Chapter 9
Pei Yun paused, but the gentle, jade-like mask on her face did not shatter. Instead, a faint, expected smile appeared on her face, as if her angry questioning was nothing more than a pre-written play.
“Miss Xi, you are mistaken,” he said, his voice still gentle, even carrying a hint of innocent confusion. “It was clearly you who personally agreed to accompany me south to seek medical treatment. Now that we have entered the southern border, my long-cherished wish is about to be fulfilled. Why are you so displeased?”
It's that same old tone again, trying to downplay the issue and appease everyone!
Xi Xiao's brows furrowed even more, her disgust almost bursting forth. She stared intently at that handsome yet hypocritical face, a thought piercing her mind with crystal clarity: why was it only now that she saw so clearly how deliberate and cold the smile on that face was? That feigned warmth, in her eyes now, was as fragile as cheap glass, cracked in every way!
Just as the tension was building, dozens of figures suddenly and silently emerged from the shadows of the jagged rocks and thick miasma around them. The one in the lead was none other than Xiang Mo, Pei Yun's close attendant.
With light steps, Xiangmo first bowed respectfully in Pei Yun's direction, then turned around, her face showing just the right amount of formulaic concern, and walked towards Xi Xiao, who stood frozen like a stone.
“Miss,” her voice was soft as water, yet carried an undeniable air of authority, “the Southern Frontier is a foreign land with vastly different customs and traditions. Your attire is too conspicuous and may cause trouble. Please come with me and change into something more suitable before entering.”
Xi Xiao, however, remained rooted to the spot, unmoving. Her eyes were fixed on Pei Yun, as if she were about to pounce on him at any moment.
Immense fear and regret, like a cold, venomous snake, instantly gnawed at her heart!
Senior brother...
A name exploded in her mind, bringing a piercing pain. If she had listened to her senior brother's advice and stayed quietly in the Medicine Valley, how could Yunwu have been so badly injured and on the verge of death? And how could she have been forced into this situation against her will?
Seeing her lack of reaction, Xiangmo's feigned concern deepened, her voice becoming even softer yet more forceful: "Miss, please don't be stubborn. The young master's heart towards you is as clear as day. He came to the Southern Frontier only to seek the elixir. Once the elixir is complete, he will surely escort you safely back to your homeland, without a doubt..."
"Enough!"
Xi Xiao abruptly interrupted her, her throat tightening, tears welling in her eyes but she forced them back. She turned to Xiang Mo, and even more so to Pei Yun, who stood silently watching as if it were a play, and raised a cold, mocking sneer: "Knowing that we are the fish on the chopping block..." Her voice trembled slightly with extreme anger, yet each word was clear, like ice beads falling onto a jade plate, "Then why bother with this pretense!"
The group walked forward in silence. After only a dozen or so steps, the dozens of oppressive auras that had followed them like shadows suddenly dissipated, leaving only Xiangmo and Heying, like two silent shadows, following closely behind.
Further on, passing through a dense, impenetrable miasma forest, a breathtaking view suddenly opened up before us! It was a long street bustling with activity, teeming with people! The sounds of vendors hawking their wares, laughing and talking, and the clinking of utensils blended together to create a vibrant, worldly clamor.
However, if you listen carefully, amidst the cacophony, you can hear a faint, intermittent sob of a woman, drifting and ethereal, coming from who-knows-where, adding to the eeriness of the situation.
"Miss, this way please." Xiangmo's voice sounded beside her, carrying an unquestionable direction. She stopped in front of an inconspicuous low house. The house had mottled walls and drooping eaves, hidden in the shadows of the street corner, as if it could be swallowed up by the surrounding noise at any moment.
However, when Xiangmo pushed open the creaking wooden door and led Xi Xiao inside, even though Xi Xiao was already on guard, she couldn't help but be slightly taken aback. The scene inside was completely different from the dilapidated exterior!
The floor was draped in brocade, the walls inlaid with pearls, and the rosewood tables and chairs gleamed with a warm luster. Exquisite jade artifacts were displayed on the antique shelves. Priceless ambergris burned in the incense burner, its wisps of smoke swirling among the carved beams and painted rafters. A warm jade screen separated the inner chamber, through which a canopy bed with brocade cushions could be vaguely seen… its magnificence and refinement were in no way inferior to the palaces of royalty!
Xi Xiao's gaze swept quickly over every detail of this extravagant place, and the thought that she had been "prepared" instantly became firm, turning cold and heavy.
It was truly a calculated and meticulously planned operation!
When Xi Xiao was half-led and half-helped by Xiang Mo to the inner room, Pei Yun had already changed into a coarse cloth short coat. The ordinary, rough cloth wrapped around him did not make him look shabby at all; on the contrary, it made his figure look even more upright and handsome. The innate nobility between his brows was not diminished in the slightest, but only added a touch of unrestrained and romantic charm.
Like a puppet who had lost its soul, Xi Xiao was supported by Xiang Mo in front of a gleaming bronze mirror. Her eyes were empty, and she let those nimble hands manipulate her hair and neck, oblivious to everything around her.
Pei Yun had somehow wandered up behind her, his blurry figure reflected in the mirror. He didn't speak, but simply picked up a speck of earthy black ash from somewhere, casually rubbed it between his fingers, and then casually smeared the cool, damp ash on his jade-like cheeks and neck. The black ash stained his handsome features, instantly blending his otherworldly air into the dust.
