Chapter 164
Xie Yijun flew into a rage, her eyes red with anger amidst the torrential rain, and shouted, "Who told you to fire those arrows!"
The disciples were shocked and looked at each other in dismay.
"Reporting to the Sect Leader! This disciple did not fire any arrows!"
"I don't have any either!"
"Who is that? Who fired the arrow?!"
...
"She knows who the mastermind behind the secret guards is, she can't die yet!" Xie Yijun felt dizzy and almost fainted on the spot. "A bunch of idiots! Who fired the arrow, step forward!"
As she said this, Ji Wanshu had already silently pushed through the crowd and rushed into the woods to begin her search.
"It might have been a sneak attack by the mastermind!" Wen Chaoyu exclaimed angrily. "What are you all standing there for? Go after them!"
The disciples snapped out of their daze and quickly caught up with Ji Wanshu, immediately searching the forest for any suspicious individuals.
Only a few scattered figures remained on the cliff edge.
"Uncle-Master and Xiao Qiu..." Bai Ling cried uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face. "It's all over, it's really all over now. With this heavy rain, will Uncle-Master be able to see Xiao Qiu...?"
Xie Yijun's vision blurred, and she pressed her forehead, shouting, "Instead of crying and wailing, why don't you hurry up and go find someone at the bottom of the cliff!"
Bai Ling wiped away her tears, leaned over the edge of the cliff and looked down, then quickly called a group of disciples to head down the mountain.
Wen Chaoyu originally intended to cooperate with Man Jiangxue. As long as Ye Zhilan saw Man Jiangxue commit suicide, she would naturally have no extra energy to care about others. Wen Chaoyu would then take the opportunity to smash her flute, preventing her from activating the Gu poison. However, who could have imagined that someone was hiding in the dark and closely watching, and actually shot an arrow at that crucial moment, killing Ye Zhilan.
“Man Jiangxue’s sword strike was heavy-handed. If she had lost too much blood and hadn’t been bandaged up in time, she might not have escaped death herself,” Wen Chaoyu said, supporting Xie Yijun with a look of exasperation. “So don’t let something happen to you at a time like this! If you’re going to faint, wait until someone finds you before you do. You’re acting like you’re going to die at the slightest thing. How pathetic!”
Xie Yijun's eyes welled with tears, and she said in a trembling voice, "This is considered a minor incident? Those are Jiang Xue and Yin Qiu! They are your junior sister and your junior sister's own daughter!"
"How could I not know!" Wen Chaoyu was also upset, suppressing her anger as she said, "Stop talking nonsense, hurry up and go to the riverbank to look for them!"
As the two hurriedly left the place, Manjiangxue was rapidly falling from mid-air.
The torrential rain engulfed the entire world, blurring the view into a hazy, indistinct scene. The sound of the wind breaking filled the air, and the trees on the cliff face scraped against the body, tearing clothes and slashing skin, leaving people covered in wounds and in a sorry state.
At the moment she jumped off the cliff, Man Jiangxue briefly caught a glimpse of Yin Qiu's shadow, but now, all she could see was the dense downpour and the layers of branches.
She could no longer see Yin Qiu at all.
An overwhelming sense of despair and panic welled up within her. With such a high cliff, even if Yin Qiu managed to wake up halfway down, she would be completely immobile and powerless to resist. Whether she fell into the river or landed on the riverbank, she would almost certainly die.
But Man Jiangxue could no longer catch up with her.
The wound on her neck continued to bleed, staining half of Man Jiangxue's chest and arm red. She did not seek a suitable foothold, nor did she grab onto the nearest rocks or branches to steady herself. She simply let her body slam against the intertwined branches and leaves of the trees, and continue to fall through the heavy rain.
The world was spinning, and the wind and rain were raging. As Man Jiangxue fell, the image of Yin Qiu falling off the cliff kept flashing before her eyes.
Is it too late?
It's probably too late.
What will she do if Xiao Qiu is gone?
