Апрель

Глава 122

"Sect Master, once I have captured them, I will hand them over to you for your judgment!" Gui Jiu shouted, steel claws instantly appearing on his wrists. He launched a swift and fierce attack.

Luo Yuanqing took the blow head-on. Her internal energy hadn't fully recovered, and her wrist throbbed with pain from the force of the attack. She knew she couldn't withstand a second blow, and a sense of tension welled up inside her.

Just when everyone was filled with despair, a loud bang shot into the sky, and dazzling sparks illuminated the heavens.

Turning her head slightly, she saw Shen Yuan's face was pale and her body was trembling slightly, clearly terrified. But she was tightly clutching a bamboo tube in her hand, from which the fire signal in the sky was emitted.

The surrounding attacks paused due to the fire signal, and in that instant, several soldiers suddenly defected, knocking down their comrades. Moreover, some disciples of the Shennong family also switched sides, standing guard in front of Xiao Xiao.

Xiao Xiao stared in disbelief at what was happening before her eyes, speechless.

"You traitors!" Oniu shouted angrily upon seeing this.

"That's not right," came a smiling reply from above.

Looking up slightly, she saw Helan Qifeng standing on the rooftop, surrounded by dozens of masked people.

"Master!" Shen Yuan exclaimed in surprise.

Helan Qifeng smiled and said, "Yuan'er, don't do anything reckless next time. Not everyone can arrive in time every time."

Shen Yuan smiled and curtsied, "I understand."

Helan Qifeng leaped off the roof and smiled at Shi Mi, "Sect Master Shennong, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Helan Qifeng, the owner of 'Qufang'." He turned around and looked at the defected soldiers and Shennong disciples, saying, "By the way, these people are not traitors..." His eyes flashed with a sharp light, "They were originally disciples of my 'Qufang'."

"Enough with the nonsense." Shi Mi said coldly, activating the magnetic field in her hand. The pitch-black divine needle floated in the air, exuding a chilling killing intent.

Helan Qifeng smiled and waved his hand, instantly setting the stage for battle, plunging the surrounding area into chaos.

Xiao Xiao's thoughts were still in turmoil when suddenly someone grabbed her, pulled her to a calm place, and said, "Xiao Xiao!"

When Xiao Xiao recognized the person, her face lit up with joy, "Senior Sister Ye Li!"

The newcomer was Ye Li. She smiled and said, "Hehe, it's me!"

Xiao Xiao was overjoyed when she saw the person next to Ye Li. She was surprised and said, "Uncle-Master Lin Zhi?"

That person was Lin Zhi, a disciple of Donghai and Wen Su's junior brother.

Lin Zhi nodded in greeting. Then, he looked at Wen Su and asked, "Senior Brother, how are you?"

When Wen Su saw him, his expression became complicated. He lowered his head and remained silent.

"Oh, let's skip the pleasantries and head out!" Ye Li said, pulling Xiao Xiao along.

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhi helped Wen Su up.

As everyone was about to leave, Xiaoxiao suddenly felt something digging painfully into her hand. She opened her hand, revealing a bunch of keys in her palm. In an instant, she guessed the purpose of these keys. At that moment, the man who helped her steal the antidote had given her these keys for only one purpose…

Something slowly resurfaced in her mind, making her heart race and her chest feel hot. The two words spoken by the person who handed her the keys now seemed incredibly heavy. "Let's go..." How much courage and determination did it take to go this far?

She looked up and said, "Brother Qi and the others are still in the dungeon. Here's the antidote and the key. Also, I... I still have someone to save..."

Who is it?

She smiled slightly and said, "My benefactor..."

...

...This is the dividing line for when I'm agonizing over this = =+...

Outside the pharmacy, the man in black was surrounded and unable to escape.

Xi Yuan stepped forward and demanded, "Who are you?"

The man in black did not answer, but drew his long sword, clearly intending to fight head-on.

Xi Yuan sized him up. "On the East Sea, could it be you who took Zuo Xiaoxiao from Sect Master Shi Mi's hands?"

The man in black remained silent, then swiftly attacked.

In Xi Yuan's hand, the sealing needles instantly appeared. She stepped forward, blocking the sword moves while simultaneously reaching out to remove the black-clad man's mask.

The man nimbly dodged, his movements slightly hurried.

"Looks like I know you." Xi Yuan understood, a hint of pleasure in his eyes. "I'll see how long you can hide!"

Just as Xi Yuan was about to launch another attack, a sudden bang rang out in the sky, followed by a dazzling burst of fire. She paused her attack, puzzled.

In that instant, one of her subordinates suddenly turned against her.

Xi Yuan was shocked. The battle around him was in full swing, and he could no longer distinguish friend from foe.

The man in black was clearly stunned, and for a moment he relaxed.

Xi Yuan reacted quickly. Seeing the opening, he didn't hesitate and picked up the sealing needle, aiming it at the acupoint on the black-clad man's chest.

The man in black snapped back to his senses and raised his sword to parry.

Xi Yuan flicked his fingers, sending the needles flying.

The man in black sheathed his sword, retreated a few steps, and dodged to the side, but it was too late; he was struck by three needles in his right arm.

Seeing this, Xi Yuan had another batch of sealing needles in hand and was about to attack again.

