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

Chapitre 70

Xiao Man was stunned with fright. Madam Tang rushed over, her limbs trembling, and asked urgently, "What happened?!"

The maids all gathered around, and one of them cried out, "A man in black broke in! The night watchwomen spotted him, and he went on a killing spree!"

Madam Tang asked anxiously, "Where is he?!"

Someone whispered, "It seems... they sneaked into Mr. Zexiu's guest room..."

Everyone fell silent, staring at Zexiu. He sneered but remained silent. This despicable attempt to frame someone was utterly foolish; he couldn't be bothered to explain.

Madam Tang coldly replied, "Nonsense! How could Mr. Zexiu do such a thing! Who said those words just now?"

A young maidservant stepped forward tremblingly and knelt down with a thud: "This servant did not lie! I did indeed sneak into Mr. Zexiu's guest room!"

Madam Tang retorted angrily, "Stop talking nonsense!"

A maidservant whispered from behind, "But it's so late, and Mr. Zexiu is still awake... He's impeccably dressed and even carries a sword..."

No one spoke. Ze Xiu said coldly, "So, you're saying I suddenly went on a killing spree in the middle of the night?"

Just as Madam Tang was about to speak, they heard the sound of tables and chairs being moved coming from Zexiu's room. Everyone rushed over and broke down the door, several beams of cold light shooting out from inside. Zexiu grabbed Xiaoman and leaped aside. However, some of the maids couldn't dodge in time and were instantly pierced by long silver needles, flying backward with screams.

Madam Tang flung her long skirt up, knocking the needle away, and shouted sternly, "Who goes there!"

There was no sound from inside. A daring maid peeked inside. The room was pitch black, seemingly empty. Madam Tang ordered someone to fetch a torch, and when they shone it inside, there was indeed no one there. Such elusive behavior—could it truly be a ghost?

Madam Tang steadied herself and turned around, saying, "I apologize, Mr. Zexiu, for disturbing your peace. I had intended to entertain you both properly..."

Zexiu understood that this woman didn't intend to frame him. He immediately felt relieved and said, "Madam Tang, you're too kind."

She ordered, "Someone, escort these two out properly!" Then she turned back and said, "I'm truly sorry, but I'm afraid Lanzhizhai has offended someone and brought this upon themselves. To avoid implicating you two, please leave as soon as possible."

Zexiu shook her head and said, "This person is elusive. I'm afraid he's not easy to deal with. Lanzhizhai is all women, and we're likely to end up like lambs to the slaughter. I can't leave now."

As soon as the words left his mouth, a cold laugh suddenly came from the corner of the courtyard. Before the laugh could finish, Zexiu drew Chun Ge and threw it. With a clang, Chun Ge embedded itself in the wall. The corner was empty; there was no one there! Xiaoman couldn't help but cry out softly, her face pale, "It's a ghost! It must be a ghost!"

Zexiu rolled her eyes at her, walked over and pulled Chunge out, coldly saying, "Who exactly is playing tricks? Hiding in the shadows is despicable!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a hoarse voice rang out from Xiaoman's room door: "Don't blame yourself for not being able to see it, yet you retorted with a sarcastic remark, huh."

Everyone was terrified when they first heard this person speak. They hurriedly looked over and saw a black figure dart into the courtyard like lightning. After a brief pause, they could vaguely make out that he was completely shrouded in black from head to toe. Madam Tang and Zexiu attacked simultaneously, but the person vanished in the blink of an eye, truly like a ghost. Xiaoman was holding her breath when she suddenly heard that hoarse voice beside her: "You, come with me!"

She gasped, her vest suddenly tightened, followed by a dizzying spin. It felt as if she had been lifted up and leaped onto the wall, then into the darkness. Zexiu and the others didn't even have time to react.

Xiaoman's face turned pale from his rapid running and jumping. Her stomach churned, and she felt so nauseous that she opened her mouth to vomit. The man was holding her undershirt, his fingers pressing against it. For some reason, she couldn't speak. She didn't know how long he ran, but he gradually slowed down and finally stopped under a tree, dropping Xiaoman to the ground.

