A Wandering Youth

Chapter 75

Leng Shuangcheng truly hated himself for having his nails trimmed. Now that the sharpness that used to dig into his back was gone, he trembled as he grabbed Leng Shuangcheng's cheek and called out in pain, "Qiuye... Qiuye... you bastard."

Qiu Yeyijian's lips barely touched the surface, his smile vanishing like a snowflake crawling on the ground. He slowly withdrew, and Leng Shuangcheng gasped for breath, her chest heaving. Before she could greedily inhale that cool breeze, Qiu Yeyijian parted her legs and thrust himself inside her, his voice low and menacing as he said, "I love you so much, I'd practically cut open my heart and offer it to you, and yet I still can't get your approval?"

"My husband!"

Leng Shuangcheng cried out, and two tears rolled down from the corners of her tightly closed eyes. Qiu Yeyijian gently stroked her back to ease her pain, steadied her waist, kissed away her tears, and said affectionately, "Good girl, it doesn't hurt anymore... If you hate me, you'll remember me for the rest of your life."

Leng Shuangcheng choked with emotion, speechless and extremely embarrassed. She covered her eyelids with her fingers and slapped his fair, jade-like skin haphazardly. Qiu Yeyijian endured the pain from both above and below, neither dodging nor avoiding it. He lowered his hand and brushed his lips against her jade-like breasts, a heat rising in his lower abdomen. He slowly began to move.

"Leng Shuangcheng..." Trembling to the extreme, he managed to utter a hoarse sound.

The bright moonlight seeped in, blurring a white halo around the edge of the clear pool. The sound of water was serene, and water droplets, like broken snowflakes, trickled down Leng Shuangcheng's body.

Qiu Yeyijian gently held her close with his right hand, while his left palm covered a snow-white towel, softly washing her body. Leng Shuangcheng's cheeks were flushed, her eyes closed in a deep sleep. Two figures, etched with silence, disturbed the tranquil stillness of the water. Her body was as white as crystal, as red as rouge, showing the marks of passionate lovemaking. Qiu Yeyijian carefully cleaned her several times, and seeing the purple plum blossom marks, he tenderly stroked them with his palm, then lowered his lips to gently kiss them one by one.

Leng Shuangcheng murmured in her sleep, her words muffled as she resisted the heat. Qiu Yeyijian's handsome face was veiled, his eyes a mixture of coldness and passion. He lowered Leng Shuangcheng's waist and whispered something in her ear. The person before him did not react. He greedily grasped her two soft breasts with one hand, while his left hand reached into the water.

Leng Shuangcheng couldn't bear it and trembled. Under his continued questioning, she could only groan in response. Qiu Yeyi brushed her loose hair with his sword, gently kissing and nibbling at the daisy-shaped scar on her shoulder. After a natural progression, he took her body from behind.

The floating clouds obscured the moonlight, and the silent hot spring emitted faint moans, each suppressed sound echoing back and forth, yet causing the exquisite and imposing body to quicken its pace.

At midnight, Leng Shuangcheng suddenly opened her eyes, which were clear, cold, and deep without any ambiguity. She subtly moved away from Qiu Yeyi's arm that was wrapped around her and pressed her fingers on several of his acupoints.

Qiu Yeyi was still fast asleep, and after a few moments of restlessness, she finally relaxed and fell asleep contentedly.

Moonlight filtered through the gauze curtains, falling on his pale, deep-set face, like thin clouds reflecting the moon, highlighting his magnificence. Even in his slumber, Bai Yi Qiuye remained as indifferent as ever, his lips pursed, devoid of emotion. Leng Shuangcheng sighed inwardly, gathering his scattered white robes and pulling a blanket to cover his reddish-white collar. The moment Pu Yi touched the ground, Leng Shuangcheng's legs went weak, and she nearly collapsed. She cursed under her breath, quickly tying her hair and putting on the waterproof robe and black outer garment she had prepared beforehand.

The cool robe clung to his burning skin, rustling and sending a chill through him. Leng Shuangcheng glanced down and noticed that Qiu Yeyi had applied ointment to all his wounds, the ointment glistening and exuding a minty fragrance.

