Safety

Chapter 26

The pair of plain shoes beneath her white dress slowly approached me. Qingfeng's eyelids trembled, her face frozen in shock, her mouth opening and closing, but she couldn't utter a single word. I was terrified too, instinctively wanting to close my eyes, but it was too late. She crouched down, her fair and delicate face meeting mine, her clothes still pristine white, not a single drop of blood splattered on them.

She said to me, "You saw it all, didn't you?"

I looked into her eyes, which were still clear and bright, so clear that I could see right through them, but I also felt that I couldn't see anything in them. I couldn't see anything in those eyes.

Xiao Wei, what exactly are you trying to do?

Earlier, Xiao Wei stopped Qing Feng alone, only saying that she was there to meet him, but then asked if the battle had already started on the platform? I found that strange.

Since Xiao Wei came to meet them, she must have received the news before she could do so. Although the manor and Tianshuiping are far apart, I have seen people in the martial arts world use fireworks and other things to transmit messages, so it is not unusual. But if she could know the news about a mere Qingfeng returning to the manor, why wouldn't she know whether a battle had already broken out on Tianshuiping? This alone makes no sense.

"You've been acupunctured again, haven't you? The master doesn't want to hear any more of your talk, does he?" Xiao Wei stood up and kicked Qingfeng off me. Qingfeng's eyes finally closed, and he collapsed limply to the side. Before I could even take another look at him, I felt a lightness on my body, and several acupuncture points had been released.

I regained some strength in my legs and immediately got up. I looked down to look at Qingfeng. Although this noisy child was not good to me, he was now lying in front of me with blood staining my clothes. How could I ignore him?

Before I could even lower my head, I felt a tightness around my neck as Xiao Wei wrapped a white ribbon around my neck and pulled me toward the bushes by the roadside.

I struggled, but the ribbon was wrapped around my neck, and I would suffocate in an instant. I had no choice but to stagger to keep up with her, looking back as I walked. I saw the corpses of those people lying haphazardly on the path, with Qingfeng lying in the very center, blood flowing everywhere, covering the winding stone steps leading down. This horrific scene made me tremble. The jungle was silent. A few steps further, everything behind me was hidden by the dense foliage and could no longer be seen.

~~ ...

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Chapter 67

Xiao Wei led me down the mountain. She seemed to know the path here very well, winding through the trees and forests. Before long, we heard the roar of water, and then our eyes lit up as we entered the valley.

Feili Village is built in a valley, with a river flowing behind it. When it flows between two mountains, the river suddenly narrows and the current becomes rapid. After I was brought into the village, I often heard the sound of waves crashing against the cliffs in the dead of night. I always wondered why these people would build the village here and how people could sleep peacefully.

Xiao Wei led me to the shore, staring directly at me with an icy expression.

I felt a chill run down my spine from her gaze. Remembering how she had killed several people with a single move, I involuntarily took a step back. If it weren't for the ribbon around my neck and the gold rope around my feet, I would have loved to leap into the clouds and escape to a place where I couldn't see her anymore.

"Scared?" she sneered. "You'll know what fear is when you see the elders."

I had heard the word "elder" from those two men surnamed Chang. Chang first told Mo Li to go to the Lan family in Tongshui Town to see the elders there, but Mo Li's response was to kill the messenger and then take me away without a car. Without asking any further questions, it's clear that there must be some grudge between those elders and Mo Li, and they might even be irreconcilable enemies.

This Xiao Wei is not from the manor, yet she just killed several of Qingfeng's men in one fell swoop. Now that she has said this, I suddenly understand. It turns out that she was sent by those so-called elders, commonly known as an inside agent!

Before I could answer, Xiao Wei took something out of his pocket. It flashed in the sunlight and turned out to be a small bronze mirror, reflecting the sunlight so brightly it was almost blinding.

A small boat immediately approached from the cliff edge, rowed by only one person. Despite the turbulent waves, it remained steady and moved at great speed. As it drew near, a figure emerged from the small cabin, dressed in elegant purple robes with flowing long hair. The face, which was indistinguishable from a man's at first glance, was none other than Wen Su, the Left Envoy, who had been drinking with Mo Li under the moon at the Dinghai Pavilion.

