Le ciel au-dessus des rivières et des lacs est dégagé

Chapitre 12

Chapter 18 of the Horned Scroll: Return to the Mountain of No Return (Part 3)

Updated: 2008-10-04 15:08:59 Word Count: 3652

Second update delivered~ A little early, hehe~

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"Oh, our young master has arrived." Ze Xiu revealed a malicious smile. "I thought you were planning to hide in the back forever. What, are you afraid I'll settle the score with you for the massacre of the Liu family of 32 in Jinling?"

Tianquan glanced at him indifferently and said, "How have you been? You haven't changed at all."

Hmm, two handsome men have appeared at the same time. Very good, quite a sight to behold, and they seem to have some old grudges. "Let them fight! Let them make a scene!" Xiao Man cursed inwardly, frustrated, so she could escape in the chaos.

"You haven't changed either. No wonder Mount No Return is always chilly with Young Master around."

Excellent! That's a powerful provocation! Let's start the war!

"You flatter me."

The ice-cold face wasn't buying it at all. Didn't you realize this person was quite well-mannered and wouldn't get angry?

"What a chilling exchange, not good at all," Xiaoman complained in a low voice. Suddenly, she heard someone whisper in her ear, "Tianquan would never get angry over such a provocation. You're just a little outsider, how would you know?"

"I see. So when does he get angry?" Xiaoman asked humbly.

The voice chuckled maliciously, "I bet he's going to get angry soon because you've escaped right under his nose twice."

Xiao Man turned around with an expression of admiration, wanting to see which expert had given her such high praise, but what she saw was a pair of eyes that shone like black gemstones. Very beautiful eyes, curving into crescent moons when they smiled, with thick, bushy eyelashes that fluttered like fans. However, the look in their eyes wasn't particularly beautiful; it was cunning and mischievous, like they were watching a disobedient wildcat.

"Ahhh!" Xiao Man jumped up in surprise, turning her head to run away. It was one of the Seven Deadly Sins of the Big Dipper! What was his name again? That smug boy who looked down on her with his nostrils pointing sky-high!

The young man grabbed her wrist, showing no mercy, and twisted it around. Xiaoman almost let out a bloodcurdling scream.

"You're so disobedient, always trying to run away. People who don't know the situation might think we at No Return Mountain are going to do something to you."

The boy covered her mouth, silencing her scream in her swaddling clothes. He had a fair and beautiful face, as white as fresh snow, and looked incredibly kind and sincere, but his actions were extremely ruthless. Xiaoman felt as if his wrist was about to be broken.

Another voice sounded from behind, tinged with reproach: "Tianji! How could you treat the young master like that! It's too rude!"

"What a kind person!" Xiaoman was so moved that tears streamed down her face. She turned her head sharply to look, and saw that it was the gentle and frail girl named Yaoguang. She came over and helped Xiaoman up, gently massaging her left hand for a while until the pain subsided. Yaoguang frowned and said, "My lady, please don't take it to heart. He offended you today, and I will definitely tell Master Jin to punish him severely."

Xiao Man sniffed, about to speak, when Tianji laughed, "What mistress! Look at her shabby appearance, any girl we randomly pick from Mount Bugui looks more like a mistress. If she can be a mistress, I'm the head mistress!"

His arrogant manner, tinged with childish conceit, clearly showed he was just an ignorant brat. Xiao Man touched her wrist, still throbbing with pain, and was furious. If she didn't avenge this, she'd change her name!

"You still dare to talk back!" Yao Guang's brows furrowed even deeper.

Tianji seemed somewhat wary of her, only revealing a row of neat white teeth as he chuckled twice.

"I'll definitely tell Master Jin about this! You'll be locked up in solitary confinement!" Yao Guang persisted, dragging Xiao Man towards Master Jin to settle the matter. Startled, Xiao Man quickly whispered, "I'm fine! Miss, I don't think this young master meant any harm. I came to pick up the hairpin, and he probably thought I was trying to run away, so there was a misunderstanding. It's really alright! I already feel terrible for causing you so much trouble by sneaking away earlier! How can I face you if this escalates again?"

She spoke more and more fluently as she went on, and she was even moved by her own words, as if they were the most sincere and honest truths she could speak.

The two young people, who were about her age, were immediately touched. Tianji touched her nose and asked slowly, "You...you really came to pick up the hairpin?"

Xiaoman pulled a pearl hairpin from her sleeve; it was one she had just taken off to keep as a secret, and now it came in handy.

Tianji was a little embarrassed, her beautiful, snow-white face immediately turning red. She stammered, "Is that really so... then... I misunderstood... hug... hug..."

