Un registro de placer

Capítulo 56

But the instant she stepped into the courtyard, she suddenly felt a flash of cold light beside her. Startled, Yue Ruzheng quickly twisted her waist to dodge, but the cold light didn't seem to be meant to kill her; it shot straight towards the large tree in the courtyard. Yue Ruzheng looked closely and saw that it was a silver dart, piercing the tree trunk, with a strip of paper no wider than a finger attached to it.

Looking around, all was pitch black, with only the sound of the wind passing by, and no one in sight.

Holding her breath, she stepped forward, retrieved the silver dart, clutched the note tightly, and hurried into the house. After closing the door and lighting a lamp, she finally saw a line of small print on the note: "Ten years of nurturing kindness are not worth a few dozen days of absurd love. How laughable and pathetic. After tonight, there will be no more chances!"

Yue Ruzheng clutched the note tightly, her hands and feet ice-cold. She recognized the handwriting; it was Shao Yang's.

She suddenly rushed back into the courtyard, searching anxiously, but still couldn't find Shao Yang. Seven Star Island was heavily guarded. A few days ago, she had only accidentally wandered into the cemetery, and even Lian Junqiu would have known. But when did Shao Yang arrive on the island, and how did he find this place? Had he already left, or was he also secretly investigating?

A series of questions churned in Yue Ruzheng's mind. She stood in the courtyard for only a moment before quickly returning to the house and burning the note with a candle. After a moment's thought, she took the Lonely Fragrance Sword from beside her bed, strapped it tightly to her back, pushed open the back window, and leaped into the night.

The night was as dark as ink. Over the past few days, Yue Ruzheng had gradually become familiar with the paths on Seven Star Island. She walked close to the bushes along the path, running all the way to the beach, but still couldn't find any trace of Shao Yang. Looking up at the bronze bell on the high rock, it was now quiet, and no guards could be seen.

The beach was deserted and desolate. Yue Ruzheng frowned and stared into the distance. Suddenly, she saw a dark shadow moving behind a rock not far away. She quickly walked forward and saw a small boat tied to the rock, rising and falling with the waves.

She grew even more anxious, searching along the beach, trying to find something, but to no avail. Just as she was losing hope, she faintly heard whispers coming from the high cliff. Yue Ruzheng slipped behind a nearby rock and peered through a crack, seeing several figures standing on the cliff, looking around as if they were also searching. After a short while, another person flew over; she wore a long white dress and her hair was styled in a high bun—it was Lian Junqiu. After she spoke a few words to the others, they all followed her and quickly ran towards the center of the island.

Worried that they might discover Shao Yang, Yue Ruzheng slightly lagged behind them and followed. The shadows of the trees swayed, the moonlight was pale, and there were only soft footsteps all around. She followed them until they reached the Forget-Love Pavilion, where they had visited before. When she saw Lian Junqiu stop, Yue Ruzheng quickly stopped as well and hid behind the artificial hill.

"Stay here and guard this place well. I'll go in and check if that person has already been here." After Lian Junqiu finished speaking to everyone, she pushed open the vermilion door and disappeared into the shadows.

After a moment, she returned, and someone asked in a low voice, "Is the item still there?"

Lian Junqiu nodded and said, "It seems he doesn't know the item is hidden here. But we still can't be careless!"

"Yes," the crowd responded. Just then, the sound of clashing swords rang out in the distance, accompanied by the faint flashes of fire. Lian Junqiu was startled and quickly ordered, "Leave a few men to guard the area; the rest of you come with me!"

Having said that, he flashed away in that direction.

Yue Ruzheng had been watching from the shadows, and saw her leave with several guards, leaving only two people at the gate. After much deliberation, she finally succumbed to the long-standing conflict in her heart and secretly decided to take a gamble.

Once she found the Divine Pearl of Youth, she could protect Yinxi Xiaozhu. As for Xiao Tang, Yue Ruzheng felt he wouldn't care whether Seven Star Island had the pearl or not. If things went smoothly tonight, she could leave with Xiao Tang and fly away, leaving him to suffer here no longer, and she would no longer owe her sect anything.

At this moment, the two guards, each wielding a sword, stood guard on either side of the entrance, showing no sign of letting their guard down. Yue Ruzheng reached out and took out the silver dart she had just obtained, secretly untying the decorative silk sash from her waist and attaching it to the end of the dart.

With a flick of her wrist, a silver dart shot out, aiming straight for the waist of the man on her left. The man hastily retreated, his longsword flashing to deflect the dart. Yue Ruzheng retreated again, using a silk ribbon to guide the dart back. Seeing this, the man charged towards her with his sword raised, while the guard on her right followed closely behind. Yue Ruzheng twirled her left hand, and the silver dart, carrying the silk ribbon, traced an arc, wrapping around the man's throat. Before his longsword could even reach Yue Ruzheng, the ribbon had already constricted his throat. Yue Ruzheng gripped the ribbon tightly with one hand, while simultaneously thrusting her sword at the wrist of another man.

The man wielded two swords, their blades flashing with light, aiming to strike Yue Ruzheng's shoulders. Yue Ruzheng countered with a move called "Pure Moon's Fragrance," her sword tip trembling slightly as she swept her hand out horizontally, like shimmering moonlight, blocking the opponent's sword strike. Simultaneously, using the momentum, she leaped diagonally, kicking away the guard whose throat had been entangled. The man, already struggling to breathe, crashed into the artificial hill and instantly lost consciousness.