My neck was being strangled, making it difficult to breathe. I couldn't even greet acquaintances. Xiao Wei said, "Left Envoy, sir." Then, with a flick of the ribbon, my body was immediately thrown into the air, landing on all fours on the ship.

"Miss Ping An, how have you been since we parted ways in Dinghai?" Wen Su stood at the bow of the boat, bowed slightly to me, and spoke very politely.

I was completely disoriented from the fall, and I heard a muffled groan, but it came from my own mouth.

I was able to speak again. The acupoints on my legs were not yet released by Xiao Wei, but she hadn't moved a single finger on my body. All of these acupoints were pressed by Mo Li. Did he only use half his strength? Or did he miss his target at the time?

At this moment, I am still thinking about Mo Li on Tianshuiping and my master. I wonder how they are doing now.

After Wen Su finished speaking, without waiting for my reply, she reached out and lifted me up, putting me into the cabin. The bow of the boat dipped slightly, and Xiao Wei also jumped on. The oarsman didn't say a word, turned around and steered the boat away from the shore, following the current, and soon they had traveled a long distance.

I turned around hastily and looked out through the gap in the curtain that was being blown up by the wind. The Feili Manor, built on the cliff, grew smaller and smaller in my sight. The curtain was crackling, and white waves rolled on both sides of the small boat, splashing water. Tiny water droplets passed through the curtain and rushed into the cabin, landing on my face like damp mist.

Wen Su looked quite relaxed, bent down to talk to me, and had a slight smile on her face.

"Are you worried about the Right Envoy?"

I didn't answer, but I heard a cold snort, which came from Xiao Wei sitting to the side.

Wen Su didn't even glance at her. She sat down opposite me, brushed her hair aside, and her charming demeanor was something even I, a former princess of royal lineage, couldn't match.

He's a grown man, yet he doesn't seem annoying making such a move. But at this moment, I have no mood to appreciate his charm and flirtatiousness. I'm pressed against the cabin wall, my eyes alert, watching him intently to see what he's going to do.

"Lord Left Envoy, she has been acupunctured by the master," Xiao Wei said.

Wen Su shook her head. "She can speak now, she just doesn't want to. Can't you tell?"

Xiao Wei looked surprised. "How could that be? I just checked her whole body. Qingfeng also said that she was carried down from Tianshuiping by the master after her acupoints were sealed. I only released the acupoints on her feet. She shouldn't be able to speak."

Wen Su stretched out his finger. I didn't want him to touch me, so I pulled back. But his fingertips were nimble, and in the blink of an eye, they were on the side of my neck. I couldn't dodge in time. I was furious and opened my mouth to bite him.

He withdrew his hand, took out a silk handkerchief from his clothes to wipe it, and said as he wiped, "So agile, how could she have been acupunctured? Xiao Wei, has she suffered a qi deviation or reversed meridians in the past two days?"

I remained silent, and Xiao Wei nodded. "Yes, yesterday the master placed her in the Pillow Water Pavilion to lure Wende into a trap. Afterwards, she acted strangely. The master, he, he..."

"How is it?" Wen Su squinted.

Xiao Wei glared at me, gritted her teeth, and said, "The master took her into his room and used his internal energy to protect her heart meridian. Later, there were strange noises in the room. When I went in, I saw the floor was in disarray, the master had a strange expression, and she... she was sitting on the bed..."

"Enough!" Wen Su suddenly spoke up.

"Shut up!" I said at the same time as him, and we both paused afterward.

I glanced at him, feeling slightly puzzled. My anger and my ramblings had some merit, so why was he so agitated? As I thought this, my gaze unconsciously lingered on his face. I suddenly recalled the expression on Wen Su's face when he saw me sleeping in the same bed with Mo Li that day, and the coldness in his eyes when we left the waterside pavilion. Before I could think further, cold sweat broke out on my back.

Mo Li, what exactly is going on between you and this man? Three years have passed, and I suddenly dare not think about those days and nights I didn't know about... I just can't bear to think about it...

Wen Su's face turned ugly. Xiao Wei remained silent for a moment, not daring to get angry at Wen Su, but instead took her anger out on me, turning her face to glare at me fiercely.