She crawled on the ground for a long time before finally getting up, feeling dizzy and lightheaded. She managed to lift her head to look at the man, but still couldn't see his face. Apart from a pair of bright eyes, his whole body was covered in black cloth.

He took out a dagger from his pocket, grabbed her hand, and looked at it from side to side, as if considering which finger to cut off. Xiaoman was so frightened that her whole body stiffened. She wanted to speak and scream, but for some reason she just couldn't speak.

The man seemed to have finally set his sights on her thumb, raising his dagger to cut it. Suddenly, a soft, melodious sound rang out from afar, delicate and gentle, like soft, continuous silk threads, winding around her. The man's movements visibly paused, a look of confusion appearing in his eyes. He looked around, seemingly searching for someone.

The soft melody gradually grew louder, then suddenly turned mournful, as if something had been gently torn apart, carrying an elusive quality, like mist or wind, rising and falling, left and right. Xiao Man had never known that listening to music could evoke such a dazzling feeling; these myriad changes, bizarre and fantastical, seemed chaotic yet somehow orderly.

She felt as if a tiny hand was grasping at her heart, and involuntarily stood up and walked forward.

The man was looking up to listen to the music when she suddenly got up and started walking. He hurriedly tried to grab her, but a sharp gust of wind suddenly rang out behind his ear. Relying on his superb lightness skill, he leaped away. However, the iron arrows were fired in volleys of four. He dodged one arrow but couldn't dodge the other. With a thud, two iron arrows pierced his shoulder.

He raised his hand to pull out the arrow, but suddenly stared at the feathers on the arrow as if he had seen a ghost, as if he couldn't believe it.

The wound on his shoulder began to tingle. He pulled it out abruptly, but it was too late; the blood that flowed out had already turned black. He pressed the wound, collapsed, and rolled several times on the ground in excruciating pain. Finally, he pulled out the dagger from his pocket, plunged it into his heart, pulled it out twice, and then remained still.

The Crimson Butterfly Chronicles, Chapter Eight: Sea of Flowers (Part Two)

Updated: 2008-10-18 21:28:18 Word Count: 4028

Third update.

Xiaoman was drawn in by the music, and her body moved forward involuntarily.

The scenery before her eyes shifted and changed, and suddenly light shone through the darkness, soft and shimmering, colorful and vibrant. It was as if she had arrived in a spring field, where the mountains and plains were covered with blooming flowers. Gods and Buddhas descended before her, and celestial maidens dressed in light veils danced in the air, displaying their most enchanting beauty. They scattered large, fluffy flowers, the petals gently landing on her, fragrant and sweet, almost overwhelming her.

She was bewitched and manipulated, completely unable to control herself, and kept walking forward, not knowing how long she had walked, until she seemed to have arrived at the depths of light.

There sat a young man, dressed in a white robe with wide sleeves, his long eyelashes trembling slightly. He was playing the shakuhachi, his fingers long and strong. Suddenly, he looked up, his eyes as deep as the night, staring intently at her, and then slowly reached out his hand.

Xiao Man involuntarily grasped his hand, and then everything went black before her eyes, and she lost consciousness.

She felt as if she were lying in an endless sea of flowers, with fragrant petals fluttering everywhere. She was naked, lying on the flowers, the delicate petals caressing her skin, so comfortable that she wanted to sigh.

A man in white approached from afar, his wide sleeves fluttering in the wind. He walked to her side, his long hair falling over her face as he looked at her tenderly. His long, strong fingers traced her cheek, ear, and neck, finally resting on the back of her neck.

Her lips were captured in a kiss. A gentle yet nimble tongue, not wanting to devour her, but rather enticing her to eat it.

Xiao Man raised her arms and hugged his neck, letting out a satisfied groan: "Ze Xiu..."

The sea of flowers suddenly vanished, and Xiaoman woke up with a start. She opened her eyes abruptly to find herself in an unfamiliar ink-wash gauze curtain, sunlight filtering through the gaps. To her horror, she discovered she was completely naked, lying brazenly on the bed.

She nearly screamed. She grabbed the blanket and wrapped herself tightly, frantically searching for her clothes, but couldn't find any anywhere.

