Ordre du Lotus Rouge

Chapitre 8

The burly man kicked out, sending the table flying several feet away, heading straight for Sima Liuyun's table.

At that moment, the burly man and the other heroes leaped out simultaneously, their weapons gleaming coldly, and rushed toward Sima Liuyun.

Sima Liuyun remained calm and composed. In a flash, he rose from his seat, flicked his finger at the flying table leg, and the table flew back rapidly, its corner striking the burly man squarely in the chest, specifically the Tanzhong acupoint. The man, still in mid-air, had just swung his sword when he felt a tightness in his chest. The sword fell limply to the ground, and he collapsed, unable to move.

The assembled guests only saw a flash of light before their eyes, and before they could even see how Sima Liuyun made his move, the burly man was already lying on the ground, his life hanging in the balance. They were all greatly shocked and stood frozen in place, none daring to step forward and attack. Sima Liuyun smiled slightly, picked up the broadsword that the burly man had dropped beside him, and casually tossed it to the ground. The broadsword instantly disappeared into the ground, leaving only a crack in the bluestone brick.

Seeing that he had shown his skills, the group of wealthy guests knew they were no match for him. Then they heard a follower behind Sima Liuyun shout, "My young master does not wish to kill more people. If you want to die, get out of here!" The group of people looked at each other, exchanged glances, and hurriedly helped the fallen man up. They rushed out of the inn in a swarm.

There had just been a commotion in the hall. The elderly couple had huddled in a corner, their already distressed faces now deathly pale. The young man had also turned around. He had a straight nose, a small mouth, fair skin, and rather handsome features. Yet, he didn't seem panicked at all. He stood quietly in the other corner, watching the crowd.

Sima Liuyun couldn't help but glance at the young man again, then walked towards the elderly couple and said gently, "It was my fault for disturbing you two elders. Please forgive me..."

Before he could finish speaking, he felt a dark cloud rushing towards him. Startled, he didn't have time to think and his body shot backward several feet like an arrow. He reached out and pulled a table in front of him to block it. There was a series of hissing sounds as several small hidden weapons were embedded in the table.

The elderly couple had completely changed their timid demeanor; their eyes gleamed with a sharp light. The old woman let out a soft "Eh!" and exclaimed, "To be able to dodge my Phantom Needle from so close, Sima Liuyun truly lives up to his reputation!"

Sima Liuyun raised an eyebrow slightly and said calmly, "It seems that the bounty on my head in the martial arts world is indeed quite high, enough to warrant the personal intervention of the 'Ghost Bat' couple."

The old woman smiled slightly and said, "Young Master Sima has flattered my husband and me so much that I feel a little reluctant to make a move."

The old man glanced at her, said nothing, and rushed towards Sima Liuyun.

The old woman laughed and said, "Since my husband has taken action, I, though reluctant, have no choice but to follow his lead. Please don't take offense, Young Master Sima." With that, she leaped forward and attacked from both sides.

Although the Ghost Bat couple were fighting unarmed, both of their fingers were fitted with sharp, poison-soaked finger guards. Even a slight scratch from their fingertips would be fatal. Sima Liuyun dared not underestimate them; he donned his black silk gloves and swiftly engaged them in battle.

☆ Anping Night

This ghost bat couple has their own unique style of martial arts, with unpredictable and strange movements. In addition, since they have been classmates since childhood, their tacit understanding in offense and defense is as good as one, which makes their moves even more powerful.

Seeing this, the followers were about to step forward to help, but the old woman laughed and said, "Old man, let me deal with these eyesores first, then I'll come and help you." As she spoke, she swayed a few times and disappeared among the followers.

Sima Liuyun's expression hardened, and he immediately shouted, "Form a sword formation! Beware of her poisonous claws!"

The attendants responded to the order, each holding a longsword and preparing for battle. The old woman, seeing that her opponents stood in pairs, their swords pointing in strange directions, forming a subtle encirclement around her, dared not be careless. She said, "Very well, I have long admired the Sima family's Nebula Sword Formation. Today I will experience it for myself!" Before her words had even finished, a figure appeared like a ghost, leaping towards the two beside her. The two, seeing her approach, neither blocked nor dodged. Just as the old woman was wondering what was happening, she suddenly saw sword shadows flicker and light flash; more than ten longswords were already aimed at her vital points from different directions.

This Nebula Sword Formation is one of the three great skills of the Sima family. It is inspired by the idea that although starlight is weak, when gathered into clouds, it can rival the sun and moon in brilliance. Although the skills of the followers were far inferior to those of the old woman, the sword formation they formed actually displayed great power, and the old woman was somewhat overwhelmed for a time.

