Human skin lantern 9
That night, Xie Mowen and Xiao Congzhi both succumbed to the effects of alcohol and fell asleep in each other's arms in a daze. When they woke up, they both unfortunately had stiff necks.
Rubbing his sore neck, Xie Mowen asked Xiao Congzhi, "You have plans for today, right?"
"Why do you ask that?" Xiao Congzhi asked, twisting his neck.
"You can reach Xiacheng in a day by fast horse from Yidu. The incident at the prefectural government office happened the night before last, so your men should arrive today."
Xiao Congzhi smiled, trying to cover up his misunderstanding, and said, "How could you be considered one of my people?"
Xie Mowen stepped forward, leaned close to Xiao Congzhi's ear, and teased him with hot breath: "Still pretending, Xiao Congzhi?"
As Xiao Congzhi and Xie Mowen finished getting ready and walked onto the street, the imperial envoys sent by the court were heading towards the prefectural government office in a grand procession.
The onlookers on the street were abuzz with discussion at the spectacle.
"What brings the Imperial Envoy here?"
"What? You don't know? The prefectural government office was burned down and collapsed the night before last, right? Someone took advantage of the chaos to find the prefect's ledger of bribes. That's why the imperial court sent people here."
"Yidu is a full day's journey from here, how did you get here so quickly?"
"Hurry up and speed! I heard that this time it was ordered by that person himself."
"Who is she? The Empress Dowager?"
"Are you an idiot? Of course it's the one sitting on the throne."
"???" The listener looked surprised and was stunned for a long time before saying, "The current emperor? How is that possible?"
A third person joined their conversation: "How is that impossible? This year is the emperor's coming-of-age ceremony, and he is about to assume personal rule."
"Shh! How dare you say that so loudly!"
The discussion of these court affairs attracted even more people, who offered their insightful opinions one after another.
"His Majesty ascended the throne at the age of eight, and for twelve years he has been completely invisible. How can a puppet emperor be so comfortable with himself and yet he can rule personally?"
"The Empress Dowager and the Prime Minister will not sit idly by and wait for their doom. There will be plenty of drama to watch in Yidu this year."
"How come Yi was able to react so quickly to the events in Xiacheng?"
Standing to the side, Xiao Congzhi leaned over, cleared his throat, and said, "I heard that the current emperor loves to travel around. He happens to be in Xiacheng at this time. After hearing about the matter at the government office, he ordered the imperial envoy to come over immediately."
Xie Mowen: ...
"My God, you mean?"
Is the information accurate?
"I've only heard about it. But that makes sense, otherwise how could they have acted so quickly?"
After Xiao Congzhi finished speaking, he retreated to a corner, suppressed his lively expression, and silently listened to the group continue their discussion.
"Isn't this a direct provocation to the Empress Dowager and the Prime Minister?"
"How so?"
"Think about it, the action was so swift that it clearly bypassed the Empress Dowager and the Prime Minister; this is a way of establishing authority."
Everyone nodded in agreement, agreeing that it made a lot of sense.
After a moment, someone asked in doubt: "But how could that person have his own power?"
"I know that. The Imperial Envoy just said it was on the orders of Prince Rong."
"Prince Rong was the ninth brother of the late emperor, and he was about the same age as the current emperor. They must have had a very good relationship."
...
Letting the group talk at their own pace, Xiao Congzhi led Xie Mowen onward toward the prefectural government office.
Xie Mo asked, "Who is it that has come?"
"It must be Sun Rang, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice and a friend of Prince Rong, who came to deal with the bad habits in Zhou Zhengqi and Xiacheng."
Xie Mowen laughed and reached out to put his arm around Xiao Congzhi's waist, teasingly saying, "Oh~ not pretending anymore?"
“When have I ever pretended?” Xiao Congzhi retorted, looking at the face that was too close to his.
"Alright, you're the most honest one. So, is there any risk in sending people here today?"
