Chapter 55 Sharing a Bed
On the outskirts of Guocheng, behind a forest of fiery red maple trees, nestled against a stream and beside a mountain, lies a secluded mountain villa covering a hundred acres.
The villa has been built for quite some time, but the nearby villagers do not know who the owner is. However, judging from its opulent appearance, they can roughly guess that the owner must be either rich or noble, especially since this place is right under the nose of the capital, where high-ranking officials and nobles are everywhere.
If it were only because of the disparity in social class, it wouldn't be enough to make the villagers shy away from Qimeng Mountain Villa and dare not approach it.
Most importantly, some villagers have witnessed corpses being carried out of the mountain village at night when it was dark and quiet...
The villagers then speculated that the dead person was either a servant who had committed a crime in the mansion or a maid who had been abused to death.
A death had occurred in the mountain village, yet no officials or soldiers ever came to investigate or hold anyone accountable. As a result, the villagers became wary, believing that there must be a powerful figure living in the village whom they could not afford to offend, and dared not utter a word about it.
If you can't afford to offend them, you can at least avoid them.
Normally, no matter how much noise is made in the mountain village, the nearby villagers will cover their ears and just live their own lives, never daring to get close and cause trouble.
It was an ordinary day. Early in the morning, wisps of smoke rose from the thatched huts in the village as each household busied themselves preparing breakfast. A good meal would give them the energy to work in the fields and woods.
Just as this peaceful and quiet moment arrived, a sudden commotion and commotion came from the direction of Qimeng Manor, as if something had happened.
People love to watch a spectacle, but not all spectacle is something you can just watch casually. In the eyes of the villagers, Qimeng Mountain Villa is like a raging flood or a ferocious beast. Ordinary people dare not approach it easily, for fear of being implicated.
But among the hundred or so people in the village, there are bound to be one or two who are bold.
Hearing the fighting getting louder and louder, two mischievous young men sneaked out of the village and hid behind some jagged rocks, craning their necks to peer towards the main gate of the mountain villa.
They didn't dare get too close, only glancing from afar, but coincidentally witnessed a thrilling scene.
Many of the manor's guards lay sprawled on the ground, while the few remaining standing men, lacking the spirit to fight back, retreated step by step.
They stood side by side in a defensive stance, each holding a long sword with the tip pointed at the menacing white-clad swordsman approaching from the front.
Clearly, the group of guards on the ground were all injured by the swordsmen.
Today, he is an uninvited guest at Qimeng Mountain Villa.
The next instant, the swordsman suddenly raised his sword and charged forward with overwhelming momentum. He quickly broke through the last line of defense in front of the door, rushed through the door, and disappeared in a blur.
The guards of the mountain villa were stunned for a moment when they saw this. After they realized what was happening, they immediately gave chase.
With limited visibility, it was impossible to know how the situation progressed after both parties were admitted to the hospital.
After waiting for a long time, about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, there was no movement at the door again.
A dozen or so guards rushed out of the manor, closed the main gate tightly, and stood on high alert. The two strongest guards stood at the front, their eyes sharp as hawks, scanning the surroundings as if to confirm whether the swordsman had any accomplices waiting outside.
The two young men hiding behind the boulder looked at each other, both tacitly agreeing that the swordsman, outnumbered, had little chance of winning and probably had already been captured or killed.
After all, quite a few bloody things have happened in this Qimeng Manor.
Fearing they might get into trouble and be mistaken for the swordsman's accomplices, the two quickly bent over and retreated, trying to minimize their presence.
These are truly turbulent times.
At this chaotic juncture, staying home is the safest option.
...
On the other side, Ning Jue stormed into the main courtyard alone with his sword. His face was cold and stern, and his sword was pointed forward. He looked like he was ready to kill anyone who stood in his way, which made Jiang Shen'er's subordinates look scared. They only dared to raise their swords to bolster their courage, but dared not actually go forward.
If he continues to cause trouble, not only will Qimeng Manor lose face, but Tianji Pavilion will also lose all face.
With this in mind, Jiang Shen'er became restless.
