A Wandering Youth

Chapter 84

Cheng Xiang stretched out her fingers and twirled her hair, slowly walking around Leng Shuangcheng, extremely beautiful and charming: "It's not that I don't want you to meet, but that I'm afraid of Qiu Yeyi's ruthlessness."

Leng Shuangcheng silently observed her, and after judging her determination, he turned and left like the wind, saying, "Then I'll go on my own."

Petals fell in clusters. Cheng Xiangruo brushed her clothes aside, watched the receding figure for a moment, and finally said in a hateful voice, "You come back here to die!"

Leng Shuangcheng smiled faintly behind her back, then heard a grinding voice: "You have to let me pinch you before I'm satisfied! —You always have me completely under your thumb!"

The blazing sunlight fell outside the shade of the flowers and trees, making the pavilion somewhat cool. Lonely Triumph coughed softly, one hand pressed to his lips, the other dangling from his sleeve as he slowly entered. The infiltrated light draped him in a magnificent robe; his features were indifferent, his black hair flowing freely. He seemed to have strolled leisurely from the courtyard, his blue robe exuding an elegant and refined air, as vast as the heavens.

Leng Shuangcheng carefully examined his complexion and noticed his thin frame, which seemed frail against the wind. With a worried expression, she asked, "Young Master, how are you feeling?"

"Same as always, neither alive nor dead." Lonely Triumph gave a bitter smile and sat down. After taking two steps, he turned back to look at Leng Shuangcheng and wiped her face with a finger: "What happened to your face? There's a red mark."

His pupils, as black as grapes, shimmered with a clear, watery luster, and his fingers trembled slightly, suggesting that he too could not suppress his involuntary reaction.

Leng Shuangcheng quickly retreated, wiped his cheek with his sleeve, and smiled憨厚ly: "It's nothing... Young Master, there's no need to worry. You just need to rest."

The pale, slender hand paused in mid-air for a moment, then lay flat against the back of Lonely Triumph. He stood there quietly and said, "I can't do anything great with this body, so I plan to rest for two years and build up my strength to do something."

Her tone was as firm as iron, and her eyes shone with unwavering determination. Leng Shuangcheng was very familiar with this kind of gaze; it was always this same chilling, icy aura when Qiu Yeyijian harbored malicious intentions and wanted to torment someone.

Facing Leng Shuangcheng's slightly worried eyes, Gu Du Kaixuan did not explain anything, but simply sat down calmly.

Leng Shuangcheng turned around, picked up the fragrant tea from the table, and offered it with both hands: "I mentioned the drug-man incident to you a few days ago. I wonder what your opinion is?"

"Don't be polite to me, I don't like it." Lonely Triumph pushed away his teacup and coughed lightly. "This matter is a bit tricky. If we want to prepare the antidote, I'm afraid we'll have to have my master come forward."

Leng Shuangcheng put down the tea and stood in front of him, asking, "Does Young Master mean—that you already know the formula for the medicine man?" His voice was filled with delight.

Lonely Triumph smiled calmly: "Look how happy you are..." He paused, then, seeing Leng Shuangcheng's eyes crinkling into crescent moons with laughter, he hesitated before continuing: "Seeing how happy you are, I still have to tell you, I don't know that recipe."

A lily withered on Leng Shuangcheng's smiling face before it even bloomed, and she immediately fell silent. Gu Dukaixuan continued, "It's just hearsay, and I don't have any medicinal blood to extract from, so I can only speculate..."

Leng Shuangcheng sighed: "I am not sure either, which is why I came here to ask you for confirmation."

The two exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with helplessness.

Leng Shuangcheng understood that Tantric Buddhism's control over a person's body required starting with the brain, which was nothing more than using some drugs to numb the mind, but without the formula, they were helpless.

"I suspect it's mainly composed of poisons like Rehmannia glutinosa, Dendrobium nobile, and other similar ingredients, but we don't know the dosage or other components," Gu Du Kaixuan sighed, and Leng Shuangcheng nodded in agreement.

Sunlight slanted through the room, casting shimmering reflections, like jade bathed in light, making the pavilion faintly bright. The two remained silent, and as the air grew heavy, a cold voice echoed from the corridor: "Leng Shuangcheng."

The epilogue swirled in the wind, wiping away the frost and snow of the coldest winter, causing Leng Shuangcheng's heart to tremble.

Before she could move, a snow-white figure appeared before her through the openwork window, like a lone wild goose in the wilderness, indifferent and composed.

Qiu Ye entered the pavilion bathed in light, his deep, handsome features clearly visible even from behind. Leng Shuangcheng glanced at him and asked, "You've been here for a while?"