A profound sense of despair overwhelmed her, and the pain in her heart was even more unbearable than the physical pain. A warm glow gradually spread through her eyes, but it was quickly covered by the cold rain. Man Jiangxue slowly closed her eyes, and warm blood spilled from her lips.
But the next moment, she suddenly opened her eyes.
No... Xiao Qiu won't die.
Xiao Qiu won't die!
We must find her!
A glimmer of light ignited in her gloomy heart. A strong thought occupied her mind. Man Jiangxue groaned and desperately reached out to grab a nearby tree branch. Using the force, she flipped in the air and landed on a slender branch. However, as soon as her legs were firmly planted, the branch snapped off.
Man Jiangxue plummeted downwards again, but she did not panic. Instead, she used her lightness skill to quickly leap among the branches and leaves, stepping on every place she could use for leverage as she descended to the bottom of the cliff.
·
Ye Zhilan hung upside down on the mountainside, the arrow still stuck in her chest.
The rope around her ankle was very tight; when she fell earlier, that area almost dislocated, but luckily she gritted her teeth and grabbed a protruding rock to steady herself.
Three fingers on her right hand had already been sliced off by Wen Chaoyu's throwing knife, and to make matters worse, an arrow had struck her chest. Ye Zhilan gasped for breath, the icy rain pouring into her mouth and nose, blurring her vision. She stood in the rain for a long time to catch her breath, and finally bit her lower lip and pulled the sharp arrow out of her chest.
Blood spurted out, its crimson color fleeting, insignificant in the rain, quickly disappearing from sight. A sharp, intense pain spread from her chest, and Ye Zhilan let out a piercing scream in this desolate place, her brief moment of recovery vanishing instantly.
Looking back, below was a dense forest battered by the rain, its branches swaying wildly. It was unclear whether it grew only in this area or extended to the foot of the mountain. Ye Zhilan could no longer see the river below. She shakily raised her head and saw the wooden plank road above. Ropes hung down through the gaps in the steps, holding her life firmly in place.
Trying her best to suppress the pain and force herself to ignore the injuries, Ye Zhilan struggled to grip the rope and climbed up little by little. She didn't know how long it took before she finally managed to climb onto the boardwalk and lay down on the steps, breathing heavily.
These steps had been in disrepair for many years and had been eroded by wind, rain and snow over the years, making them very fragile. Ye Zhilan had not been lying down for long when she suddenly felt a gaping hole under her waist. A broken piece of wood flew down and disappeared in the blink of an eye. Ye Zhilan dared not stay any longer and had to grit her teeth and get up, tiptoeing slowly down the plank road.
She had scouted the area beforehand. As long as nothing unexpected happened along the way, she could follow the plank road forward, carefully circling around half of it, and reach a deserted path at the end of the plank road. Although steep and treacherous, it was not impossible to walk on. However, many of the wooden wedges embedded in the mountain had fallen off, and she would have to use her light-footed skills to land on the path.
The most uncertain thing right now is whether she can still use her lightness skill.
The arrow that pierced her chest was undeniably dangerous; had the shooter missed even a fraction of an inch, it would have pierced her heart on the spot. Perhaps the rain was too heavy, causing the shooter to lose his aim and allowing her to escape from Ji Wanshu's grasp. However, she was losing blood too quickly, and could clearly feel her life slipping away. Ye Zhilan wasn't sure if she could survive; perhaps she would die before she even reached the end of this plank road.
With great effort, she untied the rope from her ankles, gripped the mountain wall with both hands, and felt dizzy. Several times she almost succumbed to the rain and lost her footing, but she persevered and groped her way forward until she finally reached the last step.
The rain was still falling, and the path was just ahead. Ye Zhilan stood shivering at the end of the plank road, her hands gripping the mountain wall tightly. She was cold and tired, and the pain in her body was deep in her bones. She was already exhausted, but she dared not relax. If she lost her breath, she might fall.
Only one last step remains.
Ye Zhilan silently cheered herself up.
Man Jiangxue and Yin Qiu are both dead; they can't possibly survive. As long as she can persevere, she will be the ultimate winner.
Get over it!
