Une demi-vie de musique et de maquillage

Chapitre 32

Tan Huan sneered, his first strike failing, he stabbed again. Tang Weiyu's life in exchange for the Wu family's entire strength was already too good for him. But when he thrust out the second sword, the Tang Clan members and Pei Gumo were already on guard, surrounding her completely.

Pei Gumo looked at her with heartache, "Wu Tanhuan, your deceased parents would be disappointed to see you like this."

They were always disappointed in her. Tan Huan could no longer laugh. "They were already disappointed when I killed them. Anyway, the name Wu Tan Huan is no longer tolerated by the world."

"Alliance Leader Pei, this vixen doesn't know what's good for her. Let her suffer a little and she'll behave."

Tan Huan ignored him completely, perfectly replicating every move and stance Baili Liushang had taught her. The saying "a scholar who has been away for three days should be looked at with new eyes" couldn't be more fitting for Tan Huan. Given her martial arts talent, she was someone who could make three days' worth of practice seem like three months' worth. Even without proper instruction, she had already achieved such skill; now, under Baili Liushang's meticulous tutelage, she was naturally vastly different from before.

The crowd, stunned by Tan Huan's martial arts skills, suddenly became even more murderous, unwilling to leave such a threat and enemy behind.

Because of his high reputation, Pei Gumo naturally couldn't join the others in attacking Tan Huan; he simply stood aside and watched. Tan Huan was a combat-oriented person, growing fiercer with each battle. His bamboo-patterned sword absorbed the blood of his enemies, emitting a joyful tremor. The sword seemed to possess a spirit, stirring up more and more of Tan Huan's fighting spirit.

While fighting the people from Tang Sect and Youming Valley, Tan Huan also had to keep an eye on the surroundings, fearing that Pei Gu Mo might suddenly intervene. Suddenly, a glance to the side caused Tan Huan to freeze, and his sword strike slowed down as well.

A handsome young man, as elegant as the morning glow, approached her with light, graceful steps, taking her breath away. In that moment of distraction, she was struck in the arm. Tan Huan gasped in pain, gave a self-deprecating laugh, averted her gaze, and resumed her sword dance. Whoever came, it was none of her concern.

"Jin'er." Pei Gu Mo took two steps forward without changing his expression, actually blocking Pei Jin's way. "Why are you here earlier than planned?"

Pei Jin's voice was quite resonant. He glanced at the fighting crowd and looked at Pei Gu Mo, "Father, what's going on here?"

"That girl started it."

Pei Jin nodded, staring intently at Tan Huan, neither making a move nor interrupting.

“It’s been a while since I last saw her, and this girl’s martial arts skills have improved a lot. Seeing that she is unharmed, Baili Liushang must have treated her well.” Pei Gumo observed Pei Jin’s expression, but unfortunately he couldn’t see anything. He said worriedly, “Jin’er, considering her feelings for you, I can let her go. I’ll find an opportunity to release her.”

Pei Jin smiled and said, "That's not good. It would only tarnish Father's reputation. Father doesn't need to worry about me. Just do what you want."

Hearing him speak like this, Pei Gumo became even more worried. "Jin'er, a small act of impatience can ruin a great plan. If you want to clear Wu Tanhuan's name, you must find the murderer, the Tang Clan..."

"Father, what are you worried about?" Pei Jin smiled helplessly. "My affair with Tan Huan..." He paused, then stopped laughing. "It happened a long time ago. Now I'm just grateful to her, that's all."

Tan Huan fought with undivided concentration, no longer affected by Pei Jin. Although she could barely maintain focus, her movements became much more restrained, without her even realizing it. Because of Pei Jin's presence, she concealed many of her deadly moves. Her bamboo-patterned sword danced with fluid grace, her techniques lacking a certain chilling aura, and Tan Huan's predicament grew increasingly difficult.

Pei Jin stared at her intently. "If she breaks the rules of the martial world and becomes a demon, then I will stand by your side, Father, and take her down myself."

