Chapter 57

Xi Yu felt a sudden pang of bitterness in his heart, as if pierced by a needle. He propped himself up and tried to get closer to her, reaching out to take her hand, but she yanked it away without giving him any chance.

A suffocating silence fell over the carriage, broken only by the constant rumble of the carriage wheels. After a long while, Xi Yu finally spoke, his voice low and bitter: "It was my mistake, Senior Brother. I originally planned... to take you to a safe place first, and after I finished dealing with all the complicated matters here, I would immediately come to find you, and then..."

"Looking for me?" Xi Xiao suddenly turned her head, her eyes full of mockery, her voice trembling slightly as she suppressed her bitterness. "Will Senior Brother really come looking for me? Senior Brother conspired with Ling Zhouling, meticulously planning this whole drama. First, he pretended to send someone to assassinate me, then you secretly arranged for people to kidnap me, while you went back to act out a scene of heartbroken loss, so that person would believe I was dead... After that, you even wanted to stop this great war single-handedly, while helping Ling Zhouling eliminate those with ulterior motives within his ranks. Senior Brother, you planned so meticulously for loyalty, for filial piety, for righteousness, for the people of the world, for my life... but why didn't you think of yourself at all?"

Her eyes were red and swollen, and tears finally welled up in her eyes. Her voice choked with sobs: "Senior brother, do you know that you only have two years left to live? Why do you still care so much about other people's affairs? What does the world's affairs have to do with you? Why can't you just be with me? Just the two of us, away from all these conflicts and schemes, living a peaceful life, wouldn't that be better?"

Seeing his silence and the pain that crossed her face, the resentment that had been building up inside her surged even more fiercely. She asked in a tearful voice, "Senior brother, where...where do you place me in your heart?"

Seeing her tears streaming down her face, her expression full of grievance, Xi Yu felt as if an invisible hand were tightly gripping his heart, causing him unbearable pain. Just as he was about to explain, the carriage suddenly shook violently, accompanied by the terrified neighing of the horses.

Suddenly, a frantic cry of alarm rang out from outside the carriage: "Young lady, young master! Be careful!"

Before the words were finished, a loud "boom" was heard, and the entire carriage was smashed to pieces, with wood chips flying everywhere! In this extremely critical moment, Xi Yu disregarded his own safety and suddenly pulled Xi Xiao tightly into his arms. Using the momentum, he lunged outwards, and the two of them fell heavily to the ground, rolling several times before finally regaining their balance.

"Miss, be careful!" Not far away, Yunwu had just narrowly deflected a sharp arrow that came flying through the air when she looked up and was horrified to see three arrows fired in quick succession, carrying a sharp whistling sound, heading straight for Xi Xiao's back. Her pupils shrank, and she cried out in alarm, her eyes filled with despair. The distance was too far; she simply couldn't get there in time.

"Pfft—!"

The dull thud of a sharp weapon piercing flesh rang out suddenly, but the expected excruciating pain did not come. Xi Xiao turned around abruptly and watched as Xi Yu had shielded her from the three deadly arrows. He groaned, blood gushing from his mouth, and his body slowly and limply slid down in front of her.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment. Xi Xiao stood there, stunned, her mind blank, her eyes only seeing his clothes that were quickly stained red with blood and his face that turned ashen.

"Senior brother!" In the next instant, a heart-wrenching cry pierced her throat. She suddenly knelt down, trembling as she embraced his limp body, letting him rest his head on her lap. She frantically wiped the blood streaming from his mouth, tears blurring her vision, and pleaded incoherently, "It's alright... Senior brother, it's alright! I can save you. Hold on, wait for me... wait until I deal with these people, I'll definitely save you! Just wait a little longer, the pain will subside soon, senior brother..."