Just as she was frantically trying to figure out what to do, she suddenly heard someone push the door open and walk in. She huddled in the corner, wishing she could bury her head under the covers.

A figure appeared outside the tent, and then that soft voice rang out: "You're awake?"

It is the voice of Tianquan!

Immediately afterward, a pair of slender hands lifted the curtain, revealing his handsome face. Xiaoman froze, shrinking back inside, her voice trembling as she said, "You...how could you..." She didn't know what to ask. Should she ask him how he created those illusions, or whether he had done anything to her?

He was wearing a casual robe, and because the room was warm, his collar was loose, and his long black hair was draped over his chest. He possessed a captivating charm completely different from Zexiu's.

"Have you forgotten what I said?" he asked with a smile, sitting on the edge of the bed and hanging up the bed curtains.

What did he say? It sounded like he was saying... she was his.

Xiao Man glared at him. After a long while, she finally said, "It was you who did it! You killed those people from Lanzhizhai!"

He slowly shook his head: "It wasn't me."

"I don't care if it's you or not! Let me go back!" She stood up, trying to jump. Suddenly, she remembered she wasn't wearing any clothes. Her face turned deathly pale: "What did you do to me?! Where are my clothes?!"

Tianquan said gently, "Don't be afraid, I didn't do anything. It's just that the aftereffects of the flower sea are too strong. If you don't take off your clothes, you will suffer severe internal injuries."

A sea of flowers? She did see a vast sea of flowers in her dream, but what does a sea of flowers have to do with a surge of energy?

Seeing her glaring at him suspiciously, Tianquan reached out to touch her ear. Xiaoman recoiled warily, and he immediately stopped, saying softly, "The earring you're wearing is called 'Sea of Flowers.' I gave you the Left Sea of Flowers."

She didn't speak, she just stared at him intently.

Tianquan added, "The flower sea is a very peculiar type of stone. The flower seas on the left and right echo each other. As long as it exerts its power to summon, it can create an illusion and call the other person to its side."

Xiaoman looked at him for a long time before saying, "Give me back my clothes and let me go back!"

He smiled, got up, took a lined robe from the box next to him, and placed it in front of her: "Put this on. It's almost noon. What would you like to eat? I'll make it."

"I want to go back!" she shouted.

He seemed not to hear her words, walked to the door and said, "This is Qingzhou. I also have a courtyard here, but it is much smaller than that in Zhenzhou, so it is just the two of us, without any servants. What do you like to eat? I will make it."

"Didn't you hear me?!" she snapped.

Tianquan clenched his jaw and said with a wry smile, "You always have to say these unpleasant things when you see me?"

"I want to go back!" she said, enunciating each word clearly.

Tianquan looked at her meaningfully and said softly, "Is this how you treat your savior?"

"What kind of savior are you! It was all a trick you played! I won't be fooled by you again!"

Tianquan looked at her quietly, then suddenly turned around and walked back, sitting on the edge of the bed. He slowly said, "You don't know that your life is hanging in the balance. Not only you, but Zexiu is too. No one who is targeted by him can escape. If I don't save you, your thumb will be cut off, and you will die a miserable death."

“Him?” She immediately grasped the most sensitive word.

Tianquan smiled and said, "You don't think that I planned the whole thing at Mount Bugui all by myself, do you?"

"Isn't that right?" Xiao Man was somewhat surprised, but upon closer reflection, it seemed indeed unlikely. He wasn't very old; where would he get such power? He must have been the Prince of Tianquan in Mount Bugui for quite some time, and he must have been even younger when he was in Tiansha Shifang. Someone that young couldn't possibly thrive in Tiansha Shifang. He must have someone behind him. "That guy with unparalleled lightness skills is called Black Bat, and he's about the same level as Hong Gu Zi and the others. They're not my subordinates; otherwise, you wouldn't have been kidnapped by them in Zhenzhou."

"Even if they're not your subordinates, they're still your accomplices!" she said bluntly.

