Chapter 119: Isn’t it just to trick Shen Tianji into setting fire to the river? He felt as if he had been roasted on fire for three days.
He said, can you please take a look at me.
It’s not “save me”, it’s not “help me”, it’s not even an ordinary “wait for me”.
Just "look at me".
The Thousand Faces Mask became her hiding place, but her eyes could not be hidden. She didn't dare go to Tingzhu Waterside Pavilion, didn't dare go to Meng's Medical Clinic, and didn't even dare stay in the Cao Gang's headquarters for long, for fear that if she wasn't careful, those omnipresent eyes would see through her.
Qing Guiyu mingled among the busy Cao Gang disciples, listening to orders being passed down and watching inconspicuous fishing boats being towed into hidden docks, modified, and filled with saltpeter and sulfur.
The entire ferry crossing in Yuzhou City is like a giant bow that is slowly being pulled apart, with every tendon stretched taut, waiting for the earth-shattering arrow.
Day 3, midnight.
The rain had stopped, but the thick, dark clouds lingered, hanging heavy over the river, barely illuminating even the stars and moon. The river wind whimpered, washing over the tide.
A cloud-piercing arrow came from the west of the city, with a sharp hiss, and sank into the clouds, exploding into silver sparks like snow lotus.
It’s Lu Guiyan’s signal.
The ambush on the shore has begun.
Qing Guiyu's heart suddenly rose to his throat. Unable to contain himself, he pulled his bamboo hat down and quietly left the Cao Gang's group, using the "Listening to the Rain" step, heading towards the Luoshitan downstream.
Once this thought came to mind, it grew like wild weeds and could no longer be suppressed.
She had to go and see.
She had to go and see.
*
At Luoshu Beach, where the river makes a sharp turn and the mudflats are dotted with jagged reefs, it's a dangerous place that ordinary boats avoid. But at this moment, behind this dark mudflat, nearly 200 small boats with extremely deep drafts are huddled together in silence, as if dormant.
There was no sound on the boat, only the sound of the river water lapping against the side and the occasional rustle of the oilskin in the wind. A pungent smell of sulfur and tung oil rushed into the noses of every living thing.
Qing Guiyu found a higher reef, hid in the shadow behind it, and tried to calm his heartbeat.
Soon, a dark figure slowly emerged from the darkness on the shore.
He was still wearing the same black robe, the gold thread was almost invisible in the darkness, his long hair was tied up high with a jade crown, his face was pale and bloodless, and his expression was terrifyingly calm.
Only the scarlet trace traced on the tip of the eyebrow looks like a drop of solidified blood in the night.
Behind him, Fuxi, along with several Tianji Pavilion's assassins, carried several heavy wooden boxes and followed quietly.
Young Master Jin Sheng turned around and landed lightly on the bow of the ship in front.
He stood there, his clothes fluttering in the night wind.
Qing Guiyu held his breath.
He flicked his wrist, and several golden threads flew out, entangling seven or eight small boats nearby. Then, with his hands pulled back, the heavy fire ships were slowly drawn together by his inner force.
"Master!" Fuxi shouted in a low voice on the shore.
Shen Jiansheng ignored it and shook his hand, sending more golden threads flying towards the fleet further away. The threads pierced the air, the bowstrings trembled, and one by one, the twenty fireships carrying murderous intent were all connected with silk threads.
The water ripples,
At this moment, from the waterway downstream, more than a hundred inconspicuous small fishing boats, with low hulls and shaped like small boats, broke through the reeds from several directions and slowly sailed forward.
The ships sailed silently, the sound of the oars deliberately kept to a minimum, leaving only the faint sound of waves cutting through the water. The bows of the ships were all wrapped in iron sheets to prevent collisions, and each ship was piled high with dry firewood soaked in grease and bags of saltpeter and sulfur.
Shen Jiansheng turned around and said to Fuxi,
"When the time is right, everyone can get in the water and swim back. You don't have to wait for me."
Fuxi seemed to want to say something, but he heard Chen Juansheng say loudly,
"Walk."
The fleet set off, and Qing Guiyu didn't dare to stay any longer. He turned around and left, and found the small fishing boat that Huo Erniang had asked him to do.
The captain of the ship was Tielingu's confidant. After receiving the death order, he only followed from a distance and never got close to the main battle circle.
She clutched the side of the boat, her heart beating erratically.
Of course I have to come. Saving the dying and healing the wounded is my duty.
But my eyes always involuntarily looked towards the fog upstream.
Everyone knew that in Lihua Bay, dozens of Northern Dynasty warships were carefully hidden behind the mountain barrier. With all lights on, they thought they were safe.
And on the water farther behind them, dozens of Cao Gang speedboats disguised as merchant ships had quietly gathered. The gang members on the boats stood silently with sharp blades in their hands, waiting for the order to pounce on any enemy who had managed to escape.
Time passed by bit by bit, and the river was dead silent, with only the monotonous sound of water hitting the side of the boat.