I was furious, so I turned around and glared back at her, demanding, "You call me 'sir' all you want? Why did you betray Mo Li, kill Qing Feng, and then kidnap me to this man? Aren't you afraid Mo Li will find out?"

Xiao Wei was scolded by me, and her eyebrows immediately hardened. She raised her hand in the blink of an eye. Although she looked cold, she was the type to act without hesitation. I had seen how fierce she was before, and I thought I was going to get hit again. But Wen Su waved her sleeve and pressed her raised hand down.

"Don't be reckless, we can still use her body."

That statement... Could it be that in their eyes I'm just an empty shell?

I was furious, my temper flared up immediately, and I was about to speak when Wen Su turned to me and said, "Besides, the Right Envoy treats her so specially. As long as she's around, there's no worry about the Right Envoy not showing up. Can't you see that?"

"The gentleman is only after the sacred object inside her body."

“Look at the golden rope wrapped around her feet. That’s something Mo Li tucked into his whip. It’s indestructible, yet he pulled it out and gave it to her on the eve of a great battle. Why? Think about her pressure points. With Mo Li’s skill, how could he have misplaced them? The pressure points could untie themselves. He must have only used a fraction of his strength, not wanting to strike them too hard. Perhaps her blood and qi were reversed yesterday, and she couldn’t withstand it.” Wen Su looked at me and slowly spoke this long string of words, finally adding quietly, “Xiao Wei, have you ever seen the Right Envoy use such tactics on others?”

Xiao Wei's face grew increasingly cold, like frost covering the sky. I listened from the side, then looked down at the chains wrapped around my feet, feeling a mix of emotions.

Mo Li pulled this thing out of the whip and gave it to me. The once indestructible whip is now much weaker. Since that's the case, I should be happy for my master, but the real feeling in my heart is unease. I also thought of the bloodstain on my sleeve and felt anxious and panicked. I just wanted to go back to Mo Li's side immediately, see him with my own eyes, touch him with my own hands, and find out what his current situation is.

Has he already clashed with Wen De? Does he know that Xiao Wei took me away? Will he be able to come to my rescue in time?

Since Mo Li took me away from Dinghai, we have been inseparable. Although the journey has been arduous, I have never felt so panicked and helpless as I do now. I only think about returning to his side and seeing him as soon as possible.

I looked down, suddenly filled with panic, like a helpless child, unable to grasp any hand that could bring me peace.

It turns out I'm still the same Ping An I was back then; it turns out I've never really grown up.

Wen Su and Xiao Wei stopped talking, and the cabin fell into a heavy silence. The small boat drifted with the wind and waves. Suddenly, a low shout came from the person at the bow, "Sit tight, we're leaving the valley."

The ship shuddered and leaped up, breaking through the waves. Almost simultaneously, a deafening roar exploded in the air, shaking the mountains and rivers. The already turbulent waters surged into towering waves. The curtains rattled in the gale, and turbulent waves rushed behind the ship, threatening to engulf the cabin. Xiao Wei screamed in alarm. Wen Su remained silent, but her face had changed drastically. I was even more terrified. Ignoring the risk of falling overboard, I struggled to the stern, desperate to see what was happening behind me.

The ship rocked violently, as if the whole world would capsize in the next second. Half of my body was already out of the cabin. The waves were towering and crashing in my face, but even through the layers of waves, the sight of the distant cliffs collapsing and soaring into the sky was enough to make one lose their mind instantly.

That direction leads to Tianshuiping!

I was terrified and had completely forgotten where I was. I just wanted to go in that direction when I suddenly heard a low shout in my ear, "What are you doing!" Then someone grabbed my shoulder with such force that it almost shattered my bones.

I screamed, "Let me go! I want to go back!"

How could Wen Su possibly obey my orders? She grabbed the gunwale with one hand and me with the other, then threw me into the cabin. The boat plunged forward, and I rolled toward the bow. Suddenly, the view opened up, and we were out of the valley.

I turned over and tried to go to the stern again, but Xiao Wei waved her hand and used her ribbon to tightly bind me. My feet were also wrapped with golden silk ropes, making it difficult for me to move. I only took one step before falling to the ground and being unable to go any further.

The boat sailed towards the main river. The valley was steep and high. Once we left the valley, everything inside would be gone. I fell to the ground, completely exhausted. I opened my eyes wide, but suddenly everything went black and I couldn't see anything.

