Shu Ke peut regagner une fortune perdue

Chapitre 22

Xu Lianning turned her head and noticed that his clothes were being stained with crimson, and his posture was not as composed as usual.

"If we were in each other's shoes, I wouldn't risk my life for yours..."

The words spoken in the past still echo in my ears.

"Zhang Weiyi is here, so all you dare to do is shoot arrows from the shadows?" A handsome, clear voice came from not far away, and Xu Lianning couldn't help but close her eyes. This person... is truly courting death.

She heard a chaotic cacophony: the sound of wind, the clashing of weapons, screams… Suddenly, with a thud, something landed a dozen paces from her hiding place. In the bright torchlight, she saw—

The pale blue sleeves, adorned with delicate Suzhou embroidery, revealed fingers that naturally grasped the ancient Tai Chi sword… She had seen that person wield the sword countless times, his restrained yet powerful aura radiating, as if he held the world in his hands. Suddenly, all sound around her fell silent, leaving only boundless fear, stemming from a deep-seated panic. Her breath caught in her throat, a burning sensation she couldn't release.

She just stared straight ahead, her gaze fixed on the sound. The sounds around her grew fainter and fainter, but she didn't notice them at all, nor did she notice the tears that suddenly streamed down her face. She gritted her teeth silently, but she couldn't move an inch.

Suddenly a drop of rain fell on her face, followed by a steady patter of raindrops on her body, which soon turned into a torrential downpour.

The first rain after autumn.

The waning moon hangs in the eastern window before dawn.

The flames, near and far, were all extinguished by the autumn rain, leaving behind a desolate landscape, much like the barren wasteland in one's heart. Xu Lianning walked back and forth more than a dozen times, but she couldn't find the man's body, not even the severed limb. Last night's escape and endurance, along with what she saw now, all seemed like nothing more than a nightmare.

She had been standing in the rain and wind for a long time, and was starting to feel dizzy, but she still forced herself to search the entire vicinity. The only thing she found was a white jade hairpin, warm to the touch, and exquisitely carved. This might be the only thing he had left behind.

Suddenly, a loud neighing sounded, and a jet-black horse galloped over, gently nuzzling her. Xu Lianning snapped out of her reverie and murmured to herself, "I'll take you with me now and wait for your master to come looking for you... As long as the body isn't found, it's still worth the search."

Nightfall seemed to understand, and let out a mournful murmur.

Xu Lianning took the reins, determined the direction, and headed towards the town. She had been soaked in the rain all night, and coupled with the fierce battle at the Heavenly Sorrow Sect, she was utterly exhausted. Upon arriving at the inn, she didn't even have time to wash up before collapsing onto the bed and falling asleep. She didn't know how long she slept, but when she awoke, she felt weak all over, slightly chilled, and had developed a fever.

Utterly helpless, she could only write down a prescription and have the waiter fetch the medicine. She had absolutely no appetite for the simple porridge and side dishes on the table. If Zhang Weiyi were here, he would surely tease her a few times and then stay by her side with tender care. But he was gone.

Xu Lianning lingered in bed for three days before her fever subsided. She then traveled south, intending to head north out of Sichuan and then to Suizhou. The day Mr. Xiao committed suicide, he had mouthed a shape that seemed to say "Suizhou." She didn't understand why, but still decided to go to Suizhou first and then make further plans.

Originally, riding a horse would have been much faster, but after Ye Zhao showed her some friendliness that day, it began to act arrogantly, frequently turning its back to her, and wouldn't even let her touch it, let alone sit on its back. To make matters worse, it was unusually disdainful of the other horses, and after kicking and scaring away three, Xu Lianning had no choice but to walk.

What's even more annoying is that no one else can touch the hay when it's time to feed it. But if she just stands there watching, Ye Zhao can't eat and is in great pain. She was really wrong; she said a horse resembles its master, but a master is definitely much easier to take care of than a horse.

They dragged it out for several days before finally passing through Yichang County.

It is now autumn, and the weather is gradually getting cooler.

Xu Lianning rested briefly at the post station before continuing his journey when he suddenly heard a bright and beautiful young girl's voice say, "Young Master, look how beautiful that horse is! Why don't you, Qingyin, go and snatch it?"

Xu Lianning turned around and saw a young girl in a light green dress, with her hair in twin buns, speaking. She was pretty and charming. The girl was about to glare back when she saw Xu Lianning looking at her, but then she stuck out her tongue and said, "You have such sharp ears, you can hear me like this." Immediately, a deep male voice scolded her, "Qingyin, you've been talking too much on this journey."