A voice inside her encouraged her. Ye Zhilan took a deep breath, stepped onto the stone wall, and soared into the air. The next moment, she landed safely on the ground, rolled around on the sloping path, and the weeds scratched her face, but she didn't care. She lay face down on the ground, reached out her hands to touch the watery mud, and the tension in her heart finally eased.
She did it.
She can live... She can live!
A faint smile appeared on her lips, and soon the curve of her mouth widened. Ye Zhilan prostrated herself on the ground and burst into ecstatic laughter.
·
"What's so funny?" Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice rang out.
The laughter in her throat stopped abruptly. Ye Zhilan was startled and looked up sharply, only to see a person standing in the middle of the overgrown path.
The man was dressed in a loose, dark robe, and his face was covered by a silver mask, making it impossible to discern his features; all that could be seen was that he was a man.
Amidst a sudden downpour, he stood there with an umbrella in his left hand and a sword in his right, exuding an air of elegance as he looked down at Ye Zhilan.
Ye Zhilan's brow twitched. She tried to get up but had no strength left. She could only lie in the dirty mud and look up at him.
"Young Master Fan... what are you doing here?"
The oil-paper umbrella couldn't withstand such a fierce downpour; one of its ribs snapped the moment Ye Zhilan finished speaking. Gongzi Fan simply threw the umbrella away and said politely, "I'm here to kill you."
Ye Zhilan's eyes widened in surprise, and she exclaimed, "Why did you want to kill me?"
Gongzi Fan smiled and said, "I've been looking for you for many years, and I finally know who you are. Now that I have such a good opportunity, of course I'm going to kill you."
Ye Zhilan's face showed fear as she backed away: "No...you can't kill me, we can join forces!"
“But you’re already doomed,” Gongzi Fan knelt down, his eyes hidden behind his mask staring at Ye Zhilan. “Even if I don’t do anything, this arrow will have killed you. But rather than watching you die, I’d rather send you on your way myself.”
"No, no..." Ye Zhilan said, "Please save me. As long as you take me away and find a doctor for me in time, I can still live. This little injury is nothing!"
"Do you think that's possible? You're my enemy," Gongzi Fan said gently. "So you're that afraid of death? I thought you had some backbone, but it seems I overestimated you."
Ye Zhilan couldn't stop trembling. She grabbed Gongzi Fan's sleeve and pleaded, "You want to deal with Yunhua Palace, don't you? Otherwise, you wouldn't be here. I'm very familiar with Yunhua Palace. I can help you. I have value to you!"
Gongzi Fan laughed and said, "Who said I wanted to deal with Yunhua Palace?" He gently raised his hand and pinched Ye Zhilan's chin, his eyes cold and clear. "I have an adopted daughter in Yunhua Palace. That is her home. How could I destroy her home? Besides, I have never thought of dealing with Yunhua Palace. I came here today specifically for you."
Ye Zhilan turned her face away in a panic, avoiding Gongzi Fan's hand as if it were a snake or a scorpion. She tried her best to open her eyes wide and asked, "Who exactly are you... why do you want to kill me!"
"To act on behalf of Heaven," Gongzi Fan laughed contentedly, "you should have died long ago, shouldn't you?"
After saying this, he suddenly used his fingertips to gently remove the mask from his face.
A handsome face immediately caught Ye Zhilan's eye.
"You...you are..." Ye Zhilan was shocked, and a great fear suddenly arose in her heart.
“You look familiar, don’t you?” said Gongzi Fan. “We’ve seen you many times.”
"It's you..." Ye Zhilan stared at him in disbelief, scrutinizing Gongzi Fan from head to toe. "How could this be?! How could it be you?!"
After saying this, Ye Zhilan suddenly grabbed Gongzi Fan's shoulders with trembling hands. She groped his body, examining his arms, wrists, and other parts of his body, as if checking for old injuries or confirming something else.
Ye Zhilan's eyes glazed over, and she murmured to herself, "No, this can't be..."
