Upon hearing this, Qi suddenly stopped, his gaze returning to calm and undisturbed. He turned around, his gaze slowly falling on Si Qiao, who was looking up at him, scrutinizing her carefully from head to toe.
Si Qiao met his gaze calmly, tilting her head slightly as if unwilling to admit defeat, her long, curly hair cascading down to her chest, making her appear even more charming and delicate. But only she knew that wherever his gaze fell, it would trigger a strange tremor in her, almost causing her to collapse to the ground.
"So, Brother Qi, are you satisfied with my figure?" She subtly distracted herself by talking.
"You are my woman?" His voice was calm and inscrutable, leaving one unable to guess what he was thinking.
"Yes, several people heard it that day. I will be the woman you protect for the rest of your life." Si Qiao's eyes sparkled, revealing a very alluring expression.
"Good! Excellent..." Qi said, already standing in front of Si Qiao.
"Brother Qi?" Si Qiao asked, puzzled. Just as she was about to ask, Qi grabbed her shoulders with his large, fan-like hands.
tear……
The sound of tearing gauze rang out, and a piece of apricot-yellow petal flew into the air, swirling and dancing in the gentle breeze like a bewitching sprite, before finally...slowly falling down and scattering onto the clear lake surface...
*** ***
A mournful cry, like a sob, woke Si Qiao. She found that the full moon had risen above the treetops, its light dreamlike and ethereal. By the dim light, she realized that the sound came from the birds in the trees.
Her snow-white body was completely exposed, and the unbearable pain made her furrow her brows. Looking around, she found that she was all alone. A bitter taste rose to her lips. She had been sleeping naked behind the rockery for so long, her clothes torn to shreds, yet he hadn't even bothered to cover her up. Perhaps he didn't care whether she lived or died, or perhaps he thought she was promiscuous and didn't deserve any dignity.
Si Qiao struggled to sit up, desperately suppressing the urge to burst into tears. Since being expelled from her tribe, she had tried her best to avoid falling in love with anyone, but it wasn't until she met Qi that she realized how passionate and unwavering the blood flowing in the veins of the Yan tribe women was—a passion that could not be suppressed with any effort. To burn for love was the destined fate of all Yan tribe women; no one could escape it.
She didn't want to stay there any longer. She struggled to her feet, leaning on the artificial hill for support, and wrapped herself tightly in a piece of brocade nearby. Then, trying to hide herself in the shadows, she walked slowly, bit by bit, toward her guest room.
*** ***
Qi, dressed in white, rode his horse alone, preparing to sneak into Cangzhou to carry out an assassination mission.
This mission was rushed. He wasn't a reckless or impulsive man, yet he stubbornly persisted despite knowing the enemy might be prepared. He was just a worthless life anyway, with nothing and no one to hold him back. Loneliness had plagued him for so long that he had almost lost all attachment to the world. Now, besides killing and maintaining the organization, what else was worth doing? Life and death were no longer matters to him; he'd leave it to fate.
After a day and night of rapid travel, he finally arrived at his destination late at night. He crouched on a large tree, holding his breath and observing the situation of the person he was to assassinate. The man was quite bold; he was in a courtyard of a brothel, surrounded by several beautiful young women, drinking and chatting with his friends.
Looking at those scantily clad women, the alluring image of Si Qiao clearly surfaced in his mind, causing him to feel an indescribable sense of repulsion. He had taken that slut like a mad beast that day in order to vent his pent-up anger, but now, thinking back on it, he felt nauseous.
After observing for a moment, Qi seized the opportunity, leaped down from the tree, drew his sword, and charged straight at his target.
Upon realizing he was being attacked, the man screamed in terror and frantically pushed aside the beautiful woman beside him, scattering in all directions while trembling as he cried out, "Who goes there? Let's talk this out!"
What a joke! What's there to say? He never wastes time talking to his target when he kills someone, since he'll be a corpse soon anyway.
Just as the blade was about to pierce the target's chest, a person suddenly leaped out and blocked the attack. In an instant, blood splattered everywhere, and Qi's right rib was pierced. Qi caught his breath but did not press his advantage. Then, shouts arose from all around. The four women who had been drinking with him earlier drew out the daggers they had hidden on their bodies and launched a series of attacks on Qi to stop him from continuing his assassination.
However, their rudimentary skills were no match for Qi. He drew his sword and dodged, his long hair dancing in the wind. He moved with lightning speed, piercing through the women. Instantly, cries of agony filled the air. Wherever he passed, four women fell to the ground one after another, but no one saw when his sword touched them.
"It's your turn." Qi arrived in front of the target, who was already paralyzed with fear on the ground, and said coldly.
The man crawled backward, and just as he turned around, a long, narrow hidden weapon suddenly shot at him, aiming at all his vital points. If any one of them hit, it would send him to his death instantly. Qi nimbly dodged it, but the woman who had sacrificed herself to the sword took advantage of the opening and rushed over. She waved her hand, lifting her cloak and bringing a faint fragrance. Then her slender palm was already there. Qi wanted to cover his mouth and nose, but it was too late. A surge of blood rushed from his dantian to his internal organs. Just as she was about to pounce on him, he used all his strength to strike out with his palm, sending her flying several feet away.
Once he regained his footing, a wave of dizziness washed over him, causing his slender, upright body to sway slightly. He knew he was in trouble; he must have accidentally inhaled the woman's poisonous scent, and then, during their fight, the poison had been triggered. But it didn't matter. He always went on missions prepared to die, but how could he give up before taking his target's head?
While he still retained a sliver of consciousness, the cold sword slashed straight forward, instantly spraying out a spray of blood. The assassin lay on the ground, his head severed from his body.
Then... Qi lost his strength and fell forward. When he regained his balance, his face was as white as paper, but he remained expressionless. Blood dripped from the corner of his lips and onto his white clothes, like plum blossoms in the snow, blooming in circles.
He was about to die, wasn't he? He would no longer have to live this life of swords and bloodshed. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but grin, a genuine joy from the bottom of his heart, but he revealed a set of snow-white teeth stained red with blood. His ferocious appearance made him look like a demon who had just eaten human flesh.
The woman he had just knocked away struggled to her feet, intending to deliver a final, fatal blow. She unleashed a palm strike filled with all her inner energy. Qi neither dodged nor evaded, his mind filled with the alluring image of Shu Yao. A powerful gust of wind swept over him, seemingly shattering his internal organs. Then, everything went black, and he fell backward, head tilted back.
At that critical moment, a figure in apricot yellow descended from the roof and plunged a sharp blade into the woman's back. She fell to the ground and never rose again.
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