Il arrive souvent des choses désagréables

Chapitre 60

Mo Li neither confirmed nor denied this statement, but asked me only, "Ping An, we're leaving now. What else do you have to do?"

I glanced at the expressions on the Cheng brothers' faces. A voice inside me screamed, telling me to stop asking and run away. But my mouth betrayed me, "Mo Li, I... I still want to see my master. I haven't said goodbye to him yet..."

Cheng Ping spoke again, "The Alliance Leader is still in Tuoguan City, and the Mo Kingdom's army has already assembled outside Tuoguan City. The military situation is urgent. If Mr. Mo could accompany us, with Mr. Mo's skills, our side would be greatly enhanced. I believe the army of Tuoguan City would be extremely grateful."

I became anxious. "No, that's not what I meant." After saying that, I turned to look at Mo Li. "I'll go see Master myself. You and Qingyi can wait for me to come back."

Mo Li's face was hidden behind a black veil, revealing only her white jawline. Upon hearing those words, the beautiful curve of her jawline immediately tightened.

You don't even need to look closely to know that he suddenly pursed his lips.

He spoke, his voice growing colder, "You want to leave alone again?"

I'm so frustrated, my lord. I just don't want you to risk your life on the battlefield anymore. I'm not afraid of dying myself, but I'm afraid you'll die, okay? Although I know you're a master of martial arts, I'm still afraid I'll be a burden to you, okay?

Cheng Wei stared at us for a moment before speaking, "Perhaps Mr. Mo would like to stay here for a while? We will ensure your safety."

Mo Li's hand was still on my shoulder, and her hoarse voice as she answered sounded like it was infiltrated with ice crystals, making one involuntarily shiver.

But what he said was: "No need, I'm hungry, I'll stay with her."

4

The journey from Jinshui Town to Tuoguan City was not far, otherwise the reinforcements would not have been able to fly there in two days. However, the entire route was treacherous mountain roads. The reinforcements stayed in Jinshui Town to deal with the prisoners and consolidate the rear, in case the Mo people took any further action. Therefore, only a small team of people actually rushed back.

The general who led the troops from Tuoguan City was named Xu Ming. He was a northerner who loved martial arts. Perhaps he had witnessed Cheng Ping's martial arts skills, because he followed his orders all the way.

The red-clothed and the others were sent back to the sect by Mo Li, only the green-clothed one stayed with us. Mo Li originally intended to let him go as well, but although the green-clothed one was usually respectful, he also had a silent stubbornness and refused to leave, so he came with us in the end.

The reinforcements had made their round trip in just a few days, and had also gone through a major battle. Naturally, both men and horses were exhausted, and even the seemingly indestructible Cheng Ping showed signs of fatigue. As for me, I had used up all my strength in Jinshui Town, and once I relaxed, I felt like my entire body was falling apart. During the day, I could still manage to sit on my horse and hold on, but at night, my true colors were revealed. When I dismounted, my hands and feet were trembling, and when I looked down, I saw two hands reaching out to me. One was Cheng Wei's, and the other, of course, belonged to my master, Lord Mo Li.

Ever since Cheng Wei saw Mo Li's face, his attitude towards him hadn't improved; on the contrary, he had become even more wary, and this was no different now. The two men exchanged a glance, the tension so palpable that I simply gave up on seeking help. My hands and feet trembling, I climbed down from my horse myself, and grabbed Mo Li, "Mo Li, where shall we rest?"

Before Mo Li could answer, I felt a heavy weight on my other sleeve. Cheng Wei had grabbed me and was glaring at me as he said, "Ping An, we're in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by people. Why are you getting so close to him? Be careful."

I was stunned. Mo Li and I had been practically inseparable these past few days, and Cheng Wei had seen it all. Moreover, he had said just the day before that the war was dangerous and that I should go with Mo Li. How could his attitude have changed so drastically in just one day? It suddenly made me feel like I had gained another mother.