Really? Pei Gumo was skeptical. He knew his son's personality best. Jin'er's life had been smooth sailing from childhood; this privileged son of heaven had always believed he was right. So, when the blow came, he was powerless to stop Wu Tanhuan and Baili Liushang from leaving, knowing Wu Tanhuan was innocent but helpless. He didn't know what kind of turmoil was brewing in Jin'er's heart. Jin'er didn't say anything, no matter how he asked, he wouldn't answer, only remaining indifferent. "What do you plan to do now?"

Pei Jin was silent for a moment, then raised his eyes and smiled, "If Father allows, could you ask the others to stop for now? And let me capture her myself? She has always been good to me, so if possible, I don't want to hurt her. I will handle this matter well, Father, is that alright?"

Pei Jin's eyes held a calm that had come from deep contemplation. Pei Gu Mo couldn't persuade him, nor could he think of words to refuse, so he nodded and said, "Alright, I believe you." He did feel some sympathy for Wu Tan Huan, and he had considered making it up to her, but he didn't want her to be with Jin'er. This was for the best; if Jin'er took matters into her own hands, it would put an end to their relationship.

"Everyone, please stop! Leave this to my son!" Alliance Leader Pei shouted, abruptly halting everyone's actions.

However, Tan Huan ignored them. It was their business if they wanted to stop; she had no obligation to obey Pei Gu Mo's orders. A surge of silver light flashed in mid-air, someone cried out in alarm, and a bloodied arm fell to the ground. The air froze for a few seconds.

Tan Huan frowned almost imperceptibly. They'd only severed an arm? Her intention was to cut off the man's head, and she'd been stopped? Tan Huan slowly raised her eyes. Pei Jin stood three steps away, a fleeting flash of anger across his handsome face. Pei Jin said calmly, "I'll ask the Zheng Yang Palace for their martial arts techniques."

"Mind your own business," Tan Huan said indifferently. "You can save his life but not his hand. How much better is a cripple than a dead person?" A cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth. "Without an arm, he has no ability to protect himself. Aren't you just making him suffer?"

This is a dog-eat-dog world.

Pei Jin's expression was complicated. "Back then, you didn't have any martial arts skills, but you still survived, didn't you?"

His words struck a nerve, reminding her of the past buried deep within her heart. Tan Huan's face paled; back then, he was her only one. A sense of desolation and fear spread through her like wildflowers. She had imagined seeing him again countless times, thinking she would feel longing, confusion, even sadness. But she never imagined that seeing him would cause her fingers to tremble. She was afraid; she dared not see him.

The sun was shining brightly, and Tan Huan felt a chill on her body. The man in front of her was the person she once loved most, but she suddenly lost the courage to look at Pei Jin. However, it would be extremely foolish to look away from an enemy, so Tan Huan looked at him, stared at him, and said slowly and deliberately, "Back then, I thought someone would protect me."

Pei Jin's face also turned pale.

Tan Huan took a deep breath, smiled sweetly, and said casually, "Pei Jin, there's really nothing between us to say." She pointed her bamboo-patterned sword, the tip reflecting a dazzling light in the sunlight. "It's better to let strength speak for itself."

Pei Jin sighed, "Wouldn't it be better to just surrender? Do you really think you have a chance of winning?"

Without another word, Tan Huan leaped into the air, her robes fluttering. The bamboo-patterned sword is called that because of the winding patterns on its blade; if the swordsman's movements are fast enough, the attacker can easily lose track of the sword's trajectory. Tan Huan's movements were undoubtedly first-rate; she used her inner strength to propel the sword, her arms swirling like scattered flowers, creating ripples that caught him completely off guard.

Pei Jin couldn't help but smile. He'd gotten stronger. Under everyone's watchful eyes, he naturally wouldn't hold back, especially since he wanted to take down Tan Huan as soon as possible. So, he relentlessly pressured Tan Huan with every move.

Sand and gravel flew across the ground, the clashing of swords shook the air, and one battle of internal energy after another ensued. Tan Huan had already fought a battle and was clearly lacking in strength. She pursed her red lips, and the bamboo-patterned sword tumbled and soared in her hand, aiming to pierce Pei Jin's various acupoints.

