throw yourself into someone's arms
When A Qiu heard what she said, she felt relieved. Since ancient times, scholars have been jealous of each other, but for a woman to have such great fame and achievements, and to be known throughout the world for her poetry, and for the painter Bai to survive in the world based on his own talent and ability, it is only natural that they would appreciate each other and even admire each other from afar.
Gu Yi interrupted casually, "Although the painter Bai is from Wu, he seems to know the local customs and is also familiar with Tiangong Workshop. I have something to ask him."
The painter's smile remained unchanged as she said, "Please ask, sir. It would be my honor to serve you."
Gu Yi said, “I once heard from an old friend that there is a kind of shimmering brocade produced in the southwest. It is as bright as clouds and can reflect a person’s image. It does not get wet when it is washed, it does not burn when it is burned, and it is not damaged when it is cut. I have come here to buy this item. I wonder if the painter has heard of it.”
As he said this, A-Qiu keenly sensed that his gaze, hidden beneath the heavy veil, had become exceptionally sharp, closely observing the changes in the painter's expression.
The painter, Bai, only paused slightly, neither confirming nor denying anything. She smiled and bowed, saying, "I will inquire with the owner of this place before I can reply to you, young master." With that, the portrait was roughly complete. She then put away her paper and brush, bowed, and withdrew.
As A Qiu watched the Weaver Girl shuttle back and forth, carefully weaving gorgeous patterns on the loom, she whispered, "Was the secret code that Master made with Sect Leader Li back then this Floating Light Brocade?"
Gu Yi nodded slightly.
A-Qiu continued, "Judging from the description of this painter Bai, her temperament is quite peculiar. She speaks with extraordinary manners and is composed in dealing with people. She doesn't seem like an ordinary commoner, but she also doesn't seem like a young lady from a wealthy family. Master, do you think she might be a disciple of the Hidden World Sect?"
Gu Yi lowered his voice and replied, "If that's the case, you won't fail to show me the proper respect due to a junior."
A-Qiu said, "But she doesn't know that you are the Junior Tutor, so naturally she won't treat you as an elder."
Gu Yifang paused slightly, but still said, "She shouldn't be. Because the cultivation method she practices carries a strange feeling of sensing people's hearts, which is not like the cultivation method of the Hidden Sect."
At this moment, A Qiu's senses were not as sharp as before, and she realized that Gu Yi had already seen that the painter Bai possessed extraordinary skills. She couldn't help but become even more curious, wondering what answers she would bring back. At the same time, she also knew that when probing someone else's territory, she had to be careful about her own abilities.
At that moment, a sudden change occurred.
In this backyard, where lanterns were originally hung high and colorful canopies were erected, all the lights suddenly went out with a snap of the fingers, plunging the entire backyard into darkness.
Even in this darkness, the weavers who were originally engrossed in their looms remained calm and composed, neither moving nor flustered, as if they were waiting silently.
In the darkness, all that could be heard was the even, steady, soft, and long breathing of the group.
With a crackling sound, a sliver of light outlined the figure of the white-clad painter. She held a lotus-shaped lantern and smiled, saying, "The host here has urgent business and is unable to entertain guests. Please follow me." She seemed to realize that her tone had been a bit harsh, and then softened it, saying, "Ten bolts of fine brocade are prepared in the front hall as a gift for you, esteemed guests. Please forgive the delay."
Gu Yi snorted coldly, pointed his finger like the wind, and swept it directly towards the white-clad painter, shouting, "Where exactly is Li Wujiu!"
A Qiu knew that the other party had been accompanying them on their tour with utmost courtesy and politeness, but the moment Gu Yi mentioned the Floating Light Brocade, they immediately turned away. This meant that the other party also knew the code, and something had happened at the Hidden Sect. Given the relationship between Gu Yi and Li Wujiu, it was unlikely that Li Wujiu would deliberately refuse to see them. That left only one possibility: Li Wujiu had fallen into someone else's control.
Wherever Gu Yi's palm struck, the lotus lamp went out instantly, and the white-clad painter's figure disappeared into the darkness in an instant.
Suddenly, the entire atmosphere seemed to change. A Qiu felt that everything here, except herself, had ceased to exist, including Gu Yi. Although she knew very well that she was still in the backyard of Tiangongfang, it seemed that something had completely isolated her from the outside world.
When people are in an environment, their actions are based on the impressions they get from their five senses. But at this moment, it is as if all impressions have been taken away, and one is blind with open eyes and closed ears. Any ordinary person would fall into that unknown fear and confusion.
She could no longer hear Gu Yi's voice, nor did she know where he had gone. But she guessed that his condition was probably the same as hers.
Even Ah Qiu, a seasoned veteran of countless battles in the martial world, had never witnessed such a terrifying technique. She was now completely exposed to the enemy's sight, yet she had no idea where they were.
Even with her usual calm and composure, she couldn't help but panic at this moment.
Just then, the painter's laughter rang in their ears: "Not only has the young lady gained the favor of Consort Zhao, but she is also the successor of the Heavenly Secret Order. We do not wish to make things difficult for you, but we wonder if you have a way to persuade the young master beside you to stop seeking Sect Leader Li. That way, we can all end things amicably."