Then, he leaned down slightly, his cool fingers, still damp with ash, gently pinching Xi Xiao's delicate chin, forcing her to tilt her head back. Xi Xiao's eyelashes trembled slightly, but she stubbornly kept her eyes downcast, refusing to meet the gaze of the person in the mirror. He moved his fingertips slightly, applying the remaining black ash between his fingers with an almost intimate touch to her soft skin.
His warm breath brushed against her earlobe, carrying his cool yet dangerous aura. Xi Xiao's body stiffened like a stone, she even held her breath, only her hands tightly clenched on her knees betrayed her inner resistance.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my brow!
She jerked her eyelashes up and was met with a reflection in the mirror: Pei Yun was holding a slender, dark stone eyebrow pencil, the tip pressed against her brow bone! The pain she had just felt was from the merciless force he had applied when he put the pencil down.
The once beautiful face in the mirror has now been deliberately painted with crooked eyebrows and a dull complexion, making her unrecognizable. Only her eyes, wide open with shock and anger, shine brighter and more dazzlingly than stars thrown into a cold pool, hidden by the filth.
Pei Yun examined his "masterpiece" in the mirror, seemingly still feeling it was not enough. He frowned slightly, raised his wrist slightly, and intended to add a few more strokes.
"Let go!"
At this moment, Xi Xiao's pent-up anger and humiliation exploded! She suddenly raised her hand and, with all her might, swung it hard at the wrist that was holding the pen!
Pei Yun seemed to have anticipated this, deftly flipping his wrist to avoid most of her force, only letting the eyebrow pencil fly out of his hand and fall to the ground with a soft "thud." There was no anger on his face, as if he had merely brushed away a wisp of annoying dust.
Xiangmo, who was standing to the side, was quick-witted and nimble. Almost the instant the eyebrow pencil fell to the ground, she bent down to pick it up, carefully wiped it clean with a silk handkerchief, and respectfully returned it to Pei Yun.
Pei Yun did not take it immediately. Instead, he casually twirled the brush that had become smooth again with his fingertips. His gaze fell on Xi Xiao's eyes in the mirror, which were burning with an indomitable flame. A meaningful smile appeared on his lips. His voice was low and soothing, like the whispers of lovers, but every word was cold.
"Xi Xiao." He called her name softly with a sigh, "You've been far too wary of me." The ink brush between his fingers lightly touched the mirror, as if touching Xi Xiao's heart, "Through all this journey, through high mountains and treacherous waters, have I ever harmed you in the slightest?"
He leaned slightly closer to her stiff back, their reflections in the mirror almost overlapping: "Who in this world doesn't have a few dark corners in their heart that they don't want others to know? A few secrets that they can't tell outsiders?" His voice carried a hint of seduction, yet also a warning, "Why do we have to dig three feet into the ground and ask every question? Being a little confused, we can both... be at ease."
"madman!"
Xi Xiao's teeth almost bled, sinking deep into her lower lip as she swallowed the surging curses. She turned her face away, refusing to utter another word to him.
The man, however, paid no heed, chuckling softly to himself. His long, slender fingers slowly and deliberately smoothed out her slightly disheveled clothes, his fingertips inadvertently brushing against the cool skin of her neck, sending a slight shiver down his spine. Finally, he tightened his grip, his fingers clenching her slender wrist with such force that it almost crushed her bones, and dragged her towards the door.
He Ying, who was standing to the side, saw it clearly and felt a tightness in her heart. She subconsciously took half a step forward.
With lightning speed, Xiangmo grabbed Heying's forearm, her grip carrying an undeniable warning. She abruptly pulled him back into the shadows beside her, her voice low and menacing, almost whispering in his ear: "The master's intentions are crystal clear. If you're still so reckless and can't read the room, and insist on 'opposing' the young lady..." She emphasized the word "oppose," her nails digging almost into Heying's flesh, "When that happens, not even a god in heaven can save you!"
He Ying felt a sharp pain in his arm, and Xiang Mo's words pierced his ears like ice picks. A thought instantly tightened around his heart like a poisonous vine: His master probably had this intention all along! Although he was using Miss Xi, what was surging within him was more than just scheming. It was clearly a selfish desire that had been suppressed for too long and could no longer be contained! The ferocity beneath that gentle exterior had finally been torn open today.
A thousand words welled up in his heart, choking him up, and finally turned into a heavy sigh, filled with worry, fear, and a sense of knowing everything yet being powerless to do anything.
Xi Xiao was dragged forward unsteadily by Pei Yun, her wrist gripped tightly. After only a few steps, a figure emerged from the shadows ahead.
The man was dressed in the distinctive indigo shorts of the Southern Frontier, with dark blue tattoos visible on his bare arms. He bowed respectfully to Pei Yun, but his eyes held a hint of arrogance as he said haughtily, "Young Master has been waiting for you for a long time."
As soon as the words were spoken, an inconspicuous carriage silently slid out from the depths of the alley and came to a steady stop in front of the two. There was no coachman in sight, only an old horse with a red tassel snorting heavily.
Pei Yun wore a faint, almost imperceptible smile, his grip on Xi Xiao unwavering, practically dragging her along. Without a word, he shoved her into the cramped, old-fashioned carriage. Xi Xiao's back slammed heavily against the hard wall, letting out a muffled groan of pain, her vision blurring.
The carriage started moving, its wheels rumbling over the cobblestones with a muffled, suppressed sound. Xi Xiao huddled in a corner, trying to steady herself. Just then, a piercing cry from outside the carriage suddenly broke the silence!
This time, the sound seemed to be right next to her eardrums! It was sharper and more distorted than before, like countless cold steel needles piercing deep into her skull, tearing at her nerves.
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