Неторопливый молодой мастер

Глава 17

There was no other way now. Su Xianhua glanced at the curtain of rain that stretched from the sky to the ground, sighed deeply, and followed Xiao Xueyin as they rode into the woods.

Before long, they found a small wooden cabin where hunters stayed during the winter hunts. The cabin was a mess, covered in dust, with drafty windows and leaky corners, but at least they didn't have to endure the damp chill. However, it looked like they wouldn't be able to travel tonight, which greatly annoyed Su Xianhua. Man proposes, God disposes.

Young Master Xiao never did any manual labor, so Su Xianhua took on all the tasks, such as tidying the house, chopping bed boards, and starting a fire. When she finished tidying everything up and was about to take out some dry food from her bundle to have dinner, she noticed that Xiao Xueyin in the corner was acting strangely.

He was very afraid of dirt and mess, so he had been standing since he entered the room. Why was he sitting on the uncleaned floor now? He was also very conscious of his appearance, so why was he still wet and curled up in a ball?

She put down her bag and walked over, gently touching his shoulder: "Hey, Xiao Xueyin, what's wrong?"

His curled-up body trembled slightly, and he still didn't raise his head. Su Xianhua became even more puzzled and turned to get him some water: "Are you feeling cold? I'll try to boil some hot water for you..."

Suddenly, her hand was gripped by a tremendous force, the fingertips burning hot, almost digging into her wrist. To her horror, she realized that the protective inner energy that should have been within her hadn't gathered at all; he had so easily seized her!

She turned around and saw a flushed face. The eyes, which had been tender and affectionate, were now frighteningly bright, as if they contained countless swords falling on her, about to slice her open piece by piece and devour her.

She was startled, forcefully shook off her hand, and angrily said, "Xiao Xueyin, are you crazy?"

No...no! Why can't she muster any strength at all? She can't even break free from Xiao Xueyin's grasp? Where has her martial arts gone? What's wrong with her? What happened to Xiao Xueyin?

Su Xianhua's heart sank little by little as she shouted Xiao Xueyin's name loudly. Unable to shake off his hand, she tried to pry it off with all her might; when that failed, she pinched it with her fingernails—almost the most powerless and primal form of resistance a woman could muster.

Xiao Xueyin seemed not to hear the angry shouts, nor did she feel the bloodstains on her hands from being pinched. His eyes were bloodshot, and those bloodshot eyes were staring intently at her, with a faint struggle and hesitation in them, but it was gradually replaced by another, stronger emotion.

Su Xianhua couldn't understand; she only felt an instinctive fear. She still didn't understand that the burning gaze, seemingly capable of devouring a person alive, was lust!

He moved closer to her, his other hand gripping her arm like an iron clamp, staring at her shapely body beneath her rain-soaked clothes, his voice hoarse and low: "Su...I...I..."

She struggled frantically. This wasn't a life-or-death struggle; they had no enmity, yet it terrified her more than a life-or-death situation. She tried to kick him, but he easily subdued her. Xiao Xueyin pounced on her, pinning her to the ground. His hot breath brushed against her neck, their damp clothes leaving almost no gap between them… his body temperature was scorching!

At this moment, he was like a wild beast; the physical contact extinguished the last vestige of clarity in his mind. His eyes were only on the woman beneath him—beautiful face, smooth skin, and a slender figure. His lower abdomen felt like it was burning, relentlessly consuming every subtle sensation in his body, wanting only to destroy, possess, and release… (B eBook sharing website)

Nine Netherworlds and Seven Hells Chase the Sun and Moon (6)

Even if Su Xianhua was completely ignorant of matters between men and women, she understood what he was about to do. The young man's lips landed forcefully, and she had no choice but to dodge left and right, or bite him. Those savage kisses landed haphazardly on her face and neck. His hands were actually... actually tearing at her clothes! Damn it, why was his martial arts still intact? They clearly ate the same food and drank the same water, so why was she the one poisoned by the dissolving power poison, while he seemed to have only been poisoned by *?*

Wait, the food...