“Qiuye, I think you will understand in the future that besides you, I only have Wu as a relative, but he has also left me…” She silently gazed at his unchanging face, trying to draw a sliver of warmth from his indifference. “Nanjing and Lin Qingluan are like my siblings. I hope you will not hurt them, otherwise I cannot bear the pain of losing them. Tonight I leave you to finish what I have decided to do. Promise me you will not force them, I will definitely come back.”

Leng Shuangcheng extended her right palm towards Qiu Yeyi's face, stopping just before it reached the edge, as if secretly encouraging herself. Her slightly pale hand trembled as she stroked his eyebrows, mouth, and features: "If you hadn't caught me half a year ago, we would definitely be living our own lives. The first time I saw you, I knew you were a cold and ruthless nobleman. You shot an arrow through my shoulder, your eyes so indifferent, as if you were looking at an ant. For a long time, the strict etiquette and guarded manners taught by my father have been deeply ingrained in my heart. You have always blamed me for my heartless retreat, but you don't know how uneasy and confused I am every time I get close to you..." She leaned down and kissed his cheek, smiling as she said, "You really need to rein in your habits. You can't always act like a high and mighty nobleman... Since you are my husband, you must understand my predicament... Don't go and harm anyone after you wake up. I'll be right back."

Leng Shuangcheng straightened up, her smile vanished, and walked out of the room without hesitation.

18. Escape

The moon in the human world knows the chill beneath the eaves and steps. A high wall separates us, loneliness within, moonlight outside.

A few sparse, lush elm trees stood in the eastern corner of the rear courtyard of the military camp, casting a somber, hazy light. Leng Shuangcheng stood silently in the shadows, each hand clutching four pebbles. The clouds dispersed, and the moon shone brightly, presumably illuminating the lonely shadow within the walls.

She waited for the clouds to obscure the moonlight again. Eight Imperial Guards were stationed at Lin Qingluan's prison, arranged in a 4x4 formation, head to tail. Normally, Qiu Ye would send these eight away with her sword, but Leng Shuangcheng, noticing their elusive footsteps, had taken notice. That afternoon, he had spent a long time practicing hidden weapons, using lotus leaves as a backdrop for their deployment, and now he had to cram at the last minute.

A wisp of shadow swept across the moonlit night, and Leng Shuangcheng seized the opportunity to strike. Small pebbles, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, flew straight forward in clusters, crisscrossing in arcs and drawing a dense net of light in the darkness.

The skill of "A Glimpse of Beauty" was indeed well-deserved. With a muffled groan, eight bodies slowly fell to the ground. Leng Shuangcheng was greatly shocked. She leaped over to check the figures. She remembered that one of the guards, with his large hands, always walked ahead with his head held high when dodging. After searching his body for a while, she found the key and opened the iron gate.

The iron gate swung open with a clang, letting in a flowing, silvery-white veil. Lin Qingluan, sitting cross-legged, slowly opened her eyes and saw Leng Shuangcheng, dressed in a white-collar black shirt, standing indifferently under the moonlight, wondering if it was a lingering shadow from a dream. Her eyes were so clear and cold, possessing a wisdom and composure that seemed to see into people's hearts. Lin Qingluan stared fixedly, only to hear the boy in front of her, dressed as a man, extend his right palm, on which a few drops of water-sized pills rolled: "Lin Qingluan, I'm giving you a choice. Will you fight against fate with me, or sit here and wait to die?"

Seeing Lin Qingluan take the pill, Leng Shuangcheng grabbed his wrist and said deftly, "I used a powerful technique to press Qiu Yeyi's acupoints, which will at most buy you half an hour to escape Qingzhou. After an hour, he will open the acupoints and deploy troops to capture us. As long as we can escape his territory, he won't force me anymore, because he has to consider the safety of the two princesses and definitely won't chase us very far... However, based on my deduction, he will definitely be very angry, and during the pursuit, he will definitely deploy assassins in a thunderous ambush, so these few hours tonight will be the hardest... Once we get out of Qingzhou, I have a way to make sure no one can find us... Have you thought it through?"

The pale moonlight fell on Leng Shuangcheng's face, yet it couldn't conceal the clear, sharp light in her eyes. No matter the time or the person, she always seemed to maintain a calm and courteous demeanor. Seeing Leng Shuangcheng's boldness and composure, Lin Qingluan pondered for a moment before smiling and asking, "Can you tell me why you broke into the prison tonight?"

