li laughing, but there was no laughter in his voice. "Mr. Wen, the Soul-Separating Lamp will worsen the poison of the miasma. Can you still hold on?"

Miasma?! I stared in astonishment. Where did miasma come from?

"You've kept Ping An trapped in this miasma-filled place, aren't you afraid she'll also be poisoned?" Wen De asked, his voice growing increasingly menacing, and black energy gradually gathering between his brows.

“Ping An possesses a divine artifact that makes her immune to all poisons. How many years has Mr. Wen been her master? Could it be that he knows nothing about it?”

He possessed a divine artifact? I couldn't understand what he was saying, but my hands were already slowly covering my chest, and I took a step back, unable to believe it.

"The Right Envoy is good at scheming."

“It is also because Mr. Wen is concerned about your safety that we have the opportunity to welcome our distinguished guest here.” Mo Li took a step and slowly walked towards where Wen De was standing. His steps were light and silent. Suddenly, shadows appeared at both ends of the corridor, and many people quickly surrounded Wen De like a pocket.

I whispered, "Master, go quickly, I'm alright, you go quickly."

Wen De glanced at me again, his eyes darkening. Suddenly, he flicked his sleeve and left. His lightness skill was superb, and his cloud-walking technique had reached a state of perfection. After leaping out of the corridor, he floated up as if lifted by the wind.

Someone drew a bow, and I screamed in terror at Mo Li, "Don't hurt my master!"

Mo Li stood with his back to me, as immovable as a mountain. Arrows pierced the sky. Wen De gathered his energy again in mid-air and rose several feet higher out of thin air. The arrows flew past his feet, and I forgot to breathe.

The archer missed his first volley, but the man in green waved his hand in the corridor, and the archers in the back immediately drew their bows to follow up. Another volley of arrows was about to rain down. Wen De, who had previously dodged the danger, had now floated down to the treetops in the distance. The night was dark, and he was just a white shadow that floated up. He raised his hand, and a fire shadow appeared.

It was a fireball. Everyone in the manor recognized its power and cried out in alarm. Mo Li leaped out, his long whip flying out like a nimble snake. The tip of the whip caught the fire, and the sparks streaked brilliantly across the night sky, illuminating the emerald canopy between the white walls and green tiles, before flying onto the water's surface, creating a magnificent spectacle in the shimmering waves.

I watched helplessly as the flames fell into the water, my body stiffening, and I heard a shout, "Get down!"

The golden rope jingled, and my body moved automatically, instantly flattening itself against the ground, my palms and cheeks touching the cold earth.

With a deafening roar, as if mountains and rivers were shattering, a jet of water shot out, rising like a giant white wall, then crashing down in all directions with a deafening roar. The small pavilion trembled violently, and I was drenched from head to toe. The water jet, carrying the sound of wind and thunder, struck my body as if it were a tangible weapon, causing excruciating pain.

Just as I was in despair, my body suddenly felt light and I was lifted off the ground. The water jets that had hit me disappeared, and I barely opened my eyes. I saw Mo Li standing with his back to me in front of me. The water jets had not yet completely stopped falling, and the lake water was surging like a battlefield. My master, Wen De, had already disappeared without a trace.

Mo Li did not give chase, but said from afar, "Mr. Wen, I will be waiting for you at Tianshuiping tomorrow." His voice was sent out with his inner strength, and for a moment the world seemed to be filled with a faint echo.

The cheers inside the manor were deafening, but he still had his back to me, his figure as imposing as a mountain. With a wave of his hand, he gave the order, and the people in green and red led them away in orderly fashion.

In the blink of an eye, only he and I remained inside and outside the Pillow Water Pavilion. The water had calmed down, and the smooth waves reflected the red lights in the night, creating a beautiful scene. However, I felt cold all over, and my clothes, soaked by the water, felt as heavy as iron. My heart felt as if it had fallen into an ice cellar, filled with unbearable sorrow.

Mo Li turned around, his mask already removed, revealing the face I could never forget. He looked into my eyes and his lips moved again.

We were only a foot apart, but I could see clearly that he was smiling. Those were the same eyes and brows I remembered, radiant with a gentle fold.

But he is not the person I remember.

My fingers trembled slightly, and the golden silk rope beneath my feet made a soft rustling sound. With that laugh from him, I had already taken a step back. My vision blurred, and my heart ached as if it were about to bleed.