Xiao Congzhi sensed Xie Mowen's sarcasm and worry, and replied with a serious expression: "I have been traveling in the martial world and have seen some things that happen there. I asked my uncle to send someone to manage it. What problem could there be? The Empress Dowager will only think that I am indeed obsessed with the martial world and have no interest in the court."
"You have a good relationship with Prince Rong?"
“He is only five years older than me. We grew up together and we are indeed very close.”
Xie Mowen nodded, then turned to Zhou Zhengqi: "Zhou Zhengqi hasn't run away these past two days?"
"Where could he escape to? Shen Zhuo subdued him that very night."
"Is Shenzhuo actually an openly recognized force?"
"Chen Zhuo is ostensibly the Left Commander of the Imperial Guard, a man of the Empress Dowager, used to protect and monitor me."
"...The dark place?"
"We'll talk about that next time, we've arrived."
"Should we peek or...?"
"Go in openly and honestly. What reason do I have to sneak around here?" Xiao Congzhi said righteously and strode in.
Xie Mowen followed behind, fully prepared to watch the show.
When the two arrived, the hall had already been raised. Imperial Envoy Sun Rang sat in the center of the yamen, with Chen Zhuo standing beside him. Two rows of yamen runners stood on either side, and Zhou Zhengqi and Guo Shaotian knelt below the hall.
When Sun Rang saw Xiao Congzhi enter, he quickly got up to greet him, but as he got closer, he didn't know what to call him.
Xiao Congzhi strode forward, lightly touched Sun Rang's arm, and said with a smile, "Lord Sun, there's no need for such formalities. I'm just here to take a look."
Upon hearing this, Sun Rang immediately understood that this person did not want to reveal his identity, so he arranged for someone to bring a chair and let Xiao Congzhi sit to the side, while he himself continued to sit back in the center.
At that moment, Zhou Zhengqi didn't have time to look at the newcomer and hurriedly cried out that he was innocent.
Sun Rang struck the gavel and, without wasting any more words, ordered his men to present the evidence, one by one, leaving Zhou Zhengqi speechless.
The main case is the Guo Shaoyu case. Zhou Zhengqi devised the plan for Guo Shaotian to kill Guo Shaoyu and even assisted in disposing of the body. The evidence is conclusive.
According to the laws of the time, this case alone was a capital offense.
The second case involves accepting bribes from Xu Tan and concealing the disappearance case. First, after discovering Lü Yi's body, he suppressed the news and then restricted the people from leaving the city, which can be considered an abuse of public power for private gain.
The rest were minor cases. In Xiacheng, if martial arts figures got into fights and were injured or killed, they all had to pay Zhou Zhengqi a sum of money, or they would have to spend a few days in the prefectural jail.
After Sun Rang finished delivering the verdict, Xiao Congzhi looked at Zhou Zhengqi, whose face was ashen, and asked with a hint of curiosity, "Back then, after you concealed Lü Yi's body, why did you suggest this method to Guo Shaoyu?"
Upon hearing the verdict, Zhou Zhengqi instantly became extremely haggard, his eyes devoid of any light. When questioned, he simply answered mechanically, "I thought Xu Tan was the mastermind behind the disappearance case and wanted to threaten him with Guo Shaoyu's body."
Xiao Congzhi snapped his fan shut and commented, "Greed will eventually lead to disaster."
It was because Zhou Zhengqi was burdened by greed and tried to intensify his threats against Xu Tan that Guo Shaoyu's gruesome corpse was discovered, causing a great deal of discussion among the martial arts community, and from then on, the disappearance case could no longer be concealed.
Unfortunately, the mastermind behind the murder of the Emei Sect leader to divert attention and frame the Demonic Sect remains hidden in the shadows to this day.
Zhou Zhengqi was sentenced to immediate execution. After he was taken away, Guo Shaotian, who committed the crime, was sentenced to be executed in the autumn. As for those who had bribed Zhou Zhengqi, such as Xu Tan, they will be investigated and punished according to the law starting tomorrow.