A sudden flash of inspiration struck her amidst her chaotic thoughts. If there was anything she hadn't eaten herself, it was the cup of tea she had drunk at the teahouse halfway up the mountain not long ago.

The teacup was made of wood. She vaguely remembered Qin Shao telling her that there were thousands of medicines in the world; some, when mixed together, could be life-saving remedies, but replacing one of them could create a deadly poison. Every plant and tree possessed medicinal properties. The wooden cup wasn't because of poverty, but because that cup—was a catalyst for the medicine!

Different types of wood have different medicinal properties. Even if she and Xiao Xueyin drank the same tea, it could trigger different medicinal effects. Moreover, she had no idea if they were even drinking the same tea. The elderly couple were frail and poor, seemingly kind. From beginning to end, she was only wary of Xiao Xueyin.

She never expected that even Xiao Xueyin would be framed.

No wonder that old woman refused to come out; was she afraid of revealing something? Could it be someone she knew?

A jolt went through her. Someone she knew? Who could it be? Someone who hated her so much that they were willing to offend even the Fifth Young Master and the Xue Liu family?

But she had no time to think about it. Xiao Xueyin tore open her outer garment, and the cold rain dripping from the roof stained her bare shoulders. She felt cold from head to toe, and began to shiver uncontrollably.

Her eyes blazed with fury, and with all her might, she bit down on his neck. Xiao Xueyin groaned, easily shoving her face away and pinning her to the ground. It was all in vain; he had been driven mad by lust!

With dust on her cheeks, she could only bite her lip hard. The coldness and pain in her body, along with the immense powerlessness, instantly made her disheartened, and she almost gave up her meager resistance. However, in that moment of relaxation, she suddenly saw a pair of eyes outside the dilapidated empty window.

A pair of familiar eyes, filled with resentment!

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When Su Xianhua saw those melancholy and sorrowful eyes, her heart suddenly jolted, and she instantly came to her senses.

She had seen that look before! He had followed her all the way. That day in Fengqi Town, this man had attacked her with hidden weapons and was skilled with a knife, trying to kill her at every turn!

It's him!

This person hates her!

He set this trap!

Her cold, despairing heart suddenly warmed and burned with passion at this realization. No! How could she let him succeed like this? How could she let herself be schemed against without any explanation?

My father once said that as long as a person has a breath left, it's not the end. You can't give up any opportunity until the very last moment.

She's far from facing a life-or-death situation. If she just thinks a little longer, thinks desperately… there will definitely be a way…

She slowly calmed down and gradually remembered what Qin Shao had once taught her: when a person is in crisis, they should use their most irreplaceable senses—

First, she had to look. Xiao Xueyin's frantic and distorted face kept flashing before her eyes, filling her with fear and making her unable to think—so she closed her eyes and let those disturbing images disappear!

Then she listened. There were many sounds around her: the patter of rain, the heavy breathing of a man, the crackling of firewood—the sound of firewood! Not far from her, there was a fire…

Then came the smell. The stench of a strange man, the stench of blood, and the damp, rotting odor. It was a dilapidated shack, worn and crumbling from years of use, exposed to sun and rain, ready to collapse at any moment… (B eBook sharing website)

Nine Netherworlds and Seven Hells chase the sun and moon (7)

Finally, there was the sensation. Her outer garment was torn, her inner garment pulled down to her waist, her skirt was ripped apart by a pair of savage hands, and the man's skin was burning hot... Wait, what was that cool spot at her waist?

She suddenly opened her eyes.

That's a comb!

Made of ox horn, the comb has hard and sturdy teeth. Zhong Zhan used this comb to comb her hair every morning. For convenience, she simply carried it with her.

With great effort, she freed one hand and slowly groped downwards, finally finding the comb among a pile of tattered clothes. She gripped it tightly, and with all her might, thrust it forcefully into Xiao Xueyin's lumbar acupoint.

