Ordre du Lotus Rouge

Chapitre 21

Sima Liuyun snorted, a cold light flashing in his hand, and his long sword swiftly pointed towards the two people.

The two guards, who were still recovering from Sima Liuyun's serious injuries, thought they could easily defeat him. However, seeing his lightning-fast movements and exquisite swordsmanship, they were filled with fear. One of them noticed the bloodstains on Sima Liuyun's chest and exclaimed with delight, "This kid's wound has reopened; he won't last much longer!"

Sima Liuyun's eyes flashed with a fierce light. With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a series of sword moves. The man suddenly felt surrounded by sword shadows, with no way to dodge. With a muffled groan, the long sword pierced through his chest, and he died instantly.

His companion was shocked and hurriedly struck Sima Liuyun in the back with his palm. Sima Liuyun turned around to stab, but felt a sharp pain in his chest and his hand was weak. His long sword was stuck in the corpse of the dead guard and he could not pull it out.

Seeing Sima Liuyun sway slightly and freeze in his movements, the man was overjoyed. He placed his palm against Sima Liuyun's chest without exerting any force and whispered, "Let go and withdraw your sword!"

Just as he was about to seal Sima Liuyun's acupoints, he suddenly felt a slight gust of wind behind his head. He quickly turned his head, and a steel claw silently grazed his neck.

The guard broke out in a cold sweat. Turning his head, he saw Wanwan's grappling hook heading towards his chest again. He suddenly realized what was happening and roared, "You wretch! So you're an accomplice of the fugitive!" His martial arts skills far surpassed Wanwan's. He swiftly extended his palm, grabbed the grappling hook chain, and pulled it forcefully in front of him. Wanwan lost her grip and staggered forward several steps. She released the chain and darted towards Sima Liuyun's side, reaching for the long sword in the corpse.

The guard sneered and raised his palm to strike Wanwan on the back of the head. He only wanted to spare Sima Liuyun's life, so he showed no mercy to Wanwan, intending to kill her instantly so that he could finish the battle quickly and capture Sima Liuyun to claim the reward.

Sima Liuyun took a deep breath, released his grip on the sword hilt, and preemptively struck the man's chest with a palm strike. This strike concentrated all his strength, and the guard's sternum instantly broke, blood gushing from his mouth. He died without even uttering a sound.

Still feeling unsettled, Wanwan turned to Sima Liuyun and forced a smile. She opened her mouth, but found her throat dry and hoarse, unable to utter a sound.

Sima Liuyun frowned when he saw that her clothes were half undone, revealing her bodice. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly felt a darkness before his eyes and heard Wanwan's hoarse voice calling out, "What's wrong with you..." before losing consciousness.

☆ Unexpected Visitor

When Wanwan saw Sima Liuyun suddenly collapse, her heart pounded. She hurriedly reached out to check his breath and felt a slight warmth between her fingers, indicating he was still breathing. She breathed a sigh of relief. She unbuttoned Sima Liuyun's shirt and saw that the bandages that had been wrapped were now soaked with blood. It seemed that the fierce battles had aggravated his injuries. She immediately pressed several acupoints on his chest to slow the bleeding and took out some wound medicine to re-bandage the wounds.

As dusk approached, Sima Liuyun remained unconscious. Wanwan, having no other choice, dragged the bodies of the two guards into nearby bushes to hide them. She then gathered some branches, lit a fire on the ground, and sat beside Sima Liuyun, lost in thought.

After a long while, Sima Liuyun let out a soft hum and slowly woke up. Wanwan leaned over and asked, "How are you feeling?"

Sima Liuyun was feeling dizzy. Upon seeing the firelight, he whispered, "Put out the fire. The Dragon Guards must be nearby."

Wanwan's heart skipped a beat. She hurriedly stomped out the fire, then turned back to light a tinderbox. She saw that Sima Liuyun had fallen asleep again, his eyes closed. Reaching out to touch his cheek, she felt it was burning hot. A deep worry crept into her heart: Sima Liuyun's injuries were so severe, and now he had developed a high fever. If he didn't receive immediate treatment, he probably wouldn't survive more than a few days. Unfortunately, the Dragon Guard pursuers were already nearby, and the enemies of the Kongtong Sect hadn't been shaken off yet. Given Sima Liuyun's current condition, it was impossible to travel with him. Was she destined to stay here and wait to die with him?

Wanwan pondered the matter for a long time, but still couldn't make a decision. She muttered to herself, "Su Wan, Su Wan, Sima Liuyun is a gentleman, but you are not. Ten thousand gold coins is a considerable sum, but if it costs you your life, it's not worth it at all."