Originally, she wanted to deflate Ning Jue's arrogance and give the boy a hard time, but now she was in a difficult situation and things were getting out of control. She had no choice but to humble herself and take the initiative to mediate and communicate.
She was still wearing an eye-catching red dress, the style of which was quite different from the last one, but in Ning Jue's eyes, they were both red dresses and he couldn't tell the difference. The only obvious difference was that this time, she wasn't carrying an umbrella.
Although Jiang Shen'er's Nine-Colored Spirit Rhinoceros Severing Thoughts Umbrella was broken by his own hands, a dignified Umbrella Immortal shouldn't only have one handy weapon. Now that she has come empty-handed, it is clear that she has no intention of fighting immediately.
Ning Jue narrowed his eyes, no longer pointing his sword directly at the enemy. He swept his gaze coldly across them and asked bluntly, "Where are my men?"
Jiang Shen'er stood on the steps with a distorted posture, completely lacking any sense of decorum.
She looked down with disdain and replied lazily, "I think... I should remind you that Miss Bai is currently in my hands. Your attitude towards me will determine my attitude towards her."
Jiang Shen'er deliberately lowered her tone, maintaining the air of a senior in front of her juniors.
Ning Jue frowned when he heard her say "Miss Bai," wondering how Jiang Shen'er knew Bai Hua's true identity.
Were they using torture to extract information from her?
Or there might be other methods...
Thinking of this, Ning Jue became flustered and his face showed anxiety. He picked up his sword again and stepped forward, pointing it directly at the other person's throat.
"If you dare to harm her in the slightest, I will raze your Qimeng Manor to the ground," Ning Jue warned.
"Really? It's touched your heart?"
Jiang Shen'er smiled faintly, her red lips eye-catching, her body trembling with excitement.
She stepped down the stone steps, defiantly standing in front of Ning Jue. Undeterred, she leaned forward and deliberately placed her throat against the cold tip of his sword, seemingly unafraid that one of his men might accidentally slit her throat and kill her.
The swordsman's hand was naturally steady, but even if she bet that he wouldn't easily hurt her, the throat is one of the most vulnerable parts of the body, and for her to gamble with her life like that was crazy enough.
A look of surprise flashed in Ning Jue's eyes, his brows furrowed even deeper, and his gaze fell on Jiang Shen'er's face with a thoughtful expression.
Undoubtedly, the woman in front of him was cunning and extremely scheming. If she really wanted to harm the innocent and take Bai Hua's life, why would she bother to send him a message and even lead him here to meet her alone?
Ning Jue became suspicious, feeling that the matter was not as simple as it seemed, and that Jiang Shen'er must have other schemes.
He said, "Tianji Pavilion is indeed Tianji Pavilion. Your intelligence gathering is quite thorough. Since you have already found out our identities and origins, do you know why we came to you?"
Jiang Shen'er glanced at him indifferently: "You want to defeat me, defeat Umbrella Immortal, and thus gain status in the martial arts world and make a name for yourself."
Ning Jue scoffed and said bluntly, "Senior, you've hidden yourself in the martial world and are willing to become a lackey of the Southern Fujian court. What kind of status do you have left?"
Jiang Shen'er ignored the barbed words in his speech, paused for a moment, and then abruptly changed the subject: "Has your master mentioned me to you?"
Ning Jue's eyes narrowed, and he became wary.
Before he could even ask her about his master, she beat him to it.
So, was this a deliberate test, or was it something else entirely?
Ning Jue looked at her, unable to figure her out for a moment.
...
Bai Hua slowly opened her eyes, looking at the white curtain above her head, feeling a sense of confusion.
She felt as if she had a very long dream, and when she woke up she was dizzy and disoriented, not knowing what year it was.
He raised his hand to rub his temples and massaged his brow, trying to clear his mind.
Fragments of memory crumbled in her mind. She recalled that the last time she was conscious, she woke up from a deep sleep and was surprised to find herself sleeping on an ice bed, with a woman staring at her intently beside her.
The woman's face looked familiar. After thinking for a moment, Bai Hua recognized her. This was the Umbrella Fairy who had fought against the young master, and she herself had been kidnapped by her in the chaos.