"Quick...run..." Blood kept spilling from Xi Yu's mouth and nose, his breath as weak as a spider's thread. Since destroying the Ice Jade Powder, he had lost all his martial arts skills and was practically a cripple. Now, surrounded by powerful enemies, how could Yun Wu escape alone? His eyes were filled with anxiety and reluctance. With his last bit of strength, he raised his hand and tremblingly touched her cold cheek, struggling to utter the words: "Xiao...Xiao...be good, go quickly...find Ling Zhouling...he...he will..."

Xi Xiao shook her head violently, tears streaming down her face. She quickly pulled a blood-red pill from her purse and shoved it into his mouth without a word. A hint of doubt flashed in Xi Yu's eyes, but before he could ask, he felt his consciousness rapidly slip away, and everything went black as he was plunged into endless darkness.

Seeing him fall unconscious, Xi Xiao raised her head, the panic and vulnerability in her eyes vanishing instantly, leaving only a cold and ruthless fierceness. She carefully laid Xi Yu flat on the ground, then without hesitation drew her dagger, a flash of cold light, and the sharp blade slashed fiercely across her slender wrist.

"Girl! What are you doing?!" Yunwu had just swung her sword to cut down another wave of arrows when she turned around and saw this horrifying scene, which terrified her.

However, before the words were even finished, the world suddenly changed color, a gale arose out of nowhere, and the surrounding rubble and withered branches floated in the air against all reason. The clouds and mist stood frozen in place, too shocked to move by this scene beyond their comprehension.

Even more horrifying, dozens of figures in black suddenly appeared in the air. They were suspended in mid-air, struggling and twisting as if being choked by an invisible hand, their faces filled with horror and disbelief.

The woman at the head, dressed as a man, turned pale with fright. Seeing her feet leave the ground, she screamed as if she had encountered the most terrifying demon in the world, "Witch! She's a witch! What are you all standing there for?! Kill her! Kill her!"

This woman was none other than Consort Li, Yao Yanfu, whom she hadn't seen in a long time. She had endured countless hardships to escape to the capital, only to be shocked to learn that Ling Zhouchong had not only forgotten her but was also planning to appoint someone else as empress. Filled with hatred, she inquired everywhere and learned that he intended to launch an attack on Beijiang for a woman of unknown origin. She had been tracking him all along, expecting it would be extremely difficult to eliminate this major threat, but unexpectedly, she intercepted him here.

They thought they could deal with her without anyone noticing, but they never expected that this seemingly weak woman would possess such a strange and terrifying power!

Those dozens of men in black were actually Ling Zhouli's personal bodyguards. Forced to obey Yao Yanfu, they were already filled with resentment. Recently, they learned that their former master had been brutally murdered by this woman, and their hatred had been burning ever since. Seeing this eerie scene, they knew their chances of survival were slim, and their resentment towards Yao Yanfu reached its peak.

So she screamed and gave the order, but no one responded. They had no more chance to speak. The next moment, the terrifying power vanished abruptly, and dozens of dark figures plummeted like broken puppets, accompanied only by a series of sickeningly loud cracking sounds of flesh and bone breaking, before falling silent once more.

Hanging in mid-air, Yao Yanfu witnessed this horrific scene, her heart shattered and her courage chilled to the bone. She stared at Xi Xiao below, her wrists dripping with blood, muttering something under her breath, as if gazing upon a demon crawling out of hell. Utter terror gripped her; tears streamed down her face as she frantically begged for mercy, "Let me go! Please let me go! I am Yao Yanfu! I am the Emperor's concubine! You…you dare touch me…His Majesty will never let you get away with this!"

Xi Xiao coughed up a mouthful of blood, her face as pale as paper, her forehead covered in cold sweat, and her body swaying precariously; she was clearly at her last gasp. Yun Wu, sword in hand, stood protectively in front of her, glaring angrily at Yao Yanfu: "I don't care what kind of concubine you are! You hurt my young lady and young master, you deserve to die!"

However, Xi Xiao slowly raised her hand, and the force binding Yao Yanfu suddenly withdrew, causing her to fall to the ground in a disheveled state. Xi Xiao's steps were unsteady as she walked step by step towards Yao Yanfu, who was trembling with fear and lying on the ground, her face pale.

