Chapter 67 Huifeng Cliff
"No." He stood in front of Wen Yao, his lips moving slightly, and swallowed the words in his mouth.
The thoughts of these bastards are not open to the public. If Ayao doesn't know, then she doesn't know. It's best to be open and honest with them and have no feelings for them.
The stern look in his eyes suddenly faded. Wen Yao, watching from the side, finally understood the Prince of Yan's unpredictable moods. She gently took Zhao Xuanxu's hand, pinching his knuckles, and said, "Tomorrow at Huifeng Cliff, you meet me at the foot of the mountain."
"No." Zhao Xuanxu said without hesitation, his face becoming long again.
"Why? They're holding Bai Xiaosheng's apprentice in their hands, and they specifically told me to go up alone." Wen Yao pulled his arm and asked him to lean closer to her. He rubbed the head of His Royal Highness Prince Yan vigorously, and said with a slight smile: "Wait down there, I'll bring that man's head to you."
On the other side of the wall, Yuan Mei received Liu Suling's order to leave, and was supported by a dissatisfied maid as she walked out. The carriage driver hurriedly brought down the footstool outside the door. She smiled as usual, lifted her skirt, stepped into the carriage, and bent down to enter through the curtain.
"Miss, Prince Yan and Wen Yao are simply going too far!" The maid followed behind, muttering as if the great injustice of that day was weighing on her.
Yuan Mei smiled and said self-deprecatingly, "They're going too far... so what if they're going too far? My family doesn't hold any official position, and I'm just the daughter of a commoner. It's only natural that His Royal Highness Prince Yan would look down on me."
"No, young lady, you are famous throughout the world and the dream girl of many young men." The maid shouted, "That Xingyi Sword is just a quack, yet His Royal Highness Prince Yan is quite indulgent towards her. And then there's Qiu Pingyan, look at her smug look at the birthday banquet. She's the daughter of a merchant, so why would the King of Qin show his affection to her?"
Yes, Wen Yao, no matter how skilled she was in martial arts, was still just a quack, yet His Royal Highness Prince Yan treated her with special respect. Just like how the Qiu and Chu families, even though they shared the responsibility of managing the grain transport system, were still just merchants. Yet, for the Qiu family's old man's birthday, the Prince of Qin had sent a gift all the way to deliver it.
Everyone knew that she had a very good personal relationship with Miss Qiu. She was invited to attend a banquet in Suzhou and entered the cabinet alone, but unexpectedly saw the hall full of treasures. Qiu Pingyan was holding a red coral in her hand, feeling very proud.
Why?
Yuan Mei has consistently held the top spot on Jianghu's list of beauties for years. Qiu Pingyan is consistently outshined by her, and no one can rival her brilliance—yet the Qiu family, fortunately, has somehow managed to cling to the high rank of a noble in Bianliang! Yuan Mei felt deeply distressed upon leaving Suzhou. Upon hearing that Prince Yan was in Gusu to investigate, she had no idea what was going on. She had come here to offer her goodwill, only to be met with shamelessness.
The maidservant didn't notice that the kind and generous young lady's fingers were tightly clasped around the handkerchief. Her expression became increasingly strange, and she kept on talking to herself: "And that woman beside her, she's so sharp-tongued and powerful—ah!"
She was halfway through her words when she flew forward and slammed into the carriage wall, her eyes rolling back and she fainted. Yuan Mei reacted instantly, her beautiful eyes widening, and she shrank back in fear, holding onto the wall, watching Jiang Qiaosheng break in through the window.
The carriage continued to move forward at a steady speed. The coachman fell to one side. A man in black took the reins and pulled them, slowing down the carriage steadily so that it could move on the bluestone road without any bumps.
Yuan Mei's heart was pounding. This time she was really scared and stammered, "What are you doing?"
"I came here to hear you praise my sharp tongue." Jiang Qiaosheng stepped on the table, one knee touching it, and waved at her like he was teasing a cat or a dog. Jiang Qiaosheng's eyes were like a cat's, clear and inhumane, with a sinister and dangerous feeling: "Not now. Tell me more about the Qiu family just now."
