Chapter 52: The Ultimate Softness and the Ultimate Strength
Xie Huailing practiced calligraphy all day, and another day passed in her lamentations.
Yang Wuxie acted quickly, perhaps due to experience gained from working overtime, and handed Long Xiaoyun's information to Su Mengzhen's desk. Just as Xie Huailing said, he was truly an inconspicuous ordinary martial arts hero, with no particularly outstanding martial arts skills and an ordinary background. The only noteworthy thing was that he was Li Xunhuan's friend.
Su Mengzhen couldn't figure it out; this task still needed to be done by Xie Huailing. He tapped his knuckles lightly on the table and asked Yang Wuxie, "Where is Xie Huailing? What is she doing?"
Yang Wuxie stood respectfully with his hands at his sides: "Reporting to the Lord, Miss Biao only sent someone with a message saying that she was going to 'take care of something interesting,' and that she could do it when she returned in the evening. After saying that, she only took her personal maid and headed towards the west of the city."
Su Mengzhen hummed in agreement and said nothing more.
.
West of the city, Chang Le Street.
Although the snowstorm had subsided, the chill had only intensified. Pedestrians on the street wrapped their coats tightly around themselves, hurrying along, their breath dissipating into the frigid air. Xie Huailing, wearing a bamboo hat and a new dark blue cloak trimmed with silver fox fur, walked with an air of composure, as if the bitter cold had nothing to do with her; being warm meant she could stand tall. Beside her was a maidservant, equally bundled up, and the two entered a rather large inn, brimming with the lively atmosphere of a bustling inn.
The inn's lobby was bustling with activity; the shouts of waiters, the laughter of diners, and the clinking of plates and glasses blended together to create a lively, bustling atmosphere. The rising steam, carrying the aroma of food and a faint scent of wine, wafted through the air, a stark contrast to the winter scene outside. Xie Huailing, without glancing to the side, led her maid to a private room on the second floor. She chose a room by the window, pushed open the carved wooden door, and saw a small, simply furnished room with an eight-immortal table, a few armchairs, and a charcoal brazier in the corner, glowing red-hot charcoal.
Xie Huailing took off his cloak and hat, and handed them to a maid, saying, "Order some things to warm yourself up."
She chose a seat facing the door, leaned back lazily, and closed her eyes to rest. The maidservant called the waiter and ordered several hot dishes and a pot of warm wine.
The dishes were served quickly, filling the air with their aroma. Just as the waitresses were about to serve the food, the door to the private room was suddenly flung open.
Just as the maid was about to draw her sword, a figure stumbled in.
The newcomer was a young woman, about seventeen or eighteen years old, dressed in a white jacket and skirt, her hair slightly disheveled, with a few strands of black hair clinging to her sweat-dampened forehead. Her face was extremely charming, with exquisite eyebrows and eyes, a delicate nose and cherry lips, but at this moment, her face was streaked with tears, her clear, bright eyes filled with panic and helplessness, her long eyelashes trembling slightly with tears.
The girl stood timidly at the door, like a pure white lamb trembling as it was chased by a hunter, or a celestial concubine who had fallen from the heavens to the mortal realm, panicked and bewildered. Her anxious gaze swept over the two people inside the private room, finally settling on Xie Huailing. Her voice was choked with sobs, heartbreakingly weak: "Please, miss, save me! Let me hide here for a while... Someone, someone is trying to capture me! I... I've been kidnapped..."
As she spoke, her body trembled slightly with fear, making her look extremely pitiful.
The maid glanced at Xie Huailing instinctively. Considering that although there were no rumors of human trafficking in the west of the city recently, several bizarre deaths with unknown perpetrators had occurred, a hint of doubt appeared in the maid's eyes.
Xie Huailing raised his eyelids, his gaze sweeping lightly over the girl's panicked face. She didn't speak, only nodding almost imperceptibly.
The maid breathed a sigh of relief and quickly helped the girl inside, closing the curtain behind her. The girl, still shaken, huddled in a corner by the door like a frightened fawn.
"Sit down and eat." Although she said that, Xie Huailing didn't even look at the girl. She picked up a piece of winter bamboo shoot, put it in her mouth, and chewed it slowly, ignoring everything around her.
The girl timidly sat down as instructed, in the diagonal seat furthest from Xie Huailing. Her hands trembled uncontrollably as she picked up her chopsticks. She carefully picked up the nearest small piece of tofu, about to put it in her mouth, when she was interrupted again.
Xie Huailing didn't even look up, her voice low and extremely cold towards the girl, saying, "Wait. This plate of tofu is too close to the fire; it might have been contaminated with charcoal fumes, and eating it will give you an upset stomach." She casually pointed to another plate of steamed fish, which was further away from the girl, "Eat that."
The girl's hand trembled, and she almost dropped the tofu on the table. She hurriedly put down her chopsticks and reached for the plate of fish. She picked up a piece of fish, but Xie Huailing spoke again at that moment.