The voice came from the carriage behind, but the young master did not come out to greet him. He simply said from behind the curtain, "This young lady, Qingyin is young and has offended me greatly. Please forgive her."

Xu Lianning didn't seem to mind and smiled slightly, "Young Master, you flatter me."

But Qingyin kept her eyes fixed on Ye Zhao, a hint of resentment on her face. Seeing that Xu Lianning was about to leave, her expression turned to disappointment: "Sister, can I just touch it?"

Xu Lianning stepped aside, but dared not loosen the reins: "Be careful, it recognizes people and has a bad temper." Qingyin came running over without touching the ground, her face beaming with joy, thanking him repeatedly. Xu Lianning chuckled and asked, "Are you from beyond the Great Wall?" Qingyin, unaware that he was testing her, casually replied, "Yes, my young master is not from the Central Plains, this is our first time here." Xu Lianning saw that she had used her lightness skill as she came over, indicating she had considerable skill. Before she could speak, she was interrupted: "Senior brother, it's that strange little girl!" She looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the two people who came were dressed in the Kunlun Sect's attire, with a Taoist priest behind them walking steadily. It was none other than Shifang, a Kunlun disciple who had stood out at the Wudang Tournament.

Shi Fang walked over, looked at Xu Lianning with a slight pause, and said politely, "I wonder how my junior brother offended Pavilion Master Xu? Our sect will naturally punish him severely."

Qingyin laughed and said, "Little Taoist, you've mistaken me for someone else. It was me who taught your junior brother a lesson, not her."

Shi Fang frowned slightly and looked over: "Please explain the details clearly, young lady. Kunlun is not unreasonable. If the fault does not lie with our sect, please give us an explanation." This statement was truly polite and courteous.

Qingyin thought for a moment, then suddenly pointed at the Kunlun disciple behind Shifang and said with a coquettish smile, "Look at him, isn't he quite handsome? Let's be about the same, then we're even, right?" Xu Lianning also glanced at the man upon hearing this, only to see that his face had been scratched with seventeen or eighteen red marks, making him look quite disheveled. Shifang, not wanting the other party to be rude, had no choice but to patiently say, "If Junior Brother Linqing has offended you in any way, please trouble the young lady to teach him a lesson and explain what happened."

Qingyin stamped her foot and said, "If you want to know, I might as well tell you..." She paused, then instantly closed in on her opponent, unleashing six or seven palm strikes in the blink of an eye. Her movements were as fast as the wind, leaving no room for anyone to react. She took a blow to the shoulder, and anger welled up in her heart. As the chief disciple of Kunlun, his skill was far superior to Qingyin's. His moves were measured and powerful, and he quickly gained the upper hand.

Suddenly, a gust of wind swept out from the carriage behind, and a white figure floated out from behind the curtain. With a single palm strike, he forced Shi Fang back five steps, then lightly retreated from the carriage. So sudden was his appearance that no one could see what he was looking at or where he came from.

Knowing his opponent was formidable, Shi Fang did not back down: "Your martial arts are far superior to mine, but everything comes down to reason. Let's stick to what needs to be said."

"Why are you so long-winded, you stinky Taoist priest?" Qingyin was so angry that she trembled.

“Qingyin is still a child at heart. She was just playing around with that Brother Linqing. Who knew she would lose her temper and cause such a mess? The fault lies with us.” The person in the carriage said, “Qingyin, why don’t you apologize to your two senior brothers?” The voice changed from calm to stern, and the originally gentle voice suddenly became cold.

Qingyin hesitated for a while, then reluctantly lowered her head and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. Please don't hold it against me." She then lowered her voice and said, "You clearly have poor martial arts skills, yet you still have the nerve to come here..."

Xu Lianning smiled and stopped investigating their origins, leading Ye Zhao forward.

As the sun began to set in the evening, Xu Lianning finally arrived at Baima Pass and hurriedly looked for an inn to stay in. Upon entering, she saw a familiar figure sitting with his back to her, holding a wine cup and lost in thought. She walked over and softly said, "Young Master Sikong, what a coincidence."

Sikong Yu looked up and saw her, then quickly stood up and said, "Miss Xu, I didn't expect to meet you here." He looked back and asked, "Where is Brother Zhang? Wasn't he with you?"

Xu Lianning looked at him, her smile gradually fading: "We've drifted apart. Perhaps... he's no longer in this world, who knows?"

Sikong Yu looked surprised: "Did something happen at the Tianshang Sect that day?"

Xu Lianning recounted the events in general, and the other party sighed with relief, saying, "Brother Zhang is a lucky man; he will surely escape danger, and who knows, he might even encounter other circumstances."