"There are many reasons. You'll have to figure it out yourself later. Are you going to leave now or not?"

Before Lin Qingluan could think, Leng Shuangcheng gripped his wrist tighter and tighter. He could only smile and reply, "Where do I go to die anyway? Wouldn't it be better to stay by your side and drive one more person to their death?"

Leng Shuangcheng looked up at the moonlight and gave him a cold glance: "Your legs aren't as nimble as they used to be, so I specifically chose to abduct you at night. This way, you can recover eighty percent of your strength. The headquarters has strengthened its defenses since last night, with heavy Imperial Guards surrounding it on three sides, totaling as many as eight thousand. If you want to escape, you can only slide down the blind spot behind the elm tree outside the prison, and it's almost time for the guards to change shifts... Let's go!"

A bright moon, a solitary window. Tonight, a sleepless man, burdened with worries, stands by the window, much like Lin Qingluan meditating in tranquility. His solitary triumph is met with loneliness, as still as water. He had been avoiding Cheng Xiang, choosing a remote and simple inn to stay in. Though deliberate, he hadn't concealed his presence in Qingzhou. All people have their selfish desires; who, besides heaven and earth, can truly understand them?

Even at midnight, no one was at rest, a testament to the sorrow of those under the moon. After sneaking into the inn with Lin Qingluan, Leng Shuangcheng hesitated to speak to Gu Dukaixuan. Gu Dukaixuan glanced at the large bundle on Leng Shuangcheng's back and Lin Qingluan's face, then said coldly, "Chu Yi, you only come here when you need something. Speak, what do you want from me this time?" Leng Shuangcheng smiled awkwardly and said calmly, "The less you know, the better for you. I'd like to ask you to dress us up; I have something very urgent to do."

A woman in a white robe, carrying a delicate fragrance, slowly approached. Leng Shuangcheng closed her eyes. Gu Dukaixuan's fingers moved gently yet swiftly, like willow catkins rising and falling on her face. A short while passed, and the room remained silent, filled with a faint fragrance. Leng Shuangcheng was anxious inside, but her expression remained calm. Lin Qingluan, having changed her attire, saw Gu Dukaixuan staring intently at Leng Shuangcheng's face. After a moment of patience, she asked, "Miss Leng, are you done?"

Gu Du Kaixuan snapped out of his daze, turned his back to the two of them, looked at the moonlight outside the window, and said calmly, "You can go now, Chu Yi."

Lonely Triumph's disguise skills remained exquisite. Unlike the masks made by Wu Sanshou, he used a medicinal mud applied to his face, which did not affect his facial expressions. Leng Shuangcheng couldn't help but rub her cheeks, bowed to Lonely Triumph, and exclaimed, "Young Master's work is ingenious, far superior to mine..." Suddenly remembering Wu Sanshou, she gritted her teeth, explained the drug-man incident, and left dejectedly.

At the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), under the hazy moonlight, a secret message was sent from the Qingzhou headquarters: Lin Qingluan, a serious criminal who had been detained and guarded in the backyard, was mysteriously rescued by a mysterious person at the hour of Zi (11 PM-1 AM). The whereabouts of both the criminal and the assassin are unknown.

Hundreds of palace lanterns were lit along the winding corridors, illuminating the area as bright as day. A silver light held up a gauze cup, carefully lighting the way for passersby. On the long corridor, the young master's snow-white robes were spotless, yet in the windless night, they rippled like waves, resembling the petals of an angry, snow-capped peak.

Yin Guang guessed that this matter was related to Leng Shuangcheng. Seeing the young master's appearance, he remained silent and simply walked by lamplight at night. Qiu Ye Yi Jian's face was as cold as ice, his single garment slightly open, revealing his distinct collarbone. He moved forward silently without touching the ground, his billowing sleeves carrying a cool, ethereal breeze.

Eight guards lay prostrate on the ground, their faces ashen as they knelt before a cold, pale figure in the distance. Zhao Yingcheng, checking the marks in the corner, turned back, glanced at Qiu Yeyi's eyes, and said, "Please give your orders, young master."

"So that's why you were obediently skipping stones across the lotus pond. You were already being used as targets!" Qiu Yeyijian said coldly. "Even the Eight Masters of Sichuan can't withstand a mere hidden weapon?"

