linfengchun

Capítulo 48

It seems we went too easy on them; that guy actually broke through the barrier and came looking for us.

The man standing in the middle of the scene held the child who had narrowly escaped death tightly, his young face contorted with rage.

It was Xie Qinglan.

"Thank you, Fifth Young Master." Xiao Shicheng raised an eyebrow, unsurprised, his tone teasing. "Finally decided to come out? I was wondering how long you were going to hide away so shyly."

The boy didn't answer, but pushed the child towards the corner of the yard. The boy seemed to know something was wrong and obediently didn't struggle.

"It would be wiser to run away." The other person seemed unconvinced. "Who can you save by yourself? According to intelligence, you've also been afflicted by the Tear of the Heart. How much of your strength do you have left?"

"Nephew, don't worry about us. Try to get away if you can. Keep as many as you can, and we'll have a chance to avenge the Bai family in the future." The Bai family's glimmer of hope was extinguished by these heartless words. The old man, shrewd and worldly-wise, knew there was no hope and raised his voice to offer his advice.

Xie Qinglan stood with her sword drawn, her brows furrowed in anger, determined to die.

"Don't put on that act." Xiao Shicheng found it amusing and relentlessly attacked. "Why are you glaring at me? You're the one who caused all this trouble. Young Master Xie tried to be a hero and save the beauty, but instead brought about the destruction of his family. You should be the one to blame. Speaking of which, I should really thank you. Without your naivety, the plan wouldn't have been so easy to execute."

His once straight, sword-like figure began to tremble, as if being broken by an invisible force.

"What do you think the martial world is? Child's play? Is it some kind of game where you can roam freely and indulge in your whims? If the martial world of Jiangnan were all like you, I wouldn't have bothered with all this scheming." The man sneered maliciously, sweeping his hand across the Bai family members. "See? Those lives were tied to your head. It wasn't me who killed them, it was you."

"Shut up!" Xie Qinglan roared hoarsely.

Xiao Shicheng's words were effective; the naive young man was driven to the brink of collapse by the mountain of guilt and pressure. He gripped the sword tightly, his knuckles turning white and bluish.

"Draw your sword." The words were squeezed out from between his teeth.

"It's not my place to lay a hand on you." Xiao Shicheng looked at him with disdain, as if he were a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

"Don't say I didn't give you a chance." He toyed with them like a cat playing with a mouse, a sense of absolute satisfaction in his victory. "If you can defeat the five people in my hands one by one, I'll release the entire Bai family. How about it?"

"You said it." Suddenly seeing a glimmer of hope, the boy's eyes lit up.

“Of course, I guarantee it in the name of my Southern Prince’s Mansion.” The man smiled and put his hands behind his back. “You are welcome to show me your skills and let me see how capable the Xie family’s disciples are.”

Bai Fengge held her breath, while Bai Kunyu and her father lowered their heads together.

Fighting five against one is nothing short of an extremely cruel game. Perhaps for Xiao Shicheng, the real pleasure lies in breaking Xie Qinglan's spirit and will.

With a high five, the first attendant stepped forward.

Go to battle

Time passed quietly, and the training ground seemed to stand still.

The person who had been jumping and tumbling suddenly bounced away, the winner was decided, and one of them never got up again.

Gazing at the swaying boy in the arena, Xiao Shicheng clapped his hands in approval.

"Not bad, even after being hit by the Heartbreak Spell, you still have such skill. You truly deserve to be a member of the Xie family of Yangzhou." Before the other party could catch his breath, he ruthlessly gave the order.

"The second one, go."

The second person's attack was even stronger, and Xie Qinglan, whose already meager true energy was barely enough to survive the first round, was now struggling to hold on, and soon even that became difficult, resulting in several more bloody wounds. The Bai family members knew that the situation was hopeless and could not bear to watch any longer, so many of them lowered their heads.

"Even a spent arrow can't pierce thin silk, let alone a stray arrow like you." Xiao Shicheng's harsh comment highlighted the boy's precarious situation, a stark contrast to his opponent's ease and composure.

"Cripple his tendons, but spare his life." As the game neared its end, the man raised his voice to give the order. "I want to see how the old man of the Xie family reacts to seeing his son crippled."

"yes."

In the exchange, the sword's edge flashed like water, swiftly slicing across Xie Qinglan's right arm, ending a fight that had no suspense whatsoever with a sense of triumph. The moment the sword's edge tore through her clothes, a sudden, sharp pain shot through her body, causing her hand to go limp. She stared in disbelief at the hilt of the sword against her chest.

Everyone was suddenly struck by a blur, and a small, thin figure appeared between the two attackers.

With a slight flick of her wrist, Jia Yehao had already separated Xie Qinglan from behind.

The man in the opposing force collapsed, and before anyone knew it, a short sword had pierced his chest, instantly taking his life.

The sudden change stunned everyone.

“How could it be… Miss Ye…” Bai Fengge fell silent in astonishment.

Bai Kunyu was stunned. For the first time, Old Master Bai seriously examined the girl, and the more he looked, the more astonished he became.

The girl casually stepped forward, pulled the sword from the dead body, and with a light swing, a trail of blood spurted from the blade, leaving the sword clear as water, untouched by any stain.

“It’s you.” After a long silence, Xiao Shicheng finally spoke.

"A secret report says you've left the Bai family."

"Your information was correct; I just returned an hour ago." The girl nodded, also somewhat regretfully. "What bad timing."

"I didn't want to face you." The man looked at her cautiously, his expression unreadable. "Master Xuanzhi advised me against it."

"That old monk?" She smiled, not without a hint of mockery. "Those he's willing to play chess with are definitely all demons and monsters."