However, a strange sound rang out at that moment, disturbing one's mind.

"Enchanting Sea Divine Sound!" Xi Yuan realized this and immediately stabilized his true energy.

The man in black was also disturbed by the sound. He tried to calm himself down, pulled out the three meridian-sealing needles from his right arm, and got up to leave.

Just as Xi Yuan was about to give chase, several figures rushed into the melee, blocking her attack.

The surroundings were in chaos. The man in black took a few steps, but then hesitated.

At that moment, someone grabbed his wrist. He was about to attack, but when he saw who it was, he froze and didn't move.

Xiao Xiao held his hand and looked at him intently.

At that very moment, flames lit up within the Shennong family compound, thick smoke billowed out, and from afar, shouts of "Fire!" could be heard.

The noise and chaos blinded everyone and concealed all traces.

...

Taking advantage of the chaos, Xiaoxiao ran out of the Shennong family. Although she didn't know where to go, she couldn't stop. She grabbed him and ran with all her might. She could clearly feel the warmth from his hand and the faint pulse.

Fireflies danced all around, sparkling like stars, shattering the thick darkness.

Just keep running like this, to the ends of the earth… At that moment, she couldn’t help but think that…

However, the person behind her suddenly stopped, and no matter how hard she tried, she could no longer pull him to take another step.

Her little heart sank, and she timidly turned away.

He looked down at their clasped hands, then slowly loosened his grip.

Xiao Xiao had no choice but to let go, unsure of what to do.

He remained silent for a moment, then clasped his hands in a salute, turned around, and strode away.

Her small hand remained frozen in place, staring blankly at his retreating figure.

The inky black sky gradually turned white, transforming into a deep bluish-gray, and the surrounding scenery became clearer under this faint light. Fireflies drifted down in twos and threes, hiding among the grass and trees, concealing their light.

She listened to her own breathing and heartbeat as she ran, the two sounds clamoring and filling her ears, preventing her from finding peace of mind or calming her emotions. It was as if they were urging her on.

She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but found herself unable to utter a sound. His figure receded further and further into the hazy morning light. In that instant, something was released, along with the long-suppressed voice, echoing all around.

"Lian Zhao!"

His steps abruptly stopped, and he turned around abruptly.

She had never felt so tense. Her body tensed involuntarily, even her breathing stopped, only her heart pounded wildly in her chest. She looked at him, waiting for the final answer.

He avoided her gaze, hesitated for a moment, then raised his hand and removed the black veil covering his face.

She laughed for some reason and whispered, "Lian Zhao..."

Lian Zhao then raised his eyes and looked directly into hers. After a long while, he said in an almost helpless voice, "Xiao Xiao."

In his memory, he hadn't called her that in a very, very long time. All his longing was awakened by that call, surging in his mind.

“It really is you…” she said with a smile.

His expression remained helpless, even tinged with sadness. He forced a smile and nodded.

Xiao Xiao slowly walked forward, but when she was almost in front of him, she stepped back.

"...Shennong's pursuers won't catch up in a short time, so I'll take my leave now," Lian Zhao said, his eyelashes lowered.

"Are you going back?" Xiao Xiao asked anxiously.

Lian Zhao remained silent and nodded.

“But…” Xiaoxiao looked at him and said, “You…you will be in danger if you go back…”

Lian Zhao replied, "As the head of the Lian family, the family of divine archers, I must go back no matter what."

"What if you go back and your identity is discovered?" Her emotions grew agitated, and her voice became increasingly agitated. "You saved me on the East Sea. Afterwards, you secretly let me out of the city and helped me repel the Japanese ninjas. Tonight, you stole Shennong's antidote and even gave me the key to the dungeon... These things could ruin your future! They could even bring you death! Even if you are from the Lian family of the Divine Arrow Clan, the crime of deceiving the emperor will still punish the entire family!"

“If I simply leave, it would be deceiving the emperor,” Lian Zhao said calmly.

Xiao Xiao was speechless and unable to refute.

“Xiaoxiao…” Lian Zhao smiled gently, his voice filled with sincerity, “This is all I can do for you…”

Xiao Xiao was so anxious she was about to cry, but she didn't know what to say to respond.

“Actually, I’ve known for a long time that you were right to leave me.” Lian Zhao’s tone was relaxed.

Xiao Xiao looked at him, wondering what he wanted to say.

Lian Zhao sighed, raised his eyes, and smiled as he spoke: "I cannot abandon the imperial decree and run away. Nor can I abandon the Lian family and live in anonymity. I cannot disregard my family's hatred and marry you... Now, I cannot even stand openly by your side..."

Xiao Xiao was stunned and could only listen quietly.

"When you said you wanted to submit to the imperial court, I was truly happy. However, that was ultimately wishful thinking on my part..." He continued, his voice lowering, "But even though I knew all this, I still..."

He didn't say anything more. After a moment of silence, his expression became calm, and his voice regained its clarity.

With a sense of relief, he said, "Xiaoxiao, the sky is high and the sea is wide, no one can lock you up... This is the only thing I can do for you..." He smiled, "Take care."

After he finished speaking, he turned and left.

Xiao Xiao stood there, watching him leave. Her mind was still blank, but tears kept falling.

She heard voices in the distance, as if they were calling her name, but she no longer wanted to pay attention.