Tianquan wasn't angry, but said in a low voice, "That's right, accomplices. It depends on what kind of accomplices we are. Using the matter of the real and fake young masters to trip up No Return Mountain was our common goal, but we had a serious disagreement about the follow-up. My master—and some others—wanted to just keep those people trapped on No Return Mountain like this. But I don't think that's a good idea. Didn't we rescue people on No Return Mountain together? In that respect, we are accomplices too."

"Who...who's your accomplice..." she stammered, "You saved people...just to make a name for yourself..."

Tianquan laughed and said, "Didn't you also make a name for yourselves? Who was it that said they wanted to be great heroes that night?"

Xiao Man's face turned pale: "You were eavesdropping on our conversation!"

"I'm sorry, I overheard this by accident, and I didn't mean to embarrass you."

Xiao Man bit her lip and glared at him. Tian Quan said softly, "So, your and Ze Xiu's actions angered my master. This time, he sent Black Bat to Lanzhizhai to give you a warning, but he was too bloodthirsty and alerted the people of Lanzhizhai first. But you don't need to be afraid. He was poisoned and is already dead. I will protect you. You will be fine."

"I don't need your protection," she interrupted him. "I don't believe you either. If that's the case, then you went to save people too. You should be the first one your master should punish!"

Tianquan turned his head and gazed out the window for a long time. Then he said, "He has already punished you. Whether you believe it or not, I will not let you go. I can only protect you. As for Zexiu, they can't do anything about him for the time being; he has powerful figures backing him up. You are the most dangerous person."

"I don't need your protection!" she repeated a thousand and one times. "If you think I lied on Mount No Return for any other reason, then I'm really sorry! I just... wanted to thank you for taking care of me all this time... so... I didn't mean anything else! Please don't misunderstand! I'm not yours! I never will be!"

He smiled slightly: "I'm glad you're grateful to me. Alright, let's not talk about such unromantic things. Go get dressed, I'll go cook."

He pushed open the door and went out. Xiaoman angrily put on her lined robe, which was thin and soft and could not keep her warm at all. She tied her belt, looked down and saw that there were no shoes under the bed. Unless she wanted to walk barefoot on the snow, she could not escape.

However, he underestimated her. If her clothes weren't warm enough, wouldn't she run away barefoot?

Xiaoman pushed open the window and looked out. It was indeed a very small courtyard with only two tiled houses, and outside was an endless forest. She jumped out of the window, her bare feet stepping on the snow. She shivered from the cold, but she didn't care. Looking around to make sure Tianquan had gone to cook, she took off running and was out of the courtyard in the blink of an eye, running wildly through the woods.

She ran for an unknown amount of time when she suddenly felt something land on her. Looking up, she saw countless colorful flower petals fluttering in the air, their intoxicating fragrance enveloping her. Her inner hand instinctively grasped at the petals, and she involuntarily turned to go back. A sudden realization struck her: he was about to use the sea of flowers to control her again!

She struggled to find a sliver of strength to pull off the flower-patterned earring from her ear, but it was tied in a tight knot behind her ear. She didn't have the strength and couldn't pull it off after a couple of tries. Just then, she saw gods and Buddhas descending from the sky once again, and celestial maidens began to scatter flowers. She was once again trapped in the illusion, unable to extricate herself.

She didn't know how much time had passed before she slowly opened her eyes. It was already dark, and she was once again naked, lying on the bed with the ink-wash gauze curtains hanging down. Her robe was placed beside her, and she got up and put it on. The first thing she did was reach out to pull off her earring. Even though it was tied in a tight knot behind her ear, she was determined to tear it off, even if it meant breaking her earlobe.

But no matter how hard she pulled, almost pulling her ear off, she couldn't get the earring out. It was as if it were rooted to her earlobe; no matter how much she tugged, it wouldn't come off. Just as she was sweating profusely with anxiety, the room suddenly brightened as someone lit a candle.

"It's no use, you can't pull it off."

Tianquan lifted the curtain and looked at her calmly: "It eats your blood and has become a part of your body." "You're lying!" she cried out in fury, lunging forward to scratch his handsome face. Tianquan grabbed her wrist: "I'm not lying. Once the left and right flower seas are separated and worn by different people, they can never be removed. Of course, if you really want to remove them, you can cut off your left ear."