She was too weak to speak. She moved her mouth with difficulty and uttered two syllables indistinctly before closing her eyes and falling asleep again. When she woke up again, she was not sure how long she had slept or where she was.
After calming down, I didn't feel uncomfortable at all. On the contrary, I felt light and refreshed, as if my blood and energy had been unblocked.
She had previously been drugged and unconscious, and upon waking up, she always suffered from unbearable headaches. It was quite strange that she felt so refreshed now.
Perhaps the dosage was too low?
As she was pondering this, she saw a figure moving at the door and immediately became tense and on guard.
Soon, two maids dressed in purple pushed open the door and entered. The two approached each other with lowered eyes. The one in front brought Bai Hua a basin and cotton towel for washing her face, while the one behind brought the prepared meal.
They remained silent, bowed to Bai Hua in a gesture of respect, and then made a move to help her with her toilette.
Bai Hua subconsciously pushed him away, her eyes somewhat dazed as she looked at him with suspicion.
There are even people specially assigned to serve you?
This doesn't look like the treatment one would expect from someone being kidnapped...
Bai Hua was very suspicious and cautious. She looked at the basin of clear water in front of her and then at the food box the maid was carrying. She suspected that not only the food was poisoned, but also that there was something fishy going on in the water.
She refused to eat or touch anything, her attitude resolute. If the other party tried to force her, she would have no choice but to accept it, as she had no martial arts skills to protect herself. Fortunately, the two maids, seeing that she was unwilling to cooperate, did not insist on doing anything. They rose again, bowed, and withdrew.
Seeing that the two had really left, Bai Hua breathed a sigh of relief, but her heart was still pounding with lingering fear.
She raised her hand to her chest, sat on the bed and slowly calmed herself down, but her worries were still overwhelming.
Looking around at the unfamiliar interior, it was an ordinary bedroom, but the decor was rather luxurious, clearly not a place for imprisoning prisoners. She didn't understand why Senior Umbrella Fairy had brought her here. Also, Young Master Jiu couldn't find her whereabouts, he must be extremely worried now...
Just as I was thinking this, I heard footsteps outside the door again.
She caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of her eye and immediately lay down, pretending to be asleep.
With a creak, the wooden door opened, and unlike before, this time the force of pushing the door was clearly very quick and rough.
Bai Hua's heart tightened. She didn't know if the maid had returned or if Jiang Shen'er had come to interrogate her personally. Thinking of Senior Umbrella Immortal's beautiful yet sinister eyes, Bai Hua's shoulders trembled slightly.
With her back turned, the footsteps behind her grew closer and closer. Just as she was on edge, a familiar voice, slightly hoarse and anxious, struck her ears and landed firmly in her heart.
It is the young master.
Hearing his call, Bai Hua's heart seemed to calm down instantly.
She straightened up and turned around, saw Ning Jue's features clearly, and after confirming that she was not hallucinating out of fear, her eyes involuntarily welled up with tears and turned red.
“…Young Master.”
Her voice was choked with sobs.
She was trying her best to control herself, but she couldn't stop the feeling of helplessness from spreading rapidly in her heart, which even made her throat feel sore. She felt so wronged and so scared.
But in her most vulnerable moment, she turned around and saw him.
Their eyes met, and Bai Hua's tears flowed uncontrollably. Without thinking, she leaned forward and hugged Ning Jue tightly.
"What happened while I was unconscious... How did you find me, young master? Where is Senior Umbrella Fairy? This is her territory, and her confidants are everywhere. She's very difficult to deal with. Did you bring any help with you, young master?"
Ning Jue patted her back to comfort her, knowing that Bai Hua would talk incessantly when she was nervous.
After a moment, he replied, "Don't worry, Jiang Shen'er's target is me. We've reached a consensus and are preparing for a fair and serious one-on-one match. Umbrella Immortal is one of the four great masters of the martial arts world. I don't have an absolute guarantee of winning a formal battle against her, so we signed a life-or-death agreement beforehand. Regardless of life or death, or the outcome of the match, our relatives and friends will not pursue the matter. I've also told her that no matter what happens afterward, she will let you leave safely after the match, and she has promised to do so."
