Sept nuits de neige

Chapitre 93

However, Xu Ziqing still felt that something was wrong.

He always felt that someone was watching him from the shadows, probing his every move. Like a motionless spider, it had spun a net, grinning as it waited for him, this oblivious bee, to eagerly fall into its trap.

He had once shared these feelings with Gu Yan, which terrified her and made him feel extremely guilty. From then on, he kept these feelings hidden deep in his heart and bore them alone. Although he knew that Gu Yan's martial arts skills were not bad, and might even be several levels better than his own, subconsciously, Xu Ziqing believed that a man had a responsibility to protect his wife.

This worry grew stronger each day. He had grown up in Xiaoyao Manor, completely ignorant of the ways of the world. When his family was destroyed, he was still young and knew nothing of sorrow. Now, this torment had left him pale, thin, and listless. Gu Yan said worriedly, "Qing-ge, why don't we go back together?"

Xu Ziqing forced himself to stay awake: "The poison in your body..."

"It doesn't matter; chronic poisoning isn't something that happens in a short time."

Xu Ziqing shook his head: "Let's not talk about that. There are rumors everywhere that my Xiaoyao Manor has some kind of cultivation technique. It is said that several sects have already set up a matrix at the foot of Xiaoyao Mountain. If we go back now and people follow us, wouldn't that cause trouble for our sects?"

Gu Yan remained silent, seemingly deep in thought, before finally saying, "Brother Qing, it turns out you care so much about your sect."

Xu Ziqing said, "One should never forget one's roots. Although my master did not come from a high social class, he is still the one who raised me."

Gu Yan smiled charmingly: "Brother Qing, how much do you remember about the past? I mean, before your family fell on hard times..."

Xu Ziqing said sadly, "I can't remember. Those are all things of the past. What's the use of remembering?" He reached out and hugged Gu Yan to his heart. "I am very content now. The moment I saw you, I had a feeling of déjà vu. Perhaps this is fate."

Gu Yan buried her face in his chest: "Brother Qing... I..."

He seemed to know what his wife wanted to say: "I don't care much about your past. Now that you're out here, you know better what it means to be caught up in the world and not be in control of your own destiny. All I know is that my Yan is a good girl, and that's enough."

Gu Yan sobbed softly, and after a long while said, "If I ever wrong you in the future, and you want to kill me, don't hesitate."

Xu Ziqing said softly, "Silly girl, what nonsense are you talking about again?"

Gu Yan nodded and hugged him even tighter.

Just as Xu Ziqing was about to say something, he heard a cold laugh from above.

Just as the two were lost in their tender moment, they were suddenly startled. Xu Ziqing's scalp tingled, and he instinctively pushed his wife behind him, only to find nothing. Xu Ziqing had only ever seen Shen Yuntan use such masterful skill. The scene of him effortlessly cutting off Gu Yan's ear was still vivid in his mind. Xu Ziqing blurted out, "Shen Yuntan! You can't win over my senior sister, so don't take it out on my wife!"

"Well said!" The newcomer sneered, his voice quite different from Shen Yun's.

Xu Ziqing finally calmed down and looked closely: "Sang Tian... Tianxiu?"

The man had an arrogant and aloof demeanor. Although his appearance was exactly like Tianxiu's, his temperament was completely different.

Gu Yan was rendered limp and weak by his acupressure, and said listlessly, "He's not Sang Tianxiu, he's Tianshu! Brother Qing, run! Run!"

"Take me to Xiaoyao Mountain." Tian Shu said expressionlessly.

Xu Ziqing clenched his fist and slowly but firmly shook his head.

Tian Shu abandoned Gu Yan and stretched out his arm towards Xu Ziqing. He watched the long arm reach out, but couldn't dodge in time and was caught by Tian Shu. Tian Shu carried Xu Ziqing into the room, ignoring Gu Yan's cries, and kicked the door shut.

Xu Ziqing breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that he had let his wife go, and gritted his teeth and said, "Use whatever torture you have!"

Tian Shu, however, only drank his tea and slowly said, "You only care about your wife's poisoning, but you don't know that you yourself are terminally ill. The Immortal Powder is priceless, and it's a waste to use it on someone like you."

Xu Ziqing said hatefully, "Even if it hurts a hundred times more, I won't beg you."

Tian Shu remained silent, only watching the setting sun gradually disappear in the west.

The sun finally set. Usually, Gu Yan would have already prepared the meal by this time. Xu Ziqing didn't feel hungry, but he felt drowsy and kept yawning.

Tian Shu glanced at him sideways and gave a slight, cold smile.

"What will he do to me? Why is he smiling at me?" Xu Ziqing asked anxiously. "No matter what, I can't let him lay a finger on Yanmei."

He stared intently at Tian Shu, ready to pounce on him and hold on tight no matter what movement he made.

However, Tian Shu did nothing but look out the window.

A moment later, Xu Ziqing felt unwell all over, restless, as if something was missing. A sense of helplessness and emptiness rose from his dantian and spread through his limbs. An indescribable pain emanated from his bones, as if insects were gnawing at them.

The feeling was like a surging tide, overwhelming him completely. Xu Ziqing endured the pain to barely sit up and avoid rolling around in agony.

"That's about it." Tian Shu nodded.

No sooner had he finished speaking than Xu Ziqing collapsed to the ground, scratching and clawing wildly, clearly enduring immense pain.

"If you lead the way, I'll give you the antidote. Once you take it, I guarantee you'll be cured." Tian Shu's voice was incredibly seductive, penetrating his mind.

Xu Ziqing wanted to kill himself. A deep-seated craving compelled him to reach out and beg, yet he forcibly suppressed it. His vision blurred, his mind consumed by demons. He desperately clung to his remaining sanity, fearing that the next moment he would utterly collapse, kneeling at Tian Shu's feet, groveling for mercy.

"Stubborn as a rock, and with a bit of guts!" Tian Shu exclaimed. "Immortal's Powder is a rare poison, the most beautiful and the most wicked demon. Its flowers are incomparably beautiful, as delicate as the feathered robes of a celestial being. Once ingested, it grants one the greatest pleasure in the world, making one linger there, unable to escape. For a lifetime, it's like a venomous snake, coiling around you, impossible to break free. It also tempts you, making you willingly abandon everything, becoming a slave."

He rarely spoke so much, but he said a lot at this moment. However, Xu Ziqing had no time to pay attention to it. He just rolled and struggled on the ground, banging his head against the wall until he was covered in blood and screamed repeatedly, his voice no longer human.

Despite the immense pain, he still did not beg for mercy.

Drowsy, Xu Ziqing fell asleep. He vaguely saw Gu Yan waving her hand to call him, but when he rushed over excitedly, Gu Yan turned into a blue-faced, fanged demon, baring her teeth and claws as she pounced on him.

He thought he was going to die.

This kind of pain would have been worse than death, yet he hadn't died. When he opened his eyes, the sky was already turning white. He had no strength left in his body, but the unbearable feeling seemed to have subsided a little. Xu Ziqing was covered in sweat, lying on the ground, and uttered two words: "Demon."

Tian Shu coldly said, "I know you're a tough guy and can pull through. But I don't know if your wife has the same willpower. She doesn't know the secret to climbing the mountain, and I won't give an antidote to a cripple."

Xu Ziqing's expression changed drastically.

When Tian Shu pushed open the door and came out, Gu Yan was sitting on the floor, tears streaming down her face.

"He did everything he could to protect you." Tian Shu's face held a strange, enigmatic smile. "If he knew... that you were the one who administered the poison..."