Sunlight filters through the green leaves, casting dappled patterns on the ground. Each ray of light is warm and gentle.

Even at this point, Tan Huan still couldn't attack Pei Jin's vital points, her body tragically resisting everything. Pei Jin gave her a deep look, then once again dodged her bamboo-patterned sword, swiftly circling behind her and striking her shoulder with a palm strike. He thought this would knock her unconscious, but Tan Huan reacted quickly; with a "crack," her bone was injured, but she managed to dodge the attack.

Pei Jin's right hand trembled slightly, and he quickly covered it by placing it behind his back. His face remained calm, but his right hand behind his back was clenched into a fist, his heart churning with turmoil.

Tan Huan injured his right shoulder, so he switched the bamboo-patterned sword to his left hand and once again channeled his pure internal energy. The bamboo-patterned sword made a "hissing" sound, vibrating like waves.

"Admit defeat." Pei Jin stared at her intently and said seriously, "Continuing to fight will only lead to more injuries."

"As long as I fight a little longer, I can buy more time so that my senior brother can get far away," Tan Huan said. "What does it matter if I get injured? Even if I die, I will continue."

"...You did this for your senior brother?"

Tan Huan thought for a moment. Was she sacrificing herself for Luo Yi? It didn't seem so. She was afraid of being punished by Baili Liushang, and that would mean being unable to live or die. "For Zhengyang Palace," Tan Huan said righteously, "we can't let the Lonely Dust Sword fall into your hands."

Pei Jin's heart skipped a beat. After a moment of silence, with his eyes still fixed on Tan Huan's face, he said, "Father, I'll deal with Wu Tan Huan here. You take the others and chase after Luo Yi. No one can escape."

Tan Huan glared at Pei Jin with wide eyes, staring back at him hatefully. When did he become so scheming?

In truth, Pei Jin had always been cunning, but she had never revealed it in front of Tan Huan. Pei Gu Mo remained silent for a long time, then sighed and ordered, "Very well." Before leaving, he glanced at Pei Jin again, his gaze containing both probing and warning, which Pei Jin accepted indifferently, not taking it to heart.

"I don't need to go, do I? Even Alliance Leader Pei has been mobilized, so why would I be needed?" Tang Weiyu sat on the ground, the bleeding in her chest almost stopped, and laughed, "Besides, I'm injured and can't move around easily."

Pei Gumo considered for a long time. He was worried about Pei Jin, whose son was becoming increasingly unpredictable. It would be good to leave someone here to keep an eye on him. "You can stay here. After Jin'er takes down Wu Tanhuan, I'll send you back to heal your wounds."

Pei Jin smiled enigmatically, his pupils deep and unfathomable. "Father, you should help Young Master Tang back to his room to rest first. Wu Tanhuan's martial arts skills are not low; it wouldn't be good if he accidentally injured Young Master Tang during the fight." There was a hint of threat in his tone. He smiled at Tang Weiyu, "Young Master, don't you agree?"

Tang Weiyu's pupils contracted. In a moment, without Pei Gumo by his side, there would be Pei Jin, whose stance was unclear, and Wu Tanhuan, who was eager to kill him. He had heard about the matter between Wu Tanhuan and Pei Jin back then, and after hearing Pei Jin's words now, he was deeply worried. After thinking for a while, he gritted his teeth and said, "Young Master Pei is absolutely right. I'd better go back to my room."

Pei Jin smiled gently, meeting Pei Gu Mo's increasingly suspicious gaze, and said, "Father, you'd better catch up with them as soon as possible, it wouldn't be good if they escaped."

“Luo Yi has escaped into the forbidden area of the Netherworld Valley, so we can’t just chase after him directly,” Pei Gu Mo said. “I need to go and discuss this with Valley Master Ba first.” Although he was worried about what his son might do, he decided to let Pei Jin handle it. Wu Tan Huan was an obstacle for Pei Jin, and since he would have to overcome this obstacle someday, it was better for him to decide what to do now. So, Pei Gu Mo led the others to find Ba Li.

A gentle breeze blew, and Pei Jin smiled. Finally, it was just the two of them left. "You really won't admit defeat?"

