Chapter 32 A Little Quarrel Can Be Good for the Soul No sooner had Li Changling left than Wang Yan and the other three were surrounded…

"Antidote."

"No."

Shen Minghuai's eyes sharpened, and his expression darkened further. Yang Sitong, still fearing that he would expose the matter, gritted his teeth and said, "It will be restored in half an hour."

Shen Minghuai and Wang Yan made way for her, saying, "Madam, you may leave now."

The woman straightened her clothes, kowtowed gratefully to them, and quickly left. The two of them also returned to Shen Minghuai's room.

"Ji Liang!"

Yang Sitong shouted angrily, and a man dressed in black walked into the room.

“Shen Minghuai is protecting this woman so much, go and see if she is Wang Yan.” Every time he approached, Wang Yan’s avoidance only fueled Yang Sitong’s anger.

After closing the door, Wang Yan immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

"That was so careless," Li Changling's reproachful voice came from behind.

Wang Yan's body trembled, then he complained, "Didn't you say you'd be by my side? This time, it's all thanks to Young Master Shen for his help."

Li Changling leaned on the table with one hand. "The moment you left the door, I was on the roof beam keeping watch. With your vigilance, how could I leave you alone?"

"Just a minor mistake today, a minor mistake," Wang Yan said with a grin. "It's not that serious."

Li Changling suddenly waved his sleeve, extinguishing all the oil lamps in the room, and gestured for them to be quiet. Not long after, the figures outside the window disappeared, but the sounds came from the west wing.

"Lady Wang".

Li Changling quickly climbed back into his room, yawned, opened the door, and said impatiently, "It's so late, what are you yelling about in front of my sister's door for?"

Wang Yan quickly climbed out of the window, and Shen Minghuai walked to the door and opened it a crack, then slammed it shut again.

Ji Liang returned to Shen Minghuai's room and asked, "Young Master Shen, I suspect there is an assassin hiding in your room. For your safety, may I go in and investigate?"

Shen Minghuai slightly opened the door, his brows furrowed, and asked, "Does Young Master Yang think my guards are useless?"

Li Changling walked over with his arms crossed, raising his voice and saying, "Ah—you also think I'm useless. There was an assassin hiding in Young Master Shen's room, and I didn't even notice."

Ji Liang was now in a difficult situation. Wang Yan, wearing a light blue outer robe, rubbed his eyes and came out of the room. "What happened? Why is it so noisy? I was half asleep when I heard someone calling me from outside the door."

Yang Sitong slammed open the door, stood there glaring, and shouted, "Idiot!"

Yang Jingzhe walked out of the house with his hair disheveled. "What happened? Why is everyone here?"

Li Changling turned and went back to his room, saying, "I'm not going to join in this fun. I'm going to sleep."

The three doors were shut in an instant, leaving Yang Jingzhe and his brother looking at each other in bewilderment.

"Nothing's wrong! Go to sleep!"

Yang Jingzhe got up quite early, and came to find Yang Sitong to have breakfast together just as Chenshi (7-9 AM). Speaking of his recent travels, his words were full of regret. There were many other scenic spots south of Xiuzhou, such as Hangzhou and Mingzhou, which were also very appealing.

"Who is going to Mingzhou?" Yang Sitong only said that the three of them were going to Hangzhou together.

Yang Jingzhe took a bite of his steamed bun. "Young Master Li, I just happened to hear it from Brother Minghuai's two guards." Yang Sitong suddenly got up and went to the side room.

"Ugh—" Yang Jingzhe quickly swallowed what was in his mouth, turned around and asked, "What's wrong, brother?"

"You eat first, I forgot something."

Yang Sitong returned to his room, picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and quickly wrote a letter, which he then handed to Ji Liang. Just moments before, he had been complaining that since Li Changling had dragged Wang Yan out of bed, he had been following him around all day, leaving him no opportunity to test his strength.

“His Highness Prince Yi’s men were all wiped out last time,” Ji Liang said, tucking the letter into his clothes. “Who else could do this?”

"You just need to deliver the message; the rest is none of our concern." Yang Sitong strode out of the room. "Killing him is not easy, but killing her is simple, isn't it?"

The three parted ways in Huating County. Their whereabouts had recently been exposed, and people in the shadows were watching them closely. Li Changling, unable to hide his worry, gave instructions for a long time, and only Shen Minghuai solemnly agreed.

Although Wang Yan knew that ordinary people could not harm him, he still couldn't help but remind him, "Senior brother, you can't be careless either, after all, you have quite a few enemies."

"I understand, I understand. I'm entrusting A-Ying to you. If even a single hair is missing, you'll be held responsible." Li Changling threatened Shen Minghuai with bared teeth and claws, frequently giving him meaningful glances.

Wang Yan picked up a stray hair from her shoulder and tossed it away. "I can protect myself, so don't worry, Senior Brother."

"I'm leaving now. Write to me anytime." Li Changling spurred his horse and rode away in a cloud of dust.