Yuan Mei's expression changed several times. She realized that something was wrong and opened her mouth to deny it.
Jiang Qiaosheng smiled and said, "If you tell me, you will come back alive. If you don't, your skin will be used as a target for me."
*
Bai Xiaosheng was so eager to save his disciple that he stood outside the gate of Qiu's mansion the next day, even in the foggy weather. The gatekeeper couldn't bear to see him shivering in the dew and asked him to come in first, but Bai Xiaosheng refused and stubbornly stood outside.
Upon hearing the news, Wen Yao pulled down Zhao Xuanxu's arm that was across her waist, sat up from the bed, put on her outer robe, and hurried out. She brought the emaciated Bai Xiaosheng into the house to shake off the sweat. "Why are you here so early? I guess they're still asleep."
"I didn't sleep all night. I couldn't sleep." Bai Xiaosheng shook his head and said, "I owe you a favor, sir. I will definitely repay you in the future."
"You don't owe me a favor. If you told me this news, even if your apprentice wasn't in his hands, I would have killed him." Wen Yao thought for a moment and said, "I used to hit you with a sword to force you to change the ranking, but then I realized that my method was a bit rough and I've always felt embarrassed. Let's call it even from now on."
Bai Xiaosheng was startled: "I, I have never-"
"Now that we're here, let's have breakfast before leaving." Zhao Xuanxu stepped out naturally, wearing only a smooth black satin robe with a cloak draped over it. He looked like he had just woken from a deep sleep. His black hair fell down like clouds at his waist. He stood close behind Wen Yao, one hand naturally around her waist, and said in a friendly tone, "The troops will close the mountain at daybreak. You can wait with us at the foot of the mountain."
Bai Xiaosheng was not only fully acquainted with the affairs of the Jianghu, but also, with the close ties between the Jianghu and the imperial court over the years, he knew a great deal about the gilded jade and gold-paved buildings that lay beneath the imperial city walls. So, he was inevitably somewhat shocked at this moment. He stared at Prince Yan's arm for a long moment, then nodded in a daze.
Breakfast was quickly served, smelling delicious. Qiu Huiying, who had also barely slept all night, came in with dark circles under his eyes. He bowed to Zhao Xuanxu and said, "Your Highness, arrangements have been made. Every path down the mountain is guarded by elite soldiers."
Huifeng Cliff, as its name suggests, is a precipitous and rugged cliff, standing tall outside the city of Gusu. Beneath the peak lies a thousand-foot abyss, with a single stream flowing through it. Beyond that lies nothing.
As he spoke, he couldn't hide his worry: "Why would the remnants of the Mo Society choose Huifeng Cliff? This way, he has no way to retreat. If he is defeated, he will have no room for maneuver. It doesn't make sense."
Unless the other party is planning to fight Wen Yao to the death and has no intention of getting down the mountain alive.
"Very good." Wen Yao nodded with his chopsticks and gave a simple evaluation: "He showed up to let me know and gave me the opportunity to kill him. Not bad."
As they were talking, Jiang Qiaosheng yawned and came in, pulling aside the curtain. He went around behind Wen Yao like a boneless person and lay on top of her.
Wen Yao turned his head to look at her: "Where did you go? I haven't seen you all night."
"I'm going to listen to a story. I'll tell you after you finish fighting." Jiang Qiaosheng rubbed Wen Yao's face: "I want to go too!"
"Go, go, go." Wen Yao said, "There are enough people here. What are you going to do? Don't make trouble."
"Yaoyao, I will only make trouble if you leave me here alone." Jiang Qiaosheng smiled like a flower.
Wen Yao had a hard time getting over Jiang Qiaosheng. Finally, in front of Zhao Xuanxu, Pavilion Master Jiang boarded the carriage and sat down next to her beloved Yaoyao. She held Wen Yao's arm, feeling his tense body, and without saying a word, she closed her eyes and quietly clung to him.