As they were talking, Cheng Ping also came over, still holding the Mo Kingdom general who had raided Jinshui Town under his custody. He glanced at us as he passed by and said coldly, "Ping An, what kind of behavior is this, pulling Mr. Mo along like this?"

Chengping, are you my parents who suddenly appeared out of nowhere?

Mo Li watched us silently, his veil falling beneath his wide-brimmed hat, obscuring his expression. I suddenly felt a pang of fear that the men might clash, and was about to speak when he abruptly turned and left, leaving us only with his back turned.

I glared at the Cheng brothers and was about to chase after them when Cheng Wei pulled me back and nagged, "Ping An, listen to me."

"I don't want to hear it." I was angry that their attitude towards Mo Li remained unchanged. Although Mo Li had taken me away when the Mo army attacked, didn't he turn back? He was the one who lit the beacon fire, so why were they treating him so badly?

Mo Li walked fast, and by the time I caught up with him, he had already reached the edge of the cliff. I grabbed him, panting, and said, "Mo Li, don't be angry, they didn't mean it."

The cliff was high up, and we were far removed from the others. He lifted his hat, and the mountaintop offered no shade; the bright moonlight shone on his face, and I was momentarily stunned, speechless for a long time.

"Peace." He suddenly spoke, but without looking at me, he gazed into the distance and asked, "What are you looking at?"

"Look at you," I thought to myself.

Without waiting for my answer, he asked again, "Who are you looking at?"

I couldn't understand a word he said, but a mountain wind was blowing, and I realized he had changed his clothes. He was now wearing a wide robe that billowed in the wind, as if he were about to take flight. Suddenly, I felt a strange sense of dread, and in a flash, I grabbed his hand and held it tightly.

He finally turned his head and glanced at me, his dark eyes like two deep, cold pools, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

"Go back now." He didn't ask me anything more, just told me to return to the camp.

I shook my head. "Aren't you tired if I stay with you? Let's rest here for a bit."

Later, we actually sat down on the edge of the cliff. There was only one lonely big tree there. I had been leaning against him, but then I ended up lying on my back with my head on his knees. His hands were on my body, and they were very warm. I gradually felt happy, and that little bit of inexplicable fear faded away. I even felt like chatting with him.

"We slept on the mountain like this before, and I made your legs go numb from using it as a pillow, didn't I?"

He looked down at me, and his lips twitched.

I took it as a smile and returned his smile, then said, "I clearly fell asleep leaning against the tree that night. Did you secretly carry me there? Tell me, and I won't laugh at you."

He turned his face away and wouldn't look at me anymore.

I sat up abruptly and reached out to cup his face. "You've actually been secretly in love with me for a while now, haven't you?

He didn't speak. I knew that asking him this kind of shameless questioning was useless, but I just didn't want to stop. Even just watching him awkwardly remain silent made me happy.

I twisted my body to bring my face close to his, wanting to ask more, but suddenly everything went black before my eyes, and then my lips were pressed down with great force. It was him who turned around and cupped my face, kissing me hard right there on the cliff.

His lips were burning hot, and his nimble, powerful tongue quickly pried open my lips. The stimulation from their intertwining was immense, not to mention his hands, which moved down from my face and gripped my body tightly. I was forced to press myself tightly against him; his body was incredibly strong and resilient, a stark contrast to my softness, and the familiar scent of a man enveloped me. I felt dizzy, and even with my eyes closed, I saw a dazzling array of colors. My body trembled weakly, but my hands were already wrapped around his back, trying my best to press him even closer.

When we parted, we were both out of breath. I saw a stranger in his eyes, his gaze unfocused, his lips so red they looked like they were about to bleed.

His hand was still on my body, and his voice was hoarse and different from usual as he slowly asked the same question again.

He said, "Ping An, do you want to come with me now?"

I almost blurted out "good," but a mountain breeze blew by, bringing Cheng Wei's voice.

"Didn't you want to fight Monsoon? Only the Alliance Leader knows exactly where Monsoon is."