Wang Yan leaped onto his horse and rode ahead with Hua Xin. The four of them traveled for two hours straight, when Hua Xin suggested they rest here. He then pulled Ying Ming along and they squatted by the river, whispering to each other.

"Something's really not right."

Ying Ming casually gestured on the ground with a bamboo stick, "What's wrong?"

"What misunderstanding could there be between them?" Hua Xin was completely baffled. "Young Master apologized that day, but did Lady Wang not accept it? That shouldn't be the case, didn't she send over some soup to help with the hangover that night?"

“It’s nothing more than,” Ying Ming said, throwing away the bamboo branch and getting up, “a little quarrel is good for the soul.”

Hua Xin suddenly stood up straight. "You also feel something's not right, right? The young master even talked about friends, does he even understand—"

"What do you know?"

Shen Minghuai stood gracefully behind them, casting a long shadow.

Hua Xin coughed twice. "It's nothing, Ying Ming just said some inappropriate things."

Shen Minghuai dusted off his sleeves. "What did you say?"

Hua Xin immediately betrayed Ying Ming, saying, "He said that the young master and Lady Wang's little quarrel was just for fun."

"You!" Ying Ming glared at Hua Xin. "Young Master, I know I was wrong."

Shen Minghuai's eyes darted around. When did the weather become so hot? It made it hard to calm down.

"You dare to speak ill of others?"

Hua Xin grabbed Ying Ming's arms, his face filled with disbelief, "Young Master actually has no interest in Lady Wang..."

The fruit tumbled and rolled all over the ground.

Wang Yan patted her skirt and looked at the three people standing by the river with an icy expression. "Once you've rested enough, let's continue our journey."

Hua Xin rushed over in a flash, "Why did you throw them all away, Madam Wang? I'm so thirsty."

Wang Yan sneered, "Aren't you afraid the fruit I picked might be poisonous? After all, we're not related."

Shen Minghuai stepped forward to explain, but Wang Yan's expression changed drastically. He grabbed Shen Minghuai's arm and delivered a flying kick to the side.

She was as light as a swallow, her pine-colored hair ribbons fluttering in the wind, and a knife that seemed to have flown from nowhere was half-embedded in the tree trunk.

Wang Yan was already furious, and now the coldness in his eyes was unstoppable, sending a chill down the spines of everyone around him.

"All he does is steal chickens and dogs, and even rats would call him 'Grandpa.' Could he be the leader of the Rat Gang?"

A man with a tumor on his right cheek said to the person in front of him, "Boss, she called you Grandpa Rat."

"Fool, do I need you to say that again?" A long-faced man with a dozen braids smacked him on the head and stepped forward. "As long as you tell me Jingxin's whereabouts, this gang leader—"

"Ha! It really is the leader of the Rat Gang."

Yuan Tie spat, "Go to hell with your Rat Gang! Our gang's name is just one word: Tiger, the White Tiger Gang, you know that?! Who gave you permission to interrupt me? Where were we?"

Slippery replied, "As long as they tell us where the monk is."

Yuan Tie cleared his throat and continued, "As long as you tell me Jingxin's whereabouts, this gang leader naturally won't do anything to you. If not—"

"If I refuse, what can you do to me?"

The girl clearly didn't take them seriously. Slippery said again, "Boss, she interrupted you again."

Yuan Tie was furious. "Then you'll see!"

"I'm already good-looking enough." Wang Yan curled his lips and drew a soft sword from his waist in an instant.

Hua Zi whispered, "Boss, she really is very beautiful."

"Idiot!" Yuan Tie kicked Hua Zi. "Go teach this little brat a lesson."

Wang Yan drew her sword and strode forward, her eyebrows slightly furrowed. "I really dislike your mouth; it stinks worse than a latrine."

Hua Xin and Ying Ming whispered to each other, "They probably won't be able to see the Falling Flower Sword Technique."

Ying Ming asked in confusion, "Why?"

Hua Xin glanced sideways at the two people opposite him, "Because the fragrance of flowers cannot be tainted by the smell of manure."

Slippery swung his knife at her, but Wang Yan dodged to the side, twisting her wrist to slant her sword, the blade already aimed at Slippery's right leg. Slippery leaped forward, and the knife came down again.

Yunyi wrapped her sword around his wrist, and Huazi slashed down with his sword. Wang Yan pointed his sword at Huazi's throat, forcing him to retreat step by step. Yuan Tie raised his sword to fight back, but Wang Yan's sword moves were so fast and skillful that he was defeated in just ten moves.

“This girl’s skills are remarkable,” Yuan Tie whistled, “but unfortunately, she will lose her life here today.”

A large group of people poured out of the woods, and more than ten martial arts experts from various backgrounds surrounded them on three sides.

Wang Yan glanced at them and chuckled, "So these are your rat offspring?"

"His mouth is just as gossipy as Li Changling's, it's really annoying." A woman glared angrily.