With the matter mostly resolved, Xiao Congzhi was in high spirits. He smiled and praised Sun Rang a few times before leaving with Xie Mowen.
After leaving the yamen, Xie Mowen could no longer contain himself and found a corner to laugh heartily.
Xiao Congzhi: ...
"Is it that funny?" Xiao Congzhi was not happy.
"Ahem." Xie Mowen finally stopped laughing, put on a serious face, and looked like a young swordsman in the martial arts world who was full of vigor when upholding justice. "Zhou Zhengqi's crimes are truly too numerous to count. It is all thanks to Lord Sun's keen insight."
His mannerisms and words were exactly like Xiao Congzhi's.
Xiao Congzhi: ...
"Xiao Congzhi, before you went in you said there was nothing to sneak around for."
"..." Xiao Congzhi suddenly pounced on Xie Mowen, covering his mouth to stop the bastard from laughing, and said angrily, "So you got to see a good show."
Xie Mowen was muffled and couldn't make a sound, but his eyes were bright, clearly still laughing inside. He now knew what kind of person Xiao Congzhi was putting on in front of others.
A naive and shrewd gentleman, he roams the world, hating evil and righting wrongs.
He doesn't seem to be the type to enjoy the intrigues and power struggles of the court.
Xie Mowen could see that Xiao Congzhi's smile concealed calculation and scheming, and behind his amiable and gentle exterior lay the majesty unique to an emperor. Wandering the martial world was a camouflage; this man was born to sit in the imperial court. It was because he had long since seen through the world and did not truly possess the chivalrous spirit of a young man who hated evil.
Xie Mowen suddenly felt a pang of heartache, but looking at Xiao Congzhi, who was covering his mouth and blushing with anger, Xie Mowen felt that he was so vivid, so real, so close and genuine.
Xie Mowen blinked and raised his hand to touch Xiao Congzhi's eyes.
When Xiao Congzhi saw that the man had stopped smiling, he lowered his hand, squinting his eyes with some confusion.
"Xiao Congzhi".
"Um."
When Xiao Congzhi and Xie Mowen returned to the Bai residence in the east of the city, it was already close to evening. The two first went to the courtyard where Xu Shuyan was.
Shen Yan was having dinner with Xu Shuyan.
"My lord."
"Young Master Mo!" Although Xu Shuyan knew that Young Master Xiao and Young Master Mo were friends, she never expected to meet Young Master Mo here. She hurriedly asked, "Is your injury any better?"
"I've fully recovered and there's nothing to worry about." Xie Mowen maintained a gentle and considerate image in front of Xu Shuyan, but realized something was off after he finished speaking. He quickly glanced at Xiao Congzhi, and sure enough, a deep smile appeared in the man's eyes.
Karma comes fast.
"Why is Young Master Mo here?"
“Brother Xiao and I are friends. When Brother Xiao told us that you were here, Alliance Leader Xu was almost frantic with worry.”
Xu Shuyan rubbed the hem of her clothes shyly, but her words were firm: "If Young Master Mo is trying to persuade me to return to the Martial Alliance, then there's no need. I will not go back."
"No, Brother Xiao has agreed to escort Miss Xu out of the city. If you don't change your mind tomorrow, I will help you get out with Brother Xiao."
"Really?" Xu Shuyan was a little happy. Although Young Master Mo had clearly rejected her, she really couldn't resist his gentle demeanor.
"Today, the imperial court sent an imperial envoy to handle matters concerning the prefectural government office," Xiao Congzhi said as he found a place to sit down. "The checks at the city gates won't be too strict tomorrow."
Xie Mowen said, "But I estimate that Alliance Leader Xu will send people to guard the city gate."
"Speaking of which, if I'm not mistaken, Alliance Leader Xu has had quite a bit of contact with the Prefect in recent years?"
The two women's back-and-forth banter left Xu Shuyan bewildered. She asked, "I don't know much about these things concerning my father. Will it have any impact?"
Xiao Congzhi shook his head: "It's hard to say. If Alliance Leader Xu has indeed accepted bribes, he should be imprisoned according to the law."
