Chapter 89 If you dare glare at me again, you're not going anywhere.
The night was dark, the thick ink enveloping the entire manor, exuding a sinister, ghostly aura.
Niannian walked on the way to Lengxiang Xiaozhu, the tinkling of bells echoing all the way.
She left the house empty yesterday, and was so angry she almost broke the windowsill off.
She was whispering to herself when she heard a series of noisy commotion coming from inside the Cold Fragrance Pavilion.
Hearing the name 'Li Xunhuan' faintly, her eyes turned cold. She bent down, pulled out the blade from the inside of her ankle, and hurried into the courtyard.
No one probably knew better than her what could happen in this secluded, fragrant abode. Her chest heaved twice, the back of the knife digging into her pale fingertips.
If he dares...
But little did Nian Nian know that this courtyard, which had been filled with enchanting beauty every night, would be shrouded in a chilling atmosphere tonight!
She pushed through the crowd and saw a soft stick with gold thread wrapped around it striking Li Xunhuan's calf hard.
With a 'thud,' Li Xunhuan knelt down on the ground.
In the blink of an eye, a sallow-faced, emaciated man swiftly struck several acupoints on his back.
Although this man looked like a sick man, he was none other than Gongsun Moyun, the renowned "Cloud-Moving Hand" in the martial arts world.
Seeing him attacked, Nian Nian's pupils contracted sharply, a wild fire surged into her heart, she gripped the thin blade in her sleeve and rushed towards the owner of the soft stick, intending to cut off his leg.
Li Xunhuan was lying on the ground when he suddenly saw Nian Nian burst in. He was terrified and roared, "What are you doing here! This has nothing to do with you, go back!"
Seeing the vicious look in her eyes and her hunched back, Li Xunhuan's heart nearly leaped off a cliff. These people, though spouting righteousness, were truly despicable and shameless villains. Even if she were just a child, they would show her no mercy.
If she tries to fight them, she'll only end up in trouble.
Long Xiaoyun rushed forward and shielded Niannian with his body, pleading, "Child, run! Don't worry, your father is my brother, I will protect him with my life. This has nothing to do with you! Run!"
Zhao Zhengyi frowned, his face stern, and said, "To risk your life to protect the Plum Blossom Thief? Fourth Master Long, don't be out of your mind! How can such a beast be worthy of being your brother?"
No sooner had he finished speaking than he kicked Li Xunhuan hard in the chest, sending him flying several meters away like a dog.
The moment the word "beast" entered her ears, Niannian's eyes turned bloodshot, and her hand gripping the knife hilt trembled.
This flying kick snapped the taut string in her mind; with a "whoosh," the raging wildfire had burned away her reason.
She turned to the side, gripped the blade, and stabbed at his neck.
Zhao Zhengyi felt disgusted the moment he saw her arrogant and sinister eyes. However, the courtyard was full of martial arts heroes, and he certainly couldn't kill a child; otherwise, wouldn't that damage his image as a peerless chivalrous hero?
Li Xunhuan turned deathly pale when he saw her draw her sword. Knowing her temperament, how could she possibly let this go peacefully?
He was struck on the acupoint and fell to the ground, unable to move. To save her life, he could only sternly say, "Don't forget you promised me you would listen to me! If you still want to be my daughter, then leave now!"
Li Xunhuan coughed incessantly again, and said in a hoarse voice, "My affairs are none of your business!"
Niannian wouldn't listen at all; who wants to be his daughter?
Her moves were completely haphazard, yet every strike was ruthless. As she grazed Zhao Zhengyi's skin, it felt as if she intended to shred his flesh!
To maintain his reputation as a respected figure in the martial arts world, Zhao Zhengyi opted for a policy of non-aggression and retreat, focusing solely on appearances. Even if Li Xunhuan's identity as the Plum Blossom Thief was confirmed, the young boy was innocent, and he couldn't easily retaliate in front of everyone.
Unfortunately, his retreat skills were not yet up to par. Nian Nian seized the opportunity, twisted her wrist backward, and stabbed with the tip of the knife, embedding it into the corner of his mouth.
She pressed herself forward and pierced his cheek, the piercing going two inches across.
Zhao Zhengyi's face, though seemingly incorruptible, wasn't made of iron after all!
Everyone around was shocked, never expecting things to turn out this way! Gongsun Moyun moved swiftly, flying forward to Nian Nian's back and striking several acupoints on her back.
Zhao Zhengyi didn't use his full strength; he was just relying on the four words "Jianghu code of honor" above his head.
But this little bitch dared to ruin his face! All the prestige he had painstakingly built over the years was ruined.
Zhao Zhengyi's face turned ashen, and the veins on his skin looked like they were about to pop out. He immediately kicked her in the abdomen, sending her flying two zhang away.
"Niannian—!" Li Xunhuan's eyes were bloodshot; this kick had truly struck him right in the heart.