At dawn, a lone star dotted the gray-blue sky. Shadows of fire flickered beneath Huifeng Cliff. Wen Yao leaped from the carriage, gripping the Xingyi Sword tightly. Zhao Xuanxu lowered his gaze to look at her. Wen Yao gave him a soothing smile, then, without hesitation, turned, tiptoed up to the treetops, and flew away into the mountains.
Her arms and body began to heat, carrying the lingering warmth of the desert's blood. Less than half an incense stick of time, Wen Yao landed on the platform atop Huifeng Cliff. She raised her gaze and fixed it on the gray-robed figure before her. The wind blew, the gray robe billowing. The figure, pulling at the rope in his hand, turned, revealing a strange face. Young, not very old, Wen Yao had no recollection of it.
But the gray-robed man clearly knew Wen Yao. The moment he saw Wen Yao, his eyes flashed with astonishing hatred and coldness, and he squeezed out two words from between his teeth with overwhelming hatred: "Wen, Yao!"
"Hey," Wen Yao replied, flicking his wrist and unsheathing the Xingyi Sword. This peerless divine weapon, forged from meteorite iron, was aimed at the gray-robed man, its gleaming blade gleaming with murderous intent. Unfamiliar with the man's face, Wen Yao politely confirmed before striking: "Are you from the Mo Society?"
The gray-robed man laughed miserably, and then his expression gradually darkened. He angrily asked, "Why? Do you think you've become famous in the Central Plains martial arts world for your bloodbath of the Mo Society? Do you think you've already killed everyone in the Mo Society?!"
"I didn't count." Wen Yao raised his eyebrows lightly. "I just walked around from the outside to the inside, killing everyone I saw. I didn't leave any alive."
The gray-robed man was panting heavily, his eyes bulging and bloodshot. He stared at the Xingyi Sword, his teeth trembling as he spoke, "Yes, this very sword. It was with this sword that you stabbed me in the left chest. It's a pity that fate wanted me to live, to seek revenge! If you hadn't stabbed me back then, I wouldn't have known I was born different, with a heart on the right side!"
"That's great." Wen Yao curled his lips and smiled: "I'm going to kill you again. Will you give me a friendly reminder this time?"
"Don't be so arrogant!" The gray-robed man roared, and with a tug of his arm, a rope hanging behind him was pulled up a little. Suddenly, a little boy's hoarse cry came from the bottom of the cliff: "Wow! Master! Master, save me! Master!"
Wen Yao felt that Bai Xiaosheng's disciple was still full of energy and should not have suffered any torture.
She loosened her grip on the Xingyi Sword a little.
The gray-robed man's face twitched strangely. "This is Bai Xiaosheng's apprentice. I heard you have a close personal relationship with him. He's his only apprentice, so you must be reluctant to see him die here today. Now, sever your right arm with your sword! Otherwise, I'll throw this kid out of here!"
It is true.
Wen Yao licked his lips, his eyes fell on the rope in the gray-robed man's hand, and he said casually, "Oh, throw it."
"What did you say?" The gray-robed man's expression froze, and he was obviously stunned. It was obvious that Wen Yao's words just now were not the answer he expected.
This is the gap!
Wen Yao's eyebrows suddenly tensed, and without stopping for a moment, his body moved as fast as a ghost. He flew up, spun around, and kicked the gray-robed man in the heart!
"How dare you!" The gray-robed man was shocked and turned around to avoid the attack. He raised his head, unable to believe that Wen Yao actually disregarded Bai Xiaosheng's apprentice's life. The veins on his forehead were exposed in shock and anger.
"Great! So you're just seeking fame and reputation!" He suddenly shouted, flipped his wrist, and the long rope snapped. Amid the boy's cries, he drew his sword from his waist and charged at Wen Yao: "Today, only one of us can survive!"
Wen Yao raised his sword, and the Xingyi Sword and the long sword brushed against each other, sending sparks flying. In an instant, the two passed each other, and Wen Yao, standing at the edge of the Ten Thousand Blades Cliff, jumped down without hesitation!
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