Upon hearing this, Xu Shuyan became nervous and pulled Xiao Congzhi aside to ask him many legal questions. In the end, it was Shen Yan who took the initiative to finish the dinner.
After the meal, Xie Mo asked, "Miss Xu, did you later ask Alliance Leader Xu why he was in such a hurry to get engaged?"
"I asked him, but he wouldn't tell me."
Xie Mowen gave Xiao Congzhi a wink, and Xiao Congzhi pretended to hesitate before speaking: "Actually, I have heard some things these past few days."
Xu Shuyan asked anxiously, "What is it?"
Xiao Congzhi looked at Xu Shuyan, hesitant to speak, but after being urged by Xu Shuyan, he finally said, "I don't know the specifics, I only heard that you are cursed, and if you don't get married when you come of age, you will die."
Hearing this, Xu Shuyan laughed and said, "Are you joking about these supernatural things?"
"I only heard it that way."
“Father couldn’t have believed this… This is absurd.”
After leaving Xu Shuyan's place, Xiao Congzhi asked Xie Mowen, "Why did you bring up the curse?"
"I thought Xu Shuyan could learn something from Xu Tan, such as who Xu Tan had a falling out with."
"You suspect that the person who cursed Xu Shuyan back then is connected to the mastermind behind the current disappearance case?"
"I suspect it's the same person."
Xiao Congzhi had long suspected this. Although Xu Tan was not a chivalrous hero with a strong sense of justice, he had been adept at social maneuvering for many years and did not make many enemies.
Sixteen years ago, someone targeted Xu Shuyan before she was born. Sixteen years later, Xu Shuyan has become the target again. It's hard not to connect the dots, but this speculation is completely unfounded.
Xiao Congzhi said, "In that case, what we need to think about is why it has been sixteen years, and why we haven't taken action during this time."
"It's all just guesswork."
"I always felt that the person behind this disappearance case obtained something similar to Qilin blood. Speaking of which, you didn't have a chance to answer last time: why are you able to use Qilin blood?"
Xie Mowen glanced at Xiao Congzhi, put his arm around the man's shoulder and pushed him into the house. Then he closed the door, carefully checked him over, and said, "I mentioned before that my internal energy has a different origin from yours."
Xiao Congzhi returned Xie Mowen's puzzled look.
"If the core of internal strength in the righteous path of martial arts is the circulation of Qi, then the core of internal strength in the demonic sect is the circulation of spirit."
Xiao Congzhi couldn't help but recall what he had seen in the illusion of Qilin Village, and slowly asked, "Do all humans possess spirits? Is the Demonic Sect cultivating immortality?"
"No." Xie Mowen raised his palm to Xiao Congzhi, and Xiao Congzhi placed his palm on top of it. Xie Mowen's internal energy flowed through their connected palms to Xiao Congzhi's body.
Xie Mowen explained, "It's not like Xing Feng did back then, directly using a person's spiritual energy."
Xiao Congzhi carefully sensed it and said, "It's more like the opposite direction to the direction in which I drive my internal energy."
"Yes." Xie Mowen withdrew his hand and continued, "That's why I was able to figure out how to use the Qilin blood relatively quickly after obtaining it."
"Xing Feng, the former leader of the Demonic Sect, probably figured out how to utilize the human spiritual energy in the blood of the Qilin because of this convenience."
"So relatively speaking, I also think that the masked man obtained something similar to the blood of the Qilin, but there can no longer be any Qilin blood in the world."
Having learned by chance how the path of cultivation in the human world declined a thousand years ago, the two do not believe that something like Qilin blood exists in the present world.
Xiao Congzhi: "Let's assume that such a thing exists. Then the person behind the scenes has not made a move for sixteen years, most likely because they haven't obtained it yet, and their own strength is insufficient to attack the Martial Alliance. As for why they haven't made a move against Xu Shuyan yet, it's probably because this thing is not stable."
"Rather than saying it's unstable, it's more accurate to say it's...scarce."