Sima Liuyun knew that the opportunity was not to be missed. Seeing the old man's claw attack, he did not dodge. Instead, his right palm struck out like lightning, lightly patting the old man's front.

Seeing that Sima Liuyun's black silk hand was not afraid of his poisonous claws, the old man quickly changed his claws into palms, and with a "heh," he met Sima Liuyun's palms together. He knew that Sima Liuyun's martial arts were very high, but he thought that since he was young, his internal strength must be slightly inferior to his own. However, the moment their palms met, he felt the powerful and domineering internal energy surging from the other's palms. He couldn't help but feel that something was wrong and hurriedly activated his internal energy to resist it.

After a moment, a thin layer of sweat appeared on both of their foreheads. Sima Liuyun smiled slightly, but his right palm had already slowly moved forward a few inches.

Just then, several flying knives shot out from the back hall, accompanied by a whistling sound, flying rapidly towards the two men. The old woman cried out in alarm, "Old man, be careful!" Trapped within the sword formation, she watched helplessly as the flying knives reached the two men, unable to help them in time.

Sima Liuyun had already sensed something amiss behind him, but he and the old man were locked in a crucial battle of internal strength, neither daring to make the slightest move, lest they be killed instantly. Then, with a soft hissing sound, a throwing knife flew past his ear and pierced the old man's right shoulder. Sima Liuyun, using his sense of direction, knew that most of the throwing knives had been aimed at his vital points behind him, but those nearby had been struck by something, causing them to lose their aim and veer to the side. He couldn't help but feel slightly surprised.

The old man's expression changed; black blood seeped from his shoulder wound, and the force in his palm vanished. Sima Liuyun, not wanting to kill him, withdrew his palm and turned to look towards the back hall. He saw a man lying face up on the ground, blood gushing from his throat—it was the waiter who had served them earlier. The waiter's clothes were lifted, revealing a row of gleaming throwing knives beneath his tight-fitting undershirt; he was likely the one who had attacked him earlier.

Sima Liuyun waved his hand, ordering his attendants to disband the sword formation, and said to the old woman, "Madam, do you wish to continue taking my life, or would you like to leave first to cure your husband's poison?"

The old woman had already leaped over and landed beside her husband. She and her husband were experts in poisons, so they weren't particularly concerned about the poison wound. She took out an antidote pill from her bosom and fed it to the old man, then turned to Sima Liuyun and smiled, "We don't want your life, young master. Young Master Sima, I am very grateful that you didn't take advantage of the situation to kill my husband. If there's an opportunity in the future, I will definitely repay this favor."

She nodded slightly to Sima Liuyun, then helped her husband out of the inn and disappeared into the night.

Sima Liuyun frowned slightly, slipped to the back hall and looked inside, finding it empty. A gust of autumn wind blew in through the half-open window, filling the room with a chill mixed with a faint smell of blood, adding to the eeriness of the Anping Inn.

Sima Liuyun returned to the body of the waiter and saw a sharp piece of porcelain stuck in his throat. With a thought, he turned to look at the young man standing in the corner.

The young man seemed to be deep in thought, his hand lightly resting on the table beside him, his expression shifting uncertainly.

Seeing the scattered pieces of bowls and plates on the table beside him, Sima Liuyun became even more certain of his guess and walked towards the corner.

When the young man saw him approach, his face turned pale, and he slightly pulled his arm back from the table and slowly put it behind his back.

But then Sima Liuyun's gentle voice slowly rang out: "I am deeply grateful for your help just now."

The young man was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and blurted out, "What did you say?"

Sima Liuyun was even more surprised when he heard the soft and gentle voice of the man, which sounded like that of a woman. He said, "Brother, you knocked down the flying knife with a piece of broken bowl and plate. I am truly impressed by your skill in using hidden weapons."

The young man's eyes flickered, the panic on his face slowly faded, and he smiled at him, revealing two small dimples on his cheeks, and said softly, "You saw through me?"

Sima Liuyun smiled and cupped his hands, saying, "I am Sima Liuyun from Sichuan. May I ask your honorable name, brother?"

The young man's eyes flickered, revealing a hint of allure, and he chuckled softly, "I..."

Before he could finish speaking, he heard a whistle coming from outside the inn, and his expression changed slightly.

Seeing that everything about today's events was strange, Sima Liuyun pondered for a moment and then instructed his followers, "Be careful, let's go out and take a look."

As the group exited the inn, they saw several men in tight-fitting clothes surrounding a woman in black in an open space in front of the door. One of them shouted, "Witch, we've caught you red-handed this time. Let's see where you can run now!"