Having made up her mind, she got up and moved Sima Liuyun behind a secluded thicket of trees. She then took out all the silver she had and placed it beside him, whispering, "Perhaps someone will pass by and save your life for the sake of the silver." She knew that this was just wishful thinking. Looking down at Sima Liuyun, who was still fast asleep, she hardened her heart, bit her lip, and whispered, "Consider it my fault, Su Wan." After saying that, she dared not look at him again and turned to walk quickly away along the road.

She ran for miles in one breath, her mind only thinking: Su Rang will definitely not let me go. I will stay overnight in a village ahead, and then I must immediately disguise myself and leave early tomorrow morning to find a place to lay low.

It was already late at night when they arrived at the town ahead. Without stopping, Wanwan walked through the dark and quiet streets and rushed to the nearest inn, pounding on the door with both hands.

After a moment, the shopkeeper, still sleepy-eyed, opened the door, looking impatient, and snorted, "So late..."

He was about to complain when he suddenly felt a chill on his neck; a sharp object was pressed against it. He was instantly startled, all sleepiness gone. A sweet, melodious voice whispered, "Where does the best doctor in town live? Tell me quickly!"

※※※※

Yun Ran and Qi Mo were both startled by Xiao Douzi's words. Qi Mo pulled Xiao Douzi behind him to protect her, while Yun Ran reached for the soft sword at her waist and stared intently at the farmhouse door.

A man in blue robes walked slowly out of the house with his hands behind his back. He was elegant and handsome, with a cold look in his eyes, and he looked at the two of them quietly.

Yun Ran and Qi Mo exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of doubt in each other's eyes. This man was elegant and refined, with an extraordinary demeanor, yet neither of them had ever seen him before.

Qi Mo said in a deep voice, "Who are you? What business do you have with us?"

The man said calmly, "I recently learned of your secluded residence and have come here without permission. I hope you will forgive me."

Qi Mo was taken aback and couldn't help but laugh, "Have you mistaken me for someone else?" As he spoke, he glanced at Yun Ran with a smile.

Seeing the mockery in his eyes and the smug smile on his face, Yun Ran knew what he was thinking. Her face flushed, and she glared at him fiercely.

Seeing the intimate expressions between the two, the man in blue became even more certain and slowly said, "My purpose for coming was already clearly stated in the visiting card that I sent. Why should Master Shi pretend not to know?"

Qi Mo murmured, "Master Shi?" He glanced back at Xiao Douzi and thought to himself: Could this silly boy's parents be a pair of reclusive masters? He silently listed the famous young martial arts couples in the world, but for a moment he couldn't remember any of them with the surname Shi.

Yun Ran said from the side, "We do not know the person you mentioned, or perhaps the information we received was incorrect, or we have gone to the wrong place."

The man raised an eyebrow slightly and said in a deep voice, "Since you have accepted the challenge, why are you unwilling to reveal your identity? Are you perhaps deliberately toying with me?" As he spoke, he slowly reached out and drew a long sword from his waist.

Qi Mo saw him draw his sword, coughed, and said, "Wait, I..." Before he could finish speaking, a green shadow flashed, and the man had already closed in on him, his long sword gleaming coldly, pointing straight at his chest.

Seeing the man's strange and swift movements, Yun Ran was secretly alarmed. Fearing that Qi Mo would be unable to cope with the situation due to his serious injuries, she gave a light shout, raised her hand, and swung her soft sword, swiftly pointing at the man's waist, hoping to force him to parry and relieve Qi Mo's predicament.

The man seemed unconcerned, his longsword continuing its relentless thrust towards Qi Mo's chest, only slightly shifting his body as the soft sword approached. His timing and positioning were perfect; Yun Ran's soft sword barely grazed his waist, failing to harm him in the slightest.

Qi Mo frowned as he saw the longsword suddenly reach his chest. He quickly raised his hand, flicked his finger at the tip of the sword, and took two steps back. However, this aggravated the wound on his back, causing him to feel a dull pain, and his face instantly turned pale.

The man's longsword was deflected several inches by Qi Mo's finger. Seeing his lightning-fast movements and astonishing finger strength, he secretly admired him, but also sensed that although Qi Mo's internal energy was profound, it seemed to be running out of steam. A look of surprise flashed across his face as he asked, "Are you injured?"

Knowing that if he took the opportunity to attack now, Qi Mo would definitely not be able to dodge, Yun Ran quickly floated forward, her soft sword slashing, parrying, and thrusting, her movements nimble and unpredictable, launching several attacks at him in succession.