"Can't you even say sorry?" Yao Guang glared at him fiercely, tears still glistening in her eyes. "Look at that young mistress! You're about the same age as her, yet you're worlds apart! You've lived this long, but you've wasted your life!"

Tianji clicked his tongue twice and said, "Sorry is sorry. Besides, the young mistress said she doesn't blame me anymore, so why are you making such a fuss? Women are such a hassle, so stubborn and unforgiving..."

While the two were arguing, Xiaoman quickly turned her head to look towards the main hall. Tianquan and Zexiu were still arguing fiercely about the real and fake young master. One said that there was only one dragon horn in the world, and the Azure Fire Seal was even stronger proof. The other said that someone was playing tricks behind the scenes and that neither of the two things was real. The argument was also mixed with the smooth-talking Master Jin, the sneer-smiling General Shui, the jeering Doctor Huo, the soft-spoken Boss Tu, and the silent Mr. Mu.

She turned around and said softly, "Gentlemen, I drank a little too much tea just now. Could you tell me where the restroom is?"

Yao Guang took her hand affectionately, "My lady, I'll take you there. So you won't get lost."

Oh dear, how could I let her follow me on this escape? Wouldn't that ruin everything? Just as Xiaoman was about to find a way to refuse, she suddenly heard Mr. Mu, who had been silent all along, speak up: "Tianji, Yaoguang, what are you two doing sneaking around in the back? We have guests here! This is improper, come out now!"

"Heaven is on my side!" Xiao Man turned to leave, but Tian Quan suddenly said, "My lady, please tell me the truth yourself."

In an instant, everyone's eyes were fixed on her. Xiao Man had just stretched out one leg to run away, but now she could only resentfully pull it back. This Tian Quan must be a bastard who had a grudge against her in a past life! From the moment she met him, this man had never done a good thing, always targeting and threatening her. He certainly didn't know the meaning of the words "cherish a beautiful woman."

She gathered her sleeves, turned around and looked at everyone pitifully, tears welling up in her eyes, and said in a trembling voice, "Young master... what do you want me to say?" She clearly looked like she couldn't bear the shock.

Unfortunately, she forgot that neither Tianquan nor Zexiu were buying her act.

"Stop playing the victim! If you can't say it, just be honest! Admit you were bribed by them!"

"You just need to state that you are the young master of Cangya City. As for those doubts, you don't need to worry about them."

This is what people call her encountering two curse stars in her destiny.

She cleared her throat, touched her hair, tidied her sleeves, and then fiddled with her sash. Doctor Huo couldn't help but say, "My lady..."

"Um... could you tell me where the restroom is first?" Xiaoman interrupted him, smiling sweetly. "I drank too much tea earlier, I'm so sorry..."

Zexiu sneered and remained silent, looking like he was watching a good show.

Tianquan said calmly, "Your Highness did not drink any tea just now."

"...I ate something that upset my stomach!"

"You haven't eaten anything either."

"My stomach hurts!"

"..."

He was finally speechless. Xiao Man, with a victorious smile, turned and left.

A cold voice came from behind him: "What is your intention in running away time and time again, young master? Could it be that, as Mr. Zexiu said, you are not the real young master, but a spy sent by someone to confuse the public?"

This charge is too serious! Xiao Man abruptly stopped in her tracks. What a joke! Logically speaking, Lao Sha already knew she was a fake mistress; they were all in cahoots, yet everyone else pretended not to know and even pushed her onto the mistress's platform! Now that something's happened, they're blaming her for it—the traitors have all come out!

Fine, let's just lay everything out in the open, even if it means tearing each other apart.

She turned around and said sharply, "I originally also..."

Before she could finish speaking, a sharp "whoosh" rang out, and a cold light slashed straight at her face. Xiao Man was terrified, feeling something graz her chest, a numb and painful sensation. She stared blankly up at Tian Quan. This handsome young nobleman, his blood was indeed made of ice shards, showing no mercy as he aimed his longbow at her.

The iron arrow that grazed her chest pierced the pillar behind her, making a resounding clang—it was for real!

General Shui cried out urgently, "Tianquan! Do not act rashly!"

Tianquan said calmly, "Are you really the young mistress? Speak."

Xiao Man's whole body was stiff and she couldn't move or speak; she could only stare blankly at him.

She underestimated everything, thinking she could easily manipulate people's hearts and that everyone would trust and like her. In reality, there's always an impenetrable wall in the world that she can't get through, like Zexiu, like this person.

His gaze was so cold, without a trace of emotion. He looked at her as if she were a cat or a dog—he didn't care at all. Whether she was being mischievous, trying to please him, or acting, it was all nonsense to him.