Tan Huan watched Pei Gu Mo's departing figure with resentment. It was over, she couldn't hold him off any longer. She said angrily, "You've asked me so many times, don't you understand what I'm saying?"

“You were buying time for Luo Yi to escape just now, but it’s unnecessary now. Shall we continue fighting?” Pei Jin said leisurely. “Tan Huan, you might be able to beat me in a few years, but not now.”

After a moment of silence, Tan Huan said, "You've become stronger too."

He's gotten stronger? Yes, he's been practicing martial arts like crazy since that day; he's practically obsessed with becoming stronger. Pei Jin's gaze shifted from her shoulder to her face, looking at her with unusual seriousness. "Tan Huan, why don't you wear that Golden Cicada Armor?" The invulnerable Golden Cicada Armor, a gift he gave her—why isn't she wearing it?

"Hmm, I tucked it at the bottom of the box. I haven't worn it, and I don't plan to," Tan Huan said calmly.

"Why?"

"Because it was you who gave it to me," Tan Huan said clearly. "You and I have nothing to do with each other anymore."

Pei Jin's heart sank instantly. His throat went dry, and he said hoarsely, "I also gave you the Lonely Dust Sword, so why didn't you hide it?"

“That sword isn’t mine,” Tan Huan declared confidently. “Didn’t you hear what my senior brother said at the end? That sword belongs to Master, it’s no longer mine.”

Pei Jin felt bitter, her eyes lowered, and her voice was low, "Tan Huan, what do you want?"

"The Lonely Dust Sword and Yuan Gu."

Pei Jin gave a bitter smile. "This is what Baili Liushang wants, not you. Ask yourself honestly, what do you want?" In the past, she would have answered without hesitation that she wanted Pei Jin, but things were different now. This time, she didn't ask about his engagement with Shu Yunyao, nor whether he liked her or not. Pei Jin had no confidence at all. After waiting for a long time, he finally received Tan Huan's answer: "I want to be the best in the world."

"I see..." Pei Jin smiled, his beauty unparalleled. A gentle breeze ruffled his black hair, his tall and straight figure making him appear even more dashing. Tan Huan was momentarily stunned. In an instant, Pei Jin flashed in front of her, taking advantage of her momentary distraction to strike her pressure points.

It's over. She'd fallen for the Chinese man's trap, collapsing limply from pleasure. Pei Jin reached out and caught her, holding her gently in his arms, then pulling her close. "I was so presumptuous... I thought you wanted the same thing as before..."

When Tan Huan woke up, she found that several major acupoints on her body were sealed, and they probably wouldn't be able to be broken anytime soon. She blinked. The room was clean, unlike a prison cell. There was a small table by the window, with several chairs next to it, and tea and pastries on the table. Tan Huan looked away and saw another chair by the bed. She reached out and touched it; the chair was still warm, so someone must have been sitting there.

"You're awake?" Pei Jin walked in from outside the door, a slight smile playing on his lips, his handsome features so striking that it was impossible to look away. "I was afraid you would escape, so I sealed your acupoints."

Tan Huan remained silent, watching him warily.

Pei Jin didn't take it to heart and smiled, "Are you hungry? You can eat something first."

Tan Huan stared intently at him. "What do you plan to do?"

Pei Jin froze as he reached for the snacks. "You want to go back to Zhengyang Palace?" He turned around. "You've made that place your home?"

Tan Huan frankly said, "There are people there who teach me martial arts, so I can learn martial arts in peace, and no one will come to kill me. Of course I want to go back."

Pei Jin's eyes lit up slightly, "Just because of this?"

Tan Huan stared at him silently, nodded, then shook her head, unable to quite explain it herself. It was a contradictory feeling; she was afraid of Baili Liushang, yet felt very safe being near him.

Pei Jin said in a deep voice, "Tan Huan, if your grievances can be redressed, if the entire martial arts world stops hunting you down, will you still stay in Zhengyang Palace?"

Pei Jin said this in a very serious tone. Tan Huan thought for a moment, "When I need protection, you just stay there and don't come out. When I don't need it, you leave. Do you think that's a good thing?" Putting aside whether it's morally right or not, Baili Liushang could never be used like this and remain indifferent.

