Une aura glaçante

Chapitre 23

"Huh?!" Xiao Dao frowned, pointing to a tuft of black hair in the pile of leaves. "What's that?"

Xue Beifan used a twig to poke at it, pulling out a clump of wet hair and some water plants.

Xiao Dao felt a chilling wind blowing around him.

Xue Beifan loosened his grip, and the item fell back to its original position. He turned to Xiao Dao and asked, "Inside or outside?"

Xiao Dao had previously wanted to stay as far away from Xue Beifan as possible, but this time she unconsciously moved closer, grabbing his sleeve, "Let's go out! It's terribly gloomy here! Don't run into anything dirty later."

Xue Beifan was both amused and exasperated, but rushing in was not a solution, so he grabbed Xiaodao and tried to turn back the way he came.

Strangely, after walking for almost half an hour, the two still couldn't see the main road they had just come from. Looking around, the trees were indistinguishable from one another.

Xiao Dao sensed something was wrong and tugged at Xue Beifan, "Have we taken the wrong road?"

Xue Beifan was also a bit confused. "That's right... how come we can't get out?"

With a "whoosh" sound, a bunch of bushes next to me moved.

"Ah!" Xiao Dao quickly hid behind Xue Beifan.

"What is that?"

"There are bound to be some small animals in the mountains," Xue Beifan comforted her. Xiao Dao nudged him, "Go take a look! What if that little devil lets him eat you first?"

Xue Beifan turned around, "I wanted to spend some time with you as my bedmate, but this is a classic case of starting something and then abandoning it..."

His words were barely out of his mouth when he saw a wet hand creeping up Xiaodao's shoulder...

Old branches cannot sprout new buds.

Xue Bei, a seasoned veteran of the martial world, was still startled by the human hand. He wanted to shout to warn Xiao Dao, but for some inexplicable reason, he wanted to see Xiao Dao scream in terror, so he remained silent.

With a "snap".

Xiao Dao felt something drape over his shoulder; it felt damp and cool through the thin fabric. Turning his head, he saw a hand on his shoulder.

The hand was white, thin, and moist, with two strands of water plants clinging to it.

Xiao Dao's mouth slowly opened, his almond-shaped eyes widened, and he looked back... Good heavens! He saw a long, dark, wet head of hair.

"Ah!" Xiao Dao leaped high into the air, lunging forward to grab Xue Beifan by the neck. "A water ghost!"

Xue Beifan, satisfied, embraced the thieving Xiao Dao and sized up the "water ghost" behind her. It was just a woman, soaking wet and covered in blood. She opened her mouth, weakly pleading in a barely audible voice, "Help!"

Xiao Dao looked up at Xue Beifan and asked, "Did she just say 'help'?"

Xue Beifan looked at Xiao Dao with a resentful expression, "In broad daylight, you're taking advantage of me again!"

Xiao Dao quickly let go and jumped down. The "female ghost" behind her was bumped by her and fell lightly backward.

Xue Beifan helped her up, and only then did the two realize that the woman had fainted from serious injuries.

Just then, voices could be heard from not far away.

Xue Beifan and Xiao Dao exchanged a glance, then led the girl to the treetops, hiding in the dense canopy, and looked down.

A group of people, all carrying knives, passed by under the tree.

There's blood here!

"It must be nearby, search it!"

"Shh." Xiao Dao winked at Xue Beifan, signaling him to look outside.

Xue Beifan looked in the direction she was pointing and realized they had reached the edge of the woods. Feeling the woods were rather eerie, the two decided to take the girl away first!

After the two quietly settled the girl in an inn and treated her injuries, it was already dark.

"I thought I'd encountered a water ghost; it scared me half to death." Xiao Dao sat at the table drinking tea. While rummaging through the girl's wet clothes, he quickly found a jade pendant.

Xiao Dao examined the jade pendant for a moment, a slight smile playing on his lips. He then waved it in front of Xue Beifan's eyes, "Xue Er, look quickly! What are the words on it?!"

Xue Beifan rubbed his head. This girl really had no manners; when she called him "Xue Er," she emphasized the "Er" (second).

He took the jade pendant. It was a piece of ancient jade with a lustrous color, surrounded by a ring of orange jade skin carved with floral patterns, the carving exquisite and natural. In the center of the jade pendant, surrounded by the floral patterns, was the character "蔡" (Cai).

“Cai?” Xue Beifan frowned.

“This jade pendant is worth at least a hundred or eight thousand taels,” Xiao Dao said, then pointed to the girl’s hand outside the blanket. “That jade bracelet is also a treasure; you might not be able to buy it for a thousand taels.” He then pointed to a pair of pearl earrings on the girl’s earlobes. “Blue sea pearls, priceless.”

Xue Beifan frowned. Was this girl from a wealthy family?

"This outfit, the jade belt, the embroidery—all made with threads drawn from real gold and silver. From the inside out, this girl is practically rolling in money!" Xiao Dao clicked his tongue twice. "It's beyond ordinary wealth."

As they were speaking, the woman let out a soft "humph," her eyelashes trembling slightly, as if she were about to wake up.

Xiao Dao and Xue Beifan went over. "You're awake?"

The woman seemed to have a headache. She opened her eyes with difficulty, saw the knife, and mumbled incoherently, "Shut up, you bitch."

Xiao Dao's mouth dropped open. Xue Beifan, standing to the side, was also puzzled. Just a moment ago, he was shouting for help, but now he's in such a bad mood.

After a short while, the woman finally woke up, staring blankly at the carvings on the ceiling, lost in thought. After a long while, as if remembering something, she suddenly turned to look at Xiao Dao and Xue Beifan.