This man is cold-blooded and ruthless, and he will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. His occasional tenderness is just an act. He is a member of a cult. He took me away only for the so-called sacred object in my body. He used me as bait to lure and kill my master, Wen De. How could this man be the boy I remember?

The boy in my memory would crouch down in the spring breeze and open his arms to me; the boy in my memory would drop his spear amidst the flames of war, walk to my side, and say, "I'm with you."; the boy in my memory would stay by my side even when I had lost everything, asking, "Ping An, will you come with me?"

How could they be the same person? How could he be my monsoon!

...

Hai: Thank you for following the story, thank you for leaving comments, thank you for rating, thank you for your criticism, thank you to the Party and the people.

Narrator: Ping An, do you want me to help you hold her down?

Ping An: What are you waiting for?!

Chapter 61

When Mo Li saw me retreat, the slight smile on his face vanished instantly. In the darkness of the night, his eyes darkened, and I felt a chill creep over me, making me shiver uncontrollably.

“Come here.” He held out his hand to me.

I shook my head.

He narrowed his eyes and didn't say another word. A dark shadow flashed past my eyes, and in the blink of an eye, I was swept away by the whip.

I landed unsteadily and stumbled into him. He didn't flinch, but grabbed me, leaned down, and looked me in the eye. "Scared now?"

His breath brushed past, the warmth making my cold skin tremble, but not a trace penetrated my body. I struggled to push him away, but the long whip held me tightly like iron, and I couldn't break free.

I had lost my senses and only knew how to struggle with all my might. The tighter he held me, the more I exerted my strength and circulated my inner energy. Suddenly, everything went black. It was because the true energy in my meridians was flowing backward, surging and rebounding. I lost consciousness.

When I woke up again, I was lying in soft bedding. The bed was large, with carved railings on all four sides. A lamp was lit outside the bed curtains, and I could see a warm halo of light through the hanging gauze curtains.

I tried to sit up, but my body was sore and weak that I couldn't. I felt completely drained from head to toe, and even lifting a finger was difficult.

Someone lifted the curtain and looked down at me. The moment I saw his face, I was overcome with grief. Though I couldn't move, I immediately closed my eyes, simply because I didn't want to see him.

"Awake?" Mo Li asked knowingly.

With my eyes closed, my heart was filled with anguish, and I had no energy to answer him.

He stopped speaking, and the room fell silent. I closed my eyes, and my hearing became much more acute, but there was no sound beside me. In the end, even his breathing seemed to disappear into the void.

It's as if I'm the only one left in the world, and I can't reach out to touch anyone anymore.

I was suddenly filled with fear and tried to open my eyes, but they were too heavy to open. As I struggled, my eyelids felt warm and someone gently pressed them with a hand. The finger seemed to have magic, freeing me from the darkness. My eyes snapped open, staring at him so close to me, my chest heaving, gasping for breath.

"Want to sleep some more?" he asked again, his face bearing a half-smile.

My eyes stung, but I dared not blink, afraid of making a fool of myself in front of that face. My throat was sore, and it took me a long time to finally speak, "I've mistaken you for someone else. Please let me go."

He raised a long eyebrow and asked, "Who do you take me for? Is he a close relative of yours?"

I held back for a long time, but his words broke me down. A tear broke through my eye socket and slid down my cheek, landing on the pillow with a "thud".

"Let me go. Here's what you wanted, I'll give it back to you."

His gaze fell on the side of my face, as if he were looking at something, but he asked, "Are you willing to talk?"

In a moment of despair, I could only barely raise my hand and point to my heart, "Isn't this what you want?"

A glint flashed in his eyes, "So you did know after all."

I was in a daze, and my brother's gentle smile on the day of my wedding seemed to be right before my eyes again. "Those two insects, the white one is with me, the black one... inseparable, never to be separated." As I said this, my heart ached terribly, my voice cracked, and the voice that reached my ears became hoarse and unfamiliar, not at all like my own.

Tears wouldn't stop. I stopped looking at her and turned away. My brother's smiling face was still in front of me. Even on that unbearable day, I only needed to lift the carriage curtain to see Ji Feng, a tall figure on horseback, turning around and looking at me calmly and gently.

Even on those days, as long as I could see him, everything was alright.