The man in black turned his head coldly and looked at the person who had spoken. In the moonlight, Sima Liuyun could see her profile clearly and couldn't help but mutter to himself, "It's her?"

The woman in black had eyes as clear as stars, yet they carried a hint of coldness as she said in a chilling voice, "Have you all mistaken me for someone else?"

A man in a tight-fitting outfit said in a deep voice, "We discovered your whereabouts in the capital and tracked you all the way here. How could we mistake you for someone else? Su Wan, you can't escape today, no matter how many wings you have!"

Sima Liuyun recognized the man who spoke as He Zhenyang, a master of the Kongtong Sect. Seeing that the two sides were on the verge of a fight, he quickly called out, "Brother Zhenyang."

He Zhenyang and the others, along with the woman in black, turned their heads at the same time upon hearing the sound.

Upon seeing Sima Liuyun, the woman in black remained expressionless, but He Zhenyang was taken aback for a moment before exclaiming with delight, "Ah, I never expected to meet Young Master Sima here."

Sima Liuyun stepped forward with a smile, bowed to him, and asked, "I wonder what this young lady has done to offend your sect, causing Brother Zhenyang and everyone else to track her down from a thousand miles away?"

He Zhenyang looked embarrassed and said in a low voice, "Young Master Sima is one of us, so it's alright to tell you. This vixen was originally Su Wan, a disgraced disciple of my Kongtong Sect. Years ago, she was expelled from Kongtong by my master for disobeying his superiors. Who knew she would harbor such evil intentions? Several months ago, she sneaked into Kongtong and stabbed my master's widow and two children to death. We went to great lengths to find out her whereabouts, and today we will definitely bring her back to Kongtong to be punished!" After saying that, he looked at the woman in black with hatred in his eyes.

The woman in black frowned more and more as she listened, and said coldly, "What Su Wan? I don't know her at all."

Sima Liuyun nodded slightly and asked, "When was Su Wan expelled from Kongtong?"

He Zhenyang said, "It has been five or six years already."

Sima Liuyun pondered and said, "Brother Zhenyang, are you really sure that this young lady is Su Wan? To be honest, I met this young lady once before, but I didn't think she was such a vicious person. Is there some misunderstanding?"

He Zhenyang stared at the woman in black for a moment, then felt a little hesitant.

He had been tracking Su Wan all the way from the capital, but she always managed to escape through trickery. Tonight, he received definite news that she had arrived here, so he immediately led his fellow disciples to chase after her. They happened to meet this woman in black outside the inn. Although he could not see her face clearly in the darkness, he saw that the woman's age and figure were similar to Su Wan's, and that she was skilled in martial arts. He immediately knew that she was the person he was looking for.

At this moment, Sima Liuyun spoke up to remind him, and he realized that the woman in black did indeed look quite different from Su Wan, whom he had seen before. He was disappointed and muttered, "Are you really not Su Wan? Then why did you try to run away when you saw us?"

The woman in black snorted: "I was just passing by, and you surrounded me without a word. How do I know you didn't have ill intentions?"

Sima Liuyun smiled and said, "It turns out it was a misunderstanding. Now that it has been explained, that's for the best."

The woman in black remained silent with a cold expression. He Zhenyang's face flushed slightly, and he cleared his throat, saying, "Young Master Sima, we still need to continue tracking down that vixen Su Wan, so it is inconvenient for us to stay here any longer. If you have time in the future, please come to Kongtong for a chat."

Sima Liuyun smiled and agreed. He Zhenyang nodded to the woman in black and whispered, "Excuse me." Then he led the Kongtong disciples away.

Sima Liuyun turned his gaze to the woman in black. Seeing that her dark eyes were also looking at him, he asked, "Do you still remember me, young lady?"

The woman in black smiled slightly, her coldness instantly vanishing. She nodded to him and said, "Yes, thank you for helping me out of that predicament, young master."

Seeing her smile, Sima Liuyun felt a sense of closeness for some reason, so he smiled and said, "I have met you three times now, it is fate. It was just a small favor, there is no need to thank me."

As the two were talking, a follower came out of Anping Inn and whispered in Sima Liuyun's ear, "The assassin's body has been properly disposed of. I have instructed the innkeeper to wait until dawn before reporting to the authorities after we leave."

Sima Liuyun nodded. The woman in black was about to take the opportunity to leave when she caught sight of a figure in front of the inn. A sharp glint flashed in her eyes, and then she lowered her eyelashes and said indifferently, "I was just about to check into the inn. Since you are also staying at this inn, sir, let's go inside and talk."