She seemed to be fighting with herself, her words starting to contradict each other as soon as she spoke. Xie Huailing spoke slowly, as if talking to herself, or perhaps commenting: "This fish looks fresh, but it's a pity it's overcooked and has lost its tenderness."
After saying that, she picked up another piece of salty and fragrant cured meat, looked at it in the light from the window, and said, "Hmm, the knife skills are not bad. Let's eat this instead."
The girl's hand, holding the fish, froze in mid-air. She couldn't eat it, nor could she put it down. All color drained from her face, leaving only fear and bewilderment. The maid, watching from the side, was utterly bewildered, completely unable to understand why her mistress was behaving so strangely today, deliberately making things difficult for a vulnerable woman in distress. The meal was eaten in an awkward atmosphere. The girl felt like she was sitting on pins and needles, but Xie Huailing seemed completely unconcerned. His occasional nonsensical criticisms or comments made the girl flinch, her eyes welling with even more tears.
The deliberately created suffocating atmosphere continued until the meal was over. As the maids cleared away the dishes, the young lady breathed a sigh of relief, only to hear Xie Huailing suddenly say, "Xiaoyun, go downstairs and ask the manager if the 'Pear Blossom White' I ordered yesterday has arrived. If it has, bring it over."
The maid Xiaoyun was taken aback. When had they ever ordered any pear blossom wine? But she knew Xie Huailing's temper well, so she didn't dare to ask any more questions. She responded and hurriedly left the private room.
After the curtain fell and there was no one else in the room, the air in the private room seemed to freeze.
Xie Huailing stopped looking at the girl, picked up his teacup, gently blew away the foam, and calmly urged, "You can go now."
The girl trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes in the blink of an eye. She knelt down with a thud, crawled a few steps to Xie Huailing's feet, and pleaded in a mournful voice, "Girl, please don't send me away! I really have nowhere to go! Those people outside are vicious and cruel. I'm just a weak woman, powerless to even kill a chicken. If they take me back, I'll only face death. Please take me in! I'll do anything for them!"
She cried with genuine emotion, her shoulders shaking with deep sorrow, displaying the utmost fragility and pitifulness.
Xie Huailing looked down at her. She suddenly let out a soft chuckle, like she was watching a play and had just reached the most exciting climax: "That's strange."
The girl's crying paused for a moment; she lowered her head and remained motionless, but was still trembling.
Xie Huailing put down her teacup, the bottom of which made a crisp clinking sound against the table. Then she lowered her head and leaned closer to the tear-streaked face, her voice low and menacing, like a viper's hiss: "You can still keep up the act even when I'm deliberately making things difficult for you? You're quite the genius."
Then her tone changed abruptly. She straightened up, her gaze sharp as a knife, piercing the other person: "Stop pretending. Even if someone is really after you, killing them would be a matter of a snap of your fingers. Am I right?"
She enunciated the second half of the sentence clearly and distinctly:
"These past few days, they've been investigating me—Bai, Gu, Niang."
The invisible barrier shattered, and the girl kneeling on the ground vanished like a gust of wind, her fragility, helplessness, and pitifulness vanishing in the blink of an eye. Her entire being changed, inside and out. Her tearful eyes turned cold and sharp, like poisoned blades ready to test her. Her cowardice and fear were replaced by an arrogant and dangerous disdain, as if she were an ant.
She still had that beautiful face, but her temperament had changed drastically, transforming from a weak lamb into a cold, venomous spider that preyed on its prey.
Fast, too fast!
In a mere instant, Xie Huailing felt a blur before her eyes, and a chilling, bone-chilling killing intent enveloped her as if it were tangible. The white-clad girl's figure stretched out like a ghostly shadow, faster than a human could see, and a seemingly delicate hand, yet containing terrifying power, viciously gripped Xie Huailing's throat.
Xie Huailing was slammed to the ground by the immense force, her vision blurring. Lying on her back, her breathing was rapid, her dark hair disheveled, making her face appear pale. But she wasn't afraid. She stared directly at the face above her, which had instantly turned cold and stunningly beautiful. The first thought that surged in her mind was—why this move again? Was her neck free?
After taking a few deep breaths, Xie Huailing quickly adapted.
Because she was being choked, her voice was a little hoarse, but she tried her best to remain calm, so that no one could tell that the situation was tense: "I not only know these things, but I also know why you are investigating me. You want what I have, the Seven-Leaf Star Soul Grass that Miss Zhu Qi bought for me from Jucai Tower."
The white-clad girl tightened her grip on Xie Huailing's neck; clearly, she was right.