The horn comb was sharp and densely packed. Xiao Xueyin was already in a frenzy, and the lumbar spine is a very vulnerable part of the human body. Even though Su Xianhua wasn't strong enough, the horn comb still managed to pierce his flesh shallowly. Xiao Xueyin groaned, and his grip loosened. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Su Xianhua rolled to the side, reaching the fire. Ignoring the scorching flames, she grabbed a burning piece of firewood and threw it at Xiao Xueyin's face. As he dodged, she kicked the fire away. The person outside the window was skilled in martial arts; she couldn't let him help her now!

She didn't see the person's actions clearly outside the window. She didn't have much time. Just as she pulled her foot back, she suddenly arched her body like an arrow ready to be released, and crashed hard into the rotten and moldy wooden wall of the small house.

It hurts! It hurts so much! After all, a person is only made of flesh and blood.

The first time, the wall shook, and bits of mud and grass fell down. The second time, just as Xiao Xueyin was about to grab her and press her down again, the wall suddenly shook violently, and bricks and pieces of wood fell down one after another. The rickety little house was about to collapse.

Just before the house collapsed, she finally crashed headfirst into the rainy night.

Looking back, a dark shadow flashed. The mysterious man in black, holding Xiao Xueyin's vest in one hand and a steel knife in the other, leaped out of the ruins.

Whether she was knocked unconscious by falling bricks or by the man in black, Xiao Xueyin hung her head and remained motionless. Su Xianhua didn't run away either, not because she didn't want to, but because she knew she couldn't escape.

The two stood silently facing each other, a dozen steps apart.

A moment later, the man in black took out a pill from his pocket and put it into Xiao Xueyin's mouth. Then he let go, and the unconscious young master Xiao fell heavily to the ground, splashing mud all over himself, but he just lay there motionless.

The person said, "I have already given him the antidote for 'Jade Dew Dew'." The voice was melodious and cold; it was actually a woman!

Su Xianhua pursed her lips and remained silent, wondering how much chance she would have of escaping if she turned around and rushed into the bushes behind her.

The woman in black spoke with a deep-seated resentment, coldly saying, "What you took was a 'Dissolving Power Powder' made with the Heart-Stealing Lotus as a catalyst, known in the martial arts world as 'Wangran'."

This love can only be cherished in memory, for at the time it was all in vain. It is precisely this pain of regret that reveals the poison's true nature.

Su Xianhua reached out and wiped the dense water droplets from her face. She already knew her background, but still remained silent.

The woman had been waiting for a long time, and she was getting impatient. With a determined look, she reached out and pulled off her black mask, revealing her face. Her brows and eyes were narrow and sharp, giving her a somewhat cold and aloof appearance. She was a stranger, yet her face seemed vaguely familiar; she must have seen her somewhere before.

It was among those young upstarts he met in Phoenix Rising Town!

The woman raised her chin, her expression extremely arrogant: "Do you know who I am?"

Su Xianhua shook her head.

"So you can die in peace. My name is Chu Huang, from Chishui..."

"Alright, this is the time!" Before she could finish speaking, Su Xianhua suddenly kicked, sending a spray of water flying towards the woman named Chu Huang. A martial artist's first reaction to a sudden attack is incredibly quick; before she could even see what was in front of her, Chu Huang had already stumbled three steps backward.

Taking advantage of this momentary lapse in concentration, Su Xianhua turned and ran.

The dark, muddy forest was treacherous, and with each step she trudged through, the torrential rain had completely disoriented her. But Chu Huang was also new to the area and might not be as familiar with the terrain as she was. Escaping into the forest was the best option!

Nine Netherworlds and Seven Hells Chase the Sun and Moon (8)

Did Chu Huang think she didn't know who she was? He wanted to kill her, but then saved Xiao Xueyin, clearly unwilling to offend the Xue Liu family. As for "Jade Dew Beauty" and "Wang Ran," such literary names could only be conceived by people from one place in the martial arts world... This woman comes from Chishui Xiwuting, one of the four great manors!