The moment Qiu Yeyijian appeared, the room was filled with a chilling, snow-like atmosphere, a place of serene stillness. Upon hearing Leng Shuangcheng's words, Qiu Yeyijian did not deny it, but simply stood with his hands behind his back, his handsome face cold, and said, "I think you've called the wrong person, Leng Shuangcheng."

Leng Shuangcheng guessed that he was about to cause trouble again. She gave him a cold stare and said, "I just finished talking with Young Master Gu. Aren't you leaving?"

Alone and triumphant, he sat calmly in his chair, observing coldly, and took a sip of tea from his teacup with one hand.

Qiu Yeyi glanced at Leng Shuangcheng's face, then suddenly slowly extended her finger. Her finger was pale, slender and strong like bamboo, and moved with extreme slowness and stability, piercing through the air and landing on Leng Shuangcheng's fading mark.

His pupils were as cold as snow, and the sharpness in his eyes suddenly became like a thorn. Leng Shuangcheng suddenly realized that she must not dodge. If she avoided his fingers, he would probably cause a huge uproar.

Qiu Yeyijian bent her fingers and wiped her face with the back of two fingers. Gu Dukaixuan's eyes twitched as she met Qiu Yeyijian's cold smile.

"Leng Shuangcheng, since Dongge is your master, why should you call Gudu Kaixuan?"

He is my uncle.

This question hits the nail on the head and is often more unbearable than verbal abuse.

Lonely Triumph slammed down his teacup, veins bulging on the back of his hand, and stood up coldly. Leng Shuangcheng glanced apologetically at Lonely Triumph, then turned and sternly shouted at Qiu Ye Yijian, "Qiu Ye Yijian!"

Lonely Triumph sighed deeply. He could clearly see the guilt in Leng Shuangcheng's eyes; it was embarrassment at Qiu Yeyi's rudeness and harassment, yet it had clearly drawn a line between himself and others.

Qiu Yeyijian stared coldly at Gu Dukaixuan's face, a slight smile playing on her lips, as she grabbed Leng Shuangcheng's wrist, which was trying to leave her: "You are usually so polite, so I suppose you should be even more mindful of etiquette when you meet your elders."

Leng Shuangcheng's face turned pale. After enduring for a long time, she finally reached out and slashed at his wrist: "Don't push your luck!"

Qiu Yeyi flashed away, her white robes billowing slightly, avoiding the palm strike. Gu Dukaixuan turned and said coldly, "Chu Yi, I'll take my leave now," before turning and walking away desolately.

With a flick of her white sleeve, a sharp, swift gust of wind shot through the air, aiming for the Lingtai acupoint on Lonely Triumph's back. Hearing the sound of the wind, Lonely Triumph dodged, the finger gust passing through his sleeve. He swayed slightly and caught himself against the doorframe.

Leng Shuangcheng's eyes narrowed and she cried out urgently, "Young Master!" Seeing her left wrist restrained, she gathered her strength in her right palm and coldly slapped towards Qiu Yeyijian's chest. Qiu Yeyijian neither dodged nor evaded, but slowly raised his left hand, forming a crescent shape.

Leng Shuangcheng was both angry and anxious. Seeing that he stood there like a wooden stake without dodging, she changed her force halfway through the attack. Unable to deflect the palm strike, it traced a half-arc and hit his ribs. Qiu Yeyi's body trembled slightly, but his fingers remained locked in a circular motion as before.

The second move, "A Glimpse of Splendor," was about to be unleashed with even greater dominance, and he was willing to risk being severely injured by Leng Shuangcheng.

Leng Shuangcheng sighed and softly called out, "Uncle-Master, please forgive me for not being able to see you off on the first day of the lunar month."

The lone triumphant figure faced the sunlight, its face hazy and pale, its blue robes shimmering in the light and shadow. It used the door for support, slowly straightening itself.

Qiu Yeyi's eyes, gleaming with a captivating light, parted slightly at the corners of his lips, before he suddenly gave a wicked smile: "I forgot to congratulate the Prince Consort. His Majesty has agreed to officiate at the wedding of the Prince Consort and the Princess in three months." He turned to Leng Shuangcheng with another cold smile and said, "Leng Shuangcheng, aren't you going to congratulate him?"

Leng Shuangcheng then realized that Gu Dukaixuan's marriage had finally been settled.

Lonely Triumph coughed violently, his hand clenched, and he slammed it against the door with a loud thud. After the storm, his thin body fell like a poplar tree, his pale face bathed in sunlight, almost translucent and flawless.

He slowly closed his eyes, his long, dark eyelashes trembling in the dust.

Leng Shuangcheng was horrified when he saw the plum-shaped drops of blood scattered on the ground. He cried out with all his might, "Young Master, Young Master!"