Zhao Zhengyi wiped the blood gushing from the corner of his mouth and roared in fury, "This boy is vicious and will probably grow up to be the next Plum Blossom Thief! Today, I will teach you a lesson on behalf of your father, you little beast!"
Seeing him stride forward, Li Xunhuan suppressed a cough and said tremblingly, "Zhao Zhengyi, you call yourself a chivalrous knight-errant, are you really going to be so despicable as to make things difficult for a child? Aren't you afraid of being ridiculed by the whole world?"
Long Xiaoyun stepped forward and knelt before Zhao Zhengyi, tears streaming down his face, saying, "No! She's still a child. I'm willing to suffer in her place!"
Tian Qi stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Master Long is so foolish! This is, after all, the child of the Plum Blossom Thief. He is vicious and cannot be compared with an ordinary child!"
Long Xiaoyun roared, "If my brother can produce a note, how could he be the Plum Blossom Thief!"
Zhao Zhengyi, his beard bristling, exclaimed, "If anyone could clear their name with a note after committing a crime, wouldn't the prisons be empty? That's the insidious part of him!"
Tian Qi also said, "When the Plum Blossom Thief reappeared in the martial world, wasn't that the same time this person entered the pass? Could all of this be just a coincidence?"
Li Xunhuan was no longer willing to listen. With the sophistry these people possessed, no matter how he explained, it would be useless.
He took a breath and said, "Brother, why bother arguing with these petty people?"
Li Xunhuan closed his eyes and said, "If you want my life, come and take it. But this child has nothing to do with this matter."
Zhao Zhengyi sneered, "We want to take your life, not for personal gain. You'd better admit you're the Plum Blossom Thief before we can take your head. Your daughter has such a fierce look in her eyes, she's very resentful. Letting her go before you're brought to justice might cause trouble."
These words already carried a threatening tone!
Li Xunhuan shouted angrily, "Despicable and shameless! I thought you, Zhao Zhengyi, were a villain, but it turns out you're not even as good as an animal!"
"You dare to do this, you brat!" Zhao Zhengyi slapped him across the face as soon as he finished his angry roar.
Li Xunhuan's own state of mind had not yet been affected, but Nian Nian was already trembling all over, almost wanting to eat his flesh and drink his blood.
"You dare hit him like that... I'll not only tear your mouth apart, but I'll also chop your hands into a rotten mess in the gutter." Her body was so tense it felt like it was about to break, and a raging storm raged in her heart, determined to fill it with blood.
Seeing the hatred in her eyes and the venom in her mouth, Zhao Zhengyi was even more furious. He took a few steps forward and slapped her with his backhand.
"Little beast!"
With a "hum," it sounded like a bronze bell striking a towering mountain.
Her head slammed heavily to the ground, double images flashing before her eyes, and another thunderous roar echoed in her ears—
"You dare glare at me again!"
The man, whose figure was obscured, gripped a whip and struck her face hard, breaking her nose in an instant.
It was also from a superior position.
He was just as furious.
A bruised and swollen handprint appeared on Nian Nian's cheek, which she had turned away from, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. She swallowed the blood and raised her head as she remembered.
Her jaw tightened, and thick blood flowed from her forehead into her dark, dotted eyes, instantly igniting a raging fire.
Her gaze held the burning heat of iron, every inch of it brimming with untamed wildness; the moment it touched flesh, it could leave you covered in charred marks.
People with this kind of gaze will never be disciplined.
Looking into those eyes, Zhao Zhengyi felt as if he had been slapped hard across the face. A surge of overwhelming anger rose within him. "You little beast, try glaring at me again!"
"Zhao Zhengyi, if you dare hit her again!" Li Xunhuan's eyes trembled, his lips bitten raw and bleeding.
He was already out of breath, but he still tried to remain calm and said, "If you have grievances, take them out on me. If you want me to admit that I am the Plum Blossom Thief, then let her go. I will admit it."
Zhao Zhengyi said, "I can beat the Plum Blossom Thief even more!"
Having said that, his iron hand gripped his arm, intending to break it.
When the merciless iron palm struck him, he actually breathed a sigh of relief. Despite the pain of having his flesh crushed and bones shattered, he could still manage a smile.
The pain seemed to have penetrated entirely into Nian Nian's heart.
She gritted her teeth, watching those large hands slowly embed themselves into his arm, feeling her heart burning hotter and hotter, almost as if it were burning her blood dry.
The long-dormant threads within her body suddenly taut, and the copper bell on her wrist rang sharply and ethereally.
Just as Zhao Zhengyi was about to unleash his inner strength to cripple Li Xunhuan's arm, his wrist was suddenly tightened.
"A hidden weapon!" he cried out, and the thin thread severed his hand at the wrist.
Before he could even cry out in pain, the thin threads, like tiny worms, burrowed into his body.
Blood mist, like drifting snow, sprinkled across the courtyard, and more and more people cried out in alarm as the thin thread entangled them, rendering them unable to move!