Bai Hua kept holding him, quietly processing his words.
She sensed the deadly danger lurking beneath the young master's nonchalant tone, and her unease intensified, leaving her deeply anxious and uneasy.
Is the young master prepared to risk his life to test the true strength of Senior Umbrella Immortal?
Bai Hua's heart tightened, and she hurriedly asked, "The Sword Saint's death was related to poison. Young Master and Senior Umbrella Immortal were at odds. What could they possibly be trying to find out..."
Ning Jue replied, "When you beat her so badly that she can't defend herself anymore, she will use her best skills to save her life. Only when you push her to the brink will she forget her pretense."
The young master's considerations are not without merit.
Yet, he spoke so casually about such a life-or-death matter, as if there was nothing or no one in the world worth his lingering attachment to except for investigating the truth behind his master's death.
He didn't care about his own life or death, but she cherished his.
Bai Hua's expression was solemn. She knew she couldn't persuade him; when it came to the death of the Sword Saint, the young master had always lacked a bit of rationality.
She asked again urgently, "How confident are you, young master?"
Ning Jue replied, "The umbrella is wide and naturally counters the sword. In addition, Jiang Shen'er is an outstanding senior. The probability of me fighting her is 73%."
She has seven, he has three.
The chances of survival are only 30%...
Bai Hua's heart skipped a beat, and she released the person, her expression slightly dazed.
Ning Jue added, “If my chances of survival are slim, there’s no need to go through the trouble of carrying my body across the sea back to my homeland. Just find a random place to cremate me, put my ashes in a small bottle and bring them back to Dayan. Then scatter them in the forest on Xianyang Mountain. Only there will be traces of our shared life. I will feel at peace there.”
Bai Hua's nose felt sore.
These words completely shattered her strong defenses, and she couldn't help but shed tears again. Faced with the prospect of life and death, it felt as if a piece of her heart had suddenly gone empty.
how so……
I just woke up and the situation had changed so much.
Is she still not awake?
However, the scenes unfolding before her eyes were all too real. If they weren't about to part, why would the young master show her his vulnerable side? He was clearly giving her his final words of advice and farewell.
Bai Hua grabbed his arm and sobbed, "Young Master, you can't be hurt. You...you haven't even officially accepted any disciples yet. The Lone Goose Sword Technique, which the Sword Saint painstakingly researched, is it going to be lost to the world? If you do that, wouldn't you be even more unworthy of the Sword Saint's kindness as his master?"
"It's an emergency, I have no choice, unless..."
He hesitated, his eyes filled with dejection.
Bai Hua's heart softened drastically at this moment, and she hurriedly asked, "Unless what?"
Ning Jue looked into Bai Hua's eyes, which were filled with genuine emotion and a hint of pleading, pursed his lips, and said, "The competition is in two days. There is still one day left tomorrow. I can teach you both parts of the Lone Goose Sword Style to prevent my master's exquisite sword technique from being lost. But I don't know if you are willing to do so, or if you are willing to help me fulfill this wish."
Some things don't need to be said explicitly; we can understand each other implicitly.
What Ning Jue wanted to confirm with her was not whether she would learn swordsmanship, but whether she could take him.
Bai Hua felt a little flustered, lowered her eyes and couldn't speak, her ear tips turning red and hot.
Ning Jue did not force him, but his eyes dimmed.
However, at this moment, Bai Hua suddenly grabbed his hand, her gaze conflicted and hesitant.
She had no idea how she had the courage to make that decision, but before her reason returned, impulsive words slipped out.
Bai Hua: "I do."
Ning Jue stared at her, his brow furrowing slightly before relaxing, and asked to confirm, "Are you really willing? This isn't acting, nor is it child's play. I'll teach you the Lone Goose Sword Technique, but on the condition that..."
Bai Hua had heard this before, and immediately pressed on, saying, "The premise is that we are intimately close to each other, I know."
She was perhaps ashamed, so she omitted the first half of her sentence.
Ning Jue's original words were: "If we share the same bed, I will be intimately close to you."
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