On the verge of exploding
A biting wind whipped at her face. She took a step, and a dense net sprang up from the ground. She leaped up and landed on a branch. Suddenly, countless arrows shot towards her. Gu Youan's expression changed. She frowned as she looked at everything before her. She took out a long stick from her sleeve, twisted it gently, and the stick turned into a large umbrella. She flew sideways, and the arrows fell to the ground.
She threw out five bullets, gently hooking them onto the bamboo shoot, and the bullets exploded in mid-air.
"Xuanji Envoy's temper is still as fiery as ever." A long voice came from the depths of the bamboo forest, and Gu Youan landed gently on the ground.
Gu Youan quickly appeared in front of him. "You should know why I came back. You guys took action against the Xie family before I could."
Bo Yan smiled and used his fingers to deflect the sword blade. "I didn't expect that Xuanji Envoy could still fight so well even with only 50% of his internal energy recovered."
Gu Youan chuckled for a moment, "Even if I only have 50% of my power, I can still kill you."
Boyan gripped her sword. "When the Emperor's ship was in danger, neither you nor the Envoy of Jiannan were there. Now that you've returned, you want to question us."
"After the assassination attempt on Zhao Huai, Jian Nan and I nearly lost our lives, and Bai He attacked Xie Daoqing without authorization. Do you dare say you knew nothing about these two events?"
"The Xie family has always been our biggest rival. Could it be that you have fallen in love with Xie Daoqing?"
"Don't try to drag others into this; I just want the truth!"
"The truth?" Boyan strolled closer to her. "What truth do you want?"
"You've already lost half of your inner strength. Do you still think you're the same Xuanji Envoy?" He pressed down on her arm. "Xuanji, after a few good days at the Xie family, have you already forgotten that you're an assassin?"
Suddenly, a gust of wind swept by, and a sword blade knocked the two apart. Gu Youan staggered two steps, and Xing Su supported her, saying, "I just got back and saw you two arguing outside. The outsiders haven't even broken in yet, and you're already fighting."
Once the two had stopped, Xingxiu gave a wicked smile, "Xuanji Envoy, welcome back."
The constellation is both righteous and evil. Gu Youan hesitated for a moment as she looked at his face.
Xingxiu suddenly leaned closer to look at her, "What's wrong? It's been years since we last met. Don't you recognize me, Xuanji Envoy? I've recently been practicing seductive arts. Xuanji Envoy, don't let me bewitch you."
He turned to look at Boyan, "How could you lay a hand on Xuanji?"
Gu Youan turned her head away and ignored him. Xing Su smiled and said, "I heard that you had a conflict with Bai He. Bai He has been locked up in the back mountain. Xuanji, there's no need to be angry."
Gu Youan shook off his hand, "You don't need to play peacemaker."
"Xuanji, Tianji is waiting for you. Come with me to the back mountain." He exchanged a glance with Gu Youan, his tone carrying an undeniable air of authority.
Boyan walked forward with a cold face. Xingxiu rambled on and on about some things. Gu Youan closed her eyes and said, "Stop talking, Xingxiu. If you're trying to excuse him, I don't want to hear it." Boyan felt a bit hostile towards her. He had only gone to carry out a mission, so why did this happen?
“As the new guardian, Boyan is responsible for the safety of the entire Emperor’s Ship. Xuanji, you have been away for many years, so don’t blame him for being suspicious.”
Gu Youan was silent for a moment, then asked, "How many people died?"
Xingxiu's eyes darkened. "You'll find out when you get there."
Gu Youan was shocked. She glanced at the constellation and swallowed her words. The appearance of the white crane earlier was also a warning.
The layout of the Emperor's ship has changed. The front courtyard used to be picturesque, but now, despite the same landscape, it has a more somber and desolate feel.
Xingxiu handed her a red pill, saying, "The miasma in the mountains is terrible."
She glanced at him strangely, took the pill, and swallowed it. It melted in her mouth, and she frowned; it wasn't the same as the previous pills.
"This is the enhanced version, Xuanji."
Smoke curled from the chimneys, passing through a grove of purple bamboo. Gu Youan looked into the distance and saw Tianji sitting at a stone table playing chess. Looking down, she was shocked to realize that his legs were gone, and his lower limbs were empty.
“You didn’t have your legs back then.”
Tianji looked up at her, his hand still moving the chess pieces. "I knew you were coming. I've been waiting for you here."
"Are you waiting for me to play chess with you?" She sat down in front of Tianji, whose fingers paused for a moment. "I'm sorry."
"Huh?" Gu Youan was confused. "Why apologize so readily?"
Tianji looked up and gave her a very serious look. "I'm sorry, but we have to do this."
Gu Youan realized something. She looked up at the people behind her. Boyan and Xingxiu took two steps back, and the black and white chess pieces rose into the air. The surrounding scenery became illusory, and the chess pieces formed a huge cage that trapped Gu Youan inside.
The three men stood outside, silently watching her. "You want to kill me?"
"Xuanji, you will stay inside for the next few days. Apart from having your movements restricted, you will not be harmed."
Gu Youan laughed sarcastically, "I think you're the traitors."
Xingxiu comforted him, "Don't be angry. Tianji predicted that you would face a calamity in the next few days, so you can't leave here for the time being."
Gu Youan pouted, "Why? Is this how you treat your companions?"
"I want to see Qingyang!" As soon as he finished speaking, the others emerged from the depths of the bamboo forest.