The crowd seemed to understand, yet were filled with apprehension and unable to express their thoughts. Zhao Yingcheng, seeing the silver light, secretly shook his head, as if sensing something, and patiently waited with his hands behind his back for Qiu Yeyi's sword to direct him. Just as the deathly silence fell, the tinkling of jade pendants and the wafting of a faint fragrance filled the air as a group of women hurried along the long corridor, their movements both hurried and elegant.

Upon seeing Qiu Yeyijian standing there indifferently, Zhao Linghui's steps became lighter, her skirt rustling softly. "Is Your Highness going out? Linghui is truly frightened..." Qiu Yeyijian was as indifferent and silent as the cold moonlight under the eaves. Linghui walked to his side and stopped. Seeing his snow-white, tightly closed collar, her eyes trembled. The maids and servants behind her blushed and shyly bowed their heads in obeisance. Linghui glanced at the beautiful flowers blooming prostrate in profusion, then said calmly, "If Cheng Xiang hadn't rushed over and grabbed me last night, I would have been pulled away by those thin silver threads falling from the sky... Forgive Linghui's timidity, but if Your Highness had stayed by Linghui's side, I think those thieves wouldn't have been so arrogant and audacious..."

Linghui's manners and language were extremely appropriate, rescuing the guard from imminent execution. Many of the eight guests secretly raised their heads, their faces showing gratitude. At this moment, a night breeze suddenly rose, ruffling Qiu Yeyi's few strands of black hair. A faint scratch mark appeared beside his ear, embedded in his cold and pale face, like a crack in a piece of exquisite porcelain.

Zhao Yingcheng took a closer look, then suddenly realized what was going on and said, "Princess, you need not worry. I will stay by your side every step of the way." Linghui turned her face away, her bright eyes slightly open, looking down at him coldly. Zhao Yingcheng just smiled and didn't move.

Qiu Ye Yijian remained aloof in the wind, his sleeves billowing as he gazed at the moonlight. A blue butterfly took flight, its wings as thin as cicada wings, shimmering with a hazy, cool light. Qiu Ye Yijian's eyes followed the blue butterfly, and he coldly said, "Pass on my decree: deploy three thousand Imperial Guards to follow this butterfly. On sight, kill Lin Qingluan immediately. The Eight Masters of Sichuan are to guard the North Gate, searching along the route for any suspected criminals to prevent any oversights." He turned to Yin Guang and added, "Prepare the horses."

Linghui's face paled, and she took a hasty step forward, calling out, "Young Master..." Her foot slipped on her skirt, and her pale figure tumbled towards the man beside her. Before anyone could see Qiu Yeyijian's movements, his white robes fluttered slightly, and he had already moved aside, casually flicking his sleeve to catch the swaying Linghui. Linghui, her face ashen, said sadly, "What has made you like this..." For some reason, she couldn't finish the sentence, as if she couldn't publicly condemn Qiu Yeyijian's cold indifference.

Qiu Yeyi glanced at her face and suddenly said coldly, "If you're afraid to stay at the headquarters, then come with me." Yin Guang followed the young master's gaze and noticed that Ling Hui's silent face in the moonlight bore a resemblance to Leng Shuangcheng's, which stirred something within him.

At the quarter-hour of Chou (1-3 AM), Qingchang Street was utterly silent, as if everyone were fast asleep. A vast horde of gleaming, silver-armored cavalry surged in like a tidal wave, shaking the entire ancient city from afar. Flames soared into the sky, silver robes billowed, and the thunderous hooves kicked up layers of dust, piling up in front of the gate of Yixianju.

A blue-winged butterfly fluttered down onto the treetops in the courtyard of the Immortal Abode. Qiu Yeyi's gaze was deep and unwavering. Before the white horse reached the pavilion, her slender fingers loosened the reins, which she had been lightly tapping, and her robes fluttered in the wind as she rode forward. The spirited horse, escorted by guards, landed a few feet behind them. Seeing Qiu Yeyi's figure vanish in a flash, her tall silhouette disappearing, the spirited horse secretly pondered the identity of the prison breaker.