Pei Jin was speechless for a long time before slowly saying, "You're not being protected by Baili Liushang for no reason. He took your Lonely Dust Sword and made you risk your life for him, didn't he?"

Tan Huan nodded. Of course, she would use whatever she could. Her master wasn't a philanthropist; he had only asked her to bring Yuan Gu back, and she was already grateful that he hadn't ordered her to kill Pei Jin. Thinking of this, Tan Huan frowned slightly. Had her threshold for gratitude been lowering after spending so much time with Baili Liushang?

“However, for me, my life is more important than the Lonely Dust Sword, so I will never forget my master’s life-saving grace.” Tan Huan’s voice was slow. “He used me, but I also used him at the same time, using him to teach me martial arts. We are about the same, and neither of us should look down on the other.”

Pei Jin was speechless again. He felt a pang of sadness and raised his hand to stroke Tan Huan's head in comfort, a gesture that used to be quite ordinary. But Tan Huan moved away, avoiding his touch. Pei Jin's face darkened, and he silently withdrew his hand. "Tan Huan, I will find the real murderer who killed the entire Wu family and clear your name."

Tan Huan was silent for a moment, then asked, "So you want to marry Shu Yunyao?"

Pei Jin was completely frozen in place. "I...I didn't..." He took a deep breath and composed himself. "If I really married her, what would you do?"

Tan Huan remained expressionless, revealing nothing to him. "Then marry her." She wasn't as domineering as Baili Liushang; if she couldn't have it, why shouldn't someone else? Marry her, and she'd finally give up completely.

Pei Jin's face turned dark, a very, very dark color.

Just as the two were in silence, the door was flung open and Pei Gumo rushed in. He glanced at Pei Jin first, then looked at Tan Huan and asked, "Where is Luo Yi?"

Greedy squinted; had his senior brother successfully escaped right under Pei Gu Mo's nose? "How should I know?"

"You didn't know?" Pei Gu Mo's tone was slightly anxious. He had finally obtained Ba Li's permission to search the forbidden western area of the Netherworld Valley, but found nothing. "Didn't you discuss this beforehand?"

Tan Huan laughed, "We didn't discuss it. The most my senior brother can do is help me get revenge." She paused, tilting her head to look at him, "Even if we had discussed it beforehand, Alliance Leader Pei, do you think I would have told you?"

Pei Gu Mo was annoyed by her sidelong glance. He flashed in front of her, grabbed her shoulder with one hand, and wouldn't let her move an inch. Tan Huan stubbornly didn't cry out in pain, but looked up at him with cold indifference, without hatred or hostility. Tan Huan didn't move, but Pei Jin made the first move. He gently pushed his father's hand away and said calmly, "I sealed her acupoints, Father. She can't withstand your strength."

Pei Gu Mo was furious with his son. Wasn't this blatant favoritism? "You think I'm putting my arm around her shoulder to show friendliness?" Pain? It would be abnormal if it didn't hurt! "Even if you don't seal her acupoints, she can't withstand it!"

Pei Jin stepped diagonally with her right foot, blocking her father's path. "She has done the Pei family a favor, Father, please have mercy."

What is this? What does this kid think he can do to Wu Tanhuan? Pei Gumo's face turned ashen. What really angered him was his son's words and actions. "I didn't show her any mercy?" If he hadn't shown mercy, ten Wu Tanhuans would already be dead!

"Hahaha..." Laughter came from outside the door. Bali walked in slowly. The Valley Master of Youming Valley had not changed at all, at least in Tan Huan's eyes. "Alliance Leader Pei, I have only heard of the saying that a married daughter is like water spilled out. I did not expect that the son is the same."

Pei Gumo frowned, maintaining his composure and refraining from arguing with her.

Bali walked up to Tan Huan, her blind eye covered by an eye patch, her other eye half-open and half-closed. "Little girl, we meet again."

Tan Huan said, "Master Ba, how have you been?"

“Come with me, Yuan Gu wants to see you,” Bali said calmly.