Gongzi Fan let her do as she pleased, without struggling. His demeanor was relaxed, his tone tinged with amusement: "What's impossible?" he said, using his thumb to pry open the scabbard and gently drawing his sword. "You're not the only one who can fake it, are you? Didn't expect that?"
Ye Zhilan stared at him as if she had seen a ghost, her mouth dry as she said, "Man Jiangxue knew too? And Wen Chaoyu and Xie Yijun, they all knew, didn't they? You deliberately left Yin Qiu alone, just to lure me out!" She suddenly turned and looked down the mountain, her voice shrill, "Man Jiangxue and Yin Qiu can't be dead, you must have had a backup plan all along, they're not dead!"
“You’re overthinking it,” Gongzi Fan’s tone turned cold for some reason. “Whether Man Jiangxue and Yin Qiu will die, I don’t know right now, but you’re definitely going to die.”
"You are actually Gongzi Fan—" Ye Zhilan was completely dumbfounded and immediately vomited a mouthful of blood. "Go find Nangong Min, go find her! What I know, she knows too. I told her everything, and Meng Wugui knows too! Go kill them both, and let me go... let me go!"
“It’s too late,” Gongzi Fan sneered, raising his hand to grab Ye Zhilan’s neck and gently stabbing the tip of his sword inch by inch into her heart. “I’ve waited so many years, and I don’t have much patience left. I’m going to kill you, and then kill the others who deserve to die.”
Ye Zhilan struggled violently, but she was powerless to resist. She could only clearly feel the tip of the sword piercing her body, and her throat, which was being tightly gripped, could no longer make any sound.
In no time, the person before him was motionless, dead at his own hands. Gongzi Fan coldly stared at Ye Zhilan, then stabbed her gradually cooling corpse several more times in a fit of rage.
Finally, he stood up while still holding Ye Zhilan in his hand and threw her violently off the cliff.
“One by one,” Gongzi Fan watched Ye Zhilan’s figure disappear into the rain, and sneered in a low voice, “No one will have an easy time.”
·
"Miss, it looks like it's going to rain. Let's hurry and go into the cabin!" The maid looked up at the sky and stood by the railing with a worried expression.
Duan Ning sat on the table with her legs propped up, shaking the dice vigorously in her hand. She glanced up at them and said impatiently, "All talk and no action, what's there to be afraid of? Let me play a couple more rounds!"
Several guards sat around a table, eating peanuts and gambling with Duan Ning to pass the time.
Several days had passed since they set sail from Jinhuai City, and the group was bored out of their minds on the boat. If it weren't for the cold winter, they would have loved to jump into the river for a swim before coming ashore. Duan Ning rarely traveled far from home, and she didn't even realize she was seasick. She had vomited quite a bit on the boat while delivering goods, and had only recently learned to gamble to distract herself. Even if lightning struck the bow of the boat, she wouldn't want to move an inch.
“It started thundering last night, so it’s definitely going to rain, and I bet it’ll be a heavy downpour,” the maid ran to the table and poured Duan Ning a cup of cold tea. “Besides, Yunhua Mountain is just ahead, and you promised that young master that you’d do her a favor. Miss, stop playing around and let’s find a place to dock!”
Duan Ning clicked her tongue, saying listlessly, "Why are you so long-winded, like an old woman?" She glanced into the distance and put down the dice in her hand. "Alright, alright, Yunhua Mountain is getting closer. Let's go tell the boatman to find a place to stop... By the way, how are we supposed to get up this godforsaken place? It's so annoying!"
The maid comforted her for a moment and then ran to instruct the boatman to dock. Duan Ning, still feeling unsatisfied, dismissed the guards and was about to step into the cabin when a few drops of rain fell on her face. Standing on the deck, she looked at the approaching Yunhua Mountain and saw that the riverbank was extremely narrow, only wide enough for one person to stand. If two people stood side by side, one of them would get their shoes wet. She was troubled.
We can't exactly make her crawl up to Yunhua Palace on her hands and feet! Who could possibly climb such a high cliff?
"Does anyone here know this place well?" Duan Ning shouted. "I doubt there's a direct road leading up the mountain!"