Qiu Yeyi gripped her wrist tightly, her cold eyes sweeping across the hall before she snapped, "What's your rush? He won't die!"

Enraged, Leng Shuangcheng sneered repeatedly. Unable to break free, she threw herself into his arms and bit his chest hard.

Qiu Yeyi held her waist without moving, letting her vent her anger. Leng Shuangcheng bit her lip a few times, her teeth aching, her eyes clear and watery, and she cursed with hatred: "You beast! You devil! You know his body can't take it, yet you keep irritating him! What does his marriage have to do with me? Why hurt people's hearts again..."

Leng Shuangcheng's cursing gradually subsided, but Qiu Yeyijian still did not loosen his grip on her arm.

Bathed in the soft, swirling light, Qiu Yeyi's expression remained as cold as ever. He stood motionless for a long time, then, after estimating the time, coldly said, "Ye, go and call Cheng Xiang to collect the people." — Leng Shuangcheng, hearing him viciously call for "collecting people" instead of "saving people," couldn't help but grit his teeth again.

31. Standoff

The red dress resembled a dancing flame as Cheng Xiang rushed in from afar.

Leng Shuangcheng's brows were cold and indifferent, his face ashen as water, his back to Qiu Yeyijian. Through the shadows, Qiu Yeyijian's eyes were like ice and frost, cold and desolate, his right arm as firm as a mountain, holding Leng Shuangcheng's waist tightly.

Cheng Xiang glanced at the situation, vaguely guessing what had happened. She called for someone to carry Gu Du Kaixuan away, her delicate face contorted with rage: "I was wondering how Qiu Ye Yijian disappeared in the blink of an eye... She really doesn't miss the slightest opportunity!"

Qiu Ye Yijian gave a cold laugh, his sinister aura undiminished. Leng Shuangcheng remained silent.

Qiu Ye Yijian had long harbored resentment towards Nie Wuyou. In the main hall of the Ye residence, she even cleaved the floor in a messy, glaring trench for him, which is why she had been so careful to avoid conflict. Now, facing the furious Cheng Xiang, her heart was filled with overwhelming guilt, and she could only awkwardly bow to her: "I failed to protect the young master properly, I'm sorry, Princess... Leng Shuangcheng apologizes to you."

Leng Shuangcheng's brows furrowed, unable to conceal the cold, misty aura emanating from him. Cheng Xiang, who had a long history of feuds with Qiu Yeyijian, was now unable to contain her anger upon seeing him openly torment Gu Dukaixuan. She blurted out, "Chu Yi, do you know why Gu Dukai's body is so weak? Isn't it because of his heartache and constant longing for you? He hasn't taken a single dose of medicine in months!"

Cheng Xiang's voice trembled at the end, her outstretched fingers quivered in the cool air, and the words that followed were choked up and swallowed in her throat.

"Cheng Xiang!" Qiu Ye suddenly shouted coldly, her eyes flashing with murderous intent. "I got this marriage for you, and this is how you repay me?"

Cheng Xiang's eyes widened as she suddenly noticed the bloodshot veins on Qiu Yeyijian's left shoulder and arm. She understood immediately. Moreover, when she first heard the imperial decree had been issued, she couldn't help but feel overjoyed. Thinking of this, her anger subsided considerably, and she sneered at Qiu Yeyijian, "You wicked person, you'll get your comeuppance on the first day..."

Qiu Yeyi raised his heavy eyes, and the chill of the icy world rushed towards him. His face was cold and indifferent, and his voice was icy: "It takes the imperial physician at least a quarter of an hour to get from his home to the imperial camp... I just calculated the time. If you are a step later now, Lonely Triumph will most likely be dead."

Seeing that he was holding Leng Shuangcheng tightly, Cheng Xiang knew that he would definitely not let her go to treat Gu Du, so she cursed and rushed to save him.

Leng Shuangcheng's left elbow struck coldly behind him like a thorn. Qiu Yeyi's hand reached out and grabbed her body. His handsome lips moved nimbly like feathers, constantly brushing against her black hair and neck. A slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, and a cool twilight crept onto his snow-white cheeks.

Leng Shuangcheng was filled with hatred and tried to break free by twisting her waist, but she did not expect to meet Qiu Yeyijian's face and be kissed by him all over.

His lips, cool as dew, landed on her frosty brows and eyes, gently kissing and caressing them for a while before turning to her thin lips, desperately entwining with them.

Like a glacier after the snow melts, his cool breath meandered to the depths of her lips and teeth, gradually becoming hot, as if a snow-covered stream had become fiery and soft under the red sun.