She shook her head slightly: "You don't need to comfort me, I'm fine."

Sikong Yu smiled slightly and said, "After saying so much, I forgot to ask you to sit down." Seeing Xu Lianning sit down at the table, he asked casually, "So, is there anywhere you'd like to go in the future?"

Xu Lianning suddenly looked at the entrance of the inn and frowned slightly: "To run into each other again is too much of a coincidence." The waiter greeted her attentively: "Miss, are you here for a snack or a meal?" A girl in light green clothes stepped through the door and smiled: "Just food is fine. My young master doesn't like sleeping here."

Sikong Yu didn't understand her meaning and was about to ask further when a young man in purple robes strolled over, stood up, and said, "Brother Tang, let me introduce you. This is Pavilion Master Xu of Lingxuan Palace." The young man in purple robes was handsome and elegant in every gesture, with a warm and friendly demeanor: "My name is Tang Xiao. It is truly an honor to meet Miss Xu today."

Xu Lianning returned the greeting: "Young Master Tang, you're too kind."

Sikong Yu said, "Brother Tang is the most outstanding member of the Tang Clan in Sichuan. We are related by marriage, so he is not an outsider."

Tang Xiao shook his folding fan and sat down at the table with an air of importance. "My uncle is the head of our sect, and I only benefited from that position. I don't have any extraordinary abilities." He paused for a moment, then added, "My uncle asked me to go back first, so I can't chat with you two any longer. Why don't you two travel with my uncle for a while? When it comes to the scenery and snacks of Sichuan, I'm afraid no one is more knowledgeable than him."

Sikong Yu smiled slightly and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Brother Tang."

Tang Xiao stood up and said, "Then I'll take my leave." After nodding in acknowledgment, he gracefully turned and left. The girl named Qingyin, who had been watching this direction, stared at him unabashedly as he approached. Tang Xiao smiled slightly at her and stepped aside. Qingyin blushed instantly.

The waiter then brought over the food: "Miss, all the dishes you ordered are here. Please enjoy your meal."

Xu Lianning picked up a few bites of food and suddenly said, "I remember that Sect Leader Tang's sister married into the Sikong family."

Sikong Yu's expression darkened, and he said dejectedly, "That's my mother."

Xu Lianning thought for a moment and asked, "You said last time that you've always been following your master. Doesn't Sect Leader Tang have any objections?"

"I remember my mother saying that she almost fell out with the family to marry my father, and my uncle's relationship with us was also very distant. He only came here with us because we came from the Heavenly Sorrow Sect." Sikong Yu looked at her and hesitated, "You don't suspect that it was actually... the one who wiped out my family?"

Xu Lianning's lips curved slightly, and she couldn't help but laugh: "Don't overthink it. How can you say such things without real evidence?"

Sikong Yu chuckled: "I'm almost used to the fact that every word you say has a reason, just like last time at Wudang."

Xu Lianning lowered her head, ate only a few bites of food, and then stopped. Sikong Yu looked at her and said gently, "There are some things that we don't know the outcome of yet, so you don't need to think about them all the time. You'll ruin your health if you do that."

“I just feel that Senior Sister Qingxuan could be said to have died for me, and now that is the only way, I really…” She paused for a moment, her tone softening, “I’m fine. Although I’m still sad right now, remembering these things and looking back on them in the future won’t be a complete regret.”

Sikong Yu was momentarily speechless, so he could only say, "It's good that you've figured it out."

After dinner, the two went to their respective rooms to rest. As they passed Room Number One, Sikong Yu stopped and gently knocked on the door: "Uncle, are you asleep?"

The door creaked open, revealing an elderly man with graying temples and small scars on his face and neck. He was none other than Tang Muhua, the current leader of the Tang Clan. Xu Lianning had intended to return to her room, but she stopped and glanced at him a few times.

"It's a bit late now, let's talk about it tomorrow." Tang Muhua's voice was hoarse, as if he had once injured his throat. Xu Lianning noticed that his robe sleeves trembled slightly, as if he was forcibly suppressing his emotions.

“There was nothing wrong with it. I just came to ask if my uncle needs anything,” Sikong Yu said.

"You should go to sleep too, you don't need anything." Tang Muhua said and then closed the door.

Sikong Yu turned around, looking rather embarrassed, and whispered, "My uncle has a rather strange personality."

Xu Lianning shook her head: "I don't think something's right." She turned to the other side of the door and beckoned to Sikong Yu. Sikong Yu understood and walked to her position.