Seeing this, another guard rushed to attack Yue Ruzheng from behind, intending to take her life. Yue Ruzheng suddenly swung her sword backhand, aiming for his ribs. The guard was caught off guard and stabbed. Before he could retreat, Yue Ruzheng swiftly stepped forward and struck him with a palm strike, knocking him unconscious.

At this moment, the sound from afar gradually moved towards the sea. Yue Ruzheng thought that Shao Yang must not have been captured yet. She gripped the Lonely Fragrance Sword tightly and leaped towards the Forgetful Pavilion.

Author's Note: One more chapter, and Volume 3 will be finished. This volume is a bit longer. It's been almost two months since I posted this; time flies! I love you all!

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Tears Beneath the Azure Cliff, Bamboo Splits

In the silence, Yue Ruzheng slipped inside and quickly closed the door.

There were no lights inside. By the moonlight filtering through the window, she could vaguely make out a row of ancestral tablets on the table in front of her, presumably for the Lian family's ancestors. Apart from that, there was nothing else in the Forget-Love Pavilion except for two plain white curtains hanging behind the table.

She pressed herself against the wall, groping in the darkness, her fingers moving inch by inch, not missing a single unusual spot. She had almost completely searched half the wall, but still couldn't find anything suspicious. She repeatedly told herself to calm down, but her palms were slightly sweaty.

All around was quiet. Occasionally, a gentle breeze would rustle the window paper, and she would instinctively press herself against the wall and remain motionless.

Just then, someone seemed to walk past the door, making soft footsteps. Yue Ruzheng tensed up, quickly slipped behind the curtain, and waited for a long time without anyone coming in. She then let out a soft breath, reached out, and carefully touched the wall from top to bottom along the curtain.

Suddenly, she felt a slight protrusion under her finger. She held her breath, ran her finger over it again to confirm, and then pressed down hard. With a "ding," a silver pellet popped out from the mahogany stand at the top of the curtain, striking the bronze candlestick on the table. The candlestick slowly moved away, revealing a one-foot square dent in the floor.

Yue Ruzheng leaped forward, lay prone on the ground, and reached out to touch it, only to find that all she touched was the cold stone bricks, with nothing else in sight.

She was filled with astonishment, but then she suddenly heard someone behind her say, "Not here."

Upon hearing the voice, Yue Ruzheng felt a chill run through her body, as if she had suddenly fallen into an icy pool. She collapsed to the ground, then quickly scrambled to her feet, gasping for breath as she retreated rapidly, leaning against the wall.

The tightly closed door was now open, and Tang Yanchu, dressed in white, stood quietly under the moonlight.

Yue Ruzheng bit her lower lip hard, almost drawing blood. Tang Yanchu slowly walked towards her. With each step he took closer, she moved to the side until she was backed into a corner with nowhere left to retreat.

He continued walking forward, his eyes vacant, his sleeves fluttering slightly.

Unable to contain her panic any longer, she suddenly drew her Lonely Fragrance Sword, pointed it directly at him, and said in a cold voice, her face pale, "Don't come any closer!"

Tang Yanchu glanced at her, then continued walking forward.

"I told you not to come any closer! Did you hear me?!" Her hands gripped the sword hilt tightly, but they were trembling uncontrollably.

The tip of the sword gleamed with a cold light like autumn water, appearing exceptionally clear and bright under the moonlight.

A faint, enigmatic smile appeared on Tang Yanchu's lips, fleeting and elusive. He took another step forward, closing in on Yue Ruzheng.

Her hands were trembling violently, and as she saw him lift his foot, she involuntarily swung her sword. Tang Yanchu did not dodge; she suddenly let go the instant the sword tip grazed his cheek.

With a clatter, the Lonely Fragrance Sword fell to the ground. His cheek was already cut, and drops of crimson blood flowed, leaving a red mark on his face. Yue Ruzheng collapsed, her hands bracing against the ground. Only then did she realize that he hadn't raised his foot to kick the sword in her hand, but rather to step on the wall behind her.

Before her, a blue brick had been moved aside at some point, and then a round stone rose from the ground, with an exquisite silver box in the center.

Tang Yanchu looked into her panicked eyes and said, "What you wanted is here."

Yue Ruzheng leaned against the wall, breathing heavily, her eyes filled with despair and pain. The small box now seemed like a huge irony, silently mocking her, mocking her for finally exposing her hypocrisy, mocking her for finally doing something shameful.

Tang Yanchu took a step back, stopping behind the small box, turning his face away from her, and said in a low, slow voice, "Take it."

Suddenly, she threw herself at him, grabbing his clothes and screaming hysterically, "You knew all along, didn't you?! Xiao Tang, you were waiting for me here?! Why did you do this?! Why?!"

Tang Yanchu stood sideways, gazing at the pale white window paper, her voice cold and clear: "I thought you wouldn't be like what others said..."

He laughed self-deprecatingly, his body trembling uncontrollably: "Ruzheng, I'm gambling with myself, you know? Everyone tells me you don't truly love me, you're only with me for ulterior motives… But I don't believe it. Even if you left before, I thought that as long as I tried my best to be good to you, you wouldn't leave again. In the end, I was the most ridiculous, the most foolish person! Ruzheng, I've done everything I could. I don't know what else I can do to win back your true feelings… You came back with me for this, didn't you? Once you got it, you'd fly far away, wouldn't you? But I'm still dreaming that you'll come back to the mountains with me to gather herbs!"