He could have gotten any closer, but instead, he leaped into the air, the wind whipping his robes around him, the fine fabric billowing gracefully like a fairy descending to earth. With a slight push from the treetop, he soared another two zhang high, then swung his palm in mid-air. The banner ten zhang away crashed down, like waves lapping against the city wall and crashing against the corner.
"You!" Yuan Jing and Mi Suian stared at him in shock and fear, pointing at him tremblingly, unable to utter a word.
“Yi Chunjun…” Pei Junwu was also slightly surprised.
Wang Guanghai's "that" was actually cleaved in two by his palm, and the cloth banner naturally fell down. The girls all blushed and looked at their feet, while Tuoba Yuanxun, looking ashen-faced, subconsciously protected his groin.
"Master, sir, it's all settled. My senior brother and I can go back now." Yi Chunjun stopped smiling and glanced at Mi Suian with a cold expression.
"Young Master!" Mi Suian stepped forward and knelt down with a thud. "I was blind and underestimated your greatness! Young Master, please save my whole family." Although this bewitching young man was ruthless and vicious, his skill was unmatched in the world.
Yi Chunjun looked at him with a cold smile, showing no intention of helping him up. "I can't make this decision. I'll listen to my senior brother."
Yuan Jing also recovered from his shock and quickly bowed to Pei Junwu. Mi Suian recognized him as his "senior brother" and quickly turned around on his knees, looking at Pei Junwu with a pleading expression.
Pei Junwu glared at Yi Chunjun, who smiled at him with pursed lips.
"Since you're here, there's no reason for you to stand idly by. Please rise, sir." He spoke politely, but didn't offer to help him up. Lord Mi had no choice but to awkwardly get up himself, brushing the dirt off his trousers.
“Young Master Yi, that move you just made…” was truly insidious, but Yuan Jing said, “It was incredibly fierce. May I ask what your name is?”
“Frostblade.” Yi Chunjun raised the corner of his mouth. “It’s because we’re too far away. If we were closer, there would be a layer of frost on his crotch. It’s a way of covering up his ugliness.”
"..."
Pei Junwu examined the height of the city wall and the thickness of the ox-tendon rope, and frowned slightly.
“My internal energy is more flexible and resilient. To break such a thick tendon, a more forceful internal energy would be more effective.” He glanced at Yi Chunjun. The Frost Blade needed to be combined with sharp internal energy to reach its full potential. The power he used was indeed not as great as Yi Chunjun’s.
Yi Chunjun nodded, "But to break that tendon, I need to get closer. I can't use the city wall for leverage, and if I really jump into a range where I can get a good grip, I'm afraid my internal strength won't be strong enough to break it in one go."
Pei Junwu nodded. "I'll lend you the strength."
"Won't it be dangerous to jump that high?" Xiao Juyuan asked with some concern. "And when you land, you can't land in the poison's range."
“Exactly, exactly. There are mountains and water here, let’s not take any risks,” Yan Minyu echoed in her opposition.
Yi Chunjun looked up at Xiaoyuan and asked with a slight smile, his eyes narrowing as he looked at her expectantly.
Xiao Yuan glanced at the distance and the city's high road, then looked back at him, "It's not difficult for you, just be careful."
Yi Chunjun smiled beautifully, "My dear Xiaoyuan, you still have faith in your brother."
Pei Junwu's face was ashen. "Hurry up, we need to get home before sunset."
As Pei Junwu and Yi Chunjun soared into the air simultaneously, everyone gasped in admiration; it was truly breathtaking. Qin Chuyi was practically obsessed with beauty; not a single martial art he created was unpleasant to look at.
Just as his true energy was about to run out, Pei Junwu lifted up with both hands, and Yi Chunjun used the force to leap several feet again. He swiftly used his Frost Blade to sever the beef tendon, and then used the force of his hands to strike the city wall again. He then lightly used the force to flip over and leave the range of the poison.
A chorus of cheers erupted, and the soldiers watching from afar also let out deafening applause.
Yi Chunjun fell extremely fast. His internal energy was exhausted, and he could not control his speed, so he could only fall naturally.
"Xiao Yuan! Watch out!!" Everyone exclaimed in alarm, as Yi Chunjun had fallen right where Xiao Yuan was standing.
Xiao Yuan looked up, and in an instant, she saw Yi Chunjun's slightly pale face clearly. No! She couldn't dodge, she couldn't bear to dodge. She gathered all her inner strength and lifted upwards!
"Xiao Yuan! Yi Chunjun!"
With a "bang," the two crashed into each other. Although the immense force of their fall was reduced by Xiao Yuan's internal energy, they still rolled to the side together.
Xiao Yuan felt a tightness in his chest, but his arm did not feel the expected pain. In the dizzying moment, his body felt as if it was being swept by a strong force, but he did not feel any violent impact or pain.
She opened her eyes in surprise. It turned out that... he was holding her in his arms, and every time they landed, he cushioned her with his body, ensuring she wasn't hurt at all.
"Yi Chunjun!" she couldn't help but exclaim. He frowned slightly, but returned her a warm smile. His smile brought tears to her eyes.
He groaned and finally came to a stop when his back hit a tree.
"Yi Chunjun, are you alright?" She looked at his pale face and finally couldn't hold back her tears.
He smiled faintly and raised his hand to wipe away her tears. "How could you be alright? Try rolling around on the rocky ground. If you had dodged it, I would have just bumped into the ground; it wouldn't have hurt this much." He complained with a slight smile.
Her tears flowed even more, all because of protecting him! It was all her fault for overestimating herself and thinking she was helping him.
"Stop crying, my arms and back hurt, can you take a look?" He frowned.
"Is there any bleeding?" She sniffed, pulled him into her arms, and carefully examined his back. Thankfully, there was no blood seeping through.
He weakly wrapped his arms around her slender waist, a sly smile flashing in his eyes, but his voice was so feeble, "If I lose the match tomorrow, it'll all be your fault! Ouch, my back..."
When Pei Junwu led everyone to the scene, they saw Xiao Yuan hugging Yi Chunjun tightly with tears in her eyes, the two of them lying half-reclined under the tree in an ambiguous position.
His heart clenched. She cried? She cried for Yi Chunjun?! A bitter taste rose in his mouth, just like the taste of her tears that night.
Chapter 28 of "The Smiling Flower": Birthday
The sound of firecrackers continued for nearly half an hour, and the red firecracker debris and the smell of saltpeter on the ground added to the festive atmosphere.
From Peijiazhuang to the foot of the mountain, the roadside was lined with colorful flags, fluttering in the wind and dazzling the eye. Teams of servants and servants formed long lines, carrying wine jars and vegetables down the mountain.
The guests had gathered early, their laughter, chatter, and flattery blending into a lively cacophony. Maids dressed in brightly colored clothes moved among the guests, diligently serving tea and water.
Xiao Yuan, dressed in inconspicuous clothes, entered the decorated tent erected for the host. Yi Chunjun was surrounded by several stewards, who asked for final instructions on the details. Pei Junwu also gave instructions to the steward in a low voice.