That glance sent a shiver down Xiao Dao's spine.

Looking at the woman more closely, she was about eighteen or nineteen years old and quite pretty, but her eyes were really fierce! When she looked at people, it was as if she were cutting flesh with a knife, as if someone owed her hundreds of taels of silver.

Xiao Dao initially thought she was just out of her mind and had mistaken him for someone else, so he didn't take it to heart. Unexpectedly, she now saw him clearly and pointed at Xiao Dao, yelling, "Get lost! You vixen!"

Xiao Dao jumped in surprise, moved behind Xue Beifan, and whispered, "Did you hurt your head?"

Xue Beifan also thought it was possible.

The woman took a deep breath, saw Xue Beifan, and ordered, "Help me up, I want some water."

Xue Beifan turned his head to meet Xiao Dao's gaze behind him.

"What are you looking at?" The woman suddenly became angry again, pointing at the knife, "You little slut, showing off your sex appeal, or I'll gouge your eyes out!"

Xiao Dao moved further behind Xue Beifan. How scary!

"Miss." Xue Beifan wanted to ask her about her background, but the woman paused, "Miss?"

She then looked around, somewhat flustered, "Where am I? This isn't my room!"

Xiao Dao was called a bitch twice, and he threw a tantrum and ignored her.

Xue Beifan had no choice but to explain to her, "You fainted in the mountains, we just rescued you. If you know who your family is, I'll have someone notify them to come and pick you up."

Hearing Xue Beifan's words, the girl's expression softened slightly, and she reached up to touch herself. Only then did she realize that she wasn't wearing her own clothes. Startled, she looked up at Xue Beifan.

Xue Beifan quickly pointed to Yan Xiaodao behind him, "Don't misunderstand, your clothes were all wet, she changed your clothes."

Xiao Dao noticed a strange change in the woman's expression, from initial shyness to a faint anger. "You little slut, did you steal my jade pendant?"

At first, Xiao Dao could tolerate it and not argue with the injured person. But she couldn't let it happen again! She had a strong temper and had never suffered a loss before. "Hey! I saved your life, at least be a little more polite!"

The woman sneered, "I know, I'll reward you later. Give me back the jade pendant; it's not something a lowly person like you can take."

Xiao Dao opened his mouth, rolled up his sleeves, and was about to slap her, thinking to himself, "You're really something, calling me 'bitch' this and 'bitch' that, are you having fun with it?"

Xue Beifan quickly stopped her, and took the opportunity to grab Xiao Dao, saying, "Hey, aren't you a friend of all women? Don't bother with her."

Xiao Dao glared – Why?!

Xue Beifan glanced at her closely—forget it, this woman doesn't look normal at all, let's just take her home quickly.

Xiao Dao pouted and tossed the jade pendant from the table to her.

The woman took the jade pendant and said to Xue Beifan, "Call the innkeeper."

Xue Beifan opened the door and called the shopkeeper in. The woman took out a jade pendant and waved it at the shopkeeper, saying, "Tell my father to come and get me."

Then he saw that the shopkeeper's face had changed, and he quickly bowed, "Oh, it's Miss Cai. I'll go and inform Lord Cai right away." After saying that, he ran off like a little rascal.

Xue Beifan and Yan Xiaodao's hearts skipped a beat—Lord Cai? Could it be…

“My dad has plenty of money. You can ask him for whatever benefits you want later.” Miss Cai said, then glared at Xiao Dao, took off her jade bracelet, and said, “Here, take this. Now get lost.”

Xiao Dao's hair stood on end; he had never seen such an unreasonable woman in his life.

Xue Beifan stopped her from going over and pinching the person.

Little Knife jumped up and down, shouting, "You're the little bitch!"

"How dare you call me a slut?"

"What?!"

"Believe it or not, I'll get my father to kill you!"

"Your father is just Cai Bian, a mere retainer, nothing special."

"How dare you!" Miss Cai's face darkened, and Xiao Dao made a face at Xue Beifan—it really was Cai Bian's daughter!

Xue Beifan was also somewhat surprised, but judging from the young lady's demeanor and eccentric nature, he could guess what kind of family Cai Bian had upbringing—like father, like son. Everyone in Jinling knew that Cai Bian was extremely lecherous, with many wives, concubines, and children; this was probably one of his older daughters.

Xiao Dao was furious when she saw Miss Cai, so she decided to go back and badmouth her to Xiao Yue. She grabbed Xue Beifan and said, "Let's go. Anyway, her family will come to pick her up."

Xue Beifan nodded and took his leave.

"You little bitch, you can leave, but you don't!" Miss Cai quickly stopped him, saying to Xue Beifan, "You stay and protect me!"

"No way." Xiao Dao stuck her tongue out at her and pulled Xue Beifan away. "You're so annoying, you'd better be carried off by the mountain woman."

"ah!"

Xiao Dao had only said it casually, but Miss Cai seemed to be greatly frightened. She screamed and covered herself with the blanket, "Mountain witch? That old hag is here to grab me again?!"

Xiao Dao was surprised.

Xue Beifan also sensed something was wrong, so he asked her, "Why were you attacked in the mountains?"

"I was captured by that old monster."

"She's still out arresting people?"

"I went to Xianyun Temple to worship the Bodhisattva..."

"There are plenty of temples, big and small, in Jinling City. Why did you go all the way to that godforsaken place, Xianyun Mountain?" Xiao Dao didn't quite understand.

Miss Cai pursed her lips. "The temple on Xianyun Mountain enshrines the Mountain Goddess, who can punish unfaithful men, and... she also sells talisman water to cure philandering."