"Why...why did you kill me..."

Yao Yanfu shrank back, her voice trembling uncontrollably, "Because His Majesty wants to... make you Empress." As she said this, she seemed to find a surge of courage from somewhere, and her voice became slightly louder than before. Seeing Xi Xiao's weak breath, Yao Yanfu felt a surge of shrewd confidence, "I am the Empress personally appointed by His Majesty. You...you are just a wild girl who appeared out of nowhere. What right do you have to compete with me?"

Xi Xiao did not answer, but a faint, mocking smile appeared on her lips. She took out a rope, stepped forward, and without saying a word, tightly bound Yao Yanfu's hands. She handed the end of the rope to Yunwu and said weakly, "Keep an eye on her. Don't let her get away."

Yunwu nodded emphatically and tugged the rope hard. Yao Yanfu was pulled so hard that she stumbled and almost fell to the ground. "Keep up with me. I walk very fast. If you can't keep up and you fall to your death, no one will care!" Yunwu said angrily, venting her anger slightly.

Xi Xiao stopped looking at them, turned around, and walked with difficulty step by step toward the unconscious Xi Yu. She quickly treated his wounds, then bent down and used her uninjured arm to lift him up, carrying him on her thin back. With each step, her body trembled violently from the unbearable weight and her own weakness. Blood from her wrist stained her clothes, dripping down behind her in a broken line.

Seeing this, Yunwu felt a pang of sorrow in her heart and hurriedly stepped forward: "Miss, your injuries are too severe. Let me carry the young master on my back. I'm strong..."

"It's alright." A calm yet unusually firm voice came from ahead. "I'll handle it."

As Yunwu gazed at the figure whose every step was fraught with difficulty yet brimming with unwavering determination, a lump formed in her throat, and her eyes instantly welled with tears. She silently gripped the sword and rope in her hands, following closely behind the staggering figure.

As the sun rises, golden rays pierce through the thin morning mist, casting a warm glow on the verdant mountain peaks.

Xi Xiao trembled slightly, but her steps were unusually steady. Carrying Xi Yu on her back, she took every step with utmost care, ensuring that the person on her back did not feel the slightest jolt.

Suddenly, a deep, honest moo came from behind, accompanied by the rumbling of wheels rolling across the road. A young girl dressed in coarse cloth was skillfully driving an old oxcart, speeding along the mountain road.

Yunwu sensed something was wrong. They were in a sorry state, and their young master was unconscious. If outsiders saw them and the news leaked, it would likely attract pursuers. They couldn't withstand any more trouble. She instinctively gripped her sword hilt, her eyes wary.

Xi Xiao's eyes sharpened, and she abruptly turned around, a cold glint flashing in her eyes. She slightly raised her injured hand, as if an invisible force was gathering. Just then, the young girl driving the carriage cried out in surprise, "My benefactor, it really is you!"

She quickly tightened the reins, and the oxcart slowly came to a stop. The little girl nimbly jumped off the cart and ran quickly to Xi Xiao, her face beaming with pure joy: "My benefactor, don't you remember me? I'm Daya! From Zhuxi Town! Back then, you and a particularly handsome young man helped me drive away that rude Sanlang!"

Xi Xiao's face was as pale as snow. Upon hearing this, the sharpness in her eyes softened slightly. She seemed to be trying to recall for a moment before nodding faintly, her voice weak but clear: "So it was you. What are you doing here?"

Only then did Da Ya notice Xi Xiao's extremely pale face. The unconscious young master on her back, his robes stained with blood, was the same one from before. She immediately realized that they might have encountered great difficulties. Anxious, she didn't bother with pleasantries and hurriedly said, "Miss, where are you going? I'll take you! Quickly put the young master on the oxcart. Although it's old, it's lined with dry grass and is very stable!" As she spoke, she reached out to help take Xi Yu from her, feeling that she was strong enough to do the job.