This dead silence is more frightening than any shouts of killing.
The river wind grew stronger, causing cold sweat to form on her palms.
Waiting for the wind, waiting for the unique wind that can blow all the fires into the inner bay.
The reeds are swaying,
The wind direction in summer is changeable. It is not the ordinary trade wind on the river, but a swirling air blowing from the valley.
The mist on the water surface was stirred up by the wind and immediately began to roll.
Suddenly, a dark red firework silently tore through the night sky and exploded above the thick fog.
Here we come!
Almost at the same moment, the silent river surface upstream suddenly lit up.
There was not just a tiny spark of fire; the entire river surface seemed to be ignited from the bottom of the water.
boom--!
The muffled explosion, even across the river, still shook the small boat beneath her feet violently. The fire fed on the wind, and the wind fueled the fire's power. The thick fog, ignited by the towering flames, instantly evaporated and swirled, transforming into a blood-red haze.
But in the blink of an eye, the sky above the entire Lihua Bay was reflected in a shocking blood-red.
"Attack!" Huo Erniang shouted sternly, using her internal energy, the sound was heard far and wide.
Everyone responded in unison, and dozens of speedboats, like arrows from a bow, broke through the mist and sped towards the interception point downstream. The sound of water roared like thunder, and murderous aura filled the air.
Qing Guiyu could not resist the urging in his heart, and at the intersection where everyone was standing, he jumped onto the small boat beside him, went against the boats going downstream, rowed, and headed towards the fireworks.
The closer you get, the more pungent the smell of sulfur, tung oil and burnt grass becomes.
The scorching heat hit her face, singeing the hair at her temples and causing it to curl slightly. The river water was boiling, bubbling, and burning wood and reed debris floated on the surface.
Just at the junction of the sea of fire and the thick fog, she could finally see clearly.
I saw clearly the young man in black clothes standing above the vast flames.
The twenty fire ships connected together had all been ignited at this moment, turning into floating balls of fire. They were drifting and colliding with each other unstoppably with the help of wind and water currents, rushing towards the Northern Dynasty fleet that had not yet reacted.
Dozens of extremely thin golden threads flickered in the firelight.
It stretches between the river and the sky.
Like a harp string wrapped around a pillar, one end is tied to a fire boat, and the other end is wrapped around the masts of a tower ship.
The dark figure did not ride on a boat, nor did he walk on the waves, but simply stood in the air on the hanging thread.
Shen Juansheng's figure floated up. With a wave of his hand, golden threads shot out from his sleeves, breaking through the swirling smoke and dust, and wrapped around the top of the towering mast of another ship ten feet away.
Young Master Jinsheng was standing in the wind with his silk thread hanging down. His dark sleeves fluttered in the strong wind and heat waves, and the golden thread was swirling. In his hand, he held a piece of still-burning oar, like a huge torch.
When he was halfway in the air, he waved his hand and the oar was thrown into the air. With an arc of fire, it fell into another fire ship that had not yet been fully ignited.
The flames burst out and engulfed the ship in an instant.
The fire rises across the river and sky, soaring high and dark against the wind. The young master flies a golden thread, blazing in the sky and clouds.
He actually wanted to use this silk thread hanging above the raging fire to penetrate directly into the heart of the enemy camp, burn the fire more thoroughly, and... accomplish his goal.
The young man did not stop, and did the same thing. The golden thread stretched out again and connected to the mast farther away.
In this way, he twisted and turned on the crisscrossing suspension wires, his body shape erratic, sometimes like a startled wild goose reflected in the light, passing by the burning sails, sometimes like a flying kite circling, avoiding the exploding and flying sparks.
Just like a divine dragon ascending and descending, the arc of light flows in the night.
Young Master Jinsheng walked independently in the air, with the golden thread rolling around, flicking and picking, the burning wood passed through his hands, sometimes used as a spear, sometimes used as a long pole, and every time it was scattered, it ignited a new fire.
Finally, the fire spread to the core of the Northern Dynasty fleet. The huge warships hidden in the reeds had nowhere to hide and were set on fire by the ramming fire ships.
The fleet finally recovered from their shock, gongs blaring everywhere, and cries of terror echoed across the river. Some tried to turn their boats around, while others drew their bows and arrows, shooting at the figure suspended in the air.
Arrows came flying through the air like locusts, but when they got close to him, they were blown crooked by the scorching wind and waves, or easily swept away by his swirling golden threads, and fell into the boiling river.
A huge, charred mast collapsed with a loud bang and hit another warship hard, causing a spiral of fire. One after another, these ships turned into huge torches floating on the river.
The long masts were broken and fell, and the ship was engulfed in flames.
At this time, the entire Lihua Bay had become a desolate place.
The wind and flames stretched across the sky, and the flames shot up into the sky, illuminating the night sky as bright as day. The river was burning upstream and downstream.
Only a golden thread remained hanging, swaying in the air, with a light body standing upright.
Young Master Jin Sheng looked down, his expression still calm, as if the birth and death of all things had nothing to do with him.