The young man was still waiting in the inn's lobby. When he saw the group return, he greeted them with a happy expression and asked, "Those people from earlier..." He paused when he saw the woman in black.

The woman in black remained unmoved, giving him a brief, indifferent glance.

☆ Surrounded by tigers and wolves

A look of realization dawned on the young man's eyes, and he then smiled and asked Sima Liuyun, "Young Master Sima, is this young lady your friend? She's come here so late, she must have come specifically to find you?"

Sima Liuyun blushed and said, "Brother, you jest. This is..." He had met the woman in black many times, but still did not know her name. He paused halfway through his sentence.

The woman in black smiled slightly and replied, "Luo Ranyun."

The young man's eyes flickered slightly, and he said with a smile, "My name is Wu Ming, it's a pleasure to meet you."

He smiled and met the black-clad woman's gaze. They both understood each other without saying a word, and then lowered their eyes at the same time.

The night was deep.

In the stables in the backyard of the inn, a figure silently swept past.

The man hesitated for a moment in front of the manger before slipping away. Suddenly, a cold voice came from behind him: "Why would the charming Miss Wanwan from Lanxiang Pavilion disguise herself as a man and appear in this remote town? It's really strange."

The man was startled and quickly turned around. Seeing that it was the woman in black who had spoken, he breathed a sigh of relief and whispered, "So it's Miss Yun. You gave me quite a fright... But why has Miss Yun come here?" She rolled her eyes and chuckled softly, "Let Wanwan guess... Could it be that Miss Yun has also come for that bounty?"

Yun Ran stared coldly at Wanwan without answering. She had already become suspicious when she vaguely saw Wanwan's figure outside the inn earlier. Later, when she returned to the inn with Sima Liuyun and saw Wanwan dressed as a man under the alias Wu Ming, she did not expose her on the spot, but kept an eye on her in secret. Sure enough, she found that the woman's behavior was suspicious and that she must have some ulterior motive.

Seeing her expression, Wanwan became even more certain and said softly, "So it was you, young lady, who deflected the flying knife with a shard of porcelain and killed the man disguised as a waiter. Actually, before Sima Liuyun arrived, Miss Yun had already arrived and was hiding in the back hall of the inn, right?"

Yun Ran's eyes flickered, and she asked, "Those江湖豪客 (jianghu heroes) and the person disguised as a waiter, were they all helpers you invited?"

Wanwan chuckled and nodded, saying, "I've been wondering why Sima Liuyun and the others' food was poisoned and yet he showed no ill effects. It turns out Miss Yun secretly switched the medicine. Miss Yun is preventing us from killing Sima Liuyun, presumably because she doesn't want the bounty to fall into someone else's hands... Very well, a share for those who find it. Sima Liuyun has no suspicion of either of us right now. As long as we keep him here for one day tomorrow, we can join forces and surely take his life. Then we can split the bounty equally. What do you think, Miss Yun?"

Yun Ran's eyes held a half-smile as she said calmly, "This suggestion sounds quite good."

Wanwan's expression brightened, but then she heard Yunran slowly continue, "However, you are being hunted down and barely have time to take care of yourself. So why would you join forces with me to share the bounty, Miss Su Wan?"

Wanwan's body trembled slightly, and she forced a smile, "Miss Yun, what do you mean?"

Yun Ran stared into her eyes and said coldly, "You can stay put if you behave yourself. If you get in my way again, I guarantee that within half a day, the people of the Kongtong Sect will find out where Miss Su Wan is." After saying that, she ignored her and flew out of the stable.

The next morning, Sima Liuyun and his companions got up and packed their things, ready to set off on their journey, when the innkeeper came to them with a distressed expression and said, "Your horses have eaten something bad and have had diarrhea all night. Several of them have already collapsed and are unable to get up."

The group looked at each other in bewilderment. This was a remote town, and it would be difficult to buy horses. Their journey was already tight, and if they were to linger here for another day, they feared they would not be able to return to Sichuan on time.

Wanwan's eyes gleamed with cunning as she secretly glanced at Yunran, a smug look creeping into her heart.

But then Yun Ran smiled faintly and suddenly asked, "Young Master Sima, are you on an urgent journey to Sichuan?"

Sima Liuyun felt anxious, frowned slightly, and softly hummed in agreement.

Yun Ran smiled and said, "My mount is quite unruly, so I left it alone at a nearby farmhouse before we stopped at the inn. I'm sure it didn't get sick from eating. If you don't mind, I'll give you a ride along the way."

Sima Liuyun said happily, "Thank you very much, Miss Luo." He then took his baggage, gave a few instructions to his attendants, and walked out of the inn with Yun Ran.