The man in blue exclaimed in surprise, turned to look at Yun Ran, and with a flick of his long sword, deflected all her attacks.

The two exchanged rapid and fluid swordplay, exchanging dozens of blows in a short time. The man in blue noticed that Yun Ran's sword techniques were all too familiar to him, yet there were subtleties and inconsistencies in her execution, which only fueled his curiosity. With a slight shift in his mind, he pointed his longsword diagonally at her left shoulder's Jianjing acupoint. Yun Ran indeed swung her sword half a circle, then swiftly thrust it upwards, aiming for his throat.

The man in blue robes' expression changed slightly. He parried with his sword, pinning Yun Ran's soft sword down, and said, "Wait, where did you learn this swordsmanship?"

Yun Ran's right arm injury had not yet healed, making it difficult for her to wield the sword with her left hand. After exchanging several blows with this man, she felt that he knew all the sword moves she had made and seemed to be showing leniency. She was already filled with suspicion and uncertainty. When she heard him ask her this question, she suddenly remembered what Wen Huaifeng had said in the narrow alley that day, and blurted out, "You are from Muying Tower!"

A glint flashed in the eyes of the man in blue, but he quickly regained his composure and asked calmly, "Is your master's surname He or Wen?"

Seeing that Yun Ran remained silent, he frowned and whispered, "So, you really aren't the people I'm looking for. But why... does this child say that you are his parents?"

Qi Mo and Yun Ran both looked down at Xiao Douzi. Xiao Douzi slapped his forehead, pointed at Qi Mo, and said, "He...he's a good older brother."

The man in blue asked, "Where are your parents? They accepted the challenge, why didn't they wait here as agreed?"

Little Bean pouted and said, "Them? They've been gone for days. They're probably hiding and playing by themselves." His expression was extremely dissatisfied as he spoke.

Seeing that Xiaodouzi couldn't explain clearly, the man didn't press the matter. Little did he know that when the challenge arrived, Xiaodouzi, following his father's usual teachings, confidently went out to receive it, then returned to the farmhouse without a word. The messenger, seeing the door tightly shut, assumed the owner was too proud to show himself, but in reality, Xiaodouzi's parents were no longer home.

The man in blue pondered for a moment, then said to Yun Ran and Qi Mo, "I was impetuous just now, please forgive me."

Qi Mo replied with a smile, "I dare not accept such praise. It is our good fortune to witness your extraordinary swordsmanship today."

The man in blue stared at him for a moment, a slight smile appearing on his lips, and said calmly, "Your martial arts are unfathomable. If you weren't injured, I would be quite willing to spar with you."

He then turned to Yun Ran and said, "This young lady's swordsmanship comes from the same lineage as mine, but it seems that she has not mastered the method. She often fails to grasp the essence and changes, and is prone to making mistakes. I wonder why?"

Yun Ran felt a pang of sadness. She possessed a high aptitude for swordsmanship and had long noticed that her swordsmanship was always somewhat flawed at crucial moments. Although puzzled, she had never doubted the person who had taught her. It wasn't until she repeatedly sparred with Wen Huaifeng and the man in blue, feeling constantly at a disadvantage, that she realized Wen Huaifeng had deliberately tampered with the exquisite sword moves when he taught her, perhaps not with any good intentions.

The man in blue continued, "I have matters to attend to and cannot stay long. If you two are so kind as to not mind, please come to Twilight Shadow Pavilion for a chat after you have recovered. At that time, just show me this item, and someone will lead you to meet me." As he spoke, he handed over a jade-green dart.

Just as Yun Ran was about to refuse, Qi Mo quietly tugged at her sleeve, took the dart, and said happily, "We have long admired the reputation of Muying Tower and will definitely pay them a visit soon."

The man in blue nodded, cupped his hands in greeting to the two, and said, "In that case, I will await your arrival at Muying Tower in the future. Farewell."

Yun Ran watched the man's figure gradually disappear into the distance, then turned to Qi Mo and asked, "Why did you agree to him? Are you really going to the Twilight Shadow Pavilion for your appointment?"

Qi Mo lowered his eyes to look at the emerald green dart in his hand, his expression mysterious, and said softly, "Do you know who this person is?"

Seeing his expression, Yun Ran was slightly startled and hesitated before asking, "Could he be Huo Qingfeng, the master of Twilight Shadow Pavilion?"

Qi Mo laughed and said, "With such martial arts and swordsmanship, who else could it be but Huo Qingfeng?"

Yun Ran recalled her fight with the two envoys from Muying Tower that day and frowned, saying, "Then why did you..."