At this moment, I was suddenly overwhelmed with longing, my heart ached so much I couldn't speak, as if some foreign object was stirring within me, relentlessly gnawing at me.

My chin tightened as Mo Li reached out and grabbed it. His long, strong fingers twisted my face back to face him, forcing me to look at him. His expression was unfriendly, his long eyebrows were furrowed, and there was a faint bluish tinge between his brows. His jaw trembled slightly. In my grief and daze, I didn't even know if the slight tremor came from me or from him.

His face was clouded with gloom, as if a storm was brewing. "You don't need to waste words. Just tell me who implanted the sacred object into your body? And where is that person now?"

I looked at him and answered in a hoarse voice, "I don't know."

My elder brother is of noble status, and we grew up in the palace together. It is impossible for him to be the kind of priest he mentioned. I really don't know who put this thing into my body and Ji Feng's body. As for revealing my elder brother's name, that is absolutely impossible.

My elder brother is now the ruler of a country, while I am just a dead princess. Three years ago, Wende said that there was no longer a princess named Ping An in the world, otherwise the world would be in chaos. Although Wende's words were unpleasant, they were true. Everything in the past has died along with my status as a princess.

His eyes were dark and brooding, already showing anger, and his face grew increasingly grim. "You dare to mock me."

I pointed to my heart, "Take it, do whatever you want with it, take it out."

He grunted, "You think I wouldn't dare?"

I shook my head with a bitter laugh, and as I laughed, I felt tears streaming down my face. I had no choice but to raise my hands to cover them, but before they could touch my face, he grabbed them and squeezed both of my wrists into his palm. He pressed hard with his fingers and palm, and my bones collided. The strange sensation in my chest became more and more intense, and the pain was excruciating, as if I was about to be pierced through. I couldn't help but groan.

His hand trembled violently, and then all the force that had been holding me suddenly disappeared. I opened my eyes wide and saw that he had taken a step back, one hand covering his chest and the other slamming his hand on the bedside table. With a muffled thud, the incredibly hard rosewood table was shattered into pieces.

I was stunned, not knowing what had happened.

A voice came from outside the door, "Sir, are you alright?" It was Xiao Wei, the one who had locked me up in the Pillow Water Pavilion.

He did not answer, standing there motionless, his face ashen, his brows furrowed with a deep blue hue, and his deep breaths seemed to be enduring immense pain.

A voice came from outside the door again, "Sir, Xiao Wei is being disrespectful and has come in." As he spoke, the door was pushed open, and Xiao Wei floated in. He was stunned for a moment when he saw the scene in the room, and then immediately jumped to Mo Li's side, about to push him on the back with one hand.

He turned slightly to the side and said in a deep voice, "No need."

"Sir, are you suffering from internal injuries?" Xiao Wei asked anxiously, glancing at me. I met her gaze, my face blank with confusion.

Mo Li didn't say much to her, only saying, "I'm fine, go out."

“Sir, is it this young lady who is disturbing your rest? Perhaps I should take her back to Pillow Water Pavilion…” Xiao Wei glanced at me again, unsure of what had happened between us, and unable to guess what was going on, her voice hesitant.

"Get out." He repeated, his voice cold and hard.

Xiao Wei dared not say more and retreated in front of him. When she closed the door, there was still some worry on her face. She could see that she was very concerned about Mo Li's strange behavior.

The room fell silent again. I had been so startled that I had unconsciously sat up. Mo Li stood with his back to me, a silent figure. I opened my mouth but couldn't say a word. I just stared at him blankly. Suddenly, I felt my face was wet. I reached up to wipe it and found that my face was still covered in tear stains.

As I raised my hand, he turned around, and we faced each other. The room was lit, and I saw that the bluish color between his eyebrows had faded at some point, and his complexion had returned to normal. However, his brows were tightly furrowed, and his eyes were filled with dark, turbulent light. The expression he gave me was quite frightening.

His sudden change disturbed me, and the excruciating pain in my chest subsided considerably. The silence between us was oppressive, and I was the first to speak, asking him, "What's wrong?"

A flash of crimson light, and he was at the bedside in an instant, startling me. I leaned back, stammering, "W-what are you going to do?"

"You're using sorcery?" he asked coldly.

This... isn't this something I used to say all the time?

I blinked, dumbfounded.

"Yes or no?" he actually pressed.