My pupils involuntarily contracted, and when I spoke again, my voice was somewhat dry.

"You know, I want to see my master again..."

He remained silent, but slowly released his grip on my hands. I felt the warmth in my body vanish with his movement, and no longer caring about being embarrassed, I reached out and hugged him, pressing my face against his chest, my voice muffled.

"Mo Li, I promise, I'll go with you after I've met my master."

He didn't speak, and I didn't let go; we remained locked in a stalemate for a while. I finally sensed his softening, and feeling a slight sense of relief, I was even less willing to let go.

The sound of his heart pounding echoed from his chest to my ears. I thought of the scar on his chest and suddenly felt a pang of heartache. I asked him again in a low voice.

Is he still inside you? Does he still hurt?

His body stiffened slightly, and when I looked up, I could only see his lowered eyes. Perhaps the moonlight was too bright, making it impossible for me to see anything clearly.

Mo Li and I returned to the main force just as dawn was breaking. Qingyi remained calm, Cheng Ping's face darkened, and Cheng Wei was the most agitated, practically gritting his teeth.

After a night's rest, the large group of people regained their speed. After galloping for half a day, the road began to become flat and wide. Cheng Ping rode up to Mo Li and spoke to him. Cheng Wei finally found an opportunity to ride alongside me and said as soon as he opened his mouth, "Be careful you don't regret it."

I woke up on Mo Li's lap this morning, feeling quite content, so of course I didn't take his nagging to heart. I even replied with a smile, "As long as I'm happy, you're just jealous."

He glared at me again and said, "Be careful not to let your joy turn into sorrow."

As they were talking, the group had already left the mountains, and a main road stretched straight into the distance. The outline of the town was already faintly visible.

Xu Ming's voice came from the wind. He reined in his horse, pointed in that direction and said to us, "Look, that's Tuoguan City. We've arrived."

Chapter Four: Tuoguancheng

5

Our group received a hero's welcome in Tuoguan City. Mo Li disliked such occasions and didn't want to enter the city with us. I originally wanted to go with him, but Cheng Wei stopped me and said, "Ping An, the Alliance Leader is waiting for you."

I responded and turned to look at Mo Li. He didn't insist, only saying, "Go ahead, I have some things to take care of. I'll come find you later."

After thinking about it, I decided it would be better for me to meet with my master alone, so I gave up the idea of following him and silently continued to move forward with the main group.

Cheng Wei seemed quite satisfied with my reaction, and after Mo Li disappeared from sight, he finally gave me a smile.

The large entourage slowly entered the city. I had no interest in these scenes, so as soon as we entered, I pulled Chengwei to a corner and asked him, "Where is Master?"

The city's garrison was lined up in the square, surrounded by people. Cheng Wei replied, "What's the rush?" as he reached out to adjust my hat, further shrouding my face in shadow.

I have been wearing men's clothing for the past two days, partly for ease of movement and partly to avoid attracting attention. Tuoguan City is not like the desolate wilderness, where there are many people and eyes. Before entering the city, I also wore a hat to cover my face as much as possible to avoid causing unnecessary trouble.

It's a pity that Yi Xiaojin isn't here. Although she talks a lot, her disguise skills are truly unparalleled. Back then, she was able to move freely in and out of the palace using this disguise skill. Having her around really saves a lot of trouble.

"Peace!" A familiar, clear voice. I thought I was just imagining things, but when I turned around, I saw a lush green shadow in the daylight, and a pair of round, almond-shaped eyes. Who else could it be but Yi Xiaojin?

"Peace." Another voice rang out, flat and monotone, characteristic of Wen De's usual cool and aloof tone.

I looked up and saw him standing on the steps by the city wall, dressed in white, with his hands behind his back looking at me. The sunlight was dazzling, and when I looked up, all I could see was a vast expanse of white, and even my master's face was blurry.

Located in the mountains, Tuoguan City was a military garrison year-round. Most of the houses in the city were built of stone, and the streets and alleys were straight and distinct. The houses used for living were also square, making it look very monotonous.