...

Hai: What is the most tragic life for an unlucky person?

Narrator: It's just a constant stream of bad luck.

Ping An: You two...

Chapter 68

The boat sailed into a wide expanse of calm water, and the terrifying scene from before seemed like a dream. I sat in a corner, silent and motionless, as if my entire soul had remained on Tianshuiping, scattered in all directions with that deafening explosion, not knowing where to piece itself back together.

Wen Su got up and walked out of the cabin to the stern. She stood there for a long time, her long hair fluttering in the wind, lost in thought.

Only Xiaowei and I remained in the cabin. I was bound and huddled in a corner, silent. Xiaowei was restless and abruptly changed from her previous cold and indifferent demeanor. She stood up and sat down repeatedly, finally walking over to me and sitting down.

"Hey! What are you thinking about?"

I pretended not to hear her. She frowned, and when she couldn't hear my reply, she suddenly reached out and grabbed my shoulder.

"I asked you a question! Why aren't you answering!"

Xiao Wei gripped me tightly, making my bones crack. I tried to break free but couldn't. When I heard her say those words, I finally asked back in a hoarse voice.

"You're nothing but a traitor. I'm just something you took with you after you killed someone and betrayed the manor. Now you've succeeded, and Tianshuiping has been blown up. You've seen it all. Are you happy now? Satisfied?"

She glared at me through gritted teeth, asking me a question instead of answering.

"You think the bombing of Tianshuiping has anything to do with me?"

I said dismissively, "You're nothing but a lackey of those elders. If there were more than one lackey, you wouldn't necessarily be sharing information. Is there some traitor among us? Who can say for sure?"

She glared at me and said, “No matter how wrong you are, you are still the Right Envoy of the sect, second only to the sect leader and above all others. Who in our sect would dare to do such a rebellious thing?”

I know she was telling the truth. The Holy Fire Sect has a strict hierarchy. Below Mo Li, apart from this inexplicable little Wei, everyone calls him Venerable One. Not to mention the obvious awe shown to him by the people in green and red robes, even that unlucky fellow from another hall who appeared on Tianshuiping earlier committed suicide on the spot after hearing a single sentence from him. This is enough to show how high the Right Envoy's status is and how great his deterrent power is.

Xiao Wei's eyes were filled with hatred, and her hands gradually clenched. Blue veins bulged on the back of her snow-white hands. My shoulder blades were in unbearable pain, but I was sad. Since I couldn't break free, I was too lazy to struggle anymore, and even less inclined to argue with her. I just turned my face away, not wanting to look at her.

She suddenly said, "Are you thinking about Master? Master's skills are unparalleled, he must be unharmed. Do you want to go back? Let me tell you, no matter where Master is now, you will never see him again, never again!"

My heart skipped a beat, and I immediately retorted, "And you? Do you think you'll ever see him again? Do you even dare to see him?"

She shuddered, then her eyes suddenly turned red—a red light tinged with rage and resentment. "What do you know? My master and I came down from the holy mountain together, following him all the way. What are you! You've only been with my master for a few days, yet you dare to say such things to me!"

"Since you followed him, why did you kill Qingfeng and send me to those elders?" Although Qingfeng was not good to me, he was just a child who called her "sister." This woman was extremely vicious. I felt even more disgusted when I thought of Qingfeng lying in a pool of blood.

“It’s all for the sake of Master. You have a sacred object of our religion inside you, which is of great importance. He got you and wanted to take you back to the religion, but Master can’t go back, he can’t…” She stopped midway and continued after a long while, “Master shouldn’t have kept you!”

I hate her tone the most. "Don't keep calling me 'sir.' You're just a lackey sent by those elders. Besides, what does it matter to you whether he keeps me or not?"

No sooner had I finished speaking than a crisp "slap" rang out in the cabin. My face stung; she had slapped me, and it hurt terribly.

She glared at me, her chest heaving, slightly out of breath, her emotions extremely unstable. "The master has been misled by you, how can I sit idly by! As long as I hand you over to the elders and let them remove the sacred object from your body, the master will no longer need to personally take you back to the church, and he will understand that what Xiaowei did today was the right thing to do."