The air was filled with the fragrance of flowers, and the overgrown trees in the courtyard quietly blossomed with their own vitality in the moonlight, forming a stark contrast to the desolate and deserted Immortal Abode. All around was pitch black, with only a few specks of light visible against the pale moonlight. Autumn leaves stood atop the trees, leaning against swords; white robes fluttered, and black hair danced in the air, like celestial beings returning on the wind. After failing to detect Leng Shuangcheng's aura, he summoned his power and called out coldly, "Lin Qingluan, I've brought Lin Qingyu with me too. Can you bear to let her take the blame and die?"

The voice was chilling and cold, echoing in circles in the night sky, startling the roosting birds into flight, and also frightening Lin Qingluan so much that she almost broke out of the window.

Lin Qingluan and Leng Shuangcheng were indeed hiding in a fairy abode. When Leng Shuangcheng left the camp, he took some personal belongings with him, including moonlight, chains, and Wu Sanshou's relics. The things in the bundle could practically open a general store, which made Lin Qingluan's eyes widen in amazement.

After midnight, the two found their way to the corner of the brocade pavilion. Leng Shuangcheng opened her bundle, took out the prepared medicinal herbs from an oil paper package, poured them into the small square hot spring she had specially chosen, and urged Lin Qingluan to jump down with her fully clothed.

The two soaked in the medicinal water for a while, washing away their original scent from head to toe, but inevitably becoming tainted with the smell of Chinese herbs. Afraid that Lin Qingluan would be suspicious, Leng Shuangcheng jumped into the pool herself, even washing her hair several times. When Lin Qingluan, soaking wet, lay by the pool, she saw Leng Shuangcheng kneeling and fiddling with herbs, minerals, and other strange-sounding things. Curious, she asked her why she was putting them into small bamboo tubes, but Leng Shuangcheng was too busy to answer.

The moonlight, like water, mingled with the ripples of the clear water, spreading out in circles, perfectly matching the autumn leaves, sword, cold wind, and icy whispers outside the building. Lin Qingluan couldn't contain herself and tried to get up, but Leng Shuangcheng quickly grabbed her wrist: "Don't be fooled. Even if you capture your sister, he won't act on the eve of the martial arts tournament because of his reputation... Besides, I'm absolutely certain he can't wait to capture Miss Lin."

Lin Qingluan crouched quietly by the window and whispered, "I saw him standing there, cold and aloof like a demon. Apart from the archers surrounding him with torches, there was indeed no sign of my younger sister..." Leng Shuangcheng hurriedly stuffed the sulfur into the fire, not even looking up, and said, "Nothing to be curious about. Cunning people always love to put on an act." Just then, a sudden, deafening roar startled Leng Shuangcheng, causing her to nearly spill the gunpowder. She frowned and peered out through the window.

Qiu Yeyi was still dressed in that snow-white robe, the night wind whipping up the hem of his garment, its fluttering cold and desolate air like a desolate snow-capped peak, possessing an ancient and distant crystalline indifference. He held a sharp, green sword in his right hand, standing lightly atop a treetop, his body motionless, the long sword slicing down with a wave of sword energy.

With a loud crash, the second brocade pavilion of Yixianju broke in the middle, sending dust flying everywhere.

Lin Qingluan's face paled slightly. He looked at Leng Shuangcheng and transmitted his voice, "Three more swords and it'll be our turn." Leng Shuangcheng tightened the bamboo lid and blurted out, "Looks like he's really angry... he practically hates you to the bone." He paused, then muttered blankly to himself, "I told him not to harm anyone, but he wouldn't listen." Lin Qingluan looked surprised and forgot to transmit his voice, instead murmuring, "Why is he blaming me? I didn't do anything to him..." Leng Shuangcheng comforted him by pulling his wrist and whispering in his ear, "Young Master can be unreasonable sometimes. He's been watching me so closely that I can't do anything. Tonight, if I kidnap you, in his eyes, it's the same as committing a heinous crime by eloping with you... You don't need to look at me like that. I'm not exaggerating... Any man, when he gets angry, will try to kill us all."

Lin Qingluan frowned, trying to discern the truthfulness of Leng Shuangcheng's words, and looked at her with increasing suspicion. Leng Shuangcheng had already planned to arrange a way out for him, and now that she saw that she had achieved her goal of intimidating him into following her wholeheartedly, she simply made a gesture of invitation without making a sound.