She saw her own insignificance and humility in this person's eyes.

A cool sensation ran through her chest. She instinctively looked down and saw a long tear in her clothes from an iron arrow. The delicate little horn hanging around her neck emitted a cold light, as if mocking her. A large expanse of her chest was exposed to everyone's gaze, its skin snow-white and delicate, without a single beauty mark, let alone the mark of Azure Fire.

She hugged herself and squatted down.

A collective sigh escaped their lips; the Azure Flame Seal was indeed not on her!

Zexiu laughed and looked up to see Tianquan's fingers on the bowstring, his eyes as cold as thin ice, clearly about to kill.

With another "whoosh," the arrow shot straight toward Xiaoman's head. She didn't move, seemingly unaware that an arrow was flying toward her and that she would die there.

Suddenly, a figure blurred, and with a "clang," someone used a sword to deflect the iron arrow. It was Ze Xiu, who stood in front of Xiao Man, holding a huge black sword, and sneered, "No need to kill to silence her, is there?" After saying that, he pulled Xiao Man up, took off his cloak, and threw it over her shoulder, "Put it on, I'll have to ask you about this matter properly."

Xiao Man was pulled up by him, and the cloak on her shoulders slid down, exposing the snow-white skin on her chest. Under everyone's gaze, a faint blue color suddenly appeared on that snow-white skin, which then slowly deepened. In the blink of an eye, the familiar azure-blue flame birthmark appeared.

Chapter Nineteen of the Horns Volume: The Five Corners (Part One)

Updated: 2008-10-04 15:09:00 Word Count: 4000

Votes, oh votes~~~ *rolling around*

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The hall was completely silent. Everyone stared at the flame-shaped birthmark that had suddenly appeared on Xiao Man's chest. Even Ze Xiu, who had been so arrogant just moments before, was stunned.

"The Seal of Azure Fire is real..." someone whispered, and the hall suddenly buzzed with noise before falling silent again, creating an extremely eerie atmosphere.

Xiao Man suddenly chuckled, calmly picked up her cloak that had slipped to the ground, and tied it back up. She said lazily, "Young Master's arrows are so fast. But next time, please look carefully before you shoot. I'm not a cat or dog, much less a wolf king. If I accidentally shoot the wrong person and get killed, that's one thing, but to make Young Master feel guilty for a while is something a lowly person like me can't bear."

She raised her head, her expression unchanged, smiling, as if she didn't care at all about the sudden change that had just happened. Ze Xiu couldn't help but secretly admire her composure and looked at her with new respect.

Tianquan looked at her silently, without saying a word. Mr. Mu, who had been standing by like a wooden statue, suddenly spoke up: "Tianquan, you are too presumptuous. If you harm the young mistress in the slightest, how will Mount Bugui take responsibility for your recklessness?"

Tianquan dropped his bow and arrows, knelt on one knee, and whispered, "Tianquan knows his mistake."

Mr. Mu said calmly, "Don't talk to me about apologizing to the young mistress. Do you think we're the ones you've offended?"

Tianquan turned to Xiaoman, about to speak, when he heard her laugh and say, "Oh dear~ I can't accept this!" He was taken aback, but then he saw her grabbing her cloak and gracefully stepping aside, completely unconcerned about his kneeling on one knee, and just smilingly grabbing Yaoguang to ask her for directions.

The noble young master from Mount Bugui sincerely apologized, but was ignored—such treatment was unprecedented. Yaoguang and Tianji were both very embarrassed and awkwardly wanted to remind Xiaoman, but seeing her nonchalant attitude, they couldn't bring themselves to say it.

Mr. Mu said, "Where is the sincerity in your apology?"

Tianquan remained silent, kneeling on both knees, staring intently at Xiaoman. She didn't turn around, only smiling, "Young master, why such a grand gesture? I cannot accept it. As for whether I am truly the mistress of this place, the heavens above are clear as day. If anyone questions it, what can I do?"

She played the cunning card again, neither explicitly stating that she was nor explicitly admitting that she was, so that she could deny it if anyone questioned her later. Who said even a rabbit will bite when cornered? Let alone someone like Xiaoman?

Tianquan remained silent, only hearing her laugh once before she drifted away.

Yao Guang looked at him, then at Xiao Man, and finally stamped her foot, saying, "I... I'll go plead with the young master!" She then turned and ran away.

Tianji muttered, "She's so petty! It's just a misunderstanding! Tianquan has already knelt down, what more does she want? As a mistress, how can she act like this? That's why women are such a hassle..."