"Without Li Changling, I advise you to surrender!" a man shouted.

“There’s no need for Li Changling to deal with ants like you.” Wang Yan then lowered his voice, “Of the thirty-six stratagems, the best is to run!”

"What an arrogant tone!"

"Oh no, they're trying to escape!"

The four were skilled in light-footed martial arts, so escaping was not difficult, but the group was no pushover either, and they pursued them quite closely. They came to a fork in the road, and fortunately, they had seen the map beforehand. Wang Yan immediately suggested that they split into two groups and meet up in Shimen Town later, with Ying Ming going with her.

Shen Minghuai, however, believed that it was best for the four of them to travel together. Hua Xin and Ying Ming had already gone ahead and kept urging the two of them on. Shen Minghuai brought up the rear and wiped away the footprints on the ground. The four of them then disappeared into the dense forest.

The deeper they went into the forest, the thicker the fog became, and people gradually became separated, eventually even losing sight of Ying Ming. Beyond an arm's length, everything vanished. After shaking off several henchmen, Wang Yan tried calling out a few times.

"Ying Ming?"

"Ying Ming—"

"Sink—"

Before he could finish speaking, a flash of blue light appeared, and the sword pierced through the mist without warning, pointing straight at him. Wang Yan was startled and quickly drew his sword to meet the attack.

The two swords clashed, producing a resounding clang. In no time, more than ten moves had been exchanged. Although Wang Yan's swordplay was extremely swift, it was no match for the fierce and ruthless attacks of his opponent, each strike aimed at vital points.

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Wang Yan was already at a disadvantage. Just as he was about to change his move, he couldn't dodge in time. A sharp pain shot through his left shoulder as the attacker slashed the green sword half an inch into his skin. Wang Yan immediately sprinkled a handful of white powder and disappeared into the woods before the attacker could recover.

"Young master, something's not right about this forest." Hua Xin cautiously surveyed the surroundings.

“This fog is indeed unusual, but it should be non-toxic. We must find a way out as soon as possible and reunite with the other two—” Shen Minghuai suddenly stopped Hua Xin, signaling him to be extra careful. Shen Minghuai gripped the hilt of his sword and slowly drew it out.

"Young Master!"

Shen Minghuai and Hua Xin exchanged a glance.

Hua Xin called out softly, "Here! Here!"

Ying Ming emerged from the mist alone, looking flustered. Upon seeing Shen Minghuai and Hua Xin, he was initially delighted, but then panicked and lowered his head, saying, "Young Master, Lady Wang has become separated from me."

Hua Xin exclaimed in surprise, "We got separated?!"

Shen Minghuai frowned deeply, his knuckles digging into the scabbard. "Where did she go?"

"Please forgive me, young master! I got lost... In the fog, I don't know where I got separated from Lady Wang..." Ying Ming's brows were full of shame.

The fog is starting to dissipate, and visibility is improving. It's going to rain.

The enemy is pursuing us from the north and entering the mountains from the south. Both the east and west routes lead directly to Shimen Town, but the east route is closer and the west route is a bit further.

Shen Minghuai decided to go into the mountains, and Ying Mingyou said, "Young Master, you should at least leave one person with you."

"Haven't you noticed that fewer and fewer people are chasing us?" Shen Minghuai's voice trembled slightly, his left fist clenched tightly. He should have held her hand tightly just now.

"Young master, please be extra careful."

Hua Xin immediately headed west, while Ying Ming hesitated repeatedly before choosing the east route.

A few sparse raindrops fell as Wang Yan walked on, clutching his shoulder.

A celestial being overturned Wang Xizhi's inkstone, raindrops leaping to the ground and bouncing a foot high. The rain intensified, soaking him to the bone; his clothes clung to his skin, and his body heat rapidly evaporated.

It was impossible to tell whether it was rain or blood. It flowed down her arm and wrist onto the Cloud Robe Sword, gathered at the blade, and formed droplets of blood before falling into the mud.

The rain poured down like a bursting river, releasing the scent of grass mixed with the smell of earth. I don't know how long I walked, my feet soaked in my shoes for a long time, each step carrying the weight of the rain.

Wang Yan walked out of the woods and came to the foot of the mountain, where she found a farmhouse that seemed to have been abandoned for a long time. Fortunately, the rain was heavy and washed away all the traces she had left behind. If that person had come looking for her again, she probably wouldn't have been able to escape.

She dragged herself to the woodshed and sat down. The fabric of her clothes clung to the wound on her shoulder, and the moment it tore open, she gritted her teeth. She took out some wound medicine from her bosom and sprinkled it haphazardly, nearly exhausting her remaining strength. She could only slump helplessly against the ground. She and the stone wall, she wondered, were colder, one of them.

Lightning followed the thunder, and a white light rushed into the house, revealing a figure outside.

Wang Yan had a bad feeling. He had deliberately avoided the main house, yet they had come to the woodshed; was he really going to die again...?