“With a compassionate heart, Buddha wishes to help you overcome this demonic tribulation.” Xiao Shicheng smiled, then turned to a naked scrutiny. “I’m curious, you don’t seem like someone who can stir up trouble in the Western Regions.”

"He exaggerated."

"You want to get involved?" he asked politely.

“I promised to take care of him, I can’t let you become useless.” She was unwilling.

"You have connections with the Xie family?"

"We had no prior dealings with each other."

"Could you step back?" the man asked politely. "I'll pretend you were never here."

She glanced at the dead body on the ground, and Xiao Shicheng tactfully added, "I can overlook it."

"No, I can't let anything happen to him." The girl thought for a moment, then sighed in annoyance and kicked the person lying in front of her. "You said that if you could defeat five people, you would release the Bai family. This is one of those promises, isn't it?"

The man's pupils contracted, becoming sharp and piercing as he stared at the girl standing with her hands at her sides.

Xie Qinglan came to her senses, "Witch...you..." Before she could finish her sentence, she was thrown by a strong force and slammed into an earthen wall several feet away. Her limbs went numb as she slid to the ground.

"Children shouldn't interrupt adults." Jia Ye said calmly, casually picking up the little boy next to him and throwing him into the boy's arms. The weight of the impact almost made the boy faint.

If the situation hadn't been so critical...

Xiao Shicheng was already laughing uncontrollably, and his entourage behind him were also chuckling softly.

The smallest one in the room was the petite girl, whose height was less than the man's shoulder, yet she solemnly reprimanded the boy who was much taller than her, which was truly bizarre.

"Finished laughing? You can begin now."

No one could laugh when they saw Jia Ye make his move.

Everyone stared blankly at the ghostly figure, appearing and disappearing in the moonlight and torchlight, appearing at incredible angles, sharp and unpredictable. Within a few moves, it forced its opponent to turn around and defend itself. After more than ten moves, blood splattered out as a swift and decisive strike severed the opponent's throat.

The massive body crashed to the ground, its blood soaking into the sand like a dark shadow.

The girl stood a short distance away, her skirt swaying gently, her snow-white clothes fluttering, as if she had quietly plucked a flower. Her hands were tucked into her sleeves, and she did not look like someone who had just cut someone's throat.

"Who's next?" Her long eyelashes lifted slightly, her bare face serene and calm.

In the darkness of night, five sturdy horses galloped past and entered the city of Hangzhou.

Xiao Shicheng was indeed capable, and the followers he brought were no ordinary people. They would have been powerful figures elsewhere, but they willingly became his subordinates.

The third one was clearly much stronger, but he was still no match for her. The short sword pierced his chest three times in an instant, and even the most powerful man had to collapse in defeat.

Jia Ye did not escape unscathed; she cut her forearm, and blood gushed out, soaking half of her sleeve. She simply tore off the outer sleeve, biting the cloth with her fine white teeth to gently tighten the wound.

"Blue Owl, you go this time."

Hearing Xiao Shicheng's solemn voice, she looked up in surprise.

Behind the Prince of Nanjun, a person stepped out of the shadows, his expression changing repeatedly, embarrassed and flustered, unsure of what to do with his hands and feet.

Jia Ye tilted her head and looked at him for a long time, then curled her lips into a half-smile.

"You want to fight me?"

He made a few sounds in his throat, sweat beaded on the tip of his nose, and suddenly knelt down.

"Your subordinate dares not."

Everyone in the arena stared in disbelief at this scene, including Xiao Shicheng. "Blue Owl!"

The boy looked distressed but dared not get up.

"Your subordinate was unaware of when Xue... Your Majesty arrived in Jiangnan and was unable to greet you. Please forgive me." After a pause, he finally gritted his teeth and shouted, "Mo Yao, you too, come out here and die!"

Another dark figure rushed over and knelt down.

"The Black Hawk greets His Majesty."

Ignoring the piercing gazes behind them, both of them were drenched in sweat and dared not lift their heads.

After a long silence, a cold voice rang out.

"I released you that day, and there is no longer any master-servant relationship between us. You don't need to call me 'Master' anymore." She smiled enigmatically. "I didn't expect you to change your allegiance so quickly. That chest of gold and jewels was used up so easily?"

"Your Majesty, please forgive us. We were just traveling and passing the time when we happened to be recruited by the Crown Prince. We joined the Prince of Nan's residence on a whim, not for money." Mo Yao secretly regretted his actions; he hadn't expected to be in such an embarrassing situation.

"So, after killing so many people, you can't get used to a peaceful life anymore." Jia Ye nodded, her tone slightly sarcastic. "I thought the young master was clever enough to subdue you all so quickly."

"Your subordinates dare not." The two said in unison, a chill running down their spines.

"Are they your men?" Xiao Shicheng's face turned ashen.

"It's yours now." She smiled indifferently and continued to tie her arms until she was sure it wouldn't get in the way.

"Silver Swan and Jade Falcon too?" I was once glad that I had recruited four masters at once, but now it has become a farce.

"You've got some skills to take those four under your wing." Although she was looking for a thrill, getting four wings to obey her command was no easy feat, so she praised her with considerable admiration, which sounded like sarcasm to Xiao Shicheng.

"I really suspect that you planned this all along, just to make a fool of yourself."

"If that's the case, you won't have a chance to force me to fight head-on." Lingling's voice was tinged with self-mockery. "This might be the stupidest thing I've ever done."

Knowing she was telling the truth, he glanced at the two kneeling figures, still unable to contain his anger, and his words became sharp. "Have you thought it through? Are you still determined to follow your old master?"

The blue owl and the black hawk remained silent.

Jia Ye disagreed. "Don't force them to fight me, that would be foolish."