"That's true. After all, this person wouldn't have attacked the Emei Sect Leader if he wasn't confident."
"After analyzing for so long, we still have to rely on Xu Shuyan as bait in the end," Xie Mowen sighed.
"My original plan was to leave the city tomorrow. Outside the city, the masked man might feel that the time and place are right and make his move."
Xie Mowen smiled jokingly at Xiao Congzhi, shrugged and said, "It's a pity that tomorrow the imperial envoy you summoned will go to the Martial Alliance to arrest Xu Tan, and Xu Shuyan won't be able to leave Xiacheng at all."
Xiao Congzhi frowned slightly and said pessimistically, "In that case, the masked man is very likely to use that thing."
Xiao Congzhi thought that if it were in the desolate wilderness outside the city, the person behind the scenes might not use something resembling Qilin blood, as it was rare and probably highly valued. However, if it were in the city, where many capable people existed, the person behind the scenes, seeking to be on the safe side, would most likely use that thing.
After using that thing, even the most skilled master of the time, Liao Heyun, the head of the Emei Sect, would not escape disaster. If he and Xie Mowen were to face off, the outlook would not be optimistic.
Xie Mowen wasn't too optimistic either. He looked at Xiao Congzhi for a moment and then said flippantly, "Forget it, we'll figure it out eventually. Let's go to bed early tonight and rest to save our energy."
"..."
Although Xiao Congzhi naturally lay down on the same bed with Xie Mowen, he still asked when Xie Mowen turned over and hugged him, "Haven't you had enough rest these past few days?"
"..."
The man who said things would work themselves out in the end woke up early the next day. While Xiao Congzhi was still dreaming, he had already taken a cold shower, eaten breakfast, and gone out to investigate.
Xiao Congzhi: ...
Before leaving, Xiao Congzhi asked Shen Yan to call Xu Shuyan along. The three of them went out of the mansion together, ostensibly to find Xie Mowen, but actually to sneak off to the Martial Alliance.
At this moment, Xie Mowen was also squatting near the Martial Alliance. He didn't care about Xu Tan being punished by the imperial envoy, but was secretly observing the people around the Martial Alliance who were also secretly observing like him.
If he wasn't mistaken, the masked man knew everything about the Martial Alliance's movements. On the day Xu Shuyan left the manor alone, she was caught up by the masked man not long after. But three days ago, when Xu Shuyan went out, one of his men followed her, and she managed to stay safe and sound in the suburbs while Xiao Congzhi went to find her.
A great deal has happened in Xiacheng these past few days. Xie Mowen noticed that many eyes were watching the Martial Alliance. At a glance, he realized that all nine major sects of the martial arts world, except for the Emei Sect, had representatives here.
The difference is that Shaolin and Wudang went together, sending their honest junior disciples to investigate openly and aboveboard.
The Huashan Sect leader and his second disciple personally booked a private room at a teahouse not far from the Martial Alliance, drinking tea and eating snacks, looking more like they were watching a play.
The Kunlun Sect's insignificant disciples were nearby and didn't conduct a thorough investigation; at most, they kept an eye on things. The Snow Mountain Sect's disciples, who had helped the drunken Ji Buyu back that day, were sitting along the street, casually observing the Martial Alliance.
Since these sects' headquarters weren't in Xiacheng, they weren't considered highly suspicious. Xie Mowen strolled around for a bit and then stopped paying attention. As for the smaller sects, Xie Mowen didn't plan to focus on them for the time being.
"how's it going?"
It was Xiao Congzhi.
Xie Mowen turned his head, a smile immediately appearing on his lips, his eyes lighting up as he looked at Xiao Congzhi's back with great interest.
Xiao Congzhi lowered his voice and said, "Xu Shuyan doesn't want to get too close to the Martial Alliance, so I asked Shen Yan to accompany her to the teahouse to rest."
"I guess she's afraid we'll trick her into going back to the Martial Arts Alliance?"
Xiao Congzhi smiled faintly and shrugged.