Qi Mo's eyes flickered as he said, "This man has a strange temperament, and he seems extremely interested in the origins of your swordsmanship. If you refuse, and he tries to harm you, neither of us is injured right now, and we can't defeat him. Besides, although we agreed to the appointment, we haven't set a date with him..."

Seeing the sly smile on his face, Yun Ran couldn't help but spit out, "Cunning."

Qi Mo coughed and chuckled, "I tried to help you, but you scolded me instead. You really don't know what's good for you."

Seeing Yun Ran's almond-shaped eyes widen in surprise, he quickly coughed and added, "However, I like it."

The two were chatting and laughing when they suddenly heard Xiaodouzi say sullenly, "I didn't eat enough earlier, and I'm hungry again."

Qi Mo glanced down at him, then suddenly grabbed his ear and dragged him into the room. Little Bean cried out, "Good brother, it hurts!"

Yun Ran hurriedly followed and said, "What are you doing? Don't scare him!"

Qi Mo said coldly, "I really regret not killing this brat. He's caused us so much trouble." He turned to Xiao Douzi and asked, "You brat, who are your parents?"

Little Bean said blankly, "Dad is Dad, and Mom is Mom." He then sniffed his arm, frowned, and asked doubtfully, "It doesn't smell that bad."

Qi Mo stared at him coldly for a long time, unsure whether he was truly stupid or pretending, but he couldn't do anything about it.

Yun Ran patted Xiao Douzi's head and asked, "When are they coming back?" Xiao Douzi shook his head, looked up, and said, "I'm hungry."

Left with no other choice, Yun Ran had to serve him another bowl of rice.

Seeing that Xiaodouzi was eating heartily, she discussed with Qi Mo, "Your injuries will heal in two more days, and we can set off again. Let's go to the headquarters of the Qingluan Gang in Qiannan and meet with everyone as originally planned."

Qi Mo hummed in agreement.

Yun Ran paused for a moment, then whispered, "I wonder if they managed to escape successfully."

Qi Mo looked up and saw her brows furrowed, knowing she was worried about Sima Liuyun's safety, and a surge of jealousy welled up in his heart. Not wanting Yun Ran to think too much about Sima Liuyun, he coughed and changed the subject, saying with a smile, "Our injuries this time are all thanks to Wen Huaifeng. After we recover, we should find an opportunity to settle this score with Lord Wen."

Yun Ran's eyes dimmed, she lowered her eyelashes, and said softly, "We'll talk about it later."

Qi Mo stroked his chin thoughtfully and muttered to himself, "However, he has already taken your Purple Thorn Soft Sword. Now that he has this sword that can cut through iron like mud, he will be quite difficult to deal with."

Little Bean, struggling to swallow his mouthful of rice, interjected, "What's so great about a sword that can cut through iron like mud?"

☆、The Broken Scale Divine Sword

Qi Mo glanced at Xiao Douzi and snorted, "Your ears don't hurt anymore?"

Little Bean hurriedly held his bowl and hid behind Yun Ran. Yun Ran complained, "He's so small, don't scare him like that."

Qi Mo dared not say anything more, lazily sat back on the edge of the bed, and suddenly laughed: "This silly boy is fine, but if he were my son, I wouldn't let you spoil him like this."

Yun Ran spat, "Your son? I would never..." She stopped mid-sentence, then suddenly realized what she was saying. Seeing Qi Mo smiling at her, she blushed instantly and turned to walk into the inner room.

She heard footsteps behind her, and Xiaodouzi followed her eagerly. He ignored her after entering the room and ran straight to the broken wooden bed, pulling back the covers and groping around on the bed frame. Yunran was wondering what he was up to when she suddenly heard a soft sound. Xiaodouzi had lifted a section of the bed frame, revealing a hidden compartment inside.

Yun Ran exclaimed "Ah!" and hurriedly called out, "Qi...Qi Mo, come quickly."

Hearing her exclamation, Qi Mo rushed into the room and saw Xiao Douzi clumsily climbing off the bed with a long wooden box in his arms. He asked, "Silly boy, what are you doing?"

Little Bean didn't answer. Instead, he ran to the two of them, handed the wooden box to Yun Ran, and said, "Here you go."

Yun Ran reached out and took the box. She noticed that the wooden box was old and covered in dust. Qi Mo, who was standing beside her, glanced at her and said, "Open it and take a look." He then reached out and lifted the lid of the box.

The two looked inside and saw an iron sword. The blade was slightly flat, with an ancient and unassuming design. It was dark and inconspicuous. The only special feature was that a section of the top of the sword was missing, making it several inches shorter than a normal longsword.