After only a short while, two figures suddenly appeared on the paper window. The moon was high in the sky, projecting the images clearly onto the floor. One person stood quietly, while the other gestured incoherently, trying to explain something, but their voice was so low it was barely audible. Suddenly, the sound of a long sword being drawn rang out. Sikong Yu instinctively wanted to burst through the door, but restrained himself.

Xu Lianning looked at the shadow on the ground and saw the person holding the sword hold it to the throat of another person, then suddenly pull back. Then she heard the sound of the windowpane being pushed open.

Just then, something suddenly splattered out, forming an arc of bright red blood on the door. Sikong Yu rushed forward to push the door open, only to see Xu Lianning dart around to the other side, presumably to intercept someone from behind. He pushed open the door and saw Tang Muhua leaning against the table, his head tilted to one side, half of his face stained with blood, looking quite terrifying.

He stepped forward, reached out to check her breath, and found she was no longer breathing.

The north-facing window was wide open, overlooking a narrow alley.

Sallus withered and flourished in two dynasties

Xu Lianning walked along the corridor to the north side and, without hesitation, leaped down from the windowsill. As she landed, she indeed saw a white figure heading deeper into the alley. She lightly floated forward a few feet with one foot, using the momentum to thrust her sword at the figure's back. The figure seemed not to expect her to catch up so quickly and turned to dodge the sword. Before Xu Lianning even landed, she lightly touched the ground with her toes and brought her sword down in mid-air. The figure actually caught it empty-handed, coldly shouting, "Withdraw!"

She immediately sensed that the other person's internal strength was greater than her own, and the sword in her hand almost slipped from her grasp.

The man reached out and pinched the blade of Flame Breath's sword, and the sword came to a standstill.

Xu Lianning saw his face, which was completely covered by a Zhong Kui mask, making him appear somewhat terrifying in the darkness, but his loose hair was jet black and flowing. She was slightly dazed and didn't move for a moment.

The man was also taken aback for a moment, and then hurriedly released her sword.

"Young Master, you..." The girl in the light green dress ran over, and when she saw their formation, she was stunned. "What are you doing?"

Xu Lianning didn't say anything, turned away, and walked to the window she had jumped from earlier, then gently leaped up.

The man seemed about to give chase, but stopped and flicked his sleeve, saying, "Qingyin, let's pack up and leave immediately."

Qingyin turned her head and exclaimed, "Her lightness skill is really good."

The man took two steps, then turned back and said, "Aren't you going to hurry up and leave?"

Xu Lianning walked back to Room No. 1 of the Heavenly Class and said helplessly, "That person's martial arts are stronger than mine, I can't stop him."

Sikong Yu was examining Tang Muhua's wound when he frowned and said, "This cut looks like it was made with a sword, but the person who used the sword seems to have applied uneven force."

Xu Lianning also leaned closer to look: "If it were me, I wouldn't need such a long cut, and there wouldn't be so much blood splattering out."

"Did you figure out who that person who ran away just now was from?"

“I can’t tell, his martial arts are strange, but…” Xu Lianning pondered for a moment, “Could it be the Painting Shadow Pavilion? But they’re from the Western Regions, so it doesn’t seem quite right…”

Sikong Yu looked at her: "Huaying Studio?"

Xu Lianning smiled slightly and said, "I discovered it one day when I was extremely bored. It seems to be a mysterious sect. When I went there the next day, I couldn't find anyone. It just so happens that this Huaying Pavilion is also in Shu."

Sikong Yu stood up: "It seems I have to go to the Tang Clan. Such a big thing has happened, and they still don't know about it."

“Young Master Sikong, I feel things are probably not that simple. That person was highly skilled in martial arts; his sword strikes wouldn't have been so inaccurate.” She thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, “If Tang Muhua were to pass away, who would benefit the most?”

Sikong Yu exclaimed without thinking, "It's Tang Xiao! If my uncle passes away, he can inherit the position of sect leader." He hesitated for a moment and said, "Let's not alarm others. Let's make plans tomorrow morning. I think you're tired too."

Xu Lianning nodded: "Then I'll go back to my room to sleep first. But I need to be more vigilant tonight, in case anything unexpected happens."

She walked out of the room and saw Sikong Yu still tidying up, carefully wiping away the bloodstains. After watching for a while, he went back to rest.

The night passed peacefully. She got up early the next morning to wash and dress, then went out. She hadn't gone far when she suddenly saw Sikong Yu walking quickly towards her, his expression stern: "Miss Xu, I was just looking for you."

Sikong Yu said nervously, "I went to my uncle's room this morning, but I found... I found that my uncle's body was missing."

Xu Lianning paused for a moment: "Did you hear any noise last night?"