Xie Mowen waved his hand helplessly and answered Xiao Congzhi's question: "Besides Emei, the other eight major sects have all sent people. Jiang Xu from Qingcheng, Qian Lin from Diancang, and Yang Yanshu from Kongtong."
Yang Yanshu of the Kongtong School is the only direct disciple of the Kongtong School in this generation.
Xiao Congzhi leaned closer to Xie Mowen, and the two continued their conversation, their shoulders touching.
Xie Mowen glanced at Xiao Congzhi's shoulder, suppressing the corners of his mouth as he tried to give a serious explanation: "Jiang Xu is the son of the Qingcheng Sect Leader. He is usually engrossed in martial arts and doesn't care about outside affairs at all."
Xiao Congzhi nodded: "Qian Lin is also a model of living a secluded life. How come I don't remember him taking such drastic measures against Huanan Prefecture?"
Xie Mowen coughed lightly, ignoring Xiao Congzhi's words, and said instead, "Yang Yanshu, it is rumored that he almost never leaves the Kongtong Sect."
Xiao Congzhi turned his head to look in the direction of the Martial Alliance and said indifferently, "Although it is normal for them to come here because of the matter at the prefectural government office yesterday, I have a feeling that the masked man is among them."
Xie Mowen: "Shall we make a bet?"
Xiao Congzhi chuckled and asked, "Is there a prize?"
"We'll discuss the prize money later..."
"Qian Lin".
They spoke in unison, and after they finished speaking, they looked at each other simultaneously.
All three are acceptable, but Qian Lin is the only one of Xu Tan's generation. Unless the masked man outsources the investigation, but neither Xiao Congzhi nor Xie Mowen believes that given the masked man's secretive style, he would outsource such an important matter.
While they were talking, Sun Rang and his men were almost at the entrance of the Martial Alliance.
The yamen runners and officials stood in two rows, with Sun Rang walking at the very front, his bright red official robe shining brightly.
Over the years, the number of officials in Xiacheng has dwindled, and martial arts practitioners have become rampant. It is rare to see anyone wearing official robes on the streets, let alone at the entrance of the Martial Arts Alliance.
The guards at the entrance of the Martial Arts Alliance were somewhat bewildered by the sight, but since the imperial envoy had executed the former prefect Zhou Zhengqi yesterday, they knew a little about the matter. They didn't dare to act arrogantly in front of the official as before, and politely went up to ask him.
Sun Rang, however, was not one to mince words. He spoke directly and sternly: "I am the Imperial Envoy of the Governor, ordered to arrest Xu Tan."
After saying that, he waved his hand, and the well-trained constables behind him ran towards the martial arts alliance.
The common people cannot fight against the officials. Even if the martial arts alliance is highly skilled, they dare not openly resist. Before long, Xu Tan was escorted out.
Sun Rang waved his hand again, and the group of people marched in a grand procession toward the prefectural government office, followed by countless onlookers eager to see what would happen.
Xu Shuyan, who witnessed everything from the teahouse not far away, was immediately flustered and bewildered. With Shen Yan's help, she managed to stand up straight and stammered that she was going to find Young Hero Xiao and Young Hero Mo.
Shen Yan didn't know what her master was planning, so she didn't dare to make the decision to lead people to look for her. She could only try to comfort her.
Fortunately, Xiao Congzhi and Xie Mowen arrived quickly. Without saying much, they accompanied Xu Shuyan to the prefectural government office.
When she arrived, the court had not yet convened, but countless commoners and martial arts practitioners had gathered in layers around her. Some of them recognized Xu Shuyan and whispered among themselves as she approached, soon making way for her.
Xu Shuyan was a little scared. The various gazes from all directions made her uncomfortable, but her worry for her father clearly took the lead at this moment. After taking a few deep breaths, Xu Shuyan walked to the front, followed by Xie Mowen, while Xiao Congzhi and Shen Yan stayed outside the crowd.
"Young Master Mo, are you sure everything will be alright?" Xu Shuyan asked helplessly.