The two slowly sank to the bottom of the water. Leng Shuangcheng inserted the bamboo tube into the spring, clapped his hands repeatedly, and the water surged and churned, creating a crack in the bottom of the pool. Leng Shuangcheng grabbed Lin Qingluan's clothes, and the two swam towards the cave like fish.

The longsword was as white as frost, and Qiu Ye Yijian unleashed three more powerful strikes. Three streaks of silver light, like a celestial river flowing through the air, swept across the sky. Ling Hui's clothes billowed in the afterglow, and the intense sword energy caused her cheeks to flush. Her expression changed. "Such excellent swordsmanship..." she thought to herself in surprise, looking at the unchangingly indifferent Qiu Ye Yijian.

The Immortal Abode had been reduced to dust by the sword energy, its bare entrance standing alone. Qiu Ye, with his hawk-like eyes scanning the area, leaped to a corner, examining the water droplets and traces within the room. He walked slowly along the clear pool, his pace unhurried, and after stopping, asked in a low voice, "Where does this spring water lead?"

One of the Silver-Clad Guards stepped forward quickly, bowed, and replied, "Connecting to the inner river, it should lead to the outskirts of the state." Qiu Ye Yijian smiled coldly and said, "So you had this planned all along. I really misjudged you. Want to go to White Stone Mountain? We'll see how long Lin Qingluan lives." The guard, unaware of the situation, wisely remained silent. Qiu Ye Yijian glanced at Ling Hui and the others in the distance, then suddenly coldly ordered, "Summon the Eight Guards to turn around and search the dense forest outside the city. Tell them that no matter how long it takes, they cannot return until Lin Qingluan is killed."

19. New Students

Qiu Ye Yijian unusually brought Ling Hui with him, which made Leng Shuangcheng vaguely suspicious. She always believed that Qiu Ye had a purpose in everything he did, such as his exaggerated pursuit of Lin Qingluan in Xianju. However, she was too shy to delve deeper into Qiu Ye Yijian's possessiveness. "Playing dead for a day will torture me for a day. If it happens again, I will definitely tear Lin Qingluan apart." She hadn't forgotten those words. Qiu Ye Yijian always kept his word. If she didn't consider the consequences, he would definitely kill Lin Qingluan.

The night was deep, just as day was turning into night. A few crows cawed in the deep forest, the light was dim and dim, and the moonlight spread across the lush canopy, seeping in like fine threads. Leng Shuangcheng, his black hair damp with moisture, carried Lin Qingluan to the riverbank. Lin Qingluan's clothes and hair were soaked, her blue robes glistening, her face delicate and beautiful, like a lotus emerging from the water. Leng Shuangcheng glanced at him and said coldly, "You've been on the run for a while; the drug should be taking effect by now, right?"

Lin Qingluan then realized that the pills she had given her earlier were to aid in the treatment of her foot injury, and she said, "Thank you for your kindness, Miss. I am very grateful."

“No need for your gratitude. Just send a letter as soon as possible tomorrow morning. And since you can practice your leg bones tonight, it should help you recover faster.” In the deep darkness, Leng Shuangcheng’s eyes shone brightly. She broke off a suitably sized tree trunk, took out a foot-long dagger, and began to shave it deftly. The soft light fell on her focused, silent profile. Lin Qingluan couldn’t guess her emotions and remained silent for a moment. After a while, the tree tip was as sharp as an arrowhead, diamond-shaped fragments scattered into the dust, and a roughly honed gun appeared before the two of them.

Leng Shuangcheng extended two fingers and weighed the weapon in her hand. With a backhand flick, she twirled the spear in a dazzling display of light and shadow, her movements fluid and graceful. Lin Qingluan recognized the power of this move and exclaimed in surprise, "Ten Thousand Thunder Blossoms, all executed in one go! Miss, your skill is extraordinary; your spear and staff techniques must be exceptional!"

"Hmm." Leng Shuangcheng responded calmly, offering no further explanation, and then stretched out a branch to probe the way: "Be careful, there are definitely assassins coming."

Lin Qingluan followed behind with light steps. Leng Shuangcheng could tell from the sound of his footsteps that he had indeed recovered 80% of his internal strength, which put her at ease.