Leng Shuangcheng closed her lips, dodging left and right, her head swaying like a swaying flower on a cliff. Qiu Yeyi's dark eyes narrowed, his slender fingers enveloping the back of her head, clamping her face and kissing her fiercely.

Leng Shuangcheng was no match for his cold and fierce strength; her body, like a crescent moon, was pulled backward into an arc.

Qiu Yeyi exerted all her strength to entangle Leng Shuangcheng for a moment, and seeing that Leng Shuangcheng's pupils were blank and scattered like flowers, and her breathing was disordered like rain, she finally released her with satisfaction. A pair of dark eyes stared intently at her cheeks, the pupils as vast as a starry sea, the light in her gaze involuntarily making one tremble with breathlessness.

Leng Shuangcheng first avoided his gaze, then suddenly turned around, grabbed his brocade-striped collar with both hands, and gritted her teeth, saying each word clearly: "Qiu Ye Yi Jian, if you continue to do such evil deeds, don't even think about holding me back in the future. I'm going to cut ties with you completely!"

Her cheeks were flushed, as if covered with a thin layer of powder, and her eyes shone with a fierce and sharp light, cold and sinister like the eyes of a leopard.

Qiu Yeyi lowered his long, dark eyes and looked at her coldly. His handsome face was like the moon, devoid of light.

The two stared at each other for a long time, one fierce and the other cold. Qiu Yeyijian, like an ice sculpture awakened, moved her eyes and said coldly, "Do you still remember that sentence?"

Leng Shuangcheng released his wrist and slapped his collar with a loud thud: "You're a vicious person. You said so many harsh things, but I don't remember which one it was."

Qiu Ye Yi Jian's face was cold, as if she hadn't seen Leng Shuang Cheng's anger, and she calmly placed a kiss on him: "Since they've come to provoke me, how can I not give them a proper retaliatory response!"

Leng Shuangcheng wiped her mouth in disgust and frowned, saying, "This is simply incomprehensible."

"Listen carefully, Leng Shuangcheng." Qiu Yeyi grabbed her chin, pinched her wrist as she wiped it, and kissed her even more fiercely. "I didn't kill Gu Dukaixuan, which is my biggest concession. As long as these men don't show up, I've never laid a finger on them. If it weren't for you, someone would definitely be dead today."

Leng Shuangcheng sneered, raised her hand with a whoosh, and bit his lip hard: "I'd be grateful if you didn't go out and harm people, so why would anyone else bother you?"

Qiu Yeyi's sword pierced her other wrist, and he smiled coldly: "You flatter me." With that, he pulled her into his arms and entangled her again in a passionate embrace. Leng Shuangcheng slid back quickly, just as Qiu Yeyi's sword had planned to catch her—her body touched the chair seat, and he pressed her against his chest, lowering his body and kissing her lips again.

Only when Leng Shuangcheng was panting heavily did Qiu Yeyijian release his grip. He touched her flushed cheeks and suddenly spoke, his voice extremely casual: "This gathering in Qingzhou was truly worthwhile. As always, we only need to set the net once to capture and kill all our opponents."

Leng Shuangcheng sensed the hidden meaning in his words and gave him a cold glance. Qiu Yeyijian glanced out the window listlessly and said with a cold and self-possessed tone, "Even Yuwen Xiaobai has come, but it's a pity that Nan Jingqi slipped through the net."

The murderous aura was like a vast net, billowing down from above.

Yuwen Xiaobai's expression was solemn, but his handsome figure stood as steady as a mountain. His white robes fluttered like butterflies as he moved through the layers of true energy.

"Young Master Xue?" He slowly raised his clear, bright eyes and focused on him.

“Exactly.” Yu Xue held a sharp, narrow sword in her right hand, pointing it menacingly at the ground, her face displaying an unchanging indifference.

Yuwen Xiaobai's eyes focused on the lamplight, and he suddenly lunged forward. He recognized the strangely shaped sword as the legendary, valuable "Shangque".

He was unarmed and surrounded by numerous imperial guards.

Qiu Yeyi used a hidden weapon to force him down from the tree and left first, leaving behind another white-clad swordsman. Accompanying him was Zhao Yingcheng, who was said to be the son of the Northern Prime Minister. The group of them blocked him in the courtyard on the east side.

Surprisingly, Yuwen Xiaobai remained remarkably calm and composed when faced with a formidable opponent.

Yu Xue was completely flawless, his entire being like a mountain rock shrouded in misty frost, cold, hard, and exuding a murderous aura. He stared silently at the motionless youth before him for a long time, then suddenly said coldly, "There aren't many who can dodge three of my swords. May I ask who you are?"

"Yuwen Xiaobai".

"The Yuwen family of Lingnan? The Yuwen family, skilled in the art of grafting and substitution?"