One of the guards replied, "We can only circle around along the riverbank. Alternatively, Miss can wait on the boat while we deliver the items."
Duan Ning thought for a moment and replied, "Alright, I'm too lazy to make the trip myself. The girl's name is Yin Qiu, you can find out by asking around. When you get there, be polite and don't get into any conflicts, understand?"
The guards readily agreed and immediately retrieved the items Fu Xiang had instructed them to take. One by one, they leaped from the boat towards the riverbank like dumplings being dropped into boiling water. Duan Ning stretched and noticed that the rain was intensifying, so she planned to go back to her cabin for a nap. However, before she had taken more than a few steps, a torrential downpour suddenly struck, instantly soaking her to the bone.
"Mother!" Duan Ning rushed into the cabin, dumbfounded, and exclaimed, "This rain came so suddenly!"
The maid rushed in, both anxious and amused: "I told you to come in quickly, look at you, you're soaking wet!"
"How was I supposed to know the rain would come so suddenly!" Duan Ning said, lifting the curtain to look outside again. The maid hurriedly wiped her face. The two returned to their room and had just changed their clothes when they suddenly heard a loud crash outside, as if something had fallen into the water from a height, splashing water onto the gunwale.
"What was that sound?!" Duan Ning exclaimed in surprise, "The wind is so strong, could it be that the mast has been blown down?!"
The maid was also startled by the noise and quickly said, "Miss, don't be afraid, I'll go out and see!"
Duan Ning rushed out of the cabin ahead of her, and when he looked up, the mast was completely intact, without the slightest problem.
Duan Ning was puzzled when she suddenly heard a guard at the stern shout, "Miss! Someone just fell off!"
Someone fell? Duan Ning quickly ran over, grabbed the railing, and looked around: "Where's anyone?"
"It sank! It was moving too fast; I only saw a white blur flash by!"
Duan Ning said, "Then why don't you hurry up and go down and pull them up?!"
The guard said, "Falling from such a height, even if someone doesn't die, they'll break several bones. Besides, with this heavy rain, who would dare jump into the river?"
Duan Ning glared and yelled, "What if he's not dead? What kind of hero would you be if you just stood by and watched someone die! Go get the rope! If you won't jump, I will!"
Are you kidding me? Who would dare let Duan Ning jump into the river? That would be suicidal!
The guards quickly stopped her and rushed over with ropes. They all pinched their noses and, in the pouring rain, swam like dumplings in soup, desperately trying to reach the bottom of the river to search for the white figure they had seen earlier.
"Miss, the rain is too heavy. Please go back to your cabin and wait," the maid said to Duan Ning, barely able to stand. "Don't catch a cold!"
Duan Ning clicked his tongue and pushed the maid away: "Someone's about to die, who cares about catching a cold? Go back yourself and don't bother me!"
How could the maid dare abandon her mistress to seek shelter from the rain? She had no choice but to wait there as well. The remaining boatmen and guards gripped the rope tightly, gritting their teeth and persevering for quite some time before one of them exclaimed, "Here it is! Here it is... Damn, why is it so heavy?!"
Duan Ning's eyes lit up, and as he looked down, he saw figures emerging from the river one after another. One of the guards was holding a girl in white in his arms. He couldn't see her face clearly, but he could see that her white clothes were covered with mottled bloodstains.
Pull harder! The person is still alive!
Upon hearing this, Duan Ning was overjoyed and immediately turned to join the group pulling the guard up. Together, they managed to pull the guard up. The moment Duan Ning saw the girl's face, he screamed as if struck by lightning: "Ah—?! This...this isn't Yin Qiu?!"
(End of Volume 2)
Author's Note: Finally finished writing Volume 2 (exhausted.jpg)
I hope you all will continue to support Volume 3. There won't be a Volume 4, but I can't predict when it will end. I'm very grateful to all the little angels who left comments, gave me gifts, and sent me warmth during the serialization. I will try my best to write this story well.
There's a red envelope giveaway in this chapter! Everyone who leaves a comment before tomorrow's update will get one, muah!
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