Wende led us into one of the courtyards. The courtyard was clean and tidy, with nothing superfluous around it. It was clear at a glance that this was where my master stayed.

I wanted to grab my master and ask him everything I wanted to know, but as soon as I entered the courtyard, Yi Xiaojin dragged me away. Just as I was about to resist, Wen De led the others into the house. Cheng Wei was the last one. He glanced at me and then deliberately closed the door, which made me so angry that my eyes rolled back.

Yi Xiaojin grabbed me and led me into a side room, saying as we walked, "You're really bold, daring to run around with that face. Be careful someone recognizes you. Come here quickly, I'll help you deal with it."

I thought to myself, who would recognize me in such a remote town? But remembering my failures along the way, I finally gave up and let her drag me into the house.

Three years had passed since I last saw Yi Xiaojin, and he was as formidable as ever. Before long, I saw myself in the mirror as a sallow-skinned, ordinary-looking soldier. After changing clothes, I almost forgot what I really looked like.

I touched my face, thinking about how to scare Mo Li later, while still talking to Yi Xiaojin.

How did you end up here?

"I came to find Chengping, but he left the Central Plains with the alliance leader without even saying goodbye to me. I'm so angry."

Yi Xiaojin spoke with his hands on his hips, which, as expected, provoked some anger. After speaking, he asked back, "What about you? I heard you were captured by the Holy Fire Cult. The Alliance Leader even led people to your door to rescue you. It's a pity I wasn't there and didn't see anything." He sighed deeply, as if he had missed some spectacular show.

I was annoyed that this person treated my friend's misery like a show. I turned away from him, and she sat down next to me, scrutinizing my face as if looking for something that needed improvement. After a while, she spoke again, "I also heard that you're with the Right Envoy of the Holy Fire Cult, is that true?"

I don't want to explain further, especially since what she said is true.

Seeing that I didn't deny it, her eyes slowly widened in utter astonishment. "Is it true? You're really with someone else? I thought you wouldn't forget Ji Feng..."

I stood up abruptly, about to speak, when my senior brother's voice suddenly rang out from outside the door, "Junior sister, are you ready? Master wants you to go."

I was waiting for my master's summons. Upon hearing this, I turned and left, but before leaving, I turned back and glared at Yi Xiaojin fiercely, thinking to myself, "What do you know!" She didn't glare back, but just looked at me dejectedly, looking extremely disappointed, as if I had done something terrible.

I pushed open the door and entered the room. The large room was empty. My master was indeed waiting for me, standing alone by the window, his back to me looking desolate.

The thought that if I were to leave with Mo Li in the future, I might rarely have the chance to be with my master like this again made me a little sad. The anger that Yi Xiaojin had caused earlier dissipated, and I softly called out, "Master, I'm here."

"Okay, come here," Wende said, not surprised to see me like this, probably because it was originally his instruction to Yi Xiaojin to do this.

I went up to him and stood beside him. The courtyard was built on high ground, with long windows facing north. From there, one could see the distant Mo Kingdom military camp. The army had already set up camp, and the black military uniforms fluttered in the wind.

Knowing that the Mo Kingdom was attacking was one thing, but seeing their massive army pressing in so closely was a completely different experience. I stared in that direction, unable to look away, and could only ask myself, "Master, are you going to stay here to defend the city?"

Wende neither nodded nor shook his head, but asked me in return, "What do you think?"

When Wende taught me martial arts on the mountain, he often ignored my questions, whether it was about internal energy cultivation or martial arts moves. He insisted that I rack my brains to find the answers myself. I never expected that he would still be like this now.

I sighed inwardly, not missing this way of communicating at all.

"I don't know." I forced myself to look away and honestly said, "I'm afraid of dying, afraid of getting hurt, and I'm also afraid that the people around me will die or get hurt. But when I was in Jinshui Town, I knew that turning back might mean death, but I still turned back. I really don't know."