Xi Wu Ting was renowned throughout the land for its medicine-making and alchemy, and each new medicine was given a poetic name. Su Xianhua had always been disdainful of this; for example, a medicine like the Dissolving Power Powder could simply be called "Dissolving Power Powder," its effects immediately obvious. At worst, one could add "Xi Wu Ting's Dissolving Power Powder" to distinguish it, why bother with such a fancy but useless name? However, Qi Jitian, the fifth leader of Black Wind Stronghold, quite liked this kind of naming. He called himself "Jade-Faced Poison Lord," a self-proclaimed genius, and was very interested in these romantic tales concocted by women. In fact, he eventually subdued a female disciple of Xi Wu Ting and made her his wife, a fitting match between husband and wife.

Su Xianhua already knew the woman's background, but she didn't reveal it, hoping the woman would tell her herself. A person's mind cannot be fully focused until they have finished speaking.

She's waiting for the right opportunity!

Chu Huang has even revealed his true face to the enemy, so he must have made up his mind to kill Su Xianhua to silence her. If not now, when?

Su Xianhua had absolutely no idea where she had offended this Miss Chu Huang. The other party actually wanted Xiao Xueyin to ruin her chastity and then kill her, which meant she hated her to the bone! But looking back on the past eighteen years, apart from Qi Xiaowu marrying one of Xi Wuting's disciples, the village had absolutely no contact with the distant Chishui in the west.

Right now, she has no choice but to run away!

The rain was heavy, and she couldn't hear whether Chu Huang was chasing after her. The Hundred-Scale Dragon Blade was still lying in the ruins of the hut. Now, she was barely clothed, and unable to see the path clearly, her skin covered in countless scratches—she was truly in unbearable pain. Cursing as she groped her way forward, she watched as the woods gradually thinned out, wondering if she had reached the foot of the mountain in some open area. If there were any houses there, that would be wonderful…

When she ran up to him, she cried out in her heart.

It wasn't at the foot of the mountain, and there were no houses there either; it was—a cliff!

Across the cliff, a waterfall cascades down. On this rainy night, the water volume is even more abundant than usual. Even in the dark of night without stars or moon, one can still vaguely see the silvery curtain of water rushing down.

Su Xianhua couldn't help but stop and look back. A flickering flame was following closely behind. Chu Huang had caught up!

She repeatedly weighed in her mind whether it was more likely to crash into the rocks and die a violent death by jumping off the cliff, or to accumulate good karma in her past life and fall into the pool to escape through the water. In the end, she realized that she neither ate vegetarian food nor worshipped Buddha, and had committed many sins, so she was definitely not a person with lasting blessings. For the sake of the hundreds of brothers in the village, she decided—not to jump.

Chu Huang, holding a torch, stopped about two zhang away from her. Her already cold and beautiful face was now even colder, and the raging anger in her eyes almost burned the person in front of her to ashes.

Su Xianhua suppressed the urge to unleash a torrent of curses and took a deep breath: "Miss Chu, let's talk first, shall we? I don't know you, why are you trying to kill me like this..."

"You don't need to know." Chu Huang's words were as cold as her expression.

"Then wouldn't I die without knowing why?"

"If you really want to know, go ask Yama, the King of Hell!" she sneered, her steel blade flashing as she slashed directly at Su Xianhua. Knowing that her opponent had lost all her martial arts skills, she didn't bother with fancy moves, unleashing a deadly strike right from the start.

Su Xianhua could only barely dodge with her light-footed skills, but how could the people of Xiwuting be so easily dealt with? Chu Huang cupped his hands, and some kind of medicinal powder was released from his sleeves, faintly spreading around them. Su Xianhua's heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly held her breath. As soon as she held her breath, she slowed down a step, and a steel blade slashed horizontally, landing on her back.

Excruciating pain.

Worse still, stabbed in the back, she couldn't help but groan softly, her lips parting as she inhaled a small amount of the unknown powder. ()

Nine Netherworlds and Seven Hells Chase the Sun and Moon (9)

This time, there was no choice but to jump. Jumping might kill me, but not jumping would definitely get me hacked to death!

With a determined look, she leaped forward, closed her eyes, and jumped off the cliff.

But Chu Huang didn't stop there. Instead, he took the opportunity to strike her on the back. The force of that strike was so powerful that it shook her heart and lungs, causing her unbearable pain in her chest and abdomen. She spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted before she even hit the ground.