"You used the disguise of Six and a Half Hall to carry out your plan; your methods were indeed clever." Having said that, Xie Huailing continued, her pace unhurried, "Unfortunately, it's not enough. You're ultimately not a local strongman in Bianjing; you're unaware of many seemingly insignificant rules and informants in this city. And what's even more lacking is—"
She paused deliberately, enjoying the murderous intent in Bai's eyes: "I'll find out as soon as I check Jucai Tower that you, this 'Bai' who's so generous, has such a mysterious background, and always guards the medicinal herbs, haven't bought anything during this time, nor have you ever shown your face at Jucai Tower. So who else could be investigating me besides you? Your disguise isn't that good either. I've been waiting for you."
Bai Gu Niang leaned close to Xie Huailing's face, their noses almost touching. Her breath was extremely cold, but Xie Huailing, seeing through her words, remained calm: "Such a sharp tongue and such a venomous eye. It's a pity that those who think themselves clever often die young. Knowing too much is not necessarily a good thing."
Her voice was low and menacing: "Don't make any rash moves. Give me the things obediently, and I'll spare your life."
The pressure on her neck made it even harder for Xie Huailing to breathe, but the mockery in her eyes deepened. She said, "You're the one who shouldn't make any rash moves. If anything happens to me, even if I lose a single hair, you'll risk your life to test the Red Sleeve Blade."
The moment the words "Red Sleeve Knife" were uttered, the murderous aura surrounding Miss Bai suddenly froze, then boiled, and then exploded, doubling in intensity. The fingers gripping Xie Huailing's neck tightened, and the anger in her eyes was like a raging storm in the face of this threat.
Su Mengzhen, Red Sleeve Blade. What did this name and this blade represent in the martial world? How could she not know?
A bloodthirsty smile curled at the corner of Bai's lips. She sneered, "You really think I'm afraid of Su Mengzhen?"
“If you’re not afraid,” Xie Huailing still had the mind to provoke her further, “you should pinch me tightly right now so that I can’t say another word.”
A cold glint flashed in Bai's eyes; she wished she could strangle the person who had provoked her. However, the fatal force ultimately did not fall.
She stared at her with a sinister look: "You still have the nerve to threaten me? Aren't you worried I'll kill you?"
Xie Huailing forced a smile: "There are many people in this world who want me dead, but unfortunately, in the end, they will be the ones who die."
"Ha, what arrogance!" Miss Bai sneered again.
But Xie Huailing was right; with Su Mengzhen's name on it, she loosened her grip a bit. Xie Huailing took a breath and her tone became calm again: "Actually, there's no need for that. We can make a deal. You help me fulfill one condition, and I'll give you the Seven-Leaf Star Soul Grass."
The young woman in white stared down at her, weighing the truthfulness and traps in her words. Her hand, still gripping Xie Huailing's throat, remained firm, but the oppressive aura didn't lie; it lingered for a moment. After a few breaths, her fingers released Xie Huailing.
Freed from his grip, Xie Huailing coughed violently a few times, propped himself up on the floor to sit up, rubbed his neck which was throbbing painfully, and then raised his eyes to seriously examine the dangerous woman in front of him who had changed two faces in an instant for the first time.
Her beauty was exquisite, surpassing every woman Xie Huailing had ever seen before. Perhaps Zhu Qiqi was more beautiful in terms of looks alone, but Xie Huailing admired this woman more. Skill and ability were the shining jewels of a woman, so being ruthless was acceptable. Her feigned timidity had vanished, leaving only an aloof indifference and unfathomable danger. Even the pure white she wore seemed to be a deadly color.
"Alright." Xie Huailing's voice returned to its usual tone, though his breathing was slightly unsteady. "The premise of a transaction is that you have to know who the other party is."
She looked at the beautiful, icy-cold face of the young woman and asked calmly, "What's your name?"
The young woman looked at her coldly, reluctantly, as if revealing her name to Xie Huailing was a humiliation in itself. A silence lingered in the frigid air for a moment before she uttered three clear words from her tightly pursed lips, carrying an innate aloofness and chill:
"Bai Feifei".
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Regarding a question asked by a reader:
Lei Chun and Wen Rou's appearance
Lei Chun is still in the next volume; in the current setting, she is still traveling and studying. Wen Rou is even later; she is currently learning swordsmanship from the nun Hongxiu.
A comprehensive explanation of the love line
I included five romantic storylines in the outline. There are no other romantic storylines in the outline besides these five, but if you want to see more, I can expand on them in the side stories.
The two romance storylines that have appeared so far are Su Louzhu and Di Feijing. Wuqing is also part of the main storyline, but he will appear later. Since my romance storyline follows the main storyline, I will probably write about him at the very end.
Then, regarding the remaining two romantic storylines, a character will appear in this volume, probably a few chapters later.
Besides that, there will be other characters who fall in love with Ms. Xie, but that's something I'll write as I go along with it. I'm not good at writing without an outline, and I tend to go off-topic.
Then there will be a plot where the villain falls in love with Ms. Xie and is then coldly and ruthlessly used by her.
Good woman? Bad woman!
Bad woman? Good woman!
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