Finally, he slowly withdrew his hand and stopped throwing the torch.
The golden thread rolled back and swirled around his side, making a slight clanging sound.
The young man seemed a little tired, his body swayed slightly on the hanging wire, and then floated down with the help of the swirling force of the last golden wire.
As soon as he landed, he covered his mouth with his hand and began coughing violently, his body shaking uncontrollably. A mouthful of blood surged up his throat, but he forced it back, leaving only a few strands of crimson blood oozing from the corners of his pale lips.
Qing Guiyu felt that her heart was almost broken by his cough.
At this moment, he could no longer care about anything else. He suddenly urged the boat forward and rushed towards the lonely ship regardless of everything.
The ships collided with each other, making a dull sound.
She took a deep breath and jumped onto the still shaking boat.
Shen Juansheng heard the noise and suddenly raised his head. In his eyes, which were illuminated by the firelight, a cold murderous intent flashed.
But when he saw who was coming, the murderous aura that was enough to freeze the river water disappeared in an instant like fire reflecting on snow.
Suddenly panicked.
Young Master Jin Sheng subconsciously took a step back, trying to hide himself in the shadow of the boat's side, but the boat was exposed and surrounded by raging flames, which made him nowhere to hide.
"Don't come over..." he said in a hoarse voice, raising one hand as if to cover his face, but that hand was shaking violently, and the swirling golden threads were trembling in the night wind.
Qing Guiyu was not willing to listen to him at all. He rushed to him in two or three steps and looked at the blood at the corner of his lips.
"You're crazy!" she cried angrily. "Are you trying to kill yourself?!"
Shen Juansheng seemed not to hear her, but simply turned his head away stubbornly, preventing her from seeing his face clearly. His hair, which had been slightly frizzled by the burn, was blown away by the river breeze, and mixed with soot and water vapor, it stuck to his cheek in a messy mess.
"Don't look at me..." He lowered his head, his voice trembling, "I'm not good-looking."
Qing Guiyu was so angry that he paced a few steps and turned around in a circle.
What's going on in your head?
One man, with a single fire, burned dozens of Northern Dynasty warships, single-handedly turning the tide. With such unpredictable tactics, such audacious ambition to burn rivers and boil seas, in the end, his first concern was getting dust on his face. Was it ugly?
She cursed in her heart, but still walked forward.
Seeing her approaching, Shen Juansheng wanted to retreat, but the scalding river water was behind him, and there was no way back. So he turned his face away in embarrassment, not letting her see.
She could only reach out and wipe his ash-stained cheek with her relatively clean sleeve.
Shen Juansheng's body suddenly stiffened, as if he cherished the gentle touch, but he didn't dare to move, and could only let her move.
The ash was wiped away bit by bit, revealing the pale skin underneath.
That's it.
The young man in black suddenly pulled her into his arms, and his shoulders were instantly wet with tears.
"It hurts so much," he trembled and lowered his head, crying uncontrollably, "It hurts so much, Miss Qing... I've never felt such pain before."
Qing Guiyu's body stiffened for a moment.
It wasn't the bone-eroding nail, it wasn't the cold marrow technique, nor was it the internal injury caused by the forced internal energy just now.
He had thought she was dead.
It was he who was alone, guarding the flowing river and the flute she had taken away, holding on and setting up this heinous murderous plan.
And then, in this desperate situation with the river on fire, I saw her again.
It's over.
Qing Guiyu felt like she was slapped in the face by his tearful word "it hurts".
I was so scared that my heart skipped a beat.
But don’t!
He was now the backbone of the Jiangnan heroes, a master strategist capable of planning and winning battles thousands of miles away. His fellows from various factions of the Cao Gang still looked up to him as if he were a deity.
If he cried in front of everyone, his reputation in the Southern Dynasty's martial arts world would probably be boiled in the river water on the spot!
She was extremely anxious, but seeing the young man holding her in such a fragile state that he looked like he was about to break, she couldn't even say "Just bear with it."
Make up your mind.
She opened her arms and tightly embraced this person who was much taller than her and was trembling constantly.
"Hmm..." The young man in his arms let out a suppressed whimper.
The cold golden threads and scattered hair, mixed with the faint herbal fragrance on her body, were entangled with the smokey smell that filled the river.
Chen Juansheng bent down, Qing Guiyu hugged him tighter, and turned sideways to block the possible inquiring or admiring gazes from behind.
She put one arm around his trembling back, and with the other hand, she frantically covered the back of his head, pressing that handsome face, which looked like it could burst into tears at any moment, tightly into her arms.
——Don’t cry! Hold it back!
Qing Guiyu thought viciously in his heart.
—Why are you crying at this critical moment, leader of a group of heroes? Show me some deliberate strategist style!
But the words can't be said so bluntly.
There is no other way but to lie again... No more lying!
"It looks good,"
She looked around and saw that the boat was swaying and no one was approaching, so she secretly kissed his forehead and said helplessly,
"You're the best looking."
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