In the midst of the panic, Nian Nian, clutching her stomach, propped herself up and swayed as she walked to Li Xunhuan's side. She hurriedly picked him up and asked, "Uncle, are you in pain?"
Seeing the commotion in the room, Li Xunhuan frowned and said in a low voice, "I'm fine, you should leave quickly."
A cold wind swept in from behind, and Nian Nian suddenly turned around and met the moon in the sky.
The edges of that bright, round moon gradually became stained with dark ink, as if someone had opened a gaping maw, about to devour it piece by piece.
A fine, pricking sensation spread from the depths of her heart, the copper bell trembled violently, and a chill suddenly rose, as if screeching a warning to her to flee.
Niannian's face instantly darkened. She wrapped the transparent thread around Li Xunhuan's waist and abdomen, and with a little effort, she carried him on her back.
Li Xunhuan's expression changed slightly, "This is..."
Niannian only said, "I'll take you away."
If they don't leave now, Li Xunhuan might never be able to leave again. Even though he himself is not afraid of death, he absolutely cannot implicate Nian Nian.
Why would Niannian be worried about these so-called chivalrous heroes in the courtyard? If it weren't for the strange feeling that suddenly arose in her heart, she would have torn these people to shreds.
Fortunately, she had a gut feeling that these people were just waiting to die if they stayed here.
Li Xunhuan, unaware of the intricacies of the situation, noticed the gash on her forehead and couldn't help but smile bitterly, saying, "Why did you bother getting involved in this mess? I'm afraid this matter won't end well."
Niannian gripped his hand tightly and said fiercely, "You are mine, only I can bully you."
Even though she couldn't quite express herself, tears welled up in Li Xunhuan's emerald green eyes.
A certain tremor crept up his heart and spread everywhere. After a moment of distraction, he said in a hoarse voice, "Misusing words again."
Li Xunhuan never expected that the child he casually rescued in the snow would protect and save him so much.
He lost his mother at a young age and his father and brother in his youth, and from the age of eighteen, he had to take on the responsibility of the entire Li family.
In literature, he was a third-place scholar in the imperial examinations. In martial arts, he was Little Li the Divine Blade.
The heavy weight of glory pressed down on his shoulders, like old snow that could never be swept away. Under the gaze of everyone, he held his breath as he crossed the narrow bridge, not daring to make a single wrong step.
He was always the one protecting and saving others, because his parents and brothers who would protect him in this world had already passed away.
The last person to protect and save him was...
He didn't want to think about it anymore; if he was wrong, it was all his own fault.
A burning sensation on her collarbone made her look down and see a tear. She muttered, "You're not well, you're sick all the time, and you cry every day. What will you do without me?"
Her tearful eyes curved into a smile as Li Xunhuan gently coaxed her, "Without Niannian, it would indeed be very difficult."
Niannian finally smiled slightly and added, "Besides me, who would risk their life to save you? You're safest only by staying by my side."
Li Xunhuan was already used to her rambling remarks, so he nodded in agreement.
Niannian couldn't help but smile, and said sweetly, "Then don't you want to say anything else to me?"
Li Xunhuan was taken aback, gazing at her hair for a long time before gently promising, "From now on, I will treat you as my own daughter, cherishing and protecting you. If you wish, call me..."
Before he could speak, Nian Nian interrupted him coldly, saying, "You!"
She stopped and used her spiritual power to break through his acupoint. Just as she was about to berate him, the sky suddenly darkened, and when she looked up again, it was a lunar eclipse.
They were now halfway up the mountain, and from afar they could see a gray fog rolling in, which in the blink of an eye enveloped the entire area within a five-kilometer radius of Xingyun Village.
Li Xunhuan was lost in thought, muttering, "There's an unusual phenomenon in the sky..."
He had never believed in such things, but the scene before him was so bizarre that he couldn't help but feel worried.
His brows were furrowed, and he couldn't help but turn back and say, "This fog is strange. I'm afraid someone is up to no good. I'll go back to Xingyun Manor to check. Niannian, you wait for me here. I'll be right back."
Niannian lifted her eyelashes, panting, "The people there all want you dead. You want to go back?"
Li Xunhuan lowered his eyes and said, "I'm worried about my elder brother, sister-in-law, and Tie Chuanjia."
Lin Shiyin, Lin Shiyin.
Niannian's fingertips had already torn the hem of her clothes. After a long while, she suppressed the violence in her heart and said lightly, "Okay."
Li Xun breathed a sigh of relief, ruffled her hair, and carefully gave her several instructions before using the Dragonfly Triple Skim technique to descend the mountain.
Niannian stood still, coldly watching his back as he leaped three zhang away.
Seeing that the dragonfly had only touched the ground twice, its wings suddenly broke off.
She finally smiled.
You're not going anywhere.
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Author's note: Nian Nian: The words are very expressive! Don't discriminate against illiterate people!!
Forced love right now!
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