The Palace Master of Mieling Palace smiled. "If you want to see her, there's only one condition: tell me, who exactly are you?"
This time she was taken aback; he really was a difficult person to deal with.
Seeing that she remained silent, he smiled again, "My little beauty, there will be plenty of opportunities for us to have a heart-to-heart talk, now is not the time. If something happens to Xiao Juyuan, you will be in big trouble for holding Pei Junwu back."
She pursed her lips, his words striking at her sore spots. She turned away angrily and lunged at Pei Junwu.
"Let's go, Senior Brother Pei," she said. She didn't want to torment him anymore until she had an answer. He wanted to be her senior brother, so she... would be a good junior sister.
Pei Junwu gave her a deep look, asked nothing, and simply nodded before flying down the mountain. She followed him, and although it was tiring, she knew that he had slowed down and was waiting for her.
Sure enough, something happened. Even though it was so late, the Pei family's courtyard was still brightly lit with lanterns and torches, as if it were daytime.
As Xiao Yuan entered, he saw everyone gathered in the small square. Pei Fuchong was pacing around with a torch. When he saw his son return, he was overjoyed and exclaimed, "Awu, you're finally back!"
"What's wrong?" Pei Junwu asked in a cold, deep voice.
"Just now, Juyuan went to see Murong Hui off, but was captured by Murong Xiao who was hiding in the shadows. Fortunately, Murong Hui threatened to kill herself, and she is still stuck outside the gate!"
"Let's go!" A cold glint flashed in Pei Junwu's eyes; the man was right after all.
Outside the Pei family gate, Murong Xiao, disheveled and with a crazed look in his eyes, held a sword to Xiao Juyuan's neck, his entire body pressed against the cliff face beside the mountain path. Opposite him, Murong Hui, with her back to the gate, pointed a dagger at her heart.
Xiao Juyuan hadn't cried, but when she saw Pei Junwu coming out of the door, a tear of grievance welled up in her eyes and flowed down her cheeks.
"Pei Junwu, you've finally arrived." Murong Xiao laughed, his laughter tinged with madness and triumph.
"Brother, please come to your senses! Sister Juyuan has always spoken well of you, how could you repay kindness with enmity by arresting and threatening her?" Murong Hui's tears, which had just dried, flowed down again.
"Did sweet talk work?" Murong Xiao's eyes turned cold. "You still want to kill me, don't you? And you even pretended to wait until I gave birth to a son! Pei Junwu, Young Hero Pei, I don't believe you can keep an eye on me for ten or eight years? Even if I give birth to daughters for the rest of my life, do you still think you can let me go?!"
Pei Junwu coldly snorted, "You've courted death, Miss Murong. Don't blame me for being heartless."
"Brother! Please spare Sister Juyuan. Young Master Pei, Brother Pei, if my brother releases Sister Juyuan, please give her a way out, okay? Okay?" Murong Hui pleaded anxiously when she saw that Pei Junwu intended to kill her.
Pei Junwu hesitated for a moment, then said, "Alright, as long as he releases Juyuan, I won't kill him."
Murong Hui's face lit up with joy. "Brother, brother, did you hear that?!"
Murong Xiao shook his head with a cold laugh. "Silly sister, do you think he'll let me go? I almost forced myself on his sweetheart. I can tell from his eyes that he wants nothing more than to tear me to pieces!"
Everyone was stunned and looked away awkwardly.
"Murong Xiao, as long as you release me, I promise you won't die, is that alright?" Xiao Juyuan's face was cold and ruthless, and the delicate fragility she had shown while crying was gone.
“Miss Xiao! Do you think your words still carry weight? Pei Junwu is only being hypocritical towards you because of your family’s treasure! I, Murong Xiao, can tell the difference in a man’s eyes when he’s looking at a woman with just a glance.”
Xiao Juyuan stared coldly at Pei Junwu. He had arrived so late, and only Li Yuan'er and he hadn't been there earlier; they had returned together. Murong Xiao was absolutely right!
She pleaded with him so much, but he still went his own way. The way he looked at her, the way he scolded her for saying things that belittled Li Yuan'er!
He has broken her heart!
“Miss Xiao, if you want to keep this man by your side forever,” he glanced at Pei Junwu, who was looking at him with a cold face, “then never tell him the secret of the treasure!”
"Are you done talking?" Pei Junwu asked.
His inner strength was gathering, and Murong Hui screamed, "Brother!" Her life hung in the balance!
"I'm done!" Murong Xiao pulled back his arm, and the sharp sword sliced through Xiao Juyuan's fair neck, the blood glaring and shocking.
This time it was everyone's turn to yell.
Pei Junwu's outstretched hand clenched into a fist again.
"What exactly do you want?!" Yuan Xun jumped out and asked, unable to bear it any longer.
Nangong Zhan's eyes flickered. The current situation was indeed in his favor. He stood silently beside Gui Datong, suppressing his joy and looking solemn.
"Exchange Li Yuan'er for him!" Murong Xiao said with a sinister grin.
"Bullshit!" Yuan Xun roared furiously, "Murong Xiao, I used to treat you like a brother, how come I never realized you were a beast!"
"Should we switch or not?!" Murong Xiao smugly pushed Xiao Juyuan toward the cliff edge. "Pei Junwu, you can't have both of them, can you? I'll count to three."
"Brother! Stop fooling around!" Murong Hui was also stunned.
Everyone was looking at Pei Junwu, whose face was expressionless, but whose chest was heaving violently.
Xiao Yuan looked at him, finding it truly strange that she could so easily see into his heart through his eyes. His pain, his helplessness, his anger…
"Okay! Let's switch!" She stepped forward; only she could break the deadlock. Perhaps many people wanted her to make the switch, but no one could bring themselves to say it.
"Xiao Yuan!" Everyone exclaimed and looked at her, but no one spoke. What could they say? Encourage her to make the exchange, or stop her from doing so?
"Xiao Yuan! Are you crazy?" Yuan Xun and Yan Minyu bluntly expressed their feelings. Only they, only in their hearts, was she precious.
Xiao Yuan smiled as she looked at them. Many times, they were the ones who supported her spirit, even though they didn't seem to be that attentive.
She looked at Pei Junwu again, and he was looking at her too. His gaze made her heart ache. Yes, he was reluctant, and he was angry at his own powerlessness, but he still couldn't bring himself to say anything to stop her.
She used to hate him, but now... she can't even hate him anymore. At least he chose to be loyal to the Xiao family.
She walked over step by step, and inexplicably, she was confident that she wouldn't die like this!
When Murong Xiao pushed Xiao Juyuan aside and pressed his sword against her throat, Pei Junwu indeed lunged forward, his palm strike unusually sharp and fierce, and her hair was actually disheveled by his internal force.
Murong Xiao was prepared. Instead of dodging, he raised his arms and pushed her off the cliff. He held on to her with his hands, and if he let go, she would fall to her death.