Along the way, Xie Mowen said more than once that Alliance Leader Xu was blessed by heaven, and Xu Shuyan believed it as if she were grasping at the last straw.
Soon, the imperial envoy, dressed in a red official robe, appeared. He lifted the hem of his robe, sat upright in the hall, and two rows of yamen runners rushed out, shouting "Majestic!" as he ascended the hall.
“Take Xu Tan with you.”
Xu Tan was brought up by two yamen runners and forced to kneel heavily on the ground, but he remained calm in his expression.
The entire court proceedings will not be detailed here. In general, the most outrageous thing Xu Tan had done over the years was to suppress the disappearance case that had been going on for a month. The reason given was that he was concerned about his youngest daughter. Considering that Xu Tan had helped many poor people and refugees in Xiacheng to some extent, his merits and demerits canceled each other out, he was ultimately fined three thousand taels of silver and spared imprisonment.
When Xu Shuyan, who was standing below the hall, heard her father say that he had bribed the prefectural government to suppress the disappearance case so as not to affect her coming-of-age ceremony, she suddenly remembered the curse that Xiao Congzhi had mentioned to her the night before. Her eyes immediately filled with tears, and she choked out to Xie Mowen beside her, "Young Master Mo, I... I don't want to leave the city."
Xie Mowen was not surprised at all. He exchanged a glance with Xiao Congzhi behind the crowd and said to Xu Shuyan, "Then I'll take you back to the Martial Alliance."
"No need, I want to wait for my father to come out so we can go back together."
Xu Tan still needs to go through some procedures at the yamen, and it's estimated that everything will be finished by evening.
Xie Mowen advised, "Xiacheng is too chaotic right now. It would be better for Miss Xu to return to the Martial Alliance first."
Xu Shuyan thought about it and realized that it wouldn't be appropriate to trouble the two young heroes to accompany her and the others, but it was indeed not safe for her to be alone, so she didn't refuse anymore.
So Xie Mowen accompanied Xu Shuyan to the Martial Alliance, while Xiao Congzhi said he had other matters to attend to and did not join them.
When they had traveled about halfway through, they passed through a small alley, which was rather deserted, with hardly anyone in sight.
“Just a few days ago, in a similar alley, you saved me.” Xu Shuyan suddenly said with some emotion.
Xie Mowen didn't respond; his fingers, hidden by his sleeve, were gently rubbing together.
Xu Shuyan looked at Xie Mowen with a puzzled expression, but seeing his serious demeanor, her heart skipped a beat. She asked very softly, "Is there something wrong?"
Xie Mowen naturally noticed the person lying in ambush in the shadows. He pretended to be calm and asked into the void, "Who are you?"
The air suddenly turned cold, a chilly wind began to rise, and a sinister laugh inexplicably drifted over, growing louder as it approached. Xie Mowen's expression grew increasingly grim, and he raised his hand to draw the dagger from his waist.
Suddenly, a curved blade came flying through the wind, its light incredibly fast and heavy. The moment the weapons clashed, Xie Mowen immediately knelt down, the floor tiles shattering and scattering everywhere.
Xu Shuyan screamed, but the scream was abruptly cut short as someone from the shadows grabbed her by the neck.
Xie Mowen reluctantly turned his head and saw a masked man in black clothes gripping Xu Shuyan's neck and staring down at him.
Xie Mowen pretended to have a broken hand, switched the dagger to his left hand, and made a move to get up. The masked man threw Xu Shuyan to the ground, raised his curved blade again, and mercilessly slashed down. Xie Mowen fell to the ground and was silent.
Xu Shuyan cried uncontrollably. She finally understood that the masked man's target was her. Because of her willfulness, she had killed Mo Shaoxia, who had saved her life.
The masked man turned around, flicked the blood off his knife, hoisted Xu Shuyan around the waist, and carried her away.
The next instant, Xie Mowen stood up nimbly, did his best to conceal his presence, and quickly chased after the masked man in the direction he had left.
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