Her voice rose and fell, near and far, startling A Qiu. If this person could not change direction so quickly, then she could control the transmission of sound in the field. Such a skill was something she had never heard of or seen in her life.
However, this is also because her body has not yet recovered, and she cannot use any martial arts at the moment. Otherwise, with her top-level martial artist speed and strength, as well as the Xuanmen True Qi obtained from Gu Yi, no matter what evil magic or illusion array, it would probably not be able to trap her when her essence, energy, and spirit are gathered to their peak state. The so-called evil cannot prevail over good, and one force can overcome ten techniques, which is the meaning of this.
A Qiu thought that if she couldn't find Li Wujiu, Gu Yi's physical problems would never be resolved, and he might even lose his cultivation at any time due to his emotions. How could she possibly agree to her request?
But if he doesn't agree, he's trapped in the formation and won't be able to get out, even if the other party has no intention of harming him.
Unsure of the true origins of this painter, she could only raise her voice and reply, "My master is seeking Sect Leader Li. That is an old agreement between him and Sect Leader Li. No one, whether his disciple, friend, or enemy, can stand in his way, can they?"
The painter was silent for a moment, then said, "Since you are unwilling to help, I have no choice but to arrest you and use you to threaten your companions. My apologies!"
A Qiu's forehead was covered in cold sweat. This was because she had never been in such a dangerous place in her life, nor had she ever experienced being so powerless and vulnerable to being bullied.
The top assassin on the Immortal Ranking is a king who looks down on all living beings, even in a martial arts world full of strong people. The stronger one is, the less experience one has of being a weak person who is at the mercy of others. When such an experience occurs, one will be even more afraid.
As she watched a colorful ribbon swirl around her like a graceful wave, hurtling towards her, she couldn't help but scream, "Gu Yi!"
The instant she cried out, a bright sword light pierced through like a rainbow, accurately striking the colorful silk. The sword energy instantly tore it into hundreds and thousands of pieces of shredded silk, which scattered in all directions.
At the same time, a familiar scent wafted over, and a strong, powerful arm had already supported her waist, pulling her back to his side.
The moment A Qiu leaned against Gu Yi, her sweaty hands seemed to have finally found a lifeline, and without thinking, she wrapped them around his waist.
That was truly terrifying. She never wanted to be in that passive situation again, waiting for someone else to decide her life or death.
The moment she felt her arms wrap around him, Gu Yi's body tensed instantly, but she didn't quite understand why.
Long ago, if she touched Gu Yi's body, he would mostly reject her, leading to the same situation as now. But as they spent more time together, Gu Yi had perhaps gotten used to it and no longer reacted that way. She just didn't understand why it was happening again now. Could it be that his body was changing so drastically that he was losing his original sensations and memories?
The next moment, she heard Gu Yi lean down and whisper in her ear, "You're only throwing yourself at me now when your life is in danger. You're so young, yet you're so opportunistic."
A Qiu was as startled as when she was trapped by the White Painter's illusion. She instinctively tried to break free from Gu Yi's embrace, but who was Gu Yi? Once he had her in his grasp, he wouldn't let her escape. He gave her waist a light pinch as a warning and said, "Do you want to do what happened before again?"
The blow was neither too light nor too heavy; A-Qiu almost cried out, but upon hearing his words, he immediately fell silent.
At the same time, she also realized what had just happened.
The painter Bai used some unknown magic to create a false impression, trapping her and Gu Yi. However, just as this formation could not trap her in her prime, it certainly could not trap Gu Yi, the number one master in the Southern Dynasty.
Gu Yi remained silent simply because he was searching for her within the formation. The White Painter also did not expect to trap Gu Yi with this formation; he was merely searching for her because she was Gu Yi's only weakness. If he could capture her, he could force Gu Yi to swear never to interfere in the affairs of the Hidden World Sect again.
However, this painter Bai seemed to lack experience in the martial world and was not ruthless enough. This was probably the first time he had ever used magic to capture someone, so he hesitated repeatedly and even tried to reason with her a couple of times. As a result, he missed the best opportunity to capture her. Instead, Gu Yi came looking for her after hearing the commotion and broke her magic array and flying ribbons with a single sword strike.
At this moment, Gu Yi held A Qiu in his arms with one arm, while with the other hand, relying on the Louyue Sword that he had once used to dominate the world and pacify the land, he pointed it at the chest of the white painter, whose expression was trembling and whose face was pale, and said coldly: "Lead the way and take me to see Li Wujiu."
The white-robed painter looked at the sword in front of him. Although he was terrified, he still tried his best to remain calm and said, "Even if you kill me, it will be of no use. I am not a disciple of the Hidden World Sect. I am just a guest elder who is staying here. I have to do what I am asked to do. But I will never let an outsider like me know such an important matter as the sect leader's whereabouts."
Gu Yi already knew that she was not a disciple of the Hidden World Sect, and what she said was mostly true. Considering that although she had threatened him earlier, she had not really intended to arrest him, he asked, "Since you said you were entrusted by someone, who is that person?"
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