Gu Youan looked at Qingyang, who remained calm, as if the matter had nothing to do with him.
"Qingyang, I saved you in Biancheng. Do you agree to let them lock me up here?"
Qingyang said in a deep voice, "Xuanji, this is our only way. Emperor Zhaoyuan and Xie Daoqing joined forces to kill the people of Tianzihao. You are his fiancée. He cares about you. We only want to kill him. After all this is over, we will release you. You can leave Tianzihao and Biancheng forever."
Gu Youan grinned at them, "Xie Daoqing is someone we can only deal with slowly. He's not simple. Acting rashly will cost the entire Emperor's Ship."
Gu Youan sighed, "Qingyang, you and I have witnessed Xie Daoqing's ruthlessness. What makes you think he would be willing to come to Tianzihao for me? What makes you think you can kill him?"
Xie Daoqing's moods were unpredictable, and Gu Youan dared not reveal too much emotion in front of him.
She reached for Qingyang's sleeve, but Qingyang took a step back. "Qingyang, don't kill him now. You are no match for him."
She looked at Tianji and said, "You can see through the secrets of heaven, and you can also see through the fates of others. Now is not the time to kill him!"
The chess pieces trembled incessantly. Gu Youan watched all this in panic. "The Emperor's ship has suffered heavy losses. Now is not the time to vent our anger. Preserving our strength is the most important thing."
Xingxiu's eyes were filled with pity. "Xuanji, we have to do this. This is our struggle against the Xie family. You are Gu Youan. After you wake up, your inner strength will be restored. Don't look for answers. Xuanji, this is the last thing we can do for you."
Qingyang grabbed her hand and slashed her wrist, then slashed his own palm. He gripped his wrist tightly, and worms jumped out and burrowed into her body.
Gu Youan shook his head, and Qingyang's face turned pale. "Qingyang, I don't want you to save me. Jiannan is already asleep. I don't want you to get hurt again."
Qingyang stroked her hair, "Our little sister is almost of marriageable age. When you wake up, you will only be Gu Youan, not Xuanji. This is our destiny. The Xie family is too violent. We cannot let the Xie family survive. Xuanji, if you remember everything that happened before, don't be sad, don't be upset. We are able to come together for only one mission. You are our last hope. If we fail, we hope you can survive."
Boyan took off a jade pendant and hung it on her body. "Xuanji, this is our destiny. Go to sleep."
Gu Youan looked at them, the figures in front of her became unreal, her eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and she slowly squatted down and slid to the ground.
Tianji looked at the wind chimes above her head. "The wind chimes are already ringing. Xie Daoqing is in the Purple Bamboo Grove."
The group exchanged glances. Qingyang turned back reluctantly, while Xingxiu comforted her, "We've already planned so much for her; she'll be safe."
Boyan urged, "It's too late, let's hurry up and leave."
Fengyun glanced at Tianji, "You stay here."
The Xie family and the Emperor are mortal enemies. Tianji has already lost his leg and cannot risk his life.
Xingxiu stroked her hair. "She is the most outstanding student in our year, and our last hope."
Tianji waved his hand and removed the cage. Gu Youan gently lay down next to his wheelchair. "If anything happens, I will erase her memory."
A gust of wind swept by, and bamboo leaves transformed into sharp blades, forming a vortex in the air. Xie Daoqing sat silently in his wheelchair, his fingers tapping repeatedly, waiting for the people from the Emperor's Ship to appear.
The vortex dispersed, and five people appeared before him.
Despite being masked, Xie Daoqing's voice rang out, "Release Gu Youan."
Xingxiu waved his fan and said, "Young Master Xie trespassed on our Imperial Ship and demanded that we release the person. Who is Gu Youan? We have never seen him before."
He chuckled lightly, "You are no match for me. If you do not release her, my Xie family will surely raze the Emperor's Palace to the ground."
Boyan frowned. "To raze the Emperor's name to the ground, Young Master Xie, you have quite the audacity."
Xie Daoqing bent his finger and said, "Then let's give it a try."
With a wave of his hand, countless darts shot towards the crowd. His wheelchair transformed into a weapon, and he leaped into the air, turning it into a large sword. He swung the sword and slashed at the crowd.
The five men surrounded Xie Daoqing. "The feud between the Xie family and the Emperor's Mansion should be settled now."
Xie Daoqing suppressed his anger, "I'll say it one last time, let her go. The Xie family's affairs have nothing to do with her, so why drag her into this?"
No sooner had Gu Youan left the Xie family than he received a letter from the Emperor's Ship; it was from his betrothed.
Feng Yun chuckled lightly, "If Young Master Xie spares her life today, we will not harm her."
"Don't even think about it. Why should I believe you?" Although Xie Daoqing's eyes were injured and he could not see, his senses were still very sharp.
A battle between the six was about to break out. Boyan seized the opportunity and stabbed Xie Daoqing in the left shoulder. Xie Daoqing gripped the sword and said, "You dare to hurt me?"
The Xie family's decline was not due to a lack of offspring, but rather because every member of the Xie family had to participate in the struggle and win in order to survive.
He was not the gentle and refined young master of the Xie family, but a man who had emerged from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
He broke the sword, concentrated all his inner strength into the broadsword, and with lightning speed, knocked the others away.
All five men coughed up blood. Xie Daoqing stood on the ground, gripping his broadsword. "I don't want to be your enemy. I'll ask you one last time: Where is Gu Youan?"
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